I want drug users, smokers, alcoholics to explain this to me (seriously)

[Char-Nobyl]

Whoa whoa whoa. Let's pause for a moment and look at the title. "Alcoholics"? Really? You're starting this thread off by establishing that everyone who drinks is an alcoholic?

I just want to know why you chose to do it. It's widely known now that the benefits of those things are temporary but they could ruin your lives fairly easily.

Well, saw this coming: a person who has never been drunk or gotten high is wondering why anyone would possibly want to drink or smoke cannabis.

I didn't understand the appeal of roller coasters until I actually rode one, nor did I understand the appeal of drinking until I'd gotten drunk. If you don't drink anything more than a sip or two of beer, your only experience with alcohol is as a foul-tasting beverage.

It just seems like there is absolutely no good reason for doing drugs, or smoking, or drinking in excess.

Hurp, durp, I dunno. I guess I just indulge in self-destructive habits that don't have any sort of benefit to them.

Look, you literally just said that there were benefits (ie, being drunk/high) in the short term. That is the entire appeal of drugs/alcohol, but, seeing as you're essentially as close to a Puritan as modern society can create, you obviously have no experience in either of those states.

I know some people are addicted, and that sucks because that's tough for anyone to overcome. Some I know are self-destructive; they know it's bad but they do it anyway apparently because they just don't care.

Or because they think the short-term benefit you keep writing off as some sort of side note is worth the possibility of long-term problems.

But I know I can't truly know why because I've never experienced it myself, so I want to understand. Please, if you want to, give me your honest reasons for doing what you do so I can understand where you're coming from even if I don't agree with it.

Then, for the love of Jesus tapdancing Christ, if you desperately want to know why getting drunk/high appeals to people, just try it already. It won't even be against the law, assuming you're 21 as you say. Get drunk and see for yourself. Contrary to what D.A.R.E. and the plethora of 90s drug/alcohol PSAs might've taught you, your brain won't melt at the first whiff of cannabis, and you won't become an alcoholic from getting drunk once.

That's all I've got to offer you. There's clearly no way to explain the appeal to you ("It makes you feel good"), seeing as you acknowledge that fact...and then still plead for us to tell you why anyone would consider drinking/smoking.

Words will not clear this up for you, but a few Jaegerbombs sure will. Man up and go try it.

 

[Lesd3vil]

Look, some people enjoy the feeling they get from drugs; to some it's worth the trade-off. I'd hypothesise though, that the majority of people who DO do lots of drugs, are the type of people who think their life is shit or have lots of problems... So they do drugs to make their life seem temporarily better or so they can forget about things for a while. I know lately I've been thinking about cutting down on drinking, right round about the time things started looking up... Can't be a coincidence right?

Another problem is peer pressure... If your friends are doing something you'll want to do it too. It's not as obvious as wanting to be accepted, it's a little more subtle than that, it's mixed with curiosity, wanting to appear 'better' in front of your friends, not wanting to be left out of the experience, etc.

Which leads me to another point: some people are just curious about it and want to see what it's about; and frankly this is a fair point to make and probably the best argument for taking something... You can't knock something till you've tried it, and people who take pride in having never tried something seem to me to be a little ignorant and narrow-minded when they knock those who have (even those who are not addicted) because frankly experience makes us who we are, and drugs are just one more thing to make your own mind up about...

Another big point is that certain drugs are illegal... Yes, we're bringing this up. People like to think they're in charge of their own lives, their own choices etc and ingesting substances gives a vicarious sort of thrill because it feels like you're 'rebelling' against something (perhaps your parents, perhaps society, whatever rocks your boat) and making a point that your life is your own to do with as you please.

The fact is, the reasons are different for everyone... A high-powered businessperson may do a line of coke to get through their day, likewise a rockstar might do a line to get through a set after a bad party the night before; on the other hand, a clubber might do a line of coke to FEEL like they're living the rock'n'roll lifestyle, or to feel slightly superior to other people in the club, or because they're with a group of friends and it's a shared experience. I drink because I do actually enjoy the feeling as long as it doesn't go too far and I start feeling ill. I've tried weed but it doesn't do anything for me, coke is ok but not as good as people make out, I don't think I'll try heroin because to be honest I'm shit scared of the stuff, and hallucinogens just don't appeal to me >>

 

[Taldeer]

Sir, I have started smoking at the age of 20. I was past the peer pressure of highschool and in fact many of my friends at the time weren't smoking. It wasn't a decision I made without knowing what I was getting myself into. I wanted to try it, I did, and I liked it. I like it to this day. I very rarely drink and have only gotten tipsy about 3 or 4 times, never "wasted" as they say. It's not something I enjoy very much, the effects are physical rather than mental, and it's not very satisfying for me. I have also smoked weed on a few occasions and I have to say, out of... I guess... 10 times, only about 3 or 4 "caught". In other words, it doesn't always work in the first place. When it does, it's really relaxing, it mellows you out and it lets you enjoy simple things more. For me the ability to "stop and smell the roses" as it were, doesn't just "show up" as easily - weed sometimes makes that process a bit easier.

Why do I smoke and why have I tried weed? I believe one has the right not to try some things but then immediately forfeits the right to chastise others for trying them. I don't care how bad smoking is for me, life is not everlasting and no amount of healthy living will ever change that. There was a Greek philosopher named Epicurus. He believed that one can know "good" and "bad" through "pleasure" and "pain". He also believed that life should be lived with close friends, philosophy is the pursuit of pleasure (be it physical, spiritual, intellectual or otherwise) and death should not be feared, as there is nothing more natural, and as there is no such thing as an afterlife. I agree with this man. I would rather be subject to my own choices and their consequences than the choices others make for me.

But then again, I'm usually depressed and I have a generally negative outlook on life, so self-destruction isn't really a big boogie-man for me. So, if you think your life will be happier and longer and whatnot without even ever trying a cigarette or a glass of bourbon on the rocks or a joint, then good for you.

 

[elvor0]

I hate it when people ask this question.

Because I enjoy it. Nothing more, nothing less. The same as I enjoy playing guitar or playing video games.

There. Is that so hard? And now some Bill Hicks

Putting a video of a comedian who often said that there was nothing wrong with smoking and drugs but then died of cancer himself at the age of 32 doesn't really lend its self to your argument.Its hard to accept that people do these things because it kills them.

My argument was that I enjoyed it, I never said anything about whether or not it's bad for you. Yes it is harmful to my body, but then that's the risk you gotta take and I accept that, there STILL isn't anything wrong with taking drugs, it's bad for you, but there's nothing fundamentally wrong or immoral about it either.

 

[ChildishLegacy]

I respect having clear mind, I hate anything that clouds your mind from reality.

This, I see myself as somebody that is (or at least aspires to be) intellectual and that likes having conversations with close friends about stuff that is interesting, and I enjoy being that person, and don't see why people can't find entertainment with friends without rendering this part of them dead.

Although I'm not that old, people my age are starting to do really silly things with alcohol, I might understand a few friends going down to the pub for a few drinks and some light hearted conversation, but I will never understand people drinking until they are doing stupid things, vomiting, being violent and passing out, it's just counter intuitive from my point of view.

 

[thelonewolf266]

I hate it when people ask this question.

Because I enjoy it. Nothing more, nothing less. The same as I enjoy playing guitar or playing video games.

There. Is that so hard? And now some Bill Hicks

Putting a video of a comedian who often said that there was nothing wrong with smoking and drugs but then died of cancer himself at the age of 32 doesn't really lend its self to your argument.Its hard to accept that people do these things because it kills them.

My argument was that I enjoyed it, I never said anything about whether or not it's bad for you. Yes it is harmful to my body, but then that's the risk you gotta take and I accept that, there STILL isn't anything wrong with taking drugs, it's bad for you, but there's nothing fundamentally wrong or immoral about it either.

One of the things that I think is wrong with it is that you are funding drug dealers who are people that don't care when they fuck up someone's life by supplying them with drugs(which you can't argue doesn't happen because while taking drugs might not mess up your life it has destroyed millions of other peoples lives) and drug dealers are quite often active in other criminal activities such as prostitution human trafficking and arms dealing which means you are helping these horrible things happen because you need to ingest drugs to enjoy yourself.I personally don't think taking drugs is worth risking my job relationship and life if I get arrested or addicted just to enjoy myself I can do that without drugs but its your choice that's just my view on it I also believe in free will.

 

[mrdude2010]

i don't smoke tobacco or do any hard drugs, i drink at parties and shmoke weedz a couple times a week.. it's fun to be under the influence, and sure alcohol is dangerous but if you're not retarded with it it's fine

weed has some medical properties that i appreciate, and in addition it's fun to be high occasionally as long as you don't overdo it or forsake your responsibilites to do it, i don't see a problem

 

[Woodsey]

I smoke a pipe because it's fucking badass, cliché but true and pipe tobacco tastes nice.

I... no. It isn't. I wish I had the relevant podcast from Spill.com where one of them admits to smoking a pipe in high school, and everyone proceeds to rip the piss out of him for 10 minutes, but I can't.

Just no.

Actually trying some of the substances in question would probably answer said question for you.

Non-fun havers smokers/drinking/drug takers seem to think that even sniffing them will turn you into an addict, which is probably why these questions get asked so much.

I hate it when people ask this question.

Because I enjoy it. Nothing more, nothing less. The same as I enjoy playing guitar or playing video games.

There. Is that so hard? And now some Bill Hicks

Putting a video of a comedian who often said that there was nothing wrong with smoking and drugs but then died of cancer himself at the age of 32 doesn't really lend its self to your argument.Its hard to accept that people do these things because it kills them.

My argument was that I enjoyed it, I never said anything about whether or not it's bad for you. Yes it is harmful to my body, but then that's the risk you gotta take and I accept that, there STILL isn't anything wrong with taking drugs, it's bad for you, but there's nothing fundamentally wrong or immoral about it either.

One of the things that I think is wrong with it is that you are funding drug dealers who are people that don't care when they fuck up someone's life by supplying them with drugs(which you can't argue doesn't happen because while taking drugs might not mess up your life it has destroyed millions of other peoples lives) and drug dealers are quite often active in other criminal activities such as prostitution human trafficking and arms dealing which means you are helping these horrible things happen because you need to ingest drugs to enjoy yourself.I personally don't think taking drugs is worth risking my job relationship and life if I get arrested or addicted just to enjoy myself I can do that without drugs but its your choice that's just my view on it I also believe in free will.

Maybe if you're a total smack head. Buying weed from the local 20-year-old whose decided to sell some that week is hardly going to contribute to a global crime ring.

 

[SsilverR]

Because not only is marijuana healthier than anything legal, it's better than anything legal.

i love being sober but a weekend joint helps put everything into some serious perspective

 

[elvor0]

I hate it when people ask this question.

Because I enjoy it. Nothing more, nothing less. The same as I enjoy playing guitar or playing video games.

There. Is that so hard? And now some Bill Hicks

Putting a video of a comedian who often said that there was nothing wrong with smoking and drugs but then died of cancer himself at the age of 32 doesn't really lend its self to your argument.Its hard to accept that people do these things because it kills them.

My argument was that I enjoyed it, I never said anything about whether or not it's bad for you. Yes it is harmful to my body, but then that's the risk you gotta take and I accept that, there STILL isn't anything wrong with taking drugs, it's bad for you, but there's nothing fundamentally wrong or immoral about it either.

One of the things that I think is wrong with it is that you are funding drug dealers who are people that don't care when they fuck up someone's life by supplying them with drugs(which you can't argue doesn't happen because while taking drugs might not mess up your life it has destroyed millions of other peoples lives) and drug dealers are quite often active in other criminal activities such as prostitution human trafficking and arms dealing which means you are helping these horrible things happen because you need to ingest drugs to enjoy yourself.I personally don't think taking drugs is worth risking my job relationship and life if I get arrested or addicted just to enjoy myself I can do that without drugs but its your choice that's just my view on it I also believe in free will.

That could be the case, only for me I know it's not. I've known the man who is my dealer all my life and he's a very close friend of mine. That and even when it arises that I can't get it off of him, the only other people I buy from are small time dealers with mediocre stuff at best, who I'm pretty sure aint connected to the dark side of drugs.

Even then, it still doesn't make taking drugs wrong. It's just some of the people selling them are bad, and I could apply that to a lot of stuff. I disagree massively about some of the stuff the government does, including the current war *cough*oil dig*cough* in Libya, yet my taxes in part go towards funding that War, which is being fought for the wrong reasons, I mean we fucking gave the guy his weapons in the first place. But that's another discussion for another time.

Plus if they legalized some drugs, there wouldn't BE that dark side of drug dealing.

 

[WOPR]

I do find it funny that the MASSIVE pot-heads around here will argue "it's good for you man" then proceed to hack up a lung and a half coughing cause they can't breathe too well...

If somebody is having lung problems from smoking, it will be from smoking tobacco. There have been several studies (including one from the Harvard Medical School) which shows that cannabis smoking alone not only doesnt increase your chance of lung cancer, but can also decrease it if taken often enough due to anti-carcinogenic properties of the smoke.
Having said that, if you smoke cannabis with tobacco (as many do) then your chance of lung cancer seems to be even higher than if you just smoked tobacco. Medicine is wierd like that :/

Wasn't really reffering to cancer, I was talk about the idiots taking in a deep hit holding it for like a minute, then choking for half an hour

 

[qeinar]

I'm 21 years old (just about 22 at this point), I've never once smoked or done drugs, I barely ever drink and have never been drunk. I don't want to criticize those who partake in those activities and if you come into this topic expecting to do that, please go elsewhere.

I just want to know why you chose to do it. It's widely known now that the benefits of those things are temporary but they could ruin your lives fairly easily. It just seems like there is absolutely no good reason for doing drugs, or smoking, or drinking in excess. I know some people are addicted, and that sucks because that's tough for anyone to overcome. Some I know are self-destructive; they know it's bad but they do it anyway apparently because they just don't care.

But I know I can't truly know why because I've never experienced it myself, so I want to understand. Please, if you want to, give me your honest reasons for doing what you do so I can understand where you're coming from even if I don't agree with it.

won't talk for smoking or drugs, but i wouldn't knock drinking without really having tryed it. i had a mate in my class that was somewhat against drinking with the argument that "he didn't need alcohol to have fun" which to be fair most normal people don't. After he grew up a bit and tryed drinking at around 17 i'd say (drinking age in norway is 18, but most bars are 20, although most start to drink at 15 ish if you don't live in a city). after getting drunk a couple times he quickly understood why everyone was going out at the weekends drinking.

So try getting drunk with a couple friends, make a small party and then say it's something you'd never do again. : p (i'd like to point out i don't like clubs and such, talking to people is much better than noot beeing able to due to shitty loud music.)

 

[Liam Barden]

*blah blah*

Wasn't really reffering to cancer, I was talk about the idiots taking in a deep hit holding it for like a minute, then choking for half an hour

Fair enough, my bad. That is a pretty dumb thing to do.

 

[Vonnis]

I choose to smoke, use drugs and drink alcohol because I enjoy all three. I live now, not 20 years down the line, so I try to enjoy myself now, and not 20 years down the line.
It's a rather silly question to be honest. Why do you do things you enjoy? Because you enjoy them? Why I would've never thought of that...

 

[Layz92]

I do however have issues with other harder drugs like speed and heroine. I don't want to damage my body and they burn you out over time. I am not saying however I don't think people should be allowed to use them, I think people should be allowed to do whatever they like to their bodies.

My "bad 3" of Meth, Heroin and Cocaine, I have no support for. I will openly say that you're taking a huge risk by doing them, and the risks far outweigh the benefits. I wouldn't want them to be kept illegal, but they should be very hard to get, perhaps requiring a doctor's note or something, and frequent checkups (or something like that.)
But for everything else, I have no issue with. Drinking and smoking are just ways for people to loosen up (in different ways and psychoactives are incredibly fun and eye-opening, with little negative side effects and almost no long term dangers.

The issue I see with drinking and smoking is that people do it in extreme excess. If you were to smoke a cigarette or two a week just to unwind, that'd be fine. But getting addicted and relying on packs a week is extremely unhealthy. Smokers and society in general need to confront that issue.

I think you got the wrong drift from my words. Now I read them again I can see the error I made. I say "I have issues" as in I have a dislike for them, not as in addiction issues. At least that is the feeling I get from your words. I have only ever done psychedelics. Hell, even Lemmy of Motorhead fame refuses to do heroine and if he is wary of a substance... keep your eyes open.

 

[Zykon TheLich]

Quick a

 

[SinisterGehe]

I respect having clear mind, I hate anything that clouds your mind from reality.

This, I see myself as somebody that is (or at least aspires to be) intellectual and that likes having conversations with close friends about stuff that is interesting, and I enjoy being that person, and don't see why people can't find entertainment with friends without rendering this part of them dead.

Although I'm not that old, people my age are starting to do really silly things with alcohol, I might understand a few friends going down to the pub for a few drinks and some light hearted conversation, but I will never understand people drinking until they are doing stupid things, vomiting, being violent and passing out, it's just counter intuitive from my point of view.

I don't not respect people who can't be "real"/"Free"/"Them selfs" without alcohol or a drug. In my opinion you are what you are when you are clear minded, the fact that you are "freed" from your social limitations when you under influence only changes who you are, a car is still a car no matter if the doors are open or not. You are what you even with the social limitations when you are sober. Alcohol/drugs do not free you they change you. I have seen this happen so many times, people change in to something else and I have issues fast handling change - so I don't like being around alcohol/drugs/whatever.

I am an absolutist for a reason, I want to have full control over myself, even tho my Asperger's makes that hard soemtimes, I still want to be aware of everything and be abe to control my actions. + It would be really hard for me to even start tasting alcohol because of the long term pain medication I am - and the reason doctor gave me these specific meds was the fact that I do not drink and she can trust me that I will not drink.

But, like I say: "Do whatever you want - I am not in a position to stop you, but do not expect me to respect your actions"