Teen dies after taking 'legal' party drug

[Gyrefalcon]

You're taking a risk when you take any drug, largely because you can't really know how your body will react - I knew a girl back in high school who had to be hospitalized after taking marijuana, as it caused some sort of reaction in her lungs that inhibited her breathing.

Seriously kids, just stick with alcohol. It tastes way better, and it's a lot more fun. It's a win win.

Or you could just spread your arms out and spin around in place until you get dizzy and fall to the ground like you did when you were a kid. Cheap, pretty safe, and free.

What's that I hear? Oh yes, it's the completely dull and uninteresting call of the common square. I'm not talking about drinking to the point of passing out, that's stupid. However, having two or three drinks, at least for me, makes me feel almost giddy - I feel a lot more confident, I talk a lot more, I laugh a lot more, and in general have a lot of fun. So don't liken it to spinning around until you get dizzy, because that just makes you sound like some ignorant 12 year old who just attended an anti-drinking seminar.

W-e-l-l, it was mostly in jest but I myself do not need to have alcohol to have fun. I like certain drinks but I don't care to do much in the way of "social drinking". I don't like the smell of alcohol on people's breath, frankly. But although you are welcome to enjoy the loosening of your inhibitions by alcohol so you feel more confident when you socialize, you might want to back off on the "ignorant 12 year old who just attended an anti-drinking seminar" bit.

I happen to have a couple of decades on twelve year olds and am looking at my friends with their 1 and 2 year old children with an eye towards providing a good example. I don't have to validate your desire to drink or agree with you for you to make your own decisions as an adult. But, if I may ask, why did you decide you needed to defend yourself and your choices so diligently from a joke? What is lurking beneath the surface there?

 

[SonicKoala]

W-e-l-l, it was mostly in jest but I myself do not need to have alcohol to have fun. I like certain drinks but I don't care to do much in the way of "social drinking". I don't like the smell of alcohol on people's breath, frankly. But although you are welcome to enjoy the loosening of your inhibitions by alcohol so you feel more confident when you socialize, you might want to back off on the "ignorant 12 year old who just attended an anti-drinking seminar" bit.

I happen to have a couple of decades on twelve year olds and am looking at my friends with their 1 and 2 year old children with an eye towards providing a good example. I don't have to validate your desire to drink or agree with you for you to make your own decisions as an adult. But, if I may ask, why did you decide you needed to defend yourself and your choices so diligently from a joke? What is lurking beneath the surface there?

Due to the limitations of the internet, it's rather hard to decipher what is a joke, and what is the uptight, preachy sarcasm of some bitter teenager who resents alcohol because they associate it with all those people who pick on them in school. Since I didn't look at your profile, I took your comment as being more of the latter, and as a result, I chose to provide a reasonable explanation as to why I enjoy drinking every now and then. So, from that, I'd like to say that there isn't anything lurking beneath the surface, but... that'd probably be arguable.

 

[Gyrefalcon]

Due to the limitations of the internet, it's rather hard to decipher what is a joke, and what is the uptight, preachy sarcasm of some bitter teenager who resents alcohol because they associate it with all those people who pick on them in school. Since I didn't look at your profile, I took your comment as being more of the latter, and as a result, I chose to provide a reasonable explanation as to why I enjoy drinking every now and then. So, from that, I'd like to say that there isn't anything lurking beneath the surface, but... that'd probably be arguable.

True enough. Body language and tone makes for between 85-90% of communication. So text is often limited to our mood at the time since we can't hear the speaker. Emoticons just don't cover it. So thank you for the thoughtful, measured response.

It is interesting how drinking in America is different than drinking in Europe. Small beer was safer than water in many communities in the past so children were familiar with alcohol early and it was not some "forbidden" object. Thus it saw much less abuse since there weren't taboos placed on it. Yet the drinking age was lowered to 18 before here and it failed, badly. Yet it was 19 in Canada for some time and didn't have problems. (But it got raised to 21 for the Americans due to problems with abuse of their system.)

Different systems are needed for different cultures. We've seen some strides in America actually through the efforts of MADD who have helped decrease the amount of drunk driving (which is even more important what with the increase in the number of cars on the roads these days and the higher speed limits). Yet the "zero tolerance" level of everything these days from fighting to alcohol doesn't allow children and teens to make any mistakes, ever. They aren't adults, they are going to make a stupid choice once in awhile. We may want to keep it from becoming a habit and to keep tragedies from happening but it seems like we have started overshooting the mark. It's an area that has no easy answers or solutions.

 

[Xskills]

Well there goes another legal high...

 

[Altorin]

uhh, did this take place in australia? If so, then it's an illegal party drug, not a legal party drug.

Just because something's legal somewhere doesn't mean it's illegal in other places, or more correctly, legal in places where it's illegal.

Gay sex is illegal in iran, but you couldn't go there, be gay, and then claim that it's legal because it's legal almost everywhere else.

 

[RicoADF]

What happened to the days where you could go out and enjoy yourself and not need to pump yourself full of drugs &/or alcohol to do it?
Seriously society must be stuffed up if people need to get on a high just to have a good night out.

 

[Bailos]

What happened to the days where you could go out and enjoy yourself and not need to pump yourself full of drugs &/or alcohol to do it?
Seriously society must be stuffed up if people need to get on a high just to have a good night out.

Since when has society not enjoyed its drugs and alcohol?

 

[Radelaide]

You're taking a risk when you take any drug, largely because you can't really know how your body will react - I knew a girl back in high school who had to be hospitalized after taking marijuana, as it caused some sort of reaction in her lungs that inhibited her breathing.

Seriously kids, just stick with alcohol. It tastes way better, it makes people a lot more fun, and the worst that'll happen (unless you're a complete dipshit and drink to the point of getting poisoned, in which case you deserved it) is you'll puke. Alcohol is a win win win.

Actually, it's easier to kill yourself with alcohol than it is with marijuana [http://www.goaskalice.columbia.edu/1130.html].

Now, take the following link with a grain of salt, but in it, marijuana advocates give 11 comparisons to show how marijuana is safer than alcohol [http://www.saferchoice.org/content/view/24/53/]. Again, they are one-sided (points 8 through 11, while citing different sources of evidence, all say the same basic thing), but they do put forth evidence worth evaluating.

Also, unforeseen reactions to alcohol occur as well: a good friend of mine is allergic to it [http://www.foodreactions.org/intolerance/alcohol/index.html], and can't drink any because it would kill him. This sort of thing isn't common [http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/alcohol-allergy/AN00818/METHOD=print], but it's there.

Grah. (incoming rant) I hate how people say that "marijuana is a safe drug". NO drug is safe and all have inherent risk. Hell, a bad reaction to Panadol can cause liver failure and a nasty case of death.

You can't say any drug is safe. And trust me, one drug is not safer than the other. There are good reasons as to why certain drugs are banned and why certain ones aren't.

 

[ethaninja]

Well to me that seems quite illegal..
On the other hand though, everybody reacts differently to different substances.. If it was a paracetamol, there probobaly wouldn't be much of a news story behind it.

However because people were having fun.. the government will have to step in at some point.

Haha that last sentance got me laughin.

 

[Bailos]

I'm pretty sure marijuana is safer than heroine. And I can't think of any "good" reasons for it being illegal.

 

[Pigeon_Grenade]

i dont believe in Recreational drugs, alot of them are rather Dangerous, most times its just a Chem student throwing random Substances together and hoping for a non lethal result, and that in itself is a danger

 

[Altorin]

i dont believe in Recreational drugs, alot of them are rather Dangerous, most times its just a Chem student throwing random Substances together and hoping for a non lethal result, and that in itself is a danger

what?

Most drugs that are manufactured are manufactured with a recipe, not just a bunch of random poisonous chemicals. That would be excedingly stupid.

"Hey guys, check out this new drug I just invented, it's called Brain Vomit, because it makes you vomit out your brain. I know that sounds impossible but somehow this shit does it, ITS THE BOMB MAN!"

 

[wadark]

You use drugs, you deserve the consequences...too bad no kids will learn from this.

 

[Skeleton Jelly]

This is why I'll stick to acid, shrooms and weed in a controlled enviroment, with sober people I can trust, in small doses enough to get me where I want, and my MUSE albums to wallow in Matthew Bellamy's milky falsettos.

 

[Plurralbles]

The fuck is this?
An opinion poll? are you for or against? what?
Radom drug thread is stupid.

Because the internet cares what I have to say

Please do not post low content replies which serve no purpose other then to insult a thread - Varchld

"bite me" haha. Excellent.

Anyway, the reason cannabis was illegalized was because black and mexican people wre doing it. Opium was because of the chinese.

I have no faith that a drug becoming illegal simply because someone died or it's ill for our health. Of course htough, because it's a girl, it's guaranteed press material in this specific case.

 

[Bailos]

The fuck is this?
An opinion poll? are you for or against? what?
Radom drug thread is stupid.

Because the internet cares what I have to say

Please do not post low content replies which serve no purpose other then to insult a thread - Varchld

"bite me" haha. Excellent.

Anyway, the reason cannabis was illegalized was because black and mexican people wre doing it. Opium was because of the chinese.

I have no faith that a drug becoming illegal simply because someone died or it's ill for our health. Of course htough, because it's a girl, it's guaranteed press material in this specific case.

You... You're joking, right? About the reason behind cannabis and opium. You can't really think that's why.

 

[Skeleton Jelly]

You're taking a risk when you take any drug, largely because you can't really know how your body will react - I knew a girl back in high school who had to be hospitalized after taking marijuana, as it caused some sort of reaction in her lungs that inhibited her breathing.

Seriously kids, just stick with alcohol. It tastes way better, it makes people a lot more fun, and the worst that'll happen (unless you're a complete dipshit and drink to the point of getting poisoned, in which case you deserved it) is you'll puke. Alcohol is a win win win.

Actually, it's easier to kill yourself with alcohol than it is with marijuana [http://www.goaskalice.columbia.edu/1130.html].

Now, take the following link with a grain of salt, but in it, marijuana advocates give 11 comparisons to show how marijuana is safer than alcohol [http://www.saferchoice.org/content/view/24/53/]. Again, they are one-sided (points 8 through 11, while citing different sources of evidence, all say the same basic thing), but they do put forth evidence worth evaluating.

Also, unforeseen reactions to alcohol occur as well: a good friend of mine is allergic to it [http://www.foodreactions.org/intolerance/alcohol/index.html], and can't drink any because it would kill him. This sort of thing isn't common [http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/alcohol-allergy/AN00818/METHOD=print], but it's there.

Grah. (incoming rant) I hate how people say that "marijuana is a safe drug". NO drug is safe and all have inherent risk. Hell, a bad reaction to Panadol can cause liver failure and a nasty case of death.

You can't say any drug is safe. And trust me, one drug is not safer than the other. There are good reasons as to why certain drugs are banned and why certain ones aren't.

Any drug is a risk. People can have allergic reactions to Aspirin. Yet its legal. And you can overdose on that. Weed is impossible to overdose on. And even if it is possible, it'd take a fuck load. Hell you don't even have to smoke it. Make some Weed-Brownies and just eat it. The only risk weed presents is if you smoke it, as smoking anything is pretty bad, but hey I don't see people shutting down cigarette factories. And if you're an ass and get pretty high and chase that rainbow unicorn down the busy street.

 

[Plurralbles]

The fuck is this?
An opinion poll? are you for or against? what?
Radom drug thread is stupid.

Because the internet cares what I have to say

Please do not post low content replies which serve no purpose other then to insult a thread - Varchld

"bite me" haha. Excellent.

Anyway, the reason cannabis was illegalized was because black and mexican people wre doing it. Opium was because of the chinese.

I have no faith that a drug becoming illegal simply because someone died or it's ill for our health. Of course htough, because it's a girl, it's guaranteed press material in this specific case.

You... You're joking, right? About the reason behind cannabis and opium. You can't really think that's why.

*cites that white conservatives drink alcohol in excess and many more teenagers die from that tahn anything else*

Oh, and can't forget about the money side of things.

 

[Booze Zombie]

Yeah, and unforseen reactions occur to mairjuana as well. There's very little difference. Fine, the whole "it's safer" thing is bullshit, but I stick by my assertion that alcohol is a lot more fun than marijuana.

Being dehydrated and angry?
Yeah, totally fun.

Anyway, back to the topic, anything can kill almost anyone.

Booze is legal and it kills tonnes of people, no one's getting rid of that because all of "the elite" drink it, as do the politicals and other "high up people", not to mention that it's a taxed substance.

You could bet your sweet bippy that if marjuana became more profitable than alcohol, which it may just be right now, eventually, it would be legalised and taxed.