"Never touched a drug", ever had a beer or a cocktail?

Uh, oh.

All you folks can say what you wish, I am entitled to my points of view as are you.

At least I don't hide my thoughts and crawl under a rock knowing that you will all be slinging rocks my way.
I look at it as sharing thoughts and general conversation. I do believe it's a discussion board.

I hear you all out and don't believe I directly cast jabs your way unlike what you all do.....but that's cool if you can't control your response and converse with an open tone to another persons thoughts.

I wonder whether you have the insight to see the conflict between the bolder portions. In the former comment you are casting jabs and in the latter comment you congratulate yourself for your superiority that you do not cast jabs like others.

It kind of reminds me of Luke 18.

9 Then Jesus told this story to some who had great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else:

10 “Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer[a]: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not like other people—cheaters, sinners, adulterers. I’m certainly not like that tax collector! 12 I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.’

13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’ 14 I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

At least I don't pretend and try to be accepted by all. My cards are on the table for all to see and you can take it or leave it.

There ought not to be pride in proclaiming one’s positions denigrating others, or in proclaiming one’s positions that are not supportable by evidence or logical arguments.

At least I don't hide my thoughts and crawl under a rock knowing that you will all be slinging rocks my way.
I look at it as sharing thoughts and general conversation. I do believe it's a discussion board.

I hear you all out and don't believe I directly cast jabs your way unlike what you all do.....but that's cool if you can't control your response and converse with an open tone to another persons thoughts.
At least I don't pretend and try to be accepted by all. My cards are on the table for all to see and you can take it or leave it.

Seeing that I don't drink whiskey, never drink coffee, and if you remember in a post a couple months back in regards to Covid vaccines I said I pretty much have never taken prescription drugs and rather let time and rest heal my body when necessary instead of taking pills as a cure all......so maybe I am closer to being Saint Peter than I first thought.

I don’t think you would find much support for the idea that any of the disciples or apostles were ascetics like their contemporaries the Essenes, who are not even mentioned in the Bible.

Neither do I think you would find that any of them rejected physical medicine. They were more likely to be familiar with the scriptural imperative toward medical assistance found in Ecclesiasticus 38. It advises that when people have afflictions seeking medical help is advisable.

12 Then give place to the physician, for the Lord hath created him: let him not go from thee, for thou hast need of him. 13 There is a time when in their hands there is good success. 14 For they shall also pray unto the Lord, that he would prosper that, which they give for ease and remedy to prolong life.

In fact, many early medical facilities and medical advancements came through religious bodies.

I am confident that the saints would not castigate or condemn those who are afflicted. I think they would be more likely to reflect one of the maxims of The Salvation Army that works with the afflicted…

“Love the sinner; hate the sin.”

And finally, although some consider saints to be “holier people”, I’m quite confident that St Peter would not post “holier than thou” messages on message boards describing his self-defined superior conduct.

DAMN RIGHT!!

Pull your pants up and work hard, no blaming others, no looking for handouts and help, no I have a mental problem, no I have a drug addiction, no I have an alcoholic addiction. Gotta stay strong mentally which everyone is capable of doing and stop with the crybaby excuses & the need for coddling.

Time to change or get left behind in the dust and wither away.

I also work hard, but everything isn't about me. Like my wife, I've dedicated much of my time and energy to helping others (part of what this website is all about). I have no addictions except the love of my wife, and when I've found myself overindulging in anything, I found the mental strength to correct my behavior, yet I don't begrudge help to those who do. It's called being humane and empathetic. Part of your failings.

I don't see you as mentally strong at all. Just selfish, overconfident, sanctimonious and closed minded. Moral failings. A strong mind recognizes its shortcomings and strives to overcome them while never pretending superiority, especially over the less fortunate. You simply appear to ignore your shortcomings and condemn those you first deem inferior. Do you also believe you're a good Christian? Voted for TFG?

You missed the point entirely about social environment and economic opportunities. Here's a clue: "No man is an island."

Lastly, your partner in crime Mr. Padrino for some reason always wants to "prescribe" books/articles so I can nourish my noggin reading.
I again say I appreciate your suggestions, but mi cabeza is strong and sharp enough.

It is unfortunate that you believe that discussion and debate about serious societal issues is a crime.

Please accept my apologies. I will never again attempt to confuse you with the facts. Ignorance is a right, not a privilege.

SIGN ME UP!!

Sorry Bob, maybe I guess I should take back my previous comment.

Seeing that I don't drink whiskey, never drink coffee, and if you remember in a post a couple months back in regards to Covid vaccines I said I pretty much have never taken prescription drugs and rather let time and rest heal my body when necessary instead of taking pills as a cure all......so maybe I am closer to being Saint Peter than I first thought.

Oh....and as for my upbringing you have it wrong if I'm interpreting your thoughts correctly. Parents divorced when I was in 5th grade.....myself and 2 brothers.....and my mom did all she could to guide us down the right path and provided us whatever little we had. Had NOTHING handed to me and far far from being raised privileged.
Me nor my 2 brothers went to college, rather right into the work force. Did not have money for college. And we simply needed the money as individuals /family. Both brothers law abiding and not using crap. One brother just retired a year ago from Southwest airlines after 30 years. Costed him a one elbow surgery and 3 shoulder surgeries handling all that luggage and working in odd tight spaces for too long. Other brother was more office type over the years and just retired a couple months back.
Again.....no excuse making.....no bad choices......rather just simple folks working hard for what they have.

Teach my kids the same, you want something you work hard for it. My daughter just graduated from UC Berkeley (no I did not pay a dime to her college in general but gave her a hefty check/gift for her sheer diligence and hard earned grades and accomplishments). She landed her first "big girl" job after fielding a few offers right out of the gate and actually has her first day in the office tomorrow and I couldn't be more proud of her.
She's a smart cookie, but not street smart how I grew up. Yet she didn't need mommy n daddy to coddle her and bring her all the way from Illinois to California in her first year, She wanted to do EVERYTHING herself and left with bags in hand on her journey to California figuring out what to do as far as plane, train, bus, getting there and registering in.
Setting up her belongings and such. And for that it has and is gonna make her a stronger person as she goes along in life. (Wonder where she got that from).
As for my son, in college locally and doing great at the moment. Part of Air Force ROTC local detachment, will go full time after graduation, loves aviation and just got his private pilots license a couple months ago. That I did help him out with and pay for. He wanted to start paying me back the other week but I told him don't worry about it but that that's Merry Christmas for 2 years & your college graduation gift 1 1/2 years in advance. I'll repeat again....GOOD CHOICES.....HARD WORK!!

Again, we are all responsible for our own decisions and I don't go blaming others for the lack of what I don't have now as I surely would like to be better off at my age than I am.

I most definitely can use some extra bucks, but I know it's WRONG to go try to hit the local bank or rob a convenience store or go jump some unsuspecting person......I was taught and know better to make good choices. To not be lazy and be a hard worker.

As for drug users/sellers I was around both growing up. Guys in the neighborhood that sold knew I was a solid "confidant" and what I saw taking place stayed with me. I was offered drugs FOR FREE but knew not to use them by CHOICE. And I was also offered a job selling under their wing because they trusted me and knew I wasn't a user and would not go on a binge and get sloppy handling business.
Surely would have loved to have the stacks of money they had and driving the fancy cars and all that came with it. But guess what.....ya......I made good DECISIONS and CHOICES and kept with my regular job, the same one that I have at this very moment. I CHOSE to stay STRONG & TRUE to my personal beliefs and principles, even at a young impressionable age when caving into it and not having much would have been such an easy thing to do.

Man, I was there in their home one day with my buddy Jeff and we went into their bedroom, moved a false wall in closet, and they gave him stacks of cash to go and buy them a couple new Caddies and a Jaguar as they couldn't obviously do it themselves. I was in my low 20's......you didn't think I wanted a piece of that??!!

Shit....with the work I do my neck, back, knees and ankles always hurt on n off now and I'm sure I'll have decreased mobility as I get older. So if you think I want one damn shiny dime of mine going to help some puke whose made crap decisions their entire life and I should show compassion I simply say HELL NO.

And as for those acquaintances that were dealing, those busters (4 of them) had to take it on the lam and escape to Mexico where they still are to this day. The heat was coming hard n fast as they got too flashy with all their belongings.....probably been there for I'd say 30 years now and can never return home to see family and all.

Lastly, your partner in crime Mr. Padrino for some reason always wants to "prescribe" books/articles so I can nourish my noggin reading.
I again say I appreciate your suggestions, but mi cabeza is strong and sharp enough.

Have a happy Sunday and a nice day ahead fellas.

They should make a movie about you.
Happy ending, even...

Pull your pants up and work hard, no blaming others, no looking for handouts and help, no I have a mental problem, no I have a drug addiction, no I have an alcoholic addiction. Gotta stay strong mentally which everyone is capable of doing and stop with the crybaby excuses & the need for coddling.

Time to change or get left behind in the dust and wither away.

All about you...

Seeing that I don't drink whiskey, never drink coffee, and if you remember in a post a couple months back in regards to Covid vaccines I said I pretty much have never taken prescription drugs and rather let time and rest heal my body when necessary instead of taking pills as a cure all......so maybe I am closer to being Saint Peter than I first thought.

Oh....and as for my upbringing you have it wrong if I'm interpreting your thoughts correctly. Parents divorced when I was in 5th grade.....myself and 2 brothers.....and my mom did all she could to guide us down the right path and provided us whatever little we had. Had NOTHING handed to me and far far from being raised privileged.
Me nor my 2 brothers went to college, rather right into the work force. Did not have money for college. And we simply needed the money as individuals /family. Both brothers law abiding and not using crap. One brother just retired a year ago from Southwest airlines after 30 years. Costed him a one elbow surgery and 3 shoulder surgeries handling all that luggage and working in odd tight spaces for too long. Other brother was more office type over the years and just retired a couple months back.
Again.....no excuse making.....no bad choices......rather just simple folks working hard for what they have.

Teach my kids the same, you want something you work hard for it. My daughter just graduated from UC Berkeley (no I did not pay a dime to her college in general but gave her a hefty check/gift for her sheer diligence and hard earned grades and accomplishments). She landed her first "big girl" job after fielding a few offers right out of the gate and actually has her first day in the office tomorrow and I couldn't be more proud of her.
She's a smart cookie, but not street smart how I grew up. Yet she didn't need mommy n daddy to coddle her and bring her all the way from Illinois to California in her first year, She wanted to do EVERYTHING herself and left with bags in hand on her journey to California figuring out what to do as far as plane, train, bus, getting there and registering in.
Setting up her belongings and such. And for that it has and is gonna make her a stronger person as she goes along in life. (Wonder where she got that from).
As for my son, in college locally and doing great at the moment. Part of Air Force ROTC local detachment, will go full time after graduation, loves aviation and just got his private pilots license a couple months ago. That I did help him out with and pay for. He wanted to start paying me back the other week but I told him don't worry about it but that that's Merry Christmas for 2 years & your college graduation gift 1 1/2 years in advance. I'll repeat again....GOOD CHOICES.....HARD WORK!!

Again, we are all responsible for our own decisions and I don't go blaming others for the lack of what I don't have now as I surely would like to be better off at my age than I am.

I most definitely can use some extra bucks, but I know it's WRONG to go try to hit the local bank or rob a convenience store or go jump some unsuspecting person......I was taught and know better to make good choices. To not be lazy and be a hard worker.

As for drug users/sellers I was around both growing up. Guys in the neighborhood that sold knew I was a solid "confidant" and what I saw taking place stayed with me. I was offered drugs FOR FREE but knew not to use them by CHOICE. And I was also offered a job selling under their wing because they trusted me and knew I wasn't a user and would not go on a binge and get sloppy handling business.
Surely would have loved to have the stacks of money they had and driving the fancy cars and all that came with it. But guess what.....ya......I made good DECISIONS and CHOICES and kept with my regular job, the same one that I have at this very moment. I CHOSE to stay STRONG & TRUE to my personal beliefs and principles, even at a young impressionable age when caving into it and not having much would have been such an easy thing to do.

Man, I was there in their home one day with my buddy Jeff and we went into their bedroom, moved a false wall in closet, and they gave him stacks of cash to go and buy them a couple new Caddies and a Jaguar as they couldn't obviously do it themselves. I was in my low 20's......you didn't think I wanted a piece of that??!!

Shit....with the work I do my neck, back, knees and ankles always hurt on n off now and I'm sure I'll have decreased mobility as I get older. So if you think I want one damn shiny dime of mine going to help some puke whose made crap decisions their entire life and I should show compassion I simply say HELL NO.

And as for those acquaintances that were dealing, those busters (4 of them) had to take it on the lam and escape to Mexico where they still are to this day. The heat was coming hard n fast as they got too flashy with all their belongings.....probably been there for I'd say 30 years now and can never return home to see family and all.

Lastly, your partner in crime Mr. Padrino for some reason always wants to "prescribe" books/articles so I can nourish my noggin reading.
I again say I appreciate your suggestions, but mi cabeza is strong and sharp enough.

Have a happy Sunday and a nice day ahead fellas.

I'm not investing my time in that to enlighten myself on why someone isn't strong enough in the mind to know right from wrong. And solve their problems of why they are pretty much worthless deadbeats.

Cannabis Black Market Thrives Despite Legalization
https://alcoholstudies.rutgers.edu/cannabis-black-market-thrives-despite-legalization/

Marijuana’s black market is undercutting legal businesses
https://www.cnbc.com/2022/12/23/marijuana-black-market-undercuts-legal-business.html

The black market strangled California's legal weed industry. Now it's coming for New York.
https://www.politico.com/news/2022/11/13/california-black-market-weed-new-york-00066470

If you read the articles, you will find that much of the problem is that marijuana is still illegal at the Federal level. Hence, legitimate businesses trying to operate in the states that have legalized marijuana cannot use the banking system. The banks are regulated by the Feds and they want nothing to do with any business that is selling a Class 1 controlled substance. However, the legal sellers still are required to report their sales and pay taxes as would any legitimate business. Therefore, they are operating like an illicit business, essentially having to handle their money as if the money were from ill-gotten gains while at the same time having to pay taxes on any sales made. Personally, I can't imagine how they do this.

When marijuana is finally legalized at the Federal level, my prediction will be that the big three tobacco companies will quickly enter the market. Altria (formerly Philip Morris, makers of Marlboro and Virginia Slims), British American Tobacco (makers of Camel and Lucky Strike), and Philip Morris International (the company spun off from Altria that sells Marlboro and Virginia Slims outside the U.S.) have access to world wide production, marketing, and distribution capabilities. With their vast advertising budgets, they will dominate the marijuana market just as the big alcohol companies do now with regard to alcohol. The black market won't stand a chance!

Your articles are more arguments for why marijuana should be legalized at the Federal level and not just at the state level.

Smoking marijuana is more fun than drinking beer
But one of our friends was captured and they gave him 30 years!
Maybe we should raise our voices, ask somebody why
But demonstrations are a drag, besides we're much too high
And I'm sure it wouldn't interest anyone
Outside a small circle of friends.
-- Phil Ochs, Outside a Small Circle of Friends

Meh......

It is easy to demonize or be dismissive of the afflicted. I am not a fan of mood altering substances, but neither am I prepared to support capital punishment or other punishment for the afflicted. Societies have punished and killed those people for thousands of years, yet no society has been without those who use mood-altering substances.

For over 20 years I worked in youth corrections, social work, and youth forensic psychiatric social work. Throughout my years of practice I came to understand some things. The following is a simplified synthesis because this is not a clinical discussion board.

Most of the females with drug dependencies had histories of child sexual abuse. Some were unable to physically escape the abusive situation. They would typically use one or both of two alternative “escapes”. One was to develop a mental disorder to dissociate from the situation. The other was to use a mood altering substance.

Others did physically escape… to the streets… where the only way they could support themselves was by selling their bodies. Yes, this perpetuated their abuse but it gave them a sense of control. Quickly, they discovered that the sense of control was illusory and they too escaped through mental disorder or mood altering substances.

None of those young women ever told me that as a child they wanted to grow up to be a drug addict.

Males had a different typical pattern. They would begin to develop signs or symptoms of a mental disorder. But being “crazy” was a bad thing. Going to a mental health professional was “seeing a head shrinker”.

It was far better to be “a bad boy” than to be “crazy”. The expression was, “Better bad than mad.”

They would begin using mood altering substance to “self-medicate”. By the time their mental disorder was established and diagnosable, they were deep into a drug dependency. (Many mental disorders have diagnostic criteria that result in the diagnosis not being available to youth.)

None of those young men ever told me that as a child they wanted to grow up to be a drug addict.

Their drug dependencies or addictions were the natural result of events beyond their control.

There is a significant problem with fentanyl deaths in the area where I live. Research indicates that addictions and resulting deaths largely have one of two precursors.

One is medical. A person like you is injured at work, in a vehicle collision, skiing, or in some other healthful activity. Their injuries are so severe that they are given medical opioids. They develop a dependency or addition. Then the opioids are cut off medically. But their body’s neuro-receptors still demand the opioids. Their only source is the street.

The other is non-medical. People buy a non-opioid street drug. But they aren’t getting what they thought they were buying. What they buy is laced with fentanyl. This begins the path of addiction.

Some people might think that all or some of these people ought to be punished, maybe even be executed, so that they suffer for their use of substances.

I think that most of these people have suffered enough already.

Out of curiosity I'd like to ask what you yourself would consider "popular recreational substances" other than marijuana.
What substances do you think should be legalized?

Thanks in advance.

Trust me in that I'm not Saint Peter here by any stretch. But having said that I have never touched a drug in my life, nor have I even smoked a cigarette once......so you know where my mind will favor on the issue.

ALL OF THEM! Why shouldn't they be legal? The worst drugs are already legal. Treat addicts/abusers and educate children with the tax revenue generated.

People with addiction problems are going to ingest and abuse whatever substance they can.

And people wanting to experiment or weekend users will be much safer getting their substance from a pharmacy or similar store than from a dealer who couldn't care less about the safety or purity of the product, or who may just rob them and take their money and hurt or kill them if they resist, especially with the ridiculous prevalence of firearms in the U.S.

Shouldn't fentanyl users at least KNOW how much of the substance to take without overdosing? That's what packaging and medical dispensaries can do to reduce the OD problem.

Back in the late 60's I recall quite clearly when unethical dealers would sell any white powder and call it "angel dust". Often it was simply rat poison. Trusting buyers were overdosing and dying left and right. While I knew not to ever use such a substance, it quickly became apparent that TOO MANY (if not most) PEOPLE ARE GULLIBLE and uninquisitive, barely aware of their surroundings. And many of those folks are the victims of their own lack of self-awareness. They're the ones getting addicted to and dying from whatever they can find to ingest that numbs them and slows down their already dull thinking process. Many are simply alcoholics, and the alcohol culture is so widely accepted that bars exist within practically every block of every city and town across the nation. I've seen pot and psychedelics used to ween alcoholics from their addiction, helping them become better more functional human beings. I'd rather see potheads grooving than belligerent alkies shouting, fighting and crashing their vehicles into other people.

Most people who ingest stupidly banned substances are neither addicts nor abusers. Simply typical weekend partiers.

So, you "think" everything being "legal" somehow stops people from hurting themselves and others?

Talk about gullible!

Nope. It removes the main source of income for the cartels, levels the playing field, and allows people to get high more safely on the substance of their preference, just like you can have your whiskey or stogie of your preferred brand and expect a quality product.

What makes your preference for whiskey any different than someone else's preference for cocaine or psilocybin or ecstasy?

Talk about blind to one's own hypocrisy.

Cannabis Black Market Thrives Despite Legalization
https://alcoholstudies.rutgers.edu/cannabis-black-market-thrives-despite-legalization/

Marijuana’s black market is undercutting legal businesses
https://www.cnbc.com/2022/12/23/marijuana-black-market-undercuts-legal-business.html

The black market strangled California's legal weed industry. Now it's coming for New York.
https://www.politico.com/news/2022/11/13/california-black-market-weed-new-york-00066470

If you meant to make a point, you didn't. Moonshine is still available, too, just like we have our homemade artesian mezcal. I don't see moonshiners or pot growers taking over regions of the country and forming violent organized gangs. Currently fentanyl is killing tens of thousands in the States right now because they're accidentally overdosing themselves since the stuff comes with no instructions. I'd like to see people able to take their substance of preference safely. When the regulators learn not to overregulate then they won't have all the black-market competition.

Meh......

Out of curiosity I'd like to ask what you yourself would consider "popular recreational substances" other than marijuana.
What substances do you think should be legalized?

Thanks in advance.

Trust me in that I'm not Saint Peter here by any stretch. But having said that I have never touched a drug in my life, nor have I even smoked a cigarette once......so you know where my mind will favor on the issue.

ALL OF THEM! Why shouldn't they be legal? The worst drugs are already legal. Treat addicts/abusers and educate children with the tax revenue generated.

People with addiction problems are going to ingest and abuse whatever substance they can.

And people wanting to experiment or weekend users will be much safer getting their substance from a pharmacy or similar store than from a dealer who couldn't care less about the safety or purity of the product, or who may just rob them and take their money and hurt or kill them if they resist, especially with the ridiculous prevalence of firearms in the U.S.

Shouldn't fentanyl users at least KNOW how much of the substance to take without overdosing? That's what packaging and medical dispensaries can do to reduce the OD problem.

Back in the late 60's I recall quite clearly when unethical dealers would sell any white powder and call it "angel dust". Often it was simply rat poison. Trusting buyers were overdosing and dying left and right. While I knew not to ever use such a substance, it quickly became apparent that TOO MANY (if not most) PEOPLE ARE GULLIBLE and uninquisitive, barely aware of their surroundings. And many of those folks are the victims of their own lack of self-awareness. They're the ones getting addicted to and dying from whatever they can find to ingest that numbs them and slows down their already dull thinking process. Many are simply alcoholics, and the alcohol culture is so widely accepted that bars exist within practically every block of every city and town across the nation. I've seen pot and psychedelics used to ween alcoholics from their addiction, helping them become better more functional human beings. I'd rather see potheads grooving than belligerent alkies shouting, fighting and crashing their vehicles into other people.

Most people who ingest stupidly banned substances are neither addicts nor abusers. Simply typical weekend partiers.

So, you "think" everything being "legal" somehow stops people from hurting themselves and others?

Talk about gullible!

Nope. It removes the main source of income for the cartels, levels the playing field, and allows people to get high more safely on the substance of their preference, just like you can have your whiskey or stogie of your preferred brand and expect a quality product.

What makes your preference for whiskey any different than someone else's preference for cocaine or psilocybin or ecstasy?

Talk about blind to one's own hypocrisy.

Cannabis Black Market Thrives Despite Legalization
https://alcoholstudies.rutgers.edu/cannabis-black-market-thrives-despite-legalization/

Marijuana’s black market is undercutting legal businesses
https://www.cnbc.com/2022/12/23/marijuana-black-market-undercuts-legal-business.html

The black market strangled California's legal weed industry. Now it's coming for New York.
https://www.politico.com/news/2022/11/13/california-black-market-weed-new-york-00066470

If you meant to make a point, you didn't. Moonshine is still available, too, just like we have our homemade artesian mezcal. I don't see moonshiners or pot growers taking over regions of the country and forming violent organized gangs. Currently fentanyl is killing tens of thousands in the States right now because they're accidentally overdosing themselves since the stuff comes with no instructions. I'd like to see people able to take their substance of preference safely. When the regulators learn not to overregulate then they won't have all the black-market competition.

Out of curiosity I'd like to ask what you yourself would consider "popular recreational substances" other than marijuana.
What substances do you think should be legalized?

Thanks in advance.

Trust me in that I'm not Saint Peter here by any stretch. But having said that I have never touched a drug in my life, nor have I even smoked a cigarette once......so you know where my mind will favor on the issue.

ALL OF THEM! Why shouldn't they be legal? The worst drugs are already legal. Treat addicts/abusers and educate children with the tax revenue generated.

People with addiction problems are going to ingest and abuse whatever substance they can.

And people wanting to experiment or weekend users will be much safer getting their substance from a pharmacy or similar store than from a dealer who couldn't care less about the safety or purity of the product, or who may just rob them and take their money and hurt or kill them if they resist, especially with the ridiculous prevalence of firearms in the U.S.

Shouldn't fentanyl users at least KNOW how much of the substance to take without overdosing? That's what packaging and medical dispensaries can do to reduce the OD problem.

Back in the late 60's I recall quite clearly when unethical dealers would sell any white powder and call it "angel dust". Often it was simply rat poison. Trusting buyers were overdosing and dying left and right. While I knew not to ever use such a substance, it quickly became apparent that TOO MANY (if not most) PEOPLE ARE GULLIBLE and uninquisitive, barely aware of their surroundings. And many of those folks are the victims of their own lack of self-awareness. They're the ones getting addicted to and dying from whatever they can find to ingest that numbs them and slows down their already dull thinking process. Many are simply alcoholics, and the alcohol culture is so widely accepted that bars exist within practically every block of every city and town across the nation. I've seen pot and psychedelics used to ween alcoholics from their addiction, helping them become better more functional human beings. I'd rather see potheads grooving than belligerent alkies shouting, fighting and crashing their vehicles into other people.

Most people who ingest stupidly banned substances are neither addicts nor abusers. Simply typical weekend partiers.

So, you "think" everything being "legal" somehow stops people from hurting themselves and others?

Talk about gullible!

Nope. It removes the main source of income for the cartels, levels the playing field, and allows people to get high more safely on the substance of their preference, just like you can have your whiskey or stogie of your preferred brand and expect a quality product.

What makes your preference for whiskey any different than someone else's preference for cocaine or psilocybin or ecstasy?

Talk about blind to one's own hypocrisy.

Cannabis Black Market Thrives Despite Legalization
https://alcoholstudies.rutgers.edu/cannabis-black-market-thrives-despite-legalization/

Marijuana’s black market is undercutting legal businesses
https://www.cnbc.com/2022/12/23/marijuana-black-market-undercuts-legal-business.html

The black market strangled California's legal weed industry. Now it's coming for New York.
https://www.politico.com/news/2022/11/13/california-black-market-weed-new-york-00066470

Out of curiosity I'd like to ask what you yourself would consider "popular recreational substances" other than marijuana.
What substances do you think should be legalized?

Thanks in advance.

Trust me in that I'm not Saint Peter here by any stretch. But having said that I have never touched a drug in my life, nor have I even smoked a cigarette once......so you know where my mind will favor on the issue.

ALL OF THEM! Why shouldn't they be legal? The worst drugs are already legal. Treat addicts/abusers and educate children with the tax revenue generated.

People with addiction problems are going to ingest and abuse whatever substance they can.

And people wanting to experiment or weekend users will be much safer getting their substance from a pharmacy or similar store than from a dealer who couldn't care less about the safety or purity of the product, or who may just rob them and take their money and hurt or kill them if they resist, especially with the ridiculous prevalence of firearms in the U.S.

Shouldn't fentanyl users at least KNOW how much of the substance to take without overdosing? That's what packaging and medical dispensaries can do to reduce the OD problem.

Back in the late 60's I recall quite clearly when unethical dealers would sell any white powder and call it "angel dust". Often it was simply rat poison. Trusting buyers were overdosing and dying left and right. While I knew not to ever use such a substance, it quickly became apparent that TOO MANY (if not most) PEOPLE ARE GULLIBLE and uninquisitive, barely aware of their surroundings. And many of those folks are the victims of their own lack of self-awareness. They're the ones getting addicted to and dying from whatever they can find to ingest that numbs them and slows down their already dull thinking process. Many are simply alcoholics, and the alcohol culture is so widely accepted that bars exist within practically every block of every city and town across the nation. I've seen pot and psychedelics used to ween alcoholics from their addiction, helping them become better more functional human beings. I'd rather see potheads grooving than belligerent alkies shouting, fighting and crashing their vehicles into other people.

Most people who ingest stupidly banned substances are neither addicts nor abusers. Simply typical weekend partiers.

So, you "think" everything being "legal" somehow stops people from hurting themselves and others?

Talk about gullible!

Nope. It removes the main source of income for the cartels, levels the playing field, and allows people to get high more safely on the substance of their preference, just like you can have your whiskey or stogie of your preferred brand and expect a quality product.

What makes your preference for whiskey any different than someone else's preference for cocaine or psilocybin or ecstasy?

Talk about blind to one's own hypocrisy.

Out of curiosity I'd like to ask what you yourself would consider "popular recreational substances" other than marijuana.
What substances do you think should be legalized?

Thanks in advance.

Trust me in that I'm not Saint Peter here by any stretch. But having said that I have never touched a drug in my life, nor have I even smoked a cigarette once......so you know where my mind will favor on the issue.

ALL OF THEM! Why shouldn't they be legal? The worst drugs are already legal. Treat addicts/abusers and educate children with the tax revenue generated.

People with addiction problems are going to ingest and abuse whatever substance they can.

And people wanting to experiment or weekend users will be much safer getting their substance from a pharmacy or similar store than from a dealer who couldn't care less about the safety or purity of the product, or who may just rob them and take their money and hurt or kill them if they resist, especially with the ridiculous prevalence of firearms in the U.S.

Shouldn't fentanyl users at least KNOW how much of the substance to take without overdosing? That's what packaging and medical dispensaries can do to reduce the OD problem.

Back in the late 60's I recall quite clearly when unethical dealers would sell any white powder and call it "angel dust". Often it was simply rat poison. Trusting buyers were overdosing and dying left and right. While I knew not to ever use such a substance, it quickly became apparent that TOO MANY (if not most) PEOPLE ARE GULLIBLE and uninquisitive, barely aware of their surroundings. And many of those folks are the victims of their own lack of self-awareness. They're the ones getting addicted to and dying from whatever they can find to ingest that numbs them and slows down their already dull thinking process. Many are simply alcoholics, and the alcohol culture is so widely accepted that bars exist within practically every block of every city and town across the nation. I've seen pot and psychedelics used to ween alcoholics from their addiction, helping them become better more functional human beings. I'd rather see potheads grooving than belligerent alkies shouting, fighting and crashing their vehicles into other people.

Most people who ingest stupidly banned substances are neither addicts nor abusers. Simply typical weekend partiers.

So, you "think" everything being "legal" somehow stops people from hurting themselves and others?

Talk about gullible!

Nancy Reagan was on the news covered photo op Battering Ram 5 blocks from my home in the 80's with a crazy Sherriff.

Like Archie Bunker said, Those were the days!

I gotcha.

Personally I'm far on the other side of the fence. I'm not in favor of treating people who have no self control. Nor am I in favor of coddling drug dealers and making their "choice of employment" accepted.
I don't like my tax dollars wasted on either party when I chose to work very hard for a living and take a pretty straight path.

Call me crazy but harsh drugs whether you are buying or selling and you get put to sleep permanently. World is littered with too much trash and excuse makers on why they had to turn to drugs. Mainly lazy bums who offer nothing, don't contribute their fair share to society.
And sellers likewise, stop being a lazy piece of crap and contribute something to the world that's useful and not peddling dope.

Doing away with both kinds of people costs me nor you anything out of pocket. I'm sorry but I have ZERO COMPASSION for people who can't pull their pants up.....lift their chin up......and be a man and go about life correctly and contribute.

So just let people with mental illness and/or addiction problems kill themselves or otherwise die. And to hell with people who never get the economic opportunities you did (which of course you made for yourself because opportunity has nothing to do with society, the nation or the environment you're born into).

And as for the rest of us, you don't believe should we have the choice to ingest anything you don't approve of or that isn't "legal".

It must be peachy keen to be so perfect, fortunate, and sanctimonious. Anyone lesser or different than you is not worthwhile. All those people fleeing violence and hunger are to blame for their problems and don't deserve a hand. And I bet you don't mind if they go off and get killed in a war fighting for your freedom either.

Enjoy your whiskey, the sugar in your coffee, and your doctor-prescribed "medications".

"Correctly and contribute" - That's what you believe you're doing, right? A regular super hero!

Enjoy your vacation among us lowly imperfect pieces of crap. And in contrast to your feelings, most of us don't mind that our tax pesos and dollars help make your life and the lives of others better, especially when you need a helping hand (or just a good road to drive on).

"Doing away with both kinds of people" would leave the more compassionate among us feeling morally bereft and irresponsible.