<p>I’m saying that they are illegal and that for that reason(and other health related reasons), people shouldn’t do them. Despite this though, I realize that drugs are out there and teenagers will experiment. Believe me, I live in the Bay Area and went to a public high school with 2800 students, I know. I’m solely stating that I don’t want to do drugs because I believe they are bad for my body and they are illegal. If other people want to do drugs, that’s fine by me. I can only hope that those people won’t become addicted or cause others to suffer(ex: second hand smoke).</p>
<p>all my friends do, i did once as a freshman, never done it since.</p>
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Gay marriage is illegal. So are a lot of things. It always amazes me when people let the law dictate their reason.</p>
<p>Learn to think for yourself. If people didn’t do things because they were “illegal”, then African Americans would not have any rights. Women would not have any rights. The world would be a very very sad place indeed if everyone thought like you. </p>
<p>I’m not saying that people should ignore the law and go out and get DUI’s, but using the term “illegal” as a supporting argument has no basis. </p>
<p>Drugs are any chemical substances that affect the processes of the mind or body. Tylenol is a drug. Marijuana is a drug. </p>
<p>The abuse of drugs is harmful. And the use of unprescribed drugs is harmful. Just because it’s a “drug” does not mean it’s harmful.</p>
<p>Ah,and in that, you are promoting a single lifestyle as the ‘one correct lifestyle.’ This is incredibly narrow-minded. The question is essentially one of ‘quality vs.quantity.’ People value that 8 minutes differently. While you may highly value those 8 minutes, some of which will probably be spent in a hospital or death bed, others will value the simple pleasure that a single cigarette gives them. Some people have this belief that the body is a temple, but seem to forget that that temple is contsantly falling apart and will one day lay in ruin. Is it such a terrible thing if some people choose to ‘burn out rather than fade away?’ That was Cobain, by the way. I don’t like him, particularly, but he certainly enriched this world with his music. And how did he do it? Drugs, of course.</p>
<p>I have once. And not the legal stuff if you catch my drift…</p>
<p>I didn’t care for it, but I don’t mind if other people smoke it since it does have health benefits.</p>
<p>That was Neil Young actually</p>
<p>^^^If you want to bring into play how drugs have benefited the world, let’s talk about how they haven’t. Hmm…opium war anyone?
Are you saying that the law is narrow-minded?</p>
<p>“Gay marriage is illegal” It is illegal, and we(the people, the society) voted for that. In addition, comparing gay marriage to the use of illegal drugs is irrelevant. Gay marriage doesn’t harm people physically, something that illegal drugs does. Other people can’t get diseases by standing next to a gay person(something that they can do by standing next to someone smoking(ex: second hand smoke)). </p>
<p>“Learn to think for yourself”
Hmm…I’m thinking. Something tells me that sticking this tar in my throat is going to cause something bad to happen to me…I’m thinking cancer. </p>
<p>“using the term “illegal” as a supporting argument has no basis.”
Yes it does, if you break the law, you will face consequences. If you are doing illegal drugs because you want to feel better, I highly doubt that that would prevent you from facing consequences. Slavery is wrong. Making drugs illegal(something that causes people harm…kind of like slavery) is right.</p>
<p>“Tylenol is a drug.”
Tylenol doesn’t have as strong of an effect as some other illegal drug. Drugs that you can buy at a pharmacy aren’t as powerful, they aren’t going to affect you as much as others. </p>
<p>“Just because it’s a “drug” does not mean it’s harmful.”
I never said that drugs themselves were harmful. I am saying that using illegal drugs to make you feel good(without needing them) is.</p>
<p>Never smoked anything and never will.</p>
<p>Thanks, you’re right, it was Neil Young. Cobain quoted him. Gotta love the allusions, huh? Anyway, back to this argument which is going in a circle and yet is occupying my time for the moment…In terms of the legality, just because a majority agrees on something doesn’t mean it is correct. Like, apartheid, maybe? That kind of sucked, too. And the thing is this; who are you to dictate the course of another human life? Say someone lights up a cigarette. That person made a decision. Now, you are presented with a choice. How badly do you want to be in thatsame space? You can leave, you know. Or, you can decide that that moment is more important than the, oh, four or five minutes at the end of your life.</p>
<p>In terms of harming and helping the world, I think of it like this; human life is fleeting, whereas art is eternal. I think the sacrifice of some human life is worth the creation of a piece of art which touces millions.</p>
<p>^^Same here withlovemegan.</p>
<p>hahaha. Hold up Warts. It’s taking me a really long time to type. I jammed my thumb yesterday.</p>
<p>It’s coming.</p>
<p>Haha very nice:) Sorry if I sound offensive to anyone. I’m just really against this, that’s all:( I’m sorry though:/ Don’t take anything personal. Aww, I’m sorry:/ I hope you feel better!:)</p>
<p>^^What if you can’t leave, what happens then? Some kidnapped individuals are forced to do drugs. Why do you think the criminals do this? Right, because the Europeans tricking the Chinese into getting addicted to opium to acquire money is worth the lives lost.</p>
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</p>
<p>Nice straw man argument right there. The Opium Wars were commodity wars, just like war over religion, over oil, over bullion, and over spices. Your logic is flawed.</p>
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<p>fairy_dreams, I think I’m in love. It may be with your open mindedness, or it may be with you. I can’t tell. </p>
<p>PS I’d also like to point out that the “people who let law dictate their reason” are conservatives/Republicans, who just got SERVED by the health care reform bill that just passed! Next stop, federal decriminalization of marijuana!</p>
<p>It’s actually somewhat relevant. During the time of the Opium Wars, Europeans were trying to convince the Chinese to purchase more opium, something that in turn led to their further addiction of the drug. This had negative consequences in that they were willing to sell anything to acquire their addictive drugs, something that led a multitude of them to poverty and death from starvation.</p>
<p>The legalization of marijuana(I forgot how much) was only so the state could help compensate for their debt, you do realize that, don’t you? I kind of agree with this, I’d rather have this than reducing education funding even more.</p>
<p>The Opium Wars are pretty much over, I think. And apart from literally being kidnapped, you can leave. You might, lose your job, or get kicked out of a car, but you can always leave. You have the choice.</p>
<p>And sure, when you add up the total number of people that have been unwillingly killed by drugs (I won’t count those who made the decision), the number is staggering. But then, consider how many lives have been touched by Jack Kerouac and Ginsberg, Joyce and Wilde. Think of how many people have been gladly terrified by King or Poe, or have been enlightened by Kurt Vonnegut. Think of how many humans were conceived to the music of Dark Side of the Moon, and how many people’s views have been alterd by The Beatles. How hard did you laugh at SuperBad? Did you see The Dark Knight? Did you see how brilliant Heath Ledger was? He was willing to sacrifice his life to achieve immortality. When we are gone, art endures. I think of the drag of a single cigarette, and how many people it might hurt, but then I think of Vonnegut, sitting as he wrote and smoked, and then I think of Poe and Kerouac, dead on the ground. Their creations endure, and serve as self-written eulogies which continue to echoe across the generations.</p>
<p>I have liked this debate. But, I am going to bed. Actually, I think I would like to get this short story I thought of the other day down on paper. So, I am going to get a scotch and water, I think, and somke my nice cigar, write my story, and savor the fact that I have sacrificed part of my life in the effort to create something which will last long enough to make the difference in a few minutes or years of life seem negligable. Good night.</p>
<p>^that was fuc.king beautiful. That was pure fuc.king brilliant. The next Kerouac? Maybe.</p>
<p>Are you saying that without those drugs, those people wouldn’t have been successful?
YOU CAN STILL SUCCEED WITHOUT DRUGS.</p>
<p>Good night though! I’ve enjoyed this conversation as well:)</p>
<p>Ouch. I hate you Warts. My thumb is falling off :[</p>
<p>
The original purpose of opium was actually solely for medication. There are FAR more benefits to drugs; how many lives have we saved? If you want to bring into play the disadvantages of drugs, we have to talk relative now. </p>
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I wasn’t comparing the two. I’m was just pointing out that the term “illegal” is a fallacious argument. </p>
<p>
If you think this way, then good; don’t smoke. But your original argument against the use of drugs was also based on the fact that it’s “illegal”. My intent was NOT to argue against your reasoning (drugs can be harmful), but instead to say that laws are created by humans and thus, they are imperfect. Believing in them blindly has dangerous consequences.
And Martin Luther King gladly faced those consequences. Again, I’m not saying that people should go out and break the law. But it’s important to form your own personal convictions and stand by it.</p>
<p>
Yes, slavery is wrong. And people fought against it. There will be movements against unjust laws. And I’m not looking to legalize marijuana Warts. haha. I don’t know why that was in the argument. </p>
<p>
I was using Tylenol as an example. There are other forms of medication in the world that mimic the effects/are even stronger than the effects of illegal drugs. Again, it’s the misuse of drugs that can be harmful. The “illegalness” of drugs isn’t what makes it harmful. </p>
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No. I’m saying that it is human. Imperfect and changeable. </p>
<p>“You’re wasting your life” </p>
<p>“It’s mine.”
-said by my friend (a drug user) in response to her sister.</p>
<p>hahaha. theReach, you can propose to me once they legalize gay marriage ;)</p>
<p>I don’t even know why I’m debating this. I’m completely neutral on this topic. </p>
<p>My replies are purely impersonal Warts. I just can’t stomach it when people hint that the law is ultimate. It makes me think that society won’t go anywhere. </p>
<p>And of course, we’ve come a long way and the law doesn’t hold as many impurities as it did before. My grudge is not against people who think “Must. Follow. Law”. It’s the mentality that I can’t stand because it perpetuates itself in other aspects of your life.</p>
<p>Aww, you hate me?
I’ll respond to this tomorrow, I’m tired and need to take a shower and go to bed. Good night!</p>