Should Kids Be Encouraged To Experiment With Sex and Drugs?

[Truth_Faith13]

At Boulder High School in Boulder Colorado a couple months ago, a guest speaker recommended to the student body that they experiment responsibly with sex and drugs. His point seems to have been that the kids would experiment with sex and drugs anyway, so an effort should be made to get them to experiment responsibly. What do you make of his advice to the high school kids?

No I dont agree with that at all!

I know my Grandpa once went to the shop brought a cigarette and a certain drink for my uncle and mum to try when they were little..well..16! - my uncle hated both, my mum took to cigarettes and smoked for 6years! But cigarretes and alcohol are slightly different to sex and drugs IMO. And even still - my mum was hooked for 7 years - what happens if one of the kids becomes addicted to the drug! With those sorts of things, there is no sensible about it, once they start - some are most likely to get hooked - its the very nature of drink, smoking, drugs. I know my mum says she would still smoke if she could stick to one a week as a social thing but she knows she would get hooked again!

I suppose it depends on the kid - my mum encouraged me to have sex (amazingly) - I didnt until I was 20. Other kids would take that and be off under the covers! I do think the majority of kids would do the latter option though - going by my class anyway!

 

[Druidus]

But cigarretes and alcohol are slightly different to sex and drugs IMO.

You are fooling yourself. Tobacco and alcohol are drugs just like any other. In fact, evidence shows that tobacco causes the same physical brain alterations that long term cocaine use does. Alcohol causes ridiculous damage to the brain and body, and is very addictive. Indeed, alcohol withdrawal can cause death, while even heroin withdrawal won't kill you.

It's not a war on drugs, it's a war on some drugs and some people.

 

[Quiddity]

Victor, I am not advocating willy-nilly use of crack and heroin. Indeed, quite the opposite. In my ideal model of legalization, crack and heroin use would definately be much less used than today, because of the requirements for getting a personal use license. Meanwhile, much healthier drugs than crack and meth would be easier to get, such as cannabis, mushrooms, and LSD. (Though you'd still need a license for them).

Believe me, I know that crack and heroin are incredibly addictive. I've known plenty of addicts. And yes, by the time they are addicted, they don't have much of a choice anymore, they usually need help to stop.

I'm not claiming that drug use can never harm people, I'm claiming that no matter how bad the harm is under prohibition it would be much lessened under an ideal model of legalization, wherein use of some would fall and use of others would rise, safety and purity would be assured, and use could be monitered, so those who find themselves developing an addiction could get help if they wish it.

I'm very doubtful it will do what you say it will. We've been educating folks about alcohol for decades and have you seen a drop in alcohol abuse?

 

[Truth_Faith13]

You are fooling yourself. Tobacco and alcohol are drugs just like any other. In fact, evidence shows that tobacco causes the same physical brain alterations that long term cocaine use does. Alcohol causes ridiculous damage to the brain and body, and is very addictive. Indeed, alcohol withdrawal can cause death, while even heroin withdrawal won't kill you.

It's not a war on drugs, it's a war on some drugs and some people.

Did you read the whole post?

its the very nature of drink, smoking, drugs

I know what tobacco and alcohol do - hence i dont smoke or drink!

 

[Druidus]

I'm very doubtful it will do what you say it will. We've been educating folks about alcohol for decades and have you seen a drop in alcohol abuse?

I'm not talking about mere education. I'm talking about having no way to get a drug without proving yourself responsible and knowledgeable enough to use it through courses that would be mandatory for a personal use license. Even then, you'd only have that one license for one drug.

And, on the other hand, education has caused tobacco use to go down.

Did you read the whole post? I know what tobacco and alcohol do - hence i dont smoke or drink!

I did read the whole post. My point was and is that there is no difference between tobacco/alcohol and other drugs, while you asserted that there was a difference.

 

[Truth_Faith13]

I'm very doubtful it will do what you say it will. We've been educating folks about alcohol for decades and have you seen a drop in alcohol abuse?

I'm not talking about mere education. I'm talking about having no way to get a drug without proving yourself responsible and knowledgeable enough to use it through courses that would be mandatory for a personal use license. Even then, you'd only have that one license for one drug.

And, on the other hand, education has caused tobacco use to go down.



I did read the whole post. My point was and is that there is no difference between tobacco/alcohol and other drugs, while you asserted that there was a difference.

A slight difference i said - which there is! Smoking for instance doesnt have as many as the pschological effects of drugs - the paranoia, violence, hallucinations, etc! All it does is give you a high and screw up your lungs. Alcohol(if drank sensibly) doesnt do too much pschologically either - accept screw up your liver, which if you drink sensibly, can renew itself anyway. Drink has also been prescribed by docs believe it or not for people to keep their blood flowing and the clock ticking! Whiskey and Brandy is good - red whin thins the blood also.

 

[Hema]

I know what tobacco and alcohol do - hence i dont smoke or drink!

Yay, me too! People seem so different from their normal selves when they get drunk. It makes me really uncomfortable because I'm not used to it. My parents don't drink or smoke so I never grew up having to deal with drunk people, plus my husband doesn't drink or smoke either. It's so weird...when people get drunk and make fools of themselves, I see people laughing with them but I just want to get away from them. They are unstable; I just never know what to expect from them.

 

[Quiddity]

I'm not talking about mere education. I'm talking about having no way to get a drug without proving yourself responsible and knowledgeable enough to use it through courses that would be mandatory for a personal use license. Even then, you'd only have that one license for one drug.

How do you prove yourself responsible with something that been proven to over power the will of millions?

 

[Druidus]

A slight difference i said - which there is! Smoking for instance doesnt have as many as the pschological effects of drugs - the paranoia, violence, hallucinations, etc! All it does is give you a high and screw up your lungs. Alcohol(if drank sensibly) doesnt do too much pschologically either - accept screw up your liver, which if you drink sensibly, can renew itself anyway. Drink has also been prescribed by docs believe it or not for people to keep their blood flowing and the clock ticking! Whiskey and Brandy is good - red whin thins the blood also.

I figured your use of "small" to be sarcastic, my bad.

There are small differences, just like there are differences between cannabis and mushrooms. By the way, violence as a psychological effect of drugs? Which drug are you talking about? Paranoia? Why, the only one I know of that causes that regularly is cannabis, and even that can be pretty rare. It also only lasts for the high. Hallucinations are never hard to distinguish from reality, unless you are on a dangerous delirient (an unpopular drug class anyway), and, indeed, are positive things when you seek them.

I disagree with your assertion that tobacco and alcohol do not do much psychologically. I believe that their effects are downplayed, because they are accepted.

Yes, doctors prescribe alcohol. They also prescribe methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin, which, believe it or not, have several medical uses themselves. Not that they prescribe them regularly, but they do prescribe them.

 

[summia]

At Boulder High School in Boulder Colorado a couple months ago, a guest speaker recommended to the student body that they experiment responsibly with sex and drugs. His point seems to have been that the kids would experiment with sex and drugs anyway, so an effort should be made to get them to experiment responsibly. What do you make of his advice to the high school kids?

This all is the resposibily of Parents, they must check their younger ones...
BUT no possiblly to stick with them, then my advice will be " TO FEAR THEIR LORD WHO IS WATCHING THEM" that's stops every soul to do evil.

 

[Mathematician]

They should be encouraged to think for themselves. Empirical data will affect children more than "do/n't do this."

 

[Druidus]

How do you prove yourself responsible with something that been proven to over power the will of millions?

Heroin can be used safely once or twice a month without risking addiction.

First, you would be required to go to classes to learn what heroin is, what it does, how it can go wrong, how to deal with the possibility of addiction, etc. When you finally complete these classes, you can buy the heroin and use it. Your heroin purchases are monitered, and you cannot buy more than would concievably be needed for your personal use. If your usage spikes upward, you are cut off until you complete a refresher addiction course. If addictive behaviour continues, your license is taken away for a minimum of one year.

If it is impossible to find enough heroin to abuse it, then you really can't, can you?

By the way, what drugs overpower the willpower of people? I can agree with heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, and alcohol, but what other ones?

I don't use heroin, cocaine, or meth. In fact, I wouldn't mind if they weren't legalized. I would rather they were, but I do think that psychedelics are better for society and individuals anyway. Do you have a problem with cannabis, mushrooms, LSD, and MDMA being legalized? If so, explain why, please.

I know you might be unable to fathom my reasons for supporting this legalization theory, but please don't think I'm trying to offend people. I'm merely supporting the theory that I have seen the most evidence for, over the years.

The simple truth is that you cannot stop people from doing what they want to do. If there's money to be made (and there is) the black market will sell drugs. As a black market, violence will be involved as the ONLY way to solve disputes. Drugs will be contaminated and of uncertain concentration. People will still buy drugs, despite these dangers and the illegality. At least under a legalization model, the use can be kept out of the shadows and thus monitered more easily. People can be kept from overdosing because they didn't know how pure the drug was, or dying because of toxic contaminants. People can be stopped before addiction becomes a problem. And there would be no more black market drug violence.

You can't stop them. It's impossible. Why not lessen the damage?

 

[Quiddity]

You can't stop them. It's impossible. Why not lessen the damage?

Because I don't think it will lessen the damage.

 

[Druidus]

Because I don't think it will lessen the damage.

Then we can never come to a consensus, because I believe that it will. Shall we agree to disagree?

 

[Shadow Wolf]

How do you prove yourself responsible with something that been proven to over power the will of millions?

There are a few things. Buying drugs only when you have the money to spare. Keeping a low profile about it while your in public. Using them sparingly (Sparinly by once or twice a week, if that.) Researching what the drugs can do, and are likly to do, side-effects, and any health risks.

I do agree with the person that said to experiment. Kids will try stuff, so they might as well be encouraged to do it responsible, rather than pretend discouraging the use will discourage them.

 

[Quiddity]

Then we can never come to a consensus, because I believe that it will. Shall we agree to disagree?

Yup...I'm going to need something more then just "the damage will be less". Not just me, most of the American people.

 

[Quiddity]

Buying drugs only when you have the money to spare.

How do you keep track of that?

Keeping a low profile about it while your in public.

If it's legal, why would you want to do that?

Using them sparingly (Sparinly by once or twice a week, if that.)

But...but...but I thought people are going to do what they are going to do? Why should they use it sparingly?

Researching what the drugs can do, and are likly to do, side-effects, and any health risks.

We do that with alcohol and I don't see why it would be any different with any of these drugs.

 

[mrsk]

Druidus....How long could you possibly have been using, and what kinds of experience do you have with the long term effects of drug use? Intelliegence and life experience are two completely different things! So much of the time what looks good on paper just doesn't work well when applied to life. These are the things that adults learn over time and children just do not have the experience to deal with!!
Have you ever seen a good, strong, decent man turn into an addict? Have you ever seen a family ripped apart by that addiction? Children left w/o a father? Until you do...until you have that experience please do not tell me drugs don't hurt people! Until you have lived with a recovering addict, don't tell me there are no lasting effects!
If some adults aren't strong enough to fight off addiction why in the world would you reccomend that children experiment with it? Russian roulette anyone?

 

[Reverend Rick]

Why not have the principal pass out sheets of acid to the students and take them rock wall climbing as well?

 

[fullyveiled muslimah]

If the experience of so many people dealing with drugs is has been overwhelmingly negative, why would we facilitate it? I also do not agree that telling your kids they can't do drugs while under your care doesn't work. It worked with me and my brother and sisters. Mom put her foot down about it. She told us about the effects of drug use, and we had enough real life examples not to be stupid enough to do it anyways. Mom told me no babies while in school, and no drugs and I did just what she asked. Those were her only rules as well as get good grades and graduate. After her sacrifices for me, it wasn't too much to ask me to keep good grades, don't get pregnant, don't do drugs. I couldn't thank her enough for really sticking to her guns on that and not giving in to what I may have wanted to do just because I was "gonna do it anyway".


If a parent facilitate the use of drugs by their kids, how are they going to ensure that the kid always smokes his crack responsibly? What if the kid gets hooked then what do the parents do? Go buy his drugs for him so he won't go to jail if he gets caught buying them I guess? How far does this even go? The whole scope of the situation has to be analyzed before we just up and say the kid can screw as many people as he wants and smoke as many drugs as he wants, so long as he does it in the house with his friends who love him.