jbshack said...


I agree a good hobby or sport is the best deterrent.

Yep, just look at Cousins, and others.

I think it is unrealistic to think that teenagers should never try drugs, in a way alcohol is as bad. All you can do as a parent is to warn them to try a smaller dose than offered and don't get hooked on them. All the educational stories help, but what counts is your kid's personality, if it is self-destructive will use anything available. If you see your child is happy, does well at school, has friends and seems responsible, you need to overcome the parent's instinct and give them that freedom to experiment. I found some parents that did plenty of hard partying in their youth become moralizing and hypocrits with their children. I was happy when the day my daughter tried lsd she came home to tell me. Also on the point of trust I don't think it is bad to go through your kid's drawers if you suspect something, it is part of the duty to be a parent and you should make it clear to your teenage kid that that's the way it is, trust must be earned. Good luck.

poor relative said...

Mark _australia said...


Hey apparently if we legalise everything it will be all cool
No dealers means no organised crime and stuff.

And none of the above will happen.

Yeah right.

Such a dumb thing to say.
Those things are happening already.
Maybe if drugs were decriminalised people might feel a bit safer in seeking assistance.

I think you misread my post dude.
I know those things (that SN talked about in the hotel) are happening already, and legalising stuff will not solve it. All it will do is remove dealers to some extent.
So do you seriously think that if drugs were all legal, then the problems that SN noted would go away?
People would still get meth rage and belt each other, or throw themselves off balconies etc etc.

I'm not as nieve to think that legalise drugs and all the social ills are cured in one fell swoop.
However i don't think there would be an increase in such instances.

i do believe that there would be better quality gear around, the criminal elemennt removed plus if its taxed properly then the money raised - suggestions of $78 billion in the US alone - would go a long way to creating better health services, better research etc into helping those who's use is problematic.

There was a report released in 2009 i think by some big players - president of columbia, mexico and brazil kofi annan and a number of others outlining how badly 'the war on drugs' has failed and how legislation needs to change.
worth a read if you're interested
www.globalcommissionondrugs.org/wp-content/themes/gcdp_v1/pdf/Global_Commission_Report_English.pdf

kiterboy said...

yeah, I used to buy all my alcohol from dealers when I was under 18.

dont know about where you live but theres plenty of kids doing the nasty stuff in our town. ive got a 10 year old kid and last thing i want is for her to go and buy nasty junk (or any) from some dodgy bastard getting kids off their chops just because shes too young to go to some chemist for it. seriously, kids are doing it.

poor relative said...

Drugs and drug use shouls be squarely a health problem dealt with and treated by health professionals.
The only way this can happen if drugs are legalised.

ok so ive gone to my daily maximum of 2 tabs, now i want more.... hmmmmm who do i call? my dealer? rehab? or gp? imo its just doesnt seem to work.

e0422713...you are at a very important time in parenthood and need to sit back and really think this thing out...because how you deal with it could turn your daughter against you and then your history...I have gone through it once (got two boys so it may be a little different)...and I'm now doing it again....my first boy is now over 30 and my second just turned 15 so I have had plenty of time to get ready...but lessons learned from the first, have so far been really useful....you have to let them know that peer group pressure can be a relly stupid thing and that they will come across it all the time....there will always be the buddy who says come on dont be a whimp pop one of these...or whats wrong with you?... cant you pull a bong...and so on...I used to say to my boy ...stay straight and watch what a mess that buddy is at the end of the party....and you know...nobody tells you how good you feel when you take drugs...you got to tell your kids that you will feel f38cking great when you take drugs...on top of the world and bullet proof....then you have to tell them how you are going to feel when it wears off...stay as close to your kids as you can...be as good a friend as you can...tell em if you cant be good be carefull....if it aint organic there is reason for panic.....and above all else drum it into them that the best high they will ever find is...BEING HEALTHY.....my eldest came to me not long ago and said thanks Dad that was the best advice I have ever had....he still dabbled and had to feel the lows but he said it stuck in his head and he now knows the best high he can get....good luck.

Its inevitable that all kids will cross paths with drugs and alcohol. And a difficult subject to address with young adults. Im not a father but have been in a relationship with someone who's daughter took to alcohol like a fish to water. Smoking weed came next, as it was of course part of the menu for those she socialised with. I do believe that the glamourising of drug in movies and music dosent help. If a kid is led to believe its cool, then temptation will sit on their shoulder. I think if the victims of drug use got more widespread exposure instead of hidden away then maybe kids might think again if they think they will end up in a psych ward/ pimping themselves or their future partner for $$'s. Nobody see's the darker side of drug use, only the fun party element. Having been there with amphetamines and E's years ago i know it isnt all joy and happiness. The trouble with drugs is that the consequences dont become reality till later...long term. Kids who drink a bottle of vodka, yes get blown away but are feeling better again the next day. The same for a joint, yes it might send you green for a few hours but again in a few hours your feeling ok again. If the short term effects were more intense and offputting then maybe people might not pop another pill. But because they recover quickly with little or no apparent effects it is so easy to do it again. Talking to kids can be difficult i guess because they know better, and know someone who knows better still. If you take the candy from the top drawer then they will only go back to the sweet shop and buy more. You can only try to educate them, show them the reality if you can persuade them to just listen to you for half an hour. Then they know what is, and make the decision themselves. You cant force somebody not to do something, they have to decide themselves.
Myself i would take the drugs from the top drawer, drugs are drugs.
Its a difficult call, good luck m8.

this is the best troll ever!

Hamsta said...

Mark _australia said...


Alcohol has been such a dismal failure and causes so much harm, why the hell would we ever legalise any drug that is currently unlawful?

Quite possibly the most intelligent and succinct response to the "harm minimisation/legalisation of drugs" debate I have ever read.

Hmmm .The gov't allows open slather promotion and sponsorship of alcohol in just about every corner of modern life .That might have something to do with the problems associated with alcohol .Maybe if it were not available at just about every corner of Australia it might not be such a problem .(but then who would pay for cricket,footy and just about everything else)

sn said...

saltiest1 said...ok so ive gone to my daily maximum of 2 tabs, now i want more.... hmmmmm who do i call? my dealer? rehab? or gp? imo its just doesnt seem to work.

I cant imagine that your family G.P. would be happy about prescribing "recreational" drugs to adults - or minors- and the liability that goes with it.

I doubt many parents would be permitting thier teenagers to purchase prescribed "recreational" drugs either.

There will still be a black market- we cant even control the dexies that kids are prescribed for ADHD/ ADD!

stephen.

my point exactly.

I went through the same things with my parents. They were really open to me and in return I ended up being really open with them.

It didn't stop me experimenting, but once that communication line is opened up I think it definitely helped our relationship.

And hey I turned out alright!

Mark _australia said...

No we do this now.

No we don't
problematic drug use is a legal issue as long as drugs are illegal.

Someone in possession of a quantity of a prohibited substance are considered in breech of the law. The guys daughter here is considered a criminal, if caught she could have a record that will last a long time potentially impacting on her career opportunities. Is that fair for a rebellious 15yo without any idea of the consequences of a criminal record.

Why should average Joe be penalized for having three mull plants in his back yard an enjoying an occasional smoke whilst listening to Jackson Browne or having to mix it with dodgy criminals in order to buy a bit of coke for Christmas to share with the missus.

I firmly believe that if people are educated and told the truth about drugs rather than the usual banter of one puff and you're a crack ho, allowed to make their own decisions and innovative new health services are developed from the profits we will see a reduction in harmful use.

Did you know that in the past 20 years drug use has actually increased worldwide?
Whats prohibition doing again?

Mark _australia said...

Relli are you truly saying that we should legalise drugs and spend more money on health care / education?
But also stop telling people drugs are bad at the same time?

Not at all Mark.

What i am saying is make drugs legal and spend the money made on education research and dedicated health services.
I don't think the health promoters should ever stop telling the truth about drugs.

poor relative said...

Mark _australia said...

Relli are you truly saying that we should legalise drugs and spend more money on health care / education?
But also stop telling people drugs are bad at the same time?

Not at all Mark.

What i am saying is make drugs legal and spend the money made on education research and dedicated health services.
I don't think the health promoters should ever stop telling the truth about drugs.

But I am saying we use the proceeds of crime legislation to fund drug education.

If the Govt is selling gear for $50 a hit, don't you think the dealers will just undercut?
It could never work.

And even if it could work, it sends the wrong message to kids straight up. We are trying to change our drinking culture and stop kids from trying ciggies, alcohol has been a dismal failure why add more into the mix?

Ohh won't somebody think of the children??