Lying to kids about drugs is dangerous

[TrippyHippy]

Soon as kids discover that they've been lied to about weed since grade school, it makes them question the whole integrity of DARE, U.S drug policy, and the anti drug movement in general. There are legitimate dangers to drug abuse. But propagandizing cannabis, the way the US does, leads to a backlash when the kids find out the truth. That many people, practicing responsible use, can lead normal, fulfilling lives while using cannabis.

In fact, many drugs in general have desireable effects that are played down by current attempts at emphasizing only the dangers. For example, when kids are taught that you will "go crazy, get sick, and die" if you use psychedelic drugs...then find out that psychedelic drugs are often quite beneficial for your mental health and that people don't always "go crazy, get sick, and die" right after using these hallucinogens, they disbelieve all the dangers which creates a self-fulfilling prophecy. This distrust of U.S drug policy and the anti-drug movement leads kids to be more brazen about dosage, frequency of use, and even the specific drugs they choose to experiment with. I.e: "Man, this LSD didn't send me to a mental hospital. This is probably safe to use all the time. And I bet they're full of shit on cocaine and heroin too!" We need to have honest discussion with our kids about drugs. Much like sex ed, we badly need drug ed. Drug use should most certainly not be encouraged in children, however the fact of the matter is many kids are going to experiment with drugs regardless of how many adults are screaming at them not to. That's kids. It's best that they be completely educated about the risks, and how to practice safer use. Honest, impartial instruction about both the potential merits and dangers is what is needed. That responsible use of some can be fine, the signs to watch out for leading to addiction, and the harms of overuse or misuse would go a long way towards keeping people safe.

Scare tactics simply fail.

[PostmodernProphet]

I wonder if any of those kids who are addicted to heroin were lied to.......

[TrippyHippy]

I wonder if any of those kids who are addicted to heroin were lied to.......

Completely missed the whole point of my post. Thanks. The dating of our posts is very telling of your posting style actually, only about two minutes apart. Very indicative of your tendency to have knee-jerk reactions based on your preconceived biases instead of reading (fully) others' posts, taking the time to comprehend what you read and consider the message before replying. This is clear by not only that short period of time between our posts, but also the length and complete uselessness of your response. I threadbanned CFM, evince, and iewitness for the same crap. Apparently I forgot one. I won't next time.

[PostmodernProphet]

Completely missed the whole point of my post. Thanks. The dating of our posts is very telling of your posting style actually, only about two minutes apart. Very indicative of your tendency to have knee-jerk reactions based on your preconceived biases instead of reading (fully) others' posts, taking the time to comprehend what you read and consider the message before replying. This is clear by not only that short period of time between our posts, but also the length and complete uselessness of your response. I threadbanned CFM, evince, and iewitness for the same crap. Apparently I forgot one. I won't next time.

I envision you as hanging around junior high schools with a backpack full of pills, offering free samples to children............

[countryboy]

I envision you as hanging around junior high schools with a backpack full of pills, offering free samples to children............

That's just asinine. There's no way you gleaned that from his post.

[TrippyHippy]

I envision you as hanging around junior high schools with a backpack full of pills, offering free samples to children............

Not going to entertain this derailment of the thread topic. K thanks, bye.

[ThatOwlWoman]

Soon as kids discover that they've been lied to about weed since grade school, it makes them question the whole integrity of DARE, U.S drug policy, and the anti drug movement in general. There are legitimate dangers to drug abuse. But propagandizing cannabis, the way the US does, leads to a backlash when the kids find out the truth. That many people, practicing responsible use, can lead normal, fulfilling lives while using cannabis....

Scare tactics simply fail.

I readily admit to using scare tactics on my own kids. Not about weed, which I see as mostly benign. I saved the heavy guns for illegal substances that are truly harmful and offer nothing but injury, death, and/or imprisonment.... meth. Heroin. Crack. Roofies. Script drugs cut with other stuff. Told them that ppl take drugs for various reasons.... they make you feel good. If you're depressed they can lift your mood, but there are safer things to do to get the same effect. Drugs can be a way to connect with other ppl in a group. And so on. We didn't discuss psychedelics much since they weren't much of a thing when they were teenagers, at least in our area. Agree with you -- be truthful and honest, even if it's difficult for you at the time. Same with talking about sexuality.

[ThatOwlWoman]

I envision you as hanging around junior high schools with a backpack full of pills, offering free samples to children............

Funny you should say that. I picture you hanging around schools trying to pass out Bibles and Jesus tracts, while screaming cusswords at the fleeing kids that if they don't listen they're all going to HELL.

[Cypress]

I am no expert on teenage psychology, but in my opinion kids do not want to be lectured, and it never works.
Of course they need access to accurate information.
But, the best thing one can do, IMO, is to be a role model, and to try to have some influence on who they end up making friends with...if you get them into sports, music, positive activities when they are young, they will probably meet kids who have their shit together.

I never, ever saw my parent drunk or impaired in any way, and they had me into football, baseball, cello, books, art and culture from an early age. I am sure it had an affect on my teenage years in ways both tangible, and intangible.

Once they meet the wrong kids, and start hanging out with the wrong crowd, the peer pressure is overwhelming, and it really is too late to do much --- except limit the damage.

[ThatOwlWoman]

I am no expert on teenage psychology, but in my opinion kids do not want to be lectured, and it never works.
Of course they need access to accurate information.
But, the best thing one can do, IMO, is to be a role model, and to try to have some influence on who they end up making friends with...if you get them into sports, music, positive activities when they are young, they will probably meet kids who have their shit together.

Once they meet the wrong kids, and start hanging out with the wrong crowd, the peer pressure is overwhelming, and it really is too late to do much --- except limit the damage.

Very true. That happened to the younger of my two sons.

[Cypress]

Very true. That happened to the younger of my two sons.

Yes, from what I can tell, it all boils down to who they make friends with, the crowd they end up hanging with....and to some extent, there is probably ways to influence how that all unfolds.

To this day, I am thankful that my high school friends were the football jocks....and the dungeons and dragons geeks! The worst I ever did was drink some beers, and smoke a few joints. Pretty damn tame, really!

[PostmodernProphet]

That's just asinine. There's no way you gleaned that from his post.

I know....I had to remember his previous threads.....

[USFREEDOM911]

Completely missed the whole point of my post. Thanks. The dating of our posts is very telling of your posting style actually, only about two minutes apart. Very indicative of your tendency to have knee-jerk reactions based on your preconceived biases instead of reading (fully) others' posts, taking the time to comprehend what you read and consider the message before replying. This is clear by not only that short period of time between our posts, but also the length and complete uselessness of your response. I threadbanned CFM, evince, and iewitness for the same crap. Apparently I forgot one. I won't next time.

While you appear to have an ability to string together words, you failed to answer his question.

[TrippyHippy]

While you appear to have an ability to string together words, you failed to answer his question.

Because it wasn't even a question, first of all. And what he said was not relevant to my thread in any way. His response made it clear he did not read the OP. Or, if he did read it, he certainly failed to grasp the point. I am happy to intelligently discuss this issue with anybody who has productive things to add. I will not, however, tolerate the derailment that happens on almost every other thread on this forum.