The Wonderful World of Drugs: Jon Bon Jovi's Daughter's Heroin Overdose

[Darth Kane]

Going to have to disagree. I'm sticking with it's up to the individuals propensity for addiction as well as some level of education/common sense in regards to the risk of drugs. Just because I'm at the grocery store doesn't mean I HAVE to buy ice cream, chips and pop. I can have self control and make healthier choices for myself with maybe a small treat for dessert instead. It's really no different.

I smoked a LOT of pot in my youth as well as frequently drank heavily (socially...and I have a high tolerance). Not because I was addicted but because I was young, dumb and having fun...lol. I've also dabbled with occasional other drug use (mushrooms, ecstasy etc). I've been offered both cocaine and crack numerous times and declined to partake because I had the common sense and education to do so. I was a recreational user of substances because I was having fun and I knew what the risks were with "heavier" drugs and didn't want to risk becoming something more than a recreational user who was simply having fun. I was also dabbling with rare/occasional ecstasy use back when it was actually ecstasy and you didn't have the one in five chance of dying you today it seems. If I was in that period of my life now I doubt I'd touch the stuff.

So talk to your kids. Make sure they know the risks and especially if you have addiction history in your families keep a close eye on the signs would be my advice. Generally speaking I don't believe occasional recreational use of natural substances is all that risky so long as the individual can keep it recreational and not let it affect other aspects of their life negatively (relationships, work/school etc).

[elvis15]

Are you trying to compare pot to heroin or crack!? What's the worst pot has ever done to anyone? Ok, so it turns people into hippies and that is pretty bad, but other than that? Pot doesn't destroy lives and tear apart family's, and no matter how much people want to believe it, pot is not a 'gateway drug', I've never once smoked a joint and though, "hey, I really want to shoot some heroin!", hasn't happned yet and it never will. If children interpret "pot really isn't all that terrible" as "all drugs are safe and fun!" then they have failures for parents.

Seriously, I would rather my children smoke pot all their lives than take a single sip of alcohol.

[Guest Gumballthechewy]

And I'm not saying pot smokers are more likely to do coke or heroin than a bunch of old men sitting around smoking pipes and cigars just because pot is involved, but realistically we tend to understand that while other things may be more damaging, they are also less likely than pot to create the opportunity or attract the type of person that might be involved in other illegal drug use. The actuality of that could change with pot becoming legal, but that's the reality of it the way things are currently.

[elvis15]

Not to disregard your post because I do agree, but I associate cigarets with junkies more so than I do pot. Every dope fiend and junkie I see, more often than not, smokes tobacco. But that's just me, the majority of people probably don't see it same way.

[Offensive Threat]

We all smoked weed when I was young. Myself, my circle of close friends, the varying circles of less close friends, everyone. From about 16 to mid 20s or so. Only one of these dozens of people went on to other harder drugs and he has what I would call a Addictive personality. Everything he does he does to excess. Positive things as well as negative. The point is that Pot isnt a gateway drug or a lot more of my friend would have gone down that road. Sure we did mushrooms and acid every so often but never would I have ever put a needle in my arm. The line was pretty clear without anyone ever having to say it.

That was back in the late 80s to early 90s. Weed today is way stronger. Way more potent than back then.

Theres a line from Seinfeld where Jerry asks George: Do you remember when we stopped doing drugs? George answers: No....

Thats how it was for me and my friends. Everybody just stopped eventually. I pretty well gave it up on Graduation day from Uvic. The real world was coming.lol.

[D-Money]

I have managed to get through life drug-free (save for alcohol, which I enjoy regularly). Never tried any illegal drugs, and not even a single cigarette. Have absolutely no use for them. Fortunately, I grew up in a good, secure family, and did not have tragic experiences that drove me towards them.

One thing that made me really detest the idea of trying drugs - even once - was research on how drugs affect your ability to feel pleasure. The "high" from a strong drug will flood you with so much dopamine, that it damages the receptors. That is why a drug user has to continually increase the dosage to get the same high from it.

But it's not just drugs. It negatively affects every single pleasurable event in your life from that point forward. Every time you have some amazing food, see a fantastic movie, hear your favourite song, have sex, etc., etc., you will feel a bit less pleasure, multiplied by how many times you got high.

So whether I'd end up addicted or not really doesn't matter. I'm a pretty easy-going guy who likes to enjoy the simple things. The idea of cheating myself of any of my day-to-day happiness, for the rest of my life, for brief moments of ecstasy doesn't appeal to me at all.

[Shift-4]

Right on D-Money.

I prefer the natural highs as well.