because
society makes it too easy-

even to the point of encouragement

People do it whether society makes it easy or hard.

Human condition.

Why then is it so prevalent in the USA and not in other countries?

Good question, if that's true.

maybe the answer is associated with the question of why gun violence, especially mass shootings, so prevalent in the USA and not in other countries?

quote:

Originally posted by ledvm:
Why then is it so prevalent in the USA and not in other countries?

There's plenty of drug use in other countries and lots of theories as to why it's more prevalent in the US. I don't have an opinion. People use drugs and alcohol as an escape mechanism from stress I would guess.

As Magine points out, we're different in a lot of ways. Mass shootings, for one.

I guess I would also point out that the OP isn't representative of the US as a whole in relation to drug and/or alcohol use. Most folks who drink or use drugs manage it without ending up homeless on the streets. Some small fraction of the population lets it get out of control and take over their lives.

It is hardly only the USA. Plenty going in right in Saeed's own neighborhood, but that does not fit his narrative.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-62736126

Stop selling Narcan or Naloxone. Stop enabling and legitimizing drug use. Drug abuse is prevalent in cities around the world; it's not just the US. Bill

quote:

Originally posted by Bill Leeper:
Stop selling Narcan or Naloxone. Stop enabling and legitimizing drug use. Drug abuse is prevalent in cities around the world; it's not just the US. Bill

I disagree with your position on Narcan, it should be very prevalent, if nothing else to save to innocent bystanders who come into contact with Fentanyl.

Not all these folks wake up one day and decide to become a junkie, nor does it always remain that way for addicts. Some folks get hooked through a doctor and opiate addiction is very powerful. If we can save someone and get them on another path, we should do it.

quote:

Originally posted by skb:
It is hardly only the USA. Plenty going in right in Saeed's own neighborhood, but that does not fit his narrative.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-62736126

We have drug problems, like most countries.

But it hasn’t gotten so out of hand as in the US!

Governments are actively supporting this shit!

quote:

Originally posted by Bill Leeper:
Stop selling Narcan or Naloxone. Stop enabling and legitimizing drug use. Drug abuse is prevalent in cities around the world; it's not just the US. Bill

The only result of that sort of a policy is more dead people. It ought to be self-evident to all at this point that trying to control drug use by outlawing it does not work. It just enables drug-dealers to make millions and it clogs the criminal justice system. It's stupid, inefficient and has been a complete failure. We should abandon that approach and try something else.

Might start with less guidance and attentive parents than in past generations.
Less discipline and structure in the home.
Additionally easy following into inappropriate suggestion / influence by minors on the internet.
I have witnessed so much change in 66 years.
When a child we never locked the doors on our home or cars.
Walked or rode bicycles to school even in grade school.
Got wacked on the rear if you mis behaved.
Parents are afraid to discipline their children now.

It appears people are more aggressive or willing to take chance these days because they are not afraid of their actions / consequences. Talk trash all day long on the net and forums like this and feel sheltered.
Never would do it to some ones face.
Rob a store and get a slap on the wrist.
Does anyone "CARE" any longer???
Government is not going to fix it.
YOU ARE!



Different world.

Drug problems are caused by stupid people.

The users!

Same lot who vote in Trump and Biden and Kamala and AOC !

quote:

Originally posted by Mike Mitchell:

quote:

Originally posted by Bill Leeper:
Stop selling Narcan or Naloxone. Stop enabling and legitimizing drug use. Drug abuse is prevalent in cities around the world; it's not just the US. Bill

The only result of that sort of a policy is more dead people. It ought to be self-evident to all at this point that trying to control drug use by outlawing it does not work. It just enables drug-dealers to make millions and it clogs the criminal justice system. It's stupid, inefficient and has been a complete failure. We should abandon that approach and try something else.

How do you fix it and not clog the jails, courts or other necessary systems? When I had them prescribed I opted not to take opiates after surgery because of side effects or possible addiction. Tramadol is classified as an opiate. Been taking it for years and could easily get off of it if I wanted to. I can't say the same for other addicting substances. I'd probably take the oxycodone for temporary tooth pain relief, but not anything else, YET!

quote:

Originally posted by Mike Mitchell:
People do it whether society makes it easy or hard.

Human condition.

This society makes it tooo easy

https://www.newsweek.com/cocai...-white-house-1810736

quote:

Originally posted by DuggaBoye:

quote:

Originally posted by Mike Mitchell:
People do it whether society makes it easy or hard.

Human condition.

This society makes it tooo easy

https://www.newsweek.com/cocai...-white-house-1810736

Hunter was there!

Leaving his mark!

quote:

Originally posted by Mike Mitchell:

quote:

Originally posted by Bill Leeper:
Stop selling Narcan or Naloxone. Stop enabling and legitimizing drug use. Drug abuse is prevalent in cities around the world; it's not just the US. Bill

The only result of that sort of a policy is more dead people. It ought to be self-evident to all at this point that trying to control drug use by outlawing it does not work. It just enables drug-dealers to make millions and it clogs the criminal justice system. It's stupid, inefficient and has been a complete failure. We should abandon that approach and try something else.

100%
These people are victims. Victims by their own hand is fine if you like, but victims never the less not to mention our fellow Americans and Biblically speaking, "our Neighbors,".

Running of tens of thousands of miles to the aid of "those poor Somalis/ Iraqis/ Ethiopians/ Sudanese/ etc" and leaving these souls on our streets is a despicable crime.

I know my fellow Americans are always desperate to invade something and we'd not want the Military Industrial Complex to suffer, I say we invade Mexico, all the Caribbean shortly thereafter.

The gov poisoned whiskey during prohibition to make people sick and stop drinking. Let them flood the drug market with something that makes them sick as a dog, see if it works!

I see it differently after watching someone I was close to descend into addiction and ultimately dying from an overdose. My friend did not have a visible issue when I met him, a non-drinking stay home close to the wife kind of guy. I did not know when we met, but he had been struggling with opiates for a couple of decades at the time which started with a severe jeep accident in which his pelvis was crushed and his sciatic nerve severed. It took my friend several years to learn to walk again after being told he would not by Doctors. The lingering side effects included severe nerve pain which Doctors treated with opiates. Shortly after we met he became a father, something which Doctors also told him would not be possible due to the injuries he had in the jeep accident. A few years later his oldest son was diagnosed with cancer, treatable and his son is alive to today just having graduated High School. Right around the time my friend's son was diagnosed is when he really lost control of his addiction, leading to a divorce, and a downward spiral that ultimately took his life. He made plenty of poor choices, at the same time he did not one day just decide he wanted to be a junkie.

I certainly think we should be trying to save the ones who want to change. Some good people end up addicts, not all of them stay that way.

There are a good number of programs available to help those that want to quit.
I would think the ones hooked by doctor prescribed meds would be the first to enter a program?

quote:

Originally posted by DuggaBoye:

quote:

Originally posted by Mike Mitchell:
People do it whether society makes it easy or hard.

Human condition.

This society makes it tooo easy

https://www.newsweek.com/cocai...-white-house-1810736

Perfect anecdotal example that completely ignores my comments. Frankly, even assuming it's true, I don't care if they found drugs at the WH. I bet they found Jack Daniels too and I can promise you that if you go look at the statistics in terms of death, health problems, family problems, work problems, alcohol's impact on our society vastly outstrips drugs.

Nobody wants to put Anheuser Busch' owners in jail. Nobody wants to curtail the billion dollar beer, wine and spirits industries. It's never even mentioned.

The current drug laws are exactly like prohibition....a failed policy that created far more problems than it solved. At some point, people are going to realize that and start doing something about it instead of continuing to advance the same non-solutions to the problem.

quote:

Originally posted by skb:

quote:

Originally posted by Bill Leeper:
Stop selling Narcan or Naloxone. Stop enabling and legitimizing drug use. Drug abuse is prevalent in cities around the world; it's not just the US. Bill

I disagree with your position on Narcan, it should be very prevalent, if nothing else to save to innocent bystanders who come into contact with Fentanyl.

Not all these folks wake up one day and decide to become a junkie, nor does it always remain that way for addicts. Some folks get hooked through a doctor and opiate addiction is very powerful. If we can save someone and get them on another path, we should do it.

Opiates have always had a friggin late which says habit forming, don't get addicted, or words to that effect.

I knackered my back when I was 28 and diazepam works brilliantly (along with other things) when its painful. I have had a stock of it for years and take it when I need it.

But now I can't have it because some other people cannot be trusted to take it responsibly.

quote:

Originally posted by theback40:
There are a good number of programs available to help those that want to quit.
I would think the ones hooked by doctor prescribed meds would be the first to enter a program?

I never hear about abundant resources from those folks trying to get family members into treatment programs, usually it is the opposite.

One thing you will learn quickly if you ever deal with addicts, they do not think like you and I do, especially as addiction progresses. They have one goal and no matter the line of shit that they feed you, that single goal is staying high. People do change and people do get clean from opiates, unfortunately many do not survive and almost all seem to need to hit their own personal bottom before any real attempt at change is made.

I do not claim to fully understand it but I have seen more than one decent person claimed by opiate addiction.

quote:

Originally posted by theback40:
The gov poisoned whiskey during prohibition to make people sick and stop drinking. Let them flood the drug market with something that makes them sick as a dog, see if it works!

Jeff Cooper proposed that anything confiscated by the police be poisoned/adulterated and put back onto the streets.

Maybe just my state skb. They even have people who will go take an addict to treatments if they dont have a ride. Mostly small population/rural state. No big cities here where addicts overwhelm treatment facilities I expect?

People do drugs mainly out of boredom. Look at how some folks live. They've got nothing else to do.

quote:

Originally posted by RolandtheHeadless:
People do drugs mainly out of boredom. Look at how some folks live. They've got nothing else to do.

Then why do the rich and famous who have anything but boring lives end up addicted just the poor and lonely?

quote:

Originally posted by skb:

quote:

Originally posted by RolandtheHeadless:
People do drugs mainly out of boredom. Look at how some folks live. They've got nothing else to do.

Then why do the rich and famous who have anything but boring lives end up addicted just the poor and lonely?

You think being rich and famous is a cure to boredom?

A fair number of celebrities don't.

quote:

Originally posted by RolandtheHeadless:

quote:

Originally posted by skb:

quote:

Originally posted by RolandtheHeadless:
People do drugs mainly out of boredom. Look at how some folks live. They've got nothing else to do.

Then why do the rich and famous who have anything but boring lives end up addicted just the poor and lonely?

You think being rich and famous is a cure to boredom?

A fair number of celebrities don't.

The wealthy certainly have more options than the poor do to entertain themselves. All the options in the world and you chose drugs? I think that goes well beyond boredom.

quote:

Originally posted by RolandtheHeadless:

quote:

Originally posted by skb:

quote:

Originally posted by RolandtheHeadless:
People do drugs mainly out of boredom. Look at how some folks live. They've got nothing else to do.

Then why do the rich and famous who have anything but boring lives end up addicted just the poor and lonely?

You think being rich and famous is a cure to boredom?

A fair number of celebrities don't.

'scuze my nosiness, but, "Coeur d'Alene Idaho"?

Decriminalization of all drug offenses other than intent to distribute or driving under the influence is what we ought to be doing.

Legalize it, tax it, stop clogging up the criminal justice system with these "no victim crimes." Same as prostitution. The whole thing is stupid. When are men going to stop wanting to bang women? Legislating morality is idiocy and creates way more problems than just letting it go on.

If it would stop the crime that follows drug addiction, I'm on board. If they want to kill themselves with drugs who am I to stop them.

Simple: They lack a purpose.

quote:

Originally posted by skb:

quote:

Originally posted by RolandtheHeadless:
People do drugs mainly out of boredom. Look at how some folks live. They've got nothing else to do.

Then why do the rich and famous who have anything but boring lives end up addicted just the poor and lonely?

quote:

Originally posted by eezridr:
Simple: They lack a purpose.

quote:

Originally posted by skb:

quote:

Originally posted by RolandtheHeadless:
People do drugs mainly out of boredom. Look at how some folks live. They've got nothing else to do.

Then why do the rich and famous who have anything but boring lives end up addicted just the poor and lonely?

What type of purpose are you alluding to? Drug use and abuse appears across all strata of society, from homeless to highly successful business people.

quote:

Originally posted by Scott King:

quote:

Originally posted by RolandtheHeadless:

quote:

Originally posted by skb:

quote:

Originally posted by RolandtheHeadless:
People do drugs mainly out of boredom. Look at how some folks live. They've got nothing else to do.

Then why do the rich and famous who have anything but boring lives end up addicted just the poor and lonely?

You think being rich and famous is a cure to boredom?

A fair number of celebrities don't.

'scuze my nosiness, but, "Coeur d'Alene Idaho"?

After 42 years in Anchorage, my wife and I just relocated to CDA, where our son had kidnapped and taken our grandkids.

quote:

Originally posted by RolandtheHeadless:

quote:

Originally posted by Scott King:

quote:

Originally posted by RolandtheHeadless:

quote:

Originally posted by skb:

quote:

Originally posted by RolandtheHeadless:
People do drugs mainly out of boredom. Look at how some folks live. They've got nothing else to do.

Then why do the rich and famous who have anything but boring lives end up addicted just the poor and lonely?

You think being rich and famous is a cure to boredom?

A fair number of celebrities don't.

'scuze my nosiness, but, "Coeur d'Alene Idaho"?

After 42 years in Anchorage, my wife and I just relocated to CDA, where our son had kidnapped and taken our grandkids.

Very, very happy for you. Having only recently become a parent I can't think of something more important or a better idea.

Had a friend who lived in CDA, used to visit now and again. I thought it a nice area. Hope you like it.

Unhappy; To look forward to what they do.
What is you definition of success? Money? Most that make a lot of money no longer find that aspect rewarding. It is not money..They want to win!
Most often at any cost.
It is never enough. One dimensional.

Success to me is a medium that includes strong family ties, providing direction and a role model to my children and grandchildren and hopefully theuy will learn from my strengths and recognize my weaknesses and become a better person than I.

quote:

Originally posted by skb:

quote:

Originally posted by eezridr:
Simple: They lack a purpose.

quote:

Originally posted by skb:

quote:

Originally posted by RolandtheHeadless:
People do drugs mainly out of boredom. Look at how some folks live. They've got nothing else to do.

Then why do the rich and famous who have anything but boring lives end up addicted just the poor and lonely?

What type of purpose are you alluding to? Drug use and abuse appears across all strata of society, from homeless to highly successful business people.

Most addicts are trying to deal with unhappiness as society has changed and the expectation expressed is everyone can have a meaningful and happy life. There is a reason life is referred to in the old days as a vale of tears.

I’m not sure that the stated expectation of meaningfulness and happiness along with the public display via sovcial media of how someone’s life is better than yours is serving society well.

The pain Med addict is understandable, but frankly, I don’t know anyone who is always pain free… some have unreasonable expectations and that makes avoiding addiction impossible for those people if you let them direct their treatment.

Also, the idea of legalizing and taxing drugs isn’t working too well.

Look at the continued illegal cannabis trade.


There is a reason