pan6467

First, I want to appologize. I am extremely passionate about this topic because well, not only am I employed in the field, I thoroughly enjoy talking about it, and finding differing views.

I do think you bring credible debate and I like the fact you don't just call bullshit on what I offer, but you back up your beliefs and why you believe my statement to be bullshit.

That said I assure the reply will be short.


Perhaps. Gang activity may go down, but overall drug related deaths and crimes, I'm not to sure about. Unemployment would probably go up as more and more companies drug screen.

My field in addiction counseling would definately go up and I am sure more money would flow into it. Hey, I may even get a huge pay raise.



It is possible, or the exact opposite is possible. One has to ask is the risk worth it.



I absolutely agree, as I stated in another post, people who do the things while on drugs allowed themselves to do it, the drug didn't force them to. However, you would definately find more people blaming the drugs and thus popular opinion would be "look what drugs make you do". Which is the fact now and one major reason people are against the legalization of them.



I have partaken, and I truly like weed at times. But other times, it makes me very horny, extremely paranoid and scared to death I'll always be that way, which I feel is out of control.

I just am not convinced you can tell how the reaction to everyone will be. Again, you have to ask if the risk is worth it.


We have that in prescriptions and they still get abused. If you legalize, regulate, control and restrict, the black market and crime that you are trying to avoid, will still be flourishing to get the addicts what they want but for whatever reason can't get legally.

Also, the black market would just find ways to lower their cost below the government's. Which without the tax government would put on it, probably would be easy to do.


Not all junkies and addicts are "trash" that maybe the common perception, but studies have shown that the "skid row" addicts only account for 5-10%. Most people on "skid row" usually have mental health issues and if they are addicts are self medicating because they cannot afford help.

And believe it or not, at least in the area I live in, it is easier for an addict to get long term help than it is for the mental health patient. And mental patients may need long term help more.


Absolutely, the average doctor goes through 8 hours of addiction training in his whole schooling career.

But, once these people are addicted and the doctors stop writing prescriptions, they doctor shop, they go to the streets, they do whatever they have to, to get the drug. A good example (and I am not using his name for any other purpose other than his high profile and very public drug problems) is Rush Limbaugh and what he has gone through.


Actually, here in Ohio the sky is only blue 4-5 days a month, the rest of the time it's a nasty gray....



Already covered.



Not sure what your saying.... but opinion is that and this is a field that everyone's experience sways their opinion and in doing so you can find facts easily to back your opinion up. ..... kinda just like everything else in life it seems.



The "FRONT LINES" is a term we use at work. It is very much a battle helping people who swear they want it, then change their minds and start to fight you and the system developed to help them.

The attitudes of the public are tough, but they are becoming better. There is a massive movement in the industry right now for counselors to have criminal justice backgrounds. Mainly because drug courts are popping up left and right and the whole industry is seeing that is where the money for treatment will be in 5-10 years. The options of treatment centers for the poor and non insured are decreasing, they are there but the waiting lists are growing.

Sad quick story...... St. Thomas Hospital has Sister Ignatius Hall where Bill W. and Sister Ignatius started A.A.. This at one time was a renowned center that treated anyone regardless of what they could pay, they had 2 floors dedicated solely to helping addicts recover.

St. Thomas became part of Summa Healthcare and is now down to 6 beds and refuses anyone without insurance that explicity covers addiction. In other words, unless you are insured, you get no help from the place A.A. started. St. Ed's another Akron Hospital that was just as reknowned and famous, was bought out by Akron General and their program was cut severely and there are rumors that it may totally be gone soon.


Mental illness still has a nastier stigma than addiction and those are the people that truly have problems with getting help or wanting help.




The divorce rates here are higher, the elderly in other countries usually live with their children whereas here nursing homes are huge business. I believe rates of kids on Ritlin and other drugs is far higher, we are just less family oriented as a nation than other nations. That's my opinion but all the reports and studies I have seen pretty much show this.

"feel good, change reality" society = a society that turns to drugs for everything. I maybe wrong but I don't believe the common European, Australian, or Asian worries about getting a pill for toenail fungus that turns your toenail yellow.

Again, whether it is because we "have" the money or because of our culture and the advertising or whatever, it appears that the US relies more on pharmaceuticals to live and to achieve happiness than other nations.

Although, I have a feeling other nations maybe catching up.


I truly agree, attitudes on changing the perception in some areas has to change.

As for increased funding...... that's a tough question. Like I said the funding is pretty much going to the criminal justice side of it.

That said, there will always be treatment available, but the big huge part isn't funding, it's in the addict themselves.

I mean where I work our detox is bombarded by "repeaters" who come in get cleaned stay sober for awhile, then relapse and come back in and keep living in this cycle. They in fact eat up quite a bit of funding and time that could be spent helping other people who have to wait for that bed, yet on the other hand, they keep our numbers up so we can have funding.

It's a catch 22, you cut repeaters down and tell them they have to wait 6 months before they can come back.... you run the risk of lower numbers and less funding. This is one of our biggest problems and hardest to figure out how to deal with and solve.


I hope this was short enough......

And don't get me wrong, I truly appreciate your opinion. I may have even had similar opinions at one time.

Again, I wish debates in politics were as civil as this one was.

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I just love people who use the excuse "I use/do this because I LOVE the feeling/joy/happiness it brings me" and expect you to be ok with that as you watch them destroy their life blindly following. My response is, "I like to put forks in an eletrical socket, just LOVE that feeling, can't ever get enough of it, so will you let me put this copper fork in that electric socket?"