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Better give this a bump and some volume-

As far as recreational, I am rather partial to responsible recreational use of natural substances. Recreational synthetics, not so much, as most of that category has the widest volume of true abuse and addiction.

However, there are many legal drugs that are widely abused and cause horrible addictions that are prescribed every day, or are available over the counter. And let's not forget everyone's old pals Booze and Cigarettes. The hypocrisy alone bothers me... On top of that, though, I think the "medical" community has become rather irresponsible in the dispensation of potentially hazardous drugs.

I approve of the use of medical cannabis, especially for terminally ill patients.

Personally, I also enjoy a spiritual element to recreational use when I am alone. I never feel closer to the universe and it's mysteries when I am lost deep in creative thought. It makes me feel whole and alive as I ponder many abstract ideas and ideals, and my place in in the universe... which is exactly where Philosophy got it's start.

drugs, eh?

well yall might be surprised to hear this from the straight-edge kid, but i really don't care about them and if others do them. it's their choice. my choice is to not do them. i can have fun without them, i can self-reflect without them, and my imagination's pretty active, so i can completely lose myself in an alternate world that's not hallucinogen induced if i feel like it.

as for addictive drugs...well i'm not gonna preach or try and stop anyone from taking them, but i don't really want to live my life relying on the crutch of some addiction.

as for medical stuff - if i'm sick, if i need it to survive, i'm probably going to take it. being a diabetic, i do have to take my insulin, for example. but i mean i would never think of abusing them for some cheap thrill. or abusing household chemicals for a cheap thrill, for that matter. i just don't need it. if someone else wants to do it, that's their business, but i don't need it, don't want it, it isn't for me.

oh i understand your reasoning, and it makes sense. i do keep myself open to the option - i'm not sXe just to be sXe. i hang out with people who drink and smoke and all that stuff - and i have just as much fun as they do, only i'm not doing that stuff. so i just don't see a reason yet to try it. some kids would say that since i'm not committed to never doing that stuff that i'm not really sXe. i don't really care what they think - my lifestyle is free of drugs, drink, cigarettes, promiscuous sex. its an sXe lifestyle, whether i will keep it that way or not, so for now at least, i am sXe. but i'm always open to new experiences, so long as no one forces or pressures me to do something.

first i want to commend everyone on good and honest responses and conversation. MegaTherion777 i would like to tell you that i was once like you, while i never claimed to be sXe because their hard line politics were too much for me, i need no label to do what i feel is right, in the midst of users who were my friends i abstained. i made myself knowledgeable and i eventually had my experiments and use but i think that an open mind need not use drugs as i will get to in my multi part response.
for those who wish to be educate a good web site is:
www.erowid.org

part 1

in early times the only 'drugs' were natural plants and their use was regulated by knowledge, only the wisest men knew the uses and ways of the herbs and they passed that knowledge on only to those chosen as worthy. In many, perhaps all, ancient cultures strong psychoactive plants were used as sacraments, ritually prepared and administered by those knowledgeable in their ways. these substances were regarded as sacred and sometimes called food of the gods or flesh of the gods. The use of these substances were wisely applied according to cultural standards and often accompanied initiations or rites of passage. They were used to encourage growth and transformation. Some men made set their lives to using these substances to explore other worlds and understanding of this world, men such as that were said to have one foot in each world or regarded as bridges between this world and another. how much was accomplished by these men cannot be known by us today. There are accounts of the many substances and rituals practiced by many cultures but over time these practices have declined, some perhaps were not so universally helpful such as the use of henbane, nightshade, datura and other dangerous belladonna related plants, some were likely lost in the changing times and ways of people, many were lost and oppressed by the conquering and dominating cultures. Some were replaced by more wise and intelligent methods for altering perception. regardless drug use continues today though rarely as sacrament. This brings up the question; if we are not using drugs for sacred purposes, in the name of growth, knowledge and transformation, what then is the reason for use?
In the 1800's a new revolution in medicine came about, the rising of chemistry gave birth to real drugs. so called active principles were removed from their natural sources, plants which contain sometimes hundreds of alkaloids with a natural self-balancing effect. some of the most famous of these are cocaine from coca leaves, morphine and heroin from opium poppies, LSD-25 from Ergot fungus and penicillin from Penicillium mold. what are we to think of this, powerful substances separated from their natural sources?
no longer are the wise men the ones to hold and dispense the knowledge of sacred ways to heal and alter consciousness but the intelligent are the ones to tinker with nature and unleash unknown terror upon the unknowing masses. why? for money. have cocaine, morphene or heroin done more good than harm? penicillin has saved many lives but now we wonder if it will breed more powerful disease. LSD a delight for some a nightmare for others, it certainly is no plaything for the weak or insecure.
i ask again what has become of sacramental use? some call drug use recreational but how many really use drugs for RE-creation, to re-create themselves. I have seen many users and many users seek distraction, enjoyment, pleasure, perhaps even a greater degree of unconsciousness, something that need be repeated to keep an effect.

Coke is bad. Coke is very, very bad. It's like.. NEVER pure, and horrible for your health either way. And not such a great high either...
But hey, you smoke cigarettes, which is something I strongly apose, so we just have different tastes.

Coke, like speed is made out to be worse than it really is. Not saying you should go out and try it, just that it has been played up as being horrible.

But really, can anything that killed so many yuppies in the eighties be all bad? wink

yeah, I've seen people get hooked on painkillers. A lot of people seem to think that it's somehow inherently safer because it's prescribable.