Canadutch
This one is pretty simple, I think both are fine if used responsibly. By drugs I mean weed, not heroin or cocaine or any of the stronger drugs. If I had to choose the lesser of the two evils it would definitely be weed.
I think the marijuana issue is blown way out of proportion and that the leaders in North America could learn something from how the Netherlands deals with it. The fact that there are people all over North America and other countries around the world in prison for using weed, well, it’s preposterous! The ‘gateway drug’ thing is bullshit and people need to chill the hell out. That’s my opinion.
There are a lot more deaths, accidents and abuses that take place when people misuse alcohol than when people smoke weed. Your health suffers a lot more with alcohol and I don’t recall ever hearing of someone being poisoned by smoking weed or having to have their stomach pumped.
A lot may think that I’ve just been brainwashed from living here, but I prefer to think of it as being enlightened.
I’ll never forget the first time I went to France with my husband and his brother to visit the family. We were all sitting in the living room watching a movie when my brother in law pulled out a joint and lit up. I sat with a shocked look on my face looking from one family member to the next, waiting for someone react. All I got was a shrug and a smile from my husband… that’s when I realized how little people care about it here. He smoked his joint, relaxed and we all had a good evening. No biggie. No blowouts… no over reactions.
As for alcohol, it’s tricky because I think it’s more difficult for people to moderate themselves in a lot of situations. It’s also extremely dangerous for the younger people in countries like Canada and the US where it’s been made a forbidden fruit for teenagers.
I have seen teenagers here in the Netherlands at 16 and 17 years old, sitting in a pub having a beer and chatting. I’ve seen teenagers having a drink of wine with their families and I’ve seen them buying beer at the movie theaters and supermarkets. It’s not forbidden to them, there is no reason for them to sneak around and they learn to be responsible about it at a younger age.
Now, one might think that our streets are full of drunken teenagers but that’s not the case at all.
I DID however, see many drunken teenagers in the streets in Canada. Why? Because they had nowhere else to go!
I WAS a drunken teenager roaming the streets in Canada, so I should know.
You know were I drank with my friends as a teenager? Behind the mall, in clearings in the woods, in parks or in friend’s houses when their parents were out for the evening. All of these scenarios lead to us just roaming the streets trying to have a good time. We weren’t allowed into bars, our parents wouldn’t dream of letting us drink under their noses and that made it forbidden, and we were allll over it. We were kids and when you are a kid and are told you aren’t allowed to have something people older than you are having, you’ll find a way.
I’m sure some of the parents of friends from high school are reading this and thinking they were right about me, that I really was a wild teenager who was a bad influence on their kid. I think the time has come for you all to know the truth…
Your kid was doing the SAME damn thing… we ALL were.
When I think of some of the dangerous situations we could have gotten ourselves into, and at sometimes DID get ourselves into, it’s a wonder I made it to see my 20’s. Seriously…
It’s time for people to take a long hard look at the world and what they are sending their children out into. If I am ever lucky enough to have children, I will be making sure that the topics of drugs and alcohol are addressed in an open and realistic manner. I don’t ever want to be the parent that leaves my child in a dangerous situation because they are too afraid to call me.
I think the only thing that saved me was my parents. They weren’t stupid and while they didn’t know exactly what was going on, and certainly never made out like it was OK for me to drink before I was legally allowed, they were aware of the world they were living in. They made sure that I knew that they were aware that teenagers are drinking, that I’d be going to parties and that I could ALWAYS call them if I found myself in a difficult situation. If someone was in trouble, if someone was drinking and driving, no matter what, I could trust them and call them if I needed them… and I did. I called them to pick me up when a friend stubbornly refused to hand over their keys and wanted to drive me home, I called them to pick us up when my friend had far far too much to drink and was scary sick, and I called them plenty of other times when I needed them. They were always there, without fail. Sure, I got a lecture or two and maybe even shouted at a few times, but they were THERE.
So, I guess to sum it up, I think that drugs and alcohol can be scary if misused and that it’s the responsibility of our society and the parents to be realistic and open with their teenagers about it, rather than burying their heads in the sand and send their children out into the world uninformed.
my son just turned 16 and is legal to drink. it does scare me, but it’s for reasons more personal to him (ie medication). i think it’s wonderful that the kids here don’t have to search out the forbidden fruit. they learn to respect alcohol and to deal with it. I do think it helps that they can’t drive until they are 18. Drinking and driving is such a big problem, and having them forbidden the driving part prevents many of the problems that are out there in North America. At least if they get out of control, they can’t go over the edge.
on my son’s birthday, he chose a bottle of champagne to celebrate. last weekend i took him to a dance and he had 2 beers. at this point, i’m just reminding him to be in control and hoping he can.
pot? to each his own. i know many a people who smooke it, some recreationally, some daily. never have i seen anyone act out such as when drunk. i personally haven’t smoked it in years, but it certainly didn’t lead me to try hard drugs. however, i think in certain crowds and certain people with addictive personalities, it can. again, it’s an issue of control. we need to learn to have control over ourselves and that is the key to both drinking and drugs.
I agree on the driving thing. I was happy to learn to drive at 16 but I’d be happier as a parent to have them have to wait until 18 :) It amazes me how drinking and driving continues to be an issue in the world, it’s such a stupid thing to do. I don’t think it’s quite as common here though. It’s hard enough to drive here SOBER! haha
I agree completely on the booze front. Our parents let us have a drink from time to time and it was no big deal. It was never a forbidden item.
Now drugs…. we definitely differ on this subject. I am anti- any drug. I have also seen the effects of alcohol abuse to the extreme during our time in the arctic. Even the RCMP up north wished more people would smoke pot instead of drink alcohol.
Have you been reading any articles coming out about marijuana and mental disorders? I already border on depression a lot, so I don’t need anything to put me over the edge. Same reason I rarely drink alcohol.
In University so many of my friends smoked pot (I have never smoked it before) and they were such lazy asses. Most people I know who smoke weed have low levels of ambition (but they do have high levels of bullshit!).
So I guess while I am anti-drug, I am also for letting people make their own decisions as long as their decisions don’t hurt other people (ie. driving while high).
I think if people are going to be lazy shits, they will be regardless of the weed. I don’t think weed makes people lazy… no more than alcohol makes people aggressive if they don’t already have it in them, etc.
We know a lot of people who smoke weed recreationally here, from all walks of life, with no problems at all. It really depends on the person and how they use it, I think.
I am enjoying your 30 days of truth.
Thanks, I think I stopped in enjoying it about 4 truths ago haha It’s monotonous! :P