I read another article about a young lady losing her life to drugs. It was the same as all the rest, young, talented, full of life and then wasted on a high. I remarked then how I felt we needed to quit saying something. We hear the phrase the " war of drugs " used. I don't think we should be battling a drug, rather we should be battling for our children. We need to take a good, long , hard look at why these children make these choices in the first place. Addiction isn't a choice, I'm not saying that, but I am saying the choice to start using drugs certainly is. The thing I wonder about these days is are we giving the kids a choice ? What I mean is we are always pushing drugs on them. How many times do we say, take this, it'll make you feel better ? Beginning with pumping them full of vaccines, we push the " miracle " of modern medicine upon them. There is a pill for everything. Feeling a little sad, here take this. A little too full of youthful energy, take this. We drug our children and then wonder why they become addicts ! It is a lesson we are teaching all too often, a better life thru chemistry.
I often hear the argument to legalize pot because, it is no worse than alcohol. I agree it is no worse than alcohol. In some ways it may even be a " healthier " choice. But setting that aside the question I ask is this. Shouldn't we really be striving for something " better than ? " Why are we settling for it's no worse than, is that making progress ? I can't see how it is. Now I don't know or care if pot is a " gateway " or not. In my thinking it is society that is opening the gate. We advertise drugs on television for Gods' sake ! What is a child to think ? Am I the only one that sees this ? I watch a television commercial for some drug or another followed with a commercial for a rehabilitation center !
Oh, I know this has all been said before but I can't help but repeat it. As I read that tragic story, a newspaper article about someone I have never known it hit hard. This young person was found on the side of the road in the area where I was raised. I can't imagine that happening when I was a kid playing in those woods. Yes, I knew some kids that snuck liquor from their daddy's cabinet. Their was much talk of smoking pot, although I never saw anyone with it. The sixties was the beginning of this trend. Pill poppers we called them. It has progressed to injections. Where will it end ? It will only end when we teach our children to only use drugs as a last resort when prescribed by competent authority. Hey maybe I'm just an old fart but I read and pay attention to the label. Yes, I have abused alcohol !
The expectations of your peers is what usually drives this abuse. When you start doing that stuff when you are alone that should be a red flag. If you can't get along with yourself without being drugged you really do have a problem. How is it that our children are being influenced in this way ? Could it be that we are just being too permissive ? Could it be that we are providing " entertainment " in such abundance that they aren't learning to just be with themselves ? Could it be that we are not holding our children accountable for their choices ? I don't have any answers for the current epidemic. I do think this war on " drugs " needs to be refocused. We should be fighting a war on dependence. That begins with teaching our children to be independent. Independence doesn't mean you just get to do what you want ! I'm thinking that is the lesson that should taught. There ate consequences for the choices you make, good and bad.
I know that this does nothing for the ones currently in this situation. For those unfortunate souls al we can do is pray. And for those that do it shouldn't be celebrated as an achievement ! I see far too many dancing around on a stage somewhere telling their stories like it is something to be proud of. I'm thankful for your recovery but don't tell your stories with your chest stuck out like some conquering hero. Those events should be told with the utmost humility. If you wish to impress your audience with the severity of choosing drugs or alcohol, bring out a drunk or someone stoned ! Just let those folks address an audience that is clean and sober. Maybe do a powerpoint presentation of the dead and dying ! And please explain to this audience that legal drugs can do the same thing when misused. Yes, put a fear of these drugs into the hearts of the children. They should be just a little nervous about using them. I still am.
I often hear the argument to legalize pot because, it is no worse than alcohol. I agree it is no worse than alcohol. In some ways it may even be a " healthier " choice. But setting that aside the question I ask is this. Shouldn't we really be striving for something " better than ? " Why are we settling for it's no worse than, is that making progress ? I can't see how it is. Now I don't know or care if pot is a " gateway " or not. In my thinking it is society that is opening the gate. We advertise drugs on television for Gods' sake ! What is a child to think ? Am I the only one that sees this ? I watch a television commercial for some drug or another followed with a commercial for a rehabilitation center !
Oh, I know this has all been said before but I can't help but repeat it. As I read that tragic story, a newspaper article about someone I have never known it hit hard. This young person was found on the side of the road in the area where I was raised. I can't imagine that happening when I was a kid playing in those woods. Yes, I knew some kids that snuck liquor from their daddy's cabinet. Their was much talk of smoking pot, although I never saw anyone with it. The sixties was the beginning of this trend. Pill poppers we called them. It has progressed to injections. Where will it end ? It will only end when we teach our children to only use drugs as a last resort when prescribed by competent authority. Hey maybe I'm just an old fart but I read and pay attention to the label. Yes, I have abused alcohol !
The expectations of your peers is what usually drives this abuse. When you start doing that stuff when you are alone that should be a red flag. If you can't get along with yourself without being drugged you really do have a problem. How is it that our children are being influenced in this way ? Could it be that we are just being too permissive ? Could it be that we are providing " entertainment " in such abundance that they aren't learning to just be with themselves ? Could it be that we are not holding our children accountable for their choices ? I don't have any answers for the current epidemic. I do think this war on " drugs " needs to be refocused. We should be fighting a war on dependence. That begins with teaching our children to be independent. Independence doesn't mean you just get to do what you want ! I'm thinking that is the lesson that should taught. There ate consequences for the choices you make, good and bad.
I know that this does nothing for the ones currently in this situation. For those unfortunate souls al we can do is pray. And for those that do it shouldn't be celebrated as an achievement ! I see far too many dancing around on a stage somewhere telling their stories like it is something to be proud of. I'm thankful for your recovery but don't tell your stories with your chest stuck out like some conquering hero. Those events should be told with the utmost humility. If you wish to impress your audience with the severity of choosing drugs or alcohol, bring out a drunk or someone stoned ! Just let those folks address an audience that is clean and sober. Maybe do a powerpoint presentation of the dead and dying ! And please explain to this audience that legal drugs can do the same thing when misused. Yes, put a fear of these drugs into the hearts of the children. They should be just a little nervous about using them. I still am.
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