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Red mitzis and apples
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I believe that most of you who are arguing that drug use is not, shall we say, a high risk activity, are doing so from personal experience and as a reaction to the scare mongering in the media.
Many people who advocate the harm minimisation approach to drug information and education cite this as a very good reason to tell people the truth about drug use - if the media or other trusted sources tell lies or exaggerate the negatives of drug taking then if you see activity that 'proves' to you that one pill doesn't kill and that one toke doesn't make you crazy, you dismiss any and all information relating to the dangers of drug use, whether it is true or not. IMO, this is what has happened here.
I am concerned that some of you are dismissing the risks involved because of anecdotal and personal evidence, rather than looking at the evidence and the facts. It sounds like a lot of you have been lucky, not smart. Drug taking is a risk involving activity. Drugs can cause you harm. These are facts. The harm can be minimised by taking precautions and being informed, knowing your body and knowing the drug. By all means choose to take them, no-one can stop you - but for fucks sake have the facts to hand before you do it.
I abhor the tactics used by the media to try and scare people into not taking drugs, because I think the truth can be terrifying enough without the need to exaggerate the dangers. So I get what you are saying there, but don't use this as a reason to be ignorant about the reality of drug taking. The information is just a bit more difficult to sort through.
*rant over*
I've seen what drugs can do (full on freak outs, A&E visits etc.) and I would still say for most if used sensibly they are relatively safe.
It is very important to know your body, know your source and know what you are taking.
After about 15 years of caning E, my memory is fucked. Now I can't say for sure that it was the E, but I've got a large sneaking suspicion...
Oh grow up for fucks sake. I actually work for a drugs service and am in no way listening to bullshit in the media. What I am posting from is, as I have said, over 17 years personal experience and over 2 years professional experience. What do you base your views on? A Terence McKenna book no doubt. :rolleyes:
Yes, it is rare. But its actually a lot more common that Vray would care to admit.
There will always be exceptions, you dont group them with the vast majority who have no problems at all and call it unsafe. The problem there is within those people, shrooms alter your state of mind for several hours, thats all they do. If that leads to long term changes then the problem is in your head.
Admitting it requires me to know it in the first place.
I'll know it when you show me the evidence.
Well...yes and no. Drugs do not have effects in and of themselves, drug effects are about the interaction between the chemical properties of the drug, the emotional/psychological state of the person taking it (set) and the environment/social context (setting). So no, its not as simple and clear cut as you make out.
Look it up - psychedelic drugs are a well know preciptator of mental health problems in vulnerable people.
(shrooms should still be legal! )
There are so many variables when you take shrooms that could make it a very unpleasant experience, long term problems with them would be well documented by now.
I dont doubt it. Heres the point...
Vulnerable people are a risk before they even take psychedelics. You cant blame the shrooms if an unstable person knocks any remaining stability away by altering their state of mind.
Yes, as I'm saying, for the vast majority of people, there will be no long term problems. But they can and do precipitate mental health problems in a minority of people. And no, long term problems would not be well documented by now because there have been very few studies.
You're quite obviously not bothering to read my posts so this is pointless. Bye.
You're saying there are cases where people have been left with psychological problems because of an experience they've had with shrooms.
If thats enough to call them unsafe, then go ahead.
Maybe this is just pointless semantics but it certainly seems to me that you are suggesting that shrooms are not dangerous.
What Blagsta and I are saying is that although the risk is low (if used responsibly) there is still a risk.
The risks I'd consider worth mentioning with shrooms are bad trips and short term psychological stress. Not health risks.
You're right there isnt any physical health issues, but thats really beside the point. There is a small but potentially serious mental health risk with shrooms.
Shrooms are probably the more harmless phycodelics (sp??) there are...
BUT... apparently they can bring out underlying mental problems like scitsofrenia..
Sorry about my spelling... its... how can I put it.... retarted? :thumb:
And to put that risk into perspective.
You're talking about people with mental health problems being left psycologically damaged. Theres every chance somebody like that wont be affected from 1 or even more trips. A smaller number might from frequent tripping, fewer still who have no idea they have any mental problems taking them, and even fewer who dont know and get messed up from just 1 trip.
When you get down to those numbers it's like being hit by lightning. It can happen, it's more likely to happen if you do it frequently holding a metal pole knowing you might be vulnerable.
Low risk things aren't considered unsafe unless they're drugs, then risks become a talking point.
Permanent/long term memory or mood changes aren't something I've heard of from them. Those are quite common after effects with many drugs. A change in your outlook on life is quite common with frequent tripping, but frequent usually means you're enjoying it and gaining something. Unless you're just trying to mess with your head intentionally.
The point isn't really what they can do, but how likely it is to consider them risky.
I did put the risk into perspective, I said it was small but it is still there and should be considered when people are thinking about using it.
Yes low risks should be considered when people use drugs, there is no one else around to look after you when you are using illegal drugs.
There is no such thing as harmless.
Oh dear.