America and Drugs

It is hard to write about alcohol. So much has been said of it and it is so ingrained in our culture. Actually, it is engrained in most cultures and throughout history it has been the drug of choice most everywhere. Why?

Well, its easy to make, it, mostly has a pleasant taste, and it is nicely relaxing. Most folks reading this have at least some exposure to alcohol, so I won't waste time discussing its effects or its drawbacks.

Drink too much and you become clumsy and stupid. Drink too much, too often and you develop probems that may kill you. Some folks get violent when they drink, some get wildly happy, some downright morose. The drug seems to release parts of ourselves we keep in check most of the time when we overdo it.

But, that's the thing. The drug is damaging when overdone, but reasonably benign when consumed moderately, which is how most consume it. It relaxes the body and eases the mind.

The way it is consumed is important. Most folks drink it somewhat slowly. Very few take a fifth of liquor and drain it right down. Some do amd if you are one of those, quit or you won't be here long. By drinking it at a reasonable pace, you can keep tabs on how it is affecting you and stop before you turn into a raving monster.

Be careful with alcohol. Use it reasonably and you'll be fine. Get carried away and you won't.

America and Drugs, Some Facts and Thoughts

For more than 40 years, going back to Nixon, America has been fighting a so called War on Drugs, and losing. We have spent an amazing amount of money on law enforcement and treatment centers and we have a bigger problem that ever. One would think that one of our leaders would say, "Hey, we need a new approach," but, alas, no. Instead, they wring their hands and bemoan the problem and promise action and then continue doing the same things. Such madness must stop.

I am going to write a series on drugs and try to tell you folks the truth about them. You see, much of what we have been taught about these chemicals is nonsense. I am not anti-drug, but I am against ridiculously harmful drugs and I am against the mis-use of any drug. I have a bit, well okay, a lot of experience with these various substances, some personal and some from dealing with the problems of my friends and families.

First. let's be honest. We all, with only a very few exceptions, use drugs. Just today, I have consumed nicotine, caffeine, naproxen, pseudoephedrine, and soon will have a little alcohol, and trust me, many, many folks will have similar patterns of consumption and we would not be considered to be drug users by most people because we do not consume illegal drugs. Yet, if I upped my consumption of those chemicals by just a little bit, I could catch a fairly good buzz. We all use drugs, we just have to use them wisely and we cannot do that until we learn about them.

Over the next few posts, I will cover, depressants, stimulants, inhalants, delirients, tranquilizers, opiates, and hallucinogens. I will also touch on drugs used by psychiatrists and give special attention to two drugs that are hard to classify, alcohol and marijuana.

I hope you will read this series because it is important that we develop a realistic approach to drug use. These chemicals should not be irrationally feared nor should they be taken haphazardly and, of course, many of them should never be touched. One thing for sure, what we are doing is not working.

America - The Party Continues

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas, but think: there's still 2 days left until Monday, so continue to be of good cheer. Just don't get carried away.

In certain ways, we have become a bit Puritanical in recent years. Warning after warning is released by the Medical professionals warning of the dire consequences of eating this and drinking that. The White House, under the guidance of Michelle Obama, seconded those warnings and began touting health as the main issue facing the Nation.

Nonsense. We live longer now than ever, and, except for some aches and pains, live a higher quality life in our later years than royalty did a couple of hundred years ago. Guess what? The folks of my age and our parents are those people who are now old and we never paid a lot of attention to health warnings. We ate red meat, eggs. pastries, rich cheeses, and butter. We drank countless gallons of coffee. At the Holidays, we guzzled egg nog and nibbled fudge. Summer holidays meant meats cooked on grills, butter drenched corn on the cob and mayonnaise laden potato salad, and rich ice creams. And we are still here.

We drank alcohol; hell, we got down right drunk; a lot. We smoked, substances both legal and illegal and we are still here.

Do I have aches and pains? Yep, but they are all juts from the wear and tear of working too hard. Other than that, I have not had a cold in about three years and have more mental energy than most teenagers I see.

Now, I know that it is easy to get carried away. Lord knows I did quite frequently, and when you do, you will pay the Devil's price. Hangovers, upset stomachs, and a post-holiday expansion of your waistline are not fun, but, you get over them. Accident, because you were stupid enough to drive when you are loaded, are not easy to get over and I am sure you don't want to spend time in jail and the courtroom for being caught driving drunk.

So, have fun, let loose a little, and don't worry too much if you over do it a little, but remember, the key word there is little, And, always, if you intend to have more than 1 or 2 drinks, park the car. Give someone else your keys. Take a cab. Sleep over on a sofa. Do not drive. Hangovers and bulging tummies  are inconveniences. Jail cells, courtrooms, hospitals and morgues are tragedies.