Annual Walk Against Drugs

This past Saturday we had our annual drug walk.  I have mixed feelings about, but generally think its a good thing.  It sort of makes me sad though, because Keven walked this walk several times in his school years.  Drug Awareness had the opposite affect on him - it triggered a curiosity in drugs rather than a desire to stay away from them.  I know several of you who have said the same thing about your sons.

So the question is:  WHAT CAN WE DO TO STEER KIDS AWAY FROM DRUG ABUSE?

I honestly don't know if there's a way.

How many of you remember watching "Red Asphalt" or similar driver's ed films designed to scare the heck out of young drivers?  The idea was, if we were shown in graphic, real images what can happen if we drink and drive - or drive to fast, etc; we would choose NOT to risk it.

Well, I hate to admit how many times I drank and drove as a youth, and how many times I drove way too fast for the fun of it.  And today we have texting and driving to worry about too.

I don't know if we can scare or educate kids away from drug use.  But what can we do?  Drug test them?  Threaten them?  Beg them?  Just be the best damn parents we can be and hope that they make good choices?

Its sad to me to see all those people marching againstdrugs knowing that some of them will end up addicted, or dead.

Thanks for checking out the advertising links here....and triple thanks if you made a purchase. I appreciate it so much. Peace, Hope and Love, Barbara

Mice on Drugs - what happens to your brain on specific drugs?

Today at lunch* one of my friends mentioned this video, she had seen it in a class.  I just randomly stumbled upon it, not even knowing it was on line.  Its very interesting, educational and creatively done.

MOUSE PARTY

(*I think it was one of my friends at lunch that mentioned this...I swear my own short term memory is so bad sometimes, it scares me).


Peace, Hope and Love,
Barbara

Drugs in the 1970's/1980's vs. Today (my personal opinion & drug history)

I am listening to the radio show I mentioned in my last post. The guest, Bill Ford, is talking about his own drug use way back in the 70's. The host of the show made a statement that drugs are more powerful today and Bill disagreed because there were a lot of powerful drugs back then. I agree with Bill, yet I think the problem of drug addiction is more serious and prevalent today.

There were some very powerful drugs in that era, and I am not proud of this, but I tried most of them (but never heroin...that was considered hard core, bad stuff that only really messed up people tried...times have changed haven't they?)

Technically speaking, I don't know if the drugs were more or less powerful back then, but drug use was very different than from what I see today. You had to know people to get drugs, you couldn't find them so easily, prescription drugs were not used often.

I had an unusual "drug of choice",  I preferred hallucinogens (LSD, peyote, Psilocybin and PCP).  My boyfriend and I used them regularly for four years and seriously believed we were expanding our minds.  We'd plan a weekend around "tripping" and I have to admit it was interesting up until my first bad trip, never touched LSD or the hallucinogens again after that.

I also had a boyfriend who was into cocaine, so I did that for about a year.  I guess my drugs choices changed with relationships.

The "worst" drug I experimented with was PCP (aka angel dust, very, very bad stuff, don't even know if its still around today).

During all of it, I drank way too much. 

I guess I was lucky because I never became addicted. I limited my partying to the weekends and when I was about 25 I just lost interest, almost as if I outgrew it.

My point in all of this - I do think today's problems are MUCH MORE SERIOUS than the drug use I was immersed in from 1973 - 1985. (not counting alcohol - that was just as serious then as it is now).

I saw some horrible things related to drugs back then, and a few friends did become addicted, but most of us moved on seemingly unscathed. It  was something we added to our lives as opposed having it become the focus of  our lives, as it has for so many people today.  From my personal observations, in the 70's/80's it was mostly "recreational" today its  a life threatening epidemic (especially opiates).

P.S. I am not condoning, defending or glorifying my past drug use, just stating the facts.

P.S.S.  Heroin has always been a serious problem and taken the lives of some of our most talented musicians: 

Janis Joplin,  Jim Morrison (?), Tim Buckley, Mike Bloomfield, Pete Farndon, Hillel Slovak, Andy Wood, Mick Ronson, Shannon Hoon, Bradley Nowell, Jonathan Melvoin, Bobby Sheehan, Allen Woody, Layne Staley, Dee Dee Ramone, Sid Vicious, Robbin Crosby (you were special, I am so sorry you died alone),  and many others.

            

"Mom, Please Search My Room"

On my last visit with K he told me there was "stuff" in his room and asked me if I would get rid of it for him.  He wants the house completely drug and paraphernalia free for when his probation officer searches our home.

He told me where to look (jacket pockets, way under his dresser, hidden in back of closet).  I asked if I would find any actual drugs, he said "you might".

Here's what I found.  I was surprised.  I honestly thought he was using once in a while, I didn't know it was EVERY DAY.  I didn't know he had a $50.00  a day habit.  How did I not know that?  I will never let this slide by me again, EVER.  I saw the signs, but I believed him when he said he was just tired and depressed because that is not unusual for him (duh!).  I know, I know....I was blinded by my own denial.

Here is the nice neat pile I made.  He's been injecting and smoking it.