Having lived with addicts, I'd say that legalizing all drugs would be the ultimate act of being an "enabler".

Do people like Tony Bennett and others with this "solution" really think God put us on this earth to enable and facilitate others in destroying themselves and their offspring??

But then, sadly, to the addicts I know, the drug/alcohol is their god, to whom they are a slave.

Gracie, consider the source. Remember Tony Bennett's remarks after the September 11 terrorist attacks on Americans? He may have lost a few too many brain cells in his life.

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics...-we-caused-it/

quirky 3: Other than loving my wife and kids all things in moderation as the Greeks advisd has been my motto, My very best friend one I considered committed suicide because of addiction at a young age. I visit his grave often when I am home.

No one will ever convince me that legalizing drugs is the right course. In fact the thought is ludicrous when you think of what you are telling people. You have the right to get high, ignore your responsibility and impair your family society with your nasty habit, etc.

Yes, I totally agree with you. If you read again, you will see that I do not advocate legalizing all drugs. I was making the point that vigorously advocating the consumption of legal alcohol while condemning the legal use of soft drugs makes no sense. If one is that bad, so is the other. I was hoping people would see that alcohol is every bit as harmful as soft drugs, and it would make sense to reconsider their view toward alcohol. It seems sad and bizarre to me that some people are proud of labeling TV as "an alcohol friendly place". That's like saying TV is "an addictive substance friendly place." And my final point was to advocate evolution to the point of not using addictive substances at all. I'm very sorry for your addiction-related losses, and I have had several of my own, so I understand.

As I understand it studies show that alcohol in moderation such as a glass or two of red wine a day can lead to a longer and healthier life if one is not an alcoholic. Most people who drink do not become dependent upon or addicted to alcohol, become alcoholic or abuse it regularly. Perhaps a genetic component is a factor since some populations seem to suffer alcoholism in great numbers while others do not. I do not know. Anyway, I do not consider alcohol to be an "addictive substance" for everyone or even most people. Other studies show caffeine in moderation such as two or three cups of coffee in the morning are a good thing health wise. Is caffeine addictive? Probably to some extent. Many people suffer headaches or other withdrawal symptoms for a short period of time when they quit consuming caffeine containing drinks. I know I do. On the other hand I have never heard of a study showing soft drugs such as marijuana in moderation lead to longer and happier life or offer any health benefits whatsoever. I have seen studies showing they are addictive and frequently lead to the use of harder drugs. Thus, I do not equate or consider equivalent alcohol and soft drugs.

By the way, even food can be addictive to some people yet we cannot live without nourishment!

If anyone has had a friend or family member whose been an addict, you would NOT want the legalization of drugs in any form! "Soft drugs"...that seems like an oxymoron to me! We've had the effects of both loved ones and friends who've had addictions and it's not pleasant!! One of our good friends put a hole in his head after years in and out of detox and it was horrific for his family!!

What happened with Whitney was horrible...a total waste of a super-talent. She had a gift and in my opinion it was wasted over the years. Just think what she could have done with that, "IF" she hadn't had the addictions??!!! Back in the day, I so enjoyed her!!! Not so much recently I'm afraid.

Watch this short video of Oprah interviewing Whitney in 2009.

It pretty much sums up the total desperation of her mother, who came with the sheriffs to "get my daughter back"......to see the beauty and sparkle in her eyes again.....

Now her mother will have to wait to see her again in heaven.

Cissy Houston's Drug Intervention for Whitney Houston - Oprah.com

All Too Common
 

It is all too common to hear people compare coffee and alcohol. When was the last time you saw a "Rehab" for coffee drinkers. It is really a lack of understanding that leads to this kind of distorted logic. Did you know that alcohol is the only drug that effects every organ of the body. Not even cocaine or the other drugs do this. Do you know that if someone came in with an OD on Coke, Herion and Alcohol the one that would be watched the most closely is the one on alcohol as it can cause the body to shut down.
Have you ever seen someone using alcohol have a grand maul seizure. Have you any understanding of the chemical effect that alcohol has on the brain.
That the casual drinker that has a drink once in awhile is not the problem
It is the one who has the chemical reaction in the brain that causes the person to become an addict. How do you know you are not one? When/if you do realize it it is too late!!
As I have said previously..Buy a sponge in the store, let it completely dry out and be "crumbly" and then squeeze it and watch what happen as it crumbles into sand like particles. Welcome to the world of the liver on over usage of
alcohol. Not sure how much alcohol would cause your liver to react like this?
When you do it is too late.
If someone wants to drink so be it..But they should at least have a little education before they convince someone else to "pick up". Hey they can do
what they want with their body and have as much denial as they want but
at least don't try to convince anyone that coffee and alcohol are the same.
Coffee does not ruin your liver and effect every organ in your body. Have not even mentioned frying your brain and losing brain cells. Last I heard. Coffee
does not do this? Go ahead, pick up but at least do it with some smarts. :popcorn: Oops, I failed to mention that once the liver is impacted you cannot cure it !! Or if you stop drinking and then go back 10 years later your body reacts as though you never stopped..All systems are on "go".

I tend to agree with Quirky that parallels exist between alcohol and soft drugs. Alcohol, prescription drugs and medical marijuana can all offer health benefits if used sparingly. All can be addictive, but are not necessarily so. I think Quirky's point was lost: that it would be wonderful if we all were able to relax using natural methods.

Good points.

Having lived and worked in The Netherlands for 6 years, 1994-2000, and remaining in touch with people still residing there I wanted to point out a few facts about the Dutch system of "tolerating" soft drugs.

When I first arrived there Dutch "Coffee Shops" were permitted to sell up to 30 grams of marijuana (approx 1 ounce) to anyone who came into their shops.

A number of years later the Dutch government reduced the 30 gram quantity to 5grams and the latest regulations being discussed is to not allow tourists to purchase ANY marijuana at the coffee shops and instead have it only available for Dutch citizens.

In addition, the government has reduced the numbers of coffee shops via licensing and zoning changes.

The Dutch recognized that one of their biggest problems was "drug tourism" which consisted of many young people and old as well driving into Holland from France, Germany and Belgium solely for the purpose of purchasing drugs. This became a black eye for the Dutch and they are trying to thwart it with their new regulations.

Bottom line, the Dutch have found that their "toleration policy" of soft drugs did not turn out to be the magic bullet....

You have summarized my feelings too. I don't drink anymore, not because I think it is wrong but because I was using it as a way to escape my awful fear when our daughter Helene had cancer some many years ago. I realized that wasn't a good thing and didn't take the reality away so I just stopped. Our other daughter had a horrific tri malleaor break to her lower leg with two surgeries and a lot of metal inserted but insisted on having nothing stronger than Advil for three months afterward because she has heard and seen first hand at the medical school how easily people can become addicted to pain killers.

Addiction sometimes is a choice, not always. AND I do think that addiction issues probably have a genetic component. But it is a horribly sad thing to hear that someone so sparkling and beautiful and talented has died from it. That goes from Judy Garland to Whitney Houston. Being in the public eye and being a successful entertainer is very hard in ways we ordinary folks will probably never understand.

And maybe you think ours is better - turn on the local news ---- try leaving your unlocked bicycle in the middle of Orlando or NYC just wonder who has the higher crime rate Orlando or Amsterdam

Thank you PennFB
 

Thank you PennFB - you have done an excellent job of driving home the point that alcohol is a serious, dangerous addictive substance. The emotional devastation of loving someone addicted to alcohol is hard to describe if you have not been there yourself. I do dream of a society someday that celebrates, relaxes, and socializes with all natural methods.

I never said our anything was better.

What I did was provide some background on how the Dutch handle THEIR situation and nothing else.

Interesting information about the Dutch Government's "toleration policy" for soft drugs. Thanks for posting from first-hand knowledge.