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Introducing friends to drugs

blau1005

blau1005

Bluelighter
Joined
Jun 15, 2008
Messages
561
Location
Australia
What are your views on introducing friends to drugs? Would you encourage them to take drugs? Would you help them acquire/take drugs if they asked you to?

Recently a good friend asked me if she could try codeine with me. I feel that if an adult wants to try something then they should be able to and that they should be informed about the drug and it's effects. I was honest with her about the effects of codeine, both good and bad, and she decided that she still wanted to try it, so we went ahead and did it one night. FWIW, she felt relaxed but not particularly high, and I don't know if she'll try it again. In the past, two other friends have tried codeine with me, and one took oxy with me.

I'm pretty big on responsible drug use and encouraging or pressuring friends to do drugs doesn't sit well with this at all. However I do inform them (as well as possible) about drug effects, whether they specifically asked about the effects, asked to try something, or I knew they were going to take something.

If you had a reliable hookup, would you obtain drugs for your friends, knowing that what you get will probably be safer than whatever they can find on the street or at a club/festival? I suppose I would want to know that they had researched and understood the drug first. For HR purposes if you knew they were going to do the drug regardless, would you still hook them up, even if they hadn't done that research? I can't say from my experience, but I think I would help them with something like a codeine CWE if I knew they were going to take codeine anyway, just to make it as safe as possible. Does this extend to all drugs?

Interested to hear your responses, from the drug users perspective as well as HR gurus like p_d.
 
If I have drugs and then a friend knows and asks, I might let them try. However, if it's something like Heroin, then I won't hook them up in any way because I couldn't handle them trying and getting addicted by my accord. If I know a friend is going to get something but might get robbed/ripped then I might help them out, depending on their risk and my inconvenience.
 
Nice linky action BT. Found an old post of my own in there from five years ago, god I sound so pious. I can't believe I've always been so up myself. When it comes to introducing people to drugs I don't think my attitude has really changed though, for the most part I just don't do it because the weight of all the possible ramifications on a person are just too much for me to live with.
 
If someone wants to do it and they're aware of the risks, as long as they're an adult, I think it's ok. Pressuring someone into is not ok though.
 
Depends on what person they are. If they have an addictive personality id def not introduce things to em. There are sum things like acid, mdma and shrooms which have to be experienced together. I would never introduce anyone to using addictive drugs like ice or H or even IV-ing something.
 
The question is somewhat irrelevant for me these days. Most people I know are either long time occasional users, ex-users or straight people who would never do drugs. Occasionally I'll meet someone for whom I think a therapeutic dose of something might be beneficial, but I'll rarely if ever suggest it. I might raise the topic though.

Thing is, being an old bugger, those around my age who are keen for their first try of any drug are considered to be in the higher risk group, and often have some medical reason or another which means they should stear clear completely, or at least have a sound knowledge of what these risks are before deciding. My mother in law would love to try MDMA, but being an ex matron (nurse) she knows full well that it's out of the question because of her age and general health.

What I do often find myself doing is quite the opposite; tempering enthusiasm. Bit hard to do without looking like a wowser, but I try my best. It doesn't mean standing up waving a finger, but more offering a general overview of the drug. I'll be the first to quietly speak with someone I know well who finds themselves overindulging, but approach is everything and there's often extenuating circumstances that you have to accept without question.

Has my view changed with time? In some ways, but basically I've always been about knowing a drug well before deciding to try it. Aside from one or two wild cards, it was a pretty standard philosophy among our group when I was a teenager. Whether it was that approach or not I don't know, but none of those friends from that group have fallen to addiction or other pitfalls from drug use - periods of extended play, yes, but today all have families, work hard and generally enjoy life. Some still play occasionally, some don't. All are still good friends.

What perhaps has altered my view is that over the past ten years is, outside our once regular partying, we've seen so many in trouble from overindulgence or simply being overwhelmed by a drug - often set&setting related. At the beginning (99-00) HR was attracting a wide audience so we all had hope we'd see that flourish as time went on. And it did for a while. But for reasons too numerous to go into here, the movement waned to the state it's now in.

When doing outreach, the questions raised about drugs still get asked, but the proportion of people seeking out preventative based HR related info pales against the number of "after the fact" interventions - those who've either not known, or did but went hard anyway. So, I'm less inclined than ever to recommend someone tries this drug or that. I'm much the same with most psychoactive pharmaceuticals, prescribed or otherwise. Few things are completely non-consequential with regular use, and codeine is one very addictive drug; not something I want to see friends with low willpower indulge in. Having seen this on several occasions over the years, I'm sad to say there's never been a happy outcome :(
 
In my friendship groups I am pretty much the only person who takes drugs.. aside from a few occasional weed users... so if a friend asked me to source them a drug or asked me to do it with them I definitely would because I would want to make sure they got the drugs from a reliable source and consumed them in a safe manner. If something bad happened to them and I wasn't with them I would feel responsible for it and feel that I should have been there to offer my experience. But this only applies to the 'softer' drugs like weed, mdma, coke, mushrooms.

I have also in the past tried to encourage two friends to try mdma because I know they will enjoy it. I have since given up because I've realised it's not good to pressure someone into a situation they don't want.... I'm still hoping they change their mind but.
 
Every one makes their own decisions.

You can put the pill in some one hand, it's their arm that puts it in their mouth.
Their body, their brain, their choices, their consequences.


I'm a bad influence, but I live by that. I also try and help all my friends make the most informed choices possible.
 
phase_dancer said:
What I do often find myself doing is quite the opposite; tempering enthusiasm. Bit hard to do without looking like a wowser, but I try my best. It doesn't mean standing up waving a finger, but more offering a general overview of the drug. I'll be the first to quietly speak with someone I know well who finds themselves overindulging, but approach is everything and there's often extenuating circumstances that you have to accept without question.
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I guess this is what interests me most about this proposition. So HR is sometimes about a 'just say no' approach? You'd discourage someone from taking drugs, but if you knew they were going to do it anyway, would you help them be as safe as possible (whether that means hooking them up or whatever)? Or would you continue to tell them no, even while they got dodgy pills/overdosed etc?

I can understand the feeling of not wanting to be involved with their drug use because you'd feel as though you contributed towards any negative consequences of that use. Would you feel worse if they (for example) ended up taking BZP, knowing that you could have prevented it?
 
I have plenty of close friends that rarely even drink alcohol. I never pressure any of them into anything and we never have any problems. They have made a decision not to drugs and I respect this.

I also have close friends who have only just obtained some interest in exploring illegal drugs. I wouldn't say I really encouraged them a hell of a lot, but I pointed them in the right direction and gave them a bit of safety knowledge and about test kits, how to spot adulterated pills etc. I think me giving them a headsup is better than them believing whatever the dealer or your misinformed friends say.

I've introduced many of my friends to drugs when they were younger (something I regret now) but most have managed to keep it casual and not let their drug use interfere with life too much.

There is also a few of my mates who I believe shouldn't be able to touch any drugs. Their personalities are far too addictive and they can't control themselves at all. I'm usually not one to have this attitude towards drug use but these are people who are incapable of saying no.
 
Interesting discussion. The one drug I might encourage friends to try at least once if they'd never touched anything before would be LSD. There'd be a few caveats though & wouldn't be something I'd suggest lightly.

Of course for my more seasoned friends we're all pretty bad influences on each other when it comes to indulging in mind-altering substances ;)
 
I was known for enjoying drugs when growing up and people could often hear me talking about glowing experences with MDMA and wanting to try it. One thing I always did though if they were about to try it is stop them and say something like "You don't have to do this, you can back out still and thats totally fine"...no one ever backed out though.

Iv always had rules, no one under 18 being one. Iv even had girls try and black mail me with it "well we trust you but if you can't get them for us we will find them somewhere else and who knows what they are like"

"You do that then, thats your choice"


One thing I was just thinking about then is how other users can become considered so trust worthy. Im sure alot of BLers are in the same boat when I say my friends have an unquestioned faith in what ever I tell them about what ever drug. I even tell them that im not a doctor and I could be wrong.

I tell them I could be wrong and they believe everything.
The government tells them they are correct and no one believes them. :P
 
I guess this is what interests me most about this proposition. So HR is sometimes about a 'just say no' approach?
Click to expand...

It can be, under the broad spectrum by which HR is defined. But that's not my approach. Informed choice is the go IMO, and with that in mind, I try to give a truthful, and as balanced a response as possible. I also believe HR, at what ever level it's practiced is deterrent by definition, simply because there is no such thing as safe drug use. That being said, safer practices can be employed, although its also important to realise there's no fool proof means of preventing harm, other than not using. If someone asks my opinion, whether that's in regards to consuming first time or taking a larger dose, I'll usually wind up the discussion by saying something like "just think about it before you decide"

You'd discourage someone from taking drugs, but if you knew they were going to do it anyway, would you help them be as safe as possible (whether that means hooking them up or whatever)? Or would you continue to tell them no, even while they got dodgy pills/overdosed etc?
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At the end of the day, it's not my choice to make. Of course I would recommend safer options if someone was hell bent on taking a particular drug, and like most people around here, I've been faced with similar situations and have done what I thought was best at the time. These days, even if I did think it safer for a person to deal with someone else, I wouldn't know where to send them :\ Part of that is because of my usage (or lack of) and part because I don't really want to know.

It should also be realised that no matter how reliable some dealers may appear, unless they know first hand of the contents of every pill in their bag, then it's still no guarantee. Dealers with a reputation for a good product frequently don't come through, even if they have a history of providing good product. If someone in the chain is busted, a new source may have to be found, with the end user often becoming the evaluator. Also, even quality MDMA can kill. Some years ago an old acquaintance with a heart problem took MDMA and nothing else, had sex, and died. He did no other drugs and went to great lengths to ensure he only got pure MDMA, believing it was a safe drug, even with his condition. While I was cut when he died, as were all his friends, I certainly didn't feel any blame because I hadn't had the opportunity to convince him that MDMA wasn't all that safe for someone with a heart condition.

There have however been instances where, in letting my guard down and enjoying myself, others have inadvertently got into trouble. I've detailed these stories before, but I will say briefly again that one of these involved accidental consumption of ~40mL of GHB, and that really did rock me, so much that I go to great lengths to ensure such a situation doesn't occur again - at least on my watch. The 12 hours that guy spent on life support was terrible, yet I had nothing to do with supplying the drug, only that I knew it was around and didn't warn others that certain water bottles must be avoided. If I had have been thinking properly, that poor lad wouldn't have gulped it down thinking it was water.

Would you feel worse if they (for example) ended up taking BZP, knowing that you could have prevented it?
Click to expand...

I've met lots of people who have taken it, enjoyed it, and will willingly taken again. Some of those may not have tried MDMA, some have, but that's not the point. If asked about BZP by someone intending to take the drug, I'd respond by outlining the effects - the pharmacology and how stimulants like BZP work, something specific about the high, comparing it to other drugs the person may be aware of, and throw a bit in about the comedown, mixing with other drugs incl alcohol, and other tox related stuff.

hope that answers your questions.
 
I recently had a friend approach me and ask if I would take her out and get her some pills..

The first thing I did was go through the possible side effects, the effects of the drug and possible problems.. Once she had that info and still wanted to go ahead with it it took a while for me to actually be able to source pills that were of an MDxx compound..

She had a ball, but has formed the opinion that its not something that she wants to do every weekend, but she is starting to like the Brisbane Hard Dance scene, and is learning to stomp and enjoying that, I've promised to take her to a few more events, and it doesn't matter to her if we're drunk, munted or sober She'll be there for the music and the people, the drugs may just be a perk..

Although I do draw the line at introducing people to hard substances such as heroin or ice.. I've had my own battle with heroin addiction, and I know many people who have had that struggle with ice, and I don't want to start that spiral..
 
I have introduced people to drugs, including the 'big bad' ones like heroin and ice, and I don't feel guilty about it. I don't encourage people to do it, but if I'm sitting there doing some and someone asks, I'll chop them out. Ultimately, I think it comes down to personal responsibility, and that includes if someone doesn't do their own research first. The way I see it is that everyone has to make their own choices, and although I will share harm reduction advice, I don't feel like it's anyone's right to tell someone not to do a drug.

Though that being said, the people I spend time with are usually seasoned drug users and I probably would be fairly hesitant giving heroin, say, to someone who'd never used anything. I also don't share or introduce people to drugs if those people aren't my friends or I don't know them well.
 
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I agree with jake and footscrazy on this one, I will help friends out and ultimately I think it comes down to their personal responsibility and if they have asked me to hook something up they have made up their mind. I don't really see what good it does to say no if someone else will end up helping them out and may not give my friend the benefit of their experience and knowledge as much as I try to.

I do try inform friends as much as I can about drugs, and not just ones who need my help to source something but just friends who I know are using certain drugs and might not be that informed. Sadly most of them don't want to hear a whole lot about it, they will humour me to a point but eventually they just get bored.

I have been guilty of encouraging others to try drugs, although I don't do this anymore I have encouraged friends who have tried amphetamines to try other amphetamines because at the time I didn't see much difference. It was similar drugs that can have similar negative effects so I didn't see me as "upgrading" their drug use if you will, just tipping them off to an alternative pleasure. I also probably did pressure a few people into trying marijuana when I was a lot younger, because at the time I did percieve it as harmless. Not trying to defend doing it, but I can't say I feel that bad either because I was a kid at the time and I never made anybody do anything.
 
last nye I shared some mushies with a mate and his wife decided to join us. thank god it was only a relatively low dose, because it got quite uncomfortable there for a while. she thought she was losing her sanity (off and on) and my mate didn't know how or even whether to console her - it was pretty confusing all round. That episode made me reconsider doing anything like that again with any non-experienced user in the future.

I guess if you get to my age (40+) and you're only thinking about experimenting with drugs you should probably do a little research on your own or not bother.
 
My position is very much the same i started with- which is an informed choice is better than an ill informed choice. Also i have always taken the responsibility of mentoring safer using practices with friends who started trying anything tat i had some experience with. And if i didnt have experience i would also go and search out some information regarding ths for them through places like bluelight.

one of the things i found is that past demonstrating a reasonably respectful and thoughtful approach to taking substances you cannot actually keep people or take responsibility for their actions past that. I think that would be denying people a sense of agency and autonmy when it comes to making decisions.

i remember introducing friends to other friends and before long they had theor own ways of getting around and appropraiting things they were after. i guess some really good advice and a reality check at the beggining are always a good place to start. one of the things that for my group has acted as a protective factor was my interest in harm reduction and spreading the message about ways to stay safer on the flip side when people started going a little off the rails i had some come talk to me as a friend wanting more info regarding this.

hell i have even had some friends turn up at a detox where i worked not realising that i worked at that one, being non judemental after the fact is something i have found most people respond too should things get ouuta hand. a bit like how bl feel judged by the general public for taking recreational substances :)

i think hoptis summed it up regarding critically reflecting on the part you are willing to play:

Before I offer to introduce someone to MDMA I ask myself a few questions.

* Are they mature enough for it; mentally, physically and emotionally?
* Are they going to be able to keep their lives in context afterwards? This relates specifically to school/work and their finances.
* Are they just interested because they think drugs are cool? Big NO-NO in my books
* Are they on any medication or have any existing conditions that could cause problems?
* Are they accurately and honestly aware of the potential risks involved?
 
^ madmick said it well.. however in saying that, almost any friend of mine who asked, i would immediately introduce-- why? because ide rather inform them and see them into it rather then have some other person shove sumthing random down their throat..
once a person decides they want 2 try drugs, there is near nothing that will stop them-you mayaswell introduce them to it "properly"
 
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