The Ethics of Turning People Onto Drugs

[ions]

Drugs sell themselves you ain’t shit

 

[finitelifeform]

But that framework rarely, if ever, currently exists. So what are your beliefs about introducing people to drugs now, as things are?

Yeah, that's true, although the building blocks for drug policy to be transformed are there and it's only a matter of time before the demand to change drug policy becomes a priority. Lots has changed over the recent years to the point where the landscape in regards to drugs and the perception of them is almost alien compared to not even 10-15 years ago when weed was pure evil for example.

Responsibility is vital as well as boundaries and open dialogue is important too. You also have to ask what sort of relationship is it? Do you know this person? How well? Is the person a loved one, good friend, acquaintance, stranger? Ultimately you are not responsible for anybody but yourself but then again the relationship also infers the connection and also importance of this individual, duty of care etc. Presuming we are talking about adults here you can only do so much but that what you do should be sufficient enough to provide as much support as possible. The last decision will be that of the individual. Introducing somebody to a drug should be consensual and based on understanding what it means to do that and where the boundaries are in terms of where you end and they begin. From my experience it can become too easy to become entangled in a relationship with someone regarding drugs based on negative dynamics within a relationship. This would have to be eradicated so both individuals could be present enough in the relationship to understand their roles and be available to how they feel, what their intentions are, what their expectations are, whether they are mentally, emotionally and physically capable of guiding someone to a point where they make their own decision. And from the point of the person taking the drug for the first time likewise they must be in a position that reflects preperation, intention and full awareness and responsibility of their actions. If you're in a bad place in life amplified by addiction but see no repercussions introducing someone to a drug that has you hooked you're blurring the boundaries and now you're essentially projecting your predicament onto this other individual, perhaps as an attempt to release your own burden and experience someone else share it with you. Likewise and for the person taking a drug for the first time, the same thing. You're essentially pushing someone onto the railway tracks with you at this point.

It must be a healthy dynamic and both parties aware of their responsibilities and goals. And if it's not right or it feels unethical then perhaps it is. Are we referring to stigma? Are we talking about legal implications? Potential for harm and/or damage to an individual or perhaps even society? Are we referring to some nuanced context that perhaps refers to an individuals personal life, their goals, ambitions, current state of mind, state of relationships etc? Do we know this person well enough to account for as much as possible in at least being able to make our own decision as to whether we wish to proceed in turning them on to something? In which case, understanding your involvement and drawing a line in the sand is important. And understanding where they are at and where they want to go and what they want out of it is key. No point trying to make someone be more available when their intentions are to escape. And when it's you trying to escape and them trying to be more available? Same process of understanding is required.

Unfortunately the environment by which many people gain entry to drug use is often not the most ideal and this is where the minefield of working out where you are at begins and often where people get lost or simply wander off. We owe this to the failed war on drugs and the shambolic state of affairs in regards to how we see drug use in society. The public marketplace for this kind of discussion is not as open as we all wish, hence why we are all here on a forum where we at least enjoy some sort of psuedo-anonymity. I say psuedo-anonymity because the way in which most people operate on the internet (in terms of describing opsec/operational security and privacy) greatly reduces what tangible protection they have from being identified. I can bet most people use the same email address or provide sufficient breadcrumbs that lead back to their person in some way. Reminds me of the SWIM days where the perceived need to disguise yourself was ever more present than today. My point is that we are here for a reason and it's because public discourse about this kind of stuff is woefully lacking. That doesn't make this any easier at all, in fact it makes it worse. Have you considered this? Does it affect your decisions? Where you are involved, is there anything projected onto this new individual? Are you lost? Are you struggling? How do YOU see drug use? Is it positive? Negative? How has drugs affected YOU? What would you truly say if you were able to speak your mind about drugs? Would it likely change this persons mind about taking them? Are you potentially going to negatively impact this individual in some way? You're not aiming to make things hard(er) for someone, it should be easier, safe and as many boxes checked as possible and therefore this should be reflected in the responsibility you have for talking drugs with others and involving others in drug use.

That would be my preferred block of advice to provide, at least in the context on providing advise for those who are also providing advise and potentially introducing somebody to a drug they may (or may not) choose to consume.

How about you? What do you think?

 

[yubacity]

Offering someone a line of coke or crank I have done loads of times even if they not use them before. But I have never offered anyone I know who not use heroin some before in fact if I was talking to someone who new to heroin and at the point of not being physically addicted I would try to talk to them about not getting to that point yet. I know you can get addicted to coke or meth but the physical addiction that is a part of heroin I would not wish on anyone

 

[cduggles]

How about you? What do you think?

I think it’s a huge responsibility to introduce anyone to drugs, for anyone to do it, including physicians. I doubt the introduction is often done by people who understand the implications of drug use for themselves much less another person.

The genetics of a person being introduced to drugs is not a known, and there are any number of reasons a person could be more susceptible to addiction.

That being said, it depends on the drug too. I don’t equate introducing someone to weed with introducing someone to meth or heroin.

But overall, I think it is something that in reality people do thoughtlessly or with bad intentions, for the most part. And that should be different, but it’s unlikely to change in the short term.

 

[Joey]

I think it’s a huge responsibility to introduce anyone to drugs, for anyone to do it, including physicians. I doubt the introduction is often done by people who understand the implications of drug use for themselves much less another person.

The genetics of a person being introduced to drugs is not a known, and there are any number of reasons a person could be more susceptible to addiction.

That being said, it depends on the drug too. I don’t equate introducing someone to weed with introducing someone to meth or heroin.

But overall, I think it is something that in reality people do thoughtlessly or with bad intentions, for the most part. And that should be different, but it’s unlikely to change in the short term.

Somebody gave me a rig full of meth and said it was coke to purposefully fuck with my day. I wasn't using meth (much) then so he was successful. I got no sleep before my night shift job and was high when I went. That was pretty fucked up. He was a jealous sociopath. Couldn't stand that I was crashing at his place months prior and worked my way up to having a good job and an apartment of my own. That was not my introduction to meth, as I said, but it was willfully giving me drugs I didn't want or ask for with bad intentions. Coke would've lasted maybe an hour tops and I'd have had a normal night if he was being true.

 

[finitelifeform]

Somebody gave me a rig full of meth and said it was coke to purposefully fuck with my day. I wasn't using meth (much) then so he was successful. I got no sleep before my night shift job and was high when I went. That was pretty fucked up. He was a jealous sociopath. Couldn't stand that I was crashing at his place months prior and worked my way up to having a good job and an apartment of my own. That was not my introduction to meth, as I said, but it was willfully giving me drugs I didn't want or ask for with bad intentions. Coke would've lasted maybe an hour tops and I'd have had a normal night if he was being true.

What you said helps to pretty much lay out the environment for many people who are involved in some way in being introduced to drugs or involved with them. I met quite a lot of people like you mention and I know many people who also have met people like you mention. These personality types and drugs, addiction, often deprivity and a whole trove of baggage mix together but the mix is nothing you want to encounter on your journey through experimenting with drugs. I was quite fortunate because I never encountered people who were pushing hard drugs nor expected others to consume them, at least not during my introductory phases to different drugs I tried. The people in my circles were involved in scenes that self regulated themselves pretty well and the shared responsibility between everyone made sure things didn't boil over and threaten to taint things for everybody else. That being said, on my travels outside of these scenes I've met many people with these tendencies you mention (and more) who were hell bent at their core on causing immeasurable suffering, misery and pain on people they encountered. It seemed they just wanted to f*ck people over. Even when they were having a good day they still found a way to do something to violate boundaries and inflict suffering on somebody. A chunk of my young adult life found myself around people who were self destructive beyond belief, lacked self control, respect, morals etc. This is NO environment for people to get the lay of the land but unfortunately for many it can be. Most of them have now had extensive prison sentences, many killed themselves, others threw themselves in the gutter, some have moved on and transformed their lives but the majority of them make up the portion of people in society who unfortunately give the journey through drug experimentation it's bad name.

The calling to drugs must be met by an understanding of where you are going to have that calling answered and an understanding of yourself is very important. I say this knowing it seems almost impossible to teach people this before they do get introduced to the culture beyond drugs and whether it's toxic or not. It's something you tend to journey through and build up a picture of where you want to be, at least that's how I found it anyway. A good moral compass is key I guess. I somehow knew what path I had to carve and dodged sinkholes fairly well.

 

[Gormur]

I wouldn't unless they showed an interest. I wouldn't just bring it up and push it on them but it depends who I'm talking to. Now one thing I still feel slightly off about is hanging out at my dealer's house smoking mj while their young teenage kids sat in the living room with us. This was 10 years ago and I'm mostly over it but I don't think it was the right thing to do and I should be more careful in the future with stuff like that

 

[euphoricnightmares]

I honestly treat all drugs the same when it comes to this topic at hand. They all have their risks. Anyway, I never force or suggest anyone to use any substance. I may tell others about my experiences both positive and negative but that's about it. If I know someone doesn't use whatever drug I have, I won't use around them not would I offer any.

However, if someone comes asking me for advice and stuff for their first time using, I'll provide it along with information that is important to know about what they're doing. I've never introduced anyone to any drug. I don't plan to either. I've helped people who are new to it but have used before already out with the basics as well as other things in order to prevent them from harming themselves, etc. I'd rather someone know what they're doing than make a huge mistake.

Lastly, I refuse to be the person that makes the first use possible if that makes sense. I'm fine with being there when they use to make sure they are safe and are being smart about what they are doing, but I'm not providing the drugs.