Ice

[lil angel15]

Good post ilikeacid.

There is no doubting there is a high addiction potential with 'Ice', but any drug, licit or illicit, has the potential to be either psychologically or physiologically addictive.

As ilikeacid has said, it appears alot of users are unaware of the possible problems that can be associated with the consumption of 'Ice'. Sadly, this is not isolated to users of methamphetamine, as it has stretched as far as the 'soccer mums' and their 'safe' prescription drugs.

Tresca - It's sad that you have lost a friend to drug addiction or the lifestyle that surrounds it. I don't believe 'Ice' is solely to blame for the downfall of your friend, as I believe the individual needs to at least take some of the responsibility associated with their actions, albeit too late now for your friend.

Addiction is a very real thing and sadly there are quite a deal of people in our society that have to deal with this infliction on a daily basis. Some individuals are able to use substances and never face the horror that can often come with addiction, where as others can fall down in a mighty mess and never recover.

 

[Tresca]

Tresca

Thats a pretty bold and shortsighted statement. I can't imagine how traumatic an experience like seeing a friend get addicted and then die can be.. but by blaming the drug and using rhetoric more commonly heard on channel 9 like "its a dirty drug" is simply ignoring the fact that different people will have different experiences with its effects.

In my own personal experiences with Ice I have found it quite managable. I went through a period when I first tried the drug I used it every weekend for 6 weeks or so - only one night a week, always Friday or Saturday and I always had at least some sleep. After a while I just stopped, I never felt addicted and I never was. I haven't had any for a month or so and I have no burning desire to have more any time soon. I look forward to having some for the next big night out, but its not like I look forward to it any more than I look forward to having my next big night on pills.

Some ice users, in particular the growing number of younger 17-19 year olds, do seem to be using ice unaware of its unwanted effects or addictive nature, especially when its used every weekend or for getting through the day. This, however, should not be used to paint a blank generalisation of the drugs effects or to over generalise its users IMO. I've seen both the good and the bad. Its not the drugs fault.

Oh ok so lets all just jack up cause its ok we wont get addicted, we are in control. Im sorry but what your saying sounds suspiciously like denial to me.
Youre right that its not the drugs fault, I never said that but there are lines that should never be crossed as far as Im concerned . Ice and smack are such lines. Its not fun, its plain stupid.
Yes there is a chipping rate and some people can use something and not get addicted where as others will get a full blown addiction but from the information I have about what ice does to the brain etc there is no way Im putting that shit in my body. 20 years ago when I was Young dumb and full of ... I wouldnt have thought twice about it but I guess that the good thing about getting older is you also get wiser. I dont need to blast myself full of extremely toxic substances to feel good.
Educate yourselves about ice people

[EDIT: Removed link. Lil Angel15]

 

[phase_dancer]

I have about what ice does to the brain etc there is no way Im putting that shit in my body

Not assuming you do drugs of course - but if you do, and if you've done pills or coke over the past few years in Australia, chances are that you've unwittingly taken methamphetamine (ice). Although pills around today seem on the whole to contain less meth, it was quite common a couple of years ago and the odd speed pill still pops up. Most coke I've heard about (from others who've tested it) has produced a meth type reaction with Marquis Mandelin and Simons reagents. It may only be a tiny amount that's present, but as an active cut it seems as though it's use is still very common.

When it comes to meth, I will argue that dosage and method of administration play a huge part in both the level of neurotoxicity and the potential for addiction. Insufflating, or oral administering a few milligrams a session, is quite different from smoking 10s and even 100s of mgs per session. Although I don't use meth at all these days, I've know many who use the drug in small quantities, but fairly regularly. Most of these people have otherwise lived fairly balanced and normal lives.

 

[college_dropout]

Oh ok so lets all just jack up cause its ok we wont get addicted, we are in control. Im sorry but what your saying sounds suspiciously like denial to me.
Youre right that its not the drugs fault, I never said that but there are lines that should never be crossed as far as Im concerned . Ice and smack are such lines. Its not fun, its plain stupid.
Yes there is a chipping rate and some people can use something and not get addicted where as others will get a full blown addiction but from the information I have about what ice does to the brain etc there is no way Im putting that shit in my body. 20 years ago when I was Young dumb and full of ... I wouldnt have thought twice about it but I guess that the good thing about getting older is you also get wiser. I dont need to blast myself full of extremely toxic substances to feel good.
Educate yourselves about ice people

[EDIT: Removed link. Lil Angel15]

You sound like you need to educate yourself a bit on drugs and harm minimisation because you're coming across as someone who has completely swallowed the ice hysteria. Crystal meth is a substance, like any other. It has its risks but when approached with care and respect it can be used responsibly, just as heroin can be used responsibly. I personally find the comedown and after effects too intense which is why I rarely do it. But the times I have done it it was fun.

 

[person]

'I personally find the comedown and after effects too intense which is why I rarely do it...'

Same here! its the intense comedown to deal with that now I only do it every so often these days.

 

[bustabraincell]

i have used wot they call P in nz, if its not ice, it is similar, in fact we have had many discussions about the difference..("P" for Pure (amphetimine))I have used it (smoking) pretty much 24/7 for three weeks at a time. My schedule would run something like this....(iwould have my kids) wake up round8 or so, when the kids woke, take them to the beach, or movies or zoo or wotever and back to my olds or somewhere....get them fed and to bed round 9 or ten, go out and be with my m8s,(all users) till five or so, when the olds were in their deepest sleep, goto bed and stare at the ceiling or get some pseudo sleep till the kids woke up and do it all again...i would sustain this for three or so weeks, no dramas,head back to Oz, where my friends are not users, get a few nights good sleep and some intense vegetable input, no dramas wotsoevr, no withdrawal I cannot see what the drama is, except maybe ppl who do not sleep or eat, perhaps this brings on their phsychoses

 

[Splatt]

I thought P was methamphetamine or dimethylamphetamine or both in crystal form.

 

[ilikeacid]

Tresca

Im sorry but what your saying sounds suspiciously like denial to me.

Maybe you should read what I said again then 8)
It is very possible to control your drug intake and lead a balanced normal life - as p_d and college dropout explained. As a drug taker I feel you can tell when your fucking yourself up, although learning to identify this may take some extreme pain for some individuals. I - probably due to a now dead pot addiction - know when a drug is impeding my studies, relationships and family life. Ice, like the dozens of other drugs I take and experiment with regularly, controls me no more than I choose to let it.

I like getting really fucked up once and a while, maybe even often. However I know when the path I'm taking starts to get too slippery for me and I make the self determined decision to stop - at least till I dry out a bit and my brain re-boots.

As far as I can see Ice hysteria is just that, hysteria! Don't buy into it...

 

[Splatt]

I definitely do know people that should of never tried meth though. I'd trust an unknown person over them. Their souls have pretty much been removed.

 

[hoptis]

I thought P was methamphetamine or dimethylamphetamine or both in crystal form.

P is meth is ice is crystal... in kiwi-slang.

 

[person]

Yep, P is usually wet looking sludge, backyard meth made with pseudo, then theres ice which is imported, definately a difference P is cheaper than 'imported' ice.

 

[AlexxRed]

Calling Ice or any drug evil is rather pointless really. But has it had a negative impact sociall? I would say that is a certainty. I remember when I started to notice meth became really big in Melbourne 2002 - 2003. It seemed that everyone was using it. Lots of people lost the plot real fast. I watched people around me go from happy little units of human to extremely paranoid units of human. But I'd argue it was not simply Ice but their approach to Ice that got them in trouble. They were treating it like street speed. Many people talk about how the 'scene' changed (it amuses me that the 'scene' always seems to have changed) as a result.

What needs to be considered is that we live in a time where drugs and associated culture is becoming more and more mainstream. This means more people are using and therefore by virtue of statistics there will simply be more negative impacts and experiences.

 

[AlexMacktheKnife]

This is not going to be as extensive as the other post but my reasoning as why it's so popular and why I could see myself getting into it in a big way is the fact you can function on it, I've had enough leftover meth in my system to get me into three hour long work out sessions on Sunday and Monday mornings, running around my park's track until my legs left like lead.

It's a fantastic boost to your system, I don't feel that giant impeding surge of emotion like when I'm ecstasy, it's just enough to make me feel uplifted but have me sit on the edge without actually losing it.

I haven't *lost* any friends to meth in the overly paranoid unit way, I know of some people who have gotten vastly more aggressive (personality-wise, dance style, speech) but again, they still function pretty well in daily life.

Not sure of my stance, it changes up a lot, sometimes I think it's terrible and other times I think it's alright if you don't go "overboard".

 

[DrumnBassBandit]

I think tweaking straight in moderation.

 

[Thoughtcrime]

Much Like anything, and some will disagree. The finger should be pointed at the user and not the drug. Yes the drug is addictive but ultimately many many many people use ice and continue to live successful and happy lives.
Alcohol is an evil drug, we all know tobbacco is an evil drug, but most of us can enjoy them in moderation, why not illicit substances?

 

[ayjay]

The finger should be pointed at the user and not the drug.

Finger pointing isn't necessarily very helpful. Plenty of smart, "good" people have fucked themselves up on drugs. The kinds of choices we all make (about anything, including drug use) are influenced by a range of factors, many of them outside our control, and sometimes even outside our awareness. As members of a community of drug users, the challenge for us BLers is to help create environments that increase people's ability to make good choices about their drug use. Let's keep the finger pointing out of it

 

[rulerofthecosmos]

This is not going to be as extensive as the other post but my reasoning as why it's so popular and why I could see myself getting into it in a big way is the fact you can function on it, I've had enough leftover meth in my system to get me into three hour long work out sessions on Sunday and Monday mornings, running around my park's track until my legs left like lead.

It's a fantastic boost to your system, I don't feel that giant impeding surge of emotion like when I'm ecstasy, it's just enough to make me feel uplifted but have me sit on the edge without actually losing it.

I haven't *lost* any friends to meth in the overly paranoid unit way, I know of some people who have gotten vastly more aggressive (personality-wise, dance style, speech) but again, they still function pretty well in daily life.

Not sure of my stance, it changes up a lot, sometimes I think it's terrible and other times I think it's alright if you don't go "overboard".

Keep taking it on Sunday and Monday mornings........
Itl definatly catch up with you,and its not an easy thing to give up and get away from 1nce your in the scene....Each to there own but dont think the warnings people are giving out should be taken lightly people!!!!!