Drug Safety
rpaul
<<Living where we do (50 miles outside of Houston) I am probably
being paranoid, but I'd rather err on the side of caution <G>.
Pax,
Crys>>
Hi, Crys,
I, for one, do not think you are being paranoid. Realistic.
For some reason, drug safety hit me when I first read your post. So, I
just wanted to rattle off some thoughts on that issue.
I would like to mention some pointers that saved me in ADULT situations
later in life, as well as younger years, if I may. My father was a police
officer. He took every opportunity to warn us of dangers of drugs. Many
dangers, for that matter, that stayed with me. As a child I often pondered
why he repeated these warnings at EVERY opportunity. "I know, I know", I'd
think. But you know what, this is the one area, where repetitiveness
really pays off! To this day, I will NEVER cross over a rail road with the
bars down.
For one thing, please consider teaching them to NEVER go back to food or
drink they have turned from. No matter how "close" their friends. My
father drilled this into me. I never forgot, years later, my father's
words resounding in my ears as the news reported a five year old little
girl on an acid trip, because someone at school put it in her milk, when
she wasn't looking. And the report explained how she could have those
recurring trips for the rest of her life!
Look to channels such as The History Cannel and The Learning Channel (both
online. Our son abhors smoking. But thanks to an old TV show, he saw the
old "glamour" stand, and imitated it as I myself did at his age. While he
is only 7, I still took advantage of a recent documentary. One of the
three part episodes, we recorded and played. It showed a woman with a
trach, and a man frail and dying, etc. It had a major impact! These
documentaries on drugs can be fantastic (but you may want to record them,
and be sure it is what your looking for).
It may seem even more paranoid, and you may have already taught them this,
but they should be very leery of anything their friends give them.
Particularly at party settings. I had a VERY VERY close friend tell me he
put "nothing" in the brownies. Well, those ol' Barney Miller runs ran
through my head, and something went off in me. It turned out that he lied
to me, and another friend (knowing I did not do drugs) told me that he'd
put pot or hash in them. This is where my father's words really came to
life!
Young children should not even lick "stamps" that other children give them
(teach 'em to use a sponge). I know, I'm sounding paranoid (I live in NY -
LOL). But it is true. They are lacing stamps with drugs now! It hooks
the children and they don't realize why, and come back for more. They
gradually increase it, till they are hooked.
On last drug problem, that many of us forget (one I have not brought to my
son's attention yet), "snuffing". I read in a Reader's Digest article,
about a boy who was homeschooled until his teen years. :When he went to
school, he was introduced to it. The parents had no clue what was
happening. The boy was found dead in his bathtub. Snuffing is the
practice of sniffing glue and whip cream aerosols (being the two most
common aerosols), markers, etc. You would be surprised how many products
in the home are "snuff" products. Most children don't realize how
dangerous this is. It doesn't occur to them it is a drug. Many children
die on the first "snuff" experience. Children (and many adults) don't
realize how dangerous this is.
Lastly, look around. Aside from the history and learning channels, life is
a great lesson in this. Look in the library for documentaries on drug
rehab. Watching folks coming off drugs is a great lesson. And watching a
child is an even greater lesson! Especially the babies born to it. These
documentaries can be chilling.
Also, a local drug rehab center may offer pamphlets and information. A
visit / "filed trip" may be valuable.
Personally, I recently took myself off a medication (I hadn't taken
prescription drugs in years!) that I was told was "non-addictive" (as my
pharmacist put it, any drug is potentially addictive). I suffered from
horrific violent vomiting, shakes and sweats for two weeks! I used this
opportunity to show my son that this was from a drug a doctor gave me, and
that drugs that are not from doctors are even worse! Every day, as I went
through this, I reminded him. If my experience was to save him in later
life, I am thankful for it. (Don't do this to yourself on purpose, however
- LOL. I'm just saying that it was an opportunity, and it had an impact.)
Some might say that you don't need these impacts to teach your children.
Maybe not. I know they saved me, especially as I got older, as did my
faith in the Lord. And, when it comes to drugs, the harsh reality is that
they are a harsh, frightening reality, with an impact.
I hope at least some of this is useful. Take Care!
Oh, some links and numbers:
The Learning Channel
http://tlc.discovery.com/
National Inhalant Prevention Coalition
1-800-869-4237 http://www.inhalants.org
National Drug and Alcohol Treatment Referral Service
1-800-662-HELP
National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information
1-800-729-6686
Diane
being paranoid, but I'd rather err on the side of caution <G>.
Pax,
Crys>>
Hi, Crys,
I, for one, do not think you are being paranoid. Realistic.
For some reason, drug safety hit me when I first read your post. So, I
just wanted to rattle off some thoughts on that issue.
I would like to mention some pointers that saved me in ADULT situations
later in life, as well as younger years, if I may. My father was a police
officer. He took every opportunity to warn us of dangers of drugs. Many
dangers, for that matter, that stayed with me. As a child I often pondered
why he repeated these warnings at EVERY opportunity. "I know, I know", I'd
think. But you know what, this is the one area, where repetitiveness
really pays off! To this day, I will NEVER cross over a rail road with the
bars down.
For one thing, please consider teaching them to NEVER go back to food or
drink they have turned from. No matter how "close" their friends. My
father drilled this into me. I never forgot, years later, my father's
words resounding in my ears as the news reported a five year old little
girl on an acid trip, because someone at school put it in her milk, when
she wasn't looking. And the report explained how she could have those
recurring trips for the rest of her life!
Look to channels such as The History Cannel and The Learning Channel (both
online. Our son abhors smoking. But thanks to an old TV show, he saw the
old "glamour" stand, and imitated it as I myself did at his age. While he
is only 7, I still took advantage of a recent documentary. One of the
three part episodes, we recorded and played. It showed a woman with a
trach, and a man frail and dying, etc. It had a major impact! These
documentaries on drugs can be fantastic (but you may want to record them,
and be sure it is what your looking for).
It may seem even more paranoid, and you may have already taught them this,
but they should be very leery of anything their friends give them.
Particularly at party settings. I had a VERY VERY close friend tell me he
put "nothing" in the brownies. Well, those ol' Barney Miller runs ran
through my head, and something went off in me. It turned out that he lied
to me, and another friend (knowing I did not do drugs) told me that he'd
put pot or hash in them. This is where my father's words really came to
life!
Young children should not even lick "stamps" that other children give them
(teach 'em to use a sponge). I know, I'm sounding paranoid (I live in NY -
LOL). But it is true. They are lacing stamps with drugs now! It hooks
the children and they don't realize why, and come back for more. They
gradually increase it, till they are hooked.
On last drug problem, that many of us forget (one I have not brought to my
son's attention yet), "snuffing". I read in a Reader's Digest article,
about a boy who was homeschooled until his teen years. :When he went to
school, he was introduced to it. The parents had no clue what was
happening. The boy was found dead in his bathtub. Snuffing is the
practice of sniffing glue and whip cream aerosols (being the two most
common aerosols), markers, etc. You would be surprised how many products
in the home are "snuff" products. Most children don't realize how
dangerous this is. It doesn't occur to them it is a drug. Many children
die on the first "snuff" experience. Children (and many adults) don't
realize how dangerous this is.
Lastly, look around. Aside from the history and learning channels, life is
a great lesson in this. Look in the library for documentaries on drug
rehab. Watching folks coming off drugs is a great lesson. And watching a
child is an even greater lesson! Especially the babies born to it. These
documentaries can be chilling.
Also, a local drug rehab center may offer pamphlets and information. A
visit / "filed trip" may be valuable.
Personally, I recently took myself off a medication (I hadn't taken
prescription drugs in years!) that I was told was "non-addictive" (as my
pharmacist put it, any drug is potentially addictive). I suffered from
horrific violent vomiting, shakes and sweats for two weeks! I used this
opportunity to show my son that this was from a drug a doctor gave me, and
that drugs that are not from doctors are even worse! Every day, as I went
through this, I reminded him. If my experience was to save him in later
life, I am thankful for it. (Don't do this to yourself on purpose, however
- LOL. I'm just saying that it was an opportunity, and it had an impact.)
Some might say that you don't need these impacts to teach your children.
Maybe not. I know they saved me, especially as I got older, as did my
faith in the Lord. And, when it comes to drugs, the harsh reality is that
they are a harsh, frightening reality, with an impact.
I hope at least some of this is useful. Take Care!
Oh, some links and numbers:
The Learning Channel
http://tlc.discovery.com/
National Inhalant Prevention Coalition
1-800-869-4237 http://www.inhalants.org
National Drug and Alcohol Treatment Referral Service
1-800-662-HELP
National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information
1-800-729-6686
Diane
Joel Hawthorne
Goodness I hardly know where to being in this discussion. Having been a
registered nurse for 10 years, having worked extensively with addicted
individuals and having educated myself extensively on this issue ..... I
have a few things to say. I don't know if any of the things I am going
to say are actually at odds with much in the previous post. I know I
have had numerous (when young) experiences of just missing out on being
drugged by my own paranoid tendencies, cookies, punch, bottles of beer,
I always was paranoid at the right moment on qt least 4 separate
occasions. Drugs didn't agree with me...except alcohol which I
absolutely loved at first drink. That being said......
The search for altered states of consciousness has been a human
endeavour for as far back as one can look. This occurs in both sacred
and secular contexts.
Humans are experimenting creatures. There are definitely dangers
associated with this proclivity.
Most people who experiment with drugs (in the broadest definition of
drugs e.g. nicotine, caffeine, alcohol,) do not become addicted. Of all
of the available drugs nicotine is the most addictive and dangerous in
terms of health consequences. Alcohol would come second. "Hard" drugs
do not come close to destroying as many lives as nicotine and alcohol.
Inhalants are very dangerous.
Most people who are addicted to substances have multiple problems of
which addiction is one.
Most addicted people recover from their addictions on their own without
professional assistance.
Addicted individuals who are unable to deal with their addictions are
often people who have histories of physical, mental, emotional, and/ or
sexual abuse which contributes to their addiction problems.
There are strong puritanical, anti-pleasure, Calvinistic currents within
some of the anti-drug thinking that currently holds sway with many
people. This confuses the issue and makes it difficult to educate
people as to the real dangers of drugs.
In my opinion the Multinational Drug Cartel (which has two branches i.e.
legal [pharmaceutical] and illegal) and the Multinational Criminal
Justice Industry are partners in crime. There is collusion with the
Medical, psychiatric, "health" industry in addition to the Media related
industry. And of course the Education Industry is a beneficiary of our
absurd public policy.
Generally people who come from intact, functional families (not a huge
number) don't have major drug problems. Of course many people who come
from grossly dysfunctional families don't think that they do because
mystification is a common phenomena in dysfunctional families. Combine
that with the dysfunctional nature of many of our "normal" values and
you have most people thinking such things as: war is a necessary evil,
there are always going to be rich and poor people, you can't fight city
hall and an endless list of platitudes which are the basis for the
almost slave like mentality of the majority.
The war on drugs has militarized the police, destroyed entire
communities, enriched the prison industry, discarded fundamental civil
liberties and rights, spread drug use around the world, maintained
artificially high prices and corrupted most police agencies.
Drug use is a public health problem to the extent that it is a problem.
The criminalization of "bad" drugs has marginalized entire segments of
the population.
The chaos generated by our irrational (in relation to the public
interest, perfectly rational from the above mentioned cartel's
interests) policy has harmed millions.
Children have been lied to about the nature of drugs, drug use,
addiction in the same ways they have been lied to about the nature of
learning, education, and things as basic as "feelings". This greatly
increases the risks of them throwing out the rational cautions with the
silly hogwash.
Here is by list of suggested websites on this and related issues:
http://www.lindesmith.org/
http://www.cerj.org/
http://www.pressenter.com/~davewest/prisons/prisons.html
http://www.newmexicodrugpolicy.org/
http://karen@...>./
http://www.forgiveness-institute.org/
http://naturalchild.com/home/
rpaul wrote:
best wishes
Joel
For a wonderful gift possibility and to support a great cause check out:
http://www.naturalchild.com/calendar_pictures.html
All children behave as well as they are treated. The Natural Child
Project http://naturalchild.com/home/
registered nurse for 10 years, having worked extensively with addicted
individuals and having educated myself extensively on this issue ..... I
have a few things to say. I don't know if any of the things I am going
to say are actually at odds with much in the previous post. I know I
have had numerous (when young) experiences of just missing out on being
drugged by my own paranoid tendencies, cookies, punch, bottles of beer,
I always was paranoid at the right moment on qt least 4 separate
occasions. Drugs didn't agree with me...except alcohol which I
absolutely loved at first drink. That being said......
The search for altered states of consciousness has been a human
endeavour for as far back as one can look. This occurs in both sacred
and secular contexts.
Humans are experimenting creatures. There are definitely dangers
associated with this proclivity.
Most people who experiment with drugs (in the broadest definition of
drugs e.g. nicotine, caffeine, alcohol,) do not become addicted. Of all
of the available drugs nicotine is the most addictive and dangerous in
terms of health consequences. Alcohol would come second. "Hard" drugs
do not come close to destroying as many lives as nicotine and alcohol.
Inhalants are very dangerous.
Most people who are addicted to substances have multiple problems of
which addiction is one.
Most addicted people recover from their addictions on their own without
professional assistance.
Addicted individuals who are unable to deal with their addictions are
often people who have histories of physical, mental, emotional, and/ or
sexual abuse which contributes to their addiction problems.
There are strong puritanical, anti-pleasure, Calvinistic currents within
some of the anti-drug thinking that currently holds sway with many
people. This confuses the issue and makes it difficult to educate
people as to the real dangers of drugs.
In my opinion the Multinational Drug Cartel (which has two branches i.e.
legal [pharmaceutical] and illegal) and the Multinational Criminal
Justice Industry are partners in crime. There is collusion with the
Medical, psychiatric, "health" industry in addition to the Media related
industry. And of course the Education Industry is a beneficiary of our
absurd public policy.
Generally people who come from intact, functional families (not a huge
number) don't have major drug problems. Of course many people who come
from grossly dysfunctional families don't think that they do because
mystification is a common phenomena in dysfunctional families. Combine
that with the dysfunctional nature of many of our "normal" values and
you have most people thinking such things as: war is a necessary evil,
there are always going to be rich and poor people, you can't fight city
hall and an endless list of platitudes which are the basis for the
almost slave like mentality of the majority.
The war on drugs has militarized the police, destroyed entire
communities, enriched the prison industry, discarded fundamental civil
liberties and rights, spread drug use around the world, maintained
artificially high prices and corrupted most police agencies.
Drug use is a public health problem to the extent that it is a problem.
The criminalization of "bad" drugs has marginalized entire segments of
the population.
The chaos generated by our irrational (in relation to the public
interest, perfectly rational from the above mentioned cartel's
interests) policy has harmed millions.
Children have been lied to about the nature of drugs, drug use,
addiction in the same ways they have been lied to about the nature of
learning, education, and things as basic as "feelings". This greatly
increases the risks of them throwing out the rational cautions with the
silly hogwash.
Here is by list of suggested websites on this and related issues:
http://www.lindesmith.org/
http://www.cerj.org/
http://www.pressenter.com/~davewest/prisons/prisons.html
http://www.newmexicodrugpolicy.org/
http://karen@...>./
http://www.forgiveness-institute.org/
http://naturalchild.com/home/
rpaul wrote:
> <<Living where we do (50 miles outside of Houston) I am probably--
> being paranoid, but I'd rather err on the side of caution <G>.
>
> Pax,
> Crys>>
>
> Hi, Crys,
>
> I, for one, do not think you are being paranoid. Realistic.
>
> For some reason, drug safety hit me when I first read your post. So,
> I just wanted to rattle off some thoughts on that issue.
> <snip>
> Diane
best wishes
Joel
For a wonderful gift possibility and to support a great cause check out:
http://www.naturalchild.com/calendar_pictures.html
All children behave as well as they are treated. The Natural Child
Project http://naturalchild.com/home/
[email protected]
Joel,
I agree with you completely on this! I have a cousin who has been in and
out of jail for most of his life, all because of his heroin addiction. The
last time he went in, it was because he was found with heroin on him, not an
amount which was considered intent to sell, just a user's amount. He was
sentenced under California's wonderful three strikes you're out law and given
30 years.
The laws regarding drugs are absurd and hypocritical in their enforcement.
It really bothers me that many of the people enforcing them used drugs
recreationally/experimentally themselves as teenagers. It's a do as I say
not as I do approach so typical of adults. I know drugs can ruin lives but I
see no reason to compound that by filling the jails with users.
Lucy in Calif.
I agree with you completely on this! I have a cousin who has been in and
out of jail for most of his life, all because of his heroin addiction. The
last time he went in, it was because he was found with heroin on him, not an
amount which was considered intent to sell, just a user's amount. He was
sentenced under California's wonderful three strikes you're out law and given
30 years.
The laws regarding drugs are absurd and hypocritical in their enforcement.
It really bothers me that many of the people enforcing them used drugs
recreationally/experimentally themselves as teenagers. It's a do as I say
not as I do approach so typical of adults. I know drugs can ruin lives but I
see no reason to compound that by filling the jails with users.
Lucy in Calif.
Thomas and Nanci Kuykendall
I know I have had numerous (when young) experiences of just missing out on
being drugged by my own paranoid tendencies, cookies, punch, bottles of
beer, I always was paranoid at the right moment on qt least 4 separate
occasions.....Joel
Gee, this is such a common theme I am hearing from all of you, and I am a
bit confused. Where did those of you who were, or almost were,
"Unknowingly drugged" or had it happening to others around you live or grow
up? I never had this happen to me or anyone that I know. I had friends
that took things which were not what they thought (bad or laced acid, laced
marijuana, etc) but never completely innocently and unknowingly drugged. I
am just wondering when and where this was commonly happening.
Nanci K.
being drugged by my own paranoid tendencies, cookies, punch, bottles of
beer, I always was paranoid at the right moment on qt least 4 separate
occasions.....Joel
Gee, this is such a common theme I am hearing from all of you, and I am a
bit confused. Where did those of you who were, or almost were,
"Unknowingly drugged" or had it happening to others around you live or grow
up? I never had this happen to me or anyone that I know. I had friends
that took things which were not what they thought (bad or laced acid, laced
marijuana, etc) but never completely innocently and unknowingly drugged. I
am just wondering when and where this was commonly happening.
Nanci K.
Joel Hawthorne
San Francisco 1967. In a concert a punch bottle being passed around.(now I
guess I was just a little naive at the time) At a party with a band
"Kaleidoscope" the punch being offered everyone. Picking up a rider to share
gas driving back east with cookies being offered when we stopped by the house
to pick up the rider. A woman who was I was traveling with had one. (my
paranoia was enhanced by the near psychotic experiences I'd had with marijuana
at a different time) by the time we were over to the East Bay we had to stop at
the free clinic in Berkeley for the bad trip she was having.( I have no
tolerance for any drugs except alcohol and coffee both of which I enjoyed too
much to continue using. complete abstinence with ETOH and very little caffeine
these days.) Bye for now.
Thomas and Nanci Kuykendall wrote:
best wishes
Joel
For a wonderful gift possibility and to support a great cause check out:
http://www.naturalchild.com/calendar_pictures.html
All children behave as well as they are treated. The Natural Child
Project http://naturalchild.com/home/
guess I was just a little naive at the time) At a party with a band
"Kaleidoscope" the punch being offered everyone. Picking up a rider to share
gas driving back east with cookies being offered when we stopped by the house
to pick up the rider. A woman who was I was traveling with had one. (my
paranoia was enhanced by the near psychotic experiences I'd had with marijuana
at a different time) by the time we were over to the East Bay we had to stop at
the free clinic in Berkeley for the bad trip she was having.( I have no
tolerance for any drugs except alcohol and coffee both of which I enjoyed too
much to continue using. complete abstinence with ETOH and very little caffeine
these days.) Bye for now.
Thomas and Nanci Kuykendall wrote:
> From: Thomas and Nanci Kuykendall <tn-k4of5@...>--
>
> I know I have had numerous (when young) experiences of just missing out on
> being drugged by my own paranoid tendencies, cookies, punch, bottles of
> beer, I always was paranoid at the right moment on qt least 4 separate
> occasions.....Joel
>
> Gee, this is such a common theme I am hearing from all of you, and I am a
> bit confused. Where did those of you who were, or almost were,
> "Unknowingly drugged" or had it happening to others around you live or grow
> up? I never had this happen to me or anyone that I know. I had friends
> that took things which were not what they thought (bad or laced acid, laced
> marijuana, etc) but never completely innocently and unknowingly drugged. I
> am just wondering when and where this was commonly happening.
>
> Nanci K.
>
> > Check it out!
> http://www.unschooling.com
best wishes
Joel
For a wonderful gift possibility and to support a great cause check out:
http://www.naturalchild.com/calendar_pictures.html
All children behave as well as they are treated. The Natural Child
Project http://naturalchild.com/home/
Thomas and Nanci Kuykendall
At 02:48 PM 11/14/1999 -0800, you wrote:
then, I grew up in San Francisco, having lived there between the ages of 2
and 20. However, the time frame explains the "accidental" drug use. That
was a very innocent time in the US and young people were pretty naive in
general and just exploring recreational drug use on a large scale, as well
as a number of other social issues, to say the least. When I was growing
up in the city, it was common to run into marijuana laced with all manner
of nasty stuff like crystal meth, pcp, etc and one had to know what to look
for to be safe (not me, but people I knew.) It was common knowledge on the
street. Drugs were easy to come by and could be had free in many
situations, and if you wanted (like me) to avoid being under the infuluence
you had to be pretty savvy and on your toes.
When I was a teenager you could get Crack Cocainne on a street corner in
the Haight Ashbury as easily as marijuana, acid and many, many other things.
Nanci K.
>From: Joel Hawthorne <jhawthorne@...>Hmmm, I'll say you were naive. Sounds like an obvious set up to me. But
>
>San Francisco 1967. In a concert a punch bottle being passed around.(now I
>guess I was just a little naive at the time) At a party with a band
>"Kaleidoscope" the punch being offered everyone.
then, I grew up in San Francisco, having lived there between the ages of 2
and 20. However, the time frame explains the "accidental" drug use. That
was a very innocent time in the US and young people were pretty naive in
general and just exploring recreational drug use on a large scale, as well
as a number of other social issues, to say the least. When I was growing
up in the city, it was common to run into marijuana laced with all manner
of nasty stuff like crystal meth, pcp, etc and one had to know what to look
for to be safe (not me, but people I knew.) It was common knowledge on the
street. Drugs were easy to come by and could be had free in many
situations, and if you wanted (like me) to avoid being under the infuluence
you had to be pretty savvy and on your toes.
When I was a teenager you could get Crack Cocainne on a street corner in
the Haight Ashbury as easily as marijuana, acid and many, many other things.
Nanci K.