Topic : 04/16 Drug Troubles

1. There is a distinction between substance abuse (recurrent use despite harmful consequences) and substance dependence. Substance dependence is not common among pot users (0.4 - 1.0% of users). The majority of marijuana users do not develop addiction: they do not experience loss of control; they use when they choose to, in the amounts they choose to, getting the results—in general—that they intend to get.
2. There is no existing evidence of anyone dying of a marijuana overdose. Tests performed on mice have shown that the ratio of cannabinoids necessary for overdose to the amount necessary for intoxication is 40,000:1. For comparison's sake, that ratio for alcohol is generally between 4:1 and 10:1. Alcohol overdoses claim approximately 5,000 casualties yearly, but marijuana overdoses kill no one as far as any official reports.
3. Marijuana use has not been found to act as a gateway drug to the use of harder drugs. Studies show that when the Dutch partially legalized marijuana in the 70's, heroin and cocaine use substantially declined, despite a slight increase in marijuana use.
4. A compound found in cannabis (the scientific name for marijuana), CBD, has been shown (in the lab) to stop the human gene Id-1 from directing cancer cells to multiply and spread. This recent research is being studied further as a potential step towards a cure for breast cancer. Additionally, the largest study of its kind (UCLA College of Medicine) unexpectedly concluded that smoking marijuana, even regularly and heavily, does not lead to lung cancer.
5. Scientists showed a synthetic version of the compound may reduce inflammation associated with Alzheimer's and thus help to prevent mental decline.

Dr Phil,

What is going on in our world? I just don't get this drug thing. This couple is blind if they think pot is not the start of more to come , much harder drugs.

My son is 36. He started at 16 with pot, I found it in his room,. He was a big guy and pushed me around , he daddy did nothing...denial.

It went out of control. By age 18 he was on other drugs, I had no idea what they were. His girlfriend was sneaking in his bedroom window...they got pregnant. And he  says i forced him to marry her and that was the problem. Always blaming me.

They married one month before the baby was born. Then always trouble drinking and drugs , they both were doing this. Now 15 yrs later 3 kids now , divorviced 7 yrs now. Ex daughter in law and kids have moved next door. We help support even gave her a job. We have a small business. Our money is just about gone. And we are not getting any younger , my husband is 64.

About my son...he has been in jail twice 6 months at a time was clean and went right back to drugs. He is living with whoever will take him in and my husband is feeding him and getting him a room at a motel once or twice a week...he has the clothes on his back and a few in a bag.

He is on meth and whatever he can get his hands on. The courts keep putting his case off because of one thing or another. I want him back in jail so I know where he is and off drugs,maybe.

In the state I live in they do have a program that they can attend if they will that seems to be a good answer, but I can't get him in prison to at least save his life.

My husband and I don't agree on anything ...we have been through so much and it will never stop till he get the help when he wants it.

Our jails are full. I will never give up and I think if I could tie him up and drag him into a rehab that maybe my child will not die. But I know he has got to want the help, but somehow I feel he is crying out for it.

My husbands says he will give him a funeral and that we will all be better off when he dies.

CAn you believe him? My heart is in pieces. I look at his children and fall apart.

Thanks

M

what do you mean your not "talking about it".  not to take your inventory because my own doorstep is filthy but,,, talking is the way.  talk till your child pucks in my opinion. 

Never wish you had talked.  Never wish you could have said this or that.  So long as its on subject.  talk and talk  be clear about your values and rules.  Its not like he has our history.  they are depending on us for direction, though they DON'T ACT LIKE they are

GREAT JOB NOT LETTING HIM BE ALONE AT HOME.  I EVEN BELIEVE SO LONG AS HE IS NOT BEING HONEST WE SHOULD SEARCH THEIR STUFF.  NOT IN A VENGEFUL WAY, BUT TO SET EXPECTATIONS THAT THERE SHOULD BE NO "STUFF" IN THE HOUSE OR YOU WILL FIND IT.  INNOCENTLY SORTING OUT HIS SHIRTS ON HIS SHELF (YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN)

Pot a gateway drug? Are you kidding? Why do alot of drug addicts start out on pot? Do you really think it's a good idea to jump right into crack?  Most people aren't THAT dumb.  Let me just explain my opinion.  I'm not a professional in ANY way, but nothing you can say will make me think any different.

When kids are experimenting at a young age, they are more prone to be doing it to go along with the crowd and fit in.  Add to that possible problems at home that could be affecting the way a child grows emotionally, and could have negative effects on the self-esteem of the user.  Now that person uses a drug which will probably make them feel better.  The young person with the negative self-esteem will continue to use, and also to possibly move on to harder things that may or may not make them feel better.  As a result, school may or may not suffer, usually it does, and all the extreme negative things that could possibly happen, likely will happen.

Those kids who do make it through HS by the grace of God, then may or may not go on to lead underproductive, meaningless lives, it is true that smoking marijuana makes you somewhat lazy, but if you are already prone to laziness, that is when it really has the effects.  Those people who are hard workers, and know when and how to have their fun, can lead VERY successful lives.

I started smoking marijuana at 20, I experimented late, and I think that was a benefit because I have a high IQ (Dr.'s told me that, I'm not bragging), and I knew the side effects of being addicted to drugs, but I also am naturally curious, and I like to find things out by personal experience as well as 'book learnin', and so I moved beyond pot...and do you know what I realized?  My self esteem was too high to even want to do those hard drugs.  They had no appeal for me, as a matter of fact, I was able to realize the negative way the 'uppers' made me feel.  So I stopped.  Now I just smoke weed.  Very often, and the only reason I think I'm gonna quit when I move in 3 months is because I don't like the negative effects smoking has on my lungs.  Every situation is different, and I am sorry your son fell into the web of addiction, if you're worried about burying him at 22, then he must have started experimenting when he was young, and it was YOUR responsibility if he was a minor in your roof to make sure he didn't get caught up in the drug scene.  And I am not trying to be insensitive to what this woman is going through (To those of you who are gonna jump on me for being a horrible person) because let me just say that had I started experimenting whern I was a teen, I'd probably be dead or in need of rehab right now.  I just wasn't "cool" enough to hang with the people who did drugs when I was in school, and I thank God NOW that I was a loser in HS.

 YOUR MOM AND DAD ALSO NEED HELP DO YOU NOT THINK THAT DRUGS HELPS YOUR LIFE?

IT DOSENT  AND YOU ALL SO NEED THE HELP ABOUT THE DRUGS !CHILD UNDERSTAND

IT IS AS BAD FOR YOU AS BEER OR WINE OR ANYTHING.

WHERE IS YOUR MIND?

THINK ABOUT THIS WHILE YOUR MOTHER WAS ON THE DRUG WHILE PG WITH YOU IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU ARE NOT OK WITH YOUR MIND.

YOU ALSO NEED HELP AND ASK ANY DR AND THEY WILL TELL YOU THAT IT REALLY DOSENT HELP.

AGAIN IT IS NOT GOOD FOR YOU AND FOR ANY ONE.

SO UNDERATAND AS IT IS YOU ARE NOT THE SMARTEST.

                 GET SOME HELP ABOUT THE DRUGS ASK YOUR DR CHILD.

THE REASON HE SMOKES IS TEH BOTTOM LINE.  NOT THE DRUG.  WHAT IS HE NOT COPING WITH.  WHAT IS HE WANTING TO NUMB.  WE NEED TO START ENCOURAGING THAT LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL AND WE CAN HELP OTHERS OR STAY IN OUR OWN LITTLE WORLD

THINK MAYBE YOU SHOULD REQUIRE SOME PAYMENT FOR THE EXPUNGING.  MAYBE FOR THE "PAIN AND SUFFERING".  THAT PAYMENT SHOULD BE TO HELP OTHERS.  AS WE REACH OUTSIDE OF OURSELVES WE SUDDENLY REQUIRE LESS NUMBING. 

WHEN WE ARE NOT SELF ACCEPTING - WE NEED A "FIX".  GET HIM TO HABITAT, KATRINA, HELP YOUTH GROUPS AT CHURCH, HELP STUDENTS LEARN, WHATEVER IT TAKES, GET HIM USING HIS GOD GIVEN TALENTS.