>>3926for many drugs are a source of comfort.
for many drugs are a source of relief that "legal" drugs dont provide.
Just because you know a few idiots who dont know how to keep a needle out of their arm for 24 hours doesnt mean there arent people with chronic pain who use ketamine to relieve suicide inducing amounts of pain.
Personally I use LSD and weed to feel relief from anxiety, depression and a lack of emotional connection with the world around me due to the above issues as well as autism.
Just because you've seen people abuse drugs does not mean they cannot be used in healthy ways.
Just because the government tells you drugs are bad doesnt make it true.
>“I’m not dependent on X, I just don’t like going without it”This is a normal thing. I could say the same thing about countless things you likely enjoy. Soda? Video games? Coffee? tHE FUCKIN' INTERNET? all things that im guessing you dont depend on, but would prefer not to go without.
>“I can stop X any time I want (they can’t)”The only way to know if this is a true or false statement is to provide them with a reason to stop. A person with a real addiction will not stop, and will do drugs at times where it only hurts them. But quite often the case is rather that you are telling someone to stop something they enjoy and telling them they are addicted and they are trying to tell you otherwise.
>“I’m not myself unless I’ve had X”As mentioned above, lots of people use drugs to treat mental disabilities. Two years ago I was trapped living with my abusive boyfriend who would threaten me, lock me in my home, lie to my friends, etc. I truly could not be myself without weed. When I was sober the only thing I could think about was how to end my life. Drugs literally saved me. I was not myself when I was sober because when I was sober I wanted nothing more than death.
>“X opens my mind, I’m not a full person without X”This sounds like it's specifically referencing acid or psychedelics, and you're misinterpreting what was being said. psychedelics do actually alter your mind and, acid especially, allow you to draw connections and sights and communicate with yourself and others in ways that you simply cannot do while sober. I didn't realize my former circle of friends were hateful and harmful to me until I did acid, and after that day I never spoke to any of them again and my life has only gotten better. acid objectively helped me open my mind to the idea of living a life I had never considered living before, and I acted on it. I am now healthier, have a larger support group, have artistic and emotional support, and feel safe in my community for the first time in my life.
>“Stop taking X? Thats just what they want you to do! X is freedom!”I mean…. yeah. That is what "they" want you to do. In this case "they" is in reference to controlling weirdos like you and the government. In this debate. drugs ARE freedom, because people like you are trying to restrict what people can do with their bodies. If you were trying to ban me from picking my nose, then picking my nose would be freedom.
tl;dr you're letting entertainment media and flailing evangelicals on fox news tell you what drugs are rather than talking to people in communities where drugs are used in healthy and safe ways.
There are two kinds of drug users. The kind that loses their home because they spent the last month with a needle in their arm, and the kind that keeps narcan in their bag and offers to test your ket when they see you crushing it.