Day 03 - Drugs & Alcohol

Just a little update...I've taken the plunge and I'm doing THE CHALLENGE, the 30 Day Challenge, that is.  I'm on Day 03 right now.

Day 03 - Your views on drugs and alcohol.

I have some strong opinions on half of this subject matter.  Let's get started, shall we?

source here

Drugs - Call me a dork, if you'd like, but I belonged to an anti-drug group in high school.  We went out to the Elementary schools to talk to them about "just sayin' no".  In college, I found a similar group and did the same thing.  It's always been important to me to spread that kind of message to the young and impressionable.

Here's my two cents on the subject matter:  unless we are speaking of prescription or over-the-counter drugs, they are illegal.  I can honestly say I have never partaken in any illegal drugs.  That being said, I do not judge those who HAVE (notice the past tense).  I understand that there is a lot of peer pressure out there.  I understand that people make mistakes.  What I don't understand is people who are old enough to know better and still choose that route.  How does one tell their children not to do drugs when they are using?  I get annoyed with the whole yuppy "I can be successful and still smoke pot" mentality.  What's the point?  Oh...and it smells icky.

Prior to starting my freshman year in college, I had the opportunity to take some exams to receive college credit.  One of those exams was a written essay.  There were multiple topics handed out randomly throughout the classroom.  I received "should drugs be legalized?".  This was easy for me to discuss.  I understand some people feel like this would help our economy - court costs would be decreased, law enforcement resources could be focused elsewhere, jobs could be created.  I also understand that laws would have to be created like age limits and whatnot.  How many kids under the age of 21 currently drink?  Exactly.  It would be worse.  For the record, I tested out of Freshman English.

Okay, I will get off my soap box and move on...

Alcohol - I have gone through my wild days.  Fortunately, I mostly waited until I was 21, but that's because I was/am a mcwimpy and was always afraid of getting busted.  I've had moments of drunkenness.  I've had good times.

She drinks a whiskey drink, she drinks a vodka drink
She drinks a Lager drink, she drinks a cider drink
She sings the songs that remind her of the good times
She sings the songs that remind her of the best times

I've had bad times, too, though.   

Back at the end of '08 to the first third of '09, I went through a VERY bad phase.  I found myself drinking more and crying often.  I used to at least be a happy drinker.  I somehow became sad and pathetic.  I took myself off of drinking for several months.  My thought process was "I used to drink and laugh and now I drink and cry.  Until I can learn to laugh again, I just won't drink."  I worked on me.  There was a lot to work on.  It took a while, but eventually I crawled out of the hole.  Now I enjoy the occasional adult beverage.  When I do, it is done so in the spirit of laughter.  No more tears in a beer for this girl!

So there you have my thoughts on the matters at hand.
illegal drugs = not cool; alcohol in moderation (or when you don't have to drive) = cool