DRUGS!

Had a bit of alcohol before it was legal for me to do so. Nothing else illegal.Drink occasionally, often to excess on Friday the 13th, (poker night) but very rarely, to excess other than that.Smoke cigars.Used to drink a lot of Diet Mt. Dew (8-12 cans a day). Quit caffiene in three days after they changed the formula.Strongly in favor of decriminalization of all drugs.

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Those who would sacrifice an essential liberty for a temporary security will lose both, and deserve neither. -- Benjamin FranklinWe see monsters where science shows us windmills. -- Phat

You sound like someone who not only has no real world drug use experience yourself, but no real world experience being around people who have used drugs. I've had acquaintances who used drugs for recreational purposes who experienced none of the things that you describe. If you include alcohol in the category of "drugs," then I have done so myself, on many occasions.I fully acknowledge that some drugs can have some of the effects you describe on some people, but to say that all drug use does all of those things is simply wrong. Consider it a vice if you like. Consider all people who use all drugs sub-human if you like. But don't try to justify your opinion with falsehoods. Reefer Madness was not cinema verite.

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Those who would sacrifice an essential liberty for a temporary security will lose both, and deserve neither. -- Benjamin FranklinWe see monsters where science shows us windmills. -- Phat

You quite simply do not know what you are talking about. I have been playing poker every Friday the 13th for more than 10 years, and have won money virtually every time. While drinking. Often to excess. And I have taken money from people who weren't drinking.Alcohol certainly reduces ones cognitive faculties, but only in the most extreme doses does it do what you describe. During one of our poker nights, one of my buddies described to me some marital difficulties he was having. He and I left the game for about an hour, and I talked with him about his problems. I was eight sheets into the wind. Not only did I not neglect his needs, I abandoned my own stated purpose for being there, drinking, pokering, and laughing with the boys, to help him out.You are wrong. You know not of what you speak. And if you want to respond to the heart of my post, you better have something more compelling than, "Nuh uh!"

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Those who would sacrifice an essential liberty for a temporary security will lose both, and deserve neither. -- Benjamin FranklinWe see monsters where science shows us windmills. -- Phat

I seem to recall that I asked you to respond with something more than just, "Nuh uh!" You didn't. I tell you now that if in the future you cannot find a way to put something of substance in your relpies, I shall have no further reason to communicate with you on this topic.My friend did take advice from a drunk person and, if I can take the word of a person who sometimes drinks as true, our talk did in fact help him. You really must tell me whence you acquired this remarkable ability to know more about what has happened to me than I do. It's fascinating.In fact, what it does mean is that you were completely, utterly and famously wrong when you said that drug use renders one unable to tend to another's needs. What's more, this was not an isolated incident. During the score or more poker nights that I have attended, dozens of problems have come up, some less important than others, some more. In each case, the game took a back seat to tending to a friend's problem. Ah, now you're changing your tune. Has my ability decreased? Probably somewhat. But it never disappeared as you initially claimed. I'm glad to see you've recognized the error of your ways.

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Those who would sacrifice an essential liberty for a temporary security will lose both, and deserve neither. -- Benjamin FranklinWe see monsters where science shows us windmills. -- Phat

One can never recognize all of anyone's needs, even one's own.I'll tell you what, slim. I'll happily engage you in a debate on any topic of your choosing that I am moderately familiar with after I have had anywhere between 1-5 drinks, you can pick the number. We can draft our various responses anonymously and then submit the results to this forum to judge whose responses are more clearly directed at the topic of the debate and who shows a clearer grasp of basic English skills. If you have some other elements of cognitive ability that you would like to have judged, let me know.Put your money where your mouth is.

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Those who would sacrifice an essential liberty for a temporary security will lose both, and deserve neither. -- Benjamin FranklinWe see monsters where science shows us windmills. -- Phat

As I said, you name it, as long as I'm moderately familiar with it.

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Those who would sacrifice an essential liberty for a temporary security will lose both, and deserve neither. -- Benjamin FranklinWe see monsters where science shows us windmills. -- Phat

Chicken!