BTL Blog Comments

Sun, 06 Jun 2010 10:43:1275785023 GMT

Personally, I don't think it is your place to 'convince' a friend... or anyone, not to take drugs. If they want to be here for a short time but an apparent 'good' time, that's their choice. And if you still want to be their friend when the pieces need picking up, then maybe that makes you a good friend.

If your friends are so easily influenced one way or the other, maybe they need to learn to make up their own mind. Give them the research and tell them to read it!

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 02:20:1259598024 GMT

Hi everyone,

Cheers for all your comments!

I think the overarching debate (i.e., take drugs, or don't take drugs) stems mostly from two completely contrasting perspectives of the same thing. It's no (fundamentally) different to those who do or do not drink coffee/exercise/eat greens etc...Although clearly at a different level of detriment to one's health (quicker, perhaps).

I guess this fundamental plane is where the challenges arise in trying to deter a mate from using drugs- Likewise with all those other dichotomies (do or don'ts), convincing someone is a 50/50 thing that takes not only you, but your mate.. But, I guess the reason why people become interested is because they see another person have fun on drugs, or get peer-pressured and find that they don't notice anything different about themselves in the short-term, therefore continue and as you guys have said- wind up somewhere impossible to get out of....

So perhaps a way of convincing a friend, is to show them a different kind of experience, something as novel and exciting and risk-taking (etc), and get them interested in that instead, meanwhile, showing them the other side of the coin to taking drugs- that its not all fun, exciting, new, harmless....

I think if someone has seen both sides to the do/don't take drug situation, and turn down other novel experiences, then at this point, its super hard to deter them- maybe this is where persistence and effort on the "deterer's" part may need to kick in :-/ i dont know... what do you guys think?!

Jenn :)

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 00:47:1259592474 GMT

Thanks heaps for this peice Jenn,Like you I have watched the effects drugs have on some people I think sometimes it starts of as peer pressure but then becomes a daily routine that for some seems impossible to change which is sad.

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 11:13:1258938804 GMT

Hi Jenn,

I love this article - particularly your arguement that if you only live once, why compromise your experience... You so often hear people saying that drugs open up new kinds of experiences - rather than limiting them. Mind you, I know a guy who had drug-induced psycosis and his mind was certainly not opened up. He lived with limited experience as a result for the rest of his life.

I guess the thing is though - people do think 'it'll be fine for me'... what can you possibly do as a mate who's trying to deter someone from using?

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 03:15:1258737325 GMT

aaahh.. i love the geeky picture. hehe. i think its a great opinion piece, even though its skewed to one spectrum. and i definitely love your idea of travelling instead of drugs, which a lot of ppl are stuck with.

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 10:27:1258417674 GMT

Thanks for a great article Jenn :-) I liked your comment that in your life you'd substituted travel for drugs - what a great way of broadening your horizons and engaging with the world around you.

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 09:32:1258327936 GMT

this article gives it to you in black and white! who can argue with the journal of neuroscience.

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 06:06:1258056360 GMT

Wow cool article!

Loved it thanks!