# Drug Users: Ever Feel Guilty **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 6, 2012, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drug-users-ever-feel-guilty/630588 "2012-08-06T04:36:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2012, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drug-users-ever-feel-guilty/630588/1 "2012-08-06T04:36:51Z")
For those of you who have used illegal drugs have you ever felt guilty not because of the fact that you used them but because some of the money you used to buy them went to criminal gangs who regularly commit murder and lesser crimes? ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2012, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drug-users-ever-feel-guilty/630588/2 "2012-08-06T04:41:42Z")
No. Anyway you can blame the government for all that, since forcing drugs to the black market is the only reason that stuff happens. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2012, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drug-users-ever-feel-guilty/630588/3 "2012-08-06T04:52:12Z")
No. I’d say the assertion that “some of the money you used to buy them went to criminal gangs who regularly commit murder and lesser crimes” is dubious at best and a tentative connection to me and my money at worst. I also don’t feel particularly bad when Kevin Bacon has a rotten day. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2012, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drug-users-ever-feel-guilty/630588/4 "2012-08-06T04:54:45Z")
Yes; and to escape those unpleasant feelings of guilt I ran to what I knew would make me feel better…more drugs. It’s a vicious circle. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2012, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drug-users-ever-feel-guilty/630588/5 "2012-08-06T04:57:41Z")
Yes. The drugs I used to do were so dangerous that there is no way any responsible government would allow them to be distributed with any amount of regulation. I believe the fact that the government outlaws them is the correct decision and I feel guilty for the consequences of my use - not to myself or those I know but to the damage the demand created elsewhere. I’m sure this won’t be a popular opinion but it’s mine. ---
**Author:** ![lavenderviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/cdc98d/32.png) [@lavenderviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lavenderviolet)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2012, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drug-users-ever-feel-guilty/630588/6 "2012-08-06T05:00:38Z")
Keep in mind that drug addiction will make someone do terrible things even to the people they know. People with addictions will steal from their parents. The foster care system is full of kids whose parents chose drugs over their own children. For that reason, I doubt most would stop to think about how people they’ve never met are harmed by the drug trade. If a drug user was capable of thinking about how they hurt others with their drug use they probably wouldn’t do drugs for long. ---
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2012, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drug-users-ever-feel-guilty/630588/7 "2012-08-06T05:15:39Z")
I don’t feel guilty, never feel guilty, and I’m pretty sure my drug use never hurt anybody. Not me, not anyone else. ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2012, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drug-users-ever-feel-guilty/630588/8 "2012-08-06T05:31:34Z")
NO! It is the government’s fault for criminalizing a lifestyle and desire, they are responsible for all the fallout for that evil. Early gay bars were run by the mafia, so were the patrons evil for giving money to the mafia? Or was the government evil for criminalizing a lifestyle? Same thing with drugs. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2012, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drug-users-ever-feel-guilty/630588/9 "2012-08-06T05:51:58Z")
I’m guessing it depends on what kind of illegal drugs you’re using as well. Not all of them are sold by murderers, **Qin**. ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2012, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drug-users-ever-feel-guilty/630588/10 "2012-08-06T05:54:53Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > I’m guessing it depends on what kind of illegal drugs you’re using as well. Not all of them are sold by murderers, **Qin**. I know that… ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2012, 7:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drug-users-ever-feel-guilty/630588/11 "2012-08-06T07:10:09Z")
When I used to use, it was locally-grown so this was not a concern. Anyone who buys from a local grow op (or hell, grows their own) isn’t party to what Mexican cartels or American gangs are doing to each other. ---
**Author:** ![Beastly\_Rotter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/45deac/32.png) [@Beastly\_Rotter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beastly_Rotter)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2012, 10:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drug-users-ever-feel-guilty/630588/12 "2012-08-06T10:00:50Z")
Objection; counsel is leading the witness. ---
**Author:** ![dataguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eada6e/32.png) [@dataguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dataguy)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2012, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drug-users-ever-feel-guilty/630588/13 "2012-08-06T12:39:45Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > For those of you who have used illegal drugs have you ever felt guilty not because of the fact that you used them but because some of the money you used to buy them went to criminal gangs who regularly commit murder and lesser crimes? So does some of my tax money. ---
**Author:** ![Sudden\_Kestrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecd19e/32.png) [@Sudden\_Kestrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sudden_Kestrel)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2012, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drug-users-ever-feel-guilty/630588/14 "2012-08-06T12:59:16Z")
I’m more ashamed that my tax dollars go to support the government’s useless and counterproductive war on drugs. Of course, I used drugs back in the '70s when there were no evil gangs or cartels, only mellow hippies wearing love beads ;). ---
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2012, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drug-users-ever-feel-guilty/630588/15 "2012-08-06T13:13:09Z")
It has been one of the considerations for me not to try cocaine, yes. ---
**Author:** ![Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Living_Well_Is_Best_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2012, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drug-users-ever-feel-guilty/630588/16 "2012-08-06T13:28:46Z")
Definitely felt guilt but not because of the reason in the OP. ---
**Author:** ![shiftless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9c0ed/32.png) [@shiftless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shiftless)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2012, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drug-users-ever-feel-guilty/630588/17 "2012-08-06T13:42:05Z")
If I used drugs, I would feel guilty at the money wasted on such an exppensive hobby. The fact that criminals get some of the money is 100% the fault of the war on drugs. I don’t feel guilty that some busy-bodies want to waste precious resources trying to stop the inevitable. They should feel guilty for that. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2012, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drug-users-ever-feel-guilty/630588/18 "2012-08-06T14:02:37Z")
> [@Rachellelogram](#): > > When I used to use, it was locally-grown so this was not a concern. Anyone who buys from a local grow op (or hell, grows their own) isn’t party to what Mexican cartels or American gangs are doing to each other. This. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2012, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drug-users-ever-feel-guilty/630588/19 "2012-08-06T14:09:46Z")
The 50 year old professional who grew the ounce I just picked up is not a ruthless bloodthirsty criminal. I do not feel guilty. ---
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2012, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drug-users-ever-feel-guilty/630588/20 "2012-08-06T14:17:06Z")
When I smoked pot, the only thing I felt guilty about is that the people in my apartment could smell it. Some had kids. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drug-users-ever-feel-guilty/630588.md?page=2)