::raises hand::
I get drunk from time to time, but I’ve never tried drugs, or smoked cigarettes. I watched my grandfather die of lung cancer from his smoking, so that turned me off smoking fo life. And a few years back I watched one of my closest friends nearly destroy his life with pot and acid. He turned himself around with a little help, but he was on a path for self destruction for awhile there. It just never made me want to try any of it…
Don’t do drugs, don’t smoke, don’t drink, and never tried any of them. I’m 32.
I am a major Coke (as in Coca Cola) fiend, though.
I don’t think I like what Kaje is implying. (Or, at least, what I am inferring from his/her post)
Anyhoo, just like those above me, I do not drink (though I have had the very occasional one) and have never been drunk. I have never smoked anything, and not taken any drug other than medically prescribed things not much stronger than coughdrops or iron pills.
I just have no desire to, and also feel that those who do have this intense interest (and frightening urge to evangelise their usage) are people who are taking the easy and wrong way to so-called pleasure/happiness. I sure wish they weren’t doing drugs.
Alcholism runs in my family. After years of grinding misery and abuse I finally divorced my alcholic husband. He didn’t carry risk factors. Both of us drank very lightly if at all when we were married. Against all reasonable odds, he was the one who plummeted into destruction–and nothing seemed to stop or even slow the descent.
He was a bright, funny, formidably capable person who systematically threw away his career, wife, home and now shits his pants and can’t complete a coherent sentence.
I still drink because, against all odds, it’s a joy and addition to life, not an addiction. There’s a difference. I have no idea about illegal/recreational drugs; not my quirk. But somehow I can savor a glass or so of good wine, beer, a rare smokey Scotch, Bourbon, etc.–grace notes, not addictions. They’re genuinely good, fine, postive things that I enjoy but easily turn down–whenever.
OTOH, I can’t smoke. Ever. Forget a casual puff now and then. Against all familial and hardwon personal odds, that’s my downfall. I can only imagine the selective, refined enjoyment of fine cigars, pipe tobaccos, etc. One puff–one–and I’m back to a pack-and-a-half pathetic gasper.
Not defending or justifying but there’s balance. There’s a line between stupid license and puritanism.
you’re not. i tried drugs a few times after high school. when i was in school i told myself i’d never touch the stuff, but curiosity got the better of me. my opinion? eh. i don’t see the appeal. (personally, i was “scared straight” after a particular night involving way too many mushrooms)
i know this was a little off topic, but i just wanted to pipe in and tell anyone who hasn’t done any drugs that no, you’re not missing anything. especially not something that’s worth risking legal problems and addiction.
TVeblen, I’m not sure if your post was in direct reference to mine or not, but as I’m the only one who has mentioned the familial “tradition” of alcoholism I’m guessing that it was at least influenced by mine. 
I’m a fairly cautious person. I don’t gamble because I know the mathematical odds are not in my favour, so why waste the money if there’s no guaranteed return? In playing Hearts I never, ever, try to Shoot the Moon unless I am 100% certain that I can take all the tricks. In playing Euchre I very, very rarely “go alone”, despite the fact that (IMHO of course) I’m a damned good player.
I know that the risk of my becoming an alcoholic are severe, especially considering I have a tendency to wallow in depression on far-too-often occasion. Putting aside totally the fact that as an ex-chemistry/pre-med student I know that alcohol happens to be a toxin and that whole idea of drinking a toxin kind of bugs me, and putting aside the fact that so far I’ve not tasted anything that I enjoyed putting into my mouth, I still feel safer not drinking than attempting to drink on rare occasion.
My biggest fear is that I will do what your ex-husband did. Every older member of my family is an alcoholic, and recently my oldest cousin - 16 - received his second DUI in as many months. It kills me to see him going down that road, and “safe bet” or not, I’m not going to screw up my life more than it already is.
If I’m wrong, and I really am the kind of person who can drink without getting addicted, and I don’t drink because I don’t like the taste, I’ve suffered no loss.
If I’m right, and I really am the kind of person who easily slips into over-use, abuse, and alcoholism, and throw away my chance to make something better of myself than I already have and am … and I don’t drink, then I think I’ve won the most wonderful prize in the world.
My life.
Better to live in ‘puritanism’ than to lose everything that’s ever been important to me. Puritanism is, at least, 100% effective.
When I was about twelve, my parents sat me down and gave me a ciggarette and told me to smoke it. I thought this was kinda cool and tried a drag - when I finished coughing and retching in the bathroom, I found that the desire to try another drag had mysteriously left me.
After that - smoked one cigar and enjoyed it; never been offered anything else…
Gp
P.S. My parents plan backfired a little on my brother - he finished the cigarette and said “It’s not that bad”
just catnip… does that count?
otherwise, no. no drugs.
I’ll have wine or a mixed drink maybe every couple of months. I tried cigarettes a couple of times in my long-distant youth - ick ick ick - couldn’t understand the appeal. I was around pot once and was too stupid to realize that’s what the guy was smoking. Never had any desire to try any illegals. I kinda like being aware of the world around me. FTR, I’m 47.
You know those Nitrous Oxide canisters you can get at baking stores? For charging up whipped cream dispensers?
That was the hardest drug I tried in college. (Twice.)
That and (of course) drinking, smoking and aspirin (technically a drug, though not what you meant). Pot? No, no appeal for me. Anything harder? Fuggiddaboudit.
I still drink, although rarely.
I don’t smoke anymore. (Ugg, what was I thinking? Oh yeah, I was 20, I wasn’t.)
I’ve switched from aspirin to ibuprophen.
I can’t even take most allergy meds. They make me loopy.
-Rue. (Kids! Get high on Life!)
No drugs, no smoking, drink like a fish. I’m 40.
I’ve drunk alcohol, but I don’t like the taste and don’t drink enough to get drunk, so there isn’t much point in it to me.
I smoked cigarettes briefly but then quit.
Never did any illegal drugs. At all. Never even tried them. I had plenty of opportunities, but I never did. And for no reason other than it just didn’t seem that interesting to me. It still doesn’t.
I’m impressed by the number of dopers that haven’t done any of that stuff.
Like many here, I’ve never done any drugs (outside of those prescribed for me), never drank, and never smoked. For me it just never made any sense for me. I don’t look down on those that do use those things, in fact some of my very best friends are into smoking pot, but they understand and accept the fact that I’ll never touch the stuff myself.
As for alcohol, I’ve never really liked the taste. Hey, has anyone ever been the subject of massive interrogation because you refused to drink? I have on more than one occasion. It’s like people think something is wrong because I won’t drink and they start asking things like, “Why? Did you have a bad experience with it?” and they HAVE to know. Sometimes when it gets really bad, I just make up an excuse like, “I’m allergic” or if I’m feeling like messing with their heads I’ll say, “Well, my dad died from alcohol poisoning… now I can’t even stand to see a bottle, let alone drink anymore.”
Which brings to mind why I’ve refrained from any experimentation.
When I was in 9th grade my nextdoor neighbor (who had once been a good friend but had increasing started hanging out with the “wrong crowd”) and another guy that lived on our street were inhaling TV tuner. The other guy went into cardiac arrest and died. The next day his distraught sister, also a beyond casual teenage drug user, committed suicide by stepping in front of a train.
Although I didn’t know either of the two that died, I shared alot of common friends (most of whom were the “stoner” types), and seeing the grief they went through was disturbing enough to turn me off from drugs, other than the occasional alcoholic beverage.
I’ve never smoked anything stronger than clove cigarettes or ingested anything more potent than 100-proof Stoli. The funny part is, I’ve never been offered the opportunity, either, not that I think that would have caused me to try anything.
Dragwyr … Yes, often. It’s annoying, isn’t it?
The most prevalent question I get is, in a shocked and somewhat derisive voice, “But isn’t it hard?! You know, to like, not drink? I mean, what’s a party without a beer?!”
shakes head
They just don’t seem to get it
I’ve never tried any illegal drug. I occasionally have a drink or two (I’m 25 years old.)
I used to be way more uptight about others using drugs, then I loosened up a little. Not much. I don’t want anyone partaking around me, if possible. My brother has had a drug problem in the past, and we put my little sister into rehab on Monday. Addiction evidently runs in my family, and I’m not about to tempt fate. I abhor cigarettes. I wish my friends/family that smoked didn’t, but I’ve also realized that no matter what I say, they won’t quit. It’s just another reason for me to stay away from bars/clubs.
It’s interesting to note that you view this particular chemical as somewhat innocuous, and something to lightheartedly admit to using, when in reality it’s both more addictive and more harmful than many other substances you would surely scorn…even pot :eek:
Again i’m not saying these things to change minds… just remember them next time you look down on “dirty druggies”
I’m 27, and have never done anything, never even been tempted. The smell of beer was plenty to turn me off–that and the many alcoholic genes running around in our family, and the grandfather who killed himself early with drink and cigarettes.
I think TVeblen hit the nail on the head. There’s no easy answer to the question of mind-altering substances. They’re neither bad nor good, they are what they are and its up to us to make the decisions that best suit our own lives. There are people who abuse drugs. there are people who use drugs in moderation, without ill effects. And there are people who shun drugs altogether. It takes all kinds.