DRUG USE: MEDICINAL VS. RECREATIONAL?
According to our current drug policy, you are either using them “medicinally” to treat a decease, or “recreationally” which for politicians mean: “It’s Friday, let’s get fucked up”.
Wait, do you mean there are other uses? Read on.
Once upon a time
Way back at the dawn of civilization, when electricity was a fire and television was that oral tradition of story tellers speaking of distant time, lands and incredible feats, there were drugs.
Not so long ago, after our ancestors had left the forest, domesticated seeds and animals, and launch into the conquest of distant lands on shaky boats, there were drugs.
Even after we had managed to control electricity and carry it in our pockets in cell phones, fly through the sky in huge metal vehicles and find ever increasing reasons to bomb distant lands and peoples, there are still plenty of drugs.
Drug use and humanity come from even before the collective realization that if we come down from the trees and walk upright, we could one day end up with something called “drug policy”.
It is normal and above all: It is OK
It is not just us the Homo Sapiens, that biped who left the great African Savannah thousands of years ago and managed to occupy the entire planet who uses drugs.
There is a whole array of animals that use drugs available in nature either to cure an illness or to “get fucked up” — according to our scientific community of humans who also take drugs.
Anyone who drinks a coffee or a soda, is using a psychoactive drug. Those poor souls who are still to this day and age smoking tobacco cigarettes, are using a very dirty, damaging and addictive drug called nicotine.
Yes, we are all on drugs. Even the priests from the Catholic Church who drink wine every time they claim to be “eating the flesh and drinking the blood” of Jesus and who don’t like to share it with anyone in attendance.
It is normal to use drugs. It is OK to use drugs. It is perfectly fine if you are reading this article while using drugs. After all you, me, he, she, them and those people over there, we are all using drugs.
Medicinal or Recreational?
I have to make a confession to all of you: I am a drug addict.
Yes, I am and have been one for as many years as I can remember. Day in and day out I have to use my drug otherwise I get withdrawals, sleepiness and mental fog where I only want to go to sleep.
I had been addictive to a drug that makes my day better and productive, helps me inspire to write and live, it is widely available all across our society and to put in mild words: A drug that I love.
Caffeine is my drug and I don’t have any plans to stop anytime soon. Even more so, I’ve had two cups today and will have a third one as soon as I am ready to proof read this article and hit publish.
It is not a drug I use for medicinal purposes neither as a “recreational” drug. There are so many more words to describe this use that encompass life as a whole.
The Swiss Army Knife of drugs
Is a ritual followed every morning upon waking up: A nice cup of coffee to order my ideas and dive into the day ahead.
It is a social drug: Having a excuse to see a friend and catch up, just chat about anything and ask and give advice. Much more appealing than saying “let’s grab a glass of water and talk”.
I use it for productivity: This article is proof of that. How else would you write about caffeine but when you are under the gentle effects of its psychoactive molecule?
As a medicine I have discovered that help treats head aches and lifts the mood, the perspective in life. It clarifies how good of a person you are and that no matter how hard the road currently looks, you keep pushing and things are always going to get better. (If not, get another cup).
Is this use more towards the medicinal part of more along the lines of recreation? If this question was a coin thrown up in the air, it will land right in the middle and will stay there, neither heads nor tails.
But…
Some drugs are stronger than others. Some can be purchase from a business with air conditioning and a person wearing a white robe.
Other drugs can be purchased at the supermarket or at the convenient store just down the street.
People even sell some of this psychoactive drugs on the street and even take credit cards.
For some of these drugs we know where they come from, the dosage necessary and we know that they have been manufactured and process following strict regulations.
Coffee is one of them for example.
But there are others that other than trusting the person who is selling it, we have no idea whatsoever that is in there.
There is no quality control and no list of ingredients. Just something with no brand and no nothing that hints on what is in there.
What should we do then?
Talk about drugs is the first step. Speak up about drugs. Say out loud words such as marijuana, cocaine, LSD, heroin, caffeine and so on.
To listen to those words will prompt us all to feel comfortable talking about drugs, our uses and what really are their effects.
Yes, talking is the light necessary to shine on all the fear and misinformation that goes into the topic of drugs.
Talking and reading. Do you think it is terrible bad and people who use drugs should be locked up? Sure, speak it up. Share with your friends and ask them what they think.
The only way to get to understand drugs is to read about it and talk about it.
Drugs are an inherently part of humanity: They have always been with us and will be with us for the rest of our days on this planet.
Let’s not just come to terms with that sad reality. See the amazing opportunity we have to learn more and to have honest and sincere conversations about our drug use.
And this conversation could be with a nice cup of coffee.
