Mary Jane

[Hymn Strings]

It does affect on you, I never said that it didn't, I'm just saying I know people who smoke and drive and drink and drive, the people who smoke and drive have never had a crash in there life, and the ones who drink and drive get locked up everyweekend....

I'm gonna take a shot in the dark and guess that the ratio is much higher of people out there that get drunk (and drive) to those who get high...especially since the latter is illegal and makes the cases a little more rare. Unfortunately, I have driven under both scenarios and for me, at least, driving drunk was relatively easier than driving high. Maybe because I'm ADD and weed was never a good thing for me in the first place, I don't know. Still, as it goes I don't advocate or recommend either.

On another hand, I find it hypocritical when parents who drink (even a little bit) try to prevent and shield their teenage children from drinking and parties. Of course the child's gonna wanna try it someday, they see yo ass doing it! You think a flimsy subjective age law is gonna scare them away from trying it?

[WesSyde]

I'm gonna take a shot in the dark and guess that the ratio is much higher of people out there that get drunk (and drive) to those who get high...especially since the latter is illegal and makes the cases a little more rare.

really cuz i wouldnt say that at all. like i said i know lots of people that smoke, and lots of people who drive aswell. maybe its because more people do weed more over here in the bay area where its become glamourized by thugs in oakland and by hyphy rappers.

[WesSyde]

oh and i hope i never do hit anybody or anything on the road, especially kill someone. that would be horrible. thats why most of the time when i'm driving it's at night, usually late at night, where hopefully no one would be dashing out into the streets, altho its harder to see at night cuz of the lack of light.

[Lerkot]

Everyone has their opinions on this and I respect that completely. But mine is, I don't think its ok to be high and drive.

I agree but I have to add that I dont respect anyone who thinks its okey to be high and to be driving.

Drunk/high driving is a really ugly crime to commit. Putting other peoples life in risk only to have fun for a couple of hours is really sick actually.

I wish all those drunk/high drivers would have got some sense as a christmas gift, but obviously that didnt happen.

[PeaceAngel]

Just to explain my situation to everyone...

I'm not taking the pills just for the hell of it. I'm trying to help myself. It may not be the best way, but it's working out for me because I don't have time to "sleep right." And what is "sleeping right" anyway? Whether I get 6 or 12 hours of sleep, I feel just as tired throughout the day. I was falling asleep in classes at school, I couldn't concentrate on homework, tests, etc., I would easily get stressed out at work, and I was always exhausted and in a bad mood. My grades dropped significantly, and sometimes I would even miss days of school just because I would feel so exhausted to the point where I would get massive headaches, stomachaches, and feel nauseas and dizzy. Not to mention, my parents yelled at me about all of this so much and I couldn't handle all the stress, it drove me insane. Excedrin has aspirin and caffeine in it, so it helps with the headaches and gives me the energy I need during the day. I can concentrate better on my work, my grades are improving, and overall I'm usually in a better mood although I still have my bad days. I know you are all thinking I should get better sleep, but I just have so much homework to deal with, and sometimes I still can't get it all done but I try my best. Working also takes up a chunk of my schedule and you are all probably thinking I should work less. I'm not working as much as I used to but I still need enough shifts to make money. I really don't want to give up my job because I love my job. I have tons of friends there and it's one of the few places where I can truly feel happy, and keep my mind away from stress at least for a while. I also love the fact that I am appreciated for what I do, as opposed to being yelled at for my mistakes. My home and school life aren't all that great right now, and that's why I like to go to work to get away from that. I'm only working a few shifts a week since I get so busy with other stuff, and it does get really stressful, but I'm trying to keep myself together and sort everything out. It's extremely difficult to satisfy everyone around me, my parents, my teachers, my friends, even myself. I can't even type up a paragraph to explain what I go through on a regular basis. I cry myself to sleep constantly, I've probably cried more in the past few months that in the past year. I really rely on my close friends and my boyfriend to keep me from breaking down and wanting to kill myself, and that's why my social life is so important to me, and often that gets in the way of my priorities. I'm really trying to do better in school and put that in front of everything else, and I just hope that all the effort I'm putting in will pay off in the end. I honestly don't know if I have what it takes to fix everything that's going wrong, but I'm gonna go as far as I can possibly go and just hope that everything will be ok in the end.

As for my opinions on drugs/drinking/smoking, I don't think any of those things should be abused. Like I said before, I'm not taking pills just for the hell of it. Some people do, and they use the illegal drugs to do it. That's not what I want to do, I don't need to deal with that in my life. Same with smoking. There's a lot of people in my family who smoke, some are doing just fine and some have had health problems, but it affects everyone differently. I don't need to deal with that in my life either. And also, it's just disgusting. Who would want to inhale a bazillion poisons into their body?? Yummy? I don't think so. As for drinking, I agree with Julie. I think drinking is ok, but to a certain extent. Our livers can clean up bad materials pretty well, so as long as you don't drink too much and you know your limits, it'll be ok. However, I really hate people who get drunk all the time and can't get themselves under control of their drinking habits. That's how my cousin got raped by her own father, which makes me sick to my stomach and drives me insane whenever I think about it.

I think everyone should be aware of what we do with our bodies, and know our risks and limits and keep ourselves under control. If everyone was able to do that, the world would be a much better place. But unfortunately not everyone can do that, and that's what we have to deal with in our everyday lives when we hear depressing stories on the news. It's just the way it is.

[WesSyde]

it sounds like you need to take a break from life. request a day off work, find a day when u dont have h/w, and sleep in that day. then do something meaningful with your family or friends like go see a movie, something really relaxing. trust me, i know its easier said than done to find a day when ur not completely busy, but just keep that in mind. if u are able to take a break for a day or two you will feel a little better about things.

[PeaceAngel]

Yeah I've been trying to do that. Usually I'll have about half a day over the weekend to go do something with my friends for a few hours, but that's about all I can get. I usually work on the weekends since my weekdays consist of homework, but I'm definitely trying to fit more spare time into my schedule. I do get to sleep in for usually one of the weekend days, but I usually don't wake up til around 12 and then half the day is over, you know. It sucks, but being able to rest does feel nice after a week of hard work. I just wish there were more hours in the day to work with, then again I'm sure we all do.

[Turntable]

Peaceangel, through the last 2 years I talked to you allot, and I consider you a friend, even tho we kinda lost contac in the last few month's. I am truely worryed about you, especaly considering what you wrote here. I've been in a sitiatuin like that, I still am in some kind of way, just diffrent. All I can tell you is to hang in there, and try to focus on the good thing's you got, like Wes said. But dont go up in it so that stuff like school get's lost. I hope thing's get better for you. Basicly I just wanna wish you good luck, I'm pretty sure you'll manage it, caus you allways seemed like a good, clever girl to me. Keep ya head up.

[Jazzy Julie]

from the link i posted earlier.

Research shows that almost a quarter (22%) of those killed in road traffic accidents (RTAs) in the UK have illegal drugs in their bloodstream, and that there's an increasing number of RTAs where the presence of drugs in a driver's body may have been a contributory factor to the cause of the crash. Drug driving is most common among 20 to 24 year-olds, with clubbers being the most likely to take control of a car in a chemically altered state. In a survey by the Scottish Executive's Road Safety Campaign, 81% of clubbers had driven after recreational drug use, with many believing that cannabis had little or no impact on their driving skills, and some thinking that amphetamine use actually improved their driving skills. Unfortunately, ignorance is far from bliss when it comes to getting behind the wheel while under the influence.

If you think drug-taking has little, or even a positive, impact on your driving you could be tragically mistaken. It's important to bear in mind that it can be hard to determine exactly how a drug will affect your driving ability - impairment caused by drugs can vary according to the individual, drug type, dosage, the length of time the drugs stays in your body, or if the drug has been taken with other drugs or alcohol.

Cannabis

Some people think that cannabis is a 'safer substitute' to drinking, but it can cause concentration to wander, which can affect reaction times. It can also cause paranoia, drowsiness, distorted perception and a sense of disorientation - all of which could cause you to lose control at the wheel.In a study by the Transport Research Laboratory, people who drove a car at 66 miles per hour had a stopping distance of around 270ft, but after smoking a joint this increased on average by 15% to 310ft. In a slalom test, those who had just smoked a joint knocked over 30% more cones.

This isnt opinion, its scientific fact. You dont need to drive and if u do then dont take drugs.

[Jazzy Julie]

Just to explain my situation to everyone...

I'm not taking the pills just for the hell of it. I'm trying to help myself. It may not be the best way, but it's working out for me because I don't have time to "sleep right." And what is "sleeping right" anyway? Whether I get 6 or 12 hours of sleep, I feel just as tired throughout the day. I was falling asleep in classes at school, I couldn't concentrate on homework, tests, etc., I would easily get stressed out at work, and I was always exhausted and in a bad mood. My grades dropped significantly, and sometimes I would even miss days of school just because I would feel so exhausted to the point where I would get massive headaches, stomachaches, and feel nauseas and dizzy. Not to mention, my parents yelled at me about all of this so much and I couldn't handle all the stress, it drove me insane. Excedrin has aspirin and caffeine in it, so it helps with the headaches and gives me the energy I need during the day. I can concentrate better on my work, my grades are improving, and overall I'm usually in a better mood although I still have my bad days. I know you are all thinking I should get better sleep, but I just have so much homework to deal with, and sometimes I still can't get it all done but I try my best. Working also takes up a chunk of my schedule and you are all probably thinking I should work less. I'm not working as much as I used to but I still need enough shifts to make money. I really don't want to give up my job because I love my job. I have tons of friends there and it's one of the few places where I can truly feel happy, and keep my mind away from stress at least for a while. I also love the fact that I am appreciated for what I do, as opposed to being yelled at for my mistakes. My home and school life aren't all that great right now, and that's why I like to go to work to get away from that. I'm only working a few shifts a week since I get so busy with other stuff, and it does get really stressful, but I'm trying to keep myself together and sort everything out. It's extremely difficult to satisfy everyone around me, my parents, my teachers, my friends, even myself. I can't even type up a paragraph to explain what I go through on a regular basis. I cry myself to sleep constantly, I've probably cried more in the past few months that in the past year. I really rely on my close friends and my boyfriend to keep me from breaking down and wanting to kill myself, and that's why my social life is so important to me, and often that gets in the way of my priorities. I'm really trying to do better in school and put that in front of everything else, and I just hope that all the effort I'm putting in will pay off in the end. I honestly don't know if I have what it takes to fix everything that's going wrong, but I'm gonna go as far as I can possibly go and just hope that everything will be ok in the end.

Why dont u try and stay off the Excedrin for a bit. When i did 12 hour shifts, i sometimes had energy drinks with caffeine and taurine in them. It used to stop that last hour of work tiredness, but i found when i went to bed i was really tired but couldnt sleep coz the caffeine was still in my body. Then i would wake up the next day even worse. Needless to say i discovered what it did after a few times of doing this,so i stopped. i also find getting into a good sleep pattern helps. If u wake up a similar time everyday, your body get used to it and u fall asleep when u are tired coz your body knows when it needs to wake.

Just let your body do its natural thing, it shouldnt need stimulants.

[Hero1]

aspirin and caffeine are actually bad for your liver and body..and should actually make you feel sluggish.. good things for your body and concentration and brain.. are seeds and nuts..almonds are great.. also the omega 3s n 6s.. salmon and fish etc.. theres actually foods you can eat that help you get to sleep 2(dont have them on me at the moment) and foods to avoid(dont have tomato's at night-they'll keep you awake) anyway good luck with juggling everything.

[Guest Guest_JumpinJack AJ_*]

Just drinking water and staying in shape will illiminate headaches and give u energy.

It's funny how there are all these drugs and foods/drinks created for certain reasons...but if we took care of ourselves, we wouldn't even need them.

[WesSyde]

well, i mean, if we're gonna be going back and forth about this, i might as well bring some humor into it

Research shows that almost a quarter (22%) of those killed in road traffic accidents (RTAs) in the UK have illegal drugs in their bloodstream, and that there's an increasing number of RTAs where the presence of drugs in a driver's body may have been a contributory factor to the cause of the crash.

- im not from the UK

-drugs dont have to be weed

-"drugs in a drivers body may have been a contributory factor..."

Drug driving is most common among 20 to 24 year-olds, with clubbers being the most likely to take control of a car in a chemically altered state. In a survey by the Scottish Executive's Road Safety Campaign, 81% of clubbers had driven after recreational drug use, with many believing that cannabis had little or no impact on their driving skills, and some thinking that amphetamine use actually improved their driving skills. Unfortunately, ignorance is far from bliss when it comes to getting behind the wheel while under the influence.

- i dont go clubbing

- it depends how long after you get drugged up the way you drive *i will explain this at the bottom

If you think drug-taking has little, or even a positive, impact on your driving you could be tragically mistaken. It's important to bear in mind that it can be hard to determine exactly how a drug will affect your driving ability - impairment caused by drugs can vary according to the individual, drug type, dosage, the length of time the drugs stays in your body, or if the drug has been taken with other drugs or alcohol.

- i guess cannabis dont affect me that much then

Cannabis

Some people think that cannabis is a 'safer substitute' to drinking, but it can cause concentration to wander, which can affect reaction times. It can also cause paranoia, drowsiness, distorted perception and a sense of disorientation - all of which could cause you to lose control at the wheel. In a study by the Transport Research Laboratory, people who drove a car at 66 miles per hour had a stopping distance of around 270ft, but after smoking a joint this increased on average by 15% to 310ft. In a slalom test, those who had just smoked a joint knocked over 30% more cones.

This isnt opinion, its scientific fact. You dont need to drive and if u do then dont take drugs.

cannabis also causes a hightened sense, and it can cause you to concentrate well on one thing, depending on how you react. why do u think rappers blaze before they spit? it helps them concentrate on it and hightens their vocab

"Give me another blast of that green/

Till i get open and im nasty with the 16/"

it can also cause you to be more aware of drivers around you, since you are more paranoid (see, referencing the words from your quote) about driving well.

*about my quote up there, it does depend when you drive. i dont know about everyone else, but the first hour after i smoke is the highest you feel, and out of that first hour, i'd say the first 15 minutes is where ur just stupid high, unless you're smoking some strong club weed, which in that case u will be stupid high for hours. if you drive in that first 15 minutes where ur stupid high, u are way more likely to F up. ive done it once, and i would like to avoid doing it again. why? because you cant feel the gas or brake pedal with you feet and you cant tell how fast or slow you're going or stopping. if possible, restrain from driving in that first hour aswell i would say. by the time one hour passes, pretty much all you have is a bit of a head rush, but your senses have regained most of their strength and your able to think much better. this may not be the case with people who blaze until they feel "blown" or super high. im actually afraid to do that, i just like to go until im good and i can still tell whats happening around me. thats my perception on things. yes weed can cause you to drive bad, but it depends when u drive. if u drive after its started to wear off, you can drive when your high.

[Jazzy Julie]

This conversation has let me into the mind of some1 who drinks/ takes drugs and drives. ive never been able to understand it, after discussing this on here, its scares the hell out of me. im not even taking part in this anymore, your not even taking it seriously.

[Big Willie]

I think you're being ignorant to the risks again though Wes, man.

If you're gonna continue to drive high, so be it, we cant stop you. But think about that person that steps off the pavement whilst you're driving high and you could potentially hit and kill them. That scenerio could happen anyday, but you'll be in a lot more trouble if you're found to be driving under the influence of drugs. Just saying man, it aint always about you. Its about the life of the person you could be taking away.

Edited January 10, 2007 by Big Willie