Learning about the history of LSD in lecture inspired me to do the same for Ecstasy. I stumbled upon an online book E for Ecstasy by Nicholas Saunders. To read the whole of it go to http://www.ecstasy.org/books/e4x/e4x.ch.03.html. It gives a good history of the founding of the drug and its integration into mainstream society.
The part that caught my attention was
The part that caught my attention was
“A deeply-embedded puritan ethic seems to affect the response to drugs in Western societies. To use a drug for pleasure is taboo(3), yet to use a drug to relieve pain is acceptable. In reality there is no sharp distinction: if someone is 'suffering from depression' and a drug makes him feel happy, it is regarded as a medicine and meets with approval. But if that person is regarded as normal and takes a drug that makes him happy, he is indulging in something quite unacceptable. Except, of course, if the drug happens to be nicotine or alcohol.(16)”
This embodies the exact thoughts on most peoples minds today. Why are drugs SO taboo, so “bad” when the most damaging drugs, alcohol and nicotine, that we don’t even consider to be drugs, are the most addictive, destroying things in society. How can one drug be a completely acceptable part of everyday life when others are condemned to be for those junkies who steal and murder to fix their habits? Stereotypical views of drugs come from somewhere, from those who are feeding us the facts; the government perhaps?
I believe that recreational drug use does no harm. It is only if recreational turns into dependence that it becomes a problem. But using this logic, isn’t smoking a problem? A massive problem? Drinking too. There are hundreds and thousands of people in this world that are hooked on smoking or drinking. Addicted to something that’s slowly rotting their bodies. So why is this not taboo but drugs are? Its extremely strange what society accepts and what it doesn’t!
I believe that recreational drug use does no harm. It is only if recreational turns into dependence that it becomes a problem. But using this logic, isn’t smoking a problem? A massive problem? Drinking too. There are hundreds and thousands of people in this world that are hooked on smoking or drinking. Addicted to something that’s slowly rotting their bodies. So why is this not taboo but drugs are? Its extremely strange what society accepts and what it doesn’t!
http://www.drugscope.org.uk/resources/drugsearch/drugsearchpages/ecstasy.htm
This website’s extremely good if you’ve ever had any questions about ecstasy. It explains that deaths aren’t as likely as thought by many. The ecstatic effect makes accidents more likely and most deaths have been connected with non stop dancing, overheating and exhaustion. Drinking too much water can damage your body too by causing swelling of the brain if drunk excessively.
Again, dependence on a drug is not a good thing. And used too often ecstasy can cause memory loss and lack of concentration….doesn’t alcohol too?
This website’s extremely good if you’ve ever had any questions about ecstasy. It explains that deaths aren’t as likely as thought by many. The ecstatic effect makes accidents more likely and most deaths have been connected with non stop dancing, overheating and exhaustion. Drinking too much water can damage your body too by causing swelling of the brain if drunk excessively.
Again, dependence on a drug is not a good thing. And used too often ecstasy can cause memory loss and lack of concentration….doesn’t alcohol too?
1 comment:
I do agree with the fact that alcohol is just as bad as drugs like ecstasy and cannabis. At the end of the day it comes to the user and how much they consume.
It is interesting however to learn that over exhasution and over factors actually contribute to death and not just taking the ecstasy alone.
Asha :)
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