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Decline in teen drug use continues, surprising experts

arstechnica.com

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Re: Decline in teen drug use continues, surprising experts

#551

Post by sneak »

cyberpunk wrote: post #248
jaco6 wrote: post #50

Two things: Even the “cool kids” are staying inside and using their phones all day. Cool used to mean you were at the party, now it just means you have a high snapchat score. Other thing is genuine fear of accidental fentanyl consumption. They’re making fake Xans with fentanyl in them, fentanyl is being found in coke powder. Plenty of people aren’t taking the risk with street drugs anymore. Jelly Roll said so in an i…

Why would anyone put fent in cocaine? It’s more expensive and has the opposite effect. Drug selling is all about repeat customers I don’t really believe this happens apart from accidents.

It’s accidental cross-contamination. The amount of fentanyl that can kill you is literally invisible.

Re: Decline in teen drug use continues, surprising experts

#552

Post by MarcelOlsz »

lizzas wrote: post #268
aziaziazi wrote: post #256

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Those are easier to cope with when you live in a supportive society. _Most_ humans naturally help each others in case of emergency. It’s easier when the framework is already in place.

People help each other in war? Catastophy? Sometimes they do, sometimes they definitely do not.

Yes they do [0].

[0] Poland's entire history.

Re: Decline in teen drug use continues, surprising experts

#553

Post by ChrisMarshallNY »

aniviacat wrote: post #549
ChrisMarshallNY wrote: post #362

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's a different beast, these days, though. Back then, only "nerds" socialized online. Nowadays, everyone does it. I'm of two minds about this. On one hand, I'm really glad that kids aren't screwing up their formative years. Drug use during growing/development years can wreck someone's life. The issue is that, if you are an addict (which is different from physical addiction. Many addicts never get physically addicted…

> if you are an addict [...] then you'll eventually have problems with drugs Do I understand you correctly that you're saying that people addicted to smartphones in their youth will (more likely) become drug addicts in adulthood? What makes you think that people don't just continue being addicted to phones as adults (instead of doing drugs)?

Nah, but addiction to smartphones might be an indication of future issues with other stuff (not just drugs). Long story, not really the kind most folks around here are interested in hearing.

Re: Decline in teen drug use continues, surprising experts

#554

Post by chaps »

tomrod wrote: post #501
chaps wrote: post #458

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It has been put into consideration. But now that we've made it clear that there have been ~ misunderstandings ~, can you try to see where I'm coming from now? :)

That you used a forced analogy (even if experiential) and ethos in a policy discussion? Sure, I can see that. I can even see blaming drugs for mental health issues and addiction despite the causality really being screwy if you try to force it that way. It's okay to be wrong, even when emotional, so long as we learn from it.

Friend, your lack of consideration that you might be wrong or that I'm wrong, absolutely-fullstop, is telling. I stand by what I said.

Re: Decline in teen drug use continues, surprising experts

#555

Post by mmooss »

globular-toast wrote: post #275
mmooss wrote: post #114

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Teens aren't ... having sex. Nor are people in their 20s (that is, both groups are having much less sex). That is the most worrying thing to me. People are not even engaging in the most fundamental, unavoidable, pleasurable human drive. They seem very much like traumatized people, on a massive scale, just trying to survive.

I'm starting to think many people just aren't into sex that much, in the same way many people aren't into food. Many people just get hungry and inhale the most convenient thing they can to scratch the hunger itch. McDonald's is always busy. People would be there on Christmas day if it was open. These people aren't into food as pleasure, they just don't want to be hungry. Of course with meal replacements bottles etc M…

You should do what you feel, of course, and there is no right or wrong. I still think that, generally, we have evolved to have a strong sex drive and to very much desire and enjoy it.

Re: Decline in teen drug use continues, surprising experts

#556

Post by mmooss »

BeFlatXIII wrote: post #371
mmooss wrote: post #114

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Teens aren't ... having sex. Nor are people in their 20s (that is, both groups are having much less sex). That is the most worrying thing to me. People are not even engaging in the most fundamental, unavoidable, pleasurable human drive. They seem very much like traumatized people, on a massive scale, just trying to survive.

On the flip side, imagine the tremendous spiritual development possible to be unlocked by a generation undistracted by carnal desire.

Our sex drive is an essential, wonderful part of our spirit, IMHO.

But more to your point, they are not undistracted, meditating peacefully. They are traumatized into submission. That's not a good state for spiritual development.

Re: Decline in teen drug use continues, surprising experts

#557

Post by mmooss »

MarcelOlsz wrote: post #552
lizzas wrote: post #268

Earlier quoted context omitted.

People help each other in war? Catastophy? Sometimes they do, sometimes they definitely do not.

Yes they do [0]. [0] Poland's entire history.

Look up what people in Poland did to help Jewish Poles when the Nazis came in. Someone whose family was from a small town in Poland made a documentary about it maybe 10 years ago. Generations later people in the town were still covering up that their ancestors put the Jewish neighbors in a barn and set it on fire, and still strongly discouraging asking any questions. What happened to the property of the large Jewish population in Poland before the war?

People do help each other. Look what Denmark and Bulgaria did in the same situation.

Re: Decline in teen drug use continues, surprising experts

#558

Post by DiggyJohnson »

aniviacat wrote: post #549
ChrisMarshallNY wrote: post #362

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's a different beast, these days, though. Back then, only "nerds" socialized online. Nowadays, everyone does it. I'm of two minds about this. On one hand, I'm really glad that kids aren't screwing up their formative years. Drug use during growing/development years can wreck someone's life. The issue is that, if you are an addict (which is different from physical addiction. Many addicts never get physically addicted…

> if you are an addict [...] then you'll eventually have problems with drugs Do I understand you correctly that you're saying that people addicted to smartphones in their youth will (more likely) become drug addicts in adulthood? What makes you think that people don't just continue being addicted to phones as adults (instead of doing drugs)?

I’m not sure which of you I agree with more, but I don’t think GP is crazy: self-control (i.e. delayed gratification) is a transferable skill.

Re: Decline in teen drug use continues, surprising experts

#559

Post by cactusplant7374 »

lakomen wrote: post #289

What's surprising about it? Teens are attracted by things that are forbidden to them. When you legalize drugs that falls off. Also enough information is available nowadays that doesn't come from some finger waving "you you you" morality zealot, but actual real life examples. For me at least the pull of cannabis and other drugs, never did real hard and addictive drugs like heroin, was that they were illegal and the ef…

The withdrawal symptoms for nicotine are mild anxiety and cravings. It's not a real addiction by any stretch of the imagination. Also, vapes are much safer than cigarettes. [0] Some of the other formulations (tablets, lozenges, and pouches) are likely even safer but can affect oral health in some cases.

I think the real danger is that people start to see LSD, Psilocybin, and Ayahuasca as a doorway to another world when in reality it's akin to a dream state. It's delusional thinking and many people claim to be making serious, life changing decisions based on their experiences. That is scary.

[0] https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/dec/28/vaping-is-95...

Re: Decline in teen drug use continues, surprising experts

#560

Post by badpun »

robertoandred wrote: post #188
mmooss wrote: post #114

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Teens aren't ... having sex. Nor are people in their 20s (that is, both groups are having much less sex). That is the most worrying thing to me. People are not even engaging in the most fundamental, unavoidable, pleasurable human drive. They seem very much like traumatized people, on a massive scale, just trying to survive.

When you don't get matches, it's pretty easy to avoid sex.

Women get tons of matches though.
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