Drugs Are For Losers

I Want To Be A Winner

There is no mystery to the fact that drugs and alcohol have ruined countless lives.  Alcohol deaths just in the US of A are over 75,000 per year.  Deaths from opioids in 2017 were over 70,000.  That is almost double the death toll for opioids from 2010. 

Psychiatric drugs are the worst. Not enough can be said against these horrible drugs.  Many are much, much more addictive and destructive than ‘street’ drugs.  This is quote from a white paper from US National Library of Medicine (Feb 2018):

“…prescribing of antipsychotics in the elderly was occurring in the UK and such patients had an 85% increased risk of adverse events and greater mortality.” 

The study was designed to investigate the deaths relating to the elderly and dementia but here is one of the conclusions from the study: 

“This is further supported by comparing the risks of mortality for dementia patients using antipsychotic drugs to that of the non-dementia patients in the population who are using antipsychotic drugs, with both showing similar HR around twice the risk levels for mortality compared to the non-user groups.”

So, you can see that these psychotropic drugs are equally as bad for the general population as they are for the elderly.

Here are some more numbers, and these are just for the elderly: 

“Psychiatric drugs are responsible for the deaths of more than half a million people aged 65 and older each year in the Western world…”  Peter Gøtzche, British Medical Journal.  

That is a really scary number!  And from https://www.rehabs.com

“Psychiatric Medications Kill More Americans than Heroin”

Many people over the years have suffered from drugs and alcohol but many have successfully changed their lives, leaving these things behind and creating more productive lives.  There are numerous celebrities, that, over the years, have shown how careers have flourished after quitting drugs or alcohol.  

I read a post recently of someone promoting drug use and saying that lots of celebrities did drugs and their careers were fine.  The celebrities that were listed all were individuals that had tried marijuana at one time or another but not regular users.  Big difference.  

A recent notable, someone that has spoken out against pot use and how it affected him, is Ed Sheeran: 

"I've stopped smoking weed. I found myself just sitting at home watching films. I only ever create (when I'm) sober. I like to be alert. I find most ideas happen when you have a cup of tea. For me, anyway.”

Another well known actor, Robert Downey Jr., for years had serious battles with drug and alcohol addiction.  For years he couldn’t get a role because no-one would cover the insurance costs.  

“Downey’s wife Susan Downey (née Levin) told Harper’s Bazaar that he quit drugs for good in 2003 after she gave him an ultimatum. Apparently, it stuck." 

Mr Downey has been doing OK since.  More here if you are interested: Robert Downey Jr and drugs

Drugs Are For Losers

I Want To Be A Winner

Then there is Steven Tyler and Aerosmith.  They flourished and for some time drugs held them back but getting away from them, they flourished again.

“So, I got sober, and you know it took me many years to get over the anger of them sending me to rehab while they went on vacation. But today because of that moment ... I am grateful and owe a thanks to them for my sobriety.” “…there is no drug stronger than music.”

Jamie Lee Curtis has now been 20 years sober and straight. 

Gene Simmons of KISS fame: He has never done drugs or used alcohol.  

This from Addiction Helper.com 

“Simmons told the Naperville Sun that using drugs and alcohol is one way to become one of life’s losers. He made it clear that you cannot be a winner if you are constantly drunk or high.”

There is a lot more in the article as to the whys and wherefores.  Simmons is not just a member of the “most successful American rock bands in history, he is also an author, actor, record producer, songwriter and TV personality.” 

And here is a study from University of California/Davis done to establish whether cannabis is safer than alcohol.  This study went on for almost 40 years.  It studied people over that period of time that smoked pot at least 4 times a week.  You can find a report on it here: UCDavis/Health

“Cerdá is lead author of a research study with colleagues at Duke University that has been following a group of children born in 1972-1973 in Dunedin, New Zealand, from birth to age 38 to assess changes in health over a lifetime.”

“With regard to downward social class mobility, antisocial behaviors in the workplace and relationship conflict, the researchers found that cannabis dependence was worse than alcohol dependence in the case of financial difficulties, such as troubles with debt and cash flow, and food insecurity.”

And we all know how bad alcohol dependence is.  We’ve admitted to that for years.  People that drink, know it is bad for them.  They will justify to some degree but beneath it all, will admit the damage that it causes.  Whereas, evidence to the contrary, marijuana has been marketed as a panacea, so some are convinced that it does no harm.  And will not look at the evidence that shows this to be a lie. 

So again, consistent and persistent use of marijuana over a period of many years is statistically proven to lessen initiative, income and general security in life.

Drugs Are For Losers

I Want To Be A Winner

Here is a little bit of experience on the subject of drugs being for losers from The Observant Black Male

And from Paul Anderson Youth Home website:

“…approximately 1900 teens for 10 years and found that regular marijuana users were three times more likely to be unemployed or drop out of school than non users.”

And Sana Kahn, a millennial writes an article with 9 reasons drugs are for losers: The Witty Scoop

“Since Drug buildups can stay in the body for a long time after they were taken, the impact on the brain can keep going quite a while. Don’t lose your brain! Stay away from Drugs.”

I could easily list another 100 people here that have turned their lives around by quitting drugs. I’m pretty sure that nobody sets out in life to  be a drug addict.  I’m sure that at some point you had goals, things that you wanted to achieve.  Winning in life and drugs do not go together.

Drugs Are For Losers

I Want To Be A Winner

Here are some great reference sites: Reference Websites/Links  Pay particular attention the 'follow the money' article.