Think long and hard.

[JKmadu619]

In case you didn't notice, my user title is "Straight Edge Sniper" Straight Edge is an old punk culture involving a very liberal use of "X's" and never drinking or doing drugs. I'm only 13, but I have been offered both. Am I a bad kid in a bad neighbourhood, no. My original reasoning behind the choice was a wrestler I first saw when I was ten. CM Punk was his name and gimmick. He never smoked, never had a drink, and never did drugs. I thought "Wow that guy looks cool." his rainbow hair and tatoos seemed nothing short of badassed to a ten year old me.

Now I thought about it more, for real this time. And I realized my real reason is that I don't think I would be proud of myself if I looked back to see a drug addict who gave in when things were hard. Or an acholic, beating my wife and children. I realize that this isn't always the case, many good people drink or do lesser drugs, but I've made the decision never to even risk either of those possibilities, because I have something of an addictive personality. If I like something, I love it to death until three months later I've learned everything there is to know about my obsession and I move on.

Also another thing that strongly impacted me was when I was twelve we went to a cousin's wedding. My dad had not one drink for two years, he likes his beer, but he said he needed to lose some weight and it would be good for him. The wedding was on Janurary seventh of the year he went back to drinking. He used to be able to soak up five beers in three hours, but two years without and [Edited by Aesthetic: Weight figures are against out Code of Conduct] weighing less, three in four hours pushed him over the edge. He laughed about a Sponge Bob Episode he watched with my brother in the hotel room that morning, and ran around like a hyper child. He apoligized nothing short of eighty six times (I counted) and felt terrible over acting foolish. He never accounted for the weight loss and his hatius from drinking. I thought that if even my serious dad could be turned silly by the stuff, I didn't want to touch it. I forgave him in my mind a week later, but the message is long standing for me.

Anyway, I just posted this thread as a "Be cool stay in school" kind of clique message. Think long and hard before you drink, or try drugs, and think to yourself "Will I be proud of this in a month? A year? A decade?" if the answer is no (Which it likely will be) then think about how you can improve your life without abusing substances. The problem will still be there once you get off you're high, right?

Then again, what do I know? I'm just a kid who's never tried these things, does that make me clueless?

- Justin

[Liberator]

First, your post is nothing short of commendable. Many kids in your age range do not share the same mentality or philosophy as you, and this is to your advantage. Seeing first hand the effects of alcohol induced behavior can leave a lasting impression on trying mind-altering substances. You have to remember that not everyone has had the same experience as you, as a consequence many kids try them out of curiosity.

Have I been drunk? Yes. Have I smoked weed? Yes. I used to get trashed every weekend without a second thought of how hard it was on my body. I'm not particularly proud of my behavior either; in the end it never accomplished anything. A couple of my best friends got into smoking weed pretty heavily a few years ago while we were still in high school. Note that these guys had above-average grades, never really got into serious trouble, and for the most part led normal lives. Unfortunately during this little escapade, they failed to learn any concept of self-control. These days most of their time is spent around figuring out how to get another ounce. I don't look down on them or anything, they are still my friends. Though it is pretty disappointing to see some really intelligent people throw their lives away over a drug.

After realizing where their lives were headed, I think they wanted to ignore it. Ironically they turned to marijuana again, to use it as an escape. But, as you said, the initial problem still persists after the effects have worn off. So what you end up having, in many cases, is an endless cycle.

I would say for those reading who have not had these experiences, know what you are getting yourself into if this scenario was to occur in your life. Don't follow along with everyone else because it's vogue. Think for yourself, don't let someone else potentially ruin your life. If you make a decision, ask yourself if it is really YOUR decision or if somebody else has influenced and coerced your judgement.

[JKmadu619]

Exacty, you make your choices. Whenever someone screws up really bad with drugs, the first thing they always use as an excuse is "I needed something to get me away from it?" and what I always thing is "Did you every consider you know, regular stress relievers like seeing a movie or something?" Everyone has hardships, drugs are just another burden to place on yourself.

[OMFG!You'reActuallySmart!]

The title of the thread got me thinking of Viagra but that was a let-down...

Well, I'll share my experiences with alcohol (never tried marijuana so cant comment on it). First time I was drunk was around 13-14 years old. It was at a party and I don't remember much of it but I do remember passing out and vomiting, then experiencing what a hangover is like. My reason after that to not drink was that I didn't find it pleasurable to have a hang-over, have vomit on my sweater nor have a bump on my head that I didn't know how it got there (apparently I was clumsy and fell). Several years later the same thing happened although this was a choice I made knowing I probably would be hammered. We were on a family vacation and my parents allowed me to go to my cousin's hotel room (we were in the same hotel but different floors). They of course had no idea his friends bought a boatload of booze, although I did. After managing to find my way back to the hotel room because I was able to control my drinking such that I got hammered but didn't pass out then and there. My parents weren't too thrilled the next morning.

I did this a few more times until one day when I was going over to my friend's and he told me there was booze. Before I even grabbed a bottle, I saw how silly he was acting and laughed at it but then I realized, that's how I acted and I felt I had more self-respect for myself than to be partially humping a chair followed by falling over onto another drunk person. I still do go to some parties however I find it better to be the one who is sober and brings the others home or just calls a taxi. I go home, no hangover, no bump on my head, no vomiting, etc... .

That said, I still do take alcohol but in food where it's at such low amounts I don't have a chance at getting drunk.

One cake I made had a lot of alcohol but that was a funny screw-up. I added in some brandy just for flavour but my dad came along not knowing I put in brandy so he added more. My uncle who was there loves to drink and he added some more. My grandfather also added some more. I came back and thought a bit more to add so I added some more. We had guests over and we have a nice alcohol supply, mostly it's all used in food so I thought the brandy bottle being very low was because others were drinking it. At the end, we ate it and it was like a horse kick you. Everyone asked me how much I put and I said only a bit but that's when the others admitted to putting more in.

It just so happened this same cake was served with homemade brandy white and black chocolate strawberries. That was probably the only time I've seen people and experienced getting drunk on food.

Aside from that screw-up, I don't drink much at all. At parties, I have less than half a bottle or can of beer, if that usually none.

Regarding seeing people ruin their academic careers from drugs, I know of one person. He was in my school, never cared for him but he was known for drinking, snorting, injecting, eating, etc... any drug he could get. End result was he didn't graduate, he failed in grade 12, went to a silly art school and I recently heard he failed from there.

[JKmadu619]

Exactly. I understand people can make mistakes, even very young and many of them bounce back from major screw ups. And yet for every three who make something of themselves one doesn't. Fair odds, but let's face it, I'm not lucky. It was my choice not to risk any of it. Yet we are all free to make our own choices.

- Justin

[OMFG!You'reActuallySmart!]

Mistakes mean something you didn't want to do or didn't intend to do. I don't consider anything of what I mentioned to be a mistake. The only mistake would be how much I drank but the fact I wanted to get drunk was a planned action, not a mistake. I wouldn't go prophesizing that some choices were mistakes. Some agree with such prophesizing but I do not. There are things I've done which I do consider to be a mistake and regret having done them although dwelling in the past is pointless because it's gone, it's history, I have everything to lose by dwelling nothing to gain.

Don't go beating yourself up saying you're not lucky, that's bullshit. If you are 13, then you're an insightful one, not many are. You're one who can rationalize and understand their decisions, at 13 years old, that's a very high accomplishment. None of that is unlucky. You seem a bit down and by saying "unlucky" you're putting yourself in a mentality where you're worse off and doomed to fail, unless you struggle and struggle against something which in reality, is not there. If you really want to consider yourself to be unlucky, go to countries where you'll die from starvation, both parents are killed, adults use you as a sex toy and drug mule, any time you even think of opposing, you'll get the shit beaten out. That is unlucky. You are not that at all, you haven't screwed up but you're going down the road to doing that by beating yourself up.

[Bertiebotsjellytots]

I used to be straight edge and one piece of advice I'll give you and take it in good humour, get used to people getting drunk around you and expecting help as you're the only sober one there :P but well done for doing it, i used to get shit for not drinking but at the end of the day it was my choice