I'd be happy to talk about lions in a zebra thread if it made since to do so- we aren't the most -on topic- bunch...
If we are saying 'save the zebra' and someone says 'what about the lions' and then the 'lions eat zebras' point is made and there is something to discuss. Either save both, one, the other one, or neither...
But here's something novel (bacteria), and there's something novel (headaches)- and that has to do with what isn't yet discovered in (particular) drugs...because science advances...
but there is not further point here...
it's not lets only legalize some types of drugs, or lets legalize all drugs...
or treatment centers are not doing the proper research on withdraw....
or anything.
HERE'S the OP
It seems the question is do we pick on people that choose to use drugs the same way we pick on people that choose to be open about their sexuality (if it's a minority view, GLB)...
My thought is- Yes and no.
It is illegal, one or more illegal activities are done to become a drug user.
It is possibly both genetic and environmental,
people who live with guardians/parents who are addicted to some substance are likely to become addicted if they try that addictive agent.
people who are direct blood relations to highly addicted people also are likely to become addicted if they try that addictive agent.
People who are both in the environment of addiction, (possibly born addicted) and are from addictive 'genes' often become addicts of some addictive agents.
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But the difference to me is that they are not automatically attracted to the body type, scent/pheromones, sex organs - of a drug...
to become addicted to a drug (using drug in it's broadest sense) you must use it...
you are not born attracted to caffeine, but your environment may make caffeine readily available and moral neutral-favorable.
Everyday you get up and see mom with her soda (caffeine) and dad with coffee (caffeine), sister uses energy drinks (caffeine), brother uses no-doz (caffeine), grandma drinks strong tea (caffeine) and grandpa abstains but is grumpy...
The lesson is caffeine makes you happy and is good to use, easy to get. And has very noticeable withdraw... (but is legal at all ages in almost any dose)
One can replace (caffeine) with any other drug... legal or not, legally used or not.
Now are caffeine users criminals, just for using caffeine? - No because caffeine is legal...
Are illegal drug users criminals because of their choice to use drugs the first time and the subsequent addiction... - Yes, except in extreme cases a teen or adult chose to put poison in their body enough times that they became addicted...