Drugs in the World

So we all know that there are people in the world who take drugs. We all know that there are different ranges of drugs, as well as effects and users. Now, in my own opinion, if people want to do drugs on whatever level of frequency and dose, they can go for it. The aftermath and side-effects are not to clean up.
I suppose I go into this, I better make a few admitions to drugs in my life. There hs only ever been one time that I have conciously taken drugs. Don't give me that look, the offer comes to all of us at one point or another. Anyway, it was back when I was 19, and some friends and I were chilling in this guys (someone I knew, but for the purpose of revealing names, you get the idea) hotel room, and everyone was going to smoke dope. I decided that I might as well try, but made my friends promise to look after me. Considering they were living with me at the time and I controlled the lease, that gave them little choice. Anyway, after smoking what attributes to less than half a cigarettes worth, it went str8 to my head and left me feeling paralitical for a few hours. When I discovered I could move freely, it just felt weird, I knew I could make a poor effort of leaving if I wanted. Originally, i was offered to stay the night, but then my friend had a change of heart and kicked us out. So I got escorted home by my friends while feeling very vague and tired. The downer for me was just having an overamount of energy, I didn't mind so much. But I never wanted to feel that expossed again. So far, so good.
There have been a few times in my life where I have taken drugs on a secondary basis. In short, someone else has taken them and I have just gotten a minor amount off them. And it was all unintentional. I was at an underwear party (and yes, that does intail what you think it does) and I was kissing on with one guy, but I thought he had a weird taste to him. So I stopped him and asked why he tasted so sweet, and he said he had eaten/had/whatever some marijuana butter. I stopped kissing him after that as, while not stoned, I was feeling light and giggly. So a little later I was sitting outside in the smoking area with a cigarette in one hand, a drink in the other and unable to do anything with either because I was giggling too hard.
What pisses me off about some guys I get with is their use of inhailents, in short poopers/valium. I really enjoy kissing guys, and I can't do that with guys inhailing to improve their sex drives. Why? Because the smell goes onto their tongues and I can taste it and it is a foul taste. They all get the flick after that. Some of them have tried to get me to take, through dirty tricks some of them, and they all got the flick as well.
Now, I know what at least some of you are thinking. Yes, the mass run-ins of people doing drugs is at a sexual event/locations. I have stepped back from these, because I am not enjoying them as much as I might have a few years ago. But that doesn't stop the number of times I hear people proudly going on about their drug use.
One person I am associated with smokes quite a bit of dope, but he has been smart enough not to offer to me because he knows I won't take it. But I have watched as he has taken a few of the other people around me and gotten them hooked. Now, thought my continuous research into the subject, I have discovered that smoking marijuana can cause your brain, quite literally, to change shape and function. In the end, the damage you do to it can cause irreversable (and sometimes untreatable) depression. Why do people want to do this to themselves? And even on top of that, they are proud of it.
Now, my aforementioned associate ahs both a drinking problem and smokes a bit of dope most days. I know why he does, but I am not going to say why here. In short, it has become a coping mechanism. What I would do and what he would do for the same situation are two very different things, but he would probably find himself a lot better off financially and emotionally if he found another way around of an issue that can be moved. But that is just me.
Now, the popular belief that the gay scene is full of drugs is only half true. There are people with brains, like myself, that avoid the scene and there are those on the scene who don't do drugs... go them! But there are many more who do them, either as survival, recreational or habbit. Some even do it for the sexual drive. Why isn't there a bigger smackdown on these people. Was half tempted to call them idiots. All the things they are taking, last I checked, are illegal. I know the police can't go through the clubs looking for trouble-makers (for lack of better terms) but surly there is some form of effort in place to stop these people? Am I hoping for too much here?
There is certainly a lot of preasure to do drugs in this day and age. The new drug on the streets, 'Meow Meow' is certainly causing a stir. A few teenagers have died. In short, the drug, when enough is taken, can make you act and react like a cat. Mix it with animal tranqs and you can redo Zoolander.
"Are you on drugs?"
"Meyooow"
"Do these drugs include animal tranqs?"
"Neigh"
"Can I get you anything?"
"Water"
"To drink?"
"No, I wanna swim, my flippers are dry."
Comedy aside, the thing is that a lot of people, especially those who lived hard lives, think that drugs 'make you somebody.' If someone can tell me how destroying your mind and body makes you important, I'm all ears. The trip is fun, I'm sure, but the aftermath of coming down and the effect it has on people around you is that you will probably end up alone and rather sick, if not decomposing alive. Yes, drugs can do that to you.
I have heard a lot of people who do drugs on a regualr to heavy level that they want to die young, hence forth the life they lead. A haze of alcohol, drugs, lights and music. Why does old age seem like such a bad thing? While I am not counting down the days until i reach the golden 60, I can say I am looking forward to it in retrospect.
But at the end of the day, odds are that people taking drugs really have no idea what they are doing to themselves. That's scary too, considering it really isn't difficult to sit down and do a quick internet search to draw out quite a bit of info. I know or have at least read in detail the damage drugs can do. All the things you need to know from side effects, long term damage, possibility of fatality, the list goes on. If you want to know, have a look at The Victorian Government Health Information or look up your local health info site.
At the end of the day, if people want to do this to themselves, God speed. But I really don't want to hear about it. And if you are going to tell me about it, I at least want to know that you are trying to get over them or at least cut back. I don't want to know that you are doing some to relax, get over whatever or have a good time. Get a clue,
Perry