“I had a challenging childhood and played in a band from a very young age. I took lots of different drugs (hallucinogens, barbiturates, speed, hash, weed, etc.) well before starting high school. I haven’t done anything since freshman year of high school, ever. That said, if I had tried opiates back then maybe my life would have taken a much different and hurtful course.”
I did too. I was also a musician and grew up in the era of sex, drugs, and Rock and Roll. I was rebelling and “getting away with” using Tobacco and Weed at 12 years old. From that point on, and because of the culture at the time, I was a full blown drug addict until I was 23. I did anything and everything I could get my hands on. Weed, Hash, Oil, Opium, Slammed Heroin and Speed, Cocaine, Downers, LSD, Mescaline, Peyote, Ayahuasca, Shrooms... And most times a combination of everything I could get that was handy at the time topped off with alcohol. Being illegal had absolutely no bearing on availability, it was STILL available EVERYWHERE.
And if I had killed myself I would have deserved every bit of it because I had absolutely no one to blame but myself period. I absolutely knew better before I was 12...
For about 5 years back in the 70s I did some pot and a little hash, whenever someone had it. Finally, I had had enough, I didn’t like what it was doing to me, and quit. One of the GOOD decisions I made in my life.
Now I don’t even drink alcohol.
Here it is 50 years later, and my brother STILL smokes the stuff. Not only that, but he grows a small amount for himself. I just shake my head whenever we get together. I don’t know how he still functions, but he does.
Everybody’s different I guess. To my knowledge, he’s never done any hard stuff.
Best of health to you!
I understand, and I agree that being legal or not doesn't necessarily affect acquisition of drugs (we accessed barbiturates because a friend stole them from a pharmacy), but I think it's really important to do a better job with young kids - and not just because of drugs. I don't know your situation, but I didn't realize how many issues I had as a kid, until I did - and that takes time.