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Old 09-19-2013, 6:36 PM
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VendetAR VendetAR is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by five.five-six View Post
I don't think that people addicted to drugs should have guns.
I sure as hell hope you didn't say that in the vicinity of the coffee maker...

We also need to keep in mind that there is a difference between a user of a substance, a person that is physically dependent on it and someone that is addicted (a positive mental response to the substance even if it causes negative issues that severely effect their life) to it.

You can use and not be dependent or addicted.

You can be dependent and not use.

You can be addicted and not use or be dependent.

Alcohol and Opiates have the ability to cause both life threatening dependence issues so Ill focus on them. Both of these substances can be used without dependence issues or addiction when used moderately and infrequently. Conversely, even short term moderate to heavy use can and usually does result in dependence, dependence means that without the drug you will go into physical withdrawl. All this can happen without being addicted to it (although thats ear impossible with alcohol because the user typically gets addicted prior to having dependency issues). A person can become dependent on opiates while in the hospital ICU after a bad accident where heavy doses of opiates are administered for sometimes months on end 24/7. These people may not even like the drugs but their body needs it to stave of withdrawl.

Addiction is different and why Im making it clear so people don't conflate things. Addicts LIKE getting high and will do it even if it destroys their life and the lives of others around them.

There are many people that need to take a medication for a real health issue and are not ADDICTED to it although in some situations, the can be dependent on that medication. I see nothing wrong with a dependent person owning a weapon so long as the use of the drug does not make them unsafe while carrying or shooting. Many people take methadone and while it is an opiate, it doesn't get the user high and normal decision making is indistinguishable from a non-user so long as the dosage has been stabilized for a few days. A portion of those people are most definitely dependent but not addicted as methadone is used as a chronic pain medication that doesn't have the same effects as oxycotin.

With all that said, MJ is no different. Some may use it to sleep, but dont carry if they have used it. Whats the difference from someone that takes Ambien and carries the next day after the drug has worn off? Nothing IMO.

There is a lot more to drug usage than the strung out junkies you see walking the street in the middle of the night. For those that are responsible with their medication usage, they should have every right in the world to carry a weapon to protect themselves.