seeds of its own destruction,,,

[moralist]

Every civilization carries within it the seeds of its own destruction...

(World Net Daily)

70 MILLION AMERICANS TAKING MIND-ALTERING DRUGS

by David Kupelian

The heroin-overdose death of actor Philip Seymour Hoffman has caused the media to focus, however fleetingly, on Americas drug problem.

News accounts of the Oscar-winners tragic demise typically reference the startling increase in heroin-related deaths in the last four to five years. The problem, reporters explain, is the vast number of Americans addicted to prescription pain meds like OxyContin, many of whom discover heroin to be both cheaper and easier to obtain than the prescription opioid drugs to which they initially became addicted.

Thats accurate as far as it goes. But by following the trail further, we arrive at a place far more shocking and consequential. We discover that not only has the traditional distinction between illegal street drugs and legal therapeutic prescription drugs become so blurred as to be almost nonexistent, but between Americas twin drug epidemics one illegal, the other legal well over 70 million Americans are using mind-altering drugs. And that number doesnt include abusers of alcohol, which adds an additional 60 million Americans. So were really talking about 130 million strung-out Americans. How is this possible?

Of course, most of the drug news weve heard lately has been about pot. It started with medical marijuana, with state after state successfully defying the federal ban. Then on Jan. 1, flat-out legalization took center stage, when Colorado and Washington opened their doors to exhilarated pot-smokers, while numerous other states from Alaska, Oregon and California in the west to Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Washington, D.C., in the east announced plans to push for legalization in the coming months.

As a result, stock prices for cannabis companies soared (The demand for marijuana is insatiable, says one entrepreneur, you have a feeding frenzy for the birth of a new industry), the New York City-based publication High Times announced a new private-equity fund to raise $100 million over the next two years to invest in cannabis-related businesses, and ad agencies geared up to support an industry estimated to already be generating revenues in the billions of dollars.

The dramatic change in Americans attitude is reflected in a recent CNN poll headlined Support for legal marijuana soaring.

Somehow, in all the hoopla, it apparently doesnt register that pot use lowers the IQ of young people. A massive, four-decade study published in 2012 by the National Academy of Sciences, titled Persistent cannabis users show neuropsychological decline from childhood to midlife, followed more than 1,000 subjects from birth until age 38! The researchers core finding? Repeated marijuana use by teenagers lowers their IQ permanently.

Yet, according to a 2010 study by the federal Department of Health and Human Services, over 22 million Americans use illegal drugs, comprising marijuana/hashish, cocaine (including crack), heroin, hallucinogens, inhalants and prescription-type psychiatric and opioid drugs used without a prescription. And of those, fully half admit to driving on the public roadways under the influence of drugs!...

...Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 KJV

Read more at http://www.wnd.com/2014/02/70-million-americans-taking-mind-altering-drugs/#cmTtF5uRjGtsiLW2.99

[BaalChatzaf]

If there was a pill that would increase my intelligence I would not hesitate to use it. That is mind altering, yes?

Some alterations for for the better.

Ba'al Chatzaf

[moralist]

If there was a pill that would increase my intelligence I would not hesitate to use it. That is mind altering, yes?

Some alterations are for the better.

Ba'al Chatzaf

...while most are for the worse.

Greg

[jts]

On the subject of brain health:

Dr. Moser had success with mental health problems as physical health problems. Both Dr. Moser and Dr. Blaylock point out that a mental disorder can be an allergy. The possible physical causes of depression are legion; correct the physical health problem and the depression vanishes.

I have a book wherein is a story. The author of this book had all his patients keep a food diary. Whatever you eat, you make a note of it; today I ate thus and such. Well this teenage girl had mental problems.

Let's pause before I continue the story. What would a normal doctor do? Put her on psychiatric meds and get her out the door and the rest of the horror story. You can get the rest of the horror story from many documentaries.

This doctor had her do a food diary. It turned out her diet was really seriously bad. Nobody could maintain health on that diet. The doctor did the obvious thing, recommended a better diet. You didn't need to be a doctor to figure out a better diet. At first she resisted; she didn't want to change her bad diet. But when she improved her diet, all her mental health problems vanished. After she got so much better with the better diet, she refuse to go back to her previous diet. This is a true story.

On the subject of improving the brain:

Professional chess players have an interest in brain/mental performance. How could they not? They make chess into a profession and it is competitive. They don't use drugs to improve brain/mental performance. They put much emphasis on physical health and physical fitness.

A few examples. Victor Korchnoi prepared for a world title match with Karpov by running 10 miles each day. Bobby Fischer (almost certainly the greatest chess player up to his time in history) said that if he gets out of shape physically, it's curtains for him in chess. It is normal for world class chess players to be athletic. Bobby Fischer observed that a fellow chess player was developing a paunch, figured that would be his decline in chess. Was it mere coincidence that Paul Keres was one of the top chess players in the world for a span of 30 years and also was tennis champion of Estonia? Was it a mere coincidence that Nimzovich was a body builder? Maybe. Was it mere coincidence that Peter Leko, grandmaster at 14, was the "marathon man" who ran 26 mile marathons? Maybe. But these concidences go on and on. Everyone who follows chess knows the mind-body connection.

In the last world title match, between Anand and Carlsen, even if you knew nothing about Anand except his appearance, you could make a good guess that he was going to lose his title; he was a little chubby and had a slight paunch. True, it is common for chess players to decline in their 40s, but if they maintain both health and fitness, they don't necessarily decline in their 40s. Victor Korchnoi was playing the best chess of his career at 47 and he was still competitive with the world's best in his 70s. Decline with age is inevitable eventually; that's biology.

My point:

My point in all of the above is the mind-body connection. Improve and maintain brain function by physical health and fitness.

[jts]

If there was a pill that would increase my intelligence I would not hesitate to use it. That is mind altering, yes?

Some alterations for for the better.

Ba'al Chatzaf

Such a pill probably exists that would work for some people. But I'm not a major fan of food supplements; I prefer food. Food supplements can have problems. And food usually tastes better.

If you are looking for a poison that increases intelligence at the expense of health:

Poisons that affect brain function usually make it worse. But even if there is such a thing as a poison that improves brain function, if it undermines physical health, it undermines the support of brain function. In the long run it's probably a poor bargain; you probably will end up with both worse health and worse brain function.

[Francisco Ferrer]

Ironically, after marijuana (which is rapidly becoming legal), the most-abused drugs in America are prescription drugs, obtained and used non-medically, that is, without a prescription from a doctor.

So exactly what level of marijuana consumption qualifies as "abuse"? Twelve joints a day? Six? One?

[Brant Gaede]

Greg, it's not right to quote most if not all of someone else's work like that. After a few paragraphs put in the link. Apart from courtesy to the author, it clutters up OL with way too much material on one idea.

The article doesn't get at the heart of the drug problem in this country. One that should have been addressed was the war on drugs. To provide a simplified example, consider illegal drug use by teenagers. The very illegality of "recreational" drugs in the adult market runs up their price making it profitable to be a drug dealer and, flush with cash, drug dealers easily spill their activities over into the less desirable markets.

The above paragraph could be easily fleshed out into a lengthy book and I'm sure it has been, many times over many years, but that's only one facet of the problem entire and, by itself, not even the most important, only the most addressable so maybe it should be addressed first, but isn't and won't be any time soon. The war on drugs is way too lucrative for those waging it and the citizenry way too childlike dependent on the nanny masters. Do I personally think mj is bad for teenagers? Oh, yes. But this problem cannot be dealt with properly in the context of an insane and stupid culture. So our dear author is only, in the quoted material (I didn't read it all), providing more justification for escalating that war.

--Brant

my remarks might be considered libertarian 101, with nothing from Objectivism 101 (which is more profound but in ironic simplicity seemingly more trite)

I'll have another cup of Joe, Miss--thank you

[tmj]

I think the Gulch could be seen as a seedless civilization, or society. Given the fictional nature of a group of man that have achieved 'qua'-ness a la Rand , it can still serve as a standard of evaluating other societies made of non or not quite' qua' type personages. .

To properly cure an illness a correct diagnosis would seem appropriate. If rampant mind altering chemical usage is a symptom of a declined(ing) society , what are the root causes? Milliions of people using such chemicals are just that , millions of people choosing to use such chemicals, can an explanation be found that satisfies for the 'cause' of all such actions? I might add that I do not think such usage , even if widespread, is a cause of societal decline , but more of a symptom.

[Reidy]

Cut-and-paste jobs on this scale, even if you'd supplied a link, are a violation of property rights. Online authors typically get paid by the click, in which case you've taken money from him. Do Objectivists really need to be told this?

[moralist]

Cut-and-paste jobs on this scale, even if you'd supplied a link, are a violation of property rights. Online authors typically get paid by the click, in which case you've taken money from him. Do Objectivists really need to be told this?

Thanks for the reminder. I cut the article short.

Greg

[moralist]

The article doesn't get at the heart of the drug problem in this country. One that should have been addressed was the war on drugs.

I thought he was wise to avoid that issue and instead to focus on the real problem which is both personal and moral. This nation is awash in drugs with a huge portion of the population whacked out, doped up, drugged out, and in a stupor... with 70,000,000 people using mind altering drugs, and 60,000,000 using alcohol. (I'm sure many of those are duplicated with those who use both.)

In my opinion, this nation has degenerated into a narcoculture simply because so many people have failed to do what's morally right. And this failure is what is causing people to become angry, blaming, bitter, and depressed.

David Kupelian (the author of the article) wrote an excellent book called, "How Evil Works". It's well worth reading.

Greg

[BaalChatzaf]

The article doesn't get at the heart of the drug problem in this country. One that should have been addressed was the war on drugs.

I thought he was wise to avoid that issue and instead to focus on the real problem which is both personal and moral. This nation is awash in drugs with a huge portion of the population whacked out, doped up, drugged out, and in a stupor... with 70,000,000 people using mind altering drugs, and 60,000,000 using alcohol. (I'm sure many of those are duplicated with those who use both.)

In my opinion, this nation has degenerated into a narcoculture simply because so many people have failed to do what's morally right. And this failure is what is causing people to become angry, blaming, bitter, and depressed.

Greg

A moderate booze intake never hurt anyone. As it says in the Psalm: Wine gladdens the heart of man. Ps. 104-15

[moralist]

I think the Gulch could be seen as a seedless civilization, or society. Given the fictional nature of a group of man that have achieved 'qua'-ness a la Rand , it can still serve as a standard of evaluating other societies made of non or not quite' qua' type personages. .

To properly cure an illness a correct diagnosis would seem appropriate. If rampant mind altering chemical usage is a symptom of a declined(ing) society , what are the root causes? Milliions of people using such chemicals are just that , millions of people choosing to use such chemicals, can an explanation be found that satisfies for the 'cause' of all such actions? I might add that I do not think such usage , even if widespread, is a cause of societal decline , but more of a symptom.

Yes. A symptom... not a cause.

Greg

[moralist]

The article doesn't get at the heart of the drug problem in this country. One that should have been addressed was the war on drugs.

I thought he was wise to avoid that issue and instead to focus on the real problem which is both personal and moral. This nation is awash in drugs with a huge portion of the population whacked out, doped up, drugged out, and in a stupor... with 70,000,000 people using mind altering drugs, and 60,000,000 using alcohol. (I'm sure many of those are duplicated with those who use both.)

In my opinion, this nation has degenerated into a narcoculture simply because so many people have failed to do what's morally right. And this failure is what is causing people to become angry, blaming, bitter, and depressed.

Greg

A moderate booze intake never hurt anyone. As it says in the Psalm: Wine gladdens the heart of man. Ps. 104-15

Yes it does. And that fact begs the question:

Why is the heart of man not glad?

"The heart is deceitful above all things, and it is exceedingly perverse and corrupt and severely, mortally sick! Who can know and understand his own heart and mind?"

Jeremiah 17:9

Greg

[BaalChatzaf]

The article doesn't get at the heart of the drug problem in this country. One that should have been addressed was the war on drugs.

I thought he was wise to avoid that issue and instead to focus on the real problem which is both personal and moral. This nation is awash in drugs with a huge portion of the population whacked out, doped up, drugged out, and in a stupor... with 70,000,000 people using mind altering drugs, and 60,000,000 using alcohol. (I'm sure many of those are duplicated with those who use both.)

In my opinion, this nation has degenerated into a narcoculture simply because so many people have failed to do what's morally right. And this failure is what is causing people to become angry, blaming, bitter, and depressed.

Greg

A moderate booze intake never hurt anyone. As it says in the Psalm: Wine gladdens the heart of man. Ps. 104-15

Yes it does. And that fact begs the question:

Why is the heart of man not glad?

"The heart is deceitful above all things, and it is exceedingly perverse and corrupt and severely, mortally sick! Who can know and understand his own heart and mind?"

Jeremiah 17:9

Greg

It generally is glad. A a little wine with dinner makes it even gladder.

Ba'al Chatzaf

[Brant Gaede]

The article doesn't get at the heart of the drug problem in this country. One that should have been addressed was the war on drugs.

I thought he was wise to avoid that issue and instead to focus on the real problem which is both personal and moral. This nation is awash in drugs with a huge portion of the population whacked out, doped up, drugged out, and in a stupor... with 70,000,000 people using mind altering drugs, and 60,000,000 using alcohol. (I'm sure many of those are duplicated with those who use both.)

In my opinion, this nation has degenerated into a narcoculture simply because so many people have failed to do what's morally right. And this failure is what is causing people to become angry, blaming, bitter, and depressed.

David Kupelian (the author of the article) wrote an excellent book called, "How Evil Works". It's well worth reading.

Greg

The "nation" has been "awash in drugs" (emphasis in the original) since the invention of beer.

Anyway, as you say (imply?), it's not the drugs, it's the people.

--Brant

people are no damn good

[Francisco Ferrer]

The amount of alcohol Americans consume today is truly frightening. At present levels how can we possibly maintain our moral fiber and defend our freedoms?

If only we could return to the good old days!

In 1770, the 2.1 million American colonists consumed some 8 million gallons of rum; 20 years later, a population that had nearly doubled, to 3.9 million, drank only 7 million gallons.

But as rum consumption sank, whiskey consumption exploded. By 1810, whiskey far outpaced rum as the national drink. Between 1800 and 1830, annual per capita consumption of liquor, primarily whiskey, hovered around 5 gallons, the highest in American history. --How America Learned to Love Whiskey

[moralist]

The article doesn't get at the heart of the drug problem in this country. One that should have been addressed was the war on drugs.

I thought he was wise to avoid that issue and instead to focus on the real problem which is both personal and moral. This nation is awash in drugs with a huge portion of the population whacked out, doped up, drugged out, and in a stupor... with 70,000,000 people using mind altering drugs, and 60,000,000 using alcohol. (I'm sure many of those are duplicated with those who use both.)

In my opinion, this nation has degenerated into a narcoculture simply because so many people have failed to do what's morally right. And this failure is what is causing people to become angry, blaming, bitter, and depressed.

David Kupelian (the author of the article) wrote an excellent book called, "How Evil Works". It's well worth reading.

Greg

The "nation" has been "awash in drugs" (emphasis in the original) since the invention of beer.

Anyway, as you say (imply?), it's not the drugs, it's the people.

--Brant

people are no damn good

I totally agree, Brant.

The epidemic of drug use is only the symptom of people who aren't at peace with themselves because of their failure to do what's right.

Greg

[Peter]

Francisco wrote:

So exactly what level of marijuana consumption qualifies as "abuse"? Twelve joints a day? Six? One?

end quote

I read a paper on it when I was a beginning teacher. The start of consumption was one of the biggest problems. When weed usage was started in a teen, and continued, reading scores NEVER ROSE FROM THAT INSTANT. Intelligence declined. Irrationality rose. Of course alcohol usage in teens causes a huge loss of life from auto crashes.

“The Doctors” on Fox Sunday thought the casual use of alcohol and marijuana were NOT equally bad physically (brief encounters with minimal amounts of liquor were better) but when they are abused, the abuse is also not equal. Alcohol abuse was worse physically. Mellow Yellow is smoking (emphysema, and lung cancer) and is a hallucinogen so avoid that too.

[moralist]

The amount of alcohol Americans consume today is truly frightening. At present levels how can we possibly maintain our moral fiber and defend our freedoms?

The article was primarily addressing the current epidemic use of psychotropics.

Greg

[Francisco Ferrer]

The article was primarily addressing the current epidemic use of psychotropics.

Greg

Oh, I see. It was addressing the bad drugs.

[moralist]

The amount of alcohol Americans consume today is truly frightening. At present levels how can we possibly maintain our moral fiber and defend our freedoms?

The article primarily addressed the current epidemic use of psychotropics.

Fifty million, or one out of every five adults is taking prescription psychiatric drugs. In 2010 alone, 250,000,000 prescriptions were written for anti-depressants.

America is a narcoculture.

Greg

[moralist]

The article was primarily addressing the current epidemic use of psychotropics.

Greg

Oh, I see. It was addressing the bad drugs.

People are certainly capable of doing bad things on alcohol. Last night a drunk female drove the opposite direction on the freeway and slaughtered 6 people. The driving restriction on her license from her previous drunk driving had only been lifted two weeks prior.

Greg

[Francisco Ferrer]

Yes, alcohol is evil, and the seeds of our destruction were sown by the Founding Fathers.

[jts]

The article primarily addressed the current epidemic use of psychotropics.

Fifty million, or one out of every five adults is taking prescription psychiatric drugs. In 2010 alone, 250,000,000 prescriptions were written for anti-depressants.

America is a narcoculture.

Greg

Anyone who takes psychiatric drugs needs his head examined.