OT: Crank, Speed, Meth, Crystal, etc.

In Texas this drug has become a total epidemic. Is it that like in other areas as well? Everyone seems to be doing it the last couple of years. I know people that you would NEVER suspect would be packing 8 balls in their pocket. People like attorneys, district attorneys, executives, etc. It seems snorting lines is just the latest past time around here. Also, the club crowd appears to have traded in their ecstacy to tweak all night on crank. A few people that I know have progressed their habit a little and now smoke the shit from time to time when their nose is sore or they have a sinus infection. I read somewhere that in 1998 around 50 meth labs were busted in Texas, but in 2001 authorities raided over 450. Wow.

HornsManiac

[Bishop]

Originally posted by HornsManiac
I know people that you would NEVER suspect would be packing 8 balls in their pocket. People like attorneys, district attorneys, executives, etc.

Because rich people don't do anything illegal or bad....


HBO has been running a special which all but teaches you how to make it which seems kinda odd... Looks like you can sniff it and you can smoke it, but once you start injecting it your done for good... can't quit.

[JPhillips]

Damnit. Sopranos, Six Feet Under and now How to Make Crank. I just gotta get my HBO turned back on.

[GrantDawg]

Originally posted by Bishop
Because rich people don't do anything illegal or bad....


HBO has been running a special which all but teaches you how to make it which seems kinda odd... Looks like you can sniff it and you can smoke it, but once you start injecting it your done for good... can't quit.

No, I think his point was not this cheap. Crank is inexpensive compared to cocaine (which is what you used to see in those people's pockets).

And to answer Horn's question, yes, it is bad everywhere. This stuff can be made by anybody, and just about every community has a couple of labs. We just had a promient doctor busted for running a crank lab (why a doctor who could sell precriptions would make crank, I have no idea.)

[Ksyrup]

District attorneys are attorneys, too, you know!

[wbonnell]

I am so far removed from the drug scene, I just asssume my colleagues don't do it. Probably a bit of naivete on my part...

[wbonnell]

The question that begs asking is why people of affluence would use drugs to escape reality. Doesn't material wealth make one happy and content? What else does one need?

[Ksyrup]

Originally posted by wbonnell
The question that begs asking is why people of affluence would use drugs to escape reality. Doesn't material wealth make one happy and content? What else does one need?

You would think so. I've given up trying to figure people out.

All I know is, I've been mildly wealthy (upper middle class, roughly) my entire life and happy. I assume that if I continue to move up the ladder, I will continue to be happy, maybe even happier. I have never, and likely will never, find a reason to use drugs.

As for what drives other people, I don't have a clue.

[The Afoci]

North Dakota and Minnesota are really having troubles with it. Since so much of both states is wide open land(ND) or all forrest(MN) it is very tough for cops to find it. It was like 3 or 4 months ago they arrested a guy who ran a drug ring that supplied I believe tons of it to the market a year. He got life in jail with no parole.

The biggest problem too is that it is running the rural PD out of money trying to stop it.

If you smoke it, you develop little red bumps all over your body. At least that is what happened to two of my friends that did it. And then they scratched them open and were covered in open sores. it is really bad stuff. They are essential worthless now that they do it which is sad, one kid dropped out of college and the other is a girl who became a stripper who will sleep with you for $50.

[Fidatelo]

Originally posted by Ksyrup
I assume that if I continue to move up the ladder, I will continue to be happy, maybe even happier. I have never, and likely will never, find a reason to use drugs.

Dude, if you're happy now just think how much happier you'd be during hour 35 of your meth binge! Ya, there is a chance you might kill your children and throw their heads out the window of your moving car because your sleep deprived brain thinks they are the spawn of satan, but nothing in life comes without risks!

[Ksyrup]

But why? maybe I'm just content on being happy, and don't need to be "happier" in order to live. Thus, I won't have the need to make myself "happier" by artificial means.

On certain occasions, my daughter has reminded me of spawn from satan - I didn't need any drugs to help with the comparison.

[Fidatelo]

Originally posted by Ksyrup
But why? maybe I'm just content on being happy, and don't need to be "happier" in order to live.

If you can be happier than you currently are you aren't really happy. Here, use my needle, it's pretty clean, I washed it under the sink on monday.

[wbonnell]

Sorry guys- I was being facetious. The point I was trying to make is that material wealth doesn't bring peace. It may bring short term happiness, but that's about it.

[Ksyrup]

Ah, there's the fallacy. Since one can theoretically always be happier than they are at any given moment, there is apparently a need to achieve that higher state of happiness which drives people to attempt to attain it from drugs.

Sorry, that's not necessary in my case. I have my music to put me in that state. I think I've spent enough on CDs and concerts to OD on drugs, but there's no collateral damage like there is with drugs.

[Ksyrup]

Originally posted by wbonnell
Sorry guys- I was being facetious. The point I was trying to make is that material wealth doesn't bring peace. It may bring short term happiness, but that's about it.

While I would agree that if you aren't living a happy life or at "peace" with your life, no amount of money is going to give that to you, that still doesn't explain why money can ruin an otherwise happy or peaceful life.

[Daimyo]

I don't think money can really build or ruin someone's happiness much over the long term... it all comes down to perspective. If you're rich and truly happy you'd probably be just as happy scraping by. Same thing if you're poor and miserable, you'd probably be just as miserable if you were rich. Its not really what you have, but how you view it.

[FrogMan]

Originally posted by Ksyrup
You would think so. I've given up trying to figure people out.

All I know is, I've been mildly wealthy (upper middle class, roughly) my entire life and happy. I assume that if I continue to move up the ladder, I will continue to be happy, maybe even happier. I have never, and likely will never, find a reason to use drugs.

As for what drives other people, I don't have a clue.

My friend, you have just summarized my whole state of mind...

FrogMan

[Fritz]

Originally posted by Ksyrup
I think I've spent enough on CDs and concerts to OD on drugs, but there's no collateral damage like there is with drugs.

except hearing loss

[Marmel]

hey fatboy.

[Ksyrup]

Originally posted by Fritz
except hearing loss

Whaddyasay?

Actually, you are right about that. While I still blow my ears out in the car, getting married probably added 25 years to my hearing. I used to listen to music every night as I fell asleep, with the best headphones I could buy, on "10." Despite the loudness, I was usually asleep within 3 or 4 songs. I wasn't able to continue that with the wife sleeping next to me, for obvious reasons. If I had kept that up, I'd probably be deaf now.

I think I can help explain why so many people want this drug and why people who should be happy already only feel that much happier on crank. You have to look at the physical changes that take place when you use meth. Meth directly causes your brain to release more dopamine which is what makes a person's body feel happy. This is similar to how testosterone makes a man feel manly. The incredibly happy feelings mostly come when it is injected and smoked more than when it is eaten or snorted. On the HBO special one junkie described it as having an orgasm, eating chocalate cake, and being in love for the first time all at once.

Another reason people use is because in today's society time is money and no one has enough of either. People who are wired can work, and work, and work some more until the early morning hours. Then they can go home and sleep for only a few hours get back up and work 19 more hours the next day. Speed doesn't have any negative side effects that keep you from functioning normally such as tripping, halucinating, etc. when used like this. It simply makes you feel good and gives you the awareness and energy to accomplish the things in life you need/want to accomplish.

On a similar note, some people just want to party much later than they could if they were not wired. For example, you can go to a club at 9pm and drink until 2am when it closes. At 2am when you would normally be way too drunk you still feel good wired. You are not drunk or sleepy and you are looking for the next place to go and hang out. Some people think getting wired is safer than drinking because you can drive a car normally when wired and you can't do that drunk. In fact, a lot of people get wired and then don't drink at all. They just chew their gum, drink lots of water, and have a grand old time.

It is true that after several days without sleep you can start feeling serious ill effects from speed i.e. crazy thoughts, feeling paranoid, becoming violent, etc. The ongoing debate is is this caused by speed itself or just a lack of sleep? When you go for days at a time you are binging and that is an entirely different world than doing enough to keep you awake all night until you want to come down and go to sleep at 9am. I don't know anyone who uses crank to stay awake for more than about 24-36 hours at a time and I know a ton of people who use it.

They also say that speed is probably the most addictive drug on the street and there is not much help for the addict. Even when hooked on heroin you can get methadone to help you kick the habit, but with speed there is no "methadone." Some stats say that 50% of everyone who tries crank once will try it again at some point in their life and that 98% of everyone who tries it twice will use it again at some point. Those stats along with the fact that only 6% of addicts are successfully treated and never go back to using are quite alarming. Again, though, it must be fairly stated that almost every addict whose life is shattered by the drug is a needle junkie and not the type of people that I know. Still, using the drug is probably not a smart choice to make because some people cannot keep it under control. They will eventually end up on the needle and at that point it is pretty much over for them.

HornsManiac

[sachmo71]

Dope is for dopes.

[dawgfan]

Just as a devil's argument, I'm curious to know if Ksyrup and others that foreswear 'drugs' also avoid alcohol.

Please don't misinterpret, I'm not trying to pass judgement. My recollection from my psychology degree is that there's a fair amount of evidence that one of the human 'drives' is the desire to alter one's consciousness. Why do little kids like spinning around and all those various playground toys that make themselves dizzy? Because it's a departure from 'normal' experience. People drink coffee because it perks them up.

We could get real philosophical here and discuss "What is 'normal' in terms of consciousness?", and point out that any number of things, from illness to various foods to the time of day etc. have an effect on our conscious state, but my basic point is that at the root of most drug-taking is a primal desire to change one's consciousness. Are there better ways of doing so that are less harmful? Sure, but I think that saying if someone is wealthy shouldn't they be happy enough to not need to do drugs is to both over-simplify the situation and to miss much of the point of drugs.

[Ksyrup]

I probably have 3-5 drinks a year, tops. I own one bottle of alcohol - now about 3 years old and 75% full - of amaretto, which is the only alcohol I really like. I also do not drink coffee and since I've been on the Atkins diet for 4-6 months, I have not even had a caffeinated drink during that time. I have never done drugs or even smoked a cigarette, for that matter. I got drunk once in college and hated the feeling of not being in control. So I never did it again.

So for me, there is little or no urge to alter my conscious state. Or at least, not by the "conventional" methods. Music is my "escape," if that's what you want to call it.

[sabotai]

"Another reason people use is because in today's society time is money and no one has enough of either. People who are wired can work, and work, and work some more until the early morning hours. Then they can go home and sleep for only a few hours get back up and work 19 more hours the next day. Speed doesn't have any negative side effects that keep you from functioning normally such as tripping, halucinating, etc. when used like this. It simply makes you feel good and gives you the awareness and energy to accomplish the things in life you need/want to accomplish."

This is basically what I was going to say before I saw that HM did it.

The one side effect, however, is that once you come down off the speed high, you feel more tired than you normally would have. So then you need a hit of it just to make it through the next day, and the next, and the cycle continues.

I refer you to the episode of Family Ties when Alex got diet pills (similar effect, not sure if it was actually meth in the episode or not). He used them at first just to stay up later to study for a big test. But then he just kept taking them and taking them.

And that's what happens to everyone. It starts off as just something to get them through a tough night, and before you know it they need it just to function during the day.

[sabotai]

dola...

"People drink coffee because it perks them up."

I drink coffee because I love the taste of coffee. In all seriousness, caffeine really doesn't effect me at all. (No, I don't drink coffee everyday)

Just thinking about coffee....mmmmm....love that smell, love that taste...coffee just pwns!

[Fritz]

I take a little concoction of Pine-Sol extract and yak cheese prior to posting just give me a little edge. It makes a good meatball sauce as well.

[Ksyrup]

Originally posted by sabotai
dola...

"People drink coffee because it perks them up."

I drink coffee because I love the taste of coffee. In all seriousness, caffeine really doesn't effect me at all. (No, I don't drink coffee everyday)

Just thinking about coffee....mmmmm....love that smell, love that taste...coffee just pwns!

I love the smell of coffee, but can't stand the taste.

[JeeberD]

Originally posted by sabotai
I refer you to the episode of Family Ties when Alex got diet pills (similar effect, not sure if it was actually meth in the episode or not). He used them at first just to stay up later to study for a big test. But then he just kept taking them and taking them.

There was an episode of Saved By The Bell over the same thing. Jessie (you know, the naked chick from Showgirls) took them to help her study for a test and wound up not being able to stop taking them (until her friends interviened and showed her what she was doing was wrong). Not that I ever watched SBTB or anything...

[Ksyrup]

There was an episode of 90210....

[Fidatelo]

Originally posted by Ksyrup
I love the smell of coffee, but can't stand the taste.

I feel the exact same way. I used to love getting up in the morning and making my parents coffee so I could sniff the coffee jar, but to this day I can't imagine why anyone actually drinks the stuff.

[Airhog]

hmm I think the reason I did so much lsd and psychadelic mushrooms was an attemp to alter my consciousness...unfortunately the effects were only temporary...

[korme]

Crank? I have never seen it nor has anyone I know ever done it.

Marijuana is the most oft-used substance here, with X real far behind.

[Craptacular]

The closest I've ever come to even getting a buzz was when I had a few glasses of wine at dinner the night I got engaged. I haven't tried and won't try drugs. Pointless. I've even managed to almost cut out caffeine, although I still have a a caffeinated soda every once in a while (which is much better than drinking 4 or 5 Dews a day like I used to). I hate everything about coffee ... the smell, the taste, even Juan Valdez's burro.

[korme]

Originally posted by Ksyrup
I love the smell of coffee, but can't stand the taste.

Amen brother KSyrup!

[Marmel]

Coffee is an aquired taste. I did not like the taste at first and drank for the effects, but now I drink it black, purely for the taste.

[sabotai]

"(until her friends interviened and showed her what she was doing was wrong). "

Wouldn't it be great if all of life's problems were solved this easily?

"but to this day I can't imagine why anyone actually drinks the stuff."

To this day, I don't know why anyone would want to drink donkey piss-water, er, I mean beer. But to each his own I guess.

[Fidatelo]

Originally posted by sabotai
To this day, I don't know why anyone would want to drink donkey piss-water, er, I mean beer. But to each his own I guess.

I hear you on that too, beer is a terrible drink.

[JeeberD]

Mmmm, beer.....gurgle....

Originally posted by sabotai
The one side effect, however, is that once you come down off the speed high, you feel more tired than you normally would have. So then you need a hit of it just to make it through the next day, and the next, and the cycle continues.

The people who are able to control it are the ones who just deal with being extra tired for one day. The people I know that get wired on weekends (or a little more often) just accept the fact that on Sundays they are going to be tired all day. They don't, however, do another bump to get them through Sunday. You are right when you say that is how addiction starts, because once you give in and start needing more crank to "recover" from the day before you are well on your way to becoming an addict who has lost control.

If you will notice I still used the word "addict" because very few people can just put down speed and never touch it again, so by definition they are probably considered addicted. However, they may go weeks or months without getting wired. Still, they will almost always without fail get wired again at some point. I know people who only get wired every few months, but like clockwork they get wired every few months and probably will for the rest of their lives. Here starts a new FOFC debate, are people like this truly addicts in your mind and the minds of society?

HornsManiac

Originally posted by Shorty3281
Crank? I have never seen it nor has anyone I know ever done it.

Crank comes in small rocks in many different colors. I have seen it look almost cocaine white, grey like cigarette ashes, and various shades of yellow, tan, and even pink. If you are going to smoke it you generally smoke the rock or a part of it. If you are going to snort the drug it must be chopped with a knife, razor, or pill crusher into a fine powder. Damn, I think I have too many tweaker friends. :o

HornsManiac

[Marmel]

So you guys who don't like beer......do you not have a sac, too?

[Ksyrup]

I go by taste. If it doesn't taste good, I don't eat or drink it.

Beer and coffee do not taste good.

[Fidatelo]

I think it takes more 'sac' to admit you don't like beer than it does to just follow the other lemmings and poor that filth down your throat

[korme]

Like coffee, beer is an acquired taste. Used to hate it, did it for the effects . Now I could kick back and drink a Keystone for the helluvit.

[Marmel]

Do you non-beer drinkers also think Lesbians are disgusting?

[Marmel]

Originally posted by Shorty3281
Like coffee, beer is an acquired taste. Used to hate it, did it for the effects . Now I could kick back and drink a Keystone for the helluvit.

that is some great unintentional comedy.

A KEYSTONE????

[RonnieDobbs]

Honestly, you could add cigars and scotch to the acquired taste list. First time terrible, next time not so bad, third time you're sold for life.

[korme]

Originally posted by Marmel
that is some great unintentional comedy.

A KEYSTONE????

Don't fuck with my stones, thats my favorite for cost and quality.

[dacman]

Originally posted by HornsManiac
Here starts a new FOFC debate, are people like this truly addicts in your mind and the minds of society?

HornsManiac

Yes, but more than likely it's purely a physcological addiction.