Does whether or not a person use drugs affect your opinion of them?

[Lyrebird]

I can be friends with people who do softer drugs and it doesn't affect me if friends do shrooms or whatever because just because I'm not into drugs doesn't mean I should be a moralist on them.

However I will not be intimate with someone who does drugs (excluding alcohol). I just can't. That will change my perception but friends not really.

 

[DerMißingno]

If I am friends with a person with months or years, then one day they tell me that they used to be addicted to cocaine, or maybe take it for fun every now and then, then why should I think any differently of them. They are the same person that I was friends with before. It doesn't matter to me what kind of drugs they are.

If a person is addicted to drugs to the point that it effects their interactions with people or they talk about them all the time, then of course I'm probably not going to want to be around them. That's not the drugs' fault though, that's on the person. You can't not know that heroin is super addicting, you are the one who made the choice to try it, then try it again, then try it again, etc. Also, someone who talks about any one thing all the time is not going to be pleasant to be around. If you're constantly talking about your cats all the time, then that will probably get old pretty quickly.

The one thing I will not abide is people posting about their drug use in public places, most notably Facebook. If you post about your drug use on Facebook then I will remove you from my friends list, because being associated with you could now have consequences for me.

 

[Muur]

I would definitely think less of them.

 

[DerMißingno]

I would definitely think less of them.

Go on...

 

[Muur]

I would definitely think less of them.

Go on...

Drugs are bad, mkay.

 

[Elysion]

Well most of the friends I have who do drugs usually smoke weed, so I can't say if I'd approve of a friend who took something harsher. Some of my friends smoke weed for the heck of it, some of them do have some personal issues going on in their lives. However, I don't think I'd want to date someone who does any kind of drugs.

I'd like to say "why would someone want to take some substance that could potentially harm/ruin them", but I'm not them. I don't think what goes on in the majority of other people's lives.

 

[Pikochu]

I probably should get this out of the way, I am in favor of full legalization of drugs. I believe that people have the right to put what they want in their bodies. That being said, they have to be responsible for the use of the substance also. If they cause a crash while being under the influence of drugs, they need to take full responsibility and not hide behind "Well, the drug made me do this."

Now, I don't think it affects me too much about people who uses drugs but it does raise some red flags for me. I mean, there would be certain things I would think less of but I don't let it bother me when developing bonds with people. If they use it recreationally, or once in awhile, I am okay with it. If it starts taking over their lives, I might have problems with them. I treat it like alcohol for me.

I personally wouldn't get involved with them romantically though because I would feel that I am involved with their drug use and it's just something I would feel as a commitment that would bother me. I don't want to be involved with people using drugs illegally. If it's like for medical purposes like pain medication, something for their heart, etc, I probably wouldn't even notice.

 

[henrymidfields]

Depends on the type of person, type of drug, usage, reason, etc.

Red flags would be:
- hard drugs
- life revolving around said drugs
- Being visibly affected by drugs and acting irresponsibly

Green flags would be:
- Medical/compassionate reasons.
- People that I've known for ages, and told me that they've done it. At least I appreciate them being upfront about it.

I'm very much against every form of drugs, even though soft drugs are legal here (biggest reason people visit my country *sigh*) and I am for legalizing more forms of drugs to try and stop drug-related crime.

And ...[omission]... I just can't help but have a negative opinion of people who do it. ... [omission]

If you don't mind me asking, what's the prevailing opinion on drug decriminalization/usage in your area of the Netherlands?

 

[Chaotic Inferno]

I'm between neutral and bad. I don't very much like or approve of drug usage, but I don't like telling others what the should not do unless I absolutely need to. When I find out a friend of mine uses drugs, at first my reaction were surprise and awkwardness when continuing to speak with them for the rest of the day. Come next day, I honestly forget about it and realize that it's still the same person that I've known for a while.

So long as it doesn't affect them for the worse (becoming heavy addicts, or a completely different person), I won't see them as a bad person. However, religious practice and medical reasons are exempt from this.

People that are close friends/family go by a completely different rule. I try to stop them from doing it further because I worry that they could become addicts and be involved in some sort of trouble involving the police.

 

[Boshi234]

Well I think lowly of people who use illegal drugs. I know people that are Crack addicts and homeless but they aren't my friends.

On the other hand I don't care about people using cannabis, they can use it all they want but I don't want to be near it (because it smells awful).

 

[jayrachi]

Though I already answered the question this poll made me wonder. Do people here more dislike that people do drugs, or do they more dislike the criminal activity that surrounds them?

 

[Snowy]

Yes. That includes both legal (caffeine, cigarettes and alcohol) and illegal drugs.

For the legal drugs, alcohol and caffeine in moderation is fine. Those drugs are harmless in moderation... but alcohol fueled violence and drink driving is a massive problem here in Australia. And caffeine, like all stimulants, can cause social problems in excess.

Even if the drugs are legal, I do not like them and I will judge someone that lives by the drug. I have done the dependance thing (Fortunately for me, that was Caffeine). I have seen others do the alcohol dependance thing.Neither of them are pleasant and they can cause extreme behaviour.

As for cigarettes. They are not just dangerous for the user, cigarettes are just as dangerous to those that pass by, and those around the user. And passive smoking is ten times more dangerous than active smoking.

As for illegal drugs, most of them are illegal for a very very good reason.

 

[Soki]

I'm very much against every form of drugs, even though soft drugs are legal here (biggest reason people visit my country *sigh*) and I am for legalizing more forms of drugs to try and stop drug-related crime.

And ...[omission]... I just can't help but have a negative opinion of people who do it. ... [omission]

If you don't mind me asking, what's the prevailing opinion on drug decriminalization/usage in your area of the Netherlands?

I'm the only person I know that is against the usage of every kind of drugs. Most people are fine with soft drugs and even most people I know have tried it at least once.

The opinion on hard drugs differs a lot, though I do think the majority has a negative opinion on it. However, despite that, I think most are still in favor of legalizing (some) hard drugs to stop drug-related crime.

 

[henrymidfields]

... but alcohol fueled violence and drink driving is a massive problem here in Australia. ...

How big is the problem of alcohol-related violence in Perth? Or say, Kalgoorlie? I live in Sydney, and yeah, there are two suburbs I don't want to be around on a Friday/Saturday night. (Liverpool and the area around Kings Cross Station) I used to live in Melbourne as well, and although I would hear stories on the news, it didn't seem as bad.

If you don't mind me asking, what's the prevailing opinion on drug decriminalization/usage in your area of the Netherlands?

I'm the only person I know that is against the usage of every kind of drugs. Most people are fine with soft drugs and even most people I know have tried it at least once.

The opinion on hard drugs differs a lot, though I do think the majority has a negative opinion on it. However, despite that, I think most are still in favor of legalizing (some) hard drugs to stop drug-related crime.

I did hear that the earlier generation tends to oppose decriminalization of drugs. Either way, how much of it is a controversy over in the Dutch parliament?

 

[Snowy]

How big is the problem of alcohol-related violence in Perth? Or say, Kalgoorlie? I live in Sydney, and yeah, there are two suburbs I don't want to be around on a Friday/Saturday night. I used to live in Melbourne as well, and although I would hear stories on the news, it didn't seem as bad.

I don't think we have it as bad as Sydney (Perth IS smaller) but there have been a few cases of alcohol fueled violence in Western Australia, and in Perth. My dad used to drive taxis (before we moved) and some nights got quite dangerous. He does not regret retiring.

And he was a driver in a country city, not Perth... so i hate to imagine how bad Burswood (where Perth's casinos are) is.

EDIT: Ask me again on the Easter Long Weekend, Anzac day or any other day that traditionally involves a lot of drinking. I bet i'll be able to find a news article or two then

 

[Soki]

I did hear that the earlier generation tends to oppose decriminalization of drugs. Either way, how much of it is a controversy over in the Dutch parliament?

Well so far the only thing they've done is making it harder to get drugs, mostly to get rid of foreigners who only come here for the drugs and sometimes cause trouble. Most people here think that was a very stupid decision to make as it will only make drug crime grow, but one of the parties who wants to suppress the use of any kind of drugs is in power, so yeah.

I've looked it up and of our 10 largest political parties 5 are in favor and 5 are against legalizing more forms of drugs, so it's quite controversial. As expected it's mostly the left-wing parties that are in favor and the right-wing parties that want to suppress drug use. The last time a left-wing party has been in power was 17 years ago (because my fellow countrymen are idiots) and I don't think one's going to be in power soon too, so I don't think legalization is going to happen any time soon.

 

[Kadabra]

What a lot of people are forgetting is that the decision to do illegal drugs isn't just a personal lifestyle choice; it affects other people in terrible ways as well. In Mexico alone, drug crime related murders range in the tens of thousands per year--all because some people north of the border have a certain unhealthy hobby. These people are directly funding said violent crime, affecting even their own neighbourhoods.

I don't think I need to clarify how I feel about drug users.

 

[DerMißingno]

What a lot of people are forgetting is that the decision to do illegal drugs isn't just a personal lifestyle choice; it affects other people in terrible ways as well. In Mexico alone, drug crime related murders range in the tens of thousands per year--all because some people north of the border have a certain unhealthy hobby. These people are directly funding said violent crime, affecting even their own neighbourhoods.

I don't think I need to clarify how I feel about drug users.

Drug cartels exist because drugs are illegal though... Just like when alcohol was illegal the mafia gained a whole lot of power. People aren't going to stop wanting drugs, if they are illegal then they will be provided in illegal ways. I don't think you are right in blaming the users or the drugs themselves.

 

[Kadabra]

What a lot of people are forgetting is that the decision to do illegal drugs isn't just a personal lifestyle choice; it affects other people in terrible ways as well. In Mexico alone, drug crime related murders range in the tens of thousands per year--all because some people north of the border have a certain unhealthy hobby. These people are directly funding said violent crime, affecting even their own neighbourhoods.

I don't think I need to clarify how I feel about drug users.

Drug cartels exist because drugs are illegal though... Just like when alcohol was illegal the mafia gained a whole lot of power. People aren't going to stop wanting drugs, if they are illegal then they will be provided in illegal ways. I don't think you are right in blaming the users or the drugs themselves.

...this, on the other hand, is something everyone already knows.

And it doesn't change the fact that it's beyond selfish to buy illegal drugs while knowing that you're funding the murders of tens of thousands of innocent people every year. "Well, the gov made it illegal ... so cartels happen..." would be a pretty terrible justification, to say the least.

Besides, the effectiveness of government policy in combating drug violence is a bit out of scope for this topic.

 

[Milk!]

Maybe a little?
If is marijuana, I don't even care. Unless it's their "lifestyle" which I find irritating. Weed is a legitimate medicine for many people, and relaxing for many as well, so I don't judge.
For one time things like acid or ecstacy? Meh, whatever, as long as you're not doing it every weekend who cares?
Heroin, or cocaine? I'm definitely not comfortable around people who do it. Mainly, it just depresses me seeing as it's highly likely the drug will kill them.