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Scotland - Drugs - Alcohol


St.Ricky

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1 hour ago, St.Ricky said:

The news that drug deaths have now overtaken deaths from alcohol is shocking. Both claim too many lives. Why is Scotland so bad in both? 

I'm sure you have noticed in your travels Ricky the more north you go in Europe the heavier the drinking no idea why that is. Drugs is a hard one to nail down. I think deprivation plays a big part. No idea how to fix the drug problem. Portugal has done a remarkable job fixing their drug problem we should look at how it was tackled there. 

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Guest TPAFKATS

The figures are a bit misleading when attempting to compare them to other countries as there are many different ways of recording them. As an example in England drug OD deaths are recorded as suicide. This will go some way to explaining the media headline figure that Scotland has 3 times the number of drug related deaths than England.

Doug Jamie's throwaway comment on independence is also kinda relevant as drug policy is reserved to Westminster which refuses the Scottish government's approaches to clean safe injection rooms.

There is no denying a problem which needs multi organisational approaches and as IOBS notes Portugal has made massive strides following their version of decriminalising.

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17 minutes ago, St.Ricky said:

Who knows at this point DJ but IOBS is right about harder drinking as you go further north in Europe. 

I was kiddin mate, the SNPs have increased the price of booze, killed pubs, Golf Clubs and other social arenas.

But people do Class A drugs ?

 

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11 minutes ago, DougJamie said:

I was kiddin mate, the SNPs have increased the price of booze, killed pubs, Golf Clubs and other social arenas.

But people do Class A drugs ?

 

I know you were DJ. 

Steps have been taken with Alcohol over a number of years. I don't drink so it doesn't impact on me personally. A lot more places serve food as well as drinks. 

I don't personally get why people look for, or need, alcohol or chemicals to relax and have a good time.  Clearly, many do. 

I guess I would hit the supplier in the drugs trade rather than the user. 

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59 minutes ago, DougJamie said:

Maybe if we were Independent :lol:

Actually this could help. Scotland would control its own drug policies instead of Westminster.

1 hour ago, Isle Of Bute Saint said:

Portugal has done a remarkable job fixing their drug problem we should look at how it was tackled there. 

This.

The legalisation of all drugs has allowed many addicts to easily seek the help they need instead of having fear of being criminalised.

The legal sale of drugs kills off the need for illegal drug dealers. That means the prisons are less full, not just from users but sellers too. Also, some dealers aren’t selling what they claim it to be, which can add to deaths as you really don’t know what you’re taking. People see “Legalise all drugs” and think “Drugs are bad MmmKay”, but the death rate in Portugal plummeted after this.

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5 hours ago, Isle Of Bute Saint said:

I'm sure you have noticed in your travels Ricky the more north you go in Europe the heavier the drinking no idea why that is. Drugs is a hard one to nail down. I think deprivation plays a big part. No idea how to fix the drug problem. Portugal has done a remarkable job fixing their drug problem we should look at how it was tackled there. 

It can't be just one thing like deprivation because cocaine abuse is racing through the middle and upper classes like a plague.

I think peer pressure has a lot to do with it.

People are basically sheep. They like to feel included. When everyone else is drinking most people will drink too. If everyone else is snorting coke or using a needle, others in their social groups will do it too. If you don't believe me, try ordering a glass of milk or green tea the next time you go out with your mates to a pub. See how long you last before people stop inviting you out. A good way to reduce drug abuse could simply be to get people out of their social circles and into healthier ones and to help them learn not to be so dependent on other people for their sense of self-worth.

Edited by oaksoft
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24 minutes ago, oaksoft said:

It can't be just one thing like deprivation because cocaine abuse is racing through the middle and upper classes like a plague.

I think peer pressure has a lot to do with it.

People are basically sheep. They like to feel included. When everyone else is drinking most people will drink too. If everyone else is snorting coke or using a needle, others in their social groups will do it too. If you don't believe me, try ordering a glass of milk or green tea the next time you go out with your mates to a pub. See how long you last before people stop inviting you out. A good way to reduce drug abuse could simply be to get people out of their social circles and into healthier ones and to help them learn not to be so dependent on other people for their sense of self-worth.

Is that what happened to you? :wink:

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28 minutes ago, oaksoft said:

It can't be just one thing like deprivation because cocaine abuse is racing through the middle and upper classes like a plague.

I think peer pressure has a lot to do with it.

People are basically sheep. They like to feel included. When everyone else is drinking most people will drink too. If everyone else is snorting coke or using a needle, others in their social groups will do it too. If you don't believe me, try ordering a glass of milk or green tea the next time you go out with your mates to a pub. See how long you last before people stop inviting you out. A good way to reduce drug abuse could simply be to get people out of their social circles and into healthier ones and to help them learn not to be so dependent on other people for their sense of self-worth.

A lot in what you say. People who like to be liked (should that be need to be) use mirroring a lot in speach, gestures and behaviours and as group/herd animals this works. Change the setting, change the circle and many adjust. The northern European thing with drinking and eating fatty foods are some suggest a throwback to when we more likely to have cold, damp places in which to live and work. They also tended to be the first to have big industrial cities and a move away from the Country. No single answer. 

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42 minutes ago, oaksoft said:

It can't be just one thing like deprivation because cocaine abuse is racing through the middle and upper classes like a plague.

I think peer pressure has a lot to do with it.

People are basically sheep. They like to feel included. When everyone else is drinking most people will drink too. If everyone else is snorting coke or using a needle, others in their social groups will do it too. If you don't believe me, try ordering a glass of milk or green tea the next time you go out with your mates to a pub. See how long you last before people stop inviting you out. A good way to reduce drug abuse could simply be to get people out of their social circles and into healthier ones and to help them learn not to be so dependent on other people for their sense of self-worth.

Yes cocaine is widespread throughout the middle classes and upper classes.  Gordon Ramsay did testing in his toilet restaurants both public and staff. Drug traces were fund all over. Scottish premiership clubs were on the news recently many were found to have traces of cocaine its mental.  

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1 hour ago, Isle Of Bute Saint said:

Yes cocaine is widespread throughout the middle classes and upper classes.  Gordon Ramsay did testing in his toilet restaurants both public and staff. Drug traces were fund all over. Scottish premiership clubs were on the news recently many were found to have traces of cocaine its mental.  

I'm pretty sure I read that they found cocaine traces in the water and sewage systems in London.

Drug abuse is definitely not a deprivation, a poverty or a "f**king Tories" problem. That's an easy way to allow druggies to blame someone else for their life choices. At some point they are making a personal decision to take something they know is dangerous and addictive. I'd like to hear some honest stories about how they made that split second decision. I'd also like to know why the problem is crossing all class and wealth boundaries.

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10 hours ago, TPAFKATS said:

The figures are a bit misleading when attempting to compare them to other countries as there are many different ways of recording them. As an example in England drug OD deaths are recorded as suicide. This will go some way to explaining the media headline figure that Scotland has 3 times the number of drug related deaths than England.

Doug Jamie's throwaway comment on independence is also kinda relevant as drug policy is reserved to Westminster which refuses the Scottish government's approaches to clean safe injection rooms.

There is no denying a problem which needs multi organisational approaches and as IOBS notes Portugal has made massive strides following their version of decriminalising.

Think this is spot on,you're no telling me other less deprived countries within Europe don’t have an issue with drugs as bad as Scotland just not recorded, we obviously have a major issue it’s how we deal with it.

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The figures are a bit misleading when attempting to compare them to other countries as there are many different ways of recording them. As an example in England drug OD deaths are recorded as suicide. This will go some way to explaining the media headline figure that Scotland has 3 times the number of drug related deaths than England.

Doug Jamie's throwaway comment on independence is also kinda relevant as drug policy is reserved to Westminster which refuses the Scottish government's approaches to clean safe injection rooms.

There is no denying a problem which needs multi organisational approaches and as IOBS notes Portugal has made massive strides following their version of decriminalising.

Sensible posts, like thee above, should not be tolerated.
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5 hours ago, cockles1987 said:

I'll disagree with you there, the minimum pricing has not affected the purchase price licensed premises pay the suppliers like you suggested.

I very much doubt you'd have been able to buy a 35ml measure for under 71p before the MUP was introduced in any establishment.

Oops sorry for bringing facts into it. emoji6.png

The alcohol driving limit has. Another fact back at ya😁

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On 7/17/2019 at 10:48 AM, Isle Of Bute Saint said:

I'm sure you have noticed in your travels Ricky the more north you go in Europe the heavier the drinking no idea why that is. Drugs is a hard one to nail down. I think deprivation plays a big part. No idea how to fix the drug problem. Portugal has done a remarkable job fixing their drug problem we should look at how it was tackled there. 

a long standing claim, not sure if it's a fact but my experience tells me that is roughly true.  Sweden tried taxing alcohol to death and i think it had some effect-same goes for Canada where most take-away booze appears to be sold in government-owned liquor stores and MuP has been in place for several years with apparently good effect

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5 minutes ago, beyond our ken said:

a long standing claim, not sure if it's a fact but my experience tells me that is roughly true.  Sweden tried taxing alcohol to death and i think it had some effect-same goes for Canada where most take-away booze appears to be sold in government-owned liquor stores and MuP has been in place for several years with apparently good effect

Norway to having attended seminars there over 20 years the high taxation on alcohol has led to the growth on home brew. At first was puzzled how after a few drinks people were getting really pissed,, then I got the story from locals. 

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10 hours ago, faraway saint said:

Noticed there's been a rise in dog attacks, could this be related to the rise in drugs?

Quite a few people involved in drugs enjoy have a dog for company. :rolleyes:

You have mentioned that you have a dog and you live near Dundee... Mm makes one think. 

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