Ooooh Drink and Drugs two such emotive subjects that on the whole needn't be.

If it's fun or just plain funny and it deosn't harm anybody else then it is okay - EVEN if other people think it is harming you!

Most people in their younger years choose to do things that their family now refuse to admit that they did when they were young. Some choose to continue into middle or even old age.

No matter how often poeple tell you they have there is no way for them to have a common frame of reference to your particular use of any particular substance. It's entriely personal.

If you think any one thing is taking too firm a hold in your life stop it for one month. If you can't seek help to do so.

Some things I am certain of...

Prohibition endangers lives by handing substance provision to criminals. Censure drives people towards behaviours such as secrecy that can turn them into addicts. People will seek altered states of consciousness whether it be through exercise - mental or physical or substance use - no matter what others say, think or do. Any other world view is simply naive.

I am interested to hear the religeous right promote virginity as a cure for AIDS. Fill a young mind up with the need to grow and explore then wait until it reaches a stage where sexual drive is probably only exceeded by curiosity - then stifle it! I am awed by such creative thinking - NOT!

Society's attitudes are as much guilty of creating subtancew abuse as the victim is. Addicts are medically unwell they are NOT criminals!

My £0 0s 0d...

Hyp.