It turns out that a lot of accomplished, well-respected historical figures did drugs. From Winston Churchill taking amphetamines to Thomas Edison lacing his wine with cocaine, not everyone who uses narcotics is a hopeless basket case living in a dumpster. While some drug users spiral into addiction and crime, others go on to become president. It's time to debunk the age old stereotypes of the back alley dangerous dealer or the lazy stoner when, according to the National Survey on Drug Use, roughly half of all Americans have tried an illegal drug.
In the latest "Mostly Weekly" host Andrew Heaton breaks down the cartoonish Drug Warrior portrayal of drugs by showing some of the beloved historical figures who used them, including:
And some you can never love DID drugs and DID terrible things....list follows:
Rudy Eugene was implicated in the recent wave of cannibal attacks throughout the United States in summer 2012.
Pamela McCarthy went on a naked rampage, and police were called after she reportedly punched and choked her three-year-old son. She also attempted to strangle the family dog.
Dale Nelson was a Canadian logger who killed eight people. Nelson had drunk heavily on Sept. 4, 1970, and he later drove to a relative’s house and murdered a mother and one of her children using a fire extinguisher and a knife. He apparently tried to eat the child’s organs. He then went to another house and shot the people inside apart from a child, who he raped shortly after and then killed.
Ricky Kasso murdered a teenager. He had accused the victim of stealing and not paying for quantities of PCP. The teen was stabbed multiple times during the attack and had his eyes gouged out. Kasso committed suicide after he was arrested for the drug-fueled crime.
Jim Jones most remembered for sparking off the mass suicide of his followers in Jonestown, Guyana, on Nov. 18, 1978. It was notorious as the biggest human-caused loss of life until Sept. 11, 2001, and 918 people died as a result. Jones, a known drug user and possible addict to LSD and marijuana.
Velma BarfieldHer’s husband died after the house caught fire, and her husband died of smoke inhalation. A few months later, a second fire gutted the interior, and the insurance paid out. Barfield later married a wealthy widower. He died after they started experiencing issues with their marriage thanks to Barfield’s drug habit. After a number of other murders, Barfield was eventually caught when a coroner ordered a full autopsy after a man she had been dating had suddenly died. She was tried and then later executed by lethal injection.
Archibald McCafferty labeled Australia’s worst criminal, he was responsible a number of horrific murders while high on a variety of drugs, often called angel dust. His murder spree started after his son died aged just a few months old. McCafferty, after being released from a psychiatric institution, went on a murderous rampage, apparently inspired by visions of his son, who apparently told him to kill seven people. He only succeeded in killing three with help from a gang before he was caught. He was given multiple life sentences. In prison, he was accused of killing fellow prisoners and caught taking more drugs. Eventually, he got clean, and he now lives in Scotland.
Big Lurch was a rapper in the Bay Area who had seen some success in the rap scene, having worked with a number of high-profile rappers. All this would change one night when he stabbed his drug partner’s girlfriend through the shoulder and ripped open her chest with his teeth. He was seen drenched in blood and walking like a zombie, and a medical report showed that he had flesh in his stomach—human flesh. He is currently serving a life sentence.
And some you can never love DID drugs and DID terrible things....
...not everyone who uses narcotics is a hopeless basket case living in a dumpster. While some drug users spiral into addiction and crime, others go on to become president.
It's time to debunk the age old stereotypes of the back alley dangerous dealer or the lazy stoner when, according to the National Survey on Drug Use, roughly half of all Americans have tried an illegal drug.
...not everyone who uses narcotics is a hopeless basket case living in a dumpster.
You are correct, the typical druggies and overdose victims are becoming younger and more urban....living in the basements of their parents. The scale of both use and abuse of the drugs in America is hard to overstate. It can best be summed up by saying that every 25 minutes a newborn baby is born addicted to drugs.
...users spiral into addiction and crime, others go on to become president.
While others go on to become president, drug overdose deaths continue to increase in the United States. Since 1999, the number of overdose deaths quadrupled. From 2000 to 2015 more than half a million people died from drug overdoses. 91 Americans die every day from a drug overdose. It is most unfortunate that none of those druggies will ever have the opportunity so say I used drugs and became President....now, will they?
...roughly half of all Americans have tried an illegal drug.
Yes and all the while the number of people living in high-poverty areas nearly doubled between 2000 and 2013, to 13.8 million from 7.2 million
Drug-related crime imposes an enormous burden on our society. One report in 2011 shows that $153 billion was the estimate for the annual crime costs from illicit drug use. Meanwhile the 2011 NDIC report says the cost is $193 billion. Take you pick and regardless which one you choose, it is an atrociously high number to pay for the crime costs for people to use illegal drugs.
Furthermore, you preach many times daily on what a shitty place America has become....right? Of course, you do. And you see no correlation between the use of drugs? You are just plain downright stupid if you don’t ...
Drug-related crime imposes an enormous burden on our society.
Aside from the fact that the U.S. Government is complicit in the international drug trade, legalizing drugs would have the effect of significantly DECREASING crime.
Not to mention the enormous financial benefits to be had.
then you say that the best way you see to solve that enormous drug problem is to make all drugs legal so more people can take more drug
You really think that MORE people will use heroin if it was legal?
Are you afraid that if heroin becomes legal, you will be the first in line to go out and score some?
Cannabis legalization alone would be a huge boost for the economy. Some of that money could be channeled into programs to actually help those who DO have addictions and desperately want to clean up their act.
You do want addicts to get help, don't you? Oh wait - you need to have people continue to be addicted to drugs in order to feel better about yourself.
People are going to use drugs whether they are legal or not - and I don't foresee any of the ones who currently are so vehemently opposed to them now going out and score some heroin if it becomes legal.
