#112 — DEAD OR ALIVE | MEMOIR

Say No to Drugs & Yes to Chillies

Guys would give me a blowback — a chance for them to put their lips on mine and fire the smoke down my throat.

I wrote this after reading a very interesting post from my friend Nero regarding drugs. Realising my comment on his article was going to be too long, I decided to pen this reply.

What is a Drug?

Drugs come in all forms — I know that now. Alcohol is one for sure, and I sometimes drink too much. I enjoy a couple of cups of coffee a day. It’s addictive. I also adore chillies, they provide such a buzz I feel they must be a drug. Yet they are very healthy. The high I get when consuming the really hot ones is not laden with the thought that I am doing something illegal or eating food not deemed good for my health.

Health benefits of Chili pepper: improves digestive health and metabolism, alleviates migraines, may reduce risks of cancer, fights fungal infections, colds, and the flu, provides joint pain relief, fights inflammation, supports cardiovascular health, may improve cognitive functions, may improve longevity, promotes red blood cell growth, improve ocular health and keeps your hair and skin healthy and more. Conserve Energy

Marijuana is illegal but I do view it as a natural plant, like chillies. It’s all the synthetic, man-made concoctions I really don’t like.

Early Days With Drugs

I first tried marijuana when I was eighteen. Not being a smoker, it never really had much of an effect. Guys would give me a blowback —a chance for them to put their lips on mine and fire the smoke down my throat. That was OK but I still didn’t feel much of an effect.

A few years later, my flatmate made some cookies — explaining it was a better way to get high. Well, it worked. I lost a complete hour of my life, during which I apparently propositioned a co-worker and behaved like a slut before crashing out.

Vic and I were a couple at that time. He worked in the music industry so we were always at some party or other with joints being passed around. I just said no but continued to knock back copious amounts of booze.

Nero pointed out that years ago the hard drugs were not so much on display as now, and I agree. There were people inside rooms or bathrooms doing the heavy stuff, not out in public.

Vic and I were in love and had always, since teenagers, done everything together. So with me a little scared of the chemical mixes, we steered clear, he was often rolling a joint though.

Hard Drugs

However, when a mutual friend got hold of some LSD Vic wanted to try it and asked me to give it a go. I was up for it initially, thinking myself very grown up. We arrived at the guy’s pad at the allotted time. He wasn’t in. We waited for about thirty minutes with no joy, so went to the pub instead. The next day he called explaining the delay and we were welcome that evening. Something in my head clicked, and I refused to go.

However, Vic did, and it was the start of his love-affair with mind-altering drugs that has been his longest relationship to date.

It was inevitable that after that first time he began to score at work too. Soon I was not keen on the parties. We split up, but have remained friends to this day. Every so often he tells me he still loves me, and because he knows I care about him, talks about the amount of coke he still takes. I think he likes to hear the concern in my voice.

Drugs and My Children

As mentioned, they do seem to be thrust in the youngsters faces far more than it was when I was an innocent. And I don’t think the drugs they buy today are as pure as some of the substances that were around years ago. I have a very open relationship with my children (both young adults), and am aware they have taken hard drugs. This never surprised me, as the festivals and clubs they frequented were almost shopfronts for drug selling.

My partner has spoken to my kids about what they have taken, with a no holds barred attitude — to try to keep them safe by providing information. We have both discussed with them the harm drugs can cause a person, physically, emotionally and mentally. And also chatted about what different types of drugs may be laced with.

By gaining their trust, open dialogue on the topic occurred frequently, and I am pleased to say that they have both chosen not to use them any more — grown out of them, perhaps.

My Partner and Drugs

I am happy he advised my children on this matter, as when young he was in a band, and literally tried every drug you could name before the age of thirty. Agreeing that the drugs bought years ago were less peppered with extras — and that is the worry…

what actually is contained in the add-ons mixed with drugs nowadays?

He remembers a time when even the people who sold the drugs seemed more responsible than the situations you hear about today. The manager of his band was older and wiser teaching them a lot about different drugs, consequently, he became savvy in this area.

He has not taken any chemical compounds for many years. What he could do with is cannabis oil, on prescription, for the Lyme disease. The cannabis leaf helps with pain and other symptoms to some extent. But the oil is known to work even better. Not only that, a misdiagnosis of multiple sclerosis— which happens a lot with Lyme— would have meant he’d be able to pop down to the local chemist and pick it up on prescription.

Lockdown

During the first imprisonment, I was living next to a flat owned by a guy who unbeknown to us was growing and smoking a massive amount of cannabis. It was a warm spring summer and we had the windows open. I would sit by one, writing on my computer, and didn’t realise I was getting slightly stoned. I found my self over thinking and wrote several articles, like this one:

Perhaps the drug — in the short term — enabled me to think deeply and clearly. I did find myself full of ideas and answers :-)

There you have it, my total lack of history where hard drugs are concerned. Please excuse me if I have referred to terms incorrectly — I really am not that well versed on the subject. Looking back, I don’t think I was trying to be Miss Goody-Two-Shoes. Rather, being genuinely scared at the lack of control, drugs could induce and felt/feel far more comfortable drinking alcohol — but do admit this is also an addictive substance.

Plus, I think I am crazy enough as it is— I don’t need drugs to push me any further than I have already been…

Say Yes to Chilli

Dead or Alive? We will publish a story every 24 hours as long as we can. Help us stay alive; submit a story today!