kontextmaschine:

I suppose stoner culture, wine mom culture, those “retro” tin bar signs about the wonders of alcohol, and “don’t talk to me ‘til I’ve had my coffee” mugs are all like

self-medicating pride

You never hear anyone say “I’m glad I started smoking crack”, which I take as a pretty clear warning sign. I mean I guess unless they currently are on crack, to compare with immediately before they smoked that crack. Heroin or oxy, either.

“Marijuana significantly improves my life” is the basis of stoner culture, as much as you do hear bad tales of alcoholism “life is better with beer/wine/whiskey in it” is a pretty common sentiment.

LSD, MDMA, shrooms, people who make that a defining aspect of their life are kinda messed up but I hear a lot of stories about doing it and radically improving your life.

Powder cocaine, well, if you’re a cocaine guy that’s a problem but at the best I have known people who are like “wow those were some great parties huh”. And with smoking meth you hear a lot of cautionary tales but the occasional “well, it made for some great bareback sex with strangers, A+ would do again”

The disassociatives – ketamine, PCP – you just don’t hear anything about.

Never met a cigarette smoker who didn’t regret being a cigarette smoker.