candidate a druggie?

[petewood]

Alcohol consumption in this country causes 4 times as many deaths as drug abuse.

 

[Richardp]

The only drug I use knowingly apart from caffeine is Alcohol but I'm not so blinkered I don't know the effects of it, Sexual abuse, violence, well its stupid to even start to try and list it all but just do a google on the effects and then tell yourself that its ok.
enjoy it but don't say that your drug is any better than the next mans.

 

[kendor]

Don't you drink ?

yes occasionally.

 

[kendor]

Alcohol consumption in this country causes 4 times as many deaths as drug abuse.

maybe it should be outlawed like drugs then? although that didn't work in america, going back to drugs you can see the misery they cause and for someone in authority to admit to using them undermines any clout they might have in denouncing them.

 

[AdamW]

Alcohol consumption in this country causes 4 times as many deaths as drug abuse.

I would be interested to see the source of that figure, however I don't dispute it. Although, I do suspect it will be a rather meaningless figure as will become apparent:

Firstly, what proportion of adults, 18-60, drink in this country? I think a reasonable estimate is 80%, maybe even 90%. It is my experience that most non-drinkers either do it for a) religious reasons, b) medical reasons or c) because they are a recovered alcoholic. From my experience, I would estimate that no more than 10% of non-drinkers do it just for the sake of being a non-drinker.

Secondly, what proportion of adults, 18-60, take illegal drugs in this country? I would bet it is a lot smaller fraction.

Now answer the following:
What percentage of those adults ALSO drink alcohol?
What about indirect effects? Yes, a small fraction of people get violent when drunk (although I think it is highly likely that most violent drunks are also violent when sobre) I've never been threatened by a guy who wanted money for a pint...
I've only ever been the victim of a burglary once, they only took cash and cigarettes, the police said this was druggies because of that. Apparently druggies don't have the wherewithall or time to fence TVs and such.

How many drug-related incidents go unreported as such because Police STILL don't have the means to test for drugs (despite those paper strips they were trialling)? If you snort some cocaine and drink some beers and then get caught driving, you are tested for alcohol but not cocaine. So that is what it is recorded as and that is what you are charged for. Even if they find cocaine in the car they won't charge you with "driving whilst under the influence of cocaine".

 

[petewood]

Alcohol consumption in this country causes 4 times as many deaths as drug abuse.

I would be interested to see the source of that figure, however I don't dispute it. :

http://www.alcoholconcern.org.uk/servlets/doc/498

This info is 2 yrs old although I believe alcohol-related deaths have soared in the last few years.

 

[AdamW]

OK, not that I am at all cynical about how the body called "Alcohol Concern" has released figures that cause "concern" about "alcohol", you understand, but "directly caused by" isn't particularly wel explained.

This compares with 1498 deaths directly related to drugs.

How is this determined? do they actually have to have a dirty hypodermic needle hanging out of their arm?

Let's face it, if you die of a pickled liver, they will say "ah, alcohol related".

However, how did Jimi Hendrix die? Ask people, they will say "He choked to death on his own vomit". They don't say "heroine", even though that was what caused it all.

 

[Richardp]

So answers are being asked as to whether a tory leadership candidate partook of illegal substances whilst a student.

The point is does it matter now what someone did a long time back?
will it make it hard for that person to denounce other users or will he be able to speak from experience?

Should those in power be seen to be whiter than white or just accept that there is a rule for one and another for others?

Personally, i feel that although it might well be in the past( if proven true)that it could still be a case of who the hell is he to preach.
In my opinion drug taking is serious enough a reason not to allow him to run for the leadership.
What do others think?

Well their not in it for politics anymore, their in it to win it.

 

[empip]

One of the two remaining tory candidates was filmed hugging a mate the other day .... His reaction to the sudden hug showed a total lack of street cred, Just like old Charley boy when Mgabwe dropped the handshake on him at the Popes funeral ... How can these people even imagine running GB ??? flotsam and bl**dy jetsam, mere pawns on potentially the world stage.
Imagine old Winston C if some oik had wrapped their arms around him ..guts for garters PDQ !!

 

[Richardp]

One of the two remaining tory candidates was filmed hugging a mate the other day .... His reaction to the sudden hug showed a total lack of street cred, Just like old Charley boy when Mgabwe dropped the handshake on him at the Popes funeral ... How can these people even imagine running GB ??? flotsam and bl**dy jetsam, mere pawns on potentially the world stage.
Imagine old Winston C if some oik had wrapped their arms around him ..guts for garters PDQ !!

this is the way the labour party deal with touchy feely types

 

[AdamW]

That moment, I would almost have voted Prescott for PM...

Any politician who punches whinging hippies in the face is alright by my book.

 

[kendor]

what do you expect the bloke looks like shane ritchie!