let’s say i WANTED to go on a disability. I don’t but let’s say i decided i had to and chose that path. It could happen who knows? I would have to turn myself inside out to prove that i was unable to work. Yet in my city a drug addict pretty much instantly qualifies. They are not expected to jump through the same hoops as sick or injured people.

This makes me angry in a way that few things in life bother me. And then i go out on the street and get snarky comments from addicts because i can’t spare any change. I have recently taken to saying “talk to the canadian government. I gave your money to them.”

The doctors pumped me full of painkillers. And i, madam, did NOT stop working. I did not do my family or loved ones harm or steal money or other drugs. Sure, i sat around cussing and my dear you will too when your turn comes (and it will.. we all eventually are crippled if we’re lucky enough to live that long) I have no children, i have no criminal record and my home is immaculate. I was never on welfare and the only time i didn’t work was the time i took off because i was paralyzed and unable to get out of bed. I am a professional and a good person. Were these drugs a vice? You bet! Because i was seeking a life of no pain. And i began to crutch on the drugs as a means to that end.

Did i stop taking them? yes. I did. I realized that my life was a cloud of opium-induced pain-avoidance and i flushed them. And spent the next YEAR learning not only how to manage my disability (internal martial arts, acupuncture, water therapy and stretching – eastern medicine is the ONLY thing that can treat chronic, non-terminal pain – and i am pleased to say i am not only pain free but also a pretty serious martial arts student now – and i have my Sifu to thank for most of my recovery) but learning how to get free of a drug that truly does stop ALL KINDS of pain and is blindingly addictive.

I have something that i reckon you do not when it comes to this subject. Education.

Like i say, i agree with everything you say. Meth amphetamine is especially a dirty and dangerous drug and addicts do terrible and destructive things to get more of it. That is non-contestable. But your self-righteous attitude is going to come back and bite you in the ass. Hard. Either one day when you face your own pain or mortality or when one of your children, twisted from your high expectations, winds up in a facility of some kind for their rebellious and bad choices.

Have some empathy for your fellow human beings. You’ll find people will detest you less. Don’t be so openminded that your brain falls out but you’re only human. And you have no idea what tomorrow holds. I didn’t either.

Do i have a source for any of this? You bet your ass i do (look.. i swore and i’m not an addict.. holyshit!) My uncle was a drunk. A gentleman drunk which means he only drank the best alcohol and held a steady and good job but a drunk nonetheless. My best friend was, and still is, an addict and while a very, VERY good person and an very honest person, he turns his psychotic harmful nature inwards and does terrible things to himself.

However, here’s where you get to go to school. You can’t always blame addiction on the addict. To do so is shortisghted, foolish and naive. If you hurt yourself badly, (car accident, let’s say) you sound like the kind of person who would do exactly what your doctors tell you. This is how most prescription drug addicts are made. Did you know that? There are still people in this world who stupidly and blindly believe Big Pharmacy gives a crap about them. They want your money and, especially in the USA, addiction is a business for them and they are TOLD to get injured patients addicted to whatever they can. Fools follow and the only thing you can blame them for is being too stupid, or in too much pain from their illness or injuries, to not do their relevant research first, or not being smart enough or sophisticated enough to be able t discern what research is good and what is not.

I used to question the use of my tax money because I believe it can be better used on prison or forced rehab center for these people. But the sad fact is unless we violate human rights, there is nothing we can do. In addition, if we stop paying these people, we will have a much higher crime rate than before.

To me, watching this documentary is not a shock at all because I travel through Western Suburbs and City every day and you see these people every day..

@karenep: I totally support all that you said. Your critics are just convicted of the same sins you justly reproved in others. Way to go!

@ryan s > Yes the picture on this vid is small, it was much clearer when it was broadcast on tv many years ago.

@ian and graham > regarding the tooth rot factor, that also happens to crack addicts who smoke too much crack, again mainly in the usa, but we are starting to see the problems here too now, with so many meth addicts and so many smoking it daily and more than once a day alot we are seeing many problems with meth mouth, it will only get worse as so many are getting addicted to this drug, the most addictive drug in the world. And it’s got no natural properties in it, it’s all horrible stuff like battery acid and drain cleaner and other yucky things. No wonder it drives people insane.