Drug Use & Family Forums

Does nobody think its wierd that bit-tech

But are perfectly happy to let a thread exist that esentially condones, and opely discusses and admits the use of illegal substances? What about if I kicked off a thread that talked about mugging rich people? Its not much of a crime right, cos they're rich? So thats ok? What about smoking crack? or shooting up? shall we talk about that? where shall we stop?

I know I whine a bit sometimes, but please, talk about double standards? Family forum? I'm not sure I'd like my kids to be reading how only "really light stoners" smoke less that 5 "joints" a day, like its something to be proud of. It is pathetic that you can't seem to find your way through a singe day without having to alter your mental state 5 TIMES by smoking THC?

Admission of recent, continued or ongoing abuse of illegal substances should be met with a ban. Anything less could be considered a condonement of such behaviour.

 

Like all the chav threads floating around?

If I wasnt so high right now I would disagree

 

Oh grow up wireframe. Forums have rules, I agree, and I can accept if they want to close a thread. But SD is for serious discussion of topics by adults. I've condoned theft, murder and any crime imaginable so long as one can get away with it, in that forum. It's a place for ideas and thoughts and frankly few people care if in the 21st century some guys talk about cannabis. It's legal(or nearly so) in some countries, so its discussion would be on a par with talking about Xanax. In most countries where it isn't legal it is recognised that this drug is fairly harmless.

Just because you have an issue with something doesn't mean we should all suffer from censorship. If bit-tech think things are going to far, its their forums, they can delete these things. I wouldn't agree with the decision, but its up to them. Overall, plenty of information exists on the web, anyone who's here can make an educated decision on what they want to put in their body by reading loads of info freely available on many, many websites. This is not a problem, I do not believe it's influencing anyone, and since there were both minorly positive and considerably negative views on the use of cannabis displayed in that thread, I really don't see why you care.

 

Good points, but there are other points to make as well.

True, most people accept it as "harmless" (I am not one of those) and a "normal" part of society, but what if it was your kids nicking your wallet to go get high? I don't condone references to drugs in a bragging sense (if it's part of a serious conversation, it's all well and good and should be discussed, the issues are far from cut-and-dried as you have portrayed them) as it makes us look like a site of skeevy stoners.

Bit-tech has quite a reputation, and I believe it's earned. I don't know of another site that's this good, this experienced, this open and this helpful. So if a statement is made that casts a pall on the name of this site, such as drug references made out of a proper context, then the entire site by extension is denigrated.

Freedom of speech is good, but voluntarily limiting ourselves is good sometimes too. Nothing like reviewing why a site is blocked by "family friendly" filtering software at a friend's house to find drug references as the reason.

If you claim to be family friendly, the average family isn't too friendly about drug use, and if they are I worry for them rather seriously.

 

As I recall, you condoned these acts in theory. I don't remember you saying you were actually a thief and murderer. But the thread in question DOES admit serious use of an illegal substance, and then glorification thereof. Surely you can see thats unsuitable.

But thats the thing. It isn't legal. Xanax is. Some african tribes permit murder for the purposes of revenge. Thet doesn't mean we all do it.

I don;t hear you complaining about the swear filter so vehemently.

Ok, so Bit doesn't need any drugs references cos there are so many other sites out there that supply that information. Also, if you look closely at how the thread was going, there was hardly any information, just bragging about how many joints one person can smoke compared to another.

All I saw was how very strong drugs give you "whitey" and "instagib", whatever they are. By your contribution to that thread, I can see why *you* care.

 

Serious Discussion. Correct me if i'm wrong, but that is the appropriate place on the forums to discuss news, politics and world issues....and i think the post you are refering to constitutes news. Thus it can go in there, to be discussed maturely, and sensibly. And not to be discussed in here, by somebody whom i suspect is either trying to raise their postcount, or get unneeded attention

/bows

 

Wire frame, I would agree with you if we were talking about a class A drug, such as heroin, or crack. But cannabis isn’t in the same league by any stretch of the imagination.

Its a mild drug that people choose to use, to relax, or use even as a pain killer. Admitting to using cannabis is probably a bad thing, but why not? what harm does it do either me, or you, that some one on a message board smokes a joint?

I don’t believe we have a very young audience here any way, with the majority of members at least over 14, very few active users younger than that. And the television and films portray drugs much worse than some members of this board. So were not actually talking about something that people haven’t heard about.

Also, it’s the sort of discussion that makes an interesting read, It allows Bit-tech to show that the quality and general intelligence of its forum members, Because we can have discussions on drugs and drug problems, as there a part of every day life, regardless of if you would like to talk about it.

 

Surely it's better to discuss this kind of thing?

You don't want someone not knowing about a drug and then just going and playing with it do you?

 

Sorry to double post, but this is a point ive only just noticed, and feel the need to correct you.
**edit** woot, no double post. cheers DougEdey

Do you drink a beer in the evning? and when you do, you probably have more than one? maybe 3/4? Thats what most stoners would do with joints. They smoke at night, to relax as a way of chilling out. we dont have to alter our state of mind to get through the day at all. That would be when the drug becomes a problem.

 

I wonder what the use is of this thread...

Serious Discussion is the place where everything can be discussed maturely. If you are offended by threads about drugs, then just ignore them. These forums have grown to much more then a modding/hardware only forum (although that still is the essence)...

We have a great moderating team that will close a thread when it is excessive, so let them decide what is and what is not. If you have problems with that Wireframe, I suggest you take your bags and leave. If I don't like the rules of a place I don't go there.

Let's expand this... Everyone that does illegal things should be banned, well, then I guess the Bit-tech forums will become a lonely place, because everyone sometimes drives to fast,... everyone does something illegal at some point in his life... Who are YOU to judge them?

Sorry to say so, but grow up!

 

Ok, I'll Cover both your posts in one answer.

No, i don't have a beer in the evenings. Or at all infact. I on't consume alcohol. Or smoke carcinogens. Or psychotrophic drugs.

I'm not saying there shouldn't be DISCUSSION about the topic of drugs. I actually found the thread quite interesting. But I was dismayed and upset that it descended into "I smoke more drugs than you, only 3 joints a day? you're a lightweight stoner" style conversation. AND it appears that Bit is more than happy to let this conversayion topic ride. But you can't sell Reading tickest for more than £20? Well, if you gave me a choice, I know which thread I would ban.

Hey, Brooxy...

If you look carefully, I have no need to raise my postcount, or my profile. Unlike you. Also, yes, SERIOUS DISCUSSION is a place to discuss world issues. And drugs are a world issue. But "I smoke 5 joints a day" isn't a world issue, is it?

This seems to have strayed a bit. Let me make it more clear. Discussion about drugs is ok. Links to cancer articles, I don't have a problem with. Heroin traffiking stories? Great! I don't care. BUT.
Admission of recent, continued or ongoing abuse of illegal substances by Bit-tech members should be met with a ban. Anything less could be considered a condonement of such illegal behaviour. If you ban threads on touting tickets, you can't possibly let this one stand and say its ok. Smoking pot, weed, skunk, hash, grass, draw, whatever you want to call the filth, is ILLEGAL. You don't allow discussion of Pirating or Warez. Cos its illegal. This is illegal too. I don't see where the issue is. The only thing that seems to be upsetting everyone is that they can't discuss their favorite passtime. Do you really need it that much?

 

Down boy... If you can't discuss more maturely then don't discuss...

I'm clean too, but I think you are overreacting... What you do in your own house is your problem. If you like to smoke a joint, feel free to do... If you want to talk about it, why not? Lots of people insinuate all the time that they have/use warez, do they get banned? No, but if they discuss where to get it and stuff (thus helping others to do illegal stuff) they get warned/banned...

I just get the feeling you have a problem with the modding staff over here... You're saying they don't do their jobs, and frankly, I can't disagree more.

And on a side note, in the Netherlands smoking weed isn't illegal...

 

I just love the fact that the mods wont post in here.

 

I think I'd have to side with Wireframe on this one.

Discussion of drugs and their effects is one thing.
Bragging about how many you smoke is another.

Bragging about such things is going to have an influence on the youger forum members as they are still at an impressionable age and illegal and harmful behaviour like this should not be condoned.

 

I take it this is the quote from myself people are getting all worked up about.

I accept it looks like a bragging post saying "wow look at me I smoke loads of green" It wasn’t aimed to come across like this at all. It was supposed to illustrate what in a previous post; some one mentioned what they thought a weed smoker would smoke on average a week. (As this was and is part of the discussion)

I’m not proud of what I have smoked, or the amount in which my self and people I know smoke cannabis, However, It does make a point to the conversation.

Remember, I’m not 15, I have no desire to start an “I can smoke more than you” type thread, it will achieve nothing, with the exception of making me look like a prat.

 

Frankly no, I can't. Were it up to me the rules would be ammended to remove discussion of drugs as being an illegal topic(By the way I couldn't find the actual rule page that had that on it, I checked like 3 too, can I get a link?).Illegal drugs are not like swears, because there is very little to be learned about swears, and they present no real danger, or benefit. There is a shocking lack of education in the western world about illegal drugs, better to talk about these things then supress discussion of them.

One person made a comment in that thread, about smoking a lot. I think possibly that one post is one the mods could fairly consider for deletion or just a warning, if they feel an unbalanced "YAY DRUGS" views like that shouldn't be put forward. Dire Wolf talks about cutting down and how he feels better for it, and I talk about how people dilute the drug in order not to have very bad experiences. We all know cannabis is far less harmfull then Alcohol or Tobacco. That's not to say it's harmless, but consider it's one of the safest regularly used illegal drugs on the planet, I hope the mods and admin can tolerate discussion, as long as its done in a manner that isn't just about saying who can take more.

As someone pointed out, does this mean bit has to ban anyone who admits to speeding? How about someone who admits to littering? Having a place ruled by absolutes would be a lot less open, and a lot less intresting. As it is now, mods use their common sense and maturity, as well as generally good judgement to decide whats ok and what isn't. You obviously have a great personal problem with the thread in question, but I think the majority of people on bit-tech don't.

Overall, there was one bragging post. If the mods feel they need to caution for or delete that post, I could understand it. However I think Wireframe, you've over-reacted here. Possibly due to not actually understanding the terms(not that I would say thats your fault, fair enough if you don't want to know).

The world needs more education on illegal drugs, not less, and so long as these threads have some merit, they should be kept.

 

Maybe everyone who's admitted smoking cannabis should just say they did it in an Amsterdam coffee shop.

 

perhaps the mods are discussing this elsewhere and deciding on a course of action to take.

perhaps the mods want to come to a unanimous agreement as to the stance on this topic before any one moderator posts his/her opinion, deciding on what would be best for the community on a whole as opposed to just going on a single moderator's opinion.

perhaps not though. hell, what do I know?

 

I havent got time to reply properly atm, but I just thought I'd point out that I have had a bit of truck with mroe than one mod in this forum, and after discussion with them, I have found them to be fair, reasonable and helpful people. I can't see how you think that me saying "don't talk about how much gear you can get through in a 24 hour period infront of the kids" has anything to do with how well or poorly the mods do their job. There is no rule (yet) that says you cannot talk about this stuff. I am suggesting that perhaps there should be one.

I think the mods do a good job here. they let (me, certainly) get away with a lot, and I find this to be one of the best forums I frequent. This is not an attack the mods thread, or a look at me thread. Or a boost my postcount thread. Just review the issue at hand.

Might I also ask:

to which "terms" are you referring? the "instagib" drugs terms? I understood well enough what you meant. pseudo-cryptic street talk doesn't detract from where that thread was heading.

 

I appreciate the mods saying they're discussing the topic and will get back to us with an official stance. It means they are listening.

I mod one of the largest Guild Wars forum sites out there, and we have to admit that there may be minors on the boards, and have to act appropriately to protect them. Cause they may not care, and some parents may not care, but some will attempt to sue the pants off of you in the States, at least.

There are more issues than just freedom of speech, which even in the US has its limitations. Accepting a limitation for the good of the community may have to be an option here.

But, as I said, in the serious discussion area, the debate over legality/beneficial effects should be kept open, it's more the bragging statements that are the issue. There have been arrests made over internet statements, and in the US I wouldn't put it past Big Brother to be peeking in and looking every so often. Even if this is a UK site.

I'm not about limiting personal freedoms, but I do accept the fact that voluntarily limiting oneself may lead to continued freedoms.