What’s the Worst Part of Being a Drug Addict?

I bumped into an old acquaintance a few nights ago. I knew him when I was a teenager, a time that both of us were taking drugs: acid, marijuana, etc. Fast forward twenty-five years…what changes have occurred?

For me, the experimentation was a stage: a period of self-discovery. Eventually, I had a bad acid trip and gave it up. The weed lasted for a few years as well. Again…I eventually got tired of it. I grew up, got a college degree, traveled the world, developed my talents, married my wife, and had a child.

My acquaintance?

Still smoking pot every day,…still taking acid. At 45, he was never married or had children. And deep down, he’s basically a cool guy. But that’s beside the point – what kind of women wants to marry a druggie? If he does find a woman, will he want her? (she’ll have an addiction as well). It’s hard enough to find someone that you “click” with; but when you mix drugs into the equation, then it becomes impossible.

When I was growing up in the 1980’s, there was a popular commercial on television—say nope to dope and ugh to drugs. They said that narcotics would kill you. But when you grew up, you saw older drug addicts and you realized that the commercial was false; the warnings were a lie. You can take drugs and live (see Keith Richards).

There was a more convincing argument – one that was never made.

Drugs will destroy your sexual market value.

If you’re a 10, now you’re a 6. If you’re an 8, now you’re a 4. Your romantic value has been diminished. Your stock has plummeted on the Wall Street of Love.

Drugs limit your ability to meet the person of your dreams – to start the family you always wanted. It’s the most powerful argument against drug abuse. Everybody wants love, and they want to be in love – knowing that drugs will destroy this goal is the strongest deterrent I can think of.