Drug addicts who suffer from mental health conditions are more vulnerable to the consequences of a relapse. Anxiety, depression and bipolar disorder each create a strong desire for relief from their symptoms. This is why Recreational drugs create a short term escape, but they can also heighten undesirable symptoms such as the very paranoia and anxiety I try to get away from. Prescription medications such as Lithium cause weight gain and are harder on the liver. Some recreational drugs like Kratom and Kava are also harder on the liver which adds increased risk for the doubly afflicted addict who is seeking relief and psychological comfort from their symptoms. Nicotine is a mood altering but not mind altering way to achieve emotional and psychological comfort while unfortunately creating unpleasant symptoms such as lethargy, headaches and more trips to the restroom, followed by a crash and an eventual cancer diagnosis for those unwilling to quit. Vaping apparently does little to mitigate risk as there is a phenomenon known as “Popcorn Lung”.

As one can see, the addict with diagnosible mental health issues is therefore trapped on one hand by their debilitating psychological and emotional problem while on the other hand also having to contend with the physical consequences which may arise from combining certain types of recreational drugs with prescription drugs. Either altering their effectiveness or risking a potential health crisis to the addict in question. Of course the harsher, more illegal substances aren’t much safer.

I am deeply conflicted about this issue. Illegalizing drugs does not seem a reasonable solution as people will always find new ways to alter their minds and artificially achieve new perspective, whether readily accessible consequence free or not. On the other hand, there’s little question that the legalization of marijauna has a tendency to attract a certain clientele, much like liquor stores, pornograhpic stores and smoke shops, especially in areas where such places are close in proximity to one another. They attract addicts like ants and make such places less safe and desirable to reside in. Besides risks to the youth, how else does one account for the mandation in many municipalities to have liquor stores required to be a certain distance away from schools?