This is quite humorous as I'm usually the one pushing scientific facts.
If you want lump meth with some of the other mild drugs like marijuana to bolster your case, that's fine.
If you want to bring up the difference between psychic and physical dependence, that's fine as well.
If you want to say that I'm pushing false evidence that is government sponsored, then that's your prerogative.
My simple retort is that you should update your knowledge with some of the more recent research that was done in the past few years (2008-2010) instead of relying on an outdated edition of a Merck manual and using it as a crutch.
Trivializing this drug in the way you are is just plain irresponsible.
The FACT still remains that METH has a 92% relapse rate. (a slight bit more or less depending on the research studies used)
That means 92% of the persons who take meth and attempt to stop taking it eventually go back to using a drug that unlike the relative benign effects of marijuana (or insert some other moderate-level physically addictive drug) actually causes SERIOUS physiological deterioration and severe brain damage in the limbic and hippocampus regions.
Even alcohol does damage to the brain and body, but not on that level, not as quickly. This puts Meth in a COMPLETELY different category. A person on meth is instantly put on the fast track to poisoning themselves to death. Every major system of the body is affected in a devastating way.
Few drugs have such a potent effect on the body. Period.
All of your other side arguments regarding government (and its sponsored drugs of tobacco and alcohol), philosophy and even morals are just a distraction from the reality that Meth users are killing themselves quickly. Even if they are able to stop using the substance in a relatively short time from the point when they started, it is amazing how much permanent damage they will do to their bodies. That's not hype or misinformation. Those are the facts.
__________________
|