I'd never even heard the term until now. I don't drink at all, never have, and like you can't stand alcohol in anything, except maybe one or two of those chocolatey things with rum in. Even then it's a bit like a sour skittle, painful and making you wonder whether it's a good idea. I can always taste it, and it's like drinking battery acid (yes, I know what battery acid tastes like, long story, don't ask).

People keep telling me, "It's always like that at first, but you get used to it". My response is, why would I want to? I'm sure you could get used to being kneed in the nads, but I wouldn't want to do that either

I don't use any drugs, drink tea, coffee, or even like coke, which makes me an awkward sod to deal with at social events. I will drink coke, in small amounts, if there's nothing else available, but caffeine both screws with my bladder and gives me a raging headache. I used to use a bit of Red Bull to stay awake while working 20-hour days on the empeg PCBs, but don't like the taste and rarely ever drink it nowadays. (perhaps five cans in the last two years)

One of the less obvious perks of being a chemical virgin is that opiate-based painkillers such as codeine have an absolutely phenomenal effect on me. When I had an operation a couple of years ago that caused intermittent severe pain during the recuperation, I found that half the recommended dose of codeine phosphate worked for more than twice the usual time on me, with none of the normal side effects (massive constipation, for instance). It's been useful a few times since.

That said, I have no particular problem with anyone else doing any drug they wish, as long as they both fully understand the risks and don't have an adverse effect on others. It's their life, after all, and it's not my place to dictate how they live it. I don't understand why someone would want to chemically alter their outlook in such a way, especially with the common side-effects, but most people seem to enjoy it at the time.

Funny story. I went to a party a while back and got into a conversation with a couple of people I met there, on the subject of legalisation of narcotics. I and a young woman who was a lawyer in training had a long and involved argument about drugs, but from viewpoints that the onlookers found odd. I don't use any drugs at all, but tend to think that careful legalisation or at least decriminalisation of many of the less lethal ones would have a beneficial effect. The young lawyerette was both drinking and smoking, and freely admitted to using at least two less legal narcotics in the form of pot and cocaine, but was vehemently opposed to any legalisation of either, and in fact was quite keen on the banning of both alcohol and tobacco. Her reasons were that people like herself didn't have the willpower to avoid drugs, and legally restricting them was in her best interests.

She didn't seem to realise the irony inherent in the fact that even though weed and coke are already illegal she still didn't seem to have any problem getting them, but then she was both pissed and a little stoned

pca