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by throwaway77384 1050 days ago
> In my town no-one did drugs, because that would have been shameful.

Reads: People hid their drug use successfully. How much history do we need to experience before we accept that shame only leads to everyone pretending that something isn't a problem instead of addressing it head on.
3 comments
vjk800 1050 days ago
"No-one" was a bit of a hyperbola; there was a known "drug gang" of three people who we were warned not to interact with when we were children. These three drug users were known by everyone and I'd really be surprised if there were significantly more people using any kind of illegal substances; back in the 90s it was just not that easy to hide stuff in a town of 3000 people. Also, where the hell would you even get drugs? From the three people drug gang (who presumably were buying their stuff from a bigger city 50 kilometers away)? In that case you would be seen to interact with them, which would immediately raise some doubts.

I suppose it's possible that there were some other people besides this three people gang at least trying illegal substances, but it was still marginal enough to been a complete non-problem. Alcohol, however, was different; it was legal and socially accepted and many people had a problem with it.

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godelski 1050 days ago
It sounds like you're suggesting they were selling. Which if so clearly people were using. Back in the 90's it was easy to hide shit. Especially small towns. It's not like you're all living on one block. Sounds like rural area and that's a lotta land.

> Alcohol... many people had a problem with it.

I think this disproves your entire point. We both know that problematic drinking isn't socially acceptable in those small towns. Especially with the religiousness. So probably a different factor that you're conflating.

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PakistaniDenzel 1050 days ago
> Reads: People hid their drug use successfully.

Reads: Someone who can't comprehend that a lot of people actually don't want to do drugs.

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pantalaimon 1050 days ago
Not sure how it’s in the US, but in the small village where I came from (and that fits OPs description) alcoholism was rampant
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kajaktum 1050 days ago
I mean if everyone did drugs but everyone never noticed it then, did they actually use drugs? If there's nothing observable from someone that is supposedly drunk, then who cares?
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