Well, another thing. It's not like you're going to stop them if they really want to. I started drinking, and smoking in 9th grade and had my phase. Now I drink just to loosen up a little bit. I never get wasted anymore. When I was younger, getting drunk was, "cool", so I would try to get as drunk as I could. I'm so glad I'm past that. I haven't been sick in probably 5 years of partying, and I usually get pretty drunk. I just learned my limit, and felt my way through.

I smoked weed, got drunk, ate mushrooms, and did cocaine in high school. I took pills, and drank cough syrup. I think I became a pretty well adjusted person. I still do drugs, but I'm usually sober 9 out of 10 days every week. I think it has lots to do with your mindset. Some people would want to take drugs in school so they seemed cool, but others just like having fun. I think some people do it for an image.

I have a friend who buys suboxone, "which doesn't bring you up or anything." He takes it anyways even though it makes you feel like shit. He purposely got strung out on them just so he could have this image. It's really sad. It's like the guy who goes to a party, and talks shit the whole time. They can't loosen up, so they can't have a good time.

I think there shouldn't be an age limit on anything. I think the idea of protecting kids from things is just stupid. People forget that most people do drugs as a rite of manhood. Most people get drunk to prove their manhood, on a certain level anyways. It's like hiding a child from violet television, or "adult" themed things. You're trying to separate one from reality.

The world is a violent place full of drugs, danger, alcohol, dirty women, and scheming politicians. What do we do? We try to hide someone from it so they can have some innocence. We hold a veil over their eyes, and just kick them into the world with a superficial understanding of it.

Just because you don't like the way the world is doesn't mean it going away. It's still there, and it's still going to affect you, and your kids. What can you do? You can teach them to think, to have common sense, to question the motives of others. You can teach him to be careful what he believes in, and to not run away from himself. You could teach him to be strong, and diligent. You could teach him to be humble, and perceptive. What will you do? Will you hold a false world over your childs eyes, or will you face him with the truth?