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By: MICKEY WEEMS
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TINA IS OFTEN described as if she were Public Enemy No. 1. The increase in meth addiction is called an “epidemic,” as if the drug were also a disease. Health officials have declared war on her.
News flash: crystal methamphetamine is a psychoactive substance. It is not a living being. It is not a microorganism, neither is it female, evil, or our enemy‑—‑or a bitch.
In the stories of addicts, however, Tina is all these things and more. Tina knows all the right people and attends all the best parties. She seduces her victims, enslaves them with pleasures beyond imagination, and laughs.
Actually, Tina sounds more like a diva.
The reason for this delusion is easy to see. Crystal meth is used by gay men who do not want to miss the next party, after-hours, or trick from the Net or bathhouse. In other words, the users do not want to sleep.
Sleep deprivation can sometimes lead to profound insights. Eventually, however, it will cause delusions.
Crystal-induced alertness does not take away the mind’s need for sleep, when we can safely go insane for a few hours. If we are not allowed blissful unconsciousness to achieve this vital insanity, we will lose our minds while we are awake.
In the twilight of semi-sanity that comes with staying up too late, it is not surprising that libidos become unleashed. Sexual repression takes a backseat as reason loses its hold. Many of us crave this moment.
Too much sleep deprivation is dangerous. Addicts hallucinate, make wild accusations, and utterly ignore the fact that they are responsible for killing themselves.
People who smoke crystal form their own social circles. They bond together on physical, emotional and spiritual levels. For them, Tina is the passport into a close-knit “in crowd” where, too often, they support each other’s delusions.
THE TINA “EPIDEMIC,” however, is a misnomer. The real problem is lack of personal accountability. When your desires override your common sense, Tina becomes merely a means to increase stamina, sexual freedom and acceptance.
Let’s look at two other social “diseases”: anorexia and steroid abuse. Both the anorexic and the ‘roid freak are so obsessed with body image (including sex appeal) that nothing can convince them to stop their self-destructive behavior.
This does not mean that diets are the cause of paper-thin sickly women, or that steroids make men look like an air hose set on maximum was stuck up their ass. Plenty of people go on slimming diets without endangering their lives. Many steroid users do cycles responsibly.
Nobody’s yelling about those bitches “Miss Atkins” and “Miss Deca.” For delusional addicts to project their lack of personal accountability onto Miss Tina is one thing. But is it appropriate for counselors and health officials to do so as well?
Perhaps. When talking directly to addicts, perhaps we should humor them and talk about “that bitch,” describe the addict as a victim in an epidemic, or that we need to fight back against the enemy. But too many anti-crystal activists buy into these myths when discussing things in the public forum.
ANOTHER MYTH IS that all Tina users become addicts, from the first bump. I will agree that 90 percent of those who admit to using crystal meth might be addicts seeking treatment.
Those who are responsible in their use, however, rarely announce the fact. False statistics can only hurt activists’ credibility when people find out that it is not true.
This is not a myth. Production of Tina is now a rural American folk art. Moonshine stills have been replaced with meth labs, at huge cost to families and the environment.
The desire for crystal does not signal an epidemic but rather a potentially taxable market. We need government-regulated, pharmaceutical grade Tina, nontoxic and environmentally safe when produced. I’m sure that Merck would be happy to oblige.
We need educational programs on proper crystal use, especially for gay men. We are so sexual, repressed, body-paranoid and in-crowd driven, it is no wonder so many of us love Tina. So let us have it and caveat emptor.
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