Andrew McGlashan wrote:
On 18/09/2013 10:03 PM, Trent W. Buck wrote:
Andrew McGlashan wrote:
[...] despite my view that narcotic drugs are bad and they shouldn't exist.
Tell that to an anaesthetist.
There are drug free ways to keep the nerves busy .... not that I've tried them, but I have never in my life hung out for laughing gas.
anaesthetic, n. 1. A substance that causes reversible loss of sensation or loss of consciousness; used to perform surgery without pain. narcotic, n. 1. Any class of substances or drugs, that reduces pain, induces sleep and may alter mood or behaviour. drug, n. 1. (pharmacology) A substance used to treat an illness, relieve a symptom, or modify a chemical process in the body for a specific purpose. 2. A psychoactive substance, especially one which is illegal and addictive, ingested for recreational use, such as cocaine. Laughing gas *is* an anaesthetic. Laughing gas *is* a narcotic. Laughing gas *is* a drug, by the first definition. Therefore I presume you're using the second definition -- or more likely, using a definition of "anything I don't like" -- such that your argument devolves to "things I don't like are bad and should be banned". I see no point in continuing this discussion.