Demonising Drug Use Is Just Not The Way - a poem by Jake Coe

Today our thoughts go to Jake Coe and his family, as this day marks four years since his death. Jake’s partner, Cara, wants to share this powerful poem written by Jake before he died. Unfortunately, his words still ring true today. Demonising drug use is not the way, and only makes thing worse. Please listen to Jake’s poem, show other people, and reflect on why we urgently need new drug laws which will keep people safe.

Cara produced a video in which she explains her belief that our current approach to drugs led to Jake’s death. Watch it here.

Demonising Drug Use Is Just Not The Way – a poem by Jake Coe from Moore Lavan Films on Vimeo.

Demonising Drug Use Is Just Not The Way

Power handed over to government meant to govern but instead steadily taxing the poor to fatten the pockets and bellies of devils of finance.

These governors take control with an outdated mockery of what they call democracy, relying on lies and misinformation, the magic of media,

Dividing communities with suspicion, tales of terror, taking their money and reinforcing belief that the only relief comes from intoxication, taxable medication for the more compliant,

and for those of a more rebellious nature, illegal drugs to legitimise locking away any danger.

Magazines capture the imagination of teens, advertising ways of living unattainable dreams, tales of misery, idols abusing their bodies and minds, time after time, elevating irrelevant obsession as a way of forgetting what it is to be real, to truth find.

Away from understanding themselves and others and the world that they live in, they are taught to obsess about things like image and celebrity fashion.

Shown the dichotomy of drugs being harmful, being illegal, but also advertised by sensationalist articles,

the worship of excess, again to escape the chains given governors to bind and restrain.

It’s commonly known that two harmful drugs are legally sold, purely because of commercial control.

So much time and effort, and money too, waging a war on drugs that can never be won. While the temptation of taboo, and the myth of addiction labours on strong, dividing society into groups of addicted and non.

A balanced view can see, sometimes a tendency to excess, and regress to a state of dependence can easily be called addictivity,

which takes away responsibility and gives the excuse to languish in lament, victims of this disease.

In reality these people are victims of society and what they believe. Scapegoats on the fringes, outcasts living their role as a mechanism to cope with their excessive urges, and the shame that comes from repetitive purges.

sometimes a result of psychological pain that will not go away, but as mental illness is also taboo, they’re already forced to the fringe,

nothing better to do, use street drugs on a binge, better to take what you’ve got before you get caught, block out the shame and unruly thoughts.

Other users, including alcohol drinkers, prescription pill poppers and tobacco smokers aren’t much different to them,

sometimes scorning or pitying those caught in cycles of pain,

but unwilling to look at why they themselves use again and again.

Playing different roles in this charade of social control but the sensible, sensitive sense an obscene delusion, so much to change, to work through this confusion.

Questions of ethics, morality, freedom, legality, to learn from experience, allow for experiments.

Resist this repressive thinking, apply some intelligence.

This sick, stick beating system incarcerates non-whites and poor, reinforcing divide and disrespect for the law,

Whilst a carrot of freedom could ensure that rewards of self nurture and more mature choices outweigh any fears of locked away years.

Time better spent finding out why we do what we do, making consciousness, community more appealing, places to view. And when occasion calls for social lubricant or mystic journey with full intent,

legally, knowingly opting to transcend common sense.

I’m not dismissing the risks that arise from pursuing such highs – someone whose experiments nearly caused me to die,

And hurt my family in numerous ways, but the law didn’t stop that and if it were changed surely we’d find a more honest debate.

Demonising drug use is just not the way.

Encouraging thought and expression and forming realistic impressions of what makes us want to use is more likely to give children a healthier view.

We can start something new.

Focusing more on what we can do to decrease drug abuse, decreasing repetitive and dangerous use,

Finding creative outlets for pain, building self esteem, making communities more active teams, looking at what it all means.

For people without God to still have a church that isn’t a pub or night club that expects you to take a drink or a drug.

Some simple suggestions for discussion by those they affect.

Not left for a political lip service reject.

A community nation with care and compassion and a voice if we live in a less repressive fashion, and start taking action to live a new day.