Ben Cousins again

[Ghost Dog]

This is a pretty grey area.

Some say that Ben Cousins has exercised personal choice and doesn't deserve compassion, pity, a second chance or whatever. The same people might then say that if he's been dealing then he's ruining the lives of the people he sells drugs to and should go to jail. Where does the personal choice for those people come in to play? It wouldn't be as if they have had the drugs slammed down their throats (BTW, not singling you out B4L).

I suppose I can see why people might think that because Cousins has made a documentary highlighting his battle with drugs that he is somewhat exposed moving forward from that to scrutiny, and in some ways I agree. However, surely there has to come a time where the health of an individual, as well as the impact on associated family members and friends is considered prior to a media outlet milking a sad and sorry story.

I agree that we get the media we deserve, and if anything it's a sad reflection on ourselves as a collective that we are so interested in seeing people at their worst and shamed like Cousins was this week.

I personally doubt going to prison is going to help a guy that likes to party and carry a few grams of meth around with him. In fact, jail is a place mostly full of arseholes where drugs are easily accessible at the type of price you probably wouldn't have to pay on the street.

I'm extremely surprised Vlad felt the need to comment on the potential benefits of sending Ben Cousins to jail. Thoughtless and possibly ignorant move in my opinion and he would have helped the situation a lot more by keeping his mouth shut.

yeah look I agree totally. Andrew should be a bit more circumspect. It's like a CEO commenting on the personal life of an ex-employee in a branch company. they would never make a public statement about such a thing. It would be ' no comment'. What does AD know about being in Jail? or what is good for a drug addict? does he have a cert IV in drug and alcohol?

I'm not trying to excuse Mr Cousins from going to jail. The law is clear. It's pretty sad he was on the way back to a rehab camp for teens. Ruining other's lives most likely.

[ledge]

Okay so he is a drug addict, but that doesnt condone selling it if thats the case.
No sympathy if he is selling it, he knows its bad he cant get over his addiction so he makes it available to others and profits from it?
There goes the "he might be a good person" theory in my opinion.

[G-Mo77]

Having "the world at his feet" is largely irrelevant, it has absolutely no bearing on him having an addiction. Many addicts are highly successful business executives. Nor can it be simplified to "making bad choices". That could explain the first time he used, but addiction is a neurological disease, not a lifestyle choice.

Sorry but I find that complete rubbish. Years ago a few mates and I had a chance to try cocaine I declined, my friends didn't. At that point I could have said yes and it who knows it could have lead to an addiction. I made a choice and it was the right one. I had the same choice with cigarettes and alcohol. I tried both of those though, one I still dabble with.

Do cigarette smokers have an illness, alcoholics?

We all make choices in life and have to suffer the consequences for the bad ones.

[AndrewP6]

Sorry but I find that complete rubbish. Years ago a few mates and I had a chance to try cocaine I declined, my friends didn't. At that point I could have said yes and it who knows it could have lead to an addiction. I made a choice and it was the right one. I had the same choice with cigarettes and alcohol. I tried both of those though, one I still dabble with.

I find it strangely amusing that you can dismiss the notion of addiction as "rubbish". My point, which you've missed by a country mile, is that addiction is often revealed (for want of a better word) after making such choices. Once the decision is made, it triggers the addiction.

Do cigarette smokers have an illness, alcoholics?

If addicted, yes. An alcoholic is addicted to alcohol. Nicotine addiction is very real.

We all make choices in life and have to suffer the consequences for the bad ones.

And he most certainly has, is, and likely will be. That doesn't change the fact he has a serious illness - regardless of whether or not you personally don't believe addiction is real. There are countless sites you can visit to clear up your misconceptions.

[AndrewP6]

Okay so he is a drug addict, but that doesnt condone selling it if thats the case.
No sympathy if he is selling it, he knows its bad he cant get over his addiction so he makes it available to others and profits from it?
There goes the "he might be a good person" theory in my opinion.

Mind altering drugs are known to affect the addict's ability to reason and use logic.

[Topdog]

Okay so he is a drug addict, but that doesnt condone selling it if thats the case.
No sympathy if he is selling it, he knows its bad he cant get over his addiction so he makes it available to others and profits from it?
There goes the "he might be a good person" theory in my opinion.

Around about a 0.00001% chance he was selling it IMO.

[Topdog]

Okay so he is a drug addict, but that doesnt condone selling it if thats the case.
No sympathy if he is selling it, he knows its bad he cant get over his addiction so he makes it available to others and profits from it?
There goes the "he might be a good person" theory in my opinion.

Around about a 0.00001% chance he was selling it IMO.

[ledge]

Around about a 0.00001% chance he was selling it IMO.

Well I did say IF.

[Maddog37]

Close thread please. Not been about Cousins for a large part and nothing to do with footy or WBFC.

[AndrewP6]

Close thread please. Not been about Cousins for a large part and nothing to do with footy or WBFC.

It's completely about Cousins. He's a retired AFL player, and it's in the AFL Talk forum. No one has to read it.

[G-Mo77]

I find it strangely amusing that you can dismiss the notion of addiction as "rubbish". My point, which you've missed by a country mile, is that addiction is often revealed (for want of a better word) after making such choices. Once the decision is made, it triggers the addiction.

Decision, choices. Yep he could have just said no from the start couldn't he yet I'm the bad guy for not having any compassion for him.

[LostDoggy]

Sorry but I find that complete rubbish. Years ago a few mates and I had a chance to try cocaine I declined, my friends didn't. At that point I could have said yes and it who knows it could have lead to an addiction. I made a choice and it was the right one. I had the same choice with cigarettes and alcohol. I tried both of those though, one I still dabble with.

Do cigarette smokers have an illness, alcoholics?
We all make choices in life and have to suffer the consequences for the bad ones.

Yes, I believe that smokers and alcoholics have an illness. Some people are just predisposed to addictions. Of course we all have choices, and you should be especially pleased you made the choice to not try cocaine, which you admit yourself, may have lead to an addiction. With all due respect, personally, I don't think any of us has the right to judge another because we made "good" choices and they didn't. Sometimes life and choices aren't that simple - life isn't just black or white!

[Maddog37]

It's completely about Cousins. He's a retired AFL player, and it's in the AFL Talk forum. No one has to read it.

So if Robert Klomp starts making paper planes out of lettuce leaves and it's in the AFL Talk forum we will have an in depth discussion on it?

This discussion is now all about addiction and drug use and not about the AFL.

[ledge]

So if Robert Klomp starts making paper planes out of lettuce leaves and it's in the AFL Talk forum we will have an in depth discussion on it?

This discussion is now all about addiction and drug use and not about the AFL.

If people choose to , thats what a forum is, people choose what they want to talk about and discuss, if you dont wish to talk about the topic dont join it but obviously you are interested in this one because you have been reading it.

[AndrewP6]

So if Robert Klomp starts making paper planes out of lettuce leaves and it's in the AFL Talk forum we will have an in depth discussion on it?

This discussion is now all about addiction and drug use and not about the AFL.

As I said, no one's forcing you to read it. There are countless other threads and forums here that don't interest me in the slightest, but I'm not calling for their closure.