Wow - 15 years smoking crack, the Shane Schleger story

WTF

http://www.slate.com/articles/life/d...bstinence.html

http://www.slate.com/articles/life/d...tinence.2.html

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I was taught how to cook and smoke crack when I was 21. It was in a high-rise hotel room on East 34th Street in Manhattan, and some friends from New Jersey—in town for the New Year’s Eve Phish shows at Madison Square Garden—showed me the technique to convert powder cocaine into its smokable counterpart.

These upper-middle-class suburban kids seemed to know every detail about the drug, from the minutiae of proper pipe handling (taking a hit requires some optimization) to the kinder, gentler euphemism for crack, “hubbas.” They knew how to cook HCL (powder) cocaine into a base (freebase) as well as where to find the street version of the same drug (crack). Earlier that night, before I’d learned to make freebase, we had driven to someone’s house in Paterson, N.J., and one of my friends went inside and bought a bag of ready-made, smokable rocks. I sat shotgun on the way into the city while the backseat passenger took the wheel, allowing the driver to use both hands to take a hit off the pipe.

My levels of experimentation have varied since that night, from three months of daily usage in 1999 after that initial introduction to a year or two of abstinence. I eventually settled into a seasonal habit (I smoked crack only during the winter months), followed by a less moderate phase in 2013.

I don’t present these stories for shock value. On the contrary, I proceed with a lot of anxiety, knowing the potential to upset and alienate family members, friends, present or past business associates, future landlords, and whoever else is likely to take a dim view of the information I’m volunteering.

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But god forbid I withdraw $1,100 from my Stars account.

Interesting and very candid read tho

His podcasts are here:

http://www.dopestories.com/

The guy is a degen on so many levels but always finds a way to not completely go off the deep end.

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Originally Posted by BeerAndPoker

His podcasts are here:

http://www.dopestories.com/

The guy is a degen on so many levels but always finds a way to not completely go off the deep end.

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Man I have to listen to these, the descriptions alone have me interested.

People that admit to smoking Crack are usually much better to hang out with than people that hide it fyi

i'd smoke crack with shaniac

:crowd

is this this the pokerstars pro?

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Originally Posted by yaahello

is this this the pokerstars pro?

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yes. He's also been on various radio shows throughout this community over the years.

I wish him nothing but the best, but I haven't heard too many "I'm going to keep smoking crack, but not go overboard" success stories. But then again, most people wouldn't openly discuss their crack addiction.

I'm listening to the cold blooded lp from Rick James atm. Probably the best Crack smoker of any profession with Richard Pryor ccoming in at second by a nose.

This album is amazing.

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Originally Posted by PLOL

I wish him nothing but the best, but I haven't heard too many "I'm going to keep smoking crack, but not go overboard" success stories. But then again, most people wouldn't openly discuss their crack addiction.

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So fucking this, I have known some serious crackheads through the years, sadly. I have never seen where someone starts smoking crack and all of a sudden their life gets better. Not a single time.

I am pretty libertarian so I think they should just legalize everything but still, crack is whack.

Listening to episode 1 now.

http://shaniaconline.blogspot.com/20...ing-crack.html

Slate Piece: Fifteen Years Smoking Crack

I wrote an article that Slate published earlier today, and in just a few hours there were more comments on the piece than anything I have ever written on the internet, combined. (A distant but memorable second was this account of bad service at a fancy LA restaurant).

If there's one thing I wish I made clearer in the article: I'm not looking for a way to indulge my crack habit, much less justify it. I wanted to reflect back on 15 years of experimentation honestly in an attempt to readjust perceptions about drugs, including my own. The piece was challenging to write and to publish, and I tend to think I would have had an easier time continuing to "justify" my habit if I kept the matter private.

We look within our families at the palpable toll that drugs have taken, and the destruction that the drug war has wrought, and we instinctively blame the drugs themselves as the cause of the problem. Or, even less rationally and more divisively, we blame the addict. Some of that is founded in experience: drug users do sometimes act selfishly, ignorantly, and deviously; the drugs themselves are toxic, harmful and have a deteriorating effect. In other words, drugs are "bad."

But a lot of it is founded in the closed-minded, irrational discussion that has shaped drug policy and colored our perception of drug users. "I thought Nancy Reagan settled all of this in the 80s. Just say 'No.' Simple," wrote one commenter, hinting at the fact that 30 years later, there is still limited ability to explore the possibilities that drugs are also "good" in some ways.

There is little room for a narrative from the drug addict that doesn't involve his being rehabilitated, repentant or "recovering." The level of dialogue at our disposal is mired in black-and-white language and little room to interpret subtle shades of grey. Thankfully, plenty of people commented to the effect that was pretty much the only point I was trying to make--that it's time for a new level of dialogue--and it's a point I believe in firmly enough to throw myself in front of a freight train of stigma and heartache. As one commenter said, "The hostile reaction of the commentary to this piece only bolsters the argument of its writer."

I anticipated that the story would be filtered through some deeply ingrained perceptions about drug addiction, the war on drugs, personal responsibility, and the idea that I was lying to myself and others, delusional and "in denial." A lot of people seemed engaged by one small sentence I wrote, "I need my friends and loved ones to help keep me in check" as if I was placing some extraordinary burden on them and not getting by in life with traditional boundaries. Substitute "need" with "prefer" and maybe the wording is more accurate, but yeah--that's sort of the deal I have with my friends and loved ones, we help each other "in check."

***

Maybe it's easier to look at this as my cry for help. Except I'm not crying--I'm telling these stories and broadcasting the issues on Dope Stories because I find it helpful. I find I am providing myself some measure of solace by being straightforward about my problems. There is observable local evidence of harm reduction and the ability to more easily reformat ideas about substance use and consciousness when I am honest about it. I hope it translates for others.

I can't really begin to parse the hundreds of comments on the article--which ones I thought advanced the discussion vs. limiting it and which made me feel good vs. those that hurt my feelings. All in all, I think the comments reflected various attitudes about the drug war, drug use, the nature of addiction that run the gamut from profound to ignorant.

This is just ground zero for discussion, and I don't (yet) regret taking a shot at helping to shape the discussion.

Hoping to monetize the blog to buy mo crack

I wish shane luck

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Originally Posted by PLOL

I wish him nothing but the best, but I haven't heard too many "I'm going to keep smoking crack, but not go overboard" success stories. But then again, most people wouldn't openly discuss their crack addiction.

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:this

Fucking douchebag IMO

I love how he tries to justify things by saying things like his life is going pretty well so I'm going to smoke more crack this year as compared to last year.

Will really have zero sympathy when it all come crashing down around him. There's not a lot of success stories that start off with "I was binging on crack and then everything went on a massive uptick for me"

Also epic fail for Micon tweeting how brave he is...fuck him too

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Originally Posted by PLOL

But god forbid I withdraw $1,100 from my Stars account.

Interesting and very candid read tho

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:this

What's up with people from NYC smoking rock?

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Originally Posted by Shizzmoney

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Originally Posted by PLOL

But god forbid I withdraw $1,100 from my Stars account.

Interesting and very candid read tho

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:this

What's up with people from NYC smoking rock?

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They have all them ports so it's hellacheap

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Originally Posted by nunbeater

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Originally Posted by PLOL

I wish him nothing but the best, but I haven't heard too many "I'm going to keep smoking crack, but not go overboard" success stories. But then again, most people wouldn't openly discuss their crack addiction.

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So fucking this, I have known some serious crackheads through the years, sadly. I have never seen where someone starts smoking crack and all of a sudden their life gets better. Not a single time.

I am pretty libertarian so I think they should just legalize everything but still, crack is whack.

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I cant help to wonder if he would be a better person and more sucessful if he had never touched the stuff.

you know fear and loathing style?

at the end of the day he can do what he wants no matter the counceling from frends and familey.

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Originally Posted by PLOL

I wish him nothing but the best, but I haven't heard too many "I'm going to keep smoking crack, but not go overboard" success stories. But then again, most people wouldn't openly discuss their crack addiction.

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I guess I don't know what he's doing lately but the only poker player exception I can think of Ted Forrest. That guy was pretty successful while smoking crack all along... Although I don't know what he's been doing lately. I seriously doubt he's broke and seriously doubt he quit smoking crack too.