What do we think of smoking?

Pot, i mean. I think most people are pretty accepting of it, in my experience. But one person I met was just floored by the fact that me and my brother and my mom smoke. Do we think this is so bad? It's no worse than cigarettes in terms of health... I was just curious how people feel about smoking?

I don't think it's a good idea to smoke it but i'm not against those who do... It may not be worse than cigarettes but I definately don't think that makes it a good thing. I have a brother, a sister, and friends who smoke it quite often. That's fine, they can do what they want on their own time but I personally choose not be be around while they do it. It just isn't very fun to be around someone that is high IMO. Plus, unlike many people I really dislike the smell.

I thought there were cancer-causing tars in the mary-jane...? Maybe I'm wrong.

I'm pretty open minded; I don't care what other people do. For something like this, I just prefer not to do it.

Almost every pothead I've ever met has been dysfunctional. I'm not talking about a person who does it a few times a year.

This one kid I knew in hs was a hardcore pot smoker, as was his whole family; from what I understand they even grew their own supply. He was always high; then he killed himself at age 19 by ODing on methadone. 

Almost all the other stoners I knew from HS and college now lead totally menial lives doing odd jobs. They basically threw their lives away by putting drugs first. 

dm84: you must know some real winners:) I can assure you that not all "stoners" as you put it are like that, I am in university doing well and have always been a honours student, and my brother is working on his masters... I guess thats your experience though. That type of person I guess is what causes the stigma.

I don't smoke it personally, mainly because it either a)makes me sick; or b) puts me to sleep; or c) both.  However, I think it should be legalized and treated similar to alcohol.  Keeping it as a controlled substance does two things: it minimizes the possiblity of it being laced with more addictive chemicals, while at the same time allowing the government to impose a sin tax on it and make money, rather then spending money on locking people up for smoking it.

And as far as stoners that don't make much of themselves (and it does happen) the same can be said for alcoholics.  There are addictive qualities to both substances, and both can ruin lives.  But thats at least partly to blame on the user, not the "drug".

I think its fine.  Its the persons life and body, they get to do what they want with it.  The same goes for drugs, drinking, etc.  Only you are accountable for what happens.

I used to smoke quite a bit in college but it just always put me to sleep so I was never a fun stoner.  The following few years, I used it only when I had a problem sleeping or something like that.  Wouldn't mind a hit now....haha, been a long day.

I smoked pot when I was younger - weekends in social situations because its so difficult for me to tolerate the taste of alcohol.  I find it peculiar that it is illegal as I equate it to alcohol.  It is though illegal so knowing of someone smoking pot doesnt make me think of health as much as the law.  The legality is what stopped me - it wasnt worth legal risk. 

Ive a brother who also experimented at the same time as I and Im sorry to know he's basically been high ever since.  Im talking 20+ years and he has been caught although he kept the circumstances private and I only know of it because of his mentioning of them after the fact.

Im very grateful my teen daughter is anti drug.  She has backed off of certain friends because of there usage.  I remember this when her and boyfriend take over the TV room kitchen 24/7, knowing at least what theyre not doing.  Its normal for kids to experiment but a portion of them fall thru the cracks, becoming full blown addicts, even if it just means getting high everyday like my brother.  Im addicted to nicotine (eventhough Ive quit smoking) so I dont judge on others drug use.  

I am 18 and have never smoked pot. No desire to. I have, however, had friends and a few boyfriends who have smoked pot. I don't judge. As long as they don't pressure me to do it or smoke it around me then what they smoke is thier business. Any drug beyond that then i probably would have a problem with it just for fear of thier health.

Unfortunately I live in zero-tolerance Japan and have no choice, but I used to enjoy a spliff now and then in my 20s.  I'm all for it, but in my case, it did NOT help my diet.  I would get the most insane cravings for food and eat until I couldn't move.  Everything tasted so GOOD.  I knew other people who didn't eat much at all - it seems to affect each person differently.

 

But overall, I consider it less harmful than alcohol when used in moderation, but it does seem to ruin motivation in people who use it more than once a week or so. 

Original Post by dm84:

Almost every pothead I've ever met has been dysfunctional. I'm not talking about a person who does it a few times a year.

This one kid I knew in hs was a hardcore pot smoker, as was his whole family; from what I understand they even grew their own supply. He was always high; then he killed himself at age 19 by ODing on methadone.

Almost all the other stoners I knew from HS and college now lead totally menial lives doing odd jobs. They basically threw their lives away by putting drugs first.

Wow, I hardly knew ANYONE in HS and college who NEVER smoked. Of course the real burnouts are another story, but most of us (and we used it a few times a month, not year) went on to regular jobs and fulfilling lives, and I personally haven't had any in at least 9 years, since I had my kids.

Original Post by yalcekim:

I thought there were cancer-causing tars in the mary-jane...? Maybe I'm wrong.

I'm pretty open minded; I don't care what other people do. For something like this, I just prefer not to do it.

 Technically, there are, but think about the amount you smoke -1/3 of a joint is enough for most people, but with cigarettes, people smoke a pack of 20 or more a day, and smoke the whole cigarette.  A lot of people who use MJ recreationally probably don't have 20 joints in a year.

I was a chronic smoker for many years, but did go to university, got my degree, worked, blah blah blah. Could I have done more if I hadn't smoked all those years? Maybe so, maybe not. So no regrets per se. Lots of my friends that smoked when we were kids went on to lead normal lives and be very successful. A few derailed, but I think that's just part of life, not necessarily because of the pot.

I don't think it's bad that you smoke with your family, hockeygirl44 :)

As for being legal, geez, does it need to be legal?

Smoke all you want as long as you are not behind the wheel of a car or at work.

Original Post by brandy_m_gray:

However, I think it should be legalized and treated similar to alcohol. 

The reason this will never happen is because there is no test similar to an alchohol breathalyzer test available for marijuana. We can set alcohol limits of .08 or .10 BAC but we can only test for the presence of marijuana using a urine sample that must be sent to a lab. Until a "roadside marijuana test" comes around that can be administered by a cop and give instantaneous, quantitative results, marijuana legalization will be just a pipe dream (pun intended).

Meh, It's been close to being decriminalized here in Canada. there is a great deal of public support for decriminalization, but we have a rather conservative government at the moment. This too will pass...

How in the world do you all know people who smoke. I'm positive it doesn't happen at our school, and i've never meet anyone from someother place that does it. As far as legality goes I think nicotine, alcohol, and drugs should be made illegal with severe punishments, which is weird because normally i'm all about freedoms.

Original Post by zmarsh:

How in the world do you all know people who smoke. I'm positive it doesn't happen at our school, and i've never meet anyone from someother place that does it. As far as legality goes I think nicotine, alcohol, and drugs should be made illegal with severe punishments, which is weird because normally i'm all about freedoms.

 Well, it's been 20 years since I was in HS, so things may have changed, but when I was a kid the three main drugs were alcohol, cocaine, and MJ.  Alcohol was most common, and only a very few rich snob kids used coke.  Most kids used a little MJ now and then - only a few used it often.  Alcohol seemed to cause the most problems by far, with a lot of kids going to their cars and having a "liquid lunch" in the middle of the day.  You're still very young, zmarsh, and it's not uncommon to have very extreme views like that at your age.  When I was a teen, I sincerely thought that DUI should automatically be punished by a long prison term, and that DUI-caused fatalities should be punished by death.  Needless to say, experience in the real world has made a lot of my views a lot more nuanced today.

Anyway, here is a new study that showed that the effects of MJ on teens were not significant compared to alcohol and tobacco...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20071105/hl_nm/tee ns_smoking_dc;_ylt=At86Oga6hQ8u.42Vzsfts7rq18 8F 

 

I have two sons and would not freak out if they tried MJ, as long as they were over 16 and did it in moderation.  I'd be much more worried about alcohol and tobacco.  Unfortunately, here in Japan, MJ is not widely available, so kids use more alcohol and tobacco, and the really screwed up kids inhale paint thinner or spray paint fumes, or so I hear.  Overall, though drug use in teens is very low here - it's mostly study, study, study.  But I think a certain level of partying in the teen years is a good thing for being sociable, learning one's limits, and sowing one's wild oats a bit so they can buckle down in college and at work.  Sadly, some people never seem to grow up and get out of party mode.

Oh dear... I promise you that people at your school smoke. You just don't hang out with those who do. Also, depending on where you live, if it is illegal (and laws are enforced) people might not talk about it. But TONS of people smoke, and way more adults than you would think. I know at least 8 of my highschool teachers did, and teachers tend to be a bit... ah, square in their lifestyles.

Way I see it, smoking a joint is a way better way to destress than a lot of other ways I can think of. We are a liberal bunch on this forum though, I have to admit I was pleasantly surprised.

You forgetting one very important thing. I live in a small town and it doesn't take long for everyone to know what your doing. The point i'm getting is if you did you would get caught. Also we have drug dogs come in weekly.

Original Post by zmarsh:

You forgetting one very important thing. I live in a small town and it doesn't take long for everyone to know what your doing. The point i'm getting is if you did you would get caught. Also we have drug dogs come in weekly.

 Wow.  Very police-state.  Until recently I lived in San Francisco, and there, it is almost decriminalized.  There are MJ stores for medical marijuana all over town - and all you need is a note from a doctor for your "headaches" or whatever, and you've got your weed.  It really seemed like no big deal there.  The police are under orders to make marijuana enforcement a very low priority.  A lot of people use it, but a lot of people don't - it was more a matter of preference, and the issue of legality seemed rather moot.   I'm in favor of strong enforcement of rules regarding weapons in schools - there is no place for weapons in school.  I also don't think school is an appropriate place for drugs or alcohol, any more than a workplace is.  But drug dogs does seem a bit over-the-top...  If kids could just be taught the distinction between school, which is basically their "workplace" (where they should behave professionally) and their leisure time, where they need to learn how to balance the demands of partying with homework and studying, that would probably be better training for adulthood than screaming at them "JUST SAY NO", because centuries of history have shown us that, again and again, most people just say yes to one thing or another, and learning moderation is a lot more useful than simplistic slogans.