If you saw some teens smoking weed, would you call the police?

[ecstatic]

Poll question: If you saw some teens smoking weed, would you call the police?

On my evening jog I passed three, very young looking teens smoking. As I passed, I wondered if the correct action would be to call the police to teach them a lesson. It's not that I'm an authoritarian, I just think they could be headed down the wrong path and maybe needed a little scare. I didn't want to risk a confrontation with them, as they were three teen boys and you never know with kids these days (didn't have a taser on me either). Of course, the decision was moot because they disappeared before I passed by again. What would you have done?

[fascisthunter]

1. "Asked them to roll up a joint for you"

:rofl:

[thepurpose]

6. That's my vote.!!!

[TahitiNut]

27. Yup. Been there. Done that.

:silly: :smoke:

[leftchick]

33. you bad!

me too! :spank:

:hi:

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

66. Absolutely

Reminds me of my Junior High days during the 60s when my friends and I gathered at the railroad tracks after school.

[iamjoy]

2. It's A Bad Idea

If they're going to smoke weed, they should find someplace private where they're less likely to get caught. I mean, if they get caught they could go to jail. Really bad idea smoking dope in public.

Oh, and they call it dope for a reason.

[Flabbergasted]

63. Yep.....sums it up for me....

[Raine]

72. Agree.

And I'm anti-drug cause I think numbing yourself to crap doesn't help anyone. I want to feel the pain so I have plenty of incentive to fight.

[ret5hd]

3. Oh yeah...call the cops, that's the ticket...

Give them an arrest record and possibly a conviction record. THat'll show them punks they're headed down the wrong road and should start respecting authority!

God, what a tool. I can't believe you are even asking this question.

on edit: Oh yeah, you're not an authoritarian? :rofl:

[distantearlywarning]

4. Personally, I think it would be an evil act to turn them in

Particularly if they weren't hurting or bothering you in any way.

But then again I'm not much on authoritarianism.

[graywarrior]

5. Hell, no.

And I quit that stuff 20 years ago.

[NightWatcher]

7. ask them who's their dealer.

or take it away from them and tell them that you are going to call the cops. then go home and enjoy a radiohead cd with the ilgotten goods

[in_cog_ni_to]

8. Not in a million years. Though I may beg a toke off 'em. It's been a few years

since I've had the pleasure of smokin'.:hippie::smoke:

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

9. Oh fuck no.

Why would I?

Police wouldn't do shit except fuck up their lives.

[DemGa]

10. Is this for real???

Get them involved with the police for smoking weed? OMG NO!!!

[demnan]

11. I'd ask them to roll me a joint

It's been nearly 30 years, if someone had turned me in, it would have ruined my career and what harm does it do? I mean, didn't everyone do it at that age? Christ! I know career CIA people who did it. Give me a break!

Now days I do so much activism I don't care if I could ever had a secret clearance again.

[alfredo]

73. Same here. I would never go back inside. Too many sociopaths

in the spook business.

[Solon]

12. Ask them to roll me up a joint...

Its not like weed can kill you, and they aren't harming anyone, I don't see the point of calling the cops on them.

[wuushew]

13. Why is pot the wrong path?

It is essentially benign unlike tobacco or alcohol.

[ecstatic]

19. They should be studying!

When they are successful adults then they should be able to do whatever they want!

[karlrschneider]

22. ROTFLMAO

That's a good one! :rofl: :D

[ret5hd]

61. But she's NOT an authoritarian!!! (We know it cause she said so!)

[ecstatic]

69. I think adults (at least should) have some sort of authority over teens

At least that's the way it should be. Not in the sense of randomly giving out orders, but moreso setting them straight when they're acting in ways that may prove harmful.

[Telly Savalas]

90. If you want to set kids straight when they're acting in ways that may prove harmful

you'd get better results by hanging out in front of the Army recruiting office and advising youngsters that a vacation in Iraq is probably not the best thing for their personal well being.

[DURHAM D]

14. This situation just happened to me a couple of days ago.

I was entering my local Sam's Club from the side of the building and three young guys who worked there (the people who pick up the carts out of the lot and roll them back into the cart garage) were taking a break. I noticed a familiar scent. I walked toward them and said -I know you guys are having a good time but you may want to know that the odor from you "cigarette" is carrying well out into the parking lot. I smiled and said be careful. They immediately scrambled to put out the joint and said thank you. We all laughed and I went on.

[Ilsa]

121. That's the way to go. Kids should be taught not to be careless with ANYTHING.

I wouldn't want to see them get their lives screwed up over the police hassling them.

[Javaman]

15. Bwahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!

I live in austin, if I did that, I would be on the phone 24/7 and more than half the people in the city would be tying up the courts.

[Radical Activist]

29. No kidding

Every time I visited somebodies house in Austin they had it laying out in the front room like it was a coffee table book or bowl of snacks for guests.

[lvx35]

16. Despite what everybody says, its all about age.

An 18 year old is still a teen, and if I saw them smoking on their front lawn its as much a big deal to me than drinking beer on their front lawn. If they were 12, its possibly a different story. Young kids don't need to be on drugs.

[independentpiney]

17. Other

I'd tell them they should be more discreet, as I could have been an off-duty or undercover cop, or even just some authoritarian asshole who might've called the cops and ruined their futures, including being able to get financial aid for college.

[XemaSab]

34. That's the right answer

I don't care if teenagers toke; I do care if teenagers go to jail or have their lives messed up by our authoritarian anti-drug laws. :(

[proud patriot]

47. I agree with this answer

It could also jeopardize their families housing if they were on
welfare.

[WillyT]

68. Ding, Ding, Ding... Perfect Answer !!!

:yourock:

[nam78_two]

107. This sounds like the right route to me

:thumbsup:

[Vincardog]

18. This happened to me the other day. I was waiting for my partner to come out of a store. Two young

men pulled up next to me spoking the devil weed. I rolled my window down and sternly said to them
"Don't Bogart"
They passed the stinking weed over and I did everything in my power to make sure I passed it back in as reduced condition as possible.

What kind of fuck head thinks it is a good use of time and resources to call the police?

[TheCowsCameHome]

20. No, I'd ask for a senior citizen discount.

[ellisonz]

21. Buy them Doritos.

[karlrschneider]

23. Goog god have you ever read the ingredients in those things?

:puke: :puke:



:evilgrin:

[Radical Activist]

26. More dangerous than the pot but without the fun.

[TheCowsCameHome]

32. But the orange fingers afterward are soooooooooo cool.

[karlrschneider]

56. Exactly!

!!11!1!1!!

:D :P

[ellisonz]

35. Yes.

More of a Ben and Jerry's man.:9

I haven't had a Dorito in probably a good 3-4 years.

[havocmom]

24. Other - depends on who it is

Some I would be OK with if I knew they were decent kids and not driving around

Some, I would bust in a New York minute if I knew they were brats who think the world jumps when they say so and who do the DUI thing.

[Radical Activist]

25. A criminal record is going to get them on the right path?

More like ruin their life for no good reason.

[Bright Eyes]

28. Asked them to roll up a joint for you

:smoke:

[polichick]

30. imo it's hypocritical for alcohol to be legal, but not weed...

I wouldn't turn kids in for it, but would explain that if they're going to do it they should be a whole lot more careful since getting caught could really screw things up for them ~ especially because some cops and judges can be real assholes about it.

[cgrindley]

89. I would definitely phone the cops if they were drinking

if I see them... then that means they're in my neighborhood... then I want them arrested.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

31. Depends on the circumstances. If they were driving...yes.

[mainegreen]

36. And deprive them of federal student loans?

Throwing them to the private loan wolves?
Closing many other future opportunities to them?
Being a total dick all around?

No, I would not call the police. I'm not an asshole, not their mommy nor their daddy, their moral compass, nor a narc.

[ecstatic]

48. But do teens who smoke weed at such a young age even make it to college?

I now realize for sure that the police thing would have been over the top. But the responses here suggest that nobody wants to step in if they see young people doing things that might destroy their lives.

[mainegreen]

57. Some do, some don't. Same as for all teens.

The most you should do is give them a very short speech.

That's it.

[Ellen Forradalom]

106. Yes, in fact they do.

And it is presumptuous to think that toking will destroy their lives.

Furthermore, as a complete stranger you have no authority over them. The limit of your purview is point out their indiscretion.

edit:typo

[AlCzervik]

37. this sounds like a pitch for an ABC "After school special narc edition"

[RevolutionStartsNow]

I don't smoke, but no way would I call the cops

Who are they hurting?

Now if it were MY kid, she would get a talking to, but otherwise I would mind my own business.

However I once did call the cops at a skate park where an older woman was offering drugs to teenagers and smoking something (maybe pot, but I think maybe something else) -- the teenagers seemed annoyed by her and kind of creeped out. There were a lot of young kids there, including my 11 year old, and I didn't think it was cool at all. In that situation I thought it was okay to call the cops. They came and arrested her on possession and warrants.

[HughMoran]

38. If you knew their parents

...then you could perhaps mention it to them and let them deal with it. Do NOT get the police involved - for all you know they will throw the kid in jail for 37 years based on the idiotic drug laws these days.

[DemoTex]

39. OK. Live & Let Live. But try this one on for size (last night).

Neighbor and I are walking our dogs together. We do the "loop" through one of the best neighborhoods in Greenville, SC (Crescent/McDaniel), and end up in an alley parallel to a short stretch of built-up (commercially) Augusta Road. We pass behind a convenience store/Sonoco station. There are four African-American men of various ages behind the store drinking from bottles in brown paper bags. Two doors down is the "Block House", where BMW-driving locals are watering after work.
Neighbor-man says, "Call the cops on your cell phone, I don't have mine."
I say, "Are you nuts?"
He says, "Give the cell phone to me, I'll call them. We don't need these types in our neighborhood!"
I say, "Screw you John. Get a life."

[asdjrocky]

40. Dude....

thanks for not callin the cops.

[BlackVelvet04]

41. Are you friggin' serious?

You would take the chance of ruining these kids lives because they were smoking some weed? Did somebody die and appoint you the great lesson teacher?

[TheFriendlyAnarchist]

42. I'd ask for a hit.

Weed isn't much a a deal at all. If they were smoking crack or meth however, I would have just turned around and headed the other direction.

I've heard too much shit about treeple from friends when they used meth and stayed up for days.

[Squatch]

43. Yep. I've done it before and I'll do it again.

I saw a bunch of kids smoking *something* out of a pipe across the street from where I live. I sure as hell don't want that spot to be thought of as a safe place to smoke illegal drugs.

[ecstatic]

51. From the homeowner perspective, and protecting property values

Everything changes. Especially when you're in the process of trying to sell.

[Squatch]

55. I'm just thinking of my 2-year old son who has to grow up in that neighborhood.

And, we're not looking at selling anytime soon.

[karlrschneider]

59. At least they weren't fucking, huh?

:eyes:

[Squatch]

65. Them fucking does not endanger my family.

So, I could give a shit if they were.

[karlrschneider]

71. Cannabis vapors from down the street are poisoning your family?

Boy, I'd love to latch onto some of THAT shit.

[Squatch]

74. No. People enganging in illegal drug use does.

And I will put a stop to it.

[karlrschneider]

75. Well, riddle me this then: Would you "put a stop to it" if it were NOT illegal?

...

[Squatch]

76. Hmmm...that's a tough one. Would I prevent somebody from endangering my family?

You'll have to give me some time to mull that over. It's a toughie.

/sarcasm

[karlrschneider]

78. You rationalized turning them in because it was "illegal", now you're mulling over

potential endangerment? You have a little problem with consistency there, bubba.
Hell, your putative sarcasm is in itself sarcasm. :eyes:

[Squatch]

81. My position is absolutely clear.

If I know that you are engaging in behavior that endangers my family, illegal or not, I will put a stop to it, as I have done numerous times in the past.

[karlrschneider]

83. But you have not explained why or how such behavior endangers you.

And I don't think you can.

[nonconformist]

98. He can't, because it doesn't.

[madeline_con]

101. I just had such a deja vu experience.

Somehwere, years ago, different forum, different thread, SAME conversation.

Gonna put a stop to it.

Please explain.

I'm adamant, yadda yadda yadda.

Weird how this shit just goes around in a big circle. :smoke:

[baby_mouse]

100. Your position is absolutely meaningless.

There is no connection between cannabis and your family.

[Richard Steele]

112. So how does other people's personal behaviour "endanger your family"? Why can't you answer that?

Seems like a lot of us are WONDERING how that works,
and you're just ducking the question.

[BlackVelvet04]

91. a couple of teenagers smoking weed is endangering

your family?

[Danger Mouse]

44. Wow. Teach them a lesson?

I'm sick of 'teach them a lesson' being the logic of having kids arrested these days. :grr: Are we that cowed by authority and in love with autoritarianism that we desire to please our masters that much? :puke:
Feel free to call the cops, if you want to 'teach them a lesson' by ruining their lives. Do you have any idea how absurd the drug laws are in this country?

[ecstatic]

52. OK, I get it. But what should be done to help these kids

You can't possibly think it's a good idea for young teens to be doing drugs? :shrug:

[madeline_con]

102. Maybe they don't need "help"

Theyr'e smoking a friggin joint. Worse things could befall the neighborhood. Lighten up.

[nonconformist]

45. HELL NO. Unless your idea of "helping" them is to make them ineligible for student loans

If they're not your kids, on your property or harming/harassing you in some way, it's none of your business.

[Runcible Spoon]

117. WISH I COULD REC A SINGLE POST!

AMEN! I almost ALMOST forgot about the fact that they can be denied federal student loans. And in this economy, even relatively well to do middle class families could never afford to send their kids to college without that aid. YES calling the cops on them could easily ruin their prospects considerably.

[SNAKE MAN]

46. Let them smoke

all they want!! That gives the kids who don't smoke a chance to get a better job than the smokers, and pay for the smokers problems with taxes from free medical care and drug treatment when they need help!!!

[uppityperson]

50. "pay for the smokers problems with taxes from free medical care and drug treatment"

What are you going on about? Please, tell us more. Snake Man.

[SNAKE MAN]

87. uppityperson

Sure, I want free medical insurance like 99% of the folks here. So lets pay for a drug users medical/physical problem with our taxes. And a pot smoker has a lower chance of getting a job, so we can pay for their welfare or other support also. I know you will say you know a pot smoker who has a good paying job. I know it happens, but the odds are there are more with problems than not.

[uppityperson]

94. You do know that "free medical insurance" is paid for by our taxes, right?

And no, I won't say I know a pot smoker who has a good paying job. I know a bunch of them. I know more alcoholics that need treatment than pot smokers. Yet alcohol is legal and pot isn't.

[nonconformist]

108. Actually, the ODDS ARE that the VAST majority have good paying jobs

And are otherwise productive members of society, when you consider that a great percentage of people have smoked marijuana at least once in their lives, and a significant percentage smoke it regularly. And, praytell, what medical/physical problems do marijuana smokers suffer from? I'm intrigued.

[progressoid]

118. RIP

[iamthebandfanman]

49. getting them arrested is not learning a lesson

its giving them a record with the police.
that would have been horrible.

if you really care that they dont smoke, you shoulda stopped and pointed out that you could see what they were doing and that doing it out in the public was a bad idea because a meaner person would call the cops. thats all the scare they need, to know people know what they are doing when they are out in public...that people arent that stupid.

thank god you didnt call the police.

[Squatch]

54. The WON'T get arrested.

Because, here's what happens when you call the cops:

1) You call the police dispatch (non-emergency) and say you are seeing a bunch of kids congregating around the playground that your 2-year old used to visit (until the shards of beer bottles made such an activity unsafe)

2) 45 minutes later, a police car shows up and turns on his flashing lights searchlight a block away and creeps to the playground at about 1 mph.

3) All the kids at said playground take off running in a brazillion directions.

4) Cop gets to the playground, shines his maglight for a few seconds, speaks into his radio, and leaves.

5) Next day, you take your kid to the park, but not after you spend the first 10 minutes cleaning up glass and other shit.

6) Lather, rinse, repeat.

[iamthebandfanman]

58. where do these shards of glass come from

if they are smoking pot ?

im assuming u have a teenage drinking problem at the local park ?

[Squatch]

64. You've heard the saying that there is no such thing as a dumb question?

Well, your response just killed that.

"where do these shards of glass come from...if they are smoking pot ?"

Well, let me offer at least one possibility: maybe they're smoking pot AND doing something else, too!

Gasp!!

[karlrschneider]

79. I coulda sworn it had something to do with a domicile's building material.

:eyes:

[Squatch]

82. And, you would be (once again) sadly mistaken.

[iamthebandfanman]

96. just making the distinction

that alcohol was involved with destruction, not just because they were smoking weed.

but hey, thanks for being an asshole about it ... i appriciate that.

[Warren DeMontague]

53. Unless they were causing some kind of problem, no. I would have done nothing.

I'm not in the business of going out of my way to report victimless crimes.
We have enough of that bullshit being paid for with my tax dollars without me taking the time to enable it.

[Rex]

60. Mind my own business?

Come back and talk to me when you see some kids huffing paint, shooting up heroin or doing meth. Until then, go home and drink a beer.

[RB TexLa]

62. I wouldn't call the police if I saw them "smoking" a person

I've never reported a crime to the police in my life, it's called minding my own business.

[Kucinich4America]

67. I'd go over to them and say "Hey you kids are too young to smoke dope"

.....Let me show you how it's done :evilgrin:

Nah, seriously I'm out of practice. Smelled some good stuff going around Key Arena last night at the Van Halen show, but none of it got close enough to me :evilfrown:

[BoneDaddy]

70. I would educate them

on being smart. That smoking weed is still illegal and if they were going to do it, show some discretion and intelligence on a safe place to chill out. I wouldn't moralize, I wouldn't judge. I would be cool about it, and unlike many of the posts I would NOT ask them to roll me a joint. Not because I do not partake, but because if, by chance, I am linked with those youth, as an adult...it would be my ass on the fire...

[JVS]

77. I call the cops. People stupid enough to do that out in the open deserve what they get.

[mitchtv]

85. jesus H Christ

what a *********!

[JVS]

86. it's a gift from God!

[Raine]

80. I'm anti-drug

cause I think it's counter-revolutionary but I wouldn't call the cops cause I dislike cops even more than I dislike drugs. x( Ideally I'd like to have a word with them and tell them not to dull themselves with drugs but realistically I'd mind my own business and keep on going cause I'm not the confrontational type. *sigh*

[JVS]

84. counter-revolutionary? What revolution?

[Raine]

113. The one

that we need to have. ;-)

[killbotfactory]

114. In my experience, marijuana is pro-revolutionary

It's an introspective drug, and can let you look at your life and decide what's important, and in my case it sure ain't the pursuit of money in the capitalist system. It can also break the downward spiral of depression caused by the stresses of life and far more dangerous drugs like alcohol.

[annabanana]

88. I'd look at them and say

"Watsa matter witchoo bay-beeee"

(that is , if my nose went up like an infield fly)

[Norwood]

92. Tell them its not a good idea to do it out in the open...

and then ask them to roll me one or at least take a hit :D I still like to indulge myself every now and then.

[walldude]

93. OMG! Teens smoking weed!! Next thing you know....

they're playing video games and eating junk food! Fuck the cops.. just shoot em'.

[killbotfactory]

95. Calling the police is the bad kind of help

You don't need to disrupt someones life so greatly by calling the police just because they are smoking a plant that isn't even that harmful to begin with.

[Horse with no Name]

97. Are you fucking kidding?

Call the police? Teach them a lesson?
You do realize that your vengeful moral lesson would be stamped to every school, job and rental application that these young teens made?
You do realize that under this fucking War on Drugs, that they would probably serve jail time?
Who the fuck were they hurting and who the hell are YOU to teach them ANY lesson.
Mind your own fucking business asshole.

[madeline_con]

99. "headed down the wrong path"?

Or, you could mind your own damn business. They're not hurting anybody.

[baby_mouse]

103. Call the POLICE?!

1. This would be a ridiculous waste of police time.

2. You have no idea what sort of police officer would turn up and what consequences WAAAAYY beyond your "little scare" might bring about.

3. What path they head down is their decision, not yours.

4. You desperately need a joint.

[0007]

104. A no brainer as to mind your own business!

[BobTheSubgenius]

105. I think it's pretty damned tragic that this is an issue.

There is such a live-and-let-live attitude about ganja around here that's it is RARELY, well....anything. The police no longer arrest for simple possession, (although I guess they MIGHT, if you really 'asked for it').

I know two people who had their bud returned by the police that found it on them. No charges, although one was given a 24-hour roadside driving prohibition and had her car towed. Bummer, but hardly a disaster. The other was a pedestrian, so she just walked away. Literally and figuratively.

I also know two whose grow-ops were discovered. One lost his crop (60 pounds, wet and untrimmed, so weight was WILDLY overstated) and got a $200 fine and a record which cost him $500 to have expunged. The other...nothing. Didn't smash his equipment, didn't cut down his plants. Nothing. Said it wasn't worth their time. "Obviously, small time and mostly personal. Be a little more discreet, k?"

Personally? I don't use it any more and haven't for a decade, but that's a lifestyle choice on my part.

So....why is this an issue again?

[killbotfactory]

109. It's an issue because in the US we let people whose lives depend on criminality

determine what is and isn't criminal.

[Contrary1]

110. Unfortunately, I didn't get a choice...

At my nephew's High School open house, I caught some teens lighting up behind the shed. I was hoping to blackmail them into sharing, but unfortunately; they were able to outrun me...
over and over again. Well, at least I got some exercise.

[Feron]

111. As long as they aren't being disruptive,..

I'd leave them alone.

If it were something more serious than weed, then I would be more likely to become involved.

[donheld]

115. Calling the police would have been out of the question for me

No way.

[timtom]

116. here is a kozmic trooth

that you can all take to the banque:

Never, ever, but NEVER involve the authorities in ANYTHING unless there is threat of immediate danger!

They are NOT your friends.

No one needs to know about them damn kids smoking the damn weed.

And I haven't smoked since 1985.

Really, folks. The authorities have far too much on their plates to concern themselves with piddly-ass crap like that. There is a veritable army of white collar and political criminals responsible for the ruthless murder of millions and the theft of billions of public money. The authorities need to refocus their priorities. Let's not confuse them with the lightweight stuff.

[acmavm]

119. Why the hell do some people here want to get people in trouble?

Like the thread when that nosy busy-body saw a woman struggling to get her four kids in the car and she was yelling at them and Ms. Intrusive wanted to know if she should call (anonymously, of course) the welfare people and report her. Nosy happened to get the license plate number.

You sound as bad. Give some kids a police record and fuck with the rest of their life. Why? Make you feel like a big shot? Like Ms. Law and Order?

Again? What is wrong with some of the people here?

[Dorian Gray]

120. I would have minded my own business...

though I did call 911 once. I saw a VERY drunk man leaning on a car here in Brooklyn around 4 in the afternoon. He was bent over, throwing up. Then he was staggering around in a semi-circle. I was worried that if I didn't call, he may pass out and hurt himself. Or, what if something else was wrong with him. I called 911 to tell them where he was. But I don't know what came of it. Since I made the assumption that he was homeless (he had loads of torn bags with him and a shopping cart), added that to possibly very drunk (though there may be conditions that can emulate drunkeness), I didn't feel comfortable getting out of my own car to help him.

[Witchy_Dem]

122. Winter several years ago, parking lot of the mall...

Car across from me was running, obviously with the heat on as well. Three kids in the car smoking it up. I was laughing my ass off because even though the windows were rolled up the whole parking lot smelled like weed. I cleared off my car and started it and when they saw me I gestured to them that the whole place reeked. They laughed and drove off. I didn't beg a joint nor ask for a hit but I warned em that it was kinda obvious what they were doin'. You can guess my vote.