Would It Bother You If Your Older Child Smoked Pot?

[ThomWV]

Pretty simple question, if you child is a late teenager or over 20, would it bother you to learn that he or she smoked pot from time to time, say once a week or more often?

[Philosoraptor]

1. Only if they didn't share.

[Cooley Hurd]

3. GMTA

:toast:

[xultar]

114. I have never smoked pot. If my kid did I wouldn't care as long as they could afford it and

continued to do well with work and such.

[Cooley Hurd]

148. I'm 40-something, making close to 6-figures, a rabid Progessive Dem...

...and I smoke.

Any questions?;) :hi:

[iamthebandfanman]

15. lol

i agree with that statement ;)

so many other things out there to be worried about besides smoking some pot.

i was told early on that the easiest route in life while still having fun was to take everything in MODERATION by my father.
he didnt spend all those years in the late 60s and early 70s using mescalin without learning a thing or two i suppose ;)
which goes back to my other sentence... there are other things out there to be worried about than pot!

people should be more concerned with the legal drugs.

[Subdivisions]

65. Who would I most like to smoke a spliff with?

Philosoraptor!



One toke over the line, sweet Jesus, one toke over the line...

[donsu]

69. you got it

lol

[Cooley Hurd]

2. It would only bother me if...

...he didn't SHARE it with me.;)

"Don't bogart that stogie, Junior!":D

[RufusTFirefly]

4. Today's pot is not the same as the stuff some of us once smoked

From what I understand, genetic engineering has turned pot into something far more potent than the weed that was circulating a generation ago. So I'd be concerned at the very least about that.

[ThomWV]

17. Thank goodness!

It isn't genetic engineering that did it. Selective breeding and improved growing techniques as well as increased sophistication in the preparation of the product (female only weed, and in the best cases seedless bud only) has led to much improved product on the open market. Of course the price has also gone up and much more so than the quality of the product - much like everything else.

Back in the day (60's~70's) a bag (ounce) of good weed (maybe 6% THC content) would run you $20 just about anywhere in the country. Today a bag of very good weed (THC content approaching 18%) will cost you somewhere around $400.

The 300% improvement isn't as much as you might imagine though. Just think of the effect of an aspirin on a headache, now imagine taking 3 aspirins for the same headache. That's about the difference we are talking about here. Yes, its a lot more, but the overall effect is still pretty much the same.

[hobbit709]

20. Bull! Good pot was always available.

Street pot was usually commercial grade but if you knew the right people you could always get high grade. I smoked stuff in the 60's and early 70's that was better than some of the hydroponic stuff today.

[RaleighNCDUer]

84. Yep. When the average price was $15-20/bag, it was possible to

get some excellent stuff for $60 - I remember Thai stick in '75 that would compare favorably with anything available today.

[rndmprsn]

this is right-wing propaganda...

the maui wowie, skunk #1, panama red and santa marta gold etc...of years gone past have NOT been equaled, repeat..NOT been equaled....they have just become the building blocks for todays hybrid/easier to grow under lights/indoors strains.

some people would like to think that a couple decades of hydro/indoor growing has surpassed what thousands of years and countless generations of selective growing/breeding by indigenous people have done...but its just not true.

now...there is MORE of the good stuff available now a days to the average stoner, but the overall potency/per strain has not gone up appreciably.

[yella_dawg]

116. Panama Red was a fine thing.

I miss it terribly.

But Maui Wowie? Holy shit! Talk about turn your head inside out. Damn! I wish you hadn't brought up the subject. I'll mope the rest of the day about lost beauty in the world. Some things were better back in the good old days.

[Bennyboy]

21. The most ridiculous argument ever....

Everyone knows what their limits are. So stronger pot means less pot smoked.
Sometimes I swear....

[Sanctified]

86. deleted replied to wrong post. n/t

[iamthebandfanman]

26. and people still arent OD'ing

so really this only further proves that marijuana is less addictive and destructuve than even legal drugs.

[immoderate]

29. You'll be glad to know that's total bullshit.

I'd give a lot to be able to get some of the good 'lumbo cheeba, or Panamanian red that I was getting in 1970. Think about it. What changes in pot are you talking about that have been developed by "genetic engineering" in the intervening years? Was it done by some hippies? You know it's not Monsanto. How can you be that gullible?

--IMM

[RufusTFirefly]

37. Yes. I am glad. I guess I stand corrected.

The last thing I want to do is to unwittingly adopt right-wing propaganda. I guess the argument made sense to me. Widespread spraying of pot with stuff like paraquat prompted growers to produce it under more controlled conditions, which led to inevitable improvements. Genetic engineering doesn't always imply gene-splicing, by the way. The great Henry Wallace re-engineered corn through selective breeding. A lot of very smart people smoke pot. To simply dismiss them as "hippies" and to imply that they are incapable of improving the plants seems a dubious assertion to say the least.

Anyway, thanks for clearing this up.

[progressoid]

54. Yep - Have you read "The Botany of Desire"?

http://www.amazon.com/Botany-Desire-Plants-Eye-View-World/dp/0375760393/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/102-7562599-2683330?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1187621963&sr=8-1

I read it a few years ago, but IIRC, Pollan essentially traces the recent evolution of marijuana.

[RufusTFirefly]

57. Not yet. But it's definitely on my list. Thx. n/t

[aikoaiko]

70. I was going to read that book, but then I got high.

lol

[notadmblnd]

104. Here's many more reasons

I was gonna clean my room until I got high
I was gonna get up and find the broom but then I got high
my room is still messed up and I know why (why man?) yea heyy,
- cause I got high

(La da da da da da da da da)

I was gonna go to class before I got high
I coulda cheated and I coulda passed but I got high
(La da da da da da da da da)
I am taking it next semester and I know why, (why man?) yea heyy,
- cause I got high

(La da da da da da da da da)

I was gonna go to work but then I got high
I just got a new promotion but I got high
now I'm selling dope and I know why (why man?) yea heayy,
- cause I got high

(La da da da da da da da da)

I was gonna go to court before I got high
I was gonna pay my child support but then I got high
they took my whole paycheck and I know why (why man?) yea heayy,
- cause I got high

(La da da da da da da da da)

I wasn't gonna run from the cops but I was high
I was gonna pull right over and stop but I was high
(La da da da da da da da da)
Now I am a paraplegic and i know why (why man?) yea heayy,
- because I got high

(La da da da da da da da da)

I was gonna pay my car note until I got high
I wasn't gonna gamble on the boat but then I got high
now the tow truck is pulling away and I know why (why man?) yea heyy,
- because I got high

(La da da da da da da da da)

I was gonna make love to you but then I got high
I was gonna eat yo pussy too but then I got high
now I'm jacking off and I know why, yea heyy,
- cause I got high

(La da da da da da da da da)

I messed up my entire life because I got high
I lost my kids and wife because I got high
now I'm sleeping on the sidewalk and I know why (why man?) yea heyy,
- cause I got high

(La da da da da da da da da)

I'm gonna stop singing this song because I'm high
I'm singing this whole thing wrong because I'm high
and if I dont sell one copy I know why (why man?) yea heyy,
- cause I'm high

La da da da da da, La da da da, Shoop shooby doo wop.

Get jiggy wit it, skibbidy bee bop diddy do wahhh

- cause I'm high

(hey where the cluck at cuz)

Well my name is afroman and I'm from east pomdale (east-pom-dale)
and all the tolweed I be smokin is bomb as helllllll (excelent delivery)
I don't beleive in Hitler, that's what I said (oh my goodness)
so all of you skins (skins) please give me more head

[immoderate]

137. Selective breeding has been going on for thousands of years.

Why think that doesn't apply to marijuana? The wild banana is pulpy, dry and seedy, hardly edible. It's been cultivated over 5,000 years into the fruit we know and love. Surely, by the 1960s, someone who cultivated weed knew about this.

Like I said, I wish I had some to show you. :hi:

--IMM

[ThomWV]

80. Actually there are good sources that say it has increased a good bit (source provided)

http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/bulletin/bulletin_1982-01-01_3_page009.html#bf001

[Madspirit]

127. Your source evidently does not smoke weed...

It used to be much better. There was always and still is, crap weed. However, I remember joints turning my fingers yellow from the amount of drug and that rarely happens anymore. NOW to get pot as good even as what we used to get, requires a bank loan....hydro, KB, etc. VERY expensive. For about 15 bucks or LESS, back in the day, you could get equivalent pot....skunk, sens...hydro...all really superb and about 15 bucks. The cheapest I ever paid was 8 bucks for a full four-finger ounce...(lid...<g>...). Almost immediately it went up to ten. That lasted a while...then 15 and that lasted a while...and now it's just outrageous. Still, I buy it every month but we actually have to count it into the budget rather than just considering it spare change buyable.

Lee *indulging at this very moment*

[immoderate]

138. Brother!

See my post below for some nostalgia! We've seen some of the same things.

--IMM

[immoderate]

134. I say rubbish!

Without giving details, I claim some expertise at judging potency of marijuana,:hippie: with 40 years experience. Perhaps the designer pot of today registers high marks on some industrial meter -- but the nose knows. Also consider qualitative differences.

The Columbian Cheeba-cheeba (1970) I mentioned above (peace be on it) was typically "one poke to trance state" pot. It was either consciousness-expanding or left the illusion that one's consciousness had been expanded, and beat the shit out of any of the "exotic," perhaps hydroponic, "super" weed of today. One poke -- how much better can you get? Usually, after lighting up a joint of chee, participants would find themselves giggling, trilling, and babbling about random subjects with the bone gone out in their hand.

When studies are made today, I am sure they are comparing the average commercial junk from the sixties and seventies. They are not sampling Cheeba, Black Gange (or Gunji), Panama Red, Acapulco or Oaxaca Gold, Alaska Thunderfuck, Kona Gold, or Maui Wowie! While domestic varieties can be very good, and I've had several from California and Colorado that were quite good, those imports are superior. (No offense intended by including Alaska and Hawaii with imports. :) )

Wish I had some now so I could show you.

On edit: Your link didn't work for me. :(

--IMM

[Madspirit]

150. Maui Wowie!

Maui Wowie is like doing Mescaline. I LOVE it and I love Mescaline. Thai Sticks...remember those? :woohoo: :woohoo:

Man....I don't know what they are talking about when they say today's weed even compares let alone outdoes....

Lee

[immoderate]

152. And we didn't even get to the hash!

Sure I remember the Thai weed. We even had "stickless" Thai sticks. I can sometimes get the best Humboldt County weed. It's good, but does not compare to the best we had in the Woodstock days. People just don't know.

I hear claims like it's 30 times more potent than weed from the 60's. That's so totally crazy. If this weed actually exists, it's so rare -- that nobody has it. How dangerous is that? And it's not you who doesn't know what you are talking about :)

--IMM

[scarletwoman]

172. Oh man -- HASH! Damn, those days are long gone. But I remember...

*sniff*

I remember hash in the 60s & early 70s so potent that it was hallucinogenic.

One of my proudest achievements in my long and weird life was managing to smuggle 4 oz. of black Nepalese hash -- complete with a gold leaf embossed seal -- home from a trip to Nepal in 1982.

And that was the very last time I ever had any hash. :(

sw

[immoderate]

178. Yeah, same story (though I never got to Nepal...)

I've had hash but the story is the same. Nothing remarkable since the mid 70s. Morrocan, Nepalese Temple Balls, Afghani, Lebanese...no more! :cry:

--IMM

[tkmorris]

186. Hash under glass

See, what ya do is, ya stick a pushpin, or thumb tack, or whatever up through an album cover. You put a piece of hash on the tip, then light it. Once good and lit you cover it with a glass. The oxygen uses up, the hash goes out, and the smoke fills the glass. Then you tilt it up ever so slightly and FWOOooooppp.

Good times.........

[immoderate]

190. What's an album cover?

Just kidding... :)

--IMM

[Greyhound]

184. All this study indicates is that as pot became more popular and attracted

more dollars, people brought in better pot. Acapulco gold was better than most of the street herb, then we got Panama red, then 'Nam green, then Thai stick, and so on. Now there's enough money and interest that there are many varieties grown for certain properties, and then there's the Dutch growers, fuggedaboutit.

[Celeborn Skywalker]

31. nt

[rodeodance]

66. yes.....otherwise i do not think so. I would always worry about Legal stuff-future

ability to get financial aid at the University.

[donsu]

71. better pot is nothing to be scared of - it's anti-pot people's talking point

doesn't mean diddly.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

90. God Bless Good Science. That's All I Got To Say...

[TNOE]

5. Nope.

Not at all - as long as they stayed away from the hard stuff - herion, crack, cocaine.

[Dhalgren]

6. Only to the extent that it is illegal and could in that way cause them problems.

Otherwise, pot use doesn't bother me at all and if my kids used it I would be unconcerned about it (except for the legal issue)...

[Ganja Ninja]

7. Not at all.

[FooFootheSnoo]

8. it would depend

I think more than once a week is excessive. Up to once a week, probably not too much. I'd be worried about her getting caught. Also, it would depend on what my kid is like at that age. If she is mature and responsible, it wouldn't bother me too much. I'd rather she sit at home and hit a joint a couple of times a month than be out at bars getting trashed.

[RaleighNCDUer]

91. I agree. When I was that age I limited myself to no more than

one bag a week, too.

:hippie:

[Bassic]

9. It wouldn't bother me if it's only from time to time. nt

[InvisibleTouch]

10. If I had a kid...

...I think I can say with relative certainty that the answer is No. I'm no fan of mind-altering substances, myself, but in their late teens and beyond, people are adults who have the right to make their own choices. I may or may not agree with those choices, but at some point it becomes none of my business. That is, after all, the way I'd like to be treated by others, too. There's a "golden rule" in there somewhere.

[madokie]

11. I don't guess I'll have to worry about that

In fact I'm real proud of the both of my Steps for being the kind, honest and gentle men who they've become.

[presspeal]

12. Yes...

But less then if he beat his wife or voted repthug.:silly:

[monktonman]

19. Didnt you mean to say....

beat his wife AND voted republican?

[presspeal]

34. Or,

definitely or.:eyes:

[Jackpine Radical]

61. There ISN'T an "or."

Yag get the one, ya pretty much get the other.

[ThomWV]

28. How about if he kicked the dog - is it an offense of that level?

Personally I'd but it on the 'bad scale' at about the point of not taking out the trash or not washing dishes.

[RaleighNCDUer]

93. That's only because when you're high

you kinda forget about taking out the trash and washing the dishes.

[Colorado Progressive]

58. I hope my kids dont feel the need to use any mind altering substance nt

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

60. How about caffeine?

Aspirin?

[Colorado Progressive]

87. ok you got me nt

[Art_from_Ark]

185. Caffeine and aspirin are mind altering?

I don't think so.

[Zensea]

13. I hate to advocate drugs ... but ...

"I hate to advocate drugs, alcohol, violence, or insanity to anyone, but they've always worked for me."
Hunter S. Thompson

[bleedingheart]

14. my kids have asthma...I am not fond of the smoking idea at all

only because I have had both in hospitals under oxygen tents struggling to breathe...

I know that marijuana is a brochodialtor...but until a doctor tells me it is okay for them...I think their inhalers are the best defense.

[EOTE]

62. And a great bronchodilator at that!

I'm an athsmatic as well, although it effected me much more when I was younger. I used to suffer from bronchitis every year, and it would usually require 3 to 4 days missed school or work as I'd be useless with all the chest pain that I'd experience and shortness of breath. Since I've discovered MJ, I haven't been incapacitated by bronchitis once. As soon as I'd start to feel that tickle that I always get at the onset of bronchitis, I simply take a few tokes, wait a little bit, then I'm able to cough up all the phlegm. I'll do that a few more times when the tickle comes back, but it's typically gone within the day. I HATED getting bronchitis as a child, but I'll never have to worry about it again. I had plenty of medication for it when I was younger, but I'd still be out of commission for at least a half week. As of now, I haven't suffered the ill effects of bronchitis for about 10 years, and I'm very thankful for that.

[bleedingheart]

77. my son got pneumonia about 5 times a year

the doctors were worried he would end up with scarred lung tissue.

So they did the following:

1. 60 day run of low level antibiotics
2. Pneumonia vaccine (at the time only for older folks..but some kids got it)


Thankfully he has been pneumonia free for many years now.

I am not against the idea of marijuana...but the idea of my children smoking or inhaling anything given what they have suffered is a bit much for me..

[JuniperLea]

101. don't they use inhalers?

my ex-husband has athesma... threw out the prescribed inhalers and learned to enjoy the bong... nothing stops him now.

It's all part of the hidden research... so many costly drugs would be replaced. That's the deal in a nutshell.

[bleedingheart]

121. my children use inhalers and nebulizers

luckily (fingers crossed) they have been enjoying a fairly long remissive period and I am grateful for that.

My kids would take meds daily to prevent an asthma attack.

My children's trigger is illness. A simple cold for one person can send them to the hospital..or it used to...

My son had some testing done and he has a problem with his immune system.

My daughter was a preemie...(about 34 weeks instead of 40) and was on a ventilator at birth...so that is probably the reason behind her asthma as well..

[librechik]

105. I am proud and happy to say my youngest son quit after smoking for a few years.

unlike one of his naughty parents who shall remain nameless in this post

:smoke:

oops--caught me!

Happy to say the older one shares!

I have nothing against cannabis and think in general it is a harmless and helpful herb.

[onehandle]

16. Yes. No matter what we think about pot and the laws around it, it's illegal.

I'd rather my kid not have a prison term on their record.

[LiberalHeart]

76. Ditto. I also do not want my kid supporting drug dealers.

[durrrty libby]

142. It's sad how people overlook that minor detail

[Truth2Tell]

160. Where do you live

that someone gets a prison term for pot? Singapore?

Here in Seattle it's a misdemeanor ticket and fine. Equivilent to speeding or j-walking. They can't even take you into custody.

Prison term. Yer killin' me.

[SayWhatYo]

168. prison for pot?

[Oldenuff]

200. Your only objection is that it's illegal?

I understand that there are some states that still have laws on the books making oral sex (among other acts) illegal.If you lived in one of those states would you obey the law?

Or would you be a good little American,and blindly obey?I'm not attacking you..Really.It's just the whole idea of the "don't do that" laws that get my blood boiling.

[cgrindley]

18. Of course it would

No offense, boomers, but smoking pot is for losers.

[Starbucks Anarchist]

24. I recall you saying you smoked it before in your lifetime.

:eyes:

[cgrindley]

43. Absolutely. I was a loser then.

It's a dumb damn drug although it does help to improve video game scores. Adolescents and young adults should be discouraged from smoking it. Being high is a huge waste of time.

[Starbucks Anarchist]

46. I guess all those musicians and artists who toke are losers, too.

:eyes:

And what's your opinion on other drugs, namely alcohol?

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

50. Don't feed it.

[Starbucks Anarchist]

52. But it's starving!

:rofl:

[Forkboy]

79. They're so cute when they're young though.

[cgrindley]

97. yeah, I'd say most are losers

Frank Zappa vs G'N'R?

[Starbucks Anarchist]

108. Wow, one sober musician.

The rest were pretty much high as hell.

[Richard Steele]

122. Yeah, those "Beatle" chaps never did amount to much. Guess they should have "just said no".

And all those potheads who invented that "Jazz" stuff-
boy, that went nowhere fast!

What a bunch of losers! :rofl:

[cgrindley]

126. I guess you could ask George Harrison...

oh yeah, he died of cancer. Sorry. Forgot about that.

[Richard Steele]

133. Yeah, died bankrupt and friendless in a gutter, didn't he? What a loser that guy was.

And of course, your comment is TOTALLY relevant to this discussion
because we all know that only people who smoke pot get cancer.

[iamthebandfanman]

153. hey, there are other ways to get THC than smoking it

but since marijuana is illegal...
that THC inhaler wont be making it to the shelves anytime soon.
nor will the baked goods, the drinks, or the vaporizors.

but do you care theres a safer way to use marijuana? that people like yourself stop those safer ways by insisting its illegal? probably not.

we need to worry about the real poison in america, alcohol.

alcohol has destroyed everything.

pain pills and alcohol.
killed the movement.
still is today.

[porphyrian]

40. Whatever you need to tell yourself to feel better than us. - n/t

[cgrindley]

44. What was that? I couldn't hear you over the bong...

and turn down that god damn Cream... stupid hippy music.

[porphyrian]

55. I'm sorry you don't have the brain cells available to lose a few intentionally...

...and I realize that following all of my posts is too much to ask of anyone, but I'm not a boomer or high right now, I just take offense at your labeling all pot users as losers. Now you can go back to feeling superior.

[The Vinyl Ripper]

49. Losers like Carl Sagan?

[cgrindley]

96. Yeah, just like him, stoned piece of

come on, is that the best representative of dope smoking you can come up with?

[Forkboy]

136. Well if you're a rep for not smoking I'm buying a bag tonight.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

173. What's wrong with Carl Sagan? -nt

[Lucinda]

181. Well....maybe Washington and Jefferson never inhaled :)

[donsu]

73. so you think we are losers?

what do you mean by 'loser'?

[Starbucks Anarchist]

74. I'd rather be a "loser" than a hypocrite like him.

[Madspirit]

130. Right On Starbuck!!...n/t

[Richard Steele]

92. Would it bother you more than clotheslines or gay people do?

More than people who wear jeans on the White House tour?

So many things bother you- where would this fall on your
personal spectrum?

[cgrindley]

95. I don't care what adults do

However, I think that they're idiots for smoking pot, but I'm not about to stop them. Matter of fact, I think that pot should be legalized, but I wouldn't smoke it myself ever again. It's a stupid drug. As far as minors smoking it? I'd be just as pissed as if I found my children drunk off their asses underage. And if you're regularly getting drunk off your ass or high when you're underage, you are a loser.

So in reality, I don't know where I'd put smoking pot in my personal spectrum of likes and dislikes. About the same as jeans to the Whitehouse, I suppose. So more annoying than clotheslines. Gay people don't irritate me at all.

[Richard Steele]

107. My mistake then. That sigline you used to sport led me to believe that gay people bothered you A LOT

Since they don't, what exactly was your point in choosing
a phrase like that to emblazon your every DU post?

[cgrindley]

112. I've never had a sig line (nt)

[Richard Steele]

117. Have you had a "comment" in your profile?

[cgrindley]

125. I haven't had one of those, either (nt)

[Richard Steele]

132. You don't say. Perhaps I'll ask around and see who I've confused you with. nm

[Coexist]

22. wow - so many variables here

like:

Who are they getting it from? - is this dealer also selling harder drugs? Will they push my adult to try something else?

Where are they smoking, and with who? - in a friend's home? Will they have to drive home (although I would prefer them driving stoned to driving drunk).

Will they only be smoking? - or will alcohol also be involved?

Will this be on the weekend or a school night?


I don't know - I have two older teens - and I would definitely prefer they smoke pot than get drunk.
Although I think maybe the "superpot" stories are a little bogus, I worry about drug dealers. I would honestly prefer they not break the law, but if it is underage dope smoking (preferably a friend's homegrown) vs. shooting tequila - Pot wins.

[The Vinyl Ripper]

51. The main reason you would have to worry about "drug dealers"

Is that when your teen realizes that he has been lied to by the authorities (DARE) about pot he will then assume that they are lying about everything else.

Sort of like the boy who cried wolf..

[Jed Dilligan]

23. It depends

If he smoked all day, had no job, and his only ambition in life was to get to the next level of a video game, I'd have to assume the pot was a factor.

If he had a life, the pot would be irrelevant.


Hypothetical because I have no plans to contribute to the population.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

25. I'd be more worried if he didn't.

No offense, squares, but not smoking pot is for losers.

[tularetom]

27. I'd be amazed if they hadn't

They're 44 and 41 and one of them has adult children herself.

Hope they aren't making a regular event of it.

[MuseRider]

30. Nope and I believe he does.

He is not going to share that info with me, not sure why but I think he suspects me as well as I suspect him lol. I don't know about my youngest, both are over 21. It does not matter to me in the least unless they are not careful and get arrested. They are both responsible enough not to drive while stoned. We talked at length about all of that years ago.

[Celeborn Skywalker]

32. I don't have children yet.

I wouldn't be bothered though. Everything in moderation.

[Philosoraptor]

33. Would It Bother You If Your Grandmother Smoked Pot?

[Coexist]

35. nope. Nor my mom.

[ThomWV]

38. Actually she did - and a lot more than once a week too

glaucoma

[iamthebandfanman]

39. as did my grandfather

under the direction of his doctor "unofficially" (was 1985).
he had cancer.

[Posteritatis]

99. No, but it would ... really disorient me...

(I've got one of those G-rated-movie cliche grandmothers.)

[Jed Dilligan]

198. I used to get high with my ex's grandma

who was very much the big smiles, cookie-baking, apron-wearing sort of grandma. When she was stoned she called it "her trip." It was all very cute.

[zabet]

36. No.

My oldest is 25 and smokes. My other is 20 and does not.
As I have inhaled for 31 years, have been arrested by the SBI,
and investigated by the feebies for international trafficking...
I have absolutely no right to be bothered if they choose to
smoke. I can make sure they are informed about all the info and
I do not encourage it.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

41. Only If It Interfered With Their Life

But I would extend this to all behavior...

[RebelOne]

42. My son is way over the age of 20 and he smokes pot.

I feel that he is an adult, so that's up to him. I can't condemn him because when he was a little boy, he found my stash of pot and was shocked that his momma smoked that stuff. I have long ago given up pot, mainly because it is too fattening, as it makes me want to eat everything in the refrigerator.

[Lex]

45. I don't think I'd be happy about him smoking at all, pot or cigarettes.

But I wouldn't freak out as if pot were crack or something.

IMHO, smoking is just plain unhealthy.

[Flatulo]

47. Yes, it would bother me.

Drinking would bother me more. As the child of a very fucked-up alcoholic dad, I suffered massive damage that has affect my whole life.

IMHO intoxication is less likely to lead to successful outcomes in life than non-intoxication.

And no, I'm not a hypocrite - I have smoked and drank in my youth, and neither activity did very much for me. I now live quite happily without any substances. I just prefer to be myself.

But at the end of the day, it would be his decision, not mine.

[slackmaster]

48. Considering that he'll be 24 in November, no

He's old enough to take responsibility for his own choices.

[porphyrian]

53. I don't have any kids, but I'd worry less about pot than alcohol. - n/t

[seemunkee]

56. He does and it doesn't bother me

He's a pretty moderate drinker and I know his personality is such that he would be a moderate smoker too.

[Broadslidin]

59. Nuts, to U.S. Corporation/Government Sanctioned Mind Altering Drugs.....!

[napi21]

63. YES, but not why you think.

Both my sons work on airplanes. They are random tested ALL the time! If they get caught with MJ on their test they're instantly terminated! They have pretty good jobs, and it's just not worth the risk! One good thing is that they're both well aware of that, and neither one will even eat a poppy seed roll for fear of a false positive.

[1monster]

64. Yes, You don't get second chances in the US anymore. Once branded for

anything and your life is done.

And not just the US. Wasn't there a article posted on DU a few months back about people convicted of a misdemeanor marijuana charge like thirty years ago being denied entrance into Canada even though they had been in and out of Canada numerous times in the meanwhille?

One tiny little misdemeanor conviction on any drug charge can destroy the kid's life.

If I ever catch my child with pot, I'll brain him. (Besides, if he did it in our home, the powers that be could confiscate our house. This is not the USA of our youth.)

[iamthebandfanman]

102. they could

take ur home, but they wouldnt. not if he confessed it was his. but thats besides the point...

and i have a few friends who have been 'branded' with possession convictions and they are doing fine now. graduated college and out working for a living. they even travel abroad with no problem. heck, one has been convicted twice of possession and just got back from going to england and france. he even requested the passport after the convictions.
guess it just depends on how hard customs wants to check. lol.

last time i went to canada, i shoved my documentation out my window only to be told to go on threw. i go there often and ive only been asked for identification once. lol.
they usually just throw a few questions ur way n see how quick u are on ur feet..
where ya from ? where ya goin? for how long? how come ? brining anything into canada to sell ?
after u answer that, on ur way ;)

[1monster]

143. When was the last time you went? This refusal to allow those convicted of

drug charges into Canada is new and comes about because they have new computer data systems that are getting all conviction records available.

All down to border security and the war on terrorism, ya know. I'm sure the US makes it hard for Canadians to cross over now, too.

After all, I can't even get a record of the costs for my husband's prescriptions from the phamacy any more even though I'm the one who paid for them and picked them up. All due to national security issues and the (un)Patriot Acts.

[iamthebandfanman]

193. the last time i went to canada

was september of 06

i didnt have to present documentation when i came back to the U.S. either.

they looked way more scary than the canadian border people, but did even less.

they asked me where i was from...
i told them and said i was on my way home from a vacation...
they waved me right on through.

but they are good at intimediation on the U.S. side. had the dogs out and what not. the canadian border people were very friendly... not so much on our side. lol

btw, i personally have never been convicted of ANY crime ever. *shrugs*
but if i had, they wouldnt have known cause they didnt even look at my I.D.

[MilesColtrane]

67. Depends....

If he were smoking (or drinking) to escape from problems, then that's no good.

You would have to take a look at the rest of your child's life.

If he no longer seems to have ambition and his personal relationships are faltering, then it would bother me.

[MadAsHellNewYorker]

68. Thats like asking, would it bother you if your older child drank alcohol

:smoke:

[aikoaiko]

72. Not so much the pot, but risking a conviction bothers me more.

I used to smoke as a teen, but as an adult its just not worth the risk of getting busted.

[garybeck]

75. no

[Forkboy]

78. I'd be more bothered if they took up cigarettes or right-wing thinking.

[durrrty libby]

81. I am happy that my sons take their health seriously

In the long run, sucking any kind of smoke into one's lungs can't be a good thing

[Lone_Star_Dem]

82. It would depend on her reason

If it were because she's feeling overly stressed out, that I would be concerned about. If it were to sit around and giggle with her friends on occasion, that I would not.

[EstimatedProphet]

83. Depends

Are they toking up instead of working, or going to school?

I guess my concerns with drugs are when you quit using the edrug and it starts using you.

[devilgrrl]

85. No. Beats having a beer guzzler.

:-|

[Sanctified]

88. As long as they go to college and get good grades they can do what ever they want without me caring.

If they can smoke pot and pull of good grades then I don't see a problem. On the other hand if all they do all day long is smoke pot, eat cheesy poofs and sit on my couch jobless I would have a problem.

It's like any type of recreational drug, some people can handle their dope and others can't. If my kids can't handle it and it prevents them from functioning in society I will call them out on it.

[guitar man]

89. no, just as long as

they get their own and don't smoke up my stash all the time...:D

[Hell Hath No Fury]

94. Occassional pot smoking...

(once a week or less recreational use) would be okay, but much more than that and I really feel it begins to interfere with a person's life. And I would make sure my child knew that's how I felt.

I spent 25+ years in industries where drug use of all kinds was incredibly common. Being one of the only ones to not partake gave me insight into just how even pot can effect people. I watched theatre and music rehearsals grind to a halt and never get back on track once the pot came out. Focus just got shot to shit. It was like working with very mellow ADD kids. Jon Stewart talked about that when he explained why he stopped smoking pot.

Folks would swear up and down it had no effect on them and their ability to do ther jobs, but I am here to tell you that is just bull. The effect was measurable.

Your adult child has the right to do what they want to as far as pot use goes, and you have a right as a parent to let them know how you feel about it.

[JuniperLea]

98. Depends...

If he was still a Chemical Engineer... still doing his job... still supporting himself... still living his life well... no problemo.

Everyone reacts differently. Some of us find inspiration and want to get up and do things after smoking... some of us want to vegitate and do nothing.

I've known dozens of very successful people who smoke daily. No big deal.

[verse18]

100. Not at all.

As long as it's done recreationally and in moderation. I started :smoke: around that age and managed to receive two degrees.

[bpeale]

103. i don't care as long as i can't smell it. makes me sick.

[Evoman]

106. Yes it would.

Smoking pot is a huge waste of time and money. If they do it, then fine..your a big kid, you waste your money on whatever. But thats doesn't mean it wouldn't bother me. I feel the same way about drinking, smoking, and watching too much tv.

[youthere]

109. Yes it would. Unless it were made legal.

[Xithras]

110. My rules about pot:

1) Not in my house.
2) You're not buying while I'm still supporting you.
3) If you get arrested, I'm not bailing you out.

I smoked pot when I was younger, so I'm not going to be a hypocrite and scream at my kids for it. At the same time, I'm not going to play the part of the enabler by supporting them, or by freeing up resources that allow THEM to support the habit. If they want to do it, they can do it on their own time, with their own money, and deal with whatever consequences come their way.

I look at weed the same way I look at any other drug...it's a noxious bodily pollutant that is best avoided at all costs. We don't drink coffee or soda in my house, nobody smokes anything, and even alcoholic drinks are uncommon, so drugs are pretty much out of the question. We believe in living a green, healthy, pollutant free lifestyle, and that includes AVOIDING inhaling the nasty smoke from some burning plant.

[DangerDave921]

111. YES YES YES

It would bother me. I am a former heavy smoker and spent much of my 20's in a haze of pot-smoke, guitar, and mediocre jobs. It is fun sometimes, but really saps the energy and drive to do much else. Grow up and put it away.

[devilgrrl]

120. What works for you doesn't apply to everyone...

grow up and leave people who do their thing a little way different alone.

[DangerDave921]

144. What?

The original question was would you mind if . . . . I was responding to a specific question asking for an opinion. So you then tell me to leave people alone? I was just giving my opinion as asked. Sorry if it's not the right opinion according to you.

I would not want my kids to smoke pot on a regular basis. That's my opinion. I also don't want them drinking alcohol on a regular basis, or having promiscuous sex. Just because those things are fun sometimes, and I did them myself, doesn't mean I want my kids doing it.

[devilgrrl]

163. Your opinion is fine, it wasn't that I was responding to...

but you tell people to "grow up" then we're going to have a problem.

Other than that, I'm fine with your opinion.

[DangerDave921]

187. grow up

I do think there is a time in life where you should give up certain activities. As a married father of two, I do not want that stuff in my house anymore. And I won't let anyone do that in my house anymore. So yes, there is a time to grow up. Sorry if that conflicts with your leisure activities.

[devilgrrl]

188. No, you grow up!

DICK!

[DangerDave921]

199. Watch the language

Why do you have to resort to crude name-calling? I thought pot-heads were a mellow crowd! LOL. At least they were back in the day when I was doing it a lot.

I'm a married guy with two little kids. I put that stuff away, just like I put away weekend binge-drinking and casual sex. Sorry, some of us have to grow up and be adults. I do it for my family.

But hey - you do what you like. Enjoy!

[iamthebandfanman]

194. just because thats how u were

doesnt mean thats the way all pot smokers are.

lazy is lazy whether you are smoking weed or not. lol.

i have plenty of friends that graduated college and have productive jobs and STILL smoke pot EVERY day.

[flyarm]

113. time for .........

chinese fire drill!!

my girlfriends husband just asked me if i knew what a chinese firedrill was ..and i said yes and told him what it was..then he looked puzzled and said he heard his daughters friends talking about chinese firedrills..( college age) ..

then he looked puzzled and asked me how i knew what it was ..and i said..why i smoked the weed in college and we used to do chinese fire drills all the time..he then looked forlorn..and said ..i guess my daugher is smoking pot then..

i said ..maybe , maybe not...but ..what makes you think your kid isn't going to experiment ..just like you did, when you were that age??

i learned one thing while raising children..through to adulthood..never say never...

now that mine is in his 30's ..i have heard all sorts of things my son did that i had no clue of ..

and i was strict and on top of ..what i thought was everything!!

if you teach your children good values and to be safe...and you have good solid rules..hopefully you will be raising your children to be safe ..and responsible..

but you can not watch them 24/7..especially in college..

hopefully you will give them values that they will not want to dissapoint you ..or themselves..

but they will experiment..it is part of growing up...hopefully they will do it safely..and responsibly.

My son gave my hubby and i a letter a few years ago when he was broke ..for xmas ..thanking his dad and i for giving him the values he cerished ..and that he never did anything too bad..because he never wanted to dissapoint us..

There are some things you can control and some you can not..but giving your kids a good foundation of openess..and good strong values..you can control that...and that is about all you can do..

we raise our kids to learn to fly ..all on their own and to do it responsibly..then we must let them fly...

hopefully they land on their feet and become responsible human beings!!


fly

[ComerPerro]

115. it would depend on how it was affecting other areas of their life

[rucky]

118. Over 20? no.

who didn't partake from time to time in their 20's?

now if it were a daily wake-and-bake situation, I'd be more concerned.

[Lurking Dem]

119. Where else would I get it?

:smoke:

[Xenotime]

No. They have a right to make their own decisions.

[Madspirit]

123. Only If They Bogarted

Look at the stats on alcohol and then at the stats on pot. I'm talking about...death from, motor vehicle accident from...addiction to...being non-functional if indulged in, etc.

I would prefer, by about 4 billion, my imaginary kid, smoke pot and NOT drink..

I would rather they do just about anything than smoke cigarettes.....including any drug or booze, which actually is a drug....

Lee

[proud patriot]

124. of all the things out there , I'd prefer pot over booze, ciggs etc...

:)

[porphyrian]

135. Me too. It's my last vice, dammit, and I'm keeping it. - n/t

[Akoto]

128. I wouldn't be mad, but I don't see the point of it, either.

I'm 22. Never smoked, never done pot, never done drugs, don't drink. I still manage to be happy with my life. :shrug:

[Madspirit]

129. Marijuana Truths!!

I always post this in any discussion about weed...Lee

Marijuana Truths

POT FACTS: www.norml.com

Who smokes marijuana?
According to recent statistics provided by the federal government, nearly 80 million Americans admit having smoked marijuana. Of these, twenty million Americans smoked marijuana during the past year. The vast majority of marijuana smokers, like most other Americans, are good citizens who work hard, raise families, pay taxes and contribute in a positive way to their communities. They are certainly not part of the crime problem in this country, and it is terribly unfair to continue to treat them as criminals.

Many successful business and professional leaders, including many state and elected federal officials, admit they have smoked marijuana. We must reflect this reality in our state and federal laws, and put to rest the myth that marijuana smoking is a fringe or deviant activity engaged in only by those on the margins of American society. Marijuana smokers are no different from their non-smoking peers, except for their marijuana use.


Why should we decriminalize or legalize marijuana?
As President Jimmy Carter acknowledged: "Penalties against drug use should not be more damaging to an individual than the use of the drug itself. Nowhere is this more clear than in the laws against the possession of marijuana in private for personal use."

Marijuana prohibition needlessly destroys the lives and careers of literally hundreds of thousands of good, hard-working, productive citizens each year in this country. More than 700,000 Americans were arrested on marijuana charges last year, and more than 5 million Americans have been arrested for marijuana offenses in the past decade. Almost 90 percent of these arrests are for simple possession, not trafficking or sale. This is a misapplication of the criminal sanction that invites government into areas of our private lives that are inappropriate and wastes valuable law enforcement resources that should be focused on serious and violent crime.


What about kids and marijuana?
Marijuana, like other drugs, is not for kids. There are many activities in our society that we permit adults to do, but forbid children, such as motorcycle riding, skydiving, signing contracts, getting married and drinking alcohol or smoking tobacco. However, we do not condone arresting adults who responsibly engage in these activities in order to dissuade our children from doing so. Nor can we justify arresting adult marijuana smokers on the grounds of sending a message to children. Our expectation and hope for young people is that they grow up to be responsible adults, and our obligation to them is to demonstrate what that means.

The NORML Board of Directors has adopted a set of principles called the "Principles of Responsible Cannabis Use," and the first principle is "Cannabis consumption is for adults only; it is irresponsible to provide cannabis to children."


Critics claim that marijuana is a "gateway drug." How do you respond to this charge?
There is no conclusive evidence that the effects of marijuana are causally linked to the subsequent use of other illicit drugs. Preliminary animal studies alleging that marijuana "primed" the brain for other drug-taking behavior have not been replicated, nor are they supported by epidemiological human data. Statistically, for every 104 Americans who have tried marijuana, there is only one regular user of cocaine, and less than one user of heroin. Marijuana is clearly a "terminus" rather than a gateway for the overwhelming majority of marijuana smokers.

For those minority of marijuana smokers who do graduate to harder substances, it is marijuana prohibition -- which forces users to associate with the illicit drug black market -- rather than the use of marijuana itself, that often serves as a doorway to the world of hard drugs. The more users become integrated in an environment where, apart from cannabis, hard drugs can also be obtained, the greater the chances they will experiment with harder drugs.

In Holland, where politicians decided over 25 years ago to separate marijuana from the illicit drug market by permitting coffee shops all over the country to sell small amounts of marijuana to adults, individuals use marijuana and other drugs at rates less than half of their American counterparts.


But isn't marijuana addictive?
Substantial research exists regarding marijuana and addiction. While the scientific community has yet to achieve full consensus on this matter, the majority of epidemiological and animal data demonstrate that the reinforcing properties of marijuana in humans is low in comparison to other drugs of abuse, including alcohol and nicotine. According to the U.S. Institute of Medicine (IOM), fewer than one in 10 marijuana smokers become regular users of the drug, and most voluntary cease their use after 34 years of age. By comparison, 15 percent of alcohol consumers and 32 percent of tobacco smokers exhibit symptoms of drug dependence.

According to the IOM, observable cannabis withdrawal symptoms are rare and have only been identified under unique patient settings. These remain limited to adolescents in treatment facilities for substance abuse problems, and in a research setting where subjects were given marijuana or THC daily. Compared with the profound physical syndrome of alcohol or heroin withdrawal, marijuana-related withdrawal symptoms are mild and subtle. Symptoms may include restlessness, irritability, mild agitation and sleep disruption. However, for the overwhelming majority of marijuana smokers, these symptoms are not severe enough to re-initiate their use of cannabis.


The Supreme Court recently ruled that the U.S. Justice Department, including the Drug Enforcement Agency, may prosecute state-authorized medical marijuana patients for violating the federal Controlled Substances Act. What does this decision mean for seriously ill patients and for the ongoing tension between state and federal laws?
Laws in twelve states (Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington) remain in effect despite the Supreme Court's decision.

The US Supreme Court decided 6-3 in Gonzalez v. Raich that the Justice Department has the authority to prosecute state-authorized medicinal cannabis patients for violating the federal Controlled Substances Act.

The Ninth Federal Circuit Court had previously ruled 2-1 in December 2003," The intrastate, non-commercial cultivation, possession and use of marijuana for personal medical purposes on the advice of a physician - is, in fact, different in kind from drug trafficking," and issued an injunction barring the US Justice Department from taking legal action against the appellants, California medical cannabis patients Angel McClary Raich and Diane Monson, for violating the federal Controlled Substances Act. The Justice Department appealed that decision to the Supreme Court, which ruled on June 6, 2005.

The Supreme Court's 2005 decision did not expand the powers of federal law enforcement agencies like the DEA; it only affirmed that they can enforce federal laws prohibiting the use of controlled substances, regardless of state, county, or municipal law. It is not anticipated that federal agents will step up efforts against state-authorized growers, dispensaries, or patients because of this decision. State and local law enforcement officers, who are responsible for the enforcement of state and municipal laws, will most likely continue to honor the democratic decisions that their residents have made about marijuana policy.

Writing for the majority, Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens said that he longs for the day when medicinal cannabis advocates "may be heard in the halls of Congress." NORML's chief complaint is directed at Congress, not at the Court, for allowing the federal/state inconsistency in medical marijuana laws to exist.


Why does Congress refuse to reschedule marijuana to permit its use as a medicine under federal law?
Many members of both parties in Congress have confused a public health issue, medical marijuana, with the politics of the War on Drugs. In doing so, they have denied an effective medication to the seriously ill and dying.

Pending legislation H.R. 2087, on this specific proposal.

Didn't Congress vote on a measure to prevent the federal prosecution of medical marijuana patients in 2005?
On June 15, 2005, the House voted 264 to 161 against a bi-partisan measure, sponsored by Reps. Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA) and Maurice Hinchey (D-NY), that would have barred the US Department of Justice (DOJ) from targeting patients who use marijuana medicinally in accordance with the laws of their states.

The 161 House votes in favor of the patient-protection provision was the highest total ever recorded in a Congressional floor vote to liberalize marijuana laws. Of those who voted in support of the Hinchey/Rohrabacher medical marijuana amendment, 15 were Republicans and 128 were Democrats. The House's only Independent Congressman also voted in favor of the amendment.

Many Congressional battles are won only after several failed attempts. Please contact your representative now and urge their support for federal medical marijuana legislation.


Critics of the medical use of marijuana say (1) there are traditional medications to help patients and marijuana is not needed; and, (2) permitting the medical use of marijuana sends the wrong message to kids. How do you respond to these concerns?
For many patients, traditional medications do work and they do not require or desire medical marijuana. However, for a significant number of serious ill patients, including patients suffering from AIDS, cancer, multiple sclerosis and chronic pain among others, traditional medications do not provide symptomatic relief as effectively as medicinal cannabis. These patients must not be branded as criminals or forced to suffer needlessly in pain.

Dronabinol (trade name Marinol) is a legal, synthetic THC alternative to cannabis. Nevertheless, many patients claim they find minimal relief from it, particularly when compared to inhaled marijuana. The active ingredient in Marinol, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, is only one of the compounds isolated in marijuana that appears to be medically beneficial to patients. Other compounds such as cannabidiol (CBD), an anti-convulsant, and cannabichromine (CBC), an anti-inflammatory, are unavailable in Marinol, and patients only have access to their therapeutic properties by using cannabis.

Patients prescribed Marinol frequently complain of its high psychoactivity. This is because patients consume the drug orally. Once swallowed, Marinol passes through the liver, where a significant proportion is converted into other chemicals. One of these, the 11-hydroxy metabolite, is four to five times more potent than THC and greatly increases the likelihood of a patient experiencing an adverse psychological reaction. In contrast, inhaled marijuana doesn't cause significant levels of the 11-hydroxy metabolite to appear in the blood.

Marinol's oral administration also delays the drug from taking peak effect until two to fours hours after dosing. A 1999 report by the US Institute of Medicine (IOM) concluded: "It is well recognized that Marinol's oral route of administration hampers its effectiveness because of slow absorption and patients' desire for more control over dosing. ... In contrast, inhaled marijuana is rapidly absorbed." In a series of US state studies in the 1980s, cancer patients given a choice between using inhaled marijuana and oral THC overwhelmingly chose cannabis.

As to the message we are sending to kids, NORML hopes the message we are sending is that we would not deny any effective medication to the seriously ill and dying. We routinely permit cancer patients to self- administer morphine in cancer wards all across the country; we allow physicians to prescribe amphetamines for weight loss and to use cocaine in nose and throat operations. Each of these drugs can be abused on the street, yet no one is suggesting we are sending the wrong message to kids by permitting their medical use.


Don't alcohol and tobacco use already cause enough damage to society? Why should we legalize another intoxicant?
While there are indeed health and societal problems due to the use of alcohol and nicotine, these negative consequences would be amplified if consumption of either substance were prohibited.

Marijuana is already the third most popular recreational drug in America, despite harsh laws against its use. Millions of Americans smoke it responsibly. Our public policies should reflect this reality, not deny it.

In addition, marijuana is far less dangerous than alcohol or tobacco. It fails to inflict the types of serious health consequences these two legal drugs cause. Around 50,000 people die each year from alcohol poisoning. Similarly, more than 400,000 deaths each year are attributed to tobacco smoking. By comparison, marijuana is nontoxic and cannot cause death by overdose. According to the prestigious European medical journal, The Lancet, "The smoking of cannabis, even long-term, is not harmful to health. It would be reasonable to judge cannabis as less of a threat than alcohol or tobacco."

No one is suggesting we encourage more drug use; simply that we stop arresting responsible marijuana smokers. In recent years, we have significantly reduced the prevalence of drunk driving and tobacco smoking. We have not achieved this by prohibiting the use of alcohol and tobacco or by targeting and arresting adults who use alcohol and tobacco responsibly, but through honest educational campaigns. We should apply these same principles to the responsible consumption of marijuana. The negative consequences primarily associated with marijuana -- such as an arrest or jail time -- are the result of the criminal prohibition of cannabis, not the use of marijuana itself.


What is industrial hemp? How does it differ from marijuana?
Hemp is a distinct variety of the plant species cannabis sativa L. It is a tall, slender fibrous plant similar to flax or kenaf. Farmers worldwide have harvested the crop for the past 12,000 years for fiber and food, and Popular Mechanics once boasted that over 25,000 environmentally friendly products could be derived from hemp.

Unlike marijuana, hemp contains only minute (less than 1%) amounts of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the primary psychoactive ingredient in marijuana. In addition, hemp possesses a high percentage of the compound cannabidiol (CBD), which has been shown to block the effects of THC. For these reasons, many botanists have dubbed industrial hemp "anti- marijuana."

More than 30 industrialized nations commercially grow hemp, including England and Canada. The European Union subsidizes farmers to grow the crop, which is legally recognized as a commercial crop by the United Nations Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). Nevertheless, US law forbids farmers from growing hemp without a federal license, and has discouraged all commercial hemp production since the 1950s. NORML is working to allow American farmers to once again have legal access to this agricultural commodity.


How can I help?
The most important step you can take is to contact your elected officials at all levels of government (local, state and federal), and let them know you oppose arresting responsible marijuana smokers. As a constituent, you hold special influence over the politicians who represent your district. It is critical you let them know how you feel.

Because the marijuana smoking community remains largely "in the closet" and is all too often invisible politically, our core constituency currently exercises far less political power than our numbers would otherwise suggest. The only way to overcome this handicap is for more of us to take an active role, and routinely contact our elected officials.

A majority of the American public opposes sending marijuana smokers to jail, and 3 out of 4 support the medical use of marijuana. Yet many elected officials remain fearful that if they support these reform proposals, they will be perceived as "soft" on crime and drugs and defeated at the next election.

Tell your elected officials that you know the difference between marijuana and more dangerous drugs and between marijuana smoking and violent crime, and that you do not support spending billions of dollars per year incarcerating nonviolent marijuana offenders.

To make that easy, NORML has a program on our web site that will identify your state and federal elected officials, and provide a sample letter that you can fax to Congress or e-mail to state legislators. Additionally, we encourage you to join NORML and help us with this fight for personal freedom. We depend on contributions from private individuals to fund our educational and lobbying campaign, and our ability to move reform efforts forward is partially a question of resources. Please join with us and let's end marijuana prohibition, once and for all.

[Blue_In_AK]

131. My kids all have at one time or another.

One still does. It doesn't bother me. They all work and are productive members of society. I taught them as they were growing up the differences between the various drugs they were probably going to come in contact with (as did my ex-husband by negative example), and the lesson seems to have sunk in because none of them have had issues with the harder drugs or alcohol. I'd rather have them smoking pot than getting drunk out of their minds.

[Pyrzqxgl]

139. No, if they didn.t make it an obsession and spend too much money on it.

[mr blur]

140. No. He does. He just spent a week in Amsterdam and

had a wonderful time with 8 of his friends. No trouble, no drunken-ness, no hassle from the police.

[Ghost in the Machine]

141. Not one bit. I'd rather see my kids smoke a joint than to drink alcohol

I've been through it all, too... from a $1000/day cocaine habit and labeling myself as a 'power drinker'... I used to tell people that drinking was my hobby... so I can speak from firsthand experience. I've been off the coke for 15 years now, off the alcohol for 11.

I first smoked pot when I was 9. Didn't start drinking until I was 17, cocaine at 18 and smoking cigarettes at 19.

Yes, I'd much rather see my kids smoke pot than to drink, smoke cigs or do harder drugs...

[BlooInBloo]

145. Are there REALLY people who aren't bothered IN THE LEAST by the prospect...

... of their child using drugs?

:rofl:

[The Vinyl Ripper]

154. I used waaaay more drugs than just pot..

I'm approaching sixty, my health is above average and I'm still fairly sharp intellectually.

Smoking pot?

No big deal.

Binge drinking?

Big deal.

[SayWhatYo]

169. I'd be more concerned about drinking than pot...

[northamericancitizen]

146. No. They both do...

Sorry I almost forgot that my oldest one (26) gave it up 2 years ago. After a few years of using (many times a week) she realized that it was bad on her longs and affected her concentration to do her job. She is a bike messenger in Montréal.

My 16 years old son started this year. This summer he increased his smoking the weed but plan to keep it just for week ends when the basketball season starts.

I always preferred that they smoke opposed to drinking. I am an alcoholic and they both know it's a potentially hereditary disease.

The talk about booze and drugs was always an open subject at the dinner table.

lise

[Rex]

147. I would have to decide on many factors

- does the smoking control his/her life or is it a recreational thing.

- has it changed his/her personality in a bad way?

- are they being smart about not doing it in public?

Those are the three big ones to me, really I wouldn't have a problem with it unless it became an addiction and took over their lives.

[txaslftist]

149. Hell yes.

I'm a libertarian, so I think smoking pot should be perfectly legal, but it ain't, and if my kid is using, she's breaking the law and taking a chance on screwing up her future with a drug conviction. Given that the neurological function of THC is merely to slow down the function of the brain, it's hardly worth the risk just to experience being "stoned".

I've been stoned enough to know that it's nothing but a waste of time, and I've represented enough potheads in court to know that they've pissed away their futures for not-a-goddamn-thing.

It's okay with me if YOUR kid smokes dope, and I think it ought to be perfectly legal. But it ain't okay with me if MY kid breaks the law. I've invested too much in my kids to have them piss it away for nothing.

[Madspirit]

157. Even in my state of Texas

Under four ounces is a misdemeanor...<g> You know, right up there with traffic tickets. I doubt even a bust would scar them for life...being a misdemeanor and all...but since it is a misdemeanor cops rarely bother with it. When they do, they usually just dump it or take it for themselves.

Lee

[txaslftist]

162. It's still a crime.

And it still goes on the record as a conviction, and it still screws up their chances to do lots of things later on in life. It's a cost/benefit thing, and the potential costs completely outweigh the benefits.

[Madspirit]

165. I Contend

I contend that having a misdemeanor conviction will do nothing to your life or you opportunities. ...and misdemeanors only stay on your record for 7-10 years, in Texas and what will happen if they get a speeding ticket or a parking ticket, also misdemeanors? ...and I've been caught with pot probably five times and they've never even taken me in. They just took my weed.

...but whatever. I just hope you aren't too disappointed in your child if they ever do try weed. It's much better for them than alcohol and I would think "better for them" would outweigh "no misdemeanor on their record"...but once again, whatever...

Lee

[txaslftist]

195. "better for them" outweighs just about every other consideration.

Which is why I think it will be "better for them" to stay away from weed. I don't come from a place that is forgiving of such things, unfortunately.

That said, I'm not going to be disappointed if my kids try it. Hell, I did. I'm not that much of a hypocrite to hold them to a higher standard than I conformed to. I just HOPE they don't use it, and it will piss me off if they do.

[GreenTea]

151. Fuck No....long as he stays away from the killer alcohol-gateway to harder drugs- like the

equally destructive crank-speed!

[ileus]

155. I'd be disappointed if she smoked anything.

what a dumbass...that's all I'd say.

[marlakay]

156. No problem if legal and not used till at least 18....

I have no problem with pot if it was legal and used like wine after dinner, not during the work day.

I found out my daughter (but I had guessed) used pot when she was 14...I had some problems with her beyond that and she had a rough time in school.

Now she has good job and two kids and doesn't want anything to do with drugs and worries about what to tell her kids (8 & 10).

I stopped smoking pot when I was 28 because I didn't want it around my kids growing up. But my ex didn't stop and he was the one who gave the pot to my daughter and I was pissed....

(BTW I had a few hits for the first time since then last summer on my 50th b'day....! lol)

[Dora]

158. Yes and No. Has he outgrown his spazitude yet?

How smart is the kid? How savvy? Some kids take a while to outgrow their spazziness, for cryin' out loud. Our 19 y.o. nephew was just busted for consumption in his dorm because he was dumb enough to dump his bowl into the wastecan - and then leave the room.

If it was my son, I'd give him the third degree about drug use and his drug knowledge. I'd do what I can to clear up any myths, I'd lecture his friends, and I'd lecture him soundly on brain and social development. Anyone who is going to smoke regularly is better off waiting until they're past their early 20s to start the habit. The brain is still maturing in our 20's.

I hope that we'll have had the sense to legalize it by the time my son is old enough.

[etherealtruth]

159. Yes ...

Drinking alcohol, smoking cigs ... would be bothersome as well.

I pretty much believe in the legalization/decriminalization of (pretty much) all drugs; however, i do not advocate their use.

[B Calm]

161. Depends on what the child does for a living. My son is a school teacher

and I don't think the school board would look favorable on him if they found out he smoked pot. Myself personally I don't have a problem with what a person does on his own time. The marijuana prohibition has went on far too long..

[Sparkly]

164. A little, not much. nt

[LWolf]

166. They have.

It's their business, I trust them to live their lives.

[SayWhatYo]

167. No kids of my own , but if a late teens or twenties, nahhh...

I mean, so long as it doesn't cause any problems, then I really don't see any issue with it. Of course it was to interfere with anything, then that's a different story.

[MrSlayer]

170. Not unless they were stealing mine.

If they are 18 or older, it's fine with me. No younger than that.

[scarletwoman]

171. It would bother me if they didn't share.

[greymattermom]

174. Canada

One of my children lives in Montreal. There, it's a misdemeanor and they don't arrest. Fine as long as it's legal imo.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

175. Yes. Risking the wrath of a police state is not smart.

Now, if instead of smoking it, she just advocates for its legalization, I'll be damn proud.

[Radio_Lady]

176. Our oldest DID smoke pot, and still DOES as far as we know. Yes, it bothers me.

But he'll be 49 years old next month... so what the f*** are we supposed to do about it?

He's also diagnosed with bipolar illness, and doesn't want to take medication. He's probably been smoking pot and drinking off and on since he was about 18.

At his age, and give his usual proclivities, we're pretty much out of options.

[The Vinyl Ripper]

177. I have a family member who is bipolar..

Pot does seem to help and the meds turn him into a semi zombie.. Particularly Risperdal.

[Radio_Lady]

189. There are other family members who are (hopefully) watching out for my stepson, including

his wife, ex-wife, and eighteen-year-old son. His father and I are thousands of miles away.

Thanks for your comments, VR, and welcome to the DU!

[orleans]

179. okay, anyone else miss those good old days of nickle and dime bags? n/t

[Raine]

180. Yes it would

if they smoked ANYTHING at all. I'm really against putting any kind of smoke into the body, human bodies aren't chimneys.

[Lucinda]

182. Yes...but not because its "pot" but because its smoke in the lungs

They can bake brownies to their hearts content. :)

[Oldenuff]

183. Wouldn't bother me at all

I'd rather they smoke pot that have flatulence.
I know that both my kids have smoked it.I'd rather they smoke pot that drink.You don't often hear about a pot smoker coming home and kicking the dog and beating his wife after a night of toking.

Believe it or not,I don't smoke pot.But I am a HUGE supporter of legalization.

[Mythsaje]

191. If he's anything like his old man,

and he damn well IS, I'm sure he will at some point. I'd prefer to know about it, to tell the truth. As long as he kept his wits about him and didn't screw himself up, I'd have no problem with it.

[tammywammy]

192. Yes n/t

[lumberjack_jeff]

196. Yes, but less so than if he smoked cigarettes. n/t

[krabigirl]

197. Nope.