Do you smoke pot?

[NakedFinger]

I actually thought of this post last week, and in light of Kenny's recent poll, I decided to post it....

Maybe I have been living in a bubble, and have been blissfully unaware this whole time, but I had no idea how many adults smoke pot on a regular basis.

Like many teenagers, I tried it just to try it. Wasn't all that impressed, and have maybe done it a handful of times in my life, but all before the age of like 19. I assumed most people dabbled when they were younger, and maybe on occasion did it later in life.

I recently discovered in conversation that one of my colleague's husband smokes every night when he comes home from work. My other friends husband does at least once a month, my friends sister does it every day, my other colleague's husband does it at least once a week, and other colleague said any time there is a party or get together, they smoke.

These people aren't kids. They are 30-35 year olds, with homes, full time jobs, and many with kids or their own or are trying to have kids currently. I would never have suspected they smoked if they didnt tell me.

I was so surprised by this, as it always seemed so dumb and not worth the risk to my career should I ever be drug tested. It always seemed like something kids did, and I had no idea how common it was for functioning, intelligent adults with families. Does this just happen to be a coincidence with my colleague's husbands? LOL. Or is it really that common? Curious to see everyone's responses!

 

[justginger]

I don't - couldn't if I wanted to. I had childhood asthma and have avoided smoke like the plague since. I doubt it would come back now, but just the thought of it makes my chest feel kind of tight.

When I was younger it was firmly in the "THAT'S BAD" camp, to me. I was a very, very good girl. Then my college boyfriend, who is highly intelligent, very self-motivated, was a bit of an 'experimenter', shall we say. He and his friends really opened my eyes to the fact that a) a lot of people do it and b) they aren't bad people. They're not stupid, or lazy, or burnt out, or unmotivated, or unsuccessful, or lame, or living in their parents' basements. In fact, they're doctors and scientists and CEOs of their own start up businesses.

Just like with everything else in life, everything in moderation.

 

[Efe]

I, too, am stunned by the number of people that smoke pot on a "regular" basis. I am in the over 50 group that DF has such an affection towards, and it was very common when I was a teenager to smoke pot, but I just assumed it was something that people "grew out of" at some point. I am firmly against legalization mostly because I think it is detrimental to one's health to smoke anything.

 

[Dee*Jay]

The LAST thing I need is an even greater munchies urge...

 

[vc10um]

The LAST thing I need is an even greater munchies urge...

:: snort ::

I've never smoked pot. Goody goody to the maxola, right here. Plus my mom smoked cigarettes when I was younger and I HATED it, so aside from a couple cigars on special occasions and a few puffs of a cigarette in college to try and figure out what the allure was (STILL don't get it), I haven't smoked anything!

 

[Resonance.Of.Life]

Never tried, nor do I want to.

 

[momhappy]

I have a ton of wealthy, professional friends that smoke pot all the darn time. I'm amazed at how many people go through life under the influence of one substance or another (be it alcohol, weed, prescription drugs, etc.). In my opinion, it's clearly an indication of how truly miserable people are.
I drink alcohol socially (maybe a cocktail or two at dinner), but I certainly don't need it to make myself feel better, or to have fun, etc. I never smoke pot - I loathe it. I get irritated being around people who smoke it because it makes them goofy/weird (and not in a good way). I had a parent that smoked it when I was younger and I hated being around them when they were high, which is probably where my strong feelings stem from.

 

[soxfan]

The LAST thing I need is an even greater munchies urge...

I don't any more. Sometimes when one of my friends who lives in the city comes up and has some. Makes me paranoid now. However, in college I smoked it like it was my job and I just got a raise....

 

[Aoife]

Nope. I loathe the smell. An occasional glass of wine or good champagne is my drug of choice

When we were younger, a fair number of our (corporate) acquaintances smoked pot, and it always astonished me since drug testing was routine for most big corporations even back then. There wasn't much stigma attached to getting blotto-drunk, but drug use was a real career-ender.

 

[packrat]

I did when I was young and dumb. Not often, not on a regular basis, now and again. I don't like not being in control. I have been drunk many more times than high, and I don't like being drunk either. I've not smoked pot since I was 18. The last time I was drunk was almost 12 years ago, and that was a first in quite a few years itself.

 

[Sky56]

I did when I was young and dumb, too. It was pleasurable but definitely harmed my physical and mental health. To make a long story short, my life vastly improved when I quit it and other 'vices' in the Eighties.

 

[madelise]

The LAST thing I need is an even greater munchies urge...

Ditto, ditto, ditto! I've never wanted to even try it because of the munchies. Yeah, I already got a huge mouth and cravings to go with it. However, I did try to smoke some in Jamaica. When in Rome, right? I didn't know how to roll a blunt, and I didn't know how to smoke it. The stupid paper kept getting wet and after throwing away 3 tries, I gave up. So… still a mary jane virgin here! Of course I was way too embarrassed to ask a local to help, and we didn't have internet there…..

 

[diamondringlover]

I am in the over 50 group...it was pretty common in the 1970's...so yea I smoked it thru out the years, however the last time was about 16 years ago and I no longer have any urge to smoke anything!!!

 

[yennyfire]

The LAST thing I need is an even greater munchies urge...

:: snort ::

I've never smoked pot. Goody goody to the maxola, right here. Plus my mom smoked cigarettes when I was younger and I HATED it, so aside from a couple cigars on special occasions and a few puffs of a cigarette in college to try and figure out what the allure was (STILL don't get it), I haven't smoked anything!

This! I hated the way my Mom smelled growing up....it was enough to convince me to never smoke anything. Not cigarettes, cigars or pot...it has nothing to do with the legality issue. I just think smoking is nasty.

 

[wakingdreams53]

Wow, a lot of PSers in the Never category. I remember in HS my boyfriend was a pothead. His mom was of the flower child generation, but also "grew out " of it. It's used by many people I know and quite honestly, I much prefer it to alcohol. I live in a party city. I've never been harassed by a pothead, drunk a-hole is a completely different story.

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

No, too busy washing them to have free time for anything "recreational".

cheers--Sharon

 

[Autumnovember]

Yes, I do. Not everyday.


I was just newly diagnosed with MS, I fully intend on getting a prescription for medical marijuana to help with the insomnia that I deal with from the steroids I have to take when having an exacerbation.

Let me point out a few things: I am not miserable and I do not smoke weed because I want to be "happy." I don't know if its a regional thing but I know of many, many highly successful people who smoke weed very often. I know doctors, tax lawyers, dentists, nurses, teachers, just to name a few. None of these people are "miserable." I say this because I saw a post in the other thread about how horrible it would be to have a surgeon who smokes weed perform surgery on someone. None of these people smoke weed before work. It also doesn't effect their success in the least bit. If anything, for some of them, it's made their success grow - I'll get deeper into that if someone feels like they need to hear it.

I am not a loser who sits home and smokes constantly with no job or no real future. I'm a successful 25 year old Oncology nurse who plans on going as far as I can with my education and becoming a nurse practitioner. I'm also far from dumb. I think there are many other things that would put someone in the "dumb" category.

I do everyday things you do. It has never impeded my life or made me do anything "stupid."

I've never felt out of control after smoking weed. Alcohol though, now thats a totally different story.

I have very close friends who do not smoke weed and none of us have any issue with the other for our choices. It's not for everyone. Some rather drink alcohol. Do what you want, I really don't care.

 

[Dancing Fire]

I'll take the fifth!.. TBH, just one time in the past 33 yrs.

 

[crown1]

Yes, I do. Not everyday.


I was just newly diagnosed with MS, I fully intend on getting a prescription for medical marijuana to help with the insomnia that I deal with from the steroids I have to take when having an exacerbation.

Let me point out a few things: I am not miserable and I do not smoke weed because I want to be "happy." I don't know if its a regional thing but I know of many, many highly successful people who smoke weed very often. I know doctors, tax lawyers, dentists, nurses, teachers, just to name a few. None of these people are "miserable." I say this because I saw a post in the other thread about how horrible it would be to have a surgeon who smokes weed perform surgery on someone. None of these people smoke weed before work. It also doesn't effect their success in the least bit. If anything, for some of them, it's made their success grow - I'll get deeper into that if someone feels like they need to hear it.

I am not a loser who sits home and smokes constantly with no job or no real future. I'm a successful 25 year old Oncology nurse who plans on going as far as I can with my education and becoming a nurse practitioner. I'm also far from dumb. I think there are many other things that would put someone in the "dumb" category.

I do everyday things you do. It has never impeded my life or made me do anything "stupid."

I've never felt out of control after smoking weed. Alcohol though, now thats a totally different story.

I have very close friends who do not smoke weed and none of us have any issue with the other for our choices. It's not for everyone. Some rather drink alcohol. Do what you want, I really don't care.

I am not passing judgment on you or any one else regarding smoking pot. I do want to offer my opinion regarding said smoking by doctors, tax lawyers, dentists, nurses, and teachers. The fact that persons who practice those professions smoke pot is not an endorsement for it as far as I am concerned. I do not think that because some individuals who practice those professions choose to do so that it makes it acceptable. How do you know they never smoke before work? The practice speaks for itself not on who does it. Kind of like the old statement, just because someone else does it, does not make it right for you.

 

[katharath]

I believe the point that's being made is that people from all walks of life use it. This stigma that's it's all low class heavy drug abusers who are worthless members of society is just silly. I personally know many successful people who use it (no medical doctors, but people with doctorates, CPAs, lawyers, electrical engineers, etc etc). How do I know that they're not using at work? Well, mostly bc I do actually know these people and know that they're not stupid and wouldn't want to lose their jobs.

You could use the exact same argument about drinking, btw - how do you "know" that social drinkers aren't really alcoholics who are drinking on the job? I remember reading a study awhile back saying that anesthesiologists are literally 100s of times more likely than any other types of drs to be drug addicts (and they weren't talking about MJ!); I'd personally be FAR more worried about that than the possibility of my surgeon having smoked a joint two nights ago when he was off work.

And for those who say that they wouldn't want a doctor to use it and then work on them the next day; I have to say that I would much prefer a doctor smoking pot and then working on me 10 hours later than a doc drinking 8 beers and working on me 10 hrs later. Most people wake up refreshed and having slept well after smoking pot. You absolutely can't say the same thing after a night of heavy drinking. Well, I know I certainly can't!

Many pot users use it just like those of you "social drinkers" use alcohol, and wouldn't you say that you use it responsibly? That's what it's like out there that I think many people just plain don't get. And IMO that's partly why the movement is gaining steam - these aren't people who hate themselves, who are unhappy, who are unproductive losers. They're just normal people who enjoy the feeling of unwinding with MJ sometimes. These people are not "criminals" in that most have never gone to jail and never will.

This feels like just another topic where people's opinions are pretty set, and I don't expect my POV to make anyone else change their mind. But the interesting thing re:this topic is that unfortunately, you don't get to hear much from the professional people out there who use it recreationally and responsibly - they're too afraid of the consequences. But don't doubt that they're out there; they clearly are, as you can see by the way public opinion is trending.

 

[katharath]

I guess it probably sounds from my posts about this topic that I'm sitting around smoking joints as fast as I can roll them, lol.

Such is not the case. But I'm familiar with many who do it, and I've certainly done my fair share in the past, especially in college (where I made straights A's...and I went to college in New Orleans, which is saying something!)

I just believe that people should do what they want to do AS LONG AS IT DOESN'T HURT OTHERS. And the hypocrisy of the way people treat those that drink alcohol vs those that smoke pot really gets to me. I know not everyone is like that though - many people hate alcohol just as much .

 

[kenny]

I suspect all these posters who are looking down on pot smokers have several people in their lives they love and respect who are closet pot users.

Like the gay thing the tide really turned on acceptance when we started becoming visible to our family, friends, neighbors and coworkers.
Suddenly gays were not just those weirdos seen on the TV dressed up in parades way over in San Francisco.
People found out gays were their brothers and neighbors.

Obviously pot being illegal keeps many users in the closet.
When pot's legalized and users stop hiding the stigma, which we see so much of in this thread, will fade.

Again, I don't use it but I see this as another respect diversity thing.

 

[katharath]

Kenny, I was thinking that exact same thing earlier. If people suddenly found out that their respected close friends and family members were closet pot smokers, that alone could change some minds - I've personally seen that happen. When a very anti-pot family member of mine saw just how many of her colleagues were using it (this was a few years ago), she finally broke down and tried it at the age of 50 . She's much more accepting of it now although she only ever tried it two, maybe three times.

 

[kenny]

Same thing happened to me.
I was very bigoted about this till I found out some people I highly respected smoked pot.
It was really an eye-opener for me.

 

[Autumnovember]

Yes, I do. Not everyday.


I was just newly diagnosed with MS, I fully intend on getting a prescription for medical marijuana to help with the insomnia that I deal with from the steroids I have to take when having an exacerbation.

Let me point out a few things: I am not miserable and I do not smoke weed because I want to be "happy." I don't know if its a regional thing but I know of many, many highly successful people who smoke weed very often. I know doctors, tax lawyers, dentists, nurses, teachers, just to name a few. None of these people are "miserable." I say this because I saw a post in the other thread about how horrible it would be to have a surgeon who smokes weed perform surgery on someone. None of these people smoke weed before work. It also doesn't effect their success in the least bit. If anything, for some of them, it's made their success grow - I'll get deeper into that if someone feels like they need to hear it.

I am not a loser who sits home and smokes constantly with no job or no real future. I'm a successful 25 year old Oncology nurse who plans on going as far as I can with my education and becoming a nurse practitioner. I'm also far from dumb. I think there are many other things that would put someone in the "dumb" category.

I do everyday things you do. It has never impeded my life or made me do anything "stupid."

I've never felt out of control after smoking weed. Alcohol though, now thats a totally different story.

I have very close friends who do not smoke weed and none of us have any issue with the other for our choices. It's not for everyone. Some rather drink alcohol. Do what you want, I really don't care.

I am not passing judgment on you or any one else regarding smoking pot. I do want to offer my opinion regarding said smoking by doctors, tax lawyers, dentists, nurses, and teachers. The fact that persons who practice those professions smoke pot is not an endorsement for it as far as I am concerned. I do not think that because some individuals who practice those professions choose to do so that it makes it acceptable. How do you know they never smoke before work? The practice speaks for itself not on who does it. Kind of like the old statement, just because someone else does it, does not make it right for you.

An endorsement? What? Look...what is acceptable to you and me can be two totally different things. I'm not here to change anyones minds regarding the topic. I shared my own experiences and that is it. My thoughts are unlikely to change about this...

katharath and Kenny, I could not agree more with your thoughts. Completely on point for some of my own.

 

[missy]

I never even tried it. When I was growing up my dad discussed all the dangers etc of doing any type of drug including alcohol and that stayed with me all through my childhood. When I got old enough to engage in critical thinking of my own I decided recreational marijuana use wasn't for me. I pass no judgment on others who choose to smoke pot. Some of my relatives and good friends smoke it. Big deal. As long as they aren't doing anything to adversely affect others because of it why should I care?

 

[vintagelover229]

There seems to me to be a lot of people who are "anti" MJ due to experiences within their lifetimes that have affected them in a negative way. I didn't try MJ until I was 19 years old-and only AFTER meeting people who held jobs, had families and didn't abuse it and have it take over their life.

Many of you are aware my childhood wasn't a walk in the park (but not nearly as bad as many had it) and I recall HATING the smell of it before I was 10 years old. My mother and step father lost us when I was 9 from drug and alcohol abuse as well as neglect. Now that I am older I realize that pot was only one small fraction of the problem (and the one that is the most easily tracked due to it's half life-which IMO isn't fair bc my folks had quit drinking and smoking pot doesn't bother me any more in the least- certainly not enough to take away their kids for-but that's neither here nor there any longer.)

Because of these experiences I never wanted to drink (thought one sip and I would be a goner-which is pretty close to the truth although I can have one and walk away and I don't drink often any longer and usually only wine if/when I do) but I tried my first one when I had my own place at 18. When I was in a serious relationship with an engineer and his brother smoked (and he would have had it not been for random drops) my outlook changed.

I have met MANY MANY MANY people who smoke on a regular basis. I know a person who was picking up for a friend and got busted just last week with a half ounce and went to jail for it. I think it's silly that someone is spending time in jail for something that you can grow in your backyard if you wanted too-not only that-is good for other things like cancer treatments-paper products-I mean HEMP was a HUGE industry and we could save SO many trees-make clothing-rope-and tons of other products with this renewable resource.


My bio family still smoke and it's the least of my concerns. I'd rather them smoke than shoot up heroin or take methodone or who knows what else. People shouldn't be fearful of losing their jobs, their kids, their friends or anything else for that matter because of this.

As usual there are people who WILL abuse it. They will LACE it with something and allow it to take over their lives. These are probably the same people who lack self control in general and would become addicted to something else-like the internet or food.

Regulate it and make it safe for those who want it or need it so they don't have to deal with shaddy people in order to get it and risk getting ripped off.

There are worse things out there than pot. They smoked it for many centuries in other cultures and here we are after the "war on drugs" has been so successful-filling up our prisons with little kids who are selling a few dime bags and learning worse things after coming out of the joint.

Unbelievable.

And no-I no longer smoke but that's not to say if later on in life someone offer me a toke I'd say no to it. But being a mom and it being illegal and expensive and the risk of losing my kid for a high isn't worth it.

 

[packrat]

I don't so much equate being gay and experiencing bigotry and smoking pot and experiencing bigotry the same thing. Being born gay and choosing to smoke pot is a little different.

A couple months ago JD and I went and hung out w/one of my classmates who was back for a few days from California. He is a pot smoking gay man. Do I care about either, no. I love him. I care about him being careful and not getting in trouble for the pot.

I'm selective in my bigotry. A bigoted bigot possibly? He's got his Master's, he's smart as a whip, funnier than all get out and just an all around wonderful person. AN is a wonderful person, as much as I can say from knowing her on FB haha..plus she has that kick ass Tacori. If a person can be responsible w/it, it's not a huge deal, compared to coke/heroin and the like. But there are so many people who *can't* or *won't* be responsible w/it, what do we do w/them?

And depending on where you live, and what your place is in the community, you run into a lot less of the responsible people w/it, and more of the POS element that people associate w/it. Legalizing it isn't going to change those people, and I wonder how many more POS's would crawl out of the woodwork if it were legal.

So yes, my feelings on it are totally colored by the people in the community that I see that do it. I don't run w/the successful crowd of bankers, lawyers, doctors, accountants, ceo''s, whatever. It's a small community and they're mainly jackasses, so if they smoke and are successful, I'd have no idea. (I do know however, that for whatever reason, a lot of them are into swinging) We're one step up from the welfare 14 kids from 14 different dad's, no job having, POS pot smokers.

Regardless, it's not for me, I don't like it, I don't see the point to it. That's doesn't mean it should be legal or illegal. I don't see that it's an easy yes or no answer across the board.

 

[crown1]

Yes, I do. Not everyday.


I was just newly diagnosed with MS, I fully intend on getting a prescription for medical marijuana to help with the insomnia that I deal with from the steroids I have to take when having an exacerbation.

Let me point out a few things: I am not miserable and I do not smoke weed because I want to be "happy." I don't know if its a regional thing but I know of many, many highly successful people who smoke weed very often. I know doctors, tax lawyers, dentists, nurses, teachers, just to name a few. None of these people are "miserable." I say this because I saw a post in the other thread about how horrible it would be to have a surgeon who smokes weed perform surgery on someone. None of these people smoke weed before work. It also doesn't effect their success in the least bit. If anything, for some of them, it's made their success grow - I'll get deeper into that if someone feels like they need to hear it.

I am not a loser who sits home and smokes constantly with no job or no real future. I'm a successful 25 year old Oncology nurse who plans on going as far as I can with my education and becoming a nurse practitioner. I'm also far from dumb. I think there are many other things that would put someone in the "dumb" category.

I do everyday things you do. It has never impeded my life or made me do anything "stupid."

I've never felt out of control after smoking weed. Alcohol though, now thats a totally different story.

I have very close friends who do not smoke weed and none of us have any issue with the other for our choices. It's not for everyone. Some rather drink alcohol. Do what you want, I really don't care.

I am not passing judgment on you or any one else regarding smoking pot. I do want to offer my opinion regarding said smoking by doctors, tax lawyers, dentists, nurses, and teachers. The fact that persons who practice those professions smoke pot is not an endorsement for it as far as I am concerned. I do not think that because some individuals who practice those professions choose to do so that it makes it acceptable. How do you know they never smoke before work? The practice speaks for itself not on who does it. Kind of like the old statement, just because someone else does it, does not make it right for you.

An endorsement? What? Look...what is acceptable to you and me can be two totally different things. I'm not here to change anyones minds regarding the topic. I shared my own experiences and that is it. My thoughts are unlikely to change about this...

katharath and Kenny, I could not agree more with your thoughts. Completely on point for some of my own.

To be clear, I was not trying to change your mind regarding the topic. My only point was that whether one chooses to smoke pot or anything should be made on the facts of how pot or smoking anything impacts one's life and society. I was afraid that because a certain profession, one's family or friends do it was being used as a reason to think it ok. I have not chosen to smoke pot or anything for myself. I just don't see the value, but as I said in my first post I am not judging you or anyone else here for your doing it or opinion. I simply think that it needs to be weighed on an individual's choice not on what some groups of society are doing. I think it is near impossible for us to know if others are smoking pot, drinking alcohol, overeating, beating their spouse or children, being addicted to the internet or tv or anything before they go to work. I simply passed my opinion as you did yours. It is obvious that people do vary. Have a great day!

edited to add: I would be interested to know how it has made an impact on their success Thanks!

 

[Niel]

I know lawyers and doctors and nurses that drink too. And no one sees a doctors drink and instantly assume he does it during his professional life, so why does that assumption come so easy when its pot? I think its propaganda and a belief that because its illegal its somehow makes the user less responsible. I disagree with that. my FI and i were talking. We are both fully supportive of legalizing it. He would never touch the stuff even if it was legal as he does not like it. I would be all over it, as i have vertigo problems and drinking exacerbates the problem. Plus, he likes an alcohol buzz, and I dont like the calorie intake needed to feel a buzz. Do i smoke? no. As i said in the other thread... im way to big of a baby. Ive never really been comfortable with rule breaking. But make it legal? ill partake. And so will all those people you think dont do it


Alsom, i wish there was a " used to" or "have in the past" option, i think the results would be different.