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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Do you think smoking weed every night is cause for concern?

278 replies

LastPodcastOnTheLeft · 30/06/2025 17:46

I didn't but since working in a job where we work closely with SS, I'm seeing it raised as a potential issue of children are present in the house.

For a bit of background, we have two kids 7 and 12. I don't smoke it anymore but my husband never really grew out of it!

He makes sure he hides it from the kids but the youngest has noticed that he smells of 'smokers' as our 7 yr old calls cigs, when he comes in.

I think the 12 yr old knows but doesn't care.

He works full time and rarely smokes in the day .

AIBU to think it's not so different from having a few beers in the evening (tbf he has those too)?

OP posts:
BeFairSloth · 02/07/2025 23:24

I would not judge your husband as I see it as no different to people who have a glass of wine on an evening to unwind, which is many people.

However, as my Dfriend has recently found out, when you're a regular user, weed stays in your system at detectible levels for 24 hours. Our driving laws are strict and the level that gets you banned is very low. If you had a joint on an evening and then drove the following day, you'd still be over the legal limit meaning it's nearly impossible to be a regular (daily) cannabis smoker and a legal driver. Just something for your DH to think about. Dfriend is currently trying to manage without his driving licence after being pulled over for an unrelated reason as he'd had a joint the day before. He now knows that he must kick the habit before he gets his licence back as if he gets done again, prison is a possibility.

Caligirl80 · 02/07/2025 23:23

Presumably your concern is with the "weak will" aspect of the comment - in which case I do agree with you. People with the strongest wills in the world can suffer from addiction - so someone to say it's a question of "weak will" clearly does not understand the nature of addiction (whatever the addiction may be). A very easy example: a baby born to a mother who was taking, for example, heroin, will be addicted to heroin when they are born. That addiction has absolutely nothing to do with a "weak will".

Another example: those people who got addicted to oxycodone because doctors improperly prescribed the drug under the mistaken belief that it was NOT addictive. Withdrawals from oxycodone (and other opioids - morphine for example) are absolutely horrific. They are abysmal - to a degree that someone who has not experienced them will never understand. I had to help a friend of mine try to get off the damn stuff when I lived in the US: They had been sent home after knee surgery with 100 tablets of the stuff. They took the drugs as prescribed - they followed the doctor's advice and post-surgery protocols. And within a very short period were addicted to the damn stuff. It was horrific. They stopped taking the meds when the prescription ran out and immediately went into withdrawal and it was hellish for them. They physical impacts were bad enough, but it was the mental ones that were the worst: They essentially went mad. They were in a constant state of panic, total fear, and under the impression that they were dying and that everyone hated them. Had we not been there to help them they would have quit their job, and broken off their relationship with their partner. We had to call an ambulance and they had to be admitted to hospital. That is not weak will at all: that is someone who's body chemistry has been utterly ruined by a prescription medication.

Spinachpastapicker · 02/07/2025 23:21

LastPodcastOnTheLeft · 30/06/2025 17:51

@Hatty65 he doesn't smoke Infront of them and shuts the kitchen door when he's skinning up. He really doesn't want them to knowand nor do I.

Of course your 12 year old will know. Confused It’s not something you can hide by simply shutting a door. I know when my neighbour 2 doors down is smoking weed in his (enclosed) conservatory. Weed has an unmistakable smell and your kids friends will no doubt spot it soon too.
I wouldn’t particularly want my 12 year old going to socialise at a house with a permanent weed addict there.

Caligirl80 · 02/07/2025 23:14

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Miyagi99 · 02/07/2025 23:04

Hatty65 · 02/07/2025 21:46

Because weed is illegal in the UK then any amount that shows up means that you receive an automatic driving ban.

It will show up in a urine sample for up to 30 days. Basically, if he's smoking a joint every night if he is ever stopped by the police and drug tested then he'll lose his licence.

He should definitely work on getting himself a prescription I think.

Thatsnotmynamee · 02/07/2025 23:00

ARichWomansWorld · 01/07/2025 08:06

Ultimately it is not legal and he is supporting criminal activity, get him to understand county lines for instance. Not acceptable ever. Not interested in the booze is just as bad debate as a counter argument.

Any addiction is a weakness, sometimes they are born of tragedy but I personally wouldn’t want to be with someone who was that weak willed.

This is so fucked

Miyagi99 · 02/07/2025 22:52

Justsmileanwave · 02/07/2025 16:56

Have you actually looked at how many days it's stays in your system......so if he smokes every night yes he is driving while under the influence

It can be in your system for 3 months, that doesn’t mean you’re stoned for 3 months.

Hatty65 · 02/07/2025 21:46

JohnofWessex · 02/07/2025 18:23

Because weed is illegal in the UK then any amount that shows up means that you receive an automatic driving ban.

It will show up in a urine sample for up to 30 days. Basically, if he's smoking a joint every night if he is ever stopped by the police and drug tested then he'll lose his licence.

Imaybeoldbutstillrandy · 02/07/2025 18:35

JohnofWessex · 02/07/2025 18:23

Depends on the weed & how much is in the joint. Unlike alcohol when you can work out how many units (roughly) you've had.

LeastOfMyWorries · 02/07/2025 18:34

LastPodcastOnTheLeft · 30/06/2025 17:54

@heldinadream I don't want my son's to copy him but pretty much every teen will try it at some point. They just think it's fags at the moment which I make an exaggerated show of saying isn't that gross to the younger one.

I don't mind him smoking it as long as it's in the garden and not in front of the kids.

Your lucky neighbours. Everyone will know about it. Its vile and a worry at any level but especially every night.

Imaybeoldbutstillrandy · 02/07/2025 18:32

LastPodcastOnTheLeft · 30/06/2025 17:46

I didn't but since working in a job where we work closely with SS, I'm seeing it raised as a potential issue of children are present in the house.

For a bit of background, we have two kids 7 and 12. I don't smoke it anymore but my husband never really grew out of it!

He makes sure he hides it from the kids but the youngest has noticed that he smells of 'smokers' as our 7 yr old calls cigs, when he comes in.

I think the 12 yr old knows but doesn't care.

He works full time and rarely smokes in the day .

AIBU to think it's not so different from having a few beers in the evening (tbf he has those too)?

The trouble with weed is that it saps people of initiative - makes them so chilled that they can't be bothered to do anything.

Always a NO when children are around.

I smoked it when I was younger at Uni, but never since. .for one thing I got a job where I needed to be able to drive, then I had children. Unlike alcohol, you can't tell when you've had enough & your driving could be affected.

At least if I chose to have a skin-full of alcohol in the evening (which I don't these days), I know that I can't drive at all until at least early evening the next day - though I don't drink that much these days as the older I've got the worse the hangovers. With weed you don't know how long it affects your reactions, driving etc.

dutchyoriginal · 02/07/2025 18:09

A) daily alcohol use would be extremely problematic for me as well.

b) what would you class as recreational? Recreational always has a connotation of hobbies/occasional activities for me. If someone would do something on a daily basis (and the effect of a joint lasts longer than, say, five mins, so also quite the "activity"), that would seem quite driven/addicted to me. We drink some wine or whisky maybe 2 nights in a month, and other friends have some most weekends. That sounds more "recreational" to me.

Nanny0gg · 02/07/2025 17:56

LastPodcastOnTheLeft · 30/06/2025 18:45

I accept people can be judgemental about it. It's not a particularly big deal (such as any other drugs would be) in our families so I was not being willfully ignorant, it's just about what's normal for you. I don't like the fact he is irritable without it in the evening. I'm sorting of caught in a vicious cycle of hoping he'll hurry up and go out for a smoke without actually wanting him to be a potential addict.

I really hope our neighbours don't know as they are not the friendliest anyway.

Your head is buried so deep in the sand...

It is a big deal
He is an addict
Your neighbours do know

And your children aren't stupid

Nanny0gg · 02/07/2025 17:52

LastPodcastOnTheLeft · 30/06/2025 17:55

Absolutely never in the house.

Bet the neighbours are thrilled

TizerorFizz · 02/07/2025 17:37

Getting high with dc is irresponsible. Yes, I’ve seen the addicts in Vancouver. Not great. Getting drunk with dc isn’t great either. Long term weed messes you up. The opioid deaths are staggering in Canada so you are a country that likes your drugs.

Ellepff · 02/07/2025 17:03

Perspective from someone in Canada where it’s legal. If either or both parents smoke or drink daily it’s an issue - it means he can never be the parent in charge. If you go to the store or anything the kids are basically unattended. I vape weed daily on my period if my DH is home, but if there is a time he’s home but might need to do something I wouldn’t. We’d never both drink or get high on the same day. The smoke itself is a problem. Can he use edibles or vape? Can he talk to a herbalist about other natural ways to unwind? Marijuana is a bit hard on the body long term, and alcohol is even worse.

Justsmileanwave · 02/07/2025 16:56

LastPodcastOnTheLeft · 30/06/2025 18:10

@herbalteabag he thankfully does not ever drink or smoke and drive. It does mean he can be irritable if he is out and Im usually the driver.

Have you actually looked at how many days it's stays in your system......so if he smokes every night yes he is driving while under the influence

Justsmileanwave · 02/07/2025 16:52

Silvertulips · 30/06/2025 17:57

cornflourblue is absolutely right.

NDN smokes outside - blows all the way round to our back door -

Our house stinks sometimes from his outdoor activities.

Pull the other one!

Yep our NDN smokes it. My house stinks when they do. Their house stinks of weed constantly even though he smokes outside......it follows them into the house.

Barnbrack · 01/07/2025 22:54

LastPodcastOnTheLeft · 30/06/2025 18:45

I accept people can be judgemental about it. It's not a particularly big deal (such as any other drugs would be) in our families so I was not being willfully ignorant, it's just about what's normal for you. I don't like the fact he is irritable without it in the evening. I'm sorting of caught in a vicious cycle of hoping he'll hurry up and go out for a smoke without actually wanting him to be a potential addict.

I really hope our neighbours don't know as they are not the friendliest anyway.

Unless they've no sense of smell they know. Probably not friendly due to the stinking druggy smell constantly wafting from your home

Barnbrack · 01/07/2025 22:51

SmokersDelight · 01/07/2025 17:27

Just as a bit of balance on this thread (and OP I don’t think MN is the best placed for a balanced opinion on drug or alcohol use)). I used to smoke weed daily when my DC were growing up (before and after having them, not while pregnant). I used to do this to chill out and relax of an evening similar to your DH. I did not smoke around the DC but tbh I don’t feel it’s a negative thing to do and so it’s not something I particularly hid. It made me more relaxed, more fun to be around and tbh I really miss it. I was definitely happier when I was smoking! Unfortunately I can’t do it now as have developed autoimmune disease (nothing to do with weed use) and it’s obviously not a good idea to be smoking anything anyway, especially as we get older.

My DC both say they had the best childhood! They are also both remarkably happy and well adjusted and successful. Surprisingly so! I had a lot of trauma in my upbringing, and my mum in particular passed down a lot of her trauma from her abusive childhood to me, and I was absolutely desperate not do the same to my DC, but was never sure if this was working, but given how they’ve turned out it seems it did thankfully!

I used weed to self-medicate in part; it helped with my MH struggles (these were blindingly apparent before any weed use) and my ADHD, but I don’t see that as any different to taking ADs or ADHD medication and they worked well for me; it made me a more relaxed and happier and therefore better parent, and it also helped a lot with lack of motivation from ADHD. And it didn’t stop me working, or raising and advocating for my children, or making sure they attended medical appts etc etc. They were well cared for, attended to, and loved. And they would tell you the same. I have an excellent relationship with them now as adults, and we talk about everything openly and honestly. Including their childhood.

So for me, I don’t think it’s automatically problematic it depends on how it affects your DH and his ability to parent. Does it make him a better or worse parent? Does it make him check out of family life, or does he use it to chill but is otherwise an engaged and caring parent?

Many people still seem to have a knee jerk reaction to recreational drug use, I think it’s much more nuanced. It was only a positive thing for me. Yes they can have negative effects (as can alcohol) but people have been using psychoactive substances for thousands of years - so I think they are part of being human and can be beneficial (as we’ve seen recently with the research coming out about psilocybin and how it can help some serious mental health conditions) when respected and used appropriately.

I’ve name changed for this as I suspect I will be jumped on, I hope not as there are already plenty of posts offering the counter opinion, so just posted for a bit of balance. With this in mind I probably won’t engage with any responses as I haven’t posted to debate the pros and cons, and am already very certain of my opinion on this, as I am sure other posters are sure of their contrary opinion.

Lots of excuses there for not addressing poor mental health as a parent and instead using illegal drugs.

Barnbrack · 01/07/2025 22:48

He's it's cause for concern.

You've literally asked if a parent using drugs daily, sometimes during the day, always in the evening, driving? Driving your children?

Yes! It's cause for concern.
.I'm also concerned about anyone who has to ask

mullers1977 · 01/07/2025 22:30

SmokersDelight · 01/07/2025 17:27

Just as a bit of balance on this thread (and OP I don’t think MN is the best placed for a balanced opinion on drug or alcohol use)). I used to smoke weed daily when my DC were growing up (before and after having them, not while pregnant). I used to do this to chill out and relax of an evening similar to your DH. I did not smoke around the DC but tbh I don’t feel it’s a negative thing to do and so it’s not something I particularly hid. It made me more relaxed, more fun to be around and tbh I really miss it. I was definitely happier when I was smoking! Unfortunately I can’t do it now as have developed autoimmune disease (nothing to do with weed use) and it’s obviously not a good idea to be smoking anything anyway, especially as we get older.

My DC both say they had the best childhood! They are also both remarkably happy and well adjusted and successful. Surprisingly so! I had a lot of trauma in my upbringing, and my mum in particular passed down a lot of her trauma from her abusive childhood to me, and I was absolutely desperate not do the same to my DC, but was never sure if this was working, but given how they’ve turned out it seems it did thankfully!

I used weed to self-medicate in part; it helped with my MH struggles (these were blindingly apparent before any weed use) and my ADHD, but I don’t see that as any different to taking ADs or ADHD medication and they worked well for me; it made me a more relaxed and happier and therefore better parent, and it also helped a lot with lack of motivation from ADHD. And it didn’t stop me working, or raising and advocating for my children, or making sure they attended medical appts etc etc. They were well cared for, attended to, and loved. And they would tell you the same. I have an excellent relationship with them now as adults, and we talk about everything openly and honestly. Including their childhood.

So for me, I don’t think it’s automatically problematic it depends on how it affects your DH and his ability to parent. Does it make him a better or worse parent? Does it make him check out of family life, or does he use it to chill but is otherwise an engaged and caring parent?

Many people still seem to have a knee jerk reaction to recreational drug use, I think it’s much more nuanced. It was only a positive thing for me. Yes they can have negative effects (as can alcohol) but people have been using psychoactive substances for thousands of years - so I think they are part of being human and can be beneficial (as we’ve seen recently with the research coming out about psilocybin and how it can help some serious mental health conditions) when respected and used appropriately.

I’ve name changed for this as I suspect I will be jumped on, I hope not as there are already plenty of posts offering the counter opinion, so just posted for a bit of balance. With this in mind I probably won’t engage with any responses as I haven’t posted to debate the pros and cons, and am already very certain of my opinion on this, as I am sure other posters are sure of their contrary opinion.

It’s still supporting dealers …

L1ghyn1ngBug · 01/07/2025 17:44

SmokersDelight · 01/07/2025 17:27

Just as a bit of balance on this thread (and OP I don’t think MN is the best placed for a balanced opinion on drug or alcohol use)). I used to smoke weed daily when my DC were growing up (before and after having them, not while pregnant). I used to do this to chill out and relax of an evening similar to your DH. I did not smoke around the DC but tbh I don’t feel it’s a negative thing to do and so it’s not something I particularly hid. It made me more relaxed, more fun to be around and tbh I really miss it. I was definitely happier when I was smoking! Unfortunately I can’t do it now as have developed autoimmune disease (nothing to do with weed use) and it’s obviously not a good idea to be smoking anything anyway, especially as we get older.

My DC both say they had the best childhood! They are also both remarkably happy and well adjusted and successful. Surprisingly so! I had a lot of trauma in my upbringing, and my mum in particular passed down a lot of her trauma from her abusive childhood to me, and I was absolutely desperate not do the same to my DC, but was never sure if this was working, but given how they’ve turned out it seems it did thankfully!

I used weed to self-medicate in part; it helped with my MH struggles (these were blindingly apparent before any weed use) and my ADHD, but I don’t see that as any different to taking ADs or ADHD medication and they worked well for me; it made me a more relaxed and happier and therefore better parent, and it also helped a lot with lack of motivation from ADHD. And it didn’t stop me working, or raising and advocating for my children, or making sure they attended medical appts etc etc. They were well cared for, attended to, and loved. And they would tell you the same. I have an excellent relationship with them now as adults, and we talk about everything openly and honestly. Including their childhood.

So for me, I don’t think it’s automatically problematic it depends on how it affects your DH and his ability to parent. Does it make him a better or worse parent? Does it make him check out of family life, or does he use it to chill but is otherwise an engaged and caring parent?

Many people still seem to have a knee jerk reaction to recreational drug use, I think it’s much more nuanced. It was only a positive thing for me. Yes they can have negative effects (as can alcohol) but people have been using psychoactive substances for thousands of years - so I think they are part of being human and can be beneficial (as we’ve seen recently with the research coming out about psilocybin and how it can help some serious mental health conditions) when respected and used appropriately.

I’ve name changed for this as I suspect I will be jumped on, I hope not as there are already plenty of posts offering the counter opinion, so just posted for a bit of balance. With this in mind I probably won’t engage with any responses as I haven’t posted to debate the pros and cons, and am already very certain of my opinion on this, as I am sure other posters are sure of their contrary opinion.

Yes my dd self medicated with weed before getting her adhd meds. Now she has the right medication she rarely smokes weed.

L1ghyn1ngBug · 01/07/2025 17:44

TizerorFizz · 01/07/2025 11:52

@L1ghyn1ngBug Once an accusation is made regarding taking of drugs by a parent seeking contact or enhanced contact with dc, the family court will want to know if it’s true or not. They would also look into mental health issues if they were referenced too by requiring medical reports. So the court will order tests to be carried out. Parents should not lie about what they do in front of a judge either.

In exactly the same way a parent could make accusations re other substance abuses eg alcohol every night. They are viewed in the same way and unless you can prove it’s being used in excessive amounts it’s not going to stop access. Also weed isn’t viewed the same as say heroin. The type and amount of all substances (which includes alcohol) are taken into consideration.

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