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Original poster

Teenagers smoking weed - how common?

64 replies

1newname · 07/10/2023 20:07

Ds1 is 17 and started smoking weed when he was 15. I've never been particularly happy about it but within his large friendship group they're all doing it (and more, unfortunately).

Not that it matters but I'm wondering how common it is with teens. How do things look for your teens?

OP posts:
Ragwort · 07/10/2023 20:14

I'm not aware that my teen ever smoked weed .. obviously I don't know 100% .. I've never smoked it myself and am somewhat embarrassed to admit that I have no idea what people mean what they say 'you can smell the weed', I just wouldn't know despite being a student in the '70s and no doubt surrounded by weed smokers.

'Everyone' says that our local Secondary School is well known for drug dealing ... but my personal experience is that my DS wasn't involved ... he is very sporty so maybe his interests and energy was just involved in his sports team activities... he's now graduated from Uni and no weed smoking (again, only as far as I know & I fully appreciate that young adults keep a lot from their parents).

piintheski · 07/10/2023 20:15

teacher here, not common, never acceptable and extremely damaging - and that is before you even start on the child slavery involved in the industry

Ragwort · 07/10/2023 20:16

I've just re-read your comments .. you say 'not that it matters' .. does it really not matter to you that your DS has been smoking weed since he was 15?

FawnFrenchieMum · 07/10/2023 20:17

It’s rife around my DS17 friendship group and has been for a few years. DS went through a stage of it around 15 and we were really concerned about it but thankfully it stopped as quickly as it started. Now he comes home when ever his friends decide to go smoke.

halfthesun · 07/10/2023 20:17

My son smoked weed from 15 to 18. He does not smoke anything now. Tough couple of years including getting in trouble with police.

Original poster
1newname · 07/10/2023 20:18

That meant not that it matters how common it is, it's bad regardless how common/rare!

I don't know, is it because we're in London? It's definitely common in his group, and I've got a friend whose daughter was doing ketamine at 15. It's all so bloody sad.

OP posts:
LovelyMMOG · 07/10/2023 20:18

I know that my ds (18) has tried it. I’d be worried if it was a regular thing.

FawnFrenchieMum · 07/10/2023 20:19

Some of the kids involved are really sporty as well which surprises me and some of them are from the private school so not even a certain ‘type’ of teen.

Frequency · 07/10/2023 20:20

I have a 16yo and a 19yo. The 16yo has only just started smoking weed since she finished school and fell in with a new friendship group. The 19yo has smoked it intermittently for a couple of years.

I'd say it's very common in this area for teens to smoke weed.

Original poster
1newname · 07/10/2023 20:20

I pray that it stops because it's getting out of control. And just for information this is a group of middle class kids. Typical

OP posts:
YukoandHiro · 07/10/2023 20:20

It was pretty common when I was a teen in the 90s. Suspect it's even more common now considering widespread legalisation in other nations affecting attitudes

YukoandHiro · 07/10/2023 20:21

1newname · 07/10/2023 20:20

I pray that it stops because it's getting out of control. And just for information this is a group of middle class kids. Typical

In my experience (decades ago!) it's way more common among middle classes and private school kids were the most likely

ShowOfHands · 07/10/2023 20:21

I teach secondary as well and it's tough to know because I have a DD who is in y12 and very sensible. All of her friends and acquaintances are teetotal and spend their time playing Scrabble. But I know from talking to a couple of students from very different groups that they're convinced weed and alcohol are the norm. They're always agog that my DD and her friends go hiking and play chess for fun. They claim they know nobody who doesn't vape, smoke pot and drink to excess at a weekend.

So I guess it depends on who they mix with.

Original poster
1newname · 07/10/2023 20:23

It's really sad, he's becoming a waste of space. I've told him today if he carries on like this he has to leave at 18. I don't want to live with this, I grew up with drug addicts.

OP posts:
Original poster
1newname · 07/10/2023 20:25

I think it very much depends on their friendship group and unfortunately he's in a druggy one.

OP posts:
AlanJohnsonsBeemer · 07/10/2023 20:26

V common when I was a teen and v common amongst my DC and friends DC friendship groups, in different areas of the country.

I did worry as it is so strong now and tried to educate DS as best I could. He is 20 now and stopped last year in his 2nd year at uni, he decided it doesn’t suit him and he doesn’t actually like the feeling of being stoned.

WhateverMate · 07/10/2023 20:30

Very common here in London.

Most teens tend not to bother with alcohol though, as weed is much cheaper and very easy to get hold of.

SallyWD · 07/10/2023 20:36

When I was a teen in the 90s all my friends did it. Not all the time but maybe a couple of times a month.
I now work and live in a studenty area and I often smell weed. I do think it's common. I think there's a huge difference between having it now and then and smoking it all day, every day. The people I've known who are real "stoners" and smoke it all the time seem to become very lethargic and lazy. I say this from experience. My dad was one.

fortheloveofjamdoughnuts · 07/10/2023 20:42

1newname · 07/10/2023 20:18

That meant not that it matters how common it is, it's bad regardless how common/rare!

I don't know, is it because we're in London? It's definitely common in his group, and I've got a friend whose daughter was doing ketamine at 15. It's all so bloody sad.

Actually more common than people on here think.

Especially with the younger generation weed is seen as a much safer and calmer alternative to alcohol

Think how many kids tried smoking regular tobacco in your generation then just replace it with weed

Right or wrong, it IS common

Wrongsideoffifty · 07/10/2023 20:43

@FawnFrenchieMum and @halfthesun what do you think made the difference for your sons? What made them stop?

Original poster
1newname · 07/10/2023 20:45

See if he was just doing it socially/occasionally I wouldn't be worried. He's smoking every day. It's definitely a problem but despite many conversations he basically thinks it's fine, he's having a good time.

OP posts:
Ragwort · 07/10/2023 20:48

How does he pay for the weed? Does he have a part time job?

Angrymum22 · 07/10/2023 20:48

There is a lot of evidence that the current form of weed can increase the risk of schizophrenia in those who may be susceptible. DH has an uncle who developed the disorder in his 20s and it destroyed his life. I made sure that DS was aware that he may have an increased risk and he has so far avoided weed.
Unfortunately his cousin, who is the same age, has early signs that he is in the early stages of schizophrenia, the family are in denial and are trying to get a diagnosis of ASD but he has never fitted the symptoms. He has never smoked weed but it’s possible he has the genetic predisposition. It’s very sad, lockdown had a massive impact but he is showing all the symptoms his great uncle had.
DS did Alevel psychology and they studied schizophrenia as a topic. He has also made the connection with his cousins symptoms so is quite adamant that drugs aren’t for him. Unfortunately he is quite fond of alcohol, although showed no interest until he was 16/17, he didn’t like the taste.

Scutterbug · 07/10/2023 20:51

Very common round here. I’ve 4 young adult children. Two not ever been interested. One went through a phase at around 15 then decided they didn’t like it and isn’t interested now. The 4th smokes daily. I don’t like it BUT he’s bipolar and since he’s smoked daily he’s had no highs which were really dangerous as he would do really risky things. No idea if it’s connected.

Original poster
1newname · 07/10/2023 20:52

@Ragwort pocket money on and off (quite often off due to weed), birthday money. I give him lunch money but will be stopping this too as I'm obviously paying for his weed. Before anyone says it, I know I should have stopped money before but it's so bloody hard trying to get the balance right. I want him to stop but don't want him to feel neglected when all his friends are buying lunch.

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