to think that smoking weed is distasteful?

[TheSeventhHorcrux]

My best friend recently revealed that she smokes a lot of weed, as does her new boyfriend and most of her friends.
My OH also knows a lot of weed-smokers but doesn't himself.
It seems like it is more common than I thought, a little like smoking tobacco.

I have never smoked weed (which means that I'm not allowed to judge in my best friends opinion) and do think less of people who do.

It stinks, kills brain cells and, of course, is illegal.

If you need to relax have a cup of tea, do some yoga or some other legal, less smelly hobby.

AIBU to dislike weed and the casual attitude surrounding this drug?

(be nice! I'm not an evil witch trying to squash fun)

I think the fact that the people who are singing the praises of it, tend to be the ones who are saying 'it helps me reduce my anti depressants' or 'helps me sleep without needing sleeping pills' or 'helps me chill out because I'm uptight' kind of speaks volumes.
I guess it seems the lesser of two evils but that doesn't make it an intelligent choice

If you don't like it don't have some, I doubt someone will force you to.

The plant was around long before humans walked the earth, it will be here after we depart, making it illegal only makes people more determined to access it, it's even more silly than prohibition, and will never work.

Many animals self medicate with it, male elephants use it to calm themselves when they are getting horny, apes, monkeys, wolves, many animals have been observed using it.

Many medical conditions are treated with it, it works fantastically as pain relief for some chronic illness,

It gets used for people with cancer, it's used endless medically, I'm very grateful to the people who supplied it to my sisters and I in the beginning of the 90's, as our mother neared the end of her life, we stirred it in to a little yogurt, the relief to her was amazing, she was not someone who would of ever thought she would of had some, she stressed terrible about it, but once she felt relief for the first time in months of sheer hell, she became rather keen on the idea, much to our amusement and dads (he got over his reaction to idea when he saw his beloved dying wife without pain) , she was a senior social worker. we were tipped off to try it by a doctor, it made a massive difference to mum.

Pharmaceutical companies want to make money out of it, as do gangs, and terrorist, If it wasn't illegal , then no one will buy it off these people, and those who do want it can grow their own, and in places where this happens, people grow much weaker stuff.

Having been around very stoned people and very pissed peole I'd take the stoners any day, ime they tend to be more chilled and less inclined to violent or anti social behaviour. That said I'd probably choose not to be around anyone who had done either to huge excess these days. to a reasonable recreational level then booze or weed are fine, either one.

I don't smoke but I love the smell, very sweet, like incense. I think people should probably mind their own business unless someone's activity is infringing on your own wellbeing.

If people find that cannabis use improves their health / levels of pain, with fewer side effects than prescribed medication, then using cannabis seems like a reasonable thing to do. And not "unintelligent", as far as I am concerned.

Ruling out using something that improves your quality of life when you are unwell, on the basis of a politically arrived at (arguably outdated and incorrect) legal framework is unintelligent, or at the very least closed minded.

I had a friend who would often roll what i'd assume was a fag then it would turn out to be a spliff when i was round hers.

It was annoying because then my clothes (inc. my coat) and my hair would smell of dope before work the next day, also i was passive smoking it.

She never asked if i minded (or offered me any either!). I soon stopped visiting, especially as she wanted me to be her drinking buddy too when i was trying to avoid too much alcohol.

Plus i had a flatmate who was a stoner and she would never let us all know before stinking the flat out.

Personally i tried it when i was young and smoked a bit but not for too long, i liked it too much and i knew i'd get addicted. Plus i didn't want to start smoking full stop.

I smoke weed fairly regularly. Last year, I developed a medical condition which could have cost me my vision (the cause was unrelated to smoking weed).

A factor in me regaining my sight was the fact that cannabis acts as an anti-inflammatory, and lowers blood pressure, both of which aided my recovery.

I do wish public attitude against it was less prejudiced, as I believe it could have many medical applications, but it isn't used because it is illegal, and illegal is perceived as bad. I don't think that is necessarily the case.

YANBU to think what you like about weed smoking. I don't like smoking and I'm not keen on the sheesham trend.

That said, I smoked a shedload of the the stuff in my early to mid 20s. I don't have a mental health condition. I do have motivation (went through promotions while still smoking it). I never smoked with tobacco. When smoking I only ever did it in the evenings and drank little to no alcohol.

I don't do it now because unfortunately hanging about with the sort of people who tend to sell it is incompatible with what I do for a living. If it was legal, I'd drink a lot less gin

I do acknowledge there are those it doesn't agree with (though the same could be said for alcohol with probably a much larger group).

As for apathy or paranoia, the only people I've ever encountered with those issues had it already, so it amplified their problems. Especially with apathy - they wanted an excuse and weed gave it to them.

I do think that those who are already predisposed to mental health problems might be the same who seek out ways to improve the way they feel, meaning that the figures about mental health problems in relation to drug use are probably skewed. And of course there is no knowing what might have happened to them if they hadn't been using any drugs.

I also know plenty of healthy, happy professionals, many of whom run their own companies, have perfectly 'normal' lives and are enviably happy and smoke a fair amount of weed - I think those who do it consider it to be similar to drinking alcohol, and the stigma of the legal position does make it seem much more subversive and than it actually is.

I too think it's disgusting.
When I was younger a few friends of mine smoked it. The smell alone made me retch so there was no way I was going to try it.

One of the reasons I chose to go out with DH when we were younger was because he never touched the stuff either. So many lads we knew did so I loved the fact that DH didn't feel the need to follow the herd. I honestly couldn't have gone anywhere near a lad who did any kind of drugs.

I get really annoyed when I'm at work in my shop and customers come in stinking of the stuff. I don't understand how they can just brazenly go out without any embarrassment about how they smell. I really struggle to serve them as I have to hold my breath or I'll start retching. I have had to throw up at work after a lad completely stunk the shop out.

Do any weed smokers here not realise how vile the smell is? Oh and it's not even on a par with booze of fags in the stink stakes.

May I please beg weed smokers to not leave the house if you're going to smoke the stuff. No one else wants to smell it.

YANBU to hate it.

YANBU to point out it's illegal.

YANBU to acknowledge that, like a lot of things, it can be dangerous to some people in small doses, and is pretty much a BAD thing for everyone in large doses.

YABU to find it 'distasteful'. I simply think that's the incorrect word.

I find alcoholics tragic, I am wary of those who drink way way too much and think nothing of it or those who think alcohol is 'harmless' (for the record I probably drink over the gov guidelines in general, but I still believe there's a time and a place - and sobriety should be 'the norm' in a 24 hr day!)

I think too much alcohol is unhealthy, I think some people shouldn't drink AT ALL (my brother - him and alcohol simply do not mix). I think you can have fun without alcohol, Ithink you can relax without alcohol. I do not think relying on alcohol is a good thing. I have no issue with those who are teetotal, I don't even need to know their reason.

Exchange the above 'alcohol' references and there you go.

From your OP your friends spend too much time 'not sober' their drug of choice is weed. They are no different than anyone who doesn't fall into the addict category yet spends too much time not sober.

Can you tell I like weed? I would, if 'weed' (homegrown and rather weak by preference) were legal, forsake alcohol forever. I like a drink, but I like weed more. I also keep myself in check (alcohol or weed) and would worry if I wasn't sober most of the time! For the record, I don't smoke weed so much these days purely for the fact that's illegal, and when I became a parent, I took less risks, cared more about my 'slate' being clean and it wasn't a massive thing to sacrifice, I aslo drink less, swear less etc.,

I would like to be able to grow a couple of plants, to enjoy them, as one would a fine cigar. I do not think that makes me 'distasteful' or a criminal.

However, purely on your experiences with your friends YANBU, but my friends are not distasteful, weed if not in itself distasteful, your friends attitudes could be distasteful if they don't give a shit that they're more stoned than not, and their actions are irresponsible.

YANBU to feel there's nothing more boring than a friend who's constantly off thei face, regardless of their poison.

I've given up smoking, so now my annual 'spliff' (without children around, usually when fishing at sea with my brother!) is a cookie. I look on it as a fine treat and remain unapologetic, because it's something I occassionally enjoy.

The problem is rarely the herb you use, but rather, how a person uses it.

Personal ignorance, irresponsibility and denial is the issue... addiction is the effect of THAT, not the drug. Every drug has possible side effects, the infortunate few will suffer even from paracetamol, doesn't make it evil.

Oh good grief. I apologise sincerely for THAT!! ^ (it's late, I'm sober, I'd love a spliff)

HollyBerryBush. I've never taken an illegal substance and I judge those who do. I await someone to come along and tell me they are 73 and it eases their arthritis

What if they told you they were 33 and it eased their multiple sclerosis, Holly? Would you still judge?

I know plenty of over 60's who have found it's the cheapest and most effective option for their health issues... but anecdotal evidence is neither here nor there.

There has been extensive research into it's potential benefits, and well, you can google if you wish, I'm not going to list them, but their are FAR more then alcohol.

Unfortunately, as a medical drug, cannabis isn't profitable enough, taxable enough or controlable enough to permit. That doesn't make it invalid as a very efficient and excellent medicine.

Though that's not why I like it. (though the fact it gives me wonderful relief from my scholiosis induced pain is a brucey bonus).

I'm ok with people judging me on it. I don't really even give those people a second thought. I hope they enjoy their outrage

My childminder's next door neighbour often smokes it in the garden when the minded kids are in my CM's garden. She was doing it when I picked him up yesterday. Shows no respect for someone else's business and children/people in my opinion.

One of my friends smokes it. I have no problem with it because she has struggled with excruciating back pain, which powerful prescription drugs and surgery hasn't even touched. She was a different person when she had her first puff. It was like she had never had that level of pain. She now manages her back pain with the old hedge (grass or bud) and paracetamol.

The transformation is astounding and I'm very rarely surprised.

Wasn't there a big uproar with Prince Charles years back? IIRC he was at an MS society function and he got talking to a sufferer in a wheelchair. I think she was telling him about the pain she was in most days and he'd asked her if she'd ever tried cannabis. Before you know it, there was loads of people saying they were angry that he'd have the audacity to suggest such a thing etc etc.

TBH, if I had to deal with people at a party, I'd rather deal with those who had smoked weed than someone who was drunk.

Cannabis as a medical tool, fine.
But you don't catch people taking morphine casually.

Im not depressed nor do i have trouble sleeping. Every now and again, i enjoy a spliff, or a glass of wine. My old friends know as most of them do/did. Most of my new friends don't know. Its never come up in conversation and i don't feel the need to shout about it to look 'cool'.

It is illegal but there are many laws out there that are wrong bedroom tax anyone?

i used to do it , untill i hit 19 and got pregnant with ds1. i tried once more at 21 as a fair way smoke to my best friend who died. i found i no longer had the mental health for it. even if i had i wouldnt. i grew up. imo it something you do if your young or have no children.

the ex has pst and has been prescribed weed to h elp. (usa) it makes no sence to me to give weed to some one who is parinoied as it is and suffer crazy thoughts.

i have a friend who is 30. works non stop. two jobs a week. one in t he day and one at night, he has no responabiltys and likes the odd splif to wind down. that i have no problem with. hes hard working and it isnt hurting anyone else or putting any one else at risk. other situations i would judge.

Also i think its worth noting that the op didn't even know these people smoked weed. So i guess the drug hasn't obviously impacted their life.

BuggerLumpsAnnoyed - I see my best friend about three times a year.

It's difficult to know much about people's behaviour/lives through a phone call.

I live in a country where homosexuality is illegal. Does that mean I ought to automatically find it 'distasteful'?

Not a very logical comparison as homosexual identity is not a choice.
Btw I think the ops use of the word distasteful is not the best choice. I personally feel sorry for people with a medical condition who need weed because other medications don't work. That's shit. People who use weed recreationally, well, it's on a par with people who need a fag of drink to relax and be sociable really. I certainly don't think it's any worse.

But according to the legislators of the country in which I live, it is.