AIBU about weed smokers

[martapolska]

I think that they are becoming more in common. Every time I walk around outside on the summer day I smell weed.

AIBU to think that we should not tolerate weed? It's an illegal drug!!

This did make me giggle though- Firstly I was selling something scientifically proven to be less damaging than alcohol-

Giggle away. It doesn't change anything.

I was waiting for the alcohol comparison, not to mention the 'most of them I still know and are fine' line

The truth is drug dealers are the lowest of the low. You can't justify selling drugs no matter what you say, so keep giggling away. That just shows my initial judgement was indeed correct.

You disgust me.

@LadyRussell we randomly tested staff at my last job and sacked a guy for testing positive he claimed he didn’t touch the stuff but had passively smoked it. Two tests were done and he failed both so that was the end of his career.

Personally hate the stuff, one of my neighbour smokes it and has all his windows open as he doesn’t want the smell in his home so yay I get the vile smell wafting into my home and garden instead.

I have MS and amount of people who said “oh you can smoke weed now and won’t get in trouble” was not only twatty but insensitive too considering I’m very anti drugs after watching friends destroy themselves with them

I'm of the "an occasional spliff is no worse than the occasional glass of wine" camp. As with anything excess is going to be an issue for a minority of people but if I remember correctly, the % of people who smoke weed and become stoners is far less than the % of people who drink alcohol and become alcoholics.

I quite like the cabbagey smell of weed and while I no longer smoke it, I quite like the nostalgia the smell brings with it - like the smell of rain on dust or the malteaser smell as you walk past a brewery. I associate the smell with youth, summer, music and being happy, footloose and fancy free.

The nauseating smell of skunk that's frequently smelt in our local, very posh town is everywhere. My daughter who did go to a fairly posh school said loads of the kids smoked it. Fortunately she's really not into the drink and drugs culture.

You poor thing, sounds like you need to go somewhere even posher

I don't see smoking weed in public/when you live in a flat or house that is close to other houses as being any different to smoming tobacco. It is antisocial and unpleasant. The air in Britain is dirty enough without this.

@tolid

Your opinion was set in stone from the moment I revealed I used to sell. And as I said, that's fine, you're entitled to an opinion, but that's what it is- an opinion- not the be all and end all.

I can guarantee if we ever met you wouldn't have a clue as to what I used to do.

And despite all I've said and the fact I am clearly in the "for" side of this debate, I also agree with some PP points of view.
Just because it's common doesn't mean it's legal.
Just because it's safer than alcohol doesn't mean it's safe.
Just because people are chilled out and relaxed on it doesn't mean it's acceptable to bring around children, or make your neighbours put up with it.

Live and let live.

taking drugs for recreational purposes is the definition of a serious no-life tragic total saddo.

you have a brain. Why mush it? And why make such a stink while doing it?

medication, yes - that is what drugs are for. But otherwise - what a bunch of losers. And as all drugs have side effects, to take them for no reason is really, really stupid. Sure, it helps the species when people die after gormlessly swallowing a pill at a festival, but there's really no need to go to those lengths.

and the illegal stuff costs lots and feeds crime. At least booze is taxed which goes a small way towards stomach pumping the Saturday saddos.

Why do folk smoke it on a daily basis?

for some because they like it and it ha a positive effect.

and also for others because they are addicted of course!

It's never going to be the same answer for all.

I personally very rarely use weed on a daily basis. Some weeks most nights, some weeks not at all. Depends on what else I'm doing and whether it occurs to me. I've been using it semi regularly since I was 14, so 30 years. (depending on what I've been doing in various parts of my life. For instance didn't have any whilst pregnant, breastfeeding or while looking after my kids. Because that's unfair)

I'm definitely not addicted though, even though I like it, I wouldn't worry if I didn't do it again. I freely admit I'm addicted to other things (sugar/social media in particular) but weed I'm not. It's kinda like the relationship I have with wine, and enjoy it sometimes, but wouldn't worry if I didn't have it again. Sometimes I fancy it, but I'm not compelled to drink it and I'd just get on with my life if it wasn't available to me anymore.

Ofcourse for some people wine is harmless, occasional and pleasurable . For others it's of course very harmful, addictive and "vile". The factors predetermining this are far more complicated than just the drug itself.

I can understand legislating to protect the vulnerable, so I'm not particularly worried about it being illegal. and I absolutely believe and sympathise with those that have seen it have bad affects on people. I can understand too that seeing a loved one being effected badly could lead you to generalise, out of the trauma of the experperience. But just wanted to add a voice to the thread that said that for some (and actually for many) it's no big deal.

It would be good instead of alcohol being legal and weed being illegal, they were both legal, but controlled, taxed for the benefit of all and society educated about them. But doubtful that that will ever happen. Not sure a society can manage that. I don't have the answers.

Someone else asked how I afford it? There's a great new device called a magic flight box (google it) that vaporises the weed rather than combusts it. So it stops the combustion/smoke factor, stopping it being harmful to your lungs, or needing to mix with tobacco. It also makes the weed last far far longer (an quarter has lasted me since christmas, so very cheap. £50 for 6 months) and means you can control the dose far easier. It also means it doesn't smell when your are vaping it so you aren't bothering anyone else. Anyone who likes weed , I'd advise to check it out.

I accept weed works for some people but not for me. I cant think straight off it, I absolutely cannot bear how it makes me feel.
I think for someone to have 'the odd spliff' theres nothing wrong with that, and some regular smokers can be very intelligent.
But the rest turn into paranoid, brain mush.
Why take the risk?
Ive a friend in mental health support & the amount of drug (weed) induced psychosis she has seen in in-patients is staggering.

CBD is a different kettle of fish.
Ditto hemp. But the strong skunk sold on the streets is sprayed with all kinds & the ratios are all skewiff so you wont get the benefits from that.

I cant bear it to be honest. Ive had a few exes who displayed paranoid controlling behaviour, was only ever the ones who smoked weed.

It is like gin in that Gin lane is back.

I guess those that use it daily are functioning drug addicts in the same way that those that regularly drink over the recommended alcohol limits are functioning alcoholics.

Totally fine Waves. I totally accept that it doesn't work for you. and totally accept that it for some it's dangerous to their mental health.

But for others it's harmless and beneficial. and the amount of people that it's harmless and beneficial for is massive and not necessarily particular visible, as they tend to be discreet and not particularly vocal about it (anonymous forums aside)

We watched a 999 What's your emergency together and they pulled a young driver who had last smoked 24 hours before, but still had it in his system. Lost his licence and his job

This is going to have to change. Cannibis can be detected for a long time after last using it even though the person will NOT be "under the influence". It's like being punished for drinking last week and driving when totally sober, it's wrong. In the states there is a blood level threshold where anything over that is considered a DUI.

It's the smell I HATE I think it smells like rotting cabbages. I don't care it's illegal I care about the revolting stink. I know others don't mind the smell but to me it is absolutely putrid. That's my main reason for not wanting it legalised

I get what you're saying Hoochy, and im not living in a bubble, quite a large proportion of my friends & family smoke it tbh, some every day.
I think what may help society more is the people who cant smoke it, like me, should accept it & not smoke it, instead of trying to keep up with the people who can.
Same as people who get violent after a drink shouldnt really drink. Im a happy drunk, and never get a hangover.
We all have beautifully unique biochemistry & as everything affects us differently, its working out what works best for an individual.
But i think for alot of the people smoking weed for health benefits they may do better vaping CBD or something similar.
I actually use hemp protein powder on a regular basis (no thc in there ha)

I love the smell

But hired a cleaner once and she smoked it constantly. Couldn’t believe the lack of care for work or motivation

Definitely an end of the night, rare occasion for me

Love the whole 'I have no evidence but it's DESTROYING YOUR BRAIN' schtick. Read some studies, why don't you? Weed's been legal in Colorado and Washington state for 5 years and countless studies have been done on the physical and social effects. There has been zero upturn in hospital or mental health admissions and a substantial downturn in violent crime and opioid addiction.

When skunk (weed with high THC content) is smoked by a young teen with the genetic predisposition to schizophrenia there is a 1 in 28,000 chance of it being a catalyst. Legalisation would eliminate this sort of weed, making this group safer. Alcohol also acts as a catalyst for mental health problems, btw, and unlike weed is heavily physically addictive, not just habit forming.

Yes, I have the odd smoke in my own back garden after the kids are asleep in lieu of a glass of wine, mainly because I've seen first hand the horrors of alcohol dependency and try to avoid it wherever possible. My husband and I are both professionals and live responsible, community-focused lives - so like most others we're not part of any 'stoner culture'.

Like any drug, misuse leads to problems in life - though paranoia is still a far cry from cirrhosis of the liver, alcoholism and heart failure.

Quizzly, i think the legal stuff over there is different to the super strength skunk in my city. I see gangs of young lads barely able to string a sentence together of it.
I can barely string a sentence together of it!
You can give me all the studies you like, but i know how it makes me feel, and ive seen first hand the impact on many other people, and everyone i know has a relative whos gone west off it.
Having said that, yes agree the same for alcohol, and other drugs.
Hence why it works for some people & not for others.
I dont need to read studies to know it destroys my brain. But each individuals experience is different. Im agreeing it works for you, & many people i know, but please dont patronise me or minimise my own personal experiences.

and I freely admit that I'm an educated, with relatively stable mental health, am well supported by family and friends and pretty financially stable person, so many of the societal risk factors associated to a negative outcomes in substance use are not there for me, so that's maybe why I've found it harmless. Those not so privileged or with as many choices might not have the same experience. There are many many ideas, models and philosophies as to how to legislate to protect the vulnerable in society and of course, they are polarising and depend on your political stance and your personal experiences. I wouldn't want to be the one making and enforcing the rules certainly .

Not saying alcohol is great however of 4 shifts I have worked this week 2 have been spent dealing solely with drug induced psychosis in young men due to skunk. Skunk is linked to people trafficking alcohol is not. I completely agree with medicinal cannabis which has the thc removed. The stuff that is out there is not like that, cannabis is now grown in such a way to make it as strong as possible, it's really dangerous now and the old adage about cannabis users being chilled and not wanting to fight is just not true anymore

Hoochy what an intelligent balanced answer. There really are so many variables at play other than
Its amazing!
Its evil!
Its an extremely complex subject.

@Wavescrashingonthebeach
Apologies, I wasn't trying to patronise you or diminish your experiences, I'm simply fed up with the hysteria surrounding weed legalisation.

My desire to see it legalised is primarily to take it out of the hands of drug dealers, getting it legally produced and legislated exactly so that it can't be produced in the strength it is currently. I'd like to see strict controls over 'drug driving' and medical checks for the vulnerable members of society, but sadly whilst it's illegal it will continue to be misused and unregulated.

Legalisation won't make it more popular - 1 in 3 British people have already used illegal drugs in their lifetime and 98% of those have used marijuana. That's not changing, so society needs to step up and make sure vulnerable people are protected with actual rules and guidelines on the production and distribution side. The taxes raised would do wonders for the NHS too!

Interesting Tolid, weed dealers who sell weed to consenting adults are the lowest of the low?

Couple of questions - lower than child abusers? Really? My moral compass obviously differs.

Two - do you judge publicans and off licence workers, hell even bar staff?

Quizzly. It’s exactly the same stuff.

Whatever the youths in your are are smoking that stops them being able to speak almost certainly isn’t weed.

I hate weed because I have seen the effects of it close up - the persons who used it regularly didn't have any major mental health issues, but they were dreadfully slow. A real PITA to be around. I can't stand the way cigarette and weed addicts will kid themselves that they're not addicted. If you smoke everyday, then you're addicted.
I still think it should be legalised though. It would make it safer, it would take away a LOT of money from criminal organisations, it would be taxed. People don't use drugs more just because they are legal - look at the dry cities in the USA in the 30s, they weren't successful in reducing alcohol consumption and addiction. For some people, using mind altering substances is something they enjoy and crave, they've existed since humans themselves came into existence.
Doesn't mean that it's a good idea to use them!