Weed use is often generational

[beesandstrawberries]

I feel like every person I know who smokes weed, they do because their family members smoke it and they have ‘normalised’ it their entire life. And they have continued to ‘allow’ their children to smoke it and it often ends up with them smoking together.

My dad grew up with his parents being into the ‘party’ scene - this meant that my dad ended up smoking weed (and doing worse) with his weirdo parents from the age of 13. Unfortunately, my brother and sister grew up to smoke weed and started smoking from 16 with my dad. It’s like people who have parents who smoke, you’re brought up to be immune to that and think it’s ‘normal’. My ex was similar, done all kinds of substances with his own mum growing up and continues to go and smoke with her each night after work.

It’s not normal, but when these parents normalise it - these kids think it is normal. It’s so unfortunate because they will continue to do it with their own children, then their children and so on. It’s a vicious cycle that’s not spoken about enough.

That's not exactly a revelation, is it? Kids pick up all sorts of horrible habits from their parents, such as drug abuse, smoking, drinking and forming abusive relationships.

That’s sort of the way it works! Friends DC is smoking weed at 15 and they aren’t bothered because they did the same at that age and in their 20s.
I don’t and our DC don’t smoke and there would be serious consequences if they did at their age now!

More likely that parents who are smoking weed AROUND there children are more likely to have kids who smoke weed because there parenting is clearly lacking.
I smoke weed but only when my kids are at their dads house and I wouldn't openly talk about it in front of them etc because they're kids

From people I know I'd say it's about 40% 'i grew up around weed and smoked with my parents/family' and 60% "nothing to do with family who actually disapprove of any illegal drug but maybe parents smoked cigarettes'.

I don't have kids but tbh if I did they probably would rebel against me and think smoking weed was absolutely tragic!

I said YABU not because I think you're wrong about it being generational - my whole family smoke weed including my parents. But I don't agree it's 'not normal'. I don't view it as any worse than alcohol. I have a teenager who doesn't and hasn't smoked weed yet - we have had very open conversations about the dangers of smoking at a young age, the impact on memory and cognition while you're in the middle of education, the impact on motivation and energy for someone who is sporty - he's in possession of all the facts as I see them and is not interested. We also have similar conversations about alcohol and other drugs. I've never believed in 'just say no' approaches - the reason people use substances both legal and illegal is because they are fun and meet a need. If you can talk openly with your kids about the reasons why people use substances you will foster more openness. It wouldn't bother me if my DS smokes weed in the future as long as it was in moderation and when he has reached full maturity. But if he chooses to try it while he's still a teenager it may be my fault or it may not - most teenagers who smoke weed don't come from a family where it was normalised so it doesn't follow that that is the reason they start!

Hard disagree. My dp and I indulge sometimes. Neither of our parents did.

It's peer influence mostly.

Weed isn't weed like when we were older teens now well not most of it it's strong, too strong.

It affects a growing brain in different ways.

So whilst we might have smoked weed a bit when younger we have talked to our teens about the stinky stuff and explained it's not the same substance.