Originally Posted by
duet_4-8 
I'm sorry that you were offended, Kimm. I am coming in late here, but I just wanted to offer you this: this board is filled with people whose lives have been ripped apart by the addiction of a loved one. Most of us see any drug as the enemy, including pot. Many of our addicts, mine included, once 'only smoked pot'.
In the case of my ex husband, when he (and I) was your age I wouldn't have said he had a problem with pot, either. I would have defended anyone's right to smoke it and said it was not dangerous. I would just caution you, and this is said without criticism and with honest concern, that over the years a casual use of this drug can turn into a nightmare.
My exah is 53 now and spent every single day of his life up until he was about 47 stoned from morning till evening. A joint was his first thought in the morning and his last thought at night. He could not do ANYTHING without it. He went nuts when he ran out. He spent untold amounts of money on it and embezzled untold inventory from our business to trade for it. I believe he would have happily continued smoking 24/7 if not for the obvious smell of it. So he turned to opiates instead. Much 'cleaner' and less noticeable than smoking pot......
Now he has lost his home, his family, his business, and himself. I agree with others who say that a drug is a drug and has the potential to ruin many lives. Even pot.
Thanks for the response. I am also one of those people whose lives have been ripped apart by drugs. Both of my parents were addicts while I was growing up (and still are), my older cousin is an addict and his mom is an alcoholic so I'm very familiar with the effects that addiction can have on people and families.
I'm also not disagreeing that pot CAN be a problem for some people just as alcohol CAN be a problem for some people. I would never in any way want to trivialize or minimize the horrible experiences people have had with marijuana.
I guess my point is (as someone else stated in this thread) that some people are not necessarily as prone to addictive behaviors as others. Many people go their entire lives being able to have an occassional alcoholic drink without a problem and many people also go their entire lives being able to smoke marijuana occassionally without any problem as well. It would be completely absurd to tell someone who has the occassional beer that they're just "in denial" about their alcohol addiction...and in my opinion it's the same with marijuana.
Marijuana is a drug and it can ruin lives....but in my opinion it is not anywhere close to being in the same category as cocaine, heroin, etc. It just lacks chemical agents that these other drugs contain. I think it is perfectly okay for someone to occassionally smoke marijuana just as I think it's perfectly okay for someone to have the occassional alcoholic drink.
Nobody has to agree with me....but if you disagree I simply ask that you do it respectfully
