In having conversations with people recently I get the impression that many over 40 do not fully understand that culture of weed that exists today among the younger crowd (of which I've been told many times on here I am nowhere near being a member).

 

I tell people that weed today with young adults/teenagers is like beer was to those of us who grew up in the 70s. I remember that only "certain kids" smoked weed when I was in high school. You cannot make that distinction now. You cannot make general statements about the "type" of kid that now smokes weed. Us old guys try to rationalize it as saying "sure we drank before we were 21 but alcohol is legal where weed is not legal at any age." That argument doesn't fly with them. They look at weed and alcohol as the same thing with one having a better lobbying effort in DC.

 

We can debate the whys, hows, and whens but we cannot debate that it's here.

 

Agree or disagree?

 

Thoughts?

In my experience over the last 20 years marijuana use is much more prevalent than most non-smokers realize.

In my experience over the last 20 years marijuana use is much more prevalent than most non-smokers realize.

 

Do you feel the use of it is growing?

Agreed. I actually had this exact same discussion with my parents a couple of years ago when one of my aunt and uncle caught one of younger cousins smoking pot in high school. My parents were absolutely shocked that he could have possibly "gotten so far off track" that he was smoking pot. I was trying to explain that "that far off track" in the 21st century was not entirely in-equivalent to the guys who'd sneak their old man's Wiedemanns back in their day.

I must have been a 1970s outlier.

I must have been a 1970s outlier.

 

*nky_harry grabs a dictionary to find the definition of "outlier."*

 

 

 

:confused:

Anyone who thinks smoking weed isn't very common among youth needs to remove their head from the sand. I'm 28 and I'd estimate half of my graduating class smoked weed at least once a month during their latter years of high school and early college years. I know doctors, lawyers, engineers, etc. who smoke weed on at least a fairly common basis. I personally think nothing of seeing it or smelling it and don't think any less of someone who smokes. The analogy Clyde uses in the opening post nails it.

 

I tell people that weed today with young adults/teenagers is like beer was to those of us who grew up in the 70s. I remember that only "certain kids" smoked weed when I was in high school. You cannot make that distinction now. You cannot make general statements about the "type" of kid that now smokes weed.

 

Also, I grew up in a dry county, it was MUCH easier for a 16-18 year old high school student to score a joint than a beer. Remember, drug dealers don't card or have to worry about the ABC. Plus you couldn't find someone to simply walk in the store and buy you some beer.

 

I feel marijuana use will continue to rise.

I went to high school and college in the 70's. Herb was not overly prevalent in high school (maybe 10% of kids occasionally got high.) Pot was very common in college (I would estimate 50% or more occassionally imbibed.) I saw many more kids get in trouble, fights, wrecks and generally do stupid things to mess up their lives on alcohol than on pot.

I think it's only a matter of time before it is fully legalized. It's become the norm with the younger generations. I think those opposing it now are just being obstinate.

I went to high school and college in the 70's. Herb was not overly prevalent in high school (maybe 10% of kids occasionally got high.) Pot was very common in college (I would estimate 50% or more occassionally imbibed.) I saw many more kids get in trouble, fights, wrecks and generally do stupid things to mess up their lives on alcohol than on pot.

 

First bold - same experience as me.

Second bold - opposite experience as me. Much higher percentage of the regular pot smokers in college went on to addictions that ruined their lives - or at least periods of time within them - than did regular alcohol drinkers. Just my experience though.

In the past few years, I realized weed is a lot more prevalent than I thought. So many peoples parents do it and a lot of older people that are in the workforce that I never would of thought do it as well. Weed is getting to be much more dominant in today's society. It is more dominant with my generation-personal experience-including me than alcohol is. I am in the same boat as formerky, I grew up in a dry county, weed is much easier to get for younger kids.

I went to high school and college in the 70's. Herb was not overly prevalent in high school (maybe 10% of kids occasionally got high.) Pot was very common in college (I would estimate 50% or more occassionally imbibed.) I saw many more kids get in trouble, fights, wrecks and generally do stupid things to mess up their lives on alcohol than on pot.

 

I had never heard of a dry county until I came to Morehead in 1973 for college. Heck, Sunday was ladies day where I grew up - 10% discount on alcohol for ladies. Marijuana was very prevalent in the 'burbs of Baltimore.

I'd say over 50% of my graduating class smoked at least once, and that is probably an understatement. I graduated last year,and the feeling about weed is that it is normal for a kid to smoke, and they aren't viewed differently unless getting high becomes your main focus.

I grew up in a dry county, saw many, many people smoke pot. Seems to me they were always drinking as well. Being from a dry county didn't make it hard to get alcohol. Actually it was easier to get beer when it was dry, than when they voted it wet, bootleggers didn't check ID's either.

Do you feel the use of it is growing?

 

Absolutely. And when people turn a blind eye to it, I shake my head. It's really a gateway drug to stuff that is so much worse for kids.