The People I Know Who Smoke Weed
Note: I realize that this is a rather simplistic take on the whole thing. I don’t go into statistics or great detail, but the subject doesn’t call for it. When faced with considering whether this pot-stuff is good or bad, it’s pretty open-and-shut. I have no problem with smoking if that’s what somebody wants to do, I am merely pointing out that like everything in life there are consequences. Also, this is based on my first hand experience, which is, like all firsthand experience, limited by how many people I know.
Comfortable
Comfortable wherever they are, in whatever situation they are. If they live in squalor, then they are fine with it. They are fine with unpaid bills, with mooching and screwing people over. They are completely ok living with piles of dirty laundry, unwashed dishes, with being dependent and lazy. There is no imperative to do anything write now though they can plan like hell. They can make lists and talk about shit they are going to do. I would say that the emotional imperative to be concerned is gone, the ability to be decisive, or the need to be decisive is also gone. Their conscience is now purely intellectual. It’s as if they only do anything because they know they should, not because they feel they should.
Slow
They are slow to pick up on hints, or on anything subtle. Now, because I didn’t know them before they smoked weed I can’t say for sure whether this is a product of it or not, but they are slower, on average, than the people I know who don’t smoke. It could also be that they are thinking about smoking, instead of thinking about what is being said to them.
They can hold off
The idea that weed is not addictive comes from the fact that they can pause their intake for a stretch of time. Long enough to get clean to do a drug test, long enough to convince somebody that they are no longer smoking. They always go back though. It is a crutch. I would compare it to an average drinker who is not an alcoholic, but who enjoys alcohol. It is still a kind of addiction, but not the chemical-dependency kind, more along the lines of returning to something you enjoy if there is not a more important goal in mind.
Fairly cool under pressure
This is true, though it comes across as just not getting it, not understanding the situation. There are situations in life in which the only logical reaction is to feel stressed. Feeling stressed may not help things out, but the fact is that you should be because there is bad stuff going on. It’s human. So yes, I am saying that potheads don’t really act like regular people.
They tend to be identity-seekers
They like the idea of smoking as much as, or maybe more than, the THC itself. Would-be gangstas, would-be hippies, would-be anarchists, all taking pride in the fact that they are smoking an illegal substance. They smoke because they want an identity. They are being defiant and rebellious. This is them defying the government and their parents. They like to wear stuff with weed on it, or Rastafarian insignia, like a brand to ensure that people know they smoke. They like being around other smokers so that they can they can feel like part of a clique as they smoke.
Why it should not be legalized
For one thing, it could be done if they were motivated enough. Anything can be made legal with a motivated movement behind it. Look at the relative success of gay marriage. Are you telling me that gayness, which is strictly forbidden by the popular religions, is more acceptable in a country full of zealots than cannabis, which isn’t mentioned at all? The fact that it doesn’t look hopeful in the near future possibly says something about why it should not be legalized. It kind of fits with the perception of lazy slowpokes who would rather wallow than accomplish. Maybe the reluctance of the government to legalize it is just a test to see how much opposition they will face. They predict that the potheads will just say “fuck it” and go home to hit the bong if they meet a little opposition, and they have been correct so far. Apart from the fact that all kinds of law enforcement people would be put out of work, it might seriously affect the national ability to get anything done.
