4 ms·

I mostly agree with that, but I think we should definitely still be telling teens not to smoke pot, or really take any psychoactive drugs. And I say this as so

I mostly agree with that, but I think we should definitely still be telling teens not to smoke pot, or really take any psychoactive drugs. And I say this as someone who has done a lot of them. Given that a lot of adults find it impossible to use drugs responsibly, teens definitely should be avoiding them. I also think we should be doing it honestly and not telling them that their brain is going to immediately leak out of their ears and they're going to start turning tricks on corners to pay for their next hit. "Hey, pot is going to temporarily make you dumber. Maybe don't use it a lot while you're trying to get through school. Thanks."

sigi45 8y ago
We should also tell them not to drink alcohol.
- geff82 8y ago
  I do and live by my words.
toyg 8y ago
> we should definitely still be telling teens not to smoke pot, or really take any psychoactive drugs. And I say this as someone who has done a lot of them. Man has this annoying tendency not to believe facts unless they are experienced directly. You can tell teens what you want and they will still do what they want, especially if they know you did the same and ended up alright. I agree that honesty is the best policy, teenagers can smell hypocrisy from miles. Another good policy is to make experimentation safe, so everyone can make his or her mind up without risking potentially fatal or life-altering contact with the worst elements of society. I personally think public education should also have a dedicated subject on the topic of addiction, be it to drugs, food, gambling, videogames, and whatnot. An economic system based on profit will inevitably thrive on addiction, often at the expense of public health. Surviving contact with addictive impulses is a life skill that gets more and more essential every day.
- mbrock 8y ago
  Teens also have this horribly annoying tendency to go on the internet and find other points of views. Like, I remember finding that essay where Carl Sagan explains how sensible cannabis smoking helped him appreciate art and music, gave him good ideas for articles and books, and was generally a hell of a nice time.
  - toyg 8y ago
    Absolutely. The main problem is exactly that - pretty much everything is good, in moderation.
    - vokep 8y ago
      This, sort of. Everything can be good, in moderation, maybe. For some people though, it's best they don't drink or smoke pot or whatever else. For others, maybe they have such an un-addictive personality they can "safely" try meth or heroin or cocaine every now and then. Like it or not, reality is nuanced...
noobly 8y ago
I agree with what you have to say, but here: >"Hey, pot is going to temporarily make you dumber. Maybe don't use it a lot while you're trying to get through school. Thanks." You're inviting devil's advocates here though, maybe rephrase it as "pot may make you dumber". Otherwise, I think you may be providing some with a goal, something to prove. I didn't enjoy finding out my health class was dead wrong about marijuana's effects and this was certainly solid motivation to get into it at that time.

sigi45 8y ago

We should also tell them not to drink alcohol.

geff82 8y ago
I do and live by my words.

toyg 8y ago

> we should definitely still be telling teens not to smoke pot, or really take any psychoactive drugs. And I say this as someone who has done a lot of them. Man has this annoying tendency not to believe facts unless they are experienced directly. You can tell teens what you want and they will still do what they want, especially if they know you did the same and ended up alright. I agree that honesty is the best policy, teenagers can smell hypocrisy from miles. Another good policy is to make experimentation safe, so everyone can make his or her mind up without risking potentially fatal or life-altering contact with the worst elements of society. I personally think public education should also have a dedicated subject on the topic of addiction, be it to drugs, food, gambling, videogames, and whatnot. An economic system based on profit will inevitably thrive on addiction, often at the expense of public health. Surviving contact with addictive impulses is a life skill that gets more and more essential every day.

mbrock 8y ago
Teens also have this horribly annoying tendency to go on the internet and find other points of views. Like, I remember finding that essay where Carl Sagan explains how sensible cannabis smoking helped him appreciate art and music, gave him good ideas for articles and books, and was generally a hell of a nice time.
- toyg 8y ago
  Absolutely. The main problem is exactly that - pretty much everything is good, in moderation.
  - vokep 8y ago
    This, sort of. Everything can be good, in moderation, maybe. For some people though, it's best they don't drink or smoke pot or whatever else. For others, maybe they have such an un-addictive personality they can "safely" try meth or heroin or cocaine every now and then. Like it or not, reality is nuanced...

noobly 8y ago

I agree with what you have to say, but here: >"Hey, pot is going to temporarily make you dumber. Maybe don't use it a lot while you're trying to get through school. Thanks." You're inviting devil's advocates here though, maybe rephrase it as "pot may make you dumber". Otherwise, I think you may be providing some with a goal, something to prove. I didn't enjoy finding out my health class was dead wrong about marijuana's effects and this was certainly solid motivation to get into it at that time.