I also know and lived with roommates for whom marijuana was a real problem. The kind of person who would smoke every day, even coming home on their lunch break and taking some bong hits. I've seen them get fired from work. I've seem them completely disregard the things that need need done. I've seem how irritable they can be when they're not blazed. They may not be chemically addicted, but they surely feel as though they need to smoke for whatever reason.
None of this is to argue for or against, but the "harmless marijuana" trope is a little much. Any substance will be abused by some and will cause harm to some.
Sure, I might be happier if my past self saved even more money, lived a vegan lifestyle, or learned to play an instrument. But, I don't think it's a problem that I have failed to optimize for making this second of my life be the best it could be.
(Many people into meditation had at some point used drugs, but eventually decided they were at best a distraction and at worst actively harmful).
Thank you for this reframing! I believe that it is useful and will likely use it in the future.
More often than not, the 'relaxed lifestyle smokers', myself included, did so primarily to numb the stress in their head, whether caused by work stress, personal issues, social anxiety, etc.
Basically, it's often more to cope than to relax, at least in my experience and that of my surroundings.
But exceptions always exist, of course. I just think it's good to be cautious with anything that seems to offer a quick solution to a difficult problem (being at peace / relaxed).
So, if parity is not enough and everyone must be a net contributer, well that's a cog.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acedia
Kathleen Norris wrote a book titled with the same name, and one of the things you notice about monastic life is that it's very spiritually dangerous, and often leads to a lot of abuses.
I was talking with a co-worker about US laws in general and he mentioned something I'd never thought of. Many of the laws we pass, speed limits, alcohol tax, prohibition, .08 legal driving limit, etc are designed for the lowest common denominator. Meaning, we pass laws based on the worst case scenario. It seems like it's illegal to do just about anything these days.
Let's fix the potholes before we go after the pot users.
This is a symptom of this:
>> They may not be chemically addicted
When people who smoke weed on a regular basis stop, the effects are similar to nicotine withdrawal - irritability, anxiety, fatigue and difficulty concentrating.
>> but the "harmless marijuana" trope is a little much.
I agree and would also add that when people are forced to consider statistics of people driving while high has increased dramatically in places like Washington and Colorado, their only response is, "Well drunk drivers kill way more people than people driving high." as some way to justify that it's ok.
What roles, in what areas, have they risen to in this time?
Of course, I've seen other daily marijuana users remain stationed at the front counters of gas stations, but that's my point. I don't think that daily marijuana use is the factor that accounts for the relative successes or failures of these individuals. There are many more variables.
If Joe Gas Station stopped smoking pot, he wouldn't suddenly develop killer business instinct, or the motivation to build a company in his off time.
Do you think it's a significant factor for some?
I'm interested in where you live, well what society - you've listed 7+ professions, each as a multiple, of people you personally know who you consider successful, who you also know to be daily pot smokers. I don't even know the daily routines of 7 people outside my family ... let's say 50% of people (you know) are using pot and they're split evenly between smokers, vapers, eaters, others ... that means you know the daily routine of over 100 people. That's, erm, impressive.
[Ah, just realised, do you deal, that would explain it! Sorry, is still early for me.]
I know a handful of people who smoke pot, but that's likely my demographic - but I couldn't tell you if they smoke once a day or once a week, or less.
Any chance you're exaggerating your personal knowledge?
In the UK site workers, like carpenters, will often be tested for drug use. Your engineer, teacher friends - do they use on the job, like when taking responsibility for multiples of other people? Are you content with that.
Appreciate your responses as potentially they'd suggest a vast change in my ideas of the prevalence of daily pot use (depending on your geography, social context).
The teachers, principals, and business professionals whom I've known to partake in this ritual, generally do not do so at work. Just as many workers drink alcohol during their off time, most do not come to work drunk.
I don't know many people's daily routines. I really only know my wife's. But, knowing that someone is a daily marijuana user is different from knowing their daily routine.
I can say this: I was very surprised to discover that some people, who otherwise cultivate an image of wholesomeness, are longtime marijuana users. Not everybody who uses marijuana wears tie-dyed t-shirts. Likewise, some people who wear tie-dyed t-shirts have never used marijuana.
Of course, things might be different where you live, but I doubt it.
I believe it is fairly well established that addictive behavior runs in families.
smoking definitely affects brain, all the body, it has no positive effect
No, major banks don't all drug test. And in general you are given some warning about drug tests (at least at the several companies I was at). All you have to do is get off drugs for a week or so, and youre fine.
Oftentimes drug use is a symptom of a greater psychological problem/issue. Perhaps the underlying issues are causing the negative behaviors and the drugs are only enabling it.