Expert: Jacqui - 10/12/2009

Question
QUESTION: Hey, What re the advantages and disadvantages of smoking weed?
My friend gave me 1 seed so I am going to grow it, It will be well hidden and if it gets two big or smelly I'm just gonna throw it out, I'm not getting caught.
And I'm planning to try 1 or 2 times. Should I?

Thanks, If your wondering I;m not a bum, I'm an A B student maybe C because of an honors class

ANSWER: Hi Alex,

Only you can decide if you want to smoke week and it would be pretty negligent of me to tell you to try it and pretty judgmental of me to say don't try it!  There are a lot of complexities involved with illegal drug use, so no matter what my approach to drug issues are (you can check my previous answers - I am harm reduction focused), another person isn't in the right place to say "yes you should" or "no you shouldn't".

As far as pros and cons of pot ... well there is loads of information, much of it based on hystrionics.  As someone once said, the only way that weed will kill someone is if you dropped a ten tonne block of it on someone's head.  However that isn't totally right because smoking has been linked to respiratory illness.  

Finally, I would have never expected you to be a bum.  Millions of american's smoke or have smoked pot (including your previous three presidents).  So saying you are interested doesn't make me think you are a bum.  

Alex, no one can make this kind of choice for you. There are problems with all substances (legal and illegal) and there are also good things (otherwise no one would take them).  

Take care and whatever you choose to do, do it safely

Jacqui

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I know you don't want to make my decision for me , but
Would you do it just to try it out? I want to know what you would do

ANSWER: Hey Alex,

I really am sorry but I am just not going to make this decision for you, it just isn't appropritae.  And what I WOULD do may be very different to what YOU WOULD do!  Anyway, some food for thought ...

Marijuana is usually illegal, so if you did get caught with it, you could have a record that would affect you for quite a while
Marijuana is a very commonly used medication that is linked to far less deaths than alcohol
There is some conflicting evidence about marijuana and mental health but this is still considered inconclusive
smoking can cause respiratory problems

There is a bunch of info for you to consider.  I would suggest that you speak with a trusted friend.  

One thing I am curious about though (this is the psychologist in me coming out), why are you so particularly interested right now.  Let me know and I can see what I can do.

Jacqui

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Well, because a cousin/friend gave me a couple of seeds to grow. I was planning to just try a bit and sell the rest back to him.
Thts why I'm asking

Answer
No problems Alex,

Most people will be exposed to marijuana at some point and so it isn't suprising that you have been.  It isn't, however the easiest thing in the world to grow (there are complexities also about 'male' and 'female' plants, so some are quite useless).  

As I said earlier, the only person to make this decision is yourself.  If you need any more specific information I can try to help (i.e.: specific questions), but as I said previously, I can't tell you what to do (or what not to do).

Take it easy, and what ever you decide to do, do it safely!

Jacqui