Paden, my intention was not to fire anyone up. I made an observation based on my observations in life and personal opinions. I watched my BIL come back from Vietnam and immerse himself in weed, to the point that by the time he was 40 he sounded like Chong of Cheech and Chong and a normally fairly bright person became useless in a conversation. His heavy habit pushed him to cocaine and who knows what else. He died at 49 from drug abuse - he was a standup guy before he found weed. A guy that used to be my best friend befriended weed (dope to me), became more and more hooked, couldn't hold jobs, progressed to all kinds of pills to go with the weed, and on and on. He is in a home now (younger than I am), helpless, can't remember anything etc. and waiting to die - his life was stolen. I could go on - and on.
I've never known anyone that did weed that did not go down the tubes - whether in work or in life, but, I've never been around many people that did it. I do know lots of folks that drink alcohol. I don't know any of them that went down the tubes due to it. I understand that there are lots of folks who do have problems with it.
Times are changing and the view of weed is as well. I was raised up when it was "dope", now some think it's not...although it is illegal at a federal level. The comment "dopers are dopers" comes from my personal view of weed being "dope" (along with all the other drugs that are outlawed) and that I've never seen anyone use any of them that 1) got off of them or 2) improved their lives from them. That is in my life experience...I'm sure others have different ones and I completely understand.
I didn't ask for the thread to be closed. I noted that the thread had veered away from the topic the OP posted if I recall. It appeared to me, that we might be heading down the path of drug use vs non drug use...we don't want to go there. I have very strong feelings on that. Sort of like conservative vs liberal, Christian vs atheism etc.....there's no winner.
I don't want to start a conversation about weed or other prohibited drugs. They are illegal at the federal level and that's where my head is. At some point that will have to be resolved with the states/cities that believe they can flaunt federal law...like sanctuary cities. It will, and has to, come to a head. We also, on this forum, have our Canadian friends that apparently may federally legalize marijuana. I have to keep that in mind. To me weed is bad; ingrained. To others it's not. When it is legal in another country...I have zero input into that conversation.
A very long post to try to explain my feelings on weed, or "dope". But they are just that, my feelings....my opinion. I very much like the folks on this forum, and I don't know any of you to speak of. You may or may not use weed...I don't know that either. If you did it wouldn't make any difference to me unless it proved to be a problem. Paden, my intention was not to cast aspersions on anyone using weed (dope) although it sounded like it. My comment was made based literally on my life experience. With the changing laws in Canada I will try to keep those things in mind. Sorry if I offended you.
And yes, this was a fun thread and I didn't/don't want to redirect it; just would like to keep it to "odors" - or speculation of the causes....
Back to the regular program......