Well, a european point of view here!
Yes, I do smoke pot. However only homegrown, because the other cannabis choice would be hashish and that's really bad quality and more importantly, it's always bought from organized criminals (I havn't bought anything from them.. I don't support that). Unless of course the hash is made by homegrowers, but that's so rare that you can't buy it.
Anyways, pot is kind of taboo in here among the elder folks. For example my parents think that all drugs are the same and very bad for you and that if you do drugs, you and your family will get their fingers cut off and limbs pulled out by the evil criminals who sell the drugs... well a bit exaggerated but something like that.
But the young are different luckily. I have no trouble of saying I smoke pot when I'm with other students. They might not care, but at least they don't get angry at me or threaten to call the police and so on. Though more often I get few mates to smoke with me
. And this is how it is, even though carrying even small ammount of pot is illegal in here. Somewhat like in the States I guess? You'll get a police record (that'll disappear in 5 years in the public books) and perhaps fines to pay but won't get jail time. Unless they decide you sell it. But that requires large quantity of pot with you and perhaps a lot of cash.
I find pot more relaxing and better suitable for me than alcohol. You see I live in a country where drinking is a bit of problem for the society. I mean it causes immense trouble for our healt care system. It's considered normal to get really wasted almost every weekend (though students "party-day" is wednesday
). If you don't drink at all, you most likely have to explain to everyone why you don't. However lately I've accepted that fact that I enjoy pot more than drinking. I use it as recreational drug, a few times a week. It doesn't give me the unwell feeling that drinking gives. And of course no hangovers, which are quite depressing for me.
But I usually smoke with other smoker friends of mine, so I don't have to explaing myself to them if I don't want to drink anything. The pot-heads seem to be more understanding ^^. If we have a party at school or I go out with the friends from school, it's always drinking instead of smoking. That's just the more common way in here.
Oh and I would like to give up on alchol usage completely, but it's such a strong social thing. And I'm not strong enough to be outcast
bleh!
