toddler questions

toypup wrote:
"-L." wrote in message
ups.com...
Less stupid because it isn't addictive like cigs are. Plus there are
benefits (IMO) to smoking pot in that it is a mind-altering experience.

I don't consider a mind-altering experience to be a benefit.

I do. It expands your reality. Have you ever smoked pot or done
drugs?


It is still filthy and gross, though not as filthy and gross as cigs
because in general, people don't use it as often so the concentration
of pollutants is smaller.

Maybe they'd use it more, if it were legal.

Doubtful, if it would remain as expensive as it is now.

-L.

wrote:
-L. wrote:


I'd much rather my kids smoke pot than smoke cigs or drink. The wrong
drugs are legal.

Huh? I can see thinking it's okay to eat hash brownies or something,

Eating maruijuana and hash is a poor way to get high from it.

but did you literally mean SMOKE pot when you feel the way you do about
cigarettes?

I's rather my kids smoke pot than smoke cigs, yes. Both are filthy,
but cigs are more addicitve. I'd rather my kid somke pot than drink
alcohol for the same reason. Plus, people get stupid on alcohol - on
pot they just mellow out and lose ambition to do anything.

-L.

Caledonia wrote:

I'm with you that it's a gross habit -- and in the context of
responding to a toddler's questions, I think that there's a need to be
clear about it. Smoking is a filthy habit. For an explanation for a
2-year old, it works for me.

We just talk about how stinky it is, when we have to walk throughj the
inevitable cloud of smoke to enter a store.


For an older kid, I can't quite abide saying that there's nothing worse
than smoking, though, and would see the need to distinguish for my kids
personal attributes from personal actions, if that makes any sense. The
'shades of grey' distinctions, in my opinion, are the tricky parts to
convey to kids. (In the context of doing drugs -- as I view nicotine to
be a drug -- not everyone who does drugs is bad, and not everyone who
is bad does drugs. It's a hard one for even a 7-year old to grasp, and
we're still working on it.)

Agreed. I did every drug on the black market except herion. So I have
a lot of personal experience to draw upon. I plan to focus on the
damage it can do in your life, and how people who choose to do drugs
often choose to make other poor choices because of the drugs. I just
see it as a "I'll cross that bridge when I get to it" type of
discussion to have - answering questions honestly and openly. My best
friend, who I have known since the first day of first grade has a
daughter who is 22. My friend and I did the same drugs and have the
same experiences. She's managed to raise her daughter well, the only
thing the kid has done so far is smoked a little pot (the daughter is
extremely open with her Mom), which as far as I'm concerned is a pretty
good outcome. Her daughter's in graduate school now, pulling all "A"s,
so I think my friend did ok in raising her. I hope to follow her lead,
and I have her as a resource, so I'm lucky.

-L.

On 22 Oct 2006 00:56:16 -0700, "-L." wrote:


I's rather my kids smoke pot than smoke cigs, yes. Both are filthy,
but cigs are more addicitve. I'd rather my kid somke pot than drink
alcohol for the same reason. Plus, people get stupid on alcohol - on
pot they just mellow out and lose ambition to do anything.

-L.

http://www.brown.edu/Student_Service.../marijuana.htm

Are there short-term dangers of smoking marijuana?
Discomforts associated with smoking marijuana include dry mouth, dry
eyes, increased heart rate and visible signs of intoxication such as
bloodshot eyes and puffy eyelids. Other problems include:


Impaired memory and ability to learn
Difficulty thinking and problem solving
Anxiety attacks or feelings of paranoia
Impaired muscle coordination and judgment
Increased susceptibility to infections
Dangerous impairment of driving skills. Studies show that it impairs
braking time, attention to traffic signals and other driving
behaviors.
Cardiac problems for people with heart disease or high blood pressure,
because marijuana increases the heart rate
It is virtually impossible to overdose from marijuana, which sets it
apart from most drugs.

Are there long-term consequences to smoking marijuana?
Respiratory problems
Someone who smokes marijuana regularly can have many of the same
respiratory problems as cigarette smokers. Persistent coughing,
symptoms of bronchitis and more frequent chest colds are possible
symptoms. There are over 400 chemicals that have been found in
marijuana smoke. Benzyprene, a known human carcinogen, is present in
marijuana smoke. Regardless of the THC content, the amount of tar
inhaled by marijuana smokers and the level of carbon monoxide are 3 to
5 times higher than in cigarette smoke. This is most likely due to
inhaling marijuana more deeply, holding the smoke in the lungs and
because marijuana smoke is unfiltered.

Memory and learning
Recent research shows that regular marijuana use compromises the
ability to learn and to remember information by impairing the ability
to focus, sustain, and shift attention. One study also found that
long-term use reduces the ability to organize and integrate complex
information.

In addition, marijuana impairs short-term memory and decreases
motivation to accomplish tasks, even after the high is over. In one
study, even small doses impaired the ability to recall words from a
list seen 20 minutes earlier.

Fertility
Long-term marijuana use suppresses the production of hormones that
help regulate the reproductive system. For men, this can cause
decreased sperm counts and very heavy users can experience erectile
dysfunction. Women may experience irregular periods from heavy
marijuana use. These problems would most likely result in a decreased
ability to conceive but not lead to complete infertility.

Is marijuana addictive?
No one would argue that marijuana is as addictive as alcohol or
cocaine. However, it's wrong to say that it is not at all addictive.
More and more studies are finding that marijuana has addictive
properties. Both animal and human studies show physical and
psychological withdrawal symptoms from marijuana, including
irritability, restlessness, insomnia, nausea and intense dreams.
Tolerance to marijuana also builds up rapidly. Heavy users need 8
times higher doses to get the same effects as infrequent users.

For a small percentage of people who use it, marijuana can be highly
addictive. It is estimated that 10% to 14% of users will become
heavily dependent. More than 120,000 people in the US seek treatment
for marijuana addiction every year. Because the consequences of
marijuana use can be subtle and insidious, it is more difficult to
recognize signs of addiction. Cultural and societal beliefs that
marijuana cannot be addictive make it less likely for people to seek
help or to get support for quitting.

Your mom is older. The younger people who smoke did so well after the
health risks were well-known and it was not recommended by a health
professional. I would consider it superior of my children to resist
temptation to follow their smoking peers. They would not be addicted if
they never try it, if they never succumb to peer pressure. Those who start
now are just not smart enough to listen to the health warnings. Even as a
kid, I was offered a cigarette and I knew to refuse because it was bad for
me.

But is that really how you would want your very young child to view
life. That they are superior due to resisting of a temtation? Sure,
if a child resists, they are much better off and yes, it is a bad
choice that too many young (much too young) children make. My thought
though, is that I do not want my child to feel superior to anyone.
People are People. Everyone has the potential to be an amazing PERSON!
I know many smokers who are better people than most and VERY "smart"
to boot. I think it is only appropriate to inform children that the
choice they made was not very smart, good, or healthy. I also think
that it is OK to tell children that they should not be around people
WHEN they are smoking as the smoke is not healthy for thier lungs. But
to allow a child so young to believe that they are better or smarter
than anyone else based on just one choice that they made is even less
healthy than any other behavior.

"-L." wrote in message
oups.com...

toypup wrote:
"-L." wrote in message
ups.com...
Less stupid because it isn't addictive like cigs are. Plus there are
benefits (IMO) to smoking pot in that it is a mind-altering experience.

I don't consider a mind-altering experience to be a benefit.

I do. It expands your reality. Have you ever smoked pot or done
drugs?

No. And I would never want to start. Same attitude I'd like for my kids.

It is still filthy and gross, though not as filthy and gross as cigs
because in general, people don't use it as often so the concentration
of pollutants is smaller.

Maybe they'd use it more, if it were legal.

Doubtful, if it would remain as expensive as it is now.

If it were legal, it would undoubtably become cheaper.

"jaime" wrote in message
oups.com...


Your mom is older. The younger people who smoke did so well after the
health risks were well-known and it was not recommended by a health
professional. I would consider it superior of my children to resist
temptation to follow their smoking peers. They would not be addicted if
they never try it, if they never succumb to peer pressure. Those who
start
now are just not smart enough to listen to the health warnings. Even as
a
kid, I was offered a cigarette and I knew to refuse because it was bad
for
me.

But is that really how you would want your very young child to view
life. That they are superior due to resisting of a temtation? Sure,
if a child resists, they are much better off and yes, it is a bad
choice that too many young (much too young) children make. My thought
though, is that I do not want my child to feel superior to anyone.
People are People. Everyone has the potential to be an amazing PERSON!
I know many smokers who are better people than most and VERY "smart"
to boot.

I do not want my kids to walk around with their noses in the air. I do
think it is superior of them if they could resist temptation. That is just
one choice, but it is a superior choice. However, it is just one choice, so
they are not superior beings, they made a superior choice. I would be proud
of them if they could do that and I would have done a small part of my job
well.

I think it is only appropriate to inform children that the
choice they made was not very smart, good, or healthy. I also think
that it is OK to tell children that they should not be around people
WHEN they are smoking as the smoke is not healthy for thier lungs. But
to allow a child so young to believe that they are better or smarter
than anyone else based on just one choice that they made is even less
healthy than any other behavior.


People tend to make friends who are similar to themselves. If they smoke,
many of their friends probably smoke. If they don't smoke their friends
would most likely not smoke. Yes, there are exceptions, but the old "birds
of a feather" adage is true. My friends don't smoke nor drink nor swear and
neither do I. In my reality, no one does that; just like in a druggie's
reality, everyone does drugs. There was a kid on a talk show once who said
everyone goes to jail at least once in their lives. That was her reality,
the peope she surrounded herself with. I hope my kids' friends don't smoke.

Of course, when I was a kid, my circle of friends for a short time did
smoke, drink, have sex, and did drugs. I never tried any of it, but they
never became close friends.

toypup wrote:

No. And I would never want to start. Same attitude I'd like for my kids.

You really need to smoke some pot. You and a few other people around
here...


It is still filthy and gross, though not as filthy and gross as cigs
because in general, people don't use it as often so the concentration
of pollutants is smaller.

Maybe they'd use it more, if it were legal.

Doubtful, if it would remain as expensive as it is now.

If it were legal, it would undoubtably become cheaper.

Unlikely, as the state and federal government would start taking their
share as well. It's the #1 cash crop in Hawaii, Oregon and Washington,
at least, and the #1 import from Mexico. The feds are missing out on a
****load of tax bennies by not legalizing it.

-L.

"toypup" ) writes:
"sscreen" wrote in message
ups.com...
I had a similar experience with a child saying something about smoking
that was misinformed and made me angry. This was before I ever started
the habit, and still believed I would never smoke. A few children saw
my dad and one of my sisters standing outside smoking. They started
yelling that they were "doing drugs". This sort of statement is true in
a vague generalized sort of way, but not true in that most people don't
think of smoking cigarettes when they hear someone is "doing drugs".

I do consider smoking and drinking to be "doing drugs," though I understand
most people don't. They just happen to be legal drugs. I suppose if they
made marijuana legal, people may not consider that a drug, either.



I consider coffee to be essentially a drug, too.

"sscreen" ) writes:
If someone is dressed nicely,
clean, smells nice, wears nice clean clothes, then "gross" and "filthy"
do not even cross my mind, even if I see them holding a cigarette.

What if you try to kiss them?