India has a big problem with drugs, like anywhere else I guess. I met an old high school friend after over a decade and was saddened to learn that he is a drug addict. He is hooked on cough syrup and/or opium. As I understand he spends quite a lot of money on it. I think he spends all his salary on it the way it looks to me. So do a LOT of people here. Drugs like heroin, opium, “smack” are very expensive and very much in demand and have destroyed countless housholds.
Anyway, where I live, we have a marijuana weed problem. Its everywhere. In the big empty wasteland behind where I live, next to bus stops, on the roadside…everywhere. However I have never seen anyone picking its leaves. You would think people would be stuffing their pockets with this stuff, but no.
So I asked my friend about it. He said that over here, pot is considered a very “bad” intoxicant in the nature of its effects, so almost nobody does it, even though its almost completely legal and free for the taking. Its even available in a drink form during some religious festivals.
That’s confusing, as in the US, its very much in demand. I guess people here want an “upper” not a “downer”. But isn’t pot relatively safe? If I ever did drugs I would go with pot. Your thoughts?