# Tobacco vs Marijuanna Which would you choose for your child

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tobacco-vs-marijuanna-which-would-you-choose-for-your-child/854624>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [May 28, 2020, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tobacco-vs-marijuanna-which-would-you-choose-for-your-child/854624 "2020-05-28T21:00:10Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jonpluc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/fbc32d/32.png) [@jonpluc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jonpluc)\
**Post date:** [May 28, 2020, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tobacco-vs-marijuanna-which-would-you-choose-for-your-child/854624/1 "2020-05-28T21:00:10Z")

</div>

Hypothetically, you have the power to decide if your child is going to be a lifetime pot smoker or a lifetime cigarette smoker. Which do you pick and why? People who say “Neither” will be pelted with virtual eggs.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\
**Post date:** [May 28, 2020, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tobacco-vs-marijuanna-which-would-you-choose-for-your-child/854624/2 "2020-05-28T21:51:03Z")

</div>

Can they vape or does it have to be smoking actual tobacco?

Personally I’d rather have someone vape tobacco than become a pothead to the point where they lose motivation in life. But there are other options obviously. Moderate weed use is fine, same as moderate alcohol use. As long as it doesn’t negatively affect their life.

Point is I’ve seen people do damage to their lives from too much weed or too much alcohol. I’m not sure if too much vaping tobacco does as much damage (as opposed to smoking cigarettes or cigars).

if actual cigarettes, I’d rather they smoke pot.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\
**Post date:** [May 28, 2020, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tobacco-vs-marijuanna-which-would-you-choose-for-your-child/854624/3 "2020-05-28T22:09:12Z")

</div>

Pot.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\
**Post date:** [May 28, 2020, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tobacco-vs-marijuanna-which-would-you-choose-for-your-child/854624/4 "2020-05-28T22:16:32Z")

</div>

Neither.

I like eggs.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\
**Post date:** [May 28, 2020, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tobacco-vs-marijuanna-which-would-you-choose-for-your-child/854624/5 "2020-05-28T22:44:24Z")

</div>

I know plenty of casual pot users, I know almost no causal smokers. Pot is not addicting, tobacco is very addicting. Not really that tough of a choice except for the stupid laws slowly eroding away.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\
**Post date:** [May 28, 2020, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tobacco-vs-marijuanna-which-would-you-choose-for-your-child/854624/6 "2020-05-28T22:49:52Z")

</div>

> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#):
>
> Neither.
> 
> I like eggs.

How do you keep them lit?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![MacSpon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/34f0e0/32.png) [@MacSpon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacSpon)\
**Post date:** [May 28, 2020, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tobacco-vs-marijuanna-which-would-you-choose-for-your-child/854624/7 "2020-05-28T23:25:00Z")

</div>

I genuinely and sincerely think that I would rather not have children, than that they become lifelong pot or tobacco smokers.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![MichaelEmouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/michaelemouse/32/101_2.png) [@MichaelEmouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MichaelEmouse)\
**Post date:** [May 29, 2020, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tobacco-vs-marijuanna-which-would-you-choose-for-your-child/854624/8 "2020-05-29T00:04:50Z")

</div>

I’ve not known many tobacco smokers I wanted to be around. Pot smokers are hit-or-miss, like people in general. The low-functioning pot smokers I’ve known would be drinking alcohol/taking opioids if they didn’t smoke pot and would be a lot worse for others and themselves.

For pot, I can see that the benefits and drawbacks could be worth it for some people and not worth it for others. For tobacco, it’s a lot more difficult to think that the benefits (which do exist) outweigh the drawbacks for someone. It’s just a shitty habit overall. As soon as I see someone smoke tobacco, I start doubting their judgement and impulse control. People a few generations from now will wonder how we got psychoactives so wrong.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\
**Post date:** [May 29, 2020, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tobacco-vs-marijuanna-which-would-you-choose-for-your-child/854624/9 "2020-05-29T00:13:15Z")

</div>

> [@jonpluc](#):
>
> Hypothetically, you have the power to decide if your child is going to be a lifetime pot smoker or a lifetime cigarette smoker. Which do you pick and why? .

Since you don’t say with what frequency they smoke, I’m gonna go with pot, with a frequency of lighting up on the occasional weekend.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![MichaelEmouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/michaelemouse/32/101_2.png) [@MichaelEmouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MichaelEmouse)\
**Post date:** [May 29, 2020, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tobacco-vs-marijuanna-which-would-you-choose-for-your-child/854624/10 "2020-05-29T00:18:39Z")

</div>

> [@RTFirefly](#):
>
> Since you don’t say with what frequency they smoke, I’m gonna go with pot, with a frequency of lighting up on the occasional weekend.

Oh, yeah, that’s another one for pot: Frequency of use is all over the place with pot, from several times a day to once a month. Tobacco smokers cluster far more into the several times a day/hour. I haven’t looked at numbers but I’d be willing to bet that pot smokers who try to abstain for a week tend to be more successful than tobacco smokers who try to abstain for a week.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\
**Post date:** [May 29, 2020, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tobacco-vs-marijuanna-which-would-you-choose-for-your-child/854624/11 "2020-05-29T00:51:32Z")

</div>

> [@What\_Exit](#):
>
> Pot is not addicting,

Really?

> **[Marijuana Can Be Addictive: Who Gets Hooked and Why](https://www.healthline.com/health-news/marijuana-addiction-rare-but-real-072014#1)**
>
> In recent years, marijuana has been legalized and touted for its medicinal purposes. But how do you know when use becomes abuse?

> [@](#):
>
> The National Institute on Drug Abuse recently released data that suggests that 30 percent of those who use marijuana may have some degree of “marijuana use disorder.”
> 
> They add that people who use marijuana before age 18 are 4 to 7 times more likely to develop this use disorder than adults.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\
**Post date:** [May 29, 2020, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tobacco-vs-marijuanna-which-would-you-choose-for-your-child/854624/12 "2020-05-29T01:10:09Z")

</div>

Addiction is a physical dependency that results in physical effects of withdrawal. Tobacco is addictive, weed is not. Twist it all you like but there is no physical addiction or withdrawal with cannabis.

I’d a million times rather my kids smoke weed than tobacco–I have one of each, although my son finally did quit the tobacco habit after smoking for over twenty years. He doesn’t like weed though, he’s bipolar and it makes him anxious. Daughter smokes less than half a gram in a day and actually prefers edibles–that level of usage is comparable to a tobacco smoker having about half a cigarette per DAY. How many tobacco smokers do you know with that low an intake?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Oredigger77](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/oredigger77/32/3181_2.png) [@Oredigger77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oredigger77)\
**Post date:** [May 29, 2020, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tobacco-vs-marijuanna-which-would-you-choose-for-your-child/854624/13 "2020-05-29T01:19:03Z")

</div>

I know more people who have smoked themselves retarded then have got cancer (only one so far). I smoke occasionally, like 2-4 times per year, and chew occasionally, 1-2 bags per year, so I would enjoy hanging out with my kid more as a smoker than a pot head.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\
**Post date:** [May 29, 2020, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tobacco-vs-marijuanna-which-would-you-choose-for-your-child/854624/14 "2020-05-29T01:19:23Z")

</div>

> [@SmartAleq](#):
>
> Addiction is a physical dependency that results in physical effects of withdrawal. Tobacco is addictive, weed is not. Twist it all you like but there is no physical addiction or withdrawal with cannabis.
> 
> I’d a million times rather my kids smoke weed than tobacco–I have one of each, although my son finally did quit the tobacco habit after smoking for over twenty years. He doesn’t like weed though, he’s bipolar and it makes him anxious. Daughter smokes less than half a gram in a day and actually prefers edibles–that level of usage is comparable to a tobacco smoker having about half a cigarette per DAY. How many tobacco smokers do you know with that low an intake?

What?

> **[Addiction: Definition, symptoms, withdrawal, and treatment](https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323465)**
>
> Addiction is a condition in which a person is unable to stop using a substance or engaging in a behavior. Read on to learn more.

> [@](#):
>
> Addiction is a psychological and physical inability to stop consuming a chemical, drug, activity, or substance, even though it is causing psychological and physical harm.

And weed use by teens has several harmful effects.

[https://www.cdc.gov/marijuana/factsheets/teens.htm](https://www.cdc.gov/marijuana/factsheets/teens.htm)

> [@](#):
>
> Marijuana and the teen brain
> 
> Unlike adults, the teen brain is actively developing and often will not be fully developed until the mid 20s. Marijuana use during this period may harm the developing teen brain.
> 
> Negative effects include:
> 
> ```
> Difficulty thinking and problem solving.
> Problems with memory and learning.
> Impaired coordination.
> Difficulty maintaining attention.3
> 
> ```
> 
> Negative effects on school and social life
> 
> Marijuana use in adolescence or early adulthood can have a serious impact on a teen’s life.
> 
> ```
> Decline in school performance. Students who smoke marijuana may get lower grades and may more likely to drop out of high school than their peers who do not use.4
> 
> Increased risk of mental health issues. Marijuana use has been linked to a range of mental health problems in teens such as depression or anxiety.5 Psychosis has also been seen in teens at higher risk like those with a family history.6
> 
> Impaired driving. Driving while impaired by any substance, including marijuana, is dangerous. Marijuana negatively affects a number of skills required for safe driving, such as reaction time, coordination, and concentration.7, 8
> 
> Potential for addiction.a Research shows that about 1 in 6 teens who repeatedly use marijuana can become addicted, which means that they may make unsuccessful efforts to quit using marijuana or may give up important activities with friends and family in favor of using marijuana.
> 
> ```

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\
**Post date:** [May 29, 2020, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tobacco-vs-marijuanna-which-would-you-choose-for-your-child/854624/15 "2020-05-29T01:52:36Z")

</div>

So many May’s, so few statistics. I’m convinced.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\
**Post date:** [May 29, 2020, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tobacco-vs-marijuanna-which-would-you-choose-for-your-child/854624/16 "2020-05-29T01:56:17Z")

</div>

I would say that neither is exactly health food, but I’d choose pot over cigarettes any day. Now, a fine cigar…

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\
**Post date:** [May 29, 2020, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tobacco-vs-marijuanna-which-would-you-choose-for-your-child/854624/17 "2020-05-29T01:58:29Z")

</div>

If we’re talking about lighting up on the weekend, I’d rather they smoked pot.

If we’re talking about smoking several times a day, every day, I’d rather they smoked cigarettes.

If I can pick between those two options, I’d go with the pot.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\
**Post date:** [May 29, 2020, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tobacco-vs-marijuanna-which-would-you-choose-for-your-child/854624/18 "2020-05-29T02:18:54Z")

</div>

> [@MichaelEmouse](#):
>
> For tobacco, it’s a lot more difficult to think that the benefits (which do exist) outweigh the drawbacks for someone.

Cite?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![MichaelEmouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/michaelemouse/32/101_2.png) [@MichaelEmouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MichaelEmouse)\
**Post date:** [May 29, 2020, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tobacco-vs-marijuanna-which-would-you-choose-for-your-child/854624/19 "2020-05-29T02:42:01Z")

</div>

> [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](#):
>
> Cite?

That it has benefits? It’s a stimulant. It can get people up, a little more awake and focused. People wouldn’t do it if it brought them nothing whatsoever at any time.

That it’s not worth it overall? Well, cancer. Also, if you have a stimulant that users commonly smoke every half hour throughout the day everyday to the point that they’re not deriving much pleasure from anymore and are mainly doing to stop cravings, it’s starting to sound closer to meth than modafinil.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\
**Post date:** [May 29, 2020, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tobacco-vs-marijuanna-which-would-you-choose-for-your-child/854624/20 "2020-05-29T05:17:51Z")

</div>

> [@madsircool](#):
>
> Really?
> 
> [Marijuana Can Be Addictive: Who Gets Hooked and Why](https://www.healthline.com/health-news/marijuana-addiction-rare-but-real-072014#1)

Not addicting, but can be habit forming. So can many things.  
Nicotine can be harder to kick than heroin.  
I dont like either, but _Pot- hands down_- if those are my either/or choices.

[Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tobacco-vs-marijuanna-which-would-you-choose-for-your-child/854624.md?page=2)