I support drug legalization (as an abstraction, because I don’t think the current system is working; I haven’t really sorted out my personal specifics), but I do NOT want my nephews, for example, to start into them. Part of this is personal prejudice; the only open potheads I knew were frankly so, uh, not bright under the influence that it seriously injured my opinions of them.
Obviously, the nephews are gonna do whatever the hell they want to do while the adults’ backs are turned, but is there any way in hell I can communicate my opinions without coming off like a hypocrite? Or should I just buy them each a joint and some crystal meth when they become teenagers and tell them to go to town (which, of course, I won’t actually literally do, so please don’t bother me, Mr. Nice NSA Agent Monitoring the Internet)?
Probably the same speech you’d give them about smoking (cigarettes). By hypocrite, do you mean like when a parent smokes but tells the kids not to or they’re out of the house? If it’s just that you support legalization but don’t partake, then there’s no hypocrisy.
Okay, maybe hypocrisy isn’t the right term. But what reasons can I really give that won’t make me SOUND hypocritical (or at least empty)? That’s probably the better way to put it.
Hell, now that I think about it, this’ll be just as big a problem if nothing’s legalized…
South Park’s got you covered. From Randy Marsh to Stan Marsh:
“The truth is, marijuana probably isn’t going to make you kill people. Most likely isn’t going to fund terrorists. But, pot makes you feel fine with being bored. And it’s when you’re bored that you should be learning a new skill, or some new science, or being creative. If you smoke pot, you may grow up to find out that you’re not good at anything.”
Yeah, there’s a lot out there for pot… Not so much for everything else, which is a little unfortunate. I’d hate to go too far and make it sound cool and dangerous (in the cool way, I mean).
Interesting question. A few points off the top of my head:
[ul]
[li]It’s currently illegal, and you really don’t want a hefty fine or worse still, a criminal record which could haunt you for years[/li][li]Drugs can be expensive[/li][li]Even if they are legalized, like currently legal drugs they can be bad for your health[/li][li]I support legalization of some drugs, but that doesn’t mean I want to use them or think it’s a good idea for anyone else to use them (c.f. cigarettes)[/li][li]What Rachellelogram said[/li][/ul]
Sorry, but I barely got past the title… I wasn’t aware that we needed justification to discourage illegal activity.
More in keeping with what you followed the title with, heck, rugby’s legal, and I didn’t want my son playing it. When I found out my niece was on the rugby team in high school/college, I was worried for her safety. Just because something is legal doesn’t mean it’s safe, even if you want it to be legal.
Personal example works better than speeches, IME. When there’s a suitable opportunity, say something like “I don’t, because all the potheads I’ve known were absolute numbskulls when they were high. It’s not appealing.” If they ask more questions, great, have a conversation. If not, well, your opinion is on the record. Kids remember stuff like that, even if it’s never repeated.
If you drink, model responsible behavior. Kids get lots of “if you touch it you’ll DIE” messages, and so many “this is the coolest thing EVER” messages, and very few “It’s fun in moderation, this is what moderation looks like” messages.
Are you looking for actual justifications, or justifications they will listen to?
Adolescent brains are only ~80% developed. It’s not until age around age 25 that the prefrontal cortex is fully mature. Which is a very good reason for underage kids to avoid drugs, and also a good explanation for why they won’t listen to you about it.
There’s also the fact that accidental injuries are the leading cause of death in adolescents. I doubt kids are more careful on pot.