My parents were stoners and that’s why I don’t want marijuana legalised

NZ Herald 24 November 2017
Family First Comment: Great commentary from a mum…
“What will it be like if we legalise? Don’t you wonder what message it will send to children? Or doesn’t that matter? I worry that legalisation will continue to perpetuate the myth that it’s a harmless drug. I worry that children will once again be voiceless in the face of stoned parenting. It will become the norm for many. If marijuana is legalised, it will be even more inescapable than it is now…”
A public referendum on legalising cannabis for personal use may be held by the 2020 election as part of a possible agreement between the Green and Labour parties. One mother shares her own story to explain why she’s desperately hoping legalisation won’t happen.

It’s a highly unpopular opinion for a 30-something year-old parent to have. It’s why I can’t put my name to this story. I am the odd one out of almost all of my friends and my family: I don’t smoke marijuana and I don’t want it legalised.
When I smell marijuana – which is fairly often despite it being an illegal substance in New Zealand – I feel sick to my stomach. I often break into a cold sweat and it can sometimes, on vulnerable days, trigger a panic attack.
I grew up around marijuana. The smell alone takes me back to that childhood of lazy neglect.
I never had a bed-time story as they were usually asleep on the couch or zoned out in front of the television. I was often left at school or weekend activities for hours on end because they’d forget to pick me up. They forgot birthdays so regularly I just got used to not having birthday parties. I never invited anyone over because I was so embarrassed.
What will it be like if we legalise? Don’t you wonder what message it will send to children? Or doesn’t that matter?
I worry that legalisation will continue to perpetuate the myth that it’s a harmless drug. I worry that children will once again be voiceless in the face of stoned parenting. It will become the norm for many.
If marijuana is legalised, it will be even more inescapable than it is now. I already have to deal with smoking at concerts – stoners feel they have the right to do this, then they laugh at the idea they’re getting others high.
I do not, and cannot, support legalisation. I have seen first-hand the harm. I have seen what it does to children. I have seen what it does to adults. It feels like a desperately lonely position to hold among my age and peer group; almost all the adults I know whose parents smoked a lot are now heavy users themselves. This is understandable – it’s often the same with the children of alcoholics. I don’t blame them. How could I?
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