Sign of the Times

[Joanne UK]

I was walking through our local park on Sunday and as we passed a bench with 2 boys who were both of school age we saw that one of them was rolling a joint. We didn't say anything to him, just carried on walking but I was really shocked because he was so blase about it. I would have thought that seeing people approaching would at least have made him try and disguise or cover up what he was actually doing. He obviously thought there was nothing wrong with it and must have been completely confident that I wasn't going to call the police or say anything - or more to the point he probably couldn't have cared less.

I'm not a prudish sort of person and I know this is a really common habit, but what shocked me were his age and attitude and what terrifies me is what will be going on when my daughters start going over to the park etc when they're older.

 

[Mrs Dazzle]

It's frightening, isn't it.

We've recently been to a "Cannabis Awareness Evening" at DD's school - blimey, I must have led a sheltered life

 

[carolfoy]

Terrifying, all we can do I guess is just try and instill the 'its not big and not clever' attitude

 

[AlanUK]

I suspect he must of realised what he was doing wasn't acceptable or he wouldn't have been in the park doing it he would have been at home. No doubt his parents wouldn't allow it though so he has gone somewhere where he is relatively anonymous. If he was under 16 then he shouldn't have had any tobacco either

Personally I think the trouble with cannabis is that the effects are fairly mild and pleasant but that the dangers are unclear and not very well publicised.

 

[Joanne UK]

The fact that he had tobacco hadn't occurred to me at all until you said it.

I went to a concert a few weeks ago and there was a boy smoking (cigarettes) openly with his parents and he could not have been any older than 10. It really turned my stomach.

 

[AlanUK]

That's just wrong!

There's no way a child could afford cigarettes on their own either

 

[Joanne UK]

The parents were smoking too and just handed him one when they had one.

 

[natalielongstaff]

omg !! the parents are really responsible then to encourage smoking in this day and age is appalling
now ive finished sounding like my mum i'll be off then

 

[Miffy2003]

LOL to Natalie

It sounds to me like he was showing off, or trying to look "big" in front of his mate(s)?

There are many worse things than cannabis out there, though I most definitely do not condone it being flaunted publicly in that way

 

[Ware Bears]

I agree, this is awful.

I think like you said Alan, that the dangers of cannabis are not very well publicised. A relative of a friend has smoked cannabis on and off for many years and she now suffers from mental illness, she is not expected to make a full recovery. Her doctors have confirmed this is all down to cannabis. Basically, she has blown her mind.