My parents think I'm doing drugs, what should I do?

[Blitz187]

True, and yes I'm 18.

Yes, yes, everyone wants me to quit. I've tried but in the end I really have no reason to quit. Yes there are serious health risks involved, but to be honest I could give a damn (bad way of thinking I know). Plus it's something I really enjoy, so why quit for the sake of my parents bugging me about it.

I use to think like this when I was 18..... Lets hope the years make you wiser. Which is usually the case

 

[Omnis]

True, and yes I'm 18.

Yes, yes, everyone wants me to quit. I've tried but in the end I really have no reason to quit. Yes there are serious health risks involved, but to be honest I could give a damn (bad way of thinking I know). Plus it's something I really enjoy, so why quit for the sake of my parents bugging me about it.

Silly boy. Quit. Seriously-- quit. Once my grandma's cancer hit her lungs, she went kaput (and she didn't even smoke). When your body is struggling to take in a breath and it has to use every bit of strength, mouth gaping open desperately seeking air, just for a few heartbeats more of life, you'll give a damn. It's a terrible way to die.

 

[Jay]

I've tried but in the end I really have no reason to quit.

The way I always saw it was if I don't drink or smoke I have more money for fuel.

My teenage years were living in or under cars.

 

[Barracuda]

The way I always saw it was if I don't drink or smoke I have more money for fuel.

My teenage years were living in or under cars.

That is a good way too look at it, although at the moment the Volvo isn't much of an incentive. I still spend my time under cars, just with a smoke break or two in between

I guess I might see the light eventually, lets just hope it's not the kind I should be going away from.

On a lighter note I made the Dean's list. Not that it's a big accomplishment being my first semester with easy classes at a community college, but it's got my mom all excited and proud so hopefully it will take her mind off the drug thing.

 

[Wenders]

True, and yes I'm 18.

Yes, yes, everyone wants me to quit. I've tried but in the end I really have no reason to quit. Yes there are serious health risks involved, but to be honest I could give a damn (bad way of thinking I know). Plus it's something I really enjoy, so why quit for the sake of my parents bugging me about it.

Yeah, not to sound like a dick but I agree with Legendary. Not that it's not a good offer for someone who can afford it, I'd glady do it if I had the money, but I can barely afford to buy cigarettes let alone a calender.

If you don't care about your health then maybe care about your wealth.

I literally said "Is there anything I can do that would make you stop thinking i'm doing drugs, because I'm pretty tired of this."

And her answer was...?

Nothing, she just looked at me and changed the subject.

Sounds to me like you need to sit down with your mum and have a good long chat. She doesn't really believe you are taking drugs but something is bugging her about your "typical teenage behaviour/attitude". Maybe it's the smoking and her belief that it may lead to drugs or your "I don't give a damn about my health" attitude to smoking. Talk to her about drugs, what you know about them and why you wouldn't take them. But don't do it just when she has accused you again and not when she is busy. Set aside a time to discuss it maturely and calmly.

 

[Legendary]

I will never smoke, people have tried to make me and I just dont. It is stupid, you can die too young. My nan is now 80 and has smoked alot of her life and just recently she got mouth cancer, all that has to do is go down to her lungs and as said before, everything goes 'kaput' and she will die. It is sad, very very sad. If you die before your parents what the hell are they going to do? It doesnt work that way, parents arent supposed to see their children die.

 

[Barracuda]

I just don't see such a high probability of it effecting my health in the near future. My dad smoked for 22 years and quit due to heart complications (our family has a history of that). In those 22 years he was on two packs a day for most of it, on top of smoking pot, and being born in 54 was exposed to all sorts of fun chemicals his entire life (He used to play with a large pickle jar full of mercury and use asbestos gloves). Comparatively I think I'm doing pretty damn well.

Right now I'm really just letting life throw what it wants to at me, if a few years down the road it's my time to go then it's my time to go, when I die is not up to me. I'll probably change my outlook eventually, but currently I barely know what I'm going to do and what I'm living for other than my Barracuda.

That's a good idea Wenders

 

[FoolKiller]

I just don't see such a high probability of it effecting my health in the near future. My dad smoked for 22 years and quit due to heart complications (our family has a history of that).

If you have a family history of heart complications smoking does increase a risk of yours showing up with a very sudden heart attack, or being more complicated than necessary. Assuming you develop it, of course.

I too suggest you quit, but I am not one to lecture adults on personal life choices. Smoking is about increased risks, not guaranteed problems.

To play devil's advocate with everyone else, just look at George Burns. The man smoked and drank his entire life and lived to be 100.

 

[Keef]

To play devil's advocate with everyone else, just look at George Burns. The man smoked and drank his entire life and lived to be 100.

But then that's just that many more years of disgusting coughing and hacking that makes everyone look at you funny, or get up and move to another table at a restaurant. Ask my mom how that one is. It's embarrassing to me.

If you're gonna waste your money on smoking something, smoke weed. At least it actually does something.

 

[Duke]

I just don't see such a high probability of it effecting my health in the near future. My dad smoked for 22 years and quit due to heart complications (our family has a history of that).

My dad smoked for 30 years and quit when he got tired of coughing a up half a pound of crap every morning and not being able to get out of bed without a cig. He was smoke free for 20 years and still died of lung cancer that came on just when he was really hitting his stride and enjoying retirement. 5 months later he was dead. He was 67.

My aunt, on the other hand, didn't make it to retirement. She died in her mid 50s, weighing 90 pounds and smoking a cigarette on her remaining half a lung.

Right now I'm really just letting life throw what it wants to at me, if a few years down the road it's my time to go then it's my time to go, when I die is not up to me.

How about letting life throw what it wants at you instead of throwing yourself under self-inflicted cancer and emphysema?

 

[Joey D]

Why do people always think they need to tell other people what they should do? I think in this day and age everyone knows what could happen if they smoke, from the health problems to people not wanting to hang out with you because you smell bad. It's your body, you know the risks, if you feel it's something you should do then don't let anyone else tell you not to.

 

[Duke]

He can do it or not - I'm a libertarian and I don't give a crap what he chooses. I think drugs like coke and heroin should be legal. Doesn't mean I don't think you're an idiot to use them. I'm just offering datapoints and my opinion.

 

[FoolKiller]

I'm offering datapoints and my opinion.

See Dennis Leary's "No Cure for Cancer" album for some smokers' perspective on people who do that.

Some find it as annoying as Christians constantly trying to save your soul.

EDIT: Not that I am innocent of giving unsolicited advice in this thread.

 

[Duke]

Fine, I'll shut up now.

 

[Loon]

If you're gonna waste your money on smoking something, smoke weed. At least it actually does something.

This. Plus with it being more expensive you're likely not to smoke as much and save your lungs a little bit.

 

[Barracuda]

The whole point of the thread is that my parents think I'm doing drugs, and now you're telling me to do them

I will say that the anti-smoking advice is pretty annoying, especially since I never asked for it, but I do appreciate the effort, even if it is falling on deaf ears.

 

[Mrs. Famine]

I smoked, I quit because I knew the risks. I work in heathcare. If I had a £1/$1 for each person I've seen who has smoking related breathing problems and were brought in because they just coudn't maintain their own oxygen levels I'd be rich. I'd be even richer if I had another £1/$1 for each one of those who asked if they could go out for a cigarette/were found outside smoking

I know someone who although he gave up umpty years ago, died of a heart attack at the end of 2007. That was after suffering two other heart attacks, two strokes, needing a quadruple heart bypass, had diabetes and on top of that had oesophageal cancer (all smoking related).

I may annoy you when I go on and on about smoking related diseases and how giving up would be the best choice, but at least Christianity doesn't kill you.

(I'm IPU, for the record).