Why do people say "Wait until you're 18"

[TheSmokingMonkey]

Virtually no one starts smoking after 19.

I started smoking both tobacco and marijuana at the age of 26.

[Nailhead]

I think it mostly has to do with how society, (at least American society), has grown this thought that people become adults on their 18th birthday, so important decisions should wait for that date. I mean you will have people that throw a sh*t fit if a 17 year old is smoking a cig, as if a year is really going to make much of a difference!

Drugs, alcohol, and sex are never good for someone who is too immature to deal with those things, and because we have been formed to assume people become adults instantaniously on their 18th birthday I think that's why most people say "wait till you're 18 for that".

The only word of caution I'd have is to make sure you don't get side tracked on your goals in life. I'm not blaming mary j for my bad choices in life, but I'm just saying it can make you lazy and if you notice you are caring less and less about your dreams and goals, that is a red flag. At 16 your primary concern should be your future and school, so don't let MJ, or anything else get in the way of that!

[Stoner Shadow Wolf]

i was stupid enough to wait till i was 18...


see, i was still filled with the misinformation of D.A.R.E. and very leery of anything, even aspirin (still hate aspirin), i turned down about 3 or 4 opportunities from the time i was 13, till 18.


long story short, depression led to marijuana.


it helpped, still helps, but damn, i cant stand running out! >.<

[keeko]

the very first time i smoked was my 18th bday, im happy i waited. Mainly because i fell in love with this plant, im sure if i smoked before then i would not have made it out of high school.

[LIP]

I started when i wa 11.

I supose i've always been more mature than other people my age because im an only child and i grew up with adults all around me.

But smoking it didnt make any differnce to my brain, im not stupid, im not paranoid, im not depressed. Im fine.

I dont see how THC and other cannabinols which we have in our brains naturally anyway can cause it to develop slower or differntly to anyone else.

I'd say the age of maturity is 16, by then i'd expect people to be mature enough, although as dutchlover said, that doesnt apply for everyone.

Im glad i started young, im proud of it too.

[mad_nat]

i never actually heard that one before and i started smoking the stuff when i was 15 and loads of people knew.but i remember being told once that even if you smoke weed at 16 once or twice it can really fuck up your brain because its not fully delvopped, never laughed so hard in my life what a load of bull, well am 18 now and i dont seem fucked up to me. As some were talking about people being persuded into doing it most of my lot didrnt smoke it, i did it because i wanted to see what it was like and plus if you tell someone to wait till your 18 or not to do it thats just gonna make people do it more. (not thats its a bad thing to smoke weed at all.)

[LIP]

i never actually heard that one before and i started smoking the stuff when i was 15 and loads of people knew.but i remember being told once that even if you smoke weed at 16 once or twice it can really fuck up your brain because its not fully delvopped, never laughed so hard in my life what a load of bull, well am 18 now and i dont seem fucked up to me. As some were talking about people being persuded into doing it most of my lot didrnt smoke it, i did it because i wanted to see what it was like and plus if you tell someone to wait till your 18 or not to do it thats just gonna make people do it more. (not thats its a bad thing to smoke weed at all.)

Very true.

That's why there'd be no point giving it a legal age if it was legalised, because lets looks at the facts - Kids DO NOT abide by them, kids are going out drinking and smoking cigs... they'd do the same with cannabis, and really, theres nothing wrong with that.

But preferably, for my kids i'd prefer them to only smoke once they're 16.

[420izzle]

Because I said so! (infamous parent answer)

[mfqr]

Because I said so! (infamous parent answer)

That is the answer I've always hated. I remember dealing with my parents, telling me that. Then once I got fed up with it, I would harass them and demand a reasonable reason why, instead of a blind reason such as "because I said so." Anyway, so I started experimenting with substances when I was 17... first alcohol, then Oxycodone/oxycontin. Then I stopped, because I realized I was getting addicted. After that, on my 18th burfday, me and friends experimented with Salvia. After that got boring and uninteresting, I had my first intercourse with Mary Jane (which wasn't too good of an experience, but I decided to try it again). She was great the second time, and I haven't stopped since (I'm 19 now). They say it's a gateway drug (i know, it's bullshit), but it has actually stopped me from using other drugs--how ironic! I don't think it can actually prematurely stop the brain from developing, but for kids who are too immature to use it, it can obviously cause problems, just like any other substance. Good thing it's not physically addictive. Although some people say psychological addiction is worse--it's not... it's just about self-control. I haven't smoked in nearly 3 weeks now... but of course, that's because my friends have not been able to hook me up as of late. It's ok, though.

The legal age shouldn't really matter, since it's not going to stop anyone who is under that age anyway. Alcohol, however, has its obvious reasons why it has a legal age. In fact, alcohol is a lot harder to get for minors than ganja. Hmm .

[LIP]

Because i said so is the easy way of identifying a bad parent. They have no reason behind saying no, but by saying because i said so their almost forcing their opinion onto their chidl.