Why do teenagers think smoking weed and marijuana is cool?

[Slient_Love]

I'm 17. I have never done any drug before. My cousin on the other hand is a bit more rebellious than I am. She has her own apartment and has a kid who's 3. She drinks but she doesn't know that I know about it because I kind of stalk her on twitter. lol. She said she has been sober for about a month.
I want to know why almost all the cool/popular people I know or met have either said they've gotten high on weekends/smoke and drink and said it was fun and cool and won't affect you.
But what I think is that it will affect you later on in your late adult life.
They usually say they smoke because they want release from problems or a stupid answer like because it's fun. I always say when I get mad, sad or feel like crap I write and play my keyboard(Piano) or draw. Writing is my way of escaping instead of thinking nothing would go wrong with me for smoking or drinking. Because for me I think smoking and drinking would affect you later on in your adult life you just don't notice it now.
What's your take on teenagers smoking or drinking?
I think it's awful.
Could it affect them later on in their adult life?
From my personal experience. From last Summer hearing how my cousin's attitude changed towards her four year old son was for the worse as in the yelling part of it. She's just lazy with him. I want to take care of him for some time during the Summer because I know how she treated him when she didn't drink or do anything stupid.
The drug that I'm focusing on is weed and marijuana. I find it ridiculous that other teens think it's okay to smoke

[Ieuan]

Because simply they want attention and its fun.
I do not smoke!

[Jαwnsexυαl]

It's their choice. If you don't want to smoke, then just don't do it. If somebody else wants to, then leave them be (as long as they aren't directly affecting you). By the way, weed and marijuana are the same thing.

[Rain]

Weed and marajuana are the same thing.

I think its none of your business. You sound stuck up. Sorry.

Smoking or drinking are a lot more fun than stalking people on twitter and b!itching about it on y!a.

[BER]

Well, I've never smoked marijuana, and I never plan to, but I understand why some people do. I don't think the majority of people who smoke think "OMGZ! I am so cool!11!1" Maybe a thirteen year old who has smoked two times thinks that way. Most people do it because it feels good. Maybe you can cope with your emotions in different ways (so can I) but not everyone can. Some people need extra help from marijuana.

[Cookie Meter]

I dunno they think it makes them grownup and bad ass but in reality it just makes them seem even more childish. My dad smokes weed, he's 43 years old, has since he was 17 and he even says it's a waste of time. It hasn't affected us negatively, he's a responsible parent and a hardworking one too. If anything it's shown us that.. honestly, it's all hype. It ends up turning to be like a stress relieving cigarette than a drug that makes you giggly and paranoid like they show on the TV. Weed is also the type of drug, according to my dad, that just makes you who you are even more. Such as.. if you're a hardworking person, it'll make you work even harder, if you're naturally lazy, it'll make you even more lazy. If you're happy it'll make you more happy, if you're depressed it'll make you more depressed, etc.

I've had access to weed my entire life. There's a huge bag of it in the hallway closet, papers on my father's desk as well as a lighter. I could smoke right now, I could of smoked at any time when my parents were away. But I didn't. I had no need. I don't think it's bad but there's nothing special about it. I've never drank either because my mother is a borderline alcoholic. One of my parents made drugs seem boring, the other made drinking extremely negative in my eyes. I've had no need or want to do either and kids my age who talk about smoking, rolling one up, dedicate their entire facebook, twitter or tumblr pages to it make me laugh. It's childish.

[Nora☯]

that's great that you think that, and continue to live drug free, you will benefit in the long run. but just because someone drinks and smokes occasionally it wont necessarily effect them in the long run. like most teens engage in that kind of behavior because its fun to be rebellious sometimes and have crazy nights that will be good stories. i dont think everyone who does it thinks they are cool. everything in moderation is ok, as long as it is used responsibly. like i have gotten high a few times and i did not change as a person at all. i still work hard in school, am close/repectful of my parents and a caring friend. so just because someone does any of the things you mention, it doesnt give you the right to judge.

[.]

Your first sentence contains a lie.. While you may never have intentionally done illegal drugs, you absolutely HAVE taken drugs - our food chain is laced with drugs. Or are you one of those people that do not call caffeine and high fructose corn syrup a drug??? I challenge you to go caffeine and sugar free for a couple months, and see what differences you notice in your body, and how caffeine and sugar effect you after being free of it that long, and THEN tell me you have never done drugs.

As far as the effects of smoking and drinking on the person, it really depends on their usage rates. Smoke of any kind is not good, but marijuana smoke is no where near as damaging as tobacco smoke. Marjuana that is consumed without smoking, like vaporizing or cooked into food, really has no negative effect on the body, especially when used with moderation. THC is very close to natural chemicals in the body, and it acts like a drug because there are cannabanoid receptors in the brain - the brain is actually set up to interact with chemicals that are incredibly close to thc by nature. Actually, the worst consequence with marijuana involves its legal status, NOT the use of the actual plant itself. If caught, depending on location, there are a variety of harsh consequences that could be faced, most of which do NOT fit the crime, but are far harsher.

Something to keep in mind is that marijuana is not illegal because of its danger potential. There are tons of things that can be used for a high, that the gov and medical industry is very well aware of, but are not illegal. Marijuana is illegal because of money and political factors - more people make more money with it being illegal than they do with it legal. And if you do not believe that, start researching who is spending money to keep it illegal. Are these people activisits like AA or MADD or other groups? No. They are pharmaceutical companies (who sell a synthetic pantented thc pill that is legal nation wide and costs 100+ times more than real marijuana costs), tobacco companies, textile, paper, and oil companies (hemp, the male marijuana plant, is a good and easily renewable source of fabric, rope, paper and even fuel). You should also take a research methods & statistics class, and then read the studies used to back up its criminal status. There are a plethora of biases in every single one of them, including all the studies used to say it causes brain damage.

Alcohol is more dangerous. If used with moderation and responsibility, it is no big deal. But, it can be chemically addictive (marijuana is not). Long term abuse (as opposed to responsible use) will damage the liver and kidneys and other vital functions.

[Max]

THey don't you fucking idiot. You wouldn't know what it feels like to be stoned. Its great, especially putting aside all those bullshit rumors about risks. There is nothing wrong with enjoying yourself.

[Molly]

I disagree with all the people like calling you names and saying that you're so stupid because you've never tried to weed so you don't know what it's like. I respect you standing by your view.

I don't think I ever will smoke weed. But I'm not gonna lie I have had times I'm just like "oh I just wanna try it." I think curiosity is what lures people in and everyone always says how it makes your problems go away for little while. But I wouldn't try anything that was addictive or bad for my body. Believe it or not I exercise and the run to relieve stress from out of my body. I really bet that running which is good for your health is a lot better than smoking weed which will only temporarily remove the stress and will eventually destroy you.