The problem with your brother is not that he smokes weed. It's that even if it was anything else (alcohol, gambling, sex, etc) his current attitude towards it and the fact it's taking so much place in his life (i.e. it's clearly an addiction to him) would be a problem.
The thing with marijuana is this: legalization/decriminalisation is something that I agree with, but there's so much stuff that has an higher priority that I have no time to be an activist about it. And the people for whom this is high enough priority to be activists about it are the very people that nobody will ever take seriously (I mean, if your big thing is weed over, say, anti-war activism, labor activism, etc..., your priorities are clearly screwed up). The authorities know this and that's why they can continue down this path without too much fear that anything will ever change.
While I personally don't see a problem with marijuana, and have smoked in the past (I see the good and the bad), I'm putting all that aside (it's a different discussion).
You are not powerless. While his "problem" might not be a serious one in many's eyes, if it is in your eyes and those of your parents, you all have to speak up and let him know. Have an intervention if you must. Have your parents set an ultimatum. It is their house, so if they have a problem with it, they can force him to leave the house. That may not be the best way to get him to stop doing it, but it will force him to set priorities.
You can't change who he is or the decisions he will have to make on his own, and for the most part, your brother is right, weed hasn't been linked to any deaths or a long list of diseases, so you won't win that argument with him. I don't like to play scare tactics (and I hate those ads on TV), but you could use the "weed makes you lazy and unmotivated" angle, which isn't true universally, but does sorta keep you weighted down (it did for me when I smoked a lot).
You could also stop talking about it. Maybe he does it because he feels rebellious. Without anyone seriously caring, he may just stop out of boredom. And, never ever take a drug test for him.
My wife hates marijuana with a passion. I'm not totally sure why, and while I don't smoke anymore, I have tried to reason with her that it's a perfectly fine thing in moderation, as is small amounts of alcohol, but she won't hear it. She gave me an ultimatum in that it's either her or weed (which was an easy decision for me, as I haven't smoked since college anyway). Maybe that's eventually what it's going to take.
And last, take the time to fully understand why you have a problem with it. I'm not saying you're wrong in how you feel, but that it is an open-ended thing. Personally I think it's not for everybody, but can be enjoyed responsibly by some.
why don't you try telling him that our life belongs to God. it doesn't belong to us. we were just trusted by God to be faithful stewards to take care of our body and our life. tell him that smoking weed does not help with anything, that it just worsens things. as the old saying goes: "Regret comes in the end". eventually he might regret ever smoking weed.;)
and if it still doesn't work, i'm afraid you just have to alert the authorities. it might make him learn his lesson.
And just how do you expect him to get a job with a felony drug charge in his history. Under no circumstances should you alert the authorities. That would cause him to spend years in prison. I would never, ever talk to my brother again if he did that to me. Furthermore, don't you think that would only push him into harder, more dangerous, drugs? I mean, then what does he have to loose?
Now, onto the religion issue. No one's perfect. If he's not tending to his relationship with God, that's a problem. But don't scapegoat his pot use for all of his sins. When you are playing magic, are you thinking about God directly? However, if you do it in a way that honors God (player respect, ect) I don't see it as wrong.
Re: the OP
Here's where this can become a morally corrupt issue: If he knows that it upsets his loved ones. Know that I give this advice because I've been where he is. I loved what I did. It was great. But then my mom found out. It hurt her, and that hurts me; so I made sacrifices. If you tell him that it bothers you, this may influence him. I'm sure he loves you. That said, perhaps you should ask him only to reduce, not to totally quit. It would be unfair to expect that only he should make sacrifices, wouldn't it. All the best, my friend.
And just how do you expect him to get a job with a felony drug charge in his history. Under no circumstances should you alert the authorities. That would cause him to spend years in prison.
Where are you from and do you have any actual knowledge of the local marijuana laws? The average habitual marijuana smoker probably only has an ounce or less on them at any given time and sentences like that aren't generally handed out for that small of an amount unless it is packaged with the intent to sell it.
Here's where this can become a morally corrupt issue: If he knows that it upsets his loved ones.
How is it morally corrupt to "upset" someone? If my parents don't like my choice of vocation or avocation (Magic??) and that upsets them, I am then "morally corrupt" for continuing that action? Really? It seems like not giving in to peer pressure to me. Remember that cuts both ways.
Where are you from and do you have any actual knowledge of the local marijuana laws? The average habitual marijuana smoker probably only has an ounce or less on them at any given time and sentences like that aren't generally handed out for that small of an amount unless it is packaged with the intent to sell it.
Sure, perhaps not a felony, but I don't think it'd be the best thing for his record. Wether or not it's a felony, ect, is irrelevant.
How is it morally corrupt to "upset" someone? If my parents don't like my choice of vocation or avocation (Magic??) and that upsets them, I am then "morally corrupt" for continuing that action? Really? It seems like not giving in to peer pressure to me. Remember that cuts both ways.
Hrm. I over-simplified. I just mean that if it's not too much of a problem for you to change your behavior in some way that can do good for your loved ones, then you should. So, perhaps his brother would be best to not smoke in front of his family ever. Also, he could work to avoid being high around his family too. It's really just a small change for him. Otherwise it seems (even though it is probably not the case) that he is flaunting something that he knows hurts his family. Do you see what I mean?
How is it morally corrupt to "upset" someone? If my parents don't like my choice of vocation or avocation (Magic??) and that upsets them, I am then "morally corrupt" for continuing that action? Really? It seems like not giving in to peer pressure to me. Remember that cuts both ways.
Morality exists because of emotion. If there were no emotion, there would be no need for morality. So a better question would be, how can it be morally justified if it upsets someone, and how can it be morally reprehensible if it doesn't?
Which brings us to the question of rights. You have a right to play Magic, whether or not that upsets people, because people like things to be fair. Of course, that doesn't mean it isn't wrong for you to play Magic - it's just wrong for anyone to try to stop you.
Yay for prickly moral issues where rights conflict with utility :D.
Of course, this brother person doesn't necessarily have a right to smoke weed. The law certainly says he doesn't. And if it isn't a right, then any effect it has on others, however intangible, is definitely relevant.
Of course, this brother person doesn't necessarily have a right to smoke weed. The law certainly says he doesn't. And if it isn't a right, then any effect it has on others, however intangible, is definitely relevant.
First off, the most essential right is the right to do whatever you can get away with. There's no contesting that. Secondly, I find it complete and utter ******** that the law can tell me which intoxicants I'm allowed and which ones I'm not. Third, this thread is really, really old and needs to just die. OP, your bro can do what he wants and pay the consequences. Worry about your life and if that means avoiding him to minimize your chances of ever going down with him, so be it. /thread
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"The imagination is not a State: it is the Human existence itself." - William Blake
Honestly, his facts and statistics are right. (well... at least the majority of them probably are.) It's not chemically addictive, and it's far less damaging to you than alcohol (though to say it's good for you is probably stretching it.) People also call it a gateway drug, but this is simply not true unless you're terrible at handling peer pressure. I've smoked it. I've quit. Nothing bad happened. The problem isn't that you're brother smokes weed, and the real problem probably won't go away if you try to address it the wrong way. The problem is that it seems to be too much of a priority to him. Weed only controls you if you allow it to, but it sounds to me like he is allowing it to. If he wants to smoke, I say let him, but try to help him straighten his priorities. If the weed always comes first, it will probably **** up his life. But if it's something he enjoys doing from time to time, when the more important things have been taken care of, it's really nothing to worry about.
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"I am confident that if anyone actually
penetrates our facades, even the most
perceptive would still be fundamentally
unprepared for the truth of House Dimir."
— Szadek
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The thing with marijuana is this: legalization/decriminalisation is something that I agree with, but there's so much stuff that has an higher priority that I have no time to be an activist about it. And the people for whom this is high enough priority to be activists about it are the very people that nobody will ever take seriously (I mean, if your big thing is weed over, say, anti-war activism, labor activism, etc..., your priorities are clearly screwed up). The authorities know this and that's why they can continue down this path without too much fear that anything will ever change.
Netdecking is Rightdecking
My latest data-driven Magic the Gathering strategy article
(TLDR: Analysis of the Valakut matchups. UB rising in the rankings. Aggro correspondingly taking a dive.)
You are not powerless. While his "problem" might not be a serious one in many's eyes, if it is in your eyes and those of your parents, you all have to speak up and let him know. Have an intervention if you must. Have your parents set an ultimatum. It is their house, so if they have a problem with it, they can force him to leave the house. That may not be the best way to get him to stop doing it, but it will force him to set priorities.
You can't change who he is or the decisions he will have to make on his own, and for the most part, your brother is right, weed hasn't been linked to any deaths or a long list of diseases, so you won't win that argument with him. I don't like to play scare tactics (and I hate those ads on TV), but you could use the "weed makes you lazy and unmotivated" angle, which isn't true universally, but does sorta keep you weighted down (it did for me when I smoked a lot).
You could also stop talking about it. Maybe he does it because he feels rebellious. Without anyone seriously caring, he may just stop out of boredom. And, never ever take a drug test for him.
My wife hates marijuana with a passion. I'm not totally sure why, and while I don't smoke anymore, I have tried to reason with her that it's a perfectly fine thing in moderation, as is small amounts of alcohol, but she won't hear it. She gave me an ultimatum in that it's either her or weed (which was an easy decision for me, as I haven't smoked since college anyway). Maybe that's eventually what it's going to take.
And last, take the time to fully understand why you have a problem with it. I'm not saying you're wrong in how you feel, but that it is an open-ended thing. Personally I think it's not for everybody, but can be enjoyed responsibly by some.
And just how do you expect him to get a job with a felony drug charge in his history. Under no circumstances should you alert the authorities. That would cause him to spend years in prison. I would never, ever talk to my brother again if he did that to me. Furthermore, don't you think that would only push him into harder, more dangerous, drugs? I mean, then what does he have to loose?
Now, onto the religion issue. No one's perfect. If he's not tending to his relationship with God, that's a problem. But don't scapegoat his pot use for all of his sins. When you are playing magic, are you thinking about God directly? However, if you do it in a way that honors God (player respect, ect) I don't see it as wrong.
Re: the OP
Here's where this can become a morally corrupt issue: If he knows that it upsets his loved ones. Know that I give this advice because I've been where he is. I loved what I did. It was great. But then my mom found out. It hurt her, and that hurts me; so I made sacrifices. If you tell him that it bothers you, this may influence him. I'm sure he loves you. That said, perhaps you should ask him only to reduce, not to totally quit. It would be unfair to expect that only he should make sacrifices, wouldn't it. All the best, my friend.
Warning for Necroing
Where are you from and do you have any actual knowledge of the local marijuana laws? The average habitual marijuana smoker probably only has an ounce or less on them at any given time and sentences like that aren't generally handed out for that small of an amount unless it is packaged with the intent to sell it.
How is it morally corrupt to "upset" someone? If my parents don't like my choice of vocation or avocation (Magic??) and that upsets them, I am then "morally corrupt" for continuing that action? Really? It seems like not giving in to peer pressure to me. Remember that cuts both ways.
smoke_Killah
Sure, perhaps not a felony, but I don't think it'd be the best thing for his record. Wether or not it's a felony, ect, is irrelevant.
Hrm. I over-simplified. I just mean that if it's not too much of a problem for you to change your behavior in some way that can do good for your loved ones, then you should. So, perhaps his brother would be best to not smoke in front of his family ever. Also, he could work to avoid being high around his family too. It's really just a small change for him. Otherwise it seems (even though it is probably not the case) that he is flaunting something that he knows hurts his family. Do you see what I mean?
Which brings us to the question of rights. You have a right to play Magic, whether or not that upsets people, because people like things to be fair. Of course, that doesn't mean it isn't wrong for you to play Magic - it's just wrong for anyone to try to stop you.
Yay for prickly moral issues where rights conflict with utility :D.
Of course, this brother person doesn't necessarily have a right to smoke weed. The law certainly says he doesn't. And if it isn't a right, then any effect it has on others, however intangible, is definitely relevant.
First off, the most essential right is the right to do whatever you can get away with. There's no contesting that. Secondly, I find it complete and utter ******** that the law can tell me which intoxicants I'm allowed and which ones I'm not. Third, this thread is really, really old and needs to just die. OP, your bro can do what he wants and pay the consequences. Worry about your life and if that means avoiding him to minimize your chances of ever going down with him, so be it. /thread
"Stoned players can't attack, block, or play spells or abilities."
"I am confident that if anyone actually
penetrates our facades, even the most
perceptive would still be fundamentally
unprepared for the truth of House Dimir."