Hi, I am always crowing about how if folks had their priorities together and
were responsible they wouldn't involve themselves with drugs.
I just throught I'd throw in that there are gray areas as well.
For instance, when I smoked pot in highschool it was out of pure boardom and
a need for friends and probably a little bit from the fact that drug use was
so rampid in my family.
It had little to do with being irresponsible.  Then again, at that age I
wasn't given much to be responsible for either.  Perhaps if we are to give
kids responsibility little by little and praise them for doing well with
their responsibilities it could help?
I am just wondering aloud now as this message is forming as I write.
I did not think it out completely.
Yes, if we were given responsibilities and involved in life little by little
and seen as an individual person instead of someone's kid, it might help
some.
The kid would, little by little become a person with a standing in family
relationships and in a comunity.  Of course, the danger is, the drugs are
out in that comunity and sometimes in the families as well so you still have
to watch and be aware of the people around your kids to know what kind of
enfluences are around them.
For instance, my brother and his wife gave me my first drag of pot.  These
were irresponsible child like people who were living in our home at the time
and they were in their early 20s at the time.
I'd be interested in your thoughts on this ramble Phil.
I had your situation in mind when I started it but now in looking back at my
own situation I just don't know.
I guess drugs can come into our lives in many ways but most of the problem
is in that we form friendships with people and one of the bonds we have in
those friendship is a shared use of the same drug.  I did not like losing my
friends everytime I would decide to quit but I finally got tired of that
dance and I went back to being a loner with few friends and nothing to do
again.
By the time I got to college I had met Terri and she had told me she
wouldn't have anything to do with me if I started smoking again, so it
wasn't hard to say no when the guys across the hall were smoking.
I hope I am not bugging people on this list with these rambles.
Not a lot to do with religion, more of a soul searching while I study
christianity and it's place in my life.

Matt