pot changes people, weve all seen it over the years, there's not a doubt in my mind.
so does alcohol and baccy sure, but when you give that stuff up you get your life and mind back, with pot i recks it does something to your disposition that you never get back.
Ive known people to go thru the whole rock thing and the alcohol thing, and give it all up and come out of it fine, but with pot i still notice the strangeness at times with some people, and their spark for life is more of a fizz out.
I agree to some extent, but on the other hand I have to disagree a bit. I grew up in a pretty "open" family life. My parents had some pretty dodgy friends. Truth be told, my old man was no angel either. I knew what a bong was from a VERY young age. I knew what "pot" was before I knew my 3 times table. I've seen A LOT of my parents friends years down the track, totally burnt out and fried. It definitely effects you long term.... but not always. Quite alot of them (my parents included) went through life fine. Held down good jobs, had families, never got busted for anything, are respectable members of society, could hold an intelligent conversation, had no signs of "pot rot" yet smoked a joint a day for their whole lives, and continue to do so now. Im relatively young compared to these guys, but in my 15 years of smoking (near daily) I dont think its affected me that badly, if at all.
i know where you be coming from there man, i guess there are some exceptions to the rule, i dont know of any from my neck of the woods though for sure, sure i know people can hold down jobs and live a life fine, but i was kinda getting at the fact that their personalities change.
having said that, well all change thru life anyway, and if its not pot its piss or amphets, i grew up similar to you it seems, not so much my family doing it but i was always on the wrong side of the tracks so to speak from a young age, so i do now where you are coming from there, but as for many of my friends, they are different now, some fuckn unbearable to be around and a few of em dead now to be honest.
maybe not directly from pot, just the whole shebang.
im not a dont smoke pot advocate at all, im just putting my experience out there i guess.
As we all know, keeping an eye on all the shit you do is the way to go, once you tip over the edge, youre over the edge.