Anonymous
Post 01/20/2026 14:58     Subject: Has your DC started drug or alcohol use?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Just curious. My DD goes to one of the schools on Princeton Review’s “Reefer Madness” list. She’s told me she started smoking weed several months ago as there’s a dispensary not too far. I honestly don’t mind as her grades are decent and she’s involved on campus. There’s worse things she can do and it’s not like I didn’t partake while in college either.


I will never understand parents who believe that good grades are an indicator that their student is doing well emotionally.


OP here. I’m close with my children but also give them space to explore and find their way. I may be an outlier here but I do not believe marijuana usage is indicative of extreme mental health problems. She does struggle with depression and anxiety but she keeps me in the loop and has a reliable therapist. If it was a daily thing I’d be worried. It’s more social/weekend. I’d rather her get marijuana from a dispensary than a shady drug dealer with fentanyl laced drugs.


I agree with another poster that someone with an inborn fragility should not self-medicate themselves. Weed has more long-term toxic side effects than a low-dose anti-anxiety medication prescribed by a doctor and given alongside regular medical check-ups.



Anonymous
Post 01/20/2026 14:57     Subject: Has your DC started drug or alcohol use?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Just curious. My DD goes to one of the schools on Princeton Review’s “Reefer Madness” list. She’s told me she started smoking weed several months ago as there’s a dispensary not too far. I honestly don’t mind as her grades are decent and she’s involved on campus. There’s worse things she can do and it’s not like I didn’t partake while in college either.


I will never understand parents who believe that good grades are an indicator that their student is doing well emotionally.


OP here. I’m close with my children but also give them space to explore and find their way. I may be an outlier here but I do not believe marijuana usage is indicative of extreme mental health problems. She does struggle with depression and anxiety but she keeps me in the loop and has a reliable therapist. If it was a daily thing I’d be worried. It’s more social/weekend. I’d rather her get marijuana from a dispensary than a shady drug dealer with fentanyl laced drugs.


It's good that you are discussing this with her but smoking weed is not good - the weed of today is not the weed of back in the day, it is much stronger. And of course, vaping thc is exponentially stronger (and many kids seem to call vaping thc, "smoking weed", it's not the same).

My son has said alcohol, weed, and vaping thc is rampant at HS parties. Our take is, don't do it. He has on several occasions. We try to keep an open dialogue but also discourage usage. It's tough.
Anonymous
Post 01/20/2026 14:56     Subject: Has your DC started drug or alcohol use?
Anonymous wrote:We are a family that lacks sufficient alcohol dehydrogenase to sufficiently metabolize alcohol, and I don't metabolize certain medications well either. So I have never tried anything beyond a very small amount of alcohol, for fear of drastic side-effects. My 20 and 15 year olds are like me. They've tasted alcohol and don't like it (we're French and it's normal for teens to have a little alcohol at home), and have no desire to try other things, like cannabis, tobacco, pills, etc.

So no, my college kid is not interested. On the other hand, he's the go-to person to help drunk friends get back to their dorm.



Yea keep telling yourself that lol
Anonymous
Post 01/20/2026 14:53     Subject: Has your DC started drug or alcohol use?
Many "high class" kids are drinking and smoking. They are also lying about it. Good luck out there, parents.
Anonymous
Post 01/20/2026 14:52     Subject: Re:Has your DC started drug or alcohol use?
My kid is academic-focused and not a party person - maybe goes to 3 parties total during the school year and only with a chill group of friends. Does not care for loud, crazy parties with obnoxiously drunk people.

He occasionally smokes weed and only from a trusted source. (A friend's parents have a few plants for medicinal purposes.) I always know when he plans to smoke because he'll ask us to drop him off/pick him up from the party or he takes uber.

Anonymous
Post 01/20/2026 14:49     Subject: Re:Has your DC started drug or alcohol use?
Were you seriously judged for this?! Wow.
Anonymous
Post 01/20/2026 14:45     Subject: Has your DC started drug or alcohol use?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Just curious. My DD goes to one of the schools on Princeton Review’s “Reefer Madness” list. She’s told me she started smoking weed several months ago as there’s a dispensary not too far. I honestly don’t mind as her grades are decent and she’s involved on campus. There’s worse things she can do and it’s not like I didn’t partake while in college either.


I will never understand parents who believe that good grades are an indicator that their student is doing well emotionally.


These are the same parents who have myopic views on private schools, AP, grades, or where their kid goes to college - same parents who judge me for serving sprite at an 8 year old’s birthday.
Anonymous
Post 01/20/2026 14:37     Subject: Has your DC started drug or alcohol use?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Just curious. My DD goes to one of the schools on Princeton Review’s “Reefer Madness” list. She’s told me she started smoking weed several months ago as there’s a dispensary not too far. I honestly don’t mind as her grades are decent and she’s involved on campus. There’s worse things she can do and it’s not like I didn’t partake while in college either.


I will never understand parents who believe that good grades are an indicator that their student is doing well emotionally.


OP here. I’m close with my children but also give them space to explore and find their way. I may be an outlier here but I do not believe marijuana usage is indicative of extreme mental health problems. She does struggle with depression and anxiety but she keeps me in the loop and has a reliable therapist. If it was a daily thing I’d be worried. It’s more social/weekend. I’d rather her get marijuana from a dispensary than a shady drug dealer with fentanyl laced drugs.


PP again. IMO, you are on a very naive and dangerous path with your DD.
Anonymous
Post 01/20/2026 14:30     Subject: Has your DC started drug or alcohol use?
My 21y does recreationally. He is about to graduate so whatever.

My 19yo freshman seemed to be developing a dependence so we recently told him he needed to get it under control or we won't be giving him any spending money or the car we said he could have for sophomore year.
Anonymous
Post 01/20/2026 14:25     Subject: Has your DC started drug or alcohol use?
No.

DC1 Classed as College Senior
DC2 HS Senior

Family history of substance abuse so both are adamantly against (and have lost friendships/been shunned because of it). I’m proud of them for avoiding it.
Anonymous
Post 01/20/2026 14:18     Subject: Has your DC started drug or alcohol use?
Anonymous wrote:Underage drinking and using drugs is low class.


+1 Everyone knows weed is for losers. Coke is for winners.

jk on the coke. I'd be BESIDE myself if I learned my DC was smoking weed. There is a difference b/w "has tried pot" vs. "smokes pot." Wouldn't be thrilled with the former but I'd be devasted with the latter.
Anonymous
Post 01/20/2026 13:36     Subject: Has your DC started drug or alcohol use?
Interesting thread. Definitely see less substance use in this generation. Good for them!

More knowledge on the dangers now than when we were teens. Gen Z can make a more informed choice.

Anonymous
Post 01/20/2026 13:31     Subject: Has your DC started drug or alcohol use?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Just curious. My DD goes to one of the schools on Princeton Review’s “Reefer Madness” list. She’s told me she started smoking weed several months ago as there’s a dispensary not too far. I honestly don’t mind as her grades are decent and she’s involved on campus. There’s worse things she can do and it’s not like I didn’t partake while in college either.


I will never understand parents who believe that good grades are an indicator that their student is doing well emotionally.


OP here. I’m close with my children but also give them space to explore and find their way. I may be an outlier here but I do not believe marijuana usage is indicative of extreme mental health problems. She does struggle with depression and anxiety but she keeps me in the loop and has a reliable therapist. If it was a daily thing I’d be worried. It’s more social/weekend. I’d rather her get marijuana from a dispensary than a shady drug dealer with fentanyl laced drugs.


This is sensible. From CA, I’ve always considered alcohol more serious than weed, although I’ve heard current varieties have more serious long term health effects, might want to look into that if you haven’t already.

I’ve always found it odd that some people get alarmed over their kid smoking weed while being fine with the kid drinking at an SEC or remote NE SLAC.


From the responses on this thread I guess we are hippie parents.
Anonymous
Post 01/20/2026 13:28     Subject: Has your DC started drug or alcohol use?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Just curious. My DD goes to one of the schools on Princeton Review’s “Reefer Madness” list. She’s told me she started smoking weed several months ago as there’s a dispensary not too far. I honestly don’t mind as her grades are decent and she’s involved on campus. There’s worse things she can do and it’s not like I didn’t partake while in college either.


I will never understand parents who believe that good grades are an indicator that their student is doing well emotionally.


OP here. I’m close with my children but also give them space to explore and find their way. I may be an outlier here but I do not believe marijuana usage is indicative of extreme mental health problems. She does struggle with depression and anxiety but she keeps me in the loop and has a reliable therapist. If it was a daily thing I’d be worried. It’s more social/weekend. I’d rather her get marijuana from a dispensary than a shady drug dealer with fentanyl laced drugs.


This is sensible. From CA, I’ve always considered alcohol more serious than weed, although I’ve heard current varieties have more serious long term health effects, might want to look into that if you haven’t already.

I’ve always found it odd that some people get alarmed over their kid smoking weed while being fine with the kid drinking at an SEC or remote NE SLAC.
Anonymous
Post 01/20/2026 13:21     Subject: Has your DC started drug or alcohol use?
Anonymous wrote:I hear cocaine is making a come back. Is there any truth to that?


Has it ever gone away? It is around NYC corporate settings and my DC has a friend who saw it at UC Santa Cruz.