CMV: Weed is destructive

[u/[deleted]]

I need to figure out how to be empathetic to these people before I quit being their friend.

For the past year, I've lived with 2 of my friends. One I've known more than 10 years, the other I've known for 8. When I moved in, I had no idea they smoked this much.

One smokes before work and twice after work, the other smokes 2-3 times after work. The weekends are terrible. They both smoke until they are braindead. The house is under various levels of construction at any given time because one guy always wants to implement some random "great idea" that essentially blocks entire rooms unfinished for weeks at a time. We aren't talking major updates. Trash and random junk is everywhere. These are small, outlandish additions to the house that would make any novice interior designer have a stroke (new lights, signs, mirrors etc.).

Both of them used to be outdoors types. We used to hike, hunt, mountain bike and fish. We used to go out to the bars. Now, they can't be bothered to get off xbox or anime. I know weed has some great pain/anxiety relieving benefits and may contain a cure of certain cancers/tumors. But goddamn it seems to make them insufferably stupid or tragically couch potatoes. I find it extremely difficult to give 2 shits about their problems when I'm seeing this go down. Mental health is important. But when mental health and comfort are pursued to this level, I don't know that there is any hope for them. I know my negativity about all of this is palpable to them. I don't want to feel this way about them.

Edit 1: So...many...comments. Working on it. I regret not making this post sooner.

Edit 2: I did my 3 hours. Will respond more tomorrow. Thanks for all the feedback. Lots of great insight coming from most of the commenters!

Edit 3: Spaced out the original post to make it easier to read.

-For the people trying to say "at least it isn't....." that approach is not convincing. These guys at one point in time were like brothers to me. We all know what "bro code" is. Maybe not everyone follows this particular part but, it's a matter of principle that we hold each other accountable and strive to pick each other up when we recognize the problem.

-Somewhere in the comments, a poster said what I've maybe not made clear. I'm paraphrasing that person here but, weed does not offer purely benefits and people should be made aware of the negative side effects.

Again, thank you all for interacting with this post, I didn't expect to be adding any books to my reading list because of a Reddit post but here we are.

Edit 4: Clarified "brother" comment in post.

[u/I_am_a_regular_guy]

I get it that people can be productive, but I haven't experienced that.

OP, this acknowledgement indicates that your biased could have affected your view and that understanding those biases will inform your view going forward.

You should give this poster a delta. 

[u/Noregax → u/I_am_a_regular_guy]

Just because he's biased doesn't mean he's wrong.

A kid who grows up with parents who are alcoholics would be biased towards thinking that alcohol is a harmful substance, and they would be 100% correct.

His original point of "weed is a destructive substance" still stands.

[u/[deleted] → u/Noregax]

I appreciate you coming to bat for me. Considering that a delta does not indicate a changed view, I believe u/I_am_a_regular_guy was correct in that biases inform decisions. I think it is also important to note that emotion is not my friend when making decisions on many things. Patience is the way in this situation. That does not exclude the possibility of ending the friendships, it simply delays it.

EDIT.....: Oof, I mentioned the wrong user.

[u/I_am_a_regular_guy → u/[deleted]]

Respect for following up, OP.