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I live in Europe but a few times a year I visit the United States.
I stay in states where recreational cannabis is allowed.

I don't use cannabis in Europe because it's not allowed, but when I'm in the States I would enjoy spending some time in a dispensary with some of my local friends.

How can I ask them to join me, given that I don't know if they've ever tried it and without looking like a junkie (while asking so)?

Edit:

At the end, the group of friends organized a picnic and everybody at the end of the day smoked, without me having to ask anything I guess that was the best way it could have ended.

Nebulae
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    Are you opposed to asking them if they smoke? I find people are more open to the idea even if they themselves don't smoke if they live in an open state. – TheRealLester Jul 05 '18 at 00:46
  • I think asking if they smoke is pretty similar to the problem I described, suggestion on how to do that would be welcome – Nebulae Jul 05 '18 at 00:48
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    You should be aware: "without looking like a junkie" includes 3 possible interpretations and I think it matters a lot: Your definition of junkie, their definition and actual junkies. Since you need to ask, it suggests that either your or their definition is an issue. Since nobody can read minds, it might improve the quality of possible answers if you could elaborate why you think this is a concern at all. Currently, strictly speaking, it is unclear what you want to avoid looking like – Raditz_35 Jul 05 '18 at 09:58
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    What country are you in and what country to they come from? Drug culture is vastly different across Europe, as are the laws in each country. – josh Jul 05 '18 at 14:16
  • Just to be clear, is your question about *suggesting* to your friends you try cannabis while in the US while not looking to them like a junkie or is it about *visiting* a dispensary and not looking like a junkie? – Azor Ahai -him- Jul 05 '18 at 19:11
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    Also, do people really associate "junkie" with cannabis? – Azor Ahai -him- Jul 05 '18 at 19:12
  • @AzorAhai - Depends on where you are. In Sweden, for example, the government and many older people make no distinction between cannabis and, say, heroin. Illegal drugs are illegal drugs, with no gradation of some being "softer" or "harder" than others. – Dave Sherohman Jul 06 '18 at 11:31
  • In one sentence you state that "you enjoy spending some time in a dispensary with some of my local friends" but in the next sentence you ask "How can I ask them to join me, **given that I don't know if they've ever tried it** and without looking like a junkie (while asking so)?" Are you talking about 2 different groups of people? Please clarify. – Bear Jul 10 '18 at 15:33
  • @KAS I said "I would enjoy", conditional – Nebulae Jul 14 '18 at 17:57
  • @Nebulae it was edited to "would" by TheRealLester – Bear Jul 16 '18 at 14:30
  • Originally it was "I'd enjoy". Someone changed it – Nebulae Jul 17 '18 at 03:07

3 Answers3

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Instead of asking them to join you right away, ask them what they think about using recreational marijuana. Asking them about their opinion from a neutral standpoint (a simple "I noticed its legal in this state, would you ever smoke?" etc.) will provide an insight on how they will react to your next question.

They Would

By all means, ask them about going. If they personally would smoke, go for it. You can also phrase your original question as more neutral "I've never been to a dispensary, do you want to go?" if your worried about it, but if they do/would smoke pot they wouldn't mind if you did.

They Wouldn't, but are Accepting

If they say something along the lines of:

I personally don't like smoking, but I'm OK with the idea.

or

It's not something I would do, but overall I don't mind.

then feel free to ask them to come, if only for the experience. I'm not a smoker myself but I constantly hang around others who are avid fans, and I basically act as their guardian. I don't look at pot smokers as junkies and everyone I've come across with this mindset also agrees.

They Wouldn't, but are NOT Accepting

I wouldn't consider asking them or mentioning the fact that you want to go around them at all. If they start preaching about how bad it is and why it should be banned, don't bother asking. You already know the answer.

TheRealLester
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    It really sits wrong with me that the fourth option isn't here even though I know it is preposterous. Still for the sake of completeness: They would, but they are NOT Accepting - By all means ask them, but be aware that they will likely have to self-flagellate afterwards. I'll leave it up to youself to edit in or not. :D – RyanfaeScotland Jul 06 '18 at 12:34
  • It's not preposterous at all. People aren't consistently rational.I've known people like this even :) I still wouldn't include it in the answer though. – William Grobman Jul 10 '18 at 17:20
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When asking your friends, you can casually mention that you don't smoke cannabis at home. That it is special to you that it is legal over there. It is the opportunity for you to try this substance without breaking the law.

With this approach, it does not matter whether your friends are pro or con cannabis. They will understand either way that you don't smoke cannabis at home - you are not a junkie at all. After all, it is an opportunity that many people would love to take.

Whether they will actually join you however depends on their opinion of the substance. But nobody will think of you as a junkie because you want to try it out one time. A junkie is someone heavily addicted to drugs, and not someone who wants to try out a drug for the first (or even second, third time) - especially if that drug is legal.

As long as you are not asking to go there every day or two, you'll be fine.

kscherrer
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People who live in states that have legalized recreation marijuana tend to have very permissive attitudes about smoking/eating/consuming it. If you say "Lets go to a dispensary. It's illegal in my country and I want to see what it's like" your friends won't think you're a junkie.

People in states like Colorado, California, and Alaska realize that marijuana use is something that productive members of society can choose to do in their spare time. Only the most judgmental residents of those states would think less of you for wanting to try some.

You don't have to dance around this question. Think of how you would react if a 20 year old American friend visiting your home country said "Lets go to the liquor store. It's illegal in my country and I want to see what it's like". That's the reaction you can expect from most people in recreational marijuana states.

Sources: Nothing official, but I currently live in Massachusetts (a state that recently legalized marijuana). I lived in Washington DC (a city that recently legalized marijuana) for 6 years. My cousin went to college in Colorado (a state with legal marijuana). My girlfriend lives in California (a state with legal marijuana). I've met a ton of people who don't smoke themselves, but I can count on one hand the number of people who would judge someone else for smoking.

Bryan Schwimmer
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    Hey Bryan, welcome to IPS! Do you have any experience to enforce the fact that "People who live in states that have legalized recreation marijuana tend to have very permissive attitudes about smoking/eating/consuming it?" It seems this line is what your answer is based on, but it's not clear to me why this would be true. Do you have some experience or articles to back up this claim? – scohe001 Jul 05 '18 at 21:08
  • I have the same doubt. In europe liquor is rooted in the culture of our countries. Cannabis instead has been recently legalized in those states – Nebulae Jul 06 '18 at 06:24
  • I currently live in Massachusetts (a state that recently legalized marijuana). I lived in Washington DC (a city that recently legalized marijuana) for 6 years. My cousin went to college in Colorado (a state with legal marijuana). My girlfriend lives in California (a state with legal marijuana) California legalized marijuana by referendum, which means over 50% of people who voted on the measure want to legalize it. Also, basic common sense would tell you that state legislators want to pass laws that make people in their state happy. – Bryan Schwimmer Jul 09 '18 at 17:05