[gundas]

Hi there,

I do not smoke either. However...

To play Devil's Advocate...

Weed is an illegal drug here. If you get caught with it, you will go to jail. I assume you are in Mexico by your flag. Well, if you come here to visit a dojo and you happen to bring some of it, you will be bringing an illegal drug into the country that can get you deported if you choose to bring it.(Not saying you would, but I thought you should know that in case you didn't realise that.)

Is weed an illegal drug there or not? If it is, then if I was you, I'd quit. I have heard jail there is really not the nicest place to be.

Getting high causes you to lose your judgement, too. If you got high before class, you could hurt someone in the dojo. I think doing drugs, if you'll excuse me, is very very stupid as it kills brain cells and impairs judegment. You don't need to get high to have fun. Even though you say you only smoke it occasionally, it is still a very bad idea to smoke it. A drug is a drug no matter how you put it.

Also, if someone can check for me, to see for sure, but isn't it in the tournament rules that you can't be doing drugs of any kind?

Personally, I think it should be a requirement for students to sign a form saying they'll stay away from drugs while being a member of a club.

About the smoking. You should keep trying to quit. You'll be able to, if you keep up the determinaton and persevere in your goal to quit. Rewarding yourself for going x days w/out smoking with something fun to do or buy a thing you want to have, is a really good idea. There's nothing like motivation!

My sensei at my current dojo smokes and it makes me crazy to see him do that. I want sooo much to tell him to stop that. Both my Grandfather on my Dad's side and my Great Aunt(I knew her) smoked a lot and both died young from emphysema(Sp?) which is a disease of the lungs caused by smoking that you have a high risk of getting when you are older from smoking. You'll end up on an oxygen tank for sure if you get that disease, and then you'll die. I miss both of them.

As to the weed, kick that habit now. The motivation idea above can be used for the weed quitting. And, you'll be much happier when you discover you don't need a drug to make you happy. It will be healthier and safer for you in the end. Safer because you won't end up in Jail or hurt somebody or yourself by accident because you were too high to realise what the heck you were doing.

Please give that serious thought. You don't want to ruin your chances at having a good life.

Kaoru