I. Marwood

About the author: I. Marwood is a freelance writer.

Smoking marijuana is relaxing and pleasurably intoxicating. While it may make people act silly and spaced-out, marijuana does not cause aggression, oversentimentality, or hangovers as alcohol can. Many people from all walks of life smoke cannabis on a regular basis—with no serious adverse effects—and they are finding that today's marijuana is of higher quality than it was in the past. One rarely mentioned benefit of marijuana use is its effect on family life. Parents who smoke marijuana become less irritable and more childlike and therefore enjoy spending more time with their children.

Inow divide my friends into two categories: those who smoke dope and those who don't get invited to my dinner parties. The last time I tried to mix the...