Quote from: RockViperIn all of my years of college I have yet to meet a "Stoner" (sorry recreational drug user) who was worth a damn; lazy, inept and stupid go hand in hand with heavy to moderate drug use.

I'm not disagreeing really but you might be having a selection bias. If someone smokes pot but is productive and normal, how would you know that they smoke pot. So, the only ones who get categorized as stoner are those who are defective or at an impaired level.
 
edit: Ken said largely the same thing.

We have no drugs or booze in our games. There is, however, much fattening up from the local pizza place!

Quote from: Sacrificial LambWe have no drugs or booze in our games. There is, however, much fattening up from the local pizza place!

Pizza is a drug.

At least to me.

Having a few beers or smoking a joint at the table is considered normal, innocuous behaviour in my circles. We're 30-something professionals and academics who know our own limits. Not everyone partakes, but the abstainers are tolerant of those who do.

Never had alcohol or other drugs at the table, with the exception of caffeine. Interestingly, out of my current group of 4, at least 3 of us are teetotalers.

Even when I was "experimenting" years ago, it never would have occurred to me to bring mind-altering stuff to a game. Roleplaying under the influence of cannabis, for example, would seem quite frustrating--constantly forgetting what just happened, etc. And alcohol just makes me very drowsy and unfocused. But maybe that's because I'm a wimp and never developed a tolerance for any of the above.

So I stick with tea before and during games. A previous group had the tradition of brewing tea before every session. I haven't managed to get that tradition going with the current group, though--mostly they think I'm nuts for drinking hot tea in the summer.

I don't have a policy because I've never had to enact one.

Without going into my preferences or politics regarding alcohol and drugs, I'm astonshed to see as little overlap among the freaks and geeks at the game table as there is represented in this thread. I've always expected a certain stoner contingent in rpgs. It may be that I'm older--in my 40s. Or that Colorado used to be pretty libertarian before the conservative revolution. But when I started playing, D&D and Rush were square in the middle of an enormous overlap in the Venn diagram representing nerd and stoner culture.

There certainly is a stoner component among gamers. But I've excluded them indirectly.

For me to be interested in gaming with someone, they must be functionally social. It's a social creative hobby. If they're an asocial or antisocial person, I won't enjoy gaming with them. So what I do is to say that a person must have at least two of - girl/boyfriend, job and friends. If they've recenty lost one of those that's fair enough, but if they usually have two of those three in their lives then they're obviously basically socially functional.

What I've found is that in general stoners (and alcoholics) aren't socially functional. They can manage none or only one of girl/boyfriend, job and friends. Basically, when they bring the drugs or excessive booze into their lives, they have to push aside one of spouse, job or friends to make room for it. Sure, there are a few who can, and there are plenty of non-stoners who aren't socially functional, either. But in general, if you exclude the socially non-functional, you'll also exclude the stoners.

For drinking, a number of times we've had someone bring a sixpack or even a dozen, but between 3-5 people that's not going to make anyone unable to drive or acting really stupid.

I teetotal these days, but only because I have to drive everyone home. When I can stay the night, or back when I lived within walking distance of my group, I'd get ripped on whatever I pleased. I am pretty buttoned down under the influence of psychoactive chemicals though.

Quote from: Black FlagRoleplaying under the influence [...] constantly forgetting what just happened [...] drowsy and unfocused.

Sounds like many gamers without drugs or alcohol.

My opinion:

Pot - excellent. Big plus for concentration and relaxation.
Acid - forget about it; especially if you're GMing.
Speed - haven't you got something you want to be up and doing?
Smack - forget about it.
Booze - can be fun if everybody's drinking. Simple games needed.
Magic mushrooms - as acid. Doing anything seems ridiculous.
Coke - anything's possible when you're coked.

There are some days where when we get together we don't feel like playing DnD, we'll break out the board games and do some serious drinking. I remember playing RoboRally once after a few too many and within two turns had my robot somehow turned around and put right back to the starting point. Fun times.

I have never had a successful game with anyone who was not sober. Due to this, I now avoid inebriated gamers and GMs. I find the game suffers and if I wanted to get drunk, I would go get drunk. Gaming, to me, is an activity primarily of the mind. Clouding the mind with drugs lessens the game. If you are not there to game but to get high, then yes, then you are doing what you planned to but it is not going to be gaming to me.

Again, not saying the folks who use drugs and game are having badwrongfun, just not my kind of fun.

Bill

Quote from: HinterWeltIf you are not there to game but to get high, then yes, then you are doing what you planned to but it is not going to be gaming to me.

You're such a square, Bill. You're there to get high and game, of course.

Quote from: droogYou're such a square, Bill. You're there to get high and game, of course.

Again, just my opinion, but you are there to get high. By the way, we will be a game going. I am not saying this is wrong, just not for me. IMHO, you want to have a party, go for it. You want play games at your party? Sure! I just have never seen what I would call serious gaming with people who are inebriated. Could happen, but I just see the two (inebriated and serious gaming) as counter to one another.

To be clear, I have had game sessions that people show up to eat a magnificent dinner I cooked. Oh, and afterward we might game. There are parties and then there are game sessions. Which you are having is something only those involved in can judge.

And sure, I am a square.

Bill

Quote from: HinterWeltAgain, just my opinion, but you are there to get high. By the way, we will be a game going.

No, definitely a case of "We're here to play. Who wants a cone?"

Would you believe I won a roleplaying award at a con while off my nut?