Wish my son would stop smoking weed

Dear Pastor,

I hope you had a good Christmas, and the New Year has found you in good health.

Me and my children are doing well. I spent Christmas with my son and his family. I had a good time with them. My daughter is a nurse, and she had to work on Christmas Day. But she joined us on New Year's Eve and we went out for dinner. We did not hear you on the radio. We were listening but we realised that you did not work.

I am planning to return to Jamaica in a few weeks. I do not like to stay away for too long from my own place. My husband does not like to travel but he does not prevent me from going anywhere that I want to go, especially when I want to be with my children. The only problem I have is with one of my sons. I cannot get him to stop smoking ganja. But he is at home, and he helps his father. He is not lazy. His father still does farming, and he takes produce to the market for us. We have allowed him to bring his girlfriend in. But we have also given him a piece of land and he is building his own house on it. He is a very bright young man, and his girlfriend is a schoolteacher.

Our son is very good at math, but we don't know what to do to get him to stop the heavy smoking. He is always smoking and sometimes when he smokes, his eyes are red. I asked his girlfriend how she copes with him, but she says she is accustomed to it. When it gets to his head, he just sleeps. He is only 30. He is my only concern. It is funny you know, Pastor, this boy does not drink. He is just a ganja man.

Sometimes he goes to church with me on a Sunday. People see him with long hair, and they think he is a Rasta, but he is not. He doesn't talk about Haile Selassie and Jah, but we would love to see him marry his fiancee and both of them go to church and serve God. His father told me I should stop fretting over the boy - his girlfriend doesn't have any problem with him so why should he be a bother to us.

His brother and sister in America here have sent him money to buy a car to use as a taxi. He said he is going to use the money to buy a van instead. He does not like taxi work and he would be able to take anything from the farm to the market.

Unknown

Dear Writer,

I hope that your son and his fiancee will get married very soon. He has been a good help to your husband, and I know that being at home, he protects his father from people who may want to steal from the farm.

Your son lives to smoke the weed, but he is not interfering with anybody, and he is not trading it. So, I would say leave him alone. I am sure that he is not parading in your house while smoking the weed because you would have mentioned that. His fiancee has been able to tolerate his smoking and they are building their own house, so hopefully he will be living at his own place very soon. His siblings plan to send money to help him to buy a vehicle. He is a smart fellow; he believes that it would be better for him to buy a van. Encourage him to do so.

You seem to have lovely children. I am glad for your husband and you and the entire family. Keep well and work together.

Pastor