It is probably all part of the great Australian cringe and reason why the English after experiencing Australian service men from Boer War on have a disparaging view of them - probably similar to Southerner's attitude to North of England people, Scots & the Welsh.

@FrayedBear Can't remember what I thought before 1974 when I emigrated but on visiting and living out of my Ute (pick-up with canopy) and twice in the '90's travelling for 10 months, I found Southern English stressed and unhappy, Northern English much the same unless in the country where they were friendly, Scots unnecessarily dour as if they were determined to be miserable, the Irish happy and honest and the people in central Wales to be some of the nicest I met.

@rogerbenham Probably all on brown, ice or coke now?

@FrayedBear Not sure what you mean but Maggie the Milk Snatcher always made sure to not tax beer too much as that would lose her votes. As long as the working class got their beer they'd continue to vote against their interest. They are good at that as just demonstrated in the latest Brirish election. Yes, I spelt that right.

@rogerbenham brown - very low grade drug substitute for heroin, [en.m.wikipedia.org]
ice - methamphetamine [en.m.wikipedia.org]
Coke - [drugabuse.gov]

@FrayedBear Oh, wonderful that I hadn't a clue what you were talking about! I do remember Junk was Heroin, Speed was Meths I think, Weed=Grass=Dope=Mary Jane. And the wonderful measures such as a lid or a fin. It has been a very long time!

@rogerbenham My knowledge is from folk songs and latest publicity.

@FrayedBear Well I never did speed. But I never gave up acid (LSD) but I just haven't had it since 1978. Did lots for a couple of months. I will never recommend it but I am so glad about what it taught me.

@rogerbenham LSD Dare I ask what it taught.?

@FrayedBear My luck was not having it until I was29. My luck was that I had had most of my beliefs shattered by attending a Northern university with many students from very different home from mine. Most of the LSD that I took I took alone or with just one friend. I only once did it with others and found that a waste of time.
Essentially other than giving me a colour appreciation and teaching me why one photograph was better than another , LSD in my alone times kept on asking me (no doubt a question that subconsciously I held in my brain) "What are you doing? Do you like what you are doing? If you don't like what you are doing, why are you doing it?"
Three simple questions. Basically I answered them by saying I'll decide later, which was a technique I had learned at university when the realisations came too fast. I never had a bad acid trip because I was able to delay the answers. Delay them for at least ten years after. The questions had been clearly put but the answers delayed. Over the immediate following 6 years yes I made a mass of changes and they involved me pulling out of mainstream society. My photography became something that I could sell easily as acid had finalised a lesson I once received from John Nash (painter ... check your National Gallery) so that I could see the photograph before taking it. I sold composition.
There is much more that I can say but this gives you an honest answer.

@rogerbenham thank you.I have never inquired into the issue nor imbibed.

@FrayedBear As I said, I would never encourage. At the time I was living on the 20th floor (well 19th because they don't have 13th here) of a high rise and I knew that two people has cast themselves out believing that they could fly. I never got that urge. Marijuana was/is a huge delusion drug. It makes one believe one is doing something better when in fact one is doing it worse. Pop groups usually ban their players doing MJ whilst on stage.

@rogerbenham Interestingly a now 96 yo. friend studied the effect of marijuana back in the 50's as part of his teacher training. He is very disparaging of users and its affect on their intelligence. Sadly for him most of his children down to great grandchildren are marijuana addicts. If he has any sense he will leave each $1 in his will.

@FrayedBear When I was 19 my IQ was 137. It is now 143. There were 25 years of smoking marijuana in between. Maybe it affects children more than adults.

@rogerbenham No I suggest that you have gained iq points through alternate ways of learning & ddvelopment/experience. You stated earlier of mj like cocaine resulting in false belief of superiority & ability. Fortunately like drink driving, they are now removing those indulging off the roads. It may also be that my friend's children / grandchildren are ancestors of the Bounty mutineers.