Emotion: fear
Problem: Alcohol Abuse
Situation: I'm addicted to marijuana and cannot stop consuming it on a daily basis.

assistant: Hello there, how are you doing today?

user: I am doing well. My marijuana consumption today has been less than what it has been for the last week.

assistant: Well that is good. Are you trying to come off it completely?

user: Absolutely not. I'm not even in California yet, where I know my usage will explode. It's just difficult managing the realities of quarantine with the effects of the marijuana

assistant: Well, do you worry about your consumption? If you don't I don't see it as a problem :)

user: Yes, because of the financial strain it places on me and my wife, who is also a regular user.

assistant: Ah yes, it is not cheap. I am not sure how much to suggest as it's not legal in my country :)

user: It was recently legalized in our state. My wife and I were actually one of the first people in line to buy it legally last year, before the pandemic. It is a major part of our lives.

assistant: I am in the UK. It's sort of a grey area ... police won't really do anything but you can't buy it over the counter

user: One of the best things about legalization has been the expurgation of criminal records for incarcerated people jailed on marijuana charges. I'm very grateful that these atrocities have been rectified at least partially.

assistant: Yes I would be too. Even twenty five years ago in my student days it was rare for anyone to be prosecuted for pot. The US seems to be really strict on it tho

user: It varies, state by state, depending on which party is governing. Which you of course have a version of in the UK. Mayoral elections were today yeah?

assistant: They were but I didn't pay much attention :) I vote in the Generals and the locals but that's all .

user: Oh, well, I'm sorry to hear that. I think participation in local governance is actually the most achievable path for change, but perhaps how it's structured where you are, it wouldn't really matter much if you participated. I guess mayorals are only technically local, not like parliamentary elections

assistant: If I were in London or a major city I'd vote for Mayor. I am in a rural area and we don't have one :D. I vote for local councillors tho

user: Oh, I take it to mean that you are anti-Khan? If you feel like you'd need to vote for mayor in London

assistant: I like Khan :)

user: Jeremy Corbyn, no surrender?

assistant: I like him too lol.

user: You sound like someone I'd like to smoke a spliff with In a moderated manner of course, in relevance to the topic I opened with

assistant: But I don't get to vote for London mayor. Only if I were a London resident or nearby would I (sorry for tortured syntax)

user: Prescriptive grammar is fascism, use whatever words in whatever order you like Ironic given that I just watched My Fair Lady the other day

assistant: Haha I don't indulge these days, except for once in a blue moon :P

user: You've got those weird drug shops in the UK, with synthetics and all that

assistant: Not where I am :( All we have here is sheep and cows.

user: Let me guess - north/eastern UK?

assistant: North West but close :)

user: I have a slightly deeper knowledge of the UK than most Americans. I binged Derry Girls in 2 days so my expertise is almost professorial here

assistant: haha! I am not touching that one :)

user: It's a good series but yeah if you don't skew younger demographic wise I could see why you'd avoid it. You more of a Last Tango In Halifax type? Don't even watch the Circle? Only Connect?

assistant: I don't think Derry people would like being referred to as part of the UK ;)

user: True that But, you know Legally

assistant: yeah ... heh I don't go there, being half English and half Irish :). But yeah that was so my era ..

user: I hope one day your people find liberation I think you have helped me a lot with my marijuana problem

assistant: Anyway nice to meet you and all that but I think we have sort of fulfilled the criteria :D

user: Yes, have a wonderful evening! Goodbye