On the subject of Marijuana
I'd like to have a serious discussion about something that is currently illegal. Before continuing, I'd like to say that I will, in no way, be condoning or condemning the use of pot, and I expect any comments about this on facebook or Live Journal will be both mature, and lack any incrimination that could effect anyone's employment future. Anything contrary will be deleted.
I'd like to start with a story that kind of outlines what this post is about. A long time ago, there was a special on TV called 'Cartoon All Stars to the Rescue'. The special had the gathering of all the popular Saturday Morning Cartoon characters of the time (Smurfs, Chipmunks, Looney Toons, Winnie the Pooh, Ninja Turtles, Alf (...for some reason)), in order to create an anti-drug PSA for the children. The main character is shown doing drugs, specifically pot, by smoking a joint and how it can subsequently ruin his life and the lives of those around him. I'd like to specify that, at the time, there was no youtube or internet that I had access to. My only run in with drugs was, at the beginning of any arcade game I played, it said "Winners Don't Do Drugs". This show was actually my first visual stimuli associated with illegal narcotics. So when I see a smoking stick that looks like a cigarette, and this is the first time I've ever seen drugs, what do you think I thought it was?
That's right. I thought drugs = cigarettes. I spent almost the entirety of Elementary School under this assumption. In fact, when we had an anti-drug representative talking to us and they asked if we knew anyone who did drugs, I stood up and said that my grandparents smoked tons of drugs every day (much to the horror of my mother). I have since been corrected about the difference between cigarettes and joints, but this kind of sets up why I'm bringing up this issue.
I believe that drug education in society is horrible. And the reason is because no one is straight forward about it. Instead, like most arguments, each person speaking for or against it is one-sided. On one side, you have ultra conservatives that say drugs of any shape or form are bad, and you should never try them, and on the other, you have Woody Harrilson hot boxing and then creating Wicker chairs out of hemp. How am I supposed to take either side of the argument seriously? When everyone is filled with a bias, it's hard to weave through the bullshit.
The reason why I think this is something that needs to be addressed ASAP is because there are Pot magazines (specifically 'High Times'). That's right, theres a magazine about doing something ILLEGAL! If somethign is so bad and illegal, why is there a magazine dedicated to doing it?! When you grow up in a black and white education, that's like having a magazine about Dog raping or child murdering. I might sound extreme, but I'm not. This is an illegal activity. Yet we seem to condone it. Or we do, but make small rules about it. Did you know that you can't show someone doing drugs on basic tv unless it has serious negative repercussions on their lives or their intelligence? Look it up!
The thing is, it's NOT killing babies or raping dogs. But we address it and condemn it like it is. It's so hard to find real information on marijuana that isn't laced with bias. Everyone's agenda is so obvious, it makes any fact hard to swallow. Why aren't more doctor's or surgeon generals speaking about the benefits and detriments of smoking pot? Why aren't we more forward about when and where and how much is accessible? I feel like any information on this is so hidden between opinions, that you have to weave through the fiction to find any overlapping facts. And I hate it. I feel like drug control would be much more effective if the entire campaign wasn't "Don't do drugs! They're bad!" People who take sex education are less likely (though not 100%) to get STD's or have unprotected sex because they are aware of the problems associated with it. Instead, because Marijuana has been addressed as this evil thing, we can't actually go over the pros of using it. Just the cons.
We have the legalization of the drug in different societies and cultures, some of which requiring only a doctors note to use it. We take these ridiculous short cuts to allow us to try what we want and do what we want. But wouldn't it be better, if not for Darwinism sake, to just flat out say "Look, this is how it is" and then let other people make their own choice? I'm not saying distribute to children, as anyone who smokes too much is the same as someone who drinks too much. But why do we have so many polarizing arguments?
The thing is, the reason I even bring this up, is because it's such a confusing issue that I can't take any side of it because, well, no side is really giving me anything to get behind. It's so black and white and unreal. When you grow up thinking all drugs are bad all the time, and then you find out in college "Well, it's okay sometimes" and slow concessions are made by different people and their beliefs, then where does that get you. You can't trust the side that told you they're all bad. They even make you feel like you're being condemned for discussing it. Why can't there be more open debate and discussion about what is socially acceptable and healthy?
At the end of the day, putting smoke in your lungs is bad for you. You can't fool anyone with that. And, in the state of NY, pot is still illegal. At the end of the day, you can't have it because it's a crime. But maybe, just MAYBE, if people knew why it was a crime, we could keep it from causing more harm. Or, if we put the argument on the table, we can see it's NOT as negative as we think and make a movement to legalize it. I'm just saying that I wish there was better information. More trust-able information. But you can't find it without a condemning tone or a goofy glazed over smile.
A final story to leave you with. My High School had a football team called 'The Braves'. Due to the complaints of native Americans who found the mascot offensive, we changed it to something less offensive, the red hawks (or something). but people were so used to calling it the Braves,a nd loved it so much, they kept calling themselves The Braves, completely oblivious of how offensive it was. So the mascot was changed BACK to the Braves, and THEN they told us why it's offensive. Wouldn't this information have helped BEFORE. If we know somehting is bad and WHY it's bad going in, won't that lead to more informed decisions, instead of wishy-washy back and forth debates? I'm just saying...
Just some facts would be nice for a change.
Don't commit a felony.
-Josh
I'd like to start with a story that kind of outlines what this post is about. A long time ago, there was a special on TV called 'Cartoon All Stars to the Rescue'. The special had the gathering of all the popular Saturday Morning Cartoon characters of the time (Smurfs, Chipmunks, Looney Toons, Winnie the Pooh, Ninja Turtles, Alf (...for some reason)), in order to create an anti-drug PSA for the children. The main character is shown doing drugs, specifically pot, by smoking a joint and how it can subsequently ruin his life and the lives of those around him. I'd like to specify that, at the time, there was no youtube or internet that I had access to. My only run in with drugs was, at the beginning of any arcade game I played, it said "Winners Don't Do Drugs". This show was actually my first visual stimuli associated with illegal narcotics. So when I see a smoking stick that looks like a cigarette, and this is the first time I've ever seen drugs, what do you think I thought it was?
That's right. I thought drugs = cigarettes. I spent almost the entirety of Elementary School under this assumption. In fact, when we had an anti-drug representative talking to us and they asked if we knew anyone who did drugs, I stood up and said that my grandparents smoked tons of drugs every day (much to the horror of my mother). I have since been corrected about the difference between cigarettes and joints, but this kind of sets up why I'm bringing up this issue.
I believe that drug education in society is horrible. And the reason is because no one is straight forward about it. Instead, like most arguments, each person speaking for or against it is one-sided. On one side, you have ultra conservatives that say drugs of any shape or form are bad, and you should never try them, and on the other, you have Woody Harrilson hot boxing and then creating Wicker chairs out of hemp. How am I supposed to take either side of the argument seriously? When everyone is filled with a bias, it's hard to weave through the bullshit.
The reason why I think this is something that needs to be addressed ASAP is because there are Pot magazines (specifically 'High Times'). That's right, theres a magazine about doing something ILLEGAL! If somethign is so bad and illegal, why is there a magazine dedicated to doing it?! When you grow up in a black and white education, that's like having a magazine about Dog raping or child murdering. I might sound extreme, but I'm not. This is an illegal activity. Yet we seem to condone it. Or we do, but make small rules about it. Did you know that you can't show someone doing drugs on basic tv unless it has serious negative repercussions on their lives or their intelligence? Look it up!
The thing is, it's NOT killing babies or raping dogs. But we address it and condemn it like it is. It's so hard to find real information on marijuana that isn't laced with bias. Everyone's agenda is so obvious, it makes any fact hard to swallow. Why aren't more doctor's or surgeon generals speaking about the benefits and detriments of smoking pot? Why aren't we more forward about when and where and how much is accessible? I feel like any information on this is so hidden between opinions, that you have to weave through the fiction to find any overlapping facts. And I hate it. I feel like drug control would be much more effective if the entire campaign wasn't "Don't do drugs! They're bad!" People who take sex education are less likely (though not 100%) to get STD's or have unprotected sex because they are aware of the problems associated with it. Instead, because Marijuana has been addressed as this evil thing, we can't actually go over the pros of using it. Just the cons.
We have the legalization of the drug in different societies and cultures, some of which requiring only a doctors note to use it. We take these ridiculous short cuts to allow us to try what we want and do what we want. But wouldn't it be better, if not for Darwinism sake, to just flat out say "Look, this is how it is" and then let other people make their own choice? I'm not saying distribute to children, as anyone who smokes too much is the same as someone who drinks too much. But why do we have so many polarizing arguments?
The thing is, the reason I even bring this up, is because it's such a confusing issue that I can't take any side of it because, well, no side is really giving me anything to get behind. It's so black and white and unreal. When you grow up thinking all drugs are bad all the time, and then you find out in college "Well, it's okay sometimes" and slow concessions are made by different people and their beliefs, then where does that get you. You can't trust the side that told you they're all bad. They even make you feel like you're being condemned for discussing it. Why can't there be more open debate and discussion about what is socially acceptable and healthy?
At the end of the day, putting smoke in your lungs is bad for you. You can't fool anyone with that. And, in the state of NY, pot is still illegal. At the end of the day, you can't have it because it's a crime. But maybe, just MAYBE, if people knew why it was a crime, we could keep it from causing more harm. Or, if we put the argument on the table, we can see it's NOT as negative as we think and make a movement to legalize it. I'm just saying that I wish there was better information. More trust-able information. But you can't find it without a condemning tone or a goofy glazed over smile.
A final story to leave you with. My High School had a football team called 'The Braves'. Due to the complaints of native Americans who found the mascot offensive, we changed it to something less offensive, the red hawks (or something). but people were so used to calling it the Braves,a nd loved it so much, they kept calling themselves The Braves, completely oblivious of how offensive it was. So the mascot was changed BACK to the Braves, and THEN they told us why it's offensive. Wouldn't this information have helped BEFORE. If we know somehting is bad and WHY it's bad going in, won't that lead to more informed decisions, instead of wishy-washy back and forth debates? I'm just saying...
Just some facts would be nice for a change.
Don't commit a felony.
-Josh