As yet another celebration of 4-20 passes by (colliding with Easter, as an amusing side note), the question that most youth culture asks itself once again is: Why the heck is marijuana illegal?
We all know the arguments - marijuana is a gateway drug, it can cause impaired decision making, etc., etc. Technically, if one has an addictive personality, aspirin could be considered a gateway drug. Meanwhile, this relatively harmless weed is discriminated against but alcohol is perfectly legal in most states. In fact, New Mexico's alcohol fatality statistics have been some of the highest in the country. When was the last time that a family was killed on Christmas because the driver was "stoned" and driving on the wrong side of the highway?
All drugs should be monitored. Warning labels are plastered on the sides of cigarette packages about the health risks and nicotine is a very addictive drug. And despite what the "War On Drugs" propaganda commercials claim, it's highly doubtful that a girl would be raped because she was stoned. Instead, date rape drugs in her keg beer would do that job just fine.
It is absurd for a 16 year old to be arrested with a baggie of marijuana and subsequently sent to juvenile hall, where he is placed with children who have committed violent crimes, thus also learning to become violent. If anything, that teenager should be sent to rehab, not juvie.
No "stoner" goes out and does harm to anybody else. If anything, stoners sit on the couch, watch television and crave Doritos. That a group of stoners could get it together enough to even organize a protest on 4-20 is remarkable in of itself.
People are addicted to many legal drugs in this country, including alcohol, prescription pills, over-the-counter medicine (such as diet pills) and nicotine. People can commit suicide by purchasing sleeping pills and ingesting the whole bottle. Many alcoholics are perpetrators of domestic violence and anyone who smokes knows that they could very likely die of cancer or emphysema.
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It makes no logistical sense for these things to be legal, but for marijuana to be illegal. Of course, the federal government certainly knows "what's good for us." So bring on the booze and let's go operate heavy machinery.
Angela Williams
Editor in Chief
