“To inspire himself, he lit up a marijuana cigarette, excellent Land-O-Smiles brand” — and so ends the introduction to one of Philip K. Dick’s main characters in his 1963 Hugo Award winner, “The Man in the High Castle.” @@http://www.philipkdick.com/works_novels_mancastle.html@@
What really would be the matter with legalizing bud?
I am not advocating such a position, but I think it is a fascinating topic to explore — most especially given ESPN’s “revelation” that some Oregon football players smoke pot.
Just a couple days ago, too, as I leaned back on the couch, waiting for my food to warm up, I noticed a front page of one of our most popular pick-up days at the beginning of last term.
The story was about a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, analyzing 20 years of research into the lung capacity of marijuana users.
Basically, for those having smoked a joint a day for seven years, lung capacity began to increase: “The study found an unexpected improvement in lung function among marijuana smokers compared to nonsmokers.”
I had to laugh when I read this. Can you imagine what the reaction would be if we ran this story side-by-side with our initial, front-page coverage of ESPN’s story on the Ducks?
I play non-American football 4-5 times a week and can tell you the game is much more fun being in shape, being able to run around for an hour and a half, being able to out-endure the opposing team when the game comes down to fitness.
I just smile thinking of our lung-capacity article. I don’t smoke, but I wonder if any of Oregon’s blazed-out athletes keep — or will keep — this in mind.
After all, if the Ducks under football head coach Chip Kelly are able to pull a 34-6 record, all the while having a team composed of 40-60 percent of players who are baked, what is the big deal?
Performance is maintained, wins are maintained. If getting lit was more across-the-board legal, would Kelly have the same issue with it so long as his team performed well?
As noted in an earlier Emerald article, Oregon has decriminalized marijuana possession from a felony to a misdemeanor. @@forgot which mentioned this@@
Pot is a part of Eugene culture, even Oregon culture.
When California not long ago pushed to legalize it, a lot of the opposition came from the small farmers of the crop. Not surprising really, as legalizing it would deprive them of the wads of cash they have a monopoly on.
I mean, what would happen if the big tobacco companies — if marijuana was legal — began packaging their own brands for everyday users like in Dick’s story? No doubt, though, you would have your organic brands available for the purists.
After all, according to marijuana users, the drug doesn’t kill — unlike tobacco, which does.
Is the drug really the problem, the gateway to other, at times, lethal drugs? Is it a red herring? Or perhaps something in between?
Bowers: Let the players bake — playing devil’s advocate for legalizing marijuana
Daily Emerald
April 30, 2012
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