The editorial written by Andrew Adams entitled “Glamorization of marijuana poses risks for society” is quite wrong.
First, Mr. Adams would like to set himself up as a knowledgeable source for marijuana information, though he cites no credible sources he draws from, except maybe his own brain. He states that “using marijuana in this fashion makes it no nobler than beer.” First, we are supposed to assume beer is noble, when it is not. Second, we are asked to make a comparison between one drug which is legal, and another that is not. And even though it is legal, beer is more harmful to the human body than marijuana, which is not legal. Sometimes life is not logical, and more importantly, sometimes the laws of this country aren’t either.
Second, he says, “Any study on drug use in this country will show marijuana is the most pervasive narcotic, and more young people are learning how to use it than any other drug.” I would like to know what studies show this. It sounds like Mr. Adams has read plenty of them; can’t he cite at least one to back up his shoddy opinion? And the assertion that more young people are learning how to use it than any other drug is not a reliable assertion either. Alcohol is still far more attainable and other drugs such as diet pills, Prozac, Ritalin and a whole host of other over-the-counter narcotics are more frequently used than marijuana. So once again he has missed the mark.
I do agree with him, however, when he says any drug is dangerous to a person with an addiction problem. Maybe on this point he is speaking from personal knowledge. How many people in this country take Valium, Xanax, Prozac, etc. just to maintain an “even keel?” How many are hopeless alcoholics? How many have died from being an alcoholic?
Nobody is proclaiming marijuana a wonder drug and nobody is underestimating its threats. People have, however, underestimated its benefits, deliberately stopped funding of research and studies to prove the benefits and have made an all-out effort since the 1950s to portray marijuana users as communist freaks capable of killing your baby. These efforts are as ridiculous as Mr. Adams’ current attempt at modern damnation.
Let me remind you, Mr. Adams, of some statistical facts: First, 300,000 people a year die under the direct care of a physician. An equal amount die each year from alcohol and tobacco. I still have yet to hear of a man dying from smoking too much marijuana in the more than 5,000 years it has been used. Also, I have yet to hear of a man telling his wife or girlfriend; “Sorry I hit you honey, I smoked too much pot today.” But with alcohol (and sometimes tobacco — the ever-pervasive nic-fit) you hear plenty of lame excuses for bad behavior. I just don’t buy your epidemic theory, Mr. Adams, and nobody else should either.
And just for the record, I do not smoke marijuana. I also do not believe people should be smoking it every five minutes. I do believe that if the law is not applied equally to all substances, e.g. alcohol and tobacco being more harmful but legal, and marijuana not, then there is no point to following, nor upholding, those laws. Laws can, have been and are often not ethical and not logical, and when the establishment refuses to change the law, then the people have to do so on their own. It is my sincere hope that one of these days we can actually get a good, qualified leader to do something right for once.
Richard Alevizos is a University student majoring in French.