There is a topic I should be talking about and have not yet
addressed. I am hesitant to address it because I am concerned about how it will
affect me in my personal life (if and when my family finds out, future job
prospectors, etc.) but you know what? I shouldn’t be ashamed. I should stand up
for what I believe in, because I encourage everyone to do so. I should be no
hypocrite; I should practice what I preach and therefore I will say it: I USE
MARIJUANA.
I use it not only for medicinal purpose, because yes, I do
use it for pain. I do, however, use it recreationally more often than
medicinally. Using it medicinally, I had smoked a lot in the summer. I work at
a job that is physically demanding manual labor and I could not deal with the
pain. I am truly uncomfortable with taking pills, as they either a) do not help
me very much or b) make my stomach feel ill. With marijuana, not only is my
pain relieved, but my mind is at ease and creative, and creativity falls under
the “recreational” category, as well.
For recreational use, I would usually get together with
friends and use it at someone’s house. Sometimes, we would be in public. (There’s
this sweet little hideout spot that is perfect for this activity, but that’s my
secret.) I find that marijuana helps us bond. We find it easier to talk to each
other and find new, better, and more interesting things to talk about. We think
of things and learn things we might not have been interested in while “sober”
and many things make us smile and laugh more.
What’s not to like? Sure, the smell may be raunchy, and you
may do some dumb things while you’re high, but not necessarily dangerous
things. I read that the (American) Government considers marijuana the most dangerous drug, because people are arrested more for marijuana than for cocaine
or heroin. After I read that, I sat and thought: What have I done that was
dangerous while smoking marijuana or being high? I thought, and thought, and
thought. And I finally came up with two things: 1) I had a candle burning and
2) I took a bath. I don’t consider either of those things to be very dangerous
but I could not think of anything more dangerous that I had done. Even driving
has proven to be less-dangerous than with any amount of alcohol.
And while we’re on the subject of alcohol, I prefer
marijuana to alcohol for the simple reason that alcohol does not agree with me.
Sure, I might have a beer or two, a pina colada, OR a martini (not all in one
night, folks), but any type of alcohol generally makes me feel a terrible
burning sensation in both my stomach and my back. The only time I am negatively
affected by marijuana is when (WARNING: GIRL ALERT) I’m having bad period
cramps. If I smoke it at that time, I will make my cramps a 15 on a scale of 1
through 10. That’s pretty harsh, but any other time I feel good and free and
happy.
I have recently been to 4 different doctors with whom I confessed
my “habit” to and they have all told me about “substance abuse.” I was so
offended by this, because when I told them that I drink approximately the same
amount that I smoke, they only mentioned my marijuana use as being a “substance
abuse problem.” There is no problem here, other than that it is not legal and
that alcohol is. Come on, this is Canada, not to mention 2013, and if anyone my
age who a) has parents who have never smoked b) has not smoked pot themselves or c)
does not do so or has parents that do not do so on a regular basis I would be very
surprised.
In high school, I did not approve of the drug. I went to
school with many others who were potheads and spent all their time and money
dedicated to weed and by the 12th grade they were all idiots. I can recall
one in particular who was a total loser, loner, and practically brain dead. I
never smoked pot in high school because I disapproved of it, the people who
used it, and the label it had. After I graduated, I learned that nearly
everyone in my family smokes it and they are all decent citizens.
I’m in college, I get
A’s and B’s, and I smoke pot. So what? There are worse things I could be doing.
I could have my own kid already, or – God forbid – be pregnant. I could be an
alcoholic or a drug addict or a white-trash welfare loser. But I’m not. I’m a
normal, average, Canadian-American kid who smokes pot on an irregular basis. I
am not a “pothead”; I do not smoke every day nor do I feel the need or urge to
smoke, nor am I addicted to it (if you didn’t already get that message.) I
would rather smoke marijuana, and have friends that do, too, instead of
drinking alcohol. I would feel much safer if we were all hanging out happily with
Mary J than drinking our problems away with Mr. Beer Gut Budweiser. (Not
knocking Budweiser, my favorite beer, but sorry dude – I prefer Miss Mary.) Oh,
and did I mention that you cannot overdose on marijuana? No, I forgot to talk about that. If you
smoke too much, you “green out”, which means that you get sick and feel
horrible about how much you’ve just smoked. With alcohol, you can throw up
everywhere, pass out, go to the hospital to get your stomach pumped, or worse…
So throw out those old views of marijuana and invite your
friends over to “light up” with you. You never know what may happen; you may
become greater friends with someone, go on a cleaning spree, or have the time
of your life watching funny cat videos.
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