Sassafrass & Coffee

Pot. Mary Jane. Ganja. Grass. Marijuana. Just saying any of these word can turn heads anymore. I’m not here to discuss whether or not pot is horrible for you, though while I’m on the topic, I’ll mention that I am a smoker of cigarettes. Pretty lethal shit. But from what I’ve read, there’s never been one death due to pot smoking. I think it’s a relatively harmless thing to partake in occasionally. I treat the idea of marijuana smoking to the idea of drinking alcohol: everything in moderation.

What I am here to discuss is why I am not permitted to smoke a naturally-occurring herb on my leisure time. I understand that we shouldn’t be driving while we’re high, we shouldn’t show up to work high, so on and so forth. But what in hell is wrong with going home after a long day at the office and smoking a bowl in the privacy of my own home? Who reserves the right to tell me what I can and cannot put into my body?

If I want to rush into the bathroom and chug Clorox for fun, would I get arrested? Probably not. But it would certainly kill me if I go unattended for any period of time! O no, better make all dangerous chemicals in the home illegal! We could inadvertently kill our children in this way!

My point is that the government has no right to tell me what I can put into my body – or even what I do with my body, provided I don’t impede on anyone else. I want to punch holes in my lip? Fine. I want to tattoo my face? Fine! I want to surgically destroy my lady-parts? Fine.

But heaven forbid if I smoke a plant I could have once picked from my back yard! I can go to a bar, get completely blitzed, vomit, and potentially get alcohol poisoning, get rushed to the ER and have my stomach pumped legally, but I can’t smoke a plant that will never cause me to overdose.

My obvious thought here is this: what will they make illegal next? What is with this babysitting mentality? I don’t want or need a higher political authority to make decisions for me. I am a grown adult; I am rational and responsible. I pay my bills, I go to work every day with near-perfect attendance records, and I lead a healthy lifestyle.

I’m not a stoner; I rarely even smoke pot. I don’t own paraphernalia, I don’t have a dealer, and I am not a criminal. I just enjoy occasionally get high with a couple of friends after dinner or after a long day and listen to some Pink Floyd. I cause no one harm.

Why is smoking pot so criminal. Why have Americans tolerated this nonsense?

I do think we’re “making progress,” though. Slowly but surely, our society is starting to see how silly the whole situation is. I hope we make more progress – not because I want to be able to smoke pot legally, but because I believe in freedom and personal rights.