By Sam Nelson
The other day, I came across an article in The Beacon ("Once is rarely once," 11/01/07) reminding me that if I try drugs once, I will end up trying them all, dropping out of school and eventually dying. I empathize with the author in the area of high school friends getting out of control, dropping out and ruining their lives. At the same time, you cannot allow the irresponsibility of some to prevent you from having fun and potentially enlightening experiences.
If I've learned anything so far in life, it is that there exists an infinite spectrum of experience and perspective. Some of these involve drugs. Some are bad. Some are good. Some radical views and important critiques of society have been influenced by drug use, both legal and illegal.
I firmly believe that we should never mistake legality for morality, as there are currently some highly questionable legal actions being led by the government and certain moderate activities that should be removed from The War on Drugs. If you are looking for two leading causes of death and misery in this country, look no further than America's two favorite legal drugs.
Alcohol and tobacco are every bit as dangerous as many illegal drugs (and much more dangerous than marijuana and LSD). Together they kill upwards of 500,000 Americans a year. Why have these two substances remained almost consistently legal throughout this country's history? Booze and cigarettes have had huge markets in this country since before its inception. The tobacco lobby has always been a monster (note Measure 50's defeat yesterday - aka, Philip Morris hates your kids) as the industry funded much of this country for the first part of its life.
If pot had been a major cash crop in 1776 do you think it would be illegal now? Hell no. If there was a 1 percent premium on every pot transaction to fund a marijuana lobby, it would be legal in mere months. The top priorities of our government are to accept campaign contributions and keep the economy growing (until it implodes due to its reliance on petroleum and lack of sustainability) and no significant part of this system will ever be outlawed, no matter how poisonous to society or the individual. The wheels of capitalism must continue to turn at all costs.
Which brings me to a good reason to say: "maybe just once?" In this endless maze of careerism, designer clothes, false idols, intolerant dogma and cars your TV told you to buy, it can be nice to have a good old fashioned drug-induced spiritual experience. If I learned anything from Carlos Castaneda's Don Juan series, it's that mixing and smoking mushrooms, peyote and a few other plants can teach you valuable lessons about yourself and the world (not that I've tried it, I have no idea where to get all that stuff).
Who is to say that one person's escape from the toil of everyday life is less worthy than another's because it involves substances instead of a church? Poisoning yourself with nature's fungus can reveal some important truths and help you prioritize life, plus you can see cool stuff (especially if you make tea). I agree with opposition to cocaine, meth and that ilk. Highly addictive and physically destructive substances are bad for you and your relationships, but there exist drugs that, if used responsibly and in moderation, can be as helpful as your daily caffeine fix.
This isn't to say that drugs aren't dangerous. I've seen many a good friend and family member use too much and do less than admirable things with their lives (though pot has never killed anyone, it kills motivation all the time).
But I've also seen good friends and family members commit idiotic acts behind the wheel of a car. There are people driving terribly every day, endangering their lives and those of others. Does this mean that no one should drive? Drugs are a privilege, not a right, just like driving a car. Self-discipline must be used so that we don't run off the guard rails and hurl over the cliff to explode in a giant ball of fire.
Sam Nelson is a senior electrical engineering major
