By John Knetemann
I come to you readers asking for a favor. I know it is a lot to ask, but it is incredibly important for you to do this. I imagine that a majority of those that read The Weed Blog also smoke marijuana, regularly or every once in a while. With that in mind if you smoke marijuana, I ask that you don’t be afraid to be public about it or at least tell those that are important to you. Tell your friends and family! Maybe refrain from telling your boss, but someday… maybe someday.
For some of you, this is a no-brainer and you probably already do this. But for others, this can be pretty frightening. If you think that your life will come crumbling down if you reveal this truth, then don’t do it! There is no reason to put yourself in a self-destructive situation. But if it means just having an uncomfortable sit down with your parents or an awkward experience with some of your friends, go for it. It is important for you to be open about it. It is important for your friends and family to see someone open about it. And it is important for ending prohibition to be open about it.
A lot of the time, people don’t realize they know someone who smokes marijuana. Sometimes they don’t realize that a stoner is right under their nose, and this exposure might be life changing for them. Some people have preconceived notions of what a marijuana user looks like and acts like, whether it be because of the media or their parents. Sometimes they don’t realize that a marijuana user looks just like them (imagine that).
However, when you open up yourself to a friend or family member, you have just put a face to an abstract group of people. Instead of “drug users” being victimized by the Drug War, it’s their buddy Joe being victimized by the Drug War. At any point Joe could be taken off to prison, for something that clearly is not all that negative in his life. After all, Joe is a respectable guy who has a family and grills a mean steak. Or it could be Sarah who is amazing at her job. Or possibly, it could be their son or daughter who loves them.
The point is that after that point, the Drug War becomes a real thing to them. It is no longer this thing that is just spoke about on the news or during elections. Instead, it is an issue that affects them very directly. They may have supported sending “pot smokers” to prison before, but will they support sending Joe, Sarah, or their son to prison? I hope not.
