4/20? Or is it 4:20 on 4/20?

Here it is, Gang - April 20th.  A friend (thanks Andrea) posted on FB today the origins of this so-called 'holiday'.  I thought it might be a good time to share.  It seems 420 has become the cultural equivalent of tune-in, turn-on, get stoned.  The ties go back to the Grateful Dead which, I'm certain, many will find hard to believe.  Let's take a trip down Memory Lane, though, shall we?

The year was 1971 and the Waldos - a group of five San Rafael high school students - were in search of a lost field of weed in the Point Reyes, CA forest.  There was a Coast Guard service member who could not tend to his field, so the Waldos decided to go pick a bit as their own.  They were all athletes and decided to meet at 4:20 by the statue of Louis Pasteur.  That's it - the origin of the term.  Now, however, it has become the aforementioned icon of American glaucoma patients (and stoners) everywhere.  Apparently, they all get together at 4:20 and 4/20, light up, then head off into the sunset.  Yes, this is the abridged version.  You can find the entire story on The Huffington Post.  Interesting article if I do say so myself.

Today, I'm wondering where many of the marijuana references and staples have gone.  Everyone remember 'High Times'?  What about NORML?  National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws.  They were big players when we were in high school and college.  We always wondered if they would make an impact.  If you're a glaucoma patient, you'd have to say 'yes', right?  Let's face it, they're having all the fun...and doing it legally.  I say 'all the fun', however I'm just referncing what I've heard from others.  I'm sure you understand.

For my case in point, however, I would like to state for the record - I don't ever remember hearing of one DUIM recently...or ever.  They're all driving too slow trying to back it down from their own personal warp speed of 35 mph.  Honestly, have you ever seen a stoner speeding?  Yeah, didn't think so.  I've never seen anyone overdose on it, either.  They're falling asleep before they can ingest that much.  How many pounds (seriously) do we thing that would take, anwyay?  We can say it leads to harder drugs, too, but is that realistic?  Isn't that like saying wine and beer lead to scotch and bourbon?  Sorry, I'm not buying it.  Serious pot smokers are just that - serious about their pot.  If someone wants to get wrecked on something stronger, it isn't the herb that causes it.  As a matter of fact, the only thing that might hurt them is the Crackerjacks, Twinkies, or potato chips they ingest.  I'm sorry, but I've never heard of anyone killing someone to get a dime bag.  Junkies, however, are doing anything for a fix.  Ever heard of a young girl prostituting herself to score a bag of weed?  Again, neither have I.

Please don't misconstrue this as my support for either making it lawful or not.  I am simply stating the case for those that think it is the most important part of the War on Drugs.  You want to solve THAT problem, drop a few bombs in Columbia.  You are never going to take out the coca fields one lab at a time.  Won't happen.  I believe the term I've heard is p*ssing in the wind.  We are, quite frankly.  It's the one war we cannot win.  I just think making marijuana the scapegoat is out of line.  Though I said I do not support it either way, I will say this - you want to bring down the deficit (see where this is headed?), make it legal.  Tax it.  Sell it like liquor.  "Oh, our kids will get it and get hooked!"  Hey, Grandma, the kids won't get 'hooked' on it.  We sell cigarettes and liquor, but we won't consider marijuana?  Who's stoned?  Think about it.  Come to think of it, perhaps I can run for office on the 'Make It Legal and Bring Down The Deficit' platform.  Obviously, it won't be for either the Republicans or Democrats.  They have far too many other pressing issues.....like repealing Roe v. Wade.  We already have the Tea Party....so maybe it'll be The Leaf Party.  Kinda catchy, no?  Either way, I wanted to throw a little insight into the day....for better or worse.  Hope you enjoyed.....

Until next time......