Upright, (Otherwise) Law-Abiding Pot Smoker

I have been smoking marijuana since I was 18. I am well-paid, well-respected, and am surrounded by nothing but good, caring people in my personal life. I don't really like drinking much, but I do like coming home after a long day at work, getting a little high, having a nice meal, and then reading until bed-time.

I have never stolen to get pot. If I don't have money to buy, oh well. No big deal. Smoking pot has never interfered with my relationships. In some cases, it has helped solidify relationships.

The most dangerous part of my habit is that sometimes I'll end up buying from someone I don't know, someplace where I am unfamiliar. But this is purely a function of the herb's illegality.

I will not dispute that there are members of society who abuse pot, just as there are those who abuse alcohol, painkillers, and Valium. The problem, however, is not with the herb. It is with those who abuse. It is time we as a society recognize this, and move towards the most positive possible outcome—less abuse, more treatment, and an end to persecution of those who use responsibly.

Name Withheld
Saint Paul

< return to index   next >