A 'SAFER' EXCUSE FOR LAW BREAKING

Liberals must be so proud.

While I can think of numerous quotes that can safely expose the stupidity of
some progressive movements taking place on CU's campus, in the spirit of the
upcoming holiday of 4/20, I believe one stands above the rest.

"Alcohol is a dangerous drug, marijuana is not."

These words, so eloquently articulated by pot activist Jeff
Christen-Mitchell, have been the battle cries for the Boulder-based group
SAFER (Safe Alternative For Enjoyable Recreation) in a bid to ease the
punishments CU currently imposes on students caught ingesting or inhaling
Mitchell's beloved THC-potent depressant. Their lone justification: at least
it's safer than booze.

Not only is that lame excuse devoid of all logic and reason, as well as any
hard incontrovertible facts, it also relays the dangerous message that when
students choose to smoke pot, they're making "the safer choice," as quoted
by SAFER enthusiast Vanessa Cisneros. I guess with their already dilapidated
shortage of brain cells, the choice to destroy a few more wouldn't hurt the
supporters of SAFER, but for the rest of us who choose not to liquefy their
brain cells into Jell-O, the idea that pot is somehow a safe miracle drug
provokes only one possible response: what are they smoking?

Now I am not trying to insult anyone's intelligence, but for pro-pot
politicos to diminish or devalue the dangerous effects pot has on the human
body is simply a denial of facts and science in order to justify an illegal
activity. THC, the main ingredient of marijuana, is known to alter brain
functioning such as sensory perception, memory, reflexes, and coordination.

According to Donald Tashkin, M.D., of Indiana University, marijuana also
dangerously affects the bronchial passages of the lungs, inhibits their
immune cells to fight off infections and is known to be an
"immunosuppressant" that actively weakens natural T-cells and macrophages,
making the body much more vulnerable to disease. In terms of health concerns
and safety, such damage to the body's immune system can make the drug even
more dangerous than tobacco smoke in some cases.

There is also the little known aspect of marijuana that groups like SAFER
will never acknowledge: addictiveness. According to the National Institute
for Drug Abuse, over 100,000 people in the U.S alone are treated for
marijuana dependency, and those who quit smoking after long periods of use
experience similar withdrawal symptoms as do nicotine or alcohol addicts.

And what about the effects marijuana has on human beings socially? It makes
us lazy and less motivated, affecting relations with family or friends. It
has also been found by the Institute of Medicine that pot can seriously
alter a person's ability to comprehend and retain information, making one
utterly useless while on the job or in the classroom. Save for the
drug-loving streets of Hollywood or the offices of High Times, it's nearly
impossible to find a pot-friendly workplace where bong usage will not
eliminate your employment status.

Now, do progressive groups such as SAFER ever acknowledge these well-known
consequences of marijuana use? Of course they don't. If pro-pot characters
such as Mitchell or Cisneros are so concerned about students' safety when it
comes to alcohol or drug use, wouldn't it be wiser for them to acknowledge
and remind all of those who currently smoke pot the dangers this activity
poses to their minds as well as to their bodies, instead of promoting it?

Wait a minute, isn't there an even safer choice than marijuana, one that
ensures no bodily harm at all? Isn't there that little concept that strikes
fear in the hearts of liberals everywhere? You know, that crazy rhetoric
that teaches you to avoid such harmful substances as marijuana or alcohol
altogether? The one where you can have fun without poisoning yourself?
What's that word? It's coming to me; it's at the tip of my tongue.

Abstinence, I think that's what it is. What ever happened to "Just Say No"?

Whether or not the safety of the student body is on SAFER's agenda is
anyone's guess. Judging by their blatant withholding of vital information
concerning the dangers of marijuana use, I'm going to guess the safety of
the students of CU is as important to SAFER as the stockholders of Cantor
Fitzgerald are to Ward Churchill.

Whatever your opinions on pot may be, I hope the student body has a bit more
integrity and principle than what progressives like SAFER give them credit
for.

Michael Drost is a member of the CU College Republicans. To learn more about
the College Republicans at CU, visit www.cugop.org. "Right eye for the
liberal guy" runs the first and third weeks of every month.