ENJOYED THE SHOW, NOT THE MARIJUANA

I have a confession to make: I've never smoked pot. I know some people might
find that hard to believe, but it's true.

Weed has never appealed to me. With that in mind, let me tell you about my
weekend.

I went to the Jazz Festival with some friends on Friday at the Commodore in
Vancouver.

Amon Tobin was the featured performer, and as expected, there was quite a
large crowd.

Everyone was sitting around drinking, eating and simply wandering around the
place obviously checking out the people who were there, as the opening
played.

A fellow at the next table lit up a joint and a security personnel came over
and had a talk with him.

The fellow got up and left. I assumed he went outside where a line of people
were smoking when I walked in.

As Amon Tobin took the stage, people started getting up from their tables
and onto the dance floor.

People stated swaying to the music and then dancing and some even started
jumping around the crowded floor.

I was right in the middle of the crowd and had a good view of the stage.

I was enjoying the show until someone lit up a joint. This bothered me. The
Commodore is an indoor venue with no windows to open.

I don't want to smoke the stuff, so why should I want to smell it?

But as I looked around, I noticed these few guys weren't the only ones
smoking marijuana.

Some people in front of me and even a couple of friends I was with were all
smoking this stuff.

What's wrong with this scene?

As much as I was enjoying the show, I wanted to leave.

I paid to see a show, not sniff the smoke of someone's drug.

As I saw a dozen people pass around their pot, I did not notice one person
light up a cigarette. I'm sure there were plenty of smokers there, but none
were as inconsiderate as these pot heads.

Yes marijuana is more acceptable these days than it was 50 years ago, but
that doesn't mean everyone likes it. People are more tolerant to it because
of its availability.

Marijuana seems to be at every major event, like the Celebration of Lights
and the lantern festivals.

I accept drugs are a part of our society.

I also accept some of my friends use marijuana and some of them smoke
cigarettes.

I just wish they would accept that I'm a non-smoker.