UNCLE SAM'S IMPAIRED JUDGMENT

I smoke pot. I support terrorism.

According to the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign and the Bush
administration, the above would be true -- if I smoked pot, that is.

By now you're aware of the latest PR campaign in the ongoing "war on
drugs." The current campaign, just over a year old, is sponsored by the
National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign through TheAntiDrug.com and focuses
on illegal drugs' connection to terrorism abroad and drugs' abilities to
impair users' judgments, specifically marijuana's ability to do so.

Though I don't support drug legalization, even of marijuana, the current
anti-drug campaigns, especially with regards to marijuana, are dogmatic
propaganda and a waste of our nations' resources.

The anti-drug camp would have us believe that drugs unequivocally support
terrorism. OK, in certain instances this is true. Opium has been
Afghanistan's dubious cash crop for years. But, in actuality, according to
the National Drug Intelligence Center, most marijuana used in the United
States comes from the United States.

Unless people like Timothy McVeigh happen to be huge stoners, the anti-drug
movement has some explaining to do about domestic marijuana's contribution
to "terrorism" at home and abroad. The NDIC goes on to say that leading
foreign sources of marijuana in the United States are Mexico, Jamaica,
Colombia and, increasingly, Canada. Mexico, Jamaica and Colombia, with a
little reasoning, can fit into the campaign's argument fairly well, but
Canada? Canada may be becoming more and more well known for their highly
potent "BC bud" but has yet to prove it is a real terrorist threat.

The worst example of the anti-marijuana campaign messages is the infamous
"Stacey" public service announcement. It opens with a shot of Stacey, who
bought a dime bag. The next image is the dealer who sold Stacey the dime
bag. Then there is Stacey's supplier, followed by Carla, who was hit by a
stray bullet from Stacey's supplier and paralyzed for life. The message
ends with "Drug money supports terrible things. If you buy drugs, you might
too."

This actually raises a valid point: that the organized crime supported by
illegal drug trade is dangerous and harmful to our country and others. But,
again, considering that most marijuana used here is grown here, aside from
domestic organized crime, we're back where we started.

The other major flaw with these anti-marijuana ads is simple: They won't be
affective. They ask adolescent kids to take into consideration the national
and global implications of their actions and, based on these insights, to
pass on grass.

There are two reasons kids smoke pot for the first time: A) It will make me
seem cool and, B) It will give me a buzz. Another reason, C) It could, in
some remote way, support terrorism or some other sort of violent or
otherwise illegal act does not and will not ever enter the minds of
America's youths when they decided whether to smoke their first joint.

In another piece in this campaign, it's implied that a teenage boy takes
advantage of a teenage girl by getting her lifted. Boy, if I only had a
nickel for every time someone got a girl stoned to take advantage of her.

If you really want to talk about impairment of judgment, ever-wise
anti-drug gurus, perhaps you should consider constructing a campaign around
the role alcohol -- which you can get at any convenience store and
certainly does not support terrorism -- plays in sexual abuse. Most of us
here know some woman who has been in an uncomfortable or even violent
sexual encounter thanks to alcohol. Instead, how about a national
anti-drinking and driving campaign aimed at teens and college students?

Yes, marijuana can impair your judgment. Yes, marijuana can make you lazy.
Yes, in some instances, it can serve as a gateway drug. But no, the
AntiDrug.com's anti-marijuana campaign as it stands right now is not
effective nor is it a good use of federal time, energy and money.

Greg remembers one spring break where he supported terrorism way too much.
E-mail your similar experiences and insights to him at dieshus@hotmail.com.