SMOKE SIGNALS

This time, reefer rebels not so dazed and confused

In the fifth grade, one of the best things was the government-issue
films on everything from flossing and hygiene to sexuality and
interstellar space. Not only were they hilarious, but they were always
a welcome reprieve from the monotony of class.

I'll always remember the one about human genetic experiments that
benefit humanity by giving them plantlike skin that turns sunlight
into energy. Then there's the one about drugs.

We watched it sitting on the floor in Mr. Bohl's room. The first 15 minutes
doted on a slovenly teen and his beautiful Camaro Z-28, "Smokey and the Bandit"
vintage. The car's beautiful, the man with the Disney-esque voice narrated, but
"look at poor Tom." The teen driver was covered with zits, it was implied that
he had B.O. and, car or not, no girl would touch him. Why: He smoked and did
drugs.

Part two was a kaleidoscopic explosion as the filmmakers tried to
portray just what someone saw when they took evil drugs. First came
the bright, vivid color, then the jagged overlay of black and deep,
discordant saws from a cello.

I couldn't wait. Hell, I'd get a Z-28, take a shower and clean my
face. And in an age when no one had ever heard of personal computers
or had any idea of the wonders of computer graphics, the bright colors
looked pretty enticing. Put one checkmark on the pro side of drug use.

Then personal tragedy hit my family, much of it tied to drug abuse.
I'd never tried a "drug" at that point alcohol wasn't considered a
drug in Wisconsin, where everyone cuts his or her teeth on beeroand
swore off any use in the future.

Despite that, I've yet to find any cohesive, non-emotional argument
that demonstrates just how marijuana is the fount of all tragedy.
There have been attempts to show that, of course. Gen. Barry
McCaffrey, drug czar under former President Clinton, implied it on
"Donahue" two weeks ago, citing a study he oversaw through the
National Institute of Drug Abuse claiming that 50 percent of drug
abusers tried marijuana as a teenager or child. Now that's interesting
and potentially terrifying but it loses much of its impact without an
answer to a companion question: How many teens or children smoked pot
and DID NOT become abusers? And how many of those abusers started with
alcohol? I'd wager that it's a pretty high percentage, because if it
was low, McCaffrey who reportedly called his debate opponent, Mark
Leno, a San Francisco city councilman, "some pothead from
California" would have used it.

Yeah, some pothead who's now a city councilman.

Apparently, most of the country sees it that way, with recent polls
showing that 73 percent of Americans favor the legalization of
marijuana. (A recent Review-Journal poll showed it's almost a dead
heat among Nevada residents.) There was also the stunning announcement
and about-face last week of the Nevada Conference of Police and
Sheriffs, the state's largest police organization. Initially, it
supported Question 9, which will appear on the Nevada ballot in
November and asks voters if they favor decriminalizing the possession
of three ounces or less of pot by anyone 21 and older. Then some
members of NCOPS, afraid of negative public reaction, retracted
support. Then the entire group reneged and its president resigned.

This country spends billions every year and incarcerates thousands or
millions for minor marijuana possession or use. And as we spend, drug
dealers get rich. Why not flip that around, take the money away from
the rich, tax the adult user of marijuana and use that money for drug
abuse treatment? Better yet, use it to get at the real, societal
causes of drug abuse?

Here's an idea: Use the money to treat victims of the most invasive,
yet politically untouchable drug out there: alcohol.