420. Grass. The Devil’s lettuce. Jazz cabbage. Acapulco gold. Mary Jane. Green crack. The golden leaf. Haitian oregano. Peruvian parsley. Mexican mistletoe.
Whatever you want to call it, I hate the smell of it.
Last week, President Biden issued an executive order pardoning all individuals convicted of “simple” marijuana possession offenses. While I cannot say I am surprised that he caved to the mob this close to the midterm elections, I can sadly report that you and I will likely be smelling a lot more marijuana every time we step onto the subway. President Biden’s decision to pardon these individuals continues to mark the sad turn our society takes as we become ever more accepting of the “smoke whatever you want” lifestyle.
Put a cigar and a glass of scotch in my hand, and I am your guy. But try to pass me a doobie, no thanks! All of this to say, what is the benefit of smoking marijuana? Is it to supposedly “relax,” “unwind,” or “be used in moderation.” I do not think so. I think you smoke marijuana, to get high. To answer the question you just asked yourself, to paraphrase Michael Knowles, marijuana and alcohol are different because alcohol is not only an ingrained part of our culture but when used moderately is edifying. As Benjamin Franklin said, “Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.”
Not only that but for a moment, heed me and close your eyes. Imagine the average stoner. Do you think he is our model citizen? Do you want more of him walking around? Much less, do you want to be him? The answer is resoundingly no. So why did the president just pardon him and all his cronies? To appease our degenerate, fastly deteriorating culture. Instead of enjoying the finer elements of life, instead of moderately consuming substances (like alcohol) that can elevate us and allow us to truly enjoy life, we have gone straight for the deepest hole we can find: our pleasure, our ability to get high, and act stupid. Do you really want that in your neighborhood, or that smell every time you step outside your door?
To those who answered yes for all of my above questions, is marijuana really that inconsequential? Is it really non-addictive, or better yet, are there no side effects to it? If you ever find yourself having to explain its alleged non-addictiveness, or having to say that you “could stop any time,” I would beg to differ. Mainstream discourse says marijuana is natural and nothing will happen to you if you have a blunt or two. On the contrary, however, we are now understanding that there is a link between marijuana usage and Schizophrenia.
Additionally, the CDC lists that “short-term effects” of marijuana include “altered senses…altered sense of time, changes in mood, impaired body movement, difficulty with thinking and problem-solving, impaired memory, hallucinations…, delusions…, [and] psychosis.” It is not hard then to conclude that these supposed “short-term” consequences will quickly transpire into something long-term and significantly much more damaging. Similarly, these side effects pose particular problems for the youth as they not only have the potential to get hooked on marijuana young, but the drug will act as a gateway to much more serious and harmful substances.
I would be remiss if I did not finally address the political solution to this crisis. We should start by recognizing that there are currently only 149 individuals in federal prison for possession of marijuana. Like all drug dealing, marijuana is and will be associated with trafficking and violence, which is where many of the convictions for it come from. Marijuana contributes to a culture of disregard for life and ignorance of the fundamental dignity of the individual. How can we possibly hope to flourish when we as a nation are high in the sky? If we want a society in which we act with purpose, if we want to have safe neighborhoods, if we want to have a drug-free country, then it starts by enforcing our laws and putting individuals in prison who deal and possess marijuana.
Marijuana is bad for our culture, our society, and our neighborhoods. So, as much as it pains me to ask, given the pardon, what was President Biden smoking?
William Benson
William Benson is an undergraduate student at The Catholic University of America pursuing a degree in politics with a concentration in political theory. He serves on the executive board of Catholic University College Republicans and is a columnist and editor at Lone Conservative.
The views expressed in this article are the opinion of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Lone Conservative staff.
@williamgbenson
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