cannabisnews.com: Smoking Pot Not an Exhibition Sport





Smoking Pot Not an Exhibition Sport
Posted by CN Staff on March 27, 2005 at 18:13:48 PT
Editorial
Source: Colorado Daily 
Okay, of all the things not to waste time on at this point in CU's troubled history, marijuana would be chief on the list.CU students would be wise to forgo a proposed non-binding referendum that would ask the CU-Boulder administration to acknowledge that marijuana is not as bad as alcohol and to enforce pot violations with more laxity than two-strike booze violations. To that idea we say to the students: are you high?
First off, CU's reputation as a party school includes not only dangerous boozing kids, but lazy, unmotivated, fuzzyheaded dopers as well. The stereotype of the dreadlocked CU kid torching up on the chronic on 4/20 and eating 12 bags of potato chips is not a better image than that of the late Gordie Bailey, just because no one dies at the end.In fact, it's more or less the same image. While pot may not kill you, it's also not great for you and it's illegal, in case no one told SAFER (Safer Alternative for Enjoyable Recreation), the group pushing the referendum. Chronic use of chronic can cause testicular shrinkage, sterility, a build-up of THC in the fat cells, repeating one's self, a lack of motivation, and repeating one's self, among other problems.All joking aside, simply trading one drug for an arguably less harmful one (we acknowledge it's pretty hard to toke yourself to death, but that doesn't make the drug harmless) doesn't do much for CU's image in the eyes of legislators, parents, alumni and taxpayers: the key groups who need their confidence in CU restored. Likewise, with the stupid yearly ritual of "4/20" coming up, we'd also advise a voluntary laying off of that sun-drenched exercise in dumbness as well. Exhibitionistic dope-blowing isn't a political statement, isn't rebellion, isn't a sophisticated form of protest. It's just partying and a chance to thumb your nose at the cops. And again, with CU's image at stake, it's not a well-timed move, either. With CU possibly planning a crackdown on 4/20, it would be wise to let the thing burn out anyway.While we are all in favor of getting rid of stupid and antiquated marijuana laws, the last thing CU needs, at any level, is an official or unofficial sanction of more dope use.C'mon partiers. Back in the day, nobody needed a 4/20 to get high. You smoked in your house, with your friends, watching Nickolodeon or ESPN or the Playboy Channel and eating bags of Cheetos and lots of mini-Snickers bars.There was no holiday needed for that - no affirming, strength-in-numbers official sanction or phony demonstration. You lit up and then went on with life and schoolwork. Like so many other things these days, making a self-aggrandizing spectacle out of bong hits is just more unnecessary narcissism and attention-getting nonsense.Keep pot smoking where it belongs: in the home, away from public spaces, cops, administrators and others. Nobody will bother you, and nobody will judge your university because of what you do.The Founding Stoners wouldn't approve of bringing more attention to the act of toking. We suggest you don't, either.UGHID's Appointment FailureThe University of Colorado Student Union Tri-executives were right this week to protest the decision by the Boulder City Council to appoint two University Hill Neighbors (UNA), and no student, to the University Hill General Improvement District Advisory Committee.Kate Flanagan, who serves as UCSU's Neighborhood Relations Director, was turned down last week in favor of Jan Otto and David Miller, both members of the University Hill Neighborhood Association, and Hill business owner Court Dixon.Beyond the UCSU representative question, the shenanigans at work to eliminate Bill Curtis - a solid, community-minded, unselfish public servant - from the board was despicable. Whether the city attorney's office knowingly or unwittingly assisted UNA in getting the results it sought is unclear. But in the end the person offended was Curtis. And the gerrymandering by UNA was a success.The moves demonstrate the growing power of UNA and its determination to get its way in any and all public policies regarding the Hill. A student representative would have been a nice addition to the Hill mix, given how many students live there. And every single member of UNA owes Curtis an apology.We don't know what the UCSU Tri-execs did or didn't do to get an appointment. It's clear the City and the Hill Neighbors aren't going to give the students anything. Whatever political presence in city government they have they will have to create by calling Council members, the city manager and other key stakeholders to build the political alliances needed to get the votes they want.Political power, after all, is earned, not granted, even by the strength of numbers.Newshawk: The GCWSource: Colorado Daily (UC Edu, CO)Published: Sunday, March 27, 2005 Copyright: 2005 Colorado DailyContact: letters coloradodaily.comWebsite: http://www.coloradodaily.com/Related Articles & Web Site:Safer Choicehttp://www.saferchoice.org/College Activists Promoting Pot Use Over Alcoholhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread20414.shtmlStudents Call on CU To Ease Up on Pothttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread20363.shtmlAlcohol, Not Pot, Should Be Police Focushttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread20208.shtml
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