Spartan Daily - Serving San Jose State University since 1934

Issue date: 4/27/01 Section: Opinion>>Columnists

Ben Aguirre Jr. / Daily Sports Editor [Click to enlarge]

There is an old adage that says, “Honesty is the best policy.” Sure, I agree with this line.

Hell, I almost always tell the truth, but I do think there are times when someone should keep his or her mouth shut.

For example, let’s take New Mexico’s governor, Gary Johnson.

Johnson is currently in his second term as the governor of New Mexico and recently gave a speech at the annual conference of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws.

At this event, Gov. Johnson spoke in favor of legalizing marijuana, stating that, “Most users of marijuana are responsible users.”

Oh really?

Define responsible.

Do you mean that these people who decide to light up are able to control their emotions?

Do you mean that they are able to make smart decisions on their own?

Or do you mean that they can quit when they want?

I’ve seen plenty of idiots who smoke this crap, do asinine things and are still completely oblivious to the fact that they are harming those around them.

Sure, many of them are in high school or live in a trailer, as depicted by some fairly accurate late-night talk shows, but Johnson’s comments are wrong.

Marijuana is a drug. It has been labeled as a stepping stone for those who want to get into harder drugs.

You know, a person says, “Oh what the hell, I’ll try a little pot.” Next thing you know they’re snorting cocaine off the bathroom floor tile with a rolled-up $1 bill.

Oh, I get it. Perhaps Johnson decided to speak from experience?

Yep, that’s right, New Mexico’s governor used to be a pothead, and now he is a governor.

I’m not kidding.

“They’re not doing any harm to anybody,” Johnson said about marijuana at the meeting. “Having smoked it and given it up, I would ask you not to smoke pot. But should it be a criminal offense? No.”

Yes, it should be, Governor.

It is a drug, a narcotic, if you will.

I am not saying that people are bad for smoking pot, but I sure as hell don’t condone it.

If you want to smoke pot, more power to you. But don’t get upset if you get arrested.

“Man, it’s just a little weed,” the criminal says.

Perhaps to you, it is “just a little weed,” but to others, it is a problem. A problem that appears to be getting out of hand.

Why do you think the laws are in place? For fun?

Do you think the Drug Enforcement Agents shut down the “farms” just so they can laugh about it later?

No, they don’t. They do it because they are trying to protect those who can be harmed by it.

“The war on drugs is a miserable failure,” argued Johnson.

I’ll agree that the government spends a lot of money trying to police it, but it is far from being a failure.

And finally, some argue that marijuana is on the same level as alcohol, and it should be legalized.

No, I’m sorry. You’re wrong, too.

According to Sara Macintosh, author of “Marijuana: Health Effects,” marijuana, unlike alcohol, which is made up of one chemical, is made up of 420 chemical components, 61 of which are only found in this particular drug.

Yeah, I know, there is that number that has become synonymous with pot, but let’s not get started with that crap.

Marijuana is a drug, people do it and no one can deny that.

Mankind has been doing it for years, and every decade it reaches new usage levels. But just because it is popular and has been used for years doesn’t mean it should be legalized.

Ben Aguirre Jr. is the Spartan
Daily Sports Editor.
“Annoyed” appears Fridays.

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