Marijuana — The Comeback Kid(Pot Culture In The 90s)

MARIJUANA — THE COMEBACK KID

When HIGH TIMES magazine does its 100th anniversary issue, the 1960s and
1990s will be highlighted for the fervor with which people smoked pot. The
60s were hopping, granted,but left a bad taste in everyone’s mouth as they
went to the methadone clinic in the 70s. And the late 70s-late 80s saw the
communal straw — as Bolivian children suddenly had two shoes( some left and
right!); cocaine dominated the culture just like Bret Easton Ellis and Jay
McInerney were saying. From the French fashion discotecque to the Newark
ghetto, white lines weren’t just a trucker’s concern anymore. But the 1990s
echoed the 1960s in many ways — the public tolerance level for pot was at
an all time high and that said tons about our culture. Twice elected — Bill
Clinton was not only the first president not to have served in the military
but he was also the first president to have smoked pot while not serving.
This created a comfy place for many educated potheads — from film-makers to
lawyers, to accept the community standard above the law. Suddenly, folks
were joking about pot on Fox and Richard Pryor was smoking a joint on
CHICAGO HOPE(CBS). Cypress Hill lyrics like “I wanna get high, so high”(“I
Wanna Get High”,BLACK SUNDAY, 1993) thumped away out of stereos in the
bedrooms and on the streets. Endless rock bands endorsed it like Molson –
Black Crowes,311, Jane’s Addiction. These endorsements often came about from
using marijuana to relieve heroin joneses. But that was a healthier trend
amongst the culture. ” The 40 and a blunt ” recipe (40 oz. of malt liquor
and a hollowed out cigar filled with weed) kept many a New Yorker quiet
before Rudolph Giuliani released the fascisti on non-whites in New York. But
despite the War on Drugs’ inclusion of marijuana as an enemy — your kid is
still watching Officer Wiggum hold a pot party at a blind man’s house on THE
SIMPSONS(Fox). The almighty academy picked AMERICAN BEAUTY(1999) as a best
picture — with more pot than Ice Cube’s FRIDAY(1995), it was amazing. (Not
to mention the implied teenage nudity.) Jack Nicholson, possibly the most
respected man in Hollywood, still enjoys the herb he tried so innocently in
EASY RIDER(1969). SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE (NBC) and other sketch comedy shows
have embraced marijuana humor with a Sunday School affirmation that demands
you fill your bong with ice. It’s here, it’s not as dangerous as beer — get
used to it.

Despite the respectability of the medical marijuana and hemp movements
around the world — this essay addresses neither. Instead, I intend to
highlight facts that preclude that community standard leans toward that it
should be legal for private use, not just for cancer patients or industry.
Of course, the finest example of this model is Holland. We all remember John
Travolta’s riveting description of the cannabis laws in Holland in Quentin
Tarantino’s PULP FICTION(1994). He infers that even though the government
would prefer you not to smoke in public, it’s okay at home or in a hash bar.
That’s sensible and just. No marijuana offender should be bunking with a
wife beater. And if Our Founding Fathers really believed in freedom of
religion, the 26,000 Rastafarians in New York City alone wouldn’t be
breaking the law by using their holy sacrament. Even dry counties allow
Catholic churches to serve wine. The audacity of a culture that allows
legal tobacco, alcohol, lotteries, Las Vegas and Atlantic City, the Mustang
Ranch ad nauseum… In America, a man can drive with a shotgun in his truck
but can’t haul cannabis plants in the bed of that truck.

According to most historians, cannabis has played a key role in every
culture in the world. The American Indians and the Hindu Indians, the nomads
and the Kings of Ethiopia, each have a rich history. The term “ganja” is
common to Hindus and Jamaicans. It’s biblical — referring to the Ganges
River. It is believed by Rastas that a stalk of ganja grew above King
Solomon’s grave. In most of these cultures it was used for spiritual
purposes or as amongst the American Indians for political discussion amongst
the tribe elders. Native peoples of South America used it as a food source.
Until the 20th century, marijuana enjoyed the benefits of respectability.
Until the Prohibition ended in 1929. The propaganda and racism that fueled
the early anti-pot movement is laughable in retrospect, but very real to the
men in Harlem getting busted for keeping Billie Holliday off of heroin for
one night. Of course it was embraced by the Bohemian movements of all
countries — a staple for cultural activity. The Beats in the 1950s and the
Hippies of the 1960s made marijuana a must for enjoying Jack Kerouac’s ON
THE ROAD(1957) or Jefferson Airplane’s SURREALISTIC PILLOW(1967). And
throughout the rest of the century, the western world has come to terms with
marijuana. Everyone except the Christians and the cops.

The public conception that marijuana can lead to heroin or cocaine is a
valid concern. But the same concern could apply to alcohol or cigarettes or
food, even. The simple truth is that marijuana in of itself is not
addictive, it is habit-forming. There’s a significant difference. Potheads
aren’t running up credit card bills on their habit — there is no killing
amongst marijuana users on the same scale as alcoholics. It is confounding
to give people the freedom to smoke carbon fucking monoxide and not to
ingest marijuana. All these gateway drugs are a stepladder rung to heroin
and cocaine, no doubt. But not every alcoholic or pothead becomes an addict
to powders and such. Some just sit with a beer and a joint and watch STAR
TREK. Who is that endangering? Why is the government so bored that they’ll
even put this much energy into it? Not questions I can answer readily.

Marijuana is as valid as alcohol to be amongst our freedom of choice. It
should be managed like alcohol and sold by the state for economic benefit.
The growing of cannabis would save the family farm. In fact it would
contribute to the GNP like Budweiser or Marlboro. And I’m sure Senator Woody
Harrelson from Kentucky will do his part in the future. Marijuana is a
benevolent herb — treasured by the most peaceful people of Earth’s history.
It is no more offensive to our culture than beer or cigarettes. Mary Hart
isn’t obsessing about Robert Downey Jr.’s pot problem on ENTERTAINMENT
TONIGHT(Syndicated) — it is unimportant. So in this spirit, cannabis should
be available to any adult for any purpose. You can thank the 90s.

An essay I wrote for HIGH TIMES but they ignored it.

Dear Marijuana

Dear Marijuana,
I guess I should confront you. You’re expensive and illegal. My fingernails are always dirty. My daughter tells me I’m gonna die and I can’t tell her I’m not smoking cigarettes– I’m smoking pot. With these dirty fingernails I scraped up a bowl and I feel a little better but I don’t have you in a sandwich bag. I’m not cleaning out lumber and seeds – I can’t smell the waft.
I don’t begrudge you. You help me be a better man like Jack Nicholson says. I believe that you helped me relax enough to get laid, have children, have my colon removed…all the major events.
I AM in love with you.
You fluffy green cum of Christ.
I had an infidelity with heroin but it never made me feel as safe and warm as when I’m with you. It meant nothing, really…
I am yours and believe in a black god because of you. You are not some unhealthy obsession – you are the holy key. I’ve made a fool of myself for you…I have dread locks for God’s sake. Literally.

I grew up around pot. My cousins smoked it when they were young and I would watch and laugh but would never partake. I promised myself I wouldn’t until Nanny died. Nanny died in July of 86, I started smoking that following September. I smoked with friends fairly regularly thru-out high school when I had my colitic colon. The pot gave much cramp relief and truly felt it was the best medicine I ever used. When it came time to pull out my ass I made a deal with God that he could take my anus but I get to smoke pot. Now I treat it very seriously…I don’t even read HIGH TIMES anymore!

Cannabis… you came from Solomon’s grave to be as wise as the polygamist himself. I was just lucky enough to meet you when I did.