I attended college in San Francisco in the 1960s, so I know how marijuana can be a part of college life for some. During that time young people were put-off by the dis information being promoted by “The Establishment” about the risks of smoking marijuana: The risks were exaggerated and we knew it (For those interested in the exaggerations check out the old movie “Reefer Madness”). Weed was part of a lifestyle that was good: peace, love, and all that. Since then, I have come to understand that marijuana is not all good. Marijuana has a number of problems. First, it is full of tar. Anyone who has smoked it knows that it leaves a thick sticky brown residue as it burns. The sticky mess that cakes up on the side of the bong is the same stuff that cakes up in your lungs. Second, after an initial euphoria it leaves the smoker feeling sluggish and sleepy. It is hard to study when smoking weed: even if you can stay awake, your mind is nowhere near as clear as it is without the herb. Third, it causes weight gain. I’d bet money that marijuana is a factor in the “Freshman 15.” It is such a powerful anti-anorexant that it is prescribed for cancer patients to help them gain weight. The amount of food that some people consume after smoking weed is absolutely amazing!
Finally, because it is illegal and passes through many hands, marijuana can be laced with other chemicals that can be very harmful. For example, during the 1970s the U.S. Government was spraying crops with herbicide called Paraquat: a chemical that kills herbs. To avoid financial loss, many farmers would immediately harvest their crops after they were sprayed and sell them to dealers who, in turn, sold them on the street. What does Paraquat do to the human body when smoked? Do you think they cared? Today, some dealers lace weed with other drugs to increase potency and then sell it to suckers as ‘hydro.’ This results in people overdosing at rates previously unseen. Buyer Beware!
It is easier to avoid a bad habit than to break one. Many people use weed and other substances to escape. There are other, better ways of escaping. If you need to escape, visit the counseling center and perhaps we can help. The bottom line is this: you will look better, feel better, and make better grades without marijuana.