Richard Nixon first employed the rhetoric of war to describe our government's strategic assault on illegal drug use in the U.S. Some have theorized that his administration's motivation was as much to quell the liberal youth movement of the day by attacking its most vulnerable flank-- parties-- as it was to continue in the spirit of legislation enacted a half century earlier to "clean up" America's communities. These theories also run that the earliest drug laws had themselves been established as a cloaked racist attack on outcast communities of the day: namely, blacks and Mexicans.
Whatever the motivation, the policies that followed have produced no tangible positive results. (Unless, of course, widespread paranoia and rampantly violent underground narcotics networks can be considered virtues.)
Drug use has not subsided a micron and illegal drug cultivation and distribution have blossomed into massive international industries. Nixon's attack only induced illicit drug industrialists to become more dangerous and militant. And then, twenty years later, that actor-- what was his name? (the bastard conveniently forgot everything as soon as he left office-- what a guy) -- kicked the "war" movement into high gear, effectively driving what appears to be a permanent wedge between everyday people who are functional drug users and a delusory America that wants to believe it can attain some utopian state of squeaky clean-ness.
So while Gallup polls regularly reflect how "concerned Americans are" over the state of illegal drug use in our country, I am struck by the irony that, of the thousands of regular users I am personally aquainted with, the vast majority are either college students, gainfully employed workers or successful business owners. Doctors, lawyers and teachers are on the list as well. Good ones.
"But drugs are in the schools," the country club moms protest, "how will we deal with it?"
First, while not wishing to endorse subversive behavior, let me say this: Moms of America-- just relax. If little Johnny and little Billy smoke a little pot after school (or during school, or before school)-- it's no big deal. It's perfectly normal. Happens every day to guys who grow up to become presidents.
Adolescent experimentation should be patiently and open-heartedly expected, and making a big deal out of minor issues like these (and I assure you, cannabis use is a minor issue) will only serve to alienate you from your child.
If you want a loving relationship with your offspring, you need to understand that by the time they reach their teens, you are no longer their primary influence, and they will do what they wish whether you like it or not. So, while your concern is natural, it is really you who need to adapt.
Hopefully you spent their childhood instilling in them an appreciation for the mandatory ideals of moderation, responsibility and carefulness. But once they've grown old enough to choose their own friends, you can't draw a hard line around consumption, dress codes or sex, or your children will rebel even more just to spite you.
Take, for instance, the teen drinking "epidemic." Underage alcoholism is rampant in this country. Far more prevalent than in most European countries, where low legal drinking ages are basically ignored. You never see kids hanging out in bars getting ripped in Italy. Alcohol is so pervasive, so commonplace-- it's like Coca-Cola over there-- that it is uncool to get drunk. But in the U.S., we've stigmatized booze, and as a result, it's a right of passage. American teens, deprived of a legitimate context for alcohol consumption, spend amazing amounts of time sourcing beer and liquor for their ridiculous binges.
It all returns to the famous maxim: "Want a kid to do something? Tell him not to." Drug use applies. As does sex. Develop a responsibly relaxed demeanor about these subjects, and your children will too.
And quit lying to them. I gave up smoking cigarettes after ten years of heavy use, so I am fully aware of tobacco's negative consequences, but I still find it offensive that thetruth.com body bag television commercials attempt to make the equation: cigarette smoking=death. It's a patent lie that serves no one.
Honesty. Truth. You drank in high school. Tell your kids. George W. did some coke in college-- he's still fit to be president, right? It didn't rot his brain. Drugs can be damaging, but they aren't inherently evil. Grow up already.
Fact is, some drugs can be remarkably fun (and even enlightening), if used responsibly. End of story. No twelve step program is gonna get me to lie about how much I enjoyed being piss-wasted on Milwaukee's Best, crowd-surfing a room over-stuffed with sweaty sorority girls during my first year of college. It was fun. Really fun. I loved it. I'm so glad I did it. But offer me a Milwaukee's Best now, and I'd probably refuse it.
Honesty and a relaxed demeanor are two crucial elements to a civilized, healthy society. But, all this aside, perhaps the most important point I can make on the subject of illegal consumption and the "War On Us" is the simple fact that the shortest path between the illicit drug manufacturer and your children is through the black market. If you are really concerned about your children's safety, then you need to recognize that a legal drug culture would essentially cut them out of the loop.
It should also be recognized that the War on Drugs is an economic war-- an attempt to shut down several very lucrative markets. But demand remains constant.
The fact is: people-- most of them responsible, free-thinking adults-- want drugs. No matter how many times the church lady tells them that smoking pot is bad, they still want it, they are still going to get it, and they're still gonna wake up the next morning and go to work so they can afford to buy more. They actually like the stuff. What's wrong with that?
The vast majority of regular drug users (cannabis, cocaine, L.S.D., M.D.M.A., etc.) do so willfully and consciously-- not as the result of rampant addictions over which they have no control. In my life, I have known many, many recreational drug users and very, very few serious addicts. There is a significant difference.
If the U.S. government really wants to "win" this "war," it will have to recognize that Americans are going to get drugs with or without its help. Do we want to continue wasting trillions of dollars trying to stop these industries, or should we get in on the inside and start ensuring the public's safety? (And turning a serious profit?) It's up to us-- the people will smoke the pot either way. And if we continue to "just say no," then they'll continue to just ignore us and our petty lies.