Let’s face it — smoking weed on your college campus is nothing new. But usually, the stoner is a hidden presence: one that can be vaguely felt through smell rather than sight.
However, on this day, April 20, they come out of the woodwork in droves — congregating publicly in one brazen smokeshow. And at UC San Diego, that display is at Sun God Lawn.
I’d almost missed it, coming fresh off the beach with sand still in my shoes. Just making it in the nick of time, I cheered with everyone else as the clock struck 4:20 p.m. Then, I proceeded to get extremely f—ing high.
Why do people smoke weed? When you really think about it, smoking anything is a weird concept. I can imagine the first cavemen who discovered had this sort of interaction:
“Oogh ah oh.” (Dude, trust me.)
“Oog oo ahg ook…” (So you’re telling me…)
“Ook, ack oo coo oo eek aahck.” (Yes, light this on fire and then put it in your mouth.)
“Goo aah ook ook du go aak eek.” (This is the stupidest idea I’ve ever heard.)
“Okok goo ack, oo.” (Just try it, dude.)
And with those four final words, humanity’s fate was sealed — for the better, might I add.
In my mind, I cannot imagine anyone who can truly argue that marijuana is more harmful than alcohol. You always hear about someone going on a “drunken rampage,” never a high one. When I smoke too much weed? I have to lie down on my couch. And eat. And maybe watch something. Yeah. That sounds like a pretty harmless time to me.
And I’m sure that those who smoke can attest to the kind of discussions marijuana can facilitate. When I’m drunk, I’m a blabbering, incoherent mess. When I smoke with friends, we talk about music, art, politics, religion — Socrates himself was probably cheefing on that burning bush.
So the next time you get a chance, light up. And if you’re really not convinced: Marijuana is heavily taxed, with California raking in $270 million in taxes Q3 of last year. It pays for healthcare initiatives, law enforcement, and everything else from roads to housing. So really, being a pothead fixes potholes.
