No one gets it, we smoke for the fun of it. We don't do it to defy the law, sure some of us advocate for the freedom to smoke marijuana but that's our given right to do so. We smoke with our friends to enjoy something new, to experience things in a new light for just a little bit. It's something different. It's not like other drugs where you can swing into rages or get angry....have you ever heard of an "angry high"? Well I've heard of an angry drunk and I can guarantee that every single adult in the school district has consumed alcohol at some point or another in their life. We never say, "hey, let's smoke pot and shoot up the school!"...no we say he wanna hang out, listen to some music, maybe play a game in the yard or sit in the grass and talk about stuff that otherwise may be difficult to explain. We enjoy it so don't assume that we will all just become heroine addicts from it. So it's a personal choice, I can smoke with a few select friends and enjoy my time with them or I can go to a crack house and essentially die (according to Mr. Wyda). It's not a gateway drug, everyone makes their own choices. Even if one takes every reefer madness allegation of the prohibitionists at face value, marijuana prohibition has done far more harm to far more people than marijuana ever could. STOP JUDGING US, YOU WERE YOUNG ONCE.

thank you for this informative article. i for one am shocked at the widespread acceptance of this dangerous and addictive narcotic. maybe someday this other commenter will grow up and realize that drugs are detrimental in every single way. just ask my best friend who was just released from rehab how benign marijuana is and how it didnt lead him to try other hard drugs.
-john b.

sir you are out of line

Marijuana is the safest drug with actual benefits for the user as opposed to alcohol which is dangerous, causes addiction, birth defects, and affects literally every organ in the body. Groups are organizing all over the country to speak their minds on reforming pot laws. I drew up a very cool poster featuring Uncle Willie Nelson and The Teapot Party for the cause which you can check out on my artist’s blog at http://dregstudiosart.blogspot.com/2011/01/vote-teapot-2011.html Drop in and let me know what you think!

I'm so glad the school is finally aware of this awful drug. 4/20 is by chance the day of the devils sons birthday. That connection between Satan and marijuana is obvious. What the student who smoke pot need is God in their lives. They need divine reasoning to kick this horrible drug. Hitler smoked pot and so did Charles MANSON. That obviously means that people who smoke pot hate Jews and enjoy killing. GOD is needed for being saved.

hi

My father is a marijuana addict. I can't tell you how many times he's come home from being out late at night, high off his socks.One time, he came home under the influence of marijuana and entered my room to hover over me as I slept, noisily eating tortilla chips and murmuring to me how hilarious Pauly Shore movies are. While I agree that Pauly Shore is a largely under-appreciated actor/comedian, Bio-Dome was mediocre and I don't think I agree with him. From this I can tell that marijuana is devastatingly harmful to one's mind and perceptions because it is clearly destroying my father's ability to discern between quality cinema and puerile forms of film. I hate my dad because of what that drug has done to him, and I don't care if he has his own incredibly successful law firm. This drug abuse has got to stop.

Also he keeps tickling me when he's high and I think that's pretty bothersome because I'll usually be trying to do my studies when he does it. I think my grades may be suffering because of that! I have to go check edline now :(

There is nothing wrong with weed. As many people said it natural. Its not a man mad drug and has never been known to kill any while legal drugs have. I think 420 is a day for people to let lose and enjoy what God naturally put on this earth for us.

i have struggled with marajuana use in my family for many years now. my son uses the drug frequently, and it is tearing our family apart. my wife cries, my daughters cry. when will he learn that the drug itself is not worth his time? he should be focusing on the future and how he can make the world a better place. marajuana is just a catalyst for lazy.

ROFL I BELEIVE THERE ARE WORSE THINGS THEN WEED WAT ABT CAFFINE WAT ABT TOBACCO THOSE THINGS ARE ABUSED ON A MUCH LARGERS SCALE AND CIGGARETTES AND TOBACCO PROUDUCTS CLAIM LIVES ON A DAILY BASIS TOUNGE AND THROAT CANCERS / LUNG CANCER NO ONE IS SAYIN WAIT MAYBE WE SHLD MKE TOBACCO ILLEAGAL AND WHY BECAUSE OF THE MONEY THEY RATHER SEE YOU BUY PACKS AND PACKS A DAY THEN TO BANN THE PRODUCT MORE MONEY IN THERE EYES I GUESS PEOPLE SO QUICK TO JUDGE WHEN THERE IS SO MUCH MORE AND I DISAGREE WEED DOESNT MKE YOU LAZY ITS JUS ILLEGAL SO IT MKES YOU SECLUSIVE YOU GON BE WHERE U CAN SMOKE WHEN UR DAY OF WORK IS DONE YOU READY TO GO HOME AND RELAX AND BECASUE YOU CANT FIRE YOUR BLUNT UP IN PUBLIC WEED HEADS STAY HOME

I go to USCHS and I am sick of what I see almost every day. It seems to me that the district is aware of what is going on, but tries to close its eyes to the issues. I am tired of seeing my old friends who used to make posters in middle school about the dangers of drug use now getting high every day. I am tired of hearing about how trashed they all were over the weekend and all the stupid things they did. I am tired of coming up with reasons why I "can't" get drunk or high. Do you want to know why? I don't want to look like you. I don't want to make a fool out of myself. I don't want to abuse everyone around me. I don't want to steal. I don't want to hang out at the park and sell pot to 12 year olds who haven't even had a chance to grow up. I don't want to get in the car with someone who is clearly high. I don't want to watch you start with pot and end up using heroin. I don't want to sit there and watch you destroy yourselves. You may think I'm someone who sits home on Friday and Saturday nights, but I'm not. I'm one of you. I go to the parties, I hang out with you at school, but I'm sick of what I see. I hate drugs. I hate what they have done to the people I used to call my friends. I hate what they are doing to my community and my school. USC has a serious drug problem. 4/20 isn't funny and those who think it is are part of the problem. The district and the people in it need to find a solution before it's too late.

After reading these posts. All i can say is WOW. I am just either shocked or dumbfounded that so many people act like it is ok to break the law. I am sorry but the law is the law. Look at this way, it is illegal to walk into a store and walk out with a candy bar without paying called stealing. The differnce between tobacco and Pot, Tobbaco is legal to persons over the age of 18. Pot is illegal, so if you feel that by you smoking pot is all right because for whatever reason you are still a criminal. just like walking out of a store with a candy bar. So, if you break the law how can you be judgemental on others who break the law? what kind of message are we trying to send to our childern and our friends if they see us breaking the law? the response i have seen really saddens me

I went to USC, and know that weed is pretty use to get as it is anywhere. Is it illegal? yes. Does it lead to a life of destruction and misery? absolutely not. Its a drug, but I would argue that it is safer than drinking. You hear stories all the time about teenagers dying in drunk driving accidents, yet you never hear about stoned kids doing that. The fact that people are comparing it to heroin or even mentioning it in the same breath as heroin is a travesty. There is a reason why 16 states and including our capital Washington DC have allowed the medical use of it. Weed isnt a new thing, its been around for long time. So, stop acting like its ruining our generation.