Letters to the editor, Nov. 20, 2009

In response to Noah Ballard's Nov. 9 Article "Drugs, Alcohol don't boost creativity"

While I won't disagree with you about the effects of drinking on academics and life in general, I do not hesitate to completely disagree with your skewed perception regarding the uses and effects of marijuana.

Personally, I have always been one to embrace the idea that marijuana is a way to expand your mind and look at things from new perspectives. I feel your point, that every time YOU smoke you are unproductive and "feel fat," cannot be used as a valid argument.

Marijuana works differently on everyone and has many kinds of effects. Not only does the person using the marijuana matter, but the kind of marijuana can affect productivity and creativity.

For example, the Cannabis plant has two different types of strains, Indica and Sativa. The first complements your lazy description; however the second one does not. It is proven that the Sativa strain produces a different kind of high, called a "head high." Under this high a person becomes very energetic, experiences enhancement of the senses and tends to notice things they have never noticed before. How's that for creativity?

I also don't see where your other argument – creative minds use weed for "quieting their minds" rather than expanding it – arises from. It seems contradictory. And of course, this is something we can never be certain of. The movement for legalization means more to users and advocates of the drug than just being able to do it anytime, anywhere. It's about freedom and choice and could prove to be a major stimulus to the economy as well, a step forward in the United States' prolonged and failing war on drugs. Legalization could help to keep those who are not really criminals out of the court system, thus creating more space in prisons for those who actually deserve to be there.

Weed and alcohol are VERY different things, with completely different effects. For one, alcohol can kill you, and does kill approximately two million people worldwide each year, including many college students. Perhaps you should be concerned with this issue and take a stab at the dangers of drinking instead.

However, weed has never killed anyone; not one person. It is one of the only drugs in the world that you cannot overdose on, so who is it hurting? When you are drunk most do not function normally, and it is seen as unacceptable in our society to go to work or school drunk. While I don't encourage anyone getting high before work or school, you can't disagree that it's much more discreet. Let's face it: You can function while using marijuana. There is no sobriety test to tell whether or not you're stoned.

Finally, weed is no cop-out and no dead-end lifestyle either. Some of the greatest musicians have come from the marijuana movement. Case in point: Bob Marley. He once said "Smoking the herb reveals you to yourself." Not only that, but it provides for a positive outlook, which is no doubt beneficial. I suppose in the end, it all comes down to personal choice. Marijuana is what you make it for yourself. But those like yourself who are so ready to bash it need to take a step back, forget the stereotypes and learn to live and let live! If it's not directly affecting you, why do you care so much?