Friday, February 15, 2008

Reefer Momness

In a move to watch more TV lately and satisfy Spenc.er's couch fix, plus spend more time with my son, I have caught up on the world a bit. We've watch marathons of Little People, Big World and Jon and Kate plus 8. I have observed that in the world of TV, parents are mighty permissive, except that mean motorcycle guy. In Little People, Dad is a push over and Mom is more stern, but they both fail to get the kids under control. Bickering instead of discussing, Jon and Kate sweat the small stuff, yet snidely claim to be on the same page in their recaps. Actually, I wish I had a helper husband like Jon. As it is, he is chopped meat being beat on constantly. However, I would never allow cameras in my home. I can be a dictator from the comfort of my arm chair.

More TV - I'll add it to my dream finds while channel surfing - I saw Reefer Madness on IFC. I'd heard it was over the top, but I had no idea how manical it would be. Pot causes assault, murder, suicide, and insanity instead of laziness, underachievement, munchiness, and naps. One scene was hilarious in which a child (they called these older teenagers "children") drives while under the influence; he's hyper, wreckless, and having a blast clobbering the curbs and the man on the corner. Everybody knows you drive slow like a grandma while high. And you don't dance, arms and legs akimbo, because you're too busy being devoured by the cushions on the sofa.

[Jimmy finishes a reefer before driving back]
Jimmy: Let's go, Jack. I'm red-hot!
Jack: Better be careful how you drive, or the first thing you know you'll be ice cold.

That's some snappy dialogue there. And I wondered where Diablo Cody got her inspiration.

In a related viewing, a few days later I caught on the History Channel a show called Hooked and it covered marijuana and amphetamines. I didn't know that there was nothing was illegal about injesting what you wanted until about 1914. In the 30s, they sought to make pot illegal to get the pot-growing, pot-selling, competing-for-sparce-resources, lowly Mexicans deported; it was the racially-motivated push of the southwestern states and they finally succeeded in 1937, the year after Reefer Madness came out.

In fact, for a short time in the late 60s, due to Timothy O'Leary's influence, reefer was legal. Then a comprehensive act came out in 1970 making everything illegal.

Although I'm not an activist about it, I don't think dope shuld be illegal. I think it should be regulated and enforced like alcohol. From my personal dabbling, which of course mostly made me paranoid and nap-able, plus that of others, I know it isn't a menace. Just like hanging out drinking alcohol too much, smoking reefer doesn't make you a loser. Losers create themselves.

The last time I smoked dope was July 1983 and it was with Richard. I was actually offered the possibility of it with a guy I dated a bit four years ago. I'm not sure I would have done it if it had come to fruition, because the I take the responsibilities of parenthood too seriously, meaning I try not to get fucked up because being a mom is more important.

Have you ever seen Reefer Madness? Are you or have you ever been a pothead? (Just kidding. You don't have to answer that.) What do you think about legality? And what do you think of parenting as portrayed by Reality TV?

6 comments:

DD said...

I bet watching Reefer Madness high would be a hoot.

The last time I smoked was probably a month before I met Mr. DD back in 1991. I, too, am prone to make only enough movement to get me some nachos with cheese and a big gulp from the nearest 7-11 and then nap. Oh, and I giggle a lot, too. Mr. DD use to partake when he was much younger. He hated it b/c it just made him want to sleep. Tylenol PM does the same and it's cheaper.

To me alcohol is a much more dangerous drug so if they made pot legal, well then, whatever.

The one thing about having tried it is that I know what it smells like, which will be handy in about 10 years when my son comes home late after being out with friends. I'll bust his ass.

Cricket said...

Yes, the bustitude.

I remember L obviously smoking dope in her room and coming up positive on a pee test. Then P sent her to Greece for a week! Talk about great parenting, but then he was a pothead for years. I guess he was one for which the evils got greater, as he traded up for alcoholism. Woohoo! Talk about losers.

Anonymous said...

I wouldn't say I was ever a pot head, but in college, well. Let's just say I knew someone with a lot of money and I never had to pay for it. And then I had to quit because of job drug testing, and then I just got bored with it, and finally, I had two bad experiences (I think it was laced) and that was the end of that.

I don't know if pot should be legal (medically legal, absolutely), but I do think it should be regulated and taxed to heck.

Anonymous said...

if there were cameras in my home, they'd probably take my children away from me.

we had brownies for dinner last night.

Val said...

Well, here's another Permissive Mommy, right 'chere...
I experimented w/pot, but since I hate smoking so much, guess I never developed a good enough technique for it to do much for me (alcohol seemed to be much more of a surefire bet!).

Anonymous said...

Hey, congrats on the 3.5. Slow but steady, all that stuff. Good for you!