I watched a documentary on Tommy Chong of Cheech and Chong fame today. It was all about his shtick and his time in prison for distributing drug paraphernalia. I know this is a very “scary” topic for some, but remember, I am an out of the box kinda gal. If you like my other blogs, this may be worth a read.
Tommy Chong was sentenced on the anniversary of 9/11. Who are the terrorists? “Be Like Me” disease in full effect. Drug use is associated with terrorism according to Bush? How does thinking outside the box make one a terrorist or criminal? How does running a legitimate business warrant an Attorney Generals witch-hunt?
It’s not that I condone illegal drug use or legal drug use for that matter. What I do condone is our first amendment rights, capitalism and taxation of controversial consumer products. If we taxed the living crap out of medical marijuana here on the “left” coast, we would be dealing with a California State surplus instead of a double budget crisis within 6 months.
The vilification of tobacco could be viewed as reasonable from a health perspective. But the reality is that our Constitution ensures we get to live our lives as individuals with individual choices. So tax the “unhealthy” stuff to death and let people decide for themselves.
There are impacts on our lives from everything we put in our bodies. Whether its food, drugs, sex, whatever. There is ALWAYS a price. There will always be people willing to pay the price. What we do as individuals, based on our own convictions, is part of the freedoms we seek and try to maintain as Americans.
Here’s the rub, I am a sober individual. My drug of choice was legal and has been since the repeal of prohibition. We certainly wouldn’t hear of anyone trying to make alcohol illegal now. What we do see is Celebrity Rehab, Sober Living and Dr. Drew Pinsky championing people with real addiction learning what it means to get sober, live sober and process as a healthy human being. The truth in what Dr Drew is doing in his activism for sobriety through reality TV is a legitimate cause in my eyes. The Mirror Effect, Dr Drew’s latest book, bespeaks of the narcissistic culture our current society has created. The idea of self deflation as the answer to our woes is real. It works. It is in every major religion. The idea that we live “the Golden Rule” is a serious universal law.
Tommy Chong broke the law when his company shipped a bong to Pennsylvania. Albeit, it was an obvious entrapment case based on the back story that the “new” Attorney General stated on record that she was out to get Chong because of his shtick and open “promotion” of drug use. There are consequences for breaking the law. Jail time, probation, registering with the local police as an “offender”, paying back the state with garnished wages, living in a half way house. Basically, one is owned by the government following a conviction on a drug charge. Now, there are officials seeking to pass legislation to decriminalize marijuana. Why?
Well, like I said earlier, Mary Jane is big business. Water bongs and pipes sell like hotcakes. Hookahs are still trendy. Medical Marijuana makes people rich. Why shouldn’t the government benefit from something that people have been doing for years. Marijuana wasn’t outlawed until there were obvious cases of people abusing the stuff. Well guess what, it didn’t deter the drunks and it hasn’t discouraged potheads. It won’t people will continue to test the boundaries and limits of themselves and the law. It is part of that narcissistic nature. We are in pursuit of demi god status. That is part of “sin”. We as “fallen” creatures will continue to try to be like our Creator. Whether it is through control or trying to lose control we want that feeling of what we think an infinite being feels.
My truth is that I have no control. I won’t ever have control and I don’t want it. I would like people to live by the Golden Rule, however, it is a surprise when I see it. I believe that people will continue to abuse whatever is banned. I believe that people will try to reach the infinite and continue to fail. What Tommy Chong did was enterprising and he was caught in a loophole. Even if what he was promoting the use of was illegal.
Tags: 9/11, acceptance, celebrity rehab, Cheech and Chong, criminal, Dr Drew, Drugs, emotions, fear, God, humanity, jail, life, religion, sin, sober living, sobriety, spirituality, terrorism, Tommy Chong, universal law
