Marijuana Users’ Rights
Yesterday, an article came out in the Los Angeles Times about the crack down on medical marijuana dispensaries. From my point of view, that’s very good news.
Several months ago, I received a call from a mother who wanted help with her 21 year old son. At that point, he was just starting to use marijuana and she was very concerned. His behavior had been changing rapidly and he was no longer the person that he had been.
Prior to this point he had been actively pursuing a career as a firefighter. He had a very strong purpose to do this and was diligent about going to school and getting the necessary credentials.
Quickly, after the marijuana use started, he began to drop out of classes, has been staying out all night with “friends” and in just a matter of months, his whole focus has changed. He still has a job, but now he uses the money to buy marijuana and is no longer paying his bills.
Recently he got a “marijuana card” and he is now “legally” buying marijuana. In California this has become very fashionable. There are about 800 marijuana dispensaries in Los Angeles City alone – that’s more than Starbucks locations, per the DEA. So from his point of view there is nothing wrong with the situation. His philosophy is that he has rights and should be able to do what he wants, when he wants and if this is the way to do it without penalty, then it is OK.
His behavior toward his mom has completely changed; he has become very hostile and argumentative. He still lives at home and does not pay rent. That his mother, who did all she could to make sure he got an education and helped him throughout his life, is so unhappy and worried, is not enough to make him evaluate the situation.
That his long wished for career as a firefighter – one of the most honorable jobs you could have, especially in Los Angeles – is now getting further and further away from becoming a reality, is also not enough to wake him up.
Since the mom’s initial call to me, things have gotten progressively worse. At this point she is looking at sending him to a rehab program.
You could argue all day long that people have a right to do as they please. But the questions are always: Is what they want to do harmful to themselves? Is it harmful to those around them? And you don’t have to take my word for it, just look around: if it is harmful to them, it will effect others around them. There is no getting around that one.
Unless a person is on a deserted island, by himself, he is part of a family and part of a community. What happens to you will effect me directly or indirectly. The choices I make for myself, are choices that effect not only me, but my friends and family. So to say that the drug user “is only hurting himself” is so unrealistic that it can be disproved very easily.
Personally, I could say, the heck with it, if people want to do drugs, let them. Why should I care? Why should I spend 75% of my life at a job that helps others overcome addiction? I should look out for number 1 – me! I should get a “normal” job and make money and take vacations.
But I cannot do that. I have never gone anywhere or been with any group of people where there was not at least one person who had either done drugs, was on drugs now, or had a family member who is or was on drugs. When I drive down the street, I know with absolute certainty, that many of the drivers out there are under the influence of a medication or illegal drug. My life, my safety and my happiness are definitely affected by the choices that other people make.
Personally, I find it easier to confront the issues and do something about them, then to try and ignore them and live a life of ignorance. I would have to really work hard to not care and it would be more work than it is worth. And I would be unhappy.
