It's just that simple. If there is one universal truth in the marijuana debate, it is that the punishment for pot is always vastly more damaging than the effects of the drug itself:
Let's just review once again the lesson learned by Mr. Rodriguez:
NORTH SALEM, N.Y. - When a Westchester father found a marijuana cigarette in his son's pocket he went to North Salem High School for help. The 16-year-old boy told his dad he bought the joint in the school library for $20.Yeah, don't bother asking the school for "help" when it comes to marijuana or other drugs. That's not a service most schools provide. Marijuana policies both large and small are typically structured around the theory that badly injuring those who are caught will deter others. In the process, parents become disillusioned, students who need help are afraid to ask, and students who were doing just fine are suspended for 9 weeks.
The school suspended the teen, Pablo Rodriguez, for nine weeks.
Many of his neighbors hearing the case believe the suspension is too long and they've begun a petition asking school officials to reconsider.
The teen's father, also named Pablo Rodriguez, says they would never have known about the marijuana in his son's pocket if he didn't tell them. The elder Rodriguez says he now believes parents should keep quiet if they learn their children are doing drugs. [Newsday.com]
Let's just review once again the lesson learned by Mr. Rodriguez:
The elder Rodriguez says he now believes parents should keep quiet if they learn their children are doing drugs.Nothing could more perfectly illustrate the failure of a drug policy than its ability to encourage secrecy among parents who want help. Anyone who is concerned about marijuana affecting academic performance can begin by not denying marijuana users the opportunity to perform academically.
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bummer
Poor Mr. Rodriguez will have to learn the hard way, and it sounds like he is. The belief that people in a position to help with a problem involving drugs is still alive. Now Mr. Rodriguez will learn that his son is a drug user, and a criminal, and should be punished to the full extent of the law. He will now get a education in the legal system, and pay some shyster, all his had earned money, to try and keep his son from carrying this violation of the law, around for the rest of his life and keeping him from getting a good job !
Drug holiday
Good, now Pablito has 9 free weeks to enjoy his pot. Why don´t we send the principal to rehab?
I wonder about the racist component
North Salem NY is on the urban/"whitebread"rural fringe of prosperous suburban (to NYC) Westchester County and people with names like Pablo Rodriguez may be undocumented farm workers who are imported into that area for seasonal work, like apple picking.
Selective enforcement, racially based, against a marginalized minority population, judging from the dateline.
Just saying...
That is sh!t. lol, why
That is sh!t. lol, why suspend somebody when you could try taking them off the drug. i mean if you are suspended for nine weeks it gives you more time to do what you want. and parents not telling school officialls. well it serves them right. those overstuffed pinheads.
pablo
The sad part of this story is the guy is still selling in the lunch room and Pablo is at home his life never to be the same again.The fact is that 30% of the teachers in that school may be using drugs on a daily basis.Until every state in the USA allows the use of pot with no criminal penalty things like this will continue.The judge he is sent to that determines his fate could very possibly snorted coke up his nose before coming to the court room. Anyone that is older than 40 all know about the teacher that smokes a joint on his break or the police officer that sells a little pot for extra money.The bar you can go to and buy a little pot or some meth or maybe a bag of heroin.It is all bullshit
Lessons
sicntired I guess that's what schools for.Now the dad has learned something.The way we deal with drugs causes more damage than most drugs ever could.This has to end.How long would he have been suspended if it was a bottle of beer?
History lesson
The stupid always kill the messenger. The stupid always lose in the end. The United Snakes Drug War is stupid. Stupid is as stupid does.
Not a War but a Subsidy Program
The War on Drugs is nothing but a subsidy program for the prison industry. In fact, the "industry" seems to be the biggest employer in the state of Texas. Meanwhile, the state never has enough money for its schools or other social programs, and there is no money or interest in rehabilitation for drug addicts. This War wreaks financial disaster on its victims (court costs, bail, job loss), and tears parents away from their children (who often end up in questionable foster care situations) while Mom and/or Dad are punished for smoking a joint to chill out after work. Sick people are deprived of the best anti-nausea remedy out there, and the elderly are deprived of an alternate source to modify glaucoma. (Don't try to tell us that dope causes cancer, there is not one known case of lung cancer attributed to pot smoking alone). Truly Reefer Madness. When will we smarten up, and legalize victimless "crimes" as has been done in Holland?
If we legalized at least pot and prostitution, regulated and taxed it, it would cut out the criminal element (gangs, organized crime), protect women from being abused by leeches (pimps), reduce the risk of transmitting AIDS, and be a steady source of income for the state for education and health care. Furthermore, if we invested the money saved by not sending these folks to prison or court, we could rehabilitate those who have become addicted to Meth, expand programs for parenting skills and offer confidential counseling for teens. This would be a vast improvement over our current standard of sending drug addicts, prostitutes, or pot users to the Institution for Increasing Skills in Criminal Behavior (aka prison) at taxpayors expense.
We were smarter right up until the early 1900's. Prior to that our government let people decide for themselves what drugs they did or did not want to ingest. Big Brother needs to Butt Out, or at the very least, be helpful instead of punitive. Our constitution did not grant our government the authority to "protect" us from our own choices. It was intended to grant us the liberty to MAKE choices! America, we have lost our way.
BTW, when was the last time (or the first time?) someone has been killed or suffered an injury due to driving while stoned (on pot)?
--goodandplenty
What my kids learned in school:
Drugs are illegal because they are bad. Drugs are bad because they are illegal. Only bad people use drugs. Because drugs are bad. And if you use drugs you will die.
When they learn that they've been lied to they learn to lie. In a society where everybody's a suspect, kids learn to mistrust and disrespect authority. The teachers have learned, too -- no doubt any trouble young Pablo has from now on can be blamed on drugs.
Re: Not a War but a Subsidy Program
The other element is the protection of Big Pharma. "Illicit" drugs compete with drugs made by Big Pharma, so there will never be legalization as long as our elected officials continue to be supported in their continuous campaigns by Big Pharma; and law makers will continue to make the laws against "illicit" drugs harsher.
Anonymous
The other element is the protection of Big Pharma. "Illicit" drugs compete http://googlerf.net with drugs made by Big Pharma, so there will never be legalization as long as our elected officials continue to be supported in their continuous campaigns by Big Pharma; and law makers will continue to make the laws against "illicit" drugs harsher
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