Today I didn't have to get up until 9am because our english teacher got sick. Then we only had one period of school before a double lunch period (we went to Starbucks:))
then a "workshop" about Marijuana. *RANT WARNING (also disclaimer)*
I have nothing against people who use marijuana. This is just my opinion.
I was so pissed after we got done. I was actually looking forward to the presentations, because I think the things that drugs-not just illegal ones-can do to your body or brain are fascinating (and horrifying). I was expecting the usual "don't do drugs or drink alcohol because xyz will happen and you'll die" thing that schools always do.
But boy, was I wrong. The first thing we did was sit in a circle and have a discussion about a fictional story that we read. Whether or not we thought the girl in this story was addicted to smoking pot and what she could do to stop doing it. It was dead boring and my little brother would've been able to tell that this girl is supposed to be addicted. We didn't actually learn anything. Useless...
The guy leading the presentation/discussion thing was very quiet and gave miffly piffly answers to the (very few) questions students asked. I was curious about what long-term effects marijuana could have on your body or brain, and another girl was interested in the more short-term view. He waffled about uselessly for a good five minutes and managed to avoid actually answering either question. Which I take to mean he doesn't know. Or else he would tell us, right? It's not like that's the point of the whole idea. So that was 45 minutes of wasted time, but I still had hope because the next period was a presentation from the actual police. Nope. Still useless garbage.
They told us about the criminal part of marijuana (it is not legal in Switzerland), and what happens if you get caught in possession of, smoking, or dealing pot. However, they made sure to tell us that these weren't hard-and-fast rules, but that it "depends on the officer" and "sometimes it's just a warning-I mean, you're young and stuff". Someone asked if marijuana is a gateway drug (it's use could possibly lead to other drug abuse-cocaine, methamphetamines, etc.) and they said no. This is slightly more of an opinion thing, but honestly, who wakes up one day and decides: "I think I'm gonna do cocaine." No one. Logically it would be a slide from one drug to the next.
The whole thing made me mad. It also saddens me that six people (that I know of) of our class of 21 regularly smoke marijuana and now will care even less than they did before. (They're FRESHMEN. 15 years old.) Multiple responsible adults just told them that marijuana "isn't actually that bad". I am aware that I don't have any right to tell other people how to live their life and that's okay. I just really believe that it's a shame. Coolness isn't forever. Any health problems resulting from excessive drug abuse are.
*end rant* *deep sigh*
