Don't Be a Lab Rat

I live in Colorado. We're kind of famous for our legalized weed. Woo. Not really. But everyone seems so excited about it. So I was pleasantly surprised when I saw a commercial of a car, with cool music. The screen goes around the car and shows it's filled with smoke. It ends saying don't be a lab rat. I went to the website and checked it out. It's pretty informative and full of studies. It takes the idea of smoking weed and adds a twist to it. No one likes to be ruled by the man. So what if by fighting the man, you're really giving into the man and becoming a lab rat?!

I've never smoked weed. But, I have a lot of friends who have or still do, especially my first year of college in the dorms. I know what weed smells like. I know that you shouldn't mix weed and alcohol. I've seen the gear, know the terminology, blah blah. And I can attest, it's so addictive. It's not harmless.

Let me tell a story. My first year of college, I was introduced to a whole different crowd of people which was awesome! I love all the things I learned from all these people. One of the boys who lived across the hall was in my honors program with me. It took us awhile but we soon became pretty good friends. What I learned was he loved weed. A LOT.

It didn't make sense to me. How was he in this program and all honors classes and wanting to become a doctor, yet smoking weed every night after class? We had english together and I had to edit one of his essays. He told me that he wrote it high so I was expecting crap. But it was so good! Way better than mine. After that moment I was forced to reevaluate my outlook on marijuana. Maybe some people could make it work for them.

Second semester, something changed. My friend was depressed. He started skipping class more. He was sick all the time. He'd get over a cold only to smoke again and be sick all over. He dropped out of our english class saying he needed a fresh start. The professor and him hadn't gotten off to a good start so I sort of understood. Every week he'd tell us that he was quitting weed. This was going to be the week. But by Thursday every week, their dorm smelled again. It was so eye opening watching him try to quit every week and not being able to do it. He realized there was a problem.

Summer happened. We started school again. I saw my friend again. He'd really changed. He'd gotten heavy into meditation and lucid dreaming. He talked about an enlightenment over the summer, that he realized he was going to reach his dreams. What those dreams were, he'd never tell us. Every time I talked to him, he'd talk about more mind mastery he'd learned about. Then he disappeared. He dropped out of school the third week, saying he'd start over next semester. My friends who lived with him said he was smoking multiple times a day, and was doing harder drugs as well. Every time I talked with my friends they'd give me another depressing update. My friend was losing it. He was changing drastically. And then he snapped. 

Over Christmas break he was admitted to a mental hospital for a few months. He has some brain damage from all the drug concoctions he was taking and the lack of sleep. He'll probably never be the same. My friend who was so funny and wanted to be a doctor isn't that person anymore. He's moved and isn't in contact with any of us anymore which I understand. But it's so sad. Over the course of two years, I saw a person completely change. And I firmly believe it was because of the marijuana. 

All the facts aren't out there. It'll be years until they have all the science and research. But marijuana isn't harmless. I wish it wasn't legal here. Don't be a lab rat. Fight the man!