A case for alaf

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A case for alaf
by Jahanshah Javid
08-Mar-2009
 

My father didn't smoke or drink. It was not a religious thing; he didn't believe in god. He just didn't like cigarettes or any kind of alcoholic drink. Of course he had chronic heart disease, but even if he was healthy, he would not have indulged in any of that stuff. My mother drank beer or wine on special occasions. I remember seeing her smoking at parties at our house when us kids were growing up, but even that stopped decades before she passed away.

I mention my parents because I want to make it clear that my enjoyment of marijuana has nothing to do with my upbringing. It has been my personal choice.

The first time I tried pot was in 1978, when I was 16. I didn't even know what it was. I had a summer job clearing wild vegetation around an abandoned mental hospital in Kaneohe, Hawaii. My co-workers were rough and tough Hawaiians whom I tried to stay away from as much as possible. I looked like a sissy and acted like a sissy and I just didn't want to give them any excuse to tease me.

Well, one day at lunch break I was brushing aside some thick, tall plants and accidently walked into their circle. I didn't know what to do. I couldn't turn around; that wouldn't have been cool. So I just stood there. I didn't want to look them in the eye, thinking maybe I'd piss them off or something.

"Do you want a hit?" one of them said.

I was surprised and a little relieved. At least they wanted me join in and share whatever they were doing. But I didn't know what a hit was. I knew it probably had something to do with an illegal drug and would land me into deep trouble, especially if my mother found out (my father had passed away a couple of years before). But there was no way I could say no. That would have proved what a wuss I was.

"I've never tried it before," I said.

"It's cool. Here..." he said and handed me a joint.

I hadn't even tried a cigarette before, except once as a kid, out of curiosity. And I hated it. So I didn't know how to inhale. I took a drag and held the smoke in my mouth and let it out after a few seconds. My co-workers were cool about it. They knew this was my first experience and did not insist on me taking more hits.

Obviously that half-attempt at smoking pot did not make me high. I was actually repulsed, especially by the smell. There was no way I was going to try it again.

Fifteen years passed. I had a girlfriend at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. One weekend we drove to Taos -- a popular ski resort near an Indian reservation. We checked into a hotel and at night before going to bed, my girlfriend asked if I wanted to smoke a joint with her. She said it would make sex ten times better. I told her I had smoked it many years ago and nothing had happened. But I would try it with her. And I did, despite being repulsed by the smell. I got mildly high but it wasn't a life-changing experience at all. I still didn't understand what was the big deal.

Five or six years later, I think in 1998, I understood.

My girlfriend at the time took me to dinner at the home of her friends -- a young Greek-American couple who lived near Washington, DC. After dinner they asked if we would like to smoke a joint. My girlfriend had tried it before and was willing to go along if I did. I said I had only seriously tried it once, and it hadn't really done anything to me. But OK, I'll share a joint.

I took one drag and everything was cool. But after my second, I began to wonder. Something had happened.

"Do my lips look bigger?" I asked my girlfriend.

"What do you mean?" she started to giggle.

At that point I knew I was high -- or something. It was around Christmas and our hosts had a small mechanical Santa Claus doll on their TV which danced when there was a loud noise. I looked at the damned thing and it made me laugh so hard. So hard that I was rolling on the couch for the longest time. I even told my girlfriend to call an ambulance because I couldn't stop laughing. Everything seemed absurdly funny. It was the most fun I had ever had.

When I moved to the San Francisco Bay Area in 2000, pot became more and more available. At parties many of my friends smoked it and I would take a few drags. About a year later I found a guy who sold pot out of his apartment in San Francisco and I became a regular customer until I left for Mexico a few months ago.

Pot doesn't make me laugh like crazy anymore, but it does make me relax and I become a much nicer person. And of course it also makes me more imaginative, which has helped greatly with iranian.com :o) Another important point is that pot is not addictive, not for me at least, and certainly not as much as cigarettes. When I travel I have no access to it and I'm fine. I don't crave it and have no withdrawal symptoms at all.

I'm not bragging about smoking drugs. I know it's bad for my lungs. But there are so many people smoking marijuana without inflicting any significant harm to society that governments must rethink long-standing policies against its production and use.

For many years now, marijuana and a few other drugs have been legal in Holland. Many of you must have heard of "coffeehouses" in Amsterdam. The open and legal availability of pot has not had any negative impact there. People have not rushed to buy or use marijuana on any large scale -- just as many people don't drink alcohol just because they can buy at any corner store.

The Dutch experience has clearly shown that the legalization of drugs does not lead to the breakdown of society or criminal activity. In fact it's prohibition that leads to crime and wasting of tens of billions of dollars on a war that cannot be won.

In Chihuahua, Mexico, where I currently live, there's a major battle going on between drug lords and the military. Just a few hundred feet from my sister's home there is an intersection known as "Death Crossing" -- so named because of the high number of people gunned down by drug gangs and their associates. All because there's a huge demand for marijuana and cocaine in the U.S. and it's massively profitable to produce and export.

If the drugs were legal, just like alcohol, the criminal cartels would have no reason to exist and the mountains of money wasted on the drug war could instead be used for public education against drug abuse. Not only would governments stop throwing away billions, but would actually earn a huge amount by taxing the sale of drugs.

Today local governments in several U.S. states have legalized the medical use of marijuana. California is the most notable, especially in the San Francisco Bay Area, where there are now many licensed marijuana clubs. Of course everyone knows that most of the customers are smoking it for recreational rather than medical purposes. It's only a matter of time before this trend spreads to other parts of the state, and across country. And the sooner the better. This insane, useless and costly prohibition on drugs has gone on for too long.

I leave you with an interview with William F. Buckley Jr, a man who's no fan of drugs by any means. He's of course one of the biggest conservative thinkers of our time who understands the futility of prohibition and explains it with simple logic.

Part 1



Part 2



Part 3

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more from Jahanshah Javid
 
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I agree with your point of view

by Maryamnn (not verified) on

I have problem with any kind of addiction including alcohol dependence. You tried to convey that MJ is not addictive and I just wanted to let you know that it is addictive (psychologic, not physiologic) and that is why you were a regular client of that person in SF.


Jahanshah Javid

And?

by Jahanshah Javid on

Maryamnn, let's say what you say is true. Alcohol has very bad side effects too. Drinking and driving is one of the major causes of death. But why is alcohol legal and pot is not? Do you have a problem with those who drink beer, wine or whiskey?

I am not saying drugs are healthy and have no impact on your mind or body. My point is that the criminalization of drugs is feeding crime and wasting tens of billions of dollars that could be put to much better use in fighting drug abuse and addiction.


default

MJ

by Maryamnn (not verified) on

JJ jan,

Pot causes psychologic addiction and decline in school and work performance.


Marjan Zahed Kindersley

Don't you get the munchies?

by Marjan Zahed Kindersley on

Entire pots (sorry, pun) of icecream?

 

Also, I remember a friend of mine's dog being seriously addicted to the stuff, barking mad and no one's legs were ever spared either.


News Goffer

Is there a war on drugs?

by News Goffer on

I think marijuana should be legalized. It is not a hard drug and it is no worse for people than regular cigarettes. O.K. I am a bit partial in that opinion, but only because I believe it does make us into nicer people! :)

As for governments spending money on fighting drugs, I don't know about Mexico or even US, but I believe in Iran, Sepaah, a military arm of the government itself, is responsible for trafficking drugs inside Iran. How else would a minimum of 10% of all Iranians be drug addicts who must be supplied with their required drugs daily? Remember, this is a country where an illegal CD, a stellite dish, and a mixed company party or wedding is routinely sniffed out and "busted" by authorities! These same authorities can't find the drug channels supplying some 7 million people daily on street corners and city parks? In Tehran, any and all brand name alcoholic drinks are merely a phone call away, available within hours of placing an order. I find it impossible to believe that the Iranian government itself is not a part of this very efficient distribution channel.

I just hope that the "war on drugs" in other parts of the world is not the lie that it is in Islamic Republic of Iran where ideological politics and drugs have successfully made a deadly pact, destroying a nation in more ways than one.


Jahanshah Javid

Checks and balances

by Jahanshah Javid on

Iranyvaliazad,

I'm all for check and balances. Drugs should be controlled and regulated just as alcohol is. Minors should not have access to any of it.

You say you have friends who have been abusing pot and "lost ambition and their drive to be better such as to do good in school." These cases certainly exist. On the other hand, I can easily name 100 people I personally know who smoke pot casually and who are productive members of society and have not lost any ambition. I haven't met one adult who has withdrawn from society or doing anything negative because of smoking pot.

The example of Holland as a society that has done away with useless prohibition against soft drugs is key. Other countries must study this example and see that the availability of drugs does not lead to widespread abuse, crime, or any behavior that would endanger society in any significant way.

And remember, before this whole war and prohibition, drugs and alcohol were available in every society and every era. Only a small percentage of people were drawn to drinking and smoking and even a smaller percentage abused them. And the society at large was not adversely affected.

What is affecting society in far more negative ways and draining resources is not the drugs themselves or their use, but the existence of criminal profiteers who take advantage of the demand for drugs -- a demand which will never go away. Instead of fighting these criminals, legalize and regulate drugs in the same way as alcohol and get rid of the criminal element. Then society can focus on educating the public on the hazards of drugs and provide care and rehabilitation facilities for drug abusers.


SamSamIIII

Got me wrong

by SamSamIIII on

 

wasn,t preaching u or insinuating you promoting it..was just telling my college days experince & my general take on drugs . and as for legalizing it since the battle is lost , I dont fully agree . they should do more education thru pop culture to make it cool to be square & less jail scare .

btw* it may not sound trendy but a bit of spirituality helps cool off urges..throuout my binge drinkin , I would still do my ghosl dahan & jenabat, 3 times and do my few rekaat namaz (in Farsi :)) remnants of my kid days so as to fool God to forgive me for I have sinned . believe me it helps to believe even in a phony way .

//www.iranianidentity.blogspot.com/

//www.youtube.com/user/samsamsia


Jahanshah Javid

No good

by Jahanshah Javid on

Samsam, I am not promoting drug use. Drugs are bad for your health just as alcohol is -- especially if you abuse them.

What I'm trying to say here is that the war on drug production and consumption is futile and extremely wasteful. Just as the war against alcohol was useless during prohibition in the U.S. in early 20th century.


Iranyvaliazad

Pros and Cons

by Iranyvaliazad on

JJ,


I understand your point, I have heard it for a long time and I have been to speeches & gatherings and rallies where "smokers" talked about legalizing marijuana.  As most laws, there are pros and cons to it … in my opinion, in this case Cons outweigh the Pros.
As with my personal experience (younger days that is), those friends who smoked marijuana and continued to do so, lost ambition and their drive to be better such as to do good in school.  Their main goal became to work during day time and smoke at night time … to relax.  And at least two of them ended up with hard core drugs like cocaine.  So, I have seen, with my own eyes, that harmless recreational drugs are not as harmless as one may think especially in long term.


I am not sure legalizing everything is solution to all ills that society faces … as one reader suggested, EDUCATION, starting from very young age, is the key to problems with alcohol, drugs, etc.  and until major percentage of society members understands the consequences and affects of drugs, including alcohol, there must be checks and balances.


By the way, a vast majority of adults such as pilots and bus drivers do consume alcohol responsibly, however, it takes only one irresponsible one to bring disaster to many.  Consuming alcohol has many regulations such as DUI, however, tens of thousands are killed and injured, just in this country because of irresponsible drinkers.  Alcohol affects are easily detectable, it can even be smelled by everyone, but I can not say the same thing for drugs … well, of course, if the pilot of my airline has fallen on the floor laughing at Santa then I might get the idea that I should stop him from getting into the cockpit.  And finally, because one has not heard of any issues with drug abuse in Holland doesn’t mean there isn’t any issues.

 


SamSamIIII

Grass turns u into a pacifist

by SamSamIIII on

As they say  all demons are tried once . My few experinces with drugs all goes back to college days .

Grass case ; I was given a a puff or so prior but once I was given a couple of rolls on top of a few shots of rum & tequila & then headed to a disco club with friends . The only thing I remember from that fuzzy night was the clouds of smoke which were following me , excruciating headache & waken up by bouncers 3am on top of a huge 2by2 club speakers..the only pleasant thing about that nap on the speakers was the constant parade of girls butts siting horizontaly 5 inches from my face & one girl rubbing my forehead..never tried it again.

In college days , I had this italian ,class mate dude, Marciano who was a coke dealer  on the side . He once told me that since I,m not into drugs , do sports/soccer & he trusts me,  he would give me a full bag of powder & a scale to hold for him & would occasionaly send his clients my way to fetch it and In return , I be getting $200 a week . I was 19  & careless , so I said , heck why not . The 1st week or so went okay, he would send students and I weight it & pass it on . One college club night I got tempted and tried a line and as days progressed one line changed to 2 & 3 & 4 . Before you know it in a matter of 2 weeks I was hooked . to make things worse he had given me a few wake pills (holds you awake for 2 days straight) as a favoure so I used to go without sleep for days on . I looked exhausted, My skin was tearning yellow & I couldn,t even run half mile in soccer field and on top of it My girlfriend threated to break up..it was all a messy 3 weeks...offcourse it all ended when Marciano found out the bag has shrunked & there was no cash to count for it . We had a big fight but atleast he didn,t call the cops on me;::)))..and that was the end of my last experince with drugs . I didn,t hear from Marcie for a few yrs but I found out he spent 3 yrs in jail for counterfeiting dollars in his basement with his other pal Vito(papa vito)..thinkin how dumb I was to hold a full bag under my bed..could have been 10 yrs in jail...

there is no good drug...they are all bad..look at the youth in Iran..regime has turned a whole generation into a pacifist drug zombies...keep clear of it .

cheers!!!

 

//www.iranianidentity.blogspot.com/

//www.youtube.com/user/samsamsia


Jahanshah Javid

Addiction & abuse

by Jahanshah Javid on

Iranyvaliazad, I do not have pot here at my sister's house and I'm not banging my head against the wall or running around trying to find drugs of any kind. I have no headaches, I have no anxiety, nothing. Read the medical research: cigarettes and to some extent alcohol are addictive -- not pot.

The school bus driver or airline pilot or... can easily buy and consume alcohol can't they? The vast majority don't because either they don't like alcohol or drink responsibly. It can be the same with drugs. Availability does not mean most people will rush to buy and abuse it.

Aren't there pilots and bus drivers in Holland where soft drugs like pot are legal? Have you heard of any problems there with the things you're worried about?


Iranyvaliazad

Another important point is that pot is not addictive

by Iranyvaliazad on

You may say so, however, I yet to meet a person who smokes illicit drugs such as "alaf" and has been able to quit.  I think those who smoke and say they can quit at any time only saying they can quit for 5 minutes and not forever (i.e. they are kidding themselves).

 By the way, I am not sure if you have children or not, so you may not understand the next question beyond the words ... how about the school bus driver smoking a couple of non addictive marijuanas before picking up kids?  And the list goes on, how about airline pilots, will they be allowed to "relax" before take off?  How about your child's heart surgeon, why can't she/he calm her/his nerves before a big surgery? 


Flying Solo

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by Flying Solo on

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