Straight edge on 4/20

Wednesday was just an average day to me. I woke up, went to class, played soccer and hung out with my friends.

In other words, I did nothing outside of the ordinary.

But for many people in the world, and a lot of students on campus, it was 4/20 — a day to smoke weed.

For some reason, the thought of smoking weed never appealed to me.

Smoking weed, cigarettes and drinking alcohol: I can’t say that I’ve ever done any of these things intentionally.

That seems strange for a college student, but it’s not so strange for me because I’m straight edge.

For those of you who don’t know, being straight edge means that you abstain from drugs alongside a slew of other debated rules.

However, the one thing that those of us who ascribe to the straight-edge mentality all agree on is that if you are straight edge, you don’t do drugs.
I’ve debated my mentality with my friends many times. In fact, on 4/20, I got into numerous debates about it.

The idea that someone doesn’t smoke or drink seems to astound them. But is it really that bad?

I’ve heard hundreds of sad stories about people who were killed or badly injured because they were drunk and either drove recklessly or picked a fight.

I’ve never heard of anyone getting into trouble because they didn’t drink.

While the same argument can’t be made for weed, I simply choose not to put anything into my body that affects it in the manner that marijuana does.

On Wednesday, while many people were busy lighting up (and hopefully reading the weed culture section in last week’s Broadside), I was working out and having drug-free fun.

Why do you need drugs?

I know that people take drugs for a number of reasons: as a way to deal with problems, just to relax or have fun, because their friends are doing it or, in the worst case, because they are addicted.

Are any of these really good reasons to do drugs, though?

I’m not trying to change anyone’s mind about drugs — I honestly doubt that I can.

But as I watched students anxiously dodge the university police while they were high (which, by the way, is absolutely hilarious), I asked myself, is it really worth it?

I can have fun, relax and deal with my problems in far healthier ways.

Are drugs really that important that you feel the need to take them without a medical reason?

The effects of marijuana can differ from person to person, and there is conflicting research on the drug (though some facts, such as the negative impact on lungs, are indisputable), so you have no clue if smoking weed will lead to dire consequences later on in life.

Once, I had some guy tell me that I thought I was better than him because I was straight edge, which is not the case.

I simply don’t see the point in purposely poisoning your body. Life is short and I don’t see any reason to cut it any shorter.

So I hope you all had a great 4/20, and if you smoked weed, just keep this in mind: Your way isn’t the only way. I’ll do my thing and you’ll do yours.
The only difference is my thing keeps me alive and healthy while yours costs money and slowly destroys your lungs and possibly even other parts of your body.

Just something to think about before you light up the next blunt.