2008 Woodie Awards
You don't smoke Pot?!
Some People Didn't Come to Humboldt for the Weed
Milo Shumpert'Appel
Issue date: 12/5/07 Section: Culture
When Humboldt State University student Lily Phillips-Leavitt tells people back home that she goes to Humboldt State, they make jokes and assume she smokes marijuana.
"Sometimes I lie about where I go to school," she said, "because I'm just not in the mood to have to explain myself to people, only to get winked at and have people say, 'Sure, we believe you.'"
Non-pot smoking Humboldt State junior Jennifer McKibbin said when she goes home to the Bay Area, people are shocked to meet a Humboldt student who doesn't smoke.
Phillips-Leavitt was aware of the stereotype and almost didn't attend college here because of it.
Phillips-Leavitt said college students these days are expected to smoke pot. She refers to the pot in all of the movies about college.
When she tells classmates she doesn't smoke they ask if she's serious. Then they ask why she is here. It is irritating, but she's here because Humboldt County is beautiful and she can get a good education.
"I get verbally attacked when I criticize marijuana use," she said. People are bothered even when she talks about smoking during pregnancy. She said weed has more tar than cigarettes; it dulls brain receptors, and has no proven medicinal benefits. When questioned, she was quick to cite a dozen medical studies to back her claims.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services National institute on Drug Abuse reports that smoking cannabis immediately impairs short term memory, attention, judgment, balance, coordination and increases the risk of heart attack. Long-term use, the report says, impairs memory and learning skills, and can lead to addiction, chronic cough, bronchitis, emphysema, and increase the risk of cancer in the head, neck, and lungs.
Another report by the American Academy of Family Physicians associates cannabis abuse with sleep and memory problems, reduced blood flow to the brain, and respiratory complications.
Smokers who doubt they are hurting anyone else, much less themselves, even effect the people around them in other ways.
"Sometimes I lie about where I go to school," she said, "because I'm just not in the mood to have to explain myself to people, only to get winked at and have people say, 'Sure, we believe you.'"
Non-pot smoking Humboldt State junior Jennifer McKibbin said when she goes home to the Bay Area, people are shocked to meet a Humboldt student who doesn't smoke.
Phillips-Leavitt was aware of the stereotype and almost didn't attend college here because of it.
Phillips-Leavitt said college students these days are expected to smoke pot. She refers to the pot in all of the movies about college.
When she tells classmates she doesn't smoke they ask if she's serious. Then they ask why she is here. It is irritating, but she's here because Humboldt County is beautiful and she can get a good education.
"I get verbally attacked when I criticize marijuana use," she said. People are bothered even when she talks about smoking during pregnancy. She said weed has more tar than cigarettes; it dulls brain receptors, and has no proven medicinal benefits. When questioned, she was quick to cite a dozen medical studies to back her claims.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services National institute on Drug Abuse reports that smoking cannabis immediately impairs short term memory, attention, judgment, balance, coordination and increases the risk of heart attack. Long-term use, the report says, impairs memory and learning skills, and can lead to addiction, chronic cough, bronchitis, emphysema, and increase the risk of cancer in the head, neck, and lungs.
Another report by the American Academy of Family Physicians associates cannabis abuse with sleep and memory problems, reduced blood flow to the brain, and respiratory complications.
Smokers who doubt they are hurting anyone else, much less themselves, even effect the people around them in other ways.
Viewing Comments 1 - 5 of 6
Melvin Meadlin II (Alumni)
posted 12/20/07 @ 12:19 AM PST
I am glad to know that I was not alone in having to endure the "local smells." It is always irritating to be in class and have someone come in and bring the odor with them. (Continued…)
Drug rehab
posted 3/26/08 @ 6:41 AM PST
It must be terrible to have such and allergic condition to smoking drugs specially these days when many people understands that freedom means disrespecting others. (Continued…)
Benjamin-S7
Gabe S
posted 4/03/08 @ 3:49 AM PST
It's one thing to address the issue of people in other areas of the state insisting on the stereotype or of respecting the decisions of those that don't want to smell the smoke all around them, I can appreciate both those points and totally agree. (Continued…)
Gabe S
posted 4/10/08 @ 12:13 AM PST
Ok, you want links, you got them. The top one is a completely independent UCLA (in which the hypothesis almost seemed originally biased in the other direction) study that shows reason to dismiss any idea of a link. (Continued…)
lye
posted 4/17/08 @ 12:56 PM PST
How can she expect to not get verbally attacked for criticizing pot use at HSU?
That's like saying Islam is stupid in Iraq, and being surprised when people start throwing stones at you. (Continued…)
Post a Comment