Pubdate: Sun, 8 Feb 2009
Source: Santa Cruz Sentinel (CA)
Copyright: 2009 Santa Cruz Sentinel
Contact: http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/submitletters
Website: http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/394
Author: Tony Newman
Note: Tony Newman is the director of media relations at the Drug 
Policy Alliance www.drugpolicy.org and a graduate of Santa Cruz High 
and UC Santa Cruz.
Referenced: The report by Harry Levine and Deborah Small 
http://drugsense.org/url/K0gOVFZK
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/people/Michael+Phelps

PHELPS DOESN'T NEED TO APOLOGIZE FOR SMOKING POT

Plastered all over the world today is a photo of Michael Phelps 
smoking marijuana out of a bong. Mr. Phelps put out a statement 
saying that he acted in a youthful and inappropriate way and that he 
promises it won't happen again. Different people are weighing in on 
the possible impact of this photo on the gold medalist's $100 million 
endorsement deals.

Here are a few of my observations on Phelps' bong hits.

Phelps Is in Good Company

Phelps struck another blow to the myth that marijuana smokers are 
lazy couch potatoes. Here is the guy who has won more gold medals 
than anyone in history, and obviously his health and accomplishments 
are not hindered by smoking some pot. In addition to his swimming 
skills, he is a successful businessman who has turned his 
accomplishments into an enormous public relations platform and money 
generator. Successful and honorable people who have smoked some pot 
are all around us, from President Obama to Mayor Bloomberg.

Phelps Apology Was Unnecessary

While Phelps' statement said he acted in a youthful and inappropriate 
way, he did not pretend to have a drug problem and promise to go to 
rehab. So many times when celebrities are caught with drugs they give 
tearful statements and promise to get help. Phelps doesn't appear to 
have a drug problem and there is no reason for him to take up 
valuable treatment slots if he doesn't have a drug problem.

Does It Hurt or Help His Image?

While some "experts" are predicting that Phelps' bong hits could cost 
him millions, I could also see it humanizing him and making him even 
more popular with a large section of the public. Phelps' swimming 
accomplishments have always been awe-inspiring, but who could relate 
to the guy who swam eight hours a day and had to eat 23 hamburgers 
every day to compensate for the calories he burns off in training? 
Seeing him with his hat on backwards taking a hit made me feel like I 
could relate to the guy more. With half of high school seniors having 
tried marijuana before they graduate, it is not clear that this photo 
is going to disillusion his fan base.

Pot Use Doesn't Discriminate, but Our Pot Laws Do

While there has been some progress on acceptance for people who use 
marijuana, there are still many laws on the books that cause more 
harm than the smoking of marijuana. Close to 800,000 people were 
arrested for marijuana last year and the vast majority for only 
possessing small amounts.  put out a report last year that found that 
between 1998 and 2007, New York City police arrested 374,900 people 
for low-level, misdemeanor marijuana offenses. That is more than 
eight times the number of arrests on the same charges for the 
previous 10-year period between 1988 and 1997, when 45,300 people 
were picked up for having small amounts of marijuana.

Researchers also found stark racial disparities in whom NYPD officers 
chose to arrest for marijuana offenses. The report found that 83 
percent of those charged in these cases were black or Latino, despite 
equal marijuana use between whites and non-whites. The discrepancy, 
the researchers asserted, is because NYPD officers stopped and 
frisked blacks and Latinos at a dramatically higher rate.

Once someone is convicted of a drug offense, they can lose college 
financial aid, food stamps, public housing and, in some cases, even 
voting rights. Money wasted and lives ruined ... and for what?

Phelps Can Continue to be a Role Model

I like Phelps and don't think his bong hit should hurt him. If he 
truly wants to be a role model he can take his comments and platform 
to the next level. He can say simply, "Yes, that was me smoking 
marijuana, and the laws that ruin peoples' lives for using marijuana 
should be debated and changed."
- ---
MAP posted-by: Richard Lake