SMOKING DOWN at US HIGH SCHOOLS - BUT WHAT ABOUT POT?

I keep seeing all sorts of data talking about how less and less teens are smoking these days. YEAH!!!

BUT WAIT JUST A SEC.... Does this include POT?

Cigarettes in NYC are approaching prices of $14+ per pack. The $5 Newport guys now sell for $7. Inflation has been good for those buying cigs in Virginia and selling for profit in NYC. This month, whole driving down south, I noticed prices of $2-4/pack. If you were to buy packs by the carton and sell at $7/pack, you would be making 200% profit or more. Easy money.

Not being a smoker or drug user of any kind (unless food counts - that's my vice - shocking seeing my girth - but I digress), but is POT cheaper than tobacco in NYC these days.

I question all this because in recent months, while teaching Improv in high schools, many of the scenes and one liners jokes refer to POT in some way. And by the reaction of the class, all are very familiar, more than I, on the subject.

Very quickly, while I do not denounce it with fire, I personally have not touched any illegal substance since about 1992 and never saw a good value in its use. I never even saw drugs growing up. I was always a drinker. Drank too much too fast and I think i passed out before the "PARTY" crowd found a room to toke up. I was a theater major in college when I walked into the POT room at cast party. Again, already pretty drunk, I pissed off the others when I killed an entire bong with my Opera Lungs but did not hold the smoke in. "YOU JUST WASTED AN ENTIRE BONG!". For about 6 month I would participate. The only time I remember having big munchies was at a Opening Day NFL party watching Redskins v Cowboys. I remember eating about 8 plates of "TRASH" (Basically Nacho Chip piled on with taco fixings) and a 1/2 lb bag of M&Ms. But again i was always drunk.

I had just arrived to a New Years Eve party 12/31/1991. Although I think it was after midnight so lets call it 2002. I was unfashionable late to say the least. Making the rounds with plans of just passing through and driving home, I stumbled onto our Tech Director/Set Builder.He claimed the STUFF was the best I would ever have. Not know much i didn't argue. Claimed his brother grew it and it was very fresh and undiluted. So this moment was the first I ever tried POT sober. I took a big puff. It was a joint. I just did not get much in return. Did not feel anything exceptional.

Perhaps, thanks to acting training, I already know how to relax with a few basic breathing and stretching techniques. Perhaps I was always a rather happy-go-lucky type. Perhaps i just prefer red wine to any other vice. I dunno.... But Pot just does not do anything for me. So i am not a big fan of the drug.

As both producer and teacher and actor I have seen way to many bad results from POT users. I suppose if Apathy is your philosophy of choice, POT is your best friend. But way too many have shown me inconsistent results depending on how HIGH they are day to day. It seems POT and similar drugs can numb the pain, but it also numbs the wow factor. Except of course for really bad comedy shows and movies. I guess crap seems very funny on drugs. I think that explains 80-90% of TV programming these days.

I started to write this as a POT expose on MSNBC came on. A proponent for legalizing POT came on to make the argument that abuse of POT is far less dangerous than the illegal activity from its prohibition. The looked so baked - red eyes and extra BLAH!

All that being said, i am leaning more and more towards supporting legalizing the drug. I see way too many predatory creeps around the schools. POT is a gateway drug but no more than alcohol or smoking tobacco except that you have to develop that relationship with the dealer. But these days it is probably cheaper and easier for a young kids to get drugs than alcohol and cigarettes. So why not at least try to cut out the gun toting gang types and organized crime.