Smokin Moose
Fallen Cannabis Warrior & Ex Moderator
In the first three centuries AD, Christianity was on the rise but officially unaccepted. In many places, it was extremely dangerous to be known as a Christian. The Romans and Jews were both persecuting Christians for their failure to adhere to the belief structure and moral precepts of the controlling power. That’s right - early Christians were the counterculture.
Since it was so dangerous to be known as a Christian, followers used a subtle way to find each other. They began using the symbol of the fish. One rebel would draw an arc in the sand and, if the person he was speaking to was also a rebel, that person would draw an opposing arc over the first, creating the symbol of a fish. They were brothers.
Secret codes are common among oppressed numerical minorities. Whether you fly a rainbow flag, a fist in the air, or the Stars and Stripes, if you feel you are the member of a mistreated group, chances are you have found some way to connect with others who feel the same way. Today’s marijuana users are no different.
‘420’ is clearly the marijuana fish. It’s ubiquity, however, has rendered it useless as a subtle form of communication. So stoners often ad hoc their way to connection by asking about ‘a cousin named Mary’ or inviting another ‘to have salad with dinner.’ But creativity and paranoia can sometimes be a bad combination.
(I have personally turned down an invitation to watch the Packers and discuss greenhouse emissions with co-workers because I was not clever enough to draw my arc in the sand.)
Some refuse to go low profile. Whether they’re in the Fuck You Phase or have simply recognized how unsubtle most of our codes really are, they call marijuana ‘marijuana’ and ask for an ‘eighth,’ not ‘one member of the Brady family.’ Unfortunately, a few of these folks get martyred.
Ann Greenfield is a 34 year-old schoolteacher from Western Kentucky. Last Thursday, Ms. Greenfield decided to send a text message to her dealer to find out about picking up some marijuana. She misdialed.
Across town, Kentucky Trooper Trevor Pervine was enjoying dinner with his parents when he received a text message on his phone. Pervine thought the message was a prank and went along with it.
Ms. Greenfield was charged with conspiracy to traffic in controlled substances within 1,000 feet of a school, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.
“Technology got her this time,” Kentucky State Police spokesman Barry Meadows said. “She learned her lesson. Program your dealers into your phone.”
And draw those arcs! Although it sometimes feels like prohibition has ended, we must still be careful. There is a proper time and place to refuse to be silenced, and it is not when we are most at risk.
Eventually, marijuana must be brought into the open and normalized in public conversation. Up to one-third of all Americans alive (about 100 million people) have tried marijuana and have had a peek at the truth. But this must be done smartly. Marijuana is still federally illegal and thousands upon thousands of people have their lives ruined every year because of this.
So please…be vocal when you can, but careful when you must. And don’t be ashamed to draw the first arc.
Since it was so dangerous to be known as a Christian, followers used a subtle way to find each other. They began using the symbol of the fish. One rebel would draw an arc in the sand and, if the person he was speaking to was also a rebel, that person would draw an opposing arc over the first, creating the symbol of a fish. They were brothers.
Secret codes are common among oppressed numerical minorities. Whether you fly a rainbow flag, a fist in the air, or the Stars and Stripes, if you feel you are the member of a mistreated group, chances are you have found some way to connect with others who feel the same way. Today’s marijuana users are no different.
‘420’ is clearly the marijuana fish. It’s ubiquity, however, has rendered it useless as a subtle form of communication. So stoners often ad hoc their way to connection by asking about ‘a cousin named Mary’ or inviting another ‘to have salad with dinner.’ But creativity and paranoia can sometimes be a bad combination.
(I have personally turned down an invitation to watch the Packers and discuss greenhouse emissions with co-workers because I was not clever enough to draw my arc in the sand.)
Some refuse to go low profile. Whether they’re in the Fuck You Phase or have simply recognized how unsubtle most of our codes really are, they call marijuana ‘marijuana’ and ask for an ‘eighth,’ not ‘one member of the Brady family.’ Unfortunately, a few of these folks get martyred.
Ann Greenfield is a 34 year-old schoolteacher from Western Kentucky. Last Thursday, Ms. Greenfield decided to send a text message to her dealer to find out about picking up some marijuana. She misdialed.
Across town, Kentucky Trooper Trevor Pervine was enjoying dinner with his parents when he received a text message on his phone. Pervine thought the message was a prank and went along with it.
Ms. Greenfield was charged with conspiracy to traffic in controlled substances within 1,000 feet of a school, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.
“Technology got her this time,” Kentucky State Police spokesman Barry Meadows said. “She learned her lesson. Program your dealers into your phone.”
And draw those arcs! Although it sometimes feels like prohibition has ended, we must still be careful. There is a proper time and place to refuse to be silenced, and it is not when we are most at risk.
Eventually, marijuana must be brought into the open and normalized in public conversation. Up to one-third of all Americans alive (about 100 million people) have tried marijuana and have had a peek at the truth. But this must be done smartly. Marijuana is still federally illegal and thousands upon thousands of people have their lives ruined every year because of this.
So please…be vocal when you can, but careful when you must. And don’t be ashamed to draw the first arc.
