Sunday, August 20, 2006

The ONDCP Almost Tells the Truth... Almost.

In one of the ONDCP's latest anti-marijuana television ads, the organization we know best for misinformation almost tells us the truth about marijuana. This ad actually pokes fun at many of the previous ad's the ONDCP has released concerning the plant.
The ad starts off by showing a young, "norml" looking teenager, admitting that he had smoked marijuana and "Nobody died, I didn't get into a car accident, and I didn't O.D. on heroin the next day. We sat on Pete's couch for eleven hours. What's gonna happen on Pete's couch? Nothing."
So is the ONDCP finally discrediting the already discredited gateway theory that John Walters relies so heavily on? Maybe they're ready to stop printing the car crash ad in major magazines throughout the country.
If the ad had been straight forward and explained that yes, maybe there are better things for youth to do instead of smoking marijuana they would have had an advertisement that may have earned some respect from America's youth. Instead, they used a condescending position and exaggerated stereotype that everyone who smokes marijuana sits on their friend's couch for eleven hours.
The ONDCP is still missing the big picture. Drug law reformers are not here to talk about whether marijuana is good or bad. We're here to say that maybe those kids that do choose to sit on the couch shouldn't be handcuffed and thrown into prison for doing so, that they should be eligible for financial aid, and that our tax dollars could go to better things.

6 comments:

Unknown said...

But surely we should also point out that the overwhelming majority of marijuana smokers are productive, creative people and that there is no causal relationship between cannabis and couches.

I don't think we should hide the fact that we find drug use to be a perfectly normal part of human behaviour and, for those of us who smoke marijuana, that we find it to be beneficial and that our observation is quite different than that of the ONDCP.

Furthermore, there is no justification for tax dollars being used for such ridiculous propaganda.

Jonathan Perri said...

Of course marijuana smokers are also doctors, lawyers, police officers, judges, teachers, politicians, and our family members.

I left that out simply because it is quite frequently stated. But one ofmy other observations from the ad "Petes Couch" was wondering how many of the other kids that were riding bikes, ice skating, or going to the movies might have also been high. Or even if those actors used their ONDCP paychecks to buy some organics.

Jonathan Perri said...

... and people that don't smoke pot sit on couches every day.

Anonymous said...

The most ridiculous notion implied here is that the government is should be imposing criminal penalties on the lazy. So what if I just want to lay on the couch all day and watch TV? Should the government send in a SWAT team to make me get up and do jumping jacks and pushups?

I happen to think eating Big Macs makes you lazy -- and unhealthy. But I'm not about to call my Congressman and ask him to start a War on Fat that throws people in prison for failing to comply with the USDA Food Pyramid.

I could go on about this, but it's absurd that a conservative administration promoting individual freedoms and small government can only justify its Drug War by asserting that it's their role to ensure young people are active -- or else.

Jonathan Perri said...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v708/akelsay/fat_kid.jpg

HAHA. Yeah, I'd say Mcdonalds makes you lazy and unhealthy.

More so than many illegal substances.

And if ensuring young people are active and healthy is the real goal here, why not just make commercials about the health benefits of NOT scarffing down Big Macks and Whoppers, and going for a jog or walk.

Tanya said...

I have smoked pot right before going on a cleaning rampage. The assertion that pot makes you lazy is stupid. I get so tired of the stoners-are-lazy stereotype. But at least the ads are getting slightly closer to the truth, although it sure would be nice to see the billions of dollars spent on these ads go to something worthwhile.

Maybe somebody needs to make an anti-
McDonald's ad.