Random Soapbox for Saturday 7/9/11

I don't mean to go off on a rant here, but ...

... I'm finding it way too hard to follow along with all of the latest recreational drug trends -- and I'm a fan of Showtime's Weeds, so I hope this new season educates me a little.

I mean I get the old guys trying to recapture their youth by going "skiing" every now and then, or the young guys trying to hang on to their youth by keeping their ritalin/adderall prescriptions up to date (or the old guys trying to siphon off the youth of those young 'uns by sharing a prescription or two). And I love me some neighbors who smoke up often (they're so peaceful and quiet as they zone out in front of their televisions) and have adjusted to the smell of skunk that fills the lobby pretty frequently. And if you want to love everyone and party until six in the morning, well then going on a "roll" or two is just strategic. Or if you're familiar with the "wonga wonga" of a Whip-it, then you were most likely a wild and crazy teen in the early nineties, but you more than likely grew out of that phase.

[I've got nothing to say about the meth heads (except Breaking Bad comes back next weekend on AMC), or the heroin junkies or the crystal freaks -- as I don't really attribute the word "recreational" to those drug using communities.]

Here's what I don't get. The K2 craze ... the Spice phenomenon ... a touch of Wicked X ... (I thought it was the naturalness of the hemp that got people excited, what's with all this synthetic weed?). Or the fun from a night of doing "bath salts" -- Cloud Nine ... Ivory Wave ... Blue Silk -- who sat around on a boring night and said, "let's snort some plant food or insect repellent!"?

And I'm firmly convinced it's all about the money (it's a huge business and always will be, whether legalized or not) -- and the news that a CA entrepreneur is mixing his medical marijuana with soft drinks really doesn't surprise me -- according to him, coming soon to your local dispensary will be Canna Cola, Dr. Weed, Sour Diesel, Grape Ape and Orange Kush!

I know that every generation needs to go bigger and badder and bolder than the rest, and I normally support creativity and innovation, but on a day when we remember Betty Ford and what she did for those who turn the dial up way beyond recreational, I'd just like us to stick to what we know instead of having youths dabbling in what we don't.

CANNA COLA, THE HEMP FLAVOURED SOLUTION:
http://www.dupetit.de/cannacola/index.html

THE FEDS ARE COMING! THE FEDS ARE COMING!!:
http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/news/20101124/k2-spice-legal-highs-illegal

FOR ALL YOU'VE DONE FOR THE ADDICTION COMMUNITY:
http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/07/08/betty.ford.dies/