Last Friday, Josh Howard of the Dallas Mavericks admitted on Michael Irvin's radio show to smoking pot during the NBA off-season.
Seconds later, the relevant parties were notified and the story was the top headline on ESPN.com.
Mavs owner Mark Cuban said the team would deal with the issue internally. Head coach Avery Johnson expressed that Howard's comments demonstrated "poor judgement and poor timing." Sources close to ESPN pointed out that while Howard would most likely not be suspended for his remarks, that he would probably be required to enter into the NBA's marijuana program—which includes more frequent drug testing and counseling during the off-season.
Josh Howard, meanwhile, went out to play some Friday night hoops in front of a raucous Dallas crowd. With a little help from the refs, the Mavs managed to win their first (and likely only) victory in their series against Chris Paul and the deadly Hornets.
Apparently the win caused Howard to reflect upon the mess he created, as yesterday he released this statement on his website:
"I recently talked about a controversial topic with members of the media. I used poor judgment and I want to apologize to my fans, the Mavericks and the NBA. I am fortunate to be playing basketball in the League. I realize I have a responsibility as a role model for young fans, and I take that responsibility seriously."
America can now sleep easy—Josh Howard is a moral man and regrets that he openly discussed a topic on public radio that could negatively influence children who look up to him.
But for at least one 25-year old hoops fan watching this unfold from his San Francisco office, Howard's morality was obvious well before Sunday.
When asked before gametime on Friday why he wanted to discuss marijuana on a sports-radio talk show, Josh Howard said:
"I was raised on being truthful and honest with myself and my family, so I can say it with no problems and go out there and perform to the best of my abilities tonight and not even think about it."
I read this quote late Friday afternoon as the controversy took shape. Am I the only one who got in Josh Howard's corner right then and there?
Let's just take this all in for a second: League officials and/or Josh Howard's PR guru want him to recognize that he's a role model for children. They want America to think of him as an honest, decent man—a walking endorsement for the NBA.
So instead of encouraging him to discuss his life as an athlete, his values as a person, and his opinion on a controversial league issue, they instead coerce him into telling a bald-faced lie so that parents across the nation can kid themselves into thinking that their children are now safe from danger.
Josh Howard 1, League Officials 0, American Public -10.
We all know that Josh Howard isn't sorry for what he said. Nor should he be.
I could go on a rant about how the league has no business testing for marijuana in the first place, as it's a drug that if anything decreases performance on the court.
But I won't.
Instead, what I'll say is this: Josh Howard ought to follow his instincts more frequently.
During a time when multiple professional athletes are being investigated for lying under oath, an honest guy like Josh Howard is a breath of fresh air.
I don't know Josh Howard personally and I'm not pretending to vouch for his character. But I do know that he conducted himself in a classy manner in this instance—well before he read that pre-typed apology.
You may or may not agree with Josh Howard's fondness for puffing the whacky tobaccy—that's your choice as an American. Josh Howard's an American just like you, and as such has the ability to make his own choices as well.
He chose to smoke marijuana, knowing the potential legal and health risks in play. He also made the choice to talk about this fact publicly, and as such will have to live with the consequences.
But like any prideful person, Josh Howard isn't afraid of who he is and will always opt for the truth when in doubt. That in itself is an admirable characteristic that every athlete—and more importantly, every role model—ought to follow.
For a second there, we didn't just have another athlete trying to win favor with the media and fans. Rather, we had a shining example of a young man who demonstrated the characteristics we as people value in each other as human beings—dignity, honesty, and imperfection.
If we as a society could embrace these values in our athletes rather than clinging to sugar-coated idealism, perhaps Josh Howard could show his true colors more often. Instead, he's being taught that his public image and the league's opinion of him are more important than telling the truth.
That surely isn't the message we want to send to our children. Perhaps next time around, we should allow Josh Howard to decide for himself what a good role model really is.
Comments (52) Add a comment »
from 16 days ago
This country is so puritanical with it's reaction towards any activity that goes against the status quo.
Marijuana is bad, but people are allowed to get as drunk as they want so long as they don't hurt anybody else? People have died from consuming too much alcohol, has anybody ever died of consuming too much marijuana?
Of course people who smoke weed all day long and don't contribute to society should be ridiculed and possibly punished---as should anybody who commits himself or herself to devoting their life to stimulants with long term medical risks.
Is it possible to enjoy alcohol responsibly? Is it impossible to enjoy marijuana responsibly? Why does this country eliminate consequence and responsibility by choosing another's actions for him?
Nobody is getting hurt, Howard hasn't done anything in his life to counteract the sense that he seems like a pretty decent fellow, and he's being truthful and honest. But in the court of public opinion (the harshest court in practice), Howard is now some sort of horrible human being.
If you want to criticize Howard, get on him for choking in every big game he's every played in, and maybe even for implicating other players into his own mess, not for admitting to marijuana use.
from 15 days ago
Howard's inability to step up in a big game is indeed what people should be criticizing him for. Man the Mavs have really blown it these last two years, haven't they?
I agree with you on the alcohol/marijuana comparison. A total double standard we have in this country which is rooted in the history of our nation and how the use of these drugs came about.
There is a longstanding European tradition of drinking alcohol, which our founding fathers carried over to the states—but marijuana on the other hand was introduced to the U.S. by Mexican immigrants in the early 1900s. Many laws were then passed to ban the substance due to the perception of the people who were smoking it and the idea that the immigrants and their foreign drugs would pollute American culture. This culminated with the 1937 Marihuana Tax Act, which officially made the drug illegal throughout the states.
It's 2007 now and I wish America would wake up and smell the coffee, for as you point out, alcohol claims 80,000+ lives a year while 0 deaths have ever been linked solely to pot...
So far, we've got San Francisco and most of Europe willing to acknowledge that people shouldn't be going to prison for smoking pot. In 20 years I'm guessing we'll see more of a movement in this direction from more countries, including our own.
from 16 days ago
I don't care what Howard does in his private life, but if he wanted to be a role model, he wouldn't be smoking the sticky icky.
I agree with you about honesty though. If Roger Clemens would have come clean about his steroids usage, people wouldn't have been looking in his closet for other things. Same with Bonds. These guys think that lying saves their reputation, but all it does is open doors for more of their skeletons to come out.
Maybe if Howard wouldn't smoke the weed so much, he could hit a big shot in a big game.
from 15 days ago
"Maybe if Howard wouldn't smoke the weed so much, he could hit a big shot in a big game."
That's a great point. Howard really needs to step up his game, and it's fair to say that the weed probably isn't helping motivate him to playing better basketball.
OR MAYBE...if he smoked weed during the season too, he'd be able to relax and play competently under pressure (LOL)
from 16 days ago
I agree on your point about honesty....however, his timing was simply horrendous.
from 16 days ago
Great article! Howard's apology, that you quoted in your article, is so reminiscent of the "confessions" coerced under torture (by Stalin's secret police) at the 1930s Moscow show trials...
from 15 days ago
Seriously...who actually buys into these BS apologies? It's so obvious when they're scripted...
from 16 days ago
You present a compelling argument, one that bears witness to a society wrought with false fronts. I do admire Howard's honesty, which these days is as you said -- a rare breath of fresh air from anyone, not just a professional athlete.
I hadn't heard of this story (I'm not a big NBA fan being from a non-NBA city). Did he admit to the use because he was confronted about it, or did he volunteer the information without any prodding? And has he at any point mentioned that use of marijuana is illegal, and those who look up to him should not use it?
An honest man, yes, but unless he stops using, he's not a good role model just yet.
from 15 days ago
Thanks for the thoughtful questions Erik.
Here's the transcript of Howard's interview: http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?page=howardtranscript-080425
He was definitely asked about it, but I wouldn't say he was "prodded" (aka he volunteered the information pretty immediately). And no, he never mentioned that marijuana was illegal and thus those who look up to him shouldn't use it.
On another note: why can't someone who happens to smoke marijuana be a good role model necessarily? What if they are an honest, stand up guy who participates in charitable efforts and cares deeply about his friends and family? Does it really matter if they relax at night with a joint rather than a glass of wine or beer?
Isn't it people's actions towards their peers, their family, and society at large—rather than their personal habits which affect them and only them—that should determine whether or not they are a good role model?
from 16 days ago
Hmm..interesting take, but I don't buy it for a second.
Were Howard's comments really based on honesty--or more on stupidity? Between the timing and the fact that he implicated a large part of the NBA as well (which has to include teammates), I just don't see this as "admirable."
For that matter, do you really believe that he only uses it during the off-season, as he said? If so, really? Any chance he wasn't being honest about that?
That said, the fact that Michael Irvin, Mr. Cocaine, is breaking news about pot use (and seemingly condemning Howard) shows how absurd the sports world is.
from 15 days ago
Some thoughts Tim:
1) If Howard's smoking during the regular season he must have some pretty heavy duty technology on his hands, as NBA players get drug tested multiple times a year and marijuana stays in your body for a very long time.
2) Even if he was—why would I care? I don't blame a guy if he comes home from a hard work of work and relaxes with a joint rather than a beer or glass of wine. Maybe that's just me, but I don't see the two being very different (as Erick points out, alcohol is in fact the more lethal substance).
3) If we really want to try to rid NBA players of their marijuana habits, discussing the frequency it is used league wide is a step in the right direction. If we want to reform the NBA's marijuana policies to be more lenient on the players and their choices off the court, discussing the frequency it is used league wide is also a step in the right direction.
Freely discussing issues such as this and arriving at a policy that the majority of league officials/players/fans feel is appropriate is surely a good thing and is indeed the very essence of the concept of democracy. Keeping the issue entirely under wraps doesn't really get us anywhere IMO.
4) Why does everyone keep saying it was terrible timing? This interview took place before the only game that the Mavs won in the entire series!
from 16 days ago
Zander,
Great piece, I like the arguments you make here. My only qualm is that he should probably work on elevating his game to where it once was before he starts using a performance inhibiting drug. But it's his life and career, I certainly have no stake in it and believe that he has the right to do what he wishes in his free time. Part of the PR problem for him, however, will be the relative dud of a year that he laid down in 2007-08 based on the potential that most NBA fans know he has. Automatically, many will believe: pot+Howard=Bad 2007-07 Season. Things usually aren't that simple, but I'm sure it's on the minds of many Mavs fans.
from 15 days ago
You're right without a doubt Andrew. Josh Howard would have been smart to save his revolution for a better year...
But like you said, it's his choice and he'll have to live with it. It'll be interesting to see how he plays next season...
from 16 days ago
Agreed with this piece entirely. Although I also agree with part of what his coach said about it being "poor timing," it's not like the Mavs have a chance to win the series anyway, and it obviously wasn't a distraction to him since he played his best game of the series while this story was still exploding. The thing that is admirable about what he did is not simply that he was honest, but that I'm sure he knew it was a touchy subject and he didn't even for a second consider holding back. He obviously believes in freedom of choice which is something that should be preached more to young people. It may not have been the best idea to lump in all NBA players with himself, but the fact of the matter is that a good percentage of EVERYBODY from all walks of life smokes weed. It's something that Americans need to stop being so naive about.
As for the comment that he may use it during the season, well, um that's not really possible since they are tested randomly 4 times throughout a season and he has never come up positive. If he was to smoke even once during the season it would stay in his system for at least a few weeks and he would almost be guaranteed to be caught.
And the "slapping his girlfriend" comment... come on let's get real. Yes both activities are illegal but let's not pretend that smoking a J hurts anybody else(in fact research shows it doesn't even hurt the smoker), whereas abuse of any other person for any reason is something that should be unconditionally frowned upon.
from 15 days ago
@Biff,
One half of Adult Americans have used marijuana. Now while alcohol kills 110,640 people per year and cigarettes kill 430,700 per year, marijuana causes a grand total of ZERO deaths per year. So it is about a choice between deadly legal substances and safe illegal one...
Here is a tiny list of 60 major health organizations that support legalization:
http://www.norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=3389
Even aspirin is 1,000 times more deadly than marijuana according to the DEA.
Alcohol makes people feel invulnerable, that is why they like to speed, while pot makes them feel paranoid which is why most smokers are terrified of going near a car while high, if they do drive, they do so slowly and very carefully...
Even though marijuana is more available than alcohol, it accounts for a tiny percent of car accidents. Obviously you shouldn't smoke and drive. By itself however you would need to smoke 30,000 marijuana cigarettes in order to attain a harmful response to your body, that is within 15 minutes by the way... For something like aspirin, 20 pills is a harmful/deadly dose...
http://www.ccguide.org.uk/young88.php - DEA source
Never call others stupid, especially if you are ignorant on the issue...
from 15 days ago
@Biff
We are talking about something that is equivalent to jaywalking.
You were comparing it to assault and murder.
The statistics are FACTS which even the DEA agrees with, even though it's job is to spend billions of dollars on propaganda against marijuana.
Since the stats prove your comparison, ignorant at best, they add plenty to the discussion.
What exactly does you cussing at everyone that disagrees with you add to the discussion?? oh thats right, your maturity level...
from 15 days ago
"Tony, don't be so stupid. Nobody is against freedom of choice, but you're taking it wayyyy out of context dude - we're talking about Josh Howard's "choice" to use illegal drugs. You're saying THAT is what we should be preaching more to young people? The freedom to choose to use illegal drugs? That is the only "choice" that is relevant in this discussion."
I think a lot of people in America think that smoking marijuana is indeed a personal choice and that it shouldn't be illegal. For me personally, "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" surely includes smoking a plant with slightly mind altering properties so long as you don't hurt anyone else.
No one is trying to say that marijuana is not damaging to the human body—it can cause bronchitis, depression, and is a well-known culprit of killing motivation. Not to mention that it has been proven in many cases to impair the development of adolescents and teenagers.
That said, it seems quite ridiculous that drugs which combined claim the lives of half a million Americans every year are legal while marijuana still carries a jail sentence in many states.
As for your drunk driving comparison: think carefully about your logic here Biff. Driving drunk poses a risk to others around you, while marijuana does not.
The better comparison to drunk driving is driving under the influence of marijuana. And a good comparison to drinking alcohol in your own home is smoking marijuana in your own home.
Bottom line: you still haven't given us any reasoning as to why marijuana shouldn't be thought of as a personal choice.
from 16 days ago
Zander -
Sweet article and compelling too. Nice job on getting the link on deadspin too.
When I heard the story on the radio, I kind of shrugged and said to myself, "This is a non-story that's going to get too much hype."
I don't understand the big deal here.
Is it that smoking pot is breaking the law? If so, I would like tell Michael Irvin that I, personally speed to work every day, breaking many traffic laws.
Is it that pot is deleterious to his performance? Maybe, but I'd have to argue that imbibing alcohol has to at least be on par with pot-smoking as performance inhibitors. Yet, there's no league ban on getting drunk.
Nope, just like you talk about in the story, it's his honesty that has everyone in a tizzy and I'm of the opinion that we're unequipped to deal with such straight-talking nowadays (what am I like 50?).
Again - solid effort on this piece.
from 15 days ago
Thanks for the compliments Ben. The idea that just because something is illegal means that is must be off limits for anyone who could be thought of as a "role model" to discuss is indeed absurd.
Dare I say it: but I think we'd still have segregation in the south if every citizen treated legality vs. illegality as the word of God. When laws are unjust, it's our responsibility as citizens to speak up and try to get them changed.
from 16 days ago
Maybe, I look at it differently than some of you but does being honest make it okay to do ILLEGEAL things for anyone? If I say that I robbed a bank a last year, does it make it okay just because I came out clean about it? I know there is a difference between smoking weed and robbing a bank, but ILLEGAL IS ILLEGAL. NO IF, AND OR BUTS ABOUT IT. What Josh did was might be his "Choice" but its a illegal choice. Do you think league will just believe him that he doesn't do it during the season because he was honest about it? C'mon be serious. Do you think Cuban will like to know that his supposedly second best option is floating in a cloud during offseason instead of working on some defense and shooting? Do you think all those other people he threw under the bus (the other nba players he talked about doing it as well), will they ever trust him? and what if some of those are his teammates? Now you are causing team chemistry issues. Its a snowball effect that can cause a lots of damage. If you are going to do something, keep it hidden. If you really want to be honest, be honest about why you are shooting so terrible in this series. Honesty always good coming from someone who is doing something good, instead of something bad. Maybe that was a lesson his upbringers forgot to give him.
from 16 days ago
Bittu - Who's to say it was illegal? What if he smoked in Amsterdam? Would that make it better?
from 16 days ago
Ben,
I think that's stretching it just a bit. Actually, a lot.
In America, where Josh Howard makes millions of dollars, it is illegal to smoke marijuana. If Josh Howard boards a plane for Amsterdam every time he wants to, as The Dude would say, "Do a J," then I'll give you a high-five and some chicken fingers from your favorite restaurant.
I think it's time BR rallies to make an All-Marijuana NBA Squad.
from 15 days ago
"being honest make it okay to do ILLEGEAL things for anyone?"
I will be honest here right now, two months ago I jaywalked. Lots of people in my neighborhood do it though everyone pretends it doesn't happen...
There I did something more harmful to society and my personal safety then what he did, I also admit it.
Does that make a monster? no, EVERYONE breaks the law, the way they are written, it is impossible not to... EX:last year I let my neighbor borrow my vacuum cleaner, about a month ago I found out that in my state, this is an illegal activity... Laws should be looked at in terms of their harm to society NOT in terms of 'this is a law and breaking it is evil'.
"I know there is a difference between smoking weed and robbing a bank"
Difference? yes, just like the difference between jaywalking and bank robbing...
"ILLEGAL IS ILLEGAL. NO IF, AND OR BUTS ABOUT IT."
Driving black cars on Sunday is also illegal, well in my state...
In NY:Eating ice cream while waiting for a bus is illegal
NY:Men cannot go outside with mismatched color pants and jacket
NY:Man boobs are illegal
Utah:It’s illegal to fish from horseback.
Utah:No whale hunting allowed…
http://www.idiotlaws.com/
Sorry BUT AND OR IF, some laws are meant to be broken...
Not suggesting all drug laws should be broken, just suggesting that laws aren't the highest authority, a jury is...
"Do you think league will just believe him that he doesn't do it during the season because he was honest about it? C'mon be serious."
They have mandatory drug tests which would have caught him if he was...
"Do you think Cuban will like to know that his supposedly second best option is floating in a cloud during offseason instead of working on some defense and shooting? Do you think all those other people he threw under the bus (the other nba players he talked about doing it as well), will they ever trust him? and what if some of those are his teammates? Now you are causing team chemistry issues. Its a snowball effect that can cause a lots of damage. If you are going to do something, keep it hidden. If you really want to be honest, be honest about why you are shooting so terrible in this series."
I agree about that the other effects of his statements are bad.
Question, why does the Cuban not care when all his other options drink alcohol which is thousands of times more dangerous then weed?
Since half of adults in the US have smoked marijuana, it would have been a shock if professional athletes were an exception... On a side note, this helps dispel the myth of the lazy smoker that hates sports...
"Honesty always good coming from someone who is doing something good, instead of something bad. Maybe that was a lesson his upbringers forgot to give him."
In other words you are suggesting that parents should teach kids to brag about all the good things they did and lie under oath??? nice advice...
from 15 days ago
"Maybe, I look at it differently than some of you but does being honest make it okay to do ILLEGEAL things for anyone? If I say that I robbed a bank a last year, does it make it okay just because I came out clean about it? I know there is a difference between smoking weed and robbing a bank, but ILLEGAL IS ILLEGAL. NO IF, AND OR BUTS ABOUT IT."
Come on man, this is too easy. Freeing slaves below the Mason Dixon line was one illegal!
If any time a law got passed we as citizens accepted it on its face without looking at whether or not it was fairly carrying out justice, we'd live in a pretty messed up world. Social disobedience has often proven to be highly effective in moving society forward—just in our own country, it paved the way for the end of both slavery and segregation.
While no one would dare compare the injustice of segregation to that of marijuana prohibition, the latter is nevertheless a policy that an increasing amount of people in the United States think is illogical, unfair, and unconstitutional, as it raises taxes, contributes to the overcrowding of prisons, and violates the rights to civil liberties embedded in the Bill of Rights.
from 13 days ago
"While no one would dare compare the injustice of segregation to that of marijuana prohibition"
This isn't exactly true...
Marijuana was made illegal to control Black and Mexican people...
Also the vast majority of drug arrests are targeted at black people. Even though marijuana use among black people is similar in percent values to its use by white people, and there are a lot more white people...
So in reality, the drug war is primarily to, well I'll give you the words that the first Drug Czar used in congress to get it passed: "...the primary reason to outlaw marijuana is its effect on the degenerate races." -Harry J. Anslinger there are a lot more of these 'protect the children' quotes in the article...
http://blogs.salon.com/0002762/stories/2003/12/22/whyIsMarijuanaIllegal.html
You may also be interested to know that Hemp is the fastest growing and most nutritious food crop on the planet, through our drug war we twisted the arms of every country to make it illegal(some give the death penalty for a one plant). While the developed world has begun to grow hemp again, the third world nations in which millions die every year do to food shortages(heard about the world food crisis?).
So by labeling all hemp as marijuana and making it illegal we kill millions every year(and making hemp illegal was the reason behind making marijuana illegal by the way)... That is a bit worse then segregation, don't you agree?
from 16 days ago
What I dont get is, people go to basketball games (and other sporting events for that matter) and get drunk around kids WHO ARE IN THE SAME VENUE and people find that totally acceptable? But Josh Howard decides to smoke weed in private (which in my opinion isnt as bad as getting piss drunk and passing out at say...a Buffalo bills game) and he gets s**t on by the public and the media? That is one of the most ridiculous double standards I have ever seen.
from 16 days ago
It's not only bad timing, but what if the NBA suspended him for the remark either next season, or even worse, in the middle of the playoffs? It's a selfish honesty I guess. I think he's also probably hurt his value. I think that most fans understand that these guys do their thing in their private life, but you can close your eyes to a lot of it because it's not talked about. Here, he brings it up and is going to be labeled probably for the rest of his career.
from 16 days ago
A lot of U.S. citizens clearly feel it's hypocritical that marijuana is illegal given that alcohol is legal, or that people should have the freedom to make their own decisions about what they put into their bodies.
Regardless, personally I think it's ridiculous / pathetic that in a country founded on freedom of speech, members of the media automatically denounce something that lots of them probably do in their own free time.
Good discussion...thanks.
from 16 days ago
So those dark bags under T-Mac's eyes aren't from a lack of sleep? The NBA could supply enough pot to get a small country totally baked? Whhhaaaat?!
from 15 days ago
LOL—I agree, you'd have to be living under a rock to not realize that these guys smoke pot....
from 15 days ago
I wouldnt call him a "good role model", because anyone who smokes pot cant be. But I am glad he fessed up, it was the right thing to do.
from 15 days ago
Odd, I always thought these people to be good role models:George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe, Andrew Jackson, Zachary Taylor and Franklin Pierce. Guess what all of them were smoking?
Also with about a half of the American public using marijuana, how can you say that none of them are role models?
The last two presidents also did drugs, though I don't consider either to be a role model.
At least one of the current front runners has used marijuana...
from 15 days ago
Out of curiosity Shady: besides Dazed and Confused, where have you read that the founding fathers used marijuana?
And while I think of them as some of the most brilliant, influential, and important men in the history of the world, I wouldn't call Thomas Jefferson or George Washington "role models" as they owned slaves and in some instances forced themselves upon the females.
from 15 days ago
"I wouldnt call him a "good role model", because anyone who smokes pot cant be. But I am glad he fessed up, it was the right thing to do."
I'm glad he fessed up too T.J.. But why can't someone who smokes pot ever be a good role model?
from 15 days ago
Because, its illegale.
from 13 days ago
@Zander
Did the Founding Fathers of the United States of America smoke cannabis? Some researchers think so. Dr. Burke, president of the American Historical Reference Society and a consultant for the Smithsonian Institute, counted seven early presidents as cannabis smokers: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe, Andrew Jackson, Zachary Taylor and Franklin Pierce. 41 "Early letters from our founding fathers refer to the pleasures of hemp smoking," said Burke. Pierce, Taylor and Jackson, all military men, smoked it with their troops. Cannabis was twice as popular among American soldiers in the Mexican War as in Vietnam: Pierce wrote to his family that it was "about the only good thing" about that war.
I saw it in a newspaper article once but I can't find it now, so here is another place:
http://www.marijuanalibrary.org/7_presidents.html
from 13 days ago
The marijuana library is riveting and flawless stuff, I'm sure. It's right up there with High Times Magazine in terms of its credibility.
We're the aliens maaaan...we're the aliens...
from 11 days ago
It stored on the marijuana library because it is a pro pot thing, the news story where I read it (On google news) had expired and is no longer accessible...
However do you really not trust Dr. Burke, president of the American Historical Reference Society and a consultant for the Smithsonian Institute?
Would you rather trust the government which eliminated the word Hemp from all history books? That is 10,000 years of history removed. Most people don't even know that the declaration of independence is written on HEMP paper. Nor do they know that Hemp was the number one cash crop in American from the beginning all the way till 1937...
I know for a fact, because I read some of their letters which are publicly available that Washington and Jefferson grew Marijuana... I didn't know about the others but the president of the American Historical Reference Society probably did a little bit more research...
Hey I got an idea, war is a bad thing, so lets remove all references to all wars from all history books, because they send the wrong message to the children...
"Those that fail to learn from history, are doomed to repeat it." - Winston Churchill
You being ignorant is not your fault, it is the fault of the drug war, which promotes ignorance... in fact it spend tens of billions of your tax dollars every year to fight historical and scientific facts...
from 15 days ago
Josh Howard is not really remorseful, he is just doing what every other celebrity does when they realize that their public image could be in jeopardy. I would believe him if he came out and said that smoking pot not only breaks NBA rules, but it also is against federal law and has been proven to decrease brain cells. He should also make it clear that he will never partake in it ever again. Then I would believe him. Also, if he is smoking pot during the off-season and getting away with it, then would it be a possibility that he could be experimenting with steroids too? Thats something to ponder.
from 15 days ago
Government experts now admit that pot doesn't kill brain cells.1 This myth came from a handful of animal experiments in which structural changes (not actual cell death, as is often alleged) were observed in brain cells of animals exposed to high doses of pot. Many critics still cite the notorious monkey studies of Dr. Robert G. Heath, which purported to find brain damage in three monkeys that had been heavily dosed with cannabis.2 This work was never replicated and has since been discredited by a pair of better controlled, much larger monkey studies, one by Dr. William Slikker of the National Center for Toxicological Research3 and the other by Charles Rebert and Gordon Pryor of SRI International.4 Neither found any evidence of physical alteration in the brains of monkeys exposed to daily doses of pot for up to a year. Human studies of heavy users in Jamaica and Costa Rica found no evidence of abnormalities in brain physiology.5 It is worth noting that other drugs, including alcohol, are known to cause brain damage.
Footnotes
1. Dr. Christine Hartel, Acting Director of Research, National Institute of Drug Abuse, cited by the State of Hawaii Dept of Health, Alcohol and Drug Abuse Division in memo of Feb. 4, 1994.
2. For an overview, see NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES Report, op. cit., pp. 81-2. R.G. Heath et al, "Cannabis sativa: effects on brain function and ultrastructure in Rhesus monkeys," Biol. Psychiatry 15: 657-90 (1980).
3. William Slikker et al., "Chronic Marijuana Smoke Exposure in the Rhesus Monkey," Fundamental and Applied Toxicology 17: 321-32 (1991).
4. Charles Rebert & Gordon Pryor - "Chronic Inhalation of Marijuana Smoke and Brain Electrophysiology of Rhesus Monkeys," International Journal of Psychophysiology V 14, p.144, 1993.
5. NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES Report, pp. 82-7.
from 15 days ago
Woah...Bill Nye the Science Guy over here =)
I don't think it's really fair to link pot with steroids at this point. To my knowledge, there's never been any proven correlation between athletes who smoke marijuana with athletes who use steroids...
from 14 days ago
Props for the Bill Nye reference. The world needs more Bill Nye. Just my opinion.
from 15 days ago
I am not surprised that the discussion on this fairly well-written article centers on whether smoking pot is a big deal. As a former partake, I will weigh in on that--if I had a choice between my kid smoking pot or drinking, I would take the pot any time even though it's illegal. (I would of course prefer neither.)
But that is irrelevant. I do like his honesty, but I do not think it makes him a role model. While the comparison to "slapping his girlfriend" is like comparing a two minute minor with a second on the clock (sorry, I'm a hockey fan) to a five minute major and match penalty in a tie game, it does have some merit.
If you are making that much money and that many people are counting on you, it is not only poor judgment to do it, but also to admit it. He could have been honest by simply saying he had done it in the past and not risked suspension or even drawn as much attention to the matter. But his team was counting on him and did not need the distraction, nor possible suspension, that came out of this admission.
from 15 days ago
I wouldn't want my kid to be sent to federal prison or be denied financial aid, so I would prefer very deadly addicting drugs which are legal. You know like alcohol and coffee and aspirin.
sarcasm/
I have the speech all planned out: Son its better to kill yourself legally then break the law...
/sarcasm
I agree with you on your whole post though.
from 15 days ago
I'm glad you interjected "sarcasm" into that post--it would be a realistic stance to take, as there is considerable give and take, so I would have assumed you were serious until your speech when it became obvious. Of course, because that stance is reasonable, I would have understood the difference in opinion if there had been one...
from 15 days ago
I understand your point of view and will not attempt to sway you to mine. Especially since the article is supposed to be about his honesty.
However, I do want to clear up some misinterpretations you may have made on my viewpoint. I spent over ten years smoking pot and never was handed something laced unless I knew it (which was only once). This does not happen as often as the DARE people want you to believe. Also, I did not assume my kid does not get caught in possession as you suggest, but rather weighed the risk of that in--a risk which is minimal if no one ever carries paraphanelia (?) but only a single joint (can be swallowed if stopped), leaving only the buy at risk.
from 15 days ago
the sad thing is that hes going to take 10 times more flak from everyone because of his god-awful performance in the series, even though the occasional offseason joint has nothing to do with it.
from 14 days ago
Great article, but you're missing a few points. Firstly, Howard put his career at risk by stupidly admitting to taking part in an illegal activity. In a time where professional athletes (i.e Michael Vick) are being treated as harshly as ever by the law, it simply wasn't a wise thing to do. Furthermore, Josh Howard also stated that the majority of players in the NBA smoke marajuana as well. While I undoubtedly believe this is true, it is never right to throw fellow players under the bus. Also, doing so risked bringing negative publicity the game as well as African American athletes in general. For this reason, while I do commend Howard's honestly, I still believe it was a mistake to be so honest in the public eye.
from 14 days ago
He didn't throw anybody under the bus what are you talking about? If he said a majority of the players smoke the herbal essence then a majority do. It doesn't mean a majority of Africa-American players do as I'm sure a lot of white players smoke and a lot of foreign players must, just look at Pau Gasol. The point is if he didn't name names, he didn't throw anybody under the bus. The "public eye" has to wake up and accept the fact that a lot of people smoke weed, including athletes and celebrities.
I bet he smokes that sour diesel.
from 13 days ago
"Doing so risked bringing negative publicity the game as well as African American athletes in general."
Wow this is just awesome, marijuana was made illegal through these statements on the congress floor:
"Marihuana influences Negroes to look at white people in the eye, step on white men's shadows and look at a white woman twice."
"There are 100,000 total marijuana smokers in the US, and most are Negroes, Hispanics, Filipinos, and entertainers. Their Satanic music, jazz, and swing, result from marijuana use. This marijuana causes white women to seek sexual relations with Negroes, entertainers, and any others."
"...the primary reason to outlaw marijuana is its effect on the degenerate races."
"Reefer makes darkies think they're as good as white men."
All these are comments from the first drug czar(Harry J. Anslinger) and based on these, marijuana became illegal, while all medical professionals objected...
http://blogs.salon.com/0002762/stories/2003/12/22/whyIsMarijuanaIllegal.html
So first Marijuana was bad because non-whites smoked it...
And now, all African Americans are bad because one of them smokes it?
ahh the justice and rationality of the drug war... As racist now as on its first day...
from 10 days ago
Yea, ur completely right. Marijuana was made illegal on false grounds, some of which were undoubtedly racist. Personally, I do believe that marijuana should be legalized, as it is much safer than cigarettes and prob even safer than alcohol. Nonetheless, as I'm sure u wud attest to, there is a large stereotype in society that links african americans to drugs, crime, etc. As untrue as it is, when white people from areas of the U.S that grew up in areas that aren't very ethnically diverse, they begin to believe the stereotypes. The fact is, as long as marijuana is an illegal activity, one punishable by jail time, as unfairly as it may be, someone cannot go out publicly on a national arena and admit to frequent participation in that activity. Especially, when that person is meant to be a role model as well as someone who represents a certain culture.
from 4 days ago
It is a fact that marijuana is safer the alcohol.
Since unlike alcohol marijuana has no overdose level except a theoretical 30,000 cigarettes in 15 minutes...and has recently been proven not to cause cancer unlike cigarettes...
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/25/AR2006052501729.html?referrer=digg
It is actually safer the aspirin...
here is a summary of DEA judge's ruling which states this:
http://www.ccguide.org.uk/young88.php
here is the whole thing:
http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/library/studies/YOUNG/young1.html
I agree with the rest of your last statement.
Write a new comment