The Drug Habits Of HIGHLY Effective People

The geniuses at ONDCP (no, it’s not the evil corporation from RoboCop- these are the people that set our ridiculous drug policies here in these United States) recently created an ad campaign that promised a sad future of burrito tasting, among other indignities, to those who might dare to smoke marijuana. The message: SMOKING MARIJUANA WILL RUIN YOUR LIFE!!! Except when it doesn’t: Radley Balko responded by asking his readers to help him compile a list of pot smokers that have gone on to fame, fortune and success; among them:

Barack Obama, president-elect. Bill Clinton, 42nd president of the U.S. John Kerry, U.S. Senator and 2004 Democratic nominee for president. John Edwards, multi-millionaire, former U.S. Senator, and 2004 Democratic nominee for vice president. Sarah Palin, governor of Alaska, 2008 Republican nominee for vice president. British Home Secretary Jacqui Smith, Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly, and and Chancellor Alistair Darling. Josh Howard, NBA all-star. New York Governor David Paterson. Former Vice President, Nobel Peace Prize winner, and Oscar winner Al Gore. Former Sen. Bill Bradley, who smoked while playing professional basketball. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, and former New York Governor George Pataki. Billionaire and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

Now there are two conclusions one might draw from his list of the rich and famous tokers:

On the one hand, this is stone-cold evidence that the godless communists that control the reefer trade in America have infiltrated every level of our society and are creating pro-pot propaganda whose goal is to induce the youth of America to smoke the evil weed (this being simply the latest front in their campaign to corrupt our precious bodily fluids).

On the other hand, this long and growing list of HIGHLY successful people could be an indication that (barring felony arrest) smoking a bit of reefer poses little harm and no obstacle to living a happy, healthy and ultimately successful life.

Unlike our government, dear readers, I trust you to make your own decision.