It’s come to my attention that marijuana will be legalized in Canada on Oct. 17, 2018. That’s a red-letter day (make that a green-letter day) for us Boomers who may or may not have inhaled (who am I kidding?) the wacky weed in the 70s. Soon we can have a tiny toke anywhere and anytime we like, without having to hide in basements, or light up in the middle of the night in somebody’s ’71 Volkswagen. Not that I’m going to. I just like to keep my options open. For the same reason I love 24-hour restaurants.
I’d be a big, fat liar if I said I never smoked pot in those hazy, crazy 70s. Everyone I know did. Including some of my friends’ parents. Some people will go to great lengths to put their cool quotient on display.
Mostly what I remember is the flying munchies after we had a toke or two. Those were the days when Ramen noodles and Chef Boyardee make-it-yourself pizzas were the foods of choice. For stoned teenagers, that is. Since we lived six doors away from high school, our home was the de facto munchie house. My mother never understood why I kept asking her to buy more noodles and pizza.
Now before you go getting all judgey on me, think about this: is a two-martini power lunch with a business associate any better than a one-joint get together between some responsible retirees in their 60s or 70s? As my husband says: “Pick your poison.” Soon there’ll be no difference. The trouble starts when people think they can drive after they’ve indulged in their favorite mind-altering substance. For sure this will be one of the biggest issues law enforcement agents are up against when pot becomes legal.
I’ve never been one to condone heavy drinking or excessive pot smoking, but people who think that indulging in a little Mary Jane is equivalent to cultural depravity are just plain overreacting. While today’s marijuana is a LOT stronger than what was smoked 40 years ago, we really need to keep things in perspective. It’s not exactly fentanyl, ecstasy or heroin.
Keep in mind that many folks (including retirees AND older working people) have been using it for medical reasons, for years. Some people believe that marijuana helps control or relieve some of the symptoms of cancer, or the side effects of cancer treatments, such as nausea and loss of appetite. People take it to relieve pain. People take it for all sorts of reasons, not the least of which is to relax.
I’m just saying, don’t be surprised if you see your long-retired neighbours sitting in their backyard casually passing a doobie between them, or sucking on a large glass bong. Once it’s legal, they’ll be crawling out of the woodwork. I’m in no way endorsing it; I’m merely suggesting you loosen your sphincter when you hear about marijuana coming to your neighbourhood. It’s inevitable. So, take a deep breath and don’t (or do) inhale.
Shelley Civkin, the retired “Face of Richmond,” was a Librarian & Communications Officer at Richmond Public Library for nearly 30 years, and author of a weekly book review column for 17 years.
