Commentary on Phelps and Pot...

This is an interesting thread & I agree with both sides. However, Geo, I'd love to see how you would feel about something similar in another 10 years when your cute little kids are older. (& they are adorable, btw!)

I don't see this as a PR machine. I feel the apology was the least he should have done. It takes a lot to own up to a mistake. The apology makes him more of a man in my eyes.

Thx for the kind words about my sweet babies.

Only time will tell how I view the world in 10 years. But on this subject I am not expecting any grand reversal in thought. I will work hard to help my kids achieve a balanced, reasonable, healthy outlook on this subject and any other. I believe my approach/attitude on this subject will serve my kids well.

Don't get me wrong. I am not PRO pot. I am ANTI anti pot.


I don't want anyone feeding it to my kids. I just don't want them to lose perspective about it. Demonizing this plant and people who use it to relax does not serve our children. Research shows that pot isn't bad and that our laws, policies and campaigns are untrue and frankly, do not work. The truth is out there about why a plant became illlegal and who was behind it. Why is this ignored? I believe that there are many sheep in this country (I am not speaking directly to anyone on this thread). They feel a certain way about something only because they believe they are supposed to. Sad.

NoHall, I agree with you that our children need heroes but I believe we need to stop pointing them in the direction of athletes and entertainers. Phelps is a swimmer. Just because SI put him on the cover in no way means he is now responsible to other people's kids. Because he went faster than the other 20 year olds in the pool and has our government's symbols on his swimcap doesn't mean that he lost his integrity when he inhaled from a waterbottle.

If one wants good role models for the kids he has no choice but to turn to fiction. I don't care who you are, even the most respected elder has flaws that need to be rejected. Teach kids to think rather than believe in some role model concept which is nothing more than a media fueled fairy tale that inevitably leads to media fueled outrage. This whole deal about how it affects "the children" is just a ploy adults use in an attempt to control behavior that they personally have a problem with. It's all about the welfare of "the children". Yeah right. It reminds me of when people get an autograph from a famous person and they claim it's for their kids.:roll: B.S.

Interesting advice from a guy slobbin on Obama for the last year.

Interesting article at Cato.org on Prohibition and the Drug War.

Prohibition, which failed to improve health and virtue in America, can afford some invaluable lessons. First, it can provide some perspective on the current crisis in drug prohibition--a 75-year effort that is increasingly viewed as a failure.
Repeal of Prohibition dramatically reduced crime, including organized crime, and corruption. Jobs were created, and new voluntary efforts, such as Alcoholics Anonymous, which was begun in 1934, succeeded in helping alcoholics. Those lessons can be applied to the current crisis in drug prohibition and the problems of drug abuse. Second, the lessons of Prohibition should be used to curb the urge to prohibit. Neoprohibition of alcohol and prohibition of tobacco would result in more crime, corruption, and dangerous products and increased government control over the average citizen's life. Finally, Prohibition provides a general lesson that society can no more be successfully engineered in the United States than in the Soviet Union.

Alcohol Prohibition Was a Failure

Finally!

I work with teenaged boys all the live long day and am desperate to find them some good role models.

Michael Vick? O.J. Simpson? Phelps?

Many of my boys have absent fathers. Some of them have fathers in prison. Some of them have fathers who have died. (A couple of them have fathers who died in prison!) If I tell them about my own father or brother, sometimes I don't think they even believe me. They don't understand good men.

I need a hero. If you're going to be on the podium and the cover of SI, then have some integrity. If you're going to hold your body to a high athletic standard, then why not hold the rest of your life to a higher standard as well? All my life I knew that I shouldn't do certain things because of the potential disgrace of being caught. I can't teach my boys that when I have all their role models giving the example of "It doesn't matter what I do in my free time as long as I win."

Takes more balls to do the right thing than to do the easy thing.

All the talk about leaglizing marijuana and other substances is so irrelevant. If Michael Phelps can discipline himself to swim the way that he does, then certainly he can discipline himself to abstain from the bong. He's a public figure now and needs to conduct himself with integrity. That's the price he has to pay for being under the microscope. I swam during all my youthful summers and four years in High school, what he accomplished takes very hard work and dedication.

And as far as analog man's post # 37 regarding legalizing drugs as the solution. Pain killers and all sorts of other pills are legalized, but they are still being sold on the streets and abused as prescriptions. Not the solution.
Do any of you have children? Have they come home stoned? lacking motivation? Been in trouble for hitting the bong? sold drugs and were caught?
Still want to justify how "cool" smoking pot is?

I would certainly hate for anyone to compare what happened to Michael Phelps with Michael Vick and OJ. The beyond cruel treatment and death of dogs and people is certainly not in the same league with use of a bong.

The only thing that speaks to me about Phelps is he admitted he screwed up. Even the President admitted this week he screwed up also. It takes a strong person to admit such, and that is a role model I can respect.

We are human with human flaws, the best we can do on any day, is try to live up to our potential, not hurt anyone else, and if we screw up along the way, be man or woman enough to admit it.

He has apologized, if the public can not accept that, that becomes their problem not his.

All the talk about leaglizing marijuana and other substances is so irrelevant. If Michael Phelps can discipline himself to swim the way that he does, then certainly he can discipline himself to abstain from the bong. He's a public figure now and needs to conduct himself with integrity. That's the price he has to pay for being under the microscope. I swam during all my youthful summers and four years in High school, what he accomplished takes very hard work and dedication.

And as far as analog man's post # 37 regarding legalizing drugs as the solution. Pain killers and all sorts of other pills are legalized, but they are still being sold on the streets and abused as prescriptions. Not the solution.
Do any of you have children? Have they come home stoned? lacking motivation? Been in trouble for hitting the bong? sold drugs and were caught?
Still want to justify how "cool" smoking pot is?

I believe you are putting words in peoples mouth and using scare tactics as usual.

No one has argued that smoking pot is cool. This discussion evolved into a discussion of legalizing marijuana. You immediately turn to the children, won't someone please think of the children!

Your argument can be turned to alcohol as well and is, unfortunately, much more prevalent in today's world.

Do you have children? Have they come home drunk? lacking motivation? Been in trouble for driving drunk, killing someone in the car they were driving, another car or themselves while driving drunk? Sold booze to fellow friends and been caught?

P.S. Legalizing marjuana makes it no easier to obtain by a minor than it is now. In fact I would venture it would make it more difficult since it would be going through official channels.

All the talk about leaglizing marijuana and other substances is so irrelevant. If Michael Phelps can discipline himself to swim the way that he does, then certainly he can discipline himself to abstain from the bong. He's a public figure now and needs to conduct himself with integrity. That's the price he has to pay for being under the microscope. I swam during all my youthful summers and four years in High school, what he accomplished takes very hard work and dedication.

And as far as analog man's post # 37 regarding legalizing drugs as the solution. Pain killers and all sorts of other pills are legalized, but they are still being sold on the streets and abused as prescriptions. Not the solution.
Do any of you have children? Have they come home stoned? lacking motivation? Been in trouble for hitting the bong? sold drugs and were caught?
Still want to justify how "cool" smoking pot is?

As I said in previous posts:

If we simply exposed all drugs for what they really are, I think the illicitness of their appeal lessens (let's admit it, most of us try things like this because we are told not to do so) and we all benefit from the true educational aspects of the exposure. When we keep such things in the shadows as we have for 70+ years, very few of us, especially our children, even know what the actual truth of most drugs is and these false perceptions make experimentation more appealing to some of them.

I truly believe that this kind of behavior's cause is a direct result of American society's "war on drugs" mentality and its destructive influence on the abusers.

That's why I think legalization is a solution. It's still my opinion and I'm sticking to it!

And no one in this thread said pot smoking is "cool", just that it should be de-criminalized.

I encourage everyone to read this thread from the beginning. It really is interesting what people think.

Geo, this thread has become a very good dialogue. Thanks.

As I said in previous posts:

If we simply exposed all drugs for what they really are, I think the illicitness of their appeal lessens (let's admit it, most of us try things like this because we are told not to do so) and we all benefit from the true educational aspects of the exposure. When we keep such things in the shadows as we have for 70+ years, very few of us, especially our children, even know what the actual truth of most drugs is and these false perceptions make experimentation more appealing to some of them.

I truly believe that this kind of behavior's cause is a direct result of American society's "war on drugs" mentality and its destructive influence on the abusers.

That's why I think it is a solution. It's still my opinion and I'm sticking to it!

And no one in this thread said pot smoking is "cool", just that it should be de-criminalized.

I encourage everyone to read this thread from the beginning. It really is interesting what people think.

Geo, this thread has become a very good dialogue. Thanks.

Fair enough, I change the word cool to harmless.. as in "harmless hits"
along with many other comparisons of marijuana and alcohol...

I totally understand the media frenzy and how off-balance they are-- a few weeks ago, you would have thought the most pressing question for humanity entering 2009 was, How in the world is Oprah going to lose all that weight she regained? After being such a role model for women.

Whether or not you think the court of public opinion or media opinion is irrational, is beside the point, it is irrational at times, off-balance, slanted, but public figures and role models yes I said it, role models, not perfect people, have to walk circumspectly and play the game, or be subject to what we see now.
Maybe Michael should appear on Letterman and explain himself like Blago did?? now that was interesting.

Michael will recover, and his accomplishments and hard work hopefully will shine brighter than the Bong.

Fair enough, I change the word cool to harmless.. as in "harmless hits"
along with many other comparisons of marijuana and alcohol...

I totally understand the media frenzy and how off-balance they are-- a few weeks ago, you would have thought the most pressing question for humanity entering 2009 was, How in the world is Oprah going to lose all that weight she regained? After being such a role model for women.

Whether or not you think the court of public opinion or media opinion is irrational, is beside the point, it is irrational at times, off-balance, slanted, but public figures and role models yes I said it, role models, not perfect people, have to walk circumspectly and play the game, or be subject to what we see now.
Maybe Michael should appear on Letterman and explain himself like Blago did?? now that was interesting.

Michael will recover, and his accomplishments and hard work hopefully will shine brighter than the Bong.

Agreed, but I think it's a shame that frenzy, fear, and particularly perception take precedent over truth and common sense in our society. If it were the other way around, maybe we would have fewer problems and conflicts in our world.

Thx for the kind words about my sweet babies.

Only time will tell how I view the world in 10 years. But on this subject I am not expecting any grand reversal in thought. I will work hard to help my kids achieve a balanced, reasonable, healthy outlook on this subject and any other. I believe my approach/attitude on this subject will serve my kids well.

Don't get me wrong. I am not PRO pot. I am ANTI anti pot.


I don't want anyone feeding it to my kids. I just don't want them to lose perspective about it. Demonizing this plant and people who use it to relax does not serve our children. Research shows that pot isn't bad and that our laws, policies and campaigns are untrue and frankly, do not work. The truth is out there about why a plant became illlegal and who was behind it. Why is this ignored? I believe that there are many sheep in this country (I am not speaking directly to anyone on this thread). They feel a certain way about something only because they believe they are supposed to. Sad.

NoHall, I agree with you that our children need heroes but I believe we need to stop pointing them in the direction of athletes and entertainers. Phelps is a swimmer. Just because SI put him on the cover in no way means he is now responsible to other people's kids. Because he went faster than the other 20 year olds in the pool and has our government's symbols on his swimcap doesn't mean that he lost his integrity when he inhaled from a waterbottle.

this post is beautiful. Phelps is quite humbled right now (I hear he's talking about not competing in next Olympics - but I hope he's just being a big ole baby and will get over it. apparently, his sponsors are very much behind him), but nothing can take away what he has achieved, and what he can still achieve in his life. He is still a great athlete and role model - at least we know he isn't perfect. I think I like him better than I did before. He seems a lot more real to me now.



I would like to add one thing about parents who complain about what they should say to their children when their big role model has fallen from grace. I can only say what I think and do with my child. Such as using the situation to teach these things: reserving judgement, having empathy with others, using kind and understanding words. Reflect on the situaiton and discuss what you would have done in his shoes - but not necessarily saying it is what he should have done (you can only control your own actions), use the situation to discuss drugs in general, talk about some of the great celebrities and athletes of our time and how pressure sometimes effects their lives, talk about how people cope with stress in general, talk about how people can learn from their mistakes and end up being a much better person. Talk about how he must be feeling right now after his humiliation in the media. There is much to learn from Michael Phelps, from his dedication and incredible athletic gifts, his achievements, and his personal decisions. The fact that he is great. The fact that he is human and thus fallible.

Interesting advice from a guy slobbin on Obama for the last year.

I would have supported the Obama with or without the media hype. I wish all decisions were that easy. No regrets. Somehow I doubt you've ever uttered those two words.

I would like to add one thing about parents who complain about what they should say to their children when their big role model has fallen from grace. I can only say what I think and do with my child. Such as using the situation to teach these things: reserving judgement, having empathy with others, using kind and understanding words. Reflect on the situaiton and discuss what you would have done in his shoes - but not necessarily saying it is what he should have done (you can only control your own actions), use the situation to discuss drugs in general, talk about some of the great celebrities and athletes of our time and how pressure sometimes effects their lives, talk about how people cope with stress in general, talk about how people can learn from their mistakes and end up being a much better person. Talk about how he must be feeling right now after his humiliation in the media. There is much to learn from Michael Phelps, from his dedication and incredible athletic gifts, his achievements, and his personal decisions. The fact that he is great. The fact that he is human and thus fallible.

I'll bet you are a good parent. If more parents were this thoughtful and conscientious, what a world it would be!

If one wants good role models for the kids he has no choice but to turn to fiction. I don't care who you are, even the most respected elder has flaws that need to be rejected. Teach kids to think rather than believe in some role model concept which is nothing more than a media fueled fairy tale that inevitably leads to media fueled outrage. This whole deal about how it affects "the children" is just a ploy adults use in an attempt to control behavior that they personally have a problem with. It's all about the welfare of "the children". Yeah right. It reminds me of when people get an autograph from a famous person and they claim it's for their kids.:roll: B.S.

I agree with your point to a certain degree, but doing so by lumping Phelps in with OJ and Vick doesn't make it very well. Besides marijuana is legal to smoke in many states and several countries. Pot didn't put these boys or their fathers where they are and if it was the only cause of their trouble, it was the stupid law that got them there, not the pot itself. Just my personal opinion.

Edit:
I've been thinking about your post and something really bothers me. Why does anyone need a hero to inspire them to do something with his/her life? Inspiration must come from within. "Winning" doesn't come by being lazy (and I think most habitual criminals...not recreational pot smokers... are just that). Most people must work very hard to get what they want. I think Phelps has had to work extremely hard to get where he is and what he has accomplished is certainly not "the easy thing". I don't think smoking a little pot lessens his integrity much at all. He is still and always be an inspiration to me and millions around the world regardless of what he does in his free time. Here's why I feel this way:

My mother was a drug addict and I had an absentee father. I lived well below the poverty line for most of my youth. I worked from the time I was 13 to help my family and to have the few posessions I treasured. When I was 18, I left my home in Kansas City and moved to Chicago and then Los Angeles to pursue a musical career. By the time I was 24, I had a recording contract with a major label. When I was 31, I earned a degree in electronics engineering. I did this by myself, for myself. I worked for decades in the recording industry with many famous people, and now I live in South Walton County near the worlds most beautiful beaches.

I made all of this happen by getting up every day, looking in the mirror, and telling myself never to look back. Keep moving forward and make something of yourself...and I worked my @$$ off every day to make it happen. Sure I had heros, but I never let them define what I wanted to do for myself.

We, as Americans, must stop blaming others for our own shortcomings. If we choose an action, we choose the consequences. It's that simple. Role models are a miniscule part of what should influence a person to live up to his/her potential. We must take responsibility for our own decisions. The more we can instill this in our young people, the less we will need alleged "heros" to inspire us to become what we should be able to become on our own. No more lame excuses.

I invite you to show this post to some of your boys and see what their reactions are.

PS
If you are looking for a good role model, I suggest you look into the stories of Wyclef Jean or Tim McGraw. I think your boys should be able to relate to one or the other.

Why do they need a hero? Have you ever told a kid, "Do as I say, not as I do?" It doesn't fly. They're teenaged boys. They want the fame and fortune that Phelps and other athletes/entertainers have. They're human. They want to take the easy road. Some of them have had some hard knocks already. The bar has been set pretty low.

When they see someone who has succeeded with integrity, they know that nice guys don't always finish last. When they see someone who has worked his tail off, beat the odds, and stayed out of trouble, they know that they can do it, too, and that maybe it will be worth it. Teaching them to "think for themselves" and to have personal responsibility has absolutely no meaning if you can't show them success stories. Sheesh--why would they buy into a system that they've never seen work?

As for lumping Phelps with Vick and O.J.--yes, that was a stretch. The boy apologized, and that also takes cajones. But I was disappointed after his DUI. I hoped that he would learn from that. Now I won't be surprised by anything he does. (And it hasn't escaped my notice that, like many of my boys, he grew up with an absent father. Sad situation--I'd love to see that cycle broken.)

My boys don't see the news during the week. If they see Phelps story over the weekend, what should I say to them? (What if I taught YOUR son?) "Hey, kiddo--work hard, be responsible, shoot for the stars, and smoke a little pot. It won't hurt you, and it should be legal anyway. It has absolutely no harmful consequences, and shouldn't get in the way of your ambitions in any way. While you're at it, get ****faced next weekend. I'm sure you can handle it, and it will be legal in a few years..."

I'll bet you are a good parent. If more parents were this thoughtful and conscientious, what a world it would be!

oh come on. we're talking common sense here. you can teach, or you can preach or you can put your head in the sand. or you can just open up a little honest dialogue, and let the discussion flow. let the kid answer his own questions. believe me, kids are smart. they already know the answers. If kids get to talk about Michael Phelps and pot, they get to learn a little more about people and the world, and they get to answer questions about themselves in the process.

I've found that generally, the best teachers (parents and/or classroom teachers) allow children to answer their own questions (especially older children). the parent/teacher can direct the conversation and set a constructive/postive tone, help provide some facts, but children feel awesome when they have reached their own conclusions (they may not always be the best conclusions, but typically they are pretty on target. and who is to say they are wrong?). Teach the child to think. and be kind to others in the process (ie., try not to judge). and they will learn to love discovering many things about their world and themselves. because they discovered it themselves. we didn't do it for them.

this post is beautiful. Phelps is quite humbled right now (I hear he's talking about not competing in next Olympics - but I hope he's just being a big ole baby and will get over it. apparently, his sponsors are very much behind him), but nothing can take away what he has achieved, and what he can still achieve in his life. He is still a great athlete and role model - at least we know he isn't perfect. I think I like him better than I did before. He seems a lot more real to me now.



I would like to add one thing about parents who complain about what they should say to their children when their big role model has fallen from grace. I can only say what I think and do with my child. Such as using the situation to teach these things: reserving judgement, having empathy with others, using kind and understanding words. Reflect on the situaiton and discuss what you would have done in his shoes - but not necessarily saying it is what he should have done (you can only control your own actions), use the situation to discuss drugs in general, talk about some of the great celebrities and athletes of our time and how pressure sometimes effects their lives, talk about how people cope with stress in general, talk about how people can learn from their mistakes and end up being a much better person. Talk about how he must be feeling right now after his humiliation in the media. There is much to learn from Michael Phelps, from his dedication and incredible athletic gifts, his achievements, and his personal decisions. The fact that he is great. The fact that he is human and thus fallible.

I totally agree with this, by the way. I just really liked Phelps, and am sorry that his personal choices have now become the "this is what NOT to do" example. But you're completely right about the opportunity for dialogue.

I guess this explains Phelps eating 10,000 calories a day.

I totally agree with this, by the way. I just really liked Phelps, and am sorry that his personal choices have now become the "this is what NOT to do" example. But you're completely right about the opportunity for dialogue.

I really liked Phelps too and still do. nothing has changed in my mind. He is still as awesome as he ever was. It is NOT the end of the world by any means. no doubt he's going to learn some important lessons.

I really liked Phelps too and still do. nothing has changed in my mind. He is still as awesome as he ever was. It is NOT the end of the world by any means. no doubt he's going to learn some important lessons.

Not the end of the world, but he has narrowed his own opportunities. You know what a cockeyed optimist I am--I hate having to see him be embarrassed.

Not the end of the world, but he has narrowed his own opportunities. You know what a cockeyed optimist I am--I hate having to see him be embarrassed.

I keep thinking about his mom.

Kellogg drops Phelps.

Kellogg to drop Phelps over pot smoking photo - Yahoo! News

Why do they need a hero? Have you ever told a kid, "Do as I say, not as I do?" It doesn't fly. They're teenaged boys. They want the fame and fortune that Phelps and other athletes/entertainers have. They're human. They want to take the easy road. Some of them have had some hard knocks already. The bar has been set pretty low.

When they see someone who has succeeded with integrity, they know that nice guys don't always finish last. When they see someone who has worked his tail off, beat the odds, and stayed out of trouble, they know that they can do it, too, and that maybe it will be worth it. Teaching them to "think for themselves" and to have personal responsibility has absolutely no meaning if you can't show them success stories. Sheesh--why would they buy into a system that they've never seen work?

As for lumping Phelps with Vick and O.J.--yes, that was a stretch. The boy apologized, and that also takes cajones. But I was disappointed after his DUI. I hoped that he would learn from that. Now I won't be surprised by anything he does. (And it hasn't escaped my notice that, like many of my boys, he grew up with an absent father. Sad situation--I'd love to see that cycle broken.)

My boys don't see the news during the week. If they see Phelps story over the weekend, what should I say to them? (What if I taught YOUR son?) "Hey, kiddo--work hard, be responsible, shoot for the stars, and smoke a little pot. It won't hurt you, and it should be legal anyway. It has absolutely no harmful consequences, and shouldn't get in the way of your ambitions in any way. While you're at it, get ****faced next weekend. I'm sure you can handle it, and it will be legal in a few years..."

Tell them what you should have been telling them all along. Tell them not to try to be like Michael Phelps or any other celebrity. Tell them they should try to be the best person they can be using their own unique talents. In our celebrity obsessed culture I realize that it's difficult even for some adults to think that way.

USA Swimming has banned Phelps for three months. I bet there is more to come.

USA Swimming suspends Phelps for 3 months - Yahoo! Sports

My boys don't see the news during the week. If they see Phelps story over the weekend, what should I say to them? (What if I taught YOUR son?) "Hey, kiddo--work hard, be responsible, shoot for the stars, and smoke a little pot. It won't hurt you, and it should be legal anyway. It has absolutely no harmful consequences, and shouldn't get in the way of your ambitions in any way. While you're at it, get ****faced next weekend. I'm sure you can handle it, and it will be legal in a few years..."

I don't think anyone has advocated telling teenagers that pot should be legal. With some of traderx's posts above you can point out that it was a bad choice on his part, he's lost a sponsorship and been banned for 3 months.

P.S. These are teenage boys that idolize Phelps? I don't think drugs is the issue here, seems like a better chance of the ones in love with him winding up in a bad gang of drag queens.

Tell them what you should have been telling them all along. Tell them not to try to be like Michael Phelps or any other celebrity. Tell them they should try to be the best person they can be using their own unique talents. In our celebrity obsessed culture I realize that it's difficult even for some adults to think that way.

I don't think anyone has advocated telling teenagers that pot should be legal. With some of traderx's posts above you can point out that it was a bad choice on his part, he's lost a sponsorship and been banned for 3 months.

P.S. These are teenage boys that idolize Phelps? I don't think drugs is the issue here, seems like a better chance of the ones in love with him winding up in a bad gang of drag queens.

They don't idolize Phelps or any other celebrity (or drag queens.) They are lost. They follow anyone who will lead them: "Hey! Lets go smoke in the stairwell and light the bathroom on fire!" "Hey! Great idea!"

But where are the good role models?* Lucifer Sam says they're only in fiction. As for the flesh-and-blood examples, we have to cut and paste their good parts. It makes me sad to know that there have been so many awful teachers that I can't even hug one of my students when he's upset or hurt.

I don't mean to make a mountain out of a molehill, either--Toots is right to still be proud of Phelps. He has worked really hard, and he is obviously already paying for this mistake.

* Here's a bright side: As I'm typing, I'm thinking of a few: Paul Newman. Harry Connick, Jr. Prince William--I really hope that kid continues to keep his nose as clean as he has so far! Dara Torres. Even Brangelina is making a name for themselves as philanthropists. Bill and Melinda Gates.

I don't know if any of you have heard of Micah Owings, but he's a young baseball player who was with the Diamondbacks and is now with the Reds. (2007 Silver Slugger award. Google him--crazy.) His younger brother is in the minors, and they have 3 other siblings who are all in different ministries and/or run charitable foundations.

There are a few heroes out there...

USA Swimming has banned Phelps for three months. I bet there is more to come.

USA Swimming suspends Phelps for 3 months - Yahoo! Sports

He also got dropped by Kellogg's.
Phelps suspended from competition, dropped by Kellogg - CNN.com

This is why I called him a moron in another post. When I tried pot as a college student, I wasn't in jeopardy of losing millions or even being arrested. Tulane "legalized" marijuana on campus. He is in a totally different situation.