Baked & Fried for the whole ride

I haven't seen this commercial/PSA in years, and it's by far the one I remember the most. I used to always catch it Saturday morning right before Bugs Bunny reruns used to air. Anyway I saw an interesting documentary on VH1 Classic (one of my favorite channels) called "The Drug Years." It was a 4-part documentary that covered 4 decades of music & the influential drugs that were around during these periods of music. It also broke down the effects these drugs were having on celebrities, politicians, musicians, and everyday people.

There was the psychedelic era of the late 1960s where LSD was the drug of choice. If one watches any video footage of Woodstock 1969 or any live show by The Doors (with lead singer Jim Morrison), you'll see that many experimented with this substance b/c they wanted to be peaceful & loving which they thought was the antithesis of what their parents were about. LSD would bring about this effect (according to myth).

The socially conscious 70s ushered in the mass producing & importing of dope. Those who consumed it mostly were inner city dwellers & the heavy use of it spurred great songs from many artists from the era like Marvin Gaye (Inner City Blues), Curtis Mayfield (Freddie's Dead), Bobby Womack (Across 110th street), Teddy Pendergrass (Wake Up Everybody), and Stevie Wonder (Pastime Paradise). These artists felt compelled to put out these songs b/c of the prevalence of dope abuse.

The pop culture of the 80s popularized & augmented the use of cocaine all over the country. Cocaine was seen as a luxurious drug & many felt that living the life of the rich and famous included snorting cocaine or smoking free base. The side effect was the birth of crack, and those of y'all who live in a major inner city (like myself) know that crack literally decimated families & turned the streets into battlegrounds over drug money resulting in far too many casualties. It was so crazy that rumor has it "White Lines" by Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five was recorded by Melle Mel while he was sniffing white lines of coke. So many celebrities became cocaine fiends & some even died of overdose (John Belushi).

The 90s saw the rise in popularity of ecstasy use mainly in raves & underground nightclubs. The drug was officially banned & made illegal in 1985 by the Drug Enforcement Agency. It was taken by many to reenact what the "Hippies" did in the sixties by spreading euphoria. The problem of course is that 30 years had passed. Times had changed & people who just wanted to gain that feeling of euphoria also gained many who simply wanted to take advantage of them. Therefore many rave goers became broke very quickly due to dealers charging high prices for ecstasy. During the days of Woodstock many were able to get high for free.

This decade has seen the increase in prescription drug abuse & homemade drug use. Crystal Meth use is at an all time high these days. We see how many people (cough... Lil' Wayne...cough...Project Pat) & celebrities drink Sizzurp. I personally know people who abuse codeine, sleep medication, and depression medication. These habits are done by many middle & upper middle class individuals who are seen as productive citizens in the eyes of our government.

As I watch the documentary all I could think about is how dependant we are on external substances. I'm not trying to even sound high & mighty here although I have never abused a drug in my life, but I wonder how certain people could even know how great life is if they're always fried or baked into another plane of existence. I will say that not all drugs are BAD. For centuries Native Americans have smoked Hemp & marijuana for medicinal purposes. Many chiefs would smoke cannabis through a pipe to help gain an appetite. However, they USED these substances. Pure tobacco even has some healthy advantages when it's not processed into cigarettes & when chemicals weren't added to the soil to change it's makeup.

I just think that ALL drugs should be used sparingly & never abused to have ANY sort of benefit. I also understand that this is a CAPITALIST nation, and illegal drugs are one of the most lucrative industries here & around the world. Lastly I understand that making drugs illegal or legal ISN'T the answer. When Prohibition was enacted in 1920 that didn't stop people from drinking. It just shifted the scene where people drunk. Instead of sipping on booze at home, many would go to speak-easies & drink EVEN MORE. Of course Prohibition had to be repealed in 1933 b/c gov't actually got the point. You can't just revoke something w/o destroying the need. The need for drugs is & will always exist. It's sad to say, but drugs are here to stay. It's up to every individual as to whether they will use them (either way) or not.

I implore everyone to check out this documentary b/c much will be learned about how those we elect to office are also the ones who want our brains to stay fried. PEACE

Muhammad the Harlem Sk8rboi