Happy 4/20 Day!

Happy RVD day! Uh, I mean 4/20! Photo Credit: Lee South/ImpactWrestling.com

Hey, today is April 20, which has become a notable, counterculture holiday based around the consumption of marijuana. According to Wikipedia, the numerical significance of 420 came from some group back in the '70s, but it has mushroomed into something with a life of its own. Of course, the recreational use of marijuana is only allowable by law in Washington, Colorado, and the District of Columbia right now, although medicinal use is allowed in several other states. Of course, to make this wrestling-related, aside from dudes like Rob van Dam and Val Venis whose life missions have become WEED WEED WEED, the kind bud is on the list of banned substances on the WWE's Wellness Program.

I'm here to say it shouldn't be. Widespread legalization of marijuana can only mean good for society, as it is a relatively innocuous drug when consumed responsibly. Sure, the secondhand smoke is a bit much compared to even cigarettes, but the intoxicating effects of the drug have been studied and found to be less severe than legal alcohol. Pot can also provide another stream of tax revenue for state, local, and even the federal government, and the money that could be saved on eliminating Mary Jane from the asinine War on Drugs could be just as much a boon to Washington as the additional tax money could be.

But more germane to the wrestling business, marijuana's analgesic effects are well-documented. Wrestlers, especially performers in a WWE that demands its employees, oh, sorry, "independent contractors" to be on the road in upwards of 300 dates a year, could use the extra mellowing effects without the dangers posed by hardcore painkiller dependency. Drawbacks are present, but the same could be said for any coping mechanism for the daily rigors of life on the road. The stigmatization of marijuana may not even be in the top ten of awful things this country is shamefully known for, but it doesn't mean that the reefer prohibition should be continued.