Do you smoke?

The age-old question came up a few more times this week again… I’m really tired of answering it, so I’m going to answer it just one last time and refer people to my blog when they ask again.

Just because I have blackened lips and dark eyes and this happy demeanor doesn’t mean that I smoke, have smoked or will smoke. I know my lips aren’t the picture of “mainstream beauty” but still I love my lips cause they are exactly how the good Lord wanted them to be upon my face and they serve their purpose well.

I remember being at the now demolished Roseau Boys School and being summoned to the Principal’s office because one stupid teacher felt that my blackened lips and dark eyes had to mean that I was smoking during the break period. The principal did beat me for what she felt was a lie… I had to have smoked because “oh my lips were black and my eyes dark” and to add to it, my father was a known smoker as well. She didn’t care that my breath or my clothes didn’t smell of smoke or that some of my classmates admitted that I spent the recess break inside of the classroom. So ten strokes with “Lucifer” were the order of the day. I took the strokes, cried off course and continued along my merry way.

As to why people still bother to ask me that question about my lips, eyes and smoking in 2012 is beyond me. If I smoke it is my very own business and so it is if I don’t as well. I don’t think they have an issue with the smoking; they just want to know if it is Marijuana that I smoke. No people I don’t smoke Marijuana. I did for a short while between my 16 and 18 years of age and that was the occasional spliff during festive seasons (Carnival and Independence) or during the lazy summer days. In case you’re wondering if I inhaled, then know that my name isn’t Bill Clinton nor am I vying to be President of the United States of America.

I don’t need to smoke so I do without it, like I do without many other things as well that I can live without. Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against Marijuana or Marijuana smokers either. I was raised by a smoker, got many friends who smoke and wouldn’t put them down for those who turn up their nose and shake their heads. Live and let live, that’s me!

On another note, I can’t understand too, why there’s so much hatred for a naturally existing plant. I’m not all into the hysteria over the healing herb and mythical properties and all that but I just don’t get why so much energy and resources go into suppressing it. All because some colonial power, a few hundred years ago, declared that Marijuana was a drug and blah, blah, blah… though we claim to be independent, we still aren’t independent thinkers and doers.

But to get back to my point, please leave me and weed alone! We aren’t a couple, we flirted for a few years, sparingly at best but I went my way and Marijuana went hers as well. It was nothing more than just casual words and a kiss on the cheek!

Nesta