Pubdate: Thu, 5 Feb 2009 Source: Detroit News (MI) Copyright: 2009 The Detroit News Contact: http://detnews.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/126 Authors: Jason Flom and Anthony Papa Note: Jason Flom is president of Lava Records, and Anthony Papa is communications specialist of the Drug Policy Alliance in New York. Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/people/Michael+Phelps Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?420 (Marijuana - Popular) HEROES LIKE PHELPS ARE HEROES TOO Thousands of stories across the country have captured the plight of Michael Phelps and his recent bong incident. Phelps has apologized for his youthful indiscretion. It seems that his apology was accepted by most Americans, including the corporate sponsors that gave Phelps lucrative contracts for his endorsements. Only one spoiler is making noise. Sheriff Leon Lott of Richland County, S.C., has said he will charge Phelps with a crime if he determines he smoked marijuana. Possession of marijuana in South Carolina is a misdemeanor, punishable by up to 30 days in jail or a $570 fine. Coincidently the Phelps story broke the same day that Santonio Holmes became most valuable player of Super Bowl XLII. Phelps and Holmes both felt the thrill of victory in sports. They've also had to address their drug use in the press. It seems like heroics are not enough to cancel out the governments zero-tolerance policy on recreational drug use. Maybe both of these athletes should have known better. But even our greatest sports heroes are human beings who make mistakes. Like Phelps and Holmes, millions of Americans use marijuana, either recreationally or medically. Let's be honest. Olympic gold medals and bong hits don't mix well with mainstream America. Phelps should know this. But maybe because he is a normal 23 year-old, he forgot. Both Phelps and Holmes remind us that even heroes can make poor choices that cause them to run afoul of the law. Holmes has come a long way since his arrest in 2008 for the possession of a small amount of marijuana. Holmes received a one-game suspension and was allowed to continue the season without further punitive action. He overcame this mid-season stumble and recovered to be the hero of the Steelers' record sixth Super Bowl title. Holmes received a second chance to make amends for his mistake. But when you're dealing with a government that is hell-bent on continuing an unwinnable war on drugs, it has little regard for mistakes. Take the case of Mitchell Lawrence, an 18-year-old Massachusetts teen, who was sentenced in 2006 to two years in prison for possession of a single marijuana joint. Lawrence received this rather severe punishment at the hands of an over-zealous prosecutor that had little regard for the teenager's youthful indiscretions. His life is forever ruined by the stigma of the arrest.Drug use is considered a moral failing. This is wrong. Many people struggle with addiction, and it should be addressed in a medical context, not a criminal, punitive one. And for every person who struggles with drugs and drug addiction, there are millions of others who use drugs recreationally, and responsibly. Phelps and Holmes are two high-profile examples of people who use drugs recreationally and suffer no adverse effects -- other than exposing themselves to criminal sanctions due to drug prohibition. Recreational drug use should not be used to demonize individuals. One thing is for certain: Michael Phelps is still a hero to America, and his career should not go up in smoke because of a single mistake. Santonio Holmes' Super Bowl heroics are a testament to this. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake