Pathetic

Mary Jane is a problem in high school.

I wasn't specific enough. Let's not be naive then. Is Mary Jane causing performance issues in high school baseball? Is it diminishing player abilities? What should a coach do if he knows a player has a weekend problem?

Big Red,

Good questions. I'm not going to stab at them, but...

I do have an opinion about Josh Howard... Could he possibly be this stupid??? Smoking weed is one thing (bad), but talking about it NOW is HORRIBLE! Personally, I think his inconsistency and obvious difficulty in handling adversity on the court are probably indirectly, or possibly directly, related to his "personal choice" to use marijuana. That said, why talk about it now? The only answer that makes any sense is that the guy wants to be traded, and I expect he will be this off-season. If that's the case, it's so obnoxiously selfish that it makes me want to puke.

Weed. speed, and alcohol were prevelent in 1983 when I graduated from a 4A, central Texas, rural high school. Craig and Alan were stoned every day in 4th period. Yellow Jackets were the drug of choice for the drill team. Flasks fit easily in to cowboy boots.
When I did my student teaching in 1988, kids came to school stoned. I've had to ask students to change seats because they reeked of cigarette smoke and bothered the others. In 2002, I had to explain to my fellow teachers why it was a bad idea to allow kids to bring water bottles to classs. Twelve weeks later, five of my sophomores were busted for drinking vodka in their water bottles to wash down the Zanex that one of them had taken from his mom. Three of the five were members of a state championship athletic team.
Opportunity is the real issue. My dad had a 10th grade education and a PhD in horse sense. He said that kids are no different today than when he grew up in the 30s. The difference is the lack of parental supervision, availablity of money and transportation.
School officials -teachers, coaches and adminitstrators- need to be aware. Parents need to be willing to speak up. I have lost one of my students to a drug overdose - a two-time state champion who blew up his heart on steroids. I lost three classmates to drugs.
If you know it's going on, say something to someone who can help. You would want someone to do it for your child.