# Ooh, ooh, Michael Phelps smoked pot, ooh ooh ooh, the demon weed **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 2, 2009, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ooh-ooh-michael-phelps-smoked-pot-ooh-ooh-ooh-the-demon-weed/484135 "2009-02-02T17:06:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![groo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecd19e/32.png) [@groo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/groo)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ooh-ooh-michael-phelps-smoked-pot-ooh-ooh-ooh-the-demon-weed/484135/121 "2009-02-04T17:49:31Z")
> [@Helen\_s\_Eidolon](#): > > I was really sad to see his apology. In my fantasy world, he would have said: “Yeah, so?” > > … When I first applied for a security clearance, I said that. I also asked if they had anyone else who attended college in southern California in the late 70s & early 80s, who had given them a different answer. To this day, I’m the only one I know who can say openly that I smoked marijuana in my misspent youth (at least in my part of the company). Also, as soon as I no longer need a security clearance or it’s legalized, I plan to light up and smoke a bowl. It’s very enjoyable. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ooh-ooh-michael-phelps-smoked-pot-ooh-ooh-ooh-the-demon-weed/484135/122 "2009-02-04T17:51:54Z")
> [@Captain\_Carrot](#): > > Most of the ‘dumb laws’ are simply overly specific applications of actual, sensible laws; for example, you can’t tie _anything_ to a fire hydrant in Angel Piss, alligator or not, because the fire department needs to be able to get to them quickly and easily. I know. **Gfactor** did a Straight Dope report on it a while back. But by comparison, these anti-bong laws are like saying it’s okay to tie your alligator to a fire hydrant as long as you tell everybody it’s a crocodile, even though nobody believes it. But if you let slip that it’s an alligator the police can throw you in jail. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ooh-ooh-michael-phelps-smoked-pot-ooh-ooh-ooh-the-demon-weed/484135/123 "2009-02-04T19:39:03Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > Marijuana laws are absurd. Here in Colorado, as I understand it, if a doctor recommends MJ for you and you are registered as an medical MJ patient, it’s legal to possess, use, and grow. > > It is illegal however, to obtain it in the first place. How does that work? 😕 Maybe I’m being pedantic, or just clueless, but at least there is a clear distinction among those. How can you smoke pot without possessing it? Would that really be a defense if a cop caught you with a fattie in your car? “Officer, I’m smoking this joint, not possessing it. You have to let me go.” It’s kind of like saying that there’s no law against chopping someone’s head off, only laws against homicide. How can you do one without the other? ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ooh-ooh-michael-phelps-smoked-pot-ooh-ooh-ooh-the-demon-weed/484135/124 "2009-02-04T19:56:07Z")
> [@Contrapuntal](#): > > Maybe I’m being pedantic, or just clueless, but at least there is a clear distinction among those. How can you smoke pot without possessing it? Would that really be a defense if a cop caught you with a fattie in your car? “Officer, I’m smoking this joint, not possessing it. You have to let me go.” > > It’s kind of like saying that there’s no law against chopping someone’s head off, only laws against homicide. How can you do one without the other? The absurd part isn’t using or possessing (within reasonable amounts), the absurd part is you couldn’t have legally obtained the marijuana you are legally using and possessing. It’s legal to own and drive a car, but it’s illegal to buy a car. Well, how did you get the car? It’s making something legal then forcing everyone to break the law in order to do what is legal. In California, it’s legal to buy pot at a dispensary. But guess what’s illegal? Transporting pot to the dispensary where it is sold. How is it supposed to get there? Well, obviously LE knows how it gets there. If they catch you bringing it there, you’re probably screwed. ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ooh-ooh-michael-phelps-smoked-pot-ooh-ooh-ooh-the-demon-weed/484135/125 "2009-02-04T20:13:24Z")
[QUOTE=The Flying Dutchman] What if Obama was caught smoking a joint in the White House? You have no problem with that ? [/QUOTE] Last I checked, guys who swim in pools for a living don’t have to take oaths promising to uphold laws of the land. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ooh-ooh-michael-phelps-smoked-pot-ooh-ooh-ooh-the-demon-weed/484135/126 "2009-02-04T20:43:19Z")
The Oval Office has been subjected to profounder vices. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ooh-ooh-michael-phelps-smoked-pot-ooh-ooh-ooh-the-demon-weed/484135/127 "2009-02-04T21:01:09Z")
> [@Contrapuntal](#): > > I have to ask. How can one smoke pot without possessing it? Are you suggesting that if he were caught in the act he would get off scott free? > > Not that this presumed charge is anything but b.s. If he was caught in the act, they could get him for possessing whatever quantity was in the bowl of the bong, I suppose, but just from a photograph of him doing a bong hit, they have don’t have the physical evidence of possession (they don’t have the pot), so they can’t charge with with it. They can’t specify a quantity or even actually prove it was pot in the bong, or that he knew it was pot in the bong. He can say now that he got high, but there’s aren’t actually any laws against being high (as long as you’re not driving or anything). When I say “it’s not illegal to get high,” I guess what I should say is that it’s not illegal to BE high. It’s crazy, but it’s just a hole in the statutes, I guess. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2009, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ooh-ooh-michael-phelps-smoked-pot-ooh-ooh-ooh-the-demon-weed/484135/128 "2009-02-05T01:42:18Z")
> [@Indistinguishable](#): > > I’m not sure what point you intend to make with this, but let me explain myself further: > > To me, the question is “Is illegally smoking weed immoral in itself, or is it just bad to let children be exposed to the fact that some adults they respect do it?”. > > If you think smoking weed illegally is immoral in itself, then, fine, I disagree with you, but I’m not going to argue with you right now. > > But if you think the only problem is that children might be exposed to adults doing so… well, why would that suddenly change things? It seems almost circular to me. You have no problem with the activity per se; you only have problems with children being exposed to images which might influence them to someday emulate… activity you have no problem with per se. Seems bizarre to get up in arms. > > As a child, I’ve seen my parents speed, commit copyright infringement, and so on. All generally slap-on-the-wrist (or less) offences, right? Even ones some might consider of no moral significance whatsoever. Just like Phelps’ marijuana use. And yet, it does not seem to me as though my parents were bad people for allowing me to be exposed to this. If one thinks that copyright infringement is immoral in itself, then that’s one thing, but if one doesn’t think badly of it in itself, then it seems to me that allowing kids to find out shouldn’t suddenly change the situation into a censure-worthy one. It’s just exposing kids to what one already accepts as the acceptable, typical behavior of many adults. Why go through the charade of lying to them? It just perpetuates attitudes of self-flagellating prudery. It’s completely acceptable for consenting adults to have sex, too, but you wouldn’t want them to do so in front of a child. Intentionally, I mean - tons of parents have been caught out by a toddler wandering in at the wrong time. 😃 I wouldn’t really want people to smoke pot in front of my daughter either, though I’m not exactly sure why, if I’m honest. However, that’s not what Michael Phelps did. He smoked pot, and people found out about it. That just tells children that some adults smoke pot, which they should know already. No big deal at all. ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2009, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ooh-ooh-michael-phelps-smoked-pot-ooh-ooh-ooh-the-demon-weed/484135/129 "2009-02-05T14:38:01Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > I’ve never bought one but I think this is correct. Eventually I hope to see this in “Dumb Laws” books around the country, like “You can’t tie an alligator to a fire hydrant in Angel Piss, Fla.” Laws against pot are stupid in the first place, but laws that require obvious lies like this purely for their own sake, where the terminology alone makes for a criminal act, are a total waste of everybody’s time and mental energy. Here is a thread we did about the federal version of the “don’t say bong” law: [Legal Scholars: What makes a piece of smoking apparatus illegal?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=242896) ---
**Author:** ![TwistofFate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@TwistofFate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwistofFate)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2009, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ooh-ooh-michael-phelps-smoked-pot-ooh-ooh-ooh-the-demon-weed/484135/130 "2009-02-05T14:59:15Z")
Look at it this way, he’s inspiring a new generation of kids to take an interest in carpentry! ---
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2009, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ooh-ooh-michael-phelps-smoked-pot-ooh-ooh-ooh-the-demon-weed/484135/131 "2009-02-05T21:27:35Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > That stuff can’t be good for your lungs. > > Although obviously, it’s not as bad as tobacco. If Phelps was caught smoking a cigarette, I’d be \*really \*worried. Obviously not as bad as tobacco? What’s obvious about that? If if you find a cite that shows that, I dare say it’s not “obvious.” I really don’t give a damn that he smoked pot. However, like it or not, he’s looked up by lots of youth. These are the same you that some of us parents are trying to encourage not to do any drugs even the safe ones like pot :rolleyes:. I for one am very disappointed. It was a dumb ass maneuver on his part. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2009, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ooh-ooh-michael-phelps-smoked-pot-ooh-ooh-ooh-the-demon-weed/484135/132 "2009-02-05T21:35:34Z")
Well, did he sign off to be a paragon and an example to America’s youth? Or did he just want to swim? ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2009, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ooh-ooh-michael-phelps-smoked-pot-ooh-ooh-ooh-the-demon-weed/484135/133 "2009-02-05T23:11:42Z")
> [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](#): > > What if Obama was caught smoking a joint in the White House? You have no problem with that ? Not a one. > [@levdrakon](#): > > “I made it from San Francisco to LA in six hours.” Made it from the Disney Concert Hall to the Castro in five once. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Peanut\_Gallery](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/838e76/32.png) [@Peanut\_Gallery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peanut_Gallery)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ooh-ooh-michael-phelps-smoked-pot-ooh-ooh-ooh-the-demon-weed/484135/134 "2009-02-06T00:57:15Z")
Fuck [Kellogg](http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5igi6T39W7zUC3pWC360hjSd8ViGwD965NSIG0). What a bunch of tight asses. I’m gonna have to switch to Generic cereal. And to think how much of their product I have consumed while stoned… Whata shame. ---
**Author:** ![Otter\_Snacks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e8c25b/32.png) [@Otter\_Snacks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otter_Snacks)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ooh-ooh-michael-phelps-smoked-pot-ooh-ooh-ooh-the-demon-weed/484135/135 "2009-02-06T01:04:32Z")
Just heard on the news that Kellogg’s is dropping their sponsorship of Phelps over the incident. I think the whole thing is silly but hardly surprising. With some smart investing he should be set for life anyway. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ooh-ooh-michael-phelps-smoked-pot-ooh-ooh-ooh-the-demon-weed/484135/136 "2009-02-06T01:14:19Z")
> [@Peanut\_Gallery](#): > > Fuck [Kellogg](http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5igi6T39W7zUC3pWC360hjSd8ViGwD965NSIG0). What a bunch of tight asses. I’m gonna have to switch to Generic cereal. And to think how much of their product I have consumed while stoned… Whata shame. Too bad. I was at the store a month or so ago and they had a pallet of Corn Flakes with Phelps on it, on sale. I almost bought one for collector’s value, but figured, “when have I ever done that before?” Wish I’d bought one now. What do you bet the price for one goes up on ebay? ---
**Author:** ![neutron\_star](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/51bf81/32.png) [@neutron\_star](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neutron_star)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ooh-ooh-michael-phelps-smoked-pot-ooh-ooh-ooh-the-demon-weed/484135/137 "2009-02-06T02:14:23Z")
> [@Enright3](#): > > Obviously not as bad as tobacco? What’s obvious about that? If if you find a cite that shows that, I dare say it’s not “obvious.” > > I really don’t give a damn that he smoked pot. However, like it or not, he’s looked up by lots of youth. These are the same you that some of **us parents are trying to encourage not to do** any drugs even **the safe ones** like pot :rolleyes:. > > I for one am very disappointed. It was a dumb ass maneuver on his part. (bolding mine, comment none, irrational moron you) e: oh wait, that is a comment ---
**Author:** ![RedFury](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ec9cab/32.png) [@RedFury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedFury)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ooh-ooh-michael-phelps-smoked-pot-ooh-ooh-ooh-the-demon-weed/484135/138 "2009-02-06T04:17:27Z")
Like’s there’s not enough important shit going on in the US, never mind the world, that some 23 year old kid taking a bong-hit needs to be breaking fuckin’ news for most of the MSM. Hell’s bells, you’d think they found him in some back-alley smoking crack off the butt of some hooker he’d just butchered. I like this one though: [\*\*[url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rip-empson/michael-phelps-apologizes\_b\_163284.html]Michael Phelps Apologizes to Bong For Hitting It So Hard](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rip-empson/michael-phelps-apologizes_b_163284.html)\*\* > [@](#): > > \*…“We should really be congratulating the bong. I really hit that thing hard, and it responded,” Mr. Phelps said in subsequent statements. "This has been great publicity for [bongs]. For so long, they’ve taken a backseat to doobies, pipes, and the many other devices used to smoke weed; unfairly, they’ve never gotten the recognition they deserve. > > \ > > Many have inquired as to what happened to the bong after its assault by the gold medalist. Though the bong could not be reached for comment, according to inside sources, the student who owned the bong has already sold it secretly on eBay for a hefty sum and has since dropped out of college. Phelps and his agents are currently in the process of trying to recover the bong from the anonymous buyer…\* ---
**Author:** ![tim314](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim314/32/3468_2.png) [@tim314](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim314)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ooh-ooh-michael-phelps-smoked-pot-ooh-ooh-ooh-the-demon-weed/484135/139 "2009-02-06T04:32:28Z")
> [@featherlou](#): > > Well, since your kid is probably going to try drugs as well as drinking, smoking, and wild, monkey sex, I wouldn’t worry too much about it. This sort of comment is pretty obnoxious. You don’t know **dmatsch** ’s kid, so don’t pretend you know what she is or isn’t likely to try. ---
**Author:** ![RedFury](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ec9cab/32.png) [@RedFury](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedFury)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ooh-ooh-michael-phelps-smoked-pot-ooh-ooh-ooh-the-demon-weed/484135/140 "2009-02-06T04:52:25Z")
> [@Enright3](#): > > Obviously …However, like it or not, he’s looked up by lots of youth. These are the same you that some of us parents are trying to encourage not to do any drugs even the safe ones like pot… Lemme guess. Amish? Good luck with that… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ooh-ooh-michael-phelps-smoked-pot-ooh-ooh-ooh-the-demon-weed/484135.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ooh-ooh-michael-phelps-smoked-pot-ooh-ooh-ooh-the-demon-weed/484135.md?page=8)