Comic books have long been a tool of reinforcement of positive societal behaviors, whether showing the correct way to punch Hitler in the face or the best way for teens to get through a Saturday night when they stupidly promised simultaneous dates to both Betty and Veronica. But can they keep the kids of the early 1970s away from the devil weed?
A real choice many 70s kids faced was, do I succumb to peer pressure and take a big old hit off this "doobie", or do I say "no" and risk being labeled as a "chicken" who is "not cool" and is probably a member of the Bobby Sherman fan club?
THIS STORY MAY HAPPEN ANYWHERE. ALL AROUND YOU, CHILDREN MAY BE "SHOOTING HOOPS" OR PLAYING "STREET BALL WITH RICK BARRY AND DR. J". EVERY GIRL AND BOY SHOULD REMEMBER THIS.
"Say you kids look tired. What you really need to enhance your sports performance are some performance-enhancing drugs! And since it's the 70s we don't have growth hormone or steroids, so all I have are some diet pills I swiped from my mom. Enjoy!">BR?Comic books have long been a tool of reinforcement of positive societal behaviors, whether showing the correct way to punch Hitler in the face or the best way for teens to get through a Saturday night when they stupidly promised simultaneous dates to both Betty and Veronica. But can they keep the kids of the early 1970s away from the devil weed?
Look how quickly this shifty "dealer" changes from pushing "pep pills" to selling Marijuana at a quarter a joint. 25-cent joints sold by a 13 year old? Might as well take the stuff home and put it in your spaghetti, because it's probably oregano.
Foolish Timmy turns down a chance to get high with his pals in favor of dinner. Doesn't Timmy know that the subsequent "munchies" will surely enhance his enjoyment of Mom's cooking?
Take the time to listen to your kids when they tell you the name of their 13-year old friend who's trying to get them hooked on dope. Then you can ask yourself, do I tell the kid's parents and let them handle it, or do I smack Hank around myself?
Susan hears from friends that "drugs aren't all bad." You listen to me, Susan, I catch you with so much as an aspirin and you'll find yourself in a convent so fast your head will spin! Until you're THIRTY!! Er, I mean, there are two sides to drug use, Susan...
You see, some drugs are sold to us by pharmaceutical companies and are supposed to help people, "people" being "the pharmaceutical company's profit margins." But other drugs are sold by teenagers on the streets and are only for kicks, and kicks... all your kicks won't bring you peace of mind.
Remember a few puffs of marijuana can get a person really, really high for several hours! Just a few puffs! And if you know where any of this primo dynamite weed can be found, well, you'd better let me know so I can investigate personally and see that it's disposed of in a non-wasteful manner!
The effects of "mary jane" range from joy ("this Pink Floyd record is great!") to fear ("this Pink Floyd record is scaring me!") to terror ("this Pink Floyd record is a double album!")
Nothing says "crazy hippie love-in freak out happening" like a lot of depressed acid freaks staring aimlessly into space. That's why the Woodstock soundtrack LP is nothing but people crying. Tell Dad to stick around until the 1980s when the Goth scene really gets going if he wants to see what REAL depressed teens look like!
Sure, it LOOKED like Bonnie was stoned out of her mind and having the time of her life at the dance, controlled by the vibrations of the ominous, looming "musicians" pulling the strings behind the scenes, but the truth is that she might get hooked on drugs and ruin her life. Who knows?
But enough of the younger generation. Let's hear from one of those college students who seem to be in the news today with their tidy haircuts and their sports!
Yeah, I want to know what Gary knows about drug use in college. I also want to know why he's so handsy with his sister. That's pretty weird Gary.
Wait a minute, just let them call me "chicken"? But how will my fragile self esteem survive insults from tween-age dope-smoking morons?
Turns out Gary - yes, Gary - was himself called "chicken" by Reep and Tony one night when they wanted him to get really, really high on some fine Colombian they scored from some guy who smuggled it in from Mexico in a camper van. But Gary said "no" and walked away, his dignity intact. Then later he tied one hand behind his back and CRUSHED THEM LIKE PUNY ANTS
That's the goal, to become a 20 year old burnout so astonishingly depraved that even high school girls know and avoid you. Gotta have goals in life!
Here's Tony robbing the cafeteria at the police station. Tony is why they call those things "goof balls". And even if these addicts DO straighten their lives out, their future careers are limited to only the noisiest, smelliest, most exhausting of jobs! And carnival work, too!
It's the unsure person, afraid to face life, who takes drugs in the first place. Now Timmy, here's an addict you can go talk to. Run along now.
Ned Beatty here is always happy to regale the children with tales of his misspent youth abusing every possible substance he could snort, sniff, puff, swallow, or inject. Those were the days, kids!
But Mr. Barker, what if a guy has already kind of started smoking a little grass, maybe selling it to his friends to make a little extra bread? What if I... I mean, that kid, what if that kid had already started down that path to madness, depression, ditch-digging, or falling in front of speeding cars? What then?
The only sensible choice is to never ever abuse drugs ever, not even if they call you "chicken" or "scaredy-cat" or "suffering from a painful migraine" or "in dire need of life-saving penicillin." Just say no, kid
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