Hit It

The pot leaf: an archetype for open minds everywhere. Except in Japan. Weed here is regarded with the same disdain that (non-using) Americans have for heroin or cocaine. Where ever you live, save Amsterdam, you don't want to run into the police with the wicked weed on your person, but in Japan, you REALLY don't want to do that. Whereas in the States you might find yourself with a court date and some community service on your hands (not speaking from experience here I assure you), here in Japan you'll find yourself in a prison cell. So while the select few may indulge in a puff, the majority of young Japanese have adopted the pot leaf as a fashion symbol. Most of my students own at least some piece of clothing or accessory adorned with a pot leaf. I've seen numerous t-shirts, and a few school bags, hats, shoes, shoe laces, all smothered in sticky icky. Tonight at the gym I saw a 60-something lady with a big green leaf on her shirt.

Which leads me to a segue: things they do in Japan that would get you immediately pulled over by the cops in America.

To begin with, the 'pot leaf as fashion symbol' phenomenon begins with air fresheners in the car. Whereas in the States we have the well known X-mas tree air fresheners, this non-God-fearing country has opted for the pot leaf air freshener. Anyone back home want one for their car? Knowing my friends, I'd say no. (But let me know.)

Going further, it's not uncommon to see cars with pot leaf stickers on the bumper. Wouldn't necessarily do that back home. Unless I WANTED to be hassled by the cops.

And the thing that has been making me insane lately, though not totally related to pot, but relevant to this conversation, is the number of people here who drive around at night with no friggin head lights on. So imagine, I could be driving around this evening with no head lights on, pot leaf stickers on my bumper and a pot leaf air freshener hanging from my rear view, and the local police wouldn't bat an eye. But you'd better have your bicycle light on, and you'd better not be double riding someone on the back of that bicycle. That'll get the po-po on you in a heartbeat. Should I laugh, or should I cry?