Today might seem like an ordinary Friday, but you will soon learn it’s anything but ordinary. Because of the constant “weed” jokes and overall lack of focus, you will realize it’s April 20th, a day dedicated to celebrating the consumption of cannabis or marijuana. Each year on 4/20, I question why the day is even celebrated.

The origin of the infamous 4/20 Day centers around San Rafael High School. Students would meet outside the school when the clock struck 4:20 to consume marijuana. Now, April 20th is said to be the perfect time to consume the drug and advocate for its legality.

It’s perplexing that there is a day centered on celebrating an illegal substance in this state. Also, I find it alarming that 4/20 is treated like a holiday. High school students, in some ways, worship the day, but fail to care about Presidents’ Day, Veterans’ Day, or even Martin Luther King Jr. Day. It seems it should be the other way around.

One consequence of the day, besides how education is extremely disrupted by this event, is how this day is popularizing the use of drugs. On 4/20, the dialogue is that marijuana is fun and is something everyone should try, but no one talks about the drug’s major complications.

In the state of Washington (where recreational marijuana is legal), the Denver Post reported fatal driving accidents have risen 122% between 2010 and 2014. That is frightening, but what is more alarming is the effects marijuana has on the body.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse found that the immediate effects of taking marijuana include rapid heart beat, disorientation, and lack of physical coordination, which can be followed by depression or sleepiness. Some users suffer panic attacks or anxiety.

Also, information from the Mayo Clinic and the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) found, marijuana smoke contains 50% to 70% more cancer-causing substances than tobacco smoke. One study reported that a single cannabis joint could cause as much damage to the lungs as up to five regular cigarettes smoked one after another.

Finally, perhaps the worse effect the drug can have is on the brain. Years of heavy marijuana use links to brain abnormalities, according to an NCBI study. Many take drugs to get rid of unwanted situations or feelings. Marijuana masks problems for a time, but when the “high” fades, the problem, unwanted condition or situation returns more intensely than before. The user may then turn to stronger drugs since marijuana no longer “works”.

There is evidence of this because one study found that youth (12 to 17 years old) who use marijuana are 85 times more likely to use cocaine than kids who do not use weed.

The question is, why are we celebrating a whole day to a drug that leads to poor school performance, greater chances of being unemployed, and addiction? Isn’t there something else to celebrate? The fact is, the more we popularize marijuana use and worship its holiday, the more unintended consequences we as a society will face.

The views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of The Oracle, Columbus East High School, and Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation.