After a week filled with outrageous headlines, such as “Elementary Students Caught Selling Pot in School,” and “Michael Phelps Smoking Bong Photo,” I have found it important to reflect on the news-worthy events after the, uh, smoke has cleared.

 Let’s start at the beginning, when these headlines first emerged.

 On Feb. 6, two ten-year-olds were arrested for selling pot in exchange for pie, snacks and money in South Carolina.  

After hearing this news, I reacted as many of my high school classmates probably did: I gave a tiny chuckle, and said, “Man, that’s intense.” 

Not much later, a British tabloid emerged with a photo that may be worth more than eight Olympic gold medals: Michael Phelps taking a hit from a bong. 

After hearing this news, I took a step back and re-evaluated my opinions. Yes, I do believe that marijuana should be legalized; I think it will take the taboo away from the drug, making it less appealing to the masses.  

Despite my beliefs, I can’t help but think that maybe our society needs to rethink the casualty associated with marijuana. Most high school kids and college students would agree that smoking pot is not a big deal; if you believe that, maybe you should take a step back and think about how your attitude reflects on a younger generation. 

Let’s look at the facts: statistically speaking, kids are trying drugs younger and younger. Why is that? Maybe it’s because of the blasé attitude that goes hand-in-hand with the drug. Kids think it is okay to smoke pot; hey, if I can get a free piece of pie out of it, why not? 

My first reaction to the Phelps scandal was, “So what?” Tons of kids his age smoke pot. Why should he be any different? 

Then I began to think about my little brother, Liam. Liam started Middle School this year, and as a twelve-year-old basketball player, he’s easily impressed by Phelps’ amazing feat at the Olympics.

I hope Phelps realizes that his fall from gold-medal-greatness has hurt more than his personal image; sure, he lost his Kellogg endorsement, but he let down an entire nation of kids who were aspiring to be just like him. 

Who knows, maybe those two kids in South Carolina saw that story and felt justified in their actions. They may be facing criminal charges, but hey, they’re cool like Michael Phelps!

In the end, the choice is up to Phelps: he can light up the record books, or he can light up a bong.