I was traveling home Monday, flipping through the radio stations, and just happened to look at the time...it was 4:29 p.m. I selected KZ106 on my radio and, when the song ended, the DJ began the intro to the next song with the comment, "It's 4:20 somewhere."

I have heard similar comments on 105.5 and it got me to thinking that many listeners probably are not up to speed on this "inside" joke. One only needs to Google the number "420" to see that the first page of results is almost entirely online articles, comments and the history of how this number came to the rallying cry for marijuana smokers in the U.S. and arond the world. Most parents and listeners in general are probably not aware of what it stands for...but there it is, search for yourself.

I first became acquainted with the term and its meaning shortly after I became a police officer in 1992, but never really gave it much thought until I heard it on the radio Monday.

My question is this...Do the GMs of these radio stations have their heads that far in the sand that they do not know the "inside" joke? With teen, as well as adult drug use an ever-increasing problem, I cannot believe that they would knowingly allow their DJs to promote drug use...to me that would be irresponsible broadcasting, as well as perpetuating an epidemic.

Spare me the comments and replies about how pot smoking doesn't hurt anyone...it's an herb/plant that God put on the earth and he meant for us to use what he gave us...I've heard it all before. The fact of the matter is that 1) I have never smoked or had the desire to smoke weed/reefer/pot (whatever term you want to call it) 2) it is illegal.
So continue to celebrate your 420 and I will continue to 425 (our code for making an arrest).

FTO Marty Penny #994
Chattanooga Police Department
Special Operations/K-9 Unit

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You're concerned about a radio station making a vague reference to drugs? While we're at it, why don't we make sure they never say "It's 5 o'clock somewhere." You know, teens shouldn't be drinking underage either, therefore shouldn't hear that battle cry of the nine to fiver when it's time to get off work and go wind down with a drink.

Perhaps you haven't been listening to lyrics of songs for the better part of 30 years either. Talking about sex, drugs, and rock n' roll. Since we're marching along with the 'Evil Media Brigade', why don't we condemn the TV too since there's far more violence and drug references there that are not so vague.

You should be more concerned with catching violent criminals and not petty words on a radio station, especially in a nation that is founded on free speech. Instead you should be taking the time to use that freedom of speech and help to educate these children about drugs. Stopping a radio station from saying '4:20' is just sweeping the problem under the rug. You think they'll never hear that somewhere else? If they know how damaging drugs are from education, they'll just shrug it off and tune back into the music.

Paul Smith
Chattanooga

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Promote drug use? Oh, please. I only wish my life was so perfect I could get wrapped around the axle about the number "420."

If you don't smoke dope, you won't know what it means. If you do smoke dope, you already smoke dope.

Wes Ellis
Hixson

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Is this all this officer has to worry about?

How about worrying about how to curb the rampant gang problem in our city and stopping the robberies, shootings and stabbings.

I feel so much safer with minds like this protecting me.

Ronnie Land
Chattanooga

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It would seem to me that the concerned police officer complaining about the 4:20 marijuana reference could ramp up his antenna at the number 88 which is picking up momentum as socially challenged youths are being influenced by latter-day Aryan groups preaching racial hatred and specifically focusing on our just duly-elected President.

For those of you unaware of the 88 reference, it refers to the 8th letter of the alphabet, H, which in prison lingo is an abbreviation of Heil Hitler.

We, as a nation, are at the end of a regnancy which by some perverse logic rewarded the intellectually incurious.There are Pacific Rim and East Asian countries who are educating their children at a rate and level far surpassing our own. Should our next generation of scholars be tainted by the brush of absolute and ignorant racial superiority canards we are dooming ourselves as the pages of time fly by us. The better part of a child's influence begins at home. We forget that at our peril.

Jim Larkin
Bay St. Louis, Miss.

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I would like to say that 1) Most people in the world are very aware of what "420" means and 2) I don't think that "promoting" marijuana use is an issue. I would think that out of all the drugs that there are floating around in the world today, marijuana would be the last anyone should be concerned with.

Why aren't more people concerned with smoking crack, heroin, acid, meth etc.? Those are the drugs that are eating holes through society. So what if someone wants to sit back on the weekend and laugh hysterically for a couple of hours. That's better than smoking crack and all of a sudden having the God syndrome and running around town thinking they're invincible.

Sure all drugs are bad for you in one form or another, but I would much rather deal with the effects of something natural than something chemically made.

I understand that marijuana is illegal, but if there wasn't any good from this at all, then why does the government grow $20 billion of it a year? Why does Tennessee grow $3 billion a year themselves?

I know you're a police officer and I know you "see things that no one else sees," but you cannot tell me that car accidents are caused from it, because you drive too slow on it. You cannot tell me that people do crazy things while on it because it induces a state of lethargy and hunger and that's really all you're concerned with. Furthermore, you cannot tell me that because (in your opinion) a DJ on 105.5 is fueling the marijuana epidemic because people have done it and will do it regardless of what the person that plays their favorite song thinks.

I, frankly, sir, think you have nothing better to do with your time. You should be worried about home invasions, murders, etc. rather than a little ol' weed.

Samantha Edmondson
Chattanooga

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Recently a police officer wrote to express his anxiety over what he claimed was a radio announcer's coded reference to marijuana use.

After saying he would not pay any attention to anyone's defending the use of the plant, he summed up with this: "...it is illegal."

This is the same defense or excuse or rationale so many give for their position opposing so-called illegal immigrants: "It is illegal."

This is the same defense or excuse or rationale so many give for their position opposing any different behavior or different aesthetics: "It is illegal."

How many readers of this forum can remember back only about 40 or so years ago when "it is illegal" for black people to sit at the front of the bus?

How many readers of this forum can remember back only about 40 or so years ago when "it is illegal" for black people to marry with white people?

How many readers of this forum can remember back only about 10 or so years ago when "it is illegal" for grocery stores to open on Sunday?

Can any readers remember when Adolf Hitler could say "it is illegal" for Dutch people to hide the family of Anne Frank?

Of course no one will remember from personal experience, but haven't we all read of the time when "it is illegal" for anyone to help escaped slaves to flee?

"It is illegal" is not a blanket reason for rational and decent people to use. There have been, and there still are, many, many laws that are abhorrent in the eyes of God and of rational and decent people, laws that should be repealed, and that should never have been written in the first place.

Michael Morrison
East Ridge