Anybody who knows me knows that I would never dream of touching marijuana.Last semester, however, I was fortunate enough to go abroad to Maastricht, located in the south of the Netherlands. While devoid of fat people, Maastricht does have something the whole family can enjoy: coffee shops. But what's a coffee shop, you ask? Let me take you there.

Someone recommends to you a coffee shop called Heaven. When you walk in, there is a big bar where they serve coffee and tea and other drinks, as well as small snacks (no alcohol allowed). You sit down and order yourself a fresh mint tea. Although the place smells a bit funny, it seems pretty normal as you look around. But wait: what's that other bar in the back? Go ahead and check it out.

You go back there, and there's a strange menu on the bar filled with weird names. Northern lights? Purple haze? Super skunk? Your eyes scan to the top of the list.

Marijuana?! That's illegal! Your mommy and government advertisements have always told you that marijuana was the devil. It makes you lazy and stupid and go on murderous rampages and get pregnant and end up worthless in the gutter with a heroin needle in your arm. And you have no reason to distrust political ads. But mommy also insisted that you be open-minded. "When in Rome," you think to yourself.

The person behind the counter is extremely friendly. She can tell you're new at this, and she seems ready to help. She suggests a pre-rolled joint filled with a mixture of tobacco and Jack Herrer. You avoid eye contact while paying. Still a bit ashamed of yourself, you thank her under your breath.

Then as you go sit down at the table, you take a look around. There doesn't seem to be much trouble; there's nobody yelling or fighting or throwing chairs or throwing up or freaking out or doing anything that could interfere with the well being of themselves or anybody else. There are people of all ages: college kids playing pool, old men playing cards, a young man playing with a grinder, sitting with what looks like his mother, who is talking about something she refers to as the "bukket." It seems just like Starbucks without the pretension.

But you're having second thoughts. Only criminals, losers and vagrants smoke marijuana. Potheads aren't capable of achieving anything. They get terrible grades until they drop out of school and lie on the couch in their parents' basement, wearing nothing more than their own apathy and that orange stuff they get all over themselves from eating Cheetos.

You looked down on these people back home. They are ruining their own lives while destroying the fabric of American society. You don't want to turn into one of them. You like yourself just the way you are. OK, so you stress out a lot and don't get laid and judge people while sitting on a throne of ignorance and self-righteousness. You're still better than those potheads. You have every right to judge them.

Suddenly, someone at a neighboring table extends his arm. He's got a lighter in his hand, you have that joint in yours, and the rest is history. You breathe in deep. You let out a cough. What have you done?

At first, nothing seems to happen. After a few minutes, you start to feel a bit light-headed and quite relaxed. You hear someone sneeze, which for some reason is the funniest thing you've ever heard in your life. After a few minutes of laughing, your mouth is so dry you need to get another drink. You sit back down at your table. In perfect English, the guy who handed you the lighter asks if you're American. A little embarrassed to be such an obvious tourist, you end up having a nice conversation with a perfect stranger.

As you start to leave, you get confused. Although the experience wasn't as awful as you expected, marijuana has to be bad. It's illegal. You freak out-you might get arrested! But relax; you had a memory lapse. You forgot that you're in a country that isn't trying to distract people from legitimate problems by fighting an unwinnable war on its own citizens.

You're in a country that regulates the sale of marijuana, separating the soft drugs from dealers trying to push heroin and cocaine. You're in a country where only six percent of the citizens live below the poverty line, with a violent crime rate eight percent lower than that of the U.S. You're in a country that pays for everyone to go to college and offers universal health care.

But marijuana has to be bad, right?