The Promotion of Drug Use in BMX

Ohhh shit, Karl Poynter is on here. That's awesome, one of my favorite riders actually, and my brother's too! Welcome!

I agree with all this. I feel like a lot of riders are heavily into drugs. Brandon Begin in particular is the one that really burns me. He really almost goes out of his way to promote it constantly. He isn't that interesting to watch from my experiences, but over and over i see kids wanting to BE like him. Which sucks personally. I wouldn't wanna be like a guy who fell on his head trying to half cab El Toro. If not for sucking that bad, he wouldn't even really be on anyones radar. And that Game of BIKE between him and LZ was morbidly bad. All Begin did was bitch and moan.

On that note, i'd like to say that Adam LZ, which is a huge name in BMX, along with Aaron Ross and many others exclusively promote no drug usage, and i'd say that most look up to them MORE than Begin, or Crumlish. I wouldn't hate on them or anything either, i just do see it as a negative and lame thing. I know for a fact that more kids are going to like Adam LZ over Begin. Just because parents like LZ more and it's a hell of a lot easier for parents to get behind him and like the riding. Supportive parents is a good thing.

I'd also like to say that i'm not really blurting out these names, i'm just stating the more popular riders.

The way I see it, if you're gonna have a pull in BMX, you better create something to be proud of! That's why i hate when an artist will purposely make a bad song just to say something.

Also, since you have been with Profile for a little while, have you ridden the Profile Coaster? If you can give us some insight on what it's like to ride it, that'd be sick.

I agree that drug use does give bmx a bad reputation, but i also believe that it's called "freestyle" for a reason. not only can you do basically whatever with your bike and your riding, but you can incorporate BMX into your current lifestyle. a lot of the guys I know ride BMX because they're perma-fried and they feel the bmx feels better than a skate board when they're high. while i'm opposed to hard drugs, softer stuff like weed isn't too bad. if a pothead wants to ride bmx and tell his friends what he does off the bike, power to him.

i also feel that the honesty about drug use is one of the best parts of the social aspect of BMX. sure it looks bad when a BMXer whips out a bong at the skate park, but at least we aren't roadies. ask anyone who rides a road bike about EPO and they'll get hella offended and go off on some crazy tangent. i love that we are comfortable with people enough to allow open drug users into our sport. UCI sanctioned racers and riders have to put on a "clean" image then get mired in scandal when they get caught using their drug of choice.

Yeah, it definitely sucks. It's not just BMX though. Promotion of marijuana use is basically everywhere. I don't like it but there really isn't much we can do about it. Personally, I have never touched "the devil's lettuce" even though I have had a couple opportunities to do so. I'm just not really into that which may be surprising to some, considering I am an irresponsible, 15 year old, jerk off.

It does suck that because I ride BMX, I am labeled as a pothead. My cousins and peers think I smoke because they say, "All of the bikers do it." Which is obviously untrue but it proves the point that the promotion of drugs in BMX is giving the nondruggies a bad rep.

I know a few people who smoke and I don't really care. I don't think it makes you a bad person if you smoke weed or whatever. I'm just not about that life.

Stocksy wrote:

Yeah, it definitely sucks. It's not just BMX though. Promotion of marijuana use is basically everywhere. I don't like it but ...more

Stocksy wrote:

Yeah, it definitely sucks. It's not just BMX though. Promotion of marijuana use is basically everywhere. I don't like it but there really isn't much we can do about it. Personally, I have never touched "the devil's lettuce" even though I have had a couple opportunities to do so. I'm just not really into that which may be surprising to some, considering I am an irresponsible, 15 year old, jerk off.

It does suck that because I ride BMX, I am labeled as a pothead. My cousins and peers think I smoke because they say, "All of the bikers do it." Which is obviously untrue but it proves the point that the promotion of drugs in BMX is giving the nondruggies a bad rep.

I know a few people who smoke and I don't really care. I don't think it makes you a bad person if you smoke weed or whatever. I'm just not about that life.

...more

I agree about this. People always think that i smoke, especially because of my bike. It's not like It's unaccessible to me, and being in college, it's incredibly easy to do so, almost easier than buying a pack of cigarettes on this campus.

Which is another point i wanna make. I have gotten this ticket because they automatically label me as a punk for riding bikes, and they ADMITTED it. Which is sad. And completely untrue.

Yeah. I guess being labeled is kind of irrelevant to promoting drug use in a way though. People are just shallow.

I'm 100% with you on that one Karl. You're free to do whatever you want in your life, go smoke weed or do drugs, whatever. But I really feel like it shouldn't be one of those things that is almost mandatory to put in an edit/video nowadays, too many people feel they HAVE to include a random clip of their buddy lighting up blunt or a bong, or the infamous "exhale smoke all over the camera while it's pointed at you" thing. It's just a real douche bag thing to do in my opinion, even more of a douche bag thing to do if it's drugs like cocaine or something.

Not to mention all the kids who watch that stuff and are easily impressionable and will think all that stuff is cool just because their favorite riders do it, then they eventually get caught for it and their parents find out they started doing whatever because they saw it in a bmx video, then soon enough you got a group of pissed off moms all pissed off at bmx.


That being said, I don't care what you do in your free time. Smoke a joint, snort a line, bang a hooker while dropping a gallon of LSD, just keep it out of bmx. I'm fine if it's something not too noticeable, but the excessive amounts of videos going up on TheComeUp with people making it a point to basically advertise their drug use is so damn annoying that I've stopped checking it altogether. If a video is good enough, I'll hear about it, or see the company post about it on instagram.

Blow kush in yo face and skrrt of on mah bike boi LBC reppin OSS eryday u kno it

Aren't we all forgeting the criminal antics little devil/baco/props etc got upto in the past?

Man fuck it you want to smok so you smoke if you dont so dont smoke everybody has a brain to think. Who cares about bad opinion ? Riding street destroying ledges and rails makes bad opinion so i personally dont care about it

peggiesmalls wrote:

Aren't we all forgeting the criminal antics little devil/baco/props etc got upto in the past?

peggiesmalls wrote:

Aren't we all forgeting the criminal antics little devil/baco/props etc got upto in the past?

...more

This. I personally don't give a shit what people do, but I find it funny that FBM and Little Devil videos that have blatant destruction, and people chugging beers left and right are heralded as classics, but if someone lights up a joint in their vid it's holding back BMX. BMX is rebellion, so I don't really have an issue with footage of people doing whatever the hell it is they're gonna do. That said, 90% of videos that people smoke in suck, between foot high ledge riding and shitty trap rap. But that's a different story...

Beer and weed are legal in my state.

Just because something is illegal doesn't make it bad. Alcohol and cigarettes kill allot more people in the U.S. then weed ever will (zero fatalities). I don't encourage young people to smoke weed, because at that age (under 18), your brain isn't fully developed yet. I agree with OP that you shouldn't push your agenda in BMX videos/whatever, but at the same time there are far worst drugs than marijuana out there. I have some fairly motivated/successful friends that toke from time to time. I also have some pretty lazy, video game addicted, man-child friends who smoke constantly. I always thought of it like ""Marijuana is all about enjoying life, but life is not all about enjoying marijuana.".

People unfortunately confuse things they think for having an extreme sport they need to use drugs automatically as pre requisite to be part of the sport and that's sad because these people usually do this influenced by other people and there we see the difference between bmx 'ers and drug users who want to create a negative lifestyle and that unfortunately they think is cool promotes it. In the end they end up tarnishing the name of an amazing sport and of the all its good riders.

Hey! I just totally had the best idea!

How about if you worry about you, and I'll worry about me.

Edit: I niced it up a bit.

I'm just kinda over everyone thinking they need to chip in about how others set their bikes up, what they do, who they fuck, whatever.

I don't think we need to rid of promotion of drugs and alcohol in bmx, or destruction. Just don't make it the face of bmx. It can go down, but I don't want it being what represents us. Bmx symbolizes nothing more than riding a kid's bike in a fancy way. Not rebellion or drugs or being crazy, just like it doesn't represent a guy who eats well and wirks out often, as there are many that fit in each demographic. Edit, tecnic niced up a bit.

We can do what we want. The shitty side of that is the younger generations are looking up. There will always be influence. At the least we can try to keep bmx more about bmx. All the personal shit doesn't really matter. All you need for freestyle is the bike.

and someshit is just obviously promoted in a slick way.


ok so some people say they ride better when high... so what? We all know what a sober rider can do too. Or a drunk rider... Doesn't mean much in the end. Just ride and keep shit positive.

Kids riding bikes is a good thing. The more kids on bikes, the more BMX grows. The more BMX grows, the better. This leads to companies being able to continue existing / doing more innovative things, skateparks staying open, videos being produced, pro riders getting paid, contests happening, etc.

I got my first BMX bike when I was 13-years-old (I'm 28 now). My parents bought it for me (I was a child without a job or any source of income). A lot has changed since then. If this took place today, I'm sure they would have looked into BMX and BMX bikes on the internet before making a purchase. If they saw a whole bunch of drug use (even if it's just weed), I'm sure it would have been a big turn off and I doubt they would have gotten me a bike.

A lot of BMX companies are hurting right now. Remember hearing about all of the BMX riders losing sponsors a few months ago? That's not because they're a bunch of jerks. It's because we need to be selling more bikes. Is there a correlation between this and drug use in videos? I don't know - but I can guarantee it's not helping getting new kids into BMX.

I think most marijuana laws are absolutely ridiculous and I probably love beer more than everyone else in the world, but there's a time and a place for everything and, in my opinion, it's not in front of a camera. BMX is a youth-driven sport. I'd like it to be welcoming to new riders and to their families.

And, to Karl's final point, cheers to the fact that there is A LOT of awesome stuff going on in BMX. That makes me happy.

If you think drug use should stay out of bmx, then you should just quit bmx and go back to church. Bmx isn't about being moral and clean cut and shit. It's already against the law (destruction of property, disturbing the peace, etc.), and drugs are just another classic element of bmx. Drugs are an essential aspect of bmx, but it's sad so few kids are doin em.

woman wrote:

If you think drug use should stay out of bmx, then you should just quit bmx and go back to church. Bmx isn't about being moral ...more

woman wrote:

If you think drug use should stay out of bmx, then you should just quit bmx and go back to church. Bmx isn't about being moral and clean cut and shit. It's already against the law (destruction of property, disturbing the peace, etc.), and drugs are just another classic element of bmx. Drugs are an essential aspect of bmx, but it's sad so few kids are doin em.

...more

Your method of trolling isn't original or groundbreaking if you thought you were being clever or something by saying that.

sundaybmxRR wrote:

Your method of trolling isn't original or groundbreaking if you thought you were being clever or something by saying that.

sundaybmxRR wrote:

Your method of trolling isn't original or groundbreaking if you thought you were being clever or something by saying that.

...more

guess what, bitch. I wasn't trolling. Now go eat your dad's shit, if you aren't already.

woman wrote:

guess what, bitch. I wasn't trolling. Now go eat your dad's shit, if you aren't already.

woman wrote:

guess what, bitch. I wasn't trolling. Now go eat your dad's shit, if you aren't already.

...more

"Now go eat your dad's shit"

Go eat my dad is shit?

Now you're not only shit at trolling, but also shit at grammar.

sundaybmxRR wrote:

"Now go eat your dad's shit"

Go eat my dad is shit?

Now you're not only shit at trolling, but also shit at grammar.

sundaybmxRR wrote:

"Now go eat your dad's shit"

Go eat my dad is shit?

Now you're not only shit at trolling, but also shit at grammar.

...more

Actually, what I said is completely grammatically correct.

woman wrote:

Actually, what I said is completely grammatically correct.

woman wrote:

Actually, what I said is completely grammatically correct.

...more

Actually, it can work both ways. Kinda like you apparently.

sundaybmxRR wrote:

Actually, it can work both ways. Kinda like you apparently.

sundaybmxRR wrote:

Actually, it can work both ways. Kinda like you apparently.

...more

You're an idiot. It works one way, and you saw it the wrong way.

woman wrote:

You're an idiot. It works one way, and you saw it the wrong way.

woman wrote:

You're an idiot. It works one way, and you saw it the wrong way.

...more

"Dad's" = possessive or contraction of "Dad & Is"

I said what I said to try and bust your balls.






Well this thread derailed fast.

sundaybmxRR wrote:

"Dad's" = possessive or contraction of "Dad & Is"

I said what I said to try and bust your balls.






Well this thread ...more

sundaybmxRR wrote:

"Dad's" = possessive or contraction of "Dad & Is"

I said what I said to try and bust your balls.






Well this thread derailed fast.

...more

Nice..pretending your act of ignorance was intentional. And you have to see it in context - in context, it goes just one way.
Whatever, I don't care enough to continue this argument.
You're an idiot. Drugs are awesome...drugs and BMX all day!

Your essentally labeled as a delinquent P.O.S. Just for being on a bmx. I'm 35 years old. Through years of experience, both sober and "not so much" I can say, without a doubt. "Your damned if you do, damned if you don't" The problem with BMX is this, we are not taken seriously. Why should you as a rider, take anything seriously?

Drugs or no drugs? It's personal preference, and none of my buisness. Put butts in seats by riding. Healthy lifestyle or drugged up anarchist? Who cares go ride your bike.

woman wrote:

If you think drug use should stay out of bmx, then you should just quit bmx and go back to church. Bmx isn't about being moral ...more

woman wrote:

If you think drug use should stay out of bmx, then you should just quit bmx and go back to church. Bmx isn't about being moral and clean cut and shit. It's already against the law (destruction of property, disturbing the peace, etc.), and drugs are just another classic element of bmx. Drugs are an essential aspect of bmx, but it's sad so few kids are doin em.

...more

Although the majority of this is dumb, there is a point to it. I don't think just because you BMX you should just be bad.

"There are good and bad criminals, you choose what you wanna be" --Mike Better Call Saul

If BMX is a criminal act, which nowadays and in my current situation, it almost seems like it is. When really, it's just old people not understanding something different.

Don't like the way I ride my bike, oh well. I hardly think a few marks on a wall and a few scratches on an unused bench are a criminal act. Or even moving dirt around. I really don't feel like BMX is even remotely wrong. It's just different. There is nothing wrong with different. And actually, its art in motion. All good art has no other point than itself. And that's exactly what BMX is. Especially in video form. It's no different from a beautiful painting. There is never really a reason to do a trick other than you want to. There is nothing BMX does that isn't itself. I know this is sounding really strange and corny to some, but it makes perfect sense.

And if you wanna ever push BMX in a direction, let's push it in the artful direction. Every decent and even mediocre BMXer has their own way of being. Like Monet and Picasso and then on to Warhol. It's all different in it's own way, showing it's expression of the life that person leads. It's a new idea too. If people would recognize it as an Art it'd be more accepted.

And on to the drug idea you're saying. Drugs are not all terrible, but they do have side effects. Even weed. It makes people care less. I have noticed this by being friends with people that didn't use it and they started and it's almost an immediate difference. It isn't safe to ride high. For the same reason i wouldn't ride drunk. It's stupid. Nobody rides better after a bong rip. You just THINK you do. It's an impairment. Scrambling the senses and ruining it.

Don't get me wrong either, i couldn't give a shit if people smoke weed or not. Just don't put that into my life. I got my own world to live through, and i don't need you.

Never have they ever been essential. Part of it, yes. BMX is art, maybe a bit of a lifestyle choice too if you are into that.