Michael Phelps is one of the most decorated Olympians of all time and has decided to retire and enjoy his life with his new budding family. He is well liked and very respected in the world but some people have doubts about him due to one incident 7 years ago.

In February of 2009, 23 year old Michael Phelps apologized for an incident where he was caught on camera at a party smoking a bong that was allegedly marijuana. The party took place just three months after the Olympics, where he brought home 8 gold medals, while he was taking a break from training. No one knows how often Phelps indulged in this but common sense says that it was not his first time. He came out saying sorry for his actions and promised his fans and the world that he would never partake in the activity again. This was not entirely true when in 2014 he was arrested in for his second DUI (his first being in 2004). This just proves that Michael Phelps is not any better than the rest of us.

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He has not lost much except for being taken off of the Kellogg's cereal box. He now has 28 medals, the most in Olympic history, a beautiful baby boy, is engaged to a wonderful women, and still has many sponsors who supported him after he came out with the news.

The war on drugs and zero tolerance has made it to where the truth sometimes becomes buried because of the stigma that is attached to being a drug user. There are more reasons that people smoke marijuana than just recreationally. There have been many medical advances to the drug such as easing some of the pain and suffering associated with cancer.

No one knows if Phelps is a recreational user but I believe if he was that he would be a high profile example for those that engage in recreational drug use and do not suffer any adverse affects other than exposing themselves to criminal penalties due to drug prohibition. It's true that people do suffer from drug addiction but that does not mean they should be demonized by the moral majority who refuse to recognize that the criminal sanctions for using illegal drugs is in itself immoral. Phelps has shown that even though you smoke marijuana, you can be a functional person and be successful in life.