Athletics and professional sports, as opposed to more intellectual pursuits like history or literature, have always been of great public interest in the United States – maybe even more so than in other countries. This is why it was such a big deal when US Olympian Michael Phelps (pictured here) was photographed smoking cannabis. That episode can serve as an important marker for how fast things can change in terms of public perception. The reason the photo of Phelps smoking cannabis was a topic of such intense interest and discussion is that it brought the “lazy stoner” stereotype into sharp relief. “You’ll never amount to anything if smoke weed,” is something that millions of people have been told endlessly. Phelps has 28 medals in total. His 23 gold medals are more than double the count of his nearest rivals. Some have suggested that Phelps’ Olympic dominance was major victory in the never- ending battles against propaganda, misinformation and lazy thinking. This is largely because it meant the end of the “If you smoke pot, you’ll never be successful!” nonsense.