Official culture never did figure out how to talk about drug use, did it? This 1980 ABC Afterschool Special stars Scott Baio, who had become a national superstar on Happy Days. It’s the story of an uptight and unpopular high school student who, thanks to moderate drug use, learns to loosen up, make some friends, meet a pretty girl, and save his brother’s life after a potentially deadly boating accident.

Wait, that’s not right. I have my notes mixed up here. No, of course it’s the story of a productive young drone who nearly loses it all because of marijuana. A Reefer Madness for the MTV generation, which means that there’ll be some sprightly saxophone work in it somewhere, and at some point a well-meaning teacher will take a moment to “rap” with his students. Two years later, Nancy Reagan started her “Just Say No” campaign. Oy.

On YouTube the special is broken up into eight videos, and it’s missing the very beginning and the very end. You can still get the gist of it, though.
 

Previously on Dangerous Minds:
‘Punk Syndrome: How Parents Can Avoid It’: Legendary ‘ABC Afterschool Special’ comes to YouTube