"Pulps and Pot: Surfing Problems," by Patrick McNulty (above), ran on SURFER's editorial page in the September 1967 issue. McNulty was SURFER's editor from 1965 until 1968 when he was replaced by Drew Kampion.

The changing problems facing the sport of surfing are reflected in mail crossing the editor's desk. A few years ago, the letters mostly were concerned with erasing the "gremmie" image that has pretty much disappeared. But new problems always are cropping up. For example, from Santa Cruz, Terry McDonald writes: "How about the flood of pulp paperbacks that are giving surfing a black eye?" McDonald complained that typical is "The Demons," a paperback making the rounds of supermarket and drugstore racks. The book features a colorful cover of a bikini-clad blonde standing in front of a surfer on a Waimea-sized wave. The blurb on the cover says: "The Demons fascinated rich, young Mat van der Heide. They were tough, scornful, with a weird language of their own and one aim in life — surfing. Mat had two things that interested the surfers — unlimited money and a fabulous girlfriend. The Demons' leader let him know he'd be welcome — if he were ready to share both."

Another new problem was spelled out in a letter from Jim Kramer of San Diego: "Statistics show that pot smoking is getting to be a teenage fad. And it's only logical to assume that teen-age surfers are bound to be involved ... that's all surfing needs, a newspaper headline, SURFERS ARRESTED IN MARIJUANA RAID." Kramer added, "And think of the bad publicity if a top surfing star was involved."

So those are a couple of new problems. Like many others, pulp books sensationalizing surfing and the fad of pot-smoking will pass from the scene. But while they're with us, every surfer should be concerned because these problems can do surfing a great deal of harm—especially pot-smoking since it affects the heart of the sport: the athletes themselves. And it should be pointed out that no real athlete uses stimulants or depressants to improve his performance. Imagine baseball's Mickey Mantle or football's Bob Hayes relying on the fumes of a burning Mexican weed to give him a physical edge. Mantle and Hayes know—as any surfer should know—that there's no substitute for good reflexes, conditioning, and the will to win.

"PULPS AND POT: SURFING PROBLEMS," BY PATRICK MCNULTY (1967)

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