Cannabis Unites
How many people do you know that smoke weed? I remember in high school, which was primarily a hippie school, everyone use to smoke and it wasn’t only the kids listening to classic rock. A good joint would bring people together from different groups and everyone got along. They could all unite around this amazing plant.
Advocates
Since venturing out and advocating for cannabis, I have met people from all walks of life. Contrary to what society deems, cannabis users are not always the easiest to spot or pick out of the crowd. I mean sure there are a few classic examples of people who use the plant, but surprisingly most do not fit the mold. As people start opening up about marijuana /cannabis, you find people who you would never suspect, actually partake.
I have found weed to bring more people together in a constructive manner than say alcohol. Trust me, I had my fair share of drinking over the years and I know alcohol makes people feel good, but after a period of time, the casual conversation gets louder and sometimes rowdy. This is something I have not experienced personally with cannabis. How is it that there are people out there who still think cannabis is a bad thing, especially now that we have a prescription drug issue. Everywhere you look there is a bar and tobacco products are at every convenience store. The war on drugs doesn’t work and people have been using both alcohol and cannabis throughout history of mankind. I understand people have vices and need a little break from life, but why is cannabis the one that gets demonized by politicians and society? To believe at one time, not too long ago, people honestly thought marijuana users were bad people or worse criminals.
The Glorification
I can hop into my car to go to work and I’ll pass numerous brewery or alcohol billboards. I can’t take the train without see alcohol promotions at every station. After a long day at work, its easy for anyone to make a quick stop at the bar stand before catching the train home. It wasn’t long ago that you could actually buy alcohol on Metro-North. If you are a Yankee fan, you know how loud a train ride back to Connecticut can be with all the intoxicated fans continuing to enjoy their fun. By no means, do I feel alcohol or tobacco need to be illegal. These products are for adult consumption and as a adults we are responsible for our own actions. We all know the dangers.
I do not understand how politicians can sit there and say marijuana shouldn’t be legal. Don’t people deserve the right to choose a healthier and less damaging substance? It’s not the least harmful, but to me it is a little green angel sent from heaven. It may not be the best option for everyone, but at least it should be available as one. As a society, I grew up Camel Joe, Marlboro points and all those beautiful people out on the town, enjoy good times with friends over drinks. We have a history with cannabis that is arguably racist towards cannabis users. When do we finally say enough is enough and stand to make change happen? It’s time to vote out those who do not agree or represent us. This is the intention of the representative vote, to have someone who relates to those they represent.
Racist System?
It’s easy to see statistically now, that cannabis prohibition does not work and has hurt more families and individuals than one could ever imagine. For too long, minorities have been unfairly targeted for cannabis use. As united Americans we should not allow this to continue. Why did it take the states so long to stand up for the rights of their residents? I would suggest the internet is what increased the effectiveness of advocates to tearing down the fallacies I learned as child. The internet gave people access to endless information and helped to open the eyes of those who disbelieved the propaganda. The advocate is no longer automatically discredited.
Educate and Speak Your Mind
It took a few years, but like all information, cannabis studies started to populate the web and advocates could easily share academic studies and statistics. This is what motivates change with politicians, It’s harder to discredit fact when you have multiple resources who have academic proof. It’s hard to argue the value of cannabis as a medicine, but it’s so much more than most think. In 2017, if you have a question about cannabis you can open an internet browser and find both pro and con perspectives. It was when groups like NORML and others started to use the internet to share information that advocates truly started having their voices heard. You no longer needed to attend a meeting to start understanding the truth from others. It would take me years to finally see the truth.
