Ah, Cannabis. A substance that has played a significant part in the war on drugs for years. For most of human history it has been completely legal and used widely for recreational use around the world. However, weed has been illegal for less than a fraction of the time it has been in use. Considering it has been illegal since the 1930s our government must have extensive knowledge on the drug’s effects and only want the best for all of our nation right?
Wrong.
There are several common misconceptions associated with marijuana usage stemming from the propaganda used to outlaw it in the 1930s.
1. Weed kills
False. Alcohol accounts for 88,000 deaths per year Tobacco causes over 480,000 deaths and marijuana kills a total of zero people per year. For most people, weed is harmless! A little ironic that the drug causing the least amount of deaths remains illegal across several states
2. Stoners are dangerous
Wrong. Thousands of non-violent drug offenders are serving life sentences without parole. As long as the, stoners are dangerous stigma remains, weed will stay illegal and thousands more will be thrown in jail for its possession. A combination of prejudice attitudes towards Mexican Americans and people of color and political deception allowed politicians to imprison their opposers and succeed in making the general public fear minorities.
3. Weed is a gateway drug
Nope. The truth is, many stoners don’t even continue smoking weed. There is no scientific evidence to suggest weed causes the usage of other drugs. Weed smokers may be more likely to use other drugs but that doesn’t mean smoking actually causes one to use other drugs. Factors that do cause drug use include poverty, prohibition and association with users of hard drugs.
4. It has no medicinal value
Absolutely not true. This may come as a surprise to some but marijuana is widely used to treat the effects of various disorders and illnesses. It can alleviate pain and promote overall relaxation. Doctors often prescribe medical marijuana to treat seizures, Crohn’s disease, muscle spasms and poor appetite. Watch this video of a man amazingly calming his Parkinson’s disease with just one drop of marijuana.
5. Weed is completely harmless
Although weed is not as harmful as other drugs and alcohol, inhaling smoke will affect the body in one way or another. Marijuana can cause changes in brain function in developing minds under the age of 25. Smoking can increase heart rates and cause forgetfulness in users. Much like drinking alcohol, despite the obvious downsides people should have the freedom to use weed if they choose. As long as they’re aware of the effects of course. Always smoke responsibly.