So You Smoke Cannabis (And Why That’s Okay)

So You Smoke Cannabis (And Why That’s Okay)

So, you smoke cannabis. Welcome to the club. This of course is a non-exclusive club, and consists of over 15 million Americans who have consumed in the past month, and roughly 100 million who have smoked at least once in their lives.

Smoking cannabis, despite what propaganda claims, is entirely normal and safe.

However, this might not mean much to you if you have friends or loved ones who may look down upon it; or in some cases, depending on your living situation, even forbid it. This is a tough situation faced by many, and isn’t an easy one to handle. Many of us want to maintain the respect of the ones we care for, and don’t want the conflict that could ensue. But at the same time, just because someone decide to consume an herb doesn’t mean they should be treated negatively, especially in the modern era of Starbucks, energy drinks and rampant pharmaceuticals.

Putting any awkwardness aside, maybe you’ve decided that you no longer want to hide your consumption of this plant (as if it’s something that should need to be “admitted”), and maybe you’re not sure how to approach it. Although we can’t tell you how whoever you’re speaking to will respond, we can give you some information and pointers to use if in that situation, to make sure you’re as prepared as possible to defend your stance. Here we go:

 

1. Be prepared to come at this from an angle that what you’re doing isn’t wrong and is safe.

• Point out the hypocrisy of prohibition, and make note of how propaganda is the sole cause for all of the ridiculous laws surrounding this plant. We don’t see more scientific studies on the benefits of marijuana, mostly because the DEA doesn’t allow it, not even for scientific purposes (http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/19/health/policy/19marijuana.html). Prohibition on scientific discovery leads to a lack of knowledge. Prohibition began before we had any scientific understanding of the plant, and during a time when cannabis was cracked down on because of its prominence in minority cultures (we take a quick look at some of the racist fueled propaganda that led to cannabis prohibition in a recent article). If looked at from a subjective lens, it’s hard to justify cannabis prohibition and the stigma attached to its use.

 

2. Make it clear that cannabis has NO lethal dose, meaning that it is physically impossible to overdose from, and is responsible for literally zero deaths annually. Cannabis is a safe substance. Stick with the facts, and don’t be afraid to cite some sources:

• In a 1997 study funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and published in the American Journal of Public Health. Vol. 87 No. 4, it was found that no degree of marijuana use had any effect on mortality, continuing with the known fact that cannabis is responsible for 0 deaths annually. Remember: There’s no such thing as a marijuana overdose.

• One of the biggest concerns that may be brought forth is a fear of cancer, specifically lung cancer. Well: In 2006 the University of California conducted the largest study of its kind and concluded there is no link between even heavy cannabis use and lung cancer (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/25/AR2006052501729.html). Not only did it conclude that it didn’t lead to this type of cancer, but they found smokers may actually be less prone to it than non-smokers, something the head of the study found surprising himself. A more recent study reported on by the New York Times last year, and published in the Journal of American Medical Associations, found that not only does marijuana use not harm lung function, but users actually performed slightly better on function tests (http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/01/11/marijuana-smoking-does-not-harm-lungs-study-finds/).

• All in all, the most important thing to note is that cannabis has never been scientifically proven to cause any amount of serious long-term harm to the brain or body, and has never been properly linked to any form of cancer or brain damage. You can find a great list of cannabis-related studies by clicking here.

 

3. Be ready to combat the lies. Depending on who you’re talking with, you may find them digging deep into the propaganda handbag.

• For example, many will claim cannabis kills brain cells. That just isn’t true: http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/news/20030701/heavy-marijuana-use-doesnt-damage-brain
• Don’t let them hit you with the “but it’ll make you stupid” argument, either: An American Journal of Epidemiology study published in 1999 reported “no significant differences in cognitive decline between heavy users, light users, and nonusers of cannabis” over a 15-year period: http://druglibrary.org/schaffer/hemp/medical/cannabisuseandcognitivedecline.htm
• If the issue of how it effects the brain even comes up, make sure to throw in the fact that it may delay the onset of Alzheimer’s disease: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15145917/ns/health-alzheimers_disease/t/marijuana-may-help-stave-alzheimers/ – In addition, a study being conducted by Neuroscience Research Australia has shown promising signs that cannabis may very well reverse some of the symptoms of dementia: https://thejointblog.com/new-study-shows-cannabis-may-reverse-symptoms-of-dementia/#.UU1ql1eguHM

 

4. Don’t be afraid to revel in your accomplishments.

• The fact that you might have to “prove” you can function when smoking marijuana is absurd, but the propagandist mind will often be thinking along these lines; that it will negatively effect everything you do. If you’re still holding a steady job, still volunteering in the community, still going to school, still a normal person that can make their own choices…..make it known! Remember that you have no reason to be ashamed of your decision to use cannabis!

• If cannabis use isn’t negatively impacting your life, but instead is improving it, once again, make it known. If it’s said that you’re addicted to it, or could be, let them know there is less of a chance of that then someone getting addicted to their morning cup of coffee, and far less addictive than someone consuming alcohol (which you can point out has a lethal overdose level, which of course cannabis doesn’t http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/821863-overview). Make it clear that you are happy with your choice to use cannabis, and that you find it to be beneficial.

If you’re interested in more studies to cite, dig deep into what we truly know about cannabis. This is an issue where truth tends to be on our side, and minds can certainly be changed.

– TheJointBlog