Cannabis popularity brings a lot more in tow. The more well-known this herb gets, the more we hear about its associated ‘truths’ and ‘facts’. However, most of the time these truths emerge from the uncertainty about the unknown. Since cannabis is still termed a federally illegal drug, a lot of what is known about it is through anecdotal evidence and guesswork. Unfortunately, these statements about cannabis and its users have turned into stereotypes with time.
In this article, we’ll go over four such stereotypes and decide whether these ideologies have any ounce of truth in them.
Stereotype 1: Marijuana Consumers Are Lazy and Unmotivated
Fact: Let’s be clear about something. Thousands of employed members of society are regular consumers of cannabis. And a major part of this number consumes it so they can live a normal life like everybody else around them.
Especially with medical marijuana being legal in multiple states, many people find relief for their medical conditions with cannabis. These people get an MMJ card from a certified clinic in their state where cannabis use is legalized. For instance, in the state of Oklahoma, patients can apply for a medical marijuana card from clinics like 420 Doctors Oklahoma to target a bunch of state-approved medical conditions.
Even recreational users who enjoy a puff or two after work tend to find themselves more relaxed and comfortable, as opposed to lazy and unmotivated.
We cannot deny the fact that some cannabis users are lazy and unmotivated, but we can find just as many lazy people who aren’t high on weed. It’s more about the people involved and not the herb itself.
Stereotype 2: All Cannabis Users Are Consuming Other Drugs Too
Fact: No they are not. Especially if they’re medical marijuana users. MMJ users are always advised against combining their cannabis doses with any other illicit drugs or medications.
And what’s more interesting - some states qualify opioid use disorder as one of the conditions that might require cannabis support. In other words, cannabis actually helps addicts get over their addiction to opioids.
Since cannabis is also intoxicating, it can replace the drugs they’re already consuming. So how does it help? Cannabis, when compared with other drugs, has minimal habit-forming effects. While the drug can make users dependent, its withdrawal symptoms are easier to overcome.
This being said, it is true that multiple people consume different types of drugs at the same time. But that does not mean that cannabis is their point of initiation.
Stereotype 3: All Cannabis Users are Unproductive Couch Potatoes
Fact: Every movie or media representation of a stoner is the same, a lazy guy, lying on the sofa, with red eyes and a dirty beard, munching on some snacks, while the rest of the house looks like a mess (much like him).
However, this representation is fogged up by the age-old perception of what a weed consumer looks like.
Truth be told, you’ll find cannabis users sitting in the grandest and most important office of a company, at one of the hundred desks of the company, and maybe even maintaining the cleanliness of the said company.
Does that mean a cannabis consumer is never an unproductive couch potato? Of course not. But it all comes down to the type of cannabis product being consumed. For instance, products with a high percentage of THC and CBN are more likely to keep you on the couch due to their intoxicating and sedative effects.
Stereotype 4: More Cannabis Leads to Increase in Criminal Activity
Fact: This unfortunate association requires debunking the most. Not only does this false connection put medical and legal users under scrutiny, but also shines a light on the (still) present racial bias.
One study evaluated the effects on the crime rate after a dispensary is opened in a neighborhood in Denver. As per the study, every additional dispensary in a locality led to a 19% reduction in crime in that area (17 crimes every 10,000 citizens).
Researchers also have a lot to say about the racially charged idea of cannabis convictions. The visual representation of marijuana and its relation to criminal activities offered by media outlets have a few things in common. For a very long time, these representations by conservative news outlets have involved people of color. This representation is often unethical and a means of substantiating the already present racial dissonance in the states.
Ending Words
Cannabis use has been associated with hundreds of different stereotypes, biases, and myths that are yet to be resolved or debunked. With the eventual legalization of cannabis across multiple states, the need to provide truthful advocacy has arisen. Here, we have debunked the four most stereotypical statements we have come across.
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