Opinion: Cannabis Shouldn't Be Illegal In America

When most people think about cannabis culture, it's not a good look. They see teenagers who pretend to smoke it so that they look "edgy," stoners who are more into getting high than anything else, and people who are obsessed with high CBD percentages - even though they don't need the weed.

Truthfully, there is a fair amount of truth to these stereotypes about pothead culture. It'd be a lie to say that certain personalities don't enjoy weed more than others, and it'd also be foolish to think that the fact that it's illegal hasn't skewed the herb's public image.

Because smoking weed is illegal, it's naturally become edgy to do so. However, this isn't a good thing if we're arguing that cannabis shouldn't be illegal in America, simply because it takes away legitimacy from the campaign. Here's why we need to stop acting like smoking pot is edgy - and what we should do instead.

Drug Culture Delegitimizes Cannabis

Drug culture has a lot of problems with it - the most obvious being that a lot of drugs have serious effects and dangers that make them a public health problem. Drugs like heroin, crack, cocaine, and PCP have all been noted for causing overdose deaths, serious spikes in crime, and in some cases, permanent damage.

Cannabis doesn't have overdose deaths or major longterm damage associated with it. It doesn't cause people to become violent. It even has top rated medical benefits that rival or exceed current pharmaceutical products. To put cannabis in the same category as other drugs is just not fair.

Moreover, a person who smokes weed doesn't have the typical personality that other drug users tend to have. When people think of hard drug culture, they get the idea that people are fiending for drugs, stealing to get a fix, or using violent means to just keep their urges met.

This isn't the case for marijuana users. For the most part, they're regular people who just enjoy a relaxing toke once in a while. Putting them in the same category isn't cool or edgy - it's an insult.

Making Cannabis Edgy Also Makes The Movement Look Shallow

Marijuana users can tell you that there are a huge array of reasons why cannabis shouldn't be illegal in America. For years, people have been using oil, CBD, and extracts to help them feel better, cope with pain, and just improve their quality of life.

People who have used CBD-rich cannabis oil have noted that they are calmer, less prone to anxiety attacks, and that PTSD symptoms subside. THC oil has also been used to alleviate pain, improve ADHD symptoms, as well as relieve issues with certain kinds of cancers. These uses have been studied and proven effective by third party groups.

Scientists have even made a point of researching which strains are best for what ailment, only furthering the herb's legitimacy as a cure for a number of problems. Medical marijuana is going to be a major industry in the future, especially when it comes to the natural health world.

That being said, showing marijuana legalization as an edgy act of rebellion is kind of ridiculous. If you really think about it, there's nothing "edgy" about medicine - and marijuana definitely has a medical side to it. Could you imagine if people tried to package Pepto Bismol's legal status with the same level of edginess?

Behaving like marijuana legalization would be a 'party for all' makes marijuana users look shallow, vapid, and irresponsible. Unfortunately, that makes the entire movement look like a bunch of angsty teenagers whining because they can't have beer.

We Can't Expect People To Listen To Us If We Can't Be Taken Seriously

If we want to see more widespread appreciation of the cannabis legalization movement, then we have to act respectable, responsible, and intelligent. Unfortunately, looking edgy won't cut the mustard. So, can we cut this "trendy" idea out, and focus on the facts instead?