Reasons Why Being a Stoner Isn't a Bad Thing

Stoner stereotypes aren't generally the most flattering. At best, stoners are very often portrayed, especially in media, as nothing more than comical bums, people who do nothing with their lives but smoke weed. While those characters are often beloved, they also give real legalized marijuana users a bad name, and it's just not a fair characterization of weed enthusiasts. There are just as many reasons why being a stoner isn't a bad thing at all—in fact, it can just as well be a good thing.

You've got a go-to hangout activity.

When you're a stoner, the age old question of "what do you want to do?" is a non-issue. First of all, because smoking itself can be a great social activity, in the same way that many social activities revolve around drinking. The biggest difference between smoking with friends and drinking with friends is that smoking tends to be a lot more relaxed, and no one's going to end up puking on your carpet. Second of all, any group of people who have been smoking together are going to find a much easier time finding something to do that everyone enjoys.

The negative effects are minimal.

You can't get addicted to weed. People might form habits around the drug, but even people who started smoking at a young age and have continued smoking weed every day could quit right now, and have no symptoms of withdrawal. You also won't get hungover after a night of smoking, as you would from a night of drinking, or suffer the detriments to your mood or memory that other drugs can cause. The point is, marijuana is one of the most psychologically safe drugs you can use, and doesn't pose the risk that even more commonly accepted drugs, like alcohol, do.

You're not tied to stereotypes.

One of the most significant reasons why being a stoner isn't a bad thing is really more about what being a stoner means—or rather, doesn't mean. Being a stoner doesn't mean: You wear a lot of tie-dye, you live in your parents' basement, or you don't have a job. It doesn't mean you're any kind of stereotype at all. Especially since so many states have legalized marijuana, more and more people from all walks of life have started smoking every day, or even just semi-regularly, and those stereotypes that may once have limited you to your marijuana use just no longer apply. People of all ages, economic statuses, careers, etc. smoke.

Stoners avoid unnecessary pain.

When marijuana was first legalized, it was for medical purposes. This is because it alleviates all kinds of symptoms, including nausea and pain. Its benefits are not just for people with chronic pain though—it can also relieve pain from migraines and headaches, and even the symptoms of PMS which include headaches, cramps, and mood swings. The point is, marijuana can have many beneficial health effects. Since it has been legalized, those benefits no longer require a doctor's approval for use to deter all kinds of ailments, with fewer negative side effects than a significant number of medical alternatives.

You get to enjoy food all the more.

Being a stoner means understanding just how good food can really be. THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, has been proven to heighten your sense of smell, which in turn makes food tastier and more appetizing in the first place. In fact, eating after smoking is an entirely different experience to eating without smoking, and many stoners find their whole relationship with food has changed. In fact, marijuana has been useful in conjunction with therapy and other forms of rehabilitation for many individuals who suffered from eating disorders, due to its combined ability to heighten the experience of eating, and remove or diminish anxiety.

It can be good for your mental health.

In addition to helping people with eating disorders, weed can have a lot of positive effects on your mental health. In fact, pain isn't the only reason or use for medically legalized marijuana. It has also been proven that people who are smoking weed every day or a few times a week have significantly fewer symptoms of depression than people who don't smoke at all. Also, marijuana helps relax you and can diminish or even eliminate anxiety for many people, making it a useful tool for people with long-term anxiety disorders, PTSD, or any other kind of anxiety.

It's easy to make friends.

Making new friends, especially as an adult, can be difficult, and even nerve-wracking. How do you cross the line between "cool person in class/work/elsewhere that I talk to sometimes" and "friend I hang out with on our free time?" Well, that's a lot easier for people who smoke weed. Especially with legalized marijuana becoming ever more popular and mainstream, it feels easy and natural to ask someone if they'd like to hang out sometime, smoke a bowl, eat an edible. It doesn't have the slightly-awkward am-I-asking-you-on-a-date ring that asking someone if they'd like to get a drink with you has.

It doesn't mean you're irresponsible.

Legalized marijuana is slowly changing the way people view smoking and smokers. One of the stereotypes that used to surround marijuana is that stoners are irresponsible. Being a stoner isn't a bad thing though; on the contrary, responsible parents, business owners, and professionals of all kinds have started smoking regularly, proving that being a stoner is not inconsistent with all manner of positive traits and success. Being a stoner no longer means being "just" a stoner—it means being whatever else you are, and just smoking weed every day or on some kind of regular basis for all kinds of reasons.

Weed can help you lose weight.

Since weed makes food taste better and seem more appealing overall, many people think that it puts people at a higher risk of weight gain and related issues like diabetes. However, a surprising reason why being a stoner isn't a bad thing is that it may actually protect against these detriments to your health. Though the exact mechanism is still under study, significant research has shown that people who make a habit of smoking weed every day or on a regular basis actually have a lower than average weight, and are at decreased risk of diabetes. For people who have diabetes, it can have further benefits, protecting against dangerous surges in blood sugar and helping regulate weight.

Marijuana can stimulate creativity.

Through both anecdotal and empirical scientific evidence, there is large agreement that marijuana can stimulate and boost creativity. This is certainly one of the most significant and wide-ranging reasons why being a stoner isn't a bad thing. This creativity isn't just a matter of assisting inspiration in the fine arts, like drawing, painting, or music. It has been shown to help people look at issues from a new perspective in all kinds of settings, forging new connections and seeing new angles to problems and work in all fields. Of course, this isn't to say that it will improve your performance in your day-to-day work, but it can provide breakthroughs and relief from monotony that can help anyone improve their own lives.