Since Canada and several US states legalized marijuana, many documentary films about this psychoactive drug have appeared on Netflix. It is understandable that this digital content-platform is trying to reach the majority of Millennials and Z Gen users.

People are being diagnosed with Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) from using bootleg THC cartridges containing hydrogen cyanide, and I can’t help but wonder how we got to this point. The tests on legal vaping carts did not contain hydrogen cyanide, so we can’t blame this on vape nation. However, the tainted THC carts show us symptoms of a larger problem in America. Cannabis is considered a schedule one narcotic federally in our country. This means that we do not recognize it as having any healthcare applications and believe that it is highly addictive. Another Schedule I narcotic is PCP. Even methamphetamine is considered a Schedule II narcotic, which is legal to prescribe in the US under the name Desoxyn. As research has shown us, cannabis has a myriad of health benefits from anti-inflammatory and pain relief to seizure and PTSD, and the scheduling of medications in the US is extremely political. Because of the extreme anti-marijuana propaganda from the 1930s, cannabis was thrown into Schedule I, and being caught selling or using it can send you to jail and cause hefty fines.

Cannabis, more specifically marijuana, is said to enhance, or even induce, spiritually enlightening experiences. Personally, I would have to agree. All my life I have felt like the “lonely stoner” when it comes to attending a church service somewhere. I have run into many over the years who sincerely believe cannabis is a drug, should remain illegal, and that God would not want us to partake of it in any way shape or form.

Cannabis legalization has always been a touchy topic regardless of whether the debate was about the medical or recreational variant of the plant. Obviously, the biggest reason why there were so many people opposing legalization was the fact that the cannabis industry as a whole lacked scientific background.

Three British MPs predict that cannabis will be made fully legal in the UK within the next 5-10 years.

“On March 18th, 2014 our home in Bates County (Missouri) was raided. We spendt one week in jail. During that time my husband wasn’t given any medications for anything. He had very bad diabetes. He had a silent heart attack in jail and consequently died,” Halbin says. Dolores and her husband, Gene, were married for 40 years. She wears a pendant containing her husband’s ashes.

In an age of advancing medical science and analysis, many professionals are willing to take a different look at substances once dogged by society due to the influence of political and commercial interests. After realizing the medical benefits and general harmlessness of cannabis through deeper study, some states have decided to allow its recreational use. Though only recreationally legal in Oregon, Alaska, Washington State, Washington D.C., Vermont, California, Nevada, Massachusetts, Maine, and Colorado, we may likely see its introduction in a number of new states soon. For reasons both practical and social, many other states are looking into this possibility. As many political, commercial, and social forces have grown to see the potential assets and benefits offered by cannabis, the tide of legalization is beginning to come in. With the coming 2018 midterm elections, many ballot initiatives and power shifts, as well as votes by various state legislatures, are expected to bring about cannabis reform in a number of new states. With voters support rising and the potential profits becoming apparent, legalization is expected to expand past the United States of America in the near future. Though there is still a great deal of push-back from the federal government, numerous states are expected to legalize marijuana by 2019 or soon after.

As of October 17th, 2018, Justin Trudeau’s promise to legalize recreational use of marijuana has finally come to pass. To many Canadians, today represents the historic end of a prohibition on a harmless little green plant. I do support the idea that government has been ineffective in deterring usage of this drug and we are better off with legalization than otherwise. However, I believe the government has many some crucial missteps with the role out of this policy in Canada. And more importantly, the disingenuous lie about marijuana usage that seems to be coming along with these changes is nothing short of dangerous.

Support for the legalization of marijuana use is at an all time high. Nearly two-thirds of the United States favor broad recreational and medical use! There are four "types" of different laws related to the use of pot: Recreational, Medicinal, Decriminalized, and straight up Illegal.

A bill has been proposed by Senator Cory Gardner (R, Colorado) and Senator Elizabeth Warren (D, Massachusetts) that will amend the Controlled Substances Act and loosen federal regulations on marijuana, and it's being supported by non other than President Donald J. Trump. Yes, the same man that appointed Jeff Sessions, a man who has stated that heroine and weed are essentially the same thing, has come out in support for the reclassification of marijuana.

This week it was announced that Canada legalized marijuana. While medical pot has been legal for some time, there were a number of restrictions in place, which have lessened over recent years. Cannabis provides a lot of medicinal benefits for people: Pain relief, cancer and chemotherapy treatments, epilepsy, arthritis, glaucoma, and many more. Providing access for health reasons was a big step forward, but what about recreational users?

In a world filled with opioid addiction, we have found a natural alternative. The problem is that it is illegal in most states. I know you are probably thinking, well, medical marijuana is legal in some of these places. However, there are issues getting access to that even in states where it is legal.