Today, our guest author talks about cannabis legalization, and why you might want to reconsider your position on it.
So you’re not a fan of cannabis and you think that everyone should just forget about the whole legalization thing because it spells trouble, right? Have you considered that you might be wrong in the debate about cannabis legalization?
If you consider that entire countries have said it was (within limits) acceptable to use cannabis recreationally, not to mention the whole medical cannabis movement, then what is it about it that you don’t like? It’s time to consider a new point of view and change your mind about how you approach the subject. You don’t have to become a big fan of cannabis use, but you don’t have to rag on everyone who is either.
Go Way Back
Much of what society believes these days is deeply rooted in beliefs that were passed down to us from our parents. We so seldom question where these beliefs come from that when we actually stop to consider where the thoughts or feelings are coming from that we find ourselves surprised when we can’t pinpoint when we decided to adopt those thoughts.
For example, if your parents were hippies and loved to smoke cannabis, they might have done everything in their power to get you to stay away from it. You might not even remember those conversations where your parents talked to you about cannabis use; you just know that you don’t like it. So rather than continue trying to crucify those who are excited about the changes happening at government levels related to cannabis use, consider what you might think of it if you were thinking for yourself and not just reciting what you’ve been told your entire life.
Get the Facts Straight
Once you get over the mumbo-jumbo fed to you by your parents, your friends, and your extended family, it’s time to do some research. There is a lot of information flying around right now about cannabis legalization and what it will mean for society as a whole. But you can’t worry about society – it’s huge. All you can worry about is how you are going to interact with the legalization of cannabis.
Even if you’ve decided ahead of time that you’ll have no part of buying or using cannabis, that doesn’t mean you get to judge others who do based on half-hearted opinions of others who choose to rant about how the world is going to end because people are smoking cannabis in the streets. You don’t have to be a big fan, but you have to get all the information in order to make an informed decision. That’s kind of your right as a citizen. Don’t make half-assed and half-informed decisions before you know what you’re working with here.
Recognize the Country (and World) is Big Enough for Both Points of View
You won’t see cannabis users protesting those who choose not to partake, so why are there people protesting those who do? Maybe if we all cared a little more about how we conduct our business in the world and worried a little less about how everyone else is living their lives, we could really be a happy human race. Alas, that’s not likely to happen, but you can do your part by not complaining about how people have made choices that you don’t agree with. Because let’s face it, who cares if people are using cannabis? Unless they are going to open an online headshop in your living room, you really don’t need to spend so much time worrying about it.
When you recognize that people are allowed to conduct themselves in a manner they see fit, and you devote less time to worrying about how said people spend that time, you’ll find it easier to let people (and their habits) just be. So the next time someone brings up the notion of cannabis legalization, resist the urge to go into a full-on boycott of the whole thing and spend some time listening to what others have to say and consider how you really feel before you add your two cents into the mix.
You might be able to change someone else’s mind and remind them that what other people do with their lives is their business. And if you decide that cannabis is really not for you, make the decision to not ruin it for everyone who wants to partake. That’s where the real shift needs to happen in our society. We don’t need to change every single person’s mind and turn them into cannabis-loving consumers…we just need people to understand and respect the choices people make as individuals.
