The changing culture prompted by marijuana legalization is on the increase; there is no doubt about it. Markets are starting to introduce novelties such as pot vending machines (this one will be a success!), cannabis-centered news organizations are popping out and soon you’ll be hearing from weed-friendly party or wedding planners. Is the society ready for such a shift in cultural events? Is the public keeping up? Are you keeping up with the idea of pot smell on streets of your town?
The Complicated Reality Of Legalization
Marijuana use it not a damning force anymore, not even for the political realm. Think of Obama confessing he smoked pot “as a kid”. A new Quinnipiac University poll finds that 77 percent of New York voters say that it would not affect their vote in any way if a candidate for governor had used weed in the past. 64 percent of Republicans and 78 percent of Democrats agree. However, this does not mean that the public is ecstatic about legalization. If you look at other results from the same poll, you will find out that 82 percent overall say if recreational marijuana use became legal, they still would “definitely” or “probably” not use it. This is complex material and should be discussed as such. We could go on and say that people don’t see others who consume pot as a threat (sure, when we think of a pothead, we all have the same visual in our minds – a smiling face with squinty eyes), but when it comes to their own consumption, they might start to think of all the potentially harmful things, such as short term memory loss or lung cancer.
Not Even Coloradans Are On Board
Last month’s similar poll of Colorado voters from the same college also revealed some reservations about recreational marijuana legislation. Though the majority of people from Colorado still support pot legalization, 66 percent said marijuana use should be limited to members-only clubs and it shouldn’t be sold in bars, clubs and entertainment venues. Naturally, this is all very new to Americans and it is normal to show some kind of fear towards the unknown. However, it is important to have in mind a broader picture. Think of Amsterdam. Think of adult people being responsible for their own actions. And think of it this way – legal marijuana being available for recreational use is different from earlier times in only one way– it’s legal. And that doesn’t mean that more people will want to consume it. That simply means that same people as before will continue to consume it, only this time without the fear of being arrested because of it.
