It made me laugh at first when my grandma, someone who wouldn’t immediately strike you as somebody who is even pro-weed, stated that she could use some marijuana in a very laissez-faire tone. Despite the humor in this interaction, it made me think about the other potential positive implications of Issue 2’s passing.
The obvious argument is that it could make life much easier for those who deal with different types of chronic pain. Marijuana has shown it’s capable of reducing the pain and inflammation one might suffer from a condition like arthritis. While studies on this have shown that marijuana might not be much more than a placebo, it doesn’t harbor the same life-threatening side effects that opioids do, such as a user’s tolerance or reliance on opioids, which can cause an overdose or death. In fact, year after year opioids account for seven out of 10 overdose-related deaths in the U.S.
The typical arguments against treatments involving marijuana are the stereotypical effects that marijuana is shown to have, such as stupidity and laziness, which are traits often portrayed in movies or cartoons. Given the time of year, think Shorty from the original “Scary Movie” as an example. Additionally, marijuana is often falsely attributed to violent crime, despite no substantial evidence linking the two. This rhetoric has been pushed closer to the backburner with the legalization efforts across the U.S. over the past few years, but the stigma still exists.
On the subject of crime, the legalization of marijuana would reduce the number of incarcerations in the state of Ohio. Prison overcrowding is one of the main issues when it comes to the living conditions of inmates and reducing the number of non-violent offenders would do wonders to help those conditions.
I’m not here to doubt that there are still side effects to marijuana use and research that still needs to be done to solidify the benefits of its use. I believe that marijuana use is something potential users should contact their doctors about to get a professional opinion; however, making it more readily available for those who do need it is important. Marijuana’s legalization would ensure that obtaining it is not only easier, but also safer, as people who use it would no longer have to risk incarceration or violence by doing so.
Of course, the stoners do exist, and legalizing marijuana will make it easier for them to get their hands on it as well. But, as long as their reasons for doing so – and their actions that follow – don’t harm others, I see no issue. At the end of the day, it’s neither my place nor yours to judge what people do in their free time within legal boundaries.
Most importantly, though, remember that Issue 2 isn’t just a stoner’s issue. Chances are, you have somebody in your life like my grandma, who could benefit from Issue 2 passing.
Logan Adams is a sophomore studying journalism. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnists do not reflect those of The Post. Want to talk more about it? Let Logan know by tweeting him @LoganA_NBA.