My BFF Mary Jane

Colorado Takes the Lead

Marijuana goes by many names-Hemp, Weed, grass, pot, ganja, hashish, wacky tabacky, Mary Jane and the technical name, Cannabis.  Marijuana has been around for a long time.  It has been used medically, recreationally, and spiritually for about 5,000 years.  Originally it was used in 2727 BC for medicinal purposes in China.   While other drugs are on the decline, Marijuana use is increasing.  “ In 2012, there were 18.9 million current (past-month) users ". It has become the most used illicit drug in the United States; however, that could quickly change as laws are being challenged and changed. Colorado was the first to legalize marijuana for recreational use on November 6, 2012. Colorado's action has spurred an outpouring of support for the weed reform.   Currently it is legal in twenty-three states and the District of Columbia for medicinal use.  Washington, Oregon, and Alaska have followed Colorado's lead to legalized recreational marijuana use.  

Physical Context
The physical context is Colorado.  Although recreational marijuana was legalized in 2012, it took lawmakers and regulators over a year to approve the opening of the first marijuana retail stores. On January 1, 2014, hundreds of patrons waited hours in long lines to legally purchase marijuana.  People came from several states and even other countries to participate what some called a piece of history.  Patrons cheered as marijuana purchases were held in the air upon leaving the store.  Colorado residents over the age of 21 can purchase up to an ounce of pot (non-residents are limited to a quarter).  It is illegal to take marijuana out of the state. Edible treats such as chocolate truffles laced with marijuana can be purchased at these retail stores.

Psychological context

With the legalization of such a popular drug, social media spread what pot enthusiast would say as the good news. Although a few sites supporting the marijuana reform movement reported difficulty using social media such as Canalawblog  who complained Facebook blocked them because of their anti-drug policy and Inquisitor  who back up canalawblog’s claim with a headline, “No Hoax, 2015 Legal Marijuana Ban by Facebook, there is no evidence social media is restricting any such activity. A Facebook search for marijuana reveals a plethora of sites. 

 
One popular Facebook site the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, NORML, was founded by Keith Stroup who openly admits illegally using marijuana since he founded NORML in 1970.  This Facebook site posts articles highlighting the success of the movement to legalize marijuana.  Many of the posts sensationalize the use of marijuana and minimize the risks. They create a feeling that marijuana is safe and morally acceptable.  There are articles posted on the site about how to use responsibility.  Another article on NORML's site is about a "hip" Rabbi who claims that pot is kosher and appropriate for the passover. This Facebook sites touts in 2012  Keith, NORML's founder, received the High Times Lifetime Achievement Award. Sounds pretty prestigious--A lifetime achievement award. But who is the High Times? High Times is a self professed news reporting site for pot users.  

Social media sites like these glamorizes marijuana use.  It also creates the illusion that marijuana use is socially acceptable and that everyone is doing it.  Jesse Walker commented about a full page marijuana ad placed in the New York Times. He said, [It] just doesn't sound all that bizarre anymore. That’s when you know a social revolution is succeeding: when it starts to feel banal."

Temporal Context: 
The controversy over the legalization of marijuana has been going on for decades. The digital revolution may very well be the catalyst for moving the country forward or backwards depending on which side you stand. Facebook and smart phone apps makes it easy to promote ones cause. Advertising through social media is inexpensive and can reach a large audience.  The use of citizen journalism is also an avenue of spreading information which can be confusing on both sides of the issue because of incorrect facts reported. Miss-information can not only be confusing, it can be harmful especially when making a decision about the use of a mind-altering substance.   

Cultural:
Marijuana was big in the sixties when the baby boomers were in there teen years.  Drugs and free sex were a rebellion to their parents strict rules and mandatory compliance. Marijuana was the road to freedom for these rebellious teens.  Fifty years later with the legalization of the drug of the sixties creates a whole new culture. In Colorado,"There are 698 storefronts you can walk into to buy medical or retail marijuana as of this April 20, more than triple the number Starbucks (216) in the state." The retail shops sell candy bars, brownies, vapors and other marijuana goodies and paraphernalia.  Michael B. Hancock, mayor of Denver, applauds the marijuana movement.  He commented,"Denver is a progressive city, a vibrant city, and it's incumbent on all of us to continue getting it right."  

Organizations such as Leafly contributes to the marijuana movement culture by integrating social media to promote and create a social network for pot users. Leafly calls itself the worlds largest cannabis information resource.  Their slogan " Just say know "  is a spin on Hilary Clinton's war on drug slogan "Just say no".  Business Insider has called  Leafly the"Yelp for weed". 

Their app for the Iphone and android won Geekwires app of the year award in 2014 and has over 2 million downloads.   WeedMaps is another pot-focused social networking app "which help users find pot dispensaries and review specific cannabis strains. '' There is even a dating app catered to pot users called "High There". If your thinking about making a career in the marijuana business, there's an app for that too.  Just released in March "Weedhire" helps job-seekers and employers in the cannabis business. All these new connections give the impression that if you not on board, you're behind the times. 

Social: 
The advocates for legalizing marijuana use positive terms such as: progressive, safe, and non-addictive.  They either carefully downplay the negative affects of marijuana or omit them altogether. A news article about a student who traveled to Colorado to try marijuana and then jumped to his death after eating a cookie laced with marijuana was minimized by stating it was the first reported case. Edible marijuana products come in candy bars, cookies,brownies and other mouth watering treats.  In a another news article, CBS reported about the dangers of these edible marijuana treats.  The article included stories of a man who shot his wife, a 10 year old kid that brought a marijuana laced treats to school, and kids selling marijuana laced brownies.  The article concluded by stating we need to be educated about marijuana and use responsibly. 


The norms about drug use are changing.  People who were once considered pot heads are now uniting with other users and,as one blogger put it, coming out of the closet. People who use pot now have a myriad of support through social media and cool new apps.  Hash tags, tweets, and instagram are being flooded with information which is often times misleading or incorrect. There are misconceptions that marijuana is safe and non-addictive.  Marijuana is a drug, and has been proven to be addictive especially in young adults. Marijuana has a large range of negative physical and mental effects that shouldn't be overlooked.