In the past, admitting that you smoked weed was like saying you were a junkie. “Don’t you realise it’s a gateway drug?” people would ask with astonishment on their face. “What about the mental health risks – aren’t you scared?!”
Today, the landscape has changed because people not only smoke cannabis, but they are happy to admit it too. The stats are in and they make for pleasant reading if you’re a stone. Still, it’s essential to know why more people getting into cannabinoids than ever before and this post can help.
Continue reading to find out more about the rise in cannabis smokers and why it’s no longer stigmatised.
It’s Legal
Okay, it isn’t the UK where possession of the substance might land you in hot water with the police. However, when people look further afield, they see the legalisation of weed around the world and take it as a good sign. Europe has always been ahead of the curve, but now places like the US are jumping on the bandwagon, a historically conservative country. It’s easy to glean from this, the country that started a war on drugs, that cannabis isn’t as dangerous as first thought and the attitudes are remnants of an old-school society.
It’s Backed By Science
Cannabis itself might not be scientifically-proven to revolutionise lifestyles, but the cannabinoids are. Today, more and more medications are getting released which incorporate the healing powers of the plant. From epilepsy drugs to cannabis oil, there is a huge market out there getting ready to blow. Again, what people take from this is that there can’t be much difference between these products and marijuana. Considering medical marijuana is legal, and studies show fewer mental health side-effects, science seems to be on the side of the stoner.
It’s Accessible
Times are changing, and they’re affecting the way people smoke. Who would have thought all you needed to get a hit of nicotine in 2019 was vape liquid and an e-cig? Technology is getting better and better and the advancements are one reason people are smoking more weed. When you can put oil in a vape machine and smoke away without a care, it’s clearly going to introduce more people to the past time. After all, paraphernalia is restrictive and costly compared to a portable e-cigarette that smokes cannabis oil.
It’s A Substitute
Now that people understand that cigarettes are more dangerous than marijuana, they want to find a substitute. Of course, you still want to keep the process; you need to get rid of the negative elements. Weed has become a suitable alternative for all the reasons above and more. Because it’s not a health risk, because it’s accessible, and because it’s similar to smoking, people are jumping on the bandwagon. Yes, it might not be politically correct but it’s happening and it’s happening in a major way.
There’s no doubt the rise in cannabis smokers is down to the evidence that is changing attitudes towards the drug. Plus, with better technology, the habit has skyrocketed. How do you feel about the change?