The Stigma is Real
For decades, the world has witnessed the proverbial 'throwing under the bus' that cannabis has endured. Although we have seen so much reform and progress around the globe, there are still countries like Malaysia where possession or sales of cannabis can result in the death penalty. In Indonesia, cannabis can net you up to 20 years in prison. That says to me that we may have a long road ahead if we plan to erase the stigma that cannabis carries.
Even here in the U.S. cannabis is illegal in some places, legal recreational other places, legal medically elsewhere, and decriminialized many places (but not all). The lingering issue with legislating cannabis can be attributed to one simple problem: we don't know the truth because we have been lied to. This was the result of propaganda and misinformation, not to mention the suppression of information, fact, and evidence.
Nothing more than a stigma. One that should go up in smoke, once and for all.
As governments all over the world continue to wage war against cannabis and people who choose to utilize the plant, I urge the world community to inform and empower rather than 'barking back'. Let's face it, arguing with government is a fool's errand.
A true waste of time. Instead, we simply use our vote more wisely and elect those who are more likely to listen. As a proponent of liberty and personal freedom, I feel it is our absolute duty to protect the right to profess truth. Thankfully, we have the right to debate the propaganda that has been used for decades to stain the name of cannabis.
This stigma has no place in our society any longer, so let's vaporize it, shall we?
So how do we eradicate the stigma that follows cannabis like it's giving out $100 bills? By sharing information, freely and openly. By being honest and objective, we can provide the world with truth. That, to me, is freedom.
When people are informed with facts and knowledge - they are empowered.
If we connect those people to other empowered people - limitations begin to disappear. We have the ability to connect, share, and educate the entire world (just about).
It simply takes action, large or small - it all adds to the end sum.
Ways that we can ALL propel information about cannabis:
• Talk about it! Ask friends and family what they think about cannabis. This offers an opportunity to learn where the stigma 'roots' and makes it easier to identify what information lacks.
• Write about it! If you have knowledge - share it with the world. There are so many topics under the cannabis umbrella that you could never run out of material to write about.
• Do something positive for the cannabis community! If you own a business, I suggest partnering with a dispensary or cannabis related business and doing a charity event right out front. Do something great for the local community and let the community see the positive impact that cannabis culture can have.
• Research! The more you know, the more you can share. That's a beautiful thing.
• If you use cannabis, mind your manners and etiquette - remember you represent something larger than yourself, so have respect for yourself, as well as the cannabis community.
• Host forums - whether local (in-person) or online, open a platform for discussion so that the community feels like they can voice their opinion and be heard. Many times people come to these events to listen, but we all have something to say. I feel it is important to have an outlet for the community to be heard. Town hall mettings or even local events can make a large impact.
These are simply a few ideas to kickstart your brain. I'm sure that many of you have some truly brilliant ideas that can help us to rid cannabis of the bags that have been wrongfully attached to it for too long. If we allow for more opportunity to open discussion about cannabis it will ultimately lead to more discussion. The more we talk about it - the more we will understand it.
We can all do a small part to achieve something much greater.
That is the power of synergy. I'd like to continue this effort of exploring ways that we can detach cannabis from the censured reputation that it has been wrongully tethered to.
What to expect from this mini-series:
I plan to share my personal thoughts and experiences on how we can go about restoring truth and by removing misrepresentations and exaggeration that mainstream media is too eager to offer. This mini-series will also aim to provide some insight on language - helpful and harmful to the goal of eradicating the stigma, as well as some helpful resources for those looking to further educate themselves on the topic of cannabis.
Whether a reader is a cannabis user or not, it is my intent to offer value to each and every person who stumbles upon this work. I am willing to listen, so if you have a voice then please feel free to share your thoughts below. I will be cross-posting this content on several other platforms in hopes to spread awareness and encourage action amongst the community.
The following portion of this mini-series will explore the essence of this introduction and offer some strategy for individuals who wish to carry this message forward. Without the community this is a bootless endeavor. With it - a grassroots endeavor that is yet to fully bloom.
Thank you for reading!
⚠️ This article has been reformatted for Steemit, by the author - Brandon Holsey / 
Also Published to:
On MEDIUM @ https://medium.com/@brandonholsey/how-to-obtain-a-medical-marijuana-card-in-the-state-of-maryland-54d11b4d33ae
On Steemit @ https://steemit.com/@grow-pro
On Narrative.org @ https://www.narrative.org/m/shrimp2whales
On Trybe.one @ https://trybe.one/user/334