I Have a Long-Term Relationship with Marijuana

Cannabis. Mary Jane. Devil’s Lettuce. Bud. Magic Dragon. Dope. Herb. Ganja. Kush. Marijuana goes by many names.

But really, its just a plant. It’s a plant that grows wild in many tropical and temperate environments across the world, and it’s the most widely used illicit “drug” on the globe. Over time, my relationship with marijuana has changed, as I’ve come to realize what it means to me personally and politically, and the impact the industry has environmentally and economically speaking. Today, I’ll tell you a little bit more about all of that!

First, I’ll officially say this is my entry to @NaturalMedicine’s COLLECTIVE WISDOM CHALLENGE: Local Medicine. Their work to archive community knowledge about natural and herbal healing is an invaluable addition to the blockchain, and I’m thrilled to participate.

Last week, there was another incredible post about cannabis, authored by Hive account@walkerland: Cannabis Oficially Legal In Canada: Natural Healing & Super Food? At first, I wasn’t sure if another post on cannabis was needed, but as I’d already started working on this, and I think it addresses some different points, it will hopefully serve to contribute to a growing body of knowledge about this wonderful natural asset.

Up next, I’ll tell you about how weed got me through college with a 3.8GPA while working 2 jobs, helped me overcome depression, and continues to help me focus and achieve my goals.

Then I’ll share the 5 reasons I support (legal) marijuana usage!

I know it doesn’t work like this for everyone, but I’ve come to learn that marijuana has predominantly beneficial effects to a type-A personality that is prone to anxiety...like me.

Let’s start at the very beginning.

I grew up on a school bus. My parents have always marched to the beat of their own drummer, and marijuana was never seen as a “drug” in my household. My Dad openly smoked pot around me as a child, and also discussed the myriad reasons why marijuana should be legalized for both its entertainment and medicinal properties. I was taught to see our country’s fixation on labeling pot as a “drug” as part of a systemic failure to recognize its inherent economic and medicinal value.

Although I was raised in this liberal environment, I didn’t try weed until college, experimenting with my best friends in our dorm. In those days, smoking was fun, easy, and affordable. I was in Portland, OR and the culture was 420 friendly and accommodating.

As I went through college my schedule increased, I took on many jobs, and I started to work 70-80 hour weeks regularly.

Sometimes when I came home, my mind racing, the only thing that would calm me down enough to sleep would be to smoke a bowl and watch Xena: Warrior Princess (I digress a bit with this anecdote, but I couldn’t resist). When I didn’t smoke, I’d lie awake for 2-3 hours, unable to stop thinking about my 15-hour day and all of the things I had to do the next. At the time, I knew that marijuana helped me relax and rejuvenate. Now, looking back, I realize that marijuana helped me get through college and maintain my GPA by literally ensuring I got adequate sleep.

After college, I went to New York.

A lot of things happened in the Big Apple - let’s just say I experienced some of the worst days of my life there, and also some of the best. During this time, I had my first bout with major depression although I didn’t know what to call it then. Again, without really understanding why, I found that marijuana helped me focus, rest, and rejuvenate enough to keep doing the things that mattered to me.

Then, I came to Seattle, land of LEGAL weed!

Things continued to happen here, including a break-up that left me devastated. That’s not really the point - but you needed to know it happened because it sparked a particularly bad bout of depression and anxiety. For the first time, I’ve come face-to-face with how my body chemistry reacts to traumatic experiences and I’m learning how to deal with it positively. In many ways, I’m feeling like I have control over my life in a new way - simply by naming the symptoms and facing them dead-on. I also have an incredible support system of people in my life, including my ever-so-patient partner.

Weed has been a big part of gaining control.

Learning how to use this herb, whether smoked or ingested, helps me to gain balance over my emotions and well-being even when things get tough. I fully believe that cannabis is an important tool in my toolkit to help manage depressive and anxious reactions I have to the world around me. I’ve lived a life that has proven for that to be the case time and time again - and its runs counterintuitive to many negative messages you hear about cannabis.

The point is: I was raised to respect cannabis, and its responsible usage. And, I have come to have a long-term relationship with marijuana that has proven to be a healing and positive force in my life.

And now, here are the 5 reasons I support (legal) marijuana usage:

1) Medicinal properties

I use marijuana to relax, and to offset depression and anxiety. I think it’s important to note that sometimes cannabis can exacerbate these symptoms for an individual, especially if used chronically - but for many, it’s a wonderful natural solution. Medical News Today wrote a great article about a recent study at Washington State University showing that in a recent survey of 12,000 adults, many reported that their symptoms of depression halved as a result of medical cannabis use, while symptoms of anxiety and stress were reduced by 58 percent.

2) Less addictive and invasive than other substances.

A report in Scientific Reports shows that marijuana is much safer than many alternatives: including alcohol, tobacco, and cocaine. Huffington Post reported that "Researchers found that marijuana has the lowest risk of mortality and is safer than the commonly used alcohol and tobacco as well as the rest of the drugs in the study.”

3) Economic benefit to our communities.

The marijuana industry has already proven to be an incredible source of revenue for US states who have chosen to legalize. Investopedia says: In 2015, Colorado collected more than $135 million in taxes and fees on medical and recreational marijuana. Sales in the state totaled over $996 million. Sales in North America grew 30%, to $6.7 billion, in 2016, and is projected to increase to $20.1 billion by 2021, according to Arcview Market Research. The impact of this industry on our country as more states adopt these practices could be huge!

4) Opportunity to normalize cannabis and expand into other industries

This incredible plant is relatively easy to grow and can be used for so much more than simply medicine or recreation. Did you know it could be an outstanding source of renewable energy? It can also be used for cloth or paper. Some folks have turned it into “Hempcrete” - a sustainable building alternative for homes. The possibilities are endless, and as we normalize marijuana and start to think of it beyond simply a “drug” - we’ll open ourselves to all of its personal, social and economic healing properties.

5) Social aspects.

Yes, I’ll say it, smoking a bit is my preferred social activity for hanging out with friends. Personally, I prefer it to drinking any day. Historically, folx have been smoking pot for thousands of years: medicinally, recreationally, and for religious purposes. I enjoy the relaxed, non-belligerent environment it creates and the creativity it inspires. :)

Before we wrap up, I need to say:

As wonderful as weed is, the topic of cannabis is complicated in America by a long history of racial injustice built upon the “War on Drugs”. While some of us are enjoying a legalized weed utopia, our country continues to have drug laws and policies that are racially biased and lead to thousands of men and women behind bars in our country for minor cannabis charges. As I’ve grown older, I tend to think about the political implications of marijuana more than I used to - especially because I work in prison and work with men who are still paying for cannabis possession/dealing.

As we enjoy all the benefits of this amazing plant, it’s wise to question why it’s use has been suppressed in our country, and who has the most to gain from its limited accessibility.

Good energy tip for the day - when possible, support Black or minority-owned cannabis shops and retailers. One of my favorite local stores is Ganja Goddess - WA’s first female-owned pot shop.

What is so inspiring about @NaturalMedicine’s challenge is that they ask steemit to think about those remedies that are “close to home” and outside of mainstream medicine. I’m all for discovering ways to keep my body and mind healthy using things that grow in the earth which I can harvest with my own hands!

On that note...here’s Cash enjoying some sun and greenery at my parents house!

A lovely side effect of legalization in Oregon has been that my parents are allowed to grow legal bud! Up to 4 plants per household is the legal limit.

As a plant aficionado with over 20-years of horticultural experience, my Mom is keen to perfect her method for growing fresh weed. She’s been doing a few test batches here and there and sharing the results. I love knowing where my weed comes from - my own backyard!