nugs

Coming out of the ‘closet’ … even if only to friends and family about your cannabis use, can have a huge positive impact on moving the legalization of cannabis forward.  When somebody comes out to their family, they now have a face to attach the issue to.  It is no longer a miscellaneous person, it is a family member who is sane, reasonable, and happens to use cannabis.

In 1996, the cannabis movement reached a tipping point in California due to the efforts of many groups, but most notably thanks to the gay community.  Dennis Peron, a very active member of the cannabis and gay community is the co-founder of the first public collective in San Francisco (The Cannabis Buyers Club), and conceived and co-authored CA Prop 215, legalizing medical cannabis in California.  The movement subsequently spread nationwide.  Mr. Peron learned how to effectively communicate that people cannot discriminate against someone for their sexuality and/or choice of medication.  We should look to Mr. Peron’s and the gay community’s leadership because they have had the most success framing this issue and there are many parallels between the two communities (LGBT & MMJ).  Both communities have dealt with facing stereotypes, prejudices, propaganda, with the most egregious response being incarceration.

Changing social norms starts with education.  If the cannabis community is to gain acceptance, we must speak out.  Your friends and family should know why it is that you use cannabis and that, scientifically speaking, there is nothing wrong with consuming this harmless plant (it is non-toxic, non-addictive, has no lethal dose, and has numerous medicinal uses). 

We all have a duty as cannabis users to make sure that what is disseminated in the mainstream media are scientific facts and not propaganda.  We must educate ourselves and others, and come out of the ‘cannabis closet’ as there is too much at stake to remain silent in our efforts to legalize this plant.