Marijuana as a Community Literacy

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   Although the use of marijuana is frowned upon by the law, the act is becoming more socially acceptable in today's society. Being a freshman at a highly pot-ulated university, I've grown to the conclusion that the use of marijuana is a way of culture and brings together a community that consists of many different types of people. To explore this certain community, I've dissected the characteristics of it into five parts: cultural values, important issues, language, insider knowledge, and outsider perceptions.

-Cultural values

  Marijuana has become a cultural aspect in college life and even in life outside of college. What promotes the use of marijuana is the media and the people around us. You see marijuana in movies and on television, hear it in songs on the radio, or even in an article of a newspaper. The culture has become so big that it is now socially acceptable to put this illegal activity in our media. This culture can be described as a large group of people who want to turn their boring free time into a fun and sensational time. People who use marijuana say they do it for many reasons. One reason is that it makes everything around you sensationally better. Activities listed below are just a few ones that stoners agree are much better when you are on marijuana:

            -Eating and drinking

            -Laughing and telling stories

            -Sexual activities or expressing love

Another reason why people use marijuana is that it is a way to relax and free your mind after a hard day at work. To sum up this community, marijuana is a culture in where people seek to enhance life and have fun during their free time.

-Important issues

   The main important issue in regards to the use of marijuana is it's legal standpoint. Although marijuana is becoming more decriminalized in many cities and states, pot smokers are still running into the law for the innocent act of enhancing their life. People of this community argue that marijuana should be legal in all states of the US for many reasons. Some of the major reasons are listed below: 

• Marijuana is clinically proven to be non-harmful to your body and safer than alcohol. Marijuana use has positive attributes such as its medical value and use as a recreational drug with  mild side effects.
• A regulated, legal market in marijuana would reduce marijuana sales and use among teenagers. It would also reduce the number of people using other and more harmful drugs. 
• Legalized marijuana would reduce the flow of money from the American economy to international criminal gangs.
• Prohibition has failed to control the use of marijuana. Although arrests are being made, a source says that over 25 million Americans are currently using marijuana.

   

-Language

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   People who use marijuana have essentially created their own language that is directly related to the plant. Numerous nicknames have been created to represent marijuana and the process of smoking the plant. While smokers are speaking of these nicknames, non-smokers who are not familiar with marijuana may have no clue what the smokers are talking about. Terms such as "bud", "spliff", "El", or "dank" are more than like not located in the vocabulary of those who do not use marijuana.

-Insider knowledge

   Being an insider and having experience with marijuana, I've gained a lot of knowledge about the drug. Topics such as ways to use the plant, safe places to use it, who to smoke it with, and even general knowledge about the plant are big points of interest. Ask any pot smoker their knowledge on these topics, and I guarantee you will hear numerous different answers. This is what makes marijuana a culture. There are so many ways to use the substance, which create many different groups of users.  Also, one main insider knowledge that stoners can agree with is that marijuana doesn't drastically impair you to the point where you cannot operate.

Outsider perception on marijuana is best described in this photo.
Photo courtesy of blog.wheresweed.com

-Outsider perceptions

   Outsider perceptions are opinions said by people who don't use marijuana. One of my favorite perceptions that I've encountered is that marijuana is a safe substance to use, but they don't use it because of drug tests. Others may argue that marijuana is a gateway drug and therefore they do not take part in the use of marijuana.