New Bedford Guide Your Guide to New Bedford and South Coast, MA
#5- Cannabis education must be widespread
Lastly, cannabis education must be widespread. A smart market may be considered dangerous to the dastardly few, but it is arguably the most important part of the equation. The dollars made because of a recreational cannabis market in Massachusetts will mean very little if people are putting the health and well-being of the commonwealth at risk in the process. We still lack education on the effect of cannabis on driving, as well as an accurate way of determining this roadside. A majority of people are unfamiliar with how cannabis edibles can negatively impact their bodies depending on dosage and accompanying activities.
Cannabis concentrates are still very much taboo, and most people have no idea what “cannabidiol” even is. The average non-consumer likely is ignorant to the fact that every human being has an endocannabinoid system, and that receptors in our brains are designed to react to ingested THC. And aside from independent research on the internet, there is a lack of widespread media coverage on cannabis education. There are benefits to the consumption of cannabis that many people are continually overlooking, and instead associating weed with the lazy pothead stereotype.
We live in a country where many people suffer from chronic pain, eating disorders, CTE, prescription drug addictions, heroin addictions, alcoholism; all of which cannabis can provide safer relief for. So in order for recreational cannabis to truly take off in Massachusetts, there must be a heightened inclination to be educated on cannabis as a whole. There must be a heightened inclination on our parts to figure out what our specific medical and recreational needs are and how cannabis can contribute to these needs. And with this knowledge, consume safely. Only then will people begin to take full advantage of weed in this state.
Prior to any recreational weed business opening in Massachusetts, the market must understand cannabis, its impact, and obstacles it creates more clearly. Over the next 6-9 months, while legislation is written and business plans developed, Massachusetts must also collectively address how cannabis will be marketed to consumers and advertised.
While alcohol commercials are a dime a dozen, cannabis themed billboards are about as rare as Big Foot. Cannabis YouTubers are being removed by the company for being non-advertiser friendly, and television networks would rather not shed light on cannabis. Many people view cannabis in a negative light still, and Massachusetts must focus on removing this stigma and replacing it with informed insight. We must ensure that this stigma does not cause the establishment of policies that prohibits the cannabis industry’s ability to flourish in Massachusetts.
The time to educate ourselves and each other on cannabis is now. We must yield to cannabis.
Because come July 2018, green means go.
-New Bedford Guide
