How Marijuana Consumers Can Bring About More Social Justice in the Cannabis Industry
The world has experienced a series of social unrest recently, with people seeking answers, demanding justice, and holding institutions responsible for systemic inequality.
Things worsened with the emergence of the COVID-19 virus, and now the big question is, "How can cannabis users influence social justice in weed?" Social justice hinges on the ideology that everyone deserves equal rights across economic, social, and political lines.
Social justice advocates and activists seek to open doors and grant access to everyone who is marginalized in society. So how does this relate to weed?
The connection between cannabis and social justice
Well, those in the cannabis industry are not thoroughly equipped to change century-long systemic inequalities. Despite the lack of capacity, the industry tries to help those affected by drug wars and exposure to harmful substances through societal policies.
Cannabis has also had a bad rep through the years, with some people classifying it as part of the substances that encourage individuals to abuse drugs. Those in the cannabis sector, through conferences, research, and materials like this, have shown that the medicinal benefits of cannabis make it a vital part of our health sector.
Cannabis users are beginning to rise above the damaging outlook weed has received for years and are using their platforms to fight criminal injustice. Cannabis users are also maximizing this time in history to reimagine drug policy because when the procedures are set right, the potentials for abuse will drastically reduce.
Aside from abuse, there are thousands of people in prison cells in the United States for possession of marijuana. Now, these individuals were locked up at a time when states in America haven't legalized cannabis. Therefore possession, planting, or using cannabis was viewed as a crime. Some of these individuals remain locked up till date, a blatant violation of their rights.
Today, more states have legalized cannabis which has paved the way for easier access. However, there is still so much injustice in the world, and cannabis users are rising to the occasion by asking the right questions and setting up platforms to ensure social justice.
Here's how cannabis users are influencing social justice in weed.
How cannabis users can influence social justice
Research
The first step for cannabis users to contribute their voice to influencing social justice is to read about the social injustice experienced by other weed users. Imagine a user getting incarcerated because of cannabis possession. He/she gets out of prison and has to deal with all the societal barriers that come with being an "Ex-convict."
Cannabis arrests have increased in America since 2017 despite states legalizing and decriminalizing weed. The long-term repercussions on someone going to jail for having cannabis are too huge a price to pay for a substance that has been legalized.
Research helps you unveil these truths and keeps you abreast with the challenges cannabis users face across American states.
Grassroots advocacy campaigns
The injustices worst hit the individuals who live in minority communities in the cannabis industry, which explains why grassroots advocacy campaigns are crucial. These campaigns mobilize other cannabis users to know the laws regarding cannabis use in their locality.
The campaigns are also helpful with raising awareness on some of the applications for clemency from victims. For example, in 2020, grassroots campaigns enabled over 100,000 people to call for support for Michael Thompson's case prompting the prosecutor to support the petition.
Support organizations
Cannabis users can also influence social justice through their support for platforms already advocating for reforms:
Sign up to volunteer.
Make financial contributions to their projects.
Spread the word on your social media platforms and in conversations with other cannabis users.
There is a lot of focus on criminal justice reforms since the George Floyd murder, and cannabis users can capitalize on this time to draw attention to the causes that matter. We want every community member educated, aware and involved: this is how we affect changes!
An excellent example of a cannabis social justice platform: The Last Prisoner Project
The Last Prisoner Project is an excellent example of how cannabis users and enthusiasts are using their platforms to advocate for social justice. America has started to move away from criminalizing cannabis, thus giving rise to a new industry where people can freely use weed for recreational and medicinal purposes.
But the fundamentals of the American cannabis society are built on injustice suffered by those who received criminal convictions and faced dire consequences for using weed. The Last Prisoner Project seeks to intervene, advocate and increase awareness of the past's hurts and seek redress for those still hurting.
According to data from the Last Prisoner Project, 15.7 million people were arrested for marijuana possession in the last ten years. Who advocates for these people? Who helps them get justice from the same system that has now embraced cannabis legally?
This is where platforms like The Last Prisoner Project come in: they fight criminal injustice by ensuring that society remains aware of incarcerated cannabis victims.
To support The Last Prisoner Project, visit the Last Prisoner Project. Please note that several other cannabis social justice platforms are thriving in America. The Last Prisoner Project is just a prominent example of how cannabis users and enthusiasts use their voices to fight for social injustice in the weed sector.
Bottom line
Social injustice thrives in every sector of society, and the cannabis industry has gotten its fair share of such challenges. The issues started when cannabis was banned across all American states, and even now, with legalization, those wrongs haven't been made right.
Cannabis users are no longer waiting for the government or policymakers to correct the injustices. Instead, they are proactive by setting up platforms and using their voices to advocate for reforms across the board.
As a user, you can research some of these social injustices to be fully informed, spark conversations on your social media platforms, and support proactive programs like the Last Prisoner Project because together, we are unstoppable!
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