It's time to stop 'celebrating' 420
Today is April 20, affectionately known by many as 420. It's the unofficial day for celebrating all things weed. But it's 2018, and it's time to take a step back from the haze of smoke and realize that 420 has become a bad internet holiday -- even worse than April Fools' Day.
Brands that would have once fired someone for testing positive for THC now tweet funny jokes about the munchies. People demonstrate by toking up in public. Cannabis companies push their products, and media companies fire off any number pot-related articles to get that sweet, sweet weed traffic.
It's time to stop. The concept of 420 was good at a time when pot was a taboo counter-culture, but at this late date the holiday shows cannabis culture at its worst. That's the last thing cannabis needs right now, as the United States nears a tipping point in the fight for legalization.
420 on the internet
Of all the many things that irk me about 420, brands on the internet are the worst -- oh, the brands. Cannabis companies attempt to cash in with gift guides and listicles. And then there's the barrage of lame Twitter jokes from companies who've turned from being terrified of being associated with weed to a half-assedly embracing it for one day. Last year, even a police department attempted to get in on the festivities.
I understand, obviously, why a cannabis company would like to take advantage of 420 to increase brand awareness and, well, sell product. But it's all become too much. 420 is now like a Black Friday for marijuana, and as we all know, Black Friday is capitalism and humanity at their worst.
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Things are different now
The state of cannabis has changed drastically in the nearly six years since the state of Colorado passed Amendment 64, effectively beginning the end of pot prohibition. Since then, Washington, Oregon, California, Alaska, Nevada, Massachusetts, Maine, Vermont, and Washington D.C. have all passed legislation legalizing the plant to some degree, and more states are expected to follow. Additionally, Canada is expected to have legal sales of cannabis starting this year. About 61 percent of Americans support legalization as of late 2017, up from 31 percent in 2000.
While many were concerned that Trump and Jeff "I hate weed" Sessions would kill states' rights to regulate cannabis themselves, it doesn't seem like that is going to happen.
A movement is growing before us, and celebrating 420 with smoke outs, drum circles, and marches no longer accurately reflect the culture of cannabis today. Though many areas of the United States are still way behind when it comes to the legal status of pot, we no longer need 420. In America, every day is 420.
Pot is all grown up
There's been a major push from industry professionals to make marijuana a lifestyle brand and break away from the lazy stoner college party culture it once represented. Walk into any good legal pot shop in Colorado, and you probably won't hear the words "marijuana," "pot," or "weed." It's "cannabis," and if you want to buy something to roll up a joint, that's "flower."
These subtle changes in the way we talk about cannabis may seem trivial, but the way the plant is presented to the masses matters. When cannabis culture is represented as a party drug it does nothing to advance its acceptance in society. For cannabis to be welcomed on the level that alcohol is, it needs to appeal to soccer moms, to your grandparents, and to leaders determined to keep weed illegal. (We're looking at you, John Boehner.)
I'm not suggesting that cannabis culture should become boring or sterile. Regardless of its medicinal benefits, getting stoned is fun. (Shocking!!!) But the nature of 420 and what it's associated with no longer represents the reality. So let's move on.
What now?
Instead of rallying together -- while wearing pot leaf sunglasses and drug rugs -- to have mass smoke outs (which leave a huge mess and will inevitably upset the local community) the day should be used for advocacy and to educate people on the many benefits we've seen over the last six years.
Oh, and to the brands: please just stop.
