For
years now the idea of smoking weed has become more and more popular. In all age
groups, from what it seems. There are even two states now, Colorado and
Washington, that allow the recreational use of Marijuana and it has people on
both sides of the spectrum rattled up! Whether it is a family attempting to
create a business and make money selling the now legalized product, or people
getting together to protest in the streets, fearing that the legalization of
Marijuana will occasionally harm society. So, I thought I would do an interview
and really get an inside look as to how they feel about it and why. I chose to
interview one of my friends who I’ve known for a few years now, we rarely speak
about the topic because it isn’t something that is really on our mind when we
hang out, but what I found out is that I still have much to learn about the
topic.
I chose to start the interview with
a simple question, “When I say the word weed, what is the first thing that
comes to mind?” To my surprise, his answer was simple, “Marijuana,” he replied.
It was simple, yet insightful. I found this to be true after asking the next
few questions. He didn’t have much to say about what the word itself means to
him, because weed is a simple thing, “a plant,” as he put it.
My next question was designed to get
an answer as to whether or not he consumes or smokes weed, wanting to also know
the reason as to why he does or does not. “I smoke almost daily and for a
variety of reason,” he said. “In most cases I smoke to help with my anxiety. I
find that taking one or two hits periodically throughout the day help to keep
me awake and energized as well as focused.” It was an answer that surprised me,
because the general population has been lead to believe that it does the
opposite, makes people lose interest in what they are doing, become lazy and
lose focus. He went on to say that “at night I smoke to help me sleep
comfortably throughout the night and at times I smoke recreationally with my
friends.” I found it interesting that he uses it for multiple purposes, both
recreational and medical. To my surprise, my friend mentioned that at times he
has problems with headaches and stomach pains, he told me that he “goes home,
takes a few hits, and the pain goes away.” It was interesting to hear that
because I’ve heard multiple times of it medical benefits, that it helps with
all kinds of things, so it was nice to see that he has a way to relieve his
pain.
Moving on to a more controversial
question, I asked him about whether or not he believes it should be legalized
nationwide and why or why not. “I believe it definitely should be legalized
nationwide,” he replied. “Evidence proves that states that have already
legalized it have a lot of money coming in, simply just from the taxes.” I
liked his answer because it really proves what we all see on the news and
articles, stating that the economy in Washington and Colorado especially is
booming thanks to the money that recreational Marijuana is bringing in. His
answer wasn’t a simple, “because it would be fun.” He actually brought up a
good reason for it and it is supported with facts. He elaborated even further
on his answer when he mentioned the second reason it should be legalized, “It
would cut down on meaningless arrests, freeing up police resources to spend
time pursuing serious drugs and real dangerous criminals,” he said. “It cuts
out the middle man as well, so otherwise, law abiding citizens do not have to
deal with sketchy individuals, which means less dealers on the streets.”
I was interested to hear as to
whether or not he believed Marijuana to be dangerous or not, and if so, how.
“No, I wouldn’t say it is dangerous,” he said. “The worst that happens when I
smoke is I get hungry. It can possibly be dangerous for your health, because of
the smoke that you inhale, but I have not noticed any negative side effects in
my time smoking Marijuana.”
I chose my next question because it
is one of much controversy, in fact, there is research being conducted to help
answer the question, “Can it be addictive?” “No,” my friend replied. “I have
had no problems quitting in the past. I have not quit altogether because I
would rather smoke than take the various medications I would otherwise need for
my anxiety and ADD.” His answer was simple, but very helpful. It helped me to
understand that he can quit, if he wants, but finds it easier to deal with his
medical conditions with the help of smoking.
I really wanted to know how my
friend believed that we, as a society, should educate our younger generations
about weed. I thought this would be a good question because, as hard as it may
be, the answer really requires an opinion that is not bias. “Same way we
educate them about everything else, by providing accurate information and
facts,” he replied. I believe this to be true; it should be presented to young
adults in a scientific manner rather than a public opinion.
One of my curiosities during the
interview was to know whether or not my friend believed Marijuana to be a
“gateway” drug. “No, smoking Marijuana has not made me want to try any other
drugs,” he responded. I honestly expected that answer, just because I’ve known
him for a while, but I still wanted to know.
I wanted to finish the interview with a question that
would require a bit of explanation, “In your own words, as many as it may be,
how would you describe weed?” “Weed is a plant that can be used for both
recreational and medicinal purposes,” he said. “While it is most commonly known
for its recreational use, there are in fact a lot of benefits to using
Marijuana whether through ingestion or smoking for a variety of medical
conditions. It is definitely great to help you relax and unwind, just like
alcohol or tobacco, and can be abused just like those other two, but in the
case of weed, the side effects are not as extreme and you are not as impaired
as when under the influence of alcohol. From my experience, weed has never
impaired me.”
