A lot of wannabe cannabis activists will talk about your rights to legally use cannabis (which you definitely have), but will go too far and try to make you believe that your rights are absolute. We, as cannabis users and a community, have a definite right to live in our community and use for recreation, religion, medicinal or any other reason. However, we have a responsibility as cannabis users to respect the rights of others.
I’m beginning this series to help educate cannabis users about responsible cannabis use. I hope people find it helpful.
These rights include every citizen’s right to clean air.
It confuses me when cannabis users talk about their right to smoke wherever they want, whenever they want, however they want. These are not the people I want representing cannabis culture in America, but they are often the most vocal. I won’t have them representing me or my cause. The pen is not only mightier than the sword, it is mightier than the bafoon.
Cannabis users have a right to congregate, we have a right to medicate, a right to live our lives how we choose. What we do not have a right to do is infringe on other citizens’ rights to not want to breathe in our smoke. It’s wrong for people to not permit us to live our lives how we choose so long as it doesn’t affect others. Forcing people to see and smell you living your life is no less wrong.
Citizens have rights of their own and while I’d rather they kept their “morality” views out of my laws, it’s unreasonable to expect them to in a democratic society. Just because the politicians have so royally screwed up our system, doesn’t mean our Democratic Republic is the wrong way to go. It is the fault of rational citizens for letting it get this far without stopping them. Smoke up and vote them out!
I was at the Denver City Council meeting this month where they were discussing regulations on smell and publicly visible use. While I agree with most who spoke up on the side of cannabis, the media often paints them in an unreasonable light for shock value. Back in Philadelphia, we are fighting for the right to use our medicine and live our lives. We have no interest in rubbing everyone’s face in it. The people who spoke did so on behalf of people who can’t speak for themselves, often for financial reasons. The media likes to make it seem like their speaking for a bunch of idiot stoners. I resent this.
To me, it seems like users who have had legal cannabis for too long are not holding up their end of the bargain. Maybe if more people spoke up loudly and set an example for responsible use, the medical marijuana movement would have convinced the 30 remaining non-MMJ laws long ago. Stop throwing obnoxious kids at the media and stand up for your right as an adult to responsibly use cannabis. You won’t get the people to accept cannabis as fast any other way.
Please smoke responsibly (a bit redundant in this post, but my tag line, nonetheless),
Skyler
