Episode 14: "Do Ya Love Me Mary Jane"- A Conversation About Marijuana and Society

In recent years, marijuana has been the subject of much debate as states across the country consider decriminalizing and/or legalizing the drug for recreational use. In today’s episode, we discuss the history of marijuana in the United States (20:25) and the roles of race and money in the rise of marijuana drug laws (21:45). We also address the question of whether marijuana is a gateway drug (27:00) and how it compares to other drugs, such as alcohol, tobacco, and opioids (32:46). We then discuss the billion dollar business of marijuana (40:05), race and the corporatization and monopolization of marijuana (45:40), and the rules and repercussions of smoking weed in the era of legalization (58:40). We close by discussing the potential unintended consequences, myths, and realities of marijuana usage and legalization in the United States (1:02:25).
Other Topics
00:30 - Catch up with Ty and Daphne
02:10 - BhD “Oh Lawd” News
07:02 - 4-20 Game: Top 10 Professions that Smoke Weed
15:53 - Classic “Friday" Clips
18:40 - Introduction of the Topic
29:18 - Race, The War on Drugs, and Punitive Approaches to Marijuana Drug Usage
52:30 - Is medicinal marijuana the answer to the opioid crisis?
55:55 - Is there a link between marijuana and crime?
Resources:
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/02/24/marijuana-safer-than-alcohol-tobacco_n_6738572.html
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/19/benefits-legalizing-weed-by-the-numbers_n_5173785.html
http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/04/14/6-facts-about-marijuana/