It's High Time For Some #weedfacts - Vaporizing the Weed Stigma


It is so rewarding to see the Cannabis movement is pushing forward and looking back on the tremendous progress is a gratifying feeling. The remarkable achievements that have been made in the advancement of Cannabis education is due to each and every person taking the time to assess and analyze evidence and fact.

We have much to learn and we can learn together. The more we discuss it - the better we will understand cannabis and each other.

I'd like to spotlight an initiative the WEEDMAPS, an App provider that locates the nearest dispensary, amongst other cool features. This is not at all a plug for them and I'm merely a happy user of their app. I am spotlighting them for another reason: they are spearheading an initiative to educate the public on Cannabis. Check this out:

"Cannabis legalization is a hot topic across the nation. Weedmaps launched the Weedfacts billboard campaign to help dispel some of the myths around cannabis and foster real dialogue about cannabis legalization. Read about some of the messages in our Weedfacts campaign. You can also check out their sources, all taken directly from government resources, reputable news agencies and academic research publications."  source
Here's an interesting fact that I found at https://weedmaps.com/weedfacts/thefacts/youth-usage-rates/ 



Youth Usage Rates 

By shifting the production, sale, and consumption of marijuana from the illicit market to a regulated system, legalization has the potential to make marijuana less accessible to youth. A growing body of research indicates that the adoption of medical and adult-use marijuana laws decreases youth marijuana usage rates. According to a February 2019 study published in The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, researchers found that the passage of a medical marijuana law “was associated with small significant reductions…of 1.1 percentage points in current marijuana use” among adolescents.3#weedfacts • by WEEDMAPS • Youth Usage Rates Declined Following The Adoption of Medical Marijuana Laws
Another vital statistic that we should not ignore, especially with a current opioid epidemic and so many losing their lives nationwide. 


Opioid Prescription Decrease 
"Medical marijuana laws have provided patients with an alternative to opioids for conditions as varied as chronic pain and PTSD. Given the severity of America’s opioid epidemic, researchers have increasingly studied the impact of medical marijuana laws on opioid prescription rates, hospitalizations, and deaths. Overall, researchers have identified strong associations between the passage of medical marijuana laws and declines in opioid prescribing as well as opioid-related hospitalizations and deaths. According to a study published in the American Medical Association’s JAMA Internal Medicine, “State implementation of medical marijuana laws was associated with a 5.88% lower rate of opioid prescribing,” and, “the implementation of adult-use marijuana laws…was associated with a 6.38% lower rate of opioid prescribing.”11  source
Not just as a cannabis advocate, but as a human: I feel that it is vital not to ignore alternative treatments for pain because opioids have taken many lives. I have lost more than 10 friends or acquaintances to opioid addiction and they paid the ultimate price with their lives. I hope to see the statistics continue to decrease and I believe that will take reform on a national scale. It all starts with education and that is my current intent - to inform and empower.  Spread the #weedfacts far and wide, my friends. 

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