Cannabis
Related: About this forumThese Photos Of Legal Recreational Marijuana Users Shatter Stereotypes
The stereotypical marijuana user -- the "stoner" -- hasn't adequately represented the actual people who responsibly enjoy marijuana for some time. But the stoner myth seems more antiquated than ever as more states lift prohibitions on marijuana use.
To combat these stoner myths of the past, Drug Policy Alliance has put together a set of stereotype-shattering stock photos depicting modern, real-life marijuana users from all walks of life.
Shot in March in Boulder, Colorado -- where recreational marijuana is legal -- the DPA photos feature adult marijuana users in their 30s all the way up to their 60s, doing everyday activities while also consuming marijuana in a variety of ways, from joints to vaporizers to pens.
"Marijuana is being covered by the media in an increasingly sophisticated and nuanced way now that the laws are changing and more people are out as marijuana users," said Sharda Sekaran, managing director of communications for DPA. "We all know that many marijuana smokers look more like your Aunt Bettie or your accountant than "The Dude" from "The Big Lebowski," but most images in the public sphere still do not reflect this."
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/16/photos-recreational-marijuana_n_7075710.html
http://www.drugpolicy.org/realistic-marijuana-user-stock-images?keys=recreational
Journeyman
(15,143 posts)and my experience dates from the late '60s.
I've no illusions: I've known grungy, stereotypical stoners, the kind of people you cross the street to avoid, and I've split a spliff with button-down corporate sort and every kind in-between. Most, though, look like the people in the pictures at the link -- the kind of people I've associated with throughout my life, both while sober and when high. These "myths" are precisely that: stories told by those who've never used, tales meant to frighten and derail. Variants on the "Reefer Madness" meme, more akin to Shakespeare's idiot than Journeyman's experience.
pipoman
(16,038 posts)Taken at some kind of commune. That said, I've spent some time in Denver going there around 5 times per year. One of my son's lives down the block from a large dispensary, from his balcony can see the full front of the store. It's true that those going in and out look about the same, demographically, as a convenience store...with the same mix of vehicles too from new Jags and Caddys, to 20 year old turds.. then there are places like illuzions glass selling paraphernalia from $40 to $10k+, always an interesting mix of people there... (btw, illuzions is a 'must see' if you are planning a Denver trip....
Jesus Malverde
(10,274 posts)In the past the face of a cannabis user was someone with nothing to lose. That meant most activists were hippies or others from the counter culture. Meanwhile millions of regular people were in the closet. Mostly cowed by the Reagan era drug war. It's important for people to realize the war on cannabis is a war on regular people not the marginalized outsiders.
It's smart to make these photos available to the media as they look for graphics to go with their stories.
pipoman
(16,038 posts)Have open houses with food and drinks. Illuzions has one too. We were there Jan 2nd this year...10 kegs of beer and a large smoking tent...the crowd (probably 200 people) was pretty mixed...mostly younger, but that was expected since it was 11pm when we got there...cops walked through looking for minors, none were found and they were very nice to everyone .