Do We Need More Actors Using Pot in Movies and TV?
The change in the public view of cannabis has been considerable over the past few years. With legalization of the drug not only in the USA but in many countries, alongside widespread decriminalization of marijuana in many places, cannabis use has very much become a mainstream topic.
However, this is not reflected on TV shows or in films. Why is this important? Cast your mind back to the 1960’s, for example. Find a movie from that era, and you’ll see characters smoking cigarettes frequently. Check out soap operas from the same era, and you’ll see the same. This is because in those days smoking was seen as ‘trendy’ and normal. It was a part of life, a part of society, and was simply accepted.
That we know the problems of tobacco now – and we have seen it banned in most developed countries in public places – means that it is no longer included in movies or TV. So why are we suggesting that cannabis should be more prevalent? First, there are other ways to enjoy cannabis than smoking, so let’s talk about this.
Mainstream Cannabis Use
The fuss in the last decade has been largely around the rise in popularity of vaping. Vaping cannabis involves using a weed pen – you may see it referred to as a dab pen – which is a small electrical device that vaporizes either cannabis concentrate (a ‘dab’) or dry herb. It works by heating an atomizer that, at a certain temperature, vaporizes the substance, creating a cloud of vapor that is then inhaled.
The advantage here is simple: the act of burning in smoking tobacco or cannabis produces tar and carcinogens by its very nature. These will harm the lungs. Vaping involves no burning and is inherently safer in every way.
Why, then, are there not more scenes in movies and on TV showing people vaping, whether it be cannabis, CBD or e-liquids? Walk down any high street and you’ll see many people indulging, as it is now a mainstream way of enjoying an alternative to smoking. Why do we need this to happen?
Stars Use Cannabis
In recent years many actors who use marijuana and other stars of the music and arts scene have spoken about their usage. This is because it is now legal, as we have mentioned, to use pot in many states and also others have decriminalized usage. However, at the federal government level it remains an illegal substance!
This disparity needs addressing if there is ever to be a change in federal law, and the best means and medium of getting the point across – the point being that enjoying cannabis is normal and can be legal – is by way of movies and TV programmes which are seen by millions of people every day.
It needs to be represented in soap operas and sitcoms, in action movies and in other genres, as it is normal, and it is something that millions enjoy and benefit from.
Do We Need Change?
The acknowledgement that cannabis is now mainstream and enjoyed by many needs to be endorsed by filmmakers and TV writers if the product is to become a legal one. The same applies to vaping which attracts a lot of negative press despite being free from the dangers of smoking.
There is a lot to be said for showing more characters in popular shows and movies vaping, and it can be done easily. We believe that the entertainment industry needs to step up to the plate and start showing real life as it really is – complete with marijuana users in their own homes.
