Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

We Need to Talk About Marijuana’s Race Problem

Marijuana's Legalization Exposes Cannabis Racial Injustice
Marijuana's Legalization Exposes Cannabis Racial Injustice
Photo By Shane T. McCoy/US Marshals


Most Americans aged millennial and older will recall the days when they couldn’t get through an episode of their favorite TV show without seeing at least one commercial highlighting the adventurous, grandiose lifestyle afforded only to smokers of those smooth, rich, ever-so-cool cigarettes.


Those 30-second vignettes that spun illusions of luxury, sex appeal, and global exploration all but disappeared at the turn of the millennium. But after nearly a two-decade hiatus, modern conventions like the e-cigarette have sparked a new era of consumer interest in smoking.



That’s the power of Big Tobacco, which boasts influence that so permeates American society that nearly every adult alive today has been targeted as a prime potential user at some point. Still, as last year’s Truth Initiative report made clear, none have been more affected than communities with low income and minorities.


For some, there’s growing concern that the same phenomenon could easily occur with the commercialization of marijuana—especially given that the foundation for a disproportionately negative impact already exists.


“Creating a [commercial cannabis] industry is going to create another Big Tobacco or Big Alcohol, and those have disproportionately harmed communities of color as well,” Will Jones, Communications and Outreach Associate with the bipartisan nonprofit Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) told the Bluntness. “I don’t want to see that repeated.”


In Colorado, which legalized the recreational use of marijuana, a 2016 Colorado Department of Public Safety study found that “juvenile marijuana-related arrests have increased among African-American and Hispanic teens in Colorado after legalization.”


According to that report, the percentage of Hispanic and African-American arrests for adolescents under 18 went up 29 and 58 points respectively between 2012 and 2014.


As a nonprofit associate and firefighter, Jones has not only done his research on the subject, but witnessed Big Tobacco and Big Alcohol’s effects firsthand in his local community around Washington, D.C.


“For where I live, the closest store to my house is a liquor store, the next closest are convenience stores that primarily sell cigarettes, alcohol, and lottery tickets,” he said, pondering, “In addition to a liquor store on every corner, will there will be a pot shop?”


Decriminalization and commercialization are two separate issues, however, Jones added. Although he doesn’t want to see the commercialization of recreational drugs like cannabis, he doesn’t believe their use should come with criminal charges.


“I don’t think [drug use] is a reason for anyone to be in contact with the criminal justice system,” he said.


If there is one positive that comes out of the legalization conversation for advocates like Jones, it’s the possibility that restitution will be made to those currently and formerly incarcerated on petty drug charges.


“When we’re talking about this issue of incarceration, a must is that we have to have expungement and pardons,” Jones added. “What’s striking to me is that people [in states like] Colorado are still in prison for marijuana charges. The state didn’t change that.”



















More For You

11 Movies to Watch While Tripping on Your Next Shroom Trip

11 Movies to Watch While Tripping on Your Next Shroom Trip

Many activities are amplified for the better when you're tripping on magic mushrooms, and watching trippy movies is definitely near the top of that list.

Shrooms provide consumers with an almost otherworldly experience: one where colors are brighter, music is magical, and everything is open to a seemingly unprecedented interpretation.

Keep ReadingShow less
How Long Does One Hit of Weed Stay in Your System

How Long Does One Hit of Weed Stay in Your System

How long does one hit of weed stay in your system? You are probably concerned about an upcoming drug test if you're asking this question. Perhaps not something you’d normally fret over, but after taking a hit off a joint last weekend, you are now in full-blown panic mode. Will I lose my job? Could one hit of weed make me fail a drug test? 

In short—don’t panic. We’ve got plenty of information about what factors influence THC detection time and what you can do to pass a drug test.

Keep ReadingShow less
Why is Golden Teacher so popular?
Why is Golden Teacher so popular?

Golden Teacher Mushrooms: Everything You Need to Know

Golden Teacher mushrooms (GT Mushrooms) are one of the most popular strains of psilocybin mushrooms. They are mostly cultivated for their above-average psilocybin potency, which serves as a beginner's gateway to psychedelic mushrooms. They feature caramel-colored stems and caps speckled with yellow hence the name Golden Teacher. 

These psychedelic mushroom strains are also known as golden caps, boomers, goldies, caps, and cubies. While the information on their origin is quite unknown or undocumented, anecdotal reference shows that the golden teacher mushrooms were first reported in a scientific literature in 1906 in Cuba, while research on the strains is most likely to have started in the early eighties. 

Keep ReadingShow less
Magic mushrooms taste gross. Let's fix that.
Magic mushrooms taste gross. Let's fix that.

6 Ways to Consume Magic Mushrooms (that don't involve a peanut butter sandwich)

If you have ever consumed magic mushrooms or truffles, then you know they don’t always have the most pleasant taste, in fact, some of them are like eating a mouthful of dirt.  

However, with the recent rise of popularity through legalization, decriminalization, and the public becoming more aware of the benefits and potential good that comes with these psilocybin-packed fungi, we see why people may overlook the flavor.

Keep ReadingShow less
The Truth About THC Candle: Cannabis Candles & How to Make Your Own - The Bluntness

The Truth About THC Candle: Cannabis Candles & How to Make Your Own - The Bluntness

Cannabis Candle Facts & DIY

The Truth About THC Candle: Cannabis Candles & How to Make Your Own

There are several different ways to consume cannabis, and some of them don’t even involve actual consumption. Cannabis candles are beginning to take over the candle game, allowing cannabis enthusiasts to enjoy the smells they’re used to having to cover up and hide: the danky goodness of weed.

As cannabis becomes less stigmatized in modern culture, people are beginning to come out and admit to their cannabis use. While smoking weed used to be something people felt they had to keep on the down low, the culture is becoming increasingly mainstream and the scent is now sought after rather than condemned. Many cannabis candles feature complex scent profiles, including notes of amber, which contribute to a rich and layered aromatic experience.

Keep ReadingShow less