Debunking Top 9 Myths to Ignore with Facts About Marijuana

Marijuana is no longer an alien drug. The legalization spree, led by various states and countries, has brought marijuana products into a mainstream market and made them an ‘accepted’ drug across the world. Although the stigma and shame linked to marijuana or weed is rapidly disappearing from people’s minds, there are still lots of misinformation and myths about marijuana out there.

It’s a high time that we debunk each of these marijuana myths and help educate the people with genuine marijuana facts.

In this article, we have enlisted the top 9 myths about marijuana that are most prevalent in people’s minds. Let us find the truth behind each of these marijuana myths.

MARIJUANA MYTH 1: Marijuana Is A Drug Way To Addiction– The Gateway Theory

MARIJUANA FACT: According to Gateway theory, the people who use marijuana eventually start using harder drugs. But this theory is certainly misunderstood. If you are trying to say that the people who use marijuana will start using cocaine or heroin- this is an absurd argument.

We often see there are some people who once used marijuana are now addicted to or using other hard drugs like cocaine or heroin. But, in no way, this document that marijuana has led them to these drugs. The fact is– people who use marijuana often get into the company of other people who may be using other substances than marijuana.

This may encourage marijuana users ‘to try’ something new. And this is how they may start using hardcore drugs. Therefore, one of the critical marijuana myths that it is a gateway drug is entirely false.

MARIJUANA MYTH 2: 420 Is A Police Code For Criminal Offence

MARIJUANA FACT: 420 is a popular code for smoking. Besides, 4:20 PM has also become the official time for pot smokers to light out! But this doesn’t stop here. Even April 20th has been widely celebrated as Weed Day in many countries.

Many marijuana myths spreaders think that 420 is some kind of police code that stands for either juvenile delinquency or possession of marijuana. But, the fact is 420 has nothing to do with anything as such.

The code 420 actually linked to the five stoner teenagers back in 1971. This group has learned about the secret stash of pot plants being abandoned. The group of these five California high school kids plan to meet at 4:20 every day to carry out search operations for these plants.

But after weeks of searching, the plants were never found. Eventually, the story spread, and the rock band- ‘The Grateful Dead’ used this term– the 420, in their songs and made it more famous. And this is how the 4:20 got linked to marijuana and later became a rage.

MARIJUANA MYTH 3: Marijuana Creates High

MARIJUANA FACT: This is one of the most spread Marijuana myths. The answer to this myth is Yes as well as No! Yes, because if you consume marijuana that contains a high amount of THC- a psychoactive substance found in the marijuana plant known for creating ‘high’ on consumption, then there are chances that you get ‘high’.

But if you are consuming CBD products with a permitted amount of THC– less than 0.3%, there is nothing to worry about. All you have to care about is the dosage amount and dosage frequency. Do not just follow other’s dosage schedules. Even better– if you consult a doctor for dosage advice.

In conclusion, just like the previous myths about marijuana, this myth is also technically incorrect.

MARIJUANA MYTH 4: Marijuana Adversely Affects Human Health

MARIJUANA FACT: No, it does not. Let us counter this myth by marijuana facts.

If you consume anything more than its ‘limit’, it is gonna affect your well being. Even water consumption, more than its limit, will affect your health, and so does marijuana.

But if you take it after proper consultation with the doctor, within the prescribed limit or the amount you can digest, there is nothing to worry about. Just make sure that you start with a little dose, observe the result, notice the adverse effects if there are any, and then move for a higher dosage.

But it’s altogether not advised that you follow your homie– a pro stoner, on the first day itself and later label marijuana as the harmful drug!

Besides, most genuine marijuana products will not affect your health unless you have some allergy or sensitivity condition. Therefore, the myth about marijuana that it affects human health adversely doesn’t stand in the court of Marijuana Span. Case dismissed.

MARIJUANA MYTH 5: Medical Marijuana Cure All Diseases

MARIJUANA FACT: This is also one of the major marijuana myths that we encounter on a daily basis. But the marijuana facts prove otherwise.

Yes, medical marijuana or recreational marijuana may cure a range of diseases but not all. The marijuana substance– CBD, is often hailed as the compound that alleviates or counters various conditions and diseases. However, it would be great to note that all these conclusions are based on the studies and researches carried out on animals and not humans.

Marijuana-based CBD products are widely used to control anxiety, alleviate inflammation, regulate bowel movement, improve skin health, and fight seizures. Besides, there are some psychological benefits of marijuana too. Such as, it helps improve concentration, remove the mental block, and provide mental peace.

However, it is always advised to consult a doctor or physician before making CBD products a part of your platter.

MARIJUANA MYTH 6: Marijuana Damage Human Brain Cells

MARIJUANA FACT: There are some dumb people out there who believe that smoking weed or even passive smoking marijuana will damage your brain cells! But believe us, this is one of the notorious marijuana myths created by the US government-funded study carried out by Dr Robert Heath, published in 1974.

The study involved forcing monkeys to smoke two joints a day for almost a year! The result of the study found that the consumption of marijuana has severely damaged the monkey’s brain!

However, in the early ’20s, two major studies were conducted to find the authenticity of Dr Heath’s claims. The results of both the studies conclude that the data produced by Dr Heath was fake, and there is no evidence of damage to the monkey’s brain cells as claimed.

Anyway, the same Dr Robert Heath has once claimed that he has successfully transformed a homosexual man into a straight man by zapping his brain with electrodes!

Do we need to say anything more about the substantiality of Heath’s so-called weed-damage-brain-cells theory?? Along with other myths about marijuana, this myth also stands false in our court.

MARIJUANA MYTH 7: Marijuana Is Addictive

MARIJUANA FACT: First of all, let us understand what addiction is. Addiction can be defined as the strong and burning desire or uncontrollable cravings to use a substance even if the user knows it’s harming themselves or others.

So, as the weed does not contain any addictive compound such as nicotine, we can’t put it under the addictive drug category, or we can say that there is nothing such as weed addiction in the first place. However, you can call it physical dependence.

It might be possible that some weed users show addict tendencies, but it certainly is not comparable to the addiction of cocaine and heroin or even cigarettes! Therefore, along with all the above six marijuana myths, this one also stands incorrect.

MARIJUANA MYTH 8: Marijuana Can Cure Cancer

MARIJUANA FACT: There is no substantial evidence to back such marijuana facts. Although marijuana substances offer a range of medicinal properties that can help fight and control many diseases and conditions, there is no scientific proof or evidence to support these myths about marijuana that claim that it can cure cancer.

Besides, most of the studies on marijuana and CBD are conducted on animals and not on humans– therefore, it further becomes difficult to validate those claims. At the same time, we do not thoroughly deny the fact that marijuana can not cure cancer.

Because, considering the slew of medicinal properties such as anti-inflammation, antibacterial, and antioxidant it possesses, we are confident that marijuana may be able to cure cancer too. But until and unless we find legitimate scientific evidence, it’s all talk in the air.

MARIJUANA MYTH 9: All Marijuana Products are Same

MARIJUANA FACT: Beside above mentioned eight marijuana myths, there is one more and major myth about marijuana that there is only one type of marijuana strain. It adds that– no matter what kind of weed you purchase, it gives you nothing but high! As always, it’s not true at all.

For all novice marijuana users, let us first explain that marijuana products are categorized into three types: indica, sativa, and hybrid. Indica weed gives you a healthy relaxed body high, sativa gives you a mental high and helps you remove the mental block and concentrate, and the hybrid weed strain– a mixture of sativa strain and indica strain.

The hybrid weed is made to target a particular disease or condition. In short, it’s custom-tailored weed.

All of these strains have different advantages. For example, the sativa strain is known for its refreshing, energizing effect that can help reduce anxiety or stress and increase creativity and focus. While, indica strain is known to combat nausea, alleviate acute pain, reduce anxiety, fight seizures, cure lupus and multiple sclerosis.

Therefore, in addition to all above marijuana myths, the claim that all marijuana strains are the same– is also found further to the truth and not aligned with marijuana facts.

Conclusion: These were the top myths about marijuana that we often encounter in our life. But as we have now debunked each of them with facts, we are sure that you will not face any challenge or go through a dilemma in the future while buying weed products. Also, promise us that you will share these marijuana facts with all your homies and friends who are brainwashed by marijuana myths and misinformation.