The combination of the social programming of the so-called ‘war on drugs’ and a low-information popular culture is a powerful one. In an article a few years back discussing the limitless growth potential in the cannabis industry over at Bloomberg, we’re treated to this old chestnut. “Marijuana users have long been thought of as burnouts listening to the Grateful Dead in their basement.”
The “lazy stoner” and “drug dealer” frames have proven wildly effective as far as keeping people misinformed and filled with dread and anxiety. That’s why stories about the very young and the very old feeling and living better thanks to access to medical cannabis are such a game changer. It’s very easy to round up a mob to rhetorically go after the “lazy stoners.” But trying to hold the moral high-ground while attacking sick kids and the elderly is a bigger and more complicated challenge. Even FOX News likes stories about grannies getting relief and living longer, happier and more productive lives thanks to cannabis. This actually makes tons of sense when you consider the target demographic for FOX News. But Big Pharma hates these profiles of people like Rebecca Neil (below). She suffers from chronic seizures.
Grand Haven mom with epilepsy says marijuana saved her life (fox17online.com)
Neil says access to medical cannabis has cut her seizures and medical bills in half. This is great for Neil and her family – especially her kids. On the other hand, the company selling the medication that Neil used to spend twice as much on is worried and nervous about what profit margins will look like in a nation where millions of others can also cut their medical bills in half. That’s likely the main reason we’re continuing to see a radical increase in misinformation propaganda and outright fake news online.