Do Americans still see marijuana as a big deal?
Posted by Dont_app@reddit | AskAnAmerican | View on Reddit | 261 comments
It feels like public opinion around marijuana has changed a lot over the last decade.
Back in 2009 when I visited LA with my dad, it felt way more common socially and people talked about it openly all the time. But when I went back last year, vaping seemed way more popular instead.
How does Gen Z in the US see it nowadays?
thatrightwinger@reddit
Let me clear, marijuana isn't safe and legalizing is hurting lots and lots and lots of people
Know the Effects, Risks and Side Effects of Marijuana
Brain health: Marijuana can cause permanent IQ loss of as much as 8 points when people start using it at a young age. These IQ points do not come back, even after quitting marijuana.
Mental health: Studies link marijuana use to depression, anxiety, suicide planning, and psychotic episodes. It is not known, however, if marijuana use is the cause of these conditions.
Athletic Performance: Research shows that marijuana affects timing, movement, and coordination, which can harm athletic performance.
Driving: People who drive under the influence of marijuana can experience dangerous effects: slower reactions, lane weaving, decreased coordination, and difficulty reacting to signals and sounds on the road.
Baby’s health and development: Marijuana use during pregnancy may cause fetal growth restriction, premature birth, stillbirth, and problems with brain development, resulting in hyperactivity and poor cognitive function. Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and other chemicals from marijuana can also be passed from a mother to her baby through breast milk, further impacting a child’s healthy development.
Using marijuana can affect performance and how well people do in life. Research shows that people who use marijuana are more likely to have relationship problems, worse educational outcomes, lower career achievement, and reduced life satisfaction.
Contrary to popular belief, marijuana is addictive. Research shows that:
1-in-6 people who start using the drug before the age of 18 can become addicted. 1-in-10 adults who use the drug can become addicted.
Over the past few decades, the amount of THC in marijuana has steadily climbed; today's marijuana has three times the concentration of THC compared to 25 years ago. The higher the THC amount, the stronger the effects on the brain—likely contributing to increased rates of marijuana-related emergency room visits. While there is no research yet on how higher potency affects the long-term risks of marijuana use, more THC is likely to lead to higher rates of dependency and addiction.
No-Carry4971@reddit
It's a hidden addiction nightmare squashing a generation.
Current_Mongoose_844@reddit
Legal weed is one of the few things I miss about my home city. Last time I went back, you smell weed all over the place. There's a dispensary on almost every block. It's a bit too much imo, but a little too much weed is better than a drug war.
Dazzling-Climate-318@reddit
It’s good for people with chronic pain and nothing to do.
It trashes the lives of people who use it. Not as a gateway drug, just as a time waster and a don’t care mood creator.
I’ve known two friends who lost their potentials to it.
mdavis360@reddit
I support it being legalized and I support anyone that uses it. But man do I fucking hate the smell of it being everywhere now. It really sucks. This weekend I was in a few different places and no matter what, that awful smell would just show up because everyone is smoking in their car. I hate weed smoke more than I hate cigarette smoke.
KagakuNinja@reddit
I rarely smell weed, not sure what everyone is freaking out about. Tobacco is another story, I lived through the 70s with everyone smoking in bars and restaurants, my father was a chain smoker.
Last summer I went to a small club in Tokyo, lots of tobacco smokers. When I got back to my hotel, my clothes and hair just reeked. I had to take a shower.
cohrt@reddit
Everywhere I go smells like a dead skunk now it fucking sucks. It even follows people around.
AliMcGraw@reddit
It strongly depends on where you live, including down to neighborhood. My state is strict about people smoking within 15 feet of entrances to buildings, and that includes weed, so it isn't so bad when you're in the business district (and there's doors every few feet), and in more suburban neighborhoods where smoking in general is kinda taboo, people are polite about going out in their backyard away from the buildings (or smoking in their garage). But if you're in one of the dense apartment building neighborhoods with cheap(er) housing where the 20-somethings congregate, it can be an oppressive, constant reek. You want to be like "USE SOME COMMON SENSE, don't smoke right underneath six people's balconies on a first nice weekend in May!" but I guess that's what your 20s are for, learning some common sense.
SmallBeanKatherine@reddit
This!
My college dorm this year had a horrible weed smell in the hallway. Everyone was complaining and it was against the rules, but the hotboxing jerk never stopped. My roommate had sensory issues, so she'd get headaches from it, and it just gave me an icky feeling. I can't imagine knowingly screwing over an entire floor of other people like that.
Do weed whenever, as long as you're responsible and don't go overboard in a way that hurts you, but PLEASE don't do it when it impacts others.
Dandylion71888@reddit
That’s on your RA for not stopping them. There is no way that was allowed inside a dorm.
SmallBeanKatherine@reddit
It was definitely not allowed. I know there were efforts to stop them, but nobody could catch which room it was from since the smell was so constant. There were room checks, but I suspect the person hid it?
I'm moreso just baffled by how the weed smoker could really go months doing that, seeing complaints on paper signs, the hall whiteboards, and the dorm's online chat, and just keep doing it. That's oblivious at best and cruel at worst, y'know?
Dandylion71888@reddit
Nah, they just didn’t care.. some people will do everything unless/until they’re kicked out.
fleetiebelle@reddit
Yeah, I'm at that point, too. I don't use, and I generally don't care if people do, but it feels like a lot of people are almost too bold with it. It's not okay to be smoking or vaping or stoned everywhere, all the time. It might bother your neighbors if you're smoking outside all the time. Driving or working impaired isn't good. Reeking of weed in public isn't great. Opinions on pot are changing for the better, but in some ways the pendulum has swung far in the other direction and there isn't the necessary balance yet.
KagakuNinja@reddit
Lighten up Francis
DuelJ@reddit
It's mostly old folk.
nebraskajone@reddit
It's the smell, it's weird that cigarettes are taboo now but weed is popular
EatLard@reddit
Which is funny because you can smell weed for a city block, but someone smoking a cig just stinks up their immediate surroundings.
Boopa0011@reddit
Hard disagree
Darmok47@reddit
I think weed smell is much stronger, but cigarette smoke lingers longer.
royalhawk345@reddit
Cigarette smoke can be just as pervasive.
UltraShadowArbiter@reddit
This right here is one of the major reasons why I don't like weed and those who smoke it.
It fucking stinks worse than shit.
We have only one dispensary where I live. On certain days, when the conditions are right, the whole city fuckin stinks. All because of that one single dispensary.
elphaba00@reddit
The neighbor across the street from me has part of his backyard fenced off to grow his weed. We all know what it is and what he's doing. And when it gets to a certain time in the summer, the whole neighborhood just starts to smell. I feel bad for my neighbor running a beauty parlor in the back of her house. The smell just never leaves.
nebraskajone@reddit
Yeah supposedly we hate cigarettes because we all know they're unhealthy and stinky and now we, a more enlightened generation, move on to weed which is unhealthy and stinky, lol
hurricanePopsicles@reddit
It’s mostly old folks at dispensaries too
ClickClick_Boom@reddit
Old folks and being hypocrites, name a more iconic duo.
Rhino_Thunder@reddit
Do you think the old folks at dispensaries are anti weed? Or maybe there are multiple opinions within an entire generation
oh_such_rhetoric@reddit
How dare you suggest that people are individuals who don’t always match stereotypes!
deathshr0ud@reddit
You can’t discern the fact that elderly folk are not one amorphous blob with one single opinion? Reddit moment
hurricanePopsicles@reddit
You have to remember that the old folks today grew up in the 60’s. Weed was everywhere, it really makes sense
Remote-FilmBoujee@reddit
It depends on the old folk. In some states the old folks are whose buying the weed up after voting for legalization
Jcamp9000@reddit
Old person here, 73 years old, doesn’t bother me a bit but of course I grew up in the 60s and 70s so there’s that
Spider___Pig@reddit
Florida here....I dont know anyone who doesnt enjoy weed if they dont smoke its because their job requires random drug testing but thats really rare even NASA employees are blowing down
georgia_moose@reddit
I think it has culturally hit a status quo that isn't going to see much change because marijuana is a "big deal" as in it is "big money". States that have legalized it are unlikely to reverse course because of the revenue it generates. States where it remains illegal may legalize it or may not- depends if said state's potheads raise enough ruckus. The federal government on the other hand likely will not legalize it because in its illegal state they get more money from it. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) collects massive taxes from illegal activities (since such enterprises can't get any tax deductions) and has no mandate to report said illegal activities; therefore, it is in the federal government's better interests to maintain the status quo.
I can't speak for all of Gen Z, but this member of Gen Z despises the stuff, as he has personally only ever seen the drug bring out the worst in the people who use it. Moreover, the fact that the federal government only keeps it illegal so to get more out of tax revenue is hypocritical; if were illegal for public health and safety reasons (as it should be), they would be raiding every dispensary and farm and busting dealers, not just the ones who refuse to pay federal taxes.
PrettyPoliticalBitch@reddit
Eh it really depends. My parents hate it, my sister and I love it and smoke all the time. My dad literally would rather us become alcoholics than stoner
Communal-Lipstick@reddit
No.
GrimSpirit42@reddit
It's more acceptable.
It's still stupid.
hitometootoo@reddit
Some do, some don't. Most people I know either want it to be legal or don't care. People do talked about it openly still, since nothing is really wrong with talking about it.
Vaping has taken over where cigarettes had a place, but I wouldn't say it's replaced weed for many people.
Constant_Tomorrow_69@reddit
A lot of people vape weed, too. It’s more discreet and more convenient. It’s all about the Penjamins, baby…uh huh uh huh
Fantastic-Pop-9122@reddit
Yeah if youre not the one doing it its hard to discern if its tobacco or weed in the vape.
nicozi@reddit
not really. weed vapes still stink like weed.
Past_Worker_8262@reddit
And they have a distinct cartridge shape. At least from what I have noticed in Illinois, Ohio, Maryland and Florida.
Constant_Tomorrow_69@reddit
Not the same level and it doesn’t linger. I also literally had a CBP agent smell the mouthpiece of my vape during a random full search and toss it back in my bag a month ago
Tomj_Oad@reddit
Gotta love the science to a "sniff test"
I doubt the court should give him any ability to make a judgement call there
But they very well might rule that the he's a trained drug dog
US courts are weird
Effective_Coach7334@reddit
the high grade concentrates that I've been talking about smell heavily of weed, it would stink up your bag, would never pass inspection.
nicozi@reddit
depending on what state you were in, there’s a good chance they knew and just didn’t care.
Constant_Tomorrow_69@reddit
It wasn’t TSA at my local, it was a random CBP screening after the security checkpoint heading to the gates at Vancouver International. They check heavily when coming back from CA
Tomj_Oad@reddit
Nope
My vapes smell so good non smokers comment
If they knew it was weed in my tiny red town they'd spontaneously combust
My vapes smell like cookies
5uper5kunk@reddit
Only the very good ones actually smell like weed anymore, most of them smell more like flavored nicotine vape juice than actual weed.
Thunderclapsasquatch@reddit
Flower vapes also exist, some of them are really cheap, like $30
5uper5kunk@reddit
Add maybe two zeros to that and you probably have what I’ve spent on weed vapes in the last four or five years ;-).
I know it’s a lot more mainstream now but I’m so used to it being literally only a thing for a turbo weed nerds that I never think of it when people talk about “vaping weed” like I just assume everybody else is talking about carts all the time
nicozi@reddit
fairs. some of those icky TCH-derivative ones can edge on indistinguishable
KingDarius89@reddit
It still smells like weed, dude.
Thunderclapsasquatch@reddit
They even make vapes that cook flower instead of concentrate, my favorite kind
Constant_Tomorrow_69@reddit
Pax Plus has entered the conversation
Thunderclapsasquatch@reddit
I loved my Flowermate until it completely died on me, took a few years
Effective_Coach7334@reddit
vaping concentrates is where the trend is. it's kinda old fashioned to smoke the plant material.
hurricanePopsicles@reddit
Vaping sucks compared to flower though. So many people that smoke have never smoked flower. It’s sad
Effective_Coach7334@reddit
You've clearly never smoked concentrates. There's zero reason to smoke the flower as it does far more damage to your lungs.
Fantastic-Pop-9122@reddit
Concentrares give me a headache every time. I'll pass.
WhatABeautifulMess@reddit
What if I told you.. some people have different preferences?
hurricanePopsicles@reddit
Concentrates are another different than vaping. Even the most expensive hash rosin vape sucks compared to flower
Effective_Coach7334@reddit
Then you're not paying attention because my first comment you replied to said concentrates. And hash rosin is only one form of concentrate.
But you still have addressed the negative effects of smoking plant materials.
hurricanePopsicles@reddit
Smoking anything is going to be bad for your health. I usually take pills and smoke flower to keep the buzz going.
Effective_Coach7334@reddit
We aren't discussing whether inhaling things is bad for your health, because we know that already. We're comparing different products and which ones are far worse than the other. So you still haven't addressed the issue.
You choose to smoke plant material, and comparatively you have to smoke a lot of it, as opposed to concentrates which are only the active compounds extracted from that material. It's your choice to inhale a product that is substantially worse for your health. But don't try passing it off as some superior experience.
hurricanePopsicles@reddit
Smoking flower is a much better experience than a pen. Smoking concentrates out of a rig, to me is completely different than a pen
Effective_Coach7334@reddit
you're the only one talking about pens
Lahvin@reddit
What is your preferred device? I have a Carta 2 and a mininail and love em
Lahvin@reddit
And pens are one of the worst ways to partake in concentrates. A nice e-rig will beat flower any day of the week for me
5uper5kunk@reddit
All the modern concentrates are kind of terrible even good rosin tastes empty compared to actual weed.
The big brain move is to get a dry-herb vape and get the best of both worlds, the full spectrum weed experience but none of the combustion byproducts.
Effective_Coach7334@reddit
Yeah, I figured the dry herb vape would be discussed. That's one way to go about it if you really prefer the plant material.
Why do you say concentrates are terrible? It has a different taste profile but it's definitely not 'empty.' If you're not very experienced with them or only had access to the cheap stuff, yeah. It's going taste flat and featureless.
5uper5kunk@reddit
I recognize it’s probably a me thing but even good rosin just taste like chemical soup to me. It can be some very delicious tasting chemical soup but it always is missing some je ne sais quoi like “weediness” that I get when I vape herb it itself.
Effective_Coach7334@reddit
it's a combination of experience and developing a palette for it, just as applies to food. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying it's a superior thing rather it's a different thing of an acquired taste that is it's own experience.
When I first started vaping concentrates I thought it was terrible before I learned how to recognize and buy the good stuff. The market is like any other and much of what out there is crap trying to attract people that don't know any better. It takes some work.
5uper5kunk@reddit
I gave rosin a good try for a couple years but I found that even when I bought a jar that my friends were going apeshit about, it would take me like five months to finish 2g. I’m thinking about giving another go recently, a friend of mine got one of those little puffCo. pen devices and it’s a delightful little toy and I kinda wanna pick one up.
Effective_Coach7334@reddit
rosin, sugar, diamonds, shatter, sauce, etc. there's so many different kinds to explore.
When I first went this route I thought for sure it would be too much, since flower itself is so potent these days. But after a short while I got into it and realized it's a lot easier to control your intake because there's very little variation with the same product. brands, yes. To me it was more bang for the buck because I could precisely control the dose and my overall use. I can stretch out a g far longer than i could flower.
Agitated-Sock3168@reddit
"But you still haven't addressed the negative effects of smoking plant materials."
And you're ignoring the negative effects of vaping; but carry on...
Effective_Coach7334@reddit
I would be ignoring it if it was a point of contention, but it's not and so I can't be ignoring something that is a non-issue. So your comment is irrelevant.
_CPR__@reddit
IMO the best of both worlds is vaping flower. Avoids the smell of smoking and you know exactly what's in it.
Outlaw_Josie_Snails@reddit
Perhaps the term vaping can be used generically or I am misunderstanding you?
I have a high quality portable vape and a desktop vape and all I vape is flower. Same with a few of my family members and friends. In sone cases, I use a WPA (Water Pipe Adapter) and attach the vape to a water pipe.
r/vaporents
BoringPrinciple2542@reddit
Generally “vaping” in current lingo references vape pens. Vaporizing is a bit different despite the similarity in terminology.
Typically if somebody says vape they are referencing e-cig type rigs not old-school vaporizer rigs.
Your usage isn’t wrong but it’s not what is most commonly meant.
Effective_Coach7334@reddit
Vaporizing rigs are old school, but there is more modern equipment that is portable, but it's the same process. And they are also referred to, accurately, as vaping. If you're not keeping up to date on that market, it's natural that you will only recognize the lowest common denominator. But that's not an accurate viewpoint.
BoringPrinciple2542@reddit
I’m not arguing with any of that. Vape rigs do continue to modernize and are accurately referred to as vaping which I acknowledged.
However, language is fluid and the general usage of the term “vape” refers to something other than vaporizing dry herb. In common parlance it generally refers to using a heating element to vaporize a mixture of THC oil & flavor compounds in a battery operated portable device.
Oftentimes words have one meaning for the general population and other meanings based on subculture & context.
hurricanePopsicles@reddit
I’m more talking about the pens everyone uses now. I’ve had the flower vapes. They just seem to taste different. Not my cup of tea
Fantastic-Pop-9122@reddit
Leave all the plant material to us old timers and you can keep your concentrated plant juice.
Cold_Elk947@reddit
The flower gets me higher faster than the concentrates. Yes, it stinks but idc...it's legal where I live and I smoke outside. My neighbors know and they don't care.
sfocolleen@reddit
My landlord thinks a skunk permanently lives under our window 😂
Test4Echooo@reddit
I hate to lay down the kind of money they want for the thc cartridges, also, between two people it doesn’t seem like it would last very long. We’re sticking to flower as well.
Effective_Coach7334@reddit
If you're buying cartridges you're paying extra, getting less product, and adding to polluting plastics. That's a choice, mostly out of ignorance.
Then-Leadership9199@reddit
It's not necessarily a choice out of ignorance, most people I know prefer other things but the carts are more convenient. It's way easier to get away with at work which is what a lot of people use them for. Personally, I have young children and the carts are nice for me cuz I can just pop into the other room and hit it a few times discreetly, id prefer to smoke a bowl or a joint, but that requires more time than I usually have and it smells stronger. I still smoke, but I do that when the kids are asleep or gone
Effective_Coach7334@reddit
i said mostly, which means not always
Then-Leadership9199@reddit
Yeah and I'm saying I disagree with even the mostly part, I think for some people it's ignorance but I wouldn't say most
PapaTua@reddit
I prefer low dose carts and select them specifically. It's not ignorance.
cody8559@reddit
Come to Michigan! I got cartridges starting at $6!
Effective_Coach7334@reddit
I'm an old timer and other in shared social settings I don't plan on ever smoking the plant material again.
PapaTua@reddit
Same. I've grown up surrounded by excellent flower, and it's just overkill for me. I like to sip weed, not drink from a fire hose.
VoopityScoop@reddit
It's not "old fashioned" to smoke plant matter, young people still do all the time, but it's way easier to hide a vape pen and to use it without looking like you're doing anything illegal
Fucking_in_tents_@reddit
More people vape weed than smoke regular flower in legal states. I believe about 70% of smokable sales are cartridges rather than flower
PapaTua@reddit
I only vape weed. I'm an incredibly light user, but I like a few puffs before bedtime. If I had to actually smoke a pipe or a joint, I simply wouldn't bother.
But a cute little rechargeable vape is just right.
artemisinagayway@reddit
Vaping weed is pretty common.
94grampaw@reddit
The thc vapes are popular
EpsilonAmber@reddit
I live in a small town and weed is definitely super stigmatized here. LA and SF it's less so though.
Personally, I really hate how it smells (and how the people who smoke it smell). (I feel the same about tobacco smokers too)
porkchopespresso@reddit
I have renters (booo landlords) and the biggest indicator on this that I’ve seen is one, potential tenants I assume will smoke in the house and it’s not really a deal breaker. If I need to come over to look at something there’s no discretion about putting weed or pipes away. Our leases say explicitly no smoking but everyone seems to understand that means cigarettes. I have more of a don’t ask don’t tell policy about weed, considering it’s not a frat house and it’s just normal people unwinding. If the unit is in otherwise good shape and it doesn’t reek, it’s fine. It kinda has to be fine since kinda everyone does it.
Fucking_in_tents_@reddit
In my experience, now that it’s legal most landlords just don’t wan tenants to smoke inside. Have you had a problem with the smell at all?
justonemom14@reddit
"now that it's legal"
cries in Texas
Kellosian@reddit
The Texas GOP will do whatever it takes to ensure weed is illegal here, much to the cheers of literally no one. I don't think even the alcohol industry cares all that much, I'm pretty sure it's just Bible thumpers who make the guys in Footloose seem like hippies
porkchopespresso@reddit
No problem at all. I mean I don’t want them to smoke inside either but for me it’s more of a “it’s not a problem until it’s a problem” kind of thing and it really just hasn’t been a problem.
If I tell people they can’t smoke weed inside under any circumstances they’re gonna still sit on the couch and take a few hits inside anyway. I don’t really think it hurts anything. It’s a nice place, they’re regular people. I don’t think it’s enough volume to linger very much. I never smell it when I have to go inside.
PrimaryHighlight5617@reddit
Chemically speaking, cigarettes can ruin interiors.
Willing_Ad_699@reddit
California is weed central man. We love it. Taking a bong rip as I type.
Ananvil@reddit
I find it distasteful, much like cigarettes. Stink up the place, people driving altered. I work in an emergency room and the waiting room has the permanent stench of weed.
AtlasThe1st@reddit
My area and myself dont care about it (legal in Illinois), but I do care if you smoke it around me because it smells like shit. Also keep it out of my house because guns and marijuana together are a felony.
thats-gold-jerry@reddit
Most people don’t. A lot still do but it’s pretty integrated into society.
Myfreakinglyfe@reddit
I work in a legal dispensary in NY and I see people from all walks of life and ages. I honestly feel like most people either do it themselves, or don’t really care if other people do. Which is how it should be. I’m Gen X. I see quite a few Gen Z in the store. Around here, they are definitely more into weed than alcohol. Love that for them.
notthegoatseguy@reddit
I honestly prefer what many Europeans country are doing, which is medical for patients and de-crim for personal use.
I just feel like the legal market causes many of our cities to just have that perpetual marijuana stink to them.
It doesn't help that cities in the 90s/00s that championed how progressive they were for smoking bans seem to have largely stopped enforcing those bans, even when it comes to using marijuana (and much more dangerous and illegal drugs!) on metros, at train stations and bus depots, in public parks, etc...
I hope some of this is New Toy mind set and it eventually dies down, or we start enforcing smoking bans just like we did for decades with tobacco use.
SkiingAway@reddit
The legal market means billions of dollars don't flow to organized crime and cartels, and do flow into public coffers as both direct taxes and legitimate employment/businesses/etc.
I can't fathom anyone who would think what you are saying is a better idea.
And I say that as a non-user. With that said, public smoking restrictions/bans certainly a topic that can be considered.
ATLien_3000@reddit
For most people it's a practical concern.
When my neighbor drinks a few beers, it doesn't get me drunk.
Fantastic-Pop-9122@reddit
Well your pot smoking neighbors would be less likely to become violent than your alcohol neighbors. And if you're outside and smell it you're not getting a contact buzz off it.
ATLien_3000@reddit
That's not what a contact high is.
SkiingAway@reddit
There is no possible way you are getting any sort of high from your neighbor smoking, unless you are in a small enclosed space without ventilation. Like, the inside of a car with the windows closed.
Fantastic-Pop-9122@reddit
What do you mean? And no i didnt put my joint down to type this.
KagakuNinja@reddit
Lol, you think you are going to get high from someone smoking 10+ feet away outside? Only if it is a giant 4/20 group smoke fest.
OkTechnologyb@reddit
It's not seen as a big deal. Recreational marijuana is now legal in about half the states. You can find THC drinks in others. Pot smoke is a common smell in lots of US cities.
AliMcGraw@reddit
(But generally companies want to drug test as few people as possible/necessary; it costs $70,000+ in drug testing to catch one person who's using, and they're almost always using weed, which, now that it's legal in most states, only matters if weed use makes them unable to do their job. So generally you want to drug test the jobs where it's safety-crucial or where they need government clearance, and try to avoid in roles where you can be like "Look, Mary, you can't keep showing up to work the phones so high you're giggling, we're putting you on a PIP and there will be drug tests" and only test where you know there's a problem if there are no particular safety risks.)
OkTechnologyb@reddit
That's a good point. During a bout with unemployment in 2024, I applied for an airport FedEx package handler job and was drug-tested, so I was extrapolating from that experience, without knowing how common it really is. I found out later most FedEx jobs don't drug-test anymore, but airport ones have to because they're under federal rules (or something like that).
Just didn't want to leave our asker with the impression that all of the US is equally High Times blissed-out weed positive.
SkiingAway@reddit
In some legal states it's no longer allowed for employers to drug test for weed at all unless it's a safety-critical position or tied to the federal government (where the feds still disallow it as condition of the grants/funding).
AliMcGraw@reddit
Disqualification for weed use is commonly when you're going to be working around heavy machinery and being stoned could be deadly. I worked for a warehousing company for a while and we didn't give a SHIT how high people showed up to work on the floor (we didn't even test for drugs for "pack things in a box," it was up to the supervisor if someone seemed "visibly altered" whether drunk or high or ill), but forklift drivers would be fired and permanently ineligible for rehire if they failed a single drug test (which happened both regularly and erratically). Forklift drivers also got PAID a lot more. Maintenance teams who worked on high-speed conveyer belts and things like that also had drug testing (as you can die if you fall).
If you're planting flowers, nobody cares if you're high. If you're driving the lawnmower, people care.
freshlyground2019@reddit
I live in the Bay Area it seems very normalized here. I used to take edibles every now and then but can’t because I’m in nursing school. My mom is in her late 50s as well as her friends and they all use it. I probably know of more people who use marijuana than those who don’t.
j-rock-HW@reddit
Repressed country bumpkins still think it’s a big deal because they’re ignorant. Anyone without their head up their ass realize it’s less trouble than alcohol.
Charming_Bobcat_2613@reddit
There’s like 4 dispensaries within a mile of my house. Sometimes I forget that it was ever a big deal.
ABelleWriter@reddit
This is incredibly location dependent.
Where I live weed is legal. Almost everyone I know smokes or eats gummies. People that you would never guess. There is a discretion about it though. At work I only talk about it around people who are cool about it. (But also by talking, I mean "I need to stop by the smoke shop and buy more gummies.")
Younger generations do seem to be smoking more than drinking, at least here.
somecow@reddit
Older people and prudes. But even just going to a restaurant, younger generations miiiiiiiiight ask “you look high are you high”? Why thank you, yes I am. “Well can I hit that”? Sure.
Even cops don’t really care if you’re not being obvious, little bit of weed is a little bit of weed. We’re too busy worrying about the hardcore tweakers that cause a scene and trash everything, or the guy on his 8th dwi that just wrapped his truck around an electric pole (again).
ZebulonRon@reddit
People here that get bent out of shape about pot are usually the same people whose opinions have no affect on me anyways. I couldn’t really care any less.
sundancer2788@reddit
I'm glad it's legal, I don't smoke or vape but I will occasionally have a drink. But tbh the smoke stinks kinda like skunk. My neighborhood smells awful so many times.
Alarmed-Parsnip-6495@reddit
Doesn’t matter what Gen Z thinks, it matters how Gen X and Millennials see it.
icedragon42@reddit
Normal people don't care. Republicans are mixed, and religious nuts and/or Reagan worshipers still think it's as bad as crack or meth.
We have an absurd dichotomy right now where you could legally buy 1 gram of weed at a store in broad daylight, then get put in prison for having it by driving into a state with outdated laws.
The reality is that the only states that still criminalize it are doing so purely for money and inflated solved crime stats. So only red states, since they need to fluff the numbers more to look competent.
onegirlarmy1899@reddit
Idaho. I think it's the only state in the west that criminalizes it.
MundaneHuckleberry58@reddit
Mostly no.
I grew up in the conservative South, where it definitely was just a drug the bad kids did at high school & beyond.
Moved out west where everyone used it even well before it was legal. It was medically legal for awhile before it was also recreationally legal. Now you walk right past someone vaping weed on your way into a store, that kind of thing.
onegirlarmy1899@reddit
Idaho outlawed it in all its forms.
LeGrandePoobah@reddit
I do not support it. It comes with some social ills like impaired driving. I also hate the stink of it. I don’t like anything impairing judgement- and that is probably my biggest issue with it. It impairs judgement and a whole lot of issues occur when people are under the influence of substances. I’m fine from a medicinal perspective. I also don’t want to walk out my back door to enjoy an evening on our patio and smell it. I feel the same about tobacco use from an obnoxious smelling substance that degrades life.
onegirlarmy1899@reddit
You should move north to Idaho. It's completely illegal including all the derivatives.
Bakedpotato1212@reddit
No I’m in a state where it’s still not legal besides a short list of medical uses and nobody cares, cops and prosecutors included. It’s decriminalized in the city I live under a certain amount if you’re older than 21. Hopefully recreational isn’t too much longer
LibrarianofBabel1127@reddit
I don't care, but the smell is awful, and I had to bust college kids using it in the residence halls while working as a Resident Assistant (RA). I definitely had a negative view of it then because it was an incredibly selfish thing to do: everyone else on the floor would have to deal with the smell, and the fire alarms in my building were particularly sensitive. In one semester alone, we had two scheduled fire drills and 15+ false alarms triggered by smoking and vaping. Sometimes you'll be in class and miss the whole thing. Sometimes the alarm gets triggered at 2am, and then everyone's pissed.
BoatshoeBandit@reddit
It’s kind of a public nuisance issue now. No matter what hardcore pro weed people say you smell it everywhere and it’s unpleasant. I smell it in traffic on a nearly daily basis and don’t even live in a legal state. It obviously shouldn’t be criminal to possess a personal quantity or to consume discretely in private, but it’s gotten a bit out of hand.
AliMcGraw@reddit
We like to play "dead skunk or bad weed?" when we're out and catch a really bad smell
Ghoulish_kitten@reddit
Not out here in “The People’s Gaypublic of Drugifornia.”
Also— vaping is a smoking medium. People vape weed in handled and in bigger vaporizers like The Volcano thingie with the bag.
AliMcGraw@reddit
People I know are against smoking generally because of the health effects and while they might smoke a joint on a special occasion, gummies and edibles are a lot more popular. I'm sure there are socioeconomic factors involved in those decisions.
PrimaryHighlight5617@reddit
They are vaping pure THC instead of smoking weed.
As the gen z child of a Gen x weed addict who would blearily insist weed was harmless and not addictive I hope we see people pull back. You kids need you to be emotionally available. Your inability to retain details from day to day life is hurtful to your family.
In my dad's case, he has spent so much of his life high that he isnt sharp when sober anymore. It's like he's forgotten what it means to be attentive and alert.
Anyhow. That's my opinion. Not going to change it.
Prestigious-Dust-820@reddit
In states that it’s legal it’s everywhere & no one cares. I live in a state where medicinal is legal and it’s decriminalized so it’s widely used & accepted. So basically, it depends on the states laws.
littlewing2733@reddit
I’m surprised when I find out someone doesn’t smoke weed
irelace@reddit
It's legal in my state and now everything just smells like weed all the time.
Eubank31@reddit
I have no issue with it other than the fact that I fucking hate the smell. I can smell it in my apartment sometimes (people smoke outside in the courtyard) and it pisses me off off to no end
violetcat2@reddit
I am Gen Z and idc, not gonna see me ingesting it but compared to alcohol, smoking, and vaping I believe it's way less harmful
Legitimate-Pirate-63@reddit
We have weed drive throughs in RI lol
MetalEnthusiast83@reddit
It’s not a big deal. And it’s legal in my state but I fucking hate stoners man. Most boring people on earth.
Dawashingtonian@reddit
for the last like decade in my state no one has cared but i think im starting to notice a little rebound in people disapproving of marijuana use. i smoke weed and even i feel it a bit. there are a decent amount t of people who are just astronomically high 24/7 and having to be around them can be annoying. stuck behind them in line at the grocery store as they slowly fumble around, going to a baseball game and the group next to you reeks of weed, seeing smoke billow out of a cars window as they go 10 under the speed limit.
ShesGotaChicken2Ride@reddit
No. The penalties for weed have decreased substantially; a lot of states have legalized recreational use or at least medical use which it’s easy to get a medical use card. 95% of people I know smoke or vape marijuana, the ones that don’t (like me) it’s usually because our job won’t let us. Especially here in Southern California literally almost everyone smokes it.
Honestly, compared to the fentanyl and tranq problem we have weed ain’t shit.
vt2022cam@reddit
Depends- marijuana’s largest growing using segment is over 55. It depends on the state, and culture, but opposition has dramatically declined.
Test4Echooo@reddit
Many of us have waited our whole lives for this to happen, so we’re going to fully enjoy tf out of this lol. I see mostly Gen X and Millennials at our dispensary.
koreanforrabbit@reddit
I'm 50 and have reminisced with my husband about this. Like, back in the 90's in Indiana, the idea of a dispensary was impossible. Tbf, in Indiana it's still impossible - but at least now we have options and can live in legal states.
That said, I have seen some towns with too many dispensaries, and our county doesn't seem worse off for not having any. I just drive to the next county over. They give teachers a 10% discount at my favorite store. 👍
MonicaBWQ@reddit
There is no right answer here. The USA is a very diverse country There are nearly 350 million people. So on any subject there may be that many opinions. That said I think it’s more acceptable now than in decades past.
ceanahope@reddit
My team knows I consume Marijuana. I know my team does too. Heck, even my boss knows. I've seen some of the higher ups here buy weed as thank yous for their secretaries who consume. It's no different than buying or gifting a bottle of wine in my area.
Friendly_Side3258@reddit
Alcohol sales are down because Gen Z prefers weed lol
Chee-shep@reddit
I don’t know how they manage, it smells like skunk to me
Friendly_Side3258@reddit
Edibles and dab pens won’t smell like skunk!
_pamelab@reddit
I could swear that I read a report somewhere about a college in Virginia that saw a massive reduction in alcohol incidents after weed was legalized. That might have been partly Covid related, though.
EatLard@reddit
Good. I’ve yet to meet a person who becomes an aggressive asshole while high.
Friendly_Side3258@reddit
They definitely exist 😂😂 my old stepmom and step brother were like that
sneeds_feednseed@reddit
Cops with quotas in illegal states and busybody fundamentalists seem to be the only ones who give a fuck at this point. Hulu literally had a 420 special this year lol. I’ve seen all walks of life at dispensaries, everyone from smelly street punks to abuelitas in their Sunday best
FlyingSquirlez@reddit
I'm an older Gen Z. Plenty of people do it, but I don't really have an interest. Mostly I just think it smells bad, similar to vaping and smoking. If you're doing it in private or not bothering with people with it, then I don't see why I should care one way or another.
HyperXanadu@reddit
When I travel from my legal marijuana state to a non legal state, it feels very strange to me. Particularly considering how long it has been legal where I'm from that it is so normalized here that no one even thinks about it.
crazycatlady052411@reddit
Some do still not many
unenlightenedgoblin@reddit
Pretty much only police unions and 90 year olds are actually against it. A fair number of people grumble about smelling it in public but there is a broad consensus at this point that it should just be legal already. Even where it isn’t legal it’s widely available and usually not an enforcement priority, but by keeping the law on the books it gives cops something to bring you in on if they want to.
supers0mnoid@reddit
I’m in Minnesota and it’s a complete non-issue. The only time anyone complains is if they’re super close to someone smoking and don’t like the smell - which, I use medically, and make sure I’m not near anyone. Period. It’s my habit, not anyone else’s to have to deal with. We just don’t have many dispensaries, so I have to drive almost an hour to get to mine. They fumbled the rollout of both medical and recreational so bad… 😩
BakedBrie1993@reddit
Big deal? Less and less. But definitely still for some if they are in a state where it isn't legal or widely used yet.
It's funny to go to family events and hear the old people talk about their relationship with their budtender.
thisislyncanthropy@reddit
Born and raised in the Bay Area, California and people have always been relaxed about it in my experience. Both old and young people.
Drew707@reddit
Same. It isn't even really politically polarizing here. Both sides of the aisle are taking bong rips.
flowbkwrds@reddit
Everywhere you go smells like weed now, so I'd say no.
W3inerSchnitze1@reddit
My parents are 80+ and even they don’t care.
It’s definitely location based for sure but for the most part - nobody really cares. Just don’t smoke a join in a packed public place.
I live in Austin TX and it’s very common to see someone smoking on a patio at a bar, by the water, at the park, etc. But also, it’s Austin.
BigBonedMiss@reddit
Depends on the state.
If weed is still illegal, then it’s seen as big deal.
If weed is legal, people see it as harmless but still annoying when being smoked in public.
PapaTua@reddit
In Washington it's totally normalized. No one cares if you smoke only public in the slightest.
SouthernReality9610@reddit
Oregon. Nobody says much about it.
chinchaaa@reddit
As a millennial in my 30s, I know more people than don’t who partake at least every once in a while than people who don’t. I don’t think I could name a single person I know that isn’t in favor of legalization.
TehWildMan_@reddit
Fire-able offense to test positive for at my workplace, but pretty normalized elsewhere. There's a "weed store" a few minutes walking distance from HR's office.
purpfeebs@reddit
I am in a state with medical and recreational cannabis. I have over ten dispensaries within a few miles from here. When I go into a dispensary there are folks of all ages from all types of backgrounds. People are pretty casual about it, I’d say it’s treated similarly to alcohol. It’s also not uncommon to smell people smoking outside. I’m not Gen Z and don’t have a ton of interaction with folks that age, but my understanding is they generally prefer cannabis over alcohol.
Fucking_in_tents_@reddit
I would say it’s slowly moving the way of alcohol in terms of being socially acceptable. No one really bats an eye at anyone who uses marijuana unless you’re high 24/7 like they would with someone who drinks all the time.
You’re probably not seeing the same amount of popularity simply because it’s not a new thing that’s pretty much exclusive to California like it was in 2009. Weed tourism used to be a big thing in LA but the legality almost everywhere in the U.S. has slowed that down
Chee-shep@reddit
Personally it reeks like skunk to me and the scent of smoke in general makes me feel sick, so I hate it. My apartment’s weather seal for the front door is crap and people will smoke right there outside their front doors.
However it’s pretty common where I live. I’m in California so it’s legal and there’s shops for it. I think what bothers me most is that the majority of people don’t get that you can get an overdose, but that’s more common with edibles.
Anteater_Reasonable@reddit
No. Here in NYC people pretend it smells less disgusting than cigarette smoke.
hemibearcuda@reddit
Not really, it's only a big deal to our Federal Govt at this point.
These days I smell it at every stoplight downtown if the weather is nice and my car windows are down.
No one is even trying to hide it in public anymore. Especially with vape pens.
BeepCheeper@reddit
Most Americans consider it on the same level as alcohol, but politicians are afraid of losing voters. Legalization has been slow.
Educational_Kick_698@reddit
I’m in a state where it’s legal. It was definitely a topic of discussion when it was first legalized and dispensaries were popping up all over the place. Now a few years in it’s rarely a topic as it’s normalized. You can even get THC drinks at bars and grocery stores now. It’s now what my wife drinks when we go out on weekends and she never had any THC products prior.
PlanMagnet38@reddit
I want it legal, decriminalized, and regulated/taxed.
I also hate smelling it, and I desperately wish people would all switch over to edibles or whatever instead of making my entire town reek.
t-poke@reddit
Same. I voted to legalize it and am thankful it passed. I'll never touch it in any form. And I'd like to never smell it too.
Optimistbott@reddit
It is now completely normal for the majority of the population. There used to be a thing with boomers how they couldn’t really distinguish between other hard drugs and marijuana.
These days you can buy marijuana for recreational use in the liberal states.
But even then, gas station wholesalers are pretty much selling marijuana to many gas stations in semi-legal states, because there are many laws about the sale of hemp by percentage thc content by weight, so what you have are these thc concentrates that are put into gummies that fall within those ratios
So yes; its lax
Sidhe_shells@reddit
Born and raised in California here - but for three years I lived in the midwest. The people in the midwest REALLY looked down on it.
MarcusAurelius0@reddit
Im in my 30s, never smoked, pro legalization and decriminalization.
One really annoying thing about legal weed is people are really inappropriate about smoking it. Smoking it while driving and smoking it in public places so the smell is overpowering,
sammyterrybelzer@reddit
That's partially a symptom of NY state law (assuming from your banner). I thought it was good when they legalized it, and I thought it was stupid that they legalized it to be smoked in a public place in the same way as cigarettes. The smell of burning Marijuana does last longer and smell stronger than cigarettes (depending on a lot of factors I'm just generalizing).
Source: a guy who doesn't smoke weed or cigarettes and hates the smell, but thinks people should be allowed to do both.
Roboticpoultry@reddit
I’m currently hitting the pen. I’ve been a heavy smoker for about 15 years. I don’t really care who knows, my wife doesn’t smoke but she likes gummies and we live in a place where it’s legal. Greatly prefer it over alcohol
therankin@reddit
I definitely don't see it as a big deal. Never really have. It's legal in my state now, but even still, I rarely use it. I'm definitely supportive of people doing it, and I voted to legalize it. Same holds true for mushrooms IMO. If it can grow, you should be able to grow it.
TheElement92@reddit
I don’t. I smoke it but it’s illegal here because of a certain tavern league
jc8495@reddit
I would say in states where it’s been recreationally legal for a few years it’s all very normalized now. I work in an office that is 90% middle aged or senior women and we’ve all had conversations about what we buy at dispensaries. Whenever I go to a dispensary there’s always at least one older individual in line. But that varies depending on the person
DCStoolie@reddit
Similarly, THC beverages seem to be very popular in my legal state and are huge revenue building items for liquor stores and dispensaries. Those seem to be much more popular.
Cold_Elk947@reddit
THC beverages are a whole another level. I underestimated it one year when I drank some on the way to the DC open and was high off my ass watching tennis matches.
Reaganson@reddit
Most people around my area in Northern Virginia complain about the smell. It is everywhere.
UltraShadowArbiter@reddit
I'm Gen Z (29), and I absolutely despise it and those who smoke it.
It, and the people who smoke it, fucking stink worse than shit.
And the people who smoke it are slow, lazy, and stupid because of it. At least the people I formerly knew who smoke it, who I no longer associate myself with.
boodyclap@reddit
It's usually not a big deal in cities, idk if this is the case in EVERY big city, but I've been to a lot and almost every corner smells like weed/someone lighting up and no one really seems to care.
Cerulean_IsFancyBlue@reddit
Gen Z seems to treat it more like previous generations treated alcohol. Which is to say, there’s still a continuum of opinions, but it’s not seen as exotic.
reckless_reck@reddit
Sometimes I forget it isn’t legal everywhere
PsychologicalAir8643@reddit
I live in LA. Those vapes are full of weed lol. I can't speak to the rest of the country, but it's very casually used here and not a big deal in most communities, especially among younger folks. I mean, it's completely legal and there are a ton of stores that sell all kinds of weed products from drinks to snacks to leaf, some of which are quite bougie.
ZaphodG@reddit
In 1975, marijuana was everywhere. The Reagan right wing just say no thing dramatically bumped up penalties and enforcement.
madogvelkor@reddit
A lot of GenX folks are open about using weed and are more inclined toward edibles or traditional joints.
Many of them always were using it, they just kept quiet until recently.
warrenjt@reddit
Of the 300 million of us, I’m sure some do. Some think it’s the devil’s lettuce, some think it’s God’s gift, some people make their entire lives revolve around it, some have the occasional toke, some (like myself) don’t especially care either way.
frylock350@reddit
Our politicians are very out of step with public opinion on this one. Majority of Americans don't think it's a big deal.
Danibear285@reddit
I’ve seen more young girls picking up cigarettes “for the aesthetic”.
Adorable_Dust3799@reddit
I'm in so-cal and it wasn't ever as big a deal as many other areas
sean8877@reddit
I used to smell cigarette smoke everywhere around my neighborhood. Now I mostly just smell weed which I like much better than cig smoke,.
Few-Pineapple-1542@reddit
It’s technically illegal in my state but shops sell other hemp products with different forms of THC that still get you high. I have a few friends who are pretty straight edge and not big fans of weed but I’d say they’re an anomaly, most people don’t really care.
HippieJed@reddit
Depends on how good the weed is.
HoyAIAG@reddit
Who cares
dth1717@reddit
Only the dumb ones think it should be outlawed.
Littleboypurple@reddit
It's something that just be legalized at the national level at this point. States that have it legalized are making a bunch from dispensaries and businesses that sell Marijuana products. Only major downside I find with it is just Weed Smell. Goddamn do some people just feel of the stuff and it is annoying
Mediocre-Ad1811@reddit
I used to be ok with it, but after widespread legalization I want it to be banned. I never want to smell that stuff again. It’s disgusting, and it’s everywhere now.
The-Cursed-Gardener@reddit
The war on drugs has only ever been a racket to justify more policing and more prison slavery. Our constitution allows for slave labor as long as the person is a convicted felon. Non-coincidentally we have the world’s largest prison slave population, and the war on drugs has been instrumental in building up our for-profit prison system.
Weed is a recreational plant that people enjoy using. 90% of the problem with it is the constant fear mongering and social engineering that exists around it because of the war on drugs.
EatLard@reddit
Old people, mostly. And even a lot of them are coming around.
The opposition I hear to recreational use mostly comes from law enforcement, who won’t have a reason to search peoples’ vehicles because they “smell weed”.
Icy-Role2321@reddit
Even in Georgia people don't care. Even people you wouldn't expect use it.
Common-Occasion-7820@reddit
Depends. The most mind numbing and irritating among us do.
Pinwurm@reddit
Recreational has been legal in my state for 10 years. I've yet to meet anyone that makes it a 'big deal' since.
We take cigarette smoking way more seriously.
odubbin@reddit
It should be legalized. I get the concerns with the smell, but I feel the same about cigarettes which are legal. Regardless, I’m more into edibles because I don’t want the harmful effects of smoking later in life.
everyoneisflawed@reddit
No one I know or interact with at all seems to care at all. But I also live in Illinois where it's been legal for quite some time.
PM_ME_UR__SECRETS@reddit
Just my experience but its super casual where I live. Its decriminalized in my state and legal for medicinal uses, but cannot legally be openly combusted. Meaning it must be a legal oil tincture or hash, or an edible, or if its flower I guess you're supposed to find a way to process it yourself.
That said, people openly combust that shit all the time here. I'd say walking down my well populated street, I smell it at least once a block on average.
Pineapple_Trvphaus@reddit
Most people don’t anymore. Attitudes on marijuana have undergone a relatively large shift within the past decade or two. Like most have said, it’s mostly boomers with antiquated views on pot.
There are issues that need to better highlighted though, such as the strength/potency of modern weed, synthetic thc (K2), mental health implications (relationship with psychosis in some users who may be predisposed to certain mental disorders), those who drive high and QOL things (i.e. odor in public). Overall though, the much bigger deal is substance abuse around the country with things like meth, opioids, etc.
NoFleas@reddit
Many of us are stoners. Many more are at least stoner-friendly. The majority either supports it,or has no problem with it - the resistance from Congress is financial.
juan_humano@reddit
Its legal where I am, in New Mexico. There are now more dispensaries than liquor stores in Albuquerque, and if you know how much Burqueños like to drink you will understand just how popular weed is. Having said that, its not something I hear people talking about casually. For instance, casual work friends will sometimes chat about what kind of beer or wine they like, or a good bar. I have never heard anyone casually talk about what kind of weed they like, or what their favorite dispensary is.
With the federal ban still in place, I think public acceptance is kinda in a holding pattern at this point. But even places where its illegal, I feel like its not nearly as stigmatized as it was 20 years ago. I spent a few of the last 10 years in Florida, where its recreationally illegal. That in no way seemed to dissuade people from smoking constantly, right out in public.
Cold_Blacksmith_7970@reddit
It depends on who you ask. I'm 34, never even smoked weed, and I think it should be legalized. My husband's grandparents were big potheads and wanted it legalized. Generally speaking, I believe most people do want it legalized but it does seem to typically be the older generations that don't.
Mega_Dragonzord@reddit
I don't care, I just want to stop being forced to smell it everywhere I go. It smells like a skunk had diarrhea, I don't understand how people can enjoy it. But that being said, legalize it and tax the hell out of it.
stacistacis@reddit
It's not, at least not in the states that legalized it. There's less people whose entire personality is smoking weed, too. They still smoke weed, but they no longer shop at Spencer's for all their home decor.
someolive2@reddit
depends on what state you're in.
lemonprincess23@reddit
Nah, just boomers are the only ones I still get in a tizzy about it. I mean sometimes I’ll complain because people in my apartment love doing it indoors and it fucking smells, but I don’t care enough to snitch.
Smells like shit though nonetheless
MollyOMalley99@reddit
You realize the original pot-smoking hippies grew up to be Boomers, right? And they probably have better weed than you do. Unless you're stinking up their environment, they don't care.
lemonprincess23@reddit
Yeah that’s why it’s so weird. Like didn’t they go to Woodstock? Why are they the ones calling this shit into the cops constantly?
Maybe it’s just my area idk. I live in a decently Christian conservative area so that probably adds to it, but 9/10 times when a cop gets a report of a smell of weed that report is coming from someone 65+
Anus_Targaryen@reddit
There are 66 million boomers spread throughout the country. Most of them did not go to Woodstock.
Jcamp9000@reddit
Boomer female here I would rather eat a gummy because it doesn’t make me cough
Stormdrain11@reddit
There are around 60 dispensaries in our largest city (70,000 people). There are 10 in my city (22,000 people). There's a customizable running joke that basically goes, "sorry if I was weird, I was too high." I've even seen bumper sticker variations. Lol. It's pretty much baked into the lifestyle, no pun intended.
Rockglen@reddit
Pew Research study says that (as of 2026) between 88% & 90% of Americans believe it should be legal.
It's had high approval of legalization for a long time, but due to a mix of factors it's stayed criminalized for a long time and currently is legal in some states to varying degrees but illegal federally (though the ATF Schedule designation has decreased).
I tried finding a study that broke down legalization opinion by generations, but instead found articles conflating usage (69% of gen z) and approval of legalization.
I remember seeing some opinions a while back that cannabis was consider an "old people drug", but don't know if that's still the case nor what sort of data there is for that.
ExternalTelevision75@reddit
Eh, not really
donuttrackme@reddit
In states where it's legal it's not a big deal. And younger Americans as a whole probably don't think it's a big deal either. But there's still large pockets of people who are still against it.
capndiln@reddit
They make THC vapes now that smell and taste like candy.
The biggest issue with marijuana use in public is the general dislike of the smell. Cigarette smoke doesnt smell much better, but marijuana smoke just ruins the local air fragrance.
When I was in NYC a few months back the few blocks I was in smelled of weed or sewage. Idk if that is better or worse than exhaust and hot asphalt.
Of course there are conservative and religious folks who believe everybody should be forced to live the same way they chose to and keep fighting any forward progress.
smokervoice@reddit
It causes memory loss so I stay away from it.
levi070305@reddit
A lot of people vaping... are vaping weed.
AndreaTwerk@reddit
To me "vaping" means weed
Time_Traveling_Panda@reddit
I personally dont have a problem with people using it, but if youre smoking it and not vaping it, I think its rude to smoke it in ways that can effect the people around you. Ive had neighbors smoke in their bathroom and it made my apartment smell like weed. My job can fire me for weed so that was a big deal to me.
ddp67@reddit
As long as it doesn’t affect other people, I’m cool with it, and I’m especially in favor of medical marijuana.
However, America is a very individualist country, and there are tons of idiots, of all political persuasions, that think you can smoke anytime and anywhere. The smell is everywhere now and these people have no concern for anyone but themselves.
LunarVolcano@reddit
Pretty common recreationally for 20s/30s in my legal state. People will pass j’s at parties. I do edibles at home from time to time.
As for older folks… my mom doesn’t like the smell, but I’ve never heard her comment negatively other than that. Her brother partakes and often he and his 26 year old will buy edibles for each other.
Effective_Coach7334@reddit
it's no big deal. its legalized where I live. In fact, my city decriminalized shrooms, too. The establishment is finally recognizing that these substances have medical benefits that the public should have access too.
West-Improvement2449@reddit
My state has a very powerful tavern league that is keeping it illegal where I live.
Gavacho123@reddit
I live in a state where it’s legal for recreational use, it’s basically available everywhere and I smell it in public almost daily. I smoke weed pretty regularly and it’s socially acceptable with most everyone.
qu33nof5pad35@reddit
I never saw it as a big deal.
holymacaroley@reddit
Depends. Less than when I was growing up (in my early 50s).
Cold_Elk947@reddit
When I go to dispensaries, I see all kinds of people from different backgrounds - registered nurses, doctors, men in business suits, women that just left yoga, older people.
msabeln@reddit
It’s now legal in my state of Missouri, and it’s pretty much only the old people who partake.
Though I do know of a teacher in her 20s who was driving with a weed vape, and told a police officer who pulled her over for erratic driving that she was taking hits off of it.
Quadcrasher66@reddit
No, only old people and politicians care about weed
catymogo@reddit
Not particularly, but I'm in a legal state. Once vapes came on the scene it became very normalized.
MissLoxxx@reddit
Going by the people I personally know, it seems about 50/50 evenly split.
Some people (especially very religious/conservative people) are totally against it. Some others partake.. or support at least medical marijuana.
Marijuana is legal in several of our states now, so the people in those states are much more accepting of it.
Riptorn420@reddit
No.