AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE PROFILE OF MARIJUANA AND IT'S RELATIONSHIP WITH SOCIAL MEDIA
CONTENTS PAGE
1. Introduction 3 - 4
2. Case Study Scope and Methodology 5 - 7
3. Media Influences and Criminalisation of Marijuana 8 - 12
4. Social Networking: Facebook 13 - 17
5. Apps: MassRoots 18 - 21
6. Video Web Sharing: YouTube 22 - 25
7. Blogging and Marijuana 26 - 29
8. Conclusion 30 - 32
Appendix Interview Transcripts 33 - 48
a. Kate Woods – Police Inspector
b. J* - Drug Dealer
c. Zach Daniels (a.k.a. StonersRWeed) - YouTuber
d. Tiffany Wu – Lawyer and Blogger
Tables
49 - 53
1. A Brief American History of Marijuana Legalisation
2. A Brief History of UK of Drug Control Legislation
3. Types of drugs categories
Bibliography
54 - 62
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
This case study investigates the profile of marijuana online and explores its relationship with social media outlets. It focuses on three key themes; criminalisation, culture and society and examines the changing approach to the way people embrace the use of social media in relation to marijuana.
Marijuana appears to have become an increasingly popular discussion theme in social media over recent years, with popular social networking sites driving communication on many diverse issues surrounding the drug. With constitutional changes taking place in 23 states in America on the legalisation of marijuana (ProCon.org, 2016), decriminalisation of this drug has become an even bigger topic of discussion on media outlets. In the UK, the action group Clear-UK (Clear, 2016) promoted the decriminalisation debate through social media sites this led to the initiation of an e-petition on the government’s official website, resulting in MP’s discussing legalisation of the drug in Parliament during October 2015 (IBTimes, 2015). Even though nothing came of the parliamentary debate – regarding legalisation – marijuana still continues to be a polarising subject within some sectors of society. Therefore, the drug has become an important topic of conversation for some social media consumers.
As social media sites continue to evolve, and the more user-generated information - primarily supporting the legalisation of marijuana - influences our society and culture people could become more tolerant of marijuana in a way that's not often backed by the mainstream media (Christakis & Fowler, 2009). However, there are still significant groups of people who do not access these sites to gather information, are against decriminalisation of the drug and will fight intensely to maintain that position.
The case study is divided into chapters starting with the introduction and methodology, followed by a brief history of criminalisation and media involvement in chapters one, two and three. Chapters four through seven examines four areas of social media; Facebook, Blogging, the MassRoots app and YouTube and their relationship with marijuana. In conclusion, chapter eight draws together the key themes and discusses the issues raised by the case study.
CHAPTER 2
CASE STUDY SCOPE AND METHODOLOGY
The rationale for choosing this case study subject was to understand why there are strong views on social media about marijuana and legislation. This controversial subject appears to be driven by a number of social media platforms and has become a more prominent issue in the world for both individuals and organisations.
The scope of this case study will concentrate on the popular social networking sites Facebook, YouTube, the newly founded medical marijuana app, MassRoots, and blogging within a marijuana-based context. Three key themes will be investigated; these include criminalisation, culture and society in both the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States of America (USA).
The methods used include qualitative research through semi-structured interviews with people who actively use social media to talk, connect and inform individuals about marijuana, for either personal or professional purposes. The opening questions have some common themes. Further questions were also created to obtain relevant information from each interviewee about their specific field of work or interest. By using a semi-structured interview process, additional questions can be asked depending on the interviewee response (Wengra, 2009). This interview format helped to clarify certain responses from interviewees and allowed for a greater in-depth understanding of the topic and to support additional discussion in an area that had not been initially considered but would add to the case study investigation.
The four interviewees were chosen to obtain a diverse selection of views on the subject and their involvement in marijuana on social media. Their responses have been used to inform the content of this case study through direct quotes, which have then prompted extra research to investigate their thoughts and opinions.
Kate Woods is a police inspector in the UK. She has been a neighbourhood police officer for six weeks and has been in the service for about 15 years. She provided information about the way police use social media, in particular, Facebook and gave her views on UK marijuana legislation.
J - has been given anonymity due to the illegal nature of his business as a drug dealer in the UK. He has an understanding of the “industry” as well as an appreciation of the marijuana app, MassRoots.
Zach Daniels, a marijuana user and a filmmaker uses YouTube to share his passion for smoking the drug. His YouTube channel has been active for two years and he has posted videos of himself and friends recreationally smoking marijuana in imaginative ways (Daniels, 2011-).
Tiffany Wu graduated from Harvard Law School in 2011 and is part of the Canna Law Group, a practised law firm which focuses on working with cannabis clients across multiple legal states. She also manages and creates original marijuana-based content for the practice’s Canna Law Blog.
Additional information has been sourced from books, websites, reports and videos to provide context to the interview responses and key points presented throughout the case study.
CHAPTER 3
MEDIA INFLUENCES AND CRIMINALISATION OF MARIJUANA
Marijuana and the media have had an ongoing relationship since the late 1800’s. During this period, America was questioning whether to criminalise marijuana with other substances such as alcohol, which some felt had a negative impact on society (Drug Library, 2016).
The drive to criminalise the drug was influenced by religious views, racism, ignorance, fear, protection of corporate profits and was underpinned by yellow journalism (Guither, 2016). Two powerful people played a significant part in this process; William Randolph Hearst and Harry J Anslinger.
Hearst owned newspapers and was able to create marijuana stories about loss of civilised inhibitions, leading to rape, murder, corruption of white women by coloured men and homosexuality (Blanchard, 2016). His motivations for this attack on the drug other than sensational stories sold his newspaper, involved its perceived link to Mexico (Hearst hated all things relating to Mexican culture after he lost land to the Mexican revolutionary leader, Pancho Villa1 (US Centre of Military History, 2015). His business interest in wood pulp production which faced competition from hemp, a material produced from the cannabis plant.
Harry J Anslinger was appointed the head of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics in 1931. He proactively encouraged sensational anti-drug propaganda using malicious racist press stories about Mexican immigrants and Black culture (Wing, 2014). These propaganda tactics increased political support which, in turn, swayed the decision-making at the 1937 Congressional hearings despite the fact that, Dr Woodward presented opposing facts on behalf of the Legislative Council of the American Medical Association. However, these facts were dismissed under what was alleged to be a corrupt decision-making process (Committee on Ways and Means, 1937).
The congressional hearing supported the passing of the Marijuana Tax Act 1937. The Act made it illegal to grow or transfer any form of cannabis and restricted possession of the drug to individuals who paid an excise tax for certain authorised medical and industrial uses (Table 1). Since then, the legislation of marijuana has evolved and developed in the US as nearly half of all American states have changed their stance on the drug (Table 1).
Cannabis first became illegal in the UK, on 28th September 1928 when the revised Dangerous Drugs Act (1925) came into force. At the 1925 International Opium Convention, Egypt and Turkey proposed that cannabis should be made illegal because hashish, (more potent than marijuana) made 30-60 per cent of people using the drug in their country insane (Blanchard, 2016). Both these countries have histories of prohibition based on interpretations of Islamic law. The League of Nations did not investigate these claims until ten years after it was banned (Table 2).
The stimulation of media attention surrounding marijuana has fluctuated over the years. Gonzenbach, a Professor of Advertising and Public Relations, undertook a longitudinal analysis of the wider drug issues and media coverage in the US over the period 1984 to 1991 (Gonzenbach, 1996). In his book, he describes how media reporting was policy driven by both US Presidents Regan and Bush “War on Drugs”.
The catalyst that has changed the scale of debate on marijuana use was the invention of the World Wide Web, in 1991 by Tim Berners-Lee (Owen, 2014). The use of hypertext technology2 (Lee & Fischetti, 2000) created the basis for social media platforms across the world. This invention has enabled anyone to publish, access information, collaborate on shared interests and build both real and virtual relationships. These factors mean a significant proportion of individuals have found it easy to turn to social media to share and learn information about any topic they wish. The extent of people using social media can be measured through the art of blogging, as it is estimated there are over 2,750,000 new blog posts produced every day (Technorati, 2010).
A major discussion point on social media is the topic of marijuana. The opinions expressed by individuals on these social networking sites was an influencing factor in the decision by Colorado State to allow people over 21 to grow, possess and use limited amounts of the drug (State of Colorado, 2012). Twenty-two other US states (ProCon.org, 2016) have followed Colorado’s lead on decriminalisation intensifying debate within the mainstream press and prompting discussions across various social media sites that by people pressing for further changes to the law.
The action group Clear-UK have promoted this debate through social media sites provoking the initiation of an e-petition, calling for the legalisation of marijuana on the government’s official website. The e-petition received 236,997 signatures (UK Government, 2016) which meant MP’s had to debate the legalisation of marijuana in Parliament. (IBTimes, 2015), although the outcome was to retain current the legislation, a more unspoken way decriminalisation is taking place. When interviewing Kate, a police inspector, she stated that “…from a policing perspective we have decriminalised it, with a small “d”, because we’re clearly focusing on Class A drugs”. It was also reported in The Telegraph (Evans, 2015) that the Police in Durham are “turning a blind eye” to cannabis and have almost decriminalised it within their Force (Evans, Police are 'turning a blind eye' to cannabis across the country, experts claim, 2015).
Now the range of advice and information about marijuana on social media sites is enormous. Some blogs suggest utilising the internet and social media to develop marijuana businesses” (Green, 2014). Debates on the medicinal use of marijuana through websites such as (ProCon.org, 2016) and also sites that connect and empower the cannabis community, such as MassRoots (MassRoots Inc, 2016).
The influence that the media has had on marijuana over the years has been immense especially on the way it has been tactically used to achieve personal and national agendas. With the constant evolution of social media sites, it will continue to be a topical issue given the opposing social and cultural views within some sections of society.
CHAPTER 4
SOCIAL NETWORKING: FACEBOOK
Humans are social animals and over the centuries have developed their communication techniques, adapting to the cultural environment and society in which life takes place (Baumeister & Bushman, 2011). Today, social media sites such as Facebook have not only been adopted by our culture and society, but the users of these sites drive the content which influences all walks of life (Grossman, You — Yes, You — Are TIME's Person of the Year, 2006).
One example where social media has been utilised is within the police service. Police Inspector, Kate Woods, stated that “…we use Facebook and Twitter for two-way engagement, as well as to send out preventative and reassurance messages” (Kate Woods, Appendix 1a). Other police forces have used Facebook to identify criminal activity. Recently Canterbury Organised Crime Squad, New Zealand, sent letters to marijuana users saying "Police have been monitoring your Facebook profile and established that you are engaged in a Facebook group that actively sells and trades in controlled drugs." (Shadwell, 2015). The individuals involved complained about this intrusion on their Facebook page.
However, Facebook is very clear that it’s a public forum and all information published on its site should be presumed available to the general public (Facebook, 2016). The shows how social media provided an unbiased platform for not only marijuana smokers who wish to express their views, buy products and connect with people who share similar views, but it also allows for police services the opportunity to enforce laws surrounding the illicit drug.
Facebook is the world’s largest social networking site, reported to have 1.49 billion user accounts in 2015 (Buchanan, 2015). With such a broad community it is a rich platform for individuals and business to inform people about marijuana in great numbers.
Tiffany Wu, Harris Moure Law Firm and a Canna Law Blogger, believes that “…social media allows us to reach a new following of people. Usually, those people are pro-legalisation but there are some instances where, through education, people who once thought it shouldn’t be made available to people have changed their minds.” (Tiffany Wu, Appendix 1d). Lee and Myers, Ph.D. graduates, support this view in their study “Can Social Media Change Your Mind?” they found that social networking sites have significant positive effects on changing views (Lee & Myers, 2016).
Medical marijuana dispensaries and other companies have also created a strong social media presence to inform the public about the drug and the products they sell. In 2014 $4.6 billion was generated by the marijuana industry across the USA (ArcView Market Research, 2015) and this is expected to grow to $5.4 billion (Wee, 2016).
However, the administration of social media sites can create problems for both marijuana users and providers. In February 2016, home pages from several medical marijuana dispensaries across the US were removed from the Facebook site and only being re-instated after some products and prices were deleted.
Instagram, which is owned by Facebook, have also suspended legal marijuana dispensary accounts (Hesse, 2016). The banning of these pages sparked concern that Facebook had adopted a new policy that will purge state-legal marijuana businesses from their pages (Walsh, 2016) which would potentially affect their online sales revenues. Facebook argued that the pages were taken down for violating their community standards (Facebook, 2016).
Social media guidelines aim to outline a set of expectations for appropriate behaviour and what information can be shared. They ensure that posts will not expose Facebook (or other social network providers) to legal problems such as aiding and abetting the sale of illegal drugs or damage to their corporate reputation. Edrington, from The Ganjier.com (cannabis information and online forum for cannabis users), commented on the ambiguities generated by Facebook when rejecting posts and the lengthy process when trying to publish information while attempting to comply with their community standards (Edrington, 2015).
In addition, Tiffany Wu, the Canna Law Blogger stated that “…many of these posts should fall under the First Amendment (USA, 1791) right to freedom of speech...” (Tiffany Wu, Appendix 1d). The dilemma for Facebook is that although marijuana is legal in some states, it’s still illegal in others. Therefore, the First Amendment rule would not apply across the board. Medical marijuana dispensaries in places like New Jersey exist in a legal grey area, legal at the state level but illegal at the federal level, where marijuana is still considered a Schedule 1 drug3 (Anderson, 2014). As Facebook community standards are generic across the world, such problems arise about the interpretation of an acceptable post when there are variations in local, state and national law.
The social media learning experience for both individuals and organisations has been described as a massive social experiment, with no road map, but like any experiment, worth trying (Grossman, 2006). However, there may also be risks as well as benefits as discussed by Psychologist, Valera Carmichael. He argued that "Individuals need to have a balance between digital and real life and have a real understanding of oneself" (Carmichael, 2016). John Raacke, also suggests that “socialization motivates the use of friend-networking sites such as Facebook. Particulars under socialization might be finding old friends, making new friends, learning about events, creating social functions and feeling connected” (Raacke, 2008). Police Inspector, Kate Woods, provides a good example of people wanting to be connected and involved, no matter what the outcome “…people have been stupid enough to post pictures of themselves with a firearm or a big joint saying “look at me, I’m a good guy” …” (Kate Woods, Appendix 1a).
CHAPTER 5
APPS: MASSROOTS
The creation of smartphone software applications - more commonly known as apps - has given users a more convenient and efficient way of performing almost any task, whether it be for work or pleasure and all from the convenience of a smartphone.
In 2015 the app, MassRoots (MassRoots, 2016) was launched. The company marketed the app as “everything a marijuana lover needs, all in one place” and includes marijuana news and topics, legalisation updates, tutorials, dispensary information and platform to connect with other marijuana users. J, a UK drug dealer, is a supporter of MassRoots he said “I like the app for the social side of things, it’s fun to see like-minded individuals sharing their favourite pictures, products and just chatting with each other. I like how you can follow people who are fun and share the same love for weed. I like how you're part of a community and can connect with people all over the world to see their smoking culture” (J, Drug Dealer Appendix 1b).
Although there is other marijuana based mobile applications available to download from the Apple Store, over the last year MassRoots is by far the most popular with over 775,000 users belonging to the community. The developers aim to reach one million users before the 20th of April 2016 (Globe Newswire, 2016). The growth of MassRoots epitomises the powerful nature of how social media has influenced the pace and style of communication in a short period of time (Ryan, 2011).
The impact of social media was further reinforced with the mobilisation of the MassRoots community when Apple banned their app from its online store in November 2014. Apple believed it contravened its policies and the reasons given were similar to those provided by Facebook when it removed marijuana pages from their site. The MassRoots developers called upon their cannabis community asking them to write to Apple defending the app and after receiving 10,000 personal emails from users, Apple changed its policy within months, allowing all social cannabis applications onto their store (Dietrich, 2015).
J, a UK drug dealer represents of one of the growing number of cannabis users who share content on sites like MassRoots. He believes that “…posting pictures on MassRoots of myself smoking or whatever, doesn’t seem as bad when everyone else is doing it. I know that sounds stupid but I don’t feel like it’s a big deal when everyone who is “virtually around me”, so to speak, is doing it too" (Appendix 1b). His attitude suggests that more and more people are becoming desensitised to the fact that marijuana is still an illicit substance in many places. With MassRoots hoping to reach one million users by April 2016 (Globe Newswire, 2016), it could be argued that the social side of marijuana is no longer just an underground culture on the internet, where you have to search for information, but it is becoming a part of mainstream society and culture.
Detective Inspector, Kate Woods, agrees that people have become desensitised to the fact that marijuana is still illegal. She argues that “…while traditional media outlets such as newspapers and television, generally follow what the government puts out there, the increase in social media and ways people can share their opinions definitely has an effect...” (Kate Woods, Appendix 1a). A trend reinforced by the fact that marijuana legislation has changed in 23 US states and police forces in the UK are unofficially decriminalising the drug (Ramesh & Jayenetta, 2015).
Although MassRoots and the volume of its downloads would imply that marijuana use is becoming an acceptable pastime in mainstream society, Kate Woods said “…you still have to know what you’re looking for...the majority of the public aren’t interested in smoking marijuana so they would be oblivious to it and any of the chat that surrounds it. Again, if you don’t want to be part of it, the fact that social media is such a huge vehicle, you can choose to ignore it.” (Kate Woods, Appendix 1a).
In the UK, both recreational and medical marijuana use is still illegal and Kate Woods believes it will continue to be so, she stated, “…I don’t believe the English Police forces look towards what America does. It’s a bit like firearms it’s just completely ridiculous in America, so I don’t think that we will ever do something drastic, like legalising a drug, just because America does it” (Kate Woods, Appendix 1a). However, it seems some drug dealers in the UK have turned to social networking sites to sell their products illicitly. J, the drug dealer confirmed that he knows other drug dealers who use MassRoots as a marketplace to sell their drugs “…I can say I’ve noticed a lot more dealers while browsing MassRoots for an hour, than I’ve ever come across in my eight years as a dealer” (J, Appendix 1b). This shows an alternative way in which people may obtain marijuana in the UK which could alleviate the concern that Kate Wood raised about drug dealers, she commented “…I think the risks we face with the backstreet dealers is huge in terms of associated crimes” (Kate Woods, Appendix 1a).
MassRoots has had an impact on the development new cannabis apps and influenced policy change within the global company, Apple. With its marijuana-led community, MassRoots has become a driving force for the pro-legislation movement in the US and potentially the UK.Page Break
CHAPTER 6
VIDEO WEB SHARING: YOUTUBE
YouTube is the world’s largest video sharing website. It is a public viewing platform, which means anybody can view the videos posted by people as long as they have internet access. YouTube was established in February 2005 by Steve Chen, Jawed Karim and Chad Hurley (Hopkins, 2006). Currently, over six billion hours of YouTube videos are watched every month across the globe (Dickey & Wei, 2013), and it is estimated that there are one billion active users (Smith, 2016). This extent of people accessing YouTube shows the popularity of this social networking site.
The success of YouTube can be determined by various factors, but ultimately people like to share experiences, and YouTube is responsible for creating the global forum in which this can be achieved (New York Times, 2011). As with the other social media sites, marijuana has a significant presence on YouTube. There are a range of videos on the social networking site that surrounds the drug from; “Grandmas smoking weed” (rudy@cut.com, 2014) to informative documentaries discussing the criminalisation of marijuana and support for legalisation (Silver Shield Group, 2013).
Zach Daniels, the creator of the YouTube channel, StonersRWeed, says “I started posting videos of my friends and I smoking, or videos of me trying to smoke in ridiculous ways, with ridiculous equipment or just a ridiculous amount of weed. People tended to enjoy what I could...and, with the positive feedback, my new and improved channel had found a purpose” (Zach Daniels, Appendix 1c).
The study, by The New York Times, would categorise Zach as not only a consumer of marijuana by also a “connector” in that for him, it’s more than just posting a video, it is about including others in a shared, enjoyable, content-based experience (New York Times, 2011). This experience seems to be shared by other YouTubers, who post content about marijuana as they are providing not only entertainment for themselves whilst filming the video but also sharing the experience of consuming marijuana with their audience.
However, Zach Daniels also stated that "I watch a lot of channels but I can honestly say I don't enjoy many of them, most are very repetitive or low quality." This shows that compared to other videos on subjects like beauty, music, gaming and film, content about marijuana is still lagging behind on both the quality and originality demonstrated by more conventional YouTube Channels. This suggests that although marijuana is becoming a real talking point in the media, the moment, regarding legalising of the drug and, therefore, more acceptance - hasn't yet transpired with the majority of society.
Over the years, YouTube has evolved from a site that hosts one-off amateur videos to a platform that allows people to distribute original, recurring content. This evolution has created a new breed of celebrities, commonly known as YouTubers4 who share their passion passions and interests on the social networking site. Their videos create communities of viewers who are entertained or interested in what they have to say or show. For example, the subject of Marijuana has a fan base dedicated to popular and up and coming YouTubers. Zach Daniels is a part of this following; he said: "...my favourite YouTubers are Crutch420, Two High Guys, Jarod Silva and MasterBong420. They are all very charismatic people which usually results in very entertaining videos. Also, their standard of camera quality and video editing can easily be compared to more popular YouTubers."
The community created by marijuana enthusiasts is known as “WeedTube” which according to Zach Daniels, “…is essentially an online stoner5 community where weed enthusiasts post videos about all things marijuana related. It’s basically where all the weed based content is.” (Zach Daniels, Appendix 1c)
One significant channel within the “WeedTube” community is the video and audio podcast, Getting Doug With High, streamed live on a weekly basis. Hosted by the comedian Doug Benson and featuring celebrities who are pro-legalisation. The podcast is centred around smoking marijuana and "getting high" while Doug informally interviews his guests, sharing stories and opinions about marijuana (Mauro, 2013).
Its production values, consistent streaming and high viewing statistics meant that it has been accorded the status of a "TV series" on the website IMDB (Internet Movie Database). YouTuber, Zach Daniels thinks that “…smoking actual marijuana on TV isn’t too far away and I think Getting Doug [With High] has opened the floodgates for marijuana acceptance in mainstream society.”
Getting Doug With High and other marijuana based channels would appear to fly in the face of YouTube’s Terms and Conditions which states that “Videos that we consider to encourage dangerous or illegal activities including…hard drug use or other acts where serious injury may result are banned.” (YouTube, 2016) Therefore, this poses the question that YouTube does not actually class marijuana as a hard drug despite its illegal status in many states and countries. The significant presence of marijuana and unapologetic marijuana advocates on YouTube demonstrates the changing attitudes to the use of the drug within society.
CHAPTER 7
BLOGGING AND MARIJUANA
Blogs provide free access to a wealth of data related to varying cannabis topics and are, written by multiple authors. According to Technorati.com over 2,750,000 new blog posts are created every day (Technorati Media, 2010) with significant growth in mobile blogging. Tiffany Wu, blogger, lawyer and member of the Canna Law Group, commented: “I blog [for the about marijuana to inform people who are operating, or thinking about starting, a marijuana business on the relevant issues in order to protect themselves from risk under the law”. (Tiffany Wu, Appendix 1d).
Other blog sites such as the Grasscity Blog aims to inform viewers about new smoking accessories and ultimately provide a fun and effortless shopping experience through discussion forums, their online magazine and product descriptions. The style of these two blogs are targeted at niche audiences, but the outcome is the same in that marijuana continues to have a strong interactive, participatory profile on social media sites. Tiffany Wu also blogs on the medical benefits. She said that “…patients and their families are unfairly punished for using marijuana to treat their ailments, such as by being forced to move to other states or facing the very real risk that their children will be taken away by Child Protection Services (CPS)”. She added that “...the illegality of marijuana has led to the punishment of many nonviolent, low-level drug offenders, which disproportionately affects people of colour and wastes government resources through overpopulation of state prisons” (Tiffany Wu, Appendix 1d).
As well as providing information passively like traditional media, blogs have changed the way we communicate with each other by offering the opportunity for a more interactive experience (Rettberg, 2008). Readers are typically encouraged to give feedback which often prompts responses both from the blog author and other readers. Blogging also has the added advantage that the audience can enter the "blogosphere"6 at any time and catch up by reviewing previous blogs. The participatory approach in blogging is a powerful tool that can maintain engagement, create interaction amongst readers and has the potential to influence decision making (Rheingold, 2008). This statement was supported by a survey conducted by Technorati Media, who found that “…according to consumers, blogs are more influential in shaping opinion than Twitter, and when it comes to affecting purchase decisions, more important than Facebook” (Technorati Media, 2013).
When asked about social media influencing people to become marijuana pro-legalisation Tiffany’s response was “...I believe it may lead people to question the status quo and seek out additional information regarding marijuana and its benefits and harm…” (Tiffany Wu, Appendix 1d). In the UK, the status quo was questioned with the initiation of a petition calling for the total legalisation of cannabis, as discussed in Chapter 3. Although decriminalisation was not achieved, the petition demonstrated how a persistent campaign mobilising people on social media influenced the political agenda. Other blog sites such as TheWeedBlog also encourage people to question the status quo by encouraging them to attend events, to become involved in national and state policy development (Green, 2016).
Blogging has significantly reduced communication barriers for the writer by providing a cheap and easy way to publish their views and make it available to a potentially vast readership. It can be created by both amateur and professional writers and updated very rapidly. Tiffany Wu said, “…for individuals and companies trying to operate legally in what is essentially a grey area, timely and pertinent information is essential to keeping abreast of ever-changing laws and rules…” (Tiffany Wu, Appendix 1d).
However, blogs do have perceived weaknesses for both reader and author. The don't always have the same level of pre-publication vetting rigour provided by peer review or editorial oversight present in more traditional publications and errors have occurred (Tremayne, 2007). For the reader, the risk of blog inaccuracy can be partially mitigated by the scrutiny of other readers. User reviews can be a powerful indication of the quality of the information on a blog. The Canna Law Group blog page recently reached a milestone of 100,000 likes. Reviews by other blog sites can also provide a guide to the reader. According to the Medical Marijuana Association, within the marijuana blogging community, the top five blog sites provide professional and individual experience information (Medical Marijuana Association, 2014).
Although blog posting has little cost compared to traditional publishing media, there are indirect costs of managing social media pages for the writer in maintaining, updating and responding to feedback and criticisms; this particularly applies to organisations. As Kate Woods discussed “…it’s very labour intensive…So we have to dedicate staff in the force control room to manage social media” she added “…which we’re expected to manage on top of our day-to-day jobs” (Kate Woods, Appendix 1a).
Blogging creates the ability to publish swiftly and cheaply – circumventing the barriers of cost and control imposed by traditional media – has provided a significant tool for those who would provide information about marijuana use, campaign for its legalisation or to create an interactive forum for those interested in the drug.
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CHAPTER 8
CONCLUSION
This case study has discussed the profile of marijuana within society and how the illicit drug has been influenced by the power of social media. In the 1920’s the “Yellow Journalism” of the American Press helped to win support for the prohibition of marijuana in the US. Today social media is a powerful force in the attempt to overturn this status. Social media sites and apps are proving to be major tools in this movement by providing a platform for the argument to legalise, by allowing users to obtain and share information to purchase marijuana and to create a community surrounding the drug which can influence both corporate and political decision-makers.
The interviews used in this case study have supported the views that social media outlets like social networking, smartphone apps and YouTube, blogging all have an impact on their relationship with marijuana, either through their jobs or in their private lives.
Unlike more traditional forms of media, such as the newspapers or TV outlets, it’s clear that social media goes beyond the one-way receipt of information on the printed page or television screen but offers a way for a more immediate interaction between people – whether users of marijuana or not.
Some of the interviewees have confirmed that social media, such as YouTube and Facebook allows them to share their love for cannabis with like-minded individuals. Being a part of this larger, ever-growing, society gives a perception that possessing and using marijuana is not really breaking the law, even in countries where it’s still illegal, but is now socially acceptable.
As Police Inspector, Kate Woods pointed out “The media’s definitely an important aspect of change. Obviously, there are more media outlets than ever before and while traditional media outlets such as newspapers and television, generally follow what the government puts out there, the increase in social media and ways people can share their opinions definitely has an effect on what people believe or deem important. I think we wouldn’t be aware of how many people actually want marijuana to be legalised if it weren’t for sites such as Facebook and YouTube.” (Kate Woods, Appendix 1a) This extends to the way social media allows users to buy marijuana and associated paraphernalia from the comfort and anonymity of their home, as they can for any other consumer product. No longer is there a need to rely on others to obtain the contact details of a local drug dealer to arrange a surreptitious rendezvous. Apps like MassRoots which allows some American users to buy directly from dispensaries while in the UK marijuana dealers are marketing on the application.
As well as the perception of acceptability, social media provides a platform for debate, campaigning and persuasion. This is expressed in the blogs of campaign groups who have helped to get marijuana legalised in the 23 US states and the mass campaigns have been known to influence these communities to challenge the action of corporate giants like Apple and Facebook. In addition, social media has helped to mobilise marijuana smokers in the UK with its fight for legalisation, resulting in the ePetition forcing a Parliamentary debate on legislation.
The freedom offered by social media to challenge and share alternative views and information about the benefits of marijuana is a domineering factor in this movement, playing an increasing role in the lives of marijuana advocates. However, it's apparent that a large proportion of society do not use social media for this agenda. Page Break
APPENDIX
Appendix 1a TRANSCRIBED INTERVIEW WITH POLICE OFFICER
Kate Woods Holmes Chapel, UK 17/02/2016
Please can you tell me what your role is within the police service?
“I’m a neighbourhood policing inspector, which basically means I’m a uniformed police inspector.”
How long have you been in this role for?
“In the police, or in the role?”
In the role.
“For about six weeks, but I’ve done neighbourhood policing for about 15 years.”
Do you use social media in your line of work and what for?
“Yes, we use Twitter and we use Facebook for two-way engagement, as well as to send out preventative messages and reassurance messages.”
Would you say you use Facebook more so than Twitter or visa-versa?
“Erm, Twitter more so than Facebook, but it’s more my staff that do it for me.”
Have you found that using social media have made your job easier in identifying drug dealers?
“No, not at all.”
I’ve read a lot of articles about the police actually using social media to catch drug dealers, so it seems to be a good crime fighting tool. How come you don’t you use it?
“Well we do but what we tend to find is that social media – whilst I embrace it completely - we’ve had it’s not a tool we use to identify offenders per-say. Drugs I would say no; I’ve not seen or heard any evidence from it but we use social media predominantly it would be for threats of violence or threats across Facebook to individuals where people have said “I’ll come and kill you” that’s the type of stuff we pick up on mainly, but that’s not to say we’ve never picked up on it. You know, people have been stupid enough to post pictures of them with a fire arm or a big joint saying “look at me, I’m a good guy” but because it’s such an open source it doesn’t tend to be the world’s brightest criminals sharing this information. But overall, it tends to be low level stuff but have we unearthed millions of turnover in drug dealing? No, not that I’m aware of.”
Do you think there are any disadvantages to using social media in your line of work?
“Yes, because it’s very labour intensive – and whilst we will stipulate what the guidelines are around social media, people do see it as a two-way tool and if you ever follow any of the police links you will see that people will join in on a serious accident inquiry online, asking how they report their purse stolen for example. So we have to dedicate staff in the force control room to manage the force of social media through HootSuite but clearly all local policing unit, of which we have eight in Cheshire, have a social media outlet which we’re expected to manage on top of our day-to-day jobs, so yes it does have its benefits but equally it’s very staff intensive and I don’t think the public actually appreciate that. It’s a different form of communication but it’s just quite difficult to manage it on occasion.”
Do you think that Facebook has become a bit of a market place for selling and promoting the use of Marijuana? And why do you think people are using social media to do this?
“Personally, I’ve not seen that, maybe I’m in the wrong age group? My staff, to my knowledge haven’t seen that but again, if we had more staff to monitor these social media sites then maybe that will become more apparent, however we just don’t have the workforce at the moment. If it’s the low level dealers, as awful as this sounds, it probably won’t hit our radars. It would be the top end of the chain, where we’re talking multi-millions, so I haven’t seen that for marijuana. I have seen it for legal highs, that’s got quite a high volume of turnover but not so much for the illegal drug side.”
There was a news article recently published by The Telegraph saying that police in Durham are “turning a blind eye” to cannabis and have almost decriminalised it within their force, why do you think this is the case? (The Telegraph, 2015)
“Staffing, I would say we are the same, I wouldn’t say that publically, I would say that to you. I think most forces have taken that option because the government – certainly in my 25 years in the police service – change their stance whether it’s legal or illegal, whether it’s a Category A or Category B drug and I think the public are confused, I don’t actually think some people know it’s a band drug, I certainly know some parents don’t know it’s illegal and I don’t think they know what the legislation is that supports it and from a policing perspective we have decriminalised it (with a small “d”) because we’re clearly focusing on Class A drugs.”
So do you think it should be decriminalised then?
“Yes, personally I do, yes.”
Why would you say that’s the case?
“I think the risks we face with the backstreet dealers is huge, I think if we did decriminalise it and we sold it through… well I say decriminalise, but it should be only sold through official outlets, that would be my stance. If you decriminalised it allowed anybody to just sell it, no I don’t agree with that. The same with almost all Class A drugs, if we had certain outlets, say next to the chemist, where they sold it at least people when they are buying it would know what it is. Whereas we’ve got so much skunk lying around at the moment, the levels are psychosis in children – in purely my belief – is down to ignorance as to what’s in cannabis.”
So you would say the perception of marijuana has changed within the police force over the years then?
“Yes, absolutely. There’s no doubt about it.”
Yes, I think that’s the case as well, from the articles I’ve been reading and obviously keeping a strong relationship with the public is important so do you find that the public generally agrees or disagrees with the police force in efforts to stop marijuana being sold? Because I’ve seen a lot of stories online, especially Facebook, about cannabis farms being shut down and there are a lot of comments from people saying that cannabis prohibition is a waste of time and the police should be doing other things.
“Yes, I’ve personally dealt with a number of cannabis farms, but we didn’t detect them through social media it was through the old-fashioned intelligence of neighbours who had an insight into what was going on. I think the general public are supportive of the police, they’re supportive of the cuts we face and they appreciate that we’re not as flushed with resources as we were ten years ago so we do have to prioritise what we look at and in their eyes, Class A drugs are more important – because the government have deemed them as Class A drugs - rather than Class B or C. So whilst the courts don’t hand down the biggest fines for personal possession and again – the criminal justice system has fixed guidelines on charging or cautioning etc.… but we will concentrate on what we deem to have to most impact on society and has the most penalties which unfortunately, or fortunately whichever way you look at it, the government don’t deem cannabis as our biggest issue. Whether the police force think it is or not, we’re deemed by government legislations.”
In your opinion do you think people have become desensitised to the fact that marijuana is still illegal?
“Yes, because of the media and because of the governments change in stance. The media’s definitely an important aspect of change. Obviously, there are more media outlets than ever before and while traditional media outlets such as newspapers and television, generally follow what the government puts out there, the increase in social media and ways people can share their opinions definitely has an effect on what people deem to be important. I think we wouldn’t be aware of how many people actually want marijuana to be legalised if it weren’t for sites such as Facebook and YouTube.”
Since parts America have legalised marijuana do you think the UK will be influenced by this decision to legalise the drug?
“No, I don’t believe the English Police forces look towards what America does. It’s a bit like firearms it’s just completely ridiculous in America, so I don’t think that we will ever do something drastic, like legalising a drug, just because America does it. We obviously trialled it when I was an officer in the MET police, in London. Brian Paddock made his own decision as the borough commander in, I think it was Brixton, probably 15 years ago that cannabis possession wasn’t to be dealt with by officers that sent out a real hard-hitting message to a lot of the front line PC’s, it really wasn’t well received at all. He told the staff to just focus on hard drugs, which Brixton did have a huge problem with Marijuana and it had led to some other racial conflict with the Rastafarian population in Brixton, so for me personally I didn’t agree with it. He still stands by it, but I couldn’t tell you what the situation is like in Brixton at the moment. However, from a policing perspective nationally we would be certainly geared by what the Government want us to do and I can’t see the force going out and saying “we’re not dealing with it” because it’s the wrong message to send out.”
Do you think that some parts of social media sites, where there are pages and content dedicated to marijuana, are invisible to some parts of society?
“Yes, I think it’s the same for finding images of underage children. If you want to look for it, you can find it, but you still need to know what you’re looking for. However, the majority of the public aren’t interested in smoking marijuana so they would be oblivious to it and any of the chat that surround it. Again, if you don’t want to be part of it, the fact that social media is such a huge vehicle, you can choose to ignore it. And again, from a policing perspective we haven’t go the resources to look into that but if we were given some intelligence we would.”
Do you think legalising marijuana benefit society?
“Yes, if it can be controlled a high proportion of youngsters who want to try it, won’t have to resort to buying from back street dealers, who they can get into debt with very easily. They could be then introduced to Class B drugs, and then Class A. If you legalised it and made it only for sale through authorised outlets, the backstreet dealer would die out overnight, because why would you go there when prices would be lower and it would be controlled, and one would hope that there would be less death or addiction that would result from that. However, if you asked me the same question as a police officer 15 years ago my answers would be very different so, my previous job was to manage the prolific offenders who were class A and B users so my knowledge and thoughts about drug offenders and abuse changed drastically, but before that I would have probably said to you no don’t decriminalise it so my perspective has changed over the years. I think people just need a bit more education and we should be utilising social media outlets for that purpose, but we can’t really so that until the government changes or readjusts the regulation of marijuana.”
Appendix 1b
TRANSCRIBED INTERVIEW WITH DRUG DEALER
J* - Name has been changed to protect identity Crewe, UK 28/11/15
How did you get into the business?
“I’ve always been open to the world of marijuana, ever since a young age my parents would smoke it. To me, it seemed innocent and so dealing it, although I knew back then it was illegal, I didn’t think I was causing harm. I know I’m still not causing any harm because I only sell weed and not harder drugs such as cocaine or pills. After dealing for around two months, I really began to see the money side of it. The cash incentive really helped, I have a daughter so I save a lot of the money for her future. If I’m honest, I think I’m a little different from most weed dealers in the fact I don’t act like the stereotype of a dealer.”
Do you think it’s very dangerous to be a dealer, especially with the advancements in technology and social media?
“More so, yes. But I’m careful. I think you need to be careful regardless. I try to stay away from smartphones. Then again, I don’t know of anyone who has been caught by using a smartphone? And whether that’s more of a myth to catch drug dealers? The thing with social media is that you have to know where to look for illegal products. Certain hashtags can lead you into a world of easily accessible drugs ranging from marijuana to more harmful drugs like meth or coke [cocaine]. When I started dealing about eight years ago it was just to my friends and people who lived locally. But now, I know so many people who use social media to sell their products or actually purchase not only weed, but other drugs too.”
Have you ever had doubts about selling marijuana?
“Not really, but I don’t know if you remember this but there used to be an advert on television about the dangers of smoking marijuana and it was produced by the charity, Talk to Frank. I thought, “oh, am I actually hurting people?” but I carried on selling it anyway. It was reliving when I read online that marijuana wasn’t actually as harmful as people once thought.”
Do you only sell to people you know personally?
“Not really, if a regular customer can vouch for a new person they usually I’ll be fine with selling to them. I like selling to my, I guess you could call them, loyal customers the most though, because they’re nice people who don’t mess me around. They are all very different people from all walks of life. I sell to middle age mums, business men, chefs, teachers, students, all sorts really, that’s what makes my job interesting.”
Do you use social media?
“Yes, but never to sell my drugs. I’m not that stupid. Although, one of my friends uses it to showcase his products. I think it’s foolish, especially because it’s still illegal in the UK.”
Are you aware of an app called MassRoots?
“Yes, I’m a huge MassRoots fan. That’s actually where my friend advertises his products. It’s such a great app.”
What do you like about it?
“I like it for the social side of things, it’s fun to see like-minded individuals sharing their favourite pictures, products and just chatting with each other. I like how you can follow people who are fun and share the same love for weed. I like how your part of a community and can connect with people all over the world to see their smoking culture.”
Wouldn’t advertising on MassRoots allow you to make more money?
“Possibly. It might make sense if I were a new dealer to develop a client base – which sounds ridiculous to say out loud – for me it’s not necessary as I already have a steady income from my customers. Maybe my view would be different if marijuana was legal in the UK? I know my friend has met up with a few people he’s spoken to on the app, but because there is no private messaging service he gives out his dealer number where anyone could find it out.”
Why are you happy to use MassRoots socially but not for business reasons?
“Well, although I know smoking marijuana is illegal it seems to have become more decriminalised compared to being caught selling marijuana. I think it comes down to risk. I think it’s too risky to sell products and let any random person see that I’m selling and illegal substance. I like the social side of MassRoots because it’s a lot of fun and actually interesting, I think posting pictures of myself smoking or whatever, doesn’t seem as bad when everyone else is doing it, I know that sounds stupid but I don’t feel like it’s a big deal when everyone who is “virtually around me”, so to speak, is doing it too.”
Have you noticed whether social media has had an impact on the amount of people who buy weed from you?
“Because I already dealt with a lot of regular customers when social media became a lot more accessible to people, I couldn’t tell you for sure. However, I do know that some of the people I sell to have more than one weed dealer. Not sure whether they found them on social media, but I can say I’ve noticed a lot more dealers whilst browsing MassRoots for an hour, than I’ve ever come across in my eight years as a dealer.”
Why do you think this is the case?
“Because social media allows you to connect with anyone in the world almost instantaneously. You can easily find what you’re after, if you know where to look. You no longer have to rely on finding a number of someone who sells weed and just pray that they answer the phone. I think social media sites - exactly like MassRoots - remove the personal interaction you have when you call someone or speak on the phone. You can create your own identity online, people don’t really have to know the real you, until you need to make a deal.”
So do you think weed will always be illegal in the UK?
“Well, I can’t see into the future but if you just look at how much good it’s done for America, surely it would be crazy not to follow in their footsteps. Not just for the recreational side of things but for the health side of things. For the last four years I’ve been dealing to the same lady who uses Marijuana to help cope with anxiety.”
Do you want marijuana to be legalised?
“Yes, and no. Yes, because obviously, I’m all for people being able to smoke weed. However, no I don’t want it to be legalised, because my job will become irrelevant. But, I’ve thought about this recently, I don’t think I would actually mind because it would benefit the UK greatly. More money, more jobs, more happiness. It would be worth it, as long as it’s not ridiculously expensive to purchase.”
There has always been a stereotype surrounding pot smokers, do you think it’s accurate?
“Not at all, I think the stoner stereotype implies that people who smoke marijuana are lazy and although, I think weed does decrease productivity, I think people smoke it for so many reasons and not just because they’re “lazy” and can’t be bothered to do anything else.”
Do you think legal cannabis laws actually help edge out the black market drug trade?
“Most likely, yes, because it will remove the power from the illegal dealer to a more legal operation. Personally, I would class myself as one of the nicer drug dealers in the fact I’m not rude, demanding and I’m often pretty lenient if people don’t have all the cash. I know of some dealers who have robbed customers and even broken arms when debts haven’t been paid. Like I said before, I wouldn’t mind having to look for another job, if it meant the UK had a way to access weed in the safest way.”
*name has been changed to protect identity.
Appendix 1c
TRANSCRIBED INTERVIEW WITH YOUTUBER
Zach Daniels YouTube channel: StonersRWeed Maine, USA (SKYPE CALL) 2/02/16
How long have you had your YouTube Channel for, and why did you start it?
“Well, I’ve technically had my YouTube channel for about four years, but I have only really been - what I would call an active YouTube – for about two years.”
“I originally started to YouTube because I had stopped smoking marijuana and was bored with just watching my friends smoke around me. I had always had a passion for making films in school and I decided to start trying to make my own films for YouTube, kind of like a vlog, when my friends would smoke. I guess it was sort of a way to entertain myself whilst everyone else was high. About two years ago my YouTube channel started to change as I began smoking weed again.”
“I started posting videos of my friends and I smoking, or videos of me trying to smoke in ridiculous ways, with ridiculous equipment or just a ridiculous amount of weed. People tended to enjoy what I could do a lot more than the films I would make about my friends and, with the positive feedback, my new and improved channel had found a purpose.”
Do you use any other social media sites to promote your channel and if so why?
“Yes, I use other social media sites. I mainly just use the normal platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and sometimes the social media platform that rewards users for original content, TSU.”
“As well as a way to promote my channel and generate views, I like to share my work because if I don’t enjoy my work enough to be able to share it with others, then I cannot expect others to watch and appreciate the work I do. Basically, you get as much out of it as the effort you put in. Facebook is the most popular site for me, this is where I connect with my audience the most. I think the easy layout of Facebook makes it very simple to keep my viewers updated with all forms of content, whether it’s a new video or just a picture.”
Why do you support the legalisation of marijuana?
“Every large group of individuals no matter who they are will have someone ruining their reputation, it is our job to ween threw the evidence and weigh the good’s and bad yourself, and in this case the good far outweighs the bad. Whether it be the medical benefits, recreational, happiness one can achieve. Also, not forgetting the material: Hemp. You can create endless beautiful things using this material with a much greener effect.”
Have you noticed your audience grow significantly since marijuana was legalised/decriminalised some US states and countries?
“I have watched my channel grow a little bit, as I’ve also watched other marijuana based YouTubers grow greatly, but it started happening when the fight for legalisation really started booming a couple years ago. This is when everyone started to realise that marijuana is not bad at all.”
“I currently have around 10,000 subscribers to my channel and just over a million views. I would say the demand for marijuana content is apparent now, more than ever.”
What is your relationship with YouTube? Do they support your channel? (have you faced any criticism from the site etc)
“I don’t think YouTube supports my channel more than anyone else’s? But I don’t really know if I’m treated differently to others per say but I’ve not really noticed really. I know a lot of people receive gifts from YouTube if their channel is popular. I wouldn’t say my channel has enough views to be classed as popular but for me it’s just about keeping people entertained and sharing weed based content to people who want it.”
“I’ve actually not faced many criticisms from people since starting my channel. I’ve received a few comments from people here and there, saying marijuana is bad or whatever, but nothing severe.”
Why do you think people are turning to YouTube to share their views on marijuana?
“It’s just the way the world works nowadays. You come to YouTube - or any social media site for that matter - to express a view on any subject, and I can see why, I mean why tell just one friend in person or a couple over text message, when you can be connected to millions of people interested in what you do instantly. If you want your message to reach people it just seems like the most plausible way to do so.”
Do you think there is a need for marijuana-related YouTube Channels and why?
“I'm all for YouTube stoners and as much as I love doing it, I don’t think there is an actual “need” for it. More of a want. Marijuana has become such an important thing to some cultures and generations. But like anything nowadays, especially in the entertainment industry, content is created because people create the demand for it, but we could easily live without plenty of YouTube channels, including mine.”
Your YouTube Channel blurs the lines between online media and smoking marijuana, have you noticed a lot of other competition on YouTube other marijuana based channels and why do you think this is?
“There is a whole lot of competition in the YouTube Stoner Community, and I have to say, I'm not fairing too well in the fight. I’ve been around a lot longer but have been surpassed in views and content generation by many. Although, as I’m one to think positively I see it as a way to learn from and grow off of and make my channel better. I’ve noticed that there have been more channels popping up on YouTube sharing content about marijuana, not sure how well they are doing but speaking from experience, running a channel takes dedication.”
What makes your channel different from the others?
“I have the craziest “Weedtube” channel that I know of. Unless, you count “The High Guys” channel. I would say I’m a pretty crazy stoner. For example, I ask my audience to comment below each video and set me any smoking challenge. Nothing is off limits, I post both when the challenges both work and don’t work. I think my channel has the most vomit content for when I couldn’t handle the challenge. I think people like to see that sort of stuff, a lot of people comment saying they could do better. But it’s all a lot of fun.”
What do you classify as a WeedTube channel?
“WeedTube is essentially an online stoner community where weed enthusiasts post videos about all things marijuana related. It’s basically where all the weed based content is. It’s a popular expression amongst stoner YouTubers, but I know a lot of people who don’t smoke weed have no idea what that means.”
Have you found that the negative profile that surrounds marijuana has changed over recent years? And do you think social media platforms, such as YouTube has helped influence the change?
“It really died down a few years ago when a lot of good cannabis documentaries circulated the internet. It gave people the confidence to finally open their eyes and see that marijuana wasn’t a bad thing. I think YouTube both helps and hurts the image of marijuana depending on where you look. Some cannabis documentaries were available to watch on Netflix and I think that’s where a lot of people found out a lot of useful information about marijuana. I think YouTube has helped people have confidence to speak freely about what they believe in. Once one person got the ball rolling about the positives of marijuana, the rest followed. Even more so when it became legal in some states.”
Has your YouTube Channel influenced anyone to become pro-legalisation and can you give any examples?
“No I can’t say for certain it has changed anyone’s mind? I’d like to think so, because people shouldn’t be so averse to marijuana in the first place. However, I think most people who reach my channel are already pro-legalisation before even getting to my channel.”
Do you watch any other marijuana-based YouTube channels and what do you like about them? Please can you give examples.
“I watch a lot of channels but I can honestly say I don't enjoy many of them, most are very repetitive or low quality. However, I would say my favourite YouTubers are Crutch420, Two High Guys, Jarod Silva and MasterBong420. They are all very charismatic people which usually results in very entertaining videos. Also, their standard of camera quality and video editing can easily be compared to more popular YouTubers.
Also, on YouTube there is a live steamed video, often once a week, by the comedian Doug Benson and it’s called, Getting Doug With High. Doug is usually joined by comedians, actors, producers and they all smoke a tonne of weed and get super high. I can see programmes like this on TV soon enough, I don’t think smoking actual marijuana on TV isn’t too far away and I think Getting Doug has opened the floodgates.”
Do you think the relationship between social media and marijuana is heading? E.g. Will marijuana based content become more mainstream within society?
“I guarantee It will be very mainstream, in my opinion at least as far as the internet goes, it already is mainstream – mainstream within the cannabis culture and people smoke marijuana, that is. I know a lot of people are unaware of the whole marijuana movement. I’ve found that people who are unaware of “WeedTube” or other sections of social media sites dedicated to weed, either don’t care about marijuana or are dead against it being legalised. People just need to be educated.”
Appendix 1d
TRANSCRIBED INTERVIEW WITH LAWYER/BLOGGER
Tiffany Wu Blog: Canna Law Blog Seattle (SKYPE CALL) 17/02/2016
Please tell me a little bit about yourself and profession
“My name is Tiffany Wu. I graduated from Harvard Law School in 2011 and currently practice as an attorney with the law firm of Harris Moure. I am part of the Canna Law Group, a practice group of the firm focused on working with cannabis clients across multiple legal states. I also help manage and run the company’s blog, Canna Law Blog”
What’s your view about marijuana? Do you support the legalisation?
“I support legalisation of marijuana for both medical and adult use. I believe marijuana has medical benefits and thus patients should not be restricted from access. Currently, patients and their families are unfairly punished for using marijuana to treat their ailments, such as by being forced to move to other states or facing the very real risk that their children will be taken away by CPS. I also believe adults in the United States should have the legal right to use marijuana recreationally if they so choose. The illegality of marijuana has led to the punishment of many nonviolent, low-level drug offenders, which disproportionately affects people of colour and wastes government resources through overpopulation of state prisons. In addition, current cannabis companies also face unfair treatment due to the illegal status of marijuana in the U.S., and I believe these companies should be allowed to operate under the same rules as any other business, as long as they are in compliance with the law.”
Why do you blog about marijuana?
“I blog about marijuana to inform people who are operating, or thinking about starting, a marijuana business on the relevant issues in order to protect themselves from risk under the law. The laws governing cannabis businesses are fairly new and there is still a lot of uncertainty. For individuals and companies trying to operate legally in what is essentially a grey area, timely and pertinent information is essential to keeping abreast of ever-changing laws and rules that apply to them and their ability to do business. The financial and personal risks are very high in this industry, and if we are to move forward together as an industry it’s important that we work to support each other.”
How did you get into blogging about marijuana?
“The Canna Law Group has been providing important cannabis information through the cannalawblog.com long before I joined the organisation. One of the great benefits of joining the group was having a platform to express my ideas to individuals and businesses involved in the cannabis industry.”
Do you use any social media to share your blog posts about marijuana?
“The Canna Law Group shares its blog posts on both Twitter and Facebook. In fact, the Canna Law Blog’s Facebook page recently reached a milestone of 100,000 likes. Social media allows us to reach a new following of people, usually those people are pro-legalisation but there are some instances where, through education, people who once thought it shouldn’t be made available to people have changed their minds.”
Do you think there is a need for marijuana related blogs and why?
“Yes, I think there is a need for marijuana related blogs as there are many people out there looking for more information on this new and developing industry, and it’s important they have a reputable and trusted source to rely on. The Canna Law Blog is run by attorneys and paralegals within the firm and is backed by research and analysis of the issues. Thus our blog is a reliable source of cannabis-related news and information for many in the industry.”
Do you feel that social media is “strict” on controlling what people post about marijuana?
“Currently, social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram are very strict on controlling marijuana-related posts on their sites. All three sites have policies against marijuana-related advertising and will often reject attempts to promote a marijuana-related post. Instagram is notorious for shutting down accounts with photographs of marijuana and just recently Facebook shut down several accounts of cannabis companies. Though many of these posts should fall under the First Amendment right to freedom of speech, unfortunately, at this time there is not much anyone can do to prevent these sites from blocking or even removing their marijuana-related content.”
Why has social media become such a big part of cannabis culture?
“I believe social media is a big part of our culture in general, and for cannabis users it serves the same purpose to allow them to connect with like-minded individuals. Social media is also a great way to spread your message, in this case, the message being the benefits of cannabis and why legalisation should be supported. Unfortunately, cannabis proponents are currently being limited in their ability to use social media. Though that has led to some creative ways to get around it, such as the birth of the very popular cannabis social media site, Mass Roots.”
As a cannabis blogger, would you advise people to stay away from sharing marijuana-based content on social media? And why?
“It depends on what state they are located in and how much risk they want to take. Sharing marijuana-based content when you live in a state where marijuana possession and use is still illegal is obviously a bad idea. The same is true if you live in a legal medical state but are not a medical marijuana patient under state law. Anything you share on social media is broadcasting information about your habits, whereabouts, etc. that could tip off law enforcement or be used in court against you. These are important things to keep in mind when you are sharing anything on social media, but especially when it comes to marijuana-related content as the legality of marijuana in the U.S. is still largely in flux.”
Do you know of any examples where social media sites have tried to “shut down” any marijuana based pages?
“Yes, both Instagram and Facebook frequently shut down social media sites. If you do a quick search, you should be able to find many examples through news sources and individuals and companies complaining of their accounts being shut down.”
Have you found that the negative profile that surrounds marijuana within the media and society has changed over recent years? And do you think social media platforms has helped influence the change?
“I believe society’s views on marijuana have been shifting through recent years and social media has allowed the sharing of more positive stories and reports on marijuana. However, I do not have data as to whether social media has helped to influence the change or is simply reflecting a change that was already occurring.”
Do you find that your social media or any marijuana focused social media reaches out and influences people to become pro-legalisation and why?
“Again I do not have any data on whether social media has directly helped to influence people to become pro-legalisation, however I believe it may lead people to question the status quo and seek out additional information regarding marijuana and its benefits and harm. Personally, I have seen people shift to a pro-legalisation stance after learning more about marijuana and its positive uses.”
Where do you think the relationship between social media and marijuana is heading? E.g. Will marijuana based social media become more mainstream within society?
“Currently, social media platforms are strict about marijuana-related content due to its continued status as a controlled substance under federal law. If marijuana were to be legalised federally, the social media sites would likely follow its guidance. However, in the meantime, there is an opportunity for new cannabis-focused social media platform to emerge and we’ve already seen the creativity of our society and the cannabis industry come in to fill that void.”
TABLES
Table 1
A Brief American History of Marijuana Legislation
1600’s to 1890’s
Domestic production of hemp encouraged
American production of hemp was encouraged by the government in the 17th century for the production of rope, sails, and clothing.
Domestic production flourished until after the Civil War, when imports and other domestic materials replaced hemp for many purposes. In the late nineteenth century, marijuana became a popular ingredient in many medicinal products and was sold openly in public pharmacies.
During the 19th century, hashish use became a fad in France and also, to some extent, in the U.S.
1906
Pure Food and Drug Act
Required labelling of any cannabis contained in over-the-counter remedies.
1900’s to 1920’s
Mexican immigrants introduce recreational use of marijuana leaf
Anti-drug campaigners warned against the encroaching "Marijuana Menace," and terrible crimes were attributed to marijuana and the Mexicans who used it.
1919
18th Amendment to the Constitution (alcohol prohibition) is ratified.
1930
Creation of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics (FBN)
Harry J. Anslinger was the first Commissioner of the FBN and remained in that post until 1962.
1932
Uniform State Narcotic Act
Concern about the rising use of marijuana and research linking its use with crime and other social problems created pressure on the federal government to take action. Rather than promoting federal legislation, the Federal Bureau of Narcotics strongly encouraged state governments to accept responsibility for control of the problem by adopting the Uniform State Narcotic Act.
1933
21st Amendment to the Constitution is ratified, repealing alcohol prohibition.
1936
"Reefer Madness"
Propaganda film "Reefer Madness" was produced by the French director, Louis Gasnier. The Motion Pictures Association of America, composed of the major Hollywood studios, banned the showing of any narcotics in films.
1937
Marijuana Tax Act
After a national propaganda campaign. Congress passed the Marijuana Tax Act. The statute effectively criminalized marijuana, restricting possession of the drug to individuals who paid an excise tax for certain authorized medical and industrial uses.
1944
La Guardia Report finds marijuana less dangerous
New York Academy of Medicine issued an extensively researched report declaring that, contrary to earlier research and popular belief, use of marijuana did not induce violence, insanity or sex crimes, or lead to addiction or other drug use.
1940
"Hemp for Victory"
During World War II, imports of hemp and other materials crucial for producing marine cordage, parachutes, and other military necessities became scarce. In response the U.S. Department of Agriculture launched its "Hemp for Victory" program, encouraging farmers to plant hemp by giving out seeds and granting draft deferments to those who would stay home and grow hemp. By 1943 American farmers registered in the program harvested 375,000 acres of hemp.
1951 to 1956
Stricter Sentencing Laws
Enactment of federal laws (Boggs Act, 1952; Narcotics Control Act, 1956) which set mandatory sentences for drug-related offenses, including marijuana.
A first-offense marijuana possession carried a minimum sentence of 2-10 years with a fine of up to $20,000.
1960
Marijuana use popular in counterculture
A changing political and cultural climate was reflected in more lenient attitudes towards marijuana. Use of the drug became widespread in the white upper middle class. Reports commissioned by Presidents Kennedy and Johnson found that marijuana use did not induce violence nor lead to use of heavier drugs. Policy towards marijuana began to involve considerations of treatment as well as criminal penalties.
1968
Creation of the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs
This was a merger of FBN and the Bureau of Dangerous Drugs of the Food and Drug Administration.
1970
Repeal of most mandatory minimum sentences
Congress repealed most of the mandatory penalties for drug-related offenses. It was widely acknowledged that the mandatory minimum sentences of the 1950s had done nothing to eliminate the drug culture that embraced marijuana use throughout the 60s, and that the minimum sentences imposed were often unduly harsh.
Marijuana differentiated from other drugs
The Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act categorized marijuana separately from other narcotics and eliminated mandatory federal sentences for possession of small amounts.
National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) founded
1972
Shafer Commission
The bipartisan Shafer Commission, appointed by President Nixon at the direction of Congress, considered laws regarding marijuana and determined that personal use of marijuana should be decriminalized. Nixon rejected the recommendation, but over the course of the 1970s, eleven states decriminalized marijuana and most others reduced their penalties.
1973
Creation of the US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA)
Merger of the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs (BNND) and the Office of Drug Abuse Law Enforcement (ODALE).
1974
High Times founded
1976
Beginning of parents' movement against marijuana
A nationwide movement emerged of conservative parents' groups lobbying for stricter regulation of marijuana and the prevention of drug use by teenagers. Some of these groups became quite powerful and, with the support of the DEA and the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), were instrumental in affecting public attitudes which led to the 1980s War on Drugs.
1986
Anti-Drug Abuse Act - Mandatory Sentences
President Reagan signed the Anti-Drug Abuse Act, instituting mandatory sentences for drug-related crimes. In conjunction with the Comprehensive Crime Control Act of 1984, the new law raised federal penalties for marijuana possession and dealing, basing the penalties on the amount of the drug involved. Possession of 100 marijuana plants received the same penalty as possession of 100 grams of heroin. A later amendment to the Anti-Drug Abuse Act established a "three strikes and you're out" policy, requiring life sentences for repeat drug offenders, and providing for the death penalty for "drug kingpins."
1989
Bush's War on Drugs
President George Bush declares a new War on Drugs in a nationally televised speech.
1996
Medical Use Legalized in California
California voters passed Proposition 215 allowing for the sale and medical use of marijuana for patients with AIDS, cancer, and other serious and painful diseases. This law stands in tension with federal laws prohibiting possession of marijuana.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/dope/etc/cron.html
web site copyright 1995-2014 WGBH educational foundation
Table 2 A brief history of UK cannabis drug control legislation
Introducing legal controls
1868
Pharmacy Act. First regulation of poisons and dangerous substances, limiting sales to chemists.
1908
Poisons and Pharmacy Act. Specifically included coca in regulations on sale and labelling
Creating a national system
1916
Defense of the Realm Act, 1914 (Regulation 40B). Restricted sales and possession of cocaine to ‘authorised persons’.
1920
Dangerous Drugs Act. Limited production, import, export, possession, sale or distribution of opium, cocaine, morphine or heroin to licensed persons.
1925
Dangerous Drugs Act. Introduced control of the importation of coca leaf and cannabis.
1928
Amendment to Dangerous Drugs Act to criminalise possession of cannabis (but doctors able to prescribe any drugs as treatments for general medicine or for addictions).
Increasing control
1964
Dangerous Drugs Act. Ratified UN 1961 Single Convention and criminalised cultivation of cannabis.
Drugs (Prevention of Misuse Act) criminalised the possession of amphetamines.
1967
Dangerous Drugs Act. Required doctors to notify Home Office of addicted patients. Prescription of heroin and cocaine for treatment of addictions restricted.
1971
Misuse of Drugs Act. Set up the system classifying drugs according to their perceived harmfulness. Created offence of ‘intent to supply’ and set harsher penalties for trafficking and supply. Established The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD).
1985
Controlled Drugs (Penalties) Act. Increased maximum penalty for trafficking Class A drugs from 14 years to life imprisonment.
1986
Drug Trafficking Offences Act. Created an offence of making suspects aware of an investigation. Empowered police to compel breaches of confidentiality and to search and seize material and assets. Integrating criminal justice and health
1991
Criminal Justice Act. Schedule 1A6 allowed for the condition of attending drug treatment to be attached to a probation order.
1998
Crime and Disorder Act. Created the Drug Treatment and Testing Order (DTTO).
2000
Criminal Justice and Court Services Act. Enabled police to drug test people charged with ‘trigger’ offences. Created the Drug Abstinence Order, the Drug Abstinence Requirement and testing for supervised, released prisoners.
2003
Criminal Justice Act. Enabled restrictions on bail for some arrestees (‘trigger offences’) who test positive for Class A drug use. Created the generic Community Order, replacing the DTTO with the Drug Rehabilitation Requirement. Anti-Social Behaviour Act. Powers to close premises used for Class A drugs supply.
2005
Drugs Act. Introduced drug testing on arrest. Criminalised possession and sale of unprocessed psilocybin mushrooms. Made it illegal to refuse a required treatment assessment. Increased penalties for dealing near schools.
2006
Police and Justice Act. Extends the conditional cautioning scheme to provide for punitive conditions to be attached.
The UK Drug Policy Commission: ‘Bringing evidence and analysis together to inform UK drug policy.’ UKDPC 2007Page Break
Table 3 Types of drugs categories
The maximum penalties for drug possession, supply (dealing) and production depend on what type or ‘class’ the drug is.
Class
Drug
Possession
Supply and production
A
Crack cocaine, cocaine, ecstasy (MDMA), heroin, LSD, magic mushrooms, methadone, methamphetamine (crystal meth)
Up to 7 years in prison, an unlimited fine or both
Up to life in prison, an unlimited fine or both
B
Amphetamines, barbiturates, cannabis, codeine, ketamine, methylphenidate (Ritalin), synthetic cannabinoids, synthetic cathinones (eg mephedrone, methoxetamine)
Up to 5 years in prison, an unlimited fine or both
Up to 14 years in prison, an unlimited fine or both
C
Anabolic steroids, benzodiazepines (diazepam), gamma hydroxybutyrate (GHB), gamma-butyrolactone (GBL), piperazines (BZP), khat
Up to 2 years in prison, an unlimited fine or both (except anabolic steroids - it’s not an offence to possess them for personal use)
Up to 14 years in prison, an unlimited fine or both
Temporary class drugs*
Some methylphenidate substances (ethylphenidate, 3,4-dichloromethylphenidate (3,4-DCMP), methylnaphthidate (HDMP-28), isopropylphenidate (IPP or IPPD), 4-methylmethylphenidate, ethylnaphthidate, propylphenidate) and their simple derivatives
None, but police can take away a suspected temporary class drug
Up to 14 years in prison, an unlimited fine or both
*The government can ban new drugs for 1 year under a ‘temporary banning order’ while they decide how the drugs should be classified. © Crown copyright
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Additional Reading
Forest, A. L., & Wood, J. V. (2012). When social networking is not working: Individuals with low self-esteem recognize but do not reap the benefits of self-disclosure on Facebook. Psychological Science, 23, 295-302.
Herman, E., & Seidman, G. (May, 2015). Accuracy in Facebook Self-Presentation: The Role of the “True Self”. Poster to be presented at the Association for Psychological Science Annual Conference, New York, NY.
Seidman, G. (2014). Expressing the ‘true self’ on Facebook. Computers in Human Behavior, 31, 367-372.