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M4MJ is a marijuana advocacy group made up of parents who support marijuana legalization. They want to end stereotypes and stigmas surrounding marijuana, and challenge its classification as a Schedule I drug. They argue that marijuana is not highly addictive and has medical benefits. They point out that alcohol, which causes many deaths, is regulated differently. Studies show that marijuana use does not lead to deaths or significant impairment while driving. They support decriminalization and opening centers to help those with addiction. Other countries have seen decreases in drug use and diseases after decriminalization. They want to debunk stereotypes of marijuana users being lazy or unintelligent. They believe marijuana can help with mental health issues and parenting. They advocate for social change and believe that the government should fund programs to help drug users instead of imprisoning them. They hope for full legalization on the federal level. Hey y'all, welcome back to M4MJ. For those who are new here, we are a marijuana advocacy group made up of moms and other parental figures who support marijuana legalization. We have not only seen what it could do for us, but what benefits it has for many others. We at M4MJ want to see the end of all silly stereotypes and stigmas that come along with partaking in such activities or inhabit be socially accepted as alcohol consumption. Our main issue is how marijuana is classified as a Schedule I drug, according to the DEA. They believe it's highly addictive and has zero medical uses. I have personal experience with seeing the effects of marijuana and other Social 1 drugs, such as heroin, and even Schedules II through V, which have made, or which are made up of, such as cocaine, opioids, steroids, somas, if you know, you know, which have been highly addictive, with some being prescribed by doctors and having very unhealthy side effects. (DEA,2018) I'm not sure if you noticed that when naming some of those controlled substances, I didn't mention alcohol. That's because, according to an article written by Zilla Shirel, under the Controlled Substance Act, alcohol is considered a depressant and is regulated under different laws. The U.S. alone has about 140,000 people die a year due to alcohol-related deaths (Sherrell,2023), but studies show no sufficient evidence to support or dispute a statistical association between marijuana and an all-cause morality, occupational accidents or injuries, or overdose on marijuana. (NAP,2017) There's just not any deaths. Another study was done where those under the influence of marijuana drove and showed only a modest impairment on actual road tests. Those who were experienced smokers drove on a set course, showed no functional impairment while under the influence of marijuana only. But, of course, when mixed with alcohol, they showed impairment (Swell, Poling, Sofuoglu, 2009). I can be an example, being that I have no record whether it be in driving, criminal, or abuse, but I do know those who have had offenses such as having speeding tickets or shoplifting as a teen to almost an adult, but nothing like you see with those who drink or do harder drugs. The theory I chose to analyze this issue is conflict theory. Its primary concern is with the concepts of power and its roots in rebellion, class conflict, and the philosophy of Marxism (Zembroski, 2011). I can see this being possible due to the money involved in keeping marijuana illegal. I mean, if you benefit from this, would you want to lose your profit? But what if I told you that we could put money into funding ways to help instead of punishing them and they would decriminalize all drugs and focus on helping those get off? We here at M4MJ support decriminalization of responsible drug use. As long as funds go to opening centers to not only supply clean environment, safe supplies, proper disposal, responsible doctors, and other medical and mental health help to get those who are caught in their addiction and also keep parks clean. Other countries have decriminalized drug use and they have not only seen a decrease in users, but Germany, Czech Republic, and Portugal all seen drops in HIV and other blood-related diseases. (Simpson, 2020) We would like to see a stop to all stereotypes, especially those who stoners. We get called lazy, dumb, poor, unable to hold a job, and so on. Yes, we can be a bit annoying because we laugh too much over some dumb shit, but we're harmless. All you are controlling your personal behavior is on you, not on marijuana. It doesn't make you uncontrollable like they show in the movie, Madness. Yes, I have had my dumb moments, but I've kept jobs, took care of my family, and still do. And I'm going to school. I have been smoking for 22 years and look at all that I have accomplished. But it is about time we start to see some social change when it comes to marijuana. Marijuana moms are starting to surface on social media with some states legalized for recreational and medicinal uses, and even how some wine moms are turning to marijuana due to alcohol having negative side effects that marijuana doesn't. Also, health-wise, alcohol has no health benefits. As for marijuana, it has helped us out of depression, even those as low as suicidal. I've stated that marijuana has helped them. (Brown, 2019 and Alexander, 2023) Both my bestie and I were separated for a few years in our teenage years. We were both suicidal, and we have both shared how marijuana was our savior. And we were two teens stuck in shitty living situations that had people who needed them. Thankfully, we just stuck with marijuana because life could have taken a darker turn. More parents are also turning to marijuana to help maintain their patients, be more present, and be mindful on their tolerance to be aware when they are caring for them ( Alexander, 2023). With me, if I start feeling overwhelmed, I take a break, make sure after my kids are all in order, I'll come back in 10, 15 minutes, and I'm all good again. I'm present and able to make fun memories without overwhelming of my past creeping up. Unfortunately, though, marijuana has been seen negatively throughout American history. It has been seen as the devil's lettuce, and if you smoke it, then you lose absolute control. Beat your friend with a stick and possibly jump to your death due to guilt over killing your friend, or somehow witnessing a murder while doing your job, and then they trace you by the weed you dropped, and now you have to stop the bad guy with your dealer.Those movies being Reefer Madness and Pineapple Express are a little far-fetched. Or about being flat and unmotivated to do anything fun, like the girl from those anti-marijuana ads they used to show on TV. But I know plenty of stoners, including myself, who go on hikes, different trails, and go out and about all the time doing different things with or without friends. We read books, we have careers or work on them, we raise our families, and we pay bills just like everyone else. We just choose a plant over alcohol to chill and relax after a hard day's work. Thankfully, marijuana is starting to be interpreted differently nowadays. More states are legalizing recreational or medicinal uses, and there are more to come. PA, being my home state, has been seen to try to pass for recreational use, but something keeps pushing it back. According to Ashley Adams, PA has been talking to their surrounding states who have legalized marijuana to figure out a good model for them to follow and to make sure that everything's on the up-and-up. Representative Dan Franke believes that PA will soon legalize marijuana. It's just slowly getting the Republicans and the House of Representatives and everybody on the Health Committee to agree and pass (Adams, 2024). So slowly but surely, we are changing into the right direction for full legalization on the federal level. Because until we change this classification, we will be federally illegal no matter what your state says. Which is crazy for me to think that your government would rather throw you in jail for taking a substance to help you get through or for masking your mental illnesses rather than set up places that could help get many back onto their feet and be law-abiding citizens again. But instead, spend billions a year imprisoning drug offenders and billions more on the war on drugs, which has benefited no one. And we get more people doing drugs now than before. More people are now having criminal records and putting them in a social decline, ruining their lives. But the government can help these people by funding these clean rooms where they can find the resources needed to get clean. We could see the same results as I stated earlier about the other countries benefiting with decriminalization use with reducing the number of addicts who are dying from ODing and HIV and other blood-borne diseases spreading. It may feel a little bit unethical due to those people being allowed to bring drugs into a facility and safely ingesting these drugs with clean supplies and dispose these supplies in proper bins because in reality, they are taking a substance that is slowly killing themselves. But no matter what, drugs are here and they're not going anywhere anytime soon. So we might as well work with the fact rather than against it. Over the last few decades that I've been alive, there has been this war against drugs and it hasn't ended. That's what we at M4MJ will keep fighting for, decriminalization of drug use with the proper protocols to help and not punish because that never works. That is all I have for you guys today. My name is Nicole Ireland and this has been a fabulous show. Thank you so much and goodbye.