By: Frank James, IV, Special for the Milwaukee Times Weekly Newspaper
The majority of people in the USA have various outlets to relax their minds. Drugs, such as Cannabis, have become popular vehicles for mental relaxation and escape. The increasing number of Cannabis users in the USA has led to a billion dollar industry for the product.
Cannabis is seen by many as the perfect means to escape/relax. We pose the questions, “What are these Cannabis users escaping from? And “What is awaiting them when they return?”
The legalization of Cannabis has led to a billion dollar industry in the USA alone. This means that there are a lot of Americans who are seeking some form of relaxation/relief from some form of the drug. The popularity of Cannabis has risen over the past few years to the point where the drug has passed alcohol in daily usage. (CNN) This means that more people would rather roll up a blunt, cigar filled with Cannabis, than take a few shots of Hennessy on a daily basis. I’m sure Anheuser-Busch, and other alcohol distributors, are not very happy with this.
For years the hip hop industry promoted the use of Cannabis. Rappers such as Snoop Dogg and others glorified the act of blazing up a blunt. The African American community withstood this barrage for years before succumbing to the hype. The true knockout blow, for all of America, was the argument that Cannabis comes from the earth. This and other sayings were the rallying cry for the movement to legalize the drug. The statement is true. Cannabis does come from the Earth. The statement appears to have swayed the populace because as stated previously, there is a booming billion dollar Cannabis industry in the USA. Yet, we have to ask, “What are people trying to escape from?”
The average US citizen is bombarded with negativity, in some form, throughout the work day. Many people in the USA have careers that they are not happy with. Is this one of the reasons people need to smoke a blunt, or eat an edible, before, after or during work? Many US citizens have life situations they abhor. Are these reasons to go buy a bong and start inhaling the fumes of Blackberry Kush? Will a few hits of some Granddaddy Purple help someone escape the fact that they are married to someone they are unhappy with? Does the Cannabis intake make the marriage tolerable for both parties?
The use of Cannabis by US youth is concerning. The availability of Cannabis products has led to many US youth indulging in the drug. The advent of electronic devices, vapes, has impacted the usage of the drug among teens. The electronic form used in vape devices comes in various flavors that appeal to many teens. Why deal with all the calories that come from eating Girl Scout Cookies, when you can vape Girl Scout Cookie flavored Cannabis? There are no calories in the Cannabis product, and you get an euphoric feeling.
This leads us to the billion dollar question, “What is awaiting the high flyers from Cannabis when they come down?” Has a few hits on the vape/blunt created a new better reality for the user to come back to? Or, has the user simply fooled themselves and are right back where they started before they sent their mind on retreat? Cannabis is from the Earth. The reality many Cannabis users are seeking to escape is on the Earth. There are no drugs that can make your issues vanish. Drugs may offer a brief escape from your issues, but the problem is still there when you come down off of your high. This is the reality that leads to addiction. A person keeps using the drug to escape, or cope, with a reality that can only change if they do it themselves.
If you use Cannabis, use it wisely, and because you choose to. Don’t look to any drug to reshape your life. If you do you may not like the shape your life has taken.
Frank James IV © 2025
beingfrankwithfrank@gmail.com
The opinions expressed in this editorial are those of the writer and not of the Milwaukee Times Weekly Newspaper or HT Group, LLC, its staff or management. “Being Frank” is a bi-weekly column exclusive to the Milwaukee Times Weekly Newspaper.
