6 minute read
Top 5 Cannabis Pioneers
WHO HELPED PAVE THE WAY TO GREATER HERBAL ACCEPTANCE
There are just too many pioneers to name only five. There are industry leaders on so many levels and countless accounts of the influences of Tommy Chong, Brownie Mary, Ed Rosenthal, and Jack Herrer for the greater understanding of cannabis. So, who do you pick?
For this write-up, I’m not going to offer specific individuals, instead, I will offer some of the collective groups that have developed or are developing the way forward in today’s markets- which like the pioneers studied in our 6th-grade social studies class, they experience challenges and sometimes reap the rewards that endurance can bring. Others leave this earth before the realization of their work can be properly recognized.
So, in the words of David Letterman, let's get to tonight’s top 5. Here we go:
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
You read that correctly. Even though marijuana remains federally illegal today, the United States in the past reveals a pioneer spirit towards the plant. It is well documented that, in the 1800s, cannabis was prescribed to patients and was available in local pharmacies. It was also noted that physicians and scientists could not pin down a dosage regimen that provided consistent effects for the majority of patients. Reports of individuals having incidents of delirium and hallucinations began to alarm the public. What may not be well known is the high dosages prescribed – some reports of 3 to 5 grams. I’m sure there were some individuals who took the dosages into consideration and did not panic, but for the majority, the damage was already done and the pioneer spirit started to fade.
Today, it remains a necessity to report as accurately and comprehensively as possible so the United States can avoid any further delays in the progress of cannabis.
OUTDOOR CANNABIS GROWERS
Even though the industry requires a great deal of plants to be grown indoors, it is the outdoor growers who pioneered the path. Actually, back in the day, “a path” is exactly what they did not want to create. I wonder if the original growers are still walking around with duct tape on the bottom of their shoes and camouflaging their plant containers? The outdoor growers of today give the public the image that cannabis needs – which, is nature. No doubt, consumers require more products than can be produced naturally, but we still like to think our buds are getting the best Nature has to offer. Mother Nature has always delivered a powerful message – the message of purity, balance, and mindfulness which growers all aim to emulate.
CANNABIS EDUCATORS
Even though I do not consider myself a pioneer on the subject of cannabis education, I have lived up to my Japanese “to teach” symbol tattoo… by educating on many subject areas, including cannabis. To all of the individuals who are trying to help get the word out that:
HEMP IS CANNABIS;
CBD IS CANNABIS;
MARIJUANA IS CANNABIS;
AND HIGH THC CONTENT DOESN’T NECESSARILY REVEAL THE SWEET SPOT…
You are helping to transform the mindset of marijuana. Informing the public of the benefits of cannabis, in relatable terms, leads to a stronger consumer understanding. Eventually, the public will see that cannabis can be used to heal a wound just as aloe vera can be used to heal a sunburn. And, eventually, the United States will look to cannabis educators to help get this country where it needs to be.
YOU, THE VOTER
I actually wanted to change this one after I saw it in print because it sounds so corny - but it’s the truth. Without people putting a stamp of authority, aka their vote, what we have today in the United States would not exist, period. Nothing official around this country gets done without a vote, just ask the individuals in Oklahoma who delivered over 160,000 signatures to the capitol to let the powers, that be, know that they are serious about the progression of cannabis. Individuals can profess their desires as loud as they want, however we live in a country where being loud doesn’t necessarily get the results desired, but the vote does. So, you the voter can stand tall and be proud knowing you too are among pioneers.
PRODUCTIVE CANNABIS CONSUMERS
Everyone who consumes cannabis and shows the world that marijuana does not slow them down, make them lazy, or be irresponsible – you are a pioneer. Every parent who consumes cannabis and shows the world they can raise their children in an attentive and loving way – you are a pioneer. Every person who consumes and is showing up in the world thriving physically, mentally, and spiritually – you are a pioneer. The stigma of the stoner has long been the catalyst for ridicule, oppression, and misunderstanding, but productive cannabis users are showing the world that the effects of cannabis are far less intrusive and far less restrictive than alcohol and prescription drugs on the user, and in cases, can be highly effective and life-changing. So, a victorious cheer to those of you who can use the plant in whatever form safely and responsibly in your everyday lives – you too are pioneers.
I know this has been an unorthodox top five, but I hope that you have enjoyed each one and found a glimpse of yourself in at least one of them. As you can see, a pioneer can take many forms and should be celebrated just as much as our sports celebrities and actors/directors. And like the pioneers that forged westward in early America, cannabis has encountered hardships and losses but has endured through it all to provide opportunities that reach far beyond the plant itself. Again, I hope you have enjoyed my top five and will take the time to reflect on who would be in your top five. I also encourage you to take it one step further and give those pioneers a shout-out of your own… even if it is solely to the universe – someone is always listening.
― Richard Neville
