Isn’t it sad to think about how we are more concerned with how many plants we are legally entitled to grow, rather than how this drug is devastating the growth and potential of MY generation, and generations to come. We are growing plants, yet stunting growth. And I’m sick of it.
Hiya. My name is Courtney Reanier, and I am a 19 year old college student, who is absolutely heartbroken looking at how Marijuana is consuming the identity of our culture, and the identity of countless kids with unlimited futures. Well, at least had unlimited futures. That was until the tobacco 2.0 industry came in, and insisted on commercializing on emotionally unstable, undeveloped, hurting and increasingly broken young kids. Do we not understand that by down playing the catastrophic consequences of Marijuana, and broadcasting to the world how “great” it is, that we are ultimately hurting the potential of creating a better tomorrow. We no longer seem interested in producing a generation of leaders, but are rather focused on making a profit in saturating culture in a clearly distorted lie. I am not saying that these are bad people. I am saying that these are great people stuck in a bad lie.
And the biggest lie that I refuse to accept, is the idea that it’s okay to persuade teens into thinking how happy they could be if they just chose to “relax and take a hit”. And ultimately if you are unhappy, who cares, smoke a joint, and eventually all your problems will go away. Well at least it will seem like it. I have seen countless broken teenagers who struggle with anxiety, depression, and incredibly low self esteem find their worth in something as worthless as pot. The higher we’re getting, the lower our self esteem becomes. And yeah, smoking may actually help you forget about your burdens for a little while. But it also causes you to forget what really matters. And that’s you, and what you’re really capable of. Which is SO much more than this.
And some are you are probably scoffing under your breath thinking, “and how would you know?”. Well, because I have seen the way that this drug has extinguished the fire of potential I saw in my twin sister. And my best friends. And my high school classmates. And my community. And even in myself. I have seen firsthand how we have replaced focusing on a life of fulfillment, with a life of distractions from what really matters – true happiness, and the struggles it takes to find it. It doesn’t matter if any big name industry, dispensary, or pothead actually said this, because we are undeniably cultivating a culture that preaches the message of disinguine happiness. And guess what, I am not happy. In fact, I’m sick of it. I am sick of being told that this is what young people want, and even crave. Because as a 19 year old girl, I am craving cultural redemption, and a redefined identity. I want to my sister back, I want my friends back, I want my classmates back, and more importantly I want my society back.
So, I guess I am going to be a little blunt here for a second (yeah I know, terrible pun). I guess the reason why I am here, and why I care is because I refuse to give up on a generation of leaders that I know can… and will change the world. I refuse to stand by and let something that is far beyond true define the identity of something as critically important as our future. So go ahead. Disagree with me, tell me I’m wrong, But silence is no longer an option.
I want to start growing again.
