As the legality of cannabis improves across the country, more and more people are checking it out and trying it for themselves, whether it’s for medical reasons, recreational ones, or a little bit of both. Consequently, the stigma around cannabis use is getting weaker, with many people no longer seeing it as the “demon drug” they were told it was as children.
However, there are still plenty of misconceptions about cannabis, especially for products that contain Delta 9 THC. There is both negative misinformation meant to criminalize it and positive ones that attempt to paint a false reality. However, these misconceptions can be dispelled so you can enjoy your cannabis products without misinformation clouding your head.
Misconception 1: It’s a Cancer-Causing Menace
One poorly informed belief is that cannabis products inherently cause cancer. But that’s not entirely true; it has more to do with the method of ingestion. Smoking cannabis through blunts causes you to inhale carcinogens from tobacco smoke. But smokeless methods of ingestion, like edibles, don’t come with that risk.
Furthermore, even when smoked, cannabis lacks nicotine, which re-wires a smoker’s brain to develop a dependency on it. As a result, most cannabis smokers smoke less, meaning there’s a lower chance of developing cancer regardless.
Misconception 2: Cannabis Kills
Periodically, someone will report that the “first ever” death attributed to marijuana has occurred. However, “death by weed” is little more than dying due to another factor while high, and not actually due to the act of cannabis consumption itself.
While THC can impair your judgment and be dangerous to take in risky situations such as driving or operating heavy machinery, the act of taking it isn’t lethal.
Misconception 3: It’s a Medical Wonder-Substance
One cheerful piece of misinformation that gets spread is that cannabis products are excellent ways to treat or reduce symptoms of a wide variety of medical conditions. Unfortunately, the reality is more complicated than that.
While cannabis products like those that have Delta 9 THC have a veritable pain relieving effect and are effective in helping with some conditions, scientists are still researching to find out everything it can help with. That does, however, mean some conditions have been found to be unaffected by it.
Misconception 4: It Always Causes Dependence
Another inconvenient truth is that it is possible to become addicted to or dependent on THC; the potential for addiction is real for any drug, illicit, legalized, or prescribed.
However, there is some good news; studies have shown that cannabis has a much lower addiction rate than nicotine, meaning that while it’s not riskless, it is generally less of a gamble.
Misconception 5: Delta-9 THC is a Gateway
One of the biggest myths about Delta-9 THC is that it’s a gateway drug, meaning it inherently leads to the usage of “hard” drugs such as cocaine or heroin. While cannabis users can go onto these other drugs, the actual root cause is due to other factors, such as social pressure, economic status, or other environmental factors.
While cannabis and THC isn’t inherently safe drug, it gets a bad reputation due to people associating coincidence with causation. Staying educated on the truth is critical and is the best way to ensure you’re enjoying THC properly.
