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Mary Jane And Me
Pubdate: Thu, 24 Nov 2005
Source: Voice, The (CN BC Edu)
Copyright: 2005 Langara College
Contact: http://www.langara.bc.ca/voice/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3592
Author: Jane Emerick
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)
MARY JANE AND ME
Keep A Clear Mind To See Through The Smoke On TV
Pot In Sitcom Storylines Send Mixed Messages
TV shows where people are smoking marijuana are entertaining for
some, but offending to those who say they promote drug use.
Katherine Thrum, project manager for the Media Awareness Network, a
Canadian organization that promotes media scrutiny, said marijuana is
falsely portrayed in shows like Trailer Park Boys and That 70's show.
They don't show the harmful effects of the drug and as a result it
could be harmful to young impressionable viewers, she said.
"These shows have more potential to influence because they have no
counterbalancing messages explaining the detrimental effects of
smoking pot," Thrum said.
She said people watching these shows must think critically about
marijuana use, which is less likely to happen with a younger audience.
Joe Fiorentino, a human kinetics student at Langara, finds certain
aspects of the characters on Trailer Park Boys to be admirable. He
smokes pot a couple times a week and says he likes to smoke a joint
before watching the show.
Fellow human kinetics student, Ryan Mittelstaedt, smokes pot a couple
times a year but says watching Trailer Park Boys makes him want to
smoke more often. "In general [TPB] would make people embrace the
marijuana culture, the way they go about smoking it and growing it," he said.
However Don Allen, psychology instructor at Langara, doesn't think TV
shows have a powerful impact in the way society views marijuana.
"[The shows are] just reflecting a consensus reality that has emerged
over the last 40 or 50 years in North America, that says the use of
marijuana is not a serious problem and the worst thing about
marijuana are the laws against it," he said.
Allen said there is scientific evidence that shows marijuana is
non-harmful and non-addictive.
Marc Emery, editor and publisher of Cannabis Culture,doesn't think
there is a TV show that accurately portrays the marijuana culture. He
is not aware of any show or movie that does this.
"We are still waiting," he said.
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