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Cannabis’ Influence on Pop Culture

Published

3 years ago

7 minute read

Marijuana use has been a cultural factor for many communities for years. According to numerous articles and reviews, the number of people using weed in these modern times is at a record high. Retrospectively, this has not always been the case. But now, you can hear a song about cannabis in any genre possible. 

Currently, stoner culture is publicized on numerous platforms. In any given hour, pop culture showcases several references to cannabis. Since mainstream media and other sources of entertainment are a representation of people’s culture, it is clear that weed influences pop culture in general.  What came first, weed use or weed use in pop culture?

The History of Cannabis in Pop Culture

The first and most notable identification of cannabis in mainstream culture was in connection to music. Reggae and Hip-hop were the first two genres with serious mentions and depictions of drug use. For years, the plant and its use were synonymous with reggae, and people followed the culture. 

At this point, it wasn’t legal for individuals to come out as users, and the depiction of the same in songs and music videos was an act of rebellion. The general culture’s outlook on use at the time was encased with years of stigma and discrimination. 

While Bob Marley and other Reggae artists were keen on advocating for the use of the crop, legal restrictions prevented people from seeing the benefits. Weed use was at the time thought to be associated with violence and behavior that was repulsive. The result was that even though artists were singing about its medicinal properties, people were still afraid of the same.

Current Effects of Marijuana on Pop Culture

Contrary to the dark years of stigmatization and discrimination, there have been changes in how people view weed. If the general references of the crop in songs, movies, artworks, and the general culture are anything to go by, then the attitudes have undergone a tremendous shift. 

Marijuana has resulted in less stringent portrayals of the drug and the benefits of its use. Ingesting cannabis now comes off as being cool and part of the enlightened group. Rather than offering negative imagery of stoners, modern culture proves that they can use and work effectively. 

Now weed references are not only isolated from gangster hip-hop but can be found in R&B, pop music, and more. These current attitudes are pushing more and more individuals to be more lenient towards the open use of the plant. Other than music, what other indicators are there of marijuana influencing general culture?

How does Cannabis affect the influence of pop culture in general? As discussed, marijuana and how it affects the body are concepts that people are now well aware of. 

The publication of these shows and songs, as well as the support of well-known personalities, has led to an increase in the number of people using the drug. Marijuana has, in a way, influenced the ease of its decades-long stigmatization, making it ideal for people to associate with its use. 

Weed Use and Social Media

You cannot think about pop culture without considering social media. In recent years, social media has become very important for many individuals. Evaluating the same will show how marijuana affects mainstream culture in general. 

One of the ways to gauge influence is to consider the vape situation. Cannabis use through vapes hit the world a few years back, and it has been quite a wave. More and more people are being influenced to use vapes packed with CBD and THC compounds. 

Compared to ancient times, social media pushed weed use culture to people through portrayals of active users and non-violent effects. Through social media accounts and other engaging programs, activists have been pushing for a more positive attitude towards cannabis use. 

Retrospectively, the effect of weed on the greater population has been propelled by social media. Social media, a common aspect of pop culture, is more relevant than ever in influencing people’s behavior and attitudes. 

Do Famous People use Weed?

An analysis of the internet, inclusive of social media sites, reveals that more and more people are coming out as marijuana users. The list does not only contain artists and rappers who have become synonymous with cannabis, but also active professionals. 

Gone are the days when the drug was associated with negative behavioral outcomes. Pop culture has adopted a positive attitude towards using the same in general. Does Weed enhance performance?

On a creative level, marijuana influences more daring thought processes and could, in a way, lead to better lyrics, more extensive art pieces, or even more heartfelt poems. Regarding the professional side, weed use doesn’t improve performance. A marathon runner cannot run faster while high. Though their running may lead to positive feelings, in most cases, it will not give them an advantage over others. 

Conclusion

It is hardly ever possible to go through the internet for long without bumping into a pro-marijuana piece. The current attitude on cannabis use is accepting of stoners and their product use. The body of restrictions on the substance has been wearing away over time. Maybe in the near future, it will be legal from a federal point of view, just like it was years back.
Written by Helga G., Editor and Contributor at AskGrowers.

 

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The bizarre story of Taro Tsujimoto

Published on March 28, 2025

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The National Hockey League (NHL) has seen its fair share of strange moments, but few compare to the bizarre and hilarious tale of Taro Tsujimoto, a player who never existed. His “selection” in the 1974 NHL Draft remains one of the most legendary pranks in hockey history. If you want to wager on actual players, making the 1xBet app download is definitely a great idea.

In the 1970s, the NHL Draft was a much less glamorous event than today. It was a tedious process conducted over the phone, with teams calling in their picks. The 3 biggest highlights of what happened during that year’s draft were:

  • the draft dragged on for hours;
  • there were multiple rounds and teams selecting unknown prospects from obscure leagues;
  • frustrated with the monotony, Buffalo Sabres general manager Punch Imlach decided to have a little fun.

As the 11th round approached, Imlach instructed his team’s representative to draft Taro Tsujimoto, a supposed forward from the Tokyo Katanas of the Japan Ice Hockey League. The name sounded authentic enough. The league officials, unfamiliar with Japanese hockey, accepted the pick without question. By downloading the 1xBet app you will also be able to wager on great NHL teams too.

A small problem

There was a small problem with all of this, as 2 things didn’t exist: Tsujimoto and the Tokyo Katanas. Imlach had completely fabricated the player as a joke, taking advantage of the NHL’s lack of verification. When it comes to NHL wagers, there is no better platform than the 1xBet Canada site.

For weeks, the league listed Tsujimoto as an official draft pick, and even some newspapers reported on Buffalo’s mysterious new Japanese prospect. Eventually, the Sabres admitted the hoax, and the NHL was forced to retroactively erase the selection from its records.

Despite being a fictional player, Taro Tsujimoto took on a life of his own. Buffalo Sabres fans embraced the prank, and over the years, his name has become a cult legend in hockey culture. Some fans even wore jerseys with “Tsujimoto” on the back. The joke persisted so much that when EA Sports released NHL video games, players could occasionally find Tsujimoto in the game’s draft pool as a hidden Easter egg.

More than just a prank, the story of Taro Tsujimoto highlights 2 things: the quirks of old-school sports management and the creativity of one of hockey’s most colorful executives. Today, with the draft process being highly scrutinized and broadcast live, such a prank would be impossible. But Tsujimoto’s legacy lives on as one of hockey’s greatest inside jokes. What is not a joke are the great rewards that a platform like the Canadian 1xBet site can give you.

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60% of Canadians gamble each month – why the industry is going from strength to strength

Published on March 26, 2025

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When it comes to regulating gambling, Canada has a somewhat relaxed approach. The Canadian Gaming Association oversees the industry, but it’s up to individual provinces to enact and enforce any laws relating to online casino gaming, sports betting, traditional casino gaming, and other forms of gambling.

Canada’s online casino gaming laws are not totally clear, but individual provinces are starting to put this right. Ontario was the first and did so when it launched its own regulated igaming market in April 2022. Now some other provinces have followed suit, creating a safer igaming environment for players in those provinces. Below is a look at gambling in Canada compared to other parts of the world, at gaming laws in Alberta compared to other provinces, and at the future of the Canadian, US, and UK gambling industries.

Canada: a forever love of gambling

Gambling in some form or other has always been popular in Canada. Way back in the 1990s, research found six in ten Canadians (60%) gambled every month. Additionally, four in ten (43%) spent between 1 and 20 Canadian dollars on gambling. Fast forward to today and the Canadian gambling market is worth 14.2 billion US dollars as of January 2024, according to data on the website of consumer and market data company Statista.

It seems Canada enjoys wagering just as much as two other countries that love a gamble: the US and the UK. Data on the Statista website shows that 49% of US adults took part in gambling activities in 2023. Fifty-six percent said their attitude towards gambling had relaxed, compared to the 50% of 2019.

The UK returned similar stats for the same year. Forty-eight percent of adults reported engaging in gambling activity. Online casinos generated the most gross gambling yield in 2023, but it was the nation’s National Lottery that people played the most.

 

Alberta: following Ontario’s lead

The regulatory developments in Ontario have triggered movement in Alberta. In May 2024, Bill 16, the Red Tape Reduction Amendment Act, made it through the process and later received Royal Assent to become law. The act removes the monopoly of gaming by a single government entity and will allow private operators, licensed by Alberta’s provincial regulator, to provide online gaming services in Alberta, meaning players will have a choice of more than one Alberta online casino to play at.

The regulation transforms Alberta into one of the more liberal provinces when it comes to online gambling, others being Quebec, Ontario, and British Columbia.

Several provinces, such as Novia Scotia and Northwest Territories, have no provincially regulated online gaming sites. Some also restrict betting on horse racing and/or other types of sports betting, obliging citizens to use international betting sites for freedom from caps and betting on as many events as they wish.

What lies ahead for the Canadian, US, and UK gambling industries?

Canada’s appetite for gambling is clear, and the industry’s online sector is beginning to thrive. Ontario has enjoyed vast success by creating its own regulated market, one which, in just its first year, saw Canadians place billions in wagers and the industry itself generate more than a billion in total gaming revenue.

Canada can expect to see other provinces follow Ontario’s lead and allow private operators to provide services in the province under license. The purpose of the regulation is player protection. Any province that develops a regulated market will focus on this, so there will also be regulations around the advertising of gambling services.

The US

Gambling online is the future for the US, too, although states are slow to legalize it. As of September 2024, 38 states had legalized sports betting, following the US Supreme Court’s ruling that states could regulate sports gambling directly.

Despite allowing sports betting, some states only permit in-person betting, and only a few states allow online casino gaming. Operators believe online casino gaming is the future of gambling.

The UK

In the UK, the use of artificial intelligence (AI) will get bigger and bigger. Companies have realized AI can enhance players’ experience and are embracing it more and more. For instance, sports betting websites can use it to crunch data and provide iGamers with stats and other data to make better betting decisions. They’re also understanding they can use AI to prioritize content players are likely to be interested in and to personalize their offerings and services to players’ preferences.

Canada enjoys gambling as much as America and the UK. Although laws around igaming are more of a grey area in Canada, some provinces are clearing the issue up by creating regulated markets and experiencing great success. As time goes by, more are sure to follow.

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