Weed, Fear And Control This Halloween: Conservatives Revive Zombie Myths To Hijack The Debate
As cannabis legalization spreads across the U.S., a conservative narrative is transforming the debate, turning cannabis into a tool for broader political battles. By linking it to divisive issues like immigration and gender rights, conservatives across states are shifting attention away from the tangible benefits of legalization.
Instead, they push viral, fear-based storytelling designed to evoke outrage and control. This strategy isn’t incidental—it’s calculated to exploit social media’s monetization model, where emotionally charged content spreads rapidly and dominates the conversation.
In this environment, cannabis becomes more than a public health or economic issue—it’s a symbol in a larger culture war. These viral narratives sustain policies that disproportionately affect marginalized communities, keeping them trapped in cycles of incarceration and poverty.
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Weaponizing Cannabis To Strip Rights
In an amicus brief to the U.S. Supreme Court, ten Republican governors, led by South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster, drew a parallel between state flexibility in legalizing cannabis and their desire for similar autonomy in banning gender-affirming care for minors.
The governors argue that just as states have the right to create their own cannabis policies despite federal prohibition, they should also have the authority to restrict transgender healthcare practices.
The case, United States v. Skrmetti, brought by transgender youth challenging a Tennessee law, uses cannabis legalization as an example to support their stance …