My name is Telana Weeden. People have asked me where I’m from at least ten times in the past four days and I always reply, “Dallas,” in the driest tone possible. However, I don’t consider myself “from” Dallas. Dallas has only been my place of residence for the past three years and where I attended high school. I was actually born and raised on the south side of the beautiful city of Chicago, Illinois. I grew up on the Southside where marijuana—or “weed”, as Chicagoans like to call it–was definitely not hard to come by. I grew up around it. Everyone knew where–and how–to get it. You would think it was legal based on how easily accessible it was.
If we’re being honest here, I have smoked before. I was peer pressured and had the idea that smoking weed would make me “cool”. I had the mentality that if everyone around me was doing, then I should be doing it as well. My friends were doing it and my cousins were selling it. It was a normal recreational activity.
Over some time, my viewpoint on the legalization of marijuana has changed from opposition to agreement. While I have seen what it can do to those who smoke it religiously and I’ve chosen not to smoke, it has been a great advocate to those who have health issues and experience pain. If it can be helpful to someone, then I am all for it. I feel as though if there is something out there that can help people it should be taken full advantage of.
There are those that say smoking weed is dangerous and it’s a bad thing to do…blah, blah, blah. These are the people who are unfamiliar with it and always assume the worst because of what is put into the media, but isn’t alcohol just as bad when abused as well? It’s more toxic, more addicting, and more harmful to the body. People have died from alcohol. Nobody dies from marijuana. As the prominent actress Jennifer Aniston puts it, “I enjoy smoking cannabis and see no harm in it.” If Rachel Green can smoke pot without being classified as the stereotypical marijuana user, it can be assumed that marijuana can’t be that bad. 
Now whether or not marijuana is legalized will not stop the use of it because ultimately people are going to do what they want to do. It has been that way for decades now. Now if you ask me I think Mary Jane is here for the long run. It’s been here and I’m certain it will stay.
I completely agree with marijuana being no big deal. There has never been any case of a marijuana overdose, and alcohol is more dangerous than marijuana, but is seen as “acceptable” by society which is pretty dumb. By the way, Friends is awesome!