On November 7, 2012, Colorado was the very first state to legalize the recreational use of marijuana for persons 21 or over. Since then, more states have started to propose the legalization of recreational marijuana. However, most people like to rely on sources such as news channels to get their information about problems, recreational marijuana being one of them. The media tends to exaggerate the real uses and side effects of marijuana, often giving it a negative connotation. This topic has been a a huge debacle for the fact that media bias has over-exaggerated its use, the effects, and whether its a gateway drug or not.

One exemplary example of this would be on The Daily Beast. The depicted picture gives the impression that cannabis can cause "cancer, birth defects, lung damage, or brain damage." With this type of negative connotations towards this drug, it gives the people the false impression that marijuana is a harmful drug that could kill you. Although it is still considered a drug and in no way am I advocating such us of this drug, but having a negative light on it skews the opinions of those on the fence of whether or not this should be legalized in the United States.

There has been some media bias on The Huffington Post as well. Writer Matt Ferner recently uploaded a photo in which a zombie is depicted as someone who is under the influence of marijuana, with the caption "This is your brain on pot?" This gives the false impression that marijuana makes the user a thoughtless walking person, which in fact is not the case. The real effects of marijuana are feeling ecstatic, like a feeling of euphoria. This false media bias is the type of negativity that hinders the legalization of marijuana in all states.

Contrary to popular belief, there is no actual hard evidence of cannabis causing any real damage to the user. In fact, there have been no reported deaths surrounding marijuana use. Anti-marijuana activists often tend to "expand" the truth about the effects of this drug, in turn making the public's opinion of it turn negative.

insanity, andSuch negative media bias can be seen in the picture above. In it is a young woman with what appears to be a devil advocating marijuana, giving the impression that this drug is associated with the devil. Words like sin, insanity,and debauchery can be seen floating around, with a giant marijuana joint in the middle of it. The caption "Devil's Harvest" can be seen at the bottom. With this type of media bias, the people don't get the real facts about cannabis, in turn making them believe that it is a dangerous drug. With this picture, it gives the false impression that marijuana is more harmful than tobacco, which has no evidence to support this.

The media often likes to put out false facts about certain things to fit into their agenda. One prime example of this media bias is marijuana. News sources such the ones depicted above are victim to this. The like to put alternative facts about marijuana to give it a bad spotlight. In fact, this drug is perhaps one, if not, the safest drug. I am in no way encouraging the illegal act of consuming said drug, but the media bias has got to end.

Ng, Christina, Abphillips, and Clayton Sandell. "Colorado, Washington Become First States to Legalize Recreational Marijuana." ABC News. ABC News Network, 07 Nov. 2012. Web. 01 May 2017.