Disjointed

One of the most controversial topics that I can think of that has influenced the last few decades is the debate over the use of marijuana. In the beginning of debate in America, most arguments focused on the morality behind it all: could we as a country allow people to legally use a drug that had such a strong influence on their mental state?

To this day, not very much research has been conducted on the concrete effects of marijuana use. Studies are being conducted, but there needs to be a larger amount of years studied before we can draw conclusions about its benefits or negative effects on us.

The “weed debate” is a current issue that affects everyone, but it is specifically important to the millennial generation. Our parents grew up in the 60s and 70s when marijuana culture was just beginning to find its place in society. Now, the drug has a very devoted following, and has been legalized (for medical use) in 29 states. In fact, recent studies show that 61% of Americans support the legalization of marijuana. This presents us with the two groups that surround this issue: those who support the legalization of marijuana and those who do not.

Personally, I stand for the legalization of marijuana. I don’t have any true reason to oppose it, and I don’t think that it is the government’s place to regulate its use. Thus when I discuss the various social issues brought up in the Netflix Original Disjointed, I will be addressing my arguments to those who stand against the legalization of marijuana.

Disjointed is a new Netflix show about “Ruth’s Alternative Healing”, a cannabis shop in Los Angeles. The owner of the shop, Ruth Whitefeather Goldman, campaigned her whole life for the legalization of marijuana, and once it was granted, she opened her own dispensary. Other characters in the show include her son and business partner Travis, who recently graduated with an MBA, a security named Carter who suffers from PTSD due to his time in Vietnam, and three “bud-tenders”, each with their own complex reasons for coming to work at the shop.

The show paints marijuana use in an extremely casual light, and often shows the employees smoking on the clock. It also emphasizes the medical benefits and emotional relief that marijuana can provide. Unfortunately, Disjointed shows Ruth, the owner of the dispensary, as unwilling to expand her business or consider smarter business plans. This plays into the stereotype that marijuana users are lazy, which prevents the show from altering the opinion of those who oppose marijuana.

Even people who are opposed to the recreational or medical use of cannabis can learn a few things from this show. First, many weed users are seeking the calming effects of marijuana, and not just wanting to get “high” for fun. In the first few episodes of the show, we see a housewife who’s struggling with feelings of stress and discontentment. After “medicating” (smoking marijuana) at Ruth’s Alternative Healing, she feels much calmer and satisfied with her life.

We also see a consistent character in the show, Ruth’s security guard Carter, struggle with his PTSD. He does not smoke marijuana, but the show seems to suggest that if he did, he might be able to calm some of the nervous feelings that he experiences.

I think that that the view of “normal” people smoking marijuana is very beneficial in expressing that not everyone who smokes marijuana is a lazy, free-riding hippy with no respect for the laws of our country. The fact of the matter is, regular people use marijuana for a variety of different reasons, and Disjointed does a good job of showcasing that. While the show has its faults, it goes a long way in normalizing the recreational and medicinal use of marijuana.

In the end, do I expect this show to change your mind about current drug laws in this country? No, I don’t. I don’t think its message is strong enough to do that (nor is it trying to be). But, I hope that through watching this show, you might disregard the stereotypes that typically surround cannabis users. Those stereotypes are neither helpful nor true, and shouldn’t be a factor in the debate over the legalization of marijuana.