Marijuana isn’t merely growing more acceptable in the eyes of the American public; it’s entered the luxury market, with the department store Barney’s advertising a “cannabis lifestyle” in their recently-opened luxury shop The High End. With marijuana recreationally legalized in eleven states and D.C., the way the drug is used has changed.
“You can talk about smoking a joint just like you can talk about having a drink,” said Ashley McSwain, executive director of Community Family Life Services. “Drinking is legal. There is no stigma associated with having a drink every now and then.”
Yet despite this shift, marijauana use is more permissible for some members of the population than it is for others.
McSwain works with returning citizens from the criminal justice system to aid in the transition to permanent self-sufficiency. Despite the benefits of decriminalizing marijuana, this formalized culture of acceptance has created some confusion for McSwain’s clients.
Rhonda Deskins, an employment specialist at Community Family Life Services, finds herself explaining to clients all the time that marijuana will work against them in the hiring process. She has seen people fired after testing positive for marijuana as well. Legalization has created a new barrier for her already high-need clients, she said, because they don’t expect to face these repercussions.
“[They may be] on probation. Some of them aren’t connected with their children,” Deskins said. “It creates problems even with reunification, trying to make sure you’re clean and sober and have a good home for your kids.”
