Photograph by Talia Cole
Berkeley’s history with marijuana is no secret. For years, the city has been advocating for its legalization and decriminalization. And on January 1 2018, the sale and taxation of recreational marijuana became legal. 57.13 percent of people voted yes on Proposition 64, the proposition that would legalize recreational use of marijuana for people 21 and older.
With the legalization of recreational marijuana, it’s important to take a look back at Berkeley High School’s (BHS) marijuana culture as well as ask ourselves if marijuana use will increase. Natalie Sowers, a junior in the Academy of Medicine and Public Service (AMPS), believes that the law won’t make a difference.
“I think [the amount of students smoking] will stay the same because everyone that wants or needs to use it is already doing so,” Sowers said. She brought up how marijuana has been already normalized before becoming legal. Ciarah Payne, a sophomore in AMPS, also believes that the law won’t make a difference. “People were already smoking when it was illegal, so when it comes to it becoming legal, people are just going to be smoking around you.”
According to most BHS students, the legalization of marijuana will make little to no difference. So was making it legal the right choice?
Alani Nhul, a sophomore in Berkeley International High School (BIHS) believes that passing the law was the right choice.
“I feel like the legalization of marijuana is something that should have happened years ago. For years medical marijuana has helped all kinds of people, from cancer patients to insomnia sufferers. It’s all around good,” Nhul said.
Azul Hernandez, a sophomore in Independent Study (IS), also pointed out how the legalization could possibly have an even bigger impact, “Maybe if it was legal there would be less illegal selling and people would stop getting arrested for having it in possession. There would be less people in jail.”