With conspiracy theory after conspiracy theory constantly breaking the internet, it’s more difficult than ever to tell which stories are true and which were invented by ordinary people just for the fun of it. Cannabis has always been a hot topic for the public, and while huge steps are being made towards legalization and overall public acceptance, there are still many misconceptions, urban legends, and flat out lies floating around surrounding cannabis and its potential. “Reefer Madness”, as it was once known, scared families and parents into treating this harmless plant as the dagger that was destroying humanity. Luckily, we’ve done a little digging in an attempt to uncover some of the little-known facts of our favorite little green plant.

1. Pot is far safer than booze

It doesn’t make a whole lot of sense that a substance known to be the cause of thousands of deaths each year is readily available to the public as soon as they reach the magic age of 21. The reality is that even though marijuana continues to be slandered by the government and corporate media, it is far less harmful to your health than alcohol. Chronic alcohol users experience horrific side effects ranging from death of brain cells to irreversible damage to the liver. Likely the worst you’ve heard about cannabis that can be confirmed is that it will make you enjoy pizza more than you ever thought possible.

2. Workplace drug testing programs yield very few benefits

We aren’t about to sit here and try to argue that testing for hard drugs in the workplace is a waste of time. Testing for a substance that is both medically and recreationally legal depending on your location, however, doesn’t exactly add up. Workplace drug testing has gained a negative reputation for costing a whole lot of money only to yield low accuracy results. We hope that sooner or later this practice will be modified so that it is designed to search for only truly harmful substances and does not disrupt worker’s privacy.

3. Cannabis lowers your risk for certain cancers

Have you ever felt guilty for hitting the joint after all the terrible things you’ve heard about smoking cigarettes? It is very common to assume that inhaling smoke will do detrimental things to your overall health and wellbeing, regardless of what kind it is. Luckily, numerous studies have come out with findings that cannabis is not only far less unhealthy than once believed, it also shows a significantly reduced risk for developing head and neck cancer, and shows no increased risk for lung cancer.

4. Law enforcement of marijuana laws is racially discriminatory

Liberal arts college attendees may already be very aware of what is being called the New Jim Crow laws, in other words, the war on drugs. For those who haven’t heard, drug enforcement laws are shockingly discriminatory, and have a strong tendency to target minorities at a much higher rate, even in areas with highly Caucasian populations. Nobody can confirm if this mess is a result of racial profiling taught during officer training or if it is true racism at play, but at least we can make the public more aware of what is happening around them.

5. Cannabinoids may be able to treat PTSD

PTSD is a debilitating condition that can cause flashbacks, panic attacks, insomnia, and avoidance in those who are affected. Many of these sufferers are veterans who have served time in the Middle East and are being given drugs like antidepressants and anti-psychotics that leave them drained of energy and still unable to cope. Fortunately, cannabinoids found in marijuana have been discovered to possess incredible healing effects on the mind and body for those who cannot find symptom relief elsewhere.