OCS Propaganda – Cannabis | weed | marijuana

The Ontario Cannabis Store (OCS) – Ontario’s only legal wholesaler and distributor of cannabis – is also involved in the propaganda business.

Her Hazy on the Facts campaign and website CannabisMadeClear.ca is an attempt to raise awareness and promote responsible cannabis use.

But as with Scientology, the OCS website is more of a sectarian ideology than a statement of fact.

There are outright lies between common sense and cannabis use. For example, that cannabis can cause schizophrenia and psychosis.

It’s warmed-up reefer madness. It’s OCS propaganda, and Ontario’s cannabis users and taxpayers are paying for it.

But why?

Dundas Square in Toronto

For those who are curious about canna, it makes sense to do some research beforehand. The Canadian government has already provided this. There are also so-called “Internet search engines” that are a valuable resource.

But the OCS wants sole authority over cannabis information.

Dave Rewak, senior director of marketing and consumer insights at OCS, wants to combat the “myth and disinformation” that comes with legalization.

The propaganda of the OCS demotes canna-curious adults to the status of infantiles.

“They have amassed information from a range of online sources that gives them some, but not a complete, picture of what they are looking for,” Rewak said.

Somehow the OCS knows what this “big picture” is. They’ve unlocked the minds of millions of canna-seekers and created a “complete picture” of the same reefer craze you can find online.

OCS propaganda will “advertise” at sporting events and there are even billboards in Toronto’s Dundas Square.

“This is not an age-restricted resource, but is intended to provide information for everyone,” Rewak said.

OCS propaganda

So what does the OCS propaganda look like? People with clouds of smoke around their heads thinking, “Can cannabis affect my mental health?”

“It’s a very universal analogy, this notion of clearing the fog or haze of decision-making,” says Dave.

But for the cannabis connoisseur, it just comes across as insulting. It reinforces the stereotype that stoners live in a THC haze and are disconnected from reality.

“Fact-based, unbiased, up-to-date” is how the OCS characterizes its television advertising. But let’s see if that’s true.

Their website covers four study areas: Legal Use, Cannabis and Youth, Health Effects and Responsible Consumption.

Let’s separate fact from fiction.

OCS Propaganda – Legal Use

This section is mostly factual. Only the laws regarding possession, consumption and driving are listed. You’ll also learn how to identify legal cannabis products, a guide to legal product labels, and more details on legalization in Ontario.

But under the “How important it is to trust your source” page, their bias shows.

For example, they cite a study conducted by the Ontario Provincial Police and themselves, the OCS, as evidence that consuming illegal cannabis products is unsafe.

They dispel the “myth” that CBD is harmless since it is legally a controlled substance. But that kind of logic sends Japanese Canadian citizens to detention camps.

Just because something is legal doesn’t mean it is legal.

Our Anglo-American common law would be better suited for regulation. No bloated, wasteful, taxpayer-funded bureaucracies.

OCS Propaganda – Cannabis & Youth

In this section of OCS propaganda you will find tips and tools to help you talk about cannabis with your children. I’m not a parent, but I can’t imagine going to any government website for parenting advice.

However, if your child says, “Cannabis is just a plant—it’s not harmful,” you should respond: Not all plants are safe to consume.

However, if your child also hates eating vegetables, it can backfire. Because “healthy” plants such as spinach or broccoli all produce antibodies.

Suppose they say they only eat edibles, which is safer than smoking. In this case, you’re saying, “Different cannabis products carry different potential harms and benefits.”

What exactly harms? It’s not in this section. But as with all things in life, there are no solutions, only compromises.

But the OCS propaganda will likely do more harm than good. They repeat the lie that a developing brain that uses cannabis will never fully recover from the “damage” cannabis has done.

They reinforce the idea of ​​a “cannabis use disorder,” where the substance becomes an omnipotent force compelling you to use it.

And of course, OCS propaganda would not be complete without pointing out that young people who use cannabis are at risk of developing mental disorders.

And the “research” backs this up. Research claiming to have found objective measurements in subjective states of mind. Studies researchers couldn’t reproduce.

OCS propaganda – health effects

The OCS propaganda doesn’t get any better in this category. On the face of it, there’s a term for “cannabis use disorder,” a term we’ve debunked many times. (It’s easy when sleep disorders are considered symptoms of “high-risk use.”)

According to OCS “fact based” propaganda, cannabis addiction can be recognized by the four Cs.

craving for the substance. What It Really Is: A subjective state of mind. You create cravings with your thoughts.

The compulsion to use it. Cannabis is a flower. Flowers cannot force you to do things against your will.

loss of control No reproducible, placebo-controlled research supports the notion that there is a “loss of control” with cannabis or any other substance.

Use despite consequences. This is the only useful definition. But as mentioned above, there are no solutions. Only compromises.

Some people use cannabis (or alcohol, tobacco, fast food, etc.) despite negative consequences. Why? Because they appreciate it. And that value doesn’t have to be rational or healthy.

We act according to our preferences. No mythical “disorder” that forces us to act.

Thankfully, OCS propaganda doesn’t go so far as to suggest that cannabis can be deadly. So credit must be given where it is due:

No deaths due to excessive cannabis use have been documented. Here’s why: the part of your brain that regulates vital automatic functions like your heartbeat and breathing doesn’t have cannabinoid receptors, so an excess of cannabinoids like THC won’t affect them. In contrast, significant parts of the brain contain opiate receptors, which is why an opioid overdose can lead to death. Ditto for alcohol – it activates neurotransmitters in the brain that inhibit vital functions, potentially fatal.

Of course, a few pages later they write: “For those with no family history, regular cannabis use is still a risk factor.” [Psychosis; schizophrenia] disturbances.”

So let’s take what we can get.

OCS propaganda – Responsible use

The OCS propaganda for responsible use is as expected. Basic, fact-based information about what happens when you eat or inhale cannabis.

But the more you delve into it, the more silliness you find. The OCS has a page on harm reduction. And while the term is widely used, especially in harder drug circles, it’s nonsense.

Would changing tires and checking your car’s oil level be considered “damage reduction”? Why not? Driving is a risky activity. Essential maintenance should be thought of as “damage mitigation,” right?

With this in mind, the OCS’s “harm reduction” propaganda is merely basic cannabis conservation. We agree with many of them.

• If you are new, start with low doses and go slowly.
• Consider your time and place (e.g. location and environment).
• Find the right product for you
• Consider edibles or e-cigarettes
• If you smoke, they recommend shallow hits. We recommend a water bong.
• Take some tolerance breaks
• Choose the original herb, not synthetic cannabis
• Do not mix cannabis with alcohol or tobacco
• Don’t drive when you’re high (Have OCS bureaucrats been driving in Ontario lately? Stoned drivers aren’t the problem)
• Consider your medical history (eg, family history of psychosis).

Why was this necessary?

While some may welcome an authoritative one-stop shop for cannabis information, the Canadian government is already doing so.

OCS propaganda has the same information but uses clipart and listicles. And we pay for it. Whether through taxes in Ontario or buying from legitimate retailers who are forced to shop at the OCS.

Instead of wasting time and money on cannabis propaganda, maybe the OCS can work on their cyber security.