The 5 Biggest Pot-Related Stories of 2021

With news cycle activity in 2021, some of the hard-to-believe or impractical news may have landed under your radar. A surprising number were related to cannabis in one way or another.

With the stigma surrounding cannabis constantly evolving, the most surprising news about cannabis in 2022 can be expected to make this list seem like a no-brainer. Here is a small selection of some of the more unexpected weed stories of the year.

5. Most massive marijuana brownie ever revealed by scientists

When it comes to cannabis edibles, it can be assumed that by 2021, most cannabis enthusiasts will have seen them all by that time. That was likely the case before the Massachusetts-based cannabis company unveiled an 850-pound cannabis-infused brownie on National Brownie Day. The company produced the oversized stoner snack to promote their new edible brand called Bubby’s Baked.

The edible contains 20,000 milligrams of THC and is 3 feet wide by 3 feet and 15 inches tall. The previous record for the largest brownie was £ 243. Needless to say, Bubby’s Baked Brownie’s record is likely to last for quite some time.

4. Teenage marijuana use falls amid reforms

When it comes to legalizing recreational cannabis, one of the opposition’s biggest objections was that youth use would increase. The first results show that these concerns have been refuted, to say the least. During the year 2021, Teenage cannabis use has fallen from 11% to 7% for eighth graders.

Photo by Cottonbro from Pexels

Among the tenth graders, the rate of marijuana use fell from 28% to 17%. There are numerous factors that could have contributed to the decline in marijuana use among teenagers, such as switching schools to distance learning, which reduces peer pressure. With that in mind, teenage marijuana use rates will continue to be observable through 2022.

3. Family Matters’ Jaleel White introduces cannabis brand

Jaleel White may be best remembered for his television time as Steve Erkel, but cannabis enthusiasts will soon associate him with something completely different. That’s because in April he made the decision to launch his own line of cannabis called ‘itsPurpl’. He has partnered with 710 Labs to bring the strain, more affectionately known as 420, to market across California as early as April 20th.

Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez / Getty Images

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Among his motivations for starting the cannabis brand, he said he hoped to debunk cannabis-related stereotypes and also celebrate medical breakthroughs. He hasn’t been the only celebrity to get involved in the cannabis industry in recent years, so it will be interesting to see which celebrities follow in his footsteps and start their own cannabis brands in 2022.

2. Sha’Carri Richardson suspended from Summer Olympics for cannabis use

American rail sensation Sha’Carri Richardson captured the heart of the nation this summer after qualifying for the Tokyo Olympics. Her charisma and style was reminiscent of Florence Joyner’s 1980s, so to be endorsed by both casual fans and die-hard fans of the sport would be an understatement. As a result, viewers couldn’t believe that the IOC had banned them from the Olympics after testing positive for THC.

RELATED: Olympic Cannabis Prohibition Re-Examined After Sha’Carri Richardson Disqualified

Photo by Patrick Smith / Getty Images

Sha’Carri claimed she used cannabis to make help cope with the stress of losing their mother, but the IOC didn’t mind as they continued to put her on hold for a month as a punishment that prevented her from attending the Games. The outcry resulting from her ban on gambling did not allow her to compete, but it attracted enough attention that Olympic fans can hope that at some point they will reverse their attitudes towards cannabis use among athletes.

1. 54% of Republicans support recreational cannabis legalization

One of the most surprising weed-related headlines to hit news sources in 2021 was the one that is most likely to get readers to do a double-draft 54% of Republicans are now in favor of federal legalization Cannabis.

Republican support for state legalization of marijuana could lead to an entirely different landscape for cannabis users and investors in 2022 and beyond. This is because Republican lawmakers could put pressure on President Biden to pass cannabis-friendly laws sooner rather than later.

RELATED: Experts Predict These Countries Will Legalize Cannabis In 2022 (The US Is Not Among)

There are already numerous bills tabled by Republicans that would federally decriminalize and tax marijuana. A review from both sides of the aisle could be just what the Biden government needs to make much-needed legislative changes to federal cannabis laws.