Wikipedia Commons/The Come Up Show
Snoop Dogg is nothing if not a blunt man–pun very much intended.
The hip-hop artist turned cooking show co-host has never been shy about his marijuana use, even prior to over half of the United States legalizing it in one way or another. Snoop accredits a lot of his success to sticking to the plant instead of so many others who turn to harder drugs. “The more medicated, the more dedicated,” he says.
But earlier this week, Snoop ruffled some feathers when he posted a comparative picture of himself and a former soccer player, Paul Gascoigne. In the picture, it shows a young and old Snoop with the title “Marijuana abuse” while a young and old Gascoigne is blasted with “Alcohol abuse.” It’s easy to see that while Snoop looks pretty much the same, Gascoigne looks like he’s live 30 lives in one lifetime.
While it is undoubtedly true that the harmful effects of alcohol outweigh the effects of marijuana, Snoop failed to consider that mental illness was another large factor at play–and possibly even the reason for the alcohol abuse. Instagram comments were quick to remind him of that.
If Snoop Dogg wants to continue to be a positive example for cannabis use, he must realize the conversation is much more nuanced than it was in the 90s for him. Who knows, if Paul Gascoigne had shared a blunt with Snoop, he may not even had to resort to alcohol to mask his other illnesses. Regardless, the stigma for mental illness needs to stop, and Snoop Dogg could be a powerful voice if and when he realizes that.
