HALIFAX — A Halifax councillor says he will no longer use the term “marijuana” because it is racist, sparking a social media debate over the well-used synonym for cannabis. Shawn Cleary said a police officer he works with on a cannabis legalization task force recently brought it to his attention that the term has a racist history. Cleary said in the early 1900s during the criminalization of cannabis in the U.S., “marijuana” was used to demonize marginalized communities, namely Mexicans. By doing that we’re actually increasing the amount of understanding and interest in history,” said Cleary in an interview Thursday. “I do believe the word marijuana has context attached to it of the old world — the illegal market.

Source: National Post October 26, 2017 15:43 UTC