The Reggae Artistes and the Marijuana Legalization Struggle: The Bob Marley Example
Author(s): Obiorah Ekwueme, Felicia Ezeugwu*, Ngozika A. Obi-Ani, Mathias C. Isiani, Uche Uwaezuoke Okonkwo, Obinna D. Ezeaku and Christiana Chinyere Ukwueze
Abstract
Marijuana which people tend to condemn is acceptable in some medical situations as it is curative of certain ailments. Nonetheless, certain professions such as Music, Fine Arts, Theatre and Film Studies that require creativity are believed that enhancements such as marijuana help them to transcend beyond the ordinary sphere; thus, moving into realms where they receive vibrations that enriches their output which those ordinarily considered ‘normal’ may not come up with. Although their sense of mission or protests in case of Bob Marley, tend to rebel against certain prevailing societal circumstances, yet despite their shortcomings, they appear natural, identifying with the burdens of the ordinary man and woman, leaving the society better than the corrupt politicians censoring their conduct. The objective of this study is to underscore the nexus between morality of the artist and marijuana using the Bob Marley story. Drawing inferences from sociological and biological theories of deviance, the study interrogates the popular notion about marijuana users as moral deficient humans. The study argues in the proper socio-historical light that marijuana is not an underlying cause of alleged social deviance among users but rather other factors such as socio-political and economic conditions as well as biological traits can be held accomplice. Data for this study was carefully extracted from both primary and secondary source medium and employed through the qualitative research method with design sequentially exploratory and narrative. Overall, it is hoped that the findings of this research will be beneficial to scholars of social sciences, humanities, policy makers, creative genesis as well as society at large.
