June 25, 2020 04:41 pm ETEstimated Read Time: 3 Minutes
“Civil rights” and “civil liberties” are terms that are often used synonymously and interchangeably, but the terms are actually distinctly different. Civil liberties are freedoms guaranteed to us by the Constitution to protect us from tyranny – think freedom of speech. While civil rights are actually the legal rights that protect individuals from discrimination like employment or housing discrimination. In general, a conversation using these terms synonymously may not cause any issue, however, if we want to discuss the actual governmental effect of the terms we have to look deeper.
Civil liberties concern the actual basic freedoms, while civil rights concern the treatment of an individual regarding certain rights. Unlike civil liberties, where the government grants broad-based rights to individuals – civil rights are not only granted by the government but also include a protective aspect of those rights based on certain characteristics.
One way to consider the difference between civil rights and civil liberties is to look at 1) what right is affected, and 2) whose right is affected.
It’s My Right to be High if I Want
So in the instance of cannabis and the right to be high, we should first recognize that the actual civil liberty would be the right to ingest mind-altering substances at our own risk and the equivalent civil right would include non-discrimination protections based on one’s personal choice to ingest mind-altering substances.
Apply For Your Medical Marijuana Card Today
Veriheal has satisfied hundreds of thousands of patients nationwide
Get approved or your money back
Appointments available on-demand
Customer support available 24/7
When Do Civil Liberty and Rights Overlap?
I personally think that people should have the right to make their own decision to legally ingest substances of any kind so long as it does not put others at risk. This is the dicey part of this topic – when does one’s right to be inebriated or intoxicated threaten another’s right to be safe in public or private.
The details of when, how, and to what degree any public intoxication becomes a safety hazard for bystanders would clearly need to be defined, potentially similar to those involving alcohol and prescription pharmaceuticals now.
Mainstream Personalities Using Their Platforms to be Heard
In a recent interview with Leafly, travel legend Mike Steves – a mild-mannered TV personality who has lent his mainstream credibility to legalization efforts for two decades as a self-professed soldier for NORML and of the Marijuana Policy Project Leafly, stated “I just feel very strongly that smoking marijuana responsibly as an adult is civil liberty….If I worked hard all day long and want to go home and stare at the fireplace for three hours, that’s my civil liberty.” Discussing the rise in cannabis consumption, Steves continues to say “I think right now our country is at a point where there’s this rising tide of sensibility and there’s no way to turn it back.”
As more credible well-known personalities speak out about the normalization of cannabis use, the opportunity for it to be recognized more broadly may not be such an outlandish concept. Whether we will ever see a cannabis user’s bill of rights in the book of records is another topic but for now, just having the discussion is considered progress.
Natasha has worked as a journalist in the cannabis scene for several years. She travels regularly in her tiny house school bus conversion to keep up to date with the ever-changing industry. Her experience is varied and eclectic.
When you take a dab, you’ll notice a dark, sticky residue left over in your dab rig. This substance is called reclaim, and yes, you can dab reclaim. But what is cannabis reclaim? And is it safe to dab? What is Reclaim? Can You Dab Reclaim? How to Collect Reclaim from a Dab Rig Health…
With its own set of terms and practices distinct from other forms of cannabis, the intricate world of cannabis concentrates—sometimes called extracts—can be overwhelming. A concentrate is a highly potent concentrated cannabis product made by extracting terpenes and cannabinoids (think THC) from cannabis plant material. While there are multiple ways to consume concentrates, the most…
So you love smoking cannabis, but you’re tired of the same ole rolling papers. Perhaps you feel like you’ve graduated from dumping out the tobacco and shoving weed into an empty cigarette. Maybe you’ve recently learned about the potential dangers and risks associated with tobacco blunt wraps and want a healthier option. Let’s explore some…
If you’re reading this, you are either a recreational cannabis veteran who has seen a handful of cannabis smokers passing out from puffing a joint and can’t seem to figure out why. Or, you are a newbie who wants to give recreational or medical cannabis a shot, and the burning question on your mind is,…
When you decide that you are going to dabble in cannabis cultivation, you have many different decisions to make. You’ll have to decide whether you’re growing indoors or outdoors, as well as in soil, or the route of hydroponics. You’ll also have to pick what type of planters to use, what grow medium to use,…
We use our own as well as third party cookies to improve your site experience and the services we make available. You can learn more about our use of cookies in our Privacy Policy.
Content Disclamer
The statements made regarding cannabis products on this website have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Cannabis is not an FDA-approved substance and is still illegal under federal law. The information provided on this website is intended for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. It is not intended as medical advice and should not be considered as a substitute for advice from a healthcare professional. We strongly recommend that you consult with a physician or other qualified healthcare provider before using any cannabis products. The use of any information provided on this website is solely at your own risk.