Snoop Dogg Didn’t Quit Smoking, But He Inspired Others To Do So
By Movieguide® Contributor
Earlier this week, Snoop Dogg announced he was “quitting the smoke,” leading many to believe he was cutting his marijuana use. He has since revealed that his announcement was simply a marketing scheme.
Snoop’s announcement was actually promoting a smoke-free firepit, making light of marijuana use and the real dangers associated with the drug.
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, frequent THC use – the drug present in marijuana that gives people the “high” feeling – can lead to dependence, which can cause withdrawal-like symptoms such as irritability, difficulty sleeping, anxiety and cravings. While anyone using the drug can develop this disorder, and up to 30% of users do, people who start using the drug at a young age are more susceptible.
Smoking marijuana is also associated with breathing problems and reduced cognitive ability for those who start using the drug before their brain is fully developed. Despite these negative side effects, marijuana is widely viewed as a “safe” drug because it is generally a user cannot overdose on it. Furthermore, its increased legality in recent years has caused more people to view it with a friendly eye.
When Snoop’s initial announcement misled people into believing he was cutting his marijuana use, many experts were excited as it presented an opportunity to discuss the negatives of cannabis.
“Wilfred Ngwa, an associate professor of radiation oncology at Johns Hopkins, saw Snoop’s announcement as “huge news, especially for someone who has often celebrated and promoted cannabis culture in his music, interviews and social media.”
“Some may indeed see this as a clever and creative way to promote his business and products, and show his sense of humor and personality,” Ngwa continued. “As a health researcher working in the area of medical cannabis, I think that this will appear irresponsible, selfish and dishonest to many. It could send a wrong message to the public, including the youth, who might look up to him as a role model.”
“Teens have a celebrified view of life, meaning that they base a lot of their decision making upon what celebrities deem to be acceptable and beneficial,” explained Martine Helou-Allen, executive director of RIZE Prevention, a nonprofit fighting drug abuse. “For Snoop to come back and say he’s just joking further solidifies the opinions of young people when it comes to believing that smoking marijuana is harmless and that it’s ridiculous for anybody to say there’s something wrong with it.”
The announcement, however, did encourage many people – both teens and adults – to consider their marijuana use. Hopefully, this change in their lives will continue even after Snoop reverts to his old habits. Fellow rapper Meek Mill, for example, said he was following Snoop and giving up his own habit of smoking weed.
“Snoop start the no smoking challenge we gone follow up! It’s not healthy for me,” Mill posted on X, formerly Twitter.
“My doctor said I got a lil bit emphysema in a chest if I don’t stop smoking it cuts my lifeline in half, I was addicted to the nicotine and this new weed got too many chemicals and too risky to play with my mental,” Mill added in a separate post.
While Snoop never intended to give up smoking, his marketing ploy may have just helped many others cut the dangerous habit.
Movieguide® previously reported:
Known for smoking copious amounts of weed, rapper Snoop Dogg revealed that he is kicking the habit for the sake of his health and family.
“After much consideration and conversation with my family, I’ve decided to give up smoke. Please respect my privacy at this time,” Snoop wrote on Instagram and X, formerly Twitter, adding, “I’m giving up smoke.”
While the decision comes as a shock to many of Snoop’s fans, given his long history with marijuana, it seems to be fueled by a desire to care for his family. Earlier this year, he told the Daily Mail that he wants to cut back on his smoking so he can be there for his grandkids.
“Being a grandfather has changed me in multiple ways,” he told MailOnline. “The main way is being concerned with how I live, how I move, the kind of people I’m associated with because I want to see my grandkids grow old.”
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