It’s been a week or so since the election results came out and a presidential candidate that most of us initially thought was a joke was elected into the White House.

Not surprisingly, it’s been a tough week. I’m in New York City for the semester, and the days following the election felt like everyone was in mourning. People were crying on the subways, barely holding it together in offices. It was like even Mother Nature was disappointed in the outcome — it rained all day Wednesday. The election results have been depressing, to say the least, and it’s even scarier to think of what the future might possibly hold.

However, I’m not trying to bum you out. Reading what’s going in the world these days already does the job. I’m here to brighten you up with the one small silver lining that came out from the 2016 elections but got lost in the fold: the legalization of marijuana.

Four states — California, Maine, Nevada and Massachusetts — legalized the use of recreational marijuana, joining Colorado, Washington, Alaska, the District of Columbia and Oregon. North Dakota, Arkansas, Montana and Florida also approved medicinal marijuana, which means it is now legal in more than half the states.

This should come as no surprise — a new Gallup poll reports that 60 percent of Americans support the legalization of weed. We all know how popular the herb is on college campuses, but it’s pretty reassuring to know that the rest of the country is slowly getting on board.

Pot can help keep the weight off
Contrary to popular belief, research published in the American Journal of Medicine showed that stoners tend to have a healthier metabolism and reaction to sugars. It’s also worth noting that they also took into account the calories you might gain from the munchies and still, participants showed a high metabolism rate.

Weed can boost your sex life
Besides the obvious otherworldly feeling the drug tends to give you, Match.com’s recent Singles in America survey revealed that singles who have smoked weed are 109 percent more likely to have had multiple orgasms.

Now, that seems like a huge number, but it shouldn’t be too shocking: According to Leafly, the self-proclaimed “world’s largest cannabis information resource,” cannabis does facilitate relaxation and mindfulness — two key components that aid in achieving the “big O.” So, if you’re nervous or known to overthink sex, hit up your good friend Mary Jane beforehand and let her ease your worries.

The United States is a great country, and while the president-elect might not be the best reflection of that, this nation’s slow but sure approval of weed is. So, the next time you’re forced to deal with an ignorant Trump supporter, just have a little toke and be sure to offer it, too. After all, as the Rasta god Bob Marley said, “Overcome the devils with a thing called love.”

Lydia Chan is a senior magazine major. Her column appears weekly in Pulp. You can reach her at lychan@syr.edu. 

Published on November 16, 2016 at 8:07 pm