HLN host Nancy Grace and rapper Tauheed Epps (better known by his stage name, 2Chainz) debated legalized marijuana on Tuesday.
Grace started by citing cases where young children were given marijuana by their parents, to which 2Chainz responded “from the story that I just heard you talk about, they had alcohol included which we all know causes you to black out, forget things, and have memory loss. They also dealt with irresponsible people. I don’t think that you could put an umbrella on the whole [stoner] community off these few incidents that you just named.” Grace denied that she was blaming the whole stoner community by these incidents, but re-iterated that “legalizing pot ends up in stories like this.”
The discussion then turned to 2Chainz advocating marijuana use in his music, with Grace saying “your lyrics advocate a different kind of lifestyle, a different kind of lifestyle that I don’t think you would want little children exposed to.” 2Chainz pointed out “I have two beautiful little girls and I’m a great father. I just feel like everybody should basically take care of their own…it’s about governing your own household, it’s about taking care of your own property, it’s about having some structure in anything.” Grace then stated “I hear you, but what I’m saying to you is this. People listen to you. And while you may be able to get high, and your children are kept away from that and they’re not growing up like that is my guess, is my hope. Other people don’t have the advantages that you have.”
Grace then turned back to parents giving their children drugs, with 2Chainz arguing that not every stoner will give their kids drugs and that no parent who loved their children would do such a thing and that there was something “deeper than a joint” with parents who would engage in such behavior. Grace actually agreed, but pointed out that irresponsible people would have the same access to marijuana if it was legalized. 2Chainz interjected that people can easily get their hands on marijuana regardless of its legal status and that legalization would help with prison overcrowding, and would prevent people from being unable to get loans or houses because they smoked a joint. Grace said that her answer to that was “if you want to qualify for a home, then why don’t you just not smoke pot?” 2Chainz then touted the money that could be saved by not spending money on enforcing laws against marijuana, detailing his experience being tried for having .01 ounces of marijuana on his tour bus, a case that resulted in no convictions.
Grace once again turned to children being given marijuana by their parents and saying “everybody is not responsible,” with 2Chainz again emphasizing personal responsibility and declaring “that’s just something that you govern in your own household.” He then quipped that one of the small children being given marijuana may need it when they hit 16 because of other issues in their life.
The discussion concluded with the two talking about 2Chainz’s personal life, during which 2Chainz admitted that while he didn’t use marijuana during his high school years, he sold marijuana. He added that he wouldn’t want his kids doing the same thing, but that it was “a way of living” and that he went through the “sacrifice” of drug dealing so his kids wouldn’t have to.
(h/t Mediaite)
Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett