Searching the Internet, let’s admit it, is fun, entertaining, edgy and often educational.

Thanks to our genius friends at Google and their top-secret algorithms that constantly track everything we do online, we can now search for what we’ve all been searching.

And it seems that an interest in weed is burning up the information highway like a hot, smoldering joint.

Google Trends reports that weed searches rose nearly 75 percent between 2004 and 2016, according to Business Insider^[1].

Although launched back in 2006, Google Trends^[2], has gotten much more sophisticated in recent years^[3].

Sex, drugs and rock & roll, naturally, have been on the top of the search list for a long time (although the former wins by a long shot).

Now, the pot-curious are roaming cyberspace, and with good reason.

This should come as no surprise after a recent study in the Lancet Psychiatry^[4] that confirmed a rise in pot use and a decline in perception of risk since 2002.

Combining that with a Monitoring the Future^[5] study showing pot is up and narcotics are down, it is no wonder that we’re all sniffing after more info.

Then there is legalization, growing at leaps and bounds across the land. This November, five^[6] states could go totally legal and another five^[7] are likely to legalize medical marijuana.

Conclusion: Curiosity is good—search away. Information is better—spread the word. Legalization is best—get out and vote!

Follow all of HIGH TIMES’ news coverage right here^[8].

References

1. ^{^} Business Insider (www.businessinsider.com)
2. ^{^} Google Trends (www.google.com)
3. ^{^} recent years (en.wikipedia.org)
4. ^{^} the Lancet Psychiatry (www.thelancet.com)
5. ^{^} Monitoring the Future (monitoringthefuture.org)
6. ^{^} five (www.thecannabist.co)
7. ^{^} five (www.thecannabist.co)
8. ^{^} here (www.hightimes.com)