Marijuana Makes Its Way into Popular Video Games
With over 3 billion people worldwide playing video games, it’s no surprise that cannabis has become a common theme in many popular titles. As societal attitudes towards marijuana continue to shift, game developers are incorporating the plant into their narratives and gameplay mechanics. Here are some popular video games that feature marijuana:
Grand Theft Auto (GTA) series: GTA: San Andreas and GTA V both prominently feature cannabis, with players able to encounter cannabis-loving characters, smoke from bongs, and even purchase a medical marijuana dispensary. In GTA Online, players can operate cannabis farms and experience the effects of smoking.
Saints Row series: This action-adventure game series offers players various cannabis consumption options, including bongs and rolling papers. The game’s visuals become hazy after the character uses cannabis, simulating the effects.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2: This military-themed game includes cannabis references in its unlockable content, with players able to earn titles and emblems with names like “Blunt Trauma” and “Joint Ops”.
Far Cry 3: In this open-world game, players can set cannabis fields ablaze with a flamethrower and experience a “high” from smoking.
Narc (2005 remake): This remake of the 1988 anti-drug arcade game takes a different approach, allowing players to control narcotics officers who can confiscate and use drugs, including cannabis, which slows down the game’s action.
Indie and niche games: Several games focus specifically on cannabis cultivation and distribution, such as Weed Shop, where players run their own virtual cannabis dispensaries, and Mary Jane’s Marijuana Adventure, which allows players to grow and sell their own cannabis.
As cannabis legalization spreads, it’s likely that we’ll see more games incorporating marijuana into their narratives and gameplay mechanics. However, it’s worth noting that some countries, such as China and parts of Africa, may have anti-marijuana laws that affect the inclusion of cannabis in games. Virtual reality games simulating cannabis consumption may also become more prevalent in the future.
