The Coffee Joint, the first establishment to hold a cannabis consumption license in Denver, is now the second pot lounge business to apply for a state social consumption license. Colorado Springs social lounge Studio A64 successfully applied for a social consumption license at the state Marijuana Enforcement Division office three hours before Coffee Joint owners Rita Tsalyuk and Kirill Merkulov could beat them to it. Studio A64 could not be reached for comment, but Tsalyuk and Merkulov say the opportunity to apply for a state license is a big step for all cannabis businesses. "This is bigger than us. It's just a bigger step in the industry," Tsalyuk explains. "It opens the door to do something different and plan ahead for the next year." [continues 345 words]
A group of Colorado researchers recently studied how cannabis use affects athletes and found a possible role between the plant and pain management. The study, "Cannabis use in active athletes: Behaviors related to subjective effects," looked at cannabis use patterns and its effects in a community-based sample of adult athletes. According to the study's authors, there had been no previous academic research done on cannabis use's subjective effects for adult athletes. "There was not a lot of research on how weed helps," explains Dr. Joanna Zeiger, one of the researchers who conducted the study for Canna Research Group. "Athletes typically don't sleep well and are anxious, so we wanted to see what percentage of them use cannabis, their patterns of use, and what the effects are." [continues 429 words]
Dear Stoner: I'm in the midst of a devastating family situation and am so blindsided by grief and stress that I need something to calm me down and help me fall asleep. I don't wish to smoke, but am open to other suggestions. Elizabeth Dear Elizabeth: If this situation is temporary, using cannabis to help you calm down and sleep is a great idea - but don't form a dependency. Marijuana isn't an addictive substance like cocaine or opiates, but the more you can avoid using it regularly for stress relief, the better. That said, sometimes exercise, hobbies and self-reflection aren't enough, and when you're wide awake at night trying to hold back tears, something as simple as a pot cookie can help you fall asleep, regroup and move forward. [continues 349 words]
Dear Stoner: I've tried sativas and indicas, and they're all fine and dandy, but I'm looking for something more in the middle. What are some good hybrids that are actually hybrids? Happy Jack Dear Jack: All hybrids are actually hybrids. In fact, nearly all of the strains you'll find nowadays are hybrids, but it's easier for people to label something that's 80 to 90 percent indica as "indica" instead of "indica-dominant hybrid" and then have to explain what that means. But I'm guessing you mean something like a 50/50 hybrid, many of which you've probably seen or tried around town. [continues 322 words]
Dear Stoner: I saw your profile on Durban Poison and the pure effects of landrace strains. Are there any others to look out for? I like to know what to expect when I smoke. Taylor Dear Taylor: Landrace strains like Durban Poison come from pure genetics, but they don't have pure effects. That means that while Durban Poison is a pure sativa (if the genetics are legitimate), not everyone feels the same type of high after ingesting it - though the highs are generally similar. But that's how it works for all strains. [continues 341 words]
Dear Stoner: I bought a disposable hash pen, and it broke. I took it back to the dispensary (they were great about it and gave me a new one), but the budtender said I could keep my old one and use the liquid for topicals. What did he mean by that? J Money Dear Money: Let's hope that one day these hash pens reach a true level of consistency; I occasionally get one that leaks, too. You have several options with a leaky pen. If you want to vape the oil, you can buy a pen battery and refillable cartridge at a vape shop and try to siphon the oil from your disposable pen into the empty cartridge. If the budtender suggested using the liquid as a topical, he probably meant that you could mix it with something to rub on your aching joints or muscles for pain relief. The topicals you see at dispensaries are all infused with cannabis oil, which is pretty much the same stuff in your pen (without the vaping liquid), but they come in the form of balms and lotions for easy application, as rubbing hash oil on your body can get messy. However, topicals infused with cannabis oils are high in CBD, not THC. CBD doesn't get you stoned; it's used for sleep aid, pain relief and inflammation. So unless you bought a high-CBD pen, rubbing concentrated THC on your skin probably won't do much more than make it glisten and smell like hash. Perfect hippie bait. [continues 190 words]
Dear Stoner: I want to try my hand at making CBD-extracted products. Is it better to use hemp or real marijuana for it? C-Mac Dear Mac: It depends on your experience with marijuana and cannabinoid extraction. Most cannabidiol (CBD) users and product-makers use industrial hemp, because it's easier to grow legally and naturally higher in CBD cannabinoids than most flowering marijuana plants, which generally have more THC. If you want to start creating personal CBD products in Colorado, all you have to do is make sure your hemp plants or oils have less than 0.3 percent THC, and you can make all the CBD-infused balms, lotions and foods you like - as long as your home-extraction methods don't involve butane or any other explosive solvent. [continues 330 words]
Dear Stoner: My dad has expressed an interest in getting in on all this marijuana business; as a supportive daughter, I'm wondering if there is any opportunity for a veteran civil engineer in the industry. Marisa Dear Marisa: Your dad is probably overqualified for 99.5 percent of the jobs in the marijuana industry at the moment - but he could still find ways to use his skills, and there may be more opportunities in the future. Depending on what sort of civil engineer he was/is, he could help design the exteriors of grow houses. With all of the energy that hydroponic systems use in warehouses, I'm sure commercial growers and environmentalists alike would be interested in maximizing efficiency and minimizing energy use. [continues 339 words]
Dear Stoner: I'll be visiting Colorado this summer, and everyone is telling me I can only buy a quarter-ounce. Is that true? If so, is that for every shop, or can I buy more at another? Dear Based: It used to be that way, but not any longer! In June, Governor John Hickenlooper signed a law bumping up the out-of-stater limit to an ounce, so you don't have to limit yourself to a quarter-ounce at each shop you visit. Not that I've met many people who go through a quarter in a day - but they're out there. [continues 363 words]
Dear Stoner: My friend said his landlord has been giving him shit for smoking pot. WTF? It's legal! Deb Dear Deb: It sure is, but that doesn't protect renters who smoke pot in a house owned by someone else. It's not uncommon to see no-smoking stipulations in leases, and they aren't limited to just tobacco (though few are crafty enough to specify vaporizers or smoking in the back yard). Unless your friend's landlord is persistent and lives close enough to spy, smoking pot there isn't much different than smoking pot was in any rental house three and a half years ago, when it was still illegal. [continues 296 words]
Dear Stoner: I really want to try my hand at growing my own, but I live across the street from an elementary school. What am I supposed to? Jamey Dear Jamey: Once cultivating marijuana became legal under the Colorado Constitution in 2012, you've been allowed to grow marijuana in your home no matter where you live - as long as you're the homeowner or have permission from the homeowner. Think of it this way: Can a homeowner brew beer on his/her property if it's near a school? The answer is yes, so what makes growing recreational marijuana any different - other than years of uneducated prohibition? [continues 315 words]
Dear Stoner: I've been dealing with migraines for years, and my prescribed medication rarely works. I've been thinking about medical marijuana as an alternative treatment. Does it do anything for migraines? Ken Dear Ken: They say that those who deal with migraines and insomnia are the most intelligent and creative people; I am neither, but my dumb ass still dealt with the same issue growing up. I tried all sorts of treatments - aspirin, prescription ibuprofen and Imitrex, multiple MRIs, even locking myself in a dark, silent room - but nothing worked. I've also gotten so stoned that I've forgotten I even had a migraine - but that put me out of commission longer than the headache ever did. Finally, I spoke with a medical marijuana doctor about my condition, and he recommended tinctures and edibles. [continues 300 words]
Dear Stoner:I'm going to Vegas in October and wonder if I can use my Colorado medical card to pick up a little medicine while I'm there. Rich Dear Rich: Nevada is one of the few medical marijuana states with a reciprocity law that allows out-of-state patients to possess and purchase cannabis while they're visiting. Although the state might not have as many dispensaries or options as you'll find in Colorado, Nevada has become a haven for patients coming from states with more restrictive regulations - and those coming from states with no MMJ. A February article in the Las Vegas Sun detailed how pre-screened tourists with a valid California ID or U.S. passport boarded a California-bound bus in Vegas and were connected with a doctor, who evaluated the tourists for a California medical card. If the tourists were approved, a medical marijuana recommendation was printed on the bus in Vegas, where the new patients were then free to visit dispensaries and carry and consume cannabis. [continues 274 words]
Dear Stoner: I just got some pot brownies, and I'm not planning to ingest them for two weeks. Do you think the potency will still be the same, and if they'll be okay to eat? Can I heat them up if they go hard?Tasnim Dear Tasnim: We've talked to multiple cannabis bakeries and kitchens about the shelf life of edibles, and all of them have said that edibles are pretty hard to tarnish in terms of potency, so two weeks definitely wouldn't be long enough to harm your brownies. The "normal" ingredients in them are what you need to worry about, because they'll decay much faster on your kitchen counter than THC would. Throw the brownies in the freezer if you're scared of spoilage, but that's just to fend off mold, not THC degradation. Freezing definitely beats food poisoning - and what a waste of pot that would be! [continues 258 words]
Dear Stoner: My brother has cancer, and I think medical marijuana would be better for his pain than Oxycontin, which can be addictive. If you were looking for advice on what strains to use, where would you go? Marge Dear Marge: Opiate painkillers work for many people, but I've also seen the addictive effects firsthand: Several kids I went to high school with are now doing heroin because of their opiate addictions. For cancer patients suffering extreme pain and nausea from their conditions and/or chemotherapy, potent and heavy strains are the way to go. Heavy indicas like Afghani, Alien Rock Candy, Bubba Kush or Grape Ape are all great candidates for insomnia and pain relief. Most strains with the word "Purple" in their names and any indica-leaning kush are also usually a safe bet. Sativa strains like Jack Herer, Tangerine Kush and anything Hawaiian are good for stimulating appetites, but they affect everyone differently. [continues 287 words]
Dear Stoner: I'm thinking about quitting smoking flower. I'll probably eat edibles, but I want my lungs to stay healthy. Will they heal themselves if I quit? J.R. Huff 'n' Stuff Dear J.R.: Good for you, man. As much as I love consuming cannabis and all that it does, there's no way around the effects of smoke on lungs after years of use, so I commend you for even considering the idea. According to the American Lung Association, the dangers of marijuana smoke include chronic cough, phlegm production, wheezing and acute bronchitis. The first three are likely to gradually disappear in the weeks, months and years after you quit smoking, but if you get chronic bronchitis or emphysema, then you're stuck for life. If your lungs and the air sacs in them aren't completely forsaken, though, they could slowly regenerate and eventually filter out all of the tar - so don't be surprised if you continue to cough for a little after quitting. [continues 264 words]
Dear Stoner: I have a metal pipe that I can unscrew and clean, and the other day I had a great idea: What if I put a nug in there to get nice and sticky after smoking a few bowls? Will it be more potent? JustBlaze Dear Blaze: Now I know why natives get so annoyed with transplants, because no one who grew up here would ever think of doing such a stupid thing. No offense. Yes, sticking a nug in a pipe while you smoke can be a jailhouse way of coaxing it to get you a little higher, but it comes at the cost of your tastebuds, lungs and brain cells. That black stuff that covers the inside of your pipe is basically tar with some THC in it. Smoking it gets you high, but it's not worth the damage it does to your lungs or brain cells while you're coughing for five minutes - and it tastes like Bigfoot's dick. [continues 324 words]
Dear Stoner: Why doesn't Colorado have Amsterdam-style cafes? I remember reading about pot clubs trying to come to Denver. Cole Dear Cole: Colorado doesn't have cafes like the cannabis coffee shops in Amsterdam because of this state's stance on public consumption. Although it's legal to smoke pot in private areas in Colorado, public spots and businesses are still off limits. And while technically it's also illegal to consume marijuana in public in Amsterdam, Dutch law enforcement looks the other way when it comes to designated coffee shops. Sadly, our local cops aren't as cool: There are a few pot clubs in the Denver metro area that operate as private establishments and only allow members in to consume, but they still face regular harassment by law enforcement and other officials. Rigs 4 Us, a Denver smoke shop located in a private residence, was shut down on 4/20 when it tried to give out free dabs, and multiple pot clubs in Denver were shut down in 2015. [continues 282 words]
Dear Stoner: Why did the annual 4/20 rally (the one with Lil Wayne and Wiz, canceled on April 16) have to jump through so many obstacles for a permit, but the stoner fest at Civic Center on April 20 was just fine? Scott Dear Scott: The Official 4/20 Rally isn't just a group of potheads coming together; it comes with vendor booths, food carts and musical performances, and it requires tickets to get in, with some of the VIP tickets costing significant amounts of money. Because of all those commercial factors, the City of Denver considers it a "special event," so the event's organizers must register with the city for permits to hold the rally at Civic Center Park every year. And it's not just one or two permits that are needed: After notifying the surrounding neighborhood of the event, organizers must obtain permits from the Denver Fire Department, the Denver Police Department, Excise and Licenses and the Department of Environmental Health - and that's just the first four, with more to go after that. Unfortunately for everyone on April 16, Mother Nature doesn't issue permits. [continues 251 words]
Dear Stoner: I want to celebrate Denver's biggest unofficial holiday on 4/20. Do you have any advice? Gone Ganja Dear Ganja: Our day of gathering is upon us, but 4/20 in Denver has become much more than a simple day of heavy blazing now that Colorado's economy has gone green. While many of us will be enjoying a blunt bigger than Dikembe Mutombo's fingers, it's important to see through the dabs and kush smoke to celebrate responsibility and not forget what it took to get here - and how far we still have to go. [continues 391 words]
Dear Stoner: I'm sick with a sore throat and can't smoke, but I have a hard time eating without cannabis. I also don't like most of the sweet edibles out there. Anything I can do? Hazel Dear Hazel: At least you have the no-smoking part down: Too many people are either careless or blind to what smoking can do to their throat and immune system when they have a cold or the flu. But not being able to eat can make you feel just as dreadful, and you can't beat an illness on an empty stomach. If brownies won't do it for you in the morning, look for pot-infused granola, muffins and other breakfast foods - they're definitely out there. Another option could be tinctures, which come in liquid form and are dropped under your tongue. Although tinctures don't last as long, they kick in quickly and will jump-start your appetite. [continues 330 words]
Dear Stoner: Why do dispensaries have shitty weed for $20 a gram and the really good stuff on sale sometimes? I got an eighth for $25 yesterday that was way better than the top-shelf stuff. Dear D.J.: Beauty is in the eye of the nug-holder. Maybe you didn't think whatever was on that shelf smelled great, but not everyone enjoys the same scents. My roommate hates the musty smells of OGs and the funk of UK Cheese, while I absolutely adore them. Hard to believe that a pothead doesn't like the smell of OGs, I know, but they're out there, man. [continues 328 words]
Dear Stoner: Where can I find house rentals to cultivate marijuana with a landlord who will approve? Jeannette Dear Jeannette: It'd take some serious balls to ask if you can cultivate pot in the property owner's basement right before signing the lease - and those big balls would probably get your rental application ripped to pieces. Pot-friendly real-estate websites like potprop.com, weedrentals.com and 420mls.com all have listings of uninhibited homes for sale or rent, and some even list industrial warehouses and greenhouses for grows. As cool as the content is on these sites, though, you're probably best cutting out the middleman if you just want to rent an average home. My quick search using the term "marijuana" on Craigslist's Apartments/Housing Rentals section found a shitload of listings that explicitly said "No marijuana growing," but it also brought up a healthy number that advertised the landlord's acceptance of cultivation - but many of those landlords were charging quite a bit more per month than the rates for similar, more picky properties. [continues 265 words]
Dear Stoner: What's the best container for pot? I see all these expensive jars but have yet to find anything that works better than my $2 Mason jar. Quail Dear Quail: For some sad reason, many potheads fail to see your wisdom. Maybe people just get bored with Mason jars and want to switch things up after staring at the same container for years, but I really don't get it. Smoke shops and dispensaries alike use fancy jars with "pop and seal" technology, or stackable plastic containers with nothing more than a screw top, and while they might look a little cooler than a boring Mason jar, they don't come close to keeping the air out as well. I've had $20 pop-and-seal jars that let my weed get dry just as fast as a pill bottle, and since then I've stayed true to my mini-sized Mason. Still, it's a lot of fun to walk into a home-goods store like Bed Bath & Beyond or the Container Store and casually say, "I'm looking for something to store my marijuana." Even if you just want Mason jars, it's worth the look on an employee's face. [continues 233 words]
The following question was submitted last week, and answered when the Cannabis Cup was still looking at an April event in Pueblo. Earlier this week, it announced that it will instead hold the Cannabis Cup April 15-17 in Southern California. But we're leaving up our Stoner's answer, because it includes other information useful for marijuana tourists who'll be visiting the Front Range next month. Dear Stoner: I booked my hotel near the old Cannabis Cup venue. Will there be stoner buses going to Pueblo? I'm mad at High Times for moving it - two-hour drive, with cops! [continues 431 words]
Dear Stoner: Where can I find cannabis-friendly events around Denver? I have a business in cannabis and would like to host a smoke-friendly event, but I'm not sure where to look. Tarik Dear Tarik: Hosting a cannabis-friendly event in Colorado is pretty easy, but hosting a pot-smoking-friendly event? Not so much. For starters, any event at which you hope to allow pot smoking would have to take place at a private venue that is either outside or doesn't have to comply with the Colorado Clean Indoor Air Act (a law that bans smoking at indoor venues unless otherwise permitted) - and there are very few of those. Even after finding a venue that fits your criteria, however, you'd have to apply to the local governing body for an event permit. That's not always easy; High Times was just denied such a permit by Adams County for its Cannabis Cup because of law enforcement concerns over attendance and public pot consumption. [continues 290 words]
Dear Stoner: What is Thai stick? Is it just an old strain of chronic from the '70s? The Berg Dear Berg: Be ready to take notes if an old-timer ever tells you about the time he smoked a Thai stick, because it was probably crazier than any blunt you've ever had. Not to be confused with Thai or other mind-bending sativa strains that come from Southeast Asia, Thai sticks were like an early version of the caviar joints you find in dispensaries today. By taking some premium, seedless buds (which were virtually unheard of in North America in the '60s and '70s), skewering them on stems and tightly wrapping the natural doob with fibers from the marijuana plant - and then apparently dipping the sticks in opium - the Thai people created one trippy invention. [continues 321 words]
Dear Stoner: I like the pain relief and sleep aid that CBD offers, and I even enjoy a little psychoactive effect, but I still get way too high after a hit of weed. Is there any high-CBD product that'll get me high but not too high? Jonah Dear Jonah: If you don't mind missing the head high of THC, it's worth looking into pure-CBD oils and honeys. CBD oil can be vaped just like hash oil and is sold in pre-filled cartridges; CBD-infused honey has worked beautifully at lulling me to sleep and providing minor relief to my sore neck. Weed didn't become popular because of CBD, though, so let's hope there's a high-CBD alternative that still has enough THC to make you laugh at Everybody Loves Raymond reruns at 2 a.m. [continues 329 words]
Dear Stoner: Does marijuana help with depression? Searching Dear Searching: Unfortunately, the answer is not a simple yes or no. There's such a wide range of studies on the subject that trying to wrap your head around it can make your hair fall out - or leave you more depressed. A survey of 4,400 adults that was funded by the Marijuana Policy Project indicated that regular and occasional marijuana users had more positive moods and fewer somatic complaints than non-users, but it also found medical users to be more depressed than recreational users. Other published studies have shown marijuana smokers to be diagnosed with depression more often and to be more at risk for schizophrenia or psychosis than non-smokers, but doctors don't agree on whether marijuana is the cause of a patient's depression or just that patient's preferred method of self-medication. [continues 269 words]
Dear Stoner: What is pipe resin made of? It's not what the dispensaries sell, is it? Brick Dear Brick: Lord, no. The black, gooey stuff that's left in your pipe after smoking buds is basically tar, with some ash, carbon and a little THC mixed in. Igniting cannabis flower burns up most of the THC, but the tar left behind after the chemical reaction will still contain a small amount. It'll get you high if there's nothing else in the house to cheef on (we've all been there), but that might have as much to do with depriving your brain of oxygen as it does with cannabinoids. I wouldn't recommend smoking that stuff, but trust me: I have no right to judge. [continues 308 words]
Dear Stoner: Do marijuana allergies exist? If so, what happens if you're allergic to marijuana and smoke it? Mick Dear Mick: Marijuana can cure many ills, but like pollen, peanuts or grass, it's also capable of making some people swell up and turn red. According to a story in U.S. News & World Report, one woman required two EpiPens and hospitalization after just coming in contact with marijuana (she didn't smoke it or otherwise ingest it). And according to a study featured in the Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, she's not the only one with a severe marijuana allergy. "As expected with most plant aeroallergens, cannabis pollen inhalation has been noted to cause symptoms of allergic rhinitis, conjunctivitis, and asthma," the publication reports. Don't be scared, though: That study also indicated that cannabis allergies are relatively uncommon. [continues 240 words]
Dear Stoner: Can you list some shops that have a good selection of edibles? Also, can you recommend something to eat along with edibles so that they have the full effect? Gracias! Bar Hopper 62 Dear Bar Hopper: I go to a new dispensary every week for my Strain Gang review, and rarely see a shop that doesn't have some combination of candies, baked goods and drinks. But if you're looking for something beyond that, I have a few recommendations. Pure Medical Dispensary, which has three shops in Denver, sells infused olive oil and honey if you want to cook your own edibles or sex up your morning tea and toast. Rocky Mountain High makes its own line of gourmet edibles, so if you enjoy fresh cake pops and chocolate truffles or prefer something quick, like medicated breath spray, check out one of Rocky Mountain's four Denver dispensaries. And to help tame an impending gut bomb from hot wings or rib tips, go to Medicine Man Medical Market in Glendale for infused Buffalo and barbecue sauces. The place also sells infused apple butter and hot cocoa mix. [continues 240 words]
The forty-foot-high Willie Nelson statue has yet to appear on the edge of Colorado Boulevard - but that could only be a matter of time. Because otherwise, the construction crew is putting the finishing touches on what promises to soon become one of metro Denver's top tourist attractions: The Smokin' Gun. Yes, it's a recreational marijuana store - but not just any recreational marijuana store. For starters, this store is in Glendale, which means it can stay open until midnight - unlike Denver pot shops just across the street, which must close at 7 p.m. [continues 999 words]
Dear Stoner: The "natives" here like to throw around the word "transplant" a lot - with some vitriol, I might add. I've never heard this term where I come from (California and New York), and was wondering if it had anything to do with the weed revolution going on here. Mara G Dear Mara: That's a funny connection, and although the word "transplant" has been used to describe new residents of Colorado for decades - and certainly since long before marijuana was legalized - you just might have given it new meaning. [continues 371 words]
Dear Stoner: I'm having a hard time keeping food down. Do you know of any strains I can smoke that would be good for my appetite? Dee 12 Dear Dee: Assuming you're able to smoke flower despite your condition, there are quite a few strains out there that should help relax your stomach. If you're a relatively light smoker and have a low tolerance, the strain probably won't matter as much, but if you're a veteran looking for more specific results, I recommend you stay on the sativa or hybrid side, just to be safe. That doesn't mean that heavy indicas are incapable of inducing hunger, by any means: Grand Daddy Purp, Master Kush and many, many more can provide the appetite you desire. But my experience has shown that sativas or hybrids most consistently temper a sensitive or upset stomach. Sativa-dominant varieties such as Jack Herer and Silver Haze and hybrids like Gogi OG and Girl Scout Cookies have all been known to kick-start the munchies for patients with nausea, so let's hope they work for you, too. Just remember: The name of a strain doesn't mean universal effects for everyone, and a dispensary's budtenders should be educated on the medical benefits of everything they currently carry. If your pot shop's employees can't tell you which strain is best for appetite, then it's time to go elsewhere. [continues 186 words]
Dear Stoner: What's the difference between shake and trim? Sandy Dear Sandy: The big difference is that shake is the stuff that falls off nugs to the bottoms of bags, jars and other containers, while trim is a collection of pot leaves that have trichomes on them. Although I'm not the biggest fan of shake - much of it can still be leaves that were never trimmed off the flower - at least it contains some crushed buds and calyxes worth smoking.Unfortunately for consumers, many shops fail to respect the difference between the two or educate their customers about it, as many of the pre-rolls and "shake specials" on dispensary shelves are just shredded sugar leaves. Yeah, smoking a lot of trim will get you high, but it'll also burn your throat and muck up your lungs much more than nugs or shake ever would. If you're going to buy a pre-roll or shake from a dispensary or street dealer, ask to see how much leaf is in there. [continues 259 words]
Dear Stoner: Know any good edibles ideas for Christmas? Something better than gingerbread men, please. Saint Bic Dear Bic: What, you don't like biting the heads off delicious gingerbread folks? Your loss. Here are a few pot-infused recipes to help you get roasted by an open fire without too much effort. Medicated Apple Butter Ingredients: 1 1/2 tbsp brown sugar 1/2 apple 3/4 tbsp cinnamon 1 cup cannabis butter (softened) Cut the apple in thin slices, then combine with brown sugar, cinnamon and butter. Dump everything into a food processor (blenders work, too) and blend until soft and thoroughly mixed. Put the result in the fridge for a few hours. Enjoy with a medicated muffin or regular scones and cranberry bread. Just be sure to label it - for Grandma's sake. [continues 198 words]
Dear Stoner: What's the best way to renew your medical card and avoid a disruption in service? What if you don't have the cash flow to stock up before the wait? Mario Dear Mario: The answer is simple: Take care of it early. You don't want to be the kid who can't go on the field trip because you never got your permission slip signed, do you? That's why you take it home and get that sucker filled out ASAP - so while dumbass Robbie is crying because he'll be stuck at school all day, you'll be checking out dino skeletons and caveman exhibits at the museum. Don't be a Robbie when it comes to your medical card, either. [continues 340 words]
Jack the Stack Dear Jack: Yes, you can - with a catch. Colorado law allows residents over the age of 21 to grow up to six plants (up to twelve per household; only half can be in the flowering stage) in a private, enclosed space at their homes - indoor or outdoor. Most choose the indoor option because it's easier to construct a private, enclosed space inside a house than it is outside; putting a lock on the door of an empty room or setting up a small operation in the basement is a lot less hassle than building a greenhouse or hoop house in the back yard. In fact, those structures are banned in residential areas in some towns and neighborhoods. [continues 321 words]
Dear Stoner: Every time I've purchased pot here, it has been either pre-packaged or placed in a plastic container that lets the air out, if it's not already bone-dry by the time I buy it. Am I going to the wrong dispensaries, or do Colorado dispensaries not care about fresh bud? Right Near the Beach Boy Dear Beach Boy: Many dispensaries, such as the Clinic, Green Solution and L'Eagle, sell pre-packed buds so that there's less chance of you buying a product that's contaminated while on display. If you don't like pre-packaged products, then the answer is simple: Call ahead to find out how the shop sells its pot. I can understand why you find pre-packaged purchases undesirable - what you end up with often turns out to be an ugly, malnourished version of that beautiful, stanky bud you saw on display (and thought you were getting) - but that scenario plays out most often at tourist-heavy dispensaries that rely on foot traffic and non-repeat customers. If the packaging is a bottle and not a sealed bag, you can always ask the budtender to check out the buds for dryness before making your purchase, or just ask him or her what has been on the shelf the longest. [continues 277 words]
Dear Stoner: How would I test marijuana for pesticides? Dear Mike: Unfortunately, you can't spot pesticides with a trained eye and handheld microscope, as you can powdery mildew, mold or spider mites. Finding chemical residue left behind by pesticides requires processes like gas chromatography or polymerase chain reaction. The former is a technique used by cannabis testing labs in Colorado; it separates compounds of marijuana by using gases such as helium or nitrogen as solvents to extract microbes and contaminants from pot samples. Polymerase chain reaction is a liquid-based test that amplifies certain DNA molecules of pot samples with fluorescent enzymes: If a molecule is high in a certain microbe or toxin, the fluorescent enzymes brighten faster. [continues 278 words]
Dear Stoner: What's the weirdest way to consume cannabis? Joe Blow Dear Joe: The human body has a few orifices, but not all of them are meant to be an entry point for marijuana consumption. Snorting kief like cocaine won't do anything but make you feel like an idiot and possibly give you a nosebleed, so don't just shove pot anywhere and hope for the best. Obviously, inhaling and ingesting are the two most traditional ways to indulge, but there are other off-the-beaten-path methods. Most of these are done in the name of medicine, however, and not just as bizarre attempts at getting high. [continues 335 words]
Dear Stoner: Dispensaries that are medical and recreational are only allowing medical patients 21 and older in. Does that mean medical patients under 21 have to go to medonly shops now? Brynn Dear Brynn: That's not the case, but I can't blame you for coming to that conclusion. My strain-reviewing gig takes me to a lot of dispensaries around town, and I've noticed the same trend you have: Most dual-use dispensaries have instituted a 21-and-up age limit since adding recreational sales. However, many still have not - and the reason is more about zoning than licensing. The dispensary whose strain I review this week, the Denver Clone Store on Ivy Street, is dualuse and allows medical patients under 21 in, and so does Medicine Man Medical Market in Glendale and many others. What do they all have in common? Different location designations for the med and rec bud rooms. [continues 272 words]
Dear Stoner: What is a moratorium? It doesn't seem to be friendly to the dispensaries based on my Facebook feed. Allison Dear Allison: A moratorium is a temporary prohibition of an activity, and Amendment 64 gives local municipalities the right to ban or freeze marijuana-related applications, so your Facebook friends might be trying to open a pot business somewhere that either has or is considering a marijuana moratorium. Although the length of marijuana moratoriums and what specific businesses they freeze differ from place to place, the reason is the same: to curb the explosion of the marijuana industry while local government gets a grip on it. Many towns that already have dispensaries, such as Breckenridge, Dillon and Idaho Springs, all have moratoriums on new pot-shop applications. Some of these moratoriums can squash costly plans that take a lot of time and energy to create, but not every local government institutes such a ban because it's hostile to legal pot. Pueblo County, for instance, has been extremely welcoming to the legal cannabis industry and has over a dozen dispensaries and more than three dozen growing operations, but new medical or recreational dispensaries can't apply for licenses there until 2017 because the county is concerned about flooding the market. [continues 213 words]
Dear Stoner: I've heard about indica and sativa, but the words "cannabis ruderalis" were in an article, and I'd never heard of that before. Is there another type of pot out there? Wes Dear Wes: Maybe and maybe not. I'm much more of a stoner than a scientist, but the subject of ruderalis is an interesting one, to say the least. Cannabis ruderalis is much like the Pluto of the cannabis family. Some scientists and pot experts believe that because of its different growing cycle and physical properties, it is indeed its own species of cannabis. However, the majority of scientists believe that C. ruderalis is a form of C. indica that adapted to the cold weather and lack of sunlight in its originating lands of Eastern/Northern Europe and Northern Asia, and a 2005 study on diversity in cannabis genetics supports that theory. But that doesn't make it any less distinctive. [continues 281 words]
Dear Stoner: Why are all you potheads so gung-ho about the benefits of smoking weed? I smoke it from time to time, but I don't tell my friends to light up a joint instead of visiting the doctor. It's pot, not magic beans. Grinding Gary Dear Gary: Magic buds, maybe. I'll probably never know what you look like, but I'm envisioning a pencil mustache and a Broncos T-shirt tucked into jorts. As hard is it is for you to realize, there are people out there who smoke pot and don't clamor for bongs at every dinner table. Most potheads are in disguise, toking in private because the uneducated hand out stoner cards as soon as they find out someone gets high after work. I could tell you about pot's pain-killing, nausea-reducing properties, or note that even the U.S. Surgeon General concedes that it can help some medical conditions - but that might still be too gung-ho for you. [continues 309 words]
Dear Stoner: I recently found some edibles I'd forgotten I had - a candy bar that had been opened but was kept in the freezer, and a package of pot-infused mints, never opened. Does time affect potency? Can these spoil? Missing Marn Dear Marn: Treat any marijuana-infused food product as you would its regular counterpart. If there are ingredients in your food that spoil - - such as the dairy in cheesecake - then, yes, your edibles will go bad. Brownies and cookies will last longer, though they're likely to turn into the equivalent of a stale hockey puck. Fruitless candies like lollipops and mints are basically pure sugar before the pot is infused, so you can keep those for the apocalypse if you want (even if they taste like ass, they won't hurt you). As with any other food you want to preserve, edibles should be refrigerated or frozen and kept away from oxygen and light to prolong their shelf lives. [continues 290 words]
Dear Stoner: Which Colorado mountain towns sell recreational marijuana? I'm not saying it'll dictate where I go skiing this winter, but it would still be nice to know. Erwin Dear Erwin: You don't have to lie to save face, Erwin. I'm the last person to judge you for planning your Colorado vacation around recreational marijuana - and when you see how busy these mountain-town dispensaries are, you'll know that you're far from the only one doing it. Most ski towns allow recreational sales - out of fear of losing tourist dollars, among other reasons - and if the town you're thinking about visiting doesn't, there's a good chance the next one over does. As of today, Aspen, Breckenridge, Crested Butte, Dillon, Eagle, Frisco, Georgetown, Silverthorne, Silverton, Steamboat Springs and Telluride all allow recreational sales, but rec stores remain banned in Avon, Vail and Winter Park. Check westword.com/marijuana for a complete list of recreational dispensaries around the state, as well as an updated look at who sells what where. Still, if you're flying into Denver before trekking up to the mountains, you might want to buy your pot in the city: Prices at ski-town dispensaries are routinely higher. [continues 235 words]
Colorado's About to Celebrate a Pot-Tax Holiday. Is It Time to Break Out the Cheetos and Goldfish? On September 16, and September 16 alone, the state will not collect the 15 percent retail marijuana excise tax - a tax holiday that could reduce state revenues by as much as $3.7 million, but greatly increase the happiness of Colorado's cannabis consumers. When Amendment 64 passed, Governor John Hickenlooper cautioned people not to "break out the Cheetos or Goldfish too quickly." Now, nearly three years later, is the time finally right? To find out, the Stoner sat down with Governor Hickenlooper and Andrew Freedman, his director of marijuana coordination, to talk about the state of cannabis in Colorado. [continues 5125 words]
Dear Stoner: I'm going to do some traveling around the country, starting with Arizona and moving east. I have my medical marijuana card in Colorado, but what other states will accept it? Can I go into dispensaries? Steve Dear Steve: Medical marijuana reciprocity varies from state to state. Arizona, Maine, New Hampshire, Michigan, Nevada and Rhode Island all allow out-of-state medical marijuana patients with valid ID to possess and consume cannabis - but most of them won't allow you to buy from a dispensary. You can buy weed at some dispensaries in Michigan that feel comfortable operating in a gray area, and Nevada shops will let you purchase if you have a valid ID from the state where your MMJ card was issued, but you'll have to bring your own to Arizona. Oregon allows out-of-staters to sign up for a medical marijuana license, but it only works in Oregon; Maine will allow you to purchase marijuana after a lengthy bureaucratic process, but you'll have to get a Maine MMJ card after thirty days anyway, so it's probably not worth it. [continues 270 words]
