Dear Stoner: I've seen a lot of pot shops advertising themselves as "boutique dispensaries." Sounds like a lame marketing ploy to me. Jake 'n' Bake Dear Jake: You might already have the Man beat if words like "superfood" and "artisanal" don't lure you in to pay more, but just because you don't trust marijuana marketing doesn't mean everyone is out to hose you. The traditional definition of a boutique is a small, stylish shop that sells specialized products at slightly higher prices.Plenty of Denver and mountain-town dispensaries try to fit that mold - yet the steep prices are the only boutique aspect they achieve. Yes, local art and comfortable furniture is nice, but don't let trendy interior decorating block your senses.Check out the buds and concentrates, and fire off some questions to the staff. Do they grow in-house? If so, how big is the grow? Do they send trim or nugs to hash companies for concentrates, or do they make their own? If the budtenders are eagerly telling you about strain genetics before you even ask, there's a good chance you're at a stand-up shop. [continues 232 words]
Dear Stoner: I am a tourist here on my honeymoon. I've checked into elixirs but noticed one of the bottles says "one fluid ounce." So does that count the same as flower? Phurious Dear Phurious: Everything you can buy in a dispensary is measured by weight, but only in terms of marijuana product, and as an out-of-stater, you are legally allowed to buy seven grams of marijuana product per day - but the strength of those products can differ significantly. A gram of flower at 17 percent THC and a gram of wax at 80 percent are both considered the same in weight no matter how much higher one gets you than the other. Edibles are a little more strict: Every recreational edible, drinks included, must be sold in single servings of ten milligrams of THC, which is why you saw an ounce marker on that bottle. Edibles can be sold in packages containing up to 100 milligrams, but each ten-milligram serving must be marked. [continues 265 words]
Dear Stoner: I've been making butter, oils and tinctures. What licenses and permits do I need to sell my edibles to dispensaries, and do I need a commercial kitchen? Todd Dear Todd: There are plenty of hoops to jump through on your way to producing commercial edibles, but here's one insurmountable hurdle: If you have a recent criminal history, especially one involving drugs, then you probably don't have a shot. If your record's clean, though, go to the Marijuana Enforcement Division website. At colorado.gov/pacific/enforcement/marijuanaenforcement, you'll find information on applying for medical and retail marijuana business licenses (you'd want an infused-product license for edibles), the requirements and fees to do so, and all of the other boring but extremely important details that go with starting a marijuana business. [continues 278 words]
Dear Stoner: I've noticed a few random dispensaries accept credit or debit cards as payment. I thought that stores were all cash-only because banks wouldn't work with them. Travis Dear Travis: Even with all of the business conferences in which white-collar investors line up to get involved with cannabis-related companies, many parts of the industry remain stuck in the wild, wild West. Although the Obama administration and the Department of Justice have said they won't go after banks that handle pot money in states where it is legal, few banks will take the chance - and that can leave businesses suddenly scrambling. More than a hundred Colorado dispensaries had cashless ATMs from South Dakota-based MetaBank until last October, when MetaBank discovered that the machines were being used by marijuana businesses and shut them down. [continues 304 words]
Dear Stoner: What is the best way to store pot when not using it for a while? Is it best to put it in the refrigerator, the freezer, or neither? Gary Dear Gary: Depending on your definition of "a while," there are a few ways to store your cannabis. The freezer is not one of them, however: Freezing your buds also freezes the trichomes, turning the THC crystals into brittle icicles that will eventually fall off the buds. If you're saving your pot until the Cubs win the World Series, the fridge is great for long periods of time (more than a year), but you must keep it airtight, or mold can grow and your herb will taste like those old enchiladas you forgot about months ago. A friend on probation once tried it without a good Mason jar, and after a year the whole thing looked like a penicillin petri dish. If you vacuum-seal your stash, put it in an airtight jar and don't open it often, it should be fine. Keeping that same herb in a Mason jar in a dark place (closet, pantry, etc.) with little temperature fluctuation will also maintain its flavor and potency for at least a year. And if you'd like to save some dabs for a special occasion, all of these rules apply to concentrates, too. [continues 240 words]
Dear Stoner: I could really use instructions on how to break apart a nugget, clean a grinder and roll a joint. Is there an intro-to-marijuana class somewhere? New to Nugs Dear Nugs: Most people take Pot Smoking 101 during high school or college, but there are plenty of ways to learn about proper cheeba use without revealing yourself as a newb. Instructional classes on marijuana usually focus on more advanced topics, such as hashmaking, cooking with cannabis or the details of marijuana law and regulations, so you won't find any courses on how to break up a nug (use your hands) or clean a grinder (scrub with rubbing alcohol and rinse with water). But fortunately, we live in the Age of Google. I've been YouTubing how to tie a necktie for about six months now, and our former Stoner helped readers out by compiling a "Marijuana 101 - How to Roll a Joint" video on our website a couple of years back. Some recreational classes (Sushi and Joint Rolling; Puff, Pass & Paint, etc.) that we list in our weekly Cannabis Calendar at westword.Com/news will expose you to new experiences while teaching artistic skills at the same time. The best way to get good at anything, however, is to practice, practice, practice. [continues 213 words]
Dear Stoner: My friend says he likes to get high before working out. I always assumed that would be bad for my lungs and coordination. Jay Blazer Dear Jay: Marijuana as a performance-enhancing drug sounds crazy, doesn't it? While no one is suggesting that NFL quarterbacks light up before a game, pot is indeed considered helpful in some sports and physical activities. Men's Journal recently ran a profile on Clifford Drusinsky, a Colorado triathlete who eats an energy bar infused with 20 milligrams of THC before he trains, for body relaxation, focus and quicker recovery. The World Anti-Doping Agency bans cannabis because it believes it kills pressure and anxiety while potentially increasing air flow to the lungs, but professional athletes in sports such as skiing and snowboarding have said it helps them focus on their runs. [continues 316 words]
Dear Stoner: I just heard about Foria, some marijuana oil claiming to enhance a female's sex life. Is it basically female Viagra that also gets me high down there? Brittany Dear Brittany: I'm still looking for a girlfriend who will help me with hands-on research, but reviews of Foria describe it as more of a sex enhancer than a magic arousal lube. According to Foria's website, the potion is made with coconut oil and solventless cannabis oil, so a two-milligram serving sprayed in your mouth will eventually give you a high similar to that of tinctures or edibles - but its main area of application is downstairs. Women who've used Foria describe it as having moderately to significantly enhanced their sex lives while providing new sensations in bed - both with a partner and riding solo. However, for the most part, their vaginas were left disappointingly sober. To Foria's credit, its website says the oil's effects are more about getting you off than getting you high; while some people use it as lubricant, for maximum effect it should be applied to your nether parts thirty minutes before you have sex. And even if it's not as uplifting as Viagra, at the very worst, it's a jar of edible sex oil that you can spray in your mouth for a good buzz. [continues 228 words]
Dear Stoner: I've been smoking pot for a few years, but in the last six months I've started smoking more as I drink less (I'm 25). My parents have always been against marijuana, but I want to be honest with them if I continue to partake. How should I break the news? Beaver Cleaver Dear Beaver: It's hard to give specific advice, as I've never met your parents - but honesty is usually the best policy. If you don't see yourself ending your cannabis use anytime soon, make sure you educate yourself before starting the discussion. Don't rant about pot's ability to fight cancer you don't have or George Washington's hemp garden; just tell them why it benefits you. Does it help with anxiety? Pain? Sleep? Maybe talk about an instance in which marijuana made your night better without putting you in danger, as alcohol can. If you have a decent job and keep yourself tidy, that might help their outlook, too. You want to take an unapologetic stance while still being respectful of their questions and concerns. [continues 274 words]
Dear Stoner: Some of the dispensaries I go to make me use a locked bag so it's "childproof" when I leave, but others just let me walk out with a paper bag full of pot. What gives? Kenny Dear Kenny: Ever notice a pattern in the packaging your buds come in when you don't need the childproof bag? The pharmaceutical pop-top and push-down bottles many dispensaries use for packaging herb and infused products are already considered childproof, so there's no $4 bag necessary, but some dispensaries sell products in resealable plastic bags and jars. A curious toddler (or an octopus) can open resealable bags and jars with relative ease, so to comply with state laws, you must leave the dispensary with your purchase locked and keep it that way around children - as a responsible pothead should. Unfortunately, it's hard to know which shops carry what until you're pulling out your money, so next time you're about to restock, call ahead and ask what your dispensary uses. And if you've already spent $20 on bags that are now lying useless around the house, like I have, move a few to the trunk of your car so you'll always be prepared. [continues 218 words]
Dear Stoner: I've had a vaporizer for almost a year now and have a buttload of golden-brown vaped weed saved up. Is there anything I can do with it, or have I been wasting my energy? Nicholas Dear Nicholas: If your vaporizer isn't turning your flower black, it might eventually pay for itself. Although it looks dead and useless, vaped cannabis still has a low percentage of THC and some cannabinoids left over. Besides giving it to your scavenger friends who never have money to pitch in, you can use your vaped pot to make hash or edibles if you're not burning it too hot. [continues 341 words]
Dear Stoner: Do you have any good infused product recipes that require smaller amounts of pot? I'm looking for a mentor in making pot edibles and dabs. Mckenzy Dear Mckenzy: If you don't want to pay for classes on extraction or cooking with cannabis, there are plenty of recipes to help you whip up something quick and strong on a budget. For starters, infusing small batches of peanut butter, cooking oil or hot chocolate is an easy process. Mix a couple grams of fine herb into a half-jar of all-natural peanut butter, put it in the oven for about 35 minutes at 280 degrees, and have pot PB&Js for lunch. Simmer a cup of olive oil with a quarter-ounce of chronic for over an hour, and you'll have a healthy alternative to butter for use in all sorts of half-baked goods. Or empty out a tea bag, fill it with finely ground pot and simmer it in a few cups of whole milk for forty minutes, then stir in some hot-cocoa mix. You won't notice the difference - until your eyes glaze over. [continues 283 words]
Dear Stoners: Time flies when you're having fun. Time flies even faster when you're half-baked and have the greatest job in the world. After two-plus amazing years of answering your (often hysterical) questions about cannabis and five-plus unforgettable years as the nation's first newspaper cannabis critic, I've decided to hang up my bandanna, sunglasses and Rockies hat and put down my critic's pipe. It's all gone by in a flash, and I'm ready to slow things down. [continues 343 words]
Dear Stoner: I've never been to a dispensary; it looks amazing. I don't have a medical card. Can I go to a recreational dispensary with only an ID? I know I can only get a quarter of an ounce 'cause I don't live in Colorado. Gabe Dear Gabe: Yes, it is pretty amazing. Buying pot legally is a feeling that every toker in America should have the joy of experiencing at least once. And congrats! You've got the Golden Ticket: a state-issued ID saying you're at least 21 years old. (The medical marijuana registry is only available to in-state residents, which means you don't have the option of paying less and avoiding the unreasonable special sales tax that jacks up your final amount by an additional 10 percent.) But we wouldn't be good stoner friends if we didn't remind you to smoke that quarter-ounce in a location that allows it. Despite the strides that Amendment 64 made for Colorado, it's still illegal to consume pot in public. Over the 4/20 weekend alone, Denver cops wrote 243 marijuana-related tickets, mostly for public consumption. If you're not staying with friends, make sure you're in a smoke-friendly hotel or at least one with a balcony. [continues 254 words]
Dear Stoner: I'm curious about buying a vape pen and wondering what brand or type you recommend and which is the most popular. Tokin' Tom Dear Tom: It depends on how you plan to use your vape pen. Are you a flower guy? Do you want to smoke oils? If so, do you want to load them yourself, or do you want something more "plug and play"? Some like the ease and function of the pre-loaded vape pens and refills like O. pen, while others want to load oils and waxes into the pens themselves. Others just want to be able to vape buds. The O.pen Vape-style pens are great for stealth usage, as the vapor exhaled doesn't have much of a smell, and the cartridges look like the ones that tobacco users puff on. They're also relatively cheap ($15 for the pen and around $30 for a cartridge), but they aren't favored by connoisseurs because they tend to be made with lower-quality oils that don't have much flavor. O.pen will be releasing a new line of cartridges soon that it says have a much greater flavor profile, thanks to new extraction methods that preserve the flavor-containing oils and terpenes. [continues 281 words]
Dear Stoner: Can I freely smoke marijuana in my condo? I own the condo, and the condo association has no rules about smoking. Also, can I smoke freely on my balcony? El Jefe Dear Jefe: If you're the homeowner and you say it's okay, you can smoke two joints before you smoke two joints, then smoke two more. Colorado law says you're the king of that castle, and if the king wants to puff tuff, the king can puff tuff. Your balcony is also fair game for toking, thanks to a Denver City Council decision last year. Your garage and even your front porch are pro-pot zones (we've taken a shine to puffing a doobie while working on the car, ourselves). [continues 366 words]
Dear Stoner: What's the deal with "live resin" extract? What makes it so expensive, other than the fact that tourists will buy it? If the extraction process for "live resin" is to freeze and process the plant while it's still alive, then "live resin" does not cure. As a patient, this seems odd, because the shops don't cure enough, and some say that's where the best flower shines through - after the cure. Resinator Dear Resinator: Live-resin extractions are concentrates made from entire plants that are cryogenically frozen soon after harvesting. You're right that the plants aren't cured, but that actually doesn't impact the concentrates in the way that you would expect. Curing is the process of slowly drying out a bud to preserve as many of the oils, cannabinoids and terpenes (the things that give bud flavor) as possible. But a lot gets lost during curing. The freezing process preserves more of the oils and terpenes that are present in the plant when it is alive and allows for them to be extracted into the finished product. When done right, this results in the most full-flavored, complex concentrates around - and also the most expensive. The price comes in part from the comparatively low yields as compared to other extraction methods, and in part because the process is very time-consuming. Frankly, this stuff isn't so much for tourists as it is for purists. And at $70-plus for a gram in some shops, we mean purists with deep pockets. For us it's an occasional treat, something to toke on for a special occasion. We'll stick with normal, bud-run shatter or high-grade bubble hash for day-to-day concentrate use. [continues 149 words]
Dear Stoner: How does one go about winning the heart of a dispensary worker? The weed workers are always interesting, cool and, of course, down with the herb. What's not to like? Madly in Love Mario Dear Mario: I'm happily married, so I can't tell you much about how to flirt with budtenders. But I do know that as a general rule, service workers don't like being blatantly hit on by the public. It's one thing to ask how their week is going and what they have planned for the weekend, but it's another to hand over your phone number after they hand you a bag of Sour Diesel. If they are attractive, they probably already get it more often than you think. Also, keep in mind that while budtenders are usually great people, they are being paid to be nice to you. [continues 327 words]
Dear Stoner: If Washington, D.C., legalized marijuana, does that mean it's legal in every state? Sensi Sam Dear Sam: Wouldn't that be great? In fact, four months after D.C. voters approved a ballot measure that would legalize the possession of up to two ounces of pot and the cultivation of six plants in residences by adults 21 and up, the legal status of pot in D.C. itself is still somewhat up in the air. The vote was certified a few days after the election, and in December, Representative Andy Harris, a Republican from Maryland, attached a rider to a federal spending bill that basically said D.C. couldn't use its congressionally controlled budget "to enact or carry out any law, rule, or regulation to legalize or otherwise reduce penalties associated with the possession, use or distribution of" marijuana. The rider was aimed both at the legalization measure approved by voters and a city council-approved decriminalization ordinance passed in July that made possession a civil infraction punishable by a $25 fine. [continues 261 words]
Dear Stoner: Is it legal to fly from Denver to another medical state with medicine on you? Longmont Larry Dear Larry: I've addressed this question before, but it still gets asked at least once a month, so the answer is worth repeating. That answer is "kind of." Transportation Security Administration officials have said they wouldn't be able to stop passengers from boarding a flight with cannabis - but that's mostly because they can't. TSA reps have told Westword repeatedly in the past that they aren't scouring bags for weed. They're much more concerned with nail clippers and liquids over the three-ounce limit. If they do find your stash and want to do something about it, they'll hand you over to local cops, as the TSA isn't actually a law enforcement agency. Because local police enforce local laws and being a medical patient with pot is legal locally, it sort of means that patients in medical states can board planes with pot...if you ignore the fact that you're boarding a federally controlled space and that federal law says pot possession is illegal. And last year, DIA officials pushed to make possession on DIA property a crime incurring anywhere from $150 to $999 in fines - even for medical patients. Thankfully, cops have mostly been allowing travelers to throw away the greenery and avoid the ticket. [continues 243 words]
Dear Stoner: I recently stopped in at Euflora on the 16th Street Mall, and they wanted to scan my driver's license. I've been there before, and they never did that. I'm clearly over 21 and not buying enough to make it matter if I live in state or not. (For the record, I'm a sixty-plus Colorado native.) They told me that every shop does it, and that it's how they check to make sure a license is legit; the guy at the door basically said it's the law. But that's not what I've experienced at any other shop; they just look at the license. What's the deal? [continues 406 words]
Dear Stoner: I know what organic growing is, but what is "veganic" growing? Curious Cultivator Dear Curious: Veganic growing is the process of chopping up a vegan to feed your plants, Little Shop of Horrors style. Feed me, Seymour! Seriously, veganic growing is growing your cannabis without using any nutrients derived from animals or chemically derived minerals. Organic growers tend to rely on things like bat guano and emulsified fish guts as a source of nutrients; veganic growers shun things like that, using only nutrients derived from plants, like fermented leaves. While some do it for philosophical reasons, most veganic growers we know are meat-eaters who just want better-quality cannabis. The idea is that the microbes in the soil break down the vegan nutrients and deliver them to the plant more easily than they would with animal-based nutrients. According to some studies, the transfer of nutrients is three times higher in veganic gardening. Well-known grower Kyle Kushman has moved to an entirely veganic mixture and is one of the method's most vocal advocates, saying that it "elevates the cultivation of cannabis flowers to the highest level of purity possible." I don't know if I'd go that far, but I am starting to see a lot of growers making the switch and praising the end product. To learn more, check out kylekushman.com. [continues 222 words]
Dear Stoner: I've been an everyday smoker for many years. It was always sniff, taste, then buy. But you can only do two of those things in a dispensary nowadays. There are many strains, and I'm kind of lost. I like kick-ass sleepy; what should I look for around $200, and where? Old-timer Toker Dear Old-timer: First of all, thanks for paving the way for us young tokers. Second, I hear you: It can be overwhelming staring at dozens of different strains. [continues 406 words]
Dear Stoner: I was just released from the hospital with an aneurysm in my groin. They gave me Oxycodone, but it's too strong for me. I was wondering if smoking a little pot would relieve me in terms of pain and my appetite. Vegas Jimmy Dear Jimmy: Pain meds are no joke; they can cause as much discomfort as they help mask. I was given Percocet after surgery a few months ago and found myself in the same boat: too high from the pills and no appetite. Pot helped, though for me it doesn't so much kill the pain as it does allow me to ignore it. But that's all pain pills seem to do, too - and pot is much more comfortable and manageable. I relied on some heavy Kush varieties like Skywalker OG and Bubba Kush to help manage the pain without sending my head into the stratosphere. For appetite, sativas usually work best for me; mixing in a bowl of Sour Diesel or 707 Headband every now and then got me hungry enough to put back some of the pounds I'd lost during surgery. But don't ignore your pain or suffer needlessly: If the pot doesn't work out, ask your doctor to prescribe a pain med that isn't as strong (or addictive) as Oxycodone. [continues 270 words]
Dear Stoner: My caregiver says he's going to stop being a caregiver by the summer and that the state is probably going to make it hard to be one, anyway. Sick Sally Dear Sick Sally: He's right. The state is trying to set strict limits on the number of patients that caregivers can serve; it might also force them to reveal where caregivers grow their herb. The real question is this: Why is the state attacking people who are trying to help others, working within a system that's been in place since 2001? We're talking about caregivers who have already registered with the state and are already doing everything they are legally required to do, a group that handles 4,680 patients - just 3.9 percent of the 116,216 total patients in Colorado. Meanwhile, 40 percent of patients have a dispensary grow their cannabis, and any cannabis purchased at a dispensary can be diverted to the "black market" as easily as any grown by a caregiver. All this in a state where any adult over twenty can grow up to six plants in his home. But despite all this, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment is picking on the smallest group (the ones arguably providing the most beneficial services to patients). [continues 252 words]
Dear Stoner: DOES THE MED TRACK RECREATIONAL SALES? to customers? I've seen a few people online recently claiming it does, but I don't know what to believe anymore. I just don't want to be in some computer somewhere as a criminal because I buy a joint after work on Friday. Perry N. Oid Dear Perry: Relax, man. The state doesn't keep any record of who purchases what. As far as we can tell, the current rumor stems from the marijuana-use study that the state released last July. Someone got it in their head that because the Medical Enforcement Division did a study in which it estimated the marijuana usage in Colorado, the state was tracking all purchases. [continues 370 words]
Dear Stoner: If I breed a new strain from a male and female plant, can I name it whatever I want? Is there any sort of convention to follow? Bob the Breeder Dear Bob: You are free to name it whatever you come up with - no matter how stupid that name may be. (Pussy Kush, anyone?) There's no convention, though combining parts of the names of the parent strains is a common way to go about it. Blue Cheese, for example, is a cross of Blue Dream and U.K. Cheese. That said, for a completely original name, we've always thought that Breathes Breath sounds good rolling off the tongue. [continues 282 words]
Dear Stoner: Kaiser Permanente is sending out forms to people who are on pain medication that say the insurance company is going to be doing random urinalysis tests and not allowing even medicinal users of cannabis to continue using it. I was wondering about the legalities of this. Timidly Toking in Thornton Dear Timid Toker: This was the first we'd heard of drug testing by Kaiser - though, frankly, it doesn't surprise us much, coming from a health-insurance company that looks out for its bottom line more than it does for its patients. But there's more to it than that. [continues 371 words]
Dear Stoner: I am a landlord who lives two hours away from our rental in Pueblo. Last week I discovered that our new tenants are using our house as a grow house without our consent. I have no problem with Amendment 64 or using the house in that manner, but that's not what we agreed on. Just wondering if you have any information or ideas for us as landlords as to our rights and how we can approach this to benefit everybody. [continues 355 words]
Dear Stoner: I saw something the other week about marijuana not being good for creativity. It seems like it should have come from The Onion or National Report, since pot seems to help people be more creative - but it was real. WTF? P. Nutbag Dear Nutbag: We thought it was a joke, too, but apparently scientists in the Netherlands claim it's true. Of course, their "study" was extremely narrow and, ironically, limited in creativity. Scientists gathered three groups of tokers in a lab and gave each group edibles - - some had 22 milligrams of THC, some had 5.5 milligrams of THC, and the losers got no THC at all. Whomp. The test itself was to come up with as many uses for a pen as they could in five minutes, and to find the link between the words "hair," "time" and "stretching." (We posted the answer below so you can test yourself later while stoned.) That's it. No word on if the test subjects considered themselves creative types in the first place or even if cannabis helped increase creativity in people in other realms - like music, visual arts, dance, coding or writing. And who knows what type of herb they gave the test subjects? Some strains are only good for melting into a couch. Of course, we're also not saying that an artist in a creative slump can do a dab and instantly create a masterpiece - but to deny the link between cannabis and creativity is pretty absurd. [continues 192 words]
Dear Stoner: I'm a committed home brewer, and I was wondering how to make pot beer. I was thinking of adding oil to my beer, but I didn't know if that wouldn't dissolve in beer. I also thought about putting flower in the beer, like a hop, and boiling it for an hour - but I didn't know if that would extract the THC. If you have any ideas, I would love to hear them. Mark in Mayfair [continues 441 words]
Dear Stoner: How long does it take for pot to go to four nanograms in the bloodstream so a person can drive? Does it happen overnight? What if they are smoking at midnight and really stoned? Also, I know I can grow my six plants with three flowering. Can that be sold to a dispensary? Paranoid Pete Dear Paranoid: Your questions are uber-broad. There are a number of factors that could determine how long it takes for someone to get to four nanograms after getting stoned - but even if we had more details, we still wouldn't have much of an answer. [continues 408 words]
Dear Stoner: I have a question about medical marijuana, in terms of what the best strains are for seizures. I was diagnosed with cancer a long time ago - brain cancer, in particular - and they gave me anywhere from a week to a few months to live, but here I am, 24 years later. So that's my question. Also wondering if you've ever put your Ask a Stoner columns into one volume. Another Will Dear Will: Your story sounds amazing, and we're inspired that you've been giving the middle finger to cancer for nearly a quarter-century. While not all patients react the same way to treatment, for seizures the trick seems to be using strains that are high in CBD. A few strains to look for are Harlequin, R4 and Cannatonic. Good Chemistry on Colfax usually has ounces of Harlequin for $240 for recreational customers; Fresh Baked in Boulder has $300 ounces of Cannatonic; and Greenwerkz in Denver usually has the R4. Kind Love's Purple Diesel and the Clinic's Pre-98 Bubba Kush are also relatively high-CBD buds. According to several docs we've talked to over the years, the key is to make foods from those strains rather than smoke them. You can also try to find high-CBD edibles or tinctures at dispensaries, though you'll have to do some digging, as recreational shops aren't all going to carry high-CBD and low-THC items that, well, don't really get you high. [continues 226 words]
Dear Stoner: I know it's not legal to puff out in front of a restaurant or whatever, but what happens if I get busted smoking weed in public? Is it really that bad? Pete B. Puffin Dear Pete: We don't think it's that bad, and we regularly bend the rules ourselves - though we usually tuck back in an alleyway, walk around the parking lot or at least make sure we're not wafting ganja smoke over an outdoor patio full of diners (or cops). But like you, we know we're taking a risk. In the city of Denver, public consumption carries a civil penalty, and you won't get arrested - unless you get belligerent and ignore the cop's warning, as pot attorney Rob Corry learned at a 2013 Rockies game. The first time you get caught puffing in public or even displaying less than an ounce, it'll be a $150 fine. The second time you get caught, it's a $500 fine. And if you get caught more than that, you're just not doing things right (and you'll be facing a $999 fine, to boot). Kids under eighteen won't face any time in juvie if they're caught with pot, though the judge can require treatment in lieu of fines. At the state level, adults eighteen and up caught consuming cannabis face a $100 fine and 24 hours of community service. Oh, and being a medical cannabis patient isn't going to help you. In fact, if you're busted using pot in public and try to use your med card as an excuse, the state can take away your pot-patient status. And cops are writing tickets, too - 668 in the first nine months of 2014. Just be smart and don't become that statistic. We suggest getting a vape pen to help with the stealth. (Elevatedpens.com stocks our current favorite.) [continues 141 words]
Dear Stoner: How are recreational marijuana tax revenues being distributed within the state? Is this information made available to the public? I think if people see that the tax revenues are being used to help schools, fix the terrible roads and help the homeless, opinions may be changed. Money Bags of Weed Dear MBW: Basically, there are two sources of revenue from recreational marijuana. The excise tax on wholesale revenue is what goes toward funding school construction. Because recreational pot shops were forced to grow their own supply between January and October, those figures have been low: only $6.8 million as of August, when the state's latest tax data was released. The grow-your-own rule is over, though, so expect the excise-tax figures to rise as freestanding grow operations begin selling wholesale product to the shops. [continues 316 words]
Dear Stoner: As a medical marijuana patient, I am interested in growing my own meds, but not in or around the house, where the kids are. Do you know of something like a growing co-op that would allow me to grow somewhere else? Greenhouse Gary Dear Gary: If you're staying strictly medical, you'd have to designate someone as your personal caregiver in order for them to assist you legally. But thanks to Amendment 64, Colorado's constitution not only makes it legal to grow up to six recreational plants in your home (with three in flower), it's also legal to assist "another person who is twenty-one years or older in any of the acts described" in the measure. Those include growing, making edibles and hash, and even cultivating industrial hemp. The language doesn't say where your plants have to be in order for someone to help you grow, either. So technically, you could probably have a friend help you grow your recreational pot, co-op style. [continues 296 words]
Dear Stoner: Do you think the Denver Police Department is right, and kids are going to get pot candy in their bags? Frank N. Stein Dear Frank: Not at all. This is just an updated version of the tired old story that fearmongering cops - and paranoid parents - have been pushing since the '70s. The idea is that some mythical Halloween Scrooge is out to hurt kids by giving away tainted candy. The thing is, the story isn't true; it's an urban legend. [continues 418 words]
Dear Stoner: I saw they are getting rid of the red card for a new, smaller card. What's up with that? Blue Over Red Dear Blue: It's true. After nearly fifteen years of listening to patients gripe about the hassle of cumbersome paper "red cards," the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has begun issuing credit-card-sized medical marijuana cards. The new design will "significantly reduce" the need for replacements, according to the CDPHE. Complete with a Colorado-seal hologram, the new cards are a welcome change that brings us up to the mid-1990s in ID-card technology. [continues 321 words]
Dear Stoner: Is it legal to sell my old bong on Craigslist? Broke Glass Dear Broke: This was a head-scratcher. Though we figured the answer was yes, considering you can buy things like used underwear on Craigslist, we weren't sure if there were laws that prohibit selling a used cannabis pipe, as there are laws against selling actual cannabis. Local cannabis-centric attorney Warren Edson cleared it up for us, though, saying it's legal under all state laws, because marijuana paraphernalia is legal to buy, possess and use. If you want to be uber-paranoid about it, though, make sure your pipe is clean of any resin before you sell it (of course, you should be doing that anyway, out of courtesy). But keep it in Colorado: Shipping that bong over state lines would be a major no-no and could land you federal charges, since Uncle Sam considers your bong illegal and more of a danger to society than, say, automatic weapons. [continues 255 words]
Dear Stoner: I've got crews coming in to work on things like my plumbing and some minor remodeling in the coming weeks (as well as a regular pest-control guy). I've been hiding my pot from the pest guy, but should I really care about putting away my pot and pipes when people come over to work on my house? Al Bonglin Dear Al: This is a pretty broad question that requires a rather nuanced answer. Generally speaking, no. If it's just you in your place, or you and other adults, you don't need to worry about hiding something that is completely legal. But there are still some things to consider before pulling out your bong when the Orkin man comes around. The presence of kids in the house should play heavily into your decision. We know that it's totally normal for parents to have a puff, but if it rubs a contractor the wrong way, he could feel morally obligated to report you as a negligent parent. That may seem overly paranoid, but it's happened: In 2011, a Papa John's driver in Aurora called the cops on a dad for toking up medical pot while his kid slept upstairs. Thankfully, the officer who responded had some common sense and no charges were filed, but all it takes is one phone call and an unsympathetic cop to severely complicate your life. Using pot around kids isn't automatically grounds for negligence charges in this state, but remember, we're still in the infancy of this whole legal-pot thing. If you're growing herb, our advice is to keep it under wraps if possible. We still take the old-school approach and feel it's best to avoid showing off your harvest to anyone you don't know well. Think about how much you'd hate to come home from work to a brand-new water heater and an empty grow room just because you needlessly showed off your Island Sweet Skunk harvest to the plumber. [continues 144 words]
Dear Stoner: Hey, can you explain what the laws are in Colorado for home cultivation of cannabis for personal consumption? Thanks. MM From Aol.com Dear MM: We've addressed this in bits and pieces over the past few years, but considering you're still on an AOL account, we'll assume you don't keep up with current events. So in a nutshell, here are the state's cultivation laws: Adults can grow up to six plants at home. Three of those plants can be flowering (budding) at one time, while the other three have to remain in what is called "vegetation" - meaning they are still growing in size but haven't started growing flowers. Cannabis is light-sensitive, so converting a plant "in veg" to flowering merely requires switching it from a 24-hour light cycle to one with only twelve hours of light. That means you'll have to keep your three flowering plants separate from your other three. The state hasn't set a maximum number of legal plants for a household, but some cities have. Denver limits home grows to twelve plants total, even if there are more than two adults over 21 living in the house. [continues 299 words]
Dear Stoner: My outdoor garden is finishing soon. What is the best way to store herb, and how long will it stay fresh? The Hemp Herm Dear H.H.: The most important thing is learning how to cure your buds properly. It's a detailed, scientific process, but the general idea is to let them dry out in an open, breezy space until they feel crisp to the touch on the outside, but before the stems are brittle enough to snap off. Next, put them in airtight containers, opening them every 24 hours or so to "burp" the remaining moisture that is slowly releasing from the buds. Continue the process until you've hit about 55 percent relative humidity (that's on the dry end). [continues 350 words]
Dear Stoner: I am 68 and do not use any doctor-prescribed drugs. It's my opinion that if you do, you have started down the wrong path. Now, I have not smoked marijuana since the early 1970s; I didn't like the taste and smell. But recently I have developed a mutually beneficial relationship with a young woman. Do you know of a type of weed that could be a substitute, or somewhat of a substitute, for Viagra? Dave the Dude [continues 378 words]
Dear Stoner: What is the alphabet soup that follows marijuana around? I know THC is what gets me high, but what about CBD, CBN, THCV, CBA, CBS, ESPN and all of the other things in pot? What do they do? Confused in Commerce City Dear Confused: You might have a few of the names wrong, but we'll help you out as best we can. CBD is shorthand for cannabidiol, one of the other major chemical compounds aside from THC that is found in pot. CBD has a lot of good things going for it. It doesn't really get you high, but it has anti-inflammatory properties, can help reduce the effects of THC for people who don't want to get stoned but need the medical benefit, and it also has some very strong anti-seizure properties - which is why it has become such a popular medication for children suffering from severe epileptic conditions. People are now also using high-CBD strains developed in Israel to help treat arthritis, liver inflammation and heart diseases. [continues 313 words]
Dear Stoner: I'm considering growing herb for the first time this winter in my basement. Should I do a hydroponic or a soil setup? Bobby Plantaseed Dear Bobby: Hydroponic was the wave of the future in the '90s - especially in High Times, where high-tech setups were all the rage. And with good reason: You can get some great yields from hydro setups, and aside from the initial layout, they're relatively maintenance-free. There are great hydro grows out there, too: One of our good friends absolutely kills it with Sour Diesel in his. [continues 354 words]
Dear Stoner: Why is the price of recreational cannabis usually 50 to 100 percent more than its medical equivalent? I do fully understand that the rec weed is more heavily taxed, but I'm referring to the price before taxes. Isn't it the same weed? Does it cost more to grow it or license it - or is it just another example of price-gouging? I must be missing something here! DJ From Ohio Dear DJ: While dispensary owners will say that the high prices are due to the high cost of opening up a recreational dispensary, we don't buy it. Not that we doubt it was expensive to jump through the hoops of state and local licensing - but dispensaries had to pay for licenses for medical cannabis, too, and weren't jacking up prices on pot to $50 an eighth before taxes. It's hard to not see it as price-gouging when they are charging the same price as dealers did ten years ago, when the stuff was still illegal to buy and sell. [continues 265 words]
Dear Stoner: These taxes are nuts. I just paid like $25 in tax on a quarter of bud. Colorado is going to have some shiny new schools next year, huh? Dank Dad Dear DD: While pot paving our preschools with gold-lined bricks and all classrooms having Google-headquarters-level technology doesn't seem far off given the tax rate on recreational pot, don't hold your breath. The 15 percent excise tax that voters agreed to when they approved Amendment 64 specifically covers wholesale sales from growers to dispensaries. But because the state has delayed the opening of grow-only facilities until at least the fall in favor of forcing dispensaries to grow their own supply, as they've had to do with medical cannabis, the taxes collected have been much lower than anticipated. In six months of recreational sales, with consumers buying more than $117 million worth of pot, only $3.98 million has been raised for schools through the 15 percent excise tax. Instead, the real moneymaker for the state has been through the 10 percent special excise tax on all recreational marijuana sales. That generated nearly $12 million between January and July 1, according to Colorado Department of Revenue records. Add to that the regular 2.9 percent sales tax, and the state has cleared nearly $15 million in six months on recreational pot alone. That money isn't earmarked for kids, though: It goes to law enforcement, treatment programs and local governments. (Denver has received about $1 million of that money so far.) [continues 186 words]
Dear Stoner: Why can't I own a gun if I'm a medical marijuana patient? Angel Dear Angel: Because you're a criminal. Not in our eyes, of course, but in the eyes of the federal government, which doesn't recognize marijuana as anything but an illegal drug. When you buy a new gun, you've got to fill out a form with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms that asks if you are "an unlawful user of, or addicted to, marijuana or any depressant, stimulant, narcotic drug, or any other controlled substance." And although your red card makes cannabis use legal at the state level, for Uncle Sam it doesn't change the fact that you are an "unlawful user" of marijuana. If you answer "no" to that question, you're committing perjury. And if you answer "yes," you're not getting your gun. Sellers can also be fined or jailed if they know they're selling a gun or ammunition to a pot user. (For what it's worth, you can legally drink booze while possessing a gun as long as you aren't drunk.) Colorado law, including laws for concealed carry, says the same thing federal law does. In fact, the only medical-cannabis state to expressly allow patients to keep their firearms is Illinois. [continues 251 words]
Dear Stoner: I know that an ounce of weed is legal for adults 21 and up, but what happens if you have more than that amount on you? Are you going to jail? Green Pockets Dear Green: The answer? Maybe. You're right: You won't face any fines, penalties or jail time for an ounce or less if you're 21 or over, thanks to Amendment 64. Of course, you won't be facing jail time if you're between eighteen and twenty and holding an ounce, either. Technically, possession of up to two ounces has been decriminalized in Colorado since the 1970s for anyone eighteen and up; at most, you'll get petty-offense charges and a $100 fine. In fact, even if you're under eighteen you won't be facing jail time, as that amount has been decriminalized for kids (though if you're a minor and you're caught, you'll probably have to participate in a drug-awareness program). [continues 338 words]
Dear Stoner: Can you just brew up cannabis like tea and drink it to get stoned? I figure a bud in a teabag in the morning is much easier than taking an afternoon to make myself butter and then all those fatty treats. T Sipper Dear T: Yes, you can make tea out of cannabis - though if you want to actually get stoned off it, you'll have to add some creamer. That's because marijuana's main get-you-high ingredient, THC, is only soluble in alcohol and fat. In other words, you can't extract the buzz from the bud just by soaking it in hot water. For that you need something for the THC to bond with - and in this case, your best bet is a spoonful of creamer. The fatty milk will draw out the THC and allow your body to get more of the good stuff. By dispersing the THC in the fat, your body can absorb more at once. Otherwise, you're not going to get high unless you eat the bud that you've been soaking - and even then, you're likely to catch only a minor buzz and be left with a few green flakes in your teeth for later. [continues 226 words]
