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]
