God made weed, men made beer… in God we trust
High people understand other high people, they catch things that others don't
Why the NFL and Other Major Sports Should Eliminate Marijuana from its Drug Discipline Programs
Want to hear a who’s who of famous professional athletes, of celebrity sports stars who have dominated the sports world?
Let’s narrow such a list down to exceptional competitors that have more than being world championship caliber athletes in common, athletes who are headed to the Hall of fame in many cases in their individual sports. Let’s try a list filled with Randy Moss, Tim Lincecum, Le’Veon Bell, Michael Vick, Chris Webber and Mark Stepnoski. All exceptional sports stars, all dominating at their positions and in their leagues.
But why stop there?
How about Josh Gordon, Michael Phelps, Ricky Williams, Mario Chalmers, Nate Diaz of the UFC, and Abby Wambach from the dominating U.S. Women’s Olympic soccer team? The list goes on and on and on and could for a long time. So what, other than being exceptional world class athletes, do all of these sports stars have in common?
All of them are or have been marijuana users.
Absolutely all of these famous athletes were suspended by the NFL or MLB or the league they were in, or they were fined or ran into a problem with their sport’s drug policy or the legal system over marijuana use. Some simply admitted to using marijuana after their playing days, a violation that would have got them suspended when they were playing and could keep them out of their rightful place in the Hall of Fame. That in fact was the case for Mark Stepnoski, whose advocacy of marijuana legalization has caused him to be barred from his high school’s Hall of Fame in Pennsylvania, a State on the verge of legalizing marijuana.
So what is the big deal with marijuana use by professional and world championship caliber athletes in this day and age? No league, not the NFL or MLB or the NBA or the OIC test for alcohol use, and marijuana is healthier than alcohol, and it is legal for medicinal purposes in 24 states and the District of Columbia, with many more states likely to legalize soon.
So what is the argument against marijuana use by athletes? That it is a performance enhancing drug, that marijuana gives competitors an edge?
It is hard to believe that any major sport, be it the NFL or Olympic Committee or any other major sports governing body, could claim that marijuana use enhances a player’s performance. That’s just funny right there. Why would someone be charged for driving under the influence, or impaired driving, if they drive while under the effects of marijuana if it improved your focus and your wherewithal? Even in states where marijuana is legal, it is still illegal to drive under the influence of marijuana, so that cannot be the answer. Sports regulating bodies cannot possibly confuse marijuana with steroids or human growth hormones or any other drug designed to give an athlete an edge.
So what is the NFL, the NBA, MLB, and every other major sports league’s problem with marijuana use by its athletes? Perhaps they punish for marijuana use because it is illegal? That can no longer be the answer in this day and age. Again, in half the country already medical marijuana use is legal with more states lining up to legalize marijuana use. Four states allow for recreational use of marijuana now, and again, more states are lining up to legalize marijuana for recreational purposes.
The fact is, major sports leagues like the NFL and MLB (which allows its players to use extremely unhealthy tobacco products) have antiquated marijuana rules attached to their drug policies, and it is time for a change. All major sports leagues should eliminate marijuana from its drug discipline programs. Josh Gordon, a young, Pro Bowl caliber receiver for the Cleveland Browns, is on the verge of losing his livelihood and has lost more than a year of productive playing time for simply using marijuana. Guys like Randy Moss, The “Honey Badger” TyrannMathieu and Randy Gregory have slipped many spots and even many rounds in the NFL draft because of their affiliation with the use of marijuana.
Slipping a spot in the first round can mean the difference in millions of dollars, slipping several rounds or out of the draft all together can mean many millions of dollars. At some point a disgruntled player or agent is going to sue a major sports league over income loss from using a drug, marijuana, which is legal in many states and in most countries around the world.
Forget that, think of the good marijuana can do for many of these athletes. There is a reason that marijuana, a non-performance enhancing drug, is legal for medicinal use in almost half the country already, because it is an effective and safe pain killer. Think of all the bumps and bruises Tom Brady, Bryce Harper, Lebron James, and pro fighters and hockey players around the world must endure during a long grueling, professional season. There are 162 games in an MLB season, 82 games in an NBA season and 16 hard hitting NFL games, plus pre-season and playoffs, in the NFL. Certainly the relaxing, pain killing, safe usage of marijuana can benefit the men and women who endure such long, intense seasons.
Perhaps it will take the suspension of a serious marquee player like a Peyton Manning or a Lebron James for leagues to recognize that marijuana doesn’t belong next to steroids on any sports league’s drug policy. Maybe it will take a lawsuit by someone who tests positive because they were around someone legally using marijuana, who knows? Whatever it takes, it is certainly time for the NFL and other major sports leagues to remove marijuana from its drug discipline programs.
Image credit: Espn.
Roll roll roll your joint, pass it down the line. Take a toke, inhale the smoke, and blow your f**king mind
It's only illegal if you get caught
3 Ways to Enhance Your High
Here’s three simple, cheap (mostly free!), and sensible ways to enhance your weed experience.
1. HEMP WICK
Consider this: when you spark up, you’re inhaling everything in the immediate vicinity, including the gas from the lighter. I notice the taste right away, and it can cause a stomachache or a headache if you inhale too much. A Zippo lighter may help cut down on fumes, but if you want to be burning only what’s in the bowl, pick up a bundle of hemp wick. RAW ™ hemp wick seems to be popular and well-reputed.
Immediately, you should taste the difference, and how purely you can experience the unique flavors and aromas of your bud. To use the wick, ignite one end with a flame, then use the burning wick to light your joint/blunt/bowl (like a matchstick, but with no sulphur). Hemp wick is usually made with 100% cotton hemp and a coating of beeswax. The burn is slow, so the rope goes a long way. It’s a very worthwhile and cheap (around $2 a bundle) investment if you want to bring new dimensions to your cannabis experience.
2. HOT WATER
You may think you’re doing your lungs a better favor by using a water pipe over a spoon, but not necessarily. The idea is, the water filters and cools the smoke to be less harsh in the lungs and throat. Partly true! The smoke is cooled to some degree, and I certainly enjoy putting ice cubes in a water pipe to cool it further. However, I recently learned that using hot water pulls out more tar and gunk from your weed than cold water. The effects are a bit like a steam shower–though the smoke is hot, it’s moist, soothing, and better-tasting (if it tastes really rank, clean your bong, dude). Maybe even hot water and a squeeze of lemon juice would be delightful.
One thing I notice with using hot water, less coughing. It’s so much easier to breathe deeply, really feel the parts of my lungs expanding and where I’m not pushing to sit straight enough. The hit ends up being bigger, and the exhale is so much smoother. Speaking of breathing…
3. BREATHE DEEPER
Increase the amount of breaths you take before and after you toke. Cannabis, used properly, opens your lungs, airways, and strengthens the bronchi. Your cough should be deep, with intent, and they’ll pull up anything that shouldn’t be there. Don’t force yourself to cough, though. Your whole experience should be fluid.
Empty and fill your lungs a few times before a hit, trying to take in even more oxygen than the breath before it. Expand your chest, alternate breathing through the nose and mouth. Find a good rhythm for yourself, then at the bottom of an exhale, light your cannabis and inhale (at the same time, if you can manage). Breathe slowly, allowing your lungs to fill with smoke. You’ll be surprised to hear–holding the hit doesn’t actually get you higher. You might, from oxygen deprivation, feel more light-headed. The truth is, the first few seconds are the best, and all you need. After that, the smoke cools, changes flavor, loses the magic.
After you inhale, “hold” for a few seconds (better yet, keep inhaling oxygen after you pull), then breathe out every last bit as evenly as you can. If done with patience and awareness, you should feel high with no adverse affects; no coughing, spluttering, accidental throat burn. With this method, you allow your lungs to be better filters, and you’ll get some deep cleaning done while you chill out.
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Can't cope, don't mope, there's hope, smoke dope
Weed can turn strangers into best friends
How To Roll A Joint
Every smoker, at some time or other, has struggled with learning how to roll a joint.
There are so many ways to enjoy cannabis these days: pipes, bongs, vaporizers, edible treats, patches, cannabis-infused beverages… the list goes on. But sometimes, all you’ve got is some weed and a pack of old papers lying around… and in that case, a good ol’ fashioned joint is just what the doctor ordered.
Now, as you probably know, rolling a good joint is more difficult than it appears — especially if you’re new to this game. But have no fear! I’ve scoured the internet for the best video tutorials out there, and thrown in a few of my own tips, tricks and insights, in order to create the only guide you’ll ever need.
Ladies and gentlemen, you’re about to learn how to roll a perfect joint.
What You’ll Need
- Weed. About a gram (give or take) of your favorite sweet, sticky herb.
- Rolling papers. I really like Buglers, for their size and taste as they burn. Raw organic hemp papers are a clean, healthy, environmentally friendly option, if you’re in to that sort of thing.
- Grinder. To break up your buds. Okay, you don’t really need a grinder, necessarily. You can do this part by hand — but having the right tool for the job can save you all sorts of time.
- Filter. Also known as a roach, tip, or crutch, this is a bit of rolled up card stock that goes in the end of your joint to keep weed from falling out in your mouth. It also keeps the end from getting sealed shut by your slobbery lips, and enables you to smoke all the herb without burning your fingers. This is totally optional, and I don’t usually don’t bother with ’em myself. But they are all the rage these days, and all the cool kids are doing it. Here’s a good video that shows you different materials you can use, and how to fold ’em and roll ’em:
How To Roll A Joint: Video Tutorials
Alright, now that you’ve got all your materials together, let’s get rolling.
1. The Classic Cone w/ Filter
This video from 420guide.org gives you a quick, no-nonsense demonstration of the most popular joint rolling method, while Method Man spits some smooth, seductive verses at you, for a bonus. This is a classic technique that’s fairly easy to learn. The result is a joint that’s a bit skinnier at the filter end — that’s where your mouth goes, FYI — and it gets fatter as it goes up.
Tip for Beginners: with this method, you don’t have to roll it perfectly tight in the beginning, because you can pack it down afterwards (that’s what he’s doing when he taps it on the table repeatedly). That makes a bit easier on you, if you haven’t mastered the art of tucking and rolling a nice, tight, even joint.
The downside to this video is that there’s not much in the way of detailed instruction… which brings us to video #2.
2. Seth Rogen Teaches You How To Roll A Joint
Funny man Seth Rogen (from the stoner masterpiece Pineapple Express) teaches you his preferred method, and does a great job of breaking down the finer points of joint rolling, in this well-produced video tutorial.
Here’s the key: use your thumb and forefinger to roll the paper back and forth, compressing the weed into a tight cylinder, then tuck the bottom edge in with your thumbs. It takes some practice to really master this, but once you’ve got it down the rest is easy.
Notice that he tears his paper in a certain way to make it easier to tuck, and he adds the filter tip after the joint is rolled. A little different, but it works. He also “baptizes” the joint, which is cool if you’re smoking alone… but if you’re smoking with friends, they may not be so crazy about the idea of you glazing it with your saliva before they put it to their lips. Just sayin’.
3. Bogart Demonstrates Different Methods
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZWxnY_Xu0c
This video demonstrates several methods for how to roll a joint, including how to fold the paper into a little boat shape, so your weed doesn’t spill out. This can be very helpful for beginners! It goes to show you that there is no “one right way” — feel free to experiment, and find what works best for you.
4. Wiz Khalifa Shows You How To Do “The Twist”
I love this video for many reasons. 1) Wiz Khalifa has all the swag, style and street cred you could ask for. Who better to teach you the ancient and mysterious art of joint rolling? 2) He’s in a freakin’ hot tub, for God’s sake! And 3) he demonstrates my personal favorite joint rolling trick of all time, “the Twist.”
Twist those corners. Notice how he folds the paper, and then takes the corner and gives it a little twist, creating a convenient boat shape that holds the weed perfectly. I’ve been smoking cannabis for 15 years, and rolling my own tobacco, too. In that time, needless to say, I’ve rolled a lot of smokes — and in my humble opinion, this method can’t be beat. Plus, if you don’t have any filter tip material on hand, you can twist both corners of the paper, and it gives the smoking end a small, tight opening that won’t leave weed crumbs falling out in your mouth.
So there you have it. The best advice, from some of the most notorious smokers on the web. Watch these videos a few times, and practice some different techniques to find your personal favorite. It takes time, and you’ll probably end up rolling a few crappy joints before you get the hang of it. But don’t give up! Stick with it, and you’ll be rolling like a pro in no time.
