10 Slang Weed Terms and Why to Use Them
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10 Slang Weed Terms and Why to Use Them

Before mankind learned to write, we used slang to describe the cannabis plants.

One of the most ancient plants ever cultivated is embedded with slang. Over the last few thousand years, people have come up with a lot of different ways to describe the plant we all know and love. Every time someone comes up with a new moniker for Shiva’s Gift, the list of slang terms grows longer.
The scientific name for our favorite plant is cannabis sativa and cannabis sativa indica. These species have collectively been called cannabis since the early days of mankind. Modern governments refer to industrial cannabis grown for fiber and seed as hemp. Cannabis plants cultivated for medical or recreational usage is called marijuana. Yet most people refer to cannabis with slang.
Cannabis use transcends social and economic barriers across all continents and times. As such, there are often divergent or outright contradictory stories about every name. I tried to include some historical reference to the entries and also some context. Be sure to let everyone know in the comments below if you have heard any alternative theories.

Herb: Youtube Bong

Herb is one of the older known slangs for cannabis. Originally coined when Latin was popular, it basically meant green or crop. The term was later used by Old French speakers to refer to a more specific subset of crops. Middle English speakers also adopted the word and it maintained its meaning since. As one of the oldest known crops, cannabis was often referred to as an herb throughout historical accounts. When cannabis was criminalized, it retained the old moniker.

Ganja: MS treatment

Ganja was originally coined in Sanskrit a millennia ago. The term was eventually adopted by the Hindi and Bengali people to describe hemp (the THC-free version of cannabis). The term is still used to describe cannabis in India and across the Caribbean.

Marijuana: coco coir

Originally coined in the early 1920’s by Larry Anslinger, marijuana was a derogatory term. Created to generate and reinforce negative stereotypes about minorities and later, hippies. There are several different spellings of the word from the early propaganda produced by Anslinger and associates. Other terms that mean similar to marijuana and is used widely today is MJ and weed.

Hydro:

Hydro refers to using hydroponic (water-soaked/submerged) techniques to grow any strain of cannabis. Advances in lighting technology and electronics during the 60’s and 70’s enabled growing indoors for the first time. By the late 80’s the technology was available to the mass market and people shortened the word from hydroponic to hydro.

Chronic: slang

Chronic does NOT refer to a chronic user of cannabis. In an interview with Seth Rogan, Snoop Dogg explained that the term stemmed from a misinterpretation in the 1990’s. Unfamiliar with hydroponic technology, Snoop, Dr. Dre and company mistakenly called it hydrochronic. It was shortened to ‘the chronic’ before long. Once Dr. Dre released the era-defining album by the same name, the misinterpretation stuck.

Terpy:

Terpenes are a broad group of hydrocarbon molecules that most plants produce. The term became popular in the late 1800’s. Used to describe aromatic compounds, the term came from the German word for turpentine. Terpenes interact with our olfactory organs to create smells and cannabis produces a wide range of them. Higher concentrations of terpenes create more potent smells so weed that smells strongly are called terpy.

Hit:

Smoking cannabis flower is known as ‘taking a hit’ or ‘hitting a pipe’. The term comes from the Middle English word hitten or ‘to strike’. It was later adopted by the Dutch before arriving in the US in the mid 1900’s. A hit is a single dose of marijuana flower, or dab, consumed by smoking from a pipe, bong, or dab rig.

Dab:Vapes 2016

To dab is to apply hash oil to a heated surface in order to vaporize it. Popularized in the early 2000’s, dabbing has developed into a subculture of cannabis consumption. The trend is partly due to advances in mobile vaporizing devices and a public perception of decreased risk of harm. A person needs to buy a dab rig in order to take a dab. Another type of dab is called Live Resin. It is made differently than a dab, but a dab rig is still required to take a dab hit.

Hash:

Originating in ancient India, hash describes cannabis preparation used by ancient assassins. Hash is produced by separating the oily trichomes from the rest of the plant and can be compressed into bricks. Smoking hash produces the same effects as smoking raw flower but at high potencies.
Some people can create their own hash with the right equipment, or it can be bought from a dispensary. Rick Simpson oil is another type of hash oil. It can be used as a bowl topper, for dabbing, or as a coating on joints.

Doobie:

A cannabis cigarette is commonly called a doobie. The origins are unknown but there are a few possibilities. The word could be derived from the Latin term dubiety, which basically meant to give rise to uncertainty. It was also slang used by black slaves during the mid-1800’s to describe smoked cannabis cigarettes.
The TV show Scooby Doo is credited with popularizing the term but the source material seems unconnected to cannabis consumption specifically. Several people who knew of cannabis from the 60’s still use this term today instead of a joint or jay. Another type of cannabis cigarette is cannabis wrapped in tobacco paper, but that is called a blunt not a doobie.

There are even more ways to say cannabis!

There are so many more slang terms for cannabis that I couldn’t include them all. Terms like stoned, blazed and faded. There are also slang specific amounts of weed  like dub and QP. Let us know if we should do a follow-up to this article and dive into more slang.
Also be sure to let us know in the comments below what slang you think should have been on this list. Or help add more slang to the list using the comment below. Remember, sharing is caring and thanks for reading.

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These 12 States Consume the Most Marijuana

The United States is still feeling the effects of the 2016 Election. A lot of controversy surrounds the results of the Presidential portion of Election Day. However, many states voted in favor across the board on one particular item this past year – to legalize marijuana.
Nine states voted on marijuana laws, resulting in eight states favoring the use of the medicinal plant. Now, more than half of the states in America allow the use of marijuana in some form. This past election season has brought the current tally up to 29 states plus the District of Columbia.
There are two different ways that marijuana is regulated in the U.S.A. It is regulated both recreationally and medicinally. Therefore, in some states one or the other may be legal. In others, it may be both.
Recreational laws are much like drinking laws. You have to be at least 21 to buy cannabis. The second regulation is medicinally. This is where a specialist writes you a prescription for a strane that will placate to your needs, whether it be depression, anxiety, eating disorders, HIV, etc.  
Out of the 29 states, as well as D.C., here are the 12 that consume the most marijuana.

  1. California

Legalizing marijuana medically in 1996, California was the first state to vote in favor of marijuana in the United States. However, the west-coast state only voted this past election season to legalize it recreationally. With 4,633,000 users, California has the most total users in the United States. However, with a population of 39.25 million, only 14.9% of Cali residents use marijuana, ranking the Golden State at the bottom of this list percentage-wise.

  1. Michigan

Marijuana has been medically legal for almost a decade, as Michigan passed a law in favor of it in 2008. Since then, 1,304,000 of the 9.93 million that populate the Wolverine State use marijuana as treatment for their ailments. That makes 15.6% of the state marijuana users.

  1. New Mexico

New Mexico is currently in its tenth year of legalized medical marijuana. However, there seems to be no shift any time soon as it comes to legalizing it recreationally. Many states have a tendency to begin with the decriminalization of marijuana prior to making the plant recreationally legal. However, in New Mexico, a maximum marijuana fine can still carry up to $5,000. Of the 2.08 million that inhabit the Land of Enchantment, 267,000 people use medical marijuana, making up 15.6% of the population.

  1. New Hampshire

House Bill 573 passed in 2013, making medical marijuana legal in New Hampshire. Of the 1.33 million who call The Granite State Home, 194,000 people use medicinal marijuana. That makes for 17.1% of the state benefitting from the plant.

  1. Massachusetts

Massachusetts took a big stand for cannabis in 2008, when it decriminalized possession of the plant to $100 for less than an ounce. The New England-based state also voted yes to Question 2, legalizing medical marijuana that year as well. It wasn’t until this past election where Massachusetts citizens voted yes to recreational marijuana. Now, 989,000 of the 6.81 million residents of Massachusetts use marijuana, which equals 17.6% of the state.

  1. Rhode Island

The smallest of the United States is one of the smokiest. With only 1.6 million people in the coastal state, 170,000 use marijuana medically. With such a small population, that means 18.7% use marijuana to treat their illnesses.

  1. Maine

Maine was one of the first states to legalize marijuana medically, as they passed a bill in 1999. However, recreational marijuana only became legal this past election. With 1.33 million people living in the Pine Tree State, 224,000 use marijuana in some form. That means that 19.4% of the northernmost part of New England are marijuana users.

  1. Washington

The Evergreen State sure does love its green. In 2012, Washington voted to legalize marijuana recreationally and medically. Now, 1,105,000 of the 7.29 million who live on this Canadian border-state use marijuana. Edging out Maine by a hair, 19.5% of Washingtonians participate in marijuana consumption.

  1. Alaska

The 49th State was not one of the last to legalize marijuana. Back in 2014, Alaska voted yes to both recreational and medicinal marijuana. Now, 114,000 of the 741,894 Last Frontier residents use marijuana in some form, making up 19.5% percent of the largest state in America.

  1. Vermont

The home of Bernie Sanders loves their marijuana. Cannabis became legalized medically back in 2004, and has been decriminalized numerous times since. In 2016 and 2017, bills have passed and stalled to legalize the plant recreationally. However, it is widely believed that The Green Mountain State will get greener in 2018. As for now, 108,000 people out of 624,594 use the plant, which makes for 19.8% percent of the state.

  1. Oregon

Oregon is well-known for its greener lifestyle. That’s what makes it an easy number 2 on our list. Since 2014, 646,000 of the 4.9 million people living in Oregon consume marijuana either recreationally or medicinally. That measures out to 19.9% of the state utilizing the plant.

  1. Colorado

No other state may be more synonymous with marijuana than the forerunner of ending the prohibition on recreational weed, Colorado. As of 2012, the Rocky Mountain State has been the standard bearer of marijuana, producing billions of tax revenues that have gone toward schools and infrastructure. 909,000 of the 5.54 million in Colorado use the plant recreationally and medicinally. That makes for 21.6% of the state’s residents marijuana users.

Infographic courtesy of Badass Glass, an online headshop offering some of the best selections of premium glassware on the internet.

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Best Way to Get a Medical Cannabis Card for 2017

One of the most common questions I get is, “Is it difficult to get a medical cannabis card?” I always respond, “Not as difficult as you might think.” There are all sorts of ways of getting one, but we shall mention the obvious (and perhaps easiest) one first …
Telehealth
 Getting to a doctor that specializes in medical marijuana can be tough. Not everyone lives near one, and even if they do, a patient might go there and find out it’s too busy or they’re unable to book an appointment at a time they’d like. Plus, some of these doctors aren’t necessarily in the safest neighborhoods, which is sad but unfortunately true in some instances.
 Telehealth saves a person from all this hassle. You can literally:

  • Sign up
  • Fill out the medical marijuana evaluation form, attaching any relevant medical records you may already have proving your condition/s.
  • Talk to the doctor.
  • If you qualify, you will be given a signed recommendation letter.
  • This recommendation letter can be emailed to you, so you can start using your recommendation letter straight away.
  • A medical marijuana card can be sent to you via post – not necessary, but highly recommended.

Telehealth is a massive plus for sick and disabled patients who might have difficulty getting around, as well as those living out in the boondocks.
 Should you be worried about privacy and security, don’t worry. Any decent, reputable doctor will have a safe and secure website, with all of your personal information kept private in accordance to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Law Enforcement can access these records, but only by court order. This information cannot be given out to police departments willy-nilly.
The Direct Way
 You can call me, Doctor Frank, on +1 888-351-7807 and set up an appointment over the phone. My practice address is 4110 1/2 Verdugo Rd, Los Angeles, CA 90065, USA, which you can come to once you’ve booked your appointment (no stalking, please!). I can help walk you through the process. However, whilst I do try and make time for all my patients, many find seeing me online to be just as quick and efficient, and you needn’t leave the comfort of your living room.
 Of course there are other Doctors out there and speaking to a friend or family member who uses MMJ might be able to advise you. Regardless of what route you take please make sure they are HIPPA compliant!
 What Conditions Usually Get Medical Cannabis Recommendations?
 Usually cancer, chronic pain, epilepsy, PTSD, AIDS/HIV, diabetes, multiple sclerosis (MS), Parkinson’s disease (PD), Alzheimer’s disease and any chronic condition that may impact a person’s life over the long-term.
 I Want One Now! What Do I Need to Get a MMJ Card?
 Now that you know you want a medical cannabis card, all you need are the following things:

  • Any form of valid, state-issued U.S. identification (e.g. ID card, driver’s license, passport).
  • Proof of residency in the state of California (e.g. rent or mortgage agreement)
  • Personal health records proving your condition – not necessary, but helpful

Will My Insurance Cover Medical Marijuana?
 Whilst there are often vast differences in policy from one insurance company to the next, it is unlikely that most insurance companies will cover medical marijuana, especially as it’s a Schedule I drug. Unfortunately, using medical marijuana may put your insurance at jeopardy in some instances (especially if it’s health insurance paid for by an employer), so be careful and read all your terms and conditions on your health policy properly.
 As you can see, getting a medical marijuana card is a lot simpler than you might think. There’s no secret club. No special handshake. No magic words. It’s just a matter of is getting on the phone or computer and booking your appointment. If you have any questions don’t hesitate to get in touch.

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CategoriesMarijuana Legalization, Marijuana News by

Nevada Officials Rush to Legalize Recreational Weed

Nevada officials are moving too fast.

The tourist season is just around the corner and many are wondering if Nevada officials are moving too fast. Nevada expects tens of millions of dollars in tax revenue from recreational sales. Rafael Lemaitre is the former member of the Obama administration’s Office of National Drug Policy. Lemaitre sees how sloppy implementation of recreation marijuana is going. He says Nevada is moving in a manner like a college student who skipped classes all term and is now cramming for finals.
Supporters are worried that the state won’t be ready to begin recreational sales on July 1st. “We’re not certain we’re going to be able to hit the July 1st date.” says Scot Rutledge. He ran the campaign to legalize cannabis is 2016.
Nevada officials are scrambling to meet the early July 1st due date because the tourist season is just around the corner. Recently there was a hiccup about who could be allowed to distribute cannabis when marijuana dispensaries initially attempted to obtain a recreational distribution license. Carson City Judge James Wilson recently issued a temporary block to only allow the Nevada Alcohol Wholesale Distributors the ability to distribute cannabis products.
Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval (R) spoke with Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper (D) several times about his states experience with the marijuana movement. “We want to learn from the experience of other states,” says Sandoval.

Cannabis Clubs

The issue about where to legally smoke pot outside consumer’s homes is a big deal. Nevada officials worry that consumers will smoke on the Las Vegas strip and smoke pot to their hotel rooms. Causing law enforcement to be called several times a day, all summer. If vacationers want to smoke in public, Nevada officials want to provide a safe-space for them to do it. Police time and energy won’t be spent harassing the Las Vegas strip and hotels all summer long.
Nevada legislators argued over whether to allow pot clubs. According to Nevada attorneys, it doesn’t need to be a state issue on who gets to open cannabis clubs. These safe-spaces to smoke can be more of a local jurisdiction matter. The potential to attract tourists from around the world is too great to not allow cannabis clubs in places like Vegas.

Nevada’s Cannabis Tax Income

The state of Nevada expects to sell $700 million in weed products within the next two years. But they expect their projections to be on the low end of reality. They expect a gold rush scenario similar to what happened in Colorado, Washington and Oregon when they legalized and began selling recreational marijuana

Nevada is hoping to stop the black market for good.

When recreational sales become legalized, Nevada officials are optimistic that the black-market sales of cannabis will stop. And the money from cannabis sales will go pouring into the state instead. However, Nevada officials worry that rushing the process will give Jeff Sessions another excuse to enforce federal control. “The situation with federal enforcement is already tenable as it is. Rushing the process could also give Sessions another excuse to reassert federal control. Which should surprise no one given his track record this far,” Lemaitre said.
Featured Photo Illustration by Elizabeth Brockway/The Daily Beast.

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Spliffs Lessen Cannabis Memory Loss

Tobacco rolled with marijuana helps lessen memory loss.

Spliffs are a mixture of pot and tobacco that are rolled up in a fashion that is similar to a joint. Some spliffs have more tobacco than weed, and other spliffs have more weed than tobacco. It usually depends on what the user would prefer.
A common rumor is that spliffs increase the high of weed, but researchers found that is simply not true. Researchers discovered that spliffs are not healthy to inhale because tobacco is loaded with carcinogens that are dangerous to people’s health. However, the upside to the discovery is that nicotine helps lessen the effects of memory loss that is generally associated with smoking cannabis.
According to the new study published in Psychological Medicine, spliffs lessen the memory killing effects of cannabis. “There’s a persistent myth that adding tobacco to cannabis will make you more stoned. But we found that actually it does nothing to improve the subject experience.” said Chandni Hindocha.
Chandi is a clinical psychologist and the study’s lead author. Chandi’s research team discovered that spliff smokers undergo a placebo effect which makes them think they are getting higher, when they really are not.

How Chandi’s study was conducted.

Chandi’s researchers looked at 24 adults who have smoked tobacco and marijuana. The requirements for the study was that the 24 adults were not addicted to cannabis or tobacco. But they did need to know how to smoke both substances. During the study, the 24 subjects smoked either cannabis and tobacco, cannabis and placebo, tobacco and a placebo, and all placebos.
Chandi’s team measured the subject’s vitals such as heart rate and blood pressure. And researchers asked the subjects several questions about their psychoactive experiences. Chandi’s researchers also required the subjects to recite literary passages. The subjects read passages at different times during testing and then were asked to recite them, this was done to test their memory.

What researchers discovered.

Chandi’s researchers discovered that when subjects only smoked pot, they had the most memory loss. However, spliff smokers showed better concentration abilities than when they smoked only marijuana. As a result, Chandi’s team are saying that the nicotine in a spliff helped stabilize memory capabilities.

Spliffs are not healthy.

During the study, Chandi’s team saw that the cannabis-tobacco mix resulted in higher heart rates for all the participants. The study revealed that spliffs are worse for cardiac health than regular joints due to the toxic gases found when burning tobacco. Tobacco is dangerous because the nicotine found within causes addiction, and tar and toxic gases cause cancer along with other health problems.
The carcinogens in tobacco cause chronic lung disease such as emphysema and bronchitis. As well as heart disease, pregnancy-related issues and other serious problems. Therefore, smoking a spliff may be better for your memory than using straight marijuana. But tobacco is responsible for over 480,00 deaths per year in the U.S. The cause of death related to weed is still zero.

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Nevada's Early Start for Recreational Weed Sales in Trouble

Nevada liquor wholesale distributors challenged marijuana licenses.

Nevada’s Department of Taxation expected the first recreational sales to begin July 1st, but alcohol distributors wanted to put a stop to that. A group of liquor wholesale distributors filed a temporary restraining order that prohibits Nevada’s Department of Taxation from distributing marijuana licenses.
Carson City District Judge James Wilson ruled in favor of the liquor wholesalers and granted the temporary restraining order. “The statute clearly gives a priority and exclusive license to alcohol distributors. In order to promote the goal of regulating marijuana similar to alcohol.” Wilson wrote in an opinion paper.

All hope is not completely lost.

The Nevada Department of Taxation still expects the July 1st sales of recreational marijuana to proceed. But they are not clear as to how the process will play out due to the judge’s ruling.

Why did the liquor wholesale distributors go through all the trouble?

The liquor wholesalers argued that they have first rights to distribute recreational marijuana. They also claim that medical dispensaries could not apply for recreational licensing because there wasn’t enough interest among liquor wholesalers. The wholesalers also claimed that the November ballot gave liquor wholesalers exclusive rights to marijuana distribution licenses for the first 18 months of sales. The ballot measure states that marijuana should be regulated in a manner that is similar to alcohol.

Are liquor wholesalers worried they can’t compete with the M.J. market?

Sam McMullen stated, “We just want our rightful place. We don’t want to slow this down inordinately.” McMullen is the attorney for the liquor wholesalers. He fought hard so that the Nevada Tax Department can only distribute marijuana licenses to liquor wholesalers. According to Judge Wilson, the liquor wholesalers demonstrated irreparable harm if the department proceeds to issue cannabis distribution licenses to existing marijuana establishments.
Stephanie Klapstein is a spokeswoman for the Nevada Tax Department. She said that, “We are still looking toward a July 1st launch of the program.” Klapstein also stated, “We expect a hearing on the matter to be scheduled for some time in the next couple of weeks.”

Why the big rush?

On January 1, 2017 recreational sale of marijuana became legal in Nevada. And on Jan. 1, 2018, the Nevada law requires permanent regulations for the sale of recreational weed to be in place. But the Nevada Legislator is expected to give final approval for the “quick start” program to allow existing dispensaries to sell recreation weed before that. The reason for the big early push is because the expected tax revenue from pot sales is expected to total $70 million over two years. That is a lot of money and alcohol wholesalers want exclusive rights to it.

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Top 10 Influential People Who Support Legalizing Weed

Some people are simply more influential than others. Influential people hold a special place in society where their opinion matters. These people are the most outspoken and influential supporters of legalizing cannabis. Without personalities and platforms like the people on this list have, we might never he seen a state legalize marijuana.

1. Bernie Sanders


Bernie Sanders is the Vermont Senator and former presidential candidate. He introduced a bill in 2015 that would have ended the federal prohibition of marijuana. Sadly, his pleas fell on deaf ears but Bernie continues to fight for the common people.

2. Morgan Freeman


Mr. Freeman played in several leading roles and in countless movies. From Hoke Coleburn in Driving Miss Daisy to God in Bruce Almighty, he has played them all. He supports the legalization of marijuana because it helps him relieve the pain of fibromyalgia. He has also seen and understands how marijuana helps save children who struggle with severe seizures.

3. The Dalai Lama


Possibly one of the most positive influential people on the planet is The Dalai Lama. He is the Tibetan Buddhist Leader who doesn’t encourage the use of drugs or alcohol. But he does support medical marijuana because science has suggested it is helpful.

4. Snoop Dogg


The famous rapper Snoop Dogg is a potrepeneur. He not only smokes weed every day, but he also partnered with Canadian medical marijuana retailer Canopy Growth. Snoop is going to sell at least 3 different cannabis products with Canopy Growth under the name of “Leafs by Snoop”. The hope is that Canada will legalize weed soon, allowing Snoop and Canopy Growth to maximize revenue.

5. Woody Harrelson


This famous actor is on the advisory board for the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML). In 2016, Woody tried to open a medical marijuana dispensary in Hawaii. Unfortunately, his request was denied. But that hasn’t stopped him from trying to change the way government views and regulates weed.

6. Joe Rogan


The host of Fear Factor has been a staunch weed advocate for several decades. Joe is also a successful MMA fighter and political advocate. There is even a strain bearing his name and it’s popular wherever available. Many celebrities wouldn’t even know what marijuana is without the ceaseless activism Joe seems to simply exude.

7. Bill Maher


Famous comedian and Real Time talk show host Bill Maher is an avid supporter of legalized marijuana. He has even smoked weed live on air. Maher is also on the advisory board of NORML, and claims to smoke weed while writing new comedic material.

8. Canada’ Prime Minister Justin Trudeau


The Prime Minister of Canada is pushing hard for the full legalization of recreational marijuana in Canada. He made a promise to legalize weed while he was in office. He believes that recreational weed could generate C$5 billion to C$7 billion in annual revenue.

9. Ricky Williams, a former NFL Pro running back.


Ricky Williams is truly a great potrepranuer. He believes that marijuana should not be a part of the random drug tests that athletes must endure. He partnered with Weedmaps; a company that helps medical marijuana patients find dispensaries. Williams is also a part of the 420 games, a marathon 4.20 miles long in San Francisco. And he co-founded a cannabis friendly gym called Power Plant Fitness and Wellness.

10. Jack Nicholson.


Jack Nicholson is generally a private man when it comes to publicly talking about weed. However, he was quite candid when talking to the U.K.’s Daily Mail. Nicholson came at weed from a different perspective. From an economic standpoint, he claimed 85% of men who are incarcerated in the U.S. are from drug-related offenses. It’s costing tax payers $40,000 a year for each prisoner according to his sources. To Nicholson, that is ludicrous.

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10 Best Weed-Friendly Destinations

If you could smoke anywhere, where should you go?

Smoking weed will get you in trouble most places. There are an increasing number of places that are weed friendly though. In this list, we cover the best places to get stoned.

1 Uruguay

The best weed-friendly location found. You can smoke on the beach! Plenty of good vibes, local shops and historic sights. You can’t buy it, but you can smoke it. You won’t be bored; you’ll have lots of fun in the sun.

2 Washington State

While in Washington, people can have up to 1 oz. of weed on them at a time. It’s legal for adults to buy but not consume in public. Washington has an EMP Museum which includes Jimi Hendrix and Star Wars so you won’t get bored. This place is definitely an eclectic place to explore while stoned.

3 The Netherlands

Like Uruguay, The Netherlands is a nice weed-friendly location to visit. Where locals and travelers can feel free to smoke just about anywhere. A stoner haven for sure. It’s nice to get high then ride a bike, enjoy a gondola ride, visit coffee shops and enjoy historic sights before partying it up at night.

4 Colorado

Get stoned and explore Colorado’s beautiful landscapes. Colorado is where weed is 100% legal. As a result, Colorado created dozens of attractions and activities that are weed-friendly. They also host a variety of award winning medibles for those who prefer to eat their weed.

5 Portugal

Don’t worry about getting busted in Portugal. Weed has been decriminalized since 2001, so you don’t have to worry about cops ruining your visit. Portugal has many wonderful sights to explore, especially their Ponte de D. Luis bridge. Just don’t get high and start jumping off bridges.

6 Oregon

Oregon is another state in the U.S. where weed is legal. Bend and Portland are the two best towns for recreation and weed. There are a lot of fun activities to choose from like surfing or skiing. Oregon also has vibrant food, wine, beer, art, books, theater and nature communities. Plenty of fun for all types of people.

7 California

Head on over to California where there is plenty of sun, ocean waves, and of course lots of weed. Although legal, the state is still setting up their marketplace. You can still blaze while dig your toes in the sands of Venice Beach (as long as it’s in a private area). There is so much to see and do in Cali that it might take multiple trips. Don’t forget to visit the legendary Hollywood California, theme parks, clubs and more.

8 Alaska

Alaska is a beautiful, wild and relaxing destination. It’s fun to get stoned then go watch the northern lights with a buddy or two. After breathing in the lights, check out Bud and Breakfast. It’s an Airbnb with weed-friendly accommodations. So go ahead and enjoy the fresh air, then go for a hike in beautiful Alaska before crashing out in a stoner haven.

9 The Virgin Islands

Weed is decriminalized in The Virgin Islands and it’s easy to get a hold of, especially in Coki Beach. But don’t take any home or else you’ll get into trouble with the local sheriffs. At the Caribbean Islands, it’s nice to partake and enjoy the aquamarine waters and warm temperatures.

10 At Home

At home may not sound like the most exciting and exotic destination for a vacation. But sometimes the best place in the world is chillin at home with a few homies, roasting bowls and sharing laughs. It is also private property, which is a prime requirement for legal consumption in most weed-friendly areas.

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Marijuana Helps Treat Drug Addiction

Marijuana aims to reduce drug addiction.

For those who can’t simply stop taking dangerous drugs, harm reduction is the next step. Harm reduction is the process of treating drug addiction problems by helping patients slowly limit their drug intake. Scientists are researching the use of marijuana as a possible harm reduction treatment.

Joe Shrank uses marijuana in harm reduction.

Joe Schrank is an American program director and the founder of High Sobriety. He uses marijuana as a detox method for his patients who are struggling with severe drug addiction. Schrank says that some patients want to wean themselves off drugs. And cannabis provides the less invasive means of maintaining sobriety.

Not everyone believes marijuana is useful as a detox tool.

Joe says he’s been criticized for using weed as a detox cure. “Some say it’s hypocritical because, you know, you’re supposed to go to rehab to get off drugs.” Joe reply’s to criticisms with his own personal experiences. He’s been free from drug abuse for over 25 years by using weed to help him become abstinent.
CEO, Todd Stumbo, of Blue Ridge Mountain Recovery Center in Georgia disagrees with Shrank’s methods. Stumbo argues that there is currently abstinence based methods that are proven to help patients with their drug addiction problems. That there is simply not enough evidence to support Shrank’s methods using cannabis.

Some researchers are on the fence about cannabis usage in harm reduction.

Dr. Nora Volkow is the director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Dr. Nora agrees that there is currently not enough evidence to support marijuana as an effective tool in harm reduction. She also states that there is no evidence-based medication that has been effective in the treatment of cocaine addiction.
Dr. Nora is saying, “In principle, what we have aimed for many years is to find interventions that would lead to complete abstinence.” And, “we currently have no medicine to intervene, and it [cocaine] can be a very severe addiction and actually quite dangerous.”

How marijuana helps reduce drug abuse for patients.

Yasmin Hurd is the director of the Addiction Institute at Mount Sinai School of Medicine. Yasmin found that cannabinoids like THC and CBD reverse some of the brain changes that occur with heroin use. She also discovered that CBD positively influences the body’s biological systems. Systems that are linked to negative components of addiction such as anxiety and inhibitory control.
M-J Milloy is the infectious disease epidemiologist and research scientist at the BC Center for Excellence in HIV/AIDS. His studies also found that crack addicts benefited from marijuana. They started weaning themselves from crack which showed significant positive results.
Another study found that cannabinoids effectively reduces cravings and anxiety among heroin addicts. “[Weed] can really help people with pain management and other health issues, or it can help them be safer,” Schrank said. While not concrete, this supports the effectiveness of harm reduction methods and goals.

Is abstinence possible with weed?

Abstinence is a difficult thing to accomplish for many drug addicts. In addition to chemical changes and long term damage, which is the case of many pharmaceuticals, recovering addicts face intense social stigma.
Schrank says that people need space to grow and develop themselves. The process of recovery is a lifelong one and cannabis can help with the transition. And we must also remember that most people coming off crack or heroin need to feel that comforting feeling of change. Cannabis may not solve every problem, but it can help other issues seem smaller.
 
 
 
 
 
 

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Synthetic Marijuana Popular in Prisons

Synthetic Marijuana is becoming a popular drug in U.S. prisons.

Synthetic marijuana has taken over the prison market for a few big reasons. First, it is easier to smuggle into prisons than most other drugs. Because synthetic marijuana doesn’t show up in tests, inmates find it easier to hide use.
The punishment for those who are caught with synthetic weed is also less severe than getting caught with other drugs. Synthetic weed isn’t all good though.Early results show that consuming synthetic marijuana may pose a health hazard but that hasn’t stopped inmates.
Synthetic Marijuana is easy to smuggle in prisons.
Tiny packs of synthetic marijuana that resemble tea-bags can be purchased under a variety of names. Many names don’t reflect that they are cannabis products. Names like Spice and K2 help inmates fly under the radar with potential contraband.
These little packs are shredded vegetable material coated with THC extracts which can easily be snuck to inmates. Soaking pieces of paper with THC is another popular method of sneaking in marijuana but won’t pass drug screening. The soaked pieces of paper are disguised as letters to inmates, which are rolled up and smoked (or eaten) without alerting guards until a drug test.
Passing random drug tests is another reason to go synthetic.

Another reason inmates prefer to smoke synthetic weed is because it is one of only a few substances that  won’t come up in any of their test results. Prison urinalysis drug tests for alcohol, amphetamines, barbiturates, cocaine, codeine, marijuana (THC specifically), methadone, opiates and phencyclidine (PCP). Although marijuana comes up in prison urinalysis drug tests, synthetic marijuana does not.

Even if caught using synthetic marijuana, punishment is light.

When prisoners are caught with synthetic marijuana in their possession,they can expect a slap on the wrist and a note on their record. Inmates who are caught with actual weed, alcohol or any other drugs face harsh penalties. Penalties can include losing phone privileges for a year, up to 60 days in segregation, loss of good time. Penalties can even include limiting visitation rights or even halting them for a period.

How do people get access to synthetic weed?

Synthetic marijuana can be legally purchased by the public in sealed packages that look like standard sized tea-bags. Synthetic weed can also be made without the use of sophisticated lab equipment. Nor does it require you to be a Heisenberg. Basically, anyone can make synthetic weed at home. After all, the most basic synthetic weed is just shredded plant material (paper) coated with THC juice.

Synthetic weed is not safe to use, especially compared to regular marijuana.

Smoking a letter from “Grandpa Purps” is not the healthiest way to get your fix. The unregulated use of synthetic weed is potentially dangerous. People are getting sick from smoking unknown chemicals (like those found in ink) in addition to using unsafe methods of consumption.
The reported side effects of synthetic marijuana include mental agitation, rapid heartbeat, drowsiness, vomiting and confusion. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that in several cases, life-threatening and substantial lasting effects were documented. Researchers have also found that synthetic weed increases suicidal thoughts.
Even star athletes have succumbed to the negative side effects of synthetic marijuana. Former NFL player Aaron Hernandez committed suicide while in a state prison. The inmates, guards and autopsy reported that Aaron’s habitual use of synthetic weed caused his suicidal behavior.
The synthetic marijuana in prison crisis is another example of why marijuana needs to become federally legal. Once marijuana is moved from being a schedule I drug, then inmates who can have access to tobacco may also have access to marijuana. Thus not needing to suffer needlessly.
Photograph: Jim Havey / Alamy/Alamy