I don't smoke pot too often, and my stash tends to get stale and too harsh to smoke. What can I do to stop this?
Your greatest enemy here is air. An airtight mason jar will go a long way in extending the life of your weed, and keeping said jar in a dark, dry place is important too. If you're still having freshness problems, try throwing some orange peels in there with it for a couple of days (but remember to take them out before they too get old and gross). A little moisture helps. Some people like to keep their stash in the fridge, or even the freezer. (Again, in an airtight container. Mold is a bad thing.) The consistent temperature and the dark-unless-someone-opens-the-fridge-door environment are both positive qualities that promote herbal longevity. What you don't want to do is to leave it in the baggie you bought it in. Especially if you get lazy and don't seal it properly (so that the yellow stripe and the blue stripe combine to make green, if you will). Mason jars are cheap and readily available in any grocery store. Do yourself a favor and get a couple. It's a tiny investment that will prolong your weed's shelf life. For long-term storage, you could go all-out and seal the jar with wax, for maximum freshness.
OK, so pot was finally decriminalized in Connecticut. But it's still illegal? And I can still get arrested? I don't get it.
Legalization and decriminalization are two different things. It's unfortunate that the semantics are confusing. Legalization would mean that it's no longer illegal, and there's a pot-smoking free-for-all. This is not the case. Decriminalization just means that you're no longer going to get charged in court for possessing small amounts. You're not a criminal per se — you're just a societal annoyance. And that's just fine with me.
This newspaper hits the streets on Wednesday, June 29. On that day, and the following day, June 30, we can still get arrested for any amount of weed, no matter how small. But come Friday, July 1, we can carry any amount less than half an ounce and only be subject to a ticket (that holds the same weight as a speeding ticket, to make the now well-used comparison). If you have exactly one half-ounce or more, however, your scrawny ass is still going to end up in the clink. And, yes, cops will have scales in their cars. And yes, chances are they will not all be properly calibrated, so don't push your luck — stay on the safe side by carrying less and not flirting with the half-ounce limit. Three eighths of weed, for example, is a completely reasonable amount of THC-infused, delicious-smoke-yielding marijuana to bring along for any occasion. If you get cocky and overdo it, they're going to assume you're a dealer, and trust me, you don't want that.
Help! I just moved to town and I don't know where to find pot. Where should I start looking?
Well, uh, (cough), ahem … ah. I can't really divulge such information in a public forum, but there are growers and sellers everywhere. Like … everywhere. One of the fun parts of smoking culture is making new connections and friends — and the best person to buy weed from is always going to be a friend. Someone you can trust to not rip you off, and to sell you a high-quality product. It can be tough when you move to a new town, but as you meet people along the way, try and feel out who might be smokers and then don't be shy about asking if they have any leads. The process is actually kind of fun, and very social. And if you're desperate, um, you can always just go to any music festival.
What else you wanna know about weed? Write to highconcept@newmassmedia.com
