Recreational Pot and You

illustrations by Carolyn Main

Maybe you’re not a stoner. Sure, you probably smoked weed when you were younger, but the whole bit about locating a dealer and grappling with cop paranoia just wasn’t worth the headache!

But now that recreational weed is legal, buying it is easy. Guests will probably start bringing it to dinner parties like bottles of wine and flowers.

Medical dispensaries all over town will now be able to sell pot to anyone who’s 21 and older, so you’ll finally get to see inside all of those shops in your neighborhood with dark windows and green crosses.

If Washington is any indication, the stores will be clean, well lit, and staffed with friendly people who will be happy to point you toward a product that meets your needs.

There are sativas, which are basically uppers, and indicas that are more like downers—but most strains of weed are a hybrid of the two. Since there are so many different kinds, it can be overwhelming.

Don’t worry about looking like you know what you’re doing. Tell the budtenders how you want to feel: if you’re worried about anxiety or overeating, if you want to get stoned and go to a party, or if you just want Game of Thrones to be AMAZING. They’ll have no shortage of recommendations.

If you haven’t been keeping up with advances in the industry, you’ll notice that things have gotten a lot more complicated than rolling a simple joint. The good news is a simple joint works just as well as it ever has—as does a one-hitter, glass pipe, or water bong.

While it may not be tobacco, smoking pot still isn’t the healthiest of pursuits, so a lot of people use vaporizers, which technically don’t create smoke (but can still make you cough), and are easier on your system.

Right now you will only be able to buy simple marijuana flowers in local shops. But all sorts of products—like candies, beverages, concentrates, lip balms, and personal lubricants—are already legal in other markets.

With edibles, try just a small bit and wait an hour before eating or drinking more. IMPORTANT: Concentrated, potent products—like dabs and oils—are for when you want to get really stoned… not just kinda. You can make these or get them as gifts, but those products aren’t available for recreational sales yet.

For now, the State of Oregon says, “Save that trip for later.”