Pubdate: Thu, 01 Sep 2016
Source: Westword (Denver, CO)
Column: Ask a Stoner
Copyright: 2016 Village Voice Media
Contact: http://www.westword.com/feedback/EmailAnEmployee?department=letters
Website: http://www.westword.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1616
Author: Herbert Fuego

DEAR STONER: I NEED SOMETHING TO HELP ME SLEEP

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.

Vaporizing, though not technically smoking, makes you feel as if you 
just smoked. It's not quite as bad for your lungs or throat, but it's 
not good for them, either. Still, smoking and vaping are the best 
ways to consume when dealing with stress, in my opinion. The euphoria 
and relaxation hit you immediately, and a strong indica will knock a 
new toker out with ease. If you can't handle a vaporizer, though, 
edibles are a logical choice - but start slow until you know your 
tolerance. Expect stress relief and possible giggles in anywhere from 
thirty minutes to two hours, followed by a strong night's sleep. If 
you've never eaten edibles, start with ten milligrams, see how you 
feel in two hours, then go from there. Hope you feel better soon.

Dear Stoner: I've noticed that I'm paying around $50 to $60 for an 
eighth these days. I remember paying $50 to $75 a quarter from people 
who took pride. Is it greed in the marijuana industry, or the government?

Shawn

Dear Shawn: Where are you buying your pot? Do you go to shops filled 
with people that basically scream "I'm a yuppie fucking tourist"? 
Because I rarely see eighths that cost that much for Colorado 
residents at dispensaries nowadays. Several months ago, I wrote a 
piece using data from BDS Analytics that listed the average price for 
a gram of flower (including single grams, eighths, quarters and so 
on) at $5.77 the week of 4/20 this year and $6.67 during the rest of 
April, down from an average of $8.86 in the first quarter of 2014.

Pot prices aren't what they were at the beginning of legalization, 
and street prices (from those people who took pride) never went up. 
If your dealer won't sell you a good quarter-ounce of pot for $75, 
find a new one. I'm not saying that greed and inflated prices don't 
exist in the industry, but the market has largely shifted to the consumer.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom