28 DECEMBER 14-20, 2023 westword.com WESTWORD | REAL ESTATE | RENTALS | HEALTH WELLNESS | SERVICES | EMPLOYMENT | ADULT | MUSIC | CLASSIFIED | A S K A S T O N E R BY HERBERT FUEGO Dear Stoner: My friend in Texas says he lives by a real dispensary. He buys weed there, and the way they get around the law is by claiming it’s hemp with THCA. More power to them, but it sounds illegal. Raising Brows Dear Raising Brows: These “dispensaries” are quasi-legal at best, and criminal at worst. Based on the stories I’m hearing from states with no legal cannabis, however, this tactic doesn’t surprise me. A lot of ballsy operators have popped up in the South since hemp’s federal legalization, and this THCA move- ment might be the boldest of them all. THCA is just a form of THC that needs to be activated by heat. Cannabis buds typically have more THCA than THC, which is ready to intoxicate. Flames or vaporizers convert that THCA into THC while you burn it (that’s why herb should be heated up before you use it to make homemade edibles). Some stores claim they’re selling hemp with THCA, not THC, making it federally compliant with hemp laws. That’s a bunch of horseshit, though, and good luck explaining it to a cop or prosecutor. I don’t have enough info to tell if this is the same kind of cannabis we have in Colo- rado or if it’s just CBD buds sprayed with Delta-9 distillate — another sketchy, com- mon tactic to skirt prohibition. Either way, your friend should stick to an underground dealer and stay away from these stores. The prices and quality alone should be reasons to avoid them. Dear Stoner: I like to take ibuprofen or Tyle- nol after a hard night out, then smoke a bowl. I feel better afterward, but is all of this hard on my insides, too? Jelly Jam Dear Jelly Jam: Smoking anything is going to be hard on your insides eventually, and there are defi nitely risks to taking ibupro- fen, Tylenol and painkillers after drinking alcohol. It stresses your liver and can lead to complications if done too often. Smoking weed with these OTC painkill- ers doesn’t appear to add extra harm, but mixing them can limit their impact. Studies have shown that ibuprofen and Tylenol can lessen the effects of cannabis, while cannabis users have been shown to be more tolerant of painkillers, light and strong, compared to non-users. As long as you minimize those long nights, which are health hazards in their own right, then this slope shouldn’t get too slippery. Don’t depend on it, though. Send questions to [email protected]. WARNING: Use of Marijuana Concentrate may lead to: 1. Psychotic symptoms and/or Psychotic disorder (delusions, hallucinations, or difficulty distinguishing reality); 2. Mental Health Symptoms/Problems; 3. Cannabis Hyperemesis Syndrome (CHS) (uncontrolled and repetitive vomiting); Cannabis use disorder / dependence, including physical and psychological dependence Programmatic Cannabis Network Organic & Local SEO • Website Design Social Media Management • Print Media Get started today with a FREE Digital Audit. marijuanamarketingxperts.com
