6 minute read
Blunt Advice
By Ellie Carr
Dear Ellie,
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I’m looking for more creative ways to use my kief. I usually sprinkle it on top of bowls, but sometimes smoking it can be pretty harsh. What are some ways to use kief that don’t involve smoking? —Kurious Kief
Dear Kurious Kief
I was once a joint roller. Yes, that side hustle exists! I would roll a¬¬bout 200 joints a week. Part of my generous pay was that I got to keep all the kief that gathered at the bottom chamber of the grinders. For anyone who doesn’t know, kief is the powdery substance that gathers at the bottom of a grinder or on any surface after grinding or breaking apart the weed in any way.
Kief is a powerful substance— a machete disguised as a butter knife. I knew what kief was, I knew that it was potent, but I had never accumulated so much of it at once and so often. This is not a controversial opinion—kief is one of the cleanest extracts of cannabis and the purest concentrate because it is gathered through the use of motion and not chemicals. You are right at the source of cannabis plant matter. I sprinkled it on top of joints and bowls for an extra kick, and when I ran out of flower, I’d smoke a whole bowl of it. If you’re braving this journey, my advice is to take it low and slow. The high depends on what strain you have, but I’ve found that any kief I smoke leads to a pretty intense head high. Not a bad thing, if that’s what you’re going for, but definitely something to be moderate with.
One night, my friend was over and we decided to make an infused oil. I love infused oils because they’re easy to make and can be used in almost any dish. When it comes to canna oils, I prefer kief over flower because it infuses quicker and imparts less of that bitter green taste. If this is the route you take, make sure you know about decarboxylation. This may sound like it’s straight out of Dexter’s lab, but it’s simply applying heat to cannabis to activate the compounds so you get that potent, elevated high. Put the kief in the oven at 225 degrees for 30 minutes and you’re done. Do not miss this step!
There is so much you can do with a kief; it’s one of the most underrated benefits of using a grinder. Infusing it with oil is one of the safest consumption methods and a good way to get the most out of your bud. Have your friends over, make some pasta or baked goods, but remember, that butter knife can be sharp.
Dear Ellie, Any tips for traveling as a weed smoker? I grew up in California which is a very weed friendly state. I’m traveling to the east coast for the first time and don’t want to run into any problems. What are some ways of traveling from one weed friendly state to a not so friendly one? —Cannabis Cruiser
Dear Cannabis Cruiser
The answer to traveling with weed, as you probably know, is definitely “No.” We’re not there yet unfortunately. A good tip I have after traveling from California to New York is to do your research. Try to gain as much knowledge about the existing cannabis communities in the place you are going to visit. My biggest piece of advice is to not expect what you’re used to in California. In many countries, and even some states in the U.S., cannabis is restricted to medical use or even considered illegal. So be prepared for some likely adjustments if you are visiting a state that has not decriminalized or legalized marijuana . . . yet. Big emphasis on the yet.
An important side note—locals know best. A simple Google search will inform you about legalization, possession, and recreational use of cannabis. It will also help you find local weed shops. When I first visited NY, weed recently had been legalized, and I assumed it would be hard to find. I was wrong! There were shops all throughout local neighborhoods and trucks parked in the heart of the city’s most popularareas. They even had cafes, festivals, and cannabis tours. See what local shops are available near you and consider reaching out to them. I’ve done this before while traveling and met some good friends who guided me through a very cannabis friendly trip.
I also grew up in California, which has forever been the self-acclaimed weed capital, known for its rich landscapes that lend themselves to cannabis farms. It can be disorienting when leaving California to realize that the rest of the world doesn’t give off the same marijuana hype, but this is becoming less and less true as the weed market is beginning to sprout.
One of the down sides of legalization is the commercialization of weed. You might see this in bigger east coast cities like New York. In these larger, tourist driven areas, finding credible shops and budtenders can be difficult. I once bought a $25 joint in Times Square from one of the trucks, expecting the quality to match the price tag, but it was packed too tight and the bud had a strange texture. The weed was flavorless and the joint was impossible to smoke.
When I got home, I emptied it on the counter, and could tell it was a cheap combination of weed and something else. Charging a high price for a low quality product, sadly, does happen. So my biggest advice, as always with traveling, is to be observant, and mindful, especially when it comes to your weed. The best way to avoid any problems is to gain some basic knowledge about the existing cannabis communities and meet locals. I’m always pleasantly surprised at the bonds I make over weed while traveling and I think you will be too.
