Not Your Parent's Pot: How Marijuana has evolved through the years?

Cannabis. It has no political agenda. No gender, ethnicity, or religious overture. It’s a plant that happens to carry the answers to many problems… if we know what questions to ask. The question that seems to keep popping up lately is, “Is weed stronger today than what our parents smoked in the 60s and 70s?” That sounds like a winning question. After all, stronger usually means better, eh?

While it will most likely go undisputed that the THC levels of today’s cannabis are quite higher, I’m not so sure it answers whether the weed is better. For consumers seeking to relax and heal, the THC level is not necessarily the target focus.

In an “Old Weed vs New Weed” interview, Steve-O (from MTV's series Jackass) asked Tommy Chong (one of America’s weed icons) how the weed of today compares to the past. Steve-O seemed surprised to hear that Tommy declared yesterday’s weed as “The best” given the documented strengths of today’s weed. It may be a hard question to answer, but I wonder, “Was it the overall experience that made marijuana in the 60s and 70s the best?”

We might not be able to clone the exact weed of the past, but we may be able to create better experiences while consuming cannabis. Furthermore, we may be able to pin down what is keeping some consumers from reaching consistent and optimal effects.

First, let’s take a look at how to initiate the experience. Given that I was born in the early 70s, it would be impossible to share from a consumer’s perspective, but I can offer my recollection of the environment and the sense of unity observed during that time. One of the differences that really stands out, is the importance of utilizing the five senses. A majority of consumers who buy flower seem to have bridged the generation gap by using their sense of taste and smell. Some consumers still grind and roll their own weed, further enhancing their experience. If you click on that Lava lamp, burn some incense, and fill the room with Pink Floyd’s “Comfortably Numb,” you might design an evening your parents would be proud of.

The second thing that stands in the way of a natural experience with cannabis, is the number of distractions we put up with. Our parents didn’t deal with dings and tones from messages, emails, and social media. They didn’t take selfies of themselves and immediately post them online. We all know that picture post doesn’t end there. It usually leads to an hour of searching or commenting on what others are doing, essentially engaging in brain activity designed for work.

That’s great if you are working – not so great when you want to relax or focus on creativity. With all of the distractions, it’s no wonder consumers think they need stronger weed with higher doses to achieve the desired effects.

Experiencing cannabis for the purposes of creating, healing, and relaxing can be very rewarding if you take the time to tailor the experience based on your intention. For example, if my intention is to relax, my preparation for that experience is going to include shutting down technology (except for Spotify), lighting my favorite Earthbound incense, and enjoying the warmth and glow of the fire radiating from our chimenea. Reducing distractions and adding sensory elements provide more consistent and enjoyable experiences for me. If my intention is to create, I still add sensory elements, they just might be a little more playful in nature.

Regardless of your intentions while consuming cannabis, I encourage you to reduce distractions and experiment with adding sensory elements to see if it enhances the experience.

Another thing our parents had going for them was the unity of the stoner community. Before cannabis became a medical or recreational legal option, it seemed those in favor of cannabis wanted everyone to experience the benefits of wellness. Men and Women lobbied for the right together. Classifications of gender and ethnicity didn’t appear to be a focus, however, now that cannabis is referred to as an “industry” many are coming forth with their established attitudes of separation. My experience in the first four years (since legalization in Oklahoma) has been individuals touting their platforms under the guise of marijuana. These personal/political agendas do have their place – it’s just not with cannabis.

When attending the Oklahoma Governor’s Minority Business Council event, a few years ago, I was asked,

"What obstacles do minority business owners have?" My response was, “Mindset.”

I’ve tried to embrace the empowering thoughts of distinguishing myself as a woman-owned business. But the truth is, the empowerment comes from realizing that I’m fulfilling my soul’s purpose.

Nothing else is needed.

Maybe that’s another sensory element that added to the experience for our parents? Knowing that they were participating in something the law deemed illegal, their experience was filled with love and unity with kindred spirits. We all love a good rebel story, especially when the rebel turns out to be the hero in the end. We have a lot of rebels to thank for what seems to be incremental changes to the mindset of cannabis, and I believe if we start asking the right questions, cannabis will gain even more momentum.