November 30, 2020

On the Fringe

You know those people you see, camped out on the mall in DC, or outside the Chinese Embassy in SF: they’ve got their signs, they’ve got collateral to hand out. They’re serious about spreading their beliefs and holding their ground.

I’ve typically not engaged with these folks, even when I see validity in their cause. In my experience, having a lucid conversation with someone that far out on the edge, is beyond difficult and usually upsets my world view a little bit.

Now that marijuana is a nationally debated, mainstream political issue, I find myself … kind of out here, on the fringe.

Sure, the Democrats generally want to recognize the trending popularity of Cannabis as a touchstone issue especially in the Black Lives Matter movement. We are closer than ever to being recreationally and medically legal in all 50 states – 36 states are allowing legal medical use and 17 states, including the District of Columbia, have made recreational use permissible. According to wikipedia, 13 have completely decriminalized. I am benefitting from this sociological shift, firsthand.

But if these old-schoolers are to be trusted, and my gut tells me they are, we have a future of big business dominating; hello phillip morris, and rj reynolds -in a space where Willie Nelson and Micky Hart and other heavily capitalized brands are already able to snuff out the little guy, who faces plenty of business defeating hurdles at every turn.

I certainly enjoy the Green Rush happening in Northern Cali right now. Finally some respectable #selfregulation going on with labeling (it’s about time!) But as I age, I worry that I’ll be one of those on the fringe, reminiscing fondly about the days when I bought direct from the dealer, an unreliable cousin of the grower, who would never show up on time.

U.S. House Passes Joint to Senate

Allowing Myself Every Indulgence

About the author

Sista Smoke

Smoking weed is SistaSmoke's most well-developed hobby. Used to be, she would drive down the 280 freeway while grinding, packing and smoking a bowl - or roll her own from start to finish at 80mph. She’ll be the first to tell you, it's all in the knees. Sistasmoke is kind and generous with her weed but at the same time: discreet. You would only know she smokes if someone you had already smoked with had invited you to the party. Back in the day, SistaSmoke was shacked up with a dope grower, and medicinal weed had not yet been legalized, so she's used to being in the closet. SistaSmoke has a shrink who is encouraging her to feel less shame about her weed habit, because it is an important daily ritual and, well, she is in good company. After all, it's legal - to some degree either medically or recreationally, in all but South Dakota and Idaho. Many states are moving toward decriminalization, as well. Morning, noon and night, SistaSmoke is typically partaking. Before leaving the house, before getting in the shower, while waiting for the ferry, in preparation for a zoom call. SistaSmoke feels better when she is always toking, smoking, joking, higher spirits, invoking. Sistasmoke had a conversation with a coffee barista at the farmer's market a while back. Barista said that he'd been on a jury that dismissed the charges against a chronic weed smokin’ driver who'd been up for DUI. The jury felt that he'd proven his consumption habit was such that if his driving was erratic that day, it certainly wasn't because of his weed habit - er, that the weed did not adversely affect his driving. How To prove that one, Sistasmoke wondered aloud. Barista wasn't clear in his answer, or SistaSmoke couldn't retain it cause her short term memory is super short. SistaSmoke is working on changing the narrative of being an addict to staying open minded, staying in learning mode. Weed is a big enabler for SistaSmoke in that way, as in, oops! That was fun, oops, let's try again. Oops, this is gonna take practice, oops let's do it again. Laugh it off, don’t take it so seriously. Seriously. Lighten up. SistaSmoke wishes there weren’t such a stigma surrounding weed usage. Que the bong hits, Bill and Ted’s excellent adventure, Wayne’s world, half-baked, you name the Cheech and Chong mainstream reference. SistaSmoke is about to be fifty, years of age, that is. She is starting the second half of her life way too early but with a fire lit under her to make space in her brain for the new stuff by writing down all these other stories! Clear the way, empty it, dump it - get it on paper, or out in the ether, as it were. SistaSmoke likes talking about herself in the third person. SistaSmoke is tryna hone a voice, develop a style and a point of view, hence; this blog. Follow along and pipe in if you wanna. Lurk if that’s more your style, SistaSmoke doesn’t judge. Or, she tries not to at least. She’ll be the first to confess her shortcomings, so you don’t point them out. SistaSmoke collaborates with her brother, the multimedia-producer and holder of a Master of Arts in Interactive Journalism. He edits, inspires, promotes, maintains, and was the establisher of this blog to begin with. SistaSmoke is forever grateful for the tight bond between herself and her baby bro. SistaSmoke also writes another blog, (link) another another moniker. (link)