Long Strange Trip it’s Been
The NY Times Maureen Dowd decided to try out some marijuana edibles in Colorado, now that weed is legal there. What followed was more than a bit disturbing for her and a great yarn for the Times. So now she’s being taken to task for being so silly to sample edibles alone and to fail to educate herself first about the potential impact.
As any storyteller can tell you: If she’d had an easy go of it, she wouldn’t have much of a story. You have to have some drama to make for a good tale. And this was an entertaining read. Moreover, she’s like most recreational users. They probably don’t do their homework either, so they likely would make the same mistake. So lighten up critics. Journalists have been serving as guinea pigs for generations, and we’re all smarter for it.
As an aside, we have some friends who are vets in Southern California, where edibles are a hot-selling item at any medical marijuana dispensary. They tell us pets are some of the biggest victims of these treats, gobbling them up and then taking their own little mind-bending excursions, which can be life-threatening, especially if the treat is chocolate, a toxin for dogs. Children are vulnerable too, of course. But parents undoubtedly will be extraordinarily careful in how they store their edibles, while pet owners without children may not.
