Weed Diary: Quarantine Edition
Every wonder about the habits of people who consume cannabis? How often do people smoke weed? When do they use cannabis and how much? What are they consuming? We asked cannabis consumers to write about a day in their lives to see how, why and when they use weed.
Alex Lento, 20s, Los Angeles, CA.
Cannabis connoisseur Seth Rogan was quoted in a recent interview with the Hollywood Reporter saying that during his quarantine he has smoked a “truly ungodly amount of weed.” That’s honestly the best answer for when someone asks what I’ve been up to as well. There have been some great hikes, a few road trips, and some new recipes but the majority of my time has been spent watching ridiculous TV in the same sweats as yesterday with my bong in my lap.
If I’m honest, outside of all this I smoke pretty much through the day, every day. The daily routine used to be wake and bake with my coffee for the perfect slow jolt of energy the mix of caffeine and sativa gave me, while getting ready for my day of taking orders, making small talk, and overall being way more of a social butterfly than I actually am. Followed by coming home to shower and decompressing by smoking once again, making dinner and making plans for doing whatever else we used to do pre-quarantine. Finally, smoking again before bed to ensure a goodnights sleep and not to mention a few unscheduled tokes here and there; depending on the day. I do really enjoy being in the service industry and helping others, but at times it can be very draining, especially with difficult customers. I smoke to keep a positive outlook on life and to keep it pushing when times get tough.
This quarantine, stay at home order, lockdown or whatever you choose to call it has forced us all to make some sort of changes in the daily routine. For myself this means not currently working and finding new things to do each day to try to keep some sort of sanity and schedule. The routine I once thought to be monotonous I now find myself missing just a little bit. Each day seemed to have some purpose and now it can be hard to find that purpose, or to find a new one.
Not going to lie, at first, I was sort of excited for the quarantine. Some time to just chill and do nothing mandated by our crazy government? We all complain about our jobs and our routines and how there are just not enough hours in the day to get everything done. Now we have all the time we need to reorganize the closet, go through the fridge for the first time in 15 years, learn a new skill, or spend the quality time with our families. It took me about a month and half to realize I organized everything more than once and started to go a little stir crazy. Finally, some things out here in California are starting to open but most people including myself are a little cautious to get right back out there and are still adhering to social distance measures, staying in if possible and wearing masks. My daily routine, if we can call it that, is now something like; wake up at who knows what time, make some coffee and get ready for my day of finding new shows to watch on Hulu and Netflix, trying again at one of the million hobbies or crafts I decided to start and never finish, or if I’m up for it going a for a walk around the block. Meanwhile, smoking my bong. All day long. Lucky for me in Southern California, getting my buds or whatever else a quarantined stoner girl could need is still super easy. Edibles, waxes, oils, bath bombs, lotions, and tinctures are all great at a time like this when you want to experiment with how they affect you personally. Keep in mind the infused goodies have a longer lasting and different high that often take a little longer to kick in, so as with any form of marijuana, handle with care.
The original plan was to stock up pre-lockdown so I could avoid going out as much as possible, but who could be prepared for 3 months? I managed to stock enough for about the first month, however that was also my birthday month so treat yourself? My local shops are doing a good job and are still open and have amped-up the sanitation asking everyone to wear masks while the budtenders wear masks and gloves to handle your goods. They are also limiting the number of customers inside to adapt to social distancing measures. My favorite nearby dispensary gives the cutest pink containers for your flowers and is mostly female run so I always feel comfortable running in when I have to, plus it’s nice to see a familiar friendly face at a time like this. They also just started mobile ordering so you can order from an online menu to make pick up a lot quicker. A ton of west coast dispensaries have turned to delivery for the customers that don’t feel safe or motivated to leave the house just yet.
Here are a few tips I’ve given myself to try to slow the burn:
Try not to smoke until at least noon. This is easy for me most days because I sleep until about 10 a.m. anyway. Just give yourself a little bit of time to wake up naturally.
Find activities or something to do to make some sort of new routine and keep yourself busy. Painting, journaling, or doing puzzles are great indoor activities to try. Another benefit of being in southern California is the weather, so luckily, I am able to go for hikes and walks most days.
Put it away. I have the bad habit of packing my bong over and over again if I leave it on the table. Out of mind, out of sight.
Pack your grinder with what you think you’ll smoke that day and try not to go over that amount. This will also help you ration your goods.
Smoke with friends over zoom or skype. Smoking is most fun when it’s social so call up your stoner pals and pass to the left.
Just remember times are tough right now, go easy on yourself. You are not alone if you are feeling scared, worried, unmotivated, or just indifferent. I’ve had mostly good days in which I really enjoy the time off and can find joy in the small things. Some days I feel super motivated and productive, ready for this next chapter in my life. There are also bad days I don’t get out of pajamas. If I’m honest, the current state of things has me on a mental roller coaster of self-awareness and self-worth. It helps to think of this as the universe giving us time to reset and refresh. Try to use this time to your advantage and focus on the positive things. Weed for me, is a stress reliever so don’t feel bad if you end up smoking way more than anticipated or if the dispensary is the only place you’ve left your house to go. We will get through this and we will get back to some sort of new normal. Relax, roll a blunt, get some sun, take advantage of this time to be the ultimate stoner you always were deep down.