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In 2016 the state of Maine voted to legalize marijuana. While this would have been a dream come true in my teenage years, after giving it up 4 decades ago I can’t honestly say the decision has affected my life one iota today.
Other than the occasional chuckle while driving.
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Be still my adolescent heart.
I’m old enough to remember rolling my own blunts out of a Ziploc dime bag hidden in my locker…. now there are pot stores on every corner in every town. Seriously, tiny podunk villages that only have a gas station and a post office have marijuana distribution centers. It’s bizarre.
There are so many choices for legalized weed, the stores have to get creative with their advertising to attract customers. Like this place we passed the other day….
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That built a giant leafy Adirondack chair.
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And outlined it with Christmas lights.
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The chronic is alive and well in the state of Maine.
🥴
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It’s about time. We can get legal cannabis, like the stuff in your secret Santa gift, but not “Real marijuana”. Five bucks a gram is a good price for a pre-roll, about half what one might pay around here. The stuff in my pipe right now is really good and I got a Hell of a good deal on it, $100/oz. I know I never got a discount like that from the dude out behind Taco Bell. My friends at Hemp for Victory would really like the bench.
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Most of my friends who still smoke still buy it illegally, to which I have to ask…. why?
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Could be quality, could be price. The legal stuff is more expensive because of taxes, I imagine. Making the world a better place one bowl at a time.
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Saving money by risking the additives in street pot is not a good enough reason for me. The poisons they add to street pot can literally blow your mind — forever! Which is one reason it is legalized in the first place. The taxes though are the biggest reaaon.
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It’s so funny to see this being the case across the country. I think vaping shops are the only growing business in dying small towns. My fav shop name is one I saw in Alaska: Dankorage.
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Some of them are pretty clever.
Which could be its own blog post…
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We have two vape shops in one small plaza.
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It’s been legal in Illinois for about five years now, and I still can not stand the smell of it. And I like a lot of scents that would make people wrinkle up their noses, but pot just flat out reeks. And that’s all Mecca smells like anymore… including after hours.
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Illinois keeps finding ways to get Wisconsin folks to cross the border. When I was a kid there was a booming trade in margarine in South Beloit.
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I’ve lost track of the number of trips we’ve made to South Beloit since moving here!
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I left you a photo message last week: https://halffastcyclingclub.wordpress.com/2025/01/18/sense/
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Opposite here in the St. Louis area where everyone crosses the border into Missouri for gas and smokes since our taxes for both are way higher. Not sure how the weed compares since that’s not my bag (pun intended). Missouri people do come here to play bingo since our laws allow for higher jackpots…
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I never used to mind the smell, but after so many years away from it I tend to agree..
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It doesn’t smell the same as years ago.the THC content is so much higher now. It used to be sweet and inoffensive. Now it’s as bad as stale tobacco.
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Well, in Texas CBD is legal, but recreational marijuana isn’t. Go figure, although working in New Mexico for two and a half years it was everywhere. Maybe if you took some once in a while it would help with your knee pain…lol.
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I tried gummies for my knee. Didn’t touch it…
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I mean smoked an actual joint for your knee pain, it could make lessen the pain. CBD gummies are good for sleep for me.
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Maybe. But I’d have to divorce the husband before I lit up…
😉
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Is he against recreational drug use? If so, then you shouldn’t.
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He’s always been dead set against drugs. He went to Woodstock… and left, remember?
😫
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Yes, I remember 🫤
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It was the dense clouds of pot smoke that turned him off.
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That was his choice. I would have loved to be there, but where I lived it was over before we heard it was even happening!
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I think I was 5 when it took place. A trifle young… but yes. I would have loved to have gone as well.
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Your description of “tiny podunk villages” reminds me of how we define a small town in Wisconsin – one intersection with three bars and a Lutheran church.
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In Maine, it’s one bar and one church. We’re equal opportunity sinners…
😉
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But we can drink you under the table…well, not me personally – I don’t think I could keep up with you. But it shows that we are more sectarian in our bars than in our churches. Or that more of us go to the bar than to church.
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The bars have better wine. I don’t blame you…
🍷
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Wisconsin really needs to get on board with this already. We’re losing revenue to all our surrounding neighbors.
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It amazes me that all these places can stay in business. I mean hell, how many stoners can there be…?
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You’d be surprised.
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We’ve had dispensaries around here for ages, but it’s all locally regulated–so only some cities allow them. Most of the shops are on the borders of various cities. Not nearly as creative signage, that’s for sure.
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They’re everywhere here. And more popping up everyday.
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There were so many stores in Edmonton after it was legalized in Canada half of them went out of business because the farmers could not keep up with the demand.
But I would eather people smoke weed than drink alcohol. It seldom leads to family violence, and as a retired addictions counsellor there was far too much family violence caused by alcohol addiction!
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I believe they define this as stagnant progress. Let’s make it legal to fry brains from an early age. Here is the issue: The libs will not stop here. They will move on to the next “let’s make this legal” revolution. Cocaine, maybe?
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I hope not.
Though the state governments don’t complain about the extra revenue. When it comes down to it, money trumps all.
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My dad grew pot in our cornfield when I was growing up. I was so embarrassed. Then it grew taller than the corn and somebody stole it.
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The price you pay for being a good gardener…
🤣
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To each his own, but I find them to be as tacky as the corner liquor stores with all the flashy signs and advertisements.
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