Original publication: August 2016.
How Dylan Turned On the Beatles
In his new book How to Smoke Pot (Properly), marijuana journalist David Bienenstock provides a valuable “headiquette” lesson outlining the dos and don’ts of getting someone high for the first time. In the following excerpt, Bienenstock examines how some of the 20th century’s most Influential artists first got stoned.
Even the great and exalted Bob Marley once smoked ganja for the first time. And he probably asked a bunch of dumb questions and coughed too much throughout. So if you’re ever called upon to help guide an uninitiated friend or relative into the wonderful world of herbal delights, you must strive to remain exceedingly patient, kind and accommodating throughout the proceedings—no matter what. Remember: “Doob unto others.” Also, make sure your friend’s potentially auspicious first puff takes place in a comfortable, safe, familiar setting, ideally among a small group of close friends. And don’t ever let things get overly uptight or, conversely, totally freaked-out—not for the initiate, or for you.
After all, getting someone high for the first time is both a great privilege and a serious responsibility, not to mention an excellent opportunity to recall the heady feeling of your own early days in the herb game. So rather than coming on as some kind of guru or guide, just relax, let nature run its course, and try to recapture a bit of your own “beginner’s mind” when it comes to marijuana. If you can achieve that exalted plane, you just might end up having a transcendent journey of your own.
“It’s my experience that to smoke marijuana for the first time is to explore the limits of hilarity, only to find that there are no limits,” famed music journalist Al …
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Author: High Times Vault / High Times
