Cannabis has only been available from your local Denver weed shop since the 2012 passage of Colorado Amendment 64, but marijuana has been used around the world for many ages. Its use originated thousands of years ago in Asia before finding its way across the globe and eventually to the Americas, including the United States. It was primarily used for medicinal and spiritual reasons, with there being records of the Vikings using it for pain relief. The idea that marijuana is a dangerous drug is fairly recent, and cannabis has been legal across the world in many locations.

Where Pot First Came From

Cannabis sativa, known as marijuana, has psychoactive properties, and Cannabis sativa L is the subspecies known as hemp and which does not have psychoactive properties. Cannabis plants are believed to have first been grown on the steppes of Central Asia in Mongolia and southern Siberia, going back some 12,000 years. Archeologists have unearthed burned cannabis seeds in Siberia dating back to 3,000 B.C. They also discovered large quantities of mummified psychoactive marijuana in China and Siberia.

Historians talk of both hemp and psychoactive marijuana being used in China medicinally, going back to 4000 B.C. Coastal Chinese farmers brought pot to Korea around 2000 B.C. Around the same time, marijuana also become widely used in India. 

Experts believe cannabis came to the Middle East between 2000 B.C. and 1400 B.C. Germanic tribes are credited with bringing the plant into Germany, and marijuana went from there to Britain during the 5th century, around the same time as the Anglo-Saxon invasions. Later, cannabis moved to other parts of the world, including Africa and South America during the 19th century. (To find out more about how marijuana spread across the world, take a look at the map in this article: Trail Blazing—Cannabis Footprints Around the World.)

Cannabis in the United States

At the beginning of the 20th century, marijuana finally reached the United States by way of Mexico. Many of the negative opinions of pot at the time were thinly veiled racists fears of those who smoked it. Marijuana become connected to crimes, further promulgating the negativity surrounding this plant. American laws never differentiated between Cannabis sativa L. and Cannabis sativa. Utah was the first state to outlaw the plant in 1915, and by 1931 it was illegal in 29 more states.

It wasn’t until 1973 that cannabis laws became more liberal, with Oregon being the first state to decriminalize the plant. California was the first state to make legal the use of cannabis for medicinal purposes, which created a trend that was soon adopted by the majority of states. Both Washington and Colorado were the first states to make legal the recreational use of cannabis.

Find Your Recreational Marijuana at Altitude the Dispensary

Get your favorite recreational marijuana at our Denver weed shop locations in Aurora, East Denver, or West Denver. Our budtenders are ready to help you pick the best strain for your desired results. Find out more about our current specials by giving us a call today! 

Colorado is truly one of the best places to call home. Marijuana has been legal for years now and, if you’re like most people, you still enjoy buying most of your cannabis products from your favorite weed shops in Denver. That doesn’t mean you can’t or shouldn’t break out and try something new like growing your favorite strain at home. If you’re thinking of growing cannabis this year just to see what it’s like, there are a few things you need to consider before you start your grow op. 

Make Sure You Can Grow It

Though cannabis is legal and you’re allowed to grow up to six plants per resident over the age of 21, you may not be able to grow it in your home. If you rent an apartment or house from a landlord, your lease likely contains provisions against home grow ops. Read up on your lease agreement and see what it says. If you’re allowed to grow a set number of plants, you’re in good shape. But if the lease agreement bans growing cannabis or doesn’t include express permission in the lease agreement, it’s best to stick to buying weed from your favorite dispensary. The last thing you want to do is get evicted just because you wanted to try your hand at growing weed.

You’ll Need the Right Equipment

Growing cannabis isn’t like growing flowers in your window.  You need to have the right equipment on hand to make the plants happy and ensure that they produce the bud you want. This means you’ll need to invest in grow lights, starter kits, better thermostats to control the temperature in your growing spot, and a way to secure the plants to keep anyone under 21 from accessing them. If you don’t have tons of space or funds to invest into the project, you’ll likely find it cheaper and easier to continue buying cannabis from dispensaries.

You Can’t Sell It

If you’re thinking of growing cannabis as a way to make a little extra cash on the side, think again. It’s illegal to sell the cannabis you produce out of your home without a license. And securing that license takes time, money, and patience. Without the license, you risk getting charged with a misdemeanor or even a felony depending on the amount of cannabis you’re trying to sell. You’d be better off selling smoking accessories to boost your income. That said, you can give the cannabis you grow away to people over the age of 21 without issue. You just can’t accept anything in return for the cannabis.

Keep These Things in Mind

If you’re thinking of growing cannabis at home, make sure to consider these key things before you start looking for starter plants. If at any point you think that growing cannabis might get you in trouble or could put too much strain on your budget, stop. You can always head to your local Altitude the Dispensary and pick up fresh, locally produced cannabis products without breaking the bank. 

When it comes to edibles, there are tons of delicious options to choose from. Sure, chocolates are great, and tinctures are convenient, but it’s the gummies that are some of the most popular edibles on the market. If you’ve never tried one, you’re likely wondering why. After all, what’s so great about gummy candies when you could settle for some high-quality bud? The truth is, gummies have a lot going for them. Here’s why they’re so popular at the best weed shops in Denver.

They Come in Dozens of Flavors

When you think of gummy candies, you probably think of the same tired flavors that you’d find in the grocery store. Cannabis-infused gummies take those flavors and expand on them. You’re able to choose dozens of different flavors and styles with ease. If you hate cherry but love sour peach rings, choose a peach-flavored gummy with sour sprinkles. If you love all things berry, pick up a berry-flavored gummy. You won’t have to settle for boring or indistinguishable flavors like the ones you’d find in the standard pack of gummy bears.

They Pack a Punch

Gummies come in different concentrations, but most of them pack quite the punch. And something about them leaves people feeling the buzz a bit faster than other edibles. A little goes a long way. This means you’ll be able to enjoy your high without having to down the entire container. Just think of the money you’ll save when replenishing your stash! 

They Last for a Long Time

Gummies can go stale, but it takes a long time unlike other edibles. Chocolate melts and becomes unusable. Baked goods mold or go rock-hard in a matter of days. But gummies…they can last for months as long as you keep them in their container and in a dark, cool spot. Even if you forget about your gummy stash for a week or two, you’ll still be able to eat them without breaking a tooth. That means you’ll waste less money on your products in the long run.

You Can Control the Dosage

If you’ve ever experienced a white-out, you know that controlling your dosage is essential to enjoying your high. Unfortunately, it’s notoriously difficult to control how much cannabis you indulge in when you’re drinking a cannabis-infused beverage or smoking a joint or bowl. Gummies make it easy. The labels clearly indicate how much THC is in each gummy so you can control your dosage as needed. Even better, they don’t smell like weed, making it easy to be subtle about your cannabis use in front of others.

Try Some Gummies the Next Time You Stop By

If you’re looking for a simple way to breathe new life into your cannabis routine without having to spend hundreds of dollars on a new smoking setup, gummies will do the trick. Stop by one of our convenient locations today and pick up a few great flavors for yourself. When you do, you’ll be able to see the benefits of gummy edibles first-hand. 

As marijuana for recreational use becomes legal in more locations, more and more athletes are opening up about their use of weed. In this article, your local Denver weed shop takes a look at how marijuana can actually help long-distance runners improve their performance.

Athletes and Marijuana

Athletes of all sports, including professional hockey players and elite distance runners, have been talking about the benefits of marijuana for a while. Many find that weed can alleviate pain and improve focus, giving them a competitive edge over other athletes. Although doctors are reluctant to suggest marijuana as a performance enhancement, athletes disagree—especially long-distance runners.

Runners and Marijuana

Steamboat Springs, Colorado, runner Avery Collins is perhaps one of the best-known ultra-runner who consider cannabis an essential part of his training. He believes cannabis is a safer alternative to hard drugs and alcohol, and it is an essential part of his 140-miles-per-week training regimen. (Find out more about how Collins incorporates weed into his training in this article from Sports in the Age of Cannabis: Cannabis If Fueling One of the Best Runners in America.)

Runners and other athletes are finding the marijuana helps for the following:

Pain relief. Cannabis has pain-relieving properties, which might contribute to athletes being able to train harder and longer. Its mind-altering effects can also help runners get past the mental strain of long runs.
Recovery. Cannabidiol, known commonly as CBD, has therapeutic qualities that can contribute to recovery. For runners, this usually means relieving post-workout inflammation, reducing muscle strain, and helping with dehydration after long runs. Some athletes prefer using CBD oil rather than over-the-counter drugs when it comes to relieving symptoms. 

Mental clarity and focus. Different strains of cannabis have different effects on the individual, but some strains have been shown to increase sensory awareness. This focus can help runners get through workouts with fewer distractions. Some runners recommend an edible in the middle of a long run to help find a good running rhythm.
Although there hasn’t been a lot of research on how marijuana might be able to improve athletic performance, and specifically running, plenty of people swear by it. Many find that energetic strains of cannabis provide a pre-run “pick-me-up.” Some prefer to use a vaporizer rather than smoking a joint, which can be harsh on the lungs. They claim a vaporizer offers a much smoother, more pleasant experience. 

If you are a runner and interested in trying marijuana to enhance your performance, it’s crucial to remember that THC-dominant strains are more likely to cause sleepiness and a foggy head. High CBD strains contain less TCH, so they provide a gentler high, which is better for having a clear head.

Visit Your Favorite Denver Weed Shop: Altitude the Dispensary

If you are a runner, find out how marijuana can influence—and improve—your performance. Stop by our Denver weed shop to find out the best pot for your needs. At Altitude the Dispensary, we can provide you with the strains, edibles, extracts, and other products you need,and our knowledgeable budtenders are always happy to help. Stop at one of our three Denver locations today!

When it comes to choosing the best cannabis products, you have dozens of options, but most fall under three categories: smokables, topicals, and edibles. Though smoking is the most popular way to enjoy weed from your favorite dispensaries in Denver, edibles are quickly becoming a close second. However, if you’ve ever used an edible before, you know that it can take hours before you start to feel any kind of effects. This leaves many people wondering what they can do to speed things up. Here are a few tips to help.

Use Tinctures

Some edibles simply work faster than others and the fastest option is, hands down, tinctures. When you take a tincture, place the dropper full of liquid cannabis beneath your tongue. This will allow the cannabis to get absorbed by the soft tissues in your mouth in a matter of minutes. You’ll start to feel the effects faster than you would by placing the tincture on your tongue or swallowing it. When you do so, it has to pass through the intestinal tract which, depending on your metabolism, can take a few hours. 

Drink Some Caffeine

Since digesting cannabis and feeling that buzz you’re looking for depends on your metabolism, it stands to reason that boosting your metabolism will help you get high faster. The easiest way to do that quickly is to drink caffeine before you eat your edibles. This can be anything from green or black tea to coffee. Just make sure to avoid loading it up with sugar—if you’re eating edibles, chances are that they’re full of sugar and that sugar rush won’t actually help you boost your metabolism.

Get in Shape

Though caffeine will help you boost your metabolism in the short term, you can see long-term results and shorten your waiting period for that buzz from edibles by getting in better shape. When you’re working out regularly, your body’s metabolism speeds up. You don’t have to go crazy here—just start walking at a brisk pace around the block in the evenings or run in place during commercial breaks when you’re watching TV. As your fitness improves, you’ll likely start to feel high from edibles faster. 

Just Be Patient

Though these tips will help you shorten the time that it takes edibles to kick in, they’re not enough to make the experience similar to smoking. You’ll still need to wait for the cannabis to reach your receptors and leave you feeling great. Rather than trying to rush things actively, be patient. Let the cannabis soak in on its own and enjoy the high when it hits. When you’re not rushing it, you’ll be able to enjoy the nuances of the feelings those particular edibles evoke. 

Ready to Try Some New Edibles?

If you’re ready to try some new edibles so you can see if these tips really do help, stop by one of our three convenient Denver-area locations today. Our experienced budtenders will help you find the perfect products for your personal tastes.