Don't Smoke Pot, Eat It!

I used to live above neighbors that liked to get high. The smoke would rise through the pipes and fill my bathroom. Marijuana being an addictive substance that interferes with the integration of sensory information, merely explaining the problem was ineffective. A healthier and more considerate way to experience the drug would be in the form of a smoke-free baked good.

Cannabutter can be used in place of the fatty ingredient in, for some examples, cookies, brownies and bread. It offers a longer-lasting high without the damage that smoke causes to the respiratory system. The digestive system easily processes cannabutter with no known harmful effects (beyond the disruption of memory and coordination that is interpreted as a high). The chemicals are in a more concentrated form, and it is easier to take too much, so it is important not to have any responsibilities the day you are having your cannabutter treat.

Some recipes for cannabutter call for an ounce of pot per pound of butter (four sticks) and others per one-half pound (two sticks), so there is room for experimentation. Some stoner chefs use just the buds and some include the stems. Some grind the plant and some use whole pieces. The process is fairly simple: Just heat some water, add the butter and let it melt, add the cannabis and let simmer about a day. Some recipes allow for longer cooking time, but others claim this will make a bitter butter. In this process, the psychoactive substances such as THC are binding with the fatty molecules of the butter. You can tell when it is done by the glossy look of the concoction's surface. Then you remove the plant material with a strainer or cheesecloth and discard. Let the fat float to the surface, then discard the water. The green butter can be kept in the refrigerator and used just like its unaffected yellow version.

Some safety tips: Keep cannabutter treats far away from children! (And I mean far away, under lock and key.) Don't drive while the treats are in your system. Marijuana stimulates appetite; if you get "the munchies", reach for a non-cannabis snack, or else you'll be high for the rest of your life! Use caution during preparation-Hot water hurts! And don't let the cops catch you.

Marijuana is illegal, though it is less harmful and less addicting than cigarettes, alcohol or even coffee. If you are going to do it, cannabutter offers a way to be discrete. It won't advertise its fragrance, cause lung cancer, bronchitis or emphysema, ruin your complexion, or annoy your upstairs neighbors.