I’m gonna let you guys in on a little secret…

Gabby and I like marijuana. Yep, we like it a lot and we’re not ashamed to admit it! Unfortunately, this makes us criminals in many states, and we think that’s pretty sad. If you’re still reading, that probably means that you’ve also enjoyed a bit of cannabis at some point in your life and wondered along with the rest of us what it would be like to live in a place where you don’t have to worry about facing a harsh prison sentence for responsibly enjoying a joint, or two. Am I right? Sadly, only 4 states (Colorado, Washington, Alaska, and Oregon) have legalized the recreational use of marijuana leaving most of us living under the unnecessary prohibition of a beautiful plant.

In 2014 we spent a winter in the Rockies learning exactly what John Denver was singing about all those years ago. Out of the four states that have legalized the recreational use of cannabis, Colorado is truly the marijuana mecca of North America. We knew that moving to a legal state would be an experience, but we had no idea just how great life would be post-prohibition. Here are the 10 best things about living in a legalized state!

#1 No more buying dope from sketchy drug dealers

Back in New York, buying weed most often meant constructing an awkwardly coded message to a drug dealer, parking on sketch streets, and meeting up with sketch people. Under prohibition, you actually have to meet up with a criminal to get some marijuana. In Colorado, you simply walk into the nearest local pot store, present your ID, then proceed to drool on the counter for a few minutes before making a selection. To be fair, not all weed dealers are bad people…many of my closest friends have sold me weed at one time or another. That’s not the point, though…not everyone has a best friend who just happens to sell weed. Don’t forget, you have to know a guy (or girl), and many people simply have no clue where to begin to look.

#2 No more panic while driving in possession

The drives home from my drug dealer’s house were some of the scariest drives of my life. I was so paranoid about being pulled over with a bag of weed in my car, being searched, then watching as my life got flushed down the toilet while I rotted away in the prison system…ok maybe I’m exaggerating a little…but only a little. In Colorado you can legally drive around with marijuana in your car as long as it’s in a sealed container out of reach of the driver. And no dirty pipes!

#3 You’re free to smoke at home without fear of neighbors

In Colorado you never have to worry about your neighbors turning you in for smoking some ganja. More than likely, they’re smoking it in their place too. Open up the door and let the smell drift out a bit, you might make a new friend!

#4 Marijuana culture is free to bloom

Since the legalization of marijuana in Colorado, the stoner culture has come out into the open. There are marijuana apps like Leafly or MassRoots for your smart phone, tons of new marijuana related products, and best of all people aren’t afraid to be open about marijuana use. It’s just normal. Be who you want to be!

#5 Get some recommendations!

Maybe you don’t know the difference between Indica or Sativa. Trust the girl who has tried them all…your budtender. You can pretty much bet she’s got the experience to send your high in whatever direction you want. Maybe you’re looking to sink so far into the couch you can barely see the Cheech and Chong movie you’re watching, or maybe you’re looking for something to open up your brain for your day on the slopes. Whatever high you’re chasing, your budtender will know what your best choices are in the price range you’re looking for, just ask.

Photo courtesy of Alpenglow Botanicals

#6 Variety

When I lived in New York I never really had many options as to which kind of weed I bought. Sure, I knew who had the good stuff, but even she rarely had more than 2 choices. When I moved to Colorado it was often impossible to make choices simply because there were SO MANY options to choose from. Purple Kush, Master Kush, Sour Diesel, Silver Haze, Lemon Haze, Trainwreck, LSD (sorry, it’s not laced with acid), Bruce Banner, Casey Jones, Ak-47, Hindu Kush, Jedi Kush, or even Kosher Kush (which is blessed by a rabbi). I never walked into a pot shop that had less than 8 different strains to choose from. Whether you like Indica, Sativa, or hybrid you’ll definitely find something you like.

#7 Quality

I didn’t know. I thought I knew, but I didn’t. It might be something to do with the altitude, but seriously, take it easy…this shit’s strong.

#8 All the amazing edibles, concentrates, drinks, topicals, etc.

The legalization of cannabis and cannabis products has allowed for the development of some amazing things. There’s a lot more than just smoking the flowers these days. If you don’t like the taste of pot smoke, or simply hate to cough, Colorado pot shops offer a wide variety of edible marijuana products you can enjoy. Whether you prefer sour patch kids, hard candies, brownies, cookies, or even beverages, you’re bound to find a pleasurable way to consume some THC. Also, since the increase in popularity of high CBD strains of cannabis, topical CBD creams (which are great for pain relief) have begun to take off as well. Last but not least, there’s dabs for days. Colorado’s concentrates will blast you to heights you’ve only imagined.

Yummy shatter! Photo courtesy of Alpenglow Botanicals

#9 Grow your own

I know I’ve thought long and hard about how to grow my own supply, haven’t you? In Colorado you can legally grow up to six cannabis plants per adult, with a household max of 12 plants. Gone are the days of constructing custom closet boxes to keep your stash secret, no more stress. Got an extra room in your house? Now it’s your garden.

#10 Convenience

Let’s be honest… drug dealer’s aren’t always the easiest people in the world to get ahold of. Most of them have real jobs aside from selling weed, and often times they can’t meet up exactly when you need them to…so you wait. In Colorado, or any of the other legalized states, you don’t have to wait! You just march right down to the store and conduct your business like an adult. Doesn’t that sound nice?

Living in a state with legalized cannabis allows you to smoke up stress free. You don’t have to be worried about getting arrested at your drug dealer’s house. You can drive home stress free, walk into your home and fire up your bong (or torch!), all without a single worry. It’s not a perfect world out there, but we think it’s a lot nicer being free to enjoy our beloved cannabis responsibly. Hopefully one day, we can celebrate the freedom to enjoy cannabis everywhere, in every state and every country in the world. Until that day, you can always get that rocky mountain high in beautiful Colorado!

Photo courtesy of Alpenglow Botanicals

Some of the photos in this post have been provided courtesy of our favorite local dispensary, Alpenglow Botanicals. With great prices and 2 convenient locations in Dillon and Breckenridge, Alpenglow has everything you need to make your trip to Colorado a success! Remember to toke responsibly!