Dear Stoner: What is the cheapest place to get a medical marijuana recommendation? I've got all my paperwork, and I'm disabled.
Malcolm
Dear Malcolm: This is one of the most-asked questions on our Westword potline, and the answer is: I don't know, because I see the same doc I've been seeing for years now about my stomach issues. I'm also not really into suggesting doctors based on who is cheapest. If you've got every reason to get a medical marijuana card and no doctor in Colorado would turn you down for a recommendation, I would suggest flipping through the back of this very newspaper and calling some of the clinics that advertise. Try explaining your financial situation to them. I would think at least one has a program for low-income patients. Otherwise, you can expect to pay around $50 or $60 for a reasonable first-time doctor's visit, which really isn't much — about the cost of a quarter-ounce of pot from an MMJ dispensary. You could be paying double that plus tax if you rely on retail sales right now. The good news is that the state medical marijuana registry card fees have dropped to $15 annually.
Dear Stoner: How can I recognize mold on my buds?
Little Buddy
Dear Buddy: Mold isn't always the easiest thing to spot, but there are some things you can look for and sniff out. First, your olfactory system is a really advanced instrument, and when things smell putrid, moldy or rotten, they usually are. The smell of mold is close to that of rotting leaves, but the easiest way to describe it is that it's just wrong. Think of a mildewed sponge. You don't need to see mildew or even know what it is to recognize its musty smell. The same is true for herb. Yes, good herb can smell really funky these days, but it should still smell fresh. Look for a grouping of white fuzz, which can be tricky to an untrained eye when the bud is coated in silvery trichomes (the "crystals") — but trichomes don't bunch together like mold does, and mold generally has a more creamy-yellow color than trichs tend to have. On buds, it's usually easiest to spot on the sides of the little teardrop-shaped pieces that make up the bulk of the flower (those are called calyxes, by the way), but it is easier to spot on the small fan leaves with fewer trichomes, where mold stands out. And if you find moldy pot, say something. Tell your caregiver or call the shop where you bought the herb; if they don't remedy it for you, find a new source.
