The Ten Most Popular Ask a Stoner Questions of 2016

You send us your questions, and every week our resident stoner answers them. He's told you everything from how to pass a drug test to where you can stash pot at concerts. We've rounded up the ten most popular Ask a Stoner questions of 2016 (most of them from this year, but a few greatest hits), with links to the original columns and summaries. Keep those questions coming in the new year to [email protected].

1. What is hash, exactly?

Next time you get a good look at a bud, check out the white-to-amber crystals coating the flower itself. Those are called trichomes, and they contain most of the THC and other cannabinoids that get you buzzed. Separating those glands (aka kief) from the plant material and condensing them is how you make hash — which is much more potent by weight than cannabis flowers.

2. What's the best way to clean a gnarly bong?

There are tons of products you can buy at head shops these days, but why spend $5 on a tiny bottle when a $.99 jug of rubbing alcohol and some table salt will work equally well at remedying a stinky binger or putrid pipe? It's as simple as filling your piece with a few tablespoons of salt, pouring in a half-cup of alcohol, and swishing everything around.

3. Why do my eyes get red?

Ah, the classic telltale sign that someone has just finished a doobie or a nice bong load: red-eye. What really causes red-eye is pressure. Specifically, marijuana causes the inner-eye pressure to decrease after use. When the pressure drops in your eye, the small blood vessels have room to expand, causing you to look like you just lost a battle with allergies.

4. How do I find weed when I'm out of town?

There are some websites devoted to this, notably WeBeHigh.org, that list of common toker hot spots for cities across the U.S. and around the world. But from my experience, the places they send you to are the equivalent of sending someone to the open-air drug market of Civic Center Park in Denver. When I don't know someone in the town I'm in, I head straight for the hotel bellmen. Yes, they may look square with their tight haircuts, button-downs and ties — but without fail, they are all stoners or have roommates who are stoners. Just tell them that while you don't mean to be too up front about it, it's legal where you come from and you just want some herbal help to enjoy their fine city.

5. Why do bubblers create a stronger high than pipes?

Believe it or not, along with the tars and other chemicals the water might be absorbing, it's also removing some of the THC and other cannabinoids from your hit. In fact, you're better off smoking a sticky, fat joint. A NORML study conducted a dozen or so years ago in California showed that a bong actually has a higher tar-to-THC ratio in its smoke than even a joint does.

Keep reading for more questions.

6. Where to buy seeds and clones in Denver?

You can pick up beans from Reserva Privada Colorado at the Clinic, as well as Rare Dankness seeds at River Rock and Medicine Man. Those two companies have won numerous awards in recent years. The LivWell on Broadway and 3-D are also advertising some cool Flo crosses.

7. Will Trump destroy legal weed?

Donald Trump said a lot of things during his candidacy, but vowing to destroy legal marijuana was not one of them. Although he’s not as hip to the plant as our man Bernie was, I’d be surprised if President Donny tried to burn such a cash crop to the ground, especially with that golden goose California legalizing it recreationally in the same election.

8. What do I do with my leftover stems?

Here's how to get something out of what most stoners toss away: edible alcohol tincture. The process is about as old-school and simple as it gets, requiring a glass Mason jar, bud (or stems, in your case) and a bottle of wicked-strong grain alcohol. The most popular option is Everclear, which runs about 95 percent alcohol by volume.

9. Can Kaiser drug-test its patients?

If the doctor prescribing your opioids is the one who signed off on your medical card, then you can probably still puff away the pain while blissfully popping pills. We've got a copy of the Opioid Treatment Agreement for Chronic Pain form from Kaiser, and the agreement says you can't use medical marijuana unless it has been authorized by Kaiser.

10. Will TSA find my edibles?

Read the entire columns on Ask a Stoner.