Dear Stoner: Will Pot Be on the Ballot in November?

Dear Stoner: Does the pot-smoking measure have a chance in November? What will it do?
Hopeful

Dear Hopeful: Although “Responsible Use Denver” — the NORML proposal to allow licensing for private marijuana clubs and special events — fell short of the 4,726 valid signatures needed to make the ballot, the Neighborhood Supported Cannabis Consumption Pilot Program submitted more than 10,000, which gives you an idea of its popularity. If passed, the measure would allow regular businesses to have private pot-consumption areas. First, though, a business would have to apply to its presiding neighborhood or local business organization and work out a good-neighbor plan, just as bars have done in some areas. (Remember, Amendment 64 was sold as treating pot like alcohol.)

But there’s no guarantee that Denver voters will pass this. A Denver Post poll in July asked readers if they preferred private consumption areas in local businesses, private pot clubs made specifically for toking, or neither. With nearly 2,000 votes, the “neither” category came in first, with 43.41 percent, followed by private clubs, at 33.83 percent, and consumption areas, which got the nod from only 22.76 percent of voters. I would like to smoke a bowl at my favorite pizza joint while I wait for a slice, but it looks like I’m in the minority on this one. Still, if most of those who prefer private clubs decide that something is better than nothing, the poll indicates that the Cannabis Consumption Pilot Program would pass.

Dear Stoner: I’m a patient in Florida, and MMJ seems to do wonders for me. Florida is so humid; is there a strain that’s resistant to mold and mites?
Scott

Dear Scott: If there’s one thing marijuana hates more than anti-pot activists, it’s bugs. I’ve seen aphids, spider mites and thrips destroy a good crop in both indoor and outdoor grows; ditto for powdery mildew and mold. I don’t even want to know how big the bugs get in sweaty-ass Florida, but some strains are more accepting of its climate than others.

White Widow is a popular strain among Florida growers and tokers alike. The hybrid is tougher against pests and disease than your average strain, and easier to maintain, too; cut it down in October if you’re growing outdoors. The Church (or Church OG) is also known for its mold- and pest-fighting power, and its lineage (OG Kush and God’s Gift) provides for some heavy THC levels. Anything with classic Skunk genetics is usually a tough sonuvabitch against the weather, too — which is probably why it’s so popular with the outdoor crowd.

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