Westword, 27 Jun 2013 – Dear Stoner: Why does my weed sometimes smell like pine trees, other times like oranges, and other times like hay? Sniff Test Dear Sniff: I’m going to get a little cosmic here. The cannabis plant actually has elements of other plants and living organisms in it called terpenes. Okay, all living beings produce them. They’re basically tiny molecules of smell and flavor and are what make up things like essential oils and resins. That orange smell? Limonene, which is also found in actual oranges. The pine-tree odor is probably from delta-3-carene, which is also found in cedar and pine sap. And the same calming linolool found in lavender oil is found in Lavender Kush.

Westword, 20 Jun 2013 – Dear Stoner: I’m flying to a bunch of weddings this summer. What’s the best way to get weed when I’m out of town? Wedding Crasher Dear Crasher: There are some websites devoted to this, notably WeBeHigh.org, that list 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.

Westword, 13 Jun 2013 – Dear Stoner: Is there actually a strain known as Polio Pot? A friend was telling me that she’d smoked some and it paralyzed her legs for a while – hence the name. But I’m not sure I buy it – and if it does exist, I don’t think I’ll be buying any Polio Pot. Apprehensive in Arvada

Westword, 06 Jun 2013 – Dear Stoner: I know smoking them is a headache waiting to happen, but what should I do with the crystal-covered stems left over from my buds? I hate the idea of throwing away good THC. Scrooge McDank Dear Scrooge: Strangely, you’re not alone in your miserly ways. Up until just a few years ago, a good friend always kept a jar with him specifically to save stems to later make hash with. It was a futile effort, and I still don’t know why he did it. But there is something you can make to get the most out of what most stoners toss away: edible alcohol tincture.

Westword, 30 May 2013 – Dear Stoner: I enjoy smoking herb at concerts, but I’m a germophobe and hate sharing bowls with strangers nearby who ask for a hit. Is it totally un-stoner to puff and not pass? Rolling Stoned Dear RS: While classic stoner etiquette would tell you otherwise, I think it’s totally fine to bogart your stash at a concert within reason – and not getting sick from some shirtless Wookiee at Red Rocks is certainly reasonable. When they ask for a hit, you can try the "Oh, the bowl just kicked" method. It usually works. The downside to that approach is when they say, "That’s okay, man, I’ll pack it up. I just need a piece." Then you have to deal with their germs and them likely packing pocket bowls complete with lint balls.

Westword, 23 May 2013 – Dear Stoner: I recently read some quote from Thomas Jefferson about smoking bowls on his patio. Did our Founding Fathers actually smoke the hemp they were growing? History Buff Dear Buff: The quote that is falsely attributed to T.J. – "Some of my finest hours have been spent on my back veranda, smoking hemp and observing as far as my eye can see" – actually can’t be sourced anywhere in any of his writings, all of which are extensively documented. Yes, Washington and pretty much every other Founding Father, including Andrew Jackson, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison and Franklin Pierce, grew it. But that doesn’t mean they smoked it.

Westword, 16 May 2013 – Dear Stoner: With the recent passing of the five-nanogram driving limit for THC, I’m worried that even while sober, as a regular smoker I’ll technically be over the limit. Should I sell my car and resign myself to public transportation? Dear Sixteen: The new five-nanogram law is unscientific bullshit. And, yes, it could very easily lead to someone getting a pot DUI who doesn’t deserve it; there are some major problems with the measure that need to be addressed. But I don’t know what’s more dangerous: taking the Colfax bus daily or risking a DUI like you’ve been risking your whole stoner life when you’ve driven with any THC in your system.

Westword, 02 May 2013 – Dear Stoner: What are these "clones" I see advertised?Are people really cloning marijuana plants like that sheep in Scotland? Dolly Lama Dear Dolly: We’re actually amassing an army of tiny clone warriors, not unlike in Star Wars – only we’re doing it with cannabis plants.The whole peaceful-revolution thing isn’t working out, and we’ve collectively watched a lot of Empire Strikes Back – so it just made sense. Actually, that’s not far from the truth.[Mind is blown!]

Westword, 28 Mar 2013 – Dear Stoner: I went to my friend’s house who is growing now and asked to see his plants. He said they were "sleeping," and I wasn’t allowed in the room. Has he just smoked so much that he thinks his plants sleep? Non Toker

Westword, 21 Mar 2013 – Dear Stoner: I’ve never tried marijuana, but lately my pot-smoking brother-in-law has been hanging out at our house with his stash, and I’ve been thinking of taking a toke or two with him. Any pointers for my first time? Newby Nate