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Ngaio Bealum Provides Some Tips to Newly Legal Vermont

Ngaio Bealum and Henry Rolins

Comedian Ngaio Bealum, the cannabis guru on Netflix’s “Cooking on High” and MC for the International Cannabis Business Conference, obviously knows his way around the various ways to consume cannabis as well as how to navigate the multitude of marijuana laws around the country. So, it is no surprise that the Burlington Free Press chose to pick Ngaio’s brain to help inform Vermonters as the Green Mountain State just legalized cannabis for personal consumption (but not sale) this past July 1st:

BFP: Do you have any advice for Vermonters looking to make use of marijuana products? What should they look for and ask for when buying?

NB: Follow your nose. That is really the best way. Smell it, and your body will let you know if you might like it or not. I prefer weed grown outdoors to indoor weed, but it’s really more of an aesthetic thing than a potency issue.

BFP: With legalization, there may be some Vermonters who will be trying marijuana for the first time. What’s your advice for a weed novice?

NB: Pace yourself. Stay hydrated. Wear comfortable shoes. There is no need to try to smoke all of the cannabis in Vermont on the first day. When it comes to edibles, err on the side of caution, Five-10 milligrams of THC per one hundred pounds of body weight is a good rule of thumb. You can always eat more, but you can’t un-eat a giant edible.

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BFP: How can a home cook gauge how potent their batch would be? Asking for a friend.

NB: If you know the percentage of THC in your cannabis, you can do some quick and dirty math to get a rough idea. I wrote about it once, but I can’t find the article. Maybe one of your readers can break it down for us.

Congratulations, Vermont cannabis community and reform supporters! Your legalization law, even though it doesn’t legalize commerce, is a tremendous feat considering the fact that Vermont doesn’t allow for the initiative process making the state the very first to pass legalization through the legislature. The work in Vermont, while not finished by any means, paves the way for the next set of legislative efforts in states like New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Delaware, and Hawaii, to name a few.

Be sure to read the entire interview with Ngaio and check him out on Netflix, anytime he’s touring near you, as well as at the International Cannabis Business Conference, where he’s keeping attendees entertained and engaged. Next up: Portland, Oregon, on September 27th-28th. Get your tickets by September 12 to save $200!

Burlington Free Press, Cooking on High, Ngaio Bealum