Jake Browne, who is a professional cannabis reviewer, talks to dna about the failed war against drug trafficking, life as a pot connoisseur and his favourite strain
Jake Browne's job is unique. He is paid by The Denver Post, Colorado’s oldest and largest daily newspaper to smoke pot and write about the high. Ever since Colorado legalised marijuana in January this year, Browne has written 27 reviews.
Although his job appears simple, and could be considered a dream job by many, reviewing a pot strain is complex. According to a piece published in The New York Times, Browne, 31, travels from his house to one of Denver's dispensaries to choose the product he is going to write about. Browne's advantage, according to The Times, is that he has more taste buds than the average human, according to an online survey he took.
Browne, who is also a comedian, was getting ready to visit Amsterdam for the Annual Cannabis Cup (an event where judges from around the world choose the best strain of pot), when dna got in touch with him. Excerpts from the interview:
How do you conduct your reviews? Is it similar to the way a wine connoisseur does his/her sampling?
I visit a dispensary and try to find something that has yet to be reviewed, yet I feel like can be found nationwide. Much like wine, I'm looking for both smell and appearance that are typical for that strain, although taste has much less of an impact. The key difference is that I'm looking for the effect of the cannabis. Is it energetic? Does it help with pain? Do I feel like eating an extra dinner?
Have you ever been to India to try out the marijuana grown in Himachal Pradesh? How do you compare it to others?
I have not been to India. It's on my list, however, of places to visit specifically for the cannabis. Many people speak quite highly of it.
Colorado, along with Alaska, Washington State and Oregon are some of the few places in the USA that have legalised marijuana. Some states allow it for medical consumption, while others have banned it completely. How does the United States handle this disparity when it comes to drug laws in different states, especially when it comes to transporting pot from one state to another?
Some states have reciprocity, meaning they'll allow medical users from one state purchase in another, but for the most part you're only legal to purchase in your own state. Each state creates their own laws for drug crimes, some being a simple ticket, others meaning jail time. When you reach larger amounts, it becomes a federal crime that carries long sentences and huge fines.
Drug laws have become a very sensitive issue. Only Uruguay and North Korea have legalised marijuana. The Netherlands, despite popular belief, has a number of laws regarding drug use. What's your personal take on legalisation?
Legalisation really means taxing and regulating the sale of a product, which empirically works. Look at alcohol prohibition. The drug war has universally failed. We need to start treating drug abuse as a health issue and not a criminal issue.
Drug trafficking has been interlinked with terrorism, given a lot of trafficking happens in South Asia. This has been the biggest con of not legalising drugs. In a utopian world, if drugs were legalised across, do you think it would be good for society?
We've tried prohibition for so many years and it only creates these black markets that do so much societal harm. I think we owe it to people to at least try another solution.
Which person from history would you like to smoke up with and why?
Aristotle. He was such a complete thinker, so well-versed in so many subjects, it's hard to imagine a dull conversation.
After smoking up, how are you so focused on writing a review?
I generally take notes and complete the review the next day, as it gives me time to reflect on the buzz. I can also try smoking in a different situation if I feel some external effect altered my experience.
Your favourite strain
For creativity, most haze strains are perfect for me, with my favourite being Super Lemon Haze. If I'm looking to do something active, I love Blue Dream for stimulation. If I'm looking for something to knock me out, I'll usually go with an old school Pre '98 Bubba Kush.
dna and the author do not endorse drug abuse.
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