It’s now mid-2019 and cannabis has been legal for recreational use for over half a year. This far in, there is no shortage of directions to look that lead to head-shaking disbelief. It started in some sense back in 2017, when we were getting the first glimpses into what the government thought legalization should look like. It really did not get much better leading up to oct 2018 when it came into effect. It may even have gotten worse, as confusion and frustration over access and prices led established consumers to stay with current black- and grey market sources.
To use a basketball analogy: When it comes to cannabis legalization, our federal leaders are no Harlem Globetrotters. Fumbles and whiffs are plentiful and consistent. That is not, however, what this article will be about. We don’t get a lot of articles on the subject of the best parts of the new normal. Exposés and feel-good stories are as near an oxymoron when used in the same context as it gets. But feel-good, upside stories exist and are plentiful when one goes looking for them. Most centre around an individual’s accomplishments, but some are bigger stories such as the one we will now get explore.
Gifting and Trading Cannabis: A Jewel in the Crown
Have you done it? Has a friend done it? Do you know anyone who does it? Lots of people are doing it every day! And it’s fun as hell! You should try it.
The best thing we were given in the new regulations is the legal ability to gift or trade cannabis freely among legal-age adults anywhere in Canada. It was not long after the new laws came into effect that people saw there would be potential in gifting and trading. Websites designed to facilitate people coming together for that purpose arrived soon after. Having never utilized one for any purpose, I will not suggest an opinion on them one way or the other.
Social media interactions became an important part of trading for myself and, I suspect, many others. We own our social media in the sense that what we publish says who we are or who we want the world to see. Reputation and credibility come into play and, based on ongoing interactions, trust is formed.
For me, trading was initially about trading seeds. We all know how expensive good genetics are. So, I was really not disappointed with the result of my hedonistic exuberance last season and the 800+ seeds that it yielded. That first trip to Canada Post to send off a package was a pleasure, even when I was told how much it would cost. Knowing it was legal made it fun, even if it was only for the novelty of doing it. Quickly, however, one trade turned into several and not all were seed-for-seed. Through the process of building relationships over the course of the next few months, my experiences went beyond trading and into gifting. There is no feeling quite like opening a package or being handed a bag or two of such premium flower that it would be otherwise unaffordable, which was sent only because someone knew of a need or simply wanted to do so.
This is the very heart of who we are when we are at our best.
The idea for an article around this phenomenon has been with me for while. It was the culmination of a period of vitriol and bitterness that led someone to finally almost beg for a good-news story that fuelled my motivation. That and it’s raining today.
If you have yet to do some trading, don’t be afraid to say you are looking to do some trading. Or if you’re in a position to perhaps send some gifts, find some people who could use a little boost. It’ll make everyone feel good.
Each and every day, we are in a position to make someone else’s day a little better. Often, it isn’t even obvious because it seems so small and insignificant. In truth, small kindnesses have huge impacts on people’s everyday lives. You might let someone in line with two items checkout ahead of you with your 40. As has become popular with the drive-through coffee crowd, you might pay for the person behind you in line. There are a million ways to be kind in a world that bombards us with hate and intolerance. It’s a simple choice where no one loses.
What better gift is there to someone having a bad day than finding a way to make it better, even if only for a little while?
Tips for Gifting/Sharing
Social media: Be aware with whom you are gifting or trading. Never engage in illegal trades, such as crossing international borders. Mailing: If sending flower, use vacuum-sealed, odour-proof bags. There is also a smell-proof mailing envelope available for purchase. The smaller the package, the less it will cost. If sending seeds, try to avoid using things like greeting cards and flat envelopes, which get run through processing machines and will crush seeds.
Most importantly, pay it forward. Be good to each other; it elevates us all.