Category: Ask Mama

Ask Mama: How to Light a Joint Without Those Nasty Lighter Chemicals

Published on December 21, 2022

how to light a joint

Look, Mama doesn’t need to remind you that life is hard. Whether it’s work, relationships, family (NOT your wonderful gorilla mom), or, ya know, The World™, that fat blunt at the end of the day is very often a light at the end of the tunnel. 

There’s nothing wrong with lighting up the fast and easy way, but sometimes life — and especially good weed — is meant to be savored, to be enjoyed in the finest, purest, most undiluted way possible. And when you’re ready to embrace those moments, ditching your Bic for something a little more meticulous can truly bring your smoke to a whole new level. 

The Problem with Lighters ☠️

Mama’s not going to lie and say that smoking is good for your lungs, but even the big brains at Harvard will tell you that cannabis packs a lot of potential health benefits (can’t say the same for cigs, sorry ya’ll). Using a regular-assed 7-11 lighter isn’t going to zap those benefits out of your weed, but all Mama’s asking is: why introduce more bad stuff into your body when you don’t have to?

The thing is, that little lighter in your pocket makes a flame with butane, and butane is a class 33 solvent — which, scientifically speaking, is bad. Basically, that means it has low toxic potential for humans (and probably monkeys), and in large amounts can even f**k up your central nervous system, cause headaches, or make you dizzy or drowsy. While just lighting a joint with a small lighter isn’t likely to cause these effects, butane is also an allergen to some.

Beyond that, you’re still introducing trace amounts of solvents into your body, not to mention adding an impurity and an odorant to your weed, which can noticeably change the taste and the smoking experience for the worse. Once you notice that whiff of lighter fluid in your bud, you can’t un-taste it.

Alternative Options✨💨

Thankfully, people have been smoking ganja since waaaaaaay before Zippos even existed, so there’s plenty of hope for your lungs and your smoking experience. Here’s how to light a blunt a bunch of different ways, all of which are totally sans butane.

What About Matches?

Yes, matches might make you feel like a 1940s movie star (or maybe like your grandpa), but just because they’re old-school doesn’t mean they’re pure. First off, matches contain sulfur, and that sulfur can straight-up make your weed taste like, ya know, f**king sulfur. They also contain chemicals like phosphorus and potassium chlorate to make their flame. So not ideal, but if you absolutely gotta use a match, let it burn for a few seconds before lighting up to let at least some of those chemicals burn away first.

Hemp Wick

Using a hemp wick — a thick, hemp-woven wick coated in beeswax — is de facto the most friend-impressing, chemical-busting, purest way to light up your blunt without putting nasty shit into your lungs or making your zaza taste like kissing a gas grill. 

Whether you’re smoking a joint, pipe, or bong, it all works the same. You can light one end of the wick using whatever flame option you want, use the lit end of the wick to light your fatty, then put out the flame (just mind the wax drip). That’s no butane for you, and all the flavor of your flower fully intact.

Fuel-free Options

You’ll see a lot of these fancier lighters under labels like “flame-free” or “windproof” (another handy perk), but what you’re looking for is basically the same thing: these are lighters that use electricity to make a heating element hot enough to light your joint. For instance, many fuel-free lighters use electricity to make a tiny spark that heats up plasma coils. Bingo, your blunt is lit butane-free. 

And while some vapes use butane, an electric vape works in a similar fashion to these fuel-free lighters. You can even literally get bongs heated by lasers in this golden age of weed we live in. Not only does that get rid of nasty chemical flavors and impurities, it just feels incredibly cool to invite your friends for a hit on your LASER BONG.  ⚡⚡ 

Tough Mama’s Tips: How to Light a Joint 🔥🍃

OK, you know how to light a joint. But now Mama’s gonna tell you how to really light a joint when you’re ready to get serious about it. In addition to using a butane-free method, there’s a proper technique to lighting a jay that’ll make for a more even, long-lasting burn and can prevent your blunt from canoeing (which is when the top half of the joint burns lengthwise, but the bottom half doesn’t). It’s all about that cherry, baby. 🍒

  1. Start with a tightly rolled joint to avoid canoeing — don’t worry, Mama’s already pre-rolled some for you.
  2. Hold the joint near its bottom between your thumb and index finger. That’s right, not in your mouth.
  3. Slowly introduce the flame to the tip of the blunt.
  4. Just as slowly, rotate the joint over the flame until you’ve created a nice, even cherry.
  5. Take a few short puffs to make sure the cherry is hot and strong (just like you).
  6. Get high & have some fun.

The Bottom Line


Mama’s not here to shame you for convenience, or cheapness for that matter. Weed is all about variety, from Blue Roses to Chemical Cookies, from electric vapes to glass pipes, from gummies to tinctures, and from indica to sativa. 

But when you’ve got the time and the drive, lighting up with care can elevate your sensory experience from your first puff to your last long drag. So don’t forget to stop and smell the roses flower every once in a while.

Ask Mama: How Can I Get Even Higher?

Published on December 21, 2022

how to get higher balloons

So you want to get higher than high? Like, boost your high to the point you’re fighting off alien probes in space high? (Okay maybe not quite that high…unless you’re into that, in which case more power to you.)

Well, Mama has the tips you need. And we’re not just talking some lame-ass “smoke more” tips. We’re talking about boosting your high the right way (and also the way that doesn’t waste Mama’s sweet sweet weed). 

So, get ready to take Mama’s hand while she leads you up into the stars.

Know What You’re Working With

If you’re smoking some oregano-looking reggie shit out of an apple “pipe,” rethink your approach. If you’re looking for the best high, quality and method matters. 

Obviously better quality weed (especially weed with higher THC concentrations like Tough Mama’s Mini Mofoz and Infused Pre-Rolls) will boost your high, but don’t skip out on the basics when you go to smoke. Make sure your weed is properly ground, which ensures a better, longer burn, and thus a better, longer high.

Switch It Up

If you find yourself smashing through joints faster than grandma’s arthritis, consider switching it up and trying a vape. Tough Mama’s Live Resin Vape Carts have up to 85.27% THC, which means you’re probably hanging out with the moon-man pretty quickly after one of those. 

Now, if for whatever reason you feel like smoking or vaping just doesn’t do it for ya, Mama has a special little treat that will do the trick. Tough Mama’s Yolo Shotz have 100MG THC in each bottle, and while taking the whole thing isn’t advised, just a little bit straight-up or even mixed into a drink should put you on the Planet Express headed straight for the extra high galaxy you’re looking for.

Focus on Food

No, we aren’t talking about munchies right now. Mama loves to eat, and it just so happens certain foods can actually help enhance your high. You don’t even have to be Wolfgang Puck to make it work either, just make sure to eat the right foods about 30 minutes to an hour before smoking.

A few foods you should always have stashed in your pantry:

  • Mangoes – This delicious fruit contains terpenes that when consumed along with THC, can interact with each other and help give you a better high.
  • Chocolate – Oh hell yeah. Chocolate happens to contain an endocannabinoid that can also interact with THC, boosting its effects, and your high right there with it.
  • Foods with Omega-3s – Mama might not know exactly what an omega-3 is, but it’s found in foods like fish, nuts, and avocado, and can help your body process cannabinoids, which means it can boost your high. 

What’s In Your Cup? 

Hey hey, big surprise — not only can certain foods boost your high, but certain drinks can help too. Get your high-drate on with these drinks: 

  • Tea – Green and black tea contain some crazy-ass compound called catechin that can help with feelings of euphoria and relaxation. Soooo, combine it with something else that gives euphoric and relaxing effects and boom, your high is all that x2.
  • Coffee – The Dutch were way ahead on this one, those beautiful clogged geniuses. Because coffee is thought to interact with the body’s endocannabinoid system, many believe that having a cup of joe before smoking gives the effects of weed an extra boost.
  • Beer – Yeah, getting a little crossed might not be out of the question if it’s an increased high you’re looking for. Beer has a solid amount of terpenes in it, meaning that much like the mango, having beer with your weed can potentially punch up your high.

Change Up Your Routine

Mama loves a good routine, but if it’s a higher high you’re after, you might want to do things a little differently every once in a while. When our bodies get used to things, they tend to not have the same effects.

Something as simple as changing the time of day you have your smoke session can help boost your experience.  If you always smoke in the morning, try and opt for a night session (or vice versa) to give yourself a reinvigorated high.

Time For a T Break

Booo, that sounds awful! BUT, if every wacked-out smoking method you try just doesn’t seem to get you where you want to go, it might be time for a little tolerance break. 

Resetting your cannabinoid receptors is a solid way to make your highs extra high again, but that does mean taking some time without your best bud. There’s no real universal timeline that works, so try abstaining for a week or two, and you’ll start getting the high you want again in no time.

Mama’s Final Thoughts

Whether it’s getting better quality weed (Mama taught you better than to buy second-rate stuff), changing your consumption, eating the right foods, drinking the right drinks, changing your routine, or straight up taking a short weed timeout, there’s plenty of options when it comes to getting that higher high we all like every now and then. 

So, next time you’re looking to go full space-walk levels of high, remember Mama’s lesson and shoot for the stars.

Ask Mama: What to Do When You’re Too Damn High

Published on December 5, 2022

how to stop being high

Sometimes, things are just too damn high, like the rent, those crazy buildings in Dubai, Boban Marjanovi of the Houston Rockets and, case in point, your silly ass

Look, Mama knows that her shit goes hard — I mean, Tough Mama’s Live Resin Vape Carts pack up to 85.27 percent THC — and she understands that you accidentally got a little too high before that big sit-down with your boss, or meeting your girlfriend’s parents, or your nephew’s birthday party, or whatever.

So whether you need to know how to get unhigh from smoke or how to recover from edibles, Mama’s always here to take care of you. Going too hard happens. Now let Mama gently guide you through the journey of softening things up a little.

The Method Matters 

First thing you should know is that every high is different. And that’s not just because you’re a beautiful and unique snowflake (you are, tho), it’s because the method of your weed consumption matters. Like, a lot. 

How you got high has a big impact on both onset time and comedown time:

  • Smoking and vaping hits your bloodstream almost instantly (in vaping’s case) or within a few minutes, and the high can last about 1 to 4 hours.
  • Edibles can take about 30-to-60 minutes to set in, but can last up to 6 hours or so (often peaking around 3 hours in).
  • Tinctures take effect in about 15-to-30 minutes, with lastability similar to an edible.
  • THC beverages have typical onset times in the 10-to-15-minute range (Mama’s Yolo Shotz hit in 7-to-15 minutes) with highs that often last around 4 hours. 

The consumption method isn’t the only thing that matters, either. The concentration of THC in the weed itself has a huge effect, as can stuff like…

  • Your height and weight
  • What you’ve eaten that day
  • Your metabolism
  • Non-weed ingredients in the weed product
  • The strain
  • Your own personal tolerance levels 

All this stuff and more can change how the high feels, when it hits you and how long it sticks around.

Tough Mama’s Easy Tips 

Even though the duration and the sort of “size” or intensity of your high can vary a whole lot, you can use the same Mama-tested and Mama-approved tricks for getting less high. Before that happens, remember to start low and go slow when you’re trying some new shit. And when you’re going ham on a whole-assed cone blunt, do that in a safe space among friends who have your back.  

Once you do reach that way-too-high headspace, though (hey, it happens to the best of us), here’s how to stop being high — now don’t ever say Mama never did anything for you.

Get Wet

It’s pretty much never a bad idea to hydrate. Hydrate when you’re casually toking and hydrate when you’re partying with Yolo Shotz — you’ll just have a better time, straight up. If it’s too late for preventive hydration, chug that water to help your body pass the THC out of your bloodstream and stave off nasty bouts of dry mouth. If you’re deep in the shit and don’t have much time to spare, a cold shower can also help wake your brain and senses up real quick. 

Oh, and don’t “hydrate” with booze when you’re already too high. C’mon now, child.

Embrace The Munchies

Filling your belly, especially with carbs, proteins, and healthy fats like omega-3s, is never a bad idea for helping recenter your body when you’re too dang high. But you can actually do a lot better than Doritos Locos Tacos when you really need to recover. 

According to numerous studies by people a little smarter than Mama (NOT THAT THERE ARE MANY), snacks that contain certain terpenoid compounds can effectively offset Too Much Zaza Syndrome. These smart munchies include pine nuts, lemon, peppercorns (trying chewing on ‘em),  and black pepper.

Focus (and Maybe Get a Little Zen)

Even if you’re not experiencing some kinda trippy “mind high,” highness is just as mental as it is physical. That’s why the simple act of shifting your focus to something else — just about anything else, really — can help you get unhigh. 

Medical News Today recommends focusing real hard on some music, dedicating your attention to a show, game, or movie, or practicing an instrument. You can also get zen with it by meditating, honing in on a jigsaw puzzle, or going full Marie Kondo on a soothing organizing or cleaning project (so, yeah, technically Mama is telling you to clean your damn room). 

Let Time Heal You

If you can spare it, time might just be the best way to let your high fade away. Time may have broken Game of Thrones, but just like it can heal all wounds and mend a broken heart (tell Mama who hurt you), time is a surefire way to come down from a major weed high. Even better if you have the luxury to walk it off for a bit, or to sleep that monster high away. 

Master the Working High

Mama ain’t a doctor, but she does know that prevention is the best medicine. So how bout this — maybe don’t get uncontrollably mega T. Rex high in the first place? 

There’s a time and place for just getting full-on blazed, but there’s also this thing called the working high. What it means is, you maintain a nice, steady, clear-eyed buzz for a good long long while instead of getting insto-ripped and regretting your birth. 

Switching over to a capful or two of Mama’s Yolo Shotz might just help you maintain a working high — that solventless cured resin makes for a clear-headed, euphoric buzz that’s almost like a clean caffeine boost, but without those nasty jitters.  Likewise, snacking on superfoods, getting plenty of rest before your sesh, and staying super-hydrated throughout the day can all help keep your working high steady.On the flip side, steer clear of indicas and strains high in myrcene, and seek stuff with THC concentrations in the 10 and 20 percentiles.  

And maaaaaaaybe swap out that enormous boar’s leg of a bleezie for a Mini Mofo every once in a while.

Ask Mama: WTF Is Reggie Weed?

Published on October 25, 2022

what is reggie weed

by Tough Mama

Mama doesn’t talk to Reggie anymore. Look, we all have to start somewhere, but, we all have to move on to (literally) greener pastures someday, too. The point is, you may still be a little punk, but you can do better than Reggie weed. And as always, Mama’s gonna teach you how — here’s what you need to know to spot nasty Uncle Reggie when he shows up and how to make better life choices when it comes to your kush curation. 

Where Did This Shit Even Come From

Reggie, meaning “regular” if you follow weed culture mythos (but who really knows), weed is a kind of catch-all term for low-quality, low-grade, cheap, shitty, bottom-shelf weed. Like lots of slang, the name can be a regional thing — we say “Reggie” in LA, but you might hear ditch weed, skunk weed, schwag, shake, or whatever elsewhere. No matter what, the meaning’s basically the same.

While the rest of us civilized humans (and skating Mama apes) are living in a weed renaissance where many of our favorite strains are grown in extremely curated, controlled environments and naturally engineered by people way smarter than us, anyone can grow Reggie weed (even your dipshit Uncle Reggie). It’s usually grown outdoors in uncontrolled, totally unregulated spaces by complete non-professionals, and often shipped across the US border from Mexico in bricks. 

And you know what Mama always says: Nothing good comes shipped in bricks. Because it’s unregulated, Reggie weed can be just as full of twigs, seeds, and random plant parts as it’s full of pesticides and who knows what else.  

What’s It Like?

Since it’s basically just a general term for fairly shitty weed, Reggie can be a lot of different things. But in Reggie World, you’ll mostly find sativa-dominant strains ranking somewhere at a C- to B+ at f**king best, if we’re using a grade-school scale, in terms of quality.

Here’s the real kicker, though: most Reggie weed clocks in with THC levels around 15% to 18%. And that, my children, is really low. Long story short, calling it mild is, uh, putting it mildly. The moral of the story is that Reggie ain’t gonna get you very high, full stop. On top of that, its flavor profile (which might be kind of a generous description) is grassy, burnt, or smoky, and its smoke is usually harsh and scratchy, like inhaling a pile of leaves that your dad’s burning in the front lawn.   

Know Your Enemy: How to Spot Reggie Weed 

Luckily, especially since Mama happens to be a monkey, you don’t have to be a weed-ologist to spot Reggie weed with your own two eyes, 10 fingers, and two (hopefully) nostrils. Just use the senses that Mama gave you, including that common sense, and you can tell that weed is of the Reginald variety in a few different ways:

  • 👀 Use your eyeballs. Brownish, yellowed, gray, or pea-soupy tones are a good hint that you’re dealing with Reggie. So are lots of twigs, seeds, and other plant parts. 
  • 👃🏽Give it a good sniff. Act like you’re classy enough to know wine, because Reggie weed almost never passes the smell test. Most of the time, it’s gonna smell like dirt, dry hay, old grass, or straight-up skunk.
  • 👉🏽 Feel it up. Is it dry, flaky, and airy? Does it crumble like leftover grass clippings? Does it leave weird dust all over your table? Congratulations, it’s probably Reggie. 

You Can Do Better

I ain’t smoked Reggie weed since back in the day when I first started smoking, that shit weak. I know wassup I stay smoking that loud shit.” — Urban Dictionary, 2017

The yin to Reggie weed’s yang is just straight-up good weed. So, remember that thing Mama said about THC levels? Let’s compare and contrast: while Reggie weed usually maxes out somewhere around 18% THC, punchy legit zaza like Tough Mama’s pre-rolls pack 25% to 35% THC. Good weed like that also has more terpenes for more tasty, complex scents and flavors as well as a more consistent burn rate, so it smokes smoothly.  

But how do you spot that loud shit with the naked eye? Here are a few green flags to look out for:

  • 💎 Crystals, crystals, crystals. Not the kind that your ex bought at Erewhon, but those sugar-like sprinklings and amber fuzzies on a nug are masses of trichomes, which indicate that the bud is rich in cannabinoids, terpenes, and T-H-C.
  • 🤤 Powerful scents. Most of the time, a top-shelf strain has a scent with an identity. You’re gonna notice it, whether it’s spicy, mossy, fruity or floral.
  • 🧽 A firm sponginess. That nug of weed should have a firm give, kind of like a tennis ball, which indicates a healthy density.
  • 💦 A little bit of that sticky. Enough hip-hop songs have taught you that you want that sticky kush, but really, you want it because a little stickiness means lots of trichomes, lots of resin (sometimes even on your fingers), and a well-moisturized plant.
  • 🍃 Vibrant colors. While Reggie weed is dull, the good shit is anything but. Deep emerald greens and even those hues of royal purple or dank orange are signs of quality

So now you know, and even better than that, you know that separating the good good from the Reggie weed is pretty easy to do when you know what you’re looking for. Even when you’re high as f**k.

Ask Mama: What’s the Deal With Infused Pre-rolls?

Published on September 13, 2022

infused prerolls

Did you know that George Washington got smacked out his mind and invented the infused pre-roll on his hemp farm in 1790? You didn’t because that’s a total lie, but there’s a bunch of other more true stuff Mama can teach you about pre-rolls and infused pre-rolls. Because sometimes, it takes a good Mama to cut through all those tech bro marketing terms and get to the squishy heart of the blunt itself. 

So let’s get infused with knowledge about one of the trendiest (and most effective ways) to elevate your smoke, starting now.

Everything You Need to Know About Pre-rolls…

Alright, let’s start at the beginning. When a vendor, brand, or seller pre-rolls weed into a joint for commercial sale on the shelves of your local dispensary or your, uh, local weed delivery app, that is a pre-roll. These handy joints take the guesswork (and the work work) out of rolling your own — because you don’t have to be swimming in cash like our buddy Snoop and hire your own personal joint roller to fast track your smoking sesh. Pre-rolls come in all sorts of shapes and sizes and are usually available in multi-packs or as singles.

If you’re brand new to the whole zaza thing, imagine a pre-roll like an off-the-shelf weed cigarette. The flower (usually about a half gram to a gram’s worth) is wrapped up in rolling paper like a smokeable tube and may or may not feature a filter. Pre-rolls can come in sizes ranging from adorable Mama’s-pinky-sized minis or big-assed cone blunts. They’re all valid in Mama’s eyes, just like her children.

…and About Infused Pre-rolls, Too

So, you probably knew some of that stuff already, but if you didn’t, you’re a good student even though you’re a little high already, and Mama is very proud of you. Here’s where shit gets interesting.

To make that weed pre-roll a little more deliciously weedy and amp up the high, you’ve got the infused pre-roll. Basically, an infused pre-roll is a pre-roll joint that also features some form of concentrate. And concentrate is basically the best part of your favorite nug – all those terps, cannabinoids and sticky trichomes – distilled into a super potent form, like wax, resin (compressed cannabis solids), rosin (a mechanically separated cannabis concentrate), or kief (a.k.a hash, made by dry sifting weed through fine screens). 

You take that concentrate and – wait for it – infuse it into the pre-roll, and you’ve got an infused pre-roll. Sometimes the concentrate (or cannabis extract, in some cases) is infused inside the joint, sometimes it’s outside the joint, sometimes it’s both. There are a ton of different ways to make a pre-roll joint, which means a ton of fun and interesting ways to get different extra-potent highs, but trust Mama: some infused pre-rolls are just better than others. It is what it is.

How Other Brands (Pre) Roll

All kindsa different weed-makers make all kindsa different infused pre-rolls. The most basic kind just straight-up infuses the flower by soaking or spraying it with stuff like distillate oil and kief, done deal. Then there’s like a whole popular genre of infused pre-rolls called fuzzies, which you’ll see from big-ass brands like Jeeter and such. Fuzzies infuse the pre-roll by dipping it in liquid concentrate that is used to “glue”  the kief to the outside of the joint. That’s what makes it, you know, fuzzy. And all of this infusing, dipping, rolling, and coating serve the same purpose: to get you way higher. 

Because people are buying infused pre-rolls like they’re going out of style, you’re likely to see new products popping up at your local dispensary every time you hit them up. But take Mama’s word for it: those suckers are using fancy-pants packaging to appeal to that monkey brain of yours, but aren’t actually infusing their pre-rolls using even a little bit of TLC.

Why Mama Does It Better 

First off, because Mama doesn’t f**ck with fuzzies, you don’t have to deal with kief dust falling off the outside of your joint. Mama taught you to be tidy, and also, you shouldn’t need a goddamn lint roller to get high. 

But more than just keeping your Dickies clean, Tough Mama’s infused pre-rolls are all about making a more consistent product. No joke, our infused joints are literally precision dosed by robots designed by former NASA scientists. Who said getting ripped isn’t rocket science?  

What that robot-powered dosing does, aside from giving Mama a super good reason to brag, is that it ensures that every joint, blunt, and Mini Mofo has ex-act-ly the amount of oil listed on the label. And the method matters, too. What Mama does is infuse the pre-roll directly down the middle, for baby’s-ass-smooth, satisfyingly even burn. Those full-sized bad boys are infused with Live Resin freshly harvested from marijuana plant material while Mama’s minis are infused with Hi-Phi ™ Solventless Cured Resin, so you don’t have to worry about any chemical nasties if you’re living that Cali clean life.

So, no kief dip means you don’t have to deal with the pre-roll equivalent of Hot Cheeto dust on your fingers while Tough Mama’s iconic infusion method deposits that line of concentrate smack dab in the center of the pre-roll. Think of it like a Twinkie that’ll get you real good n’ high. Or as a Donut Joint, thanks to the delish donut ring of flower that’s left as the concentrate bubbles away. 

Mama’s style makes for more even and consistent distribution of the concentrate, but Mama don’t skimp on the punch, either; each infused cone blunt packs a gram of weed, a quarter gram of oil, and some bonus terps, weighing in at a total of 1.6 grams, with twice the terpenes of other pre-rolls and about 25 to 35 percent THC content. 

And in the timeless words of Sir Winston Zeddemore: “That’s a big Twinkie.” 

Ask Mama: What’s the Best Weed for Doing it Like They Do on the Discovery Channel?

Published on August 23, 2022

best weed for sex intimate

Look, Mama already gave you the birds n’ bees talk, but now that you’re older, Mama knows you f**k – literally and metaphorically. It’s OK, we’re an open family around here. Not like we go to nude beaches together and kiss on the mouth open, but like, open in that we’re comfy enough to talk about how sex is one of the best parts of life. And you know what can make one of the best things even better? I’ll give you one guess.

(Oh shit, you guessed right: it’s weed😶‍🌫️🌿)

Does Weed Really Make Sex Better?

It might sound too good to be true, but sex and weed really are two great tastes that taste great together. Take it from the same scientists who studied Mama’s brainwaves in all those Andy Serkis movies. OK, maybe different scientists, but reports from those who like to get high and f**k (i.e. people with good taste) indicate that cannabis most definitely has the potential to elevate sensual experiences across the spectrums of gender and sexual preference. 

Science Is Sensual

One of the best sources we have on the issue is a pivotal 2019 study published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine. Shush, Mama subscribes for the articles, not the pics. Here’s what those Sex Med scientists learned from a survey of 216 participants: 

  • 38.7% of sex-havers say sex is just better when high
  • 58.9% say cannabis increases sexual desire
  • 73.8% report sexual satisfaction after smoking weed
  • 74.3% are more sensitive to touch when high
  • 65.7% experience increased orgasm intensity
  • 50.5% note that they can focus better during sex
  • Over 69% (nice) felt more relaxed during sex  

And like the New York Times “Well” section says, “anecdotal evidence suggests that the right dose of cannabis can make a woman’s orgasms more satisfying and increase sex drive. This is in part because cannabis can enhance the senses and also alleviate some of the symptoms that inhibit desire, like anxiety, sleeplessness or pain.”

So potentially stronger desire, chilled-out headspace, a heightened sense of touch, and better busting? Sign Mama up. And no, that’s not gross, how do you think you got here in the first place? 

The Sexiest Strains

Whether you’re looking for the best edibles for female arousal, a foreplay vape sesh to treat your man right, or even a sense-enhancing smoke to heighten your self-love (Mama says it’s healthy!), it’s all about the strain. And, no, I don’t mean the blowing-her-back-out strain, I mean the weed strain. What’s the best weed for sex? The answer really depends on the sex.

Wedding Cake🎂

You don’t have to tie the knot to get rowdy, but Wedding Cake’s high levels of limonene might just help boost your sex drive. And as an indicia with a high THC count, it promotes a tingly, relaxing sense of euphoria.

Strawberry Cough🍓

Emojibator CEO Joe Vela tells Weedmaps, “My go-to strain for arousal is Strawberry Cough. In addition to the sensual smell and taste of berry, this strain gives me creative energy and full-body relaxation.”

Super Lemon Haze🍋

As an energizing sativa, Super Lemon Haze might just be the best weed for sex of the, uh, more ~energetic~ variety. When it’s less about foreplay and more about getting down like you’re on PornHub, this clear-headed high makes for an intense afternoon delight.  

Trainwreck 🚄

The potent combo of energizing pinene and relaxing terpinolene terps in Trainwreck make it crazy good for generating feelings of euphoria. If you just want to get totally lost in the moment and explore each others’ bodies for hours, this is your ticket. 

Amnesia Haze 😶‍🌫️

When it’s time for self-pleasure, a calming strain can help ease you into a guaranteed good time. For that, Healthline and GoLove CBD Naturals co-founder John Renko recommend the sativa Amnesia Haze due to the relaxing linalool content.

Blue Dream 💙

With a tendency to promote cerebral stimulation and full-body relaxation, the sativa-dominant hybrid Blue Dream might just lower your inhibitions in bed. Give it a honk if you’re trying something new this weekend. 

Kush n’ Push 🍃

As great as sex is, sex is also weird. And that can trigger or heighten anxiety, whether you suffer from it regularly or not. Cannabis is well known for helping some folks ease anxious feelings, and research from Frontiers in Neuroscience says that some strains are the most effective at that: to help yourself let it all go, try the indicias Bubba Kush and Kosher Kush, or the indica-dominant hybrid Skywalker OG Kush.

Setting the Scene

Sex encompasses and accelerates so many of our senses, making the whole experience as immersive as possible can really take things to the next level. Smoking and vaping only take a few minutes to kick in, so you’ll want to do that right before foreplay. Go with relaxing, flattering warm accent lights or candles, and curate the vibe with just the right playlist. You can even try cannabis-infused lube, which budtender Chelsea Cebara tells Thrillist, “causes [pleasure center] areas to be more sensitive and calls your attention to them. The effect really comes during orgasm, when you come longer and harder.”

And now that you know the best weed for sex, how about the best weed-infused cocktails for sex? Mama’s got a few cannabis-enhanced takes on classic aphrodisiac drinks to get your night started off right.  Bonus points: These canna-cocktails smooth out the vibes and help stave off dry mouth in the bedroom, too. 

Sensual Sangria

Ginger’s potent aroma has a rep for stimulating arousal and getting the heart pumping, and what’s sexier than Spanish wine? Serve it over ice in a wine glass garnished with a lemon slice and mint sprig.

  • 2oz. grape juice
  • 2 oz. cranberry juice
  • ½ oz. blood orange sparkling water
  • 5mg capful of Tough Mama YOLO SHOTZ Berry Crush
  • ½ oz. fresh lemon juice
  • 2 oz. ginger beer  

The Hot Mama

Capsaicin makes spicy stuff spicy, and its circulation-increasing properties can also get you all hot-blooded in the bedroom. Shake this spicy cocktail for spicy times over ice and strain it into a martini glass.

  •  1.5 oz. sparkling water
  • 1.25 oz. passion fruit puree
  •  Âź oz. sugar syrup 
  • ½ oz. lime juice
  • Half an egg white
  • 5mg capful of Tough Mama YOLO SHOTZ Tropical Punch
  • 1 pinch of chili powder in the mix, 1 on top to finish

Wrapping It Up

The thing is, sex is different for everyone. And even though plenty of evidence points to weed and sex being a killer combo for lots of people, cannabis can affect different people in different ways. And in that way, weed and sex share some really important things in common:

Number one, safe experimentation is good. Explore what works for you and what makes you feel good, but also do that in a space that feels safe for you.

Number two, starting with a low dose and slowly ramping up over time is the way when trying out new strains and seeing how they affect you. Start low and go slow? That one works for weed just as well as it works for making love.

Tough Mama’s Guide to Being Cali Sober

Published on August 2, 2022

california sober smoking

If there’s anything you’ve learned from your monkey Mama by now, it’s this: life is all about experiences. F**k money, f**k things, embrace memories, and appreciate what’s fleeting. And while there’s a whole lot more to say about being cali sober (and we’re gonna say it), the spirit of the thing boils down to taking control over your experiences, even – or especially – those experiences that are a little more elevated. Mama knows California, and Mama knows California sober – so keep these fundamentals in your (now much clearer, hangover-free) mind, and you’ll do just fine.   

What Is California Sober?

Like a lot of weed culture, there’s not a hard definition of California sober written down in some price-gouged college textbook that you’re still in debt over. But the gist is basically this: when you go Cali sober, you cut certain addictive substances out of your life – most commonly booze, sometimes hard drugs – and replace them with less harmful alternatives. Usually (and definitely as far as this article is concerned), that less-harmful alternative involves a good amount of weed. So rather than being full-assed sober, it’s that California-state-of-mind sober.   

Cannabis business consultant Andrew DeAngelo puts it this way, “Cali sober is a different take on intoxication and sobriety. It allows for individual interpretation and tweaks. If you want one glass of wine with your evening joint and still call yourself Cali sober, sure, go ahead. If you want to smoke copious amounts of weed and say you’re Cali sober, knock yourself stoned. The important distinction is who is in control.”

Tough Mama Gets It – So Do Tons of Others

Especially as you get older, it makes total sense that alcohol just doesn’t serve you or your body anymore. You might not need that whole “social lubricant” thing as you become more sure of yourself, and you definitely don’t need hangovers. And you’re not alone – Cali sober is on the rise, and it ain’t going anywhere. 

According to Berenberg Research, people in their 20s drink about 20 percent less per capita than older millennials did in their 20s, and about 64 of the younger gen Z people polled plan on drinking less than older generations. Likewise, the Cannabis Drinks Expo reports that in some states where weed is legal, average wine sales have dropped by 16.2 percent while average beer sales have dropped by 13.8 percent. Take some comfort in that – you’re not just living the 420 blaze it everyday life, you’re blazing some trails, too.

Going Without That…

Even though the Cali sober lifestyle is gaining traction, drinking is still a huge cultural thing with huge cultural clout, and that often comes with a shitload of peer pressure. Take it from a skateboarding, 6-foot-tall talking gorilla who loves infused pre-rolls – it can be rough to go against the norm. 

But like DeAngelo says, “Cali sober means not being addicted to any intoxicant and having a balanced relationship with cannabis and psychedelics as an additive to good living, not something that takes away from life or gets you all strung out.”

Still, we’d be here all day if you wanted Mama to justify why cannabis alone crushes booze for the Cali sober, but everyone loves lists, so let’s just hit the highlights: 

  • Flat out: cannabis doesn’t cause hangovers, let alone the hangxiety you might experience if you’re anxiety-prone. 🤒
  • Weed is a lot more socially flexible, both in party situations and your day-to-day. Like, a boilermaker before work is a problem. In most cases, a hit before your shift or an edible before bed is not. 
  • ‘Light’ beer my hairy ass – the average can has 103 calories. A single shot of whiskey has 116. The biggest blunt you’ve ever seen has 0️⃣.
  • No one’s saying the act of smoking anything is good for you, but you have plenty of non-smoking options for consuming cannabis. There’s only one way to consume booze, and when you drink too much of it, you’re looking at potential problems like high blood pressure, heart disease, liver disease, digestive problems, memory issues, a weakened immune system, and an increased chance of developing mental health issues like depression and anxiety.
  • On the flipside, some of the most well-researched potential health benefits of cannabis include: lower blood pressure, reduced inflammation, and lessened feelings of stress and anxiety.🍃

And this one’s a little less scientific, but that whole “social lubricant” thing has some weird implications. It implies that you need to be someone else to socialize, and Mama doesn’t believe that at all. Get a little high instead of blitzed, and you might find that those social interactions are a little more authentic.  

…and Rolling With This

OK, so that’s some stuff to smoke (mentally) as you navigate your way through Cali sobriety, but the lifestyle isn’t all about missing out. Sure, you’re forgoing some choice chemicals, but it’s more about broadening your experiences with more self-care-oriented options that you can explore. 

Mama knows you, so Mama knows that smoking weed is a given here. But beyond that, it’s a wide playing field, and you’re in control of it. Just to kickstart some good Cali sober times, here are a few totally non-alcoholic things that Mama suggests exploring: 

  • CBD-infused ready-to-drink cannabis beverages offer a level-headed low-key experience, but THC drinks have entered the fray, too – we’re talking hangover-free buzzes in the form of tea, sparkling water, soda, coffee, kombucha, and more. Or take it to the next level by adding THC or CBD oil to your own canna-cocktails, or swapping tequila for a THC-spiked shot.🍹
  • Edibles. I mean, come on, you knew this. Savory, sweet, substantial, or snacky, you can eat your weed in virtually any form you can imagine. 🍬🍫🍭
  • CBD in general. It’s as versatile as THC when it comes to delivery methods, easy to access in states where weed isn’t legal yet, and lets you choose to enjoy lots of THC’s benefits without a psychoactive experience.
  • Psychedelics are having a health-conscious comeback, and for good reason – not only are they a low-risk good time in the right environment, but recent findings also suggest they may have long-term mood benefits. 💫🙃🌈
  • ‘Euphoric’ bevvies that use ingredients like adaptogens, nootropics, and more to curate low-key feelings of bliss.

And you know what? If it’s the hard-drinking scene that’s getting to you, you can make strides to replace feelings of FOMO with the “joy of missing out.” Sometimes, being Cali sober is just about finding a little slice of inner peace. 🧘 

Cali Sober Gone Wild

Look, this is Tough Mama. There’s a non-zero chance that if you’re reading this, you going California sober doesn’t mean you want to go soft. And while staying home and chilling out is great, Mama’s here to tell you that going hard is still 100 percent an option in Cali Sober Land. 

We already covered the psychedelic thing if you’re into ascending, but trust Mama: you can go full-on, buck-assed Cali-f***king sober on green alone. You know Mama’s own cone blunts pack 1.6 grams of weed, oil, and terps, and cured resin-infused YOLO SHOTZ mean you don’t have to give up on slamming a few back – each lil 2-ouncer crams in a ridiculous 100 mg of THC, so you basically just bought SHOTZ for the party. At 5mg THC per serving, that’s tons of solo shots, shots to keep the party going for hours, or a whole cadre of bespoke THC cocktails. In more chill settings, it’s a sippable high that’ll keep you stoned till the sun rises on the last DJ set or the final philosophical convo. 

And when you slam those SHOTZ down on the table, remember what Demi said: 

I’m California sober

It doesn’t have to mean the growin’ part is over

No, it ain’t black or white, it’s all of the colors

That I only just discovered.

Ask Mama: Does Weed Go Bad?

Published on July 1, 2022

does weed go bad

Monkey God help me, Mama taught you better than to smoke moldy weed, right? Right? Right???

OK, let Mama catch her breath. First of all, you need some basic answers, like, does weed get old? And if it does get old, does weed go bad? Like most things in life, those answers are a little more complex than “yes” or “no,” but you know Mama loves educating her stoner kids on all things weed-related. So settle down and light up, class is in sesh-ion.

How Weed Ages

Yes, technically your weed is already aged since it’s been harvested, dried, and cured into that lovely nug, we’re all very impressed by your “but ackchyually,” professor. After that harvest, though, over time, flower can break down, especially as it’s exposed to direct sunlight, harsh temps, or too much moisture. 

Like Inverse says, “weed doesn’t really ‘go bad,’ its chemical makeup just changes.” Because the nug loses its cannabinoid and terpene count in not-ideal conditions, chemical breakdown causes a reduction in potency, flavor, and aroma. After a year, your flower will lose more than 15 percent of its potency, then nearly 30 percent of its potency after year two, and so on. 

Similarly, too much heat and not enough light can cause the bud to retain too much moisture over time, leading to potentially moldy weed. According to Healthline, old weed that isn’t moldy shouldn’t cause any serious health issues. But it’s a whole lot less fun and you do not make Mama proud when you smoke dry, weak, old ganja. Keep it dank, please. 

How Long Does Weed Stay Good?

There are tons of variables here, but the general rule of (opposable) thumb is that properly stored cannabis flower keeps for about 6 months to one year before it starts to lose its potency, according to pros like High Times and others. 

What to Look For

How can you tell if your weed is still fresh, strong, and tasty? Always trust your nose. Older weed will be less aromatic than the good stuff, and super ancient weed might lose its signature scent profile entirely. If a sniff test picks up on anything that might resemble moldy notes at all, give that shit a proper funeral and bury it at sea – moldy weed can cause coughs, nausea, and vomiting (or worse if your immune system isn’t in the best shape), and it just ain’t worth it.

You can use those beautiful hands Mama gave you, too. Fresh flower should be firm but with a bit of give when you squeeze it, like a nice sticky tennis ball. If the nug crumbles like sawdust instead of feeling sticky when pulled apart, it’s older than Mama’s mama. If it feels like a dish sponge, it’s too moist, and you should be extra careful of any signs of moldy weed in that case.

Speaking of moldy weed, the musty, hay-like smell is a giveaway, as is an off taste. But you can also spot small, powdery white dots or fuzzy spots with your eyeballs – not to be confused with those trichome-rich hairlike pistils that make weed so good and sticky in the first place.   

How to Keep Weed Fresh

Weed that’s lacking in punch and flavor and packing extra mold doesn’t sound good to anybody, so how do you keep it fresh? Luckily, it’s not as hard as getting your GED was.

Zipper bags, tins, Tupperware-like stuff, and that fake Pringles can you got from the headshop in 2009 aren’t really the best – they let in too much air. Go with something airtight, like a mason jar. Glass is good overall because static from plastic containers can trash your flower’s trichomes, which can have a negative effect on both cannabinoid and terpene count. 

Flower does best in a cool, dry place, stored sealed at about 55% to 63% humidity. You don’t have to be a scientist to gauge that, but you can get a feel for what that’s like by looking at the weather report’s humidity and comparing that feeling to your weed storage environment. Or, if you really want to impress your Mama, you can get a hygrometer for under $10. Speaking of fancy (but more expensive) kit, you can also invest in a weed humidor, a canna-specific type of humidity-regulating storage box that will serve the double purpose of impressing all your friends. 

Cannabis, like Robert Pattinson, loves the darkness. Temp-wise, go mild, ideally below 77 degrees Fahrenheit, but not freezing (do not freeze your weed, remember what we said about moisture). Basically, you want low light, low moisture, even humidity, and low oxygen exposure. Easy peasy. 

Vape Carts, Edibles, and More

Because a virtually limitless amount of food ingredients can come into play, the rules for storing edibles are a lot more situational. In general, it’s good practice to keep edibles in their original packaging and store them in a cool, dry, shady place, unless they require refrigeration. I mean, it’s food child. On that note, you’ll always want to default to the storage tips on the manufacturer’s packaging – they know best (like Mama).

As for your vape carts and pens, keep them out of direct sunlight for the best shelflife. Because they’re already pre-packed in handy dandy airtight carts, you don’t really need to worry about the humidity and oxygen exposure stuff. Try to keep ‘em upright, though, to keep the oil at the bottom of the cart for a smooth pull. And if you’re preparing for the weed-pocalypse (it’s 2022, man, you never know), keep in mind that some types of weed goodies store better than others. Mama’s own YOLO SHOTZ stay good for over a year – and it’s never a bad idea to have an emergency stash, cause you never know when you’re gonna need shotz.

Ask Mama: How Much Weed is That?

Published on July 1, 2022

weed sizes how many grams is in an eighth

Hopefully, when the words “how much weed is that???” 😲 come out of your mouth, it’s in the best possible way. Sometimes, though, it’s a legit question because a good amount of weed sizes and general weed weight lingo just feel like a random grab bag of the metric system, the U.S. customary system, and stuff people came up with when they were high (because they probably did). As always, though, you can count on Mama to help you make a little sense of this crazy world. 

P.S.: Ever since Mama sent you off to kindergarten, you were a visual learner. So Mama’s included some handy visual aids throughout this article that will help you imagine just how much flower we’re talking about.

One Dollar Bill = 1 gram of Weed

Basic Weed Sizes 

From the dog days of dealers all the way to the bougie air conditioning (yes, when you’re from the jungle, AC is bougie) of dispensaries, you’re gonna see a lot of the same measurements floating around. These are a combo of metric and U.S. measurements, and conveniently enough, there’s no trickery here – the measurements in Weed World™️ are the same as in the real world. 

A Single Shot of Espresso = 1 ounce of Weed

Here’s your basic primer, and Mama made you some flash cards just in case you need ‘em:

  • A gram (g) is small – it’s one one-thousandth of a kilogram (a kilogram, by the way, is just over 2 pounds)
  • An ounce (oz.) is exactly 28.3 grams, but you’ll often find that it’s an even 28g when it refers to cannabis. Usually, this is legally the biggest amount of weed you’re allowed to buy from a dispensary at once.  
  • A half is, shockingly, half an ounce of weed. That comes out to 14 grams.
  • Mama knows you’ll get this right on the test: a quarter is one-quarter of an ounce, or 7g. 
  • So how many grams in an eighth? I knew you’d ask. An eighth is – wait for it – an eighth of an ounce. Which comes out to 3.5 grams.   
  • A milligram (mg) is a teeny tiny droplet of a thing – it’s 1/1000th of a gram, a measurement that you’ll usually see in edibles, oils, and tinctures. 4,929 milligrams of water fit into a single teaspoon.

A Mexican Coke Bottle Cap = 1 Dub Sack (2 grams) of Weed

The Slang n’ Stuff

OK, get ready for Mama’s very own personal edition of Urban Dictionary, just for you. I mean, technically, stuff like “half” and “eighth” are slang. But you know weed makes you creative sometimes, and here’s where weed sizes and weights get, uh, really creative. It’s OK to ask your friends what TF they’re talking about here, cuz we’re not all lifelong High Times subscribers.   

  • In some places, a can is slang for an eighth. Get used to these.
  • Mama wasn’t joking – a cut is also an eighth. 
  • A dime bag is a lil’ plastic baggie of weed that costs $10. It’s usually about a gram. Maybe it actually cost a dime back in 1932 or something, but inflation. In the midwest, you might hear it called a sawbuck.
  • A dub or dub sack is a double (dub-le, get it?) dime bag, so $20 or 2 grams worth of weed. Also known as a tinnie or a 20 bag (you’ll never guess what a 40 bag is).
  • An eify? Another word for an eighth.
  • A G is just a gram of cannabis. Easy peasy.
  • Half-O means half an ounce, but it’s also a good nickname for the shorties in the friend group.
  • Some Brits call an eighth a Henry because they love funny words and blood sausage (big brain: it’s a reference to King Henry VIII and used to be a safe code word for weed). 
  • In the ‘60s, a lid was a popular way to say an ounce. And that was before Mama’s time, don’t even with me right now.😡
  • More rarely, you might hear quad, which is two eighths. 
  • A QP is a quarter, or quarter pound. And now Mama has opened Postmates.
  • Some people also call an eighth a slice. We’re finally done with these.
  • What’s a zip of weed? Easy, it’s just an ounce. No one knows for sure, but people say that this is because an ounce of weed fits right into a Ziploc bag. I really hope you’re not going to dispensaries where they sell stuff in baggies, tho.
  • A zone is an ounce. For some reason?

Lots of these apply more to buying weed on the streets, so you won’t hear them as often now that we’ve evolved into legal dispensaries, like you evolved from me. Still, it’s good to know your roots and also good to be cool at parties.

One Bowl of Fruity Pebbles = 8 oz. of Weed*

How Much Weed Is In…? 

Look, we live in a beautiful, shangri-la of ganja – Mama doesn’t want to “back in my day” you, but all I’m saying is, things are pretty good. That said, the variety that we have access to also makes for a whole lot of, well, variation. So while you can safely set a baseline of expectation for lots of common pre-packaged weed products, in terms of weight, just know that there are no hard and fast rules for exactly how many grams or milligrams of cannabis, THC, or CBD each type of product contains. But you can always see the precise amount on the package.

  • On average, a pre-rolled joint has about 0.3 grams of weed. 
  • A blunt, which is beefier, usually packs about 1 to 2 whole grams of cannabis. 
  • Most commonly, you’ll find vape cartridges come in .5 gram/500mg or 1 gram/1,000mg sizes (just like Mama’s do), though .3 gram/300mg disposable carts are also popular. 
  • Vapes are designed to dole out a specific dosage per hit, with a .5 gram cart offering a ballpark of about 150 puffs while a 1 g cart can get you up to 300 pulls.
One Nintendo Switch = 297 grams of Weed*

Because edibles take the form of all kinds of foodstuffs and…drinkstuffs?…you’re gonna find a much wider range there. Some edibles contain as little as 0.5 milligrams of THC per serving, even though Medical News Today says that 2.5 to 5 mg is commonly considered the lowest effective dose. Typically, edibles feature about 5 to 15 milligrams of THC per serving, or around 20 mg for heavy hitters. Of course, the whole package might contain a lot more THC in total, but we’re talking about single servings. 

*Disclaimer: Please do not smoke a bowl of Fruity Pebbles or a Switch’s worth of weed, Mama taught you better than that. Have some YOLO SHOTZ instead, they’re good for you.

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