How times have changed. Would we have thought 10 years or (even 5 years) ago that the NY Times would run an article entitled, Letter of Recommendation: Magic-Flight Launch Box, which was essentially an unabashed review of a marijuana vaporizer in office culture? What makes the piece by Mattathias Schwartz unique is his matter-of-fact tone suggesting that this could be the new normal. From his writing, there are no real hints that the idea of smoking marijuana in the office is a radical concept. Rather he pens his vaping experiences in a sensitive and sensible manner much along the lines of the health benefits of a green juice regimen or meditation practice.
“Marijuana, I found, is a fine office drug. Not only is it more healthful than the ubiquitous conference-table bottle of Knob Creek, it’s also a sharper creative spur. It makes work feel more like a rapturous Frisbee game, less like an assembly line. Solo brainstorms take on an almost yeast-like generativity. And contrary to popular notions from the end of the last century, much of what bubbles up is worth keeping.”
Remember this is written for the NY Times and not High Times. Of course, the comments section have rattled a few readers that might not be up to speed with the new landscape of marijuana acceptance. But even there, the dialogue is mostly a well-adjusted give and take of rational discussion without the usual interspersed bile-spewing. It seems the paradigm has finally and undeniably shifted from the ever demonizing view to a more insightful examination of a natural substance with genuine healthful benefits.
And for those that are intrigued to learn more about the Magic Flight Launch Box, you can read a detailed straight-forward review on Medical Jane. It’s heartening to note that sensible information does make it through the headline-grabbing chatter of the more sophomoric stoner culture and the inevitable commercialization of marijuana. Hopefully, the trend will continue for those of us who favor a more mature view of cannabis.
