Take two and pass
So the blunt will last
Those are the immortal words of Guru, Gang Starr's lyricist.
Penned in 1994, that was a different time, many years before the world would be afflicted with the coronavirus and started to mask up.
Last March 5, we advised: "Due to the new health paradigm, we recommend no sharing of joints, pipes, bongs and vape devices."
Now that 45% of Americans are fully vaccinated, is it OK to resume traditional passing and sharing of cannabis?
Dr. Peter Chin-Hong from UCSF tells SF Weekly: "If someone is vaccinated, and you’re sharing with another vaccinated person, vaccinated people sharing with each other are generally safe.”
Dr. Mary Clifton: "It's still wise to protect yourself, especially during cold and flu season."
Chin-Hong's UCSF colleague Dr. George Rutherford agrees: “If people are fully vaccinated, and they’re really vaccinated, I don’t see there’s any much difference than kissing.”
Our resident canna-medicine expert Dr. Mary Clifton tells CelebStoner:
"Fully vaccinated people can resume sharing, but should be aware that even the ordinary flu has a 10% rate of cardiac complications and multiple other respiratory viruses have potential neurologic complications. So, it's still wise to protect yourself, especially during cold and flu season."
Clifton adds: "I will be wearing a mask during cold and flu season for the rest of my life."
I agree with Dr. Clifton. Masks prevent all kinds of airborne infections from spreading, like simple colds and sore throats, which I've contracted from sharing on multiple occasions pre-Covid.
Americans should adopt the European and Jamaican custom of rolling joints for oneself and generally not sharing. It's just not necessary. Sharing is a counterculture tradition dating back to the '60s. Then, cannabis was often not plentiful, so sharing was necessary. Legalization has resulted in increased availability. Why share when there's so much to go around? Yes, share cannabis, but not from hand to hand and mouth to mouth. Here's a great bud, put that in your pipe and try it. Or roll it up. Just don't pass it.
Due to Covid-19, passing is now passé.
