DOSE:

repeated

smoked

Products - Spice-Like Smoking Blends

BODY WEIGHT:

230 lb

I've been smoking weed steadily for over seventeen years and off and on since I was fifteen. I also currently travel quite a bit with my gal for work purposes. Since I frequently find myself in new areas, I tend to have difficulty getting my beloved ganja. Some of those areas (in fact, most) are not exactly ganja friendly. I've also quite realized that my habits could too easily have very negative repercussions on my gal's job, which would be extremely bad since she's the primary breadwinner. As such, I had been on the lookout for extenders (which also have the added benefit of 'adjusting' MJ's lovely scent) or outright replacements for a while. I'd previously found a combination that worked well enough to stave off the cravings for the real thing for a while and could lengthen the time needed between weed purchases when I had weed. But, ultimately, this was kind of unsatisfying. So I kept looking. That's about when I started reading reports on Spice and related type 'incense' products. I had been seeing them in smoke shops for a couple years but didn't realize what it was at the time. Once I had a clear idea of what it was I became fully intrigued. I vowed to try some when it became convenient to do so.

That time was just a few months ago. I was in my hometown driving about one day when I noticed a new smoke shop in town with a ballsy name (well, for that still pretty conservative town). Since I can't resist a headshop, I pulled in. It was a smaller store but had a decent variety of stuff with decent prices to boot. One glass cabinet was dedicated to Spice type products and garnered much of my attention. I notated prices and styles and made the determination to come back in a couple days with money and get some. If I couldn't get any weed that is. Well a couple days later I was still in the holding pattern for weed and revisited the shop. I was still on the fence with buying any until I saw a couple of younger fellows come in and purchase some. It wasn't that they were buying it that convinced me, it was that they got visibly and audibly excited when they bought it. That was just the push I needed to get some of my own. I purchased a 1.5 gram tube of Wicked X and went on my merry way. I should note here that prices for this stuff were comparable to buying chronic. I figured it better do more than something for that price.

I arrived back at my parents and sat outside in my car for a few minutes so I could try out my new acquisition. I loaded up a small pipe, which is pretty small, and took a hit. After holding it for ten seconds or so I let it out and waited. I didn't have long to do so. I very soon noticed a very familiar buzz coming on. But just a little different, with a little more spin than weed. Not entirely unpleasant but could cause concern if under the wrong conditions. I took a few more hits, cashing the bowl. Well, there's my first hint of a downside, it burns more quickly than weed. But I was expecting this since the proprietor had stated that damiana was the primary component and I have experience with damiana. Still, for the price, I didn't really want it burning that fast. Plus, I'm kinda cheap and perpetually broke so I'm out to maximize every dollar and cent I come across. Anyway... After I finished the bowl I sat in my car listening to the radio for a bit before going back in the house. Music was typically enjoyable in the same way it is under MJ. I was quite impressed that at last I had found something that was legal to buy over the counter and would get me high like I'm used to. The length of the buzz was relatively similar too. That was my first experience.

Around a month and a half later I found myself out of state once more. And I found myself wanting to smoke, as usual. Well, even if I'd had weed at that point, it was out of the question since we were in a busy hotel and I'd flown there to be with my gal. I looked up local smoke shops and determined to drive over to one at my first oppurtunity. As luck would have it, there were three within a mile of our hotel including one practically around the corner. I went to that nearest one and was looking at several types, trying to maximize my paltry sum of money. There was a 'sale' on some stuff called Jamaican Earth, which is what I purchased. And for spending more than ten bucks, I got a free sample as well. In all, a little over two grams for just over seventeen dollars. I figured that if this stuff was similar in effect to the Wicked X, then I did pretty well. I went back to the hotel, loaded my travel pipe (left behind in travel flux due to flying home) and lit up. I was quite pleased with the results. If anything, this was even better than Wicked X. It's so good I begin to wonder what the other, reputedly stronger, varieties will be like. I spent the remainder of my week in a fuzzy, stoned type state. Just before we left that Texas city I stopped by that shop again and got a further two grams plus free sample. I figured this would last me another week. I was wrong. I smoked nearly all of it during our day and a half drive from Texas across New Mexico and into central Arizona. Don't get me wrong, I was glad to have it on that long of a ride, but it just didn't burn the same as the first batch of Jamaican Earth. I feel it important to note that the first purchase came in two small, unlabeled, clear baggies and the second came in a single, labeled, aluminized baggie. Visually, they were identical. The smell was the same for both but a little stronger with the first purchase. I have theories as to why, but they are unimportant right now.

After dropping my gal and her grown daughter off at the airport so they could go have fun, I went over to my stepson's house for a while to flake out and smoke some weed before heading out later in the day. In the course of being there I took his wife on a ciggie run and noticed they had 'incense' available. They had Wicked X and some stuff called Golden Leaf xxx. Well, the Golden Leaf was considerably cheaper than the Wicked so I naturally bought that. Two grams for ten bucks! I was thrilled with the price but a little apprehensive since the price could translate to weak results too. Once I got home I loaded up my favorite pipe, which I also made myself, and proceeded to light up. I am happy to report that I got high! Just like I would have on really good weed. Not a little like it but exactly like it. I was so impressed I began kinda kicking myself in the butt for not getting the five gram deal. Live and learn.

A short time after running out of this unexpected loveliness I purchased a 1 gram pack of some orange flavored stuff call Defcon 4. There were five varieties of Defcon with 1 being the lowest and 5 the highest. Friends of mine at home had had the Defcon 3, liked it, and were recommended to try the 4. I pulled that trigger first. I got home and loaded up again. WHOA! This one was totally different than any of the others I've tried so far! More of an up tempo buzz than what I am used to and generally like better. Mind you, it wasn't bad, in fact it too was pretty good. I just prefer a more laid back buzz than what I was being offered. It would probably be good for some hiking or something like that and I'm sure I'll find that out some time but not now.

A few days later we headed out of state again. I had looked up local smoke shops before leaving home so I had pretty good idea of where to go before I got to our destination. This time I had two choices of smoke shops within a mile radius of where we were staying. I checked out both places before deciding what to buy. I went with the more 'traditional' head shop and purchased five grams (4+1free) of stuff called 'Da Bomb'. I wasn't feeling the best when I first lit up so was a little concerned with the apparent effects of this new strain. It definitely seemed to have more initial spin than weed or any of the other varieties I've tried so far. This kept me from smoking it much for a couple of days until I felt better. That was a week ago. Even now when I smoke it I can tell it has significantly more spin than the other brands I've had or weed. If I stack hits too close together, I feel like I might fall over if I stood up. That feeling can last for upwards of twenty minutes or more. It can be very distracting, bordering on the unpleasant. Eventually it always seems to mellow out into a more acceptable and normal weed type of buzz. I've noticed, too, that if I smoke alot of it in one day, I feel hungover the next morning. Kinda like when I smoke ALOT, ALOT of weed. On the positive side of that, I don't really feel like smoking any for many hours after rising as compared to weed which is usually being smoked immediately under those circumstances.

So what are my sum impressions of Spice type products? I think this stuff is rather amazing on many levels, at least for me. I have found a true substitute for weed that I can buy and smoke openly in most areas we travel to. I get the effects that I want and don't unduly jeopardize my gals career or my freedom. I believe it should be treated with respect and persons new to it should approach it a little cautiously. But that's with any substance, really. I do have concerns as well for the fact that these products are coated with synthetics. What the long term effects are going to be is still something of a question mark in as much as I've read. Also, I prefer the natural to the synthesized at virtually every point in my life.

My other concern centers around extended use, like weeks on end. If it holds like other synthetics I am previously familiar with, I may be facing a sharper withdrawal period than what I get with weed. I'm crossing my fingers against that. However, since it's still legal in the areas we get to most, I will be purchasing and using these products for the foreseeable future.

Exp Year: 2010	ExpID: 88287
Gender: Male
Age at time of experience: 41
Published: Jan 5, 2018	Views: 1,563
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