CULTURE
Where You Smoke with @WhereYouSmoke: Weed + Nature = Happiness
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The simple (but accurate) equation comes from one of this week's outdoor smokers, who snapped a gorgeous pic from the Grand Tetons in Wyoming.
Published on May 16, 2017

All photos courtesy of @WhereYouSmoke

@WhereYouSmoke sprouted in a moment shared between a spliff and the great outdoors. Run by an anonymous artist who grew up in LA, the Instagram account and online platform celebrates cannabis lovers who like to light up alongside Mother Nature. Each week, we’ve asked @WhereYouSmoke to share a few favorite Instagram uploads with MERRY JANE, and so far he’s blown our minds with the picturesque snaps he’s sent us. Before we dive into this week’s photo-friendly smokers, @WhereYouSmoke wanted to share a collaborator’s story about smoking weed for the first time, which happened to involve the natural world:

I'll never forget the first time I smoked — who doesn’t remember? Growing up in LA, I was a rather late bloomer, blazing for the first time on the eve of my 15th birthday. I was at a friend’s house with about five other homies, and after some minimal convincing, I was ready to take my first toke. We went inside to pack a pipe, but realized that we had somehow lost the glass. After searching for papers, and continuing to scour the house for the pipe, we had no other choice but to go the old-fashioned route. My friend went to the kitchen and returned with a knife and a big Red Delicious apple. We carved out a little hole at the top, a hole through the side, and voila — my very first sesh was all thanks to Mother Nature. Under the stars, we laughed at my inaugural smoking experience and our homemade contraption...  It was hilarious, but it worked just fine!

All interviews have been edited for length and clarity

@rachelsteren
19-Years-Old
Photo taken in Grand Tetons, Wyoming in Summer 2016

@WhereYouSmoke: Where was this photo taken? Tell me about this location — how you got there, what the day was like, etc.
@rachelsteren:
This photo was originally taken by my then-boyfriend while he was working at the Grand Teton National Park. We were living in Wyoming, and everywhere was a beautiful place to smoke. A short drive in any direction will lead you to the glorious mountains.

What are some of your favorite activities to do while smoking?
As a lover of art, one of my favorite things on this Earth is smoking and painting in a beautiful location. The two go together so well. Smoking helps get my creative ideas flowing while a beautiful environment always inspires me to paint landscapes. Add in some groovy tunes and good friends, and I can't think of a more ideal day.

What about smoking in nature do you enjoy most? What does it enhance for you?
Smoking in nature is my absolute favorite place to smoke because it feels so pure. Smoking a joint in nature is one of the most authentic feelings for me. Weed + nature = happiness, a simple equation.

Do you have any tips for people who like to smoke during their travels?
As someone who has done a lot of smoking on the go, my best advice would be to smoke blunts/joints! They're the easiest to carry around and the easiest to get rid of. You don't need to worry about any glass breaking or any of that jazz. Also, smoking a joint in nature will make you feel super badass.

@nickycarne
21-Years-Old
Photo taken at Artkhmo Gorge, Georgia in April, 2017

@WhereYouSmoke: Where was this photo taken? Tell me about this location, how you got there, what the day was like?
@nickycarne: This photo was taken at Artkhmo Gorge in the northern Caucasus Mountains in Georgia, about an hour south of the Russian border. My friend and I had been backpacking in Georgia for a couple weeks and had just befriended a super eccentric guy from New Delhi. We all hitchhiked about an hour south of the town we were staying in, hoping to find some more off-the-beaten-track adventures. We ended up in a tiny village in the mountains and hiked for a few hours through a nearby gorge. Eventually, we smoked our spliff at the highest peak we could scramble up, surrounded by snow-capped mountains and abandoned shepherd huts. We shared one sad apple (literally the only food we brought) while our friend bumped his favorite Indian pop music.

Do you prefer smoking indoors or outdoors?
Smoking is always better in the great outdoors! Every time I get high in nature, I love the overwhelming feeling you get where you realize the whole world is full of so much shit going on, right in front of your eyes. And you get the sensation that there is so much more out there to see and experience than I can even comprehend. One of my favorite memories is smoking a spliff with my sister and a local guy in Nicaragua on his boat. This monkey jumped on to ride around with us. I remember being so stoned and mumbling something like, “wtf we are on a volcanic lake and now look at this monkey. Are you kidding me? Is this real?”

What's your favorite high memory of 2017?
Favorite high memory of 2017 is definitely from 420. It was our last day in Georgia and we spent hours summiting Mount Koruldi. The snow was waist deep, so by the time we reached the top our clothes were soaking wet. We took all our clothes off to dry and smoked the rest of our Georgian weed while sunbathing (basically pretending we were getting the full Spring Break experience).

What's your favorite sesh spot in the world? Why?
Favorite sesh spot in the world is my roof in Brooklyn. It's a dope view and I lit my little sister up for the first time there years ago, marking our transition from siblings to best friends/cyph partners. For that, it'll always be my favorite.  

What's your preferred mode of getting lifted?
Spliffs are my favorite, 100%. I'm a college student so I basically exist in an exclusively spliff-based culture. I love to roll, and spliffs save weed, taste better, add a head rush, and help me to relax and focus. Plus, I can smoke a bunch of them before being belligerently high — always a plus.

@brainsubstance
18-Years-Old
Photo Taken in Zurich, Switzerland in September, 2016

@WhereYouSmoke: Where was this photo taken? Tell me about this location, how you got there, what the day was like?
@brainsubstance:
The photo was taken last summer/early fall in a small village called "Meilen,” which is in Zürich. It was a sunny day, so I decided to take a walk and search for a nice spot to smoke. After about an hour of waking, I came across the beautiful place detailed in the photo above.

What was your first time getting high like? Tell me about it!
My first time getting high was a very intense experience. I was with a friend of mine, and I rolled a one-gram joint for each of us. I don't need to tell you that was way too much for the first time! After ten minutes, I got very high. I couldn't stop laughing… it was great!

What’s your favorite thing about smoking outdoors?
I feel more connected to nature. I will always love watching a sunrise or looking at the stars at night while smoking a joint.

If you like to photograph your outdoor smoking adventures, check out the submission page at www.whereyousmoke.com. And follow @WhereYouSmoke on Instagram.

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@WhereYouSmoke is an Instagram account and online platform run by an anonymous artist. Visit http://whereyousmoke.com/ for more about his photo journeys alongside the herb.
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