If we’re being totally honest, I have trouble trying new things. The people over at Everest Apothecary on Fourth Street know what I’m talking about. I found a good deal there, and now I show up every week like a bad penny, stock up the reserves and run back to my house.They opened a new location a few months back, but I still hadn’t gone by when 4/20 rolled around. I knew they were planning a mad sale to celebrate, so I figured it was about time.Yes. And if you’ve ever wondered why April 20 became the cannabis holiday, then you’re in good company. Truth is, there isn’t a definitive timeline here. Time magazine gave weight to the claim that the code word “420” was created in the ’70s by a group of students at San Rafael High School in Marin County, Calif., who would meet at 4:20pm near the school’s statue of chemist Louis Pasteur to smoke the dreaded plant. The magazine spoke to Dave Reddix, one of the men claiming to have invented the term, who said they chose the time because most extracurricular activities had wrapped up by then.It sounds plausible, but it’s nowhere near as fun as some of the others—my favorite being that it was chosen as a sort of mystical combat move against what is supposedly the most cursed date in history. (See, April 20 is a date shared by a number of unfortunate events and catastrophes, like the Ludlow coal mine massacre in 1914, the infamous shooting at Columbine High School in 1999 or Hitler’s birth in 1889.)For me, it’s always been great. This year, I went shop hopping and actually ended up hitting my limit. (I used to think 8 ounces in 90 days—the regulated amount patients enrolled in the medical cannabis program are allowed to purchase—was more than reasonable, but here I am, bumping against the wall and getting real nervous about my supply. Last week, Gubernatorial candidate Jeff Apodaca sent me his plan to expand the state’s medical program and legalize recreational cannabis. Hopefully, his strong statement about acting quickly on these issues will spur the other candidates to take stronger pro-cannabis positions. The need for an expansion is quickly becoming a personal concern moving forward and will definitely be in mind when I cast my vote in November.)One thing that helped me eat up my limit was the great sales happening all over town. Everest had been celebrating all week with different specials each day. For the big day, they were selling $7 grams, $4.20 half-gram pre-rolls and 20 percent off of everything else. The place was packed tight, but the budtenders were working through the crowd with smiles on their faces. The whole thing went down in about 10 minutes, despite the line, and I walked out with a bagful. In honor of the day, I drove home blaring Black Sabbath’s Master of Reality, featuring the cannabis classic “Sweet Leaf” (with Ozzy’s most poignant lyrics: “You introduced me to my mind”). I made sure the windows were rolled up, though.My first order of business was tearing into some King Louis the XIII x Copper Chem (THC: 23.81%, CBD: unlisted—$11/gram). This curious hybrid smells bright and tastes sour. Its acrid smoke caused peppery coughing fits with every hit, which is good if you’re into that sort of thing. Despite the dominance its sativa side showed over the flavor, the strain’s indica side seemed to affect me the most, causing my legs to feel wiggly and the muscles of my back and arms to relax. It wasn’t exactly sedating, however, and I managed my afternoon chores without any hassles.After a rousing bit of dish washing, I moved on to the aptly named Candyland (THC: 16.70%, CBD: unlisted—$11/gram), which smelled powerfully of lemons and Sweet Tarts. It tasted like lemon cake on the exhale and made me say, “Oh, my,” out loud. Its effects were powerful and immediate. My eyes were the first to feel a previously unnoticed pressure lift, then the back of my skull and down my spine. I sat back and stared at the wall for a moment, enjoying an extreme sense of euphoria and well-being. It’s hard to explain it with these clumsy, stupid words, but there’s a moment when you exhale a huge lungful of sativa across your palate and out your nostrils—the nervous system pops open like a flower and you feel like you’re in love. I think that’s what Ozzy was talking about when he said, “My life is free now, my life is clear/ I love you sweet leaf, though you can’t hear.” Then again, attempting to decipher his genius is probably a losing battle.Nevertheless, I fully empathize with Ozzy. I can’t believe how much I love a dried and cured plant.
Everest Apothecary5809 Juan Tabo Blvd. NE Ste. B293-1249Hours: Mon-Sat 10am-8pm, Sun noon-6pmFirst-time Freebies: Yes