Anita Flores, CareTalkers Podcast

Ellen Scanlon (00:00):

This podcast discusses cannabis and is intended for audiences 21 and over.

Ellen Scanlon (00:07):

Welcome to How to Do the Pot, a podcast demystifying cannabis for women. I’m Ellen Scanlon. One of the biggest misconceptions about shopping for legal weed is thinking that you need to know a lot about cannabis before you go. And while you can’t forget your government-issued ID, and it will make it easier if you bring cash, as more states legalize, visiting a dispensary is a lot like a regular shopping experience. This series is dedicated to providing you with a support system of other women who have been in your shoes.

Ellen Scanlon (00:44):

If you scroll through our podcast feed and look for first time legal weed stories, you will hear from some really inspiring women from all across the country about the first time they bought legal cannabis. And these women offer a lot of helpful tips and really thoughtful observations, but they’re not without a few mishaps and laughs along the way too. We hope these stories make you feel supported, less alone, and a little lighthearted when you decide to make your first cannabis shopping trip. We want you to feel confident and most importantly, to have fun. And we would love to hear your story. Send us a voice memo with your three to five-minute story to hi@dothepot.com. That’s hi@dothepot.com.

Ellen Scanlon (01:35):

Anita Flores is a New York-based comedian and the host of CareTalkers Podcast.

Anita Flores (01:41):

The first time that I bought legal weed was during my first trip to Colorado, which must have been… Oh my goodness, 10 years ago, maybe more. I think what really struck me about legal weed was going to the dispensary. I’m not sure what I expected, but what I got was much more doctor’s office like than I expected.

Anita Flores (02:14):

I remember going to this dispensary with some friends and we got in and somebody said like, “Oh, somebody will be with you shortly.” So we had to wait and then kind of were assigned a person to go into the dispensary with us. And yeah, it was a lot more clinical than I expected, just like having a little weed tour guide. And then it turned into like almost a wine shop experience. This person that worked there was opening jars and letting us smell strains. And it was nice. I ended up getting some sativa peach gummies, which I very much enjoyed.

Anita Flores (03:08):

And when my friends and I had to go back to the airport, I had seen the film Brokedown Palace. Keep in mind this was 10 years ago. I’m taking a plane from Colorado back to New York, and in my mind I’m thinking, “I absolutely cannot leave any peach gummies in my backpack or I’m going to end up in prison.” So my friend and I ended up finishing the peach gummies before heading to the airport. And when I got there, we were going through security and we went through and then I was motioned by a TSA agent and said, “Will you please come with me?” I started to cry and I turned to my friend and I said, “This is it. I must have left the peach gummies in the bag. We didn’t finish them. This is it. I’m going to prison.”

Anita Flores (04:02):

And the TSA agents said, “Ma’am, we need to test this,” and pulled out a container of MiraLAX, which is a light laxative that I like to bring with me on trips as I do get constipated. It’s just something that I deal with. And he said, “We need to make sure that this isn’t anthrax,” the white powder that was in the MiraLAX container. I started to cry with even more relief, but also shame. I said, “Oh my God, I thought I was in real trouble.” He’s like, “No, it’s we just have to be sure.” And he said, “I’ve seen much more embarrassing things in people’s bags.” I said “Like what?” And he said, “Let’s just say it involved AA batteries.” I know now that he was referring to a vibrator, but I would much rather have been caught with a vibrator in my bag than laxative, but I hope that’s what I get flagged for by security next time. My super cool, sexy vibrator.

Ellen Scanlon (05:07):

Thanks for listening to this episode of How to Do the Pot. If you’d like to share your story about the first time you bought legal weed, please send a voice memo to hi@dothepot.com or DM us @dothepot. For lots more information and past episodes, visit dothepot.com. And that’s also where you can sign up for How to Do the Pot’s newsletter, which comes out every other Friday. If you like How to Do the Pot, please rate and review us on Apple Podcasts. It helps more people find the show. Thank you to our producers Madi Fair and Nick Patri. I’m Ellen Scanlon, and stay tuned for more of How to Do the Pot.