Laughter is the Best Medicine

[dropcap class=”kp-dropcap”]P[/dropcap]eanut butter and jelly, peas and carrots, Abbott and Costello—these are famous pairings that will receive the limelight for all time. Another pair that needs little introduction is cannabis and comedy.

Comedy has always been a staple source of entertainment alongside cannabis. Joints and movies, edibles and comedy shows—few will miss the chance to light up before watching movies like Friday or Pineapple Express. Consuming cannabis calms the everyday anxieties of life and replaces them with an elevation of classic entertainment. Together, cannabis and comedy work in tandem to ultimately create one hell of a good time. In the past, CULTURE has celebrated the intersection of cannabis and comedy through interviews with many famous and talented comedians such as Reggie Watts, Tenacious D, Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias, Adam Corolla and comedy duo Cheech & Chong, among many others. Now, we’re welcoming Jo Koy into the mix.

Like cannabis, laughter is the best medicine. And like all good pairings, this duo only grows stronger with time. CULTURE’s interview with Koy is an example of how mainstream cannabis continues to grow strong in the comedy scene, as Koy states in response to whether or not he consumes cannabis, “Who doesn’t!”

We’re also witnessing the ways in which comedy-centric cannabis events hold a bright future in legal cannabis states. For instance, one is the Lemonhaze Cannabis and Comedy Convention in Washington coming up in October—a magical place where the likes of comedian Doug Benson delights audiences of up to 5,000 industry professionals. After all, all work and no play would make our unique industry a dull one.

In the past, comedy shows where cannabis consumption was allowed were done on a “bring your own product” basis. In some legal states, comedians are trying to comply with state laws, while still incorporating cannabis into their acts. A recent example of this was when comedian Adam Hartle gave out free joints to his audience at a comedy show in San Francisco, California in August. Although he did share that in order to comply with state law, the giveaway was happening outside the venue, before the show, to adults ages 21 and older—and the kicker? Consumers were not allowed to partake during the show. Unfortunately, this is not the type of comedy and cannabis development that voters in legal states are looking forward to after passing legalization.

But not all hope for the future is lost, as the partnership between legal cannabis and comedy is off to a strong start in Canada. Cannabis lounges are increasingly hosting comedy shows. For example, Toronto-based Vapor Central hosts “Stoner Sundays,” while Hotbox Lounge + Shop in Ontario hosts comedy nights every Thursday.

Overall, we tend to hold the belief that cannabis has the ability to make just about everything better. When it comes to our entertainment, we’re delighted to bear witness to any trend that is good for the funny bone. Bring on the laughs, and pass the vape!

Cheers!

Jamie Solis

Editor-in-Chief