SloSmoking | Ben's Best

SloSmoking. The Terpenes Are The Music. THC Is The Volume.

Enjoying our SloSmoke pre rolls is more like sipping a glass of wine as opposed to chugging a shot or two of hard liquor. The idea is to enjoy the process, stretch it out, and savor each step along the way. The joy is in the journey. I find that I like taking some tokes, getting slightly high, putting the joint down and letting the effect set in a bit. Then if I want to be higher, I take another toke or two. The beauty of SloSmokes is that another toke or two doesn’t put you over the line, or on your ass. Then as the effect starts to wear off I can take another toke or two to maintain. __________________________________________________________________ 4/13/23 SloSmoke Tokes– Musings on the Art of SloSmoking These pre rolls are formulated for the average smoker who wants a slow gradual uplift that can be modulated over time. It’s about enjoying the journey. About enjoying the process. And as the effect starts to wear off, you can top it up. Or let it wear off. Or you can continue to smoke more and get higher. It gives you the option. It puts you back in control of your heightened experience. This is pot the way it used to be. The way it used to grow before the growers started cranking up the THC. Which is not to blame the growers. The growers are just responding to consumer demand. It’s just an education issue. And it’s a trial issue. Just try it. All I can tell you is we tested our stuff out with less frequent smokers, more frequent smokers, high tolerance and low tolerance people. We understand there is no average smoker, but after a whole lot of experiments we came up with formulas that most everyone liked. People who normally smoke high THC stuff enjoy a lighter, more casual, more social high. People who stopped smoking because todays stuff is just way too strong for them, really like it. And people who previously had problems with anxiety or paranoia, didn’t have any problems. That’s because our SloSmokes balance moderate THC with CBD/G and terpenes. ___________________________________________________________________________________
4/20/23 I swear I don’t get it. I took one hit and I’m off. And this is 6 – 8% THC. how is that possible? We dunno. But it might be the particular combination of the terpenes and the THC and the CBD/G. THe entourage effect as they say. Some experts say that if you have too much THC it over powers the terpenes and the effect you get is mostly THC. There’s another researcher, Dr. Cinnamon Bidwell at UC Boulder, who did a rigorous study that showed that there was no difference in THC blood count between 26% THC and 16% THC. She didn’t test lower. But the fact remains that I took one hit and I’m off. Clearheaded enough to write this note. So that’s part of it. Don’t smoke too much. Take a bit of a rest between hit(s) to let the effect sink in and determine whether you’d like to stay where you are for a while or get a little more enhanced. It’s kind of like sipping a glass of wine. __________________________________________________________________________________ 4/26/23 I’ve been meaning to tell you that another expert says that a pre roll is pretty much a dirty vaporizer– that the burning end is only to provide the heat that vaporizes the rest of the weed as the hot smoke is drawn thru it. The burning end itself doesn’t get you high because it’s so hot that it destroys the terps and cannabinoids that are actually burning. ____________________________________________________________________________________ 5/12/23 Different people respond differently. They say it has to do with your endocannabinoid system. There are receptors in the human body for cannabinoids. Some people are more sensitive than others to the various compounds in the cannabis plant. SloSmokes are designed to be terpene focused. Organic, consistent, and moderate in THC. Whereas the majority of cannabis sold today is in the 20 – 30% THC Range, B3 Blends are 6 – 8% depending on effect. And it still takes me just 2 – 4 tokes to get off. My favorites are ECS for an upbeat creative and enhanced visual and sensual experience, Kickback for relaxed and sensual, and Focus to get stuff done But the thing is that different people are different. The majority of our Panel of Esteemed Testers (PET) rated our various blends pretty much the way they are described on our packaging, but different people respond differently. There were outliers. And who knows? You might be an outlier too. ________________________________________________________________________________ 5/24/23 There are some experts in the field who believe that if you have too much THC it overwhelms and masks the effect of the terpenes. That makes sense to me.

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6/1/25

Cannabis Is Booming- but Who’s Winning?

Legal cannabis is everywhere these days- shops on every corner, billions in sales. But here’s what we don’t talk about enough: the people and communities who were crushed by the War on Drugs.

While big companies cash in, many Black and Brown folks are still sitting in jail for something that’s now legal.

That’s where social equity comes in. It’s about giving people most impacted by prohibition a real shot in the legal weed game. With support, access, and opportunity.

This isn’t charity. It’s justice.

That’s why 100% of B3’s profits go to:
– Black-owned cannabis startups
– The Last Prisoner Project.
– The Vermont Racial Justice Alliance

And how the profits will be used:

– Decarcerate

We advocate to get people convicted of nonviolent cannabis crimes out of jail.

– Expunge

We advocate to erase the criminal records of people who have been convicted of nonviolent cannabis crimes.

– Deschedule

We advocate to get pot off Schedule 1 (the same category as heroin). That is the whole basis of the War on Drugs.

– Equity

We use our profits to make grants to Black cannabis entrepreneurs.

Now that’s how you use business for good.

As Ben puts it:

“Business as usual is not going to change the world. But business unusual just might.”

Let’s make the cannabis industry not just high… but just.

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6/3/25

What Are Terpenes, and Why Do They Matter in Cannabis?

If you’ve walked into a dispensary lately, you’ve probably heard someone mention terpenes. Maybe a budtender said, “This one’s high in myrcene,” or a friend described a strain as having “a citrusy terpene profile.”

Let’s break it down simply.

Terpenes are the natural compounds in plants that give them their smell and flavor. They’re what make lavender soothing, citrus refreshing, and pine trees smell like the holidays. Cannabis is full of them.

Why does that matter? Because terpenes do more than smell nice. They can actually influence how cannabis affects your body and mind.

Some terpenes help you relax. Others keep you alert. They work hand-in-hand with cannabinoids like THC and CBD to shape your experience. So if you’ve tried cannabis before and felt it was too strong, too sleepy, or not helpful- it might have been the terpene mix, not the plant itself.

You’ll rarely find a strain with just one terpene. Usually, it’s a blend. Think of it like a tea blend, where different herbs combine for a specific effect.

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6/6/25

The Entourage Effect: Why Cannabis Works Better as a Team

Here’s a helpful metaphor: imagine you’re listening to a jazz band. Each musician is good on their own, but together? They create something richer and more dynamic.

That’s the entourage effect. A fancy term for how cannabinoids (like THC and CBD) and terpenes work together in the body.

For example:

A strain with THC and myrcene might make you feel relaxed and ready for a nap.
A strain with CBD and limonene could lift your spirits without causing a “high.”
A balanced blend with pinene might help you stay focused while easing tension.

This is why cannabis isn’t one-size-fits-all. It’s not just about how much THC it has, it’s the entourage that matters.

Terpenes are the music; THC is the volume.

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6/9/25

Tips for Terps

Smell the Strain

Our noses are smarter than we give them credit for. If a strain smells appealing to you, there’s a good chance your body will respond positively to it.

Ask About Terpene Profiles

Some dispensaries provide lab results that list dominant terpenes. Look for descriptions like:

“High in limonene” = mood-lifting
“Balanced with caryophyllene and linalool” = stress support
“Rich in myrcene” = more calming

Start Low, Go Slow

This advice applies to both THC and trying new terpene blends.

What works for someone else might not work for you. Let your own body, nose, and experience be your guide. This is a personal journey, not a race. Enjoy the ride.

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8/1/25

Why the Cannabis Industry Desperately Needs Legal Reform

Let’s talk about something that doesn’t get enough attention: the messy, patchwork legal landscape surrounding cannabis in the U.S. If you’ve ever wondered why a booming industry still feels like it’s stuck in the shadows, the answer is simple. The laws haven’t caught up.

The Federal vs. State Mess

This legal limbo creates all kinds of problems. Cannabis businesses can’t access traditional banking, which means many are forced to operate in cash. And forget about small business loans or federal tax deductions. Because cannabis is still a Schedule I drug under federal law (in the same category as heroin), cannabis businesses can’t deduct normal business expenses like rent, salaries, or marketing. That’s a huge blow for entrepreneurs trying to build something legal and responsible.

Social Justice Is Still on Hold

Then there’s the social justice side of things. While legal cannabis companies rake in billions, people, often from Black and Brown communities, are still sitting in prison for the same thing. That’s not just unfair, it’s a moral failure. Reform needs to mean more than legalization. It needs to include expungement of past convictions and real opportunities for the communities that were harmed the most by the War on Drugs.

A Call for Real Change

What we need is comprehensive federal reform. That means:

Descheduling cannabis from the Controlled Substances Act
Allowing banking access so businesses can operate safely and transparently
Reinvesting in impacted communities, not just handing out licenses to the highest bidder
Creating clear, national standards so people know what’s legal (and what’s not), no matter where they live

Until then, we’ll keep watching a multi-billion-dollar industry built on uneven ground, where justice is still a promise instead of a practice.

It’s time to modernize cannabis laws, not just for the industry’s growth, but for fairness, safety, and common sense.

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8/4/25

Let’s Talk About the Social Injustices in the Cannabis Industry

It’s kind of wild when you really stop and think about it. There are people today, right now, making millions of dollars selling cannabis legally. Fancy dispensaries, sleek branding, even delivery apps. And yet, in that same exact moment, there are folks still sitting behind bars for doing pretty much the same thing. Same plant. Same purpose. Totally different outcomes.

That’s not just a little unfair. That’s a deep, rooted injustice.

A Brief (and Honestly Infuriating) History

For decades, cannabis was criminalized in the U.S., and the so-called “War on Drugs” wasn’t really a war on drugs, it was a war on communities. Specifically, Black and Brown communities. Despite similar usage rates across racial groups, people of color were arrested, charged, and incarcerated at far higher rates for cannabis-related offenses. These weren’t just slaps on the wrist, either. We’re talking life-altering sentences. Years in prison, stripped opportunities, broken families.

Fast Forward to Now…

Now that cannabis is legal (or at least decriminalized) in many states, you’d think the people most harmed by the old system would be first in line to benefit from the new one. But that’s not how it’s been playing out. Getting a license to grow or sell cannabis legally is expensive. There are crazy application fees, legal hoops to jump through, and tons of startup costs. Most people who were targeted by the war on cannabis don’t have the resources or capital to break into this shiny new legal market. Meanwhile, big companies with deep pockets are swooping in and dominating the space.

What Needs to Change?

Here’s the short list of things we need to see more of:

– Automatic expungement of cannabis-related convictions

– Funding and support for equity applicants (loans, grants, training)

– License caps or carve-outs for folks from affected communities

– Community reinvestment in the neighborhoods hit hardest by drug enforcement

– Let people out of prison for nonviolent cannabis offenses, period.

If you’re legalizing cannabis, but not clearing records or freeing people still locked up for it… that’s not justice.

That’s just business.

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