Social media goes crazy for NY Times’ Maureen Dowd’s “bad trip” on marijuana candy bar
New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd took investigative journalism to a new “high” when she decided to do some of her own research on Colorado’s legalized marijuana scene.
While in Colorado, Dowd decided to sample a marijuana candy bar in an attempt to feel the effects of the pot-filled treat. But when she bit off a piece of the candy bar and didn’t feel anything for the first hour, she decided to eat some more — all in the name of journalism, of course.
It is unclear how much of the candy bar Dowd actually consumed, because shortly after ingesting some more after the initial bite, Dowd began to feel the effects, which she detailed in her column:
But then I felt a scary shudder go through my body and brain. I barely made it from the desk to the bed, where I lay curled up in a hallucinatory state for the next eight hours. I was thirsty but couldn’t move to get water. Or even turn off the lights. I was panting and paranoid, sure that when the room-service waiter knocked and I didn’t answer, he’d call the police and have me arrested for being unable to handle my candy.
The Twitter backlash that followed spawned a plethora of Internet memes and witty comments as people poked fun at Dowd's experience:
Get offa Maureen Dowd's Technicolor Dream lawn.
— Chris Oestereich (@costrike) June 4, 2014
Maureen Dowd is the new 10 guy http://t.co/QCvJHkKdXp pic.twitter.com/0PpnR1REaS — Christopher Ingraham (@_cingraham) June 4, 2014
"I really want to get high with Maureen Dowd." - said no one ever. — HumanityCritic (@HumanityCritic) June 4, 2014
The next day, after Dowd had finally come down from her candy bar high, a medical consultant informed Dowd that the bar should have been divided into 16 pieces, especially for a non-user, like Dowd. However, as one Twitter user pointed out, the suggested serving size is not mentioned on the label, reports The Huffington Post. This leads into the ongoing debate of the safety of selling these now-legal pot products, and how easily it can end up in the hands of those who may not fare well with it.
Maureen Dowd accidentally brings up a good point— noobs can get pot with no friendly guidance! — Annie-Rose Strasser (@ARStrasser) June 4, 2014
And reading more of Dowd's column, it's clear that in the wrong hands, things can go quite poorly with these products:
I strained to remember where I was or even what I was wearing, touching my green corduroy jeans and staring at the exposed-brick wall. As my paranoia deepened, I became convinced that I had died and no one was telling me.
Dowd says the drug wore off “distressingly slowly” and admits that even though there was no warning on the label, she should have known better.
Though she’s fully recovered from her candy bar high, reading the attacks on Twitter might make her feel at an all-time low…
Next week: Maureen Dowd takes sixteen times the recommended dose of Acetaminophen; warns world of dangers in her final column.
— James Ball (@jamesrbuk) June 4, 2014
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