Contributed by Stephen Burnardt
Glassblowing is an art form that is thousands of years old, but what happens when that ancient art form meets a taboo counterculture and now a burgeoning cannabis industry?
Pot paraphernalia, that’s what!
In a world where cannabis is legal in nearly 30 states, the people who provide your smoking utensils are slowly trying to eliminate the stigma that goes with their (admittedly shady) industry. Things have changed a lot in the past 10 years. Cannabis acceptance is more mainstream than ever before, so why does the head-shop and paraphernalia industry still seem stuck in the past? Is it paraphernalia? Of course. Should any of this still be a taboo topic in 2017? Of course not.
Glass paraphernalia is a multi-billion dollar business, and it was only a few years ago when someone could be billy-clubbed and locked in a cage simply for producing pipes or bongs. Most notably, there was Operation Pipe Dreams, the code name for a nationwide investigation in 2003, which targeted businesses selling or producing drug paraphernalia. They even arrested the likes of Tommy Chong for his involvement in “Chong’s Bongs”.
This over-regulation and SWAT-team-style busts even hindered the industry up here in Alaska. Local glass artisans like Cosmic Glass had to temporarily shut up shop until the chaos blew over. Cheap Chinese knock-offs and spendy pieces from out of state have flooded the market, and most consumers don’t even know they likely have a local blower.
A local producer like Cosmic Glass has been making quality pipes right here in the Mat-Su Valley since 1999. You may have seen their stickers and iconic logo around town. In a business as controversial as making pipes for weed (or tobacco - wink wink), gorilla marketing and word of mouth was their only option. Word spread. They’ve handed out thousands of those stickers and sold even more pipes. You may have seen them all over the US, and even as far out as Australia! Their quality glass has spread around the world, all while being proudly Alaskan-made, right here in the Mat-Su.
If you are utilizing legal cannabis here in Alaska, you need to be conscious of where your glass comes from. The quality of Alaskan-blown glass is obvious. If you want a reliable smoking device, you probably want it to be made in Alaska. It’s functional art, it’s paraphernalia for pot - and you can buy it from a local, family-owned business.
Spending your money locally isn’t just important for carrots and retail outlets, it’s also important for smoking your weed.
