Being a pothead in a country that still hasn’t legalised weed most especially PH City can be a fucking drag. You’re literally a walking target for everyone to pick on, next to the devil, ‘Igbo smokers’ are right up there with the scum of the earth — from a Nigerian perspective anyway. — It’s tricky going out with a substance you can’t be seen within publicly.
Every day you’re living through different stages of anxiety. You’re either dodging the cops or evading SARS, or trying to find the perfect spot that allows you to have a simple smoke without being judged.
With some experience under my belt cause of my bad habit of smoking Marijuana around the City of Port Harcourt I can share some tips on navigating without getting your day ruined.
According to a new report from cannabis analytics firm New Frontier Data and first reported by BusinessDay, the African nation of Nigeria is the leader in global cannabis consumption. Nigeria currently has an estimated 20.8 million pot consumers lighting up annually, with more than $15 billion spent on weed every year. Despite the high consumption rates, cannabis sales are illegal in Nigeria, though the western state of Ondo is considering a medical marijuana program.
Know The Hot Zones.
Port Harcourt sort of works with a predictable rhythm that occasionally throws you curveballs but you can actually still hack the system. The first thing is knowing the hot zones. Depending on where you live in PH City, you’ll have certain routes that are known for having checkpoints, and random police or SARS presence.
You’ll need to know the times these stops occur and alternate routes you can pass.
A few hot zones for police searches are.
- GRA
- Obirikwere Flyover
- NTA Road
- Choba
- Rumokoro
- Rumuigbo
- Diobu
- Trans Amadi
There’s a lot, you can add yours.
Loud In Public, Reggie Weed at Home.
This is not a classist statement — I still smoke my Reggie Kush in public sometimes — but Loud smells way better and is easier to smoke in public without turning too many heads.
Reggie can smell a bit too harsh and quite frankly terrible especially when you’re in an airtight, air-conditioned environment.
Always Have A Safe Spot.
The moment you leave your house with weed you always have to be on guard cause anything can happen. Legally you’re basically a moving criminal with an illegal substance.
It’s smart to have safe spots in your car or fit that helps you conceal your weed.
It’s also advisable to not move around with a full smoking kit if you don’t own your own car. Instead, roll the J at home and move with just that. If you have a car find a safe spot in your car you always keep everything before you move, never be caught sleeping.
Good luck out there.
