Herb advocate seeks acceptance for his pot alternatives
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Say what?
Hunsinger says that by that he means effective, legal and affordable alternatives to illegal street drugs, namely marijuana and hashish. His product has mystical names like Shaman Smoke (“a power plant ally which serves as a catalyst for endeavors of spirit and contemplative excursions” and Oni Temple Smoke (“a smoke to inspire uplifting states of physical and cerebral exhilaration”). He also sells various kinds of incense “ancient culture” candles (Egyptian, Celtic-British Isles, Southwestern Indian Tribes), and certified organic teas. “Teas are my big trip, right now,” Hunsinger says.
Why aren’t the smokeables you sell illegal?
“A better question is: Why is Marijuana not legalized? It’s not because marijuana made you high, it’s because there were other economic interests that made it illegal. I’ve heard that Dupont and William Randolph Hearst were involved. And the liquor and tobacco industries were powerful enough to have an impact.”
Will they ever get around to making it a forbidden product?
“The government can’t make everything illegal. You can’t put a prohibition on everything. The psychic damage comes from the prohibition of marijuana. It’s so innately human to feel the need to achieve a state of altered consciousness. It would be hypocritical to illegalize what I sell; they’d have to put down their vodka and cigars first. But you wouldn’t believe what you can get for a legal high. If there is a crackdown on what I’m selling, it’ll be because of the vitamin industry.”
Do you think there is a drug problem in this country?
“There is an abuse problem. I think the biggest drug problem is TV. It’s addictive and it alters your perception of reality. I think the No.2 problem is sugar. ”
You’re doing a very unconventional business in a small town. What do they think about it up in Benzonia?
“That’s a real concern for my wife, but we’ve been real careful because the police departments are rabid up there. I’m definitely a left-wing person in a right-wing world.”
Is your kid’s hip to what you do?
“I’m careful that I never smoke in front of them. It’s inappropriate for a teenager to drink or smoke.”
Will you smoke with them once they are 18?
“If they want to, yes. Where we have fallen out of bed is that we have not indoctrinated children to the responsible use of mind-altering substance. An attitude needs to be created that some ritualistic use is for the betterment of the common good. Ritual use is important for humans “we’ve been doing it for 10,000 years. It’s about smoking and sharing on a communal level; a deeper level. Think about it: You’re combining earth, air, fire. It’s very powerful, very tribal, and very primal.”
What do you get by using your herbs?
“Depending on what kind you use, it ranges from mild and relaxing to pretty darn buzzy. They create a euphoric state.”
Is it the kind of thing you smoke everyday?
“It’s not an everyday thing. It’s Saturday night with a couple of beers. For sophisticated adult use, they’re incredibly good. Like a lot of people, I’ve been through a period of heavy drug abuse, my period of no drug use, and my period of needing that altered experiencing yet not wanting to take the risk. I’m marketing this to people 35-to 50-year-old crowd; not the “High Times’ crowd.”
Is there potential for abuse or other health problems?
“Smoking anything is never good for your lungs. Abuse is part of being human. I’ve been toasted, but that doesn’t make much sense for me any more. A large number of younger people are just looking to get trashed. That attitude needs to change. Desperate to get high. That’s one of our problems. Life is a balance and you have to measure cost versus effectiveness. There are benefits to these products.”
