420 In Prison

Marijuana use in prison is a very frequent occurrence inmates inform Gorilla Convict, but with bongs, pipes and even rolling papers non-existent or at a premium how do incarcerated potheads toke up? We got with our prison correspondent to find out the intricacies of catching a buzz and sparking up in prison. “Its real difficult in here these days,” he tells us. “Especially since they don’t sell cigarettes or cigars anymore. When you get some pot you have to find something to roll it up in. You can always use a soda can crunched in the middle and with holes in in it, but without a steady flame that’s hard to smoke out of. The outside wrapper form a toilet paper roll works best, but then you have to find a light and that can be a job in itself. Plus you have to worry about where to smoke it so you don’t get busted.” With tobacco products outlawed in federal prisons now there’s no need for matches, so prisoners have to get inventive to light thier spliff.

“It’s like back to the stone ages to get a light in here, I am telling you,” the prisoner says. “We use two triple a batteries and a thin aluminum strip to get a flame, you j just run the strip between the batteries and trust me, it’s an acquired skill.” The prison commissary sells batteries for inmates’ radios and the thin metallic strips come from candy bar wrappers. “Once the joint is rolled we cut it into pieces, like one little joint can be cut into 5 or 6 pieces. Each piece is one hit. We get a toilet paper roll, the inside cardboard roll and make an incision in it at one end of the roll on top, then put the cut up piece of joint in the incision and light it while covering up one end of the roll and inhaling from the other end.”

By smoking the marijuana like this prisoners cut down on the smoke generated and that is a necessity because the smell of pot in an otherwise sterile prison environment can get a prisoner busted and sent to the hole or twenty four hour lockdown for months on end. “With no tobacco to cover up the smell it’s rough,” the prisoner says. “You have to use baby powder or prayer oil which the Muslims get. A cop doesn’t even have to catch you smoking a joint, if he smells marijuana by your cell he can put you on the hot list and you will get piss tested.” A dirty urine will also end with a prisoner in the hole. It’s a constant battle of innovation for pot smokers on the inside, but when its 420 you know they are trying to spark u