Smokers gonna smoke, even if the decades-old War Against Cigarettes has exiled the persecuted puffers to outdoor shelters where no one wants to linger.

Forever A Logan

Someone oughta point out how disturbingly inappropriate it is to display a “SKYJACK” company logo at Boston’s Logan Airport… just don’t mention it when you’re lined up at Security. That said, this rather passive-aggressively designed “Designated Smoking Area” ironically demands users be considerate with their refuse, while the design reflects a bare minimum of consideration for smokers’ comfort and privacy. Flickr member Wil C. Fry snapped the bare-bones smoking shelter in late June of 2014.

Green Deal

Contrast Logan Airport’s glorified bus stop with the much more welcoming set-up above. You’d thing they WANT smokers to stick around… and you would be correct, because the Smoking Area above is an extension of a British pub. Comfort is a relative thing, however, and one wonders how these open-air nicotine nooks will fare over the average inclement English winter… and spring, summer and fall. Flickr member Gordon Joly took the photo above outside a pub in Westferry, London, in July of 2007.

Unfiltered

This abandoned, overgrown and partially-collapsed smoking shelter in Sunnyside, NY appears to have been erected on a roadside – if that’s indeed the end of a yellow guard rail we spy just outside the entrance. We’re not sure why anyone would use this shelter other than to take cover from a sudden storm, which may partly explain why it’s in such a neglected state… of repair, not of the Union. Flickr member Jason Eppink stopped by for a snapshot in June of 2013.

On Location

The long-running (since December of 1960) British TV soap Coronation Street has long-featured scenes shot in the smoking shelter above, proving that even the venerable Rovers Return Inn’s gotta follow the law of the land. When Flickr member Mikey visited the “Corrie” set in Manchester in late August of 2014, he made a point of sneaking ’round the back of the pub to check out – and likely test out – this most famous of smoking shelters.

Inhales In Wales

Smoking may be tightly regulated nowadays but smoking shelter design remains remarkably rule-free. Thus, for every miserable minimalist lean-to there’ll be a sumptuously furnished sanctuary like the hexagonal hut above. Flickr member Permacultural photographed this ornate refuge in March of 2012 while visiting the Artist’s Valley in Furnace, Wales. No doubt one might be tempted to take up smoking just to enjoy the rustic roost’s cloying creature comforts!

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For better or worse, weed-related products have gone from plastic baggies and ugly psychedelic head shop bongs to designer vaporizers and Goop-worthy botanical extracts. Marijuana is emerging from the skunky-smelling shadows, and whether you mourn the days when cannabis wasn’t so trendy and will look upon these luxury pot products with scorn or you’re thrilled by their sudden accessibility, you’re going to want to check them out and you might find the best gifts for weed smokers.

The Au Box & Club M Cannabis Subscriptions

There’s a subscription service for just about everything now – including cannabis-related products. The Au Box will send you a sophisticated black box full of edibles every month, while Club M offers ‘professionally curated mystery boxes’ full of smoking items like concentrates, vapes, and flowers. Both services emphasize luxury and start around $100 per month. The company has been working with a number of small cannabis brands to help get their names out and in the public. The most recent collaboration has been with Delta 8 THC vendor Area52, which specializes in Delta 8 THC cartridges, gummies, and tinctures.

The Apothecarry Case

“Time to ditch the shoebox,” says Apothecarry, the makers of a sleek high-end case designed to store your stash for optimum freshness thanks to low wood odor of the box, airtight gaskets on the food-grade strain jars and silicone coated non-stick dab jars. They call it the world’s most complete humidor, and it’s lockable and discreet, too. Pre-sales have officially started on this brand new product, which has a price tag of $159 (a lot more than a shoe box.)

Aura Waterpipe

The Aura is a ‘classy’ water pipe that looks good sitting on the coffee table of a million-dollar mansion in Los Angeles outfitted with extremely expensive furniture. Or, you know, on your nightstand next to a bag of Cheetos. Proudly made with weed-smoking design nerds in mind, it upgrades a few aspects of a standard bong, making it easier to load, control and clean.

Monk Cannabinoid Health Drinks

For the Goop reader who’s too refined to ever smoke the marijuanas but wants to get a little edgy, Monk Drinking Botanicals offer luxuriously branded elixirs pairing cannabis terpenes with ginger, turmeric, rosemary, cayenne and other organic, fresh-pressed ingredients. Okay, so there are plenty of reasons people would want to access the benefits of these compounds without smoking, and the drinks – in flavors like ‘ginger maple shrub’ – sound pretty tasty. They’re not too outrageously priced, either, with a set of five 4-ounce bottles costing $30. You need proof of a doctor’s recommendation for medical marijuana in order to purchase.

‘Leafs by Snoop’ Products Designed by Pentagram

Graphic design firm Pentagram teamed up with Snoop Dogg to brand his collection of marijuana-related products, including chocolate bars, drops, chews and dummies, giving them a sleek and sophisticated look you might not expect from this hip hip legend.

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Marijuana is smokin’ hot and an herb’n helping of marijuana mascots have helped add leaf, er, life to a host of marches, rallies and events.

Marijuana’s gradual transition from an illegal, subversive hobby to a legal, taxable commodity is neither quick nor easy. Proponents of the psychedelic herb have resorted to traditional methods of getting their point across, and mascots take front row center when it comes to getting attention to the cause. Philadelphia-based “Hempy” is a typical marijuana mascot that plays on the wacky weed’s most obvious attributes: he’s green, leafy and makes you smile.

Being a marijuana mascot ain’t all it’s cracked up to be, however. Hempy’s looking decidedly red-eyed and wasted at the November 2015 march for Delaware NORML. Get that dude some Doritos, stat!

Bongman

Yikes! “Bongman” may not be green but something about him will make you FEEL green… and we don’t have to tell you what that something is, hmm?

Appearing at the 420 Smoke Out in downtown Toronto on April 20th of 2011, Bongman was spotted leaving the event behind the wheel of a white van with “FREE CANDY” scrawled on the sides – at least that’s our guess. Canada is set to legalize the recreational use of marijuana on July 1st of 2018, so maybe Bongman did more than make everyone feel uncomfortable and harsh their buzz.

Potsquatch

Bumble Snowman’s got nuthin’ on Potsquatch – just ask Jennifer Pagliei (below) of WWLP-22 News, who was video-bombed by the shambling weed mascot while reporting live in a Springfield, MA blizzard on February 9th of 2017.

When he’s not crashing newscasts, Potsquatch can be found at POTCO – a marijuana growing supplies store described by owner Dave Mech as a “Costco for marijuana” Welcome to POTCO – we love you, man.

Horny Goatweed?

This capped & shaded stuffed goat is the unofficial mascot of EAZE, a San Francisco-based medical marijuana delivery service backed by Snoop Dogg, among others. No one at EAZE knows the goat’s name, how it got to be the company mascot, or even how it ended up in the front lobby… yeah, sounds like your typical weed-biz startup. Word to staffers: goats eat weeds so keep an eye on your stock. EAZE has been working with a number of local California based cannabis and CBD companies to bring Royal CBD – the brand that was awarded High Times best CBD oil for pain title – to the masses with their cannabis delivery service. We’ve worked with them to ensure that all Royal CBD’s products are available on their website and fully in stock, so you can avoid the holiday rush that last year led to them running out of stock in just 3 minutes after restocking.

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A pile of street cocaine mixed with gelatin is sculpted into a life-sized replica of a human skull in ‘Ecce Animal,’ a statement on humankind’s lingering tendency to lose control of ourselves. Artist Diddo created the piece as a private commission using street cocaine obtained the usual way – illegally – and declines to reveal the confidential details of the hows and whys.

Diddo had the cocaine tested at a laboratory before using it, and pharmacists and the unnamed facility discovered that mixed in with the pure cocaine was a number of other ingredients including “Phenacetin, Caffeine, Paracetamol, and a relative large percentage of sugars, most probably Mannitol or Inositol.”

The piece was initially released with no information other than a companion poem written by the artist, which reads in part, “It is frightening to look at the face of our animal side laid bare by comfortable excess; the spoils of aggression. But what exactly is it about this image that is so confronting?”

The artist reveals to Bullett that despite its initial appearance, Ecce Animal isn’t meant to be a statement on the destructiveness of addiction, but rather about our inherent nature as human beings. “We have temporarily outgrown the intended uses for our animal instincts. This leaves us in an uncomfortable conundrum. Where can we safely store them  until we need them again?”

Medical marijuana dispensaries, compassion centers and “cannabis clubs” have sprung up like, er, weeds over the past several decades complementary to laws allowing for the legal use of marijuana for medicinal purposes. These New Age drug stores exhibit a wide range of architectural, decorative and visually unique storefront styles reflecting the confusing legal status of marijuana itself.

Two Scoops on Rockies Road

(images via: Wikimedia, The Coming Crisis and The Rocky Mountain Collegian)

Did you know that as of July 2011, there were more medical marijuana dispensaries in Denver than Starbucks coffee outlets? This is perfect for any patients that need to get their hands on medical marijuana to help with any ailments they are suffering from. Seeing as this is to do with health, this should be your number one priority. But it does mean it can be quite pricey, especially with continued use. But thanks to companies like SaveOnCannabis, you can find discounts and coupons online to save some money, which is always a bonus.
Over 125,000 Colorado residents have been prescribed medical marijuana and they can choose from nearly 300 locations providing the ethereal herb. Here’s one fine example: the Discount Medical Marijuana cannabis shop at 970 (perhaps 420 was already occupied) Lincoln Street.

SPARC It Up

(images via: Architizer and SFist)

Erich Pearson is a man with a mission: to “bring medical cannabis out of the shadows and into the light; helping patients feel good about the place they get their cannabis is key to that.” Larissa Sand of San Francisco-based Sand Studios agreed with Pearson, noting that “patients requiring medical marijuana are forced to acquire it in poorly designed, dingy spaces,” imbuing the entire concept with a pejorative tone.

(images via: Architizer and SFist)

The result was the “Apple store of pot,” a well-lit space that garnered the 2011 Design Award from AIA-SF (American Institute of Architects, San Francisco Chapter). Melding the charm of an old-fashioned apothecary shop with the cool ambiance of a wine bar, SPARC’s innovative dispensary features a tinted glass front facade whose mix of white and blue panes echoes a graphic representation of the marijuana plant’s DNA.

French Roast

(images via: Le Centre Compassion de Montréal and Wikipedia)

Canada, like the USA, is also displaying grudging acceptance of medical marijuana and the need for legally authorized providers. Le Centre Compassion de Montréal provides patients with their prescribed medication in a low-key, spartan, “clinical” environment. The Centre has been a “Dispensaire de Cannabis Médical” (no translation required, n’est pas?) since 1999.

Secret “Herbs” & Spices

(images via: Curbed LA and GladiolaBean)

We doubt the late Col. Harlan Sanders counted cannabis among the 11 Secret Herbs And Spices in Kentucky Fried Chicken’s original recipe but hey, maybe that’s why it’s a secret. What’s plainly obvious is the heritage of Kind For Cures (the OTHER KFC), a medical marijuana dispensary located on Hughes Ave. in the Palms community of West Los Angeles. Pity they didn’t continue to sell fried chicken at the outlet, customers would buy it by the bucketload.

(images via: Curbed LA and Dan Krauss)

Kind For Cures was seemingly the inspiration for an episode of South Park, who re-named their re-imagining of the dispensary “Medicinal Fried Chicken.” The real KFC may have been annoyed by any perceived association with the other KFC so after being shut down for a time (“temporally”, to quote), the owners re-opened under a leaner, greener storefront. Guess they were… chicken.

Off The Market

(images via: Medical Marijuana Blog, The Petrelis Files, IndyBay and Huffington Post)

Clean & classy best described the Market Street Cooperative, formerly located at 1884 Market Street in San Francisco. We say “formerly” because one of the oldest medical marijuana dispensaries in the city was forced to close in January of 2012, a victim of the federal Department of Justice’s crackdown on landlords who rent to dispensaries. Seems rather a sneaky way for a “justice” department to operate, amiright?

The Bong Show

(images via: OddCulture and LA Weekly)

You can’t accuse medical marijuana dispensaries of going Hollywood when… scratch that, they’ve totally gone Hollywood. At least The Farmacy has, by virtue of its Santa Monica Blvd. address and warm SoCal style. One of four officially sanctioned dispensaries in West Hollywood, The Farmacy supplies reefer gladness with no Bogarting allowed.

(image via: Park Labrea News/ Beverly Press)

Robbing a medical marijuana dispensary? Bad. Stealing cellphones with GPS software installed from said dispensary? Buzzkill. A trio of criminals unfamiliar with modern technology committed both sins last December at the Farmacy in West Hollywood but not to worry, some tech-savvy law enforcement officers cracked the case pronto – no word if several containers of marijuana stolen from the Farmacy were returned along with the purloined cash and cellphones.

Rocky Mountain High

(images via: OddCulture and Buzztown)

With names like Ganja Gourmet, The Releaf Center, and Mile High Remedies, you’d think Colorado’s cannabis cognoscenti have nothing better to do than sit around riffing on pot puns until it’s “Whoa, dude!” time. That may indeed be the case, and we’ll bet “Rocky Mountain High” was first out of the gate. There are actually seven Colorado outlets in the RMH chain and the stores’ layout has been described as “a Bizzaro-World Urban Outfitters, quirky t-shirts and all.”

Herbalcure, not Obamacare

(images via: Los Angeles Times and Herbalcure)

Herbalcure, located in West Los Angeles, is a “stealth dispensary” if there ever was. The medicinal collective is advertised by signage right out of the pot-paranoid Fifties – it would look right at home over a gas station. Inside things take a psychedelic twist accented by oversized paintings, crystal chandeliers and a small army of gold-toned waving maneki-neko cat statues… and you haven’t even sampled da moichendise yet.

(images via: Herbalcure)

Flip the lid on Herbalcure Corporation and you’ll find an endeavor that’s striving to play by the rules set out by the City of Los Angeles and the State of California – their website spells out the many laws and regulations they pledge to abide by. Got an original copy of your doctor’s letter of recommendation and government-issued identification? Bring ’em in and become a member of the Herbalcure collective… resistance is futile, dude.

Jersey Store

(images via: NJ.com, The Fix and 420 Magazine)

Two years after then-Gov. Jon Corzine signed New Jersey’s medical marijuana law, the Garden State’s first medical marijuana dispensary is about to open… well, almost. The Greenleaf Compassion Center in Montclair just needs to pass a couple more official inspections before the store’s “budtender” (no, we did not make that up) settles in behind the counter.

Pro Farmacy

(images via: Mom’s LA and Yo! Venice!)

Just as in the future all restaurants will be Taco Bell, someday all medical marijuana dispensaries will look like The Farmacy’s squeaky-clean store in Venice, California. Sleek and businesslike on the outside, that is, and all woody, warm & fuzzy on the inside.

(images via: Mom’s LA, City-Data and Foursquare)

The Farmacy does herb & renewal in style… that is, Los Angeles’ oldest medical cannabis collective dispenses herb and coincidentally have helped renew a bleak stretch of Abbot Kinney Blvd. in Venice. New stores and businesses around the dispensary have opened and existing ones are thriving. Could one say the same if The Farmacy was a liquor store or a methadone clinic?

(image via: Hills of Woodland)

Green Joy or green menace? Medical marijuana dispensaries in the United States exist in a murky legal limbo that leaves those in need of medicinal cannabis in the lurch. The conflict goes beyond an individual’s presumed right to select his or her own recreational drugs of choice in a safe and dignified setting. It may be that the chill wind of intolerance someday sweeps medical marijuana dispensaries off the map entirely… gone, one might say, like a puff of smoke.