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The 10 Smartest Pot Smokers on the Planet

Steve Jobs

It’s been reported the Apple co-founder smoked pot and took LSD in his first semester at Reed College in Portland, Oregon in 1972. Since dropping out from the school, he’s only gone on to become one of the most successful and wealthiest people in America. In 1984, he received the National Medal of Technology from President Ronald Reagan. In 2007, Fortune Magazine named him the most powerful person in business and then California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger inducted him into the California Hall of Fame. Fortune also named him CEO of the Decade in 2009 while Forbes ranked him #57 on their list of the World’s Most Powerful People that same year. The Financial Times named Jobs its person of the year for 2010.
I’m not sure, but I don’t think you can have those kind of accolades being dumb. Plus, the guy’s a Beatles fan, dated Joan Baez, and sold one of his houses to Bono from U2. That’s some hip, hip company, my friend.

Carl Sagan

Astronomer, astrophysicist, cosmologist, pothead.
It’s hard to argue for pot slowing you down when you look at Carl Sagan’s record. Apparently a confirmed and admitted stoner, among his many achievements are a Pulitzer Prize, an Emmy, a best-selling novel, as well as more than 500 science papers and articles. He was a founding member of the Planetary Society, and he won a pipe load of scientific awards.  Hardly surprising, he is said to have believed in the validity of stoned insights. I believe in them too, it’s just that Carl’s revolved around the origins of the cosmos, not which bagel store is open at 3 in the morning.

Stephen Jay Gould

Paleontologist, biologist, science historian.
Most famous scientific contribution was the theory of punctuated equilibrium, which says that most evolution is marked by long periods of stability. Kind of like most of us after a good bong hit. One of the most influential and best read writers of popular science, Gould became an advocate for medical marijuana following his diagnosis with cancer. He claimed it had an “important effect” on his recovery. He also testified in court to the benefits of marijuana, and is quoted as saying “it is beyond my comprehension that any humane person would withhold such a beneficial substance from people in such great need simple because others use it for different purposes.”
Gould used pot to help retain his health for twenty years, the same period during which he wrote The Structure of Evolutionary Theory, not what you might call an insignificant work.

Francis Crick

Won a Nobel Prize for figuring out the double-helix structure of DNA. Rumor has it that he was on acid at the time. Crick wasn’t the first to see twin twisted monsters coming at him during an acid plunge, but he was the first to recognize as an important scientific discovery. As a founding member of Soma, a legalize cannabis group, he also experimented pot, which he believed helped to remove the filters of abstract thought.

Margaret Mead

Ok, so it’s probably not totally accurate to describe Margaret Mead as a pothead, but she was a major proponent for marijuana, so we’re going to widen the definition a bit.
When she died in 1978, Mead was possibly the most famous Anthropologist on the planet. Time had named her Mother of the World in 1969. She authored or co-authored around 40 books, received 28 honorary doctorates, and was President of both the American Anthropological Association and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Most famously, she testified before Congress on the legalization of marijuana. She testified on lots of stuff, but it’s this one everyone remembers. Afterwards, she was called a dirty old lady, crazy, and no doubt many other things.

Andrew Weil

Had a mushroom named after him. Do we need to know any more? Well, yes, we do. Although he looks like he’s been binging on an all-night high, Dr. Weil has medical and biology degrees from Harvard, is a naturopath, as well as a widely acknowledged expert on medicinal herbs, alternative medicines, and mind and body interactions. He was on the cover of Time, has written a bunch of books, and used to write for High Times. He talks about the advantages of stoned thinking, as well as an innate need to alter consciousness. Is that him or us? Whatever, it’s clearly worked for him.

Kary Mullis

Another Nobel Prize winner, another stoner. Mullis tried heavier drugs than just pot. He invented the polymerase chain reaction, which if it’s slipped your mind, is the one that allows duplication of parts of DNA. He says acid helped him to develop it, perhaps along with pot, which he allegedly smoked just before his first trip. While most of us have trouble figuring out how a chair works when we’re high, this guy was working out how to mimic nature.

Oliver Sacks

If you’ve seen “Awakenings” with Robin Williams, you already know something of Oliver Sacks’ work. He’s a neurologist, the film based on his book of the same name. He also wrote The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat. Sacks is an Oxford graduate and professor of neurology at Columbia Medical Center. He’s been referred to as the poet laureate of medicine, and received numerous awards and honorary doctorates in the field of neurological science. Not bad for a man who’s admitted to using marijuana on a more that recreational level, seeing it as a potential gateway to other minds and other consciousnesses.

Richard Feynman

Physicist who helped design the atomic bomb. Well, nobody said anyone on this list was wise, just smarter than average. Feynman used pot to enhance his out of body experiences while in a sensory deprivation tank. When he came out, he won a Nobel Prize for his theory of quantum electrodynamics.

Sergey Brin

He has a BS from the University of Maryland, a MS from Stanford and took PhD courses at Stanford before putting that on hiatus to co-found Google with Larry Page. His dad’s a math professor at the University of Maryland. His mom’s a research scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. His wife, Ann Wojcicki, is a biotech analyst who graduated with a B.S. in biology from Yale in 1996. She and Brin are working with leading researchers to help doctors, patients, and researchers analyze the human genome data and try to repair “bugs” as if DNA were HTML. He was inducted into the National Academy of Engineering, which is “among the highest professional distinctions accorded to an engineer” and received the Marconi Foundation Prize, the “Highest Award in Engineering”. Like Jobs (see above), he’s among the wealthiest in the world.
I can only imagine the first time he described DNA as HTML to someone, he/she must’ve been like, “are you high?” To which, he responded, “No! Why? You holdin’?”

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Magic Mushroom Field Guide

A complete, illustrated guide to picking magic mushrooms. This is a must-read if you've decided to go shroom hunting!

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WARNING: Unless you are well versed in the identificationof mushrooms, do not try to identify any species of mushroom fromthe included pictures without the text descriptions below. And even then bevery cautious. Most species of Psilocybe are considered to beLBM's (little brown mushrooms) and have thousands of look-alikes (to thebeginner). Eat one wrong mushroom and, up to 2 weeks latersymptoms develop, and the only chance of saving your life is a liver- orkidney-transplant. A mushroom should never be eaten unless you are100% sure in its identification. Even experienced mushroom gatherers havemade errors. Do not take this warning lightly.

Your best method to learn how to identify any species is to get to knowsomeone that does know that species and learn from them. Text and picturesare poor substitute to the experience of an individual that knows whatthey are doing. An experienced mushro om gatherer will know the subtletiesin that species that will help him to reject a look-alike from the target'shroom. Sometimes it can be just a slight difference in color/tint orminor texture change, or the plants that are growing around a mushroom thatwill let the experienced 'shroomer know which one is safe and which oneis not. If at all possible, you should also have a high-powered microscopeavailable when trying to identify a species you've never gathered before.Along with spore-prints, you should look at and measure the actual sporeshape and size. If you are not familiar with making spore-prints, get agood book on mushrooms that explain the procedure, and always make a printon a half black and half white surface to help insure your estimation toa specific shade mentioned. Pay attention to the text below and you willalso notice that some Psilocybe species do not bruise blue. Onfurther mushroom studies you will find that some deadly species from othergenera do bruise blue. Just because a mushroom bruises blue doesnot mean it is safe. Nor that it is hallucinogenic. THEREIS NO ONE SAFE TEST FOR ANY MUSHROOM!
This compilation of scanned photos and text are not meant to be a totalreference in the identification of these 'shrooms. Some taxonomicdescriptions can be confusing and other books should be used to clarifythe difference between things like "adnate" and "adnexed", or "pendant"and "flaring" when describing the various parts of mushrooms. As anexample, when gills are "attached" this does not simply mean it has gills,it refers to the way they are growing from the stalk. I've neither thetime nor energy to type a complete glossary and draw diagrams. If youwant to gather your own 'shrooms, and prevent your own death from amistake, I suggest you get more information than is contained in thiscollection. And who knows, I may have made a typing mistake here, I'dhate to think someone died because I accidently typed "attached" where Ishould have typed "unattached". I'll do my best to prevent that but thereare no guarantees. Also, there are differences between colormonitors when displaying pictures. Sin ce so much depends on slight colorvariations when identifying 'shrooms, I've done all I can to insure thesephotos appeared on my monitor as they appeared in the original photos, thesame may not be true on your end. My monitor is supposed to be upto industry standards. I've no way of checking that to be 100% sure though.
Below are the descriptions of the photos contained in this collection.Please refer to the name on the photo to the proper text. (Also note thatthe inch measurements on the photos are for the cap-width.) Please don'tdistribute the accompanying photos without including this text file. Youneed both, and maybe even more, to identify these species. A kid withphoto in hand might think that is all he needs to identify a 'shroom andhave a "trip". Please be responsible with this packet of information.

Notes from the ascii translator: Due to this text being typed in plainascii, some changes were made from the original text: the word "microns" isused instead of the greek letter representation; and other liberties weretaken in the paragraph formats, etc.I've also taken the liberty to addsome (Editor's Notes) at the end of some entries.

When in doubt -- do not eat it. When all doubt has been removed --check again.There are two kinds of mushroom hunters -- smart ones, and dead ones. Evensome of the smart ones are dead now.

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Potent Psilocybe
Psilocybe baeocystis Sing. & A.H.S
Strophariaceae, Agaricales

Description	Sticky, conical, brown cap with brownish gills and off-white stalk;bruising blue.
Cap	5/8" - 2 1/4" (1.5-5.5 cm) wide; conical with incurved margin,expanding to convex or flat; sticky, olive- to buff-brown, bruisingand aging greenish about margin.
Gills	attached, close, broad; grayish, becoming dark purplish-gray.
Stalk	2" - 2 3/4" (5-7 cm) long, 1/16" - 1/8" (1.5-3 mm) thick; whitish,covered with small, whitish fibers.
Veil	partial veil evanescent.
Spores	10-13 X 6.3-7 microns; elliptical, smooth, with pore at tip. Sporeprint dark purplish.
Edibility	Hallucinogenic.
Season	September-November
Habitat	Scattered to numerous, in wood chips, on decayed wood, and decayingmoss.
Range	Pacific NW.
Look-alikes	P. strictipes has long, brittle, straight stalk. Thehallucinogenic Psilocybe cyanescens has broad, wavy, knobbed cap.
Comments	This species is a potent hallucinogen that contains several activecompounds. Its side effects are not well known.
Images	25k, 23k, 25k, 47k, 43k, 120k, 19k

Blue-Foot Psilocybe
Psilocybe caerulipes (Pk.) Sacc.
Strophariaceae, Agaricales

Description	Brownish, knobbed cap, fading to yellow, with brown gills; whitishstalk bluish at base; on decayed wood.
Cap	3/8" - 1 3/8" (1-3.5 cm) wide; conical to convex with incurved margin,becoming flat or broadly knobbed; sticky, becoming dry, smooth;watery-cinnamon to yellowish; bruising greenish or bluish, sometimesslowly.
Gills	attached, close to crowded, narrow; brownish to rust-cinnamon.
Stalk	1 1/4" - 2 3/8" (3-6 cm) long, 1/16" - 1/8" (1.5-3 mm) thick,enlarging to base; whitish, staining greenish-blue.
Veil	partial veil evanescent.
Spores	7-10 X 4-5.5 microns, (but 10-12 X 5.7 microns from 2-spored basidia);elliptical, smooth, with pore at tip. Spore print darkpurple-brown.
Edibility	Hallucinogenic.
Season	August-October.
Habitat	Single or in small clusters, on deciduous wood and wood mulch,especially birch and maple.
Range	Maine to North Carolina, west to Michigan.
Comments	Often overlooked or ignored as just another LBM, little brownmushroom, this hallucinogenic species turns blue on handling, usuallyafter several minutes.
Images	91k

Common Large Psilocybe
Psilocybe cubensis (Ear.) Sing.
Strophariaceae, Agaricales

Description	Large, fleshy, yellowish cap with brown gills and a persistent ring onstalk; bruising blue; on cow manure.
Cap	5/8" - 3 1/2" (1.5-9 cm) wide; conical or bell-shaped, becoming convexto flat with central knob; sticky, hairless; white withbrownish-yellow center, becoming entirely brownish-yellow, bruisingand aging bluish.
Gills	attached, close, narrow; gray, becoming deep violet-gray, then black;edges whitish.
Stalk	1 3/8" - 6" (3.5-15 cm) long, 1/8" - 5/8" (0.3-1.5 cm) thick, becomingenlarged below; smooth, grooved at top; white, bruising blue.
Veil	partial veil membranous; leaving persistent white ring (soon blackishfrom falling spores) on upper stalk.
Spores	11.5-17 X 8-11.5 microns; oval to elliptical, smooth, thick-walled,blunt, with distinct pore at tip. Spore print purple-brown.
Edibility	Hallucinogenic.
Season	Nearly year-round.
Habitat	On cow and horse dung in pastures.
Range	Gulf Coast.
Comments	This is an abundant member of the Gulf Coast pastureland flora.
Images	120k, 18k, 8k

Bluing Psilocybe
Psilocybe cyanescens Wkfld.
Strophariaceae, Agaricales

Desciption	Tacky, wavy, brown cap, fading to yellowish, with brownish gills andwhitish stalk; bruising blue.
Cap	3/4" - 1 5/8" (2-4 cm) wide; convex, becoming nearly flat withundulating or wavy margin; sticky to moist, smooth; darkchestnut-brown, fading to yellowish, bruising blue.
Gills	attached, nearly distant, broad; cinnamon-brown, becoming darker.
Stalk	2 3/8" - 3 1/4" (6-8 cm) long, 1/8" - 1/4" (3-5 mm) thick, sometimesenlarged at base; curved, whitish, bruising blue.
Veil	partial veil white, evanescent.
Spores	9-12 X 5.5-8.3 microns; elliptical, smooth, with pore at tip. Sporeprint purple-brown.
Edibility	Hallucinogenic.
Season	September-November.
Habitat	Several to many, in coniferous mulch.
Range	British Columbia to San Francisco.
Look-alikes	The hallucinogenic P. baeocystis and P. strictipes lackwavy margin.
Comments	When ingested in large quantity, this can be stronglyhallucinogenic.
Images	23k, 8k, 17k, 37k, 21k, 180k, 15k, 101k

Conifer Psilocybe
Psilocybe pelliculosa (A.H.S.) Sing. & A.H.S.
Strophariaceae, Agaricales

Description	Sticky, dark brown, conical cap with brown gills and off-white, hairystalk.
Cap	1/4" - 3/4" (0.5-2 cm) wide; conical to bell-shaped; sticky, smooth;dark brown, fading to tan, bruising blue.
Gills	attached, close, narrow; cinnamon-brown, then darkening.
Stalk	2 3/8" - 3 1/4" (6-8 cm) long, 1/16" (1.5 mm) thick; whitish,darkening; covered with small, grayish fibers.
Veil	partial veil evanescent.
Spores	9.3-11 X 5.5 microns; elliptical, smooth, with pore at tip.Spore print purple-brown.
Edibility	Hallucinogenic.
Season	September-November.
Habitat	Several to many, separately or in clusters, on conifer mulch inwoods.
Range	British Columbia to N. California.
Look-alikes	The hallucinogenic P. semilanceata found in manured grass, hassmooth stalk. P. silvatica has smaller spores.
Comments	This species, often confused with the Liberty Cap (P.semilanceata), lacks its narrowly conical cap and is only weaklyhallucinogenic.
Images	19k, 147k, 15k, 9k, 14k, 16k

Liberty CapPsilocybe semilanceata (Fr. ex Secr.) Kum.
Strophariaceae, Agaricales

Description	Slimy, narrowly conical, brown to tan cap with brownish gills andsmooth, off-white stalk; in pastures and manured areas.
Cap	3/8" - 1" (1-2.5 cm) wide; sharply conical, often peaked, and notexpanding; sticky, smooth; brownish, fading to tan, bruising blue onmargin.
Gills	attached, close, broad; grayish, becoming dark brown.
Stalk	2" - 4" (5-10 cm) high, 1/16" (1.5 mm) thick; very thin, whitish.
Veil	partial veil evanescent.
Spores	11-14 X 7-8 microns; elliptical, smooth, with pore at tip. Spore printpurple-brown.
Edibility	Hallucinogenic.
Season	Late August-November.
Habitat	Scattered to numerous, in tall grass and grassy hummocks in cowpastures.
Range	Widely distributed; common in Pacific NW.; also reported inQuebec.
Look-alikes	The hallucinogenic P. pelliculosa and P. silvatica growin wood chips or mulch, and have conical caps.
Comments	This species is one of the most familiar of the Oregon coast.
Images	25k, 169k, 27k, 49k, 17k, 13k, 18k

Stuntz's Blue Legs
Psilocybe stuntzii Guzman and Ott
Strophariaceae, Agaricales

Description	Sticky, brownish cap with brownish gills and brownish, ringed stalk;bruising blue.
Cap	5/8" - 1 5/8" (1.5-4 cm) wide; conical, expanding to broadly convexwith central knob, or nearly flat; becoming somewhat wavy anduplifted; sticky to moist, smooth; dark to yellow-brown, oftengreen-tinged on margin.
Gills	attached, close to almost distant, broad; off-white, becomingbrownish.
Stalk	1 1/4" - 2 3/8" (3-6 cm) long, 1/8" (3 mm) thick, sometimes enlargedat base; yellowish, smooth to fibrous.
Veil	partial veil leaves fragile ring that becomes bluish zone on upperstalk.
Spores	8-12.5 X 6-8 microns; elliptical, smooth, with pore at tip. Sporeprint purple-brown.
Edibility	Hallucinogenic.
Season	September-December
Habitat	Several to clustered, in coniferous wood-chip mulch; reported onlawns.
Range	Pacific NW.
Look-alikes	The deadly Galerina autumnalis has tawny cap fading to yellow,brown gills, and rust-brown spore print. Stropharia species donot bruise blue.
Comments	Also known as the "Washington Blue Veil". Like some other blue legs,this does not blue conspicuously. To avoid confusing it with theDeadly Galerina (Galerina autumnalis), be sure to take a sporeprint.
Images	19k, 126k, 119k, 20k, 22k, 17k
editor's note	The spores for the Deadly Galerina are 8.5-10.5 X 5-6.5 microns;elliptical, roughened, with smooth depression.

If you die from eating a mushroom of questionable qualities, all I can say is, "Thanks for providing us with the new information!" The data from your autopsy will save the rest of us from making the same mistake. Harsh buttrue. In other words (again) -- be careful! Nobody will assume any responsibility for your death or illness if you make a mistake with' shrooms. Not even if you are only gathering 'shrooms for dinner, letalone 'shrooms for a "trip." You are on your own on this one.
All that aside -- I wish the best for you in your adventures in 'shrooming.

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Paul Stamets: 6 ways mushrooms can save the world

Paul Stamets: 6 ways mushrooms can save the world

 

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Know your Mushrooms

In Know your Mushrooms Ron Mann investigates the miraculous, near-secret world of fungi. Visionaries Gary Lincoff and Larry Evans lead us on a hunt for the wild mushroom and the deeper cultural experiences attached to the mysterious fungi.

The oldest and largest living organisms recorded on Earth are both fungi. And their use by a new, maverick breed of scientists and thinkers has proven vital in the cleansing of sites despoiled by toxins and as a “clean” pesticide, among many other environmentally friendly applications.
Combining material filmed at the Telluride Mushroom Fest with animation and archival footage, along with a neo-psychedelic soundtrack by The Flaming Lips, this film opens the doors to perception, taking the audience on an extraordinary trip.

More documentary films

 

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