Vintage News Articles & Finds

[PDX Dopesmoker]

Ahhh the whitest dude in jazz lol Would of loved to take a smoke session with Mezz!

Good eye on the strainer, always fascinated what they consider as evidence

Yeah smoking with Mezz is one of my top destinations when I get a time machine too. His autobiography is one of the funniest books I've ever read, someone tipped me off to it in another thread a couple years ago when I mentioned something about the song "If You're A Viper"

 

[pangolin]

Season's Greetings to you and yours billy

Thanks for keeping this beauty of a thread full up of the good stuff.

Not a religious man myself but...

Peace and Goodwill to all

 

[geneva_sativa]

Best Wishes for a blessed New Year for you, Billy !

Thanks for adding to the quality of experience on this site

 

[Rondon]

"The Barb" Berkley newspaper
April 1974

View Image

1974..Berkely Barb hippie rag at that. Who would of thought decades later this would 100% confirmed.by the establishment. Wow. Good frikin find.

 

[dddaver]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Best Wishes for a blessed New Year for you, Billy !

Thanks for adding to the quality of experience on this site

[/FONT]
ditto

 

[Elmer Bud]

G `day B C DUb

Merry Christmas and a happy new year .

Thanks for sharin

EB .

 

[G.O. Joe]

Where did marijuana come from in the 1930's? Mexican genetics from the immigrants?

Someone was probably bringing some from everywhere it was growing from Jamaica to Brazil. There was homegrown pharmacy pot in some states. There had been imports from India but then tariffs were imposed to stop legal trade. According to the 1944 LaGuardia report:

It is accepted that in Mexico marihuana smoking is an old, established practice. Therefore, it would appear logical to assume that Mexican laborers crossing our border into the Southwest carried this practice with them. Having used marihuana in their native land, they found it natural to continue smoking it in the new country, and planted it for personal consumption. Once available, it was soon made use of by our citizens. At the present time, the smoking of marihuana is widespread in this nation.

later

The price varies in accordance with the accepted opinion as to the potency of the marihuana used in the cigarettes, and this appears to be determined by the place of origin. The cheapest brand is known as sass-fras, and retails for approximately three for 50 cents. It is made of the marihuana that is grown in the United States. Smokers do not consider such marihuana very potent. They have found that they must consume a greater number of cigarettes in order to obtain the desired effect colloquially termed as high. This opinion, expressed by smokers in the Borough of Manhattan, is at variance with that of some authorities who believe that marihuana grown in the United States is as potent as the marihuana grown in other countries.

The panatella cigarette, occasionally referred to as meserole, is considered to be more potent than the sass-fras and usually retails for approximately 25 cents each. The hemp from which the panatella is made comes from Central and South America.

Gungeon is considered by the marihuana smoker as the highest grade of marihuana. It retails for about one dollar per cigarette. The kick resulting from the use of this cigarette is reached more quickly than from the use of sassafras or panatella. It appears to be the consensus that the marihuana used to make the gungeon comes from Africa. The sale of this cigarette is restricted to a clientele whose economic status is of a higher level than the majority of marihuana smokers.

 

[Jellyfish]

Every American pot head should read Mezz Mezzrow's book, Really The Blues. He was Louis Armstrong's pot dealer, and his name literally used to be synonymous with 'good shit'. Reading that book opened up a whole new dimension of American Cultural History!

 

[geneva_sativa]

speaking of Louis and bone smoking technique

https://youtu.be/Dw9M6cNHO9g

 

[Rondon]

Every American pot head should read Mezz Mezzrow's book, Really The Blues. He was Louis Armstrong's pot dealer, and his name literally used to be synonymous with 'good shit'. Reading that book opened up a whole new dimension of American Cultural History!
View Image

I read that book!!! Long ago. Good stuff. Good post

 

[Rondon]

Vipers smoking sticks of tea!!!! Gage Gage Gage!!!

 

[billycw]

"Louie smokes marijuana?"

- Richard Nixon's response when he was told by his aid Charles McWhorter he had smuggled cannabis through customs for Louis Armstrong

Louis Armstrong talks with Richard Nixon


Satchmo's Unofficial Mule

A genius for his trumpet skills and fabled for his cannabis habit but it would be his bag man that would make him a true stoners legend...

Louis Armstrong on the MGM set of 'High Society', 1956



There are many versions to this story from both camps, this one is my favorite told by Nixon aids. One thing is pretty clear... It really happened!



It was 1958, with the Cold War heating up the United States launched a world wide PR campaign to bolster popular opinions towards the U.S.. Louis Armstrong was among the hand picked performers for the campaign and granted the title of a “Goodwill Ambassador” for the United States by the State Department.

After two long tours playing shows throughout Europe and Asia, Armstrong and his band mates were finally on their way home to the United States.

Armstrong as a 'Goodwill Ambassador' had been able to skip customs throughout the tour which enabled him to carry the bands stash in his trumpet case. Not wanting to leave the bands remaining stash of 3 pounds of cannabis in Europe, Armstrong thought nothing of bringing it home.

But when the band departed their final flight into New York's Idlewild Airport, they were not escorted through customs like had happened throughout the tour...

Instead Armstrong and crew were stuck in a customs line holding a case full of pot...

Nixon campaigning for Senate in 1950




As Armstrong waited for his impending doom and just as all hope seemed lost... Vice President Richard Nixon burst through the airport doors with his security escort. Noticing the jazz legend standing in line, Nixon approached Armstrong.

"Satchmo, what are you doing here?" Nixon asked.

"Well, Pops, I just came back from my goodwill ambassador's tour of Asia and they told me I had to stand in this line for customs." Armstrong replied sweating bullets.

"Ambassadors don't have to go through customs and the Vice President of the United States will gladly carry your bags for you," Nixon said grabbing his trumpet case filled with the bands cannabis.

- quotes from Nixon aid Charles McWhorter


Following the Vice President the band stepped out of line, walking right through customs with Nixon holding the stash...

Richard Nixon celebrating in 1970



"One of the architects of an American art form, a free and individual spirit, and an artist of worldwide fame, his great talents and magnificent spirit added richness and pleasure to all our lives"

- Richard Nixon about Louis Armstrong in 1971 just after his death

Louis Armstrong talks with Richard Nixon

 

[Hermanthegerman]

Yea Satchmo!

 

[billycw]

Reflection of the sadhu of Freak Street, Hashish & Ganja shop, Kathmandu, Nepal December 1971

 

[billycw]

Yeah smoking with Mezz is one of my top destinations when I get a time machine too. His autobiography is one of the funniest books I've ever read, someone tipped me off to it in another thread a couple years ago when I mentioned something about the song "If You're A Viper"

Every American pot head should read Mezz Mezzrow's book, Really The Blues. He was Louis Armstrong's pot dealer, and his name literally used to be synonymous with 'good shit'. Reading that book opened up a whole new dimension of American Cultural History!

Its been on my reading list for a while now, anyone with a nickname like the 'Muggle King' deserves a read. Thanks for sharing and reminding me


Louis Armstrong & Milton "Mezz" Mezzrow in Paris, December, 1960

speaking of Louis and bone smoking technique

https://youtu.be/Dw9M6cNHO9g

Dug the tune Geneva, rocked it on Christmas. Thanks for sharing

Season's Greetings to you and yours billy

Thanks for keeping this beauty of a thread full up of the good stuff.

Not a religious man myself but...

Peace and Goodwill to all

Best Wishes for a blessed New Year for you, Billy !

Thanks for adding to the quality of experience on this site

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Best Wishes for a blessed New Year for you, Billy !

Thanks for adding to the quality of experience on this site

G `day B C DUb

Merry Christmas and a happy new year .

Thanks for sharin

EB .

Humbled everyone digs the history like I do, really appreciate all the well wishes!

Late Merry Christmas to everyone, and a happy, healthy and safe New Year to come

 

[billycw]

'German Couple in ethnic costume with Hookah and Rooster', hand colored postcard mailed in 1906

When you get a new bong for Christmas and have to pose for family photos

 

[billycw]

New Years Eve party at VMI (the Virginia Military Institute) 1893

 

[billycw]

Chinese New Year Celebration, New York 1928



Jump into the New Year

In ancient China, the only way to celebrate the passing of the old Year was to jump into the new...

For this traditional leap you need just one thing, Hemp!

Chinese boys jump rope, Song Dynasty, ca. 1100 AD



Before passing into the new year in China, a ancient rite was performed. During the New Years Eve celebration, costumed participants would perform an act known as 'Hundred Rope Jumping'. Using a large hemp rope, celebrators would jump over a twirling hemp rope, saying goodbye to the old and jumping into the new…

The hemp would serve two purposes in the act. First the hemp was used in the game as the actual hurdle into the new year. But other ropes made of different material could serve this purpose so why use hemp? Hemp has been used throughout Asia to purify, so skipping the hemp rope literally resolves the old year and purifies the new, helping to start the year off with a clean slate.

Children skipping rope, China 1957



Chinese children would go on to imitate this act year round as a fun game. It is said as the children skipped the hemp rope, if they look up, the rope loosens in tension above them making it look like 100 threads whipping over head, hence the name for the game known as “jumping 100 threads”.


Hope everyone's year jumps off right! Happy New Year everyone!

Jumping Rope (believe the guy in the middle is puffing on a pipe), France 1870’s


uffpuffpass:

 

[Jellyfish]

I'll say it again. This is really one of the best threads on ICMAG, and the most worthwhile. It's great to see the rich diverse history of the plant we all love so much.

 

[billycw]

I'll say it again. This is really one of the best threads on ICMAG, and the most worthwhile. It's great to see the rich diverse history of the plant we all love so much.

Truly humbled Jellyfish, appreciate the support

This year we dig even deeper into the tales of history to uncover our Hempen History lost. It only gets better!

Happy New Year Everyone!