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Gotta Smoke ‘Em All: 10 Pokemon Who Are Low-Key Stoners

Unless you’re living under a rock, you’ve been playing Pokemon GO every waking moment since the game came out. The augmented reality app is sweeping the nation after it was released late Wednesday night in the United States, captivating young and old alike as if they were under a Drowzee’s spell. Yerboi almost lost his […] Thanks to marijuana.com

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Mary Jane and Mario Brothers make quite the team!

Marijuana gaming

Video games are for kids, right?  What happens when those kids grow up? Don’t they still love their games?  Pong was released in 1972, so any kid who had it would be over 40 years old now. And in that time games have gone from a pixel bouncing between paddles to the realistic graphics and life-simulating action of games life Call of Duty and the latest Madden that looks almost as good as a real football game.  So it can’t be just for kids, especially with so many games having mature content ratings.  They are more than just games today.  They are art made in motion; they are a social experience. As games have joined the internet they have brought people together from across the world.

The video game companies know they can sell more games if they make them for a wider market, so the adult gaming world exists.  There are people who grew up with games, just as others had Legos.  The adult gaming community is huge and it works hard to shed the old stigma that games are a waste of time, and for kids only.  Nintendo has worked hard to dispel this image too.  Their latest console, the Wii has been marketed as a family console. It’s as much fun for junior as it is for grandpa.  The party games cater to multiplayer, and who can complain when Wii Bowling is so much fun. It is as good as real bowling, only your arm won’t fall off after 20 games because its a 4oz wiimote being wielded instead of a 16 pound bowling ball.

There are those who lay the blame for rising obesity epidemic at the feet of video games. If parents would put down the controller and send them out to play real sports they might lose some weight.  But gaming does have its benefits.  Research has shown that games can help cognitive development, spatial relations, and hand-eye coordination in ways that sports cannot.  As with any pursuit, balance and moderation are needed.  One study has shown that gamer-athletes show the best levels of coordination, with gamers-only just behind them, athletes ranking lower and those who play neither sports nor games as least coordinated.  Sports give excellent balance and body control to athletes, but gamers excel at fine motor control, such as that needed while driving, or for doctors performing surgery, or for military snipers.  A recent study has shown that doctors who play video games before performing arthro- and laproscopic surgery make 1/3 less mistakes and often complete procedures quicker.  While speed does not always equal success, the less time a patient remains cut open the less likely they are to contract infections and suffer complications.

Where does this fit in with the marijuana community?  The obvious answer, many many gamers smoke marijuana.  But there’s more to it than that.  It ties in with the social and community aspect.  Friends separated by distance can bond over a game, or even discuss business during loading times.  Just hit pause between waves of monster hordes and then a few friends can take a moment to re-medicate and enter a game. Xbox live is a great way to talk with a bud and discuss a new strain and how its effects may be more helpful for disease treatment than something previously taken.  Many patients who medicate with marijuana are housebound.  Internet gaming allows them social access that is otherwise denied by their limited mobility.  For others, it provides sociability without alcohol.  Bars are often loud, rowdy, expensive affairs (not all of them) that don’t appeal to some people.  Video games let people relax in their own home and commune with friends more intimately.  In multiplayer mode, players can compete against each other, or they can work together. It’s a great team-building exercise.  Businesses could benefit from having their employees cooperating.  A game night at the office is certainly cheaper than a paintball expedition and has less risk of injury.

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