Can you cultivate a better video game experience by consuming cannabis?
Thanks to improvements in technology, the rise of the smartphone and the growth of indie gaming, video games are more popular, accessible, and stimulating than ever. So what happens when you infuse your favorite digital pastime with cannabis? Find out with Myxed Up!
Game Time: Myxed Up with Cannabis
Whether you’re a fan of the latest gaming trends or stick to the classics, video games are one of our most popular pastimes for a reason. Not only do video games stimulate our imaginations and provide us an escape from the monotony of the day-to-day, these also provide gamers with a feeling of control that usually comes with the satisfaction of having learned—and mastered—a particular skill set or gameplay scenario.
Imagination also plays an important role here; in a world filled with uncertainty, in the virtual world, a gamer can be whomever or whatever they’d like. From zombie-killers to dragons or renegade soldiers. When it comes to cannabis and video games you’re only limited by your imagination- and how much weed you have at your disposal.
One major factor affecting our online engagements and video game engagements, is the lack of real world consequences, especially when you make a mistake. For example, in a video came, you can build your own empire, jump off of a bridge, or lift an entire school bus on your own because there are no “real life” factors at play that would result in negative consequences if you fail. Instead, you have the luxurious option of taking another toke and using as many lives as you need to develop a winning strategy.
Getting Paid to Play Video Games and Smoke Weed?
Did you know that there are professional gamers out there making hundreds of thousands of dollars just by playing video games? Professional American gamer Johnathan Wendel (Fatal1ty) did just that. Considered by many as “the first, and best, electronic competition player ever,” Wendel has earned over $450,000 in prize money during his career playing First Person Shooter games like Call of Duty, Doom 3, Counter-Strike, and more.
Wendel isn’t the only gamer to hit the big time. In fact, all eight of the highest paid video gamers in the world average almost half-a-million dollars each in annual prize money winnings. In addition to their winnings from tournaments or competitions, many of the top-tiered gamers also have some form of sponsorship or promotional income they earn passively or by playing in paid forums.
Can Cannabis Improve Your Game?
While more study is needed, some researchers believe that cannabis and gaming can be good for you. This is because video games, particularly newer ones, can help improve your hand-eye coordination while cannabis has been found to deliver significant antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties in lab studies. Together, the combination of reflex exercises and cannabis have the potential to deliver therapeutic benefits when it comes to lowering stress levels and exercising your brain.
Video games and cannabis may also help those coping dementia or Alzheimer’s by helping improve short-term memory retention. According to a test study performed by the Groningen Mental Enhancement Department in the Netherlands, scientists found that use of cannabis while gaming led to increased memory retention amongst Alzheimer’s patients.
According to one researcher:
“All the test subjects played increasingly challenging games each day, but half the group was also administered smoke. Would you believe that the marijuana test group scored 43 percent better memory retention than the control group? It was a far greater benefit to the marijuana-administered group than we could have imagined."
Ways to Elevate Your Gameplay this Weekend
Curious about which strains and games to try together? Try Myx-ing it up with these classics!
- Go to battle with Blue Dream. With its hybrid effects of focus and relaxation, Blue Dream is the perfect strain for FPS games like Quake. This strain is also known to give you a nice boost of energy which makes it ideal for late night gaming sessions.
- Find your sweet spot with AK-47. Another great first-person shooter strain, AK-47 is great for producing the perfect blend of relaxation and euphoria.
- Work your strategy all night long with White Widow. Another popular strain known for its sativa-leaning hybrid effects, a toke or two of White Widow will leave you feeling relaxed, alert, and ready for your next big gaming marathon.
- Liven up your gameplay with Lemon Kush. Not a fan of shooting games? Lemon Kush is the perfect strain to consume when you need brain power and focus. Try vaping or dabbing Lemon Kush to boost your creativity before slipping into your favorite puzzle game or trying to escape the labyrinth layer of your RPG.
Make the Most of Every Day by Myx-ing it Up!
Whether you are a medical marijuana patient or not, the benefits of consuming cannabis recreationally can be experienced in a number of ways. Let us know your favorite ways to Myx it up and which accessories help you get there—you never know, we might feature your testimonial in our next blog!
Special thanks to Karli Adams (@karli_canna) for the photography! And to the models as Mario (@supermariodabs), Luigi (@jweeds_420), Princess Peach (@cannachrissy), and as Yoshi (@kristinebobean).
Products featured include the Puffco Peak, Zong Water Pipes, Jerome Baker Designs, ErrlyBird Torches.