Journalism’s New Beat: Marijuana Critic

[User]

On Tuesday, the Denver Westword, a respected alt-weekly, posted an unusual job opening on its Web site. “Calling all potential pot reviewers: Westword wants you!”

The ad went on to ask, “Do you have a medical condition that necessitates marijuana? Do you have a way with words?” It turns out the paper wants to hire someone to review the dozens of medical marijuana dispensaries that have recently popped up in Colorado — at least 70 since January — for a weekly on-line column, “Mile Highs and Lows.”

The reviewer would work on a freelance basis and be “an objective resource on the state’s burgeoning medical marijuana scene,” according to the classified ad. In this era of contracting newsrooms, Westword is seemingly creating a new journalism beat: Pot Critic.

Whoever gets the job will have the terrain mostly to himself. A few Web sites like Cannabis CoPilot offer cursory reviews, but even High Times has yet to formally review a dispensary.

Westword has already published a few reviews by a fill-in critic; the pieces mix basic information like hours of operation and “raw marijuana price range” with a critical appraisal (of the facilities, not the foliage). For instance, Patients Choice of Colorado on South Broadway in Denver ”offers strict but high-caliber service — sort of like the Ivy Leagues of dispensaries.”

The rapid spread of marijuana dispensaries in Colorado is a serious issue, but Westword is handling the search for a pot critic with tongue firmly planted in cheek. They’ve asked candidates not to submit resumes on rolling papers, for example. Editor Patricia Calhoun said the paper is going about the process much as they did when they hired their current food critic, by posting an ad and asking for a sample review. “Our restaurant critic, Jason Sheehan, won a James Beard award,” Calhoun said. “We’re hoping we’ll have similar success, although there don’t seem to be as many rewards for marijuana reviewers.”

As with a dining or architecture critic, a background in the subject helps but Calhoun said the paper is looking for someone who displays a talent for writing and analytical thinking rather than getting baked. In other words, she said, ”You don’t have to smoke pot for 30 years.”

Calhoun is asking candidates to submit an essay on the subject of what marijuana means to them, and hopes to pick a reviewer by next week. “We’ll see what we get,” she said. “I know that within five minutes of the posting, we already had an application — which is very fast turnaround for a stoner.”


NewsHawk: User: http://www.420magazine.com/
Source: wsj.com
Author: Steven Kurutz
Copyright: 2009 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
Contact: Help & Information Center - WSJ.COM
Website: Denver Westword IS Hiring A Pot Critic To Review Marijuana Dispensaries - Speakeasy - WSJ

[poker shark]

I guess they would still test you for drugs...to make sure you were using.

[Caber1]

“We’ll see what we get,” she said. “I know that within five minutes of the posting, we already had an application — which is very fast turnaround for a stoner.”

In a world where pot is legal and you can feel like a person with all the same rights as alcoholics and prescription addicts, then I might be able to laugh at this type of "slow stoner" rhetoric.
Otherwise I think it needs to stop and people need to be clued in. It is used too often by opponents of freedom and rights as a way to marginalize us as contributing citizens while trampling our basic rights and freedoms.
Think about what you hear from these type of people when they talk about other minorities that they think aren't as good as them. You'll see a pattern.

This isn't about hippies who have dropped out of the rat race anymore. This is about families, care givers, sick people and hard working tax payers being treated like second class citizens.

I'd rather be a stoner than a fat, lying politician any day.

I'm not saying you should go berserker when you hear this, but a simple, polite correction goes along way towards respect.

[eScott]

I wonder if the Denver Westward is normally a "drug free environment" employer otherwise...

[Weedpipe]

Do you have a medical condition that necessitates marijuana? Do you have a way with words? If so, Westword wants you to join the ranks as our freelance marijuana-dispensary reviewer.

To provide an objective resource on the state's burgeoning medical marijuana scene, Westword has launched "Mile Highs and Lows," a weekly review of Colorado marijuana dispensaries. Now we're looking for just the right person to take the reins.

The job is simple: Visit a different dispensary each week (without revealing you're working for Westword) and pen concise, impartial and snappy accounts of your experiences. Keep in mind this isn't about assessing the quality of the medicine on site; it's about evaluating the quality of the establishment. After all, we can't have our reviewer be stoned all the time.

The perfect candidate will be a talented writer who's not about to play favorites -- and, of course, someone who has a state medical marijuana ID (or the ability and need to obtain one). Compensation will be meager -- and no, we can't expense your purchases, although that would be pretty cool.

Think you've got what it takes? Send a resume (informal is okay; handwritten on rolling papers isn't) and a one-paragraph essay on "What Marijuana Means to Me" to joe[dot]tone@westword.com. The more creative the better -- so get rolling.

(Fair warning: Because we think it might be really funny, we reserve the right to publish any samples we receive, though we won't use any full names without permission).






News Hawk- Weedpipe http://www.420Magazine.com
Source: DENVER WESTWORD
Author:Joe Tone
Contact: The Denver Westword Blogs
Copyright:2009 Village Voice Media
Website:http://www.420magazine.com/forums/ne...newthread&f=17

[Weedpipe]

UPDATE:

Being a pot critic is apparently very appealing, and applications have been rolling in since the Denver Westword advertised the new position.

“Within five minutes of the posting, we already had an application — which is very fast turnaround for a stoner,” said the weekly’s editor Patricia Calhoun