Grower Stories #66: Tommy Chong

Chatting With Chong 2: Askgrowers Chats With Cannabis Culture Icon Tommy Chong Again!

A man so nice we did it twice! AskGrowers sits down with cannabis culture icon Tommy Chong about his favorite things to watch and listen to while high, the most common mistakes that new and upstart cannabis brands make, and his future plans for his many brands. #growerstories

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Igor Dunaevsky (AskGrowers) : What’s new since the last time we talked? How have you been?

Tommy Chong : Not much has changed here man! I really need a haircut, we’ve got a new President that’s going to legalize federally. We’re in really good shape now!

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Igor : What are your favorite things to do while you’re high?

Tommy : I love writing poetry when I’m high. I take photos of plants, animals, and other weird stuff. I love to jot down little motivational ideas and make pipes. And I love to spend time with my youngest granddaughter. The great thing about being a grandfather is that you always get to hold the baby when everyone else is busy!

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Igor : Best ways to consume cannabis?

Tommy : For me, it’s definitely via pipe. To me, it's the best way. There’s so many ways but I’d say I’ve gotten it down to about the simplest way.

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Igor : Best movie to watch when getting high? Favorite music to listen to?

Tommy : I love listening to jazz or pop-music. I like staying up to date on popular music.

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Igor : Best album to listen to when getting high?

Tommy : [tooltip title="The Beatles" content="The most famous and influential rock band of the 21st century."]The Beatles[/tooltip] are always a good time. Their stuff is just timeless.

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Igor : Do you think smoking pot can help people deal with their emotions/feelings? (sad/ depressed, nervous, exhausted, etc)?

Tommy : Weed is really personal, man. There are some people who should use it and some people who shouldn’t. It all depends on them.

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Igor : What’s one change you would make to the cannabis industry?

Tommy : We need to produce more clean jobs that respect our lifestyle. People shouldn’t be in coal mines anymore, they should be above the ground growing cannabis.

The cannabis industry encourages doctors, lawyers and professionals to get involved in the business. We need bankers and financial advisors. We can create jobs around every walk of life when it comes to cannabis.

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Igor : What do you think is the most common mistake that new companies make when it comes to their brand?

Tommy : The biggest problem now is that people are just motivated by the money and legality of it. The people that are in the growing business have been doing it for a long time. This isn’t just a job, it’s an art. They’ve been doing this for a long time.

If you’re in it just for the profit, you’re not going to last.

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Igor : How would you explain the specifics of your brand?

Tommy : Our brands might not be too huge yet, but they’re certainly going to be. We’re selling these breath strips and pre-rolls, and we’re moving back into the art side of the industry with custom bongs and such.

We’re also planning to open Cheech and Chong branded dispensaries all over the world. We want to reproduce that feeling of the corner store when you were a kid, except with weed.

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Read Also: Tommy Chong's previous interview.