In CA, marijuana has been a prevalent commodity long before it was legalized by the voters in 2016. I was not one of those voters. Yes, as shocking as it was for some of my friends to learn, I voted against the legalization of recreational marijuana. Let’s go further back in time. 

In 1996, CA legalized marijuana for medicinal purposes only. It was and still is a great benefit for many ill residents, specifically cancer and bipolar patients. To legally obtain medicinal marijuana in various forms, one had to have a medicinal marijuana card that was the size of a credit card. It was like a prescription from your doctor that you’d take to your local pharmacy. 

Somehow, many of my friends and family appeared to have illnesses I never knew they had.  Medical marijuana cards were popping up all over the place. I was the lone non-smoker so this was all foreign to me. None of my medical issues could be helped by marijuana. Although, many friends and family members thought my personality and mood could be helped. They didn’t understand me. They loved me, I think, 😂, but didn’t understand me. 

The boom was so intense, edibles were more of a thing. It was like we drifted back into the 1960s when hash brownies or whatever they were called back then hit the scene.

“My Friends, Real Friends, Better Than Your Friends”

Disclaimer: As Ice Cube once said, “Names have been changed to protect the guilty!” 

I’m blessed to say I’ve had some of the same friends since I was a tot. We’ve had our ups and downs, our closeness and separations, and somehow remained solid throughout the decades. I attribute that to communication and space! We’re all pretty headstrong, but I think I’m the most “I SAID NO,” person in the bunch. Not straight arrow, though that’s what some of them think lol. Anyhoo, peer pressure was never a problem for me, even during my secondary school years. 

My lack of following the crowd or “joining the fun” caused an uncomfortableness with some of my friends. To them, I needed to unwind. I was too uptight. To me, they needed to accept me as I was because I wasn’t boring. I just didn’t “turn up” in their way. They didn’t realize or maybe they didn’t care that my version of “turn up” was simply different from theirs. However, they stuck with me and I stuck with them. 

How the August Day Started

Summer of 2009, we’re in our early 30s juggling work, children, side hustles, social lives, intimate relationships, missing our 20s, and still trying to find time to enjoy each other. It was decided to start having meet-ups at Nicole’s house. Well, Lynette was already having random meet-ups at her house for the neighborhood, it seemed. Her house was turned up almost every weekend. 

I had been without a car for over a month. Since I was 17, I always had a car. It was my independence creed. I made the mistake of swearing never to ride public transportation again and then, HA! Never say never. So there I was, depressed. Not wanting to ask for help. Not wanting anyone to know I was depressed. Not wanting to be alone this one particular Friday night. Truly needing a night with my gurlz!

Earlier in the day, while at work conversing with Lynette she said, “Take the bus to my job and you can ride home with me. We’re having a kick-it night and you said you were coming.” I said, “I’ll be there too early!” She said, “I don’t care.” I hemmed and hawed and obliged having no idea what was in store!

Oh Me, Oh My!

We get to Lynette’s house and everything is lovely. I offered to help in the kitchen when I noticed she was putting something together. All of my gurlz can cook so she didn’t need the help. However, I noticed a giggle when she declined, but shrugged it off.

An hour later, people started coming and Lynette was being a very gracious host serving me slices of chocolate brownies. Not bars, SLICES! Everyone else was eating bars. I have always been a brownie lover, so I found it odd that Lynette is number 1, serving me, and number 2, SLICES!

“Gurl! Just give me the damn brownie! What are these slivers for? Why are you trippin!?” Lynette smiled and politely said, “Stop rushing stuff. Just savor the flavor. I have more and am making another batch.” Oooooo being the chocolate lover and dessert freak who’s already in my feelings and depressed, I was mad! Immediately mad. I NEEDED chocolate. 

Hours went by and more people appeared. I knew everyone and noticed the more I tried to wave hello, the heavier my arm was to lift. By this time, Lynette had served me about 12 – 15 slices which would equal about 3-4 average brownie bars. My mouth was dry. I kept drinking water wondering why my mouth was SO DRY. This wasn’t normal. I was also extra tired. EXTRA tired but chopped it up to a long day at work coupled with riding the buses to Lynette’s job.

I got up to go to the bathroom and slowly walked right into a wall. Stephanie hollered! She laughed so loud it made me jump. I turned and said, “Ok, it was NOT THAT funny. You’re always adding extras.” She yelled, “Lynette, what did you do to Tonya? She just ran into the wall!” Everyone burst into laughter. I rolled my eyes and finally found the bathroom. I had been to Lynette’s house MANY times, yet all of a sudden, I had no idea how to find the bathroom.

As I was returning to my seat, Liz walked in the front door. She took one look at me and yelled, “WHAT’S WRONG WITH YOUR EYES?!?!” I said, “Why are you yelling? Nothing’s wrong with my eyes.” She said, “Yes, there is! They’re all red! What have you been doing?” I said, “Nothing and stop yelling.” Lynette and Stephanie laughed so hard. I heard Lynette say, “Shhhh,” but I paid no real attention. A few seconds later, I see Lynette, Liz, and Stephanie chatting in the corner, giggling and looking at me. Then Liz walks over and says, “How did you get here and how are you getting home?” I said, “I came with Lynette. I don’t know how I’m getting home. I’ll probably walk to my parent’s house and spend the night.” She said, “Oh no! I’ll take you home!” 

Hours later, more people and here comes the photographer of the group. They told Nicole to look at me. She takes this picture. So yep, here is documentation of me damn-near passed out, or actually passed out.

After this picture, Nicole woke me up to let me know she was there. Again, AFTER the picture. 😀 I got up and went into Lynette’s son’s room. This child was maybe 5 or 6 years old. His bed was one of those child car beds. I sat down. Assessed his child bed for my over 30-year-old, plus-sized body frame and made it work. I curled up my body so tight and was sleeping well until someone opened the door. I don’t know if it was Lynette or Stephanie but they summoned the rest of the crew and everyone got a gut laugh. I woke up like, “What’s so funny?” They all laughed again. I got up and went back into the living room. 

I guess Liz couldn’t take any more of The Tonya Show, or maybe she just felt sorry for me. She said, “I’m taking you home.” I tried to argue and she said, “How else will get there?” I said, “I have a plan!” She said, “Let’s go!” She’s always been known as the bossy one.

The Aftermath

Liz didn’t only take me home. She also took home a mutual friend from high school. I’m an extremely private person. I even hate for people I know to know where I live unless we are very close. Liz took none of that into account. When she pulled up to my apartment and I said, “Why you didn’t drop him off first?” She said, “Just go inside!” Ugh, gladly! I don’t know if I said it but I sure thought it. To me, she was still yelling, even if she wasn’t.

Healthline.com says that cannabutter has a longer latency period due to being metabolized differently within the body than inhalable cannabis. “It can take 30 – 90 minutes to notice effects, with reactions peaking around 2-4 hours. … This depends on how much was consumed, as well as your gender, body weight, and metabolism.” WHOA! I had a slow metabolism, was overweight, am a biological female, and consumed QUITE a bit. Uh oh!!!!  

According to the American Addiction Centers, there are possible side effects when consuming too much THC from edibles:

• Drowsiness
• Confusion
• Anxiety and panic attacks
• Agitation
• Paranoia
• Impaired motor ability
• Heart problems

I experienced them ALL! ALL in one night! When I closed my apartment door I collapsed to the floor and started shaking. I’ve had hot flashes and night sweats since I was 13. I was known for always being hot and wearing shorts in the winter. This time, I was freezing! In August, one of the hottest summer months in CA, I turned on the heater and got under a bunch of covers. 

I don’t remember this, but my then-guy said that I sent a cryptic text. He called and apparently, my voice worried him. All I know is he appeared at the door. When he walked in, he said, “Why is it so HOT in here?” I said, “It’s freezing!” I collapsed to the floor again, shaking in coldness. 

He tried to help while not knowing what was happening to me and he was sweating. Remember, this was August 2009, NO REASON for the heater under normal circumstances. He said, “I’m taking you to the hospital!” I said, “NO! My friends will go to jail. I’m not a rat!”

Then, I said, “My heart. My heart is beating so loud! Why is everything so loud? Can you hear it? Listen!” According to him, that’s when he realized what had happened. He said, “Did you smoke tonight?” I said, “NO! I don’t smoke! I just ate brownies and drank water.” He said, “BROWNIES?!?!??! WHO THE HELL GAVE YOU BROWNIES?!!?” I said, “Why is everyone yelling?!?!”

Whew! I told him about my night with Lynette and the crew and fell asleep while talking. He held me while I slept. When I woke up, he said, “You can’t be with Lynette if I’m not around.” I had no idea what he was talking about. My first words were, “When did you get here? Do you have a key? How did you get in?” He gave me a full recap and I was LIVID! 

2023

Since that day, I vowed to never eat another edible and told Lynette I don’t trust her as far as I can throw her. It was a running laugh with my friends because they had no idea what I went through at home. It’s a running laugh with me, now that I’m well past it and survived. 

When I told Lynette about the aftermath, she sincerely apologized. We laughed about it but oooo weee, I told her, “I still don’t trust you!” haaaa! I laughed but I meant it!