Since the 1960s, Asheville continues to be recognized as a hippie hideout where beer is as abundant as water in the French Broad, and weed is more common than cigarettes. UNCA is no different in that matter.
“I personally enjoy it like in group settings like to have it after a long day of classes, just to like kind of chill out and kind of just vibe with everyone,” said Nativia Cullars who is studying Health and Science at UNCA. “ It’s always usually a good time, but then I also do take it for medical reasons because I have insomnia.”
Cullars said she usually prefers edible THC products, i.e. gummies, brownies, etc. or vaporizing cartridges that made a huge splash on the scene both because of convenience, ease of use, portability and mass availability. Cullars also prefers to partake in THC consumption in group settings as opposed to being alone, but said she still will by herself sometimes.
“I have insomnia and anxiety as well, and it does alleviate the symptoms significantly.” Said Cash Nichols, environmental science ecology student at UNCA.
According to Nichols, smoking weed helped give them another outlet to express their love for nature and the outdoors. Nichols said being able to get out into nature with friends or by themself, and smoking makes it easier for them to do so.
“I do definitely use it for that medical purpose, but more so than that, I enjoy just being able to go outside and meet people who most of the time have similar interests to me. If I’m going to be out in that setting, smoking with people, It’s a very community-based thing for me. I definitely prefer smoking in a group over smoking alone,” said Nichols.
“THC use can be a social activity, especially in party or dorm settings,” said Sergeant Erik Oian with UNCA’s University Police.
Oian said some reasons THC usage is so prominent on campus include using it to relax and sleep but it can have mixed long-term effects on mental health.
“Some students use it thinking it helps them focus, be creative, or think outside the box, even though this varies by individual and often impairs academic performance in the long run,” said Oian.
Oian said university police are concerned the growing acceptance of the drug could lead students to trying stronger THC products like concentrates, which can cause more serious medical or psychological effects.
Cullars said Asheville had a very open mind to weed as soon as they arrived on campus, and it helped shape early relationships on campus.
“I feel like the 1st week I was here, I took a deep whiff in and was like, wow. I know, somebody’s been getting down over here. I know what’s going on. And then just walked around for literally like 5 minutes and found a group of people smoking and was able to build that relationship immediately,” said Nichols.
According to Cullars, smoking weed in Asheville makes them more comfortable than smoking it back home. She said people back in Charlotte, where she‘s from, are more shut off to smoking with people outside their groups and are more stingy with their supply, while people in Asheville seem to act differently.
“Here it’s like, oh, I have some you want to hit? Like, everyone pitches in. Everyone’s very open and very welcoming,” said Cullars.
Cullars said they love being able to find more neurodivergent people like them who also smoke or use cannabis at UNCA, and that being around people like them takes pressure off of them to act a certain way.
Cullars, Nichols and Oian said the uptick in weed usage around campus may seem to curb binge drinking and alcohol related violent incidents.
Oian said within the last few years, UPD saw an uptick in THC related medical events like THC overdoses also known as greening out.
According to the La Hacienda Treatment Center, greening out happens when someone ingests too much of a THC product and experiences adverse side effects such as nausea, vomiting, sweating, anxiety, and dizziness.
Oian said the most common form of ingestion at these medical events are edibles and concentrates.
“In many cases, students underestimate the delayed onset of these products, leading them to take additional doses before the first has taken full effect. This often results in panic attacks, confusion, nausea and in some cases, the need for emergency medical attention,” said Oian.
Cullars and Nichols said they both urge smokers of cannabis to be respectful of those who don’t and to keep them in mind when it comes to when and where you decide to.
“I feel like the main point is just to respect others. I feel like that just gets you very far in life in a general sense, but it definitely applies to this thing as well,” said Nichols.
Cullars said how important it is to create an environment of communication within shared living spaces when it comes to THC usage.
“If you’re living on campus and you have suite mates and roommates, find a way to accommodate them. If it’s not working for you, switch it up,” said Cullars.
