Milledgeville Smoke Shops

By: Christian Stroud

Tobacco, nicotine vaporizers, CBD, hemp, rolling papers, lighters, grinders, water pipes and
hand pipes are just a few of the many products offered at local smoke shops scattered across
Milledgeville. Deemed as an essential business during COVID-19 lockdowns, lots are still
booming with business. Both Pipe Dreams and King of Smoke are two of the most popular and
notable of the smoke shops for students at GC, and offer a range of products for both smoking
and non-smoking desires.

Located at 1835 N Columbia St, King of Smoke has been in business for a little over three years
now, offering a wide variety of smoking products and accessories pertaining to nicotine, CBD, tobacco, hemp, and both disposable and refillable vaporizers. They also offer miscellaneous
products that do not involve smoking such as t-shirts, incense and tapestries.

The other store we visited, Pipe Dreams, is positioned just a couple blocks up the road from
King of Smoke, located at 1686 N Columbia Street. Offering many of the same products and
brands, they too are capable of fulfilling just about any smoker’s needs, and have been around
for almost five years now.

One product that has become increasingly popular across the U.S is cannabidiol, more
commonly known as CBD, the non-psychoactive compound found in cannabis. This has a wide
variety of health benefits, and can be ingested in many ways that have nothing to do with
smoking or involving the lungs.

“You get all of the benefits of hemp, so it can help with any mild to moderate pains, sleep,
anxiety, depression,” said Kimberly, an employee from King of Smoke. “It’s been known to treat
seizures, autism… and it comes in just about every form… hemp flowers, pre-rolleds, they make
CBD vape juice, we have gummies, protein bars, dried fruits, we even have CBD honey. They
also make it in creams, lotions, and coconut oil.”

Due to the fact that THC, the psychoactive ingredient found in marijuana that produces the
euphoric “high” is not present in CBD, you can still pass most standard drug tests when using
these products, and can even be used for pets, offering products to treat abnormally high
energy levels, seizures and anxiety.

“Definitely for any of those that feel like they might struggle with anxiety or maybe even
insomnia,” said Austin, the manager at Pipe Dreams. “I definitely have been using it for the
entire time that I’ve been working here, and that’s been about four years now, and I think it really
helps a lot.”

Another popular product both stores have to offer, known as Delta-8, also rose in popularity in
the last couple of months. Containing trace amounts of THC, this product will lead to failing most
standard drug tests, depending on variables such as the amount consumed as well as the
duration passed between one’s last use and testing. Due to the fact that it does contain THC,
some people are unsure of how it is allowed to be sold in stores and how possessing the
product is legal.

“So Delta-8 is essentially a brother chemical, in a way,” Austin said. “Delta-8 THC is basically
the THC chemical but with only eight carbon bonds as opposed to nine carbon bonds which is
what standard Delta-9 THC has… It is very, very interesting, and every other day I learn
something new about it.”

In addition to the flower version of the product, both stores offer several methods of
consumption for Delta-8, similar to those offered for CBD intake.

“We have [Delta 8] edibles, gummies, vegan gummies, lollipops, and we just got some
chocolate bars”, Kimberly said. “We also have concentrates in Delta-8, we have a little bit of
everything.

Both stores offer deals and discounts for students with proof of a college ID, including rewards
programs, and even lounge areas, offering a unique setting to hang out, use products that are
allowed indoors, and relax. However, you must be 21 years of age or older to purchase nicotine, tobacco or vape products and accessories.