I've said it before and I'll say it again.
It's cultural. Virtually nobody (in terms of percent of the total population of countries) smoked pot prior to the 60's except jazz musicians, and various fringe elements of society.
When people started smoking it was part of the baby boomer cultural revolution, which took place both in america and europe. America had mexico to supply weed, but europe didn't. Pot was extremely expensive until hash from the middle east started showing up for the market.
It's pretty hard to smoke a joint of pure hash, so by nature it was mixed with tobacco to help it burn. The practice still continues. Don't forget "soap bar" is still the primary form of cannabis available in europe even at this time. In america, where we've always had cheap fat joints of mexican weed, it is virtually unheard of in toking culture to mix tobacco with pot. Most american tokers don't even know what "soap bar" is.
It's funny just earlier today I was reading and old august '79 High Times interview with Joe Strummer and Mick Jones of The Clash (who I'm sure had decent pot connections) where they were talking about that. They said an ounce of colombian pot was selling for as much as "45 quid. Ninety dollars. Thats IF you can get it". Bare in mind an ounce of c-bo sold for 25 to 40 dollars in the states at the same time.
The next line reads: "You can get crappy hash for $50 dollars, but there is no hope of getting stoned on it."
They went on to explain that in england "dope is a luxury" and most people have to stretch it out, so they mix joints in half with tobacco.
It's cultural. Virtually nobody (in terms of percent of the total population of countries) smoked pot prior to the 60's except jazz musicians, and various fringe elements of society.
When people started smoking it was part of the baby boomer cultural revolution, which took place both in america and europe. America had mexico to supply weed, but europe didn't. Pot was extremely expensive until hash from the middle east started showing up for the market.
It's pretty hard to smoke a joint of pure hash, so by nature it was mixed with tobacco to help it burn. The practice still continues. Don't forget "soap bar" is still the primary form of cannabis available in europe even at this time. In america, where we've always had cheap fat joints of mexican weed, it is virtually unheard of in toking culture to mix tobacco with pot. Most american tokers don't even know what "soap bar" is.
It's funny just earlier today I was reading and old august '79 High Times interview with Joe Strummer and Mick Jones of The Clash (who I'm sure had decent pot connections) where they were talking about that. They said an ounce of colombian pot was selling for as much as "45 quid. Ninety dollars. Thats IF you can get it". Bare in mind an ounce of c-bo sold for 25 to 40 dollars in the states at the same time.
The next line reads: "You can get crappy hash for $50 dollars, but there is no hope of getting stoned on it."
They went on to explain that in england "dope is a luxury" and most people have to stretch it out, so they mix joints in half with tobacco.
