One night last week I decided to check out the bar on the ground floor of my condo complex. It had been one of those days where I wished I never had gotten up that morning, and I was definitely in the mood to drink my sorrows away. When I started to discuss my alcohol ambitions with the bartender, I noticed a distinctively shaped bottle amongst a group of what I like to call, "get'er done liquors." My curiosity led me of course to inquire further about the bong shaped vodka bottle suggestively placed for maximum exposure. Not the most shocking phenomenom, Bong Vodka (www.myspace.com/bongvodka), is a 6 times distilled premium vodka distributed out of Holland. Upon sampling this ingeniously marketed product, I was delightedly surprised to find a sophisticated, smooth, and easy to drink beverage. I've never been much of a person to take shots easily, but even I didn't make the "disgusted" face look when taking this Vodka straight.
Now lets talk about the real potential for this product...
Over the past few years our society has undergone a huge shift on the "War on Drugs," especially marijuana. With a population of 80 million, the introduction of Generation Y (AKA Millennial Generation, Millennials, Echo Boomers, Net Generation, etc) into the political and economic landscape has had much to do with re prioritizing our social agenda. In addition to the proven benefits of medical (medically used) marijuana, the young generation has followed in the footsteps of their Baby Boomer parents. Similar to the youth of the 1960's, today's young adults have found comfort in addressing the often uncomfortable.
When I saw the Bong Vodka bottle, the first thing I thought was, "yes, I would love to put that on a shelf in my family room." As a 23 year old adult, it is accepted and expected that I would have an affinity for the alcoholic beverage. I can't even count the times I talked with my parents and grandparents about times I was "a little on the drunk side." It's funny how talking about enjoying being drunk is "cool," but discussing one's affection for altering their mental state, impairing their judgement, and hindering their motor skills is grounds for serious psychiatric treatment.
So what does Bong Vodka represent to me? I can't wait for the day my parents walk into my living room and uncomfortably ask me, as if in some sort of shock-denial, why there is a bong in my apartment. Someday, I may actually set up a camera to capture the initial horror on their faces and then the sigh of relief expressed once they realize that bong shaped bottle is just a creatively marketed vodka.
I'm happy to report that shallow America has progressed to the point where we can joke about marijuana, talk about it rationally, and even make suggestive innuendos regarding the subject. We all know somebody whose done it and most of us have tried it at least once, but mainstream society continues to categorize "grown-ups" who openly enjoy marijuana as taboo. Now, Bong Vodka allows marijuana supporters to bring up the subject "without actually saying anything." Many prohibition supporters would run if somebody started a conversation with, "so what do you think about marijuana?" Aside from the initial terror-relief reaction, a marijuana supporter can safely hide under a veil of artistic appreciation. In the eyes of many, a law abiding citizen's opinion is much more valid because they aren't looking to "justify their own underlying addiction." As irrational and unrealistic this viewpoint may be, at least now the environment is neutralized so that a discussion can actually take place. Of course, this assumption is only possible because it is now acceptable "to joke about marijuana, talk about it rationally, and make suggestive innuendos regarding the subject." Progress...
Stay tuned: I'm working on using an affiliate program to enable purchasing Bong Vodka through this site!
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