Welcome to the world of SmokeProper, where innovation and quality converge to revolutionize the cannabis accessory industry. In this exclusive interview, we delve into the origins of Jacob Littlejohns’s journey with cannabis and explore how SmokeProper’s exceptional smoking accessories can transform your smoking experience. From meticulously crafted rolling kits to grinders and trays– Smoke Proper takes pride in their commitment to excellence, delivering products that elevate both style and functionality. Discover how the pursuit of perfection translates into an unparalleled journey of enjoyment, as we sit down with Littlejohns, the visionary mind behind Smoke Proper, to unravel his passion for enhancing every toke with unparalleled quality.
Emerald Magazine: Could you tell us the first time you used cannabis?
Jacob Littlejohns: We all remember how valuable a snow day was in high school. No school meant my friends and I would always gather at whichever house was empty of parents. That day we picked the gold mine. We were just kids snooping all over my dad’s house when we found what looked to be tinfoil in the shape of a potato hidden high in a cabinet. We had no clue how to actually roll up and get high, we had no papers, no grinder, and no idea what we were doing. So, we decided to break up the herb by hand, and sadly we decided to roll it in a one-dollar bill held together with a piece of scotch tape. We got absolutely blasted off the fumes of the ink. That baby was burning blue, purple, and orange, and may have been one of the highest moments of my life. PS, I do not advise this to anyone, it was brutal on the lunges and lesson learned.
EM: How did you come to enter the cannabis industry?
JL: I was first hooked on the entrepreneurial, easy-going, social life of slanging herb in high school. It was pretty simple, I smoked, all of my friends smoked, and somebody had to do the team a favor to help save us some bread. That easy-going lifestyle got me into all sorts of trouble moving into college and as a young adult, however, the passion and the spark remained untarnished. Being that I was an avid joint smoker, I was presented with quite an opportunity to go 50-50 with a college buddy in creating an all-in-one invention to hold rolling paper by the roll. This was my big moment to make the best of the industry and prove my parents wrong that something “good” could come out of the perceived negative world of cannabis.
EM: Have you been arrested for cannabis? How did it impact your life?
JL: I have a whole collection of cannabis-related arrests. If you looked at my criminal record, one might argue I have quite the resume for the industry I have fallen in love with. Over my career through high school, past college, and as a young adult, I believe I have collected about seven misdemeanors for herb in a variety of states, along with landing myself a felony for possession & transportation. These life decisions and mistakes have directly impacted my life for sure. I’ve seen it all, diversion, probation, short jail time, pee tests, you name it. But the funny thing is if anything it has only solidified me in an industry that no longer frowns upon your “past” cannabis-related legal trouble, they embrace it. It almost forced me to move forward with an invention that could solve the needs of stoners like myself, and I have absolutely fallen in love with the process of creating a product from scratch.
EM: Tell us about your company.
JL: Every smoker is created differently, everyone rolls their joint a little bit differently, and it’s in this customization of rolling one up that we found our niche. Being an avid joint smoker for years, we created an all-in-one product that contains everything you need to roll and store your joints on the go. Being a stoner, we can be a little forgetful, sometimes it’s nice to have everything you need to roll up all in one spot. The product comes equipped with about 10 feet of rolling paper “by the roll” to which smokers can actually cut and customize the length of their paper based on their mood that day. You could be rolling up a foot-long cannon on the way to a house party, or a little jail pinner on the way to probation. The SmokeProper Rolling kit contains hidden compartments with tools that make the art of rolling one up a little bit easier. We’ve added space for your herb, a roach clip poker, an ashtray snubber, and a keychain for those on the go. The product was invented for the adventurous type that likes to have everything they need to smoke ready to roll in one convenient spot.
EM: Where did you get the idea for your business?
JL: A buddy of mine went out on vacation to Colorado and noticed some of his friends were laying out multiple rolling papers next to each other to create one long custom joint. This concept of creating a longer rolling paper bigger than your traditional precut booklet papers got our minds brainstorming. What if you made one continuous roll of rolling paper, to which a customer could customize and select their desired length? Once we realized that companies had already created this like RAW and Elements we were pleasantly surprised that there was a lot of room for improvement regarding packaging. We wanted a one-stop shop for durable resizable packaging that included hidden smoking accessories and was water resistant.
EM: What are the core values of your company?
JL: Life is stressful enough, we wanted to create a brand that focused around convenience and fun. We care about our fellow smokers and wanted to do our best to create a product that gives them peace of mind and encourages adventurous behavior. We are a company that focuses on giving back to our clients in the form of quality and trust and attempting to connect with our users over solving a need. We selfishly created our smoking kit to fill the needs and desires of what we felt would be the perfect design for joint rollers on the go, because that’s who we are. We wanted to develop a design that gave you one less thing to think about so you can enjoy life, enjoy friends, and SmokeProper.
EM: What is a day like in your position?
JL: If you love what you do, then you never work a day in your life they say. Normally my days consist of waking up and putting out any fires in the form of social media management. Then I move on to any pertinent business emails. Then unless I am hitting the road on a sales day to dispensaries and headshops, or managing outgoing shipping at the post office, I pretty much have the freedom to do whatever blows my hair back that day. But where my time is best spent is certainly in the form of networking. We are slowly transitioning into opening up a sister brand called “SmokeProper Cannabis” targeted solely for medical patients in the state of Maine. We are having a blast creating the new design bags for the flower, and a lot of my attention is shifting to the state of Maine and its medical cannabis needs. Every day is a little different, the way life should be.
EM: What does the term social equity mean to you?
JL: Social Equity to me is simply for all to be treated equally! It’s important for communities to recognize systemic inequalities exist and steps are needed to provide the same opportunities and outcomes to everyone across the board. This is a way for communities to be less divided, trying to make an equal playing field for all.
EM: What does restorative justice look like?
JL: In regards to the cannabis industry, restorative justice to me comes in the form of righting all the people that have been wronged by the past/current laws around cannabis. The plant has transformed from a drug to medicine as it has migrated from an illegal substance to a widely accepted alternative medicine. But along the transition to making cannabis legalized, it has left a wrecking ball in its path, mainly negatively affecting or disproportionately affecting those of color.
Restorative justice is a philosophy of justice that focuses on rehabilitating and healing, rather than punishment. Efforts to right this problem may take the form of establishing policies that expunge arrest records for those who have been convicted of cannabis-related crimes. Separately we need to create pathways for all walks of life to access this amazing new developing industry.
EM: What stigmas or pushback are you up against?
JL: The biggest stigma personally in my experience is that marijuana is still treated as a drug, not a medicine. Also, the money that you may be making related to cannabis might not even be considered federally legal, and therefore not backed by a bank. Depending on what state you live in, you might simply be living the dream at your local legal dispensary, or constantly in fear you might be arrested for possession. In general, I think we’re slowly moving away from the highly debated stigma that cannabis is bad.
Cannabis has a positively trending track record as more and more US states embrace the medicine both as a mental/physical health treatment, as well as an individual state revenue booster. I think as the older generation moves out of political positions, and the younger generation moves up, the laws will change to reflect the majority of society’s adapted views on cannabis.
EM: Do you have a mentor? Do you mentor others?
JL: Mentors usually come in the form of friends, mainly friends I am financially invested in group projects with. They tell you in business class not to get involved with your friends, but if you pick the right friends you always know someone truly has your back. I don’t mentor too much myself unless it’s the occasional entrepreneur who hits me up on Instagram wanting to know my process of starting an invention from scratch. Sometimes I get people curious about starting their own companies and have questions regarding how Patents and Trademarks work.
EM: What do you hope to see for the future of the cannabis industry?
JL: That it continues to globally develop, create jobs, expand individual creativity, and be widely accepted around the world. I personally look forward to the day the US approves pot-friendly restaurants. Also, selfishly as a pothead, I would like to be able to travel pretty much anywhere on the earth and bring my medicine with me or be able to buy it with no potential legal ramifications. Alcohol is far more dangerous in my opinion than pot, and yet you can pretty much get booze anywhere, let’s even the playing field.
The trailblazing cannabis accessory brand is revolutionizing the way we approach our smoking experiences. With their unwavering commitment to innovation and quality, SmokeProper has crafted exceptional smoking accessories that transcend the mundane and elevate the act of smoking into an art form. By seamlessly combining style and functionality, they have created a range of meticulously crafted rolling kits and accessories that cater to the unique preferences of every smoker. Through our exclusive interview, we have gained insights into his personal journey with cannabis and witnessed the passion that drives his quest for perfection.
As the industry evolves, SmokeProper stands at the forefront, embodying the values of convenience, fun, and social equity.
With eyes set on a future where cannabis is universally embraced, SmokeProper continues to leave an indelible mark on the ever-growing cannabis industry, transforming how we experience the world of smoke.
To keep up with SmokeProper, find them on Instagram and Facebook or visit their website at smokeproper.com. Don’t forget to use the promo code Emerald420 when shopping at SmokeProper for 20% off the whole site!
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