It only takes a dime to take ride with this new type of subway tokin’.
Berlin’s transit authority BVG is offering an edible “hemp ticket” to help ease the stress of holiday commutes, Reuters reported, and hopefully soften that typically stone-y German demeanor. For one week, passengers can really cruise the city for just €8.80, or just under $10.
Their tongue-in-cheek campaign comes at a time during a recent political push in Germany to become the first major country to legalize recreational cannabis.
“Of course, this is all to be taken with a twinkle in your eye,” BVG spokesman Jannes Schwentu, told Reuters. He added that he hopes it will encourage customers to patronize public transit despite “the stressful Christmas period.”
BVG’s puff pass is made of cannabis leaf-patterned edible paper sprayed with hemp oil, from cold-pressed hemp seeds, which contain none of the psychoactive compounds associated with the plant, namely tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and CBD — though the transportation agency claimed it “is said to have a relaxing effect,” according to Reuters.
In fact, the only kind of relaxation it may bring is in the gut, as the nutrient rich oil is known to relieve constipation and other gastrointestinal ills.
The substance’s omega fatty acid, essential amino acid content and other vitamins also have benefits, particularly to skin, heart and immune health.
Schwentu warned not to eat the whole thing before swiping in and completing one’s journey as too much could invalidate the ticket: “Please only nibble on it.”
