Maureen Dowd Eats A Marijuana Candy Bar; Internet Reacts

In this morning's edition of The New York Times, op-ed columnist Maureen Dowd recounted the tale of eating a pot candy bar in Denver, Co., for what was almost certainly the first time in her life.

Dowd, who had come to Denver to report on the "social revolution rocking Chicago," first "nibbled off the end," and then, when nothing happened, "nibbled some more."

Although she doesn't specify just how much she ate, she recounts subsequently experiencing eight hours of hallucinations, extreme paranoia, and the fear that she had, in fact, died, and no one was telling her.

The next day, Dowd says, she spoke with a medical consultant at an edibles plant who told her that her inaugural edible should have been cut into 16 pieces for beginners, which hers was not. Suffice it to say, Dowd probably nibbled more than she was ready to handle.

The op-ed continued as Dowd addressed some of the dangers of this strange new world of edibles, and relayed some sage advice from Andrew Freeman, Colorado's director of marijuana coordination: "The whole industry was set up for people who smoked frequently. It needs to learn how to educate new users in the market."

Whether or not you agree with Dowd's cannabis conclusions, we thought you might enjoy some headlines and reactions on social media. "Maureen Dowd On Drugs Is Even Worse Than Maureen Dowd Not On Drugs," says Brooklyn Magazine.

BBC News describes her "Valley-of-the-Dolls-style meltdown" with the headline, "Maureen Dowd's Marijuana-Induced Freak Out." Trust us, the list just gets better.

And then there's Twitter: 

Karen Lo is an associate editor at The Daily Meal. Follow her on Twitter @appleplexy