To make the Vancouver pizzeria Mega ILL’s signature pie, the ingredients are pretty standard: pizza dough, marinara, cheese, toppings, and, most importantly: oil.
Not just plain olive oil, or even extra-virgin olive oil, but rather an oil derived from cannabis for medicinal purposes.
For an extra $10, customers can ask to turn any pizza into a medicated pie, provided you have a medical marijuana card and are over 18, of course.
Essentially, you can ask for a pepperoni and marijuana pizza, and they’ll be happy to comply.
Owner Mark Klokeid decided to combine two of the city’s most profitable businesses into one when opening Mega ILL last December.
“There’s already vapor lounges and other lounges around town,” Klokeid said. “So I figured, why not match that with pizza?”
I think it’s safe to assume he wasn’t exactly sober when coming up with the idea. It’s brilliant when you think about it.
The food will give customers the munchies, making them buy more pizza, which will only make them want to buy more, creating an endless and extremely profitable cycle. At least, that’s what Klokeid is hoping for.
The man knows his customers though, you have to give him that. The restaurant/pot lounge also provides vaporizers to customers for free, and they’re encouraged to BYOC (bring your own cannabis), so long as its medicinal. After all, this isn’t Colorado we’re talking about.
Klokeid himself is a cancer survivor who credits weed for helping him get through the ordeal in relative comfort.
And just to be clear, it isn’t just about giving customers a high for Mega ILL (although it certainly doesn’t hurt their business), as the establishment prides itself on creating pizzas with fresh, local and organic ingredients whenever possible, making their pies a sort of low-fat solution for the munchies.
The crusts are made of oatmeal flour, whole wheat, and, of course, hemp hearts (rich in Omega-3 fats).
The marijuana-laced pizzas might be in jeopardy with new medicinal marijuana laws going into effect in British Columbia. And while we’re not endorsing marijuana use, if you’re eager to experience a new, delicious way to get baked, you might want to plan a trip to Vancouver very, very soon.
