Mezzrow was an enthusiastic marijuana user, as were many jazz musicians. Smoking the plant was not yet illegal in most states and would not be until the 1930s. Mezzrow would soon become known as one of the most reliable weed sellers in the jazz world, a “gage hound” with the best product (which he purchased from a Mexican supplier on Chicago’s South Side). As someone who was often on the lookout for the cutting-edge experience, Mezz was aware of the harder drugs like opium and heroin, but their use was not yet common among jazz musicians.
