Category: All Medical Marijuana News

The Leafly Staff Discusses the Best Summer Activities to Enhance with Cannabis

Just as the journey is more important than the destination, sometimes the discussion is more important than the conclusion. As such, we’re kicking off a series of informal chats published largely unabridged. Viewpoints expressed are participants’ own. We all know cannabis makes summer amazing (and spring, and fall, and winter, for that matter). From lounging […]

Here’s Why I Donated $100 To An Anti-Marijuana Campaign in Arkansas

I have a confession to make, I didn’t give anyone $100. But, I would. If they would take my money. I’d like to see what mistruths they would spread for a hundred bucks. I want to know all the lies. Let’s get it all out there. Surely, someone from Family Council is bound to pull Jerry Cox aside and tell him, “Jerry, these […]

Europe Update: The Latest Cannabis News from the Continent

Czech Republic The Czech Patient Association for Cannabis Treatment (KOPAC) organized the first-ever educational cannabis seminars for medical professionals, patients, and the general public. The aim of the event, which took place last month, was to spread knowledge about the medical potential of cannabis the plant among doctors, nurses, and patients who may benefit from […]

I Sent This Email To The Top Anti-Cannabis Group In Arkansas; I Hope They Reply

Arkansas will vote November 8th for the chance to become the 26th State to legalize medical cannabis. It’s a done deal. It’s on the ballot. And, this seems to have proponents of cannabis, scared, confused, or a little of both. I wanted to find out why some people in Arkansas are so scared of this […]

“420” Dating: An Interview with Molly Peckler, Cannabis Dating Website Founder

  Molly Peckler is warm, passionate, and exactly the person you’d want helping you find the partner of your dreams. She owns Highly Devoted, a cannabis-friendly dating site and life coaching company. Last month, she and her husband Marc moved from Chicago to Venice Beach, a decision that will undoubtedly have positive effects on her […]

Pharmaceutical Cannabis is Here, Should Patients in Illegal States Wait For a Prescription?

The DEA is about to reschedule cannabis. On the surface, this is a huge step for a rogue governmental body that has, since its inception, considered cannabis a very dangerous drug that must be eradicated. In reality, the move paves the way for less effective prescription cannabis. More than half the U.S. population now lives […]

What’s Your Reason for Being Pro-Cannabis?

  There’s been a lot of talk surrounding the legalization of marijuana, and we all know people incorporate cannabis into their lives for a variety of reasons. As many residents across the U.S. prepare to cast their votes come November, we figured we’d take to Instagram to ask our followers, “What’s your reason” behind legalizing […]

“420” Dating: An Interview with Molly Peckler, Cannabis Dating Website Founder

Molly Peckler is warm, passionate, and exactly the person you’d want helping you find the partner of your dreams. She owns Highly Devoted, a cannabis-friendly dating site and life coaching company. Last month, she and her husband Marc moved from Chicago to Venice Beach, a decision that will undoubtedly have positive effects on her budding cannabis business. We chatted about cannabis dating tips, what to look for in a partner, and making love last.

Ashley: What made you choose to bring dating coaching to the cannabis industry?

Molly: I love cannabis. It’s a huge part of my life and my relationship with my husband. If I were going to start a business in any industry, I’d want it to be in a place where I had a lot in common with it and where I enjoy spending time with my target demographic. That’s exactly why I chose to start a business in the cannabis industry. I saw a massive need that wasn’t being filled. There aren’t coaches or matchmakers specifically targeting sophisticated cannabis consumers. These individuals may feel like they can’t be as open about pot as they want to be. I help them build confidence in all aspects of their lives, including their relationship with cannabis.

I’m a longtime cannabis enthusiast and moving beyond the outdated stigma of cannabis is a passion of mine. I spent time working as a consultant at a cannabis permit acquisition firm, which helped me understand the laws and regulations in various states and countries around the world. I have a family member who has been touched by the need for medical cannabis and I see cannabis as a civil right, and a medicine that saves lives.

Ashley: Can you tell me about your work as a matchmaker before you found the cannabis industry?

Molly: I worked for a company that’s similar to the Millionaire Matchmaker – helping high net worth individuals find love. I really thrived, found it incredibly fulfilling, and was quite successful at it. Instead of just matching my clients, I focused on boosting their confidence and helping them understand the most important traits they needed in an ideal partner and why. My favorite part of matchmaking was coaching, and I decided to bring those coaching skills to the cannabis community.

Ashley: I recently heard about a situation where someone consumed too much cannabis before a date and ended up focusing more on the paintings on the wall than their date. As a dating coach, what advice would you offer with regards to dating and cannabis consumption?

Molly: It is possible to get too stoned for a date. As a rule of thumb, be as sober as possible when you’re first getting to know someone. Do your due diligence and figure out if this is someone you want to spend time with. Don’t feel bad about taking a hit before a date if you’re overly anxious, but go easy. Once you feel comfortable, you can bring actual marijuana into the mix, but don’t wait long to mention your relationship with weed. If cannabis is an important part of your life and something you want reflected in your relationship, be open about it. It’s gonna come out eventually.

If you get a blatantly judgmental response, that’s a huge red flag. With all the evidence about the benefits of cannabis, that may be a sign that the person is small-minded, or that your values are so different that it’s not going to make a difference. The best way to do your due diligence when meeting someone new is to ask about things that are important to you. Don’t settle! You will develop resentment if you try to sublimate parts of yourself that your partner doesn’t approve of, and then you’re not wasting time.

Ashley: You and your husband have been together for 11 years, congratulations! How do you keep your relationship thriving?

Molly: For us, it always comes back to the fact that we’re best friends and we genuinely respect each other. It’s also important to us to keep the spark alive, and that’s something we actively pursue. It’s easy to let that fall to the wayside when you’ve been together for a long time. Every single day, we’re closer friends and we respect each other more. We both feel like we hit the jackpot in terms of who we ended up with, and we’re very grateful for what we have.

I think cannabis has a lot to do with it as well – it’s something we share as a way to blow off steam, relax, connect, and communicate. It’s made our bond stronger as well. We make romance, passion, and fun priorities.

Ashley: What impact has cannabis made in your sex life?

Molly: It’s something that deepens and strengthens our connection. When you bring cannabis into the bedroom, it changes the depth of the experience and it makes every part of the session stand out. This is especially the case when utilizing a cannabis lubricant like Foria. Sex changes from a race to orgasm to taking your time and enjoying the experience as a couple.

Cannabis is also clutch for getting out of your own head. If we’re stressed, we’ll take a couple hits together and then we can focus on each other. There have been times when we’ve consumed an indica strain or we’ve smoked too much to achieve the experience we were seeking, so know your limits and pace yourself.

Ashley: What are your favorite sex strains?

Molly: I usually go for a sativa or sativa-dominant hybrid. Blue Dream is a go-to, but I’m really enjoying Tangie these days.

If you’re interested in working with Molly on dating or confidence building, you can find her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and her website, Highly Devoted. She offers a free coaching consultation for new clients, so definitely reach out!

Molly Peckler, founder of Highly Devoted Coaching, is the world’s first cannabis-friendly life coach and dating expert. She works with cannabis consumers around the world who defy the stoner stigma. Molly specializes in helping clients build lasting confidence, achieve goals, and identify the ideal cannabis-friendly partner. She’s passionate about disrupting the stoner stigma of cannabis.

Do you have a sex, relationships, or intimacy dating question? Send it to tips@nullleafly.com and I may address your request in a future article! (Don’t worry, we’ll keep your queries anonymous.)

Pharmaceutical Cannabis is Here, Should Patients in Illegal States Wait For a Prescription?

The DEA is about to reschedule cannabis. On the surface, this is a huge step for a rogue governmental body that has, since its inception, considered cannabis a very dangerous drug that must be eradicated. In reality, the move paves the way for less effective prescription cannabis.

More than half the U.S. population now lives in a state that has legalized some form of medical cannabis use, which has forced the federal government to evolve its position. International headlines have generated a lot of excitement both about the economic potentials of industrial hemp and adult use legalization, but also the potential of cannabis to succeed in treating the symptoms of so many diseases where so many more dangerous pharmaceutical drugs have failed.

The more stories come online of patients’ success in states with functional medical cannabis systems—such as California, Oregon, Washington and Colorado—the more suffering and dying patients in other states are forced to make the decision to leave or wait in pain, wait for the next election or for their legislators to come around on the issue.

One of the areas of medicine where cannabis shows the most promise is in the treatment of autoimmune diseases, particularly Multiple Sclerosis (MS). There are as many as 80 different conditions considered to be autoimmune, ranging in severity from psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis to Crohn’s, lupus, fibromyalgia and MS. In general, autoimmune diseases cause the body’s immune system to attack its own tissues, cells and organs.

The causes of these illnesses are still unknown, but many believe they are a result of genetics and environmental conditions. They are on the rise and there are no cures. The classes of drugs used to treat the symptoms are uncomfortable at best and deadly at worst. Autoimmune patients in states with fully-functioning medical cannabis systems are already utilizing cannabis in addition to their traditional treatments or as an alternative. There is evidence that cannabinoids found in cannabis have the ability to suppress the immune response, reduce inflammation and protect the parts of the body attacked by these diseases.

Unfortunately what is known about the effects is largely anecdotal and doesn’t fit into the FDA approval process. In order for a drug to become FDA-approved, it must first be tested for safety and efficacy. In the case of most pharmaceutical drugs, the active ingredient is usually one chemical compound. This compound is then run through a series of clinical trials and studies before the FDA approves it for prescription. This process costs upwards of $500 million per new drug.

FDA Approval Process – Source: SRxA

This creates a conundrum for approval of cannabis as a drug that can be legally prescribed by doctors and covered by a patient’s insurance. Each individual strain of cannabis has 400 or more active chemical compounds, many of which very little is known about, although the substance as a whole is non-toxic. Each of these compounds must be proven safe, a process that could take years and hundreds of millions of dollars. Further, who would seek to get all forms of cannabis FDA approved when the cost is so high to do so? Any company that will invest that sum money expects a comparable return on investment.

For patients who wish to seek cannabis as a medicine in its proven most effective form, botanical, the only option is to live in a state that allows its cultivation, manufacture and sale. Patients in states with CBD-only laws and those where cannabis is still completely criminalized must either forgo cannabis medicine or risk arrest, prosecution and loss of one’s freedom and property.

When the DEA reschedules cannabis, patients in these “prohibition states” may soon have a legal option—with a catch, of course.

The Promise for Patients with Multiple Sclerosis

Cannabis has largely become a well-accepted treatment for MS. Mainstream organizations like the National MS Society have formally stated their support for the rights of people with MS to work with their physicians to obtain safe access where it is legal and they support further research into the plant’s benefits.

Multiple sclerosis is the most common neurological disease causing permanent disability in young adults and is thought to affect more than 2.3 million people worldwide.

MS is an autoimmune disorder that causes the immune system to attack the myelin sheathing, the covering alongside the neurological highways that connect the brain to the body. Each patient’s course and severity with the disease is different and the symptoms are broad and destructive, ranging from numbness in the limbs, extreme pain throughout the body, vision problems and vertigo, fatigue, muscle weaknesses and spasms, up to mood swings, depression, loss of bladder and bowel control, and cognitive dysfunction. Complications of MS are potentially fatal, and patients living with MS have a shorter life expectancy than the general population.

One of the drugs used to treat MS, Tysabri, has a list of common side effects, which include headaches, joint pain, swelling and disruption to the menstrual cycle. In very few cases it causes a rare fatal brain infection and over time may cause liver problems. By comparison, it seems silly that cannabis would need to be FDA-approved for autoimmune patients to “experiment” despite a lack of clinical trials and FDA-approval, which all the currently used drugs have passed with muster.

The side effects of cannabis are benign, ranging from red eye and dry mouth (which is cured with a glass of water and Visine) to increased appetite and sleep. In some cases users feel high levels of anxiety or panic, yet they are pharmacologically safe from overdose and the unpleasant effects are temporary.

Furthermore, because different strains of cannabis have different blends of medical compounds, different strains of the same botanical drug can be used interchangeably to change their effects and prevent tolerance (as opposed to single-compound drugs).

Use cannabis now or wait for a prescription?

Despite the known efficacy and anecdotal success stories of all types of cannabis use in relieving the symptoms of MS and other conditions, there has still been a push from both pharmaceutical companies and their investors as well as groups opposing medical and adult use legalization to extract what could be considered the “active ingredients” in cannabis by standardizing and approving them for pharmaceutical production and use.

It’s been done before, and didn’t work so well the first time.

Since it was first identified and isolated in 1964 by a team of Israeli scientists, ∆-9 tetrahydrocannabidiol (THC) has been considered the “active ingredient” in cannabis. This identification fueled both a cultural worship of THC among enthusiastic users alongside a pharmacological demonization of the compound by law enforcement and medical professionals.

During the height of the AIDS epidemic in the early 1980s, anecdotal stories began to surface in the media espousing the benefits of smoked marijuana for AIDS and cancer patients. Marinol®, a synthetic pharmaceutical THC, was approved by the FDA in 1986 to meet the demand for the illegal drug.

“Marinol, despite the fact that we taxpayers paid for most of the development, is very expensive,” Dr. Lester Grinspoon told Mother Jones.

Marinol also proved to be less effective than whole-plant cannabis. Patients experience negative side effects from the isolated THC which they don’t experience using botanical cannabis. Grinspoon also points out that the ability to titrate—inhale a small dose and evaluate it before taking more—is removed from patients when taken orally. He notes the bulk of people who have prescriptions for Marinol may hold the prescription in order to explain THC in a drug test.

The U.S. government saw a chance to make something they can control…

Grinspoon is associate professor emeritus of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and author of the groundbreaking 1971 book Marihuana Reconsidered. In the 1960s Grinspoon had set out to study the growing use of cannabis, which he considered a harmful drug, and instead discovered the opposite. He has been studying cannabis and advocating regulations in line with the science since that time.

“…These are powerful companies. They make a lot of money and they have a lot of money. The U.S. government saw [with Marinol] a chance to make something they can control and put an end to the marijuana for medicinal purposes debate. And now here’s Sativex,” Grinspoon continued.

Big Pharma is Already Growing Plants

Sativex® has now been launched in 15 countries and approved in a further 12. – Photo: GW Pharmaceuticals

Enter, Sativex®, an oral tincture made from cloned plants grown in a controlled greenhouse by British company GW Pharmaceutical. It was designed specifically to treat the spasticity associated with MS and is being prescribed and used in Mexico, Canada and parts of Europe.

Development of Sativex began in 1998 with the aim to create a cannabis medicine that could be standardized, approved for use in traditional pharmaceutical medicine and prescribed by doctors. Each spray of oral Sativex contains the exact same dosage of the exact same blend of cannabis medicine. In 2014 the FDA gave Fast Track designation to Sativex, meaning they were rushing it through to get it to patients in need. Sativex is still not available by prescription in the U.S but is expected to be approved for MS and other autoimmune conditions.

“The biggest problem with [Sativex] is that it’s going to create another commercial pressure to keep the stuff prohibited—the government can do what it hoped to do with Marinol. It’s going to make it less possible to create an environment where people will be freely allowed to use cannabis responsibly for medicine or for anything else they want,” Grinspoon continues. “Sativex is the kind of thing I was concerned about when I first spoke of the concept of pharmaceuticalization in 1985 to describe Marinol… I would challenge Sativex to compete against smoked marijuana in almost every one of these symptoms or syndromes.”

If the DEA removes cannabis from Schedule I and places it in Schedule II, Sativex and other pharmaceutical cannabis products could effectively prevent botanical cannabis from becoming law in states that currently don’t have medicalization. GW Pharmaceuticals already has Epiodolex, a standardized high-CBD tincture, on similar fast-track status with the FDA, and other companies can standardize their own lines of tinctures if they have the money to invest as well.

But will it work?

GW Pharmaceuticals and other pharmaceutical companies are publicly traded for-profit companies. Many believe the rescheduling will be a boon to pharmaceutical cannabis production.

Nearly all the cannabis success stories in the media come from studies involving smoked cannabis high in THC or people living in states like California, Colorado, Oregon and Washington, where the plant has been a low criminal priority and available medically for 15-20 years. Patients stuck with only Sativex or Epidiolex may see improvement, but without the opportunity to try different methods of ingestion, strains or dosages, they may not experience the same sort of life changes as patients in legal states.

The post Pharmaceutical Cannabis is Here, Should Patients in Illegal States Wait For a Prescription? appeared first on #illegallyhealed.

Ever Talk To The Cops About Cannabis On Facebook? I Did… Here’s What They Said

Who doesn’t love a good road trip?

I’ve been planning a special one for quite some time now, exploring the country I fought for. I want to see it in all its glory before I leave this world. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve been on a number of road trips and flights but I’ve never traveled from sea to shining sea, and everywhere in between on land.

What’s the hold up? My medication.

As a medical marijuana card holder in Arizona, I’m allowed to legally possess a certain amount of cannabis at any given time from month to month. In other words I’m allowed to travel freely within my state’s borders.

The problem is that like countless others, I can’t leave Arizona with my medication unless the state I’m traveling to recognizes my status as a cannabis patient. Not if I want to travel with my medication that is.

Now, I’m not going to stop traveling because the government says my medication is illegal, but I need to know what kind of risk I’ll be running in each state so I can decide if it’s worth it.

I’m still going on my road trip, I just need a lawyer on retainer now before I do. Where there’s a will, there’s a way.

After contemplating various scenarios I would most likely face if the coppers got ahold of me in hostile territory, I figured the best thing to do would be to contact them directly.

Might as well ask what would happen, right?

It seems as though every Police Department in America is using Facebook. Some of them are even using it for more than just posting pictures of their latest drug busts, or civil asset forfeiture. And some of them, at least the ones we spoke with, were kind enough to talk openly about cannabis to me.

This confirmed what we all already know, cannabis patients who dare to take the family on a road trip this summer will be harassed and discriminated against, possibly ending up behind bars facing criminal charges.

The question below was sent to a major Police Department within each state of The United States.

“Sir/Ma’am,

Quick question; lets say I have two ounces of cannabis on my person while I’m driving through your City on a road trip and I get pulled over by one of your officers.

Would they recognize my status as a legal cannabis patient from another state and let me go on my way? Or would I be arrested?

If the latter, what would I most likely be charged with?

It’s an honest question.

Thank you for your time and assistance, I’m sure you have more pressing matters to attend to than answering FB questions from someone in another state.

Figured I’d ask anyway.

Thank you for your service, stay safe.“

Ricardo Pereyda (RP)

Here are the responses…

Alabama

Montgomery Police Department:“Give me a few minutes to get you an accurate response. Thank you for your inquiry.”

RP: Yes Sir/Ma’am, thank you.

MPD: “ALA CODE § 13A-12-231 (1) Any person who knowingly sells, manufactures, delivers, or brings into this state,……..” (The MPD cut-and-pasted the entire ALA CODE § 13A-12-231, I’ll save you the time; I’d be screwed!)

RP: Thank you.

MPD: “You are welcome. Safe travels.”

Jacksonville Police Department: “You probably be arrested.”

RP: Well, that’s unfortunate. Would you mind letting me know what the charge might be?

JPD: “Misdemeanor possession of marijuana.”

RP: “Would I be able to contest it as a medical patient?

From the state of AZ that is.”

JPD: “That could be a defense however similar court cases in Alabama have set a precedent that it is not a valid defense.”

RP:  You think the voters in Alabama will be bringing that issue to the ballot box anytime soon?

…

Piedmont Police Department: “I can’t tell you how any one of our officers would react; if you would be arrested or not. All I can say is that your Arizona Medical Marijuana Card is not recognized in Alabama, and any possession of marijuana is still illegal.”

RP: Fair enough.

Alaska

Anchorage Police Department: “Hi Ricardo, thank you for reaching out to APD. We will get back to you on this. We want to make sure we give you good information. Thank you.”

…..

Arkansas

Little Rock Police Department:”Possession of marijuana is illegal in the state of Arkansas regardless of the amount or standings in other states. possession of under four ounces is a misdemeanor.”

RP: Tracking. Thank you.

Fayetteville Police Department:”Arkansas currently does not recognize medical marijuana. We would have to say that your possession of marijuana would be illegal under Arkansas law. However, it would be up to the officer’s discretion as to wether they ‘locked you up’ or let you ‘go in your way.’ We hope this answers your question.”

RP: That scares me, I’m not going to lie. Thank you for your prompt response. Stay safe out there!

Colorado

Denver Police Department:“Thank you for writing. If you are trying to report criminal or suspicious activity, please know that we are unable to provide police services via social media. Additionally, this page is not monitored 24/7. To report criminal or suspicious activity at any time, please call 720-913-2000; dial 911 for emergencies.

If you are wanting a Denver Police Department patch, please send your request to DPDPIO@nulldenvergov.org. Be sure to include a good mailing address with your request.

All other messages will be addressed during normal business hours.

The best source for this type of information is actually our muni code, which can be found at denvergov.org. Colorado.gov is also a great resource for marijuana laws.

Take care, friend.”

RP: Thank you very much. You take care too, friend.

Connecticut

Fairfield Police Department:“Thank you for contacting us.  We will review your message as soon as possible.

Please understand that our Facebook account is not monitored 24/7.  If you need immediate assistance, please call (203) 254-4800 or Dial 911 in an Emergency.”

Florida

City of Tallahassee Police Department:“Thank you for sending the Tallahassee Police Department a message.  This page is not monitored around the clock.  If this is an emergency please call 911 or non emergency 850-606-5800.  We will respond to your inquiry as soon as we can!  Thank you.”

Georgia

Atlanta Police Department:”Possession of Marijuana in the state of Georgia is illegal, even if you are bringing it from a state where it is not.”

RP: Regardless also of my status as a registered cannabis patient?

Hawaii

Honolulu Police Department:“Your question was sent to our narcotics division.”

RP: Thank you.

Idaho

Boise Police Department:“Thanks for messaging us. This page is not monitored 24/7 but we try to be as responsive as possible. We’ll get back to you soon.  In case of emergency, dial 9-1-1.  You can also call the non-emergency dispatch number 208-377-6790.”

Louisiana

Baton Rouge Police Department: “Simple Possession of Marijuana. It’s a misdemeanor. You would probably receive a summons and released. Unless they thought you were transporting to sell it. Then it would be possession with intent to distribute which is a felony.”

RP: Thank you for your prompt response.

Maine

Augusta Police Department:“Augusta Police wants to be attentive to your requests.  If this message needs immediate action, call 626-2370 or 911.  Otherwise it may take time for someone to respond back via this message system.  It is not monitored 24/7.   Thank you.  APD staff.”

Maryland

Annapolis Police Department:“This account is not monitored 24 hours a day.  We’ll get back to you soon.  If you are reporting a crime you must contact 410-268-4141 or 9-1-1 in an emergency.  We only send patches to active law enforcement officers.”

“Good Afternoon,

Thank you for your message.  We would not recognize your status from another state.  Possession of marijuana with a weight under 10 grams has been decriminalized in Maryland.  It is a civil citation.  I hope this answers your questions.

Thanks.”

RP: Yes Sir/Ma’am. Thank you.

Mississippi

Biloxi Police Department: “It is not recognized.”

RP:So, I would be arrested then?

Nevada

Reno Police Department: “Please do not report crimes to the Reno Police Department Facebook.  Contact Dispatch at 775-334-2677 for non emergencies and 911 for emergencies.”

New Mexico

Farmington Police Department:“Thank you for messaging us. This site is not monitored 24/7. We will make every attmept [sic] to reply to you as soon as possible. For immediate police assistance, please contact dispatch at 505-334-6622 for non-emergencies & 911 for emergencies.”

Ohio

Perkins Township Police Department: “Thanks for messaging us…our Facebook Page is not monitored 24 hrs but we check it constantly.  We will reply back as soon as we receive it.  If you need immediate assistance call 419-627-0824 Ext 1 for our dispatch and speak to an officer. Thanks !”

Oklahoma

Oklahoma City Police Department: “It is against the law to possess that substance in the state of Oklahoma.  So yes, it would be an arrestable offense. More than likely possession of MJ, If it’s just simple possession, that’s a misdemeanor.”

RP: Would possession of two ounces be considered “simple possession?

OKCPD: “Yes.”

RP: Thank you, y’all stay safe out there.

OKCPD: “Appreciate it.”

RP: Well, aside from potentially being arrested in your fine City for my medicinal use of cannabis, I appreciate the work you do to keep your citizens safe.

The post Ever Talk To The Cops About Cannabis On Facebook? I Did… Here’s What They Said appeared first on #illegallyhealed.

Oregon Launches New Cannabis Worker Permit

Oregon has launched a new program to require permits for all workers in the state’s recreational cannabis industry. In the coming months, the Oregon Liquor Control Commission (OLCC) will process applications and will begin issuing Marijuana Worker Permits on Sept. 1. In the interim, OLCC recreational marijuana licensees are still required to use the state’s cannabis tracking system to register employees.

Each employee of a cannabis company licensed by the Oregon Liquor Control Commission (OLCC) must possess a marijuana worker permit, according to the agency. Applicants must be 21 or older and pay a $100 fee. Permits are valid for five years after the issue date.

Applicants will also have to complete criminal background checks to receive permits, even if they have already completed a background check for the company’s original cannabis license.

The following criminal convictions will disqualify permit applicants:

• Felony conviction for possession, manufacture, or delivery of a controlled substance within three years of the date the OLCC received the application, except for convictions involving the manufacture or delivery of cannabis that occurred two or more years prior to the date of the application or renewal.
• Felony conviction for a violent crime within three years of the date the OLCC received the application.
• Felony conviction for a crime of dishonesty or deception, including but not limited to theft, fraud, or forgery, within three years of the date the commission received the application.

All employees, even part-time and seasonal workers, are required to hold a permit. The mandate affects all licensed producers, processors, wholesalers, and retailers.

The new licenses are similar to those issued in Colorado. In that state, applicants must be at least 21 years old and free of any controlled-substance felony conviction during the 10 years immediately preceding his or her application date or five years from May 28, 2013, whichever is longer.

Visiting Jamaica? New Proposal Would Bring Cannabis Kiosks to Airport

Welcome to Jamaica. Need a medical cannabis card? The country’s newly established Cannabis Licensing Authority (CLA) is examining a proposal that would let you pick one up just as soon as you land on the island.

“The thought is that if you are coming out of the airport, there is a kiosk that you can go to,” Hyacinth Lightbourne, CLA’s chairman, told the Jamaica Gleaner. “So basically whoever is coming out of immigration can go to that desk and register.”

The proposed system would allow new arrivals to self-declare a need for medical cannabis and obtain documentation to register for the country’s medical program. The airport kiosks would be staffed by individuals trained in cannabis-related care and well versed in the country’s regulatory policies.

The proposal is still in its planning stages. “We’ve had our first meeting, and my thinking is that we’d need a few weeks to turn out an appropriate document,” said the chairman of CLA’s medical committee, Dr. Winston De La Haye.

Jamaica legalized cannabis for medical, scientific, and religious use in February. The CLA’s cannabis-kiosk plan is an important first step in creating a platform for medicinal distribution.

Under the new scheme, adult possession of up to two ounces of cannabis has been decriminalized, though law enforcement can still issue citations for possession, which carry a roughly $5 fine. Rastafaris and medicinal patients are exempt from that penalty. All public consumption remains illegal.

Expanding the country’s medical cannabis market could bring significant revenue to the island. CLA member Delano Seiveright pointed to the economic benefits legal cannabis offered U.S. states and Canada.

“In Colorado last year, even though it is recreational and medicinal, they sold about USD $1 billion worth of marijuana and collected $135 million in taxes for the state alone with a population of five million plus,” he said. Canada’s market currently takes in USD $100 million from its medical system, he added, but could rise as high as $5 billion once the country’s adult-use program is online. “You can see the potential it presents,” Seiveright said.

Colorado Cannabis Opponents Give up Fight Over Potency Limits

DENVER — Marijuana opponents in Colorado have given up a plan to ask voters about requiring less-potent cannabis and telling consumers that the drug could cause brain damage and paranoia.

Backers of the potency measure announced Friday that they’re unable to raise enough money to advertise what would have been the most serious attempt yet to roll back Colorado’s 2012 legalization amendment. Attorney Frank McNulty, who represents the Healthy Colorado Coalition, the group behind the amendment, made the announcement that they will withdraw the controversial amendment. The measure was cleared for the ballot last month by the Colorado Supreme Court, but its supporters said they could not raise enough money to support it.

Amendment 139 could have had dramatic and far-reaching consequences for the cannabis industry in Colorado as we know it, but luckily, Coloradans refused to accept the restrictive proposal lying down.

The Colorado Health Research Council (CHRC) was formed in opposition of the proposed amendment. Amendment 139 would have imposed a limit of no more than 16 percent tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) for any cannabis products sold at state-licensed retail cannabis shops. According to BDS Analytics, the measure would have prohibited more than 80 percent of the cannabis products currently on the market.

The measure also included packaging and labeling requirements, which are already in place through Colorado’s regulations, and would have inserted them directly into the state constitution. Some of the new required “health warnings” include such claims as cannabis causes “permanent loss of brain function,” and “increased chance of a harmful reactions due to higher tetrahydrocannabinol levels,” neither of which has any scientific validity nor medical proof to back them up.

We reached out to noted cannabinoid neuroscientist Michele Ross to find out the truth behind the claims.

“The laundry list of health risks that they are supposed to put on the packaging are completely unfounded in science,” Ross said. “In fact, several studies have shown the opposite of these warnings. For example, I published in 2006 on the ability for cannabinoids to actually grow brain cells. We know from many research studies that cannabis is actually neuroprotective and not associated with permanent brain damage.”

Although Colorado has both recreational and medical cannabis markets, the amendment would have affected all cannabis sales, including medical. That could have had a devastating impact on medical cannabis patients with specific needs for high concentrations of THC.

“This is really not what our policy should be based on that at all here in Colorado,” Ross said. “We should have smart policy that’s based on science, based on data, not based on fears.”

Supporters called on elected officials to “recognize the harm that legalized pot has had on our state.”

A marijuana industry group formed to oppose the measure applauded the decision Friday to abandon the potency campaign.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Prescription Drug Use Falls in Medical Cannabis States

In a landmark study published earlier this week in the medical journal Health Affairs, researchers at the University of Georgia found that the use of prescription drugs is significantly less in states where medical marijuana has been legalized. The drop in prescription medication use was especially pronounced for patients with chronic pain, a condition often treated with opioids.

The study has garnered national media coverage, and it’s the strongest evidence yet that medical marijuana does not fuel the nation’s opioid crisis. Rather, it seems to be a significant tool in America’s fight against the overuse of opioids.

“Generally, we found that when a medical marijuana law went into effect,” the study’s authors concluded, “prescribing for FDA-approved prescriptions drugs under Medicare Part D fell substantially.”

Significantly, prescriptions for chronic pain showed the greatest drop. On average, physicians in medical marijuana states wrote 1,826 fewer daily-dose prescriptions for painkillers annually compared to physicians in non-MMJ states.

This chart, published as part of the Health Affairs study, records the difference in annual prescriptions, per physician, for specific ailments. In legal medical marijuana states, for instance, an average of 562 fewer daily doses of prescription drugs were filled for patients with anxiety, compared to patients in non-MMJ states.

The study comes at a critical moment in the debate over opioid use, medical cannabis, and legalization. A number of prohibitionists and public officials — most notably in the Northeast — have attempted to tie America’s ongoing opioid crisis to the legalization of medical and adult-use cannabis. “The shadow of the heroin epidemic is something that people think about when they think about the legalization [of cannabis],” Vermont House Speaker Shap Smith said earlier this year, just before a promising legalization measure stalled in the state Capitol. Some elected officials in Massachusetts have also pointed to the region’s out-of-control opioid crisis as a reason to oppose the state’s legalization measure, which will go before voters in November.

The effect of legal medical cannabis on the overuse of prescription meds may actually be greater than indicated by this one study. Ashley C. Bradford and W. David Bradford, the University of Georgia scientists who co-authored the work, relied upon data from patients enrolled in the government’s Medicare Part D prescription drug plan. That plan is available only to people 65 or older.

In other words, the study is essentially a look at the effect of MMJ laws on retirees — a demographic group that has been shown to be among the most hesitant to try medical cannabis. A similar study on a younger, more cannabis-comfortable demographic group, could well reveal an even greater drop-off in prescription drug use.

German Parliament Opens Talks on Medical Cannabis Bill

After years of pressure from patients and advocacy groups such as the German Hemp Association (DHV), the dream of securing unfettered access to medical cannabis in Europe’s most populous country is finally coming to fruition.

On Thursday, at the request of Germany’s left-leaning opposition party Die Linke (The Left), the Bundestag, or German Parliament, opened the first round of discussion on medical cannabis legislation that would give patients a “full guarantee of access to medical cannabis.” The debate included the first examination of changes that will be needed to adapt the existing German Narcotics Act to accommodate medical cannabis users. The law would give patients access cannabis beginning in early 2017.

The step is especially significant because of how the legislative process works in Germany: Once a draft bill enters the parliamentary process after being approved by the cabinet, it must result in binding legislation. Sometimes draft legislation doesn’t find its way to Parliament for months or years, but medical cannabis has moved relatively quickly. Now, in a matter of months, the herbal remedy should be available in Germany, home to 80 million Europeans.

“Seriously ill people must be cared for in the best possible way — this is my commitment,” German Health Minister Herman Gröhe said in a press release issued ahead of the parliamentary debate. “We want the cost of medical cannabis to be covered by [patients’] health insurance when they can’t be helped otherwise. We also want to get scientific surveys underway to assess the medical benefits accurately.”

The liberalization of cannabis laws in Germany, however, stops short of allowing adult use.

During the debate, the government’s drug commissioner, Marlene Mortler, made clear that advocates shouldn’t expect any change to Germany’s stance on recreational cannabis. “The focus of the federal government’s drug policy are not Zeitgeist, prejudices or ideologies,” she said. “To us, this is about human beings and their health! Public health is at the heart of our cannabis policy, and that is exactly why I say no to recreational use of cannabis.”

Nevertheless, the medical bill’s passage would make Germany the first large European Union member state to implement such sweeping legislation. So far only smaller countries, such as the Netherlands and Czech Republic, have implemented robust cannabis programs.

The new bill was welcomed by Social Democrat Burkhard Blienert, but he emphasized the need for a corresponding law to improve the situation for patients. Blienert also echoed Gröhe in pointing out that there’s currently a dearth of research into the efficacy of cannabis. Still, he seemed pleased “that the Ministry has now distanced itself from its initial thoughts to include a mandatory patient survey in the law”.

In the initial version of the bill, the surveys were to contain personal data of the patients. The second chamber of Parliament, the Bundesrat, recommended an anonymous survey instead, and the change was then incorporated into the bill. Bienert said he sees this kind of research “as a viable way to get more evidence without turning patients into guinea pigs.”

One of the first German politicians to push for medical cannabis was Frank Temple, a former narcotics officer who is now a representative of the liberal Die Linke party. He sees the law as a step in the right direction but also aired criticisms during the debate. “I have to disagree with the impression that the federal government acted for the benefit of patients,” he said. “It explicitly did not, but quite the contrary: For years the federal government prevented medical care with cannabis for ideological reasons.”

A brief look behind the scenes suggests the federal government’s change of heart was less about values and more about caving to the pressure of more and more patients winning court cases against the health ministry. The sudden hurry is also due to the hundreds of patients applying for cultivation licenses after Michel F., a patient with multiple sclerosis, became the first German patient to successfully sue the government to obtain a grow license.

Until the new law is in place and the system works, it will be hard to turn down patients’ applications. Moreover, the government is likely to run into legal time limits on pending applications before the new law will be in place.

The Bundestag will vote on the measure this fall. It’s slated to take effect in early 2017.

Meet Dušan Dvořák, High Priest of the European Cannabis Church

You may have heard about the First Church of Cannabis, which registered in Indiana back in March 2015. Media around the world reported on Bill Levin and his launch of a very particular denomination: Members worship cannabis and consume it as a sacrament.

Although the plant has played an important role in many religions throughout human history, establishing a cannabis-specific church in the 21st century was truly a novel idea. It didn’t take long before one of the most active and visible members of the legalization movement on the other side of the Atlantic — Dušan Dvořák, of the Czech Republic — set out on the same path.

The story of Dvořák and his longtime fight for more sensible cannabis laws would make a great Hollywood movie. It features plenty of police action, comedy (especially in the courts), as well as fundamental issues of human rights and dignity. Its starring role would depict a tireless man who doesn’t bend to authority.

Dušan Dvořák speaks to a pool of Czech reporters. Photo by Pirátská strana

A psychotherapist by profession, Dvořák has been growing cannabis and treating sick people in the Czech Republic for many years. He set up the Educational Cannabis Clinic in Prague in 2010 and started a cannabis farm in his native village where he openly produced cannabis products such as topical creams and extracts. Police first raided his farm 6 years ago. They’ve since returned every year since to confiscate and destroy his precious harvest.

All told, according to Dvořák, authorities have destroyed more than 3,000 cannabis plants over the years. Yet each season Dvořák plants again, hoping that this time the police will be reasonable and not show up. Though the public is overwhelmingly on Dvořák’s side, the police have yet to relent.

Dvořák has been arrested, prosecuted, sentenced, then proclaimed insane and acquitted — and then the process starts all over. It’s happened again and again. There are probably dozens of cases against him in the Czech justice system, not to mention a number of complaints by Dvořák himself against the authorities.

He has filed his grievances at the country’s Supreme Court, the Constitutional Court, and the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg. After the most recent raid, in autumn 2015, Dvořák pointed out that he has a unique diagnosis in the history of psychiatry: “According to an expert appointed by the court, I have been suffering from the loss of cognitive and motor functioning for the past four years — but only from April to September, when cannabis is being grown.”

It’s almost impossible to navigate the myriad trials and court decisions, and yet Dvořák is still a free man. And he keeps coming up with new and original ideas to accelerate prohibition’s demise. His latest contribution is the establishment of the European Cannabis Church, with himself serving as its high priest. The church would provide freedom — both regarding religious and cannabis consumption — as well as educate the public and support scientific research.

Governmental authorities in the Czech Republic are, to say the least, not very happy with the idea. According to Dvořák, the Ministry of Culture said that “the group wants to encourage criminal activities” and refused to register the organization. An appeal is in progress, and Dvořák is optimistic the Ministry of Culture will approve the church constitution later this month.

“We are leaving for a pilgrimage to Rome to visit the Pope in July,” he told Leafly last month, “so I hope that we manage to arrange everything to have our cannabis church properly registered by then.”

Which raises a different question. Church registration aside, how does His Holiness Pope Francis respond when these green pilgrims arrive at his door?

Arkansas Puts Medical Cannabis on the November Ballot

Arkansas Secretary of State Mark Martin confirmed today that Arkansans for Compassionate Care submitted 77,516 valid signatures, nearly 10,000 more signatures than the 67,887 needed in order to qualify for a spot on the ballot. Martin’s OK means state voters will give medical marijuana legalization an up-or-down vote in November.

Now comes the work of conciliation.

With their initial goal achieved, Arkansans for Compassionate Care have asked David Couch, the Little Rock attorney leading a rival MMJ effort, to halt his effort and join their campaign.

Ryan Denham, Deputy Director of Arkansans for Compassionate Care, told Leafly why his group feels it’s important for the two medical marijuana campaigns join forces.

“We’re urging David Couch and Jason Polk to withdraw their initiative and join us, because if we have both of these initiatives on the ballot, they will both fail,” Denham said earlier today. “It will split the vote just enough so they will both fail and it’ll confuse voters, so it’s really important that he withdraws his campaign and we work together to pass medical cannabis here in Arkansas.”

Leafly’s calls and emails to Couch’s office weren’t immediately returned.

With the measure’s approval today, Denham said he’s excited to begin the next phase of the campaign. “Today really starts the kickoff of the campaign,” he said. “We’ve had 1,600 people sign up to volunteer with our campaign, so now we’re ready to put those folks to work by educating voters, registering voters, and getting out the vote.”

He stressed the importance of registering as many voters as possible, using the lessons learned from their 2012 campaign, which failed by a slim margin. “It’s really important to us to register as many people to vote as possible,” he said. “When we attempted this in 2012, we were narrowly defeated by less than two percentage points.”

Reflecting on the 2012 defeat, Denham noted some of the changes the group has made to improve the new initiative. “One of the most important changes was the affordability clause,” he said. “We have a provision that allows low-income patients to get discounted prices for cannabis that would be entirely paid for by the program.”

That clause sets the Arkansas Medical Cannabis Act apart from most other medical marijuana programs around the country. It’s almost unheard of to have states subsidize medical cannabis. Massachusetts is one of the only medical states that makes an exception for economic hardship.

Denham emphasized the importance of the support system for Arkansas patients. “Arkansas is actually one of the poorest states in the nation, so helping out low-income patients is really important to us.”

It’s been a long road to the 2016 ballot for Denham and his group. They began collecting signatures for the approved initiative in 2014, two years after their narrow defeat in 2012. Now their hard work seems to be finally paying off.

Two Public-Use Measures Compete for Ballot Space in Denver

Private cannabis consumption clubs could be coming to Denver — in some form, at least — thanks to two competing initiatives gunning to make it on November’s ballot. To make the fall ballot, each campaign has until mid-August to submit at least 4,726 verified signatures.

One of the initiatives, sponsored by the Denver chapter of NORML, would allow private marijuana consumption clubs. Denver NORML has been gathering signatures for the social-use measure since late spring. The other initiative, launched earlier this week by advocates associated with Marijuana Policy Project (MPP) and the Denver-based law firm Vicente Sederberg, would allow nearly any business, including bars and restaurants, to offer a public “consumption area,” for patrons 21 and older so long as the owner first obtains support from a neighborhood group.

If approved by voters, the NORML measure would allow cannabis consumption, but not sales, at private social clubs during private events. A permit would be required for those events.

The MPP–Vicente Sederberg group worked on another recent Denver social-use initiative, but it was withdrawn at the last minute in September. Under the current plan, titled the “Neighborhood Approved Cannabis Consumption Pilot Program,” consumption areas would be allowed for four years unless the City Council changes the system or makes it permanent by the end of 2020. Proponents began the process Tuesday afternoon by meeting with an assistant city attorney and the City Council’s director for input on its proposed language.

The current initiative’s primary sponsor, Kayvan Khalatbari, a cannabis business owner and consultant, said the group is aiming to persuade Denver NORML to drop its own private clubs initiative. To Khalatbari, the private clubs further segregate — rather than integrate — cannabis consumers.

Jordan Person, Denver NORML’s executive director, said her group has no plans to drop its effort and will proceed with the measure. The group’s all-volunteer petitioning force, she said, has already gathered about half the signatures it needs.

Cannabis Use Won’t Prevent You From Getting Insurance, But It Might Cost You

Contrary to stoner stereotypes, cannabis users are very interested in grown-up things like obtaining quality medical coverage, pursuing life insurance protections after they start families, or seeking “key man” coverage for their businesses.

That’s not always easy — or even possible, as evidenced by the recent experience of TerraTech CEO Derek Peterson. Peterson had applied for life insurance through Mutual of Omaha, but in June the company rejected his application, writing back that it could not accept premiums “from individuals or entities who are associated with the marijuana industry.” The company didn’t elaborate, and Peterson found himself, he quipped, “trying not to get hit by a car.”

The flap drew a lot of attention, and it made one thing evident: The insurance industry and cannabis community have some reconciling to do.

Now, Peterson was denied for his involvement in the industry, not anything to do with his personal use of cannabis. This raises an interesting question: If you’re a regular cannabis user, are insurance companies allowed to discriminate against you when you apply for insurance? Yes and no.

Let’s start with the good news — the no. Health insurance companies, thanks to the Affordable Care Act (ACA), are prevented from denying coverage based on any preexisting condition. To this end, the ACA prevents them from actually asking for any information from applicants beyond the basics. And cannabis use, it seems, isn’t one of those basics just yet.

“Under the Affordable Care Act,” writes Jackson Holtz, a spokesperson for Seattle-area coverage provider Group Health Cooperative, “insurance companies including Group Health are allowed to ask for only certain information from qualified applicants including age, address and whether or not they use tobacco products.”

Your rates can, of course, go up for regular tobacco use, but that apparently doesn’t include other things Americans may be smoking. In a strange sense, the federal government’s inability to acknowledge the legitimate use of cannabis by its citizens works in your favor here. I mean, there’s still the possibility of being arrested and jailed for it, but hey, at least you won’t have to pay an arm and a leg for your premiums!

That loophole closes when it comes to life insurance, however. Life insurance companies are permitted to ask a much wider range of questions about an applicant’s overall health and behavior. Indeed, 80 percent of the 148 underwriters surveyed at an Association of Home Office Underwriters conference in 2015 said that cannabis factors into their decisions on coverage, according to a Kaiser Health News report.

However, some more good news: That doesn’t always mean denial. While cannabis was long classified as a dangerous illegal drug, and its use was grounds for denial of coverage, attitudes have shifted and it’s more and more possible to find a company that works with cannabis consumers. MetLife, for example, does not deny applicants outright based on cannabis use. They’re far more concerned with frequency of use than whether or not an applicant partakes.

“If you don’t use cannabis every day, you’re not rated as a smoker,” said Megan Lantier, a spokesperson for the company. “It’s not really a policy, it’s just that you’re not considered a tobacco smoker. That’s the major thing that gets you [higher rates].”

In plainer terms, the company won’t deny you for smoking pot, even if you do consume more than once a week; being a Saturday smoker simply gets you a better rate. Judging from this report by Munich RE, a major international reinsurance company, that’s the direction the insurance industry in general seems to be leaning.

The insurance industry, though, is still leery of cannabis in a lot of ways. As the Munich RE report notes, “If abuse or multiple hazards associated with marijuana use are identified, the risk will likely be unacceptable.” However, as Lantier alluded to, the chief worry for insurance-seeking cannabis users these days isn’t complete denial, it’s smoker’s rates.

Jeff Zucker, CEO of Colorado cannabis consulting firm Green Lion Partners, said that his cannabis use definitely emerged as an issue during his quest for life insurance. A couple years back, before he was involved in the industry, he was working with a broker at Wells Fargo to consolidate some existing policies into a single better one when he got some bad news.

“They started asking me questions about my visits to a specific doctor,” he said. “I knew that it was a doctor I’d been sent to for cannabis — I thought confidentially.

“Within a week or two they told me I was being denied. They listed the reason for denial as ‘a twentysomething lifestyle.’”

Right, because medical cannabis users are totally partying 24/7, not battling cancer or wasting syndrome or PTSD or you name it. Also, Zucker is 28, so it’s kind of hard for him not to live a “twentysomething lifestyle.”

He was eventually offered a much higher smokers rate, but he balked at the cost and chose to stick with his previous situation.

“I’ve never smoked a cigarette in my life,” he complained. “I was very upset, actually. I didn’t do anything about it then, but had this happened to me in the past year and a half, I would have pushed harder against it.” Especially vexing to him was the fact that he rarely even smokes cannabis, preferring to vaporize it.

Kyle Sherman, the CEO of cannabis inventory tracking software firm Flowhub, was able to find insurance, but he reported similar stigmatization of his cannabis use.

“This is going to be tough,” he remembered thinking. “A lot of places are going to deny me based on my cannabis use. But it’s not something I’m going to hide. I’m going to very willingly tell everyone that I use it.” The key, he said, was to shop around and find companies like MetLife that were more comfortable with cannabis.

“I searched for companies that support cannabis use, and what I found out was that there are actually a few out there,” he said. Unlike Zucker, however, Sherman went into the search already expecting to pay higher rates. What would have been a $20 per month policy, he said, went up to $150 per month based on his disclosure of cannabis use.

“It’s an extremely expensive premium to have, but for me it’s worth it,” he said. “It was important to me to disclose the use. As an advocate for legalization I want to make sure that everyone I work with knows I use it daily, because if I can live a normal life we can show them that.” However, he was still vexed at being lumped in with cigarette smokers, as he’s more of an edibles person.

“I have a higher premium because I’m eating food that’s infused,” he said. “It’s a joke.” His agent agreed with him, he said, but couldn’t do much to help him, as the company’s pot policy wasn’t quite there.

“They have to classify it as tobacco use, because there’s no other classification for it yet,” Sherman said.

Indeed, Lantier at MetLife didn’t know whether the insurer distinguishes between edible or vaporized forms of cannabis and consumption via combustion. She said she’d ask around within the company but didn’t reply by press time. The Munich RE report, coming from one of the world’s largest reinsurers, might be the best indication of where insurance companies are with cannabis — and it certainly makes no distinction between brownies and blunts.

Regardless of how you consume cannabis, if you’re applying for life insurance, the main thing is to disclose. For one, lying on your application is one of the only things that can void an already-issued life insurance policy. For two, as Sherman stressed, even if you have to pay more, you’re doing your part to fight cannabis stereotypes.

“We’ve all gotta be vocal about our use,” he said. “Be loud and proud. We’re professional stoners.”

Why You Should Support AIDS Walk SF: An Interview with Team Cannabis Founder Dan Grace

Since 1987, the AIDS Walk San Francisco has raised millions of dollars for HIV programs and services in the community. This year, you can join Leafly and Team Cannabis for the 2016 AIDS Walk in San Francisco on July 17th. Help raise money and awareness for HIV/AIDS, including HIV support and care services.

Pick up a Leafly strain tee and sign up to be a walker for Team Cannabis. All proceeds from Leafly strain tees for the month of July will benefit AIDS Walk SF — just use the code TEAMCANNABIS at checkout.

How did Team Cannabis get its start? We spoke with Dan Grace, a founder of Team Cannabis and president of Dark Heart Industries in the Bay Area, about the origins and future of the AIDS Walk SF team.

Leafly: How did you start Team Cannabis?

Dan Grace: It sort of sprung out of a conversation I had with Christopher [Esposito] before he started working at Dark Heart. We’d known each other for a long time — Christopher has done extensive work in the AIDS/HIV community over the years. Most recently he’s been working with an organization called Project Inform, where he sits on the board — I believe he’s been doing that for about 10 years now.

I met with Christopher and his executive director, Dana Van Gorder, and we talked about the history of cannabis. Christopher knew I was in the cannabis industry and I was just introducing him to our company at the time. He’s worked shoulder-to-shoulder with the cannabis community since the height of the AIDS epidemic, which, of course, is where medical cannabis was really born. They thought there might be an opportunity to work together and I agreed. We remember where we came from and we continue to support each other.

One of the things I like about working in the cannabis industry in the Bay Area is that we all came out of that time period. You know, we still have people involved in the industry in the Bay Area that were involved in the medical cannabis movement back then at the height of the AIDS epidemic. We have that social mission as a core part our DNA.

I get a lot of enjoyment out of working together within the industry on some of those social missions because it reiterates to me that we can be a different kind of industry. We can work together on some of these social missions even if we do, on a day-to-day basis, compete with each other or are neck-deep in our own work. So that was kind of the thought — it was nice we were able to pull it together, that first year [we got] a small coalition together.

Leafly: What are some great accomplishments Team Cannabis has been able to achieve? We heard you raised more than Google last year for the AIDS Walk SF.

Dan Grace: That was definitely one of the [most fun]. Candidly, I think that says more about tech’s lack of participation than it does about our participation. If we can kind of call them to task on that, it’s an accomplishment. I think we raised close to $70k last year, that was pretty huge. The year before that we were in the 30 [thousand dollar range] so we nearly doubled. We brought on a lot more participants, we had over 100 walkers, and of course we’re growing that again this year. They’re all great accomplishments.

We had the opportunity to speak in front of the Star Walker Breakfast last year. One of my favorite parts of last year was the checkpoint we were able to do. So here we have tens of thousands, 20 or 30 thousand people who go on the walk every year. We’re one of the 4 checkpoints on the route and everyone walks by Team Cannabis, and we got to share some of our literature about cannabis, learn about the shared history between the cannabis movement and the AIDS/HIV movement.

Our message last year was that we were “coming out.” In the cannabis industry there’s still a great deal of stigma, much in the same way they fight stigma in the gay rights movement. I think that was kind of a shared story and we got to share in that. Being public and transparent in that way, we got to build that public relationship and get in front of many people directly. It’s always a good opportunity for us.

Leafly: What is the future of Team Cannabis?

Dan Grace: I hope more than anything that as the industry grows, we’ll be able to continue to promote our common social mission within the industry. I certainly hope in this configuration we’re able to continue to grow the participation in the AIDS Walk, but I would hope as time goes on [Team Cannabis] is able to participate in more types of events, give back in more ways. and bring more participants to the table. I think that would be very powerful for us.

It’s still the early days and we don’t know what the future will hold. I could see a time, especially as adult use comes online in California and the regulatory system boots up, when things normalize for all of us. I hope we’ll be able to remember these sorts of charitable events and really make an even bigger impact with our social mission. I look forward to working together on that. By pooling our resources, we can make a bigger impact and do more exciting things. It’ll be fun! I feel good!

Don’t miss out on the AIDS Walk SF on July 17th! Pick up a Leafly strain tees and sign up to be a walker with Team Cannabis. Remember, use the code TEAMCANNABIS at checkout so proceeds can benefit AIDS Walk SF for the month of July. We hope to see you in San Francisco!

Five Reasons to Leap into the Cannabis Industry Now

Two years ago, if you had told me that I’d be going to a Cannabis Business Expo, I would have told you you’re insane. But life game me a funny boat and a cannabis conference is where I gleefully spent a day last week. If you don’t know much about the cannabis industry, you may

Oregon’s New Teen Cannabis Prevention Campaign Isn’t Horrible. We Found 8 Others That Were Worse.

With its “Stay True to You” campaign released today, Oregon’s state health agency has done what few nonprofits and government agencies have ever done: created a youth cannabis prevention campaign that’s not entirely embarrassing.

The $4 million campaign, funded by state cannabis tax revenue, uses a combination of adult testimonials, facts about teen brain development, and warnings that younger siblings will emulate their older brothers and sisters. You can watch a couple examples here and here.

Oregon Health Authority (OHA) officials shaped the messages based on focus groups conducted among youth and adults 14 to 20 years old in a number of cities around the state.

“Young people in our focus groups related to the idea that being a teenager is hard,” said Kati Moseley, OHA policy specialist. “Young people recognize that marijuana has the potential to affect their present and their future. We used this insight to develop an approach that speaks to youth on many levels.”

To that we say: Not bad. In one of the most affecting videos, a 41-year-old named Francisco recalls an old teenage friend whose skateboarding ambitions dissipated because of cannabis use. Francisco doesn’t preach and he doesn’t claim weed will kill you. He just says: “You don’t want this to become a priority in your life, to where you put your hopes and dreams and your future at risk because you just want to sit around and get high.”

A screen capture from one of the Oregon Health Authority’s new line of ads discouraging underage cannabis consumption. Image via Oregon Health Authority

The spots aren’t all up to Francisco’s quality. One of the most cringeworthy features a teen skater dropping in, with the tag line “Pot can make it harder to learn new tricks.” It looks like a church youth group leader’s idea of a “cool kid” doing a “rad sport.”

One of Oregon’s new ads designed to prevent underage cannabis use. There’s no question: That kid is the coolest. Image via Oregon Health Authority

And that campaign slogan: Urrgh. “Stay True To You” — while not quite the eyesore of Washington’s “Listen2YourSelfie” campaign — carries eerie echoes of the original 1981 anti-drug slogan, “Get High On Yourself.” And we all know how effective that was.

Look, we get it: This is a really hard campaign to produce. OHA is genuinely trying to reach teenagers, but 99 percent of adults suck at “getting real” with teens, and OHA is a government agency so it can’t offend anyone. Good luck with that.

In states that have legalized the adult use of cannabis, though, public service campaigns warning minors away from marijuana use have actually improved. After stumbling badly with its infamous “Don’t Be a Lab Rat” campaign in 2014, Colorado scrapped the old scared-straight formula and created the much-closer-to-sane “Good To Know” campaign, which tries to lead minors to actual facts about cannabis. With this latest effort, Oregon is following Colorado’s lead, dropping the scare stories and treating cannabis with a more rational approach. It ain’t perfect, but we’ve seen a lot worse.

In fact, here are a few of the worst ones we’ve seen:

“Stoner Sloth” (Australia, 2016)

Ahh, Stoner Sloth. The modern classic. An instant viral sensation when it came out earlier this year, this Aussie PSA just gets better with age. “Jesse … could you pass the salt please, darling?”

“Don’t Be A Lab Rat” (Colorado, 2014)

Colorado state officials were so passionate about waving kids away from the state’s new adult-use cannabis industry that they created actual human-size cages and placed them on campuses and public parks. (Jokers, of course, proceeded to take selfies of themselves and their friends partaking in and around the cages.)

“Will the New Face of Date Rape Look Like a Cookie?” (Florida, 2014)

Opponents of Florida’s 2014 medical marijuana amendment cooked up that question as part of their campaign to torpedo MMJ in the Sunshine State.

“The Science Is Clear” (Canada, 2014)

Stephen Harper’s Conservative government came up with this anti-cannabis ad that claimed “the science is clear” that cannabis caused health damage and shouldn’t be considered medicine — even as his own agency, Health Canada, was licensing growers to provide medical cannabis to patients. The ad was so hated that the Huffington Post headlined a story about it, “Harper Government’s Marijuana Ad Is Being Disliked to Hell.” The government quietly removed the ad from YouTube.

“Deflated Girl” (U.S., c. 2007)

In one of the last anti-drug ads put out by the Bush administration, a teenage girl describes her friend, sitting on the couch, who has apparently flattened like a balloon because of her cannabis use. As Seattle writer Dominic Holden observed at the time, this ad wasn’t merely creepy. It dehumanized all cannabis users. The girl’s smoking, Holden wrote, “has literally deflated her into a non-person.”

“Lindsay and the Magical Talking Dog” (c. 2000s)

Not sure what the takeaway was meant to be here. If smoking cannabis lets you chat with your dog, isn’t that actually an incentive?

“Get High On Yourself” (1981)

The original and still best/worst: This all-star cast (Paul Newman! Bob Hope! Cathy Lee Crosby! Robby Benson! Google him!) came together in 1981 to sing — we use the word loosely — one of the worst songs ever written. The producer, notorious bad boy Robert Evans, made the spot as part of his public service sentence for, yes, a cocaine conviction.

The 13-minute Prohibitionist Film Festival

Can’t get enough? Here’s a whole reel of the worst anti-drug ads ever made. Enjoy.

How Does Cannabis Consumption Affect the Brain?

The relationship between cannabis and the brain is a meaty subject. Identifying the various ways cannabis affects the brain is complicated, and we’ve only just begun to unravel many of the mysteries. Most perplexingly, there’s a lot of seemingly contradictory evidence out there.

On the one hand, we’re inundated with messages that cannabis impairs a user’s cognitive function — particularly short-term memory. On the other hand, we hear cannabis can act as a neuroprotectant, perhaps even preventing the onset of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s.

How can this be? Cannabis is a diverse, complex plant comprised of hundreds of chemicals. And, two of its most prominent constituents — THC and CBD — affect us in significantly different ways. But, first, let’s start with an explanation of the endocannabinoid system, or ECS.

What is the Endocannabinoid System and Why is It Important?

The ECS, also known as “the body’s own cannabinoid system,” is a group of cannabinoid receptors located in the brain and throughout the central nervous system (CNS) and peripheral nervous system (PNS). It plays a vital role in the regulation of mood, memory, physiology, pain sensation, appetite, and overall health. While the ECS performs numerous tasks, its primary goal is homeostasis, or the maintenance of a stable and healthy internal environment.

The discovery of the endocannabinoid system and associated receptors has played a significant role not just in our understanding of cannabis, but of human biology, health, and disease.

Scientists have identified the two primary cannabinoid receptors, CB1 and CB2:

• CB1 receptors can be found primarily in the brain and nervous system, but are also found in other organs and connective tissues. CB1 is the main receptor for THC, a phytocannabinoid (phyto meaning, “of the plant”); and, its twin, anandamide, one of the body’s naturally occurring cannabinoids which THC mirrors. The activation of CB1 receptors by THC is responsible for cannabis’ psychoactive effects.
• CB2 receptors, found predominantly in the immune system and associated structures, are responsible for modulating cannabis’s anti-inflammatory effects. Inflammation is thought to be a significant factor in many diseases, and CB2 acts as an immune response.

Cannabis contains at least 85 cannabinoids, the chemical compounds that interact with the brain’s receptors. The two cannabinoids people are most familiar with include THC and CBD.

THC, which is responsible for most of cannabis’ psychoactive effects, affects the brain by activating cannabinoid receptors, namely CB1. THC promotes creativity, amplifies your thoughts, and keeps you focused…until stimuli distracts you to a tangential thought (good for philosophical conversations, but for studying, not so much!).

Surprisingly, THC’s (largely) non-psychoactive sibling and the second most studied constituent in cannabis, CBD, shows little affinity to bind to either CB1 or CB2; instead, CBD seems to indirectly stimulate cannabinoid signaling by suppressing the enzyme that breaks down anandamide. This partly explains why CBD appears to counteract some of the effects of THC, and why higher CBD concentrations result in fewer intoxicating effects. Like THC, CBD also plays an important role in appetite, the immune system, and pain management.

The Biphasic Effect: Why Proper THC Dosage is Important

The effects of cannabis vary by individual and are highly dependent on dosing and form of preparation (e.g., vapes, edibles, etc.). It’s important to note that like many chemicals, cannabinoids — THC in particular — have a biphasic effect, meaning low and high doses can have opposite effects in users. This is partly why many people may feel relaxed with low doses of cannabis and paranoid under high doses. Most medical marijuana practitioners advise patients to start with a low dosage and gradually increase dosage as the patient determines how their body reacts. This process is known as “self-titration.”

Another way to think of the biphasic effect is as a therapeutic window. Cannabis has a narrow therapeutic range, meaning the difference between the optimal dosage that elicits the effect one desires versus a dosage that creates adverse effects can be subtle. Take chronic pain as an example: most studies of cannabis and chronic pain report that patients find relief in low to moderate doses of cannabis, but may find pain exacerbated when the dosage is too high.

Further complicating the issue is that THC and CBD levels — as well as THC:CBD ratios — can vary dramatically from strain to strain, so it’s important for people to be conscious of these levels as they find the most appropriate dosage to treat their condition.

The same goes for lifestyle users who may find they have a preference for a particular strain. One strain may make them feel overly drowsy or anxious, while another may make them feel relaxed and happy. Everyone’s body chemistry is different, so how one responds to cannabis can vary dramatically.

Optimal Dosing (Low to Moderate Doses):

• Elevated mood, feelings of euphoria, and relaxation
• Sleepiness (although higher CBD concentrations can contradict this effect)
• Increase in creativity
• Blocking the detection of pain
• Alleviating nausea
• Appetite stimulation

Suboptimal Dosing (High Doses):

• Hallucinations varying from mild to moderate
• Paranoia
• Anxiety
• Disorientation
• Heightened pain sensitivity

Circling back around to the question posed at the beginning of this article, why is there so much seemingly contradictory or paradoxical evidence (e.g., cannabinoids “protect” or “impair” cognitive function) on how marijuana affects the brain?

Dr. Mike Hart, head physician at Marijuana for Trauma offers an explanation:

“Frustratingly, we have very few high-quality human studies that examine the potential long-term benefits or negative effects of cannabis consumption on the brain. But, just like cannabis has biphasic acute effects, the same may hold true in long-term usage,” says Dr. Hart. “Too much, too often, over a long period of time, could cause negative effects like diminished verbal memory recall; while the right amount and right frequency could elicit the benefits we’ve found in early studies on animal models, such as neuroprotection and the slowing or prevention of neurodegenerative disease.”

Security Fears are Holding Back Uruguay’s Cannabis Rollout

MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay (AP) — Rossana Rilla could sell marijuana under Uruguay’s pioneering law that lets pharmacies distribute cannabis. But she says there is no way she will.

In her 28 years as a pharmacist, she has been beaten, dragged across the floor and threatened by thieves at gunpoint and with a grenade. She fears that selling marijuana would only make her store a bigger target for robbers and burglars.

“You see their faces and you can tell right away that they are not consumers who are here just to buy” marijuana, Rilla said about the “suspicious people” who have recently been coming into her Montevideo pharmacy asking if she sells marijuana.

She isn’t alone in avoiding the government’s marijuana program. Most of the country’s pharmacists haven’t signed on, citing security concerns and complaining of paperwork, cost increases or opposition from customers to selling legalized cannabis.

Pharmacist Rossana Rilla works at her own drugstore in downtown Montevideo, Uruguay. In her 28 years as a pharmacist, she has been beaten, dragged across the floor and threatened by thieves at gunpoint and with a grenade. She fears that selling marijuana will only make her store a bigger target for thieves and burglaries by illegal drug dealers. Photo by Matilde Campodonico/Associated Press

Uruguay legalized the cultivation and sale of marijuana in 2013 in a bid to create the world’s first government-regulated national marketplace for cannabis. The goal was to fight rising homicide and crime rates associated with drug trafficking in the South American country.

But while the government wants to start selling marijuana at pharmacies in the coming weeks, so far only 50 out of 1,200 pharmacies are registered, stoking a debate over how the drug should be distributed.

“I don’t see the need to get into a conflict with people who are already selling weed in the neighborhoods,” said Marcelo Trujillo, who owns three pharmacies in Montevideo’s Cerro neighborhood.

“I just don’t want to expose myself or my employees,” he said. Next to him, a worker repaired a glass that was shattered during a recent robbery attempt.

The law allows for the growing of cannabis by licensed individuals, the formation of growers and users clubs, and the sale by pharmacies of 40 grams of marijuana a month to registered users. While the plan has been widely applauded globally and seen as going beyond marijuana legislation in the U.S. states of Colorado and Washington, most Uruguayans oppose it.

“My customers generally don’t agree with the plan,” said Isabel Regent, head of the Association of Interior Pharmacies, which represents businesses outside the capital, Montevideo. “Besides the fear of robberies, enrolling in the system means a hike in costs and having to be up to date with all the paperwork demanded by the health ministry, and not all pharmacies are in a condition to do this.”

Regent owns a pharmacy in Punta del Este, an exclusive seaside resort where tens of thousands of tourists from neighboring Argentina come to vacation each year. But she decided not to enroll in the government plan. She wouldn’t be able to sell marijuana to foreign tourists because the law only allows sales to Uruguayan citizens and legal residents over age 18.

Pharmacies in three of the four Uruguayan states bordering Brazil have also declined to enroll in the plan.

No studies have been conducted to see if pharmacists would face extra risks from selling cannabis, but most feel it’s just not worth the risk.

“I don’t have the security conditions to sell marijuana,” said Mariana Etchessarry, from a pharmacy in Montevideo’s Cerro neighborhood.

“I don’t understand why they can’t sell it at police stations. They’re located in every neighborhood and have 24-hour security.”

During a recent meeting with government officials, a union leader claimed that some pharmacists have been threatened by drug dealers, said Gonzalo Miranda, a spokesman for the Uruguayan Chamber of Pharmacies, an umbrella group for large pharmacy chains.

Fernando Gil of the Interior Ministry’s communications office said that no pharmacists had reported any threats to police.

Some pharmacists say their lack of interest in participating goes beyond security concerns.

“I oppose as a matter of principles,” said Julio Gadea. “I’ve been a pharmacist for 40 years. Pharmacies were created to sell medicines, not drugs.”

Experts say delays in the marijuana initiative stem from the fact that no other country has attempted such an ambitious endeavor and that authorities still lack detailed plans and rules for regulating the market.

“We sell all legal drugs and if marijuana is now legal, there’s no reason not to sell it,” said a pharmacist who has enrolled in the government’s marijuana plan. He insisted on not being quoted by name because he did not want to upset his clients, who mostly oppose legalizing cannabis.

“I signed up but I still don’t know if I’ll sell it,” the pharmacist said. “I’m missing a lot of information. They haven’t explained anything to us about the information program that will be used or how the drug will be sold or how profitable it will be.”

Several of the pharmacists interviewed said they hadn’t ruled out signing on later if the program is successful.

The planting of cannabis in Uruguay has begun and it’s expected to be ready by late July, two government officials told The Associated Press. They also asked to remain anonymous because they were not authorized by the government to comment. The officials said that having only 50 pharmacies enrolled might work in the government’s favor because it will be easier to control.

“We’re not ruling out using other networks or even vending machines in the future,” one official said, adding that marijuana will be sold by mid to late July.

With 'Calabrian Wave,' Legendary Red Cannabis Returns to Italy

Calabria is considered Italy’s wildest region. Besides being home to one of the most secretive and ruthless mafia organizations, the ‘ndrangheta, it also gave name to the Italy’s only psychoactive cannabis landrace strains.

Located in the southernmost part of the sunny, hilly countryside, Calabria forms the “toe” of the Italian peninsula. To foreign visitors, Calabria might sometimes be overwhelming. The food is a bit coarse and very spicy — peperoncino, the local chili peppers, are sold not by the gram but by the kilo.

As the home to resilient landrace strains, the region is known for its toughness. Calabria’s history is full of struggle against foreign invaders: Turks, Albanians, Greeks, and the Lombards from Germany. But while these guests weren’t welcome, they introduced agricultural products and flavors that have become typical of Calabria and southern Italy: hot chili peppers, bergamot oranges, anchovies, spicy sausages, and, increasingly of interest among cannabis connoisseurs, the unusual red Calabrese cannabis.

These fabled strains are believed to have originated from Afghan cannabis plants in the Botanical Gardens of Naples at the end of the 18th century, and they’ve since diversified in a region with numerous microclimates. For a long time the blush-colored buds were hard to find, but thanks to the breeders of Italy’s own Zoe’s Seeds, this former rarity has a new lease on life with a special hybrid strain, Onda Calabra.

The revival comes thanks to the efforts of an anonymous Calabrian breeder based in Bologna. The breeder crossed a red-hued local strain growing in the Sila Plateau with Northern Lights XXL, creating an orange and citrus taste with some hints of pine and eucalyptus and a typical earthy taste.

The result is a hybrid strain that merges the heady effects of the local varietal with the timeless genetics of a Northern Lights offshoot. Northern Lights, a pure indica descendant of Afghani and Thai landrace strains, remains among the most famous strains of all time and is cherished for its resilience, fast flowering, and resinous buds.

The name of the new Italian strain, Onda Calabra, translates to “Calabrian wave.” It’s named after a popular song by Peppe Voltarelli, a musician and actor from Calabria. The song was the main theme of his movie Doichlanda, the Calabrese name for Germany. To Voltarelli, Doichlanda is a symbol of a place that offers new opportunities: “Your eyes are a place of the mind. Passing the river, nothing remains. On the beach there are roses, but if I look there, they aren’t roses anymore. Under the never-laughing sky you will be waiting for me, singing. Calabrian wave in Doichlanda, is this a dream?”

The song asks whether Calabrian wave is a dream, but thanks to Zoe’s Seeds it’s now also a plant — and a very sturdy one at that. Many sub-varieties of the legendary ‘Calabrese Reds’ are shaped like Christmas trees and resistant to bad weather (rain and even snow), making Onda Calabra a contender for reliable outdoor cultivation. If it’s a dream, it’s a very pleasant one.

Nevada Marijuana Sales Estimated to Hit $630 Million by 2020

Washington – New Frontier, in partnership with Arcview Market Research, released its 2016 Nevada Legal Cannabis Market State Profile, which shows the potential growth of the adult use market if Nevada voters choose to legalize adult use cannabis in November. Over the next four years, Arcview Market Research’s official market projection is that annual legal

Root Rot, Mildew, and Leaf Septoria: How to Deal with These 3 Cannabis Plant Diseases

Walking into a garden filled with healthy, vibrant, and strong cannabis plants is hard to beat. Unfortunately, anyone who has cultivated cannabis before also knows the feeling of discovering the onset of disease in their garden. Although diseased plants can be intimidating, they become manageable once you understand what is happening and learn how to protect your garden.

Here are three common cannabis plant diseases that you should know about and learn how to prevent.

Root Rot (Pythium)

Root rot is a serious issue that takes ahold of unhealthy roots. When plants are overwatered and lack sufficient drainage, the roots cannot take in oxygen and start to die off. Unfortunately, under-watering plants can also cause roots to die off. Healthy roots require a balance of water and time to dry out to take in oxygen. Once there are dead roots in the soil, the next watering cycle will create an ideal environment for root rot to take over. Root rot weakens and destroy the roots, making it impossible for plants to take up nutrients and water.

Identifying root rot can be done in a number of ways. Hydroponic systems grant visible access to the plants’ roots, so check for roots that are brown in color, slimy, and lack the vigor you see in healthy roots. If you do not have access to the roots, you will notice the infected plants drinking less water, growing at slower pace, and a myriad of nutrient deficiencies. Root rot is nearly impossible to fix and results in either nutrient-deficient, stunted plants or having to discard the plants entirely.

You can lessen your chances of root rot by taking a few preventative measures:

• Have healthy soil with beneficial microbe and bacteria populations. These populations help keep the fungus responsible for root rot under control.
• Water your plants correctly. This means measuring the amount of water given to each plant and observing day to day how they respond to the amount of water given. It is better to see a plant begin to wilt than to overwater during this process.
• Have breathable soil. Growing in smart pots and adding perlite to the soil are two ways to help facilitate oxygen flow and allow the soil to drain properly.

Powdery Mildew

Powdery mildew is a common disease that shows up on the leaves and buds of cannabis plants. Initially you will find it on the lower branches of a plant where there is less sun exposure, airflow, and higher levels of humidity. This type of mildew appears as a white powder that sits on the surface of the leaves. Once it appears, it spreads rapidly and can quickly make its way onto bud sites. Fortunately, because powdery mildew is so visible, it’s rare for a plant to die from it. The main concern is it renders the product unfit for sale.

It’s common for gardeners to take a preventative route with powdery mildew. Here are some best practices you might consider:

• Spray your plants with organic products and fungicides
• Prune your plants to increase airflow
• Spray compost tea or solutions with varying PH levels to disrupt the spread of the disease
• Pay attention to which genetics are susceptible to powdery mildew and consider focusing on other strains

If your garden does become infected with powdery mildew, there is a way to remove it by giving the harvested cannabis a bath in a H2O2/H2O solution. By mixing a small amount of 3% hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) with water, you create a solution that sterilizes the harvested plants and removes the mildew. This is a painstaking process, but it can save you from an infected crop.

Leaf Septoria

Leaf septoria is a harsh-looking disease that shows up first on the lower branches and causes leaves to scab and yellow. It reveals itself during the summer when high temperatures combined with summer rains or moisture from watering leave the foliage damp. Nitrogen deficiencies can also serve as a catalyst to the disease.

Although leaf septoria will not kill your plants, it will reduce yields. Once you notice the infection, it’s important to remove and dispose of the leaves. Avoid putting the infected material in your compost pile to prevent future outbreaks. Spraying plants with Bacillus subtilis fungicides can also help slow the spread of the disease.

To prevent or reduce the chance of outbreak, there are a few actions you can take:

• You must have a clean garden space with healthy soils. This is the most important preventative measure you can take. If you have an outbreak, you may need to replace your growing medium before planting again.
• Clean your entire grow room, especially if you’re operating an indoor garden.
• Use drip lines to water your plants so the leaves don’t get wet
• Space the plants further apart to help keep direct moisture off the plants and the humidity levels down

Root rot, powdery mildew, and leaf septoria are just a few of the more common diseases that can show up on cannabis plants. Other diseases include the TMV (tobacco mosaic virus), fusarium, and verticillium wilt. All of these diseases have a common theme when it comes to control: prevention. Gardeners must provide plants with the right nutrients, bacteria, and microbes to be ready to handle infections for the same reasons we as humans eat healthy and exercise to prevent illness.

Lastly, in addition to prevention, genetics play a significant role in dictating how debilitating a disease can be to a plant. Observe your garden, notice trends with specific genetics, and stick to strong-aged genetics that are stable.

Leaf septoria photo credit via Scot Nelson on Flickr

Is Cannabis Part of an Alzheimer’s Cure?

Scientists at the Salk Institute labs in San Diego have published preliminary evidence that tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and other compounds found in cannabis can remove amyloid beta, the toxic protein most commonly associated with Alzheimer’s disease.

Officials at the Salk Institute cautioned that the results, published in the June issue of the journal Aging and Mechanisms of Disease, shouldn’t be taken as a sign that cannabis is a panacea for Alzheimer’s. The studies were conducted in neurons grown in a laboratory, and may eventually offer insight into the role inflammation plays in the disease. The Salk Institute’s work could end up providing clues about developing novel therapeutics for the disorder.

“Although other studies have offered evidence that cannabinoids might be neuroprotective against the symptoms of Alzheimer’s,” said David Schubert, the study’s senior author, “we believe our study is the first to demonstrate that cannabinoids affect both inflammation and amyloid beta accumulation in nerve cells.”

Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive brain disorder that leads to memory loss and can seriously impair a person’s ability to carry out daily tasks. According to the National Institutes of Health, it affects more than 5 million Americans, is the nation’s most common cause of dementia, and is a leading cause of death. Alarmingly, the incidence of Alzheimer’s is expected to triple during the next 50 years.

David Schubert, the study’s senior author. Photo via the Salk Institute

It has long been known that amyloid beta accumulates within the nerve cells of the aging brain well before the appearance of Alzheimer’s disease symptoms and plaques, according to the Salk Institute. Amyloid beta is a major component of the plaque deposits — a hallmark of Alzheimer’s — but the precise roles of amyloid beta and the plaques it forms remain unclear.

In the study published last month, Salk researchers found that high levels of amyloid beta were associated with cellular inflammation and higher rates of neuron death. They found that exposing the cells to THC reduced the amyloid beta protein levels and eliminated the inflammatory response by nerve cells.

“Inflammation within the brain is a major component of the damage associated with Alzheimer’s disease, but it has always been assumed that this response was coming from immune-like cells in the brain, not the nerve cells themselves,” said Antonio Currais, a postdoctoral researcher in Schubert’s laboratory and the first author of the paper.

“When we were able to identify the molecular basis of the inflammatory response to amyloid beta, it became clear that THC-like compounds that the nerve cells make themselves may be involved in protecting the cells from dying.”

The human brain has receptors that can be activated by endocannabinoids, lipid molecules produced by the body and used to send intercellular signals in the brain. THC, a phytocannabinoid (that is, a cannabinoid produced by a plant) can activate the same brain receptors.

The current study is one of many looking into how to slow or halt the progression of Alzheimer’s. Physical activity also results in the production of endocannabinoids, and some studies have shown that exercise may slow the progression of the disease. As Schubert emphasized, his team’s findings were conducted in exploratory laboratory models, and any future use of THC-like compounds as therapy would need to be tested in clinical trials.

In Photos: An Italian Photographer's Powerful Images Help Patients Share Their Stories

After being hit by a car in 2006, Christian Ferri still suffers enduring physical and psychological consequences. Traditional medicine resulted in inflammation of his muscles. So, looking for something that worked without causing him additional problems, the 29-year-old Italian turned to cannabis and homeopathic therapies. The results were inspiring. In 2014, Ferri climbed central Italy’s highest mountain, crediting cannabis-infused milk as his core power source. “To climb the Gran Sasso nine years [after the accident] has been the greatest emotion of my life,” he said.

Ferri’s story is just one of many testaments to the healing power of cannabis that’s been uncovered and captured by photographer Maria Novella De Luca. For several years she has been following and documenting the lives dozens of Italians who rely on cannabis for their health and well-being.

“I found out there’s a world of people who use it,” she told Leafly.

Medical cannabis has been legal in Italy since 2007, although personal cultivation is prohibited and cured flower is imported to Italy from the Netherlands. But access is still limited, causing headaches for those suffering now.

Claudia Luttazi, 47 years old, Rome. Luttazi discovered in 2009 that she had breast cancer. Three year later, the cancer spread to her brain. Today Luttazi combines her radiation therapy with cannabis-infused tea and homemade cookies. (Luttazi is also featured in this story’s header image.) Photo by Maria Novella De Luca

“This has motivated me,” De Luca said, “because despite all hindrances, I have seen the power of these people whose lives have been shattered by severe diseases but who still find the strength to fight for access to their medicine.”

De Luca’s images tell the stories of a variety of cannabis patients. She depicts their daily life and the problems they face, many of which stem from government bureaucracy and disinformation.

“My interest for this subject grows out of the plant — from the fact that a simple plant with so many positive qualities, which has been part of our heritage for so long, is demonized,” she said. “The amount of deliberate erroneous information about this plant seems absurd to me.”

Lucia Spiri, 34 years old, Racale. Spiri was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2000. She began treatment with heavy doses of drugs like interferons, muscle relaxants, and antidepressants, but one of the drugs left her with permanent tremors and confined to a wheelchair. Spiri now relies on cannabis flower imported from the Netherlands. Photo by Maria Novella De Luca

All the individual stories have one thing in common, De Luca explained: None have had cooperation from the authorities. “I have met many sick people all over Italy, and although I’ve heard very different stories, all of them had to bite the bullet,” she said. “This is what has motivated me to travel for many years and still gives me the power to continue. I want these sick people to tell their stories themselves, speaking out loud about what they live through.”

“So many words are spent on this subject, by politicians who deal with the question on their own terms, by associations fighting for their rights,” she continued, “but I believe the voice of the sick is the one that can reach the heart of the people most directly.”

Serena Forty, 8 years old, Gallipoli. Forty has a rare neurodegenerative disease known as CDKL5. The CBD oil she’s been using since 2014 has dramatically reduced the number of her seizures. Photo by Maria Novella De Luca

The struggle to decriminalize cannabis and shed its cultural stigma in Italy isn’t easy, De Luca said.

“The attempts to unite to deal with the question have contributed a lot and some small result has been achieved,” she explained. A network among patients has been established in recent years, and more and more doctors are educating patients — and themselves — on cannabis as treatment.

“It’s still a small minority,” she acknowledged, “but from something small, you can start and continue to grow. I will keep on giving a voice to the sick with my photos.”

All photos by Maria Novella De Luca. Used with permission.

Marijuana group predicts huge economic gain for Hawaii

… (AP) – The Hawaii Dispensary Alliance predicts the state’s medical marijuana … The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reports the trade group also says those … of the medical pot dispensaries depends largely upon the growth of registered …

Here’s Why My Husband Was Put In Prison For A Plant

Andi Martin woke up to take her kids to school – like she did every day. Her husband, Chris however noticed there were a lot of police out that morning. Here’s where Andi says the nightmare started…

Coming In; Guns Blazing

They followed us over eight miles. We got up to a four way stop. It was a big intersection by the kids’ school. The truck turned right and he was ripped out of the vehicle by a SWAT.

I was pulled out by my hair backwards by police officers. One man grabbed my daughter, leaning in my vehicle with a big gun and he grabbed her shoulders and started pushing them with guns in the kids’ faces.

WATCH HOW ANDI AND HER KIDS ARE OVERCOMING THE IMPOSSIBLE:

This Is No Place For A Child

They took me and my kids to the Sheriff’s Department and we sat there together. My kids had to sit there for over six hours. We had a business, we had an attorney telling us what to do so as far as we knew, we were following the laws. We were doing what Arizona said that we needed to do.

Me and Chris met when I was 15. We’ve been together now 13 years. We’ve never been apart so this is a shock. The kids have never been away from him. We’ve always done everything as a family.

I want to legalize cannabis. We aren’t the only family this has happened to.

My kids aren’t the only kids that have been tortured or scared by this.

No One Deserves Jail-time For This Plant

This is just one of thousands of stories about people being imprisoned for a plant that heals. And telling your story is an important part of ending arrests like these.

According to the ACLU’s original analysis, marijuana arrests now account for over half of all drug arrests in the United States.

“Of the 8.2 million marijuana arrests between 2001 and 2010, 88% were for simply having marijuana.” -ACLU

Despite roughly equal usage rates, Blacks are 3.73 times more likely than whites to be arrested for marijuana.

“We’re not the only ones and the more people who can see that there are so many of us, it’s not okay. And I think people need to see the severity of what’s really happening over a plant. Over something that’s saving people.” – Andi Martin

Families are affected and lives are destroyed over a plant. Felons have a hard time getting work and are given long sentences since the prisons are run for profit.

See the whole episode by signing up here to get access to season two videos. Streaming in HD to: Amazon, Google Play, Itunes, and X-Box.

About the Author

Wendy Robbins

Wendy Robbins a two time Emmy Award winner and is the Director/Producer of The Marijuana Show. “Shark Tank for the legal Cannabis Industry” – CNBC. The show is seen on Amazon, Itunes and Google Play and has offered over $18 million to worthy ganjapreneurs. Wendy writes for Huffington Post and is a best-selling author of “Why Marry A Millionaire? Just Be One! She co-starred with Kelly Ripa as her business coach on “Homemade Millionaire” on TLC and co-invented the popular Tingler Head massager. She has been seen as a cannabis expert on/in ABC, CNN, CNBC, FOX, NPR, Bloomberg, Fortune, Forbes, Wall Street Journal, Inc, Rolling Stone, Dope and High Times.

The post Here’s Why My Husband Was Put In Prison For A Plant appeared first on #illegallyhealed.

Why Are We Celebrating Again? Flags, Fireworks, and Betrayal

Happy Fourth of July, A.K.A. “Independence Day!”

You know the drill, flags waving from everywhere, gluttonous sociopaths marching up and down main street desperately seeking out the next distraction, paid patriotic content blasting from every device with a screen or speaker, and the inevitable “thank you for your service, we’re able to enjoy these freedoms because of your sacrifice for our Nation” from some doe-eyed fuck who has no idea what they’re thanking you for.

When tweets from the celebrity of the news cycle get more attention than people killing themselves at the VA, there’s a dangerous disconnect between society and reality.

What does my service mean to these people? Nothing.

If asked, the average person on the street isn’t able to explain to me what we’re doing in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, South America, Africa, Europe, or anywhere else that isn’t a Spring Break hot spot. All they’re able to regurgitate is that “we’re fighting terrorists who threaten our way of life, our freedom.”

Granted, these words are coming from a jaded and somewhat pessimistic disgruntled veteran who by no means speaks for everyone out there. Aside from my personal experience and perspective, I happen to know there are other veterans who feel the same way.

This is a way of life.

We proclaim and celebrate Freedom & Independence every year, yet there are glaring contradictions within those proclamations we refuse to acknowledge. Our Founding Fathers rejected tyranny, rejected the abuses of a government that did not represent them. Our society seems to welcome both. Freedom & Independence meant something very different in our Nation’s infancy.

The idea of Freedom is alive and well. However, after an honest assessment of our shared environment, do you feel free? I don’t.

We incarcerate more of our citizens than any other country on earth, many times over. The majority of those individuals are behind bars for possessing, using, growing, or selling cannabis, while at the same time there are select few who are getting rich doing the exact same thing in”legal”states.

Our own government has been funding scientific research into this herb that could be used to help veterans suffering from Traumatic Brain Injury, and other service connected injuries/disabilities while at the very same time denying these wounded warriors access to it. On the flip side of legitimate scientific endeavors our government has been covertly engaged in, remember Iran-Contra? Freeway Ricky Ross?

We avoid these discussions because they’re uncomfortable and require action on our (what’s more, our elected officials) part after engaging in them.

We’ve become complacent and now those with specific, self-serving agendas have firmly entrenched themselves. They’re able to do as they please without fear of consequence or penalty.

Our laws have been auctioned off to the highest bidder, and science has been hijacked by special interest groups dead set on maintaining their profitable status quo.

Veterans Shut Out of VA By Back Door SchemesIt takes a real special kind of individual to do this to our Veterans.

Read more here: http://bit.ly/29nCPws

Posted by Illegally Healed on Sunday, July 3, 2016

When I can’t, by law, have an open honest and free conversation about an herbal medication with my physician at the VA or, when I can’t travel from state to state with my herbal medicine without risking prison time and the loss of my federal benefits, I don’t feel Free. I don’t feel Independent. I feel trapped, and I feel controlled.

Case in point, the Veterans Equal Access amendment that just got shot down right before the Holiday break:

“Blocking this amendment at the conference committee stage is an assault on democracy and those Americans who risked their lives and health to defend it,” said Michael Liszewski, Government Affairs Director of Americans for Safe Access (ASA). “It’s shocking that House Appropriations Committee Chairman Hal Rogers would allow a veterans health care provision that won by wide margins in a Senate committee and on the House floor to be stripped from the bill behind closed doors.”

It is what it is.

This year I’m celebrating my Freedom to Choose, and my Independence from harsh pharmaceutical narcotics. I’m celebrating once again belonging to something bigger than myself and my happy little Tribe here in Tucson, Arizona.

There are many passionate souls out there doing the lion’s share of work to keep this fight going, despite frustration, obstruction, and constant setbacks battling a rigged system. These beautiful advocates keep pushing. They refuse to quit. They don’t know what it means to quit.

I’ve struggled in my transition from the military, but you’ve probably been able to pick up on that by now. I’m doing everything I can to remain focused on the many blessings in my life, and there are many. I’m one of the lucky ones. This article is for those who aren’t as fortunate.

Anyway, the party has already started and I’m sitting here like a buzzkill.

Dabs up!

Cheers to the Fallen, Rest Easy.

Have you claimed Independence from dangerous pharmaceutical narcotics? … Share your story.

About the Author

Ricardo Pereyda

Ricardo Pereyda is U.S. Army Veteran from Tucson, Arizona. Advocating for federal & state cannabis law and public health reform, he has been outspoken in calling for veteran access within the VA and research into the safety and efficacy of cannabis. He’s worked closely with Patients Out of Time, Drug Policy Alliance, the Multidisciplinary Association of Psychedelic Studies (MAPS), the Arizona Cannabis Nurses Association, The Weed for Warriors Project, Operation OverMed and Veterans for Medical Cannabis Access among others.

The post Why Are We Celebrating Again? Flags, Fireworks, and Betrayal appeared first on #illegallyhealed.

Here’s Why Cannabis Patients Are Getting Creative In Arizona

I live in Arizona where, thanks to Proposition 203, medical cannabis has been legal since 2010. In 2014, after much legal back-and-forth, cannabis patients in Arizona celebrated the addition of a new qualifying condition to the Arizona Medical Marijuana Act (AMMA).

What many still do not recognize is when the Director of the state’s Department of Health Services at that time, Will Humble (who is anything but humble), included post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) he did so in a very specific, intentionally obstructive way.

Unlike any other qualifying condition within the AMMA, PTSD patients are forced to prove they are undergoing “conventional treatment” in conjunction with their use of cannabis. Basically the law requires you to become a patient somewhere else, then come back to pay the annual state fee and certification in order to become a state patient. Only after you’ve done so can you then legally access your medication.

The annual fee with certification is $300, private practice “conventional psychotherapy treatment” for PTSD ranges in cost, and a patient’s herbal medication in the dispensary will run on average around $300 per ounce of flower.

This process is repeated every year regardless of whether or not you’ve been diagnosed with a long term illness, disease, or injury. The state wants their nut. In addition to the exorbitant and prohibitive cost, the barriers to navigate, and the lack of state operated cannabis therapy programs meeting their requirements leaves patients with little choice but to fend for themselves.

For many on disability or who are already struggling to get through the monthly bill cycle, this expense quickly becomes an insurmountable obstacle to their becoming a legal patient in Arizona. Essentially, the state is shutting the door on qualified individuals because they have the authority to do so, pushing those in need into the “black market” everyone says they’re trying to eliminate.

Veterans in the state who qualify to get their treatment from the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) are also involved in this Mexican standoff, simply due to their inability to access cannabis treatment through the VHA.

Cannabis Inspires a Creative Response

In response to the state’s obstructionist tactics, and Inspired by Heidi Keys’ trend setting “Puff, Pass, & Paint” in Denver, CO, patients in Arizona have come together and developed a plan of action.

Being personally impacted by these laws and a card holder myself, I reached out to a friend of mine here in town who has a mobile painting business, now we’re starting a cannabis art therapy class in Tucson.

Buds & Brushes is the first of what will be a series of monthly cannabis art therapy classes across the state of Arizona. The intent of these classes is to create a welcoming and relaxed atmosphere where cannabis patients are given permission to embrace their creativity in a normal environment.

We want to attract as many people as possible who have been putting off getting legal. Certifying officials will be present at the event for patients to speak with, get additional information from and make appointments with to get evaluated & certified.

Patients need to know they’re able to work within the system, we’re here to help them do that. This is especially true for Arizona residents required to be participating in therapy as a condition of their becoming legal patients.

Eventually we will also be including yoga therapy to further bridge the gap between cannabis patients and the AMMA. Ideally, sharing this will result in similar sessions in other “legal” states across the country where Social Clubs are being organized.

Do you think art therapy is effective? Let us know in the comments below.

About the Author

Ricardo Pereyda

Ricardo Pereyda is U.S. Army Veteran from Tucson, Arizona. Advocating for federal & state cannabis law and public health reform, he has been outspoken in calling for veteran access within the VA and research into the safety and efficacy of cannabis. He’s worked closely with Patients Out of Time, Drug Policy Alliance, the Multidisciplinary Association of Psychedelic Studies (MAPS), the Arizona Cannabis Nurses Association, The Weed for Warriors Project, Operation OverMed and Veterans for Medical Cannabis Access among others.

The post Here’s Why Cannabis Patients Are Getting Creative In Arizona appeared first on #illegallyhealed.

Ever Talk To The Cops About Cannabis On Facebook? I Did… Here’s What They Said

Who doesn’t love a good road trip? I’ve been planning a special one for quite some time now, exploring the country I fought for. I want to see it in all its glory before I leave this world. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve been on a number of road trips and flights but I’ve never traveled from sea […]

Oregon Launches New Cannabis Worker Permit

Oregon has launched a new program to require permits for all workers in the state’s recreational cannabis industry. In the coming months, the Oregon Liquor Control Commission (OLCC) will process applications and will begin issuing Marijuana Worker Permits on Sept. 1. In the interim, OLCC recreational marijuana licensees are still required to use the state’s […]

New Strains Alert: Purple People Eater, Diamond Socks, Bloo’s Kloos, and More

This week’s New Strains Alert is part old school and part new school genetics, many of which were submitted by Leafly users. These cannabis strains illustrate how we, the cannabis community, appropriate parts of our history—whether from television or music, art or science, we pay homage to the green giants whose shoulders we stand upon. […]

Visiting Jamaica? New Proposal Would Bring Cannabis Kiosks to Airport

Welcome to Jamaica. Need a medical cannabis card? The country’s newly established Cannabis Licensing Authority (CLA) is examining a proposal that would let you pick one up just as soon as you land on the island. “The thought is that if you are coming out of the airport, there is a kiosk that you can […]

Colorado Cannabis Opponents Give up Fight Over Potency Limits

DENVER — Marijuana opponents in Colorado have given up a plan to ask voters about requiring less-potent cannabis and telling consumers that the drug could cause brain damage and paranoia. Backers of the potency measure announced Friday that they’re unable to raise enough money to advertise what would have been the most serious attempt yet […]

Prescription Drug Use Falls in Medical Cannabis States

In a landmark study published earlier this week in the medical journal Health Affairs, researchers at the University of Georgia found that the use of prescription drugs is significantly less in states where medical marijuana has been legalized. The drop in prescription medication use was especially pronounced for patients with chronic pain, a condition often […]

German Parliament Opens Talks on Medical Cannabis Bill

After years of pressure from patients and advocacy groups such as the German Hemp Association (DHV), the dream of securing unfettered access to medical cannabis in Europe’s most populous country is finally coming to fruition.  On Thursday, at the request of Germany’s left-leaning opposition party Die Linke (The Left), the Bundestag, or German Parliament, opened […]

Unboxing the FEZ Portable Vaporizer

Leafly Product Review: The Fez Dry Leaf Portable Vaporizer

  Welcome to Leafly’s Product Reviews, where we take a closer look at a cannabis gadget, accessory, or consumable, and give it a test spin. Today we’re trying out the FEZ dry leaf portable vaporizer. The FEZ at a Glance Product: Portable dry leaf vaporizer Manufacturer: FEZ Price: $129.00 Features: Ready to use in under […]

Happy 710! Celebrating National Dab Day

  Most people who are familiar with cannabis recognize 4/20, either via its definitive history or the myths surrounding it. The number “420” has roots in cannabis more than 30 years deep, but a more recent cannabis holiday is taking the cannabis community by storm: 7/10, also known as Oil Day or, more affectionately, Dab […]

Silicon Valley investors are starting to warm up to weed

Published: Jul 8, 2016, 9:44 am • Updated: Jul 8, 2016, 9:44 am By Alison Vekshin, Bloomberg News SAN FRANCISCO — When three Colorado marijuana entrepreneurs made a presentation to 40 Silicon Valley investors last year, it was as though they were discussing something dirty. “There was an uncomfortable chuckle in the room, kind of […]

The new trend in U.S. marijuana stores? A focus on thoughtful, high-end shop design

Published: Jul 8, 2016, 8:58 am • Updated: Jul 15, 2016, 4:39 pm By Ricardo Baca, The Cannabist Staff Marijuana shops across the United States are getting some work done – a tuck here, some implants there and sometimes an entire facelift. Call it “Extreme Makeover: Dispensary Edition.” Pot shops, once the sparsely decorated storefronts […]

NORML’s Legislative Round Up July 8th, 2016

Adult use legalization initiatives in Arizona, California and Massachusetts are moving forward and Illinois has expanded its medical marijuana program. Keep reading to get the latest news and to find out how you can #TakeAction. Federal: On Wednesday, July 13th the US Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism is holding a hearing titled, “Researching the […]

Roadside Drug Tests Regularly Give False Positives, Putting the Innocent Behind Bars

Police arrest more than 1.2 million people on drug possession charges in the United States each year. For many of those individuals, what happens next is a nightmare: lost jobs, broken families, years behind bars. Even those defendants who are eventually acquitted generally sink thousands of dollars into legal fees. In some cases, the busts […]

Leafly Presents the Tree Lounge at Northern Nights Music Festival

  The year 2016 marks the start of a new era in California history. Not only do activists, cultivators, patients, and legislators continue to push the already thriving medical industry forward toward continued compliance, maturity, and sustainability, recreational legalization has landed on California’s 2016 ballot, meaning the state is poised to tip the balance of […]

Blumenauer Tells DNC to Put Some Teeth Into Its Legalization Plank Already

U.S. Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), the leading champion of marijuana legalization in Congress, and national drug policy reform organizations sent a letter today to Democratic National Committee Platform Committee Members urging them to strengthen the Party’s tepid position on marijuana policy by adding the following statement to the Platform position: “We support ending the failed […]

PGT #307 – Anyway You Want It

Hosted by attorney Michael Komorn from Komorn Law and Chad from Birmingham Compassion   Contributions from Rick Thompson from The Compassion Chronicles-also providing the news, and show producer Jamie Lowell from the Third Coast Dispensary in Ypsilanti   Tonight we will be Talking about: Federal case on search and Seizure Ricky Brown Federal Law Suit […]

The King of the Cannabis Conversation Abdicates the Throne

For the past two decades, there were two things you could count on in Washington, D.C.: Congress would never vote to legalize cannabis, and Allen St. Pierre would always return your call.  St. Pierre, America’s most upbeat, quick-witted, and loquacious cannabis advocate, has served as the executive director of NORML, the National Organization for the […]

Meet Dusan Dvorak, High Priest of the European Cannabis Church

You may have heard about the First Church of Cannabis, which registered in Indiana back in March 2015. Media around the world reported on Bill Levin and his launch of a very particular denomination: Members worship cannabis and consume it as a sacrament. Read about THC Ministries founded by Roger Christie in 2000 Although the […]

Arkansas Puts Medical Cannabis on the November Ballot

Arkansas Secretary of State Mark Martin confirmed today that Arkansans for Compassionate Care submitted 77,516 valid signatures, nearly 10,000 more signatures than the 67,887 needed in order to qualify for a spot on the ballot. Martin’s OK means state voters will give medical marijuana legalization an up-or-down vote in November.  Now comes the work of […]

S 02, Ep. 12: She's NORML; She captures cannabis culture

Published: Jul 7, 2016, 1:33 pm • Updated: Jul 7, 2016, 1:33 pm By Vincent Chandler, The Cannabist Staff Featured guests: Denver NORML executive director Jordan Person and Cannabis Camera owner Kim Sidwell. Podcast: Play in new window | Download LOTS TO TALK ABOUT •  Denver marijuana laws: There are now TWO competing marijuana consumption […]

Two Public-Use Measures Compete for Ballot Space in Denver

Private cannabis consumption clubs could be coming to Denver — in some form, at least — thanks to two competing initiatives gunning to make it on November’s ballot. To make the fall ballot, each campaign has until mid-August to submit at least 4,726 verified signatures.  One of the initiatives, sponsored by the Denver chapter of […]

Cannabis Use Won’t Prevent You From Getting Insurance, But It Might Cost You

Contrary to stoner stereotypes, cannabis users are very interested in grown-up things like obtaining quality medical coverage, pursuing life insurance protections after they start families, or seeking “key man” coverage for their businesses. That’s not always easy — or even possible, as evidenced by the recent experience of TerraTech CEO Derek Peterson. Peterson had applied […]

Laguna Blends Signs Letter of Intent to Acquire Distribution Rights of Swiss Made Cannaceuticals CBD Skin Care Line

Laguna Blends (CSE:LAG; OTCMKTS:LAGBF; FRA:LB6A) announce that it has signed a non-binding letter of intent with Cannaceuticals of California, USA, whereby Laguna and Canna plan to enter into a definitive Manufacturing and Exclusive Licence Agreement for the purpose of pursuing mutually beneficial business opportunities in the Cannabidiol skin care industry.  The parties have agreed to an […]

Why You Should Support AIDS Walk SF: An Interview with Team Cannabis Founder Dan Grace

Since 1987, the AIDS Walk San Francisco has raised millions of dollars for HIV programs and services in the community. This year, you can join Leafly and Team Cannabis for the 2016 AIDS Walk in San Francisco on July 17th. Help raise money and awareness for HIV/AIDS, including HIV support and care services. Pick up […]

Arkansas Medical Cannabis Act Makes the 2016 Ballot

Group calls for other medical cannabis initiative to withdraw or face both failing at ballot. LITTLE ROCK, AR — A citizen-driven initiative that would allow Arkansas doctors to recommend medical cannabis for sick and dying patients will be on the November ballot. Mark Martin, the Secretary of State, confirmed today that Arkansans for Compassionate Care (ACC) […]

Arkansas: Medical Cannabis Legalization Measure Qualifies For November Ballot

Arkansas voters will decide this November on a statewide initiative to permit qualified physician-authorized patients to possess and cultivate cannabis. The Secretary of State’s office today affirmed that proponents, Arkansans for Compassionate Care, submitted sufficient signatures from registered voters to qualify the measure for the November ballot. The 2016 Arkansas Medical Cannabis Act establishes a […]

Here’s Why Arkansas is Ready For Medical Cannabis

UPDATE 07/07/2016 11:00AM: The Arkansas Secretary of State’s office has validated 77,516 signatures. The Arkansas Medical Cannabis Act will be on the November 8th 2016 ballot. (Read the initiative here.) On Monday, June 24, Arkansans for Compassionate Care (ACC) submitted 117,469 signatures—nearly double the required 67,887 to qualify medical cannabis for November’s ballot. The initiative, the […]

Illinois Governor Signs Medical Marijuana Expansion Law

SPRINGFIELD, IL — Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner has signed legislation to expand and extend the state’s medical marijuana program. The legislation, Senate Bill 10, extends the state’s medical cannabis program to 2020. Legislation initiating the program was set to expire in 2018. Other changes to the program include: adding post-traumatic stress and any terminal illness as […]

Bipartisan Measures Introduced in Congress to Facilitate Marijuana Research Trials

WASHINGTON, DC — A bipartisan coalition of House and Senate lawmakers have proposed legislation, the Medical Marijuana Research Act of 2016 and the Marijuana Effective Drug Studies Act, to facilitate and accelerate clinical investigations into the safety and efficacy of cannabis. Passage of the measures – House Bill 5549 and Senate Bill 3077 – would expedite […]

CEO of Scotts Miracle-Gro says marijuana 'biggest thing' ever in gardening

Published: Jul 6, 2016, 4:04 pm • Updated: Jul 8, 2016, 10:48 am By Alicia Wallace, The Cannabist Staff A lord of lawn-and-garden isn’t backing down from his plans for building a billion-dollar business in the legal weed market. In fact, he’s going full throttle on those efforts. Jim Hagedorn, the CEO of Scotts Miracle-Gro […]

Not blowing smoke: Research finds medical marijuana lowers prescription drug use

Medical marijuana is having a positive impact on the bottom line of Medicare’s prescription drug benefit program in states that have legalized its use for medicinal purposes, according to new research.The savings, due to lower prescription drug use, were estimated to be $165.2 million in 2013, a year when 17 states and the District of […]

State of the Leaf: Hawaii Misses Dispensary Launch, and Washington MMJ Shift Sparks Alarm

U.S. News Updates Alaska Although the applications for Alaska’s new recreational cannabis licenses were originally scheduled to have been processed by the end of May, so far just two licenses for testing facilities have been awarded. (CannTest, a testing facility, was awarded the first.) Countless other companies have secured zoning permits and moved forward with […]

How Does Cannabis Consumption Affect the Brain?

  The relationship between cannabis and the brain is a meaty subject. Identifying the various ways cannabis affects the brain is complicated, and we’ve only just begun to unravel many of the mysteries. Most perplexingly, there’s a lot of seemingly contradictory evidence out there. On the one hand, we’re inundated with messages that cannabis impairs […]

Real talk on how the IRS unfairly taxes legal marijuana businesses

Published: Jul 6, 2016, 2:10 pm • Updated: Jul 6, 2016, 2:10 pm By The Cannabist Staff By current Internal Revenue Service standards, LivWell Enlightened Health and many of its brethren in legal weed are “glorified tax collectors,” says John Lord, chief executive officer of one of Colorado’s largest dispensary chains. Lord joins Cannabist editor-in-chief […]

Marijuana use dampens brain’s response to reward over time, study finds

Most people would get a little ‘rush’ out of the idea that they’re about to win some money. In fact, if you could look into their brain at that very moment, you’d see activity in the part of the brain that responds to rewards. But for marijuana users, that rush just isn’t as big — […]

Opening Date for Hawaii Dispensaries Likely Delayed

The initial opening date for the eight approved Hawaiian medical marijuana dispensaries of July 15 is likely going to be delayed. State officials communicated that inspections are not yet completed on the designated dispensaries. All Hawaiian medical marijuana dispensaries must pass inspections prior to opening. Hawaii has more than 14,000 registered medical marijuana patients. The […]

S 02, Ep 11: He's a marijuana mogul; He protects the industry

Published: Jul 5, 2016, 3:24 pm • Updated: Jul 5, 2016, 3:24 pm By Vincent Chandler, The Cannabist Staff Featured guests: LivWell Enlightened Health owner John Lord and Blueline Protection Group chief compliance and operations officer Ricky Bennett. Podcast: Play in new window | Download LOTS TO TALK ABOUT •  How some Colorado shops can […]

Mixing cannabis with tobacco increases dependence risk, suggests study

People who mix tobacco with cannabis are less motivated to seek help to quit.

Ohio's lawyers have ethics questions about medical marijuana

Published: Jul 5, 2016, 2:04 pm • Updated: Jul 7, 2016, 3:19 pm By The Associated Press COLUMBUS, Ohio — Attorneys are asking whether Ohio’s new medical marijuana law that bars employers from disciplining professionals from working with marijuana businesses applies to them. Lawyers have submitted at least two requests for formal opinions on the […]

Here's why this vape CEO prefers load-your-own vapes

Published: Jul 5, 2016, 1:53 pm • Updated: Jul 5, 2016, 1:53 pm By The Cannabist Staff Roger Volodarsky founded a load-your-own vape pen company because he says he thinks cannabis connoisseurs shouldn’t have to make a compromise when they vape. In states where marijuana sales are allowed, vape pens sometimes come pre-filled or utilize […]

Naturally Splendid CEO Interview by SmallCap-Investor TV

In a recent interview with SmallCap-Investor Naturally Splendid (TSXV:NSP) CEO, Craig Goodwin, discussed how the company is offering investors an opportunity to gain exposure to the hemp-based healthy foods and omega markets. Connect with Naturally Splendid (TSXV:NSP) to receive an Investor Presentation. The post Naturally Splendid CEO Interview by SmallCap-Investor TV appeared first on Investing News Network.

Hawaii update: Delay likely for debut of medical marijuana dispensaries

Published: Jul 5, 2016, 8:27 am • Updated: Jul 7, 2016, 7:03 pm By The Associated Press LIHUE, Hawaii — State officials say they have yet to inspect the eight licensed medical marijuana businesses, making it unlikely that the Hawaii medical marijuana dispensaries will open by July 15, the earliest date legislators had allowed them […]

Here’s Why My Husband Was Put In Prison For A Plant

Andi Martin woke up to take her kids to school – like she did every day. Her husband, Chris however noticed there were a lot of police out that morning. Here’s where Andi says the nightmare started… Coming In; Guns Blazing They followed us over eight miles. We got up to a four way stop. It was a […]

Here’s Why Cannabis Patients Are Getting Creative In Arizona

I live in Arizona where, thanks to Proposition 203, medical cannabis has been legal since 2010. In 2014, after much legal back-and-forth, cannabis patients in Arizona celebrated the addition of a new qualifying condition to the Arizona Medical Marijuana Act (AMMA). What many still do not recognize is when the Director of the state’s Department of Health Services at […]

Cannabis Craftsmanship: Making Infused Syrup

Announcing The July Dispensary Of The Month: Serra Cannabis

As a part of The Weed Blog’s initiative to promote responsible cannabis business practices, we’ve chosen to highlight a dispensary every month that exemplifies this goal. By focusing on high-quality cannabis brands, we intend to showcase the benefits the cannabis industry has brought to the community, the difficulties managing the constant wave of regulations, and

They Did It Again! Dirty Politics In DC Leaves Veterans Hanging

Veterans from across the country are demanding access to cannabis through the Veterans Health Administration as a recognized medical alternative to pharmaceutical narcotics without facing discrimination and punishment. It is time for our government to acknowledge what has already been proven through rigorous scientific research conducted as far back as the 1960’s and paid for by the U.S. National Institutes of Health.

Research credited for identifying many of cannabis’ medicinal properties which has subsequently led to multiple patents being filed in the U.S., specifically the patent held by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services listing cannabis as an antioxidant and neuroprotectant — US6630507 B1.

The Proof is Falling Into Formation

Testimonials of veterans who have benefited greatly from the use of cannabis are readily available in large and ever growing numbers. As federal patients veterans are being prescribed extremely addictive pharmaceutical narcotics linked to tens of thousands of deaths across the country every year, and rising.

Demonstrators march in Philadelphia calling for cannabis law reform. – 2015

It’s widely accepted that cannabis is a neuroprotectant, serves as a palliative treatment for those suffering with post-traumatic stress disorder, and has statistically lowered the overdose rates in states where it is legal.

We Do Have Alies

Congressman Earl Blumenaur (D-OR) and others have been fighting for years to pass a bill that would essentially crack Pandoras Box within the VA. Finally a bipartisan coalition of policy makers in DC believe it’s time for veterans to engage in open honest and free conversation about cannabis therapy with their VA Primary Care Providers.

These elected public servants even voted on it, and the measure passed with a great cheer from across the country as veterans who’ve been living in the shadows for far too long finally felt they could safely “come out” about their cannabis use.

The Democratically inclined among us might rightfully finish reading here and figure the system is finally starting to work the way our founding fathers intended. Nothing more to discuss. Way to do right by our veterans, now move on to the next issue. Right? Wrong.

When the legislation which has been so broadly supported came out of the final conference committee the language pertaining to cannabis and veterans access within the VA had been removed, naturally leaving each elected official who voted for the measure scratching their heads wondering what the hell happened. What’s more, shortly after the still to be identified committee released the “new” document, the Congress and Senate went home to celebrate our Nation’s Independence Day.

The Fight Continues

We refuse to allow our leadership to continue claiming ignorance as their defense in the face of such overwhelming scientific evidence disproving their increasingly impotent claims. Science should be dictating our policy and legislative action pertaining to cannabis. When the House and Senate return from their vacations, we will be there, waiting for answers. Demanding action, accountability, and assurances that this type of despicable behavior will no longer be tolerated.

So, on this Fourth of July while you’re waiting for the fireworks to start, firing up the grill, or heading out for a night on the town, remember your being distracted is what they’re counting on.

What do you think — should veterans be able to access cannabis through the VA? Let us know in the comments below…

About the Author

Ricardo Pereyda

Ricardo Pereyda is U.S. Army Veteran from Tucson, Arizona. Advocating for federal & state cannabis law and public health reform, he has been outspoken in calling for veteran access within the VA and research into the safety and efficacy of cannabis. He’s worked closely with Patients Out of Time, Drug Policy Alliance, the Multidisciplinary Association of Psychedelic Studies (MAPS), the Arizona Cannabis Nurses Association, The Weed for Warriors Project, Operation OverMed and Veterans for Medical Cannabis Access among others.

The post They Did It Again! Dirty Politics In DC Leaves Veterans Hanging appeared first on #illegallyhealed.

They Did It Again! Dirty Politics In DC Leaves Veterans Hanging

Veterans from across the country are demanding access to cannabis through the Veterans Health Administration as a recognized medical alternative to pharmaceutical narcotics without facing discrimination and punishment. It is time for our government to acknowledge what has already been proven through rigorous scientific research conducted as far back as the 1960’s and paid for by the […]

Washington tests reveal undisclosed pesticides in pot growing products

Published: Jul 1, 2016, 9:45 am • Updated: Jul 5, 2016, 7:59 am By The Associated Press SEATTLE — Washington state’s Department of Agriculture says it has found traces of undisclosed pesticides in many of the marijuana-growing fertilizers and other products it tested recently. Inspectors tested 39 products. Spokesman Hector Castro said Thursday that of […]

The Democratic Party’s Cannabis Position Stinks. Here’s How We’d Change It.

The Democratic Party released its official pre-convention platform this afternoon, giving all of us policy wonks stuck in our offices prior to the July 4 weekend something to read and grumble about.

So let’s get grumbling!

The party’s position on cannabis consists of 86 words of room-temp tea. Cold oatmeal. Stale fries. Choose your own food-based metaphor. It’s far more Hillary than Bernie, all uncertainty and more-research-is-needed, served up with a nearly offensive tip o’ the cap to the outrageous disparities between white and African American marijuana arrest rates. Here it is, in all its half-measured glory:

“We believe that the states should be laboratories of democracy on the issue of marijuana, and those states that want to decriminalize marijuana should be able to do so. We support policies that will allow more research on marijuana, as well as reforming our laws to allow legal marijuana businesses to exist without uncertainty. And we recognize our current marijuana laws have had an unacceptable disparate impact, with arrest rates for marijuana possession among African Americans far outstripping arrest rates among whites, despite similar usage rates.”

This is a platform that could be vastly improved in two minutes.

In fact, we did just that. We sent it around the Leafly editorial office for revision. Here are four alternate-universe versions, from writers Bruce Barcott, Lisa Rough, Brett Konen, and Ben Adlin. Changes are in bold.

Alt Version 1: The De-Scheduler

“We believe that the states should be laboratories of democracy on the issue of marijuana, and those states that want to legalize and regulate marijuana should be able to do so. We support the end of federal marijuana prohibition. We believe marijuana should be entirely dropped from the federal schedule of controlled substances. We support policies that will allow uninhibited research on marijuana, as well as reforming our federal tax, banking, and other laws to allow legal marijuana businesses to exist without uncertainty. We believe the U.S. Justice Department should end its oversight of marijuana and allow states to regulate the substance as they please. We recognize our current marijuana laws have had an unacceptable disparate impact, with arrest rates for marijuana possession among African Americans far outstripping arrest rates among whites, despite similar usage rates. With that in mind, we support clemency and amnesty for those convicted of, and accused of, federal and state crimes involving marijuana.” (Bruce Barcott)

Alt Version 2: The Justice System Overhaul

“We believe that cannabis has been proven in multiple, wide-ranging scientific studies to have extensive medical benefits for a variety of illnesses and ailments and, as such, cannabis should be removed from Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act and be moved to Schedule II. This would expand the opportunities for further research and remove barriers for scientists who do not have access due to current scheduling restrictions. We recognize our current marijuana laws have had a devastating impact on African Americans, and we believe that in order to reduce the disparity between the races, wholesale changes need to be made to the current criminal justice system.” (Lisa Rough)

Alt Version 3: The Precise Rescheduler

“We recognize that states have the constitutional right to act as laboratories of democracy on the issue of cannabis, and to do so without interference or threat thereof from the federal government. Those states that want to decriminalize or legalize cannabis for medical or adult recreational use can and should be able to do so. We strongly support policies that will facilitate more rigorous and extensive research on cannabis, as well as reforming our laws to allow legal cannabis businesses to exist without obstacles or uncertainty. Furthermore, we recognize that our current cannabis laws have had an unacceptably disparate impact on different racial and socioeconomic groups, with arrest rates for cannabis possession among African Americans far outstripping arrest rates among whites despite similar usage rates. The rescheduling of cannabis at the federal level is decades overdue, and continued inattention to this issue is unacceptable. We support the immediate rescheduling of cannabis to Schedule II or lower, if it remains scheduled at all.” (Brett Konen)

Alt Version 4: The Science-Based Solution

“We believe that current federal policies regarding cannabis and its constituent compounds — particularly their inclusion in the Controlled Substances Act — has no basis in science and, in fact, borders on paternalism. We call on Congress to take the lead in setting common-sense policies regarding academic research and the medical effects of consumption, recognizing that cannabis poses a far smaller threat to public health than alcohol and nicotine. As a growing number of states have shown, legalization and sensible regulation of both medical and adult-use markets help ensure safe and consistent products while limiting the availability of cannabis to minors. Reform also begins to address some of the worst consequences of the drug war — disproportionately harsh criminal penalties, mass incarceration, and widespread racial discrimination. It’s time for cannabis regulations to be the result of scientific evidence and intellectual honesty, not stale political propaganda.” (Ben Adlin)

These Pro MMA Fighters Don’t Just Use Cannabis, They Embrace It

At a time when some professional leagues are fining and suspending players for cannabis use, a group of leading MMA fighters and jiu jitsu champions are openly embracing cannabis as part of their training program and health regimen. This weekend they’ll gather in San Jose, Calif., for the world’s first “Cannathlete Seminar” program, which is open to the public.

Former UFC contender and Strikeforce Champion Jake Shields as well as three-time Brazilian Jiu Jitsu World Champion Denny Prokopos will co-host the “Cannathlete – Train Like a Champion” series from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday. The event is open to anyone interested in learning more about how to optimize their mental and physical performance with cannabis.

Tickets for the event are $125, which includes a doctor’s recommendation, or $100 if you already have an in-state recommendation. During the event, Shields will discuss the ways he manages his competitive nerves through diet and strength conditioning, while Prokopos will lead a series of breathing, meditation, and self-defense exercises in addition to sharing how he incorporates cannabis into his daily training routines.

The event is co-sponsored by VapeXhale, maker of a vape pen marketed toward athletes. Company founder and CEO Seibo Shen is a fellow MMA fighter and former stuntman. His company sponsors both Shields and Prokopos, and he hopes so-called cannathletes — athletes who incorporate cannabis within their daily workouts — catch on in the sporting world.

Jake Shields. Photo courtesy of VapeXhale

Shen, a veteran in the tech industry, has been a lifelong jui jitsu practitioner. After several years away from the sport, he looked to find a way back into martial arts. He eventually arrived at 10th Planet Jui Jitsu in California, run by jiu jitsu legend Eddie Bravo.

Bravo, a well-known regular on the Joe Rogan Podcast, has been a longtime cannabis supporter. At 10th Planet, Shen was introduced to Denny Prokopos and began training and sharing ideas.

“I think it is a match made in heaven,” Shen told Leafly in a recent interview. “We were really trying to push the envelope of how healthy and efficient vaporizers can be, and here I found someone who was doing jui jitsu and had the same type of ideologies and methodologies as me.

“Once we started talking about cannabis and health, I started to notice what Denny was doing not just to train his body, but also [his] mind and spirt with yoga and meditating. I started implementing those practices as well.”

Eddie Bravo, left, and Denny Prokopos. Photo courtesy of VapeXhale

Prokopos agreed that the two hit it off immediately.

“From the beginning we have shared the same vision, which is, basically: jujitsu, cannabis, health, success, recovery, positive mental attitude — and we want to contribute,” he told Leafly. “We see that cannabis, jujitsu, strength and conditioning, meditation, and yoga — things of those natures and recovery — go hand and hand.”

Denny added, “We want to put something together that is unique, that hasn’t been done, and we think people will like it. This is something that I have been doing for a very long time myself — I am the lab rat on everything for this. I love it; it is my whole lifestyle.”

Shields, a former UFC contender who fought the legendary Georges St-Pierre for the welterweight title at UFC 129, agreed with Shen and his training partner Prokopos. People would be surprised at how many fighters use cannabis, Shields said..

“It is a big crossover between jujitsu guys, MMA guys and cannabis,” he explained. “I would say half, if not more of the guys smoke, a lot of them not openly. I think more guys feel like they can come out about it now with the climate change” in favor of legalization. “It is a big part of the training for a lot of people. I definitely don’t smoke every day, but sometimes it is a good way to go in there and smoke a little bit and be a little more creative — like sometimes when you are in a big training camp before a competition, it really makes training fun again.”

Jake Shields. Photo courtesy of VapeXhale

All three athletes agreed that cannabis has helped them become more creative in jujitsu. When he began vaping, Prokopos said, it helped him approach things from a different perspective.

“One of the things that I realized early on was, when I first started smoking cannabis or vaping, I would see things I would normally would not see, and I started looking from a different lens, in a way,” he said. “Then also, when I started rolling, it relaxed me, I opened up, I cared a lot less about being smashed. I was a lot more interested in the moves.”

For Shields, cannabis isn’t something he takes advantage of every time he goes to work and competes. He describes it more as an aid, used to bring a change of pace to training camp.

“It brings a whole new experience to it,” he said. “I certainly don’t encourage this during every workout, but maybe try it both ways so you can get new ideas and become more creative.”

“Cannathlete – Train Like A Champion” begins at 10 a.m. at the Cannathlete Training Center, on 96 N. Almaden Blvd., San Jose, Calif., 95110.

Maryland Attorney Leah Heise Named CEO of Women Grow

Women Grow, the acclaimed international cannabis organization, has just announced a major transition in leadership, with Maryland-based attorney Leah Heise taking over as CEO.

Heise is a compliance attorney actively involved in the implementation of Maryland’s medical cannabis program. She joined Women Grow two years ago, when she began assisting with the Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission. Last year she formed the Chesapeake Integrated Health Institute and created a management team to apply for licenses to grow, process, and distribute cannabis as part of Maryland’s burgeoning industry.

In accepting the position, Heise recognized her predecessors at Women Grow, co-founders Jazmin Hupp and Jane West. “Jazmin and Jane built an incredible platform for diverse leaders to succeed in the nascent cannabis industry,” she said. “It is an honor to have this chance to expand on their vision and strengthen Women Grow’s position as a leader in the international cannabis industry.”

Women Grow was founded in 2014 by Hupp and West, beginning with just a single chapter in Denver, Colo. In the years since, it has become the largest national event organization for women (and men) in the cannabis industry, with more than 15,000 event attendees and over 75,000 Women Grow followers.

Hupp has been serving as the group’s CEO for the past two years, with support from West as National Events Director. Both founders will continue to be involved in the future of the organization and in the cannabis industry.

How Much Do You Know About Canada? Take Leafly's Canada Day Cannabis Quiz

Happy Canada Day!

How much do you know about the True North Strong and Free? Take our Canada Day Cannabis Quiz and find out.

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PGT #306 – Just got to Be

Hosted by attorney Michael Komorn from Komorn Law and Chad from Birmingham Compassion   Contributions from Rick Thompson from The Compassion Chronicles-also providing the news, and show producer Jamie Lowell from the Third Coast Dispensary in Ypsilanti   Tonight we will be Talking about: Federal case on search and Seizure Ricky Brown Federal Law Suit […]

S 02, Ep. 10: He makes vape pens in New York; He cooks with cannaflour

Published: Jun 30, 2016, 2:03 pm • Updated: Jun 30, 2016, 2:03 pm By Vincent Chandler, The Cannabist Staff Featured guests: Puffco founder Roger Volodarsky and edibles chef Michael Rubens. Podcast: Play in new window | Download LOTS TO TALK ABOUT •  Loose-leaf vape pens versus those that utilize polyethylene glycol, coconut oil or other […]

Mettrum Increases Revenue by 35% and Gross Margin by 47% in Q4 2016

Mettrum Health (TSXV:MT) released its fourth quarter and full-year 2016 financial results on Wednesday. According to the press release: Q4 2016 versus Q3 Financial Highlights: Revenues increased 35% to $2,714,468 Grams sold increased 32% to 305,950 grams Gross Margin increased 47% to $1,993,109 Adjusted EBITDA loss improved by 38% to a loss of $823,066 Registered clients […]

More Minnesota Dispensaries to Open on Anniversary of State's Medical Market

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Minnesota’s final two medical marijuana dispensaries are set to open Friday, bringing all eight clinics online ahead of a critical expansion that could bring thousands more patients into the program in its second year.

Lawmakers gave the state’s two manufacturers time to open the eight locations required by the law that legalized medical marijuana; just two were open when the program launched last summer, both in the Twin Cities. LeafLine Labs’ final two clinics opening Friday — in St. Paul and Hibbing — brings the program to full strength, shortening drives for patients and their parents.

Friday also marks the first full year of legal medical marijuana sales, marked by high costs and lackluster patient enrollment that came with one of the most restrictive laws in the country. No plant form is allowed, and only patients with a handful of severe conditions like cancer, seizure disorders or multiple sclerosis can qualify. In a month, however, patients with intractable pain will be added to the program — a condition that’s dominated medical marijuana business in other states and could boost Minnesota’s registration beyond the roughly 1,500 at last state count.

The new shops are a boon to people like Angie Weaver, who has made 400-mile round trips from her home in Hibbing to Eagan, the closest spot to buy the medical marijuana that she calls “a miracle” for treating her daughter Amelia’s severe seizure condition. As of Friday, it will be just a few miles down the road.

“This location opening up for northern Minnesota is so important,” Weaver said. “It was just immediate for Amelia. It’s the best treatment we’ve ever found.”

The new locations bookend a rapid development for the program — just three dispensaries were open for much of the first year in Eagan, Minneapolis and Rochester, and clinics in Moorhead, St. Cloud and Bloomington recently opened.

The expansion also sticks the companies that grow, refine and sell marijuana products with additional costs. But officials from LeafLine and Minnesota Medical Solutions, the state’s second manufacturer, are confident their business is on the right track.

“We want to be in every corner in the state,” LeafLine chief executive Andrew Bachman said. “We want to make this as convenient as possible. We want to make this as accessible as possible.”

Kyle Kingsley, Minnesota Medical Solution’s chief executive, said they’ve softened the financial blow of expansion by limiting hours at their newest locations; in Moorhead, they’re open just a few times a month until the business picks up.

Kingsley and Bachman stressed medical marijuana’s potential to replace narcotic drugs for pain treatment and sounded emboldened by the likely influx of patients with intractable pain starting Aug. 1, but neither really know what to expect. The two companies will start getting a better idea in July, when patients can begin getting a doctor’s approval to register for the program.

Both companies have drawn up plans for expansion their production centers, where the marijuana is grown and cultivated into medicine.

“This is an industry that is based upon adaptability and agility,” Bachman said.

Stash Containers and Foldable Bongs: The Best Cannabis Products of June 2016

Welcome to Leafly’s cannabis products roundup for the month of June, where we take a look at a few of the many different products that are making a splash in the industry. From cleaning products and stash boxes to travel-friendly bongs and cooking classes, we’ve highlighted the interesting, innovative, or just plain fun items that caught our attention. You can find these products through our own Products section for further information.

VapeXhale 420 Wipes

First up for the month of June, we have 420 Wipes from the good folks at VapeXhale. These are perfect for sharing smoking devices without passing along germs, as they easily clean and sterilize the mouthpiece of any product you’re using before you hand it off to your friend. Now you can enjoy your group smoke sesh without worrying about swapping spit!

Cost: $6.95

Marley Natural Small Holder

Next we have the small holder from Marley Natural. This discrete yet beautifully-crafted wooden container is a stylish, functional option for carrying any of your pre-rolls or herbs. Beneath the smooth black walnut exterior lies a protective interior with minimal odor and maximum protection for the utmost discretion.

Cost: $30.00

Black Beauty Roll-uh-Bowl Foldable Bong

This ingenious device from Roll-uh-Bowl is a foldable silicone water pipe to allow for the ultimate smoking portability, making it perfect for outdoor summer fun. It also comes with a Graffix downstem and bowl for quality hits. The silicone construction also makes for incredibly easy cleaning and storage as well. If you find yourself needing a quick toke but still want the bong experience, this is the product for you!

Cost: $34.99

420 Tours Cannabis Cooking Class

If you find yourself in Denver, be sure to check out the Cannabis Cooking Class from 420 Tours. The class, taught by the Stir Cooking School, will help you and other adults learn how to add cannabis into your meals through a fun hands-on experience from a professional chef. You will come away from the class not only with a happy stomach, but also with a newfound knowledge of cannabis oil breakdowns and cannabis-infused cooking techniques!

Cost: $99.00 and up

Pot Liquor Moonshine

Last but not least, we have some Pot Liquor Moonshine THC True Holistic Cannabis Tea for anyone who’s interested in consuming cannabis-infused beverages. Produced by True Holistic™ Co., this refreshing tea comes packed with 375mg of high quality THC, giving you maximum effects without sacrificing taste. Please note that this product is currently only available in California.

Cost: Varies; check California dispensaries to see if it’s in stock

Stay tuned next month for a new roundup of cannabis products! Got a suggestion in mind? Send your favorite products to tips@nullleafly.com and we may include them in future roundups!

Canada Launches Cannabis Task Force to Prepare for Full Legalization

TORONTO (AP) — Canada launched a task force Thursday to study the regulation of recreational marijuana ahead of a legalization measure the government plans to send to parliament in the spring of 2017.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had promised to legalize the drug during his 2015 campaign.

Canada’s Minister of Justice Jody Wilson-Raybould said that the task force will help devise a system regulating cannabis production, distribution and sales.

Anne McLellan, who will chair the task force, said they will be consulting with provincial and municipal governments, as well as with U.S. states like Colorado and Washington, where recreational marijuana is legal.

McLellan said there’s been a deeper understanding of the cannabis landscape over the past decade.

“I think so many people have come to the conclusion, for so many reasons, that the current situation is not working and we need a better way forward,” she said. “I have, myself, concluded that legalization with a regulatory regime, such as the task force will be exploring, is the way forward.”

The task force is made up of experts in public health, substance abuse, law enforcement and justice.

The panel, whose recommendations will be made public, will have to report back to the government by November before legislation is introduced in 2017.

The government will also hold an online public consultation that will be open until the end of August.

The legislation will need to be voted on in Canada’s House of Commons, but since the current ruling Liberals hold a majority of seats, the bill is expected to pass.

While it’s still unclear what restrictions will be imposed on cannabis growers, Bill Blair, the parliamentary secretary to the justice minister, said the government had a responsibility to put in place legislation “to control the production, distribution and the consumption” of cannabis, especially to keep it out of the hands of children and criminals.

Cartel Bust: 6,500 Plants Seized from Illegal Oregon Operation

An illegal cannabis growing operation in rural Yamhill County, Ore., resulted in an arrest and the seizure of plants worth around $9 million early Tuesday, the The Oregonian reports.

The grow was found in the wetlands Dayton on wetlands near the Willamette River, as authorities have determined the operation was part of a Mexican drug trafficking organization, the Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release Wednesday morning.

The Yamhill County Interagency Narcotics Team conducted a two-month investigation into the growing operation. Due to safety concerns, the Oregon State Police SWAT were also called in for the tactical portion of the operation on Tuesday.

Manuel Madrigal, 42, was arrested at the grow on federal drug trafficking charges and transferred to the U.S. Marshals in Portland. Madrigal, who has a San Antonio, Tex., address, also has previous drug arrests.

Sheriff Tim Svenson said the illegal grow is a prime example of the black market’s stubborn presence in Oregon, despite the state’s legal adult-use market opening late last year.

“There is still a profit to be made in marijuana by these illegal organizations,” he said. “As long as this continues, we will need to remain diligent in our investigations to keep this money from being routed to other areas of criminal activity.”

The site was the first large-scale operation found in the county in several years, according to local reports.

Ex-NFL QB Jake Plummer Rips Jerry Jones Over CTE and Cannabis

Former NFL quarterback Jake Plummer, who played in the league for a decade with the Arizona Cardinals, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Denver Broncos, opened up this week about the NFL’s drug problem.

Plummer, who has been retired from the league for a decade now, on Tuesday called out Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones on BSN Denver over Jones’ views on chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) and the league’s marijuana policy.

“Like Jerry Jones, who says it’s ‘absurd’ that there would be a link between brain trauma, football and CTE,” Plummer said. “Shame on him for saying that, that billionaire asshole. It’s the worst thing in the world for a guy like that to say. That’s where we’re sitting; grown-ass men are asked to go out there for millions of dollars — which, yeah, it’s a lot of money— bang themselves around, and completely fuck their lives over for their forties and fifties. So yeah, poor football players is what I say. If you’re a grown-ass man, you should be allowed to make grown-ass decisions.”

You may recall Jones’ comments this offseason on the link between CTE and football. Jones responded in a way only the multi-billionaire could. Jones, quoted in the Washington Post, said he wanted studies to back up the link between CTE and football — like the ones reported by Dr. Bennet Omaulu, who was portrayed by Will Smith in the film “Concussion.” Omalu found CTE in the brains of five players in the early 2000s. Evidence of CTE was also found in the brains of 12 other former players between 2008 and 2010.

As Plummer noted, each person makes their own decision to play football. “They should be able to say, ‘I’m going to have some CBD and puff on this fatty, relax after a football game and take the pain away,’” he said. “Not get tested for it like Josh Gordon, who now can’t play the game that he’s been playing since he was a kid because he smokes marijuana. It didn’t derail him or cause him to underachieve from what I witnessed.

“He dominated the league for two straight years, and now he’s out of the league because he chose an alternative form of medicine.”

CBD — cannabidiol, a non-psychoactive cannabinoid found in cannabis — is something Plummer uses every day. Jake The Snake mentioned that one of his former teammates, Nate Jackson, introduced him to CBD as an alternative to the highly addictive painkillers many NFL doctors prescribe to players.

As Plummer mentioned to BSN Denver, players in the league don’t really have a choice when a team doctor prescribes painkillers. The NFL is a revolving door for players; any scrub or star can get cut by any team at any time.

“It’s really hard to explain to the outside, because it’s like having a job and there’s constantly people coming to take your job,” Plummer explains. “If you’re in pain, and you can’t perform or if you’re not healthy, then someone is going to take your job.”

“I know a lot of guys that were using [Percocet] and [Vicodin] if that’s what they had to do to get through an NFL season,” Plummer added. “At that point, I wasn’t going to be the guy to say, ‘Hey man, this stuff is bad for you.’ I knew it was; I knew they knew it was but your job is being threatened and you’re going to do whatever it takes. There was, still is and always has been a pretty high use of whatever drug of choice it is to keep you on the field.”

Plummer’s comments continue the ongoing conversation about medical cannabis and the NFL. Former Baltimore Ravens offensive tackle Eugene Monroe and current Tennessee Titans linebacker Derrick Morgan recently pushed to remove league sanctions against cannabis use. Monroe, who was released from the Ravens on June 15, shortly after his public comments, has been the most outspoken active player in support of medical cannabis in the NFL.

Header photo by Keith Allison

Portland Bike Tours for Cannabis Enthusiasts

Pedal Bike Tours has offered historical tours of the Portland and Honolulu areas via people-powered transportation since 2007. On October 1st, 2015, when early adult use/recreational marijuana sales began in Oregon, they launched a new project, Portland Pot Tours. Sarah Gilbert, who has been with the company for almost two years, came up with the

Congress: Republicans Derail Efforts to Expand Cannabis Access to Military Veterans

WASHINGTON, DC — A panel of House Republicans has removed language from a federal appropriations bill that sought to expand medical cannabis access to eligible military veterans. Majorities in both the US House and Senate voted in May to include the language, the Veterans Equal Access Amendment, as part of the Fiscal Year 2017 Military Construction, Veterans […]

Clinical Trial: Vaporized Cannabis Efficacious In Treating Neuropathy

SACRAMENTO, CA — The inhalation of vaporized herbal cannabis reduces neuropathic pain in patients with spinal cord related injuries, according to placebo-controlled clinical trial data published online ahead of print in The Journal of Pain. A team of investigators at the University of California, San Diego, UC Davis, and the Sacramento VA Medical Center evaluated the […]

These ADHD Researchers are Reading Your Posts for Insights on Medical Cannabis

Researchers at Duke University took to online forums last month to learn more about how ADHD patients are self-medicating with cannabis, pushing over the first domino in what might become a series of novel scientific discoveries.

Research rarely starts in a lab. Instead, it begins with a story or situation that prompts a question. Before scoffing at the fact that these researchers used forum threads as the primary data point in their report, consider this: who’d think to associate cannabis and ADHD without the anecdotal evidence put forth by experimentally inclined cannabis users?

“The overall aim of this study was to systematically characterize one source of information that patients and caregivers may use to inform their opinions about ADHD and cannabis: the Internet,” the authors said. “Approximately 72% of adult and 84% of adolescent U.S. Internet users query the Internet for healthcare information.”

Currently, no clinical trials, recommendations, or research support the benefits of cannabis for ADHD. Previous studies looked at the relationship between cannabis and ADHD through the frame of abuse, fixating on the comorbidity rates of ADHD and cannabis use disorder. While this analysis doesn’t provide empirical evidence of efficacy or even demographic context, it does raise an important question that other studies have bypassed: might cannabis have benefits for adult ADHD sufferers?

Looking at 401 posts randomly selected from 258 relevant forum discussions, the researchers determined:

• 25% of posts indicated cannabis was therapeutic for ADHD
• 8% of posts indicated it was harmful
• 2% of posts indicated that cannabis had no impact on their ADHD

Researchers note that depending on the forum in question, attitudes might be skewed toward pro-cannabis sentiments, but the anecdotal evidence is strong enough that even healthcare professionals are coming out in favor of researching this particular behavioral application.

What makes this qualitative analysis an interesting piece of scientific literature isn’t just the statistical results, but also the source from which those were collected. It shows that (A.) the stories we share online can have an impact on scientific and public opinions on cannabis, and (B) patients must often turn to unverified online sources for information on cannabis and health.

“Indeed, more individuals indicate they are more likely to use online forums to address mental health concerns than face-to-face with another person,” the researchers noted. “These forums facilitate social interactions and allow individuals to self-disclose their unfiltered experiences, inquiries, and opinions about substance use in an anonymous format, and may be a fruitful starting point for understanding what patients and caregivers are exposed to when searching for information about the effects of cannabis on ADHD.”

With hundreds of user reviews on Leafly commenting on how different strains affect ADHD symptoms, there’s no shortage of anecdotal evidence begging to be looked into by scientists. How does cannabis change communication systems in the brain to improve or hinder neurocognitive functions relevant to those with ADHD? How might a cannabis alternative affect the U.S.’s trigger-happy approach to stimulant medications? So many questions, so little research. This analysis might be a small step forward, but any momentum in the right direction can be appreciated.

State of the Leaf: Illinois Gets New Qualifying Condition, and the Battle for California Begins

U.S. Cannabis News Updates

California

The Adult Use of Marijuana Act has officially qualified for the November ballot, according to Secretary of State Alex Padilla. The legalization initiative has support from some major players, such as Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, former Facebook president and Napster founder Sean Parker, as well as the Marijuana Policy Project, Drug Policy Alliance, California Cannabis Industry Association, and more. The measure would allow adults 21 and older to grow up to six plants for personal use and purchase up to an ounce of cannabis and infused products from licensed retailers, with a 15 percent excise tax on sales. Cities and counties would retain the right to ban cannabis businesses and impose additional taxes on sales. The latest poll from the Public Policy Institute of California found that 60 percent of likely California voters are in favor of legalizing recreational marijuana.

Delaware

A conservative Republican state senator and gubernatorial candidate shocked the legislature by calling for Delaware to formally legalize cannabis. Sen. Colin Bonini (R-Dover) helped pass House Bill 332, which would spare misdemeanor drug offenders in possession of small amounts of cannabis from criminal penalties, opting for probation instead. Bonini made waves after the bill’s passage by announcing his support for broader legalization. “The reality is we’ve legalized marijuana in Delaware and we’ve legalized it through backwards steps. I think incrementally pulling away restrictions and by default legalizing marijuana is not the best way to do it,” he said. “If we’re going to legalize marijuana, let’s legalize marijuana.” Bonini is one of two Republicans running for governor, although a Republican hasn’t won that race in Delaware since 1992.

Illinois

A court has ordered Illinois Department of Public Health Director Nirav Shah to add post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to the state’s list of qualifying conditions for medical cannabis. The decision was handed down by Cook County Judge Neil Cohen, who ruled in favor of an Iraq War veteran, Daniel Paul Jabs, in a lawsuit against the department. In a harshly-worded ruling, Cohen criticized Shah’s investigation and subsequent rejection of the many petitions seeking to add qualifying conditions, calling the actions “constitutionally inappropriate.” Not only did Shah deprive the plaintiff of his right to due process, the original rejection was also “contrary to the plain language of the Department’s rules.” Cohen gave the state 30 days to add PTSD to the list of qualifying conditions and has scheduled a follow-up hearing to ensure compliance. It’s the first of eight lawsuits seeking to expand qualifying conditions in the state.

Montana

Montana’s medical marijuana law was struck another blow when the state Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal challenging the 2011 law that limits cannabis providers to supplying a maximum of three patients. The ruling has essentially gutted Montana’s medical cannabis law for dispensaries and caregivers, but the Montana Cannabis Industry Association won’t take the decision lying down. Advocates asked for a delay in the enforcement date until August 31 and have sued to block the law. In the meantime, the group has an initiative that would reverse the policy, but it’s still awaiting word from the Secretary of State as to whether the submitted signatures have officially been validated for November’s ballot.

New Mexico

New Mexico’s medical marijuana program is now so clogged with unprocessed applications that desperate would-be patients are turning to the black market. Enrollment in the program has increased exponentially in the past year, and the New Mexico Department of Health can’t process applications up within the legally required 30-day period. Patients trying to apply or renew their cards now face waiting periods of up to 120 days. Meanwhile, dispensaries cannot sell cannabis to patients with an expired card, forcing patients either to go without medicine or seek illegal, black market alternatives. The Department of Health is under fire for the delays, but it says its limited staff is already working six days a week. It’s hoping to hire additional staff to get caught up this summer.

International Cannabis News Updates

Colombia

Colombia’s first legal cannabis production may be getting help from an unexpected source: former members of the rebel guerrilla group FARC (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia). The Colombian government is nearing a peace deal with the armed militia group and hopes the medicinal marijuana venture will generate legal jobs and boost the rural economy. The Ministry of Health just granted its first license for the production and export of medicinal cannabis to Toronto-based Canadian-Colombian company PharmaCielo Ltd., a move that could create a global shift in developing the international cannabis industry.

Croatia

Croatia quietly made history when the country received the first legal shipment of cannabis extract from North America. Croatia proved to be an incredibly progressive actor among the rest of the European Union by legalizing cannabinoid therapy and implementing a functional medical marijuana program in less than a year. The country’s officials approached the topic of medical cannabis pragmatically, using medical research, media coverage, and roundtable discussions to create a sustainable system for the use of medical cannabinoids. The program, which only allows oils and capsules, is still in its infancy, but the cooperation of the medical industry, foreign cannabis industry leaders, the government policymakers and, indeed, the Croatian public at large, has many optimistic.