By Bruce Barcott
Trump wouldn’t dump medical cannabis. Appearing on Bill O’Reilly’s Fox News show on Wednesday night, Republican frontrunner Donald Trump said he was an adamant supporter of medical marijuana. “I am in favor of it 100 percent,” he told O’Reilly. Trump hedged on regulated adult use, though, saying “in Colorado, you know, the book isn’t written on it yet.” When O’Reilly, a longtime cannabis prohibitionist, called medical marijuana “a ruse,” Trump pushed back. “I know people that have serious problems, and they did that, and they really, it really does help them,” he said. Sean Quinn, who watches The O’Reilly Factor so you don’t have to, has the full story at Cannabis Now.
Utah expects a flood of younger voters for medical cannabis. So many that a number of historically Republican state legislative districts could flip Democratic, says Salt Lake City’s Fox 13 Now. “Democrats on Utah’s Capitol Hill said they have already seen some of their Republican counterparts have a little heartburn over the idea of medical marijuana on the November ballot,” reports Fox 13’s Ben Winslow. Two medical marijuana bills are technically still alive in the Utah state legislature, but supporters don’t expect either to pass in the face of opposition from the Mormon church. MMJ advocates are instead eyeing a ballot initiative in November. Meanwhile, former University of Utah and Weber State football coach Ron McBride came out in favor of medical cannabis, calling it “a no-brainer.” Said the coach: “It’s needed for the people in our state, and to me it’s just stupidity if you don’t pass this bill.”
Ghostface Killah launches new video genre. Call it…vapah rap? The Wu-Tang member just released a new video promoting his new line of CBD vaporizers known as WuGoo. Keep an eye out at 3:00 for the Leafly shout-out.
Strange busts this week. Hard to believe that people are still getting cuffed for cannabis, but that’s life in non-legal states (and sometimes legal ones too). The past few days have seen a number of odd arrests. Police in Mayfield, Ky., arrested WPSD-TV meteorologist Tori Shaw after finding five marijuana plants in her home, and two in a trash can in her back yard. In Zionsville, Ind., Indianapolis Colts linebacker Jonathan Newsome was arrested after police there discovered cannabis in his apartment while investigating a noise complaint. In Boston, authorities filed charges against Massachusetts cannabis activist Bill Downing for selling CBD oil to undercover detectives in his store, which is called CBD Please. To Smoyer and Newsome, we say: Denver and Seattle are excellent television and pro-football markets. Worth a thought.
QUICK HITS: Arizona researcher Sue Sisley finally secures lab space for her long-delayed study of PTSD and medical cannabis. * “Wallet Returning Guy” goes viral with a note that explains he “kept the cash because I needed weed.” Classy. * The Arizona Chamber of Commerce is “sounding the alarm” against cannabis in an effort to squelch a proposed ballot initiative that would legalize adult use. Think it’ll be awkward when the chamber realizes it’s attacking a fast-growing market stifled mainly by government overregulation? Sound the irony alarm!
Image Source: Gage Skidmore via Flickr Creative Commons
To continue reading this story, visit our friend’s website (opens in a new window):: The Shake: Trump Embraces MMJ, Utah Doesn’t