Sunday, June 21, 2026
Home Blog Page 1071

Mexico To Legalize Sale Of Marijuana Products In 2018

Mary Schumacher
-
0
Mexico To Legalize Sale Of Marijuana Products In 2018

Mexico is set to legalize the sales of infused edibles, tinctures, salves and other marijuana medicines by the first part of next year.

Though Mexico decided in June to legalize medicinal and scientific use of the plant, recreational use and growing your own is still forbidden.

According to Reuters, the health regulation agency Cofepris said that the regulations will be published within days and should only take a month to put into place once set on paper. This will make it so the infused items can be ready for market come the end of January.

Arturo Tornel is the spokesman for Cofepris and said that they expect items to be imported to Mexico and eventually they will have cannabis imported to make the goods in country. However, the new law doesn’t touch cannabis in the raw for consumption.

Growing your own cannabis is yet prohibited in Mexico, except for four lucky individuals, who were granted the right to cultivate back in 2015. Many say that this move, no matter how small it may seem, has paved the way toward further legalization.

Marijuana legalization is a heated debate in Mexico, where drug cartels have claimed more than 10,000 lives per year since the inception of the Mexican Drug War in December 2006. And despite US legalization efforts, the cartels are still making millions importing cannabis into the United States. It has also been reported that up to 90 percent of the US supply of cocaine comes over the Mexican border.

There is a growing trend of marijuana legalization around the world right now, many countries leading the way are Latino, with Uruguay placing as the first country to legalize cultivation and distribution, and again in 2017 when they became the first country to fully legalize recreational.

Mexico itself is taking a big step with the introduction of infused products to its medical cannabis scene. Perhaps with time they will be able to cultivate their own medicine and have homegrown operations that make for sustainable communities; for now the world will watch and analyze these latest infusion developments with great interest.

Uptight Colorado Springs Rethinking Its Ban on Marijuana

Terry Hacienda
-
0
Uptight Colorado Springs Rethinking Its Ban on Marijuana

Coloradans have enjoyed the benefits of legal recreational cannabis sales while Colorado Springs opted to keep it illegal — and five years later is rethinking its ban.

In a report in the Los Angeles Times, Colorado Springs leaders and residents are pushing for the legalization door to be shoved open. The Times’ Kurtis Lee reports:

For Colorado Springs City Council President Richard Skorman, it’s frustrating to watch the cash flow to other cities — “sales tax leakage,” he calls it.

“People are going all over this state to buy marijuana and it’s outrageous,” Skorman said. “It’s already legal. It’s in the state’s Constitution.”
Skorman is teaming with a local group, Citizens for Safer Neighborhoods, which is working to get a legal pot initiative on the local ballot in November. The group must gather 20,000 signatures by the summer to place it before voters in this city of 465,100.

Safer Neighborhoods commissioned an economic study by a University of Denver professor that estimated Colorado Springs would make an additional $20 million in taxes — money that supporters say could, among other things, help repair roads and hire more police officers.

It’s not as if Colorado Springs is a “dry” town: City leaders still allow more than 350 medical marijuana dispensaries to operate within its borders. But there has been a five-year tug-of-war over full adult recreational retail sales.

According to the Times, if all the licensed medical marijuana businesses in the city were paid a licensing fee of $7,500 for recreational sales, Colorado Springs would collect more than $2.4 million out of the gate. And when you add tax revenue from each sale, residents and politicians alike understand the huge financial upside.

Tom Scudder, who is a member of Safer Neighborhoods and a dispensary owner in the city, is frustrated by the ban. “We are literally allowing money to walk right out of the city,” Scudder told the Times. “For what? Because of some so-called ‘conservative values.’ ”

Read the entire Los Angeles Times story here. 

Can Marijuana Get Rid Of My Terrible Morning Sickness?

Richard Faulk
-
0
Can Marijuana Get Rid Of My Terrible Morning Sickness?

Most women—up to 90 percent by some reckoning—experience some nausea or vomiting during pregnancy. Up to two percent of them suffer from the life-threatening condition hyperemesis gravidarum, which is super morning sickness.

One of the oldest medical uses of cannabis was obstetric, both to ease delivery and to treat the nausea leading up to it. For obvious ethical issues, there have been no modern clinical tests in this area. However, there is a survey from 2005 that takes a look into this topic.

Seventy-nine Canadian cannabis users discussed their pregnancy with researchers. Fifty-one of them admitted to using cannabis while pregnant. Thirty-three used it recreationally (split almost equally between occasional and frequent users), while 36 said they did so to take the edge off morning sickness. (Obviously, there was overlap between the two groups.) Of those who used cannabis medicinally, 92 percent rated it as “effective” or “extremely effective.”

Self-selecting group or not, that’s a great number. On the other hand, of course, there is abundant evidence that cannabis use during pregnancy is really not a great deal for the gestating kid—including a study from this earlier year that finds it increases this risk of premature birth five-fold.

A little smoke here and there is no worse for fetuses than all the other crap they get exposed to over their nine-month sojourn in the womb. But cannabis really shouldn’t be a regular part of the regimen. An OBGYN talking to Fit Pregnancy and Baby suggests exhausting options like ginger or vitamin B6 first. “Then we’d just have to have a discussion about whether just smoking a little bit of marijuana would stop them from having a whole hospital admission—then that might be something to talk about.”

9 Extraordinary Health Benefits Of Totally-Legal Hemp Seeds

Amy Hansen
-
0
9 Extraordinary Health Benefits Of Totally-Legal Hemp Seeds

If you’re looking for one of the easiest superfoods to add to your diet, go pick yourself up some hemp seeds. The seeds of the hemp plant, cannabis sativa, are so versatile, they can be added to just about anything.

A little bit about hemp seeds: they’re technically a nut and have a mild, nutty flavor. And while they won’t get you stoned, they do contain a trace amount of THC.

Not only are they rich in omega 3 and 6 fatty acids, they contain gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), which in and of itself has been linked to improving skin health, arthritis, high cholesterol and ADHD, to name just a few benefits.

Here are 9 other science-backed health benefits linked to hemp seeds, the super-fuel you need more of in your life.

1. Reduces The Risk of Heart Disease

Hemp seeds contain high amounts of arginine, which produces nitric oxide — a metabolic precursor for the production of nitric oxide (NO), a molecule now recognized as a pivotal signaling messenger in the cardiovascular system. It forces the blood vessels dilate and relax, which, in turn, leads to lower blood pressure and reduced risk of heart disease.

2. It’s Great For Skin 

Because of the high amount of fatty acids, hemp seed oil can help treat eczema (by improving blood levels of essential fatty acids), dry skin, aging skin and psoriasis by inhibiting the growth of overactive skin cells.

3. Great Source Of Protein

More than a quarter of a hemp seed’s total calories come from high-quality protein, which is about double that of chia seeds and flaxseed and almost as much as a soy bean.

4. Naturally Balances Hormones 

Because hemp seeds are high in GLA and contain the perfect balance of omega 3 and 6 fatty acids, they balance hormones and may reduce symptoms of menopause.

https://giphy.com/gifs/new-girl-relatable-jess-day-yNKgmeFnYQuRO

5. Aids Digestion

Whole hemp seeds contain lots of fiber, some of which is insoluble, which get the digestive tract moving in the right direction. Look for hemp seeds than have not been hulled, as it’s the shell of the hemp seed that contains the most fiber. Some call it the best colon cleanser on the planet.

6. Relieves Stress

Hemp seeds contain a large amount of magnesium, which supports neurotransmitter functions in the body and helps reduce stress and anxiety. Just 3 tablespoons of hemp seeds contain 45 per cent of your magnesium requirement, which blow other plant-based foods out of the water.

https://giphy.com/gifs/stressed-gOjRBGC0dm6OI

7. May Relieve Arthritis Pain

The CBD in hemp seed oil helps reduce joint pain and inflammation from rheumatoid arthritis.

8. Fights Cancer

Because of its natural balance of essential fatty acids and GLA, hemp seeds help balance inflammation and strengthen the immune system.  According to a study published in The British Journal of Cancer, the THC in hemp seed can stop and reverse glioblastoma multiforme — the most common and most malignant of brain tumors.

Other studies suggest hemp oil is effective in fighting other types of cancer, too, like breast, skin and ovarian.

9. Help Treat Multiple Sclerosis

According to clinical trial data, hemp seeds can be beneficial in helping MS patients. The study concluded that “co-supplemented hemp seed and evening primrose oils with hot-natured diet (such as peppers) can have beneficial effects in improving clinical symptoms in relapsing remitting MS patients and significant correlation was found between expanded disability status scale (EDSS) and immunological findings.”

Rep. Orrin Hatch Condemns ‘Regulatory Acrobatics’ Of Weed Research

Brendan Bures
-
0
Rep. Orrin Hatch Condemns ‘Regulatory Acrobatics’ Of Weed Research

Research is the backbone of the scientific community. Without it, we’re just making educated guesses about the realities regarding the mechanics of our universe. So the inability to truly explore and probe the chemical underpinnings of how and why marijuana can be used as medicine has exacerbated many within the scientific community. Joining that fight recently was Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch who widely condemned the “regulatory acrobatics” scientists must engage in to study cannabis and its medicinal properties.

“Under current law, those who want to complete research on the benefits of medical marijuana must engage in a complex application process and interact with several federal agencies. […] The longer researchers have to wait, the longer patients have to suffer,” Hatch said via his spokesman to the Deseret News.

Hatch currently serves as President pro tempore of the US Senate and is the longest-serving Republican senator in US history. Earlier this week, Colorado Congressman Jared Polis sent a letter to Eric D. Hargan, who serves as the acting secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, asking the agency to consider investigating marijuana as an alternative treatment for pain as opposed to opioids.

Hatch, however, pinpointed the Federal Drug Administration in delaying researchers’ work.

Via the Deseret News:

“Currently, the [Food and Drug Administration] estimates that a drug takes a minimum of seven years to move from initial studies to FDA approval,” Hatch told the Deseret News. “The regulatory hoops researchers have to jump through significantly delay the production of potentially life-changing medications that Americans need.”

Hatch has supported cannabis research in Utah and beyond. This September, the senator introduced the Marijuana Effective Drug Study Act of 2017. The bill aims to fix the problem Hatch identified above, as researchers wouldn’t require such regulatory approval. The bill would also require the U.S. Attorney General’s Office—in other words, Jeff Sessions—to raise the allowed national funds and quota for marijuana research to “meet…changing medical, scientific, and industrial needs.”

“The MEDS Act would encourage this research through reduced regulatory interference, and it would expand sources of research-grade marijuana with the assurance of a quality-controlled product,” Hatch said. “My proposal would also allow for the commercial production of drugs developed from marijuana once they have been approved by the FDA.”

Though the bill wouldn’t force the Drug Enforcement Agency to change marijuana’s Schedule I drug classification—which means marijuana is considered to have no accepted medicinal benefits in the United States and has a high potential for abuse—it will drastically prohibit certain federal review processes from halting researchers.

In Utah and across the nation, opioid abuse continues to ravage good, hard-working families who have fallen captive to the tyranny of addiction. Because Utahns have watched their family members, friends, and neighbors grapple with this epidemic, many are seeking non-narcotic alternatives that can help with pain,” Hatch said. “Medical marijuana is just one such alternative.”

Texas Marijuana Program Leaving Many Behind, Including Children

Brendan Bures
-
0
Texas Marijuana Program Leaving Many Behind, Including Children

Scrutiny continues to hover around the relationship between medical marijuana and Texas. Back in 2015 Texas approved the Compassionate Use Act, which authorized the usage of CBD oil to patients with intractable epilepsy who have not responded to two types of federally approved medication.

It is one of the most limiting medical marijuana programs in the country. Though it was announced that Texans would see the opening of one of only three licensed dispensaries by late 2017, that date has been pushed back to early 2018.

Many families have left out by the program. None of the three licensed dispensaries reside either in the west half of the state nor along the Mexico-US border where townships are booming. In addition, because of the specificity of the law, it can exclude some patients who appear to qualify or who would seem to clearly benefit from the medication. As the Texas Observer notes, more than 345,000 Texans with epilepsy do not qualify under the Compassionate Use Act.

Among those patients is 12-year-old Micah Jensen, who has autism and temporal lobe epilepsy. Last year, he began suffering from severe migraines. Doctors determined that Micah’s frequent seizures were triggering inflammation and swelling in his brain, inducing the migraines, and that his body wasn’t responding properly to his anticonvulsant, Lamictal. Doctors upped his dosage of the powerful drug, which includes deleterious side effects like weight gain and can cause autistic behaviors to flare up such as self-injury.

Via Texas Observer:

Jensen’s [mother] started reading news reports about children who successfully used cannabis to treat autism or epilepsy in Colorado. Since Micah is diagnosed with both, she hoped cannabis could wean him off Lamictal, but Jensen learned her son didn’t qualify for Texas’ nascent medical marijuana program.

[…]

Jensen said Micah’s condition is “not bad enough” to participate, even though his epilepsy is incurable. Because he responds to treatment, his case doesn’t meet the definition of intractable epilepsy. His seizures can be temporarily controlled by adjusting the dose of Lamictal at least three times a year, but she fears the neurologist will eventually prescribe another anticonvulsant with additional side effects.

Micah is not alone. Seven-year-old Lailah Ollervidez is bound by wheelchair and has a type of epilepsy called Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. Though she suffers several seizures a day, Lailah isn’t classified as having intractable epilepsy. And even she was, the Ollervidez family reside near the Texas-Mexico border and the closest dispensary would be three hours away.

“It’s heartbreaking. Being able to say, ‘Yes, you can get it,’ but reading over the whole law there is still some things we have to jump over,” mother Cristina Ollervidez told the Associated Press.

“Seeing Texas put limitations, I do get that part,” Ollervidez said. “But I don’t think they did their exact research.”

More families abound who either don’t qualify or don’t possess the means to attain treatment under the Texas Compassionate Use Act. Advocates such as Jensen lobbied during the 2017 Texas legislative session to expand the program so that doctors could approve medical marijuana use for any patient with a debilitating medical condition. While they were successful in clearing the bill through a committee, it was never even considered by the full House.

6 Pros Share Their Favorite Holiday Kitchen Hacks

Amy Hansen
-
0
6 Pros Share Their Favorite Holiday Kitchen Hacks

Ain’t nobody got time to mess around with party planning during the holidays. We’re all too busy trying to stay sane (and awake) while we juggle a million things just like any other time of year.

Fortunately, these industry pros are sharing their tips to make the holidays run smoothly, if only in your kitchen.

Here are 8 simple hacks to get your though the new year in once piece:

Kate McDermott, Author, Art of the Pie

For crumble tops, freeze the topping and then sprinkle it on the last 15 -20 minutes of the bake. The freeze helps it hold the topping’s clumpy shape and the later bake avoids over browning or burning. Also, refresh an already baked pie in the oven at 325 for 10-15 minutes.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BLErQmqA8jb

Brendan McGill, Chef-Owner, Hitchcock, Seattle, WA

For the holidays, I’m a fan of spatchcocking a bird vs. trussing. It’s easy to cut out the backbone with good kitchen shears, your turkey will cook in half the time and you won’t have to blast the dark meat to get the breasts cooked properly. You can still capture all the good jus in a roasting rack. Stuffing/trussing doesn’t make sense. Brine your bird, spatchcock and roast, you’ll have juicy meat, crispy skin and you don’t have to start at 3:00 am.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BMhe3HyD-5b/

Simon Gibson, Bar Manager, Wilfie & Nell, NYC

I make a spice mix for Bloody Mary or Bloody Bull that keeps for two weeks in the fridge. Great for a preemptive holiday cure! This is better when prepared a day or two in advance to allow the spices and flavors to combine and balance. When you’re ready to serve, mix it in with tomato juice, lemon juice and vodka — at Wilfie & Nell, we add a splash of beef stock and Guinness — and you’ve got the perfect hangover remedy.

Wilfie & Nell’s Bloody Spice Mix

  • 6 oz pickle juice
  • 2.5 oz horseradish
  • 2 oz Worcestershire sauce
  • 1.5 oz Kosher Salt
  • 1 oz cracked black pepper
  • 1 oz Frank’s RedHot Cayenne Pepper Sauce
  • 0.5 oz Sambal Oelek chile paste

Mix all ingredients and refrigerate for up to two weeks.

Jun Yoshizuki, Cook, Jun’s Kitchen

Buy a $1 knife at your local dollar store and sharpen it like the pros.

Clare Potts, Our Hero, Manchester, England

Turn your fridge’s water dispenser into your own personal boxed wine by pouring your favorite bottle directly into the water dispenser.

Keith Lowerre, Bar Manager, The Wren, NYC

To add a little flair to holiday cocktails, put mini candy canes or edible flowers into large format ice molds (Tovolo King Cube trays work best with these). The candy cane ice cube usually works well in a light colored cordial or liqueur (like sambuca) or a vodka based drink. Any drink where the candy cane cube is not obscured.

I also like to make a vanilla bean and allspice-infused demerara syrup to add extra flavor to coffee or Old Fashioned cocktails (a bar spoon or no more than 1/4 oz of that simple syrup works well in an OF because it is so rich and flavorful.). Add 2 parts turbinado sugar, 1 part water, a split vanilla bean and a tablespoon of whole allspice berries to a small pot over medium heat, and simmer, stirring, until the sugar is dissolved. Strain and let the syrup cool, and store it bottled in the fridge up to one month.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BI_ZwyCg91y

Batching out Manhattans and Negronis is a great way to make cocktails for big groups. The Manhattan is a 2:1 ratio (two parts rye or bourbon to one part sweet vermouth, and few dashes of bitters) and the Negroni is 1:1:1 (gin to sweet vermouth to Campari), and you can use different types of each ingredient liquor and tinker with the ratios to make them your own. Once batched, just pour each cocktail over ice, garnish (cherry for the Manhattan, orange twist for the Negroni) and serve. It saves a lot of time and allows hosts to enjoy themselves.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BEjEyx3r88W

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

The KandyPens Rubi Is Discreet And Packs A Punch

Terry Hacienda
-
0
The KandyPens Rubi Is Discreet And Packs A Punch

Those new to legal cannabis can be overwhelmed by the hundreds of vape pens on the market these days. For those looking for an affordable, discreet and simple option, the KandyPens Rubi is a great option.

The Rubi is a sleek and ultra-light portable vaporizer that uses e-liquid, which you can buy in most retail stores. The device is also relatively inexpensive, retailing for $49.95. What makes the Rubi desirable is that it is an “open system,” meaning that you can use any e-liquid or light oil. The consumer is not trapped by purchasing a proprietary cartridge or refill pod.

Another convenience of the Rubi is that it can be charged with the basic USB port instead of its own special charging system. Just plug the device into your laptop or other USB-supported device and you’re good to go. The battery is comparatively small, so it’s wise to charge the Rubi once a day, depending on your personal use. (We was able to get about 50 draws per charge.)

With the Rubi, the user has complete control of how large of a dose you want per dose. For those seeking the “full-lung experience,” simply take a deep draw on the rectangular-shaped pen. If you want a smaller, more discreet hit, place your thumb over the carb hole and take a shorter draw.

These new mini-vapes hitting the market are designed for consumers on the go and who prefer to be a bit more modest in their use. For parents who prefer to keep their use away from their children, the Rubi is perfect. For entry-level cannabis consumers looking for an affordable first vape pen, we recommend giving this one a shot.

We’re not a huge fans of nicotine e-liquid,  but the Rubi works with any e-liquid on the market. The versatility alone makes the $49.95 price tag more than a bargain.

What Increased Support For The Marijuana Justice Act Means For You

Will Patterson
-
0
What Increased Support For The Marijuana Justice Act Means For You

Earlier this week, Sen. Ron Wyden became the first US Senate co-sponsor of Sen. Cory Booker’s Marijuana Justice Act (“MJA”).

Canna Law Blog discussed the content of the MJA before here and as we stated in the Portland Mercury:

“Booker’s Marijuana Justice Act is remarkable in its scope. Not only would it remove marijuana and tetrahydrocannabinols (THC) from Schedule I classification, it would remove the federal criminal prohibition on the import and export of cannabis. It would also withhold federal money for the construction of prisons or jails from any state that has discriminatory (race or income) arrest and incarceration rates for cannabis offenses.

Such states would also see up to a 10 percent reduction in federal funding for a broad array of crime fighting efforts. These funds would instead be directed into a community reinvestment fund that would go towards communities devastated by the drug war.

Finally, and perhaps most ambitiously, it would expunge all old cannabis convictions, and anyone currently imprisoned on federal cannabis charges would have the right to a new sentencing hearing. The hearing judge would have authority to impose a modified sentence as if the Marijuana Justice Act was in effect on the date of the crime.”

It remains to be seen whether the Wyden sponsorship will catalyze other members of the Senate to step forward on this progressive bill. In the meantime, the near-term focus for most industry watchers is the soon-to-expire protection for state medical marijuana programs and actors. We are cautiously optimistic that those protections will be extended later this week, provided the entire government doesn’t shut down. But in the long term, we would love to see the MJA build on today’s momentum, and eventually become law.

Sen. Wyden and Sen. Booker’s joint statement on the MJA was screened live on Sen. Booker’s Facebook page and is available here.

Will Patterson is an attorney at Harris Bricken, a law firm with lawyers in Seattle, Portland, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Barcelona, and Beijing. This story was originally published on the Canna Law Blog.  

Gossip: Eva Longoria Expecting First Child; Lady Gaga Reportedly Eyeing Las Vegas Residency

Naughty Gossip
-
0
Gossip: Eva Longoria Expecting First Child; Lady Gaga Reportedly Eyeing Las Vegas Residency

The former “Desperate Housewives” star, 42, is expecting her first child with husband José Antonio “Pepe” Bastón, her rep confirms to PEOPLE. The actress is four months along with a son.

Bastón, 49, is president of Televisa, the largest media company in Latin America. The couple, who began dating in 2013 and were engaged in Dubai in December 2015, were married in May 2016 under a stunningly lit altar in Mexico. The star-studded party even included a fireworks display.

In May, the parents-to-be celebrated their one-year wedding anniversary during the Cannes Film Festival. “I never thought I would get married again. It’s him, he makes it all worth it,” Longoria told PEOPLE during the French Riviera soirée. (The actress had previously been married twice.)

“I’m not a fan of marriage; I like being married to him,” she added. “He surprised me at dinner with a beautiful gift and a song and a singer it was just amazing.”

Back in summer 2015, the former star of NBC’s comedy Telenovela spoke to PEOPLE about the possibility of having children shortly after she announced her engagement.

“I just turned 40, so I have thought, ‘Is time running out?’ ” Longoria said. “I should be thinking about [children], but I feel like my life is full.”

Lady Gaga Reportedly Eyeing Las Vegas Residency

Is Lady Gaga the next pop star to have a Las Vegas residency?

A new report from the Las Vegas Review-Journal claims the “Perfect Illusion” singer is ready to sign a deal to perform 36 shows at The Park Theater at Monte Carlo, starting in fall 2018. According to The Daily Mail, the deal is worth $14.4 million, meaning Gaga would be making $400,000 a show.

A source told the Review-Journal that claims the deal was worth $100 million for 60 shows are “way, way, way off.”

News of Gaga’s possible Las Vegas residency comes as Britney Spears comes to an end. “Britney: Piece of Me” began on December 27, 2013, through Dec. 31, 2017. She performed at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino.

Mariah Carey also had a residency in Las Vegas. Mimi’s “#1 to Infinity began May 6, 2015, and ended July 18, 2017.

Love the fresh dirt we bring over daily from Naughty Gossip? Let us know in the comments!

1...1,0701,0711,072...1,475Page 1,071 of 1,475

Don't Miss Your Weekly Dose of The Fresh Toast.

Stay informed with exclusive news briefs delivered directly to your inbox every Friday.

We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe anytime.

The Fresh Toast is an award-winning lifestyle & health platform with a side of cannabis. We work hard each day to bring uplifting and informative information about culture, weed, celebrity, tech and medical marijuana.

© Copyright @2020