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The Majority Of Republicans Now Favor Marijuana Legalization

Tony Newman
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The Majority Of Republicans Now Favor Marijuana Legalization

A new Gallup poll shows record-breaking support for marijuana legalization, with 64 percent of Americans now in favor of marijuana legalization.

The number is the highest level of support in nearly half a century of surveying adults on the issue, according to Gallup, with a majority backing legalization across the political spectrum. 51% of Republicans, 72 percent of Democrats and 67 percent of independents are on board. Since 2012, voters in eight US states and the District of Columbia have approved legalization.

“Marijuana legalization is far more popular than Jeff Sessions or Donald Trump and will survive them both,” said Maria McFarland Sánchez-Moreno, executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance. “Instead of wasting limited law enforcement resources trying to stop successful state-level legalization initiatives, US officials should listen to the clear, bipartisan message the public is sending them, and support federal marijuana reform as well.”

Graph via Gallup

By shifting away from counterproductive marijuana arrests and focusing instead on public health, states that have legalized marijuana are diminishing many of the worst harms of the war on drugs, while managing to raise substantial new revenues. A Drug Policy Alliance report found that Colorado, Washington, Alaska and Oregon have benefited from a dramatic decrease in marijuana arrests and convictions, as well as increased tax revenues, since the adult possession of marijuana became legal.  At the same time, these states did not experience increases in youth marijuana use or traffic fatalities.

In 2012, Colorado and Washington became the first two US states – and the first two jurisdictions in the world – to approve ending marijuana prohibition and legally regulating marijuana production, distribution and sales. In the 2014 election, Alaska and Oregon followed suit, while Washington DC passed a more limited measure that legalized possession and home cultivation of marijuana.  In 2016, voters in California, Maine, Massachusetts and Nevada doubled the number of states that legally regulate marijuana, bringing the total to eight.

The most significant victory was California’s Proposition 64, which legalized the adult use of marijuana and enacted across-the-board retroactive sentencing reform for marijuana offenses, while establishing a comprehensive, strictly-controlled system to tax and regulate businesses to produce and distribute marijuana in a legal market. Its cutting edge provisions to undo the most egregious harms of marijuana prohibition on impacted communities of color and the environment, as well as its sensible approaches to public health, youth protection, licensing and revenue allocation, set a new gold standard for marijuana legalization.

Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) recently introduced the Marijuana Justice Act, a bill modeled on Prop. 64 that ends federal marijuana prohibition and centers communities most devastated by the war on drugs.

“The question is no longer whether we should legalize marijuana, but rather how we should do it,” added McFarland Sánchez-Moreno. “The Marijuana Justice Act would legalize marijuana the right way, by not only stopping the ongoing harms of prohibition, but also beginning to address the devastation that marijuana prohibition has wrought, particularly among communities of color.”

This story first appeared on the Drug Policy Alliance website. 

‘Orange Is The New Black’ Star Calls Out Drug War Hypocrisy

Brendan Bures
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‘Orange Is The New Black’ Star Calls Out Drug War Hypocrisy

For a television program that major television providers have effectively shunned, Cannabis Planet is capable of pulling some serious guests on their show. The latest is “Orange Is The New Black” star Matt Peters, who recently joined the program to decry America’s War on Drugs.

“I think the criminalization of cannabis is very stupid,” he says.

Cannabis Planet Preview from Cannabis Planet on Vimeo.

On Orange Is The New Black, Peters plays the Corrections Officer Joel Luscheck. His characters cops to being somewhat of a drug enthusiast and middleman for dealing, but unlike the inmates, he never gets caught.

This weekend’s Cannabis Planet episode will feature Peters sitting down former law enforcement officers to discuss what we talk about when we talk about the War On Drugs in America. The conversation will hone in on the hypocrisy of the Drug War and also its failure within the country writ large.

“I think it’s ridiculous to incarcerate anybody for something that so many people have admitted to doing,” Peters says in a preview.

Working Out Too Much Can Be Bad For Your Sex Life

Maria Loreto
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Working Out Too Much Can Be Bad For Your Sex Life

A study from the University of North Carolina discovered that men who worked out too much had lower libidos and sex drives, disrupting the thought that you can never work out too much. Exercise has always been referred to as a miracle drug, helping cope with depression, improving your memory and protecting your brain against cognitive decline, but this research proves that all things, even the good ones, should be enjoyed in moderation. 

The study surveyed over 1,000 male participants and found that, across all ages, men who worked out excessively reported that they didn’t think about sex, or desired it as much as others who worked out less vigorously. 

Insider reports that another study from the New York Times demonstrated a similar trend in women, where those who worked out excessively reported hormonal imbalances that affected their libidos and sex drives. Excessive workouts can also lead to eating disorders and body dysmorphic disorders, which can both impact negatively on your self-esteem. 

Even though these results are surprising and a little shitty, the same research proves that working out normally and regularly increases people’s interest in sex and libido in a healthy manner. this study highlights that it’s important to avoid overworking ourselves, and that, if we feel tired or our body demands rest, we give it to it. It’s also good to remember that sex is another form of working out. 

Joe Rogan Admits He May Have Developed A ‘Dependency’ On Marijuana

Brendan Bures
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Joe Rogan Admits He May Have Developed A ‘Dependency’ On Marijuana

Joe Rogan, one of the most outspoken cannabis advocates, now admits he may have developed a “dependency” to marijuana. As we’ve previously written about, Rogan and his fellow comedian buddies decided to go sober for the entire month of October. Initially that only meant no alcohol, but went on to include marijuana.

And Rogan is feeling the effects.

“Pot, for me and my fucked-up brain, has a lot of really positive personality effects. But I think I might be downplaying my dependence on it,” the comedian said on a recent episode of his podcast. “I think I might’ve been thinking, ‘That’s nothing. I’ll quit pot, it’s nothing.’ I don’t know about that anymore.”

He describes himself “more tense, less kind, and I have to like catch myself before I get upset about things” when consuming marijuana. “I’m much more aware of gratitude and fortune, like I’m lucky and appreciative of my friends. I want to hug people more,” he would also add.

Rogan also spoke on how not smoking marijuana has affected his dreams. Since quitting cannabis for the month, he describes how he’s been having “predator dreams” that feature “cartoon wolves with giant feet” and “a lot of falling.”

“I don’t need pot it’s not an issue. I don’t need it obviously, I’ve gone through this whole month,” Rogan said. “But I’m stunned at the differences at how I’m dreaming. I never expected it to be so extreme, so vivid. Every night I’m having crazy dreams and they’re almost all primal.”

Rogan later posted the above article, which describes how THC can affect REM sleep, the type of sleep scientists believe is when humans dream. October is soon ending, and chances are Rogan will resume his marijuana-smoking habits. However, as he alluded to, there might be an adjustment period.

“I’m legitimately nervous about smoking pot again,” he said.

How To Use Every Part Of The Cannabis Plant This Harvest Season

Trey Reckling
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How To Use Every Part Of The Cannabis Plant This Harvest Season

This is the time of year when home growing cannabis farmers are drying and curing their summer crops. Drying rooms, closets and curing jars take on the pungent smells of drying leaves and a wonderful mix of terpenes that perfume the home and make your nose open its eyes wide.

While many home growers are all about putting up several jars of finely cured buds, medical marijuana patients often think about harvest as opportunity on many levels. Whether you are a registered medical marijuana patient or not, cannabis offers relief from pain, sleeplessness, lack of appetite, and inflammation to just name a few.

People with a little knowledge can create a variety of products at home that will stock the home herbal medicine cabinet. Making full use of the plant is not only a matter of efficiency but of respecting the plant enough to use all of what it has to offer.

There are many ways to make use of your harvest to make it take on special character and last a bit longer. Let’s take a look at a few:

Buds

The tried and true, gold standard. Once properly dried and cured, a few jars of well trimmed buds provide a nice supply for smoking and vaping. Storage in dark, glass jars help protect potency. An optional humidor packet, like those made by Boveda, ensure proper humidity level in storage.

Fresh trim

Trim or trimmed leaves from manicured bud has become much more valuable over the years as people have learned how to make better use of it. Though lower in potency, a look through a microscope or good loupe glass will show that trim can still be a trichome rich environment.

Fresh frozen trim

It allows for the production of great homemade bubble hash, tinctures and raw cannabis smoothies.

Dried Trim

Well dried trim is the key ingredient for traditional Moroccan dry sieved hashish, tincture and can be made into butters/oils. With a couple of simple tools you can turn dry trim into fresh pressed solventless rosin. Weed tea, a traditional Jamaican relaxant is an easy treat to make as well.

Males And Hermies 

While often harvested as soon as they appear, a grown male of hermaphroditic plant can still be cannabinoid rich. Male plants contain the same cannabinoid acids as females, though lower in potency. They may be dried and processed as lower potency butters/oils.

Cannabis Oils 

Once you have created some good, clean cannabutter or infused oil you can make canna caps, edibles, medicated syrups and jams.

Root Ball 

Although it is the least utilized part of the plant, the root ball may be cleaned, dried, ground and infused into a tincture. Ancient Chinese doctors used cannabis root as a diuretic. The Romans used it for joint stiffness and gout. 

As many cannabis enthusiasts know, with homemade products the real trick is figuring out appropriate dosing. Since legal access to legitimate and low cost testing is limited, most kitchen wizards will have to continue to be their own guinea pig and taste their own products in trial runs.

Wishing you a bountiful post harvest. May your cabinets be stocked with a great variety of cannabinoid goodness. 

Gossip: Katy Perry And Lionel Richie Not Getting Along; Anthony Bourdain Is An Elevator Diva

Naughty Gossip
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Gossip: Katy Perry And Lionel Richie Not Getting Along; Anthony Bourdain Is An Elevator Diva

The reboot of “American Idol” hasn’t even started airing yet and already there is tension between Katy Perry and Lionel Richie.

“Lionel is a grown-ass man and he is a music legend. He wrote ‘We Are The World,’ and now has to wait around for Katy Perry and change his entire schedule so it fits with hers,” sources tell Straight Shuter. “A few weeks ago the show taped auditions in New York and Katy’s schedule determined everything. Idol was shot around Katy’s scheduled concerts at Madison Square Garden. Lionel was treated like one of her backup singers and wasn’t happy. Plus, remember this is just the beginning. Things are going to get worse.”

Anthony Bourdain Is An Elevator Diva

Chef and CNN star Anthony Bourdain is known to be a master in the kitchen but now sources tell Straight Shuter that Bourdain is a diva in the elevator.

“Guess who was too big a star to share the back of house private Javits Center elevator with other panelists at NY Comic Con this weekend? Believe it or not, Anthony Bourdain,” sources tell Straight Shuter. “He had a giant service elevator all to himself – other than his entourage. The doors opened for another panel of actors to get on and make their way to the panel area and his security barred all from entering. He was a total diva. He thinks he’s Angelina Jolie.”

However, a pal close to Tony tells us, “The security guard was been over protective. Tony was embarrassed and this had nothing to do with him. He’s a great guy and will share a meal or an elevator.”

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

Jackpot! Nevada’s Legal Weed Retail Sales Hit $33 Million

Terry Hacienda
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Jackpot! Nevada’s Legal Weed Retail Sales Hit $33 Million

When it comes to Nevada’s legal weed retail sales, the state hit the jackpot in August, selling $33 million worth of recreational cannabis in the month, a $6 million jump from July figures.

The data, released earlier this week by the Nevada Department of Taxation, also shows that almost $5 million in taxes filled the state’s coffers, an increase of about $1.3 million from the previous month. Nevada’s recreational marijuana program was launched in July, so the numbers are encouraging.

As the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports:

The recreational sales numbers were significantly ahead of the state’s projected $21.5 million in sales for August. In fact, the state did not project any month in the first year of recreational sales to eclipse $28 million.

Andrew Jolley, CEO of The+Source dispensaries and president of the Nevada Dispensary Association, said those projections will likely prove to be fairly conservative, and expects the market to continue to grow steadily over the next several months.

“I think it is a good indication that there was a large, pent-up demand that was being served by the black market,” Jolley said.

Earlier this year, Gov. Brian Sandoval projected that the state would bring in more than $100 million from taxes and fees in the first two years of recreational sales. But the Department of Taxation recalibrated that estimate to more than $120 million. Although it is difficult to forecast based on just two months of data, that forecast may move up even more.

The taxes collected from cannabis goes to the state’s rainy day fund, which can be spent anywhere, but is normally reserved for emergencies.

State Sen. Tick Segerblom, D-Las Vegas, who was a strong advocate for legalization, was upbeat about the latest tax figures. “Obviously there’s a demand,” Segerblom said. He also told the Review-Journal that he is bullish on the long-term growth of the industry, noting that retail outlets continue to open its doors.

You Can No Longer Vape On A New York Street Corner

Terry Hacienda
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You Can No Longer Vape On A New York Street Corner

The vaping boom is about to go bust in the Big Apple.

Walk down a street in New York — well, any major city in America, really — and you will no doubt see fellow citizens puffing on e-cigarettes. The battery-operated, smokeless, pen-like devices have become ubiquitous not just for tobacco smokers, but for cannabis tokers as well. Earlier this week, NY Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo signed a bill  banning vape use in public spaces.

“These products are marketed as a healthier alternative to cigarettes, but the reality is they also carry long-term risks to the health of users and those around them,” Gov. Cuomo said. “This measure closes another dangerous loophole in the law, creating a stronger, healthier New York for all.”

Beginning November 22 vaping will be outlawed in restaurants, bars, offices and parks, among other common areas, the New York Times reports. The city of New York banned vaping four years ago.

New York joins a growing list of states that have banned indoor. California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, New Jersey, North Dakota, Oregon, Utah and Vermont all have similar laws.

The American Cancer Society and the American Lung Association have supported these bans, citing public health issues. But one group, Vaper Rights, believes this is government overreach and promotes smoking, which is considerably more harmful than vaping. The organization believes:

  • Reasonable restrictions on vaping in schools and other places designated for children are appropriate, but complete public place vaping bans are too extreme.
  • Vaping should be allowed in outdoor public places, like beaches and parks.
  • Business owners know best how to address the preferences of their customers. They should be the ones deciding if vaping is allowed in the restaurants, stores, bars or businesses they own.

Health officials in Great Britain found that e-cigarettes are 95 percent less harmful than smoked tobacco cigarettes.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that the vaping industry is valued at $2.5 billion a year. Last year, the surgeon general called vaping products a “major health concern.”

“A sufficient body of evidence justifies actions taken now to prevent and reduce the use of e-cigarettes and exposure to secondhand aerosol from e-cigarettes, particularly among youth and young adults. Most important, many health risks are already known, and sufficient information exists to take action to minimize potential harms. The evidence is most compelling for nicotine.”

Recreational Marijuana Chain Stores Are A Thing, Are Franchises Next?

Al Olson
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Recreational Marijuana Chain Stores Are A Thing, Are Franchises Next?

In 1971, a little coffee shop opened near Seattle’s Pike Place Market along the waterfront. Today, there are more than 25,000 Starbucks locations worldwide. Will there be a “Starbucks of Weed” and, if so, who will it be?

As the nascent cannabis industry blossoms, retail outlets are opening at a vigorous pace. In Colorado, there are nearly twice as many marijuana retail outlets than the number of Starbucks and McDonald’s — combined. Other legals marijuana states also report the proliferation of retailers entering the market. And, as with any industry, consolidation happens.

In 2017, the marijuana industry is entering the “chain store phase” of retail development. More and more retailers are opening a second or third storefront in order to create a brand identity and provide a consistent experience for the cannabis consumer.

But like everything else in the cannabis industry, there are additional hardships to overcome as companies attempt to expand their retail footprint.

Because marijuana is still federally illegal, businesses are not allowed to move from state to state. Unlike coffee or burgers or aspirin or just about any other product, cannabis does not have a national market. Currently, there are eight legal markets and 28 medical markets — each are distinct. So grabbing market share at a national level is almost impossible.

Almost. Companies such as MedMen, based in California, and Diego Pellicer, which opened its flagship store last year in Seattle, are finding ways to create national brands. But for now, most of the marijuana retail chains are confined to one state.

Colorado’s Cannabis Behemoth

In Colorado, Native Roots operates 16 locations — some are recreational, some medical, and some service both. Native Roots bills itself as the nation’s largest dispensary chain, and it has quickly established itself from the pack. Because of its sheer number of retail outlets, Native Roots is able to control the customer experience and provide consistent inventory and pricing.

For Native Roots CEO Josh Ginsberg, the business model is simple. “If you’re in Aspen, in Longmont, in Trinidad — it doesn’t matter. You know what you’re going to get,” he told the Summit Daily.  “We’re going for the Starbucks model, and it’s not because we want to be a behemoth. It’s because you get a vanilla latte and it tastes the same every time. … When there’s consistency — when you know you’re getting the same thing every time — that’s why you go there, and that’s what we want with marijuana.”

A pair of high-volume retailers in the state of Washington made headlines earlier this year when it announced they were joining forces and putting their six retail outlets on the market for $50 million. Uncle Ike’s and Main Street Marijuana are considered the most profitable retailers in the state. According to state data, Main Street Marijuana’s retail sales for 2106 was $34.9 million and Uncle Ike’s sales hit $30.5 million — the two top marijuana retailers in the state in sales.

Although many considered the announcement as a publicity stunt, both owners said they are serious. But both entities remain under the old ownership.  One wrinkle is that Washington law forbids out-of-state ownership. So the $50 million must come from a Washington citizen.

Going National

But the push to create national brands is coming. The state laws surrounding cannabis are nebulous. Some states outlaw out-of-state ownership. But licensing and affiliate partnerships are allowed. And some large companies are making the leap outside the state boundaries.

Last month, Los Angeles-based MedMen, cannabis management and investment firm, made a foray into the New York medical marijuana market with the purchase of Bloomfield Industries, one of only five registered organizations licensed to operate a medical marijuana business in the state.

“New York is critical to our broader strategy,” said Adam Bierman, co-founder and CEO of MedMen at the time of the purchase in February. “We are talking about the fourth most populous state in the country and home to one of the largest, most densely populated cities in the world. We have the opportunity to serve roughly a fifth of that market, perhaps more and we are very excited about this opportunity.”

‘The Chardonnay Mom’

In 2015, MedMen took over an existing medical marijuana dispensary in West Hollywood and remodeled the space to fit the company’s sleek brand image. For Bierman, the retail opportunity is similar to Whole Foods or Apple. The demographic he is most interested in reaching is “the Chardonnay mom.”

MedMen focuses on those that are either new to cannabis or who are curious about it. “They see this store and say, ‘Oh, I’ll try those breath mints,’ ” Bierman told the Los Angeles Times. “They start becoming someone who is substituting marijuana for alcohol or something else.”

MedMen will take that same branding approach to New York, where it hopes to open four medical marijuana dispensaries.

Diego Pellicer, another high-end luxury brand, is expanding into other states. The company’s first retail store opened in Seattle in October of last year. On Feb. 14, Diego Pellicer had a grand opening of its Denver location. The company says six more locations are in the works, including two more in Colorado.

Diego Pellicer’s business model is unique. The parent company —Diego Pellicer Worldwide — acquires and leases storefronts for retailers in states that allow marijuana sales. It does not grow, sell or profit directly from cannabis.

As the industry matures, the retail experience will surely change. And if Medmen’s Bierman has anything to do with it, the “Chardonnay mom” will be helping shape it. And they’ll be as ubiquitous as a coffee shop.

Why Was A Fundraiser For Burned Marijuana Farms Shut Down?

Terry Hacienda
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Why Was A Fundraiser For Burned Marijuana Farms Shut Down?

When news spread that more than 30 California marijuana farms were destroyed by wildfires, concerned friends of the farmers immediately decided to help those in need by creating a crowdfunding campaign. But the philanthropic effort was shut down because of legal confusion.

Hezekiah Allen, executive director of the California Growers Association, decided the best way to help the growers was to set up online fundraiser on the YouCaring.com site. Allen set the goal at $25,000 and donations poured in. More than $13,000 was raised before the site on Monday morning suspended the efforts.

According to a report on CNN.com:

YouCaring said fundraising for marijuana-related purposes isn’t allowed by its payment providers, WePay and PayPal.

“Our payment providers are unable to process payments connected to the production or sale of cannabis (including CBD oil), even in situations where such payments would be permitted under State Law,” said YouCaring’s Camelia Gendreau in a statement.

Because it’s illegal on the federal level, processing payments related to marijuana is technically considered money laundering. “We have no other choice,” said WePay’s Jeremy Milk.

On the YouCaring donation page, Allen hoped to give the growers a fighting chance as California’s legal recreational cannabis program gears up to begin retail sales in January. He launched the recovery fund promising that 100 percent of the donations would be used for disaster relief.

“Severe wildfires have taken lives, destroyed homes and businesses, and continue to threaten communities throughout our state. Eventually the smoke will clear and we can begin to assess the damage,” Allen wrote. “For now, we can confirm that several growers have been among those in the community impacted by the dual loss of  home and livelihood.

“The opportunity of legal cannabis is in ashes for many longtime California growers and their communities. Over the course of the last 18 months, these growers have spent their life savings getting permits and preparing for state licenses,” he continued. “Recovery will be especially difficult because cannabis is a dramatically under-insured crop, growers can’t get loans and won’t qualify for federal recovery funds.”

WePay claims it can no longer process the payments because cannabis remains a Schedule 1 drug under federal law and that banks, which are federally regulated, are not permitted to accept the money.

Wineries and vineyards damaged by the wildfires are free to accept donations. Cannabis farmers, on the other hand, are flat out of luck.

California’s cannabis industry was estimated to be worth $2.8 billion in 2016, according to Arcview Group. With retail sales starting next year, the industry in the state is forecast to be worth $6.5 billion by 2020.

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