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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.

How Does Legal Cannabis Compare To The Black Market

Danielle Guercio
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How Does Legal Cannabis Compare To The Black Market

Recreational or medicinal, habitual or occasional, our love of cannabis is old news. If we can freely give our lives at 18, kill our livers at 21, and fry our lungs with tobacco as long as we can obtain it, imbibing in a different, and frankly natural, intoxicant is no big deal to anyone with even a passing familiarity.

This is why it’s so absurd that we can even sit down and compare the purchasing situation between legal and illegal markets in one country. It’s because Puritanism still controls a vast portion of American culture, and the enforcement of that Puritanism on people of color disproportionately lines the pockets of the top dogs, so it remains a state issue. It’s why GQ can cover a band of gorgeous models slinging cannabis around town but the NYPD can still arrest people for possession in majority black precincts, despite 27 grams or less being decriminalized in New York State.

All this context aside, it’s downright shameful to compare the legal markets of a place like Washington and Oregon, or California’s flexible grey-area availability with the absurdly authoritarian places like New York City and New Jersey, but I’m going to illustrate the key differences that were apparent after having my first legal experience.

Photo by Danielle Guercio

Quality

This seems obvious, but the real picture is one of nuance. There’s no question that you can acquire quality cannabis in New York and other iron-fist-medical states, the black market is flourishing. Sure when a dealer comes by they can tell you what strain and origin to the best of their knowledge, but are they about to tell you the (likely) illegal farm that grew it or any other identifying details? Absolutely not.

When you purchase in Washington for example, you are told the date of harvest as well as the company and farm that has grown your product, which is also analyzed for cannabinoid content and labeled with the pesticides used. You ain’t getting that from your burner phone person who was 90 minutes late.

Quality also extends past the labeling and to the actual cannabis itself. The best buds are reserved for collectives, dispensaries, and the legal market where these buds are in demand. Something as valuable as cannabis carries a dramatically higher retail price on the East Coast, while as noted above, exact quality cannot be known buy the buyer.

Photo by Danielle Guercio

Quantity

You don’t need to know in vast detail precisely how much more affordable cannabis is in legal states, especially now as the programs finally grow into their own. At every grade of quality, you get more for your money. From the finest Triton to the ‘farm cut’ deals for the old school smokers, you get more leaf for your lira. Portland in particular had especially cutting deals on totally legit strains that were fresh as can be.

Photo by Danielle Guercio

Variety

Here’s one thing what will bring an enthusiast to their knees in reverence upon going into the big stores. It’s almost impossible to keep track of all of the strains, which is why many menus are available online and in books to speed the actual buying process. Hybrids, sativas, indicas, CBD heavy, double sour variants, there’s just about anything your heart desires, and that’s just flower and concentrates.

When it comes to edibles, topicals, and intimate items, you’re able to purchase the health aids that New Yorkers only dream about, or make themselves. Everything from an Ethos balm to a Fairwinds capsule can help you manage pain, illness, or just have an enhanced evening.

Photo by Danielle Guercio

Convenience

Legal peeps are spoiled. Aside from ‘knowing someone’ who can help you procure quality cannabis in NYC, you’re also usually on their schedule. Delivery means you have to wait often 90 minutes at the minimum, and then let a strange person into your home. The price is higher, the wait is longer, and you’re at their mercy, since you can’t exactly call the Better Business Bureau if something goes awry. Line that up to legal states where you can usually purchase cannabis within 30 miles of your home and during most of the waking hours every day. Makes the other states look like a rotary phone next to an iPhone.

Photo by Danielle Guercio

Privilege

This is a major factor that not many people consider when they frame the paradigm of their consumption. Currently, the American cannabis market puts people of color at a dramatic disadvantage. Tons of black and brown people remain in prison or otherwise burdened by felony cannabis charges, while new investors are creating fully integrated operations with either little personal experience or a history pushing without consequence. Many legal states are repealing or adjusting laws that bar felony holders from working in cannabis, which is a small step, but in illegal states, some of the people of color who use or distribute cannabis do so with great personal risk compared to white dealers and customers. The privilege of legal commerce that includes those with cannabis felonies could be one chip off of this continuing national tragedy.

Photo by Danielle Guercio

Now that you know you can grab fancy packaged premium buds in Washington, or get a killer deal on some Obama Kush in Portland, but have to rely on the methods not much changed since the 1970s elsewhere, the stark differences should be even more jarring. It makes a cannabis lover want to up and move to a legal state, as it makes me want to from time to time when I’m reminded of how silly everything is here.

Photos: Danielle Guercio

Why Robert Galinsky’s ‘The Bench’ Is ‘The Hottest Ticket In Town’

Brendan Bures
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Why Robert Galinsky’s ‘The Bench’ Is ‘The Hottest Ticket In Town’

How does that colloquial saying go? Something like, “You are the sum of the closest people around you?” If that’s the formula to success then consider Robert Galinsky, the writer and performer of The Bench, the proof positive.

For while The Bench is undoubtedly the brainchild of Galinsky (full disclosure: he also contributes to The Fresh Toast), he is a relative unknown in the theater world when compared to the company he keeps. You’re more likely to recognize the show’s director and presenter for their performance work, which is what makes Galinsky’s triumph all the more impressive.

Performed off-Broadway at the Cherry Lande Theatre, The Bench navigates the emotional heartbreak of five homeless characters the devastating fallout surrounding AIDS in the 1980s. Galinsky assumes the role of each of the characters alone, slipping in between them with flawless precision and gusto.

Jay O. Sanders, who you know from his roles in JFK and Amazon’s Sneaky Pete, directs The Bench. He strips away the sentimentality from the source material, leaving the deep reservoirs of emotionality already contained in the stories of the characters.

“It is all there. Sadness, confusion, the love, the pain, the joy, the rage… it speaks for itself,” Sanders said. “It has to be done so that you, the audience can simply, as he steps into the characters, you can feel the bizarre levels that are underneath what you’re used to seeing, which is a bunch of lost anonymous people sitting on a bench. [Galinsky] does it. He accomplishes it. He embraces it.”

Photo by Aidan Grant

Presenting the Cherry Lane Theatre production is Chris Noth, Mr. Big from Sex and the City. Following its Fall run, Noth believes The Bench should tour, shown in universities and colleges who would appreciate the artistic achievement.

“Galinsky really took the time to tell these characters stories here and I can never look at another homeless person again and not think of what their story is,” Noth said.

The Metropolitan Report delivered a glowing review recently, comparing Galinsky’s work to other hallowed greats who have performed at the Cherry Lane Thetre, including Sam Shepard, Edward Albee, Harold Pinter and Edna St. Vincent Millay.

Via Metropolitan Report:

He is also quite possibly filling the void of incredible New York actors who have sadly passed recently: Phillip Seymour Hoffman and James Gandolfini. Although big shoes to fill, it certainly looks like Robert Galinsky is ready to fill them, walk in them and quite possibly run straight to Broadway in them.

Mark Schoenfeld, the creator of Brooklyn the Musical on Broadway, serves as Associate Producer for The Bench. He echoed the sentiment relayed by the Metropolitan Report.

“Sitting in the Cherry Lane Theatre, I felt right at home knowing that the late great Sam Shepard would have been proud that his legacy of thought provoking and risky stage work is being carried forward by playwright/performer Galinsky,” Schoenfeld said. “Shepard’s famous “True West” debuted at the Cherry Lane and Galinsky’s “The Bench” carries the torch of great American theatre, much like Sam Shepard’s works do.”

All these positive vibes point to Galinsky’s achievement. A show that could’ve easily slid into trite folly, instead receives such tender care in his hands. This is why the show, which currently runs until mid-December, has been such a smashing success.

As Schoenfeld said, “This show, The Bench, is the hottest ticket in town.”

13 Amazing Wonder Woman Costumes For A Super Halloween

Maria Loreto
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13 Amazing Wonder Woman Costumes For A Super Halloween

This year has been a big one for Wonder Woman, featuring the first blockbuster that brought the character to the big screen and an independent movie chronicling the story behind Wonder Woman’s creator (polygamy and BDSM!!!).

Wonder Woman made a lot of money over the summer, inspiring dozens of women only screenings of the film and a victory for the women’s equal pay movement in Hollywood, with Patty Jenkins, the director, becoming the highest paid female director in Hollywood history.

Currently, there’s so much variety in terms of what you can wear as Diana Prince’s alter ego that there could be two completely different Wonder Women in the same party and no one would confuse them. This time, you can actually enjoy your costume because you’ll know the story behind the character. We’ve swept the internet and found the best Wonder Woman costume ideas, which are surprisingly varied and include animals and children, which are always a plus.

Here are some of our favorites:

Wonder Woman & Superman

Mom & Daughter Wonder Women

 

A post shared by Bernadette Bentley (@msbernadetteb) on

Wonder Woman Striking A Pose

Steaming Wonder Woman

A post shared by Jarod Kearney (@jarodkearney) on

Baby Wonder Woman

Doggy Wonder Woman

Thoughtful Wonder Woman

A post shared by Carlos Adama (@carlos_adama) on

Almost Naked Wonder Woman

Wonder Woman & Superman

Eyelashes Wonder Woman

 

?

A post shared by Shilo Woods (@shiweddings) on

Wonder Woman In Action

Wonder Girl

Harmony Korine Plans To Show McConaughey Film In Marijuana Smoke-Filled Theaters

Brendan Bures
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Harmony Korine Plans To Show McConaughey Film In Marijuana Smoke-Filled Theaters

When you see Spring Breakers director Harmony Korine’s newest feature, he wants the theater experience to be one you remember. When Korine says that, he isn’t insinuating graphic fidelity or 3-D vision. Instead, when you see his new stoner comedy Beach Bums, he wants you to watch with clouds of marijuana smoke inside the theater.

Apparently, as Korine told Telerama, he already has 30 theaters in the United States who have agreed to his stunt.

“I would very much like the film, when it was released, to be shown in cinemas that broadcast volutes of marijuana,” Korine said, as translated by Google. “This is possible in some states, such as California, which have legalized this drug for its medical virtues. We already have about thirty rooms that have accepted.”

The movie will star Matthew McConaughey as Moondog, a rebellious and lovable rogue who lives life large, as Deadline describes. Snoop Dogg will also have a role in the film. It’s in the spirit of Cheech and Chong, says Korine, and regards “smokers of marijuana, a little depressive.”

Filming is currently underway in Miami, Florida, where recreational marijuana is not legal. However, Korine claims “the action takes place in Key West, in the far south of Florida.”

If you’ve ever been to the Florida Keys, you know how weird things can get around those parts. Since the film won’t be released until 2018, possibly more states will have legalized marijuana by then.

This Famous Hot Sauce Is Suing A Marijuana Company

Amy Hansen
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This Famous Hot Sauce Is Suing A Marijuana Company

The company that makes Tapatio hot sauce is suing a company for copyright infringement. And it seems like a pretty easy win.

The copycat product is called “Trapatio” and it’s infused with THC. You would not want to confuse the two.

In the complaint, Tapatio states:

On information and belief, Defendants have begun to manufacture, sell, offer for sale, advertise, and/or distribute meatless hot sauce and other related products under a variety of marks that are confusingly similar to the TAPATIO Marks.

Which, yeah, are very similar.

Not only is the font similar, so is the curled banner and the charro. Says the court document:

…many of the Infringing Marks that Defendants use in connection with the sale, advertising, offer for sale, manufacturing and distribution of meatless hot sauce also contain a Charro with an iconic sombrero, yellow jacket, and red tie, and is confusingly similar to the Charro used by Tapatio on its products…

https://www.instagram.com/p/BZuZbiTnm6L

According to Marijuana Business Daily, a now deleted product description for Trapatio read:  “Add a little kick to your tacos – or any food, for that matter – with Trapatio, a delectable hot sauce infused with THC. ”

Tapatio is seeking not only an injunction against Trapatio, but unspecified damages as well.

Kit Kat And Twix Quesadillas Are Now A Thing At Taco Bell

Amy Hansen
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Kit Kat And Twix Quesadillas Are Now A Thing At Taco Bell

Just in time for Halloween, Taco Bell is testing a new menu item that is part candy and part quesadilla. It’s called a Chocoladilla and it’s blowing up dollar menus. according to Mashable.

After a successful test of the product in the U.K. a year ago (where it’s known as a Chocodilla), the company is now testing at select locations in Wisconsin through mid-November.

The $1 menu item is exactly what it sounds like: a Kit Kat grilled inside a flour tortilla— just like a quesadilla, but without the cheese or veggies. And while it’s a novelty here in the states, the chocolate concoction is an international delight, available at Taco Bell locations around the world.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BakD1GyFRKU

The Chocoladilla has been on menus since October 5. And according to Brand Eating, some Taco Bell locations are offering a Twix version.

As some people on Twitter were quick to point out, “ladilla” is the Spanish term for “public lice” (crabs). Not exactly appetizing.

As with most quesadillas, the Kit Kat variety looks best as a whole versus the sum of its parts.

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

As for whether or not you can expect the Kit Kat quesadilla to show up at your neighborhood Taco Bell, a company representative told Mashable that “customer response” to this round of testing will determine the item’s expansion.

For a buck, you can also just go buy a Kit Kat, put it in a flour tortilla, and stick it in a skillet.

Scientists Wanted To Know What Happens When Fish Get High

Maria Loreto
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Scientists Wanted To Know What Happens When Fish Get High

According to the Aquaculture Research journal, scientists in Nepal wanted to feed marijuana-like edibles to their fish, to see if it would get them to relax and speed up their growth process. They were curious, I guess. 

The tested fish were tilapia, who apparently lead very stressful lives, which is not a joke. You’d think that fish chill and swim for the duration of their days, but these animals are farmed intensively, which means that sometimes their fish pens are incredibly congested and their lifespans are shortened. Living with so many fish reduces their quality of water, offers more opportunities for diseases, and increases infraspecific interactions, which is a fancy way of saying that, when in close quarters, fish tend to bully each other. 

Scientists thought that feeding marijuana to the fish would relax them, help them befriend each other and coexists. Sounds like a great idea, but sadly, the experiment didn’t work as they thought it would. The fish that were fed THC infused food were living just as long as the other fish, which meant that cannabis didn’t improve their quality of life. The only perk that the marijuana fed Tilapias experienced was that their metabolism was working faster, which made them hungrier, which is also, not what the experiment was after.

Scientists thought it’d be too expensive to feed them repeatedly, so the fish were just hungry and weren’t growing faster or stronger than the other fish who ate their normal meals. The results of the research led nowhere, so there probably won’t be any more marijuana and fish related studies in Nepal. We did learn that fish have the ability to get high, which is kind of interesting. Thanks? 

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