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Shocker! 75% Of Voters In This State Want To Legalize Marijuana

Terry Hacienda
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Shocker! 75% Of Voters In This State Want To Legalize Marijuana

When three out of four Utah voters say they support legal weed, I guess you can say America is waaaay past the tipping point when it comes to marijuana legalization.

According to a new poll conducted by The Salt Lake Tribune and the University of Utah’s Hinckley Institute of Politics, 75 percent of Utahns are keen on the idea of a proposed 2018 ballot initiative to legalize medical marijuana in the state. And it’s not just progressive Democrats behind it.

Among Democrats, 93 percent support legalization. Even Republicans — at 65 percent — are in favor. the Salt Lake Tribune reports:

“Things are trending in the right direction,” said DJ Schanz, executive director of the Utah Patients Coalition, the group organizing the ballot initiative.

“It’s a positive change in our state and across the country. We’re seeing such a positive [stance toward medical marijuana],” said Christine Stenquist, president of Together for Responsible Use and Cannabis Education (TRUCE), which is working to educate Utah voters on medical marijuana.

Members of the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are also voicing their approval. In another poll, 63 percent of Utahns who are “very active” in the Mormon Church support the legalization of medical marijuana for specific diseases and/or pain relief.

Even conservative Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch has shifted gears and is now advocating marijuana legislative reform.  As Tom Angell reports in Marijuana Moment:

“The evidence shows that cannabis possesses medicinal properties that can truly change people’s lives for the better,” Hatch said last month when introducing legislation to remove roadblocks to studies on the drug’s medical potential. “I strongly support research into the medicinal benefits of marijuana, and I remain committed to helping patients find the help they need, whether they suffer from cancer, severe seizures or any other chronic disorder.”

In the days since that Senate floor speech, Hatch has spoken about medical cannabis at seemingly every opportunity. In tweets, press releases, committee hearings and videos, the senator and his staff have consistently maintained a focus on marijuana issues.

Here Is Why Congress Believes Marijuana Is The Same As Heroin And Meth

Al Olson
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Here Is Why Congress Believes Marijuana Is The Same As Heroin And Meth

Earlier this week, Congressman Tom Garrett, a Republican freshman from Virginia, introduced legislation aimed at federally decriminalizing marijuana. The bill — “Ending Federal Marijuana Prohibition Act of 2017”  — would take marijuana off the federal controlled substances list,  joining other industries such as alcohol and tobacco instead of heroin and meth.

“I have long believed justice that isn’t blind, isn’t justice. Statistics indicate that minor narcotics crimes disproportionately hurt areas of lower socio-economic status and what I find most troubling is that we continue to keep laws on the books that we do not enforce,” Garrett said in a statement.

Hawaii Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard is the lead co-sponsor on this bipartisan bill.

The proposed legislation is identical to the bill introduced in 2015 by Sen. Bernie Sanders, which failed to even get a hearing.

Before we get into why Garrett proposed the legislation, it’s worth reviewing the basics of the Controlled Substances Act of 1970 and why marijuana is classified as a Schedule I drug —the highest tier that includes heroin. According to the federal government, Schedule I drugs have a “high potential for abuse” and “no medically accepted use.”

Here is what you need to know about the CSA and the scheduling of marijuana:

How Did This Happen?

It all started in 1970. Congress passed the Controlled Substance Act, which was immediately signed by President Richard Nixon, who felt strongly that marijuana use was tearing the fabric of the nation. He associated marijuana users with hippies and anti-war protesters.  The act established five schedules — or categories — by which all drugs would be classified.

The inclusion of cannabis as Schedule I was supposed to be temporary, subject to review by a commission that would recommend a categorization based on science.

Two years later, the blue-ribbon commission’s recommendation was in. The National Commission on Marihuana and Drug Abuse issued two substantial reports: Marihuana: A Signal In Misunderstanding and Drug Use in America: Problem in Perspective.

The commission concluded that marijuana was not a serious threat to public health and recommended changes to the scheduling. In fact, the so-called Shafer Commission — named after the Raymond Shafer, the chairman of the panel and former Pennsylvania governor — recommended that small amounts of cannabis should be legal to possess. The report stated:

“The criminal law is too harsh a tool to apply to personal possession even in the effort to discourage use.  It implies an overwhelming indictment of the behavior which we believe is not appropriate. The actual and potential harm of use of the drug is not great enough to justify intrusion by the criminal law into private behavior, a step which our society takes only with the greatest reluctance. … Therefore, the Commission recommends … [that the] possession of marijuana for personal use no longer be an offense.”

Nixon, who hand-picked all 13 member of the Shafer Commission, ignored its recommendation.

Side note: Cocaine and methamphetamine, opium and other clearly more dangerous drugs fall under Schedule II.

What About Medical Marijuana?

Yes, what about the medicinal use of an herb that the federal government states no medically accepted use.” Twenty-eight states disagree and have passed legislation that allows for the medical marijuana programs.

Even more head-scratching is this: In 2003, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services received U.S. Patent No. 6,630,507. The patent clearly states that the compounds found in cannabis act as antioxidants and neuroprotectants. The patent summary states:

Cannabinoids have been found to have antioxidant properties, unrelated to NMDA receptor antagonism. This new found property makes cannabinoids useful in the treatment and prophylaxis of wide variety of oxidation associated diseases, such as ischemic, age-related, inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. The cannabinoids are found to have particular application as neuroprotectants, for example in limiting neurological damage following ischemic insults, such as stroke and trauma, or in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and HIV dementia.

Since all states are not required to keep data on patients using medical marijuana, it is unclear how many Americans are using the plant for health reasons. One national estimate claims the number to be 2.6 million. According to a recent study by the Pew Research Center estimates:

Nearly half (49 percent) of Americans say they have tried marijuana, and 12 percent in the past year, which the 2012 National Survey on Drug Use and Health says is the most commonly used illicit drug in the U.S. The government survey showed that 18.9 million Americans 12 or older (7.3 percent) had used marijuana in the prior month.

The Pew report does not differentiate between medical use and other use.

What About CBD?

Cannabidiol, or CBD, is a non-psychoactive substance found in the cannabis plant. It has no effect on brain function and is proven to be an antioxidant and neuroprotectant. Are CBD-only medications legal? Nope. Inexplicably, even cannabis devoid of THC, the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana, is considered by the federal government to be Schedule I.

The DEA announced in December that cannabis extracts, including CBD, fall under Schedule I.

So, What About Rescheduling?

It is unlikely that the federal government will do anything soon to change the status of cannabis, despite the fact that more Americans live in states that approve of medical marijuana than states that don’t.

Rescheduling could be achieved via Congress, or through the executive branch. Congress thus far has rejected all bills to reschedule. There is also a provision in the CSA that allows the attorney general the latitude to reschedule administratively.

As mentioned at the top of this article, Congressman Garrett has introduced legislation. But that is seen by most political experts as a symbolic gesture. Just last year, the DEA rejected a call to reschedule.

The first attempt to reschedule occurred in 1972, the same year the act went into effect. NORML petitioned the federal government to move cannabis to Schedule II.

There have been numerous other attempts over the years and all have been unsuccessful.

Note: The 2016 platform of the Democratic Party called for removal of marijuana from Schedule I, “providing a reasoned pathway for future legalization” of marijuana.

 

Marijuana Edibles Provide Better Pain And Anxiety Relief Than Smoking

Terry Hacienda
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Marijuana Edibles Provide Better Pain And Anxiety Relief Than Smoking

For a growing number of cannabis consumers, eating the herb is better than smoking it. That is the conclusion of a qualitative report examining customer preferences.

The study, conducted by RTI International, an independent, nonprofit research institute, provides an understanding of consumer perceptions of edible marijuana products, including why users prefer edibles to other forms of marijuana and their concerns regarding the consumption of edibles.

“Our findings suggest that some people prefer edibles to smoking marijuana because there is no smell from smoke and no secondhand smoke,” explained Sheryl C. Cates, senior research public health analyst, the RTI lead for the study. “They also liked edibles over smoking for their convenience, discreetness, longer-lasting highs, and less intense highs. Some participants said that for them, consuming edibles provided better pain and anxiety relief than smoking.”

Regarding pain relief, Jane A. Allen, RTI Research Public Health Analyst adds, “Although this study did not examine whether edibles are used as a substitute for other drugs, a growing body of research suggests that greater availability of marijuana may reduce use of pain medications, and may reduce the frequency and amount of opioid consumption.”

The study also provides insights into consumers’ concerns regarding the consumption of edible marijuana, including delayed activation time, accidental ingestion, and dosing.

“Importantly, the delayed high from edibles vs. smoking or vaping marijuana, may contribute to consumers ingesting a greater than intended amount of the drug before they feel high,” said Cates. “Informing the public on delayed activation, accidental ingestion, proper dosing and harmful effects will help consumers make better decisions and help protect public health.”

A total of 62 adults in eight focus groups, four each in Denver, Colorado and in Seattle, Washington were conducted with consumers of edibles who were at least 21 years or older and met specific study criteria.  The findings suggest that outreach campaigns on recreational marijuana should provide information on the risks and benefits of different forms of marijuana so that consumers can make informed decisions about their use.

Peru Takes Official Steps Toward Medical Marijuana Legalization

Brendan Bures
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Peru Takes Official Steps Toward Medical Marijuana Legalization

A conservative Peruvian Congress overwhelmingly passed a bill that would legalize medical marijuana in the country. Specifically, the bill passed with a 68-5 vote, which will allow cannabis oil to be produced, as well as imported and commercialized.

Ruling party lawmaker Alberto Belaunde told Reuters that within 60 days they will write the necessary regulations for cannabis oil production and commercialization.

The move was predicated following a police crackdown of a group of Peruvian mothers were discovered in a makeshift laboratory creating cannabis oil. The mothers were doing so to treat their epileptic children, and reported the oil’s effectiveness. President Pedro Pablo Kucynski proposed the measure, following an outpouring of public sympathy for the mothers.

Thousands of patients and their family members will have hope and a better quality of life,” Belaunde told Reuters.

Peru now joins its Chile and Colombia who also legalized medical marijuana within their countries. Uruguay, meanwhile, is the only country in South America to fully legalize marijuana for all uses. You can read more about the rules governing Uruguay’s recreational marijuana program here.

This Hot Dog Costume Has The Most Amazing Customer Reviews

Brendan Bures
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This Hot Dog Costume Has The Most Amazing Customer Reviews

As everyone decides their last-minute Halloween costume, we have discovered the most ridiculous outfit you could wear. The greatest news is that it’s a great pop culture reference, hassle-free, and available on Amazon immediately.

Behold the Dancing Hot Dog Costume:

It’s made by Snap Inc.—one of the handful of physical products the company makes—and, yes, you can Snapchat while wearing the Snapchat costume. The tunic-shaped outfit provides hand slits for you social media addicts who need to document your good time.

But possibly the greatest delight among discovering this ridiculous costume is the customer reviews. You want puns? We got puns. This reminds me of when Mad Max fans flooded the comments section of chrome-colored spray paint cans.

Check these out:

  • “I wore this to work for the first time today, and I’ve already been promoted twice. Soon I’ll be the top dog around here.”
  • “My husband’s dancing weiner left me for another woman so I became a hotdog. 5 stars.”
  • “Sometimes when I’m alone in my room I’ll put it on and do the dance. When I’m the hotdog all of my real world problems melt away.”
  • “I put this on and all my acne cleared up. Then my mom woke up from her 5 year coma. 5/5”
  • “They called me a loser. Everyone doubted me. I put this costume on today — look who’s the weiner now.”
  • “I’m in sales. Its hard to stand out. But i wore this to a sales meeting the other day and closed 3 contracts. When you’re the Top Dog, it really pays off!”
  • “The listing says “100% beef.” I was very disappointed that there is no beef in this product. Also, the “fresh new flavor” tasted suspiciously like plastic, a flavor that is neither fresh nor new.”

Of course there were some haters among the bunch. Another reviewer commented, “As soon as I put it on, I had to kick my own ass,” which sounds like more of a personal issue if you ask us.

Anyways, if you need a last-minute costume that makes you stand out at the party, look no further. You’ll be a wiener.

DOJ Admits Serious Errors In Kettle Falls Five Prosecution

Terry Hacienda
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DOJ Admits Serious Errors In Kettle Falls Five Prosecution

From the very beginning, the 2012 arrest and 2015 prosecution of five small-time Washington medical marijuana growers seemed especially egregious. Then the Department of Justice admitted it essentially broke the law when prosecuting the case.

In an extraordinary admission, the DOJ agreed with defense lawyers that the Kettle Falls Five (named after the region they in eastern Washington) had obeyed state marijuana laws and that the federal government overreached in its attempt to prosecute them. The Huffington Post‘s Matt Ferner, who broke the story, reported:

In a brief filed late Monday in the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, DOJ lawyers acknowledged that the department “was not authorized to spend money on the prosecution of the defendants after December of 2014 because the defendants strictly complied with the Washington state medical marijuana laws.”

Three of the five defendants were sentenced to serve time in prison, but were free pending appeal. Another defendant, Larry Harvey, the family patriarch, died in 2o15 from cancer. Another defendant, Jason Zucker, agreed to a plea and testified against the other defendants.

“This filing is a victory for the family and lawful medical marijuana users all across the country,”Phil Telfeyan, the defendants’ attorney, told Reason.com. “Our government should not use federal money to prosecute people abiding by state laws. This filing will have far-reaching effects that should help end the federal prosecution of marijuana users in states where it’s legal.”

The case was being watched carefully by marijuana advocates because the DOJ appeared to be violating the law. “This case has turned the justice system completely on its head,” Kari Boiter, who became a spokeswoman for the Kettle Falls Five, told Huffington Post. “Here we have prosecutors admitting that it’s the DOJ who is breaking federal law, not the other way around.”

The Rohrabacher-Farr amendment prohibits the DOJ from prosecuting medical marijuana facilities that follow state laws. In announcing the reversal, the DOJ wrote in the brief:

“This court determined that [Rohrabacher-Farr] prohibits the Department of Justice from spending funds for the prosecution of individuals who engaged in conduct permitted by the state medical marijuana laws and fully complied with the laws.”

Although the DOJ admitted its error, it did not ask for charges to be dropped. But the Kettle Five lawyers are confident that their defendants will not see the inside of a jail cell and that the court will eventually drop the case.

“Let’s not forget that Larry Harvey gave his life fighting for his family’s freedom ― and spent his final months on Earth working to pass the federal law that is cited in the prosecutors’ new motion,” Boiter told HuffPo. “The federal government can’t give Larry back, but they can start to right this wrong by fully exonerating the surviving defendants, once and for all.”

Gossip: Kathy Griffin Rips Anderson Cooper As ‘Spineless Heiress;’ Meghan Markle’s Half-Sister Writing Memoir

Naughty Gossip
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Gossip: Kathy Griffin Rips Anderson Cooper As ‘Spineless Heiress;’ Meghan Markle’s Half-Sister Writing Memoir

In a Daily Beast interview that’s mostly about Kathy Griffin’s very public feud with celebrity lawyer Lisa Bloom, we get this tidbit:

When Kevin Frazier of “Entertainment Tonight” asked her whether she had spoken to Anderson Cooper, her longtime friend, co-host, and comic foil on CNN’s New Year’s Eve show, she shook her head, cried, and managed to blurt how deeply he had hurt her by tweeting: “For the record, I am appalled by the photo shoot Kathy Griffin took part in. It is clearly disgusting and completely inappropriate.”

In her interview with The Daily Beast, Griffin laughingly quoted a quip “from my gays,” as she put it, slamming the gay Cooper, a scion of the storied Vanderbilt family, as “The Spineless Heiress.”

Reality show mogul Andy Cohen will replace Griffin as Cooper’s sidekick on CNN’s New Year’s Eve show.

Meghan Markle’s Half-Sister Writing Memoir

Meghan Markle’s half-sister, Samantha Grant, calls the ‘Suits’ star, “strong, very worldly, very educated, very graceful” in a new interview announcing her forthcoming memoir: The Diary of Princess Pushy’s Sister.

While the title doesn’t exactly sound favorable to Markle, 36, with whom she shares a father, Grant told “Good Morning Britain” on Monday, October 23, “Well, it is true that I’m writing a book and the title is accurate, what is not true [is] this unbelievable swell that’s been created that it’s some sort of slamming ‘tell-all.’”

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

5 Effective Ways Of Dealing With Those Scary Panic Attacks

Maria Loreto
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5 Effective Ways Of Dealing With Those Scary Panic Attacks

Panic attacks feel awful and can also have the worst timing, popping up in the middle of work or during an important meeting. These sudden and extreme periods of fear and anxiety can mess with your mental health and derail the entirety of your day in just a couple of minutes. While panic attacks normally occur to people with panic disorders, they can also present themselves in people with other mental health issues, such as social anxiety or OCD.

The Huffington Post spoke with several experts on the matter and compiled a handful of tips and aids that’ll help you prevent and cope with panic attack symptoms:

Focus On Your Breathing Patterns

Focusing on your breathing is always a good way to remain calm, be that when you’re exercising, when you’re a little nervous, or when you feel like you’re about to have a panic attack. Danielle Forshee, a clinical social worker and psychologist, suggests diaphragmatic breathing, placing your hand on your stomach and chest and taking deep breaths through your nose while exhaling through your mouth. This strategy will tranquilize your body, lowering your heartbeat back to normal.

Concentrate On A Task

It’s very important to remember that panic attacks are temporary. A simple way to do this is to focus on the task at hand, and to avoid overt stress. Breathe deeply and carry on with your day.

Have A Walk

If concentrating on a task isn’t enough to calm you down, going for a walk and clearing your head might be more effective. Listening to music and moving can be a good way to remind you that you’re in control of your body and that things aren’t as bad as they seem.

Go To A Private Space

If you can’t calm down, try going to the bathroom and splashing some water on your face. Here, you’ll be more comfortable and won’t attract too much attention. Just try to get things under control and to remember that you’re ok.

Talk To Someone You Trust

Open up to someone you trust, who’ll offer validation and good advice. Dan Reidenberg, chair of the American Psychotherapy Association, believes that external sources can help you reframe what you’re experiencing and provide some perspective to your situation.

It’s Almost Halloween! Here’s A Simple Guide To Pumpkin Carving

Maria Loreto
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It’s Almost Halloween! Here’s A Simple Guide To Pumpkin Carving

Pumpkin carving is hard to master and requires both creativity and a steady hand. The simple act of carving one can be scary and little gross, but fear not, it’s completely plausible and easy enough if you follow these simple set of guidelines.

Check out or guide to perfect pumpkin carving:

What You Need

A pumpkin, a sharp knife or pumpkin carving knife, an ice cream spade or large metal spoon, a bowl, dry erase marker, paper, and an LED tealight. We recommend using a pumpkin carving knife since it’s small and easier to manage than a knife. 

Start Carving

Start out by sketching onto a piece of paper what you want to draw on your pumpkin. You can google pumpkin templates which will make your job easier if you’re not the best at drawing.

A post shared by Patricia (@mrspbundy) on

Draw your design directly onto the pumpkin with the dry erase marker, which will allow you to make as many mistakes as you want. If you’re a beginner, a simple design will make your job easier.

With your pumpkin carving knife, carve a hole as large as your hand around the stem of the pumpkin. Clean out the inside of the pumpkin with the ice cream spade or your hand. Cover the hole again with the stem.

While holding the pumpkin with one hand carve your design with the other, cutting outside of the marker lines for a cleaner look.

Place your LED light inside the pumpkin and turn it on when it’s dark outside. Be sure to take a lot of pictures of your finished work. Happy Halloween! 

A post shared by Zuzana Hansen (@zuzanalilly) on

So, How Can We Get Amazon To Send Us 65 Pounds of Marijuana?

Amy Hansen
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So, How Can We Get Amazon To Send Us 65 Pounds of Marijuana?

An Orlando, Florida couple ordered four plastic storage bins on Amazon, but when their package arrived, the totes were already being utilized…with 65 pounds of marijuana.

The couple, who wish to remain anonymous, told WFTV9 they were first tipped off that something was wrong by the weight — their order weighed more than 90 pounds.

“We were still pretty fearful our home would be broken into, and we didn’t sleep there for a few days.”

They called police, who seized the drugs and immediately launched an investigation.

But when the couple contacted Amazon asking “what’s up?”, all they got was a $150 gift card and an email that basically said the company’s hands were tied: no apology, no explanation.

“There was no concern for a customer’s safety. I mean, this could have turned into a worst-case scenario,” said one of the customers.

According to Orlando police, no arrests have been made but the investigation is still active.

As for Amazon, the company didn’t respond to an email inquiry from the Miami Herald regarding the mix up, telling the ABC affiliate that “its customer service team had worked directly with the customers to address concerns and would work with law enforcement officials to investigate the case.”

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