Thursday, May 7, 2026
Home Blog Page 1119

California’s Third Largest County Bans Legal Marijuana

Terry Hacienda
-
0
California’s Third Largest County Bans Legal Marijuana

Kern County is known for its rich farming tradition, oil extraction and the “Bakersfield sound” made famous by the likes of Buck Owens and Merle Haggard. It will now also be known as a big gaping marijuana-free expanse in California, which voted overwhelmingly for legalization nearly one year ago.

By a vote of 4-1, county supervisors last week prohibited commercial cannabis growing and retail sales. The supervisors cited the  “destructive impact” the herb has had on local communities.

According to a report in the Bakersfield Californian:

Supervisor Mick Gleason also supported the ban, but cautioned people not to expect that it will remove marijuana from Kern County.

“The decision before this board is not whether you’re going to have marijuana in your neighborhood, because you are,” he said.

That ship sailed when Proposition 64 was approved by California voters in November, he said. Prop. 64 legalized adult recreational possession and use of marijuana throughout the state.

Kern County, at 8,142 square miles, is the state’s third largest in area; it is roughly the size of New Hampshire. There are 882,176 people living in the county, making it the 11th largest by population in the state.

Bakersfield, the county seat, has been shutting down existing medical marijuana dispensaries this year and the cost of the program has proven to be higher than anticipated. Bakersfield City Councilman Willie Rivera told the Californian:

“I’ve been making overtures at the last few [City Council] meetings on how ineffective I think the ban is. I think some of the answers I got from the staff really lend to that. They prove my point that the ban has been ineffective and we’ve got to find a better solution. It’s idiotic for the city to continue taking this position.”

According to Rivera, the city has been spending about $6,000 a month in attorney fees in its quest to eliminate dispensaries, which would come to $72,000 for the year. “This number does not include staff or the City Attorney’s time or the nominal cost of litigation.”

During the contentious county supervisors meeting, cannabis advocates suggested they may challenge the ruling.David Abbasi, a Bakersfield native and marijuana supporter, said that many of the marijuana claims espoused by the supervisors are outdated and the county needs to remember it has been down this road before. “We are ready to respond with a legal challenge” to the ban, he warned.

Refurbished Arizona Bank Becomes Marijuana Drive-Thru

Terry Hacienda
-
0
Refurbished Arizona Bank Becomes Marijuana Drive-Thru

Drive-thru pharmacies have made picking up your prescription meds more convenient for decades. In Sun City, Ariz., shopping for marijuana will now be just as easy.

All Greens Dispensary opened Arizona’s the first marijuana drive-thru window on Friday. The medical marijuana outlet retrofitted a former bank — complete with a drive-thru bank teller window — and transformed it to suit its unique need.

“Some [patients] are coming in, have wheelchairs, have walkers, this is a lot more convenient atmosphere,” said Anthony Harrington, CEO of All Greens. “First-time patients will have to come in our store to register, but once you’re a registered patient you can go through the drive-thru,” Harrington told AZFamily.com.

“We are going to kind of incorporate a Dutch Bros philosophy,” Harrington added. “We’ll have our budtenders out there facilitating the sale, engaging with the patient, taking the order, confirming the order.”

Sun City is about 30 miles northwest of Phoenix and is home to a large population of “snowbirds” and retirees. Out of the 23,490 households, only 0.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them. So clearly, the consumer demographic is older.  According to the U.S. census, 15.4 percent of people living in the state Arizona are 65 years or older. The city, and adjoining community of Sun City West, have attracted flocks of the Baby Boomer’s first wave of retirees.

In Arizona, the qualifying conditions for medical marijuana patients are:

  • Cancer
  • Glaucoma
  • Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)
  • Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS)
  • Hepatitis C
  • Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
  • Crohn’s Disease
  • Agitation of Alzheimer’s disease
  • A chronic or debilitating disease or medical condition or the treatment for a chronic or debilitating disease or medical condition that causes:
    • Cachexia or wasting syndrome;
    • Severe and chronic pain;
    • Severe nausea;
    • Seizures, including those characteristic of epilepsy;
    • Severe or persistent muscle spasms, including those characteristic of multiple sclerosis

This Guy Is Trying To Figure Out How To Have A Baby With His Sex Robot

Amy Hansen
-
0
This Guy Is Trying To Figure Out How To Have A Baby With His Sex Robot

It’s just a matter of time before we’re all replaced with robots, except for maybe a scientist in Spain who’s making a pretty strong case for keeping his job as a robot procreation specialist.

Sergi Santos is kind of a master at making sex robots. He built a sexy cyborg named Samantha in his home laboratory in Barcelona that can not only hold a (not very interesting) conversation, but also moan during sex.

Santos says he believes in won’t be long before these robots will be able to marry their humans. And if he has his way, have their babies.

“People might look at Samantha as a weird thing you read about. But before they know it, these robots will be doing their jobs, and marrying their children, their grandchildren, and their friends,” he tells The Sun.

He also says it wouldn’t be difficult to get Samantha preggers and that he’d “love to have a child with a robot.” There’s something you don’t hear everyday. For good reason.

“Using the brain I have already created,” says Santos, “I would program it with a genome so he or she could have moral values, plus concepts of beauty, justice and the values that humans have. Then to create a child with this robot it would be extremely simple.”

Sure, Jan.

“I would make an algorithm of what I personally believe about these concepts, and then shuffle it with what she thinks and then 3D print it. That’s it. I 3D print the robot that is the child of me and the robot…I don’t see any complications.”

Yep, We don’t see what could possibly go wrong.

It’s worth noting that Santos has been married to his wife Maritsa Kissamitaki for 16 years and that she’s super not worried at all about his obsession with Samantha and even helps him with robot development.

Here’s Santos showing off Samantha earlier this year.

How Marijuana Can Help Solve America’s Opiate Epidemic

Sheila P. Vakharia
-
0
How Marijuana Can Help Solve America’s Opiate Epidemic

According to the latest estimates, over 33,000 Americans died of an opioid-related overdose last year. We know that overdose risk is highest when people use adulterated street opioids, when they mix opioids with sedatives, or when using after a period of abstinence and decreased tolerance.

A public health approach to the overdose crisis requires us to find strategies to reduce these risks. This means ensuring that people who want to reduce or stop the use of opioids have access to Medication Assisted Treatments (MAT) such as methadone or buprenorphine, or other psychological treatments. However, it is estimated that, while over 2.4 million Americans met diagnostic criteria for an opioid use disorder in 2016, only half received any sort of specialty substance use disorder treatment- with many citing various barriers to care.

Similarly, access to MAT for opioid use disorders is a problem for many Americans because it is provided in less than 10 percent of all substance use treatment facilities in the US. Unfortunately, this can mean that many people have few options to get the help they need.

In light of the current opioid crisis and issues with accessibility of treatments for opioid use disorders, it is time for us to look for alternative treatments that can increase access. Medical marijuana is one potential treatment alternative, which is more readily available to individuals in need across the country.

It is estimated that sixty percent of Americans live in a state with at least some form of legal medical marijuana and nearly 21% live in states with legal recreational marijuana. We know that there are close interactions between cannabinoid system and the opioid system. These shared pharmacological properties may help to explain why we have already seen decreased admissions for opioid-related treatment and dramatically reduced rates of opioid overdoses in states with medical marijuana laws. Opioid users may find cannabis to be an appealing alternative to opioids.

Subjective reports of medical marijuana patients in the US and Canada make a stronger case as to why some find marijuana as a helpful substitution treatment.  (In this context, “substitution” means when someone uses one substance intentionally in place of another substance associated with more harms and negative consequences.)

A study with 350 medical marijuana patients in California found that 26% of respondents reported they used marijuana as a substitute for illicit drugs and 65.8% for prescription drugs. When asked why they preferred marijuana as a substitution, the most common reasons included fewer harmful side effects, helpfulness in managing their symptoms, lower likelihood of withdrawal, and better availability.

A study with 404 medical marijuana patients in Canada found similar results; 36.1% of respondents reported marijuana was a substitute for illicit drugs and 67.8% for prescription drugs. The commonly reported reasons for substitution were the same as in the aforementioned US study. Given these results, there is reason to believe that there are already individuals using medical marijuana as a substitute for opioids and other drugs.

Evidence suggests that expanding medical marijuana could help people with opioid use disorders. States, like New Mexico with the highest rates of opioid overdose in the nation and fewer than 30 facilities which provide MAT, can’t afford to wait. This is why the Drug Policy Alliance’s New Mexico office is fighting to expand the conditions treated by medical marijuana to include opioid use disorders in the Lynn & Erin Compassionate Use Act. Given the growing accessibility of medical marijuana across the country, it is time to try a novel approach to save lives.

Sheila P. Vakharia is the policy manager of the Office of Academic Engagement for the Drug Policy Alliance.

This story first appeared on the Drug Policy Alliance website. 

Why You Should Consider Adding Golden Milk To Your Diet

Maria Loreto
-
0
Why You Should Consider Adding Golden Milk To Your Diet

Golden Milk is something you might have heard of recently, it’s all the buzz on health and lifestyle websites. A combination of turmeric, coconut milk or other non dairy substitutes, this drink varies depending on who prepares it, but it always provides powerful and healthy results. Why you should consider adding golden milk to your diet.

RELATED: Try These Delicious Autumn Cream Drinks

The most important part of golden milk is the turmeric, which gives it its signature looks and a strong aroma and flavor that has anti-inflammatory properties and that prevents a large range of diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer’s. Golden milk also helps with your digestion, reducing gas, bloating and digestive discomfort, even offering aid in weight loss. By adding coconut oil or milk, you’ll also provide your body with a healthy dose of fatty acids while also nurturing your digestive lining.

You can consume golden milk in different ways, hot or iced. Hot golden milk is perfect to have before bedtime, to prevent diseases and to raise your immune system. It can also consume it iced during the day, after a hard workout, to ease the pain in muscles and to help  feel refreshed.  

RELATED: Is Marijuana’s THCV Your Natural Holiday Weight Loss Plan

Here is a simple warm version for Golden Milk.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup unsweetened non-dairy milk, preferably coconut milk beverage or almond milk
  • 1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick
  • 1 (1-inch) piece turmeric, unpeeled, thinly sliced, or 1/2 teaspoon dried turmeric
  • 1 (1/2-inch) piece ginger, unpeeled, thinly sliced
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 tablespoon virgin coconut oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
  • Ground cinnamon (for serving)
Create

Whisk coconut milk, cinnamon, turmeric, ginger, honey, coconut oil, peppercorns, and 1 cup water in a small saucepan; bring to a low boil. Reduce heat and simmer until flavors have melded, about 10 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into mugs and top with a dash of cinnamon.

Bromances Facilitate Male Threesomes

Maria Loreto
-
0
Bromances Facilitate Male Threesomes

It seems to be, bromances facilitate male threesomes. Traditionally they are between two women and one man, or at least that’s what most people think. A recent study from Dr. Ryan Scoats discovered that new generations of straight men are more flexible to the idea of participating in threesomes with other men, particularly if they’re close friends. 

According to the Daily Mail, Scoats surveyed over 30 male students from UK Universities and found that a third of them had been involved in threesomes during their second year of college. Six of them had also had more than one threesome. Out of these students, Scoats discovered that those who’d had threesomes with one other males didn’t interact much between each other during sex.

‘You get to “high five” your mate over her back and that’s about it really.’

Said one of the interviewees. Other accounts explain that men use these threesomes as a way of bonding with their closest friends. These interactions are being labeled as semi-sexual, because even though the men didn’t interact with each other, they both interacted with the woman simultaneously.

Related: Introducing The 5 Craziest Brothels From Around The World

Scoats theorized that the acceptance of bromances and the decrease in homophobia are making these encounters more accepted and less taboo, because they don’t challenge men’s sexuality. He also explained that in another one of his studies, where he only interviewed women, he found that they feel less comfortable with threesomes with two other men, they feel they would be objectified or like the sex would be ‘brutal’.

My only knowledge of men, like two males, one female threesomes is from porn, and it always just seems absolutely brutal.”

The way that this fear is decreased is if the woman feels like the other guys are interacting between each other during the threesome, and that she isn’t the sole focus of the activity.  

Scoats concluded that even though threesomes are on the rise, the topic is still taboo and not discussed openly. So, bromances facilitate male threesomes is a good thing in a fluid world.

9 Adorable Dogs That Have A Better Instagram Account Than You

Amy Hansen
-
0
9 Adorable Dogs That Have A Better Instagram Account Than You

Scrolling through Instagram, it’s easy to get caught up in FOMO or the mundane of other people’s lives. But hold the phone — is that a cuddly dog I just saw? The lure of a cute pup — or any pet for that matter — is irresistible and worthy of a closer look. Here are 9 dogs that you should be following on Instagram, whether you need a daily cute overload or not. (We all know you need a cute overload.)

Sir Charles Barkley The Frenchie

Handle: @barkleysircharles

Bio: “Seattle French Bulldog born on 5/7/12”

He doesn’t do much. In fact, it appears most things are done to him. But damn if he doesn’t look content.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BT4oG8hgp_B

Bleau

Handle: @bleuintheburg

Bio: “Brooklyn born & raised; Official Dog Treat Tester at Bocce’s Bakery”

Nobody can resist a dog with one eye. NOBODY!

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

Lucielle Bull

Handle: @lucyfarted

Bio: “Lucy’s favorite food is that Popsicle candy that’s watermelon flavored with chili on it (fyi).”

Her name is Lucielle Bull ffs. She deserves a party hat every day of the year.

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

Bandito The Pug

Handle: @PugandCat

Tinder profile: “Along with my cat ‘brother’ Luigi, I’ve logged more than 900 miles across Spain.”

Bandito will not be second fiddle to Luigi. Second tiny guitar? Maybe.

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

Menswear Dog

Handle: @mensweardog

Bio: “The Most Stylish Dog in the World”

When an animal dresses better than half the country, it’s time to re-evaluate the human race.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BXf7QoMga1m

Maru

Handle: @marutaro

Tinder profile: “I like to sleep with stuffed animals.”

Maru has never had a bad hair day.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BaaL3KtgRAM

Quincy Fox

Handle: @QuincyFox

Bio: “It looks like my Pomeranian mom had an affair with a fox”

Quincy is considered a social media “influencer.” What have you done today?

https://www.instagram.com/p/BaO7XB0Bygc

Lilly, Silas & Gustav (the Cat)

Handle: @lillyandthehairless

Tinder profile: “No hair, don’t care.”

#squadgoals

https://www.instagram.com/p/_6AOZYv7Cs/

Agador

Handle: @poochofnyc

Bio: “They call me the ‘Bob Ross of dogs'”
Bob Ross was not a hipster.

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

What The Hell Is Clean Sleeping And Why Is It Important?

Maria Loreto
-
0
What The Hell Is Clean Sleeping And Why Is It Important?

Goop is Gwyneth Paltrow’s healthy lifestyle website, which has acquired infamy because of very weird and super-expensive solutions to people’s problems, like inserting a $66 Jade Egg into your vagina for “spiritual detox.” Recently awarded the worst pseudoscience award, Goop and Gwyneth Paltrow are more than a little controversial, to say the least. It’s just a website people, chill. 

Clean sleeping is another one of Goop’s suggestions for a healthier lifestyle, and while it sounds like going to bed after taking a good shower, it really means prioritizing sleep over everything else. Which sounds like great advice, we just don’t get what’s so clean about it. Anyways.

“Sleep plays such a powerful role in determining your appetite and energy levels that I believe it should be your first priority — even before you think about your diet,”

Paltrow explained to the Daily Mail that poor sleep can lead to a lot of health and weight problems, making us question how important sleep is, and how much we take it for granted. Here’s a simple breakdown of clean sleep:

9 – 10 Hours Of Sleep A Day

https://giphy.com/gifs/dog-tired-Wi8O8WBtYX7dS

While that’s a big number, science has always claimed that the minimum of sleep for adults is at least 8 hours. A little more can do no harm, right? Also, sleeping is delicious.

Go To Bed At The Same Time Every Night

https://giphy.com/gifs/sleep-alarm-clock-bew-xTiTnkG9MLTT4DfSCY

According to the Huffington Post, Paltrow suggests going to bed every night at the same time, preferably by 10pm, which, wow, that’s super early.

Power Down Devices Before Bed

https://giphy.com/gifs/television-lol-TFMoOxjnAAMbm

We all know blue light is the worst when it comes to sleeping, so if you’re having troubles in this department leave your phone out of the room, or on your nightstand if you’re less extreme.

Watch How Much Caffeine You Ingest In The Afternoon

https://giphy.com/gifs/hulu-twin-peaks-cbs-l0MYAqn2iVLPTRGUw

Collective Evolution reports that ingesting caffeine after 12pm can alter your body, especially if you’re gonna be in bed by 10 pm. We cannot emphasize how early that is.

Meditation

https://giphy.com/gifs/thesimpsons-the-simpsons-3×18-3orieRnQl4hiamaaVW

Here’s where Gwyneth gets a little Gwyneth-y. Right before bed she practices Yoga Nidra, a yoga meditation that’s meant to give you a sense of wholeness (?). While this does sound weird, experts believe that meditation offers many benefits to your life, especially before bedtime.

Relax

https://giphy.com/gifs/life-natalie-enjoying-xEGqih6o0meyY

The Huffington Post reports that Paltrow recommends relaxing with a trigger-point head and foot rub. What’s that? We have no clue.

5 Infused Beers That May Or May Not Get You High

Jacob Uitti
-
0
5 Infused Beers That May Or May Not Get You High

As the country continues to change in immeasurable and previously unimaginable ways, there are some things – a few, maybe – that are improving. The national acceptance of marijuana across the United States is one that we here at The Fresh Toast especially welcome with open arms and flicked lighters. And with that increasing acceptance (read: continued statewide legalization) comes new options to consume (read: imbibe) cannabis-infused products (as well as hemp-enhanced products). As we wrote about earlier, Portland’s Coalition Brewing Co. has released a CBD IPA beer, which offers a citrusy taste that might even relax you a bit more than an average brew. But what other options are available right now? Which work the best for the best high? And what does the future hold for THC-infused craft beer? We have your answers.

Lagunitas Brewing Co.

In August, the famed California brewery rolled out a beer called SuperCritical that’s brewed with elements extracted from cannabis plants.

While the beer won’t get you high, it’s a step in the right direction for the cause given the worldwide reputation of the brewery and it being owned by Heineken.

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

Humboldt Brewing Co.

This Golden State brewery makes Hemp Ale with toasted hemp seeds. Aside from the novelty of it, brewers like to use industrial hemp (aka hemp without THC) because it contains certain fatty acids that are healthy for the consumer and (fun fact!) they make the form of the bear extra creamy.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BYfJ6CGlvqK

KettleHouse Brewing Co.

This beloved Montana brewery created a Pale Ale called Fresh Bongwater that’s made with Canadian-grown hemp. Makes you wanna sing ‘Oh Canada!’ right? (Note: a handful of other breweries have released similar hemp-infused brews but so far there are no commercially available beer infused with THC.)

https://www.instagram.com/p/BYE2HK7HDua

Happy Apple Cider

Not technically a beer, but it’s close enough! Plus, this drink will get you high. Made with Washington apples, this 12-ounce bottle of carbonated pressed juice is finished with the joyful touch of cannabis (10mg).

It’s like the fizzy stuff you would drink as a kid at Thanksgiving while the adults drank champagne. But this time it will get you stoned.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BafHpggH0Ad

Pearl2O

While this Washington-based concoction doesn’t itself taste like beer, it is a liquid that will get you high. It has no taste, in fact, and, if you were so bold, you could add it to your favorite craft brew for a nice stoney beer buzz (drink responsibly!)

https://www.instagram.com/p/BZjunc8F2cM

What The Future Holds: As time continues to pass, more and more innovations befall the happy THC consumer. While craft beer and weed haven’t wed yet – and, let’s be honest, combining alcohol and THC can be tricky balance – there are likely soon to be options hitting the shelves in legalized states. In the mean time, try a frothy CBD-infused brew and finish it off with a THC-infused cider. Cheers!

Woody Harrelson Tried To Hide Quitting Smoking Weed From Willie Nelson

Brendan Bures
-
0
Woody Harrelson Tried To Hide Quitting Smoking Weed From Willie Nelson

Over the course of their lives, a few celebrities have become synonymous with marijuana. A few names that come to mind: Snoop Dogg, Willie Nelson, Joe Rogan, Rihanna, Seth Rogen, and of course Woody Harrelson. So it made national headlines when Harrelson announced last year that he quit smoking marijuana.

But breaking the news to the world one thing. Breaking it his cannabis buddy Willie Nelson was another. In fact, Harrelson tried to hide it from Nelson for a while, as he revealed in a new interview with Jimmy Kimmel.

“That was a very hard one to break,” he said. “At first, I’m like pretending [to smoke a joint]. I’m just holding it because I don’t want him to know and then finally I’m like, ‘Willie, I quit.’”

Apparently Nelson didn’t believe Harrelson all the way and still has a hard time accepting Harrelson’s new life change.

And still it never fails, the joint comes around and he passes it to me,” Harrelson said. “He keeps waiting for me to smoke again.”

Once again, though, Harrelson stoked the waning embers of whether or not he still uses cannabis in the interview. “I quit smoking, I quit smoking,” he emphasized to Kimmel. This falls in line with previous speculation surrounding his Late Show With Stephen Colbert interview, where Harrelson said, “You don’t have to smoke a brownie, dude. You know what I’m saying?”

As always with Woody, nobody knows. Maybe he still uses cannabis, but doesn’t toke anymore. Regardless, ol’ Uncle Willie is still disappointed in you, Woody.

1...1,1181,1191,120...1,472Page 1,119 of 1,472

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