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Can Marijuana Help With Antibiotic-Resistant Superbugs?

Richard Faulk
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Can Marijuana Help With Antibiotic-Resistant Superbugs?

In the 1990s, we had the Super Predator—the ice-blooded, crack-addled, and mostly imaginary child gangbanger who murdered for sport. (Sorry, Hillary, but that was not your finest moment, or haircut.)

Now, in the first decades of the third millennium we have the Super Bug, antibiotic-resistant germs making the world unsafe for us all.

Unlike the super predator, the super bug is not an urban legend, but altogether too real: Each year antibiotic-resistant bacteria sicken some two million of us, kill another 23,000, and inspire countless medical scare-pieces—just like this one!

One of the more common superbugs is MRSA—short for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, which delivers a supercharged version of the humble staph infection. Staph is all over the place. Right now, one in three of us has it up their nose. Under normal circumstances, it doesn’t do much harm, but if your immune system is compromised—say you are very young, or very old, or recovering from surgery—these minor infections can have life-threatening complications. And there’s nothing we can do to stop them.

Antibiotic overprescription is one culprit in the rise of the super bug. Another is the fact that we’re simply not developing any new antibiotics. In fact, over the past 40 years, only one new class of these drugs has been introduced.

Bet you’ll never guess what, though: Cannabis just might provide an answer!

Researchers in Italy and the UK tested the five most common cannabinoids in Cannabis savita—THC, CBD, and three more exotic compounds: cannabinol, cannabigerol, and cannabichromene (which, incidentally, are also the names of Cinderella’s three ugly stepsisters). All five showed “potent antibacterial activity,” even against the supercharged, multidrug-resistant form of staphylococcus sometimes known by the initials MRSA. Lead researchers Giovanni Appendino and Simon Gibbons concluded that these cannabinoids “compare highly favorably with the standard antibiotics.” Even if they do say so themselves.

The team doesn’t know whether these cannabinoid could make a viable injectable antibiotic; that would entail extensive testing. However, a topical application “to reduce skin colonization by MRSA” might be a shorter-term possibility.

You can read an interview with Drs. Appendino and Simon at MIT Technology Review.

FBI Interns Host Twitter Q&A And Things Go South Quick

Amy Hansen
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FBI Interns Host Twitter Q&A And Things Go South Quick

What started out as an innocent tweet by the FBI quickly escalated into a Twitter troll session of epic proportions. And one that will either have people clamoring for an internship or calling CPS to check on the mental state of one of the agency’s young workers.

Initially, it sounded like a great idea. The FBI gave several eager interns the opportunity to host their own Q&A on Twitter regarding the agency’s internship program.

https://twitter.com/mattbfarwell/status/913120293643792390

But it was a woman named Kathryn who definitely got the brunt of the trolling.

Oh, Kathryn. You had no idea what you were getting yourself into, did you?

It wasn’t long before a tweet storm of hilariously inappropriate questions hit, with Kathryn presumably hiding under a desk. Questions, of course, focused on Breaking Bad, X Files, cop shows and anonymous “asking for a friend” illegal activities.

https://twitter.com/OBryDavid07/status/913126254647357440

https://twitter.com/SopanDeb/status/913122215985598464

https://twitter.com/ElPolloLoco60/status/913119367138865153

https://twitter.com/WillWhitson/status/913120924609781761

https://twitter.com/wnvann/status/913136957840134144

At press time, “Kathryn” (if that’s her real name) hasn’t answered a single question.

https://twitter.com/ViewFromMN/status/913196384471408640

This Adorable Dog Exchanges Money For Treats

Maria Loreto
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This Adorable Dog Exchanges Money For Treats

Holly is a smart dog who enjoys scavenging and snooping around the house, but from a very early age she demonstrated an affinity for money, which is weird for a dog, right?

When Holly was a puppy she used to rummage through her owner’s bag, finding dollar bills, stash them in different places, and run around the house with them as if they were toys. Casi Cook explains that the only way to stop her from destroying the money was to offer her treats and to then exchange them for the bills. Which is a genius move from Holly’s part. For her owner, we suggest a little more organization? It’s not cool to keep your bills laying around in your purse.

Cook works at a restaurant, which explains why Holly grew up surrounded by so much cash. According to the Huffington Post, Holly is able to recognize the sound of her owners counting dollars.

“When Holly hears us counting money, within seconds she is sitting with her head right on your lap nudging your hands until you give her a dollar.”

Holly is so cute that her owners can’t resist her strange quirks, which has led to her having two piggy banks laying around the house for her pleasure, which she uses to “pay” for her treats.

“When we are at the dinner table, she will quietly walk up to one of us and just gently place a dollar on our laps and look at us with that puppy face”

Aside from being a pretty savvy business dog, Holly also enjoys to sit down on the dining table surrounded by her family. Pretty adorable.

You Can Major In Marijuana At This American University

Brendan Bures
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You Can Major In Marijuana At This American University

Add Northern Michigan University in Marquette to the growing number of higher learning institutions focusing on cannabis education. The school recently announced that this fall it will offer an undergraduate program in medicinal plant chemistry.

It will effectively give students a major in medicinal marijuana and train them to enter the expanding industry. The school hopes it will become a major pipeline for students interested in learning about makeup and medical efficacy of the marijuana plant.

“The need for this is so great. You go to some of these cannabis industry conferences and everyone is talking about how they need labs, they need labs,” NMU associate chemistry professor Brandon Cangiel told CBS Detroit. “Or the bigger operations are trying to set up their own labs in house and they need trained analysts. And the skill set required to perform these analysis is perfectly matched with an undergraduate level education.”

Initially, students won’t have their hands on the plants. Though maybe the school will revisit the decision following the 2018 Michigan Election, crops of the plant will not be grown on the campus. Instead students will practice extraction and analysis techniques via other plants systems. In addition professors will educate on the chemical compounds of marijuana, and how to separate cannabinoids and the various terpenes present in cannabis.

Dr. Mark Paulsen, head of NMU’s chemistry department, told WXYZ ABC7 that he believes program graduates “will be in very high demand,” based on dialogues he’s had at industry conferences.

Currently 12 students are enrolled in the program for the fall semester, but Paulsen “expect[s] that the incoming class next fall will double or triple in size.”

“I predict that the graduates from our program are going to have among the highest immediate job placement of any of our programs,” Canfield told CBS Detroit, echoing his boss’ sentiments. “People are either going to go out and get jobs or they might go out and start their own business in the industry.”

The Ways In Which Playboy Founder Hugh Hefner Loved Marijuana

Brendan Bures
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The Ways In Which Playboy Founder Hugh Hefner Loved Marijuana

Hugh Hefner, the legendary media mogul and founder of Playboy, died Wednesday, Playboy Enterprises announced. He was 91. While well known for inventing the archetype of modern man and as a figure in the sexual revolution, few know that Hefner also was an activist for cannabis.

In its early stages, Keith Stroup and his cannabis advocacy group The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) struggled with funding. But the Playboy Foundation, under the direction of Hefner, presented NORML with a $5,000 grant. Stroup had considered leaving his activism days behind and accepting a more mainstream job when he got the news.

As Stroup relayed on NORML’s 40th anniversary several years ago, Hefner’s grant proved pivotal for his cannabis advocacy group.

Hefner was also public on his own cannabis usage. He announced it to the world in 1980 in Patrick Anderson’s book High in America: The True Story Behind NORML and the Politics of Marijuana. “Smoking helped put me in touch with the realm of the senses,” Hefner said. “I discovered a whole other dimension to sex,” he would also add.

His stance only strengthened later into his life, as Hefner made known his stance on the cannabis legalization.

“I don’t think there’s any question that marijuana should be legalized because to not legalize it, we’re paying the same price we paid for prohibition,” Hefner said in a 2010 Fox News interview. “In other words, it is a medical concern and it should be handled that way.”

His efforts for cannabis did not go unnoticed. On the day of his passing, Stroup wrote a blog post once again thanking Hefner for his contribution.

“Hefner was a fearless cultural crusader who believed deeply not just in the right to sexual freedom, but also in civil rights and the right to privacy,” he wrote. “May he rest in peace”

People At Patriots Game Were Charged $4.50 For Tap Water

Maria Loreto
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People At Patriots Game Were Charged $4.50 For Tap Water

It was unusually hot last Sunday at Gillette Stadium in New England, and organizers of the football game expected more sales of bottled water and drinks than usual. Concession stands doubled their water orders in anticipation of temperatures topping 90 degrees, but the order was not enough.

People consumed four times more than what they would usually drink, running through all the supplies of bottled water and Gatorade before the game even reached half-time. With nothing else available to drink, people started asking for tap water.

Lacking small cups like most restaurants and fast food places, the workers from concessions were faced with an unexpected and unprecedented situation, which made them sell their soda cups filled with tap water at their regular price of 4 dollars and 50 cents. Understandably, people got very angry.

The New England Patriots ended up getting a lot of backlash from fans who were shocked by the prices of water.

Patriots Spokesman Stacey James apologized for what happened and claimed that his team was taking the necessary measures and precautions so that the event would never repeat itself. 

We apologize. That should not have happened, It is the first time that I have ever heard that complaint here. We are looking into the matter to ensure that it doesn’t happen again.”

Gee, thanks Stacey.

Higher Ground Crashes AdWeek With Irreverent Cannabis Campaign

MJ News Network
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Higher Ground Crashes AdWeek With Irreverent Cannabis Campaign

Higher Ground TV launched a “Marijuana vs. Cannabis” campaign at AdWeek to bring awareness of the benefits of legalization. Parodying Rolling Stone’s acclaimed “Perception vs. Reality” campaign of the 1980s (Fallon McElligott agency), the new ads instead use the words “marijuana” and “cannabis” to juxtapose the past history of Reefer Madness with the new era of legalization.

Each ad highlights a different aspect of the evolution of legal cannabis; the first ad shows a dirty bong opposite a modern vaporizer (a CannaCloud, the Keurig for cannabis), with statistics on changing attitudes – and intake methods. The second ad compares headshops to recreational cannabis stores, emphasizing tax revenue, and the fact legal stores check IDs.

“While support for legalization is at an all-time high (65 percent), the vast majority of people haven’t really experienced what legal cannabis looks like,” stated Higher Ground Editor-in-Chief Michael A. Stusser. “These ads highlight safer growing methods, the millions raised in tax revenues and the medical benefits of weed. Our goal? National legalization – and decriminalization. Oh, and to promote our new talk show …”

“Higher Ground” is a new web series that spotlights the emerging canna-culture through humorous clip-show monologues, celebrity interviews, on-the-street field pieces (with periodically stoned correspondents), and parodies. “It’s “The Daily Show” meets “Good Morning America”….” says Stusser, “just with a giant bong on the desk.”

Previous Higher Ground projects have included a “Comedians in Cars Smoking Cannabis” parody, an ad that ran in states voting on legalization last November (“Cannabis Clicker”), a weedWatch campaign, and a re-mix of Cheech & Chong’s famous hitchhiking scene from Up in Smoke.

“We’re using traditional formats like talk shows and ad campaigns and parodies to highlight modern cannabis culture,” said Stusser. “I think it’s important to explore marijuana with a sense of humor to truly reach, inform and move the masses.”

Five “Marijuana vs. Cannabis” ads were released this week for AdWeek, with another five to run for AdWeek London and AdWeek Latin America and AdWeek Europe. The ads are running on Facebook and other social media sites, as well as MJ Channel One and in print in the MJ Green Pages and alternative weeklies.

Cannabis isn’t just about getting as high as a kite. In additional to the legalization taking place across the country, cannabis is leading to mind-boggling medical breakthroughs, innovative products and inventions, as well as celebrity brands involving health, lifestyle and beauty. From gourmet edibles to Marijuana Moms to a growing number of seniors embracing cannabis for arthritis, weed culture is becoming pop culture. Rather than shy away from this emerging movement, Higher Ground explores it with an entertaining- and professional – attitude.

From Reefer Madness To Cannabis Connoisseur: Support At All All-Time High

Fifty-five million Americans currently use marijuana (22 percent of the population), and over half of all adults have tried it. Support for legalization is at an all-time high (nearly 65 percent) – as is the support for medical marijuana (88 percent). Of the 55 million cannabis users, a majority of those (52 percent) are millennials. Surprisingly, 54 percent of the adults who use weed are parents. The hard-hitting and topical Jon Stewart-brand of journalism is also more popular than ever (including The “Daily Show,” and alumni Stephen Colbert, Samantha Bee and John Oliver). Higher Ground embraces this approach – using advocacy journalism along with a sense of humor to bring the cannabis culture to the masses.

Ninety-five percent of the U.S. population currently lives in a state with some form of legal access to marijuana. Recreationally legal in nine States (including California, the sixth-largest economy in the world), another 29 states (plus D.C.) have laws on the books for medical marijuana. This cultural zeitgeist is not only increasing viewing limits, it’s bringing it audiences in key demographics who want smart, informative and entertaining programming about the people and products behind modern-day cannabis.

This Artwork Made From Ecstasy Will Cost You More Than A Million Bucks

Amy Hansen
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This Artwork Made From Ecstasy Will Cost You More Than A Million Bucks

A London artist known for his use of ecstasy pills in his masterpieces is at it again. This time, he’s given knew meaning to the word “overdose.”

The Spirit of Ecstasy uses 7-thousand pills and costs one-million pounds (about $1.3 Million). That’s a lot of Molly.

According to MixMag, the exhibit features a silicone and fiberglass figure of an unnamed model, whom many swear is Cara Delevingne , suspended in a window of pills.

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

The artist, named Chemical X, says that his work is about “potential suspended in an everlasting moment, allowing the viewer to see what has been, what is and what could be — all in the same instant.”

Chemical X is famous for designing the original Ministry Of Sound logo and has previously collaborated with none other than Banksy and Damien Hirst.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BUvxJOHhnG-

A portion of sales from the exhibit will benefit a drug safety organization called The Loop. The location and date of the exhibition are TBA.

Jessica Alba Has Waged Legal War With A Colorado Hemp Company

Brendan Bures
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Jessica Alba Has Waged Legal War With A Colorado Hemp Company

Jessica Alba isn’t so happy with one Colorado-based company. TMZ recently reported the actress’s Honest Company has filed a trademark lawsuit against Honest Herbal, which produces cannabinoid-rich hemp products.

The lawsuit claims that Honest Herbal is attempting to unfairly benefit from an association to Alba’s company where none exists. In addition, Honest Herbal is attempting to “confuse consumers and profit from the goodwill and consumer recognition associated with The Honest Co.’s HONEST Marks.”

Alba launched the Honest Company in 2012. The company sells non-toxic household products that supposedly fills in the gap for ethical consumers. Among the most successful products for Honest is their face and body lotion. Because of that, Honest worries that the lotions, creams, and other products Honest Herbal produces might be mistaken as theirs.

The suit also states that Honest Company made a “good faith effort to resolve this matter without having to resort to litigation,” but Honest Herbal refused to respond properly to the cease and desist.

Honest Company is seeking monetary damages as well as Honest Herbal to change their name.

What To Expect From The New ‘Saturday Night Live’ Cast Members

Brendan Bures
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What To Expect From The New ‘Saturday Night Live’ Cast Members

“Saturday Night Live” will return for its 43rd season this week and will include three new cast members, one of which you probably know, one you possibly know, and one you pragmatically don’t. The new featured players will be Chris Redd, Heidi Gardner, and Luke Null.

In addition SNL hired seven new writers to the cast creating an influx of new possibilities for a show that found newfound heights of popularity last season thanks to its political sketches. (Count us in the minority that didn’t like those sketches.) Those writers will be, Gary Richardson, Nimesh Patel, Steven Castillo, Claire Friedman, Erik Marino, Andrew Dismukes, and Sam Jay.

Here is a quick sample of their work.

Chris Redd

If you watched Lonely Island’s hilarious Popstar: Never Stop Popping last year, you’re familiar with Chris Redd. Rumored to be joining the cast last season, Redd played the scene-stealing Hunter the Hungry in Popstar and had some of the funnier scenes in the movies, including the one below. Redd also taped his first half-hour special for Comedy Special earlier this year and previously was part of Chicago’s Second City.

Heidi Gardner

Like Will Ferrell and Melissa McCarthy, Heidi Gardner joins a long list of SNL cast members who come straight from the Los Angeles-based comedy group Groundlings. There she performs and writes improv as well as sketches. She will appear in 2018’s Life of the Party which stars McCarthy, and has done substantial voiceover work.

Here is a sketch she co-wrote and co-starred in.

Luke Null

Unlike his fellow new cast members, Null doesn’t have an extensive comedy resume to tout. He is a serious unknown and interesting hire for the team at SNL and could end up a surprise delight. His knack appears to be a sing-songy comedy, perhaps akin to Bo Burnham. Here’s a clip of him performing.

 

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