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The Fresh Toast Marijuana Legislative Roundup: Sept. 25

Alec Engber
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The Fresh Toast Marijuana Legislative Roundup: Sept. 25

In last week’s marijuana news, the word “ban” was bandied about more than usual. In Massachusetts, a city referendum on preventing retail outlets made news in Milford, making it one of 100 municipal governing bodies to enact such a law. Meanwhile in Kentucky, a judge upheld the state’s banning medical marijuana. Find out about that more in our weekly marijuana legislative roundup.

Massachusetts:  

LastTuesday, the state’s first municipal referendum on marijuana sales resulted in a ban on the opening of recreational retailers within the town of Milford. The referendum was held under the state’s two-tiered system for regulating local marijuana sales. Under the legislature’s modified legalization law, bans and restrictions on the opening of cannabis retailers can only be implemented in municipalities that voted in favor legalization if a referendum is held and a majority vote in favor of the restrictions.

In localities that voted against legalization, only a vote of the municipal governing body is necessary. Milford voters supported the November 2016 ballot initiative on legalization by a 52 percent margin. However, 56 percent voted in favor of banning recreational retailers on Tuesday. Over 100 municipal governing bodies have already enacted bans and zoning restrictions in towns that voted against legalization last year.   

This unorthodox arrangement was the result of protracted negotiations between members of the state House and Senate, which had passed two widely different bills to implement marijuana legalization. Whereas the House bill would have “repealed and replaced” the ballot measure and taken away the ability of voters to decide on local marijuana restrictions, the Senate bill would have made minor changes to the way cannabis is regulated at the state level. Critics have argued that the two-tiered system of municipal governance violates the “equal protection” clause of the 14th Amendment.  

District of Columbia: 

On Tuesday, Councilmember David Grosso introduced the Medical Marijuana Improvement Amendment Act of 2017. The Act is designed to expand access to those who may not have the time or money to obtain physician certification. Under the current process, patients must visit a physician and fill out paperwork, then wait for the District to issue a medical cannabis identification card before they can access medical marijuana. If enacted, the Medical Marijuana Improvement Amendment Act would allow patients to present a signed affidavit at medical marijuana dispensaries stating that they are 21 or older, consume cannabis “explicitly for medical purposes,” and are aware of local and federal laws regarding marijuana. The bill would also authorize dispensaries to open facilities where the plant could be consumed on their premises.  

Kentucky:  

On Wednesday, a Kentucky judge upheld the state’s ban on medical marijuana. Kentucky is one of the 21 states that have yet to legalize marijuana for any purposes, including the treatment of severe and chronic conditions. A group of citizens sued the governor and state attorney general earlier this year, arguing that it is unjust to deny treatment to those suffering from illnesses who could benefit from treatment with cannabis. In his ruling, the judge wrote that the legislature has “discretion to regulate what is harmful to the public health and wellbeing.” 

Gossip: Meghan Markle Has ‘A Scotland Yard Bodyguard’; Rob Kardashian Did Not Partake In 10th Anniversary Special

Naughty Gossip
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Gossip: Meghan Markle Has ‘A Scotland Yard Bodyguard’; Rob Kardashian Did Not Partake In 10th Anniversary Special

Meghan Markle has made her first appearance with Prince Harry at an official event, albeit three rows and 18 seats apart. But while she still didn’t have a ring on her finger, there was one noticeable addition – the reassuring presence of a Scotland Yard police bodyguard.

There had been fevered speculation that the couple would allow themselves to be photographed after 14 months of dating, but in the event Miss Markle, 36, slipped into the opening ceremony on her own, while Harry, 33, sat in a VIP box with US First Lady Melania Trump and Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau. The actress was elegant but edgy in a flirty £95 Aritzia chiffon shoe-string strap dress over, slinging a £518 Mackage leather jacket over her shoulders. She completed the outfit with a pair of cream Jimmy Choo heels. She was accompanied by one of her closest friends, Markus Anderson, who is said to have introduced her to Harry.

While there was no obvious entourage around her, a royalty and diplomatic protection squad officer could, significantly, be seen in a stairwell a few feet away. As a ‘commoner’, Miss Markle is not actually entitled to a taxpayer-funded, armed SO14 police officer. But the man had very clearly been stationed there to keep an eye on her and was in clear public view for at least half an hour. After Harry had finished his speech – but before the show had ended – he ushered Miss Markle and her companion out and it is believed she left the venue with the prince in his blacked-out car a few minutes later. Although Harry is a frequent visitor to her rented house in an exclusive suburb of Toronto, where she films legal drama Suits, the prince is spending the week in a city hotel as he is conducting official duties.
[From The Daily Mail]

Rob Kardashian Did Not Partake In 10th Anniversary Special

On Sunday’s 10th anniversary special, Kris Jenner and her five daughters sat down to reflect on the last decade of Keeping Up with the Kardashians — but one member of the famous family was noticeably absent.

Rob Kardashian, 30, did NOT partake in the 90-minute sit-down, which was taped in April.

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

Marijuana Myth Busting: Does Holding In Smoke Get You Higher?

Al Olson
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Marijuana Myth Busting: Does Holding In Smoke Get You Higher?

Welcome to marijuana myth busting. Willie Nelson, America’s most beloved marijuana connoisseur, appeared in a Jimmy Fallon skit over the weekend poking fun at the octogenarian’s favorite activity. The punchline was unspoken — just a thick cloud of smoke.

As network-television-approved ganja gags go, it was fine. Giggles all around. But Willie and Jimmy might need to brush up on Marijuana 101. (Although who are we to tell Willie Nelson how to smoke weed? I mean, really.)

There have been several studies that demonstrate the futility of attempting to intensify your high by holding in the smoke. Your lungs instantly absorb the cannabinoids after inhalation. The membranes of the cilia of your lungs get coated by the smoke. So the intoxicating effect is already triggered.

So what happens when you hold the smoke? You do damage to your lungs. The tars present in the combusted plant matter absorb at a slower rate than cannabinoids, so all you are doing is allowing the tar to irritate your lungs.

In a 1989 study, subjects were asked to hold their breath in three different intervals ranging from zero to 20 seconds. There was no measurable difference between those who held the smoke and those that immediately exhaled.

For those of you who swear that you get higher, you may be getting a stronger head rush from oxygen deprivation and an increased heart rate — not from the smoke.

But it makes for a funny video.

Drive-Through Marijuana Stores In Maine? It Could Happen

Terry Hacienda
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Drive-Through Marijuana Stores In Maine? It Could Happen

In Maine, like many states, it’s legal to purchase alcohol from a drive-up window and head on down the road. It’s one of the conveniences of living in a state — especially considering the nasty winter weather. Who wants to get out their cars just to grab a six-pack of Allagash White, the most popular beer for Maineiacs?

Will the state allow buying marijuana to be just as easy? That issue will be debated Tuesday by the state legislature’s marijuana committee.

Last November, Maine passed Question 1, better known as the Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol measure. But will marijuana actually be regulated the same way?

“If Maine allows [drive-through sales] for alcohol, we see no reason why it shouldn’t be allowed for marijuana, the safer substance, so long as Maine puts in place reasonable regulations to protect public safety and the consumer,” David Boyer, director of the Maine chapter of the Marijuana Policy Project, told the Portland Press Herald. “The voters want it regulated and taxed like alcohol. The rules should be the same.”

Under the proposed regulations, retail stores would be able to sell up to one ounce of cannabis to an adult from drive-up windows. But opponents fear the law would be, well, too convenient.

State Sen. Roger Katz of Augusta is among those fighting against drive-through sales. His greatest fear is that the herb will wind up in the hands of underage residents

“Given the fact that about half the people in the state voted against legalization, I think we ought to go slow and be cautious in the beginning,” Katz told the Press Herald. “I anticipate a vigorous debate. We’ve still got a ways to go yet,”said Katz, the Republican co-chairman of the Joint Select Committee on Marijuana Legalization Implementation.

The language of Question 1 did not specifically mention drive-through sales. But something not prohibited by state law is typically legal by default. Supporters firmly believe that the intent of the law was that marijuana should be treated like alcohol.

Currently, none of the states that have legalized recreational marijuana have drive-through sales. Colorado allows alcohol to be sold via drive-through, but not cannabis. California, which will begin recreational sales next year, is likely to allow it.

How One Woman Is Successfully Treating Her Epilepsy With Cannabis

Becky Garrison
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How One Woman Is Successfully Treating Her Epilepsy With Cannabis

When Cecelia Sivertson got diagnosed with epilepsy when she was 12, her parents followed their doctor’s advice that she begin a regime of prescription medications. Over the years, she estimates she was given around 15 different drugs. For decades, she took these medications with no side effects.

Then in 2013, Sivertson began to develop tremors and found herself feeling nauseous every day. After someone came into her office and recommended she use cannabis, she started Nana’s Secret Medibles. “I knew I couldn’t be able to afford to to buy medical marijuana if I didn’t have a business.”

Initially, she founded Nana’s Secret Medibles to make cannabis infused brownies, caramel suckers, and brownies. She switched to making soda once she realized that soda gets absorbed faster into the body. “When I started feeling sick, I needed immediate relief. After drinking one soda, I could feel relief within ten minutes.” Compare this to an edible that can take up to two hours for one to feel the effects.

Soon, Sivertson’s symptoms subsided to the point where she felt she could go off her prescription medications and treat herself solely with medical marijuana. Initially, she felt fine but soon learned another secret about the prescription medications she had been taking to treat her epilepsy. “Doctors don’t tell children or their parents that once you start taking prescription drugs to treat epilepsy, it’s a lifetime commitment If you stop taking your medications, you can end up in the hospital with deadly side effects.” In Sivertson’s case, she ended up with debilitating seizures. Other side effects reported by stopping their epilepsy medication include anxiety, depression, suicidal tendencies, and mood disorders.

Presently, Sivertson takes 200 mg of cannabis oil extract daily. She prefers oil made from whole plant extract and not the synthetic cannabis products that have started to make their way into the marketplace. “If I miss taking my cannabis pills for two days, I will start having seizures. But as soon as I take my pills, I am fine.” In her estimation, patients that have epilepsy have different brains with electric currents that misfire. When she takes her cannabis pills, her electric currents move correctly. Unlike prescription drugs that made her high at times, she does not experience any psychoactive effects from the medical marijuana that she takes.

Sivertson along wth many producers of cannabis infused edibles had to halt production of their wares due to Washington State’s elimination of their medical cannabis program. She plans to resume production as soon as the paperwork is in order for her to operate under the state’s new licensing process that enables cannabis edibles to be sold in recreational cannabis dispensaries. Also, Sivertson looks to license her brand to other states that have legalized cannabis for medicinal or adult recreational use.

Also, Sivertson is working to raise money to form a foundation for children with epilepsy. She hopes to promote the view that cannabis oil is much less harmful to those children than the the drugs she took for decades. She feels the prescription drugs she was prescribed are being manufactured for billions of dollars profit rather than being produced to heal children.

She believes that if children could be prescribed cannabis pills, they could avoid many of the side effects she experienced while on prescription drugs, as well as the nasty withdrawal symptoms she is experiencing as she tries to get off her medications. “Each time get off one drug, I feel better. Know that once I can get off my prescription drugs, I will be back to full health.”

The Epilepsy Foundation acknowledges medical marijuana as a viable treatment option and offers a summary) of the treatment approaches in treating epilepsy with cannabis. In their estimation “Evidence from laboratory studies, anecdotal reports, and small clinical studies from a number of years ago suggest that cannabidiol, a non-psychoactive compound of cannabis, could potentially be helpful in controlling seizures. Conducting studies can be difficult as researchers have limited access to marijuana due to federal regulations and even more limited access to cannabidiol; there are also increased financial and time constraints.”

Gossip: Jay-Z And Beyoncé Drop $26 Million; Dozens Of Dildos Wash Up On Beach In Italy

Naughty Gossip
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Gossip: Jay-Z And Beyoncé Drop $26 Million; Dozens Of Dildos Wash Up On Beach In Italy

Jay-Z and Beyoncé are officially living that bi-coastal life.

Just weeks after closing on a massive mansion in Los Angeles, it’s being reported that they’ve also dropped 8-figures on a home in the Hamptons.

via TMZ:

Jay and Bey plunked down a cool $26 million for the 7 bedroom, 7.5 bathroom pad in luxurious East Hampton, NY. The crib’s no joke — the 12,000 square ft. pad sits on 2 acres of land with scenic water views of the Georgica Pond.

It’s got everything hip hop royalty wants — bathrooms sculpted with Italian marble, an infinity edge pool and an 1,800 square ft. guest cottage. The kitchen features an 18th century carved stone fireplace. Trulia first reported the purchase.

The original structure was built over a century ago but Jeffrey Collé spent 2 years redesigning the current masterpiece. Great sequel to their roughly $90 million West Coast purchase.

Dozens Of Dildos Wash Up On Beach In Italy

Vacation was cut short for families visiting a beach on Italy’s Western coast after a deluge of dildos washed up on the seaside.

Kids were banned from the beach near the Hermitage of Camaldoli monastery, which is located near Naples, after volunteers from the Licola Mare Clean Association stumbled upon the phallic toys while cleaning the area.

Umberto Mercurio is the president of the coastline-cleaning group and explained to The Sun that garbage often ends up in the area because of the way that the sea currents flow, as the spot marks the end of the channel’s course.

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

Al Franken Finally Gets Behind The Cannabis Cause

Mary Schumacher
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Al Franken Finally Gets Behind The Cannabis Cause

In his humorous book last year, Al Franken’s coverage of drug abuse in a funny way, but the tone remained very somber as well.

Raised in a prudish household, Franken’s first drink wasn’t until college and his drug experimentation didn’t start until “Saturday Night Live” in his mid-twenties. Marijuana and coke were staples on the set and while most of the early cast didn’t think the show could go on without the fueling of cocaine, careers started to crash, relationships burned, actors and friends died and Franken swore off the stuff after it got to that point. It helped that he had never really been the addictive type.

Even as a senator, Franken never denounced drug abusers, yet he also never really picked up the cannabis cause, which may have also had to do with his fairly conservative constituents in Minnesota.

Watch out now, though! Franken is on a full-on spree when it comes to marijuana legislation.

Earlier this month, Franken signed off on a bill that makes it so the Feds cannot obstruct marijuana laws that states vote in and another that would allow cannabis businesses banking privileges. Franken also cosponsored a third bill allowing pot distributors and growers to get tax credits and expenditures like any other small business would have access to.

The first bill was originally introduced by Sen. Cory Booker (D) New Jersey, and it deals with compliance as well as cannabis scheduling. It also allows for medicinal research into the herb. The Short Title quoted in the bill reads, “This Act may be cited as the “Compassionate Access, Research Expansion, and Respect States Act of 2017” or the “CARERS Act of 2017”.

Some experts are speculating that Franken’s recent and heavy handed push for marijuana legislation could be part of a presidential bid consideration for 2020 or beyond. Cannabis polls are showing all-time highs in the realm of support among U.S. voters, outweighing those opposed by hefty margins.

No matter the reason — the opioid crisis, social justice, criminal justice, medical reasoning, compassion, increased tax revenues, a presidential bid — the senator is going all in on marijuana legislation and those in the cannabis corner couldn’t be more thrilled for the additional support.

Illegal Marijuana Sales Still Top Starbucks and McDonald’s Combined

Al Olson
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Illegal Marijuana Sales Still Top Starbucks and McDonald’s Combined

Americans and Canadians spend a lot of money on marijuana. How much? According to a report from Arcview Market Research, a marijuana market research firm, citizens from the two nations forked out $53.3 billion in 2016.

To put that in proper perspective, that’s more money than what was spent at Starbucks and McDonald’s combined. 

But even more stunning is that only 13 percent of that $53.3 billion — or $6.7 billion —was spent in the legal market. Another $46.4 billion — or 87 percent — stayed in the black market.

“The enormous amount of existing, if illicit, consumer spending sets cannabis apart from most other major consumer-market investment opportunities throughout history,” said Troy Dayton, CEO of Arcview. “The cannabis industry doesn’t need to create demand for a new product or innovation — it just needs to move demand for an already widely-popular product into legal channels.”

Arcview forecasts that the legal sector will soar at a 26 percent compound annual growth rate for the next four years. The $6.7 billion figure is projected to hit $21.6 billion in 2021. The report did not estimate the size of the illicit market in future years.

In 2015, McDonald’s sold $35.5 billion and Starbucks raked in $13.3 billion in revenue, according to trade publication QSR Magazine.

In 2016, four new states — California, Maine, Massachusetts and Nevada — joined Colorado, Washington, Oregon and Alaska in legalizing full adult recreational use of cannabis. Another 29 states have medical marijuana programs in place. So Arcview’s report, which will be published in full next month, comes as a bit of a surprise.

“Black market growers and distributors will always find a consumers. It really is a supply and demand principle. If there is demand and a state legislates against supply, the supply doesn’t go away. It just gets funnelled into a different market channel,” said one Northern California grower who wished to remain anonymous. “The longer anti-legalization policies remain in place, the longer we’ll stay in business. Basic economics, really,” he said.

The Arcview report found that the illicit market did shrink slightly in the past year. In 2015, the black market was responsible for 90 percent of sales, so the year-over-year drop was 3 percentage points.

It is logical to assume that the legal market will continue to grow as more states pass more progressive measures. It is also safe to assume that the longer marijuana remains illegal, the black market will thrive.

Diabetes And Marijuana: Here’s What The Plant Can Do To Help

Richard Faulk
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Diabetes And Marijuana: Here’s What The Plant Can Do To Help

The olds among us might remember the French paradox. This was a dieting fad that emerged back in the ’80’s and crested about a decade ago with self-help book whose name falls somewhat short of Gallic sophistication: French Women Don’t Get Fat. The thesis—I’m working from memory here—was something like “We French get to smoke filterless Gauloises, eat double-lobes of foie gras and wheels of triple crème brie, and drink wine with every meal, and you Americans get to have all the heart attacks. Nyah-nyah!”

But at last America can have its retort: the weed-lovers paradox.

A study from SUNY Buffalo, shows that adult marijuana users in the US consume on average more soda, more alcohol—particularly beer—more salt, pork, cheese, and salty snacks, and they eat less fruit than nonusers. And yet, they are skinnier.

This study was cited, along with two other corroborating ones, in a 2013 clinical research study published in The American Journal of Medicine, which found that marijuana users were not only skinnier, but they also had lower levels of insulin and higher levels of HDL-C (AKA “the good kind of cholesterol”) than non-users. They also have lower blood levels of carotenoids, which is the stuff that turns carrots orange and may also be linked to adult onset diabetes.

For those of us who try to lead a healthy lifestyle, eat well, and limit the amount of substances we abuse, the cruel fact seems to be that habitual marijuana users take in more calories and yet are less inclined toward obesity and diabetes.

Of course, this was not a controlled study, so the pot might be a deceptive correlation. Maybe some overlooked factor is actually key—like maybe all the cannabis users also do yoga or bike to work or have tapeworms.

We can always hope.

There are other aspects of diabetes that cannabis might (or might not) help offset. You can find a more detailed breakdown of the research at NORML.

Marijuana’s Top 5 Cannabinoids And What They Do

Maria Loreto
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Marijuana’s Top 5 Cannabinoids And What They Do

Cannabinoids are the chemical compounds found in marijuana that interact with cells and provide tons of medicinal benefits. We still haven’t discovered all the cannabinoids that exist, but early research suggests that there are many of them, and that they hold endless possibilities when it comes to the health benefits that they offer. 

Here are our 5 favorite cannabinoids and how each helps you:

THC

If there’s one cannabinoid that we know intimately, it’s THC. The popular chemical is an abbreviation for Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol and it’s the primary psychoactive compound found in marijuana, being responsible for that “high” feeling that most of cannabis users love. THC also provides a lot of medical benefits for treating diseases like Alzheimer’s, multiple sclerosis, chronic pain, PTSD, Crohn’s Disease and many others.

CBD

The second most famous cannabinoid is Cannabidiol, responsible for providing much more medical benefits than THC without any of the psychoactive effects. Since this is the case, CBD is legal in more states and countries than THC. Cannabidiol is known for treating the symptoms of patients with epilepsy, cancer, depression, anxiety, diabetes, chronic pain, and some psychotic disorders.

CBC

Cannabichromene is not as popular as the previous cannabinoids, but it’s still pretty relevant. CBC is another cannabinoid that’s not psychoactive and that offers a lot of medicinal benefits, like anti-inflammatory properties that work really well when paired with THC, making some people believe that cannabinoids work best when paired together, boosting each other up. Other medical benefits include some anti-tumor, anti-fungal and anti-depressant properties, while also promoting the growth of brain cells. 

CBN

This cannabinoid is originally THC that becomes Cannabinol once the dried plant goes a little stale. This compound has a few useful medicinal uses like, increasing the appetite, acting as an antibiotic, as a pain reliever, and as medicine for ALS patients.

CBG

Also known as Cannabigerol, this compound is hard to find since it only manifests in the early growth cycle of the plant. It is also non-psychoactive and has a lot of medical benefits that include, antibiotic properties, studies that suggest it can treat psoriasis, relieving pain, and acting as an anti-depressant.

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