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Chance The Rapper’s Inspiring Comments About Weed Legalization

Brendan Bures
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Chance The Rapper’s Inspiring Comments About Weed Legalization

Chance the Rapper is one inspiring dude. You can’t help but be moved when he speaks thanks to the clarity and purity of his speech. Unlike most current artists, he never seems to placate or pander but instead what he finds in his heart to be true. He willingly makes mistakes on big stages and is forthcoming in admitting he doesn’t have all the answers.

The same happened recently when he accepted the BET Humanitarian Award at only 24 years of age. While also accepting BET’s Best New Artist Award in the same night, Chance took the opportunity to touch on many issues close to his heart like artistry, community, and family. Prior to his speech, he even earned video tributes from the likes of Michelle Obama and Common.

But his speech is what garnered raucous applause from the crowd and online. One important topic Chance touched on was marijuana legalization and the many still in prison because of harsh sentencing under previous administrations. While President Barack Obama attempted to release some convicted of cannabis-related crime, many remain serving time in prison.

As Chance said:

I was going to tell everyone in this government that y’all need to let everybody out of jail for selling weed before y’all start making it legal! For people to sell it and make capital off it!

Marijuana is still federally illegal and Attorney General Jeff Sessions remains brazen on persecuting marijuana-related offenses, but cannabis is currently legalized in some form in 29 states across the country.

An Industry Insider Shares The Newest Trend In Marijuana Edibles

Jillian Peterson
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An Industry Insider Shares The Newest Trend In Marijuana Edibles

Cannabis cotton candy is quite possibly the best — or at least the most fun — way to get an adult sugar high, no? Vanessa Corrales launched B-Edibles in February, focusing on candy floss. Since then, she’s placed in every edible competition she’s entered, including first place for Best Candy at Edible Sesh in Los Angeles. Vanessa gives us some insight into the newest trends in marijuana edibles.

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

The cotton candy is made with organic cane sugar and lab-tested C02 oil. Corrales recently launched a sibling product: sugar cubes. She makes both of her edibles with infused oils and is working on cubes made with sugar substitute that diabetic and cancer patients can use.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BV40VP3lx3w

I chatted with Corrales to find out if she has any tips for those interested in experimenting with edibles in their own kitchen.

What were you doing before you started making edibles? 

I was the General Manager for a Coffee Roasting Company that has 2 locations here in San Diego.

What’s the key to making really great edibles? 

Don’t make anything you wouldn’t eat yourself! Plain and simple. Honesty and integrity always win!

Why cotton candy? 

I’ve had a cotton candy catering company for a little over a year now but I had no intention of infusing cotton candy. I was looking for an edible that would allow me to stand out from the crowd as well as help me break the ice when it comes to talking about cannabis.

Cotton candy does just that! It’s not always easy to talk about cannabis where I come from so colorful and nostalgic treats are helping me break the ice before I start introducing the idea of marijuana.

What kind of machine do you use to make the candy? 

We use a specific industrial machine that we had made for us that helps us regulate temperature so we don’t burn off our THC when spinning sugar.

What does it taste like?

It’s magical, you can see flavors and taste colors!

How is the high different than other edibles?

If you’ve ever had cotton candy you know that it melts and melts fast which is why it acts as a sublingual when consuming this edible.Your body processes it in your mouth and not in your stomach so you can feel the THC effects in a matter of 20-30min.

We make it very easy to micro dose when it comes to edible sugar by informing our patients the THC levels in each gram of sugar.  With our cotton candy we suggest to start low and go slow, pinch by pinch.

How do you suggest consumers use your sugar cubes? How do you prefer to use them? 

I prefer to use them with an herbal tea before I go to bed. When I have a headache I let a cube disintegrate in my mouth instead of swallowing 2-4 over the counter pills. I have patients that add them to smoothies or a protein shake for sore muscles or aching knees.

Do you have any tips for someone who might want to try making their own edibles? 

It’s not hard going organic and using only natural ingredients. It might take a bit more research and your costs might be a few cents higher but it will all pay off at the end and trust me you will be able to sleep well at the end of the night knowing you are producing an edible that has no artificial ingredients.

If you are true to what you believe everything will fall into place and all the questions will be answered one way or another!

Do you have any tips for home cooks dabbling with oils? 

  • Respect the plant
  • Make sure your oil is lab tested in order to know what you are working with.
  • Clean and safe environment for cooking i.e., no kids or dogs around or other food.
  • Make sure you understand the decarb process of your oil
  • Lab test your products even if you are making them at home, remember we all started at home! You never know you might be the next big edible queen/king!

What’s the new trend in edibles?

Micro-dosing and all organic.

Gossip: Martin Shkreli Tells Reporter He Can “Do Whatever He Wants”; J-Lo’s Pre-Taped Fourth of July Performance

Naughty Gossip
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Gossip: Martin Shkreli Tells Reporter He Can “Do Whatever He Wants”; J-Lo’s Pre-Taped Fourth of July Performance

Martin Shkreli, AKA “Pharma Bro,” who gained notoriety for acquiring and jacking up the prices of a life-saving drug used by AIDS patients by 5,000%, officially started his trial for securities fraud on Wednesday.

Shkreli, who previously said, “I’m so innocent, the jury, judge and prosecution are gonna give me an apology,” gave an impromptu press conference during a lunch break on Friday, describing the prosecution as “junior varsity” and complaining that “people blame me for everything to a group of reporters in a sixth-floor courtroom set up for them to watch the trial via closed-circuit television.
Benjamin Brafman, Shkreli’s lawyer, interrupted the tirade by peering into the room and saying, “Martin, can I talk to you for a minute?”

So when CNBC’s Meg Tirrell caught up with the pair outside the courtroom and asked Brafman about the comments his client made about the trial and the prosecution, Shkreli interrupted by saying, “He’ll do whatever he wants.”

J-Lo’s Pre-Taped Fourth of July Performance Angers Locals

Jennifer Lopez was in Long Island City, Queens, Friday pre-taping a performance for Macy’s Fourth of July Fireworks show — but some locals weren’t thrilled about Jenny on their block.

Residents of a building on Borden Avenue, near the park where J.Lo and other acts perform, say the broadcast turns their block into an annual nightmare and robs them of their liberty to celebrate the Fourth.

“J.Lo is pre-taping today,” groaned resident James Edstrom on Friday, adding that cars were “being towed.”

Edstrom says that his Hunters Point South building, which has some tenants who are veterans, will be “in a frozen zone,” which means residents can’t leave the property after 1 p.m. on Independence Day due to tight security measures. “Homeland Security allows us to have four guests [come to the building], but they have to be here by 1 p.m.,” he said.

Residents can’t use other areas of their building to watch the fireworks: One told local NBC News, “It feels like a prison.” Edstrom added, “The mayor is having a party on the roof of the adjacent school — so I am locked in my building and all I can do is watch Mayor de Blasio party on a roof.”

A Macy’s rep explained that the NYPD and other agencies implement a safety plan for the event and “a command and broadcast center must be placed within close range of the fireworks barges. Unfortunately, that may result in some restricted access for local residents.”

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What Sophie Turner Learned From Her Game-Of-Thrones-Style Sex Education

Brendan Bures
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What Sophie Turner Learned From Her Game-Of-Thrones-Style Sex Education

You can learn a lot watching “Game of Thrones.” You can learn about power’s infallible corruption, geography, and family dynamics. Or you learn about inverting inherently patriarchal social structures, medieval battle, or badass dragons. If you’re Sophie Turner, who plays Sansa Stark on the show, “Game of Thrones” can also teach you about sex.

Turner recently sat down for a wide-ranging interview with the Times’ magazine, revealing how she first came to learn about “sex stuff” thanks to GoT.

“The first time I found out about oral sex was reading the Game of Thrones script,” she told the Times’ Magazine. “I was 13. I said, ‘Wow! People do that? That’s fascinating.’ I guess that was my sex education. Being on ‘Game of Thrones’.”

While Turner is 21 now, she was only 12 when she first auditioned for the show and 15 years old when it first aired. In other words, Turner didn’t learn of the “birds and the bees,” but instead, “the dragons and the direwolves.” That was a bad joke, but I won’t apologize for it.

Turner also touched on the controversy that sprouted from a scene where her character was sexually assaulted. Criticism at the time revolved around the necessity of depicting such an act and if the show had crossed a line.

“Sexual assault wasn’t something that had affected me or anybody I knew, so I was pretty blasé about the whole thing,” she said. “Naively so. And then I shot the scene, and in the aftermath there was this huge uproar that we would depict something like that on television. My first response was like, maybe we shouldn’t have put that on screen at all.”

It taught the actress more about the issue and how it affected others. Instead she saw it as an opportunity to engage in conversation surrounding sexual assault and how we can help those who had suffered from it.

“The more we talk about sexual assault the better, and screw the people who are saying we shouldn’t be putting this on TV and screw the people who are saying they’re going to boycott the show because of it,” she told the Times. “This sort of thing used to happen and it continues to happen now, and if we treat it as such a taboo and precious subject, then how are people going to have the strength to come out and feel comfortable saying that this has happened to them?”

“Game of Thrones” premieres its seventh season July 16.

The Fresh Toast Marijuana Legislative Roundup: July 3

Alec Engber
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The Fresh Toast Marijuana Legislative Roundup: July 3

Last week was a monumental one for cannabis legislation. Nevada became the latest state to allow for recreational marijuana sales. The city of Denver released guidelines for the nation’s first cannabis cafes. Meanwhile in Massachusetts, the voter-approved legislation making recreational marijuana legal is still the subject of political debate. Find out about that more in our weekly marijuana legislative roundup.

Nevada:

On Saturday, recreational marijuana sales began in Nevada despite a court order barring the issuance of cannabis distributor licenses. In May, a state judge based in Carson City ruled that the Department of Taxation acted improperly in determining that there was insufficient interest among liquor wholesalers to meet demand for recreational cannabis. Liquor wholesalers argue that they have exclusive rights to obtain distributor licenses under the marijuana law passed by voters in November.

The DoT argues that it has the authority to issue distributor licenses to existing medical dispensaries if there are insufficient applications from liquor wholesalers to meet demand for recreational cannabis.

The state intends to appeal the court’s decision and issued a set of emergency regulations allowing medical dispensaries to begin selling their stock recreationally in the meantime.

Massachusetts:

On Saturday, members of the state House and Senate resumed talks after failing to meet a self-imposed deadline to pass a bill regulating the recreational marijuana law passed by voters in November.

The two chambers passed competing bills the prior week, with the House voting to “repeal and replace” the voter-approved measure with one that dramatically raised taxes on cannabis sales and imposed a stringent set of additional statewide regulations, while removing the power of voters to decide on cannabis regulations at the municipal level.

The Senate version of the bill would leave the ballot measure intact but modify the way marijuana is regulated at the state level, while expunging prior marijuana convictions and requiring referenda on the opening of marijuana retailers at the local level.

Lawmakers hope to reach a compromise in the coming days.

Denver:

On Friday, Denver licensing officials unveiled a final set of regulations for people to consume marijuana legally in certain businesses.

Last November, Denver voters passed I-300, directing city officials to create a four-year social marijuana consumption pilot program. The ballot measure requires applicants to obtain backing from a registered neighborhood organization and comply with Colorado’s indoor smoking ban. Marijuana growers and retailers in the city will not be eligible to apply.

The regulations closely mirror those already in place for liquor and cannabis retailers. Businesses will be required to post signs informing patrons of their responsibilities and that they cannot exchange marijuana for money. State lawmakers failed to pass legislation governing public use during the 2017 legislative session.

The city will begin accepting applications for annual and event permits at the end of August.

6 Great American Whiskeys For The Fourth of July

Margarett Waterbury
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6 Great American Whiskeys For The Fourth of July

The Fourth of July will be here before you know it, and there’s no reason to celebrate the holiday with anything other than these American whiskeys.

This year, we’ve selected six different American whiskeys, each made in a different region of the country, to celebrate American distillers’ amazing diversity and craftsmanship. From that first sizzle of hot dogs hitting the grill, to the very last fireworks fizzle, these whiskeys will help you ring in the nation’s 241st birthday in good taste, no matter where you are.

Rocky Mountains

Wyoming Whiskey in (naturally) Wyoming has consistently impressed us with their well-made, well-aged releases. We recently reviewed and really enjoyed Wyoming Whiskey Outryder, made from a blend of high-rye whiskey and bourbon produced from Wyoming-grown grains. It’s complex and refined without being wimpy—but we’re not sure Wyoming has ever produced anything that could be called “wimpy.”

West Coast

The West Coast is all about innovation and creativity, and Anchor Distilling in San Francisco, California, has been leading the craft spirits industry for decades.

Their Old Potrero Single Malt is one of the only 100% malted rye whiskeys in the country, and they introduced it back in the whiskey dark ages of 1993, when craft spirits were in their infancy and bars were serving appletinis rather than old fashioneds. Sweet, spicy, and smooth, Old Potrero is a tribute to the good things that happen when you think outside the box.

Midwest

Good whiskey comes from good grain, so it only makes sense that the breadbasket of the nation would produce some fantastic examples of the spirit. Cedar Ridge Wheat Whiskey from Cedar Ridge distillery in Iowa is made from 100% winter white wheat, and offers refreshing, ester-forward flavors of green fruit and banana bread that would pair beautifully with a big plate of strawberry shortcake and a romp through the backyard sprinkler. 

Southwest

Out West, people do things their own way—and perhaps no distiller better exemplifies that attitude than Balcone’s. Their Texas Blue Corn Bourbon is made from 100% heirloom blue corn, using a variety that has been grown for generations in the Southwest by Native Americans. Bottled at cask strength, it’s rich, salty, and intense, with a serious backbone of leather and spice.

South

Ah, the South—undisputed king of the American whiskey world. You can’t throw a stone without hitting a piece of bourbon history down here, and picking one example from the hundreds of great whiskeys made south of the Mason-Dixon line seems like a fool’s errand. Oh well—we’re willing to risk it.

This year, we’re reaching for a bottle of Rittenhouse Straight Rye from Heaven Hill. This bottled-in-bond release is affordable, outstanding in cocktails, and eminently sippable.

Northeast

While it’s no longer the nation’s whiskey leader, the Northeast has a deep history with distillation. Back around the time of Independence Day number one, rye whiskey produced in the Northeast was the tipple of choice for freshly minted Americans. Though Prohibition took a major toll on Northeast distillers, the craft distilling boom has initiated a distilling renaissance in the region. Wigle Whiskey in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is keeping the Pennsylvania rye tradition alive with its Straight Rye Whiskey, a soft and sweet sipper with notes of banana and marshmallow.

This article originally appeared on The Whiskey Wash.

A Simple Guide To Buying Marijuana In Las Vegas This Weekend

Brendan Bures
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A Simple Guide To Buying Marijuana In Las Vegas This Weekend

You are officially able to purchase recreational marijuana in Las Vegas as of July 1, though the road getting here wasn’t so smooth. Vegas just performed the fastest turnaround from legalization to sales in states that have approved recreational cannabis. The move was made to increase Nevada’s potential tax revenue created by marijuana sales, though tensions over distribution rights almost stalled the July 1 kickoff date.

Thanks to the 45 million annual tourists visiting Las Vegas from out of town, some are predicting that Nevada will soon outpace Colorado and Washington—states where legalization has long been the case—in sales. It remains imperative to note: Though this is Sin City we’re discussing, rules still govern the proceedings. Marijuana remains federally illegal and that causes some complications for those looking to enjoy some fresh bud.

Here’s what you should know.

How To Purchase

Many brick-and-mortar dispensaries who previously sold medicinal cannabis require approval before selling marijuana recreationally. The Associated Press reports 17 stores have already been approved and there could be upwards of 40 places available to buy cannabis. Dispensaries aren’t wasting a second either, as The Las Vegas Sun writes at least 15 dispensaries will open at 12:01 a.m. on July 1.

Those interested who are at least 21 years of age with valid ID can buy up to an ounce of weed and an eighth of an ounce of edibles or concentrates.

Where To Consume

Nevada residents have been legally able to smoke in their private homes since January 1. That will still be the case. However, it’s important to remember it’s still illegal to light up in public. That means no public parks, moving vehicles, hotels, or casinos (more on those last two in a second).

While drinking alcohol outdoors on the Strip is allowed depending on who you ask—it is technically illegal but not generally enforced—there is no indication how marijuana will be handled. Generally, it remains a bad idea. Why? Because consuming marijuana in public can lead to a $600 ticket.

What’s The Deal With Hotels And Casinos

Casinos are often establishments riddled with vices. Booze and clouds of smoke hang in the air. Despite the recent changes in state law, those smoke clouds still won’t be from cannabis. That’s because casinos and hotels operate under federal law and, in case you forgot, marijuana remains federally illegal.

This has led some to speculate the popularity of tinctures and edibles, as tourists can discreetly consume those products without suffering consequences. If those products are new to you, be cautious. Edibles can take up to two hours until kicking in. Don’t be like Maureen Dowd.

Where To Purchase

Stores will hold kickoff parties and the like in honor of recreational legalization. You can find most of that information on the stores websites and social media pages. For a full list of where and when to buy recreational marijuana July 1, check here.

Gossip: Tom Holland Wore Nothing But A Thong Under His Spider-Man Suit; Gwyneth Paltrow’s Neighbors Hate Her

Naughty Gossip
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Gossip: Tom Holland Wore Nothing But A Thong Under His Spider-Man Suit; Gwyneth Paltrow’s Neighbors Hate Her

Because inquiring minds want to know, Spider-Man: Homecoming star Tom Holland has revealed what he’s rocking beneath his iconic suit.

“All I have on under that costume is a thong,” he tells Shortlist. “They brought them in on my first day, like, ‘Here are your thongs.’”

“I had serious misgivings,” the 21-year-old British actor continues. “Would my arsehole ever be the same again? But I had to get used to it, even though I was thinking, no way, no way!”

Holland also jokes that the costume, coupled with those skimpy undergarments, made going to the bathroom a challenge on set. “You have to completely disrobe and then put a dressing gown on, but they’re very comfy ones, you can’t walk around in just a thong, can you imagine? And then you race across the lot to the toilet, then come back, get back into it. It’s such a mission.”

Gwyneth Paltrow’s Neighbors Hate Her

“She’s created an uproar with neighbors on all three sides,” Andrew Rice, a spokesman for one neighbor, Michael MacElhenny, told the New York Post.

The neighbors say the new building is too big, too tall and incompatible with the adjacent houses, and it blocks their views.

Rice said Paltrow — who has owned properties in Amagansett, London, Malibu, Calif., and Los Angeles’ Brentwood area, where a complaint was filed against her for erecting an oversize 9-foot gate — has left “a trail of tears” on two continents.

“Michael and the other neighbors have tried to work with her, and they’ve gotten nowhere,” Rice said.

The Montecito Board of Architectural Review voted in favor of the plans last week when her architect claimed the house had been lowered 8 feet. Rice said the real shrinkage was just 1 foot and that the project was moving forward to the next step based on incorrect information.

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

What Happened During Nevada’s First Weekend Of Legal Weed?

Mike Adams
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What Happened During Nevada’s First Weekend Of Legal Weed?

As for now, Nevada is home to more than 40 medical marijuana dispensaries permitted to sell recreational marijuana as part of the state’s “early sales” program.

Although there was a great deal of uncertainty over whether Nevada’s loyalty to its booze wholesalers would get in the way of the launch of its fully legal, recreational marijuana market, the state officially became the fifth jurisdiction in the nation on Saturday morning that now allows adults to buy cannabis in a manner similar to alcohol.

Both tourists and locals were responsible for the dedicated legion of pot consumers that filled the streets over the weekend to celebrate their newfound freedom to purchase marijuana as part of the state’s newfound taxed and regulated marketplace. The new law, which was approved by the voters in last year’s election, allows adults 21 and over to buy up to an ounce of marijuana from pot shops across the state.

Various reports indicate that hundreds of people lined up outside participating dispensaries in order to take part in this historical event – emptying out ATM machines, listening to live music, and screaming like wild-eyed banshees over the fireworks that popped off in conjunction with the official end to prohibition in the Silver State.

One of the most notable pot buyers that showed up on the scene was that of Senator Tick Segerblom, a lawmaker who has been deemed the “godfather” of the state’s marijuana movement. Segerblom, who is responsible for pushing a number of marijuana-related measures in the upper chamber throughout the years, is excited about pulling millions of dollars out of the mouths of the black market and putting it into state coffers.

“Every time you buy something here, 33-cents is going to taxes. This is the most heavily taxed and regulated industry in the whole state,” Segerblom told CNN affiliate KSNV.

As for now, Nevada is home to more than 40 medical marijuana dispensaries permitted to sell recreational marijuana as part of the state’s “early sales” program. Most of these pot shops – 39, to be exact – are located in and around Las Vegas. However, the law does not permit legal weed to be sold near casinos, so patrons will need to venture away from the infamous Las Vegas strip to find a dispensary.

Some of the latest predictions show that Nevada could generate as much as $60 million in tax revenue over the next couple of years as a result of marijuana legalization. What’s more is this new sin industry is expected to create more than 40,000 new jobs and bring about $7.5 billion in economic activity.

Why Denver’s Marijuana Cafes Have Already Failed

Terry Hacienda
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Why Denver’s Marijuana Cafes Have Already Failed

Denver’s marijuana cafes are getting closer to reality, but don’t spark one up in celebration just yet. The rules and regulations created by a 22-person task force may harsh your mellow.

Nearly eight months after voters in the Mile High city approved an initiative to become the first city in the nation to allow “marijuana designated consumption areas,”officials on Friday finally unveiled a 14-page set of regulations. Advocates on both sides of the issue are scratching their heads in wonderment.

On Nov. 8 of last year, nearly 54 percent of Denver voters said yes to Initiative 300, a four-year pilot program allowing patron of approved businesses to consume cannabis in a social setting. But many supporters of the initiative believe what they voted for and what they are getting are two different things.

“Since the very beginning, we wanted this to be a discussion between neighborhood groups and businesses,” Emmett Reistroffer, who helped lead the pro-300 campaign, told the Denver Post last month. “We think some of these rules kind of circumvent that intent.”

Here are some of the specifics of the new regulations:

  • Businesses are not allowed to sell cannabis. It is strictly BYOB (bring your own bud)
  • Smoking is not allowed.
  • Vaping is allowed.
  • Edibles are allowed
  • Customers are not allowed to sell cannabis to others.
  • Businesses will not be allowed to serve alcohol if cannabis is being consumed on the premises.
  • Cafes must be 1,000 feet from schools, child care centers and recreational facilities, forcing establishments into industrial areas away from foot traffic.
  • Businesses must pay a $2,000 fee for a permit

“What we’re approving today is far from what the voters approved six months ago,” Reistroffer told Buzzfeed. “I would say 99 percent of the businesses that expressed interest in these permits are no longer eligible or interested because of the burdens.”

Colorado became the first state to allow for recreational marijuana sales on January 1, 2013. But since then, tourists and residents alike have struggled to find a suitable place to consume it.

Unless some of the regulations are loosened, it appears Denver’s four-year pilot project will struggle to get off the ground.

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