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How Women Are Breaking New Ground In Marijuana

Sam Jones
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How Women Are Breaking New Ground In Marijuana

Far from the hippie-stoner stereotype that sparked a marijuana revolution in the ’60s and ’70s, the people forging ahead in legal weed aren’t who you might expect.

Older women are pioneering maybe of the businesses breaking new ground in medical marijuana. The low cost of entry, combined with super-fast growth make the marijuana industry appealing for newcomers — especially those with a passion for its healing benefits.

As the New York Times reported, women are taking what used to be old folk remedies or homemade tinctures and salves made from marijuana, and turning them into viable businesses. Companies like AnnaBis, which sells aroma-controlling accessories, Wana, which makes edibles and medicinal products, and Ma Kush’s CBD are all inspired by or owned by women.

The NYT reports:

Inspired partly by their own use of the drug for pain relief, or by caring for others who use it for their own aches, these women see viable business opportunities and view their work as therapeutic for their customers. “It’s definitely a trend,” said Troy Dayton, the chief executive and a co-founder of the Arcview Group, an investment and market research firm that focuses on the cannabis industry. “A lot of women have this family recipe, or they were making a certain kind of tincture for a loved one who was suffering. Now that pot is legal, they’re like, ‘Wow, that thing you were making for Grandma could be a real product.’”

Women make up 36 percent of executives in legal weed, Marijuana Business Daily reports. With medical marijuana on the rise, women are rising up with it.

5 Strange Ways You Can Contract An STD Without Having Sex

Maria Loreto
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5 Strange Ways You Can Contract An STD Without Having Sex

To avoid STDs, hopefully, everyone follows the basic rule of using adequate protection when engaging in sex. What people don’t know are these less than obvious factors that can increase your risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases. Be aware that these are not scientifically proven, but that several major studies have found enough evidence for them to be a little alarming.

Don’t go crazy if you do one of these, but definitely take these facts into account:

Skipping Out On Lube

via GIPHY

You may think that lube is an unnecessary hassle, or something that is mainly used by old people, but it’s not. Dryness, aside from being super uncomfortable and not sexy, can cause tears in the vagina, which is what leads to STIs in the first place. Also, extra lube keeps condoms from breaking, which is an interesting tidbit you might’ve not known before.

It’s important to know that there are different types of lube and that they have different effects. Oil based lubes are not good for condoms because they damage the latex. Water based lubes are the way to go. 

Shaving Your Nether Regions

Some people believe that shaving your vagina equals to having a better hygiene but that’s not true when it comes to STDs. Shaving is a sure way of tearing your skin, which again, leads to STDs. If you still want to shave, make sure you don’t do it right before sex.

You’ve Had STIs Before

via GIPHY

Because the universe is a cruel cruel place, having a history of STDs increases the risk of contracting more of them, so be extra careful if this is your case.

Why does this happen, you ask? Well, STDs generally produce tears and damages in the skin that make you more vulnerable to other types of sexually transmitted diseases.

You’re Under 24

Most cases of STDs belong to people who are between the ages of 15 and 24, which can be chalked up to the fact that younger people have less knowledge about safe sex and don’t feel as comfortable discussing the topic than the average adult. Also, they’re teens.

According to the CDC, young women are biologically more susceptible to STIs, which is another thing teen girls have to worry about.

Douching

Now this is one’s a big no-no. Research has demonstrated time and time again that douching is not only unnecessary but dangerous, doubling the amount of risk for ovarian cancer. Women who douche have an 84 percent risk of contracting STDs. Don’t be dumb. 

via GIPHY

7 Instagram Pro-Tips For The Best Food Feed

Amy Hansen
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7 Instagram Pro-Tips For The Best Food Feed

Everyone is a food photographer these days. Instagram has become the new online portfolio for both professional and wannabe photogs. Our feeds are bombarded every day with overhead shots of carefully composed feasts that capture time spent with loved ones huddling around the dining room table. If  humblebragging about your latest restaurant conquest via a manicured photo isn’t on your agenda, don’t forget that people actually have to look at your pics, so why not spruce them up a bit? Here are 7 professional tips.

1. Go Out For Lunch Or Breakfast

Taking photos in natural lighting is always the way to go, whether it’s in a well-lit environment or outside.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BVCevKKhQR2

And if you do want to snap photos while dining during evening hours, whatever you do…

2. Don’t Use Flash

Good lord, using flash is the death knell. If you haven’t already seen someone else’s washed out photos, flash can make even the prettiest food look like a dumpster fire. One potential way to get around this: have one of your dining companions shine their phone light on whatever it is you want to take a photo of. Let’s not forget the Martha Stewart Thanksgiving incident of  2013.

3. Step Up

Stand up and try shooting your food overhead. The higher angle will give your photo a “complete masterpiece” kind of look.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BUwwrZVB7bw

4. Get Some Hands In There.

Those “action” shots are everything.

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

5. Use Utensils

Forks and spoons are the perfect prop, either sitting on the dishes or next to them.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BBENVKkJ-lm/

6. Take It To-Go

Sometimes, the best photos aren’t inside at all. They’re on the sidewalk. Often times, taking a photo of your traveling food item of choice (sandwich, ice cream, burrito, waffle cone, cotton candy, etc.) looks best in its natural state: in your hands.

https://www.instagram.com/p/7vIzQak7hw

7. Use A Real Camera

Remember those things that came before iPhones? Lots of great Instagram photos are taken with these dinosaurs because they produce killer pics.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BRb9DQ7lZ-o

Science Says Polyamory May Lead To Happiness

Maria Loreto
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Science Says Polyamory May Lead To Happiness

The modern world is obsessed with love and with finding a partner with whom you can spend forever with. Every movie, book and TV show tricks us into believing in soulmates and one true loves, in finding that one person in the whole world who’ll be your perfect match and who’ll spend the rest of your life with you. But what about polyamory?

Sadly, this pervasive belief in monogamy doesn’t apply that well to real life. 40 to 50 percent of married couples end up divorced and the rate is even higher for couples who’ve been married previously. Younger generations have started to slowly change mentalities and revolutionize how the world views sex and love. An estimated 4 to 5 percent of americans who are involved in romantic and sexual relationships with a partner are open to finding love outside of their relationship. 

This phenomenon is known as polyamory, the belief that people can have more than one romantic and sexual partner at the same time. Polyamorous individuals believe in communication, in discussing their needs and requirements openly, and in creating a consensually non-monogamous relationship where everyone knows where they stand.

“People in these relationships really communicate. They communicate to death,”

Bjarne Holmes, a psychologist from Vermont, believes that communication is a value that polyamorous individuals can teach to monogamous ones. He expressed that polyamorous people care a lot about their emotions, especially honesty and communication. These people engage in a lot of bargaining with their partners, discussing and trying to please each individual’s wants and needs. 

One of the most puzzling and interesting things about polyamory is their relationship to jealousy. The general population would feel bad if the person they’re in love with had sex or fell in love with someone else. Polyamorous people feel “compersion”, a feeling of happiness when a partner finds love outside of you.  In heterosexual relationships, men feel more insecure for sexual infidelity while women worry about emotional infidelity. In polyamorous relationships, there are no gender differences when it comes to emotional or sexual infidelity. These individuals still get jealous, but they try to find the root of their problem, why they’re feeling that way, and what they can all do to establish some boundaries and make everyone feel as safe as possible.  

The study of polyamory is a new field that still needs a lot of research and study. Similar research could include the studies during the 70’s conducted on swingers and couples who explored sex with other people with their partners consent. This phenomenon is different because these couples engaged in this behavior sporadically; they were still monogamous in their day to day lives. 

From the data collected, queer people are more likely to be polyamorous than heterosexual individuals. The more people are open and comfortable with themselves, the more they’re likely to try out new experiences. Studies also suggest that polyamorous people are more educated than the average population, a lot of them having master degrees and doctorates.

Holmes says that in the future monogamy and polyamory will coexist, with monogamy being the majority and with some individuals fluctuating between polyamory and monogamy throughout their lives. Polyamory can teach us about the importance of communication and honesty. These individuals seem to be ahead of the curve, so we can all do with taking some of their advice.

Gossip: Lamar Odom’s Daughter On His ‘Toxic’ Marriage to Khloé Kardashian; Kris Jenner Working On Memoir And Caitlyn Is The Target

Naughty Gossip
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Gossip: Lamar Odom’s Daughter On His ‘Toxic’ Marriage to Khloé Kardashian; Kris Jenner Working On Memoir And Caitlyn Is The Target

Lamar Odom’s daughter, Destiny, was not a fan of his marriage to Khloé Kardashian.

In a new interview with People, Destiny says that she tried to make her relationship with Khloé work — but it never quite clicked.

“I tried for my dad. I wouldn’t say it was a matter of my dad loving Khloé more than me,” Destiny said. “I think that my dad has an addictive personality, so he was addicted to the attention he got with Khloe more than me. It was a very toxic relationship.”

Destiny went on to say that she had problems at school with people making ‘snide comments’ about her dad’s relationship AND his addiction.

She told People that classmates would make “snide comments” to her and on social media about the relationship and after Lamar’s addiction became public knowledge.

As far as her relationship with her father now, she says that it’s better.

“I’ve had conversations with him just letting him know that I want him to get help. But at the end of the day he’s a grown man and you have to want it for yourself.”

Kris Jenner Working On Memoir And Caitlyn Is The Target

A source says, “She’s going to blow the lid off her marriage to pre-transition Bruce. She’ll paint him as an absentee dad and a cold and distant husband. She feels she has no choice but to tell her side of the story,” after Caitlyn’s book came out.

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

Texas Man Gets Ridiculous Sentence For Marijuana Bust

Brendan Bures
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Texas Man Gets Ridiculous Sentence For Marijuana Bust

While Texans continue to fight for cannabis legalization in the state, one 56-year-old trucking company owner could live the rest of his days behind bars for selling marijuana. David Lopez received a “de facto” life sentencing June 2 on drug conspiracy and possession charges.

According to federal prosecutors, Lopez was transporting marijuana from El Paso, Texas to cities across the United States. The drug smuggling operation took place from August 2001 to August 2015, as Lopez and other hired drivers delivered shipments. Police seized 3,300 kilos of marijuana in busts linked to Lopez. He was caught when Lopez tried to hire a DEA informant and undercover officer to transport marijuana for him

The 24-year sentence Lopez received harkens back to mandatory minimum sentencing that led to rises in the prison population via the War on Drugs. Obama-era policies aimed to reverse course on such actions, showing more leniency to lower-level drug offenders. But the Trump administration are re-instituting previous policies under Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ directive to pursue the “most serious” charges in cases.

The Drug Policy Alliance came out strongly at the time against such initiatives and indicated that Sessions was seeking long draconian policies that did irreparable harm.

“This is a disastrous move that will increase the prison population, exacerbate racial disparities in the criminal justice system, and do nothing to reduce drug use or increase public safety,” said Michael Collins, the DPA’s deputy director of national affairs. “Sessions is taking the country back to the 1980s by escalating the failed policies of the drug war.”

Lopez’s sentencing will move him in a club people are calling the “marijuana lifers.” This a group of 16 individuals serving either life or “de facto” life sentences because of charges related to cannabis. Lopez, who would be 78 if he served the entirety of his sentence, fits squarely into that club.

But was the sentencing justified? As VICE News pointed out:

Lopez, however, was not linked to any acts of violence. The evidence list in his case includes a relatively small amount of cocaine that was seized during the investigation, but he was only charged with selling marijuana. His lengthy sentence was the result of federal rules that require mandatory-minimums for drug conspiracy charges. Prosecutors also sought additional time because Lopez was previously convicted of felony marijuana possession in Missouri in 1995.

Will R. Glaspy, a U.S. DEA special agent in charge of the El Paso division, said in a statement that Lopez’s case showcases the DEA and other law enforcement agencies are having “a positive impact at the local level. We are sending a strong and unified message that drug dealing, at all levels, will not be tolerated, and, in turn, we are making our communities safer.”

Critics might argue cases like this one have led to the United States becoming the world leader in incarceration. Studies have shown that crime rates fluctuate independent of incarceration rates. In addition, the country is seeing historic lows in crime rates. Though the DEA and Trump administration will continue pursuing harsh sentencing, evidence from the ACLU indicates they might not be making our communities any safer.

6 Weirdest Sex Laws Around The World

Sam Jones
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6 Weirdest Sex Laws Around The World

If your idea of a romantic getaway takes you around the world, remember that some countries won’t be welcoming to your lovebird ways — at least, in public, anyway. Here are some mighty strange sex laws.

The Sun rounded up the wackiest sex laws around the world: Here are a few of the most outrageous.

Singapore: No Exhibitionists Allowed

Walking around a hotel room naked, where people might be able to catch a glimpse, is illegal in Singapore.

Texas: Trade Your Dildos For Handguns

There’s no background check required to get a gun in Texas, but to own a sex toy? The history in Texas is a little more complicated. A law passed state legislature in 1973 that prohibited the sale or promotion of “‘Obscene device[s]’ mean[ing] a device including a dildo or artificial vagina, designed or marketed as useful primarily for the stimulation of human genital organs.”

London: No Boning On Bikes

It’s illegal to have sex while sitting on a parked motorbike in London. Whether getting frisky on a bike in motion is illegal is unclear.

Qatar: Don’t Get Touchy-Feely

Hugging in public is frowned upon in Qatar, as is holding hands or kissing.

Dubai: Forget About One Night Stands

If you’re swiping Tinder in Dubai, remember that sex outside of marriage is technically illegal. That doesn’t mean people don’t get it on, but they’re risking a one-year jail sentence.

Nepal: No Porn Allowed

This country outlaws films showing sex or nudity, and censors pornography websites. What else is the internet for?

The Award For Most Lost Uber Driver Goes To This Guy 

Sam Jones
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The Award For Most Lost Uber Driver Goes To This Guy 

Is there nowhere to hide from Uber’s reign of the roads? Even golf courses aren’t safe.

Stephen Maguire was golfing in the UK earlier this month when his game was interrupted at the ninth hole. Down a winding, narrow golf cart path, he spotted something unusual coming toward him: An off-duty Uber driver who was very, very lost.

Maguire recounted the bizarre meeting to the Sun Online:

“I was playing golf with my dad and he suddenly said – ‘is that a car?’ I turned and saw a normal car driving up the hills on the buggy path. I’ve never seen a car up there so high.” Mr. Maguire spotted the driver trying to do a ’15 point turn’ in between bushes as he tried to make his way off the course. He said: “He drove towards me and I said ‘you all right? You’re on a golf course! He said he was trying to get to a barbecue.”

Maguire posted the video of the lost driver on Twitter:

https://twitter.com/DJ_MAGSi/status/866736562318528512

In the video, you can hear Maguire’s laughter and disbelief as the driver stops to ask for directions. He was a long way from a road, with the ninth hole situated in the middle of a hilly course. The driver was trying to make it to a barbeque, he said.

It’s not clear if the driver ever made it to the party, but Maguire pointed him in the right direction and he went on his way. Hopefully he had his Uber app turned on, to pick up tired golfers on his way out.

End Negroni Week With These 7 Twists On The Classic Cocktail

Amy Hansen
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End Negroni Week With These 7 Twists On The Classic Cocktail

Believe it or not, it’s already the first week of June, which means Negroni Week is upon us. The drink that qualifies as automatic street cred at every bar is a simple concoction of equal parts gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth. But there are other ways, twists if you will, that have been cast upon the classic cocktail. Here are 7 takes on the demure drink that have the power to turn non-Negroni lovers into true believers.

1. Cold Brew Negroni

“This is a low ABV, bitter cocktail that is sure to please any trendy fella,” says Jason Plummer, who came up with this hipster heaven potion. He uses Trader Joe’s cold brew in place of gin. Does it get any more woke than that?

https://www.instagram.com/p/BVAg_-TDs90

2. Pink Negroni

Saveur has a summer quenching version that uses orangey Lillet Blanc and fresh lemon juice. Yum!

3. White Negroni

Suze (a French liqueur) is used in place of Campari, making this version lighter in both flavor and color.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BU925BQAIAY

4. Sparkling Negroni

Mr. Purple in NYC offers bottles of this stuff to sip out on their rooftop: Bombay sapphire gin, Campari, and Dolin rouge vermouth, are carbonated and bottled in house.

https://www.instagram.com/p/-wqJ3Mq0XK

5. Chocolate Negroni

Made with chocolate bitters and creme de cacao in place of sweet vermouth. PUNCH has your new go-to version.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BDCRjwMJyk5

6. Oaxacan Negroni

This Negroni uses Mezcal instead of gin to give it a smokey taste.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BVAG2JxlW-I

7. White Negroni Shrub

From Cocktail Whisperer Warren Bobrow:

“With Negroni Week firmly ahead of us, may I suggest a delicious white-meets-white take on this venerable drink? Here is one that won’t make you feel overly intoxicated. Thank you.”

  • 1 oz. White Balsamic Vinegar
  • 1 oz. Lemon juice
  • 1 oz. white peach puree
  • 1 oz. Botanical Gin (I used FEW Breakfast Gin)
  • 1 oz. White Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth
  • 1 oz. GENEPY (a clear Italian bitter liqueur)
  • Aromatic Bitters to taste

To make

Combine all the ingredients in a cocktail mixing glass filled ¾ with ice. Stir to combine well. Split between 2 rocks glasses with one large cube of ice in each. Dot with Aromatic Bitters to finish.

 

ACLU Suing Cali City For Not Allowing Residents To Get High

Drug Policy Alliance
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ACLU Suing Cali City For Not Allowing Residents To Get High

The ACLU of California and the Drug Policy Alliance on Tuesday filed a lawsuit against the City of Fontana challenging a city ordinance that is intended to effectively prevent residents to enjoy the rights granted to them by Proposition 64 (also known as the “Adult Use of Marijuana Act” or “AUMA”). The Fontana ordinance makes it unreasonably difficult and expensive for residents to cultivate marijuana at their private residence as Prop. 64 allows.

On November 8, 2016, the people of California voted in favor of Prop. 64, which allows adults 21 and older to possess up to one ounce of marijuana and cultivate up to six marijuana plants inside their private residence away from public view. While the new law allows cities to regulate indoor personal cultivation, they must do so reasonably and cannot prohibit anyone outright from cultivating.

Shortly after the law took effect, several cities acted against the will of the voters and adopted ordinances that are so restrictive they operate as a de facto ban on cultivation. And for some groups of people, such as people with a prior felony drug conviction, it is an outright ban. In Fontana—where Prop. 64 passed with 53.5 percent of the vote and with 52.5 percent in the surrounding San Bernardino County—the Mayor and City Councilmembers even boasted that they wanted this ordinance to be the most restrictive in the state and they hoped it would to deter people from cultivating marijuana.

In addition to being unreasonable and in conflict with Prop. 64, the ordinance violates several state constitutional rights. Among other problematic provisions, the ordinance requires residents to register with the city, undergo a criminal background check, open their home to city officials for an inspection, and pay an expensive fee before obtaining a permit that would allow them to grow marijuana plants in their private home. If someone cultivates marijuana but fails to obtain the city permit they are subject to a misdemeanor even though the conduct is legal under state law.

The Drug Policy Alliance’s affiliated organization, Drug Policy Action, served as a co-chair of the Prop. 64 campaign committee. DPA is committed to making sure the measure is implemented the way that the voters of California intended.

The primary purpose of legalization is to reduce the criminalization of adults for using, possessing, and cultivating marijuana. The overwhelming majority of states that have legalized the adult use of marijuana have also legalized the personal cultivation of marijuana plants at a private residence. Personal cultivation also gives consumers a legal alternative to retail marijuana, which cannot be purchased in the state until 2018, and to marijuana in places where local governments legally choose to ban marijuana businesses. (Medical patients, however, may continue to purchase medical marijuana at dispensaries.)

City ordinances that are plainly intended to circumvent what state law now allows invite legal challenges such as this one. Local governments cannot undermine or undo what their voters and what the voters of California have embraced.

Joy Haviland is a staff attorney with the Drug Policy Alliance.

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