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Smoking Marijuana In Denver Just Got More Social

Al Olson
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Smoking Marijuana In Denver Just Got More Social

After six months of negotiating and committee hearings, Denver on Thursday became the first city in the nation to allow social cannabis consumption.

Businesses in the Mile High City will be able to apply for annual permits allowing adult patrons to consume their own cannabis as part of a four-year pilot program. The social experiment gives Denver cannabis enthusiasts the ability to share cannabis socially without fear of arrest.

In November, Denver voters passed  Initiative 300, allowing for businesses to accommodate cannabis consumption among the public. But implementation of the program proved challenging. The Denver Department of Excise and Licenses spent half a year listening to all sides of the issue before unveiling the draft regulations.

And, as if with most compromise rules, neither side particularly happy with the ruling.

According to the Denver Post:

“Since the very beginning, we wanted this to be a discussion between neighborhood groups and businesses,” said Emmett Reistroffer from Denver Relief Consulting, who led the pro-300 campaign. “We think some of these rules kind of circumvent that intent.”

Meanwhile, opponents of I-300 have concerns of their own, including seeing too few restrictions to keep children at a business away from the new “designated consumption areas,” whether indoors or outside, and to protect nearby residents from any effects of marijuana use at a local business.

“There is absolutely no buffer zone in these rules for consistent marijuana use backing up to homes,” said Rachel O’Bryan, who managed the anti-Initiative 300 campaign.

Colorado became the first state to allow for recreational marijuana sales on January 1, 2013. But since then, tourists coming to Denver have struggled to find a place to consume it. The new provision hopes to provide places for tourists and residents alike.

“This is about personal responsibility and respecting adults who want to have a place to enjoy cannabis,” Reistroffer, said.

Here are some of the specifics of the new regulations:

  • Before a business acquires a permit, it is required to have a letter of “evidence of community support.”
  • Vaping, not smoking, is allowed. Edibles are permitted as well.
  • Businesses are required to have a ventilation system sufficient enough to control the smell of cannabis.
  • Businesses will not be allowed to serve alcohol if cannabis is being consumed on the premises.
  • Patrons must sign a waiver declaring that the venue is not responsible for their actions. Customers are not allowed to sell cannabis to others.

A public hearing on the rules has been scheduled for June 13.

Watch This Magician Make A Bag Of Marijuana Disappear In Front Of A Cop

TFT Editors
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Watch This Magician Make A Bag Of Marijuana Disappear In Front Of A Cop

We should state up front that it is never, ever wise to mess with the police. Especially when it involves a bag of marijuana. This disclaimer is said for obvious reasons, considering the high tensions of our times, but also relevant for the hilarious video below.

In it, a man approaches a police officer and displays a bag of weed. He then asks the officer if he’d like to buy the weed, which causes a severe reaction from the cop. But when the policeman reaches him, the man makes the bag disappear.

Even after patting him down the policeman can’t find the weed and must let him go.

Now we’re not sure of the validity of this video, as YouTube pranksters can be a fickle bunch. Who knows if the magician is even holding a real bag of weed? We’d like to believe it is, but we can’t be sure.

Regardless, this is one video we’d highly advise not trying at home.

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Get To Know These 4 Up-And-Coming Wine Regions

Zach Geballe
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Get To Know These 4 Up-And-Coming Wine Regions

Trying to stay current in the wine world is hard. There’s seemingly an endless supply of new wines, and figuring out which ones are worth your time and money is hard…fortunately for you, it’s also my job, so all you have to do is read this column! Here are four regions I’m super excited about.

Maule Valley, Chile

It’s not exactly hard to find good Cabernet Sauvignon these days. The grape is grown the world over, and often to much success. Yet the Maule Valley is one of the few “new” sites (a misleading phrase, since there’s a long history of viticulture in the area) that I genuinely think can stand among the world’s best. They’re strikingly textural and engaging wines, yet not overwhelmingly fruity. It’s also one of the few remaining places you can find Carmenère, which serves as a more herbal and aromatic counterpoint to the Cabernet.

Friuli, Italy

Home to some of the most exciting white wines in the world, Friuli’s greatness comes in part from being a historical crossroads in Europe. A wide range of white grapes, from the familiar (Sauvignon Blanc) to the less so (Ribolla Gialla), create a broad palate for winemakers to work from, but there’s also an incredibly interesting range of winemaking styles as well. You might have heard something about orange wine (white wines made somewhat like red wines), and Friuli is one of the epicenters of this stylistic movement. Wines from just across the border in Slovenia are similar, and also fascinating.

Hawkes Bay, New Zealand

You’d be excused for thinking that Kiwi wine started and ended with Sauvignon Blanc, but recently the diversity of their wine industry is starting to show up on American shores. Hawkes Bay is perhaps the region best suited for red wines, and it shows in their Cabernet- and Merlot-based wines, as well as Syrah. Restrained, yet complex and elegant, they’re still quite affordable, if you can find them.

Basically All Of Spain That’s Not Rioja

That isn’t to say Rioja isn’t great: it is, but you’ve probably at least heard of it. The rest of Spain though…goddamn. Whether the dynamic whites from Rueda, or the Monastrell of Jumilla, or the Carignena of Catalonia, you can get fascinating wines made from old vines at a killer price.

Finding wines from these regions might require a bit of looking, but you should be able to uncover some gems at your local wine shop, or with a bit of online sleuthing. Good luck out there!

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Gossip: Conservative Site Reports Matthew McConaughey Just “Came Out Of The Closet”; No Nannies For Amal Clooney

Naughty Gossip
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Gossip: Conservative Site Reports Matthew McConaughey Just “Came Out Of The Closet”; No Nannies For Amal Clooney

This week, readers were no doubt left shook by a headline in right-wing publication Conservative Post reading “Matthew McConaughey just ‘came out of the closet,’ but will it hurt his career?”

The Conservative Post was evidently using a more generic interpretation of the term “out of the closet” in its headline, in this case referring to somebody who has revealed a personal secret. What was his secret? The web site heavily implied that McConaughey’s big reveal is that he identifies as a Christian.

The Conservative Post wrote:

Actor Matthew McConaughey speaks out in a recent interview with GQ discussing his views on marriage.

McConaughey is well known for his southern charm, remarkable acting skills, and his recent address at the Oscars where he thanked God and said that his blessings in his life have come from the Almighty.

Amal Clooney ‘Won’t Hire A Live-In Or Full-Time Nanny’ When The Twins Come

“E! News” has an update on the situation with the Clooney babies. Some details:

Amal is taking it easy, and she’ll give birth in London: Amal has been taking it easy as she continues to advocate on behalf of the Yazidis in Iraq—a cause near and dear to her heart. “Amal is trying not to overexert herself,” a source tells E! News exclusively, adding that she’ll give birth in London. “She’s been very sensible throughout this pregnancy.”

Amal’s maternity leave. “She plans to be back at work around six months after giving birth, but her schedule will be greatly different than before,” the source says. “A lot of time spent working at home. She has a great office set up at the Sonning house.” According to the source, Amal has no intention of quitting the career she’s worked so hard for.

The Clooneys will raise the twins in Britain: Ahead of the twins’ arrival, the source says the couple consulted with Ilse Crawford, a London-based interior designer who focuses on human needs and “has a somewhat holistic approach to design.” According to the source, Amal and George waited until she was six months pregnant before they had the twins’ nursery decorated, because “they didn’t want to rush or jinx things.” The Clooneys chose many of the items themselves. When they visited Paris in February, for example, they bought a few items at a boutique called Baudou and shipped them to the U.K.

No nanny? The couple has also decided that after the twins come home, they won’t hire a live-in or full-time nanny. Instead, they’ll have a night nurse to help set a sleeping schedule in the beginning. Amal’s mom, journalist Baria Alamuddin, has expressed that she would like to be involved, too.

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

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A Heartwarming Love Story Between An Elderly Penguin And An Anime Character

Sam Jones
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A Heartwarming Love Story Between An Elderly Penguin And An Anime Character

An elderly penguin has fallen in love in a Japanese zoo. Their love, however, is forbidden. Grape, a 20-year-old penguin living at Tobu Zoo in Saitama, Japan, seems to be smitten with an anime character.

A cardboard cutout shows a character from the anime series Kemono Friends, a show about animals that turned into human-like creatures. It was added to the penguin enclosure as part of an advertising campaign for the show, and to raise money for a zoo impacted by an earthquake, but it soon drew the adoration of one penguin in particular.

According to Anime News Network:

Grape is considered elderly by penguin age standards, but he’s not too old for love. However, his fixation has gotten quite serious with staff saying he gazes upon his new paramour for long periods of time. Visitors and the internet began to worry about Grape’s health when a new picture that appeared online around Thursday showed that he was separated from his love by a net. Rumors began spreading that Grape was skipping meal time to stare at the character cutout, and that may be why the net was used.

Another photograph shows Grape standing in front of the cutout with his wings are raised his beak pointed upward, a pose that’s similar the standard courtship pose for penguins, known as the “bray call.”

There’s no word on how Grape will cope with the end of this ad campaign, when his beloved is taken away again. Maybe he should take notes from the last living male white rhino, and download Tinder.

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Did Sessions Just Escalate The War on Drugs?

Drug Policy Alliance
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Did Sessions Just Escalate The War on Drugs?

Did Session just escalate the War on Drugs? Attorney General Jeff Sessions, pushing back on bipartisan momentum to reduce the amount of people behind bars, issued a memo to prosecutors, calling on them to push for the “most serious” charges against people, hoping to trigger mandatory minimum drug sentences.

The memo is a direct reversal of the policy of his predecessor, Attorney General Eric Holder,  who urged prosecutors to avoid draconian mandatory minimum sentences for nonviolent drug offenses.

“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, deputy director of national affairs for the Drug Policy Alliance. “Sessions is taking the country back to the 1980s by escalating the failed policies of the drug war.”

“The last thing our country needs to do is go back to the ‘lock ‘em up and throw away the key’ mentality that has made the United States the number one incarcerator of the world,” said Anthony Papa, manager of media relations at the Drug Policy Alliance, who served 12 years behind bars on a mandatory minimum sentence under New York’s draconian Rockefeller drug laws. “Jeff Sessions’ push for long mandatory minimums will destroy people, families and communities.”

This is the latest in a series of measures that demonstrate the intent of the Trump Administration to ramp up the drug war. Sessions has indicated that he will also reverse the Obama-era policy of allowing states to set their own marijuana policies, and head of Homeland Security John Kelly is using the war on drugs to persecute immigrants, pushing to deport individuals for simple marijuana possession.

“Congress has to act now and serve as a check on the egregious behavior of Sessions’ Justice Department,” said Collins. “Both parties and the public have expressed a desire in passing sentencing reform – we need to pass a bill on this now more than ever.”

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TFT How To: Make Your Own Fantastic Cannabis Amaro

Danielle Guercio
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TFT How To: Make Your Own Fantastic Cannabis Amaro

Fernets and Amaro are a huge part of the culture my fam comes from. After dinner, shot glasses and espresso cups are filled with dark, potent liquids, lemon twists are expressed, and the nuts and fruits come out before the dessert. This social pause in between courses is to allow for digestion, conversation and space to eat more tasty treats. The liqueurs served are therefore referred to as digestifs or digestivo.

Amari (the plural of amaro) is a broad term for herbal liqueurs, usually from greater Italy. Other Mediterranean countries have their own versions, like French Pastis and absinthe. The most popular and recognizable brands would be Fernet Branca, Averna, and Cynar, but many bars pride themselves on having a lengthy collection, for sipping and expert cocktail mixing.

Considering the base of this liqueur is an herbal blend that varies by region and tradition, there is nearly zero reason to not incorporate the legendary herb on cannabis into this mix. This project is not an instant DIY but will certainly be easy. The hardest part is gathering the supplies. The most fun part is coming up with a blend to use.

Photos by Danielle Guercio

Bella D’herba Amaro

Danielle Guercio, 2017
Makes 1L of finished product, 10mg THC per 1oz serving estimated

  • 1 bundle washed dandelion
  • 1 bunch mint
  • 4 star anise pods
  • Peel of two lemons
  • 10 green cardamom pods
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • ⅓ cup bay leaves
  • 1 tsp achiote seed
  • 1 whole nutmeg
  • 2 Tbsp dried rosemary
  • 2 Tbsp lemon thyme
  • 1 Tbsp dried marjoram
  • 2 bags 7 blossoms tea
  • 1 inch piece of ginger
  • 3-4 strawberries
  • 3.5 grams of finely ground decarboxylated cannabis
  • 1 cup sugar
  • ½ cup water
  • 1 liter neutral spirit like vodka
Photos by Danielle Guercio

In the spirit (yuk yuk) of research and development, I would recommend infusing these herbs individually as well as a blend, so you can easily customize a formula, take notes, and not only recreate it, but fine tune it.

Photos by Danielle Guercio

Put the greens in a large jar and mash with a muddler. Pour enough vodka to cover and then add the other ingredients. You’ll want to smash the seeds and dried leaves slightly to allow them to infuse better, but don’t chop too fine or over process for best results and easier straining.

Photos by Danielle Guercio

Store in a dark corner for 1-4 weeks, tasting for your desired potency after each week and giving it a good mix every day. You can also add to the mix if you want to during the infusing time, but you won’t know what the finished product would have tasted like, so i recommend just infusing individual ingredients separately as noted above, that goes for the herb too.

Photos by Danielle Guercio

When you have what you are looking for, strain the solids out. Prepare a dark simple syrup by bringing the sugar and water to a boil and simmering until the sugar takes on a deeper caramelized tone. Add a portion of the syrup to the liqueur, 1oz at a time since it will be rich. You can continue to age it, or just start to enjoy it.

Serve neat with a lemon twist.

This DIY gives you a one time product and hopefully a long term obsession. Knowing what a nice small serving of such a liquor will do after any type of large and heavy meal, the possibilities of incorporating digestive herbs are really thrilling. You can even make a version to address different ailments, and the stuff is often deployed as an optimal ‘hair of the dog’ hangover solution.

Photos: Danielle Guercio

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N.J. Marijuana Panel Wants To Add Chronic Pain To List

Drug Policy Alliance
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N.J. Marijuana Panel Wants To Add Chronic Pain To List

The New Jersey Medicinal Marijuana Program Review Panel on Thursday made initial recommendations to the Health Commissioner to approve chronic pain related to musculoskeletal disorders, migraines, anxiety, chronic fatigue related to ailments such as irritable bowel syndrome, Tourette syndrome as qualifying conditions for the medical marijuana program.

“We are glad to see that the panel took the testimony of experts and the petitions of New Jerseyans seriously in making their recommendation to add chronic pain to the list of qualifying conditions for medical marijuana,” said Roseanne Scotti, New Jersey State Director of the Drug Policy Alliance.

“Many people across the state will be helped by this decision.  And it comes at a particularly important moment. Data shows that states with medical marijuana programs that allow access for individuals with chronic pain have reduced dependence on opioids. As New Jersey continues dealing with problematic opioid use in our state, expanding the medical marijuana program to include chronic pain is a real solution that can be immediately implemented,” Scotti added.

The panel’s initial recommendations are now open for a 60-day comment period and will be addressed at a public hearing before being finalized and sent to the Health Commissioner who will make the final determination on petitions to add new conditions to the state’s medical marijuana program.

The New Jersey Policy Office of the Drug Policy Alliance successfully led a campaign in partnership with medical and professional organizations as well as patient advocates to pass the New Jersey Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act in 2010. The coalition has been advocating for improvements to the state’s program since implementation. The Drug Policy Alliance submitted a petition in support of adding chronic pain, collected letters of support from clinicians and New Jerseyans suffering from the condition, and organized expert testimony before the Review Panel at their February meeting.

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Colorado Marijuana Sales Top $100 Million For 10th Straight Month

Al Olson
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Colorado Marijuana Sales Top $100 Million For 10th Straight Month

Another month, another massive haul in tax revenue for Colorado marijuana sales.

For the 1oth month in a row, cannabis sales have exceeded $100 million in the first state in the nation to sell legal recreational cannabis.

Sales tax revenue generated in Colorado for the month was just shy of  $23 million, according to the state’s Department of Revenue.

The state may soon be getting even more money from the legalized, regulated industry. There is a bill advancing in the legislature that would raise the recreational marijuana special sales tax from 10 percent to maximum 15 percent.

According to the Denver Post:

The state’s cannabis consumers pay the standard 2.9 percent state sales tax plus a special 10 percent marijuana sales tax. A 15 percent excise tax applied on wholesale transfers is baked into the cost of sale.

Under the legislative proposal, the increase to the 15 percent special sales tax rate is paired with the elimination of the 2.9 percent regular sales tax. So the move amounts to a 2.1 percentage-point tax hike for consumers. Each percentage point increase in marijuana taxes equates to about a $10 million increase in tax revenue for the state, said Chris Stiffler, an economist at the Colorado Fiscal Institute.

In January, Gov. John Hickenlooper said he was in favor of the tax hike.

Dispensaries throughout Colorado sold $1.3 billion worth of medical and recreational marijuana in 2016. That is up from $996.2 million in 2015 and $699.2 million in 2014.

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Philadelphia Mayor Wants Marijuana Sold In Liquor Stores

Mike Adams
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Philadelphia Mayor Wants Marijuana Sold In Liquor Stores

Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney believes Pennsylvania should consider selling recreational marijuana in state-run liquor stores.

Earlier this week, Kenney, the democratic force behind a 2014 marijuana decriminalization ordinance in the “City of Brotherly Love,” told WHYY’s “Radio Times” that the state already has the ideal infrastructure in place to operate a taxed and regulated pot market.

“To me we have the perfect system to set up the legal recreational use of cannabis through a controlled state store system allowing the state to capture all the income that is going to the underground,” he said.

By allowing legal marijuana to be overseen entirely by the state, Kenney believe it would be next to impossible for minors to gain access. This he knows from past experience.

“The hardest place to get served underage in Philadelphia when I was growing up was a Pennsylvania state liquor store,” he said. “You could get a bartender to look the other way and sell you a six-pack when you are 19, but when you went into a state store they wanted to see a license, your license. They didn’t care.”

There is a bill currently lingering in committee that seeks to legalize recreational marijuana for adults 21 and older. However, the measure does not have much momentum and will not likely be given the time of day in the 2017 session. But even if it did, Governor Tom Wolf, who is an above average supporter of cannabis reform, does not feel that Pennsylvania is ready to launch a scene where marijuana is sold in a manner similar to beer.

“I am for decriminalizing the holding of small amounts of recreational marijuana,” he told Radio PA back in March. “But, I am not for legalizing recreational marijuana because I don’t think we are ready for that yet in Pennsylvania.”

But the state better get ready, because the voters are becoming increasingly more supportive of ending marijuana prohibition.

A new Franklin & Marshall poll — released on Thursday — shows that 56 percent of the Pennsylvania population now believes marijuana should be made legal for recreational use. This is the first time the majority of the voters have sided with the concept of legal weed since the poll first began back in 2006.

But the most likely scenario for Pennsylvania, at least this year, is statewide marijuana decimalization.

Governor Wolf has said several times that if the state legislature puts a bill on his desk, asking to eliminate the criminal penalties associated with pot possession, he would sign it.

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