Rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine has been slow and clumsy, with states foregoing their original plans in order to get vaccines to more people.
The United States vaccine rollout has been a slow and tedious process, one that’s made some states reconsider who gets the shots first, with governors allowing inoculations for those who aren’t healthcare workers or seniors.
While the government had planned to deliver over 20 million inoculations by the end of 2021, as of this week, only around 6 million people have received their shots.
Rules and regulations have varied over the past couple of days from state to state. CNN reports that Montana Governor Greg Gianforte shifted COVID-19 policies in order to include people over the age of 70 and those between the ages of 16 and 69 who had specific health conditions. “We cannot have vaccines sitting on the shelf,” he said.
In Florida, Governor Ron DeSantis warned hospitals that if they were too slow in vaccine distribution, he would remove future allotments. In New York, many medical providers had to throw out vaccine dosages due to how difficult it was to find patients who matched the state’s guidelines, forcing Governor Andrew Cuomo to expand them.
Photo by Nataliya Vaitkevich from Pexels
The Trump administration has recently said that states should feel free to make their own decisions when it comes to a vaccination plan, distributing shots to pharmacies or aiding their hospitals and healthcare workers in whatever way that gets people inoculated.
While a pandemic is a constant source of new challenges, the slow rollout of this batch of vaccines can be explained by funding problems and a lack of guidance for hospitals and health care workers. While Congress recently approved a stimulus bill that might speed the vaccination process, it’s already late, with states having started the vaccine distribution process without the necessary funds.
The U.S.’s vaccine rollout will likely shift on a weekly basis, with people’s spots in line being determined by their state, age, health risks, jobs and ultimately, with how much they want to get their shots.
Under the Governor’s proposal, a new Office of Cannabis Management would be created to oversee the new adult-use program, as well as the State’s existing medical and cannabinoid hemp programs.
With his signature confidence, Governor Andrew Cuomo states New York will legalize adult use marijuana in his state of the state address on Monday.
“We will legalize adult-use recreational cannabis, joining 15 other states who’ve already done so,” Cuomo said in the speech. “This will raise revenue and will end the over-criminalization of this product that has left so many communities of color over-policed and over-incarcerated.”
This statement follows last week’s announcement that he would pursue legislation in 2021 to establish a legal market for marijuana in New York, which would effectively end marijuana prohibition in New York State and create a system to tax and regulate marijuana in a manner similar to alcohol for adults over the age of 21.
Photo by Arthur Brognoli from Pexels
New York lawmakers pre-filed a bill to legalize marijuana last week. The legislation was introduced in the Senate by Sen. Liz Krueger (D) and 18 other lawmakers. The new legislation is identical to a version she filed last year which never went further than being filed.
We will legalize adult-use recreational cannabis, joining 15 states that have already done so.
This will raise revenue and end the failed prohibition of this product that has left so many communities of color over-policed and over-incarcerated.#SOTS2021
Melissa Moore, New York State Director of the Drug Policy Alliance and member of Start SMART NY Coalition (Sensible Marijuana Access through Regulated Trade) said:
“By including marijuana reform in today’s State of the State address, Gov. Cuomo has signaled that this is a top priority in this year’s legislative session. When it comes to responsibly regulating marijuana, it’s critical that we don’t just get this done, but we get it right. Equity must be the guiding force, and we will continue to work with the Governor’s administration and legislative leaders to ensure any new law comprehensively addresses the harms to communities wrought by the war on drugs through dedicated community reinvestment. New Yorkers are more ready than ever to create a new paradigm for marijuana reform. Let’s make 2021 the year for marijuana justice.”
Under the Governor’s proposal, a new Office of Cannabis Management would be created to oversee the new adult-use program, as well as the State’s existing medical and cannabinoid hemp programs. Additionally, an equitable structure for the adult-use market will be created by offering licensing opportunities and assistance to entrepreneurs in communities of color who have been disproportionately impacted by the war on drugs. Once fully implemented, legalization is expected to generate more than $300 million in tax revenue.
Even with the uncertainty surrounding the odds of federal marijuana legalization, that doesn’t mean cannabis isn’t a worthy investment.
Leading investment analysts predict that cannabis stocks will soar big time following last week’s Democratic takeover of the U.S. Senate. The idea is that since the Democrats have now secured the majority in both Congressional houses, federal marijuana legalization is a sure thing within the next two years.
In their minds, it’s not if it’ll happen, it’s when, and they are urging investors to go all in.
“We’re still working through the models because we don’t have visibility around the timing of [legislation], but we would anticipate either the back half of ’21 or the first half of ’22,” Cowen Managing Director Vivien Azer told Yahoo Finance. “But what we have asserted is we think there could be as much as 50% upside to the revenue multiples for the U.S. operators strictly by virtue of re-listing to the U.S. exchanges.”
Democrats won control of the U.S. Senate last week following Georgia’s runoff election when Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock beat Republican Senators David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler. This provided Democrats with the two seats necessary to flip Senate control. At face value, it should now be easier for Congress to pass a marijuana legalization bill.
Photo by Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images
The Democrats have been pushing for pot reform over the past few years (SAFE Banking Act, MORE Act) only to be stopped by Republican rule in the upper chamber. Now that the Democratic agenda can move forward in the Senate, there should be nothing — certainly no Mitch McConnell — standing in the way of a vote.
But it’s the probability of that vote which some analysts argue investors need to worry about. Sure, Democrats have the majority in the Senate, but it’s only a slim one. It’s a 50-50 setup, with Vice-President-elect Kamala Harris being the tiebreaker. Democrats will have to rely on their ability to attract Republican supporters to get any marijuana-related legislation pushed through.
“Investors in cannabis producers, including Tilray (TLRY), Canopy Growth (CGC), and Aurora Cannabis (ACB), are likely overestimating the odds for federal decriminalization and descheduling along the lines of the Marijuana Opportunity, Reinvestment, and Expungement (MORE) Act that passed last month in the House,” Beacon Policy Advisors analyst Charlotte Jenkins says.
“Passage of the MORE Act [bill designed to legalize marijuana at the federal level] is unlikely even in a Democratic-controlled Senate because there is likely not enough Republican support to reach the requisite 60 votes to pass the MORE Act or [incoming Senate Majority leader Chuck] Schumer’s similar legislation.”
Even with the uncertainty surrounding the odds of federal marijuana legalization, that doesn’t mean cannabis isn’t a worthy investment. All of the states with marijuana legalization ballot measures in the 2020 election passed with overwhelming support. This alone suggests that the cannabis industry will continue to grow over the next few years.
The situation is destined to get even better, as more states follow suit. And that’s bound to happen one way or another. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is again pushing for lawmakers to approve legislation to establish a taxed and regulated system. Therefore, some of the largest cannabis markets in the United States are yet to come.
Because medical care in prisons is seriously deficient, the need and inherent right for effective medication may be even greater for prisoners than for the general population.
Disclaimer:The views expressed in this article solely belong to the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Fresh Toast.
The Associated Press reports, “A state district judge in Albuquerque has ruled this week that the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Detention Center should not penalize medical marijuana patients under its custody or supervision for using the drug.”
It is unclear whether other New Mexico jurisdictions will concur with the ruling, but it will inevitably be litigated nationally.
First, try to let’s understand the scope of our criminal justice problems.
‘The American criminal justice system holds almost 2.3 million people in 1,833 state prisons, 110 federal prisons, 1,772 juvenile correctional facilities, 3,134 local jails, 218 immigration detention facilities, and 80 Indian Country jails as well as in military prisons, civil commitment centers, state psychiatric hospitals, and prisons in the U.S. territories.’
The United States has less than 5% of the world’s population, but almost 25% of the world’s prisoners. We have arrested over 22 million Americans for simple possession of marijuana in the last 50 years. During that time the US prison population grew from 200,000 to over 2,300,000, mostly because of the Drug War.
And last year we arrested another 500,000 people last year just for having less than an ounce of marijuana. That number is greater than for all violent crimes combined.
Last year, in Washington, DC, a population of 720,000, 187 people were murdered. The last victim was only one year old. Amsterdam, population 1,149,000, had 20 violent deaths.
Feeling safer?
Now in the midst of the pandemic, our jails are a major public health problem. The Houston Chronicle reports, “Vague standards, weak enforcement endanger Texas jail inmates, government watchdog finds Texas jails are perilous places: the site of more than 100 inmate deaths and 10,000 assaults in 2019. That same year, inmates tried to end their lives more than 1,000 times. And at least 750 times, guards injured inmates.”
“1 in 5 prisoners in the US has had COVID-19, 1,700 have died”
“New cases in prisons this week reached their highest level since testing began in the spring, far outstripping previous peaks in April and August.
“That number is a vast undercount,” said Homer Venters, the former chief medical officer at New York’s Rikers Island jail complex.”
Consider that most of the 500,000 Americans arrested on marijuana possession charges will only be in jail for a few days, or maybe only for a few hours. But that may be long enough to be infected with COVID 19. And bring it home.
In fact, our vastly overcrowded jails and prisons are public health threats for both physical and mental illness. Even if someone thinks marijuana users should be arrested, the Drug War remains a major public health threat.
We are hoping that the new vaccines will end the pandemic, but all the other problems in our prisons will remain, and many will grow worse, so the need for medical marijuana will continue to increase.
Photo by AlexVan via Pixabay
Obviously, because medical care and even basic hygiene in prisons is seriously deficient, the need and inherent right for effective medication may be even greater for prisoners than for the general population. If the prison authorities are unable or unwilling to provide healthy conditions and/or basic medical care, the arguments against providing prisoners with marijuana are even weaker. The Constitution actually prohibits “Cruel and Unusual Punishments” and holding prisoners in life-threatening conditions would certainly seem to meet that description.
The argument for recreational marijuana in prisons may be almost as compelling. First, marijuana is usually an effective “sedative.” Also, it could be used as an incentive for good behavior.
Most of the people in prison will be released at some point and their psychological problems will come with them. Just as we have a vested interest in their physical health, we may have an even greater interest in their mental health.
It is much easier to test for THC, which can be detected weeks after use, whereas water-soluble meth, cocaine, heroin, and other hard drugs are flushed from the system in a day.
While very few people are actually sent to prison (as opposed to county jails) for marijuana possession, failing a drug test can lead to parole and probation being revoked, even for medical marijuana for very serious medical conditions. That is both cruel and stupid.
The first several months of the new Congress will tell us everything we need to know about its intentions and its dedication to cannabis reform.
Although Democratic control in Congress this year was supposed to lead to the legalization of marijuana at the federal level, the word on the street is that the newfound leaders of Capitol Hill might not be able to get that done for two years. Two years!
The Democrats have struggled to get marijuana-related legislation so much as heard in the Senate. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has always stood in the way. But now, McConnell’s out, following a bruising victory by Democrats in the Georgia runoffs, so why all of a sudden are they pumping the brakes?
Some interesting movements took place late last year showing that Democrats were prepared to legalize marijuana if they were successful in Georgia. In December, the U.S. House of Representatives approved the MORE Act (Marijuana Opportunity and Expungement Act), designed to eliminate federal marijuana prohibition. The bill would remove cannabis from the Controlled Substances Act and establish a taxed and regulated pot market similar to alcohol and tobacco.
Even though the Democrats knew that the Republican reign of terror in the Senate would stop them from taking this measure all the way, they still made it one of their last pieces of business in 2020.
It seemed like it was necessary.
From the outside looking in, the approval of the MORE Act was a strategic move. If the Democrats won the two Senate seats in Georgia, their legislative agenda could advance, and the MORE Act would be waiting to be tossed into the mix once they were handed the keys to the upper chamber. If the Republicans ended up winning, however, they’d be no worse for wear. It was a flip of the coin, and in the end, the Democratic bet played out. They now have the power. They are calling the shots. So why is it going to take so long to put legal weed on the books?
Let’s back up a little.
Last October, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who is expected to replace Mitch McConnell as Senate Majority Leader, said if the Democrats were to win control of the U.S. Senate, he would make pushing a marijuana legalization bill one of his priorities. “If I become majority leader, I put this [MORE Act] on the floor, and it’s likely to pass,” he told Green Enterprise.
Schumer’s time has come. But two years doesn’t sound like much of a priority, though, does it? It sounds like more sandbagging tactics. It’s almost as though the Democrats used the marijuana platform to attract voters (it’s a hot political issue), but now the plan is to dodge and stall. After all, the MORE Act is just sitting there right now waiting for Senate attention. It doesn’t need two years. Does it?
Photo by Caroline Brehman-Pool/Getty Images
Some reports suggest that federal marijuana legalization “remains a tall order” even with the Democrats controlling Congress. Democrats have only a slim majority in he Senate (50-50), with Vice-President-elect Kamala Harris being the tiebreaker. Any pot-related bill that goes up for a vote isn’t necessarily a sure thing. Not every Democrat is likely to vote in favor, just like not every Republican should be expected to vote against. So even if the MORE Act gets picked up by the Senate in the next few months, the debate could keep the bill jammed up for quite some time.
On a positive note, at least the conversation surrounding legal marijuana in the United States is going to happen. That’s a start. Over the past several years, Senate Majority Leader McConnell has not once allowed a marijuana-related proposal to be scheduled for committee. Democrats will change that, but it might not be enough right now to get a marijuana legalization bill to President Joe Biden.
Photo by SOPHIE-CARON/Getty Images
Congress might try first to pass smaller reforms to help the cannabis industry in states where it is already legal. We could see lawmakers finally approving the SAFE Banking Act, which would allow banks and weed companies to work together without federal law enforcement stirring trouble.
Democrats will likely work with the Biden Administration to pass a decriminalization measure and make moves to legalize medical marijuana and expand research opportunities. These concepts are already at work in some form or fashion, and Biden has made promises to see some through.
“Democrats will decriminalize marijuana use and reschedule it through executive action on the federal level,” according to the official Democratic platform. “We will support legalization of medical marijuana and believe states should be able to make their own decisions about recreational use. The Justice Department should not launch federal prosecutions of conduct that is legal at the state level. All past criminal convictions for cannabis use should be automatically expunged.”
Although it could still take some time for the United States to fully legalize marijuana, that doesn’t mean the issue isn’t in better shape. It definitely is. The first several months of the new Congress will tell us everything we need to know about its intentions and its dedication to cannabis reform. Still, Democrats need to use their time wisely. Republicans could take back control of the Senate in the 2022 midterm. And then we could be right back inside a prohibition wasteland.
Having calm political conversations is difficult, especially when speaking to a conspiracy theorist. Here are some tips that can assist.
Conspiracy theories abound, from fake 9/11, to fake moon landings. As egregious as this misinformation seems, these theories spread quickly and are capable of swaying thousands of people, from older relatives to young people who’ve grown up with the internet and understand how it works. Conspiracy theories are enraging, capable of influencing people’s votes, opinions and often result in fights and the ending of friendships.
While everyone has their personal capacity to put up with others, in times of stress and political unrest it’s impossible to avoid these theories, whether they’re from social media or friends and family. Despite the difficulty, it is possible to have a conversation with a conspiracy theorist without losing your mind. While you may not be able to sway their opinion (and they likely won’t change yours), you can try to reach middle ground and hopefully inform them and prevent them from spreading dangerous and incendiary information.
Here’s how to talk to a conspiracy theorist, or at least, how to try your best:
Work extra hard to stay calm
Politics make for very tricky conversations. When speaking to someone who’s defending a conspiracy theory, it’s important to stay calm, since getting heated will likely prompt a heated response and will escalate the discussion. Be aware of the setting where you are too; if you’re with other family members and are meant to be celebrating something, try to avoid a fight that will make everyone feel terrible. This will likely strengthen the other person’s belief in their conspiracy theory.
Try to see things from their point of view
Photo by NordWood Themes via Unsplash
Conspiracy theories often have an underlying root. “They are not just about right and wrong,” Psychologist Jovan Byford told the BBC, “but underpinned by feelings of resentment, anger and indignation over how the world works.” The person you’re arguing with is probably just as passionate as you are when it comes to their politics and it serves no purpose to fight without providing the space for reflection. Avoid dismissive responses and let them express themselves, using facts and common sense to debunk their beliefs.
Teach media literacy without being patronizing
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While you may think that a conspiracy theorist is simply crazy and believes in everything they read, they usually do their research. Granted, this comes from unverified sources, like random YouTube videos and fake news spread through Facebook and Twitter, which is why it’s important for people to understand how information is spread in the media nowadays and how it can be manipulated.
This is when it gets complicated, since there’s no easy way of saying “you don’t know how to read online news,” but it’s important to instruct people on how media works. If you have a position of power, if you’re a parent or have a job in media, you have the upper hand in explaining how this misinformation spreads. If someone’s using a fake image as evidence, point out what’s wrong with it or discuss the technologies that are capable of manipulating visuals. You can also provide them with an article that provides some basic information on how to separate fake news from real news.
By increasing blood flow, you give your muscles and tissue an extra boost that’ll speed up your recovery process and decrease pain and cramps.
With exercise, “more is better” is usually the standard approach. While the majority of people don’t spend all of their time working out, they know that an extra day of exercise probably won’t result in anything negative. The benefits of working out are plentiful, from a release of endorphins and healthy weight loss, to better physical and mental health. But active recovery is necessary, especially for people who workout consistently. The body needs time to rest and recuperate in order to function properly and reap the benefits of movement.
Active recovery, also known as active rest, is a type of workout that’s low intensity. It’s the opposite of passive recovery and includes activities like yoga, swimming and even walking. Active recovery is known for eliminating toxins in the body, adding more flexibility to your muscles, reducing soreness and improving blood flow.
The reason why active recovery is so highly recommended by health experts is because it makes for a great complement to your other workouts; by increasing blood flow, you give your muscles and tissue an extra boost that’ll speed up your recovery process and decrease pain and cramps.
Photo by Carl Barcelo via Unsplash
Active recovery also helps flush out waste products that build up when you work out, like lactic acid and hydrogen ions, which play a part in muscle soreness and fatigue and can be very painful to cope with.
While you can never go wrong with yoga or going for a walk, there are dozens of novel activities you can engage in for active recovery, like Tai Chi, resistance training, rollerblading and hiking. These exercises can be done with a different mentality than the one you usually have when working out, giving you the chance to focus on the music your listening to or on having a conversation with a friend.
When people take a rest day, they usually spend it on the couch. While this is good, especially if your body needs and asks for it, creating the space for active recovery will provide you with tons of physical benefits. It’ll also grant you a space for introspection, which may result in a therapeutic and relaxing experience that can significantly impact your life for the better.
The use of beauty products can result in large amounts of waste. Here’s how you can make your beauty routine better for the environment.
Everything affects the environment, from what we eat to the products we use. While big corporations and industries have the majority of responsibility for global warming, the everyday habits we practice matter more than you might think.
Reducing the amount of waste we produce and taking the time to recycle might not be world altering measures, but it can inspire others to do the same and can help us feel like we’re doing something for the planet.
Our beauty routines have an impact on the world, producing waste and contributing to an industry that contains compounds that are wasteful for the environment and that often relies on animal testing. Here are a few ways in which we can contribute to the environment by simply switching up some aspects of our beauty routine:
Go over the basics of waste
The more products we use, the more waste we create. These products range from razor blades, which end up in landfills, to all of the little plastic bottles your products come packaged in. Another contributing factor is how much water you spend, with long showers contributing to waste, which then leads to water shortages and the death of animals.
Try to purchase razors you can use multiple times while being conscious of the time you spend showering. These small changes may seem small, but can amount to more over the course of your life.
A large percentage of beauty products come packaged in plastic containers, an element that’s harmful for the environment. It’s very difficult to go 100% plastic free, which is why it’s best to start off slow, doing some research on products that commit on being plastic free and going from there. Here’s a list that can help you get started.
Add a recycling bin in your bathroom
For the plastic products that are unavoidable, set up a recycling bin in your bathroom. This will remind you that you have to recycle and will avoid you throwing your shampoo bottles and beauty products into your normal trash. A bin with two compartments or two separate bins is a simple change that can help you be more committed to producing less waste.
Since beauty products need to be purchased every couple of weeks or months depending on the product and the use, the most sustainable way of reducing the amount of plastic would be to invest in products that provide you with refillable options. The majority of companies that provide you with this option are committed enough to the environment that they also tend to avoid harmful components in their products and testing that doesn’t rely on animals. Here’s a list that can help you get started.
Jeffree Star is a makeup guru and influencer, who’s rumored to have had an affair with Kanye West. Does he imbibe in a toke now and then?
Jeffree Star, star of RuPaul’s Drag Race and beauty influencer, recently found himself embroiled in one of the biggest celebrity scandals. Following the announcement that Kim Kardashian and Kanye West are splitsville, Ava Louise, a Tik Toker known for popularizing the coronavirus challenge, which consisted of licking an airplane toilet, revealed that Starr and West were involved in an affair.
@realavalouiisei can’t say WHO cuz he’ll sue me hint hint but it’s part of the reason Kanye’s so religious now it’s his self hatred …. my source is legit I promiss♬ original sound – Ava Louise
That day, Star posted a selfie on social media, with the caption “I’m ready for Sunday service,” which fans and followers of the story somehow interpreted as confirmation of the rumored affair.
Finally, on January 7, Star uploaded a video where he addressed these rumors, saying that he’s surprised about this whole story. He then says that he’s single and not seeing anyone. The nail in the coffin: “Let me just say this one time for any news outlet: I like very tall men.”
Now that we got that out of the way: Does Jeffrey Star smoke weed?
In 2019, following the legalization of cannabis in Michigan, Star said that he was going to get involved with the cannabis industry, posting some vague tweets that hinted at a “weed empire,” although much didn’t come after those comments.
Among his merchandise he sells grinders and he has also reviewed marijuana make up products in his videos, like KUSH Mascara. He’s been open about his enjoyment of weed, throwing theme parties and speaking about the drug on his YouTube page as well as tweeting about it.
STAR KUSH BDAY ?
Last night was perfect and one for the books… I’m still high ? pic.twitter.com/Ghw6M1STU3
While a weed themed birthday party and selling marijuana merch doesn’t immediately imply that Star is a regular weed smoker, it does suggest that he has no issues with it. We interpret that as a yes.
Kim K made a pair of these for the Duchess on her 30th birthday. But, sadly, they were politely declined.
It may not be obvious, but there is a surprising Kate Middleton and Kim Kardashian connection. Sure, both are very fashionable and love heels, but how could these two celebrities have crossed paths?
It actually very much has to do with footwear. When the Duchess of Cambridge turned 30 in 2012, Kardashian and the team at ShoeDazzle created a pair of heels just for her. They were called “The Duchess,” and sadly, we’ll never see Kate wearing them.
According to a video Kardashian posted on YouTube wishing Kate a happy birthday (but, let’s be honest, it was really to promote herself), she said of Kate, “Her style, I love personally, and I think that every woman should feel like a princess every day.”
ShoeDazzle described “The Duchess” as “classic quilting and graceful silhouette channels the Duchess’s classic style.” A quick scroll through the site and it doesn’t appear “The Duchess” is available anymore, however, there are several pumps with the name “Royal Wedding.”
According to Express, the same year Kim launched “The Duchess”, she and her Kardashian sisters also launched a fall collection at Dorothy Perkins — a U.K. women’s fashion retailer — and sent some samples to Kate.
Per Express, “An insider told the Daily Star that the Kardashians ‘hoped Kate might be seen wearing one of the designs out in public, which would give their fashion credentials a huge boost.'” Of course they did.
Anyone who knows anything about The Royals knows that they follow pretty strict protocol. Royal rules dictate that the Duchess can not accept unsolicited gifts. The palace “politely declined” the gesture and sent the freebies back.
A representative of Kate’s explained to MailOnline that: “In general terms, the policy of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge is not to accept any unsolicited gifts unless the sender is known personally to His or Her Royal Highness.
“Any such gifts are returned to the sender with thanks and an explanation of Their Royal Highnesses’ policy.”
