Pornhub reports that the release of the movie “Joker” has inspired over 741,000 Joker related searches.
For some reason, superheroes make people really horny. Month ago, when “Avengers Endgame” was released, Pornhub reported a significant spike their searches, with people looking for clips featuring the most popular Avengers. Now, with the release of “Joker”, people appear to be pretty invested in clowns.
According to Pornhub’s metrics, over 741,000 searches including the word “joker” have been submitted in the four days that followed the release of the film. TMZ reports that this past Sunday searches hit a high, with over 290,000 of them submitted in the span of 24 hours. This means that a lot of people watched the incredibly creepy and depressing movie and then had the guts to feel horny and look for porn inspired by it.
Pornhub reports that superheroes and villains tend to inspire these sort of searches, no matter the content of the film. In 2016, with the release of “Suicide Squad”, Harley Quinn became the most searched prompt on different porn sites. With the release of the “Birds of Prey” trailer, which is Margot Robbie’s second time interpreting the character, the site reported a similar spike.
Since its release Joker has received pretty polarizing reviews from critics, with some calling it a masterpiece and others claiming that it’s overrated. Joaquin Phoenix is rumored to nab an Oscar nomination, so at least he can say that his role inspired something more than creepy clowny porn.
Two iconic cannabis experts offer some necessary advice for your first introduction to marijuana.
Smoking cannabis for the first time could make anyone wary. You’re not sure if your experience will be full of pure euphoria, or if your smoke session will end in dreaded paranoia. (If that latter happens to you, eat black pepper!) Either way, everyone could use some coaching through their introduction to cannabis.
Luckily, two of the world’s leading experts on smoking weed have some advice. That would be Seth Rogen and Snoop Dogg. Radio legend Howard Stern recently asked Snoop and Rogen what they’d tell someone smoking with them for the first time. A 39-year-old producer on Stern’s show was planning on trying it, and Stern thought limiting yourself to three hits your first time was sound advice.
But Rogen and Snoop disagreed.
“I’d start with one,” Rogen said
“I’d say a half of one,” Snoop argued.
“Exactly,” Rogen said. “This is from two guys who have had too many mother****ers come up and get way too high.”
“And fall out,” Snoop said. “I got a lot of people [who come up and say], ‘My dream is to smoke with you.’ Bang,” he added, pantomiming someone falling asleep on the couch. “He dying and I’m gone.”
But the two celebrities also discussed what kind of cannabis newbies should try first. Snoop suggested a sativa strain of marijuana, “because it’s a little bit lighter and it’s more of an introduction.” But Rogen added that you should make sure it has a decent percentage of THC in it “to make sure you actually feel something because you might not.”
“But again, one f***ing hit,” Rogen emphasized.
Snoop did offer this warning, though: Once you try marijuana, your life will never be the same. Of course he meant it in a positive sense.
“When you smoke this weed, everything is gonna change,” Snoop said. “Your fee for appearances is gonna change, your style of women is gonna change, your hair is gonna get longer.”
That said, Seth Rogen has been expanding his cannabis empire in recent months. Rogen and his creative partner Evan Goldberg teamed with Canopy Growth to create Houseplant—a marijuana company that will educate and “make it easier for people to learn to love cannabis.” Last month, Rogen also hosted an adults-only, marijuana-centric carnival to raise money and awareness around Alzheimer’s disease.
Uber is making it easier for pet owners who want to travel with animals and for drivers who don’t want to deal with the extra hassle.
Surprise pets are one of the most popular complaints that Uber drivers report, which is why the company is introducing a feature that eliminates these types of cancellations. Uber Pet is a bit more expensive and will be introduced on October 16 in select cities, ensuring that drivers are happy and that customers get the transportation they need.
The Verge reports that the first cities where the feature will be introduced are Austin, Denver, Nashville, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Philadelphia, Phoenix, and Tampa Bay.
The option for selecting Uber Pet will appear on the opening menu of the app, where the Uber X and Uber Pool options appear. When choosing Uber Pet, a charge of $3 to $5 is applied straight away, guaranteeing no surprise charges. Drivers who don’t want pets in their cars can opt out of Uber Pet, but those who participate will earn a significant portion of the surcharge according to Uber.
Other ride share services like Lyft and Juno have no explicit pet policy, leaving it up to the driver’s discretion to either accept or cancel the ride. These services put the responsibility on the requester, encouraging them to contact drivers before hand to ask them if there’s a problem with having a pet in their car.
If all goes well in the testing stage, the Uber Pet option should appear throughout apps all over the country within the next couple of months.
Terpenes that come from cannabis are allowed in marijuana vapor products, but the presence of terpenes derived from any other source is prohibited under the ban.
On October 9, 2019, the Washington State Board of Health (“BOH”) voted to adopt emergency rules banning flavored vapor products, including marijuana products, in Washington State. The ban is effective as of October 10 and will run for 120 days.
It’s not as if we didn’t see this coming. On Monday, Hilary Bricken wrote on this blog that cannabis businesses should expect these types of vapor bans. Previously, on September 27, Governor Jay Inslee issued an executive order requesting the BOH adopt rules banning flavored vapor products. This executive action is very similar to what we saw in Oregon related to flavored vaping products last Friday.
The Washington emergency rules define a “Flavored vapor product” as “any vapor product that imparts a characterizing flavor.” A characterizing flavor is “a distinguishable taste or aroma, or both, other than the taste or aroma of tobacco or marijuana or a taste or aroma derived from compounds or derivatives such as terpenes or terpenoids derived directly and solely from marijuana[,] or hemp plants that have been grown and tested as required by state law, imparted by a vapor product.”
This definition of a characterizing flavor does not include cannabis-derived terpenes. Terpenes are organic compounds found in a wide range of plants that produce flavor and aromas. Terpenes that come from cannabis, either hemp or marijuana, are allowed in marijuana vapor products but the presence of terpenes derived from any other source is prohibited under the ban.
The BOH’s definition of characterizing flavors includes some concrete examples including, “tastes or aromas relating to any fruit, chocolate, vanilla, honey, candy, cocoa, dessert, alcoholic beverage, menthol, mint, wintergreen, herb, or spice.” The definition also includes this unbelievably vague catch-all provision:
A vapor product does not have a characterizing flavor solely because of the use of additives or flavorings or the provision of ingredient information. It is the presence of a distinguishable taste or aroma, or both, that constitutes a characterizing flavor.
In other words, it may not matter what is added to a vapor product if there is the presence of taste or aroma. It remains to be seen how BOH and the LCB will determine what products have the presence of a distinguishable taste or aroma.
Marijuana licensees should expect the LCB to swiftly enforce this ban. Hours after the BOH issued the emergency rules, the LCB emailed licensees to confirm that processors and retailers are to immediately stop selling flavored vapor products. The LCB also indicated that it would follow up with options for returning or destroying products. In addition, the LCB indicated four action items that it is taking while health officials investigate vaping illnesses:
Signage. Prominently post this warning sign in retail locations. This required sign is co-branded with the Washington State Department of Health. A Spanish version, also available, may be posted as an additional sign.
Clarify rule regarding additives on packaging and labeling. There is some confusion among industry members that certain additives, like terpenes, imported CBD, and other cannabinoids do not need to be disclosed on packaging. Current rules require all product components on packaging (WAC 314-55-105).
Disclose to LCB all compounds (including ingredients, solvents, additives, etc.) used in the production and processing of products that are vaped and vaping devices themselves. Public health officials have requested assistance in gathering additional information about ingredients in vapor products.
Cooperate with the ongoing epidemiological investigation. Local, state and federal health agencies are looking into which products have been involved with Washington cases of disease. We ask for your cooperation if you are contacted by someone from a state or federal epidemiology team and/or a representative from your local health jurisdiction.
It’s fair to say that there is a vaping crisis. It’s also fair for regulators to act in response to said crisis. However, given that there is really no evidence that flavored vapor products are causing these widespread illnesses, it’s also fair to say that this ban feels arbitrary and likely to cause great damage to an already struggling industry. Processors who rely on the sale of vapor products are likely not in a position to make this massive shift away from flavored products. Retailers, in turn, may try to return these flavored products to processors to recoup their losses or eat the cost of these now worthless products. Remember, these businesses cannot take out loans (not that banks would offer them) without going through a lengthy application process with the LCB; for many businesses, there are no funds available for a rapid change like this.
A few weeks ago I wrote critically about Donald Trump’s decision to ban vapor products at the federal level, saying that it would likely harm the regulated vapor market and help the illicit market. I was surprised to see Jay Inslee blindly follow Trump’s thinking here, especially when he has so frequently opposed this administration.
Instead of taking the parody personally, MedMen’s CEO believes the jokes speak to the brand’s success.
In the past several weeks, “South Park” creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone have used the popular dispensary chain MedMen as a recurring punchline. All the criticism and parodies Parker and Stone might have about the corporatization of cannabis have been laid at MedMen’s feet. Whether it’s poking fun at MedMen’s “The New Normal” campaign, or MedMen officially recommending that home growing is a hazard to Americans, these jokes could also apply to dozen other modern cannabis companies.
That’s the way MedMen CEO Adam Bierman views it at least. In a conversation at Forbes, cannabis journalist and occasional Fresh Toast contributor Javier Hasse asked Bierman about South Park’s parody. After first consulting his VP of communications before commenting on the record, Bierman had this to say.
“I’m humbled by South Park’s parody,” Bierman said. “You know, we’ve always said in order to mainstream marijuana, in order to build the mainstream cannabis brand, in order be open and welcoming enough for new people—the cannabis users of tomorrow… you’ve got to become relevant. That’s what a brand is.”
While it’s open to interpretation, Bierman believes the parody represents how successful the MedMen brand has become. South Park, through its Tegridy Farms plot line, wouldn’t target MedMen if their brand didn’t mean anything.
“The fact that they decided we’re the most culturally relevant cannabis brand on the planet is humbling,” Bierman said. “It means that we’re executing against our mission, it means that we have an even greater responsibility to keep our heads down and do what we’re continuing to do, and it means that every week now I have to tune into South Park to see what Tegridy Farms has been up to.”
However, that doesn’t answer any of the critiques South Park leveled at MedMen and other cannabis corporations. In one clip, we hear Randy Marsh dismiss the corporate banker types who ride into the cannabis industry, hoping to turn a quick buck, while those who paid the price of prohibition receive none of the benefits. When Hasse asked about that idea, Bierman pushed against the label.
“I don’t take it personally, because I don’t take it like South Park is specifically saying that MedMen is corporate weed, and evil, and bad, and the guys behind it are in it for the wrong reasons… I just think they’re creating their parody the way that they want to and I’m not personalizing that,” Bierman said.
“We didn’t start off with investors, with money people that came from money and were coming into this from an investment perspective,” he added. “We’re the only big company that started as operators, that have actually changed laws, ran campaigns and legalized cannabis, the first cannabis company in the United States that donated seven figures to Marijuana Policy Project… So I take a lot of pride in our participation in this mission along the way, and I don’t think there’s anything wrong with conscious capitalism. And that’s what we’ve been from the outset.”
As part of their marketing strategy, Netflix hosted a scavenger hunt in L.A., and MedMen’s marijuana dispensary was the first stop.
“Breaking Bad” is finally returning this Friday with El Camino, a Netflix original movie. The film is one of the most awaited productions of the year, with filming conducted in secret. As part of their marketing strategy, a scavenger hunt in L.A. was held, and MedMen’s marijuana dispensary was the first stop.
The “Hunt For Jesse Pinkman” contest began a couple of days ago, when “Breaking Bad”’s official Twitter account tweeted out different coordinates with cryptic messages, inspiring people to go to the locations and find clues to other stops.
Smoke it if you got it, but see Badger if you don’t. 21+. 34° 4’ 29.6” N 118° 23’ .9” W
MedMen’s cannabis shop in West L.A. had actor Matt Jones signing posters and autographs for fans. Jones plays Badger, a recurring character from the series who was an avid marijuana user. He’ll also be making an appearance in the film.
While we don’t know why MedMen was chosen as one of the stops of the scavenger hunt, this isn’t the first time that Netflix has partnered up with cannabis. A couple of months ago, a pop up store in West Hollywood was selling different marijuana strains inspired by some of their hit shows.
“Each strain was cultivated with the specific shows in mind, designed to complement each title based on their tone. For example, sillier shows may be more indica dominant, while dramedies will be more sativa dominant to help the more powerful scenes resonate,” explained a press release.
If we’ve learned one thing over the years, Mickey Mouse isn’t down with marijuana.
There’s something about the combination of marijuana and Disneyland that celebrities just love. Just a couple months ago, Robert Downey Jr. confessed to getting busted for smoking weed on a Disneyland gondola. Andrew Garfield had a story, too: While he and Emma Stone were still dating, they ate weed brownies and went to Disneyland, where Garfield freaked out on the “It’s A Small World” ride.
For those celebrities, combining marijuana and Disneyland was just a funny anecdote. But that wasn’t the case for Sonic Youth’s Kim Gordon back in the 1970s. The rock singer was smoking a joint with a friend on the pirate-themed Tom Sawyer Island attraction. Soon, cops caught a whiff of weed and tracked them down.
“They took us underground,” Gordon told The Guardian. Soon, the singer and her friend found themselves in a netherworld with a “Mickey Mouse with a walkie-talkie.” To make matters creepier, security officers were asking her strange questions like: “Does your mother know you’re not wearing a bra?”
Photo by Flickr user Barry Mulling
Gordon was kept overnight by Disneyland security. She was taking a political science class at the time, and idea began swirling about what it meant that she could be jailed by Disneyland for smoking a joint.
“I was writing this paper in my head about Disneyland and how fascist it was,” Gordon told The Guardian. “It confirmed my beliefs about American consumerism.” Those beliefs haven’t changed. “Consumerism is killing us,” she added.
This week we have a dog inside a watermelon, a dog who never learned how to walk down stairs, a cat in a potato sack, and more!
There’s no better pick-me-up than the one you get when you see a clip of an animal acting silly, which is why we’ve compiled this weekly column. These short videos feature all sorts of animals and can provide that much needed mid-week rush of endorphins, anywhere at any time.
This week’s cute animals include a dog inside a watermelon, a cat in a potato sack, a cat who really wants to jump but is scared, a dog who never learned how to walk downstairs and a hungry hamster.
Another dog inside a watermelon
I think I talk about dogs inside watermelons every couple of days. Again, I don’t know why this is such a thing but it works. I guess all you need is a patient dog and some nice watermelon chopping skills.
This isn’t really a potato sack, but it’s close to that. This poor guy is chilling inside his sack only to be disturbed by another cat, who jumps all over him. Still, our cat is comfy in that bag, and it stays there.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B3Z5ScjFN6T/
Schitt’s Creek cat
No cat has ever doubted themselves as much as George, who can’t make up his mind. In a way, that’s for the better. That pile of books and DVDs does not look strong enough to hold up a cat.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B3ZrYK_Fv-4/
A dog who can’t walk downstairs
Luckily for all of us, this dog never learned how to walk downstairs. Good boy.
Interestingly, people who smoke cannabis regularly maintain stable body weights. Their BMIs are lower and they don’t have the age-related weight gain that we see in the rest of the population.
If using cannabis gives you the munchies then why aren’t cannabis users gaining weight and why have they been shown to have better gut health?
Keeping your weight under control as you age is difficult. The average person gains somewhere between one to seven pounds a year. After 20 years that’s a lot of extra weight to contend with, but interestingly, people who smoke cannabis regularly maintain stable body weights. Their BMIs are lower. They don’t have this obesity as they age that we see in the rest of the population. At least in large part.
We’re not sure why that is. It might just be because they can get dopamine, and serotonin, and gabapentin, and norepinephrine from things besides a cupcake but it might be more complicated than that.
Photos by: Roberto Valdivia via Unsplash, 377873 via rawpixel
GUT BACTERIA AND CANNABIS USE
The microbiome may actually be the culprit here. In mice, in the laboratory, that are exposed to THC one particular bacteria grows a little more than other bacteria. It’s akkermansia muciniphila. Akkermansia muciniphila is a gut bacteria that produces mucous. Mucous in the gut is critical to protecting the cells in the gut lining but there’s also a question that akkermansia muciniphila may impact the way extra calories are stored as fat.
Very early, very interesting research in a rat model but nevertheless you don’t have to worry that using chronic cannabis is going to make you gain a lot of unnecessary weight. The exact opposite may be true. The mechanisms will be cleared up soon.
Talking to your parents about cannabis doesn’t have to be completely awkward. Even if they were super strict and against pot 100% when you were young, it doesn’t mean that their minds haven’t opened up.
Before you start thinking you’re cool, remember this sobering fact: your parents were likely smoking weed long before you even knew how to say the word. Many Baby Boomers consider themselves former pot smokers, people who enjoyed toking before technology careers, and family all came into play.
Lots of Boomers were also unfortunately swayed with the 80s era “Just Say No” campaign and many were parents themselves when it hit. It’s one of the reasons after school specials clung to the pot topic and why parents and teachers started seeming like such squares.
But the tides have turned once again, and now most educational materials are rooted in the benefits of cannabis, not in scare tactics that helped fuel fear and a failed Drug War, which makes broaching the subject of cannabis with your aging parents all the easier. They’re bound to have heard at least some of the miraculous pot stories going around.
Photo by Darrin Harris Frisby/Drug Policy Alliance
Getting older has its perks: you’ve gleaned some wisdom, can choose eat ice cream for breakfast, and you’ve definitely learned what you like and how you like it. But it comes with some other stuff, too.
Aches and pains are at the top of the aging list for most people. Knees begin to pop and get sore more often, back muscles throb, it gets harder to fall and stay asleep, food goes down in flavor a little, sometimes having an empty nest can be lonely, and being set in your ways can also become a drag.
This is where cannabis and “the talk” come in. Talking to your parents about cannabis doesn’t have to be completely awkward. Even if they were super strict and against pot 100% when you were young, it doesn’t mean that their minds haven’t opened up. It’s hard to stay mad at a plant that’s been proven to be beneficial in so many ways.
Still, bring it up gently, without pressure and with a ton of information. Knowing the ins and outs of what you’re talking about will lend credibility to the argument that mom and/or dad should pick up the pipe/vape pen. Remind them that it’s impossible to overdose on pot, the biggest side effects are an appetite and the giggles and that aches and pains will melt away.
Speaking of which, starting with a topical may be the best way to broach the subject. There’s no chance of getting high from the topical — even if it’s activated with THC — and a good topical with responsibly sourced ingredients can work magical feats on sore spots. Of course, having a toke along with will enhance the effects and add its own medicinal properties, but go at whatever pace your parents are comfortable with and only join in if everyone is really ready.
