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Prince Harry’s Snub For Archie’s Christening

Patricia Wallace
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Prince Harry’s Snub For Archie’s Christening

Family events can be trying, especially large ones carrying emotion, big birthdays, weddings, funerals and baby events.  They should be a time to pull people together and strengthen the family bond, but sometimes it doesn’t work out.  Even with the British Royal family.  People are quietly surprised about Prince Harry’s snub for Archie’s christening.

Only true royal watchers would notice the absence of one of Harry’s uncles at baby Archie’s christening on July 6. Only 25 guests were invited to the ceremony, but a major player was not in attendance: Princess Diana’s brother, Charles Spencer.

While Meghan and Harry paid tribute to Diana by invitig her sisters (even Kate Middleton paid tribute by wearing a pair of Princess Di’s old earrings), her brother was visibly absence. And there’s a good reason.

RELATED: Was Kate Middleton Throwing Shade At Meghan By Wearing These To Archie’s Christening?

Harry and Charles had a falling out years ago and it doesn’t look like they’re going to make amends anytime soon.

A source tells The Sun, “It was no surprise that the Earl was not at the christening as he and Harry have been distant for a long time now.

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“The falling out goes back years and it is hard to see them ever making amends.

“Harry has always been closer to his aunties and he is not a big fan of Charles or his wife.

“The earl is paying the price for his selfishness.”

RELATED: This Is The One Thing Prince William And Prince Harry ‘Can’t Stomach’ Doing Together

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Tensions between Charles Spencer and the royals is believed to have started following Diana’s split from Prince Charles in 1993.  So we should be surprised by Prince Harry’s snub for Archie’s christening.

According to The Sun, several letters found at Diana’s home in 2002 suggest that Lord Spencer turned down her request to move into the family’s Althorp estate at a time she needed him most — just months after her separation became public.

Is The Federal Government Finally Serious About Marijuana Research

Brendan Bures
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Is The Federal Government Finally Serious About Marijuana Research

A long-gestating back-and-forth between scientists, cannabis advocates, and legislators has been the paucity of marijuana research. Lawmakers at the state and federal level have both referenced a lack of scientific literature around medical cannabis as reason not to push through reform. That happened just this year when Texas expanded its medical marijuana program but refused to post-traumatic stress disorder as a qualifying condition. There wasn’t enough research available, Texas legislators claimed, to support marijuana’s efficacy in treating PTSD.

Of course, those same legislators failed to mention just why there isn’t enough medical marijuana research in America. (They also politely declined a rider provision that would’ve provided funding for that same research they were requesting, which makes you question if these people place the proper value on research they say they do.) Many scientists have complained the marijuana provided by the federal government to conduct research is of poor quality. And due to the drug’s illegal classification at the federal level, many universities have steered clear of cannabis, fearing they’d lose federal grants if they did.

RELATED: How The DEA Is Jeopardizing Marijuana-Related PTSD Studies On Veterans

Now, the U.S. government is at least responding to one of those requests. In an email to the Associated Press, the National Institute of Drug Abuse announced plans to grow the largest crop of research marijuana in five years. Heeding scientists’ requests, the crops will match the quality found at many dispensaries. NIDA will also grow marijuana with varying levels of THC and CBD content, including high-THC and high-CBD strains, so that scientists can more closely analyze the effects of these cannabinoids.

However, the plants will be grown at the University of Mississippi, which maintains the exclusive license by the federal government to grow research marijuana. Scientists and legislators have urged the government to expand the number of growers nationwide, as the samples provided for research have been moldly and stored in freezers for several years.

Though the US Drug Enforcement Agency created an application to expand its list of farmers, the government organization has not responded to dozens of applications. Rep. Matthew Gaetz (R-FL) has persistently urged Congress to act on the issue, but to no avail. In addition, the Scottsdale Research Institute in Arizona requested via the US Court of Appeals an order for the DEA to process these applications, though that effort has similarly gotten nowhere.

RELATED: Universities Should Study Marijuana, Says Congressman

“We are still working through the process and those applications remain under review,” DEA spokeswoman Katherine Pfaff told the AP in an email.

Whether the new increases in available cannabis to research is a sign the federal government is finally serious about the issue remains to be seen. Let’s just hope these samples aren’t as moldy as the last ones.

This Week’s Music, Beyonce, Billie Eilish And Ed Sheeran

Maria Loreto
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This Week’s Music, Beyonce, Billie Eilish And Ed Sheeran

This Week’s Music is a weekly column that discusses the week’s best, worst, and most interesting songs. We try to select songs of different artists and genres to keep things interesting and to please a variety of music fans.

This week’s song selections include Beyonce’s contribution to The Lion King soundtrack, Billie Eilish and Justin Bieber’s collaboration and Ed Sheeran’s latest summer song. Check them out!

Soundtrack

Beyoncé – Spirit

Beyoncé, the only living person who could make the lines “Your destiny is coming close stand up and fight” work, gives it her all for this new addition into the Lion King canon. While I can’t help but question the existence of a live action version of the Disney classic, “Spirit” is an inspired song, not taking too many cues from the original soundtrack and giving Beyoncé plenty of room to shine and to make the song her own. No matter what happens with the movie, at least we got this song out of it.

Pop

Billie Eilish and Justin Bieber – Bad Guy

RELATED: This Week’s Music: Rosalia, Miraa May And Mika

Billie Eilish is a life long Justin Bieber super fan, highlighted by the single’s official photo, which shows her wearing some sort of tutu and standing in front of a dozen different Bieber posters. Eilish is a Belieber, if you will. Remixing a little bit of the sounds of the original track and adding some new lyrics that paint Bieber as the titular Bad Guy, the song is still fun, but it adds nothing new except perhaps some cringe. At least Eilish’s childhood dream came true.

Pop

Ed Sheeran & Travis Scott – Antisocial

Ed Sheeran has two types of songs; the fun ones and the cheesy ones. “Antisocial” is thankfully part of the first group, with Sheeran displaying his rapping skills and having tons of fun. Even if “Antisocial” isn’t great, you can’t help but catch some of the joy and euphoria it induces, with help of an always versatile and welcome Travis Scott. Expect to hear this song many many times before the end of summer. I don’t know if that’s good or bad.

Meghan Markle’s Hacks For Beating Jet Lag

Patricia Wallace
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Meghan Markle’s Hacks For Beating Jet Lag

When you travel a lot like Meghan Markle, it’s important to look fresh-faced for your next personal appearance. And now that she’s getting ready to tie the knot with Prince Harry, it’s even more important, as cameras will be snapping her from every angle.

Before she became a royal, Markle had a blog called The Tig, where she shared her tips on beating jet lag. That blog entry has recently surfaced and they feature a ton of insight into how well Markle takes care of herself. “It’s easy to run yourself ragged,” Markle writes on her blog, “hopping from one locale to another, sometimes feeling homesick, and other times just feeling plain-old sick (tummy, head cold, you name it). Here are some surefire tips I have picked up along the way that keep me feeling A+ when I’m traveling.”

Here are 5 of her surefire tips that always keep her feeling great when she’s traveling. Maybe they’ll work for the rest of us, too!

Sanitize

Markle says she’s no germophobe, but she does always make sure to sanitize her surroundings when she boards.

RELATED: These Are The 3 Dirtiest Places In The Airport

“When I get on a plane I always use some quick hand wipes or a travel sanitizer spray to wipe it all down: that includes the little TV, the service tray, and all the buttons around your seat. Sure, the person next to you may give you a side eye, but at the end of the flight, you’ll be the one whistling dixie with nary a sniffle.”

Use Neosporin

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“A dear friend of mine once told me that Leonardo DiCaprio gave her an excellent travel tip,” writes Markle. “What is it, you ask? Evidently, he said that to avoid getting sick on planes, he puts a little Neosporin on a cotton swab and coats the inside of his nostrils. Not only does it create a barrier for germs, it also lubricates the skin in the nose. That’s important because when the skin cracks, germs can come a running in, so the coating of the Neosporin doubly protects you.”

She says that even though she can’t 100% confirm Leo was the source of this tip, it’s worth a try!

Take Probiotics

Go Pro has a whole new meaning for Markle, who always travels with a high strain probiotic, and hydrates like she’s “dying of thirst.”

“This dynamic duo of probiotics and agua will keep your gut health in check and honestly stave off jet lag if you’re globetrotting on your travails.”

Pack a Hug

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Before comfort animals were a thing, there were objects that made you feel at home on a plane. Markle says it’s important to “pack a hug” when you travel, and that she never travels without a scarf or thin cashmere blanket.

“Throw it in your purse or backpack, and no matter how far you travel, you will always feel comforted both on and off the plane with something that feels and smells like home. This has become invaluable to me when catching some Zzzzzs on a flight, or feeling swaddled in a hotel room.”

Eat Like a Local

Another great trick Markle learned from a friends is to eat whatever meal the locals are eating when you land. Even if you’ve been up for 10 hours, if the locals are eating breakfast when you arrive at your destination, dig into some pancakes. It’ll keep you from feeling jet lagged.

RELATED: 5 Of Meghan Markle’s Favorite Foods

“I was skeptical at first, but…it’s your stomach that tells your brain when it’s feeling wonky. By simply eating a meal at the time the locals are when you land, you trick your brain a bit and stay much more on track, and much less cranky.”

Weedstagram: This Week’s Instagram Account Is All About Weedy Memes

Roslyn Julia
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Weedstagram: This Week’s Instagram Account Is All About Weedy Memes

Instagram is home to all sorts of accounts (good and bad) that cater to a vast range of people with different interests. In order to help you weed out all the garbage, this column highlights the best Instagram marijuana accounts, whether that means they’re entertaining, informative, or just fun to look at.

This week’s Weedstagram is pretty stereotypical, something that, in this particular case, is not a bad thing. Everything about “Weedstagram420” screams stoner humor and excess, from the account’s traditional weedy name to its many weedy meme posts. Want jokes that are all about being high and about how fun and hilarious it is? Look no further. You won’t find another Instagram account that makes more varied and hilarious stoner updates. Check out some of our favorite posts:

RELATED: Weedstagram: ‘The High Circle’ Is The Least Political And Most Fun Cannabis Account To Follow

 

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Gorilla Glue ?? ?@berol.mirado

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?follow my homie @thehighsociety ?

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RELATED: Weedstagram: ‘Mothership Glass’ Is The Account To Follow If You’re Looking For Beautiful Bongs

 

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??? @buddytheleaf

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10 Marijuana Fans Who Are Pop Icons

Becky Garrison
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10 Marijuana Fans Who Are Pop Icons

While some celebrities like Cheech & Chong and Snoop Dogg are well known stoners. Maybe Woody Harreslson and a few others?  Here are 10 marijuana fans who are pop icons and you might be surprised.

Louisa May Alcott 

via GIPHY

While there’s no evidence the author of Little Women ever used cannabis, some of her short stories contain references to people getting high on hashish. This indicates she was at least familiar with the plant’s psychoactive effects. 

Ben & Jerry 

Photo courtesy of Ben & Jerry’s

This famous ice cream duo admit to smoking cannabis, and appear to be receptive to creating cannabis infused ice cream flavors once cannabis is legalized at the Federal level.  

Bill Gates 

via GIPHY

While the founder of Microsoft has refused to answer definitively if he has ever smoked cannabis, he did back the 2012 referendum that legalized recreational cannabis in Washington State. 

Steve Jobs 

via GIPHY

The late icon behind Apple had history of using cannabis and LSD In the ‘70s though he claimed he didn’t use cannabis after 1977. 

RELATED: Science Explains How Marijuana Inspires Awe 

Robert Mitchum 

via GIPHY

This actor has the distinction of being one of the first Hollywood figures arrested for cannabis use after he got busted in 1948 for smoking a joint.

Carl Sagan 

via GIPHY

The late scientist was one of the earliest advocates for cannabis legalization, and penned a piece anonymously in 1969 describing the benefits he experienced while using cannabis. 

William Shakespeare 

via GIPHY

The lines “noted weed” and “a journey in his head” that appear in two different Shakespearean sonnets indicate the Bard had at least some knowledge of cannabis’ properties. Also, Researchers found traces of 17th century clay pipes containing cannabis on his property. So clearly Shakespeare or someone else was smoking on his land.

Arnold Schwarzenegger 

via GIPHY

The Terminator may have told his son recently to skip pot and get high on life. However, Arnold has a long history of using cannabis that indicates the plant helped with his bodybuilding career. Also, during his term as governor, he downgraded the penalty for possessing cannabis. 

Queen Victoria 

Her private physician prescribed cannabis to help her Royal Majesty deal with her monthly menstrual cramps. 

George Washington 

via GIPHY

In his letters, America’s first president discussed growing hemp, which this Founding Father apparently used to help alienate the pain caused by his dentures. Other presidents who also appeared to have smoked include Bill Clinton, Andrew Jackson, John F. Kennedy, Abraham Lincoln, James Monroe, Barak Obama, Franklin Pierce, and Zachary Taylor. 

In addition, cannabis paraphernalia has been discovered during excavations of Ancient Greek, Egyptian, and Roman sites, and references to cannabis can be found in ancient Chinese writings. 

Idris Elba Talks DJ’d Meghan And Harry’s Wedding

Patricia Wallace
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Idris Elba Talks DJ’d Meghan And Harry’s Wedding

First off, if you didn’t know hot hunky actor Idris Elba was a DJ in addition to his Hollywood movie career, now you now. With that out of the way, let’s talk about how he snagged himself a prime DJ gig on May 19, 2018.

As a friend of Prince Harry — the two met while working for a charity called The Prince’s Trust — Elba was asked to DJ his wedding reception.  “I was like, ‘Is this a joke? Are you joking?’” Elba told Ellen DeGeneres back in March. “And he’s like, ‘Serious.’”

RELATED: Meghan And Harry Reveal Never-Before-Heard Details About Their Wedding

So what did Harry and Meghan Markle dance to? “Meghan sent me a playlist with some bare tunes on it,” Elba said during a recent interview with BBC Radio 1Xtra. And while he maintained tight-lipped about the playlist, he did reveal that “I Want to Dance With Somebody” by Whitney Houston was included.

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“There was some West Coast on it. That’s all I’m saying.” US Magazine previously reported that Elba played “Never Too Much” by Luther Vandross during the reception, while Meghan danced with her girlfriends.

When asked by BBC Radio 1Xtra if he played any rap, like Snoop Dogg, Tupac or Dr. Dre, Elba laughed, “I’m not gonna put their business out like that, that’s not fair! Ask Meghan and Harry.”

Idrissa Akuna Elba  is an English actor. An alumnus of the National Youth Music Theatre in London, he is known for roles including Stringer Bell in the HBO series The Wire (2002–2004), DCI John Luther in the BBC One series Luther (2010–2019), and Nelson Mandela in the biographical film Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom (2013). For Luther, he received four nominations each for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor and a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor, winning one of the former.

Universities Worry Athletes Might Partner With Marijuana Brands

Brendan Bures
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Universities Worry Athletes Might Partner With Marijuana Brands

Over the past several years, a major conversation in college sports has been whether university athletes should be financially compensated or not. This argument has proposed multiple solutions, including universities offering athletes a spend-as-you-wish stipend or a trust of sorts that athletes pull from following graduation. The simplest and most compelling choice, in this writer’s opinion, is allowing individuals to benefit from selling their likeness in merchandise, brand sponsorship, and advertising.

A bill is currently circulating in California that would make this last option possible. The legislation has passed a couple committee hurdles already and appears like it will eventually receive a full vote from the state’s Assembly. The NCAA, the regulatory body that oversees college athletics nationwide, has requested and practically threatened California to delay the vote, causing one lawmakers to describe their tactics “akin to bullying.”

RELATED: NCAA Denies Football Player CBD Oil For Epilepsy 

Perhaps the funniest reason, however, universities have provided in blocking the vote is fear around athletes selling their likeness for marijuana companies. Long Beach State athletic director Andy Fee—who emphasizes his lack of opposition to the bill, though he questioned its immediate necessity—raised such objections at a recent committee hearing.

“He raised the scenarios of athletes accepting endorsements from casinos (giving the gambling industry a foothold in college sports) or marijuana products (a substance banned by the NCAA and illegal under federal law) as potential issues that should be considered,” ESPN wrote in describing his comments.

While the casino endorsement is important, as it could potentially jeopardize ethical sportsmanship, the marijuana objection is laughable. Out of any sport, the NCAA currently holds the strictest regulation for its athletes. The threshold for a positive marijuana test is 5 ng/mL; comparatively, the NFL—which only recently changed its dogwhistling tunes around cannabis—sets its threshold at 35 ng/mL. Put simply, some heavy secondhand smoke might be enough to receive a positive drug test in the NCAA.

RELATED: A Brief Celebration Of Stephen A. Smith Yelling About ‘The Weed’

But it isn’t just that the NCAA is extremely sensitive to cannabis. Football student-athletes have the most to gain should California pass its bill. College football, bar none, is the most popular of any collegiate sport and its players’ national celebrity can at times rival their professional peers. They would also benefit significantly if they were to have access to marijuana. Currently, the NFL is studying cannabis as an alternative tool to pain management and researchers have begun exploring cannabis as an effective treatment option in concussion management.

Considering that concussions and CTE—a neurodegenerative disease caused by numerous sub-concussive hits in collision sports like football—is a major issue in football moving forward, these leagues shouldn’t be so wary of a potential cannabis partnership. But then you have to ask yourself: does the NCAA care more about making the most money, or helping student-athletes? Should the California bill pass, maybe we’ll find out.

Meme Of The Week: A GIF Of A Nodding Robert Redford Confuses The Internet

Maria Loreto
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Meme Of The Week: A GIF Of A Nodding Robert Redford Confuses The Internet

There are plenty of GIFs featuring guys nodding, with some more famous and useful than others. In terms of popularity, this guy occupies one of the top spots:

RELATED: Meme Of The Week: The ‘Bottle Cap Challenge’ Is Pointless But Everyone’s Doing It

At first look, it’s obvious why the GIF has had such a long shelf life. There are many aspects of it that work: the slow soap opera-like close up, the slightly approving face, the look of a lumberjack. It all makes it a worthy reaction GIF.

The original clip is from a film called “Jeremiah Johnson”, which came out in 1972. That was a long time ago, and Robert Redford has changed a lot, making it understandable why some people aren’t familiar with him. That’s disturbing enough. But there is apparently a large group of people who mistook Redford for Zach Galifianakis, which kind of makes sense, but mostly doesn’t.

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The ensuing confusion made a lot of people, primarily film snobs of a certain age, complain loudly about how young people don’t know shit. This is true, but let’s not fight or be snotty about it.

Check out some of the best reactions below:

RELATED: Meme Of The Week: ‘Name The Film’ Is The Latest Meme For Movie Lovers

CBD Takes Big Bite Of Cannabis Sales

Anne Marie Fischer
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CBD Takes Big Bite Of Cannabis Sales

It seems CBD takes a big bite of cannabis sales. According to a recent Headset market report, “Understanding the CBD market in state-legal cannabis”, CBD could potentially take up the majority of sales among non-inhalable products in legal cannabis states. If current trends continue, CBD products could even potentially become the majority of sales among the cannabis industry at large.

The data giant revealed insights into the shift in popularity and sales for CBD products, noting the passage of the U.S. Farm Bill as an important catalyst for allowing more people to access cannabis products. The report is quick to note that despite going into the mainstream, hemp-derived CBD products (now purchased at places like CVS Health Corporation (NYSE: CVS) and Walgreens) and cannabis-derived CBD products (traditionally purchased at dispensaries) are to be considered two different things.

Here are some important highlights of the Headset market report that Green Market Report finds of interest:

Google Searches for CBD

The Headset report reaches back to 2015, citing data from Google searches for CBD. At the start of that year, Google searches for CBD were nil. Google searches for CBD were at an all-time spike in May of 2019, representing a 100% increase of when CBD first hit the Google searches later in 2015.

A Non-Smoking Experience

While the cannabis industry is characterized by smoking and inhaling cannabis products like traditional cannabis buds or flower and concentrates, the CBD trends are showing that one-third of CBD sales are going to non-inhalable products. Customers are demonstrating a preference for edibles, topicals, tinctures, and sublinguals. Headset suggests that “the CBD market is expanding on top of the existing market for high-THC, psychoactive inhalable products, rather than inside it.”

RELATED: How To Find High-Quality CBD Oil

The report also states that there is a “new and distinct customer base” that is more health-conscious, preferring to stay away from pre-roll and vapor pen products.

CBD Product Categories

Within the non-inhalable CBD products category, Headset compiled data from Washington and Colorado and saw that there are 5 emerging product categories: Beverages, Capsules, Edibles, Topicals, and Tinctures & Sublinguals.

CBD products have experienced a surge in growth in the past 12 months in comparison to tradition, THC-based products.

CBD Edibles have always had the highest market share and retains this position, with customers gravitating to high CBD products. CBD Edibles experienced a 43.9% growth this year, compared to 24.8% growth for non-CBD edible products. Almost 50% of dollars spent on all edibles in 2019 were spent on CBD Gummies. Within the edible product category, honey, sugar, and sweeteners, CBD products made up almost 1/3 of the proportion of overall sales.

RELATED: 5 Must-Have CBD Products

Capsules are not showing much growth in the overall product categories. Headset speculates that this is because capsules are “usually associated with medical conditions” and that CBD is used as therapy rather than a full-on medication.

Tinctures and Topicals & Sublinguals are the dark horse of the CBD market, once having just a tiny sliver, and now taking a giant slice, growing nearly 60% in sales in the past 12 months in comparison to high-THC infused products’ 10% increase.

Headset suggests that “if your company is producing Gummies, but not CBD Gummies, you may want to adjust course”.

Opening Wallets for CBD

Average item price (AIP) and the number of products people are adding to their basket in the CBD category (basket penetration) are rising concurrently.

Since 2015, CBD went from only 3% of baskets to 7% in 2019. Average item price also is rising with the interest in CBD, indicating that “consumers aren’t only more interested in CBD, but also more willing to spend money on it”.

This article originally appeared on Green Market Report.

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