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Does Canopy CEO Ousting Signal Positive Or Negative Sign For Marijuana Industry?

Brendan Bures
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Does Canopy CEO Ousting Signal Positive Or Negative Sign For Marijuana Industry?

When Bruce Linton was fired as CEO of Canopy Growth last week, it sent considerable shockwaves through the cannabis industry. Canopy appears, after all, like one of the more stable big name marijuana companies in North America. But Constellation Brands—the alcohol giant that owns 36% of Canopy and represents a majority of the company’s board—didn’t feel Canopy was moving fast enough to profitability and marijuana producer’s diminishing margins probably didn’t help either, as the Financial Post first noted.

Linton, to his credit, has taken his dismissal in stride. He admitted to a clash in views with Constellation on how to run the company, in an interview with Bloomberg TV.

“I don’t love this outcome but it’s not necessarily wrong for the company,” Linton said. “I think they’ve earned the right and deserve the right to have more decisive input as to how it’s run.”

RELATED: Finding Business Opportunities In The Cannabis Industry

We won’t fully know if Linton’s firing serves as a watershed moment for the cannabis industry writ large or just an individual blip between investors and management. Linton’s contract included a non-compete agreement in the Canadian market, so we won’t see him resurface anytime soon north of the border. But comments by the former CEO suggest that he nor anyone else should try to become a player in the Canadian marijuana sector anytime soon.

“Anybody who’s dumb enough to launch a new cannabis company in Canada, I don’t know what they’re doing, they should have been at it six years ago. Canada is done,” Linton told Bloomberg. “You’re going to end up with a few winners and a whole bunch of people who wonder why they started.”

That isn’t exactly a ringing endorsement. Does this mean Canada’s position as a fertile ground for marijuana business is over? Not exactly. CNBC’s Jim Cramer said investors should be buying, not selling, Canopy stock following the news of Linton’s termination. While Linton helped build Canopy into what it is today, Cramer says the next CEO can take it even further.

RELATED: Did Canada Blow Its Chance To Be The World Cannabis Leader?

“He was spending a fortune. There was no plan to make money under Bruce,” Cramer said. “Constellation was very unhappy with Bruce,” he added. “The numbers weren’t there.”

Some have suggested this move represent a necessary step toward maturation for the cannabis industry. Others, however, expressed that marijuana businesses should reconsider partnering with major beverage brands, unless they want to experience a similar fate to Linton. We won’t know which is right until several months down the road. But one thing’s for sure—all eyes will be on Canopy to see what happens next.

IVF Mix Up Producing CRAZY Results

Maria Loreto
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IVF Mix Up Producing CRAZY Results

In a story that will make anyone think twice about submitting themselves to an in vitro fertilization procedure, a woman recently gave birth to twins who she later had to return because the hospital impregnated her with the wrong eggs.

CBS News reports that this happened to an anonymous couple from New York, who was expecting two girls, but instead gave birth to boys. Not only that, but when the babies were born in March, neither was of Asian-American decent, like their parents.

RELATED: Don’t Listen To ‘Natural Birth Control’ Suggestions Dispensed Over Twitter

The couple sued doctors Joshua Berger and Simon Hong, owners of CHA Fertility Clinic, claiming that the hospital knew about the mix up and tried to cover it up. They sued for medical malpractice, negligence and 14 other counts. Their lawyer says that they’ve taken this matter to court in order to prevent this from happening to other people and because of the emotional and financial distress they’ve endured.

According to expert Jake Anderson, these type of IVF mistakes are not that unlikely. “It’s this agonizing process to grow embryos. And it involves almost over 200 different steps and when you assume this happens to thousands of patients every year within that laboratory, all of a sudden you’ve got a lot of moving parts,” he explains.

RELATED: Why You Probably Shouldn’t Eat Your Placenta After Giving Birth

The anonymous couple from New York aren’t the only ones who’ve made the news because they carried babies that weren’t theirs. Carolyn and Sean Savage underwent a full term pregnancy in 2009 where they also had to return the baby to the genetic parents. “You’re so excited, and you feel like, ‘finally,’ and then to have the rug pulled out from under you in this kind of manner is – it’s so painful,” says Carolyn. “I cannot express how utterly unacceptable this situation is. It is preventable, protocols need to be followed, and they need to be taken seriously.”

Mistakes where embryos are destroyed, mixed up and implanted in the wrong uteruses have become more prevalent, making people question these treatments since there’s a lot of room for human error.

5 Etiquette Tips For Smoking Marijuana With Friends

Maria Loreto
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5 Etiquette Tips For Smoking Marijuana With Friends

Consuming marijuana with friends is a rite of passage for most seasoned cannabis users. Before they get to a point where they smoke weed on a regular basis for recreational or medicinal purpose, they tend to encounter the plant with the help of some of their closest friends.

This communal activity that appears to be so natural and organic still has some basic guidelines to follow, especially if you want to be a good smoking buddy. You don’t want to be that person in the group who hogs all the weed. Check out five simple rules you should follow whenever you’re smoking weed with friends:

Explain what’s in your edibles

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RELATED: 5 Factors That Affect Your Cannabis High

This should be common sense, but sneaking weed into someone’s food is a thing you should never do. If you’re hosting a party and have prepared some edibles, it’s part of your hosting duties to explain to everyone what’s in them, labeling them if necessary in order to prevent people from taking them without knowing what’s inside.

Corner the bowl

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No, I don’t mean you should keep the bowl indefinitely. Cornering the bowl is the practice of lighting the edge of it in order to avoid burning the middle of it and ruining everyone’s experience. By cornering the bowl you’ll ensure the person who smokes after you also gets a patch of green marijuana.

Don’t ask the delivery person to stay

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No matter how cool your delivery guy or girl looks like, they’re doing their job, and you’re putting them in an awkward place by asking them to stick around and join you and your friends.

Don’t keep the joint

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RELATED: 5 Tips To Help You Spot Wellness And CBD Knockoffs

When sharing a joint with a group of people, don’t take it and start talking about your recent heartbreak. Use the moments when you’re not holding it to talk to others and to go on a deep marijuana induced ramble about the universe and the stars. As a general rule, you should take two or three drags before you pass it around, enjoying yourself but also sharing with others.

Take this opportunity to communicate

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Take advantage of the fact that you’re smoking marijuana in a social setting in order to talk about random things and laugh a lot. Make sure to choose a strain that fulfills that purpose and that doesn’t put you all to sleep, because that would suck. Put on a funny movie in the background or pull out a board game or video game, helping you all focus into a single activity.

Katharine McPhee’s Message For Haters Who Question Her Marriage; Why You Don’t Do The #BottleCapChallenge With Shaq

Naughty Gossip
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Katharine McPhee’s Message For Haters Who Question Her Marriage; Why You Don’t Do The #BottleCapChallenge With Shaq

Katharine McPhee has a message to the haters who question her marriage

Via Seriously OMG:

Katharine McPhee is 35 and her husband, David Foster, is 69. Needless to say, people are going to question their age difference. The actress is not here for them.

Over the weekend, she posted a video of a KABC reporter who was not going to let a man walk in between her and her cameraman during a liveshot, and wrote, “me hitting that block button REAL quick when someone comments the same tired, negative thing about my marriage.”

Why you don’t hold the bottle for Shaq during the #BottleCapChallenge

Via Seriously OMG:

Shaq’s best friend, Anthony Hall, challenged him to do the #BottleCapChallenge. Not only that, Hall even agreed to hold the bottle for the NBA legend. Why he would think that was a good idea, I do not know. He realized very quickly, it was a mistake!
I mean Shaq is over 7′ tall, so his kicking perception is not the same as a normal man’s. Therefore, when he lifted his huge leg, (he says) his hip went out and he clocked his BFF right in the kisser. Imagine having a 22 shoe size in your face? I don’t want to.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BzpE-hIFB15

Is The Instagram Of These Two Smoking Marijuana Real?

Brendan Bures
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Is The Instagram Of These Two Smoking Marijuana Real?

Over the 4th of July weekend, Snoop Dogg posted a #throwbackthursday that seemed destined to become a Hot Topic poster. The image: Snoop enjoying weed with Kurt Cobain lying and laughing on a bed beside him. “Young dogg with. Kurt [19]92,” read the caption. But is the Instagram of these two smoking marijuana real?

Immediately it threw Instagram into a frenzy, fans and fellow rappers alike throwing adoration in the comments. “This shit is incredible!!,” wrote Busta Rhymes. “Wow we already know you’re legendary you just took it up a few levels!!,” added Tyrese.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bze2D61HzQd/?utm_source=ig_embed

Here’s the problem: This image is irrevocably fake. Now it’s more than possible Snoop and Kurt Cobain shared a smoke session in the 90s. And perhaps Snoop’s head was lost in the clouds to recall his memories exactly. We do not need to remind you just how much marijuana Snoop Dogg has consumed in his lifetime.

The above photo instead originated from Instagram account @_vemix_, which specializes in photoshopping photos of unexpected celebrities hanging out together. A couple examples include Al Pacino and Bob Ross; Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Eazy E; Ice Cube and Tom Petty, and many more. When @_vemix_ originally posted the Snoop-Cobain photo, he included the caption, “Heart-Shaped Hot Box,” which is pretty stellar.

RELATED: That Time Tupac Brought Snoop Dogg Weed On ‘Saturday Night Live’

But upon seeing Snoop reposting his photo, he wrote, “When you make Snoop think he smoked with Kurt in 92.”

Some things are just too good to be true.

5 Video Games To Play During The Summer

Maria Loreto
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5 Video Games To Play During The Summer

Summer is great, giving the vibe that, no matter how old you are, there’s always something fun waiting for you at the end of the day. Beach trips, pool parties, time off work, and more are all valid plans for the summer time. But sometimes it’s really great to stay indoors and do stuff you used to ages ago, when there were less responsibilities and you could waste your summer away by playing video games until the early morning.

While “summer video games” is a broad definition that’s not limited to any genre, these games should all have immense replayability and can be highly addictive. Maybe even feature a beach or two. The most important thing about them is that when you sit down to play, you shouldn’t be able to step away from you screen for at least a five-hour period.

Here are some of our all time favorite summer games:

Fortnite

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RELATED: There Could Soon Be Video Games That Plug Directly Into Your Brain

This game may be overhyped and has definitely lead to too many memes, but there’s no doubt about it’s replayability. It’s also very tropical, with a few beaches thrown in there, aptly contributing to the summer mood and vibe. Maybe Fortnite won’t become a classic and long standing game but, for now, it does the job.

Mortal Kombat

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As one of the most influential franchises in video game history, Mortal Kombat is a game you’ve likely played at some point in your life. While new versions of the game are very different than the ones available in arcades, MK remains one of the most thrilling and goriest fighting games ever made, with plenty of special moves and fatalities to discover. It’s also a game that’s extremely easy to spend hours playing with friends, leading to tons of fun and bruised egos.

Super Mario Party

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The Super Mario video games are amazing and might be the rare few that only improve with age. What sounds more summery than having beers and pizza, and playing Mario Party until your eyes hurt?

Rock Band

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RELATED: 5 Ways To Add Cannabis To Outdoor Summer Fun

Rock Band was a short lived sensation, but one that led to a lot of cherished memories and lower level rip offs. Rock Band still exists! On its fourth iteration, it’s stronger than ever. And even if you have to spend the extra money on playable guitar, drums and mic kits, isn’t it worth it?

Wii Sports

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Wii Sports was an amazing game even if the graphics were absolute shit. Maybe it was this sort of charming quality that gave the game that ‘it’ factor, forcing you to sweat for hours while playing bowling and tennis with a few friends. Wii Sports is the supreme summer video game because it makes you feel like you’re outdoors while never leaving your house.

5 Tips So You Can Take Better Travel Photos

Maria Loreto
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5 Tips So You Can Take Better Travel Photos

If there’s one thing that smartphone cameras have taught us is the fact that having an ‘x’ amount of megapixels doesn’t mean that your photograph is going to be beautiful. While these technologies no longer force us to lug around large camera bags while away on trips, having an iPhone is no guarantee of a good photo when it comes to taking pictures of landmarks or landscapes.

A good photograph, no matter the camera used, needs to be interesting and a little different than the rest. There are dozens of photographs of monuments and landmarks out there, so try to make your images stand out by following some of these tips:

Take advantage of sunsets, sunrises and nature

https://www.instagram.com/p/BzqkUNTlF5B/

RELATED: 5 Tips To Help Make You A Better Photographer

While they’re a bit of a cliche, rain, fog, sunsets and sunrises make your images better and more interesting, adding an edge to something that might otherwise be already out there. Waking up at the crack of dawn to take some pictures might not sound like the most pleasant thing to do on your vacation, but your photos will be better and you might surprise yourself by enjoying the solitude and the view.

Consider the big monuments but also what surrounds them

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

Monuments like the Eiffel tower and Notre Dame are gorgeous, but they have been photographed a million times. You should always take pictures of them if you want to, though it’s just as important to focus on the people and the little things that surround them. That way you capture the vibe of the area, making your photo feel more personal and more than stock photography.

Don’t be afraid to fall behind your travel buddies

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bzqj3xmAl7x/

When traveling with companions and friends, don’t be afraid to fall behind and take some pictures. Landscapes and photographs showing big and beautiful views work well with some people in the frame for scale, adding some texture and making the photos easier to remember in the long run.

Rethink cliché shots

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bzk5aTPoIk-/

RELATED: More Americans Prefer To Travel Alone Because Why Not?

Before you take that photo of the Eiffel tower, try to look up images of it and notice the emerging patterns. What works and what doesn’t? How do you make your photograph more interesting and memorable?

Have a subject

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

Photographs tend to be more interesting when there’s a subject in them, making them better memories and adding your personal signature. If you’re traveling with friends, take pictures of them, and if you’re traveling alone consider taking selfies or using a timer and a tripod. A selfie stick? I don’t know if anyone could make that work, though.

Marijuana Legalization Discourages Teenage Use, Study Finds

Brendan Bures
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Marijuana Legalization Discourages Teenage Use, Study Finds

By now, any remaining dogwhistles of marijuana legalization potentially creating unfettered cannabis access for teenagers should lower the volumes of their shrieks. Both Washington and Denver seen teenage marijuana usage rates drops in the years following recreational marijuana legalization. Now, a study published in JAMA Pediatrics suggests marijuana legalization discourages teenage use.

“Consistent with the results of previous researchers, there was no evidence that the legalization of medical marijuana encourages marijuana use among youth,” researchers concluded. “Moreover, the estimates…showed that marijuana use among youth may actually decline after legalization for recreational purposes.”

RELATED: Teens Are Officially Smoking Less Marijuana In Legal States

The study’s authors focused on data collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for its Youth Risk Behavior survey to conduct their research. By analyzing the responses from over 1.4 million students between 1993 and 2017, they were able to recognize how teens used marijuana before and after 27 states passed marijuana legislation, both for medical and recreational use.

Once medical marijuana became legal and regulated in the 27 states researchers focused on, teen cannabis use didn’t really change. In recreational states, however, teens who admitted to smoking weed in the prior 30 days lowered by 8%. Teens saying they consumed marijuana 10 or more times dropped 9%, meanwhile.

“Just to be clear we found no effect on teen use following legalization for medical purposes, but evidence of a possible reduction in use following legalization for recreational purposes,” said Mark Anderson, lead author on the study and associate professor at Montana State University.

RELATED: Study: Dispensary Locations Don’t Impact Teen Cannabis Use

“Because our study is based on more policy variation than prior work, we view our estimates as the most credible to date in the literature,” he said.

One theory posited by researchers in the study as to why legalizing marijuana saw static or lowered changes in teenage marijuana use is because “it is more difficult for teenagers to obtain marijuana as drug dealers are replaced by licensed dispensaries that require proof of age.” Such findings are consistent with previous studies regarding the relationship between legalization and teen marijuana use.

As more states open up, it is data will be clear if marijuana legalization discourages teenage use.

Adam Devine Hosted Weed Smoke Sessions

Brendan Bures
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Adam Devine Hosted Weed Smoke Sessions

Art imitates life, the saying goes. But few examples prove that premise more explicit than the stars of Workaholics. On the show, co-creators Adam DeVine, Anders Holm, and Blake Anderson play three friends trudging through awful telemarketing jobs after dropping out of college. But that comedic setup wasn’t far from the truth, as the three were first friends in real life and had also suffered from terrible work gigs. So bad, Adam Devine hosted weed smoke sessions to chill.

“A lot of people don’t know they we lived in that house. Like, that was our house,” Devine told Hot Ones host Sean Evans on a recent episode. “All Season 1 we were living there. Grips were running cables and setting up lights in my bedroom as I’m waking up…then I’d walk out in my boxer shorts to get craft services in the morning.”

Word soon spread amongst the show’s hardcore fans where to find the Workaholics guys at home. Naturally, fans wanted to recreate one of the show’s enduring images of three friends enjoying a toke atop their house.

RELATED: 5 Ways To Make Friends Outside Of Work And School

“We’d have people coming over and wanting to smoke weed on the roof—which we’d do sometimes,” Devine said, though those interactions didn’t exactly last long.

“Sometimes we’d climb on a roof with a stranger. But then you climb on roofs too many times with strangers and think, this is weird. Is this how I die? Some deranged fan thinks, I could push him off. So we eventually stopped climbing on the roofs.”

Devine also discussed growing up with a pyrotechnic father in the Midwest and how his telemarketing experience in Nebraska helped inspire Workaholics. You can watch the interview below.

People Who Purchase Marijuana Want Pain Relief And Sleep

Maria Loreto
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People Who Purchase Marijuana Want Pain Relief And Sleep

Many believe that the legalization of marijuana means that more people will now get to enjoy the drug for fun purposes, but a new study says that costumers are more interested in the health benefits of the plant.

Recent data published on the Journal of Psychoactive Drugs suggests that people are taking advantage of legal recreational marijuana in order to self-medicate.

RELATED: How Using Marijuana Can Effect Your Sleep Patterns

“The majority reported taking cannabis to relieve pain or to promote sleep. In addition, most respondents taking cannabis for pain or sleep reported substituting cannabis for prescription or over-the-counter analgesics or sleep aids,” reports the study.

Researchers surveyed more than 1,000 people who shopped in two Colorado dispensaries and who didn’t meet the prerequisites for a medical marijuana license.

According to the CDC, chronic pain affects 20% of Americans. This disease is one that’s very hard to diagnose and to efficiently medicate, contributing greatly to the spread of opioid overuse and addiction. Americans are also greatly affected by sleep disorders, with 70% of them stating that at least once a month they spend a night of poor or restless sleep. For these users who don’t have a clear cut condition that warrants a medical marijuana license, recreational marijuana makes for a simple fix.

RELATED: 4 Ways That Medical Cannabis Can Ease Chronic Pain

Paul Armentano, Deputy Director at NORML, says that these results aren’t surprising and that they corroborate previous studies on marijuana that claim that the drug has a significant effect on the reduction of opioid use.

“These findings speak not only to the therapeutic efficacy of cannabis as an alternative analgesic option, but also to its potential role as a harm reduction agent.”

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