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Jay Brown Joins Weed Company MedMen

Brendan Bures
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Jay Brown Joins Weed Company MedMen

Though it shouldn’t come as a surprise by now, the music business sure loves the cannabis industry. From the myriad of rappers and music executives who have tipped their toes into the marijuana money pool, it seems that everyone is eager to embrace the financial possibilities of going green.  Now Jay Brown joins weed company Medmen.

Yes, According to Variety, the latest figure to add his name to list is Jay Brown, the co-founder and CEO of Roc Nation, a.k.a. the record label Jay-Z started. Brown, a 20-year music veteran, will join the Board of Directors at MedMen, the biggest brand name in marijuana retail stores that often receives comparison to Apple or Starbucks. Adam Biernan, co-founder and CEO of MedMen, announced that Brown’s arrival will match the company’s approach to selling marijuana.

“Marijuana today is less about smoking a joint, and much more about culture,” Biernan said. “It is about healthier, safer choices for mind and body, and community. For more than two decades, Jay Brown has had his finger on the pulse of pop culture. We are honored to have him on our Board and look forward to working with him as MedMen continues on its mission to mainstream marijuana.”

Make no mistake — this is a huge boon for MedMen. Brown ‘s partner at Roc Nation is Jay-Z, and together they’ve developed the superstar careers of Rihanna, J. Cole, and DJ Khaled. His move copies those of other music icons like Willie Nelson, Snoop Dogg, and Melissa Etheridge in finding a foothold within the cannabis industry.

“Over the years, I’ve met great talent and passionate people who helped shape our view of the world through music,” Brown said. “I see that same intensity in today’s emerging cannabis industry and MedMen is definitely at the head of the pack. I believe in their mission and I believe in their ability to execute.”

Whatever specific opportunities this will open for MedMen and Roc Nation remain to be seen, but the cannabis company is surely celebrating its connection to one of the biggest record labels in hip-hop music.

Kate Middleton And Prince William’s Go-To Takeout Food Revealed

Amy Hansen
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Kate Middleton And Prince William’s Go-To Takeout Food Revealed

Take-out and Royal Palace don’t usually go together, but we all have to remember that Prince William and Duchess Kate are just like us, at least when it comes to our craving for delivery. And when the take-out containers call, there is one food the couple can’t get enough of.

Last April, the couple sat down for an interview with BBC Radio 1 and Kate was quick to jump in when asked if they’re allowed to order take away. “Absolutely!,” said Kate.

“Yes, definitely, it’s very important,” said William, of the couple’s need for quick food now and then.

And what do they prefer? “Curry!” said Kate.

“It’s a real conundrum when it comes to pizza, curry or Chinese,” said Will.

But whatever is ordered, it can’t be too spicy. Nope. Will is not having it.

“Yeah I’m not so good with the spicy food actually,” he admitted. “I’m not good with spice.”

The obvious next question arose: who on earth would believe that a take-out order is going to the palace?

“It doesn’t usually get ordered to the palace,” said William. “We tend to go and pick it up. Not ourselves, but yeah.”

Some other tidbits of not: the couple watches “Homeland” and “Game of Thrones.” And in a fight between William and Harry, Will said, “It’s clearly obvious. Me. Because I’m bigger.”

Pennsylvania Rep. Aims To Free Pot Prisoners In Social Reform Push

Mary Schumacher
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Pennsylvania Rep. Aims To Free Pot Prisoners In Social Reform Push

The legislation he plans to introduce will expunge criminal records and release those jailed who otherwise would not be under the proposed new law.

“This is an idea whose time has come,” stated Pennsylvania State Rep. Jake Wheatley while addressing the issue of adult-use cannabis. As the green tide washes over the nation, Wheatley wants his state to be there at the cutting edge and the on right side of history.

The legislation he plans to introduce will expunge criminal records and release those jailed who otherwise would not be under the proposed new law. This would be a giant leap toward social justice and would change the lives of many who have been prosecuted for the plant.

Though social reform is high on the Rep.’s list of reasons to legalize, it’s not the only one. A recent report by the state auditor predicted that cannabis could rake in $580 million dollars in tax revenue annually. Those are moneys that can also be used for the betterment of the state.

“States from coast to coast have embraced legalization and those states are reaping the economic and criminal justice benefits,” Wheatley also said. “It is time Pennsylvania joins with those states in leaving behind the ugly stigma of marijuana.”

There are currently nine states plus the District of Columbia with recreational cannabis laws and dozens more with medicinal laws. The ugly stigma that weed’s carried for so many years is most certainly falling away from the general public’s eyes and hearts. Though there are still those at the top, making federal laws, who think that cannabis is a gateway drug or otherwise harmful.

Education, facts such as there never being a recorded death due to cannabis, and the proof in the pudding: those who imbibe pot aren’t just everywhere, they’re everyday people just trying to live their best lives, all have fallen on deaf ears when it comes to drug war warriors, who just can’t seem to put down the torch.

Public opinion, on the other hand, carries a lot of sway in politics and at this point, according to Gallup, support for legalizing cannabis is at an all time high, with the latest figure they have putting approval rating for adult use at 64 percent. That’s nine points up from just last year and a definite majority.

Though Wheatley is proud and glad that his constituents have access to medical marijuana, at the least those most in need, he’s ready to take the next step, “The time has come for Pennsylvania to move forward with full legalization,” he said, and we couldn’t agree more.

Here’s The Scoop On Medical Marijuana For Autism Treatment

Trey Reckling
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Here’s The Scoop On Medical Marijuana For Autism Treatment

Individual success stories are not enough to base a medical theory upon, especially when it involves children. However, strong anecdotal stories and some early research into using medical marijuana to help their autistic children is causing a stir. Not to mislead here, there is no significant research about symptoms of autism being treated by cannabis. Well, “not yet” some may say.

Autism, more specifically referred to as autism spectrum disorder, ASD, is a range of symptoms and degrees of disability. It is a neurodevelopmental disorder, related to the growth and development of the brain. Typical symptoms are impaired communication and social interactions as well as singularly focused or repetitive behaviors. As many as one in 68 American children are diagnosed with ASD. Boys are five times more likely to be diagnosed.

Autism is believed to be caused by a mix of genetic and environmental factors. There is no known cure.  Parents typically help the child through speech therapies and behavior interventions. One type of behavior training, discrete trial training, includes behavioral prompts, modeling and positive reinforcement for several hours a day. Research has shown that it can have profound affect for children under five years old. 

Some advocate for a better understanding of autism culture, respect for neurodiversity and a focus on teaching coping skills over imitation of neurotypical people.

Because this is a brain disorder affecting the processing of information, some scientists believe that manipulating cannabinoids, the active chemicals in marijuana, could have positive effect. CB2 receptors, our innate or endogenous receiver of cannabinoids and are distributed throughout the body.

Researchers found protein levels of CB2 were to be much higher in autistic children, concluding “our data indicate CB2 receptor as potential therapeutic target for the pharmacological management of the autism care.”

Another finding from researchers from California and France, showed that increasing cannabinoid transmitters in the brain can help correct issues related to the most common genetic cause of autism. 

As has been seen for other conditions, there are passionate parents and advocates who are not willing to wait for research. Families have claimed that some children have experienced significant reduction in symptoms such as self-harming behavior, eating disorders and anxiety. Some have even taken great legal risks to conduct these at home experiments in hope of helping their kids lead a healthier, happier life.

Grassroots advocates like Mothers Advocating Medical Marijuana for Autism and individuals like Mieko Hester-Perez, who has gained some notoriety for her success story in treating her autistic son with cannabis, are excellent examples. They tell compelling stories of dramatic, life altering changes due to the herb. They stand ready to challenge the status quo and advocate for access to medical marijuana while calling for additional research.

This is promise for some connection, but there are no studies to point to with big data that would infer that marijuana will be a game changer. No state currently lists autism spectrum disorder as a qualifying condition to use cannabis. Is there a proven connection between marijuana and autism spectrum disorder? Some would say simply, “not yet.”

Tesla Released $1,500 Surfboards And They Sold Out Immediately

Maria Loreto
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Tesla Released $1,500 Surfboards And They Sold Out Immediately

No matter how annoying Elon Musk is and how many people rush to say they hate him, he’s still doing fine. His penchant for backing the most random products is documented: flamethrowers, Boring Company hats, and more. This past Saturday his company Tesla, which specializes in making and selling cars, released surfboards that cost $1,500. Obviously, because they’re so necessary, they sold out immediately. Who could ever live without their Tesla surfboard?

There were only 200 of these surfboards available, which contain materials that appear on Tesla’s car and are all reinforced with carbon fiber. They also promise to transform you into a really amazing surfer, just because their base price is $1,500.

Even though a surfboard is amongst the most random products Tesla has ever produced, the company is known for selling different sorts of merchandise such as hats, shirts, and functioning cars for kids. Seriously.

According to The Verge, the board was designed in collaboration with Lost Surfboards and Matt Biolos, co-founder of Mayhem, a surfing company based in California. The surfboard’s description says that its designed to perfectly fit on the inside or outside of your Tesla Model S, X, and 3. Even though the surfboards were available temporarily, some have made their way onto eBay, with their prices ranging between $2,000 and $5,000.

What To Do And Who To See In NYC’s Booming Cannabis Scene

Danielle Guercio
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What To Do And Who To See In NYC’s Booming Cannabis Scene

Despite being decriminalized since the mid-’70s, New York City is still a place where almost 100 people per day are arrested for cannabis related charges. This unfortunate reality has, in the past, curtailed the development of social and professional cannabis environments from taking hold. But in today’s climate, cannabis is a booming opportunity and there seems to be no stopping it.

NYC is one of the world’s economic hubs and cannabis is poised to be the next big business sector, so these world are colliding in ways large and small. Organizers are hosting everything from educational seminars to secret consumption events and more.

Here’s who to follow and what to check out in New York’s blooming cannabis scene:

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If you’re craving education and professional networking, Revel pops up quarterly at the Galvanize Space in SoHo for a double duty seminar and mixer. In July’s installation, speakers included UCLA Cannabis Research Initiative Director Jeffrey Chen, MD and Papa & Barcley topicals representatives, led by Adrian Farquharson Chief Creative Officer of Mary Mag.

Information sharing is the basis of these events, and you can meet not only the educators sharing their vital knowledge, but local and national CBD and cannabis ancillary businesses.

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Breaking The Grass Ceiling was a one-off, but from a group of women who regularly collaborate on community enriching, fun cannabis based events and discussions, so look out for their next sesh. Hosted at Lucas Lucas Gallery in Williamsburg by Shaw Shop with a marketplace including Aurora Elixirs, P.U.S.S.Y.W.E.E.D, Tonic CBD, and Yew Yew ceramic smokeware, a mostly woman crowd took place in a quick but powerful reiki sound bath led by Christina Lovely before diving in.

The panel was led by Humble Bloom co-founder Solonje Burnett Loucas; Brittany Carbone, founder and CEO of Tonic CBD; Amanda Reyes, Board President of the Cannabis Cultural Association; Keira Duarte Marketing Manager of Mary Magazine; and Safon Floyd, cofounder and Chief Content Officer of Estrohaze. Everyone involved spoke with intention and valuable insight, especially for the many white women in the room. The space held a great conversation about the harm the war on drugs has waged on communities of color, and how the cannabis industry must center progress and resources that aid PoC entrepreneurs, especially when they are women or gender nonconforming.

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Looking for a more “hands on” event? Try CBD sprinkled yoga, which you have two chances to catch in August. HealHaus and Cannaclusive are coming together on August 5th for Fly Hi Vibes, a super relaxing yoga class paired with a killer gift bag — the value is real! Tiffany Moore will be leading the class and you can get some knowledge in the CBD smarts portion of the workshop while getting a peek at one of Brooklyn’s most exciting new wellness spaces.

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Later in the month, join Out-Dorz instructor Lauren Hawkins and Reiki practitioner Christina Lovely for a rooftop yoga, reiki and CBD infused sunset session, followed by free BBQ. Happening on August 29th in Brooklyn you can check the new CBD sunscreen and body butter from Out-Dorz while manifesting the best rest of 2018 you can.

While things are CBD and networking focused right now, NYC is ready and waiting for the big time industry and growth in cannabis. Until legal cannabis with THC comes to New York, You have to do a bit deeper searching for consumption events, but they are most certainly happening, and with a greater frequency than ever. Since we don’t want to narc on anyone, you’ll just have to do your own research for now.

Is Cannabis Gaining A Foothold With Mormons?

Mary Schumacher
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Is Cannabis Gaining A Foothold With Mormons?

Utah is voting on medical marijuana this coming November and it’s creating a riff in the Mormon community. Proposition 2 is a bold move in the state whose capital is Salt Lake City, centered around Temple Square, the heartbeat of the Mormon church and the site of their majestic temple and tabernacle. In the Mormon faith, cannabis is yet frowned upon.

However, supporters of the proposition, some of whom are Mormon, argue that the benefits of the plant outweigh its legality stigma at this point. Children with epilepsy are being treated already and on another note, the opioid epidemic is raging in Utah. Cannabis has become known as an exit drug for opiates, which not only kill, but come with a slew of uncomfortable and damaging side effects, like constipation and lethargy.

Cannabis is a known analgesic and is also a soothing medicine that helps mitigate not only pain, but the obsessive thoughts that can come with it. Cannabis works on so many levels because of the myriad of cannabinoids that make up its medicinal properties and our bodies’ endocannabinoid systems which are always at the ready to receive them.

Though Mormon church heads stayed quiet on the issue of cannabis, at least publically, for a time, they recently made their views known, as in “just say no,” and backed up the stance with a memo from anti-cannabis doctors in the state, who are against the measure to legalize medical marijuana.

Those are the heads of church, though, and there must be a good many Mormons who believe in the benefits of the plant, while still believing in their religion. While over 60 percent of the state is Mormon, 66 percent of residents polled were in favor of legalizing pot for medicinal use. Though it is a drop from an earlier poll where 76 percent “somewhat or strongly supported the measure,” it’s still encouraging.

The numbers reflect another reality in Utah: while over 60 percent of the population identify as Mormon, that’s the extent of it for many. Not all who consider themselves members of The Church of Latter-day Saints are active practitioners and thus many have some less stringent opinions on matters like medicinal marijuana. Especially with the tide of the nation turning in that direction for a myriad of reasons, not the least of which is helping children, the elderly and the infirmed.

The “Word of Wisdom” is the Mormon’s doctrine regarding health, and while it doesn’t mention cannabis specifically, it does warn off any illegal drugs. As weed remains illegal at the federal level and still at the state level in Utah, it is still not allowed for parishioners, but perhaps as laws change, proofs continue to emerge and the state possibly legalizes, the church will also loosen its stance.

WATCH: This Giant 3-Foot Wasp’s Nest Will Make You Cry

Amy Hansen
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WATCH: This Giant 3-Foot Wasp’s Nest Will Make You Cry

A video is making the rounds of a pest control guy discovering a giant wasp’s nest in a client’s garage. In the video, you can hear pest control expert Shane Jones say, “We have here, a monster!”

Without using gloves, Jones opens a cupboard inside the garage only to discover a three-foot next housing thousands of angry wasps. He says he’s wasp season started earlier this year, which gave the pests more time to build the nest. Jones says wasp queens were able to hibernate longer this year, because of the lack of warm weather at the beginning of spring.

Jones says the nest was so “humongous” that even after it was removed, it was still too big to fit in a garbage bag. Watch it all unfold here.

For the record, there are a few DIY options to get rid of wasps. There’s an all-natural repellant you can use that is nothing more than water and peppermint oil. Combine 1 Tbsp of peppermint oil and 4 cups of water and add to a spray bottle. Spray directly onto wasp’s next, preferably when they’re asleep or groggy, like at night or early in the morning. Wasps hate peppermint oil and won’t return to the next.

You can also try a wasp trap by cutting the top off a two liter bottle of soda. Invert the top and pour in some sweet liquid, anything from fruit juice to beer to simple syrup. The wasps will be attracted to the nectar, but won’t be able to escape the bottle. Place several around your yard or wherever the pests are bothering you.

How To Quietly Avoid Seeing People’s Posts On Social Media

Maria Loreto
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How To Quietly Avoid Seeing People’s Posts On Social Media

Most social media users need an out when they want to ignore someone online without causing any drama. Since these apps get more impressive by the minute — letting others know when you’ve read their messages and whenever you’re online — it can get pretty stressful when you want to avoid someone and feel like there are no tools that allow you to do that.

Fortunately, there are solutions for most social media apps including Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. The following solutions from Popular Science can help you mute or snooze certain users who get a little too chatty on their app of choice without offending anyone’s feelings. These options can only be viewed by you, so you get to keep your sanity and avoid burning any bridges. Win win.

Instagram

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This app allows you to mute the user you don’t want to see again without them knowing about it. If you ever get over your animosity towards them then you can just stop muting them and business will be back as usual.

This feature is only available on the app version of the site. To mute a user, scroll down your feed until you see their post and tap on the three dots located on the upper right of the content. Choose Mute from the menu and then select if you want to block their stories and their posts. If you want to mute this user’s stories, head over to the Story menu on top of your feed, tap and hold the user’s circle and select mute. This story will now appear on the right side of the menu and it won’t pop up as you’re viewing stories.

Facebook

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Facebook gives you a lot of control over what ends up on your news feed, allowing you to filter out posts without unfriending anyone. If you want to temporarily hide someone’s content from your feed, you can snooze them by tapping the three dots on the corner of their post and selecting Snooze for 30 days. You can also unfollow someone, allowing you to stay friends with them without having to see their posts. To do this you must also tap on the three dots at the top of the post and select the Unfollow option. (Note: let it be known that if you decide to Follow them back in the future, they will be notified.)

All of these features are hidden from your friends, and you can cancel them at any time by undoing your previous changes.

Twitter

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Twitter offers a muting option that’s much less invasive than blocking someone. By muting a user you won’t see them on your feed, but you’ll see their comments whenever you open a tweet and they’ve responded to it. To mute a user, visit their profile, tap on the three dots on the top right of their profile page and select Mute. You can undo this action by following the same steps and tapping on Unmute.

One of Twitter’s coolest features is that it allows you to keep tabs on the users you’ve muted. To check out a list of all your muted users, head over to your Avatar, tap on Settings and privacy, then on Privacy and settings which will finally show you a Muted accounts list. Once you’ve reached this screen, you can also unmute users.

Wiz Khalifa Discusses Snoop Dogg Comparisons And Ganjapreneurs

Brendan Bures
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Wiz Khalifa Discusses Snoop Dogg Comparisons And Ganjapreneurs

Not many rappers have leveraged the power of the internet and a love of weed into the multi-hyphenate career that Wiz Khalifa enjoys. On a recent episode of  “Hot Ones,” Khalifa discussed his views on the cannabis industry, breaking down the CBD craze, as well as what TV show he’d bring with him on a deserted island (it was Starz’ “Power”). He also discussed the comparison between himself and the other major rapper turned multi-hyphenate, Snoop Dogg.

Wiz Khalifa dove into many other topics throughout the episode, but scroll below for his answers about all things cannabis related.

On the explosion of cannabis products, like edibles, tinctures, and topicals.

“I feel like that’s what the market is these days. It’s like trying to get stoned on the low. As opposed to just like smoking a joint. I feel like in the future smoking pot is going to be like really old-school. Just ingesting it in all these different other ways is going to be the way to really get high.”

On who rolls better: Snoop or Wiz?

“He rolls faster than me. He definitely rolls faster and more efficient. There’s been times where I’m thinking I’m rolling the best joint and he’ll be quiet for two seconds then [mimics licking papers], “Here you go, nephew.” I’ll be like, “Damn!” His shit just be perfect right away. His experience in the game is proven every time.”

On where he has the gold medal against Snoop

“I got the gold medal probably just on lung [and] amount. I smoke joints, I do bongs, I do dabs, and all that. He’ll do that to hang with me. Like [in a] “I’m not going to let you out smoke me” [kind of way]. He don’t do all that on the regular and me, I’m doing all that all day.”

How a THC-infused hot sauce designed by him would taste like

“It’d probably taste like one of these sweeter ones. And I’d probably call it ‘sweetfuck.'”

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