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What Constellation Brands $4 Billion Deal Means For Cannabis Industry

JJ McKay
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What Constellation Brands $4 Billion Deal Means For Cannabis Industry

This week, Constellation Brands announced a $4 billion investment in the Canadian marijuana company Canopy Growth. Constellation is seeing cannabis as an expanded product line rather than a competitor and is putting a big stake in not only the company, but in the industry. While this particular deal may not be a unicorn for Constellation, the long-term benefits of this market positioning should reap nice returns for investors in both Constellation and the weed and alcohol industries.

The distinguished Wall Street investment bank Cowan and Company stated that although Constellation and Canopy Growth did not announce any joint operating arrangements, they look for further details on possible synergy benefits. In addition, the liquidity from the transaction will allow Canopy to accelerate its domestic and international investments. Canopy remains their top midsized idea, and Constellation remains their top pick in our overall coverage.

RELATED: Corona Brewing’s Parent Corporation Invests $4 Billion In Cannabis Company

One of the barriers of the industry is both understanding and experience of truly mainstreaming a product for general public consumption.  Constellation’s investment, along with Heineken, Molson Coors and Labatt Brewing stepping into the market are adding a level of knowledge that is missing. These companies have a rich history of taking the product from plant to shelves to homes, grocery, online, airlines, drug stores, restaurants and hotels—something the cannabis industry will need to reach market potential.

 “Constellation is a company that works in a regulated market with complex, varying, state-based regulatory systems and manages a logistics network around an intoxicating substance. One of the common critiques of corporate investors pumping money into the cannabis industry is that they know much about business and little about the industry. Constellation, and companies like it, can bring an important knowledge based along with a stream of capital” shared John Hudak, Senior Fellow and Deputy at Brookings

RELATED: Canopy Growth CEO Says Transforming Marijuana Into Products Is Key

Hudak continued, “Constellation getting into the cannabis space will likely raise alarm bells among activists that ‘Big Marijuana’ has arrived, but that breathless fear is unfounded. Large companies engaging with industry is a sign that the industry has matured, commercial enterprises are no longer drunk with the hysteria of taboo and bias associated with cannabis, and large-scale investors see cannabis as a commodity market of opportunity rather than risk.”

Already we see companies like Miracle Grow, Lamar Advertising and the Prtizker family making big investments. Our company, The Fresh Toast, is the primary bridge connecting the industry to the general public, and big business is seeing the growth and acceptance of cannabis as a potential boon to the bottom line.

“We feel this is the first of many large deals between traditional corporations and the cannabis industry” says Jennifer M. Sanders, Founder and CEO of CNS Equity Partners.

As an example of the changing opinion on marijuana, Fox News has featured stories showing the majority of Americans, including 46 percent of Republicans, are pro legalization.

“This is a very exciting development for the industry — Constellation’s commitment to the industry legitimizes it even more as an investment opportunity. And it makes Canopy the legitimate first major cannabis company on the planet. These are exciting times for the industry,” Shared Bill Kelly, General Partner, AgriCasadia, a leading cannabis investment fund.

Princess Diana Avoided Wearing This Fashion Accessory

Amy Hansen
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Princess Diana Avoided Wearing This Fashion Accessory

During her time as a royal, Princess Diana became a style icon. Her formal gowns and casual everyday elegance became a nice distraction from the awkward relationship she had with Prince Charles.

But if you looked closely, you’d realize that while she wore everything from pumps to flats and Converse, she never wore one specific type of shoe.

As author Diane Clehane details for Best Life,  while researching her book, Diana: The Secrets of Her Style, she combed through literally thousands of photographs of the Princess to select the images featured in its pages, “and I did not find one photograph of the princess wearing open-toed shoes or sandals.” Clehane says when Diana became engaged to Prince Charles in 1981, “she wore mostly modest two-inch heels so as not to tower over her husband-to-be. Once she became a royal, she wore plenty of low-heeled, brightly colored pumps that coordinated with her ‘Dynasty Di’ look of the period. And when ‘off duty,’ she favored simple flats.”

When the couple announced they were separating, writes Clehane, there was a noticeable change in Diana’s appearance, and that included footwear. Her choice in shoes became sexier. She opted for designers like Manolo Blahnik and Jimmy Choo. 

https://www.instagram.com/p/BbGxMY5Fzhi/

“Her favorite style was high-heel strappy shoes,” Choo told Clehane. “She liked classic styles. She never wore sandals because she did not like them and she knew the Queen didn’t either.”

Choo, who called Diana his “favorite client,” told Clehane that the Princess was always very enthusiastic. “Whenever I brought shoes to her, she would run to Paul [Burrell, her butler at the time] and say, ‘Look at these beautiful shoes Jimmy has made for me!’”

As far as Queen Elizabeth was concerned, open-toed shoes were a no-no, something Princess Di was very aware of. Said Choo, “She had beautiful legs. She sometimes chose not to wear hosiery, but never when she was appearing at an official event with the Queen. She was always very respectful of her.”

According to Clehane, Choo was planning to give Diana a pair of beige grosgrain ballerina flats the day after she was to return from her trip to Paris, something that sadly never happened. Instead, he kept them to remember her by, telling Clehane, “She was a naturally beautiful woman inside and out and a lady of great warmth, humility, and compassion. She was a dream.”

Meme Of The Week: A Character From The Barbie Movie Goes Viral

Maria Loreto
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Meme Of The Week: A Character From The Barbie Movie Goes Viral

A poorly animated blue and purple character from the Barbie movie is appearing on everyone’s timelines, no matter if they’re a fan of the franchise or not. The image shows a little guy called Bibble screaming with its arms raised. The original video is even trippier than the image.

The character appears on the Nickelodeon movie Barbie: Mermadia and, despite the fact the majority of internet users are unaware of the Barbie media franchise, this isn’t the first time that characters and moments from the show/movies have found some Internet fame.

While the Barbie franchise looks like it was animated from a decrepit computer, viewers have commented positively on the writing of the content, claiming that it’s fun and rewarding to watch for kids and adults alike. There were also those Barbie vlogs that went viral, which were surprisingly emotional for a talking doll.

The Bibble meme uses its emphatic little character to remind you of all those embarrassing times when you were little, and passionately sang songs that you didn’t understand.

Of course, this meme is nothing new or revolutionary. The idea of it has existed for a while, with people using different gifs and images to represent themselves as their emo singing tween version.

What’s cool about the Bibble meme is the fact that everyone decided that that one image of a blue and purple thing was the perfect representation of their embarrassing youth.

Congressional Bill Would Automatically Seal Non-Violent Cannabis Convictions

Sara Somerset
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Congressional Bill Would Automatically Seal Non-Violent Cannabis Convictions

A bill introduced to Congress on Tuesday proposes that people convicted of drug possession or nonviolent marijuana crimes would have their records automatically sealed after one year, provided they don’t re-offend.

The text of H.R. 6669 introduced into the 115th session by Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware was dubbed the Clean Slate Act, which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Twenty other primarily African-American Congressional Representatives from across the country immediately co-sponsored the bipartisan bill, which states that:

“Provided the individual is not a sex offender, if someone has been arrested for a Federal offense, or has been convicted of an offense under section 404 of the Controlled Substances Act or any Federal nonviolent offense involving marijuana; and has fulfilled each requirement of the sentence for the offense, including completing each term and satisfying each condition of imprisonment, probation, or supervised release; the court shall enter an order that each record and portion thereof that relates to the offense shall be sealed automatically on the date that is one year after the covered individual fulfills each requirement of the sentence.”

The exception is if an individual is convicted of a subsequent criminal offense or of an additional offense in conjunction with the drug offense.

For non-convictions, “Sixty days after the date on which a covered individual is acquitted, exonerated, or otherwise subject to a judgment which did not result in  a conviction for a Federal offense, each record or portion thereof that relates to the Federal offense shall be sealed automatically.”

All-encompassing, similarly forgiving initiatives in other countries include New Zealand’s progressive Parliamentary Criminal Records (Clean Slate) Act, in 2004.

Cannabis Is Becoming A Truly Bipartisan Issue

Mary Schumacher
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Cannabis Is Becoming A Truly Bipartisan Issue

The cover of Newsweek touts the title, “Higher Office: How Republicans Learned to Love Weed.” It goes into those moved by compassion after hearing harrowing tales from their constituents, how popular opinion has swayed in both parties —  especially the red — and how if the conservative faction wants to keep up with the times, they have to change with the times.

It’s true, almost all Americans are in favor of medical marijuana and over 60 percent are in favor of legalizing cannabis outright. That’s an enormous voting block that is ready for even more change.

Since 2012, states have legalized cannabis in one form or another so that we now have 30 states plus the District of Columbia in a shade of green. We couldn’t have gotten so far without at least some Republican support.

Even former house speaker John Boehner, who was once “unalterably opposed” to cannabis and its reform, is now part of a cannabis company, Acreage Holdings. He told Newsweek that, “I kind of feel like I’m just like most of America, who found myself adamantly opposed years ago and over the years have begun to change my outlook,” and that, “It’s the right thing to do.”

One Republican, who would likely ice skate in hell before admitting that cannabis had any good use, is Jeff “good people don’t smoke marijuana” Sessions. Even as Donald Trump has shown signs of support for the plant, Sessions is out there in the ocean of unpopularity, treading water and mumbling about the devil’s lettuce.

Being a billionaire and being Republican often go hand in hand, though, of course not always. Still, think of the amount of rich investors and CEOs who are joining the Green Rush. The fact of the matter is that while cannabis may have once been a partisan issue, it no longer is. The movement has champions on both sides of the isle, and that’s a very good thing.

In order to reap the benefits of the growing support of cannabis, we must continue to be an all inclusive movement and an informational one even more than it already is. The stories of children ceasing severe seizure disorders and of cancer patients being able to eat and be comfortable again are more than tales, they’re the proofs in the pudding and they make a real impact. Cannabis should be re or descheduled at the federal level and all Americans – and citizens of the world – should have safe access.

Kourtney Kardashian Cut Off Her Ex; Pete Davidson Sent Ariana Photos Of Engagement Rings The Day They Met

Naughty Gossip
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Kourtney Kardashian Cut Off Her Ex; Pete Davidson Sent Ariana Photos Of Engagement Rings The Day They Met

KOURTNEY KARDASHIAN CUT OFF HER EX, YOUNES, WON’T ‘PUT UP WITH ANY DRAMA’

Kourtney Kardashian isn’t looking to make the same mistake twice.

After breaking up with boyfriend Younes Bendjima earlier this month, a source tells PEOPLE that Kardashian, 39, has cut off contact with her former beau.

“Kourtney is doing great,” the source says. “She isn’t seeing Younes. She is happy being single for now.”

And after a tumultuous nine-year relationship with ex Scott Disick, Kardashian exactly knew when it was time to call it quits with Bendjima, the source says.“After all the drama with Scott over the years, she wasn’t going put up with any drama from Younes,” the source says. “She cut him off. She is focused on her kids and herself.”

“Kourtney doesn’t play games. She seems okay with [the breakup],” the source added. “Younes was always supposed to be a rebound.”

PETE DAVIDSON SENT ARIANA GRANDE PHOTOS OF ENGAGEMENT RINGS THE DAY THEY MET

He sent Ariana engagement ring photos on the day he met her
“The day I met her, I was like, ‘Hey, I’ll marry you tomorrow,’ ” he says, grinning. “She was calling my bluff. I sent her a picture [of engagement rings]. I was like, ‘Do you like any of these?’ She was like, ‘Those are my favorite ones,’ and I was like, ‘Sick.’ ”

Ariana bought their apartment and he still feels like a guest
Davidson and Grande recently moved into a Manhattan apartment that reportedly cost $16 million. She bought the place, Davidson says, and he stocks the fridge. “She’s really sweet. She’s like, ‘This is our house,’ and I’m like, ‘You’re very nice for saying that. Thank you for letting me stay here,’ ” he deadpans. “She’s like, ‘We’re getting married!’ And I’m like, ‘I know, thank you for letting me stay here.’ ” They’re still working on decorating it. “It’s like, we have six beanbags, but we have no forks—you know what I mean?” he says, taking a massive bite of pasta salad. “We’re learning how to be adults. We’re having a really fun time.”

He’s getting used to being famous
“I gotta tell you, up until about two months ago, if someone wrote about me, I saw it,” he says. “Nobody gave a shit two months ago, so anytime there was an article, I would obviously see it, because my mom would send it to me and be like, ‘Yaaay!’ ”

People Are Returning Outfits Once They’ve Worn Them And The Reason Is So 2018

Amy Hansen
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People Are Returning Outfits Once They’ve Worn Them And The Reason Is So 2018

There’s a silly (and slightly unethical) new trend picking up steam and social media is to blame. The trend of  “wardrobing” involves people buying cute outfits, snapping a photo for Instagram, and then returning the clothes.

According to new a new poll commissioned by credit card company Barclaycard, one in 10 people feels enough pressure from fashion bloggers and their #OOTD (outfit of the day) to go out and buy a new set of clothing just for Instagram purposes. Heaven forbid, they’re snapped in the same outfit twice.

https://giphy.com/gifs/filmeditor-clueless-movie-26n623I0osi2Kbr3i

And these are not millennials. Those feeling the pressure, according to the study, are 35-44 year-olds. Nearly one in five (17 percent) report that they’ve bought clothes just to hashtag it.

Celebrity stylist Alex Longmore tells the Daily Mail she’s guilty of joining the craze. ‘I do snap and send back in order to showcase the latest high street and designer trends to my clients and my followers,” she says, adding:

I think it has become such a popular trend because celebrities and social media influencers are documenting so many different outfits on their Instagram accounts, showing a different look every time they go out or multiple looks in one day.

The OOTD hashtag currently has more than 200 million posts, and that number is climbing by the…day.

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

Fashion commentator Caryn Franklin tells The Guardian that the OOTD hashtag, among others, has encouraged “a combination of the heady alchemy of narcissism and dysfunctional consumption”.

George Allardice of Barclaycard says, “It’s interesting to see the social media trend further fueling the returns culture. We know from our research that returns are having a big impact on retailers.”

What’s potentially even more interesting than that is that men are more likely than women to partake in “wardrobing” with 12 per cent admitting to it versus just seven per cent of women, according to the Daily Mail.

Allardice says the value of items being sent back was as high as nearly $9 billion a year to retailers.

The Role Medical Cannabis Plays In Treating Diverticulitis

Nicole Skrobin
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The Role Medical Cannabis Plays In Treating Diverticulitis

What do abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and inflammation have in common? They’re all symptoms of diverticulitis, which is a painful medical condition that mostly affects people over the age of 50. As people age, they’re more likely to develop diverticulitis. Specifically, women aged 50 and above are more likely than men to develop diverticulitis. However, men younger than 50 years old are more likely to develop diverticulitis than women.

Although there are different diverticulitis treatment methods available, many contain their own list of adverse side effects. For this reason alone, more people are turning towards cannabis due to its safety and effectiveness. Read on to find out more about diverticulitis and how cannabis can help treat this condition.

All About Diverticulitis

To understand diverticulitis, it’s important to first understand what diverticula are. Diverticula are small yet bulging pouches, which form within the body’s digestive system lining. These diverticula pouches are generally located within the body’s colon/lower part of the large intestine. Diverticula are relatively common, especially if you’re at least 40 years old. Although these pouches don’t usually cause serious problems, if they get inflamed and/or infected, the diagnosis is known as diverticulitis.

In addition, diverticulitis can cause individuals to feel nauseous and experience severe abdominal pain alongside a fever and/or an obvious change in bowel patterns. Normally, if diverticulitis is categorized as mild, the main treatment options consist of diet changes, rest, and sometimes antibiotics. However, if diverticulitis is categorized as severe and/or recurring, surgery may be needed.

Possible Diverticulitis Causes

For years, researchers have been trying to pinpoint the cause of diverticulitis. So far, certain studies indicate that some people are more prone to having diverticulitis due to their genetic makeup. However, other research findings indicate that links have been made between diverticular disease-causing issues and the following factors: lack of exercise, consumption of specific medications including steroids and NSAIDs, smoking, obesity, alcohol consumption, low-fiber diets, and a suppressed immune system.

It’s possible for diverticulitis to begin with trapped stool or bacteria stored in a pouch within the body’s colon. Normally, diverticulitis occurs because of an increase in unhealthy bacteria and a decrease in healthy bacteria within the body’s colon. If you’re diagnosed with diverticulitis, you’ll most likely experience inflammation and/or a diverticula infection.

Diverticulitis Symptoms & Treatment Options

In most cases, the inflamed pouches caused by diverticulitis cause pain in the lower left side of the abdomen. Alongside pain and inflammation, diverticulitis delivers other symptoms including chills, fevers, diarrhea, constipation, nausea, and/or vomiting. It’s also possible for diverticulitis patients to experience a change in mental health. Each year, roughly 200,000 Americans are hospitalized for this condition, which demonstrates how severe diverticulitis can be.

Moreover, diverticulitis treatment methods depend on the severity of the patient’s condition. Sometimes, antibiotics and pain medications are prescribed. However, some diverticulitis patients may need surgery and/or heat treatments in addition to diet changes. To avoid negative side effects caused by antibiotics and other medications, many diverticulitis patients are turning towards cannabis instead.

Cannabis As A Diverticulitis Treatment Method

Overall, cannabis can help treat diverticulitis and its symptoms thanks to the plant’s content and the body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS). The ECS works to trigger numerous biochemical interactions via different signal messages. Several of the interactions that get triggered occur between the body’s immune system, gut, and brain. In general, cannabinoid receptors are located within the body’s gastrointestinal tract, and recently, it was discovered that CB2 receptors increase in damaged and/or ill intestines. Therefore, this indicates that cannabinoid consumption could be useful for those experiencing gastrointestinal disease including diverticulitis.

On the same note, diverticulitis symptoms like nausea, vomiting, inflammation, and pain can be treated with cannabis. Since cannabis contains analgesic properties, it can deliver abdominal pain-relief in diverticulitis patients. Additionally, one powerful cannabinoid, Cannabidiol contains anti-inflammatory properties, which can deliver anti-inflammatory relief to those with diverticulitis.

Generally, it’s common for diverticulitis patients to experience nausea and/or vomiting, which can be effectively relieved with cannabis due to its anti-emetic and anti-nausea properties. Aside from pain, inflammation, and nausea, many diverticulitis patients turn to cannabis to help treat anxiety, depression, sleep issues, and appetite changes.

Although over-the-counter medications are commonly used for diverticulitis pain management, many NSAIDs can result in irritation and/or damage to the stomach or liver lining. Fortunately, cannabis doesn’t lead to these issues, but rather relieves pain and inflammation without negative side effects.

Overall, diverticulitis can significantly impact one’s quality of life and well-being. Although pharmaceutical medications are often consumed to help treat diverticulitis, cannabis is a safe and effective treatment method that delivers no adverse side effects. Would you rather relieve your diverticulitis symptoms once and for all via cannabis consumption or consume NSAIDs/other drugs and experience even more symptoms? The choice is yours.

Weed Expert Fact Checks Stoner Movies

Brendan Bures
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Weed Expert Fact Checks Stoner Movies

Stoner movies. We’ve all watched them and laughed at their expense. The cult comedy form birthed by Cheech and Chong has changed steadily throughout the years, but the jokes usually revolve around the same goofy, nonsensical punchlines you enjoy most while stoned.

RELATED: Science Explains How Marijuana Inspires Awe 

They’re also not always correct or based on truth. That’s why Vulture asked Michael Zaytsev, founder of High NY — New York’s largest cannabis advocacy organization — to debunk some of the myths found in stoner movies. Check below to read a couple of our favorites.

On Reefer Madness:

“Cannabis can enhance listening to music and the joy one derives from that. It can encourage you to hear it differently. But in this scene, this guy is losing his mind slowly but surely. Depending on what you’re puffing on, that can happen temporarily. I don’t think that losing your cool in a fit of rage then going in and killing someone is a honest portrayal.”

RELATED: How To Be Discreet When Using Weed

On Pineapple Express “cross-joints”:

“Almost everyone I know is some stoner MacGyver. The term I prefer is stonerd. The future is now I have to say. Because there isn’t just these feats of engineering, but all other sorts of amazing ways to roll joints. You have to be an origami master to actually craft. The creativity of a motivated pothead can astound.”

On Dazed and Confused:

“Martha Washington does indeed sound like a hip, hip lady based on that description. It’s hotly debated whether the Founding Fathers grew hemp or smoked cannabis. Many people don’t know there was a time when, in the colonies, you could pay your taxes with hemp. So there is legitimacy to some of what he was saying. Though, of course, people were growing hemp for industrial use and agricultural use and not the species of the plant that has psychoactive effects.”

Training For A 10K? Check Out These 5 Apps

Maria Loreto
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Training For A 10K? Check Out These 5 Apps

Preparing for a 10K run is not easy, especially if you’re someone with a below-average workout routine. While training for a race may sound simple —  you just have to run, how hard can it be? — there are apps out there that can help smooth out the process by providing a bit of support. These apps keep track of your runs, helping you achieve your long term goals by letting you monitor your stats and personal progress.

Bustle compiled a list of the best free running apps out there. Check out 5 of our favorites.

Nike + Run Club

A post shared by Nike+ Run Club (@nikerunning) on

Nike has really good workout apps that act as your personal training coach, and Run Club is the most recognized and trusted app on this list. Nike’s running club features a bunch of cool features such as GPS tracking of runs, audio guided runs, and weekly and monthly challenges that push you to work hard. You can also customize your workouts on the app depending on your needs and goals.

Endomondo

This app is focused on sports that cover distances, such as running, cycling, and walking, becoming your personal trainer that motivates you to work hard and put in the necessary effort. According to Endomondo’s website, the app includes watches, sensors, and other tools that enhance your workout experience and provide relevant information such as your heart rate.

Runtastic

A post shared by runtastic (@runtastic) on

While Runtastic began as an app exclusively for runners, it branched out its focus to include  all sorts of athletes, tracking their progress and offering encouragement when needed. The basic app features all the necessary tools for a runner app including GPS tracking, and monitoring of your workout. Runtastic Pro, the paid version of the app, takes things further by including live coaches, workout programs for all sorts of athletes, and videos that can help you stretch and improve your running technique.

Runkeeper

RunKeeper is another app that’s famous amongst runners including the basic features such as GPS tracking of runs, audio cues for encouragement, and details about your pace and distance. What sets RunKeeper apart is the personal challenges it offers to you, which are based on your progress.

Map My Run

A post shared by MapMyRun (@uamapmyrun) on

Map My Run has over 50 million users and is ranked as one of the most used sports apps. The app tracks your runs and offers tips and stats in order to help you improve your performance. It also allows you to discover new map routes, and choose different workout programs.

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