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Florida ‘Playing With Political Wildfire’ On Smokable Medical Marijuana Ban

Brendan Bures
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Florida ‘Playing With Political Wildfire’ On Smokable Medical Marijuana Ban

Florida medical patients are one step closer to accessing smokable medical marijuana, after a Leon County circuit judge ruled last week that the state’s ban on smokable cannabis was unconstitutional. In a 22-page order, Judge Karen Gievers said that Florida patients have the right to access “all types of medical marijuana,” including its smokable form. The state’s health department has already appealed the decision, effectively staying the ban on medical marijuana until a later date.

Back in 2016, Florida voters approved a constitutional amendment that would broadly legalize medical marijuana. It was implied that would include the right to smoking marijuana in private spaces, as the amendment recognized there wouldn’t be a right to smoke in public spaces. But the state’s health department narrowed the scope of the amendment to exclude smokable marijuana from legislation, citing public safety and health concerns from ingesting smoke into the lungs.

“Just as no person is above the law, the legislature must heed the constitutional rights Floridians placed in the Constitution in 2016,” Judge Gievers wrote in her decision. “The conflicting, overreaching 2017 statute, while presumably adopted in good faith and with good intentions, cannot be allowed to overrule the authority of the people to protect rights in the Constitution.”

With the appeal process already under way, Orlando lawyer and strident medical marijuana activist John Morgan has urged Florida Governor Rick Scott to rethink pursuing defense of the ban. Morgan said in a press conference with reporters this week that the governor is ultimately responsible in choosing whether the state chases the appeal or not.

“What everyone needs to understand is that Gov. Scott could remove that appeal today if he wants,” Morgan said, according to the Tampa Bay Times. “Gov. Scott should say enough is enough: ‘I am going to allow the people’s will to be done’…The most direct method to get relief is smokable marijuana. This is not a political issue.”

Ben Pollara runs Florida for Care, a marijuana advocacy group, and says the ban on smokable marijuana has discouraged many patients from applying for a card and accessing legal channels.

“Florida for Care recently surveyed our members on this subject,” Pollara told Marijuana Business Daily. “Of those who considered themselves patients, the single biggest reason people cited for the fact they hadn’t yet gotten a medical marijuana card was that smokable marijuana wasn’t allowed.”

However, Morgan also framed the appeal as a political liability to Scott, who is currently running a US Senate campaign against Sen. Bill Nelson. He added that Scott was placating to the pharmaceutical companies that were threatened by a more compassionate and effective medicine in medical marijuana.

“[If he drops the appeal,] I think he gains 5 points overnight,” Morgan said. “Gov. Scott is playing with political wildfire for something he doesn’t have to do.”

“Gov. Scott is going to have to make a decision whether he is going to put politics over people or he’s going to put campaign contributions from the pharmaceutical industry over compassion,” Morgan added.

Florida remains one of the fastest growing marijuana markets in the country. As of April the state has surpassed 100,000 registered patients. Analysts project sales could range from $175 million-$235 million this year, and potentially more, if sale of flowers become legally available.

NCAA Denies Football Player CBD Oil For Epilepsy 

Brendan Bures
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NCAA Denies Football Player CBD Oil For Epilepsy 

When it comes to sports leagues testing athletes for cannabis, the NCAA is generally regarded as the strictest and harshest. The organization is responsible for regulating various sports — from field hockey to baseball and lacrosse — for more than 1,000 institutions and wields considerable influence on its collegiate institutions. That outbalanced sense of power was on display recently when walk-on Auburn safety C.J. Harris had his spot on the football team rescinded when officials learned he used cannabis oil to treat his epilepsy.

Harris used cannabis oil with extremely low levels of THC (0.3 percent), but the NCAA considers 5 nanograms of extracted THC per milliliter of urine a positive test. For comparison, the NFL has a threshold of 35 ng/mL while World Anti-Doping Agency has a high threshold at 150 ng/mL.

Since being prescribed the cannabis oil by a doctor, Harris hasn’t experienced any seizures. However, WGXA reported that Auburn officials told Harris the NCAA would not allow him to play if he continued taking a drug the organization considered an illicit substance.

“You’re taking something away from a kid who worked so hard his whole life to get there, and you’re just taking it away because he’s taking a medication that’s helping him with a disability,” C.J.’s father Curtis Harris told WGXA.

The news prompted a ruling from the Epilepsy Foundation:

The Epilepsy Foundation is committed to supporting physician-directed care, and to exploring and advocating for all potential treatment options for epilepsy, including cannabidiol (CBD) oil and medical cannabis. We support safe, legal access to medical cannabis and CBD if a patient and their health care team feel that the potential benefits of medical cannabis or CBD for uncontrolled epilepsy outweigh the risks. While we believe further research is needed on the effects of medical cannabis on epilepsy, when recommended by a treating physician, medical cannabis may be the best alternative for some individuals living with drug-resistant epilepsy and uncontrolled seizures.

[…]

We urge the NCAA to review their existing guidelines on THC and explore possible exceptions to allow players under medical treatment, like C.J., the ability to fulfill their dreams of playing college football. We hope the NCAA would reconsider their decision and assess C.J. on his character and talent as a football player.

Now, Curtis Harris has revealed to TMZ Sports that his son would reconsider taking different medication for his seizures, if it meant he could play football. In other words, he’d have to stop taking a medicine that has proven effective just for a chance to play.

“He wants to play,” Curtis Harris said. “He’s gotta find a way and he’s willing to find something that doesn’t have the THC in it. We don’t want to look back and say we didn’t try, but C.J.’s health is most important.”

New York Health Dept. Has Finished Its Study On Marijuana Legalization

Amy Hansen
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New York Health Dept. Has Finished Its Study On Marijuana Legalization

Though it has yet to be released, the New York state health department has wrapped up its much hyped study in regards to legalizing recreational marijuana.

The study, commissioned by Gov. Andrew Cuomo in January (this is the same guy who referred to marijuana as a “gateway drug” as early as last year), “highlights the benefits of legalization on criminal justice reforms and a tax on the drug, but it stops short of fully endorsing the legalization,”  according to Spectrum News NY1.

Not surprisingly, Cuomo recently softened his tone amidst news that the majority of New Yorkers (62%) support legal marijuana. And there’s also the issue of Cynthia Nixon, his challenger in the Democratic primary, who endorsed the legalization.

As The Fresh Toast reported in January:

Legalizing marijuana for adult use in New York holds significant criminal justice reform potential. Under the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act, which is currently pending in the legislature, people who have been convicted of low-level possession (including possession in public view) and low-level sale can have that offense vacated from their record. Other offenses related to possession or sale that were previously misdemeanors or felonies can be reclassified and sealed. People currently incarcerated for such offenses would either be released or have their sentence appropriately reduced pursuant to the new statute.

This is crucial because marijuana prohibition enforcement has devastated communities across New York State, primarily those of color and low-income communities. More than 800,000 people have been arrested for possession of small amounts of marijuana in New York State over the past 20 years, with over 700,000 arrests by the NYPD alone. As a result, hundreds of thousands of people must contend with criminal records that yield significant collateral consequences for them—and their families, including limited access to housing, employment, and education opportunities.

And just recently, New York Democrats officially endorsed the full legalization of cannabis, explaining that millions of dollars of much-needed tax revenues would be added to state coffers if cannabis were taxed like alcohol.

5 Dating Apps To Meet Geeks And Nerds

Maria Loreto
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5 Dating Apps To Meet Geeks And Nerds

Lately, geek culture has experienced a renaissance of sorts. What used to be uncool and embarrassing is now celebrated and leaked into the mainstream. With dozens of Marvel movies gracing our screens and a show about dragons, knights, and zombies being the most televised event of the world, there has never been a better time to be a nerd.

If you’re looking for someone to discuss every event in the Marvel universe and every episode of “Westworld”, you might need the help of dating apps and services that take your interests into account. To help you, here are 5 dating apps to meet geeks and nerds.

Zoosk

https://giphy.com/gifs/30-rock-nerds-liz-lemon-Tyr3dQRS37gu4

While this service is one of the priciest, it’s pretty amazing and beloved by its users. Zoosk is highly customization, allowing you to find people who are interested in serious relationships or just dating. It also has the Mega Flirt option which introduces you to tons of singles at once without forcing you to pick someone and start a conversation with them. We’re not calling anyone out, but Zoosk is one of the best apps for shy people.

OkCupid

https://giphy.com/gifs/bYpgM8bi7QV3i

This site is another one that’s pretty old and reliable. Much of its success is due to the fact that okcupid is extremely inclusive and safe for all sorts of users, one of the reasons why it’s so popular within the LGBT community. The site starts by asking you some personal questions such as your pronouns, sexual orientation, and interests. After adding these results into its database, it pairs you up with other users who share similar characteristics.

Match

https://giphy.com/gifs/F6rmluLeKdfCo

This app is perfect for people who are really picky. The minute you log in, the website picks your brain for information regarding your dream match. This service is great for geeks because you can find any sort of interest, obscure or not, by typing it in to the search bar and finding people who are into whatever it is you’re into.

Cuddli

https://giphy.com/gifs/filmeditor-disney-halloween-3o7aTKs8feSRjXY3Cg

This app is great for people who don’t want to go through the hassle of creating a profile for yet another social media website. By selecting a good and visible image of you from Facebook, Cuddli allows you to skip a dozen steps and start browsing for your romantic partner. It’s also the world’s most geeky dating app, created specifically for the geek community. According to the app’s creator, Cassie Murdoch, Cuddli is “a space where you’re rewarded for your love of Comic Con or gaming rather than ridiculed.”

SoulGeek

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SoulGeek is another app that’s made specially for geeks, with categories such as “Sorta Geeky,” “Not Really Geeky But Still Cool,” and others, allowing you to find exactly what you’re looking for. The website also allows you to upload videos and images of things that you’re really interested in, giving you the chance to give your profile more flavor and personality.

Netflix Announces New Marijuana-Themed Competitive Cooking Show

Brendan Bures
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Netflix Announces New Marijuana-Themed Competitive Cooking Show

It appears Netflix hasn’t given up on producing cannabis content. Though the streaming company canceled the marijuana-themed sitcom “Disjointed” following its disastrous reception, you’ll be able to binge a new marijuana-themed show called “Cooking On High” this June.

Billed as the first competitive cannabis cooking show, “Cooking On High” will feature 10 chefs crafting the tastiest and most innovative dishes possible for four celebrity judges. The caveat: All the dishes must include marijuana. Not only that, but the judges have to feel the effects, if you get what we mean. Basically, it’s a “Chopped” and “Cupcake Wars” hybrid, but everyone’s getting high.

The program will be hosted by comedian and YouTuber Josh Leyva, who rose to online fame thanks to his sketches, dance videos, and goofy challenges. He’ll be joined by Ngaio Bealum, a fellow comedian and cannabis activist who co-hosted “Cannabis Planet.” It’s a slightly odd pairing as Bealum, the token “weed guy”, is more than 20 years Leyva’s senior.

Other than that, not much is known about the show. No trailers or celebrity judges have been revealed. Whatever mixture of cannabis and culinary skills the show plans to achieve remains up in the air. “Cooking on High” premieres June 22 and will be rated 18 and over for obvious reasons.

Why Can Princess Eugenie Have An IG Account, But Meghan Can’t?

Maria Loreto
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Why Can Princess Eugenie Have An IG Account, But Meghan Can’t?

Princess Eugenie of York, Queen Elizabeth’s 28-year-old granddaughter, is currently the only member of the British royal family to have a public Instagram account. Her Instagram includes a mix of public and personal posts that make you believe that it’s not run by an employee of the royal house. In it, Princess Eugenie is just as likely to post a photo of one of her charities as she is an image of her dogs.

With this information in mind, why did Meghan Markle have to erase her entire social media presence once she got engaged to Prince Harry?

It’s complicated, but according to The Daily Mail, this is due to the fact that Princess Eugenie and her sister are not working royals, meaning they don’t fulfill engagements in an official capacity. Both princesses have full time jobs, with Eugenie working at an art gallery. They’re also not listed on the Royal website, which is apparently damning evidence.

Even though there’s not an explicit rule stating that royals can’t have social media accounts, it goes against the royal protocol, which is why there are several social media accounts designed to present the royals’ interests and points of view. Both Kensington Palace’s Twitter and Instagram accounts describe it as the “official account of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, and their Royal Foundation, based at Kensington Palace.”

There’s also a Royal Family Twitter which posts “Updates, pictures and videos from Buckingham Palace about the work and activities of The Queen and members of The Royal Family.”

California Closer To Allowing Cannabis At Special Events

Terry Hacienda
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California Closer To Allowing Cannabis At Special Events

California is the land of plenty — plenty of festivals celebrating its natural bounty of agricultural achievements. Not only does the state have more than its share of celebrations of hops (brewfests) and grapes (wine-tasting soirees), there are entire weekends devoted to artichokes, asparagus, almonds and avocados. And that’s just the first letter of the alphabet. Cannabis? Well, it’s complicated.

But change is afoot in the Golden State. The state Assembly Appropriations Committee passed a bill in late May that would allow marijuana sales and consumption at special events held on local fairgrounds. The 13-2 vote means the bill advances to the full legislative body. AB 2641 allows the Bureau of Cannabis Control to grant temporary licenses for special events.

According to the Eureka Times-Standard, a daily newspaper in the heart of the state’s famous “Emerald Triangle” cannabis region:

Cannifest, originally set to take place at the Humboldt County Fairgrounds earlier this month, was canceled because of a “lack of policies,” according to a release from the organizers in February. The Cannifest website says the group is “manifesting” a new date for the event.

Ken Hamik, a futurist and consultant for Humboldt Green, which organizes the Cannifest events, said AB 2641 would level the playing field for small businesses.

“This bill, we are very supportive of it,” Hamik told the Times-Standard. “We believe small farmers need to have a pathway to present their brands to the market outside of Humboldt County — like a small local winery can go to events and talk about their land, their farming techniques and their product.”

Hamik is frustrated that cannabis is treated differently from alcohol. “We’re sad that this is over-21 events,” Hamik told the paper. “We’re trying to lobby. … If you go to the game, you can buy beer but you can bring your kids.”

All legal cannabis jurisdictions struggle with the issue of public consumption. In Seattle, for example, the world-famous Hempfest has been going strong since 1991. Marijuana was illegal until 2014, but for 27 years, cannabis consumption was tolerated but not legal. Even since legalization, marijuana use is not legal during the three-day celebration of all thing cannabis.

In California, a new day may be dawning. Stay tuned.

These 7 Types Of Marijuana Can Make You More Sexy

Maria Loreto
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These 7 Types Of Marijuana Can Make You More Sexy

Throughout pop culture and literature, the effects of various drugs on sexual appetites and experiences have been well-documented. It’s little wonder why college kids and adults alike spend maximum time drinking at bars or parties to find a sexual partner.

But what effects does marijuana have on our erotic exploits? For some, smoking cannabis leads to enhanced intimacy during intercourse. And just last year, Psychology Today informally polled readers to report how smoking weed changed their sex lives. Though 12 percent of readers responded “marijuana destroys sex,” about 67 percent said “marijuana enhances sex.” Here’s how they described the effects:

“Marijuana engulfs me in sex foam. I’m just pure sex on that stuff. It’s great. I could never feel that way sober or drunk.”

“After smoking, I can feel my nipples perk up, clitoris tingle and vagina become wet to the point that I can feel it through my pants and my man knows he is in for a LONG night.”

Perhaps, what’s more interesting, is that 20 percent reported “marijuana’s sexual effect depends on the dose, strain, and the smoker’s mood.” Different strains produce vastly different effects in users—from psychoactive properties to creative boosts. It does matter what you smoke. So that led us to question what cannabis strains could be considered the “sexy strains?” What would enhance the mood when you’re in the mood?

Here Are 7 Strains That Will Help You Get It On:

Green Love Potion
Can you doubt that kind of name? This indica-dominant strain won’t give you couchlock, but will instead give you a relaxing body high that will enhance a lovely feeling of intimacy.

Hawaiian Diesel
A descendant from the popular Sour Diesel and Hawaiian strains, this sativa will give you a giggly, but laid-back sensation. It will instill an energy that can be used for socializing, or, well, you know.

Key Lime Pie
If you’re looking to amplify sexy time, Key Lime Pie will help you go a long way. The hybrid strain will make you very sensitive to touch, but be warned. According to Leafly, Key Lime Pie has “been known to overwhelm those less familiar with cannabis.”

Aloha
This stimulating sativa will leave you feeling refreshed and creative. It will also give you an activating buzz and help arouse intimacy between you and your partner.

K-Train
Though the mostly-indica strain is a popular medical choice because of its abilities to treat depression, pain and some mental disorders, it also could be considered an aphrodisiac of sorts. Boasting parents of OG Kush and Trainwreck, it combines muscle-relaxing effects with a brilliant mental arousal, both ideal for enhancing the mood.

Paris XXX
An extension of the Paris OG family, this primarily indica strain acts fast and will leave users both stimulated and soothed.

Gobbilygoo
Though this indica will induce you into a heavily pacified state, it will also make you highly aroused and energetic. Near perfect for that moment right before you crawl into bed.

Foria Pleasure
Though it’s not a weed strain, consider this topical product an added bonus. Here’s a short description: “a therapeutic oil designed to enhance female pleasure and is made with all natural liquid coconut oil (MCT) and purified pharmaceutical-grade cannabis oil.” In laywoman’s terms, it gets your vagina high. What could be more sexy than that?

Gwyneth Paltrow On Smoking Weed

Brendan Bures
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Gwyneth Paltrow On Smoking Weed

When it comes to making a celebrity uncomfortable, Howard Stern can’t resist. So when Gwyneth Paltrow stopped by recently, he prodded her about her upcoming wedding to producer Brad Fulchak. Noting that Paltrow eloped when she married her first husband, Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, Stern wanted to know if Fulchak and Paltrow would blow it out.

Though she neither confirmed nor denied having a big wedding, Paltrow said the couple’s engagement party was a big to-do. In attendance was Kate Hudson, Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Richie, Jennifer Aniston, Cameron Diaz, and “like, 300 normal people,” according to Paltrow.

When Diaz’s name was mentioned, Stern perked up. “I like her,” he said, before asking, “Is she fun? Like she’ll smoke some weed and chill out?” To which Paltrow nervously laughed. Sensing an opening, Stern inquired further, asking, “Are you smoking any weed?”

“Sometimes,” Paltrow admitted. “It’s legal now in California!”

Paltrow later added, “We weren’t smoking pot, though. Not at the engagement party.”

RELATED: Brides Magazine’: Marijuana Is The Ultimate Aphrodisiac

Considering Paltrow posted an Instagram from the luncheon in which she donned laced panties atop her head, we might beg to differ.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bh4xfL2HbiC/?utm_source=ig_embed

In an interview with Esther Perel from The Sunday Times, Paltrow admitted her past romantic relationships have lacked “a certain level of intimacy and communication, revealing, “Now, for the first time, I feel I’m in an adult relationship that is sometimes uncomfortable because he sort of demands a certain level of intimacy and communication that I haven’t been held to before. What came up in the first couple of years of our relationship was how incapable I was in this realm, how I feared intimacy and communication.”

Listen Up, Harry And Meghan: Newlyweds Go Through 5 Personality Changes

Amy Hansen
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Listen Up, Harry And Meghan: Newlyweds Go Through 5 Personality Changes

As Duchess Meghan and Prince Harry continue to bask in the glow of their new  life together, new research finds that within the first 18 months of marriage, many couples go through the Big Five. The study, published in Developmental Psychology, says heterosexual couples will likely exhibit five personality changes during the early months, as they adjust to their new roles. Is this what they mean by “honeymoon’s over”?

According to study lead  Justin Lavner at the University of Georgia:

Results indicated significant changes in personality over time, including declines in agreeableness for husbands and for wives, declines in extraversion for husbands, declines in openness and neuroticism for wives, and increases in conscientiousness for husbands.

He says while women will become less open, men will become less extroverted during those initial stages.

The study also finds that wives become “less neurotic” and the husbands “increasingly conscientious and more emotionally stable.”

And this goes for everyone. The results did not differ despite age, demographics, relationship length prior to marriage, cohabitation prior to marriage, initial marital satisfaction, or parenthood status.

Lavner concludes that, “Taken together, these findings indicate that newlywed spouses’ personalities undergo meaningful changes during the newlywed years and these changes are associated with changes in spouses’ marital satisfaction.”

[h/t The Daily Mail]

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