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Is Cannabis Banking In California On The Horizon?

Legalization is long overdue. And just last week, US Attorney General Jeff Sessions, while testifying before the US Senate, surprisingly said that cannabis should be researched and that there may be some benefits to medical marijuana. We’ll take a lukewarm comment from the man that said “good people don’t smoke marijuana” and take that to the bank. Which brings me to the topic of today’s post, banking (a transition as smooth as my middle school dance moves).

It’s no secret that many cannabis operators have to operate as cash only businesses since many financial institutions still refuse to offer banking services to the cannabis sector (which has led to an increase in interest in cryptocurrencies). In California, many banking institutions that were considering openly banking cannabis businesses decided to remain on the sidelines once A.G. Sessions rescinded the Cole Memo this January. However, like the slow but forceful gravitational pull of the moon, we’re starting to see tide shift towards more banking opportunities on the horizon.

Part of the shift has to do with fact that the cannabis licensing agencies in California (the Bureau of Cannabis Control, the Department of Food and Agriculture, and the Department of Public Health) will start issuing annual licenses in May. To date, all of these agencies have only issued temporary permits, which required little more than a local permit, a location, and a premises diagram. The application for an annual license requires much greater detail. Although some applicants may balk at the amount of information they must provide, the fact intensive nature of the application process will undoubtedly help cannabis operators obtain banking services. A cannabis business owner that has received an annual permit from the state, can use that permit as a stamp of approval when walking into a bank to open an account. Possession of an annual license will signify to banks that you’ve passed a background investigation and proven to the state that you have the procedures in place to run a compliant cannabis business. Don’t lose sight of that fact as you’re cursing all the hoops you’re jumping through.

Another step in the right direction when it comes to opening banking services to the cannabis industry is the progress of Senate Bill 930 in the California state legislature. SB 930 was first introduced by State Sen. Robert Hertzberg (D-Van Nuys) on January 25, 2018, and was approved by the Governance and Finance Committee last Wednesday. SB 930 would provide for the licensure and regulation of cannabis limited charter banks and credit unions whose sole purpose would be to provide banking services to the cannabis industry. SB 930 is more workable and has a stronger likelihood of success than the prospect of a state backed bank, which we last discussed here.

In order for SB 930 to be successful, it is paramount that the FinCEN guidance issued by the Department of Treasury remain in place (see here for the importance of the FinCEN guidance). The bill would also create the Cannabis Limited Charter Advisory Board (“Board”) that would hold public hearings, submit reports of enforcement activities, and provide guidance on specified investment activities. The Board will be comprised of the state Treasurer (you can find our analysis of the Treasurer’s banking report, here), the state Controller, and Chief of the Bureau of Cannabis Control. SB 930 would also authorize charter banks and credit unions to issue special purpose checks for the following:

  • To pay fees or taxes to the state or local jurisdiction;
  • To pay rent on property that is associated with the account holder’s cannabis business; and
  • To pay a vendor that is located in California for expenses related to goods and services associated with the account holder’s cannabis business.

SB 930 will still have to clear some procedural hurdles before it’s in front of the full Senate for a vote, but this is definitely another step in the right direction to ease the logistical burden – and enormous public safety concern – that dealing in all cash poses on cannabis businesses. SB 930 is yet another piece in the fight against the federal government’s unjust war on cannabis. Eventually the final blow will have to come from the federal government, but in the interim California, along with many other states, will continue to lead the way.

Habib Bentleb is an attorney at Harris Bricken, a law firm with lawyers in Seattle, Portland, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Barcelona, and Beijing. This story was originally published on the Canna Law Blog

7 Summer Cannabis Cocktails You Can Enjoy Year Round

Have you ever made a bartender stop dead in their judgemental tracks with your drink order? I have, and let me tell you, he was a newbie For that attitude. My time spent year round working in a tiki bar proved to me that seasonal drinks only go so far when put up against personal preference. Just because some people are transitioning to PSL’s doesn’t mean you need to follow the crowd.

Being fall-like has nothing to do with what you enjoy to drink, so why bother fretting if you want a ‘summery’ drink in the fall or even the dead of winter. Temperatures may drop but that does not mean a 6 month hot drink sentence if you are into cold drinks, or fruit flavors that typically scream sunscreen and splashing when it’s more snowball and santa weather. If you’re taking the time to infuse a beverage with cannabis, that’s even more reason to have the exact drink you want, haters be damned.

Here’s​ ​7​ ​cannabis​ ​infused​ ​and​ ​‘summery’​ ​drinks​ ​to​ ​have​ ​year​ ​round​ ​if​ ​you​ ​so​ ​choose, and​ ​you​ ​should!

Aperol​ ​Spritz

The Italian classic is definitely a harbinger of spring, but there is not one single fault in having it year round. Consisting of a dash of bittersweet Aperol with ice, prosecco, and a splash of seltzer with an orange peel, a classy glass of this will please you year round if you let it. Teasingly bitter while cool and bubbly, it’s somewhere in between a cocktail and a glass of wine, making ideal conditions for a few drops of alcohol tincture to add greenery. Traditionally consumed after lunch and before dinner, aromatics help stimulate the appetite, and we already know cannabis does that.

Try mixing ½ oz Aperol and ⅛ oz cannabis tincture* over ice, top with Prosecco ¾ of the way, finish with a splash of sparkling water, and express an orange peel over the top. Mi Piacere!

Photo by Danielle Guercio

Agua​ ​Fresca

It’s never a bad time to drink fruit infused water, and agua fresca is as easy to make as can be. Choose literally any fruits, chop, and infuse for at least 4 hours. The fruits will lend their scent and a light flavor, and you get to have water that isn’t boring. Take it to the next level with ⅛ oz glycerin tincture* for every two to three people. Make a year-round tasty version with oranges, rosemary, and lavender flowers for invigorating flavors, or try out something lighter with honeydew and lime. This is also a great way to use watermelon rinds, cucumber peels, or basically any fruit peels left over from other applications for a second wind.

Iced​ ​Coffee

Cold brew or simply chilled Americanos start filtering into the streets in April in most american cities, but we all know coffee is a way of life best kept personal.

Don’t listen to anyone who questions your preference for Ice in the icy throes of January, they don’t have your best intentions at heart. There’s no shortage of way to spike your coffee with cannabis, often described as weedballin for it’s special focus enhancing properties.

Photo by Danielle Guercio

Arnold​ ​Palmer

Lemonade is not strictly for hot days, and the popular half-and-half formula also aligns with that philosophy. Sweet cannabis infused lemonade is more than just a tasty beverage, it can help keep your high calm and centered, while tea’s caffeine at a half dose will improve focus without making you feel like you mainlined a macchiato.

Squeeze a full lemon into a glass with 1 TBS sugar and ⅛ oz glycerin tincture*. Mix until dissolved. Add ice to the top, pour in ¼ cup water, then fill with cold tea and yell FORE! like you’ve always wanted to.

Fruit​ ​Sangria

Sangrias don’t have to be hot weather exclusive, but even when they are, the deliciousness is a motivator to keep drinking it year round. Though the usualinvolves oranges and apples, you can use anything you want, from fall’s bounteous berries to cider apples and a cinnamon stick.

Blur the lines between mulled wine and sangria by making this Dankgria with red wine. Chop one apple and zest one lemon, add to a pitcher. Toss in one cinnamon stick and one star anise pod. Stir in ½ cup of calvados or brandy and 1/2oz glycerin tincture*, add one bottle of dry red wine, and you’ve got a middle ground that’s workable for these in-between weather days.

Froze

Since posting our own frose recipe, I’ve made it again and again with different fruits and berries. At this level of deliciousness, It won’t be waning in popularity as we wind into fall.

Make one that’s less sun-dependent with fall berries and maybe some late-season watermelon or cantaloupe over the usual strawberry. The fruits are entirely interchangeable! Just be sure to use enough ice, cooler weather doesn’t mean you have to skimp on the slush.

Photo by Danielle Guercio

Pina​ ​Colada

I can count the people I trust to make me a pina colada on one hand. If presented the opportunity to have such a perfect creation from one of those five people, I don’t care in the slightest if it’s blizzarding outside, I’m drinking it, I have and would do it again! When these colleagues and I felt like experimenting, we became so fond of cannabis infused coconut drinks that we made it a weekly indulgence to close out a busy Saturday, for employees only!

Make a weed-infused pina colada with 1 oz coconut milk or coconut cream, 2oz fresh pineapple juice, 1/8th oz cannabis alcohol tincture*, 2oz rum, and ½ oz simple syrup.

*Cannabis​ ​Infusions

Decarboxylate 3.5g of finely ground cannabis at 225 degrees for 20 minutes in a tightly sealed, oven safe container. Put cannabis in lidded mason jar or vacuum sealed bag with cannabis and ½ cup olive oil, 2oz glycerin, or 1oz high proof alcohol. Heat in water bath just under boiling for at least 1 hour. Strain and chill to use in recipes

Maybe if people spent less time adapting to the commercial concept of seasonal enjoyment and more time being true to their tastebuds we would have less of a mental divide between spring summer and fall/winter food and drink options. Crafting quality cannabis beverages is much more exciting when you are picking what your heart desires.

There’s A Beetle Species Named After Leonardo DiCaprio

Most actors don’t have beetles named after them but Leonardo DiCaprio sure does, and he’s super proud of it.

DiCaprio is an environmentalist and has done a lot of work for the planet, battling global warming and aiding in preserving animals and the environment, so the beetle in his honor doesn’t come out of nowhere.

The beetle species is called Grouvellinus leonardodicaprioi, which sounds like a Harry Potter spell but still is pretty sweet. The beetle was discovered on the side of a waterfall in Malaysian Borneo, and it was in pretty bad shape, with a missing antenna and a front leg.

According to Mashable, the expedition was conducted by Taxon Expeditions and it’s part of a program that trains people to capture, study and identify new species of animals. On a statement, the company said that the beetle was named in DiCaprio’s honor due to the 20th anniversary of the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation, which works to preserve biodiversity and has done important work for the planet.

For his part, DiCaprio was so honored that he put the beetle as his profile picture on Facebook. The internet couldn’t resist and had to add a few comments of their own:

Facebook Is Getting Ready To Launch A Dating Platform

It was only a matter of time. Facebook has announced that they’re going to be giving Tinder a run for its money by entering the dating side of technology.

According to Facebook, they’re building a feature for dating and relationships within the Facebook app. Because, duh, that’s what many people primarily use the social media platform for already.

“People already use Facebook to meet new people, and we want to make that experience better. People will be able to create a dating profile that is separate from their Facebook profile — and potential matches will be recommended based on dating preferences, things in common, and mutual friends. They’ll have the option to discover others with similar interests through their Groups or Events. However, what people do within the dating feature will not be shown to their friends. We’ll share more information when this begins testing later this year.”

RELATED: Facebook Says You’re Not A Product, But Are You? 

The announcement was made during F8, an annual two-day event in San Jose where developers meet to explore the future of technology. Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg said that 1 in 3 marriages in the U.S. start online and reminded everyone in the audience that “there are 200 million people on Facebook who list themselves as single, so clearly there’s something to do here!”

Zuckerberg says if Facebook is focused on helping people build meaningful relationships, “then this is perhaps the most meaningful of all.”

Facebook’s Chief Product Officer, Chris Cox, demoed the platform, saying, “We hope this will help more folks meet and find partners.”

See how the dating service will work here:

How Two High School Friends Concocted The Original Superman

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Superman – the first, most famous American superhero – turns 80 this year.

The comics, toys, costumes and billion-dollar Hollywood blockbusters can all trace their ancestry to the first issue of “Action Comics,” which hit newsstands in April 1938.

Most casual comic book fans can recite the character’s fictional origin story: As the planet Krypton approaches destruction, Jor-El and his wife, Lara, put their infant son, Kal-El, into a spaceship to save him. He rockets to Earth and is taken in by the kindly Kents. As he grows up, Kal-El – now known as Clark – develops strange powers, and he vows to use them for good.

But the story of the real-life origins of Superman – a character created out of friendship, persistence and personal tragedy – is just as dramatic.

From Villain To Hero

When I was a kid growing up in Cleveland, my dad would regale my brother and me with stories of Superman’s local origins: The two men who had concocted the comic book hero had grown up in the area.

As I became older, I realized I wanted to understand not only how, but why Superman was created. A 10-year research project ensued, and it culminated in my book “Super Boys.”

In the mid-1930s, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster were two nerds with glasses who attended Glenville High School in Cleveland, Ohio. They worked on the school newspaper, wrote stories, drew cartoons, and dreamed of being famous. Jerry was the writer; Joe was the artist. When they finally turned to making comics, a publisher named Major Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson gave them their first break, commissioning them to create spy and adventure comics in his magazines “New Fun” and “Detective Comics.”

But Jerry and Joe had been working on something else: a story about a “Superman” – a villain with special mental powers – that Jerry had stolen from a different magazine. They self-published it in a pamphlet titled “Science Fiction.”

While “Science Fiction” only lasted for five issues, they liked the name of the character and continued to work on it. Before long, their new Superman was a good guy. Joe dressed him in a cape and trunks like those of the era’s popular bodybuilders, modeled the character’s speedy running abilities after Olympic sprinter Jesse Owens, and gave him the bouncy spit-curl of Johnny Weissmuller, the actor who played Tarzan. It was a mishmash of 1930s pop culture in gladiator boots.

When they were finally ready, they started pitching Superman to every newspaper syndicate and publisher they could find.

All of them rejected it, some of them several times. This continued for several years, but the duo never gave up.

When Superman finally saw print, it was through a process that is still not wholly clear. But the general consensus is that a publisher named Harry Donenfeld, who had acquired the major’s company, National Allied Publications (the predecessor to DC Comics), bought the first Superman story – and all the rights therein – for US$130.

Was Jerry Trying To Create A Superdad?

The first issue of Action Comics featured Superman on the cover. Philipp Lenssen, CC BY-NC

The world was introduced to Superman in “Action Comics” No. 1, on April 18, 1938, with the Man of Steel appearing on the cover smashing a Hudson roadster. The inaugural issue cost 10 cents; in 2014, a copy in good condition sold for $3.2 million dollars.

When the comic became a runaway hit, Jerry and Joe regretted selling their rights to the character; they ended up leaving millions on the table. Though they worked on Superman comics for the next 10 years, they would never own the character they created, and for the rest of their lives repeatedly filed lawsuits in an effort to get him back.

But there is another more personal piece to the puzzle of Superman’s origins.

On June 2, 1932, Jerry’s father, Michel, was about to close his secondhand clothing store in Cleveland when some men walked in. Michel caught them trying to steal a suit, and ended up dying on the spot – not in a hail of gunfire, but from a heart attack.

Jerry was 17.

Jerry Siegel pictured while serving in the U.S. Army. Wikimedia Commons

Some believe Jerry may have created Superman as a fantasy version of his own father – as someone who could instantly transform from a mild-mannered man into a hero capable of easily overpowering petty thieves. Indeed, some of the early Superman stories feature Jor-El out of breath (as Michel often was from heart disease) and show criminals who faint dead when confronted by Superman. As many victims of childhood trauma often do, Jerry may have used Superman to re-enact his father’s tragic death over and over in an attempt to somehow fix it.

In Superman’s never-ending battle of good versus evil, this same story is repeated again and again on the page, in cartoons and in movies. It’s seen in kids who pretend to be Superman, tucking towels in at their neck and playing out battles in their backyards.

The ConversationWhy is Superman’s 80th birthday important? It isn’t just about celebrating a “funny book” about a guy who has heat vision and can fly. It’s about using fantasy to make sense of the world, plumbing personal tragedy to tell a story, and using art to envision a more just and safe society.

Brad Ricca, Lecturer of English, Case Western Reserve University

This article was originally published on The Conversation. 

Hemp, Hemp, Hooray! How Hemp Can Save The Planet

The hemp plant has been around for millenia. It was thought to be one of the original crops of the fertile crescent and, more recently, people were required to grow hemp in the United States during World War II. If you didn’t know that last fact, look up “Hemp for Victory” and look at the propaganda.

Now, we’re inching back into industrial hemp farming with 13 states having re-legalized it. We’re still a far cry away from saving the planet with hemp at this point, but could it be done? And how? We’ll start with the facts that hemp can easily replace trees for making paper, furniture and building materials and can also replace the chemicals used to make plastic.

Hemp is perhaps the most versatile plant in the world and can be used to make a slew of things that go from beyond useful to environmentally friendly when using hemp. In fact, it even makes biofuel and can build the cars and jets that utilize it.

Want to get even more excited about the hemp plant? Think about the above statements: it is possible to stop deforestation by using hemp for paper and building materials, it’s possible to stop toxins from splitting apart our atmosphere by halting the use of chemicals in plastics, and especially by using biofuel. Plus, hemp cleans the air of carbon emissions by basically trapping the carbons inside the plant at an enormous rate.

Best of all, growing hemp is super healthy for the Earth. It can grow in many, many soil conditions and then takes that soil and increases its microbial content. And the parts of the plant that fall back to the land when harvested enrich the soil further. Because hemp is so soil friendly, it also doesn’t need to be rotated with other crops.

The reason that no crop rotation is a good thing is that most plants and tubers require pesticides and other chemicals. Hemp is truly a miracle plant in that it grows sturdy, without harmful substances and is at the ready to make the planet more sustainable once again.

The original bible on hemp was written by Jack Herer, called, The Emperor Wears No Clothes, and it’s available for free at www.JackHerer.com. If the idea of hemp has piqued your interest, this is definitely required reading that will change your whole idea of the world and what we can do to restore it and make it thrive.

All Is Right In The World Because There’s A Studio Ghibli Theme Park On The Way

Because good things are still capable of happening in the world, Studio Ghibli (aka the best animation studio in the world) is building a 500-acre theme park that’ll feature creatures from their most iconic movies. Sadly, there will be only one theme park and it will be in Japan.

Studio Ghibli is like Japan’s version of Pixar, and their movies are among the best ones in the world. Founded over 30 years ago by legendary filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki, the studio has won dozens of awards, Oscars, and world wide recognition, making movies that everyone remembers and that have influeced kids and adults from all parts of the globe.

According to The AV Club, the park was supposed to only feature scenes from My Neighbor Totoro, but now they’re planning on including rides and areas inspired on other Ghibli movies, including Howl’s Moving Castle, Kiki’s Delivery Service, and more.

The park will reflect Miyazaki’s artistic interests, such as “European themed brick towers,” forest trails, and giant installations of animal spirits that evoke Japanese culture and mythology.

The Studio Ghibli park is set for release on 2022, and it’ll be located on the Aichi region near Nagoya.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein Admits She No Longer Opposes Legal Marijuana

This is a first for Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who, up until now, was considered a staunch opponent of legalizing recreational weed. Now, her stances is that California should be in charge of its own legal marijuana market — not the feds.

Speaking to McClatchy early this week, the U.S. Democratic Senator  said she was open to considering federal protection for state-legalized marijuana. The Senator, who’s in the midst of a 2018 campaign for her seat in California, changed her views after meetings with constituents, “particularly those with young children who have benefited from medical marijuana use,” according to McClatchy.

“My state has legalized marijuana for personal use, and as California continues to implement this law, we need to ensure we have strong safety rules to prevent impaired driving and youth access, similar to other public health issues like alcohol,” she told McClatchy.

Currently, Feinstein is beating Democrat Kevin de Leon, her closest opponent, by 26 points, according to the most recent poll by the Public Policy Institute of California. De Leon had been campaigning on that fact that Feinstein was too moderate and out of touch, siding with many marijuana advocates who believe Feinstein is responsible for “‘reefer madness’-style disinformation campaigns” about Proposition 64 — the California Marijuana Legalization Initiative of 2016.

Sen. Cory Gardner, R-Colo. and Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., are drafting a bill that would put marijuana legalization into the hands of individual states. For states that are legal already, like California, it would provide more stability.

Feinstein said she would need to review the bill “to determine whether it’s the best path forward,” before commenting on it, but, according to McClatchy, “she indicated she could be supportive of Gardner’s vision.”

Marijuana Is Featured Attraction At This Maine Garden Show

Although Maine is still struggling to launch its recreational marijuana market, there is hope that the State Legislature will make it happen in the near future. For the second time in two years, Republican Governor Paul LePage vetoed a bill designed to establish retail pot sales. This was done, he said, because the measure did not provide enough safeguards in the interest of public safety. But this snag is definitely not stopping marijuana from going mainstream in the Pine Tree State. It will be one of the featured attractions this year during the Home Garden Flower Show at the Fryeburg Fairgrounds, according to a report from the Conway Daily Sun.

Unlike years past, the garden show, which features exhibitors from throughout New England, will allow the cannabis scene to be represented. Although organizers have prohibited anything containing THC from being sold on the grounds, a number of cannabis industry representatives will be on-site slinging seed kits and a variety of products made from cannabidiol (CBD), the non-intoxicating part of the cannabis plant. The no THC rule was made because it is not yet legal to sell in Maine. Marijuana is, however, legal to grow, possess and use for adults 21 and older all across the state.

Considering that it could be 2019 before Maine’s retail cannabis market is fully operational, cannabis consumers will have no way to legally get their hands on the herb for the next several months unless they grow their own. This garden show could be a solid start for those people new to the concept of home cultivation. There will be several demonstrations offered on this subject, including how-to’s on feeding and caring for pot plants.

“Gardening has always been a big part of the show, and seminars on garden-related topics will take place all three days,” reports the Sun.

In addition to panels on growing cannabis, there will be presentations over medical marijuana and wellness. Maine has been home to therapeutic cannabis program for almost 20 years. It gives patients suffering from a number of qualified conditions permission to purchase the herb from a caregiver or dispensary. The state’s program was the focus of a recent CNN Special Report entitled “Weed 4: Pot vs. Pills” with Dr. Sanjay Gupta, in which many patients said they have used medical marijuana as a way out of opioid addiction.

The Home Garden Flower Show will take place May 19-20. Hopefully, if all of the drama gets hashed out in the next legislative session, these types of events will become more prevalent statewide. Perhaps next year, the garden show will have the freedom to opens its doors to products containing THC.

Meghan Markle Helped Prince Harry Lose Weight And Quit Smoking

It’s no secret that Meghan Markle is a very healthy person. She used to run a semi-reputable lifestyle blog that had a large focus on healthy eating and exercise. She was also an actress, and was born in California, which naturally equates to health nut status.

While Markle is known for her healthy lifestyle, Prince Harry is infamous for his party habits, which don’t exactly bring to mind kale and quinoa. According to FOX News, Harry was also a smoker, but all of that has stopped since he got engaged to Markle. In fact, both Markle and Harry are undergoing a wedding detox and have cut back on drinking and eating red meat. Sources also claim that these changes are becoming more permanent, and that Markle’s lifestyle has rubbed off on Harry.

According to Katie Bristoll, author of Harry: Life, Loss, and Love, Markle cleaned up Harry’s fridge the minute she moved into his apartment, and she’s been slowly getting him to appreciate yoga and healthy foods.

Prince Harry has also been focusing on working out more and drinking green smoothies. His pre-wedding diet is supposedly devoid of dairy, low on sugar, and high on proteins. The couple has also taken up cooking healthy meals together.

With his diet, Prince Harry is receiving help from nutritionist and friend Gabriela Peacock, who worked with his cousins Princess Beatrice and Eugenie in the past.

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