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Meghan Markle Might Wear This Ridiculously Expensive Tiara During Wedding

Maria Loreto
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Meghan Markle Might Wear This Ridiculously Expensive Tiara During Wedding

While wearing a tiara on your wedding sounds completely over the top, things are different if you’re marrying into the royal family. Tiaras are tradition when it comes to royal weddings, with Kate Middleton donning one as her “something borrowed” from the Queen.

Business Insider reports that Meghan Markle has a lot of options to choose from thanks to the Queen’s well stocked royal collection of tiaras.

Experts believe that Markle might wear the Strathmore Rose tiara or Princess Diana’s iconic Spencer tiara, both of which would suit her well at the wedding; the former would honor tradition and the latter would be a nod to Princess Diana, which is supposed to be a priority for the wedding, according to multiple sources.

While all of these speculations have some back up, Markle and Prince Harry haven’t been that concerned with tradition, so they might design a special tiara for the occasion. No matter their decision, tiaras are expensive, especially royal ones.

It’s speculated that the Spencer Tiara is worth over $225,000, while a custom made one might be even more expensive. Jerry Ehrenwald, from the International Gemological Institute estimated that a tiara especially designed for Markle might cost over $687,360.

Seniors Suffering From Opioid Addiction: ‘Thank You Cannabis!’

Terry Hacienda
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Seniors Suffering From Opioid Addiction: ‘Thank You Cannabis!’

Medical marijuana reduces pain in older patients and helps reduce opioid dependence, according to a new report. Researchers at Northwell Health conducted a questionnaire of older men and women to assess the efficacy of cannabis for pain management.

The most stunning revelation of the report shows that 91 percent of seniors would recommend medical marijuana to others. The results of the study, “Older Adults’ Use of Medical Marijuana for Chronic Pain: A Multisite Community-Based Survey,” give doctors a glance at how specifically cannabis aids elderly Americans. The researchers surveyed 138 medical marijuana users with an anonymous 20-question survey focusing on how often they used the marijuana, in what form they took it, how much it reduced pain and whether or not they were able to cut back their use of other painkillers.

When patients were asked if they were able to curb their use of other painkillers after starting medical marijuana, 18 percent reported decreasing their use “moderately,” 20 percent “extremely” and 27 percent “completely.”

Here are some comments from the patients:

“My quality of life has increased considerably since starting medical marijuana. I was on opiates for 15 years, and 6 months on marijuana, and off both completely.”

And:

“It [medical marijuana] is extremely effective and has allowed me to function in my work and life again. It has not completely taken away the pain, but allows me to manage it.”

And:

“I was on Percocet and replaced it with medical marijuana. Thank you, thank you, thank you.”

These patients included in the questionnaire suffered from chronic pain from osteoarthritis, spinal stenosis, hips and knees that could not be replaced, and pain not relieved by steroid injections, according to Dr. Diana Martins-Welch, a co-author of the study and physician in the Division of Geriatric and Palliative Medicine, Department of Medicine at Northwell Health.

Martins-Welch believes that medical marijuana could be effective in curbing the opioid epidemic now ravaging the United States. “What I’m seeing in my practice, and what I’m hearing from other providers who are participating in medical marijuana programs, is that their patients are using less opioids. I’ve even gotten some patients completely off opioids.”

Martins-Welch and colleagues surveyed men and women between the ages 61 to 70 about their use of medical marijuana. Patients responded to 20 questions about their marijuana use. The researchers found that most patients, 45 percent, used vaporized oil, while 28 percent used pills and 17 percent used marijuana-laced oil. Twenty-one percent used marijuana once a day, 23 percent used it twice daily, and 39 percent used marijuana more than twice a day.

Using marijuana in these forms dramatically reduces its mind-altering effect, Martins-Welch said.

In most cases, a doctor recommended medical marijuana (46 percent) followed by a family member or friend (24 percent) or another health care provider (6 percent), while others did not specify who recommended it (24 percent).

When asked how pain levels changed before and one month after starting marijuana, most patients reported that average pain scores dropped from 9.0 on a scale of 0-10 to a more moderate pain threshold of 5.6.

The 5 States With The Highest Marijuana Arrest Rates

Brendan Bures
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The 5 States With The Highest Marijuana Arrest Rates

Believe it or not, the state with the highest marijuana arrest rate doesn’t contain a major metropolitan city. Nor is it located in the Bible Belt or any other states where marijuana rights are contentiously fought. According to an analysis of marijuana arrest date highlighted by NJ Advance Media, Wyoming had the highest cannabis arrest rate in 2016 across the country.

By sheer volume, Texas and New York lead the nation in total number of marijuana arrests. That shouldn’t be too surprising because in 2016 Texas and New York boasted a population of 27 million and 19.7 million people, respectively.

But the third state on that list could surprise you. That would be New Jersey, which now appears on the verge of legalizing recreational marijuana under new governor Phil Murphy. Murphy ran under a pro-marijuana platform, vowing to listen to the voice of the people and legalize recreational cannabis if elected. However, the state’s former governor, Chris Christie, was a staunch opponent against marijuana of any kind, often espousing toxic rhetoric and false narratives about the plant.

New Jersey is also second in marijuana arrest rates throughout the country. One criminal justice professor theorized to NJ.com part of the explanation revolved around how the state’s police divisions are structured. The latest available date from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that New Jersey is among the top states for police officers per capita. Meaning residents could interact with more police activity than usual, leading to more marijuana arrests.

You can view the states with the five highest marijuana arrest rates below.

Via NJ.com:

  1. Wyoming

  • Possession arrests in 2016: 2,248
  • Distribution arrests in 2016: 173
  •  Total marijuana arrests in 2016: 2,421
  •  Population: 583,029
  •  Arrest rate (per 100,000 people): 415.2

  1. New Jersey

  • Possession arrests in 2016: 32,263
  • Distribution arrests in 2016: 3,437
  •  Total marijuana arrests in 2016: 35,700
  •  Population: 8.9 million
  •  Arrest rate (per 100,000 people): 400.4

  1. South Dakota

  • Possession arrests in 2016: 3,116
  • Distribution arrests in 2016: 150
  •  Total marijuana arrests in 2016: 3,266
  •  Population: 851,058
  •  Arrest rate (per 100,000 people): 383.8

  1. New Hampshire

  • Possession arrests in 2016: 3,890
  • Distribution arrests in 2016: 1,114
  •  Total marijuana arrests in 2016: 5,004
  •  Population: 1.3 million
  •  Arrest rate (per 100,000 people): 376.9

  1. Missouri

  • Possession arrests in 2016: 21,277
  • Distribution arrests in 2016: 1,185
  •  Total marijuana arrests in 2016: 22,462
  •  Population: 6.1 million
  •  Arrest rate (per 100,000 people): 370.7

 

People Found A Way To Get Siri To Curse And It’s Super Easy

Amy Hansen
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People Found A Way To Get Siri To Curse And It’s Super Easy

Siri isn’t really the type to let curse words fly, even after a few drinks (presumably). But her Emily Post rules of etiquette demeanor just got little more R-rated, thanks to kink in the system.

Someone on Reddit asked users to ask Siri to define the word “mother.” And those that did? Well, they got a little surprise. Because after regurgitating the popular definition of the word, Siri will then prompt you to hear the “next one.” If you tell her that, yes, you want to hear the next definition of the word, Siri will inform you that “mother” can be shorthand for “motherf—–.”

Hear for yourself:

Gizmodo reports that this “easter egg” seems to be prevalent on all iOS devices, from the iPhone 5S to the iPhone X and iPads, as well as on computers running macOS. It even works with the Australian Siri, although it’s way more garbled:

Ironically, if you curse at Siri, she’ll call you out on it and make you feel terrible about yourself.

So, there you go. If you’ve been shamed by Siri for cursing and want a little revenge, now you know how. As one Reddit user said:

“A little Easter egg in honor of upcoming Motherf—–‘s day.”

Drinking Too Much Alcohol Gives You Bad Breath

Maria Loreto
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Drinking Too Much Alcohol Gives You Bad Breath

Excessive drinking poses a big problem for your health and your life, but it can also cause truly awful issues, like bad breath. It’s science.

Gizmodo reports on a recent study from New York University that suggests over-drinking fills your mouth with harmful bacteria and even cancerogenous agents. The study examined spit samples in more than a thousand people between the ages of 55 and 84.  These volunteers also provided their eating and drinking habits, allowing scientists to chart out the bacterial community of every participant’s mouth.

On average, the more people drank, the higher the amount of bacteria they possessed in their mouths, particularly bacteria that belongs to clans associated with gum disease — a known cause of bad breath. The subjects who drank more alcohol also possessed a lower amount of Lactobacillales, a bacteria that’s generally associated with healthy mouths. Drinkers also had higher levels of the genus Neisseria, which is known to produce aceltadehyde (a cancerogenous agent) when paired with alcohol.

According to the scientists, this is the largest and most comprehensive study conducted on mouth health, and more research is necessary to draw more conclusive results. The study also suggests that alcohol might affect the bacteria in your mouth directly by killing off immune cells, damaging teeth and changing your saliva’s composition.

While the results are not conclusive, alcohol as a cause of bad breath is certainly a significant entry onto the list of bad things that can happen when you drink too much. It’s not dangerous, but it’ll definitely make you think twice the next time you want to go crazy at the bar. And if you do, there are a few things that can help you counteract the bad smell, such as cannabis mints like Kiva’s Petra Mints and Vive’s Mini Tabs. While the relief they provide is temporary, it’s better to be high and smell good than to be drunk and smell awful.

Allow Jeff Garlin To Convince You To Smoke Weed

Brendan Bures
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Allow Jeff Garlin To Convince You To Smoke Weed

Believe it or not, everyone in Hollywood isn’t a wacko, experimental scoundrel. Instead many are straight-laced, almost conservative in lifestyle, and aren’t exactly stoners. Woody Harrelson and Seth Rogen, they are not.

But in a recent appearance on “Conan”, actor Jeff Garlin says he wishes it could be different. When he turned 50, Garlin says he was turned onto marijuana by none other than Whoopi Goldberg. He prefers indica, because it “turns the switch off” for him, and he “doesn’t need the switch turned on.” He likes using at night for a sleep aid — an application that is becoming increasingly popular.

But Garlin receiving a medical marijuana card has also made him somewhat of a cannabis evangelist. The actor was downright effusive about its benefits, and urged Conan O’Brien to try some himself. This caused the host to joke that Garlin had transformed into some “sommelier of pot” overnight. If Garlin had his way, the whole world would be consuming marijuana soon enough.

You can view their full discussion in the video above.

Cannabis & Diabetic Retinopathy: What You Need To Know

Mary Schumacher
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Cannabis & Diabetic Retinopathy: What You Need To Know

Diabetes impacts almost 110 million people around the world. Whether Type 1 or Type 2, when blood sugar spikes it causes glucose to roam where it’s not needed, and a common, destructive resting place is the retina. Though conventional treatments slow the progress of near inevitable blindness due to this migration, there is some hope to be had in cannabis.

With the disease going up in numbers as years go by, the sense of urgency to somehow curb its effects increases every passing day that solutions aren’t yet found. While it will take time to tell if it’s truly the end all be all solution to the problem, there are several ways that cannabis aids in what’s known as diabetic retinopathy.

Diabetic retinopathy causes vision loss as diabetes progresses and usually manifests itself after around 20 years of treatment. One of the ways that marijuana slows this process is its work as a neuroprotectant. Corruption to nerve cells in the retina prevent messaging from the eye to the brain. Cannabinoids, and specifically CBD, have a positive impact in this area, protecting the retina from further damage by noticeably slowing down the process.

The reason we can point to cannabinoid CBD in particular is due to a 2006 study that found that, “Furthermore, cannabinoids have also been demonstrated to possess additional beneficial effects in animal models of diabetes. It has been reported that rats treated with CBD for periods of 1–4 weeks experienced significant protection from diabetic retinopathy. Cannabinoids have also been shown to alleviate neuropathic pain associated with the disease.”

From rats to people, our bodies are covered from the inside out in endocannabinoid systems. The receptors that bind to cannabinoids across our bodies are there for more than a stoner stereotype. They work as neuroprotectants, antinflamatories and antioxidants for a healthier us. They’ve been shown to help in diseases and inflictions from everyday aches and pains to Alzheimer’s, Epilepsy, Autism, cancer symptoms, HIV/AIDS complications and, clearly, diabetic retinopathy.

And along with diabetic retinopathy, cannabis has shown signs of being able to treat diabetes all together. From topical relief of the skin conditions that come with to being able to increase insulin sensitivity in Type 2 diabetes in human trials.

The future looks brighter and brighter for those in the early stages of diabetes and even in later stages, as cannabis once again shows itself to be not only a preventative treatment, but a treatment in and of itself.

Why A California-Oregon Cannabis Exchange Is A Bad Idea

Vince Sliwoski
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Why A California-Oregon Cannabis Exchange Is A Bad Idea

We have been writing about the oversupply issue for a while (see here and here). Recently, oversupply has also begun to receive a surge in media coverage (see here, here and here). To be sure, we have a ton of clients who have been affected by depressed cannabis prices lately: These clients include not just farms but processors and retailers who are struggling to move product and cover costs, let alone turn profits. This predictably has resulted in a fair bit of industry consolidation as of late, and we have been buying and selling cannabis businesses nonstop for a while now.

Various approaches have been suggested to deal with the oversupply issue in the regulated Oregon market. These approaches include having the state legislature cap the issuance of licenses, like Washington, or having the Oregon Liquor Control Commission (OLCC) curtail maximum allowed canopy sizes. To date, neither approach has gained any traction. Instead, policymakers are simply watching the market attempt to sort itself out, which means watching a significant number of operators to fail, while others are swept up by out-of-state and even international investment.

So why don’t we think an interstate compact with California is a great idea? There are a few different reasons. The first is that California has plenty of cannabis in its own right: It just needs to recalibrate regulations that are currently seen as too restrictive to allow most small and mid-sized operators to enter the regulated market. The second reason is that California’s adult use program is too new: The state will almost certainly wish to keep and grow its own legal cannabis, rather than import product from Oregon while a black market thrives. But the biggest reason of all may be that an interstate compact, while exotic, is legally and politically hazardous.

For 22 years and over the course of four consecutive administrations, the federal government has taken a general posture of restraint as states have promulgated medical and then recreational cannabis programs. There are a variety of reasons for this, but one is surely the compelling argument that states have under the 10th Amendment of the Constitution to roll out these programs. An interstate compact for the transfer of marijuana, conversely, would be legally indefensible. Not only does the federal Controlled Substances Act, at 21 USC §801, expressly provide that trafficking in “interstate and foreign commerce” justifies federal control of certain substances, but the Supreme Court itself has held that the commerce clause creates grounds for enforcement of prohibition even within state borders.

Moreover, in order to succeed, the interstate compact would almost certainly need to be buttressed by Congressional consent, which is a formal legislative action contemplated by Article I, Section 10, Clause 3 of the Constitution. When Congressional consent is given, an interstate compact literally transforms into federal law. But how would this work if federal law makes the possession and sale of marijuana illegal? And why would Congress grant an inherently problematic consent decree, when it could simply re- or deschedule marijuana? The answer is: It would not. Given this context, any effort by two states to set up a cannabis exchange, if challenged, would go down in flames.

Given the foregoing, and given the increase in Oregon licensees coming online, the local industry is not going to shake its oversupply issue anytime soon. That is why our pragmatic politicians like Congressman Blumenauer are wise to explore paths to establish Oregon as a leading marijuana exporter. For now, though, the focus should be on building and promoting infrastructure within the four corners of the state. This will ensure that Oregon is set up to succeed in a couple of years, when the walls come down nationwide.

Vince Sliwoski 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. 

Seattle To Vacate 542 Marijuana Possession Convictions

Terry Hacienda
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Seattle To Vacate 542 Marijuana Possession Convictions

The city of Seattle filed a motion with the Seattle Municipal Court that would vacate 542 marijuana possession convictions. The motion will effectively erase from the records these convictions going back 21 years.

City Attorney Pete Holmes, a longtime champion of sensible marijuana law reform, acknowledged the racial disparity in cannabis convictions, citing an ACLU report showing that African Americans are more than three times more likely to be arrested for pot possession than whites, despite the facts that blacks and whites use weed at the same rates.

Holmes was joined by Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan and City Attorney Pete Holmes in announcing the motion. If the court approves, all 542 people convicted of marijuana possession will have their records wiped clean. When Holmes was elected as city attorney in 2010, he stopped charging people for possessing small amounts of cannabis.

In February, Durkan and Holmes announced their intention to the court to vacate the convictions. “Vacating charges for misdemeanor marijuana possession is a necessary step to correct the injustices of what was a failed war on drugs, which disproportionately affected communities of color in Seattle,” said Durkan.

“The war on drugs in large part became a war on people who needed opportunity and treatment. While we cannot reverse all the harm that was done, we must do our part to give Seattle residents – including immigrants and refugees – a clean slate. Noncitizens have also been unduly burdened by these convictions, which can provide a roadblock to gaining citizenship, or in the worst case, can initiate deportation proceedings.”

Durkan also praised the city attorney for his unwavering commitment to justice. “Today wouldn’t be possible without the leadership of City Attorney Holmes, who has been a strong voice for ending this injustice. I want to acknowledge that we would not be here today without the advocacy many other members of our community who have been fighting for restorative justice.”

Lorinda Youngscourt, director of the King County Department of Public Defense said, “The city’s motion is a small but meaningful step in reducing the harm the war on drugs has caused communities of color. That harm is ongoing. Racially disparate policing, filing decisions, and sentencing decisions perpetuate the mass incarceration of communities of color. Further, the city’s motion recognizes and ameliorates the likelihood that non-citizens who plead guilty or proceeded to trial on marijuana possession cases from 1996-2010 may not have received constitutionally sufficient legal advice from their attorneys under the requirements of current case law.”

Washington state voters approved recreational use in 2012. A 2017 report forecasts that the state will take in about $730 million from sales of legalized marijuana over the next two years.

The Fresh Toast Marijuana Legislative Roundup: April 23 – May 1

Alec Engber
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The Fresh Toast Marijuana Legislative Roundup: April 23 – May 1

Last week in cannabis news, Maine Gov. Paul LePage once again thwarted the will of the people by vetoing legislation, Michigan moved closer to legalization and Seattle leaders called for expunging marijuana convictions. Find out more in our weekly marijuana legislative roundup.

Maine:  

On Friday, Maine Governor Paul LePage vetoed legislation to modify and implement the recreational cannabis legalization law passed by voters in 2016. The bill would ban social-use clubs, double the state tax on cannabis sales from 10 percent to 20 percent, allow cities to “opt-in” to hosting marijuana businesses, and dedicate some revenue from marijuana taxes to public awareness and law enforcement initiatives. It would also reduce the number of plants adults can grow at home from six to three.

LePage – an outspoken critic of marijuana – vetoed a similar bill last fall, citing a desire to allow lawmakers more time to work out the details. While LePage previously justified his opposition to the present bill on the grounds that it failed to merge the state’s medical marijuana system with the new recreational system, the veto statement he offered Friday attributed the move to marijuana’s current illegality under federal law. However, it is likely the Legislature will override LePage’s veto in the coming weeks, since the bill passed both chambers with veto-proof majorities of more than two-thirds in favor.   

Michigan: 

On Thursday, a Michigan elections board announced that supporters of recreational cannabis had garnered sufficient votes to place legalization on the ballot in November. If approved, the measure would allow adults 21 and older to legally possess up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana and grow up to 12 plants at home. A 10 percent tax would be levied on marijuana sales on top of the state’s normal 6 percent sales tax. The legislation now goes to the Republican-controlled Legislature, which can either enact the measure or defer it to the November ballot.  

Seattle: 

On Friday, Seattle officials announced that the city is planning to expunge marijuana offenses made legal by the recreational cannabis legalization law approved by Washington voters in 2012. The city is hoping to remove 542 convictions for possession of small amounts of marijuana that were made between 1997, when the state legislature mandated that misdemeanor marijuana charges be prosecuted at the municipal level, and when City Attorney Pete Holmes ended such prosecutions upon taking office in 2010. The move follows similar announcements by San Francisco and San Diego.   

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