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Death Penalty For Marijuana? Here’s How Much It Takes

Terry Hacienda
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Death Penalty For Marijuana? Here’s How Much It Takes

Last week, Attorney Jeff “Good People Don’t Smoke Marijuana” Sessions fired off a memo instructing federal prosecutors to pursue the death penalty in cases “dealing in extremely large quantities of drugs.” It is part of the  Trump administration’s vindictive, impracticable and nonsensical response to the nation’s opioid addiction crisis.

Sessions’ unworkable solution was revealed right after President Trump trumpeted his opinion on how to “win” the war on drugs. “If we don’t get tough on the drug dealers, we are wasting our time,” Trump said in a combative speech in New Hampshire. “And that toughness includes the death penalty.”

The get-tough policy — which failed miserably under President Richard Nixon and President Reagan — got some Americans curious as to what constitutes “extremely large quantities of drugs.” How much weed would it take to get the death penalty?

Well, Christopher Ingraham of The Washington Post went digging for the answer and here’s what he discovered:

[T]here is federal capital punishment on the books for large quantities of marijuana – a substance with no known lethal dose that is legal for recreational use in nine states plus the District of Columbia. The threshold is huge – 60,000 kilograms, or 60,000 plants, enough to fill several shipping containers.

So unless you have 60,000 plants somewhere hidden from view, you should be safe from the death penalty. For now.

“The Supreme Court has never upheld the death penalty for a crime that did not involve death,” Tamar Todd, director of the Office of Legal Affairs at the Drug Policy Alliance, told Ingraham. “No one has been sentenced to death under that provision,” Todd said. “People have long thought that the provision would be unconstitutional, but it hasn’t been challenged because there have been no cases.”

According to The Washington Post story, here are the quantities of other illegal drugs that would trigger the death penalty:

  • LSD: Just under 0.6 kilograms (about 6 million doses (100-microgram per dose).
  • Meth: 3 kilograms.
  • PCP: 6 kilograms.
  • Fentanyl: 24 kilograms.
  • Heroin: 60 kilograms.
  • Pure cocaine: 300 kilograms.
  • Crack cocaine: 16.8 kilograms. (Yep. As Ingraham points out, the two substances are chemically identical, but crack is treated 18 times more severely under federal law – a relic of racial drug sentencing disparities that have traditionally treated African American drug users much more severely than white ones.

These Members Of Meghan Markle’s Family Are Not Invited To Wedding

Maria Loreto
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These Members Of Meghan Markle’s Family Are Not Invited To Wedding

When you’re not invited to a party, the expected thing to do would be to sweep it under the rug and avoid all sorts of attention. That’s not the case for Meghan Markle’s nephew and his mom, who decided to make an appearance on “Good Morning Britain” to express their feelings through broadcast TV.

In the world’s most awkward interview, Tyler and Tracy Dooley confirmed that they are not among the 600 guests of the royal wedding.

Both tried to be as positive as possible, with Tyler saying “You never know” with regards to the wedding invitation, and with both claiming that they supported Markle and that they were extremely happy for her. Dooley claimed that he and his mom had “been here from the very beginning, I mean, her whole life, just always rooting her on, and supporting her.” That’s totally not passive aggressive at all.

According to Mashable, it was revealed later on the show that Tyler hasn’t spoken to Markle in three years, and that Tracy hasn’t had contact with her in over 20 years. The host was shocked when he heard this, claiming that they couldn’t really expect to be invited to a wedding if they hadn’t had any recent contact with Markle. Yup, that’s what logic would say. Still, someone has to take advantage of those 15 minutes of fame.

How Medical Marijuana Industry Will Revive This Dying Town

Mike Adams
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How Medical Marijuana Industry Will Revive This Dying Town

The struggling Arkansas town of Cotton Plant hopes that medical marijuana will be a salvation’s wing after several fleeting industries left the town for dead. Mayor Willard C. Ryland told the New York Times earlier this week that marijuana has brought hope back to the community after decades of harsh economic times. He says the town is in such bad shape that it hasn’t even been able to attract Dollar General Store. But legal weed could soon move the area into a time of renewal and prosperity.

When Arkansas voters approved a measure in 2016 aimed at legalizing a statewide medical marijuana program, the folks of Cotton Plant were given s second chance at living the America dream. The language of the law was written in such a way that all of the most downtrodden jurisdictions are to receive first dibs on any opportunities provided by the medical marijuana industry. And this small Delta-town is one of the worst the state has to offer. It has seen the rise and fall of several industries throughout the years. But it’s never recovered.

However, the town is on its way to becoming the location of one of the first five medical marijuana cultivation centers in the state. A start-up called Bold Team recently approached the mayor about leasing several acres for the sole purpose of growing the state’s newest cash crop — marijuana. It is a situation that could lead to the creation of around 25 new jobs, initially. The company would also donate a percentage of its sales to the city budget.

“I consider it a miracle, I really do,” Mayor Ryland told the New York Times. “This is what we’ve been looking for. And what’s remarkable about it is that they came and found us,” he added.

But there have been some snags.

Although the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Commission has given Bold Team approval to launch operations in Cotton Plant, a judge in Little Rock recently declared the licensing process “null and void.” It seems that some members of the commission have been accused of having close connections with the license winners. The ruling is now set to go before the State Supreme Court.

There is no doubt that Cotton Plant needs the medical marijuana company to rebuilt its community. As it stands, the town doesn’t have a bank and the closest grocery store is 12 miles out of town. In fact, the only existing retail business inside the town limits is a small convenience store. Yet, the existence of the cultivation center would likely lure in other businesses, including that Dollar General Store the town has been trying to secure.

Mayor Ryland said he went through a bit of a moral dilemma before voting in favor of medical marijuana. But now “I look at this no different than if Bayer aspirin were coming to Cotton Plant,” he said.

Can Marijuana Help Cocaine Addicts Break Free Of Addiction?

Trey Reckling
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Can Marijuana Help Cocaine Addicts Break Free Of Addiction?

Currently, there are no effective pharmaceutical therapies for treating people addicted to crack cocaine. However, Canadian researchers recently investigated the influence of marijuana to help people with crack addictions reduce their use. Participants using cannabis did, in fact, reduce their crack intake. The study concluded that, “further clinical research to assess the potential of cannabinoids for the treatment of crack use disorders is warranted.”

That is certainly good news and offers hope for people unable to control their relationship to the hard drug. Making its first big appearance in the 1980s, crack was supposed to get the user addicted after just one hit, or so the story goes. Don’t believe everything you hear, as they say.

There is no doubt that crack is highly addictive, but it is pharmacologically the same as powder cocaine. While it creates a very sudden, intense high, there is little to support the claims that it is more addictive than powder cocaine. Still, rates of addiction are almost  identical with nearly 6 percent of users of cocaine or crack developing substance use disorders.

This is not the first time marijuana has been investigated to see how it may help those addicted to cocaine. Researchers in Beijing and Baltimore collaborated to study mice that were intentionally addicted to cocaine and taught to self-administer mechanized shots of the drug. A synthetic cannabinoid, closely related to the active compounds found in cannabis, were administered to the test mice. Those with the synthetic cannabinoid in their systems did, in fact, choose to intake less cocaine. The scientists believe that the synthetic cannabinoid affected the (CB2) receptors of the mice, reducing desire for cocaine.

Researchers in Barcelona also found similar promising results working with mice, again by manipulating their cannabinoid receptors. Doing so reduced the desire and self-administration of cocaine. They concluded that manipulating the receptors “may be a novel target for the pharmacotherapy of drug abuse and addiction.”

One small study in Brazil looked at the impact of cannabis use on the habits and the quality of life of crack users. It found a reduction in crack cocaine-seeking behavior and aggressiveness while partially improving quality of life. Marijuana reportedly helped users to find a better state of tranquility. Some reported that when they smoked marijuana first they became so relaxed and at ease that they didn’t subsequently use cocaine as they normally would have.

Cocaine addiction, regardless of type, endangers the user and reduces quality of life. Willing human subjects and unwitting lab mice have made sacrifices to increase our base of knowledge. Maybe one day an acceptable answer for helping cocaine addicts will be recommended cannabis therapy.

And they told us marijuana was a gateway drug INTO harder drugs. We are beginning to know better.

5 Things You Should Know About Your Vagina

Maria Loreto
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5 Things You Should Know About Your Vagina

According to Medical News Today, a survey reveals that women have some real issues with their vaginas, using words such as “lady bits” and “vajayjay” to refer to them. Come on guys, that’s super embarrassing.

By discussing vaginas more openly and by being more informed, we’ll grow more comfortable within our skins and remove the stigma that surrounds a simple body part. It’s 2018, this shouldn’t be an issue.

Medical News Today compiled a list of 10 things you didn’t know about vaginas, Here are some of our favorites:

You Can’t Lose A Tampon In There

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There are tons of horror stories about vaginas and tampons, but nothing can get lost in your vagina and magically show up on some other part of your body. The opening of you vagina is too small for a tampon to go through, so even if you lose one in there, or get it stuck, there’s no way for the tampon to travel someplace else. Just be sure to go to a doctor and to take it out because stuck tampons can be very dangerous. And kind of gross.

Your Vagina Could Use A Workout

Pelvic floor exercises are important even though they sound a little strange and hokey. Also known as Kegel exercises, these routines strengthen your pelvic muscles and help you avoid urinary incontinence in the future. Kegels can also improve sexual satisfaction, so that’s a plus.

Don’t Clean Too Much

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Your vagina needs to have some bacteria for it to be healthy, so don’t go crazy by using douches and special vaginal soaps. Nope. Scented and strong products alter your vaginas’ natural Ph balance, and that’s never a good thing. According to gynecologists, you should wash you vagina only once a day with water and/or a natural and gentle soap.

What You Eat Effects How You Smell

If you want to avoid unwelcome odors, instead of wasting money on products, you should take a closer look at your diet and eating habits. According to Medical News Today, garlic, onion, cheese and fish alter the smell of your vagina. Pineapple supposedly makes your vagina smell and taste sweeter, which is weirdly cool.

Don’t Spend Too Much Time Worrying About G-Spots

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There are a million ways to have good sex, so don’t stress and worry about G-Spot orgasms if you can’t have them. A lot of people swear that the area exists and that it works like magic, but there’s also a lot of people who claim that the G-Spot is a myth. The truth is a mix of the two; the G-Spot is a complex bundle of nerves that has the potential to provide a lot of pleasure when stimulated, but that doesn’t mean that every woman’s body responds in the same way.

A new study reports that there’s an A-Spot, which when stimulated produces orgasms in 15 percent of women who reported pain and dryness during intercourse. So there’s endless spots for you to explore if you want to have some fun sex.

New Rumors Claim There Will Be A Foldable iPhone By 2020

Maria Loreto
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New Rumors Claim There Will Be A Foldable iPhone By 2020

Bank Of America recently announced that in a couple of years, Apple will release a foldable iPhone, throwing it back to the early 2000s because that’s what people want in the future.

According to CNBC, this radically different design will be done by Apple, in partnership with different companies in Asia.

Wamsi Mohan, an analyst from Bank of America, said “We expect the iPhones this fall to be largely unchanged for the OLED versions although size changes have proved to be a catalyst in the past. Our checks also suggest that Apple is working with suppliers on a foldable phone (that potentially could double up as a tablet) for launch in 2020.”

Foldable phones have been on people’s minds for a while, with companies like Lenovo and Samsung demonstrating concepts with foldable screens, even though no smartphones have been made. PC laptops have been blurring the lines between laptops and tablets, coming up with devices that can function as both, and that have been positively received by critics and users.

It’s reasonable that the next step for smartphones would be to blur the lines between phones and tablets, giving users the option of carrying a relatively large screen in their pocket. Which company is better suited to do this than Apple, the ultimate smartphone company? Now, the real question is how long can a foldable screen last before it starts to get glitchy.

Sorry Florida, False Alarm On The Marijuana Legalization

Mary Schumacher
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Sorry Florida, False Alarm On The Marijuana Legalization

No matter how wonderful it would have been; no matter how much the economy would have been bolstered; no matter how many activist’s hearts skipped a beat, there is still no recreational cannabis to be had in Florida.

In what appeared to be a recent ABC News item, which started off, “Weed smokers rejoice,” and went on to say that Florida had passed legalization legislation that would go into effect “by Easter,” Florida was declared legalized. The “article” even – incorrectly – quoted (D) Janet Cruz as saying, “The state budget was due two weeks ago, and Florida simply can’t afford to wait any longer. We deserve a real plan to create new jobs and stimulate our lagging economy, and that’s what this bill is.”

There were some typo tells and lawmakers usually don’t roll out new bills according to holiday schedules, but the fake news item still caused a bit of an uproar on social media, where it spread like wildfire until debunked.

As of right now, Florida is one of the 29 legal states medicinally. There are plenty of activists on the ground trying to make legalization an actual reality, but that reality has not yet come to pass. States with legal recreational cannabis include: Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, Colorado, Alaska, Maine, Massachusetts and Vermont.

Though there are people fighting hard for legalization in Florida, it looks like it will be at least a couple more years before lawmakers will allow themselves to be brought onboard. Floridians for Freedom is an ambitious group looking to put legal cannabis on the November ballot. The Ballot Title is “Right of Adults to Cannabis,” but it doesn’t look like they’ll get the needed signatures in time this time around.

According to News-Press, another group, Regulate Florida, has a more traditional approach to legalization. Whereas Floridians for Freedom want cannabis itself to be a right, Regulate Florida hopes to do just that, tax and regulate. No matter what, they both have uphill battles, important ones, but uphill.

In the meantime, Florida, just know that there are people working hard to give you complete adult access to the herb as soon as possible and do your part. It’s always good to fight the good fight!

Here’s Why The Queen Is Always Wearing Those Brightly Colored Outfits

Amy Hansen
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Here’s Why The Queen Is Always Wearing Those Brightly Colored Outfits

In a family filled with tradition and protocols and proper etiquette, it’s refreshing to see The Queen step out in a neon colored outfit. But when you think about it, why does she chose those colors? Does she think they look good? Is she trying to defy her age? What gives?

Much like the Queen’s Day-Glo outfits, the answer is obvious. It’s so she stands out from a crowd, literally. Her Majesty has outfits in many shades of green, purple, blue and pink. And they all help members of the public spot her when she gets swallowed up by a crowd.

https://giphy.com/gifs/images-queen-elizabeth-2k4CSOMmoFZYc

The Queen’s daughter-in-law Sophie (aka Countess of Wessex), discussed this in the documentary The Queen at 90: 

“She needs to stand out for people to be able to say ‘I saw the Queen’. Don’t forget that when she turns up somewhere, the crowds are two, three, four, 10, 15 deep, and someone wants to be able to say they saw a bit of the queen’s hat as she went past.”

“The Queen has always been aware that she needs to stand out from the crowd, and it is for this reason that millinery has always played an important role in her wardrobe,” Caroline de Guitaut, the curator at the Royal Collection Trust, told the New York Times.

So the next time you see Queen Elizabeth wearing one of her signature colors, remember: you should consider yourself lucky you even got a glimpse of her in the first place.

Steven Spielberg Has Beef With Netflix Winning Oscars

Brendan Bures
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Steven Spielberg Has Beef With Netflix Winning Oscars

Perhaps no living director represents Hollywood’s intersection of art and commerce better than Steven Spielberg. Responsible in some way for most of your childhood favorites — Jurassic Park, Indiana Jones, E.T. — he’s also directed cinematic classics like Saving Private Ryan, Schindler’s List, and Catch Me If You Can. Spielberg understands moviemaking and the movie business better than most, which is why his opinion garners respect from fellow industry members.

That might not include executives at Netflix or Hulu anymore, however. To promote his upcoming film Ready Player One, Spielberg has made the interview rounds. While conversing with the UK’s ITV News, he touched upon technology’s disruption at the movies and his thoughts on the streaming industry.

An ongoing debate in the world of movies revolves around including movies that don’t receive a proper theatrical release into filmmaking’s most venerable institutions, like Cannes and the Oscars. The Cannes Film Festival recently changed their policy, stating a film must receive a theatrical release commitment to compete for its awards following controversy around Okja and The Meyorwitz Stories inclusion in 2017.

Spielberg agrees, stating his opposition in the tokenization of Netflix movies into recent award ceremonies.

“Once you commit to a television format, you’re a TV movie,” the director said. “You certainly, if it’s a good show, deserve an Emmy, but not an Oscar.”

He praised the recent quality in TV writing and storytelling, while expressing concern about the streaming industry’s existential threat to moviegoers, echoing comments from Christopher Nolan. He compared the present situation to previous technological disruptions like when TV and the internet first started, but saysthe wounds are also self-inflicted on Hollywood’s part.

“The difference today is that a lot of studios would rather just make branded tentpole guaranteed box office hits from their inventory of branded successful movies than take chances on smaller films,” Spielberg said. “And those smaller films that studios used to make routinely is now going to Netflix.”

He says that missing middle-budget, artsier movie explains why he’s turned to making tense political thrillers in recent years like The Post and Bridge of Spies, in conjunction with something more wide-reaching like Ready Player One.

Who Is Going Around Biting Beyoncé: An Investigation

Brendan Bures
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Who Is Going Around Biting Beyoncé: An Investigation

In what can only be described as a bombshell in celebrity gossip news, reports surfaced that an unnamed person bit Beyoncé in the face last December. That news come courtesy of Tiffany Haddish, who couldn’t help herself from spilling the tea in a recent GQ profile. At a party following a Jay-Z Inglewood party, an actress that Haddish wouldn’t name “bit Beyoncé in the face,” Haddish revealed.

When Haddish heard, she told Beyoncé she was “going to beat somebody’s ass at your party. I just want to let you know that.” Bey asked her not to and implored her to have fun instead. (Haddish leveraged the moment into a selfie opportunity.)

Okay, so with those facts established…who the hell bit Beyoncé!?

Luckily, some investigators have been on the case, starting with social media icon Chrissy Teigen. The well-connected model admitted on Twitter that she had a suspect in mind and that “she…is the worst.” But then Teigen apparently did some snooping and discovered her initial guess was wrong. She admits to knowing the identity of the Beyoncé biter but won’t divulge the name.

https://twitter.com/chrissyteigen/status/978273960155545600

https://twitter.com/chrissyteigen/status/978343738668912640

Around this time, Huffington Post dug through possible attendees of the Jay-Z party in question. The publication contacted representatives of actresses, hoping to narrow down the suspect list.

The funniest response, by the way, was Shirley MacLaine’s rep. “No, Shirley did not bite anything. She’s 83 years old, for God’s sake,” a spokesperson responded over the phone.

https://twitter.com/maxwellstrachan/status/978645221310369792

Two primary suspects soon emerged on social media: Sara Foster and Sanaa Lathan, both of whom were believed to have attended the December party. Foster eventually posted on Instagram asserting her innocence, writing the following tongue-in-cheek caption: “Flattering that anyone thinks I could get this close to Beyoncé.”

TMZ then reported Tuesday that its sources swear the biter in question is Lathan. The gossip site stated the multiple sources said Haddish has been telling people it was Lathan. “One source said it was not an aggressive bite … it was playful and noninvasive, but still caught Beyoncé off guard,” wrote TMZ.

Via TMZ:

The story goes … Sanaa was talking to Jay in a way that made Bey uncomfortable. Beyonce went over to Sanaa who brushed off any insinuation of inappropriate conduct and then gave her a jokey bite.

Tiffany told Beyoncé she was going to kick Sanaa’s ass, but Bey told her to let it go.

In the funniest troll a website has ever committed to screen, TMZ then included a picture of “Sanaa Lathan’s chompers.” You know, just so you can get a closer look of the alleged teeth that bit Bey.

Lathan responded on social media, defending her innocence against the slander. “Y’all are funny. Under no circumstances did I bite Beyoncé and if I did it would’ve been a love bite,” she wrote, including a lipstick kiss emoji.

This did not satisfy the sleuths on the case, who called out the suspicious phrasing of Lathan’s post.

Which…we kind of agree! Why would Sanaa Lathan include that unnecessary tidbit!? Unless she did in fact bite Beyoncé and is trying to get in front of this mess!

For now the case remains unsolved. But investigators will not rest until they know who bit Beyoncé. The world needs to know.

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