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PBS Host Rick Steves Proposes Weed Trip To Educate Jeff Sessions

Brendan Bures
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PBS Host Rick Steves Proposes Weed Trip To Educate Jeff Sessions

Rick Steves, the affable host of the long-running PBS travel series Rick Steves’ Europe, has made himself an essential visual guide to anyone who wants to visit Europe and do it right. Furthermore, Steves has written various books that have become must-reads in the travel literary canon.

What you might not know is that Steves is a fierce advocate for cannabis. He has stated his belief that marijuana is a “soft drug” like alcohol and tobacco and should be regulated and taxed as such. He also serves on the advisory board of NORML, the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws.

Through his travels, he’s come to believe that Europe holds a far better approach to regulating marijuana, where personal responsibility is valued over prohibition. As he told Rolling Stone, he “credits his European travels for opening his eyes to a more creative and sensible approach to drug policy.” One person he believes would benefit from a Euro trip to witness firsthand the continent’s “sensible approach” is none other than Attorney General Jeff Sessions. In fact, Steves laid out a whole travel plan for Sessions to truly expand his extremely limited and limiting views on marijuana.

Via Rolling Stone:

“I would take him to Switzerland and we’d go to a heroin maintenance clinic,” Steves says of the Swiss clinics where even hard drugs like heroin are not treated with a carceral approach.

Next, Steves says they’d hit a Barcelonan cannabis club. “In Spain they can’t sell marijuana but they can grow it. In practice, they don’t want to grow it so they join a club that grows it collectively, and they can enjoy the harvest.”

Then, Steves says it would be off to the Netherlands where he and the attorney general would visit a Dutch “coffee shop,” where adults can buy a variety of cannabis items in limited quantities from a reputable seller.

“After the coffee shop, we’d visit a mayor and a policeman and have [Sessions] listen to the mayor and policeman explain why they’d rather have coffee shops than have marijuana sold on the street,” Steves says.

Steves has taken personal responsibility for convincing members of Congress the benefits and logic to ending marijuana prohibition. Part of his persuasion lies in his symbol as a genial, kind of goofy travel host that completely upends the obsolete “Reefer Madness” narrative that Sessions continues to spill.

As more foundational members in Republican circles, like the Koch Brothers, feel more comfortable voicing critical opposition to Sessions’ retrograde policies, it seems more and more likely Steves may soon recreate his Euro weed adventure after all. The attorney general just might be left out of the party.

Former Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg Weed Guy Is Succeeding In Legal Cannabis

Brendan Bures
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Former Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg Weed Guy Is Succeeding In Legal Cannabis

You probably aren’t familiar with the name, but his customers are pretty well known. Not that long ago, Virgil Grant wasn’t allowed to talk about his dealing and his high-profile clients, but thanks to recreational cannabis legalization in California, he represents the two eras: “the criminal past and legalized future,” as the New York Times recently put it.

Grant used to sell cannabis out of his family’s Compton grocery store. His clients included the likes of Dr. Dre, Tupac, Snoop Dogg, and Coolio. He’s now the proud owner of three licensed businesses in LA, but his victory was hard-won. Because he participated in illegal marijuana dealings, Grant spent more than eight years in federal and state prisons.

Though many celebrate the rich possibilities in the cannabis business world, which has announced itself as a multi-billion-dollar industry, Grant doesn’t forget how it used to be.

Via New York Times:

Virgil Grant can now talk about it—the illicit deals that went down at his family’s grocery store in Compton in the 1980s and ’90s. Mr. Grant would stuff bags of marijuana into empty boxes of Lucky Charms and hand them to his clients, a drug deal made to look like a trip to the bodega. He vacuum sealed the cash he received and buried it in his backyard, hundreds of thousands of dollars guaranteed to stay fresh.

In many ways, Grant represents the attempted reconciliation between the nation’s war on drugs and the current legal environment. He might reminisce fondly over delivering his premium product to those celebrity clients in their music studios. But he talks just as strongly about the future possibilities available.

He hopes to one day open legal marijuana shops in Compton, his old stomping grounds. But the city has rejected legal marijuana sales with overwhelming voting against multiple propositions that would establish a local cannabis industry. Though it might be legal statewide, buying cannabis in Compton, California remains illegal.

Yet, Grant remains hopeful, as he plans to push another vote through in the coming year. He believes it will create “hundreds, if not thousands of jobs.” As he told the New York Times, “Watch how ‘no’ will become a staunch ‘yes.’ ”

These Cities Consume The Least Amount Of Marijuana In The World

Evan Eitzel
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These Cities Consume The Least Amount Of Marijuana In The World

The cities around the world where the least amount of marijuana is consumed are, counter-intuitively, not all in countries with the harshest penalties for users and sellers. Nor are most among the cities where weed is most expensive.

Seedo, a company that makes a device allowing users to grow cannabis plants at home, recently released a report that shows which cities around the world consume the least weed. They compiled the list through crowdsourcing and cross-referenced it with the World Drug Report 2017.

Note: The rankings were on overall consumption in the city, not per capita.

5. Luxembourg City, Luxembourg

Population:  107,247

Area:  19.87 square miles

Legal status: Partially legal

Total consumption in metric tons: 0.32

Consumption per capita in grams: 2.98

Price per gram: $7.26

The capital city in one of Europe’s smallest countries (by area) reclassified cannabis as a “Category B” substance under local law. This means only a fine on first offense. The fine can range from around $350 to $2000. Webehigh.com reports that users are safe from police, just “don’t be too obvious” and lists weed on their tolerance level as “virtually legal.”

The country began a two-year trial of medical marijuana last year.

4. Thessaloniki, Greece

Population:  325,182

Area:  7.5 square miles

Legal status: Partially legal

Total consumption in metric tons: 0.29

Consumption per capita in grams: 0.82

Price per gram: $13.49

Though recreational cannabis is illegal in Greece, courts will often dismiss charges if it is for a small amount for personal use. The country allowed medicinal marijuana in 2017.

Enforcement in Greece’s second-largest city, at least regarding tourists, is lax. Marijuanatravels.com notes that travelers are mostly left alone by local authorities.

3. Kyoto, Japan

Population:  1.5 million

Area:  319.6 square miles

Legal status: Illegal

Total consumption in metric tons: 0.24

Consumption per capita in grams: 0.16

Price per gram: $29.65

Japan doesn’t have the harshest marijuana laws in the world, but it famously has some of the more stringent and aggressively enforced. Though hemp has been cultivated for more than 10 thousand years, it was generally not for psychoactive use.

The sentence for possession of any amount is up to five years behind bars and a $19,000 fine. Foreigners may be deported immediately and may be banned from returning.

Perhaps because of the penalties, a gram of weed  in Kyoto is the third most expensive in the world.

2. Santo Domingo, Dominican Rep.

Population:  965,040

Area:  40.3 square miles

Legal status: Illegal

Total consumption in metric tons: 0.16

Consumption per capita in grams: 0.16

Price per gram: $6.93

Marijuana possession is a major offense, so much so that the State Department issued a Travel Advisory. Any amount can get you jailed. Accused persons remain incarcerated while awaiting trial and the whole process could run several years. The maximum penalty for simple possession is two years in prison and a fine.

The penalties are harsh in large part because of geography. The country, and its capital — the center of the largest metropolitan area in the Caribbean — is strategically located between South America and the United States. The government doesn’t want the republic’s ports used by smugglers.

In its enthusiast’s travel guide, webehigh.com notes “the police are very corrupt and you will likely be able to buy your way out. Expect a WORLD of hassle if you get caught.”

1. Singapore, Singapore

Population:  5.6 million

Area:  278 square miles

Legal status: Illegal

Total consumption in metric tons: 0.02

Consumption per capita in grams: .03

Price per gram: $14.01

The penalties for using marijuana in the city-state are severe. Simple possession can result in up to 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine. Trafficking 500 grams or more, or taking that amount in or out of the country, can result in a death sentence.

As tripsavvy.com reports:

Under the Misuse of Drugs Act, the burden of proof lies on the defendant, not on the government. If you’re caught with large amounts of drugs, you are simply presumed by law to be trafficking ….

As per Section 17 of the Act, you are automatically presumed to be trafficking in drugs if you are caught with the following amounts … Cannabis – 15 grams or more.

Despite the dire consequences, the cost of a gram is 20th most expensive among the world’s cities between Helsinki, where enforcement is lax, and Berlin, where simple possession has basically been decriminalized.

Relatively Simple Modernist Marijuana Cooking: Powdered Cannabutter

Danielle Guercio
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Relatively Simple Modernist Marijuana Cooking: Powdered Cannabutter

Don’t you wish having the delicious taste of melted butter was as easy as sprinkling it onto your foods? Of course while reading up on the technique needed to do so, known as modernist cooking, the first comment was enquiring about using the recipe to make weed butter. Hello better theater experience, glammed up eggs, and impressed dinner party guests.

According to the internet, this killer technique just requires one uncommon purchase: tapioca maltodextrin. The stuff is a powdery polysaccharide that is very often used in foods and now also recipes to powder fats, cheeses, and even chocolate, according to Serious Eats. Naturally the public needs to know how to medicate modernist cooking.

Do purchase the chef-oriented version of maltodextrin when you’re new at this, I tried an affordable version and it was less effective, but still worked. With just two ingredients, you’ll be sure to return to the drawing board and use the rest of the bag of maltodextrin to make all sorts of creations.

Photos by Danielle Guercio

Powdered Weed Butter

Danielle Guercio 2017
Makes roughly 2 cups powder, 15mg THC per ⅛ cup powder estimated

  • ¼ cup Cannabutter*
  • ¼ cup neutral oil
  • 1 ½ cups Maltodextrin
Photos by Danielle Guercio

Gently melt cannabutter in a double boiler. Once you have liquid, stir in room temperature oil. Allow to cool for 5 minutes, but you still want a liquid oil.

Prepare maltodextrin in a bowl and have a whisk at hand to do your mixing. Pour liquid over the powder, whisking until it’s completely mixed and starts to resemble fine crumbles. Now you can either freeze or spread on a silicone mat and gently dehydrate in the oven for 1 hour. The oil mixture will resemble crumbled cheese, which you can use as is or run through a sieve or a food processor to make it have a fluffier texture like grated cheese.

Photos by Danielle Guercio

This powder will last as long as you can keep it dry and preferably cold. It will be stable 2-3 weeks in the fridge, and if you vac bag it with a silica packet, you’ll have months to use it. Brilliant!

Photos by Danielle Guercio

My recommendation would be to freeze it in single or double doses, so you can take out for dishes that spark your ins-rotation, or take with you to the movies, like I plan on doing.

Photos by Danielle Guercio

*Cannabutter

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 one stick of butter. Heat in water bath just under boiling for at least 1 hour. Strain and chill to use in recipes.

Photos by Danielle Guercio

I will be trying this with a whole list of other items, it’s going to be such a great crash course into TV-Michelin Star-James Beard-Aspirational food on a really small budget. The best kind. Starting with popcorn and a simple fried egg and hopefully finding new ways to use butter on everything is in the near future, packing it up in helpful dosings will open doors for low key gourmedicating. Happy trails!

Photos: Danielle Guercio

The Fresh Toast Marijuana Legislative Roundup: Feb. 26

Alec Engber
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The Fresh Toast Marijuana Legislative Roundup: Feb. 26

Last week in cannabis legalization news, Maine lawmakers approved legislation to implement cannabis regulations, but the measure appears headed for a veto from Gov. Paul LePage. In Alabama, penalties may be reduced for simple possession. And in West Virginia, there was some good news for medical marijuana patients. Find out about that more in our weekly marijuana legislative roundup. 

Maine: 

On Friday, the Marijuana Legalization Implementation Committee approved legislation to implement the cannabis legalization law approved by Maine voters in 2016. The Committee had voted earlier in the week to remove social-use cannabis licensing from the bill. Cannabis lounges are explicitly legalized under the voter-approved Marijuana Legalization Act and would have been allowed under an earlier version of the bill vetoed by Governor Paul LePage last year.

The committee also voted to strike a measure that would have shared revenue from cannabis taxes with localities that host retail or cultivation facilities. If enacted, the bill will impose a 21.5 percent tax on marijuana sales. LePage, an outspoken critic of marijuana legalization, is likely to veto the bill once again, which will require a two-thirds vote of the Legislature to override. It is expected to go before a vote of the full Legislature in the coming weeks.  

Alabama: 

On Wednesday, the Alabama Senate Judiciary Committee voted 6-4 in favor of legislation to reduce the penalty for possession of small amounts of marijuana in the state.

If enacted, the bill would reduce possession of one ounce or less of cannabis from a misdemeanor to a civil violation punishable by a fine of up to $250. The bill faces an uncertain future in the state Senate, where opposition to marijuana remains strong.  

West Virginia: 

On Tuesday, the West Virginia medical cannabis board voted to recommend allowing medical marijuana patients to buy and consume smokable forms of the plant. The panel will also recommend increasing or eliminating caps placed on the number of licensed cultivation facilities.

The board did not recommend adding to the list of conditions eligible for medical cannabis, or allowing patients to grow cannabis at home. The legislature will decide whether to approve the changes to the state’s medical marijuana law in the coming weeks.   

Will California Protect Off-Work Medical Marijuana Use?

Megan Vaniman
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Will California Protect Off-Work Medical Marijuana Use?

 Thirty states and the District of Columbia have laws that legalize marijuana for adult recreational use and/or medical use. Many of those states also protect employees’ off-work use of medical marijuana.

However, some of those states, including California, Oregon and Washington, have statutes or case law allowing employers to terminate employees for off-work use of marijuana– even employees legally using it under the state’s medical marijuana laws. Oregon recently tried to pass legislation protecting off-work use of marijuana, but the bill failed to gain traction and fizzled at the committee level.

California is the latest state to attempt to pass legislation to protect employee’s off-work use of medical marijuana. Let’s hope it happens! California Assembly Bill 2069 (AB 2069), introduced last week, proposes to protect medical marijuana patients’ off-work use of marijuana. AB 2069 would amend California’s anti-discrimination statute by expanding the list of protected classes to include medical marijuana patients. This means that if an employer discovered that an employee or potential employee was a medical marijuana patient, or that the employee had tested positive for marijuana, it would be illegal for the employer to:

refuse to hire or refuse to select the person for a training program leading to employment, or to bar or to discharge the person from employment or from a training program leading to employment or to bar or to discharge the person from employment or from a training program leading to employment or to discriminate against the person in compensation or in terms, conditions, or privileges of employment.

California’s proposed bill is similar to other states that have successfully passed legislation to protect off-work use. AB 2069 also includes an important provision to protect employers who would lose money or licensing related benefits under federal law or regulations. Because marijuana remains a Schedule I substance under the federal Controlled Substances Act, companies that contract with the federal government must ensure a drug-free workplace. Under the proposed bill, such companies would not violate AB 2069 for terminating employee’s off-work marijuana use. This important safe harbor makes it seem more likely the bill will pass.

Note that AB 2069 would not provide protections for employees who use medical marijuana on the premises, or employees who are intoxicated while working, if company policy prohibits these things. Regardless of whether AB 2069 becomes law, it is important to be clear with your employees when it is acceptable to use marijuana and when it is not. Those rules, along with other employment-related requirements, must be spelled out in the cannabis business’s employee handbook.

Marijuana will continue to be legalized across the country in 2018. California has been on the forefront of medical marijuana policy since Proposition 215 over 20 years ago, so it’s fitting that the Golden State may be next to protect off-work medical marijuana use by patient employees. AB 2069 is to be heard in committee next month, and we expect this bill to get some traction. Make sure to write your representative. And if you want to track this bill going forward, go here.

In the meantime, for more on employees and off-duty cannabis use, check out the following posts by our attorneys:

6 Best Shows From NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert Series

Brendan Bures
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6 Best Shows From NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert Series

All artists construct façades. This is what we call an aesthetic: how someone chooses to look and sound and act and be in this world. It is what compels us about many artists—think MJ’s Moonwalk, Prince’s fashion, Beyoncé’s everything.

The premise behind NPR Music’s Tiny Desk Concert Series is an exercise in watching the mask slip off. Strip away the artifice, the technology, the vocal correction, and show who you really are. Let’s take music back to its roots. Often it leads to interesting musical concoctions you didn’t know possible—T-Pain without auto-tune, Anderson .Paak drumming and singing simultaneously, or Tyler, the Creator with a band.

Even when it’s not excellent, it reveals a new wrinkle into a beloved artist you didn’t realize you were missing. You get to see a side of them rarely expressed otherwise.

As Tyler says in his Tiny Concert series, “The fact that you saw me even have the courage to be trash with a band means a lot.”

MTV used to do this with same concept with its Unplugged series, if you’re old enough to remember it or when MTV was actually cool. I find both compulsively addicting and once I stumble down a rabbit hole of these acoustic-style concerts, my whole afternoon is shot. I’m a fat kid at Golden Corral and will eat until I puke thank you very much.

To make up for lost time, I’m corralling the five best Tiny Desk Concert series. These are the ones that show you something about the artist you hadn’t seen previously and explains why the super great Sturgill Simpson Tiny Desk didn’t make the cut—everyone who’s seen footage of Sturgill play won’t be witnessing anything new.

Regardless these will get you started and then you can waste the rest of your afternoon exploring the archives. Good luck.

T-Pain

You probably didn’t know T-Pain could actually sing, right? Like really, really sang. Any doubts that auto-tune was T-Pain’s crutch should be banished after watching this video.

Adele

The London crooner knows how to put on a lush production. You’re pleasantly overwhelmed by the grandness of it all. Instead, her voice here sounds like a warm blanket coating your stiff shoulders on a cold winter night—comforting and nurturing, just what your weary spirit needed.

Anderson .Paak & The Free Nationals

Tell me you’ve ever seen someone drum and sing this well and deliver so much sway while doing both. That’s what I thought.

Billy Corgan

Mellow AF Billy Corgan. Enough said.

Chance the Rapper

Come for the Stevie Wonder cover, stay for an original poem by Chancellor Bennett.

Tyler, the Creator

The rapper, despite his worries, is very not trash here. Kudos to him for transforming the NPR offices into a childlike, pillow fort vibe with those funky lights.

7 Cannabis Products That Can Cure Your Insomnia

Mary Schumacher
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7 Cannabis Products That Can Cure Your Insomnia

When it’s time for bed, sometimes our bodies just don’t agree. Whether you have regular insomnia or simply like the feeling of being gently rocked to sleep by cannabis, these seven products are sure to have you in dreamland in no time.

https://giphy.com/gifs/sleeping-SHEcjjdZz1tWU

Kiva Bars by Kiva Confections are the perfectly dosed, perfectly delicious chocolate bars for before bed. If you’re an experienced pro, go for the gold and eat an entire one about an hour before bedtime. That way you can appreciate a little of the altered state before heading off to bed. The nice thing is, though, that they come in squares and just a couple of the 5mg chocolate goodies are the perfect fix for insomnia.

Taking a bath is already relaxing, but imagine an organic, lavender infused epsom salt bath with a healthy dose of activated THC and all medicinal grade ingredients. That’s what you’ll find in a tub of Whoopi and Maya’s Soak, available in California and Colorado. This fragrant bath will fill your senses with ultimate goodness and is guaranteed to relax you.

Vape pens are a great way to go, as you can easily monitor your dosage and pick a nice indica strain to really get you in that dreamy mood. Gold Drop vapes are the gold standard and come in a variety of strains. Just remember that indicas and some hybrids are much better for catching some Z’s than a sativa.

https://giphy.com/gifs/bath-bathroom-al-pacino-QNnKbtl03OGsM

Cannabliss Care’s “Mellow Out” is just as it sounds, a very mellow experience. Great for anxiety as well as insomnia, the tincture is easy to measure out and is infused with other great sleepy-time concentrates.

CBD oil is another fantastic option, especially for those who don’t want to feel elevated before bed. Green Roads is known worldwide for their CBD offerings. CBD won’t knock you out, but it will provide the relaxation necessary to calm your mind and body and hopefully drift off.

Consistent in almost every way, from dosage to flavor, Cheeba Chews have long been a favorite edible. They’ve been around since 2009 and are easy to get the dosage right with and even easier to get down as they’re absolutely delicious.

https://giphy.com/gifs/grace-and-frankie-bergstein-hanson-11JVvTB0tGjThu

Last, but certainly not least, Hippy Chick’s CBD Fudge is the perfect sweet treat before bed. These creamy confections are as relaxing as they are delicious. And as an added bonus, Hippy Chick ships right to your door. So if in the mood to really relax or even catch that fleeting sleep, pick some up. You’ll thank us later.

Are Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton BFFs? Rob Answers Your Juicy Questions!

Naughty Gossip
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Are Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton BFFs? Rob Answers Your Juicy Questions!

We are just “thinking out loud” here but which English singer, songwriter, and guitarist has been invited to sing at the Royal Wedding? I’m sure his performance will be just “perfect.”

In this week’s episode, Naughty Gossip answers these questions and more when he breaks down all of this week’s headlines. Plus, he answers some of your questions!

Why You Need To Start Eating Raw Cannabis: 5 Reasons

Maria Loreto
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Why You Need To Start Eating Raw Cannabis: 5 Reasons

Eating or drinking raw cannabis sounds kind of gross, but there’s enough evidence to back up unorthodox practice and make us think that the plant should become an important green in our diets. In it’s natural state, the THC in marijuana isn’t psychoactive, which means that the plant is just filled with nutrients that are begging to be consumed, but won’t get you high.

Here are 5 reasons why you should be eating raw cannabis:

Cannabinoid Acids

https://giphy.com/gifs/thebigmoon-big-moon-26FL2NwYBOq3Z6C6Q

Cannabinoids are unique to marijuana and hemp plants, and they offer an immense amount of goodness, providing anti proliferative and anti spasmodic effects. THCA is also present in raw cannabis, and research suggests that it’s a great cannabinoid for treating inflammation and pain regulation. The raw form of cannabidiol, known as CBDA, has also shown some promising results for epilepsy and preventing inflammation.

Fiber

Like all leafy greens, cannabis is filled with fiber and could work really well if drunk on a smoothie or eaten on a salad (as weird as that would look). High fiber foods help your digestion, your immune system and mental health. While this all sounds awesome, some users have reported that raw cannabis fan leaves can be rough on the stomach lining, so if you have a sensitive stomach try to drink it via smoothie, or add some leaves as a garnish on your dish.

Pain Relief

Cannabinoid acids share some of the benefits of over the counter medicines, like ibuprofen and aspirin, but without all the chemicals. Some medical cannabis patients use raw cannabis as a supplement to their treatments, easing the symptoms of diseases like fibromyalgia and arthritis.

Extensive research demonstrates that green juices are a great addition to the diets of people with arthritis and that also consuming foods that are rich in nutrients helps fight off all pain related illnesses.

Vitamins & Antioxidants

Leafy greens are rich in nutrients like folate, iron, calcium, vitamin K and vitamin C. Cannabis contains all of this plus cannabinoid acids. CDB and THC are also considered antioxidants, battling stress and helping with cancer prevention. 

Terpenes

https://giphy.com/gifs/botany-3KRHu71uphMGc

Terpenes are the aromatic bits of the cannabis plant, which mostly get burnt when smoked, denying you their health benefits. in their raw shape, terpenes have anti-convulsing and sleep-inducing properties, providing a sense of calm and relaxation to your entire system.

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