Meghan Markle’s not officially a royal yet, but she’s well on her way! Ahead of her May 19 wedding to Prince Harry, Meghan Markle has just been given an official aide, a right-hand woman to help with her royal schedule.
On Monday, the announcement was made that former Kensington Palace press officer Amy Pickerill will now be an assistant private secretary in Prince Harry’s office working on Markle’s official diary and handling any correspondences that the royal-to-be receives.
A Kensington Palace spokesman said Pickerill “will be working on Meghan Markle’s programme”. The news of the official help should come as no surprise as the former Suits star’s royal obligations have been ramping up. She’s already done four public visits with her fiancé.
She was photographed with Pickerill during the couple’s recent royal trip to Edinburgh, Scotland earlier this month. Pickerill was photographed standing next to Markle and holding a bouquet of tulips that had been given to American by a fan. As for Pickerill’s pedigree, she went to former Nottingham University history and previously worked for the Royal Bank of Scotland in a number of roles in the press office department.
Jennifer Aniston And Brad Pitt Are Talking
They ARE speaking! Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt recently opened up the lines of communication, and even though the two have an amicable friendship, we’re told a romantic reboot is not going down.
Sources close to the former husband and wife tell The Blast Pitt has recently “been in touch” with Aniston, but that there is absolutely “nothing going on between the two.”
We’re told the two have actually communicated a few times over the recent months, and even after Pitt’s breakup with Angelina Jolie, but that the conversations were never romantic or about each other’s marriages.
One source doesn’t put it completely out of the question for the future though, telling us “something crazy could happen,” but “at this point nothing is going down between them.” It’s also unclear if Pitt knew details of Aniston’s rocky relationship with Justin Theroux, because our source says there “there wasn’t any communication about Jen’s split with Justin.”
Love the fresh dirt we bring over daily from Naughty Gossip? Let us know in the comments!
Many, many people—from celebrities to politicians—have expressed strong distaste and opposition to Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Why? Mostly because of his continued assault on marijuana, which escalated when he rescinded the Cole Memo, an Obama-era document that protected states with legalized marijuana from federal prosecution.
But the latest reveal in who stands against Sessions’ policies is perhaps the biggest political name thus far. That name would be the Koch brothers, who hold significant clout in conservative circles.
Because the people have voted to legalize cannabis in states like California, Maine, and Colorado, the Koch brothers believe the Justice Department should reverse course and “choose to be on the side of individual liberty and states’ rights.” As their statement reads, “citizens have spoken on marijuana” and the government shouldn’t interfere.
“That Attorney General Jeff Sessions, a Republican appointee in a Republican administration, is undoing a Democratic appointee’s work from a Democratic administration is irrelevant,” the statement reads. “Republicans and Democrats alike have criticized the decision, and for good reason: It does little to improve the lives of people in our communities.”
The Koch brothers hold considerable influence within the Republican party, as they are some of its wealthiest donors. For the 2018 midterm election cycle alone they’ve pledged $400 million in donations. This statement could be monumental in swaying conservatives to vote in favor of legalizing marijuana in the coming elections. As Westword writes, “The Kochs’ public disagreement with the Trump administration over marijuana could offer Republican electives more leeway to support legal marijuana at the state level without risking major GOP donor support.”
But what’s more is the statement from the Koch brothers doesn’t only use states’ rights as a reason to support marijuana efforts; the statement also condemns the war on drugs.
Resources spent fighting a misguided war on drugs should instead go toward programs for those reentering society, including rehabilitation, treatment and job training. Instead of prosecuting non-violent drug offenders for doing what has already been legalized in half a dozen states and decriminalized in several others, the administration would be better suited working with members of Congress to reform outdated sentencing laws. However well-intentioned these laws were upon implementation, they have ruined lives, torn apart families and communities, and have burdened taxpayers, doing little to keep people safe.
It’s odd when Bernie Sanders and the Koch brothers stand in unison against a Republican-initiated cause, but those are the political times we live in.
“My job was to seek and destroy the enemy and essentially neutralize or kill them… I basically became a war machine and had to detach… I did a lot of fighting, I lost friends, I endured what I had to and I’d do it again in a heartbeat, but war changes you. You become emotionless, ice cold, so with combat I just turned into something else.” And so began the stirrings of PTSD in Jose Belen, one of the plaintiffs suing Attorney General Jeff Sessions in order to deschedule cannabis.
Belen is a member of what he calls “The Justice League.” Not only because there are five plaintiffs, but because as Belen puts it, “we’re all coming for justice.” Along with Belen is twelve-year-old Alexis Bortell who suffers from epilepsy, Marvin Washington – a former Super Bowl champion, a 6-year-old child who is on hospice and a New York non profit called the Cannabis Culture Association.
They are represented by a set of five lawyers in a league of their own as well. The notorious attorneys Joseph A. Bondy, Michael Hiller, Lauren Rudick, Fatima Afia and David C. Holland are all on the case. Holland describes their collaboration as thus, “[We] met during several meetings of the New York Cannabis Bar Association where we discussed putting together such a challenge. We are all litigators with various backgrounds and interests as it pertains to the legalization of cannabis.”
Holland’s own interest began in 2004 when he began what would be a 12-year collaboration with the late Michael Kennedy, Esq. representing High Times Magazine and serving as legal advocates to NORML. Holland has participated directly and indirectly in several potential and actual litigation challenges to the Schedule I status of marijuana and sees this as a formidable challenge to declare the CSA’s designation of marijuana unconstitutional.
Belen likes to use the following analogy regarding coming back from the battlefield, “You get put into combat and you become a lion, you’re in the jungle warfare, kill or be killed type of thing, so it’s like taking a lion out of the jungle literally and trying to put him in a city.” When he came home there was no place for a warring lion’s mentality. He suffered from nightmares, combat withdrawal, mood swings, anger, depression and over a decade of suicidal thoughts that too often came too close to fruition.
Photo by Kevin Schumacher
Five years ago, Belen’s wife Danielle was forced to write him a letter stating that she’d do anything in her power to help him, but that the constant threat of suicide was her limit. They went out to dinner that night and decided to give the VA another try. Belen’s initial experience with the VA had not been positive, riddled with pills that held side effects that just drove him closer to the edge. The second time around proved more helpful, but again they pressed the pills and again the Belens had to wean Jose off of them. Luckily, Belen had been using marijuana intermittently since his return home and knew that when he used it he found relief, but even that relief came with a price tag.
“I didn’t want to ruin my honorable career with a police record,” said Belen, “because I’m using medicine that helps me rather than the pills I’m flushing down the toilet. Over the last 13 and a half years it’s been intermittent, because I had a corporate career and was one of the number one insurance professionals in America. I was torn. I’m an honorable citizen, but I’m a criminal. Simply put, [cannabis] allows me to function, to find my smile again, to tap into that 19 year old pre-combat soldier individual person and allows me to interact with my family better. It’s just a complete turnaround.”
On February 14 they took their case to the courts. Presiding Judge Hellerstein expressed exasperation with the Government’s persistence in the claim that there is no valid medical use for marijuana, according to Holland, who went on to say, “Judge Hellerstein emphatically stated that the plaintiffs themselves were proof that cannabis works for them as they are alive and enjoying a quality of life not experienced before medical cannabis usage.”
Holland found many positive aspects to the appearance and said the next steps, though unclear until the Judge rules on a motion to dismiss, include, “If the motion is denied in its entirety then the court will set up a discovery schedule where both sides obtain and build their evidence and proceed towards trial. The Court could grant the motion to dismiss which would terminate Plaintiffs case and surely we will take the matter up on appeal. Or last, the Court could create a hybrid dismissing some things and permitting other claims to move forward towards trial. Given some of the discussion in court I am of the belief that the third scenario is most likely and we will see what comes next with the decision.”
In the meantime, the Belens will continue to work on Mission Zero, their own fight to bring the veteran suicide epidemic to a halt and to show veterans that, as Danielle Belen emphatically declared, “Pharmaceuticals are NOT the only option.”
I’m 11 weeks into my pregnancy and suffer from some pretty bad morning sickness. Can marijuana help with my nausea? Is is safe? Can I use marijuana during my pregnancy? — Erica L., Spokane, Wash.
Dear Erica:
Pregnancy can be such a wonderful time, but unfortunately at least 70 percent of women have some form of morning sickness that can be mild or severe. During pregnancy, my wife had such severe vomiting that she had to be admitted to the hospital twice.
We try to keep treatment of this condition very conservative so that the developing fetus is not affected. These treatments can include changing your diet, herbal teas, aromatherapy, fresh air, acupuncture or an acupressure band. If the conservative measures are unsuccessful, we consider medications which do not cross the placental barrier to the blood supply of the fetus.
I have multiple concerns about the use of cannabis during pregnancy. There are studies which have linked its use to miscarriage, low birth weight and premature birth. We have also seen in studies in the monkey that THC will pass through the placental barrier into the fetus, however the fetus does not readily metabolize the THC.
There is considerable concern about THC in the developing brain of young adults and I have significant concern about damage in the developing fetal brain. Cannabis has been found to be associated with developmental delays, behavioral and learning difficulties.
Therefore, I do not feel it is worth the risk of using cannabis during pregnancy.
This information is intended only to complement, and not to replace or contradict, any health or medical advice or information provided by healthcare professionals. If you have any questions, please contact your doctor or other healthcare professional.
The CB Distillery out of Colorado surveyed their social media followers about why they like to dab CBD versus other methods and by far, most people prefer to dab for instant relief.
Here are our 5 favorite, most revealing responses:
Related Story: What’s The Deal With Dabbing And Should You Do It
Immediate Results
@zensual.nature: Dabbing CBD seems to have far more pronounces and often times more immediate results that other forms of administering the cannabinoid. I like the tinctures and I like the topicals, but most of the time, they are not as noticeably/instantaneously effective for managing my symptoms. I think tinctures/edibles will generally address body/mind in a slower/less distinct manner, topicals address specific sites of pain, and smoking/dabbing will bring relief to the body, but targets mental affliction, in my experience.
Inexpensive
@droppinslabs: Low cost (not paying for material for cartridges and accessories every time you buy, just raw medicine) and it allows me to have a delivery method that is fine-tuned and exactly how I want it, I know exactly how I like to dab and that is why it’s my favorite delivery method. Also almost immediate effects in a strong delivery
Flavor
@ryantreat4 It feels natural and in my opinion tastes amazing. I love CBD and will never go back. As far as physical pains, as I said, no experience with smoking CBD and gaining relief, however, rubbing CBD topicals like Salve or lotion has given me almost immediate comfort/relief as well.
Balance
@drewishdrews Dabbing gives me a nearly instant balancing effect after smoking THC.
Other Benefits
@fourdeeounce I myself don’t think it takes all my pain away when dabbing it, I would say 60% relief, but that being said, there are so many other benefits it gives me that are just truly astonishing.
The history of cannabis is fraught with smear campaigns and negative propaganda. Many antiquated associations of cannabis consumers remain prevalent throughout pop culture and politics, despite growing tides of evidence to the contrary.
For example, when you use the word “pot” to describe cannabis, it typically conjures stereotypes of headshops and stoner culture. And while stoners are a subculture of cannabis, they aren’t the prevailing representation of what cannabis culture and the cannabis industry has become. I mean, many legal weed shops look more like Apple stores aimed at education and assisting those with medical ailments.
This is why The Fresh Toast, as a guiding principle, doesn’t use “pot” when we write about cannabis. We don’t want those negative “stoner” associations to distract from the important work of the cannabis revolution.
But now Alejandro Albo of NowThis News has produced a video explaining the historically objectionable roots of the term “marijuana.” He believes those roots should be enough reason for you to never say the word “marijuana” again.
The word 'marijuana' is rooted in racism — here's why you should say 'cannabis' instead pic.twitter.com/7FD7qEz9Ac
“Now the word itself isn’t inherently racist. But it was used by prohibitionists to exploit racism and xenophobia. So by using the ‘M word,’ you’re ignoring a long history of oppression against Mexican immigrants and African Americans,” Albo says.
He later dives into the earlier history of cannabis in America, explaining how it was consumed by the “American elite” since the 1840s, often sold as over-the-counter medication to treat symptoms like insomnia, migraines, and rheumatism (sound familiar?). But when millions of Mexicans migrated to the U.S. after the Mexican Revolution in the early 1900s, they brought “marihuana” with them.
These Mexicans would smoke it casually and regularly, which was reason enough for Harry Aslinger, the director of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics from 1930 to 1962, to launch the original War on Drugs.
“Anslinger believed marijuana influenced Black and Brown people to commit murder and other violent crimes,” Albo explains. “Which is ridiculous because all I see people do when they smoke is sit on their couch, watch TV, eat munchies, and fall asleep.”
“So his solution was to launch a vicious propaganda campaign against marijuana and associate it with all inferior races and social deviants. Anslinger traveled across the country to convince people that marijuana was something that was invading the U.S. He even pronounced the drug as ‘marihuana’ to make it sound Hispanic and foreign and scary to white people.”
Anslinger’s campaigns were instrumental in convincing Congress to pass the Marihuana Tax Act of 1937, which was the first step to cannabis sales and usage becoming illegal. Efforts made by Anslinger will be familiar to anyone who has listened to the rhetoric of Attorney General Jeff Sessions, though many activist groups and media have helped counteract the spread of such miseducation.
While Albo contends that “marijuana lost its prejudice bite years ago,” he asserts that “you can’t ignore the racial implications of its introduction to the American lexicon.”
That much we agree with. However, some words’ meanings change over time. Marijuana is, in many ways, distant from its racially contentious roots. Though it’s important to remember it as representative of how cannabis prohibition was started as a racially motivated action, it doesn’t mean the word “marijuana” is still used in such a derogatory way, like “pot” can be.
As always, to play it safe, referring to the plant as “cannabis” remains the most technically correct method. Just don’t forget the complicated history of where marijuana came from.
Much like alcohol, cannabis edibles are best taken with food. Not doing this can result in anxiety and a paranoia freakout. But why?
Some believe the Rate of Absorption Hypothesis that states edibles cause increased anxiety when taken on an empty stomach because THC is absorbed at a quicker rate.
But according to the Prof of Pot, who broke down some recent studies on the issue:
I call bullshit because compared to either fasted or fed, the absorption is 100 times faster when cannabis is smoked. Furthermore, plasma concentrations of THC after a meal don’t lag the fasted state by that much – the time to peak plasma concentrations is only much later after a meal because so much more is absorbed.
Others think that formation of the 11-OH-THC metabolite is responsible. Prof of Pot says though 11-OH-THC is probably more potent than THC:
It is true that 10 times more 11-OH-THC can be formed after taking cannabis edibles than any other route such as smoking. However, the peak concentration of 11-OH-THC in the fasted state is only 25% higher than in the fed state. That is not a big enough difference to convince me that 11-OH-THC is the culprit.
Prof thinks the extra anxiety is due to the ratio of THC to CBD under fasted conditions:
Because the activity of 11-OH-THC is at least as strong as THC, I summed the levels of THC and 11-OH-THC for a measure of ‘total THC’. I then examined the ratio with CBD and the results were surprising.
After a meal, the ‘total THC’ to CBD ratio was about 3 at the time of peak blood concentrations. This is already on the high side (no pun intended). However, this ratio after fasting was almost 9 – nearly 3 times higher than after a meal.
So eating a cannabis edible on an empty stomach, even if it contains a 1:1 ratio, is the equivalent of smoking a cannabis strain with a 9:1 THC to CBD ratio!
Prof surmises that anxiety is “due to the relatively low absorption of CBD compared to THC when you haven’t eaten” and suggests taking edibles after a solid meal (preferably one with some fat to stimulate bile acid release), especially if you are taking edibles with CBD.
With all the anxiety and obsessive thinking that can come with anorexia, many sufferers of the disorder are finding relief through cannabis. Not only does marijuana give out the munchies, it helps to slow down self-harming thoughts and loosens the obsession with control that some people experience.
A Colorado woman named Jessica told Cosmopolitan, “I’m able to step back and see my irrational thoughts for what they are — irrational — and it gives me the space to look at it and go, ‘Wow, that’s a ridiculous thought to have; nothing bad is going to happen to me if I eat this piece of pizza.’ It also makes food taste better and eating more enjoyable, which is nice because chronic anorexia messes with your digestive tract and can sort of break your natural hunger cues.”
And as far as feeling guilt once the munchies and high wear off, Jessica said that it just doesn’t bother her. She does not suffer from the “body distortion” issues that many others do. For her, anorexia is about control, and the feeling of being more flexible is one she enjoys.
A Seattle woman who was obsessed with counting calories to the point of degradation also credits cannabis with having moved her past her own behaviors. Though she did start off feeling guilty the day after using cannabis, she also realized that she felt better and that she could remember clearly how many calories she consumed without the obsessive factor.
Neither woman smokes to excess or even on the “stoner” level, but a hit of pot eases their anxieties. Another reason cannabis is so calming for those who didn’t use to imbibe is that its standing, worldwide, has eased over to the open-minded side of the equation. The stigma has fallen away and people are able to treat their disorders without feeling like a drug addict or social pariah.
Though some experts worry that cannabis is a bandaid to eating disorders, to the point that they aren’t learning coping mechanisms for the long run, conventional medicine hasn’t provided a better solution, certainly not a natural one. And since it’s working, more power to the people for expanding their horizons and letting go of destructive behaviors.
Plogging, which is basically the act of picking up trash while you jog — a mashup of the words “plucking” and “jogging” — has been making the hashtag rounds on Instagram, so you know it’s real.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BfNMwVLnwxj/
Certified personal trainer and behavioral change therapist Charles F. Porter tells Moneyish:
There are two great things about this type of exercise. You get the added benefit of carrying a few extra pounds and you’re bending over and doing squats, which is a move that’s fundamental to your everyday life. You’re getting a full body workout.
It’s also just about the least selfish physical activity you can do. Says Porter, “You’re helping the planet and that can encourage others to participate, especially if it’s a social media phenomenon, everyone wants to jump on that bandwagon.”
According to Moneyish, the Environmental Protection Agency estimates Americans generate 4.4 pounds of trash per person per day, with the most common items consisting of food, paper, plastics, wood, metals and yard trimmings.
Seattle-based ultramarathon runner Margaret Young tells Moneyish this is nothing new to runners, but it’s still cool:
It’s great that plogging is a trending word and people will think it’s Nordicly cool to pick up trash, but most trail runners and leave-no-trace believers have been practicing this already. My pockets are usually stuffed with other people’s trash when I get home from a hike or run.
She adds, “It seems silly that we need to have a special word for something that people should be doing anyway, but if it gets the trash picked up, I’m all for it.”
Cannabis legalization can be confusing. To run correctly, state and local governments need to erect various infrastructure to support the nascent industry. Furthermore, people need to be informed about how and what will change when it comes to their legal cannabis rights. All this causes questions, especially in a large state like California.
That’s why Cat Parker, Executive Director of the Department of Cannabis Regulation for Los Angeles, hosted a Reddit AMA (Ask Me Anything). Parker previously worked at the Drug Policy Alliance. When hired, she told the Los Angeles Times, “It’s extremely important that as this industry develops in the city of Los Angeles, that it’s done with consciousness.”
Parker and her staff are aiming to do just that. In her Reddit AMA, she spoke eloquently about the challenges of shaping the industry and how her staff is reacting to those challenges. Below some of her most revealing answers appear in abbreviated form.
What Does Her Department Oversee?
Our job is to get cannabis businesses licensed and to monitor compliance with new business standards to ensure our regulations protect communities and consumers within the City of Los Angeles. With the development of an entire new cannabis program and department, I largely focus on policy and citywide coordination. LAPD is the primary agency handling enforcement against illegal activity.
How Will Los Angeles Tax Cannabis?
The State of California will impose a 15% excise tax on the purchase of Medical and Adult-Use cannabis. Cultivators will also have to pay a tax on dry flowers ($9.25 per ounce) and dry leaves ($2.75 per ounce).
The City of Los Angeles will impose the following new business taxes as of January 1, 2018: 10 percent gross receipts from Adult-Use Sales; 5 percent gross receipts from Medical Sales; 1 percent gross receipts from Transportation, Testing or Research; 2 percent gross receipts from Manufacturing, Cultivation and Other Activities.
How Is LA Promoting Representational Equity In Cannabis?
The City of Los Angeles has adopted a Social Equity Program as a part of its larger cannabis regulatory program to allow individuals and communities most harmed by marijuana prohibition and its enforcement more equitable access to the new cannabis industry.
Within the City’s Social Equity Program, individuals who are low income, have a qualifying prior California Cannabis conviction, and those who have lived in a disproportionately impacted community may qualify for priority process and business and licensing assistance.
The City is also considering establishing a fee deferral program for qualifying social equity applicants.
Will LA Allow Cannabis Cafes In The Future?
Some members of the City Council have expressed interest in exploring the authorization of on-site consumption. Right now, we’re rolling out policy in stages to make sure that each step of the way we address the needs of businesses, customers, and government so that responsible consumers can safely get access to products at legal and well-run businesses. FYI: according to state law, consumption of any kind of cannabis in public is subject to a $100 fine — and smoking cannabis where tobacco smoking is prohibited is subject to a $250 fine.
