3 amazing marijuana recpies for summer parties

As the legalization of marijuana continues to spread, our relationship with the plant flourishes and evolves. While we once kept it in air-tight, hidden-from-sight containers, now our weed might sit on the kitchen counter — next to other baking and cooking accouterments. Yes, we cook openly with cannabis in 2014. You can buy pot-infused butters and oils at dispensaries — or you can make your own, which is what we recommend. And here’s our handy how-to on calculating THC dosage for your recipes. So what marijuana-infused recipes did readers click on the most in 2014? Here they are — our 10 most popular recipes of 2014, crafted by Oregon-based chef Laurie WolfWolf
Cannabutter: The best cannabutter in America: Follow the directions, and you will make the best butter your weed will allow. The truth is, however, the butter is just as good as the weed you make it with. Step 1 In a medium saucepan bring a quart of water to a boil on the stove. You can vary the amounts, just be sure that the marijuana is always floating about 1 1/2 – 2 inches from the bottom of the pan. Step 2 When the water is boiling place the butter in the pan and allow it to melt completely. My recipe uses 4 sticks of butter to every ounce of marijuana, so if you’re using a half ounce of weed that’s about 2 sticks of butter. Step 3 Once the butter has melted you can add the marijuana. Once the weed is added the heat should be turned down, very low, to barely a simmer. I usually let the weed cook for around three hours. You can tell it’s done when the top of the mix turns from really watery to glossy and thick. Step 4 While the cannabutter is cooking set up the bowl to hold the finished product. I like to use a heatproof bowl, and some people use a plastic food container. Place a double layer of cheesecloth over the top, and secure it with elastic, string or tape. Step 5 Strain the marijuana butter over the bowl, carefully trying not to spill. When the saucepan is empty, undo the twine, pick up the cheesecloth from all four sides and squeeze out all of the remaining butter. Step 6 Allow the cannabutter to cool for about an hour. Place in the fridge until the butter has risen to the top layer and is solid. The THC and other properties have attached to the butter, and you are just about there. Step 7 Run a knife around the edge and lift the butter off. Place upside down on your work surface and scrape off any of the cooking water. Your cannabutter is ready to roll. Enjoy! Thai iced tea — with a kick: Thai iced tea and Thai iced coffee are among my favorite summer drinks. Partially it is because I completely adore condensed milk. It’s a magical ingredient, so sweet, creamy and smooth. And it might be considered a culinary evil, I am afraid to look. I have given up corn syrup, but not this. It won’t happen. 6 chai tea bags, or 6 black tea bags with ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon, two cardamom pods, 1 star anise and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract 8 cups boiling water ¼ to ½ cup granulated sugar, optional 1 can condensed milk (14 ounces) 3-5 tablespoons melted cannabutter Directions 1. Place the chai tea bags (or the black tea bags with the spices) in a pitcher. Pour 8 cups of boiling water over the tea bags. Allow to steep for 4-5 minutes. Remove the bags and add the optional sugar. Let cool to room temperature. 2. In a small bowl combine the condensed milk and melted cannabutter. 3. Fill 6 glasses with ice cubes. Fill each glass two-thirds of the way with the tea. Top the tea with about 2 ounces of the condensed milk mixture. It will sink to the bottom, and that’s good. Stir and drink. So, so good. A truly smokin’ mac and cheese: Some say mac and cheese is the ultimate comfort food. There is something about the crusty top and the creaminess under that crust that certainly makes this dish a contender. I love the smokiness of the paprika, and the addition of smoked mozzarella adds a layer of flavors that may make this my most favorite mac and cheese ever. You can always vary the type of cheese, or add veggies or bacon. Bacon would be amazing. Smokin’ Mac ’n Cheese Serves 4-6 ½ pound elbow macaroni or shells 1 tablespoon canola oil 1 teaspoon salt For cheese sauce 5 tablespoons cannabutter ½ cup all-purpose flour 2½ to 3 cups milk, warm 4 ounces smoked mozzarella, grated (1 cup) 8 ounces medium cheddar, grated (2 cups) 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 teaspoon smoked paprika ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 cup breadcrumbs 1 tablespoon canola oil, (using canna-oil is optional) 2 ounces sharp cheddar, grated (1/2 cup) For onion rings 1 cup canola oil 1 small onion, peeled and thinly sliced Directions Heat oven to 375 degrees. 1. Fill a large pot with water, oil and salt. Bring to boil, add the macaroni and cook according to the directions on the package. Drain well. 2. In a small saucepan melt the cannabutter. Add the flour and cook, whisking constantly, for five minutes. Add the warm milk and cook for a minute or two more, until thickened and smooth. Add the cheese, salt, paprika, pepper and nutmeg. Add the cooked macaroni and stir well. Pour into 6-8 buttered ramekins. 3. In a small bowl combine the canola oil with the breadcrumbs and sharp cheddar. Sprinkle on top of the filled ramekins. Bake for 25-35 minutes or until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni is browned on the top. 4. In a medium saucepan, heat the oil. When hot add the onion rings and cook until golden brown, 4-5 minutes. Drain on paper towels or clean dishtowel. Place on top of the ramekins and serve.

Congress Considers Medical Marijuana for Veterans

Marijuana policy is changing the way Congress thinks and acts. Like most new areas of policy—or policies new to Congress—it is not happening through a ground-breaking, fast moving, all-encompassing policy shift. Instead, through small steps—small victories for marijuana supporters—Congress is showing signs of change, at least in regard to medical marijuana, that depart dramatically with the institution’s historical support for the war on drugs. A committee vote in the U.S. Senate last week paved the way to relax policies regarding medical marijuana in veterans health facilities. Long an issue championed by veterans groups and the pro-marijuana community, the desire to facilitate veterans’ access has increased as this group’s health issues gain greater national attention in the wake of two wars. The advocacy communities argue that medical marijuana can be used to treat or manage the symptoms of a variety of ailments that disproportionately affect veterans, including chronic pain, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. They also suggest cannabis can be helpful in addressing the serious epidemic of veteran suicide. I take no position on the efficacy of such a treatment—I’ll leave those determinations to the medical and other scientific communities. But regardless of one’s perspective around or belief in those claims, the argument has motivated a serious change among policy communities and now policymakers. One stumbling block in the effort to give veterans access to medical marijuana has been legal restrictions on Veterans Affairs doctors’ ability to recommend cannabis for treatment. In fact, VA doctors are often unwilling to discuss the topic with patients who have questions. This reality comes not from heartlessness among VA professions. Nor does this barrier arise necessarily because of a cultural opposition among VA doctors. Instead, federal law, particularly the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) and the regulatory progeny that traces its roots back to that act, limits the ability of doctors (federal government employees) to recommend a substance that is determined to be illegal. This presents a real challenge for medical marijuana-seeking veterans. Many veterans depend solely or largely on VA for their health care access. Wounded warriors also face risks of economic hardship because of their disability or health conditions that limit employment. Thus, the added costs of seeking out a non-VA doctor for a recommendation adds to the price of accessing medical marijuana—a product that is already quite costly in many jurisdictions. In response, a bipartisan amendment was proposed by Senators Steve Daines (R-Mont.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) that sought to overcome that challenge. Details About the Veteran’s Medical Marijuana Proposal First, a few clarifying points about what this proposal is and what it is not. It is not a stand-alone law. It is a committee amendment to the Senate version of the FY16 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations bill. While elements of this proposal can be found in the recent comprehensive legislation (the Compassionate Access, Research Expansion and Respect States Act), this proposal is not the formal advancement of that legislation. Nor has the Senate passed this proposal. Its advancement thus far has been in the appropriations subcommittee on two votes. The first passed the amendment entering it formally into the legislation. The second passed the broader appropriations bill through committee. That is not to say the legislation is not significant. This is one of the first times a Senate committee passed an individual legislative item specifically relaxing marijuana policy. (Previous Senate votes on broader bills included pro-marijuana provisions, taken up and inserted by the House.) Second, the legislative effort is not certain to find its way into the final bill. The Senate committee bill (the broader appropriations legislation) differs from the House version, and thus, one of two paths forward on the legislation must occur. Either the House has to pass the Senate version or the House and Senate need to conference to work out differences—a scenario in which this provision, like all others, are at risk of being stripped. That is not to say this provision will ultimately be left out, but the reality is that this is not a done deal. Third, it is unclear what effect the provision will have. The amendment attempts a policy change via its formal jurisdiction: appropriations. As the committee report on the legislation notes, the effect of the amendment is to prohibit “the use of funds to interfere with the ability of veterans to participate in State-approved medicinal marijuana programs or deny services to such veterans” (see Page 71). There exist two challenges to this provision having the intended effect. For one, the Obama administration took a combative stance against a similar provision in a Justice Department appropriations bill that sought to restrict the use of Drug Enforcement Administration funds to enforce the CSA in states with approved medical marijuana systems. Rather than compliance with that legislation, a DEA spokesperson noted that the administration position is that it can still use funds to enforce the CSA, even in states covered by that provision. The administration position that gives the CSA supremacy over the provisions of appropriations legislation sets a precedent (or at least offers a precedent) that calls into question whether the veterans access provision would be treated similarly. That said, in an environment in which the VA is mired in scandal and simultaneously veteran health issues are quickly rising in public awareness, it is hard to imagine the Obama administration arresting veterans and VA doctors seeking such treatments. Veterans health care policy should never be determined by political optics; in fact, the political optics of such prosecutions would be devastating for the administration and fodder for some of the most damning media coverage a White House could imagine. Yet beyond the White House’s determination of the binding nature of the appropriations provision, it is important to consider another limitation. The provision does not force doctors to discuss marijuana. Nor does it force doctors to consider marijuana as a treatment option. It simply seeks to offer a type of legal protection for doctors who choose to offer cannabis as part of a treatment regimen. “Choose” is the key word because doctors can still opt, for whatever reason, not to consider such a treatment plan. While some medical professionals have a very accepting view of medical marijuana, others remain opposed. Some physicians are not convinced of the medical benefit or are uncomfortable with the scant research on the topic. Other physicians may remain concerned about legal ramifications. Still others operate within a medical culture in which some constituencies remain opposed to cannabis for a variety of reasons. The result is that even if reform comes about, veterans’ access to medical marijuana will still face serious barriers—formal and informal—in ways that will come as no surprise to those in the pro-marijuana community. Those barriers are ones that the movement works hard to break down, but they are barriers that still exist and remain firm in specific segments of society. Regardless of the outcome of the Daines-Merkley amendment and of the ultimate consequence of the policy change, the passage of this legislation tells us something significant about the trajectory of marijuana policy in the United States. The grip of the war on drugs on American political institutions is weakening. Legislators are likely responding to a combination of rapidly changing and concrete public opinion and a coordinated, professionalized lobbying effort. Congress members and Senators no longer see marijuana policy as a hot-button issue mired in the culture wars of American politics. Instead, (medical) marijuana is a health care issue that is being debated in the halls of Congress, not as a taboo but as mainstream public policy. Congress keeps signaling its transformation on this issue and the Daines-Merkley amendment’s greater significance may be the sign that this transformation may finally have broken down the doors to the Senate chamber.

Atwal Eye owners pitch medical marijuana plant in Niagara County

A second group from Western New York is working to land a medical marijuana license with a growing and distribution facility in Niagara County. Members of the Atwal family approached the Town of Wilson with plans to a medical marijuana cultivation facility at the former Pfeiffer Foods salad dressing plant. Wilson town board members voted this week to approve the application, giving the application the local support needed as part of its application to the state Department of Health. According to information filed by Far(m)ed New York LLC with the town, plans call for converting the 86,000-square-foot plant into a facility for cultivation, extraction and formulation of pharmaceutical grade cannibis. Just months ago, the Town of Lewiston came out in support of a similar proposal by Herbal Agriculture LLC, a company with ties to Modern Disposal in Lewiston, which plans to expand a commercial tomato greenhouse for medical marijuana cultivation. Far(m)ed New York LLC is owned by Dr. Ephraim Atwal and Dr. Amar Atwal, principals in the Atwal Eye Care business. Based on Harlem Road in Cheektowaga, Atwal Eye Care has five locations with 110 total staff. In addition to their ophthalmology and surgical practice, the Atwals also have experience in agriculture, operating a commercial corn business on Chestnut Road in the Town of Newfane under the company name Lawta Farms LLC.

Ten best marijuana strains

Alaska and Washington DC’s cannabis legalization provisions kick in, a Cannabis Cup in Los Angeles, satisfied voters in Colorado, and more retail stores in Washington. A landmark study re-iterated the facts that cannabis is much safer than any other drug including alcohol. And the weed was pretty good, too. Here’s a short list of our favorites.
BAY AREA Sunset Sherbet A food fight broke out in San Francisco stemming from a rift in the Cookie Fam. Two “Cookie” stores on Mission St. are competing to offer locals the best Girl Scout Cookies-related genetics in the world. Cookies SF’s ‘Original Cookie Fam Sunset Sherbet’ dazzled with a creamy orange dessert smell and maximal, potent indica-dominant effects.
Khalifa Kush – Cookie. Co. 415 now occupies Herbal Mission’s old spot and specializes in KK — Wiz Khalifa’s perfect cut of OG Kush — known for its unbeatable lemon-fuel smell and indica-dominant, sedative effect.
T.I.T.S. CRAFT Collective in Berkeley expanded beyond its own award-winning, top-shelf strains, adding I.C. Collective’s phenomenal T.I.T.S. The strain name stands for “This is the sh*t” and is an early Cookies phenotype, Forum Cookies, crossed to Sour Diesel. Phenomenal Cookies and Diesel aroma, maxed-out THC content. Leaves you mewling for more.
Blue Lightning One of The Barbary Coast SF’s specialties — Blue Lightning is an indica cross of Blueberry from Mendocino county. A massive electric blueberry aroma, 22 percent THC.
LOS ANGELES Mango Tango Elemental Seeds’ Mango Tango took first place in February’s High Times Medical Cannabis Cup – Los Angeles, held in San Bernardino. A cross of the True OG, Tangie and Peaches, expect waves of mango aroma in this maximally potent sativa hybrid.
Clean Green XJ-13 Award-winning Alternative Herbal Health Services showcases the next level in conscious cannabis — 3rd-party certified “clean green” XJ-13. The versatile hybrid combines blockbuster sativa Jack Herer with mystery indica G-13.
Veganic Strawberry Cough Buds & Roses Los Angeles’ sativa-hybrid Strawberry Cough was grown veganically — meaning with no synthetic inputs, or animal-based inputs like fish emulsion or bird guano. You can taste the purity in this strawberry-smelling haze phenotype.
DENVER Gorilla Glue #4 Denver Relief’s members-only cut of Gorilla Glue #4 looks beast. It’s a hybrid strain of Sister, Chocolate Diesel and Sour Dubb that’s taken home top hybrid honors at the 2014 Cannabis Cups in Michigan and Los Angeles.

New Denver hotel allows marijuana use

DENVER — In LoDo, the Nativ Hotel is set to open. Thursday through Saturday there will be a series of functions to welcome the boutique hotel that allows marijuana use. “We have something for everyone here at Nativ,” said owner Mike Alexander. “We have door bells on rooms, living plant walls on our outdoor patios where guests can consume marijuana on their stays, the Stereo Lounge in the basement, and original art work throughout the hotel. We even have a coffee bar specializing in CBD infused lattes.” The rooms have all glass showers, the champagne suites have self-cleaning hot tubs and there is a lunch/happy hours lounge called Pourtions. The cannabis friendly hotel is the first of its kind in Denver. Some of the rooms even have the Monsieur Bartenders … meaning no more mini-bars. This pour system allows for customers to make up to 800 combinations without ever leaving their room. Co-owner Richmond Meyer said, “We chose the name Nativ because we want everyone—no matter where they are from—to feel as if they are a native Coloradan while they are here. Our goal is to allow everyone to have an awesome time for however long they stay with us.” The Nativ is staging three days of understanding between Thursday and Saturday. Grand Opening is Thursday night. Expect a big crowd as the new cannabis hotel is going to be the spot to be.

Study: New Cannabinoids Discovered

Ole Miss is at again. With their research-grade cannabis finally up to par with that of dispensaries, the weed scientists at the University of Mississippi have taken full advantage of the potent pot: seven new naturally occurring cannabinoids have been discovered. Depending on the genetic makeup of a strain of cannabis, the resinous trichomes of female plants will produce mainly THC or CBD, with high CBG detected in few European hemp samples. Whether a plant has high THC or CBD, a diverse slew of minor cannabinoids always top off the mixture. Many modern labs dedicated to testing cannabis can give you a percentage of major cannabinoids and a few minor cannabinoids, but none so far have the capability to give you a full cannabinoid fingerprint. It’s not out of laziness; such an analysis would take weeks and thousands of dollars given the current technology. Scientists have discovered 104 different cannabinoids in the cannabis plant through painstaking labor, and it seems that number just climbed to 111. 8α-hydroxy-Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol; 8β-hydroxy-Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol; 10α-hydroxy-Δ8-tetrahydrocannabinol; 10β-hydroxy-Δ8-tetrahydrocannabinol; 10α-hydroxy-Δ9,11-hexahydrocannabinol; 9β, 10β-epoxyhexahydrocannabinol; and 11-acetoxy-Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinolic acid A are the seven new cannabinoids discovered. All of them are yellow oils at room temperature, except the last one that is a white powder, much like other carboxylated cannabinoids. Other researchers had already synthesized a few of these cannabinoids, but without knowing they naturally occurred in the plant. Using a complex, multistage, multi-solvent extraction process, scientists started with nine kilograms of dried buds and isolated between 10 and 150 milligrams of these minute compounds. They tested them on mice, and found that a few of them got mice just as high as THC, while others had different effects.

U.S. anti-legalization group urges more access to marijuana research

A group opposed to pot legalization is unveiling proposals on Thursday for the U.S. government to ease restrictions on scientific research into marijuana's potential as medicine, in a first step for an organization of its kind. The plan from Smart Approaches to Marijuana, which is co-founded by former U.S. Congressman Patrick Kennedy, comes after three U.S. Senators this year introduced a bill that would require the federal government to recognize pot's medical value and allow states to set their own medical cannabis policies. Kennedy will present his group's plan on Thursday to officials in Washington, said Kevin Sabet, the group's president and chief executive. Twenty-three states and the District of Columbia allow medical marijuana, and voters in four states have gone further by approving the drug for recreational use by adults. But the drug remains illegal under federal law, which classifies pot as a dangerous narcotic with no current medical use. Drug policy reformers say the federal government's strict rules on marijuana research have prevented needed studies in the United States. With its plan, Smart Approaches to Marijuana is calling for changes to some of those rules. "Let's put research into the hands of legitimate scientists, not pot profiteers," Sabet said. The group's plan calls for the government to allow multiple entities to grow marijuana for research purposes beyond just the University of Mississippi, which has a contract with the National Institute on Drug Abuse as the sole provider of marijuana for federally sanctioned research. The group also is calling for the Department of Health and Human Services to eliminate a review process for marijuana research that critics say is burdensome. And the group says the Drug Enforcement Agency should eliminate certain regulatory requirements for research into cannabidiol (CBD), a component of marijuana seen as having a number of medical applications, and work with states to allow a pure CBD product to be distributed more broadly for research. This comes as the UK-based company GW Pharmaceuticals continues research on its CBD-based drug Epidiolex to treat pediatric epilepsy. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved that research. Mark Kleiman, who was hired by Washington state to consult on its move to legalize marijuana, called Smart Approaches to Marijuana's plan a good step. "I don’t think there's any question that cannabinoids (constituents of marijuana) have medical utility, and we have to find out what that is," Kleiman said. (Editing by Eric Walsh)

Here's how opposing sides finally agreed on marijuana legislation

Two bills aimed at softening the state's penalties on marijuana that died last year have been resuscitated with the help of an unlikely partner: The Louisiana Sheriffs' Association. As many lawmakers have found out over the years, it can be nearly impossible to convince other legislators to support bills that are opposed by Louisiana Sheriffs. The influential organization's members packed a committee hearing on a bill last year seeking to reduce the state's tough marijuana penalties, and the committee moved swiftly to kill it shortly after. Fast-forward to this year's legislative session, and the Sheriffs' Association isn't opposing any of the three major marijuana bills moving through the Capitol. The marijuana penalties bill that died in committee last year, authored by state Sen. J.P. Morrell, D-New Orleans, has made it the furthest, winning Senate approval on Monday. How one of the state's most powerful law enforcement organizations could turnabout so quickly on legislation involving a Schedule I narcotic is a story of persistence, personal lobbying and some key behind-the-scenes work by Morrell. It's also the result of some fallout from the public's reaction to the Sheriffs' Association's past opposition. After they opposed last year's bill, Louisiana Sheriffs' Association members were left feeling portrayed as supporters of lengthy sentences unmatched in other Southern states. The perception was driven by a criticism that Sheriffs opposed the bill because they benefit financially by collecting a per diem for each prisoner locked up. "We thought the criticism was unfounded, and we were sensitive that someone would even consider that would be a factor to us," said Michael Ranatza, the Sheriffs' Association's executive director. "It's never been the case, and as I stated, we lose money by confining an individual in our jails and prisons." Besides, Ranatza pointed out, it's relatively rare for marijuana convictions to draw a anything close to the 20-year prison term allowed under state law for repeat offenders. The real focus of the negotiations surrounding reforming marijuana penalties, Ranatza said, was giving offenders an opportunity to avoid a felony conviction that could stain a person's record for a lifetime. Morrell's bill (SB 241) would reduce a second-time offender's charges from felony status to misdemeanor, and it contains a key second-chance provision that allows a first-time marijuana conviction to be expunged if the person keeps their nose clean for two years. A similar bill (HB 149) in the state House of Representatives introduced by Rep. Austin Badon, D-New Orleans, was later amended to contain the same reforms. Even though there's only a small number of marijuana offenders serving long sentences, the potential for felony convictions and the state's high incarceration rates figured heavily into discussions, Morrell said. Also, after last year's bill, Sheriffs began realizing they weren't housing many prisoners who were locked up on simple possession charges. "They were saying, 'We don't feel like we're doing this,'" Morell said. "In this conversation with me and other groups, they were saying, 'If we're not doing this, then why are we opposed to it?'" Another unusual development since Morrell's legislation failed last year was an outreach effort by the American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana's executive director, Marjorie R. Esman. It's unusual for the ACLU and the Sheriffs' Association to agree on legislation, but Esman said that didn't stop her from laying plans to travel the state and appeal to Sheriffs personally. "We all know that marijuana laws are changing around us rapidly, and we all know something's going to happen," whether it's a separate push for state legalization or a change in federal law, Esman said. "I think there was a concern that if we didn't agree on something now, half of us would end up with something we didn't like." In those conversations, Esman said, Sheriffs told her that they were less concerned about recreational marijuana use and were more focused on distribution. That's why Morrell's bill contains provisions identifying an amount of marijuana classified as simple possession, allowing people caught with larger amounts to be prosecuted with tougher sentences. "They care about distribution, and still being able to use marijuana as a plea bargaining tool for someone who's accused of another offense," Esman said. "They pretty much all said we don't care about the stoners. We don't care about the users who go home and get high on a Friday." Ranatza disputed the idea that members of the Sheriffs' Association were moved to act by shifting public attitudes about marijuana or other moves to decriminalize or legalize marijuana across the country. "The driving point for us had to do with a more practical approach that was geared toward public safety and policy," Ranatza said. Asked whether recreational use figured into the Sheriffs' Association's discussions on marijuana penalties, Rantaza said, "that viewpoint was never discussed." Even so, Ranatza acknowledged that shifting his association's position from opposed to "not opposed" -- the association often notes its position is neutral rather than supportive -- is a big change from last year. "We try to improve each year," Ranatza said. "Certainly on simple possession, we thought by reducing the penalties and wanting to assist an individual who wanted to go to medical school or pharmacy school or law school (but couldn't due to a marijuana conviction), it was just more of a reasonable approach to giving people the opportunity to do better." The key for Morrell, who did much of the work bringing both sides together, was explaining that his bill was not an attempt to whittle away at the law. Before this year, the Sheriffs' Association and the Louisiana District Attorneys Association had become "entrenched" in a battle to fend off any attempts to legalize or decriminalize marijuana possession. "It was almost like they were World War I entrenched in opposition because they saw this as all a a path to legalization," Morrell said. "Once you got them out of the trench and say you're not talking about legalization, that we need to help people re-enter society, or we need to get more treatment. I think that argument ultimately swayed them."

NASA discovers new planet covered with marijuana

NASA has announced this morning that they have discovered a planet completely covered with marijuana, a discovery that has completely taken scientists by surprise. Planet X637Z-43, discovered using NASA’s Kepler satellite, would also allegedly be one of the very few planets potentially habitable according to NASA experts, who have detected sufficient levels of oxygen and nitrogen to support human life. The presence of marijuana on other planets could strongly encourage future generations to take interest in space exploration, some experts believe. “We always think young people aren’t interested by anything but it’s false. Young people love smoking pot,” explains David Charbonneau, astronomer at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. “Chlorophyll concentration analyses generated by Kepler lead us to believe that the level of THC in these marijuana plants is 3000% higher than the plants found on Earth. If that doesn’t motivate young people to explore space, I don’t know what will,” admits the expert, clearly enthusiastic. “Regardless, marijuana will without a doubt be a valuable and indispensable resource for interstellar trips. Imagine if it takes 140 years to travel from one planet to another, let’s just say it’s going to be a very long trip. You better have rolled yourself a couple of joints for the road,” he admits with humor. Since the discovery, NASA has launched a campaign on social medias to name the new planet and so far, the name Bob Marley has taken the lead with over 2 094 367 votes at the time of this report.

Tax board seeks to stir up pot revenue

SACRAMENTO — California authorities are notoriously creative when it comes to wringing as much tax revenue as possible out of the state’s businesses, yet are leaving real money on the table because of their failure to come up with a simple way for medical marijuana dispensaries to pay their tab. Voters legalized this business 19 years ago with the passage of Proposition 215. But an uncertain federal legal status has complicated the matter since then. The state only collects a small percentage of the sales-and-use taxes these businesses owe, although a new program is attempting to address the imbalance. “Because of federal law, people in the cannabis industry aren’t allowed to have bank accounts,” said George Runner, a Republican member of the Board of Equalization, a state tax-collection agency. “Cash-based businesses are very hard for the BOE to audit. If we can’t analyze a bank account, we can’t accurately audit a business.” Because of federal law, dispensaries risk having their assets seized if they put them in an account. The result is bizarre: “It’s a huge safety risk to have dispensaries pay their taxes by carrying duffel bags into BOE offices with hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash,” he added. Runner called on the federal government to legalize bank accounts, which is more important now that California has banned such cash payments. Earlier this month, the board developed the “Cannabis Compliance Pilot Project” to determine the degree of noncompliance with tax rules, the amount of lost revenue and the volume of marijuana produced in the state. The agency will come up with strategies to hike tax compliance for growers, distributors and retailers. The goal is to create “a living document that allows flexibility to adjust as new needs are identified, such as legislative and/or regulatory changes, along with ballot initiative(s) related to the cannabis industry.” In plain English: The Board of Equalization expects voters to eventually legalize the recreational use of marijuana and wants a solid tax plan in place by then. In 2012, Washington state voters passed an initiative legalizing the sale of recreational marijuana. Colorado voters also legalized pot in 2012. Two legalization measures have been filed with the California attorney general’s office for the November 2016 ballot. If enough signatures are gathered, we will see a statewide campaign here, too. Runner is opposed to the legalization of marijuana for recreational uses, but his approach could create a boon for supporters, who can point to a tax bonanza for what some say is the state’s largest cash crop. Other research suggests that common claim about the size of the industry is exaggerated, but it is a big industry with an untapped tax potential. Tax proceeds have lagged predictions in Washington and Colorado, but that’s likely the result of the same bank-account issue that’s hobbling medical-marijuana collections here. The Board of Equalization’s pilot project could come up with some realistic numbers that almost certainly will bring smiles to the faces of Department of Finance bean counters. (State officials might also want to analyze any cost savings if recreational marijuana use goes from a law-enforcement matter to a taxable industry.) Some California cities have passed rules essentially banning those dispensaries (by, say, requiring them to comply with federal laws, which don’t allow their operation) — but they might have a change of heart if they see a tax benefit. Once the government figures out a way to tax a business, it’s less likely to crush it. It took nearly a decade after Proposition 215’s passage before the state decided dispensaries were not illegal and implemented a sellers’ registration policy to help encourage tax payments. The board says it even allowed “taxpayers to ‘decline to state’ the type of tangible personal property sold to reduce the risk of self-incrimination.” But payments were rare. It took another decade for the board to research ways to increase tax compliance from people who aren’t allowed to pay by cash — but aren’t allowed to have a bank account, either. Federal rules may be to blame, but it’s hard to understand such slow progress given how many millions of dollars are at stake.

Petitions for marijuana legalization, prevailing wage repeal to go before Michigan board

LANSING, MI — Petitions to legalize recreational marijuana and repeal the state's prevailing wage law could be coming this summer to a street corner near you. The Michigan Board of State Canvassers, scheduled to meet Tuesday afternoon, is expected to consider two separate petitions from groups calling themselves the Michigan Cannabis Coalition and Protecting Michigan Taxpayers. If the petitions are approved in form — an optional step to ensure their validity won't be challenged at a later point — organizers can begin circulating them at any time. Once they start, they'll have 180 days to collect 252,523 signatures to advance the citizen-initiated legislation to Lansing or the 2016 ballot. The Michigan Cannabis Coalition, which has been described as "a loosely formed group of business and political folks," wants to legalize and tax recreational marijuana, devoting any proceeds to education, public safety and public health. It's one of three marijuana legalization groups eyeing the 2016 ballot, and its proposal is unique in that it would give state lawmakers a prominent role in the legalization process. The Legislature would have authority to set the tax rate and require licensing of marijuana facilities, in which case it would also have to establish a Michigan Cannabis Control Board to administer and enforce the law. Separately, Protecting Michigan Taxpayers wants to repeal the state's prevailing wage law, which guarantees that workers receive union-scale wages and benefits on state-funded construction projects, such as school buildings. The goal is not the 2016 ballot; it's repeal in 2015. Organizers hope to send the repeal measure to Lansing, where the GOP-led Legislature could enact it despite opposition from Republican Gov. Rick Snyder, who would be cut out of the process. PMT was last active in 2012, when it fought several ballot proposals, including a union-backed effort to enshrine collective bargaining in the state constitution. The committee includes ties to the Associated Builders and Contractors of Michigan and the Michigan Freedom Fund, a pro-business group out of West Michigan that fought for passage of the state's right-to-work law in 2012. A separate group hoping to put a proposal on the 2016 ballot — the Committee to Ban Fracking in Michigan — had their petition approved as to form by the Board of State Canvassers last month.

Reports: Did marijuana fall out of Kevin Durant's car outside LA club?

A bottle containing what looks to be marijuana fell out of Oklahoma City Thunder star Kevin Durant’s SUV Friday night outside a Los Angeles club, according to a Huffington Post report. The video was taken by a TMZ contributor who was asking Durant questions outside the club when his SUV arrived. When the SUV pulled up, Durant opened the door and a vial fell out. One of Durant's guards tried to cover the camera and said, "Come on, man. Don't do that. Don't do that." The substance inside the bottle has not been confirmed; however, the vial is consistent with medical marijuana containers. Medical marijuana is legal in California. In January 2014, a picture of Durant smoking from a hookah appeared on his Twitter account. He said he was hacked and somebody else posted the picture.

The pot industry poised to reach $50 billion by 2019

With federal legalization efforts moving forward, pot entrepreneurs might want to focus on the recreational side of the business rather than the medical side, as major pharmaceutical companies are poised to jump in there. That's the future, according to Adam Bierman, managing partner of MedMen, a marijuana consulting firm headquartered in Los Angeles. Bierman spoke at this week's Marijuana Business Conference and Expo in Chicago. "Right now two separate things here are intertwined [the medical and recreational sales of marijuana]," Bierman told a panel on business opportunities in states that are just now opening up marketplaces for medical marijuana: New York, Nevada and Illinois. "Once it's legalized on the federal level, you guys can't play on the pharmaceutical side. You're not going to compete with Pfizer. You have a chance to get on the recreational side because the big players aren't playing." Today, the federal government lists marijuana as a Schedule I drug, making it illegal, even though 23 states and the District of Columbia have legalized medical marijuana and four states -- Colorado, Washington, Oregon and Alaska -- plus the District of Columbia have approved recreational use. But once the federal government removes marijuana from the list of controlled substances, "Big Pharma will get involved and you'll be picking up your prescriptions at Walgreens or CVS," Bierman said. In states where medical marijuana was legalized 10 to 15 years ago, obtaining a license to grow pot used to be easy, especially in unregulated states like California and Michigan, where many people started growing operations in their basements. Now, however, the upfront investment is headed north of the $1 million mark and the number of licenses available is strictly limited. The real opportunities for people who want to get involved are in ancillary services: legal, accounting, medical, equipment, marketing and accessories. You have to find a niche. "Niche is a big piece," said Trent Woloveck, chief operating officer of American Cannabis Consulting, who was also on the panel with Bierman. "What is your value add?" Aviva Jeruchim of Boston is one such niche entrepreneur. Her Leaf Goods LLC plans to produce "fashion-forward carrying cases" for cannabis. Right now she's concentrating on secure cases for the leaves themselves. She sees a market, however, for cases for edibles and health and beauty aids as well. Ana Davila of New York is interested in packaging. "I have plants in Asia. Right now we produce plastics for children. Those plants could be turned for marijuana packaging," she said. In addition to the high cost of a license to establish marijuana growing and dispensary operations – and the escalating state licensing fees – those seeking approvals to open a marijuana growing operation must prove they have the necessary real estate in hand, whether owned or leased, and the necessary capital to fund the business for at least six months before the first bud is sold. The funding is complicated by banks' reluctance to get involved in an industry illegal on the federal level -- after all, whether national or state, banks are governed by federal law. The resulting difficulty of moving funds has made pot a predominantly cash business with all the danger that poses to the businesses and the community at large. Additionally, the application process is growing more complex. Kris Krane, managing partner of the retail consulting group 4front Advisors, noted the applications can run thousands of pages, and in fact an application the group helped put together in Illinois took up 10 full cardboard boxes. The applications need detailed plans for how a facility will be constructed, funded and secured, in addition to a business plan and projections for growth. "If your application is only 50 pages, you're not getting a license," Krane said. "If you're not working around the clock, you're not getting a license." Dr. William Lauth of Geneva Life Sciences experienced this firsthand. His company went after one of the Illinois licenses granted earlier this year but failed to get it and he has soured on the state’s hyper-regulated market where only 2,300 patients have been certified and would be able to buy marijuana legally. "Most doctors here [in Illinois] have no idea how effective marijuana can be in treating patients," Lauth said. "In general they're very conservative. Ninety percent are against it because of federal laws." Instead Lauth has turned his attention to Nevada and partnered with Vegas Valley Growers LLC, which says it is investing $2.5 million to $3 million in a grow center in the Las Vegas area. Vegas Valley Growers hopes to bring in its first crop in September and expects to grow 5,000 pounds a year, and five to six crops. Lauth sees Nevada as a much more lucrative market. It already has 11,000 patients signed up. Additionally, the Legislature decided to recognize the medical cards of marijuana user from other states, opening the way for the 45 million visitors the state sees annually to buy products. There's also a referendum on recreational marijuana planned for the 2016 ballot. Legal cannabis already is an $11 billion business, including growing operations, processing and ancillary businesses, and Marijuana Business Daily projections show the industry growing to $30 billion by 2019, with other estimates as high as $50 billion. Recreational and medicinal sales through dispensaries alone this year are projected to reach $3 billion, growing to $8 billion by 2019. This has all happened as numerous states have moved to legalize or decriminalize marijuana, even though the federal government has not. "The federal government's position is very unclear," said Chris Walsh, managing editor of Marijuana Business Daily, which organized the conference at the Chicago Hilton. "But the overall climate has improved dramatically." Nine more states currently are considering medical marijuana legislation, and enterprising marijuana business owners are doing everything they can to position themselves to be on the front lines. The key to a successful operation, Krane said, is local community support, a sentiment echoed by Meg Sanders, CEO of MiNDFUL, a Colorado dispensary operator. "We don't go where they don't want us," Sanders said. "It's not worth the fight." Sanders recommended those hoping to get into the "leaf-touching" end of the business hire a government affairs person and understand the election cycles of the communities in which they're involved. She also said getting involved in a community is key.

Oregon's big marijuana harvests: How do you bring all that pot into the legal market?

potentially worth more than any other single agricultural commodity in the state. A report from a Seattle venture capital firm specializing in pot says the state's legally allowed producers – those who grow for medical marijuana patients – harvest enough to meet the needs not only of patients in Oregon but in Washington, Colorado and Arizona as well. "We've got plenty of supply," says Senate Minority Leader Ted Ferrioli, R-John Day, and a member of the committee overseeing implementation of the pot legalization initiative. He wholeheartedly endorsed the common quip that Oregon is the "Saudi Arabia of marijuana." As a result, the legislative debate over how to implement the November initiative that legalized recreational marijuana has revolved around how to turn this thriving – if often illegal -- industry into an economic and societal success story. The abundance of the state's marijuana crop is driving some of the biggest decisions that legislators face, from how strictly to regulate medical marijuana growers to whether to put a sales tax on pot despite the state's historic hostility to such taxes. A growing number of legislators on the Joint Committee on Implementing Measure 91 say they want to start retail sales as early as possible to entice growers into the legal market. The Oregon Liquor Control Commission, which Measure 91 charged with regulating the recreational marijuana market, says it probably won't be ready to allow retail outlets to open until fall of 2016. But key lawmakers on the marijuana committee say they are seriously looking at allowing the sale of at least smokable pot starting Oct. 1 at existing medical marijuana dispensaries. "There are already well-established black-market channels," says Sen. Ginny Burdick, D-Portland and the co-chair of the Measure 91 committee, "and we need to make this (legal) market as appealing to people as possible." Burdick has been a particularly strong champion of legislation putting stricter limits on the size of medical marijuana growing operations, saying she wants to channel larger and more commercially minded producers into the recreational market. Oregon has nearly 35,000 registered grow sites, according to the latest Oregon Health Authority records, but three-quarters serve just one or two patients, each of whom can have up to six plants grown for them. Nearly 400 sites grow for at least 10 patients and account for much of Oregon's marijuana crop. The heart of the industry is in southern Oregon, where growers have plenty of sun and rural isolation. "You can't compete with the quantity and quality produced in southern Oregon," says Crawford, the OSU expert who has extensively researched the area's marijuana culture. He says many growers have been producing pot for decades, perfecting their strains and earning a supplemental income for their family. Privateer Holdings, the Seattle firm, estimates that Oregon medical marijuana growers produce more than 400,000 pounds a year – enough to supply each of the 70,000 medical marijuana patients with more than 7 grams a day. The firm cites a Rand Corp. study saying that the heaviest users on average consume about 1.2 grams a day. Patrick Moen, a former federal Drug Enforcement Administration official who works for Privateer Holdings, argues that the proposed medical marijuana legislation isn't strict enough. Medical marijuana growers, who now face little state regulation, should have strict inventory and tracking controls as well as tight testing requirements to ensure the quality of their product and to make sure it's free of contaminants, he says. Otherwise, Moen adds, "We'll continue to see vast quantities of cannabis products on the streets of Oregon and outside of Oregon that are unregulated" and continue to undercut the legal market. Moen's firm is lobbying against legislative provisions to require people to be Oregon residents to invest and run pot businesses in the state. Moen says Privateer hasn't decided whether to invest in Oregon but says the firm believes that outside capital is needed to produce the kind of professional growing, processing and retail operations that will encourage public acceptance of legal marijuana. Supporters of the residency requirements say they want to protect and nurture the local industry, and avoid a few large outside players dominating the market. "We have a great opportunity to help Oregon's small businesses," says Rep. Ann Lininger, D-Lake Oswego, the marijuana committee's other co-chair. She notes that much of southern Oregon has struggled economically, but with marijuana it has an industry that "has an unparalleled advantage in growing conditions and a brand that people like." Not everyone in southern Oregon's marijuana business sees the committee as a champion. Alex Rogers, who owns medical marijuana clinics in Ashland and Eugene, has been urging patients to fight legislation putting stricter controls on growers. He says that could endanger patient access. Burdick disagrees, saying Rogers is primarily interested in preserving his business. The latest version, Senate Bill 964, is headed to the Senate floor. But it faces opposition from House members who think it gives cities and counties too much power to prohibit medical marijuana dispensaries. Ironically, one issue that seems to have wide support involves use of a sales tax – which Oregonians have repeatedly rejected. Measure 91 called for a harvest tax based on plant weight. But supporters of a "point of sale tax," as legislators like to refer to it, say a tax based on the retail price of marijuana would be much more effective in bringing consumers and producers into the legal market. That's because a tax on weight becomes a bigger part of the cost to consumers if marijuana prices go down – and a drop in price is certainly a possibility with all the pot sloshing around Oregon. Beau Whitney, an economist involved in the medical marijuana business, calculates that a sales tax of between 12.5 and 17.5 percent would raise as much for the state as the weight-based tax, which could equate to more than 30 percent of the current price of marijuana. Whitney, whose firm Greenpoint Oregon owns a dispensary in Portland, says he found that customers were very sensitive to price. When he lowered the price of marijuana flowers by 21 percent, sales shot up 156 percent. "It supported my hypothesis that if you lower the price by lowering the tax, you're going to see more conversion from the black market to the regulated market," he says. Burdick says she is willing to lower taxes even more at first to bring additional people into the legal market. But she concedes that she doesn't know how that would fly with legislative budget leaders looking forward to gaining a new revenue stream for the state. --Jeff Mapes

As N.J. family fights for edible marijuana in school, Colorado makes it legal

As a New Jersey family wages a court battle to get permission for their daughter to consume edible medical marijuana in school, Colorado this week became the first state in the nation to legalize on-campus cannabis use. Inspired by the plight of Jack Splitt, a Lakewood, Colo. teenager who relies on a ventilator and wheelchair, Colorado legislators approved a bill that allows students who are registered medical marijuana patients to use edible cannabis products in school, so long as they are administered by a parent or an approved caregiver. Gov. John Hickenlooper signed the bill into law Monday, calling it "a pretty good reflection of what the community wants." Roger Barbour of Maple Shade, whose 16-year-old daughter Genny suffers from a severe form of epilepsy and consumes homemade marijuana oil four times a day, praised "the legislative process in Colorado, which was responsive to the individual needs of its state's residents." "Go Jack!" he added. The Barbours are seeking what they hope is a faster remedy in court for their daughter, who is also diagnosed with autism. Genny's doctor recommend she ingest four minute doses of cannabis oil a day, but administrators at the Larc School in Bellmawr, for children with developmental disabilities, refused to allow the oil on campus. An administrative law judge in January sided with the school, saying the state's medical marijuana law conflicts with drug-free school zone laws and the federal law that deems marijuana illegal. The Barbours have appealed the decision. Since mid-April, Genny has attended school half the day so she can consume the drops of oil mixed into a small glass of soda at home. She has suffered two seizures in the last 10 days, representing a dramatic decline, Roger Barbour said. "We would definitely prefer the Legislature to address the matter, as we firmly believe it is a matter of states' rights, similar to the regulation of alcohol, tobacco, firearms. . .doctor and nurse licensing," he said. "However, we are also firmly convinced that no matter what kind of relief the legislature offers in the next 2 years, the governor will veto it. He has repeatedly stated that he would veto any further 'expansions' of the New Jersey Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act. "We think both routes are feasible, but the court route is faster," he said.

Bill OK’d making marijuana possession punishable by fine

Possession of small amounts of marijuana would be punishable by a fine rather than jail time under legislation approved Thursday by the Illinois Senate. The bill, House Bill 218, had already been approved by the House, so it now goes to Gov. Bruce Rauner. Catherine Kelly, a spokeswoman for Rauner, said the governor “will carefully consider any legislation that crosses his desk.” If signed by the governor, the legislation would apply to people caught with less than 15 grams of marijuana — roughly the equivalent of 25 joints. Under current law, possession of even a single joint can result in jail time and a criminal record. The new legislation would make possession of less than 15 grams similar to a traffic ticket. There would be no court appearance required, and there would be a fine of up to $125, except in municipalities that enact stiffer penalties. In addition, the court records for the offenses would automatically get erased each year. Two of the metro-east’s senators voted in favor of the bill, while two voted against. Their votes went along party lines. Sen. Bill Haine, an Alton Democrat, and Sen. James Clayborne, a Belleville Democrat, voted in favor. Voting in opposition were Sen. Dave Luechtefeld, R-Okawville, and Sen. Kyle McCarter, R-Lebanon. Haine, in a previous debate, said the state shouldn’t be making criminals out of young people, and harming their futures, over possession of small amounts of marijuana. “The gist of the bill is to avoid the criminalization — of young people mainly — on misdemeanor amounts of marijuana,” Haine said. The bill’s House sponsor, Rep. Kelly Cassidy, D-Chicago, said Thursday: “Serious criminal penalties should be reserved for individuals who commit serious crimes .The possibility of jail time should not even be on the table when it comes to simple marijuana possession. Criminalizing people for marijuana possession is not a good use of our state’s limited law enforcement resources.” Chris Lindsey, a legislative analyst for the Marijuana Policy Project, which favors legalization of marijuana, said: “We hope Gov. Rauner will sign this important and broadly supported legislation. This is a sensible alternative to Illinois’ needlessly complicated and draconian marijuana possession laws. It’s time to stop destroying people’s lives over possession of a substance that is undeniably less harmful than alcohol.” The Senate voted 39-17 in favor of the bill. The House passed the bill last month with a 62-53 vote. Under current Illinois law, possession of up to 2.5 grams of marijuana is a class C misdemeanor punishable by up to 30 days in jail and a fine of up to $1,500. Possession of 2.5 to 10 grams is a class B misdemeanor punishable by up to six months in jail and a fine up to $1,500. Possession of 10-30 grams is a class 4 felony punishable by up to one year in jail and a fine up to $1,500. Supporters of the measure say it fits well with Rauner’s goal of reducing the state’s prison population by 25 percent over the next 10 years. They say the state’s overcrowded jails and prisons should house more hardened criminals, not low-level drug offenders. Sen. Jason Barickman, a Republican from Champaign, said: “Every person you talk to in this state wants us to find ways to save money. This legislation gives us a way to do that. It will save some money at the state level, and give us the opportunity to save money at the local level.” Critics argued that the bill has no mechanism for steering repeat offenders to treatment. Under the bill, offenders would have their records expunged after six months. The bill also would prohibit driving while under the influence of marijuana, and includes a mechanism for determining whether a driver is under the influence. Medical marijuana Also Thursday, the Senate approved a Haine bill that would extend the state’s medical marijuana pilot program. The medical marijuana program, as initially approved in 2013, called for the program to end on Jan. 1, 2018. But there have been unexpected delays in getting the program started. Under Haine’s bill, the program would end four years after the first dispensary is approved by the state. That change is expected to extend the program about 18 months. “This program was signed into law two years ago and still has yet to be effectively implemented due to bureaucratic barriers from the previous administration,” Haine said. “This legislation sets a new deadline for this program to get up and running. It’s time to quit dragging our feet. Let’s get this done and give patients access to the care they need.” The extension, contained in House Bill 3299, has already been approved by the House, and now goes to Rauner.

Looks Good Enough To Smoke: Marijuana Gets Its Glamour Moment

When Erik Christiansen started smoking pot, he became fascinated by the look of different marijuana strains. But the photographs of marijuana he saw didn't capture the variety. So he went to the hardware store and picked up two lights and a cardboard box. "I didn't even have a macro lens — I was shooting through a magnifying glass," he says.The California-based photographer tinkered with his macro technique until he had created a consistent way to capture highly detailed images of marijuana. Then Dan Michaels, a cannabis aficionado and strategist for the growing legal pot industry, contacted Christiansen about collaborating on a field guide. The result is Green: A Field Guide to Marijuana (Chronicle Books, $30). The high-end coffee table book documents over 170 strains of cannabis, explaining their medicinal and recreational attributes. (Though it's worth noting that the medicinal benefits are based on subjective reports rather than randomized clinical trials.) The book is meant to appeal to the growing artisanal marijuana industry, describing each bud's tasting notes and effects much like a sommelier would describe a vintage wine. We asked Christiansen about becoming a professional weed photographer, and what we can tell about a marijuana bud's effects by looking at it. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity. How did you source all of these buds? I had a library of probably 300 to 400 strains that we were able to pull from. There's your popular strains that most people who enjoy cannabis have heard of, like your Blue Dreams and your Girl Scout Cookies. But we also wanted to include the rare ones. I searched through hundreds of dispensaries in San Diego, L.A., and the Bay Area to try and track down all of them. Seeing the buds close up accentuates the variations — some have these wiry golden threads and others are tightly coiffed, like beehive hairdos. They seem to take on personalities. What does this tell us about the plants?You can take the same plant and give a clone to six different growers and at the end of that grow cycle each will be unique in its own way, based on the nutrients that the growers us, the CO2 content of the air and the temperature of the room. Being able to get up close and see those differences is important. If you look at any of the pictures, there are these little balls on the end of each plant— that's where the THC is stored. The more little balls, or trichomes, that are present on the buds, the more potent it can be. The color will also tell you a lot about the effect it will deliver. More amber-color trichomes will deliver a more body effect, where lighter-colored trichomes will be more of a head-y effect. Do you have any favorites? My favorite in the book is the strain called the Shire. I've only been able to find it once. The effect was so uplifting. It's the only strain that's ever given me the stereotypical effect where you're just sitting there laughing. I went back to that dispensary trying to get it again and was never able to find it again. There's a certain legitimacy to field guides, or any reference book that documents variations of a species. Was legitimacy the intention? Absolutely. It's not this stoner druggie culture anymore; it's becoming a real industry. It's like the wild, wild West. Or craft beer. It's a bunch of little guys tinkering and creating new strains. Some of them totally take off and blow up and you see them all over the place. What happens to the buds after you've shot them? I usually get to sample them. Not all the time, but that's a perk of the job.

Vermont Politicians Want To Ban Alcohol Sales Until Marijuana Prohibition Ends

‘Marijuana is safer than alcohol.’ That statement has been said a lot in the last few years. It’s a statement that has been very effective in the battle to end marijuana prohibition. It’s effective because it’s true. According to a recent study, marijuana is 114 times safer than alcohol. So the fact that alcohol is legal, and even proudly consumed by many marijuana opponents, but marijuana is illegal, is a huge slap in the face to logic and reasoning. In an effort to highlight the obvious hypocrisy that is marijuana prohibition, two lawmakers in Vermont recently introduced a bill that would prohibit alcohol sales until marijuana sales are allowed. Per The Cannabist: Frustrated by a lack of action on marijuana legalization, two Vermont lawmakers are trying a new tack: No pot, no booze. Progressive Rep. Chris Pearson and Democratic Rep. Jean O’Sullivan, both from Burlington, held a news conference Wednesday to announce they had filed legislation to ban the sale of alcohol in Vermont. Both called the idea “laughable,” but said they are trying to further their arguments that marijuana is less harmful to individuals and to society than alcohol and should be legalized for adults. The bill obviously does not have a solid chance of passing. However, it got a lot of media buzz, and I’m sure it’s got people talking in Vermont. Alcohol is very commonplace in America, and is generally accepted by most people. It’s beyond time that people realized that marijuana should be afforded that same level of acceptance and tolerance, because after all, it’s far safer.

Marijuana Prohibition Is a Moral Scandal Built on a Mountain of Lies

A few days before the House of Representatives passed a federal ban on marijuana in June 1937, the Republican minority leader, Bertrand Snell of New York, confessed, "I do not know anything about the bill." The Democratic majority leader, Sam Rayburn of Texas, educated him. "It has something to do with something that is called marihuana," Rayburn said. "I believe it is a narcotic of some kind. That exchange gives you a sense of how much thought Congress gave marijuana prohibition before approving it. Legislators who had heard of the plant knew it as the "killer weed" described by Federal Bureau of Narcotics Commissioner Harry Anslinger, who claimed marijuana turned people into homicidal maniacs and called it "the most violence-causing drug in the history of mankind." Anslinger warned that "marihuana causes white women to seek sexual relations with Negroes" and estimated that half the violent crimes in areas occupied by "Mexicans, Greeks, Turks, Filipinos, Spaniards, Latin Americans, and Negroes may be traced to the use of marihuana." Given this background, no one should pretend that marijuana prohibition was carefully considered or that it was driven by science, as opposed to ignorance and blind prejudice. It is hard to rationally explain why Congress, less than four years after Americans had emphatically rejected alcohol prohibition, thought it was a good idea to ban a recreational intoxicant that is considerably less dangerous. It is relatively easy, for example, to die from acute alcohol poisoning, since the ratio of the lethal dose to the dose that gives you a nice buzz is about 10 to 1. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 2,200 Americans die from alcohol overdoses each year. By contrast, there has never been a documented human death from a marijuana overdose. Based on extrapolations from animal studies, the ratio of the drug's lethal dose to its effective dose is something like 40,000 to 1. There is also a big difference between marijuana and alcohol when it comes to the long-term effects of excessive consumption. Alcoholics suffer gross organ damage of a kind that is not seen even in the heaviest pot smokers, affecting the liver, brain, pancreas, kidneys, and stomach. The CDC attributesmore than 38,000 deaths a year to three dozen chronic conditions caused or aggravated by alcohol abuse. Another 12,500 alcohol-related deaths in the CDC's tally occur in traffic accidents, and marijuana also has an advantage on that score. Although laboratory studies indicate that marijuana can impair driving ability, its effects are not nearly as dramatic as alcohol's. In fact, marijuana's impact on traffic safety is so subtle that it is difficult to measure in the real world. Last February the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released the results of "the first large-scale [crash risk] study in the United States to include drugs other than alcohol," which it described as "the most precisely controlled study of its kind yet conducted." The researchers found that once the data were adjusted for confounding variables, cannabis consumption was not associated with an increased probability of getting into an accident. That does not mean stoned drivers never cause accidents. One challenge in assessing the extent of the problem is that many of the drivers who test positive for marijuana are not actually impaired, since traces of the drug can be detected long after its effects wear off. That means marijuana-impaired drivers get mixed in with drivers who happen to be cannabis consumers but are not under the influence while on the road, which would tend to mask the drug's role in crashes. Still, alcohol is clearly a much bigger factor in traffic fatalities. Last year, during a congressional hearing on the threat posed by stoned drivers, a NHTSA official was asked how many traffic fatalities are caused by marijuana each year. "That's difficult to say," replied Jeff Michael, NHTSA's associate administrator for research and program development. "We don't have a precise estimate." The most he was willing to affirm was that the number is "probably not" zero. The likelihood of addiction is another way that marijuana looks less dangerous than alcohol. Based on data from the National Comorbidity Survey, about 15 percent of drinkers qualify as "dependent" at some point in their lives, compared to 9 percent of cannabis consumers. That difference may be especially significant given the link between heavy alcohol consumption and premature death. All told, the CDC estimates that alcohol causes 88,000 deaths a year in the United States. It has no equivalent estimate for marijuana. We may reasonably assume, along with Jeff Michael, that marijuana's death toll is more than zero, if only because people under the influence of cannabis occasionally have fatal accidents. But the lack of a definitive answer highlights marijuana's relative safety, which points to a potentially important benefit of repealing prohibition: To the extent that more pot smoking is accompanied by less drinking, an increase in cannabis consumption could lead to a net reduction in drug-related disease and death. The comparison of alcohol and marijuana presents an obvious challenge to anyone who thinks the government bans drugs because they are unacceptably dangerous. If anything, that rationale suggests marijuana should be legal while alcohol should be banned, rather than the reverse. Judging from this example, the distinctions drawn by our drug laws have little, if anything, to do with what science tells us about the relative hazards of different intoxicants. Marijuana Prohibition Is Unconstitutional When dry activists sought to ban alcoholic beverages, they went through the arduous process of changing the Constitution, which prior to the ratification of the 18th amendment in 1919 did not authorize Congress to prohibit the production and sale of "intoxicating liquors." When Congress banned marijuana in 1937, it did so in the guise of the Marihuana Tax Act , a revenue measure that authorized onerous regulations ostensibly aimed at collecting taxes on production and distribution, with severe penalties for noncompliance. But by the time marijuana prohibition was incorporated into the Controlled Substances Act of 1970, there was no need for such subterfuge. Instead Congress relied on its constitutional authority to "regulate commerce with foreign nations and among the several states." The Commerce Clause, which was part of the original Constitution, did not change between 1937 and 1970. But beginning with a series of New Deal cases, the Supreme Court stretched its meaning to accommodate pretty much anything Congress wanted to do. In the 1942 case Wickard v. Filburn, for example, the Court said the Commerce Clause authorized punishment of an Ohio farmer for exceeding his government-imposed wheat quota, even though the extra grain never left his farm, let alone the state. The Court went even further in the 2005 case Gonzales v. Raich, ruling that the federal government's power to regulate interstate commerce extends even to homegrown marijuana used for medical purposes by a California patient in compliance with state law. That decision, unlike Wickard, applied not just to production but to mere possession. According to the Court, the Commerce Clause encompasses the tiniest trace of marijuana in a cancer patient's drawer. "If Congress can regulate this under the Commerce Clause," observed dissenting Justice Clarence Thomas, "then it can regulate virtually anything—and the Federal Government is no longer one of limited and enumerated powers."

Texas just approved a limited medical marijuana bill

The Texas House of Representatives voted 96 to 34 to approve the second reading of a Senate bill that would allow limited use of Cannabidiol oils, a marijuana derivative, Progress Texas said in a press release.. And the proposals authors are Republican! Crazy. Maybe the times are a changin'? Progress Texas Executive Deputy Ed Espinoza said the approval is historic. He is right. “Marijuana policy reform has made history in Texas! More than 20,000 people engaged in a serious conversation this year, and we are pleased to see strong support from a bipartisan majority," Espinoza said in a press release. Heather Fazio, Texas political director for the Washington D.C.-based Marijuana Policy Project, told the San Antonio Current that while the bill is a step in the right direction, full-scale, whole plant, medicinal marijuana is what the Lone Star State needs. The bill, crafted by Sen. Kevin Etlife and Rep. Stephanie Klick would legalize the Cannabidiol oils, which don't cause euphoria upon ingestion. The oils have been shown to bring relief to people suffering from intractable epilepsy. Now, all eyes are on Texas Governor Greg Abbott. The bill is on its way to his desk.

Want to Learn More About Legal Pot?

We sponsor two legal seminars each year at NORML, one in Key West, Florida, in early December, and the other in Aspen, Colorado, in late May/early June. Those are two wonderful venues for those who are looking for a mini-vacation, in addition to a valuable legal seminar. The 2015 Aspen legal seminar will be held next week (May 28-30) at the Gant Hotel. This seminar is available for non-lawyers, as well as attorneys, for those who have an interest in the criminal defense and regulatory side of the legalization movement. And a visit to Aspen, now that marijuana has been legalized in Colorado, provides an excellent opportunity for those from other states to see what legalization actually looks and feels like, since there are now several legal dispensaries operating in Aspen. If you have not yet had the pleasure of walking into a retail store to legally purchase your marijuana, now is your chance. It is an empowering experience, and one that reinforces the importance of ending prohibition. At NORML our basic goal is to legalize the responsible use of marijuana by adults, regardless of why one smokes. Until we achieve that ultimate goal, we also do our best to provide assistance and support to victims of the current laws. The NORML Legal Committee (NLC), comprised of several hundred criminal defense and business attorneys, plays a major role in providing that support. NORML is the only legalization organization that has a legal committee, sponsors legal seminars, or that provides legal assistance or advice to those who have been arrested or who need legal assistance entering the legal marijuana market. Lawyers who specialize in defending victims of prohibition, and business lawyers who represent the interests of the newly legal marijuana businesses in several states, are a special breed. Motivated by their commitment to legal marijuana, they have chosen a legal specialty that may not pay them the financial rewards they could make practicing corporate law, or probate law, or personal injury law, or many other higher-paying fields of practice; but they are at the cutting edge of the legal profession, willing to push the cultural and legal envelope. They generally feel an emotional and cultural attachment to the legalization movement, and most would tell you they get far more personal satisfaction by helping their clients stay out of jail on a marijuana charge (or avoid a criminal charge altogether), or by helping new marijuana entrepreneurs through the labyrinth of regulations and permits necessary to enter these newly legal markets, than they would get from helping rich individuals or institutions get richer, which is what many lawyers do. This group of committed lawyers draws strength and knowledge from attending these seminars, and from the opportunity to spend time with their legal colleagues from around the county. It reminds us all of why we do what we do, and it empowers us to go forth and fight the good fight. Being an effective lawyer means trying new theories and defenses, and not being discouraged by the fact that we are not always successful. If it were easy, the clients would not need an attorney. Because we have room at our Aspen venue (unfortunately we do not have extra room at our Key West venue), we permit non-lawyers to attend at a discounted registration fee. And those non-lawyers who do attend report they enjoy the opportunity to meet some of the leading NLC attorneys in an informal setting, and they find fascinating the internal debates and discussions regarding legal theories and new challenges being faced by this group of attorneys. It’s a rare opportunity to be part of this subset of NORML, and one well worth experiencing. In addition to the seminar, social events where one can relax and get to know the other attendees, including the speakers, include an opening reception on Thursday night; a benefit dinner at the lovely home of Christine and Gerry Goldstein in Aspen on Friday evening , catered by Chris Lanter, chef and co-owner of the trendy Cache Cache restaurant in Aspen; and a Saturday afternoon cookout with live music at Owl Farm, the legendary Woody Creek home of the late Hunter S. Thompson, outside of Aspen a few miles. If the 2015 NORML Aspen Legal Seminar and related social events is of interest, whether you are an attorney or someone who follows the legalization movement and wishes to learn more, you can still register for this seminar on line and join us in Aspen next week. I hope to see you there.

What's the Point of Voting When Lawmakers Ignore the Vote?

You may recall last year that we voters here in Oregon passed statewide marijuana legalization. We're one of the 26 states with some form of citizen lawmaking ability, so we crafted a marijuana legalization initiative, got it on the ballot, and passed it with a 56 percent majority. The initiative legalized personal marijuana possession and growing and established a system for commercial production, processing, and sales. Much of what was in the initiative was copied-and-pasted from our state's liquor laws, including two key provisions: only a vote of the people in a city or county could ban commercial marijuana licenses and only the state can tax marijuana. Another huge provision in the new marijuana law was that it was not to affect the existing medical marijuana law. This was so prominent in the campaign for legalization that it was written into the initiative in three separate sections. In order to implement the recreational marijuana law that declared tinkering with medical marijuana off-limits, the Legislature gathered five representatives and five senators in a joint committee, which was acknowledged often by those who couldn't resist the opportunity to be stand-up comedians ("joint committee, get it?"). Then they let us in on the real joke -- their respect for the will of the voters. As soon as our Measure 91 was certified, the lobbyists emerged from counting their piles of money to begin subverting democracy. Lobbyists representing city councils and county commissions don't like two key provisions on local marijuana bans and local marijuana taxes. They want the ability for a handful of councilors or commissioners to be able to ban or tax marijuana, no matter what their local constituents think or how the majority of the state voted. Lobbyists representing commercial marijuana growers and law enforcement don't like the current system of medical marijuana growing. They want the legislature to clamp down with restrictive limits on how many medical marijuana plants may be grown, especially within residential zones. So this Measure 91 Implementation Committee began meeting twice a week beginning in February. Now their time is up and the committee accomplished virtually nothing as they debated how local city councils and county commissions can ban medical marijuana and how the state should reduce the size of medical marijuana gardens. Maybe we should be thankful they got so bogged down in the local bans and medical garden size issue that they never even got around to establishing the right of localities to add their own marijuana tax, contrary to the legalization initiative the majority supported. One of the few things that have been accomplished in the recreational marijuana implementation has been a series of "listening tours" conducted by the Oregon Liquor Control Commission (OLCC), the agency tasked with regulating legal pot by Measure 91. On those tour stops, we learned that at least three of the five commissioners voted against the measure, including the chair, who is one of the 36 county district attorneys who were unanimously against legalization. Another accomplishment has been the seating of members of the Rules Advisory Committee, the experts selected to help guide the OLCC in implementation. Of those members, at least six are cops, district attorneys, or county officials who opposed marijuana legalization and believe such nonsense as marijuana legalization being a cause of child abuse and domestic violence. So I wonder, what is the point of having an initiative system if the legislature is just going to ignore what the people voted on? This isn't a story about marijuana. This is a story that should frighten everyone supporting any issue on the left or the right. What good is your GMO labeling initiative or your gun rights initiative or your reproductive rights initiative when we've established the precedent that the lobbyists can just have the legislature line-item veto your initiative's key provisions?

Popularity of Edible Marijuana Poses Challange to Law Enforcement

Police officers in states where marijuana is illegal are now facing a new hurdle in their attempts to confiscate the leafy green substance: the fact that it’s now widely available in other, more innocuous forms. The popularity of edible snacks made with pot has exploded in the past few months, partly due to the difficulty in distinguishing them from normal sweets. The edibles look like regular candy or cookies, and tend to lack the pungent smell of pure marijuana. They are often manufactured in states where marijuana consumption is legal, and transported across state lines to states where it is not. Police forces are bracing for the recent influx of “goodies” and preparing to stop vehicles transporting them. Edible marijuana could be more dangerous. Anti-marijuana groups believe that edible marijuana treats, which can take the form of anything from lollipops to brownies , are particularly dangerous to children who may consume them unknowingly. Indeed, such a case occurred in 2013, when eight children ate a pot snack and had to be rushed to the hospital. Another case took place the year after in San Diego. Opposition groups also state that it is much easier for anyone to overdose on edible marijuana, since its effects take a longer time to kick in. They posit that users frustrated by the lack of immediate results may keep taking more, which can cause a much more intense high and lead to complications. Arrests involving edible marijuana are on an upward trend. There has already been a spike in edible-related arrests. One such bust, worth hundreds of dollars, took place in San Antonio earlier this year. Another, on a much larger scale, happened in LaFollete, Tennessee. Twenty-four pounds of cookies and a tub of THC butter were found during a traffic stop in an SUV with three children in the backseat. Despite many possible benefits stemming from marijuana legalization, it’s common sense to keep weed, especially in edible form, away from children. As these goodies increase in popularity, we as a society must ensure that steps are taken to keep them out of the wrong hands.

Get high every morning with marijuana K-cups

As more and more states legalize marijuana for recreational use, edibles and infusions are becoming a massive marketplace. Yahoo Finance now reports that coffee businesses are now infusing cannabis in their brews, ready to be bought in K-cups and coffee pods. Uncle Ike's Pot Shop of Seattle sells pods of "premium infused" coffee, containing 10mg of THC, for $10 each. "I liken it to a Red Bull and vodka," Uncle Ike’s sales manager Jennifer Lanzador told Yahoo. "I had more energy, but I still had the relaxation you get from cannabis." The pods are becoming big sellers — probably because of their undeniable convenience — and now reportedly account for 60 percent of Uncle Ike's coffee sales. EDIBLES AND INFUSIONS ARE BIG MONEYMAKERS Uncle Ike's isn't alone. Companies like California's House of Jane already sells four versions of its own pot-infused K-cups, and found Ben-David Sheppard tells Yahoo that he's planning to launch an infused vanilla bean Frappuccino in time for summer. Now, the best part of waking up... is cannabis in your cup.