Wednesday 31 August 2016

President Obama Grants Clemency to 111 More People

President Obama Grants Clemency to 111 More People | Drug Policy Alliance


WASHINGTON, DC - President Barack Obama commuted the sentences of 111 people incarcerated in federal prison on Tuesday, almost all for drug offenses. This brings his total number of clemencies granted to 673 people. Many of those who received commutations today were victims of the disparity in sentencing between crack and cocaine. President Obama has been […]


President Obama Grants Clemency to 111 More People | The Daily Chronic

Canadian Company Plans Massive Grow

The announcement comes shortly after it raised millions of dollars. Here's your daily round up of pot news, excerpted from the newsletter WeedWeek. Vancouver-based grower Aurora Cannabis is planning a giant 600,000 square-foot grow in Alberta. That's the size of 10 football fields. Canadian grower Aphria inked a deal to supply an Australian company with MED. [...]


The post Canadian Company Plans Massive Grow appeared first on Toke of the Town.

Montana dispensaries close under strict new rules

Medical marijuana dispensaries across Montana have closed their doors as new restrictions took effect Wednesday that limit pot providers to three patients apiece, leaving thousands of pot users registered with the state without a legal way to buy the drug.

Federal court upholds ban on gun sales to medical marijuana card holders

A federal government ban on the sale of guns to medical marijuana card holders does not violate the Second Amendment, a federal appeals court said Wednesday.

Obama commutes sentences of 111 inmates, setting record for a single month

President Barack Obama has been critical of what he has called the “devastating” effects of severe sentences handed down during the country's war on drugs.

Tuesday 30 August 2016

Today: Oklahoma medical marijuana group plans rally at state Capitol

A group that supports a state question to allow the medicinal use of marijuana in Oklahoma is planning to rally at the state Capitol.

Senator Elizabeth Warren is “Open” to Legalization in Massachusetts

The state votes in November. Here's your daily round up of pot news, excerpted from the newsletter WeedWeek. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D.-Mass.) said she's “open” to REC legalization in Massachusetts. Pennsylvania is moving aggressively to create rules for its MED industry. Major regulatory changes are coming in L.A. Portland (Ore.) City Hall is fighting with [...]


The post Senator Elizabeth Warren is “Open” to Legalization in Massachusetts appeared first on Toke of the Town.

Monday 29 August 2016

Pot clubs plan by Denver NORML won't make ballot

A proposed citywide ballot initiative aimed at allowing the social use of marijuana in private clubs failed to make the ballot, the Denver Elections Division said Monday.

Because Jack Splitt stood strong and tall, others may suffer less

Jack Splitt became the face of "Jack's Law," which allows children who are registered medical marijuana patients to be able to use it in the classroom.

Remembering Jack Splitt: MMJ Jack's Law Namesake Loses Fight for Life

Update: Back in June, Jack Splitt was at the center of a joyous scene. As seen in our previous coverage below, he was alongsisde his mom, Stacey Linn, the executive director of the CannAbility Foundation, as Governor John Hickenlooper, a seat away, signed a bill allowing young medical marijuana patients like him to take their cannabis-based [...]


The post Remembering Jack Splitt: MMJ Jack's Law Namesake Loses Fight for Life appeared first on Toke of the Town.

Friday 26 August 2016

MassCann/NORML Announces Headliners for Boston Freedom Rally

MassCann/NORML Announces Headliners for Boston Freedom Rally | Scott Gacek


BOSTON, MA - Mark your calendars. The Boston Freedom Rally is coming next month, and on Friday it was announced by the Massachusetts Cannabis Reform Coalition (MassCann) that Method Man, Redman and Slaing will be headlining the performances at this year's festival. The Boston Freedom Rally is the largest annual cannabis event on the East […]


MassCann/NORML Announces Headliners for Boston Freedom Rally | The Daily Chronic

Chef Scott Durrah Demonstrates Cannabis Cuisine at Simply Cooking

Longtime chef Scott Durrah has a strong restaurant personality - and a strong tolerance for cannabis. He showed off both at last Saturday's Simply Cooking demonstration that combined his love of food with his love of cannabis - and his love for partner Wanda James, with whom he runs Jezebel's Southern Bistro as well as theirdispensary, Simply [...]


The post Chef Scott Durrah Demonstrates Cannabis Cuisine at Simply Cooking appeared first on Toke of the Town.

Jack Splitt, the teen who helped change Colorado medical pot law, has died

Jack Splitt, whose fight with cerebral palsy opened Colorado school doors to medical marijuana treatments, died Wednesday. He was 15.

Thursday 25 August 2016

Jack Splitt, teen who inspired medical pot law, has died

Jack Splitt, whose fight with cerebral palsy opened Colorado school doors to medical marijuana treatments, died Wednesday. He was 15.

Arkansas group wants court to block medical pot measure

A group opposing Arkansas medical marijuana asked the state's highest court to block a legalization measure on the ballot.

Seattle Dispensary Owner Alleges Robbery was Inside Job

it's another security concern dispensaries face. The following is excerpted from the newsletter WeedWeek. Get your free and confidential subscription at WeedWeek.net. Ryan Kunkel, owner of Seattle dispensary Have A Heart alleges that a recent robbery was an inside job. Mexican police executed more than 42 suspected gang members on a ranch last year. The Justice [...]


The post Seattle Dispensary Owner Alleges Robbery was Inside Job appeared first on Toke of the Town.

Wednesday 24 August 2016

Stop Pot Profiling by Colorado License Plate, Court Tells Kansas Troopers

For years, we've written about reports of marijuana profiling. The claims consistently maintain that law enforcers in jurisdictions beyond this state are more apt to stop vehicles for marijuana-related searches if they're outfitted with Colorado license plates. Such tactics were always controversial. Now, a federal court says they're totally unjustified.


The post Stop Pot Profiling by Colorado License Plate, Court Tells Kansas Troopers appeared first on Toke of the Town.

Colorado's sixth-largest city says yes to pot sales

On second thought, Thornton says 'yes' to recreational marijuana sales, but not before hearing it from the anti-pot locals.

License Plate from a Marijuana State? That's No Reason to Stop and Search, Fed Court Says

License Plate from a Marijuana State? That's No Reason to Stop and Search, Fed Court Says | Phillip Smith


DENVER, CO - Drivers from pot-friendly West Coast states have long complained of “license plate profiling,” claiming state troopers more interested in drug interdiction than traffic safety perch like vultures along the nation's east-west interstate highways pull them over on pretextual traffic stops-going 71 in a 70 mph zone, failing to wait two full seconds […]


License Plate from a Marijuana State? That's No Reason to Stop and Search, Fed Court Says | The Daily Chronic

Tuesday 23 August 2016

Report: Legalized weed in Cali could create $6.5B market by 2020

California legalizing marijuana could create a $6.5 billion industry in 2020 and serve as a "watershed moment" for the industry, according to a study released Tuesday.

Legalized weed in Cali could create $6.5B market by 2020, report says

California legalizing marijuana could create a $6.5 billion industry in 2020 and serve as a "watershed moment" for the industry, according to a study released Tuesday.

Despite Judge's Blistering Dismissal, Legalization Foes Vow to Take Lawsuit to State Supreme Court

On Thursday, a Maricopa County judge threw out a lawsuit challenging the pending Arizona ballot initiative to legalize marijuana for recreational use. Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Jo Lynn Gentry ruled that the plaintiffs had no legal standing and made no legitimate claims. The ruling appears to clear the way for the initiative, officially designated Proposition 205, to [...]


The post Despite Judge's Blistering Dismissal, Legalization Foes Vow to Take Lawsuit to State Supreme Court appeared first on Toke of the Town.

Monday 22 August 2016

Tricky subject: Colorado schools setting policy for students' medical marijuana use

Medical marijuana in schools: Colorado school districts this year are wrestling with a new law that allows students who are registered medical marijuana patients to get cannabis treatments on school property.

If we could legalize marijuana all over again: Setting different ground rules

Cannabis chef Scott Durrah and Cannabist vape critic Ben Livingston join The Cannabist Show to share what marijuana laws they would change.

What You Need to Know about Today's Cannabis Security Job Fair

Blue Line Protection Group trains security personnel to protect your weed, and it's hiring. The cannabis security company is hosting a career fair at its new Denver headquarters at 5765 Logan Street from noon to 7 p.m. on Monday, August 22 - which means today. Blue Line has seen an increased demand for its services in [...]


The post What You Need to Know about Today's Cannabis Security Job Fair appeared first on Toke of the Town.

Friday 19 August 2016

Cannabist Show: She's a headhunter for pot industry; He's a canna-confectioner

This week's guests are Vangst Talent Network founder Karson Humiston and Blue Kudu CEO Andrew Schrot. Talking edibles, marijuana jobs and career fairs.

Arizona Judge Dismisses Marijuana Legalization Opponents' Lawsuit

Arizona Judge Dismisses Marijuana Legalization Opponents' Lawsuit | Barrett Marson


PHOENIX, AZ - On Friday, a Maricopa County Superior Court judge dismissed a lawsuit filed by opponents of Proposition 205 who want to keep the measure off the November ballot. The Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol, which is supporting Proposition 205, is calling on Yavapai County Attorney Sheila Polk and Maricopa County Attorney Bill […]


Arizona Judge Dismisses Marijuana Legalization Opponents' Lawsuit | The Daily Chronic

Tommy Chong's Cannabis Line Is Now Available in Colorado

Tommy Chong's weed is coming to a pipe near you. Seven dispensaries in Colorado quietly began carrying Chong's Choice flower this week. The modest yet carefully thought-out cannabis line consists of three strains, marketed simply as Chong's Choice Indica, Sativa and Hybrid. The genetics of the three strains: the indica is Grape Stomper, the hybrid [...]


The post Tommy Chong's Cannabis Line Is Now Available in Colorado appeared first on Toke of the Town.

Thursday 18 August 2016

Department of Justice plans to end its use of private prisons

The Justice Department plans to end its use of private prisons after officials concluded the facilities are both less safe and less effective at providing correctional services than those run by the government.

Esquire: Legal Pot Caused Heroin Crisis

colorado-medical-marijuana-01.jpgagency-it | Toke of the Town

It's a controversial theory.


The following is excerpted from the newsletter WeedWeek. Get your free and confidential subscription at WeedWeek.net.


In Esquire, author Don Winslow argues that legal weed is responsible for the opiate epidemic. As demand for Mexican marijuana has fallen, The Mexican Sinaloa Cartel “increased the production of Mexican heroin by almost 70 percent, and also raised the purity level, bringing in Colombian cooks to create 'cinnamon' heroin as strong as the East Asian product. They had been selling a product that was about 46 percent pure, now they improved it to 90 percent.

“Their third move was classic market economics-they dropped the price. A kilo of heroin went for as much as $200,000 in New York City a few years ago, cost $80,000 in 2013, and now has dropped to around $50,000. More of a better product for less money: You can't beat it.”

While President Obama has commuted drug sentences in record numbers his State Department isproviding $32M to law enforcement in the Philippines, where President Rodrigo Duterte has called for citizens to kill drug dealers.

In New York City, marijuana arrests were up in the first half of the year. More than 90% of the arrests were of minorities.

NYPD commissioner Bill Bratton will resign in September and be replaced by the department's top uniformed officer James O'Neill. He's known for his commitment to improving police/community relations.

In Michigan, some of the fees paid by MED patients fund police raids.


A chart at The Influence compares current penalties in California with what penalties would be if AUMA passes.


Snoop Dogg and Martha Stewart will host a dinner party/cooking show on VH1. Yes, Stewart knows howto roll a joint. Probably very well.


On the web site NakedWeedReport, naked women read cannabis news. Bree Whitehead, CEO of parent company Stoned Media Group doesn't care if you think she's a bad feminist.



In related news, I've shelved plans for a “Man of WeedWeek” promotional calendar.


HBO has released the trailer for its new show “ High Maintenance,” which started as a web series of the same name.


In the new web series, HIKEA, subjects take psychedelics and then try to assemble IKEA furniture.


Leafly recommends some cannabis books.


First daughter Malia Obama may have been spotted smoking a joint at a music festival.


Canna Law Blog chides The Oregonian for its recent profile of celebrity joint roller and artist Tony Greenhand. The Oregonian article didn't mention that Greenhand's work is illegal under state law.



The post Esquire: Legal Pot Caused Heroin Crisis appeared first on Toke of the Town.

California's 'de facto legalization:' State still made nearly 500,000 pot arrests in past decade

Critics of legal marijuana say 'California has devolved into de facto legalization,' but a new report says there were nearly half a million pot arrests in the state between 2006 and 2015.

Wednesday 17 August 2016

Montana anti-marijuana group doubles down in push to get initiative on ballot

Sponsors of an anti-marijuana initiative that failed to qualify for November's ballot are claiming they submitted enough signatures to put the measure before the voters, but that thousands of names were lost or wrongly rejected by county officials.

Man accidentally eats four pot brownies, crawls on floor and calls cat mean names

A 53-year-old man unknowingly ate pot brownies and later crawled "around on the floor, randomly using profanities and calling the family cat 'a bitch' "

Federal Court of Appeals Upholds Ban on Prosecuting State-Compliant Medical Marijuana Businesses

Federal Court of Appeals Upholds Ban on Prosecuting State-Compliant Medical Marijuana Businesses | Keith Stroup


SAN FRANCISCO, CA - A three-judge panel of the US Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit, covering nine western states, earlier this week ruled unanimously that the Department of Justice is barred by federal law from prosecuting medical marijuana businesses if those businesses are operating in compliance with state law. This decision came in […]


Federal Court of Appeals Upholds Ban on Prosecuting State-Compliant Medical Marijuana Businesses | The Daily Chronic

Why Colorado Tokers Love the Girl Scout Cookies Strain

girl.scout.cookies.marijuana.strainWestword file photo

When you're a solid six out of ten in the looks department, you have to break outside the box to get a pretty, popular girl's attention. I've tried acting like the funny guy or Mr. Sensitive, to little avail. And, of course, I've played the “Everyone thinks you're hot but I don't” card, which just led to another losing hand.


I used the same tactic when the Girl Scout Cookies strain was so hot. In 2011, everyone wanted to smoke anything with the word “cookie” in it, and I was getting sick of the fad; it was like the planking (remember that?) of the weed world. But then I actually smoked some.


The post Why Colorado Tokers Love the Girl Scout Cookies Strain appeared first on Toke of the Town.

Tuesday 16 August 2016

Federal court limits DOJ in medical pot prosecution

A federal appeals court on Tuesday banned the Justice Department from prosecuting medical marijuana cases if no state laws were broken.

Monday 15 August 2016

Colorado sells nearly $600M in cannabis in six months

Colorado marijuana shops sold nearly $600 million of cannabis in the first half of 2016, and analysts predict $1.35 billion in pot sales by year's end.

Consultant for South Dakota tribe's pot resort pleads guilty to drug charge

Jonathan Hunt, one of two marijuana consultants who worked with a Native American tribe on its plans to open the nation's first marijuana resort pleaded guilty Monday to a drug offense stemming from his role in the operation.

Friday 12 August 2016

Cannabist Show: He infuses THC bison jerky; He podcasts on weed, geek culture

Featured guests this week are Cannabis Queen owner Todd Gardner and Two J's Later podcaster Josh Hawkes -- discussing infused-jerky, sex and marijuana.

Marijuana Legalization Would Eliminate Several Felony Arrests a Day in City of Phoenix

 



cops-and-pot-1US Marshals


If voters approve it in November, the pending ballot initiative to legalize marijuana for recreational use in Arizona stands to eliminate several felony arrests each day in the city of Phoenix alone.


On average, the Phoenix police have arrested more than seven people a day since January 2015 for suspicion of marijuana possession, according to figures New Times obtained through a public-records request.



The post Marijuana Legalization Would Eliminate Several Felony Arrests a Day in City of Phoenix appeared first on Toke of the Town.

Ending Prohibition When Only 13% of Adults Are Smoking?

Ending Prohibition When Only 13% of Adults Are Smoking? | Keith Stroup


The latest Gallup Poll, based on polling conducted from July 13-17, 2016, reports that 13% of adults in the US are current marijuana smokers, and 43% have smoked marijuana at some point in their lives. According to Gallup, the numbers of adults acknowledging their personal use of marijuana has risen from 7% in 2013 to […]


Ending Prohibition When Only 13% of Adults Are Smoking? | The Daily Chronic

Thursday 11 August 2016

DEA to Increase Access to Marijuana for Research but Refuses to Reclassify Cannabis

DEA to Increase Access to Marijuana for Research but Refuses to Reclassify Cannabis | Robert Capecchi


WASHINGTON, DC - According to multiple news reports, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) will announce Thursday that it will take steps to increase the supply of marijuana available for research purposes, but it will not remove marijuana from Schedule I - a classification reserved for drugs with “no currently accepted medical use and a high potential […]


DEA to Increase Access to Marijuana for Research but Refuses to Reclassify Cannabis | The Daily Chronic

Government officials (Team Hillary, too) respond to DEA's pot rescheduling denial

Here's how officials at every level of U.S. government (Team Hillary Clinton, too) reacted to the DEA's recent decision to not reschedule marijuana.

DEA Rejects Pot Rescheduling But Ends Research Monopoly: Clinton Responds

rescheduleDEABrett Levin

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration has denied petitions filed by two former governors and a New Mexico psychiatric nurse practitioner five years ago requesting that the DEA reschedule marijuana from a Schedule I substance, according to documents filed with the Federal Register today. But the agency did decide to end the monopoly on research into the medical benefits of the drug - a move applauded by the campaign of Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.


There is no word yet on when the DEA might consider rescheduling marijuana. But despite an earlier promise by the agency to make an announcement in the first half of 2016, sources now say that the agency has decided to hold off on any decision for this year, as Westword reported last week.


While the DEA made no move on rescheduling, it did announce that it will be expanding the number of places allowed to grow marijuana for research purposes. Currently, the University of Mississippi holds an exclusive contract with the National Institute on Drug Abuse and has been the only facility federally licensed to grow marijuana.


“The DEA and the FDA continue to believe that scientifically valid and well-controlled clinical trials conducted under investigational new drug (IND) applications are the most appropriate way to conduct research on the medicinal uses of marijuana,” the DEA said in a statement.


The post DEA Rejects Pot Rescheduling But Ends Research Monopoly: Clinton Responds appeared first on Toke of the Town.

Wednesday 10 August 2016

DEA rejects marijuana's medical use, keeping status Schedule I

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration will deny requests that it change the legal classification of marijuana and reject arguments that marijuana has medical value, according to multiple news reports.

Prop 205: Arizona Marijuana Legalization Measure Qualifies for Ballot

Prop 205: Arizona Marijuana Legalization Measure Qualifies for Ballot | Marijuana Policy Project


PHOENIX, AZ - State officials have informed supporters of the initiative to regulate marijuana like alcohol in Arizona that a sufficient number of voter signatures were collected to qualify for the November ballot. The Arizona Secretary of State is expected to officially certify their petition on Thursday, at which time the initiative will be placed on […]


Prop 205: Arizona Marijuana Legalization Measure Qualifies for Ballot | The Daily Chronic

Pueblo Voters Will Vote on Whether to Ban Retail Shops in the City

marijuanaMario Antonio Pena Zapatería

Money from marijuana is helping keep Pueblo's budget out of the red, but in November that green could dry up.


Pueblo City Council determined that residents be allowed to decide whether to stop licensing recreational marijuana stores in a 6 to 1 vote on Monday, August 8. Initially, recreational pot shops were only legal outside of Pueblo city limits, but voters decided to to allow retail shops to operate in Pueblo a year ago.


The post Pueblo Voters Will Vote on Whether to Ban Retail Shops in the City appeared first on Toke of the Town.

The vaporizer industry has a dirty little secret, and companies are hoping customers aren't paying attention

Cannabist vape pen critic Ben Livingston stopped by The Cannabist Show to discuss the proliferation of white-label and knock-off products in the industry.

U.S. Teens Prefer Pot to Binge Drinking


In Europe, they drink much more than they smoke cannabis.


The following is excerpted from the newsletter WeedWeek. Get your free and confidential subscription at WeedWeek.net.


U.S. teens are more likely to smoke pot than to binge drink according to a new study. A government study says Miamians are more anti-weed than residents of any other U.S. city, a finding at odds with a visit to Miami.


Vice says legalizing can mitigate problems associated with synthetic cannabis.


LAWeekly talks to Dr. Francis D'Ambrosio, an orthopedic surgeon turned pot activist. “Is the medicine working?” he asked a patient. “Well, then it'd be criminal of me not to renew your prescription.”


The long awaited PTSD study for veterans is recruiting volunteers.


A New York doctor is accused of trading a prescription for the powerful opioid Suboxone for a few grams of pot.


Police in Baton Rouge, La., have reduced their enforcement of narcotics offenses since Alton Sterling was fatally shot on July 5.


Marco Vasquez, police chief of Erie, Colo., spoke in favor of legalization at a national law enforcement conference.


Forbes explains how a Congressional career offender provision got Tennessee grower Paul Fields sentenced to 15 years. It was Fields' third offense. For the second one, he was sentenced to 100 days.



Hundreds of doctors in Georgia have registered to recommend low-THC, high-CBD cannabis oil but there's no official directory. Word of mouth is the only way to find one of the doctors.



Bruce Schulte, former chair of Alaska's Marijuana Control Board, was fired by Gov. Bill Walker (Ind.). Schulte said the state is trying to “subvert” the industry.


Anti-REC activists in Arizona say the state's upcoming initiative would  block employers  from firing people for cannabis use. In fact, the proposed law says the opposite.


Portland City Council appears ready to undo some of the restrictions governing dispensary operations. Humboldt County, Calif. growers are divided on a proposed excise tax.



The post U.S. Teens Prefer Pot to Binge Drinking appeared first on Toke of the Town.

Tuesday 9 August 2016

Missouri medical marijuana short signatures for ballot, but the effort isn't over yet

A group backing Missouri medical marijuana says it doesn't have enough valid signatures but will go to court to get a proposed constitutional amendment on November's ballot.

Pot Companies Attracting Larger Investments

marijuana-money-credit-paul-geilfuss-Shutterstock.com-1200Paul Geilfuss / Shutterstock.com

The stigma is shrinking and the money is growing.


The following is excerpted from the newsletter WeedWeek. Get your free and confidential subscription at WeedWeek.net.


Private equity investment in weed is heating up. Canadian MED company Organigram raised $17.5M. Denver's Baker Technologies, a software company which helps dispensaries win and retain customers, raised $1.6M. The industry's average seed round is $1M according to investment firm Poseidon Asset Management.


Commodities investor Jim Rogers, who started Quantum Fund with George Soros, has invested in PharmaCielo, a Canadian company that won the first license to grow MED in Colombia.


CMH Brands, a company which processes Willie Nelson brand Willie's Reserve, acquired Denver Relief's grow and manufacturing facilities. The deal comes weeks after Denver Relief sold a store to Terrapin Station.


The Clinic's new flagship store in Denver cost more than $1M. A JPMorgan analyst thinks Scotts Miracle-Gro's push into the industry will benefit the stock. Bloomberg BusinessWeek interviewed Dixie CEO Tripp Keber.


Fast Company looks at what it's like to work for social media app MassRoots.


San Jose, Calif., dispensary Medimarts promised a court fight against a ruling that it owes $767,000 in taxes and late fees.


787 drivers were involved in Colorado's 546 driving fatalities last year. Of the drivers, 59, or 7.1% tested positive for cannabis but not other drugs. The total number of fatalities was down from 606 in 2005.


Researchers found that a Vermont Department of Health study was overly negative and did not account for the possibility of legalization alleviating the state's opioid crisis. This year the state legislature failed to pass a REC bill that was widely expected to become law.


In the Des Moines Register, the founder of an addiction center writes that pot is still dangerous. “We see the faces of marijuana addicts first hand. And it's not funny. We see people who struggle with simple tasks at school and work.  People incapable of perceiving or expressing emotion. People who suffer from higher incidence of mental health diagnoses, such as schizophrenia, paranoia and anxiety.”


The post Pot Companies Attracting Larger Investments appeared first on Toke of the Town.

Poll: More than 33 million U.S. adults use marijuana

A new Gallup poll finds that percent of American adults who say they currently smoke marijuana has nearly doubled over the past three years.

Early endorsement: It's the right time to legalize marijuana, and Prop. 64 is right for California

Proposition 64 would allow adults 21 years or older to use pot, grow up to six plants in their homes and possess about an ounce of marijuana and about a quarter ounce of hash.

How to Make Your Own Cannabis-Infused Panna Cotta

Westword

Sweet, delicate and fresh, panna cotta is an example of a dessert that seems sophisticated (i.e., difficult) but is actually fairly easy to prepare. With the infusion of cannabis, this classic dish becomes a perfect, lightly sweetened digestif to bookend a large, savory meal.


The post How to Make Your Own Cannabis-Infused Panna Cotta appeared first on Toke of the Town.

While kicking back at home, pot store worker watching store video tips police to robbery

An employee of a Seattle marijuana store watching the facility's security camera system from home foiled a robbery attempt after seeing armed suspects enter the facility.

Strain reviews: How the Willie's Reserve line of weed tastes and smokes

Willie Nelson's five specialty cannabis strains from Willie's Reserve is now available in pot shops. Our weed critic gives his take on tastes and more.

#WeGotYoWeed, Taunt Kentucky Cops

Note left by Kentucky deputies after confiscating marijuana plants from corn field.Grayson County Sheriff's Office

Note left by Kentucky deputies after confiscating marijuana plants from corn field.


After confiscating about 254 marijuana plants found nestled in a corn field last week, deputies in Grayson County, Kentucky, left the growers a note: Thanks for the weed!


In addition to thanking the still-unknown culprits for the nearly $600,000 worth of marijuana, deputies began to taunt the growers on social media with the hashtag #WeGotYoWeed.


The post #WeGotYoWeed, Taunt Kentucky Cops appeared first on Toke of the Town.

DEA should stop stalling on rescheduling marijuana

The DEA missed the July 1 deadline on whether to reschedule marijuana from its current – laughable-position keeping marijuana as a Schedule I substance. It's time to end marijuana prohibition.

Monday 8 August 2016

Dropped: Feds agree to dismiss Oregon teen's pot case

The case against 19-year-old Devontre Thomas, who was facing federal drug charges and a yearlong jail term for a gram of pot, made national headlines and outraged many across the country

Sunday 7 August 2016

DEA: Marijuana Seizures Decline In 2015

DEA: Marijuana Seizures Decline In 2015 | Paul Armentano


WASHINGTON, DC - Seizures of indoor and outdoor cannabis crops by the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) fell in 2015, according to annual data compiled by the US Drug Enforcement Administration. According to the DEA's Domestic Cannabis Eradication/Suppression Statistical Report, agents eradicated 4.25 million marijuana plants nationwide in 2015. That total is slightly less than the […]


DEA: Marijuana Seizures Decline In 2015 | The Daily Chronic

Friday 5 August 2016

Obama just commuted the sentences of a record number of inmates

President Barack Obama granted clemency to a record 214 inmates as part of an ongoing effort to release federal inmates serving prison terms deemed to be unduly harsh.

MATFORCE Corrects Alarmist Tweet on THC in Water Supply

matforce-water-supplyTwitter


Following calls from New Times and an ex-Cottonwood city councilman, MATFORCE, the Yavapai County-based group that opposes cannabis legalization, has corrected a misleading tweet that proclaimed, “Evidence of THC found in Colorado town's water supply.”


Despite a very brief public scare last week, THC, the main psychoactive component in marijuana, never did contaminate the water supply of rural Hugo, Colorado (population 730). But you might not know that if you relied on MATFORCE to keep you informed.


The post MATFORCE Corrects Alarmist Tweet on THC in Water Supply appeared first on Toke of the Town.

This shop's sales of cannabis concentrates jumped nearly 400 percent in less than three years

Scott Thorn, chief operating officer of The Clinic, talks on The Cannabist Show about concentrates trends and why his business saw a 400% sales increase.

Thursday 4 August 2016

Scotts Miracle-Gro doubles down on legal cannabis with hydroponics, grow lighting acquisitions

Scotts Miracle-Gro is hiking its holdings in hydroponics by shelling out $136 million for Gavita and inking a deal for Arizona's Botanicare.

CDOT's Drugged Driving Campaign High on Giant 3D Marijuana Joint

drivehigh

If you see a 28-foot-high marijuana joint fashioned from a car on the side of the Courtyard Marriott at 934 16th Street, don't be alarmed - or inspired. Part of a giant billboard installed today, the joint is just the latest ploy by the Colorado Department of Transportation to push its  Dangerous Combinations campaign.


The campaign, which launched in May, is part of the larger Drive High, Get a DUI program, and is designed to cut down on the number of people driving while high. Drive High, Get a DUI was established soon after Colorado legalized recreational marijuana; the first year of the program worked to educate people that they could get a DUI if they drove high.


The post CDOT's Drugged Driving Campaign High on Giant 3D Marijuana Joint appeared first on Toke of the Town.

Wednesday 3 August 2016

Here's the Truth Behind Claims That Legalization Will End Workforce Drug-Testing for Weed


marijuana-smoker-flickr-1Flickr

Opponents of a ballot measure to legalize marijuana in Arizona threaten a looming catastrophe of liability lawsuits for employers.


From the start, Arizonans for Responsible Drug Policy, an anti-legalization political action committee led by conservative radio show host Seth Leibsohn and Yavapai County Attorney Sheila Polk, has maintained (see PDF below) that the initiative known as the Regulation and Taxation of Marijuana Act (RTMA) would take away employers' control over their own business operations.


The post Here's the Truth Behind Claims That Legalization Will End Workforce Drug-Testing for Weed appeared first on Toke of the Town.

At Pharma-Sponsored Conference, Florida Doctors Vote to Oppose Medical Marijuana

seed-to-saleShutterstock

On Sunday, the Florida Medical Association voted to oppose Amendment 2, Florida's latest effort to legalize medical marijuana. The FMA, which represents more than 20,000 physicians in the state, also opposed a similar effort two years ago.


So why is the doctor's group hell-bent against a treatment option that has been embraced elsewhere in the U.S.?  Well, after the vote at the group's annual meeting in Orlando, CEO Tim Stapleton offered the following (factually dubious) reasoning.


“There is nothing 'medical' about this proposal, and the lack of scientific evidence that pot is helpful in treating medical conditions is far from inclusive,” he said, according to a press release sent out by Drug Free Florida, the billionaire-backed campaign to scare people from voting for medical marijuana.


But the FMA neglected to mention one key fact about its vote: Its Orlando conference, held this year in Walt Disney World, was sponsored by PhRMA, one of the pharmaceutical industry's largest trade organizations. PhRMA has spent millions to defeat medical marijuana proposals across the country.


The post At Pharma-Sponsored Conference, Florida Doctors Vote to Oppose Medical Marijuana appeared first on Toke of the Town.

I am worried about my NFL family. I am ready to talk cannabis. I am Eugene Monroe.

Recently retired NFL player Eugene Monroe pens his first column for The Cannabist: "My football family needs help. I'm proud to fight for that help."

Fight continues in Congress over allowing VA doctors to discuss medical marijuana with patients

Congressman Earl Blumenauer is continuing a push to allow Veterans Affairs doctors to discuss medical marijuana with their patients.

Colorado: More Young Children Exposed to Pot

Way more than doctors anticipated.


The following is excerpted from the newsletter WeedWeek. Get your free and confidential subscription at WeedWeek.net.


In Colorado, the number of young children exposed to marijuana, mostly through edibles, is up 150 % since 2014, a study found. Reason and The Washington Post argue that the risk remains very small.


A study in rats found that exposure to pot smoke can damage blood vessels.


One in 13 Americans older than 12 have used marijuana in the past month, a new government studyfound. That figure has held steady for about 25-years. It's least popular between Texas and Alabama. (Here's a map.) States where it's less common are more likely to be concerned about marijuana.


A Globe and Mail investigation found that mold and other contaminants are widespread in the Toronto MED supply. Colorado released numerous seized batches after they tested negative for pesticides.


Following a scare, Colorado determined that THC was not in the drinking water in the tiny town of Hugo, Colo.


A bill in Congress that would expand MED research does not include products containing THC or the parents of children with autism in its “Safe Harbor” clause.


In Arizona, a long-anticipated study to test MED on veterans with PTSD will begin seeking patients soon.


Michael J. Stevens writes on the promise of cannabis tissue culture.


The Guardian can't find any evidence for the myth that babies are awash with endocannabinoids, cannabinoids produced by the human body at birth.


Carfentanil, a powerful opioid used to sedate elephants is causing overdoses in heroin users. Time asks if MED can mitigate the opiate epidemic. (See The Hill for more.)


A Colorado judge blocked the suspensions of four doctors, the first in the state to be punished foroverprescribing the number of plants MED patients can grow or trust to caregivers. Heavy prescribing doctors could see business decline with legalization, the Guardian reports.


Dr. Michael Soler is the first physician in Puerto Rico allowed to recommend MED.


The post Colorado: More Young Children Exposed to Pot appeared first on Toke of the Town.

DEA's Marijuana Rescheduling Announcement May Not Come in 2016

reschedulingLindsey Bartlett

Update: It's unofficially official. A senior executive at the Drug Enforcement Administration has confirmed that the DEA will not be rescheduling marijuana in 2016, says a local attorney who spoke with him late last week. “The DEA is not going to reschedule marijuana this year … they aren't issuing a public announcement about the change,” the attorney adds.


Many marijuana advocates - and the legislators who support them - have been hoping that the DEA would reschedule marijuana from a Schedule I to a Schedule II substance. The reclassification would acknowledge that the drug holds medical value and allow for more research.


The post DEA's Marijuana Rescheduling Announcement May Not Come in 2016 appeared first on Toke of the Town.

2 consultants face drug charges over South Dakota tribe's marijuana resort

Two consultants who worked with a Native American tribe on its plans to open the nation's first marijuana resort have been charged with drug offenses

How to Make Your Own Cannabis-Infused Butter

CannabutterWestword

Cannabutter is a core ingredient in many edibles recipes, from traditional pot brownies to more elaborate cannabis-infused dishes. Learning how to make your own cannabutter is a great way to understand the process of how THC is extracted from cannabis and infused into butter and oils - so we're here to help, with a recipe for homemade cannabutter.


The most important factors in this recipe are time and heat. The mixture needs to be hot enough for the THC to break down and bind to the fat molecules, but not so hot that it begins to scorch the herb or fry away those precious cannabinoids. So keep an eye on the saucepan to make sure the liquid stays at a long, low simmer and doesn't hit a full boil.


Before long, you'll have a jar of cannabutter available to use in your favorite recipe or simply spread on some warm toast.


The post How to Make Your Own Cannabis-Infused Butter appeared first on Toke of the Town.

Former head of Alaska marijuana board booted by gov

The former chairman of the board tasked with regulating Alaska's nascent marijuana industry has been removed by Gov. Bill Walker.

A Pathway Towards Marijuana Legalization: The Significance of the Democratic Platform

A Pathway Towards Marijuana Legalization: The Significance of the Democratic Platform | Keith Stroup


Among all the speeches and balloons and revelry of the recently completed Democratic National Convention - a convention that has already made history by nominating a woman for president – was a far less obvious, but important change in the Democratic Party platform. For the first time since marijuana was made illegal on the federal […]


A Pathway Towards Marijuana Legalization: The Significance of the Democratic Platform | The Daily Chronic

Tuesday 2 August 2016

DEA: Decision on marijuana rescheduling in 'final stages'

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration is still considering whether to reschedule marijuana under the Controlled Substances Act, an agency spokesman said Tuesday.

Report: More American high schoolers smoke pot than binge drink

A report by Project Know culled data from state and national agencies to determine teen drug usage rates in each state and Washington D.C.

Monday 1 August 2016

New Jersey bill allows medical pot for PTSD - will Gov. Christie approve it?

Republican Gov. Chris Christie will decide whether New Jersey residents with post-traumatic stress disorder can be treated with medical marijuana after lawmakers approved a measure Monday.

Illinois: Governor Signs Marijuana Decriminalization Measure

Illinois: Governor Signs Marijuana Decriminalization Measure | Paul Armentano


Republican Governor Bruce Rauner signed legislation today amending the state's marijuana possession penalties. Senate Bill 2228 reduces the penalties for the possession of up to 10 grams of marijuana from a criminal misdemeanor (formerly punishable by up to six months in jail and a $1,500 fine) to a civil fine of no more than $200 […]


Illinois: Governor Signs Marijuana Decriminalization Measure | The Daily Chronic