Last week’s blog described medical marijuana in Washington State as a program in peril, due mainly to the peculiar implementation of I-502. This week I analyze the recreational side of things. As we know, the Initiative accorded the power to plan and regulate the new system to the State LCB. In what follows, I argue […]
World
The Saga of Medical Marijuana in Washington State
Every jurisdiction that legalizes marijuana encounters its own special set of post prohibition gremlins. Gremlins are mythical creatures that specialize in sabotage. In fairy tales they appear as inhabitants of other worlds. In reality they inhabit our own. That this is so is evident from a glance at Washington State where, despite legalization, masters in […]
Holy Smoke! – 5 Faiths That Praise The Pot Plant
By Calli Walton Cannabis has grown and evolved alongside humans for thousands of years. Evidence has come forward that our relationship with the Cannabis plant dates back to (and may have even been a cause of) the neo-lithic revolution at the end of the last ice age. It comes from the Earth and provides us […]
Advertising Marijuana Part I: Medicine Heals The Ailing Press
Wherever medical marijuana has taken root, officially speaking, ads for the plant have been bringing new life to newspapers.1 The Colorado Springs Independent (CSI) has recently put out a 48-page medical marijuana ad supplement, featuring retailers like “Mile High Mikes,” “Happy Buddha,” and “Healthy Connections.” Village Voice Media now issues two advertising supplements: the “Chronic-le” in Denver, and “The Rolling Paper” in San Francisco and Orange County. The Denver […]
After Prohibition We Will Still Need Cannabis Activists: Lessons From Colorado
We once had alcohol prohibition in North America. The arguments that promoted it are depressingly similar to those that maintain cannabis prohibition today. Both revolve around the notion that mind-altering plants harm children and families. But there, as they say, the similarity ends. Alcohol prohibition, for all its faults, was attended by widespread public dialogue. Moreover, it didn’t last long. Within half a generation, it was over and […]
Cannabis Extracts throughout History – Part 2
Cannabis in the Common Era In the first part of this series on Cannabis Extracts in History I looked at references from Before the Common Era or 1CE. In China, where we find the earliest advancements in cannabis/hemp production (5000 BCE), physicians beginning with Hoa-Tho (200 CE) prescribed cannabis mixed with wine as an analgesic […]
Hysteria Over Marijuana and the Teenage Brain: A Mild Rant
In 2015, Canadians will be heading into a federal election. A key issue will be legalizing marijuana. The contending Liberal Party of Canada led by Justin Trudeau, supports the idea. The ruling Conservatives led by Stephen Harper oppose it. But while the Liberals have taken the lead by proposing this legislation, it is their opponents who have […]
Ancient History: Old Edition of Hempology 101 Textbook On-line
Though the 4th edition of the Hempology 101 textbook has not yet been made available on-line, the 3rd edition has been on-line for years. It is out-dated, as it was written at the turn of the century, but for the most part it is still worth the read. However, when writing the last chapter on […]
Online Programs For Cannabis Dispensers: Are You Ready For The Future?
This article was inspired by an interview with the manager of Ocean Grown, one of Victoria’s younger medical marijuana dispensaries. I was intrigued to hear that she had gotten her training from an online certificate program with Cannabis Training University (CTU), completed intensively over two days.1 The interview was enjoyable, but the CTU portion of […]
Jamaica Amends Its ‘Dangerous’ Drugs Act
A Rastafari Perspective By Ras Kahleb “The reform measures approved by Cabinet have been primarily driven by the human rights and constitutional considerations prevailing in the Jamaican environment” ~ Mark Golding These were the words of Jamaica’s Minister of Justice, Mark Golding, during his address to the Jamaican people in regards to amendments being made […]