Blog Feature Legal 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 […]

Blog Feature World

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 […]

Blog Canada Feature World

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 […]

Blog Feature Science World

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 […]

Blog Canada Feature World

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 […]