I shouldn’t be astonished, but I still am. The mythology in this story is myth itself. There is more misinformation, half baked information and just plain lies in this story than I’ve seen in a long time. Starting with what cannabis is or isn’t and how it affects our bodies. The myth that people who use are underachievers, since most of the other myths have proven themselves to be just that. Myths. Why there can’t be honest reporting that sticks to the facts is beyond me, but there you have it. Many people are still caught up in the 1970s. There are still many naysayers about cannabis in the world, just as there are many abolitionists for alcohol. These people just don’t learn that abolishing anything doesn’t abolish it. Abolishing something just creates a ‘black’ market for the same goods and takes taxes out of the government coffers.
This shouldn’t be surprising, but it is. There are too many people who have been arrested all over the US whose cases should be dismissed or charges dropped, but aren’t. Why? It’s a damn good question and one that has a very elusive answer. Many prosecutors are still living in the past. Many prosecutors see cannabis as a possible source of revenue for their districts. Who knows, but it’s time for all cases for cannabis possession to be expunged.
I don’t get it. I just don’t get it. The republicuns in office were elected by people who wanted them to do what they said they were going to do. They are not. By diluting the will of the people, can these ‘elected’ officials, were apparently elected for their own aggrandizement. It kind of sux, but that’s politics in the USofA these days.
This is so reminiscent of the 1940s and 1959s with revenue agents seeking illegal stills replace by sheriffs looking for illegal cannabis grows. Just because cannabis is legal in California, it doesn’t mean that the black market in weed will just go away. On the contrary, it’s probably bigger than ever. Nothing can be proved, but cannabis is a HUGE market that’s barely been tapped. Colorado has lots of illegal grows that get busted. So does California. So does Michigan. So does every legal cannabis state in the US> Until those republicun lawmakers get their heads out of their asses, the black market for cannabis will continue to thrive. Even if those heads do pop back into the sunshine, it’ll take time for the market to become predominately legal. It’s the nature of anything that had a prohibition placed on it. Time for those idiots to figure it out.
Following the story above, of course, Illinois is no different than any other state that made adult use cannabis legal in the last few years. The issues are many and ham-fisted legislators believing they can just tax the bejeebers out of cannabis and the black market will just go away are living with their heads stuck firmly up their asses. Why humans cannot learn or refuse to learn from the past is beyond me. Illinois has the highest taxes and therefore prices for cannabis in the US, so why wouldn’t the black market continue to thrive? Idiots.
OK. Last story about the thriving black market for weed. I promise. Each state has it’s own issues about illegal cannabis outpacing the legal market. But California’s is perhaps the largest and worst. (This is the second story in this edition of “Weed Week” about California) The state is well meaning. They’ve been trying to get the ‘provisional’ licenses converted to regular legal licenses. But the task list to do this is so long and onerous, the environmental and legal hoops that potential licensees have to jump through are so great that many of them are of the ‘why bother’ stage. Come on California, get your head out of the sand and wake up to making the pot market into a majority legal market. Once those hurdles are passed, it’ll be a huge market indeed.
Here the study author says one thing and the reporter and editor take the words out of his mouth. Gee. Isn’t that what media does? Those with poor nightly sleep patterns were heavy users of cannabis, not the lightweight users who only have a few puffs of their favorite plant. For some reason (eyeballs?) editors and reporters still seem to want to sensationalize everything about cannabis that they can. That’s media for you. Take the easy way out and grab eyeballs where you can and the truth be damned.
We’re moving closer to the halfway mark in 2021. It might be quieter than 2020, but it’s still strange as more and more states move to legalize cannabis for adult use. The first article today is about Connecticut. They have joined the ranks of states who have legalized adult use cannabis. WA-HOO!!!! Well over half Americans live in cannabis legal states. It’s a movement whose time has come.
And it’s about time too. This has been going on for about 2 years in Connecticut and it’s time the legislature got a bill that both they and the governor can live with. Cannabis legalization is a difficult thing for some legislators and it doesn’t make sense. Legalize it and regulate it just like liquor, beer and wine. They’re wasting everyone’s time by not acting quickly. In the case of Connecticut, they’re losing lots of tax dollars to Massachusetts.
What difference does it make? Delta 8-THC is a product of the cannabis plant. The plant should be regulated, not the products the plant may or may not have. This is another one I just don’t understand. If legislatures can’t understand that the plant is the plant and quit trying to regulate every part of the plant, they would have time to work on more important thins. Do they try to regulate every phenol, terpene and whatever else is in wine? No. So why should they try to regulate just another part of the plant?
The only reason this story appears here is to demonstrate that illegal sales of weed probably still outpace the legal sales of cannabis…even in Colorado. And the cops are still at it only now apparently in reverse. This was 3,000 pounds. That equals about 27 million when sold by the gram. I’m sure it’s less when it’s sold by the ounce, but hey, it’s still a lot of … … wait for it … … hay.
Not surprising given the stupidity of many California municipalities. I don’t know the sales tax laws in the state, but they should exclude tax revenues from cannabis if the towns don’t allow cultivation or dispensaries. It’s that simple. The politicians in those communities leave much to be desired. Nothing, absolutely nothing has changed in any state that has legalized cannabis or any community that allows it inside its borders. Nothing.
Important stuff here. I’ve known a few people who had played in the NFL. One had the early signs of dementia when he was 40. One played football through high school, college and the NFL. He quit the NFL when he was 25 because he feared for his life and family. It took a long time for the NFL to own up to the idea that brain injuries were killing its players. Men who have played in the NFL have one of the lowest ages for death. Average life expectancy for a former NFL player was under 60 years.
“Don’t Bogart That Joint, My Friend” was an old song about hogging a joint that was being passed around. That was the 1970s. This is the 2020s. New century. New etiquette. Fun. This book will show you where the etiquette of cannabis consumption in the company of other people has gone. And it has gone a long way. Something for you to enjoy for your weekend reading pleasure.
Here’s a wild and crazy week. To start it off, the Biden administration is showing its colors once again by refusing to allow cannabis sales in Washington, DC. He has, now in the last four plus months of his presidency that he truly doesn’t want cannabis to be legal. Apparently, he won’t stop it, but he certainly won’t help it. The really big news this week is Amazon. The powers-that-be at Amazon have decided that cannabis is not detrimental to the workplace for most employees and want the plant legalized. The impact of this could be tremendous. And the out of control republicans in Wisconsin have shown their 1950s mentality; “Marijuana bad. Alcohol good.” And in the meantime, they’re losing millions in tax revenue. On Wisconsin.
Nobody will dispute the facts that the prohibition of cannabis has been nothing than a ploy to keep minoriities (read black and Hispanic) populations in check. The Biden administration refuses to move the legalization of cannabis off the back burner. This policy is both racist and an assault on populations of color. Once again President Biden is showing his true colors. On the plus side, the administration has a line in the budget for next year that prohibits the Department of Justice from using any funds to block or impede states with legal cannabis from continuing their programs. That’s a start.
It’s bound to happen. It’s going to happen. Ben and Jerry, both known advocates of legal cannabis, appear to be completely ready to create an ice cream flavor with CBD. Probably THC too once it’s legalized at the Federal level. Why am I not surprised?
This is a fascinating bit of trivia about an emoji for our favorite plant. I don’t know how, but Apple appears to control the emoji keyboard and won’t put a cannabis emoji in until the Feds legalize it. Yikes! But that’s the way of the world these days.
Praise the lord and pass the bacon! If only most employers would think this way. Amazon is still doing drug testing, just not foe cannabis. They’ve also changed a few other things related to time off. They want to become an employer of choice. Too bad at this time that those employers who are complaining that they can’t find workers just aren’t paying enough and haven’t changed with the times. It kinda sux.
Marijuana Legalization Is Retiring Police Dogs. Why That’s Good—And Why All Drug K9 Units Should Go.
K-9 units, police dogs, whatever you want to call them have been a bogus proposition from the beginning. They can smell cannabis, yes, but were they really used as an excuse to pull people over (mostly of color) and give ‘probable cause’ to search a vehicle. Is it time to retire police dogs and task them with something more productive?
For some reason, Wisconsin has a particularly virulent form of republican politics. While Michigan is not much better, there’s a particular nastiness to republican politics in Wisconsin. Now they’re blocking medical cannabis from even getting out of its first committee. Why? Currently, Wisconsin is losing millions of dollars to Illinois, Michigan and soon Minnesota. Do Wisconsin republicans really want to run the state into the ground?
California is getting silly stupid. No other way to put it. The state with the largest regulatory agency cannot get their cannabis growing (and selling) act together, no matter what they do…and of course, they are doing nothing. Thousands of small farmers cannot afford to grow cannabis if they desire. Big business seems to be trying to control cultivation of cannabis in California, but that leaves out the small growers who might become craft growers. It kinda sux.
Not surprising. After Colorado, Washington State, Oregon, Nevada and California legalized adult use, they all reported no increase in teen use The facts are that a percentage of teenagers are inclined to risky behavior. That percentage is about the same, whether cannabis is legal or not. Whether cannabis is legal or only alcohol is legal, the same percentage of teens will try one or both. And now the Feds are saying it too after telling us, over the years, that teenage cannabis use will skyrocket after adult-use legalization. At least the government is getting a bit more honest about the use of cannabis in its myriad of reports.
This sounds better than it really is. Yes, dispensaries in Louisiana will be able to sell cannabis flower. But it won’t happen until next year. And it can only be grown by two universities…and we do know how well that didn’t work in Mississippi for the Feds. And there are only nine dispensaries in the entire state. Good going Louisiana. Illicit weed will continue to flourish.
Well, well, well. A really republican state has finally opened up for adult use cannabis. This is tremendous news. The number of states with adult use is growing and I’m starting to think we should run a contest to see which state will be the last to legalize adult use cannabis. I have my bets placed and I’ll bet that some bookie in Las Vegas will be willing to set up some sort of a book for the betting. My guess is Indiana. Only Texas might be more retrogressive than Indiana, but Indiana is really strange. OK maybe Wisconsin (see above).
What a long, strange week it’s been. First, there’s the story that more people are showing cannabis use in drug tests. duh WTF did anyone expect to happen when cannabis becomes legal? Then there’s Texas. Don’t know what to make of that state. The legislature seems to be of a mind to approve medical cannabis, but at what cost. And the big DUH; States are beginning to realize that there’s money to be had from legalizing cannabis. Lot’s of money. Communities are a bit behind, because local politicians are still living in the 1950s for the most part or so it seems.
HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY TO EVERYONE. Hard to believe this year is moving to being half over.
This to me is a big duh. What did employers expect to happen when cannabis became legal where their workers live? Do they test for alcohol? No. Do they test for any of the anti-psychotic drugs that many of their workers might be taking? No. This whole thing is becoming part of the hypocrisy of American businesses. On the one hand, you could say if it’s legal, you can’t test. On the other, it’s still illegal under Federal law. That has to change.
I hated the nasty orange last president. This one is not much better, if at all, when it comes to cannabis. The Biden administration is making no moves at all to mitigate the government’s stance against marijuana. But we have to remember that Biden was an anti-marijuana crusader back in the day. He still is. It’s stupid.
Yet another “DUH” for the week. Of course, cannabis legalization has been lucrative. What else did the states expect? That people would be running around naked in the streets and debauching all over the place??? Or that there would be a HUGE increase in traffic accidents caused by all those stoners driving around? More bank robberies??? None of these things or any negative things has happened. NONE. Zero. De nada. Zip. Why? Because most Americans understood that the government was feeding them crap about cannabis and has been since the mid-1930s.
Then there’s Texas. What can you say? There is supposedly medical cannabis coming to Texas, but it’s the sorriest medical program in the US. Absolutely abysmal. There are probably a dozen people who will qualify and what they can buy will be very strange indeed. As in no more than 1% THC. Really? All it means is that people will be forced to smoke more to achieve the desired effect. I have to wonder about the sanity of Texans. I guess they’re happy losing millions in tax revenue to Colorado and soon New Mexico. Just beyond stupid. WAY beyond stupid.
This week; here’s a big WHEW! to get. Now when you get your COVID-19 vaccination, you don’t have to worry about consuming weed or booze. That’s good. The bad is the hugely limiting law that was passed in Alabama for ‘medical’ marijuana, which mostly you can only get if you’re dying. And even then, you can’t get bud you can only get tinctures, patches and salves. Talk about dumb. There’s a lot of other good news out there along with some other bad news.
Marijuana, booze OK after getting COVID-19 shot
WHEW!!! I was worried NOT!!! Since cannabis has very little in the way of drug interactions, I didn’t expect COVID to be a problem. Alcohol, I wasn’t as confident about, but it appears all is good. So all you non-vaccinated people out there, GET YOUR JABS!!!
America’s most conservative states are embracing medical pot
WOWIE!!! It’s true…almost too true. But these ‘conservative’ states are just trying to protect their borders and get as much revenue in their coffers as possible.
167 million reasons to legalize marijuana in Wisconsin
Those reasons are the $$$ that are filling the coffers of dispensaries in Illinois. And filling the treasury in Illinois. But the republican legislators in Wisconsin seemingly have thier collective heads up their collective asses! There are idiots everywhere these days.
Here’s a case of the voters pushing back on the people they elected. Politicians, once elected, seem to have ideas of their own that have nothing to do with the votes they got from the people. There is apparently strong support for cannabis businesses to come to Nutley. The politicians don’t think so. It’ll be interesting to see who wins. Check back in this space as we’ll be following this story.
Fascinating. Some people can’t eat their cannabis. We don’t know why either. We don’t know why because cannabis research has been blocked since the late 1930s because of the idiotic prohibition of cannabis until the 20-teens. But now we can find out why!
While I would normally consider this a landmark bill, it’s really not. The bill only allows pills, skin patches and creams, etc., but not smokable product. It’s a half assed measure designed to maybe help a few, since the conditions are also few. Lawmakers can now pat themselves on the back and say; “See what we’ve done!” while they’ve actually done nothing at all other than help a very few people. The law is hypocritical and I’m sure the legislators are toasting themselves with their martinis..
In one of the good stories of the week, even if you don’t want to read the whole thing, a look at the header image says it all. It’s hilarious. I’ve never liked PBR, but the idea of PBR cannabis beer is just cracking me up.
Yes, Africa does need cannabis. It’s called dagga there and it could be an important economic generator. So why isn’t it legal ye in any country in Africa. Africa is also big. BIG BIG. You can fit all of North and South America into Africa and there would still be room for Asia. It’s amazing big and they need the economic help that can come from cannabis cultivation.
New Mexico regulators have put some pretty strict controls on the number of plants growers can produce at any one time. While it’s kind of ridiculous to think that a grower would use their plants for nefarious purposes, the regulators are conditioned by stigma to think that way. With New Mexico coming on-stream for adult use cannabis, probably early next year, there needs to be a robust supply. If there’s not, there’s always Colorado or Arizona, depending on which side of the state you live on.
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