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Five Texas Cities to Vote on Decriminalization This Year

by Sonny | Jun 8, 2022 | High Times

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This could be a big year for Texas, as there are currently five different decriminalization measures on November ballots from five different cities. It appears that, even though progress is happening slowly, this will be a big year for decriminalization across the super-sized state.

Last week, activists in Harker Heights with the progressive group Ground Game Texas announced that they have collected enough signatures for a decriminalization measure on their local ballot, making them the fifth city to do so in Texas thus far. All of these cities will be following in the footsteps of Austin, a city that has successfully passed decriminalization.

In order to be on the ballot in Harker Heights, advocates needed signatures from more than 25% of registered voters, and they exceeded their goal.

“Following the success of Prop A in Austin and the recent securing of ballot initiatives in Killeen and San Marcos, Ground Game Texas is proud to give Harker Heights residents the opportunity to decriminalize marijuana,” Julie Oliver, the organization’s executive director, claimed, according to a press release. “Ground Game Texas continues to demonstrate that popular policies around issues like workers, wages, and weed can help expand and electrify the electorate in Texas when they’re put directly in front of voters.”

The goal with the Harker Heights Freedom Act is to ensure that “police officers shall not issue citations or make arrests for Class A or Class B misdemeanor possession of marijuana offenses,” except in certain circumstances such as a violent felony or a felony-level narcotics case that has been “designated as a high priority investigation” by the police. In other words, the goal is to only focus on high-level drug trafficking, not regular folks using cannabis.

If this measure passes, it would also ensure that police can’t give out citations to folks who simply have resonated or otherwise used paraphernalia. This will keep the system clear of those who either have small amounts of cannabis or simply a used pipe.

In order for this measure to become a reality, city officials will still need to formally authorize the signatures and ensure they are all valid before the measure makes it onto the ballot. This initiative is just one in a broader effort to enact cannabis policy reform one city at a time, since currently in Texas, there is no process to add this to the ballot statewide.

In the past, Austin proved that this process can work when the city approved a ballot measure to decriminalize cannabis. It also banned no-knock warrants by police in general, all thanks to the work from Ground Game Texas.

The group also works with Mano Amiga, a criminal justice reform group committed to freeing cannabis customers. They worked with them to make sure there were more than enough signatures to get decriminalization on the ballot in San Marcos as well, continuing the reform sweep across the state.

Also, in May, Ground Game Texas reported that activists got enough signatures to put decriminalization on the ballot for Killeen too. Similarly, activists have collected enough signatures in Denton as well, and once they are verified, hope to also get that added to the ballot. Lastly, signature collectors have also collected enough signatures in Elgin.

In each of these cities, local officials on city councils are also able to enact these proposals as municipal law instead of ballot measures, meaning legalization could spread even faster.

As Texas continues to take on decriminalization the slow way, one city at a time, hearts and minds are changing and the overall conversation of legalization is getting closer to become a reality nationwide.

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Fact Check – Fox News’ Laura Ingraham Claims That Marijuana Causes Mass Shootings

by Sonny | Jun 8, 2022 | Cannabis Culture

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laura ingraham says marijuana causes mass shootings

Laura Ingraham Blames Marijuana For Mass Shootings -Let Us Count The Ways This Irrational Statement Is F*d Up

We’re only halfway through the year, and there has been over 200 mass shootings all around the United States already.

The deadliest of these, the Uvalde school shooting targeting a fourth grade elementary class, was considered the worst since Sandy Hook. This is clearly a systemic problem within the United States, but Fox News host Laura Ingraham doesn’t think so: she made it clear that she’s anti-marijuana legalization by blaming the mass shootings on cannabis laws.

During her talk at The Ingraham Angle last week on Fox News, she said: “This is something that the medical community is well aware of. Yet, you get the sense that billions of dollars on the line are more important than our kids,” she said. “And what’s happening especially to young men in the United States, who are frequent users of the high-potency THC that’s now in marijuana products sold legally in dispensaries across the United States. I mean, this at the very least needs a serious national conversation,” she said.

Yes, she said that.

We’re in shock that someone in this day and age still actually believes pot psychosis is a thing. I mean, that’s so Reefer Madness. Did Laura Ingraham get her research from watching the 1936 propaganda film and nothing more? Because that sounds like it, and she makes herself sound so detached from reality.

There are just so many ways her irrational statement didn’t have any legs. She said that she heard about some vague reports the shooter was smoking weed, but Ingraham thinks that the issue really all lies in the legalization of marijuana and the lax laws surrounding it.

Fact Check

Here are just some reasons why Laura Ingraham’s statement is absolutely absurd. Leave marijuana legalization out of it!

Lax gun laws: According to the Small Arms Survey as reported by BBC, back in 2018 there were around 390 million firearms circulating in the United States, making the ratio of gun ownership 120.5 guns for every 100 residents. The report also states that gun ownership has increased significantly in the last few years, resulting in 11 million people exposed to guns within their homes.

In addition, the Small Arms Survey states that Americans are the #1 country whose citizens own guns. And Harvard researchers correlate this with their findings that when this many people own guns in a developed country, this will lead to many more gun homicides. And of course so many Americans own guns – it’s far too easy to get your hands on one! No matter where you live, you will come across dozens, maybe even hundreds of shops that sell guns. There are gun shows that take place almost every weekend, and you can buy a gun from a friend or family member.

Only store gun purchases require a background check, if any. That’s where firearm buyers have to fill out a form either from the ATF or the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Such a background check only takes a few minutes and denials for gun ownership are rare. In fact, cannabis users can’t even own guns.

However, there are states with stricter gun laws such as in Washington DC, Chicago, and New York.

Marijuana legalization has been linked to a reduction in violent crime: There have been several studies documenting how legalizing marijuana has led to a reduction in violent crime rates. In one study in June 2020 conducted by the National Institute of Justice on the Effects of Marijuana Legalization on Law Enforcement, they said that “legalization has apparently coincided with an increase in crime clearance rates in several areas, suggesting that legalization may result in a net positive redistribution in police human resource allocation. In addition, fewer persons are being processed by the criminal justice system on nonviolent marijuana possession offenses.”

In Washington State, for example, the Drug Policy Alliance reports that since they have legalized marijuana in 2012, there has been a reduction in violent crime rates while overall crime rates have stayed at a 40-year low. The National Incident-Based Reporting System also says that violent crime continues to significantly decrease in Washington.

Shooter profiling: Scientific American released a profiling compiled by criminologists, looking at the life histories of mass shooters in the United States. Entitled, The Violence Project, one can find similarities among the shooters, and there is nothing that points to cannabis use. Some notable points here are the fact that almost half of all the shooters were able to get their guns legally from a licensed dealer, private sale, or other form of legal means while others borrowed guns and the rest have unknown origins.

The Violence Project also identified that the most common motivation for the mass shootings was psychosis, which is a type of mental disorder wherein the person can no longer identify what’s real or what isn’t. They also tend to have difficulties with employment, interpersonal conflict with family, friends, or coworkers. More than half of the shooters already had a criminal record, while a great deal of them suffered from a history of trauma or had some form of domestic abuse.

These are the facts, and there’s nothing that links to marijuana use, not even close. Sure, individuals with psychosis shouldn’t use cannabis, but that isn’t even discussed in the profiling. The two issues here are strikingly clear and worrisome: our gun laws are far too lax, while psychiatric care is declining rapidly. Given that the average age of shooters is 18, we need to start paying closer attention to the children we’re raising, look for cues, and find a way to stop exposing them to guns.

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Gratuitous or Genius? Penis cannabis gummies hit dispensaries in Canada

by Sonny | Jun 8, 2022 | Leafly

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In Canada, laws limit cannabis-infused gummies and most other edibles to shapeless blobs. To keep edibles unappealing to children, many brands in the industry have valiantly defaulted to squares and circles for their infusions.

But for the first time in (legal) Canadian cannabis history, you can now officially eat a dick. A banana or cola-flavoured, weed-infused, phallus-shaped edible, to be specific.

This week, brand Censored Edibles™ takes the old adage “eat a dick” seriously with the release of their banana and cola penises to limited cannabis retailers in Canada. The cheekiness alone will undoubtedly grab consumers’ attention.

Since national laws already restrict cannabis products by age, no one under 18 can see these cheeky treats, let alone buy them. It now seems safe to make adults-only shapes like penises, boobs, and other assets you’d typically only see at bachelor/rette parties.

This particular edibles evolution feels pretty natural, in my opinion. We can all find something poetic about the government saying it’s totally fine to buy soft chews that resemble human body parts while simultaneously rejecting the notion of fruit or animal shapes. (Didn’t we just go through this with those Mike Tyson ear edibles?)

Confessions of a (not) gummy penis virgin

Some people may clutch their pearls when they hear of products like these, but cannabis brands have a history of infusing weed into a penis mould. While being first-to-legal-market is an accomplishment, let’s pay homage to those who came before us.

I, for one, want a cannabis industry that embraces what it can do, not just what it can’t. We are all adults here, and we should benefit from this age-restricted industry.

From the editor

I’ve seen a gummy phallus in real life before at my first cannabis conference in Toronto, where I was gifted a bag of dicks: brightly coloured penis-shaped edibles with 10 mg of THC each carefully crafted by someone in the unregulated market.

In addition to giggling like a schoolgirl, I remember loving this hybrid of adult novelty and cannabis. As a woman in her ’30s, I have attended a multitude of bachelorette parties with regular lollipops, gummies, chocolate, cake, and edible shot glasses made to look like genitals of all shapes and sizes.

These “adults-only” styles of products seem like a natural fit for the legal cannabis industry, which has a reputation for taking itself too seriously.

Weed doesn’t always have to be so serious

Sarah Kulbatski, the cofounder of Censored Edibles, says her inspiration for this product is a “pre-legalization love of cannabis paired with a dirty mind.” She joins me over video call with an infectious laugh, a big personality, and a diamond-encrusted gold sperm around her neck.

“Sex and cannabis have been together for like decades…hundreds of years, right? It’s an adult sector. It’s age-gated. You cannot have children step foot into any of the stores,” Kulbatski tells Leafly. “So why not allow an adult product made by adults for an adult sector?”

In partnership with Loosh Brands, the penis edibles hit retail shelves in stores and online this week in Ontario. The banana and cola gummies will come in packs of four, with 2.5 mg of THC each. This way, you can eat them all for the full 10 mg THC effects or enjoy what a dear friend of mine calls “a weeknight dick,” meaning a smaller dose for those with lower cannabinoid needs.

In addition to her dirty mind, Kulbatski’s savvy entrepreneur sense saw a gap in the current legal offerings and seized it. “We can’t do bears, we can’t do pumpkin, we can’t do XYZ, because it might trigger the kids. So they’ve literally pushed us into that corner where you can’t do much. If it’s an adult sector, then I should be able to come out with an adult-shaped gummy. So I did.”

Banana-glazed or cola? This editor tried them both

They certainly look the part! But how do they taste? (Keenan/Leafly)

Let me tell you it was difficult to get my hands on these dicks! I scoured stores for weeks and my city finally got its shipment last night. The first thing I noticed, aside from the obvious, is the texture. They have a decent, chewy, gummy texture; something that isn’t guaranteed with cannabis edibles in Canada.

They also paid close attention to the shapes, I mean, if you are doing a dick do it right. I was expecting a squished semi-phallus-like edible but what I got were clearly formed quality-controlled perfect little penises.

The flavours were solid. I’ve never been keen on that artificial banana flavour but it was right on the nose. The cola flavour reminded me of those soda bottle candies, without the zing. I would have bought these for the novelty alone but overall this is a pretty decent edible.

These naughty gummies offer something that consumers have never seen before and it’s about time. I, for one, want a cannabis industry that embraces what it can do, not just what it can’t. We are all adults here, and we should benefit from this age-restricted industry.

Sure, sometimes navigating the cannabis age gates sucks. I’m sick of explaining the age restrictions of my work due to cannabis law, not some salacious NSFW reason. But since we’re stuck with it, why not also embrace the positives that come with that 19+ life? Like the pleasure of eating a (banana) dick infused with weed.

Ashley Keenan

Ashley Keenan is the Canada editor at Leafly, as well as a freelance journalist, consultant, and patient advocate in the cannabis industry.

View Ashley Keenan’s articles

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New York City Mayor Eric Adams, Former Cop, Says ‘Light Up’

by Sonny | Jun 7, 2022 | High Times

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At an appearance at the Cannabis World Congress & Business Exposition (CWCBExpo) held June 1 – 3 in New York City, Mayor Eric Adams spoke on Friday and told millions of New Yorkers to “light up.” He told attendees to support even unlicensed businesses during the gray area time period until New York’s market matures.

Mayor Adams was announced as the keynote speaker at the New York CWCBExpo in a press release last month. Other headline speakers included Chris Beals of Weedmaps and Nick Kovacevich of Greelane Holdings. In addition, Tremaine Wright, the Chair of the NYS Cannabis Control Board, shared a rule update.

The mayor did not beat around the bush, as conference attendees were anxious to know what the market will look like. “Enjoy yourself, light up, but most importantly—spend some money,” the Mayor said.

According to Governor Kathy Hochul’s fiscal 2023 spending plan, the state is expected to rake in $1.25 billion in cannabis revenue over the next six years.

While New York’s adult-use retail market hasn’t officially kicked off, locals say there are secret and not-so-secret clubs, trucks, and gifting shops open for business all over that have been popping up since the state approved adult-use in March 2021.

The mayor went on further, saying that he doesn’t plan on cracking down during the transition stage which appears to be in the gray area. “‘Listen, you can’t do this,’ give them a warning,” said Adams. In addition, Adams allocated $5 million in funding from his executive budget to provide the needed boost for New Yorkers to apply for adult-use cultivation licenses.

He also hinted that simple cannabis crimes will be dealt with as a slap on the wrist, providing a few hints to the specifics. “If they refuse to adhere to the rules, then you have to come back and take some form of enforcement actions, such as a summons, such as, you know, talking about their ability to sell alcohol.”

Before becoming the 110th Mayor of New York City, Adams served in the New York Police Department (NYPD) as a cop. In his extended bio, Adams said he chose to join the NYPD because of an earlier incident of police brutality. Adams “was beaten by police in the basement of a precinct house at 15,” but instead of being defeated, he eventually joined the force himself to make changes and decrease the amount of racism in police forces.

Adams even acknowledged the weed trucks that are all over the place in New York City, which are not yet licensed.

“We need to incentivize those who have their illegal trucks or have the trucks going on to show them that this is a better pathway,” he said. “The goal is to not leave people behind.”

The CWCBExpo also featured specialty show floor areas including the Women Grow Pavilion, University Row featuring leading academic cannabis curriculums and programs, and the “LGBTQ+ Proud Mary Lounge.”

A lot of legislative updates were also part of the program. The day before Mayor Adams spoke at the CWCBExpo, the New York Senate, led by Senator Liz Krueger, passed a bill that would have launched a crackdown on illicit cannabis possession and sales. That bill needed approval from the state Assembly before the end of last week to move forward. But Friday came and went, without a vote, stalling the bill until next year.

Earlier this month, New York regulators approved draft regulations that will determine marketing rules under the New York Cannabis Control Board. New York’s market is ready to launch late this year or in early 2023, and New York’s mayor is certainly onboard.

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Your Pothead Cousin from Boawww-ston!

by Sonny | Jun 7, 2022 | Cannabis Culture

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Boston Beer Co. cannabis iced tea

boston beer company sam adams cannabis infused iced tea

The Boston Beer Company, Inc., is a prominent company behind popular hard drinks like Angry Orchard, Samuel Adams, and Truly Hard Seltzer. The company, late last month, announced the launch of cannabis-infused iced teas, a new line of products called TeaPot.

Based on the press release published on the 23rd of May 2022, TeaPot is the first cannabis-infused beverage to be produced by the company. It is said that the drink will be available to the general public in selected providers across Canada from early July.

The company’s debut production will be the Good Day Iced Tea which contains Pedro’s Sweet Sativa, a strain commonly grown in Ontario Canada, and real lemon black tea. The cannabis is said to be purchased from Entourage Health Corp, a renowned licensed farm. Every bottle of Day Iced Tea contains 5mg of THC, which makes it ideal for nighttime and daytime use.

Considering the popularity of ciders, hard iced tea drinks, and several variations, this creative thinking from Boston Beer is a forward-thinking move. Besides, it represents a seismic transition in social drinking.

Paul Weaver, the Boston Beer Company’s Head of director during an interview with High talked greatly about the new line of products. He affirmed that TeaPot is formulated to be as alluring as the brand itself. He added that cannabis beverages have done to be the highest social form of marijuana consumption. It’s as come to be changing the trend of being a solitary cannabis user. There’s no longer the need to excuse yourself to join the party later on.

Weaver affirmed that while the current hype surrounding the effects and profiles of the fill-spectrum term is significant, especially in the flower space, beverage markers are only interested in their all taste. According to Weaver, it’s a pleasant balance between lemon and tea with a sprinkle of sweetness and zero cannabis aroma or taste. He added that the company is experienced in formulations of ice tea with great taste. Not adding the cannabis flavor or aroma gives the beverage some level of discreteness.

Weaver continued by saying that Boston Beer’s expansion into the cannabis space is reflective of the continuous growth of the company. He spoke of Dave Burwick, the company’s CEO as a man who loves challenges and prompts all his staff to push the beverage firm to become the best in the world. A lofty ambition, weaver added.

This has motivated the company to move from craft beer and then venture into hard cider won’t the creation of the Angry Orchard brand. The company then evolved to formulate flavored malt beverages like hard seltzers and Twisted Tea. Now, the company has ventured into cannabis-infused beverages.

Pedro’s Sweet Sativa – the TeaPot Cannabis Strain

The cannabis strain used to formulate TeaPot is the Pedro’s Sweet Sativa. The strain is rich in terpenes such as pinene and beta-caryophyllene and it is characterized by sweet-smelling spicy undertones. The cultivar is a hybrid dominant in Sativa having a parent of White Russian, Dominican Sativa, and an unintended indica to increase THC potential.

According to Weaver Pedro’s train can be gotten in pre-rolls, as whole flowers, or in carts. He added that Pedro’s when compared to other strains in Canada is a legend. The train has been around since the era of medical cannabis legislation. And from his recollection, he asserted that when recreational use of cannabis kicked off, it was one of the first strains many people knew by name and sought after. Pedro’s indeed has a rich history.

The train is quite uplifting, and it is generally known for its excellent Sativa qualities. If you believe in Pedro’s qualities as we do, you should already know that Boston bear is offering you the best strain available. Weaver added. In his words, it only makes all the sense to pick the best strain and infuse it into the blend of daytime and nighttime iced tea.

Looking at the data published by Headset retail in 2020, shares of the cannabis-infused beverage market in Canada increased by 850% 2020. This makes it double the size of the cannabis-infused beverage market in the US courts of some federal level restrictions.

According to the CEO of The Boston Beer Company, Dave Burwick, the objective of the company is to become the most creative consumer-focused firm across the globe. He added that the company has successfully launched several beers and canned cocktails like hard ciders, hard teas, and hard seltzers. Hence, they are motivated by the constant growth witnessed by the cannabis beverage sector and strongly believe it is one of the frontiers for the next innovation.

Dave also mentioned that as the company patiently waits for further legislation in the US, it will continue to develop and formulate new products. Products that will comply with the cannabis regulations set by the Canadian government.

VinePair affirmed that the success of Boston Beer Company lies in its capacity to adapt, venturing into hard iced teas, ciders, and craft brews. In fact, Twisted Tea witnessed unparalleled success during the Covid Pandemic. Although some of the success is attributed to an unexpected event that transpired during the Pandemic.

Twisted Tea saw an increase in popularity which caused a surge in its stock in 2020. While the market was quite volatile at that time, Twisted Tea stock continued to skyrocket courtesy of an unexpected event.

A man who goes by Barry Allen went viral for knocking out a drunk racist man who went out of control and had it coming. Allen knocked out the racist drunk man with a Twisted Tea can, a turn of events that made Boston Beer Company popular. Allen who was referred to as “TeaKO” handled the situation like most people claimed they would.

Conclusion

Boston Beer Company is clearly a company that adapts with the time and this has kept the company thriving and competing for many years. Now that the firm has seized the opportunity of venturing into the cannabis market, more should be expected from the brand.

Certainly, the cannabis market will reward Boston Beer Company for such a bold step.