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https://hightimes.com/

From the Archives: The Night Before Christmas (1996)

Tonight I promised myself I would slide down to the local Mexican joint and “Wolf Down” some serious Tacos. I love Mexican food. My Grandmother lived in San Antonio all of her life. She lived in harmony and respect with her Mexican neighbors, and learned to cook their cuisine. She would fix these huge Mexican dinners every Friday night, and I was her “Number One Grandson,” so I got DeLuxe Chow-Down. But now that she is no longer with us, I am resigned to finding a commercial establishment to satisfy my cravings. The story begins in the usual Chef RA fashion. A bag of Mexican-Grown Michoacan was burning a hole in my pocket. Her hair was Black as the December night and she had brown eyes that pierced your soul like the sharp stars in the frozen firmament. Little did I know that my life would hang in the balance on that cold December night long ago on which I learned the power of LATIN LOVE in this season of “Fleece Nevada.” I owe her a great debt for saving my life on that fateful night…. The Munchies started to swell up from within me as I finished off a huge spliff of that Michoacan. I wanted to sprinkle some garlic, Cilantro, CHILI, Salsa, onion and a few MAGIC MUSHROOMS on top of Christmas Eve dinner. You know what I mean? A little of the Chef RA culinary treatment on that plate of Rice and Beans! Forget the Raspberry vinaigrette on salad greens! It’s time to go South Of The Border without ever leaving the dinner table. But tonight if I was going to eat some good Mexican food. I’d have to dine out at the local joint. Tacos, Tacos, you need Tacos!” the Little Devil On My Shoulders exclaimed. Immediately my rotund Beer Belly began to growl. My well-developed Pizza Butt needed another infusion of CHOLESTEROL! A mammoth plate of rich, cheesy, beany Mexican Food! Anticipating the frigid Chicago night air, I donned large baggy pants, my Goose-Down Jacket (makes me look like “Pop’n’Fresh” the Doughboy), and for the crowning touch, a Flaming Red “DREAD BERET.” I rolled another spliff for the long walk to a Mexican Restaurant that a friend had told me about called “El Presidente.” Normally I don’t FLASH my DREADS in Public, but at night I let them down, and walk the street with the best Pimpin’, Guiding Stride Steps I can come up with. (Helps keep away the “Muggers” to look as deranged as THEY are.) Of course there’s a downside to my act, because it attracts “LA POLICIA.” But when the Cops got tired of being my personal escort, like the mouse when the cat’s away I fired up that JOINT! The warm exotic smells of spicy food from the door of El Presidente beckoned me like FUNKY SEX. I sat down at a table near the jukebox. I could see the Chef in the downhome kitchen cooking foods in castiron skillets. The waitress came to my table with a menu and started laughing. “Your eyes are SOoooo RED. Sonior!” “Oh, I got a little Smoke In My Eyes from the city bus standing at the corner,” I said. “Sure.” she grinned. “What are you going to EAT?” “I think I’ll have the Spicy Black Beans ‘N Garlic Rice and a few TACOooos….” No sooner was the word out of my mouth than a beautiful Latin Daughter walked through the door and sat down right next to me. I had to say something to her because she seemed as LONELY as I. “Que Pasa?” I asked in Afro-Anglo Ghettoese. “Nada.” she said. “I don’t want you to think I’m trying to pick you up or being the Sexist Pig, but would you mind sitting with me? Although I am sometimes misunderstood. I’m really the SENSITIVE MALE TYPE!” (I ACTUALLY SAID THAT!) “Sure. Man, I’ll join you.” It was like a CHRISTMAS PRESENT come true! We ordered a great meal, played the jukebox and had a great intelligent conversation. We spoke of Politics, Culture. Race, and Revolution. It was OUR WORLD that night, and it was COOL. But the Real World was to come crashing down on us. A small group of guys came into the restaurant. I really didn’t pay much attention to them, but one of them came up to play the jukebox. He kept looking over at me while he was playing the box. Then his Boys I came over and started BUZZIN’, talkin’ I TRASH in front of the LADY I was with! I “What’s wetch yu. Maaaan?” “Just having a good time, Brother.” I said. “Well, we don’ like yu HAT, Maaaan.” Maria whispered to me that they thought because of the RED BERET I was a LATIN GANG MEMBER. “Hey Dude. I’m just a lonely, poor, All American Dread.” “Yeah, shurr, and you trine to take OUR WOMEN, too!” (Where have I heard this before?) To make a long story short, the Natives were Getting Very Restless with me and my Date. She murmured some thick Spanish to them and grabbed my hand: “Let’s bolt the FUCK outta HERE!” We did a quickstep through the door with the “Bandidoes” hot on our asses! Across the street we leapt into her rusted out Chevy. She fired it up, spun a FISHTAIL around, and as the fellas were slinging bottles at us she waved at them, shrieking: “MOSQUITOES! Felice Navidad, you POQUITO MOSQUITOES!” Then she kissed me on the cheek and promised, “I have a wonderful Christmas Present for you. Let’s go UNWRAP it….” Read the full issue here.

https://hightimes.com/

Smoking Shots

JoJo Valente, a.k.a. The JoJoSnaps, has found her place in cannabis through photography, using her craft to share the many stories and characters throughout the cannabis industry and broader community. The first inklings of her Puff Portraits series began in 2020, and since then, she’s captured some of the most notable people in the culture. Now based in Huntington Beach, California, Valente fell in love with photography during her freshman year of high school. After securing a marketing degree from California State University, Chico and a photography degree from Orange Coast College, she traveled the world taking photos while searching for her specific niche. “What I actually love to capture, and what I’m passionate about, is personalities,” she said. “When I’m looking back on the photo, it’s not just a very well-manicured, properly lit photo of a beautiful person; it’s something where you want to look at it longer and you want to know the story behind it.” Valente was a “closet cannabis user,” who embraced the “stoner artist crowd” in college and wondered if and how cannabis use fit within a professional role. After having her second child, and subsequently questioning where her creative career was headed, she befriended a number of cannamoms and created JoJoSnaps, her alter ego and the moniker behind her weed photographer identity. During a February 2020 trip with her friends for a San Francisco cannabis wedding expo, the group found themselves in a cherry blossom field and Valente captured her first Puff Portrait. “It was this influencer, The Mommy Jane, and I took a photo of her consuming,” she said. “When you consume, the first thing you think about is blowing clouds. So that very first Puff Portrait is almost a diffused photo where you can’t see a face because it’s just that cloud. That was the first one, and then the world closed down.” Valente started toying with cannabis photography and found that taking a Puff Portrait involved far more than simply taking a snapshot of someone getting high. There was a coaching aspect, a method to ensure these pictures are truly beautiful. There’s a difference between blowing a cloud and letting the heat rise out of your mouth, allowing the smoke to dance, she said. “I really got obsessed with the unknown elements that the smoke was creating,” Valente said. She then began playing with the shutter speed, lighting, shadows—simply leaving room for experimentation. Once the world opened up again, she sold her portraits as an activation at events. “As an event photographer, you’re not valued as much in the industry,” she said. “I hate to say that, but that’s just how it is. You know, everybody has an iPhone. Everyone thinks that event coverage is just an afterthought, but I noticed people were paying a lot for these activations.” Puff Portraits grew into an experience for the cannabis community that gathered at events and Valente saw how much empowerment her photos provided. She compared the reactions she gets to a bride seeing wedding photos, but Puff Portraits aren’t premeditated—folks don’t expect to get one. “To show up to an event, to support a friend or a brand or as a girls’ night out or whatever the case may be, and then to come home with this actual piece of ad-worthy artistry of yourself for no cost; the way people accept it and are taken back by it, that’s the most humbling,” she said. Valente now sees her presence all over the professional cannabis space, as dozens of industry players have maintained their Puff Portrait as their profile photo on social media. “I’ve created a repeatable process,” Valente said. “The goal is more cultures, more brands, more events. It’s time to make it bigger than myself.” Puff Portraits is now trademarked, and Valente is working as director of marketing at SHO Companies, an umbrella corporation specializing in manufacturing, distribution, retail, and product development for the cannabis industry. The company is overseeing Puff Portraits as a joint venture. Valente has trained a number of photographers on her process and is expanding, ready to show off the different faces and forms the community takes, and she’s eager to continue expanding beyond the West Coast. Her current role as an executive in the cannabis space reflects the grit and tenacity she embraced when the series was in its infancy. “I’m literally telling [male cannabis professionals] what they’re doing wrong and how to make it better, in a way where they need to receive it, turn it on and not be like, ‘Who does she think she is?’ I would never question them on their cultivation or their brand or whatever, but this is my lane,” she said. “Having the confidence to be able to do that in these settings, I feel like it was kind of the golden key to the industry. It smashed down so many doors for me.” Valente admitted that you’re only as good as your next great idea, and she’s ready for Puff Portraits to head off on its new path. “I’m humbled by all of it,” she said. “I love making people feel empowered, and pretty strong and masculine and however they take it. I just love invoking those feelings.” This article was originally published in the November 2023 issue of High Times Magazine.

https://hightimes.com/

A Medical Marijuana Card for a Fetus?!

This week, attorneys for an Oklahoma woman filed an application asking the Oklahoma Supreme Court to stop state prosecutors from criminally charging women who use medical marijuana during pregnancy. The filing centers around the case of Brittany Gunsolus, a 27-year-old woman who used edibles and topicals during her pregnancy at the recommendation of her doctor. She legally obtained a medical marijuana license to do so. In October 2020, she gave birth to a healthy baby, who tested positive for THC. The Oklahoma Department of Human Services investigated and found no evidence of neglect, reporting that Gunsolus’s home was a clean and safe environment. Still, the district attorney of Comanche County, Kyle Cableka, charged Gunsolus with felony child neglect in May 2021. At a court hearing in August of this year, a prosecutor argued Gunsolus broke the law because her unborn child did not have its own, separate state license to use medical marijuana. Yes, you read that correctly — prosecutors say that Gunsolus is liable for felony child neglect because her FETUS DID NOT HAVE A MEDICAL MARIJUANA CARD. Felony child neglect charges carry a potential life sentence in Oklahoma. Of course, it’s ludicrous to say that a fetus should require a medical license, but it’s in keeping with the absolute insanity unfolding around the country since Roe v Wade was overturned 18 months ago. Republicans are waging war on women’s bodies with a fervor that I can only compare to the horrors of the War on Drugs. And they definitely don’t give a flying fuck about women, or children. Brittany Gunsolus was investigated for using prescribed medicine, and found to be a good, loving parent by the DHS. But Kyle Cabelka isn’t interested in the welfare of Gunsolus’s child, or her rights as a parent. His argument that Gunsolus’ fetus didn’t have a medical marijuana license stems from the alarming legal theory of “fetal personhood” that’s being weaponized to criminalize pregnant people. Dana Sussman, deputy executive director of National Advocates for Pregnant Women (NAPW), said in a March 2022 interview with Jezebel that “fetal personhood is about normalizing the idea that a pregnant person is not their own person anymore, that they’re subservient to the rights, individuality, and full personhood of a fetus.” If a fetus is considered to be a person with legal rights, and the pregnant person’s rights are secondary to the fetus, Sussman said, that “lends to an environment in which violence — whether it’s state violence like imprisonment or interpersonal violence — can be committed against pregnant people with far less accountability.” Sound familiar? State violence being committed against people by targeting, criminalizing and imprisoning them? If you’ve ever been arrested for weed, you know exactly what we’re talking about here. The War on Drugs was created as a political tool to control Blacks and hippies — and we know this because former Nixon domestic policy chief John Ehrlichman went on the record saying so in an interview with Harper’s Magazine. “The Nixon campaign in 1968, and the Nixon White House after that, had two enemies: the antiwar left and Black people,” Ehrlichman told writer Dan Baum. “You understand what I’m saying? We knew we couldn’t make it illegal to be either against the war or Black, but by getting the public to associate the hippies with marijuana and Blacks with heroin. And then criminalizing both heavily, we could disrupt those communities. We could arrest their leaders. raid their homes, break up their meetings, and vilify them night after night on the evening news. Did we know we were lying about the drugs? Of course we did.” The war on reproductive rights is tearing a page out of the very same playbook: criminalizing behavior to control people. We should all be fucking terrified — not only people who could become pregnant; not only women of childbearing age; ALL OF US. Because it doesn’t stop here. The anti-abortion movement is fueled by white Christian nationalism. As outlined in an essay in the Washington Post, white Christian nationalism is a toxic ideology upheld by the three pillars of freedom, order and violence. The freedom belongs only to people that white Christian nationalists see as like them (white men). The order is to be imposed on all those they don’t (everyone else). And righteous violence is to be deployed to achieve their vision. If you’re not a straight, white, Bible-thumpin’ bro (and even if you are!!), the shit the GOP is trying to pull should give you chills. I wrote an essay for this column about sexism last year, and the comments from many, many dudes that I should “shut up and make them a sandwich” inspired me to start a project where I make myself sandwiches and chat about things that interest me, a woman who is a person with a uterus who enjoys sandwiches. The sandwich I made about Brittany Gunsolus’s fetus needing a medical marijuana license is currently at 1.3 million views on TikTok. So, to all the dudes who are going to come for me for this big fat rant about reproductive rights: make yourselves a fucking sandwich. The GOP is criminalizing pregnant women; you can be sure they’ll come for you next.

https://hightimes.com/

Minnesota Health Officials Issue Warning About Illegal High-Potency Hemp Products

The Minnesota Department of Health has issued a bulletin warning consumers that retailers are selling unregulated and illegal cannabis products that exceed the state’s limit for THC. Minnesota legalized recreational marijuana earlier this year, but state-licensed cannabis dispensaries are not expected to open for at least a year, perhaps not until early 2025. In its bulletin, the health department noted that the agency inspected 167 retailers offering hemp-derived cannabinoid products between August and November and found that more than one in three (39%) of the shops were selling illegal high-potency products. Under Minnesota law, hemp edibles and beverages sold in the state must not exceed 5 milligrams of THC per serving and no more than 50 milligrams per package. “Illegal, high-dose hemp-derived products may contain hundreds of milligrams of THC per serving, and with multiple servings in a package, this can add up to thousands of milligrams of THC — far above the legal limit,” the health department wrote in a bulletin last week. “These products are produced by a variety of manufacturers and if consumed may lead to adverse health effects, such as becoming unresponsive, seizures or psychotic episodes.” Garry Bowman, a spokesman for the Department of Health, added that more than 70% of the retailers inspected had “deficiencies of one kind or another,” such as incorrect labeling or product placement, according to a report from the Star Tribune. Until earlier this year, Minnesota’s hemp-derived cannabinoid product market was unregulated, with many retailers throughout the state selling untested and potentially harmful products. This summer, however, the Department of Health was given the authority to inspect businesses and products to ensure compliance with testing requirements, dosage limits, packaging laws and other regulations. The Minnesota Department of Revenue reported that it collected nearly $3.4 million in taxes on cannabis products between July and October. The figure translates to about $34 million in hemp products sold during those four months, putting Minnesota on track to sell more than $100 million in hemp THC edibles and beverages annually. The inspections of retailers carrying hemp products are being carried out by the Office of Medical Cannabis, a new state agency that is part of the Department of Health. Chris Elvrum, the assistant director of the office, said that he was not surprised when he learned that so many of the state’s retailers were selling high-potency hemp products. “I think the marketplace, it just hadn’t been regulated for a while, to any great degree,” Elvrum told the Star Tribune. The recent probe of hemp retailers was carried out when the department had only one inspector on its staff. But the agency has recently hired five additional inspectors, Bowman reported, with another to be hired next month. The increased staff is needed to properly inspect Minnesota’s approximately 3,000 businesses including hemp shops, breweries and liquor stores that have registered with the state to sell or manufacture hemp products. Elvrum said that in the future, the inspectors will concentrate their efforts on businesses that most commonly sell hemp products that do not comply with state regulations. “So, smoke shops and some hemp shops and a few convenience stores. But a lot of them are smoke shops or tobacco shops that carry a variety and have these high-dose products,” Elvrum said. “Right now, there’s about 800 of those registered.” Inspectors will also eventually examine liquor stores, bars and restaurants that sell hemp THC seltzers and other beverages. Elvrum said those products have been given a lower priority for inspection because the health department has determined that they are generally more compliant with regulations than some other hemp products such as gummies. Elvrum also noted that when inspectors discover illegal hemp products, retailers are asked to destroy them immediately or box them to be held for subsequent monitored destruction. “So far, all of the places we’ve visited have either done it on the spot [or] in a few cases, we would send our inspector back to watch them destroy it,” he said. Retailers found to be selling illegal hemp THC products are subject to fines of up to $10,000 per incident, according to the Department of Health. Businesses selling hemp products without registering with the state as required by law can also be fined up to $10,000. Elvrum said that the Office of Cannabis Management has so far not fined retailers not complying with the state’s hemp regulations. But that could change if inspectors return to a business previously found to be selling illegal products and discover repeat violations. “We are generally giving them the benefit of the doubt on the first visit,” Elvrum said. “Certainly, repeated violations of the same nature are going to end up being considered for a penalty.”

https://hightimes.com/

Swiss Capital Mulls Possibility of Legal Cocaine Sales

Local government officials in the Swiss capital of Bern are discussing the possibility of launching a pilot program to study the effects of legal cocaine sales on the general public. According to Reuters, legislators in the Bern Parliament have proposed the idea as a potential solution to increased cocaine usage in a country already infamous for some of the highest levels of cocaine use in Europe. The discussion began just weeks after a select few Swiss cities, Bern included, launched a similar pilot program to analyze the effects of legal adult-use cannabis sales, the first of its kind in Europe. “The war on drugs has failed, and we have to look at new ideas,” said Eva Chen, a member of the Bern council from the Alternative Left Party who co-sponsored the proposal. “Control and legalization can do better than mere repression.” Legislators in support of the idea proposed that due to falling prices of cocaine and rising levels of use, especially in Switzerland, the most common sense solution would be to regulate and control the flow, distribution and purity of the supply rather than continue to fight the uphill battles of prohibition policies. “We have a lot of cocaine in Switzerland right now, at the cheapest prices and the highest quality we have ever seen,” said Frank Zobel, deputy director at Addiction Switzerland. “You can get a dose of cocaine for about 10 francs these days, not much more than the price for a beer.” The measure has already passed the Bern Parliament but still needs approval from the city government before a program can be officially implemented. The measure would also require a legislative change at the national level, so there are still many hurdles to overcome before Bern residents can expect to walk into a cocaine store without fear of legal repercussions. This is at least part of the reason why the proposal is for a pilot program/study rather than direct legalization. “We are still far away from potential legalization, but we should look at new approaches,” Chen said to Reuters. “That is why we are calling for a scientifically supervised pilot scheme trial.” This program would be the first of its kind in the world at large where cocaine remains largely illegal for any purpose in a majority of Earth’s sovereign nations. There are some notable exceptions. In Mexico, for instance, it is legal to carry up to a half-gram of cocaine for personal use. In some South American countries low-level possession and cultivation of a small number of coca plants is legal. Many countries have decriminalized personal possession of cocaine and in the United States there are some states like Oregon which have decriminalized as well. In many countries cocaine can also be prescribed for medical purposes, though the rates or prescription are likely very low because comparable medicines exist with far lower rates of abuse. Nowhere on God’s Green Earth, however, is cocaine legal to be sold under the guise of adult-use. Swiss legislators hope to change that in the name of personal safety and harm reduction, to say nothing of the economic incentives that must exist for texable cocaine sales. “Cocaine can be life-threatening for both first-time and long-term users. The consequences of an overdose, but also individual intolerance to even the smallest amounts, can lead to death,” the Bern government said. The issue remains hotly contested both around the world and among addiction experts in Switzerland and not all are in favor of legalization. Boris Quednow, group leader of the University of Zurich’s Centre for Psychiatric Research told Reuters the issue differed from alcohol “Cocaine is one of the most strongly addictive substances known,” Quednow said. Those in favor of legalization have expressed that common sense measures need to happen because of prohibition’s abject failure to keep cocaine out of Swiss cities, not to mention everywhere else. “Cocaine isn’t healthy – but the reality is that people use it,” said Thilo Beck, from the Arud Zentrum for Addiction Medicine to Reuters. “We can’t change that, so we should try to ensure people use it in the safest, least damaging way.” Before anyone gets all gung-ho about emigrating to Switzerland, these proposed changes could take years before they go into effect. National law would need to be amended, as aforementioned, and that process largely depends on the success of the adult-use cannabis pilot program currently underway. Many other measures would also need to be taken before any sort of launch date or approval process could be considered. Quality control measures, supply chain concerns and harm reduction practices to name a few would all need to be ironed out to stand up to full Swiss legislative scrutiny.

https://hightimes.com/

Connecticut Allows Weed, Not Alcohol Sales on Christmas and New Year’s Day

Connecticut’s Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) released a press release Wednesday, reminding residents that alcohol sales will be banned on Christmas and New Year’s Day, but cannabis and gambling is allowed. Connecticut officials told residents to buy alcohol ahead of time if they want booze on Christamas and New Year’s Day. “Every year we remind consumers and businesses that, due to Connecticut law, hours for some liquor permittees change during the holidays. If you choose to consume alcohol with your holiday celebrations, be sure to make those purchases ahead of time, and, of course, please drink responsibly,” said Consumer Protection Commissioner Bryan T. Cafferelli. “And, because we regulate many things you may be wondering about, Connecticut Law does not prohibit the sale of cannabis, or limit your ability to place wagers during the holidays. No matter how you choose to spend the holidays, please know your limit, arrange designated drivers and be respectful of the establishments and communities where you celebrate.” Changes to hours for certain liquor permittees are only in effect on the day of the actual holidays, Dec. 25 and Jan. 1, which both fall on a Monday this year. The announcement included the specifics of where alcohol can be purchased: Regarding off-premise alcohol consumption, package stores must remain closed on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day; Grocery stores cannot sell beer on Christmas Day or New Year’s Day; and Manufacturer permits cannot sell alcoholic liquor to go on Christmas Day or New Year’s Day. Regarding on-premise alcohol consumption, Permittees who serve food may sell alcohol for on-premise consumption on Christmas Day; Normal hours remain the same, except premises may stay open an extra hour New Years Eve evening until 3 a.m. on New Year’s Day morning. If anyone has questions about the policy in Connecticut they are encouraged to contact DCP’s Liquor Control Division via email or phone. “Adults who choose to consume cannabis are reminded to do so responsibly, including storing cannabis products in their original packaging, locked up and out of reach of children and pets,” the release reads. “Resources regarding responsible cannabis use, as well as information about addiction and health risks is available at ct.gov/cannabis.” Cannabis sales in the state have no signs of slowing down, according to state data published each month. The DCP announced in an Oct. 10 press release that new preliminary data shows combined sales for adult-use and medical cannabis totaled to over $25 million for the period from Sept. 1 to Sept. 30, 2023. The numbers do not include adult-use cannabis taxes, and medical cannabis patients never have to pay taxes on cannabis purchases. “The adult-use market recorded more than $14.3 million in sales during the month of September, while the medical marijuana market recorded almost $11 million in sales for the same period. Adult-use sales began on Jan. 10, 2023,” the report reads. “In September, medical marijuana patients purchased 284,116 products, and adult-use consumers purchased 376,035 products,” the report continues. “The average product price for medical marijuana patients was $38.21 in September, while the average price of adult-use products was $38.37. In September, 52 percent of sales were usable cannabis, or flower, while vapes made up 30 percent of sales. Edible products represented 11 percent of sales.” Connecticut regulators have doubled the amount of adult-use cannabis consumers can purchase in a single transaction. Per the new regulations approved by the Connecticut DCP, adult-use cannabis consumers will be permitted to purchase up to a half-ounce (about 14 grams) of cannabis flower or its equivalent beginning next month. The limit on purchases of medical marijuana has not been changed. It remains at 5 ounces of cannabis flower or the equivalent monthly, with no limits on purchases in a single transaction. The DCP noted in a statement that the decision to increase the limit on adult-use cannabis purchases was made based on an ongoing analysis of supply and demand in Connecticut’s regulated cannabis market. The agency also said that the limit will continue to be reviewed over time, adding that the caps are in place to help ensure an adequate supply of cannabis for both adult-use consumers and medical marijuana patients. “DCP has continually reviewed available supply and demand since prior to the launch of the adult-use cannabis industry in January 2023,” DCP Commissioner Bryan T. Cafferelli said in a statement from the agency. “As more retailers, production companies and other supply chain licensees have come online, the capacity of the industry has increased. We are confident this measured approach to adult-use sales has resulted in a healthy market for businesses, and a safe and fair marketplace for adult-use cannabis consumers and medical marijuana patients.”

https://hightimes.com/

30,000 Papers on Cannabis Published By Scientists in Last Decade

The wave of legalization that has swept over the United States in the last decade has coincided with a swell in published research on cannabis. That is the finding unearthed by the marijuana advocacy group NORML this week. Citing the results of a keyword search of the the National Library of Medicine/PubMed.gov website, NORML said that, for the third year in a row, “researchers worldwide published over 4,000 scientific papers specific to cannabis, its active constituents, and their effects.” “Over the past decade, there has been a dramatic increase in scientific inquiries about the cannabis plant — with researchers publishing more than 32,000 scientific papers about cannabis since the beginning of 2013. Much of this uptick is a result of researchers’ newfound focus on marijuana’s therapeutic activities as well investigations into the real-world effects of legalization laws,” NORML said. According to NORML, “more than 70 percent of all peer-reviewed scientific papers about marijuana have been published in the past ten years, and over 90 percent of this literature has been published since 2002.” “As of this writing, PubMed.gov cites over 45,900 scientific papers on marijuana dating back to the year 1840. Available to the public online since 1996, PubMed is a free resource supporting the search and retrieval of biomedical and life sciences literature,” the organization added. NORML’s Deputy Director Paul Armentano said that the finding refutes critics who argue that there is insufficient research on cannabis. “Despite claims by some that marijuana has yet to be subject to adequate scientific scrutiny, scientists’ interest in studying cannabis has increased exponentially in recent years, as has our understanding of the plant, its active constituents, their mechanisms of action, and their effects on both the user and upon society,” Armentano said in a statement. “It is time for politicians and others to stop assessing cannabis through the lens of ‘what we don’t know’ and instead start engaging in evidence-based discussions about marijuana and marijuana reform policies that are indicative of all that we do know.” It seems that each week brings a fresh study on marijuana, and its effects on the mind and body. And not all of the findings provided support to marijuana advocates. One such study, published last month, found scant evidence that using cannabis can help addicts reduce or stop their long-term intake of illicit opioids. The study out of Australia involved more than 600 heroin addicts, and spanned 20 years. “Cannabis use is common among individuals with opioid use disorder, but it remains unclear whether cannabis use is associated with an increase or a reduction in illicit opioid use. To overcome limitations identified in previous longitudinal studies with limited follow-ups, the authors examined a within-person reciprocal relationship between cannabis and heroin use at several follow-ups over 18 to 20 years,” the researchers wrote in their introduction. “After accounting for a range of demographic variables, other substance use, and mental and physical health measures, an increase in cannabis use 24 months after baseline was significantly associated with an increase in heroin use at 36 months (estimate=0.21, SE=0.10). Additionally, an increase in heroin use at 3 months and 24 months was significantly associated with a decrease in cannabis use at 12 months (estimate=−0.27, SE=0.09) and 36 months (estimate=−0.22, SE=0.08). All other cross-lagged associations were not significant,” they said, in detailing their findings. While the study produced “some evidence of a significant relationship between cannabis and heroin use at earlier follow-ups,” the researchers noted that it was “sparse and inconsistent across time points.” “Overall, there was insufficient evidence to suggest a unidirectional or bidirectional relationship between the use of these substances,” they said. Another study, also published in November, explored whether or not cannabis is a psychedelic substance. The answer, it turns out, isn’t so simple. “Cannabis and classic psychedelics are controlled substances with emerging evidence of efficacy in the treatment of a variety of psychiatric illnesses. Cannabis has largely not been regarded as having psychedelic effects in contemporary literature, despite many examples of historical use along with classic psychedelics to attain altered states of consciousness,” the researchers said. “Research into the ‘psychedelic’ effects of cannabis, and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in particular, could prove helpful for assessing potential therapeutic indications and elucidating the mechanism of action of both cannabis and classic psychedelics. This review aggregates and evaluates the literature assessing the capacity of cannabis to yield the perceptual changes, aversiveness, and mystical experiences more typically associated with classic psychedelics such as psilocybin. This review also provides a brief contrast of neuroimaging findings associated with the acute effects of cannabis and psychedelics. The available evidence suggests that high-THC cannabis may be able to elicit psychedelic effects, but that these effects may not have been observed in recent controlled research studies due to the doses, set, and settings commonly used.” They added, “Research is needed to investigate the effects of high doses of THC in the context utilized in therapeutic studies of psychedelics aimed to occasion psychedelic and/or therapeutic experiences. If cannabis can reliably generate psychedelic experiences under these conditions, high-THC dose cannabis treatments should be explored as potential adjunctive treatments for psychiatric disorders and be considered as an active comparator in clinical trials involving traditional psychedelic medications.”

https://hightimes.com/

The Ultimate Guide to Delta 9 Gummies

In the old days, “THC” was the one term you needed to know when you entered the world of cannabis. But our knowledge of this potent plant has evolved over time, and we’ve learned a lot more in recent years about THC’s variants, including delta 8 THC, delta 9 THC, delta 10 THC, and others along the delta chain. We’ve learned about other cannabinoids, too, including CBD, CBN, CBG, and their hundred or so cannabis cousins. Today, we’re going to delve into delta 9 THC and explore one of the most popular categories of THC products: delta 9 gummies. And we’re going to forego our good friend marijuana to take a closer look at legal hemp-derived THC gummies. Delta 9 THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) is one of two major cannabinoids found in hemp (the other being CBD). Delta 9 THC is the cannabinoid generally known for its intoxicating effects in marijuana. While hemp contains much less THC than Mary Jane (less than 0.3%, by law), it does still have those trace THC levels, which can be leveraged for legal delta 9 THC hemp products, including the delta 9 gummies we’re discussing today. We mentioned CBD earlier as being the other major cannabinoid found in hemp. While THC produces psychotropic effects, CBD does not. Still, you might see hemp-derived delta-9 products labeled as “full spectrum CBD.” This is because full spectrum CBD oil is the initial oil extract derived from the hemp plant. Full spectrum CBD includes all of hemp’s cannabinoids (including both CBD and THC), as well as hemp terpenes, flavonoids, and healthy fatty acids. So, when you purchase a full spectrum CBD product, you’re getting a product that contains all of hemp’s natural delta 9 THC content. While it’s true that full spectrum CBD contains all of the delta 9 THC from hemp plant, it often falls significantly short of that mark. Fortunately, there are several hemp-derived delta-9 products on the market, including gummies, that boost the delta 9 THC content much closer to that legal limit. These are the THC gummies we’re going to look at today. If you’re looking for those sweet delta 9 THC effects, gummies and other THC edibles have certain advantages over other types of THC products, such as delta 9 vapes and tinctures. While delta 9 vapes and sublingual THC oil deliver those dank delta 9 effects faster than edibles, the effects of THC gummies, capsules, and other edibles last much longer. In fact, depending on the strength of your delta 9 THC product and personal bioavailability factors, like height, weight, and THC tolerance, the effects of your delta 9 THC product can last from six to eight hours. Compare that with delta 9 THC vapes, which generally last only one to two hours, or sublingual delta 9 oil, which can last four to six hours. Whether you’re shopping for delta 9 THC gummies, CBD gummies, or any other hemp product, there are certain things you should look for. Hemp is a robust plant that sucks up pretty much anything that’s in its surrounding soil. So, it’s important to only purchase CBD or THC products made with organically grown hemp. Otherwise, your gummies might contain pesticides, heavy metals, or other toxins. You’ll also want to purchase only gummies containing THC or CBD that has been extracted from the hemp plant cleanly, such as with carbon dioxide. Cheap hemp companies will often sell products containing solvent residue that can be potentially toxic. The way to ensure the purity and potency of your delta 9 THC or CBD hemp product is by checking the product’s Certificate of Analysis, which is a lab report created by a third-party company telling you exactly how much delta 9 THC, CBD, HHC, and other cannabinoids are in your product, as well as alert you to the presence of any of the aforementioned toxins. If your THC gummies don’t come with a COA, don’t purchase those gummies. The first thing to do, when shopping for delta 9 gummies and any other THC or CBD products, is to find a retailer who carries products that meet our criteria listed above. A company like CBD.co will carry a number of highly regarded hemp brands, and give you access to those important COAs. While CBD.co carries a number of reputable hemp brands, two stand out in particular for their top-shelf delta 9 products: TRĒ House and CBDfx. TRĒ House offers a wide variety of gummies, vapes, and other products featuring not only delta 9 THC, but also delta 8 THC, delta 10 THC, HHC, and other cannabinoids. They also carry some impressively potent magic mushroom gummies and chocolates. Their delta 9 gummies are a highlight in this spectacular line of products, including three delta 9-only gummies (Blue Raspberry Delta 9 THC Gummies, Mango Delta 9 THC Gummies, and Strawberry Delta 9 THC Gummies), each containing 200mg total THC per bottle. TRĒ House also carries gummies that blend delta 9 with other cannabinoids for gloriously altered effects: Blue Raspberry HHC + Delta 10 + Delta 9 Gummies and, for those seeking CBD wellness benefits as well as dank delta 9 effects, Peach Pear Delta 9 + CBD Gummies. All of these products meet the high quality standards we set forth earlier, and are legit recreational products. CBDfx is a longtime leader in the CBD industry, but in recent years they’ve also made their mark in delta 9 products, including three best-selling THC gummies. Their Magic Melon Sativa Delta 9 Gummies and Berry Buzz Sativa Delta 9 Gummies each deliver a potent punch of hemp-derived delta-9 THC and full spectrum CBD for blissful, sativa-like effects. Their Lemon Dream Delta 9 Gummies feature a dreamy sleep formula that combines super-chill delta 9, full spectrum CBD, and a 3mg dosage of mellow melatonin. All of these THC gummies are made with the highest-quality hemp and all-natural ingredients. As with TRĒ House, each CBDfx product comes with a Certificate of Analysis to ensure its purity and potency. Delta 9 THC gummies are a great way to enjoy the blissful effects of delta 9. Beyond the euphoric vibe generally associated with delta 9, THC gummies also give you longer lasting effects than delta THC vapes and oils. Gummies also taste better than a lot of other edibles, making them an ideal product for enjoying that dank delta 9. Today, we’ve discussed what delta 9 THC is and how you can benefit from its consumption when you take THC gummies. Whether you plan on using delta 9 for sleep, stress, or simply blissing out, we hope that this article will be a helpful guide on your THC journey.

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Myanmar Surpasses Afghanistan as World’s Largest Opium Producer

The Southeast Asian nation of Myanmar is now the world’s largest producer of opium, according to a recent report from the United Nations. Myanmar’s new dominance in the international opium market follows the decline of production of the drug in Afghanistan, which had previously been the largest producer of the crop worldwide. Afghanistan’s drop in production follows a ban on opium farming issued by the ruling Taliban in 2022, although that year’s harvest was exempt from the ban. Since then, the South-Central Asian nation has seen a 95% decline in opium cultivation. The Taliban retook control of Afghanistan in 2021 as the United States military largely evacuated the country following two decades of American occupation and war. Before the ban, Afghanistan was the world’s largest producer of opium. According to a 2022 survey by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Afghanistan’s opium cultivation increased by 32% over the previous year to 233,000 hectares (about 575,755 acres). The southwestern parts of the country accounted for 73% of the total area under cultivation and saw the largest crop increases. In Helmand province, one-fifth of the arable land was dedicated to growing opium poppies. The report also states that the 2022 harvest was the most profitable in years, with prices soaring, even as a political and economic crisis engulfed the country. The income made by farmers from opium sales more than tripled from $425 million in 2021 to $1.4 billion in 2022. The primary markets for Afghan opium are Iran, Pakistan, and Central Asia. Earlier this month, a new report from UNODC showed that the drop in production in Afghanistan has led to a surge in poppy farming in Myanmar. The increase in poppy cultivation in Myanmar is also fueled by the social, political and economic distress following a 2021 military coup that drove many to poppy farming, according to the report. “The economic, security and governance disruption that followed the military takeover of February 2021 continue to drive farmers in remote areas towards opium to make a living,” UNODC Regional Representative Jeremy Douglas said in a statement earlier this month. Because of the decline in the opium supply brought about by the Taliban prohibition in Afghanistan, farmers in Myanmar can now earn about 75% more by farming opium than they could previously. The average price of a kilogram of opium flower has reached $355 per kilogram, according to the report. The amount of land in Myanmar has increased from an estimated 40,100 hectares (about 99,000 acres) to 47,000 hectares (about 116,000 acres). The most growth in opium cultivation occurred in border regions in northern Shan State, followed by Chin and Kachin states. The UNODC report also noted that more sophisticated farming practices adopted by Myanmar’s opium growers have led to an increase in efficiency, with the average yield of the crop climbing 16% to 22.99 kilograms per hectare. Myanmar, previously known as Burma, is an independent country in Southeast Asia. It shares borders with China, India, Thailand, Bangladesh, and Laos. Covering an area of 261,228 square miles, Myanmar is one of the largest countries in Southeast Asia. As of 2014, its population stood at about 51 million inhabitants, with estimates reaching 54 million people by 2017. From 1962 until 2011, the country was ruled by the armed forces, enduring almost 50 years of oppressive military regimes. In 1989, the ruling military changed the country’s name from Burma to Myanmar. In 2011, Myanmar transitioned away from full military rule, sparking hopes of democratic reforms. However, the military retained significant control over the government and, following the military’s proxy party’s defeat in the 2020 elections, a coup in 2021 returned power to military leaders. Douglas of UNODC said that an increase in armed conflict between ruling military forces and armed ethnic minority groups would likely further accelerate the growth of opium cultivation in Myanmar. The country’s ruling military junta did not respond to a Reuters request for comment on the report.

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Colorado Gun Rights Org Pushes Voter Initiative Allowing MJ Users To Obtain Concealed Carry Permits

As adult-use cannabis reform has continued to expand throughout the United States, a number of courts have increasingly challenged the current federal law deeming that “a person who is an unlawful user of or who is addicted to a controlled substance” cannot possess a firearm. This law has regularly been extended to cannabis users, even in states that have legalized it. In recent years, this oft-criticized policy has been met with challenges by numerous federal courts deeming it unconstitutional given the current state of legal cannabis throughout the U.S. As the first state to usher in legal adult-use cannabis, Colorado is once again looking to make waves in the cannabis world by letting voters decide whether or not cannabis consumers should be allowed under state law to qualify for concealed carry permits, Denver7 reports. Pro-gun rights organization Guns for Everyone posed the question, which could appear as an initiative on the November 2024 ballot. The organization trains for concealed carry permits, offering free classes for those new to firearms, tactics classes “for those who want to learn about the neuroscience during a fight” along with a class focused on gun law, according to its website. Guns for Everyone Co-founder Edgar Antillon said that the question boils down to a “freedom issue,” especially relevant given that Colorado introduced recreational cannabis laws more than 10 years ago. “It’s one of those silly things that has been going on for a while. We’ve legalized marijuana, but we don’t give [users] the ability to defend themselves,” Antillon said. “Alcohol users get to defend themselves. Why not marijuana users?” Currently, sheriffs in Colorado cannot issue concealed carry permits to those “ineligible” under federal law. Since cannabis is still listed as a controlled substance, this prevents issuance of permits to anyone who is “an unlawful user of or addicted to any controlled substance.” The initiative currently looks to amend Colorado law to include that “a sheriff shall not use a permit applicant’s lawful use of marijuana … as a basis for denying the applicant a permit.” Backers appeared at a Denver hearing on Tuesday to review comments and possible changes to the measure before submitting it to the secretary of state for review. If passed, the initiative is set to take effect in December 2024, though this was flagged as a potential issue at the hearing, as election results may not be certified by that time, as reported by Marijuana Moment. Officials asked backers if the date could potentially be pushed back or if the proposal could be effective through a governor proclamation after election results are officially certified. Antillon and fellow Co-founder Isaac Chase both said they would be open to these options. The Office of Legislative Services’ Conrad Imel also questioned if the initiative, as it is currently, could be interpreted to remove Colorado’s reference to other firearms restrictions, like bans for those who are dishonorably discharged from the military or who are committed to a mental institution. Antillon said that this was not the intent of the proposal and indicated that the campaign would strike the provision in question. Antillon also addressed a concern surrounding the proposal’s possible intent to remove the authority of local sheriffs issuing permits to deny applications based on “a reasonable belief that documented previous behavior by the applicant makes it likely that the applicant will present a danger to the applicant’s self or others.” He said that this was not an aim of the proposal, adding that the goal was to reach a “fine balance” between protecting public safety and the freedom of the people. “We don’t want to tackle all of the issues at the same time,” Antillon said. As written, the measure would determine unlawful cannabis use through state law rather than federal law, which is the current practice. This would effectively create a divide between Colorado’s gun laws and the current federal law. Up next, the initiative must be accepted and titled by the Colorado Secretary of State’s Office. At that point, organizers would be in the clear to begin collecting the required 125,000 signatures to put the issue before voters on Election Day next year.

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Study Shows Evidence that CBD-Infused Tampons Are Effective for Treating Menstrual Pain

A new study published in the Journal of Endometriosis and Uterine Disorders recently examined the efficacy of CBD tampons as a method of treating severe menstrual cramps and associated pain. In “Efficacy and usability of a cannabidiol-infused tampon for the relief of primary dysmenorrhea,” researchers found evidence that CBD-infused tampons “achieved statistically significant pain reduction” and that such tampons offer “fewer side effects than anti-inflammatories, while producing a similar pain-relieving effect.” The study was published on Dec. 19 but will be published in the March 2024 issue of Journal of Endometriosis and Uterine Disorders. The study team included five researchers from Anne’s Day Ltd. in the United Kingdom (described as a natural sciences and engineering development company), and one representative from the Institute for Medical Research in Bulgaria. Lead author Valentina Milanova is also CEO and founder of Daye, which puts a focus on conducting its own research to provide to its consumers. Daye sells a wide variety of tampons, pads, and claims to be the first company to make CBD-infused tampons. “The findings indicate the potential of CBD-infused tampons as a promising option for managing menstrual pain,” the researchers wrote in their joint conclusion. “Further research and exploration of this innovative product can contribute to the management of primary dysmenorrhea.” According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, primary dysmenorrhea is another term to describe cramping pain brought on by menstrual periods, which affect anywhere between 50%-95% of menstruating individuals. The study explores how the human body’s CB1 and CB2 receptors are present throughout uterine tissue, which makes cannabinoids in that area easy to administer and feel relief. A total of 114 participants (18-45 years of age) in the study were either presented with a CBD-infused tampon, or a regular tampon, and were interviewed about their various levels of pain, “including vaginal irritation, sensitisation, systemic toxicity, material-mediated pyrogenicity, and potential toxic shock syndrome risk.” The study took place over the course of three months. The results show that 37%-40% saw improvements with vaginal dryness, and 37%-40% said they experienced “improvements in mood or overall well-being.” Overall, over 80% described the product they tried as “satisfactory or enjoyable.” While positive, the researchers admitted that the study sample size is small, and should they revisit the topic again, they would improve their scope of study by recording pain data from both before and after participants have applied their CBD-infused or normal tampon. Additionally, they said that more research should be conducted in order to determine the efficacy of CBD-infused tampons further. “Future clinical research recommendations would include understanding the effectiveness of using CBD tampons against menstrual pain,” researchers concluded. “To further investigate the effects of CBD on pain, a metabolomics study to evaluate pain serum biomarkers or to assess the levels of CBD and painkillers in blood samples would be recommended.” Daye also features an article about CBD and explores what is currently known about CBD for period care and treatment. “CBD is often considered as a more natural and holistic approach to pain relief as opposed to taking opioids or traditional pain medication,” Dr. Semiya Aziz told Daye. “CBD is also generally considered to have lower risks and fewer side effects compared to traditional pain medication. There are promising results regarding CBD’s role in pain management, however, there is plenty more work that needs to be done in this field before it can be considered as an alternative option for traditional pain relief.” Numerous other studies have been published on the topic of cannabis as a treatment alternative for other medications. Earlier this summer, the University of Alberta completed research on its review of middle aged women in Canada. It found that out of 1,485 participants, 499 said that they currently use cannabis, and 978 said they have used it in the past. “Of the 499 current cannabis users, over 75% were using cannabis for medical purposes. Most common reasons for current use were sleep (65%), anxiety (45%) and muscle/joint achiness (33%),” researchers explained. “In current users, 74% indicated that cannabis was helpful for symptoms. Current cannabis users were more likely to report experiencing menopause symptoms compared with non-users. History of smoking and general health status were associated with current cannabis use.” A study published in the Journal of Cannabis Research, entitled “The holistic effects of medical cannabis compared to opioids on pain experience in Finnish patients with chronic pain,” found that opioids and cannabis are “equally efficacious” at reducing pain. The sample size of the study included 201 chronic pain participants, with 40 who use medical cannabis and 161 who use opioids to treat their pain symptoms. Of the two groups, 45% of medical cannabis consumers say they also have used opioids to treat their pain, while only 4.3% of the opioid consumers have tried using medical cannabis as an alternative treatment. Additionally, the medical cannabis group were more relaxed, slept better, and had improved moods. “The results of the present study underline that the psychoactive effects of [medical cannabis] can be therapeutically positive and have beneficial effects on mood and functioning,” the study authors concluded. “However, this conclusion would require more robust testing, ideally in randomized controlled trials.” Even celebrities such as Hulk Hogan have come out in favor of supporting cannabis as a way to replace both opioids as well as alcohol.

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Doctors Warn About Emergence of ‘Trip-Killers’

In the event of a bad psychedelic trip, you may be better off riding it through than taking additional drugs to extinguish the trip—which can actually be more dangerous. In a new study, doctors are warning about so-called “trip-killers,” or drugs used to counteract the effects of a psychedelic trip. What they found is that over half of anecdotal recommendations online call for benzodiazepines, antipsychotics, alcohol, and other remedies, but found that trip-killers are often more dangerous than the psychedelics themselves. This LSD Reddit thread, for instance, has trip-killer recommendations. Less than 2% of recommendations they found were for CBD or cannabis to lessen a trip. The study, “Trip-killers: a concerning practice associated with psychedelic drug use,” was published in Emergency Medicine Journal on Dec. 19. It was announced in a news release the same day. There’s no Narcan to end a psychedelic trip, but people have tried various drugs to do just that. Researchers found that drugs such as benzodiazepines and antipsychotics are the options most frequently recommended, but warnings about their potential side effects are rarely included, they noticed. Benzodiazepines or benzos, are central nervous system (CNS) depressants primarily used to treat anxiety. Benzos are dangerous in numerous ways—notably there’s a risk of overdose, and also a risk of powerful dependence that can lead to dementia. Like fentanyl, benzodiazepines can stop breathing, and there are few ways to reverse a benzo overdose. The intensity of a psychedelic trip can lead to distress, agitation, and psychosis, and researchers cited recent data indicating that more than 8% of drug-related trips to emergency rooms in Europe involve psychedelic drugs. The study was led by Manchester-based Dr. Gregory Yates, in the U.K., who thinks there is a huge lack of peer-reviewed research showing how these drugs are being used and the risks involved. Instead of going to a doctor, which is pretty much impossible to do during a trip, psychonauts are turning to Reddit. “There are multiple ways to control a ‘bad trip’ and avoid hospitalization. One is to take psychedelics under the supervision of a ‘trip-sitter’—a non-intoxicated friend who can provide psychological support. Another is to use additional psychoactive drugs—‘trip-killers’—to attenuate or prematurely end the psychedelic experience. Trip-killers are not new, but have received increased attention on social media in recent years.” “Information on trip-killers is not available through drug advice services, despite the probable risks they pose,” researchers wrote. “To our knowledge, no relevant papers have been published in the medical literature. It was the aim of our study to gather descriptive data on the use of psychedelic trip killers by analysing posts made on Reddit, a publicly accessible, anonymous social media website.” Researchers analyzed posts on social media platforms like Reddit, and found 128 threads created between 2015 and 2023, with a total of 709 posts. “The most recommended trip-killer, with 440 recommendations, comprising nearly half (46%) of all the trip-killers mentioned in posts, were benzodiazepines, known for their sedative effects and physical dependence. Benzos were followed by several different antipsychotics (171;18%). One in 10 recommendations were for antidepressants, while 1 in 20 were for alcohol. Opioids, antihistamines, herbal remedies, such as camomile and valerian, and prescribed sleeping pills, attracted 3% each. Cannabis and cannabidiol each took 2% of the vote share.” Trip-killers were mostly discussed in reference to countering the effects of LSD (235 recommendations), magic mushrooms (143), and MDMA, popularly known as ecstasy (21). Set and setting are so important when it involves psychedelics and hallucinogens. Not observing set and setting, or disregarding the profound nature of psychedelics can lead to bad trips, which can be terrifying. Much like the United States, leaders in Europe are currently figuring out how to incorporate psychedelic therapy into its healthcare landscape most effectively. A European lobby group representing developers and professionals within the industry advocates for including seasoned practitioners as integral members of a multidisciplinary advisory body. Seasoned practitioners—i.e. trip sitters—would serve as a guiding authority, offering essential insights to regulators and healthcare practitioners regarding optimal practices as the field expands and changes. This effort comes from the European Psychedelic Access Research and European Alliance (PAREA), as reported by Politico, as per a briefing document slated for submission to the European Medicines Agency (EMA). The document reads that people with actual experience with psychedelics should have say-so over the dos and don’ts of psychedelic trips. This aligns with the idea that those with an actual relationship with the substance, rather than simply a desire to profit from it, makes for better business, as seen in the cannabis industry as well. If psychedelics are taken with better care, often with a trip-sitter involved, bad trips would be less common and people would be less reliant on so-called trip-killers.

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California Approves Rules for Making Drinking Water From Sewage

California legislators have approved regulations for water companies to begin purifying sewage water for people to drink. In a state with over 39 million residents regularly stricken by years-long droughts, water companies will soon be permitted but not required to recycle toilet water, extensively treat it, and send it right back to kitchen sinks. California is the second state after Colorado to approve such measures. “Water is so precious in California. It is important that we use it more than once,” said Jennifer West, managing director of WateReuse California, an advocacy group “After 13 years of steady advocacy, fundraising and outreach by WRCA, California is posed to adopt statewide regulations for Direct Potable Reuse,” a portion of the WatReuse California website reads. “It is a major milestone for the state and WRCA as DPR regulations have long been one of the primary objectives of the association. According to an article by the Associated Press, California has actually been using recycled waste water for quite a while just about everywhere besides kitchen faucets. Waste water is used to make ice skating rinks, to water crops and if you’ve gone skiing in the mountains surrounding Lake Tahoe your skis were likely gliding over – you guessed it- recycled sewage. So much for ‘don’t eat the yellow snow.’ The new regulations dictate that water companies will be required to treat the waste water for all pathogens and viruses, even if none are detected. This differs from traditional purification which only treats the water for known pathogens. The waste water purification process also strips the water of its minerals, which have to be added back in at the end of the process unlike regularly treated drinking water. Darrin Polhemus, deputy director of the division of drinking water for the California Water Resources Control Board said this will likely make the recycled waste water taste better than traditionally processed drinking water. “It’s at the same drinking water quality, and probably better in many instances,” Polhemus said to the Associated Press. The regulations took over ten years to develop and underwent thorough, extensive scrutiny by several teams of scientists before they were approved ahead of the Dec 31 deadline set by state law for the California Water Resources Control Board to approve the new regulations. It turns out this new development in water purification is actually somewhat arbitrary when modern water treatment practices are considered. According to Joaquin Esquivel, chair of the Water Resources Control Board, waste water is often treated and then pumped into rivers. That river water flows into neighboring water districts where it is used as regular drinking water. “Anyone out there taking drinking water downstream from a wastewater treatment plant discharge — which, I promise you, you’re all doing — is already drinking toilet to tap,” Esquivel said to the Associated Press. “All water is recycled. What we have here are standards, science and — importantly — monitoring that allow us to have the faith that it is pure water.” These somewhat icky realities of current water treatment practices notwithstanding, public perception of waste water treatment will almost certainly be a tall mountain to climb for water companies. According to the Associated Press, a waste water treatment center in San Jose is offering tours to the general public to educate the public about the process and ease any concerns they may harbor about the water they will soon be using to cook, bathe and drink. Kirsten Struve, assistant officer for the water supply division at the Santa Clara Valley Water District told the Associated Press this water is already being used to irrigate parks and soccer fields and such. “We live in California where the drought happens all the time. And with climate change, it will only get worse,” Struve said. “And this is a drought-resistant supply that we will need in the future to meet the demands of our communities.” Water companies across the Golden State are gearing up to begin treating waste water as soon as possible. The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, for instance, plans to produce up to 150 million gallons per day of treated waste water, according to the Associated Press. In fact, nearly half of San Diego’s drinking water is slated to come from treated waste water by 2035.

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New Bill Directs Government Agencies To Disclose Information About UFOs

Congress passed a bill Monday that directs the United States government to publicly disclose information pertaining to unidentified anomalous phenomena, more commonly known as UFOs, but the catch is they have many years to do so. A portion of the annual defense policy bill contained a directive to all government agencies maintaining that all records pertaining to UFOs be disclosed to the general public within 25 years of their creation. President Biden is expected to sign the bill, which also gives the president the power of blocking certain records from becoming public in the interest of national security. “Closely modeled on the President John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992, this Act would establish under the National Archives a government-wide collection of Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP) records and a mandate to declassify and publicly release these records,” a portion of the bill read. “The conference agreement includes only the requirements to establish a government-wide UAP records collection; to transfer records to the collection; and to review the records for disclosure decisions under a set of authorized grounds for postponing disclosure.” Some legislators have argued the bill does not go far enough to force the hand of certain arms of government which appear to have gone to great lengths to prevent information about UFO sightings from being released. Democratic Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), who sponsored the bill, originally wanted a presidential commission to be formed which would review the collection of UFO-related documents to determine what, if any, the public interest of such information may be. “It is really an outrage the House didn’t work with us on adopting our proposal for a review board,” Schumer said to The New York Times. “It means that declassification of U.A.P. records will be largely up to the same entities that have blocked and obfuscated their disclosure for decades.” Co-sponsor of the bill Senator Mike Rounds (R – South Dakota) reinforced disappointment to the Time with regard to the somewhat weak language of the final bill. “We are lacking oversight opportunities, and we are not fulfilling our responsibilities,” Senator Rounds said. Rep Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) wanted to avoid the review process entirely and directly disclose UFO-related documents to the public so long as doing so would not endanger national security or reveal the sources and methods of such information. “We got ripped off,” Burchett said to the Times. “We got completely hosed. They stripped out every part.” Schumer still chose to praise the bill’s passing as a momentous step forward in the name of public transparency surrounding a topic long since shrouded in government red tape and mystery, even in the face of mounting public and congressional scrutiny as members of the military have come forward to report what they’ve seen on podcasts and broadcast media channels. “This is a major, major win for government transparency on U.A.P.s, and it gives us a strong foundation for more action in the future,”Schumer said to the Times. Congress has been ramping up pressure in recent years on the Pentagon and other government agencies to increase UFO-related transparency. A Congressional hearing in July of this year heard three U.S. military members attest that not only is the government hiding information about UFO sightings, they may also have recovered crashed ships and non-human biologics, which is a fancy phrase meaning alien corpses. One of those military members, Retired Navy Cmdr. David Fravor, whose UFO video was released by the Pentagon in 2020, said at the hearing that what he witnessed was unlike any technology he has ever seen and far beyond the U.S. military’s technological capacities. “The technology that we faced was far superior than anything that we had,” Fravor said. “I’m not a UFO fanatic. But what we saw with four sets of eyes — we have nothing close to it. It was incredible technology.” Another of the military members who testified that day, a former Navy fighter pilot named Ryan Graves, testified he had been involved in a similar incident where he saw a dark gray cube inside a clear sphere capable of remaining stationary in the skies even in the face of hurricane-force winds. Graves was also the one who testified about the possibility of non-human biologics. “I urge us to put aside stigma and address the security and safety issue this topic represents,” Graves said at the hearing. “If UAP are foreign drones, it is an urgent national security problem. If it is something else, it is an issue for science. In either case, unidentified objects are a concern for flight safety. The American people deserve to know what is happening in our skies. It is long overdue.”

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Maven Genetics To Retire Strain ‘French Laundry’ Due to Cease-and-Desist Letter

Many of us have had the privilege of trying Maven Genetics’ French Laundry. In the August 2023 issue of High Times Magazine, we explored the brand’s impeccable selection of strains, French Laundry included, which won numerous awards this year at the Farmers Cup in February, The Emerald Cup in May, Zalympix in June, High Times Cannabis Cup SoCal: People’s Choice Edition 2023 in July, and the Transbay Challenge in August. Needless to say, it was French Laundry’s year. Unfortunately, due to receiving a cease and desist letter from The French Laundry restaurant in Yountville, California, Maven Genetics has announced that it will no longer be using the name. “It is with a blend of pride and a touch of regret that Maven announces a significant development regarding one of our most celebrated strains, French Laundry,” Maven Genetics wrote in a press release. “As the year draws to a close, we face a challenging twist. Maven has received a cease and desist letter from the renowned Napa restaurant French Laundry, citing trademark infringement issues. Our strain’s name, meant as a playful tribute to its parent genetics, was never intended to infringe on any trademark. However, to avoid potential legal entanglements, we have made the difficult decision to retire the French Laundry name from our product lineup.” Henceforth, the strain will be called FKAFL, which stands for “formerly known as French Laundry.” Maven Genetics brand director Miguel De Vivo told Forbes that the name never intended to overlap with the trademarked “French Laundry” restaurant. FKAFL is a cross between LA Rouge and The Soap, and the name “French Laundry” was a blend of merging a laundry detergent theme with French inspiration brought by LA Rouge. “Little did we know, the cultivar got attention,” De Vivo said. Although it’s a bummer to see French Laundry go, it’s hardly going to stop Maven Genetics from celebrating FKAFL and promoting many of the brand’s overall unique strain library. “Despite this turn of events, our commitment to innovation remains strong,” Maven Genetics wrote. “Our genetic library is brimming with exciting new strains, several of which are offsprings of French Laundry. We are confident that these new creations will uphold the esteemed legacy of French Laundry and eagerly anticipate their introduction to our community. We extend our heartfelt thanks to our customers and supporters for their passionate support of French Laundry. Your enthusiasm fuels our mission to continually push the boundaries of cannabis cultivation and breeding.” Maven Genetics has already removed “French Laundry” from its website and is making immediate plans to make changes to product packaging as well. De Vivo added that this will be the last time we see French Laundry, but it’s just the beginning for FKAFL. “Given that we have many strains coming from that genetic lineage, we weren’t sure if we would continue with FL [French Laundry],” De Vivo explained. “However, with a few more amazing batches in production, it came down to figuring out, how are we going to reintroduce it to the market and potentially close the FL chapter on our terms.” In a silver lining perspective, De Vivo added that it’s a big deal for a cannabis brand to get on the radar of a reputable restaurant like The French Laundry. “The normalizing aspect of it, the fact that we’re garnering attention from the culinary world at such a level,” says De Vivo. “For us, it’s surprising that they noticed. Being in the same realm is exciting.” The past decade has changed a lot for the cannabis industry, not just with the increase of states legalizing medical and/or recreational cannabis, but a shift in cannabis product names from infringing upon trademarks to developing fully unique, trademarked names. One of the first major examples of this was in June 2014 when Hershey filed a lawsuit against a Colorado-based edibles brand, called Tincturebelle, and a Washington-based dispensary called Conscious Care Cooperative, for using Hershey-inspired brand names. The suit was settled by October 2014. In February 2014, a girl scout set up her cookie table outside of a Los Angeles dispensary and sold out within hours. The event garnered national attention, and eventually led the Girl Scouts of America to send a letter about the infringement of the strain Girl Scout Cookies upon its registered trademark in 2015. Another prominent representation of this was in August 2017 when the glue company Gorilla Glue Co. filed a lawsuit against GG Strains for trademark infringement. By October 2017 they reached a settlement, which required the website gorillaglue4.com to be transferred to the ownership of the glue company, that any use of the word “gorilla” or gorilla imagery was prohibited, and the cannabis brand would refer to its products as “GG” instead. However, the settlement also stated that neither company would “disparage each others’ companies, services or actions,” according to a High Times report. GG Strains co-founder Ross Johnson remained optimistic about the situation. “We’re going to survive; we’re going to overcome it,” Johnson said. “Is it a setback? Most definitely, it is a setback. But it’s all behind us now, and it’s allowing us to move forward.” Since then, many large companies have targeted cannabis brands for similar reasons. In September 2017, a dispensary named Buds R Us in Detroit, Michigan, received a letter from Toys “R” Us threatening to sue for trademark infringement. In February 2019, UPS (United Parcel Service) sued cannabis delivery businesses like United Pot Smokers, UPS420, and THCPlant. In July 2019, Sour Patch Kids candy maker also targeted illegal cannabis makers marketing their products as “Stoney Patch.” Mars Wrigley won a trademark lawsuit in August 2022 for the use of Skittles likeness on illegal cannabis products.

https://hightimes.com/

Deontay Wilder ‘Reborn’ After Ayahuasca Trip

One of the world’s best heavyweight boxers and Olympics medalist, Deontay Wilder, 38, said he was transformed after embarking on an ayahuasca experience in Costa Rica. After a life-changing experience of his own, the boxer wants to share what ayahuasca can do to improve mental health. Wilder described the experience in an interview with The Telegraph, explaining that he went to The Rythmia Ayahuasca Retreat Center, an upscale ayahuasca retreat in Guanacaste, Costa Rica, where he was “reborn.” The Rythmia Ayahuasca Retreat Center describes itself as one of the first legal, medically-licensed plant medicine retreat centers in the world. “Ah man, ayahuasca has been… man it’s been one of the top things in my life that I’m glad that I’ve experienced,” Wilder told The Telegraph. “One of the best journeys to experience, it’s been a beautiful thing for me and if you ask my wife [Telli Swift] she’ll say that it made me more sensitive, and she’s probably right, but it also made me happier as well.” Rythmia provides a 7-day excursion, and provides perks like farm-to-table meals, ceremonies, cleanses, and massages to prepare guests for their journeys into the mind. A team of staff physicians and experts attend to guests’ needs. For Wilder, the experience was transformative. “I find myself appreciating even the smallest of the smallest things—and not saying that I didn’t before—but the appreciation level has increased,” Wilder told the outlet. “Ayahuasca has done some beautiful things for a lot of individuals, not only just including myself, where they brought affirmation to their life, or some type of understanding of the path that they are running in their life. I’m looking forward to doing it many, many more times. I’m actually looking to do it after this fight as well.” “Sometimes people get very fearful and afraid of certain things, how is it or what it’s going to be like… but in this place, you may not see what you want, you may not get what you want, but you’ll leave with what you need,” Wilder said. It takes two or more plants to activate the psychoactive properties of DMT-rich ayahuasca. High Times has reported ayahuasca is a concentrated liquid made from prolonged heating or boiling of the Banisteriopsis caapi vine and the leaves of the Psychotria viridis plant to create a tea containing DMT, the psychedelic active element of the brew. A 2022 study from the University of Melbourne took a closer look with data from an online Global Ayahuasca Survey, carried out between 2017 and 2019, of 10,836 people over the age of 18 who used ayahuasca at least once. While vomiting is common, researchers found ayahuasca’s benefits outweigh the risks. Researchers found that acute physical adverse effects, primarily vomiting, were reported by 69.9% of respondents, and 55.9% reported adverse mental health effects in the weeks or months following consumption. Though the majority, around 88% of people surveyed, considered these effects as part of the process of growth or integration after the ceremony, and those who experienced these side effects said they were expected. The boxer prepares to box Joseph Parker in Saudi Arabia this weekend on Dec. 23. Wilder joins athletes like Daniel Carcillo, Mike Tyson, UFC fighter Ian McCall, and others who also did ayahuasca retreats. After going public about his ayahuasca experience in 2022 the NFL says that Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers did not violate league rules when he previously consumed the psychoactive beverage ayahuasca. “For me, I didn’t do that and think ‘oh, I’m never playing football again,’” Rodgers told USA Today. “No, it gave me a deep and meaningful appreciation for life. My intention the first night going in was ‘I want to feel what pure love feels like.’ That was my intention. And I did. I really did. I had a magical experience with the sensation of feeling a hundred different hands on my body imparting a blessing of love and forgiveness for myself and gratitude for this life from what seemed to be my ancestors.” Other people who advocate for the powers of ayahuasca include Megan Fox and even Prince Harry admitted to undergoing an ayahuasca experience. It’s no toy, however, and should be taken very seriously. “With a name that literally means ‘the vine of death,’ this Amazonian brew is not a simple recreational psychedelic trip, so be warned about that reality from the start,” High Times reported in 2017, showing premade ayahuasca packs that are sold in other countries. “Although ayahuasca does induce vivid and colorful visions that can be breathtakingly beautiful and lead to incredibly meaningful insights, it’s also often an intense experience, not just mentally, but physically as well.” Most people would be much better off with the guidance from an experienced shaman or a physician.

https://hightimes.com/

Border Patrol Seizes $10 Million Worth of Narcotics Hidden in Jalapeño Paste

Things got a bit spicy for border patrol officers in San Diego last week. It was there, near the United States-Mexico border, that officers discovered more than $10 million worth of hard narcotics that had been hidden in a shipment of jalapeño paste. The bust went down on December 13. U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers said that they encountered a 28-year-old male driving a commercial tractor-trailer with a shipment manifested as jalapeño paste” at the Otay Mesa Cargo Facility. “The driver, a valid border crossing card holder, was referred for further examination by CBP officers along with the tractor-trailer and shipment,” the agency said in a press release issued this week. “In the secondary inspection area, a CBP K-9 unit screened the shipment and alerted officers to examine the trailer more closely. Upon further examination, CBP officers discovered and extracted a total of 349 suspicious packages from vats of jalapeño paste. The contents of the packages were tested and identified as methamphetamine with a weight of 3,161.43 pounds and cocaine with a weight of 522.50 pounds,” the press releases continued. As Customs and Border Protection spokesperson Michael Scappechio told the Los Angeles Times: “It was an extremely spicy situation.” “You never really know what you’re dealing with just in terms of dangerous narcotics and then you throw in there all that organic material; we had to break out the full [personal protective equipment],” Scappechio said. “We won’t expose the reasons that led to the further examination,” Scappechio added, “but agent suspicion is often used.” Rosa Hernandez, the director at the Otay Mesa Port, credited the unit’s K-9 teams for the bust. “Our K-9 teams are an invaluable component of our counter-narcotics operations, providing a reliable and unequaled mobile detection capability,” said Hernandez “By implementing local operations under Operation Apollo and CBP’s Strategy to Combat Fentanyl and other Synthetic Drugs, we will continue to secure communities and stifle the growth of transnational criminal organizations, one seizure after another.” According to local news station NBC San Diego, the “narcotics-in-jalapeño-paste seizure was just one of many successful drug busts in the border town recently.” The United States Coast Guard said that it seized 18,219 pounds of cocaine, with an estimated street value of more than $239 million in the Pacific Ocean that was offloaded in San Diego earlier this month. According to the Coast Guard, the offload was the “result of six separate suspected drug smuggling vessel interdictions or events off the coasts of Mexico and Central and South America by the Coast Guard Cutters Waesche and Active in November.” According to the Coast Guard, the Waesche “is one of four Legend-class national security cutters homeported in Alameda, California.” National security cutters “can operate in the most demanding open ocean environments, including the hazardous fisheries of the North Pacific and the vast approaches of the Southern Pacific, where a large amount of narcotics traffic occurs,” the Coast Guard said. “The biggest of the six interdictions was the most recent interdiction, occurring Nov. 20, which was an interdiction of a self-propelled semi-submersible (SPSS) carrying more than 5,500 pounds of cocaine. The interdiction of the SPSS was the first in the Eastern Pacific since 2020,” the Coast Guard said in a press release. Capt. Robert Mohr, commanding officer of the Waesche, said that all “four of our interdictions on this patrol are crucial to the Coast Guard’s efforts to keep illicit drugs off the streets, but our last interdiction of a semi-submersible vessel was noteworthy since it was the first semi-submersible interdicted in the Eastern Pacific in over three years.” “I am extremely impressed with the crew’s dedication throughout this dynamic patrol. They overcame multiple challenges with collective hard work, ingenuity, and positive attitudes to keep us in pursuit of these cartels and their dangerous drugs. A successful patrol like this one is rewarding and leads to better retention and recruiting efforts because everybody feels a sense of accomplishment,” Mohr said. Vice Adm. Andrew Tiongson, commander, U.S. Coast Guard Pacific Area, said he was “proud of the unity of effort displayed by U.S. Coast Guard members aboard the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Waesche and our partners who stopped these narcotics from entering our Nation through the maritime domain.” The Coast Guard said that multiple agencies, including the Departments of Defense, Justice, and Homeland Security, “collaborate in the effort to combat transnational organized crime. The Coast Guard, Navy, Customs and Border Protection, FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, along with allied and international partner agencies, all play a role in counternarcotic operations.” “The fight against drug cartels in the Eastern Pacific Ocean requires unity of effort in all phases, from detection and monitoring to interdictions and criminal prosecutions,” the press release said.

https://hightimes.com/

One Out of Five American Adults Say They’ve Tried Hemp-Derived Products, Study Indicates

Over one-fifth of adults in America reported using hemp-derived cannabinoids such as cannabidiol (CBD) and delta-8 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in a survey of responses collected last summer. Researchers not only identified the extent of how popular hemp-derived products are, but emphasized that states that prohibit cannabis lead to a higher rate of delta-8 THC use—probably because that’s all people can get legally in those states. The study, “Past-Year Use Prevalence of Cannabidiol, Cannabigerol, Cannabinol, and Δ8-Tetrahydrocannabinol Among US Adults,” was published Dec. 13 in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) and referenced data gathered in a 2019 Gallup poll. According to the new findings, 25.2% of adults reported past-year use of any emerging hemp-derived cannabinoid, including delta-8 THC, CBD, cannabigerol (CBG), cannabinol (CBN), etc. Of those, 21% of adults said they had used CBD specifically. Other products derived from hemp had lower rates of use: 11.9% of the survey respondents reported using delta-8 THC, 5.2% reported using CBG, and 4.4% reported using CBN—one of the least significant cannabinoids. The study was written by doctors Adrianne R. Wilson-Poe, Tristin Smith, Michael R. Elliott, Daniel J. Kruger, and Kevin F. Boehnke. “We provide the first estimates, to our knowledge, of past-year use prevalence of CBN, Δ8-THC, and CBG in the US. A Gallup poll reported that 14% of US adults personally used CBD in 2019; our reported 21% use prevalence of CBD represents a 50% increase over the past 4 years,” researchers wrote. “Prevalence of past-year cannabis use was somewhat higher than in other studies but was similarly associated with younger age, and past-year cannabis use was also associated with using emerging cannabinoid products,” the report continues. “Higher Δ8-THC use in states without medical or adult-use cannabis laws suggests that cannabis prohibition may unintentionally promote Δ8-THC use. There are few controlled human studies with emerging cannabinoids, but surveys suggest these products are used for treating sleep or pain1 and in place of other drugs, including pain medications.” The researchers noted that hemp products are frequently psychoactive, and these are the main compounds they’re concerned with. “Based on these results, we support ongoing public health surveillance efforts targeting emerging cannabinoids because of lack of industry standards to protect consumers and similar pharmacology or effects of Δ9-THC and its hemp-derived impairing analogues (eg, Δ8-THC), which may be of particular concern for adolescents and young adults,” the study reports. “Study limitations included not assessing emerging cannabinoid use patterns (eg, dose and use frequency) and possible sampling biases, although NORC implements probability-based recruitment best practices for their AmeriSpeak panel. Our results highlight the importance of future research to better understand perceptions of safety, motivations for use, and outcomes of use of these products.” Researchers cautioned that the products are not regulated and could put patients at the risk of adverse effects from unknown contaminants. The 2018 Farm Bill legalized the cultivation and sale of hemp, and it created a legal loophole, allowing hemp-derived products that are now sold online and at smoke shops, gas stations, and other retailers. Medscape reports that the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) does not regulate hemp-derived products; therefore, no federal standards exist for testing ingredients for safety or verification of ingredients as listed on labels. “If someone is picking up one of these products to use medically, and it ends up having heavy metals and pesticides and it doesn’t even have the active ingredient in it, that is not good,” said Kevin F. Boehnke, PhD, a research assistant professor in the Department of Anesthesiology and the Chronic Pain and Fatigue Research Center at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. In states where medical cannabis is legal, residents had 56% lower odds of using delta-8 THC, whereas those in states where adult-use cannabis is legal had 55% lower odds of using delta-8 THC than those surveyed in states without legalization. The findings suggest “cannabis prohibition may unintentionally promote delta-8-THC use,” Boehnke and his colleagues wrote. Alice Kuo, MD, PhD, a pediatrician and professor of internal medicine and pediatrics at the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California in Los Angeles, told Medscape that she has seen a large increase in patients who say they use cannabinoid products, and believe them to be “natural.” “My official response to patients who ask me for my opinion is that I don’t have enough scientific background to give an opinion: If you think it helps you and you have no side effects, then I’m not going to tell you to stop,” Kuo said. The FDA warns about delta-8 THC and similar products, which it says are products that have not been proven to be safe.

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What topics does Chow420’s hemp news cover?

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No. This page is for news and education. Hemp rules can change quickly and vary by state—always verify against the latest official guidance and consult qualified counsel for compliance decisions.

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Look for current third‑party COAs (Certificates of Analysis), clear ingredient labeling, and transparent sourcing. Be cautious with vague potency claims or missing lab reports.

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Hemp News, Laws & Product Updates

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Maven Genetics To Retire Strain ‘French Laundry’ Due to Cease-and-Desist Letter

Deontay Wilder ‘Reborn’ After Ayahuasca Trip

Border Patrol Seizes $10 Million Worth of Narcotics Hidden in Jalapeño Paste

One Out of Five American Adults Say They’ve Tried Hemp-Derived Products, Study Indicates

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