The HIGH TIMES Interview: Andrew Freedman

Colorado made history when it became the first U.S. state to legalize a recreational cannabis market in 2014. Since then, legal weed has continued to crop up in new markets, and the legalization debate is heating up ahead of November elections.

With politicians around the country paying attention to criminal justice reform, the opioid crisis and marijuana tax revenue, we sat down to discuss cannabis policy with Andrew Freedman, Colorado’s marijuana czar. As the director of marijuana coordination for the state, he has a front seat view of how legalization is playing out. 

While traveling to other states to advise officials on legalization, Freedman steers clear of advocating for or against it, but he does make clear that opponents’ predictions of doomsday have not borne out. 

That doesn’t mean legalization has been a rosy new source of tax revenue for the state. Here, he tells us about the challenges behind Amendment 64, and why no state should legalize cannabis just for the money.

HT: Are things as bad in Colorado as legalization opponents make it out to seem?

AF: Most of the trends are what they were pre-legalization. Some of those trends are concerning in the same ways that they were pre-legalization. We continue to be concerned about youth consumption—it was high before legalization, and it’s high afterwards. The promise of legalization was actually that youth use would go down. Until we start to see it go down, it’s not a success for us. That’s the ultimate goal.

On the other hand, I think these predictions of doomsday are not coming true. We’re not seeing significant spikes that are out of the normal of what we were seeing year-to-year before [legalization], with the one exception of ER visits and hospitalizations. Compared to the total amount of ER visits and hospitalizations, it’s a very small part, but it has been a statistically significant spike of people showing up in hospitals and calling poison control.

We’re finding [it’s mainly tourists]. And that’s a new dynamic. 

I think a lot of people are who don’t normally use marijuana are taking their vacation in Colorado and deciding to partake. You overindulge in a lot of things when you’re on vacation (like alcohol). But you might know what a bad night is going to do for you with alcohol, and you don’t know what overindulging in edibles is going to do to you. I think that’s why you’re seeing a good portion of what you’re seeing. 

What are your thoughts on the data from the Rocky Mountain HIDTA reports, which seems to paint a picture that legalization has had a negative impact on the state? Do you think they are politically motivated, or are they a good faith effort to assess the impact of legalization?

I think both sides use data in an agenda-like manner. So honestly, I see a DPA report that is a different interpretation than I would have on it, and I see a HIDTA report that has a different interpretation. None of the facts are wrong in the HIDTA report, but it’s presented with an agenda. I don’t think they hide that they have an agenda of what they want to do.

We’ve worked really hard to treat data from a very neutral standpoint because people don’t trust data when it’s being presented with an agenda. I think what you’ve seen from our reports is just a good faith effort to be neutral arbiters of fact. I hope that that trend continues, so we end up in a place where people do trust facts more.

We’re only now seeing baseline data. We weren’t collecting data on a lot of these different things before [legalization]. People will ask questions like, “Have you seen an increase or decrease in opioid addiction?”

If you want those answers, you’re really going to have to be patient. We can do as much as we can with public health surveys to get kind of a snapshot of what’s going on right now. But if we want true data, we’re going to have to wait a while.

What’s the position of the state in regard to federal legalization?

We try very hard not to be a political office that weighs in on whether or not people should legalize, including the federal government. There are a few things that we are asking for: One is that there is a banking fix. I don’t think that’s a legalization issue, I think that’s a safety issue. 

The second one is that we would like a way for the federal government to allow for laboratory testing of marijuana. The governor has said before, if that’s rescheduling or simply passing a law saying marijuana can be tested in laboratories, that’s up to them.

People are going off doctor-prescribed medicine in order to use marijuana instead. They have a right to know what has been proven to work here or not. I think it’s a bad place for us to not be doing research—we should know more about the effects of marijuana.

Colorado has pretty robust lab-testing requirements for the industry, right?

Yeah, but that’s for things like potency, contamination, mold and pesticides—not so much cannabinoid profiles. 

We put $9 million into a research fund. But $9 million is not a lot of money to do this testing, and they still have the problem that they can’t do it in laboratory settings. [Labs] can’t do it if they have any federal funding, so our best institutions have to sit this one out. We should be fast-tracking as much research as possible right now, because it’s already legal in [25] states, and people should know what benefits and what harms they’re subjecting themselves to. It’s going to take a long time to do the research they need to do. Every day, we’re losing out on good information.

What’s your opinion on legalizing through ballot measure vs. legalizing through the legislature?

I really wish we hadn’t written it into our constitution. I understand why it happened, [legalization proponents] wanted to make sure that the government did what it was being required to do and that [lawmakers] couldn’t overturn [it]. I think from a good government standpoint, when you see these things play out long term, there are things you need to change. 

Through Amendment 20 and Amendment 64, we’ve allowed a lot of ways to grow in the unlicensed system. It’s a problem for us now. There are some people who are using it legitimately to grow for a patient they care for and recoup just costs of doing it. Then, there are some people who are using it as a front to grow in Colorado and ship out of state—that’s a very real problem for us.

Those people don’t just stop at shipping it out of state, they’re also selling it to minors here, and that’s why we have trouble completely shutting down the grey and black markets.

It would be really great to go and have another conversation without having to go back to the constitution. How do we have legitimate caregivers but keep out illegitimate caregivers? That conversation is 10 times harder because it’s written into our constitution. 

How much should potential tax revenue figure into a discussion about legalization?

Almost none. I try to always put this in perspective: We’re expecting somewhere around $100 million for the previous calendar year in marijuana taxes. We had a $27 billion budget last year.

I actually have people angry at me that we’re not paying teachers more from marijuana money. Well, it’s not that type of money. People truly overestimate what you can do with marijuana money.

What I can say is that it’s not a trivial amount of money. We’re paying for substance abuse treatment facilities that we otherwise couldn’t pay for. There are good youth prevention programs, there are good after-school programs and there are good diversion programs. But it’s not going to solve your budget woes. 

At the end of the day, the debate shouldn’t be about tax revenue. “Should we lock up fewer people for marijuana?” vs. “Is this going to create more of a burden on public safety?”—that’s where the debate should be. 

Reports say there are all these marijuana-related crimes, but often that data includes crimes like robberies against dispensaries. It seems unfair to portray that as a negative of legalization.

Again, that’s why we caution: “Take time with the data.” 

You should be concerned about a marijuana dispensary in the same way you’re concerned about having a convenience store in your backyard because convenience stores are more heavily burglarized than other places.

If you put a whole bunch of dispensaries in a poor community, there’s going to be more crime around it. That is something everybody should think about, whether or not it’s going to be used in the pro- or anti-legalization debate. We should be thinking public safety in that way. 

That goes back to the banking issue too, having large amounts of cash makes you a target.

And product. This was a surprise to me. At liquor stores, the product isn’t robbed as much because it’s heavy. With marijuana, you can throw it in a trash bag, and you have a lot of value of marijuana in there. Even though we handle the cash side of it, dispensaries are going to be targets for burglaries. 

Any thoughts on regulation in regard to concentrates?

We’re definitely worried about it. We have no idea what dabbing does to you vs. what a joint would do to you. The other side of that is: Sometimes concentrates are very responsibly smoked. That’s not all that different from alcohol. The problem is, we just don’t have our standards yet of what’s responsible use. When is somebody too high? 

I hear a lot of horror stories from people who took too big of a hit from a dab and end up having a really bad night. But it’s not like the blood alcohol content levels where we know, “Oh, that person checked in at 0.2, that’s really bad.” It’s a place that really needs more research. 

What specific policies do you think other states can learn from Colorado?

I would say the biggest one is the unlicensed market. I think a lot of these states started with an unlicensed market because voters were not trying to put government in a position to regulate it. It was, “let us just have this unlicensed market on the side, and you guys don’t even have to think about it.” 

You can’t both have an unlicensed market and a tax-and-regulate market at the same time. So you have to make a choice when you do that, and that’s what we tell other states. If you want to give your tax-and-regulate system a chance, you have to shut down your unlicensed market or really limit what the unlicensed market looks like.

How does home grow factor into this?

Our problem is that we have home grow and caregivers, and you’re allowed to home grow for others, or you can help other people with their home grows. There’s just too many variables in our [system].

I think if you could do it in a very limited manner, it’s not inconceivable that you could allow for home grows that look like home brews. But you have to get bright lines that your local law enforcement can be comfortable with enforcing. 

Law enforcement is usually anti-legalization. How has law enforcement here reacted to legalization?

I’ve worked with a lot of law enforcement that make me proud. They are very anti-legalization—you don’t have to guess [how] they voted on Amendment 64. But most of them have moved beyond that to, “OK, in this brave new world, how do we maintain public safety?”

Most of them are not hoping that the system fails so that we undo it. They don’t want to go through a time of public safety woe in order to make that happen, so they’ve put their backs into making the system work. That’s not everybody, but that’s the vast majority of people.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

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by Mona Zhang at High Times

STRAIN OF THE DAY 08/01/2016: SNOWCAP (HYBRID)

CANNABIS STRAIN OF THE DAY 08/01/2016: SNOWCAP (HYBRID)

from http://ift.tt/2aHqzJ1
by Potbox, Inc.

Recipe: How to Make a Goodship Cannabis-Infused Chocolate Cheesecake

We (sort of) taught you how to bake a cannabis-infused blueberry cheesecake, but if you're looking for something more decadent, our friends at The Goodship have a drool-worthy recipe for you. Their chocolate cheesecake incorporates their infused chocolate bars for a delicious dose of baked bliss. Enjoy!

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As much as you love to simply break open a Goodship package and pop that delicious treat into your mouth, you can’t forget that there’s always an opportunity to take your Goodship experience to an even higher altitude. We love cooking with Goodship products and are excited to share this recipe with you!

We've spent a lot of time figuring out the best way to integrate a high-quality cannabis extract into cookies, chocolates, as well as other confections you're soon to see on the shelves of your favorites recreational marijuana retailers here in Washington. While the science of creating a perfectly dosed edible can be a fun challenge to take on, we’ve done all the work for you already! Using our accurately dosed products to cook or bake with ensures that you know exactly what a “serving” means when it’s time to hop on board The Goodship.

This recipe is designed to serve 12 people. When you slice your cheesecake into 12 even slices, you can be confident that each serving contains 10mg of THC, meaning you can easily climb directly to your preferred “cruising altitude” with confidence. All aboard!

Goodship Chocolate Cheesecake

Recipe written by Nicki Kerbs

Makes 12 servings (10mg of THC per serving)

Ingredients

Crust:

• 24 chocolate wafer cookies (from one 9-ounce package)
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Filling:

• 3.7-ounce bittersweet chocolate, chopped (shoot for 70%)
• 12 each or (6 oz) Goodship Deep Dark Chocolate Bars or Coffee and Dark Chocolate Bars for coffee flavor (your choice)
• 4 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 4 large eggs

Topping:

• 3/4 cup whipping cream
• 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped (shoot for 70%)
• 1 tablespoon sugar

Preparation

For Crust:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Butter 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 3-inch-high sides.
• Blend cookies in food processor until finely ground; blend in sugar and cinnamon.
• Add melted butter and process until well blended.
• Press crumbs evenly onto bottom (not sides) of prepared pan.
• Bake just until set, about 5 minutes.
• Cool while preparing filling. Maintain oven temperature.

For Filling:

• Stir ALL chopped chocolate in metal bowl set over saucepan of simmering water until melted and smooth.
• Remove bowl from over water; cool chocolate until lukewarm but still pourable.
• Blend cream cheese, salt, sugar, and cocoa powder in food processor until smooth.
• Blend in eggs one at a time.
• Mix in lukewarm chocolate.
• Pour filling over crust; smooth top.
• Bake until center is just set and just appears dry, about 1 hour.
• Cool 5 minutes. Run knife around sides of cake to loosen. Chill overnight.

For Topping (can be made three days ahead; simply cover with foil and keep refrigerated):

• Release pan sides. Transfer cheesecake to platter.
• Stir cream, 6 ounces chocolate, and sugar in heavy medium saucepan over low heat until smooth. Cool slightly.
• Pour over center of cheesecake, spreading directly to the edge and allowing topping to slowly drip down all sides of the cheesecake evenly.
• Chill until topping is set, about 1 hour.

This cheesecake lends very well to being enjoyed with coffee - obviously we have a thing for coffee and chocolate! The rich sweet flavors of the cheesecake complement a beautiful cup of coffee perfectly. Another added benefit: if you tend to feel a little slow moving when you enjoy cannabis, a small amount of caffeine can turn that around in a flash.

Coffee or not, you can expect to feel pretty amazing very quickly due to the non-psychotropic components in the cacao, cream, and cream cheese. Respectively, theobromine and tryptophan will play off each other to make you feel happy and slightly energized while sated and mellow. Within 45 minutes to an hour, you might find a big smile sneaking up on you, and you can expect to be smiling for around two hours.

DON’T drive or operate heavy machinery after enjoying this delicious dessert. DO connect with friends, enjoy your favorite music, create art, pick flowers, write a masterpiece...the sky’s the limit when you’re on board The Goodship!

Special thanks to Will Ritthaler, Nicki Kerbs, and Eileen Namanny from The Goodship!

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by Leafly Staff at Leafly News & Culture

Can Too Much Cannabis Numb Your Nethers and Affect Your Sexual Performance?

We received this query from a reader through tips@leafly.com. The message has been edited slightly for clarity, and is anonymous to respect the privacy of the reader.

“Me and my boyfriend got really high, like the most high we've ever been, last weekend. The first night edibles were consumed, 120mgs for each of us. Like usual, we had sex. The next day however, we smoked a couple joints. When we went to have sex everything was heated but he couldn't get an erection. He said he was into it, which I'm inclined to believe, but said he couldn't really feel his nether regions, which is what we attributed the difficulty to.

Now normally I wouldn't believe that, only because it seems a bit out there, but I felt it was super hard to reach [orgasm] as well. I felt it was hard for me to recognize when I was being stimulated even though I was well aware what was going on. We've both smoked a fair bit before, and this has never happened. Is this a side effect from smoking? Or did we just get too high? Either way he felt pretty weird about it and I feel bad, so I figured I'd ask the pros.”

Dear Numbing in the Nethers,

Thank you so much for writing! I imagine having desensitized bits was probably pretty unsettling for both of you. My hypothesis is that those effects had less to do with smoking joints and more to do with the 120mg each of edibles you consumed the night before.

Most budtenders don’t recommend going too far above 20-35mg for advanced consumers, so it sounds like you two were well beyond that threshold. Totally a valid choice, so please don’t take this as criticism, but it would make sexual functioning difficult, if not impossible. I have heard many stories of people taking a lot of edibles and still feeling the effects 12+ hours later. In doses that high, it makes perfect sense that neither his nor your bits were particularly responsive.

Smoking joints on top of that most likely exacerbated the problem. When I wrote last month about methods of imbibing and their effects on sexual performance, I noted that edibles are my least favorite method of consumption because their effects are so highly variable.

That said, here are some edible pro-tips:

Moderation is key. I get having a high tolerance and needing a higher dosage to get the desired effects. But unless you’re consuming 120mg each on a regular basis, that much THC is going to counteract any arousal that your brain and body may be experiencing.

Start low, go slow. This mantra is the primary edict of edibles. Titrating doses helps you figure out where your ideal dose is, rather than completely blowing your mind by taking more than you intended. Start with 5mg if you’re a beginner, 10mg if you’re a moderate consumer, and for the advanced consumers, I wouldn’t go too far about 35-45mg per serving, but do what feels best for your body.

Give it time. - Depending on your body chemistry, tolerance, and metabolism, an edible high could last anywhere from 4 to 12+ hours, and that’s after the 1-2 hours it takes to kick in. Take deep breaths and drink lots of water. Make sure you’re in a safe space where you can chill. If you’re out and about, take an Uber home and do some self care. If you need ideas, check out this interactive self care guide.

Have CBD on hand. CBD is great for counteracting a too intense high. If you find yourself in a situation where you’ve over-consumed (intentionally or not), it’s a smart idea to have a high CBD strain or vape on hand to help bring you out of the everything-is-overwhelming zone.

Don’t use more THC. I know, it almost feels sacrilegious to say that. But seriously. If you’ve had too much to drink, the last thing you should do is take another shot, right? Same idea here. Wait until you’re back to baseline before consuming more.

Hopefully that was at least a little bit helpful. Do you have more sex and cannabis questions for me? Email tips@leafly.com and perhaps we’ll use your anonymous question in a future article!

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by Ashley Manta at Leafly News & Culture

STRAIN OF THE DAY 07/31/2016: EARTHSHAKER OG (HYBRID)

CANNABIS STRAIN OF THE DAY 07/31/2016: EARTHSHAKER OG (HYBRID)

from http://ift.tt/2a8iQmv
by Potbox, Inc.

I Got High and Baked a Cannabis-Infused Blueberry Cheesecake and...

I only screwed up once!

July 30th is National Cheesecake Day, because we’ve reached the point of our existence where we need to designate a celebration for every single day of our lives. So cheesecake, that creamy caloric confection that’s loved by Golden Girls, Friends (even in floor form), and ancient Grecians alike, gets its own day to shine. And what better way to truly honor this rich, sweet treat than by infusing it with cannabis?

Not one to back away from a challenge (or, at the very least, make a fool of myself and chronicle the experience for Leafly), I set out to make not just a cannabis-infused cheesecake, but a blueberry cheesecake infused with Blueberry Cheesecake after I vaped said Blueberry Cheesecake. I would create the Inception of cheesecakes! The Russian nesting dolls of cheesecakes! The “Yo dawg” of cheesecakes! It’d be cheesecakes all the way down!

There was just one small problem: I hadn’t actually ever made a cheesecake before, let alone baked one while, well, baked. But no matter! To quote Lao Tsu, “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” It just so happened that my single step was to tackle a somewhat complicated culinary feat while under the influence of a fruity hybrid. Oh well.

Step 1: Make Cannabutter and Assemble Ingredients

I picked up ¼ ounce of Blueberry Cheesecake from my friends at Have a Heart Belltown (shoutout to Bailey the budtender for her help!) and followed Leafly’s recipe for making cannabis-infused butter. Since the cheesecake recipe I planned on using (courtesy of Epicurious) called for ½ cup of butter for the crust, I cut our cannabutter recipe by ¾ and figured it’d be better to simmer it on the stove instead of the crockpot, as I was afraid of burning the ingredients. After 2 ½ hours of stinking up my place with grassy, herby goodness, I strained out the flower and refrigerated the budder to use the next day.

Step 2: Enjoy Some Flower

The next afternoon, I headed to a coworker’s apartment two blocks from the Leafly HQ, cheesecake ingredients in tow. Along for the ride were Julia, Leafly’s photo editor, and Rocco, who served as my sous chef since he’s baked many delicious cheesecakes and would help un-screw-up any screw-ups I’d undoubtedly make.

We ground up some Blueberry Cheesecake and I soon felt the indica-leaning hybrid's relaxing, euphoric effects. The strain definitely had some fruity flavors and a hint of sweetness, with Rocco detecting some citrus and earthy notes as well. My pulls were smooth, and after a seemingly never-ending bowl, I felt ready to channel my inner Swedish Chef. Let’s do this!

Step 3: Make the Crust

The Epicurious recipe calls for wrapping your springform pan in aluminum foil so you can emerge it in a water bath while baking. Rocco guessed that the foil and water would inadvertently help protect the cannacrust and also result in an airier cheesecake. (It turns out the water bath helps cook the cheesecake more evenly.) I swaddled my pan in a makeshift diaper and assured myself that my little cheesecake baby would turn out just fine.

I melted my cannabutter on the stovetop, mesmerized as the hardened shards softened into a kiss-of-green melted consistency. After transferring the butter, some sugar, and graham crackers into the stand mixer, I watched the paddle waltz with the ingredients to create a dance of barely moistened crumbs.

Next, I dumped the mixture into my springform pan, pushing around grains like I was building the world’s most inept sand castle. I fumble-formed an impressively lopsided crust, with one side an inch thick while its opposite looked like a past-its-prime Stretch Armstrong begging to be put out of its misery. Rocco to the rescue! He expertly evened out my infused crust while I pondered what the hell I had gotten myself into.

I popped the crust into the oven, set a timer for eight minutes, promptly forgot about the crust, freaked out when the timer went off, ran around the kitchen looking for a wire rack to rest the pan onto, and settled on what looked like a gigantic mesh fry spatter lid. With my crust cooling atop my makeshift platform, it was time to turn my attention to the filling.

Step 4: Blend the Filling

Sugar, cream cheese, eggs, sour cream, milk, and vanilla extract plopped into the stand mixer and swirled into a creamy pale batter. Julia peered in and said, “It looks soupy.” Cue the paranoia: OH MY GOD IT DOES LOOK RUNNY THIS THING ISN’T GOING TO COOK I JUST MADE A CHEESECAKE SOUP WHY DID I THINK THIS WAS A GOOD IDEA?!

Noticing the look of abject terror on my face, she quickly added, “I’m sure it’s fine! It’ll firm up when it bakes!” I nodded, drowning my pastry pity party in a couple finger scoops of batter. Ooh, that’s good. Julia agreed: “It tastes really yummy!”

Step 5: Belatedly Add the Ingredients You Forgot

I had just finished scooping the last glob of batter the bowl into the springform pan when I heard Julia say, “Hey, what’s this for?” She held up a glass bowl containing a little mound of white powder.

Oh shit. The flour. I FORGOT TO MIX IN THE FLOUR!!!!!

I wailed in despair, unleashing my best Vader “Nooooooooooo.”

“No wonder it looked soupy!” Thanks, Julia.

Turns out a cheesecake recipe needs flour. Duh.

“We can fix this!” Rocco assured me. We spent the next several minutes carefully scooping enough filling out of the pan back into the mixer so I could add the flour, then I re-poured the fixed batter into the derped batter and swirled everything together in a sad attempt to incorporate the two in holy battertrimony.

“I feel like I’m giving this thing a massage,” I muttered as I gently caressed the filling with my spatula. Perhaps vaping and baking don't pair well, after all. (I'm kidding, they still do.)

Step 6: Give the Cheesecake a Bath and Bake It

After eating my feelings in the form of corrected batter (Julia, helpfully: “It tastes yummier with the flour”), I placed my Frankencake into a large roasting pan and filled the pan with about an inch of water before praying to the baking gods and shoving it into the oven. It baked for an hour, then sat in the oven for another hour after I turned off the heat. Rocco showed me how to feel the cheesecake and look for its signature “bounce” to gauge its doneness. I poked it and it felt springy, with little bubbles formed along the top. It was either done or it was going to blow like a homemade grade school volcano. (Hopefully the former.)

Step 7: Chill, Then Top with Blueberries

My coworker babysat my little cheesecake child overnight. The next day, I returned to his apartment, cracked some lopsided crust off the top, and made a compote by mixing melted blueberry preserves with fresh blueberries. This thing looked surprisingly good! But how did it taste?

Step 8: Recruit Some Guinea Pigs to Try the Cheesecake

I wasn’t sure whether the cheesecake was potent or even remotely edible. The recipe instructed me to bake the cake at 375 degrees, so I was worried that some of the infused butter burned off at that combustion point. I did put ¼ ounce of flower into it, though, so I hoped some of it stuck around to deliver some noticeable effects.

Despite the fact that I had never made cannabutter, a cheesecake, or a cannabis-infused cheesecake, and pretty much had no idea what I was doing at every stage of this process, I convinced my coworkers to try my culinary experiment. It turns out free cannabis-infused treats at the end of the work day on a Friday isn't a hard sell, and my peers swarmed upon the dessert like ferocious piranhas stripping meat from a bone.

The feedback was swift:

The filling tasted great -- I couldn't detect any lasting damage from my flour screw up, as the base was creamy, tangy, and sweet, with great texture and consistency. As for the crust, which was where the infusion took place, I noticed a hint of "weedy" flavoring but it wasn't overpowering or offputting.

My coworkers didn't seem to mind the crust, either:

"the crust is SO GOOD. well the whole thing is good. [but] the crust is fucking delicious."

"I thought the cream part tasted fantastic and just like a normal blueberry cheesecake, and then the crust definitely tasted more weedy, but I like that flavor so it added to the flavor experience.”

"The 'weedy' flavor is really coming out as I get to the edge. It tastes like a regular cheesecake until you try the crust on its own.”

“Once you got to the end, the crust got a little crusty. It gets a little weedy. That said, I ate every last crumb…and licked my plate a little bit.”

Okay, so the cheesecake tasted great, but how potent was it? I found the effects to be somewhat mild but pleasant and enjoyable. One coworker said:

"I'd guess I had maybe 15-20 mg in a 1.5-inch slice. Very mellow, nice body high and definitely noticeable but totally fine for socializing."

Another noted:

"It's nice! Pretty mild but quite a pleasant little head high."

Success! I felt victorious, having achieved my goal of baking a Blueberry Cheesecake-infused blueberry cheesecake while I was high on Blueberry Cheesecake. Now which recipe should I tackle next? Decisions, decisions...

from http://ift.tt/2am5uSi
by Rebecca Kelley at Leafly News & Culture

Elvis and Cannabis: Could Marijuana Have Saved the King of Rock and Roll?

Elvis Presley was indisputably the King of Rock and Roll and one of the most significant icons in the history of American pop music. He revolutionized the industry with his rockabilly sound and transcended the stage to the screen with his performances in such films as Love Me Tender and Viva Las Vegas.

Unfortunately, the tale of the King is a rather sad one, fraught with prescription drug abuse, health issues, and failed relationships. His final days were miserable, lonely, and ended with a prescription drug overdose at the tender age of 42 in a most undignified position – face down in a puddle of vomit on the bathroom floor.

What led this musical legend down such a dark path? And, more importantly, could a cannabis intervention have saved the King from his untimely demise?

In order to understand the end, let’s go back to the beginning. Born in 1935 in Tupelo, Mississippi, even his birth was a sad affair, when his identical twin brother was delivered stillborn before Elvis entered the world. His childhood was fairly unremarkable – Elvis was teased in school for being a bit of a “mama’s boy” due to his close relationship with his mother, Gladys Love. It’s said that Elvis pilfered diet pills from his mother’s purse in his teenage years for his first taste of amphetamines, which were legal at the time.

Elvis was teased for his taste in “hillbilly” music, but his natural talent and penchant for performing earned him praise and attention in Memphis, where he would perform on Beale Street while rubbing elbows with the likes of B.B. King.

In 1953, a fresh-faced 18 year-old Elvis walked into the offices of Sun Records with the hopes of being discovered. Sam Phillips, a Sun Records producer, did indeed take note of the crooner’s distinctive sound. He hoped to capitalize on “a white man who had a Negro sound and Negro feel,” according to Sun receptionist Marion Keisker, as documented in Flowers in the Dustbin: The Rise of Rock and Roll.

“Elvis the Pelvis” (a nickname he despised) was known for his signature hip-swaying shimmy shake, but the incidental dance move was not the result of cannabis, as one interviewer alleged, but only arose from over-amplified nerves while performing on stage at the Overton Park Shell, as described by Elvis biographer Peter Guralnick. His wide-cut pants emphasized his shaking hips and it caused an uproarious clamoring among the ladies in the audience.

Also dubbed the Tupelo Tornado, Elvis walked the straight and narrow during the early days, content to sing and perform on the road. His only controversy during these formative years were his outrageous hip gyrations and Afro-influenced blues music. A particularly scandalous performance on the Ed Sullivan Show propelled his fame to legendary proportions and cemented his status as the hot new performer on the music scene in the 1950’s.

By 1957, he was a cultural phenomenon, supplementing his career with films like Jailhouse Rock to accompany his musical endeavors. It was during this period that Elvis purchased the mansion that would contribute to his legacy, Graceland, just south of downtown Memphis.

And then everything changed.

In 1958, Elvis was officially inducted into the United States Army, drafted due to his 1-A status as a healthy, able-bodied young man. His fans cried and dubbed the day of the induction, March 24, as “Black Monday.” Elvis was adamant that he be treated the same as any soldier:

“The Army can do anything it wants with me.”

Within months, his mother was diagnosed with hepatitis and her heath rapidly deteriorated. Elvis was granted leave to visit his mother on August 12, but Gladys died just two days later from heart failure. This marked the first devastating blow to Elvis – he and his mother were extremely close and still spoke to each other with baby talk and pet names.

Elvis was sent to Friedberg, Germany, where he was officially introduced to the regular use of amphetamines. It was in West Germany where he met his eventual bride, Priscilla Beaulieu, who was just 14 years old upon their first encounter, although the pair would not marry until after another seven and a half years of courtship.

The King returned to the United States in 1960 after an honorable discharge, but this was the beginning of his fall from glory. His films were panned by critics, despite their commercial success. Elvis performed songs for virtually every soundtrack, but the quality of the songs grew progressively worse with each film.

Priscilla and Elvis were married on May 1, 1967, at the Aladdin Hotel in Las Vegas, and their only child, Lisa Marie, was born less than a year later, during a time that proved to be a period of deep depression for Elvis.

Cassandra Peterson, who later played Elvira, Mistress of the Dark, recalled meeting Elvis while working as a showgirl in Las Vegas and spoke of his fervent anti-drug attitude. She mentioned that she had smoked marijuana and he was appalled, telling her, “Don’t ever do that again.” At the time, he rarely drank and was vehemently opposed to recreational drugs, including cannabis.

Elvis was so opposed to recreational drug use that in December of 1970, he met with President Nixon to express his concern about the growing hippie movement and anti-American counterculture, and he asked for a badge from the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs. He used the Beatles as an example of drug abuse in popular culture, which Paul McCartney later said left him feeling “a bit betrayed,” but he was quite aware of the irony behind the statement. “The great joke was that we were taking [illegal] drugs, and look what happened to him,” McCartney pointed out.

In 1971, his marriage on the rocks, Elvis began having an affair with Joyce Bova. By 1972, the pair had separated and eventually divorced, a blow that hit the King hard. He began to have bouts of paranoia, convinced that overexuberant fans who rushed the stage during a show were actually contracted to kill him.

After Elvis's divorce to Priscilla was finalized, he overdosed on barbiturates in 1973 and spent three days in a coma. Elvis had a live-in doctor at Graceland, Dr. George Nichopoulos, who claimed to have written some 10,000 prescriptions for uppers, downers, narcotics, opiates, and barbiturates during the final months of his life.

Elvis became severely addicted to the potent opiate Demerol. Because the drug was legally prescribed, Dr. Nick (not this one) remarked that Elvis felt “he wasn’t the common everyday junkie getting something off the street.”

Eventually, Elvis's onstage persona became increasingly erratic. During one show at the University of Maryland, he slurred his words, clutched the microphone, and was unable to perform due to being in the throes of severe addiction. Elvis's sleep schedule was also erratic – he was unable to sleep more than three or four hours at a time before waking and looking for more pills. Dilaudid, a powerful narcotic, was another favorite of the King's, although Dr. Nick began seeking to restrict Elvis’s access to the drug. It is said that the doctor persuaded Knoll, a pharmaceutical company, to make a special batch of 1,000 Dilaudid pills with no active ingredients.

Alas, in the end, the inert pills could not save the King of Rock and Roll from himself. When he died, he had a lethal combination of drugs in his system, including codeine, ethinamate, Quaaludes, diazepam, amytal, Nembutal, carbrital, sinutab, Elavil, avental, and valmid, as well as an additional barbiturate that was unidentified.

Could cannabis have spared the King of Rock and Roll from his sad, untimely fate? It’s hard to say. Based on personal accounts, Elvis had a fairly addictive and depressive personality. However, he felt justified in using barbiturates because they were legally prescribed by a doctor, while cannabis could only be obtained on the street in the underground black market.

If cannabis had been a legal alternative, it might have been able to help wean him off his dependence on Demerol and Dilaudid. There is growing evidence that cannabis use can help significantly reduce the use of opioids, and if Elvis needed help sleeping, a heavy indica would have been a much safer alternative.

Inevitably, we will never know if cannabis could have altered the course of a very sad tale in the history of rock and roll. But the tale of the Memphis Flash, the Tupelo Tornado, the very King of Rock and Roll will go down in history as a dark lesson on the dangers of so-called “legal” drugs and the deceptive power of perception.

Photo credit: AP Images

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by Lisa Rough at Leafly News & Culture

STRAIN OF THE DAY 07/30/2016: CRATER LAKE (HYBRID)

CANNABIS STRAIN OF THE DAY 07/30/2016: CRATER LAKE (HYBRID)

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by Potbox, Inc.

What’s So Special About Humboldt County Cannabis?

Washington apples. Georgia peaches. How about Humboldt County cannabis?

Most consumers across the country are familiar with Northern California’s Emerald Triangle, the largest cannabis-producing region in the United States. Since the free-love 1960s, growers there have been cultivating cannabis that ranks among the best in the world. As markets across the country expand, local growers want to capitalize on that hard-won reputation. So beginning next month, producers in Humboldt County — one of three counties in the Emerald Triangle — will be able to officially stamp their cannabis as Humboldt-grown. 

It’s an effort to “help protect the Humboldt artisanal brand,” county officials say. As of Aug. 1, stamps on Humboldt-grown cannabis products will carry a “proof of origin” sticker that includes a cannabis symbol, the county seal, and a QR code. Medical patients can download a smartphone app to scan the code and confirm a product’s authenticity. 

Why does the county care so much about protecting primo bud? In large part it’s a track-and-trace effort, meant to ensure that legally grown cannabis isn’t diverted to the black market or sold to minors. But it’s also a sign of an effort among local growers to distinguish themselves from the rest.

In nearby Mendocino County, another member of the Emerald Triangle, farmers are carving the county into numerous smaller appellations, or specific growing regions. It’s an idea borrowed from the world of wine, meant to help discerning connoisseurs know what they’re getting (and brag about how exclusive it is).

“Emerald Triangle cultivators want to prevent others, with cannabis grown only partially or not at all locally, from exploiting the good will associated with the region’s traditionally high quality product,” cannabis branding attorney Alison Malsbury wrote in a blog post. “The hope is to prevent big corporations and outside companies from using the names of the region and sub-regions on their branding.”

Malsbury’s colleague, lawyer Hilary Bricken, has called the appellations project “one of the best cannabis branding ideas I’ve heard in a while.” 

With adult-use legalization on the November ballot in California, the state’s legal cannabis market could dwarf other legal states almost overnight. NORML California executive director Dale Gieringer said earlier this year that California’s market could be as much as two to 10 times the size of Colorado’s. That’s likely to lure in all sorts of newcomers — and indeed it already has. Efforts like those in Humboldt and Mendocino county are ways for local, longtime growers to protect their home turf.

How much does all this matter in terms of the final product? It depends. In terms of indoor, hydroponically grown cannabis, there may not be much difference between a plant grown in Eureka and one grown in Los Angeles. But the same isn’t true for cannabis grown outdoors. Just as wine connoisseurs sing the praises of Napa Valley or France’s Burgundy, region, some in cannabis say the Emerald Triangle’s soil itself is special.

Tucked amid the Emerald Triangle’s dense forest are rumored 18-foot-tall cannabis plants and rare “estate” strains that growers have bred to flourish in California’s coastal climate. Terroir — the nature of a growing environment, from soil to topography to the fog rolling in off the ocean — is still a niche concept in cannabis, but it’s growing. As the legal market matures and more consumers start sniffing out “craft cannabis,” where and how a plant is grown will become ever more important.

“This is what makes wine so much fun for consumers,” Richard Mendelson, a wine law expert whose advice has been sought by the Mendocino Appellations Project, told the North Bay Business Journal, “to experiment and be able to go from the larger country and regional levels all the way down to the specific vineyard designation, and see, as a consumer, if you can spot those differences and understand the effect of terroir on the final product.”

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by Ben Adlin at Leafly News & Culture

New Strains Alert: Glue Tech, Blueberry Pancakes, Cheeseburger, and More!

The genetic diversity of cannabis is expansive, nuanced, and mostly undocumented. But as growers and breeders gain access to eclectic varieties of seeds and strains, a union of old world landraces and new world hybrids is emerging. That's why this week’s New Strains Alert is dedicated to the growing number of hybrid strains that are blending complementary effects from dissimilar lineages to create phenotypes that express the best qualities of these unions. Have you tried any of these newcomers to our strain database? If so, chime in and let us know which hybrids you prefer and why!

  Glue Tech

Glue Tech is a functional indica that shows its rich Afghani lineage in the form of bright green buds coated in sugary trichomes. This strain's effects are relaxing and sedative, especially with continued consumption, but also anticipate appetite enhancement. These attributes make Glue Tech ideal for people suffering from eating disorders, GI problems, and chronic physical pain. The aroma is hashy, musky, and slightly sweet. Its flavor shares this muskiness with elements of earth and skunk on the exhale.

 

  Blueberry Pancakes

Blueberry Pancakes is a delicious indica-dominant hybrid that miraculously tastes like blueberry pancakes. With dense, slightly purple buds, this strain exhibits an aroma of blueberries, grape, and dough. Flavors of syrup and tart berry are especially present when vaporized or when utilizing non-butane combustion techniques, like hemp wick or herb irons. Blueberry Pancakes offers classic indica effects, including a weighted, relaxing physical buzz that can curb physical discomfort, nausea, joint pain, and insomnia.

 

  Cheeseburger

Cheeseburger by Cannasol Farms (of Omak, Washington) is a deep, sumptuous strain that leaves the consumer feeling satisfied, like a cheeseburger after a hard day’s work. With a long, mysterious heritage coming out of Okanogan, this indica-dominant strain was entrusted to Cannasol to ensure its wholesome genetics were preserved. With yield-per-plant weight reaching several pounds each, this plant grows and grows. Cheeseburger has been known to grow especially well with long summer nights, and matures when the first ears of corn ripen on the stalk.

 

  Afghan Widow

Afghan Widow is a strain with deep relaxing qualities that immediately envelop the body in a calming aura. This mid-level sedation is pleasant but not debilitating. However, with continued consumption, this strain may yield benefits for patients treating insomnia, nausea, physical discomfort, and some cancer treatment side effects. Afghan Widows lineage is a common sense cross of Afghan Kush and White Widow.

 

  White Strawberry

White Strawberry is the flavorful cross of The White and Strawberry Cough. This all-day hybrid blends The White’s relaxing physical effects and tertiary gastrointestinal benefits with Strawberry Cough’s cerebral stimulation to create a potent hybrid with medicinal utility. The cerebral effects can be rather spacey, making this strain perfect for repetitive tasks, but with continued consumption it supplies a euphoric mental aloofness that can help one shrug off stress and depression.

 

  Lem Chem

Lem Chem is a potent hybrid that is both sweet and sour, with distinct fuel/chemical nuances in flavor that denote its Chemdawg parentage. The buds have deep green foliage and tan/rusty pistils that also demonstrate the Chemdawg in this strain. Anticipate uplifted, mood-altering effects that settle in the limbs. The strain is neither sedative or active, but rather a balanced hybrid that reduces physical discomfort in such a way that promotes physical activity and wellbeing. Lem Chem can be very strong, so mind your dosage.

 

  Cookie Dough

Cookie Dough is a wonderfully potent Girl Scout Cookies phenotype. This particular version of the West Coast’s most popular strain exhibits an orange/yellowish sheen of trichomes and a pungent doughy aroma. Cookie Dough’s effects align closely with GSC’s, offering medical-grade sedation on the body and a well-lit mind that borders on speedy. Enjoy this strain as a means to stimulate appetite and dull physical pain while remaining mentally alert. Beginners beware, as this potent phenotype can be overwhelming. Negative effects such as mild dizziness and dry eyes have been noted by some consumers.

 

Browse through our other new strains that were recently added to the Leafly Explorer, or check out last week's newest additions!

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by Jeremiah Wilhelm at Leafly News & Culture

Illinois Governor Signs Bill Reducing Cannabis Penalties

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Cannabis possession in small amounts in Illinois will be punishable by fines but not jail time after Gov. Bruce Rauner signed legislation Friday that makes the state the third largest to decriminalize minor marijuana offenses.

The new law, which takes effect immediately, makes having 10 grams or less of marijuana will be a civil offense, punishable with a fine of up to $200. The Republican governor had been expected to sign the bill because it included language he requested after vetoing similar legislation last year. In his message to lawmakers at the time, Rauner said that existing penalties for petty marijuana offenses were too severe and that "criminal prosecution of cannabis possession is also a drain on public resources."

The new law also sets a standard for what's considered too impaired to drive. Currently, any trace of cannbis is enough to be considered impaired, but cannabis advocates have long criticized zero-tolerance states' approach because marijuana can stay in a person's system for several weeks. The new law makes the standard 5 nanograms of THC, marijuana's intoxicating chemical, in a driver's blood within two hours of consumption.

The Associated Press was first to report the bill signing. A state official with knowledge of the governor's decision told the AP about the signing but spoke on the condition of anonymity because a formal announcement had not yet been made.

With Rauner's signature, Illinois joins 16 other states, including New York and California, that have decriminalized cannabis possession in small amounts.

The governor's office said Rauner would not be making a statement on the bill signing.

Police chiefs and sheriffs have expressed reservations about changing the law and worked with Rauner for weeks to prepare for its implementation. One police chief said he's concerned more people will have access to marijuana because of the change.

"You're giving individuals more opportunities for drug usage," said Laimutis Nargelenas, a former lobbyist for the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police and the current police chief for the Springfield Park District.

He said authorities are working on developing paperwork for traffic infractions to track how many people are driving high across the state because of the law change.

The sponsors of the bill praised Rauner's action, saying the state should focus on punishing and treating people for more serious drugs.

"Fundamentally, this is about how we utilize our limited law enforcement resources," said Rep. Kelly Cassidy, a Chicago Democrat.

About 100 Illinois communities, including Chicago, already give police discretion to issue citations instead of making arrests for having small amounts of the drug. Lawmakers said they were concerned that minorities were being treated differently by police when handled cannabis offenses.

"We're treating people really differently across the state, and we should be really getting out of that," said Chicago Democratic Sen. Heather Steans, another bill sponsor.

The law would also require municipalities to purge citation records for possession every six months, unless local governments decide against it. Supporters argue people shouldn't be saddled with lifelong criminal records for minor offenses that make it difficult to find employment or housing.

The bill Rauner vetoed last year set guidelines that were less strict than the new law. Lawmakers wanted possession of up to 15 grams of marijuana to be a civil offense punishable with a fine between $55 and $125. Lawmakers also initially proposed that the standard for a marijuana DUI be 15 nanograms.

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by The Associated Press at Leafly News & Culture

Toker Tools and Solar-Powered Vaporizers: The Best Cannabis Products of July 2016

Welcome to Leafly's cannabis products roundup for the month of July, where we take a look at a few of the many different products that are making a splash in the industry. Summer is in full swing, so while you're soaking up the sun while simultaneously trying to beat the heat, check out this month's cannabis products that caught our eye. From a tried-and-true strain to solar-powered vaporizers, here are some cool products that caught our eye this month. You can find these products through our own Products section for further information.

1. Jack Herer Cannabis

Since we've halfway through summer, why not pick up a few nugs of the legendary Jack Herer for all of your outdoor fun? Known for its pleasant, energizing, and clear-headed high, this famous sativa is perfect for any outdoor (or indoor) summer activity, whether it’s a hike through the woods or a peaceful picnic. Use our strain finder to find this lovely strain near you!

2. Vapium Summit Vaporizer

Designed with the great outdoors and portability in mind, the good people at Vapium came up with the Summit portable herb vaporizer. The high-quality construction of the Summit ensures an easy and great hit while standing up under whatever conditions you find yourself in. Technophiles will love how the Summit is capable of pairing with your phone to help keep an easier track of your temperature settings and vape session time. This is a great option for those of you who lead a more adventurous lifestyle during these sunny summer days!

3. Vapium Spring Solar Charger

Vapium also created an ingenious companion charger piece for the Summit vaporizer to help keep a charge when you’re out in the wilderness (or anywhere else, for that matter) away from outlets. The Spring Solar charger is powered by the sun and would make for a great addition to the Summit. Just eight hours of direct sunlight will have your Summit fully charged and ready to go, but you can also use the micro USB port for a faster charge if you’re short on time. No matter which method you choose, the Spring Solar charge is a clever way to stay powered up without keeping you tethered inside to the wall!

4. Toker Tool

Also known as the Ganjah Ninjah, the Toker Tool from Roll-Uh-Bowl is the Swiss Army knife for cannabis consumers so they're always prepared when it's time for a sesh. Coming in at about the same size as a credit card, the Toker Tool is designed to be carried everywhere and is equipped with a ton of features such as a poking tool/bowl cleaner, joint holder, blunt splicer, nug chopper, and more! This is a tool you definitely wouldn’t want to leave home without.

5. Colorful Bud Can Koozie

As this is the season for cookouts and outdoor get-togethers, why not show your love for beautiful nugs by picking up this colorful Bud Can Koozie from Rasta Empire! Now you can keep your beverage cool in the heat while keeping your stoner style in check. This is sure to be a fun summer item that will turn heads, so don’t miss out on your chance to pick one up!

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by Darren Harris at Leafly News & Culture