Nov
16
California: World’s Largest Cannabis Consumer Market

In November 1996, the voters of California passed Proposition 215, the first medical cannabis law in the nation since the implementation of federal marijuana prohibition nearly 60 years earlier in 1937. Fifty-six percent of the electorate of America’s most populous state said yes to medical cannabis. In the process, they also made a promise of helping patients with diseases as wide ranging as AIDS, cancer, Crohn’s disease, depression, epilepsy, fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis, and Alzheimer’s on that historic day.

Twenty years following this rebellious outpouring of compassion for patients, California’s voters again said yes to cannabis. This time, however, it was in the form of adult use (“recreational”) legalization. On November 8, 2016, voters in the Golden State—by a margin of 57 percent—made their voices heard on a global scale by ushering in what is officially the world’s largest market for recreational marijuana.

At 40 million residents, California ranks as the world’s sixth largest economy (as measured by GDP, or Gross Domestic Product). That’s up against rivals such as Germany, the United Kingdom, and China and a bigger economy than France or Brazil.

Industry Hurdles

It’s not all peaches and cream, however. Dozens of the 482 localities and cities within California’s 58 counties have banned one or all aspects of cannabis business within their jurisdictions.

Stylish Ventura County, just west of Los Angeles, is one of the more conservative of the state’s counties. This regional retreat from the City of Angels has banned cultivation, manufacturing, and retail cannabis operations. In similar but slightly less strict fashion, Napa County, infamous for its central valley vineyards, has decided to allow commercial cultivation while simultaneously banning cannabis manufacturing and retail operations.

In October 2017, Kern County (home to oil-rich Bakersfield) banned cannabis cultivation and sales. County supervisors voted 4-1 in favor of the ban, stating that cannabis “has had a destructive impact on local communities.” The ban put the kibosh on a whopping 28 dispensaries in the county.

Bans Exceed Businesses

As reported in the San Francisco Chronicle in November 2017, 43 of the San Francisco Bay Area’s 114 cities and counties have outright banned the cultivation of cannabis plants by citizens. This is a whopping 38 percent of jurisdictions within what is traditionally considered one of the most progressive regions in the U.S. for cannabis regulation (it was activists in San Francisco that spearheaded 1996’s Proposition 215).

An Uncertain Future

Advocates and entrepreneurs are widely divided in their predictions of the future of the fledgling adult use cannabis market in the California. Many predict that a conservative presidential administration in Washington, D.C. will continue to punish—or at least not help—states that have entered the new market.

Others, however, predict a rosier situation in which federal opposition continues to crumble under an increasingly thin support base, the release of solid clinical studies, and the defection of previous opponents of cannabis legalization (such as Obama administration House Speaker John Boehner’s role in cannabis investment firm Acreage Holdings). Advocates point out that even conservative Republicans care about the quality of life of children who suffer from severe conditions such as Dravet Syndrome epilepsy.

Potent Predictions

Even entrenched politicians in the United States get booted from elected office if their local or regional economy lags for an excessive period. Many predict that, after two or three years, the positive fiscal effects of the success of progressive jurisdictions that have embraced the cannabis industry will be felt and publicized.

Cities and counties willing to take the plunge and allow cannabis businesses may enjoy significant tax revenues advantages over their prohibitionist neighbors that choose to ban instead of embrace the early 21st century trend of full adult use legalization, including robust regulation and taxation.

It is these tax revenues that will be oh-so-sorely needed during a continued economic recession in the U.S. The validity of this mechanism is clarvoyantingly echoed by California City, a small town of about 14,000 residents located 65 miles southwest of the Death Valley National Park.

California City features a prison, a golf course, and a small municipal airport. It is losing population and going broke. It is also one of the few jurisdictions in California that is openly welcoming cannabis businesses to remedy its financial dilemma.

As more jurisdictions in California jump on the “cannabis can save the economy” bandwagon, more success stories will emerge. Even traditionally conservative cities will be pressured to remove bans of cannabis businesses to generate tax revenues for core public services, such as schools, fire protection, and police services.

Industry Opinion

In November 2018, I interviewed Rae Anne Campellone, Executive Vice President at Kismet Consumer Product Group in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Campellone is a veteran advertising and marketing executive who has accumulated more than three decades of executive experience in national retail promotion.  

Curt Robbins: “From a retail perspective, what is the state of affairs for the emerging cannabis industry in California?”

Rae Anne Campellone: “Currently, hemp and marijuana products that are in compliance with California state laws—and that are properly licensed—can be made and sold in any California dispensary or collective.

“Companies not in compliance with state regulations will be shut down for incomplete or faulty paperwork. For the most part, it won’t be black helicopters and SWAT teams that shutter businesses in California over the next couple of years. Rather, it will be tax collectors and other public administrators enforcing the regulations that are finally coming to fruition.”

CR: “What do you foresee as the most popular consumption forms and methods in California? Which market segments do you and your colleagues predict will gain the greatest market share?”

RAC: “I think there will be a surge in product delivery methods. The products will be based on cannabinoids like THC, CBD, THCV (for appetite suppression and to combat Type 2 diabetes), and hybrids—but the consumer delivery methodology will vary. When given multiple choices, consumers will ‘buy-and-try’ until they discover their preference, regardless of price category.”

CR: “What about edibles and beverages? Some pundits are predicting a massive and highly segregated market for cannabis infused beverages such as coffee and energy drinks.”

RAC: “Edibles and beverages are separate categories and will remain self-contained. As the market expands into mainstream retail stores, there will be more interaction with the FDA [U.S. Food & Drug Administration]. They will be harder to work with on ingestible products. If a cannabis product can put it in your mouth, the FDA will have regulatory oversight authority and want to approve it for general public consumption.”

CR: “What types of market metrics are available for the emerging cannabis industry at this time?”

RAC: “Edibles, topicals, and beverages have no benchmarks at this time, so we’ve adopted a wait and see posture. We will begin testing products in these segments in a mainstream U.S.-based drug store chain in 2019.

“We’ll finally get answers to basic questions, such as exactly how cannabis products will be integrated into retail store shelves. These are all issues that must be worked out before the cannabis industry can begin expanding into interstate commerce and develop into a true national market.”  

GR: “What about traditional market segments, such as flowers and concentrates?”

RAC: “Despite trends that predict massive growth for segments like cannabis infused beverages and topicals, flower sales will remain king in 2019 in California. They will likely account for more than 50 percent of total sales.”

GR: “Analysts and pundits are predicting a bloodbath in the marketplace after legalization sets in, with the majority of current participants—black market, grey market, and fully legal—going out-of-business in the next one to three years. Which brands do you think have staying power?”

RAC: “I have my eye on Perrywinkles Edibles in Los Angeles and EndoTeas in Northern California. Perrywinkles focuses on gourmet edibles for the medical and recreational markets, while EndoTeas specializes in CBD-infused teas and related products as health aids.”

Aug
18
Cannabis: God’s Medicine

We are going into the Doctors past this week with CANNABIS: GOD’S MEDICINE

David originally wrote this article during his incarceration of 2010, he was spared jail due to jury nullification

 

I write this from a prison bed (rack) in Mississippi. I am a prisoner of war. I am a retired cardiac surgeon who has never been arrested in all my 58 years on earth. I am a prisoner of a failed yet highly functional drug war on our citizens. The reasons for this war are not clear, nor are the reasons based on scientific fact. As is the case with most wars, the true motives are hidden agendas and ulterior motives.

Previous California Governor (and now California State Attorney General) Jerry Brown was once quoted by Joe Garofoli of the San Francisco Chronicle: “Here’s the real scam  the drug war is one of the games to get more convictions and prisoners.” At last, someone of authority is stating what most of us already know. The motivation for most human endeavors is money. Prisons and the “justice” system are merely businesses. For everyone involved, more prisoners is more business is more money, from the bondsmen to the drug-testing facilities. The prison industry is the single largest generator of revenue for some states, out-earning all other enterprises.

Harry Anslinger, head of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics (FBN) in 1937, had a personal motive for making cannabis (marijuana) illegal to possess, sell, or transfer. At the time, cannabis was a well-known medicine. Every major pharmaceutical manufacturer in the United States had tinctures or extracts of cannabis for medicinal use. During Congressional hearings, the American Medical Association (AMA) strongly argued that cannabis prohibition would make a highly beneficial medication unavailable. No popular democratic vote was held on this matter. Federal bureaucracy, guided by special interests, ruled on the issue. The AMA’s objection and scientific knowledge of the day were ignored. All reference to cannabis as medicine was removed from the pharmacopoeia. Government censorship suppressed freedom of speech, scientific research and knowledge, and became law.

 

The next major blow to scientific research of cannabis occurred with a battle between Harry Anslinger and New York Mayor Fiorello La Guardia. Mayor La Guardia tricked Anslinger into providing government-grown marijuana samples for a team of scientists and doctors to study this reportedly harmful substance. This two year study, called the La Guardia Report, found no harmful effects of this medication. This so angered Anslinger that he denounced and suppressed the study. He had learned his lesson and made government cannabis (the only legal source) unavailable for scientific study from that day forward. Currently, it is almost impossible for any scientist or physician, regardless of training or qualifications, to obtain samples of government marijuana for study. Essentially, no person can obtain or handle this so-called “dangerous narcotic.” It is easier to obtain and study virtually any other hazardous substance than it is to obtain and study cannabis. This includes biological agents like anthrax, explosives, radioactive materials and addictive pharmaceuticals.

 

Drugs are currently grouped into five classes called “schedules.” Schedule I is the most dangerous and has the following criteria:

  1. These drugs have a high potential for abuse
  2. There is no currently accepted medical usefor these drugs in the United States
  3. These drugs are not safe, even under aphysician’s direction

Drugs classified as Schedule I include heroin, LSD, PCP, MDMA (ecstasy), DMT, STP, hashish and THC (tetrahydrocannabinol, the active ingredient in cannabis). Interestingly, Marinol (a man-made synthetic form of THC) is classified as a Schedule III substance, which has medicinal value and a low potential for abuse. Additionally, morphine, cocaine, Dilaudid, Lortab and a host of other potentially hazardous drugs are Schedule II. These are all considered by the government to be less dangerous than marijuana. Current scientific evidence clearly shows that cannabis is non addictive and has far less addictive potential than coffee. Over twenty five per cent of the United States (fourteen states) have medical cannabis laws. California has had safe, physician-directed med- ical use of marijuana since 1996. Therefore, cannabis does not fit any of the aforementioned criteria for classification as a Schedule I dangerous narcotic.

In 1978 the government started treating patients with medical marijuana. The program was called the Investigational New Drug (IND) Program and still has patients who receive marijuana under physician supervision. The program required yearly physical exams from participating physicians who prescribed this medicine. Each patient was evaluated yearly and had laboratory exams submitted to the federal government. The patients had the prescriptions of medical marijuana filled from government marijuana grown in Oxford, Mississippi. The program is still active today and patients receive large tins of pre rolled marijuana cigarettes. These patients can fly anywhere in the United States legally with this medicine. The IND program is proof that cannabis is not Schedule I. Please Google search ‘Elvy Musikka federal IND patient.’

 

Even the term “dangerous narcotic” is a misnomer. Cannabis is not a narcotic drug, but a very different class of drugs termed “cannabinoids.” Cannabinoids include more than sixty compounds, the most widely known of which is THC. Cannabinoids stimulate receptors in the human body termed “cannabinoid receptors,” which have physiologic function when stimulated. Are these receptors part of an intelligent design for deriving maximum benefit from cannabis? Apparently God, in his infinite wisdom, made receptors in all vertebrate animals that respond to cannabinoid stimulation. The human body has two types of cannabinoid receptors. Type I is found in the brain and nerve tissues. Type II is found in the gut (intestine), lymphatics and joints. Multiple physiologic (and thus medicinal) effects of cannabinoids, which stimulate these receptors, have been demonstrated scientifically by world- wide research.

 

The human body produces the chemical anandamide, which is a hormone commonly referred to as the “bliss molecule.” This naturally-occurring endogenous cannabinoid causes a feeling of well-being and numer- ous other physiologic effects. These medicinal effects include, but are not limited to: relief of pain, satiety and hunger, decreased spasticity and greater control of seizure activity, migraine control and relief of fibromyalgia, insomnia, anxiety and a host of other functions. Anandamide levels may explain different pain thresholds in humans. Some scientists theorize that a deficiency of anandamide, the endogenous cannabinoid, can lead to a broad range of disease processes.

 

Safety and Effects of Cannabinoids

As it turns out, no documented deaths have ever been reported from the use of cannabis. The lethal dose (LD50) of cannabis is so large as to be physically impossible for anyone to ingest or consume enough to cause death. Additionally, no man-made medicine — none — can come close to the safety margin cannabis affords. Even aspirin kills 1200 people each year in the United States alone (not including world- wide figures). What this means is that cannabis is the safest medication in the treatment of a variety of ill- nesses and medical problems. These include: insom- nia, anxiety, anorexia, asthma, depression, attention deficiency hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), menstrual cramps, migraines, spastic disorders including cerebral palsy, seizure disorders, bowel disorders like irritable bowel syndrome, glaucoma, psoriasis, dysphonias, arthritis, and a host of other uses. There is a growing body of scientific evidence that cannabinoids even have anti- tumor properties. Lack of cannabinoid receptors in the intestines is associated with an increased frequen- cy of bowel cancers. Certain brain tumors, specifically gliomas, shrink with the stimulation by suppression of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF). VEGF causes vascular proliferation and ingrowth of feeder vessels, which causes these tumors to grow. THC stops this vascular ingrowth and thus diminishes the size of gliomas clinically. No other drug or chemotherapeutic agent has this effect. In the future, THC suppression of VEGF may be responsible for keeping coronary artery stents open and free of vas- cular endothelial regrowth. Grandma could keep her coronary stents open by smoking pot. Obviously, the potential for safe medical use of cannabis is more important than any other medicine.

THC (delta 9 – tetrahydrocannabinol) is the agent that actually causes the “high” effect. Even the term “high” is a derogatory description of the effects of cannabis, and more properly should be termed an anxiolytic (decreasing anxiety) or medicated effect. California patients properly describe getting medicated in the usage of cannabis. “High,” “doped-up,” “hopped-up,” “drugged-out” and “spacey” are all derogatory terms used to describe the effects of cannabis. This is a clear example of the inexperienced and uneducated masses attempting to demonize this divine salve. This same tactic of using derogatory terms was employed against the black man to incite fear of a people the massive majority didn’t want to understand. If you still doubt the medicinal effects and speed of the onset of cannabis’s effects, I challenge you to look up “Jacqueline Patterson” on YouTube. She is seen in a segment of a video called “In Pot We Trust.” Ms. Patterson has a severe speech impediment from cerebral palsy. Her speech is so abnormal that it is hard to listen to and quite obviously affects her life. She is seen purchasing a small amount of pot in downtown Kansas City. Ms Patterson is shown before and after medicating with pot just a couple puffs of cannabis and almost instantaneously, her speech is normalized and the spasticity is relieved. No person viewing this video can deny the immediate medicinal effect and subsequent improvement in her life.

 

My Case

I am presently incarcerated at the George County Regional Correctional Facility in Lucedale, Mississippi. On February 19, 2009, Jackson County drug task force agents raided my 48-acre lake property called the Blue Hole. Their main objective was to seize my property and profit from their actions. At that time, I was a legal resident of Berkeley, California. My sister and her husband were caretakers of the Blue Hole. Police found four grams of cannabis and a small amount of hash in my brother- in-law’s possession. There was a room found with lights and fans, but no plants were found by drug task force agents. This room was being used as storage space and contained several large boxes, in addition to my musical equipment. My sister and brother-in-law were arrested and charged with possession and cultivation of marijuana. I was contacted by my sister and informed that a warrant had been issued for my arrest. I decided to surrender myself to the authorities at the downtown Oakland, California office of Americans for Safe Access (ASA).

The police were contacted and I was subsequently taken to the Santa Rita prison, where I was held for two weeks. I was then extradited from California to Mississippi in handcuffs and leg irons in the trunk (cargo hold) of a minivan, curled in the fetal position. All of this occurred prior to my indictment, and was a nightmare for a heart surgeon not accustomed to running afoul of the law. Immediately upon my arrival in Mississippi, I began to suffer mistreatment by the legal system. I made a court appearance without being allowed to shower, shave, or even comb my hair. I was released on a “murderer’s bond” of $100,000 and told I was facing a 35-year prison term for my “crime.” It should be noted that the physician involved with Michael Jackson’s death is facing only four years if he is convicted on all charges.

Over the next few months, I hired and fired a series of attorneys who had political impetus to assist the local drug task force. Since I had worked at the local hospital, I had previously performed cardiac surgery on the mothers of two of the attorneys I had asked to help me. I then paid $25,000 cash to two other Jackson, Mississippi attorneys, and they were even worse. These four attorneys had ample motivation to assist me. I firmly suspect legal pressure by law enforcement was exerted in an attempt to convict me and profit from the seizure of my lake estate, the Blue Hole.

After my release on bond, I returned to Sacramento, California, and set up a medical practice there. I also hired a private investigator, who was a Hell’s Angel, to fly to Mississippi and gather information on my case. He told me he had never before been intimidated like he was in Mississippi. Even with the proper releases, calls and emails from my legal counsel in Sacramento, he was unable to get any information or copies of my files from my Mississippi attorney. After a week of failed daily attempt to glean any information, he returned empty-handed. All my property, family videos, family photographs and legal paper work were unavailable.

In December, I foolishly returned to Mississippi with an employee to gather information on my charges. I was quickly re-arrested and charged with witness tampering after talking to my sister (This was prior to indictment). My bond was revoked and I have been incarcerated for four months now. In Mississippi, you lose your Constitutional right to bond if you get charged with a second offense while out on bond. After about a month of incarceration, I was blessed with a King James Version of the holy scriptures. I read the bible daily and pray incessantly for divine intervention. For the first time in my 58 years of life, I have read the complete bible. I was sur- prised to find a few passages I had never been taught before. The following scriptures are paraphrased – please refer to the original King James Version for their entirety.

On the very first page of the bible, in Genesis 1:29, we read:
“And God said, ‘Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is on the face of all the earth; to you it shall be for meat.’”

Genesis 1:30 reiterates:
“I have given you every green herb for meat.”

These two scriptures I had heard quoted before, but it all became clear when I came across Romans 14:2, which says: “For one believeth that he may eat all things. Another, who is weak, eateth herbs.” We come to read the following in Romans 14:3: “Let him that eateth (herbs) not despise him that doesn’t, and let him that doesn’t eat (herbs) not judge him that does.” I personally encourage you to examine the exact modern wording. Newer versions of the bible substi- tute the word “vegetables” for “herbs” and prove the danger of modern translations of the holy scriptures. Obviously, one would not despise vegetarians or even judge them. These passages can only mean that herbs are used by the weak, infirm and the sick for medical reasons.

It’s true the bible doesn’t say “smoke pot,” but eating it is a legitimate use of cannabis. Actually, oral consumption of cannabis is used frequently by medical patients, and “edibles” are available in California cannabis dispensaries (There are nearly 45 dispensaries in the city of Sacramento alone.). You can purchase edibles in the form of cookies, brownies, cakes, popcorn, milkshakes, suckers, chocolates and butter, as well as a healthy variety of other food products. Eating cannabis is stronger and a little harder to control for some patients because of a delay of onset of the effects. The medicine is absorbed in the gastro- intestinal tract and filtered by the liver. This method of ingestion alters the delta-9 THC to delta-11 THC, which is stronger and lasts longer. Due to this fact, most patients find it more suitable to adjust their dose by smoking it, which delivers an immediate effect. Also, a patient can stop once they have achieved their desired dosage, a state difficult to reach by oral consumption.

 

Negative Effects of Cannabis

Fortunately, all of the government’s claims against marijuana have been proven false. I’m sure you can name a few. Recently, a single report (which is not substantiated by any other scientific study) links cannabis use to schizophrenia. I have even heard that the recent Pentagon “pot shooter” is proof that mar- ijuana makes all of its users deranged. Since 70 per cent of all citizens in industrialized nations have tried cannabis and as many as 40 per cent use it on a reg- ular basis, we would be a world of schizophrenics if these reports were true. Harry Anslinger used this as a scare tactic way back in 1937. A schizophrenic who murdered his family using an axe, was the case offered as evidence to Congress that pot drives you “crazy.” The reality is that pot makes a person calm and sedate. Other drugs (or even alcohol) tend to amplify a person’s violent tendencies.

In Romans 13:13, God tells us:
“Let us walk honestly, as in the day, not in rioting and drunkenness.”

I believe this passage, which immediately precedes Romans 14:2-3, indicates God’s intention of medical use of cannabis for the weak and not to use it for drunkenness and inebriation.

As a cardiac surgeon, I performed delicate operations requiring concentration and a steady hand. I did this while maintaining the best mortality and morbidity statistics in Mississippi. I still admit that I am human with human faults. I suffered anxiety with the responsibility of ensuring absolute perfection in my results. I carried this substantial burden of keeping very old patients alive to the best of my human abilities. I could never have treated my anxiety, insomnia, depression, ADHD or PTSD with any other man-made drugs or alcohol with the same results. I never not even once  was medicated while operat- ing on my patients. I used cannabis late at night before retiring. I believe the issue of overuse or even misuse of cannabis (or any other medication) is a valid one. There is no evidence that misuse is harmful to anyone other than that person. I believe I now have proof that jail is much more harmful than smoking pot.

 

As a responsible society, we need to weigh the risks and benefits of this medicine. Should we be forced to demonstrate the harm to others by one’s personal use of pot prior to sending them to prison? Should cannabis be used to jail citizens and seize legally purchased property? Should police make these decisions prior to a court appearance? When private corporations called “drug task forces” profit from property seizures, will this lead to the end of the “right to own property” without fear of illegal search and seizure?

I believe I am currently in prison for higher reasons than the so called “crimes” I was charged with. I also firmly believe God Himself placed me here to slow me down long enough to stop sinning and start get- ting to know Him. The true challenge shall present itself when I get out, set free by God, my savior. I will be tested by the world with the devil’s distractions. Obviously, the passages I have quoted here are not the most important part of the testament. The most important things are the admission and repentance of your sins, and the belief that Christ Jesus died and shed his perfect life’s blood for you. He was resurrected from death for your salvation. Your simple, yet powerful, belief in the gospel will save you for all eternity. It is time you slow down and read.

 

Credit (2010 ~ treating yourself magazine)

Jul
27
The 2018 Kootenay Cannabis Cup

Blazin’ days are here again as the Summer evening grows…in the Kootenays! Get your flower and get your power in the Sunniest city in B.C., Cranbrook for the FIRST TIME EVER!!

You are not going to want to miss this! Super mom and longtime Cannabis activist Tamara Cartwright is bringing together Craft growers, medical marijuana patients, the canna-curious and enthusiasts for the first ever Cannabis Cup to crown the King or Queen of Cannabis in the Kootenays! Easy to get to with flights from Air Canada, Pacific Coastal or Swoop airlines with plenty of hotel and motel options for an amazing time in one of the true hidden gems of British Columbia. Where the Purple’s are real and the extracts are fresh and full of flavour.

The cannabiz is growing, bursting out everywhere, being consumed by monster corporations but here’s your chance to meet the real craft growers and their most excellent products, up close and personal. Talk shop, judge all the cannabis products or just spend an amazing Summer weekend being entertained with live acts and enjoying the warm evening with like-minded people, comedy and music. This IS the Kootnenays premiere social Cannabis gathering. The original, first and only one of it’s kind. Meet friends, make friends. 

The Green Room comedy star Darryl Makk brings his internationally act on Saturday night. Having previously opened up for Bob Saget, Emo Philips, Englebert Humperdink (who does that?), Mike Macdonald and One-Love, CannaGod Bob Marley, you know this is a show you do not want to miss! One-time only. Opening night Friday features the pop-rock of Dawson Rutledge whose rustic, organic acoustic feel has a warm ‘70s Woodstock vibe to it. Rutledge’s voice and lyrics that will pull you in and keep you captivated. Award-winning, young and on the rise, Dawson brings everything to the stage and leaves nothing behind. Sunday night rounds out with the MC Tamarijuana bringing her unique blend of talk and tunes to entertain, delight and Crown the King or Queen of Cannabis in the Kootenays. 

All this is happening in one of Cranbrooks loveliest Pub settings, Shananigans Pub. With a patio and excellent food specials, this is a Cannabis Cup like no other, real food by real people in one of the most beautiful and peaceful places on Earth. Your munchies have a friend in Shananigans Pub.

Our featured speakers will blow your mind with their perseverance in the business and experience. Mae Moon, owner & publisher of Twelve High Chicks has been working, literally across the Earth to bring sense and sensibility to Cannabis laws and businesses; Sarah MacNeil from our sister province Alberta, canna-mom to Mia’s Temple in Airdie, will speak about her challenges and successes running a shop in Alberta with Special Guest Speaker Caroline Todd out of Nimbin, Australia will let us know how things are in the good’day country of Australia as part of the Nimbin Hemp Embassy. Come get your International Weed On!

A lot of Cannabis Cups only focus on the end product as it should for judges but if you want to start growing yourself, we have three official seed sponsors to choose from, another unique feature of the Kootenay Cannabis Cup, we are putting the power and the plant into everyone’s hands, not just a select few. Here’s your chance to get in on canna-action personally and grow! Crop King Seeds, The BC Bud Depot and Crazy Diamonds Seeds will all have you growing the best plants for you. Don’t get it twisted, we still have the finest Cannabis you can grow and process at the Kootenay Cannabis Cup but we are all about making it a safe and pleasant event for everyone, including those who just want to grow your own stone.

Here’s your chance to make your mark as either the one who decides which is the best Cannabis in the Kootenays or want the Cannabis Cup Crown for yourself, this first time Cannabis Cup is yours to discover and own. Whether you want to just network with like-minded folks building a safe, sociable Kootenay Cannabis scene, hear some amazing comedy, music or what it takes to make it in Cannabis or just have an excuse to enjoy one of the true gorgeous beauties of British Columbia, the Kootenay Cannabis Cup is yours to explore.

Details: KootenayCannabisCup.org August 24, 25, 26, 2018 at Shananigans Pub, 10 12th Ave South, Cranbrook. Judges Kits: $220 CDN (taxes included) includes undisclosed amount of samples, full weekend of entertainment and meal; Weekend Pass for $100 CDN (taxes included) includes swag bag, weekend entertainment, and a meal. 

Jul
22
WEEDS®: Through the Looking Glass

As someone recently stated, Prohibition 2.0 is on the rise with the fallible legalization of Cannabis in Canada. The definition of this statement has so far proven to be muddy moving forward with the proposed Bill C-45, a.k.a. the “new” Cannabis Act which will ultimately generate a deeper underground community and incriminate many. Outlined in this new proposal is a pitfire of over-exhausting Cannabis policies and understudied laws awaiting a future crossroad to be later challenged in court.

Cannabis has always been an unpredictable tide, and has washed away many things metaphorically speaking. Tax money spent on arrests for Cannabis is one example and it needs to stop. It is a ridiculous notion that Cannabis is harmful, when in fact it’s the laws that make it harmful. Ultimately Cannabis advocates are being bullied and arrested into a corporatization of government managed Cannabis (60,000+ Cannabis related arrests since Trudeau came to bat). In addition, this leaves little room for sensible Cannabis regulatory improvement because there is no personal dialogue permitted when Cannabis advocates are unjustly getting arrested and possess the most knowledge. Without any real conversation about being a part of the changes, how are Canadians supposed to transition together?

Canadian Corporate Cannabis made its mark in 2013, when the Canadian government decided to expand licensed production and offer “law-abiding” citizens who had the money to risk in order to have an opportunity to become a Licensed Producer. Many applied and many were denied. The long winded unreasonable application process to become a Licensed Producer placed many in a defeated financial hole and left many feeling outraged. Ultimately, this generated an opportunity for dispensaries to thrive in a “forbidden” corporate industry, which now poses as a declaration of personal freedom for the people, by the people… and a seemingly threat to existing licensed producers. As the darkest days proceed, the Cannabis advocacy strengthens, and divides.
Perseverance and integrity are characteristics that exist far and few between.This is the highlight of two remarkable humans who have united to stand up for their beliefs and continue to push the envelope with ethics, professionalism and business transparency. Don and Carol of Vancouver British Columbia Canada, are two Cannabis crusaders who have been victims of prohibition, and who have served unjust time for Cannabis “crimes” in Canada. They have endured the trenches through the war on drugs and continue to watch through the looking glass of what’s to come of legal weed in Canada.

Don Briere and Carol Gwilt of Vancouver BC are Cannabis entrepreneurs who are owners and proprietors of WEEDS® Glass and Gifts. Don’s crusade for Cannabis began in the 1990’s when he was arrested for Cannabis cultivation and trafficking in 1999. The lack of employment opportunities in British Columbia steered him to Cannabis cultivation in addition to knowing that is was safer than alcohol. Cannabis cultivation and businesses are a huge part of BC’s economy today. Don served 4 years in federal prison
Carol’s crusade started with Hemp originally when she took it upon herself to learn about hemp and hemp prohibition. She found it fascinating that such a versatile plant was banned and illegal. So she pursued a cafe and hemp store partnership out in Maple Ridge BC., where they allowed people to come and smoke weed and socialize. Carol became interested in Cannabis when a close friend of hers introduced her to the Hash plant which ultimately warded off he ailments from her ongoing vertigo disorder. Her interest in Hemp and Cannabis led her to become more involved with Cannabis as medicine, and more involved with her community. Shortly after she met Don and wanted to open up a compassion club. This story begins around 15 years ago when ‘Da Kine’ was created to help medical patients access Cannabis for medicinal purposes. Ultimately, they were arrested for trafficking Cannabis and were forced to close down four months into it. They have paved their lives according to their beliefs in Cannabis and continue to endorse their beliefs today. 15 years later, they have become the leaders in the Cannabis community with 20 franchise locations across Canada. Standing their ground, they continue to march on and advocate to assist adult Canadians access lab tested Cannabis and Cannabis products for personal use, which is also assisting to eradicate the real black market. With a solid business infrastructure, WEEDS® Glass and Gifts has set the bar high for other aspiring Cannabis companies to compete. Outside of taking remarkable care of their clients, they take care of their own staff too. From competitive wages and dental and health benefits, they also invest in their employees futures giving them a sense of security and appreciation for being a part of Team WEEDS®. Here is the interview on how their WEEDS® journey started.

Interview & Audio Open Dialogue:

JR- Describe your childhood.

DON- I was born in New Westminster in 1951. I have two brothers and a sister. I had a great childhood with fantastic loving parents. I loved to play baseball and had lots of friends I am still in contact with to this day. I went to Catholic Boys School and left after grade nine to work and get married. My first son was born when I was 17.

CAROL- Stressful. I am the 9th of 10 children from the same mom and dad. I have 7 older brothers and 1 younger brother. My only sister was the first born. For the first 10 years we lived in a townhouse in Ottawa and then moved to a small house in Kanata. I watched many times my teenage brothers being dealt with by law enforcement for drug and alcohol use.

JR- What values did were you taught growing up that you carry today?

DON- Family comes first. Hard work, reliability, try to learn something new everyday.

CAROL- Hard work, honesty and integrity.

JR- What were some rules you had at home growing up? Did you agree with them then? Now?

DON- Be home for supper. If you fall down, get up and dust yourself off. Don’t be out late. Respect everyone and be kind to animals.

CAROL- Curfews.

JR- What did you do as a teen that made you rebellious, if anything? And, if you rebelled, what drove you to?

DON- I liked smoking Cannabis, which my parents did not approve of.

CAROL- I butted heads a lot with my mother. I had a boyfriend they hated so I ran away with him to another city when I was 15.

JR- Did you ever face any medical issues as a child or teen? As an adult? If so, explain.

DON- I had bronchial pneumonia as a baby and chronic bronchitis growing up. I was involved in a motorcycle accident in 1974 that changed the course of my life.

CAROL- I had a head injury when I was 7 and was left with a permanent vertigo disorder that I was unable to understand or manage until I was an adult (and found Cannabis as a medicine).

JR- How did you find highschool? Did you fit in?

DON- High school was ok. I left high school after grade 9 to work and raise my young family.

CAROL- High school was ok. I graduated when I was 17. I dreaded the start of the school year every year. I realize now that I severely suffered from Seasonal Affective Disorder.

JR- What did you aspire to be when you were younger?

DON- As a child, I wanted to be a pilot and build aircraft.

CAROL- When I was young I wanted to be a cop, like my uncle. As a teenager I wanted to work in radio as a disc-jockey or a sportscaster. I didn’t have a lot of support and didn’t know how to pursue these jobs.

JR- What would you say are your best attributes (don’t be modest)?

DON- I love the planet and people. I work hard every day and I love to learn new things.

CAROL- I have a good moral compass. I have integrity and empathy. I have the courage to face my fears.

JR- What are some of you adult accomplishments?

DON- I have 5 children, 7 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren. Learning about running businesses with ethics and professionalism.

CAROL- I went to college and received a diploma in Developmental Services.

JR- Tell me about your arrests with Cannabis.

DON- I was arrested in March 12, 1999 for Cannabis cultivation, my son’s fifth birthday, that was quite the day. We had produced about two tons of weed we had 700 1000 watt high pressure sodiums going, and we created a lot of jobs there. We were not organized crime, but we were organized, just not organized “crime”. We were just families and people. We had kids, we had families. When we were arrested we were treated like murderers and rapists, and we knew we were harmless Cannabis people just makin a living. Back then, the economy was so bad that carpenters, plumbers, electricians, couldn’t really get any decent paying jobs to raise their families so the only thing we really had was Cannabis. It wasn’t the only thing but Cannabis is what was keeping the BC economy going. There were more people involved in the Cannabis industry than the lumber industry. And a lot of us worked there.

CAROL- It took two years for Don to go through trial so he went to jail and was sentenced to four years in 2001. While he was awaiting trial, he ran as a candidate for the BC Marijuana Party and came in five out of seven, for a single issue party, Marijuana Legalization. Fifty-three thousand people voted. I think he let the people know and it made a statement. Don got out of jail in early 2003, and was on day parole and that’s when we met. A little over a year later, we opened up our store “Da Kine Smoke and Beverage Shop” it was called, and everyone called it Da Kine Cafe, but we never served coffee (laughs out loud). Anyways, we were raided. Don was on day parole by this time, full parole and our store lasted just over four months into it. So when we were raided, that was my first raid ever, first arrest ever and my first time ever being handcuffed by a police officer. I spent the night in jail. There were eight people raided at our shop at one time. Don was there but they missed him by seconds. Don was able to walk away from the raid without detection and so that was nice. Although they did pick him up three days later and then held him in maximum security for the next nine and a half months, which was really super fucking hard. He was on parole so he was breaching his parole, not only reoffending, but also breaching, so they just locked him up in maximum security. I was in jail overnight from the raid and then we were all released in 24 hours later. We wanted to keep our store open so we opened it up the very next day. And then Don got picked up a couple days later so I kept it opened even though I had a no contact order to go to the store at this point. Then a week after I was arrested they followed me around all day long and we needed pot for the store and here I was (snaps fingers) delivering pot. Well I was about to deliver pot. But they picked me up in my car and then I spent the next thirty three days in jail and after that they put me in the city cells in Vancouver and I was there for six days, and then they put in the Surrey pretrial jail which is a maximum security remand center and then I got out on my birthday. Then it took a couple years to go to trial an. I had three trials booked because I got one for the breach, the raid and then one for the second offense that I was also breaching. So there were three trials waiting for me. They made me have the second trial before the first trial so I was tried on just the fact that I had pot in my car. I was convicted of that and I plead guilty to the Da Kine because they were going to sentence me in jail and I’d get out of jail and then I would have to be retried again on the Da Kine so I plead guilty to avoid years and years of court. I was going to jail anyways, so I was sentenced to 17 months in jail, eight and a half months on parole. Which was worse for me than being in jail, because my parole officer was a cow. Don had a really bad parole officer too, one good one, but one bad one too.

During this audio recorded part of the conversation, Don adds that the system he experienced from the inside looking out was (is) corrupt, hypocritical and disgusting, He mentions how one parole officer was using the system to harass him on random visits so that he could claim “mileage” for work, and how an intake worker mentions that his “buddy” has a great big grow op in his basement. Don shares how he looked at him and said, “Really? And I am getting arrested for this? And you’re bragging to me about how your buddy has a grow op while I’m going to prison for this shit?”

DON- Now that weeds going legal all these people that used to attack us and jail us and all these court people, now they all want to get involved they want to push us out of the way and take the industry from us. We have thousands of years of experience combined in business and we have thousands of as a group standing for our rights and these guys wanna push us aside. It’s not going to happen.

CAROL- So when I went to jail, Don visited me jail every Saturday and then I got out. And then about ten months later, he went on trial. And then he was sentenced to two and a half years in jail. Which was another brutal experience. He spent quite a few months in maximum security.

DON- When they caught me on the breach I spent nine months the rest of my sentence of a four year sentence in maximum. And when I got out, I had to go on bail otherwise I would stay in jail, or on trial or in jail for ten years. And then when we were out on bail, we both ran as candidates for legislative changes in 2005.

JR- What are your political stand points and involvement with political parties?

CAROL- They are all corrupt. Well most of them are for sure. In the past I have written to politicians and MP’s and what not, when Don was in jail. I never got satisfaction with what they had to say. They wanted to continue to treat at as criminals. Prohibition is a great idea they thought, well at least ten years ago.

DON- We support Dana Larsen and his campaign with Sensible BC He is a great spokesperson politically and represents us. But if I had something to say to anybody like Trudeau and down, like the head of the RCMP and all that, I would look at them and say “You people are corrupt. You told us that your father had the power and the money to get your brother off. Yet you continue to criminalize us and all you have to do is sign one piece of paper.” So anyways, all these people that are enforcing these criminal laws against us that is criminal misuse of public resources and negligence. We have 1.2 million starving children in Canada that are hungry every single day That is negligence as well. This is so disgusting that we should take all these “leaders”, not the soldiers, but the leaders, and they should all be charged with all sorts of corruption and take their assets should be taken away through proceeds of crime. And it’s really simple and really easy to do.

JR- Where do see the future of WEEDS®?

CAROL & DON- To be a viable company going through legalization and to be a part of it all at the end of it all, whatever the end is.

While provinces scramble to identify what regulating tools will be required to allow legal weed in their municipalities for 2018, other provinces have announced their unjust intentions and have beefed up police budgets. One would think that legalizing Cannabis would likely lower crime, when in fact their over-reacting fear of “letting us be” coincides with the representation of unlawful policing and unnecessary arrests. The dismemberment of a thriving Craft Cannabis community has begun and has created heavy hearted dialogue among those who hold it dear. The tides of these circumstances embellish the souls of empathetic Canadians and leave Cannabis advocates feeling abused and defeated. Yet in their determination to overcome these tides, new opportunities do arise and new challenges are met with bravery, wisdom and truth. When WEEDS® stand their ground, Canadians will continue to flourish.

Jul
07
Cannabis Activists “Lit” at Last Lift Expo, Before Legalization

It’s been a long and winding road for those of us working towards legalization over the last two decades or so. There have been a lot of wins, a few losses and as of later this year that road will lead us to cannabis legalization.

 

We’ve seen the birth of medical cannabis legal challenges and the birth of Canadian Medical Cannabis Clubs, The Nolan Commission, Raids, Court Challenges, Promises of decriminalization  after one short summer quickly rescinded, Prairie Plant Systems- Government Weed, More Raids and Arrests, More court challenges. We have experienced the government trying to restrict personal growing for medical patients. We’ve seen legalization as a political platform by a major political party that actually won, and here I sit mere days from legalization and I find myself pining for the “good old days” when the cannabis industry was dedicated to cannabis instead of the dollar.

 

On May 25th, I found myself at the first day of 4th Annual Lift Cannabis Expo at The Metro Toronto Convention Center. What many of the many members of the new legal cannabis industry do not realize it that even the Lift Expo has its roots in what is now called the “illegal or unregulated” market.

 

Marco Renda founded Treating Yourself Magazine in 2002 as a tool to build awareness, educate and provide information to medical cannabis users and those seeking information on what was then  considered an alternative therapy. After struggling to establish Treating Yourself amongst recreational cannabis publications lie the now defunct Cannabis Culture Magazine, High Times Magazine and Montreal’s Skunk Magazine. Marco successfully turned Treating Yourself as the go-to place for those seeking information on how to access medical cannabis.

 

In 2009 Marco produced the very first Treating Yourself Medical Cannabis Expo at the same convention hall I found myself walking through just a few short weeks ago. The Treating Yourself Expo ran for five years at the MTCC, the same weekend each year that Lift now holds their expo. In 2014 the event was briefly held by US Cannabis Expo Company Champs, only to be taken over the next year by the inaugural Lift Expo.

 

While I understand the wide eyed amazement of those new to the industry, I can’t help but to feel pity that they miss the cannabis expos that actually included cannabis!!

 

It’s hard not to feel heartbroken when with so much progress in cannabis acceptance there seemed to be little of it at the 2018 Lift Cannabis Expo. The Lift expo was huge this year, taking up all three halls of the North Building.

 

I took the escalator up to the showroom floor and it didn’t take me long to realize that something felt “off”. I looked around and realized there wasn’t a pot leaf to be seen! I found friendly and familiar faces at the “ Hotbox Lounge” booth, set up with tables, stools, rolling trays, everything that your would hope to see at your local cannabis lounge including cannabis joint artist, Cody VanGogh. Although I am very aware that cannabis cannot be consumed indoors at a convention center, I was grateful to at least find a place to roll before I joined the rest of the actual consumers outside. It was not to be however, I was there only a few moments when I realized that attendees were not in fact allowed to roll at the rolling stations and Cody was struggling to roll hemp joints because actual cannabis was banned from the trade show.

 

The sheer size of the expo was impressive, most booths seemed to be targeted to business to business transactions rather than public sales and promotion. Admittedly back in “the day” business to business transactions might also have included cannabis sales but there was also lots of information provided to attendees about cannabis, whereas this latest expo seemed focused on educating investors. I walked around the showroom floor over the next two days and found myself more and more discouraged by what the future of legalization might be. There were a lot of talks about investment, start-ups, and stocks but I was angered to enter the Vape lounge after being told I must show my private medical documents to a security guard before entering the space (this is not a new rule at the MTCC but considering that legalization will happen literally within weeks it’s frustrating to feel like a second class citizen at an expo that is supposed to be about patients like you) only to find that the medical cannabis consumption lounge wasn’t even designed to be accessible to the patients who were meant to use it. High counters and bar stools are difficult to access from a chair. Vaporizers chained to the tables are inaccessible for those with dexterity issues. I’ve had a few people argue this fact with me but the fact is accessible means you don’t need an attendant or salesperson to assist you.  Gone were the good old days of the treating yourself expo where other patients could easily access vaporizers and socialize with other patients including those with mobility devices.

 

I walked past many booths, showing “cannabis displays” that while showing strain names like OG Kush, and Jack Herer the glass containers were actually filled with some sort of fake moss material. Having worked many a cannabis expo over the last 15 years I know that the public comes to these shows to learn and I’m sure many “newbies” left the Lift Expo this year thinking all dried cannabis looks alike and it resembles fake moss. This was not the cannabis show I thought we would be seeing n the cusp of legalization, where the cannabis is locked away to be replaced by candy, stress balls , the dankness of cannabis replaced by scented promotional candles.

 

I credit the Treating Yourself Expo and Marco Renda for teaching me about the beauty and intricacies of art glass when in 2013 the expo featured live glass blowing demos from artists from around the world culminating in a three day glass blowing competition between teams from Canada, The US, and Japan.The culture of cannabis though often stereotyped and discounted is a beautiful space filled with talent that 3D printed bongs and automation just can’t replace no matter how good the coffee you serve. The government need not worry about kids picking up a pot habit, the industry seems to be sucking the joy out of it already.

 

There were a few “grey market” businesses present, hidden in the corners with their delivery services and non-medicated edibles but the real cannabis show was outside on the sidewalk. Much to the chagrin of security the actual cannabis consumers congregated outside amongst the planters and food trucks parked nearby. The sweet stench of cannabis lining Toronto’s Front Street certainly let first time attendees know that they had arrived at the right place. Remo from Remo Nutrients makes every expo feel like a holiday by offering his warm smile, big hugs and even bigger “Remo sized joints”. The new faces mixed in with those who remember the humble beginnings of the Treating Yourself Expo, joints, vape pens, blunts, dabs,  and even a few Fukashima Pre-Rolls were shared amongst friends as we discussed our history and what may be laying wait for us in the future as we awaited the third senate reading of the Cannabis Act (at the time of this writing the act has been sent back to the house with amendments which are now being argued in the House of Commons).

 

My takeaway from the Lift Expo is that things are changing. Some of it might be for the better, some of it will definitely be worse but the one thing that won’t change is the friendly strangers you’ll find outside in the clouds. The next Lift Expo is expected in Vancouver, January 10-13, 2019. Join the one of circles outside, you will definitely learn something and they might even tell you a story about the good old days…

Apr
27
Twelve High Chicks is on Hiatus

As the cannabis industry legalizes and grows, shakeups happen, and unexpected developments can mean big changes. With that said, we announce that Twelve High Chicks is going on hiatus.

We’ll be back, although probably not in the style we’ve all enjoyed over the past years. But we love the cannabis community too much to stop sharing it all with you, our readers. And those changes in a growing cannabis industry mean new opportunities that we’ll want to share with you to. So we think of this hiatus as a breather before bigger and better things.

And of course our archives are available for references, recipes, and catching up on articles you may have missed.

— Ajia Mae Moon, Jay Schmoeker, and the Chicks

 

Apr
20
4/20 2018 — “A Mom and Pop Pot Shop”

Happy 4/20 2018! We’ve already talked seriously about what almost legal means for attending events this year (be safe!). And this is a day of celebration. So it’s time for our annual puff’n’pass poetry. But Canada’s legalization, and the increase of corporate investors who have previously been anti-pot, mean worry remains over overturning past convictions, helping craft growers, and freeing cannabis in a capitalist society.

A Mom and Pop Pot Shop

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Apr
06
4/20 2018 Celebrations — A Calm, Cool, Collected Protestival

It’s April, and one of the big North American/International pot-party-protests is just around the corner: 4/20 2018 celebrations! But this year is a little bit different and a little bit special. After years of agitating for cannabis freedom, across North America there’s been a wave of recreational legalization.

Canada still looks forward to legal recreational cannabis this summer, although we probably won’t be able to buy it legally for Cannabis Day. Meaning 4/20 2018 may be the last civilly disobedient Canadian protestival for our favourite plant.

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Mar
30
Justice or Just Us? Know Your Cannabis Rights

Twelve High Chicks thanks guest contributor Dennis Boisvert of POW420 for this article on knowing your (medical) cannabis rights in the USA. This article is experiential and should not be taken as legal advice.

This is going to be an explanation of how the US Justice System works from pull-over to deal/sentencing as seen by an advocate.

First of all you need to know your rights and how they are applied. Understand that any police officer you communicate with may not necessarily respect your rights, and may be willing to lie in court because they believe you’re “evil.” From first contact that should be in the back of your mind.

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Mar
23
Cannabis Conflicts with Medications? — Talk to Your Doctor!

We’ve said “talk to your doctor about cannabis” before, and meant educate your GP about its benefits for salving or managing illnesses. But there are other reasons to talk to other doctors about cannabis too, even recreational use: cannabis conflicts with medications.

I came across a Tumblr post recently warning people to cop to using cannabis to anesthesiologist … so you don’t wake up during surgery. Pretty frightening since I’m facing surgery and had no idea this was even a thing — I’ve never been anaesthetized while a regular cannabis user.

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Mar
09
From Snow to Whoa! Attending M.O.M. Cup 2018

I’m an online, behind the scenes kinda guy. I’m of no use in real life event planning or management, and I’d rather type than speak. So although leading up to each M.O.M. Cup I bust my tail, during the actual weekend I’m just one more media rep. It works out well, since I can experience what judges actually experience. And attending M.O.M. Cup 2018 was an experience.

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