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Canadian Government Marijuana Sales

The use of cannabis is gradually increasing in many countries. With over nine states in the USA legalizing it, the number is likely to increase. Other states have started following suit by voting for its legalization.
Canada has not been left behind and it will make history on October 17, 2018. The Federal Government will legalize recreational marijuana. The push has been there for years. Medical marijuana has been in use since 2000. However, there would be laws that’ll govern the sales, possession, and usage of marijuana.
The marijuana prices have already become a talk of the town with every investor stretching their hands to this soon to be gold-mine. However, the government has stepped in to regulate the sales.
I am going to discuss three important factors about Marijuana legalization in the country.
The Effect Marijuana Sales Will Have on the Economy
The marijuana business is a guaranteed huge payday to the Canadian Government. According to statistics, over C$6 billion was spent on marijuana in 2014. Remember, at this time marijuana was not legalized. The government was able to generate a tax of over C$400 million. Now the drug is about to be legalized. The number is likely to double or even triple.
Bloomberg.com has stated that the weed sale has exceeded what the largest plane manufacturer produces. Statcan – a statistics agency company – has conducted a research and found that legalization would greatly boost the country’s GDP.
The agency has also gone a step further to find out how much the weed will cost. The agency wants to compare the cost of marijuana while it’s legalized and when it was still under the black market. The drug price is likely to reduce but users will increase. If you do the math well, the overall sales will be higher.
Tourism
Canada is the home to rich culture and incredible wonders of nature. The Rocky Mountains and cities of Victoria, Calgary and Vancouver are mainly dominated by itineraries. These are just but a small number of attractions professed by the country.
The government marijuana sales are likely to hit this sector in a positive way. Canada is trying to compete with the industry in the USA which is considered to be abnormal. According to the CEO and co-founder of Cannabis Data Firm BDS analytics, all the pharmaceuticals industries are interested in the sales. The move is likely to welcome many visitors to the country. This is so because it seems like the government is backing up the sales. Many European countries are closely monitoring the legalization with the aim of starting to tour the country. With the expansion of tourism, the economy is likely to be boosted.
The measure of weed consumption
The Canadian government is obviously going to reap quite a fortune from the sales. Upon legalization of weed in Colorado, the state government was able to collect over $76 million and $87 million in the first and second year respectively. Canada is the second largest country in the world and one of the most populated countries in the world. The sales are likely to be more.
To get the data straight, the government came up with models to measure the amount of weed consumption. The data collected will help in establishing the amounts of dollars the government would be able to raise.
The government came up with these guidelines to help in getting the average weed consumption.

  • The number of people consuming the drug.
  • The number of grams each individual is likely to consume.
  • The number of days each individual can take consuming the weed in a year.
  • The price of each gram.

Let’s assume that 150,000 people consumed 2 grams for a year daily. Let’s also say the price of a pop is C4$.  If you do the math well, the overall amount spent would be over C$3 billion. This is an assumption. We have also not counted the kilograms of weed smuggled overseas or out of Canada.  This is likely to boost the GDP of Canada.
The mathematics we’ve done above only reflect recreational marijuana, we’ve left out medical marijuana.
The Takeaway
The Canadian government did a lot of calculations before they opted to legalize the drug. Many people support the move and are optimistic that the plan will strengthen the economy. However, there will be some disadvantages in the social sector since many people will be addicts to the drug which can lead to an increase in criminal activities. However, for now, all the eyes are on the said date with the weed-lovers waiting for their big day.

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The Puffco Peak: The Pinnacle of Dabbing [Review]

A staple in the concentrate consumption scene, Puffco is behind some of the best vaporizers we see today. Being in the industry for only 5 years, Puffco immediately managed to be one of the foremost brands in the concentrate consumption platform. With products like the Puffco Plus and the Puffco Pro 2, this Los Angeles-based vaporizer company quickly gained a strong foothold in the portable vaporizer market, and with their latest offering, they plan to take your portable vaping experience to a whole new level.
The Puffco Peak was unveiled in the previously held International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) sometime around January earlier this year. It was then made available to wax concentrate consumers a few months later. During its release, the Puffco Peak was dubbed as the most advanced vaporizer ever made and was presumed to have cutting-edge features making it the smartest portable dab rig on the market.
First Impressions
With all the hype it was getting, the Puffco Peak swiftly became the talk of the town. Said to have been the future of dabbing, the Peak by Puffco is equipped with some of the most advanced features, the likes of what you’d see and expect from a top-tier rig.
Users found it hard to classify the Peak and later decided that it needed a classification of its own – and e-rig. The Peak brings together the elements of two of the best tools in concentrate consumption (an e-nail and a dab rig) very much like how its founder and CEO, Roger Voladarsky, brought together the “disciplines of design, technology, and engineering,” the principles and the elements that made Puffco the brand they are today. Quickly becoming an icon, the Puffco Peak sports a distinguishable triangular shape, a stable and firm figure, representing reliability and steadfastness, something dabbers are looking for in an e-rig. The Peak also boasts four unique heat settings giving you a wide array of temperature profiles, heats up in as fast as 20 seconds, features haptic feedback, and charges fast with low discharge rate. But what separates the Puffco Peak from the competition is its Intelligent Temperature Calibration (ITC), it’s what makes the Puffco Peak smart. It automatically remembers and adjusts the temperature and calibrates it with that of the ceramic bowl’s which ensures you’re getting the same level of heat – and high.
Could the Peak really be worth all the hype and all the money? It doesn’t come cheap, it’s placed under the $300+ mark making it not only a vaporizer of premium quality but one that sports a premium price tag.  
Getting To Know The Peak
Puffco products are known to uphold the core belief of the company – the virtue of purity. The Peak follows suit and is probably the epitome of this standard having components that are specifically designed and engineered to faithfully preserve the qualities of your select concentrates. The physical components of the Puffco Peak mainly compose of ceramic and medical-grade glass pieces, intended to ensure the preservation and retention of the distinct flavor notes and the unmistakable aroma of cannabis concentrates. The glass pieces are made from hand-blown borosilicate glass giving it high resistance to thermal shock and very low coefficient of thermal expansion, perfect for demanding and intense vaping sessions. The glass attachment also features percolation water filtration, giving you moisture-conditioned hits for draws that are smooth both on the throat and on the lungs.
The Puffco Peak also features high-grade ceramic bowls that are perfect for both low-temp dabs and high-temp hits. The ceramic bowls are designed to evenly heat your concentrates regardless of the Peak’s heat settings. Ceramic is inert by nature, compared to quartz and titanium, ceramic holds heat the longest. Even on high temperatures, the ceramic bowls will gradually heat your favorite concentrates without getting to the point of combustion. Moreover, ceramic is pure and because of its inert properties, will not react chemically to heat and will not change or alter your material in any way. True to its promise, Puffco products like the Peak, delivers the best results and lets you experience and enjoy your concentrates in its purest form.
Both the ceramic bowls and the borosilicate glass attachments can effortlessly be removed for easy cleaning and upkeep.
Using The Peak
Surprisingly, while the Puffco Peak is chock full of features making it sophisticatedly high-tech, it operates and steers like the average vaporizer. It could well be because the underlying technology behind the Puffco Peak basically stems from portable vape pens – Puffco’s bread and butter.
This principle makes the Puffco Peak relatively easy to use. Here’s how.

  1. Make sure that the Puffco Peak is fully charged to get optimum results. Generally, the Puffco Peak charges more or less in two hours and will yield an average of 30 dabs before the battery goes low.
  2. Remove the glass chamber from the base and fill it with water, just enough that the water barely touches the air holes.
  3. Replace the glass attachment and hold the power button on the Puffco Peak to turn the device on.
  4. To toggle between the temperature profiles, simply tap the same button thrice till you get to your desired temperature level.
  5. Check and open the carb cap to expose the ceramic bowls where you’ll be loading your materials.
  6. Using the loading tool, drop desired amount of concentrates onto the ceramic bowls and tap the power button twice to begin heating the concentrates.
  7. Start vaping and enjoy.

With just a few easy steps, even beginners will be able to use the Puffco Peak like a pro. The water filtration effectively cools down the vapors as well as sift any irritants giving out subtle vapors – the kind that doesn’t make you cough.
Final Thoughts
There’s no wonder why the Puffco Peak is seen as the best in its class, it’s really worth every penny. With top-tier features like unique heat settings and smart temperature calibration, the Puffco Peak indeed is the pinnacle of dabbing.

yocan vaporizer

Locked and Loaded: The Yocan Loaded Vaporizer

Yocan devices have been known as an industry standard for affordable and practical vaporizers that can perform as well as other devices twice its price. With their latest offering, The Yocan Loaded, they introduced new and revolutionary features like an extendable mouthpiece and a new way to remove and replace coils for quick and effortless transition from one vaping style to another. It’s a wax pen vaporizer built with the daily, on-the-go dabber in mind. Whether you’re a casual or a medical consumer, you’re sure to find that the Yocan Loaded is an ideal companion for your daily wax concentrate consumption needs.  
The Loaded Design – What’s New
Like most of Yocan’s products, the Yocan Loaded wax pen vaporizers are simple, minimalistic, and straightforward. A single power button simplifies operation leaving little to no learning curve and using the Loaded comes as natural as breathing.  
Atop the Loaded sits the extendable mouthpiece, one would simply have to turn the mouthpiece counterclockwise to extend the mouthpiece. Extending the mouthpiece provides a slightly longer vapor path and funnels the vapors to allow better cooling which helps remove some of the irritants from the vapor. Not only does the extendable mouthpiece enhance and improve the quality of the vapor, it also helps keep your vaping session clean as it keeps the actual mouthpiece hidden inside keeping it away from dust and dirt. This is perfect for those who keep their devices inside their pockets or in their bags when not in use.
Apart from the retractable mouthpiece, one of the new features from the Yocan Loaded is its atomizer base. The atomizers can be accessed in a chamber with a door-like hatch. Opening the hatch exposes the atomizer; the atomizer is connected to the battery via magnetic links allowing ease of use and quick removal and replacement of atomizers depending on your needs.  
Both features aren’t exactly new to Yocan products, however, the way they were applied and executed opened a whole new experience to vaporizer users, especially the ones who prefer vaping on their feet.
Premium Coils
The Yocan Loaded comes with two premium atomizers both are quartz-based giving the Yocan Loaded the capability to respond immediately and provide on-demand heating without affecting the quality of the material in terms of taste, aroma, and potency. Quartz is inert by nature and it does not react chemically to heat which means it’s one of the safest means of heating your concentrates without getting to the point of combustion.  
The quad coil boasts four quartz rods wrapped in high-quality coils. That means four times the fun, four times the vapor production. If you want to blow huge clouds of vapor that are highly visible and are dense they closely mimic the viscosity of real smoke then the quad coils are your best choice. Not only is it aesthetically appeasing, the heightened temperature level brought by the four coils also increases the intensity of the concentrates. The hotter the coils get, the more potent the vapors are. The vapors may come harsh and a small amount of dab on the quad coils will be enough to put you down for a good amount of time.  
The dual coils, on the other hand, are the perfect balance of flavor and vapor. The output of the quad coils isn’t as visually stunning as the quad coils but they yield better tasting vapors compared to the quads. The two quartz coils create vapors that preserve the flavor profile of your favorite concentrate and minimizes the harshness that you will otherwise experience from the quad coils, the vapor output of the dual coil is smoother and provide subtler upshots – perfect for those seeking mild euphoria.
Overall, both atomizers allow the user to experience the full spectrum of their wax concentrates and the intuitively designed hatch perfectly complements both atomizers.  
Yocan Staples
While the Yocan Loaded features new concepts and design applications, it still retains and embodies what we loved about Yocan products.  
One feature that’s become a Yocan staple, especially for their wax pen vaporizers is the wax container or wax stash located just below the vape pen. Those who like to vape on-the-go will no longer have to worry about carrying excess baggage since the Yocan Loaded allows you to keep an extra stash of concentrates for that much needed reload. What’s the point of having two atomizers if you have too few materials?  
You no longer have to worry about leaving home with just enough wax on you. You can now take on extended sessions and not worry about coming up short on wax. The bottom wax container is also magnetically latched onto the battery and like the atomizers, they can easily be removed and replaced. Yocan brings its design on a whole new level with the Loaded. The wax container’s interior is lined with medical-grade silicone so it’s safe to keep your wax concentrates in there. The container also features a dual compartment design which allows you to store two kinds of concentrates in one small container. This design and engineering are also rooted in the fact that the Loaded can be used with two atomizer coils. If you prefer to use different strains for each atomizer coil, then the wax storage discreetly hidden at the bottom of this wax vape pen is the perfect tool for keeping those waxy and oily substances.  
Another principal feature seen on most Yocan products is the generous battery. The Loaded is outfitted with 1400mAh batteries that’s enough for more than just the usual, casual sessions. The decision to incorporate a larger, more powerful battery is based on the atomizer coils. A 1400mAh battery is the prime choice to power up the Loaded’s quad coils, the larger the atomizer, the more demanding its requirements are.  
Final Thoughts
Overall, the Yocan Loaded is the embodiment of a modern classic. A piece of technology that molds tried and trusted brand staples together with brand new innovations that are designed to help improve the user’s overall experience. Yocan Loaded is available at yocanvaporizer.com.

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What are the Top Cannabis Strains for Pain?

Many people use medical or recreational cannabis to remedy pain. Marijuana is definitely a great choice but it’s also a very diverse drug. The properties of the bud will decide how effective it will be for relieving your pain. Most importantly, whether it’s an “indica” or “sativa” strain will serve as a telling factor of what you can expect.
Let’s evaluate the top indica & sativa strains for pain relief…

Indica Strains for Pain Relief

Indica is often joked as being “in da couch” because it gives a full body high that essentially shuts off your brain’s ability to send pain signals. For the most severe cases, indica weed is the way to go — many medicinal users religiously stick by indica for its strong pain relief effects.
Some top-rated indica cannabis strains include:

  • Blue Cheese
  • Critical Mass
  • Granddaddy Purple
  • Hash Plant
  • Hindu Kush
  • Master Kush
  • Northern Lights
  • Purple Kush
  • Sensi Star

Notice a recurring theme in that list?
“Kush” is included in many of the names. If you’re new to marijuana, you might believe people use this term loosely — as if it’s a codeword in the streets like “green” or “herb”. The truth is, kush is always either an indica or indica-dominant hybrid strain.
Therefore, most users seeking pain relief results will find happy results from one of the kush strains. The other strains on that list are also very effective choices for pain relief. Many of these strains have very high THC levels as well, such as Purple Kush which measures in at 17 to 27 percent.

Sativa Strains for Pain Relief

The problem with sativa strains is that they provide more of a head high than a body one. The result is more relief to head-related pains such as chronic headaches or migraines. However, general pain relief in the body does occur when using sativa strains. Further, if you medicate through a vaporizer — even if it’s sativa, the pain relief impact will be long-lasting.
Even so, users seeking pain relief symptoms are highly recommended to focus their medicating experience on indica-based strains. If you wish to avoid the “energy dragging effects” that sometimes happen, go ahead and use an indica-dominant strain instead. That said, if your pain symptoms are minor — and supposing you like the head high effect — a sativa or sativa-dominant hybrid strain would be a solid choice.
Some top-rated sativa cannabis strains include:

  • AK-47
  • Amnesia Haze
  • Green Crack
  • Hawaiian Snow
  • Jack Herer
  • Laughing Buddha
  • Sour Diesel
  • Strawberry Cough

If you do go the sativa route, try microdosing first. Some users find that a high THC sativa strain can cause pain relief without any cloudiness when taken at lower levels.
One more note — if you go for a hybrid strain, remember there are two types: indica-dominant and sativa-dominant. For pain relief purposes, an indica-dominant will typically provide superior results. If you still find the body effect to be too much, the sativa-dominant alternative will at least keep some of the major pain relief benefits due to the partial indica content.

Final Verdict

Both medical and recreational marijuana heals pain in such a fashion that prescription painkillers are no longer required. Being dependent on a natural, herbal remedy like cannabis is a game-changer.
The opiate addiction epidemic our world is facing right now is well-known. You don’t want to become another statistic — but if you keep smoking a strain that doesn’t effectively provide pain relief, it’s possible you’ll give up on a weed as your painkiller and look for something else.
Don’t be afraid to explore the strains out there before you decide what works.
Use coupons and watch for marijuana deals and promotions to do a small bulk order on different strains. Research them beforehand and keep track of their effects on you, while noting their measurements, so you can figure out what strains relieve your pain the most.
A great tip: Find a few marijuana strains that work for you. Keep switching between them every so often so your body doesn’t fully adapt to the effects. The changeup will keep the pain relief symptoms working strong instead of weakening over time.
Note:
This post is meant to help users find and understand general information on cannabis strains for pain. Please get professional advice from your doctor before using any cannabis strain.  
Sources:
https://greencamp.com/marijuana-for-migraines/

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ILGM Affiliate Program Review

ILGM is one of the best affiliates out there

All sorts of companies offer affiliate programs. Amazon, Ebay, Walmart, and Target are just a few big names that fully embrace the affiliate design. But Fortune 500 companies aren’t the only ones that offer affiliate kickbacks.
Cannabis companies are also getting in on the action. I Love Growing Marijuana (ILGM) is a well-known online seed company that can ship pretty much anywhere in the world. But they also stand out as offering one of the best affiliate programs anywhere.
Most companies offer a single digit commission, little to no support, and have complicated purchase rules. But ILGM is different and goes above and beyond for their affiliates. They understand the value of each customer and do their best to offer the best value to clients.
People love how fast and professional ILGM is. User Jeri P had great things to say about the experience ordering. They said “Love this company. We received our order in 10’days. To say the packaging was discreet would be an understatement.” With such quick turn around, it’s easy to see why so many people love shopping with ILGM.

ILGM has great rates

But ILGM has more than fast service. They offer affiliates some of the highest rates in the industry. ILGM offers 20% commissions on all sales, no minimum. Every single purchase a referral makes will earn money. On average, their commissions come out to about $25 per sale.
They also have an amazing 90 day cookie period. This gives referrals plenty of time to put together shopping lists and make purchases. Sometimes this even results in multiple orders earning commissions.
But they don’t simply pay affiliates based on the traffic driven directly from their links. ILGM even has a Sub affiliate program for people looking for more than just the minimum. The sub system offers 5% commissions on all sales made through new affiliates brought to the site from existing ones.

They offer loads of support

Unlike many other affiliate programs out there, ILGM provides all their affiliates with promo materials like banners and product imagery. These high resolution resources make integrating the affiliate link incredibly fast and easy. They plug into almost any site with little or no effort and look great on all devices.
In addition to the promo materials, ILGM also offers personal affiliate support. This service ensures every affiliate is able to understand the ins and outs of the ILGM business model. ILGM also provides monthly updates and news through an affiliate newsletter, highlighting the most important changes and updates affiliates need to know about.
They even have a step by step introduction to the business and offer tips on how to best promote it. ILGM went so far as to produce a handy manual highlighting the most important and difficult to understand parts of being an affiliate. For people just getting into affiliate marketing, it can make a huge difference.

Their service is amazing

The best affiliate offer is worthless if the company is unable to provide customers the service they expect. Quick and easy to use menus, easy payment methods and quick delivery are some of the most important elements of great service. Customer service is one area where ILGM truly exells and people aren’t shy to share their experiences.
In a review of ILGM, Michael from the UK says “These came in the mail within a week. Though they took a while to show a tail (about 48hrs in a cup of water) they grew fierce.” But he isn’t the only one to have an amazing experience ordering product.
Little Red also raved about the quality of ILGM’s service in their online review. They said “first time growing, bought the seeds through a gift card. the website is so easy to understand. i will definately [sic] buy again.” With customers loving their service and high quality affiliate resources, ILGM has all the good stuff in one place.
The ILGM website is designed to be easy to use and read. All the terms and services are available online in plain English along with their marijuana growing eBook. The eBook is one of the best resources for new growers and can offer new insights to even the most skilled horticulturist. Affiliate marketers and paying customers get access to the eBook for free so don’t forget to check it out as well.

Let yourself in

ILGM is all about building a strong and vibrant community. One major element of that community is an understanding the importance of privacy. ILGM respects customer and affiliate privacy and ensure all data is secure. You can check out all of their service and offers yourself by going to the website.

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3 Things to Look For When Buying CBD Oil

CBD oil, e-juice, and other products are becoming increasingly popular as the medicinal properties of cannabis become more and more mainstream. But unfortunately, the dubious legal status of marijuana in the U.S. and around the world means that regulation of these products is inconsistent at best.
There are many companies jumping on the medical marijuana bandwagon right now, taking advantage of the lack of oversight to sell you cheap, poor quality products – some of which could even be dangerous to your health.
So how can consumers today tell the good stuff from the bad? Research, of course. Before you purchase CBD oil, or any other cannabis product, you should do your homework. Always read product labels carefully, and check out the manufacturers’ website.
Here are the 3 most important things to look for, to ensure that what you’re about to buy is safe, healthy and of the highest quality:

3 Signs of High Quality CBD Oil

1. Check the Source

The best products always start with the best ingredients, and quality CBD oil starts with the soil.
Most CBD products are made from industrial hemp, which is what’s called a hyperaccumulator. Basically, that means that it can grow even in contaminated soil, absorbing heavy metals and other toxins through the roots. This makes it useful for phytoremediation (a.k.a. “soil cleanup”). But it also means that it’s possible for hemp to contain toxic levels of zinc, lead, mercury, arsenic, etc.
So it’s very important to know where your CBD oil sources it’s hemp before you consume it. Look for hemp grown in the U.S. or Canada (where there is strict state regulation), using organic farming methods if possible.
Also note whether the product is made from CBD-isolate (a.k.a. “pure CBD”). These products contain only cannabidiol, and none of the other active plant compounds. Look for “whole plant” or “full spectrum” products instead, as these contain other cannabinoids (CBN, CBL, terpenes, etc.) which interact with the CBD to increase it’s medicinal effects.

2. Extraction Method

Another important thing to consider is the extraction method, or how the CBD oil was derived from the plant. Some manufacturers use chemical solvents like butane, propane or hexane to extract their product. Oils produced in this way can contain dangerous carcinogens (a.k.a. substances known to cause cancer). Avoid these products at all costs.
Ethanol extraction is a somewhat safer method, which results in a cleaner product and higher concentrations of CBD and other cannabinoids.
But the gold standard is what’s called “supercritical CO2 extraction,” a method that uses carbon dioxide gas under extreme cold and pressure. This requires more expensive equipment – which of course generally means a more expensive product – but it results in the cleanest, safest, and highest quality CBD oil on the market.

3. Independently Tested

Perhaps the most important thing of all to look for is product that has been inspected and tested by an independent laboratory. After all, manufacturers are out to make money, and many of them will make false claims if it will help them sell more product.
Only buy CBD oil from a manufacturer whose claims have been tested and verified by an impartial 3rd party lab. And don’t be satisfied with a simple seal on the label! Go online to the seller’s website to find out exactly where their product was tested. If you really want to be sure, request a “Certificate of Analysis”. If such a certificate is not available, then you’d best find another supplier.
As laws continue to shift in favor of hemp and medical marijuana, increased regulation and oversight will improve the safety and quality of all cannabis products on the market. But for the time being, it’s up to us to be smart consumers, to educate and protect ourselves.
Knowledge is power, after all.

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Will Mexico Be The Next Country To Legalize Marijuana?

On July 1st, Mexico elected a new president named Andrés Manuel López Obrador. The president elect won a landslide victory based on his promise to fight corruption and rebuild the economy. He wants to cut the pay of government officials and expand social programs – like increased pensions and universal college education. He wants to support Mexican farmers by fixing prices for crops and equipment.
He also wants to end Mexico’s violent drug war, using “abrazos, no balazos” (“hugs, not bullets”).

You Can’t Fight Violence with Violence

In 2006, then-president Felipe Calderón mobilized the Mexican military to take to the streets to fight organized crime. Since then, more than 100,000 lives have been lost – more than 200,000 by some estimates. And yet drugs are as available as they’ve ever been, and the cartels are just as powerful.
López Obrador has a different strategy in mind. “Why do people grow poppies?” he asks. “Because they have nothing to eat! You can’t fight violence with violence. This is an evil we have to fight by doing good, by creating economic growth, jobs and well-being.”
One of López Obrador’s more controversial proposals is offering amnesty to certain criminals involved in the drug trade. In a public forum in Mexico City, he said he would even consider the legalization of all drugs across the board.
“Legalization of drugs is a subject that should be debated,” he said. “Why not address it? And why not, if that is the right thing to do, approve it and let the government carry it out?”
“There are those that argue that this is why we have a lot of violence, because of prohibition,” he added.

Moving Mexico Forward

But is this just political rhetoric, or can we really expect drastic changes in Mexico’s drug policy? To get a better idea, take a look at his pick for Mexico’s next Secretary of Interior, Olga Sánchez Cordero. The former Supreme Court official has a history of supporting progressive policies. And in a recent interview with the AFP, she expressed her support for decriminalization of drugs, starting with marijuana.
“We have to start thinking about the decriminalization of drugs. Obviously marijuana,” she said. Adding, “I will propose to Andrés Manuel the decriminalization of marijuana, its planting, harvesting, sale and recreational use.”
In another interview on W Radio, Sánchez Cordero elaborated, “Canada has already decriminalized, and so have several states in the United States. What are we thinking, to keep killing ourselves when others have already decriminalized? We’re going to try to move forward.”
These statements indicate that Mexico’s incoming administration will likely push for legalization – of marijuana, at least, if not more. And with López Obrador’s MORENA party (Movimiento Regeneración Nacional, or National Regeneration Movement) winning a majority in both the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies, he may just have the support he needs to do it.
But Andrés Manuel will not be sworn in to office until December 1st. So until then, I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.

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Which States Are Most Likely to Legalize Pot in 2018?

The election is still a ways off, but one state has legalized pot already in 2018.
Vermont made history back in January by becoming the first state to ever pass a recreational cannabis law through the legislature – as opposed to putting it up for a popular vote. And there are almost a dozen states that are slated to have cannabis legislation on the ballot in November.
So which states will be the next to legalize, and join Colorado, Washington, Oregon, Alaska, California, Nevada, Maine, Massachusetts and D.C.? Here are the top contenders…

The Top Three

1. New Jersey
Democrat Phil Murphy was elected governor of New Jersey running on a very progressive platform, which includes support of marijuana legalization. He promised to sign a recreational use bill into law – if the Democrat led legislature can send one to his desk.
There are currently two proposed bills: one would legalize recreational use for adults 21 and over; the other would decriminalize possession of up to 10 grams of cannabis. But polling shows that New Jersey voters are pretty evenly split, with 49 percent in favor of legalized pot, and 44 opposed. So there is no guarantee that either of the proposed bills has enough support to make it to the governors desk.
2. Michigan
In Michigan, the Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol has been hard at work to get a legalization measure on the 2018 ballot. They needed 252,523 signatures on their petition, and they collected and submitted more than 360,000 signatures. Now they’re waiting on the Secretary of State’s office to verify the signatures. If confirmed, then the Michigan Marijuana Legalization Initiative will be up for a popular vote on November 6th. And with recent polls showing 61 percent in favor of legalization, there’s a strong chance that the measure could pass.
3. Connecticut
Earlier this month, an appropriations committee in Connecticut voted to approve house bill 5394, a recreational marijuana bill. The bill calls for state officials to develop a plan for the legalization and regulation of cannabis, as well as expanding substance abuse treatment, education and prevention. The plan is due to be completed by October 1st, at which point it would have to be voted on by the General Assembly, where it still faces some strong opposition.

Other States to Watch:

New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Delaware have all formed committees to evaluate the impact of recreational marijuana markets in their respective states. They are facing the reality of their neighbors – Maine, Massachusetts and Vermont – passing recreational cannabis legislation. The committees are to put forth recommendations for the state legislature, but whether we see any bills up for a vote this year is still up in the air.
Ohio is still working on a recreational marijuana measure, but the deadline to get it on this year’s ballot is rapidly approaching and nothing has been submitted so far. They need to submit the measure and petition more than 305,000 valid signatures by July 4th in order to vote on it in November. And their failed bid in 2015 shows that organizers in Ohio are struggling to bring the interested parties together on this issue.
Finally, Oklahoma and Utah both have medical marijuana initiatives on the ballot this year. And a number of other states have bills being considered that would legalize medical marijuana, including Wisconsin, Kentucky, Missouri and South Carolina.

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5 Reasons People Smoke Recreational Weed

There are way more than 5 reasons people use marijuana recreationally.

It doesn’t matter if it’s because MMJ patients don’t get to keep their guns or because you don’t want a paper trail. Some people use weed without getting a medical card. We call these people recreational users and believe these are the top 5 reasons they smoke weed.
While medical patients smoke weed to cure cancer or leukemia, recreational stoners usually smoke for one of the 5 reasons on this list. Some may buck the trend and not conform, but I hope these modern day unicorns are compelled to let us know in the comments how they diverge.

Chilling out

Modern life is full of bullshit that you kind of have to deal with. Mouthing off at work will get most people fired which leads to a host of bad experiences. But that doesn’t make dealing with the crap coming your way any easier. Without a release valve, tension builds until you want to explode at something.
So people smoke to help them deal with the stress of things like exams, getting a divorce or a hard day of work. These people decide to smoke weed instead of lash out destructively in other ways. In a day when a diploma increasingly requires bullet dodging abilities, having a non-violent way to unwind that won’t destroy the body is pretty attractive.

Improving media5 reasons

Everybody knows that smoking weed makes most movies better. Plays, operas and concerts also benefit from toking on some sticky icky. Getting high makes short term memory pretty much worthless. But this is a benefit because it allows you to experience a familiar event as though it were new.
Do you remember what it was like to hear your favorite song the first time? How about a joke so dumb you can’t stop laughing at how bad it is? Now imagine getting that experience over and over and you will begin to understand. Weed makes bad movies hilarious and great movies bend minds in the best of ways.

Dealing with annoying people/situations

We all know that one person who makes your blood boil just by being in the same room as you. We’ve all also wondered if we should smoke before dealing with a terrible situation you simply need to be present for. High stress situations like visiting in-laws or getting a roommate dealing with ‘personal space’ issues often demand a level of calm unavailable to an active mind.
Instead of spending the entire party thinking about how you want to even the score, getting high can give you the ability to simply think about something else. It’s hard to be mad at someone when your thoughts are consumed with the fact that cheese is just moldy milk. Especially when you start trying to figure out to turn expired milk into cheese.

To get off something else

Virginia Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam applauds visitors during the Senate session at the Capitol in Richmond, Va., Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2016. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)

People will try all sorts of things to get over an addiction. Most treatments perform little better than chance. But amazingly, recent scientific studies show that cannabis significantly promotes opioid addiction recovery.
The effects are strongest when the weed is dosed out by doctors instead of by drug dealers. But even the seeds and stems peddled by the U.S. government show signs of actually helping people. The anecdotal evidence for getting off common vices like cigarettes and alcohol is also pretty compelling.

Because it’s better than other drugs

There are a ton of drugs on the market. MDMA, crack, cocaine, heroin, oxycodone, caffeine, and a million others constantly compete with weed for users. But marijuana beats them out for several reasons. The biggest reasons are that weed is cheaper, less harmful, easier to get a hold of and can be dropped at any time.
The lack of hangover and ability to stop using at any time make weed especially nice. Unlike alcohol, tobacco, caffeine, prescriptions and club drugs, nobody has ever died from marijuana alone. So when times get tough, cutting out weed is as easy as not buying it.

Do you agree with our 5 reasons people smoke recreational weed? Know someone this list describes perfectly? It’s OK if you fall into more than one group. Let us know how this list stacks up to your experience in the comment section!

jeff sessions

Holland Takes Sessions to Federal Court

David Holland is here to defend marijuana.

Holland is a member of the legal team representing 5 plaintiffs in an ongoing suit against the current Attorney General.But he is no fledgling looking to make a name for himself. He is a litigator in New York City and the legal director of Empire State NORML. He also used to be on the High Times Magazine legal team and is a member of the New York Cannabis Bar Association.
So when it comes to productive stoners, he is one of the shining examples. But he feels that the current state of marijuana enforcement is unsustainable. Holland’s firm is suing Sessions and the DEA. The suit claims the classification of cannabis under the Controlled Substances Act is unconstitutional.
Their list of reasons include it violates rights surrounding travel, business and racial discrimination against communities of color. Basically, the law works to discriminate and criminalize communities that don’t have the power or money to resist. Sessions and the DEA failed to get the case dismissed.

The case is going forward.

Holland’s legal team managed to convince US District Court Judge Alvin Hellerstein to let the case go forward. That decision was made in large part because of the personal experiences the plaintiffs had with medical marijuana. The medical efficacy of cannabis to treat patients suffering from a variety of ailments is so apparent, the court has to reconsider the constitutionality of the law.
Despite the strong support showed by the judge, it is still too early to break out the champagne. Despite a mountain of evidence showing the opposite, Jeff Sessions continues to blame marijuana for the opioid epidemic. And with almost no pressure from the White House to change his stance, there is little to stop him from waging a emotionally motivated war against the American population.
Attorney General Sessions is the same person that thought the KKK was OK. At least until he found out some of them smoked marijuana. And he is the same person who said “I can’t remember” in one form or another over 26 times when asked under oath. The performance showed how willing he is to stonewall and deflect about his questionable activities.

The CCC believes marijuana prohibition is racist.

Some plaintiffs claim that people of color are disproportionately targeted for prosecution for marijuana offenses. Armed with scientific evidence and confessions, the Cannabis Cultural Association (CCA) went to bat for its members. We still don’t know how Judge Hellerstein will rule on the racism claims presented by the CCA. But Judge Hellerstein seemed unconvinced by opening statements showing that the Nixon administration admitted to criminalizing marijuana for the express purpose of suppressing minorities and social backlash against the Vietnam War.
Both sides of the case are preparing for a long battle. But despite the court clearly favoring marijuana reclassification, there are many hurdles to overcome. One major hurdle is making sure the court doesn’t pass off the problem to a dysfunctional and ideologically insane Congress. But Holland hopes to keep that from happening.
There is always the possibility the court will decide to ship the final decision over to Congress because of the political controversy surrounding marijuana. But proving its controversial is harder than ever for Sessions defense team. There are more than 30 states and the District of Columbia that already passed legislation legalizing marijuana in some form. With so many, there isn’t much controversy left. But don’t underestimate the vitriol and determination of the diminutive lawyer from Alabama.

Do you think the court will reschedule marijuana? Do you think the Attorney General is doing the right thing or mad with power? What would you do if cannabis became federally legal tomorrow? Let us know in the comments below!