Majority of Cannabis Ballot Measures Pass

A scattering of small round stickers reading "I voted" lay on a white table

Last night we saw (thank god) a Blue Wave. And as primary-school finger painting taught me, you can't make green without blue—and there was also a Green Wave last night as well. As I wrote yesterday, four states had cannabis-related measures on the ballot—two with medical programs (Missouri and Utah), and

Recreational Canadian Cannabis Sales Begin Today

A woman looks out over a lake, mountains and trees, her back is to the camera, and she wears a hat. She is wrapped in a Canadian flag.

Starting today, the poutine-loving, Celine Dion-blasting, hockey-playing, moose-wrestling residents of Canada may now legally purchase cannabis all across their fine country. That's right: It's now legal, nationwide. Which leads me to the question, "Who in Canada would like to marry a cannabis columnist who is seeking to flee the flaming sewer bomb

Oregon Medical Cannabis Patients See Purchase Limits Deeply Reduced

A close up photo of an immature cannabis plant

On Thursday, the OLCC passed a temporary rule which radically changed, without warning, the amount of flower that an Oregon Medical Marijuana Program (OMMP) patient may purchase. Previously, an OMMP patient or caregiver could purchase up to 24 ounces per day from a dispensary. Beginning today, Friday, August 24, that amount

Florida Candidate Loses Wells Fargo Account Over Cannabis Contribution

An Ariel photo of a Florida beach coastline

It's not breaking news that cannabis businesses and the banking industry have a contentious and ugly relationship fueled by paranoia and fear. The vast majority of US banks will neither make loans to, nor open and maintain accounts for, cannabis businesses. Therefore, these businesses are shut out of access to credit and

Florida And Oklahoma Advance Medical Cannabis Programs

A pair of hands hold a small amount of cured cannabis

When I used to tour the country with various bands and artists, two of the least cannabis-friendly states we'd hit were Florida and Oklahoma. (The time I was asked to let the chief of police in a small Florida town onto our tour bus—in which nearly every flat surface was covered

A Program To Target Minneapolis Cannabis Users Of Color Has Been Discontinued

The face of a young black man is shown in a black and white photo

While there are legit issues with cannabis here on the West Coast, overall we have it pretty good. Supplies are plentiful, selection is bountiful, and new strains and products are refined and released regularly. And in cities everywhere along the coast, there continues to be discussion and action around the issues

Give Thanks To Elvy Musikka, Legendary Cannabis Trail (And Joint) Blazer

Elvy Musikka is the stoned grandmother I always wanted, and if you meet her, you’ll feel the same. The OG cannabis activist lives in Eugene, Oregon, and she’s the definition of a firebrand. She’s also something of a rarity in this country—someone who receives cannabis from the federal government, at no

Cannabuzz: The Week in Cannabis How to Lobby 101

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I HAVE GOOD NEWS! Today we're going to explore how you can shatter the myth of the lazy, unmotivated, forgetful stoner and defend cannabis consumers everywhere. And you can do it while stoned and sitting down! Plus, you can sit down! Wait...what? I also have not-so-good news! It's going to involve taking time out

Legally Growing Your Own Cannabis? You’ll Need Two Things You Can’t (Yet) Buy.

a small cannabis plant

Have you heard? Cannabis is now legal in Oregon for adults 21 and older! I know, it's pretty great. And provided you live at least 1,000 feet away from a school, you may grow up to four plants. Which is also pretty great. Considering this is a state that encourages its residents

Three Dispensaries Talk The Coming Of Recreational Cannabis

A close up photo of an immature cannabis plant

THERE IS MUCH confusion, hope, and worry over how recreational cannabis will roll out in Oregon. One option being considered is licensing Oregon Medical Marijuana Program (OMMP) dispensaries for recreational sales. It's a scenario with many advantages, especially because Portland is already conveniently littered with them. In some cases, there are also hidden

When Will Oregon Start Recreational Cannabis Sales?

Mount Hood taken from the air

One of the most vexing questions since Measure 91 passed in November 2014 is the time frame for recreational consumers of cannabis to be able to purchase their newly legal cannabis. The date that's been batted around most often for recreational pot shops to open has been sometime in late 2016—a

Cannabuzz: The Week in Cannabis Cannabis Confusion in the Capital

A yellow highway sign reads "Questions Answers"

This week, I'm going to fail you as a cannabis columnist. This is not to say I have accepted a god that frowns upon using a plant that said deity itself created. Nor does it mean the title of this column has changed to "Cokebuzz, the Week in Cocaine News!" ("As part

The Feds Want To Hook You Up With Fat Sacks Of Cannabis! Uh Oh….

A sitting clown gives the thumbs up sign wearing a US flag hat

TRUE OR FALSE? The federal government grows cannabis, and it wants to sell you some. True. But before you go asking for some sweet "Uncle Sam OG" at your local dispensary, hang tight. It won't be worth your time. Last month, the good people at the National Institute on Drug Abuse (or NIDA,

Cannabis Soon May No Longer Be Considered Worse Than Meth

I man holds up a large joint

"WHEN THE PEOPLE lead, the leaders will follow."—Gandhi   With Congress' approval rating at about 16 percent, it's hard to believe there's anything positive emanating from our esteemed leaders in DC—especially if one has an interest in cannabis, personal or business-wise. But some recent changes give us hope.   Cannabis is listed as a

Two Days At The Oregon Medical Marijuana Business Conference

A black man in a baseball cap holds a lighter up to a glass one hitter

Early on a Sunday morning is hardly the time you want to be standing on a street corner in heavy rain waiting for a BoltBus, but that's where I found myself two weekends ago. I was heading to the Oregon Medical Marijuana Business Conference in Eugene, and my aforementioned status should