WEEDecide

Tijuana is a tale of two cities in itself. While one, recently named the most violent city in the world by Mexico's Citizens' Council for Public Safety and Criminal Justice , is still very much grappling with the fallout from the 2000s drug war, the other simply wants to enjoy a peaceful, trendy new way of life .  For the younger generation and those responsible for the growing number of hipster businesses propelling Tijuana into the future , legal cannabis presents exciting cultural and monetary opportunities into the city. “Legal weed here is going to happen, but probably not for another year,” said Pedro Gastelum, the 20-something co-founder of Tijuana High Club, the city's first head shop aimed at savvy cannabis users. Gastelum is young, articulate, and possesses an entrepreneurial spirit that falls somewhere between the hip Los Angeles streetwear aesthetic and Tijuana's street smarts. “It's going to start in Mexico City, and then it's coming to all of ...

Ahh, the dispensaries of the stars. But when it comes to providing bud to the fabulous westside weed smokers, which retailers do it the best?  Weedmaps News pulled Weedmaps listing data from May, June, and July 2019 and looked at which retail listings were the most visited and commented on to determine which were among the best places to buy weed in West Hollywood, California.  Each of these storefronts is recreational, meaning they welcome all adults 21 and older with proper identification, and they all carry a wide array of cannabis brands on top of their own in-house lines. But many of these dispensaries were original medical marijuana storefronts in this area, meaning they have deep roots in the local cannabis community and have put patients first, still operating their medical licenses alongside recreational ones. Here are the top 10 dispensaries to consider next time you're in West Hollywood. Cookies Melrose Why It Made The List: You can't miss the glowing blue Cook...

Cannabis conferences used to be scarce and left a lot to be desired. I went to my first cannabis conference in 2010, and it was basically just a joint smoking fest in a hotel conference room in an obscure part of town. It was a much simpler time. There’s nothing [read more] * This article was originally published here

Check out some of the best dab rigs of the year... * This article was originally published here

Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing the receipt of 10 pesticide applications to expand their use on hemp. The 10 requests are the result of the December 2018 Farm Bill provisions that removed hemp from the Controlled Substances Act, legalizing hemp for commercial use and production. “EPA [read more] * This article was originally published here

After dozens of people across the Midwest and California were sickened as a result of vaping cannabis or e-cigarettes, consumers, vape makers, and retailers alike have to be aware of how products are made and where they were made. Vape pens have surged to new heights on the marijuana mountain by offering a portable and discreet way to consume THC or cannabidiol (CBD)-heavy concentrates.  The proof: Vape oil products made up a whopping 86% of the concentrate market in Colorado , Washington , and Oregon in 2018, and 71% of the concentrate sales in California , according to a May 2018 report by BDS Analytics.  But there have been serious health and safety concerns associated with vaping technology, first in the e-cigarette industry and later in the cannabis industry. Nearly three dozen young people in the upper Midwestern U.S. and California were hospitalized for severe respiratory problems after vaping nicotine or cannabis, The New York Times reported on Aug. 14, 2019. Three days a...

Online headshops offer a variety of smoke accessories and other products. * This article was originally published here

Robert Downey Jr. said he was once detained at Disneyland after getting caught smoking marijuana on a gondola ride. The “Iron Man” and “Avengers” actor shared the anecdote while being honored at the Disney Legends award show on Aug. 23, 2019, describing his first trip to the California park. “Here's a bit of trivia for you. The very first time I went to Disneyland, I was transported to another place — within moments of being arrested,” Downey said, drawing laughs. “I was brought to a surprisingly friendly processing center, given a stern warning, and returned to, if memory serves, one very disappointed group chaperone.” Omg Robert Downey Jr. telling us how he got caught smoking pot in gondolas in Disneyland pic.twitter.com/13mWRUz2uy — Maxwell Glick @ #D23Expo (@maxwellglick) August 23, 2019 “I've been sitting on that shame for a while and I'm just going to release it here tonight,” he said. “I would like to make amends to whomever had to detain me for smoking pot i...

Although cannabis is a complex plant with more than 400 chemical entities, the weed industry has — for the most part — remained fixated on two particular cannabinoids: THC and cannabidiol (CBD). But other cannabinoids are starting to emerge into the spotlight.  One of these so-called minor cannabinoids is cannabigerol (CBG), which is gaining attention for its proclaimed anti-bacterial, anti-microbial, and anti-inflammatory properties. While CBG has yet to match the mainstream appeal of CBD , this cannabinoid may soon play a starring role in everyday consumer products as it quietly demonstrates a wide array of highly intriguing medicinal benefits.  “The pharmacological effects of CBG described in the scientific literature include: anti-fungal, anti-insect and anti-inflammatory activity; neuroprotective activity; stimulation of appetite, and  enhancement of the death process of cancer cell,” Dr. Itzhak Kurek, CEO and co-founder of Cannformatics, a Northern California biotech company ...

Nomsternailz offers cannabis infused nail services and advocates for self-care and stigma lifting. * This article was originally published here

The marijuana legalization movement is often described as a state-level experiment — and one aspect of its implementation that's garnering more attention is how legalized jurisdictions approach cannabis taxes in different ways. Pew Charitable Trusts has been monitoring taxation in the legal industry and released a report on Aug. 19, 2019, that explains the challenges of establishing effective tax frameworks and accurately projecting revenues, especially considering that experts don't have a sizable body of historical data on which to base predictions like they do for alcohol and tobacco. That said, there are some lessons to be taken from recent years since early legalizers implemented their respective programs. Because tax rates differ significantly for marijuana businesses and consumers depending on the state, revenue from cannabis sales has varied, leaving policymakers in flux as they work to meet budget goals and predict future trends, Pew reported. Revenue was 40% highe...

Learn more about SharpStone Grinders. * This article was originally published here

As the legalization of marijuana continues to spread state by state, and the rising industry along with the culture of weed continue to evolve, it can be easy to forget that much of the legalization movement owes much of its progress to people from underrepresented communities.  One of those communities is made up of young patients with debilitating and terminal diseases who use cannabis to help treat their symptoms and conditions.  And a photography exhibition by a Colorado artist is making sure these young children and their parents aren't forgotten.  “Faces of Cannabis” is a project that brings portraits of young medical marijuana patients to galleries across the country, highlighting the triumphs and struggles of kids who medicate with cannabis. The project began in 2013 by Nichole Montanez as a way to record the experiences of her niece Hailey, also known as Teapot, who began having seizures as an infant. Teapot was diagnosed with Dravet syndrome , a rare form of epilepsy t...