My Journey Through Life With Cannabis: How Did I Get Here?
Written By Kim Cooper
Riding on the energy from organizing the protest march, I decided to see if I could get support to hold the region's first 420 event that year. I did some advertising to float the idea on social media and picked up some volunteers. Then a few people from the second city in the region contacted me and wanted to participate as well. NOCER would be organizing and hosting the first 420 events ever held in Northern Ontario, one in Temiskaming Shores, the other in North Bay. Since then we have hosted 420 events in five cities, including Smooth Rock Falls, Timmins, and Val Gagne. Several others have now started independently as well.
Kids In Cannabis: Raising the Next Generation Of Advocates
Written By Casey & Shilo Renteria
Present day, my oldest turned eight this year. I’ve gotten the pleasure of watching her grow and evolve into this incredibly smart young (dare I say) activist. Over the years she has been by my side watching the work and long hours that I’ve put into it. She’s seen the stunning art and talented incredibly intelligent people I’ve gotten to meet and talk with.
Needless to say, she’s fallen in love with both cannabis and writing. I’ve waited years to find out who she would be and now that she wants to follow in my footsteps it seems like the right time to co-author something and give her a proper introduction to the cannabis community and all the amazing possibilities that exist here.
Interview with Lonnie Kessler: From Fighting Stigma to Facing Death
Written By Casey Renteria
Through all the ups and downs with his health, cannabis was always there. He told me he was on 13 pills - but with cannabis, he’s down to 3 pills twice a day, and I'd say that's a huge improvement! But he also talked about how hard it was to open up to his family about his choice to use cannabis. “It's finding a balance between family, friends, society, and quality of life you have to choose and I choose the quality of life…Cannabis will be the one thing I use until the very end,” he said.
The Great Midwest Hemp Fest – 54 years of Cannabis Advocacy
Written By Daniel Crawford
The Great Midwest Hemp Fest is a non-profit organization with a mission to educate voters and advocate for change in Wisconsin’s legislation surrounding THC laws. Their goal is to deliver educational resources and awareness about the positive effects of THC legalization in Wisconsin.
Ben Masel, Founder, Yippie and cannabis activist, ran and organized the fest from its inception in 1971 to his death in 2011. Masel was a champion of Liberty and he also knew the laws better than the police who were sworn to uphold them. He pushed harder against the limits on dissent in what was supposed to be a free society.
Legacy Vs. Legal: The War over the Future of Cannabis
Written By Tara Eveland
There is a place for the big dogs, and we have welcomed them into our states, but now they want to totally shut out the legacy entrepreneurs and small businesses that got them where they are today, and we will not let that happen. Those of us that love this plant, those of us that have fought for years for patients over profits.
We won’t let the people that paid that cost not have a seat at this table, especially when #bridgingthelegacytolegalgap is not unheard or unattainable.
Genevieve's Journey: Cannabis and Dentistry for the Developmentally Disabled
Written By Mike Robinson
Today, we offer a nuanced perspective into the specific cannabinoids that benefit Genevieve, especially as she faces the challenges of upcoming oral surgery. This type of surgery is not usually easy for people with severe developmental delays.
It takes profound amounts of sedation to get her into that dentist chair, and then she must use the gas. She often will also take a nap while the professionals work. THC and CBD were particularly effective for her, whereas CBD initially did not yield the desired results.