My Journey Into Cannabis - Part 2 : Road Trippin’

My Journey Into Cannabis - Part 2 : Road Trippin’

Written By Jason Bird

It’s a glorious thing when the lights go down and everyone lights up. There’s nothing like the smell and taste of fresh lit fully cured herb. It was around this time that 4:20 became more widely popularized and was adopted as the unofficial stoner holiday.

There were so many good vibes surrounding that Cali adventure in the Bay Area, sitting in Golden Gate Park. On a friend's farm in Santa Cruz. Secret spots in Big Sur and Ben Lohman. All throughout the hills of Humboldt, Mendocino, and Trinity Counties… The Kind Bud revolution was underway.

It still seems surreal to me now, years later, but you have those moments in your life where you transcend everything you know, or thought you knew, about something, and I was certainly having mine with The Kind at that time.

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My Journey Into Cannabis - Part I: Jason Meets The Herb

My Journey Into Cannabis - Part I: Jason Meets The Herb

Written By Jason Bird

Do you remember the first time you smoked weed? Where you were, the people you were with, the place and time you were (are) at in your life? For me, it was the summer of 1988. After the first few times, I remember feeling like I had found something that I didn't know I was looking for.

In the early 1990s, I noticed the progression of cannabis' evolutionary growth and cultural popularity. Every year I would meet more and more people who were regular consumers of "The Kind." All the sights and smells of an industry on the rise were sprouting up worldwide.

Through friends and connections I had made, I started meeting people from all over who were growing their own herb. I met growers and connoisseurs worldwide, and I would eventually leave the place where I grew up in search of my higher purpose.

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An Interview and Weeding Announcement with Penny Lane

An Interview and Weeding Announcement with Penny Lane

Written By Mike Robinson

November is Epilepsy Awareness Month, and thus a great time to talk about how our beautiful fat nugs get used by patients and people in the cannabis industry that use the plant to stop seizures. The world went nuts with the Weed Series on CNN that featured kids battling through the grips of this complex neurological issue that's known for taking 50,000 lives a year. Many don't consider the adults in the World of Purple as they paint their faces and hair that color this month to celebrate their continued life, their will, and their ability to overcome.

Penny Lane is one of those adults. Let's talk with Penny Lane about her Mary Jane and how it changed her life.

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Americans for Safe Access Launch “Air Shred For ASA” Challenge Calling for Cannabis Brands to Participate

Americans for Safe Access Launch “Air Shred For ASA” Challenge Calling for Cannabis Brands to Participate

Written By Bri Smith

The Air Shred for ASA Challenge models after the ALS ice bucket challenge, but thankfully you won’t have to be doused in freezing water to participate. To take part in the challenge, participants are asked to post a video of themselves “air shredding” in whatever creative way they come up with. Some choose to air shred their invisible guitars to music, others shred paper with stigmatized messages on them, while some shred cheese - because why not? There’s no limit to the creative application of the term shred. Then, share the video through social media, tagging #ASAChallenge and #AirShredforASA, before nominating several friends or colleagues to join in the challenge.

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48 Hours in Utah: I Want to Be SedatedPart II - Good Morning Salt Lake City and Donut Falls!

48 Hours in Utah: I Want to Be SedatedPart II - Good Morning Salt Lake City and Donut Falls!

Written By Grant Mitchell

Cruising the train back towards the airport, facing forward, gratitude struck my heart for the whole gift, realizing the value of the ability to travel medically. I jotted a profound note: Impermanence makes me philosophize on how valuable, unique, and special all the fleeting moments are. In a way, we’re all simply passengers on the ride of life and should pause to cherish the preciousness in all our experience snapshots.

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48 Hours in Utah: I Want to Be Sedated Part I - Cannabis at the Crossroads

48 Hours in Utah: I Want to Be Sedated Part I - Cannabis at the Crossroads

Written By Grant Mitchell

‘Twas a solid 12 years since meeting up with my ol’ buddy, M.W. After a few formalities were exchanged on LinkedIn, we decided that a rendezvous in late July around the proverbial “Crossroads of the West'' was long overdue. Whilst getting my regular items in order, you know, I began to ponder over the new Medical Marijuana laws in Utah. On November 6, 2018, Utah legalized medical marijuana and, nowadays, for holders of a license from some states, reciprocity would honor my Nevada card.

Due to the top-secret nature of M.W. 's history, I can’t go into the details too much about how I know this person - even writing what I did might be too much. But let’s just say, they are the agent with all the information. So, M.W. constructed a grand plan to reconnect the day after I landed, which was perfect for an outing to report on the current state of affairs in at least two cities. It seemed I was set to spend about 48 hours in Utah, licensed by the state to get sedated.

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Women Are Now Networking Over Blunts & Brunch: Next stop - Vegas!

Women Are Now Networking Over Blunts & Brunch: Next stop - Vegas!

Written By Lindsey Gunter

Would you know if a woman smoked cannabis by looking at her? This is what’s hard for brands and companies to connect with in cannabis when it comes to marketing toward women.

What better way to begin building awareness as well as connection to this vast and unfamiliar assortment of women than a woman-focused event? One with “activations” and more, within which women can explore and converse! Cannabis is still a very male-dominated industry, women sticking together in cannabis will inspire women to stand together more in general - Events are a great way to accomplish this.

When it comes to this niche, Adelia Carrillo (CMO/Co-Founder of “EventHi”) and “The Marijuana Momma” Parisa Mansouri-Rad’s “Blunt Brunch” has grown to become one of the nation’s best places for women in cannabis to network and empower one another. 2022 has been a great year, as Blunt Brunch has successfully put on events in multiple cities including Chicago, Los Angeles, San Diego, Phoenix, and, coming up - Las Vegas!

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Where Do All The Delta-8 Nugs Grow?

Where Do All The Delta-8 Nugs Grow?

Written By Mike Robinson

By no means did the U.S. Congress create a bill for farmers so people in labs could convert cannabinoids under a loophole to market powerful quasi-cannabis items to people in states that have yet to legalize them. There are concerns far beyond the marketing to vulnerable consumers when it comes to semi-synthetic or completely synthetic creations made in labs to vie with the THC-focused cannabis market.

One of these lab conversions is known as Delta-8 THC, and it has hit the nation hard with so many different hemp companies finding a way to stay afloat by commercializing this new type of THC. Now consumers are exposed to modern, trendy marketing for products that are beyond misleading.

Sure, it's a great thing to see the hemp industry stay alive during a harsh economic time, but is it that great of an item if the hemp-derived cannabinoids within them were lab created? Is it great that these products are put on shelves for consumers far faster than researchers could possibly study both efficacy and safety?

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Medical Cannabis in the Hemp State? No Relief in Sight

Medical Cannabis in the Hemp State? No Relief in Sight

Written By Dan Isenstein

Kentucky is one of just 13 states that still criminalize all marijuana use and possession. During the spring 2022 Kentucky legislative session, House Bill (HB) 136 was passed by Kentucky's lower house with bi-partisan support (59-34). Once again, however, Kentucky’s Republican controlled Senate blocked the bill to the floor for a vote.

In response to the continued Senatorial inaction in the legislature, Governor Beshear formed the Team Kentucky Medical Cannabis Advisory Committee. Less than a week after the Team Kentucky Medical Cannabis Advisory Report was released, President Joe Biden announced that he was issuing pardons for all federal marijuana convictions.

So what does that mean to the average Kentuckian looking to consume cannabis legally?

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Part II: The Cursed Bong

Part II: The Cursed Bong

Written By Blue Amnesia

“I assume that means you’re ready for the ghost stories, now?” I heard her cackle from across the room. I snapped my head toward Gran with widened eyes and leaned back into the couch to feel safer as the infusion of terpenes danced their way through my body.

“Oh yeah, I’m ready.”

“It was a chilly southern October night, and the only thing stickier than the old farmer’s weed was the shituation he got himself in with the Sorceress. The deal was that she would bless his grow with her divine energy, and in return he would only use the plants to help heal the needy. That deal worked for decades to come, until eventually, the farmer was infected by greed and began negotiating the Sorceress’s seeds for a different kind of green. He began telling his most needy patrons that he was dry, and then he would host a party full of lustful women to smoke from his prized glass bong. When the Sorceress found out that her beloved plant was not being used to heal as the farmer promised, she filled with vengeance and began crafting her most terrifying curse.”

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The Seven Cannabis Factions - Part III

The Seven Cannabis Factions - Part III

Written By Trent Hancock & Shayney Norick

Many in the cannabis community are going to disagree with Pharmaceuticals having a spot in the industry. Most of us choose cannabis because we believe in a more natural route. That being said, there is a large population of people with health conditions that trust the pharmaceutical process.

It is not too much to ask that the government free people who had minor charges so that they can support and be with their families. Requesting that people are no longer imprisoned for a small-time cannabis distribution conviction or specific homegrow quantities would resonate with the majority of the public, and could potentially free the majority of cannabis felons.

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The Seven Cannabis Factions - Part II

The Seven Cannabis Factions - Part II

Written By Trent Hancock & Shayney Norick

In our humble opinion, The MSOs that have ownership in dozens of craft businesses, while still allowing the companies to be independent, will have the strongest foundation.

The suggestions for amendments to state laws in this article are written to provide a pathway for everyone to focus on the model they believe in. Investors need to see a clear focus claimed by businesses based on the aspects of cannabis they want to invest in.

The future of cannabis investing should and will hopefully be more diversified between Small Businesses, MSOs, and Pharmaceuticals.

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The Seven Cannabis Factions - Part I

The Seven Cannabis Factions - Part I

Written By Trent Hancock & Shayney Norick

If you look closely enough at the groups with interest in the future of cannabis, they can be broken down into seven factions. They all have a different vision, and none of them are going anywhere. Instead of the situation boiling over politically, the best course of action is for all factions to negotiate a future that is best for everyone. Each cannabis faction’s concerns need to be addressed via amendments written to update current state cannabis laws.

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The Stigmatization of Cannabis Is Still Alive and Well in California

The Stigmatization of Cannabis Is Still Alive and Well in California

Written By Dan Wittmers

Consuming cannabis is so far outside their definition of personal preference that maternity patients are forced to sign a physical document before delivery demanding they “do not trust anyone who is using marijuana to care for [their] child.”

This extremist document was presented to us as an agreement that “just states you won’t bring cannabis in the hospital or use it while you’re on-site.” It should be noted that they did not take the time to discuss with us the effects of drinking alcohol, smoking tobacco, or taking opioids while breastfeeding, nor did they present to us any similar documentation regarding those drugs and their potential effects on parenting an infant. Likewise, when they prescribed my wife fentanyl for her discomfort because it wasn’t yet time for an epidural, there was no discussion about its potential effects on the baby still in her womb.

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Has your Linkedin engagement gone up in smoke?

Has your Linkedin engagement gone up in smoke?

Written By Melanie Rizzo

After years of slowly cultivating a presence on the platform, I discovered that my engagement suddenly and significantly dropped. My profile views were down nearly 60 percent and my posts went from averaging thousands of impressions to the single digits. I tried writing posts using popular hashtags at peak hours but despite my best efforts, engagement still lagged. I froze.

Am I being shadowbanned?

If you are seeing rapid reductions in engagement, or you believe that your profile has been pushed into the LinkedIn netherworld, don’t panic! There are steps you can take to regain your footing.

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Introducing: The Naive Newbie

Introducing: The Naive Newbie

Written By Blue Amnesia

My actual stoner birthday wasn’t until I was, well, I don’t remember. I want to say that I was 25, but I honestly can’t recall. I’ll tell you later why I’m named Amnesia. What I can recall was the exact experience I had with it, though. Every moment. Every feeling. I treasure that memory because it was the beginning of Blue Amnesia. Not in a literal sense, but that was the night that my pretty little healing seed was planted!

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Cannabis Advocates and Professionals react to President Biden’s Statements Regarding Federal Marijuana Reform

Cannabis Advocates and Professionals react to President Biden’s Statements Regarding Federal Marijuana Reform

Written By Bri Smith

The dust is settling from the news of last week’s announcement from President Biden regarding federal marijuana reform. For many Americans - especially cannabis advocates - it was a historic moment. However, his announcement fell short of what so many felt could have been truly beneficial for so many Americans still serving unfair sentences for nonviolent cannabis charges.

As could be expected, cannabis industry professionals and advocates had a lot to say about the statements. Some celebrated the effort, while others met it with harsh criticism for not being impactful enough. We’ve collected the statements and reactions, ranging from joy to frustration, of 30 cannabis industry professionals.

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From Red to Pink - Part V: SPIES, SUCCULENTS & LOOK DAD I'M ON TV

From Red to Pink - Part V: SPIES, SUCCULENTS & LOOK DAD I'M ON TV

Written By Lindsey Gunter

Woah, I remember thinking. “Could I trust the people I work with?” I mean, can you trust anyone, really, further than a certain point at least? I was just Sourcing and Production, so I hoped so, but…what? I could not imagine a single person in my area of the office being any type of spy, and laughed to myself at the thought of the buyers or master data bros in black ninja outfits. I mean, hopping through lasers and narrowly avoiding booby traps…for legal weed?

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Dissecting Biden’s Statements on Federal Marijuana Reform

Dissecting Biden’s Statements on Federal Marijuana Reform

Written By Bri Smith

A statement Americans and cannabis advocates have said for literally decades was finally uttered by President Biden yesterday during his statements addressing federal marijuana reform. The phrase was both welcomed and yet infuriating for advocates who have been fighting for federal cannabis reform since Harry J. Anslinger preemptively ruined the lives of millions of people. Indeed, for 15 years short of a century, we’ve been shouting from the mountaintops, “It makes no sense”... and also, “What the fuck is going on?”.

For many Americans, it was a monumental day in the United States. In what is likely one of the biggest steps toward federal acceptance and decriminalization of cannabis by any president, Biden declared three areas of action for his (more on this later) failed approach to the War on Cannabis.

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Invitation Only

Invitation Only

Written By Blue Amnesia

I guess most people would consider me a loner, but I always viewed myself as diverse. I connected with people on a direct level, but was never really invited to the group events. People connected with me when they were pulled away from their cliques, but as soon as the group was together, I was back to feeling like an outcast, even if the entire group connected with me on a one-on-one basis.

Does this speak to the reality of the cannabis space? Abso-freaking-lutely! We won’t discuss the internal war between Big Pharm Cannabis and Legacy Cannabis right now, but let’s discuss, for a moment, the invitation only mindset that each one has. It seems that as soon as you’ve had any sort of interaction with one or the other you are instantly thrust into that clique, with or without your consent.

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