US Cannabis Legalization : January 2022

January 5, 2022

One good thing about election years (and that’s a small sample lot, isn’t it?) is that it’s always an exciting time for the cannabis industry. If you think about it in the long term, hardly an election has gone by even this century without progress in ending cannabis prohibition. Each primary election, more states legalize.

So before we get into the thick of election season this year (oh boy we can hardly wait…) January is a good time to check in and get a feel for the market. Establish where we are now, so that we can measure our progress by end of year. Think of it as “The State of the Cannabis Union” for 2022.

For supplementary US cannabis legalization info, visit our state-by-state guide to contacting authorities in charge of cannabis regulation there. If you’re more interesting in worldwide legalization, that’s a far smaller scope of an article covered there.

Just for a side note, the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan is opting to decriminalize cannabis in London, England. There’s a little international scope anyway.

Recap: Just 5 US States Make Cannabis Fully Illegal

Out of the 50 states of the US + Washington D.C. (in a perpetual legalization twilight zone), only 5 still prohibit cannabis fully. As we stand after 2021:

Fully legal (adult recreational use): Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Washington D.C., Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, South Dakota, Vermont, Virginia, Washington

Medical use only: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Utah, West Virginia
CBD / hemp allowed: Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Texas, Wisconsin
Decriminalized: Nebraska, North Carolina
Still illegal and criminalized: Idaho, Kansas, South Carolina, Tennessee, Wyoming

Public Support For Legalized Cannabis Grows Every Year

Around about 2012 was the last time that cannabis legalization approval was at 50%, according to polls. Since then, public support has shot up to the 70% range for legalizing cannabis entirely.

More recently, this poll of registered voters only shows support topping 80%:

Only 13% + 3% think that cannabis users or distributors should be prosecuted at all.

The US Cannabis Market is Now a $20 Billion Industry

Forbes was breathless to report in March of 2021 that US cannabis sales had reached $17.5 billion. According to many estimates, we can comfortably tack on a couple billion more. That’s a comfortable 46% increase from 2019. And as more states legalize, that number is just getting bigger.

Marijuana Business Daily says that we currently stand at a market of $20-$24 billion in cannabis retail sales. This year, we are expected to reach $24-$30 billion, with adult-use (recreational) reaching $20 billion alone and the medical cannabis market tacking on another $10 billion. Daring to peek ahead at the year 2024, we glimpse a possible $37 billion.

New Frontier Data has similar projected growth plans. Note that this graph was done in 2019, but still shows 2021 right on target at a $20 billion market. Their growth estimates are far more modest, but still showing a healthy $29 billion retail sales market in 2025.

So bottom line, the cannabis market is a huge boom, and we’re in its lap. Remember that most sales estimates are based on the “worst case” that no more states legalize. Every time a state flips and starts opening dispensaries, we have to re-compute that market forecast. Cannabis is unique in this way; most consumer products are legal in all 50 states so we have a better idea of the consumer base before we start totaling sales.

However, not all legalized states contribute to the market equally. Check out this breakdown of five states:

We see a similar growth curve for California, Colorado, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington. As thriving as the Nevada scene is, it is actually is the smallest market of the five and is the only one to see a drop in annual cannabis sales. Could be a leveling off effect, or impact from COVID on the tourist industry. In any case, all other state markets can look up to California for now.

So when we can add another legalized state, one size does not fit all for estimating the market. Should a state like, say, Montana, come online with full legalization, the population there is just so small that it will be lucky to see ~$230 million max, while California is already pulling in $4 billion by itself.

US Cannabis Market Breakdown

So what are we all buying with all these sales? This chart is a real eye opener to start with:

Even though dabbing and vaping seem like they hog the majority of cannabis industry news (at least around here), we see that good old, humble flower is definitely king! 46% of the US cannabis market is just a sack of nugs. Vape pens (including cartridges, oil pens, pods, etc.) show a decent second at 20% for the US. The rest of the market is scattered down to the various other consumption methods.

Of course, the vape market has been plagued by the black market and health concerns, which we have famously covered on our site. It could be that consumers don’t want to take a chance on consuming mystery oil when they can buy good honest nugs and smoke or vape them as nature intended.

Here’s another chart with an interesting factoid. Among those using cannabis at least once per month, it should come as no surprise that the 18-25 age range is the biggest market. However, it’s worth noting that the women in that age bracket come in a close second to the men. Markets in the US have a distressing pattern of genderizing when they don’t have to. Let’s hope this doesn’t happen to cannabis. Dispensaries, packagers, and marketers, pay attention to the female demographic too!

US States Joining the Cannabis Market in 2022

These states passed adult-use (recreational) legalization measures in 2021 and are expected to start opening dispensaries in 2022:

Connecticut – Feb. 2022 – projected $750 million market
Montana – Jan. 2022 – projected $90 million market
New York – maybe? (projected $245 million market) but don’t hold your breath

New York is a wild card. On the one hand, the state is bogged down in ponderous legislation, damping hopes for a dispensary scene coming online in 2022 at all. On the other nug, New York has a huge projected market. Can you imagine Times Square New Years, now with cannabis?

As for new states legalizing, so far we have these states dialed in to vote on full legalization.

Delaware
Oklahoma
Maryland
Ohio
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island

In addition, ballot measures and petitions are inching forward for full adult-use legalization in Arkansas, Florida, Missouri, and South Dakota.

EXTRA: Our forum post with more news about states preparing measures to legalize cannabis in some form.

Join us all year as we cover the next thrilling chapter in US cannabis history!

Readers, share your thoughts on market growth and legalization of cannabis in the US, here in the comments or in our forum.

Cannabis on the Ballot : US Marijuana Legalization 2020

Pete

September 30, 2020

The general election is just a month away, with presidential debates (so to speak) ringing in our ears. We’ve been tracking the voter-supported efforts to legalize cannabis in more states, and so far one thing has become clear: If you want change, you’re all going to have to fight a lot harder than this!

Two-thirds of Americans approve legal pot

Let’s get this out of the way up front: Pew Research has consistently polled the issue of marijuana legalization throughout the years 1969 to the present. Support for full legalization has grown to 67% as of 2019. Furthermore, 91% of all adults polled by Pew support allowing marijuana for medical or recreational. This is different from the two-thirds figure, because legalizing for medical still keeps it restricted for recreational. Only 8% support having marijuana be illegal in all circumstances.

You would suppose that a 9/10ths popular majority would kind of force the issue. Say what you will about voter apathy, but when pot’s on the ballot, the voters show up for that one. The trick is to keep pot on the ballot, as we will show. Support for legalizing unites across all parties and demographics. Let’s keep that in mind.

Nebraska and Oklahoma measures stricken down by state supreme courts

Despite grassroots efforts in Nebraska and Oklahoma, recreational legalization of marijuana in both states have been removed from the ballot after the fact on flimsy technicalities.

First, the ambitious Nebraska petition drive collected over 100K signatures in one month, during a pandemic. Yet “a law firm representing unnamed state residents” challenged the measure. Since then, Sheriff Terry Wagner filed a challenge to the secretary of state, claiming the proposal didn’t abide by a single-subject format for ballot initiatives and “would confuse voters.” The Nebraska Medical Cannabis Constitutional Amendment was then struck down by Nebraska’s state supreme court.

You know what I find “confusing“? I find it confusing that 100K signatures from voters (in a state with barely 2 million population) are going to be ignored because of a sheriff and a few old poops on the supreme court. When 5% of your state’s population is invested enough to marshal this kind of effort, that’s a serious voting block there. Not to mention that this nice woman, braving the pandemic, volunteered her time for nothing:

The spirit of democracy would dictate that any measure with 5% approval at least gets a chance to hear the voter’s say, no matter what anybody else thinks. Nebraska activists are back at it for 2022, and need we point out, this is just for medical marijuana.

Meanwhile in Oklahoma, the supreme court there also struck down the ballot measure to legalize recreational marijuana. The wording here is even more vague; State Question 813 was stricken down “because it failed to alert potential individuals signing it about changes being made to the law or provide them with sufficient information to make an informed decision about the constitutional amendment.”

The challenge was brought before the Oklahoma supreme court by Paul Tay. Who is Paul Tay? We’re kind of confused about that. He has run for office extensively according to BallotPedia, for mayor of Tulsa, US Senate, and Tulsa City Council, but has yet to hold office if I’m reading it right. We also found this and this… which we are linking without comment. But he sure doesn’t seem to speak for all of Oklahoma.

Currently five states have major legalization measures on the ballot for 2020

Those states are:

Arizona – Prop 207, Marijuana Legalization Initiative
Mississippi – Initiative 65 and Alternative 65A, Medical Marijuana Amendment
Montana – CI-118 & I-190, Allow for a Legal Age for Marijuana Amendment & Marijuana Legalization and Tax Initiative
New Jersey – Public Question 1, Marijuana Legalization Amendment
South Dakota – Constitutional Amendment A & Initiated Measure 26, Marijuana Legalization Initiative & Medical Marijuana Initiative

In addition, Oregon, already legalized for recreation and medical cannabis, is voting on whether to decriminalize all drugs. We’ll see where that goes, but it’s not impossible. Don’t look now, but Ann Arbor, Michigan, just legalized psychedelic mushrooms. It’s still illegal on the state and federal, but as far as the city cops are concerned, you do you!

We can’t wait to open our sister site “TripConnection,” but let’s not get sidetracked.

Ballotpedia shows many more measures on the polls in 2022, which looks like it could be a big year for cannabis.

The big story for cannabis is in US petitions

Granted, petitions are a dime a dozen and don’t get much done unless they’re official. But Change.org has dozens of trending petitions on the subject of marijuana legalization. Here’s a few:

Federal full legalization – 13.8K supporters
Federal decriminalization – 864 supporters
Legalized medical use for veterans – 153.6K supporters
Legalized medical use nationwide – 33.8K supporters
Federal support of state cannabis laws – 912 supporters
Demand for Senator Mitch McConnell to allow the MORE Act to vote so it can pass – 31.9K supporters

Here yet again – the MORE Act (Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act) proposes to remove cannabis from the Controlled Substances List, and enact criminal and social justice reform to expunge prior convictions. The MORE Act already passed a House Judiciary Committee, is approved by a 59% majority in polls, and is supported by 53% of Republicans, McConnell’s own party. But nope, once again, one man stands in the way of the democratic say of an entire nation.

That’s just from Change.org. All over the nation, all over public discourse, it’s the same story. We have an overwhelming majority in favor of making marijuana as legal as beer, full stop, and a mandate majority to at least legalize for medical. So why isn’t it done yet???

Readers, tell us of your grassroots efforts!

For once, let’s hear from this 91% that supports legalizing. What’s the cannabis-approval climate in your home state, how can other citizens help, and do you have any petitions or activism causes to share? Post it here and in the legalization category on our forum!

US State Legalization Update : July 2020

Pete

July 11, 2020

Nebraska_medical_cannabis_signature_drive

The US general election is only four months away, God help us all. With the many concerns voters will have going into the polls, we thought we’d try to give everybody an overview of the relative legalization processes going on in their state.

We’re not concerned with the fully legalized green states here, but only which states aren’t yet fully legal and what movement, if any, they’re making towards legalizing in full. We’re only reporting the states showing significant progress, passing bills or putting measures on the ballot.

See this as the cannabis “report card” going into the election.

Alabama – Introducing medical

The state Senate voted 22-11 in favor of a medical marijuana bill in March 2020. That has been handed to the state House. No further word on that, but so far so good. Currently Alabama has a research pilot program for industrial hemp production.

Arizona – Petition ballot for full legalization

The “Smart and Safe Arizona Act” has been placed on the November ballot! This is an initiative to legalize adult-use recreational marijuana, initiated by a petition which got enough signatures to be put up for vote. The measure at a glance looks very similar to other states’ fully legalized policies. Arizona is a very conservative state, so this is an important vote to watch for the status of national legalization.

Currently Arizona only has a weakly supported medical use program.

Georgia – Introducing decriminalization

The Georgia state Senate has introduced the Georgia Justice Act, which is aimed to decriminalize low-level marijuana possession. The act is motivated more based on new ideas of racial equality forced by the recent George Floyd activism movement than real concern about marijuana.

Currently Georgia has a controlled medical-use-only program and legalized industrial hemp and CBD.

Hawaii – 21 new bills

A hail of new cannabis legislation is proposed for Hawaii in 2020. Twenty-one new cannabis measures have been proposed, following up from decriminalization and medical approval in 2019. Measures include legalizing industrial hemp, improving the medical dispensary situation, legalizing the sale of seeds and edible products for medical purposes, and broadening the legalization measures made so far. This is an impressive amount of activity in a short time, signaling that full legalization could be on the horizon.

Kentucky – Introducing medical

In March of 2020, the Kentucky state House passed a medical cannabis bill. It is currently before the state Senate, which is making sour faces at it. Kentucky so far has a weak CBD medical policy.

More importantly in Kentucky, it is the home state of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, one of the biggest anti-pot brick walls in US politics (but he’s fine with industrial hemp, go figure). Kentucky Representative Charles Booker is currently running for Mitch’s seat, and so far has a four-point lead in the state’s primaries. Booker is an outspoken pro-marijuana advocate who’s making big speeches on Twitter about this position.

Louisiana – Broadened medical

Governor John Bel Edwards has signed legislation to expand the state’s medical cannabis access. Doctors may now recommend cannabis for any condition at all, and there are now no restrictions on which doctors can prescribe it. Louisiana currently only has two cultivation facilities and nine dispensaries.

Minnesota – Introducing full legalization

The state House has introduced a full adult-use legalization bill. The ambitious bill would create a business infrastructure, decriminalize possession, and create funding for health and education. It is spearheaded by Minnesota House Majority Leader Ryan Winkler. Currently the state has a medical cannabis program, but Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has spoken in favor of full legalization.

Mississippi – Petition ballot for medical

Medical marijuana is now on the November 2020 ballot for Mississippi! This is thanks to a grassroots effort that got over 100K signatures on a petition for the measure. Mississippi currently has a stingy medical CBD allowance.

But if you’re really pro-pot in Mississippi, you want to watch the governor’s race to see if David Singletary, an independent candidate, makes his way onto the ticket. Singletary wears pot leaf Tshirts to sing karaoke songs about cannabis, that’s how smitten he is.

Montana – Petition ballot for full legalization

Surprisingly given that the state so far has only a meager medical cannabis policy, Montana activists have started yet another petition-supported initiative onto the 2020 ballot. Dual initiatives would provide “a statutory initiative to legalize, regulate, and tax marijuana as well as a second constitutional initiative that would set the age of marijuana consumption at 21 and older.” The petition drive is still contested, however, and the group is struggling to get signatures under the COVID-19 climate. This one’s a nail-biter, so if you’re in Montana, get in there!

Nebraska – Petition ballot for medical

Nebraska may get to vote on medical marijuana in 2020! Another state, another petition drive for a medical marijuana bill to land on the state ballot. Here again, they pushed through COVID-19 limitations to collect signatures across social distance and quarantine measures. And they did it! They have 182K signatures, well beyond the 121K requirement. Currently they’re verifying signatures. The initiative is expected to go on the ballot for November 2020.

Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts is stiffly against cannabis.

UPDATE: In a ruling that is sure to raise cries of outrage throughout the cannabis community, the ballot medical marijuana measure has been removed from the Nebraska state ballot, voter petitions be damned. Furthermore, it was removed by the Nebraska Supreme Court under a creatively applied technicality which claims that there can’t be more than one issue presented on a ballot at a time, despite the counsel pointing out that other ballot measures have multiple issues on them all the time.

New Hampshire – Introducing legalized possession

The New Hampshire House approved a nearly-full adult-use legalization bill in February 2020. The bill would not allow sales or retail activity, but would allow individual cultivation and free gifted exchange, similar to Vermont’s model. The measure still has a long legislative way to go.

New Jersey – Introducing full legalization

So far a medical-only state with tight restrictions, New Jersey approved a decriminalization bill in June 2020.

However, the big news comes November 3^rd, 2020, when voters get to decide on a full adult-use legalization bill! Here it is on BallotPedia: “constitutional amendment to legalize the possession and use of marijuana for persons age 21 and older and legalize the cultivation, processing, and sale of retail marijuana.” It’s yours for the taking, New Jersey!

New Mexico – It’s complicated

There’s been a lot of back and forth lately in New Mexico. Wikipedia tells this one best. They were the first state to approve medical use, but depending on federal legalization. Then medical was approved in 2007, decriminalization passed, but a full legalization bill has so far evaded the state despite the support of Governor Michelle Grisham. Recently they’re on the teeter-totter about whether to allow non-state residents to use the medical program. There’s a coup going on in the state’s congress, cities and counties are passing resolutions to demand the state legalize, there’s a whole can of drama going on. Worth mentioning as a “swing state” situation, where a few more voters speaking up can tip the balance either way.

South Dakota – Petition ballot for medical and full legalization

The pressure is getting tight in South Dakota, with massive efforts by advocates getting signatures to put not one, but two cannabis reform laws on the November 2020 ballot. South Dakota has so far been one of the driest hold-out states in the union, so this is big news. Visit the headquarters for South Dakota Marijuana and watch the grassroots effort.

Vermont – Introducing full legalization

Currently Vermont has one of the weirdest legalization policies, after Washington D.C. It’s legal to grow it, own it, smoke it, and trade it with your friends – just don’t sell it. The “sell it” part has now been passed in the House as of February 2020, currently the House, Senate, and Governor have all agreed to go fully legal, it’s just a matter of hammering out negotiated details.

Summary

There is of course interesting news in every state all the time about cannabis legalization, even in the states that are hardcore prohibitionist. We have tried to highlight only the states with significant news here. Be sure to check out our state-by-state cannabis licensing directory and please do share news from your state in our activist forum.

Marijuana Legalization : A Candidate Report Card

Legal

Pete

January 31, 2020

We’re gearing up for silly political season again, with the first presidential caucus for the general election happening in Iowa on Monday, February 3^rd. While there’s many issues likely to sway voter’s favor and cannabis legalization isn’t necessarily the top priority, pro-pot voters will at least want to know where the candidates stand.

Cannabis Legalization is a Bi-Partisan Issue

There’s a myth out there that only Democrats favor marijuana legalization. That’s just not the case anymore. The National Opinion Research Center (NORC) shows that marijuana legalization has growing public support for Democrats, Independents, and Republicans. Dems lead Pubs by a 27% margin, but the overall spread still pulls the average higher than 50%.

This is one thing to keep in mind about politics and pot. Money speaks much louder than anything else. The cannabis industry has generated three things that all politicians love: tax revenue, stock market performance, and new jobs. The states that have fully legalized are practically flaunting their profits, while nearby states look on enviously. Any candidate that comes out against legalization in this climate risks loses voters.

Donald Trump

For the record, incumbent president Trump has waffled on cannabis legalization, but hasn’t taken a hard line against it. Most often, his attitude seems to be “hands off” and let the states decide. Let’s just say that there seems to be bigger things on his mind lately. On the campaign trail, he’s not likely to come out against marijuana and may even take a stance favoring legalization.

Joe Biden

Former vice president Joe Biden has taken the most conservative position on marijuana among Democratic candidates, favoring only decriminalization. Biden has controversially conflated marijuana with the “gateway drug” fallacy before. At the least, he favors decriminalizing on the Federal level and bumping it down a notch on the DEA Controlled Substance List. He has no other plans for marijuana legalization and has expressed hesitancy to go farther.

Pete Buttigieg

The Hoosier mayor candidate has uttered strong favor towards marijuana legalization on several fronts. Part of his “Douglass Plan” is the removal of criminal penalties for marijuana charges. He has told the Boston Globe, “The safe, regulated, and legal sale of marijuana is an idea whose time has come for the United States, as evidenced by voters demanding legalization in states across the country.” In addition, he has expressed sympathy for struggling medical marijuana patients, and even said he’s tried it himself “a handful of times.”

Elizabeth Warren

Senator Warren has expressed disfavor to cannabis legalization in the past, but has warmed to it in recent years. In 2011 at a debate she was in favor of medical marijuana but not recreational. However, by 2019 she’s come around to general legalization. She also wrote president Trump urging him to reinstate the Cole Memo, which had been struck down by then-AG Jeff Sessions. She also headlined the STATES Act. Warren started becoming more vocal about legalizing marijuana at the beginning of her presidential campaign.

Bernie Sanders

The Vermont senator has been vocal on full marijuana legalization. At his own website, he has a long article about his plan for legalizing, while he has also raised marijuana legalization as an issue along with a bundle of others. While it’s true that he has the most detailed plan outlined, and the greatest ambition for sweeping reform out of all the candidates, there is some question as to how actionable and realistic his plans are. Be that as it may, the Senator has an excellent decades-long record of supporting legislation for legalization wherever he can on Capitol Hill, so he’s securely on the stoner’s side.

Amy Klobuchar

The Minnesota Midwestern Senator has expressed vague support for cannabis legalization in the present, but has shown a reverse stance before. In her previous term as a County Attorney, she took the kind of “tough on crime” stance one would expect of that office, which included heavy sentences for drug penalties. Recently she has co-sponsored the STATES Act but would not sign on for the Marijuana Justice Act.

Summary:

These are the major candidates polling close to the 10% mark. We’re not out to steer readers in any particular direction; we’re just putting up the links for public information. We would like to ask, given this is a political post, that we all keep our discussion civil in the comments below or in our forum.

Washington D.C. : Cannabis Legalization Is Hard To Do

Legal

Pete

January 10, 2020

While the ebb and flow of state-by-state cannabis legalization continue to inch towards progress, one district of the US is forever floundering in a legal twilight zone when it comes to cannabis. The US capitol, Washington D.C., is still struggling to find a template for legalizing cannabis.

Safe Cannabis Sales Act of 2019 – denied!

December of 2019 saw the most recent setback to legalization in Washington, D.C. The House of Representatives barred the District from the use of tax dollars to regulate legal cannabis sales. The provision was originally allowed as of June 2019, as part of the regular Federal spending bill package. But at the last minute, the House had to remove the attachment in order to not jeopardize the spending bill when passing it to the Senate.

The Senate did pass the spending bill, thereby guaranteeing the operation of the federal government through the Fiscal year 2020. This was necessary in order to avoid a government shutdown, a frequent plague of Federal governance in recent years. But the casualty of this process is that Washington D.C.’s permission to regulate cannabis sales was once more left on the House floor.

The complicated history of cannabis law in D.C.

The first pass at legalizing in D.C. was Initiative 59 in 1998, a voter-approved ballot initiative to approve medical cannabis which passed with a 69% vote in favor. But the initiative was stalled by Georgia Congressman Bob Barr, which prohibited D.C. from using its funds to support the program. This block was removed in 2009, clearing the way for medical sales with a bill passed in 2010.

Then in 2014, the District council approved a measure to decriminalize cannabis possession and use. This paved the way for Initiative 71, legalizing the possession of small amounts of cannabis in 2015. However, once again, the sale of cannabis was blocked from the Initiative, this time by Maryland Representative Andy Harris.

There’s still one hole in this legal situation: You can’t legally sell cannabis in the District. You can own it, grow it, transport it, and even give away up to one ounce of cannabis – just don’t trade it for cash.

Currently, Initiative 71 dictates how cannabis may be obtained in Washington DC. There, you are legally allowed to:

Grow up to 6 plants
Possess up to 2 ounces in public
Share up to one ounce with another adult (over age 21)

But it is still illegal in DC to:

Sell it
Smoke it in public (infraction if caught)
Possess it while standing on federal property (about 30% of DC)

The current situation forces the D.C. cannabis market into a “gift economy,” where loopholes allow one to give away cannabis as a “gift” – provided you first buy something legal to sell, like a Tshirt or sticker, with an inflated price to cover the cost of the cannabis.

Of course, with such a gray market status, fake and unregulated cannabis products run rampant.

The timeline of cannabis legislation in Washington D.C. looks something like this:

1906: Cannabis drugs require a prescription
1998: Initiative 59 passed allowing medical cannabis, but was blocked by Barr Amendment
2009: The Barr Amendment was overturned
2013: First legal sale of medical marijuana in Washington D.C.
2014: Cannabis decriminalized by city council vote
2014 again: Residents vote to approve recreational cannabis – Initiative 71
2015: Congressional review period on Initiative 71 expires, letting it become official policy.

While Initiative 71 was on the table, Congress fought hard to suppress it, going so far as to threaten Bowser, the mayor of Washington D.C., with arrest if she acted on Initiative 71, approved by her voters by a 64% margin. And you thought your job was complicated.

Why is Washington D.C. such a mess?

The unique political position of the nation’s capital makes it harder than normal to efficiently regulate cannabis. Unlike other areas that have legalized to varying degrees, Washington D.C. is not a state. The mayor of D.C., Muriel Bowser, is heard voicing her frustration at this state of affairs in the interview with FOX News reporting on the story in December of 2019. She talks about why we need to make Washington D.C. a state.

There’s just one problem with that plan: Washington D.C. is specifically prohibited from becoming a state in the body of the US Constitution itself, Article 1, Section 8, Clause 17 (second from the bottom). Congress is given exclusive jurisdiction over the District. The reasoning for this goes back to US founding father James Madison, in Federalist #43.

In a nutshell, it was feared that making Washington D.C. a state would give it lopsided power compared to the other states. Being in the jurisdiction of a state might taint voting on Capitol Hill, and the presence of the Federal seat of government might give the hypothetical state of D.C. overwhelming influence in legislation since it has more access to the Capitol than any other state. Intricate mechanisms of government like these give everybody headaches when it comes time to make legislative decisions.

The struggle continues…

Protests, petitions, demonstrations, and activism of all kinds continue at a vigorous pace in the District to this day. Hashtag #SafeCannabisDC on Twitter and Facebook. And then there’s this majestic demonstration:

OK, time out while we appreciate this moment in history when protesters carried a giant inflatable joint in front of the US Capitol. That’s very cool. And remember, Initiative 71 passed with 70% approval, a landslide vote by any standard. When it comes to the citizens of the District, support for full legalization is overwhelming.

But ultimately, the SNAFU of legalizing in the District has one easy answer: Legalizing at the Federal level. Once Federal prohibitions are dropped, all sorts of legal blockades to efficient cannabis regulation fall away, including in D.C., which has to be subject to Federal rule as a practical matter. Legalizing for D.C. without removing all Federal prohibition of cannabis, in general, would be a bit awkward, and in fact, the system was designed this way on purpose.

D.C.’s status as a Federal district without statehood is written into the Constitution; cannabis prohibition is not. Now which one’s easier to change?

Does anybody have ideas on how to fix this?

We’re all ears, with the understanding that James Madison probably meant well. Join us for the discussion here or in our forum.

Politics of Pot: Illinois, Michigan, and Vermont Getting Ready For Recreational Legalization

Legal

Pete

September 9, 2019

Greetings, dabbers, and welcome to another weekly feature here at Dab Connection! Every Monday, we’ll be rounding up news stories about cannabis law, mostly in the US. Join us for this exciting time in history, the gradual end of pot prohibition, and keep track of this rapidly evolving field.

This just in…

Illinois, Michigan, and Vermont Next To See Recreational Cannabis Kick In

Ah, the promise of a new frontier for the cannabis market! While the west coast of the United States has lucked out with full legalization, the rest of the country has been feeling pretty dry… But this January 1^st, the states of Illinois, Michigan, and Vermont are on track for new laws to kick in, making cannabis 100% legal for recreational use there.

Vermont isn’t as ground-breaking since neighboring Maine and Massachusetts have already been legal for a while. The real dramatic shift will be in the Midwest. Progressive attitudes are more common on both the “left coast” and Yankee New England, it’s been the flyover country that’s mostly been holding out. It will be interesting to see how this develops because this is also the prime agricultural country.

State by state: Illinois dispensaries are unsure how ready they’ll be to open their doors to business come January 1^st. Michigan, which hasn’t quite implemented legal sales yet, is still not settled on how cannabis will be regulated in the state. And Vermont rounds out the three monkeys of confusion by saying they don’t know how they’re going to implement legal sales either.

All three states have just less than four months left to get ready for 2020. The countdown to New Year has begun…

We’re Talking About Cannabis Industry Antitrust Already?

It seems that we’ve barely glimpsed the dawn of the cannabis industry in the US, and already we have to talk about antitrust law in the context of canna-business. Once again, this is a symptom of a new industry. Hadley Ford, CEO of iAnthus Capital Holdings Inc., points out that more established industries like plastics have years of established practice to fall back on. But when cannabis businesses want permission from the Department of Justice to merge, they have no former record to go on.

For those who need catching up, antitrust is the American legal policy that tries to prevent monopolies from taking over the economy. When one corporation becomes too big for the economy’s own good, the government looks at splitting it up or preventing it from getting bigger. Famous past antitrust cases have been AT&T, which was split up in the 1980s, and Microsoft, which was fined for antitrust violations in both the US and the EU.

It’s weird to hear antitrust talk in the canna-business sector though. The telecom and computer industries were going on for decades before the government stepped in on those two very obvious monopolies at the time. How can one grower/distributor be accused of monopolizing a product that can only be legally sold in a few states?

Just in case anybody isn’t keeping up, notoriously cannabis-hostile Jeff Sessions is no longer with the DoJ, so these antitrust musings have nothing to do with him.

“Get #weedwise,” Says the California Bureau of Cannabis Control

California has seen the biggest retail market yet for cannabis, with sales expected to reach $3.1 billion this year. With that great power as the nation’s leading legalized cannabis market, comes great responsibility in regulating it. California’s BCC has taken the step of launching a #weedwise awareness campaign.

The campaign hopes to reach out and educate consumers about the risks associated with cannabis purchased from unlicensed businesses. Even though this campaign launched before several deaths related to vaping bunk cartridges, it’s an aptly timed initiative. Consumers have already gone from not really caring where their THC comes from to being sharply concerned.

The SF Chronicle has gone so far as to call on Federal authorities to follow suit. Says the opinion column there:

> “Thus, while California gets #weedwise, outdated federal laws that continue to designate cannabis in the Controlled Substances Act effectively encourage growth of the black market by ensuring state-legal businesses cannot compete with it.”

We couldn’t say it better ourselves.

A Look Back At The Town That Pot Bought

When we last left the sleepy Mojave Desert hamlet of Nipton, California, the entire 120-acre town had been bought, locked, stock, and barrel. The purchaser was American Green Inc., which paid $5 million with the hopes to turn it into “the country’s first energy-independent, cannabis-friendly hospitality destination.” That sounds so cozy!

So what’s happening in Nipton since? This motorcycle travel blog is the latest to visit Nipton, with a narrative not quite worthy of Hunter S. Thompson. In fact, the author seems to be downright unaware of the cannabis news and the only “weed” mentioned is of the tumbled variety.

What was the news before that? Back in October 2018, it was a stampede on the town for lottery tickets. This happens frequently with border towns in the western states, where it’s the closest point to participate in another state’s lottery. Still, not related to cannabis.

It’s almost as if a cannabis company owning a town doesn’t change anything at all. Plans to convert it into a pot-tourism destination may have been put off once Nevada kicked up tourism prospects on its side of the border.

Til next time, dab fans!

Weed Legalization and Our Presidents’ Policies Since Clinton

Culture

Niel

April 29, 2017

It’s just after 4/20 and times are changing! Love it or hate it, everyone has an opinion on weed legalization. What about the leaders of the country? Let’s explore the latest presidents and their approach to weed.

Clinton [1993-2001]

“When I was in England, I experimented with marijuana a time or two, and I didn’t like it. I didn’t inhale and never tried it again.”

Weed Legalization and Bill Clinton — Clinton [1993-2001]

Bill Clinton heavily campaigned on ‘treatment over incarceration’ during his 1992 presidential campaign. He did admit to ‘experimenting’ with marijuana a couple of times in the U.K. – but supposedly didn’t inhale. Unsurprisingly, after Clinton’s first few months in the White House, he returned to the drug war strategies of his Republican predecessors.

Crime Control

The ‘Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act’ of 1994 was a giant [$30bn] crime-control bill. This act included many provisions. A “three strikes” mandatory life sentence was implemented for repeat offenders. $9.7bn was spent on funding for prisons. 100,000 new police officers were hired. Clinton dedicated $6.1bn to ‘prevention programs’, but most of the funds went to disciplinary rather than rehabilitative or preventative measures.

According to the BBC; “Critics say the bill decimated communities of color and accelerated mass incarceration. Proponents say it contributed to the precipitous decline in violent crime in the US that began in the mid-1990s.”

Belated Support

When asked about Marijuana during a Rolling Stone interview in 2000, Clinton said;

“I think that most small amounts of marijuana have been decriminalized in some places, and should be…We really need a re-examination of our entire policy on imprisonment. Some people deliberately hurt other people and them out to be in jail because they can’t be trusted on the streets…but a lot of people are in prison because they have drug problems or alcohol problems and too many of them are getting out, particularly out of state systems, without treatment, without education skills, without serious efforts at job placement.”

NORML Foundation Executive Director Allen St. Pierre responded;

“President Clinton’s incredibly belated support for decriminalizing marijuana is a bittersweet moment for marijuana law reform supporters…During Clinton’s eight-year term in office, we witnessed the largest number of marijuana arrests in our history — over 4,175,357 Americans were arrested on marijuana charges between 1992-99.”

Bush [2001-2009]

Before his presidency, private conversations of Bush were secretly taped by his father’s former aide (1998-2000). The future president discussed how he refused to answer questions about using marijuana. Bush worried that such an admission might affect his race to become President.

“I wouldn’t answer the marijuana question,” he said.

“You know why? Cause I don’t want some little kid doing what I tried.”

“You gotta understand, I want to be president, I want to lead,” he continued.

“Do you want your little kid to say, ‘Hey daddy, President Bush tried marijuana, I think I will?”

Bush campaigned saying medical marijuana should be left up to the states. A position he quickly pivoted on after his election in 2000. The Bush administration ended up permitting multiple raids on both dispensaries and patients in legal states.

Rapid Escalation

According to the Drug Policy Alliance;

“The era of George W. Bush witnessed the rapid escalation of the militarization of domestic drug law enforcement. By the end of Bush’s term, there were about 40,000 paramilitary-style SWAT raids on Americans every year—mostly for nonviolent drug law offenses, often misdemeanors.”

George W. Bush arrived at the White House as the drug war was dwindling. Nevertheless, he chose to allocate more money to it.

Operation Pipe Dreams

‘Operation Pipe Dreams’ was the code-name for the 2003 nationwide investigation of the illegal sale of drug paraphernalia. Out of 55 people involved in raids, only marijuana icon Tommy Chong would experience incarceration. Chong was charged with financing and promoting ‘Chong Glass/Nice Dreams’, a family company. The Government seemed to use jailing Chong as an example for cannabis users nationwide.

The final total of necessary revenue used to fund this federal disaster was a monstrous $12 million. The resources of 2,000 law enforcement officers were also used in this ridiculous show of government power.

John Walters held the position of ‘Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy’ from 2001-2009. As the nation’s “Drug Czar” Walters was responsible for the coordination of all aspects of federal anti-drug policies and spending. Focusing on marijuana during the Bush administration, a major campaign to promote student drug testing was launched. Rates of illicit drug use remained persistent and fatalities due to overdose grew rapidly.

Obama [2009-2017]

“When I was a kid I inhaled frequently. That was the point.”

Obama was open about his marijuana use as a young adult

Unlike Bill Clinton, Obama was open about using marijuana (and cocaine) when he was young. While running in 2008, Obama casually admitted; “When I was a kid I inhaled frequently. That was the point.” It was a rocky start, but in the end, Obama was the most weed-friendly president the USA ever had.

Breaking Promises

During Obama’s first term, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) wreaked havoc on medical marijuana communities. California, Colorado, and Montana were all targets. Despite his campaign promise to stop targeting state-legal pot clubs, Obama came down hard on weed.

In September of ‘12, the DEA tried to shut down 70+ medical marijuana dispensaries around Los Angeles. American’s for Safe Access outlined money spent on weed investigations, reported in 2013. Money was used to “investigate, raid, arrest, prosecute, and imprison hundreds of medical marijuana patients and their providers”;

The Obama Administration has outspent the Bush Administration by 120 Million in just 4 ½ years
Under the Obama Administration, DEA has spent 1-4% % of its budget on the medical cannabis war

A Softer Approach

With Obama’s second term, came a softening of the crackdown on medical marijuana. Restrictions were put on the Department of Justice, to keep them from continuing the attack on medical marijuana providers. Under Attorney Generals Eric Holder and Loretta Lynch, the Justice Department commonly declined to contest state marijuana laws. Legal marijuana was thus able to grow quicker in the US over recent years.

In December ’16, the DEA took another swipe at marijuana, just before Obama’s departure. An amendment was made to the classification of weed as a Schedule I drug. Now, ALL EXTRACTS, including cannabidiol (CBD), are listed up there with heroin. CBD is known to help thousands of epilepsy sufferers control seizures. Even so, it has been dubbed as a “drug with no medical use”.

Evolving Point of View

When asked by Rolling Stone about the War on Drugs (Nov 2016), Obama said this on marijuana:

“I do believe that treating this as a public-health issue, the same way we do with cigarettes or alcohol, is the much smarter way to deal with it.”

Obama’s failure to reschedule marijuana to a lower schedule under the federal Controlled Substances Act was a big disappointment. People were hoping he would have done more than he did over two terms. Obama did however grant clemency to more nonviolent drug offenders than any other president in history. He also signed the 2014 Hemp Farm Bill which allowed the cultivation of hemp for the purpose of scientific study, which in turn provided the opportunity for the 2018 Hemp Farm Bill to legalize low-THC hemp and derivative cannabinoids.

Trump [2017…]

“In terms of marijuana and legalization, I think that should be a state issue, state-by-state.”

Despite Donald Trump promising to leave the legal pot alone during his campaign, he decided to appoint Jeff Sessions as attorney general. Describing marijuana as “only slightly less awful” than heroin, Sessions is known as a “drug war dinosaur”. One impossible-to-forget quote from Sessions was “good people don’t smoke marijuana”. Trump claims to have never smoked a cigarette or tried any drugs or alcohol.

The Justice Department seems ready to jump on board and reverse the Obama administration’s comparatively lax policy toward state-regulated marijuana. There doesn’t appear to be any clear plans surrounding marijuana, but Sean Spicer has mentioned that he expects states to be subject to “greater enforcement” of federal laws against marijuana use.

The Trump administration may not be able to stop the industry from developing, but they can make it much tougher to navigate. Plans to halt this growing green giant might include targeting key players with raids, property seizures, or jail time. Both users and distributors risk being prosecuted or imprisoned, even if complying with state law.

There could potentially be a disturbing transformation within the rapidly growing legal and regulated marijuana industry – watch this space.

Pros And Cons Of Marijuana Legalization : Let It Grow Or No

Geoff

March 1, 2017

There’s a green line and the United States stands before it, wondering if they should step across. To be more precise, 41 states stand before it while 9 that have already crossed stare back. The pros and cons of marijuana legalization remains the hottest of issues in the U.S. There’s many sides and perspectives to consider for a list that is complete. Let us know if anything’s left out.

Setting Forth The Pros And Cons Of Marijuana Legalization – What Are The Main Points Of Contention?

Extremists shout from one side that marijuana breaks down moral fabric and should never be legalized. They exist on the other side too and proclaim everyone should have access to weed at anytime they like.

Debate About Pros And Cons — The Great Debate

The greater majority of people see the issue as multifaceted and they weigh the pros and cons of marijuana legalization. From a scientific standpoint, there’s never been a better time for the study of marijuana. The only test social scientists have had up to this point is a non legal model. It’s hard to study social effects of legal marijuana in a society that has deemed it against the law.

Now 26 states have some form of legal marijuana, medicinal or recreational. Scientists can study the social impact and some of the results are surprising. The fact that marijuana is now accessible to scientists without mounds of federal red tape makes testing more prevalent. New studies on marijuana seem to pop up at hospitals or universities with increasing frequency.

A proper discussion about the pros and cons of marijuana legalization should include current information and it should address the concerns that science hasn’t or can’t provide.

Pros And Cons Of Marijuana Legalization

Pros

Financial

Marijuana is a huge industry in the U.S, legal or not. Government can take their cut when weed is legal. Costs would decrease in law enforcement and incarceration but would increase in regulation and health services. The overall tax leads to a mass amount of added state revenue as the Colorado model proves.

Medicinal

Studies and evidence suggest that marijuana benefits users as a medicinal substitute for more addictive opiate based pain killers. This contradicts the concern that legalizing weed would amplify an already existent opiate problem in the U.S.

States considering medicinal marijuana would help patients have access to a new beneficial prescription. Recreational legalization gives access to a much broader base of users. Smoking weed may be a better substitute for many than that after work drink.

Lower Crime Rate

Taking away the harsh laws that govern marijuana will lower crime rate. It’ll take marijuana off the street and allow law enforcement to concentrate on other substances. Most notably, it will take a huge chunk out of large organized crime supported by illegal marijuana sales.

There will still be a black market for marijuana that tries to get around the regulations. Crimes will likely be fines or jail time for breaking new licensing and regulatory laws.

Public Safety

Because weed will be regulated, it’ll also have certain standards. It’s already much safer to buy weed from a dispensary than some stranger off the street. The department of health has regulations of its own that will now come into play. Marijuana will be safer than it ever was.

Human Rights

There is a case that marijuana law is like the prohibition of alcohol. It’s happened over a much longer time frame, but it feels like a government control issue to many people. What exactly are the medicinal benefits of drinking alcohol? It relaxes you and makes you less inhibited. Hmmmm.

A social stigma exists for people who use weed. It can be hard to find a career job in many industries and it’s not easy to pass a test if you use marijuana. Companies lose valuable employees every year because they test dirty for nothing more than weed. Sports teams lose players too, as there have been many athletes suspended for marijuana.

Pros And Cons Of Marijuana Legalization

Cons

Health Issues

Marijuana doesn’t have the many carcinogens that tobacco products do but smoke of any form is harmful to the lungs. Vapor products may be less damaging but they all have disclaimers denying proof of any such claims.

Prolonged cannabis use is believed to cause slowed brain function and memory loss. Marijuana can complicate mental illnesses like bipolar disorder or schizophrenia. You may have heard the phrase, “Sativa causes psychosis!”

Marijuana isn’t physically addictive but psychological dependence is a risk. Childhood use alters natural brain development and can lead to addiction problems later in life.

Weed speeds up the heart rate which increases blood pressure. It joins a long list of foods and chemicals that aren’t good for heart health.

Impaired Driving

Granting free access to marijuana means more people will use it. It follows that driving under the influence of marijuana will increase as well. The driving tests for law enforcement aren’t as cut and dry when it comes to marijuana but they still hand out DUI’s for it.

Colorado hasn’t noticed a large increase in DUI’s but they have seen marijuana present in more fatality accidents. The growing popularity of marijuana concentrates may play a role in these accidents. Marijuana extracts can obliterate someone who has no tolerance to marijuana. Kids will go out and use a more potent form of weed, then get behind the wheel.

Morality And Social Makeup

This may be an extreme view but citizens of the U.S. are allowed their personal beliefs. They also have a right as a community of people to decide what’s in their best interest. States with legal marijuana have ensured the community’s right to decide whether or not weed can be sold at the city level.

The Major Concerns Of Marijuana Legalization

More Access For Children

Not to downplay other concerns but this one is written into the language of every law. Dispensaries can’t be within a certain distance of schools, churches, or any other facility where children are present.

The reservations are valid due to studies that show stunted brain development in underage users. This ties into the fears that all parents have for their children. They should be protected at all costs from anything that might hurt their ability to lead fulfilling adult lives.

Left Out Of The Cons List

A Gateway Drug

This scare tactic is used to paint marijuana as an evil substance that leads to hardcore drug use. True numbers of people who tried marijuana early in life show the great majority never used cocaine or heroin.

Scientists know without a doubt that marijuana doesn’t cause harder drug use itself. The idea that marijuana use occurs before harder drugs may be true but alcohol is the drug that is used first. Alcohol is the true gateway drug.

Marijuana alters perception while alcohol impairs reasoning and judgement. Which one sounds more likely to result in poor decision making? If youth and young adults weren’t forced to go drug dealers for weed, it wouldn’t be correlated with harder drugs.

The Latest Study Results On Medicinal Use

The Study Of Marijuana — U.S. Hemp Co Studying Marijuana

One of the major points of concern about the legalization of marijuana is the opiate epidemic present in the U.S. Opponents of legal weed claimed that free access to marijuana would further complicate the opiate problem.

The latest study reveals that opiate overdoses in states that have legal marijuana have decreased. The number of opiate related deaths didn’t drop marginally. After a few years of legal weed, states saw nearly a 25% reduction.

Studies have shown that marijuana helps reduce seizures in epileptic patients. It treats forms of epilepsy that don’t respond to modern medicine. A recent study out of Colorado shows signs that marijuana can help people who suffer from migraines.

The Major Concern Of Marijuana Legalization

The issue at the top of the list in a discussion about the pros and cons of marijuana legalization is our children. Fears that legal weed will give youth easier access abound. This is a legitimate concern but like alcohol, weed is accessible to kids.

Like alcohol, weed hurts the development of the growing brain in children. The question that faces citizens when it comes to weed is how best to keep it away from children. Opponents of legalization feel that keeping marijuana on the streets is the best method of keeping it from kids.

Another concern is marijuana edibles.

Conclusion – The Pros And Cons Of Marijuana Legalization Moving Forward

The pros and cons of marijuana legalization continue to be an important household, city, county, and state conversation. As more states turn to legalization, the results will be seen. The decision already made.

The concerns about addiction have been addressed by each state who put funding into public awareness as well as rehabilitation services. Remove the stigma and more addicts will seek help. It always costs less to help and to educate than it does to incarcerate.

The future of legal weed will surely hold consequences and people will say I told you so. The bright side of legal marijuana goes beyond allowing it for medicinal or recreational purposes. It means the U.S. (and the world) will gain a better understanding of the dangers and benefits of marijuana use.

In a country full of scientific studies, marijuana lies mostly untouched. Researchers are eager to delve into the near empty canvass that marijuana study presents. There’s no telling what the next few years of honest research will reveal about the uses of marijuana.

Marijuana Legalization In California: What Will Weed and Wax Cost in 2018?

Geoff

January 27, 2017

California Recreational Marijuana Prices

Prices of California Recreational Marijuana Might Be More Than Medical With New Marijuana Legalization

The 1996 passing of Proposition 215 in California left many questions unanswered. While it gave patients with a doctor’s recommendation the right to grow, buy, and use cannabis, it didn’t require California to provide licensing. That burden was left to each county. Nor did it allow California to receive compensation through taxation and regulation. Proposition 64 is a new step in marijuana legalization for California. It makes weed legal in California for non medical purposes and brings with it elements left out of Prop 215. As a result, most authorities predict a rise in California recreational weed and wax prices.

Current Prices Of Medical Marijuana

Currnet California Marijuana Prices — Estimates For Current Marijuana Prices in California

Before we jump into what the future of marijuana prices in California might be, let’s take a look at current prices. Marijuana prices fluctuate across the State of California. According to Price Of Weed, the average price for an ounce of weed today runs $248.35 which is for high quality marijuana. Mid range weed in California runs an average of $200.14, so not that big of a drop from high quality bud.

Compare two counties, San Diego and San Bernardino.

In San Diego county, marijuana delivery services are sometimes the only way to get weed in cities like Oceanside. Thus the dispensaries that are open in neighboring cities like Vista charge $50-60 for top shelf 1/8s of weed. A top shelf gram of wax will run you $50-90. In the actual City of San Diego, dispensaries are getting shut down all the time, which also keeps costs high and comparable to what they are in Vista.

In San Bernardino county, its easy to find a dispensary. Top shelf wax can easily be found for $35-45 per gram. One dispensary even has 10 grams of good quality solventless wax for $250, quite a deal! Top shelf weed can be found for as low as $30 an 1/8th. Half ounces can be found for $110.

What Prop 64 Says About Marijuana Taxation

Proposition 64 allows the State of California to tax weed in two ways.

California will excise a 15% sales tax on all recreational purchases of marijuana.
Growers will pay the State of California a cultivation tax of $9.25 per ounce of buds and $2.75 per ounce of leaves.

Marijuana Legalization In California — Will the whole state be legal? Probably not with county authorities able to ban the sale of marijuana outright.

*Above information as reported by the LA Times.

Just to add a bit of perspective, current California sales tax on non alcohol and tobacco products sits at a total of 7.25%. Sales tax can run as high as 9.75% after adding on district rates. Marijuana will be taxed double the amount of California’s base sales tax rate which doesn’t take into account the money they’ll get for licensing or cultivation tax.

Will Medical Marijuana Card Holders Pay Taxes?

Food and prescription drugs classify as tax free goods in the State of California so medical marijuana card holders won’t be required to pay sales tax. This is where licensing fees and cultivation tax will have an effect. It’s hard to see a path where these costs don’t end up on the consumer.

Card holders may not have to pay sales tax but they’ll pay more if the base cost of weed goes up. As it stands, the landscape of California recreational marijuana prices is a complex economic model with too many question marks. Because cities and counties have so much control over how weed can be distributed, no one really has a definitive price.

Medical Vs Recreational Marijuana – Will Dispensaries Sell Both?

Many cities in California have existing medical dispensaries created under Proposition 215. Counties will decide whether medical marijuana dispensaries can sell recreational weed. In counties like San Diego officials have hinted that this may be the best course of action.

Proposition 64 requires the creation of a new Bureau inside the Department of Consumer Affairs. The Bureau of Marijuana Control will decide upon licensing and regulation which could also affect how cities allow sales, if they do at all.

New Marijuana Licensing & Regulation

Going from only medicinal to adding recreational marijuana legalization is a big step. The Bureau of Marijuana Control formed shortly after Proposition 64 passed and employees currently work to draft all the new licensing and regulations. Licensing will break down into distribution, storage, transportation, and sale of marijuana. You may see trucks going through scales loaded with ganja.

Marijuana farmers will get licensing through the California Department of Food and Agriculture. Commercial growers and sellers will need licensing from both agencies. The California Department of Public Health will also be involved. They have the task of issuing licenses to organizations that want to grow weed for scientific study.

Final Thoughts

Proposition 64 gives the State of California until January 1st, 2018 to prepare all the necessary licensing and regulatory documents. That gives the State more than 11 months from the writing of this article to develop their policies. It also gives each city time to prepare, many of which have already banned the sale of marijuana. Proposition 64 gives each city that right to deny marijuana legalization to their residents.

Many Californians look to states like Washington, Oregon, and Colorado in an attempt to estimate California recreational marijuana prices. Colorado for example has recently seen a surplus in marijuana leading to a decrease in price per ounce while demand is high. No pun intended. However, medical marijuana prices remain steady.

As January 1st, 2018 approaches we’ll see more information about licensing and regulation coming from the State. More importantly, local information will become more prevalent and available which is where it really counts. Regardless of initial California recreational marijuana prices, one thing is for certain. We have a new industry in California which will have its own economics. Prices will change over time. Full marijuana legalization is here!

Understanding the Growth Stages of the Cannabis Plant

Ciara Walsh

February 20, 2024

Understanding-the-Growth-Stages-of-the-Cannabis-Plant

With cannabis use continuing to grow in popularity and reduce in stigma, many people throughout both the United States and Canada are looking for opportunities to legally grow their own cannabis plants. Because cannabis is cultivated primarily for consumption in a variety of ways, its care goes far beyond enjoyment of your everyday house plant. Understanding how to raise these plants, and what can be done to enhance their growth, will ultimately yield a more satisfying crop.

Here are some basics to help plant that seed of inspiration for growing your own high-quality cannabis, from start to finish.

Germination

Everything big starts from something small and the enjoyment of your cannabis is no different.

There are a variety of different ways to grow your cannabis and deciding which method works best for you can help determine how to set up your plant for success. Growing inside a room, a greenhouse, or your backyard not only determines how you plant, but also which seeds you plant and when. For those growing outside in North America, consider planting your seeds around February, depending on your specific region’s climate.

The strains you prefer to grow will also impact the growth stages of your plant (and if they will grow well in your preferred growing condition). This can be the fun part if you already have a favorite strain. Additionally, the type of seed itself matters — such as regular, feminized (female plants produce far more buds) or autoflower. This is especially critical when it comes to how your plants are taken care of and how much you can expect to yield once they are grown. All in all, expect germination to take about 3 to 10 days.

Also key, of course, is making sure that you know the laws in your city as well as state, province, or territory regarding how many plants you can grow. For example, in Saskatchewan, you can have up to four non-medical plants, while in Washington State, you can only grow plants with a medical license. This means there might be laws regarding whether or not you can order seeds online, so purchase your seeds accordingly!

The Seedling

Congratulations! Your seeds have germinated, and now the future buds are budding from the soil. Along the way, “blades” will begin to appear as the plant grows leaves and the seedlings should be a vibrant green colour.

If you transplanted your seeds, this is a time when cannabis plants need to be kept safe and secure, especially if they are autoflowers. Special attention must be given to how often they are watered and how much sunlight they receive. Plants stay in this stage for about 2 – 3 weeks.

Vegetative

The cannabis plant will hang out in the vegetative stage for a while, often about 3 to 16 weeks, depending on specific strain or whether it is sativa or indica. In a lot of ways, both the vegetative and flowering stage are where monitoring and TLC are especially important.

Working with online cannabis retailers who sell specific products for cannabis will be helpful. All plants need similar tools, but cannabis plants need different levels of humidity, light, and nutrients than other plants. They will thrive better with a different blend of the above by the time they transition out of their germination-to-seedling stage. Thanks to the increase of legalization of cannabis, it is easier to find products that best cater to the needs of a cannabis plant at different stages.

Also, the vegetative state is also where leaves will really start to grow, especially depending on whether the plant is sativa or indica. you will notice an increase in the amount of pruning needed. Pruning at this stage will ultimately help create more leading up to the main event.

Flowering

This stage can last from about 7 – 13 weeks. Throughout this process, you will see a shift from the pre-flowering stage, to when the pistils begin to appear. The rest of the flowering stage is shown in the buds continuing to grow, becoming heavier, stickier, more vibrant in colour, and of course, aromatic.

For these reasons and more, including because if you are growing outside, the outdoor growing season in North America is generally aligned with the summer season, look out for pests. While the trichomes that appear at this stage can also help as natural pesticides, no plant is completely safe. In addition, mold and other growths can make all the difference between a bumper crop or a total bust.

Generally speaking, mold is gray or white in colour. If you see what you think is mold on your plant, there are some home remedies, as well as supplies that can help either trim off or stave off the mold from the source.

Grow Where You are Planted

Many people attest that after a somewhat steep learning curve, the investment to grow cannabis yourself is well worth it. Many growers speak about their satisfaction in terms of quality and their control over it, the ease of access that comes with home-grown goodness, and, ultimately, the savings on money.

Whether growing cannabis is primarily medicinal or as a dope treatment for your writer’s block, the simple act of cultivation can be a rewarding hobby in and of itself.

Happy growing!

The Year in Cannabis 2023

Pete

December 27, 2023

Once again, we come to the end of another jaw-dropping year in the most amazing industry we could ever have the privilege of seeing unfold: The North American Cannabis Industry. Which, seeing as how we’re all branching out into psychedelics at once, we might have to start calling the “North American Retail Entheogens Industry.” But we’re not there yet quite, not this time.

I’ll just take a moment to clue you #StonerFam folks to a behind-the-scenes insight: It’s also the LOONIEST industry I’ve personally ever worked in.

On top of the conflicting and shifting fronts of legalization and regulation, we are also handicapped by being a fresh industry without experienced oversight. That much is given and unavoidable, but the true loony part is: We have a bunch of entrepreneurs desperate to sell something if only they can figure out what it is, why people want it, how to price it, how to package it, and how to sell it. Earlier on, I anticipated that – given a comparison between a veteran hippie stoner now “gone legit” but inexperienced in business – and an experienced business entrepreneur who doesn’t know marijuana from kale – the experienced business entrepreneur would do better. Because, I reckon, the bylaws of business hold true no matter what the product is, right?

A few years’ of observing this industry is starting to show that that’s not the case. Ideally, for every entheogenic retail product company launching in the future, I would strongly recommend they keep one druggie on staff at all times. Hire them off the parole board if they have to. But no company making a psychoactive product should ever again send a product out the door without having their resident druggie test it first and confirm that it’s good stuff.

cannabis entrepreneurs — Actual photo of a cannabis company shareholders’ meeting

Right now, the legalized drug market looks like this:

[board room meeting executive HQ Monday morning]

“So what is this product?” “Hell if I know, some kind of drugs.”
“Why would anyone want this?” “I think they want to get high or experience wellness or something.”
“How do we price it?” “Well they’re drugs, right? We can charge anything we want!”
“What about the packaging?” “Just make it trippy and psychedelic so people know it will mess them up really hard.”
“Uh… marketing?” “Call it Zippy Moon Space Rainbow Hash. You have to speak the hippies’ language if you want them to buy.”

I mean seriously, how many people do we have working in the cannabis industry who have never smoked a joint? And if we have this many people working in the cannabis industry who have no clue about cannabis, we explore the true Heart of Darkness when we venture out into the psychedelics industry. Currently, this industry is populated by the equivalent of Mormons running a brothel and they can’t figure out why people go to brothels.

Surely, some common factors from the successful retailing of other mind-altering substances (tobacco and alcohol) would carry over? Could we someday see cannabis packaged and sold as tastefully as a bottle of J&B scotch or a pack of Newports?

The sheer volume of boondoggles in this market nearly led me to initiate a sort of Golden Raspberry award for the cannabis industry, which I’d call the “Aphid Awards” in honor of the most common pest of weed cultivation. Look for it right around this time next year. But for now, here’s a round-up of how we all dragged through 2023 almost no worse for wear…

US Legalization Marches Forward

Four more states, Delaware, Maryland, Minnesota, and Ohio, legalized cannabis for recreational use this year, along with the Virgin Islands (pop. ~100K). Most recently, US president Biden pardoned all federal charges for cannabis possession – which is less sweeping than it sounds, given that most cannabis convictions are not federal, it doesn’t pardon related offenses, and we can probably count the number of these cases on two hands. But every little bit helps. In a slightly bigger step, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommended cannabis be bumped down to schedule 3 on the federal controlled substances list. This still isn’t the same thing as “just make it legal already!” but again, little biddy steps.

However, all was not blooming buds on the cannabis legalization front. The Senate stalled on the passing of marijuana banking legislation, despite Chuck Schumer’s tireless crusade. Congress, meanwhile, has been filing an absolute flurry of cannabis legalization details – touching on everything from banking reform to gun legislation – but we all know a Congress bill isn’t worth the dead tree it’s printed on until it passes upstream too. Despite this, GOP legislators seem to push back against drug policy reform even when their own constituents are demanding it at a rate of, well, 70%. The DEA and FDA continue to stonewall.

Public Support For Legalization At Record High

Gallup polls now show that 70% of Americans across the board, regardless of resident state or political party, favor full legalization. You would think, in a truly democratic system, that such news would be followed by immediate shredding of all marijuana laws and a national smoke-in the following week, but not so fast.

Here’s one important data point that I think needs to be emphasized: In fully legalized states which have enjoyed legal pot for a good decade now, these states have reported NO major issues with crime, hospital visits, truancy, test scores, traffic accidents, you name it. Whatever the horrors of marijuana preached from dozens of propaganda films in the 1930s, none of those have come to pass. Washington and Colorado have had full access to legal weed for eleven years, people walking down the street face-punching a blunt, and nobody is running around crazy from it. You can’t tell the difference between before and after legalization until you get close enough to smell the smoke (and count their tax revenue).

Anybody opposing cannabis legalization now, when listing the supposed evils of weed, have to explain why those evils have not visited Washington and Colorado. So far the worst fallout Colorado has seen is Lauren Boebert’s vape outing at the theater, but that just comes with the Rocky Mountain territory.

I have a prediction for you: FULL federal and national legalization is now inevitable. Just a question of “how long?” The process of ending marijuana prohibition is almost mirroring the end of alcohol prohibition, just with no Tommy guns and pin-striped suits. We see a clear pattern that indicates the few who oppose cannabis reform are hold-outs. As Mr. History Book reminds us, hold-outs die off, and progress moves on, which is how anything almost ever gets done.

The Major Scandals

US Cannabis companies that folded in 2023 include Skymint (Michigan), distributor Herbl (California), and the extra-nasty matter of Las Vegas’ Weedgenics, which turned out to be a Ponzi scheme with a marijuana leaf serving the same general role as once did Adam deploy the fig leaf. A $60 million dollar scheme, last they counted.

Cookies brand out in California was up to some monkey-shines that drew fraud lawsuits. Multiple lawsuits, SFGate says Cookies are piling up 3 separate lawsuits, investors accusing the company of mishandling funds, not paying out, book-cooking, and whatnot. Now, as a side matter, there was an alleged interview (a phrase that could only happen in the age of AI) with Cookies brand founder and musician Berner, published on Bezinga, then retracted by Bezinga, and we’d never know about it if several other bloggers didn’t repost the trail of public statements by Bezinga. The ghost article was supposedly written by AI. For this story’s source link, I’m going to dump you in the lap of a Twitter tweet mid-drama if you’re idly curious, but you’re not missing much. There’s so much stuff published about Berner on Bezinga already I’d be surprised if even his own mother had read it all. This has been an entire paragraph about Cookies.

We don’t use artificial intelligence here at Dab Connection, by the way. All our content is generated by natural, organic human stupidity. Artisan crafted with authentic vintage laptops.

The Crappiest Things We Reviewed in 2023

Aw heck, it’s not fair to call any brands we review here “crappy,” since even in our negative reviews we try to conduct a spirit of constructive criticism. We speak to the industry as well as the consumer.

But no, really, we do inevitably run into some crappy products. When manufacturers really go the extra mile to not just put out a lousy product, but add several more insults to injury and maybe even a few more injuries just for giggles, I don’t mind calling them crappy. There’s a big difference between an obvious well-intentioned mistake and an attitude baked into a company, from the CEO down to the product, that says “we just don’t care.” Those are the ones I call “crappy.” That makes me a few enemies in this industry, and I proudly stand by every enemy I have made as a testament to my integrity and character.

Don’t forget, careless industry standards led to dozens of deaths from harmful additives in backdoored vape cartridges a few years ago. That’s what makes commercial legalized cannabis and psychedelics so important to produce and label transparently.

I would say “better luck next time” to the companies below, but nobody there was even trying the first time.

Overpriced and Overpackaged Airhead: Airvape Legacy Pro

You know a company has shaky faith in their product when they try to distract you with a trip-toy built into the packaging. By the time you unpack the Airvape Legacy Pro, you discover that it’s an extremely expensive sarcophagus for an object almost, but not quite, entirely unlike a vape. The design suggests a repurposed 2000s cell phone case, with the rest of the unit apparently built by aliens who had learned about vaporizers from watching interpretive dance. In any case, it failed at mission one while also overheating so much that I had to drop it. At $269, any vape one-fifth of its price outperforms it.

Thought I Was Smoking Hay: Plain Jane Delta 8 Flower

Along with this point in my weed-reviewing career, I began to meditate upon aspects of freshness. Oh how little I had previously appreciated moisture packets and flavor seals. Weed can grow stale. It can dry out until it’s little more than spicy dust, and most of all it loses potency per month stored. Max shelf life, I have since determined, is a year after harvest. Using that as a benchmark, I determined that this Plain Jane blunt was rolled from Hemp last harvested during George Washington’s administration. All this in a choking blunt which was exactly like smoking compressed sawdust, and it had zero effect. The bag of loose flower: sad, crackling tumbleweeds which needed no grinding but instead a light crush in the palm. For the record, other Plain Jane products have passed muster in other reviews, but anything this dry sent to a reviewer is inexcusable.

Impressive Levels of Incompetence: Serene Tree carts

The posted COA shows delta 8. The package says Delta 9. Even for that, it was the weakest, oldest Delta 8 oil in existence. When a company botches a product sample this badly, I dig in to see what’s going on. Turns out most of their stock and COAs all conflict, and that’s just the beginning. As a matter of professional courtesy, I notified the company about all the issues I’d found and got a reply from a market droid in carefully worded market speak, the message being shaped roughly like “so who gives a hoot?” All it would have taken to fix the issue is to have their web-guy update lab sheet PDFs; surely they test a cart more often than the year-old PDFs displayed? And that’s what this company says to me, “who cares,” from the poor product to their logo, which is two stacked triangles with the name “Serene Tree” in sans serif font. I have put more effort into customizing my video game characters than these people do running a company.

Most Aptly Named Fake Cart Brand: Ghost

Even though we don’t write up fake cartridge brands that often these days, we still follow nationwide spottings through our own Reddit watchdog forum. Ghost was a brand that appeared – ah, out of nowhere. It turns out that this brand disappeared shortly after I blogged it, but while the poltergeist was still active, this brand briefly flooded the vape cart market. There is no company, owner, website, address, or even point of origin behind the Ghost brand name that our best sleuthing could uncover. It’s almost like this brand… it ghosted us.

Are They Trying To Poison Us?: Rare Cannabinoid Company

It is perhaps fortunate that these are “rare”; we’d like it even better if they didn’t exist entirely. Staff reviewer Kira tried this one and they actually made her barf, then she tried them with another roommate who couldn’t keep them down either. She declared she’d never tasted something so nasty in her life. Even the aroma, again from two people’s opinions, was described as chemical, paint chips, and rotting fruit. So from there, we can conclude that whatever potency these might have had is a moot point, since before these could fail at being infused gummies, they failed at just plain old being gummies. Fifty bucks!

Special “You Suck!” Shout-Out To Half the Psychedelic Gummies Industry

Dozens of brands of mushroom gummies, bags of sugary, gooey diabetes, and not an effect in sight. Even though the good Amanita Muscaria products I have tried have converted me into a raving shroom fanatic, those success stories are sadly rare. The good brands so far score at roughly 3 brands out of 10 – and two of the passing brands were the same company. The bottom line, we need to work on that potency! We’re still in the early days of the psychedelic gummies market, but time is running out for manufacturers to figure out how to get the potency consistent. Now that that’s out of the way, I will address this one specific company, subject of the above photo:

Extra-Super-Duper-Special “Why Are My Eyes Bleeding?” Award: Yumz amanita gummies

I don’t want the people behind Yumz brand to improve, because they’re too stupid to run a business anyway. That’s a Yumz brand product we picture above, in eyeball-rupturing packaging which deliberately obfuscates ingredients, instructions, and even warnings with its stupid “trippy hologram ink” packaging. I braved that and gulped down the contents to discover bunk gummies that had never heard of mushrooms. Yay more empty calories! Thanks for the bag of fat!

Looking ahead to 2024 – are we gonna get it together now?

Here we go, new year, clean slate, and we’re all ready to hit another year of reviewing in this fun industry. Readers, THANK YOU ALL for your continued visits and support, liking and sharing our videos, commenting in our forum to keep us on our toes, and coming to us with your stimulating questions. We love what we do (except when we’re barfing gummies in the toilet) and when we see a comment thanking us for our hard-hitting industry reporting (even giving us credit for saving a life here and there), that makes it all worthwhile. Join us in 2024; we’re going to straighten out this industry yet!

Wha.. what’s that you say, 2024 is a primary election year? Until then, keep your gunpowder dry and your sarcasm drier.

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Most Amanita Mushroom Gummies Are Bunk

Pete

December 12, 2023

Honestly, folks, we try our best here. We devote pages to our crusade for a world with legalized substances for responsible adults to enjoy. We have a vision of a world of transparency in ingredient listings and extraction processes, third-party testing, responsible adult packaging that tells you what you’re getting, and – the whole point of this legalization business – quality products that have the effects we’re looking for. Does this not sound like a good idea to everyone else?

Vendors have been flooding us with offers to review their mushroom gummy products. Following suit, your humble author has been a volunteer guinea pig all year long, gabbling these sugary, gross-tasting gummies by the bagful and then sitting there playing the waiting game. Three-quarters of the time, what is my reward for this? No psychoactive effects, and a new layer of fat from all the calories. This feels like Super Size Me where I have to live on gummy calories exclusively and somehow not shut down in a diabetic coma.

After about a dozen different brands, sampling my way through the varieties of Amanita Muscaria gummies on the market, my findings are that most of these are just crap. They have no psychedelic effects; they have no ambient microdose effects. They are bereft of effects. I might as well be eating paper.

Were it not for the few lucky breakthroughs, I would have written off all Amanita mushroom gummies as a big fat scam. Anybody could get that impression after a few disappointing bags. That’s a shame, because the few companies that get Amanita gummies right are doing God’s own psychedelics work, and yet they’re impossible to find among the flakes. I have had mushroom gummies that made me see stars, lifted my spirits to soar the heavens, and gave me a new appreciation for the psychedelic trip. I swear this is possible. Unfortunately, most of you will never get to experience this until we clear all the garbage out of the way!

Trouble-Shooting the Mushroom Gummy Market

I have so far attempted, with every ounce of faith in human nature I have left in my dusty spiritual carafe, to give companies the benefit of the doubt. That is, I have not attributed to malice that which can be explained by mere dumbness. In the case of mushroom gummies, this is a pioneer market that didn’t exist until just now, and the industry needs time to sort out the ins and outs of mushroom extraction. Clearly.

So when I take mushroom gummies that have less effect than an aspirin despite dosing well beyond the recommended limit, I keep in mind the following caveats:

Amanita Muscaria is famously variable in potency; two mushrooms from the same batch will have wildly variable levels of active ingredients.
Amanitas contain ibotenic acid, which must be decarbed into muscimol before having a psychoactive effect; this process may need some more research
Potency is too weak across the board. The range for psychedelic effects, in my experience, begins at a dosage of around ~6000MG up to about ~12000MG (going by the packaging, claiming so many MG of Amanita per gummy). Gummies are still coming along with 350MG dosage.
However, I have taken as small as a 200MG dose and still felt something, even if only ancillary side effects.
We can’t objectively review ambient microdose effects. Yes, we know some users take mushroom gummies for this reason, but results are hard enough to verify at trip doses.
Psychedelics in North America are one big unregulated anarchy party.

Even after I account for all of the above, I’m still seeing a shocking percentage of rip-offs. There is, and will always be, an undercurrent of North American businesses who don’t care beans about integrity and regard their own customers as idiots. This is a factor in any product market. So I am convinced that there are “companies” out there that are just in business to rip us off until we get wise, just as in the fake cartridges market.

Be that as it may, I HAVE found some mushroom gummy companies that do it right. As I say, when I do find the real McCoy, it’s a joyous experience. For the record, the mushroom gummy brands I have tried so far which pack in as much potency as they claim, are Smilyn, Mushroom Lyfe, Minnesota Nice, and Hometown Hero.

So much for the good guys. But today, we’re here to talk about the bad guys…

Vida Cap: Sample Size Too Small

This is my second time looking at a jar of Vida Cap Amanita Gummies. The jar has eight gummies, 500MG of Amanita per gummy. This means the entire jar (40 calories and eight grams of sugar) gives you 4000MG of Amanita, a dose frustratingly too small to have to register psychedelic effects. The last time I got these, I dutifully gulped them down and logged nil results. I didn’t bother with a review because it’s impossible to conclude anything from 4000MG. You’re trying to fill a gas tank with an eyedropper here. So they apparently sent this sample again, faithfully repeating the same mistake.

We’ve tried to communicate with distributors about this issue, and will continue to try. As for Vida Cap, I can’t even fully review these because who knows, maybe 6000MG is the point where they kick in. But here they are, and at $34.99 apiece, I’m not paying upwards of $70 for two jars just to test that theory.

Moon Wlkr : Mission Aborted

I wanted to like Moon Wlkr. I like their packaging, which is appealing enough without being over the top (see the next entry for the packaging that gave me PTSD). They seem up and up. The two bags they sent were only 4000MG each, but the two together would net me 8000MG for only ten gummies, enough for at least a mild trip. Finally, I could actually taste the mushroom in these, which is not an experience most seek out but does confirm that there are actual mushrooms involved. Yet after downing both bags and waiting dutifully – nothing!

What went wrong? Who knows! Here they are, at $29.99 per 5-gummy bag, that would again be some sixty bucks to feel nothing and keep up my sugar quota.

Yumz: Not Even Trying

I was disgusted with Yumz before I even opened the bag. Here I am, trying my hardest to protect end consumers, volunteering my health and metal stability to test random experimental psychedelics, struggling to make sense of this emerging court jester of a market… and in the middle of all that trouble, somebody decided that MY JOB JUST IS NOT HARD ENOUGH and packaged gummies in this useless, trashy hologram-print ink!

Dear packager: YOU ARE AN IDIOT!!!

It says “do not exceed” something something… Sounds like a warning that might be important. Too bad we can’t READ the stupid thing! This packaging turns this product into a stupid insult, a condescending, dismissive attitude towards us “junkies” who are supposed to be too stupid to care what we put in our bodies and too ignorant to read anyway. Who cares what we think? Just slap a bunch of shiny trippy colors on the bag until it looks like Walt Disney threw up on it and send it out to market – those suckers will buy ANYTHING!

Aren’t you tired of being treated that way? Well they will keep treating you that way until you stand up and demand better. These samples were provided for free, which is the only reason I’d give this retarded gas station package the time of day. It says that I’m taking 7000MG of something per bag. Tried one bag – nothing happened – onward. It even says “Amanita Muscaria enhanced” which probably means “ha ha we didn’t even bother with the actual mushroom, we just thought about it real hard.”

I’m not even linking to these or looking up the price. Don’t waste your time on Yumz. Look for companies that don’t insult you to your face, at least they want your business.

Previously: Galaxy Treats Left Me Hitchhiking

A while back we evaluated Galaxy Treats’ offering, Amanita Muscaria gummies at 7500MG per bag. I rated them 3.8, no effects, which is sadly the same I can say for the rest of this rogue’s gallery. In lieu of a full review for any of these, you could take the Galaxy Treats review and just replace the brand name. No effect means its just a plain sugar gummy. Who’s paying $30-40 a bag for those?

In the case of Galaxy Treats, we’ve reviewed their products before, and found some to be satisfactory. We see galaxy Treats offered in dispensaries. We know they’re in all likelihood a company trying to provide a product consumers will want.

So… what is the problem?

As I say from my brief list of mushroom gummy success stories, Smilyn, Mushroom Lyfe, Minnesota Nice, and Hometown Hero managed to get it right.

We know it’s not Mission Impossible here.

Amanita Mushrooms Should Not Be This Hard To Get Right

Quite simply, Amanita Muscaria is a cheap, abundant, plentiful fungus that grows naturally all over the world. So to speak, it’s the “weed” of psychoactive mushrooms. Its usage has been documented for decades, going back to the old world shamans and European holiday customs. To trip off Amanitas, you get the mushroom, boil it to decarb ibotenic acid into muscimol, and then eat it. You basically need a stove and a saucepan. Amanita Muscaria is 100% legal in most of the world too, an unusual status of freedom granted to an etheogen.

So what is the hold-up???

Even given the above variables and fudge factors, I would expect that as companies go on blindly shoving mushrooms into gummies, they would accomplish a 50% success rate by sheer brute force of production. Yet the stats are even worse than that. We would not tolerate this slipshod standard in any other product’s market. There’s no reason to settle for less in the psychedelics market. Or the cannabis market, for that matter.

Readers – READERS! – Am I the lone ranger here? Do you all not care about the products you buy with your hard earned money expecting a state of mind in reward? Are you not angry when you get ripped off? Should I be more lenient in what I expect from a basic consumer transaction? Say what you will about alcohol and tobacco; I never got stiffed buying those. The mushroom market has had enough time to get their act together – it’s time to demand some consumer security, especially given a product which some users reach for to help treat disorders and medical issues.

To the comments then, or our message forum haunted by the ghosts of parties past.

A psychedelic trip is a deeply personal thing, and being messed with in this mentally holiest of spaces is a cruel thing. Psychedelics industry, please understand that your customer is surrendering themselves to your trust, willing to put themselves in a vulnerable psychological state to experience your product. Why be a dick to them?

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5 Things That Will Trigger a Bad Experience While High

Pete

November 20, 2023

A while back, I made a point along the way of my psychedelic explorations to pen an opinion piece, postulating that there’s “no such thing as a bad trip” in the exaggerated media sense. Consider that a little sidecar to this article. While the “bad trip” media scare (e.g. people freaking out and injuring themselves while high) is greatly exaggerated, we’re here to talk about the all-too-real “bummer trip.” There are good highs and great highs, which also mean that there can be bad highs as well. Experiences on drugs where you just didn’t find it as enjoyable as you would expect given that, well, you’re taking drugs.

In my experience both on my own and noting others’, there are a few factors that can impact your high, regardless if you’re doing cannabis, shrooms, or even a few shots of your chosen libation. These may all seem bloody obvious to read now, in a blog, while you’re cold sober (presumably). But that’s the thing about getting high – it alters your perception. While you’re on the effects of a mind-altering substance, it may be harder for you to realize when something else is impacting your mental state. But you do notice your experience is lacking somehow, just can’t put your finger on it… later when you come down, you blame the drug for the “bunk trip.”

This is the kind of situation which psychonaut pioneers like Al Hubbard observed and subsequently advocated for psychedelics users to pay attention to their “set and setting.” You have to remember that you can experience delusional thinking on drugs, so checking in for these factors can be your tether to reality.

This seems to be more common in some users than others. It all comes back to individual physiology. So we’re addressing new users enjoying legalized substances in their area, as drug legalization sweeps North America like acid at a Grateful Dead concert. If you have tried a drug and thought your experience was off – here’s a list of possible measures to control for before you decide that you were reacting to just the drug.

Lack of Sleep

If you asked what’s the #1 casualty of recreational substance use, it’s sleep, hands down. Leaving aside the stimulants and amphetamines, whose whole purpose is to keep you wound up. Most drugs keep you awake simply because – whee! – being high is fun! You certainly didn’t blow that $50 at the dispensary just to sleep the experience away, after all, so you’re motivated to stay up and enjoy it.

But there is no such thing as a mind-altering substance that doesn’t impact your sleep, in either quantity or quality. For example, even plain old alcohol will make me fall asleep fast, but it will also make me start awake a few hours later with absolutely no sense of having rested. Any substantial psychedelic trip brings with it the guarantee of a wakeful 24 hours. And while cannabinoids like CBD and CBN are taken isolated to help with sleep – and work great too – the more potent cannabinoids will keep you awake. You can easily stay up most of the night hitting dabs, for instance, being an intense enough high that you can will yourself awake on it. If you do go to bed with a full-on THC buzz, there is evidence that it can decrease your high-quality REM sleep.

Bottom line: Any time you’re thinking “I’m having a bad trip, this sucks,” the first thing you should check for is “am I just tired?” And if you want the best high, pick a time when you’re well-rested and alert already.

Hunger & Dehydration

It may sound daft, but even cold sober people can sometimes “forget to eat.” Not just people with appetite disorders, but any one of us caught up in a stressful shift at work fueled by coffee on an empty stomach. Along with being sleep suppressants, most drugs are appetite suppressants too. At least, it’s easier to ignore hunger pangs when you’re high. And yet when we do get hunger cravings on drugs, we say you’re “getting the munchies” – ignoring the fact that you would have eaten a full meal or two by now if you weren’t high. Likewise with dehydration, it’s easy to ignore your sense of thirst or make it worse by drinking sugary pops that don’t hydrate you enough, but then when we do notice that we’re thirsty, we blame the drug for giving us “cotton mouth.”

The way this plays into a bummer trip is when you’re conflicted between an urge to eat or drink and some other desire, such as not wanting to get up from your chair. That is a trivial dilemma under ordinary circumstances. But with a head-full of psychoactives, you’re left flung over the couch with a repeating loop of thoughts “I should get a drink, my mouth feels like sandpaper. But there’s no way I’m walking right now; I don’t even know if I can find the kitchen!” This is the part where a trip-sitter comes in handy. They can order take-out for you without you having to deal with any part of the transaction.

Bottom line: Have some water and snacks handy. Your body needs to replenish itself, even when you’re more concerned with the spirit realm than the physical at the moment. And of course, the best highs you will ever have are ones where you started out hydrated and well-fed.

Side Effects

Of course, drugs have side effects. “But Pete,” you say, “this time we really CAN blame the drug, which caused the side effect.” Well, yes, but we can plan ahead when we know a drug has a side effect and try to work around it. For instance, psychedelic drugs (shrooms and hallucinogens) are famous for causing stomach upset. But you can prepare ahead of time and start after a full meal, to blunt the impact of the drug on your system, and have ginger ale on hand or whatever you find takes the edge off the nausea. Or, if cannabis is producing certain effects you’d rather not have, like cotton-mouth or paranoia, you might try switching to a different strain. There may be terpenes you have an allergic reaction to.

Bottom line: So the point here is to separate the issue by isolating different effects. Again, this may sound elementary, but we as a culture are still getting used to discussing the effects of these substances in clear ways. Now instead of “I’m never doing ayahuasca again” it can be “if I ever do it again, I’m going to see how I can avoid barfing my socks out so I can enjoy the trip.” If drugs tend to make you paranoid or anxious, maybe having a trip-sitter will help talk you through that part.

Bad Mood

Here is the reason why they say that you shouldn’t use drugs as a crutch. As a firm rule, I have always refrained from trying to fix my mood with chemicals. If I’m upset about something and smoke weed, I’ll still be upset but now stoned too. Even though it’s tempting to “drown your sorrows,” and even though people get into that habit because it works occasionally, it also backfires in the long run. Better to do whatever mental processing you need to do to clean your mental slate, then enjoy your drug session without the distraction. Besides, you are more likely to make mistakes while inebriated, and that can make a crisis situation worse.

Bottom line: Returning once again to that “set and setting,” you will get the most out of your drug session if you go into it without too much mental baggage. Drugs are at their best when they’re complimenting a good mood, not trying to fix a bad one. I’ll insert an extra-special caution against getting high while currently having a dispute, such as a fight with your significant other. Drugs will have you saying things you wish you could take back later – and we’ve all known that one druggy couple who seem to be constantly fighting, right?

Taking Too Much

This is the most frequent negative experience encountered by new users. It’s especially common with edibles, because it’s easy to underestimate how potent an edible will be. Now, most of us, at least in our day-to-day, don’t necessarily want to get so wasted that we’re comatose. We’re looking for a good time that we can still function on. But each of us has a different physiology; one person’s microdose is another’s macrodose. Remember that all drugs can get unpleasant if dosed high enough. Cannabis can make you “green out,” too much of a psychedelic can be intense to the point of trauma, stimulants can send your blood pressure skyrocketing, etc.

Bottom line: If you tried a drug and did not like it, see if taking half that dose next time puts you more in your comfort zone. And never let ANYONE else tell you how much you should take or put you down for being a lightweight. Because all of us in the drug community know better than to apply frat-bro peer pressure, don’t we? Anyway, cut the dose, halve the effect, and find your sweet spot.

May All Your Trips Be Happy Ones!

Of course, if you decide drugs are not for you, then that’s what you have to live with. It’s true, not everybody likes being on drugs at all. Some people don’t like the mental brain fog or the way it disrupts their system. Some people have an aversion to certain drugs – I myself, for example, am as good as a dead man if I ever take amphetamines again. There’s nothing wrong with that.

Instead, this guide is mainly for the people who are trying out legalized products as an experiment, but aren’t too sure of themselves yet. We have an exciting new frontier ahead of us as the whole North American continent becomes fluent in discussing altered states of consciousness and how to navigate them beneficially. We will all have to learn together how to address mind-altering substances after these decades of sweeping them under the rug with prohibition. Give yourself time, research what you’re looking for, and most importantly, pace yourself at your own stride!

Readers, share your bummer trip stories and what you think caused them, here in our comments or in our alleged forum.

5 Reasons Why Your Legit Vape Cartridge May Suck

Pete

November 18, 2023

make cartridges last longer — Vaping Tips to Make Your THC & CBD Oil Cartridges Last Longer

d As we preach and preach here at Dab Connection, vapers should avoid the black market when it comes to carts. Fake carts are everywhere and show no sign of stopping. But that’s not you, dear reader! You’re a smart cookie who only buys from legit, licensed, vetted sources. You don’t touch a cart without a dispensary sticker on it. So now if the cart just didn’t live up to your expectations, what do we blame that on now?

Even legit companies can get cannabis oil extraction wrong. This is, after all, a developing industry scarcely a decade old since the first recreational legalization. The cannabis industry is suffering from several conflicting forces, such as spotty legalization and lack of standards, plus quite a few entrepreneurs who are discovering that this weed business is more complicated than they thought it would be.

If you purchase a vape cartridge from a dispensary and it’s a dud, you have every right to go back with your receipt and at least ask for an exchange. At least that’s how it should work. But in any case, if you notice any of the following quality issues consistently with the same distributor (including online dispensaries), you might think of steering clear. Here are five things that can commonly go wrong with a retail cart you bought off the shelf:

It’s Old

This is the most common cause of a good brand or vendor delivering a subpar cart. As we point out in our guide to discolored vape cartridge oil, time is the ultimate killer of vape cartridges. You want your cartridge oil “fresh squeezed,” so to speak, as much as possible. From the day it’s made, the cart is steadily losing potency as the organic compounds in it begin to degrade. Add to this that not everybody in the supply chain process might have been well-trained in the proper handling of stock. The carts might have been exposed to heat, moisture, or other factors that degraded the quality further. The maximum shelf life of a cart is one year. If you bought your cart on a hot sale, chances are it was nearing its sell-by date, so it might be weaker oil.

It’s Weak

To reiterate our earlier point, the science of cartridge extraction isn’t always an exact science. There are several reasons why your cartridge may have a lower cannabinoid potency than advertised and even lower yet than what’s on the lab sheet. For one thing, lack of interstate federal standards mean that lab tests won’t be standard from state to state. Variables include things like frequency of sampling, batch sampling to control for inconsistencies, thoroughness of cannabinoid breakdown, and so on. But at the bottom line, sloppy quality control can be responsible for a deficit in cart potency.

Cheap Hardware

Few things in life are more frustrating than top-grade oil in a low-quality cartridge that clogs, leaks, and otherwise under-performs. Faulty cartridge hardware may cause the oil to not heat up enough or overheat, or heat unevenly. The cart materials may reek of plastics, metals, or chemicals. The 510 threads may be a hair off standard making for a faulty connection with your battery. Faulty hardware is becoming less common as vendors get a feel for why standards are necessary, but you still run across that extractor who was desperate enough to order a batch of carts off Alibaba.

Poor Ingredients

I’ll let you into a little secret: not every mom-and-pop vape cart brand has their own extraction lab. Instead, companies may outsource this simple detail, they may just buy white-label oil and slap on their own label, or they might buy ready-made bulk isolates and terpenes and brew their own oil. The most common complaint we hear is botanically derived terpenes as opposed to cannabis-derived terpenes. Botanical terpenes – from exactly where you think they come from, citrus fruit rind and the spice rack – have a harsher taste and ruin the natural cannabis flavors. On top of that, we’ve seen cases where delta 8 was sold as THC, or a cart that was shooting for HHC ended up half CBN, etc. Sometimes when you see 5 different cannabinoids listed, that’s because they started with CBD, ran a synthetic conversion process on it, half-way finished, tested the oil, and whatever cannabinoids show up in the most percentage get listed on the box.

It Was Backdoored

Ha ha, got you! You can go to a dispensary and still end up with a fake cart. How can that happen? Maybe the vendor doesn’t know better and bought fakes off a middleman. Maybe one of the employees is making money selling hot vapes on the side. Ana maybe a vendor ran out of a brand with a backorder a long way away, but he could fill these carts right now… Things happen. For that matter, double-check to see if it was a licensed dispensary at all, or a smoke shop with a case full of truck stop vape classics.

A Reputable Vendor Should Care About Their Product

Like I say,m don;t be afraid to go back to a dispensary with a cartridge that is clearly defective. If you usually get good quality from the place and this one time got bunk, they will want to know about the issue anyway. But even without defect, some carts may be weaker simply because oil can be variable within a batch, or because they sat for nine months but are still technically “good.” You want to try to stick to brands that put out consistent quality.

The High Road: Best Practices for Retail Cannabis Operations

Burt Blaze

October 31, 2023

The burgeoning cannabis industry stands at a transformative juncture, offering both economic promise and newfound acceptance in societies worldwide. Yet, as this once-stigmatized plant charts its course from illicit operations to mainstream retail, the path is paved with challenges, opportunities, and responsibilities. The High Road: Best Practices for Retail Cannabis Operations aims to guide retailers through this complex landscape, emphasizing the significance of maintaining ethical standards, legal compliance, and impeccable product quality. As we delve into the intricacies of cannabis retail, our goal is to empower stakeholders to build businesses that not only thrive financially but also uplift their communities, champion consumer safety, and elevate the industry’s reputation.

Legal Compliance and Regulation

In the rapidly evolving world of cannabis commerce, legal compliance isn’t merely an obligatory checklist but a pivotal cornerstone ensuring the longevity and legitimacy of any retail operation. Different jurisdictions, each with its distinct set of regulations, have illuminated the path from prohibition to decriminalization and eventually to full legalization. Retailers must navigate this mosaic of laws, which encompasses licensing prerequisites, zoning stipulations, advertising restrictions, and a myriad of other rules that dictate every facet of their business. Failure to adhere can result in severe penalties, including hefty fines, license revocations, and even criminal charges.

Moreover, the dynamic nature of cannabis legislation mandates that retailers remain perpetually vigilant. As societal perceptions shift and the benefits of cannabis become more widely acknowledged, lawmakers often update or overhaul existing regulations. This fluidity can be a double-edged sword; while it often leads to more favorable conditions for retailers, it also necessitates continuous education and adaptation. Successful retailers are those who prioritize an in-depth understanding of the law, cultivate relationships with legal experts, and integrate compliance seamlessly into their operational DNA.

Product Quality and Safety

In an industry where consumer trust is paramount, the assurance of product quality and safety in retail cannabis operations is non-negotiable. As the bridge between cultivators and consumers, retailers bear the crucial responsibility of ensuring that every product on their shelves meets stringent quality standards. This involves a meticulous vetting process, from understanding the cultivation methodologies—whether organic or conventional—to ensuring that each product batch undergoes rigorous lab testing. Such tests ascertain levels of cannabinoids like THC and CBD while also screening for harmful contaminants such as pesticides, heavy metals, and mold. The transparency in sharing these test results with consumers not only builds credibility but also reinforces the industry’s commitment to health and safety.

Beyond mere compliance with testing standards, retailers play an essential role in educating their clientele about responsible consumption. Given the diverse array of cannabis products, from edibles to concentrates, consumers may not always be well-versed in dosing guidelines or the varied effects of different strains. By proactively offering guidance, setting clear product labeling standards, and providing resources on safe consumption practices, retailers can ensure a positive and safe experience for their patrons, fortifying the industry’s reputation for conscientiousness and care.

Store Design and Customer Experience

The aesthetics and layout of a cannabis retail space can serve as a powerful reflection of the industry’s evolution from underground trade to a respected and professionalized sector. Thoughtfully designed interiors, which strike a balance between accessibility, security, and visual appeal, not only draw customers in but also foster an atmosphere of trust and legitimacy. Proper product displays, well-organized sections differentiating between various cannabis products, and secure storage areas all contribute to a streamlined shopping experience. Integrating technology, such as advanced point-of-sale systems and digital information kiosks, further elevates the retail environment, allowing customers to make informed decisions and enhancing transaction efficiency.

Beyond the physical space, the essence of a superior customer experience in the cannabis realm lies in knowledgeable and empathetic staff. Retailers must prioritize comprehensive training programs that equip employees with an in-depth understanding of cannabis varieties, consumption methods, and potential effects. This ensures that customers, whether novices or seasoned consumers, receive tailored advice and feel supported in their purchasing journey. An emphasis on creating a welcoming environment, devoid of judgment and full of genuine assistance, establishes loyal patronage and sets the gold standard for cannabis retail experiences.

Marketing and Branding

Effective marketing and branding are more than just tools for visibility; they’re vital components in establishing trust, credibility, and differentiation. Establishing a strong brand identity is the first step. This encapsulates not just a logo or a color scheme, but a holistic representation of the retailer’s values, mission, and promise to consumers. The story a brand tells can resonate deeply, allowing consumers to align with a retailer’s ethos, be it sustainability, medical advocacy, or recreational freedom. Crafting this narrative carefully is imperative, ensuring it’s authentic, relatable, and consistently echoed across all touchpoints.

However, the peculiar challenge in cannabis marketing arises from the strict advertising regulations that vary widely across jurisdictions. These can range from restrictions on imagery and messaging to prohibitions on advertising in certain media altogether. As such, retailers need to be both creative and strategic. Embracing digital platforms, especially social media, allows for organic engagement and community building. Meanwhile, experiential marketing through events, workshops, and collaborations can circumvent traditional advertising restrictions, fostering direct connections with consumers and creating memorable brand impressions.

Yet, with all these strategies, ethics should remain at the forefront. The cannabis industry, still battling misconceptions and stigmas, has a collective responsibility to promote products responsibly, avoiding tactics that may appeal to underage audiences or make unsubstantiated health claims. In this nascent stage of its mainstream journey, every marketing decision made by individual retailers reflects on the industry as a whole, underscoring the importance of integrity in branding endeavors.

Financial Management

Navigating the financial landscape of the cannabis industry presents a blend of conventional business challenges and unique intricacies specific to this burgeoning sector. A notable pain point for many retailers lies in the limited banking options available, given the plant’s federal

status in various regions. This often results in a heavy reliance on cash transactions, which can pose security risks and complicate accounting practices. Enter the emerging trend of specialized cannabis payment solutions — platforms designed to bridge the gap between traditional banking systems and cannabis retail operations. These solutions facilitate smoother transactions, reduce cash handling, and often offer integrated tools for tracking sales, taxes, and profits, thus streamlining the financial management process.

Beyond transactional considerations, prudent financial management in cannabis retail also encompasses strategic budgeting, investment foresight, and risk mitigation. Due to the industry’s volatile nature, marked by fluctuating regulations and market dynamics, retailers must maintain adaptable financial plans, with contingency provisions in place. Regular financial audits, a keen eye on cost optimization, and a commitment to reinvesting profits for growth are all hallmarks of a sustainably successful cannabis operation. In this evolving space, marrying traditional financial wisdom with innovative tools like cannabis payment solutions will be key to long-term viability and success.

Community Engagement and Social Responsibility

The most forward-thinking and sustainable retailers recognize that their responsibilities extend beyond profit margins to encompass a broader societal impact. Community engagement isn’t just about fostering goodwill; it’s about genuine integration and collaboration, laying the foundation for a symbiotic relationship between the retailer and the community it serves. Some effective engagement strategies include:

● Educational workshops: Offering sessions that demystify cannabis, its uses, and safety precautions.

● Local collaborations: Partnering with neighborhood businesses for joint promotions or community events.

● Support for local causes: Donating a portion of sales to local charities or sponsoring community initiatives.

Simultaneously, social responsibility in the cannabis industry carries its own unique weight, reflecting a commitment to ethical practices that uplift all stakeholders. This involves ensuring that the benefits of the booming cannabis industry are equitably distributed and that the legacy of prohibition, often marked by racial and social injustices, is acknowledged and addressed. Key initiatives in this realm might encompass:

● Social Equity Programs: Offering support to historically marginalized groups, ensuring they too can participate in and benefit from the industry’s growth.

● Sustainable Practices: Adopting eco-friendly cultivation and packaging methods.

● Harm Reduction Initiatives: Promoting safe consumption habits and providing resources for substance abuse support.

Challenges and Future Prospects

The cannabis industry, despite its meteoric rise and promise, is not without its share of challenges. Chief among these is the lingering stigma surrounding cannabis use, which can deter potential consumers, limit marketing opportunities, and even influence legislative decisions. Additionally, the patchwork of regulations across different jurisdictions can make interstate or international operations a complex endeavor. This regulatory maze demands constant vigilance, as shifts in political climate or public opinion can swiftly lead to legislative changes, affecting everything from cultivation to sales. The industry also faces intense competition, as new players continuously enter the market, each vying for a share of consumer attention and loyalty.

However, juxtaposed with these challenges are the vast prospects that the future holds. As research continues to unveil the therapeutic benefits of cannabis, the potential for medical applications expands exponentially. The likelihood of federal legalization in various countries presents an avenue for broader market access, standardized regulations, and international trade opportunities. Furthermore, as the industry matures, technological innovations in cultivation, product development, and retail operations will shape the next frontier of cannabis commerce. The future might also see a more holistic integration of cannabis into wellness and lifestyle sectors, moving beyond recreational or medicinal brackets. In essence, while the road ahead is filled with hurdles, it also brims with potential for those equipped with adaptability, foresight, and resilience.

Conclusion

The cannabis industry’s journey from the fringes to the mainstream epitomizes the marriage of opportunity, innovation, and responsibility. As retailers navigate the multifaceted challenges of this unique sector, the blueprint for success lies not just in profitability but in upholding the pillars of quality, ethics, and community engagement.

As the industry continues to evolve, it will be the retailers that prioritize informed decision-making, transparency, and unwavering commitment to their communities that will stand tall, setting benchmarks for excellence and leading the way for the cannabis sector’s bright and promising future.

EDITOR’S NOTE:

This has been a guest post offered for submission and does not necessarily reflect the views of the Dab Connection staff. (even if we do preach plenty of the same topics all the time around here) Readers: What are your thoughts on cannabis business compliance and enforcement of regulations? Vent away in the comments below or in our open discussion forum.

Best Dispensaries in Sacramento 2023

Nema

October 20, 2023

Sacramento, California’s capital, is growing in popularity for its top-quality cannabis dispensaries. As the state blazed the trail in cannabis legalization, Sacramento quickly stepped up, boasting some of the best spots to shop for both newbies and seasoned users.

Our guide here will show you the best dispensaries in the city. From the historic streets of Old Sacramento to the buzzing lanes of Midtown, you’ll find shops that offer a wide range of products, with knowledgeable staff to help you out. With the city growing in many ways, these dispensaries are a key part of Sacramento’s modern identity.

There are no rankings here—just a straightforward look at some great spots for cannabis in Sacramento. (The ratings are taken from Google Reviews). Let’s check them out!

Green Solutions

1404 28th St, Sacramento, CA 95816

(4.6/5 based on 480 reviews)

Site: www.greensolutionsmidtown.com

Type: Recreational

Phone number: +1 916-706-0489

All About Wellness

1820 S St, Sacramento, CA 95811

(4.6/5 based on 364 reviews)

Site: sactown420.wpengine.com

Type: Recreational

Phone number: +1 916-454-4327

Mainstage

2320 Broadway, Sacramento, CA 95894

(4.9/5 based on 33 reviews)

Site: mainstagecali.com

Type: Recreational

Phone number: +1 916-512-1252

NUG Retail

2320 Broadway, Sacramento, CA 95894

(4.8/5 based on 1410 reviews)

Site: nug.com

Type: Recreational

Phone number: +1 916-706-2089

Vibe

8112 Alpine Ave, Sacramento, CA 95826

(4.6/5 based on 932 reviews)

Site: www.vibebycalifornia.com

Type: Recreational

Phone number: +1 916-739-6337

A Therapeutic Alternative

3015 H St, Sacramento, CA 95816

(4.8/5 based on 346 reviews)

Site: atherapeuticalternative.com

Type: Recreational

Phone number: +1 916-822-4717

1841 El Camino

1841 El Camino Ave, Sacramento, CA 95815

(4.4/5 based on 1216 reviews)

Site: 1841elcamino.com

Type: Recreational

Phone number: +1 916-359-1841

Perfect Union

2035 Stockton Blvd, Sacramento, CA 95817

(4.4/5 based on 485 reviews)

Site: www.perfect-union.com

Type: Recreational

Phone number: +1 916-452-3699

The Sanctuary

2500 Grand Ave, Sacramento, CA 95838

(4.8/5 based on 3489 reviews)

Site: thesanctuaryca.com

Type: Recreational

Phone number: +1 916-254-3287

Zen Garden

2201 Northgate Blvd suite h, Sacramento, CA 95833

(4.7/5 based on 1151 reviews)

Site: www.zen916.com

Type: Recreational

Phone number: +1 916-565-1692

Two Rivers

315 N 10th St, Sacramento, CA 95811

(4.7/5 based on 711 reviews)

Site: www.tworivers-sac.com

Type: Recreational

Phone number: +1 916-389-0083

Koi Delta 8 Cart Review | Mellow But Unremarkable

Cartridges

Pete

The crew at Dab Connection share with me that I’ve gotten something of a reputation by now. When cartridges get sent to us for review, we sort them out to our reviewers in whatever state, in a process not unlike random chance. But when a cartridge rotates the me, Pete the Cartridge-Hater, you can almost hear the groan go up from that brand’s marketing department. Might I take this moment to reassure everyone that I rate cartridges by their own standards, objectively?

Koi is a brand we’ve visited before anyway, and they’ve been around a few years, so they have a solid rep. TR Sun liked their disposable oilpens, for one thing, so that’s a vote of confidence already. Today we’re reviewing Koi’s delta 8 THC vape cartridge, in the “Super Sour Diesel” variety. It retails at Koi’s own site for $29.99, or less per subscription rate, but never mind that. You’ll likely find Koi widely distributed across the US, as they’ve been established in the CBD and legal hemp products market for some time now – doubtless you will find a Koi gram out there at a cheaper price than what they sell to the public.

Pros:

Mellow flavor
Good potency
Unpretentious

Cons:

It is not as uplifting as a diesel strain should be
Feels synthetic
Lab sheets need better archiving

Recommendations: At this point, maybe Delta 8 is starting to feel almost played out. Perhaps moving on to THCA is in order? As for these carts, I’m sure there is a market for delta 8 vapes in the cheap-but-not-gas-station range, so Koi probably knows its customer base better than I do.

The Most Potent Strain of the Mildest Cannabinoid

I find it ironic that we go out of our way to make Delta 8, an altcan with half the strength of regular THC, and then use it in a strain like Super Sour Diesel because we really want that to hit us hard. It’s like a seven-year-old banging their fist on the bar demanding a Shirley Temple – with a double shot of grenadine this time because this is not amateur hour. I seek to become one with the couch; fetch me the legendary face-melter, Super Sour Diesel, but make it a Delta 8 because I still have work tomorrow.

The Koi packaging presentation is as basic as you can get. Every expense was spared in the simple cardboard printed one-piece containing a gram cart with rubber stops at either end. It dutifully threaded onto my trusty Doteco TIK20 (yep, still my fave!). The battery dutifully lit up to twinkling life and heated th oil at about 3.8V. I resolutely inhaled some dutiful puffs and noted that this was a better cartridge to me, anyway, because it’s so smooth.

I am pleased to report, in fact, that the majority of vape cartridges I have encountered lately have backed down on the harsh, artificial terpenes and the choking-sweet candy flavors. I’ve been finding cartridge flavors much more tolerable lately, as long as I avoid the sugar diabetes option. But even now, I sometimes have the sensation of vaping perfume.

Koi Delta 8 Cartridges Deliver Potency

I tried, and failed, to locate the exact COA lab test sheet for this particular product. Koi’s website has lab tests posted here and there, but not fully covered for every product. Normally I’d make a bigger stink about that, but this is Koi we’re talking about, I’m sure I’m in good hands. I need not question the potency – maybe in the ~80% range? – because I feel it after a few puffs. Even though it’s delta 8, enough delta 8 at high enough concentration starts feeling like D9THC.

So I have no complaints about the potency, and what remarks I do have may be subjective just to me. Despite this being a Sativa, it couch-locks me hard. I’m at the opposite end of the spectrum from “motivated” and “inspired.” Instead, I’m foggy and forgetful, and I’m in the mental headspace between whatever Beanie Babies think about and the sound of a rotating potato baking in a microwave. BUT this is one vape I can take to nighty-night, I can say that. Whenever I hear about people who have trouble falling asleep due to intrusive thoughts, I think of recommending a Diesel strain cartridge. Can’t have intrusive thoughts if your brain is just “buuuuhhhhhhhhhhhhh…”

With that said, I’m still a bit spoiled with the full spectrum effects I normally enjoy from flower and extracts. This is not full spectrum anything, and Koi doesn’t really promise you more than delta 8 molecules converted out of the nearest CBD, slapped together with botanical terpenes they had lying around. The result feels less like a cannabis extract and more like a synthetic patch made to help me kick the stuff.

Koi Gets the Job Done

Since Koi has been around for so long and an interstate shipper, too, they are dogged by black market knock-offs. But this experience has shown that genuine Koi carts straight from the source live up to what you’d expect from a cart. It works. It doesn’t go out of its way to do anything fancy, but work it, indeed, does. Do I recommend them? Koi’s altcan cartridges have been a mainstay in states with low legalization support, so that alone is something to like. But in the end, Koi isn’t doing anything to stand out from the million other D-8 carts out there.

That link again; find Koi delta 8 cartridges here. Readers, how are your experiences with Koi? Fish for feedback here in the comments, or swim over to our forum.

Dear California Cannabis Industry: Just STFU and Package Properly

Pete

September 26, 2023

NOTE: The following is an editorial by our staff editor. It is a matter of opinion and does not necessarily reflect the views of all Dab Connection staff.

I’m sorry, I really tried to be supportive of the state of California, pioneers in cannabis legalization. I was born and raised there, after all. But along with my tender feelings for my old surfin’ safari home, I also have insight into one of California’s eternal Achilles heels: Bureaucracy! You know that scene in Terry Gilliam’s 1985 Brazil where Robert De Niro gets swarmed by a whirlwind of forms and contracts and printouts until he’s eaten alive by the paperwork? That’s daily life in California. They’re trying to manage a nation-sized state with a state-sized government; they can’t help it. But they’re often too crippled by red tape to step out of their own way.

All kidding aside, I understand that California-based cannabis companies are going to be inconvenienced if the new bill, AB-1207 Cannabis: labeling and advertising.(2023-2024), forces them to re-do their packaging. But we urge California Gov. Gavin Newsom to pass it with flying colors anyway, for what little last-ditch hope it provides for the rapidly-imploding Cali weed scene.

What baffles me is the California cannabis industry owners who are bawling about the bill and urging Newsom to veto it, as reported at SFGate. Can they not understand how this bill helps them? Probably not, so once again we’ll have to help them over their protests.

They who cannot get their act together shalt have their act collected for them!

It’s Time For Some Packaging Accountability, California!

Need I remind you (indeed, I could compile my past blog posts on the topic into a book by now), this is what we’re up against! Finding Nemo, Spongebob Squarepants, Donald Duck, Deadpool, the Joker, Willy Wonka, Star Wars, Power-Puff Girls… on and on and on! With all the trouble we have with fully grown adults dropping dead from black market cartridge ingredients, do we need every vape package to be easily confused with a children’s product too?

Seriously? Do I have to condescendingly explain that LIVES ARE AT STAKE here? Even beyond that, how about us consumers who actually care what we put in our bodies? May we please read a legible label for a second without trying to decipher your melting-blob-letters font on a blended-Oompah-Loompah background?

Yes, it would be a nice world if we could all live at Haight-Ashbury and pretend the Summer of Love never ended, but in the real world we are selling an adult product which is in a state of emergency in California. We already tried being more lenient on packaging standards; that didn’t work.

To the owner, quoted in SFGate, who complains that if the new packaging regulations pass, he’ll have to chuck $200K worth of packaging: (a) Even plain Roller-Coaster-Tycoon business accounting teaches you better than tie up a fifth of a million in labeling. (b) You’ll just backdoor these products like all your Cali colleagues do anyway, long before the proposed law takes effect.

To the owner pointing out that they use label graphics to express to customers that their business is minority-owned: Hey, let’s just move that information to the website, linked from that QR code you like to slap everywhere. I mean, a flag emoji plus a gender symbol conveys the ethnic roots and gender of the proprietor too, but why even make it that complicated?

Just do it WITHOUT a cartoon! That’s all anybody is asking. Imagine what I could be asking:

Top ten reasons why cannabis product labels should be PLAIN TEXT ONLY!

* Simplest enforcement ever, crystal clear
* Makes it EASIER to tell the legit from fake products (which use cartoon characters all the time)
* If tobacco and alcohol can market without cartoon characters, so can cannabis
* Cannabis labels should tell me 100% true potency, ingredients, percentages, and freshness information before they think of adding a single graphic
* Consumers are sick of trying to read packaging that looks like a tagged-up graffiti boxcar
* Cannabis is a serious business
* Cannabis is an adult product
* Companies that can’t take cannabis seriously need to get out of business
* A state where the black market out-sells the legit market 3-to-1 has no business complaining about tighter regulation
* Maybe I can finally look at a shelf at the dispensary without getting dizzy and puking

Now I’m sure you could call my recommendation autocratic, insensitive, or too extreme. My justification would be that every other US state currently legalized for adult use lives with restrictive packaging standards and they’re doing just fine. California is so infested by the black market, which they refuse to reign in with their California cowboy mentality, that the rest of the nation could consider California the COVID of the cannabis industry. Forty-nine other states have to put up with organized crime circulating imported counterfeit vape cartridges from China, because California is their port of call.

But Wait! There’s More!

Not only does this bill help cops on the ground tell the fake products from the realies, and not only will it perhaps prod cannabis packagers to fill some empty space with some useful information for a change, but there are long-term business benefits for the California cannabis industry if they follow the packaging standards just keep building from there.

Friends and neighbors, does it seem to you as if the American cannabis legalization front is stalling? Like states are turning legal at a slower rate, getting more pushback from the establishment? Could it be that some voters have seen the results in California…

…and they don’t want THIS?

Did any of you bright graphic designers for the cannabis industry ever stop to think that maybe the world will take us more seriously if we don’t put on clown shoes and a fright wig at every opportunity? If we, perhaps, allowed marijuana to just have some simple… dignity? How about if we adults may be allowed to feel like an adult while we buy our adult products?

How about presenting a PROFESSIONAL image, California cannabis industry? Not only are you making all 49 other states look bad, but you’re going under too. Legislators are trying to toss you a Milkbone, if only you would stop gnawing their arm to a bloody stump for a moment.

Stoners, Can You Live Without Rick and Morty on Your Vape Cartridge?

Who are these people that will never buy cannabis again unless it’s presented by Cartoon Network? Readers, do you honestly care if you never see another cartoon on cannabis packaging again? Share your thoughts here in the comments or in our very adult, very plainly-packaged forum.

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legalization - search results

Recap: Just 5 US States Make Cannabis Fully Illegal

Public Support For Legalized Cannabis Grows Every Year

The US Cannabis Market is Now a $20 Billion Industry

US Cannabis Market Breakdown

US States Joining the Cannabis Market in 2022

Join us all year as we cover the next thrilling chapter in US cannabis history!

Two-thirds of Americans approve legal pot

Nebraska and Oklahoma measures stricken down by state supreme courts

Currently five states have major legalization measures on the ballot for 2020

The big story for cannabis is in US petitions

Readers, tell us of your grassroots efforts!

Alabama – Introducing medical

Arizona – Petition ballot for full legalization

Georgia – Introducing decriminalization

Hawaii – 21 new bills

Kentucky – Introducing medical

Louisiana – Broadened medical

Minnesota – Introducing full legalization

Mississippi – Petition ballot for medical

Montana – Petition ballot for full legalization

Nebraska – Petition ballot for medical

New Hampshire – Introducing legalized possession

New Jersey – Introducing full legalization

New Mexico – It’s complicated

South Dakota – Petition ballot for medical and full legalization

Vermont – Introducing full legalization

Summary

Cannabis Legalization is a Bi-Partisan Issue

Safe Cannabis Sales Act of 2019 – denied!

The complicated history of cannabis law in D.C.

Why is Washington D.C. such a mess?

The struggle continues…

Does anybody have ideas on how to fix this?

Illinois, Michigan, and Vermont Next To See Recreational Cannabis Kick In

We’re Talking About Cannabis Industry Antitrust Already?

“Get #weedwise,” Says the California Bureau of Cannabis Control

A Look Back At The Town That Pot Bought

Clinton [1993-2001]

Crime Control

Belated Support

Bush [2001-2009]

Rapid Escalation

Operation Pipe Dreams

Obama [2009-2017]

Breaking Promises

A Softer Approach

Evolving Point of View

Trump [2017…]

Setting Forth The Pros And Cons Of Marijuana Legalization – What Are The Main Points Of Contention?

Pros And Cons Of Marijuana Legalization

Pros

Financial

Medicinal

Lower Crime Rate

Public Safety

Human Rights

Pros And Cons Of Marijuana Legalization

Cons

Health Issues

Impaired Driving

Morality And Social Makeup

The Major Concerns Of Marijuana Legalization

More Access For Children

Left Out Of The Cons List

A Gateway Drug

The Latest Study Results On Medicinal Use

The Major Concern Of Marijuana Legalization

Conclusion – The Pros And Cons Of Marijuana Legalization Moving Forward

Prices of California Recreational Marijuana Might Be More Than Medical With New Marijuana Legalization

Current Prices Of Medical Marijuana

What Prop 64 Says About Marijuana Taxation

Will Medical Marijuana Card Holders Pay Taxes?

Medical Vs Recreational Marijuana – Will Dispensaries Sell Both?

New Marijuana Licensing & Regulation

Final Thoughts

Germination

The Seedling

Vegetative

Flowering