Opening Statement



Friday 17 March 2017

Oh Cannabis Spring 2017 News y Views 1

High! I'm revamping my stoner newz blog series! Stay tuned. Lot's still coming. Updates will be included in large type set. Last edition @ HERE!


Cannabis Culture Busted!

HEAD NEWSLINES

Trudeau expected to present legalization bill by April 420 and have it in place by Canada Day, July 1st, 2018. Seems a lot of the decisions about implementation will be left up to the provinces. Perhaps our Prime Minister has gotten his fingers burnt one too many times? Or is taking too much flack over all his broken promises? @ CBC and @ Star and @ Leafly

The Village Dispensary aka Cannabis Culture Church Street [Blog][Blog] finally closes it's doors to long line-ups after pressure is put on the landlord by City Hall and police to renege on their lease @ CBC 

The harassment of the dispensary in Toronto's LGBTQ community was particularly loathsome and odious! Seems "the law is the law", unlike with Uber. It was allowed to operate illegally for over a year, forcing taxi drivers out of work, while awaiting city regulations to be put in place. More @ Sun

Meanwhile ......

The Cross Canada Marc Emery's Cannabis Culture Dispensaries Busts: Read my firsthand Project Gator Toronto courthouse coverage -Marc y Jodie, Chris Y Erin Goodwin, Britney Guerra are released on bail @ Here! @

My mainstream and social media news link primer is @ There!

Even more details and links are under "Across Canada" etc. below ....

Overgrow the Government: Canuck Cannabis Activist Dana Larsen brought his "Overgrow Canada" "Victory Garden" seed campaign to Toronto's Vapor on the Lake lounge on Sunday April 2! Dana's cross Canada tour continues @ Facebook 

"Overgrow Canada" or "A Toke With Marc y Jodie Emery" My Review @ HERE!


Dana Larsen Rocks Toronto!

Hey Protesters! 420 Toronto is still a go for downtown Dundas Square on April 20th 2017. Marc Emery plans to speak! More @ CanLifeNet

Let's March: Start getting your banners ready n' roll a few joints! Toronto's "19th Annual Global Marijuana March" to Queen's Park is on for May 6th from 12-5pm @ Facebook

ACROSS CANADA


Welcome To The Canadian Edition of Corporate Monopoly! Canada'$ Big Cannabi$ Licen$ed Producer$ are frothing at the mouth now that the federal government is about to present it's legalization bill. Stocks are soaring! Business confidence is high! Police raids continue full force. So far, the big boys' lobbying efforts have succeeded in giving the grass root competition a real hot foot. But can they finally get the small, indie, DIY dispensaries to jump right off the weed map once and for all, in a more timely fashion? Why the hurry? Consider this: the federal government is allowing each province to decide how cannabis will be sold! So if it's in a dispensary, and that's still a pretty big if, then who's dispensary? How? Where? When will it be sold? Much $peculation @ CBC

Branding and Taxes: The licensed producers also want to be able to use brand packaging for their products. Thankfully, they are also throwing us plebs a sop by asking the government to remove it's unfair tax on medical cannabis @ Globe

Big $$$ #1: Some provinces are balking at the added cost and responsibility of being left holding the bag for regulating legalization @ Gazette

Big $$$ #2: A province could opt out of selling legal cannabis. But then they'd lose out on the huge tax windfall @ iPolitics

Surprise! [Not!]: A Statistics Canada study find that the vast majority of Canada's dispensary's don't have ANY organized crime ties, contrary to TPS claims @ Lift

Health Canada: announces $10 million in new spending to educate the public about cannabis. Alas! It's really just a small drop in the bucket compared to the flood of police and government Reefer Madness propaganda that has poisoned the waters until now @ Lift


Welcome 2 Canada 2017!

Busted! The onerous charges against activist Marc and Jodie Emery put at risk their considerable investment in Cannabis Culture 's business ventures. Also a couple of life times of activist work. Marc's commitment to his Libertarian principles shows! He describes his acts of civil disobedience as a "mission for legalization" and "cannabis for freedom" @ Sun

State of The Cannabis Culture Union: Jodie Emery reflects upon her and Marc's ongoing cannabis activism efforts, as they're forced by the courts to sever ties with the family biz @ Marijuana More @ Province

Maclean's Reefer Madness: Canadian magazine fires a shitload of corporate weedster bombast to try to discredit the Emery's political activism with lots of nasty innuendo. Damn those "free-for-all" market types, eh? Corporate Canada must be afraid, or they wouldn't be targeting Marc y Jodie like this @ Macleans

Cat and Mouse Game: "Cannabis Culture" Church St, "Buds 4 Life" and other Toronto dispensaries continue to be raided post Project Gator. Here's an interesting look into who's who and how they connect, on the government and policing side of all things cannabis, in our city and province @ TSun

Trudeau Verses the Emery's: Make No Mistake; Marc and Jodie Emery are being targeted because they are cannabis activists whom aren't afraid to engage in civil disobedience when need be! As a result, the Neo Lib Trudeau government needs to shut them down so that they can more quietly hand over the big windfall profits from legalization to party insiders and their big corporate buddies. Think of the court case to follow as political theatre which the Emery's will use to help expose the truth. More background info @ PostMedia



Meanwhile, over 22,400 busts later ....

What's Justin Trudeau Toking?!? Not the good stuff! Jodie Emery quits the Liberal party explaining that he has lied to us about legal pot @ Tyee

Caught in the Act: Read this news story in which Justin once even promised to "decriminalize" cannabis "right away". Sure that changed. What next? @ GeorgiaStraight

Actions Speak Louder Than Words: As a result of the Emery's actions, more and more Canadians are now seeing that Justin Trudeau is being very hypocritical and two faced about his legalization plans @ ATT


Cannabis Culture Church Street reopens with the staff taking over ownership as the new managers. Marc and Jodie consider their next move. They are planning a May cross country tour! Stay tuned! More @ Now

Toronto Police Services [TPS] made a big mess trashing the inside of Cannabis Culture, Church St Toronto during the Project Gator bust. BTW, Chris and Erin Goodwin told me that police also seized all the kiddies computers, devices and games when their home was raided. For shame! Church Street Photos @ CJB

TPS Chief Saunders: reveals his unfortunate lack of understanding about how dispensaries help meet our medical cannabis needs while trying to rationalize the Project Claudia/ Gator raids @ CBC

Whack-A-Mole: Post "Project Gator", TPS continue to raid Cannabis Culture's Toronto dispensaries, over and over again, at one point 3 times in 2 weeks. The shops continue to reopen @ Global

Save Our Dispensaries! Despite what Toronto Police Services [TPS] claim, cannabis patients are not very well served by Health Canada and it's licensed producers [LP's]. Any one of us can tell you that it's mail order system totally sucks! Will Marc Emery's acts of civil disobedience finally help make the Trudeau government reconsider it's hard assed position against listening to and allowing our small biz craft dispensaries a place within the legalization process? We know that they actually work, and help us a lot, when they aren't getting busted! Here's some preliminary notes on making store front dispensaries the "next big fight" @ Globe

Whack-a-Mole Department Continued: The London dispensary raids and re-openings show that police crackdowns aren't working @ LPL

Medical Cannabis: Canada now has almost 130 K prescription users @ CP

"Cannabis Law Reform in Canada: Pretense and Peril" or "Non 4 Profit Weed": Sadly, the Trudeau government remains grossly derelict in meeting it's current legal requirement to provide for the needs of Canada's medical cannabis patients, it's spring legalization bill notwithstanding. There is a non profit alternative, but it leaves the big money LP producers out in the cold, so it seems to be a no go. Story @ CBC Download the report @ PDF


Law + Odor: Ironically, the City of Toronto allowed Uber to operate for a good year before it was regulated. Not so our cannabis dispensaries, which police have decided to bust non stop since legalization was announced last spring. Widespread confusion exists as the "law" is enforced in a haphazard, draconian fashion across Canada. Who can sell? What? When? Where? How? It really stinks, but the Project Gator busts could finally help force the underlying issues to a head. Does Trudeau think legalization is just a big $$$ windfall for his hoodwinkin' Neo Libs and their Big Pharma/ LP buddies? Even the mainstream Canadian media has finally taken notice, in it's typical half assed way @ CBC

Project Gator -Lost in the Legal Swamp! Great shades of the infamous, "Bath House" raids, the Toronto Police are at it again! The charges from Project Gator have little real chance of holding up in court. LGBTQ activism after the bath house raids lead to lots of big, legal changes. What happens next after the police crackdown on Cannabis Culture? Read as CC Lawyer Dan Stein punches legal holes into the TPS's leaky paddle boat, while he fights to free Marc Emery @ Now!

A Crown Affair: Meanwhile, Durham police are allowing a cop to co-own a pot dispensary. Huh?!? Does the right hand even know what the left hand is doing? Seems some of the officers want in on them too. Hmmm. What to think? @ Star


Cannabis Activist Dana Larsen: "Overgrow the government ...."

Overgrow the Government! Plant The Seeds of Freedom: British Columbia Cannabis Activist Dana Larsen's cross Canada tour is off and running for 2017! His goal? To "overgrow" our government now, and for future generations. This year Dana's giving away 5 million free seeds for us to plant from sea to shining sea, more than double the amount he handed out in 2016! Grow your own "Ganja Victory Garden": to get your free cannabis seeds, and/or find out when he'll be visiting near you, check Dana out @ OvergrowCanada

Canadian Reefer Madness: Dana Larsen points out that policing is a provincial jurisdiction. Any province could move to decriminalize cannabis now, prior to the legalization bill, if they were so inclined @ VSun

"Weed>Booze" The Trudeau government continues to stoke reefer madness fears of underage tokers puffing on the devil's lettuce as a safety concern while dragging it's feet on legalization. Meanwhile they often turn a blind eye to selling them booze, which is much, much more dangerous! Cannabis activist Dana Larsen explains @ Huff

Weed Is Not Booze: Medical cannabis users are fighting mad about Manitoba's proposed law for weed "impaired" driving. Here's why @ Vice

Saskatchewan Cannabis Activists Lauren Taylor and Jeffrey Lundstrom react to the federal governments' legalization plans @ Global

Canadian Cannabis Court: Weed arrests are badly clogging up our already overloaded court system. Police arrests continue to soar across Canada. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau rules out decriminalization. Dithers about with legalization. Sigh! Alas! Canadian cannabis advocate Dana Larsen shows how Canada's justice system is crumbling. Welcome to the Canadian police state circa 2017 @ Huff


CC's Chris + Erin Goodwin Rock Toronto!

Party Politics: Marc Emery is succeeding in putting PM Justin Trudeau on the hot seat for mishandling the legalization portfolio. Did you know that he has endorsed CPC candidate Maxime Bernier, a fellow Libertarian for the spring Conservative party leadership race? Will Bernier have the balls to break CPC ranks, and speak out for legalization? Support Marc? How the mighty fall by the wayside, one by one by one, as push comes to shove. And Maxime? Marc's planning to attend the Toronto CPC leadership convention on May 26/27th to cheer him on. Good! It's important to get the issue out on the floor. Wonder what O'Leary will say? Ha! More @ GeorgiaStraight

Trudeau Pot Czar Bill Blair digs in his heels. He says the government won't rush legalization. To be expected @ Bloomberg

Good Buds: Since Project Claudia's dispensary raids began in Toronto last spring, 10 owners and managers have been "committed to trial". As for the additional 151 bud tenders arrested in the raids? They've had their charges "stayed"/ tossed out of court. What a senseless waste of time and legal resources! More @ Citizen

Bad Medical Weed: Mettrum and OrganiGram, 2 of Canada's much touted, big, government licensed producers [LP's] face class action for peddling pesticide laced cannabis @ Now

Cannabis at Work: Canadian employers are already considering how to "cope" with legalization in the workplace. Safety issues are a big focus. Know this: Workers, unions and cannabis activists need to get involved asap, to make sure that they get it right! Otherwise?!? @ CBC


Got A Pot Medical Benefits Plan? The Nova Scotia Humans Right Commission has ruled that a union insurance fund discriminated against an injured worker by denying him coverage for his medical cannabis prescriptions. Let's hope this helps set a precedent @ EmploymentLaw

Medical Cannabis Benefits: Shopper's Drugmart and Loblaw's announce that they will help cover their employee's prescription costs! @ Star

Driving on Cannabis: Manitoba is considering legislation for "impaired" driving checks, while looking at ways for the police to do it @ Globe

Pre-Emptive Strike: New zoning changes in Edmonton Alberta close "loopholes" for the cities cannabis lounges and dispensaries, prior to legalization @ Journal. You'll find copies of the new regulations here @ PDF's

No Canada Wall? Seems the Trumpster isn't worried about legal cannabis in Canada. Still, beware of carrying weed through US customs @ MassRoots

AROUND THE WORLD


The Trump Effect: While President Trump is a pretty scary, unpredictable dude there could be a silver lining to all the BS at the grass root level. Until he decides what to do, and does it, "Big Marijuana" [Banking, Pharma, and Tobacco] are sitting on their hands among all the uncertainty. That gives the small cannabiz sector a chance to grow and develop some more in the meantime. More @ MJIN

From Russia With Love: Maybe/ maybe not! Another theory is that Attorney General Jeff Sessions might get too tied up and distracted over the Rooskies to crack down on weed @ HighTimes

Congressional Cannabis Caucus: So far, 28 states have legalized cannabis for recreational and/ or medical purposes, mostly the latter. However, only 4 congressmen are openly advocating for the cannabis industry. 2 are Democrats. 2 GOP. Meanwhile the Trump administration continues to send out confusing smoke signals over whether the Fed's are going to meddle in the state's biz @ Entrepreneur


Reefer Madness Session: What's US Attorney General Jeff Sessions been smoking? Maybe crack? Certainly not weed! Session's reveals he doesn't know the difference between heroin and cannabis! Hope he doesn't try to shoot it with a needle! Oh no!!! Careful Jeffrey!!! @ ActivistPost

Big Pharma is the real boogeyman behind Jeff Session's reefer madness rants at the Trump White House @ Esquire

NIDA Toke? The US National Institute on Drug Abuse [NIDA] now recognizes Cannabis as a "medicine". It's a promising move, in sharp contrast to the reefer madness nonsense coming from the White House @ FreeThoughtPro

Legalize It? A series of promising "bipartisan" bills have been introduced in the U$ Hou$e and $enate. Maybe there i$ hope yet? @ Ganjapreneur

The Feds: Here are 9 ways that the US federal government can limit state rights over legal cannabis @ Cannabist

Crossing State Lines: What's legal? Where? The USA is different than Canada when it comes to legalization. So far, it's has been left up for them each to decide, so the laws vary from state to state. Here's what you should know while travelling around, so you don't get busted @ Cannalytics


Mister Trump -Tear Down That Wall: Ronnie Reagan knew that the Berlin Wall was BS. Fast forward to now. Legalizing cannabis would hurt Mexico's drug cartels worse than any great wall ever could. But is the Donald listening?!? @ Reason

Rust Belt Blues + Greens: Medical bud could help bring business back and create jobs in the troubled rust belt states @ CannabisNow

Legal Pot Clubs: The senate wants to permit cannabis "social clubs" to open in Colorado. However, the Guv doesn't want tobacco smoking to also be allowed or he could nix them. These clubs are very popular in Spain. Marc was going to scout them out at one point, told me he thought no tobacco was best. Dunno if he did. It's an interesting concept @ AP

Worldwide Round Up: Here's how different countries around the world are dealing with legalization. Or doubling down on prohibition. Malaysia? If you're caught with 7 ozs or more, it's the death penalty! Same with trafficking in Saudi Arabia! For weed?!?!? More @ CCRegister

GREEN MARKET


Green Market Toronto returns this Sunday March 19, 2-6pm, location TBA @ Event

Meet Local Cannabis Activist's/ Green Market Toronto organizer's Lisa Campbell + Sarah Gilles! They provide us with an overview of where they are going with the leading edge, grass root, m-edible initiative! Interview @ Lift

The Toronto Centre for Social Innovation Green Market as it's otherwise known, readily provides M-Edibles to a hungry city. The courts have ruled that medical cannabis users have the right to access medical cannabis in all it's forms. Without our cities dispensaries and the Toronto Green Market, that's not possible, unless one somehow makes them yourself, or buys on the street! More @ Star

Hooray Green Market Toronto! Lotsa yummy treats! My Review:

Green Market Toronto M-Edibles: Alas! Toronto Police busts have decimated the local medical cannabis market for both patients and recreational users alike! Fortunately, Green Market Toronto keeps popping up to fill our wants and needs. On March 5th, our local friendly, well informed and helpful producers once showed up to provide everything from infused honey's, oils, candies, chocolate, to topical creams etc. etc. etc. Standouts for me included "Fritz's" popcorn, gummies and chex mix. "Cannaloves" gluten-free medibles. Also "Extreme Infusions" honey, syrups and oils. Good news to see expiry dates being listed on the products -absolutely necessary from a consumer/ medical patient perspective! "Toko" and "High Ends" disposable vapourizer's were out in force. The occasional dud pen continues to be a concern, refund policies vague, but otherwise a handy little product. Cody Van Gogh's creative 2 gram joints now come in a nice gift pack. Free medible samples abounded.  A "Take Care with Cannabis" health tip guide was handed out to customers at the door. Trez kool! Truly, at the Green Market Toronto, a splendid time is guaranteed for all! Follow @ Facebook


With Cannalove!

With Cannalove: A kool review of the local company's tasty, medible chocolate cup treats! Yup! I enjoy a whole one too, but be aware ..... @ Now!

"Toronto Toker" nails it with this excellent March 5th Green Market Toronto Review. More kool pictures too @ Dankr.ca

It's A Pop Up Market: Another Green Market Toronto Review is @ Civilized

Meet Supernova: It's a US advocacy group focused on creating opportunities for women of colour in the cannabis industry. Business interests meet concrete social justice goals @ MerryJane


Cannabis activists Supernova rock the industry!

Diversity in the Cannabis Industry: Is there an even playing field? Here's an interesting article on African Americans @ MassRoots and another on Latino/s Latinas @ MassRoots

Toronto Weed Map Anyone?!: The new TTC [Toronto Transit Commission] public transit "Weedmap" angers city prohibitionists! One hopes that they will soon be going the way of the Doddo bird, but don't hold your breath. Meantime, Weedmap now shows Torontonians where the nearest local dispensary is. Police continue to play "Whack-a-Mole". Raid a shop. They re-open next day. Good to have a map, but the whole scenario is very bizarre, to say the least @ CBC

Vapor Cartridges -The Inside Story: What are you vaping? Where does it come from? Is it safe? Pesticides are a concern. More @ MerryJane

Online Weed: What to look out for in choosing a good site to buy from @ CannabisCulture


Cannabis Infused Tampons?!? Hey don't laugh. They are getting rave reviews for reducing cramps and lower back pain. Plus they're organic! @ Independent

Cannabis Stock Ticker: Canuck cannabiz stocks have taken a bounce on speculation after the dispensary raids. Hmmm. The raids were good for business?!? Which ones? Why? Maybe it's time to put together a personal cannabiz portfolio? I think so. The plot thickens @ FinancialPost

Investment Tips: 5 things the new cannabis investor should know about playing the market with weed @ Forbes

California Cannabis Business Expo: Two CEO panels discuss the "state of the industry" in both Canada and the US within the "different cultural and legal context" that exists. Yup! I know. Our Yankee buds y blossoms can be pretty kool. Even though they don't say "eh", nor seem to get our universal health care thingy. So. Here are the big differences on both sides of the border, pro and con, when it comes to weed @ MJIN

Cannabis Social Clubs: They provide a novel, cost effective way for members to grow their own supply of non profit weed. Sounds ideal for the medical cannabis patient. But where are the big buck$ for the big boy$ in that eh? More @ Lift

HIGHER LEARNING


History of Cannabis Activism in Canada 101: A thought provoking overview of the time period since Marc Emery's cannabis civil disobedience strategy began in earnest, during the 1990's @ CannabisDigest

Cannabis 101: A Visual Buyers Guide! What to look at when shopping for weed @ Leafly

Nix Anxiety 101: Here are 2 top 10 lists of cannabis strains which can help bring relief @ Bloom @ Extract

Strain Effects: The ratio of CBD's to THC can tell us a lot @ Leafly

Baked: Here's the formula for determining the THC dosage in yer home cookin' @ HighTimes

For Jeff Sessions: Here's a primer on the difference between cannabis and opiods! Duh @ Paste

"Extracts 4 Dummies": or "Shattered": TPS tried to create a big reefer madness horror show about discovering the "potent" and "dangerous" cannabis concentrate "shatter" during the Cannabis Culture Church Street bust. At the media scrum outside the court house, everybody laughed! Here's some much more knowledgeable info on concentrated cannabis extractions @ HighTimes


Cannabis Activist Halima Hatimy rocks McMaster U!

Sister's Got The Power: Cannabis activist Halima Hatimy, a McMaster grad student, is filing a human rights tribunal complaint. The Ontario university has barred her as a medical cannabis patient from an important study trip abroad. She also accuses them of racism, and says it highlights the need for universities to have better policies about the medical issues at stake @ CBC

Getting Lit 101: A creative writing workshop on cannabis, anyone. Wait!!! You mean some folks actually write while stoned on weed?!? No..............!? Yer kidding me, eh? Ummmm, by the way ... toke! toke! toke! ... It's BYOC @ HighTimes

Medical Cannabis: The Patient Experience is a free symposium where folks can participate in an interactive learning experience. It's April 2, 1-4 pm downtown Toronto. For more info call 844-456-1515. RSVP @ social@growisehealth.com


"A Pain in the Joints" or "Advice From The Cannabis Om"buds"Man [or Lady or or or ...]": Here's how to discuss the medical cannabis option with aging family members still stuck in the reefer madness headset of yesteryear @ SFChronicle

Senior Prescriptions: Here's a medical cannabis guide for seniors in California! A great idea @ SFChronicle

"Women's Use of Cannabis for Pleasure": A McMaster University School of Social Work candidate is seeking participants for a bona fide "research ethics" approved study! It will be done one on one via Skype. In return you will get a summary copy of her thesis! Contact @ kozakte@mcmaster.ca

KULTURE KULT


Political Activism 101: CC's Erin Goodwin shows us how it's done! Be prepared at our cannabis community protests and events. Don't let the mainstream media set the agenda with negative "drug war" imagery! Think, act, share .....

Cannabis Social Media 101: A Call 2 Action! Let's not let this February news story get lost in the Project Gator shuffle. Marc Emery shows us how to effectively use the social media as a rallying call for cannabis activists during a raid. We saw that during the October Cannabis Culture Church St raid [Blog]. Now, check out his Facebook videos from the CC Brantford raid @ Dankrs.

History of Women and Weed 101: Activists Jodie Emery? Erin Goodwin? Britney Guera? [Add your fave here ....]? Females' are filling a leading role in the emerging cannabiz industry and protest movement. That should come as no surprise! Women have a long history of being caregivers! Learn a lesson in caring and healing @ JaneStHealing

Tokin' With Queen Vic? Maggie Mead?!? Yup! Here's a crash course on 7 famous women who smoked weed @ Herb


Vic: Toke? Who? Me???

Fake Pot News: "Fake News" is rampant in America during the Age of Trump. Some weed stories have turned out to be real whoppers too. Recognize any of these? @ HighTimes

Top 24 Pot Destinations: Toronto, Montreal and Nelson BC make the world klass list! More @ HighTimes

Original "Reefer Madness" Movie [1936]: Whoa! Not to be missed! This is soooo bad it's good! It was actually first released in the dirty thirties as an educational film. The aim? To shock parents. Rally support for prohibition. Ironically, it's since become an underground, cannabis, movie klassik! Watch drug pushers in sharp suits sell the devil's lettuce to dopey teens. The result? As AG Jeff Session knows [or thinks he knows]; divorcery [?!], manslaughter, suicide, rape, hallucinations, hit and run driving and a descent into madness! Must be his favorite film! Make sure you fire up one or two or three while watching! Trailer @ Here! Movie @ Youtube 


Reefer Madness: Don't let this be you!

Reefer Madness: The Review @ The Nostalgic Critic!

Reefer Madness 2 -The True Story! Don't Miss this @ Youtube

"Jack, I'm Mellow" [1936] Trixie Smith vamps her way through some more bizarre refer madness moments, via film clips from another prohibition era klassik "Weed With Roots in Hell" @ Youtube

Afroman gets down with the Reefer Madness thing, shows us how it's done @ Let's Get High Tonight!

Max Headroom trips on some Reefer Madness "Paranomia" @ Art of Noise


Cannabis and The Arts 101: Don't just sit there stoned! Your friendly local art gallery, museum and zoo are very trippy, potent and mind expanding after enjoying a puff or two or three! Here's what strains go best with this higher learning experience @ Marijuanomics

Stoner Book Club Pick: Dana Larsen's "Cannabis In Canada: The Illustrated History" and his Dr. Suess style medical cannabis parody "Green Buds y Hash" are underground literary klassics @ Larsen

Do It Yourself Corner: Here's 5 DIY bongs and pipes you can make for yourself in a pinch. Real cheap! Very grass roots! Heh Heh er .... @ GrassCity

No! Really?!? Jimi Hendrix, our "man with the guitar" smokes a little boo back in the day @ Youtube

Sweet Marijuana: Mistery's "Save Di Earth Riddin" rocks my house these daze @ Youtube


Bad Doggie -Not Good?: Tweed Weedster Snoop Dogg freaks out the Donald with his new video, and receives one of his infamousTweets @ HighTimes Watch the video @ Youtube

Welcome to Jam Rock: Bob's youngest offspring, Damian Marley steps up in the new millennium! Damian's planning to set up a "global medical cannabis platform and brand" franchise business @ JaGleaner

US Cannabis Festivals: Here are 5 big ones! Suppose with legalization pending in Canada there will be a lot more to watch out for here this summer! Read @ Allbud

Weed Roots: A health scare cancels several Willie Nelson shows, but it seems like he's back again @ KHOU.

It's All Going To Pot! Yeah, Willie knows the score. Gotta love this space cowboy anthem with one time Okie from Muskogee, Merle Haggard @ Youtube


COMMENTS: 

Monday 13 March 2017

Oh Cannabis Culture: The Project Gator Bust!


 
Welcome to a "Special Edition" of "Oh Cannabis Winter News and Views"[Here]! I've already posted a firsthand account of my 2 days spent at the Toronto court house covering the proceedings on social media. [Here] You'll find the the best of the mainstream news links below. Together, they can hopefully help us better understand the awful, twisted pretzel logic behind the Project Gator Cannabis Culture [CC] Busts. Here's what we know:

CC's Marc and Jodie Emery were arrested at Pearson International Airport on Wednesday night, March 8th, while departing for a flight to Spain. The Church St. dispensary's Chris and Erin Goodwin, as well as Britney Guerra from the Hamilton shop, were also arrested Thursday morning as a part of "Project Gator". Seven Cannabis Culture [CC] dispensaries were raided simultaneously across Canada in all, in Toronto, Ottawa, Hamilton and Vancouver.

Toronto Police Services [TPS] arrested, handcuffed and charged Chris and Erin, the former Church Street managers, in a chilling police state show/ non show. It happened before our very eyes inside the old Toronto courthouse, where they'd come for the Emery's bail proceedings. Britney, from Stoneycreek, was arrested as TPS raided her Hamilton Cannabis Culture dispensary location. 


Britney at work ...

All were finally released on $30,000 bail early Friday evening, then unceremoniously tossed out into the bitterly cold Toronto night. The charges include "trafficking", "possession", "failure to comply" and a "conspiracy to commit an indictable offence". There is a rather confusing publication ban on further court proceedings. Meanwhile, the accused cannot talk or meet, except with their spouses. They are to live at their places of residence, the Emery's and Goodwin's here in Toronto, Britney in Stoneycreek. They can't be involved in any way with "Cannabis Culture and marijuana dispensaries". 

Here are the complete "who", "where" "what" along with the 11 specific charges that have been laid by the TPS @ TPS

 
"Targeting Unlawful Dispensary Danger": In a further news release, the TPS cite organized crime, and the seizure of "shatter". It's a popular, widely available distilled cannabis resin that they describe as very "potent" and "dangerous". They stress the danger of manufacturing "shatter" and include a vague reference to an August 2016 Eglinton Avenue dispensary explosion, for reasons unknown. The accused will be disputing all of these charges. They see this as a civil liberties/ civil disobedience case. They do not believe that they have broken the law. However, here's how the very heavy handed TPS are arguing their case against them;
"Project Gator was designed as a large franchise operation of alleged high level drug traffickers. The public should know that this isn't an altruistic venture, this is purely a profit-motivated venture. Anyone with a prescription for marijuana can go through Health Canada, who have an abundant supply." [TPS]  
More on the conspiracy, the court ban, and the police report on "illegitimate sources", including the TPS concerns about shatter are @ CP24

Time Line: Here's an excellent one for the events at the courthouse. It includes many insightful social media links. The social media surely owned the day, compared to the mostly befuddled and ham fisted mainstream media. Sadly, they often seemed to be struggling for a credible news handle to help explain the developing Canadian legalization issues and cannabis scene. Read @ Leafly

Hamilton CC Bust: Here are some further news details @ Spectator


The Vancouver CC Headquarters Bust: Watch @ CannabisLifeNet

Re-Opened -The New "Village Dispensary": Cannabis Culture Church St. has changed hands. It reopened for business Friday March 10th, under new management with a new name. Employee Jamie McConnell is now 55% owner. Also 3 more staff each own %15 of the business. Jamie advises me that the LGBTQ/ cannabis good fight on Church Street continues. We are watching some more pure, undistilled civil disobedience, this time without Marc! Details @ Dankr.ca

The Speeches: Upon his release, Chris Goodwin very succinctly explained that CC was being targeted for it's political activism and civil disobedience in challenging Canada's flawed legalization process. Also, that CC does not produce shatter, nor sell dangerous drugs. Erin, he and the family have put everything on the line for this case. Britney Guerra denounced the "dirty, crappy" conditions that they were kept in while under arrest. On this, the occasion of Jodie's first arrest, she emphasized how the ongoing and "unjust" police busts are hurting lots of innocent people. In no uncertain terms, she also expressed her humiliation at being strip searched twice as a part of a cannabis bust, from a distinctly Women in Cannabiz perspective. Marc Emery ruminated on his 36 jail visits. He was quite positive. Thankfully, CC is now "making progress" in finally getting the real civil liberty issues behind prohibition legalization openly discussed as a very necessary democratic part of the legalization debate. My phone died in the freezing cold, but here's an excellent video of the speeches, courtesy @ Dankr


"I am finally free ..." Upon her release, Jodie rallies the protest troops as she confidently assesses the ongoing fight from the Emery's Toronto home front @ Facebook

"When We Rise 2" or "The CC Legal Briefs":  Emery barrister Kirk Tousaw explains the cannabis communities "moral outrage" over the raids. There is no place for any of this in a "free" and "democratic" society @ TousawLaw 

Barrister Dan Stein, compares the TPS legal ignorance about CC to the 1980's Toronto bathhouse raids. He also touches upon other significant policing horror shows that helped create change. Police are actually the ones showing "blatant disregard" for the true "legal", "social", and "political" issues at stake on the eve of legalization. He provides pertinent legal and case references for our perusal @ DanSteinLaw

"We Are Seeds" Here are some notes on the Vancouver CC headquarter raids. Incoming Cannabis Culture magazine editor DanKres square frames the dispensary raids as a Big Pharma and Licensed Producer [LP] big business/ monopoly issue @ CannabisCulture


TCOB!

"Not-Yet-Legal": Much of the main steam media seems ready to write off Marc Emery as a crazy "die hard libertarian". Indeed, Canada's "National" newspaper tries to argue a very lackie "law is the law" and "rule of law" case against CC. Their fallback is an old, discredited "Reefer Madness" prohibition argument. Read how they attempt to discredit the very viable, democratic, and socially aware free enterprise/ free market option provided by the dispensary movement. Obediently, Canada's establishmentarian rag follows the tired TPS script. Accordingly, CC is just run by criminal opportunists trying to cash in on legalization for profit and self gain @ Globe

A Hallelujah Chorus: Too bad for Marc's critics! Turning him into a martyr can only strengthen his case @ Georgia Straight

"Justice Tarnished" Then come hints of a sea change, from Canada's hardnosed neo conster Sun news chain @ VSun


A Different Kind of Trudeaumania #1: The shifting parliamentary dates for legalization, and the ongoing police busts are a blatant power play to totally remove the dispensaries from the Big Pharma/LP legalization game plan. As a result, the real "pioneers" of legalization are being cut off from even participating in the consultation process. The aim? To exclude them totally from the new legalization business model. Marc Emery has largely footed the bill for while helping to champion legalization in Canada since the 1990's. Many of the former Reefer Madmen whom now stand to profit from his absence, were very busy fighting against legalization back then. This is just plain wrong! However, beware of the Sun. It is NOT a progressive newspaper, but read on @ TSun

Medical Cannabis Denied: The courts have all ready ruled that the government is unable to supply us with our prescription needs, regardless of the TPS and Health Canada's claims. The ruling should be used to allow the dispensaries to help fill them for us. Instead, they are being busted. Not fair! Very unjust @ Globe

How badly do medical cannabis patients need the dispensary's? Even after the busts, patients were lined up outside Jodie's Ottawa CC store, in our nation's capital @ OSun and @ Citizen


In Warmer Daze: Chris y Erin Goodwin!

Libertarian Food For Thought: Cannabis as a  freedom of choice issue. Marc has shared this Ron Paul video link online. Cannabis prohibition exposes a glitch in the political matrix, revealing the police state at work in our own backyard. In Canada we have our Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, this speech is US content. Still, Project Gator shows us the police state mentality here, baring it's teeth. The Goodwin courthouse arrest certainly helped make that clear @ Ron Paul

Meet Jodie Emery: activist, entrepreneur, and pothead @ Flare

The Britney Guerra story: from a student to a teacher @ HighwayPage62

Erin Goodwin is @ PotTV

Here are some interesting Marc Emery documentaries:

Marc Emery -Canadian activist @ Youtube

Marc speaks at IdeaCity 2003 @ Youtube


The Prince of Pot verses the US government @ Youtube

Marc Emery verses Justin Trudeau @ Youtube

Follow Jamie McConnell @ Facebook


The Village Dispensary is open to serve you ....

COMMENTARY: Just some thoughts-

Our local cannabis community shared the Project Gator Bust story best using the social media. It was timely. It was unfiltered. It was informed and empowering.  Much more so than a lot of the mainstream stuff. I was very honored to meet those of you who've read my blog and tweets. Also humbled by those of you whom are doing so much more.

Maybe we should consider organizing our social media skills and resources, in whichever ways we reasonably can, to help support and further the local activist legalization agenda? Flash mobs are one useful technique used by other groups, to rally support for a protest event. What might we be able to do, for the cause, in the daze ahead, as the CC case makes it's way through the courts? As the other dispensary raids continue full thrust?

Civil Rights Now: Most unfortunately, the Trudeau government has proven itself in gross neglect of it's responsibilities and duties. The often critical needs of many medical cannabis patients are simply not being met. Meanwhile, the government continues to run roughshod over our rights and freedoms. Where's the medical compassion in that?

Despite our other handicaps, we sometimes have more free time than other activists. While we need to have our own medical needs met, our good fight can also help others a lot too. As medical cannabis patients, we get that. With so much at stake, the time to act is now! How might we best use some of our free time to help support the fight for charge, at the grass root level? Can we afford not too?

A Different Kind of Reefer Madness: Marc once told me that he's sold the movie rights to his life story. He has had so little time to write, until now that is!

Have no doubt, Marc Emery is still living the story too! It's not over yet! We look forward to the next chapter! Ditto for Jodie, Chris, Erin, Britney and all our other warriors in the legalization good fight too! Let's make sure that Trudeau gets it right, rather than leave it to sheer dumb chance! Or god forbid, the big Pharma and LP boys!

Peace + Solidarity!

David C


COMMENTS: 

Communist Girls ARE More Fun!

Communist Girls ARE More Fun!
See below ...

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Communist Girls Are More Fun #1

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Communist Girls Are More Fun #4

Art at the Paris Louvre: What does it mean?!?

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