Much more links coming .....
HEADLINES
Bill C-45: Canada Legalizes It: Worried about the Raptors, Habs or Leafs? We are about to become the first G7 country, and only the second in the world next to Uruguay to legalize weed! Works for me! You can read the full text of Canada's new cannabis bill @ Leafly Also check out the government website for more info on "legalization and regulation" @ Canada.ca
Cannabis Activism 101: Pricing? Taxes? Licensing? Distribution? Growing? Age limits? Penalties? Marketing? Packaging? Sales? The devil is in the details, as the saying goes. Indeed, Canadian cannabis activists are responding to our new legalization act with mixed reviews. Here's a good point by point breakdown of the new act's key points, followed by their often very pressing concerns @ Leafly
Cannabis Culture's Marc Emery: Our Prince o' Pot weighs in on Bill C-45 @ CP24
Split Spliff: The Federal government will license producers. The provinces will figure out the sales and distribution angles @ CBC
Canada's Cannabis Tax: The federal finance minister meets with his provincial counterparts in June to discuss the cost of legal weed. Also the new "tax regime". Apparently 90% of the black market would be wiped out by weed at $9 a gram, with our existing HST tax rate. Or will it cost more? @ CTV
Toronto's CC Cannabis Culture 5!
Cannabis Culture 5: The Project Gator court hearings continue on Toronto May 23rd in room 114 of the Old Court House for Marc y Jodie Emery, Chris y Erin Goodwin, y Britney Guerra. They're still awaiting disclosure of the Crown's evidence against them @ Dankr and @ Dankr
More Cannabis Culture 5: Watch the April 21st news video @ Youtube
Solidarity: Bud tenders at the "Canna Clinic" medical cannabis dispensary in Toronto have approached UNIFOR [Link] to form a union. Health and safety concerns, especially in regard to a city wide rash of armed robberies are being cited as reasons for the drive. A unionized workplace could also have the added benefit of strengthening the dispensaries claims that they are a legitimate businesses in the legalization debate ahead @ Vice
Bud tenders unionize!
Oh Cannabis: The Trudeau Liberals moved up their legalization date so as to avoid Canada Day celebrations on July 1st 2018. Do they really think it's better that we get drunk rather than high while celebrating Canada's birthday on the 151st anniversary of Confederation?!? For shame @ CBC
420 Toronto will be held for the last time at downtown Dundas Square this year @ CanLife Here's an event guide to what's happening across our city @ Now
The 19th Toronto Cannabis Global March: It's on for May 6 from 12-5 pm. I hear there will also be a kool exhibitors village along the parade route! See you as we March on Queens Park! More details @ Facebook Also see my blog @ Here!
19th Annual Toronto Global Cannabis March
Jodie leads the way!
Sadly, this years march received relatively little local media coverage. Not by the major news dailies. Nor by local sponsor "Now" magazine, which didn't even bother to pump it up following their early Jodie Emery feature, as the front page story, opting for local songstress Feist instead. Or the local CP24 television news network, whom was totally focused on a big rainstorm that mostly drizzled in Toronto out long before the parade began. My blog, with a bunch of DIY video's are @ HERE!
Why We Protest: However, Now magazine did follow up afterwards with this just plain folk article featuring kool photos and interviews with some of the cannabis activists in attendance @ Now!
High Spirits: Brief lip service was paid in a friendly puff piece referring to protest concerns over "freedom" and the "30 gram pot limit" @ TSun
Check out the more comprehensive City News [not to be confused with CP24] clip @ Youtube
Here's a good piece on the other Global marches held around the world, with a positive focus on the really big show in New York City @ Forbes
420 NEWS
Marc Emery+ a 420 crowd sized joint!
Prohibition 2.0: At 420 Toronto, Cannabis Culture [CC] Activist Marc Emery takes to the stage urging "a lot of political activity over the next year and a half" to fight the injustices in Trudeau's legalization plans @ TSun
Moreover, he argues that we are going to have to "fight for every inch of freedom that we are gonna get" @Star
420 Toronto: Lotsa kool photos @ TorLife
420 Vancouver: CC's Jodie Emery reminds partygoers that 420 is also "a protest against prohibition that unjustly criminalize our fellow Canadians." @ GeorgiaStr
"Keep Off The Grass!": Leading West Coast Cannabis Activist Dana Larsen critiques the cities attempts to block this year's festivities. Likewise the negative media coverage, more specifically the Vancouver Sun's insulting reefer madness editorial. Alas! Seems wild, public, booze bashes are just great but everyone gets totally freaked out by some peaceful folks smoking weed @ CC
420 Ottawa: Cannabis activists take their protest to parliament hill, so that the government knows how serious we are @ CBC
For Shame: Ottawa 420'ers shame the federal government for it's flawed legalization bill and the ongoing busts @ InstaG
420 Across Canada: Here are the highlights from festivities across our country this year, with legalization pending @ NORMLC and @ PotTV
Cannabis Activism 420: Marc Emery discusses jail, politics, and Cannabis Culture on 420 @ Froses420Show
OH CANADA
Busted! PM Justin Trudeau is short on answers at his Toronto Town Hall on cannabis as city weed busts continue unabated. Amnesty? Edibles? Impaired Driving? Dispensaries? Privilege? Here's an excellent breakdown of his main talking points @ Now
Charter Rights?!? Legalization might well turn out to be a legal mess. Much of the proposed legislation is likely to be in sharp conflict with our Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. If not worked out properly in advance, a more just solution could take years working it's ways through our long, drawn out court system @ Huff
War on Drugs 2.0: Here's a summary of why critics argue Trudeau's legalization bill is just a continuation of prohibition @ Vice
Power Ha$ It'$ Privilege$: The NDP's Thomas Mulcair highlights the "abject hypocrisy" behind Trudeau's recent folksy banter about smoking pot. Justin admits toking as an MP. He jokes about his late brother Michel getting busted but let go. That's not been the case for most just plain everyday Canadians, who've been getting arrested since he became our leader. They continue to get criminal records and face an uncertain future @ HSpectator
Trudeau Confessions: CC's Jodie Emery weighs in on Justin's revelations about Michel's "bust" @ Global
Project Claudia/ Gator: Toronto Police Service's [TPS] decide to crack down on our cities cannabis dispensaries because the "law is the law"! Huh?! Then how come they let Uber run it's unregulated taxi service for a year before a law was passed, meanwhile putting our cities licensed drivers out of work? Truth be told, TPS is helping facilitate a corporate takeover of the local cannabiz sector by attacking our long persecuted pot pioneers! For shame @ Star
Lost in The Shuffle: Toronto Police Services vis a vis the Project Claudia raids are continuing to play "whack-a-Mole" with our other less high profile but equally determined dispensaries across the city. I'd like to cover these more. Staff from the Canadian Green Leaf Dispensary on Bloor West report @ Dankr
"Der Capitalist Plot" Or "A Big-Money Power-Play" More particularly, the Trudeau government with police assistance, are helping protect the Big Corporates' cannabis profits on the stock exchange, by mercilessly crushing the grass root competition prior to legalization @ HighTimes
M-edibles Bust: Toronto Police Services raid a cannabis "medible" factory and nail a poor delivery man in the GTA [Greater Toronto Area] @ Lift
Actions Speak Louder Than Words or "Bust Em! " The Trudeau government's confusing focus still seems more about cracking down on cannabis users and dealers than upon legalizing it @ CBC
Decrimalize It Now: Is Marc y Jodie Emery's message be getting out? Two big Canadian news dailies editorialize in favour of decriminalization @ Vancouver and @ Ottawa
Dana's Free seed kits to "Overgrow Canada!"
Git Diggin': Dana Larsen reports that he's given away 5,000,000 free seeds on this year's Overgrow Canada cross country tour. That includes the 15,000 packs distributed at Toronto 420. Lots are going out by mail. More info and links are available on my blog @ HERE!
Very Revealing: Canada's big licensed producers react to the new legalization bill. Their mouths are watering over the possibility of opening storefront dispensaries, as police and city councils continue to clear the way, by eliminating the grass roots competition @ Now
High Time$: How to totally eliminate the black market? The Trudeau government could set a very low price for legal weed, to totally wipe it out. Instead, the feds are handling over sales and distribution to the provinces. They hope that the big profits will help speed the legalization process along. Meanwhile, as this article suggests, health and education concerns are actually getting pushed to the back burner of Canadian politics for less than noble reasons @ CBC
Liberal Cronyism 101: How do you spell conflict of interest?!? Here's a who's who of the big wig Canuck public servants and former politicians who are getting into the weed biz @ MacLeans
"Smoked Out!" Or "Pothibition!" Seriously, this reporter dude was sitting behind us at "Vape on the Lake" and must've overheard my postage stamp joke, as I was talking with Marc Emery [Blog]. Got his newspaper article out the day before me. Snooze you lose. No Matter. The newspaper reaches a much wider mainstream audience and it is a great idea! Marc and Jodie Emery deserve recognition for helping to bring about legalization. Certainly deserve to be honoured with a stamp. Oh and by the way, Marc was involved with Paul Magder in bringing about Sunday shopping in Ontario too, no small feat. Put Marc on a commemorative stamp! @ 24Hours
Liar! Liar! Pants on Fire! Guess what? Trudeau lied about legalization. Just like the Toronto Police Services [TPS] lied about Marc Emery's Cannabis Culture [CC] dispensaries. Make no mistake, they are both working for the Big Licensed Producers [LP's], not the Average Jane or Joe, be we a medical cannabis or recreational pot head. Cut through the BS @ CanCult
Cops + Robbers: Apparently TPS will "protect" and "not charge" cannabis dispensaries that are robbed, but consider carefully the exceptions. More BS @ LSLLP
Pot Amnesty? Concerned with the ongoing cannabis arrests in Canada prior to legalization, the Federal NDP Justice Critic Alistair MacGregor pipes up, advocating for an amnesty @ Lift
Busted: Canadian's who get busted for pot prior to legalization face a criminal record and a life time of hassles, especially when travelling outside Canada. This could proves especially troublesome for our unsuspecting young folk @ CTV and @ Global
Bill C-46: An Overhaul of Our Drunk Driving Laws: Testing for cannabis? Blood limit levels? Here's a legal brief on the concerns about our new impaired driving bill, introduced to coincide with legalization @ LawyersDaily
Canada West: Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta want the federal government to pay the new costs associated with it's legalization plans @ Globe
New Cross Canada Cannabis Trade Deal: An announcement is expected soon to coincide with legalization. The goal of the agreement? To stimulate economic growth across Canada by removing internal barriers to the trade in weed. Makes sense @ FinancialPost
Bad Boy Canada! Bad! Bad! Will legalization violate some of our international "reefer madness" drug control treaties? The verdict's out, but if so, what to do? More @ Ipol
IN THE NEWS
Canada + US Relations: What will legalized cannabis in Canada, the true north strong and high, mean for our neighbours in the US? Unfortunately they are missing out on a great opportunity to correct some big past wrongs. To enjoy some high times while helping balance the budget. Plus Canada gets a head start on grabbing up all those lucrative investment dollars and the new world export market. Hmmm. Thought Trump was all about business and jobs? Surely US prohibition doesn't make much dollars and sense, except that is, for Big Pharma, Big Alcohol and the police @ Time
Cover of the Rolling Stone: Legal weed in Canada makes the infamous magazine cover, well kinda sorta. There's praise but also pressing concerns over the situation south of our border. Everything still seems pretty much up in air in Trumpland. The Ol' Pussygrabber and his Jiffy Sessions man could still stir things up, even though many states are now also moving towards legalization @ RollingStone
England-Merry Again? Liberal Democrats will be running on a platform to fully legalize cannabis in the general election for folks whom are 18+ @ CC
State of the Cannabis Union: Here's a state by state breakdown of the different cannabis policies in the US @ CanInd
Too Big To Fail: Prohibition just doesn't make much dollar and sense when it comes to the growing US cannabiz industry. Der Donald is a capitalist supreme! Just what the #$*! doesn't he get @ Tech420
Rep Pat Garrett: The freshman GOP from Virginia seems to get it. He's got a bill to federally legalize cannabis, but will it get passed into law? More @ WP
Daddy War Bucks Goes For Broke: Nope! AG Jeff Sessions isn't getting any for his fight against medical cannabis! It isn't in the new Congress spending bill anyway @ NWeek
President Hard On Pot: True to form, Trump continues to be a real dickhead. Perhaps there's still no real protection as he insists that he "reserves the right" to ignore the medical cannabis protection provisions in the new spending bill @ Cannabist
Big Alkie: The Big Alcohol companies are working behind the scenes to kill state legalization bills across the US. Why? Some folks never grow up. Still want to play Monopoly. Check out how much $$$ they are spending on their lobbying efforts, and who they are directing it at @ AllBud
Nuclear Weed: A US congressman, Democrat Brad Sherman worries that North Korea might try to sneak a nuke into the US hidden inside a bale of grass. Hmmmm. As opposed to just hiding it in a ship, then docking in New York? San Francisco? Goes Ka-boooom too! Just goes to show how irrational and desperate the reefer madness crowd are growing stateside @ BizInsider
New Federalism Fund: Hooray! The US powerhouse cannabiz firms race to the rescue. Their lobbying goal? To "tell our story and try to educate the government" about cannabis. Glad to see the big focus on cannabis education. Hopefully, they can help dispel nearly a century of reefer madness bullshit and lies! Here's how their lobby works @ Cannabist
Maybe there's hope yet? A bipartisan bill before the house would reclassify cannabis as a schedule 3 substance. Currently it's classified with the Schedule 1 drugs like Ecstasy and Heroin. The change recognizes it's medical uses and could hopefully open the door for so much more @ WashingtonTimes
Merry Land: Maryland's Republican Governor Larry Hogan gets cannabiz inclusivity. He insists upon minority participation in developing the state's cannabis industry, as an issue of "promoting diversity" @ Civilized
Expanding Our Horizons: Uruguay? The UK? Portugal? Spain? Germany? Holland? Here's what's happening with legalization in some other countries from around the world. Yes! I plan to focus more on this and not just Canada and the US in my Oh Cannabis News y Views blog too @ WalesOnline
GREEN MARKETING
Hey Ho -I'm planning to include my "Green Market" Toronto Global Cannabis March photos and links on an upcoming blog! Please stay tuned!
Heads of Industry: Will Canada become an international leader in the cannabiz industry as we take the honour of being the 1st G7 country to legalize the weed? @ Youtube
Legalizing It: How will legalization affect the way we buy cannabis? In Canada? The US? Here's a few projections @ BizInsider
Stock Ticker: Why bust the Cannabis Culture 5 prior to legalization? Too much emphasis on "regulation", along with the lack of a "price point" for legal cannabis, are giving investors the jitters! Since the new government bill lacks details on "cost and taxation", confidence is low. Investors worry that the government won't be able to curb the black market if legal weed is overpriced @ TSun
Making Canada Great Again: Horizons Medical bundles 14 cannbiz stocks together. Includes 10 Canuck entities for a little "Made in Canada" flavour. Makes them available as a single security. It's an new, perhaps safer and perfectly legal way to gamble on the weed stocks at the Toronto Stock Exchange [TSX] @ CBC
Cannabis Holiday Retreats: Discerning tokers are looking for kool, new vacation options @ LAWeek
TGM's Lisa Campbell y Sarah Gillies 420 it!
Toronto Green Market [TGM] Whoa! They scheduled an underground medibles block party for Toronto 420 @ Now
Application Denied: Getting a Health Canada license to grow or sell medical cannabis is a long shot at best! Not much luck @ Dankr
Workplace Safeguards: Employers seek direction from the government about their safety concerns now that Canada is legalizing cannabis @ CBC
Good Buds! Canada's bud tenders continue to take the blunt of police raids on our dispensaries, racking up the most arrests! Cannabis Culture Ottawa's Ming Saad explains it's "ridiculous" that police have raided 14 dispensaries since November and arrested 29 people! Still, committed Cannabis activists such as herself, "aren't willing to wait any longer" @ OSun
Cannabis Culture Activist Ming Saad tells it like it is!
Employment Standards: Are dispensary workers protected by Canada's labour laws while working for an "illegal" business? The answer is a guarded yes @ FR
Workplace Drug Testing? Medical and recreational users beware! Traces stay in your blood for up to a month! California provides some examples of the challenges ahead with legalization @ NORML
Alcohol Blues: Canuck big alkie business types are wringing their hands because the sale of alcoholic beverages could suffer under legalization, as some drinkers choose to toke up instead. This is bad newz?!? @ CBC
M-Edibles From The Peanut Gallery: Now you can buy smooth and crunchy Sativa, Indica or a hybrid infused "Peanut Budder". It comes in a kool, carry around, seal tight jar. Eh? Yes, it contains straight, good, ol' fashioned peanut butter and organic coconut "canna-oil" too @ Eyebake
Customer Service With A Stoned Smile: CannaMed Toronto earns top customer service marks! I bought a Toko Disposable Vaporizer Pen that didn't work at Green Market Toronto. Grr! Grr! Grr! But then they delivered a replacement to me at home! Didn't even know about my blog! Gotta love their Girl Scout Cookies! Grape Kush! Sugar Jack! Etc. Etc. Etc. Yummy!
HIGHER LEARNING
Back 2 School Daze for the US Hospitals: Turns out that many will often deny organ transplants to patients who "abuse drugs", which they figure includes cannabis. Be aware @ Gizmodo
Vaping Verses Smoking: A vaporizer seems to be safer and cleaner than toking on a reefer. Decide which is best for you -more @ Leafly
Micro Dosing: How much m-edible cannabis should you eat? Getting it right @ DailyBeast
A Lil' Dab Will Do Ya? Might medical cannabis prove to be a viable treatment method for autism? More @ USA2Day
Women in Cannabiz: Balancing motherhood with a cannabis career @ Lift
It's A Whole New Age: Welcome to the inside poop on the wonderful world of holistic cannabis health @ FreeL
Return of the Baby Boomers: Seniors are discovering how cannabis can help alleviate the burden of ageing @ MassRoot
Painkillers Verses Pot? Here are 5 reasons why medical cannabis can often prove a better solution for your daily aches and pains. Trust me -it's especially true, for those that grow much more common, especially due to work or sports injuries, as we grow older! Ouch, me achin' muscles and bones @ PotV
Pesticide Watch: Here's why we need to know about the dangers of using them to grow pot @ Leafly
Power In The Blood: The National Indigenous Medical Cannabis Association is launched to promote and defend our First Nations relationship with the cannabis plant across Canada @ Vice Also follow @ Facebook
Turtle Island Rocks!
Weed Myths Lie! Myths are stories and beliefs that we think are true and help maintain the status quo. There are lots of them contributing to the stigma that has been used to help falsely justify the prohibition of our favourite weed. Addiction? Overdoses? Laziness? A Gateway Drug? Consider the following @ AllBud
Cannabis Prohibition 101: Like in the US, there were some very nasty ulterior motives for making weed illegal. Historically, and perhaps at present as well, our cannabis laws are not based on medical fact nor have they resulted from any lengthy, reasoned debate @ CBC
Reefer Madness: We can learn a lot from watching the reefer madness propaganda that folks were force fed by the media over the last century of prohibition. It has been that way, with variations on a theme, for all of our lives. Most of it was based on outright fabrications and lies. It's given cannabis a very negative stigma, that's hard to shake!
Vocabulary 101: "Marijuana" is a made up name for cannabis, and not a real word. It usage is also racist in origin. That's why I try, whenever possible, not to regularly use the term on my site @ Leafly
In the daze ahead, watch to see the government's "educational" pieces on legalization, especially as they address it's supposed dangers and hazards. Should be very interesting! Meanwhile, here's some prime examples of the BS from during the baby boomer years @ Pot Ed 50's! and @ Grass 50's! and @ Propa 50's! More @ Anti-Pot!
Much more to come .....
KULTURE KULT INK
Jodie Emery shows us how it's done!
"Around Toronto" or "Making the Activist Scene": Out on bail and now living here fulltime while awaiting trial, Jodie Emery of Cannabis Culture quickly becomes a Toronto fixture. She gets her photo on the cover of Now magazine. Suddenly she's seen everywhere across the city for a full week while it hits the news stands. Jodie also provides a queenly interview that quite fittingly helps put her and Marc's activist struggle into perspective for local readers within the Toronto TPS prohibition scene! Welcome to our city Jodie! Thanks for showing Torontonians how it's done in your face but with a certain aplomb from out BC way @ Now
Frose's 420 Show: Marc Emery discusses pot, politics, his jail gig stateside and more @ Youtube
Celebrity Highs: Because of advertising restrictions, cannabis tech companies need celebrity video "product placements " showing hit stars using their vapourizers and smoking their weed in order to survive. Check out the E-pens and boo next time you watch videos by Snoop, Kid Ink, Fetty Wap, Ghostface Killah etc. etc. etc. @ RollingStone
Reefer Madness -The Musical! Here it is! All singing! All dancing! In colour! Now that's entertainment ..... You might want to make a copy before it disappears again @ Youtube
The 420 Movie: Here's a real antidote to too much political correctness, offered in the spirit of good, stupid, stoner fun .... ahhhh, make up yer own excuse! Watch at your own risk! Our stoner heroes race to find some good weed by 420 @ Youtube
Meat Weed Madness: Triple XXX fun as southern belles battle "minotaurs" and "hillbilly hipster drug fiends" at a farm where weed is grown from ..... gasp! .... "human flesh"!!! Some more el stupido stoner fun @ Youtube
Best Stoner Flicks of The 21st Century: Yup. There's "Pineapple Express" [2008]. Toss in a klassik or two by Harold and Kumar, Jay and Silent Bob and .... and .... and ..... ah, check them out for yourself @ ToC
Getting Anal: Well, I'm going to pass on this, but thought you should know. It's "doctors orders" ... ready? Stick the weed up your butt! You'll get real high!?! Hmmmm. Thanks but no thanks! Suppose if you light it up first, that will really get you hopping, but puleeeze! Don't try passing it around @ GreenRush
"Flipping Off The Donald" Or "A Peace Sign 4 Snoop": Seems smoking a doob or two or three or ..... has helped Martha Stewart see the light @ Cosmo
Final Note: Classic Psych Prog Rockers Pink Floyd always go great with weed! Here's 2 kool "Visual Experience Medley Mixes" by Nufonic @ Here! and @ There!
Much more to come ....
COMMENTS:
Bill C-45: Canada Legalizes It: Worried about the Raptors, Habs or Leafs? We are about to become the first G7 country, and only the second in the world next to Uruguay to legalize weed! Works for me! You can read the full text of Canada's new cannabis bill @ Leafly Also check out the government website for more info on "legalization and regulation" @ Canada.ca
Cannabis Activism 101: Pricing? Taxes? Licensing? Distribution? Growing? Age limits? Penalties? Marketing? Packaging? Sales? The devil is in the details, as the saying goes. Indeed, Canadian cannabis activists are responding to our new legalization act with mixed reviews. Here's a good point by point breakdown of the new act's key points, followed by their often very pressing concerns @ Leafly
Cannabis Culture's Marc Emery: Our Prince o' Pot weighs in on Bill C-45 @ CP24
Split Spliff: The Federal government will license producers. The provinces will figure out the sales and distribution angles @ CBC
Canada's Cannabis Tax: The federal finance minister meets with his provincial counterparts in June to discuss the cost of legal weed. Also the new "tax regime". Apparently 90% of the black market would be wiped out by weed at $9 a gram, with our existing HST tax rate. Or will it cost more? @ CTV
Toronto's CC Cannabis Culture 5!
Cannabis Culture 5: The Project Gator court hearings continue on Toronto May 23rd in room 114 of the Old Court House for Marc y Jodie Emery, Chris y Erin Goodwin, y Britney Guerra. They're still awaiting disclosure of the Crown's evidence against them @ Dankr and @ Dankr
More Cannabis Culture 5: Watch the April 21st news video @ Youtube
Solidarity: Bud tenders at the "Canna Clinic" medical cannabis dispensary in Toronto have approached UNIFOR [Link] to form a union. Health and safety concerns, especially in regard to a city wide rash of armed robberies are being cited as reasons for the drive. A unionized workplace could also have the added benefit of strengthening the dispensaries claims that they are a legitimate businesses in the legalization debate ahead @ Vice
Bud tenders unionize!
Oh Cannabis: The Trudeau Liberals moved up their legalization date so as to avoid Canada Day celebrations on July 1st 2018. Do they really think it's better that we get drunk rather than high while celebrating Canada's birthday on the 151st anniversary of Confederation?!? For shame @ CBC
420 Toronto will be held for the last time at downtown Dundas Square this year @ CanLife Here's an event guide to what's happening across our city @ Now
The 19th Toronto Cannabis Global March: It's on for May 6 from 12-5 pm. I hear there will also be a kool exhibitors village along the parade route! See you as we March on Queens Park! More details @ Facebook Also see my blog @ Here!
19th Annual Toronto Global Cannabis March
Jodie leads the way!
Sadly, this years march received relatively little local media coverage. Not by the major news dailies. Nor by local sponsor "Now" magazine, which didn't even bother to pump it up following their early Jodie Emery feature, as the front page story, opting for local songstress Feist instead. Or the local CP24 television news network, whom was totally focused on a big rainstorm that mostly drizzled in Toronto out long before the parade began. My blog, with a bunch of DIY video's are @ HERE!
Why We Protest: However, Now magazine did follow up afterwards with this just plain folk article featuring kool photos and interviews with some of the cannabis activists in attendance @ Now!
High Spirits: Brief lip service was paid in a friendly puff piece referring to protest concerns over "freedom" and the "30 gram pot limit" @ TSun
Check out the more comprehensive City News [not to be confused with CP24] clip @ Youtube
Here's a good piece on the other Global marches held around the world, with a positive focus on the really big show in New York City @ Forbes
420 NEWS
Marc Emery
Prohibition 2.0: At 420 Toronto, Cannabis Culture [CC] Activist Marc Emery takes to the stage urging "a lot of political activity over the next year and a half" to fight the injustices in Trudeau's legalization plans @ TSun
Moreover, he argues that we are going to have to "fight for every inch of freedom that we are gonna get" @Star
420 Toronto: Lotsa kool photos @ TorLife
420 Vancouver: CC's Jodie Emery reminds partygoers that 420 is also "a protest against prohibition that unjustly criminalize our fellow Canadians." @ GeorgiaStr
"Keep Off The Grass!": Leading West Coast Cannabis Activist Dana Larsen critiques the cities attempts to block this year's festivities. Likewise the negative media coverage, more specifically the Vancouver Sun's insulting reefer madness editorial. Alas! Seems wild, public, booze bashes are just great but everyone gets totally freaked out by some peaceful folks smoking weed @ CC
420 Ottawa: Cannabis activists take their protest to parliament hill, so that the government knows how serious we are @ CBC
For Shame: Ottawa 420'ers shame the federal government for it's flawed legalization bill and the ongoing busts @ InstaG
420 Across Canada: Here are the highlights from festivities across our country this year, with legalization pending @ NORMLC and @ PotTV
Cannabis Activism 420: Marc Emery discusses jail, politics, and Cannabis Culture on 420 @ Froses420Show
OH CANADA
Charter Rights?!? Legalization might well turn out to be a legal mess. Much of the proposed legislation is likely to be in sharp conflict with our Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. If not worked out properly in advance, a more just solution could take years working it's ways through our long, drawn out court system @ Huff
War on Drugs 2.0: Here's a summary of why critics argue Trudeau's legalization bill is just a continuation of prohibition @ Vice
Power Ha$ It'$ Privilege$: The NDP's Thomas Mulcair highlights the "abject hypocrisy" behind Trudeau's recent folksy banter about smoking pot. Justin admits toking as an MP. He jokes about his late brother Michel getting busted but let go. That's not been the case for most just plain everyday Canadians, who've been getting arrested since he became our leader. They continue to get criminal records and face an uncertain future @ HSpectator
Trudeau Confessions: CC's Jodie Emery weighs in on Justin's revelations about Michel's "bust" @ Global
Project Claudia/ Gator: Toronto Police Service's [TPS] decide to crack down on our cities cannabis dispensaries because the "law is the law"! Huh?! Then how come they let Uber run it's unregulated taxi service for a year before a law was passed, meanwhile putting our cities licensed drivers out of work? Truth be told, TPS is helping facilitate a corporate takeover of the local cannabiz sector by attacking our long persecuted pot pioneers! For shame @ Star
Lost in The Shuffle: Toronto Police Services vis a vis the Project Claudia raids are continuing to play "whack-a-Mole" with our other less high profile but equally determined dispensaries across the city. I'd like to cover these more. Staff from the Canadian Green Leaf Dispensary on Bloor West report @ Dankr
"Der Capitalist Plot" Or "A Big-Money Power-Play" More particularly, the Trudeau government with police assistance, are helping protect the Big Corporates' cannabis profits on the stock exchange, by mercilessly crushing the grass root competition prior to legalization @ HighTimes
M-edibles Bust: Toronto Police Services raid a cannabis "medible" factory and nail a poor delivery man in the GTA [Greater Toronto Area] @ Lift
Actions Speak Louder Than Words or "Bust Em! " The Trudeau government's confusing focus still seems more about cracking down on cannabis users and dealers than upon legalizing it @ CBC
Decrimalize It Now: Is Marc y Jodie Emery's message be getting out? Two big Canadian news dailies editorialize in favour of decriminalization @ Vancouver and @ Ottawa
Dana's Free seed kits to "Overgrow Canada!"
Git Diggin': Dana Larsen reports that he's given away 5,000,000 free seeds on this year's Overgrow Canada cross country tour. That includes the 15,000 packs distributed at Toronto 420. Lots are going out by mail. More info and links are available on my blog @ HERE!
Very Revealing: Canada's big licensed producers react to the new legalization bill. Their mouths are watering over the possibility of opening storefront dispensaries, as police and city councils continue to clear the way, by eliminating the grass roots competition @ Now
High Time$: How to totally eliminate the black market? The Trudeau government could set a very low price for legal weed, to totally wipe it out. Instead, the feds are handling over sales and distribution to the provinces. They hope that the big profits will help speed the legalization process along. Meanwhile, as this article suggests, health and education concerns are actually getting pushed to the back burner of Canadian politics for less than noble reasons @ CBC
Liberal Cronyism 101: How do you spell conflict of interest?!? Here's a who's who of the big wig Canuck public servants and former politicians who are getting into the weed biz @ MacLeans
"Smoked Out!" Or "Pothibition!" Seriously, this reporter dude was sitting behind us at "Vape on the Lake" and must've overheard my postage stamp joke, as I was talking with Marc Emery [Blog]. Got his newspaper article out the day before me. Snooze you lose. No Matter. The newspaper reaches a much wider mainstream audience and it is a great idea! Marc and Jodie Emery deserve recognition for helping to bring about legalization. Certainly deserve to be honoured with a stamp. Oh and by the way, Marc was involved with Paul Magder in bringing about Sunday shopping in Ontario too, no small feat. Put Marc on a commemorative stamp! @ 24Hours
Liar! Liar! Pants on Fire! Guess what? Trudeau lied about legalization. Just like the Toronto Police Services [TPS] lied about Marc Emery's Cannabis Culture [CC] dispensaries. Make no mistake, they are both working for the Big Licensed Producers [LP's], not the Average Jane or Joe, be we a medical cannabis or recreational pot head. Cut through the BS @ CanCult
Cops + Robbers: Apparently TPS will "protect" and "not charge" cannabis dispensaries that are robbed, but consider carefully the exceptions. More BS @ LSLLP
Pot Amnesty? Concerned with the ongoing cannabis arrests in Canada prior to legalization, the Federal NDP Justice Critic Alistair MacGregor pipes up, advocating for an amnesty @ Lift
Busted: Canadian's who get busted for pot prior to legalization face a criminal record and a life time of hassles, especially when travelling outside Canada. This could proves especially troublesome for our unsuspecting young folk @ CTV and @ Global
Bill C-46: An Overhaul of Our Drunk Driving Laws: Testing for cannabis? Blood limit levels? Here's a legal brief on the concerns about our new impaired driving bill, introduced to coincide with legalization @ LawyersDaily
Canada West: Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta want the federal government to pay the new costs associated with it's legalization plans @ Globe
New Cross Canada Cannabis Trade Deal: An announcement is expected soon to coincide with legalization. The goal of the agreement? To stimulate economic growth across Canada by removing internal barriers to the trade in weed. Makes sense @ FinancialPost
Bad Boy Canada! Bad! Bad! Will legalization violate some of our international "reefer madness" drug control treaties? The verdict's out, but if so, what to do? More @ Ipol
IN THE NEWS
Canada + US Relations: What will legalized cannabis in Canada, the true north strong and high, mean for our neighbours in the US? Unfortunately they are missing out on a great opportunity to correct some big past wrongs. To enjoy some high times while helping balance the budget. Plus Canada gets a head start on grabbing up all those lucrative investment dollars and the new world export market. Hmmm. Thought Trump was all about business and jobs? Surely US prohibition doesn't make much dollars and sense, except that is, for Big Pharma, Big Alcohol and the police @ Time
Cover of the Rolling Stone: Legal weed in Canada makes the infamous magazine cover, well kinda sorta. There's praise but also pressing concerns over the situation south of our border. Everything still seems pretty much up in air in Trumpland. The Ol' Pussygrabber and his Jiffy Sessions man could still stir things up, even though many states are now also moving towards legalization @ RollingStone
England-Merry Again? Liberal Democrats will be running on a platform to fully legalize cannabis in the general election for folks whom are 18+ @ CC
State of the Cannabis Union: Here's a state by state breakdown of the different cannabis policies in the US @ CanInd
Too Big To Fail: Prohibition just doesn't make much dollar and sense when it comes to the growing US cannabiz industry. Der Donald is a capitalist supreme! Just what the #$*! doesn't he get @ Tech420
Rep Pat Garrett: The freshman GOP from Virginia seems to get it. He's got a bill to federally legalize cannabis, but will it get passed into law? More @ WP
Daddy War Bucks Goes For Broke: Nope! AG Jeff Sessions isn't getting any for his fight against medical cannabis! It isn't in the new Congress spending bill anyway @ NWeek
President Hard On Pot: True to form, Trump continues to be a real dickhead. Perhaps there's still no real protection as he insists that he "reserves the right" to ignore the medical cannabis protection provisions in the new spending bill @ Cannabist
Big Alkie: The Big Alcohol companies are working behind the scenes to kill state legalization bills across the US. Why? Some folks never grow up. Still want to play Monopoly. Check out how much $$$ they are spending on their lobbying efforts, and who they are directing it at @ AllBud
Nuclear Weed: A US congressman, Democrat Brad Sherman worries that North Korea might try to sneak a nuke into the US hidden inside a bale of grass. Hmmmm. As opposed to just hiding it in a ship, then docking in New York? San Francisco? Goes Ka-boooom too! Just goes to show how irrational and desperate the reefer madness crowd are growing stateside @ BizInsider
New Federalism Fund: Hooray! The US powerhouse cannabiz firms race to the rescue. Their lobbying goal? To "tell our story and try to educate the government" about cannabis. Glad to see the big focus on cannabis education. Hopefully, they can help dispel nearly a century of reefer madness bullshit and lies! Here's how their lobby works @ Cannabist
Maybe there's hope yet? A bipartisan bill before the house would reclassify cannabis as a schedule 3 substance. Currently it's classified with the Schedule 1 drugs like Ecstasy and Heroin. The change recognizes it's medical uses and could hopefully open the door for so much more @ WashingtonTimes
Merry Land: Maryland's Republican Governor Larry Hogan gets cannabiz inclusivity. He insists upon minority participation in developing the state's cannabis industry, as an issue of "promoting diversity" @ Civilized
Expanding Our Horizons: Uruguay? The UK? Portugal? Spain? Germany? Holland? Here's what's happening with legalization in some other countries from around the world. Yes! I plan to focus more on this and not just Canada and the US in my Oh Cannabis News y Views blog too @ WalesOnline
GREEN MARKETING
Hey Ho -I'm planning to include my "Green Market" Toronto Global Cannabis March photos and links on an upcoming blog! Please stay tuned!
Heads of Industry: Will Canada become an international leader in the cannabiz industry as we take the honour of being the 1st G7 country to legalize the weed? @ Youtube
Legalizing It: How will legalization affect the way we buy cannabis? In Canada? The US? Here's a few projections @ BizInsider
Stock Ticker: Why bust the Cannabis Culture 5 prior to legalization? Too much emphasis on "regulation", along with the lack of a "price point" for legal cannabis, are giving investors the jitters! Since the new government bill lacks details on "cost and taxation", confidence is low. Investors worry that the government won't be able to curb the black market if legal weed is overpriced @ TSun
Making Canada Great Again: Horizons Medical bundles 14 cannbiz stocks together. Includes 10 Canuck entities for a little "Made in Canada" flavour. Makes them available as a single security. It's an new, perhaps safer and perfectly legal way to gamble on the weed stocks at the Toronto Stock Exchange [TSX] @ CBC
Cannabis Holiday Retreats: Discerning tokers are looking for kool, new vacation options @ LAWeek
TGM's Lisa Campbell y Sarah Gillies 420 it!
Toronto Green Market [TGM] Whoa! They scheduled an underground medibles block party for Toronto 420 @ Now
Application Denied: Getting a Health Canada license to grow or sell medical cannabis is a long shot at best! Not much luck @ Dankr
Workplace Safeguards: Employers seek direction from the government about their safety concerns now that Canada is legalizing cannabis @ CBC
Good Buds! Canada's bud tenders continue to take the blunt of police raids on our dispensaries, racking up the most arrests! Cannabis Culture Ottawa's Ming Saad explains it's "ridiculous" that police have raided 14 dispensaries since November and arrested 29 people! Still, committed Cannabis activists such as herself, "aren't willing to wait any longer" @ OSun
Cannabis Culture Activist Ming Saad tells it like it is!
Employment Standards: Are dispensary workers protected by Canada's labour laws while working for an "illegal" business? The answer is a guarded yes @ FR
Workplace Drug Testing? Medical and recreational users beware! Traces stay in your blood for up to a month! California provides some examples of the challenges ahead with legalization @ NORML
Alcohol Blues: Canuck big alkie business types are wringing their hands because the sale of alcoholic beverages could suffer under legalization, as some drinkers choose to toke up instead. This is bad newz?!? @ CBC
M-Edibles From The Peanut Gallery: Now you can buy smooth and crunchy Sativa, Indica or a hybrid infused "Peanut Budder". It comes in a kool, carry around, seal tight jar. Eh? Yes, it contains straight, good, ol' fashioned peanut butter and organic coconut "canna-oil" too @ Eyebake
Customer Service With A Stoned Smile: CannaMed Toronto earns top customer service marks! I bought a Toko Disposable Vaporizer Pen that didn't work at Green Market Toronto. Grr! Grr! Grr! But then they delivered a replacement to me at home! Didn't even know about my blog! Gotta love their Girl Scout Cookies! Grape Kush! Sugar Jack! Etc. Etc. Etc. Yummy!
HIGHER LEARNING
Back 2 School Daze for the US Hospitals: Turns out that many will often deny organ transplants to patients who "abuse drugs", which they figure includes cannabis. Be aware @ Gizmodo
Vaping Verses Smoking: A vaporizer seems to be safer and cleaner than toking on a reefer. Decide which is best for you -more @ Leafly
Micro Dosing: How much m-edible cannabis should you eat? Getting it right @ DailyBeast
A Lil' Dab Will Do Ya? Might medical cannabis prove to be a viable treatment method for autism? More @ USA2Day
Women in Cannabiz: Balancing motherhood with a cannabis career @ Lift
It's A Whole New Age: Welcome to the inside poop on the wonderful world of holistic cannabis health @ FreeL
Return of the Baby Boomers: Seniors are discovering how cannabis can help alleviate the burden of ageing @ MassRoot
Painkillers Verses Pot? Here are 5 reasons why medical cannabis can often prove a better solution for your daily aches and pains. Trust me -it's especially true, for those that grow much more common, especially due to work or sports injuries, as we grow older! Ouch, me achin' muscles and bones @ PotV
Pesticide Watch: Here's why we need to know about the dangers of using them to grow pot @ Leafly
Power In The Blood: The National Indigenous Medical Cannabis Association is launched to promote and defend our First Nations relationship with the cannabis plant across Canada @ Vice Also follow @ Facebook
Turtle Island Rocks!
Weed Myths Lie! Myths are stories and beliefs that we think are true and help maintain the status quo. There are lots of them contributing to the stigma that has been used to help falsely justify the prohibition of our favourite weed. Addiction? Overdoses? Laziness? A Gateway Drug? Consider the following @ AllBud
Cannabis Prohibition 101: Like in the US, there were some very nasty ulterior motives for making weed illegal. Historically, and perhaps at present as well, our cannabis laws are not based on medical fact nor have they resulted from any lengthy, reasoned debate @ CBC
Reefer Madness: We can learn a lot from watching the reefer madness propaganda that folks were force fed by the media over the last century of prohibition. It has been that way, with variations on a theme, for all of our lives. Most of it was based on outright fabrications and lies. It's given cannabis a very negative stigma, that's hard to shake!
Vocabulary 101: "Marijuana" is a made up name for cannabis, and not a real word. It usage is also racist in origin. That's why I try, whenever possible, not to regularly use the term on my site @ Leafly
In the daze ahead, watch to see the government's "educational" pieces on legalization, especially as they address it's supposed dangers and hazards. Should be very interesting! Meanwhile, here's some prime examples of the BS from during the baby boomer years @ Pot Ed 50's! and @ Grass 50's! and @ Propa 50's! More @ Anti-Pot!
Much more to come .....
KULTURE KULT INK
Jodie Emery shows us how it's done!
"Around Toronto" or "Making the Activist Scene": Out on bail and now living here fulltime while awaiting trial, Jodie Emery of Cannabis Culture quickly becomes a Toronto fixture. She gets her photo on the cover of Now magazine. Suddenly she's seen everywhere across the city for a full week while it hits the news stands. Jodie also provides a queenly interview that quite fittingly helps put her and Marc's activist struggle into perspective for local readers within the Toronto TPS prohibition scene! Welcome to our city Jodie! Thanks for showing Torontonians how it's done in your face but with a certain aplomb from out BC way @ Now
Frose's 420 Show: Marc Emery discusses pot, politics, his jail gig stateside and more @ Youtube
Celebrity Highs: Because of advertising restrictions, cannabis tech companies need celebrity video "product placements " showing hit stars using their vapourizers and smoking their weed in order to survive. Check out the E-pens and boo next time you watch videos by Snoop, Kid Ink, Fetty Wap, Ghostface Killah etc. etc. etc. @ RollingStone
Reefer Madness -The Musical! Here it is! All singing! All dancing! In colour! Now that's entertainment ..... You might want to make a copy before it disappears again @ Youtube
The 420 Movie: Here's a real antidote to too much political correctness, offered in the spirit of good, stupid, stoner fun .... ahhhh, make up yer own excuse! Watch at your own risk! Our stoner heroes race to find some good weed by 420 @ Youtube
Meat Weed Madness: Triple XXX fun as southern belles battle "minotaurs" and "hillbilly hipster drug fiends" at a farm where weed is grown from ..... gasp! .... "human flesh"!!! Some more el stupido stoner fun @ Youtube
Best Stoner Flicks of The 21st Century: Yup. There's "Pineapple Express" [2008]. Toss in a klassik or two by Harold and Kumar, Jay and Silent Bob and .... and .... and ..... ah, check them out for yourself @ ToC
Getting Anal: Well, I'm going to pass on this, but thought you should know. It's "doctors orders" ... ready? Stick the weed up your butt! You'll get real high!?! Hmmmm. Thanks but no thanks! Suppose if you light it up first, that will really get you hopping, but puleeeze! Don't try passing it around @ GreenRush
"Flipping Off The Donald" Or "A Peace Sign 4 Snoop": Seems smoking a doob or two or three or ..... has helped Martha Stewart see the light @ Cosmo
Final Note: Classic Psych Prog Rockers Pink Floyd always go great with weed! Here's 2 kool "Visual Experience Medley Mixes" by Nufonic @ Here! and @ There!
Much more to come ....
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