Saturday morning: Strolling towards 217 Adelaide Street West, deep in Toronto's Soho entertainment district, I'm greeted by a huge, omnipresent whiff of good old fashioned weed spreading out from Karma Cup 2018. It waffles past the long line ups of eager TIFF [Toronto International Film Festival] goers, excitedly gathered outside the local movie theatres and swinging chi chi club hot spots. Offering a none to subtle and enticing, hint of the reefer madness lying await just inside the Karma Cup gates!
This year's tightly packed Karma Cup main stage, vendors market and outdoor lounge has been set up in a parking lot narrowly wedged between Soho's office towers, condos and converted warehouses, under the looming shadow of Toronto's CN Tower. The huge line up to get in, without an advance pass, stretches outward from the gate and around the block, by far the longest I see. Clearly, this weekend, TIFF is not the only show in town!
Most of my Karma Cup weekend was spent shuffling back and forth between partying at the trez kool vendors market on Saturday on Adelaide Street West, and on Sunday at 612 Church Street. Then taking in the fabulous speeches and presentations at the Vapor Central Lounge on Yonge street, later on during the day, after I'd tied on a really good buzz. A dab or two. A door. Some medibles ...
It certainly was a helluva lotta fun getting high AF on all the free samples and show specials at the market. I also met with the good folks from High 5, Weeds Canadian Glassware, and Shatter Blaster. I stand in awe. Ditto the fine folk from Shatterizer, where I picked up some more coils and caps, and an extra charger, as well as a few other Shatterizer accessories.
Let's Get Shattered!
My vendor market favourites? For weed? Candelivery, Fukushima Pre Rolls, Lotus Toronto, Phat Farms, Sendrbud, and Top Shelf were out in force, with lots of top strains show priced at from $125-$280 [1] for a big, fat, ounce bag! Many of them offering free same day delivery options across the GTA! Very important with a postal strike looming by Oct 17. That's the official legalization date in Ontario, and as we now know, the province will only be selling government licensed crud by mail order at first! Good luck!
For shatter? Extracts? Concentrates? Distillates?: Diamond was on hand with lotsa dabs of "Pineapple Express", "Gorilla Glue #4", and "Laughing Buddah". Loved the great deals on shatter at the Quadfather. The $15 "God Bud" proved impossible to turn down! Ditto Top Shelf's "Ghost Train Haze" distillate! For $25, I also scored a kool Hippie Hills "Headband" vape pen too. Cheap!
Shatter was widely available, throughout the show, ranging in price from $15 to $65 a gram, with plenty of $2-$10 dabs, and lotsa free ones too! Same for the joints, with some of the better ones, quite frankly, wildly available in the lower price range!
In the Medibles Department? Lucky and the crew from Buudobomb were back in force with their potent and mind expanding 10 X 10 mg organic gummies, also offering free delivery across the GTA. Sugar Shack Edible's 15 X 10 mg "Blazed Blueberry" gummies also helped cheerfully brighten up my Karma Cup day!
Free Gummy Bears Courtesy Lucky from Ka-Buudobomb!
I went hog wild loading up on Purple Crown's 200 mg "Choco Budz" for the post Karma Cup party with all my good buds back at the trailer park. Everybody loved it. Definitely a personal favourites of all the many medibles I judged this year. Also loaded up on Gizen's super fine rolling papers for myself and all my friends. Scored some of Mary's Teas, in particular their "Peppermint", "Sleepy Time" blends for Janet. Also their "Original Blend" instant coffee, for me. Each with 60 mg of THC. Likewise, I scored a 10 pack of High Tea's 15 gm "Chamomile Smile" an irresistibly tantalizing, quick morning-pick-me-upper. And of course, I once again picked up some infused pretzels, peanut butter and blueberry jam from SKG Bakery. And one of CanaNorth's new finagled glass and metal, cork screw, twisty, refillable blunts.
On Sunday, day 2 of the show, the vendors market was suddenly moved to 512 Church Street, just east of Yonge, the same location as the last two Karma Cups, possibly because a certain Licensed Producer with a TIFF hospitality suite couldn't cope with the competition. [2] An omen of the bad things to come with legalization come October 17th? Nothing new!
Gimmie a "High 5" [or 2]!
Alas! With less space, Sticky Zoo's huge testing tent, along with a few other venders, got tightly downsized and squeezed into the now much tighter digs. But undeterred the show went on! Suffice to say, Day One of the Karma Cup usually features the best product. Day 2 the best deals. This year, as in years past, neither were in short supply. Plus it was still one helluva great weed party, at either location!
However, in my autumn, retirement years, I'm drawn less and less to big crowds. Plus another irony for me, as a Karma Cup judge, is that by the time the big weekend show arrives, I've already toked, dabbed, rubbed on myself and ate over 130 cannabis samples. Whew! I'm already partied out to the max!
Quite frankly, there just isn't much more boo I can still ingest, short of sticking it up my butt! [3] Seriously! And so, by early afternoon each day, I'd invariably make my way to the Vapor Central Lounge stage for the presentations and speeches, in search of another more relaxing, less frenzied way to feed my mind!
For me, the outstanding Karma Cup 2018 presenters included:
Caryma Sa'd's legal presentation on "Cannabis and the Landlord and Tenant Act." Very timely and helpful! See my blog @ Here!
CFAMM's James O'Hara on "October 17th: What to Expect?" Surprise! Many Ontario condo owners and apartment tenants will wake up on October 17th, to sadly learn that they can't toke in the privacy of their home, let alone out in the park or out on the street.
It's a pretty grim scenario but fear not. There will be plenty of court challenges ahead. I look forward to working with James to see what can be done.
Peace Natural's Gordon Hagen's power point show on "Legal Cannabis Extraction Challenges" provided much insight into the unreasonable government restrictions and limits plaguing Canada's legal "Licensed producers" as they try to compete, with hands tied against their back, against Ontario's fabulous, flourishing underground market. Whoa! Low THC levels? Product restrictions? Quite frankly, as things now stand, come legalization -they are royally screwed! Expect a lot of corporate cannabis fireworks ahead!
High Society Chef Reena's "Cooking With Cannabis" lesson dished us all up a big, scrumptious, THC infused vegan taco to eat, along with Reena's insights into microdosing and cooking with extracts. Chef Reena is certainly no stranger to our southern Ontario audience. Indeed, see my blog @ There!
Chef Reena Cooks Up a THC Infused Storm!
Hopefully, with legalization, the Karma Cup can now better organize and unite the show within one main location, so as not to divorce these very, all important, broad based speeches and presentations from the more readily accessible green marketing aspects of the show. It is info that we, as counterculture cannabist activists and enthusiastic will need to know in the coming daze ahead.
As the speakers were quick to point out in their presentations, legalization in Canada is going to be one, great, big legal mess. As cannabists, we will need to be able to wrap our heads around Prohibition 2.0, more than ever before, just to stop it from becoming a total horror show. At present, the $30 cover charge for the show includes a great green market and one helluva big pot party. That's all fine and dandy, but the invaluable info from the presentations certainly needs to be a much, more central and integral part of the show!
Of course, Karma Cup 2018 was once again, a throughly excellent event, from the judging down to the vendors market, presentations and speeches etc. etc. etc. Considering weed's still not legal, it was a remarkable achievement for which, under the circumstances, one is loathe to seek fault. Still, here's a few constructive suggestions to hopefully make the Karma Cup even better in the years ahead:
Organizers: Could we possibly get the judges packages early in the summer? Testing over 130 products in two or three weeks does not really do all the fine products justice and can be quite the challenge, even for the more seasoned toker! A judge's inservice on the evaluation categories and criteria could also help make sure that we are all on the same page, and grading the many different products correctly! Also, how about a follow up debriefing with the judges after the show? Surely, we have a lot of good, ground level insights to share, which are otherwise wasted ....
Yup! Really good girls do sell and smoke weed!
Contestants: Why not include more product info and instructions in the space provided on the packaging for your samples? Ingredients? Usage? Etc? It's often quite lacking. That can be very confusing for a judge facing the daunting task of quickly testing all 130+ samples. Regretfully, I found many products in the "CBD", "Distillate", "Topical", "Terps" and "Solvent-Less" categories often, though not always, lacked even the most basic info, to help us as best give your vast array of quite different products all due consideration. It certainly can't hurt you in the marks department when it comes to judging the very important and critical "Enjoyment", "Medicinal Effects" and "Visual Appeal" categories, among others!
Ditto the apparent attempts to save on packaging costs, especially in the "Solvent Extracts" and "Solventless" categories. Why spoil a truly great product's chances of winning by wrapping it in a cheapo wrap or crappy container? They make it very difficult to correctly judge your products "Texture", besides also creating a whole lot of doubts in the other aforementioned categories. Chances are that your sample will go through many temperature changes between when you package it and it's finally opened by us to be tested. Sometimes, with cheap packaging even the finest of the fine oil, shatter, resin, and budder ends up little more than a horrible mess!
Last but not least, please don't scrimp on the samples. Most of this year's buds weighed in at least a gram, later providing plentiful leftovers for further reconsideration. However, the shatter samples seemed rather meager on the whole, for Karma Cup 2018. Think about it -What happens then when we want to retry and compare your product again after we've tested the other samples? If it's a lost saving measure, that's definitely not in your best interest for winning, if you've truly got an award winning product!
Howzabout a $2 Joint?!?
In Conclusion: Please don't be confused. These reservations are strictly meant provide constructive criticism. Truly, one realizes the terrible constraints and often insurmountable challenges that must be overcome in staging a successful Karma Cup. Even so, a splendid time was guaranteed for all at Karma Cup 2018!
With legalization just around the corner, Karma Cup 2018 showcased what a vibrant, top quality, free market, Canadian cannabiz industry can really look like. Contrast that with the tired, exploitive, corporate weed model being pushed upon us by the Trudeau government. As your retired-teacher-turned-Karma Cup judge, I can only conclude by heartfully saying; "Keep up the good work!"
And so, with no further ado -Here's the Karma Cup 2018 judging results @ HERE!
Another blog, including my judging notes, will follow .....
FOOTNOTES
1 = All prices quoted in Canadian dollars, currently hovering at the 75 cent US range!
2 = Why did the Karma Cup change venues? One theory @ Here!
3 = Ha! Bet there's a THC suppository included too, for good measure next year .... However, if one is LGBTQ then Bast Silk's personal lubricant will do.
LINKS
Karma Cup 2018 Intro @ Here!
Karma Cup 2018 Judge's Notes @ Here!
Karma Cup 2017 Review @ Here!
Karma Cup 2016 Review @ Here!
Late August can only mean one thing for me -it's time to judge the Karma Cup again! So here I am, out at my retirement retreat, our trailer site deep in the woods of Land o' Lakes, Ontario. Communing with nature. Kayaking on Lake Mississaganon. And smoking a helluva lotta weed!
I tripped back into Toronto last weekend to pick up my doctor's bag of over 130 samples of Karma Cup bud, shatter, extracts, concentrates, distillates, terpenes, CBD's, vape pens, pre rolls and topicals. Whoa! It's a stoner's wet dream deluxe! Comes in a big, black bag, with a golden Karma Cup logo on the side. Smelling as dank as can be.
This is my second year judging the cup. With my karma, something quite bizarre always happens, when I go to pick it up. But then, against all odds, it somehow miraculously becomes a non-event. Consider:
Last year I got into a big argument with an angry cop ticketing my car. While I'm holding this giant doctor's bag of dank weed. Expressing my outspoken opinion on Toronto parking enforcement matters for all and sundry, in no uncertain terms.
Eh?!? Yes! You could smell the fucking weed a mile away!
But some of the 32 buds to be tested!
Meanwhile, "Toronto's Finest" is quite rightly scratching his head. Totally befuckled and bewildered. But fortunately sober second thought somehow makes me shut up, where common sense otherwise fails.
I take the ticket. Drive off quick. But not too quick. Saving the day. Whew!
This year I thought it would be much wiser to just take the subway. In Toronto, after all, it is supposed to be the "better way".
So, I'm boarding the train, during rush hour, carrying my giant bag of weed. The platform is packed tight. Always the gentleman, I step back to let a young mother pushing a baby carriage enter first. Then, of course, the huge sliding doors crash closed smack tight on my Karma Cup bag, squeezing it so hard, I thought for sure it would burst wide open. Tossing buds, shatter and whatnot all over the subway platform and train floor!
Luckily, a kindly, little, old lady bringing up the rear, noticed my plight. With a well placed shoulder butt, she knocked my bag safely in after me, through the doors slamming madly back and forth. Somehow against all odds, saving my day!
Well, it just goes to show! They say we Canucks are extremely polite. How true! Of course, being a grey haired, cranky old white guy probably doesn't hurt one's chances of getting a totally crazy break either, even in our folly.
A few of the 23 medibles ...
Yup! Firstly, one morn one wakes up with gray hair. Overnight, you go from being called "Hey you!" to "Yes Sir!", for some inexplicable reason. Then these kinda Karma Cup "senior moments" increasingly occur more and more and more often. Yet everything somehow works out swell. But I digress .......
So, you might well ask; is there a downside to the Karma Cup? Yes, I suppose so. It costs about $700, with the "early bird special", to register and apply.
But the good news is that it's a fabulous deal! Consider the Karma Cup as a "blind test taste". You get to sample all the latest, greatest ways to toke, ingest or otherwise do weed, with even a few tasters left over to keep one smiling throughout the long, cold, Canadian winter ahead.
Anyway, here I am now, a happy man safely back in my trailer park, in the woods by the lake! Everything in my big, black doctor's bag needs to be very carefully tested by September 7th. And marked between 1 to 9, according to taste, smell, medicinal effect, strength, visual appeal, texture, residue, smoothness, flush/ burn, ease of dosing, enjoyment etc. etc. etc. ....
Important work! Someones got to do it! I figure the best two decisions I made in life where -Number 1: to get into teaching, and Number 2: to get out of teaching. Plus, let's face it; knowing how to mark things well, sure can come in handy, at times like this. And that I end up grading weed, rather than term papers, notebooks and tests in my August years? Pretty ironic eh? Nope, I don't have to get up early in the morning and go to high school high to teach a bunch of stoners anymore either. No way!
Gotta admit it. That's just plain, old fashioned good karma, pure and simple! Highly recommended! Nice work if you can get it!
Eh? But I'm still teaching stoners ....? Hmmmm .... Well, maybe learning a thing or two from them too ....
Is there life after teaching? In my humble opinion, Cannabis Activism and judging the Karma Cup is definitely the way to go!
In my next few blogs, I'll provide a review of the Karma Cup weekend Also the winning results, along with my own judging notes notes on the grading process.
Stay tuned! The big Karma Cup weekend of festivities comes to Toronto September 8th and 9th! With lotsa high times ahead!
LINKS
Karma Cup 2018 Review @ Here!
Karma Cup 2018 Judge's Notes @ Here!
Karma Cup 2017 Review @ Here!
Karma Cup 2016 Review @ Here!
COMMENTS:
Inhale! Hold! Exhale! Smile! Then Read "Oh Cannabis News Y View" @ Directory! UpDAtEs AddED iN LaRgE TyPe! Live tweets @ davidchiarelli
HEADLINES
Canada is the First Nation in The Developed World, the Second Country After Uruguay, to Legalize Recreation Cannabis! See "Oh Cannabis"
Ontario Cannabis Act: Premier Ford? NDP's Andrea Horwath? Lounges? Dispensaries? What next???
Canadian Legalization Presents A Big Challenge To the US and G7! See "In The News".
Legalization Updates: US! Uruguay! Jamaica! Etc! Etc! Etc!
US is a patchwork of different state laws on legal cultivation and retail sales. See "In The News"!
Canadian Legalization Will Be A Legal Mess! See "Oh Cannabis".
Canada's First Nations Assert Weed Sovereignty On Treaty Lands! See "Green Marketing".
Who Will Win: Price Pot Quality? The Canadian Government's Corporate Legal Verses Free Market Weed?!? See " Green Marketing" and "Higher Learning".
Canadian tokers, investors and cannabiz types face a lot of hassles at the US border! See "Oh Canada"!
No pot amnesty in Canada! See "Oh Canada" and "Higher Learning"!
Canuck Med Pot impaired driving and prescription tax woes! See "Oh Canada"!
Across Canada legalization reports! See "Oh Canada"!
Marijuana is a dirty word. Call it cannabis, weed, pot, anything else! Here's why! See at "High Times"!
More Reefer Madness Movie Links! Der Beatles! Cab Calloway! See at "High Times!"
KARMA CUP 2018
More High Times Ahead: Canada's original Karma Cup Elite Cannabis Festival returns to Toronto September 8th and 9th. There are over 140 entries this year; bud, shatter, concentrates, solvents, extracts, topicals, edibles, vape pens, pre rolls etc. etc. etc. Meanwhile out here at my summer retreat here in Land O' Lakes country, yours truly is once again busy judging all the many samples one by one by one by ..... Follow my updates on Twitter [ME] and read more @ KarmaKup
Judges Korner: This will be my third Karma Cup, the second time as a judge! Read my reports @ 2016 @ 2017
OH CANNABIS
Canada Legalizes It: With a 56 to 30 Senate vote, Canada's unjust cannabis law's finally go kaput, ending 95 years of Prohibition 1.0! They've been replaced by our new, long awaited Cannabis Act, as promised by the Trudeau government during the 2014 Federal Election. So, is it cause for celebration? Across Canada? From sea to shining sea? Hardly. The initial domestic news reports are extremely guarded. They tout a new, very uptight Prohibition 2.0 focus on strict policing, health, safety measures and a very controversial new corporate Neo Lib regulatory regime. Welcome to our new Canadian cannabis millennium, while we sort out the awful legal mess that's sure to follow for many years @ CBC @ CBC
Ready, Steady, Toke: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has set October 17th 2018 as the date for legal government weed to go on sale. That's long after the original "Canada Day" date of July 1st previously being kicked around, ostensibly due to a lot of long, drawn out, and ultimately futile Senate delays. Still, the long delay could scare away a lot of pot tourism dollars this summer. Also possibly throw cold water on some long awaited, high time, legal summer fun ... But ... But .. But who's waiting?!? @ CBC
October 17th Eh?! Plan to disobey! There's been nothing but delays, delays and more delays in overturning our unjust cannabis laws. Now the legal market's being handed over to Trudeau's corporate Neo lib cronies, whom are planning to just sell us shit. This definitely calls for a little civil disobedience. What did David Henry Thoreau say? "Anyone in a free society where the laws are unjust has an obligation to break the law" Nuff said! @ TSun
CFAMM: Don't Tax Medicine: Canadians For Fair Access to Medical Marijuana provide an easy way to petition your provincial and federal MPP/MP's to stop the prohibitive and discriminatory tax on medical cannabis prescriptions. Do it in seconds online @ CFAMM
Med Pot: There won't be any HST or Excise tax break for medical cannabis patients. And no tax breaks on our prescription drugs?!? Tell me what's wrong here @ CBC
No Cannabis Amnesty: Activist-Entrepreneur Jodie Emery is distressed that the Trudeau government still hasn't offered an amnesty, pardon, or for that matter compensation for those members of Canada's cannabis community whom were arrested, charged and/or convicted under prohibition @ CTV
We Need Mass Pardons: Legalization alone isn't enough for justice to be served @ WP
Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale promises the federal government will try to make it "fair" if you have a criminal record for possession sometime after October 17th. However, there are more than a few caveats @ Star
Bill Blair -Minister of Marijuana? Nope. Turns out former Toronto police chief Bill Blair will remain in charge of the "legalization and strict regulation of cannabis" as Trudeau's second in command to Ralph Goodale in the Ministry of Public Safety portfolio @ IPol
Senate Amendments: Most of the numerous, reefer madness, Senate Amendments to our new Cannabis Act were rejected or changed by the House of Commons before the bill became law. Beware: That includes a limit on the THC count of your government weed, which the Feds could still try to enforce anyway. Here's what's changed or stayed the same @ BSL PDF
Indigenous Weed: Legal cannabis provided many challenges for our Indigenous First Nation peoples. Lots more links below in "Green Marketing". Also @ NP
No THC Limits: Seems Canada's legally licensed producers have dodged a definite death bullet. Senate plans to limit the amount of THC allowed for dried flower has been killed. Still, that doesn't necessarily mean the government stores will sell it. Most of the licensed strains I've seen are usually only in the 10-20% THC range tops. In the underground market? Sativa's are easily 25% plus! More @ CLN
Cannabis Licenses: Here's an overview of what's been approved @ CLN
Grow Yer Own: It was a real nail biter, but the House of Commons also overturned a Senate amendment that would've let the provinces individually ban the home cultivation of up to 4 plants as per our new federal cannabis law. Expect lengthy court battles as Quebec, Manitoba and Nunavut try to fight back @ CBC
Canuck Legalization: Reefer Madness Galore!
Outdoor Crops: Ottawa will legalize outdoor cannabis crops for it's licensed producers @ Globe
Second Wave: Additional legislation allowing some wiggle room for Canada's "micro producers and processors" offers hope that there might still be a little room for Canada's small craft cannabiz growers, producers and sellers will within the government's tightly regulated, corporate, cannabis model. Activist-Entrepreneur Lisa Campbell explains @ Now
Boo Boo BaJoob: Canada's venerable Walrus magazine, perhaps out of misplaced nationalist fervour, jumps on the Corporate Neo Lib Weed bandwagon, with an article touting Canada as the next "marijuana" [not cannabis?!] superpower. Alas. Among all the hearty praise for Trudeau's stock tickered "Licensed Producers" the Walrus now uncritically joins in the Prohibition 2.0 chorus that "continued crackdowns on local dispensaries operating in the grey market might be necessary to guide buyers to the new storefronts". For shame. Hopefully, there will be a rebuttal @ Walrus
Canada Craft Cannabis: Health Canada announces new micro and standard licenses for cannabis processors, producers, nurseries, industrial hemp, research, analytical testing and medical sales. Perhaps there's hope yet that our corporate Neo Lib feds won't just try to stomp out Canada's thriving underground, free market, cannabiz industry jack boot style, come October 17th? Don't hold your breath. They've been real jerks. More @ HT
Help Wanted: Canada's licensed producers are on a pot hiring spree as the legalization date finally approaches. I'm retired and too old for this now, plus I enjoy my independence. Still, there are many of you whom have suffered very long and hard. Dunno if you can get on board with the corporate bad boys and still keep your principles intact, but best wishes. You've certainly earned the chance! More @ CBC Some food for thought @ My Tweed Blog
Pills Not Pot: Ontario's Disability Support Program won't cover cannabis prescriptions. Nope! Seems they are still too busy pushing pills @ HT
Medical Pot Drivers: New government rules could discriminate against med pot patients who toke. Saliva tests are dubious at best. Expect a lot of court challenges ahead @ Star
Fact or Fiction: The Trudeau government's new cannabis driving laws are very flawed because so little real research has actually been done. Medical cannabis drivers face the most problems due to the constant presence of THC in our system. Still, there's so many grey areas and deep doubts about the facts of driving stoned, that even the recreational user who get's busted will want to challenge it in court @ Straight
Across Canada, from sea to shiny sea ...
Government Nippers: Overtly strict and oppressive government regulations are threatening to nip legal weed in the bud across Canada, assuring the continued growth of our underground cannabiz economy. In short, in their greed and ignorance, they are making it impossible to legally compete @ ESun
High Security: Some Quebec retailers figure they'll need to use barbed wire and bullets to protect their inventory of weed at night, in order to meet Health Canada's strict security standards. Ooooookay @ Gazette
Ontario -A Place 2 Grow? OCS [Ontario Cannabis Store] officials are trying to strong arm already hard pressed licensed suppliers to produce $7.50 a gram weed, including taxes, for when they open for business October 17th. If so, sounds like they'll be selling bush weed to me. Hope you like smoking crud. The again, there's always the grow your own option or our already existing and flourishing, reasonably priced, top quality underground Ontario cannabiz market! Hmmmm. Decisions. Decisions. Decisions .... The OCS or .... or ... More @ 420
Manitoba Blows It: Get this, the province wants to apply an additional 6% "social responsibility fee" to retail revenue, but still provide cheap, safe weed to undercut the underground market. That's on top of the greedy governmental pricks other cash grabs; a 75 cents per gram mark up and the 9% wholesale tax. So much for price point. Bet the street dealers are cheering that boo boo! Big time! Duh @ CTV
Alberta Gardening Centres will be able to sell growing supplies but not plants or seeds. They are planning to fight it. Good move. After all, they are the horticulture specialists. Seems a natural fit @ CTV
Low Times In Saskatchewan: Apparently, the provincial government is planning to hire underage buyers for a big, nasty dispensary sting operation commencing this fall @ HT
Not In My Back Yard: Cannabis storefronts won't be permitted in the affluent suburb of Vancouver West. The lower mainland cities of Richmond, Delta and Maple Ridge either @ GStraight
BC Blows It: Might not matter much. British Columbia's legal cannabis retail rules and procedures are so strict and uptight, that they'll prove disastrous for anybody who tries to do it by the books, anyway @ GStraight
Newly Elected Ontario Premier Druggie Ford is promising more consultation on retail cannabis sales. He might be more open to a privatized, free market approach to cannabis sales in our province than the outgoing, Wynne, Corporate, Neo Libs, but don't hold your breath. Druggie Dougie wants to see how well the government monopoly Wynne set up works first. But just watch! After all he was a hash dealer. Let's hope he knows the score @ Global @ Globe
Privatize: Speculation is rife that the Premier is about to abandon the previous Wynne government's corporate weed monopoly plans and privatize recreational cannabis sales in Ontario. It may be a sop to the left to weaken NDP support. Then again, it could also be a new, welcome focus on grassroots, free enterprise that can and should be celebrated by right and left wingers alike. No doubt this man is going to cause us ALOT of grief as progressives in countless other ways. Consider this our boobie prize @ Globe @ Lift @ Vice @ FPost
OCS Lease Freeze: The Ford government halts leasing OCS: Ontario Cannabis Store locations prior to the October 17th legalization date further fuelling speculation of a shift to non government run licensed dispensaries @ MJB
No OCS Hiring Freeze: Meanwhile, the Ford government inexplicably continues to hire workers for the OCS despite the leasing freeze .... So, are we looking at a mixed model of government and private dispensaries? Also remember, his buddy OPSEU President Smokey Thomas had been promised that the bud tenders and other staff at the OCS would be unionized workers by Wynne. So is this Ford's two part solution? @ Global
Puleeeze! Legal Canuck Weed Must Not Suck!
Big Weed: Then again, let's not get our hopes too high ... Kaff ...Kaff ... Kaff ... Canada's licensed producers want first dibs on any private Ontario dispensaries after years of trying to force the indies out of business. Think Project Claudia and Gator. Grrrrrr @ Vice
Vape It: Ford has also halted any additional anti-vaping rules that were supposed to come into effect July 1st under the Wynne government's Smoke Free Ontario Act. Perhaps this will help open the door to legal lounges in our fair province?!? @ Star
Bad Biz: Ontario is now widely being encouraged to reconsider it's government cannabis retail monopoly. It will be little able to compete with the underground market, nor come anywhere close to meeting demand, for some time to come @ MBD
Ontario's Cannabis Act: Recreational cannabis will now be legal across Canada, and of course here in Ontario. So what does that actually mean for you as a toker? Your new rights and/ or lack thereof are @ Dankr
Condo Ban Update: Realtors, property management, condo boards and apartment landlords are continuing to try to ban pot smoking from their buildings as reported in my recent blog. [BLOG] They might not be able to grandfather you anymore but watch out, they're still very heavy handed and sneaky! At least this "smoke free condo" building is going to allow you to vape @ Now
No Vaping or Toking: Both medical and recreational cannabis are banned from the workplace and most public spaces outside your own home. Looks like vaping lounges will be verboten too @ HRR
"Pot Racism North" or "It Can't Happen Here, Eh": Canada's afro and indigenous people continue to get arrested for weed the most, even though the herb has all but been legalized! A shocking expose @ Vice
Border Alert: Beware! Canadian travellers could get in deep shit at the US border by letting the guards know that you smoke pot! Even though it's legal here and in many US states? Yup! You could get banned from ever entering the United States again! No more cross border shopping for you! Bad Canuck! Bad! Bad! Go figure @ Vice @ CBC
Pot Investors and other cannabiz industry types could also face a lot of trouble crossing the border to travel in the US too. Possibly even a lifetime travel ban @ CTV @ CBC
IN THE NEWS
US Home Cannabis Cultivation Guide: Here's where you legally stand, state by state across the US, as a medical or recreational cannabist seeking to grow a little boo @ Leafly
US Couch Lock Activism: Here's how to help legalize the bud in 10 battleground states without leaving the comfort of your couch @ HT
Burned: The Senate Appropriations Committee foolishly torches a promising cannabis banking bill so it goes up in smoke, burning prospects of job growth and economic growth in the lucrative weed sector of the US economy @ Forbes
Weed World: The US might still be [or not be] the "leader of the free world" but no matter, for us! Apparently, with legalization, Canada is now the "leader of the weed world". That presents many challenges stateside and for our G7 partners @ RS @ Vox
Canadian Legalization Despite it's many flaws, it's still a big international game changer at the UN and on the world political stage! Here's why @ 420
"Worldwide Headlines" or "Look Ma! We Made The News!": See how the international media have covered legalization here in Canada @ CTV
Southern View: Here's how Canadian legalization was reported in the US. Of course, as is pointed out, Canada is the second country to legalize cannabis, after Uruguay @ CNN
Legal Uruguay: Only the government can legally sell weed. The low THC count buds cost $1 a gram at the pharmacy. Otherwise you can grow your own, share or join a cannabis club, but absolutely no selling weed .... Uruguay is onto something! The public good truly comes first before the dollar$ and cent$ @ CNN
When Prohibition becomes a life and death matter ...
Head Shot: Nigerian police allegedly shoot a toker in the arm, then in the head as he pleads for mercy, after being caught smoking weed. Whoa! No! No! No! OMG -Pure evil @ WUN
Pennsylvania State Police chase and kill suspected small time pot grower in country field with a helicopter and a .... bulldozer?!? Thankfully, NORML is onto this @ Leafly
Legal World: More and more countries across the world are increasingly reforming, decriminalizing or easing their cannabis laws. Leading the pack are Jamaica, besides Uruguay and Canada are the Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, Argentina, Columbia and Australia @ HighTimes
Black = Busted: Mass arrests of black folks, for something as simple as attending a party where weed is being smoked, continue unabated across the US. Meanwhile white folks increasingly find themselves getting off scot free @ Huff
GREEN MARKETING
Mohawk Weed: First Nation dispensaries continue to grow across treaty land at the Tyendinaga Reserve outside Belleville Ontario much to the governments chagrin. Across Canada, our aboriginal entrepreneurs are asserting their sovereignty as a part of the new cannabiz economy, in no uncertain terms. Stay tuned for my reviews this summer while I'm out thattaway! More @ CBC
Treaty Land = Sovereign Weed: Dispensaries continue to flourish across the Mohawk reserve with the AFN, and the Chiefs of Ontario in talks with the federal and provincial government. Check for updates @ MBQ
Tyendinaga: Once again, I'm spending the summer in Land o' Lakes near the Mohawk reserve, where I sometimes drop by for some ... er ... camping supplies! More and more dispensaries continue to pop up everywhere. Legacy 420 has grown into a weed superstore of sorts. Smoke on the Water has expanded operations, added a pool table lounge at one store. B'Leaf, L'Eagle Dreams, the Pot Shop, and Oasis are very welcome additions. Expect lotsa bud, and medibles etc. etc. etc. Quality and service seem to vary this year. Prices vary and there are lots of great deals. Stay tuned for my live tweets @ davidchiarelli
Business Savvy: The Madawaska Maliseet First Nation Reserve is including indigenous cannabiz as a big part of it's growing business empire, a much welcome harbinger for better days to come @ CBC
Summertime RCMP Bust: 2 First Nation dispensaries have been busted on Treaty Land in Chilliwack BC. Almost sounds like police are trying to send them a warning shot, which one cannot see going over well, to say the least, with legal sales pending this fall @ Prog
Statistics Canada figures our price point for weed is about $7 a gram, well below what the legal crap will probably sell for with HST and Excise taxes added in our government licensed stores. Hell, there's plenty of $150 ounces for sale on Weed Maps Toronto, or for that matter at the Mohawk reserve, and it's pretty decent too, in a pinch. Ummm. The government stores don't plan on on any bulk discounts either .... Maybe you shouldn't invest too much in our LP [Licensed Producer] stocks?! @ Global
Jah Ganga: Jamaican weed will be making it's way onto the Canadian medical cannabis menu at 3 government licensed LP's @ Now
Trailer Park Boys y Snoop Dogg Beware!
Lazy Hazy Boundaries: Canada's new cannabis advertising restrictions are hazy at best, when it comes to celebrity endorsements, testimonials and depictions of people, animals and characters; fake or real. Seems the government is willing to just let the courts work it all out @ Leafly
Big Alcohol Verses The Green Wave: Rather than fight it, US beer, wine and spirit companies are now looking at marketing THC infused drinks @ Forbes
Jodie's Joint: Cannabis Culture Activist-Entrepreneur Jodie Emery has opened a new cannabis themed coffee shop in Toronto's Kensington Market, despite some earlier "Fake News" setbacks, as reported here. More @ CBC
Sea of Green: Remember Jamie McConnell and the "good buds" at Marc y Jodie's Emery's Toronto Cannabis Culture shops? They helped run the dispensaries, even took over Marc's 461 Church St digs, after the Emery's were busted in the Project Gator raids. Well, a lot of them are still around carrying on the activist-entrepreneur good fight and still selling great weed. Jamie's "Sea of Green" dispensary is now located on Weston Rd in Toronto's West End @ SOG and @ CBC
HIGHER LEARNING
Lit As Ever: Cannabis Culture Activist-Entrepreneur Jodie Emery succinctly explains where Trudeau's Corporate Neo Lib government has gone wrong with legalization, while providing a scathing critique of their new prevailing reefer madness mindset under Prohibition 2.0. Hooray Jodie @ Youtube
Money Talks: After all is said and done, it wasn't the high minded, legal principles of justice and fair play that led to legal pot in Canada. Far from it! Rather the sheer corporate hunger and greed for big, cash dividends prevailed. NORML's Alan Young explains how the Trudeau Liberals ultimately did the right thing but for the wrong reasons; legalizing cannabis so that their big corporate buddies could cash in @ CBC and @ Globe
Free Market Pot: Canada has long had a thriving free enterprise, underground, craft cannabis market. The experts argue thats needed instead of, or the very least to supplement the dicey, Ontario government run, corporate monopoly being set up in our province @ MJBiz
Weed Data: Legalization means researchers can begin gathering previously unavailable health, criminology, and economic info that we couldn't get before to guide our public policy decisions. Hard facts will fill in the gaping holes now filled with fear mongering, guess work and conjecture. Don't be surprised if many of their findings undermine the erroneous assumptions upon which our legalization bill and it's attendant regulations are now based, opening up the doorway for change. More @ Wired
Statistics Canada's Cannabis Stats Hub: For government info on health, justice, and economic issues, as well as weed prices across Canada, visit them @ StatsCan
Islam's Complicated History With Weed: Yes, it's usually strictly forbidden, but it has quite a history nonetheless. Plus they seem to prefer hash. Check out the scene in Afghanistan, Morocco, Turkey and Iran @ Prohbtd
China's Complicated History With Weed: China has. been growing weed since 10,000 BC and currently produces half the world's crop. Furthermore a lot of Canada's weed crop is illegally sold to China as well. As far as weed patents go too, they are the world's biggest player. Much of the Chinese weed is hemp. It's still illegal to toke the good stuff there, but for how much longer? More @ Forbes
Amerika's Complicated History With Weed: And nope. The higher powers ... heh heh er .... still haven't figured out what to do about it in the US either @ GE
Dana: Nope! Rest assured -It won't kill you!
Reefer Madness 101: Cannabis activist Dana Larsen explains why Canadian Press claims that cannabis kills 8,851 of us annually, is complete and utter bullshit @ GStraight
Marijuana is A Racist Term: One hates to be politically correct, but please! Please! Please! Call it "cannabis", "weed", "boo", or what have you! Know that "marijuana", despite it's common usage, is a hurtful, derogatory word born of racist prohibition @ Guardian
HIGH TIMES
The Lonely Planet Guide To Legal Pot in Canada: Hmmm. What more can I possibly say? @ LP
High Hopes: The sixties and seventies were a "dope time" for cannabis. Weed was considered an integral social and political part of the "hippy" counter culture movement. On the downside, the THC count of our pot was a lot lower and we got a lot of seeds and stem in the bag too. Remember when @ GH
The Beatles On Pot: Yes Sireee, the Fab 4 liked to smoke pot [and do acid and pills and and and ....]. Personally, I always thought Rubber Soul was the perfect weed album, though for some reason I really like to toke to Magical Mystery Tour too. Not to forget Help, Revolver, Sgt Peppers, Yellow Sub, The White Album, Abbey Road and on and on and on .... A review @ Youtube More @ Leafly
Yellow Submarine Revisited [Again]: The Beatle's animated psychedelic kult klassik has been reissued this summer for the umpteenth time. Must be coz of the trippy tunes. Also the groovy Peter Max graphics! Faaaaar out @ BBC
Reefer Man: Huzzah! Cab Calloway was everyone's main man for music, dance and good ol' fashioned reefer madness back in the 1930's @ Youtube
Hit That Jive Jack: Gramatik updates Cab's shtick for today's discerning reefer madman/ woman @ Youtube
Reefer Madness: Those of you whom follow my Twitter Feed will see the movie links I often post at 420. Yup! As crazy as these old weed movies where, they seemed very real at the time. Fooled a lot of folks. Created a stigma and consensus that cannabis was evil and bad, bad, very bad for you. It helps to laugh. We expose the lies for all to see. But it makes one wonder; what else are the powers that be still lieing about today eh? Hmmmm! Why not fire up a spliff! Lie back! Ponder the infinite and enjoy these parodies! "Marijuana Ed 101 -1950 Style" @ Youtube "Demon Weed -An Educational Film" @ Youtube "Devil's Grass -A Silent Film" @ Youtube
Indigenous Cannabis Music Fest: Lotsa high times are coming on August 11th to the Tyendinaga Mohawk Reserve, just a few minutes drive from Belleville Ontario. Headliners The Headstones share the stage with DJ Shubs, Drezus, Eric Landry, Derek Miller, Murray Porter, Logan Staats and many other kool indigenous musical acts who'll be on hand to help supply the appropriate cannabis tuneage. Plus there'll be tons of weed to smoke, a food court, and overnight camping too. Sponsored by Legacy 420! Yummy! See you there! More @ Exclaim
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