World News - September 2018

Facebook Blocking ALL Cannabis Related Pages 

Facebook - is well-known for not being particularly marijuana-friendly, whether that's by hiding posts about cannabis or straight up banning accounts associated with it. But now it seems they've taken it even further.

Several people have found out that Facebook has shadow banned almost all pages related to marijuana. This means that when you search "marijuana" almost no results show up even though there are tons of pages related to it. You can still find these pages if you have know their URL and they still exist, but they won't show up in search results on the world's most popular social media website.

And there doesn't seem to be any criteria for this shadow ban. Everything from marijuana fan pages to cannabis businesses to even the California Bureau of Cannabis Control, a government agency that regulates marijuana in the state, are all not showing up in Facebook search results.  Facebook has even gone as far as disabling The MMM Report page, more than once.

The question is why is Facebook doing this. There's perhaps some bizarre justification where they could claim that allowing these pages would constitute helping criminal enterprises since marijuana is illegal at the federal level in the United States. However, they aren't banning these pages. They're simply preventing anyone from discovering them.

Facebook has not yet commented on their justification for these bans. But if they ever do comment, we doubt it will be a great justification.
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Mariana Islands Vote To Legalize Marijuana

Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI)-
Legislators in the CNMI is a U.S. territory, have approved a bill to legalize marijuana.

By a margin of 18 - 1, with one abstention, the CNMI House of Representatives passed the legislation, which would end cannabis prohibition for adults over 21 and create a system of taxed and regulated sales. It would also allow medical marijuana and industrial hemp.

In May, the Senate approved a similar marijuana legalization bill. That proposal initially cleared a committee in the House, but its advancement was later brought to a halt in response to procedural concerns that revenue-generating legislation must originate in the House. After first making some changes to the Senate bill, House lawmakers ended up filing a new proposal of their own last week, which won approval by the full chamber on Wednesday morning.

"The people of the CNMI recognize that the prohibition of marijuana has been terribly misguided and harmful, and our leaders are in touch with the public's sentiment on this issue," Lawrence Duponcheel of Sensible CNMI said in a statement. "Today, members of the CNMI House of Representatives showed their commitment to honoring the will of the people."

If the bill is enacted, CNMI will become the first U.S. jurisdiction to go directly from outlawing marijuana across the board to allowing recreational use. The territory has no existing medical cannabis program, something that has been a precursor to broader legalization in a growing number of states.

It will also be the first to legalize a system of regulated cannabis production and sales through an act of lawmakers rather via a ballot measure. The eight U.S. states with legal recreational marijuana commerce have enacted those programs through decisions of voters at the ballot box. Lawmakers in a ninth state, Vermont, earlier this year passed a law to legalize marijuana possession and home cultivation, but the policy does not allow for any form of cannabis commerce.

"States that have set up regulated markets for marijuana with time, age, and place of sale restrictions, product testing, labeling, and other precautions relative to providing a safe product for responsible adult consumers, have observed real and significant benefits to public health, safety, and quality of life for all residents," the CNMI bill's findings section states.

Therefore, the Legislature finds that it is in our best interest to move marijuana into a regulated and controlled market for responsible adult personal use, allowing for the creation of jobs and the capturing of a new revenue stream that can be used to fund public safety programs, public school infrastructure and programs, supporting the retirement fund, and other government and social programs, such as drug abuse treatment; furthermore, providing an effective alternative medicine for those suffering from medical conditions; and allowing for the development of an industrial hemp industry here in the CNMI."

The CNMI Senate is now expected to take up the House-passed legalization bill.
Gov. Ralph Torres (R) has expressed some concerns about legalization.

“In the nine states that have legalized marijuana, have we seen an increase in crime?” he asked. “If there is, what is the nature of these crimes? We should look at this and other things. I am concerned about public safety issues.”

It is not clear whether he would sign or veto the bill if it reaches his desk.
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Ice Cream Chain Pushes Cannabis Flavored Scoops

Israel- Though Vaniglia's new flavor 'tastes like the aroma' of marijuana, those seeking a high should look elsewhere.

The Vaniglia ice cream chain is popular in Israel for offering over 60 flavors. It recently added a notable new one to its roster: cannabis.

The Israeli chain, which has over a dozen locations, has sold the flavor in stores since March.

Sadly for stoners, the ice cream doesn’t contain any THC, the active psychoactive ingredient found in marijuana. The only part of the cannabis plant harnessed in the recipe is terpenes, or aromatic oil that gives the green leafy drug its unique smell. The rest of the flavor comes from a mix of specific herbs and nuts that chain founder Itay Rogozinsky identified by good old trial and error.

“People don’t know what cannabis tastes like because people don’t eat marijuana. To create a cannabis-flavor for ice cream, I studied the marijuana plant and learned about its different terpenes and aromas,” Rogozinsky told the Israeli innovation website NoCamels. “I then created an ice cream that, in my opinion, tastes like the aroma of cannabis.”

He went on to describe the taste as “nutty” and polarizing — customers either love it or hate it.
As Emerald Report points out, Rogozinsky isn’t the only one churning out cannabis-flavored ice cream. Some stores, like The Hop in Asheville, North Carolina, infuse cannibidiol, or CBD oil, into their new ice creams. CBD oil is used in medicines for its calming and other therapeutic effects — without inducing the high that THC produces.

Others, such as the store Drip in Portland, Oregon, and the Cann Eye Dream brand based in California, have gone a step further and added THC into the mixture.

But for those looking simply for the cannabis flavor without the high, Rogozinsky’s iteration seems to stand out.

“I don’t like gimmicks,” he told Emerald Report. “My goal was to create an ice cream that tasted like the aroma of cannabis. I sourced natural ingredients and created a number of blended profiles. … I’m very proud of the product.”
 

National News - September 2018

1st Year of Cannabis Sales Higher than Expected

 Nevada- Regulators and industry insiders say the state’s first year of broad marijuana legalization has exceeded even their highest expectations, with sales and tax collections already surpassing year-end projections by 25 percent.

Numbers from June are still outstanding but are expected to push taxable sales past $500 million, netting total tax revenue in the neighborhood of $70 million, with about $25 million devoted to schools.

A legal battle over distribution licenses made for a rocky start last July, but Nevada’s $195 million in sales for the first six months dwarfed the totals in Washington state ($67 million) and Colorado ($114 million) for the first half-year of legal sales in those states in 2014. And so far, there’s no sign legal sales that began in California on Jan. 1 have cut into business in neighboring Nevada, regulators say.
State Sen. Tick Segerblom (D), a Las Vegas who helped lead the legalization effort, added the “biggest surprise has been that there’ve been no surprises.”

But not all the reviews are glowing.

Some medical marijuana patients insist they were better off before Nevada legalized recreational pot. Tourists still have nowhere to legally smoke the drug, at least for now, and opponents remain skeptical of the impact on children.

The 10 percent retail tax levied only on recreational sales goes to the state’s rainy day fund, a total of $26.5 million through May. Money raised from the 15 percent wholesale tax applicable to medical use as well, about $24 million through May, goes to schools, but not until about one-third is used to cover local and state administrative costs.

That means about $25 million in wholesale revenue anticipated for the first full year of sales will be shared by schools in Nevada’s 17 counties based on enrollment, with $17 million likely headed to Las Vegas and surrounding Clark County and $8 million divided among the rest, perhaps $5 million for Washoe County, including Reno and Sparks.

 “People have a huge misconception that we are going to build libraries and roads and all kinds of things with this marijuana money,” Hartman said. “But in reality, these are tiny, tiny numbers.”
Segerblom and others think the figures will grow, especially when local governments start using their authority to license smoking lounges or other public places for marijuana consumption. Currently, the only legal places are private residences in the state that attracts nearly 50 million tourists annually.
The Las Vegas City Council initially backed off such a move, waiting for places like Colorado to test the waters. But it recently resumed accepting public comment on the matter, and Segerblom thinks the city will move that direction following November’s elections.

The biggest criticism has come from the medical marijuana community. Broad legalization has resulted in dispensaries stocking fewer higher-potency products that cannot be sold for recreational use, critics say.

“I know people complain about the medical, that there has been less availability,” Segerblom said. “That is one of those things that is going to have to work its way through the system. With the recreational sales, there should be more money available for all kinds of products.”

Mona Lisa Samuelson, a leading advocate of medicinal marijuana, said legalization of recreational use “may be the very worst thing to happen to our medical marijuana patients.”

“Unfortunately, more money isn’t making the marijuana industry any kinder or more thoughtful,” she said. “Since recreational sales now far outweigh medical marijuana’s profitability, the patients’ concerns carry no political weight.”
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Trouble Finding Producers for Cannabis Edibles Market

Ohio- It appears, is having some difficulty scrounging up enough reputable cannabis companies to produce a variety of pot products for the state’s medical marijuana program. The Ohio Department of Commerce recently issued its first round of processor licenses, approving only 7 out of 104 applicants. The state says the majority of the businesses interested in producing marijuana–infused oils and treats did not meet the minimum requirements. So now, it’s back to drawing board.

This means there are still several opportunities for stand-up cannabis operations to get in on the ground floor of the Buckeye bud scene. The state is permitted to grant 40 processor licenses during the initial round. The approved processors will be responsible for manufacturing and distributing cannabis-infused brownies, creams, patches and other non smoke-able forms of the herb to local dispensaries.

This licensing snag is just another in a cluster of missed opportunities. Ohio’s medical marijuana program has been struggling to get off the ground since voters slapped it with their seal of approval in November 2016.

Just two months ago, state officials confirmed that the medical marijuana program would not be launched at the beginning of September like it was supposed to be. Incidentally, this is the cutoff for when the law mandates the program be “fully operational.”

Still, there is no word yet on how much the Commerce Department’s latest licensing debacle will set the program back. The seven approved cannabis processors -- Ohio Grown Therapies, LLC; Fire Rock Processing Ltd; Ohio Green Grow LLC; Greenleaf Therapeutics, LLC; Grow Ohio Pharmaceuticals, LLC; Standard Farms Ohio LLC; and Corsa Verde LLC -- have all been issued provisional licenses.

They now have six months to build their facilities and pass the state’s health and safety standards before they can be cleared for an operating license. This means while it is possible that medical marijuana patients might be able to get their hands on plant forms of the medicine for vaping purposes by fall, it could be early 2019 before they are able to purchase edibles and topicals.

It is easy to see why the Ohio cannabis industry is so frustrated with the state’s lag and drag. The application fee for both standalone and vertically integrated operations is $10,000 plus an extra $90,000 operation fee. These licenses must be renewed every year at a rate of $100,000.

The state stands to rake in an estimated $23 million in taxes. Ohio has yet to publish a new launch date for the program.

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Ban on Smoking Medical Marijuana

 Florida- Pointing in part to smoking-related health effects, Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi’s office on Friday filed a 57-page brief arguing that an appeals court should uphold a decision by the Legislature to ban smoking medical marijuana.

The brief, filed at the 1st District Court of Appeal, came as the state challenges a May ruling by Leon County Circuit Judge Karen Gievers, who said the smoking ban violates a 2016 constitutional amendment that broadly legalized medical marijuana.

The Legislature in 2017 passed a law to carry out the constitutional amendment and included the smoking ban. Prominent Orlando lawyer John Morgan, who heavily bankrolled the constitutional amendment, filed a lawsuit last year challenging the smoking ban. Bondi’s office Friday filed an initial brief in its attempt to overturn Gievers’ ruling. The brief raised a series of issues, including arguing that the Legislature “considered important health and safety factors” when deciding to ban smoking.

“Notably, the Legislature considered evidence of the health hazards of smoking and concluded that smoking marijuana constitutes a harmful delivery method,” the brief said.

“Time and again during debate, elected members of Florida’s Legislature emphasized that the amendment is exclusively about medicine and that smoking is antithetical to good medicine. In considering these health-related factors, the Legislature reasonably determined that the harms caused by smoking — including harms to patients and those exposed to secondhand smoke — were ample reason to exclude smoking from the statutory definition of ‘medical use.’ The Legislature, therefore, acted under its general authority to regulate public health, safety, and welfare when it drew a reasonable line between the smoking of medical marijuana and other delivery methods.”

But in her May ruling, Gievers found that language in the amendment “recognizes there is no right to smoke in public places, thereby implicitly recognizing the appropriateness of using smokable medical marijuana in private places consistent with the amendment.”

The “ability to smoke medical marijuana was implied” in the constitutional language “and is, therefore, a protected right,” Gievers wrote.

Michigan News - September 2018

Motown Limits Number of Marijuana Provisioning Centers

DETROIT- Only 75 medical marijuana dispensaries will be allowed to legally operate in Detroit, after the City Council voted unanimously on July 31st, to approve an ordinance that caps the number of facilities citywide and puts more regulations in place on the budding industry.

The ordinance establishes rules for five types of medical marijuana licenses, including locations where medical marijuana could be grown, tested, processed, transported and dispensed to patients with state-approved medical marijuana cards.


The ordinance also encourages prospective owners of medical marijuana facilities to offer community benefits as part of their application for approval. It also regulates how dispensaries and other related operations would be approved by the city and what size they could be.

The timing of the ordinance is crucial to about 62 dispensaries that are operating in the city under emergency rules approved by the state.

The proposed ordinance has raised concerns among some within the marijuana industry who feel it is shortsighted.

Detroit Corporation Counsel Lawrence Garcia previously said the new ordinance clarifies the city’s regulatory role. Garcia said the ordinance resolves some of the "confusion created by some of the misguided zoning restrictions" that were part of the ballot initiatives.
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Medical Marijuana to Bring 400Jobs 

 MARSHALL- Medical marijuana is coming to Marshall (population of about 7,000) and bringing jobs with it.

Marijuana grower and processor Michigan Pure Med is planning to build a new headquarters in Marshall, creating an estimated 400 jobs over five years.

The business hopes to break ground within the next month, said Scott Fleming, Marshall Area Economic Development Alliance CEO. The space is expected to be more than 1 million square feet and is the first of a handful of medical marijuana companies looking for approval to build.

Dispensaries will not be allowed in the city, however.

Michigan Pure Med grows medical marijuana in Detroit, Hazel Park and Lansing. It also has eight dispensaries in Michigan, per its website. Marshall will have the only processing facility in the state for the company so far.
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Charges Dropped for 6 Individuals in Cannabis Raid

DETROIT- All charges have been dropped for a $1 million cannabis raid that took place on May 29 in Detroit.

Judge Kenneth King of the 36th District Court dismissed the case "in the interest of fairness." Although prosecution argued that the facility where the raid took place was not licensed to grow cannabis.

No further details were released regarding the reason for case dismissal.

The six people in the case were facing charges of delivery and manufacturing of 45 kilograms or more of marijuana and conspiracy to deliver or manufacture marijuana – both carrying up to 15 years in prison.

The charges were officially dropped on Tuesday, July 31.

As previously reported last month, undercover Detroit Police Officers, along with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection federal agents uncovered the growing operation at a warehouse at 4473 W. Jefferson Avenue.

The warehouse is owned by Al Harrington, Viola Brands co-founder and former NBA player and current BIG3 co-captain.

According to a news release, the operation holds a temporary license under the Michigan Medical Marihuanna Facilities Licensing Act, which allows for 1,500 plants.

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Voters Not Politicians ON THE BALLOT

LANSING- The redistricting reform proposal will be on the ballot this November, after a majority of the Michigan Supreme Court (MSC) ruled in favor of Voters Not Politician (VNP) by a 4-3 vote.

Justice David Viviano (R-backed) wrote the majority opinion issued publicly, joined by Justice Beth Clement (R-backed), and Democrat-nominated Justices Bridget McCormack and Richard Bernstein.


The majority of the MSC voted 4-3 to reject the argument brought by the Michigan Chamber of Commerce-backed Citizens Protecting Michigan's Constitution (CPMC) that the VNP proposal was a general revision of the constitution, and not an amendment.

Viviano wrote that VNP's amendment "does not propose changes creating the equivalent of a new constitution." The majority said for the VNP proposal to be acceptable, it must not "significantly alter or abolish the form or structure of the government in a manner equivalent to creating a new constitution."

The majority argued VNP's proposed redistricting commission is "materially similar" to a commission provided for in the current constitution, and its standards used for redistricting are similar to the current ones used.

Plus, the majority wrote that the amendment "does not substantially change the powers of the three branches of government." With that, Viviano and the majority would affirm the state Court of Appeals' (COA) previous ruling that the VNP proposal passed muster and could make the ballot.
VNP celebrated the victory at the Supreme Court. "The court's decision upholds our right as citizens to petition our government for positive change," said Katie Fahey, founder and executive director of VNP, in a statement released tonight shortly after the MSC opinion became public.

VNP had opted not to ask Clement, Gov. Rick Snyder's former chief legal counsel, to recues herself after she voluntarily disclosed her tie to the wife of an attorney for CPMC, as Fahey had said the group had faith the court would hear the case fairly.

The VNP proposal, if approved by voters, would take away the drawing of Michigan's legislative and congressional districts from the state Legislature and give it to a new 13-member independent commission.

The amendment spells out the process for how those members are selected, and bars many candidates, elected officials and others connected to politics and government from serving on the commission.

The COA had thrown out the CPMC legal challenge to VNP's proposal, which led to the Board of State Canvassers (BSC) certifying the petition that had received more than 394,000 valid signatures. The group collected more than 425,000 signatures total without the use of paid circulators and in roughly four months' time. Constitutional amendments need a minimum of 315,654 valid signatures.
Besides arguing the VNP proposal was an improper general revision to the state constitution, CPMC also claimed the group had not properly relisted every section of the constitution that the proposal would change or make "wholly inoperative".

The CPMC sought leave to appeal on the COA ruling to the MSC, which granted appeal and heard oral arguments in a special session earlier this month.

The Michigan Chamber has opposed the redistricting proposal, as has Attorney General Bill Schuette, who filed an amicus brief against VNP and sent the state's solicitor general to argue against the proposal before MSC.

Legislative Democrats issued statements hailing the MSC's ruling. So did Represent.Us, a group that drew some controversy for its protest of the Chamber's opposition to the redistricting proposal
The Chamber responded by saying there would be no further legal action on this ballot proposal. The Chamber had previously endorsed both Clement and Wilder for re-election this fall.

Viviano's 57-page opinion concluded by saying the question the court took up has "broad significance for the people of this state: what limitations have they placed, in the Constitution they ratified, on their power to put forward voter-initiated amendments? This question implicates some of the oldest and most perplexing problems in political theory, such as the nature of sovereignty, republicanism, and democracy."

The opinion continued: "But it is not a judge's role to philosophize a theory of government. Rather, we are stewards of the people and must faithfully abide by the decisions they make through the laws they adopt. We accomplish this by adhering to the plain meaning of the text of those laws. Here, that approach leads us to conclude that a voter-initiated amendment . . . is permissible if it does not significantly alter or abolish the form or structure of our government, making it tantamount to creating a new constitution. VNP's proposal surpasses these hurdles and is a permissible voter-initiated amendment."

Two Big Wins for Michigan Medical Cannabis Last Month - Tim Beck

The Michigan medical cannabis community got a double dose of good news this past month.

On July 9, following the recommendation of the "Michigan Medical Marijuana Review Panel", Shelly Edgerton, Director of the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulation (LARA) approved 11 new conditions for which medical marijuana can be legally used. As LARA Director, Ms. Edgerton had the sole authority to to approve or disapprove the panel recommendations. Her action was a big departure from past LARA procedure relating to the approval of new qualifying conditions.

On July 18, a three judge panel of the Michigan Court of Appeals ruled in a published opinion (published opinions have the force of law statewide) that the Michigan Medical Marijuana Act (MMMA) does not allow municipalities to restrict where or how caregivers can grow medical marijuana as long as they follow state law.

With the exception of Michigan Public Radio and Michigan Information and Research Service (MIRS), the Appellate Court decision received practically no news coverage in the State.

These two recent events are a big deal for the community.

Newly approved medical qualifying conditions are: Arthritis, Autism, Chronic Pain (this means a patient does not have to have SEVERE pain in order to qualify), Colitis, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Obsessive Compulsive  Disorder, Parkinsons Disease, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Spinal Cord Injury, Torrette's Syndrome and Ulcerative Colitis.

One of the newly approved conditions, Autism, was rejected for approval by former LARA Director Mike Zimmer. The only new condition approved prior to Ms Edgerton's time in office, was PTSD, which was sanctioned with great reservation by former director Steve Arwood.

In an interview with MMM Report,  Ms. Edgerton discussed what seems to some, to be a sea of changes in LARA's direction.

"Ten years has made a big difference" she explained, referring to when the MMMA was first passed in 2008. "It is an evolution. Many, many states now have medical marijuana laws and in 9 states it is totally legal. New medical research has also been done."

She went on to say that the passage of Medical Marijuana Facilities Licensing Act (MMFLA) by the Legislature in 2016 was a big game changer. 

"We never really had a regulatory model before, and that is significant." She went on to elaborate how LARA is now playing a key role in the overall scheme of things, and cutting through political red tape.

"I'm taking responsibility to make sure this (the MMFLA) works" she summarized.

In Deruitter v Township of Byron, appellate Judges Joel Hoekstra, William Murphy and Jane Markey left no doubt in their ruling, as to the rights of Michigan's licensed Caregivers.

The judges stated: "we believe that the plain language of the MMMA lacks any ambiguity that would necessitate judicial construction to decipher its meaning. When the statute is read as a whole, no irreconcilable conflict results that make the statutory provisions susceptible to more than one meaning. We conclude that the MMMA permits the medical use of marijuana, particularly the cultivation of marijuana by registered caregivers at locations regardless of land use zoning designations, as long as the activity occurs within the statutorily specified enclosed, locked facility."

This court decision is huge and it is highly unlikely Byron Township will waste any more taxpayer dollars appealing the matter to the State Supreme Court. This appellate opinion made many references to past rulings by the states top court. It should also be noted, that one of the panelists, Judge Jane Markey, has displayed a historic antagonism to cannabis in previous rulings on the issue since the MMMA was first passed years ago.

Since the inception of the MMMA in 2008 until the present, a plethora of municipalities all across Michigan have tried, or continue to restrict the rights of caregivers in some dubious legal fashion.

According to Craig Canterbury, a board member of "Cannabis Patients United" (CPU) whose institutional memory and command of the most arcane facts about Michigan cannabis policy issues is the stuff of legend, noted this "Hall of Shame" includes: Lansing, Kalamazoo, Southfield, Warren, Niles, Houghton, Lake Isabella, Sturgis, Grand Haven, Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Livonia,
Marquette, Brighton, Lapeer, North Branch, Albert Township, Garden City, Flushing, Niles Township, Muskegon, Cheboygan County, Linden, Northville, Huntington Woods, Dryden, Elk Rapids, Hartford, Fruitport Township and Sault Ste Marie.

 "There are likely even more of them out there", Mr. Canterbury concluded.

These municipalities must now clean up their act.

This isn't to say ignorant or malicious apparatchiks will stop playing mind games with caregivers who are unaware of this new ruling. But what is important in the final analysis, is any legal foundation these bureaucrats once had, has crumbled beyond repair.

As far as the addition of eleven new conditions for which medical use of cannabis is now legal; the decision is a Godsend for patients who are suffering from these difficult medical problems. It was the right thing to do on the part of the LARA director.

However, for marijuana haters in elected office, law enforcement, the drug treatment industry and "religious" life, who believe medical cannabis is a scam for persons just looking to get high; this decision is most unwelcome.

In their dark, morbid fantasies, there are now eleven new excuses that can be used by "recreational" users to score some legal herb.

In addition, this ruling offers even greater protection and cover for doctors who believe that marijuana use is not a mortal threat to civilized society.

Cannibals of Freedom: Medical Cannabis Meets Peace and Liberty - by Daniel L. Price, Esq.

I decided to kick off summer by spending time with many individuals, who associate and refer to themselves as The Michigan Peace and Liberty Festival, at their annual event.  This event began with a few liberty minded friends who wanted to gather once a year in a family friendly camping area and discuss freedom and how ours is diminishing.  It morphed in to a pretty big gathering in 6 short years, bringing in over 120 people, many from all over Michigan, other states, and other countries.  I was impressed by many of the individuals I encountered. I was also happy that people from all walks of life and races were in attendance, after all, liberty is for everyone regardless of race or socioeconomic status.

I reserved a spot early for a 2 night stay in a rustic cabin and gave a presentation on the history of the struggle between freedom, and servitude.  I also explained Parasitic Anthropophagy Syndrome (PASY): That is that when one acts to take the freedom of others, that person is also working to destroy their own freedom.  Further, that PASY is the cause of people demanding the denial of the life, liberty and/or property of others.  Moreover, how this leads to a country of individuals working to take each other’s freedom by force through legislation and regulation, like in our state and country.  I mean, seriously, if you cannot smoke a plant, sell lemonade, build a barn, have your friend’s boat at your dock overnight, or earn a living without paying for the permission to do so from a parasitic government, you ARE NOT FREE! 

Generally, the individuals in attendance were positive to the presentation.  I received several compliments and some thanked me.  One dear lady asked if I had written a book on the subject so she could learn more.  However, as always, there was one individual who was hostile to the presentation.  Indeed, instead of making his comments publicly for all to hear, he approached me while alone after I finished.  He then began to tell me I was wrong on several key points (without any evidence of course), called me a liar, and attempted to tell me what to think, presumably because it would be more acceptable to him.  It was at that point that I ended the conversation and walked away, as he had just provided living proof as to how PASY works and there could be no further discussion. 

Think about it, at a “peace and liberty” festival an individual exercised PASY by attempting to live through me by controlling me through verbal intimidation (indirect force), thereby satisfying his desire to force me to agree with his “beliefs”.  I do not care if someone disagrees with me, because I know the facts I state with absolute certainty.  After all, the works I cited, logic and several thousand years of human servitude provide ample evidence to support the facts I presented.  What is important to note is that a person who allegedly supports liberty is more than willing to deny me the liberty to think and speak my thoughts.  The person is confused as to the true meaning and costs of liberty, which are:  One must accept that others may disagree, and that in a truly free society, force, whether direct or indirect, can only be used to defend the life, liberty and property of those within that society, and can never be used to make others satisfy your desires, wishes, or beliefs, regardless of what those may be or how they may be justified. 

For my part I do not judge “groups”, as a group does not breath, think, or act, only individuals do these things.  Nor I will not allow another to intimidate me or tell me what to think.  I can say the majority of individuals at the festival are peace loving, tolerant people who truly wish to be free and understand that force should be used only to protect life, liberty and property.  The night time activities around the campfire, socializing, and trading values for values without interference from parasitic government officials was great.  Also, the presentations ranged from freedom, America’s failed foreign policy, unschooling, and even aerial yoga was taught and practiced.  The one thing that I liked most is that its held at a private camping area.  After all, it is all about peace and liberty, not government permits and permission.  I will attend the Michigan Peace and Liberty Festival again next year, and hopefully the individuals on the board will once again grant me the honor of speaking. 

If you’ve never heard of this festival, check it out because it’s a great way to socialize with other liberty minded people in a family friendly setting, and you will have a great time.  If you have questions direct them to: mplfest@gmail.com.

MMMR Recipe: Space Cake

A space cake is as awesome as it sounds. Imagine your favorite cake, but infused with the enthusiastic and buzzing power of cannabis! Pretty much ever coffees hop in Amsterdam will offer space cakes in one form or another, and they have become increasingly popular with those who want to reach that high, but in a discreet and tasty manner.

With this in mind, we have put together an out-of-this-world space cake recipe so that you can make your very own at home.

INGREDIENTS

8 grams of cannabis bud, or the equivalent strength in either cuttings or hash.
1 3/4 cups of flour
1 cup of non-salted butter
1 cup of granulated sugar cup of milk
2 eggs
1 teaspoons of baking powder teaspoon of salt
Any other ingredients you want to improve the cake with, such as cocoa powder, vanilla extract, dried fruit, icing/frosting, buttercream, chocolate chips, or anything else – your imagination is your only limit.

EQUIPMENT:
A grinder
A mixing bowl
Spatula or mixing spoon
A cake oven tin
Non-stick spray or lining paper
An oven
A microwave
A small bowl
A skewer
Optional: A wire rack

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Grind up all your cannabis until it is consistent and small (the finer it is, the better).
2. Pre-heat your oven to 190 degrees Celsius.
3. Put your butter in a bowl and place it in the microwave for 20 seconds. You want it to melt into a gloopy, pasty consistency.
4. Mix your freshly ground up cannabis into the butter.
5. Add all of the sugar, flour, milk, cannabis butter, eggs, plus anything else you want to your mixing bowl. Mix everything together until you get a batter with a nice even consistency. This may take a few minutes, but it will ensure your cannabis is spread evenly as possible throughout the cake mix. Note: if the mix is a little bit too dry, add a splash of extra milk; if it is too wet, add some extra flour.
6. Grease your cake tin with non-stick spray, or line it with non-stick baking paper.
7. Carefully pour your cake batter into the tin, spreading it around so that it is evenly distributed.
8. Place your tin in the oven and leave for 25 minutes to bake.
9. After 25 minutes, stab the centre of the cake with a skewer. If it comes out clean, it is ready, if batter sticks to it, leave the cake in the oven for another 5 minutes.
10. Allow the cake to cool for about 20 minutes in the tin; then place it upside down on the wire rack and remove the tin, allowing it to cool for a further 30 minutes.
11. Once cooled, decorate the cake with anything you want.
Enjoy!

Health & Science - Kathy Hess

Why Marijuana Consumers Have Smaller Waistlines vs. Non-Users

It’s a well-established fact that marijuana causes users to experience acute hunger, a phenomenon known as the munchies. But curiously, research also has found that the average cannabis consumer actually has a slimmer waistline compared to non-users.

For a while, that stereotype-defying finding has left researchers scratching their heads. Thankfully, a new study out of Indiana University, which is pending publication, offers a compelling, theoretical explanation.

Before we get into the specifics of the study, let’s take a look at some background: humans have endocannabinoid systems that are responsible for things like regulating sleep, appetite, stress and metabolism. Ingredients in marijuana like THC and other cannabinoids are known to stimulate receptors in the endocannabinoid system, which can produce a wide range of physiological effects.

OK, but how does this explain why cannabis users are generally slimmer than non-users?

Well, the researchers started with a simple observation. Western diets, exceptionally high in carbs and sugar—are associated with a series of chronic health conditions such as obesity. One commonality among people who suffer from these conditions is that they have a higher ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids in the body.

There is “abundant evidence” that this increased ratio of omega fats causes overstimulation of a main cannabinoid receptor, which “leads to metabolic syndrome, contributing to chronic diseases,” the study authors wrote.

People who are able to reduce their level of this specific cannabinoid receptor (CB1R) often experience weight loss. There are different ways to achieve this effect, but one possibility identified in earlier research is the introduction of cannabis into the equation. Marijuana causes a down regulation of CB1R, a receptor that “plays a major role in assimilation, storage and conservation of energy.”

In layman’s terms, this means that while consuming cannabis certainly heightens hunger among users in the short-term, it also helps people properly manage that food after it’s entered the body. Even four months after you stop using cannabis, that effect is still present. Therefore, the researchers concluded, the impact of cannabis use on the CB1R receptor “more than offsets the short-term increase in energy stores that follow” a case of the munchies.

Again, however, this is a theoretical explanation based on existing research about the endocannabinoid system, marijuana and metabolism. As the researchers emphasized in their conclusion, the study raises many questions, including:

“How many other conditions respond in opposite directions during acute and long-term exposures to Cannabis? How does this paradox impact therapeutic uses of Cannabis? Do the long-term effects of Cannabis use arising from downregulation of CB1R exacerbate the underlying condition that drove patients to therapeutic use of Cannabis in the first place? For example, if a patient uses Cannabis for anxiety, will the resulting downregulation of CB1R result in increased anxiety between therapeutic doses? How does dosage influence this relationship? Is CB2R also downregulated during Cannabis use, and if so, what are the implications for treatment of CB2R-related conditions with Cannabis?”

For the time being, we’ll have to wait on those answers. But if you were perplexed by headlines and social media posts about marijuana consumer being skinner than their non-using counterparts, this study may well serve as an important piece of the puzzle.

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Legalizing Marijuana Helps Police Solve Other Crimes, New Study Shows

Marijuana activists have long disputed that legalization would free up police departments to focus on other crimes. Yet six years after Colorado and Washington State voted to end prohibition, what does the data show?

A study recently published in the journal Police Quarterly shows that advocates were right after all. Police clearance rates, a figure that represents the number of crimes that resulted in an arrest divided by the total number of reported crimes, increased in both states post-legalization.

A logical argument. Before a state makes it legal to possess marijuana there are officers who will take time to investigate and charge individuals for low-level cannabis offenses. But when a state legalizes, they no longer have to allocate law enforcement resources to marijuana-related crimes, therefore enabling officers to go after different, and sometimes more serious, cases.

But up until this study, there wasn’t much researching exploring the direct relationship between legalization and crime clearance rates. For the first time, researchers demonstrated (in CO and WA) that police were able to make more arrests for various crimes post-legalization. That includes violent crimes, property crimes, burglaries and motor vehicle thefts.


“While our results cannot specifically explain why police clearance rates have increased in Colorado and Washington, we think the argument that legalization did in fact produce a measurable impact on clearance rates is plausible,” the researchers concluded. “Our models show no negative effects of legalization and, instead, indicate that crime clearance rates for at least some types of crime are increasing faster in states that legalized than in those that did not.”

“As we document here, prior to legalization, several crimes clearance rates were either flat or decreasing. However, in the post-legalization period, we see considerable improvement. We cannot offer with absolute certainty that these changes are entirely the result of marijuana legalization, though we are quite certain that legalization has not unduly hampered police performance, at least as measured by clearance rates. Moreover, in the absence of other compelling explanations, the current evidence suggests that legalization produced some demonstrable and persistent benefit in clearance rates, benefits we believe are associated with the marijuana legalization proponents’ prediction that legalization would positively influence police performance.”

Alright, so how did crime clearance rates change post-legalization?

There were some modest differences in clearance rates between Colorado and Washington State, but the overall trend revealed an increase in these two states compared to all other states, the study found. Here’s a breakdown of the clearance rate changes for four different crime types: