Obama: Pot No More Dangerous Than Alcohol

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[photo from the Weed Blog]

The New Yorker has an extensive interview with President Obama, on a variety of topics.

On marijuana:

“As has been well documented, I smoked pot as a kid, and I view it as a bad habit and a vice, not very different from the cigarettes that I smoked as a young person up through a big chunk of my adult life. I don’t think it is more dangerous than alcohol.”

Is it less dangerous? I asked. Less dangerous, he said, “in terms of its impact on the individual consumer. It’s not something I encourage, and I’ve told my daughters I think it’s a bad idea, a waste of time, not very healthy.”

On Colorado and Washington’s legalization laws: He said it’s important “they go forward.” [More…] Continue reading Obama: Pot No More Dangerous Than Alcohol

Ms. (Dis) Grace: Misinformed on Marijuana

If there were a cabinet position of Minister of Disinformation, my vote would go to Nancy Grace. Her latest: In a news interview about marijuana legalization in Colorado which you can view above or here, and on her own show here, after claiming she has “read every shred of scientific and research data out there” [sic], she misstates facts and misrepresents scientific research.

Her comments on her own show are far and away the more outrageous. But I don’t want to spend any more time on her than necessary, so I’m doing a single recap. [More…] Continue reading Ms. (Dis) Grace: Misinformed on Marijuana

New York To Allow Limited Medical Marijuana

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo will announce this week that he is issuing an executive order which will allow seriously ill patients to receive medical marijuana from hospitals.

The policy is intended for patients with serious diseases like cancer and glaucoma.

In light of how far the rest of the country has come, this seems like very small potatoes. But at least it’s a step in the right direction.

Pot Shops Facing Dwindling Supply of Goods

Demand was so brisk at Colorado’s new retail marijuana stores the first two days, that store owners are already worrying about how they will replenish their inventory.

Toni Fox, owner of  3D Cannabis Center in Denver, says she thought she had enough to last until February, but demand has been so high, she is going to run out.  As a medical marijuana dispensary, her store averaged 25 sales a day.  On Wednesday, the store accommodated 450 buyers, and had to turn 60 away..
Fox says other store owners share her predicament.

Now, she said, marijuana store owners will all be scrambling to find wholesale distributors, especially on marijuana-infused products like edibles and beverages.

Replenishing isn’t a simple matter — you can’t grow  marijuana in one  day.  But fortunately for Fox and other store owners, someone had the foresight to  anticipate the need for temporary labor and started a temp agency called Hemp Temps:

Fox has a harvest ready to be trimmed, she said. And she will hire temporary staffers from Hemp Temps, a Denver based staffing company that specializes in growing, trimming and bud-tending.

On their website, Hemp Temps says:

We are the original, first, and only cannabis industry full-staffing company that focuses on meeting *all* staffing needs. Here at Hemp Temps, we combine years of experience and knowledge into a comprehensive understanding of the ins and outs of the MMJ industry. ….We are a Colorado company, based in Denver. We match dispensaries and grow facilities with top notch Hemp Temps to assist with their growing, trimming, bud-tending, and general industry needs.

From Denver to Telluride, Colorado Makes History

Colorado made history yesterday, becoming the first government to allow marijuana to be purchased by adults for recreational use.

From Denver to Telluride, the lines were long. Here’s a look at the day in photos.

The stores are projected to generate a lot of income, as well as jobs.

Colorado projects $578.1 million a year in combined wholesale and retail marijuana sales to yield $67 million in tax revenue, according to the Legislative Council of the Colorado General Assembly.

This is a new blog I’ve set up to keep track of emerging marijuana legal and policy issues, both federal and state.  Take a look around. (It also looks good on mobile devices.)