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posted by martyb on Thursday October 18 2018, @03:44AM   Printer-friendly
from the hi dept.

Recreational cannabis is now legal in Canada... to a point. Here are some ground rules:

Adults of at least 18 years old will be allowed to carry and share up to 30 grams of legal marijuana in public, according to a bill that passed the Senate in June. They will also be allowed to cultivate up to four plants in their households and make products such as edibles for personal use.

[...] The supply of recreational marijuana could be limited, at least early on, in some stores. Officials in Nova Scotia and Manitoba said they won't have a large selection, at least not on the first day, CNN affiliate CBC News reported. [...] Marijuana will not be sold in the same location as alcohol or tobacco. Consumers are expected to purchase the drug from retailers regulated by provinces and territories or from federally licensed producers when those options are not available.

[...] Authorities will soon announce plans to pardon Canadians who have been convicted with possession of 30 grams or less of marijuana, CNN partner CTV reported. The production, distribution or sale of cannabis products will still be an offense for minors.

Related Stories

First Country to Legalize Marijuana Votes Against Anti-Weed Presidential Candidate 5 comments

AlterNet reports

In a Sunday presidential run-off election in Uruguay, Frente Amplio (Broad Front) candidate Tabaré Vázquez beat opposition candidate Luis Alberto Lacalle Pou by 53.6 to 41.1 percent, a vote that had major implications for the future of Uruguay's historic marijuana regulation.

While Vázquez has promised to continue implementing marijuana regulation, National Party opposition candidate Lacalle Pou had said that if he were to become president, he would repeal major parts of the law, including government-regulated sales to adults--the most distinguishing feature of the Uruguayan initiative.

"Sunday's presidential election result safeguards Uruguay's historic marijuana legalization" said Hannah Hetzer, Policy Manager of the Americas at the Drug Policy Alliance. "The Uruguayan people determinedly chose the presidential candidate who will continue the country's progressive policies, including the roll out of the world's first national legally regulated marijuana market."

Canadian Man Pledges to Give Away 1 Million Cannabis Seeds, Authorities Not Impressed 28 comments

A Canadian cannabis activist is pledging to give away 1 million seeds through the mail to further test Canada's crumbling prohibition laws:

After mailing out dime bags to Canadian members of Parliament earlier this year, British Columbia weed activist and former New Democratic Party candidate Dana Larsen is expanding his pot giveaway to tokers from coast to coast.

Today, Larsen pledged to send free weed seeds to anyone wanting to plant a cannabis "victory garden" this spring. He says it's an effort to put pressure on the feds to keep their election promise and end pot prohibition. "It is civil disobedience against the unjust pot prohibition laws that has gotten us to the verge of legalization," Larsen wrote in an announcement. "Let us finally bring our plants out of the closet and into the fresh air where they belong." Larsen invites would-be weed growers to visit a new website and fill out a quick form. From there, he'll personally mail ten or 100 seeds to anyone who pledges to grow "openly and freely, preferably on your own property."

Recreational weed use is still illegal across the country, but Larsen isn't too worried about cops coming after him. In the past, he's mailed Premier Christy Clark a half ounce of Purple Kush and delivered all 184 sitting Liberal MPs a gram of ganja along with his book, an illustrated history of cannabis in Canada. At the time, Toronto law enforcement said an investigation into the pro-pot stunts would be a waste of time.

[...] In February, a landmark court decision ruled that medical marijuana patients are allowed to grow their own weed, despite laws passed by the former Conservative government that required patients buy from federal growers. By breaking the law, Emery and Larsen hope to see that right extended to recreational users at home.

Canada's ministry of public safety did not comment on Larsen's seed giveaway, but a government spokesperson confirmed the move is still technically illegal. "Under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, marijuana possession, production and trafficking remains illegal in Canada," wrote media relations officer Scott Bardsley in an email, adding the legalization process will take some time. Constable Annie Delisle with the federal RCMP said the pot mail out is currently under investigation. "We will not be commenting further at this time," reads an emailed statement.


Original Submission

4/20: The Third Time's Not the Charm 55 comments

Past articles: 20152016

What's up, Soylenteers? I've got to write another one of these? #420TooMainstream.

Legalization Status

Timeline of cannabis laws in the United States
Timeline of cannabis law

Since this time last year, Ohio, Florida, North Dakota, and Arkansas legalized medical cannabis, Illinois decriminalized it, and California, Nevada, Maine and Massachusetts legalized recreational cannabis. An attempt to legalize recreational cannabis in Arizona narrowly failed.

29 U.S. states and the District of Columbia have legalized cannabis for medical use, although restrictions vary widely from state to state.

Germany's medical cannabis law was approved in January and came into effect in March. Poland has also legalized medical cannabis, and Georgia's Supreme Court has ruled that imprisonment for possession of small amounts of cannabis is unconstitutional.

Recently: West Virginia on Course for Medical Marijuana

🍁 Cannada: Not So Fast 🍁

Last week, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau unveiled (archive) legislation (archive) that would make Canada the first major Western country to legalize recreational cannabis (the only country to legalize it to date is Uruguay, although implementation has taken years), dealing a serious blow to the crumbling United Nations Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs. However, the Liberal Party of Canada intends to wait more than a year to act on its campaign promise, during which time Canadians can still face prosecution for possession of the drug:

True to form, this government has written down a series of talking points, in this case, trying to make it sound like it's cracking down on pot rather than legalizing it. And Justin Trudeau's ministers are sticking to the messaging from party central like a child reciting Dr. Seuss.

Not once in that As It Happens interview did [Justice Minister Jody] Wilson-Raybould explain why the government intends to keep on criminalizing Canadians so unfairly (see the Liberal party's website statement) for another year. Instead, literally every second time she opened her mouth, she re-spouted the line about "strictly regulating and restricting access." Off asked eight questions. Four times, Wilson-Raybould robotically reverted to the same phrase.

Meanwhile, Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale, a parliamentary lifer who mastered the art of repetitive dronetalk sometime back in the last millennium, was out peddling more or less the same line, but with an added warning: Not only will the government continue to criminalize Canadians for what it considers a trifling offence, enforcement will be vigorous. "Existing laws prohibiting possession and use of cannabis remain in place, and they need to be respected," Goodale declared. "This must be an orderly transition. It is not a free-for-all." Why the government cannot simply decide to invoke prosecutorial and police discretion, and cease enforcing the cannabis laws it considers unjust, was not explained. Why that would necessarily be a "free for all" also went unexplained.

The Liberal Party of Canada has taken pains to remind everyone that the Conservative Party will "do everything they can to stop real change and protect a failed status quo". Unfortunately, they did not get the memo that "marijuana" is a term with racist origins.

Make like a tree and legalize it, Cannadia... Cannibinoidia.

President Trump and Attorney General Jeff Sessions

Backtrack to April 20th, 2016. Bernie Sanders still seemingly had a shot at becoming the President of the United States. Sanders, as well as Hillary Clinton (though begrudgingly), supported decriminalization of cannabis, medical use, and the continuation of states making decisions about recreational use. The #2 Republican candidate Ted Cruz also had a "let the states sort it out" stance.

One contender stood out, and he went on to become the @POTUS to #MAGA. The widely predicted "third term" was prevented, and that outcome may greatly affect a burgeoning semi-legal cannabis industry. One recent casualty are Amsterdam-style "cannabis clubs" (think: brewpubs). Colorado's legislature has backed off on a bill that would have allowed on-site consumption of cannabis at dispensaries due to the uncertain future of federal enforcement of cannabis prohibition.

Trump's position on cannabis has been ill-defined, although he supports medical use and has indicated that states should handle the issue. But the same can't be said of his Attorney General, former Senator Jeff Sessions. Here are some quotes about the drug from Mr. Sessions:

I thought those guys were OK until I learned they smoked pot. [Source. Context: Sessions later testified that the comment was a joke.]

We need grown-ups in charge in Washington to say marijuana is not the kind of thing that ought to be legalized, it ought not to be minimized, that it's in fact a very real danger.

I think one of [President Obama's] great failures, it's obvious to me, is his lax treatment in comments on marijuana... It reverses 20 years almost of hostility to drugs that began really when Nancy Reagan started 'Just Say No.

You can't have the President of the United States of America talking about marijuana like it is no different than taking a drink... It is different... It is already causing a disturbance in the states that have made it legal.

Good people don't smoke marijuana.

Cannabis advocates are becoming increasingly paranoid about the federal government's stance towards the states (and a certain District) that have legalized cannabis. And this is following an Obama administration that was criticized for conducting raids in states with legalization. It is too early to tell how the Trump administration will choose to deal with cannabis, but there are signs that harsher policies and greater enforcement could be coming:

On Wednesday, [April 5th,] Jeff Sessions directed Justice Department lawyers to evaluate marijuana enforcement policy and send him recommendations. And some state officials are worried. This week the governors of Alaska, Colorado, Oregon and Washington wrote the attorney general. They asked Sessions and the new Treasury secretary to consult with them before making any changes to regulations or enforcement.

At the White House, press secretary Sean Spicer said recently that the president is sympathetic to people who use marijuana for medical reasons. He pointed out that Congress has acted to bar the Justice Department from using federal money to interfere in state medical cannabis programs. But Spicer took a harsh view of recreational marijuana. "When you see something like the opioid addiction crisis blossoming in so many states around this country, the last thing we need to be doing is encouraging people. There is still a federal law we need to abide by," Spicer said.

Really, Spicer? Recreational cannabis use shouldn't be encouraged during an opioid addiction crisis? Read on.

Politics nexus unavailable for comment.

The Opioid Crisis Drags On (it's relevant)

Heroin use has become more dangerous as dealers have increasingly added other substances that massively increase potency without affecting the size of a dose significantly. Carfentanil, which is used as an elephant tranquilizer, has led to hundreds of deaths over very short timespans. It is impossible for the average user to predict the potency and potential danger of street heroin. While there have been international responses to these compounds, new chemical analogues are being created all the time:

Chinese labs producing the synthetic opiates play hide-and-seek with authorities. On their websites, they list fake addresses in derelict shopping centers or shuttered factories, and use third-party sales agents to conduct transactions that are hard to trace. The drugs themselves are easy to find with a Google search and to buy with a few mouse clicks. A recent check found more than a dozen Chinese sites advertising fentanyl, carfentanil, and other derivatives, often labeled as "research chemicals," for sale through direct mail shipments to the United States. On one website, carfentanil goes for $361 for 50 grams: tens of thousands of lethal doses.

The cat-and-mouse game extends to chemistry, as the makers tinker with fentanyl itself. Minor modifications like adding an oxygen atom or shifting a methyl group can be enough to create whole new entities that are no longer on the list of sanctioned compounds. Carfentanil itself was, until recently, unregulated in China.

2016 saw the addition of kratom to Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act in the U.S. Advocates for the tree leaf drug, which was formerly classified as a supplement, believe that its painkiller effects and low risk factors make it a useful replacement for the oft-deadly opioids that millions of Americans are addicted to. Kratom users have treated their pain and opioid withdrawal symptoms using the formerly "legal high". The DEA has refused to acknowledge this application and points out the "skyrocketing" number of calls to the Poison Control Center regarding kratom in recent years. One skeptic of kratom, Dr. Josh Bloom of the American Council on Science and Health, has looked at the same evidence and concluded that the trail of bodies left by substances like fentanyl and the scarce number of deaths (perhaps wrongly) attributed to kratom make it clear that the substance is the better "poison". He also notes that:

The number of calls to poison control centers is not reliable for determining how many poisonings actually occurred. It is a crude approximation at best.

Much like kratom, medical cannabis has been touted as a solution to the opioid crisis. States with legalized medical cannabis have seen a reduction in reported instances of opioid dependence [DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2017.01.006] [DX] So it is puzzling that White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer would use opioids as a bludgeon against cannabis legalization while AG Sessions expresses astonishment over the suggestion of using cannabis as a "cure" for the opioid crisis.

Bonus: Here's a video (2m14s) of a woman getting administered Narcan/naloxone. Here's an alternate video (2m39s) in which a man who overdosed on heroin is able to sit up in about a minute after being administered naloxone.

⚚ The Slow March for Science ⚕

While the Drug Enforcement Agency has refused to reclassify cannabis from its current Schedule I status, citing the supposedly rigorous conclusions reached by the Food and Drug Administration, it will allow more than one institution to grow cannabis for research purposes, ending the monopoly held by the University of Mississippi. However, the Schedule I status of cannabis remains an impediment to further research:

[...] DEA's decision not to reschedule marijuana presents a Catch-22. By ruling that there is not enough evidence of "currently accepted medical use"—a key distinction between the highly restrictive Schedule I classification and the less restrictive Schedule II—the administration essentially makes it harder to gather such evidence.

"They're setting a standard that can't be met," says David Bradford, a health economist at the University of Georgia, Athens. "That level of proof is never going to be forthcoming in the current environment because it requires doing a really extensive clinical trial series, and given that a pharmaceutical company can't patent whole plant marijuana, it's in no company's interest to do that."

Schedule I status presents obstacles for clinical researchers because of restrictions on how the drugs must be stored and handled, Bradford says. Perhaps more significant, that listing may evoke skittishness at funding agencies and on the institutional review boards that must sign off on research involving human subjects.

Researchers have disparaged the quality and potency as well as the appearance and odor of the University of Mississippi's cannabis products:

"It doesn't resemble cannabis. It doesn't smell like cannabis," Sisley told PBS NewsHour last week.

Jake Browne, a cannabis critic for the Denver Post's Cannabist marijuana news site, agrees. "That is, flat out, not a usable form of cannabis," he said. Browne should know: He's reviewed dozens of strains professionally and is running a sophisticated marijuana growing competition called the Grow-Off.

"In two decades of smoking weed, I've never seen anything that looks like that," Browne said. "People typically smoke the flower of the plant, but here you can clearly see stems and leaves in there as well, parts that should be discarded. Inhaling that would be like eating an apple, including the seeds inside it and the branch it grew on."

Research on cannabinoids and psychedelics is proceeding, slowly. One study published yesterday (74 years after the first LSD trip) came to an astounding conclusion: Psychedelics can induce a "heightened state of consciousness":

Healthy volunteers who received LSD, ketamine or psilocybin, a compound found in magic mushrooms, were found to have more random brain activity than normal while under the influence, according to a study into the effects of the drugs. The shift in brain activity accompanied a host of peculiar sensations that the participants said ranged from floating and finding inner peace, to distortions in time and a conviction that the self was disintegrating.

[...] What we find is that under each of these psychedelic compounds, this specific measure of global conscious level goes up, so it moves in the other direction. The neural activity becomes more unpredictable," said Anil Seth, a professor of neuroscience at the University of Sussex. "Until now, we've only ever seen decreases compared to the baseline of the normal waking state."

Inconceivable!

Increased spontaneous MEG signal diversity for psychoactive doses of ketamine, LSD and psilocybin (open, DOI: 10.1038/srep46421) (DX)

♯ Ending on High Notes ♯

Vape Naysh, y'all!

4/20: The Mary Jane Majority 56 comments

Past articles: 201520162017 👀

U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has come out in support of federal cannabis decriminalization, just in time for 4/20:

The Minority Leader of the Senate is making it official the day before 4/20: He's down with legal weed. In an exclusive interview with VICE News, Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) confirmed he is putting his name on legislation that he said is aimed at "decriminalizing" marijuana at the federal level. For Schumer, this is a shift. While he has backed medical marijuana and the rights of states to experiment with legal sales of pot, what he is proposing is a seismic shift in federal drug policy.

"Ultimately, it's the right thing to do. Freedom. If smoking marijuana doesn't hurt anybody else, why shouldn't we allow people to do it and not make it criminal?" Schumer said.

The legislation should be available within a week or so, and would remove cannabis (still listed as "Marihuana") from the Drug Enforcement Administration's list of Schedule I substances. States would then be free to regulate or continue to prohibit the plant. Cannabis advertising would be regulated as are alcohol and tobacco advertising. (Also at NPR, CNN, The Washington Post, and CNBC, as well as Reason taking a shot at Schumer for not doing it sooner.)

A majority of Americans support the legalization of cannabis, including, for the first time, a majority (51%) of Republicans, according to Gallup. Nine states and the District of Columbia have legalized cannabis for recreational use. 29 states, D.C., Guam, and Puerto Rico have legalized medical use of cannabis, and another 17 states have legalized the use of cannabidiol (CBD). Cannabis became available for recreational purposes in California on January 1.

Canada Becomes the Second Nation to Legalize Cannabis 38 comments

Canada becomes second nation in the world to legalize marijuana

Recreational marijuana use will soon be legal in Canada after the Senate passed a "historic" bill on Tuesday with a vote of 52-29. Canada is only the second country in the world -- and the first G7 nation -- to implement legislation to permit a nationwide marijuana market. In the neighboring US, nine states and the District of Columbia now allow for recreational marijuana use, and 30 allow for medical use.

Bill C-45, otherwise known as the Cannabis Act, stems from a campaign pledge of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to keep marijuana away from underage users and reduce related crime. The act to legalize the recreational use of weed was first introduced on April 13, 2017, and was later passed at the House of Commons in November. The Senate passage of the bill was the final hurdle in the process.

Uruguay was the first country to legalize marijuana's production, sale and consumption in December 2013.

Also at CBC, BBC, NPR, Reuters, and The Guardian.


Original Submission

Peter Thiel's Cannabis Company Was Briefly Worth More Than Twitter 28 comments

From the fine pages of the New York Post, such as they are:

Shares of Peter Thiel-backed marijuana grower Tilray soared as much as 94 percent on Wednesday, briefly hitting a market value of $28 billion, as bullish comments from the company's chief executive stoked Wall Street's growing euphoria over marijuana stocks.

But late in the afternoon, the shares crashed, falling briefly into negative territory before spiking in the final minutes to close the day at $214.06, up 38 percent. Traders blamed the wild ride, marked by at least four halts for volatility, on a short squeeze as pot-addled investors tried to get their heads around the budding business of legalized weed.

Despite the bumpy day, shares of the Canada-based pot farmer — which are up 10-fold from their debut on the Nasdaq in July — closed with a market capitalization of $19.93 billion, bigger than Expedia, Dish Networks and Mylan. Twitter, which briefly got eclipsed by Tilray, closed Wednesday with a market cap of $22.3 billion.

Thiel, the libertarian tech tycoon who backed Donald Trump in 2016, is rolling in the green thanks to Tilray's runup. Pot-focused private equity fund Privateer Holdings, in which Thiel is a big investor, owns 76 percent of Tilray's stock — making the fund's stake worth roughly $15 billion.

Wow, better than a Tesla pump-and-dump, no doubt due to the mimetic transfusion of young non-gay blood!

See also: Investing in cannabis is 'a great hedge' for alcohol and drug companies, CEO of medical marijuana producer Tilray says
Canadian cannabis producer Tilray had a wild day after its CEO appeared on Cramer's 'Mad Money' (TLRY)
It's Time for a Reality Check About Tilray
Weed is the new blockchain
Tilray Is Partying Like It's 1999 (and It Won't End Well)
Pot-focused investment fund backed by Peter Thiel gets a boost from its big stake in Tilray


Original Submission

Politics: Hostage to NAFTA? Canada Signs on to War on Drugs Despite Recent Cannabis Legalization 33 comments

Canada signs on to U.S.-led renewal of war on drugs

Canada was rebuked on Monday by a group of world leaders and experts on drug policy for endorsing a Trump-led declaration renewing the "war on drugs" and for passing up a critical moment to provide global leadership on drug regulation.

The Trudeau government's decision to sign on to the declaration, released by the White House on the sidelines of U.S. President Donald Trump's first attendance at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, contradicts Ottawa's previous skepticism of Washington's drugs war at home and abroad, and comes just weeks before cannabis legalization in Canada.

Former New Zealand prime minister Helen Clark said she believed that both Canada and Mexico − which also signed the declaration even though president-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has repeatedly said that the "war on drugs" has failed and he will pursue new policy − likely have signed on reluctantly, held hostage by the North American free-trade agreement talks in Washington, over which a critical deadline looms.

Countries that signed the "Global Call to Action on the World Drug Problem" were promised an invitation for their leader to attend a kick-off event with Mr. Trump in New York. The statement was not drafted in the usual multilateral process of a declaration from the UN and the wording was presented as non-negotiable. One hundred and thirty countries signed but 63 did not; the dissenters include major U.S. allies such as Germany, Norway and Spain.

Previously: Canada Becomes the Second Nation to Legalize Cannabis

Related: WP says Marijuana Legalization Makes World a Better Place


Original Submission

Canada Faces Cannabis Shortages 23 comments

Why is Canada running out of marijuana?

Cannabis retailers in Canada began to run low on supplies from the very first day of legalisation a month ago. How long are shortages expected to continue as the new market for recreational cannabis finds its feet?

In the early days of legalisation, James Burns was confident his company had enough product on the shelves of its five new cannabis retail stores, even though they only received half of their order from the provincial supplier. Now, he has had staff refreshing the government supply website in the early hours to snap up scarce new stock as soon as it's available, and is considering restricting store hours.

"While there was product to order we were very comfortably getting a large amount of it," says Burns, the CEO of Alcanna, a company that owns a chain of private liquor stores in Canada and the US and, now, cannabis stores in the province of Alberta. "But obviously, when there's literally none there, it doesn't matter how big you are, there's just none there. If the government warehouse is empty, it's empty. There's nothing you can do."

[...] A report released in early October by the CD Howe Institute, a Toronto-based economic think tank, estimates that the current legal supply will meet about 30% to 60% of total demand in the first months of legalisation. But people in the industry say the scarcity is worse than expected. "Everybody knew this was going to happen," says Burns. "Probably, frankly, not this quick and this starkly."

Patrick Wallace, owner of Waldo 420 in Medicine Hat, Alberta, predicts it will be a year to 18 months before supply matches demand. "We're riding on our initial investment of stock from a few weeks back," he says. "So we're OK now but it's not sustainable."

Previously: Canada Becomes the Second Nation to Legalize Cannabis
Peter Thiel's Cannabis Company Was Briefly Worth More Than Twitter
Hostage to NAFTA? Canada Signs on to War on Drugs Despite Recent Cannabis Legalization
Cannabis Becomes Legal in Canada


Original Submission

Marlboro Owner Invests $1.8 Billion in Cannabis Company 44 comments

Marlboro owner Altria invests $1.8 billion in cannabis company Cronos

Altria hopes pot is the key to help it grow beyond its stagnant cigarette business. Tobacco giant Altira is investing $1.8 billion in Canadian cannabis company Cronos Group. That will give Altria a 45% stake in the company, with an option for Altria to increase its stake to 55% over the next five years. Reports of an Altria-Cronos deal first surfaced earlier this week. The decision by Altria to go ahead with an investment in Cronos shows that Altria is serious about investing in marijuana as a new growth area as sales of traditional cigarettes slow. Altria's stock has fallen nearly 25% this year and the company is expected to report revenue growth of only about 1% this year and in 2019.

[...] Cronos and other cannabis stocks have been thrust into the spotlight in the past few months following the legalization of recreational marijuana in Canada in October, as well as legalized recreational and medical pot in several US states last month. With Democrats winning control of the US House, Congress may finally pass the Farm Bill, which would make it legal to produce hemp and potentially open the door for more products containing cannabidiol, or CBD. Many alcoholic beverage, tobacco and other consumer products companies may want to bet on cannabis. Canadian marijuana company Canopy Growth (CGC) already has received a multibillion dollar investment from Corona owner Constellation Brands (STZ). Coca-Cola (KO) was rumored to be considering an investment in Canadian cannabis company Aurora (ACB). [...] Coke's archrival Pepsi (PEP) hasn't completely ruled out a move into cannabis.

Altria's Canadian Pot Bet Is Really About the U.S.

It's official: Big Tobacco is now a player in the cannabis market. That will change the game.

Previously: Another Major Beermaker is Looking at Ways to Enter the Cannabis Business
Coca-Cola Is Eyeing the Cannabis Market
Peter Thiel's Cannabis Company Was Briefly Worth More Than Twitter
Cannabis Becomes Legal in Canada


Original Submission

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  • (Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday October 18 2018, @03:55AM (3 children)

    by Anonymous Coward on Thursday October 18 2018, @03:55AM (#750303)

    For hence forth, the country will be known as Cannabia and its citizens will be called Cannabians! Recreationally so.
    The adjustment of the country's flag is trivial but the issue of anthem change is still pending; and it may remain so for a long time, can't sing well while giggling.

    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday October 18 2018, @04:11AM (1 child)

      by Anonymous Coward on Thursday October 18 2018, @04:11AM (#750313)

      There's even a dude in the linked CNN article holding up a modified version of the Canadian flag. Gotta love it!

    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday October 18 2018, @02:16PM

      by Anonymous Coward on Thursday October 18 2018, @02:16PM (#750451)

      You can't sing the new National Anthem "Oh Cannabis"?

  • (Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday October 18 2018, @04:15AM (5 children)

    by Anonymous Coward on Thursday October 18 2018, @04:15AM (#750319)

    This is a hardy North American plant that looks like nice greenery. I want it under my front windows. It's sort of toxic, but less so than oleander, and I still have some of that.

    Four plants won't make much of a hedge.

    • (Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday October 18 2018, @05:19AM (3 children)

      by Anonymous Coward on Thursday October 18 2018, @05:19AM (#750336)

      I, too, am always on the lookout for hardy plants that make do without me.

      I do not use the stuff, but I get the idea that if the Government simply got out of the business, it would defund a lot of gangs around here... if someone wanted some, they would just grow some, or get it from a friend who did, and would probably be about as "valuable" as dandelion.

      But, someone will lose a lot of money, both in enforcing and evading the law.

      So we remain compelled to both pay for law enforcement and buy AK-47's for the gang-bangers.

      • (Score: 2) by Freeman on Thursday October 18 2018, @04:06PM (2 children)

        by Freeman (732) on Thursday October 18 2018, @04:06PM (#750507) Journal

        Except that Dandelions don't get you high. Dandelions are edible, except, I think the roots, but generally no one eats them. Because, they're bitter. They don't have much else going for them. Cannabis on the other hand would have a certain amount of value to a group of people who like to use it. No matter, if it was as ubiquitous as Dandelions.

        --
        Joshua 1:9 "Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee"
        • (Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Thursday October 18 2018, @05:31PM

          by Runaway1956 (2926) Subscriber Badge on Thursday October 18 2018, @05:31PM (#750546) Journal

          Dandelion wine might inebriate you.

          I just looked at some recipes for dandelion wine. Shocking. One recipe calls for a bottle of rum, or vodka, instead of allowing the wine to ferment fully. This recipe actually looks good: https://apothecarysgarden.com/2013/05/01/my-best-dandelion-wine-recipe/ [apothecarysgarden.com]

        • (Score: 3, Interesting) by dry on Saturday October 20 2018, @03:04PM

          by dry (223) on Saturday October 20 2018, @03:04PM (#751401) Journal

          The roots are edible and have been used for fake coffee. IIRC, they can also be used as a dye. The greens if young enough aren't particularly bitter and full of vitamins and minerals, which made them a great tonic back when people went the winter with no fresh produce.
          Little realized is that they're also good for the soil. The taproot will break a layer of hardpan, bring up minerals from the subsoil and once dead, make a nice pathway for earthworms.

    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday October 18 2018, @09:23PM

      by Anonymous Coward on Thursday October 18 2018, @09:23PM (#750662)

      You should a seen the stuff we ran into in the 'Nam. 20ft high. And 20ft high.

  • (Score: 3, Informative) by cwadge on Thursday October 18 2018, @04:15AM (3 children)

    by cwadge (3324) on Thursday October 18 2018, @04:15AM (#750320) Homepage Journal

    I guess it's about time Canadian law began catching up. Unfortunately, Canada is a lot more regressive than a lot of folks seem to think. I guess that's the power of PR.

    • (Score: 2, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday October 18 2018, @05:06AM (1 child)

      by Anonymous Coward on Thursday October 18 2018, @05:06AM (#750334)

      It was more about their rather aggressive neighbor who demanded everyone else make the same dumb laws.

      • (Score: 2) by hemocyanin on Thursday October 18 2018, @02:34PM

        by hemocyanin (186) on Thursday October 18 2018, @02:34PM (#750459) Journal

        You aren't paying much attention to environmental issues -- tar sands, Atlantic Salmon pens, or mining.

    • (Score: 2) by kazzie on Thursday October 18 2018, @09:51AM

      by kazzie (5309) Subscriber Badge on Thursday October 18 2018, @09:51AM (#750366)

      "I've never known a Canadian who DIDN'T smoke weed."

      I know twenty or so who don't (to the best of my knowledge). We must have very different social circles.

  • (Score: 2, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday October 18 2018, @04:21AM (2 children)

    by Anonymous Coward on Thursday October 18 2018, @04:21AM (#750322)

    then I got high.

    And I thought about Trudeau and concluded "Why even try".

    So I rolled up a fatty as I started to cry,

    and then I got high, then I got high, then I got high.

    • (Score: 2) by DannyB on Thursday October 18 2018, @01:28PM

      by DannyB (5839) Subscriber Badge on Thursday October 18 2018, @01:28PM (#750424) Journal

      Do not roll a joint with flash paper.

      Do not use flash paper in an origami project to make an ash tray.

      --
      People today are educated enough to repeat what they are taught but not to question what they are taught.
    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday October 18 2018, @02:02PM

      by Anonymous Coward on Thursday October 18 2018, @02:02PM (#750441)

      I had problems with glaucoma, but then I got high
      Smelled the cannabis aroma, and I got high
      Glaucoma getting better and I know why
      Because I got high, because I got high, because I got high

      I used to smoke cigarettes, but then I got high
      Getting tired and call it quits, but them I got high
      I'm playing basketball and jogging and I know why
      Because I got high, because I got high, because I got high

      I used to drink beer and wine, but then I got high
      I woke up feeling fine, because I got high
      My hangover's over and I know why
      Because I got high, because I got high, because I got high

      Anxiety attacks, but then I got high
      I used to take Xanax, but then I got high
      No more prescription pills and I know why
      Because I got high, because I got high, because I got high

      The state made revenue, because I got high
      They built a school or two, because I got high
      Now the state can fund drug treatment and I know why
      Because I got high, because I got high, because I got high

      No more criminal traps if it's legalised
      I don't have to buy from gang bangers shooting craps, if it's legalised
      I can advocate with Weedmaps and I know why
      It's legalised, it's legalised, it's legalised

  • (Score: 5, Informative) by Beryllium Sphere (r) on Thursday October 18 2018, @04:26AM (1 child)

    by Beryllium Sphere (r) (5062) on Thursday October 18 2018, @04:26AM (#750324)

    Of course you can't take your weed with you going south, not even into Washington State, because customs enforces Federal law.

    That's not the issue I'm here to tell you about.

    Legal use may get you barred from entering the US.
    https://www.mensjournal.com/travel/inside-the-marijuana-showdown-at-the-canadian-border-w483596/ [mensjournal.com]
    https://windsorstar.com/news/local-news/canadian-pot-smokers-not-welcome-at-the-border-u-s-customs-and-border-protection [windsorstar.com]

    • (Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday October 18 2018, @08:55PM

      by Anonymous Coward on Thursday October 18 2018, @08:55PM (#750649)

      Canada will see this happening and do some economic sanctioning until that illegal behaviour stops

  • (Score: 4, Interesting) by MichaelDavidCrawford on Thursday October 18 2018, @04:40AM (1 child)

    by MichaelDavidCrawford (2339) Subscriber Badge <mdcrawford@gmail.com> on Thursday October 18 2018, @04:40AM (#750328) Homepage Journal

    2006-2007.

    On 4/20/2007 there was a smokeout in the small park behind the Vancouver Art Museum.

    Hemp is not only legal to grow in Canada but the Federal agriculture department actively encourages it, for example by performing studies on how to cultivate it more effectively.

    In may US cities can be found hemp product stores. I bought a half pound of hemp seed then amused myself by scattering it along some train tracks but then someone told me that imported seed must be sterilized.

    However hemp still grows wild in Kentucky, and there are some hemp farms in the US that operate under a "research" loophole. So what I'd like to do is to fill an entire cargo van with seed, then use some manner of automated air rifle to plant hemp all over Creation.

    -- Mikey Hempseed [warplife.com]

    --
    Yes I Have No Bananas. [gofundme.com]
    • (Score: 2, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday October 18 2018, @09:02PM

      by Anonymous Coward on Thursday October 18 2018, @09:02PM (#750652)

      Back in the day when weed had seeds, I used to gather a handful everytime I went grocery shopping. I would deposit several in the houseplants sold there so those lucky consumers could enjoy growing some for themselves!

  • (Score: 5, Touché) by Snotnose on Thursday October 18 2018, @01:38PM

    by Snotnose (1623) on Thursday October 18 2018, @01:38PM (#750426)

    for winning the War on Drugs!

    Me? At my age I don't need drugs. All I have to do is stand up fast.

    --
    Why shouldn't we judge a book by it's cover? It's got the author, title, and a summary of what the book's about.
  • (Score: 3, Interesting) by VLM on Thursday October 18 2018, @01:48PM (11 children)

    by VLM (445) Subscriber Badge on Thursday October 18 2018, @01:48PM (#750433)

    Adults of at least 18 years old

    Google confirmed my fuzzy memory that some Canadians can't drink until 19, so that seems weird.

    Nanos survey: Nearly 8 in 10 Canadians uninterested in smoking cannabis once legal

    You can't (legally) visit the US anymore if you're a documented smoker, but its more interesting to me that intoxicants follow a ridiculous power law where google indicates something like 60% of the population hasn't drunk alcohol in the last 12 months, but folks in the long tail consume a lot to keep the averages up. I believe legacy TV viewership and facebook usage follow similar intoxication curves.

    • (Score: 1) by Blymie on Thursday October 18 2018, @02:10PM (2 children)

      by Blymie (4020) on Thursday October 18 2018, @02:10PM (#750447)

      There are two laws. Federal law, and Provincial.

      In some cases, in Canada -- one has full jurisdiction, and in others... the other.

      For alcohol, it isn't 19. It's "19 for whatever province decides that".

      In this case, Federal law is stipulating the minimum age. Provinces can, and many havel mandated different ages for pot. Quebec, I hear tell it's 21 for example.

      FYI, there is no law against visiting the US if you are a documented smoker. You can be denied entry arbitrarily based upon that fact, and there after need a request a VISA to get back in. That's not the same thing, for the VISA process has additional background checks.. and isn't realistically unreasonable. EG, the idea of "I don't trust the guy, I want more checks before he can get into the country I am trying to protect".

      Whether the "he smoked pot!" argument makes sense, doesn't matter. It isn't my country (the US), who am to complain if they have weird, non-harmful laws.

      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday October 18 2018, @02:35PM

        by Anonymous Coward on Thursday October 18 2018, @02:35PM (#750461)

        In this case, Federal law is stipulating the minimum age. Provinces can, and many havel mandated different ages for pot. Quebec, I hear tell it's 21 for example.

        The legal drinking age in Québec is 18. This is good for bars in Gatineau, because across the river in Ottawa, Ontario the legal age is 19.

        Currently the legal age for cannabis in Quebec is also 18, set by the previous government, but there was a change of government a few weeks ago and they've indicated that they plan to change the age for cannabis to 21. This will be good for the legal cannabis vendors in Ottawa, when they exist.

      • (Score: 2, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday October 18 2018, @02:48PM

        by Anonymous Coward on Thursday October 18 2018, @02:48PM (#750467)

        FYI, there is no law against visiting the US if you are a documented smoker. You can be denied entry arbitrarily based upon that fact, and there after need a request a VISA to get back in. That's not the same thing, for the VISA process has additional background checks.. and isn't realistically unreasonable.

        If you are deemed inadmissible, then you do not need a visa, you need an admissibility waiver. This is very different. In particular, it costs US$930 just to submit the application (which may or may not be granted), and if granted, the waiver expires after one year at which point you need to go thorugh the whole process all over again.

        Due to the very close trade relations between Canada and the United States, being inadmissible to the United States can potentially be very problematic for a person's career in Canada. That's why it's a big deal if Canadians are being denied entry for things that are not illegal in Canada.

    • (Score: 2, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday October 18 2018, @02:23PM (4 children)

      by Anonymous Coward on Thursday October 18 2018, @02:23PM (#750455)

      Does this mean Canada will have to build "The Wall" to keep illegals from the south out?

      • (Score: 3, Insightful) by DeathMonkey on Thursday October 18 2018, @05:27PM (3 children)

        by DeathMonkey (1380) on Thursday October 18 2018, @05:27PM (#750544) Journal

        Does this mean Canada will have to build "The Wall" to keep illegals from the south out?

        Seems easier to just legalize it everywhere down here. Vote Democrat in 2018 if you want that to happen

        Schumer introduces bill to federally decriminalize marijuana [cnn.com]

        • (Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Thursday October 18 2018, @05:38PM

          by Runaway1956 (2926) Subscriber Badge on Thursday October 18 2018, @05:38PM (#750554) Journal

          More propaganda? Thanks Mokey!

        • (Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday October 18 2018, @11:09PM (1 child)

          by Anonymous Coward on Thursday October 18 2018, @11:09PM (#750699)

          Vote Democrat in 2018 if you want that to happen

          Liar. Check here instead [norml.org]. On my ballot, every Democrat except one is in favor of prohibition.

          • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday October 19 2018, @02:46AM

            by Anonymous Coward on Friday October 19 2018, @02:46AM (#750771)

            Yup. I looked up mine. One lukewarm Democrat who has never explicitly endorsed legalization, but one Green Party candidate does support it but will surely lose. The rest just say "Know this candidate's position on marijuana? Tell us!" except for one anti-reefer Republican.

    • (Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Thursday October 18 2018, @05:37PM (2 children)

      by Runaway1956 (2926) Subscriber Badge on Thursday October 18 2018, @05:37PM (#750553) Journal

      Documented smokers? WTF documents this stuff? And, WTF is admitting to the document makers that they smoke? I won't admit to any government creature that I even breathe, let alone doing something of questionable legal legitimacy.

      • (Score: 2) by http on Thursday October 18 2018, @08:45PM

        by http (1920) on Thursday October 18 2018, @08:45PM (#750647)

        All it takes is one person you know posting a picture of you having a pinner for dinner, and the CBP people have you bent over a barrel. Lying to customs officers is about as wise as snacking on strychnine.

        --
        I browse at -1 when I have mod points. It's unsettling.
      • (Score: 3, Interesting) by dry on Saturday October 20 2018, @03:11PM

        by dry (223) on Saturday October 20 2018, @03:11PM (#751407) Journal

        The lawyers up here are advising to just to refuse to answer. You get refused entry that day and can try another day. The problem is people who think because it is legal, it is OK to admit it. If you lie and get caught out, that is also a reason for a permanent ban. Been lots of warnings about taking it south as well.

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