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Just the usual alternative facts
Prolly good for a few more reefer madness articles
Trump signs bill protecting state mmj laws
President Donald Trump has signed into law a spending bill that protects state medical marijuana laws.
By Anthony Martinelli May 5, 2017
The omnibus spending bill signed into law today by President Trump includes a provision that prevents the Department of Justice – which includes the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) – from arresting or prosecuting patients, caregivers, and businesses that are acting in compliance with state medical marijuana laws. The bill is effective through the end of September, meaning lawmakers will need to pass a new measure before the end of the year to keep the protections in place.
The protections stem from an amendment originally sponsored by Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA) and former Rep. Sam Farr (D-CA), which was first approved by the House in May 2014. It was approved again by a larger margin in June 2015, then included in the continuing appropriations packages that have funded the federal government since October 2016. Although many cannabis advocates feared that Trump’s Administration would work to remove the medical marijuana protections, they instead have embraced it.
The spending bill signed into law by President Trump also protects state-level hemp laws.
https://thejointblog.com/president-trump-signs-bill-protecting-state-medical-marijuana-laws/#more-33612
Vape and Hive reach agreement
On April 28, 2017, the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of Vape Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), closed the transactions described below with Kyle Tracey (“Tracey”) and HIVE Ceramics, LLC (“HIVE”). The Company, HIVE and Tracey may be collectively referred to herein as the “Parties.” All capitalized terms used herein, if not otherwise defined, will be as defined in the Settlement Agreement and Release, including all Exhibits thereto, attached hereto as Exhibit 10.1.
Settlement Agreement and Release
The HIVE Obligations . On or about February 28, 2014, the Company entered into an agreement with HIVE by which the Company acquired certain assets from HIVE (the “HIVE Assets”). In conjunction with the purchase of the HIVE Assets and a subsequent funding by Tracey, the Company entered into two Convertible Promissory Notes held by HIVE (the “HIVE Notes”), one for $250,000 and one for $50,000 for a total of $300,000 in principal (the “HIVE Obligations”). The HIVE Obligations were secured by the HIVE Assets.
The Tracey Obligations . Tracey has asserted that the Company owes him, personally, approximately $200,000.00 which obligations were represented by lines of credit obtained by various affiliates of HIVE, monies owed to IP licensees, as well as monies owed in royalties pursuant to a consulting agreement between Vape and Tracey (the “Tracey Obligations”).
Prior to entering in the Settlement Agreement and Release described herein, HIVE and Tracey alleged that the Company breached its obligations under the HIVE Obligations as well as the Tracey Obligations. In order to resolve all differences between the Parties and without any admissions, the Parties entered into the following Settlement Agreement and Release:
Consideration to HIVE . As consideration to HIVE for the HIVE Obligations and for a full and complete release of all claims against the Company, the Company agreed to provide the following:
1. The Company agreed to use its best efforts to arrange for the purchase and/or assignment of One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000.000) of the HIVE Notes in exchange for One Hundred Twenty Thousand Dollars ($120,000.00).
2. The balance of the HIVE Notes (i.e., Two Hundred Thousand Dollars ($200,000.00)) shall be restated in a Convertible Promissory Note (the “Restated HIVE Note”) in the principal amount of Two Hundred Thousand Dollars ($200,000.00) with the same general terms and conditions as the HIVE Notes but with a term of one (1) year and the principal amount of the Restated HIVE Note shall be convertible, at the option of Tracey, into common stock of the Company at $.001 per share. The Company also agreed to use its best efforts to establish, within one hundred twenty (120) days of the Effective Date, a share reserve with the Company’s Transfer Agent in an amount equal to or greater than the number of shares issuable upon conversion of the Convertible Promissory Note referenced herein.
Consideration to Tracey . As consideration to Tracey for the Tracey Obligations and a full and complete release of all claims against the Company, the Company agreed to provide the following:
1. A Convertible Promissory Note attached as Exhibit B to the Settlement Agreement and Release attached hereto as Exhibit 10.1 (the “Tracey Note”) in the principal amount of One Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($150,000.00) with a term of one (1) year from the date of execution by the Company. The Tracey Note carries no interest. The principal amount of the Tracey Note is convertible, at the option of Tracey, into common stock of the Company at $.001 per share. The Company will also use its best efforts to establish, within one hundred twenty (120) days of the Effective Date, a share reserve with the Company’s Transfer Agent in an amount equal to or greater than the number of shares issuable upon conversion of the Convertible Promissory Note referenced herein
2. As to Tracey Obligations that are reflected on the Company’s books and records as the Company’s debts that Tracey personally guaranteed during the time he was a Company officer and/or director, the Company agreed that until paid in full, the Company would pay a minimum of Seven Thousand Dollars ($7,000.00) per month toward those obligations.
https://ih.advfn.com/p.php?pid=nmona&article=74492637
Information about AW Solutions Inc.
We at AW Solutions provide “best in class” communications infrastructure deployment services to Carriers, OEM’s, PMO’s and Enterprise clients across the US, Canada and Caribbean.
What we offer
We offer discrete and full turnkey service solutions for wireless and wireline clientele taking their projects from conception to deployment through maintenance.
Our Approach
Listen and understand the customer’s goals then collaborate with them to design and deploy scalable network infrastructure. Achieved through objective alignment, focused management and accountable “In-House” self-perform services with external teaming arrangements.
Our Expertise
Our operational expertise has been forged over our many decades of experience, giving us an un-paralleled and comprehensive understanding of the markets we serve. Our expertise allows us to identify and meet the challenges associated with large and rapid deployments be they local, regional or national in nature. We strive to exceed our client’s expectations by supplying high quality, timely and cost effective solutions to meet their needs.
Our Vision
To become the “Premier go to Company” for all our client’s telecommunication infrastructure needs. Building trust and reliance through demonstrated performance while ensuring the client’s best interest are forefront in all decisions.
Our Commitments
We believe that applying these core values on a client's project not only ensures their success but is paramount to the success and longevity of our business and working relationships.
Honest and open communications with our customers
Safety – No compromise in any circumstance
Quality and value based decision making
Ethical business practices with our clients and vendors
Full environmental and regulatory Compliance
Non-hostile & inclusive work environment
http://www.awsolutionsinc.com/
CEO Larry Kristof stated: “The acquisition of AW Solutions was an opportunity to bring real and immediate value to the shareholders of the Company. The acquisition was supported by the Company’s largest debtholders, most of whom agreed to exchange their debt for a preferred equity instrument, thus strengthening the balance sheet of the Company in the process.”
Details and terms for the acquisition are set forth in the Company’s public filings.
About Mantra Venture Group:
Mantra Venture Group Ltd. (MVTG) is a technology incubator that takes innovative emerging technologies and moves them towards commercialization. The Company’s subsidiary Mantra Energy Alternatives is developing electrochemical technologies designed to make reducing greenhouse gas emissions profitable. For more information about these technologies visit the Company’s website at: http://www.mantraventuregroup.com.
MVTG Acquires AW Solutions, Inc
Mantra Venture Group Acquires AW Solutions, Inc. and its Related Entities
May 01, 2017 17:00 ET | Source: Mantra Venture Group Ltd
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 01, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mantra Venture Group Ltd.(MVTG) (the “Company”) a technology incubator, announced the acquisition of 80.1% of the assets of AW Solutions, Inc., based in Longwood, FL., as well as its related entities in Miami and Puerto Rico (“AWS”). AWS is a leading provider of comprehensive turnkey outsourced wireless and wireline infrastructure services with licensing across the United States, Canada and the Caribbean. The acquisition of AWS is expected to bring in excess of $10 Million in annual revenues to the Company.
The Company’s existing subsidiary, Mantra Energy Alternatives, is continuing to work on developing two ground-breaking electrochemical technologies designed to make reducing greenhouse gas emissions profitable, ERC (Electro-Reduction of Carbon Dioxide) and MRFC (Mixed-Reactant Fuel Cell).
CEO Larry Kristof stated: “The acquisition of AW Solutions was an opportunity to bring real and immediate value to the shareholders of the Company. The acquisition was supported by the Company’s largest debtholders, most of whom agreed to exchange their debt for a preferred equity instrument, thus strengthening the balance sheet of the Company in the process.”
Details and terms for the acquisition are set forth in the Company’s public filings
https://globenewswire.com/news-release/2017/05/01/975200/0/en/Mantra-Venture-Group-Acquires-AW-Solutions-Inc-and-its-Related-Entities.html
Moving forward !
Sandoval told Sessions the state is moving forward with its recreational marijuana program and is making plans for tax revenue from these future sales. State budget plans include an extra $69 million from projected recreational pot tax revenue.
“I feel good about including that in my budget,” Sandoval said.
Sandoval said he brought up marijuana to get guidance on the federal government’s plans. He said he and Sessions have both been public about their opposition to recreational marijuana.
He said he reminded the attorney general that medical marijuana is in the state’s constitution and recreational marijuana is the will of the voters.
“I did advise him that it’s in our state law, and we’re moving forward, and that I’m going to ensure that it is as tightly regulated as possible,” Sandoval said.
https://lasvegassun.com/news/2017/apr/29/sandoval-covers-pot-yucca-mountain-in-meetings-wit/
Sessions is beginning to see the light
MJ legalization is the result of the will of the voters.
In a democratic society the will of the voters is important.
It is essential to ensure our government follows the will of the voters and not the will of an appointed official that wants to enforce his personal opinion on the voters.
“Government of the people, by the people, and for the people” like Abraham Lincoln said in his Gettysburg address.
Good article !
Jeff Sessions wise to hear out Hickenlooper on marijuana
Our confederate general told Colorado’s governor that an Obama-era memo is “not too far from good policy”
By THE DENVER POST EDITORIAL BOARD |
PUBLISHED: April 27, 2017 at 2:33 pm | UPDATED: April 27, 2017 at 4:42 pm
Colorado’s cannabis industry and its fans should take note. A meeting Wednesday in Washington between Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Gov. John Hickenlooper suggests the federal crackdown we’ve been concerned about isn’t coming any time soon, and likely isn’t coming at all.
Hickenlooper’s chief of staff, Doug Friednash, tells us the hour-long meeting to discuss Colorado’s cannabis laws and the threat of federal intervention went amicably. The biggest takeaways, Friednash said, are that the new attorney general is far more focused on other priorities, like securing the border with a wall, than in disrupting our legal cannabis marketplace.
Sessions indicated his office was reviewing a directive — known as the Cole memo — from the Obama administration that led to the current status quo where the feds allow states that have legalized marijuana to operate without undue interference.
Friednash said the attorney general found the Cole memo “not too far from good policy.”
We’re thrilled at the news. Recently, we advocated for just such a meeting. Hickenlooper was right to reach out to the attorney general, and Sessions was wise to hear him out.
Yes, the law-and-order Sessions could change his mind. And President Donald Trump could get involved in unpredictable ways. It’s also possible we’re reading too much into the conversation. But the substance of the meeting in and of itself should comfort those worried about the chaos that would result if the feds decided to crash the Colorado experiment.
Hickenlooper laid out the basics, noting that he worked against legalization here, but that he believes Colorado lawmakers and regulators have in place a good system that is getting better. The governor noted that we haven’t seen a rise in teenage use of the drug, that emergency room visits have decreased as laws regulating edibles have made the products safer and that the state worked this legislative session to tighten loopholes in grows that have seen large amounts of pot slipping into other states that haven’t legalized.
The administration has sent mixed messages on pot-legal states. On the campaign trail Trump said he would leave the states alone. But White House spokesman Sean Spicer has said that there would be greater enforcement on recreational sales.
To that point, Hickenlooper argued that a crackdown on recreational marijuana would lead us back to the days of massive use of medical marijuana, as recreational owners would switch to medical and we’ve all seen there are plenty of doctors willing to prescribe the drug.
“You would just be trading one problem for another,” Friednash said, adding that such a change would only encourage more gray- and black-market conditions.
Importantly, the governor and the attorney general ended the meeting positively. The pair agreed to share information to help inform federal decision-making and Sessions seemed interested in a visit to our fair state.
Working together to get through this change in leadership is the better path. We hope the relationship grows and contributes to thoughtful and responsible review of the status quo.
http://www.denverpost.com/2017/04/27/sessions-wise-to-hear-hickenlooper-out-on-weed/
Just another OTC market maker scam
Watch ARXS they have been consistently on the bid and ask
Understanding Market Makers
By Justin Kuepper
Market makers play a big role in over the counter markets like the OTC-BB and Pinksheets. Often times, there is not a lot of liquidity and trading volume in these markets, which creates a need for market makers to step in and create a trading environment. This article will explore how market makers function, especially in the OTC markets where they play a vital role.
What are Market Makers?
A market marker can be an individual or firm whose function is to help make a market for a security, by making bids and offers for their account in the absence of public buy or sell orders. These moves are designed to ensure that market transactions are as smooth and continuous as possible, removing any sudden surges and ditches due to buying and selling imbalances.
Unlike the NYSE’s specialist system, the Nasdaq OTC market passes orders from one market maker to another. These market makers compete with one another to buy or sell stocks to investors by displaying quotes and are obligated to buy and sell at their displayed bids and offers. They profit just like a book maker in Vegas by taking advantage of the bid and ask spreads.
Market makers regulate risk by increasing the spread between the bid and ask prices. When a security exhibits extreme volatility, market makers will increase the spread to give themselves a wider margin for error. Conversely, the spread is narrowed as demand increases and competition between market makers heats up for business.
How to Watch Market Makers
Investors can view the bid and ask prices from various market makers via so-called Level II screens. Some brokers provide this information for free for active traders, while investors can also purchase the information via subscription for around $49.95+ per month. The information can help day traders decipher spreads and determine motives among market makers.
Some investors try and profit from the motives of market makers. Sometimes, market makers will post an attractive price but with a limited number of shares. The result may be an investor that puts in a large order and gets it filled at less-attractive prices. Conversely, market makers may put in large “phantom orders” – never intended for execution – to create psychological resistance levels.
A Final Word on Market Makers
Contrary to popular opinion, being a market maker isn’t a license to print money. Market makers face several risks by being required to buy and sell at bid and ask prices. Often times, market makers lessen these risks by hedging their positions through short selling and swap agreements. These efforts can sometimes be misconstrued by individual investors to be “market manipulation”.
Despite their flaws, market makers provide an invaluable service for many OTC companies that have little or no trading volume. By creating a market for the stock, they ensure that any individual can step in and purchase stock, even if there are no willing buyers or sellers otherwise.
http://www.theotcinvestor.com/understanding-market-makers-089/
Marijuana 'not a factor' in drug war
Kelly: Marijuana 'not a factor' in drug war
By KEVIN ROBILLARD 04/16/17 09:18 AM EDT
Department of Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly said Sunday that marijuana was "not a factor" in the war on drugs and said solving the nation's drug problem was "not arresting a lot of users."
Kelly was discussing his work to stop the flow of drugs into the United States from Central America and Mexico when 'Meet The Press' host Chuck Todd asked if legalizing marijuana would help or hurt his work.
"Yeah, marijuana is not a factor in the drug war," Kelly responded, adding later: "It's three things. Methamphetamine. Almost all produced in Mexico. Heroin. Virtually all produced in Mexico. And cocaine that comes up from further south." Kelly said those three drugs, plus opiates, were responsible for the deaths of 52,000 people in the United States and cost the country $250 billion in 2015.
Kelly said the solution was to lower demand in the United States.
"The solution is not arresting a lot of users," he said.
"The solution is a comprehensive drug demand reduction program in the United States that involves every man and woman of goodwill. And then rehabilitation. And then law enforcement. And then getting at the poppy fields and the coca fields in the South."
http://www.politico.com/story/2017/04/kelly-marijuana-drug-war-237261
Your welcome HankyYank
Oregon mj sales far exceed expectations
Legal cannabis sales in America continue to be brisk in every state where the drug is sold over-the-counter—and they continue to defy expectations.
American consumers have a far greater appetite for marijuana than economists, accountants and other estimators thought. As sales figures from Oregon reveal, actual legal cannabis sales have outstripped some projections by more than six times.
In Oregon through the first three months of the year, roughly 11,000 pounds of cannabis were legally sold in the state’s approximately 300 legal dispensaries, for total sales revenue of $43.7 million, according to a recent report from the state Department of Revenue, published last week by KATU-2 News.
During that time, cannabis sales generated $13.4 million worth of sales tax revenue. Of that, 40 percent goes to schools and 20 percent to addiction treatment.
That all sounds nice. But consider: These were the slow months. For the rest of the year, sales climbed rapidly. By October, sales had doubled from March, for total sales receipts of $60.2 million, as Willamette Week reported, which is six times greater than post-legalization estimates dating from 2015.
So Oregonians and their visitors have a mighty thirst for legal cannabis. And that’s good! Because Oregon is facing a $1.8 billion budget deficit, a fiscal abyss even black-market marijuana sales couldn’t fix, were the state to supply the rest of the country with its illicit cannabis (as some law enforcement authorities suggest it is).
More than half of all marijuana sold in Oregon is sold (surprise) in and around the Portland metro area. Nearly three million grams of cannabis flower, worth more than $26 million, were sold in the area during the first three months of 2016, with more than $18 million sold in Portland proper alone.
Despite the slow start, total sales for the year were on pace to hit $200 million, or more than 60,000 pounds’ worth. That’s a lot—and it is, try to carry all that home in one trip—but it’s a tiny percentage of Oregon’s total cannabis-growing capacity, according to authorities.
A recent police estimate, leaked to and published in the Oregonian, posits that the state’s marijuana growers may be able to produce at least 265,000 surplus pounds, above and beyond what’s legally sold in stores, with a street value of more than $5 billion.
The Oregon State Police, by the way, receives 15 percent of the marijuana taxes, money they use to compile reports such as that.
Perhaps the cops have a point, as cannabis sales in the first two states to legalize the drug in America have steadily increased year-over-year to exceed $1 billion—and Oregon has a long way to go before that peak is reached.
Colorado recorded $1.3 billion worth of legal marijuana sales in 2016. While there are no gram-by-gram statistics available as there are in Oregon, the lion’s share—two-thirds, or nearly $900 million—was at recreational dispensaries, as the Cannabist reported. In Washington, sales were approaching the $1 billion mark.
Keep in mind that 2016 was the first full year of recreational marijuana sales in Oregon, which legalized retail sales of cannabis for adults 21 and over in 2014. Retail dispensaries opened the following fall. If Oregon follows the trajectory of the other two states, those initial guesses, made by educated people who do this sort of thing for a living, will be reduced in value to a child’s scribble made on the underside of a soiled napkin. Considering the budget pickle Oregon is in, that’s a very good thing.
http://hightimes.com/news/oregon-marijuana-sales-far-exceed-expectations/
Rational govt
Good news for Canadians! After a harsh and confusing month of arrests, dispensary raids and comments from the pot czar that he was in no hurry to legalize weed, it’s finally happening.
The Canadian Broadcast Corporation (CBC) says that the Liberal government of Justin Trudeau will announce legislation next month that will legalize marijuana in Canada by July 1, 2018.
Trudeau’s Liberal Party had long promised they would have legislation ready by the spring.
The CBC reported that the new regulations would basically follow recommendations released in December by a federally-appointed pot task force.
Bill Blair, the former Toronto police chief who has been dealing with the legal weed portfolio for the government, told the Liberal caucus that the roll-out plan and legislation was on track.
Provinces To Control Sales
The federal government will be in charge of making sure the country’s weed supply is safe and secure and Ottawa, the capital, will license producers.
Canada’s provinces will have the right to decide how cannabis will be distributed and sold, as well as set prices.
While Ottawa has set a minimum age of 18 to buy marijuana, the provinces will have the option of setting a higher age limit if they choose to do so.
Canadians, especially the young, are among the biggest users of weed in the world, according to UNICEF.
Authorities in Ottawa says legal pot under a strict regulation regime will make it easier to keep it away from young people, keep profits from organized crime, reduce the burden on police and justice system and improve public health.
Four Plants Per Household
Canadians who want to grow their own will be limited to four plants per household.
Legalizing weed was one of the more controversial promises Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made during his campaign.
The governing Liberals had agreed to legalize but to strictly regulate pot in order to keep it “out of the hands of children, and the profits out of the hands of criminals.”
Now, with everyone on the same page and ready to roll out the weed, recent raids on MMJ dispensaries seem to be all the more confusing and distressing for those negatively affected.
Just two weeks ago in Toronto, Vancouver and other cities the police raided and charged several people with possession and trafficking, including noted pot advocates Marc and Jodie Emery.
http://hightimes.com/news/canada-finally-sets-date-for-full-legalization/
154% revenue growth for 2016
Terra Tech Corp Reports Record Revenues for Year End December 31, 2016 and Issues Revenue Guidance for 2017 of $38 - $40 Million
Download as PDF March 31, 2017
154% REVENUE GROWTH YEAR-OVER-YEAR FOR FULL YEAR 2016; 229% REVENUE GROWTH QUARTER-OVER-QUARTER FOR Q4 2016
IRVINE, CA -- (Marketwired) -- 03/31/17 -- Terra Tech Corp. (OTCQX: TRTC) ("Terra Tech" or the "Company"), a vertically integrated cannabis-focused agriculture company, today announced its financial results for the year ending December 31, 2016.
Financial Summary for Full Year 2016
Total revenues for the full year 2016 were $25.33 million, an increase of 154% from $9.98 million in the year ended December 31, 2015; Total revenues generated for the quarter ended December 31, 2016 were approximately $7.13 million, an increase of 229% from $2.17 million in the same period in 2015.
Gross margin for the year ended December 31, 2016 amounted to approximately 10.2%, compared to approximately 10.2% for the year ended December 31, 2015.
Selling, general and administrative expenses for the year ended December 31, 2016 amounted to approximately $20.72 million, compared to approximately $9.83 million for the year ended December 31, 2015.
The net loss attributable to Terra Tech for the year ended December 31, 2016 was approximately $26.92 million or ($0.07) per share compared to a loss of approximately $9.23 million or ($0.04) per share for the year ended December 31, 2015. The increase in net loss is primarily attributable to an increase in sales, general and administrative expenses, an increase in other income (expense), and an increase in the loss associated with the issuance of convertible debt and warrants during the year ended December 31, 2016 compared to the prior year.
The Company had $9.75 million in cash as of December 31, 2016.
Stockholders' equity for the year ended December 31, 2016 amounted to approximately $52.15 million, an increase of approximately $45.81 million compared to approximately $6.34 million as of December 31, 2015.
Short-term debt as of December 31, 2016 amounted to approximately $564,000, compared with approximately $917,000 as of December 31, 2015. Long term debt increased from zero to $1.35 million during 2016, due to additional borrowings used for working capital and capital expenditures.
"2016 was a watershed year for both Terra Tech and the U.S. cannabis industry," said Derek Peterson, Chief Executive Officer of Terra Tech. "We made significant progress establishing a strong retail presence in our key target markets by acquiring Blum, Oakland in California and opening of a total of four medical cannabis dispensaries in Nevada. This was also the first full year selling our proprietary IVXX-branded premium medical cannabis products, and we were pleased to see IVXX sales have ramped up throughout the year as our marketing campaign gained momentum and new IVXX-branded products were launched. IVXX products are now sold in 225 dispensaries across California and Nevada, compared with the 200 dispensaries that stocked IVXX at the end of 2015. These efforts contributed to revenues of $25 million, representing year-over-year growth of 154%, exceeding the financial guidance set at the start of the year.
"We reached these milestones at a time when the cannabis industry was undergoing a significant shift toward legalization, which resulted in more than half of the states in the U.S. now having comprehensive medical cannabis laws and eight states and the District of Columbia having legalized recreational cannabis in some form. The passing of recreational cannabis ballots in Nevada and California opened significant markets to us and we are confident that our 2016 progress has positioned Terra Tech as a market-leading cannabis company, paving the way for strong growth in the business in 2017 and beyond."
Mr. Peterson concluded, "Of note in 2016, we also expanded our Edible Garden produce lines of natural, USDA Certified Organic herbs and vegetables. This subsidiary continues to provide meaningful revenues and steady cash flow to the Company to support its growth. We look forward to continued, long-term, sustainable value creation for Terra Tech's shareholders, customers and employees."
Operational Highlights for Full Year 2016
Cannabis Segment Updates:
The Company established a retail presence in the states of California and Nevada during 2016. In the fourth quarter 2016, the Company opened two Nevada-based medical cannabis dispensaries. This follows the purchase of one dispensary in Oakland, California and the opening of two dispensaries in Las Vegas, Nevada, during the first nine months of 2016.
In the fourth quarter 2016, Terra Tech was granted a license to open a medical cannabis dispensary and production facility in San Leandro, California. This is expected to open in 2017.
Terra Tech's wholly owned subsidiary, IVXX, launched two lines of pre-filled, IVXX-branded medical cannabis cartridges; the "Z35" cannabis oil cartridge line in April, 2016 and the "Z92" cartridges in June, 2016.
Edible Garden Updates:
Increased number of Edible Garden retailers to 1,900 on December 31, 2016, from 1,800 on December 31, 2015.
In the fourth quarter, Edible Garden added two contract farmers to its cooperative of local growers of fresh and local produce. This brings the Company's national contract farmer count to eight, compared with six at December 31, 2015.
In the fourth quarter 2016, Edible Garden installed an additional acre of its hydroponic Dutch movable table system. This move toward automation is expected to lead to increased productivity and gross margins at Edible Garden in 2017.
Edible Garden expanded its product line to include SUPERLEAF™, a nutritionally-enhanced lettuce variety developed in conjunction with Rutgers University, as well as potted living herbs and various vitamin and dietary supplement lines aimed at the healthy-living market.
Edible Garden®, received the following certifications in 2016: USDA Certified Organic, The Non-GMO Project certification, the Kosher Certification.
Edible Garden participated in the New York Produce Show and Conference in December, 2016.
2017 Guidance
Revenue guidance for the full year 2017 is $38-40 million. The predicted increase in year-over-year revenue is expected to be driven largely by sales from the Company's retail dispensaries in California and Nevada, as well as continued growth of the IVXX brand throughout the California and Nevada markets and increased sales at Edible Garden.
Conference Call
The company will also host a conference call on today, Friday, March 31, 2017 at 4:30 PM Eastern.
Dial-In Number: 1-857-232-0157
Access Code: 422095
Derek Peterson, Chairman and CEO of Terra Tech Corp., will be answering shareholder questions at the end of the call. Should you have questions during or prior to the conference call please send an email to TRTC@kcsa.com with TRTC Question in the subject line. Mr. Peterson will answer as many questions as time will allow.
For those unable to participate in the live conference call, a replay will be available at http://smallcapvoice.com/blog/trtc/. An archived version of the webcast will also be available on the investor relations section of the company's website.
To be added to the Terra Tech email distribution list, please email TRTC@kcsa.com with TRTC in the subject l
Alternative facts from a sidewalk watch salesman
Editorial: Jeff Sessions' Reefer Madness
Richmond Times-Dispatch
During his visit to Richmond on Wednesday, Confederate General Jeff Sessions broke the seal on the cryo-vault where he had been storing his opinion on marijuana — which apparently had been last updated around 1938.
“I reject the idea that America will be a better place if marijuana is sold in every corner store,” Sessions says in the official version of his remarks. “And I am astonished to hear people suggest that we can solve our heroin crisis by legalizing marijuana — so people can trade one life-wrecking dependency for another that’s only slightly less awful. Our nation needs to say clearly once again that using drugs will destroy your life.”
Give the AG credit for this much: It takes real skill to cram so much inanity into so little space. Let’s unpack it a little.
First, Sessions attacks a straw man. Nobody contends that “America will be a better place if marijuana is sold in every corner store.” But serious people from Milton Friedman to William F. Buckley have contended that current restrictions on marijuana are far too onerous — “the legal equivalent of a My Lai massacre,” as Buckley once put it — and that America would be a better place if they were relaxed.
Likewise, nobody has suggested “we can solve our heroin crisis by legalizing marijuana.” What researchers at Johns Hopkins have found is that states that have legalized marijuana for medicinal use have a 25 percent lower rate of opioid overdose. The Washington Post also reports: “Another study published in Health Affairs last year found that prescriptions for opioid painkillers such as OxyContin, Vicodin and Percocet paid for by Medicare dropped substantially in states that adopted medical marijuana laws.”
While Sessions mischaracterizes the case for medical marijuana and marijuana decriminalization, he lies like a sidewalk watch salesman when he suggests marijuana use is a “life-wrecking” dependency, “only slightly less awful” than heroin addiction, that will “destroy your life.”
Well. The number of Americans who died from overdosing on heroin or prescription pain relievers in 2015 was approximately 33,000. The number of Americans who died from overdosing on marijuana that year was exactly zero. Roughly 22 million Americans have used marijuana in the past month. Indeed, when compared against nine other drugs, from alcohol and tobaccco to cocaine to meth, marijuana presents the lowest fatality potential of all 10.
This is not meant to suggest that marijuana is harmless; it certainly is not, especially for adolescents. But to suggest that marijuana use is only slightly better than heroin addiction is simply laughable. America is having an important and sober debate about the degree to which marijuana should be restricted. Too bad Sessions isn’t interested in taking part.
http://www.richmond.com/opinion/our-opinion/editorial-jeff-sessions-reefer-madness/article_77bf7193-e886-5445-9efa-447e914fb609.html
Bring back the good old reefer madness
JEFF SESSIONS REALIZES HE CAN’T STOP POT LEGALIZATION—AND HE’S MAD, BRO
By Chris Roberts March 16, 2017
Our Confederate General Jeff Sessions is an angry man. He hates the idea of legalized marijuana and would prefer everyone in America suffered collective amnesia and forgot that medical cannabis is a thing for 85 percent of the country’s citizens.
But it appears he realizes that even with the DEA at his command, he can’t do anything about it—and oh, does this make him so mad.
A series of fits of pique, the impotent outbursts of a frustrated man, would be the best way to explain Sessions’s recent emissions on the subject of marijuana. On Wednesday, speaking to law enforcement officials in Richmond, Virginia, Sessions added to his pile of recent gems by contradicting what his own DEA said two years ago and insisting, without a shred of evidence, that marijuana and heroin are virtual equal evils.
Here’s Sessions’s full remarks, via the Washington Post:
“I reject the idea that America will be a better place if marijuana is sold in every corner store. And I am astonished to hear people suggest that we can solve our heroin crisis by legalizing marijuana — so people can trade one life-wrecking dependency for another that’s only slightly less awful. Our nation needs to say clearly once again that using drugs will destroy your life.”
As the Post pointed out, this contradicts what DEA Administrator Chuck Rosenberg said two years ago when he copped to the obvious and said cannabis is less harmful than heroin.
In a country where opiate overdoses kill 13,000 people a year and marijuana “overdoses” kill no one, Rosenberg’s is hardly a bold statement.
Yet Sessions has clung for dear life onto the antiquated notion, last taken seriously sometime in the Nixon administration by people who hadn’t left the house in decades, that cannabis is wholly harmful. A few weeks ago, Sessions posited that legalized marijuana is creating violence in the Midwest. That’s less crazy than what he said Wednesday, but only marginally.
What’s up with Jeff Sessions?
We have a theory. He’s acting out because he has realized he’s powerless to do anything about legalized marijuana and has reached the step where he is forced to admit it to himself. Because, within minutes of the above declaration, Sessions said that he won’t be able to use the Justice Department to shut down America’s burgeoning marijuana movement—and that the hands-off approach taken by Barack Obama’s Justice Department is “valid.”
As Tom Angell of Massroots first reported:
“The Cole Memorandum set up some policies under President Obama’s Department of Justice about how cases should be selected in those states and what would be appropriate for federal prosecution, much of which I think is valid,” Sessions said in a question-and-answer session with reporters on Wednesday following a speech in Richmond, Virginia.
Sessions added that he “may have some different ideas myself in addition to that” but indicated that the federal government would not be able to enforce its remaining marijuana prohibition laws across the board in states with legalization.
“Essentially we’re not able to go into a state and pick up the work that the police and sheriffs have been doing for decades,” he said.
He’s lost! He admitted to it. Richmond has fallen, General Lee has surrendered to Grant at Appomattox. The war is over… yet here’s Jeff, still in uniform, still barking orders, as if the first shots of Bull Run hadn’t been fired before we were all born.
At this stage, it’s worthwhile for everyone to take a step back and ask—why? Why does Sessions persist on this tired old line of thinking, which is scientifically unsound to start with, but also politically damaging?
Jeff Sessions could be taking a page from his boss’s book of artsy dealmaking, and using his bully pulpit to spout off about the things that irk him. Sessions may also be venting ahead of a string of meetings where people—police officers, even; important ones!—will be telling him things that he doesn’t want to hear.
Such as, legal marijuana hasn’t caused crime, has created tax revenue cops can share and is not in fact sold on every corner in any city in any place in America. On Thursday or Friday, Sessions is scheduled to have face-to-face time with Chicago police Chief Eddie Johnson and other big-city chiefs of police, the Sun-Times reported.
And if marijuana comes up, they’ll be forced to admit the obvious—weed isn’t causing them any problems.
Sessions is a true believer that marijuana is a horrible, horrible thing. This is no surprise. We’ve known this for some time, even before he openly pined last year for the Nancy Reagan days, back when a generation of school kids were taught that “good people don’t smoke marijuana.” Those kids are grown now. Many of them smoke weed while holding down jobs and raising children—good things. Many more of them don’t use marijuana—and yet are still voting to legalize it, in record numbers.
At some point, Sessions’s devotion to this particular Lost Cause will start causing him real problems.
He appears to be suffering from serious confirmation bias, seeking counsel from others in the like-minded minority such as the attorney general of Nebraska, whose lawsuit alleging that Colorado legalization caused problems in his state was so thinly sourced the Supreme Court refused to hear it. And the longer he persists, the more it will undermine his own authority.
“It’s much easier to ignore the words of a man who’s clearly not only ignorant but very comfortable in his own ignorance—a serious challenge for an attorney general, who’s the chief law enforcement officer in the United States,” said John Hudak, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, in comments to the Huffington Post.
The attorney general of the United States can’t keep repeating alternative facts without creating a significant credibility gap, between himself, the 46 attorneys he’ll soon appoint to replace the Obama-era appointments he just fired and the lawmakers in Congress whose constituents realize this is bogus and vote appropriately.
So keep the Reefer Madness coming, Jeff. Embrace it. Let it all out.
http://hightimes.com/news/jeff-sessions-realizes-he-cant-stop-pot-legalization-and-hes-mad-bro/
1980's ‘Just Say No’ campaign to be resuscitated
‘Just Say No’: AG Sessions Cites Old School Anti-Drug Motto
by JON SCHUPPE
Hilarious !
He's gonna make SNL great again.
A vertical grow is the way to go
Vertical indoor farming makes the best use of your valuable growing space
Takes less square footage to grow more buds.
Maximize grow space and maximize profits.
Vertical Farming: Is This The Future Of Growing Cannabis?
Delilah Butterfield January 23 2017
Farmland can be expensive and city lots are awfully small. When there’s no space to spread out, grow up. Vertical gardening is a practical way to maximize space and cut down on total costs of indoor cultivation. Many commercial operations already take advantage of the stacking approach, but vertical gardening offers a few benefits to home growers as well. Here’s why vertical farming jut might be the future of weed.
Vertical farming is a thing
Anyone who has passed by a hop farm has seen the rows upon rows of vertical hop vines. While it may come as a surprise to many, cannabis, a relative to hops, also yields well in vertical systems. In fact, many warehouse commercial cannabis grows rely on vertical methods to take full advantage of space.
While large commercial equipment is far from cost efficient for the average home grower, simple vertical gardens are easy to set up in your own home. Though, the initial cost of equipment can be a little costly, depending on the quality of the lights and other materials used.
How does a vertical grow work?
There are many different forms of vertical gardening. One of the most successful involves growing plants in a cylindrical hydroponic system with lighting suspended in the center.
The effect is similar to the sea of green (SOG) method, in which clones are put into flowering about two weeks into the vegetative phase. This forces them to produce a large, central cola. To achieve high yields using SOG, many cuttings are needed, making a true sea of green.
Vertical growing takes advantage of these techniques, allowing growers to produce many plants in a tiered system. Though, this method can also be used by small-scale growers looking to produce a couple of plants. This system allows growers to stack several levels of plants vertically around a central light, drastically increasing yield in a small space.
In a video for Spacesaver, a company which sells vertical grow systems specifically for cannabis businesses, Jeremy Heidl of O.Pen Vape explains that going vertical has drastically increased his production.
While they once had 320 square feet of canopy, after changing to a vertical system, the canopy increased to “over 16,000 square feet of canopy, so we’re talking basically a 500% increase in canopy size.”
Of course, Heidl’s team had access to commercial equipment designed for lofty warehouse spaces.
More reasons to go vertical
The benefits of vertical gardening go well beyond increasing yield and maximizing space. Vertical gardens can produce plants every day of the year, giving growers a continuous and reliable supply of cannabis. Different vertical gardening setups also take full advantage of a given light.
This could be very beneficial for home growers who need to cut down on electric bills or are interested in reducing their energy impact overall.
While outdoor cultivation, which takes advantage of a free source of energy, is perhaps considered the most environmentally sustainable, vertical gardening is a great way to make indoor operations more efficient, wasting fewer resources and cutting back on overall water use.
In some states, like California, individual towns and municipalities are legally allowed to ban the personal outdoor cultivation of cannabis. In these cases, prospective growers have to turn indoors.
Vertical farming is an excellent way for apartment dwellers or those in tight living quarters to get the most from their plants in a cramped location.
http://herb.co/2017/01/23/vertical-farming/
Elevated platforms maximize growing space
Grow up not out
Use the vertical space to achieve big results
Just ask Warren Buffet's Cubic Designs Inc
Ice cream, candy and soft drinks helped make Warren Buffett a billionaire. Now a subsidiary of his Berkshire Hathaway Inc. is seeking to profit from pot.
Cubic Designs Inc., a unit of Berkshire’s MiTek business that makes platforms for maximizing usable floor space in warehouses, sent about 1,000 fliers to weed dispensaries in recent weeks, offering to help growers expand the number of plants they cultivate.
“Double your growing space,” the flier reads in capital letters, above an image of an indoor facility with rows of plants. Another page says, “Grow your profits.”
The entreaty coincides with increasing acceptance of marijuana in the U.S. Two states, Colorado and Washington, legalized possession and recreational consumption, and are among 23 where it can be used as medicine. It’s banned under federal law, and banks have said they won’t work with the industry until it’s legal nationwide.
Cubic Designs spotted the opportunity after a few pot growers approached the firm about its platforms, or mezzanine systems, according to Shannon Salchert, the company’s marketing coordinator. Warehouse space has gotten tight in places like Denver, where growers are looking for facilities to cultivate their product. That demand has allowed landlords to raise prices.
“We sold a few mezzanines into that market and decided internally, ‘Why don’t we do some marketing?’” Salchert said today in a phone interview.
‘Still Secretive’
One challenge has been locating growers, because they don’t advertise their names or whereabouts, she said. The fliers were instead sent to dispensaries in states including Colorado, Washington and California, with the hope that they’d be passed on to people who might find a use for the product. Cubic Designs also has considered working with real estate agents who help growers find space, she said.
“The one thing with this industry that’s kind of tough is that it’s somewhat still secretive,” Salchert said.
Buffett, 84 and the world’s third-richest person, amassed his fortune through Berkshire’s acquisition of companies such as Dairy Queen and See’s Candies, and by taking leading stakes in others, such as Coca-Cola Co. He’s known for giving the dozens of units at Berkshire autonomy to run their operations. Buffett didn’t immediately reply to a message today sent to his assistant.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2014-09-12/buffett-s-berkshire-has-unit-that-helps-marijuana-growers
New IVXX cultivation facility
Terra Tech Announces Construction of a New Cannabis Cultivation Facility in California
March 07, 2017
NEWPORT BEACH, CA -- (Marketwired) -- 03/07/17 -- Terra Tech Corp. (OTCQX: TRTC) ("Terra Tech") or (the "Company"), a vertically integrated cannabis-focused agriculture company, today announced the construction of a new cultivation facility in Oakland, California.
Terra Tech has executed a lease for 13,000 square feet of industrial space on over 30,000 square feet of land in Oakland's industrial corridor. The Company is in the final stages of designing a state of the art cultivation facility projected to produce over one metric ton of premium grade cannabis per annum for its IVXX brand. The design includes fully automated environmental controls which are anticipated to reduce production costs associated with the cultivation of IVXX cannabis. Construction is expected to be completed by the end of Q3 2017, with full production capacity expected by the end of Q4 2017. As a partner to the City and in renewed commitment to the Oakland community, TRTC will work with the City of Oakland to ensure that the new cultivation facility meets all permitting and operational requirements, inclusive of any requirements that may be adopted by the Council.
Derek Peterson, Terra Tech Chief Executive Officer, stated, "This new facility will bring scale to our cannabis production capacity, representing yet another step towards increasing Terra Tech's margins. We expect our expanded capacity to drive sales of our IVXX premium cannabis products in California, which is our leading market, as demand continues to strengthen."
Salwa Ibrahim, Executive Director of Blum, commented, "The Oakland City Building and Fire Departments have been great to work with as we finalize our design schematics. The City is forward thinking with respect to best in class construction practices, especially green building practices. We built on our experience from previous designs and projects to streamline this construction process as we expand our capacity to meet the burgeoning demand in the emergent cannabis industry."
http://ir.terratechcorp.com/press-releases/detail/181
Cannabis is not a crime...in Israel
Israel makes it official: Cannabis is not a crime
By Oren Liebermann and Kara Fox, CNN
Updated 1738 GMT (0138 HKT) March 6, 2017
Jerusalem (CNN)In Israel's divisive political climate, a common cause between right and left has emerged: cannabis.
Israel's Cabinet decriminalized the recreational use of cannabis, or marijuana, at its weekly meeting on Sunday in a move hailed by politicians from across the spectrum.
Under the new policy, first-time offenders caught using marijuana in public will be subject to a fine of approximately $250, but will not face criminal charges. The money will be used for drug rehabilitation and education. A second offense will be subject to a fine of approximately $500, while a third offense may require rehabilitation, education and a suspended driver's license. A fourth offense will be subject to prosecution and a possible prison term.
The global experiment on marijuana legalization
"Whether one supports use of cannabis or is opposed, it is wrong to judge cannabis users per criminal law and its derivatives," right-wing Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked said. "The State of Israel cannot turn a blind eye in light of changes worldwide regarding cannabis consumption and effect."
Israel's decision to decriminalize cannabis comes as global attitudes about the drug are rapidly shifting. More than 20 countries are exploring changes to their marijuana laws — in the United States, eight states and the District of Columbia now allow for recreational sales and medical prescriptions.
Worldwide, many nations have already decriminalized cannabis in an attempt to combat societal problems associated with its use -- including the Netherlands, Mexico, Czech Republic, Costa Rica and Portugal.
"This is an important step, but it's not the end of the road," said Tamar Zandberg, from the left-wing Meretz Party. Zandberg also serves as chairwoman of the Committee on Drug and Alcohol Abuse. "It's a message that millions of Israelis who consume cannabis are not criminals."
Cannabis: Israel's next big medical export?
Marijuana advocates hope the new policy encourages entrepreneurship and investment in Israel's burgeoning cannabis industry.
Israel is one of the world leaders in medical marijuana, backed by the Ministry of Health, whose ultra-Orthodox leader has encouraged research and innovation. Numbering only a few dozen medical marijuana users a decade ago, Israel now has approximately 25,000 users. Cannabis companies estimate the industry could be worth hundreds of millions of dollars soon, even in such a small country.
"Decriminalizing cannabis in Israel is another step towards creating a Canna-Tech global industry, with Israel at the forefront," said Saul Kaye, CEO of iCan, a cannabis entrepreneurship incubator. "This step, although not legitimizing use, is due to reduce the negative perception of the plant as 'immoral or 'criminal', increasing openness to its outstanding medicinal and wellness properties."
"The Cabinet approval is an important step on the way to implementing the new policy that will put emphasis on explaining and treating rather than on criminal enforcement," said Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan.
The Ministry of Public Security recommended decriminalizing marijuana earlier this year. Sunday's announcement signaled the official adoption of the policy.
http://edition.cnn.com/2017/03/06/health/israel-decriminalizes-cannabis-marijuana/index.html
Defiance wafted through the air
Pot festival in Nevada goes forward despite fears of federal crackdown
By David Montero March 5, 2017
The U.S. attorney’s office was clear in its letter to the Indian tribe and the organizers of the High Times Cannabis Cup — marijuana could not legally be bought, sold, transferred or consumed at the festival this weekend.
Perhaps that letter should’ve been sent to the thousands who attended Saturday as well.
Defiance wafted through the air, billowing from bowls, bongs and joints.
The dry dusty air may have contributed to reddening some eyes, but it was by no means the only culprit. The federal government may have said no marijuana was allowed at the Cannabis Cup, but the directive seemed to have the effect of gravel trying to stop water.
Like water, pot found a way.
Last fall Nevada voters easily passed an initiative to legalize the recreational use of marijuana, but the Cannabis Cup was being held about 45 miles northeast of Las Vegas at the Moapa Paiute Indian Reservation, and that’s under federal authority. Hence, the letter from the U.S. attorney’s office and the surprises that ensued.
At the Got Meds booth, a Michigan-based medical marijuana dispensary, a woman approached owner Mike Barron and asked what kinds of pot he had for sale while packing a bowl with weed.
“You do know you’re in violation of federal law right now just by holding that?" Barron asked.
The woman looked startled, laughed nervously and backed away.
Barron watched her for a moment until she disappeared into a crowd milling between booths selling T-shirts, food trucks and a group of performance artists. He turned to Dustin Yancey, his store manager who had been selling all manner of bongs — the most expensive being about $200 — for much of the morning.
Between customers, Yancey went to the back of the tent and took a hit off his own bong.
Barron said aside from a warning by local tribal police to not buy, sell or use weed, enforcement seemed lax — similar to what might be witnessed a Phish concert.
“They keep fighting against marijuana and yet, more places keep legalizing it,” Barron said. “It's only a matter of time.”
Nevada was one of four to legalize recreational marijuana use in November — bringing that total to eight states. There are 28 states that allow marijuana for medical use. For advocates of marijuana, it marked a watershed as they pushed more than half the states to legalize marijuana in some capacity.
The Obama administration did not endorse legalization, but took a largely hands-off approach, reiterating that under federal law marijuana was still a Schedule 1 drug — like heroin — while still leaving states to mostly do as they pleased.
But remarks by recently confirmed U.S. Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions brought some fears that there might be a renewed focus by the federal government to crack down on marijuana.
Sessions had said that “states they can pass the laws they choose" but emphasized “it does remain a violation of federal law to distribute marijuana throughout any place in the United States, whether a state legalizes it or not."
Skittish senators in some states where marijuana has been legalized sent a letter to the Justice Department urging for a continuation of Obama-era policies that weren't targeting pot, and Sessions has since said he wasn’t looking to begin a crackdown. On the other hand, Sessions also said the Justice Department was reviewing the issue.
Cannabis Cup spokesman Joe Brezny said there was a lot of communication between the event organizers, the Moapa tribe, state and county authorities and U.S. Atty. Daniel Bogden to make sure the event complied with the law, given tribal land is under federal jurisdiction and tribal police.
Cannabis Cup organizers didn’t believe the letter from Bogden reflected a change in federal strategy toward marijuana under President Trump.
“Zero,” Brezny said. “I'm not a Trump administration guy and I would call it that way if I thought it was because of that. I don't see this as anything other than a continuation of the U.S. attorney's office being cautious of public marijuana consumption at a public event.”
Trisha Young, spokeswoman for the U.S. attorney's office in Las Vegas, said she would not comment on any enforcement strategies related to the Cannabis Cup.
Organizers said about 10,000 people bought tickets for the festival, which featured a nighttime concert headlined by Ludacris.
The Moapa Events Center was right off Interstate 15, and a stream of cars curled past a gas station and small casino where they parked in a dirt lot. Inside the festival, rows of booths with merchants peddling weed wares tried to keep some of their products from blowing away.
A giant balloon advertising a seed store based in Huntington Beach had to be hauled down by a dozen people after winds got too strong.
If some festivalgoers chose to relax without the benefit of marijuana, several massage booths were available. Throughout the festival, people swayed to music from E-40, Snoop Dogg and Kelly Price.
And it was hard to walk anywhere without seeing a poster, sign or T-shirt featuring a double-entendre. ("Just wanted to say high,” one sign proclaimed.)
But because the event had to adapt to the letter — informing merchants at the last minute that they couldn’t sell marijuana and that it couldn't be ingested — it was supposed to be officially pot-free.
That put a crimp in the cooking competition, in which chefs were supposed to be set up against each other, bracket style, and make dishes infused with cannabis.
Alisha Brown of Las Vegas faced off against Brian Peace, with both making Italian dishes for a panel of three judges who drove from Salt Lake City. But at the last minute, all the cannabis-based cooking oils had to be replaced with regular oils.
“Now it's essentially a cooking competition,” Brezny said.
Peace, who beat Brown to advance to the next round, said the change in plans affected the entire approach to cooking. And both chefs said it removed some of the luster from the event.
“It's making progress,” Brown said of the march toward pot legalization. "I hope we can get to a point where it's just not an issue anymore.”
Some attendees believed legalization wasn’t slowing down and that as more states pass marijuana legislation, it will eventually reach a critical mass.
Phil Russo, who runs a medical marijuana business in Michigan, said he would like to see pot legalized federally to remove the barriers to using banks and allow his patients to use credit cards. With the federal prohibition still in place, banks won’t serve marijuana businesses, which has created security headaches for establishments that deal with lots of cash.
But Russo, eating a slice of pizza on a patch of grass near the concert stage as the dry wind kicked up, said momentum is still on marijuana’s side.
“The states are driving it,” he said. “I don’t think that’s going to stop anytime soon.”
http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-pot-festival-nevada-20170305-story.html
Mj science vs alternative facts
This comment from AG Sessions is truly laughable, especially where he says “maybe science will prove I’m wrong.” Sessions either does not pay attention to scientific research on cannabis or he is aware of the scientific evidence that proves him wrong and completely ignores it. Sessions is a smart guy so we think he is just being deceptive. Lying. Alternative facts. Whatever it takes to suit his own narrative.
We’ve been writing for two weeks now on the recently published high level scientific findings on the efficacy of cannabis in reducing opioid abuse and addiction. Sessions’ statement about how the opiate abuse argument is a “desperate attempt to defend the harmlessness of marijuana” is also untrue. Those of us defending marijuana’s harmlessness (with or without the opioid argument) are not doing so desperately, we’re doing so because marijuana is actually harmless. We are doing so because we respect science.
We get it Mr. Sessions if you do not like cannabis and believe it is bad for America. That is your right in a free country. But it is corrosive to our democracy and to our legal system to have our top law enforcement officer lie and lie and then lie some more.
Are we asking too much to expect our top law enforcement officer to be straight with us? Should Sessions be impeached?
http://www.cannalawblog.com/
Medical marijuana has won
No medical marijuana patient’s garden was too small for Asa Hutchinson. Under Hutchinson, who served as the administrator for the DEA under George W. Bush from August 2001 to January 2003, the nation’s drug cops raided cannabis grows with as few as six plants.
Once the windowsill-sized gardens were wiped out, their gardeners went to prison—even if they were demonstrably sick medical marijuana patients, and even if it required some legal trickery.
To trigger plant-count-based mandatory minimums, Justice Department prosecutors would add up the number of marijuana plants grown over a period of several years. This meant growers in California could be in constant compliance with state law, but if they grew 33 plants a year for three years or more, it meant prison time in a federal bust.
It was ugly, but it was a losing battle long since lost—and at last, everyone seems to be admitting it.
Eight years after leaving the DEA, Hutchinson told a university audience that sick people should be allowed whatever doctors recommend, “whether it is Marinol or marijuana or whatever.”
This fall, Hutchinson, now the Republican governor of Donald Trump-supporting Arkansas, opposed a ballot measure to legalize medical marijuana in his state—but it won anyway. Twenty-eight states now allow medical marijuana.
Since then, Hutchinson has kept up a pledge not to stand in the way and has signed into law the legislation required to put cannabis in Arkansas’ patients hands. Those bad old days of raids on tiny medical gardens? They’re over forever.
“I think it’s too late to turn back the clock on medical marijuana,” he told the Daily Beast over the weekend.
Not exactly a full-throated endorsement, but hugely significant—because this is now what passes for mainstream Republican politics.
President Donald Trump signaled support for medical marijuana on the campaign trail and appears set to keep that promise. On Wednesday, White House press secretary Sean Spicer—who set off the latest round of marijuana’s existential angst by suggesting recreational cannabis could see more federal enforcement—took pains to clarify that medical marijuana is cool and good.
“[T]here is a specific carve-out… for medical marijuana,” Spicer said in response to a reporter’s question on Wednesday. “And I think the president understands that that can be a vital part of treatment, especially for terminally ill patients and people facing certain kinds of medical things.”
Even truth-challenged Attorney General Jeff Sessions hasn’t had discouraging words to say about medical cannabis.
Know what this means? Medical marijuana has won.
There will be some diehards fighting rearguard actions, and it will still take some time before all 50 states have reliable access to medical cannabis. But whether it was a whopping 93 percent of Americans telling pollsters they support medical marijuana, or the shameful realization that so much time and money had been spent on policing plants for patients, even steadfast drug warriors know that particular war is over.
It’s been easy to forget in all the hoopla over what Sessions may do to recreational cannabis, but medical marijuana is here to stay in the United States.
Only recreational cannabis is currently in question—and then only for anyone living in pure denial. Seventy-three percent of Americans support legalization, and even anti-weed governors prefer to dodge questions rather than soapbox about the perils of legal weed as they would have when Hutchinson’s DEA was fighting a plant-by-plant struggle.
And if the past is still prologue, this means it’s only a matter of time before the same detente is made with recreational cannabis.
Even with Jeff Sessions in charge of the Justice Department, the DEA is not nearly as militant as it was in Hutchinson’s day. We’ve made it. All we’re waiting for is for everyone to realize it.
http://hightimes.com/news/republicans-quietly-admit-medical-pot-is-here-to-stay/
Sessions contradicts Spicey's propaganda
Sessions reassures senators: No pot crackdown imminent
Worries about a shift in federal enforcement in states that have legalized recreational use may be overblown.
By BURGESS EVERETT 03/02/17 02:05 PM EST Updated 03/02/17 05:54 PM EST
The Trump administration is causing serious paranoia among marijuana advocates with its hints of a federal crackdown on recreational use. But Attorney General Jeff Sessions has privately reassured some Republican senators that he won't deviate from an Obama-era policy of allowing states to implement their own marijuana laws.
Sessions has rattled both libertarians and liberals in ordering a review of the hands-off pot policy under President Barack Obama. But Sessions provided some private assurances to senators before he was confirmed that he was not considering a major shift in enforcement, despite his opposition to the use of marijuana.
“He told me he would have some respect for states' right on these things. And so I’ll be very unhappy if the federal government decides to go into Colorado and Washington and all of these places. And that’s not the [what] my interpretation of my conversation with him was. That this wasn’t his intention," said Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.). in an interview.
And since he was confirmed, Sen. Cory Gardner (R-Colo.) said administration officials have left him with the impression there is no big policy change coming.
"Nothing at this point has changed," Gardner said.
But a large group of bipartisan senators aren't taking any chances. They sent a letter on on Thursday urging Sessions to uphold the Obama-era policy of allowing states to implement their recreational marijuana laws, after the Trump administration has indicated it could crack down on marijuana.
The effort is led by Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), who hail from states that have legalized marijuana. Press secretary Sean Spicer has hinted at "greater enforcement" of federal laws treating marijuana as an illegal drug. Sessions said this week that he is "dubious about marijuana" and is reviewing current policy.
But senators are beginning to push back.
"We respectfully request that you uphold DOJ's existing policy regarding states that have implemented strong and effective regulations for recreational use," the senators wrote to Sessions. "It is critical that states continue to implement these laws."
Eight states and the District of Columbia have legalized marijuana for recreational use. Most of the senators who signed on to the letter hail from those states; Murkowski is the only Republican. The senators who signed the letter in addition to Warren and Murkowski are Democratic Sens. Patty Murray of Washington, Ron Wyden of Oregon, Jeff Merkley of Oregon, Maria Cantwell of Washington, Ed Markey of Massachusetts, Brian Schatz of Hawaii, Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada, Cory Booker of New Jersey and Michael Bennet of Colorado.
"Do they really respect states' rights? Then you should respect all of them, not just pick and choose the ones that you want to support or not. Many states have gone not only the path of Nevada of recreational marijuana but medical marijuana. How can you pick or choose one or another?" Cortez Masto said in an interview.
Cortez Masto's GOP colleage, Sen. Dean Heller, separately disclosed that he discussed his state's marijuana policy with Sessions during the nomination process in a letter to Sessions. Heller also urged Sessions to keep current policy.
"While I maintain that, unlike medical marijuana, I have serious concerns on whether or not the benefits of recreational marijuana outweigh the drawbacks, I recognize and respect the will of Nevadans," Heller wrote on Wednesday.
But a Justice Department spokesman said senators should mellow out. "The department’s current policy is reflected in the 2013 Cole Memo," the DOJ spokesman said, referring to the Obama policy.
The concern, however, isn't just among senators from states that have legalized the drug. It's also an issue for conservatives who are worried about the GOP selectively allowing states' rights to supercede federal law.
"We’re concerned about some of the language that we’re hearing. And I think that conservatives who are for states' rights ought to believe in states' rights. I'm going to continue to advocate that the states should be left alone," Paul said.
Gardner, whose home state was a pioneer in legalizing the drug, was less alarmed by the statements coming from Sessions and Spicer.
“He was talking about if there’s cartels involved in illegal operations, they’re going to crack down on that. That’s what everybody’s saying. I still haven’t heard Jeff Sessions say that" there's a big policy change coming, Gardner said. "We obviously want to make sure we're clear on what they’ve said."
However, Sessions came awfully close earlier this week to suggest sweeping changes are coming, saying that the Obama-era policy is under review.
"I'm definitely not a fan of expanded use of marijuana," Sessions told reporters. "States they can pass the laws they choose. I would just say it does remain a violation of federal law to distribute marijuana throughout any place in the United States, whether a state legalizes it or not."
In an interview, Murkowski said she was not yet alarmed, but was monitoring the Justice Department closely.
"It's probably a little premature to try to predict what may or may not be coming out of the administration on this, so I think we just need to sit back and see," she said.
http://www.politico.com/story/2017/03/jeff-sessions-marijuana-crackdown-senators-react-235616
How bout a new FDA director ?
A guy with half a brain to help offset the blind ignorance that's been displayed so far.
March forward Luck in one hand Risk in the other
Place yer bets Take yer chances !
Six Things Lucky People Do That Others Don't
By Margie Warrell , Forbes Magazine
None of us are lucky all of the time, but there's not doubt that some people tend to be luckier than others. You might say, it's not fair. Or you might take a look at how they look at life and ask yourself whether it's the way they see the world that is helping them get luckier in it. The truth is that lucky people aren't lucky by sheer accident. They're lucky because of the mindset they bring to life. A mindset that accepts bad luck as inevitable but good luck as something we create by sheer hard work, bravery and optimism.
As Martin Seligman, the founder of positive psychology once wrote, "Optimists endure the same storms in life as pessimists. But they weather them better and emerge from them better off." And so it is with luck. You may not be able to control the economy, the weather, the stock market or the universe, but research shows that you can create your own good fortune. It's a long game but with a strong pay off. Lucky people weather the storms of life by seeing hidden opportunities, trusting themselves and taking bold action. When troubles arise, they are buoyed by help from supportive friends. You can change your luck this spring with the same strategies. Here’s how.
1. They Trust Their Intuition
Too often we lean too heavily on left brain logic alone. So if you've made a few unlucky decisions think about where you could be tuning in more to your intuition and asking yourself "Does this feel right?" Of course it's not about throwing out the logic-baby with the bathwater, but it's about tuning into that 'sixth' sense rather than ignoring it. As research shows, when it comes to the really big decisions in life, over analyzing things can actually lower your odds of making the best decision. Studies have found that your brain discerns subtle, complex patterns that go beyond conscious understanding.
Those indecipherable insights can help you make better decisions. As I wrote in my latest book Brave, it takes guts to trust your gut and the more often you do, the better it can guide you. Don’t ignore a hunch or silence your internal alarms just because you can’t explain them. Lucky people act on these instincts.
2. They Take Risks
The lucky breaks people have nearly always stem from brave action; from taking a risk . They aren't luck at all. They're the result of courageous action; rising above our innate aversion to risk that's wired into our DNA. That is, we're programmed to focus more on what we have to lose than on what we have to gain. Acting in concert with this is our inability to accurately predict the cost of inaction. It explains why so many people stick with situations that leave them miserable rather than leaving the security of the known for the unfamiliarity of a better unknown.
Of course there are many valid risks in life and we need to be mindful of them but dwelling on risks can keep us from seeing opportunity. As I wrote in my first book Find Your Courage, "Push yourself outside your comfort zone and lay your vulnerability on the line for something more important than your pride and short term safety." Nothing worthwhile is ever created without a risk. The key - don't wait to feel brave before you start acting as though you were!
3. They Expect Good Things To Happen
People who expect good things to happen to them attract more good things. Call it woo woo positive thinking fluff, but there is a lot of science behind the 'law of attraction.' The truth is that what you put out you get back... not instantly, not every time, but over time when you expect good things to happen you'll find they generally do.
I recall the time that I was held up in an armed robbery when I was 19 weeks pregnant with my first child - then ten days later finding out that my unborn baby had died. My world turned on its axis for a while because I just thought bad unlucky things like that didn't happen to me. Yet, alas, they clearly did. However, I vividly recall in the months that followed making a very conscious decision not to buy into a sense of victimhood. Sure, I'd had two pretty unlucky things happen back to back, but I was determined they would neither define me nor define my future.
That decision ultimately served me very well teaching me that life truly is a self-fulfilling prophecy. What you expect to happen often does - for better or worse. Your beliefs about the future have a way of making it happen.
4. They See The Glass Half Full
A setback for one person can be a wonderful opportunity for another. It's not about what happens, but how you interpret it and the opportunity you find in it. As Napoleon Hill once wrote, "In every adversity is the seed of an equal or greater benefit." When you choose to look for opportunity in your adversities, you are guaranteed to find them If you can't, look harder.
You'll never find good fortune in things if you are only looking at what's wrong and what you don't have. As I wrote in Stop Playing Safe, “By being optimistic we can find opportunity in adversity and take actions that our pessimistic friends wouldn’t bother to take. In turn we create new opportunities for ourselves."
5. They Embrace Failure As Inevitable
No one - I repeat no one - is lucky all the time. We all have setbacks. We all have disappointments. We all have our plans rained on from time to time. SUCH. IS. LIFE. But the people we often think of as lucky don't let bad luck stop them from trying to create more good luck. “Lucky people’s high expectations motivate them to persist,” even when they don’t succeed, says psychologist Richard Wiseman, Ph.D., author of The Luck Factor.
6. They Hang Out With Other Lucky People
Let's face it, the people we hang out with impact our outlook on life. So if you're hanging out with a lot of whining, complaining people who are down on their luck, then chances are you'll soon be down on yours. Emotions are contagious. Optimism. Pessimism. Fear. Confidence. Ambition. Resignation. Be intentional about spending more time with people who have a positive outlook on life and less time with people who don't. It may well be the singular most critical factors to your future luck.
Hand in hand with hanging out with like-minded lucky thinking people, it's also vital to heed Gandhi's words and be the change you want to see in others. Look on the lighter brighter side of things. Be cheerful. Share an encouraging word. Offer a helping hand to make someone else feel lucky. Turn those lemons into lemonade. Stand tall, put a smile on your face and step into the rest of your day with a look on your face that tells people you expect to have a good one... regardless of what's happening around you!
Good luck! Not that you need it... just go make it.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/margiewarrell/2015/03/17/create-the-luck-youve-been-wishing-for/#718bc60f4ace
Good post. Sessions may not be so bad
Spicey at his finest
Hypocrisy at its Finest: Spicer’s Wife Senior VP for National Wholesale Beer Distributors Assoc.
Friday was a bloody day for the cannabis sector and the weakness was concerning as it stems from comments regarding recreational cannabis delivered by Press Secretary Sean Spicer.
Press Secretary Sean Spicer has reason to destroy the emerging domestic legal cannabis industry…his wife is Senior Vice President of Public Affairs for National Wholesale Beer Distributor’s Association. Coincidence, think not!!
Meet the woman behind the Spice…Rebecca Spicer
“As chief communications officer, Rebecca Spicer manages NBWA’s communications strategy – including internal, membership and external communications – and executes key public relations strategies to advance the association’s advocacy priorities”
A Claim Not Supported by Intelligence
On Thursday, Press Secretary Sean Spicer said the President understands the value of medical cannabis for those in need, however, recreational cannabis or adult-use is an issue for the Department of Justice to provide further clarification.
Spicer seemed to link marijuana use to the opioid addiction crisis plaguing the United States. Despite his un-educated attempt to link cannabis use to opioid addiction, a Johns Hopkins report published in August 2014 determined that states with legal marijuana programs have fewer prescription overdose deaths.
In January 2017, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine also released a review of 10,000 medical cannabis studies published since 1999. These data associated with these studies provide substantial evidence that supports the use of cannabis or its extracts for the treatment of chronic pain.
In November 2015, Forbes Magazine reported about a 60-Minutes episode that blamed the opioid crisis entirely on big pharmaceutical companies.
A Relationship to Look Into
Although there is no direct link between the National Wholesale Beer Distributor’s Association and Sean Spicer, it is easy to understand he would profit from the rollback of marijuana legalization.
Plus, the possibility of collusion is much more likely than claims by Spicer as he tried link marijuana use to the opioid addiction crisis plaguing the United States.
https://technical420.com/cannabis-article/hypocrisy-its-finest-spicer%E2%80%99s-wife-senior-vp-national-wholesale-beer-distributors
He's prolly skating on thin ice with Trump
Maybe we'll get a few more SNL episodes, before Trump fires him on 4/20
Spicey's in way over his head. No experience
Does anyone really believe his alternative facts ?
The overreaction to Spicey's alternative facts is comical
DEFINITION of 'Overreaction'
A market hypothesis stating that investors and traders react disproportionately to new information about a given security. This will cause the security's price to change dramatically, so that the price will not fully reflect the security's true value immediately following the event. Typically, the price swing from overreaction is not long lasting, as the stock price will tend to return back to its true value over time.