High Times May 2016

• The Best Joint Rollers in the World Over the past few years, the National Joint League has brought together some of the best rollers in the world to duke it out head-to-head in friendly competition. With five seasons of matches under its belt, the NJL considers itself the “only TRUE creative rolling competition,” and one glance at the league’s incredible creations will leave you in disbelief at the level of ingenuity and precision that goes into each joint. Want more of this eye candy in your life? Check out our gallery of work from the National Joint League at hightimes.com ! And follow the NJL on Instagram (@the_nationaljoint_league)! • Big Bud Basics Proper planning and planting in the spring will help yield bigger plants come fall,…

A measure in California’s new medical marijuana regulations calls for cannabis appellation, which means certain strains would be labeled based on where the pot was cultivated. Similar to the way sparkling wine can only be labeled “champagne” if it was produced in the Champagne region of France, appellation would ensure that consumers knew exactly where certain strains were grown. There are many reasons why growers are excited by this idea, but we wondered whether it would make a difference to the general pot-smoking public. And apparently it does! With over 600 votes, a whopping 59 percent said that labels would change their bud-buying habits. Cast your vote in our latest poll online!…

As the legalization movement continues to spread across the country, the mainstream media have inevitably taken a reactionary stance to the many implications of the cannabis industry’s sudden and rapid growth. In addition to concerns over health and safety, the media have also focused on the allegedly “astounding” amounts of energy required to grow cannabis. The astronomical figures cited in these reports make it seem like weed grows in Dr. Frankenstein’s laboratory, squeezed between two giant power coils running off stolen electricity. After environmental scientist Evan Mills published his article “The Carbon Footprint of Indoor Cannabis Production” in 2012, the media scurried to cover his astonishing claim that cannabis cultivation accounts for 1 percent of the nation’s total energy consumption, or about the same amount it takes to power nearly…

I worry that the agencies responsible for ensuring the safety of legal cannabis will be providing us with nothing more than a false sense of protection and increased prices. Great Lakes Debate I think you erroneously reported on the status of legalization in Michigan [“Michigan’s March to Legalization,” Mar. ’16]. I know Rick Thompson and Jamie Lowell are big dispensary owners, but the people don’t like their MI Legalize initiative. We Michiganders would appreciate your accurate coverage of the true politics as we try to repeal cannabis prohibition. No, we aren’t millionaires. Watch us at americansforcannabis.com. Jenine Kamp MI Legalize has gained over 200,000 signatures and will most likely be on the 2016 ballot. So, obviously, the initiative is much more popular than you believe. Also, for the record, Rick…

INDOOR VS. OUTDOOR Lights, camera, action: This indoor grow runs about 45,000 watts of electricity, but high yields spin those expenses right into profits with the snip of some shears. Outdoor plants absorb light from the big bulb in the sky, forcing farmers to rely on Mother Nature’s generosity every season, but when it rains, it pours. For more, see our coverage on page 72. Photo by Canna Obscura FRESH CUT FLOWERS This mouth-watering mound of organic Blue Dream was grown to perfection outdoors in Northern California. The unkempt cannabis will receive a thorough trimming before making its way to local dispensaries, where the sativa-dominant strain is a favorite among medical patients looking for powerful yet clear-headed relief. Photo by Freebie SUPPORT YOUR PLANTS Keeping budding branches upright provides them…

“The reason that I’m interested in defending people charged with dope is because I want to undercut the government’s political base and their use of dope as a phony enemy. The enemy’s not dope. The enemy’s the goddamn police force.” In 1974, Michael Kennedy was handpicked by this magazine’s founder, Tom Forçade, to be its first line of defense against the dark forces that were certain to line up against a publication whose stated mission was to confront popular misconceptions regarding illegal drugs. For 42 years, Michael Kennedy provided High Times an impenetrable legal shield that has allowed us the freedom to expose the lies behind the War on Drugs, and to recover the truth about the cannabis plant that generations of opportunistic politicians, morally-bankrupt enforcement agencies, and fact-challenged scientists…