Innehållsförteckning för September 2017 från High Times

Vermont Governor Phil Scott has vetoed a bill that would have made his state the ninth in the country—and the third in New England—to legalize recreational marijuana. The Vermont legislature passed the bill after voters in neighboring Massachusetts and Maine approved recreational pot laws last November. Vermont’s marijuana measure would have legalized the possession and cultivation of small amounts of cannabis for those 21 and over. Though Scott rejected the bill, he has stated that he isn’t philosophically opposed to legal weed and claims to be willing to work with the state’s lawmakers. “We must get this right,” Scott said. “I think we need to move a little bit slower.” This was, doubtless, of little comfort to Ben & Jerry. Hopefully, Scott—a Republican—can work out a compromise with the Democrat-controlled…

It took years under the Obama administration to begin to unravel the country’s insane and inhumane treatment of drug crimes—but it took less than four months for the Trump administration to completely undo those gains and regress to the dark days of prohibition, when low-level drug convictions carried excessive penalties. On May 10, US Attorney General Jeff Sessions sent a memo to federal prosecutors ordering them to return to the practice of seeking maximum punishments for drug offenses. The memo directs prosecutors to file “the most serious, readily provable” charges that carry the harshest penalties, including mandatory-minimum sentences. Former AG Eric Holder—who crafted the reforms that enabled judges to avoid mandatory minimums—blasted his successor’s decision. “The policy announced today is not tough on crime. It’s dumb on crime,” Holder said.…

Biters The Future Ain’t What It Used to Be (Earache) The second full-length LP from these hot-eyed Southern miscreants finds them biting deep into the lixx and stixx trixx of ’70s glam stompers T. Rex, Sweet and Mud, while retaining a hard-rock sheen all their own. Standouts that’ll have ya eyes-closed kissin’ in the backseat of the ’Stang include “Hollywood” and “Goin’ Back to Georgia,” which recalls Rod Stewart’s “Gasoline Alley” in its melancholy tone and use of lap steel. Don’t let the sweet sounds fool ya, though—this band’s nowhere near done tanglin’ with the dragon, as evidenced by the fiery “Let It Roll” and “Chasin’ the Feeling.” Polly Watson Snail Mail Habit (Sister Polygon) The aural equivalent of lying on your back in the patchy grass of the local…

This is the 500th issue of High Times. That’s quite a milestone for an outlaw publication dedicated to ending the war on marijuana. For 43 years, High Times has celebrated the cannabis scene, while shining a piercing light on a dishonest government’s inhumane treatment of pot smokers. Yet the magazine’s mission was never merely to show that the government had gotten the Drug War all wrong. Instead, the purpose of this outlaw mag has been to rearrange the nightmare of prohibition. Every reader we’ve taught to grow their own pot, every activist we’ve helped arm with the knowledge and resolution to fight for marijuana-law reform, every caregiver we’ve convinced to break the law if necessary so that a patient can have access to medicine, reshapes the world we’re stuck in…

TOMMY CHONG “High Times and Cheech & Chong came into the world together. And we are both still as relevant today as we were then. Pot saves lives. Saved mine. Keep on smoking, HT.” LIL DEBBIE “One of my favorite High Times moments was the Cannabis Cup in 2015 in San Bernardino. I was asked to perform at the Cup, and at that same Cup was the debut of my Cakes edibles. I had my own booth, and we sold out within three hours. It was monumental on so many levels, being a part of the culture in both ways.” THE LUCAS BROS. “As the great Greek comic Aristophanes once quipped: ‘High thoughts must have high language.’ We’re not sure if he’s referring to weed, but we like to believe…

Absorbing CO 2 Global warming is linked to increased concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO2 ) in the atmosphere, which, per NASA, is at its highest level in 400,000 years. Fortunately, plants absorb CO2 from the air and produce oxygen via photosynthesis. It’s been reported that each ton of hemp grown absorbs 1.63 tons of CO2 . A nationwide hemp-growing program could help neutralize carbon emissions. Ending Deforestation Not only do trees absorb CO2 , but cutting them down releases more CO2 in the atmosphere. Per Scientific American, deforestation accounts for 15 percent of global warming—more than cars and trucks combined (14 percent). Trees also take 25 to 30 years to harvest. It’s time to stop chopping them down and start growing fields of hemp for wood and paper products.…

When it comes to anti-pot rhetoric, we here at High Times are a bit desensitized: So many pundits and politicians say such stupid things about cannabis that you really have to break new ground to get our attention. Remarkably, Miami Deputy City Attorney Barnaby Min managed to do just that when he dropped one of the most certifiably insane cannabis-related comments in recent memory. During a Miami zoning-board meeting this May, a member asked Min for an update on the regulations to establish medical marijuana dispensaries in Florida’s largest city. According to the Miami Herald, Min snidely replied, “I’m happy to make it very easy. It’s not allowed.” Florida voters legalized medical cannabis in November 2016, so the question was completely appropriate. But Min was determined to shut the issue…

Voters in Alaska legalized recreational marijuana in 2014, but despite pot’s legal status, the Alaska Police Standards Council (APSC) recently opted to “send a loud and clear message” to officers that any kind of involvement with cannabis is “incompatible with the law enforcement profession.” That includes cops who wish to own or operate legal retail-marijuana shops. The zero-tolerance mandate came down after word spread that some Alaskan cops were contemplating joining the green rush and moonlighting for cannabis companies. APSC executive director Bob Griffiths explained that because marijuana is still illegal under federal law, the council decided that “anyone engaging in [a marijuana business] would lack good moral character.” Griffiths noted that officers were still free to open a bar or a liquor store, because booze doesn’t conflict with federal…

The Biotech Institute may be aiming to accumulate worldwide rights to a large swath of the cannabis-plant ecosystem in both the US and international markets. John Kagia is executive vice president of industry analytics for New Frontier Data ENCOURAGED BY THE opening of legal markets in the various medical and recreational states, the cannabis industry has seen a surge of intellectual-property activity over the past 15 years. Nearly 400 patents have been filed with the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) with keywords like “cannabis,” “marijuana,” “CBD” and “THC.” Thus far, the patents range from new strains and novel extracts to recipes for cannabis-infused alcohol and the use of cannabinoids for the treatment of epilepsy. While the USPTO can issue patents for such, the plant’s illegality under the Controlled Substances…

OVER THE YEARS, THE HIGH TIMES INTERVIEW HAS FEA-TURED SOME OF THE BIGGEST CELEBRITIES IN THE WORLD. WHILE OTHER MAGAZINES ARE HAPPY TO PROVIDE A PLATFORM FOR CELEBS TO ISSUE PROMOTIONAL TALKING POINTS, HIGH TIMES HAS ATTEMPTED TO ENGAGE PUBLIC FIGURES IN A UNIQUE WAY. NUANCED CONVERSATIONS WITH LUMINARY ACTIVISTS, COM-ICS, MUSICIANS, ACTORS AND AUTHORS HAVE MADE THE HIGH TIMES INTER-VIEW A MUST READ. THIS MONTH, WE’RE REVISITING SOME OF OUR ALL-TIME FAVORITE INTER-VIEWS FROM THE 43-YEAR HISTORY OF HT. FROM WELL-KNOWN CHATS LIKE OUR 1976 DISCUSSION WITH BOB MARLEY TO HIDDEN GEMS LIKE OUR 2004 TALK WITH DAVE CHAPPELLE, THESE INTERVIEWS COULD ONLY BE FOUND ON THE PAGES OF HIGH TIMES. Bob Marley September 1976: When was the first time you got high on herb? As a yout’. Was…

Ricotta-Pineapple Mini: This is one of my all-time-favorite dishes! I like to make six minis to snack on during the week, but you can also make one large soufflé by placing all of the blintzes on top of the melted butter in a large baking dish. Then just pour the soufflé mixture over the crepes and bake for one hour. FOR THE CREPES: 1 cup milk ¼ cup cold water 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 tbsp. sugar 2 eggs, lightly beaten ¼ cup creamy canna-butter, melted and cooled 1 stick grass-fed butter, cold (you won’t use the whole stick—it’s just to grease the pan) FOR THE CHEESE FILLING: 1 cup ricotta cheese ½ cup mascarpone cheese 3 tbsp. confectioner’s sugar ¼ cup crushed pineapple, drained 1egg FOR THE SOUFFLÉ: 1…

What is microdosing? Li’l Kim Hi Kim, The term initially applied to the practice of taking extremely small amounts of LSD or some other hallucinogen to inspire happy moods and improved creativity. Many cannabis fans have done likewise, finding the right small dose of weed to help them feel uplifted and unfatigued. Plus, since small doses rarely lead to increased tolerance, the delightful, creative days can go on and on. Last month, you implied that you passed a drug test. You kidding me? Hugh R. Enluck Hi Hugh, I take a month off every year to keep my tolerance down. It also helps me ridicule the idea of cannabis withdrawal whenever I get a chance. Do people in medical marijuana states weigh less? Wade Loss Yo Wade, There’s about a…

For marijuana activists in the Lone Star State, reforming cannabis laws hasn’t been easy. With the State Legislature meeting only every two years and no ballot-initiative process available at the state or local level, activists have a more limited number of avenues for advancing reform. Despite (or perhaps because of) these hurdles, Jax Finkle, the executive director of Texas NORML, has turned out to be a force to be reckoned with. After getting involved in cannabis-law reform in 2005, Jax quickly found her place in the state’s marijuana movement. Starting as a volunteer coordinator and continuing as deputy director, Jax has transformed Texas NORML from the ground up. She created a cannabis-centric voters’ guide in 2012 and helped spearhead the very first statewide chapter training in 2016. Over the last…

ARIZONA Jamal Allen Allen & Associates, Lawyers 1811 S. Alma School Rd, Ste 145 Mesa, AZ 85210 Ph: 480-899-1025 Fax: 480-248-6389 goodazlawyers.com All Stops, Arrests & Seizures CALIFORNIA Bob Boyd 107 W. Perkins Street, Ste #17 Ukiah, CA 95482 707-468-0500 mendocinolaw@comcast.net mendocinolaw.com NORML Legal Committee Lifetime Member Criminal Defense & Cannabis Compliance AVVO Rated 10/10 Superb Attorney Omar Figueroa Law Offices of Omar Figueroa 7770 Healdsburg Ave, Ste. A Sebastopol, CA 95472 (707) 829-0215 omar@stanfordalumni.org omarfigueroa.com Founder of Cannabis Law Institute. Specializing in cannabis cultivation and medical marijuana cases. Free case consultation. ¡Yo hablo español! Christopher M. Glew 1851 E. First Street, Ste. 840 Santa Ana, CA 92705 Fax: 714-648-0501 Phone: 714-648-0004 marijuanalawyer@yahoo.com glewkimlaw.com Bruce M. Margolin Director of LA NORML 8749 Holloway Drive W. Hollywood, CA 90069 1800-420-LAWS (5297)…

Never Too Late to Grow I am 63 years old and up until a year ago I hadn’t used pot in 45 years. I have arthritis in both thumbs and was taking hydrocodone twice a day which really knocked me out so I looked for alternatives. I went straight to HT. Everything I learned about growing my own came from you guys: where to get seeds, how to grow and when to harvest, dry and cure. I love you guys! I live in a prohibition state so growing is the only way for me. I am an avid vegetable grower so growing cannabis wasn’t a leap. Plus, we own a home built in the 40s so we have a housekeeper’s room that has a 3x3 closet in our basement. Bingo,…

The Marihuana Tax Act was signed into law by President Franklin Roosevelt on August 2, 1937, officially launching the United States into its misguided war on cannabis. That war will turn 80 years old this summer. In that time, the federal government has engaged in a series of despicable propaganda efforts to keep pot prohibition in place. But every step of the way, marijuana-law reformers have fought to set the record straight. Below is a brief timeline detailing the highs and lows in the world of weed, from the dawn of reefer madness to the present day. 1930: The Federal Bureau of Narcotics is established, giving anti-pot crusader Harry Anslinger increasingly broad powers to go after cannabis users. Anslinger and the FBN begin a propaganda campaign to turn public opinion…

As High Times went to press for our August issue, it seemed certain that President Trump would appoint US Representative Tom Marino, a Republican from Pennsylvania, as director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP)—a.k.a. the Drug Czar. However, as Marino was in the process of completing his paperwork for the position, the news broke that he would not be appointed Drug Czar after all. While the White House wouldn’t say why Marino was taken out of the running, the decision came after issues about the congressman’s past surfaced, including accusations that he went “judge shopping” as a county prosecutor in 1998 to win an acquittal for a friend facing felony cocaine-trafficking charges. Marino, for his part, claims that he couldn’t take the job due to an illness…

Despite going up against the greatest legal marijuana-growing industry the world has ever seen, Mexican cartels persist in their creative, often humorous attempts to clandestinely export an inferior product to the United States. Past failed attempts have included hiding bundles of bud in limes and watermelons and even dressing up bags of pot to look like carrots (sort of). This May, smugglers once again went with the hide-the-pot-in-some-produce plan, packing a shipment of peppers with over 13,700 pounds of marijuana. Unfortunately for the smugglers, the plan was foiled by US Customs and Border Protection agents, who confiscated the cannabis—with an estimated value of nearly $7 million—at the Nogales-Mariposa Port of Entry. Unfazed by the scent of the bell peppers, drug dogs quickly sniffed out the stash, after which the driver…

Authorities in Kuwait busted a pigeon carrying nearly 200 pills when it landed on a building near the Iraq border. Kuwaiti cops had apparently been tracking the pigeon as it made its contraband run from Iraq. The pigeon was wearing a tiny backpack that contained 178 ecstasy pills (although a BBC report claims the pills were ketamine). The pigeon happened to land near Kuwait’s customs department and officials were on hand to snatch the little smuggler up. While Kuwaiti customs officers have been on to the homing pigeon smuggling scheme for some time, this is the first bird they’ve caught riding dirty. However, there are reports of pigeons busted in the act of flying small amounts of cocaine and pot into prisons in Costa Rica and Colombia. We’ve gotta say,…

1967 was the “Summer of Drugs” for The Beatles, and their creative apogee of inventive sounds and ambitious themes, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, was informed by psychoactive agents like cannabis and LSD (John Lennon showed up for one of the sessions tripping balls), which they celebrated in the music, song titles and lyrics—the first to be printed on an LP. Everything about Pepper represents an altered state intended to blow minds: the “celebrity funeral” album cover (although that “pot plant” isn’t really weed); the innovative recording techniques of producer George Martin; and Paul McCartney’s essential concept of shifting The Beatles’ identity to become the Lonely Hearts Club Band. “I get high with a little help from my friends,” Ringo Starr famously croons, while Lennon yearns “I’d love to…

High Times was founded in 1974 by a mercurial and brilliant marijuana smuggler, Thomas King Forçade. The traditional creation story goes that the magazine was intended as just a single issue, a one-off satire of Playboy that substituted pot for naked women, essentially a spoof. However, others insist that Forçade’s intention was more high-minded—a conscious attempt at subverting Richard Nixon’s War on Drugs. There’s likely some truth to both theories, but it’s clear that neither Forçade nor his ragtag group of editors could have foreseen that this underground magazine—allegedly conceived during a nitrous-oxide session—would still be publishing 43 years and 500 issues later. Tom Forçade was a fascinating character. A political agitator and dope dealer who understood the power of the press, he served as head of the Underground Press…

SUBJECT: Backyard Bonanza FROM: Elliot What can you suggest to get a good backyard grow started and maximize its yield? Dear Elliot, The key to maximizing the yield of an outdoor grow is to plan carefully, start early and make sure the plants will get enough light throughout their lifecycle. Planning means making sure that your backyard is secure and safe to grow in and won’t arouse suspicion or unwanted attention. Stealth is important, even in a legal medical growing situation. The next step is to start early. Plant seeds indoors under grow lights in mid- to late winter and give them a chance to grow into nice-size vegetative bushes before placing them outdoors in the spring. This is also the time to prune them in order to keep your…

WE APPLAUD THE recent decision by Congress to reauthorize the Rohrabacher-Blumenauer amendment, a critical marijuana-policy provision, through September 30, 2017. Specifically, Section 537 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2017 states that no federal funds may be used to “prevent any [state] from implementing their own laws that authorize the use, distribution, possession, or cultivation of medical marijuana.” Congress possesses the “power of the purse,” so it is well within its authority to limit the Justice Department’s actions in this regard. The decision to reauthorize the Rohrabacher-Blumenauer amendment’s language illustrates both compassion and common sense when it comes to marijuana policy. At present, 30 states and more than 90 percent of the voting public approve of the use of marijuana as a medicine, and it is inherently good policy and…

FLOWER OF THE MONTH GREEN MOUNTAIN FIRE I run a medical cannabis dispensary called Grassroots Vermont. I grew and photographed this F3 generation strain called First Frost. It’s a backcross derived from Trainwreck and Blue Diesel that I’ve been cubing with its father. It’s been tested at 31% THC. Spenser B. GROW OF THE MONTH WEEDSTOCK I inally got sick of renting out my extra bedroom to strangers. Say hello to my new “roommates with bene its!” Nate Upstate CRITTERS OF THE MONTH GRASSHOPPERS IN LOVE As I prepare for this summer’s outdoor garden I’m inspired by an image from last year. Apparently humans aren’t the only ones who get amorous when around cannabis. Gumbo Gabe NUG OF THE MONTH PUFFARELLA I took a few shots of my buddy’s crop…