Nov

Cannabis Is Now Legal! Can’t Wait For That Headline!

By sharon whitson / Comments Off

History was made today with the House Judiciary Committing voting 24-10 to approve a bill that in effect ends cannabis prohibition.

HB 3884 Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act of 2019 will federally decriminalize cannabis by removing it from the Controlled Substances Act and would require the expungement of past federal cannabis convictions.

Of course, my head immediately goes to Jimmy Romans and the many other people serving life or sever sentences for something that is now legal for over 78 million Americans to use recreationally. Will they be freed? No, but baby steps!

My curiosity is peaked as to what are the next steps, baby or otherwise? A committee has voted to approve something, where will the Bill go next? How do we help get it pushed through?

This bill has great support with 57 sponsors. Is your Representative on the list? Mine is! I’m super proud to see Representative DelBene on the sponsor list. How do you find out who your Representative is? Search here, you’ll also find information about how to contact them so you can ask them to please sign on as a co-sponsor of HB 3884.

HB 3884 was actually introduced on July 23 and was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, Agriculture, Education and Labor, Ways and Means, Small Business, Natural Resources, and Oversight and Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

In August it went to the Referred to the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands by the Committee on Natural Resources and the Judiciary Committee referred it to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security. I cannot find any committee reports online so it’s not clear to me what pushed the Judiciary Committee to vote today.

Today’s historic vote means HB 3884 can go to a full calendar vote but will most likely go to the Rules Committee before reaching the floor,

which is standard. That’s why it’s important to contact your Representative as well as the Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, and ask them to support this by sponsoring and taking it to a full house vote!

Luckily there is a companion Senate bill already, S.2227 It only has 5 cosponsors and my Senators are not on the list! You can rest assured I will be contacting my Senators and asking them to not only cosponsor this bill but to ask them to move it to their Judiciary Committee for a vote, especially since the House has passed it.

Keep excited everyone, but eye on the prize! We the people need to stand up and tell our federal legislators what we want! Be the power that knocks prohibitions wall over once and for all!

End cannabis prohibition, expunge records, and set those serving federal time for cannabis free!

Jul

A Guide to Hydroponic Gardening

By sharon whitson / Comments Off

Guest Blog, Cameron Fischer, Blogger Outreach

Do you want to grow a garden without soil? Hydroponic is an ideal choice for you. It allows you to grow plants in a nutrient solution mixed with water. The hydroponics systems will enable you to grow plants at a 20% faster rate. The yields will be 20 – 25 percent bigger with these systems. You can grow plants in a limited space. Plants can get nutrients without extensive root systems. Plants may be packed tightly.

Save Water with Hydroponics

For hydroponics, you will use reservoirs. These reservoirs are sealed and enclosed to prevent evaporation. It allows the plant to take up the desired water. To set up a hydroponics system, you can buy a setup kit. Here are some options for you.

Wick Systems

It is a simple system without moving parts. The system holds a reservoir filled with nutrients and water. You have to fill this container with growing medium. A wick connects two vessels that draw the water (nutrient-filled) up in the growing medium. Plant roots obtain this solution. This system is ideal for beginners.

For large plants, this system is not suitable. Moreover, you can’t grow water-hungry plants, including lettuce. Wick system may help you to grow peppers, herbs, and micro greens. Feel free to use calimagic to provide sufficient calcium and magnesium to plants.

Water Culture

With this simple system, you can grow water-hungry plants. Water culture is a simple system because you have to place plants in a Styrofoam platform. The Styrofoam sits on the top of the reservoir and holds the solution of nutrients and water.

The reservoir needs a bubbler air pump to deliver oxygen to the roots of the plant. Remember, this system is not good to grow tomatoes or other long-lived plants.

Flow and Ebb Systems

These systems have an intricate design, but offer you maximum versatility. Flow and ebb system floods the growing medium with a nutrient solution. For this purpose, the system needs one submersible pump and a timer.

With this system, you can schedule watering for your plants. A timer allows you to customize the watering schedule of plan based on humidity, temperature, number of plants, and size. Moreover, you can pot plants individually for convenient customization. Feel free to fill the whole tray with a growing medium. It is convenient to plant in the tray directly.

Select Suitable Plants to Grow

You can grow any plant hydroponically. Beginners can start small and grow easy plants, such as vegetables and herbs. It is easy to grow vegetables because these need little maintenance. Fast-growing plants can be the best choice for this system.

Initially, you have to find out the right system that can work appropriately in your environment. Maintenance-free plants can be an excellent choice. Start with simple plants and gradually move to complex vegetables. To grow numerous plants, make sure to follow their nutrients necessities.

Lighting

Hydroponic systems are indoor systems, so these may not have direct access to sunlight. Remember, edible plants need sunlight for almost 6 hours. For this reason, you have to provide supplemental light for the growth of plants.

Hydroponic kit systems are available with critical light fixtures. If you are piecing different components together, make sure to purchase distinct light fixtures. For hydroponics system, you can buy high-intensity discharge (HID) light fixtures. These can handle high-pressure sodium (HPS) or metal halide (MH) bulbs. These bulbs emit red or orange light. It is suitable for plants in the vegetative growth stage.

Moreover, T5 is another famous lighting for hydroponic rooms. It can produce high-output fluorescent light and consume low energy and low heat. Feel free to use it for plant cuttings. These may help your plants with small growth cycles.

Jun

CBD Hemp Flower Expected To Surge in Popularity – Guest Blog

By sharon whitson / Comments Off

CBD Hemp Flower Expected To Surge in Popularity

Gust Blog by Cameron Fischer

Cannabidiol or CBD is becoming popular with time. It has almost become a domestic name where people mostly like to use Cannabidiol or CBD oil for different infections and diseases. According to the Cannabidiol, or CBD enthusiasts, it is a miracle of nature. There are so many ingredients of this product, but the most important and active one is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).

Is Cannabidiol, or CBD is getting popular?

For a very long time, scientists are working on CBD, and they have made this statement that it is going to be very popular in the future. This article is written mainly with the intention that CBD is increasing in popularity, and we may share with people about how it works, and what are other informative things that one need to know about it.

So, let us learn about it in the section given below.

How Cannabidiol or CBD works?

You can find the CBD hemp flower online and start using it the way you want. Also, you can grow it in your lawn, and after it attains maturity, you can start using it. Well, you should also know that how it works?

Cannabidiol or CBD has the ability to bind or attach itself with the protein molecules. These are present on the surface of all cells. When it attaches to them, the cells give signals to the mind and help it reach in response to this stimulus. According to researches done for finding out the working mechanism of Cannabidiol, or CBD, the scientists have declared that there is a cannabinoid type 1 receptor in the Cannabidiol plants, which help them do this activity when they get a stimulus from outside.

Is it a pain therapeutic?

Well, according to many experiments done on Cannabidiol, or CBD, it is concluded that it is a great pain therapeutic. It allows killing the pain factor from the body by providing it relief. As the brain nerves get signals, it starts to calm down the nerves and helps a person go under a deep sleep. During this time, pain is cured, and the person wakes up with a fresh mind and body condition.

According to surveys, it was found that the neuropathic pains, as well as the responses that are amplified, are cured by using Cannabidiol, or CBD. It is a non-noxious stimulus that helps in doing all this goodness. However, you have to take care of the amount that you use for this purpose. Greater than a limited amount may result in detrimental effects. Therefore, you should keep control over its use.

Conclusion

Cannabidiol or CBD is a great natural mean of getting the nutrients into the body because it is very highly nutritive. Other than this, it can respond to various ill health conditions, and cure them very effectively, and most importantly in a natural way. So, if you are also planning to start its use, you must go for it. But, make sure you use the natural and pure product to avoid any side effects.

Feb

How to Make Weed Edibles: Best Edible Marijuana Recipes – Guest Blog

By sharon whitson / Comments Off

While there are a lot of options when it comes to ingesting cannabis, like smoking, vaping, tinctures and topicals, there is one that might be the best for any aspiring gourmands out there. Edibles have an advantage over smoked or vaporized marijuana, and that is that the effects often take longer to come on, but they last much longer. While you should definitely keep your dry herb vaporizer handy, because vaping might be better than smoking, it couldn’t hurt to learn how to prepare your cannabis to be baked into yummy treats.

Even if you’re not the world’s best cook, these recipes are simple to follow and guaranteed to be delicious and satisfying.

Figuring Out THC Percentage Figuring out the THC percentage of your cannabis is important so your final product has the right dosage per bite.If you have the THC percentage, Jeff the Chef has a lovely calculator that will help you figure out the THC dosage per edible. However, if you are growing your own cannabis then you’ll have to do it by trial and error for your particular plants.

Don’t Hate – Decarboxylate The most common mistake that newbies to the edible scene make is thinking that they can just grind up some dried cannabis, toss it into cookie mix, and voila, they have cannabis edibles. Unfortunately, it doesn’t quite work this way. First, the cannabis needs to have its compounds activated through heat. This is called decarboxylation.This means that after you’ve picked your choice strain, you’re going to put it on a baking sheet and pop it into the oven at 240 degrees for 25 minutes to an hour. The more cannabis you’re using, the more time it takes. Failing to do this won’t activate the THC and CBD in the plant. No one wants that!

Delicious Homemade Edibles The good thing about cooking with cannabis is that you can do just about anything with it. From cookies to brownies to homemade gummy candies, there’s just so much that can be made using cannabis, and the key to baking with cannabis is learning how to make and cook with cannabutter.
Cooking with Cannabis Butter Cannabis butter, also called cannabutter, is easily made. All you need is your decarboxylated cannabis, one pound of unsalted butter, and some water. A crock pot is great for this, but not essential. Combine the butter, cannabis, and a little water and heat on a low simmer for 3 to 6 hours, making sure that your butter doesn’t burn. Let it get cool enough to handle, then strain out the plant material. Stow it away in the fridge overnight to harden, and your cannabutter is ready for use!

Basic Bud Brownies By far the most popular cannabis edible, brownies are relatively easy to make and tasty to boot. While you can follow just about any brownie recipe out there, substituting your cannabutter for the butter in the recipe, you can also buy store-bought brownie mix and use the cannabutter in it. The second option will often last longer without spoiling because there are fewer ingredients like eggs or milk.

Pot Cookies There are a lot of recipes out there for pot cookies. Dosing can be a bit of a pain, but as long as you remember how much THC is in the cannabis you used for your cannabutter and the weight used, it’s pretty simple. Aim for each cookie to be about the equivalent of a bowl of smoked cannabis. When making pot cookies from a recipe found online or from store-bought mix, substitute the cannabutter wherever the recipe calls for cannabis oil or butter.

Homemade cannabis edibles can be easy to make, once you’ve figured out your optimal dose, which can take some experimentation. Once you’ve mastered that, it’s all in what you want to make.

Author Michael is a marketing and creative content specialist at GotVape.com with a primary focus on customer satisfaction. Technology and fitness combined with healthy lifestyle obsession are his main talking points

Oct

Awesome new tool to calculate how much CBD to take, CBD Dosage Calculator

By sharon whitson / Comments Off

My dog is old. Gingerale is an Australian Cattle Dog who’s been steadfast by my side for over 14 years. She started going blind and having the first signs of arthritis ~ 3 years ago.

Of course, I sleuthed out CBD products to give her. First trying capsules and eventually finding Mt Baker Dog Treats. The one constant question that no one could answer was how much does my little girl need?

The price of CBD is no joke so while I want to make sure I give her enough CBD; how much is too much and how often should I give it to her?

Enter CBD Dosage Calculator. In a few easy clicks I was able to find out exactly how much to give her and given recommendations on how to start low and increase her dosage as her tolerance builds. I found out I’m giving her way too little daily CBD and not dosing her enough times throughout the day. What a great tool to figure out the proper CBD Dosage!

Of course, I’ve now adjusted her medicating schedule and am also looking into a few other new products we can carry here at Hempfest Central, our industrial hemp boutique, to help her and all the other pets out there that will benefit from CBD.

The really cool thing about the CBD Dosage Calculator site is that it calculates for dogs, cats, or horses as well as humans.

I cannot tell you how many times someone browsing our CBD products asks for dosing information. So much goes into answering that question! Why are you using CBD? How much do you weigh? Luckily, we can use CBDdosagecalculator.com in store and help people figure out exactly how much to take.

At Hempfest Central we sell a variety of CBD & CHABA lines to support your health and wellbeing! You can visit CBD Dosage Calculator before you visit or just ask and we’ll help you figure it out while you’re here.

We’re located at 3220 NE 125^th St here in Seattle’s Lake City neighborhood. Our hours are Wednesday – Friday, 10:00 am – 7:00 PM and Saturday 1:00 – 7:00 pm. Not in our area? You can shop online HERE.

Remember to shop local, buy more hemp, & support businesses that align with your value stream!

Aug

How To Do Hempfest

By sharon whitson / Comments Off

Seattle HEMPFEST

Friday Noon – 8 PM, Sat, Sun, 10 AM – 8 PM

August 17, 18, 19, Myrtle Edwards Park and Centennial Park, Pier 70

$10 Suggested Donation

By Vivian McPeak

The 27th annual Seattle HEMPFEST “protestival” will feature 4 stages of political speech and musical support (featuring roughly 200 guest speakers and musical performances). In addition, HEMPFEST will consist of 350 arts, crafts, food, and informational vendors, a gigantic “circus tent” with panel discussions, and an hour long indigenous tribute to the Standing Rock struggle at the Main Stage on Saturday.

The following is additional information that attendees may find helpful. Additional info on Lodging, Bands and Speakers, Memberships, Friday Night VIP Party, ADA Info, Event Map, and Online Merchandise, and more, can be found at hempfest.org 365 days of the year.

Access

Seattle HEMPFEST is held the third weekend in August each year. Seattle Hempfest is open to the public on Friday from 12 Noon to 8 pm, and on Saturday and Sunday from 10 am to 8 pm.

Admission to Seattle HEMPFEST is free, but free speech is not! It will cost $800,000 to produce Seattle HEMPFEST this year and without your donations we would not exist. Please remember donate what you can and keep Hempfest alive! We are asking for a $10 donation for your ability to enjoy over 100 musical acts, as many guest speakers, & hundreds of vendors

Seattle Hempfest is a constitutionally protected free-speech event; therefore HEMPFEST cannot restrict access based upon age or admission fee. There are no age restrictions for attending Seattle HEMPFEST. We suggest that minors wishing to attend Hempfest discuss the matter with the appropriate parent or guardian first. The passage of Initiative I-502 did not change the admission policy of HEMPFEST.

You can stay home and watch HEMPFEST on the livestream at hempfest.org or download the Hempfest App, also found at hempfest.org.

How do you get to Hempfest?

Our new NO WAIT entrance, The West Thomas Street Pedestrian and Bicycle Overpass, is accessible at 3rd Ave W & W Harris Streets just north of Seattle Center. This entrance has great parking potential being just 4 blocks north of Key Arena. It’ll take your right across the vehicle moat – Elliot & Western Avenues, where people risk their lives jaywalking to get to Hempfest. Save a life! Take The West Thomas Street Pedestrian and Bicycle Overpass!

To access the North Entrance, across the Amgen Pedestrian Bridge off of W Prospect Street. It has an elevator and is wheelchair accessible, placing the avid attendee just north of Seattle HEMPFEST’s north entrance. There is very little parking at W Prospect Street. So your best bet is to walk, bike, or take a metro bus to that location. For example, take metro bus 18 to north entrance, and 15 to south entrance. There are many other Metro buses routes that can drop you at either entrance too. Bicycles should enter through the North entrance to utilize the bike racks.

To access the South Entrance, along with tens of thousands of other people, enter the Olympic Sculpture Park on Alaskan Way W. Be prepared for potential detours and follow the signs and/or monitor’s directions if needed. Downtown Seattle has several parking garages. Attaching bikes to the fence at Olympic Sculpture Park is not allowed.

Do not try and cross the railroad tracks in the north end, or jump the fence. One year BNSF Police wrote 11 tickets for people on tracks, and it is not worth risking your life.

What Not to Bring

Remember, No Pets, No Alcohol, No Narcotics, No Weapons (No guns or fixed blade knives, etc), No Unauthorized vending, and NO Private Sound Systems are allowed. Folding pocket knives (3-1/2″ or smaller) are OK. There is also No Camping, No Propane Torches, No Aerosol Spray Paint, and No Fireworks allowed. You can bring unopened plastic bottles of water, but don’t bring it in a glass bottle, and don’t bring a commercial amount.

We will be forced turn away attendees carrying more than the maximum amount of personal cannabis allowed by state law. Anyone possessing a commercial amount of cannabis, or cannabis (edibles, flower, or oil) that appears to be separately bagged or packaged for sales will also be turned away. Please be aware that public consumption of marijuana is not legally permitted under I-502.

Note: It is an enhanced felony to sell cannabis, cannabis food, or other drugs in a city park. People selling cannabis, cannabis infused foods (edibles), and illegal drugs inside Seattle Hempfest will be ejected from the event, and could risk arrest and prosecution.

Illegal Street Vending

Warnings and citations were issued by city officials to illegal vendors in the past – Ticket fees range from $500 – $1200 and risk of confiscation. Street vending requires both a city biz license and a street vending permit from Dept. of Licensing. People selling water, food, paraphernalia, edibles, and other items illegally outside of HEMPFEST will be targeted by city enforcement employees. You can purchase a Hempfest Blanket Vending space for only $420, much less than the ticket!

Pets

Don’t bring pets to HEMPFEST or Leave Pets in vehicle. Cars left in direct sunlight turn into lethal ovens, reaching fatal temperatures of 130 degrees or more within just a few minutes.

Even dogs left locked in cars in the shade with the windows cracked on hot days are at risk of brain damage or death. Dogs must cool themselves through panting and their systems can’t handle high temperatures.

Also, be aware that vinyl seats in vehicles get hot under animals’ feet and prevents them from perspiring through their paws.

Pet owners can be held criminally liable for committing cruelty to animals if a pet dies, or is found suffering from heat prostration. If you see an animal that may be in need of assistance, or if you have questions, contact the Seattle Animal Shelter at (206) 386-7387 (PETS).

Seattle Hempfest complies with Washington State service animal laws. Service animal owners may be required to show that they have “poop-bags.”

Getting to Hempfest

Note: During Set-Up (August 13–16) and Tear-Down (August 20-22) bicyclists and pedestrians should use caution and take the West Path. Please don’t go at your normal speed and remain aware. For public safety, BICYCLE RIDERS MUST DISMOUNT during Seattle Hempfest event days (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, August 17-18.) That includes ALL 3 DAYS DURING EVENT HOURS.

Perhaps the best way to get to HEMPFEST is by bike. Myrtle Edwards Park is part of the Elliott Bay Trail which connects to the massive Burke Gilman Trail. One may easily navigate the regional trail system from Sammamish, Lake Forest Park, Bothell, Kirkland, etc. Please be aware of a detour along the canal due to Expedia construction. Alaska Way West has a dedicated bike lane.

When approaching on the Burke-Gilman, one has two main routes. The first option is to cross the historic Fremont Bridge, the most frequently opened drawbridge in the United States. Take a left onto Westlake and ride along the west side of Lake Union all the way downtown.

The second option is to ride the Burke-Gilman to the Ballard Locks, which are open from 7 a.m. – 9 p.m. daily. After crossing the locks, coast through Magnolia, and into the magnificent train yards before hitting the glistening waterfront. If the locks are closed, take the 15th Ave Bridge, right on Dravus, left on 20th and down by the train yards.

To the south, the Elliott Bay Trail runs past downtown to SoDo and the stadiums, where one can (sort of) connect with the I-90 trail or continue south along Alaskan/Marginal Way to hook up with the West Seattle Bridge.

Mon-Thurs (August 13-16), and Mon-Wed (August 20 – 22) from 7:30-8:30 AM is vehicle free time on East path of Myrtle Edwards and Centennial parks. HEMPFEST vehicle traffic is suspended for that hour during weekday set-up and tear-down to respect morning bike commuters who use the parks.

Attaching bikes to the fence at Olympic Sculpture Park is not allowed.

Memberships

Did you know that you can skip the long lines at the south entrance of HEMPFEST, and enjoy many Hempfest parties throughout the year (each with dinner and entertainment on us), all for a small annual membership? What better way to support HEMPFEST? Share this tip with your friends! So don’t walk up the stairs! Walk towards the fountain and enter Hempfest like the VIP you are!

Starting at only $30/year (not much more than the $10 suggested donation for the 3-day Festival), a HEMPFESTmembership is your special access pass to the express VIP Entrance along Alaskan Way, and to many year-round events including a costumed Tokers Ball on Halloween, more parties in December and February, a huge 420Fest for 4/20.

Come network with cannabis activists, entrepreneurs and enthusiasts, write letters to pot prisoners, get informed about prohibition and reform efforts, browse hemp merchandize or win raffle prizes, while enjoying free food and music, all-inclusive for a small $30 annual Membership!

Higher levels also include exclusive perks like Member & VIP shirts, backstage visits at Hempfest, or invitations to our official on-site VIP Party Friday night, with all the Speakers and HEMPFEST VIPs. Go to Hempfest.org for info.

Lost and Found Items

If you lost an item at Seattle HEMPFEST, we may have it! We keep found items for 60 days after each Hempfest. Call or email a detailed description of your lost item, including your full name, phone and email, and if we have it we will get it back to you. We go to great lengths to attempt to get attendee’s lost property back to them, but it makes it much easier if you contact us proactively. If we have it we’ll try hard to get it to you. We cannot hang onto people’s lost items for long, so please be on top of it. If we are still on-site immediately after HEMPFEST, you can check for your lost item at our Operations Compound, just south of the King County pump house, the brick building at the junction of paths in Myrtle Edwards Park.

After we pull out on Wednesday, August 22, call us at 206-36-4HEMP or email us at [email protected]

The Most Socially Responsible Cannabis Reform Event

In addition to being the largest annual free speech event in America, and the world’s largest cannabis reform event, Seattle HEMPFEST has many components that qualify it as the most socially responsible cannabis reform event, including, but not limited to:

Renting extra AED (heart defibrillators) because of the length of our event
Registering almost 10,000 attendees to vote during the event
Proactively working with Seattle Animal Shelter on protecting pets and messaging to pet owners
Proactively contacting Fish and Wildlife asking them to close the Pier in centennial Park during Hempfest for environmental reasons
Responsible messaging from our stages (for 25 years) reinforcing our sincere respect for all first responders (including LEOs)
Spending 2 months annually in an effort to track down the owners of our extensive lost and found items
Instituting a Code Adam lost child protocol and training to respond effectively in the case of a missing child at the event
Operating an ecology crew is a (both paid and volunteer) refuse management operation that works almost non-stop within the event to handle the large load of trash the event generates; sorting for recycle, compost, or landfill, and routinely processing an average of around 500 cubic yards of trash. Hempfest leaves the parks spotless, and even picks up thousands of cigarette butts
In 2014 Hempfest worked with a University of Washington professor to develop an economic impact study that revealed that Seattle HEMPFEST festival patrons spent approximately $7.1 million in King County in relation to their visits to the festival. Volunteers and musicians were estimated to have spent $0.226 million in relation to their participation in the festival in King County, while Seattle HEMPFEST Festival exhibitors and food vendors are estimated to have had expenses of $1.8 in relation to participation in the festival in King County. In addition, Seattle HEMPFEST Festival organizers incurred costs of $0.924 million, of which $0.744 million were made in King County (Full study found on tab at https://www.hempfest.org/festival/media/
Aggressively enforcing a no illegal sales policy with our trained, volunteer Safety Patrol (our internal security team).
Seattle Hempfest maintains a Toxic Spill Kit, a Graffiti Removal Kit, & multiple Stop the Bleed Kits.

Past guest speakers at Seattle HEMPFEST have included:

Actor Woody Harrelson, Travel Guru Rick Steves, Seattle musician/author Krist Novoselic, U.S. Congressman Dana Rohrbacher, former US Congressman Dennis Kucinich, former U.S. Senator Mike Gravel, Former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson, Seattle Mayor Ed Murray (as a candidate), former Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn, Seattle City Atty Pete Holmes, State Rep. Roger Goodman, State Senator Jeanne Kohl-Welles (currently King County Council member), former Seattle Police Chief Norm Stamper, Seattle Police Department Spokesman Sean Whitcomb, poet and community activist Nate Howard, former Dallas Cowboys center Mark Stepnoski, Law Enforcement Against Prohibition founder Jack Cole, former Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein, former Libertarian vice presidential nominee Judge Mike Gray, etc.

Over 1,000 musical acts have performed at Seattle Hempfest.

Aug

Jimmy Romans, one of the reasons Hempest is precious to me!

By sharon whitson / Comments Off

August 7, 2018 The phone rang at Hempfest Central today and it was Jimmy Romans calling from the Greenville Federal Prison in Illinois. Jimmy, who had his LIFE without parole sentence reduced to 30 years in 2017, is one of our adopted cannabis prisoners.

I love it when Jimmy calls! We have great conversations about legalization and how it’s spreading and our thoughts on where it is going.

We had a lot to talk about this time! We chatted about our letter writing campaign that Kristen Flohr is championing. Kristen’s father, Richard Flor, ran a state legal medical cannabis store in Montana, died chained to a bed while in Federal custody on charges for running this store! How crazy and sad is that! Imagine loosing your parent this way. To top it off, her own mother who helped run the state legal business, was prosecuted and sent to prison too! Kristen is an amazing activist who has put her life’s blood into supporting those in prison for cannabis. I’m proud to be working with her!

We chatted about how excited I am for Natalie DePriest to be at Hempfest this year. Natalie and her brother are co defendants in a case where 12 plants got them each 15 years in prison! Her brother David is still in prison. Part of their prosecution also requires that that two co defendants have no further contact. They are siblings! Really? No contact ever? Does this seem right to you? Natalie will be speaking from our stages and participating in our Cannabis POW panel on the Hemposium Stage.

Jimmy loved hearing how George Martorano will be producing the Atlantic City Hempfest next year! Having one of our released prisoners actually carry on our legacy on the east coast is an emotional win and extraordinary experience as someone who has put her heart into helping those the drug war has harmed.

Jimmy always asks how we are doing and shares his overwhelming gratitude for all that we do.

Thank you everyone who has signed a card or letter, bought a raffle ticket, or written to Jimmy.

We are making a difference and we are not giving up until Jimmy and all the cannabis prisoners are set free!

Remember to visit the 420 POW area in booth 491 on the side of Stone Village that faces the bridge. Sign a letter for Jimmy and for all the other prisoners they are representing. We will win this war!

Jul

Mother of Terminally Ill Daughter Sues Governor to Invalidate Cannabis Advertising Laws

By sharon whitson / Comments Off

Cannabis is for children. I know that statement will piss someone off but it’s true. Parents across our nation are fighting to save their children and provide them with a decent quality of life.

Meagon Holt and her family are dear to me. I am so proud of how she champions medical cannabis for her daughter Maddie. Below is a press release for her lawsuit against the State of Washington. I stand strong with her through this next battle she is waging as it will be for the good of all patients, young and old, here in Washington State.

Website: www.C3.legal
Contact: Sean Badgley (206) 488-5031 [email protected] or
Bonnie Fong (206) 330-5785 [email protected]

MEDIA ADVISORY – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Mother of Terminally Ill Daughter Sues Governor to Invalidate Cannabis Advertising Laws

July 10, 2018, SEATTLE- The mother of a terminally ill child is suing Governor Inslee over the
unconstitutional restrictions on cannabis advertising. Meagan Holt depends upon cannabis to save her
daughter’s life. Her daughter, Maddie, is diagnosed with Zellweger syndrome and suffers from seizures
that have left Maddie blind, deaf, and terminally ill. The suit alleges Washington’s advertising restrictions
unconstitutionally prevent Meagan and Maddie’s right to freely hear communications about cannabis
medicines for her daughter.

Last year, Washington placed new regulations on cannabis businesses for the third time since I502passed; the new law originally listed as SB 5131, focused on advertisements. Meagan’s suit alleges
that these laws, in combination with existing policy from the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis
Board (WSLCB) have created a situation that makes it impossible for her to locate a reliable, legal source of medicine for her daughter, including preventing her from finding free product for her ailing daughter.

Meagan’s attorneys, Bonnie Fong and Sean Badgley of C3 Law Group PLLC, focus on
challenging state overreach in the cannabis area and they believe Washington’s new rules regarding advertising restrictions are unconstitutional restrictions on free speech.

Maddie’s situation, “represents a stark example of the unintended consequences that come from regulating cannabis without a proper understanding of the market, the needs of patients, or any of the other legitimate concerns of people who aren’t directly employed by the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board” Badgley says. Fong adds “The government has taken a highly paternalistic approach to cannabis advertising laws, and in doing so, has infringed upon the rights of our clients’ right to speak, and hear, freely.”

Governor Inslee signed the laws in question May of last year, which became effective in July of
2017. Since that time, the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (WSLCB) has issued multiple
advertising violations. The complaint alleges that the restrictions are unconstitutional and punish patients
who need more detailed advertising to make important decisions regarding the patient’s medical needs

Jan

End Job & Education Discrimination & Secure Home Grow For Everyone!

By sharon whitson / Comments Off

Want to strengthen our legalization laws? Want to make a difference in less than 15 minutes?

I’m going to quickly educate you about 3 pieces of legislation that survived the first half of the legislative session into the second half, which started January 8. All you need to do is follow the links, read the bills, and comment to your legislators so they know how you feel about each issue!

Ready. Set. Go!

HB 1212 & *HB 2559 Allow the possession of no more that six marijuana plants and up to twenty-four ounces of usable marijuana harvested from lawfully grown plants if the person in possession is at least twenty-one years old.

You can read & comment on the HB 1212 HERE and *HB 2559 HERE

*HB 2559 has a hearing on Monday February 15 at 1:30 in the House Committee on Commerce & Gaming!

Of the eight states that have legalized cannabis for recreational sales, all allow personal cultivation – except for Washington! Home grow is a civil liberty that we are being denied! The push back is always diversion & the Cole memo (which was recently rescinded) which I feel are a diversion from the facts! All other legal states have home grow and statistics in these states bare out that teen use is down, not up! Washington DC has home grow! Why is this Washington so afraid of that Washington when they themselves are already allowed to home grow?

There’s a false feeling that the cannabis industry does not support the right to home grow. The businesses listed HERE want you to know that’s not true. They support your right to home grow cannabis. We’re early in the process of gaining 502 business support so this list is ever growing! These are the businesses you should be shopping at!

Home grow will not hurt 502 revenue. Again, look at all the other legal states, which all have home grow, their revenues are booming, in some cases much quicker than ours! Who will sell clones, seeds, & grow supplies to our citizens? 502 retailers & producers will now have a wider breadth of products from which to generate revenue not only for theirselve but for the tax coffers of Washington State!

HB 1094 Revises the medical use of cannabis act to prohibit an employer from refusing to hire a qualifying patient, discharging or barring a qualifying patient from employment, or discriminating against a qualifying patient in compensation or other terms and conditions of employment because of the qualifying patient’s: (1) Status as a qualifying patient; or (2) Positive drug test for marijuana components or metabolites.

You can read & comment on the bill HERE

Breakthroughs in medical cannabis are happening continually. Nationally 42 states have lifted cannabis prohibition at some level. 8 have legalized, 3 have decriminalized, 10 have medical with CBD only, & 21 have full medical with THC & CBD. The public, especially mothers, are becoming more aware of the medical benefits of cannabis.

Take the medicine type away for a moment. Should anyone face job discrimination due to their medical needs? We have laws to protect the privacy of our health needs. Why would we allow this to happen to medical cannabis patients? Why would we treat them differently than everyone else?

Washington needs to continue to be a thought leader in how we treat healthcare & the welfare of our citizens. Please support this bill as it is a step towards ensuring we have fair & balanced practices for our the sick in our state and helps end discrimination against medical cannabis patients

This bill had its first hearing on Thursday January 26, 2017 and went nowhere! It seems like such common sense right? It is still alive so please do read & comment on the bill & make sure your legislators know you want this taken seriously in 2018!

HB 1060 Requires a school district to permit a student who meets certain requirements to consume marijuana for medical purposes on school grounds, aboard a school bus, or while attending a school-sponsored event. Requires the board of directors of a school district to adopt a policy that authorizes parents, guardians, and primary caregivers to administer marijuana to a student for medical purposes while the student is on school grounds, aboard a school bus, or attending a school-sponsored event. Currently the law states that schools may adopt policies around medical cannabis use on school grounds however, no school has such policy. House bill 1060 fixes this error in current law preventing safe access of cannabis medication at schools, clarifies cannabis use in the school controlled substance act, and is tailored to meet the needs of Washington students and school staff.

You can read & comment on the bill HERE

Imagine having a sick child. Now imagine that child is not allowed access to their life giving medicine while they are at school. What is your alternative? Home school or remove your child from school property to administer medication. This bill did pass the House in March of 2017 but stalled in the Senate. All Washington State children are guaranteed full access to education – except those using life saving cannabis! Be a champion for the 57 children currently on the registry, the untold others who are not on the registry, and all the children to come! Please support HB1060!

Your task is simple. Just read & comment on each bill. The comment button is on the right side of the page, in the dark green bar, “Comment on this bill”. Be sure and send your comments to both of your House Representatives & your Senator. Ask for a reply back. This is a great way to start dialogue with your Legislators.

Stay tuned for information about hearings & each bill’s progression through our law making system. Consider attending a hearing to if not testify, just check in as attending, and let your legislators know you are watching!

Viv wrote some ‘grassfire’ tips for the being an effective cannabis advocate that can be read HERE

*updated 1/11/18 to add HB 2559 hearing

Sep

Liquor and Cannabis Board Marijuana Home Grow Study

By sharon whitson / Comments Off

Below is a notice from the WSLCB with 3 options for Washington State Home Grows. They all disappoint us here at Hempfest Central were we’d like to see non registered home grows of a dozen or so plants, giving allowances for clones, and not putting such low limits on seeds. We also feel the felony prosecution of those having as few as 5 plants or seeds in this new plan is ridiculous! Prohibition 2.0 Apparently it’s a felony to grow any now so while it’s a step up, it’s still lame in our book!

Legalization is a process, not an event. We all need to stay in touch with not only our legislators but the organizations, like the WSLCB, who make the rules we live under. Hempfest is a thing. A once a year event. YOU need to take what you’ve learned and heard and put it to use or they’ll continue to create the new wave or prohibition we now live under. Find your voice!

Please read their 3 ideas for home grow send constructive comments to the WSLCB per their instructions below. Please also write your legislators and let them know what you think! You can find your legislator HERE and an analysis of their options done by CASP HERE

Liquor and Cannabis Board to Hold Public Hearing on Recreational Marijuana Home Grows

Agency tasked by new law to conduct study and make recommendations to Legislature by Dec. 1, 1017

OLYMPIA – The Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (WSLCB) will hold a public hearing on Wed. Oct. 4, 2017, to receive public input on whether the State should allow home grows of recreational marijuana. The public hearing is during the regularly scheduled 10:00 a.m. Board meeting at its headquarters at 3000 Pacific Avenue in Olympia. Due to space and parking restrictions, the WSLCB encourages written public comment. Written public comment may be submitted by email through Oct. 11, 2017 at [email protected] or hard copy at PO Box 43080, Olympia, WA 98504.

Note: The Board may adjust the testimony time allotted to each speaker based on the number of attendees to ensure that everyone has time to testify.

Legislation enacted in 2017 directs the WSLCB to “conduct a study of regulatory options for the legalization of marijuana plant possession and cultivation by recreational marijuana users.” The study must take into account the “Cole Memo,” issued by the United State Department of Justice in 2013, which outlines the federal government’s enforcement priorities in states where medical or recreational marijuana has been legalized or decriminalized. The study and recommendations are due to the Legislature on Dec. 1, 2017

“The agency is actively engaging other states, the public, the industry and stakeholders. We know there are many perspectives to this issue and we want to ensure they are captured for our report and recommendations,” said agency director Rick Garza.

The WSLCB is seeking input on three options at the public hearing

· Option 1: Tightly Regulated Recreational Marijuana Home Grows

This option allows recreational home grows under a strict state regulatory framework based on the Cole Memo:
Requires a permit;
Four plants maximum per household;
All plants must be entered into the state traceability system;
Requirements for security, preventing youth access, preventing diversion, etc.;
Jurisdiction is shared between WSLCB and local authorities
Statutory provision that allows law enforcement to seize and destroy all plants if beyond limit;
Allows recreational growers to purchase plants from licensed as long as growers have a permit;
Same restrictions on processing marijuana that apply to medical marijuana (no combustible processing).

· Option 2: Local Control of Recreational Marijuana Home Grows

This option is based on statewide standards including requirements for security, preventing youth access, preventing diversion, etc.;
Limits plants to 4 per household;
Allows recreational growers to purchase plants from licensed as long as growers have a permit.
Requires a permit to possess plants.

Difference from Option 1

· Does not require plants to be entered into traceability

State sets minimum requirements. Local jurisdictions can be more restrictive.

· Authorized, controlled, and enforced by local jurisdictions;

Home grows are prohibited without local permission;

· Option 3. Recreational Home Grows are Prohibited

This option preserves the status quo. Recreational home grows continue to remain prohibited:
A regulated market exists today with statewide access;
Recreational home grows may provide a cover for diversion;
The Cole Memo is concerned with diversion, youth access, and the criminal element;
Home grows for medical marijuana are allowed as well as cooperatives.

Among the eight states that have legalized recreational marijuana, Washington is the only state that does not allow marijuana home grows. Washington allows authorized patients to have limited grows for medical purposes or to be part of a four-member medical marijuana cooperative if the cooperative registers with the WSLCB and the local jurisdiction does not object.

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