The MORE Act has officially cleared the House of Representatives!

US Airlines Can Now Ban These On Flights

Say goodbye to your emotional support animal. From now on, only this service animal is allowed on flights.

The post US Airlines Can Now Ban These On Flights appeared first on The Fresh Toast.

COVID-19 Loss Of Taste And Smell — How Long Does It Last?

Medically speaking, these symptoms are known as anosmia and ageusia, and they can affect people temporarily when they experience a strong cold or flu.

The post COVID-19 Loss Of Taste And Smell — How Long Does It Last? appeared first on The Fresh Toast.

You can’t talk about weed culture without talking about Cypress Hill. It just wouldn’t be right. From songs like “Hits from the Bong” and “I Wanna Get High” to legendary moments like lighting up a joint on Saturday Night Live — and being banned forever — they’ve been here, advocating for legalization and free use of the plant since the jump. 

So when I had the chance to talk to B-Real, one-fourth of the hip hop collective, in celebration of his appearance on BET’s Smoke: Marijuana + Black America documentary, it was an immediate “yes.” 

“[BET] just asked for my involvement, and I was like yeah for sure. Anytime you get a chance to speak on behalf of the culture, in terms of cannabis, I’m always willing.”

B-Real has a very cool demeanor. He’s calm, collected, and ready for all the curveball questions, just like you’d expect from someone who’s been talking about legalization and the cannabis business for years now. When asked what cannabis culture means to him today, he told me, “Every part of it has a sub branch from the original shit. There’s the cultivator culture, there’s the brand culture. Cannabis and music always went together. People smoking, at any degree, most times, are rocking that shit with music. We were able to talk about cannabis in our music, so that’s a part of the cannabis culture.” 

Navigating legalization and how to keep the culture alive

Cypress Hill has been championing cannabis for over 30 years now. Since before Washington and Colorado even considered the thought of legal weed. “Back when we started, legalization was the big thing. To get to a point where people would be open to the thought of legalization — who knew what it would turn into?”

What it’s turned into is the majority of the United States having some form of legalized cannabis, and generating billions of dollars in tax revenue from it. 

“It’s great that we’re there in terms of acceptance, and the fact that we are the template with how it would operate. We’re the template to show that it either works or it doesn’t, and soon enough, most of the states will become recreational. Those old ways of thinking are breaking down,” said the LA native. “It’s just taking time because you have very conservative places that still, despite the information of how it would stimulate their economic flow, it’s always a hard sell on them.” 

Federal legalization, whenever it happens, is inevitable. With it, we can only hope that everyone gets to eat — not just the big corporations that will flood the market. When asked about his thoughts on the future of legalization, and the big-bank-take-little-bank business practices that are sure to exploit it, B-Real says that’s the big worry. 

“You’ve got to survive this tidal wave of shit, but I think it’s on your brand building. If you build something of quality and consistency that the consumers trust and know that it’s the shit, they will stand with you. Others, they might not be fortunate enough. You might have to white label and say fuck a brand, I’m just going to be a producer. But yeah, a lot of those operators are going to go away. They’ll probably sell their license to investment groups that are trying to get into cannabis.” 

Luckily for B-Real, he owns one of those companies that consumers stand behind. “Dr. Greenthumb” isn’t just one of Cypress Hill’s biggest songs, it’s also the name of B-Real’s chain of dispensaries, and web-series/podcast channel. The dispensary is known for their flagship strains: Insane OG, Insane Christmas Lights, Hindu Funk, and when it’s available, Ice Cream Cake. 

For now, Dr. Greenthumb has six locations spread throughout Southern California. The plan for the future is expansion into other states, and eventually other countries. “We want to plant flags in the United States and then eventually go over to Spain and plant a flag there. Because Cypress Hill has a fanbase there that is very supportive. So if we were to open a retail spot and take our genetics down there, it would go a long way. Our fans expect that experience, so it’s just a matter of time.” 

Since B-Real is such a figure in the cannabis world, we couldn’t hop off the Zoom without also discussing his weed ritual, habits, and favorite products. Here are some of the products the hip-hop legend and cannabis entrepreneur B-Real can’t live without.

Cypress Hill Phuncky Feel Tips

Cypress Hill’s Phuncky Feel Tips are B-Real’s brand of glass joint tips that produce a Cypress Hill series. “I cannot smoke a joint without those glass tips. It’s not the same for me. Once you smoke on a glass tip, smoking anything else just doesn’t seem right. That’s my number one shit right there.”

Flower

B-Real’s a flower man. He used to be heavy on the dabs, but he prefers to smoke joints over everything. When asked how much weed he smokes per day, he responded, “We’ve tried to count and we lose count. We smoke before we’re on the podcast, which is a two hour show, so we’re smoking 4 joints each for those 2 hours. And then there’s the 5 or 6 before the show, and the other 10 after the show. We’re smoking all day over here, it’s crazy.”

Dr. Greenthumb’s Insane Christmas Lights and Super Chief by RedLine Genetics are the strains he’s been smoking.

A grinder

With his abundance of good flower, B-Real can’t live without a good grinder.

Vibes Papers

Vibes is Berner’s rolling papers brand, and B-Real’s preferred roll-up.

Featured graphic by David Lozada/Weedmaps

The post 4 weed products B-Real can't live without appeared first on Weedmaps News.

Now That UN Accepts Marijuana, What Excuse Does Congress Have To Uphold Prohibition?

Congress, presidents, and governmental agencies have had more than enough excuses over the years for not wanting to legalize marijuana in the United States.

The post Now That UN Accepts Marijuana, What Excuse Does Congress Have To Uphold Prohibition? appeared first on The Fresh Toast.

New Jersey Legalized Recreational Cannabis — Now What?

While it may be easy to forecast NJ’s cannabis market from a financial perspective, things get a little hazy when trying to predict the market from a regulatory perspective.

The post New Jersey Legalized Recreational Cannabis — Now What? appeared first on The Fresh Toast.

Global Easing On Cannabis Could Jumpstart Markets

This week the U.N. Commission on Narcotic Drugs voted to remove cannabis and cannabis resin from a category of the world’s most dangerous drugs.

The post Global Easing On Cannabis Could Jumpstart Markets appeared first on The Fresh Toast.

A study found that CBD does not impact one’s driving abilities.

Each year you come into these holiday gift guides hoping for something cheap — but considerate — to give your favorite stoners. You know your pockets are out-of-office for that new bong or dab rig they’ve been craving, but you could still foot the bill for something random, clever, and useful. 

The good news is that there’s such a wide variety of cannabis products and accessories available these days, it’s really easy to find something budget-friendly that the average smoker doesn’t already own.

For 2020, here are some gifts that all cost less than $100, and will delight any cannabis enthusiast that receives them.

Raw Catcher

RAW runs the game when it comes to rolling papers and random smoking accessories. Recently, they dropped a new product: the Raw Catcher — and it’s an excellent gag gift.

RAW Catcher is a device that allows a completely hands-free session. As you smoke a joint, ash falls into the catcher, and it’ll enable anyone who’s writing, making art, playing video games, or anything else that occupies your hands, to do so while still getting stoney baloney. As goofy as it looks and feels, it’s a really funny gadget that’ll actually come in handy for people that like to smoke while creating but hate those little moments of breaking concentration to find the ashtray. 

Raw can’t sell their own products directly to cannabis consumers, so unfortunately, you’ll probably have to buy from Amazon. They also have a list of other third party sellers on their website, if you want to avoid that.

Price: $8 on Amazon

Kush Candles

Kush Candles

If you smoke weed, every room in your house probably smells like it — that’s why you need to gift someone a Kush Candle. Kush Candles is from Loveland, California where they produce 100% pure soy wax candles containing hemp seed oil and cannabis terpenes that mimic specific strains. 

They have Blue Dream, White Widow, and OG Kush candles, among many other strains. Choose your buddy’s favorite and prove once and for all that the best way to get rid of weed smell is with more weed smell.

Price: $17 on Kush Candles website

Poke-A-Bowl Ashtray

The Poke-A-Bowl is another simple accessory that changes the game for anyone out there smoking bongs. 

It has a vertical poker in the center of it that allows you to clean your bowl quickly, and the ashtray is so deep in volume that you could go months without emptying it. Just close the top and forget about it, like we stoners do.

Price: $20 on Amazon

Clear Phuncky Feel Tips

Phuncky

Ay man, B-Real’s Phuncky Feel Tips are amazing. They’re a product that Cypress Hill’s B-Real said he refuses to smoke without. 

Phuncky Feel Tips are a brand of glass rolling tips that make a world of difference when you’re smoking joints — blunts too. By filtering the smoke past a couple perculators, they create a smoother and tastier smoking experience. They come three to a pack, and you can get them in a variety of colors. The least expensive are the basic clear Phuncky Feel Tips, and they’ll be a perfect gift for any of your friends that keep ripping up old business cards for joint crutches.

Price: $18—$20 on Phuncky Feel Tips

Formula 420 Glass Cleaner + Soak ‘n Rinse

There’s nothing worse than being passed a bong and the freshly-packed bowl already tastes like char, resin, and resentment. Unfortunately, many smokers go quite a while without cleaning their glass. This holiday season, wouldn’t you like to be the change you want to see in the world? If so, then cop your weedy friends and family Formula’s 420’s Glass Cleaner AND Soak ‘n Rinse. They’ll clean any glass, metal, or ceramics within minutes. 

Trust me, people who smoke pipes, bongs, one-hitters, chillums, etc., or simply have extremely caked grinders that won’t ever spin, will definitely appreciate these in their stocking.

Price: $27 total: $13 for Glass Cleaner, $14 for Soak ‘n Rinse on Love Your Glass

Zeus Bolt 2 Grinder

Zeus

It truly would not be a gift guide if we didn’t talk about grinders, so here’s my personal favorite: the Zeus Bolt 2. It has a sleek black color, and the top portion is large enough to grab, and spin, without pinching and irritating the sides of your fingers. 

On top of that, the real reason it’s here is because the Zeus grinder catches kief like an absolute champion. If you’re feeling extra generous, you could also go with the larger, and not much more experience, Zeus Bolt XL.

Price: $25 on Zeus Website

ACLU End The War On Drugs Rolling Tray

ACLU

Much like a grinder, we can’t talk cannabis gifts, and not talk rolling trays. This year, give the gift of keeping smokers honest about the reality of marijuana in America. 

The War on Drugs, the War on Black and Brown communities, is still very much alive, despite watching numerous states legalize cannabis, and the numbers of people imprisoned for nonviolent cannabis arrest has only grown. Spread holiday cheer — and the word — by gifting one of the ACLU’s End The War on Drugs rolling trays.

Price: $28 on ACLU’s website

Moose Labs MouthPiece Gift Box

Moose Labs MouthPieces go on the top of bongs and on the tips of joints to make sharing weed as sanitary as possible. They’re an excellent budget-friendly, and especially topical, gift in the time of a global pandemic, where exchanging germs is an absolute no-go.

If you want to keep it simple, the MouthPiece for bongs, or the MouthPiece Mini for joints, only cost $10 separately. But if you’re feeling in the holiday gift-giving spirit, they have a $65 gift box that includes: 

• MouthPeace Original +1 filter roll 
• MouthPeace Mini +1 filter box 
• Smell-proof carry bag 
• 1 Pack MouthPeace Perfectly Sized Pre-Rolls (6) 
• 1 Pack MouthPeace Mini Perfectly Sized Pre-Rolls (6) 
• Rolling tray
• Sticker set

Price: $65.99 on Moose Labs website

Justice Joints

Launched in November 2020, Justice Joints donate 100% of their profits to social justice causes. They’ve also partnered with the Last Prisoner Project to bring awareness to the thousands of prisoners still incarcerated for cannabis-related offenses. 

For only $10, you can spark change for cannabis. 

Price: $10 in select California dispensaries

Featured image by Gina Coleman/Weedmaps

The post Gift guide: 8 low budget cannabis gifts for 2020 appeared first on Weedmaps News.

Each year you come into these holiday gift guides hoping for something cheap — but considerate — to give your favorite stoners. You know your pockets are out-of-office for that new bong or dab rig they’ve been craving, but you could still foot the bill for something random, clever, and useful. 

The good news is that there’s such a wide variety of cannabis products and accessories available these days, it’s really easy to find something budget-friendly that the average smoker doesn’t already own.

For 2020, here are some gifts that all cost less than $100, and will delight any cannabis enthusiast that receives them.

Raw Catcher

RAW runs the game when it comes to rolling papers and random smoking accessories. Recently, they dropped a new product: the Raw Catcher — and it’s an excellent gag gift.

RAW Catcher is a device that allows a completely hands-free session. As you smoke a joint, ash falls into the catcher, and it’ll enable anyone who’s writing, making art, playing video games, or anything else that occupies your hands, to do so while still getting stoney baloney. As goofy as it looks and feels, it’s a really funny gadget that’ll actually come in handy for people that like to smoke while creating but hate those little moments of breaking concentration to find the ashtray. 

Raw can’t sell their own products directly to cannabis consumers, so unfortunately, you’ll probably have to buy from Amazon. They also have a list of other third party sellers on their website, if you want to avoid that.

Price: $8 on Amazon

Kush Candles

Kush Candles

If you smoke weed, every room in your house probably smells like it — that’s why you need to gift someone a Kush Candle. Kush Candles is from Loveland, California where they produce 100% pure soy wax candles containing hemp seed oil and cannabis terpenes that mimic specific strains. 

They have Blue Dream, White Widow, and OG Kush candles, among many other strains. Choose your buddy’s favorite and prove once and for all that the best way to get rid of weed smell is with more weed smell.

Price: $17 on Kush Candles website

Poke-A-Bowl Ashtray

The Poke-A-Bowl is another simple accessory that changes the game for anyone out there smoking bongs. 

It has a vertical poker in the center of it that allows you to clean your bowl quickly, and the ashtray is so deep in volume that you could go months without emptying it. Just close the top and forget about it, like we stoners do.

Price: $20 on Amazon

Clear Phuncky Feel Tips

Phuncky

Ay man, B-Real’s Phuncky Feel Tips are amazing. They’re a product that Cypress Hill’s B-Real said he refuses to smoke without. 

Phuncky Feel Tips are a brand of glass rolling tips that make a world of difference when you’re smoking joints — blunts too. By filtering the smoke past a couple perculators, they create a smoother and tastier smoking experience. They come three to a pack, and you can get them in a variety of colors. The least expensive are the basic clear Phuncky Feel Tips, and they’ll be a perfect gift for any of your friends that keep ripping up old business cards for joint crutches.

Price: $18—$20 on Phuncky Feel Tips

Formula 420 Glass Cleaner + Soak ‘n Rinse

There’s nothing worse than being passed a bong and the freshly-packed bowl already tastes like char, resin, and resentment. Unfortunately, many smokers go quite a while without cleaning their glass. This holiday season, wouldn’t you like to be the change you want to see in the world? If so, then cop your weedy friends and family Formula’s 420’s Glass Cleaner AND Soak ‘n Rinse. They’ll clean any glass, metal, or ceramics within minutes. 

Trust me, people who smoke pipes, bongs, one-hitters, chillums, etc., or simply have extremely caked grinders that won’t ever spin, will definitely appreciate these in their stocking.

Price: $27 total: $13 for Glass Cleaner, $14 for Soak ‘n Rinse on Love Your Glass

Zeus Bolt 2 Grinder

Zeus

It truly would not be a gift guide if we didn’t talk about grinders, so here’s my personal favorite: the Zeus Bolt 2. It has a sleek black color, and the top portion is large enough to grab, and spin, without pinching and irritating the sides of your fingers. 

On top of that, the real reason it’s here is because the Zeus grinder catches kief like an absolute champion. If you’re feeling extra generous, you could also go with the larger, and not much more experience, Zeus Bolt XL.

Price: $25 on Zeus Website

ACLU End The War On Drugs Rolling Tray

ACLU

Much like a grinder, we can’t talk cannabis gifts, and not talk rolling trays. This year, give the gift of keeping smokers honest about the reality of marijuana in America. 

The War on Drugs, the War on Black and Brown communities, is still very much alive, despite watching numerous states legalize cannabis, and the numbers of people imprisoned for nonviolent cannabis arrest has only grown. Spread holiday cheer — and the word — by gifting one of the ACLU’s End The War on Drugs rolling trays.

Price: $28 on ACLU’s website

Moose Labs MouthPiece Gift Box

Moose Labs MouthPieces go on the top of bongs and on the tips of joints to make sharing weed as sanitary as possible. They’re an excellent budget-friendly, and especially topical, gift in the time of a global pandemic, where exchanging germs is an absolute no-go.

If you want to keep it simple, the MouthPiece for bongs, or the MouthPiece Mini for joints, only cost $10 separately. But if you’re feeling in the holiday gift-giving spirit, they have a $65 gift box that includes: 

• MouthPeace Original +1 filter roll 
• MouthPeace Mini +1 filter box 
• Smell-proof carry bag 
• 1 Pack MouthPeace Perfectly Sized Pre-Rolls (6) 
• 1 Pack MouthPeace Mini Perfectly Sized Pre-Rolls (6) 
• Rolling tray
• Sticker set

Price: $65.99 on Moose Labs website

Justice Joints

Launched in November 2020, Justice Joints donate 100% of their profits to social justice causes. They’ve also partnered with the Last Prisoner Project to bring awareness to the thousands of prisoners still incarcerated for cannabis-related offenses. 

For only $10, you can spark change for cannabis. 

Price: $10 in select California dispensaries

Featured image by Gina Coleman/Weedmaps

The post Gift guide: 8 low budget cannabis gifts for 2020 appeared first on Weedmaps News.