Does Tom Hardy Smoke Weed?

Rumors abound that Tom Hardy is the next James Bond. In real life, does this 007 prefer shaken martinis or straight up marijuana?  

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Cannabis Subscription Boxes Grow By 550%

COVID-19 has been a major driver of the subscription box boom.

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Nightmares Vs. Night Terrors: What’s The Difference?

Nightmares and night terrors are both conditions that affect your quality of sleep. Here are some key differences that can help you differentiate the two. Nightmares and night terrors are terms that are often used interchangeably. On the occasions when a differentiation is made, it’s assumed night terrors are simply more intense versions of nightmares, […]

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California grows a shit load of weed. That means dispensaries in the Golden State are FLUSH with pounds of fresh flower and next-level products. So, how do you know what items are good and what brands continually sell mids dressed up as top-shelf gold? Sure, knowing individual brands can help you navigate the world of dank bud. But, there are thousands of cannabis companies in California. And it seems like a new product launch is happening every day.

It’s honestly impossible to keep up — unless, of course, your mind organizes information like an Excel sheet. But, that isn’t the case for most people! That’s why it’s crucial to have a reliable dispensary that’s curating its product offerings based on the patients and clientele who shop there. It’s pretty much the only way to ensure you get that good-good every damn time. 

2020 has collectively been the harshest year in modern history — and ‘Murica is struggling particularly hard. But that doesn’t mean you have to skimp out on the cannabis you’re consuming. If anything, this year’s events mean we have to self-care extra hard and treat ourselves to fine herbs and highs. That’s why we created this pocket-guide to LA’s top dispensaries: Because we all deserve to know where LA’s best weed is. Enjoy!

Herbarium

Holding the numero uno spot on a list of weed dispensaries in Los Angeles is no an easy feat — there are so many options in this massive, sprawling city! But, Herbarium’s multiple and vertical licenses, for retail, delivery, manufacturing, cultivation and distribution — the only cannabis dispensary to possess all permits — places Herbarium firmly at the top of the list. The family-owned business, with roots in the fashion industry, has an uncanny eye on attention to detail, packaging, superb customer service, and efficient delivery. Herbarium’s premium brand, Caviar Gold, has also won multiple awards. 

The company operates a location in Needles, California, and has plans for eight additional locations. The shop’s in-house delivery serice operates within a five-mile radius. Herbarium also partners with Pelican Delivers to deliver products within a 25-mile radius.  

Known for their deep knowledge of all products, from flower to oils, concentrates, edibles, and cannabis-infused chocolates and snacks, Herbarium’s charismatic budtenders make shopping a true experience. There are weekly deals, out the door discounts, and surprise gifts with purchases. But it doesn’t stop there: The company also extends a 15 percent discount for seniors, veterans and customers with disabilities upon presentation of credentials. The LA location plans a major renovation that will create a walk-through museum, too! Talk about an exprience.  

For more information visit: herbarium.la

Cornerstone Collective 

Scrolling through their menu you can quickly tell that cannabis is Cornerstone’s passion. The therapeutic nature of weed is what inspired them to start the first true medical and research inspired dispensary in California — over 14 years ago. It’s owned and operated by two LA native latino/as who aren’t just passionate about weed, they’re also equally motivated by decriminalization and creating a true healing center in their community. 

Along the way they built lifelong bonds throughout the industry, and take pride in reliably sourcing unique flowers and products from all over the state, including boutique cultivators tucked away in some of California’s most magical farms. They wrangled an impressive crew of compassionate creatives from very diverse backgrounds, sharing the same common goal: A higher understanding of cannabis, its chemistry, and helping people make the right choice to suit their needs. 

Cornerstone’s dynamic and diverse team is made up of an in-house registered nurse, long- time cultivators, wellness specialists, and an inspired group of culture makers, musicians, artists, curators, photographers, and some high-functioning moms who all turn to cannabis for a different range of reasons. And boy — do they know their house! Together they curate a refined selection of the best weed products available in the legal market — hands down.

Their online menu is informative, but also experiential thanks to the exquisite photography. Shopping is a breeze, just enter your desired feelings using words like “sleep” or “creativity” to dial in your search, and you’re on your way. You’ll find that they offer a wide variety of products, keeping connoisseurs, medical users and newbies all covered. 

They know now’s the time their members need them most, that’s why Cornerstone has stepped up and quickly installed an express online ordering system and window pick-up service at their Eagle Rock location. They added new contactless payment options, and smooth and efficient safe distance guidelines with everyone’s health and safety in mind. You can also get your deeper cannabis questions answered in the comfort of your home, with consultations via phone, email, or text. This year they also welcomed the return of the Cornerstone Cares Compassion Program, committed to providing free high–quality cannabis for their low-income medical members. 

For more information visit: cornerstonecollective.com

LA Variety Cannabis

Centrally located in LA’s famed Miracle Mile, Los Angeles Variety Cannabis is a one-stop, must-shop spot for all your cannabis needs. From the heaviest, high testing flower, to pet friendly CBD, LAVC prides itself on daily deals, a 10 percent first time discount, and free delivery to keep your cost low and highs, high. 

Every patient receives one-on-one service from a friendly and personable budtender who makes your visit feel more like an experience and less like a big business transaction. Providing classic and feeling based shopping options, LAVC has made it easy for seasoned and novice cannabis consumers to find exactly what they need. 

Situated just steps away from LACMA and the Petersen Automotive Museum, LAVC recently staked its own claim in the art world by expanding the shop to include a gallery showcasing some of the city’s best up-and-coming artists. Impressive LA themed murals (including a homage to the neighborhood and a Kobe and Gianna Bryant memorial), pop-ups, and merch makes it hard to stop yourself from snapping a few insta-worthy selfies or adding unexpected extras to your order. When it comes to cannabis, LAVC is where you’ll always find your best buds.

For more information visit: lavcdispensary.com

House of Flowers

Located between Echo Park and Silver lake, this unique, street fashion inspired dispensary will stand out among its peers due to its charming design. The Hispanic family-owned business is driven by its premium in-house brand self titled “House Of Flowers,” which showcases some of the most unique packaging and finest flower on the market right now. It features three different cultivated strains grown directly in its very own LA-based cultivation facility. The Coast (indica), The Heights (hybrid) and Downtown (sativa), inspired by the unique energies LA emanates, this LA raised family is passionate about curating product that puts you in tune with the energy of the areas the strains are named after. 

This being the first store front, it also features an in house delivery, which has a radius of 7 miles, as well as curbside pick up for those who wish to stay in the car! But we suggest walking inside as this location has so much to offer, with its knowledgeable budtenders, or as they like to call them “florists,” no customer will walk out without being an expert on cannabis, or without getting a deal with its daily deals and first time patient deal of 20 percent off. 

If that’s not enough to get down, House of Flowers also features a merchandise section inside the store, as they pride themselves on the ability to provide quality clothing just as much as they do flower! They also offer weekly eats, as every Tuesday is Taco Tuesday, and they feature new vendors giving out tacos with any purchase. This is the only location as of now, but they have a delivery only location coming soon to Montebello and another store front coming to South LA. Soon enough you’ll see House of Flowers all over LA! After all, Los Angeles is the true home to flowers.

For more information visit: hof.la

The Pottery

The Pottery was founded on principles of minimalism and contemporary experiences. As if the store was called “The Dispensary.” We keep our focus and attention on the products while selling cannabis just like coffee or wine. We enhance the lives of many and inspire creativity, good health, and a modern lifestyle with the inclusion of cannabis.

We believe in a forward-thinking society and a normalized future of cannabis use!

The Pottery is permitted to sell cannabis to anyone age 21 and older with a government-issued ID card. There is no medical recommendation required to make purchases at The Pottery.

But The Pottery will serve adults age 18 and older with a valid physician’s recommendation and a valid government ID, OR a valid county-issued medical marijuana identification card.

For more information visit: thepottery.la

*This was made in partnership with the dispensaries on this list

French leaders are concerned that the country is falling behind its European neighbors.

Cannabis During Breast Cancer Treatment: What Are The Benefits?

Well-known organizations like the American Cancer Society have already had frank discussions about the benefits of CBD and cannabis during cancer treatment. 

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The decision is disappointing to say the least.

Top 5 Fresh Toast Stories Of The Week: Sept. 18, 2020

ICYMI: Here are the headlines making news this week on The Fresh Toast.

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The Vermont House of Representatives has finally approved a bill to legalize taxed and regulated cannabis sales. The Green Mountain State already legalized cannabis possession, home-grows, and use in 2018, but weed sales remain illegal. Like Washington DC, the only other US territory to legalize weed use but prohibit sales, this has led to a “gray market” of quasi-legal pot dealers.

The new bill would put an end to this confusing situation by officially allowing licensed cannabis businesses to grow, process, and sell weed to adults. The bill would create a new Cannabis Control Commission, which would regulate adult-use weed sales and take over regulation of the state’s existing medical marijuana industry. Adult-use sales would be taxed at 14 percent, plus the standard 6 percent state sales tax.

“Why do we tax and regulate and control particular substances? We have several reasons,” said state Rep. Tommy Walz (D) during the legislative debate, Marijuana Moment reports. “One, of course, is that we can get revenue out of it. But also because we can provide some harm reduction. It can provide some protections.”

The bill also contains social equity provisions that would prioritize business licenses for minorities, women, and people from communities ravaged by the war on drugs. An independent regulatory commission focused on helping small businesses compete with larger corporate cannabis firms would also be established. And like many other adult-use states, the bill will allow individual municipalities to choose whether or not pot shops will be allowed in their communities.

The state House and Senate each passed slightly different versions of the bills, so a bicameral committee was convened to sort out the differences between the two versions. During this debate, state senators acquiesced to a number of restrictions proposed by the House. The final version of the bill now imposes a 30 percent THC limit on cannabis flower, and a 60 percent limit on concentrates. The bill will also allow police to conduct roadside saliva testing for THC, as long as they obtain a warrant.

The state House approved this compromise bill with a 92-56 vote. The state Senate must still approve this version of the bill, which they are likely to do. But to finally become law, the bill must still be signed by Governor Phil Scott. The governor has reportedly discussed the bill with lawmakers, but has yet to indicate whether or not he will approve it. In 2017, Scott famously vetoed lawmakers’ first attempt to legalize weed, and there are concerns that he may veto this bill as well.

“It’s exciting to see that Vermont is on the cusp of ending cannabis prohibition for adults,” said Matt Simon, New England political director of the Marijuana Policy Project, in a statement. “Most Vermonters are not interested in growing their own plants, and many are unable to do so because it is prohibited by their rental agreements, so the only sensible policy is to create a regulated market for adult-use cannabis in Vermont. Governor Scott should recognize the merits of this bill and sign it into law after it passes the Senate.”

The Vermont House just passed another bill to automatically expunge all criminal records for former cannabis offenses, but this bill must still be approved by the Senate. Lawmakers have also proposed a bill that would decriminalize the use of natural psychedelics throughout the state, but this bill has yet to advance.

Image via

If you’ve smoked weed for a long time, then, realistically, you’ve likely also been burned and ripped-off by a weed deal that’s proved the age old maxim: If something seems too good to be true, it is. 

The latest harsh lesson in “Don’t believe it ’til you smoke it” came yesterday when the House of Representatives announced it will not vote on the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act on September 21 as was scheduled.

After posting the MORE-free House floor schedule for next week, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (sort of) promised that Democratic lawmakers would fight to pass the bill before 2021. First, Hoyer said, the House needed to focus on avoiding a government shutdown and securing another round of coronavirus relief action.

“The MORE Act remains a critical component of House Democrats’ plan for addressing systemic racism and advancing criminal justice reform,” Hoyer said, “and we are committed to bringing it to the Floor for a vote before the end of the year. Right now, the House is focused relentlessly on securing agreement to stave off a damaging government shutdown and continuing to do its job addressing the COVID-19 pandemic. Later this autumn, the House will pass the MORE Act with strong support as yet another crucial step toward making our justice system fair for all Americans.”

The elephant in the room is the November election, with the Democrats now favored to win the Senate and, of course, the White House up for grabs (please vote against Trump as early as you can).  

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler, the bill’s sponsor, indicated that the elections did likely figure into the push. “It might get postponed to the lame-duck [session],” Nadler said, referring to the period between election day and the swearing-in of new Congress members and — please, please, please — a new President.

Rep. Barbara Lee, who co-chairs the Congressional Cannabis Caucus, said on Wednesday she’d be okay with postponing the vote if it meant persuading more lawmakers to approve the bill. Lee also told Marijuana Moment that she and other House members would be “doing everything we can over the next week to build broad coalitions of support to ensure that happens sooner rather than later.”

Following the delay confirmation, Lee and cannabis advocate Rep. Earl Blumenauer released the following joint statement: “As Americans confront hundreds of years of systemic racial injustice, ending the failed war on drugs that has disproportionately hurt Black and Brown Americans must be front and center. As co-chairs of the Congressional Cannabis Caucus, our goal has always been a vote on federal marijuana legalization and restorative justice this Congress. Thankfully, the leadership has now given an ironclad commitment that the House will consider the bill this fall. The public deserves this vote and we will continue to build support to meet our objective of passing the MORE Act in the House and sending it to the Senate, which is one step closer to enacting it into law.”

Not everyone is buying the rationale, though, beginning with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. “I feel like the impulse to delay the expungement of people’s records is a fear-based response to Mitch McConnell and the Republican Party,” the New York representative said. “And I personally don’t think that we should be governing that way. I don’t think that when Democrats have power, like a House majority, that we should be drafting our agenda based out of fear of Republicans.”

AOC further questioned the wisdom of the delay by saying, “We already had a COVID vote. If the argument is that we should not be voting on legislation because we haven’t voted on COVID yet, then why are we voting on anything? Why is it that the one racial justice bill is the one that’s being singled out?”

And, so now we wait until the House of Reps are prepared to vote. Stay tuned!