This Week in Cannabis 4/18

The Right to Know. The Right to Grow.

Sporting the Green

The use of marijuana for medicinal purposes amongst professional athletes and the leagues they represent has received a lot of press in the last few months.From NFL commissioner Roger Gooddell’s statement that marijuana for medical use amongst NFL players is not “off the table” to NFL players actively promoting its use, allowing the use of medical marijuana by athletes for pain management has many advocates.Add LA Clippers player Blake Griffin to that list. In a Rolling Stones interview he was pro-green, believing that it is a better alternative to the long-term detrimental effects of prescription painkillers. And if nothing else it would help to add to the mystique of the high-flying dunk specialist.

Users of the Highest Order

It seems that there are a few notable people in positions of power that have partaken. Marijuana experimenters include two U.S. commander-in-chiefs, with current president Barack Obama and former president Bill Clinton both admitting to using it. Attorney General Eric Holder is also an admitted marijuana user. Or at least he was. In a Huffington Post interview, the same man who admitted to “youthful experimentation” is also “cautiously optimistic” about the state of marijuana legalization in this country after watching Washington and Colorado do so. So for those marijuana legalization advocates, it seems that Holder’s experiment can be deemed a success. And speaking of youthful experimentation…

Florida’s Youth High on Democrats Voting List

Getting young Floridians to the polls has historically been a challenge in non-presidential elections, but thanks to marijuana—and its medicinal qualities—young voters might be enticed to check some boxes in upcoming midterm elections in the Sunshine State. The constitutional amendment, should the measure pass, would make Florida the first southern state to allow for medical marijuana use. Support for medical marijuana is already high in Florida amongst voters, with 70% of those polled last year being in favor of it. Here’s to hoping that sunshine helps the growth of weed this November.

Lean Green Vending Machine

Colorado received its first marijuana dispensing machine recently. For use by card-carrying medical marijuana patients, the machine uses a climate-controlled environment to house weed-infused goodies at the Herbal Elements medical dispensary. Listed as benefits by owner Greg Honan—other than the bounty therein—is that it will reduce theft from both patients and employees and tracking inventory will be made easier.It is still not open, so to speak, to customers just yet, but once regulatory guidelines are met the green light will be given for use.

Think we missed something important this week? Comment below, let us know.