In a 2018 recording released by his attorney Joseph Bondy, Russian-born businessman Lev Parnas talked to then President Trump about legalizing marijuana. Parnas has since been convicted of fraud and campaign finance crimes and on June 29 was sentenced to 20 months in jail.
Global cannabis use continues to rise as legalization takes effect in the U.S. and Canada. "Cannabis cultivation is nearly universal," the U.N. notes in its 2022 World Drug Report. More than 150 countries produce pot, ganja, cannabis, marijuana, herb, bud, weed - whatever you prefer to call it.
Bill Maher says on the latest episode of "Real Time" on HBO: "The drug war has been a horrendous instrument of prejudice and punishment for racial minorities. So, it seems fair that they jump the line for weed franchises the way Indians did for casinos."
Pot promises to be hot at the ballot box this November. Legalization initiatives have qualified in Maryland and South Dakota, Several more are pending.
Arrested on May 12 in Richmond, Kentucky, eight-year NBA veteran Montrelz Harrell was charged with "trafficking less than five pounds of marijuana."
J.D. Vance was an author when "Hillbilly Elegy" starring Amy Adams and Glenn Close came out in 2020. He's since won the Republican primary for a U.S. Senate seat in Ohio. We decided to watch the film.
Thailand's new cannabis law goes into effect June 9. It allows residents to possess and grow low-THC ganja. It's essentially legal CBD, like in 11 U.S. states.
Cannabis-industry events came back en masse in the latter part of 2021. In 2022, there will be more events than ever. Here's a list of 100+ expos, conferences and festivals.
Cypress Hill frontman B-Real turns 52 today. He co-founded the popular hip-hop group in 1991 and now owns several Dr. Greenthumb's dispensaries in California.
"It's really quite safe," comic genius George Carlin says about cannabis in the HBO documentary, "George Carlin's American Dream." "It's going to be part of the future of this country," he predicted. "It's part of our culture."
