Tokers

In states that have legalized marijuana, either for medical or recreational use, dispensaries are forever changing the practice of buying buds. Visiting these pot shops can be an eye-opening experience for those who have only known the limited options, questionable quality and legal dangers of black-market buys. But with so many dispensaries cropping up across the country, it can be hard to know which ones truly excel.

If you’re seeking a better cannabis-buying experience, look no further than HIGH TIMES’ picks for the best marijuana dispensaries in America. We’ve selected over 70 medical and recreational pot shops around the country that stand out for their elite and extensive inventories, awesome environments and superb staffs.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

The Bay Area is the birthplace of the modern marijuana dispensary, thanks to the pot pioneers who boldly opened the San Francisco Cannabis Buyers Club in 1992—four years before the passage of Proposition 215, the state’s landmark medical marijuana law. That compassionate spirit is still at the heart of the region’s dispensaries, which offer everything from boutique buds to the legendary outdoor cannabis of the Emerald Triangle. The Bay also boasts some of the country’s best makers of concentrates, edibles and topicals. Here are our picks for the best shops in NorCal.

Read More:http://hightimes.com/news/the-best-cannabis-dispensaries-in-america/

CANNABIS FOR CHRONIC PAIN

Currently, 1/3 America suffers from chronic pain, defined as pain that lasts longer than 12 weeks. It commonly coincides alongside secondary symptoms and conditions, from trouble sleeping to a weakened immune system to anxiety and depression. The problem with chronic pain and other health conditions, however, is that many people turn to opioid prescriptions, the reality of which is quite dangerous. Medical marijuana, on the other hand, is a viable alternative to opioids, which you will see in the infographic below.

Apollo Cannabis Clinic aims to offer safe and effective treatment for chronic pain and a variety of other conditions such as PTSD and anxiety via medicinal marijuana. The largest study on cannabis to date found that medical cannabis is effective at relieving not only chronic pain, but also a variety of other conditions, from muscle spasms associated with multiple sclerosis to nausea associated with chemotherapy. Not only is it effective, but it is also highly safe, especially in comparison to opioids. In 2015, 15,000 or more deaths in the United States were the result of opioid overdoses alone – marijuana, on the other hand, caused zero deaths. This is because while it is virtually impossible to overdose on marijuana, the same is not true for opioids.

Read More:https://www.theweedblog.com/cannabis-for-chronic-pain/

If an aging loved one in your life complains about not being able to sleep well, that older person is not alone. According to a 2005 National Sleep Foundation poll, 39% of older people were likely to say they wake up a lot during the night. My mother in law, Alice, now 95, is one of them. For the entire time I have known her, over three decades, she has complained of insomnia. She reported trying every kind of remedy out there: prescription sleeping pills, over the counter aids, herbal concoctions, etc. Consistently, she said none of them worked. She could sometimes fall asleep but could not stay asleep.

Her family thought it was time for her to try marijuana. Living in California where medical use of marijuana has been legal for years, it was not much trouble to get a doctor's recommendation. It was done by video conference with an M.D. He asked Alice some good questions, discussed what products might work and recommended a specific type of weed in elixir form. She was not looking to get high. She just wanted to stay asleep for the night. She was all in favor of trying something new. We got the drops the doctor recommended for her.

Read More:https://www.forbes.com/sites/carolynrosenblatt/2017/08/21/can-medical-marijuana-help-aging-parents-insomnia/#51a411c527ce

In California, the Oakland city council unanimously approved the Equity Permit Program, which ensures a more diverse cannabis industry from the get go, including former weed felons. Approved last month, the new program will reportedly issue 50 percent of all licenses for medical marijuana facilities to people who would otherwise be unable to obtain a shot at owning a slice of the cannabis market due to previous felonies or lack of start up funding.

The system Oakland is implementing sets the licenses aside for weed felons, or people who are low income and either have a marijuana conviction or have lived in certain Oakland neighborhoods for at least 10 of the past 20 years. USA Today reports that the city will also give priority to other applicants if they partner with equity applicants by giving them free space to operate a competing business.

Read More:https://www.theweedblog.com/weed-felons-welcome-oaklands-legal-marijuana-industry/

A Kansas couple will finally see their day in court after years of rulings and appeals stemming from a 2012 SWAT-like raid that only turned up some tomato plants and loose leaf tea.

Some of the scarring memories for the family from the raid:

• The father was forced to the floor, face-down and shirtless
• Officers searched the house for two and a half hours
• The Harte children were detained in the living room under armed guard
• Drug sniffing dogs

Previously, Johnson County Sheriff Frank Denning and seven sheriff’s deputies were sued by homeowners Robert and Adlynn Harte, both retired CIA agents. A federal judge threw out the case in December of 2015.

Read More:https://www.theweedblog.com/kansas-couple-raided-for-tomatoes-and-tea-leaves/

Getting a buzz while looking out over the Swiss Alps just got easier thanks to a Swiss supermarket chain now selling ‘ special cigarettes ‘. In addition to tobacco, the pack contains CBD-rich hemp, which contains less than one percent THC. CBD is thought to be useful in treating pain and panic attacks, among other ailments.

While marijuana remains illegal in Switzerland, it is permissible to smoke cannabis (aka hemp) that tests at less than 1 percent THC. Most other European destinations (not including Amsterdam) only allow cannabis with less than .02 percent THC.

They sold out in the first month of cannabis cigarette sales. The Coop Cooperative is one of Switzerland’s largest retail and wholesale companies with a member base of roughly 2.5 million people and the success has led to the decision of a bigger rollout.

Read More:https://www.theweedblog.com/swiss-grocer-now-carries-specialized-hemp-cigarettes/