Super Bowl XLVIII aka Marijuana Bowl, Stoner Bowl, Doobie Bowl

Timing is everything isn’t it?  Just when we voiced our opinion at Dat Dank about the NFL Commissioner’s comments about possible marijuana legalization in the NFL, destiny brought us a Super Bowl featuring the Seattle Seahawks vs. the Denver Broncos.  For those of you who have been keeping up with marijuana legalization, you may have put one and one together and noticed that these two teams represent states that are on the forefront of recreational marijuana legalization.  For those of you wondering why people are calling it the weed bowl, marijuana bowl, stoner bowl, or bong bowl, if you haven’t already heard, Colorado was the first ever state to legalize recreational marijuana regulated by the state government with the state of Washington soon to do the same.

What makes this significant in sports? Well nothing in particular because marijuana is still categorized as a banned substance in the NFL  and any other professional sports for that matter.  But what makes it significant at Dat Dank is the fact that, as  Seattle Pi puts it:  These two states aren’t “the only two states in the union (and two of only three places on the planet) where marijuana is not only legal but have a budding legal system for growing and selling will face each other in the Super Bowl.”  And with the statement made by Roger Goodell (Commissioner of the NFL)  regarding the possible legalization of medical marijuana use among players in the future, the Denver Bronco and the Seattle Seahawks facing off in  the Weed Bowl, er, Super Bowl in New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium couldn’t have come at a better time for marijuana advocates and supporters in the United States.  I’m not complaining but imagine this game was played at Mile High Stadium back in Denver, we would be talking conspiracy as opposed to a high coincidence.

So this year, fill up the Doritos bowl, and pack a fat bowl, cause this game’s gonna be a doobie!

Simple Step-By-Step Guide For Making Premium Shatter BHO

1. Take some good fresh uncut bud that has been dried. An ounce of high quality bud can yield you 3.6g of shatter provided you use about 12oz of butane and wash it twice.
2. Place the bud in an extraction tube that is made of thick glass and is real clean. You don’t want excess contaminants in your batch that will degrade your dabs. You want to also make sure that there are no air pockets inside the tube, and you can eliminate those by using a rod to neatly but not overly pack your bud.
3. On other end of the extraction tube you want to drip your butane through it in a slow yet evenly paced manner. On the opposite end use/attach coffee filters so that the liquid which runs down will have to go through it. The drippings should fall onto a collection dish. Note that you should do the extraction process outside as there is a chance of explosions or bursts of fire if the butane is dripped too fast.
4. Once your butane can is spent remove it and let the excess butane still in the tube make its way down through the filter and into your pan.
5. Next is the evaporation part of the process. Your pan should be filled with this golden brown liquid. Take your collection dish and place it in a larger frying pan filled with hot water and your mixture should begin to bubble. Change the water as needed if it cools and don’t expose it to the hot water for a long time as your product will become dark and degraded. Once the oil stops bubbling you are done and can scrape the product and either smoke it or place them in glass vials.

One of the few places I found with good prices on dabs, wax, and shatter making tools and accessories: http://www.marijuanapackaging.com/smoke-shop-supply/concentrate-tools.html

DISCLAIMER: This is just a guide laying out the steps to how shatter is made using butane.  I am not recommending that any of you try this at home without proper equipment or experience because it could involve in injury as butane is highly flammable and can be explosive.  This is an article meant to inform, not meant to inspire recreational weed smokers to screw around with butane and their leftover stash.

Commissioner States That NFL Could Legalize Medical Marijuana

We all know that the National Football League (NFL) has banned numerous players for the use of marijuana due to the league’s strict substance ban and abuse policy.  But this may no longer be the case in the near future.  The head commissioner of the NFL, Roger Goodell has opened up to the Associated Press about his stance on the NFL and marijuana use since the successful legalization of recreational marijuana in Colorado at the beginning of this year.  According to ESPN reports, commissioner Goodell stated that he could envision a time when players could turn to marijuana to treat pain in states where medical marijuana has already been legalized:  “I don’t know what’s going to develop as far as the next opportunity for medicine to evolve and to help either deal with pain or help deal with injuries, but we will continue to support the evolution of medicine.”

The major setback from this issue being pushed faster is the league’s 10 year collective bargaining agreement.  Marijuana remains a prohibited drug under the NFL’s substance abuse policy and this agreement was last set in place in 2011 and isn’t set to expire until 2021.  The loophole pointed out by Rt.com shows that the CBA only bans the “illegal use of marijuana, meaning a potential gray area exists concerning situations and states where legal and medical marijuana is permitted.”

In a sport where players are beat and battered week after week with pain, the NFL would be a prime example for the sports world in which medical cannabis could properly be used and regulated for the benefit of the players and sports as a whole.  What do you think?

Why You Should Buy a Bubbler Pipe for Smoking Marijuana

Bubblers have since been the mystical method for smoking Marijuana to me.  Why is it mystical you might ask?  On first look to a novice it may look like a fancy pipe but for those that have marveled over the glasswork, you could get lost in the twists and turns funneling into multiple chambers, a water reservoir, and eventually getting you blazed.  Most people commonly use pipes, bong or simply roll a joint and blaze it the good ol’ traditional way to get high.   This article was written for those of you who haven’t smoked from a bubbler before, just give me 1 minute of your time.

Bubblers can be an alternative and fun method for smoking and should be used to add variety to your smoking experience.  Bubblers are usually alot smaller than your standard bongs and have a bowl, similar to that at the end of a pipe, which is removable and is located at the top of a cylinder (I’m sure you’ve seen it before). It is then inserted inside the bubbler and the bubbler is partially filled with water at a point above the cylinder object. A person then lights the bowl. Smoke then travels through the water and into the mouth of the user when he or she releases their thumb from the base of the bubbler. The water helps filter the THC and also decrease the temperature of the smoke that is inhaled.  So in the end its kinda like smoking a the lovechild of a bong and pipe.   But in my opinion and the opinion of many other bubbler users, the end result is a smoother smoke than that of a pipe.  Be careful though, as the water in the bubbler gets dirty real fast and if you pull the smoke too hard, you are likely to inhale some of that skunked water as well.  I recommend cleaning out the bubbler and emptying the water after every smoke session to ensure a great experience every time, but who am I kidding, that never happens.  So just make sure you clean it out once every few uses to keep your bubbler just as majestic as when you first saw it on the store shelves or in your online shopping cart.  Having a larger than pocket sized bong is just down right convenient.  Your hits are likely to not be as strong as fat as your bong hits but they will get the job done especially if you have some good bud.  No go fill that bubbler up with some water and let it rip!

Governor of New York Changes Stance To Loosen Marijuana Laws

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo of New York has long been known for his hard stance  against legalizing marijuana of any kind in New York.  This change of position comes a shock to many but digging deeper into his political history, we can see that Gov. Cuomo lead the charge in the legalization of same-sex marriages in New York in 2011.  Gov. Cuomo has made major moves in the past few years in the area of social policy in an effort to bolster his popularity with the voting public.  Because of Gov. Cuomo, gay marriage is now legal in New York and gun laws in the state are one of the nation’s toughest.  Although he has began spearheading abortion rights in his state, that effort has not achieved the success of his other campaigns that have most recently put him in the glowing spotlight of public approval.

Although New York is not going to be competing in the liberal likes of Colorado or California, this shift in legislation allowing those with serious illness have access to medical marijuana is a huge leap for the state of New York where possession and distribution of drugs carry some of the heaviest penalties in the nation.  The legislation proposed will allow 20 hospitals in the state to prescribe medical marijuana to patients with cancer, glaucoma, and other diseases that meet the standards set by the New York State Department of Health.

Moves like this are big in cannabis legalization efforts because it gives the public a chance to understand that when all efforts to treat medical illnesses are exhausted, medical marijuana can be used positively.  When you have highly populated states such as California and New York setting examples of effective regulation, others will follow in due time.  It’s hard to say if Colorado had any affect on Gov. Cuomo’s new plans to offer medical cannabis, but one thing is for sure, he’s not afraid to tackle big issues and go with what he thinks is right.  Keep on advocating Gov. Cuomo, we’re all behind you

A No-Frills Guide To Buying Weed In Colorado

The great state of Colorado opened it’s doors to Marijuana use on January 1st , 2014 (aka Green Wednesday).  The marijuana dispensary doors are now officially open for business and you want to get in on the action, here’s a few things you should know without having to read the Colorado marijuana use laws.

Who Can Buy Marijuana For Recreational Use?  Colorado’s age requirement to buy Marijuana is anyone that is 21 and older with a valid government issued ID.  As long as you are of age, you can legally purchase, possess, and smoke Marijuana in the state.  Colorado also has what I call a “sharing is caring” clause.  You can share your weed with anyone else who is 21 years or older as long there is no exchange of Marijuana for money.

I’m Not From Colorado, Can I Still Buy Marijuana?  The same laws apply to all United States citizens as stated above.  As long as your over 21 years of age with valid ID, you can cruise into a licensed retail shop and buy up to 1/4 ounce (out-of-state limitation)

What If I’m Not 21 Years Old But Over 18?  Great news for those over 18 years old but under 21, you can still buy Marijuana as long as you have a medical marijuana card.  Colorado legalized medical marijuana in 2000 but has now dropped the annual registration fee for the medical marijuana card to only $15 per year!

OK, I’m Finally In Colorado, Where Can I Buy Weed?  There have been 136 retail marijuana shop licenses issued throughout Colorado but MOST of these are in Denver.  But if you somehow find yourself in Summit County, there are four shops there as well.

How Much Marijuana Can I Buy?  If your a Colorado resident, you can buy up to 1 ounce of weed (equivalent to 60 normal sized joints) and out-of-state visitors can buy 1/4 ounce of weed at one time (equivalent to 15 normal sized joints).  That’s still alot of joints so there is nothing to worry about with this limitation.

Lastly, How Much Money Should I Prepare?  Your typical purchase of an eighth of an ounce will run anywhere between $25 to $45 with taxes on top.  The state tax is set at 25% and a very nice 5% city/county tax assessed in most places.

I Didn’t Smoke All My Weed, Can I Take It Back Home For My Family And Friends?  No.  Although you bought it legally, it is still illegal to take it with you across state lines.  It can even be tricky to transporting weed from city to city within Colorado because each city  and county have set their own individual marijuana laws.

Marijuana Cultivation: Types Of Grow Lights Explained

Growing your own marijuana can be a difficult and tedious task. One aspect of growing is the light source you use. Marijuana isn’t legal everywhere so growing it openly in the sun is out of the question for many, not to mention the ease of theft if grown outside. Moreover, individuals living in certain parts of the world where sunlight is scarce will have a hard time in finding the right place to grow their strains. One popular solution is to grow their product inside somewhere and use special lights that act like the sun and encourage growth.

Light intensity is measured in nanometers (nm) of one specific wave length of light.  Marijuana plants differ in the appropriate amount of intensity that they need. For vegetative growth marijuana plants need about 420-550nm of intensity while for pre-flowering and budding they need about 550-670nm for optimal growth.

There exist three typical grow lights out in the market that many use to grow indoors. These lights are: HPS (high pressure sodium) lights, MH (metal halide) lights and LED (light-emitting diode) grow lights. HPS lights offer an intensity of 540nm to 700nm and are great in promoting budding of the plant while MH lights only offer intensity ranging from 350nm to 550nm and are used to promote vegetative growth. One downside to using these types of high intensity lights is that they get extremely hot and cooling fans are also needed to prevent them from overheating or blowing. LED grow lights offer the broadest range of intensity (from 420-750nm) making it the best but most expensive for growing marijuana. If you have the cash flow, you best use LED lamps as they offer the best lighting source for all your marijuana needs.

Behind Colorado’s Legalization Of Marijuana: Understand Amendment 64 In 1 Minute

Colorado Amendment 64 was passed by an overwhelming majority on November 6, 2012. This amendment allows personal use of marijuana for adults 21 and over and allows for the growing, manufacturing and sale of marijuana. Fast forward one year, these same voters passed a 2013 state ballot measure imposing sales taxes on recreational marijuana making it one of the most heavily taxed product in the state. The tax would impose a 15% excise tax and an initial 10% sales tax not counting any local taxes that are placed. So what is the deal? Why first pass legislation that legalizes marijuana and then in turn place heavy taxes on that same product?

The answer is always money. The voters simply didn’t want to pass Colorado Amendment 64 to simply legalize pot so people can freely use it recreationally. The voters wanted a cut of revenue for the sale of marijuana. Marijuana, although previously illegal, was already easily accessible. So why not cash in? Proponents of the 2013 tax measure hope to bring in an additional $67 million a year in revenue for schools, road repairs and regulation of marijuana sales. Moreover, politicians in the state hope to make Colorado one of the front runners in successfully implementing the legalization and regulation of pot. This legislation was passed before the first recreational pot stores are scheduled to open beginning January 1, 2014. Some coincidence? I think not. More than likely this is the result of a master plan in countering Colorado’s hobbled economic growth.

Best Bud of 2013: My Top 5 Favorite Marijuana Strains This Year

 

1.  Apollo 13– This kush is more of my style. It is not as fruity as the other popular marijuana types out there, therefore not as sough after, but it is my go to bud for smoking. It has a very unique smell that is pretty earthy and a little skunky. It is not as strong as other types of bud, but allows you to function and still provide that much needed relaxation.

2. Sour Diesel– This is a dark green plant with orangish leaves. It lasts a long while approx 3-4hours and you got a good head buzz going. Its sour name comes from the smell it leaves rather than the taste that it leaves in your mouth. I was told it has a little bit higher THC content than other herbs out there, and after smoking this shit, I have no reason to doubt this fact.

3. Blueberry Yum Yum– It has a unique color not unlike that of a blueberry, hence the name. It even smells like blueberries! I usually don’t like my weed to me too fruity, but this one I make an exception too.  It is very, very strong kush and after smoking this I usually don’t do any sort of work related activities or go out.

4. Purple Kush– Although this is not at the top of my list, this is probably one of the strongest buds I have ever smoked. It is sort of sweet when you exhale the smoke and earthy when you are inhaling. It is pretty fast acting as I usually feel it after only 5 minutes of smoking.

5. AK 47– This pointy green plant gives me a good high lasting about an hour. I usually smoke this when I have to work on some project at home or when I am answering work emails. It doesn’t make me all crazed, rather it gives me a relaxed attitude.

 

California Medical Marijuana Dispensaries Disappearing in 2013

California had legalized medical marijuana close to 17 years ago and yet we still seem to see problems arising between dispensary owners and the government.  To be clear, the Federal government is to blame for these shrinking numbers we are seeing from San Francisco all the way down to San Diego.  The dispensaries being shut down are all businesses who have been a victim of random raids carried out by the federal Drug Enforcement Agency, or better known as the DEA.  Since the “Cole Memo” written by Assistant Attorney General James Cole in the summer of 2011, dispensaries have been under attack by the government with no end in sight.  As StopTheDrugWar.org has put it, the Cole memo along with California’s four US Attorneys declared “open season on dispensaries.”

Due to this announcements, city officials have taken independent action on localized legislation.  Los Angeles had well over 500 dispensaries prior to 2010 and that number is planned to be reduced to 135 in 2013.  Another big hit taken was Anaheim which had over 143 dispensaries in 2007, now down to 11 dispensaries in 2013.  Those last 11 were ordered to be shut down by the end of the year.  Other major cities across California has followed suit such as San Bernardino, Riverside County, Bakersfield, Palm Springs, Thousand Palms, Santa Ana, and Stockton.  These cases are not just a regulatory move to restrict the number of dispensaries open, but rather moving toward a full ban on the medical marijuana dispensary industry as a whole.

If cities were so afraid of the collectives setting up shop all around the city, they should take a page from Palm Spring’s zoning strategy allowing a certain number of collectives to operate in a certain area, thereby allowing safe access to those who need medical marijuana than to outright ban and shut down all currently operating collectives.

All this trouble marijuana users and distributors can all be traced back to a single Supreme Court decision in the case of City of Riverside v. Inland Empire Patients Health and Wellness Center handed down in May of 2013.  The Supreme Court Justices unanimously ruled that that localities could use their zoning powers to ban dispensaries in addition to regulate them.  This decision gave the green light for major cities to start making moves on all collectives under its own power, and those that pose more problems to shut down are handed over to the DEA to deal with.

What does this all mean for the future of California collectives?  From the time this article was written, no dispensary owner is safe from their own city nor the federal government.  Although this report may seem grim, not all hope has been lost, yet.  The Cannabis and Hemp Freedom Act of 2014 has published by SaveCannabis.org as an open source grassroots effort with hundreds of California advocates behind this legislation.  The objective for this is for this legislation to be completed in time to make it onto the 2014 ballot.  As an open source document, suggestions and edits can be provided by you, as an advocate, through their website.