Ricardo Baca

Ricardo Baca

Ricardo Baca is a contributing editor for The Cannabist. He was appointed The Denver Post's first marijuana editor in November 2013 and spearheaded the formation of The Cannabist, a division of the Post. Fortune magazine ranked Baca as one of the seven most powerful people in American cannabis while the Brookings Institution said he's one of 12 key people to watch in marijuana policy. Considered by Vice as 'the nation's most prestigious weed editor,' Baca is also the subject of the feature-length documentary 'Rolling Papers.' Baca also founded music blog Reverb and co-founded music festival The UMS.

Recent posts by Ricardo Baca

4 months in: No increase in Denver crime

As revenues, taxes and fees from the sales of recreational marijuana continue to rise — “Colorado sold nearly $19 million worth of recreational pot in March, up from about $14 million worth of recreational pot in February” — crime in Denver, the state’s marijuana hub, is on the decline.

Real police report: 1 gram of pot stolen

A female college student at Northeastern Junior College in Sterling had a gram of pot stolen from her dorm room and reported the theft to the Sterling Police Department. Problem is, 19-year-old Aurelia Paici isn’t old enough to legally possess marijuana in Colorado sans a medical license.

Rogen: “There was no Pineapple Express weed before the movie”

Which came first: “Pineapple Express” the movie or the Pineapple Express the marijuana strain? Hey, let’s ask Seth Rogen.

NPR audio: Might this credit union-styled cannabis co-op actually work?

As we reported late May 7, the Colorado state House narrowly passed a pot banking bill that would create the first cooperative of its kind — and now the bill is on its way to Gov. John Hickenlooper’s desk for approval and, ultimately, a showdown with federal banking regulators. But will it work?

U.S. government to grow 1,430 pounds of weed for medical research

The U.S. government just increased its annual marijuana order by more than 30 times the original amount, and they’ll soon be growing nearly 1,500 pounds of cannabis at their pot farm in Mississippi.

Henry Rollins: “America will survive the legalization of cannabis” (video)

It’s long been known that punk rocker Henry Rollins is a literate, discerning, smartly cynical individual. The former Black Flag frontman is an outspoken advocate for a number of social issues, and now the pro-marijuana legalization collectives can count him among their flock.

Video: Obama cracks wise on Colorado pot laws at Correspondents Dinner

The annual White House Correspondents Dinner is a curious beast — a jovial night out for reporters, politicians and entertainers where lines are blurred and pot shots are a given. But did you hear Obama’s joke on Colorado pot laws?

Does Wiz Khalifa know the difference between indicas, sativas? (video)

We understand that the titular question above — Does Wiz Khalifa know the difference between indicas and sativas? — sounds a little ridiculous.

A thoughtful look at legalization: What happened to “Just Say No”?

“Just Say No” is one of those dated cultural milestones that now seems more distant than it should. Note: It’s been less than 20 years since Nancy Reagan’s program was at its pinnacle, and already two states in the union have legalized recreational marijuana as everybody from republicans to democrats are guessing on what states will be the next to fall.

Conan: “The orchestra will be playing Beethoven’s 420 Symphony” (video)

After making an on-point Donald Sterling/”Duck Dynasty” joke — but before introducing his guests Seth Green and Dave Attell — talk show host Conan O’Brien cracked wise Wednesday on the recently announced marijuana-friendly Colorado Symphony Orchestra concerts.

New idea: Food truck sells pot-infused grub

In these pages we’ve discussed the merits of buying marijuana from vending machines and smoking cannabis via professional, machine-rolled cigarettes. But I’m not sure any of that prepared us for a food truck that only sells infused edibles.

Cranfords debuts machine-rolled cannabis cigarettes in Colorado

Cannabis cigarettes are now a reality: Forget about the Internet hoaxes. Cranfords is now selling all-marijuana cigarettes in more than 20 Colorado shops.

Even more Dave Chappelle shows added for Comedy Works

Comic Dave Chappelle will headline a slate of Denver shows from April 29-May 5 at Comedy Works’ two locations. A representative at Comedy Works South told The Cannabist on May 1 that tickets for more shows there will go on sale in the coming 24-48 hours, per Chappelle’s management.

First views from “Rolling Papers” documentary (video)

See the first video footage released by the “Rolling Papers” documentary crew that has been tracking The Denver Post journalists and The Cannabist freelance staff. Get the story here

Vice documentary: “I’m smoking weed with the president of Uruguay” (video)

Who can say they’ve gotten high with José Mujica, the president of Uruguay? This Vice correspondent can. See the video:

N.J. Gov. Christie: Move to Colorado if you want legal pot (video)

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie is telling his constituents they should move to Colorado if they want access to legal recreational marijuana.

The Onion satirizes, “Colorado legalizes medicinal fireworks”

Clearly national satire site The Onion was waiting until 4/21 — the day after stoner holiday 4/20 — to unleash its latest on the Internet.

4/20 entertainment offerings grew too much, too soon (opinion)

4/20/14 concerts, music festivals and other events doubled and tripled in size from last year. But there weren’t enough people to fill all of the stages.

21 videos: From the Cup to Wake-N-Bacon to 4/20 Rally

It’s the big event — 4/20 itself. We catch up with people at the Cannabis Cup, the Denver 4/20 rally/festival and the ancillary events associated with 4/20 weekend.

20 videos: The scene at the 2014 Cannabis Cup’s first day

The Cannabis Cup lifted off the ground on April 19, with lines sprawling blocks and blocks and festivalgoers in good spirits. Check out these 20 videos from the Cup’s first day.

Video: High Times editor talks Cannabis Cup, activism

With the arrival of the Cannabis Cup and 4/20 weekend in Denver comes thousands of out-of-towners who pull their paychecks from the marijuana industry. High Times sent most of its New York-rooted staff to Colorado to work the Cup, including the magazine’s astute editor-in-chief Chris Simunek.

Smoke DZA talks Wiz, OG Kush and doing Red Rocks with Snoop on 4/20

The 4/20 holiday is among the busiest times of year for a number of industries, including but not limited to marijuana. Also bumping each 4/20: Hip-hop. Our interview with Smoke DZA:

A pop-up cannabis museum on wheels? Only in Colorado

A mobile cannabis museum – packed into a crowded fifth-wheel with artifacts, interactive displays, photos and media archives on the history of marijuana – that announces its pop-up locations via social media? Only in Colorado.

Update: Cannabis Cup in Denver is now sold out

It’s official: The 2014 U.S. Cannabis Cup taking over Denver April 19-20 is sold out.
“The fact that we’re exceeding our dreams, we are just jubilant,” said Jen Bernstein, High Times magazine managing editor.

Tupperware: “You can put your weed in there,” says Dixie Longate

Tupperware isn’t only handy for leftovers anymore, according to cross-dressing comedian Dixie Longate, who said she’s been approached by a number of fans asking about marijuana storage options.

Malkin, Rogen, Whoopi, Gupta, Maher: Guess who will be our new columnist

As the The Cannabist’s editor, I’m incredibly proud of our many contributors — our colleagues at The Denver Post, our content-sharing partners and our many freelancers. And now we’re almost ready to announce our newest contributor, and this one has star power to spare.

4/20: Event schedules, Cup info, Rally news, dab bars and tourist tips

It’s 4/20 weekend, and we have 15 tips on making your weed holiday the best it can be, whether you’re an in-the-know Coloradan or a first-time visitor from out of state. So let’s talk about the concerts, the rally, the Cup, the laws and more.

Pot vending machine making debut in Colorado

A few months ago we wrote about the wow-factor of marijuana vending machines: Their legality, how they work and why some feel these machines represent a future that revolves around convenience, control and automation.

Now hiring: Marijuana reviewer, application deadline is 4/20

Let’s get right to the business, dear reader: We at The Cannabist are hiring another marijuana critic. Take your time with that last sentence. Read it again. It never gets old, does it? Now read on to find out if this freelance gig is right for you.

Denver hotel searches for 4/20 weekend are up 73 percent, says lodging giant

Denver, prepare yourself for one of the largest surges of marijuana-based tourism ever seen.

Live from Bongistan: My big, strange day with Stephen Colbert (video)

That time I soberly went on Stephen Colbert’s show – and then got high so I could watch myself talking with the man himself.

A cautionary tale: Don’t leave pot in your hotel room after checkout

When Louis checked into the Hyatt Place Denver/Cherry Creek recently, he first went to the modest room’s window, which overlooked Glendale’s crowded stretch of South Colorado Boulevard. “I wanted to see if I could open the window,” he said, “But no, it was completely sealed.”

3 months in: No increase in Denver crime

It’s still early at three months of Colorado recreational marijuana sales — but how has the availability and legality of weed impacted crime stats in the city of Denver? Vox Media took a look at these statistics for a piece published April 7, “Remember when legal marijuana was going to send crime skyrocketing?”

Five pot stocks to watch, per 420 Investor guru Alan Brochstein (interview)

“Most of these stocks are not legitimate.” That’s professional investor Alan Brochstein talking about the red-hot pot stocks that have much of the investment world in a tizzy. Brochstein, an investment industry professional since 1986, has made an impressive living off these pot stocks — most of which are highly volatile penny stocks derided by most professionals.

“Cooking with Wiz Khalifa” or “Is Arsenio Hall stoned on TV?” (video)

What happens when TV host Arsenio Hall hosts a cooking segment with rapper Wiz Khalifa on his late-night show? Well, Khalifa starts talking about his favorite munchies — “Turkey dogs, turkey sausage, egg sandwiches, cheese eggs — I put onions, mushrooms, garlic powder in there” — and Hall appears to get honest-to-goodness stoned out of his mind.

Get educated about edibles: Eight tips for getting right dose

With the arrival of marijuana legalization in the U.S. comes medicated cookies, gummies, brownies, caramels, hard candies, chocolates, Rice Krispies treats and more — available for purchase in states that allow infused edibles within their pot laws. Click here

Poll: 75 percent of Americans think national legalization inevitable

The news from today’s Pew Research Center poll is astounding, perhaps even for the most staunch marijuana advocates: 75 percent of Americans think that the sale and use of marijuana will inevitably be legal across the United States.

Wiz Khalifa on Miley Cyrus: “She smokes a ton!” (video)

Not that you’d have any reason to question the amount of pot Miley Cyrus ingests, but if you did, Wiz Khalifa is here for you.

Marshmallow Peeps: Weed-themed diorama a favorite in Post contest

It often inspires a gasp — the first time you recognize that Easter falls on stoner holiday 4/20 this year. And while it’s an odd coincidence, it works awfully well for The Denver Post’s annual Peeps diorama contest.

3-D cannabis printer: Is this the future, or is it April 1?

Ah, April’s Fools Day. Even the weed nerds love the trickster holiday.

Ah, April’s Fools Day. Even the weed nerds love the trickster holiday. Our colleagues at Leafly shared this tasty nugget about their a 3D cannabis printer.

4:20 Digest: Profiled for Colorado license plates and more (3-31-14)

Are out-of-state police unfairly pulling over drivers with Colorado license plates? One man thinks so, as he says in a recent lawsuit.

Druggy spin on Toronto’s mayoral ad campaign

Imagine living in Toronto, home of maligned Mayor Rob Ford, and seeing one of these sharply designed political signs in your neighbor’s yard. The placard: “Elect Jeff McElroy. He promises to just smoke pot as mayor. Not crack.” The slogan: “Anyone’s better than Rob Ford.”

Happiest cities in U.S.: Weed-friendly Colorado, California each have 3 in Top 20

While most polls declaring This City the fittest, This Doctor the best and That State the booziest seem lazily researched, the recent Gallup poll on American well-being seems legitimate in its conception and execution. To boot: The weed-friendly Colorado and California each have three communities in the index’s Top 20, beating out the other 48 states.

Worst of Craigslist: “Do our dishes for dabs?”

Hopefully this Craigslist post — which searches for somebody to do the poster’s dishes in exchange for dabs — is a bad joke. If they’re not joking these stoners are sinking to comical stereotypical depths.

Trailer: You might have to be high to dig “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles”

Real talk: I am a child of the mid- to late-’70s. My mom braved lines full of other sleep-deprived parents to ensure I got an Optimus Prime action figure one Christmas morning in the ’80s. I might have cried a little as I tore into the glossy cardboard packaging. Later in childhood, I may have hosted a “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” birthday party — or two. Yes, Raphael was always my favorite.

Taco Bell president: “But seriously what is 4/20?”

Of course Taco Bell president Brian Niccol knows what 4/20 is. But since everybody loves a good 4/20 joke — even mediocre ones coming from corporate titans pushing fast food on the masses — Niccol dropped a couple of them into his Reddit Ask Me Anything yesterday.

See astrophysicist Tyson watch self in “stoned” slo-mo viral video

Some subversive YouTube genius thought it would be funny to take a video of astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, narrator of the “Cosmos” series, discussing Isaac Newton and rock it in slow motion. And that person was right.

Bill Maher to Seth MacFarlane: “I watched ‘Cosmos’ twice: Once baked, once straight”

Whether you love or hate “Family Guy” and “Ted,” you were still likely surprised to learn that those productions’ foul-mouthed creator Seth MacFarlane was the primary producer behind Fox’s current remake of Carl Sagan’s science series “Cosmos.”

Apply within: Dixie Elixirs seeking pot product testers

Whenever representatives of Denver-rooted cannabis company Dixie Elixirs introduce themselves to the general public, a common response is, “Hey, if you ever need any product testers, lemme know!” It had become a running joke in their office, said Joe Hodas, chief marketing officer. “And then we thought, ‘In many cases we do need testers.’ Market research in our industry isn’t the same as it is for other industries.”

Our pot critic Jake Browne answers all on Reddit

The magic of a Reddit AMA (ask me anything) session is the chance to throw out some weird questions, and Cannabist marijuana critic Jake Browne was game for them all. Dude knows a lot, and not only about weed; his AMA will give you the lowdown on how he critiques pot for a mainstream publication, the effectiveness of marijuana-infused lube and many other topics.