Ex-NFL and NHL pros: Cannabis is good medicine
“I think it takes guys like us to get the word out.”
Bruce Kennedy
Bruce Kennedy is a veteran communications professional and multi-media journalist who has years of experience in international and business news. He started covering Colorado's cannabis industry in 2010.
Recent posts by Bruce Kennedy
California cannabis company receives historic $1 million insurance payout following fire
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A Southern California cannabis cultivator received a payout of well over $1 million from an unnamed insurance carrier in Great Britain, for crop damages that the grower suffered during the massive Thomas Fire this past December and January.
Medical marijuana advocates react to ouster of VA chief, nomination of Dr. Ronny Jackson
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One veterans organization called David Shulkin’s tenure at the VA, “a blunder that has caused harm to millions of veterans.”
Patient-focused report graded medical marijuana programs. No states received an A.
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None of the state medical marijuana laws adopted thus far in the U.S. can be considered ideal from a patient’s standpoint, according to a report by Americans for Safe Access.
Wholesale cannabis prices tumbled in 2017 — and they have yet to hit rock bottom
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Analysts at Cannabis Benchmarks, an independent price reporting agency, found the price per pound of legal marijuana was down 13 percent in 2017 compared to 2016, and they’re projecting prices will continue to fall in 2018.
Veterans group ratchets up pressure on White House and Congress to support medical marijuana research
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Top officials at of The American Legion stepped up their calls for the federal government to legitimize and invest in medical marijuana research.
Cannabis industry leaders: Marijuana businesses can redefine Corporate Social Responsibility
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CSR can boost the cannabis sector’s image and bottom line, industry leaders said during a keynote panel at the National Cannabis Industry Association’s Seed to Sale Show in Denver.
One month after Sessions marijuana memo, where do U.S. attorneys stand on legal weed?
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Here’s what we know about the top federal prosecutors stationed in the nine states that have legalized recreational marijuana.
Wholesale cannabis prices hit historic lows in January, but don’t blame Sessions
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The U.S. Spot Index for cannabis last week stood at a national average of $1,292 per pound, a 3.5% decline compared to the week prior, according to Cannabis Benchmarks.
Could Sessions’ marijuana policy shift benefit the cannabis industry in 2018?
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The A.G.’s unilateral moves have forced politicians to take sides on marijuana legalization, the leader of the National Cannabis Industry Association told a gathering of the group’s Colorado members.
Cannabis at the Olympics? Gold medalist and advocate Ross Rebagliati on CBD’s future in international sport
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The World Anti-Doping Agency removed CBD from it’s prohibited substance list on Jan. 1, but cannabis remains illegal in South Korea, host of this year’s Winter Games
Veterans and access to cannabis: 2017 in review
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2017 was a year of frustration but also incremental progress for military veterans and their advocates as veterans’ organizations and their supporters continued to lobby federal and state politicians to expand medical marijuana access and research.
Veterans groups react to VA’s shift in medical marijuana policy
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The directive changes policy to support “the Veteran – (health) provider relationship when discussing the use of marijuana and its impact on health, including Veteran-specific treatment plans.”
High Art: Looking back at marijuana-themed posters of the 1960s
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Mike Storeim, owner of Classic Posters in Evergreen, Colo., shares his favorite marijuana-themed posters of the era.
MJ Freeway discloses another cyberattack on the firm, affecting cannabis businesses
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MJ Freeway, a Colorado firm that provides business software for the legal cannabis industry, has disclosed it was the target of a cyberattack in November 2016.
More veterans parlaying their military skills into cannabis careers
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Meet the veterans in the cannabis industry: The skills they developed in the military, including discipline and work ethic, are welcomed by businesses.
Watch: Cannabis ad a pitch-perfect parody of dire pharmaceutical commercials
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Ad for Oregon delivery service Briteside reminds: “Sometimes you need to stop worrying and take a deep breath. Sometimes, you need cannabis.”
Congress members, veterans join forces in call for medical marijuana reforms
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A bipartisan group of U.S. Representatives, along with several combat veterans and the mother of a Marine who died by suicide after struggling with prescribed pharmaceuticals, came together in Washington on Thursday and urged Congress to advance efforts for medical marijuana research.
MJ Freeway software firm fights cyberattacks, outages, missed deadlines and negative press
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The groundbreaking cannabis software company struggles to maintain its mission despite high-profile setbacks in Washington and Nevada and negative press.
American Legion poll: Veterans overwhelmingly support medical cannabis research, legalization
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A new survey by the American Legion showing strong support in the military veterans community for medical marijuana research and legalization.
Fears mount for California MMJ patients over “cannabis deserts”
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Advocates worry that local bans on the California cannabis industry will make it much more difficult for some patients to access medical marijuana.
Congressional members press VA chief to help vet-focused marijuana research
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The letter to Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin is the latest effort by House lawmakers and veterans groups to encourage cannabis research to proceed
Natural disasters spotlight lack of insurance options for cannabis industry
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A recent spate of natural disasters is drawing more awareness to how vulnerable legal marijuana businesses are when it comes to insurance coverage.
After the smoke clears: What’s next for Northern California’s cannabis industry?
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Experts say Northern California’s legal cannabis sector, including parts of the Emerald Triangle, could face a long recovery after catastrophic wildfires.
Colorado drags down national marijuana prices in first half of 2017
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The price of a pound of legal marijuana continues to plummet in 2017, according to a new report tracking the commodity’s U.S. spot price index.
American Legion calls for ‘direct involvement’ from VA Secretary for federally-approved cannabis PTSD study
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The powerful veterans group says lack of support puts the pioneering, federally approved study in jeopardy.
Creator of the “Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers” reflects on weed’s long, strange trip
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Underground comix artist, expatriate and counterculture icon Gilbert Shelton is following legalization efforts 50 years after he helped make cannabis cool
VA roadblock hinders study on cannabis as PTSD treatment for veterans, researcher says
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Medical marijuana proponents say assistance from VA could jump-start a pioneering clinical study of cannabis in treating PTSD in veterans.
The Industrial Hemp Farming Act is back — is this the year Congress legalizes the crop?
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A bipartisan group of lawmakers are again calling for industrial hemp to be legally separated from marijuana in the Controlled Substances Act, and advocates believe they might just have the political momentum to succeed.
Cannabis on the Colorado border: Trinidad sued after enacting pot club moratorium
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A new lawsuit in the southern Colorado city of Trinidad underscores the patchwork nature of laws covering social use of marijuana after state lawmakers failed to pass regulations for pot clubs.
Trending: Why more and more experienced workers want a new career in cannabis
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There are plenty of weed jobs available that are beyond entry level, and more well-established members of the workforce are looking at the cannabis industry.
Will this be the year Congress expands veterans’ access to medical marijuana?
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A Senate committee just voted to allow VA doctors to talk medical marijuana with patients, but a similar measure was killed last year despite bicameral support.
State fairs embracing cannabis displays
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In another sign of how quickly cannabis is becoming Americana, the plant may have soon have a tent at your local county fair alongside prize vegetables and livestock.
Jack Herer: You know the strain, now get to know the man
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Remembering legendary marijuana legalization activist and author Jack Herer on what would have been his 78th birthday.
Super-plant hemp poised to fuel the next “Green Rush”
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While marijuana legalization gets the headlines, hemp shows potential for explosive growth in sectors ranging from the auto industry to pharmaceuticals.
Hemp products booming, but U.S. farmers hampered by its Schedule I status
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The U.S. remains the largest consumer market for hemp products worldwide, but hemp remains illegal under federal law as a dangerous Schedule I substance.
American hemp has a tumultuous history. Now it’s coming out of marijuana’s shadow.
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It’s Hemp History Week: Activists, politicians and scientists are helping rehab hemp’s rep, while touting its potential economic and environmental benefits
These 6 groups help vets get access to medical marijuana
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There’s increasing demand among U.S. military veterans for safe access to legal marijuana for the treatment of their physical and mental ailments.
American Legion calls on Trump to take cannabis off Schedule I to help vets
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America’s largest veterans service organization tells Donald Trump to reschedule marijuana to permit research into its efficacy for treating medical disorders suffered by vets.
You can build your own tiny hemp home, he’ll show you how
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Use of hemp as a construction material is part of the revival of the crop in America, thanks to entrepreneurs who are thinking big — and small, including a Colorado firm that hosts workshops on hempcrete and builds tiny hemp houses.
Yoga and cannabis: Ganjasana melds plant science and an ancient tradition
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Rachael Carlevale’s life has taken some twists, including a health crisis, that led to Ganjasana yoga, which she says centers on using cannabis plant medicine mindfully.
Cannabis industry insiders dish on the eve of 4/20
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The Cannabist spoke with insiders from a wide spectrum of Colorado cannabis companies to get their take on where the industry stands in 2017
Feds threaten intervention in High Times Cannabis Cup outside Las Vegas
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There’s a cloud of uncertainty hanging over the 2017 High Times Cannabis Cup in Nevada, following word that federal authorities warned the Moapa Paiute Tribe about potential intervention in the cannabis-centric event.
Start your marriage on a high note: Tips for cannabis-themed weddings
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The Cannabis Wedding Expo, expanding to three states in 2017, helps enthusiasts incorporate marijuana into their big day. Get tips and ideas from the pros.
The bong is dead. Long live the bong
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Though their history goes back centuries, the trusty water pipe is at a crossroads, as marijuana legalization changes how pot enthusiasts consume their cannabis.
Cannabis stigma: Millennials caught in changing norms
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Despite their support for cannabis legalization and increasing social acceptance, many millennials are reluctant to talk openly about their marijuana use.
Why this pressing issue should be among cannabis consumers’ most urgent concerns
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While marijuana consumers and enthusiasts might be rejoicing over the recent string of electoral victories for cannabis legalization, they also still face some new and quite sobering realities.
Is transporting marijuana legally between states a pipe dream, or will legalization trend propel change?
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Federal law prohibits marijuana and its transportation across state lines; but the new number of cannabis-friendly states sharing borders may end up testing that ban.
Across America, efforts to decriminalize marijuana are pitting cities vs. states
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Metropolitan areas across the country are enacting ordinances to decriminalize marijuana, while their home states often attempt to enforce far stricter laws.
Coveted cannabis: Why California weed growers are pursuing appellations like wine makers
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Wine experts are working with marijuana growers in California’s well-known Emerald Triangle to set up standards that define specific regions and brands.
