Rick Perry: ‘I defend the right of Colorado to be wrong on (marijuana)’
Presidential candidate Rick Perry, speaking at the Western Conservative Summit in Denver, had strong words against pot legalization but for states’ rights.
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.
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Recent posts by Ricardo Baca
Here’s why New York mag’s Vulture is celebrating ‘Stoner Week’ right now
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If you’ve stopped by Vulture’s homepage today, you’ve seen that New York magazine’s all-things-culture site is celebrating “Stoner Week.” Here’s what’s up.
There is no CannaCamp: Pot-friendly resort is homeless after ranch’s sale
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Just weeks from CannaCamp’s opening, the pot-friendly ranch resort in Colorado is homeless and looking at new sites after its original location was sold.
How 420-friendly are Hillary and Jeb? Pot advocacy group gives report card
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One of America’s largest marijuana policy organizations is grading presidential candidates on their individual reform policy — and the grades on the report card run the spectrum from A to F.
Oregon police compare piles of weed to a Voodoo Doughnut as visual aid
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How much weed makes up an ounce, the legal amount you can carry in Oregon? According to Portland Police: A pile roughly the size of a large Voodoo Doughnut.
Professor: Why Nebraska, Oklahoma have a right to kill Colorado’s legal pot
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A law professor argues that Nebraska and Oklahoma have the unquestionable right to squash Colorado’s legal pot system with their U.S. Supreme Court case.
Seattle Times: ‘Medical marijuana has value and shouldn’t get you fired’
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The editorial board at Washington state’s largest newspaper says medical marijuana use should not be cause for an employee getting fired.
Cannabist Show: He teaches pot law; He’s a ‘weed nerd,’ concentrates wiz
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On this week’s Cannabist Show, we catch up with the University of Denver’s marijuana law professor Sam Kamin and pot concentrates expert Ry Prichard.
Oregon news: Washington pot not priority for Portland police
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With Oregon marijuana legalization going into effect on July 1, Portland Police are making it clear they’re not overly concerned if legal Washington weed crosses the state line.
New proposal: Allow more places for pot use in Denver
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The same activists who in 2012 successfully legalized the cultivation, sale and use of recreational marijuana in Colorado have started their next big initiative: The push to allow pot consumption in places now off limits.
The same guy behind pot radio station found a ‘Latina girlfriend’ via billboard
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Marc Paskin started Denver pot radio station Smokin 94.1, and he’s no stranger to odd stunts — like when he solicited a Latina girlfriend via a billboard.
Cannabist Show: He sells organic marijuana; He makes stylish stash kits
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On this week’s Cannabist Show, we catch up with L’Eagle owner John Andrle and Stashlogix co-founder Sam Campbell
Is Snoop Dogg Twitter’s new CEO? Or will he lead this other tech company?
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Amid the news that Twitter CEO Dick Costolo was stepping down on Thursday, rapper Snoop Dogg threw his hat into the ring to become the social media giant’s new CEO. Fittingly, Snoop’s plea came with its own hashtag: #SnoopforCEO.
As cops raided pot shop, they allegedly ate edibles, threatened disabled staff
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A few weeks after the Santa Ana Police Department’s May 26 raid on Sky High Holistic, an unpermitted marijuana dispensary in the southern California city, two newly released videos show the officers behaving in an unprofessional manner.
Colorado pot: Excise taxes for school fund surge in April
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After four consecutive months of record-setting growth, recreational pot sales in Colorado leveled off in April 2015 — while the pot taxes earmarked for school construction capital reached an all time high that month, according to new Department of Revenue data.
‘Dear Lord,’ Bill Clinton said in Denver. Here’s the rest of his marijuana joke
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Former President Bill Clinton is no stranger to marijuana jokes — and the joke’s been on him since that infamous quote in March 1992. But Clinton regained control of that conversation this week while in Denver for the Clinton Global Summit.
National Cannabis Bar Association: Weed attorneys, unite (quite literally)
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Weed lawyers now have their own bar association. The National Cannabis Bar Association launches today with the goal of becoming “a specialty bar association dedicated to providing attorneys in the cannabis industry with educational and networking opportunities to help them better serve cannabis businesses,” according to a press release.
Watch: An activist who lives in Denver and D.C. compares cities’ pot systems
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Legalization activist Betty Aldworth has residences in both Denver and Washington D.C., and here she compares the cities’ very different marijuana systems.
Most NBA players want legal, league-sanctioned pot, suggests TMZ poll
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Fresh off Kevin Durant’s alleged medical marijuana oops-moment, a new TMZ poll suggests that most NBA players want legal, league-sanctioned marijuana.
Why pot shops will be selling cheap weed on this one fall day
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When Colorado repeals sales taxes on marijuana for one day in September, pot shops say they will add to customers’ savings by hosting sales and promotions to coincide with the pot tax holiday. “I gotta do a 4/20-type promotion for that day,” said Brian Ruden, owner of four Starbuds pot shops.
Cannabist Show: He reviews pot; He’ll sell cannabis in three states
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On this week’s Cannabist Show get to know Cannabist pot critic Jake Browne and Clinic general manager Ryan Cook, who helps manage pot shops in three states.
House passes bill to prevent DOJ from interfering in states’ medical pot laws
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The GOP-controlled House voted on Wednesday afternoon to continue to prevent the Department of Justice from interfering in states’ medical marijuana programs — but the House voted down a more sweeping bill that would have protected those who use, sell or possess recreational cannabis in America’s 420-friendliest states.
Listen: Ed Sheeran’s new weed anthem ‘Sweet Mary Jane’ brings fire
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Pop singer Ed Sheeran is joining the likes of Rihanna and Snoop Dogg by releasing a weed anthem of his own in 2015. Sheeran’s been playing the new song, “Sweet Mary Jane,” on his current tour.
These 2,400-year-old solid-gold bongs were used by Scythians for cannabis
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Archaeologists in southern Russia recently found two 2,400-year-old solid-gold bongs ancient Scythians used for marijuana and opium, and they’re beautiful.
Molly Ringwald says pot shouldn’t be illegal, and it won’t be for much longer
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Actress Molly Ringwald (“The Breakfast Club”) says marijuana shouldn’t be illegal. Ringwald also predicts in her advice column that pot will soon be legal.
Watch: Fast food workers are fired after doing dabs in drive-thru window
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Only in America: Customer offers dabs (concentrated hits of pot) to fast food workers for his burgers. They say yes. They do the dabs. And they’re fired.
Paul McCartney gave up weed to ‘set an example to my kids and grandkids’
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Paul McCartney gave up ganja to set a better example for his grandkids. But by replacing pot with ‘a nice margarita,’ did he choose a more deadly substance?
Cannabist Show: She’s pro-ladies in pot; She works for drug reform
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Our guests this week on The Cannabist Show: Women Grow founder Jane West, and Students for Sensible Drug Policy executive director Betty Aldworth.
Getting high at altitude: How weed was legally woven into a film festival
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At the Telluride Mountainfilm festival, we talked about weed law, policy and more while getting high, surrounded by government and festival officials.
No Colo. weed in High Times’ Strongest Strains issue?
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If you read High Times’ annual “Strongest Strains on Earth” issue recently — or watched the accompanying video (below) — you might have noticed that the 2015 list lacked cannabis from a certain Rocky Mountain state that launched its legal recreational marijuana program well before any others.
Yes, Cannabis Absinthe is a thing in Europe. But will it get you stoned?
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Spotted in Spain: A cannabis absinthe loaded with wormwood, alcohol and more. But will it get you stoned?
Is this central Denver’s first 420-friendly hotel?
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Many in Colorado’s bustling cannabis industry have complained about the lack of marijuana-friendly hotels in this state and others. But Keef Cola partner Richmond Meyer is actually doing something about it — he’s opening Nativ Hotel this week in downtown Denver boasting that half of its 16 rooms have weed-friendly balconies.
Cannabist Show: He promotes organic weed; He just won four Cannabis Cups
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This week on The Cannabist Show: Organic Cannabis Association co-founder John-Paul Maxfield and Champion Cannabis owner Corey Buffkin, who won 4 Cannabis Cups at the 2015 U.S. Cup in Denver. Plus, black market bud in Washington D.C., more signs of marijuana normalization and the Pot Quiz on current events.
Kelly Clarkson: Why do we legalize alcohol and pills but not marijuana?
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Kelly Clarkson: Cannabis activist? The pop singer and “American Idol” alum spoke with Rolling Stone this week about what she sees as marijuana’s unjust reputation and federally illegal classification — especially in a world of legal benzos and booze.
Bernie Sanders: Will the senator legalize cannabis if elected president?
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Bernie Sanders, the U.S. senator and Democratic presidential hopeful from Vermont, just gave us a hint on his views of recreational marijuana legalization in a Reddit AMA.
Law firm sponsors professorship for pot law, policy at prestigious college
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A Denver law firm that focuses on cannabis law has endowed a prestigious Colorado law school with a three-year, $45,000 professorship for marijuana law and policy, The Cannabist has learned exclusively.
National Geographic, Time both have science-of-pot cover stories this week
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Two of America’s most fabled magazines’ current cover stories are exploring the known and unknown science of marijuana. On National Geographic’s cover: “Weed: The New Science of Marijuana.” On Time magazine’s cover: “The Highly Divisive, Curiously Underfunded and Strangely Promising World of Pot Science.”
Cannabist Show: He makes Neos vape pens; He owns Starbuds shops
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Watch The Cannabist Show, with guests Brian Ruden (Starbuds pot stores) and Guy Rocourt (Neos vape pens). Also: News updates and current events Pot Quiz.
Weed K-Cups: Pot-infused Keurig-style coffee pods are now on shelves
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Like coffee? Marijuana, too? Looking to combine the two? Have a Keurig machine? Would a weed-infused K-Cup be the kind of thing that would interest you?
Cannabis Journalism: It’s a class you can now take at University of Denver
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“Cannabis Journalism” — yes, that’s the actual name of the college course students can sign up for at the prestigious and private University of Denver.
Major Colorado pot shop chain lays off 45% of its employees
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One of Colorado’s largest chains of marijuana stores on Wednesday laid off 65 employees — or 45 percent of the Strainwise-branded company’s total workforce, owner Shawn Phillips confirmed exclusively to The Cannabist. Phillips called the cuts “drastic” but “temporary” in a letter he wrote to employees this week.
Watch the commercial Texas pot activists have running across the state
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Legalization activists in Texas are running a pro-marijuana commercial on TV this week, and it stars a former narcotics detective who supports legal pot.
Another record month for Colorado rec pot sales
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For the third consecutive month in 2015, recreational marijuana sales in Colorado reached record highs in March, according to new Department of Revenue data.
Podcast: Listen to marijuana editor Ricardo Baca on ‘Doug Loves Movies’
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Listen: Comics Julian McCullough and Geoff Tate join marijuana editor Ricardo Baca on Doug Benson’s movie podcast ‘Doug Loves Movies’ on May 10, 2015.
Texas pot poll: When will state legalize marijuana?
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You can sense the excitement over the possibility of legal Texas marijuana all over the Lone Star State. But when will Texas legalize pot? Take our poll.
Chelsea Handler: ‘I took edibles to Mexico…’ And the story gets better
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When Chelsea Handler starts a story with “I took edibles to Mexico …” — chances are it’s a story you want to hear the rest of.
Cannabist Show: He throws big weed parties; She’s a legalization consultant
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On this week’s Cannabist Show we talk about the future of legal marijuana and what it might look like with guests Freddie Wyatt and Wanda James.
Morgan Freeman on his cannabis use: ‘I’ll eat it, drink it, smoke it, snort it!’
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Actor Morgan Freeman recently spoke out again on his love of marijuana: ‘Legalize it across the board!’ he told The Daily Beast.
If Nevada legalizes weed, will the state steal Colorado’s pot tourism mojo?
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If Nevada legalizes recreational pot in 2016, will Las Vegas’ home state steal all of Colorado and Washington’s pot tourism momentum?
Listen: Snoop, Pharrell and Stevie Wonder cut a weed song, and it’s awful
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Snoop Dogg, Pharrell Williams and Stevie Wonder just released a new song called “California Roll,” and it’s really, truly terrible. Listen if you dare.
