Urban Hippie

I'm at the bar in what appears to be an Old West saloon, shooting the breeze with a guy from Nevada who sits on a stool in a dark corner, hiding from his fans, casually crumbling marijuana into his roll-up tobacco. As he does this, Nevada guy explains why weed, alongside the other drug we had that morning at camp, the psychoactive bean juice commonly known as coffee, provides a way into a brain state prized by athletes, monks, and every creative person ever.  The saloon and campground are actually on a business property — sorry, Institute — in the middle of Mendocino, California, ground zero for old-school outdoor pot production. The pot company is Flow Kana, which pitches itself as an organic farm-to-table service — a weed middleman, basically, and a rising star in the cannabis world. I'v

In Mashable’s series Wasted, we dig into the myriad ways we’re trashing our planet. Because it’s time to sober up. A package with no note, no return address, and nothing in it but a plastic container that once housed a vape cartridge arrived at a cannabis company in Northern California the other day. The word had gotten out.  CannaCraft, which owns brands like Care by Design, is collecting plastic waste from weed packaging to convert into fuel to power its delivery trucks. It isn't the only business intrigued by recycling plastic in this way — far from it. A number of high-profile companies like Delta, UK grocery store chain Tesco, and global behemoth Dow Chemical are also investing in innovative plastic recycling efforts.  Read more...More about Cannabis, Weed, Plastic Waste, Plastic, and

As more states allow the sale of recreational cannabis, first-time users are starting to feel more emboldened to try the devil's lettuce.   But jumping into the world of cannabis products can be overwhelming for beginners. You can't just make the jump from hitting a vape pen a few times to amassing a collection of bud and making gravity bongs.  Whether it's for a parent looking to dabble in cannabis or a friend who's in need if a relaxing night, here are 11 gifts for the curious consumer to make their first times consuming weed a little smoother.  1A vintage lunch box to hold their weed Image: etsy / beforeandnowboutique  Read more...More about Marijuana, Cannabis, Gift Guide, Gift Guide 2019, and Gift Guide 2019 Source: Marshable

When Elon Musk appeared on Joe Rogan's podcast in 2018 and burned down a spliff, he probably didn't realize it would cost taxpayers money.  Politico reports that's exactly what happened, thanks to SpaceX's role as a contractor with NASA. The federal space agency paid the company $5 million to conduct a "workplace culture" review, partly to make sure SpaceX employees "are following strict guidelines for federal contractors barring illegal drug use." And, yes, cannabis is actually legal in California, where the Rogan interview took place and SpaceX has its headquarters. But that won't save the company from scrutiny.  Read more...More about Nasa, Marijuana, Elon Musk, Spacex, and Tech Source: Marshable

Aesthetically speaking, Lowell Cafe is like any other West Hollywood restaurant: the nachos are vegan, the outdoor patio is lined with live plant walls, and the dappled sunlight sets customers up for a perfect boomerang of them ripping a bong. Stylized as Lowell Farms: A Cannabis Cafe but also referred to as Lowell Cafe, the restaurant is the first of its kind in the United States. Part dispensary and part eatery, guests choose from an extensive menu of pre-rolled joints, ounces of flower, vape pods, and dabs. Customers can also snack on a variety of dishes designed to compliment the inevitable munchies. It's almost like visiting a gastropub, but instead of splitting fries and sipping whatever beer's on tap, you can smoke whatever flower is in season. Read more...More about Cannabis, Weed ...

Let's say a certain reader of this article, it doesn't have to be you, has enjoyed a marijuana vape pen once or twice or several hundred times in the past. This reader might justifiably be scared to death by the controversy around said pens. In the wake of a killer lung disease that can be largely traced back to black-market THC pens, authorities are officially recommending you stop using all cartridge-based vapes. Despite pens bought in their regulated dispensaries testing totally free of dangerous chemical cutting agents, California recommends not using any vape pens whatsoever; Massachusetts has Read more...More about Marijuana, Vapes, Vape Pen, Tech, and Drugs Source: Marshable

Terpenes? CBN? Flavor profiles?  Choosing weed used to be as simple as texting your dealer and if they were fancy enough, deciding between an indica and a sativa. That categorization is largely now seen as arbitrary, since it only notes the difference in plant shape, not effect it has on the human body, and much more has changed in the world of weed. With marijuana legalization on the rise, the cannabis industry is bursting with detailed descriptions of weed that inform consumers of the products' terpene content, THC and CBD levels, and the amount of cannabinoids present in each strain. Leafly, the cannabis guide known for its detailed descriptions of each strain, has updated its categorization system beyond just the indica/sativa/hybrid delineations.  Read more...More about Cannabis, Weed