MJBiz Con 2018: Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

  In November 2018, I attended the annual MJBizCon in Las Vegas. It’s the largest cannabis convention in the world, featuring 27,000 attendees from 70 countries, with 1,000 exhibitors, three days of speakers, break-out lunches, and afterparties. I didn’t visit all 1,000 booths or meet all 27,000 attendees, although “Hi, I’m

The City of Portland’s Cannabis Program Needs You To Do Your Civic Doobie

The marquee sign for the Portland Center For The Performing Arts is shown on a downtown Main Street in Portland, Oregon

Just because the elections are over doesn't mean your civic duty is done. If you have a strong interest in cannabis policy, your city needs you. Consider this the cannabis equivalent of the Bat Signal. The City of Portland is accepting applications until this Thursday, November 15, 2018 to apply for

Portland To Lower Cannabis Businesses Fees

The Tilikum Crossing Bridge spanning the Willamette River

Licensed cannabis businesses throughout Oregon face numerous challenges—an oversupply has led to continual falling prices, the OLCC has changed packaging requirements yet again, and no one can get a goddamn bank account. But in Portland, there's about to be some relief, and it's just the first step of an ongoing effort. Brandon

Cannabuzz: The Week in Cannabis How to Lobby 101

A bored man sits at a desk looking at a laptop

I HAVE GOOD NEWS! Today we're going to explore how you can shatter the myth of the lazy, unmotivated, forgetful stoner and defend cannabis consumers everywhere. And you can do it while stoned and sitting down! Plus, you can sit down! Wait...what? I also have not-so-good news! It's going to involve taking time out

DIY Getting High: Making Cannabis Rosin With John “Green Bodhi” Bayes

A jar of cannabis buds sits next to a hair straightening iron and some parchment paper

(The original title of this piece was "He Hath Rosin", a title I still prefer.) Cannabis concentrates go by many names: shatter, wax, dabs, sweat of Freddie Mercury (no, not really). Oftentimes, concentrates are made by using butane or propane as a solvent to extract THC and terpenes from cannabis, resulting in

Cannabuzz: The Week in Cannabis Cannabis Confusion in the Capital

A yellow highway sign reads "Questions Answers"

This week, I'm going to fail you as a cannabis columnist. This is not to say I have accepted a god that frowns upon using a plant that said deity itself created. Nor does it mean the title of this column has changed to "Cokebuzz, the Week in Cocaine News!" ("As part

Two Days At The Oregon Medical Marijuana Business Conference

A black man in a baseball cap holds a lighter up to a glass one hitter

Early on a Sunday morning is hardly the time you want to be standing on a street corner in heavy rain waiting for a BoltBus, but that's where I found myself two weekends ago. I was heading to the Oregon Medical Marijuana Business Conference in Eugene, and my aforementioned status should