“I think people love my vibe over marijuana.”

Singer, performer and budding sensation Amalina reports that far from receiving backlash about some of her cannabis-related lyrics, she believes people actually dig her weed vibe. Recently interviewed by Andy Dosty on Daybreak Hitz, the Ghanaian musician was asked if she smoked. Amalina first laughed and then responded: “What a question,” adding what sounds like, “I prefer to plead the fifth on that.”

Amalina responds that she hasn’t received that criticism either now or in the past. “In fact, none at all. I think people love my vibe over marijuana, so I don’t get that,” says the artist, whose music combines several styles, including Afrobeats, Reggae and Hiphop.

Pressed further by Dosty about the marijuana mood and weed words of the song, Amalina responded simply: “It’s a song.”

Signed with J.R. Music, MyJoyOnline reports that she says her lyrics are just a reflection of what is happening in society and are not necessarily representative of her own life.

Marijuana works best when done as a communal activity. Here are some basic guidelines to follow if you’re interested in getting invited to these kinds of things.

While natural and organic, there are still some guidelines to follow. Once you know them, it’s pretty easy to become a good smoking buddy, and the type of person people want around once joints get passed around. You don’t want to be that person in the group who hogs all of the weed or worse, burns it.

If you bring edibles, explain what’s in them

If you’re hosting a party and have prepared some edibles, it’s part of your hosting duties to explain to everyone what’s in them in terms of dosage. You don’t have to get too specific, just mention if they’re strong, or they’re light, or, if you haven’t tried them, to explain just that. It’s also important to make it clear that there’s weed in them by labeling them, preventing others from getting high unexpectedly.

Cornering the bowl is the practice of lighting the edge of it in order to avoid burning the middle of it and thus ruining everyone’s experience. By cornering the bowl you’ll ensure the person who smokes after you also gets a patch of green marijuana, which has better taste and will result in a better time.

Getting weed delivered? Or maybe even your food? No matter how cool your delivery guy or girl looks like, they’re doing their job, and you’re putting them in an awkward place by asking them to stick around and join you and your friends. Don’t ask someone on the clock to stay for a session because you want companionship.

Luxembourg has been widely anticipated to lead the recreational discussion in Europe, but now it seems they may be giving up the lead.

There is a very funny thing about the European cannabis discussion right now, particularly as the news of the German decision to proceed with recreational reform has emerged with the formal creation of the next coalition government. Namely that promising reform while entering power is fairly popular, if not an inevitable development at this point, nobody really wants to go first.

That honor, so far, within Europe (beyond Holland) will almost certainly go to the Swiss, who are powering forward with the nitty gritty details required to create a new market as of next year. However, Switzerland is famously not in the European Union. And within such countries, no politician, at least until the German decision to proceed with recreational, has quite known how to frame such forward progress in formal statutes.

That reality has been made even more clear during the last week as Luxembourg’s government, which promised as part of its platform in 2018 that it would legalize recreational use by 2023, has just taken a rather large sidestep. Namely, the country’s first foray into this discussion will be in fact just to allow adults the right to self-cultivate four plants.

For all the hullabaloo, in other words, this is a dramatic twist if not anti-climatic development in a situation now fraught with the inevitability of reform (even if not in Luxembourg first).

Luxembourg: The First Baby Steps

What is so ironic about all of this is the fact that for the past three years, officials in Luxembourg have made it very public that they were “studying” the Canadian model. What has developed is actually far more like the Dutch (at least so far) if not the evolving situation in other European countries (see Malta, which allowed home-grow this year and appears to be actually on the verge of greater reform by the end of the year, not to mention Italy, which appears to be backing into the same thing).

Environmental regulators found no evidence that the pesticides used on an Encinitas hemp farm impacted the health of its neighboring residents, but the investigation prompted by the neighbors’ complaints did find the hemp farm operator was misusing pesticides.

In the investigation, released in November, the county found hemp farm operator Cultivaris Hemp used unregistered products and maintained inadequate pesticide records. But it also concluded that those violations were unrelated to the health complaints. The department also said these violations were uncommon.

The county’s Department of Agriculture, Weights and Measures, which enforces pesticide laws in the county, is considering issuing a fine or warning letter to Cultivaris Hemp.

Following standard procedure, the department also referred the investigation to the district attorney after the state classified it as a priority investigation because it involved the well-being of at least five people. The state can classify an investigation as a priority regardless of its outcome. The Environmental Protection Unit of the District Attorney’s Office could prosecute or refer it back to the department.

Last month, Shango continued its battle against breast cancer armed with generous donations from the company, its customers and its employees in three states. Shango began supporting breast cancer charities five years ago at its dispensary in Portland, Oregon, and has since expanded its fundraising efforts to communities in Nevada and California.

“Shango believes in building long-term relationships with purposeful local charities,” said Shango Controller Julie Dubocq. “

We seek out charities in the same communities as our dispensaries. This helps us get to know the people who work for each charity and become directly involved in its mission and fundraising.”

However, despite Shango’s strong commitment and good intentions, it’s not always easy to find charities that will actually accept its donations. Many local and national breast cancer charities refuse money raised by cannabis companies and/or from the sale of cannabis products.

“Cannabis companies are respected, successful businesses, cannabis sales generate significant tax revenue in the majority of states and medical benefits of cannabis are now widely recognized,” Dubocq said.

While the COVID-19 pandemic upended release plans for many movies big and small, it did make the subject matter for some even more relevant.

Take “Freeland,” an indie film about a longtime marijuana farmer whose business model and sole source of income is being threatened by legalization. “Freeland” explores how people cope when their entire way of life is turned upside down overnight, and a global pandemic adds an extra layer of resonance to its story.

“It is about a woman who has worked really hard her whole life, and she’s about to lose everything through no fault of their own,” said Krisha Fairchild, 70, who plays Devi, the marijuana farmer in “Freeland.”

“To me, the fact we couldn’t do our festival run in theaters was so symbolic because the world was going through something on a much larger scale.

“People may not have had something to relate to before, but now they do. That for me is the most important message of our movie, that those things can happen, and then it happened to the whole rest of the world.”

It is easy to assume marijuana cultivation began in fairly modern times.

Cannabis, in all its forms, is more prevalent and accessible than ever before in the U.S. Still, it often seems that many are unaware of weed’s story, with some thinking the plant had no relevant history before the 1900s.

Cannabis dates back thousands of years

It is easy to assume marijuana cultivation began in fairly modern times. However, the first recorded use of cannabis dates back thousands of years before the United States was even an idea.

There are numerous stoner-approved products on the market that could make a bigger impression than ever expected.

With holiday season fast approaching, it’s fair for people to wonder what gifts would make perfect surprises for the cannabis enthusiast in their lives.

Even though cannabis is legal in many locales in the U.S., no one wants to obnoxiously reek of weed whenever carrying it from point A to point B.

That’s when having a smell-proof container could certainly come in handy. Having something to safely stash cannabis that locks the smell in could avoid attracting unwanted attention, making it a must-have for stoners who take their goods to-go from time to time.

Another must-have tool in the arsenal of weed aficionados is a grinder that can be easily transported.

Now, the next time you’re in the middle of a smoke session with friends and the munchies hit, you can offer an explanation behind why it’s happening.

Having access to your favorite meals or snacks is essential to any successful session.  Most people are familiar with the concept of getting the munchies after consuming marijuana, but why they occur still remains a mystery to many.

Even though the munchies may seem like one of life’s unsolved mysteries, there are a few scientific reasons that can explain what causes it. Here are a few factors that help explain why people get the munchies after consuming marijuana.

The Role Sleep Plays in Bringing on the Munchies

Want to keep the munchies at bay? You may want to make sure you get enough sleep.  Numerous studies attribute an increase in appetite to a poor sleep schedule.

“We found that sleep restriction induced qualitative changes in food intake, biasing choices toward energy-dense options, without altering total calorie intake,” wrote researchers, adding that, “Our results further elaborate on the effects of sleep deprivation on the human brain, suggesting that neural processing of odors is enhanced in primary olfactory brain areas after sleep restriction.”

Taking this into consideration, getting a full night’s rest could be instrumental in helping to ward off the munchies.

Cannabis, in all its forms, is more prevalent and accessible than ever before in this country. Still, it often seems that much of its story is mysteriously unknown. Health studies are still very new, and it sometimes may seem that the plant had no relevant history before the 1900s.

As cannabis becomes more prevalent, perhaps it’s time to discover the lesser-known facts about this iconic plant to help understand what exactly makes cannabis so interesting and important. Here are eight fun facts you may not have known about this elusive organism we call weed.

Cannabis Dates Back Thousands of Years

It is easy to assume marijuana cultivation began in fairly modern times. However, the first recorded use of cannabis dates back thousands of years before The United States was even an idea. 

Cannabis was mentioned in the sacred Hindu texts known as The Vedas, estimated to have been produced around 2000 to 1400 B.C. Woven hemp fibers were even discovered at a burial site in Taiwan that date back 10,000 years.

As marijuana becomes legal for recreational use, its retail popularity is skyrocketing. In the last few years, marijuana dispensaries have become more plentiful than Starbucks and even McDonalds in some areas.

We’re now armed with more facts about marijuana than ever before, but a lot of misinformation continues to circulate. Here are some untruths you should be aware of.

As marijuana becomes more mainstream, so do   myriad myths and legends. Fallacies and untruths about marijuana have existed as long as its opponents have. The main difference between then and now, however, is legalization and popularity.

Increased data and newly-funded research have given birth to scientific findings that help shed light on how marijuana actually affects people and society. As weed becomes legal and the states that legalize it continue to operate normally, many skeptics are starting to realize some of the great myths of marijuana are just that — myths.

Marijuana Use Causes Cancer

The research and study of how marijuana affects or contributes to cancer is still very new and inconclusive overall. Although marijuana has proven to be a helpful therapy for those undergoing cancer treatment, whether or not marijuana causes cancer is still up in the air.

Weed Is Not as Potent as It Used to Be

There is a common rumor, sometimes spoken among more senior generations, many of whom are reformed marijuana users, claiming the potency of marijuana has decreased. There is no denying the way cannabis is grown in this country has changed a great deal. 

Marijuana was illegal and often farm-grown in the 1960s, and today it is a multi-billion dollar industry in the United States.

Over the course of the past decade, the public perception of adult recreational cannabis use has shifted dramatically.

Ever since Colorado legalized marijuana for recreational use back in 2012, it’s been no secret that it could create a financial windfall for both cannabis businesses and the state itself.

A decade later, multiple other U.S. states have followed in the footsteps of the Centennial State in allowing their citizens to purchase cannabis in a manner similar to alcohol or liquor.

People are seeking new alternatives to alcohol

No one has been caught more off guard by the high demand for cannabis products than beer, wine and liquor companies. Sales tax revenue for alcohol has been surpassed by those of recreational marijuana.

According to David Feldman, CEO of Skip Intro Advisors, a strategic consulting firm for up-and-coming cannabis brands, there are numerous reasons why tax revenue for cannabis has surpassed alcohol.

One of Thailand's major fast food chains has been promoting its "Crazy Happy Pizza" this month, an under-the-radar product topped with a cannabis leaf. It's legal but won't get you high.

Veterans of the backpacker trail, familiar with the legendary pizza parlors of neighboring Cambodia's capital Phnom Penh that offer powerful marijuana as an optional condiment, might feel downright cheated.

"Of course, they cannot get high," Panusak Suensatboon, general manager of The Pizza Company, said in an interview this week. "It's just a marketing campaign. and you can taste the cannabis and then if you have enough, you maybe get a bit sleepy."

The Crazy Happy Pizza is a mashup of toppings evoking the flavors of Thailand's famous Tom Yum Gai soup along with a deep-fried cannabis leaf on top. Cannabis is also infused into the cheese crust and there's chopped cannabis in the dipping sauce. A 9-inch pie costs 499 baht (about $15). Customers preferring a do-it-yourself variety can choose their own toppings, with a 100 baht ($3) surcharge for two or three cannabis leaves.

In recent years, a kind of middle-ground product has emerged: cannabidiol, or CBD, a chemical found in cannabis that can be processed into what is touted as a cure-all medicine. CBD can be separated out from tetrahydrocannabinol — THC — the chemical in cannabis that produces marijuana's high.

Health officials in Connecticut are issuing a warning about fentanyl-laced marijuana which is being eyed in a rash of overdoses throughout the state.

Since July, 39 overdoses requiring the use of naloxone for revival have been reported. In each of the cases, the person involved said they had only smoked marijuana, but officials said they exhibited opioid symptoms.

“This is the first lab-confirmed case of marijuana with fentanyl in Connecticut and possibly the first confirmed case in the United States,” said Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Manisha Juthani.

A new cannabis film documentary entitled Lady Buds, releasing this weekend, explores the lives and challenges of female business owners.

The cannabis industry has heavily benefitted from niche documentaries, which present a professional way to educate viewers about the stigma of cannabis, its history on the War on Drugs or its effectiveness as a medicine. Films such as WEED (2013), featuring CNN’s Chief Medical Correspondent Sanjay Gupta, who opened up the conversation about medical cannabis to the nation. Weed the People (2018) explores the effectiveness of medical cannabis for children. Grass is Greener (2019) examines the history of music and its depiction of the War on Drugs.

Now it’s time to enjoy a new cinematic adventure in the form of Lady Buds—a unique perspective about female cannabis business owners from all walks of life.

High Times conducted an exclusive interview with Director, Producer and Writer Chris J. Russo in the High Times’ November Issue, aka the Women’s Issue, where she offered an inside look at her film and what kind of experience it presents to audiences. According to Russo, Lady Buds is the first of its kind—and it all began with a statistic about women in the industry that stuck with her. A few key studies have produced some shocking data about women in the industry, or lack thereof.

This low-risk activity, which has increased in popularity during the pandemic, may be your new go-to fitness exercise.

Walking is one of the world’s most common, no-gear-required activities. Aside from carrying us from point A to point B, walking is also a form of exercise that everyone can commit to, no matter their age or fitness level. According to CNN, hiking, an activity that’s becoming increasingly more popular, can burn even more calories.

Walking and hiking are two very similar activities. Like most cardio workouts, they boost bone and heart health, improve your balance, and strengthen your core. The main difference between the two is the level of energy they demand, with hiking, an activity done in nature and usually accompanied by changes in the ground in terms of terrain and elevation, gaining the upper hand.

“Walking is one of the best workouts for heart health for all ages, including those with heart problems and conditions,” said cardiologist Dr. Fahmi Farah. “Hiking is also heart-healthy and provides a higher calorie burn in a shorter amount of time.”

Both activities are healthy and good for helping you manage stress. Hikes are usually more strenuous, burning more calories and distracting you more from the problems of your everyday life.  The fact that hikes tend to put you in close contact with nature is also a perk, with studies linking happiness with surrounding yourself with nature.

With much to be thankful for, industry experts appeared optimistic about continued progress through 2021 and into the new year.

Cannabis operators tell Benzinga that there is much to be thankful for as the United States heads into Thanksgiving this year.

Dozens of sources cited a range of subjects they’re thankful for, including the eroding stigma against the plant, growing sectors and state marketplaces and improving tech. Some brought up subjects that included the industry’s growth, advancing legislation and their community.

Matt Hawkins, managing partner of Entourage Effect Capital and Interim CEO of Harborside Inc., said he is thankful to see the industry grow into a sophisticated, professional space that he’s happy to help scale.

U.S. sales are slated to reach $26 billion in 2021, according to Marijuana Business Daily.

With the COVID-19 pandemic ongoing, several noted that legislative and consumer growth is that much more impressive. They credit the public’s increased cannabis use as a critical component.

With much to be thankful for, industry experts appeared optimistic about continued progress through 2021 and into the new year.

Cannabis operators tell Benzinga that there is much to be thankful for as the United States heads into Thanksgiving this year.

Dozens of sources cited a range of subjects they’re thankful for, including the eroding stigma against the plant, growing sectors and state marketplaces and improving tech. Some brought up subjects that included the industry’s growth, advancing legislation and their community.

Matt Hawkins, managing partner of Entourage Effect Capital and Interim CEO of Harborside Inc., said he is thankful to see the industry grow into a sophisticated, professional space that he’s happy to help scale.

U.S. sales are slated to reach $26 billion in 2021, according to Marijuana Business Daily.

With the COVID-19 pandemic ongoing, several noted that legislative and consumer growth is that much more impressive. They credit the public’s increased cannabis use as a critical component.