Letter to the VA: End Prohibition One of the key benefits of military service is free health care provided by the federal Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). However, for our many veterans who return from their deployment with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or other painful and debilitating medical conditions, that benefit is seriously limited by […]
Smoke Signals
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Smoke Signals 1/27-2/3
What Not to Expect — Top 10
Last week, Westword, a Denver weekly, published a list of “Top Ten Things to Expect When Your State Legalizes Marijuana.” The list is filled with simple, straightforward observations.In the spirit of that list, here is a list of “Top 10 Things NOT to Expect When Your State Legalizes Cannabis.” 10. People will not start calling […]
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Smoke Signals 1/20-1/27
Oregon Cannabis Law & Green Gold Rush vs. Mom & Pop
The Oregon Legislature will consider some important changes to the cannabis market in the short legislative session that starts Feb. 1. Perhaps the best change for cannabis businesses would be one that would allow cannabis to be grown and processed in the same facility. This change would greatly lower costs for cannabis businesses, since only […]
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Smoke Signals 1/6-1/13
Why legal restrictions are forcing pot into the public
As cannabis legalization unfolds, a hot topic has become public, on-site consumption of cannabis. The default for medical marijuana laws has been to allow consumption only in a private place such as a residence. Recreational cannabis legalization laws have largely followed suit. Anywhere that could be construed as being “open to the public,” even a […]
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Smoke Signals 12/30-1/6
Driving Dopey
How do you know if you’re too stoned to drive? It is important to note that states legalizing cannabis have not seen an increase in impaired driving or crashes. And driving under the influence of alcohol remains a much bigger and more dangerous threat. But the epidemic of impaired and distracted driving in America is […]
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Smoke Signals 12/23-12/30
Deschutes County enacts temporary pot business ban
Deschutes County enacts temporary pot business ban By Steve Holmes While Bend has been working on its regulations for cannabis businesses, so has Deschutes County. The Deschutes County Planning Commission has proposed regulations, and County Commissioners were scheduled to decide on the proposed regulations at their Dec. 21 meeting. The regulations would apply to businesses […]
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Smoke Signals
City regulations preclude “green light districts” The Bend City Council has approved local regulations for cannabis businesses in the city. The regulations are effective immediately and are intended to supplement the Oregon Liquor Control Commission’s rules for cannabis businesses statewide. The Council included two significant restrictions on cannabis businesses in Bend that go beyond what […]
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Smoke Signals 12/9-12/16
Prospective pot-preneurs learn the rules and regs By Steve Holmes The Oregon Liquor Control Commission (OLCC) should perhaps be known as the OLCCC since it is now taking the lead role in regulating Oregon’s cannabis in addition to its liquor. Last Thursday, the OLCC held a workshop in Bend to help explain its new regulations […]
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Smoke Signals 12/2-12/9
The Emerging Canna-Coffee Market
Some people call it the “Northwest Speed Ball,” but my group of friends calls it the “Hippie High Ball.” Whatever you call it, people in the Northwest have been mixing coffee and cannabis since the 1960s. For many people, the combination of the coffee high and the cannabis mellow creates the perfect mental state for […]
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Smoke Signals 11/25-12/2
Canna-lebrity Endorsements
Lately, Smoke Signals has been somewhat infatuated with the coming cannabis consumer experience revolution. For those who are not regular readers, the “revolution” we are referring to is the birth of a brand new product in the world’s biggest economy during the golden age of consumerism. And it isn’t just one product or even one […]
