Wednesday, January 4, 2023

Aesthetics del Reviente: Heroin Chic, Ketamine Chic, Indie Sleaze… ¿Ser (o Parecer) Unx Reventado es Cool de Nuevo?

Nota por Lola Sasturain publicada originalmente en El Planteo. Más artículos por El Planteo en High Times en Español.

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Pijamas en plena calle, minions, crocs, uggs, cámaras reflex, zapatillas Converse, ojeras y vicio. ¿Qué tienen que ver todas estas cuestiones que ya creíamos superadas?

Post-Kardashian

En plena discusión acerca de si la moda de las curvas, los culos gigantes y los labios tipo bratz son efectivamente más “inclusivos” o simplemente una mutación de los estándares de belleza que siguen siendo opresivos y difíciles de alcanzar, y si la estética opulenta y new rich (sí, todo culpa de las Kardashian) está siendo reemplazada por la igualmente polémica old money, la moda parece haberse enflaquecido, ensuciado y abaratado.

Hay una creciente preocupación mediática y entre les comunicadores independientes de plataformas como YouTube y TikTok sobre la vuelta de la extrema delgadez. Siempre el cuerpo de las tendencias parece estar encarnado por Kim Kardashian. Ahora, quitándose los implantes mamarios y bajando muchísimos kilos (para entrar en el vestido de Marilyn, pero es real que nunca volvió a la silueta híper curvilínea).

Contenido relacionado: ¿Eres una Jackie o una Marilyn? ¡Da Igual! A Ambas les Gustaba el Porro

Se le decía “heroin chic” a la tendencia noventera de glorificar cuerpos huesudos y rostros ojerosos, pálidos, de aura casi enfermiza, con Kate Moss como símbolo quintaesencial. Este perfil físico venía de la mano de la estética grunge: jeans, camisas de felpa, camisetas de bandas, ropa holgada, de segunda mano, que podría estar rota o roída, de impronta masculina y utilitaria.

Todo pareciera indicar que tanto los cuerpos considerados bellos así como la indumentaria están virando de un paradigma de la abundancia, con sus cuerpos carnosos, oro, lujo y ostentación, a un paradigma de la frugalidad, con sus cuerpos delgados, sus prendas recuperadas y recicladas y mucho espíritu “es lo que hay” en la yuxtaposición de elementos que poco tienen que ver entre sí.

Y en tendencias beauty, se puede ver: aquel ideal de perfección plástica que parecía querer alcanzarse con técnicas como el contouring, las uñas esculpidas y los labios rellenados, lentamente van dando lugar a cabelleras rebeldes y maquillajes que tienden a lo natural.

Aesthetics de la droga

Hay varias etiquetas hiper específicas para tendencias fashion que podrían englobarse bajo el paraguas de “la vuelta del reviente”: “indie sleaze”, recuperando la estética rockera/ hipster/bolichera de mediados de los 2000 y principios de los ‘10; “heroin chic”, heredada de los ‘90; “ketamine chic”, tal vez la más contemporánea, un cóctel que mezcla lo absurdo, lo postapocalíptico, lo colorido, lo infantil y lo berreta en looks donde prima el “más es más”. 

Ya desde mediados de la década pasada, imágenes de ceniceros, polvos y principalmente psicofármacos inundaban la red social Tumblr. La glorificación de estas sustancias como algo cool y que corresponde a un universo estético particular ya viene hace rato; la estética del trap, los tatuajes en la cara y la ropa deportiva mezclada con piezas de lujo solían ser algunos de los elementos del código visual de aquellos que consideraban al consumo de benzodiacepinas (siendo la más cool el xanax) como una parte más de su aesthetic. 

Sin embargo, los trapers no eran los únicos que consumían estas drogas y hacían un despliegue de esto como si fuera algo cool:  las sad girls, también del nicho de Tumblr, con un look más indie y obsesionadas con Lana del Rey, se montaban a esta corriente.

Lo que llaman “indie sleaze” es la vuelta de una estética muy familiar para cualquier persona que haya sido adolescente o joven adulto entre el segundo lustro de la década del 00 y el primero de la del 10, solo que englobado bajo un nombre y visto a través de un cristal de autoconciencia: las gafas de pasta, las camperas de cuero, los Doc Martens, el maquillaje “tipo mapache”, las melenas despeinadas y todo aquel código visual que remita a las bandas indie y las fiestas de esa época, los looks de Alison Mosshart y Sky Ferreyra, las fotos con flash estilo lomography y la dualidad entre los álbumes de fotos de Facebook y la expresión abstracta de Tumblr.

Contenido relacionado: “No Adhiero a Nadie que Esté Orgulloso de Ser un Viejo Choto”: Rudie Martínez sobre el Presente de Adicta, los ´90 y Cómo Mantenerse Vigente Sin Nunca Haber Pisado el Mainstream

Los cuerpos deificados por esta estética tienen mucho más que ver con el “heroin chic” de los ‘90 que, con las curvas y la voluptuosidad, dominó gran parte del último lustro.

Lo llamativo del “indie sleaze” es que no solamente recupera como retro algo bastante próximo en el tiempo sino que elige acentuar una característica que, en su momento, no se consideraba para nada primordial: lo sleaze, que significa algo así como corrupto, poco confiable, sucio. 

Hace énfasis en su suciedad, su “desgano”, y por supuesto, su fijación con la fiesta y la noche. Esa era una época de auge de grandes íconos “reventados”: Alice Glass, whisky en mano peleándose con el público o el carisma de bandas como The Libertines, donde su relación con los consumos era una de las razones principales de su mística.

Esta estética, que en su momento no tenía una intención de statement detrás, hoy puede verse como una contraofensiva a la cultura del wellness y a las tendencias aspiracionales y opresivas de máxima productividad, salud y buen comportamiento como son “that girl”. 

O tal vez como un simple reflejo del contexto no future que se respira en los últimos años, los años de adolescencia y joven adultez de la gen z. 

Un poco de grasa en la cara, las ojeras, el cigarrillo y el vaso de birra que en aquel entonces no eran ni comentario ni ironía hoy pueden verse como un reflejo del planeta con fecha de vencimiento que habitamos y la crisis económica y social que no pareciera tener final visible. Desde el lado pesimista (“hagámonos mierda total nos vamos a morir y nada tiene sentido”), o desde el lado hedonista (“festejemos… total nada tiene sentido”), ambas interpretaciones cierran.

Gaba Najmanovich es analista de tendencias y su trabajo no se remite solo a la moda. Para ella, la cultura del wellness y la salud está lejos de desaparecer, pero sí coexisten, sobre todo entre lxs centennials, con la del hedonismo y el exceso. 

Contenido relacionado: ¿Quién Influencia a lxs Consumidores de Cannabis de las Generaciones Gen Z y Millennial?

Dice: “No diría que queda atrás, pero sí diría que queda en otros grupos demográficos. La cultura del bienestar no es algo que vayamos a dejar atrás, no todavía. Lo que sí pasa es que empiezan a tomar presencia otros discursos alternativos que nos invitan a poner foco en la indulgencia y el goce. Se le pone pausa al imperativo del bienestar pero no desaparece. En todo caso empieza a aparecer la idea de balance”.

“En la nueva concepción del bienestar, la prohibición absoluta queda afuera. Fijate la popularidad de los hongos, una forma natural de disociarse de las exigencias de la rutina”, desarrolla.

Hay una búsqueda de exceso sin perder la salud. Si tomo, me hidrato bien. Si fumo hago todos mis pasos de skincare y como vegetales. El bienestar aparece como un compromiso más complejo y largoplacista que incluye distintos engranajes”.

Todas estas tendencias, si bien muy diferentes entre sí, tienen algo en común: una vuelta a lo imperfecto, lo effortless, lo poco pulido, lo gastado e incluso de dudosa higiene. Lo cual puede parecer paradójico porque la sobreproducción y el maximalismo son otra de las características claves de estas estéticas. 

Otra constante es el reciclaje: en algunos casos más explícitos que en otros, como es en el caso del “ketamine chic”, estas aesthetics ironizan sobre el consumo y precisamente incentivan a recuperar ropa del pasado y a revalorizar lo que ya se tiene, pudiendo mezclar prendas de diferentes épocas y de dudosa calidad, accesorios de la infancia e incluso prendas rotas. 

Todo con un subtexto de humor e ironía, y por qué no, cringe.

Y ante la pregunta de si estas tendencias son, efectivamente, adaptables a la vida real o solamente existen en TikTok e Instagram, para la estilista Princess Tatiana son una buena alternativa para aquellos jóvenes que habitan ciertos espacios y estilos de vida y quieren verse trendy sin renovar el armario. 

“Pienso que en el caso de Argentina donde la situación económica en sí es complicada, y en especial para los jóvenes artistes, la ‘ketamine chic’ es una especie de solución para vestirse porque avala usar las cosas que tenemos a nuestro alcance y que sean cool, sin tener que gastarse el sueldo en una prenda de marca, inclusive usando productos falsos con logos de marcas a las cuales no tenemos acceso económico”, reflexiona Tatiana, estilista de artistas que suscribe a una estética maximalista, trash, con elementos de la moda japonesa y otros del que puede ser considerado “ketamine chic”.

Ella trabaja junto a Taichu, Sassyggirl, Clara Cava, Chita, BB asul, entre otrxs, y actualmente tiene una marca de medias y mangas sublimadas que continúan con esta estética.

Ser, parecer, pertenecer

El tema es si la inspiración en la droga tiene que ver más bien con la supuesta imagen de un consumidor o con los nuevos universos posibles de la experiencia que habilitan diferentes sustancias. El “ketamine chic”, por ejemplo, ¿se ve como los adictos a la ketamina o se ve como un viaje de ketamina?

Este anestésico inicialmente utilizado con fines veterinarios provoca en los seres humanos el famoso efecto de disociación, una desconexión con el mundo tangible, un extrañamiento sobre lo conocido, un desplazamiento en la percepción y en el proceso de simbolización con efectos a veces verdaderamente psicodélicos. Es también una droga muy barata y, últimamente, su consumo se encuentra en auge.

Contenido relacionado: ¿La Ketamina es Realmente un Psicodélico? Es Complicado

Una interpretación posible es que el “ketamine chic” tiene algo de eso: es barato, es extraño y lo constituyen muchos elementos descontextualizados que juntos provocan, más que un efecto armónico, algo más parecido a la incomodidad. 

Para Princess Tatiana “la ketamina es la droga de moda, nos ayuda a disociar y nos volvemos menos conscientes de lo que está pasando a nuestro alrededor, en un contexto de sobreestimulación. En mi opinión esta tendencia es una forma irónica del fashion para reaccionar frente al contexto sociocultural contemporáneo, donde estamos todo el tiempo recibiendo imágenes e información de moda, arte en Instagram, TikTok, etcétera, que ya no entendemos qué es lo que está de moda y qué no, qué debería darnos cringe y qué no”.

Y sigue: “Como hay tanta sobreinformación de la cultura de consumo estamos implícitamente aceptados para ponernos cualquier cosa, no hay límites establecidos”.

Yunke es una estilista y DJ que creció rodeándose de referencias que sacaba principalmente de Tumblr. “Estaba conectada a un nicho de gente adulta de otros países que me parecía super cool”, recuerda.

Menciona a dos personas que conoce de esa época y lugar, ambxs hoy DJs: Mr Vacation y Angel Money. Ambxs ya hablaban de la ketamina en ese entonces. 

Yunke cree también que esta tendencia “ketamine chic”, a la cual identifica mucho con TikTok y por lo tanto con gente muy joven, puede ser algo parecido a lo que ella hacía de adolescente: idealizar a estas personas más grandes que se mueven en ámbitos de arte y raves. 

Para ella, por el contrario, el “ketamine chic” tiene más que ver con una idealización o una estereotipación de la gente que habita estos espacios que con la disociación o los efectos de la ketamina en sí. 

Yunke menciona los rave shops en donde mucha gente se compra ropa “para ir a la rave”, que en general consiste en telas sintéticas, colores brillantes y/o flúor, botas con piel, calzas y gafas. Y señala que, en muchos casos, esta gente ni siquiera va a la rave, consume drogas ni tiene dinero para comprar la entrada para ir a ver a un DJ: son tendencias impulsadas en su mayoría por la demografía post adolescente.

Y si bien el “indie sleaze” es muy diferente en estética, comparte esta característica que identifica Yunke: algo anti-aspiracional, o aspiracional pesimista, que tiene que ver con el pertenecer a un estilo de vida más que a una coherencia de sus elementos. En este caso, al estilo de vida hedonista, que no es lujoso, ni ostentoso, ni chic.

Yunke pudo bajar aquellas ideas que la interpelaba de gente adulta primermundista viviendo en Argentina cuando conoció las fiestas de impronta Club Kids. “Hace poco estoy introducida en la máquina, en la industria real de la moda, y veo que hay una cierta línea que tiene que ver con lo limpio y con lo caro que, en mi experiencia, viniendo de la cultura del reviente y siendo mis desfiles las fiestas, nunca entendí así”.

“Yo siempre entendí la moda por el valor que le daba a una persona cualquiera ponerse mil cadenas de la ferretería, maquillaje y armarse un look increíble que, tal vez, al final de la noche, estaba todo desmoronado, sucio o transpirado”, sigue Yunke.

Hedonismo post pandemia

Con respecto a si identifica otras tendencias en el campo del lifestyle y el consumo que acompañen o sostengan estas nuevas modas, Najmanovich analiza: “El clima de la época siempre se cristaliza en hábitos de consumo. En sí el consumo es una respuesta de la gente, de los consumidores, a estímulos externos. Por esto lo que se expresa a través de la moda también se encuentra en otros ámbitos comerciales”.

El exceso es algo que estamos viendo crecer a través de varios sectores. Algo que está pasando en grupos demográficos más jóvenes, Gen Z y Millennials jóvenes, es la vuelta al exceso como respuesta a la dieta social de la pandemia. El deseo de romper con todo, de recuperar el estímulo perdido, de vivir lo que no pudieron vivir por la cuarentena, se manifiesta en la vuelta de la noche desenfrenada, vemos un discurso anclado en la fiesta y en el exceso que trae al frente tanto estilos de vestir como consumo de cigarrillos, psicodélicos y alcohol”.

La moda es muy poderosa en términos identitarios. Depende de qué te pongas y cómo lo lleves recibirás cierto trato. Es símbolo de género, de sexualidad, de clase. Para mí lo que veo en la calle no tiene mucho que ver con moda porque, en mi opinión, la moda es algo más fantasioso. A veces encarnar esta fantasía te puede llevar a sufrir violencias, y en base a eso hay que elegir espacios donde sepas que no las vas a vivir: ahí está la fiesta”, piensa Yunke.

Contenido relacionado: “La Persona Más Conocida del Barrio Antes Era Tévez y Ahora es La Queen”: Una Entrevista a la Diva Drag de Fuerte Apache

¿Por qué la moda tiene esta eterna fascinación cíclica con las drogas?

La noche y la fiesta siempre fueron un lugar donde se experimentó con la moda y con la identidad. La nocturnidad como un espacio más seguro para las disidencias. Yo creo que el mayor punto de conexión que hay entre la moda y la fiesta, en tanto cultura del reviente, pasa por el colectivo LGBTQI”, explica Yunke.

“La moda y la cultura de la noche ‘trash’ siempre estuvieron vinculadas. Las personas buscan alterar constantemente sus estados mentales a través de las drogas que consumen yendo en contra de la estabilidad convencional y de parámetros sociales que siempre nos marcaron que eran correctos”, reflexiona Princess Tatiana.

Y cierra: “Esa libertad de poder sentirse como uno quiere y no estar atado a exigencias sociales, de poder cambiar todo el tiempo, alterar nuestro sentir para sentir más y de no aburrirse nunca creo que es lo que más le fascina al mundo de la moda”.

Portada: Bolsa Bolsa, Princess Tatiana, comunidad.trans_caricatura // Editada en Canva por El Planteo

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Iowa Medical Cannabis Program Continues To Rise With $10 Million in Sales

Iowa Cannabidiol Board reports that by the end of December 2022, the state had collected $10.2 million in sales through five dispensaries. In August alone, the state had hit the $1 million mark in a single month for the first time and kept the pattern going throughout the rest of the year. For comparison, sales in December 2021 hit $587,000.

According to the Des Moines Register, the number of patients has increased significantly as well. In December 2021, the Iowa cardholder number reached 7,800, but by November 2022 the number of cardholders hit 15,000. Currently, the state lists 51.1% of patients as male, 48.5% as female, and 0.4% as non-binary.

Currently, most of Iowa medical cannabis patients reside in Polk County, which is also the location of the state capital with 5,112 patients, followed by Linn County (833 patients), Black Hawk County (670), Woodbury County (645), and Johnson County (612).

The state’s number of caregivers, or people who assist patients that are “too ill, immobilized or otherwise unable to visit a dispensary,” has risen as well. Caregiver cards also increased, with 2,300 registered caregivers in December 2021, and 3,000 in November 2022.

The top condition that patients have registered for includes chronic pain, with an estimated 10,000 individuals, followed by post-traumatic dress disorder with approximately 2,800 cardholders. Since the state’s medical cannabis program launched in November 2018, it has issued more than 32,000 medical cannabis cards.

The Des Moines Register also reports that as of November 2022, 1,920 health care professionals (defined as either a physician, physician assistant, advanced registered nurse practitioner, or podiatrist) have “signed off” on at least one patient using cannabis to treat their condition (compared to only 300 health care practitioners in December 2021).

In terms of products purchased, “vaporizable” products are the most popular at 66.4%, followed by capsules/tablets (24.6%), tinctures (6.4%), and topicals (2.5%). Approximately 77.9% of patients choose products with high THC, 13.2% prefer a balanced ratio of THC to CBD, and 8.9% choose high CBD.

A large majority of patients suffering from conditions such as AIDS/HIV, ALS, Crohn’s disease, seizures, and ulcerative colitis chose high THC products. The only exception is an even split for those who suffer from Parkinson’s disease (37% prefer THC/CBD products, and 38% prefer high THC products).

While medical cannabis is thriving in Iowa, efforts to legalize adult-use cannabis have not yielded results. Earlier last year, Iowan advocates from the Campaign for Sensible Cannabis Laws launched an effort to legalize cannabis. “Cannabis reform is sweeping the country. From ruby red South Dakota and Montana to perpetually blue New York and New Jersey, majorities from across the political spectrum are voting for reform. In some states it’s a stronger medical program,” said campaign founder Bradley Knott. “In other states voters have gone all in for both medical and recreational cannabis. In Iowa, we don’t have a choice. We don’t even have a voice.”

In September 2022, Iowa Libertarian governor candidate Rick Stewart called out fellow candidate Republican Kim Reynolds (who later won as governor in November) on her opposition to legal cannabis. “What the hell, Kim?” Stewart said in a video. “Here I am in Illinois—why, only a few miles from the Iowa border—and they’ve got legal cannabis.”

He described the stark difference between the laws between the two states while standing in front of a bridge that connects Iowa to Illinois. “If I buy weed on this side of the bridge, I’m buying it from a crook. If I buy weed on that side of the bridge, I’m buying it from a reputable business person,” Stewart said.

Iowa’s southern neighbor of Missouri recently has an adult-use cannabis program that went live in December 2022 as well.

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U.S. Virgin Islands Lawmakers Pass Cannabis Legalization Bill

Lawmakers in the U.S. Virgin Islands last week passed legislation to legalize recreational marijuana, bringing the number of states and territories in the country that have legalized the use of cannabis by adults to 21. The legislation was passed in the U.S. Virgin Islands Senate on December 30 by a veto-proof majority vote of 11-1. Governor Albert Bryan, who has expressed strong support for cannabis policy reform, is expected to sign the legislation, according to media reports.

The legislation was approved in conjunction with another bill that expunges past convictions for marijuana-related offenses, which was passed by senators on Friday with a unanimous vote.

Senator Janelle K. Sarauw, the sponsor of the recreational marijuana legalization bill, said that the legislation was a collaborative effort by advocates who overcame opposition to comprehensive cannabis policy reform.

“Although there have been many politically driven false narratives about this cannabis legislation, I am proud of the work done by the Senators of the 34th Legislature, community stakeholders and advocates, all of who contributed to the structuring of the final bill voted upon in today’s Session,” Sarauw said in a press release posted to Facebook. “The body did its due diligence in protecting the masses and the best interest of our residents by ensuring that locals and minorities are not locked out of industry and have any opportunity to participate in its economic potential.”

Senators Worked Through Holiday To Finalize Bill

Senators reportedly worked over the Christmas holiday to work out some concerns with the proposed bill, eventually making some changes to the measure’s language in an amended version of the legislation. 

“It became contentious, we almost went to war over cannabis,” Sarauw said jokingly in a statement quoted by The Virgin Islands Consortium, adding that “every single amendment, every single suggestion that members made is included in the amendment in the nature of a substitute.”

Possession of up to one ounce of cannabis was decriminalized in the U.S. Virgin Islands by legislation passed in 2014 and in 2019 a bill to allow the medical use of marijuana was passed by the territorial legislature. Under the bill passed last week, residents and visitors to the Caribbean island territory will be allowed to purchase adult-use cannabis and medical marijuana at licensed dispensaries.

“There are so many provisions in this bill across various disciplines, that once implemented and enforced with fidelity, the Territory will see an industry that is inclusive and diverse, but most importantly, safe,” Sarauw said in the press release. “It is my hope that the current administration implements both Medicinal and Adult Use to their full potential, for the benefit of the people of this Territory.”

Regulations Still To Come in Virgin Islands

Although the bill was passed by a veto-proof majority and has the support of the territory’s governor, Sarauw noted that the legislature has yet to pass regulations to govern marijuana cultivation and sales, steps that are necessary before a regulated cannabis industry can begin operating in a legalized economy.

“Cannabis will be on the governor’s desk in no time and we have done absolutely nothing to move cannabis forward,” she said. “We bawl, I get attacked in debates about cannabis and it will be on the governor’s desk – rules and regs haven’t been promulgated, no seal-to-seal tracking system, nothing has moved with this industry.”

The bill was passed early Friday morning during the last legislative session that Senator Donna A. Frett-Gregory served as Senate President of the 34th Legislature. She indicated her support for the measure, noting that the governor and 11 of the territory’s 15 senators had traveled to Denver to learn about issues related to cannabis legalization.

“It would be irresponsible of myself to not move this legislation up or down, whichever decision we make this evening, in the 34th Legislature because we spent the government money,” Frett-Gregory said.

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Tuesday, January 3, 2023

New Jersey Q3 Adult-Use Cannabis Sales Top $100 Million

Sales of adult-use cannabis in New Jersey for the third quarter of 2022 topped $100 million, according to recently released data from state officials. The New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission reported that sales of recreational marijuana from June 2022 through September 2022 totaled $116,572,533, representing a jump of 46% over the previous quarter. Sales of medical cannabis came to $61,138,231 during the same time period, bringing the total for combined medical and recreational marijuana sales to $177,710,764 for Q3 2022.

“New Jersey is only seeing the beginning of what is possible for cannabis” Jeff Brown, executive director of the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission (CRC), said in a statement from the agency. “We have now awarded 36 annual licenses for recreational cannabis businesses to New Jersey entrepreneurs, including 15 for dispensaries. Those businesses alone will be a significant growth of the market. With more locations and greater competition, we expect the customer base to grow and prices to come down.”

New Jersey now has 20 dispensaries licensed to sell recreational marijuana, which was legalized with a referendum passed by voters in November 2020. Legislation legalizing commercial cannabis activity was passed by lawmakers the following month, and licensed sales of recreational marijuana began in April 2022.

“We are looking forward to seeing local, small business owners participate in this lucrative market,” said CRC chairwoman Dianna Houenou. “Our priority application process as well as new initiatives like the no-cost Cannabis Training Academy being launched by New Jersey Business Action Center in early 2023 are paving that path for them to be included.”

Another 10 dispensaries are licensed to sell medical marijuana to registered medical marijuana patients only. The medicinal use of cannabis was initially legalized in New Jersey in 2010, with subsequent legislation expanding the scope of the state’s medical marijuana program to encompass more patients and medical conditions.

George Archos, the founder and CEO of cannabis multistate operator Verano, said that sales were meeting expectations in New Jersey, where the company operates three Zen Leaf branded dispensaries.

“We’re thrilled to see the continued success of the cannabis industry in New Jersey,” Archos said in an email to NJ Advance Media late Friday. “The impressive revenue growth figures the Cannabis Regulatory Commission released from the third quarter are no surprise, given New Jersey’s large and dense population, robust summer tourism season, and proximity to other states without existing legal adult use cannabis programs.”

New Jersey Pot Retailers Now Face Nearby Competition

While sales of recreational marijuana in New Jersey have grown steadily since launching in April, the state’s weed retailers face new competition from New York, where regulated sales of adult-use cannabis began on December 29. But New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy said that he welcomes the expansion of regulated marijuana and that his state’s cannabis industry is ready for the competition from New York’s regulated operators.

“The Governor believes that a fair, regulated adult-use market for cannabis is a critical step toward advancing social justice on behalf of communities disproportionately impacted by marijuana prohibition,” Natalie Hamilton, press assistant to Murphy, said in a statement.

“The Governor is proud that New Jersey’s industry is serving as a model for other states in the nation and he looks forward to continuing our efforts to grow a cannabis industry that reflects the diversity of the state, protects access for medical marijuana patients, prioritizes justice, and promotes equal opportunities for communities of color,” added Hamilton.

Charles Gormally, an attorney specializing in cannabis law, said that the launch of retail cannabis sales in New York should be seen by New Jersey’s recreational marijuana industry as an incentive to produce high-quality products as a way to encourage consumers to buy locally.

“If a New York outlet has a great product, or a unique retail experience, or a great price — they certainly will attract market share from New Jersey sources,” said Gormally. “That said, New Jersey is the Garden State. We opened the market before New York, and I suspect when the start-up pain ends, there will be fantastic product, unique retail experiences, and consumption lounges — all of which might attract the New York cannabis consumer.”

“New Jersey should not view New York so much as a competitor but rather as a challenge to supply cannabis connoisseurs what they need to stay local,” he said. “Cannabis is not like a Broadway show after all,” adding, “In the adult use cannabis marketplace, the ultimate ‘spoils’ will belong to those outlets that have the most diverse product mix at the most competitive prices.”

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Monday, January 2, 2023

Court in France Tosses Out Ban on Hemp Flower

Not only is CBD legal in France, but hemp flower as well, if the latest court ruling in the country stands.

French outlet RFI reports that On 30 December 2021, the French government legalized the sale of hemp-derived products containing CBD with 0.3 percent THC or less, after the country’s ban on CBD fell apart a year earlier. However—potentially to the dismay of D8 and hemp flower lovers—the government also banned the sale of hemp flower, citing its supposed psychotropic effects.

But a high court in France overturned that ban, ruling that CBD has not been proven to be harmful and that there are legitimate uses for flower that go beyond smoking. 

On December 29, France’s Council of State, the body that advises the government on legislation and acts as a type of Supreme Court, ruled that a general and absolute ban on the marketing of the substance in its raw state was “disproportionate.” They also didn’t find solid evidence of harm from CBD. If anything, there’s evidence of the contrary.

“The harmfulness of other molecules present in cannabis flowers and leaves, in particular CBD, has not been established,” the council said. The council added that evidence suggests CBD has “relaxing properties and anticonvulsant effects, but does not have a psychotropic effect and does not cause dependence.”

In other words, the court ruled that hemp flower should not automatically be categorized as psychotropic—rather it’s far from it. Additionally, it can be consumed as a homemade tea or infused oil and not just smoked. Homemade tinctures or vaporized flower are other considerations.

Concerns Over Distinguishing Cannabis

Despite allowing flower with the latest court ruling, concerns were raised regarding exactly how the government plans on separating hemp from THC-rich cannabis, which are nearly indistinguishable to the naked eye. The Council of State considered that the THC level “could be controlled by means of rapid tests.”

The European Court of Justice ruled in November 2020 that the ban on CBD in France, which was legal in several other European countries, was illegal based on the principle of free movement of goods.

Then the highest court in the French judiciary, The Court of Cassation, ruled last June that any CBD legally produced in the European Union could legally be sold in France.

RFI reports that France is now home to around 2,000 CBD shops, according to the professional hemp association (SPC). In addition, the industry’s annual turnover is estimated at around €500 million, or $534.1 million USD. More than half of those sales are from flower alone. 

Experts in the country say that the court’s latest ruling gives the green light for an “economically sustainable” hemp industry that can withstand the test of time.

Hemp Today reports that French hemp could bring €1.5 ($1.6B USD) to €2.5 billion ($2.6B USD) in annual turnover and result in 18,000-20,000 jobs, according to a French Senate group.

The French gray market for CBD was about €200 million ($214M USD) in 2021, and is expected to reach roughly €300 million ($321M USD) this year, UIVEC, a French extracts trade group, estimated. UIVEC also estimated that about 300-500 hectares of hemp were grown for CBD-producing flower in 2022.

The rules are expected to roll out in early 2023 as the legislation moves forward, and the government is expected to declare hemp compatible with the EU’s Common Agriculture Policy, develop a strategy for the industry, and set specific regulations.

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Oregon Health Authority Finalizes Rules for Psilocybin Services Act

The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) approved its final rules for the Oregon Psilocybin Services Act on Dec. 27. The Act was originally created through the passing of Ballot Measure 109 in November 2020, which was later codified into law as ORS 475A.

The OHA’s final rules were created through recommendations from the Oregon Psilocybin Advisory Board, the Rules Advisory Committee, and public comments. Initially the OHA released its first subset of rules in May 2022, and with the final rules now in place, Oregon Psilocybin Services (OPS) will begin accepting applications for four license types starting on Jan. 2, 2023.

According to a letter co-written by André Ourso, Administrator of the Center for Health Protection, and Angie Allbee, Section Manager for OPS:

“OPS received over 200 written comments and six hours of comments shared in the public hearings during the November 2022 public comment period,” wrote Ourso and Allbee. “These comments helped to further refine and improve the rules, which have now been adopted as final. The final rules are a starting place for the nation’s first regulatory framework for psilocybin services, and we will continue to evaluate and evolve this work as we move into the future.”

These new rules include an option for microdosing with the hope that it will “increase access, equity, and affordability while ensuring public safety.” “The final rules on duration of administrative sessions have been revised to create a new tier for subperceptual doses. These doses are defined as products containing less than 2.5 mg of psilocybin analyte. After a client’s initial session, the minimum duration for a subperceptual dose of 2.5 mg of psilocybin analyte or less is 30 minutes.”

The OPS also established rules to create translated materials in English, Spanish, along with interpretation materials to best serve a wide variety of potential patients. The agency also created numerous rules to address confidentiality of client data, improvements to the application form, and certain limitations for applicants if they have recently had thoughts about causing harm to themselves, or are pregnant or breastfeeding.

As for fees, the OPS will offer less expensive options to those who qualify, with the opportunity to consider making the service more affordable in the future. “The final rules include reduced license fees for applicants who are veterans, receiving social security income, receiving food stamp benefits, or are enrolled in the Oregon Health Plan,” the OPS letter states. “Creating a more complicated tiered license fee structure is not feasible due to the work required to identify appropriate tiers and evaluate license applications and supporting documentation. This work would require more staff capacity, which would result in higher license fees overall.”

With applications opening in less than a week, the OPS letter signs off with a hopeful statement. “OPS will strive to support applicants in navigating license application requirements and will continue to provide technical assistance as we launch the nation’s first regulatory and licensing framework for psilocybin services,” the letter concludes.

Meanwhile in cannabis, end-of-year analysis discuss the past year’s oversupply issues. The Oregon Office of Economic Analysis (OEA) released a forecast in December covering a wide variety of businesses in Oregon, including cannabis. “Now, this is great news for consumers who can enjoy widely available products at low prices,” OEA economists wrote about the cannabis industry. “This is bad news for firms trying to operate a profitable business. One challenge there is even as businesses do leave the market, to date there has always been another willing to step in and take their place.”

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Sunday, January 1, 2023

From the Archives: New Year’s Dead (1991)

I had neglected to tell my friend Ed a little dark secret of mine. I figured it wouldn’t matter. I was absolutely convinced that, miracle of miracles, we’d find a way to get in to the New Year’s Eve Grateful Dead show at the Oakland Coliseum—despite arriving without ducats.

But we failed, and so there we were sitting in our rental car in the parking lot, listening to the show on the radio. There was only one word for our collective state: bummed. I decided to confess.

“I probably should have told you that I generally don’t have very good luck on New Year’s. In fact, I have a history of bad New Year’s Eves—ever since the parties we had. Those were the best New Year’s Eves.” (Ed and I grew up together in New York. We threw a series of deranged New Year’s parties when we were in college.)

“You’ve had bad New Year’s Eves since?” Ed asked.

“Ever since,” I said. Ed couldn’t hold back a big laugh. “Can’t remember a good one.” And he laughed again.

“Since you were 17?”

“Right. Forgot to tell you that.”

“Now you tell me.”

We didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. I came up with the plan to hop the airbus and join our Deadhead family in Mecca for the New Year’s shows. Ed immediately fired out a money order for tickets. I called another friend who lives in the Bay Area and asked him to make ticket inquiries on our behalf. Then I went to HIGH TIMES editor Steve Hager and suggested the magazine send me out to California to cover the shows. “Got tickets?” Hager wondered. “Not yet,” I said. “We’re taking care of that. Don’t worry.”

Ed’s ticket request came back empty, but my friend was able to score a pair for the Friday night show. (New Year’s Eve was Monday.) We were in. We were booked.

Friday morning, December 28, Ed and I took off for Cali. It had snowed pretty heavily the night before, but the runway was clear. We landed in Oaktown three hours before showtime. It didn’t take long for us to run into the hemp folks on the vending lot—Jack Herer in one corner, Cannabis Action Network in the other, both doing their own thing.

The highlight of a rather laid-back show was “China Cat Sunflower,” which opened the second set (amazingly, Maria and Rick of CAN both predicted this would happen). We hung out in the hallways with the space dancers and spinners, with children and their folks at a makeshift Rainbow-style Kid Village. The mellowness—quite a change from East Coast harshness—was contagious.

The news that Branford Marsalis—the brilliant jazz saxophonist who guested with the Dead in April ’90-would be opening the New Year’s show topped off our heady day. I’ll keep this story short. A few years back, I interviewed Branford for an article about his more-famous brother, Wynton.

Since then we’ve become friends, chatting at Knicks games, even throwing a football around one Saturday afternoon in Brooklyn. When I heard Branford was in town, I figured I was in. Miracles do happen.

The next day, I tracked Branford down at a nearby jazz club where his quartet was jamming nightly. After staring at me quizzically (like, “What the hell are you doing here?”), he asked, “What’s wrong with the Knicks, man?” In between sets, Branford explained that “Dark Star” is his favorite Dead song and the main thing he likes about the Dead is “their vibe.”

About the upcoming New Year’s gig, Branford told me, “We go on sometime around eight. Other than that, I don’t know jack. I think I’m playing with [the Dead]; It’s up to the cats.” Would Branford be my miracle passage into the Coliseum?

“It’s gonna be tight,” he cautioned. “I’ll help you if I can. If I can’t….”

On New Year’s Eve day, Ed and I visited HIGH TIMES’ Guru of Ganja, Ed Rosenthal, who lives in Oakland.

He gave us a tour of his magical cactus garden and some words of advice about attending New Year’s shows without tickets. “I won’t do it,” he said. “It’s too depressing if you don’t get in.” What bothered me as we searched for the freeway was if the Guru of Ganja couldn’t cop a New Year’s ticket, what made us think we could?

We had two plans: The Branford plan, and another that involved hooking up with Brett, a friend’s brother who had promised me his spare ticket. Both fell through. Apparently, I didn’t make Branford’s ticket cut. Adding insult to injury, Denis McNally, the Dead’s publicist, scolded me for relying on a musician for tickets. “There isn’t a spare ticket in the house,” he said, walking away. As far as the other plan was concerned, we never did find Brett.

Depression quickly overcame us. Slowly, we walked back to the lot, where thousands of ’heads were celebrating the beginning of the show. Suddenly, it dawned on me that we weren’t exactly going to miss the concert. Every colorful car, van and bus in the lot was tuned to KPFA, the local station broadcasting live New Year’s Dead to the entire country and probably a few others. The squeak of Branford’s soprano sax tweaked my brain. We walked on.

There was only one way to salvage the situation: acid and burritos. We surveyed the lot, checking for the familiar sight of Lee’s double-decker, veggie-chow wagon. It didn’t take long to spot it. Lee, Keith and others inside were partying hard. They invited us in (we stayed for most of the night). As the seven-hour show progressed, we drew solace from the ’heads around us. They too had been shut out, but “bummed” and “depression” didn’t seem part of their vocabulary—at least, not on this special night. We banded together—as those inside undoubtedly were doing—raising our spirits to rare heights.

The music certainly helped. After a surprising electric set that featured guitarist Robin Eubanks, Branford joined Jerry, Bobby, Phil, Bruce, Vince, Mickey, Bill and guest drummer Olatunji for two spectacular sets. “Eyes of the World,” “Dark Star,”

“Drums,” “Space,” “The Other One,” “Not Fade Away” (great tribal dance/chant, closed the show), “The Weight,” “Johnny B. Goode” (encores). Jerry, Phil, Branford and Bruce got lost in the stars, improvising most of the night. An unwieldy, complicated fusion of styles, New Year’s Dead reveled in the past, present and future. It left me hopeful that this sort of musical summit can happen more than once a year.

But I still wished we’d gotten in. The CAN crew didn’t even bother trying; they went to the Red Hot Chili Peppers show in San Francisco instead. Now I know that acquiring New Year’s Dead tickets takes almost fanatical advance planning. There’s something painfully democratic about having to compete for tickets like everyone else. If only I’d listened to ticket maven David, who advised me to start scouting for tix the moment we touched down in Oakland….

Well, that’s all bongwater under the wharf now. Wish me better luck next year. Even if it is New Year’s Eve. 

High Times Magazine, May 1991

Read the full issue here.

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