Singapore officials executed a man today—by hanging—who was found guilty of drug trafficking a kilogram of cannabis into the country.
NDTV in India reports that Tangaraju Suppiah, 46, was executed at dawn on Wednesday, rejecting a growing chorus of anti-death penalty campaigners to end the country’s cruel use of capital punishment.
British billionaire Sir Richard Branson, a long opponent of the death penalty, and a group of world leaders called for action for what they describe as a disturbing case of what may be an innocent man.
Branson wrote a detailed blog post pleading for mercy, while The European Union (EU) and Australian MP Graham Perrett issued statements in defense of the man. The EU statement, jointly issued on April 24 with the diplomatic missions of EU member states Norway and Switzerland, called on authorities to halt Tangaraju’s execution and commute his sentence to a non-capital sentence.
If a criminal justice system cannot safeguard and protect those at risk of execution despite credible claims of innocence, the system is broken beyond repair. This is why Tangaraju Suppiah (a man on death row in Singapore) doesn’t deserve to die: https://t.co/zMQ4owW4ospic.twitter.com/bUWYXhTUEc
Chicken rice, nasi biryani, ice cream soda & milo-flavoured sweets. These are the foods Tangaraju requested from Changi Prison authorities leading up to his scheduled execution on April 26. Here’s a heart-breaking read on his last days on death row: https://t.co/31F7FU5b1spic.twitter.com/a88sow20IY
Parrett was noticeably disgusted by the choice of punishment.
“Imagine being hanged by the neck until you are dead because of a bit of dope,” Parrett tweeted in a series of posts. “This is the fate that awaits Tangaraju Suppiah of Singapore. Yesterday Tangaraju’s family were delivered his execution notice that announced he would be hanged the day after ANZAC Day.” (Anzac Day is Australia’s Memorial Day.)
Imagine being hanged by the neck until you are dead because of a bit of dope. This is the fate that awaits Tangaraju Suppiah of Singapore. Yesterday Tangaraju’s family were delivered his execution notice that announced he would be hanged the day after ANZAC Day. Tangaraju (46)
Bizarre that a thoroughly modern country like Singapore with international brands & companies like @Optus & @SingaporeAir & Goodman Fielder (Helgas Bread, White Wings, Buttercup, CSR Sugar etc) plans to execute Tangaraju Suppiah tomorrow at 6am Singapore time over some cannabis.
Tangaraju was sentenced to death on October 9, 2018, for attempting to traffic more than 1 kilogram of cannabis to Singapore. He was originally detained in 2014 for drug consumption and failure to report for a drug test.
Tangaraju was held at Singapore’s Changi Prison Complex in the eastern part of the city.
Branson argued that “the system is broken beyond repair.” He contends that in the U.S. alone, nearly 190 people have been exonerated and freed from death row since 1976. Branson also tried to free “drug trafficker” Nagaenthran Dharmalingam, who was executed by hanging in 2022. Branson was invited to take part in a live televised debate with the city state’s home affairs minister K. Shanmugam, but declined to do so.
In 1994, an American 19-year-old was caned in Singapore for graffiti, left in a bloody mess. Drug laws are similar. “Drug traffickers are less likely to traffic drugs and reduce the amount of drugs trafficked if they are aware of the penalties involved,” the Singapore MHA claims, referring to its use of capital punishment by hanging.
Branson wrote a blog post entitled “Why Tangaraju Suppiah doesn’t deserve to die,” and posted it on his website, a powerful plea supported by photos of the man with his family. “Singapore may be about to kill an innocent man,” he pleads.
“Tangaraju’s case is shocking on multiple levels,” Branson wrote. “Singapore has a long and troubled history of executing drug offenders, following mandatory sentencing laws that proscribe the death penalty for certain threshold amounts of drugs.”
He continued, “The country’s government has repeatedly claimed that its draconian laws serve as an effective deterrent of drug-related crime. However, Singaporean authorities have repeatedly failed to provide any tangible evidence for that assertion. Killing those at the lowest rungs of the illicit drug supply chain, often minorities living in poverty, is hardly effective in curbing an international trade worth hundreds of billions every year.”
Branson claims that Tangaraju was nowhere near the pot at the time, and several more details about his arrest are sketchy, to say the least.
Singapore’s Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on April 25 fired back and said that Branson’s remarks are “disrespectful.”
Colorado Governor Jared Polis on Monday announced the launch of a new state-funded loan program for cannabis social equity businesses.
The new program is designed to provide financing to licensed social equity cannabis businesses, which typically face difficulties raising the capital needed to launch and grow their enterprises. The initiative will be administered by the state Cannabis Business Office (CBO) within the Colorado Office of Economic Development & International Trade (OEDIT) in partnership with NuProject, a Portland, Oregon-based organization working “to build generational wealth via the legal cannabis industry for the Black and Brown communities disproportionately harmed by the War on Drugs,” according to the group’s website.
“This landmark loan program will create and retain 239 good-paying jobs and promote equity in the cannabis industry by providing growing businesses access to funding,” Polis said in a statement from the governor’s office on Monday afternoon. “I am committed to saving small businesses money and ensuring our state remains a great place to start and run a business in every industry. Thank you to NuProject for partnering with Colorado on this exciting milestone and working to support innovation in Colorado’s cannabis industry.”
Cannabis And Capital in Colorado
Cannabis companies have historically faced problems raising capital due to a variety of factors including federal banking regulations and the continuing stigma associated with marijuana and cannabis users. The lack of financing can be particularly challenging for social equity business owners, who often face additional obstacles including racism and generations of economic marginalization.
To help them deal with such challenges, Colorado’s Cannabis Business Loan Program will provide low-interest loans of between $50,000 and $150,000 for social equity cannabis businesses to finance renovations or expansions, the purchase of equipment, real estate or to use as working capital.
The governor’s office notes that NuProject has a proven history of lending to cannabis businesses, specializing in mission-based and character-based lending. The non-profit’s practices can help entrepreneurs obtain loans even if they have limited cash flow, lack the traditional assets necessary to secure financing or have experienced other challenges in obtaining financing. NuProject also provides mentorship and educational resources to prepare business owners to complete loan applications.
“NuProject is committed to redirecting the typical flow of financing so that small business owners in the cannabis industry, especially those who’ve been historically excluded from access to capital, can access the resources they need to grow their businesses,” said NuProject CEO Jeannette Ward Horton. “When cannabis business owners have access to financial support and the know-how to put that funding to work, they can run better businesses and have the opportunity to build generational wealth through the cannabis industry.”
NuProject and the CBO will administer the Cannabis Business Loan Program as a revolving loan fund. As loans to business owners are repaid, the interest generated will be reinvested into the fund to support future borrowers. The state’s initial investment of $1 million is expected to lend $2.9 million over the next 10 years, creating and retaining jobs in Colorado, according to state officials.
The Cannabis Business Loan Program is the third CBO funding source available for Colorado’s licensed social equity cannabis businesses and is designed to support larger, more established cannabis businesses as they continue to grow. The Cannabis Business Grant, launched in 2021, provides $25,000 Foundational Grants to help early-stage cannabis businesses with the costs to launch their operations and $50,000 Growth Grants to support existing cannabis businesses as they expand or refine their operations.
“Colorado’s Cannabis Business Loan Program is at the forefront of the cannabis industry, creating a new model to help these small business owners access the resources they need to grow and thrive,” said Eve Liberman, OEDIT executive director. “Together with NuProject, the Cannabis Business Office is making it possible for cannabis businesses to grow, create new jobs and contribute to a Colorado economy that works for everyone.”
Activists Seek More Support For Social Equity Businesses
Sarah Woodson, a cannabis social equity advocate and business owner, welcomes Colorado’s new loan program for eligible companies in the industry. But she also would like the CBO to update the public on the success of the earlier grant programs.
“It would be interesting to see what has happened with the money that has been given out so far,” Woodson told Westword. “I don’t think many of those businesses have opened yet.”
Woodson is calling on Colorado lawmakers to pass House Bill 1020, legislation that would allow social equity cannabis businesses to make deliveries directly to consumers without partnering with a licensed dispensary. The bill has been pending in the legislature for more than three months but has so far received only two hearings. Woodson said that the bill is being delayed by opposition from the established cannabis industry and a lack of funding. According to a fiscal note on the bill, creating the new licensing system necessary to implement the legislation would cost slightly more than $360,000.
“All we need is about $370,000 to pass our bill, yet we can’t find that,” she said.
Woodson said she is preparing a public records request to learn how much previous funding has been spent. If there is remaining funding, she would like to see the CBO cover the costs of implementing House Bill 1020.
“If there’s over $2 million left, then $370,000 shouldn’t be an issue,” she said. “If there’s $1 million or less, then that is a different issue.”
“The natural nexus is the CBO office, but we want to be respectful of what they have planned. We just want to know how much money is left, and that’s not very clear,” she added. “We’re asking for less than $370,000 for existing businesses to stay in business, many of which were started by the CBO. Social equity is one of the governor’s wildly important goals, so we need to get this done.”
De culto, psicodélica, fumona, corrosiva y graciosa: todos estos calificativos le cuadran perfectamente a El Gran Lebowski (1998), una de las películas más icónicas de la década del 90. Mientras el siglo llegaba a su fin, los hermanos Ethan y Joel Coen construyeron un pequeño pero colorido universo de personajes inolvidables.
Para celebrar los 25 años del estreno de este inolvidable e inoxidable film que, a pesar del paso del tiempo, gana cada vez más y más adeptos, charlamos con Jeff “The Dude” Dowd, el hombre que sirvió de inspiración para el emblemático personaje protagónico.
Hombre, héroe y amigo
En esta historia, todo y todos giran alrededor de “The Dude”.
“El Nota”, tal como se lo conoció en su versión doblada para España y América Latina, es un hombre desaliñado, desempleado, aficionado al cóctel White Russian y fumón, cuya pasión reside en pasar el tiempo lo mejor posible.
Para The Dude, interpretado por un impecable Jeff Bridges, pasar el tiempo “lo mejor posible” es beber, jugar al bowling con sus amigos y fumar marihuana en soledad.
Sin embargo, esa tranquilidad dura poco: un par de matones lo confunden con el magnate millonario Jeff Lebowski. Cuando nuestro “Dude” va en búsqueda de su homónimo reclamándole por la golpiza recibida (y, principalmente, por una alfombra orinada), el Lebowski acaudalado le propone rescatar a su esposa secuestrada a cambio de una jugosa recompensa.
El gran Jeff Dowd: The (real) Dude
“The Dude” tiene su origen en Jeff Dowd, un hombre de una personalidad inquieta que, a través de los años, contribuyó mucho al cine independiente.
Por nombrar algunas de sus acciones bisagra en el celuloide, contribuyó como productor y distribuidor en las primeras producciones de directores como Spike Lee o Jim Jarmusch y, además, fue uno de los primeros nombres en los que pensó Robert Redford para darle forma al Festival de Sundance, el certamen de exhibición más popular del cine independiente de los Estados Unidos y el mundo.
Lo que se dice, un agitador del “indie” antes de que ese término llegase a todos nosotros.
En esa cruzada por acompañar a cineastas noveles que daban sus primeros pasos, Jeff se topó con los hermanos Coen y, gracias a él, los cineastas dieron a conocer su debut en pantalla grande, con el thriller neo-noir Blood Simple (1984).
De esta manera, nació un vínculo de afecto mutuo que continúa hasta el día de hoy, pero antes, más precisamente 25 años atrás, se consolidó a modo de homenaje en El Gran Lebowski.
Cara a cara con ‘The Dude’
Una película de culto, mitos del set de filmación, su afición por la marihuana, un ambicioso proyecto que incluye el lanzamiento de su propia marca de CBD: “The Dude” rompe la cuarta pared y se presenta ante nosotros desde su hogar de Los Ángeles.
—¿Tuvo la oportunidad de presenciar el set de filmación de El Gran Lebowski?
—Fui muchas veces al set. En particular, en gran cantidad de escenas de la casa. Fue muy divertido hacerlo. Fue realmente emocionante compartir muchos momentos con actores de la talla de Steve Buscemi, Julianne Moore, John Goodman, John Turturro y Jeff Bridges, por nombrar algunos.
—¿Cómo fue el trabajo en conjunto con Jeff Bridges? El propio Bridges interpretó al mismísimo Lebowski, inspirado en usted, y se dijo puertas adentro del set, en varias ocasiones, que logró una gran versión suya. ¿Fue realmente así?
—Con Jeff tenemos una muy buena relación. De hecho, hemos aparecido en varias ocasiones en las “Lebowski Fest”, los eventos realizados por fanáticos de la película que se celebran alrededor del mundo. Además, al ser contemporáneos, hemos tenido experiencias muy parecidas a lo largo de nuestra vida, al igual que en la industria del cine. Sin dudas, la actuación de Jeff fue realmente muy buena. Supo captar la esencia del “Dude”, como un ser completamente libre. Su interpretación fue increíble.
—El Gran Lebowski es una de las películas que ganó mayores adeptos en los últimos años. Convenciones en todo el mundo, personajes icónicos de la cultura pop, todos resultados de un film que, curiosamente, en su año de lanzamiento no fue tan exitoso como resultó serlo a través del tiempo. ¿Por qué cree que sucedió esto?
—Déjame comenzar diciendo que no todos los críticos estaban en contra de la película, uno de ellos era Roger Ebert [uno de los críticos más reconocidos mundialmente, fallecido hace una década]. La película no sufría valoraciones negativas en absoluto, a lo sumo a algunos podría no gustarles. Básicamente, tuvo su éxito gracias a los fans, pero también a la publicidad que tenía detrás. Más allá de las enormes actuaciones que había, es ante todo una película entretenida. Cuando la miras más de una vez ingresa en niveles más profundos de análisis y de divertimento, cosa que tiene cierto atractivo también.
—¿Qué es lo más divertido de El Gran Lebowski?
—Lo que sucede con El Gran Lebowski es que se vuelve cada vez más entretenida a medida que la volvés a ver. Eso explicaría por qué despierta tanto fanatismo en el mundo. Además, se caracteriza por ser una película interactiva, algo que no ocurre con el resto de los films. ¡La gente que vio la película aparece en las convenciones caracterizadas como los personajes!
—¿Cuál es su relación actual con los hermanos Coen?
—Sin dudas me considero parte de su historia. Los ayudé en el lanzamiento de muchas de sus películas. Hemos estado mucho tiempo juntos en el set, lo cual nos dio tiempo y les dio tiempo para extraer de mí características propias del personaje de “The Dude”. Seguimos en contacto permanentemente. Si bien yo resido en Santa Mónica y ellos en Nueva York, seguimos relacionándonos y nos tenemos un afecto muy grande.
—Cuando veo NBC, CBS, CNN, noto que hay muchas publicidades sobre drogas para tratar enfermedades, incluso de las que jamás escuché hablar y ustedes, seguramente, tampoco. En un par de semanas estaremos lanzando todo a nivel mundial, pero estas son cosas que pueden venderse inicialmente en Internet y luego llegarán remanentes en el futuro para otros países. Muchas de estas cosas funcionan muy bien. Muchas de las cosas que hicimos fueron experimentales y anduvieron bien, no tienen efectos secundarios. La gente podrá conseguir Dude’s Dream de forma online y también presencialmente.
—¿Cuál es su cepa favorita de marihuana? —Depende del día. Cuando es de noche me gusta la índica por su poder relajante. Si bien no fumo cuando trabajo durante el día, cuando estoy trabajando, al llegar la noche me gusta hacerlo, y ahí es cuando entra la sativa. Si bien no soy fanático de los rótulos de las cepas, tampoco lo soy de las grandes marcas ni mucho menos. La realidad es que encuentro en la marihuana algo muy sabroso.
Traducción: Santiago Alonso. Fotos cortesía de Jeff Dowd
Bernard “Bun B” Freeman was whipping through Los Angeles traffic to make his LAX flight after a whirlwind trip from his home in Houston, Texas. The UGK legend had vowed to fit in as many business meetings and lunches as possible prior to celebrating his wife Queenie’s birthday in Turks and Caicos. Just days earlier, Bun traveled to New York City to unveil his latest collaborative project with producer Statik Selektah, TrillStatik 2, before bouncing back to Houston to announce his first Trill Burgers brick-and-mortar restaurant. Cross-country treks have become the norm for the buzzing entrepreneur and famed Southern lyricist. Since the pandemic restrictions have lifted, he’s been back on the road, promoting his Trill Burgers venture and doing television.
At 49, Bun B has grown accustomed to constant change. Since launching UGK in the late ’80s/early ’90s, he’s been navigating the rise to rap infamy and its inevitable pitfalls with the focus of a trained sniper. Subsequently, he’s still here to talk about it all these years later. His UGK partner-in-rhyme, Chad “Pimp C” Butler, wasn’t so lucky. In 2007, he was found dead of a suspected drug overdose in a West Hollywood hotel room. A coroner later attributed his death to a combination of codeine and promethazine (commonly referred to “purple drank” or “lean”) and a pre-existing condition of sleep apnea. While Bun B was forced to continue his career without Pimp C, he carries his legacy like it’s his religion. In December 2022, Bun B and Pimp C’s widow, Chinara Butler, honored the late rap luminary with a 10th anniversary celebration of UGK Day, an event designed to provide public health resources to the Port Arthur, Texas community.
“That’s always been a part of honoring Pimp C,” Bun B explains to High Times. “His wife in the very early years of him passing away was doing a lot of work in that area. And every time she would honor Pimp C, she wanted to make sure that health resources were available in the community. And I know that was something they wanted to do as a part of UGK Day in Port Arthur [their hometown] as well, especially coming from a community where we come from where we know everyone doesn’t have proper health insurance. We know everyone doesn’t have a balanced diet, and we know there’s a lot of fried food that people eat and things like that. So we want to make sure that people at least have access.
High Times Magazine March 2023, Photo by Todd Spoth
“We all collectively sacrifice for the greater good of all. But everyone is also still responsible for their personal health, too. As I get older, I realize how much more responsible I should have been and could have been. And knowing that kind of stuff now, you’re almost obligated to do better at this point.”
That awareness has translated to Bun B taking better care of himself, too. The day of the interview, the news that fellow hip-hop artist Grand Daddy I.U. had passed away hit social media. It was yet another sobering reminder of our fragility.
“These are my contemporaries, give or take three, four years,” Bun B says, audibly bothered by the revelation. “And we all lived similar lifestyles, I would imagine. And I’m sure we didn’t foresee how foreboding it could have been to be partaking in some of this stuff. And now that we see people our age we know dying from things like that, it’s like, ’Well, damn, if he had a bad heart, what do I have?’ That kind of a thing.
“This is just a part of getting older—not getting old necessarily but just getting older. As you move into different parts of life, you realize, ‘Hey man, I can’t …’ You got to try not to fall down because you don’t bounce back up as quickly as you used to. You’ve got to take care of yourself. And it’s always good to be very self aware. The only way you know how to be fully aware is to constantly get checkups and keep going in for those yearly checkups. And if you’re on medicine, take your medicine and just do everything you’re supposed to do. Because I mean, what’s the alternative? At some point, we all got to grow up.”
Photo by Todd Spoth
While marijuana is still illegal on the federal level, the use of medicinal marijuana is on the rise and 21 states have legalized cannabis for adults. Subsequently, Bun B (who started smoking at 16 years old) finds it preposterous to quit now. He does have one challenge though—everyone wants to get him high.
“I spent a lot of years smoking weed when it was illegal in most places, and it was not cool,” he says with a laugh. “Back then, it was a big counterculture. So now that weed is accepted in most modern societies and it’s available legally in more places than it has ever been in America, why give up on weed now? But I have to be careful when I go to certain places. When you go to New York, you’re bombarded with weed. When I go to Washington, D.C., I’m bombarded with weed. And when I go to Illinois, same thing. I mean, God forbid I go to San Francisco! There’s no way these people could expect me to smoke all the weed that they’re trying to give me. That’s insane. But I do my best. I try not to let them down.”
The TrillStatik 2 album listening party was a perfect example. VIP guests were greeted at the door with a blunt, courtesy of one of the many blunt rollers on site. The Astor Club donated a half pound of RS-11 to the cause, while Puffco hosted a giveaway and Trichadelics and Pressure Labz handed out complimentary globs. Of course, Bun B had all the weed he could handle.
He also continues to fight for legalization in Texas, something he’s been vocal about for years. While the victory has yet to be won, there have been signs of progress. Recently, residents in Denton, San Marcos, Killeen, Elgin, and Harker Heights approved ballot measures that sought to ban arrests and citations for carrying less than four ounces of marijuana in most cases. They also approved new rules blocking cities from funding THC concentration tests and plan to remove marijuana smell as a probable cause for search and seizure. Now, they just have to convince city officials—not an easy task.
Photo by Todd Spoth
In the meantime, Bun B is looking forward to LL Cool J’s Rock The Bells Cruise. He found success last summer at the inaugural Rock The Bells Festival with his Trill Mealz Food Court, which boasted culinary creations from Nas, E-40, Jadakiss, Styles P, Ghostface Killah, Mia X and, of course, Bun B’s Trill Burgers. He’s hoping to take the concept to the open seas.
“I think that’s what we’re talking about,” he says. “I’ve already signed on to bring Trill Burgers to the cruise, so Trill Burgers will definitely be there. With it being Rock The Bells, we would definitely like to present the Trill Mealz Food Court again. And we couldn’t think of a better place to have that available for people than on this cruise. We’re going to be talking to different vendors and, obviously, there’s so many different people in that space that we wanted to get for the first food court that we just simply could not coordinate in time. So hopefully with us having so much lead up time into this, we can try to get on people’s calendars earlier. We just have to manifest it.”
This article was originally published in the March 2023 issue of High Times Magazine.
For cultivators, reducing energy consumption has become an economic necessity as much as an environmental need. Energy costs continue to increase, and expanding competition, cost compression and shrinking margins are hammering businesses. Any and every advantage an operator can find to save money, increase productivity and grow stronger plants while reducing energy use must be considered. Fortunately, technological advancements in lighting provide a relatively fast and efficient way to meet many of these urgent goals.
Many cultivators are keenly aware of their energy use and the need to modernize their facilities. But the initial investment costs required to make the transition, as well as a lack of familiarity with the technology can feel overwhelming. However, with proper planning, businesses that can absorb the upfront costs are quickly rewarded with rebates provided by the state, which can cover most or even all of the equipment costs. Once the lighting is installed, the long-term savings and productivity benefits quickly kick in, making the initial investment a distant memory. Unlike in years past, there are more financing options available to cannabis businesses, some of which are even available directly through the lighting manufacturer. For example, Spectrum King LED offers financing through its preferred vendor relationship with Sweet Leaf Madison Capital. In addition, Spectrum King LED will help cultivators with rebate applications and processes where applicable.
Currently, 80% of cannabis from U.S. legal markets is cultivated indoors using sophisticated lighting and environmental controls designed to maximize the plant’s yield. These systems can consume up to 2,000 watts of electricity per square meter, about 40 times the energy needed to grow leafy greens like lettuce indoors. There is no question that this current level of energy consumption is unsustainable. As evidence, look at California’s recent announcement that the state is offering cultivators rebates of 100% or more when they switch to energy-efficient LEDs. The rebates are part of an emergency measure called the Market Access Program, which was signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom to reduce stress on California’s electrical grid statewide. According to state officials, a reduction in energy consumption is needed to contain rolling blackouts that can potentially cripple the state’s economy. This urgent request for “grid relief” is a glimpse into an uncertain future if cannabis industry practices do not change.
Courtesy Spectrum King LED
Today, the pace of LED lighting innovation is driving the modernization of cannabis cultivation, addressing the urgent energy reduction needs while refining the growing process to enable more control and better outcomes. As beneficial and important as upgrading and modernizing lighting may be, perceived barriers still keep some cannabis cultivators from making the transition. But there may never be a better time to upgrade. The combination of rebate incentives, available financing and competitive pressures make modernizing a no brainer.
It makes sense to invest in quality fixtures that have been designed to provide the highest output without busting the bank. Spectrum King prides itself on providing the absolute best value in LED lighting, with industry-leading output and quality at prices that will help you grow big. For example, SK’s Phoenix 1050W linear LED has been made with the highest-quality diodes on the market, and operates with an industry-leading PPE rating of 2.8. It also provides up to double the photon output per dollar compared to its competitors. Most states today offer financial incentives in terms of rebates for transitioning away from higher energy use technologies – and Spectrum King LED can help you through the entire rebate application process.
The Phoenix line is a testament to just that. Backed by a team of expert engineers, Spectrum King LED has built a light that is nearly perfect – thanks in large part to the quality of each component that goes into every fixture:
Diodes: With a PPE rating of 2.75, these are the highest quality diodes on the market. As one of the few lights on the market with a PPE over 2.0, you can be sure that your product is receiving the highest output possible.
Dual surge protection: Spectrum King LED has pioneered surge immunity on both the driver and LED board to provide the ultimate protection for your lights and facility.
Courtesy Spectrum King LED
A growing, healthy and responsible cannabis industry must make energy reduction a top priority if businesses are to thrive. There is no question that continued overconsumption of energy by cultivators must become a thing of the past. Businesses in state after state will eventually need to make these necessary changes or face extinction from forward-looking competitors. The good news: Spectrum King LED has made upgrading your lighting as easy as possible because with a track record of zero defects and zero returns, it is pretty obvious where you should put your trust. Visit https://spectrumkingled.com/ to see for yourself why Spectrum King LED is the best choice in LED lighting solutions.
Dispensary workers in Illinois are fed up with what they say are low wages and unfair practices committed by a major dispensary chain.
Members of Teamsters Local 777 members at three RISE Dispensaries in Chicagoland, a subsidiary of Green Thumb Industries, walked off the job on April 19 at 4:20 p.m. CT to launch an open-ended unfair labor practice (ULP) strike. It’s the largest strike of its kind in the state to date, according to an April 19 press release.
“RISE workers are very grateful for the support and kind words they have received from their fellow Teamsters throughout the country, as well as the Illinois cannabis community,” Matt McQuaid, a Teamster representative, told High Times in an email. “We are still on the picket line.”
Courtesy Teamsters 777
Local 777 members say that RISE dispensaries demanded that workers at the Niles location remove pro-union buttons while they were on the job, which is a violation of the National Labor Relations Act. The Chicago Tribunereports that the Teamsters planned to strike just before the biggest day in sales for dispensaries. The strike arrives as workers in multiple states push for a higher minimum wage to meet the cost of living.
“The company’s demand that the workers remove their pins is part of a broader pattern of disrespect to their workforce,” stated Jim Glimco, Local 777 President. “GTI is refusing to offer these men and women wages commensurate with the cost of living, or retirement package that is acceptable for Teamsters. It’s far past time this company recognize the people responsible for all of the success it’s had.”
RISE opened 11 dispensaries across the state of Illinois, with six total in the Chicagoland area. WGN 9 reports that RISE Dispensaries parent company, Green Thumb Industries, plans on keeping the stores open despite the impact from the strike.
BREAKING: new video shows cannabis Teamster workers at RISE dispensary in Joliet IL walking out at 4:20 pm yesterday to begin their Unfair Labor Practice strike.
— Teamsters Cannabis Workers (@Teamsters420) April 20, 2023
“These workers deserve prosperous, middle-class careers and they’re willing to fight for it,” stated Peter Finn, Teamsters Western Region International Vice President and Food Processing Division Director. “They aren’t walking off the job by themselves. They’re walking onto that picket line as one unified front, with the backing of more than 1.2 million Teamsters throughout North America.”
Several Illinois dispensary workers also chimed in to show their support for better wages that would show their true value.
“We’re focused on creating a high-quality career here and we need a wage that reflects how valuable we are,” stated Reilly Drew, a patient care specialist at the RISE Niles dispensary. “People think of advancing as moving up the ladder, but in this situation, it’s about raising the whole floor up for everyone. We want to make this a prosperous industry because it’s a profitable industry.”
Courtesy Teamsters 777
“The forceful removal of these buttons shows us how GTI feels about our movement, and how little they care about us as workers,” said Julie Evans, a patient care specialist at the RISE Rock Creek Boulevard dispensary in Joliet. “I feel that it is extremely unfair, disrespectful, and rude that Niles was forced to remove their insignias while other stores were not. I stand with my fellow Teamsters in solidarity against this unfair labor practice.”
Workers described the risks they encountered that took place during a strike.
“I voted to strike in solidarity with my RISE coworkers over the baseless and uninformed removal of the union button, which was intended to reduce representation in our stores,” said Brandon Basil, a patient care specialist at the Colorado Street RISE dispensary in Joliet. “We’ll fight for a fair contract with more to offer for our incredibly hardworking brothers and sisters in the cannabis industry, including a living wage!”
Teamsters Local 777, est. 1937, represents workers in a wide variety of industries in the Chicago area. For more info, visit their website.
I’ve smoked cannabis for over twenty years now, and I’ve never really been about torching dabs. Spoiler alert: not a big rig guy. It’s just such a pain sometimes to clean and maintain. Your torch runs out mid-dab, a banger shatters because you let the new guy do it himself, all the sticky dab tools and isopropyl alcohol—it’s a lot. Or maybe I’m just high maintenance and prefer the alternatives.
Conversely, I’ve been someone who’s enjoyed vaporizer devices since my first chalked up balloon almost two decades ago. In my professional experience, I’ve tried almost everything on the market at this point. And if the G Pen Hyer is anything like their other Roam and Micro+ models (both of which I own), it gave me all the confidence in the world that this vaporizer would be just as fun and effortless to use.
As you might imagine, burning your finger with a flaming torch or scolding yourself on hot glass is something you probably aren’t fond of. Burnt bowl pieces and bangers are usually par for the course for any avid smoker. You know who you are. Finding that perfect temperature each time for every type of cannabis extract is an art that most everyday smokers may never master. Then came along the G Pen Hyer. No more burnt coils from overuse. No more piping red hot glass. I’m talking about full flavor and maximum power. On its highest setting the Hyer hits like a true glass dab rig—like a truck. On its lowest setting you get a full entourage effect of flavorful terpenes and psychoactive cannabinoids. It truly is one of the best crossover electronic devices for cannabis that I have ever experienced. It’s like the Keurig for concentrates.
The G Pen Hyer is a dual-use, smart-heating, portable e-rig that you can use with any concentrate, and even flower. It’s designed to pair with any glass-on-glass water piece and includes a big quartz chamber heating element slide piece that’s tethered magnetically to a diesel-looking battery, boasting an LED color-coded user interface with five temperature and timer settings to optimize each individual experience. The temperature range for the concentrate tank starts low at 482 degrees and rises up gradually in increments of 90 degrees, all the way up to 842 degrees. The dry herb tank’s temperature settings start much lower at 356 degrees and increase slowly at 18 degree increments up to its hottest setting at 428 degrees. So, I figured the best way to review this product would be to try out both concentrates and flower at each of the five temperature settings to see how the incremental increases affected the cannabis itself. I did this for over a week to get a true feel for the device and to understand how each different cannabis product tasted and burned.
One thing I found was that the power on this rig was really legit. It boasts a powerful 6,000mAh lithium-ion battery with rapid, pass-through charging via USB-C: meaning this thing pumps energy and charges fast. I gave it a full charge when it arrived and have used the Hyer at least 3 times a day for a week, mostly on lower temperatures mind you. Even as I write this review, I still haven’t had to charge it again. Another cool feature is the quartz tank itself which is quite large and has plenty of room for over a half gram. The concentrate cap, which is magnetically attached and made of anodized aluminum with a ceramic liner, has dual airflow holes for smooth functionality. It includes a stainless steel wax tool that can be screwed into the top or side of the tank cap for easy placement and accessibility. The Hyer gets bonus points for that little feature.
Some of my findings I couldn’t be more thrilled to share. I had a lot of skeptical friends, many of which in the cannabis industry who are hardcore dabbers, that couldn’t imagine not using a torch. The Hyer changed those mindsets. This is the first e-rig or vape device that I’ve gotten big clouds with and gives you a flavor profile that is second to none to other high-end vape devices. Choosing the right temperature and duration of your burn is what makes all the difference.
Courtesy G Pen
I found that for solventless rosin products and live resin extracts it was best to maintain the lowest setting (Blue) at 482 degrees for forty five seconds to ensure full flavor without burning off the delicate terpenes. A ‘low-temp’ dab, if you will, allows for these chemical compounds with lower combustion points to be fully absorbed into your lungs, not burnt off before you can benefit from them. At that range you’re getting the most medicinal properties from the plant, as well. When I bumped it up to 572 degrees (Aqua) and kept the same time setting, I found the live resin hit more powerfully with similar flavor, but the rosin lost some of its tasty punch. Cured shatter and badder tasted nicely at this setting too. Once I bumped the heat up to the Green (662) and Yellow (752) settings, I dropped the duration down to thirty seconds. This allowed for me to get a more concentrated, formidable hit without burning out the dab first. The Red setting is definitely where the OG dabbers want to be, as it’s surprisingly equal to any high end glass and torch. I recommend at least a quarter gram or more, as this setting will definitely burn your concentrate fast. You may want to drop it down to fifteen seconds to better control the heat.
Another cool feature is that G Pen offers a dry herb tank attachment that can be used to vaporize flower. This can be easily screwed into the slide piece to replace your concentrate tank. This tank starts at a lower temperature, so I found that ramping it all the way up to the Yellow and Red setting was best for burning flower. It needs to be ground up finely and packed loose, otherwise the top has a hard time burning through. The flavor is that of most electronic flower vaporizers, but I could definitely taste the difference when bouncing from different genetics. For me though, it was hard to compare once I’d tried the concentrate tank. That was the game changer. The Hyer makes me a believer that tech can compete with glass now. It made me remember how much I love the smell and taste of extracts oozing and bubbling throughout the house too. I’ve been smoking more concentrate now than I have in months!
The G Hyer is one the most innovative and rad products on the cannabis device market right now. It gives you the best of both worlds of glass and cannabis technology. It’s simple to use, easy to clean, has a long-lasting battery, delivers elite flavor, and packs a punch that dab purists can appreciate. At $249.95 the Hyer is a bargain when you compare it to the competition. This little baby is my new living room centerpiece now and she won’t be going anywhere for a long, long time.
