Denver, Colorado

February 6, 2014

The 2013 High Times US Cannabis Cup in Denver made headlines with its record attendance figures, when more than 10,000 devotees of the 420 lifestyle descended on Colorado. However, the figure pales in comparison with the incredible 30,000 attendees who are expected to attend the 2014 Cannabis Cup on April 19 and 20.

All eyes on Colorado! Joint BIG Industry Show and US Cannabis Cup demonstrate the state’s economic good sense

Denver, Colorado

January 10, 2014

The BIG Industry Show has unquestionably secured its position on the international 420 lifestyle scene, with the 2014 event – being held in Denver, Colorado, from April 16 thru 20 – set to be even more spectacular than those of previous years.

Head-shop owner Donald Andrews was charged with felonies -- criminal sale and criminal possession of a controlled substance -- that could have put him behind bars for 25 years. Forced to close his store, Andrews had spent three weeks in county jail before his lawyer insisted the grand jury view the surveillance footage. On April 25, after authorities saw the tape, charges were dropped.

NEWS10 ABC: Albany, New York News, Weather, Sports

This week, the community gathered at a Christian Leadership Conference and expressed their concern with policing tactics, particularly incentivizing bogus busts by using paid informants. Many of them, facing their own charges, have a lot at stake in procuring convictions, however unethically. Community members also expressed concern that the set-up was racially motivated.

"With an informant like this, he will lie and plant things and he can't really be trusted," Robert Outlar, told NEWS10 at the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. Many of Andrews' supporters are concerned the same paid informant has acted afoul before, prompting calls for District Attorney Robert Carney to review past cases with which he was involved. The Schenectady County Sherriff Dominic Dagostino however, told NEWS10 he does not believe there are other problems related to the informant. How he could be so sure, given the circumstances, is not clear.

"We believe that police used this same person on other matters, including those involving residents who may have pleaded guilty out of fear of lengthier incarceration or after having concluded that no one would believe they were framed if they denied the accusations," Outlar also said.

Dagostino's officers are currently on the look-out for the unknown informant, who skipped town and is facing perjury and possession charges. According to NEWS10, he participated in seven other cases, two of which led to convictions. Andrews' case is not the first time a paid informant has been linked to shady behavior, but is simply the latest installment in examples of what can go wrong when cold hard cash is linked to a conviction.

I had a great opportunity to have a discussion with Jay from Grateful J's in Florida. I had some concerns regarding the law changes in Florida regarding pipes and wasn't able to find any accurate information. Jay explained to me what the actual law is all about and how the media has been reporting incorrect news. Jay formed The Florida Smoke Shop Association to bring smoke shops and glassblowers together in effort to fight the bill and in an unified manner. Jay agreed to update us with latest information about the law changes in FLorida and we thank him for it.

Below is the email I received from Jay that explains a little more about FSSA.

"The Florida Smoke Shop Association (FSSA) has been established to bring the Florida smoke shop industries stores, glass blowers and vendors together to protect and defend ourselves from parties interested in taking away our livelihoods. On the other hand it gives us the opportunity to work openly in the political arena to build a stronger community. Working with our Lobbiest and attorney the FSSA was successful in having HB49 amended from its original wording banning smoking pipes in Florida. Any stores interested in becoming a member of the FSSA can contact us through our website floridasmokeshops.org or by contacting grateful j work by private message on Facebook. "

Tennessee to ban kratom on July 1st, 2013. This bill was passed April 16th, 2013 and signed by the governor. the state of TN associated Kratom with spice and bathsalts just like the main stream media. Once again this shows how ignorant our politicians are who don't even spend 2 minutes to research what Kratom is. Or perhaps they are simply in the pockets of big pharma and don't care about the benefits of Kratom and the fact that it helps hundreds of thousands of people.

Bill History

Read the full bill to ban Kratom in Tennessee.


Send the governor of TN a message about Kratom, maybe he will learn the benefits of Kratom and possibly get this amazing herb off the ban list.
Governor Bill Haslam:
phone: (615) 741-2001
email: Bill.Haslam@TN.gov
Facebook: Fanpage

We are pleased to announce a new feature which is available on the homepage of the site. We now track popularity gain and decline of smoke shops based on the number of Facebook fans they are either gain or losing. You can view a top list by Week, Month overall or you can view a top list for your state.

View the homepage to check out this new feature. The stats will begin updating on 4/26/13. Fan increase and decrease will display as 0 until then.

So a few homeowners complained in Houston that they want nearby smoke shops to shut down and go out of business because their teenage kids might go there and turn into drug munchin addicts or something.

I just have one thing to tell these parents: Why don't you shut down your home and move somewhere else? I heard Alabama is pretty good, has lots of nice folks and churches. New Mexico is great too if you want to never see a green colored bush.

Look, here's the thing you idiot parents. It's not that the smoke shops are a bad influence on your stupid kids, it's that you can't control your kids so you want to blame the one thing that you know will cause others to agree with you. How about shut down nearby McDonalds so your kids might not die of heart attack? Maybe shut down Walmart because your kid may want buy every new game and toy and bicycle and tv and everything else they sell so you don't go bankrupt? Stop blaming businesses because you can't control them and take some responsibility yourself.

Besides, the pharmaceutical companies give your kids drugs legally through a doctor, you should be more worried about that then some smoke shop selling a pipe or an electric cigarette or melatonin filled brownie.

I'm done ranting, read the full article by clicking on the title if you care to.