Know Your Herbs

Month: July 2020

Everything to know about Tsunami Glass

Herbs

Shopping for a bong online can be like sifting through a mass of fake diamonds in search of a real one. There are big expensive bongs and small ones that cost twice as much. There are bongs that can’t break, and bongs so intricate they look like they’ll break just by looking at them. Somehow, all of them seem to have 5-star reviews, though what shows up at your door a few days later might not deserve any stars at all.

While not all bongs are created equal, some are so exceedingly superior that they deserve not only a second look, but their own damn article. Tsunami Glass makes those kinds of bongs. 

Luxurious yet affordable, Tsunami Glass turns the classic super stoner aesthetic on its head with a scientific twist, using the power of physics to create some of the heaviest hitting pieces out there. 

Whether you’re in the market for a new bong, or was just curious as to what all the buzz is about, here’s our guide to Tsunami Glass. 

What is Tsunami Glass? 

Founded in Troy Michigan in 2011, Tsunami Glass was originally conceived as a premium vaporizer brand. Over the years, they expanded to offer a wide variety of products, becoming particularly well known for their outstanding glass bongs and rigs after launching their own line, Tsunami Glass, in 2012.  

What makes Tsunami Glass different from other bongs?

Tsunami Glass is known for using high-quality borosilicate glass to create stunning clear glass bongs with multiple percolators and different filtration techniques. They come in a multitude of shapes, sizes and colored accents. 

The name “Tsunami” comes from the way the water swirls between the percolators when you hit their bongs, which you can view on their YouTube channel.

What is a percolator?

Before we get into the next portion of our guide, it’s important to cover the basics. For example, what exactly is a percolator in terms of bongs and what does it do?

When it comes to smoking methods, bongs tend to intimidate novice users. Add a few percolators to that bong, and they’re downright scared. Like most stigmas in the weed world, however, this one is also backwards. Not only are bongs a really clean way to get high, percolators are there to make the experience smoother and altogether less gnarly. Not the other way around. 

Each time smoke passes through the chambers of glass and water, it becomes more filtered, cooler, and easier to ingest. Because of this, people are able to ingest more smoke than usual, leading them to get higher than usual. If you’re afraid of getting too high but interested in checking out the percolator way of life, try packing a tiny bowl and work up from there. 

How do you use Tsunami Glass?

To use a Tsunami Glass bong, simply pack the bowl with the flower of your choice (remember, they hit hard so air on the smaller side), light up, and take a hit. 

Their bigger bongs require slightly more lung power than the casual smoker may be used to. Hit the bong until you can feel the water swirling like a twister through the percolators, pull the bowl and exhale. 

Tip: For the first hit of your new bong, I suggest sitting down. These things hit harder than any smoking device I’ve ever encountered. 

How do you clean your Tsunami Glass?

When it comes to cleaning intricate bongs with multiple percolators, bells, and whistles like those in the Tsunami Glass line, it all comes down to a combination of rubbing alcohol, hot water, salt, and personal ritual. 

Our tips to cleaning Tsunami Glass:

  1. Start by soaking your piece in hot water to loosen the resin.
  2. Wear gloves. The smell of resin sucks and it’s hard to get it off your hands once it’s on there. 
  3. Chunky salt, rubbing alcohol and some vigorous shaking will always work as well as the expensive cleaners you buy at the headshop. 
  4. Q-tips are super helpful, as are pipe cleaners you can get at any craft store. 
  5. If your piece is super dirty, let it soak in alcohol overnight. 
  6. Clean your glass consistently to avoid resin buildup.

What’s the appeal of Tsunami Glass?

Not only does Tsunami Glass deliver an extremely high-end product for the price of an average bong, their attention to scientific detail in smoke percolation elevates the quality of their bong hits far beyond most. 

Throughout my tireless research, I’ve found that a small rip from a normal bong will get you three to four times higher if you take it from a Tsunami Bong. I’ve even taken to only using mine at night because it can be too heady for the morning. They’re a great tool for weed conservation, too.  

And finally, they look really cool. Blurring the line between scientific functionality and stoner chic, these bongs stand out just enough to be eye-catching without being  ridiculous. 

Where can you buy Tsunami Glass

Tsunami Glass is available at head shops around the country, and online at HighRollerSmoke.com. For retailers, the best place to buy Tsunami Glass is on their parent company’s wholesale website, The Odyssey Group.  

Some of Our Favorite Tsunami Glass Pieces

Triple Honeycomb Turbine

The Triple Honeycomb offers 4 levels of percolation plus a turbine perc for extra smooth hits.

Price: $150

Sprinkler Donut

Innovative and unique, the Sprinkler Donut’s middle ring will mesmerize you as you take on massive stoney hits.

Price: $170

Button Double 8 Arms Tree Perc

Standing 15” tall and weighing 5 pounds, the button double is a hefty crowd pleaser.

Price: $105

Fab Egg Dome Showerhead

The perfect tabletop dab rig, the Fab Egg Dome Showerhead is the ultimate choice for dabbing enthusiasts.

Price: $89.99

Showerhead Swiss

A whole 9” of swiss cheese design, the Showerhead Swiss is an art piece within a rig. 

Price: $80

Featured image provided by the Odyssey Group

The post Everything to know about Tsunami Glass appeared first on Weedmaps News.

Source: wm

If weed is legal, why are so many people still being arrested and locked up for it?

Herbs

While Michigan dispensaries collectively bring in millions of dollars every month, Michael Thompson is serving a de facto life sentence in the same state for the very same reason — selling cannabis. 

As the country grapples with both a global pandemic and nationwide protests against police brutality and systemic racism, cannabis remains at the forefront of the cultural and political conversation. Cannabis was deemed an essential business by nearly all states with a medical or adult-use market during COVID-19, yet its criminalization has resulted in the arrests of millions of Americans, with Black individuals arrested at significantly higher rates than their white counterparts. 

public opinion of legalizing marijuana graphGraphic: Jaclyn Sears

The majority of the population reside in states with legalized medical or adult-use cannabis, and over two-thirds of Americans support legalization. We are leaps and bounds away from the days of reefer madness and Nancy Reagan’s Just Say No campaign, yet thousands of people are currently sitting in jail or prison for cannabis-related offenses, and over 660,000 people were arrested for cannabis in 2018 alone.

Legal cannabis spending in the United States is predicted to reach over $16 billion in 2020, and the industry is responsible for the creation of nearly 340,000 jobs. If cannabis is a legal, multi-billion dollar industry, and even regarded as an essential business alongside pharmacies and grocery stores, then why are so many people still being arrested and locked up for it? Why are some allowed to profit off the industry while Michael Thompson is regarded as a criminal who deserves to spend the rest of his life in prison?

The simple answer is that cannabis is still federally illegal and many states have not passed decriminalization laws. There is also no federal law that requires the clearing of records of those convicted of something that is no longer a crime, otherwise known as retroactive ameliorative relief. However, there is nothing simple about the United States criminal justice system and the answer is much more complicated.

How did we even get to this point? 

A very brief history of the War on Drugs and cannabis criminalization

While anti-drug policies can be traced back to the early 20th century, the War on Drugs that contributed to the current state of mass incarceration in the United States began in the 1970s under the Nixon administration. In 1971, President Nixon declared drugs to be “public enemy number one,” setting the stage for a new era of tough-on-crime drug policies. While the demonization of drugs and drug users began with President Nixon, it was exacerbated during the Reagan and Clinton administrations and allowed for the introduction of mandatory minimum sentencing, zero tolerance policies, and three-strikes laws.

people imprisoned for drug offenses graph Graphic: Jaclyn Sears

The number of people in state and federal institutions increased from an estimated 196,000 in 1970 to 2.3 million in 2020. For drug offenses, the number of people incarcerated rose from over 40,000 in the 1980s to 452,000 in 2017. According to the Prison Policy Initiative, the United States has the highest incarceration rate in the world, with over 2.3 million people currently being held in correctional facilities throughout the country.

The quasi-legality of cannabis

Even though cannabis is legal for adult-use in 11 states and medical use in 33 states, the federal government still classifies it as an illegal Schedule I substance, alongside heroin. Because of its federally illegal status, there are serious penalties for cannabis-related crimes. A first-time cannabis possession offense can result in a misdemeanor penalty with imprisonment of up to one year and a $1,000 fine. For second-time offenders, the penalty increases to a felony conviction, up to two years in prison, and a $2,500 fine. For someone caught selling or cultivating cannabis, the federal penalties dramatically increase in severity and typically result in both a felony conviction and mandatory prison time.

Twenty-seven states and the District of Columbia have taken steps to decriminalize cannabis-related offenses. The decriminalization of cannabis is when the penalties for possession, consumption, and/or low-level sales are removed or significantly reduced. However, this means that 23 states still impose harsh penalties for cannabis-related offenses. For example, in Arizona, a state with some of the strictest cannabis laws in the country despite having a medical program, a simple possession charge can result in a Class 6 felony conviction. Other examples of Class 6 felonies in Arizona include aggravated DUI, theft, and resisting arrest.

So, despite cannabis legalization making significant progress over the past decade, the quasi-legality of cannabis has resulted in a situation where some are reaping the benefits of the industry while thousands of others are still being arrested and incarcerated for the same plant every year.

The current state of cannabis criminalization in the United States 

From 2010 to 2018, there were nearly 6.4 million cannabis-related arrests, accounting for 47% of the total drug arrests made during that time. In 2018 alone, there were over 690,000 cannabis arrests, 89.6% of which were for possession.

There are also significant racial disparities in cannabis arrest rates. According to the ACLU, Black people are 3.64 times more likely to be arrested for cannabis than white people, despite both groups consuming at similar rates. These disparities exist in every state across the country. Black people are also more likely to receive longer and more punitive sentences than white people for similar offenses. Cannabis arrests can also result in deportation for undocumented immigrants. In 2013, cannabis possession was the fourth leading cause of deportation for crime-related reasons.

white vs black marijuana possession arrests graph Graphic: Jaclyn Sears

Drug offenses make up nearly 21% of the incarcerated population; however, only a fraction of those are for cannabis-related charges. While state-level data is difficult to obtain, federal data is more widely available. In 2019, the US Sentencing Commission reported that a little over 8% of those sentenced for drug arrests were for cannabis. Of those convicted for drug offenses, the majority received prison time, and just a few received probation-only sentences.

An important term to know: retroactive ameliorative relief

Another explanation as to why so many people are still arrested and locked up for cannabis is because the United States is one of just a few countries that does not automatically recognize retroactive ameliorative relief. Retroactive ameliorative relief, also known as the mercy clause, is when a law is passed to lessen or cease the punishment for a crime, and the new law retroactively benefits those previously convicted of that crime. 

There is no automatic recognition of retroactive ameliorative relief set at the federal level, but state and local governments can include a provision that ensures new cannabis laws apply retroactively.

In summary, those in federal prison for cannabis are there because cannabis is still classified as an illegal substance by the federal government. For those in state prison or county jail for cannabis-related offenses, cannabis is either (1) not legal in that jurisdiction or (2) there are no retroactive ameliorative relief provisions in the state cannabis laws.

Incarceration rates are only part of the story

There are some truly tragic and unjust cases of people whose lives have been ruined by cannabis incarceration, such as Michael Thompson; however, most cannabis arrests do not result in prison time. 

While unequivocally no one should be arrested or locked up for cannabis, the data shows that prisons and jails are not bursting at the seams with nonviolent drug offenders. In fact, 4 out of 5 people in prison or jail are locked up for something other than drug offenses. 

But just because someone does not go to prison after being arrested does not mean they are in the clear or that their record is clean. Incarceration is not the only negative outcome of a cannabis arrest. To fully understand the scope of cannabis criminalization, it is necessary to look at the potentially long-term, detrimental impacts that an arrest can have on one’s life — which are considerable.

So while the cannabis industry grows and more people use cannabis for a variety of reasons, it’s important to understand that many people were unfairly targeted and serve unjust prison sentences for a plant that many currently profit from and enjoy. Even with an explanation of the laws that make this so, we should still be asking ourselves “does this make sense?”

Featured image by Dre Hudson/Weedmaps

The post If weed is legal, why are so many people still being arrested and locked up for it? appeared first on Weedmaps News.

Source: wm

3 weed products rap legend Wyclef Jean can't live without

Herbs

Wyclef Jean is a music legend and international icon. Without this man, the world would never have heard the SHAKIRA! SHAKIRA! battle cry. Talk about cultural contributions. 

Since his first album with the Fugees, Blunted on Reality, Wyclef has long been an advocate for cannabis and its legalization. Now, he’s moving into the cannabis industry as an owner and partner in order to create opportunity for his people.

“I come from Haiti, where 80% of the population is living on less than a dollar a day. And I think that the future for a lot of these third world islands and third world countries is going to be galvanizing the Farmers’s Union. The production of cannabis hemp will literally start to bring billions of dollars of export that did not exist,” he tells Weedmaps.

“So we’re hoping that this partnership we have in America with Cali Life is going to galvanize the Caribbean to do more. And we get more legislation passed moving forward so we can start organizing these farmers.”

In addition to his work in cannabis, Clef also told us some of the smokeables that he rocks with. Here are a few cannabis products Wyclef Jean can’t live without.

BOOM BAP

Cali Life Cannabis is a cannabis brand in California that was established in 2018. They produce flower, hemp pre-rolled blunts, vapes, and BOOM BAP, their hemp blunt collaboration with Wyclef Jean. 

Over 45 companies have approached Jean with branding opportunities, but he felt like Cali Life’s values aligned with his mission. “I’m not in the business of building strains, I’m in the business of building countries.”

The BOOM BAP line consists of three flavors of infused hemp blunts inspired by Wyclef’s hit songs: Fast Car Banana, Faded Butterfly Clementine, and Gone ‘Til November Mango.

Fast Car Banana is labeled as a sativa, made with flower, kief, and distillate, plus added Banana flavoring from food-grade botanical terpenes. Faded Butterfly Clementine and Gone ‘Til November are the hybrids made the same, but with added Clementine and Mango terpenes, respectively. 

This the one Clef be totin’. His words, not mine.

Available: California

Find BOOM BAP products

ISLAND MAN

ISLAND MAN is another one of Wyclef Jean’s cannabis brands. There is very little information about it online, but a google search leads you to this portfolio by Lindsay Hill Design where she has mockups for BOOM BAP and ISLAND MAN.

Going by this, it would appear ISLAND MAN is a line of cannabis products that includes infused beverages, CBD oil for humans, CBD oil for pets, and a moisture recovery cream topical. 

You’ll need to stay tuned to Wyclef Jean and Cali Life Cannabis’ social channels for more official information on BOOM BAP and ISLAND MAN.

Cookies

With most celebrities in the weed game, they aren’t going to talk too much about other products. But every now and again, they’ll keep it G with you and give props to other great brands. “I mean, I like the Cookies product. I think they make some good stuff,” Wyclef says of the California staple Cookies.

You know Cookies. But if you don’t, it’s a California brand from rapper, cannabis mogul, and Taylor Gang plant father, Berner. He came from a collective of growers in the Bay Area called the Cookie Family who gave the world G.S.C., Gelato, and Cherry Pie.

Since, Berner has gone on with Cookies as his own cannabis lifestyle brand. Originally all about merch and cannabis-adjacent products, the brand has spawned into production over the past few years, blessing the cannabis world with heavy hitters like Gary Payton, Runtz, and Cheetah Piss. There’s also a Berner’s Cookies G.S.C. phenotype floating around out there.

Available: California

Find Cookies products

Interview by Lesley Nickus. Written by Dante Jordan. Graphic design by David Lozada.

The post 3 weed products rap legend Wyclef Jean can't live without appeared first on Weedmaps News.

Source: wm

July means 710 OIL day and National Ice Cream Day, and Weedmaps is here for it

Herbs

At Weedmaps, we’re all about the good stuff, which isn’t always limited to weed. July brings two culturally significant days to cannabis consumers: 710/OIL Day and National Ice Cream Day. 

A dedicated subculture within weed celebrates July 10, referred to as OIL Day for landing on 7/10. In weed culture, 710 is OIL upside down, which refers to cannabis concentrates (some have an oil-like consistency). People who “dab” cannabis concentrates aren’t as widespread or common as consumers of other cannabis product types, but they are among the most knowledgeable and devoted to weed culture. Every year their dedication to their niche cannabis lifestyle inspires the cannabis industry to try to make July 10 “happen,” much to the confusion of the majority of cannabis consumers. 

But nearly everyone loves ice cream. And there’s really no better excuse to eat ice cream than National Ice Cream Day on July 19. So we figured, why not celebrate both? 

We’ve decided to give our Weedmaps users the chance to claim free ice cream at dispensary locations in Los Angeles and Santa Ana. Check out the details below.

Afters Ice Cream

Afters Ice Cream is a staple in Southern California food culture. With “27-ish” locations throughout SoCal, handcrafted ice cream with signature flavors, and an iconic style, Afters has reached near cult status among locals.   

Following a collaboration in 2019, we’re looking forward to celebrating both OIL Day and National Ice Cream Day with Afters at dispensary locations in Los Angeles and Santa Ana. Like last year, the team dreamt up flavors that nod to weed culture, this year’s concentrate-inspired:

  • Peanut Budder Shatter: salted peanut butter ice cream, peanut butter swirl and crushed Nutter Butter cookie, and topped with honey.
  • Pineapple Dab Express: coconut-pineapple ice cream, crushed pineapple, dark cherry swirl, and shortbread cookies.  

Where to find these ice cream pop-ups? Here’s the lineup. 

How do you claim the ice cream? Here’s a quick step-by-step: 

  1. Open web browser and search Weedmaps.com (Sign up or Log in).
  2. Search dispensary and follow page
  3. Scroll to Deals and Claim special Afters Ice Cream Deal
  4. Show confirmation email to serving staff.

Everyone who participates must wear a mask when ordering ice cream and interacting with staff. The ice cream doesn’t contain THC or CBD. For more information, you can check out our event page. 

Featured image Dre Hudson/Weedmaps.

The post July means 710 OIL day and National Ice Cream Day, and Weedmaps is here for it appeared first on Weedmaps News.

Source: wm