Pot Culture: Hate Crimes, a UFC Cosign & ‘Covert’ Vaping

Cannabis culture was not necessarily at the forefront of the news cycle this week, but that doesn’t mean nothing new went down in the world of weed. Here’s grab bag week’s worth of cannabis-related cultural events that you may have missed. 

UFC Goes Green

In what feels like a potentially game-changing move, the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and Canadian cannabis company Aurora Cannabis have teamed up to test out the potential benefits that CBD could provide their athletes. Announced Thursday at the National Cannabis Industry Association’s Cannabis Business Summit & Expo, the collaboration aims to “show the effectiveness of CBD and specific formulations of the compound in areas such as wound care, recovery, injury, pain and inflammation,” according to CNN. 

This is far from the first time athletes have tried to bring cannabis into the arena — many former and current professional athletes have sung the praises of the plant when it comes to treating the various aches and pains that come with pushing your body to the limit for public consumption.

The big difference here? The athletes who will be using cannabis will be doing so with their league’s blessing. Here’s to hoping they make some promising discoveries and that other sports leagues will take a leaf out of UFC’s book.   

Anti-Semitic Vandals Target Dispensary

The Lynn, Massachusetts location of a future dispensary was vandalized with anti-Semitic and racist graffiti on Monday. The building owner, a Jewish man, and the dispensary owner, a black man currently converting to Judaism, told local news outlet Itemlive that they were horrified by the crime. 

“I’m speechless and upset that this type of hatred and anti-Semitism is happening, that it was received by the building owners, myself and my team of the entire company,” said Jordan Avery, owner of the proposed dispensary, Massachusetts Green Retail. 

According to the outlet, Avery’s business has been embattled since the Lynn city council approved his cannabis license, as the neighboring town of Saugus, Massachusetts pushed back, saying part of his dispensary would fall under their purview — where cannabis businesses are banned. 

Avery told Itemlive he believes the vandalism and the opposition to Massachusetts Green Retail are connected.

“I strongly believe this is another tactic that is being done toward (me) to not want this dispensary to open,” Avery said. “I will not allow these haters, racist individuals, or anyone, including the town of Saugus, stop me from being a cannabis entrepreneur.” 

Itemlive further reported that Lynn mayor Thomas McGee released a statement condemning the graffiti.

“I am appalled and disgusted by the racist and anti-Semitic act that took place in the city of Lynn this week,” McGee said in his statement. “While these type of incidents sadly continue to occur in today’s society, they should not serve as a reflection of the people of our community who honor this city’s proud history of welcoming and celebrating those of many faiths and cultural traditions.”

Cloudy With a Chance of Detention 

On a much, much lighter note, we urge you to browse through this thread of teenagers “accidentally” blowing fat vape clouds in class. While it’s not specified whether these teens are vaping nicotine or cannabis concentrates, one thing is for sure: it is definitely not allowed, and they are probably going to get in trouble for doing it. 

The teens featured in this thread are actually likely to be more the exception to the rule. By and large, when teenagers use cannabis in legal states, they’re smoking flower rather than turning to alternative delivery methods like vaping or edibles. And it’s not necessarily surprising that these teenagers are willing to bend school rules on camera: A recent study showed that teens who do vape cannabis are more prone to delinquency. 

TELL US, have you ever been caught vaping somewhere inappropriate?