Portfolio Category: Portfolio: Politics

Northern Mariana Islands Moving Forward With Full Cannabis Legalization

An image of the Norther Mariana Islands' flag and text reading: "Northern Mariana Islands Moving Forward With Full Cannabis Legalization"
On Sept. 21, 2018, Governor Ralph DLG Torres of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) signed House Bill 20-178 into law. This legislation, also known as the Taulamwarr Sensible CNMI Cannabis Act of 2018, lifts all prohibition on cannabis and related products. TheMarijuana Policy Project offers a summary of the bill. In one…
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Overview of the Civil Rights Movement

An image of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr with a caption reading "Overview of Civil Rights Movement"
There is a history of racial inequality in America and out of this the hunger for African Americans to be able to equally express their citizenship rights took a nationally tangible shape. Sixty years before Black Lives Matter, there was the civil rights movement. For people just coming of age, it might seem from current…
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Hemp Hemp Hooray: Legalization Of Super Plant To Revitalize Puerto Rican Agriculture

Image of hemp and a harvester with a caption reading: "Hemp Hemp Hooray: Legalization of Super Plant to Revitalize Puerto Rican Agriculture"
Ever since the last sugar cane processing plant closed in 2000, Puerto Rico's agricultural industry has struggled mightily. Legalized hemp may change that. Puerto Rico might have one of the most underdeveloped agricultural sectors on the planet. According to statistics provided by the US Department of Agriculture, Puerto Rico farming income has decreased by two-thirds…
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Gabapentin Withdrawal: My Story

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My gabapentin withdrawal symptoms included vertigo from the moment I woke up until about midday, hot flashes that rivaled menopause, daily migraines, and what I prefer to just call intestinal distress. A funny thing happens when your eyes are wide open for the first time—it’s like a fog lifting. Horror stories abound about the dangers…
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The Truth About INSYS Therapeutics And Big Pharma’s Battle To Take Down Legal Cannabis

An image of cannabis and pills with a caption reading: "The truth about Insys Therapeutics and Big Pharma's Battle to Take Down Legal Cannabis"
The 2016 US presidential election cycle was a productive one for pro-cannabis activists. Voters in California, Massachusetts, Nevada and Maine approved referendums that legalized recreational cannabis. In Arizona, however, a similar referendum (Proposition 205) was defeated, seemingly in defiance of pre-election polls that indicated it would pass. Political analysts credited a strong last-minute push by…
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The New Prohibition Battle: True Cannabis Legalization Is A Constitutional Matter

An image of the US Constitution with a caption reading: "The New Prohibition Battle: True Cannabis Legalization Is A Constitutional Matter"
Federal law prohibits the cultivation, sale and consumption of cannabis products within the borders of the United States. The majority of states have passed laws in contradiction to this edict (33 states and two territories have legalized medical marijuana; 10 others and the District of Columbia have legalized recreational cannabis), but the federal government can…
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The Truth About Veterans and Medical Marijuana

An image of two soldiers with a caption reading: "The Truth About Veterans and Medical Marijuana"
This was published in Big Buds Magazine. Every year on November 11, in celebrations both large and small, the nation comes together to thank veterans of all wars the United States has participated in. Veterans Day is one of the few instances where we can put our politics and ideology aside to acknowledge the sacrifices these…
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Mexican Supreme Court Declares Cannabis Prohibition Unconstitutional

An image of ruins on the bottom and another image on top of cannabis leaves with a caption reading: "Mexican Supreme Court Declares Cannabis Prohibition Unconstitutional"
This was published in Big Buds Magazine. The full legalization of cannabis in Mexico moved one step closer to reality on October 31, when the National Supreme Court of Justice, the highest court in the land, issued a ruling declaring the country’s existing ban on recreational cannabis unconstitutional. In its findings in favor of two…
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