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The first annual HIGH TIMES MEDICAL CANNABIS CUP in San Francisco will include prizes for the best and most medicinal cannabis, hashish and edibles from California's legal medical marijuana dispensaries. Lead by HIGH TIMES cultivation reporter Jorge Cervantes, a small panel of expert judges will award MEDICAL CANNABIS CUPS based on the medical efficacy of the submitted varieties, and will provide notes on the winners designed to help California's estimated 150,000 legal medical marijuana patients make well-informed decisions when seeking cannabis medicine.

HIGH TIMES first annual MEDICAL CANNABIS CUP will also feature a two-day medical marijuana and hemp expo that will include cultivation seminars with HIGH TIMES editors Jorge Cervantes, Danny Danko and Nico Escondido, activism sessions with leaders of the medical marijuana movement and major cannabis celebrities, seminars on how to open and operate your own legal canna-business, an all-star MEDICAL CANNABIS CUP awards ceremony, and an unforgettable Saturday night party with surprise musical guests.

High times for American marijuana smokers as police allow thousands of '4/20' pot protesters to light up across the country
Read more from the Daily Mail:

Oh man, if Obama were a young man now, would he be on the front-lines? Sure hope his staff share this brilliant story published about National weed day in America, by the Daily Mail of London today. It's filled with good honest pictures of young people (and old) having a good 'ole time, not hurting anyone, enjoying a reefer or two.
The Daily mail description was fair, I thought:

Marijuana smokers across the America lit up in public parks, outside statehouses and in the posh confines of a Hummer parked outside a pot gardening superstore to observe the movement's annual 'high holiday' yesterday.
Those who weren't within whiffing distance of a college campus or a reggae concert may not have realised that Tuesday was '4/20', the celebration-cum-mass civil disobedience derived from '420' - insider shorthand for cannabis consumption.

Wow it feels like we've reached the tipping point! The marijuana debate has taken over the mainstream media as evidenced by CNBC hosting an entire day of discussions, interviews and segments about marijuana in America, they even advertised it as the "Marijuana-Thon" as though the producers themselves were smoking some green-crack when they planned the schedule. Plus they developed a web section on their website called Marijuana & Money which features over 40 articles, analysis and commentary of the most interesting, honest and useful information imaginable. CNBC even included a State by State comprehensive guide to marijuana laws, enforcement statistics, medical marijuana programs and costs. Then if that's not enough to answer any question and share some truth they added several color photo galleries which include eye candy smoking gear and exquisite cannabis porn.

• Marijuana In America - A look at how marijuana figures into the history and culture of the nation.


• Marijuana: By The Numbers - Pot use and laws vary widely from state to state. Here are some highlights.


• Top Marijuana Travel Destinations - Some places have turned a blind eye to personal use, encouraging travelers from around the globe to visit, with commentary by Danny Danko from High Times


• Tools of the Trade - Marijuana users experience the drug in a variety of ways, and various products exist to facilitate consumption.


• A Gallery of Medical Marijuana - With medical use legal 14 states, there's quite an assortment of varieties available.

Big Kudos to CNBC. In the Editors introduction, Albert Bozzo, Senior Features Editor at CNBC.com explains why they launched this incredible website and dedicated so much time and resources to the topic of Marijuana in America, here's a tiny excerpt to whet your whistle:

Money, Ideology, Policy

Slowly over the past four decades, the drug has worked its way into the nation's social fabric. Baby boomers and counter-culture types of the past are now leaders, movers and shakers, who want to see marijuana over the counter.

For the ultimate cannabis connoisseurs, if there's anywhere on the continental USA you'd want to be this weekend it would be Aspen Colorado, for the First Annual Aspen Cannabis Crown.

April 17-18, Gant Hotel, Aspen Co.
610 S. West End, Aspen, CO 81611
P: 970-925-5000 or 866-956-6317

Guest speakers will include Rick Cusick of HIgh Times Magazine and Anita Thompson wife of Hunter S. Thompson also on hand will be plenty of medical doctors including Aspen local physician Wendy Zaharko. The cannabis crown will be a competition among Medicinal Marijuana care-givers in the state of Colorado.

Winners will receive tickets to this years Amsterdam Cannabis Cup

More information can be found here,

The International Cannabis & Hemp Expo 2010
April 17 & 18 in San Francisco, California at The Cow Palace

The International Cannabis & Hemp Expo 2010 is a public education event, offering a forum for awareness, education and advancement of the hemp industry and medical cannabis community. The objective of the expo is to educate the public on the differences between industrial hemp, medical cannabis and recreational cannabis, and to show the public the benefits of each.

• 100,000 sq ft of exhibition space


• A Patient Consumption Area and VIP Lounge with approved onsite consumption


• 2 Full Days of Speakers for exhibitors / speakers / community leaders / activists


• Guest Celebrities, Experts, Politicians, Etc.


• Hundreds of vendors from a cross section of industries

For ticket information and anything else you need to know, please visit the official website: www.intche.org

If you live in Europe and you're a weed grower, cannabis seed company, hemp product manufacturer, cannabis advocate or marijuana activist the place to be today is Barcelona, Spain for Spannabis 2010 which starts today and runs through Sunday at the Cornellá's convention center

This enormous Hemp festival is held in a 8,000 m2 expo space with over 150 exhibitioners, showing a wide variety products, ranging from industrial hemp to materials for cultivating, various paraphernalia and of course the world's best known seed banks.  Also in attendance are the cannabis associations and various professionals of the weed world, making Spannabis an excellent place to meet cool people and network.

One of the most popular events at Spannabis is the Cannabis Champions Cup. Last year attendance reached over 18,000 people in a three day period.  DJ's with all the best music and people in costumes parading through the isles will be present to add an extra element to the atmosphere.

In just a few hours the doors to the Los Angeles Convention Center will swing open for the biggest Medical Marijuana event in Southern California, HempCon 2010 Los Angeles, happening today until Sunday February 21st! HempCon is a premiere event held at the where exhibitors from all over California and across the United States come showcase their products, educate about their services and promote awareness about the Medical Marijuana community.

This year's show will feature Keynote addresses from two of the top Medical Marijuana activists in Southern California and the US, Cheryl Shuman and Frederic Rhoades from Beverly Hills NORML. Cheryl is the Executive Director of Beverly Hills NORML (National Organization for the Reform Of Marijuana Laws) and Frederic is the Director of Operations, both of whom are widely recognized and respected voices in the Marijuana community. Along with Cheryl and Fred, there will be a list of events all day long, every day consisting of guest speakers to educate and guest entertainers to elevate your spirits while taking in the show. This year's lineup of speakers speakers, entertainers and exhibitors guarantees that HempCon 2010 will be the most fun you'll have at an event all year.

If Hunter S. Thompson were still alive he'd have been the "Master of Ceremony" and I'll wager that if he hadn't of thought of the idea he would have thought it was an outstanding concept but none-the-less, the smart folks from "High Country Caregivers" probably got really high one day and dream't up this clever idea. I mean really, is there a better place in continental USA to host such an event? How high do you want to get?

Already the Western Slope Cannabis Crown, held April 17-18, will include as many as 400 strains of weed, live music, guest speakers, and information about medical marijuana. The event is open to the public, but only registered medical users can buy weed or get their hands on "golden tickets" to let them sample all the entries.

"We're really almost sold out already," said Joe McVicker of High Country Caregivers, a Glenwood Springs dispensary helping organize the event. "There were, like, 1,500 tickets and we probably have, like, 40 now."

Luckily, for those of us too stoned and lazy to go all the way to Glenwood Springs for a $25 ticket, McVicker said there's another 80 or so on Craigslist. Oh, and some place in Denver called Green Thumb has them, too, but he wasn't sure where it is. (No joke.)

"We're going to have Hunter S. Thompson's wife here for a chat, and the editor of High Times will be here, too," McVicker said. "We're gonna help people get [medical marijuana] cards, and it's just going to be a good time."

Cannabis strains will be judged based on THC levels and how well they treat different medical problems. Golden ticket holders will help choose a people's choice, but expert judges will select the winner, and McVicker thinks the grower will win a trip to Amsterdam. For more information, you could visit the website, but it's, you know, still in the works. For more information visit www.cannabiscrown.com.

The Caribbean Festival is the best party of the year in Miami and this year will be the 17th Annual, this time back in Bayfront Park, right downtown in Miami on the bay in a fabulous outdoor amphitheater. The event is sort of like a Marley family party combined with a food drive for South Florida charity. This year the festival is dedicated to the memory of Cedella Booker Marley (Mother Bee, Bob Marley's Mom), who passed away last year. The line-up of talent is excellent as always and one thing you can count-on is that at some point during the festival there will be set played as a tribute to Bob Marley, where you'll see the family, old friends and guest musicians, all come together to jam to some great Bob Marley songs. Another thing you can count on is more ganja smoking in one place than you ever imagined possible. To learn more visit Caribbean Festival.

Cheryl and Fred from Beverly Hills NORML 90210 are working with a team of canna-business marketing pros and two media companies, LA Weekly and LA Jemm, plus they've enlisted the sponsorship of the DailyBuds community to promote two major expo/conferences in California. The first annual "Hemp Con- Los Angeles" from February 19 - 21 at the LA Convention Center and then "Hemp Con San Francisco" running August 6 - 8 at the San Mateo Event Center.

3 Full Days of seminars & exhibitions by industry leaders and advocates

Marijuana Dispensaries - Marijuana Collectives - Marijuana Delivery Services - Marijuana Evaluation Doctors - Hydroponics - Equipment / Accessories - Fertilizer / Chemical - Novelty / Paraphernalia - Legal Services - Educational Institutes - Clubs / Associations - Publications - Apparel

These are exciting times for the pro-marijuana movement, get on the wave and attend Hemp Con.

One of the great byproducts of the movement to legalize medical marijuana is the immergence of independent cannabis cup "type" marijuana growing contests. Who could have ever imagined a fancy hotel ballroom filled with weed connoisseurs and the proud growers that supply the medical marijuana dispensaries all showing off their hybrid strains of designer dope? This is a great time to be a pot-head.

Last September Colorado Caregivers had there first contest and now it's the Michigan Caregivers Cup. It's too late to enter, deadline was Dec. 18th for submission of forms with payment of $100 and proof of Caregivers license, for the privilege of providing two and half ounces of your best bud, to be judged by a panel of 140 judges. However, it's not too late to become a judge and that's the job at this event but take note that there's only 100 judge's passes available at $250 each, so make sure to take action today if you want to participate in the first annual Michigan Care Givers Cup.

The conference, exposition, concerts, and main event are being held to raise political and social awareness of the necessity of structure within the law. The funds generated from this event will be utilized in order to compete with those that will continue to view those of us in the medical marijuana field as criminals. Get more information here.

If you're in the Los Angeles area next week then head-up to the 2010 Hollywood Hills New Years Eve Party presented by NJ Weed Man where there's sure to be lot's of ganja.

Open Bar from 9PM - 11PM
Midnight Free Champagne
Surprise Guest DJ's & Celebrities + Live Reggae Music
Fully Stocked Bars
VIP MMJ Patient Area
12 Midnight countdown overlooking LA with Fireworks Show
21 & over *Open to the Public*
Shuttles will take off every 15 mins. from Capitol Records 1750 Vine St. Los Angeles, Ca. 90028

For more info: NJ Weedman Promotions. This event will sell out!

What a cool schmooze! There couldn't be a better cause, just consider that MPP.org (Marijuana Policy Project) has been involved in political process, through ballot initiatives, to legalize medical marijuana in 13 states and now MPP expect are touting '15 States in 15 Years' as they celebrate their 15th Anniversary. So if your harvest has been bumper and you've got some extra cash in your stash and want to rub shoulders and blow reefer in the nations capital with the movers and shakers of legal movement to free the weed, then get yourself a seat at the table for the MPP Gala Awards.

When MPP was founded in 1995, medical marijuana was illegal in all 50 states.  Since then, 13 states have legalized medical marijuana, with Michigan becoming the 13th state in November 2008, when Michigan voters passed MPP's ballot initiative by a 63% to 37% margin.  By end of MPP's 15th year in 2010, we're hopeful that medical marijuana will be legal in 15 states (with passage in New Hampshire, New York, and New Jersey).

At the same time, marijuana possession is now decriminalized in 13 states, with Massachusetts becoming the 13th state in November 2008, when Massachusetts voters passed MPP's ballot initiative by a 65% to 35% margin.  In 2010, we are hopeful that marijuana will be decriminalized in 15 states (with Rhode Island and Vermont becoming the 14th and 15th states).

MPP Gala Dinner - January 13, 2010 in Washington
Reception from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Dinner from 7:30 to 10:00 p.m.
$250 per ticket or $2,000 for a table of 10

If you purchase a table, you will be given choice seating closest to the stage.
The party will be held at the Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill
400 New Jersey Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20001
For more information and to buy tickets click here

The MPP 10th anniversary gala in Washington, D.C. was such a success that it was featured in the San Francisco Chronicle (you can read the article here).  They're expecting this event to be bigger and better than ever, so please buy your tickets right away!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Having lived in the USA for 12 years before moving to Brazil 7 years ago I really came to like this particular holiday and not just because there was always freshly harvested, outdoor grown, California buds around but also I have fond memories of many fabulous feasts and festivities. In my opinion the American Thanksgiving is the best example of just how fun-loving and sentimental the people are and I think it's the most fun holiday to celebrate in the good old USA.

Here's a quote from, Mark Twain about the history of the American Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving Day, a function which originated in New England two or three centuries ago when those people recognized that they really had something to be thankful for -- annually, not oftener -- if they had succeeded in exterminating their neighbors, the Indians, during the previous twelve months instead of getting exterminated by their neighbors, the Indians. Thanksgiving Day became a habit, for the reason that in the course of time, as the years drifted on, it was perceived that the exterminating had ceased to be mutual and was all on the white man's side, consequently on the Lord's side; hence it was proper to thank the Lord for it and extend the usual annual compliments.

I should also mention how charitable American's can be on this day. One of my good friends would spend a few hundred dollars on Pumkin pie and whipped cream, then drop by a homeless shelter in Miami and spend an hour or so handing out dessert to the homeless. I went with him one year, it was amazing how many people showed up to contribute. On this day in every city across the country, everybody can enjoy some great food and football, even if they're penniless.

Join Ed Rosenthal, the "Guru of Ganja", for the annual Green Aid Festivus, a party to raise money for the Medical Marijuana Legal Defense and Education Fund.

WHEN: Tuesday, December 23, 8pm
WHERE: SOMArts Center - 934 Brannan @ 8th San Francisco
TICKETS: $60 each*
Call: 510.849.4692 or write: tickets@green-aid.com
Website: Green Aid

Whenever the word "medical" appears in the title of an event it generally sounds like something boring and the last thing from being in the category of "Party" but trust me, if you live in the Pacific Northwest and love meeting interesting people and smoking great weed, then find a way to get yourself to Portland to party with Danny Danko from High Times Magazine and the great people from Oregon NORML for the 8th annual Oregon Medical Cannabis Awards and banquet.

Date: Saturday, December 12, 2009
Time: 10am to 5pm: OMCA Holiday Bazaar and Cannabis Community College 6pm to 10pm: Awards Banquet & An Evening with John Trudell
Place: Portland Event Center, 300 NE Multnomah St., Portland, OR 97232

• Celebrate your cannabis lifestyle with the only Green Bazaar in the area, perfect for all your holiday shopping needs
• Top glass artists from around the state featuring one of a kind medical delivery devices
• Your destination for hemp clothing and cannabis apparel
• Learn to grow at the exclusive seminar from Danny Danko, writer of Top Ten Strains of the Year for every year since 2005 and also the creator and founder of the HIGH TIMES Seed Bank Hall of Fame.
• Raffles all day for some great prizes - including a Volcano Vaporizer!
• Share An Evening With John Trudell in addition to the awards ceremony this year. John Trudell, a Santee Sioux is an acclaimed poet, national recording artist, actor and activist.

Attend the free educational panels throughout the day. The Cannabis Community College includes a legal panel and much more with topics and times to be announced.

For true marijuana connoisseurs there's only one place to be at the end of November, the High Times Cannabis Cup in Amsterdam. If you've got the time, the wherewithal and the burning desire? Then you owe it to yourself to do it! Be inspired by these words, you'll have the high time of your life.

The High Times Cannabis Cup is always held in Amsterdam during the week of Thanksgiving. The 22nd Cannabis Cup will be held from November 22nd-26th 2009. Pre-registration begins on Nov. 19th and 20th for those who will be in town a few days early. The benefit of early registration is avoiding the long lines that typically form on opening day, and also to get a head start on the coffeeshop crawl. All registration takes place at the PowerZone (www.thepowerzone.nl).

Visit the Official High Times site to get your pass now! Also check out: History of the Cannabis Cup

Two Day Festival - Friday October 23rd & 24th
San Manuel Amphitheater, San Bernardino, CA

Hemp Industry Exhibits, SmokeOut Glass Art Showcase, 4:20 Movie Night, Cypress Hill, Meet & Greet, Celebrity Appearances, Cannabis Education, Special Guest, Speakers & Panel Discussions, Legal Workshops, Activism & Grow Tips, Vendor Village & Munchie Gardens