The organizer behind Northern Ontario's longest running hemp festival is pulling the plug. Robert Neron, a Moonbeam resident and longtime activist in support of freer access to medical marijuana, made the announcement through a posting on social media on Sunday. He said unless someone else comes forward to take over managing the event, the cancellation of Hempfest is likely permanent. In his announcement, Neron also revealed his intention to "retire completely from any activism" in the future. "My health will no longer permit me to do so," he told Postmedia Network in an interview Sunday night. "As for Hempfest, lack of money from sponsors killed the festival I can no longer sustain myself, my health, little less a not-for-profit festival." [continues 351 words]
Dear Editor: In response to Shelley Eberle's letter of May 20, "marijuana legalization is a bad idea." Contrary to popular belief, usage rates among teenagers were monitored the last few years by Scientific American. After Colorado legalized the recreational use and sale of marijuana, they found rates decreasing from 30 per cent of teens using in 2011 to 21 per cent in 2015. This has also been the case in Washington state as well as Portugal, as after marijuana was decriminalized, both usage and addiction rates decreased. [continues 136 words]
Organizer cancelling event due to lack of sponsorship and declining health The organizer behind Northern Ontario's longest running hemp festival is pulling the plug. Robert Neron, a Moonbeam resident and long-time activist in support of freer access to medical marijuana, made the announcement through a posting on social media on Sunday. He said unless someone else comes forward to take over managing the event, the cancellation of Hempfest is likely permanent. In his announcement, Neron also revealed his intention to "retire completely from any activism" in the future. [continues 398 words]
Editor: In response to Shelley Eberle's letter to the editor on May 20, marijuana legalization is a bad idea. Contrary to popular belief, usage rates among teenagers were monitored the last few years by Scientific American. After Colorado legalized the recreational use and sale of marijuana, they found rates decreasing from 30 per cent of teens using in 2011 to 21 per cent in 2015. This has also been the case in Washington state as well as Portugal, as after marijuana was decriminalized, both usage and addiction rates decreased. [continues 137 words]
Recreational marijuana users are lazy. That's the stereotype entrepreneur John Carlson wanted to break while manning a booth for his business at the HempFest Cannabis Expo at the Shaw Conference Centre this past weekend. The 26-year-old is the owner of Boxcar Studios in Olds, Alta., a glassblowing studio and shop that specializes in "420/710 accessories." Carlson, a self-taught glassblower, said he wanted to show people marijuana users can be professional and organized. "If you look here, there's a room full of young, hardworking entrepreneurs." [continues 304 words]
Hemp - Outside U.S.
