Top 5 Fresh Toast Stories Of The Week: Nov. 6, 2020

The means of commercially producing, selling, and profiting from cannabis are, so far, incredibly concentrated in the hands of white business owners; “The American people have made their feelings known—over 30 states have some form of legal cannabis. This is not a taboo issue anymore,” says CA Congresswoman Barbara Lee; and six months after Breonna Taylor was killed, another incident involving police in Louisville, Kentucky, occurred. Here’s why it’s important.

Let’s dive into these stories and more as we round up the top five headlines on The Fresh Toast this week:

Why Social Equity Matters For Cannabis, And What States Are Doing About It

Let’s get one thing straight — the world needs cannabis. Even as far back as 485 BC (just about 1,500 years ago), Greek historian Herodotus described the pot- smoking rituals of ancient Scythians.

In China, archaeologists uncovered evidence of cannabis use dating back 2,500 years. When considered in this light, cannabis is a human right — and a sacred one at that.

What does all of this have to do with social equity in the cannabis industry here and now?

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Exclusive Q&A With Congresswoman Barbara Lee: ‘Cannabis Is Not A Taboo Issue Anymore’

It was about a year ago when the House Judiciary Committee passed H.R. 3884, the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act, by a vote of 24-10. The MORE Act is one of the most comprehensive marijuana reforms bills ever introduced in the U.S. Congress.

The MORE Act aims to correct the historical injustices of failed drug policies that have disproportionately impacted communities of color and low-income communities by decriminalizing marijuana at the federal level, reassessing marijuana convictions, and investing in local communities. U.S. Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA) introduced the companion bill in the Senate, now with seven Democrat Senators co-sponsoring.

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Here’s What’s At Stake For Marijuana Legalization In The 2020 Election

Everything is at stake for marijuana legalization across the United States in this election. Not only do a handful of states have voter initiatives on the ballot aimed at legalizing the leaf for medicinal and recreational use, but the prospect of legalizing at the federal level has also landed in the chamber of American politics.

It all depends on how the Senate and presidential elections shake out, dictating how soon our prohibition nation becomes the Land of the Weed. But if this election is anything like times past, there are bound to be some small victories by the end of the day.

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Why Prince William Didn’t Tell Anyone He Had COVID-19

You would hardly know William was sick back in April; he participated in over a dozen telephone and video call engagements during the month, including opening Nightingale Hospital Birmingham at the NEC via video on April 16 and appearing alongside Stephen Fry during a Comic Relief sketch on April 23.

A source tells The Sun, “William was hit pretty hard by the virus – it really knocked him for six.

“At one stage he was struggling to breathe, so obviously everyone around him was pretty panicked.

“After seeing medics and testing positive – which was obviously quite a shock given how fit and healthy he is – William was determined it should be business as usual though.

“He was determined to fulfill his engagements.”

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Does An NFL Star Have To Get Killed For The U.S. To See How Dangerous The Drug War Is?

Louisville, Kentucky got unwanted national publicity after Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old unarmed African-American nurse , was fatally shot while she was sleeping in her apartment on March 13 by white plainclothes officers on a “no-knock” drug raid (no drugs were found).

The raid was such a fiasco legally that it still isn’t clear who was responsible for what, but because of the national publicity, Louisville has at least banned “No Knock” warrants.   

So it is especially outrageous that another incident in Louisville has not been reported anywhere except for the Louisville Courier Journal, which recently reported:

“Former NFL running back Michael Bush was alarmed and bewildered in late September when Drug Enforcement Administration agents cornered him as he was walking his dogs, but he said he knew what to do.”