Whenever I see a homeless person, I experience a range of emotions: grateful for having a home; guilty for having a nice one; shame at allowing people to live outside without convenient access to bathroom facilities and vulnerable to the elements; wondering if their homelessness is caused by mental illness, substance abuse, or the high…
Really? Yes. How? Marijuana is legal in Canada, and the Canadian company, Canopy Growth Corporation, only operates there, so the NYSE allowed the listing. Canopy Growth Corporation at the NYSE Why would a marijuana company want to go public? The same reason other start-ups offer stock: to grow, they need a financial infusion. What? Aren’t…
The May 5, 2018, Drug Policy Alliance Newsletter, reported that of the 2.2 million people in jail, 1.25 million were arrested for possessing drugs for personal use in the U.S. Drug use and selling are similar for all races; however, people of color have a significantly higher chance of being stopped, searched, arrested, convicted and…
Sunday, May 13, 2018, was Mother’s Day, and for those whose parent(s) had Alzheimer’s and Dementia, caring for or remembering a loved one can be a painful experience. My mom had Alzheimer’s, and after my weekly visit, I’d drive home with tears streaming down my cheeks. Alzheimer’s is a cruel and painful disease for the…
As of this blog, nine states and Washington D.C. have legalized recreational marijuana—Alaska, California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington. Medicinal marijuana is legal in another 29 states. While weed is gaining momentum, there’s a lack of financial institutions to support the blossoming industry. Unfortunately, cannabis businesses are forced to operate under the…
In my second novel, The Sheriff’s Wife, the antagonist is a fictional Los Angeles County Sheriff. When a main character is also a bad guy, adding layers is crucial to creating authenticity. To achieve this, I need to understand how a sheriff might think and feel. Such an opportunity arose on Monday, April 23, 2018,…
A billboard near a local freeway reads: 420 Central, and shows a marijuana plant. Have you read or heard the phrase “4/20” and wondered what it means? I did, so I googled it. According to Wikipedia: 420, 4:20, or 4/20 (pronounced four-twenty) is a code-term in the cannabis culture that refers to the consumption of…
As I blog about the legal status of marijuana, the ups and downs feel like a rollercoaster ride. The rules and regulations are conflicting, and rumors of change are confusing. Let me explain. On April 13, 2018, President Trump promised Colorado Senator Gardner he would support efforts to protect states that have legalized marijuana. What?…
When I was writing my debut novel, I looked forward to finishing. Believing the hard part would be completed I was excited to get my book published, then launched. Once that was accomplished I thought the book would be promoted through word of mouth, sales would magically happen, and I could write my second novel.…
I attempted to write this blog about half a dozen times. Feeling an overwhelming resistance, I’d sit at my desk, type a few words, delete them, then try again. When the flow didn’t materialize, I told myself, “I’ll do it tomorrow.” Ten days later, I still hadn’t written the blog. What was my problem? Drugs…
