The Shake: Etsy Drops MMJ-Farming Nuns, Larry Flynt Embraces the Industry, and Canna-Manicures Are Now a Thing

Etsy shuts down your friendly, neighborhood cannabis nuns. The sisterhood known as Sisters of the Valley are based out of Merced, Calif., and although they are licensed medical marijuana patients, Etsy removed their shop due to concerns about health claims made on their site. The sisters aren’t traditional nuns — they are not Catholic and don’t ascribe to a particular religion — but they consider themselves nuns: “We live together, we wear the same clothes, we take a vow of obedience to the moon cycles, we take a vow of chastity (which we don’t think requires celibacy) and a vow of ecology.” Sister Kate (a.k.a. Christine Meeusen) and Darcy Johnson had been quite successful with their Etsy business, tallying as much as $40,000 in monthly sales. They've created a GoFundMe site to help salvage their business, but for now the future of the Sisters of the Valley remains uncertain. 

Massachusetts could be gearing up for a billion-dollar industry if all goes according to plan. A new report from data and investment firms ArcView and New Frontier indicates that the state could become an East Coast canna-tourist hub if voters approve a legalization ballot initiative in November. Depending on whether neighboring states, such as Vermont and Rhode Island, decide to end prohibition (they’re both considering it now), Massachusetts could be earning more than $1 billion by 2020. The report also takes medical marijuana into consideration, noting that legalization could stunt the growth of a medicinal market. State officials remain divided on the initiative. Gov. Charlie Baker, Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, and Attorney General Maura Healey teamed up to write an op-ed condemning the initiative, and lawmakers put together a comprehensive but inauspicious analysis of legalization in Colorado and Washington and how the initiative from the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol would impact Massachusetts in the long-run. 

The founder of Hustler is turning from porn to pot. It sounds like the punchline to a joke, but the infamous Larry Flynt, known for his outspoken opinions and legal battles over First Amendment rights, is investing $100,000 into Pineapple Express, a Los Angeles-based cannabis consulting and branding firm. Flynt reportedly purchased 100,000 common shares in the publicly traded company. 

Cannabis and politics are officially an item now. The campaign for Colorado state Rep. Ed Perlmutter (D-Arvada) will receive an impressive show of support this evening from the Colorado cannabis industry. A campaign fundraiser will be held tonight at the offices of Vicente Sederberg, a major cannabis law firm. Suggested donations range from $100 to $2,700. Perlmutter has long been a friend to the cannabis community, having introduced pro-cannabis legislation and signing on to initiatives such as the Industrial Hemp Farming Act. He also has been an advocate for providing businesses better access to banking services, an issue that has plagued the emerging industry. If you’d like to attend the event, you can RSVP here.

QUICK HITS: 

• Colorado mourns the loss of a cannabis advocate. Lauren Hoover, a high-profile manager for Breckenridge Cannabis Club and canna-celebrity on the Netflix show High Profits, died last week after a car accident. Hoover was well known in the cannabis community, and her impact continues to resonate throughout Breckenridge.  
• A medical marijuana advocate is suing Kansas after state authorities took her son into custody. Shona Banda’s son was removed from class and questioned without parental permission, eventually being removed from Banda’s custody after an illegal search of her home. Banda is asserting that the state and their agencies violated her constitutional rights and is moving forward with the case despite pending drug charges against her. 
• An Easter egg hunt was interrupted by a hefty illegal cannabis bust. In Salmon Creek, Wash., parents and children were in the midst of an Easter egg hunt when a man appeared, screaming that his roommate was trying to shoot him. The disturbence led authorities to investigate the man’s house, where they found a cannabis grow worth more than $200,000. Keep it safe, keep it legal and keep the kiddos out of it, please!
• And finally, you can now get a canna-manicure! No joke, nail artists are now incorporating ganja flakes into a new look that's surprisingly subtle and completely scent-free. #420goals? 

Image Source: Maria Penaloza via Elite Daily

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