Welcome to a new feature here at Cannabis.net, one that keeps you tuned into all of the important news and well-written stories from the wide world of weed. This will be a weekly feature, but to kick off, we’re going to highlight the good stuff from the first two weeks of March. So grab a bowl, kick back, and catch up on the news that matters to you; we’re bringing you stories from the worlds of sports, politics, economics, health, and more. This week’s stories include wtf is going on with the Colorado Cannabis Cup, Bernie Sanders claiming that he did inhale, and a new cannabis resort starting in Colorado.

Have a story you want to share? Let us know about it in the comments!

Big News

After troubled times with getting the Cannabis Cup hosted in Denver, High Times attempted to move their annual event to nearby Pueblo, but pulled their permit request with the city on March 6. The annual event, complete with cannabis expo and awards ceremony, will now take place in SoCal, with a branded concert happening in Colorado, instead. Westword has the full scoop.

A recent drug trial concluded that a marijuana-based drug has successfully helped to treat epileptic seizures, and if it wins regulatory approval, it could be the first prescription drug in the US derived from marijuana, reports The New York Times.

Legislation & Politics

Democratic Presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders kept it real, as he tends to do, while giving a speech in Detroit by telling supporters that he smoked pot twice when he was young, The Cannabist says. More importantly, however, he discussed his belief that marijuana should be removed from the Federal Controlled Substances Act. On the other side of that coin, Republican Presidential hopeful John Kasich “grew frustrated during a Detroit radio interview...when asked about marijuana,” reports MLive. He did admit to smoking in his youth, but said that he opposes the legalization of recreational marijuana use.

In other Bernie Sanders news, two Oregon dispensaries are showing their appreciation for Sanders’ stance on removing marijuana from the DEA’s Schedule 1 by donating 5% of sales of Farmer 12, with Farmer 12’s grower donating an additional 5% until they meet the donation limit, according to Inquisitr. Tokers are encouraged to #bernoneforbernie.

KETV reports that an Omaha, Neb. group has decided that rather attempt to get a medical marijuana vote on the state ballot, they are going to form their own political party, Legal Marijuana Now Nebraska.  

The D.C. Cannabis Campaign announced that it will hold a large demonstration/smoke out in front of the White House on April 2 (at 4:20pm, of course) in order to persuade President Obama to reschedule cannabis. #reschedule420

Senator Coleman Young II of Michigan recently introduced Senate Bill 0813 to legalize the recreational use of marijuana and to regulate and tax it. Young hopes for the tax benefits to bring some good to the state and feels strongly about decriminalizing: “If you’re 21 or older and you’re not hurting anybody and you want to smoke a bong and stare at a fireplace for four and a half hours, that’s your right, Leave people alone,” the DeepDotWeb reports.

Economics

Some financial heavy hitters have joined together to focus on trading in weed futures in a couple of states that have legalized cannabis with Amercanex, an electronic cannabis-trading platform, in this article from Bloomberg.

The Motley Fool’s investment experts put together a great list of things that you really need to consider before investing in marijuana stocks, and considering that #1 is that “most marijuana businesses are losing money,” this is a critical list to check out if you’re thinking of investing.

Forbes takes a look at some financials about 2015’s medical and recreational marijuana sales recently reported by Marijuana Business Daily and concludes a few things, but the fun takeaways are that pot outsold Girl Scout cookies last year (though it seems like those two would follow similar growth together), as well as craft beer, wine, and organic food. That’s pretty impressive.

For those looking to get into the marijuana trade, Forbes talks to a lawyer who specializes in marijuana finance and business, and he offers up a few tips. Even if you’re not, it’s a good read to learn more about the industry and some of the potential changes to look out for.
 

Medical & Health

KRON reports on Israel’s fascinating perspective regarding medical marijuana. Conservative rabbis support it, the Minister of Health is pushing its medical benefits, and the country’s scientists are turning out to be some of the top industry leaders in research.

The University of Colorado Anschutz campus recently announced that they will be conducting research regarding marijuana’s effect on unborn babies of mothers who consume while pregnant, an area of research that has currently not come up with conclusive results, reports CBS Denver.

Exciting news for pet lovers who are looking for the same alternative treatments for their dogs as are (somewhat) available for humans: a few companies have recently introduced cannabis treats for pets, profiled on the David Wolfe blog. While these will not get them high (thank goodness-if you’ve ever been around a dog who’s gotten into a pot brownie stash, you know it’s no fun for anyone involved), they will help improve overall wellness with preventative elements, as well as help to relieve anxiety and pain.

Fox 13 reports on faith leaders from a variety of religions who joined together in early March at the Utah capital to support two bills currently headed to the Utah senate because they support medical marijuana. They face an uphill battle due to the Latter Day Saints Church’s opposition to its legalization.

Sports

Eugene Monroe, the Baltimore Ravens left tackle, is among the growing list of players in the NFL who has come out to say that he feels the league’s anti-marijuana policies should be changed, particularly because so many players could benefit from medical marijuana, says CSN Mid-Atlantic.

CNN reports more about Monroe and the NFL’s policies in their thorough piece “Is it Time for Football to Reconsider Marijuana?”

Ex-NFL player Gerome Sapp left the football field in 2007, and is now making headlines as he enters the tech and marijuana fields with his new app, Dōs. As founder and CEO, he describes the new app as “Netflix for virtual experiences,” reports Marijuana Times. The new app’s beta version should be hitting markets in mid-March.

Pain management isn’t the only benefit that marijuana can offer athletes, as The Washington Post explores in this piece about famous athletes who think that marijuana can make a great workout tool.
 

Everything Else

Camp Bud and Breakfast is set to open in Parshall, CO this summer. “The resort combines recreational marijuana use and education with a traditional ranch experience to create the country’s first-ever cannabis resort,” the press release says. Visitors can expect activities, workshops, and plenty more, including a cannabis concierge, as the resort itself isn’t allowed to sell to guests.

Hollywood Producer Michael Zinna recently launched an Internet TV network called Z420.tv, which he wants to turn into the “CNBC of Cannabis.” MediaPost has a great, detailed interview with him.

The Washington Post analyzes recent data from the U.S. Border Patrol that illustrates that in 2015, seizures along the border of the southwestern United States were lower than they have been in at least a decade, indicating that growers in Mexico are having trouble competing with domestic growers as pot becomes legal in more and more places.

Food Republic tells us to “Forget Bitters: Marijuana is the Next Cocktail Botanical du Jour” as they lead into a video by Warren Bobrow, who has an upcoming book called Cannabis Cocktails, Mocktails, and Tonics. Bobrow isn’t the most entertaining character on camera, but the nearly 35 minute-long video is quite enlightening.