Stephen Gieder, executive director of Humboldt Green — a cannabis consulting and business service organization — said he wants to put on a family-friendly celebration of cannabis and local marijuana culture where adults can consume cannabis products, but local regulations won’t allow for that type of event at fairgrounds — the only places cannabis events can take place.

“The fairgrounds themselves are the obstacles. Both fairgrounds are unwilling to hold cannabis events this year due to some of these policies,” he said.

An updated county cannabis ordinance that took effect this month authorizes the use of the county fairgrounds in Ferndale for events that include cannabis sales to and consumption by people 21 years of age or older. These events would be subject to the approval of the Humboldt County Fair Association and city of Ferndale.

“It would need to be 21 and over, it’s kind of like going into a bar,” Humboldt County Planning and Building Director John Ford said.

But a Ferndale law and terms in the fairgrounds lease agreement make Cannifest at the Humboldt County Fairgrounds an impossibility for now, fair general manager Richard Conway said.

“It’s a no smoking facility per our lease with the county and the second piece of that is there’s a city ordinance about anything cannabis related within 1,000 feet of a school and we actually share a property line with a school,” he said.

On top of that, the fair leases the infield of the race track to the high school for use by its track, baseball and softball teams, Conway said. When asked, he said the fair association hasn’t taken a stance for or against marijuana or cannabis events.

So that leaves Redwood Acres Fairgrounds in Eureka where Cannifest 2017 took place.

“Since we held the first one we’ve kind of grown into a business incubator,” Redwood Acres CEO Cindy Bedingfield said.

She said the fairgrounds hosts martial arts businesses, boy scout troop meetings, an RV park, youth horse boarders and other businesses.

“In order to have [cannabis events] it needed to be 21 and over and a certain distance from some things,” Bedingfield said.

When asked, she also said the fairgrounds isn’t taking a stance against marijuana.

So in order to host a cannabis event at either local fairground it would have to be strictly for people over 21 without any consumption or sales, Gieder said.

“Imagine having a wine makers expo where no one tastes wine,” he said.

This isn’t the sort of celebration of cannabis Gieder’s looking to throw.

“We really feel Cannifest has more legs outside of Humboldt County, outside of California even,” he said.

Gieder said he’s been researching parks in Pennsylvania and Ohio as possible Cannifest venues. But he added he hopes to have a Cannifest in Humboldt County again eventually.

“We’re still looking to make it happen,” he said.

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Cleveland, OH–JUNE 24, 2018 — PRESS RELEASE — The Medical Cannabis Pioneers Picnic will be held at Rid All Green Partnership, a thriving urban farm in Cleveland, Ohio, on July 22, 2018 from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Guests will enjoy healthy and organic picnic fare, while several certified-to-recommend doctors from Cleveland/Akron-area private practices discuss their path to recommending cannabis to their patients.

Food and drink included in price of ticket ($16). All children are free. Doctors will be available or patient questions. Cannabis industry businesses and activist organizations will be providing information on the status of Ohio’s medical program and professional opportunities and products. Keynote speakers are Dr. Solomon Zaraa of Compassionate Cleveland and Dr. Janet Levatin of Patient Focus.

A visit to Rid All Farm is always a treat, with “regenerative agriculture” on display amid a campus of greenhouses and orchard in Cleveland’s own “Innovative Agriculture Zone.” Sustainable agriculture talks and tours will be provided by the experts at Rid All. Children’s entertainment will be provided by Magic Nate, energy elixirs provided by Urban Farm Doctor, and food will feature locally-sourced plant-based foods with meat options. Wine-tastings, gift basket raffles, and giveaways throughout the evening.

Midwest CannaWomen is an organization formed by and for women from diverse backgrounds who are pioneering into the Midwest regional cannabis industry. Our mission at Midwest CannaWomen is to provide resources, education, skills training, and unique networking opportunities to women to unify, build a base of support for each other, and to connect with quality opportunities within the industry. Tickets at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/medical-cannabis-pioneers-picnic-tickets-47119280035

Under the change announced Wednesday, the BIG3 becomes what’s believed to be the first professional sports league in the United States to allow use of the marijuana ingredient for pain management and recovery.

The BIG3 says its decision follows the removal of CBD from the World Anti-Doping Agency’s list of banned substances earlier this year.

The league says in a statement: “Despite many states around the country making efforts to decriminalize or legalize cannabis, both medicinally and recreationally, professional athletes who could benefit medicinally are prevented from doing so by league outdated mandates.”

The second season of the league co-founded by entertainer Ice Cube began last week in Houston. It has a stop Friday in Chicago. The league features players like Amare Stoudemire, Baron Davis, Kenyon Martin and Nate Robinson.