Message From Our Founding #420🍁 Stoners

There's a lot to say about Friends of Cannabis (FoC for short) because there's a LOT to say about Cannabis (and most of that is pretty damn good).  FoC was born out of pure frustration with the Cannabis Act and ACMPR regulations. Like every other 420-friendly individual and business in Canada we waited and waited (and waited) for legalisation to come.  We certainly weren't the only ones who felt let down and dismayed when, finally, it came.  Sure we could now go to the retailer on the corner and purchase our smoke (often of low quality and high price) but we still weren't allowed to smoke it anywhere.  We were let out of our basements but we're still not allowed out the house (yes I know, you can smoke it outside on your own property, and at a campsite etc., but you get the point).  If you're an individual with a medical prescription with Health Canada legalisation actually hurt you. Now patients had to compete with recreational users for product (most medical producers also produce for the recreational market. The only difference in the product is the packaging).  We all learned about the law of supply and demand in school, it isn't rocket science.

I've got more to say about the ACMPR and a range of other 420 topics.

In order to make it easier to find the info you're looking for we've divided them into sections. I encourage you to read them all.

FoC Founding President.

One of the greatest assets a cannabis advocate has is cannabis itself, or more specifically knowledge of Cannabis, as the more a person is educated on the facts about the harder it is for that person to hate and fear widespread acceptance and use of the plant and the cannabinoids it produces.  For thousands of years, at least as far back as 8000 BCE and until the modern industrial age, cannabis fueled human civilization. One of our first agricultural crops, it clothed us, fed our livestock, and made sea travel possible with ropes and sails made from its strong and flexible fibers. In fact, even after its initial prohibition, cannabis was essential to the war effort in both World War's. So valuable that it's cultivation was even mandated by the government. They FORCED farmers to grow it!

Fast forward to 2024 and the only thing that's changed is the sheer volume of beneficial uses we've found, and are continuing to find, for this wonderous plant. There are literally hundreds of them! Unfortunately we're still moving far too slowly when it comes to adopting them. The old stigma, born of years of misinformation and bad science, still casts its dark shadow. Ignorance continues to reign.

The answer is education and that's exactly what we propose with our Cannabis Education Summit.  Bringing together cannabis experts and industry professionals from across North America we will showcase all things cannabis; construction and industrial uses, therapeutic potential, responsible consumption, the science of cannabinoids, talking to your kids, use of cannabis to combat substance use disorder, how to cultivate/harvest/process cannabis at home, and more.

If you agree that Yukon needs a cannabis education you can support the cause by contacting Yukon Tourism & Culture or your local MLA and letting them know you support the Friends of Cannabis Society in Yukon Cannabis Education Summit.

You can't have a social club without the 'social' and the heart and soul of our #420🍁 social club are our members, people like you and me, her and him, they and them. Whether you're straight as an arrow or still can't quite find a letter that fits you, we don't care. What we do care about is colour. If your blood isn't at least a little green (enough to be 420-friendly at the very least) then you might want to find another club. Nothing personal, but you won't enjoy yourself and we don't need you messing with our vibe.

So what is FoC Social exactly?  

It's a lot of things. It's Brenda and Gladys, a pair of our oldest members, sharing their Sunday morning smoke via Zoom (Covid Protocols are in effect after all). It's also the gang that gets together at Brad's house every other week to play D&D (they have such a blast that Scott's starting a board game night at his place) and the FoC Softball, Discgolf, and Pool Sessions that are going to start cropping up.

Now wait a minute, I HATE Brad and Scott's a douche so...

I totally understand, Scott IS a bit of a douche. Which is why Brad's and Scott's activities are Invitation Only (so is the Brenda/Gladys Zoom for that matter). Our FoC organized activities (which are labelled as such) are generally open to everyone EXCEPT for age specific group activities. Don't worry we'll make it easy for you to tell which is Open and what's Invite Only. It's ridiculous to think everyone is going to get along with everyone else all the time. We understand that and our member formed activities stay within the control of their respective creators.  That being said membership is a privilege and we have a very simple policy; zero tolerance and 2 strikes.  Zero tolerance for being violent, abusive, rascist, sexist, homophobic, breaking our rules and general douchebaggery (note the addition of "baggery" to douche. While Scott may be a douche, he hasn't yet sunk to full douchebag. There's a difference). That goes for hosts as well as members and guests. I'll get into this more in another section.

I don't know Brad or Scott but I would like an invite...

Of course you would (so would I) so we'll make it easy for you and help you connect with them. In fact you'll be able to message them directly yourself from the Events & Happenings page for your area. After that it's up to you guys to figure out if you can play nice together. They aren't obligated to invite you and we won't try to force them. If you can't find an invite  form your own group, we'll do what we can to help.

Can we go back to where you said Age Specific activities?

Much like Brenda and Gladys don't want to Zoom with Brad and Scott, NOBODY is going to feel comfortable with Brenda attempting to roleplay a Chaotic Neutral Dwarf (though Gladys could pull it off).  The same can be said for any activity.  Ask anyone over 40 how much they like socializing with 20-somethings. 9 times out for 10 the answer is 'not much'.  So some of our activities will be reserved for specific age groups. 

I have more questions...

I don't doubt that you do, but there are other sections so check those out first.  If you still have questions you can message us via the Chat Pop-up.

If you've ever had the opportunity to patronize one of the "underground" Cannabis lounges in Canada (Vancouver used to have quite a few...) I hope you took it.  It's a stark contrast to the bedlum that often occurs at clubs legally serving alcohol. WTF is up with that?  Ask any police officer in this country (or the world) who they'd rather have to deal with; a drunk or a stoner, the answer isn't just "the stoner". The answer is often "well the stoner wouldn't be a problem in the first place so...". Yet still we're relegated to the back alleys and dark corners to partake of the Devil's Harvest.  Well not for much longer.

What's that supposed to mean? We already agreed that the only legal place to consume is a private residence.

Let's look at little deeper into what exactly counts as a private residence.

First of all, the Cannabis Act and Criminal Act both use the term "dwelling-house" not private residence. 

According to law books the definition of dwelling-house is:

(8) For the purposes of this section, dwelling-house, in respect of an individual, means the dwelling-house where the individual is ordinarily resident and includes

• (a) any land that is subjacent to it and the immediately contiguous land that is attributable to it, including a yard, garden or any similar land; and
• (b) any building or structure on any land referred to in paragraph (a).

Not the simplest wording but you get the gist; the place has to be zoned as residential and someone has to live there.  Let me give you an example that I'm sure you've all heard of... The Playboy Mansion. I'm sure you've got visions of naked women and debauchery in your mind right now, but let's look past that. What exactly is the Playboy Mansion?

1. It's a private residence. It's zoned residential and people live there.
2. No public access. You have to be a friend or a guest of a friend to get inside.
3. Whether you agree with what they're doing or not, the people inside look like they're having a blast.

So what's FoC's plan?  

Individually we aren't wealthy like Hugh, but together we are enough for our purposes.  FoC will scout out suitable locations (we've already started), enter into discussions with landlords, and with their full permission operate our 420 Lounges.  Now these places aren't going to be Playboy Mansions, but then that's not really what we want anyways is it. Just a mellow place to chill with our friends, catch some live music or stand-up. You know, a 420 Lounge. 

So where's this lounge supposed to be?

Our first official 420 Lounge will be located in the Whitehorse area of Yukon Territory. I know, not what you wanted to hear but we have to start somewhere. Once we prove that it can be done I expect it won't be long before we're able to launch more and more. The goal being a chain spanning the nation.  If they won't change the laws then we'll work within them. If they do change the laws we'll be ahead of game.

Once our Whitehorse location is open we'll put up a page so everyone can check it out virtually. 

Our Code of Conduct is based on a few simple principles;

1. Do No Harm. That goes for our members, their guests, the hosts, the venue, and the environment. If you see something TELL us. All FoC organized activities will have a designated volunteer in charge. Hosts are in charge of the activities they organize. Hosts should be fair and unbiased. If you feel your complaint hasn't been dealt with by the Host or Volunteer, leave the venue and notify us directly at info@friendsofcannabis.ca or 250-775-0557.  The same goes for a Host having a problem with a participant, boot them from the venue and notify us. Obviously, whether you're directly involved or not, if the situation warrants it call 9-1-1.

2. Agree To Disagree.  Sooner or later some of our members are going to have a heated discussion, especially if they have a past beef.  If you're involved make sure that's where it ends. It's not hard to tell when things are getting out of hand. Walk away, cool down, and drop it.  Trying to gather bystanders to your cause is NOT dropping it. If you can't calm yourself down then leave the venue. Same goes for the other person(s).  

3. I know it's corny but Turn The Other Cheek, at least for the moment. If you feel that you've suffered an offense make sure you let us know.  Remember we have ZERO tolerance for douchebags and other miscreants, however well they may behave around us. 

Being 420-friendly doesn't mean that they're a Friend of Cannabis, you saying they're a piece of shit doesn't mean that they're not good people. 

Generally, our Board will hear both sides before making any decisions regarding Suspensions or Expulsions. In the event that there are 3rd party witnesses (including character witnesses) the Board will also seek their input. In some cases the Board may call for input from the members as a group (such as those at a specific event/activity or in a particular area, etc.).

So what happens if some shit goes down?

Our Board has better things to do than act as referee for your pettiness. If you escalate a matter to the Board make sure you have a valid reason. "That bitch/bastard stole my boyfriend/girlfriend" etc., is NOT a valid reason. FoC Social is not highschool. If you have the mentality of a teenager we suggest you stick with the FoC 420 Buyers Club and steer clear of our social activities. Frivolous complaints  may result in YOUR suspension!

And a suspension is...?

This really depends on the situation, but as a rule of thumb you can think of it as athletes receiving "game" suspensions. If there are lots of FoC activities that the member regularly attends then they might only be suspended for an activity or two. If there are only a few, they could be suspended a week or more.  It will still only be an activity or two.   After your Suspension ends you're on Probation for 1 month. Anything more than a warning during probation is Strike 2, you're Expelled. If the members receives Strike 2, or their initial conduct warrants a more severe punishment than suspension, the Board will reconvene over the matter a second time before deciding the individual's future with Friends of Cannabis. Expulsion from any FoC Membership results in expulsion from ALL  FoC Memberships. Trying to rip off FoC 420 Merch or the FoC 420 Buyers Club has the same effect.

So if I'm expelled...

You're banned from all FoC Social Activities and Events, FoC 420 Lounges,  and the FoC 420 Buyers Club (your annual fee will be prorated to full calendar months and the unused balance will be returned to you). You're welcome to continue shopping at FoC 420 Merch but no coupon codes will work for you while you're banned. Best idea is to not get expelled.

Am I banned forever?

Only 1 year. Unless you really screwed up, in which case you're banned for life.

Is there anything I can do to get unbanned?

Evidence of an injustice fits the bill. If our Board has made a grievous error we absolutely want to correct it as quickly as possible. The Board will always strive to conduct the initial investigation with due care but we recognize mistakes can be made. 

The only other rule is to follow the rules of the specific activity in which you're paricipating. Unless otherwise stated those always include; Bring Your Own Cannabis (either you or the clique you're with), No alcohol or illicit substances, Don't drive high (designated drivers are welcome).

If you aren't aware of just how life changing Cannabis therapeutics can be you should check out;

• CNN's Weed - https://www.canna-tech.co/uncategorized/weed-a-cnn-special-report-by-dr-sanjay-gupta/ 
• Weed The People - https://www.weedthepeoplemovie.com/
• Clearing The Smoke PBS Series - https://www.pbs.org/show/clearing-the-smoke-the-science-of-cannabis-7ux/

There are more. Many more. Each of them full of heartbreaking stories but also stories of great hope. Some might even consider my own among them. I've suffered from an aggressive form of Crohn's Disease that was first diagnosed when I was 13.  I've lost count of the surgeries I've had, and the number of ineffective medications I've been prescribed over the years.  What I will never forget is the side effects of those medications, those will be with me for the of rest of my life along with the meds to treat those side effects...

Suffice it to say that I take Medical Mary Jane very personally and I believe that the ACMPR is a joke.  The original MMPR  faced a constitutional challenge in the Supreme Court in the case Allard vs. Canada. The Supreme Court ruled the MMPR unconstitutional and struck it from law completely.  It was a great victory for every patient in the country. Unfortunately the ACMPR that replaced it is essentially the same as the MMPR, the only significant difference being that the patient can grow their own cannabis.  That's great IF you have a site that's acceptable to Health Canada and the resources to purchase the necessary equipment. Maybe you had a good job before you got sick, or your partner has one, and your group benefits help with some of the cost. I know some do, as well as Veteran Affairs and some Workers Compensation Boards in the country.  I also know that Provincial and Territorial healthcare systems don't, and if you can't afford it yourself then you're shit out of luck.

It's the of kind of bullshit that grinds my gears. The Gov will happily pay $1200+ per week for injections that were killing me, but $400 a month for CBD? Fuck no.

Well we say FoC that shit! Enough is enough.

You'll be hearing more about this in the future.  Our legal team is preparing. We have precedent on our side. We have science on our side. We will win.

Now how about signing our petition(s)?

Review and Amend the ACMPR calls for exactly that.

Reasonable Access for ALL Canadians  includes a paragraph calling for government subsidies for the needy, but is otherwise the same 

We'd be remiss if we neglected to mention the downsides to Cannabis consumption, especially chronic use. Without getting into a debate about THC's role (whether likely or merely possible) in psychosis, schizophrenia,  or any other illness of the mind or body, we'll simply state that we think Cannabis is good, great even. We've all heard the adage "too much of a good thing is bad" and, as much as we might like to believe otherwise, logic dictates that Cannabis is no different than anything else. My personal belief is rooted in two scientifically proven facts;

1. The human brain finishes developing around the age of 25.
2. THC is a mind-altering substance.

Therefore it stands to reason that use of a mind-altering substance by a developing mind could absolutely have long-term effects. Whether those effects are harmful or beneficial could depend entirely on the individual consumer. Unfortunately it will be decades before the research catches up.

In the meantime, if my kid was being pressured to try something I'd hope it was weed and not something else.

If you're 19-25 think about moderating your intake. It's not a competition, it's not a race, and tolerance build-up is a real thing. Taking a break once in a while isn't a bad idea.

A Cannabis fact most people aren't aware of is that a competent home cultivar, with the right equipment, can grow weed that is generally superior to any "corporate" cannabis. There's a reason craft growers can charge so much, the bud is just better. That's what happens when a living creature (ie. your Cannabis plant) gets TLC. Think about the difference between free-range chicken and chicken raised in a cage. Corporate cannabis is that caged bird. 

FoC Home & Garden will bring the expertise of our assembled team of Master Growers virtually into your home via readily available technology. If you happen to live in an area serviced by our technicians we can even make house calls.  Leading our team of Master Growers and Technicians is a Master Gardener armed with knowledge of everything from soil creation, green house design and construction, pest control, permaculture, growing organically, and growing in Northern/Cold climates. Why a gardener?  Because Cannabis Culture is as much about nurturing the earth as it is about nurturing our souls and growing quality bud is as much an art as a science. Plants are like people, they like company . Besides, you'll be glad you've got something healthy to snack on when the munchies hit.

Stay tuned for anouncements coming Spring/Summer of 2021.

The onerous regulations imposed under the Cannabis Act have served to create dozens, if not hundreds, of small "mom and pop" Cultivars who are unable to get their product to market due to the high cost and low volume they are forced to contend with. Essentially the result equates to P.E.I. Potatoe Farmers only being allowed to sell their crops to each other.

 The FoC Cultivars Co-Op will gather these small growers together under a single brand (think FoC presents...), each with their own distinct line, and bring the economics of scale to bare.  If the model works we'll expand into processing too.

We're still in our infancy with this one, but if you know a small grower that fits the profile let them know to check us out.

Whether recreational, therapeutic, or industrial, Cannabis research is decades behind where it should be. FoC Research will likely be our last accomplishment but certainly won't be the least.  We won't rest until Cannabis research is getting the attention and funding that it needs and deserves. Even if that means doing it ourselves (with the help of accredited researchers of course).  FoC Research's funding plans are unique and will have to remain secret for the time being.  

Friends of Cannabis operates solely on the hard work of volunteers and is funded by private donations, membership fees, event tickets, and the sale of Cannabis related merchandise.

All profits remain in the organization, solely for the oganizations use and at the discretion of the Friends of Cannabis Board of Directors.

Interested in volunteering?

Let us know how you'd like to help!