For the Culture By The Culture
From Florida’s ballot grind to Thailand’s backpedal and Germany’s retreat, the world talked reform while tightening control. Pot Culture Magazine’s Reefer Report Card Vol. 22 grades the week in weed — a reality check on promises, policies, and politics that keep legalization crawling instead of sprinting. Global momentum stalled, but the culture keeps moving.
Canada’s cannabis boom hit the wall. Ontario now has over 1,700 authorized stores and Alberta’s total hovers around 700, with closures outpacing new licenses. Prices plunged from CA$10 to CA$3 a gram, excise floors squeeze profits, and strict promotion laws mute every brand. The result: churn, consolidation, and a cautionary tale for U.S. legalization.
Across Mississippi, Louisiana, and Alabama, quiet legalization is replacing old fear. Dispensaries open, hemp farms thrive, and police turn away from small possession. Lawmakers who once preached prohibition now profit from regulation. The Bible Belt’s cannabis rebellion is alive and growing, and the South is no longer waiting for Washington to catch up.
Virginia legalized cannabis four years ago, then froze its own future. Governor Glenn Youngkin vetoed retail sales, keeping weed legal to hold but illegal to buy. Now the 2025 governor’s race will decide if voters finally get what they approved. Virginia’s Legalization Lockdown exposes the hypocrisy, the politics, and the system that turned freedom into fine print.
This week, the global cannabis movement faced storms, setbacks, and scattered progress. Jamaica’s farmers reeled from Hurricane Melissa, U.S. politicians revived outdated fears about senior stoners, and Florida tangled its medical system in red tape. South Africa finally legalized personal use, while Congress kept banking reform buried. A chaotic week graded
Each October, the same urban legend returns: strangers handing out weed candy. NORML and UVA Health say it’s pure fiction. No one’s giving away $60 gummies, but accidental ingestion is real, driven by bad packaging and lazy storage. The true Halloween threat isn’t monsters or dealers, it’s fear and ignorance disguised as public safety.
