A Monocle of RecencyRunning in The New Yorker’s Jan. 21 issue, staff writer Charles Bethea’s “Don’t Call It Weed, and Other Tips from the Cannabis Media Summit” proffers canny insight into an inaugural conference hosted at law firm Duane Morris’ midtown Manhattan office. As Bethea notes, “The National Law Journal recently put out a list of cannabis-law trailblazers, which included David Feldman, a partner at Duane Morris, who moderated a panel called ‘Ethics in Cannabis Reporting.’ ” The biannual summit’s cannabis reporting panel discussion found the green press conversing about everything from style guidelines and word usage to getting stoned with sources; the latter ethical discourse segued into compulsory expectations of and presumptions about genre journalists’ personal cannabis use and ingratiation with potential sources by misrepresenting said use. Bethea’s reportage lets us selectively eavesdrop on industry reps’ confab on down-low in-flight vaping strategy while the fourth estate tackled topics spanning dispensary line items, expense reimbursement and a punny headline epidemic. Savvy Leaflet subscribers—join our ranks at bit.ly/LeafletSignup—may recall cannabis lifestyle magazine EstroHaze from last week’s “News on the Green” column. Seminal Genetic ScienceAs recreational and medical cannabis gain traction in American hearts, minds and legislative bodies, the impetus to gain a modicum of understanding about how cannabis impacts human health takes on new urgency. Recent research by Duke University Medical Center confirms that male cannabis users’ THC exposure triggers both regulatory and structural changes in sperm via DNA methylation. That epigenetic signaling mechanism allows cells to control gene expression by fixing them in the “off” position. Published by peer-reviewed journal Epigenetics on Dec. 18, the findings of “Cannabinoid exposure and altered DNA methylation in rat and human sperm” underscore the importance of further research into the state-regulated drug’s effect on users’ sperm and children conceived during periods of cannabis use. Significant increases in cannabis potency—achieved via selective breeding and technological advancement—join decreased perception of risk in underlining the essential nature of scientific research into the benefits and hazards of human cannabis use. New Mexico Cannabis Expo Exhibitor Deadline: Jan. 31P.S. The deadline to reserve and pay for booth space at Weekly Alibi’s Organabus CBD-sponsored 2019 New Mexico Cannabis Expo is Thursday, Jan. 31 at 5pm. Secure exhibitor space now by phone (346-0660 x 248) or via email (advertising@alibi.com). Visit bit.ly/NMCannaExpo to RSVP to the New Mexico Cannabis Expo, happening Saturday, March 23 from 11am to 5pm at the Santa Fe Community Convention Center.
News On The Green: A Monocle Of Recency
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Epigenetics | Taylor & Francis