“Over the ensuing decades, we’ve witnessed first-hand the tragic consequences of this failed policy — including the denial of medical cannabis access to those who need it and the arrest of over 30 million Americans for violating marijuana laws. The failures of marijuana prohibition are no longer a matter of public debate, which is why nearly nine in ten Americans no longer support the federal government’s blanket criminalization of cannabis, and why 70 percent of adults now say that marijuana should be legal.”
“If Trump’s administration were to reclassify marijuana, it would make it easier to buy and sell, and boost profits for an already multibillion-dollar industry.”
“Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.” ― Rob Siltanen _ Do Not Destroy NFT Store: Mad Organic White T-Shirt.
Addition Details
Size: 3200 x 3200 pixels (10.7 x 10.7 inch)
Channels: 3 (RGB Color, 8bpc)
Kind: JPEG image
Resolution: 300 pixels/inch
Edition 1/100
Both physical and NFT items are now available in our store.
“USA TODAY spoke with over 20 people who say they became severely addicted to kratom − a plant ingredient found in products sold at gas stations, liquor stores and smoke shops across the country by various companies. Many of the people we spoke with had no history of substance abuse prior to ingesting kratom. Some were health and fitness enthusiasts who thought kratom was just like any other wellness supplement. Others thought it was a healthy alternative to alcohol. A few mistook it for a run of the mill caffeine drink, like coffee or tea.”
You are what you hate. What you hate says a lot about who you are and what you value. _ The response in the body when we dislike someone
In order to understand what happens in your body when you dislike someone, you can start by trying to understand #fear. As Robert Sapolsky writes in “Why Your Brain Hates Other People,” when we see someone who even looks different from us, “there is preferential activation of the amygdala,” which means the brain region associated with fear and aggression flares up. This visceral, emotional reaction can spark a long-term pattern of dislike when it’s validated by action: if you perceive that someone has hurt you, your fear of them becomes rational.
Our negative feelings toward someone get stronger as bad experiences with them pile up, and these negative thoughts trigger the fight-or-flight response in our bodies. As AJ Marsden, assistant professor of Psychology at Beacon College in Leesburg, Florida, puts it, “our fight-or-flight response is our bodies way of dealing with a stressor.” ⠀ Stressors that trigger fight-or-flight need not be life or death, though, says Marsden: “Sadly, our body cannot tell the difference between an actual stressor (being chased by someone with a knife) and a perceived stressor (having work with someone you hate).” This is why seeing posts from your high school bully can make you feel the anxiety of being bullied all over again: your fearful associations with disliking the person trigger your own need to protect yourself. ⠀ Source: headspace.com
Art Series: The Middle Finger #Organic T-Shirt.
Both physical and NFT items are now available in our store.
“What also goes unsaid in the WSJ piece are the clear benefits of legalization, including capturing tax revenue from criminal organizations, fixing the sordid history of racialized policing, and creating economic opportunities for communities, often minorities or in low-income zip codes, that were punished for cannabis in the first place.”
ChatGPT’s data centers—like those for most large AI systems—consume water primarily for cooling, which is a common practice in many industries that operate heat-generating equipment. Here’s a comparison of ChatGPT (AI/data centers) water use with other industrial sectors:
📊 Water Use Comparison Table
1. AI/Data Centers (e.g. ChatGPT) • Typical Use: Cooling servers in data centers • Water Usage: ~500 ml to 4 liters per 10–20 prompts • Purpose: Cooling via evaporative systems
2. Power Plants • Typical Use: Steam generation, cooling (especially nuclear & coal) • Water Usage: 20,000–60,000 liters per MWh • Purpose: Steam turbines and heat management
3. Agriculture • Typical Use: Irrigation for crops, livestock • Water Usage: ~1,500 liters per kg of wheat, 15,000 liters per kg of beef • Purpose: Growing food
4. Textile Industry • Typical Use: Dyeing, washing fabrics • Water Usage: ~200 liters per T-shirt, 2,700 liters per cotton shirt • Purpose: Dyeing and rinsing
5. Semiconductor Manufacturing • Typical Use: Washing wafers, ultra-pure water processes • Water Usage: ~7,500–30,000 liters per wafer (depending on chip size) • Purpose: Cleaning and chip etching
6. Steel Production • Typical Use: Cooling, descaling, processing • Water Usage: ~100–150 liters per kg of steel • Purpose: Cooling and material processing
🌍 Context for AI & ChatGPT Water Use
OpenAI reported that ChatGPT usage can indirectly lead to water consumption through data center cooling, especially in places where water-cooled systems are used (like Microsoft’s data centers).
A 2023 paper estimated OpenAI’s GPT models consumed ~500 ml of water per 5–10 prompts, when averaged globally.
💡 Why Does AI Use Water?
Most data centers use evaporative cooling systems or chillers to dissipate heat from servers.
In hot/dry regions, water-cooled systems are more efficient than air cooling, but they consume more water.
🧠 Summary
Efficiency per Impact AI is less water-intensive per unit of energy than agriculture or steel but still contributes noticeably as demand scales. The concern isn’t just total water used, but where it’s used. AI data centers in drought-prone areas may stress local water supplies.
“The tax cuts would add around $3 trillion over the next decade to the national debt, according to an analysis by the Congressional Budget Office. That means the U.S. would have to borrow more money to cover its expenses, requiring it to pay an estimated $600 billion to $700 billion in additional interest payments, according to an analysis by the Center for a Responsible Federal Budget.”
“Over the past few months, Trump has expressed more direct support for the decriminalization of marijuana. During a press conference at Mar-a-Largo on Aug. 8, Trump said that as more states to legalize marijuana, he’s beginning to agree ‘a lot more’ with it. ‘As we legalize it (marijuana) throughout the country, whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing, it’s awfully hard to have people all over the jails that are in jail right now for something that’s legal,’ Trump said during the press conference. In his Truth Social post, Trump expanded, ‘I believe it is time to end needless arrests and incarcerations of adults for small amounts of marijuana for personal use.’”
The relationship between marijuana legalization and crime rates in the U.S. is complex, but overall, studies have not found evidence that legalizing marijuana increases crime. In some areas, certain types of crime have even decreased.
Key findings from research:
1. No Increase in Violent Crime
Studies from states like Colorado and Washington (the first to legalize recreational marijuana) show no significant rise in violent crime or property crime after legalization.
Some areas near the U.S.–Mexico border even saw a decline in violent crime, possibly due to reduced drug trafficking violence.
2. Reduction in Marijuana-Related Arrests
One clear effect is that arrests for marijuana possession drop sharply, which can significantly reduce overall arrest numbers.
This frees up police resources for other types of crime.
3. Property Crime Effects Are Mixed
Some studies found small decreases in property crime, while others found no change.
Legal dispensaries with security measures may even deter local crime in some neighborhoods.
4. DUIs and Traffic Incidents
While general crime doesn’t increase, traffic incidents involving marijuana may rise slightly, though the link is debated and varies by state.
Summary:
Legalizing marijuana does not appear to increase overall crime and may even be associated with a decline in certain crimes, especially drug arrests. However, it doesn’t cause a major drop in crime either—most changes are modest and vary by region.
Car Accidents Involving Alcohol
The exact percentages of car accidents involving alcohol (DUI) versus marijuana (THC) vary by state and study, but overall alcohol is far more commonly involved in crashes than marijuana.
Here’s a breakdown based on national U.S. data and research:
Percentage of Car Accidents Involving Alcohol
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA):
About 30% of all traffic fatalities in the U.S. involve alcohol-impaired drivers (BAC ≥ 0.08%).
That’s about 1 in 3 deadly crashes.
Alcohol is the leading substance in impaired driving fatalities.
Percentage of Car Accidents Involving Marijuana
Data varies, but generally:
10–15% of drivers in fatal crashes test positive for THC (the active compound in marijuana).
However, testing positive doesn’t always mean impairment, because THC can remain in the body for days or weeks after use.
Important:
THC-related impairment is harder to measure than alcohol.
There is no nationally agreed limit like 0.08% BAC for alcohol.
Marijuana-involved crashes increased slightly in some states after legalization (e.g. Colorado), but they are still significantly lower than alcohol-related crashes.
Side-by-Side Comparison (Estimates from studies and traffic reports):
Substance Alcohol % of Fatal Crashes Involving Substance ~30%
Substance Marijuana % of Fatal Crashes Involving Substance ~10–15% (positive test, not always impaired)
Conclusion:
Alcohol is involved in about 2–3 times more fatal crashes than marijuana. While marijuana-impaired driving is a real concern, alcohol remains the dominant factor in impaired driving deaths in the U.S.
“Cannabis will be classified as a narcotic in the future,” Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsuthin declared on Tuesday. The move by the Pheu Thai government is expected to plunge into limbo an industry estimated to be worth over $1 billion that has boomed since cannabis was taken off the country’s narcotics list in 2022.
