Bloglander

Welcome back to Weed Wednesday, your weekly dose of pot news. Wondering what this is about? Click. Looking for our previous marijuana coverage? Click. Got a question or tip? Email me at [email protected].

The un-weed-friendly Valley has its first store inside city limits. Cinder opened over the weekend and has a strain called "God's Gift" that is almost 32 PERCENT THC! Owner Justin Peterson tells us business has been good since they opened and "insane" since KREM did a story on God's Gift. Prices range from $18-22 a gram. Find all of the local stores here.

As I hope you've noticed, there's an election next week. And in a few places across the country, pot is on the ballot. Alaska and Oregon will vote on legalization measures similar to our I-502, Washington, D.C. is considering a measure to allow adults 21 or older to possess and grow small amounts of marijuana, and Florida will vote on medical cannabis. And bills for the next few years are being drafted in plenty of states — even Texas. All this is likely to set up 2016 as the most important election ever for marijuana reform, says the Brookings Institution.  The researchers who've been studying marijuana at Brookings also did a Reddit AMA today that has tons of interesting stuff in it. Read it here.

Hundreds of cashless ATMS, often used by marijuana businesses, were shut down in Washington and Colorado last week because of concerns about federal banking rules, the Denver Post reports. In a meeting in Spokane earlier this week, growers and store owners said they were among those who lost access to these machines.

In Idaho, a truck driver was pulled over and admitted to having an ounce of pot, KHQ reports. In fact, he had 150 pounds of pot.

Earlier this month, a judge ruled in favor of Wenatchee's ban on pot businesses. We wrote about that case earlier this year.

While raiding a medical grow last week, a member of the San Diego Narcotics Task Force wore a shirt (shown in video from a local TV station here) that said, "F—- the growers. Marijuana's still illegal."

Wonder if anything has changed for black market growers since I-502 took effect? The Stranger asked some.

Old, but still interesting: The NCAA released a report this summer about alcohol and drug use among student athletes. Looking for the biggest stoners? Join lacrosse or women's ice hockey.

Finally, our cover story this week is about medical marijuana growers facing federal prosecution for their business. Check it out online right here, and on stands tomorrow.