Reefer madness: Weed, grass, pot, marijuana is now considered a common household item, useful for relaxation and celebration (and, in my case, inducing nightmarish panic attacks). However, before 2018, citizens across Canada were not afforded their God-given right to blaze, and in our November 29, 1999 issue, we covered the baby step that eventually led to cannabis fizzy soda drinks—the “exemption for medical purposes.” Temporary measures were made in place the previous summer, allowing for those suffering terminal illness failed by conventional therapies to access medical marijuana via physicians. Trials were set in motion for the turn of the century, verifying anecdotal claims for wellness. As temporary as they once were, OG Kush sour Nerd Ropes are here to stay.
Good press: Before apps and before short-form content, there was the physical. And in late fall 1999, students from York University set out to defend the physical news source leading their school, taking on commercial papers in their battle for rightful turf. This issue, we covered student pushback toward the Toronto Star as the company distributed 5,000 free copies of their paper to the city’s students. Fearing that student newspapers would suffer from the competition, York students took legal measures to ensure protection, even running anti-Toronto Star ads to ward off their nemesis. Thankfully, today, student papers remain alive and well.
At the movies: What could ever be more fun than James Bond and Kevin Smith? Well, plenty now, but at the movies in 1999, 007: The World is Not Enough and Dogma were playing, and very little could be so entertaining. Nexus writer Jon Valentine reviewed both films this issue, writing the only positive review The World is Not Enough will ever see and a descriptive remark on a scene from Dogma I believe could be said for its entirety: “composed entirely of human crap.” See Lydia’s Film Critique on page 11 for more scalding hot takes.