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<br /> Now that the winter is right upon us and the proverbial Delhi fog is fast approaching the point of zero visibility, how about a leisurely ride to the <keyword id="24879" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Sun">sun</keyword>, <keyword id="42711" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Seas">seas</keyword> and sands that will warm your heart? Especially when you are chugging on to some breathtakingly beautiful coastal stretches overlooking the sea? Last month, we have taken our readers on a picturesque <keyword id="6374782" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="journey">journey</keyword> through India’s heartland. On this third and last leg of our trip today, we will take you on a <keyword id="1981639" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Coastal-ride">coastal ride</keyword> as the train meanders its way through sloping hills, beautiful valleys and misty blue coastlines. And finally, there’s the <keyword id="824801" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="80" keywordseo="unforgettable">unforgettable</keyword> <keyword id="1981642" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Sea-bridge-ride">sea bridge ride</keyword> to <keyword id="6354932" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Rameswaram">Rameswaram</keyword>. Just take a train of your choice to live and relive the journey. “Be like a train; go in the rain, go in the sun, go in the storm, go in the dark <keyword id="142777" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="tunnels">tunnels</keyword>! Be like a train; concentrate on your road and go with no hesitation,” says Turkish writer <keyword id="1981629" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Mehmet-Murat">Mehmet Murat</keyword> ildan and we cannot agree more. Happy journey, folks, and happy holidays!<br />
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<strong>Image:</strong> Wikipedia

Chugging Out To Sea: Five Coast-hugging Train Rides Along Indian Shores

<ul class="summary-list"><li><em>This post originally appeared in the Insider Today newsletter.</em></li></ul><p><strong>It's Saturday, buds!</strong> After moving from one high-rent city (New York City) to another one (San Diego) I often think about what life would be like in an RV instead. Stories like this one — of an RV-life couple who live seasonally at a ski resort and winery — make it even more tantalizing. Plus, they <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/rv-life-couple-breaks-down-their-expenses-costs-2023-9">broke down their living and lifestyle expenses</a>.</p><p>Speaking of change and mobility, if you're looking for a new job, we have an inside look at how competitive job hunting currently is. That's our big story for today.</p><p><strong>What's on deck:</strong></p><ul><li><strong>Travel:</strong> What it's like — and misconceptions of — <a href="https://www.insider.com/living-narrow-boat-canal-london-lifestyle-struggles-2023-9">living on a narrowboat</a>.</li><li><strong>Careers: </strong>A CEO's unintentional masterclass in <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ceo-pret-a-manger-19-year-climb-manager-viral-twitter-2023-9">climbing the corporate ladder</a>.</li><li><strong>Life:</strong> The heavily discounted world of <a href="https://www.insider.com/salvage-stores-shopping-mardens-cheap-fashion-clothes-deals-2023-9">salvage stores</a>.</li></ul><p>But first, the competition is fierce.</p><p><strong><em>If this was forwarded to you, </em></strong><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/subscription/newsletter/insider-today"><strong><em>sign up here</em></strong></a>.</p><h2><strong>The big story</strong></h2><p><strong>Brush up those résumés</strong></p><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/subscription/newsletter/insider-today"></a></p><div type="image" title="A photo of a person looking at a large bulletin board with job postings on it." height="1639" width="2186" msid="103891802" hostid="261" sizebytes="237004"></div><p><strong>Bad news for job hunters: You're competing with more people for a job now, compared with the same time period one or two years ago.</strong></p><p>The past few years have been relatively good for job seekers. Companies were essentially <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/labor-shortage-restaurants-bidding-war-staff-workers-employment-farm-burger-2021-8">"bidding" for employees</a> and offering higher wages, perks, and the option to work from home.</p><p>But that was when there were fewer available workers per job opening. Now, the power continues its yearlong <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/bosses-back-in-charge-rto-workers-layoffs-power-2023-9">shift back to employers</a>. And those benefits that lured workers in are <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tech-ceos-remote-work-furious-employee-layoffs-2023-5">slowly getting stripped away</a>.</p><p><strong>Overall, the US job market </strong><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-the-us-unemployment-rate-labor-market-2023-8"><strong>is still pretty strong</strong></a><strong>. But the competition is getting fierce.</strong></p><p>For one, wages have been growing. And since 2021, there's consistently been more open jobs than unemployed people, <a href="https://www.bls.gov/charts/job-openings-and-labor-turnover/unemp-per-job-opening.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to government data</a>.</p><p>However, data from LinkedIn shared with Insider comparing job vacancies with active applicants paints a more complex image.</p><p>"In pretty much every single industry nationally in the United States, employers have started to cut back on the number of jobs," Rand Ghayad, LinkedIn's head of economics and global markets, told me. "And at the same time more people have started to come back to the labor market."</p><p><strong>Ghayad added that "on average, I think every single industry is moving or deviating back to its pre-pandemic average."</strong></p><p>But despite the increased competition, experienced candidates have less to worry about, said Mike Steinitz, an executive at talent and consulting firm Robert Half. He told me that even if there are troves of applicants to a certain role, the number of qualified candidates isn't very large.</p><p>So for those interested in searching for a new gig, don't let the competition deter you. In fact, Q4 could be an interesting time to start your search, according to Steinitz.</p><p>"On the one hand, you've got a lot of folks that are not going to want to leave, because they don't want to abandon the possibility of a year-end bonus," Steinitz told me. "But by the other token, you have people that often think, 'Okay, new year, new job.' So there's a lot of things at play that could help drive the market."</p><p>For more of our careers coverage:</p><ul><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/most-people-unhealthy-relationship-work-pay-cut-happier-hp-study-2023-9">Less than one-third of workers worldwide think they have a healthy relationship with work</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/quit-nearly-six-figure-corporate-job-work-trader-joes-happier-2023-9">"I quit my nearly 6-figure corporate job to work at Trader Joe's for $17 an hour"</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/indeed-ceo-ai-chatgpt-could-make-college-skills-obsolete-2023-9">College students might be learning skills that are "obsolete" once they graduate, Indeed CEO said</a></li></ul><h2><strong>3 things in travel</strong></h2><p><a href="https://www.insider.com/japan-prison-hotel-nara-luxury-resort-hoshino-2023-9"></a></p><div type="image" title="The command center and grilles allowed guards to observe cells in all five wings from a single position." height="3744" width="4992" msid="103891803" hostid="261" sizebytes="1016512"></div><ol><li><strong>A 115-year-old Japanese prison is being turned into a luxury hotel. </strong>The Former Nara Prison was built in 1908 and is designated as a cultural property in Japan. Hoshino Resorts is <a href="https://www.insider.com/japan-prison-hotel-nara-luxury-resort-hoshino-2023-9">transforming it into a hotel</a>, which will feature a restaurant, lounge, and museum for day visitors.</li><li><strong>No more tourists — a popular "leaf-peeping" spot is closed to the public. </strong>Pomfret, Vermont isn't letting tourists in during the height of the fall foliage season. Local residents are <a href="https://www.insider.com/vermont-town-closes-scenic-road-after-influx-of-influencers-vistors-2023-9">fed up with the visitors</a> who have been reportedly caught trespassing, flying drones, and even urinating behind shrubbery.</li><li><strong>Video footage shows passengers attempting to storm a Brussels Airlines plane. </strong>After their flight was canceled twice, passengers confronted staff on the tarmac. Then, they collectively <a href="https://www.insider.com/video-passengers-attempt-to-storm-brussels-airlines-plane-2023-9">pushed toward the plane</a>.</li></ol><h2><strong>3 things in careers</strong></h2><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/top-10-states-for-young-professionals-including-massachusetts-rhode-island-2023-9"></a></p><div type="image" title="Graduates of Harvard University" height="682" width="910" msid="103891805" hostid="261" sizebytes="35552"></div><ol><li><strong>New England + new grad = new job. </strong>Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire are among the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/top-10-states-for-young-professionals-including-massachusetts-rhode-island-2023-9">best states for new grads</a> to find a job. Rankings were based on job market and work conditions, affordability, crime and safety, workplace diversity, and health and leisure.</li><li><strong>The Pret a Manger CEO's viral resume. </strong>Pano Christou has worked at the British food chain for more than two decades. And his career path is a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ceo-pret-a-manger-19-year-climb-manager-viral-twitter-2023-9">masterclass in climbing the corporate ladder</a>. He started as an assistant manager in 2000 and was named CEO in 2019.</li><li><strong style="color: #000000;">Entrepreneur doubles down on paying overseas workers $4 per hour. </strong>The 23-year-old entrepreneur's business model stirred a debate on <a href="https://www.insider.com/entrepreneur-pays-overseas-workers-4-dollars-hour-2023-9">whether the practice is fair</a>. After facing criticism, he challenged people to debate him and shared screenshots of people asking to work for him.</li></ol><h2><strong>3 things in life</strong></h2><p><a href="https://www.insider.com/situationship-dating-trend-young-singles-relationship-status-gen-z-2023-9"></a></p><div type="image" title="A GIF of two different hands trying to make a heart, but then the hands just keep changing so it looks like they're all different people trying to find their match" height="1800" width="2400" msid="103891806" hostid="261" sizebytes="144944"></div><ol><li><strong>Owning the "situationship" — young people are embracing it as a valid relationship status. </strong>It's not quite friends with benefits. Nor is it casual dating. And people in situationships tend to still consider themselves single. It's a rather <a href="https://www.insider.com/situationship-dating-trend-young-singles-relationship-status-gen-z-2023-9">undefined territory</a> that works for an increasing number of people.</li><li><strong>The heavily discounted world of salvage stores. </strong>They sell things like furniture, home improvement items, pet supplies, and more <a href="https://www.insider.com/salvage-stores-shopping-mardens-cheap-fashion-clothes-deals-2023-9">all under one roof</a>. Part of the fun is that you never know what you'll find — it could be J. Crew shirts for $1 or Madewell jeans for $19.</li><li><strong>These Gen Z tattoo trends could be deeply uncool when Gen Alpha starts getting inked. </strong>Tattoo experts revealed the current trends that'll likely become outdated soon, including fine-line tattoos and astrology. But trends like butterflies and tiny tattoos will likely stay.</li></ol><h2><strong>In other news</strong></h2><p><a href="https://www.insider.com/can-you-skiplag-on-cruises-2023-9"></a></p><div type="image" title="Two Royal Caribbean cruise ships docked at a port" height="1725" width="2300" msid="103891807" hostid="261" sizebytes="389142"></div><ul><li>Why it's illegal to <strong>skiplag</strong> on cruises <a href="https://www.insider.com/can-you-skiplag-on-cruises-2023-9">between two US ports</a>.</li><li>The <strong>seven most challenging airports</strong> for pilots to <a href="https://www.insider.com/most-dangerous-airports-for-pilots-to-fly-2023-9">take off and land at</a>.</li><li>A review of <strong>Aldi's</strong> fall <a href="https://www.insider.com/best-and-worst-fall-foods-aldi-review-photos">foods and drinks</a>.</li><li>Designer duuuupe: The shoe section at <strong>Target </strong>has similar styles to <a href="https://www.insider.com/best-target-shoes-that-look-designer-2023-9">Gucci, Golden Goose, and more</a>.</li><li>A jumbo-sized Monopoly (<strong>Costco's</strong> Version) was <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/costco-fans-now-have-warehouse-themed-monopoly-game-2023-9">just released</a>.</li><li>The <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tupperware-brand-history-parties-plastic-containers-earl-tupper-brownie-wise-2023-4">rise and fall</a> of <strong>Tupperware</strong>, once an American kitchen icon.</li></ul><h2><strong>For your bookmarks</strong></h2><p>Capitol architecture</p><p><a href="https://www.insider.com/capitol-building-every-state-photos"></a></p><div type="image" title="Oregon's state capitol building in Salem." height="683" width="910" msid="103891809" hostid="261" sizebytes="100622"></div><p><strong>Here's what the capitol building looks like in every US state. </strong>Many are <a href="https://www.insider.com/capitol-building-every-state-photos">similar to the US capitol</a>, while others (like Kansas with its statue-topped dome) are more unique.</p><p><strong>The Insider Today team: </strong><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/author/dan-defrancesco" rel="">Dan DeFrancesco</a>, senior editor and anchor, in New York City. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/author/diamond-naga-siu" rel="">Diamond Naga Siu</a>, senior reporter, in San Diego. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/author/hallam-bullock" rel="">Hallam Bullock</a>, editor, in London. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/author/lisa-ryan" rel="">Lisa Ryan</a>, executive editor, in New York.</p>

Insider Today: The hottest job markets

<p><strong><em>Welcome to <keyword id="9884466" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="insider-cannabis">Insider Cannabis</keyword>, our weekly newsletter where we're bringing you an inside look at the deals, trends, and personalities driving the multibillion-dollar global <keyword id="14728" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="100" keywordseo="cannabis">cannabis</keyword> boom.</em></strong></p><p><strong><em><a href="http://newsletter.businessinsider.com/join/cultivated">Sign up here to get it in your inbox every week</a>.</em></strong></p><p>Happy Friday readers,</p><p>This week, we focused on reporting around how cannabis companies reacted to — and are planning for — the results of last week's election. Obviously, the election was a big topic in the back-to-back earnings calls we listened to this week. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/canadian-cannabis-giants-canopy-growth-aphria-looking-to-us-market-2020-11">You can read our roundup here</a>.</p><p>We also held a panel recapping last week's events, moderated by our editor Zachary Tracer. If you missed it, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/live-event-what-cannabis-legalization-from-election-means-2020-11">check out the whole recording here</a>. </p><p>And yes, we're all thinking about politics. Business Insider is launching a new newsletter — <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/newsletter-sign-up-10-things-politics-today-2020-11">10 Things in Politics You Need to Know Today</a> — later this month. If you're interested in a roundup of the top news and analysis from D.C. and beyond on a daily basis, you're going to want to <a href="http://newsletter.businessinsider.com/join/10-things-in-politics">sign up here.</a></p><p><em>Jeremy &amp; Yeji</em></p><p><strong><em>Here's what we wrote about this week:</em></strong></p><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cannabis-merger-acquisition-new-legalized-legal-states-2020-11"><strong>The cannabis industry is set for a wave of M&amp;A after 5 states voted to legalize marijuana. Industry insiders lay out who's going shopping and the types of deals you can expect.</strong></a></h3><p>Cannabis companies are getting acquisitive as they <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/canadian-cannabis-giants-canopy-growth-aphria-looking-to-us-market-2020-11">jockey for control</a> of the rapidly expanding legal <keyword id="40905" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Marijuana">marijuana</keyword> map in the US. Companies are already making moves to either expand their footprints in these states or enter them through mergers and acquisitions. We talked to analysts and lawyers in cannabis to ask them about the deals we should expect moving forward.</p><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-cannabis-industry-be-more-inclusive-diverse-2020-11">Cannabis insiders and advocates say more needs to be done to make the industry more inclusive for business owners and employees. Here's what they suggest.</a></h3><p>This one is from freelancer Andrew Ward. More could be done to make the cannabis industry more inclusive for owners and employees alike, sources say.</p><p>Advocates are fighting to remove financial barriers to business licensing and for policies like allocating cannabis tax revenue to communities most affected by the drug war.</p><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/live-event-what-cannabis-legalization-from-election-means-2020-11"><strong>An inside look at what marijuana legalization's election sweep means for the future of the multi-billion dollar industry</strong></a></h3><p>After the results of last week's vote, one thing is clear: Americans overwhelmingly support cannabis reform. Business Insider's cannabis reporters, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/author/jeremy-berke">Jeremy Berke</a> and<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/author/yeji-jesse-lee"> Yeji Jesse Lee</a> spoke with senior editor Zachary Tracer about everything you need to know about the future of the cannabis industry following the election, from when you can buy marijuana legally in your state to how companies are preparing to dominate the rapidly expanding legal marijuana map.</p><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/canadian-cannabis-giants-canopy-growth-aphria-looking-to-us-market-2020-11"><strong>The world's biggest cannabis companies are jockeying to dominate the $61 billion US market after marijuana legalization swept 5 states</strong></a></h3><p>Cannabis giants are developing plans to dominate the lucrative US marijuana market — even though they probably won't be able to enter it for some time. On Monday, three of Canada's largest cannabis companies, Canopy Growth, Tilray, and Aurora Cannabis, reported earnings — the US election was a big topic of discussion.</p><h2>Conference calendar</h2><p>Conference season is in full swing — at least, on Zoom — and Jeremy will be moderating a slew of panels next week:</p><ul><li>He's doing two keynote interviews at the <a href="https://www.cwcbexpo.com/">Cannabis World Congress and Business Exp</a>o, with cannabis pioneer Calvin Frye on Tuesday, and Bruce Linton on Wednesday. Use the code Insider10 to get a discounted ticket, and <a href="https://r1.events-registration.com/CWCBEXPOINSIDER/information.cfm">register here</a>. </li><li>He's also moderating two panels at <a href="https://prohibitionpartners.live/">Prohibition Partners Live conference</a>, with a number of top industry leaders. On Thursday, he'll be speaking with Merida Capital's Mitch Baruchowitz, Enexis AB's David Bonnier, and University of Cambridge professor Alan Jagolinzer about how to invest in cannabis, and the challenges with researching companies.</li><li>And, he'll be speaking with Kate Miller, the CEO of Miss Grass, and David Kessler, a VP at Agrify, about disruption in the cannabis industry. <a href="https://prohibitionpartners.live/tickets/">You can register for tickets here</a>. </li></ul><h2>Executive Moves</h2><ul><li>Cannabis company Indus Holdings announced that <a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2020/11/09/2123305/0/en/Indus-Holdings-Inc-Announces-New-Chief-Financial-Officer.html">Brian Shure, formerly at Ambrose Capital Partners</a>, will join the company as CFO.</li><li>MediPharm Labs CFO Bobby Kwon has resigned from the company, effective at the end of November. The company said he is leaving for family reasons <a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2020/11/12/2125408/0/en/MediPharm-Labs-Announces-Change-to-Leadership-Team.html">in a statement</a>. </li></ul><h2>Earnings roundup</h2><p>Lots of cannabis companies reported last week. Here are the highlights:</p><ul><li>Canopy Growth reported $135 million in revenue over the quarter with a $97 million net loss.</li><li>Aurora Cannabis reported $67.8 million in revenue, with an adjusted EBITDA loss of $57.9 million. Aurora says it has $250 million in cash on hand.</li><li>Tilray reported $51.4 million in revenue with a $2.3 million net loss.</li><li>Green Thumb Industries reported $157.1 million in revenue on a net income of $9.6 million. The company has $78.1 million in cash on hand with $97 million debt outstanding.</li><li>Acreage Holdings reported $31.7 million in revenue on a net loss of $35.7 million.</li><li>Harvest Health &amp; Recreation reported $61.6 million in revenue on a $2.1 million net loss. </li></ul><p><em>This section has been corrected to include the correct earnings figures for Green Thumb Industries.</em></p><h2>Deals, launches, and IPOs</h2><ul><li>Aurora Cannabis announced a $125 million equity offering after a wildly volatile week of trading. Though the offering would dilute existing shareholders, Stifel analysts called it "shrewd" in a note. </li><li>Canadian psilocybin company <a href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20201110005881/en/Cybin-Goes-Public-on-NEO-Exchange">Cybin started trading</a> on the NEO exchange on Tuesday</li><li>Cannabis company <a href="http://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2020/11/11/2124578/0/en/Verano-Holdings-Announces-Agreement-to-Acquire-and-Combine-Operations-with-AltMed-in-Florida-and-Arizona-Creating-One-of-the-Largest-U-S-Private-Cannabis-Companies.html">Verano Holdings announced on Wednesday</a> it will acquire vertically integrated cannabis company AltMed, which has operations in Florida and Arizona. The combined company will operate under the Verano name, and will be one of the largest private cannabis companies once the merger closes, the company said. </li><li>New Leaf Ventures <a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2020/11/10/2123897/0/en/New-Leaf-Ventures-Signs-Agreement-Propelling-Entry-Into-North-American-Cannabis-Infused-Beverage-Sector.html">announced its partnership</a> with Washington state-based Schilling Hard Cider, to enter the North American cannabis-infused beverage market. </li><li>Kentucky CBD company Cornbread Hemp, led by Jim Higdon, a former reporter, <a href="https://www.einpresswire.com/article/530406351/cornbread-hemp-closes-campaign-on-wefunder-has-raised-500-000">closed a $500,000 funding round</a>. </li><li>Furna, a Waterloo, Ontario-based vape startup, is <a href="https://getfurna.com/">launching its new vap</a>e, designed by former BlackBerry execs — aimed at a similar market as the Pax 3 — next Friday. </li></ul><h2>Policy moves</h2><ul><li>Most major news outlets reported on Saturday that Joe Biden won the presidential election, though Trump has yet to concede. Read our coverage of <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-a-biden-presidency-will-affect-the-cannabis-industry-2020-10">what a Biden administration would mean for the cannabis industry here</a>.</li><li>Support for legal marijuana hit a new high, <a href="https://news.gallup.com/poll/323582/support-legal-marijuana-inches-new-high.aspx">according to a Gallup poll</a>. 68% of voters support legalization, with 79% of 18 - 29-year-olds supportive. </li><li>Lawmakers in New Jersey on Monday <a href="https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2020/Bills/S0500/21_I1.HTM">released a marijuana legalization bill</a> after state residents voted to legalize marijuana. Legalization goes into effect on January 1 and lawmakers hope to pass the legislation before then. </li><li>Israel is expected to <a href="https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/legalizing-marijuana-could-happen-within-9-months-nissenkorn-648901">legalize and regulate adult-use cannabis</a> in the next nine months, after a government committee published and sent its recommendations on recreational cannabis to the Justice Ministry on Thursday.</li><li>Regulators from 19 states formed <a href="https://www.cann-ra.org/news-events/state-regulators-start-cannabis-regulators-association-dr6cc">The Cannabis Regulators Association (CANNRA)</a> to help develop and harmonize state-level cannabis programs across the US. The group, which isn't taking a position on legalization, will be led by Norman Birenbaum, who heads up New York's cannabis program. </li></ul><h2>Chart of the week</h2><p>Both the US' medical and recreational markets are expected to nearly double in the next five years, according to New Frontier Data. While the adult-use market is expected to grow from $10.6 billion to $19.1 billion by 2025, the medical market is expected to grow into a $16 billion market over the same timeframe:</p><div type="image" title="Expected growth of the US legal cannabis industry" height="772" width="1240" msid="79224740" hostid="261"></div><h2>What we're reading </h2><p><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/07/opinion/sunday/election-marijuana-legalization.html">Republicans and Democrats Agree: End the War on Drugs</a> (NYT)</p><p><a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2020-11-12/can-marijuana-help-biden-heal-a-divided-nation">Can Marijuana Help Biden Heal a Divided Nation?</a> (Bloomberg)</p><p><a href="https://www.weedweek.net/stories/do-celebrity-pot-brands-sell/">Do Celebrity Pot Brands Sell?</a> (WeedWeek)</p><p><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/11/technology/election-anxiety-cannabis-edibles.html">The election's over but not the stress. Any edibles left?</a> (NYT)</p><p><a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2020/11/11/new-jersey-navigates-cannabis-legalization-436232">Fault lines emerge as New Jersey Democrats navigate cannabis legalization</a> (Politico)</p>

The cannabis industry is set for a wave of M&A

<p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div><p>Good morning! Here are the plays everybody will be talking about on Tuesday:</p><p><strong>The Houston Texans had a rough night with the officials</strong>.&#xa0;The Oakland Raiders defeated the Texans 27-20 in Mexico City on Monday night with the help of several questionable calls. Late in the fourth quarter, with the score tied 20-20, the Texans ran consecutive plays on third and fourth downs in which it looked like they got the first down. In each case the ball was spotted short and in one case the replay review went against them. The ball went back to the Raiders who went down and scored the winning touchdown. But the biggest blow came on the first drive of the game when DeAndre Hopkins appeared to break loose for a long touchdown only to have the play stopped for stepping out of bounds. Replays showed he did not step out of bounds and it wasn't reviewable because the whistle had blown the play dead.&#xa0;</p><p><div></div></p><p><strong>Another memorable debut in the NHL</strong>.&#xa0;Earlier this season, Auston Matthews made headlines when he scored four goals in his debut with the Toronto Maple Leafs. On Monday, Jake Guentzel of the Pittsburgh Penguins made his debut and scored a goal on his first shift and on his first shot. His family was in the stands. His dad, Mike Guentzel, is the head coach at the University of Minnesota, and he reacted as you would expect from a coach. That is, he didn't. But the rest of the family was fired up. Guentzel would add a second goal later.</p><p><div></div></p><p><strong>Josh Jackson wrecked a rim</strong>. Jackson, a 6-foot-8 guard for Kansas, is expected to be one of the top picks in the 2017 NBA Draft. In the meantime, we get to watch him soar above college defenders and throw down emphatic dunks while getting fouled.</p><p><div></div></p><p><strong>The Stephen Curry Bonus</strong>. This one gets bumped down to the bonus section because it didn't count. But it is still a cool video of Curry making a shot from the other end of the court as time expired in the first half. It came after the buzzer, but still. He double-pumped it. Just Steph being Steph.</p><p><div></div></p><p>&#xa0;</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/theo-epstein-world-series-curse-boston-red-sox-baseball-2016-11">How Cubs president Theo Epstein ended two of baseball's longest World Series curses</a></h3>        <div>            <div>        <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="trM2s4NzE62Ha_WFhNd3X5RVmxynY-H5" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>        </div>        </div>            </div>

The 3 plays in sports everybody will be talking about today

<p class="source"><span><a href="https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/news-photo/featherweight-champion-conor-mcgregor-watches-jose-aldo-of-news-photo/545749708">Photo by Harry How/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images</a></span></p><p class="caption">Conor McGregor.</p><ul class="summary-list"><li>After a pattern of violent incidents in 2018 and 2019, Dublin MMA fans began to turn against <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/conor-mcgregor" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Conor McGregor</a>.</li><li><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/19/sports/conor-mcgregor-sexual-assault-accusation.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The New York Times</a> also reported two separate sexual assault allegations against McGregor last year, which he denies. "Guys, I have done nothing wrong," <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/conor-mcgregor-asked-about-allegations-reporter-booed-2020-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">he told the Las Vegas media</a> this week.</li><li>McGregor is in Vegas for his comeback fight - a non-title welterweight clash with Donald Cerrone on Saturday.</li><li>Should he win, in style, he may reclaim the love of fans who have deserted him.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories</a>.</li></ul><p>LAS VEGAS - <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/conor-mcgregor" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Conor McGregor</a>, once the pride of Ireland, has become UFC's Jekyll and Hyde.</p><p>McGregor, often given the moniker "Notorious," returns to mixed martial arts at <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/ufc-246" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the UFC 246 event</a> in Las Vegas on Saturday, taking on Donald Cerrone.</p><p>It will be his first bout since a heavy, fourth round submission defeat to Khabib Nurmagomedov 15 months ago.</p><p>McGregor has not celebrated victory since 2016, when he was at the peak of his powers having dominated Eddie Alvarez at UFC 205, becoming the UFC's first ever champion in two weight classes at once.</p><p>His rise to the summit of MMA matched his soaring popularity, as fans around the world were beguiled by his magnetic charm, searing put-downs, and infectious laugh.</p><p>His rise was fun. It transcended the sport. They wanted to watch him say, 'Who the f--- is that guy?" just as much as they wanted to see him clobber the snot out of somebody.</p><p>He predicted what round he'd knock someone out in, and then did it.</p><p>The build-up to his 2017 fight with Floyd Mayweather had a feel-good vibe even though it was clear he was never going to win.</p><p>But that did not stop <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNXtqNNB77g" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ukelele artist Mick Konstantin writing a catchy viral song</a> about how many from Ireland felt at the time in 2017.</p><p>It mimicked McGregor's battle cries that the Irish were coming, that the double champion does what he wants, and that Mayweather was old, small, and would do feck all.</p><p>McGregor lost to Mayweather, of course, a resounding 10th round defeat in which he was stopped on his feet after being outclassed by a once-masterful boxer. He partied afterward as if he had won. He had, really. He had financially hit the jackpot.</p><p class="source"><span><a href="https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/news-photo/conor-mcgregor-attends-his-after-fight-party-and-his-wynn-news-photo/839788366">Photo by David Becker/Getty Images for Wynn Nightlife</a></span></p><p class="caption">McGregor partied at the Encore Beach Club in the Wynn, Las Vegas, after losing to Floyd Mayweather.</p><p>That loss was not what changed McGregor. After all, he had been beaten before. What changed him was the money.</p><p>Just like the serum that saw Dr. Henry Jekyll transition into his alter ego Edward Hyde, it was the $100 million he received for losing to Mayweather that appears to have brought darker elements within McGregor to the fore.</p><p>In the months following the fight, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/conor-mcgregor-charged-with-three-counts-of-assault-2018-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">he threw a metal dolly at a bus, smashing a window and injuring UFC athletes</a>. He <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/conor-mcgregor-reaction-after-phone-arrest-in-miami-2019-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">snatched a phone from a fan's hand then stomped on it</a>, and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/video-conor-mcgregor-punch-whiskey-proper-twelve-2019-8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">threw a punch at an older man in a Dublin pub</a> because he refused a measure of the fighter's Proper no. Twelve whiskey.</p><p>These incidents in 2018 and 2019 show a clear pattern of violence. McGregor was living up to his "Notorious" nickname.</p><h2>Dublin starts to turn its back</h2><p>When Business Insider was in Dublin late last year, ahead of a Bellator MMA event featuring many Irish athletes, we visited the Colosseum boxing club in the Kylemore district of the city.</p><p>An Irish middleweight boxer called Luke Keeler told us that McGregor had been bullying a friend of his. When Keeler saw the footage of McGregor throwing a punch at an older man in the pub, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/conor-mcgregor-luke-keeler-challenges-ufc-fighter-to-stay-sober-2019-10?r=US&amp;IR=T" target="_blank" rel="noopener">it made him tweet what he says he knew about McGregor</a>.</p><p>It was not long before McGregor called Keeler. "He made a phone call to me," he told us. "There was a bit of ranting and raving … I don't think he was in his right mind. I just says, like, we can have a fight, do you know what I mean? Obviously it's a payday [for me]."</p><p>Keeler said there's been "a few instances" of McGregor bullying people. We asked Keeler if Dublin was turning its back on its most famous athlete. Keeler said yes.</p><p>"He's just gone off the rails and let himself down in several different instances. It's sad, in a way, because everyone was looking up to him."</p><p>The Irish lightweight boxer Davey Oliver Joyce agrees. "The way he was behaving … he should be a rolemodel to kids," Joyce told Business Insider.</p><p>"To people out of the ring you got to behave. Leave the fighting to the ring, not outside. He's turning people against him."</p><h2>Allegations of sexual assault</h2><p><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/26/sports/conor-mcgregor-sexual-assault.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The New York Times wrote about a sexual assault allegation</a> against McGregor in March, an incident he reportedly told the UFC president Dana White was not him but <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/dana-white-conor-mcgregor-sexual-assault-was-somebody-else-2019-8?r=US&amp;IR=T" target="_blank" rel="noopener">"someone else."</a></p><p>Insider reporter <a href="https://www.insider.com/conor-mcgregor-charlie-ward-entourage-bottle-service-girl-2019-10" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ashley Collman wrote in October</a> that the Irishman's entourage was accused of forcing a nightclub bottle service girl into their car after a booze-fueled evening in LA.</p><p>And, later that month, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/19/sports/conor-mcgregor-sexual-assault-accusation.html?smtyp=cur&amp;smid=tw-nytimes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the Times wrote about a second, separate, sexual assault allegation</a> against McGregor, which <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/conor-mcgregor-denies-second-sexual-assault-allegation-2019-10?r=US&amp;IR=T" target="_blank" rel="noopener">his publicist denied</a>.</p><p>Those closest to him, from <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-its-like-training-with-conor-mcgregor-2019-10?r=US&amp;IR=T" target="_blank" rel="noopener">his MMA coach John Kavanagh</a>, his <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-conor-mcgregor-is-really-like-according-to-business-partner-2019-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Proper no. Twelve business partner Ken Austin</a>, and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-conor-mcgregor-is-really-like-according-to-his-barber-2020-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">his barber Craig Nolan</a> continue to tell a different story of McGregor, one where he is all Jekyll and no Hyde.</p><p>But many fans had lost interest by that point.</p><p>Even before the second allegation emerged, Dublin MMA fans - McGregor's core support - voiced disapproval.</p><p class="source"><span><a href="https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/news-photo/dublin-ireland-27-september-2019-james-gallagher-celebrates-news-photo/1171557671?adppopup=true">Photo By David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile via Getty Images</a></span></p><p class="caption">McGregor, in his cream suit, with Bellator 227 headliner James Gallagher.</p><p>At the Bellator 228 event in September, a number of McGregor's friends and training partners at the Straight Blast Gym in the city's Inchicore district were competing at the 3Arena. McGregor was there to support competitors like Peter Queally, Kiefer Crosbie, and headline fighter James Gallagher.</p><p>McGregor turned up at cageside late in the show, and when he walked to the VIP section to take to his seat, wearing a cream suit, pocket handkerchief, and slick-backed hair, his image was broadcast on the big TVs to those in attendance at the 13,000 capacity arena.</p><p>Business Insider was there. And while there were many cheers, there were also jeers and boos. Not everyone was pleased to see him.</p><h2>How McGregor can win the crowd over</h2><p>Sports has a habit of making bad news go away. This week alone, news of <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/manny-pacquiao-could-retire-after-fighting-conor-mcgregor-says-expert-2020-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">McGregor wanting to challenge the former eight-weight world champion boxer Manny Pacquiao</a> has dominated the sporting press, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/conor-mcgregor-asked-about-allegations-reporter-booed-2020-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">nudging questions about sexual assault investigations by Irish police</a> down the agenda.</p><p>His travelling fans have been making their voices heard this week, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/conor-mcgregor-asked-about-allegations-reporter-booed-2020-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">booing a journalist who asked McGregor about the allegations</a>. Those fans are ready to watch McGregor's return, which is generating mass interest. His comeback against Cerrone is expected to be a box office success. </p><p class="source"><span><a href="http://www.apimages.com/metadata/Index/UFC-246-Mixed-Martial-Arts/34a23f80878d4824ab459b49b2b351d0/21/0">Photo by AP Photo/John Locher</a></span></p><p class="caption">McGregor fights Donald Cerrone on Saturday, January 18.</p><p>It could be a personal McGregor success for a second reason. Fans love a comeback story.</p><p>When Business Insider met Keeler and the Irish boxers in October, there was no news about a comeback, just industry rumor. Keeler told us: "Everyone's on the back of him now … but he can turn it around."</p><p>Keeler's head coach Peter Taylor, the father of Ireland's famous world-champion boxer Katie Taylor, told us he thought Dublin had fallen out of love with McGregor last year. "But he can win the love back," he said.</p><p>"I won't tell him what to do. People love to see a downfall. One minute you're up there, then everyone wants to cut your legs off. Conor hasn't helped himself though. I don't want to see anyone down. Him and my daughter Katie are the faces of Irish combat sports but Katie lives the life. That's the difference."</p><p>Keeler said: "It's unimaginable the stress and pressure of being one of the most famous people in the world. The goldfish bowl that he's in … he's struggling with that and not dealing with it well. The only thing that will get him back is training, refocus. If he can do that, the public will forgive him and he can go again. It's a good comeback story."</p><p>Since we spoke to Keeler, Joyce, and Taylor in Dublin, we're told McGregor has been focusing and training. The doors at the Straight Blast Gym closed between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., as McGregor went to work with his head trainer John Kavanagh's fight team.</p><p class="source"><span><a href="https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/news-photo/conor-mcgregor-of-ireland-interacts-with-the-media-during-news-photo/1194064032?adppopup=true">Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images</a></span></p><p class="caption">McGregor.</p><p>In Las Vegas this week, at press conferences and media events which Business Insider has attended, the word "focus" has been mentioned a lot.</p><p>We spoke to Kavanagh about the focus competive sport can bring. When McGregor was fighting three times a year, controversies were rare. But after he fought once in 2017, once in 2018, and was inactive for 2019, there were problems.</p><p>Kavanagh acknowledged this. "That's what martial arts does for people, men and women - it gives them focus. Gives them purpose. And he's no different to anyone else. I think he doesn't need my words, what do you think? Listen to him. He's a different guy, right? We're looking to keep that focus and momentum."</p><p>To the media, McGregor again denied the allegations of sexual assault, saying: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/conor-mcgregor-asked-about-allegations-reporter-booed-2020-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">"Guys, I have done nothing wrong."</a></p><p>And at a UFC 246 press conference in the Pearl Theater at the Palms Resort Casino, McGregor said: "I have not changed too much to be honest.</p><p>"I am who I am. I'm committed and focused. Sometimes you need to go to certain places in life to realize what we need to do. I certainly have turned over a new leaf."</p><p>Only time will tell if that leaf stays turned.</p><p><strong>Read more:</strong></p><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-conor-mcgregor-is-really-like-according-to-his-barber-2020-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">What Conor McGregor is really like, according to the man who cuts his trademark hair</a></p><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/conor-mcgregor-says-hes-in-talks-to-box-manny-pacquiao-2020-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Conor McGregor said he's in talks to box Manny Pacquiao, and a prominent boxing reporter says the Filipino is interested</a></p><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/conor-mcgregor-asked-about-allegations-reporter-booed-2020-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A reporter was loudly booed by MMA fans at a UFC event after asking Conor McGregor about the sexual assault allegations made against him</a></p><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/photos-conor-mcgregors-body-changed-as-he-accelerated-through-ufc-2020-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">These photos show how Conor McGregor's body has drastically changed as he's accelerated through the UFC</a></p><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/manny-pacquiao-could-retire-after-fighting-conor-mcgregor-says-expert-2020-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A fight against Conor McGregor could generate $250 million and be Manny Pacquiao's retirement party, according to an expert</a></p><p class="tagline">This is an opinion column. The thoughts expressed are those of the author(s).</p>            <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ten-companies-that-fell-in-the-last-decade-2019-12">10 companies that fell in the last decade</a></h3>

From the fighting pride of Ireland to MMA's Jekyll and Hyde: Why Dublin started turning its back on Conor McGregor

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image"><p class="source"><span>Josh Barro/Business Insider</span></p><p class="caption">The author stands outside the In-N-Out Burger location at 4444 Van Nuys Boulevard in the Sherman Oaks section of Los Angeles, California, on January 28, 2014.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 15px;">You may have noticed that people who used to live in California won't shut up about how much they miss In-N-Out Burger.</span></p>
<p>Since I'm in Los Angeles for a few days, I thought I'd take the opportunity to refresh my recollection that In-N-Out is severely overrated.</p>
<p><span style="line-height: 22.5px;">Here's what I found: Burgers from In-N-Out are good. They're much better than McDonald's. They're not as good as what you can get at Shake Shack or even Five Guys Burgers &amp; Fries. </span><span style="font-size: 15px;">And In-N-Out's fries are simply subpar.</span></p>
<p><span style="line-height: 22.5px;">Today I got a #1 meal, which is a double cheeseburger with fries and a drink. I'll give In-N-Out one thing: It's cheap. My meal cost $6.98, which is about half what I'd spend for similar items at Five Guys in New York.</span></p>
<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image"><p class="source"><span>Josh Barro/Business Insider</span></p></div><p></p></div><span style="line-height: 22.5px;">And the burger was... fine. It tasted like its ingredients: beef, American cheese, tomato, pickles and Thousand Island dressing. It actually had too much cheese on it. It lacked the depth of flavor that a Five Guys burger has. And it didn't come with bacon.</span></p>
<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image"><p class="source"><span>Josh Barro/Business Insider</span></p></div><p></p></div><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">The burger came in a wrapper that brags about what's inside. This is a sure sign of insecurity about product quality. "We hand-leaf our lettuce every day," the wrapper announced. Good for you? I don't know why I should care that the lettuce is leafed by hand.</span></p>
<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image"><p class="source"><span>Josh Barro/Business Insider</span></p></div><p></p></div><span>While the burger was decent, the fries were just kind of sad. In-N-Out makes a big deal about its fries: the potatoes are hand cut and never frozen. The fries did taste very potatoey, but they didn't have the texture french fries should have: crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. They were just fried sticks of hand-cut russet potato. They weren't craveable. And they didn't come with enough salt.</span></p>
<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image"><p class="source"><span>Josh Barro/Business Insider</span></p></div><p></p></div><span>I got this far and then I stopped eating. This meal is almost 1100 calories if you eat the whole thing, and being in Los Angeles already makes me feel fat; about half was enough for me.</span></p>
<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image"><p class="source"><span>Josh Barro/Business Insider</span></p></div><p></p></div><span>This analysis leaves only one real argument for In-N-Out: That it's a value proposition because it's so much cheaper than Five Guys. But a double cheeseburger is already a splurge from a calorie standpoint, regardless of price. To paraphrase an old Johnnie Walker ad campaign, if the difference in price between In-N-Out and Five Guys matters to you, you're eating too much.</span></p>
<p><span style="line-height: 22.5px;">Oh, I actually have to give In-N-Out props for one thing, besides price: They expressly prohibit e-cigarette smoking inside their restaurants, which helps to cut down on the douche factor.</span></p>
<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image"><p class="source"><span>Josh Barro/Business Insider</span></p></div><p></p></div><span>Still, I won't be eating there again on my next trip to California.</span></p>

I Went To In-N-Out Burger And Found It To Be Overrated

<p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div><ul><li><strong>Coca cultivation in Colombia rose again in 2017, though the increase was lower than past years.</strong></li><li><strong>The US government also connected increased production to increased cocaine use in the US.</strong></li><li><strong>Colombia's president-elect is expected to pursue more aggressive security and counter-drug policies.</strong></li></ul><p>The consistent increase in coca cultivation that Colombia has seen in recent years continued in 2017, although at a slightly slower pace, the US Office of National Drug Control Policy said on June 25.</p><p>Cultivation of coca, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/how-cocaine-is-made-2017-10" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cocaine's base ingredient</a>, went up 11% in 2017, rising from 188,000 hectares, or 464,558 acres, in 2016 to 209,000 hectares, or 516,450 acres, last year - "reaching an all-time high," the ONDCP said in a release.</p><p>Colombia's potential pure cocaine production also went up 19%, from 772 metric tons to 921 metric tons last year, though other estimates put the potential production <a href="https://www.insightcrime.org/news/brief/colombia-coca-production-hits-new-record-high-us-figures-say/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">much higher</a>.</p><p>The area under cultivation has steadily risen. The 42% spike between 2014 and 2015 was the largest single-year increase on record, but the growth as slowed over the past two years. The area under cultivation grew 18% between 2015 and 2016 and just 11% between 2016 and 2017. (Though the ONDCP has in the past <a href="https://twitter.com/SanhoTree/status/1011348973129555968" target="_blank" rel="noopener">discouraged</a> year-to-year to comparisons, as its methodology can change.)</p><p>"There's no sugarcoating things here," said Jim Carroll, deputy director of the ONDCP. "This is just not where we want cocaine production to be."</p><p>"Even though Colombian eradication efforts improved in 2017, they were outstripped by the acceleration in production. The Government of Colombia must do more to address this increase. The steep upward trajectory is unacceptable," Carroll said in the release, adding that the US would continue working with Colombia to reduce coca cultivation and cocaine production.</p><p>The ONDCP also connected rising cocaine production in Colombia to increased cocaine use and drug-related violence in the US, though analysts have <a href="https://www.insightcrime.org/news/analysis/cocaine-consumption-rise-think-again/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">disputed that link</a>.</p><p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div><p>"The number of new cocaine users in the United States has increased by 81% since 2013 and overdose deaths involving cocaine have more than doubled during that same timeframe," the release said. "When cocaine was used in some combination with opioids, overdose deaths increased 110%."</p><p>While the area under cultivation hit a new level, eradication was also at one of the highest levels on record, according to Adam Isacson, director of <keyword id="6354810" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="defense">defense</keyword> oversight at the Washington Office on Latin America.</p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"Fifty-three thousand hectares is what they forcibly manually eradicated last year, not even counting the feeble substitution programs, and that's the fourth-most in a year that you've ever had for manual eradication," Isacson said on Monday.</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"If it continued that level or greater of manual eradication, and if they can really step up the crop substitution, then I think they can start getting some reductions pretty soon."</span></p><h2>'The Trump people will be delighted'</h2><p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div><p>The US has long supported the Colombian governments' fight against the drug trade, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/r-colombia-to-use-drones-to-fumigate-coca-leaf-with-herbicide-2018-6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">providing</a> some $10 billion for military and social programs between 2000 and 2015. That aid has fallen to about $400 million annually, and in recent years US officials have been dismayed by coca's rebound from a low point in 2012.</p><p>In 2013, the US government began <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/coca-cultivation-in-colombia-reaches-new-high-1529954782?mod=e2twp" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reducing</a> the aerial spraying used to eradicate coca crops, and the Colombian government suspended the practice <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/r-colombia-govt-confirms-suspension-of-aerial-coca-spraying-2015-5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">in mid-2015</a>, due to health concerns about the herbicides that were used.</p><p>President Juan Manuel Santos, who will leave office on August 7, has also been criticized for a peace accord signed with left-wing rebel group the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia in late 2016.</p><p>Officials in the US and Colombia say the deal doesn't do enough to confront the drug trade, while others on the ground in Colombia say the government has been <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/farmers-in-colombia-relying-on-economic-benefits-of-cocaine-production-2018-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">slow to fulfill its obligations</a>, allowing other criminal groups to pick up FARC's slack and leaving civilians in the lurch.</p><p>Over the past year and a half, the Trump administration has <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/us-officials-missing-most-of-the-picture-over-cocaine-in-colombia-2017-9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pressured Bogota to do more to fight coca production</a> - threatening to decertify Colombia as a partner in the war on drugs in 2017 - while also <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/coca-cultivation-in-colombia-reaches-new-high-1529954782?mod=e2twp" target="_blank" rel="noopener">courting</a> the Colombian government to support the effort to confront the Venezuelan government.</p><p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div><p>Ivan Duque, a right-winger who won a June 16 presidential run-off, is seen as a hardliner likely to adopt more aggressive security and anti-drug policies.</p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"I think he wants to go back to the future," Isacson said of Duque's approach to counter-drug efforts. "The Trump people will be delighted." </span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Duque "has spoken openly about the need to not cut deals with coca growers" and has referred to the section of the accord regarding crop substitution as "that disastrous chapter," Isacson said on Monday, adding that Duque wanted to increase eradication and was likely to use drones to do it.</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Santos has already decided to reintroduce aerial spraying, however, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/r-colombia-to-use-drones-to-fumigate-coca-leaf-with-herbicide-2018-6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">authorizing</a> on Tuesday the use of drones to carry out low-altitude fumigation using the herbicide glyphosate.</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Santos said the drones' low altitude would simulate ground eradication and limit the dangers of glyphosate, which has been linked to cancer. And while others are concerned that Duque's <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/ap-santos-sees-colombia-peace-deal-safe-under-hawkish-successor-2018-6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">harsh criticism</a> of the peace accord means its future is in peril, Santos said the deal is safe.</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><span>"The accord is bulletproofed," Santos <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/ap-santos-sees-colombia-peace-deal-safe-under-hawkish-successor-2018-6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> the Associated Press. A constitutional court ruled the deal was binding on the next three governments, he said, adding that political and legal hurdles that leave little room to change the deal.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><span>"This accord wasn't made for the FARC," Santos said. "It was made for the local communities."</span></span></p><div></div>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/us-coast-guard-bust-1-billion-worth-cocaine-2017-3">Here's what $1 billion worth of cocaine looks like</a></h3>        <div>                    </div>    </div></hr>

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