Rx Mary Jane

Medicating Scooter

2012-01-12T17:32:00.000-07:00

My oldest dog is blind in one eye with a cataract. Sometimes we call him Kenny after the South Park character because he's always under foot or bumping into things. The other day he pulled my laptop off the table and onto his head near his good eye. He had a big bump on his head and the area around his eye was swollen. He was in obvious pain and distress, even having panic attacks.

After talking with my husband, I decided to give him a tiny piece of a medicated cookie I had on hand. He calmed down and went to sleep within a few minutes. No more panic attacks. I gave him a little more before bed and he slept comfortably through the night. Although he was already doing much better the next day I gave him a little more just to help him rest. By the third day he was feeling all better, even wrestling with the other dogs and leading the way on our daily walks.

He's always been a tough little dog, but I was amazed at how well he recovered thanks to the blessings of ganja. I won't hesitate to medicate any of my dogs if the need arises again.

Noise Sensitivity in Fibromyalgia

2012-01-04T13:54:00.002-07:00

If you suffer from hypersensitivity to noise and you have FMS or CFS, you're not alone.

To the common person, a lot of noise can possibly cause a headache and irritability. When you have fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome, loud, repetitive, grating or otherwise annoying sounds can cause a whole host of symptoms.

Noise Sensitivity in Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Wind-blown fibro flare

2012-01-04T11:38:00.007-07:00

It's hard to explain to people what fibromyalgia feels like. It's difficult enough to find words for the day-to-day "chronic" pain, but describing the intensity of a severe flare up is a real challenge... but I'll try.

My hope in writing about this is twofold: to give family and friends of people with fibromyalgia an idea of what the experience of this condition can feel like, and to let other fibro patients know that as crazy as fibro can make you feel, it's not all in your head and you are not alone.

Last week, on Thursday and Saturday, December 29th and 31st, Denver was blasted by high winds with gusts over 100 miles per hour. Wind has always been an issue for me. Whenever I heard on the weather report that a windy day was ahead, I knew I'd better get my comfort supplies together and prepare for a flare up. Some wind storms are worse than others, but this one was particularly brutal, and I didn't see it coming.

I woke up Thursday morning in excruciating pain and filled with anxiety. Apparently, the winds had kicked up during the night, pounding my body and making for very restless sleep. I was already emotional and exhausted when the day started. Although I had a cup of coffee in the morning, I managed to get back to sleep for a couple of hours until the wind intensified. That's when the real torture began.

Fibromyalgia isn't like an arthritic knee that acts up once in awhile. Fibromyalgia, especially when it's flared up, is everywhere! Some areas of the body may feel worse than others, but that's all relative. It still hurts all over, and finding a comfortable position seems impossible.

This particular flare was all about sensory overload. With every gust, I felt like my skin was being sandblasted from the inside. The muscles under my skin were so sensitive that even my clothes hurt. I became hypersensitive to everything in my environment. Not only did I hear sounds, I felt them, vibrating me like a tuning fork. My ears started ringing incessantly, like I had just walked out of a loud concert. Ear plugs were no help because they can't quiet the ringing coming from inside my head. My brain lost the ability to filter out unnecessary sounds, so I heard everything very loudly.

Every gust of wind and every sound brought waves of pain from head to toe. My muscles were tight. My hands and feet were constantly cold and clammy. Unable to control my body temperature, I experienced wild swings from intense hot flashes to freezing cold sweats. I curled up in a darkened area because my eyes were so sensitive to even the dimmest light. I felt disoriented and off balance. Because fibro can affect the muscles that control the eyes including movement and focus, reading was out of the question. My stomach was upset and I had no appetite. My hands and feet ached and tingled and my back and neck spasmed.

I was so overwhelmed with painful sensations that my logical mind struggled to function. At one point, all I could do was curl up in fetal position and beg for it to stop. I couldn't even think of what to do for myself that could make me feel better. Nothing seemed to help. Even the cannabis I had on hand didn't seem to make much of a dent in this flare up, although I can't tell you how consistent I was in my self-medication. Most of the day was lost in a blur of torment.

I was emotionally overwhelmed as well. Anxious and crabby. Dark and depressed. Waves of emotion would come flooding in, pouring over me, threatening to drown me. Crying was out of the question; it hurts too much. I was so distraught, I asked God why I was being tortured, then finally decided that He or She doesn't exist, or at least doesn't care about me. Intense pain can take your thoughts and emotions on a rollercoaster ride like you've never experienced before. It can make you crazy.

And then it stopped. The winds quieted and my symptoms began to ease almost immediately, as if by magic.

I took 1000 mg of L-Tryptophan along with a few puffs of a heavy indica and tried to sleep. I was still tormented all night with wild temperature swings from hot sweats to cold chills, but the hypersensitivity and pain had begun to let up so I could relax a little.

I managed to make it through a busy day on Friday, controlling my symptoms just long enough to get done what was needed. Then back home to collapse and try to sleep. I was still hypersensitive, but not at the torturous level I'd reached the day before.

Saturday brought more winds, but they didn't start until after I was awake, and I was much more prepared for them. It was a painful day, but much more manageable.

Today, I'm still recovering. I'm still exhausted. My muscles and attachments still ache, especially my back, hands and feet. But I'm getting through it.

Every flare is different, from person to person and time to time. Although there may be similarities, my experience of fibro is different from someone else's, and has changed over time. These days, thanks to the miracle of marijuana, most of my fibro flares are mild and manageable compared to this recent one. Rarely do I have a day as miserable as that Thursday was.

I just keep reminding myself that yes, this too shall pass.

Home Growers are NOT the Bad Guys

2012-01-02T15:13:00.009-07:00

I have issues with one of the "pros" constantly promoted whenever a ban on dispensaries comes up, and it is this:

"The proposed ban will not ban medical marijuana. Rather it will take purchases out of highly regulated, secured and taxed centers and push them into our neighborhoods. There are already problems associated with growing in residences, including home invasions, fires, and rental proper...ty damage. The lack of monitoring also increases the risk of child access as excess product is easily diverted to the black market. Medical Marijuana Centers are necessary to keep our neighborhoods safer." — Sweet Leaf Pioneer

This argument pits patients and caregivers, growing marijuana legally as provided in the Colorado Constitution, against dispensaries, grow houses and infused products manufacturers, not even mentioned in the original Amendment 20, I might add. Essentially, this arguement tells the public that anyone growing marijuana in their home is a threat to the community.

C'mon people. We in the industry know this isn't true. And we also know that the ability for a person to grow their own herb is key to the legalization of cannabis for medical use that we enjoy. In fact, dispensaries wouldn't even exist if they didn't cling so tightly to the caregiver label in the first place.

Stop confusing the public by disparaging those who choose to grow their own at home. Stop condemming the very patients who come to you to supplement their personal harvest. Just because you're regulated doesn't make you better, it just makes you another option. Stop trying to be the only option!

The rights of patients and caregivers must remain primary!

You enrich my life

2011-12-02T23:27:00.004-07:00

Nearly every day I hear from someone who is in pain and suffering in a state or country that does not allow the legal use of medical marijuana. I hear about their struggles with the pills they've been prescribed that knock them out and make them unable to function. They tell me about their frustrations with the health care industry and the lack of treatment options for their condition. And they confess their fears about the possible legal repercussions if they are caught treating their illness with this miraculous herb, often the only viable treatment option remaining.

These stories make me so sad. They break my heart with every word. And these stories make me so angry! They renew my commitment to continue spreading the word, reaching out, speaking up and supporting those who choose cannabis.

Thank you to all those who have friended me, trusted me, and enriched my life with your stories.

How to Move Your Money

2011-12-01T11:29:00.002-07:00

People tell me it's too much trouble to move their money to another financial institution. They have electronic banking, direct deposit, automatic bill-pay, debit cards and automatic payments set up. And that's exactly what the banks are counting on -- the hassle factor. So here's how to do it without too much disruption.

OPEN IT!
Your first step is to open a new account at a local credit union or community bank. You don't generally have to make a big initial deposit to get started. Be sure to order a debit card and checks when you set up the account. Now you'll have an account number to work with as you make the shift.

Stop using the old checks and debit card as soon as the ones for your new account arrive. Make sure to maintain enough money in your old account until all outstanding checks and debit card transactions clear. Don’t forget to plan for any automatic payments/deposits that may come through before your changes go into effect.

MOVE IT!
Make a list of everything that needs to be changed and check them off one by one as you move them to the new account. Don't forget things like Paypal accounts, quarterly or semi-annual payments, and annual subscriptions that may surface later. A review of your past few bank statements should give you enough information to create your list. Many, if not all, changes can be made online or by fax, depending on the institution.

If you have direct deposit for payroll, talk to your Human Resources department about changing that to the new account. Generally this is as difficult as filling out a form then waiting for the deposits to start going into the new account. You can find many of the authorization forms you need online, often on the financial institution's web site.

To change Social Security deposits, you need to contact your local office. Be aware that it can take 30-60 days for changes to take effect.

CLOSE IT!
Once you're certain that all the checks and payments have cleared the old account, that any direct deposits are now going into the new account, and that any automatic payments are now coming from the new account -- once you're sure the old checking account isn't used or needed anymore -- CLOSE IT! Withdraw whatever money may be remaining and shut it down. Don't hesitate to politely but firmly let them know exactly why you are closing your account, but remember that most of the people who work at/for banks are just doing their jobs and are part of the 99%.

PARTY!
Don't forget to shred any unused checks and debit cards for the old account. You won't be needing them anymore. You might take this opportunity to throw a Shredding Party and invite all your friends to join you in celebrating your money's big move from Wall Street back to Main Street.

It does take some time and patience, but moving your money is well worth the effort. When you bank with a local credit union or community bank, your money is reinvested back into the community. And your deposits are still insured up to $250,000 per institution through the FDIC or NCUA.

Remember that a lot of people doing small things can have a big impact!

For help finding a local credit union to join, start with this Credit Union Locator.

To find a community bank in your area, visit the Move Your Money Project.

Stay Warm. Stay Dry. Occupy!

2011-11-30T15:10:00.002-07:00

With an arctic blast headed our way, I hope my friends at Occupy Denver have a strategy to keep them warm and dry and healthy, especially since the city won't allow them to have tents or shelters of any kind and is forcing them to sleep on the concrete sidewalk and has sent police to kick over tables, tear down structures, destroy their books and other belongings and take their food supplies.

If Mayor Hancock really cared about the safety of the protesters and public at Civic Center Park, he'd allow them to have shelter, food, port-a-potties and warmth. Common decency and respect for human welfare should prevail here. Oh, but nooooo... he'd rather waste money on police actions so he can play with the shiny toys he inherited when he took over from Hickenlooper. Can't let all that para-military training and fancy equipment we got after 9/11 and the Democratic National Convention go to waste.

Mayor Hancock and Governor Hickenlooper dare to complain about the added expense of having a police presence at Occupy Denver. I wonder how much it costs each season to have extra police out for Broncos games? Did anyone complain about the additional cops needed at the World Series or the Stanley Cup? How 'bout those Super Bowl Parades the city threw for Elway and the crew? I'll bet those knocked a few nuggets out of the coffers! And no body batted a pretty long eyelash about that.

Why? Follow the money. It comes down to ROI.

If Occupy Denver could somehow bring money into the city, the Mayor might find a way to let them stay. If OD could just get people to do their part and go out and spend even more money they don't have on stuff they can't afford, it might go a long way toward softening the Mayor's heart. Right now he's just not getting a good return on his investment.

Stay warm. Stay dry. Occupy!

Firing up the Blog

2011-11-29T08:05:00.001-07:00

Okay. I'll admit it. I've neglected my blog. But there's a lot going on in the world, and I've got a lot to say about it. So it's time to fire up the blog again and get some thoughts out of my head and into cyberspace.

Relief in New Jersey

2010-01-16T09:56:00.003-07:00

Michael Oliveri, a muscular dystrophy patient; his mother, Christiane, left; and Diane Rivera-Riportella react in Trenton, N.J., on Jan. 11 after the New Jersey Legislature approved a bill that would make the state the 14th in the nation to legalize the use of marijuana to help patients with chronic illnesses.

(from MSNBC.com)

Pot Pesto

2009-10-05T14:21:00.008-06:00

Pot Pesto

3 cups chopped fresh basil
1 cup Ganja Olive Oil
1/2 cup pine nuts
2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons minced garlic

Place the basil in a food processor. Pour in about 1 tablespoon of the oil, and blend basil into a paste. Gradually add pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, garlic and remaining oil. Continue to blend until smooth. Store in refrigerator or freeze.

Do not cook pesto. For best taste, allow the pesto to be warmed by the meal it's prepared with.

You can freeze the pesto in ice cube trays, then put in a bag to store in the freezer. Each cube is about 1/4 cup.

Try pesto...

On pizza in place of or in addition to the red sauce
Added to a cream sauce or Alfredo sauce
Mixed with mayonnaise as a sandwich spread or burger topping
Stirred into mashed potatoes
Stirred into risotto
Dolloped on soup
Spread on crostini and topped with chopped tomatoes, smoked salmon, roasted red peppers or goat cheese
Whisked into scrambled eggs or folded into omelets
In pasta salads, potato salads, or salad dressings
Mixed with cream cheese and spread on a bagel

Ganja Olive Oil

2009-10-05T14:07:00.008-06:00

I made a batch of cannabis-infused olive oil yesterday. Really easy and really yummy!

4 cups extra virgin olive oil
1/2 ounce marijuana shake (or as much as you like for potentcy)
Heat on low in a crockpot for 2 hours to allow the THC to infuse the oil. Cool and strain through cheesecloth. Pour into a glass bottle and store in a cool dry place.

This oil can be used in any recipe in place of regular olive oil including salad dressings. Pour a little in a dish, add some fresh ground pepper, and dip pieces of fresh French bread in it.

I grew a lot of basil in my garden over the summer, so it's time to make pesto. I'll make two batches: one medicated using the ganja oil, one using regular EVOO. I'll freeze what I don't use now.

Is it Fibro Fog?

2009-10-04T18:12:00.000-06:00

A Little Something to Help You Get Started Thinking About Fibro Fog:

Many people with Fibromyalgia like to make jokes about Fibro Fog because it's often embarrassing and even frightening. A common scenario: You're having a conversation with someone when suddenly, in the middle of the sentence that's coming out of your mouth, your brain seems to turn itself off. Your mouth hangs open as you desperately search for what you were just saying two seconds ago. But it's no use. Where there once was a clear distinguishable thought in your head, there is nothing left but a vacuous black hole of nothingness. This kind of short-term memory loss is experienced by every Fibromyalgic.

"The wheel is turning, but the hamster left town," as Devin Starlanyl and Mary Ellen Copeland put it in their book, Fibromyalgia and Chronic Myofascial Pain: A Survival Manual, which devotes an entire chapter to Fibro Fog and other cognitive deficits. "You may spend hours every day trying to find various items, like your keys. (After a while, you may feel as though your mind is one of those misplaced items.) You may not recognize things when they are right in front of you but are not in their accustomed place, or when it's in a different package or form.

"Research at the University of Michigan has validated the reality of fibro fog. The researchers observed a similarity between neuroendocrine dysfunction in patients with FM and older but otherwise healthy people. They compared three groups of people: First, a group of people with FM. Second, a control group of healthy people who were similar to those with FM in age and educational background. And third, a group of healthy people with similar educational backgrounds as the others, but who were 20 years older than the other two groups. Because cognitive function begins to decrease, even in healthy people, as soon as adulthood is reached, the three groups were given various age-sensitive neuropsychological testing to see the extent to which Fibromyalgia affected cognitive dysfunction as compared to the normal cognitive loss caused by aging.

Although this is such a good article that I'd love to claim it as my own, I just can't post it in its entirety here. However, I really recommend you read the entire thing. It's definitely worth it!Continue reading...

Cannabis fact #2

2009-09-21T23:07:00.005-06:00

Did you know...

Hemp seed is nature's perfect food. The oil from hemp seeds has the highest percentage of essential fatty acids (EFAs) and the lowest percentage of saturated fats.

EFAs include Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (PUFAs), Omega-3, Omega-6, Omega-9, Linoleic Acid and Gamma Linolenic Acid (GLA).

Although it is very important in skin care and maintenance, GLAs are rarely found in natural oils. Other excellent sources are from the seeds of evening primrose and borage.

Hemp oil also provides an ample supply of carotene, phytosterols, and phospholipids, in addition to a large number of minerals including: calcium, sulfur, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium. It is also a good source of chlorophyll.

Look for hemp oil, hemp milk and hemp protein powder at your local health food store.

George: medical marijuana patient

2009-09-21T12:04:00.005-06:00

At Peace in Medicine Center, we meet patients with various medical conditions who are trying to qualify to legally use medical marijuana according to Colorado law. These patients defy the image of the stereotypical "stoner" who just wants to smoke pot.

Last week a middle-aged man (I'll call him George) came to the Center hoping to see a doctor who could recommend medical marijuana for him. He was obviously ill, looking pale and thin. He shared with one of our staffers that he had terminal cancer and little money. He was told that we would have a doctor in the office that afternoon, but the cost to get his license would be $200, which included the visit with the doctor and the fee to the state registry. He dropped his head, acknowledging that he didn't have the money and headed out the door to his car. When our office manager heard his story, she ran out to his car to tell him that she would see what she could do and he should come back at 1:00 with his medical records.

After discussing his situation with the doctor, it was agreed that this man should be seen by the doctor at no charge. When this obviously needy patient was told that he would be seen by the doctor at no charge so he could use what little money he had to purchase quality medicine, George burst into tears.

"It's been a long time since anyone has done anything so nice for me," he sobbed. "You folks are so wonderful. I don't know how to thank you."

George had everyone in the office in tears. We were so sad for him but happy that we could do something to help relieve his suffering. He left the Center with medicine in his hand and a smile on his face.

Obviously, we can't offer free doctor visits to everyone who walks through our doors. However, we do what we can to help patients in need, like George. At Peace in Medicine Center, we care about our patients' health and well-being.

I hope to share more stories about the variety of patients we see, like a middle-aged gentleman who has had 5 back surgeries and can't function at home or at work on the pain medications that have been prescribed for him. Or the young woman who appears as active and well as any other 20-something, but suffers from seizures. Or another young woman in her 30s who suffers from essential tremors, the same illness that affected Katharine Hepburn. These, and so many others, are examples of the people who need medical marijuana and contact us every day hoping to get legal.

Say what?

2009-09-20T17:23:00.003-06:00

Now that I've been around the marijuana industry for awhile, I find myself regularly using words that weren't even part of my knowledge base only a few months ago. Words like indica, sativa and clone pepper my everyday conversations.

The pharmacists at Peace in Medicine Center have been a wealth of information. When I asked what indica and sativa was, they didn't even laugh at me. "Indica and sativa are opposite ends of the spectrum," TJ told me. "All marijuana strains fall somewhere along the scale between indica and sativa," Ruben added. Then they pointed out two books in our office library: Pot Culture: The A-Z Guide to Stoner Language and Life, and The Cannabible. "You really need to look through these," they told me.

So I did what I was told and read everything I could get my hands and eyes on. Not only did I learn what indica and sativa meant, I learned a whole bunch of other new words like blunt, spliff, kif, kush and trichomes. I learned how to make pipes out of apples and empty pop cans. I learned that THC stands for tetrahydrocannabinol, one of 66 cannabinoids isolated in the cannabis plant so far.

So now, just a few months later, I am often surprised by the words coming out of my mouth. When you're a sponge in a new industry, you don't always realize what information you've absorbed until you have to repeat it to someone else. Discussing marijuana in all its forms and flavors is now part of my daily routine.

So what's the difference between indica and sativa? Indica is better for nighttime; sativa is better for daytime. Indica puts my husband in the snore zone; sativa makes him chatter incessantly. Indica makes my eyes redder and my mouth drier than sativa. Indica is short and fat; sativa is tall and slender.

Now I wonder what I was smoking back in the 70s and 80s when I didn't know (or didn't know enough to care) what I was smoking. Like most everyone else back then, I thought pot was pot; some was just better and more expensive than others. Now I'm better educated.

Somebody load up the vape and pass the Donkey Dick!

Grateful for medical cannabis

2009-07-05T21:56:00.004-06:00

I've really pushed the last couple weeks, with a new job and all. (Oh, didn't I tell you? I've started working at a medical cannabis dispensary.) Now it's Sunday and I'm just finishing up a 3-day weekend off. Doesn't seem that I got to enjoy it much, since I've spent most of the time recuperating. Slept most of Friday and today. Yesterday I managed to get out and about, but must have overdid it. I'm paying for that today.

Most of my pain today is in my neck and back. It's been hard to get comfortable. I think I'll have Hubby rub some Biofreeze on my neck and upper back.

I always have a supply of prescription pain meds in the cabinet, but I hate taking any of them. My repertoire begins with Ibuprofen, then goes on to include Vicodin, Codeine, Ativan, and a muscle relaxer. Some make me itchy; they all make me sleepy. The drug hangover the next day is the worst. But sometimes the pain gets to a point where I have to take something just to break the cycle. Going easy on it seems to prolong the flare rather than allowing it to subside.

Medical cannabis keeps the pain at bay without the nasty side effects. Sure, I can get a little ditsy, high, stoned, but at least I'm still awake. So what if I giggle and laugh a little more. Laughter is like a massage for all my internal organs, especially my heart. Wouldn't the world be a better place if we all laughed more?

With cannabis I don't find myself scratching my head, my nose, my ears, my face, like I do with opiates. I can wake up feeling refreshed, which anyone with fibro knows is unusual. How many nights I longed for one, just one, really good night's sleep. I had come to accept feeling groggy in the morning as normal. Funny how your view of normal changes when you have a chronic condition.

I'm not complaining. You live with the cards you're dealt. I have fibro, but it's not who I am; it's not my identity. And I'm really grateful that Colorado voters approved an amendment to the Constitution allowing for the medical use of marijuana. I'm a novice, still learning and experimenting with various strains. I prefer vaporizing over smoking. I'm fascinated by edibles.

I'm also grateful that I've found a place where I can learn on the job. I'm like a sponge, absorbing new information every day. And the people I work with are so kind, answering any question I have without making me feel like an idiot. I guess I've learned a lot over the last few weeks, because I'm surpirsed and some of the things I hear coming out of my mouth when I'm talking with patients; things I didn't realize I knew because I didn't know them a couple of months ago.

The Biofreeze seems to be doing its job. The cannabis cookies are starting to kick in. I think I'll take a couple hits off the SSV Silver Surfer Vaporizer. Maybe I'll get a good night's sleep and feel better in the morning. As Scarlet said at the end of Gone with the Wind, "After all... tomorrow is another day."

Sleeping on Blackberry Kush

2009-06-17T00:52:00.002-06:00

Blackberry Kush seems to be good for sleep. Trying it again tonight. Slept long and hard last night, which I really needed. We'll see how it does tonight. So far, I'm still awake and typing, which isn't a good sign. But I know I'm very good at fighting drugs, particularly when it comes to sleep. Guess I should go to bed.

I found out why people recommend edibles for medicinal use. More on that later....

Letter to the Editor on behalf of Illinois MMJ Patients

2009-06-17T00:15:00.004-06:00

This letter to the editor appeared in the Chicago Tribune. This letter could have been written about people in any state that has not yet approved the use of medical marijuana. In my opinion, it is very well written and accurately represents my sentiments and those of many others like me. On behalf of all of us, thanks Dan!

Legalize cannabis for patient use

On Election Day last year, Michigan voters made their state the 13th to allow seriously ill patients to use medical cannabis upon the recommendation of a physician. Now, 71 million people -- about 24 percent of Americans -- live in one of the 13 states that allow the doctor-advised, medical use of cannabis.

Suffering patients in Illinois, however, still face arrest for relieving their symptoms with an effective treatment option.

Such a measure enjoys massive support in Illinois. A 2008 poll conducted by Mason-Dixon Polling and Research shows Illinois residents favor allowing seriously and terminally ill patients to use marijuana for medical purposes by a 68 percent to 27 percent margin.

There are already patients in Illinois using cannabis to treat a serious disease or debilitating condition, and they should not have to turn to the criminal market for relief. Most people do not want send a cancer patient to jail for using a treatment his or her doctor has recommended. A 1990 survey of cancer specialists that appeared in the Journal of Clinical Oncology found that 54 percent of those surveyed favored the controlled medical availability of marijuana, and 44 percent had already suggested at least once that a patient use marijuana.

Illinois legislators have a responsibility to ensure seriously ill patients are exempt from state-level prosecution for using a medicine recommended by a physician. Cannabis can improve the quality of life for many patients, and it doesn't have the side effects of some addictive pharmaceutical drugs.

Opponents of medical cannabis often claim laws permitting its use are a step towards legalizing cannabis for everyone or it would send the wrong message to children. None of the states that have passed medical cannabis laws have legalized cannabis for recreational use, and reports on youth cannabis usage rates, where data is available, have shown a decline in teen use after the passage of those laws.

Illinois should not delay in protecting these patients -- for some it is truly a matter of life or death. Moreover, cannabis is a safe, natural medicine and doctors in Illinois should be able to recommend that patients use it if the situation dictates.

-Dan Linn, Illinois Cannabis Patients Association

AK-47 gave me the giggles

2009-06-16T12:29:00.000-06:00

Reminder to self... do not vaporize AK-47 and try to go to sleep! It will make you giggle. It makes others overly chatty. Save this one for parties or for chasing the blues.

Cannabis fact #1

2009-06-08T23:49:00.003-06:00

Did you know...?

Queen Victoria of Britain used a cannabis tea to help with PMS and menstrual cramps.

I wonder what strain it was...

The goat and the gun

2009-06-08T23:19:00.003-06:00

Trying a couple new strains these days: Golden Goat and AK-47. Just medicated with AK-47 for sleep.

Golden Goat doesn't make me sleepy right away. In fact, it's a great evening med. It mellows me out, but not to the point of being stupid. I can still think, converse, do things, make sense of my environment. I'm just more relaxed. But about two hours later it hits me... bam! I'm sleepy and ready to head to bed. If I time it right, I won't spend much time lying awake.

AK-47 is supposed to be for sleep, but not to just wipe you out. Tonight is the first time I've tried it, so I don't have any experience with it yet. I'll let you, my loyal readers, know what happens.

So far I've tried:

Great White Shark - for sleep. Made my heart race and pound. Didn't much like it.
Honeydew - for daytime. It's okay. Not fab, but it works. Nothing extra.
Northern Lights IV - for daytime. Dampens the pain without turning my brain to mush.
Purple Snow - for sleep. Agrees with me much better than GWS. Nice relaxed sleep without a drug hangover like with sleeping pills (especially Ambien for me).
Golden Goat - nice delayed sleepiness.
AK-47 - ??? (I don't like the name, by the way.)

I have a couple other strains on hand to try. A new friend may be bringing me a clone of Northern Lights so I can grow it myself. It's pretty popular, especially with women. And I've been told that Kali Mist is good for women too, so he may bring me a clone of that too. As a medical user, it's tough when you find a strain that really works for you but you can't always find it. Best just to start growing it yourself or find a grower to do it for you.

I'm getting sleepy, but not overwhelmed. Time to put me and my AK47 to bed.

Written while stoned?

2009-06-07T22:14:00.002-06:00

Was this written while stoned? Your guess is as good as mine.

about Facts marijuana

A fact about marijuana is that it is a plant which comes with so many names that it would be harder to account actually all of the different names. Marijuana seeds, edger and cannabis seeds are the a lot of accepted forms, but it is as well knows as hemp, hemp seed, bhang, Charas, dagga, Ganja, hashish, Sativa Seeds, KIF, Indica seeds, TA MA, conopli, juanita, and Hanf, a part of abounding added names. Marijuana is a green, brown, or gray admixture of dried, disconnected leaves, stems, seeds, and flowers of the hemp bulb (Cannabis sativa). Cannabis is an appellation that refers to marijuana and added drugs fabricated from the aforementioned plant. Added forms of cannabis cover sinsemilla, hashish, and assortment oil. All forms of cannabis are mind-altering psychoactive drugs.

Marijuana is accepted biologic a part of teens, and has adverse affects on health. The major facts about marijuana is an affable accustomed assemble acclimated in treatments, distracts the austere statement that marijuana corruption is not acceptable for everyone, abnormally for adolescent teens. Therefore, it is acceptable to apperceive the belief and facts about the marijuana. Marijuana altered form is adverse in abounding ways. Memory loss, adulterated perception, and abounding added concise furnishings of biologic abuse. Potential adeptness of an apprentice is abashed with marijuana abuse.

The abuser assumes that abusing marijuana is not adverse than tobacco. Smoking fact about marijuana is that 5 times added adverse than tobacco. With both tobacco, and marijuana abuse, abuser observes the agnate effects, but the affects of Marijuana biologic corruption on physique are added alarming than furnishings of tobacco.

According to biological research and studies on health, age 12 and earlier had abused MDMA at atomic already in a year. There are many facts and solutions available online to cope with this problem, and you will be capable to find one that fits your needs and budget. As an alternative of expending your time trying to estimate how long marijuana will reside in your body, merely discover facts about marijuana, and then purchase the product which is most effectual and suitable for the particular drug test you will be undergoing.

Huh? Pot is good for your...uh...brain?

2009-05-28T22:40:00.005-06:00

For so many years I thought pot, and anything else you might enjoy, kills brain cells. WTF? I wasted so many opportunities to "give birth to new nerve cells". I feel so deprived. I guess it's never too late to learn something new. Hehehe

High times for brain growth: marijuana-like drug multiplies neurons.

In the stoner stereotype, pot smokers and dying brain cells go hand in hand. However, new research suggests the situation may be more uplifting than that. A drug that functions as concentrated marijuana does may spur neurogenesis, the process by which the brain gives birth to new nerve cells.

Previous research had suggested that neurogenesis happens only in select locations in the brain, such as the hippocampus, a region involved in learning and memory. Some studies have shown that this process is inhibited by most illicit drugs, such as cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine. However, says Xia Zhang of the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon, marijuana's effect on neurogenesis has not been clear.

To be more serious about the subject... I wonder what this could mean for people with degenerative nerve disorders and brain injuries? Maybe nothin'. Maybe somethin'.

Read the rest of the article as it appeared in Science News...

Welcome to the Mile High City

2009-05-28T21:35:00.007-06:00

This story had me ROFLMAO! A little buzz doesn't hurt either.

420 @ 5000'
posted at a man and a mouse

When I first moved to Denver, I drove from my real home in California, bringing with me the belongings of a lifetime. I knew no one in the Mile High City and I needed the relief that one gets from familiarity. I had enough to make me happy. I was good.

Two months later the realization came that one thing I had brought with me was, in fact, finite. So it was time to start finding a place to purchase marijuana. I began searching the internet for a resource. Everything is on the internet these days.

buy pot Denver I typed into Google and clicked through to a Yahoo group made up of people with ties to the medical marijuana movement. I honed in on the Denver chapter and called a doctor to find out what I needed to have. Fortune shined, in an ironic way, because I had none of the maladies that allowed me to register for a medical marijuana card.

420 sales Denver Every year on April 20, Denver celebrates marijuana freedom downtown in Civic Center Park. Cool. But this was August. I'm gonna wait for April?

420 park Denver Another posting in another group invited the city of Denver to a birthday party. Hmmm. It seems that, with some additional investigation, the celebrant was known in Colorado politics for his stance on marijuana freedom. He had run for Governor. He was throwing himself a birthday party in City Park, 5 blocks from where I lived.The sure-to-be-a-smoke-in had been three weeks prior but the man had added his telephone number to his signature.

It took me three weeks to call the number.

Don't stop now. There's a lot more to this story that's well worth the time. Keep reading at a man and a mouse...

I am a child of the 70s

2009-05-28T16:57:00.006-06:00

That sounds like an introduction at a 12-step program: "I'm Mary Jane and I am a child of the 70s." Waiting to hear the drone of "Hi Mary Jane."

Back to my story...

Yes, I am a child of the 70s. As much as I hate to admit it, I'm 50 years old. I grew up in the 70s. Pot was widely available. I smoked a little in high school, but not that much. I was offered plenty; after all, I am a girl. Most guys I knew had access to pot and were more than willing to share it with me (and anyone else with breasts, I'm sure). I didn't much like pot back then. I'm too much of a dominating control freak, I suppose. I was more into white crosses.

Throughout my life I've had opportunities to enter the world of cannabis. I've have several guys who were tokers. My ex-husband indulged quite heavily when we lived in Arizona. Musicians are always good for a stash, and my drummer boyfriend was no exception. Another old boyfriend used to keep 3 types in his freezer: a creative strain, a happy strain, and a sleepy strain. I have no idea what strains those actually were, but they were fun. I remember recounting the details of the "Paul is Dead" Beatles conspiracy theory while under the influence.

Now, I feel like a total novice when it comes to marijuana. I've always been an advocate of legalization, but was never that into it personally. I think the last 1/4 ounce my husband bought has lasted us months. We have no idea what kind it is. I do know it's a lot stronger than what I remember from my youth.

So here I am... 50 years old and buying pot for the first time! I'm getting a crash course into the world of marijuana from some excellent teachers. I feel like a sponge, absorbing as much information as I can get. I had no idea there were so many different strains! I was amazed to discover there were 8 different cannabinoids in addition to THC. Last night I saw a high tech cloning machine.

Now I'm cautiously experimenting and documenting how various strains affect me. There have been some surprises... like my hot flashes and night sweats have subsided. My husband can actually snuggle with me in bed at night! There will likely be some duds... like the first strain I tried for relaxation and sleep made my heart pound. It's sort of exciting to think that maybe, in my own small way, by sharing my experiences I might contribute to the legalization effort.

I'll be letting you know how it goes!