Treating Yourself

Treating Yourself

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Treating Yourself Mission Statement

be made \ue000ully legal to any and all who have obtained the age o\ue000 majority!

The time has come \ue000or our governments and lawmakers World Wide to abolish the immoral prohibition o\ue000 an innocuous \ue000lower! The time has come to realize that we are not \u201cpotheads\u201d or \u201cstoners\u201d, \ue00 tax payers; we go to work every day we are employed in every walk o\ue000 li\ue000e. People who use marijuana range \ue000rom janitors to judges, barbers to doctors\u2026 yes even a good number o\ue000 our police use marijuana!

Yet the \ue000acts remain the same... we still \ue000ace prohibition, we are still unjustly locked up, we can still have our lives ruined! All because the propaganda machine is kept well oiled and \ue000ine tuned. It is our duty to throw sand in those gears! It is our duty to dismantle this ponderous loathsome machine! The only way to achieve this is to \u201cwalk the walk\u201d and \u201ctalk the ta we... the marijuana consumers o\ue000 the world must show the lawmakers that we do NOT cause harm, we are TreatingYoursel\ue000.com was created in May 2002 to responsible, we are respectable and we are valued, provide medical marijuana users with in\ue000ormation to members o\ue000 society! productive assist them in their responsible use o\ue000 medical marijuana. It is long past due that we remove the stigma that is

attached to marijuana, to date there are hundreds o\ue000 The Treating Yoursel\ue000 Journal was launched in August legal marijuana users in Canada who would rather 2005. It is a journal written by patients \ue000or patients, that the \u201cpublic\u201d not know who they are. Not \ue000or and has grown into a world wide source o\ue000 in\ue000ormao\ue000 being ripped o\ue000\ue000\u2026 no... They would rathe tion. anonymous because society has allowed the stigma-

tism o\ue000 \u201cpothead\u201d and \u201cstoner\u201d to co TY provides patients and care givers the in\ue000ormation rather remain anonymous because they don\u2019t want to on where they can acquire seeds, to di\ue000\ue000erent methbe harassed by police \ue000or their legal gardens\u2026 they ods o\ue000 growing medical marijuana \ue000or don\u2019t themselves want their pro\ue000essional careers to be inter\ue00 and introducing healthier methods o\ue000 takingwith. theirAll they really want is to be allowed to live a more medicine. pain \ue000ree productive li\ue000e! There are literally hundreds

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o\ue000 thousands more that use marijuana as a relaxant to Our website treatingyoursel\ue000.com is the largest and help manage stress, stress kills! most compassionate medical marijuana website to date. TY is a predominately \u201cmedical marijuana\u201d web- the social user marijuana is used at parties Even \ue000or site whose goal it is to provide the education in the responsible use o\ue000 marijuana as it applies to medicine, Treatingyourself.com was created and to consolidate as many \u201cpro marijuana\u201d websites and interest groups with a goal to co-ordinate all o\ue000 in May 2002 to provide medical our e\ue000\ue000orts with regards to the issues o\ue000 legalization.

marijuana users with information to Team TY would like to welcome all respectable, responassist them in their responsible use of sible marijuana users. We would like to see a concerted e\ue000\ue000ort on behal\ue000 o\ue000 allmedical respectable,marijuana. responsible

marijuana users World Wide, helping in the e\ue000\ue000ort to abolish prohibition as prohibition must be abolished! As individual \u201cinterest groups\u201d we are at theother mercy and and gatherings, much in the same way that whim o\ue000 the governing bodies o\ue000 the world, however alcohol is used\u2026 with \ue000ar less addicting e\ue000\ue000 i\ue000 we were to unite and begin to demonstrate to the the morning a\ue000ter hangover. Marijuana is o\ue000 without world that we are responsible and respectable memcourse among the most benign o\ue000 the so called \u201cparty bers o\ue000 society the choice will be clear. Marijuana must drugs\u201d, \ue000ar greater threats can be \ue000ound in the \

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WE MUST LEGALIZE MARIJUANA! We must remove the criminal element from marijuana To do this it must be legal for anyone to grow and use marijuana who is at or above the age of consent! crack cocaine and crystal meth! To suggest that the ingesting o\ue000 a plant such as marijuana should also carry with it the \u201cshame\u201d o\ue000 a criminal record and the possible destruction o\ue000 any \ue000uture career opportunity or even the ability to \ue000reely travel about the globe.. Is in \ue000act a \u201cshame\u201d and a \u201ccrime\u201d against the responsible and respectable marijuana consumers o\ue000 the world! We must legalize marijuana! We must remove the criminal element \ue000rom marijuana, to do this it must be legal \ue000or anyone to grow and use marijuana that is at or above the age o\ue000 consent! By removing the archaic laws that continue to prohibit the \ue000ree use o\ue000 this wondrous herb we would \ue000ree up multiple billions o\ue000 dollars currently being eaten up by police agencies around the globe in an e\ue000\ue000ort to stamp out a relatively harmless plant!

Half Page Gravity Vortex By doing so our \ue000ine police o\ue000\ue000icers would be able to concentrate on ending the threat o\ue000 \ue000ar more danAd gerous and insidious addictive drugs such as crack cocaine and meth amphetamines. There is a better way! The government needs to hear your voices! Goes Here Send your thoughts to your local MP or Government representative; do not be a\ue000raid, only criminals need H or V to be a\ue000raid! You are simply pursuing your rights! The \ue000uture is in your hands, shape it wisely ... someday your health may hang in the balance! Team TY and all o\ue000 the members o\ue000 TreatingYoursel\ue000. com, wish you good health and good grows.

The Treating Yourself Journal was launched in August 2005 It is a journal written by patients for patients, and has grown into a world wide source of information.

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Marco’s Editorial Wow! I really can’t believe that 2008 is just aroundSpanish or our readers in those countries who can’t the corner. I must say that 2007 brought a lot o read English. Now I am not saying that we are going to be printing 5 di erent magazines as this is only excitement to us here at Treating Yoursel . Not only going to be available on our website. did we participate in consumer shows here in Canada but we were able to do so in Amsterdam twice and With the increase in pages comes an increase in prothe UK once. I’m hoping to be able to participate induction and mailing costs. E ective Jan.1/08 the price some upcoming events that are being held in Spaino our publication is going up to $7.99 USD/CAD per and Switzerland to increase our readership in thosesingle copy, subscription rates are $30.00 USD/CAD 1 year (4 Issues) or those living in USA / Canada and countries as well. I wanted to put together the thickest issue that we have printed since we started our $45.00 USD 1 year (4 Issues) or those who live outside o North America. I promise to continue to bring publication in Aug.2005. As you can see, I managed our readers a quality publication and would like to to do that. In 2007, I managed to get Michelle Rainey, Je Tek,thank you or your continual support. Our irst issue Shantibaba and Ivan Art to join our team here at in 2008 is going to contain quite a ew smoke reports o various strains that were either purchased rom Treating Yoursel and I am looking orward to getting compassion clubs or were grown by the med patient others to join us too. themselves. I have a unny eeling that 2008 is going to be extremely exciting or us here at Treating Yoursel From all o us here at Treating Yoursel we would like with all the changes that we have planned. We areto wish everyone a sa e and happy holiday season. working on getting all o our previous issues available Take Care and Peace online as a FREE PDF download, getting our own server in place in order to make visiting our website thatMarco Renda Federal Exemptee much more enjoyable and not to mention aster. We & Editor in Chie are looking into having our articles available in the Publisher ollowing languages Dutch, French, German, Italian and

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Half Page Sensi Seeds Ad

Paradise Seeds Full Bleed ad f l e s r u o Y g n i t a e r

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Who’s Who in IssueAdvertisers 10 Index Publisher / Editor in Chie : Marco Renda weedmaster@treatingyoursel .com

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Activ Oil ....................................................................................... 127 Balladeer ..................................................................................... 155 Bog................................................................................................... Designer: Chris Thompson Cannabis College ..................................................................... 55 chris@treatingyoursel .com Celebstoner.com ......................................................................... 42 Crosstown Tra ic ........................................................................ Director o Sales & Marketing: Michelle Rainey Dependable Seeds........................................................................ 3 michelle.rainey@treatingyoursel .com DNA Genetics............................................................................... 89 Dolce Vita ...................................................................................... Assistant to the Editor: Je Tek Dr Green ........................................................................................ je tek@treatingyoursel .com Dutch Passion .............................................................................. 31 Earth Wind & Water .................................................................. 61 Krysania: East Side Impex .......................................................... Back Cover krysania@treatingyoursel .com: Ethnogarden ................................................................................ 14 Frank Discussion ......................................................................... 50 Q & A Advisor: Shantibaba shantibaba@treatingyoursel .com Fresh Headies............................................... Inside Front Cover FS Book Co .................................................................................. 152 Recipe Guru: Che Uni Gravity Vortex ................................................................................. che uni@treatingyoursel .com Green Harvest .............................................................................. 88 Green House .................................................................... 194, 195 Technical Writer: Ally a.k.a P lover Greenli e Seeds ........................................................................... 17 ally@treatingyoursel .com Grow Doc Seeds........................................................................ 127 Happy Chie .................................................................................. Submissions: Harvest Master ............................................................................ 90 submit@treatingyoursel .com HID HUT ......................................................................................... H.U.M.A.N. .................................................................................... Magazine Contributors IMedia ............................................................................................ Eddy Lepp, Je Tek, P lover, Sheree Krider, IvanArt International Home & Garden Show ................................ 108 Che Uni, Zardoz, Krysania, Shantibaba, Jeremy Norrie Ivan Art................................................................................... 81,100 Al Graham, Anthony C. Brucato, Ackola, Mr.Nice KDK Guy Distributors ......................................................................... 11 Yrekagrow, Leonard Peltier, Patrick Casey, Wendal Grant Glass................................................................................ 12 Laplaya Salvatore Messina HD, Opus, Otto Snow, Skylar, Uli Leonard Peltier ............................................................................ 10 Vycki, Chris Thompson, Steve Bloom, Capt. Adam Michelle Rainey.............................................................................. Mr.Nice Seedbank .................................................................... 112 Special Thanks to: Skip Stone Nature’s Nectar ............................................................................ 74 Next Level ..................................................................................... Photography: Nirvana........................................................................................... Craig Lemire and Jason Dunlap o Hello Jazz Productions, Chris Thompson, Subcool, Je Tek, Al Graham, Vycki Otto Snow ..................................................................................... 30 Che Uni, Zardoz, Marco Renda, Hashimoto, R.Carrillo Paddy O’Sullivan ....................................................................... 136 Opus, Mary K Bassett-crow, Chris Annis, Capt. Adam Paradise Seeds............................................................................. 63 Planetary Pride .......................................................................... 127 Artwork: Chie Quick Grow Canada ................................................................... 17 Quick Trading ............................................................................. 148 Treating Yoursel Quintessential.............................................................................. 91 250 The East Mall Salvatore Messina HD .............................................................. 42 P.O. Box 36531 Sensi Seeds ................................................................................. 141 Etobicoke, Ontario Silver Sur er Vaporizer .............................................................. 80 M9B 3Y8 Canada Skunk Magazine........................................................................ 139 Phone: 416 620 1951 Fax: 416 620 0698 SOMA .............................................................................................. PRINTED IN CANADA Spannabis.................................................................................... 193 Subscribe to Treating Yoursel ............................................. 171 Advertising Policy Statement TGA GENETICS ........................................................................... 105 Treating Yoursel is not responsible or the actions, service THSeeds ......................................................................................... or quality o the products and businesses advertised inTreating Yoursel Website ...................................................... 149 our publication. We will not knowingly support unethical WeedWorld ................................................................................. 119 practices o any advertiser. I you choose to purchase West Coast Growers............................................................. 98,99 a product rom one o our advertisers, please let them Vancouver Seed Bank ............................................................... 74 know that you saw their ad in TREATING YOURSELF Vaporizer.ca ................................................................................ 147 MAGAZINE.

Inside This Issue of Treating Yourself Ty Mission Statement ........................................................... Vegetative 4 Growth ............................................................ 109 Marco’s Editorial ...................................................................... Why? / Why6Not? .............................................................. 113 A Non-using Teenager Point O View........................... Selectively 12 Breeding Outdoor Strains ........................ 114 Why I Don’t Feel Good About

Vancouver Island – 2007

Getting A Section 56 .......................................................... 13 Outdoor Grow Report...................................................... 120 Getting Wasted On

A Layman’s View On Farming,

Industrial Strength Hemp ................................................ Fertilizing 15 And Hydroponics ......................................... 124 Insane In The Hemp-brain? ............................................. Setting 18Up A Small All Year Grow Room ................... 128 Big Brother, It Seems, Has Been Watching ................. Growing 32 Is A Therapy; Chie ’s Ty Tokin Toons ........................................................ Flowers 34 Are The Medicine ............................................ 130 Parasites And Intestinal Battle Ground ....................... Ty 43 At The Toronto Home Show The Side Efects O Pharmaceutical Drugs................. 45 Final Chapter? ............................................................ 132 The Mixing Marijuana And Hypnotherapy ......................... 48 Krider – In My Opinion. .................................... 137 Sheree Get Hip To The Tip! .............................................................. 51 From Leonard Peltier................................. 140 A Message Prohibition At A Glance .................................................... 53 Yoursel Poetry.................................................. 142 Treating Marihuana, A Signal O Misunderstanding ............... 57 Treating Yoursel Book Reviews ................................... 150 Interview With The

Here There Everywhere ................................................... 153

Reviewing Kings O Kottonmouth ...................................................... 64 The U o Led ................................................... 156 2007 Pharmapharmer Interviews Trainwreck ...................... 70Xmas Wish List ......................................................... 158 The Amma’s An Awards Show

The Vapor Genie ................................................................ 164

Grows In Brooklyn ............................................................... 76 Zardoz Product Reviews ................................................. 166 To Fim Or Not To Fim And When To Top,

Che Uni’s Kitchen ............................................................. 172

Lollypop Or Supercrop ...................................................... 82 Guide For Preparing/Drying Pollen For Freezing /Lepptomania -

f l e The Adventures And Writings Of Storage / Sending .............................................................. 92 s r u The Third Dimension ........................................................ 101 Eddy Lepp, Cannabis Activist .................................. 176 o Y What’s In The Garage? ..................................................... 106In Memoriam: Linda Senti........................................... 192g n i t a e Disclaimer: r Treating Yoursel wishes to remind readers to be aware that the sale, possession and transport o viable cannabis seeds are illegal inTmany countries, particularly in the USA. We do not wish to induce anyone to act in con lict with the law. We do not promote the germination 0 and growth o these seeds where prohibited by law. Treating Yoursel assumes no responsibility or any claims or representations contained 1 # in this publication or in any advertisement. All material is or entertainment and educational purposes only! Treating Yoursel does not e encourage the illegal use o any o the products or advertisements within. All opinions are those o the writer and do not necessarily re lect u s s those o Treating Yoursel . Nothing in this publication may be reproduced in any manner, either in whole or in part without the expressed I written consent o the publisher. All rights reserved. All advertised products and o ers void where prohibited. Occasionally we may use material we believe to be placed in the public domain. Sometimes it is not possible to identi y or contact the copyright holder. I you claim ownership o something we have published we will be pleased to make a proper acknowledgement. All letters and pictures sent ~ are assumed to be or publication unless stated otherwise. Treating Yoursel can not be held responsible or unsolicited contributions. No portion o this publication can be reproduced or pro it without the written consent o the publisher.

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A Non-Using Teenager’s Point of View

I would like to open my article this issue with a very closed ended statement. Our youth today are too closed-minded. Now you might be asking yoursel , how I can make such a statement. I live it every day; I see examples o it every time I get up and go to school. It is very di icult to ind a high school student today that is in the middle o the spectrum where I am. O ten, they are either absolutely in love with the idea o using pot and use it quite requently themselves, or they are so opposed to the idea, it rocks them right down to their moral oundation. Some days these people are amusing. Other days, they are just ignorant. Either way, they o ten spend their time, trying to blindly argue their points without proper backup, proo or evidence. Now I am not saying that every high school student is in this boat. Some are actually well rounded, diverse individuals. Those are the people who actually RESEARCH their acts and know them be ore t present their argument or one side or the other. Why is our youth like this? You might also be asking yoursel . There are many possible answers here, but I will give you what view to be the main and central reason here. Where I place my blame is on the schools and the various “Be sa e! Just say No! away rom drugs!” programs. I understand that, yes, our youth does need some warning and instruction given to them to st away rom some o the harsher, li e ruining drugs such as cocaine and crystal meth. However, o ten when they come in, the usually on a rampage against marijuana. It is like an episode o Dragnet in real li e. Again, don’t get me wrong here, Dragne a wonder ul amusing show, but I don’t think it has quite the same e ect on our youth as these drug awareness programs th either the police, or amous boxers turned drug ighters put on to help guide our youth in the right direction. In my honest and rank opinion, we should back o and stop bullying marijuana. I’m not saying we should legalize and allo people access to it willy-nilly, but I think the resources put orward to combat its usage could be better used in other problem areas such as the rising usage o things such as crystal meth and oxycotin. The gist o what I’m trying to say here is that we shouldn’t give students our opinions o one view point or another. We should giving them the opinions rom both sides and allowing them to make their own in ormed decisions. That is my simple solutio to having in ormed, non radical adults—start them early with both sides. Krysania, age 17 I you wish to contact me you can reach me at Krysania@treatingyoursel .com .

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hardly unction. First time I tried Medical Marijuana it was like everything un urled. My tensed muscles and nerves released. I was able to do basic chores and elt I had purpose again.

Why I Don’t Feel Good About Getting A Section 56

I have my card and a grower, good or me. So you think it would make me happy but it doesn’t. Maybe I got back into art again, something I wasn’t able to do since this disorder started. It gave me a piece o my li e because I can’t orget the aces o the many patients who used the London Compassion society and now back. A simple little weed, as strange as that sounds to someone who hasn’t been here, helped me live again. have nowhere to get decent medication. They were le t Why is hope like that illegal? su ering and who cares? It would be di erent i they were able to get a Doc to old guard has to go, the baby boomers need to The sign or them, but most won’t. I was without medsbring or sanity to this. Sick people need help now! Not a ew months because o the Compassion club being when and i the government sorts it out. It is critical shut down. I went out o my mind with pain and lack to su erers now! I will not let go o the aces o people o sleep. Only saving grace was knowing mine were I met over time at the Compassion club. I eel their growing and help was coming. haunted, hollow eyes, and their pain. So what about the poor buggers that have no choice I won’t orget them. but to hit and miss with street junk? What makes me any better than any o them? Nothing. Only di erence Thanks or the orum. Free the Weed! is my Doc and that shouldn’t be. Mary K Bassett-crow Anyone with a chronic disease, who has compilcations with prescriptions, should be entitled. None o us chose to have these diseases or chronic pain. When marijuana is the only thing that gets rid o the misiries, you do what you can to get out o them. I’d like every politician to su er like us or a week and see i they don’t turn or it in desperation too. I there is no other medication that can address things so well, then what is the problem? Hmm the drug lords, pressure rom the U.S., or haven’t igured out the best way yet how to make money o the poor and su ering? The Compassion club is the only way to go. The government can’t get it right, so people su er in the interem while they igure it out. They’re not listening to the people’s wishes. We want an environment like the clubs have to o er. I have lesions all over and it makes it hard to mix it up in the public. At least at the club you were understood and didn’t eel shunned because o appearance. There were times they were my only human contact outside o home. I needed that and so did many others that came there. The personal touch was everything. The club had a menu board and you could choose according to what your pain needed. Having them to consult in many areas, not just marijuana and get advice was great. You elt like you mattered. How can you replace that with an 1- 800 number? You can’t! I went seven years undiagnosed and many medications tried on me over that time. They all led to internal bleeding and or horrible mental con usion. I could

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Let me start by saying that it was a lot di erent than I expected. For this to make any by Jari Dvorak or Treating Yoursel Magazine sense medically, there “Marijuana-derived drug approved or cancer pain” reads are some a recent and very attention grabbing headline. For us things that interested in and/or in need o medical marijuana, it was need clarihard to miss the recent media interest in Sativex. ication. Sativex is one o the new types o prescription medicaBecause the tion with active ingredients that are ound only in the word “canCannabis plant. The medicine is packaged in a tiny nabis”, despite o its scienti ic correctness, can mean brown bottle with a spray pump. It is used by spraying di erent things to di erent people. the content below the tongue or inside the cheeks, and Firstly, a bit about the name “cannabis”. Yes, scienti ically, is not inhaled. that is the correct name. Practically, there are two types The irst time I heard about Sativex was a ew years back. o cannabis plants: One is the industrial hemp plant, At that time I was part o a team dra ting a protocol or which in Canada is armed to produce abrics, hemp oil, Canada’s irst clinical study o smoked marijuana and and omega, 3&6 and all kinds o other wonder ul things. HIV. The team was aced with numerous un oreseen The other Cannabis plant is Marijuana. The main di erissues. As soon as we resolved one problem, two other ence is that inhaling marijuana helps with symptoms o ones came up. We learned the hard way about the huge illness, along with providing some euphoria. Smoking di iculties and barriers to clinical testing o an illegal o hemp does neither. All the things that are produced substance. rom hemp can also be produced rom marijuana. But A gentleman rom GW Pharmaceuticals came to one o that would be illegal. our somber team meetings. He showed us a predecessor As the cannabis plant matures, its leaves, and especially o today’s Sativex. Inside, we were told, was an extract lowers, get covered in patches o resin. The resin is a mix rom the cannabis plant. The team was impressed. A o approximately sixty di erent substances collectively proposal was made: “Why not test the spray instead known as cannabinoids. Some o these are present in o the smoked marijuana?” Both are cannabis. Just the high concentrations, others only in small amounts. delivery method is di erent. And it would be so much Cannabinoids have weird chemical names that are hard easier to agree on a clinical protocol or the spray. That to pronounce. They are easier to remember by their inistruck a nerve. The team was tired o the endless probtials. The most recognized one is Tetrahydrocannabinol lems around smoking. It was tempting. In the end we or THC. Another one that stands out is called CBD. And decided not to test the spray. GW Pharmaceutical was a yet another one is called CBN . And so it goes. It is the private company and it would not be right to use public level o concentration o THC that determines i the plant money or the trial. is marijuana or hemp. Visually, both plants are identical. Forward to 6 years later. The clinical study o smoked Both produce cannabinoids. The only way to tell them marijuana lost its unding. Sativex is approved in Canada apart is by the chemical composition o the resin they and distributed to pharmacies by the Bayer Co. The produce. I the resin contains less than 0.3% THC it is pharmaceutical companies know about the medical f l hemp - according to the law. Anything over 0.3% is maripower o the plant and are extremely eager to exploit e juana. Why 0.3%? That is such a trace amount that there s it commercially. Research is constantly coming up with r is no danger o anyone getting euphoric. u new breakthroughs. Certain cannabinoids may even When it comes to psychoactive e ects, it’s the propor-Yo prevent the onset o Alzheimer’s and shrink cancer tion o THC and CBD that makes most o the di erence. g tumours. When it comes to pain control, cannabinoids THC by itsel produces a euphoric high. CBD by itsel in are expected to be better than the opiates (Morphine, creates the groggy, “drugged” eeling. The proportion to Codeine, and Heroin). The human body has ten times a these two in marijuana makes or the di erent strains. e more cannabinoid receptors than opiate receptors. That r Higher THC content means more euphoria. Higher CBD T opens the door to the ormulation o new, extremely makes or the knock-out sleepy kind o experience. The power ul, possibly non addictive pain killers. 0 presence o other cannabinoids also makes some di er1 Naturally I became curious how Sativex stacks up with # ence in the overall e ect. I all this sound a bit complicate marijuana. Will it help me with my appetite? A doctor u s ed, think o ixing a Martini. To the connoisseur, the right s agreed to prescribe me one spray, o label. The spray I proportion o gin and vermouth is most important. But costs about $165. With my private insurance reimbursthe twist o lemon or an olive also makes a di erence. ing most o it, I still ended up paying $33. And this Surprisingly, i the proportion o THC and CBD are~ roughpiece o writing is my report on what it was like to use ly equal, they cancel each other out. No euphoria. To Sativex. 1

Getting Wasted On Industrial Strength Hemp

One Patient’s Experience With Sativex

marijuana users this might seem strange. Nevertheless, Ditto at dinner time. On the second day at break ast my this speci ic proportion o THC and CBD is the sweet stomach elt queasy. Again, one squirt didn’t help. That point or pharmacological research. The pharmaceutical was very di erent rom marijuana. Normally, couple o companies don’t want anything to do with euphoria.tokes It’s would have calmed my tummy. illegal. Besides, many patients do not like the euphoria. I gave it a couple more squirts to see what that would The Holy Grail is to come up with use ul medications do. Not much changed. Later on, while biking to doctor’s that don’t get the patient high. appointment, I had a sudden lashback. A kind o disorientation washed over me. It was enough to get me o All this adds up to a seemingly di icult question: With marijuana being illegal, how do the pharmaceuticalthe bike or a moment. It dissipated in a minute and I continued biking. companies produce enough cannabinoids or research and production? A ter a ew days o such experimentation, my sinuses At irst pass I could not ind a straight orward answer. began I acting up. The sinus pain made me eel miserable. looked to the internet and ound only ragmented clues. The dinner o roasted chicken didn’t look appetizing. I Some hints emerged on the web sites o medical supply decided to give Sativex another try. I squirted until the houses, others rom hemp producers. It took several spray was completely empty. 10 squirts! For a moment sources to piece it all together. In the end the answer the bitter taste o medicine elt like a hint o munchies. turned out simpler than I thought. The industry getsBut it wasn’t to be. 10 minutes later I still didn’t eel like what they need rom hemp. eating. In another 10 minutes I caught mysel weak and lethargic, watching TV. The pain rom my sinuses had Hemp is very easy to work with. It is legal in most countries. It contains all the cannabinoids that marijuanadisappeared but my appetite did not improve. Back to watching TV. does. The proportions are a bit di erent…but that’s no problem or modern chemistry. Ni ty machines extract At some point I realized that I had been sitting in ront the resin rom hemp, split it into individual cannabinoids o the television, zonked like a zombie, or three hours. and package them in bottles. Researchers can mix and Unexpectedly I began slipping into an anxiety attack. I match them in di erent ways, eed them to rats, study went to bed but the anxiety made it di icult to sleep. I them in clinical trials. woke up bleary eyed. It was a sad ending or my test. It did The research is still at the early stage. The irst wave o help with the sinuses, though. research ocused on examining the e ect o each cannaMore cannabinoid medications - rom hemp or othbinoid separately. Synthetic cannabinoids came to the erwise - are on their way. I view this as a very positive scene. That gave us Marinol – the disagreeable appetite development. It will help many patients who normally stimulant pill. Sativex is a product o the next generation wouldn’t go near marijuana. research – two cannabinoids interacting together. This On the sur ace, Sativex might be giving the drag czars does not come even close to the interplay o the sixty another excuse to keep medical marijuana illegal. cannabinoids that users o medical marijuana ind Recently so the Canadian Medical Marijuana Research help ul. For pharmacological research the interplayFund o sowas cancelled. The Health Minister took the oppormany ingredients is impossible to study. Such complextunity to make the strategy behind the cut clear: “Clinical ity is well beyond the current research capability. research regarding the use o marijuana or therapeutic and the development o marijuana-based This brings me to recount my experience purposes with products is best undertaken and unded by the pharSativex. I was going through a bit o lu like symptoms and maceutical industry”. This is a phony argument. In reality, the pharmaceutical industry has no inducement to decided to take a break rom marijuana. It made sense marijuana. They have easier options, such as to try Sativex. I began by going over the product in research orhemp extracts and synthetics. We patients need to insist mation sheet. f l on the clear distinction between medical marijuana and Sativex contains two cannabinoids – THC and CBD e s cannabis based medications. dissolved in mint lavoured alcohol. It says that both r u cannabinoids are rom cannabis extract. Fair enough. Does it mean that Sativex like medications can adeo Y Most likely it means Hemp. The headlines about “mariquately replace the medical marijuana program? Not at g juana derived drug” might have it wrong. The GW all! Perhaps they might be help ul to patients who need n i Pharmaceuticals web site actually makes it clear that huge daily quantities o marijuana to control pain. For t their product has nothing to do with “crude herbal canthose o us using medical marijuana or other chronic a e nabis or marijuana” symptoms, Sativex or any other cannabinoid based r T The proportion o THC and CBD in Sativex is almostmedicine o ers no solution. And, in addition, there is no equal. That means no euphoria. Instead, a range o proo other that marijuana inhalation is any more dangerous 0 1 possible “intoxication type” reactions are listed. than using pu ers or control o asthma. # e the end, the evidence is overwhelming. Marijuana The instructions on the label were: “One squirt inInthe u s s morning and in the evening.” is an e ective medicine with minimal side e ects. I you I I gave it one squirt be ore break ast and waited. A bitter don’t mind the euphoria, that is. ~ mint taste exploded in my mouth. There was a burning sensation like having a shot o vodka. 5 minutes later my appetite was still not improving. I ate what I could. 1

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by adjusting the e ect size down accordingly. Over all this had the e ect o reducing the e ect size Moore and her colleagues observed. Although by and large I ound this to be a very solid meta analysis with a genuine e ort to get a reliable result I did have one issue, not every study they chose to include completely met statistical signi icance or the e ects they observed but in most cases were at By Ally (a.k.a pflover) least still close to signi icant. For those that don’t know statistical signi icances are an attempt to determine “Preserve Neural Plasticity!” how likely it would be to get a given outcome by In late July, 2007, The Lancet, a well respected British medical journal, published what is probably the chance given your sample size. In this kind o study odds ratios are the measure o interest and are an most de initive study to date concerning the li etime attempt to measure e ect size or a given actor on the prevalence o psychosis in cannabis users. The study, sample in question. Cannabis use and risk o psychotic or a ective mental health outcomes: a systematic review by Moore, et al., is a Meta review which ocused on 35 o the most relevant studies the authors could ind out o a pool o 4804 potentially relevant ones. Only 11 o these were For example say you had a total o 1000 plants and you on psychosis, the rest were on a ective (i.e., mood) new that 475 had been exposed to light stress while disorders like depression and anxiety. Because some budding and 525 controls had not and you wanted to studies represented repeat visits to the same sample know how much this e ected hermaphrodite rates. populations over time these 11 studies only repre- You would then count the number o hermies in each sented 7 sample groups. Where possible, the authors o these subgroups o plants. You ind that you had then combined the data rom the 7 populations and381 hermies and only 94 un-e ected plants in the light per ormed Meta analysis on this combined data set. stressed group and while only 161 hermies vs. 364 o When all was said and done, Moore and her colleagues the controls. The odds ratio is (381x364)/(94x161) and had a number to report: 40%, a 40% increase in li etime equals 9.2. This is the e ect size or your study populachance o developing psychosis or people who had tion and means that the chances a light stressed plant tried cannabis at least once (1). As one might reasonwill turn hermie is 9.2 times or 920% more likely than it ably expect, this inding was quickly sucked up andis or one that is never stressed in this ashion. (Please sensationally spread around the world by the media note that this example is completely abricated and which presented it as the biggest hit against cannabis means nothing about real world hermie rates.) Now since Ree er Madness. Again this is understandable to help determine the chances o getting this result by given a media that is prone to sensationalism and overchance alone one must also calculate the 95% con ireaction and given that the general population does dence interval or this odds ratio which is 6.9-12.3. This not have a great grasp o how to correctly interpret is a more complicated ormula and we won’t cover it the use o percents in science. This lack o education here. Together we get an odds ratio o 9.2, 95% CI (6.9concerning the proper interpretation o percents as 12.3). I the odds ratio is grater than 1 and the lower used in science has o ten le t the majority o people bounder o the con idence interval is grater than 1 than easily bamboozled by those doing the reporting. It the is actor you are examining (in this case light stress) or you to decide i in some cases it was intentionalproduces this a signi icant e ect on your trait in question f time or not. (in this case hermaphrodism rates) (2). The odds ratio o l e A ter shelling out $30 or the pleasure and reading the a hermie plant being a hermaphrodite is 1.0. s r study in entirety I came to the ollowing conclusions u o regarding the methodology employed by the researchHermied Female Total Y ers. The data used in this study was observational and Light Stressed (Cases) 381 94 475 g this kind o data is always open to observational bias. n Not Stressed (Controls) 161 364 525 i t Science has developed many ways o reducing the Total 542 458 1000 a e potential or observational bias in this kind o research r ect T but it is impossible to ever remove this potential e Assuming this is a reasonable representation o the completely. Give this, the authors made every possible actual trends in the general plant population, what 0 ort to avoid using studies where bias was evident 1 e should your odds ratio mean to you? Well i or any # as well as employing ail sa es in their own work. As e given plant population you know approximately how u s evidenced above, they only used the most relevant s many plants might be light stressed and how many I studies or source data. The authors then analyzed the hermies you have you can determine what percent integrity o the data collection methods in each o the o the hermies would not be there i no light stress ~ source studies and made e orts to adjust the relative had occurred. Obviously you can also determine the weight each data set should hold in the meta analysis 1 approximate number o plants that will hermie out o

Insane

In The

Hemp-brain?

How to Calculate Odds Ratios: Hermaphroditic Plant Rates

any light stressed sub group. What you can’t do, howthroughout this discussion is which should these indever, is determine speci ically which plants will hermie. ings a ect more: our perceptions o cannabis or our In general odds ratios alone provide very limited preperception o psychosis, schizophrenia in particular? dictive value with the smaller the population one tries to divine the out come or the less accurate their predictions will be. The real strengths o odds ratios lay in Lancet article, Cannabis use and risk o psychotic In the their use in analytical interpretation o observed data. or a ective mental health outcomes: a systematic One important thing to keep in mind when interpretreview, two odds ratios important to this discussion ing odds ratios is that the exposure rate in the general was reported. The odds ratio or li etime occurrence population is capable o drastically e ecting degree o psychosis in people that had used cannabis at least o risk actually present in the general population. once was 1.41 95% CI (1.20-1.65), a small but statisFor example i you have a risk actor that has a high tically signi icant e ect. The odds ratio or li etime odds ratio but only a tiny percent o the populationoccurrence is o psychosis in the heaviest reported users exposed it can turn out that only a very small percento cannabis was 2.09 95% CI (1.54-1.84). Again a staage o general population mani est the condition.tistically On signi icant yet historically small e ect or this the other hand, i you have a low odds ratio risk with a subgroup which in some studies has been reported to high rate o occurrence the condition can mani est in be as high as 6.81 95% CI (1.79-25.91) (5). Together, a more substantial percentage o the general populathese two di erent odds ratios suggest a dose depention. There or odds ratios alone may not be the most dent relationship between degree o cannabis use and use ul way o looking at the real world impact o athe potential o developing psychosis in one’s li e time. given risk actor.) Taken at ace value, these odds ratios suggest that Out o the studies the authors chose to use three o the rate o psychosis in the percent o the population them had con idence intervals with lower boundaries that has used cannabis at least once is 1.41 times or below 1 (0.30, 0.78, & 0.98). On top o this the lowest approximately 40% greater than in the general popucon idence interval went with an odds ratio o 0.72. lation and in heavy users is 2.1 times or 110% greater Despite these concerns it is important to understand than the general population. that with a meta analysis reliable relevant data is more This alone still does not tell you how your speci ic important than choosing studies with signi icant epopulation ect has been e ected by cannabis use. I you sizes or their given samples. This is because their know the percent o your population that have either smaller populations are more likely to express statistical used cannabis once or have used it regularly than you anomalies and this e ect will be tempered when these can use these numbers to determine what percent smaller individual study populations get absorbed into o your current population su ering orm psychosis the greater meta-population. In other words as longmight as not be had it not been or the use o cannabis. To the study itsel was sound the raw data will still provide do so you use the ollowing equation: Pr(ORr - 1)/[1 + a valuable part o the larger picture. Pr(ORr - 1)] where Pr is the percent o the population at Over all, Moore and her colleagues present a solid risk and ORr is the odds ratio or that risk. In the Lancet study utilizing sound methods and reporting a airly study, which was conducted by British researchers, the conservative estimate o e ect size compared to some Pr or cannabis use in Great Britain was 40% (10) and previous estimates (3, 4, and 5). They did their best the ORr was 1.4. When we enter these numbers into to rule out reverse causation as well as providing eviour equation we get 0.40(1.4 - 1)/[1 + 0.40(1.4 - 1)] = dence o a causal link between cannabis use and psy0.40(0.40)/[1 + 0.40(0.40)] = 0.16/1.16 = 0.14 or 14%. chosis by demonstrating an apparent dose dependant In other words, 14% o the current British su ers o f relationship such that as cannabis use increased so did psychosis might not have developed psychosis i it l e chances o eventually developing a psychosis. They were not or cannabis. Schizophrenia rates have beenrs also compared their methods and sa eguards to those estimated at 370 in 1,000,000/year or 0.037% o the u o previous studies and meta analyses and reasonably o population at any time having schizophrenia (11). Y concluded their conservative estimate was probably This means that only approximately 0.005% o Britons g the most accurate estimate o the e ect in the general n have schizophrenia because o cannabis use. That is 50 i population yet compiled. Furthermore, Moore’s metat Britons in 1,000,000/year may have developed psychoa analysis is just one more in a consistent trend apparent e sis because o cannabis. r in the evidence so ar available (4, 6, 7, 8, and 9). For T the sake o argument, let us assume or now that A) 0 the possibility cannabis use can result in the develop1 The Risks of Schizophrenia: # ment o psychosis in a percentage o the population is e u An Overview in the USA s a real one and B) Moore, et al., come reasonably close s I First let’s examine one o the ways we could interpret to accurately determining the size o this e ect in the the Odds Ratios graph. This graph represents the general population. Now we can determine what their relative increase in schizophrenia rates (value o 1 ~ indings should mean to us i we posit these assumpon this graph) i exposure to the risk actor occurred tions to be true. One thing that should be considered

The Results of Moore’s Analysis

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r in 100% o the population. We’ll call this absolute in 1,000,000 (3); Absolute regular cocaine use, 4884 T exposure. Assuming a current schizophrenia rate o in 1,000,000 (3); Absolute regular hallucinogen use,

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370 in 1,000,000 as our base line we get the ollowing 2738 in 1,000,000 (3); Absolute regular barbiturate numbers: Absolute ever using cannabis, 518 in every use, 2183 in 1,000,000 (3); Absolute regular stimulant 1,000,000 Americans (1); Absolute regular cannabis use, 1443 in 1,000,000 (3); Absolute no marriage, men: use, 777 in 1,000,000 (1); Absolute urbanized zones, 962 in 1,000,000, women: 666 in 1,000,000, total: 925 555 in 1,000,000 (12); Absolute city centers, 1554 in to1,000,000 (the total is not additive because we can’t 2220 in 1,000,000 (12, 13); Absolute alcoholism, 1221 have 100% males or emales in our population) (13); in 1,000,000 (3); Absolute regular opiate use, 3256Absolute marriage, men: 111 in 1,000,000 (notice this

is less than our current rate), women: 222 in 1,000,000 use cannabis regularly 777 in 1,000,000 will su er rom (13); Absolute widowed, men: 148 in 1,000,000, women: schizophrenia (16). Or stated another way, potentially 185 in 1,000,000 (13); Absolute divorce, men: 740 19 in 1,000,000 Americans or 5% o current schizophrein 1,000,000, women: 925 in 1,000,000, total: 888 in nia su ers in the US might not have this condition i it 1,000,000 (13); Absolute poverty, 666 in 1,000,000were (14); not or heavy cannabis use. Now let’s hypothetically look at what happens i the Absolute extreme poverty, 2997 in 1,000,000 (14). To an extant, we can also view this chart as the relativepercent o cannabis users changes drastically. Let’s the relative number o people who have ever increase o risk to a random person sampled rom increase the tried cannabis by 255% or rom 31.4% to 80%. In this population i they are exposed to the risk actor; however this can only ever be a guideline and will neverscenario the number o people in the general populabe actually predictive or one person’s out come. Otion that might not be schizophrenic rom having ever tried cannabis would climb rom 41 to 90 in 1,000,000 course we know, however that 100% i the population or by 218%. For regular use o cannabis the rate would is not exposed to even one o these risk actors so to climb rom 19 to 44 in 1,000,000 or by 237%. determine the actual e ect on the general population or a give risk actor we need to consider things in Now let’s examine some other risk actors or schizophrenia. (Please Note: what ollows is base on best terms o the percent that is exposed. To get a sense o what all this really means in the evidence available and is by no means de initive.) I was bigger picture o schizophrenia let’s look at a largeable to ind odds ratios or heavy use but not or using population with lots o in ormation on exposure rates other drugs at least once. There are 135,000 alcoholto suspected risk actors or schizophrenia and see just ics in every 1,000,000 Americans (17), o those 1,221 where cannabis its into this picture. The USA meets in 1,000,000 will su er rom schizophrenia (3). This our needs or this purpose very well. As o July 2007 theactor is about twice that or one time use and 1.5 risk total estimated population o the US was 302,633,420 times or regular use o cannabis. This means that 88 people (15). O those approximately 111,974 or 370 in every 1,000,000 Americans or 23.7% o those su erin 1,000,000 have schizophrenia and approximately ing rom schizophrenia might not be i they were not 95,026,894 or 314,000 in 1,000,000 have tried cannabis alcoholics. This is more than twice what was seen with (16). I Theresa Moore’s observations are correct than having used cannabis at least once and more than 4 approximately 518 in 1,000,000 o those that havetimes that or regular cannabis use even though there tried cannabis will also have schizophrenia. This means are 2.4 times as many people that have tried cannabis that 41 in 1,000,000 o the general population or as there are addicted to the legal drug alcohol. The about 11.1% o those su ering rom schizophrenia inrates or regular use o all other illegal drugs the US might not be i it were not or cannabis. O are the rather low comparatively. Approximately 6,000 in 1,000,000 Americans use opiates regularly and o approximately 14,556,666 or 48,100 in 1,000,000 who

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these 3,256 in 1,000,000 su er rom schizophrenia There are several risk actors that appear to be particu(3). That’s a risk actor more than 6 times what is seen larly major contributors to the population o schizowith at least one time use o cannabis use and 4 times phrenia su ers in the US. One o the irst that is particuregular use. This means that 17 in 1,000,000 Americans larly worth noting is being born in or living in an urban or 4.5% su ering rom schizophrenia might not be environment. i In the US, 790,000 in every 1,000,000 they were not addicted to opiates. That’s signi icantly Americans live within an urbanized zone with 107,000 less than what was seen with one time cannabis usein every 1,000,000 Americans living in city centers but similar to regular cannabis use. In the US, 6,900 (19). O those just living within urbanized zones 555 in 1,000,000 use cocaine regularly (18) and o these in 1,000,000 will su er rom schizophrenia. However, 4884 in 1,000,000 will develop schizophrenia (3). That’s 1,554 to 2,220 in 1,000,000 o those living in city cenalmost 9.5 times the rate seen with using cannabis ters at will develop schizophrenia (12, 13). This means that least once and over 6 times the rate or regular canna105 in every 1,000,000 Americans would not be schizobis use. This makes regular cocaine use one o the phrenic most i they had not been living within an urbanized risky activities I could ind or later developing psychozone and that 94 to 129 in every 1,000,000 Americans sis. This indicates that 29 in 1,000,000 Americans or would not be schizophrenic had they not been living 7.8% o the people su ering orm schizophrenia in might city centers. This means that urban living might not be i they were not regular users o cocaine. This be responsible is or 25.5% to 34.9% o current cases o 2/3s what is seen with having ever used cannabis and schizophrenia. That’s between a bit more than twice 1.5 times that seen with regular cannabis use. Overall, and 3 times as much as having ever used cannabis and because so many more people try cannabis than trybetween 5 and 7 times that o regular cannabis. One o the risk actors with the largest odds ratio any other illegal drugs the number o cases o schizois extreme poverty, especially with dilapidated livphrenia that may occur as a result is signi icantly higher ing conditions (14). In general there are 133,000 in than is likely to result or any other single illegal drug 1,000,000 Americans living below the poverty line group. Even so, all other regular use o illegal drugs combined still might account or as much as 20% o(20) and o these 666 in 1,000,000 will develop schizophrenia (14). This is approximately the same rate seen current schizophrenia cases. That is about twice what with cannabis. This means that 36 in 1,000,000 o all is seen with ever using cannabis and 4 times that with Americans or 9.62% o those su ering rom schizoregular cannabis use even though there are 11 times as many people who have tried cannabis once and phrenia might not be i they were not living below almost 2 times as mean who use cannabis regularlythe poverty line however this assumption is controversial since it is yet unclear how much o this e ect than there are who are regular users o all other illegal might be produced by reverse causation (i.e., poverty drugs combined.

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is a byproduct o schizophrenia). This rate is similar likely than women to su er rom schizophrenia i they to that seen with ever using cannabis but almost 2 never marry. Men that have never married are almost times what is seen with regular use. Compare this to 2 times more likely to develop schizophrenia (13) than extreme poverty which a licts, depending on yourthe population o Americans that have ever used cande inition, between 28,700 and 57,400 in 1,000,000 nabis but only slightly more likely than regular users. Americans (20). O these, 2997 in 1,000,000 will suThisermeans that 75 in 1,000,0000 Americans or 20.29% rom schizophrenia (14) which means that between o those su ering rom schizophrenia are men that 63 and 107 in 1,000,000 Americans currently su might ering not be had they gotten married. Women are still orm schizophrenia might not be i they were not living e ected by this risk actor but less so than men appear in extreme poverty (again the degree o reverse causato be. Divorce tion here is as o yet unclear). This is 1.5 to 2.6 times the is a similar risk actor to having never been The e ect o divorce is a bit more uni orm but e ect o ever using cannabis and 3.3 to 5.6 times married. that appears to a ect women a bit more than men. In geno regular use on the general population even though eral 97,800 in every 1,000,000 Americans are divorced there are 5.5 to 11 times as many as many people who (21) and o these 888 in 1,000,000 will su er rom have ever used cannabis and 1-2 times as many that schizophrenia (13). As with never being married, this use it regularly. Finally and possible the most interesting e ect weis a bit less than twice the rate observed with having have to compare is that o marriage status. In gen-tried cannabis at least once and a bit more than using eral, never being married produces one o the largest it regularly. This means that 44 in 1,000,000 Americans f l e ects we see because the percent o the population or 11.89% o schizophrenia su ers would not be i they e s that has never been married is reasonably high. In had the not divorced. This rate is almost equal to that seenr US, 294,000 in every 1,000,000 have never been marwith ever using cannabis despite there being more ou ried (21) and in this population 925 in 1,000,000 will than 3 times as many people that have tried cannabis;Y g develop schizophrenia (13). This is almost twice the however it’s proportionally similar to what is seen with n rate observed with having tried cannabis at least once regular cannabis use. Women may be a bit more likelyti and a bit more than using it regularly. This indicates than men to su er rom schizophrenia a ter gettinga e r that 111 in every 1,000,000 Americans or 30% o those divorced. T interestingly, both being married and widowed su ering rom schizophrenia might not be i theyNow were appear to provide some protective e ect against the 10 married or widowed. That’s 2.7 times what is seen with development o schizophrenia, especially or men. Ase# ever using cannabis and 5.8 times regular use, howyou might have noticed above, the general populationssu ever, there are similar numbers o people who have is almost 3 times more likely to develop schizophreniaI ever used cannabis compared to those that have never been married and 6 times as many people who havethan married men and almost twice as likely as women that are married. It’s similar or widowed population ~ never been married as are regular users. Interestingly as well. Luckily or us, about 284,400 in 1,000,000 men are particularly a ected being 1.4 times more

2

Americans are married or widowed men (21) who exposing only small to moderate levels o the populaappear to be a third as likely as the general popula-tion. One thing that so ar has yet to be investigated in tion to develop schizophrenia (13) and 323,300 in much detail is how these di erent actors might inter1,000,000 Americans are married or widowed women act yet this is important sense o ten it appears to be the (21) that are about hal as likely as the general populaaccumulation o several risk actors in one individual tion to develop it (13). The general population o the which triggers this disorder. US there ore appears to be about 2.3 times as likely to develop schizophrenia as the combined group o Cannabis in the Life-Course Model of 607,700 in 1,000,000 Americans which are either marSchizophrenia ried or widowed. I one study these patterns it should be evident that Be a ore we can understand how cannabis use really risk actor can have a huge odds ratio but i a tiny porits into the etiology o schizophrenia it would help tion o the total population is exposed than ultimately to have some working theory concerning how the the e ect o this risk will be slight as seen with regular disease develops and who is likely to develop it. One opiate and cocaine use. But when small but not tinyo the best models which have been developed thus portions o the population are exposed to a risk actor ar is the li e-course model o schizophrenia (22). First with a large odds ratio like with extreme poverty the it is important note that rom a biological standpoint e ect on the population becomes substantial. I aschizophrenia huge is probably not one disease but a range portion o the population is exposed to something o conditions in a spectrum or even possible spectra. with a small odds ratio a substantial e ect on the total There does not appear to be any one condition or obvipopulation can de initely be observed such as withous liv-set o conditions which when met will result in this ing within an urbanized zone. On the other hand, a psychosis. risk That being said, there is a long list o condiactor with a small odds ratio that a ects only a modtions and especially sets o conditions which i they are erate portion o the population like having ever tried met will increase the likelihood that schizophrenia will cannabis will produce only a smallish e ect on theoccur. These conditions are our risk actors though the whole population. Finally a risk actor with a moderate list we have accumulated so ar is just the tip o the to large odds ratio that e ects only small portionsiceberg. o In the population, like living in city centers, can producethe li e-course model, schizophrenia may be thought o as a li e-long progression o interacting neurosome o the largest e ects on the general populate. logical and psychological developmental abnormaliOne lesson here is that even i a risk actor with a small ties, or deviations, which mani est in psychosis once odds ratio a ects most o the population it will only the degree o deviance crosses a certain threshold. have a moderate e ect at most but a risk actor with The li e-course model basically states that our genes a large odds ratio can have a substantial e ect with

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start us out with a base risk potential or developing potentially as much as 14 times or drastic events like schizophrenia based on whether or not we have anymajor natural disasters and/or orced migration (23). number o mostly as o yet unidenti ied gene sequelae This is a seriously important inding as it indicates that which will predispose someone to the developmentstress ul events during the developmental period o o schizophrenia i activated. It is a common misconli e may produce substantially greater stress on the ception that genes are genes and that’s that when itdeveloping individual than the same events would comes to having a given set. For some genes like those produce on the same individual as an adult. Because there are so many possible risk actors that that control eye color this is more or less true. However people can be exposed to it is more o ten than not the think about skin color. We are not just one exact color. case that a whole array o risk actors have e ected Instead i we do not spend time in the sun our skin tone or are e ecting them at anyone time. This is an area will lighten but i we spend time in the sun genes that regulate the development o melanin are activatedwhere and by and large the research is still in its in ancy and data is available or analysis. So ar it seems we get darker, usually browner. This is one exampleminimal o likely that sometimes risk actors are just additive as how genes can be activated but may not always be so. with use o more than one drug but other times they It’s believed that o ten what is happening with a given can be synergistic, especially when one o the risks risk actor is that it is activating some kind o preexisting but as o yet unactivated gene which once acti- actors is a genetic one. For example, in 2005 Caspi, et al., vated acts to make the person that much more likely toreported preliminary evidence that people carrying two copies o the COMT gene who try cannabis be ore develop a psychosis. Evidence or this is at least partly the age o 18 are almost 11 times more likely to experibased on the act that the risk associated with having ences psychosis than the general population. Caspi a amily member with schizophrenia, averaged across all degrees o relation, is approximately a 9.7 timesalso observed a lesser e ect when just one copy o the gene was present but that cannabis use had no e ect increase (23). Demonstrating that having the genes, however, is not a guarantee is the act that having one psychosis rates in people who did carry the COMT gene at all when compared to the general population. an identical twin with schizophrenia means chances This is urther evidence that there is an interaction increase by only 1300 times over the general populabetween the COMT gene, cannabis use and the later tion (12). This is because the rate o getting schizophredevelopment o psychosis. Interestingly the e ect nia increased rom 0.037% to 48%. An increase to 100% would be 2700 times what is generally observed.appeared to disappear i irst cannabis use occurred There are also some risk actors that appear not toanecter the age o 18. This lead the authors to tentatively essarily require a preexisting propensity to schizophresuggest that an interaction with the COMT gene was nia as indicated by a amily history o psychosis. For responsible or the majority i not all observed e ect o example, central nervous system (CNS) damage precannabis use on rates o psychosis (25). This could also natally, during delivery or during early childhood may potentially explain why an association between the increase risk o schizophrenia later in li e rom 1.5 timesgene and psychosis has been di icult to reliably COMT to almost 7 times that o normal (12, 23). Most notably, establish (23). I correct however, Caspi’s observations rubella virus during these early stages o li e (OR = 5.5) it very well into the li e-course model o psywould and brain damage received during delivery (OR = 7.0) chosis and schizophrenia. Another acet o the li e-course model o psychosis is (23). Also worth noting is that owning a cat during this that early exposure to risk actors and the subsequent period o li e may increase chances o later developing neurological and psychological changes they produce psychosis by as much as 2.6 times because they carry can increase the chances that exposure to urther risk the virus which produces Toxoplasmosis (24). f Psychological stress experienced by the mother dur-actors will occur. Here is a hypothetical example. Take l ing gestation can also be a risk actor. Children born to children that are genetically predisposed to psychosise s r women who were depressed, did not want the child, or come rom economically challenged amilies living and u lost a spouse during gestation were at between 2 and in urban environments and compare them to children o Y 6.2 times greater risk (23). Maternal exposure to enviwith the same relative genetic risk rom well-o amilies g ronmental stressors during gestation such as amine living in a rural environment. Other actors being equal, n and lood are associated with an increase 2 to 2.5 times the children rom the low income city-dwelling ami- ti that o normal. Being born during the winter also prolies are going to be signi icantly more likely to alreadyea duces a very slight but reliable increase in the chances have developmental deviation resulting in such things Tr o developing a psychosis later in li e (23). This is posas lower sel -esteem which can result in shyness and 0 sibly do to decreased vitamin D levels and/or increases urther eelings o social isolation, loneliness and stress, 1 # in the chance o getting sick during gestation. all o which are risk actors themselves (26). I they are e u During adolescence and early adulthood exposuregenetically to predisposed and are economically disad- ss I major stressors including social isolation, migration, vantage then there is also a greater chance that at least losing a parent, etc may be capable o increasing one the parent is su ering rom psychotic or pre-psychotic ~ likelihood o developing schizophrenia later in li symptoms e by which would be yet another source o major as much as 6 times or most adverse li e events but stress and possibly more social isolation urther com-

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pounding this groups chances. The combination o between all 1986 and 1990 at about 1,500/per year. For this might ultimately predispose the city children to the trynext ew years the rates increased until in 1995 it harder drugs either as an escape rom the stress and began to level o with an average number o new US isolation or to sel -medicate pre-psychotic symptoms. users o cannabis per year o 2,750 +/- 250 new users Those that end up using cocaine, opiates and/or hallu(27). Another way to examine cannabis use is to look at cinogenic drugs may quickly ind themselves reaching the percentage o the population that has ever used their personal neurological thresholds or abnormality at any one time. Be ore 1969, the number sending their psychological deviation spiraling outcannabis o control into ull blown schizophrenia. On the othero Americans reporting having ever tried cannabis hand, the ew well-o rural children that eventu- remained stable at about 5% o the population. Over the next 3 years there was a sharp and steady increase ally became regular users o these substances might in the number o Americans reporting having tried escape comparatively unscathed. cannabis. Over the next several years this number continued to rise but in a less stable ashion until it peaked Historic Evidence Contradicts Causal Link in 1979 at approximately 40% o Americans reportbetween Schizophrenia and Cannabis Useever used cannabis. The percent dropped ing to have At this point it would be use ul to consider the his- slightly in the early ‘80s but soon leveled o to a stable toric US trends in cannabis use vs. US trends in psy39% reporting having ever tried cannabis until 1990 chosis. Available evidence indicates that historic rates (28). Over the ‘90s the percentage o Americans that o reported psychosis in the US were below 0.1% in reported having tried declined to 29% in 1999 but has 1807 and steadily increased until they peaked at 3.4% remained in the low 30s ever since 2000 (16). It appears that at the same time psychosis rates in the in 1958. At this point there is a very sharp decline with US were receding rom an all time high, the rate o a national rate o psychosis at 2.5 in 1966. By the late use was increasing. The rates o change in 1970s the national rates o psychosis in the US hadcannabis levboth cannabis use and psychosis appear to level o at eled o at about 1%. Since then total rates o psychosis approximately the same time and have remained reain the US have remained just shy o 1% o the totally sonable stable since. I there were a per ect correlation population (13). Now compare this to cannabis use trends in the US.between psychosis and cannabis use the correlation Be ore 1967, it is estimated that there were less than coe icient (r) would be either 1 or a positive correla1,000 new users o cannabis per year in the US. Bytion 1973 (i.e., as one increases so does the other) or -1 or the rate had peaked at an estimated 3,750 new users o a negative correlation (i.e., as one increases the other cannabis per year in the US. The rate o new US users o decreases). I there is no correlation then r would be cannabis remained reasonably stable until a ter 1978 equal to zero. To ind the actual degree o correlation when it began a steady decline until it bottomed outwe look at r 2. In the US, rom 1950 to 1990 there was

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an 80% negative correlation (r = -0.90, n = 41) between In light o examples like this it becomes clear that at having ever tried cannabis and psychosis rates. During least in the realm o therapeutic use the relative risk the years when cannabis use rates were actively chango developing psychosis posed by cannabis is minimal ing the most (1969-1984) there was an 87% negative and making a big deal o it when the other option is correlation (r = -0.94, n = 16) between cannabis use opiates would be petty and irrational. For degenerarates and the rate o psychosis in the US. So there tive diseases like multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, is indeed something going on here such that can- and Alzheimer’s where cannabis can provide neuronabis use increased at the same time psychosis rates protection against urther degeneration and slow the dropped. What kind o connection exists between the progression o these terrible diseases (30) the risk o two rates is as o yet hard to say. All the correlationpsychosis tells is so completely dwar ed by the potential us is that they changed at about the same time in anbene it that in most cases it probably would not even inversely proportional ashion. However what it does be worth consideration as a reason to not use cannabis not tell us is i one caused the other or i some thirdtherapy. For the treatment o cancer and AIDS the situactor was responsible or both rates o change. All ation is the same. we know is that as cannabis use rates rose psychosis rates ell but a keen observer will note that psychosis rates had already began their decent be ore cannabis In the greater scheme o things there probably is not use started to climb indicating the likelihood o some much the average cannabis user needs to worry about third actor which e ected both changes. Regardless, unless they have other risk actors like amily history, contrary to the ears created by the indings presented mother owned a cat during pregnancy, born in winter, by Theresa Moore and her colleagues, it is clear that born in the city, growing up poor, shyness, over emothe historical evidence in the US does not appear totional sensitivity, never been married, eeling isolated support their conclusions. and/or like to drink regularly, etc. The e ect rom can-

Conclusion

nabis although reasonably reliable simply is not that big. It increases Implications of Therapeutic Cannabis in the the risk rom 0.037% to 0.0518% (a 40% increase in risk but still a minuscule risk nonetheless). Greater Pharmacopeia’s The average cannabis user will likely never be a ected The majority o people that utilize cannabis or theraeven indirectly by this e ect. Indeed, that many users peutic purposes are older. A ter about the age o 35 the report a reduction o perceived stress and stress is chance o developing schizophrenia drops considerhighly associated with the development o psychosis it ably. By ar the most common therapeutic use o canis possible that or a sub-set o the population cannabis nabis is to help control pain. Regular use o opiates (the may actually provide a degree o protection against current treatment o choice or strong to severe pain) psychosis. People that su er rom psychotic symptoms is 4.2 times more likely to precede the development o who use cannabis o ten eel that it helps e ectively psychosis than regular cannabis use. Methylphenidate, reduce their symptoms. In support o this, one study or Ritalin, one o the most common drugs given to chilo drug use among patients with psychoses ound dren to help control the symptoms o ADD and ADHD that cannabis was the drug o choice or the more produces it’s e ect in a way that is pharmacologically socially competent patients but that stimulant users nearly identical to cocaine. This e ect is produced by had psychotic episodes earlier in li e and were more blockade o the dopamine transporter which is responlikely to be diagnosed with schizophrenia, the most sible or the removal o dopamine rom the synaptic severe psychosis (31). Since stress is highly associated cle t a ter the cell ires. This indicates that regular methwith relapse episodes in psychosis it seems counter f ylphenidate use may signi icantly increase the li etime productive to induce stress about the use o cannabis l e rate o psychosis in it’s users in a way similar to cocaine. by this population unless it is clearly aggravating theirrs Considering that regular cocaine users are as much as delusions and mental instability. u 13.2 times as likely to develop psychosis as the general This brings up the very well know act that eelings Yo population and that in 1995 2.8% o children between o social oppression, persecution and exclusion sig- g 5 and 18 years o age (29) were being treated with ni theicantly increase rates o major psychological dis- n i drug, 26.99% o the current population su ering orders rom like depression, anxiety and even psychosis. t a psychosis might not be i it were not or the common Considering that the increase in the rate o psychosise r practice o giving cocaine like drugs to children duris so small in regular cannabis users there is the strong T ing the critical ormative periods o their brains. This potential that the majority o psychosis cases related 0 is a period when such assaults will have the greatest to regular cannabis use might actually be the result o #1 impact on neurologically abnormal development. This perceived oppression, persecution and/or social exclu-ue s predicted e ect is more that 2 times what is seen with s sion due to the ear o legal prosecution or being social I ever using cannabis and 5 times what’s seen with reguostracized and not a direct byproduct o cannabis lar cannabis use even though there are almost twice as To ully exclude this possibility, a study would alone. ~ many regular user o cannabis and 11 times as many need a large control sample o cannabis users comthat have used it once compared to those prescribed pletely ree o this ear. We are not likely to ind such 2 methylphenidate.

an example until a large nation completely legalizes cannabis reeing its population or such con ounding co morbid risk actors. Over all it would seem that i one desired to reduce 1. Moore THM, Zammit S, Lingford-Hughes A, the rate o psychosis there are better ways to spendBarnes TRE, Jones PB, Burke M, & Lewis G. Cannabis use and risk of psychotic or affective energy and e ort than to harp on cannabis. For example, e orts put into psychosis risk preventionmental health outcomes: a systematic review. and education might be better spent and ultimately Lancet, July 2007; 370: 319–28. more e ective at reducing the rate o psychosis o we ocused on a clean toxin- ree environment, 2. http://slack.ser.man.ac.uk/theory/association_ encouraged healthy marriages, worked to reduce odds.html (Accessed 9/11/2007). economic and environmental hardship, continued to 3. Salloum IM, Moss HB, & Daley DC. Substance make e orts to reduce alcoholism and drug addicabuse and schizophrenia: impediments to optition, promoted community out reach programs that mal care. American Journal of Drug and Alcohol reduce social isolation in general but particularly in Abuse, Sept, 1991 (Findarticles.com Accessed high risk populations, and in general even i it is cli9/11/2007) ché we really tried to love one another more. Feeling acceptance and community belonging may possibly4. Hall W. Is cannabis use psychotogenic? be one o the most important di erences between Lancet, 2006 Apr 1; 367 (9516): 1055. the at risk individuals that do and those that do not 5. van Os J, Bak M, Hanssen M, Bijl RV, de Graaf develop psychosis. Who knows, i compassion in daily li e were the norm and not the exception in westernR, & Verdoux H. Cannabis use and psychosis: a longitudinal population-based study. American culture perhaps psychosis rates might be signi icantly Journal of Epidemiology, 2002; 156: 319–27. lower than current levels. Honest education o children about this potential risk o using cannabis while avoiding scare tactics, over6. Arseneault L, Cannon M, Witton J, & Murray exaggerations or alsehoods may be the best way toRM. Causal association between cannabis and psychosis: examination of the evidence. British help reduce the e ect o cannabis on the rate o psyJournal of Psychiatry, 2004; 184: 110–17. chosis. One o the most important lessons being that

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exposure to risk actors while the brain is still devel7. Henquet C, Murray R, Linszen D, & van Os J. oping usually increases the chance o psychosis later The environment and schizophrenia: the role of in li e more so than i exposure occurs later. As with cannabis use. Schizophrenia Bulletin, 2005; 31: schizophrenia there probably exists a genetic compo608–12. nent to cannabis related psychoses. For this reason, attention should especially be given to awareness o 8. Macleod J, Oakes R, Copello A, Crome I, whether or not one has any amily members which Egger M, Hickman M, Oppenkowski T, Stokeshave exhibited signs o psychotic reactions to cannaLampard H, & Davey Smith G. Psychological bis. People with this risk actor may be in an especially and social sequelae of cannabis and other illicit high risk population or which cannabis use is highly drug use by young people: a systematic review of contraindicated. I we teach our children to be aware longitudinal, general population studies. Lancet, o what risk actors they get exposed to, they would2004; 363: 1579–88. be able to make more in ormed decisions later in li e, choosing on their own not to use cannabis i the risk9. Semple DM, McIntosh AM, & Lawrie SM. is just too high. A ter all, i you are one o the 148 inCannabis as a risk factor for psychosis: systematic review. Journal of Psychopharmacology, 1,000,000 cannabis users whose dog starts talking to 2005; 19: 187–94. you a ter you get high with your riends perhaps you should ollow his advice and not use cannabis any10. EMCDDA. The state of the drugs problem in more. The truth however is that or most o us this is r Europe: annual report 2005. European Monitoring T simply never going to happen. Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, 2005.

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11. Nordentoft M, & Hjorthøj C. Cannabis use and risk of psychosis in later life. Lancet, 2007 July 28; 370 (9584): 293-4.

12. Welham J, Sara S, & McGrath J. A Review 22. Kelly BD & Feeney L. Schizophrenia. of Risk Factors for Schizophrenia. http://www. Lancet, 2004; 364: 1312. pitt.edu/~super1/lecture/lec21061/index.htm, 23. Sullivan PF. The Genetics of Schizophrenia. pg 10. (Accessed 9/14/2007) PLoS Medicine, 2005; 2(7). 13. Eaton W. Lecture: Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorders II: Analytic Epidemiology 24. Brown AS, Schaefer CA, Quesenberry CP and the Search for Etiologic Clues. The Johns Jr, Liu L, Babulas VP, & Susser ES. Maternal exposure to toxoplasmosis and risk of schizoHopkins University, 2006. phrenia in adult offspring. American Journal of 14. Harrison G, Gunnell D, Glazebrook C, Psychiatry, 2005 April; 162 (4): 767-73. Page K, & Kwiecinski R. Association between schizophrenia and social inequality at birth: 25. Caspi A, Moffitt TE, Cannon M, McClay J, case—control study. The British Journal of Murray R, Harrington H, Taylor A, Arseneault L, Williams B, Braithwaite A, Poulton R, & Craig Psychiatry, 2001; 179: 346-350. IW. Moderation of the effect of adolescent15. US Census Bureau. Table 1: Monthly onset cannabis use on adult psychosis by a Population Estimates for the United States: functional polymorphism in the catechol-OApril 1, 2000 to August 1, 2007 (NA-EST2006 methyltransferase gene: longitudinal evidence 01). Population Division: US Census Bureau, of a gene X environment interaction. Biological Psychiatry, 2005; 57: 1117–27. June 1, 2007. 16. NIDA. Marijuana Brochure: Facts Parents 26. Wikipedia. Causes of Schizophrenia. Need to Know. National Institute of Drug Abuse,September, 2007. (Accessed 9/16/2007) April 25, 2005, pg 5-6. 27. SAMHSA. 2002 National Survey on Drug 17. NIAAA. Alcohol Use and Alcohol Use Use & Health (NSDUH). Office of Applied Disorders in the United States: Main Findings Studies, 2002. (http://oas.samhsa.gov/nhsda/ from the 2001–2002 National Epidemiologic 2k2nsduh/results/2k2Results.htm#MJNew Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions Accessed 9/16/2007) (NESARC). National Institutes of Health, Jan. 2006, U.S. Alcohol Epidemiologic Data 28. Kenney GE. Lifetime use of Alcohol, Nicotine, Cannabis and Cocaine Among Reference Manual: 8, 1. American Adults. Non 12 Step Drug Rehab, 18. NIDA. Research Report Series - Cocaine 1991. Abuse and Addiction: What is the scope of cocaine use in the United States? National 29. Safer DJ, Zito JM, & Fine EM. Increased Institute for Drug Abuse, February 4, 2005. methylphenidate usage for attention deficit disorder in the 1990s. Pediatrics, 1996 December; 19. US Census Bureau. P2. URBAN AND98 (6 Pt 1): 1084-8. RURAL [6] - Universe: Total population. 30. Ally (aka pflover). PTSD, Anxiety, Data Set: Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1)Extinguishing Painful Memories and the Endogenous Cannabinoid System. Treating 100-Percent Data. Yourself Aternative Medical Journal, October 20. US Census Bureau. Table- S1701: Poverty 2007. Status in the Past 12 Months. 2005 American Community Survey. (Accessed 9/15/2007) 31. Mueser KT, Yarnold PR, Levinson DF, Singh H, Bellack AS, Kee K, Morrison RL, & Yadalam 21. US Census Bureau. Table MS-1: Martial KG. Prevalence of substance abuse in schizoStatus of the Population 15 Years and Over, phrenia: demographic and clinical correlates. by Sex and Race: 1950 to 2006. Current Schizophrenia Bulletin, 1990; 16 (1): 31-56. Population Survey, March and Annual Social and Economic Supplements, 2006 and earlier. March 27, 2007.

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YOUR AD COULD GO HERE HELP US EDUCATE THE UNINFORMED Contact

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  

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to him and told him that he had been unaware o their presence or the past 16 hours.”

Big Brother, it seems, has An EEG disclosed a minor disturbance o cerebral activity over the le t anterior (above the ear area) and been watching... mid-temporal region. A CAT scan proved inconclusive

and Mark was released rom hospital. He knew now He heard the choppers droning in the distance. Closer there was something really wrong. He had no energy, now. He could eel his blood pressure begin to elevate. no li e, and was constantly tired. He was on Tegratrol Was today the day? Louder, heading his way. Within or seizures, but ound it dragged him out, he elt 15 minutes, he knew. He rose to go say goodbye to drained, li eless. his Mary Jane, yet again. When the chopper arrived, he was out giving his plants one last pet…. He lookedFebruary 95 rolled in, and Mark went o Tegratrol, and up to the chopper hovering over his garden, pointed decided to treat himsel . In March, he was in the car to his crop and said “This is MINE!” He waved to them, heading or Windsor and took another seizure while and went out to meet the burgundy Suburban pullingdriving the car. With the assistance o his cousin and a in his yard. Ah, the September blues…. Here again, retired nurse, they take Mark to the doctor in Noel, and courtesy o Big Brother and the RCMP... medicine orrom there to the Colchester Hospital. For the second another year, gone. time in 5 months he awoke in the hospital with his wi e standing over him. Mark is a strong amily man, “You can’t stop me rom growing it”, he tells them andas has a strong amily. He was put on Dilantin or they took his plants. seizure control, and released rom hospital again. There’s a bully on the road o stopped.

li e, and he needsMark to beis an independent man with an incredible will, wanting to burden no one. Trying to keep up, putting a hal -tank o gas through the lawn mower was They poked a sleeping bear. Mark’s a hero to many a measure o his day. And he couldn’t do it anymore. here in these parts. Diagnosed in 1997 with a 4x6 cm The pain and pressure in his head was intense, and terminal inoperable brain tumor called a Low Grademarijuana was the only thing that alleviated the su Glioma, he was given 5-6 years to live at most. He hasering. He was only 34 at the time and elt “as though been ighting with the system over the right to deterhe should be retired”. His amily and riends could see mine the course o his own treatment and health ever that he was not well. since. He was told there was> no treatment that could give him his normalcy o li e back. Operations on this June 1995, stubborn as a mule, “Mark tried to push a type o tumor would leave him paralyzed on his rightull tank o gas through the mower on his own… But side and unable to speak, he could be a vegetable, orwhen it was inished he elt an aura (warning) coming it could kill him. Mark is a amily man. He has a wi e on. He sat down on the lawn and things started to get and children. This is the story o how Mark, Monk towavy and he elt sick as he started to prepare himsel his riends, is ighting or his right to live his remaining or another major seizure.” years in dignity, and the people who will not allow him to do that in peace. He slept or the rest o the day and night and awoke the next day “groggy and dense, his mind was not On October 3, 1994, Mark’s li e changed orever. “…at unctioning properly. Things were hard to grasp at 4:25 PM Mark was standing outside his job (at Ocean that point and he was tired out and pale. His head Steel in St John where he worked as a steel abricator),throbbed, made worse by the act that no one was telltalking with his co-worker… prior to starting his night ing him anything.” He took great com ort in his garden; f shi t. Everything started weaving in and out, …he he was going to have a beauti ul crop. l e thought himsel dead. He next remembers laying on s r the ground, ace- irst in a pile o broken concrete. HisThe simple truth o the matter is: Marijuana is tremenu glasses were smashed and his ace badly scratched. He dous pain medicine. o Y heard the day oreman say “Get a blanket and cover g him up.” At this point, Mark could not talk, move, or Mark is one o a growing number around the world n see.” who swear by marijuana to ease the pain o their sympi t toms. Cancer. Multiple Sclerosis. AIDS. Depression. a e He had taken his irst seizure, but at this point in time Stories are sur acing everywhere about the healing r T did not know what was happening to him, nor did the properties o this miracle plant. doctors. He remembers being in the ambulance and 0 eeling that he was going to be sick. He was taken to ‘People should have access to medical marijuana 1 # St. John Regional Hospital. Approximately 16 hoursbecause it’s better than anything the drug compae u later, Mark started to regain consciousness to the nies have to o er or certain levels o pain control s s I point that he knew something was terribly wrong with and relaxation. Back then Mark didn’t tell the doctors him. His wi e Lorraine and brother Kirk were thereabout and the way pot helped him. It wasn’t legal. He couldn’t tell them that it “was helping to relieve the ~ he was hooked up to monitors and IV, and he couldn’t remember how he had gotten to the hospital or why.stress, the physical pain and stimulate his appetite”, 2 At this time, his wi e and brother explained to things which he needed because he had lost 40-50 lbs. His

wi e Lorraine has always stood by him, and realizes tacted the his MP, Scott Brison, who wrote to the health bene its o marijuana… I she noticed Mark getting minister on his behal . In November o that year, he upset or tense she would tell him to go have a hoot.called the minister’s o ice to “remind them they’re not She does not partake hersel , but she knew when he dealing with a common cold here”. One week short o was in pain and she understood him. Mark’s comment the anniversary o him sending his application, a ull on this “She is the most positive thing that has ever361 days later, he got the 8-page letter granting him his happened to me in my li e, she is my wi e.” rights. With shaking hands, he read that he had won, but the price was high. On January 22 1997 an MRI was taken and the results passed on to mark’s neurologist the ollowing week. Reshaping the landscape The doctor did not contact mark with the results until April 16 o that year, a point which makes him eel10 like years a ter irst being diagnosed, Mark is waiting or the medical system ailed him. He registered a ormal his next MRI. He has regained his physical stature and complaint with the Nova Scotia College o Physicians leads a moderately active li e, and looks well. Living and Surgeons, who counseled the doctor to improve with the stress o a terminal illness hasn’t stopped his patient communications. Mark. A long way rom hal a tank in his lawn mower, this past year as a testament to his enormous willpowMark and his amily were thrust into the spotlight er, he measured in wheelbarrow loads as he dug out in the Fall o 1997, when he was busted or cultiva-the oundation and area surrounding his amily’s circa tion and possession. He was in the public eye, in the1870-schoolhouse home. He averaged 16-17 loads a papers, on national radio and television, concerning day, picking rock, digging, and moving mountains o his marijuana use, his health, and his court case. He earth, and depending on how he elt. His best day was 28. his amily have aced together challenges that would Not bad or a dead man. He works when it is cool, and break many. It is a hard thing to be told your support, is care ul not to overdo it and stays out o the sun. He your spouse, your ather, is dying. Mark’s amily has undertook to build a 12- t stone well, rock by rock. Box been with him in his ight with the system over his gardens or tomatoes and peas and beans, sun lowers, right to grow and smoke his own medicine, part o peanuts the and more, Mark is patiently reshaping the regime that he swears is keeping him alive. His motto landscape is around him, both physically and metaphori“I grow what I smoke and I smoke what I grow.” Hiscally. wi eMany, young and old alike, come to his smoke and three children have stood by him through it room all. or comradery, advice on li e, and on health issues. He’s a man o simple wisdom. Mark pleaded guilty to cultivation, and was sentenced to our months house arrest, 120 hours o community When asked about his quality o li e now, he says “I try service, and 18 months probation. His lawyer argued to stay pretty calm. I don’t get mad, I’m pretty patient.” that mark may be too ill to per orm the service, to It has not always been so with mark. In dealing with li e which the judge replied “perhaps he could help an and death issues, the head game is perhaps the most elderly person cultivate a garden, since he seems to important game there is. The psychological e ects o have a green thumb” The headline in the chronicle con her- ronting your own mortality can be astounding. He ald read “judge’s pot verdict unkindest cut o all”. does his best to ind satis action and peace in every day. “One day at a time”, he says. Speaking about how the news a ected him personally, he said “When you No intention o letting the tumor kill him go through it, it’s like BOOM! The big hammer hits Mark also believes his regained stature is due to a you… but once you pass that test things don’t bother natural product called Biomune he has been takingyou. It has made me a lot stronger…” he pauses to re lect, “wiser.” since 2000 or 2001. Biomune is an immuno-enhancer, derived rom harvested immunoglobin and special molecules rom selected dairy milk cows, combined How is it that the state can und choppers to come f with the ancient Chinese herbal remedy and immunoand steal necessary and li e-saving medicine rom a el s enhancer, astragalus. Six bottles is a month’s supply, terminally ill man? r there are 30 capsules in each bottle. His “energy has u o increased, he doesn’t get sick like he used to, and he “It’s a head game. Since they took my marijuana, yeah, Y heals aster now”. His head used to pop and crack,I’ve it smoked more pot…. The head with all the quesg was unnerving, he was hearing the tumor grow. Hetions. I ask mysel , “Why? Why do they come in and n i t told the doctors as early as 1982 about this. That has do the things they do? Marijuana doesn’t kill people. a stopped. Some days, he believes he can eel the tumor They should be handing out green cards with prescripe r shrink. tion drugs, that’s where the deaths are.” Over 11,000 T Canadians die every year rom prescription drug over0 dose. “I’m going to grow, and I don’t need a green card LIKE A ROCK 1 # to do it. And I want the plants back that they stole rom e u me”. Mark applied in 1999 under the Therapeutic Products s s I Program to grow his own marijuana. On March 31 Canada is supposed to be a compassionate society. 1999, He axed his original application with 32 pages o supporting documents to then health minister Alan Isn’t it time we started acting like one? ~ Rock. It takes about 15 days to process. He waits an agonizing 230 days or a response… nothing. He con-

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The common symptomatic complaints are digestive pain, nausea, headaches, or diarrhea Acute symptoms range rom ulcers, acne, oul breath, coated tongue, menstrual irregularities, skin problems, sleep disturbances, itching o the skin and the anus, and constant picking o the nose. Since these also Parasites eat o our tissues then release their toxic relate to other diseases, they are o ten misdiagnosed waste back into our systems. Yuk! And yet, while most or the lu, Epstein barr/chronic atigue syndrome, o us are amiliar with some o these common culprits Candida, colitis, or other immune related diseases. - ringworm, tapeworm, mites, and heartworm - ewAllergies, o types o cancer, irritable bowel syndrome us want to accept the possibility that our own bodies and malabsorption syno ten host over a dozen di erent parasites that eed drome can also be caused and live o our internal organs. by parasites.

Parasites and Intestinal Battle Ground

While parasites are most prevalent in areas with hot, Treatment humid climates, they are inding their way into a large number o American homes. Although they usually “The most important elelive in the gastrointestinal tracts o their hosts, they ment in diagnosing a paracan travel to the joints and tissues causing aches and sitic in ection is o ten the pain. Keeping your body healthy and clean decreases physician’s suspicion that their chance o survival. a parasite may be involved - a possibility that is too Having colds and lu, we struggle with ood allergies, o ten overlooked.” Consult gas, sore joints and skin problems. a doctor i you suspect parasites. The basic test or determining parasites is through a purged stool samWhile this could be due to a lack o certain minerals, ple. I this test shows up negative and you still suspect or even an emotional disturbance, it can also be due parasites, a doctor may recommend a blood test, to parasites. Another symptom that can occur when sputum test, urine test, radiology test, a biopsy or a parasites are present is an appetite swing between culture test. not wanting to eat anything at all, to not being able to eat enough. It is recommended that you maintain the ollowing steps o treatment - pre erably under the guidance o Hulda Regehr Clark, Ph.D., N.D., in her book, “The Cure a health care practitioner. Various degrees o detoxi io all Cancers”, claims cancer can be cured by ridding cation may take place throughout your body during the body o parasites. She states, “In 1990 I discovered treatment. the true cause o cancer. The cause is a certain parasite, or which I have ound evidence in every cancer 1. Clean the intestinal tract: Parasites can’t survive in a case regardless o the type o cancer”. I’ve never been healthy environment. Remove mucus and encrusted diagnosed with cancer, so I can’t prove or disprove her waste through colonics and home enemas along with bold statement. But, I strongly believe that a person’s the use o herbal ibers such as: agar-agar, bentonite health will improve a ter eliminating parasites, changclay, beet root, com rey root, lax seeds, papaya and ing the environment where they thrive, and rebuilding psyllium husks. A tablespoon o unprocessed oil a day the body to a healthy state causing new arrivals to f helps keep the intestinal system lubricated decreasl perish be ore settling down to live. e ing the parasite’s ability to cling to the walls o the s r intestine. u Dr. Clark names the parasite responsible or cancer is o the “intestinal luke”, a member o the latworm amily, Y 2. Modi y your diet: Avoid white lour and sugar. Eating g which typically causes colitis, Crohn’s disease and irria nutritional diet will build the intestinal tract whilen i table bowel syndrome. It is when the organism moves t starving the parasite. A diet o 25% at, 25% protein, out o the intestine and into other areas o the body a and 50% complex carbohydrates is recommended. e that several problems result. r T

3. Limit Your Intake o : Raw ruits and vegetables, avoid It is believed that the luke moves out o the intestine 0 1 cold or iced oods and drinks. They cause the intestine # and into other organs such as the liver and survives to contract and hold in toxins. Avoid red meats. Add e u in our bodies at di erent times. It may have started in s garlic, onions, carrot tops, radish roots, kelp, raw cabs I the shoulder, moved to the chest, then back and so on bage, ground almonds, pumpkin and sauerkraut to throughout the body. your diet. Enzymes such as bromelain, papain, pepsin, ~ and hydrochloric acid help aid in digestion o ood and parasites.

Cleansing Parasites are believed to be most active during a ull moon. There ore i you choose to do a cleanse, start two days be ore the moon is ull. Drinking lots o water, eating igs and sesame seeds on an empty stomach will assist your cleanse during treatment. You may experience lu-like symptoms as the parasites die o . Hydrated bentonite and charcoal help to quickly rid the body o the die o .

4 . Eliminate parasites with: E ective substances such as homeopathic A cleansing ast or the intestinal tract consists in eatremedies, and ing raw ruits and drinking resh ruit juices diluted with equal parts o water or three days. supplements. During the ast start by taking the ollowing: Taking 1. Herbal Pumpkin, 3, 3x a day large 2. Black Walnut, 4, 3x a day doses o pow- 3. Chaparral, 1, 3x a day 4. Normal dosage o Vitamin “C” dered vitamin Herbs “C” helps keep the colon clean and the bowel moving. There are a number o suggested remedies to use Again, Type “A” blood is a predisposition in which the including: Herbal remedy black walnut, cranberry powbody doesn’t produce enough hydrochloric acid, thereder, butternut root, herbal pumpkin and thyme and ore, supplementing is o ten necessary. sage which can be used every day on oods or season5. Rebuild the intestinal tract: With riendly bacteria. ing.An overgrowth o Candida Albicans prevents production Horsetail is known to kill the eggs o parasites, and o hydrochloric acid and provides a toxic environment in which parasites can live. Add Lactobacillus aci- wormwood helps expel worms and parasites. Garlic when eaten raw or used as an extract, helps kill rounddophilus, Lactobacillus bi idus, Bi idophilus, and other lora supplements a ter eliminating the parasites.worm This and hookworm. Plants containing alkaloid, or such as golden seal, help prevent the growth restores the good lora which keeps the parasites berberin, rom o parasites in the intestine and vaginal area. Some surviving. people have bene ited rom taking two capsules o Red 6. Avoid re-in ection: Through a change in li estyle and Pau d’Arco, and Echinacea three times a day. clover, environment. Drink sa e water, not stream or even citySome o these herbs were mentioned in a past issues treated water. Invest in a reverse osmosis water treato ; Treating Yoursel Alternative Medicine Magazine ment which blocks even the tiniest micro-organism.

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Again, the most requent ways parasites enter our For bod-urther in ormation write to me at E-mail: ies are through: [email protected] Tel: 416-910-1555 web site: http://salmessina.hd.googlepages.com 1. Contaminated water and ood. 2. Saliva (kissing). 3. The pores o the skin (walking bare oot). 4. Petting and handling animals and their eces. 5. Fleas and other insect bites. 6. Through the nose on windy days. 7. Sexual intercourse.

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It is important to remember to wash hands a ter petting

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rinse your vegetables in water with 1-2 tablespoons o Clorox bleach, change bedding daily during treatment, and practice other common sa e-guarding tips. Be aware that parasites can also be transmitted through blood trans usions and breast milk.

o the side e ects o our medications. In no certain order here are some o the pharmaceuticals I’ve been on the last 5 years as well as their side e ects. Note: I’ve listed likely and unlikely side e ects all By Wendal Grant together because no matter what they are all possible side e ects. When I was young and even as an adult I’ve always Trikacide / Metronidazole: dizziness, headache, hated medications, so I call them evil necessities, diarrhea, nausea, stomach pain, change o taste sensamedication that at times some o us wouldn’t be alive tion. Unlikely but still possible are seizures, loss o conwithout. As a youngster I went to the doctors like most sciousness, tingling o hands or eet. Very unlikely but kids. I was either sick with a cold or I was there getting reportable are unsteadiness. Mood/mental changes, an allergy needle stuck in my arm. Getting weekly rash, itching, sore throat, ever, severe stomach pain, shots in the arm, as a 5 year old until my teenage years, vomiting and vaginal irritation wasn’t my idea o having un. Pentasa / Mesalamine: dizziness, indigestion, The allergy shots have disappeared but that needle bloating, gas, belching or minor stomach ache, constihasn’t. It’s now been replaced by a methotrexate injecpation, diarrhea, weakness, hemorrhoids, cough, dry tion into my stomach. I never took many pills as a child mouth, hair loss, acne, general body aches, swelling but that changed quickly as I became an adult. When o eet and ankles. No alcohol as it may cause stomach I was in my mid 20’s I began a live time o taking pills. bleeding. I’ve been taking Zantac, an ulcer medication or its Morphine Sulfate: constipation, lightheadedness, generic cousins or over 21 years. There were times dizziness, drowsiness, stomach upset, nausea, irreguI thought I could do without these things and I’d try,lar heartbeat, anxiety, tremors seizures only to ind my way back to them. Not consuming Prednisone / Corticosteriod: dizziness, nausea, them was allowing a ire to happen within my chest.indigestion, increased appetite, weight gain, weakIt’s been almost 5 years now since I was diagnosed ness or sleep disturbances, vomiting o blood, black with Crohns disease. At that point I have no choice or tarry stools, pu ing o ace, swelling o ankles or but to get use to taking medications. At one point I eet, unusual weight gain, prolonged sore throat or was taking 33 pills a day plus an injection and a 3 hour ever, muscles weakness, breathing di iculties, mood in usion every 6 weeks. With the added help o can-changes, vision changes. There is also a long list o nabis I’m now down to 8 pills a day but that injectionprecautions with this drug that includes blood tests and in usion still remain. O those 8 pills, 4 are to help and alcohol consumption. with side e ects o other medications I have taken Norflox or / Norfloxacin: upset stomach, loss o my illness. appetite, diarrhea, nausea, headache, dizziness, in reDuring my time with this illness, I have collected quent drowsiness, pain or tenderness in the arms or up all the paperwork the pharmacists have given me legs, skin rash, hives, restlessness, vision changes, when I pick up all my new medications. I igured I sit mental/mood changes, ringing in ears, seizures. It also down and write out what all my potential side e ects comes with a precaution o making you sensitive to could be rom taking these medications. Although I’ve the sun. been told at times by people to ignore what’s on this Azathioprine: WARNING: Long term use may paperwork, it all comes down to valuable in ormation increase the risk o cancerous and non-cancerous and a warning that, yes something serious could hapgrowths as well as blood disorders. pen to you while taking these drugs. Other side e ects are nausea/vomiting, loss o appef What got me started on this was when I became tite or diarrhea, hair loss, unusual atigue, stomach l e ill this past summer with a blood in ection. I got thepain, joint and muscle pain, vision changes, yellowingrs in ection in a minor cut on my leg. One o the e ects o eyes or skin, unusual bleeding and bruising as wellou o my medications, as well rom my illness, is a veryas unusual lumps and growths. Y weak immune system. The in ection took o and I was Folix Acid: very ew side e ects. This drug replaces g n put on several di erent medications that made meanother drug that I don’t take daily. i t believing I was going through another major Crohns Entocort / Budesonide: headache, nausea, diz- a e attack. All I can say is believe me when I say it was no r ziness, increased sweating, stomach upset, trouble T un. It turns out I wasn’t going through a severe Crohns breathing, ever, pain (back, stomach and general), lair up but I was going through all the side e ectschest o 0 pain, swelling o tongue or ace/legs/arms, 1 the anti bacterial drugs they were giving me. While vision problems, easy bruising, tingling or numb# the doctor was ighting my blood in ection I ended ness up o hands/ eet, tremors, ast heartbeat, trouble sue s with a bacterial in ection in my bowel. Not something sleeping, mental/mood changes, rash, acne, urina- I that should happen but did while ighting that blood tion problems. Includes a notice to use a Medic Alert in ection. I ended up with more medications and more bracelet because o complications with other drugs~in side e ects. Yes the illnesses are bad but so are some emergency situations.

The Side Effects of Pharmaceutical Drugs

Methotrexate: WARNING: Methotrexate has in re-Because o the prohibition o cannabis it has prequently causes serious sometimes atal side e ects, vented many di erent studies that could have been causes birth de ects and etal death, i used with per ormed. While the government claims to protect us NSAIDs it can cause severe (sometimes atal) bonethey mar-are actually assisting in a pharmaceutical nightrow suppression thus decreasing your body’s immune mare or many. Forcing people to take drugs that can system and stomach/intestinal disease, caution is kill you while ignoring the bene its o a natural plant advised i you take aspirin. is insane. Other side e ects besides death are liver prob- When it came to the cannabis side e ects I stayed lems a ter long term use, lung problems, lung in ecwith the same source as I did with the other medications, skin reactions, diarrhea and moth sores, lumps tions, the supplier. While most medical users grow their (tumors/abnormal growths), dizziness, drowsy, sensiown medication, things could vary rom one person’s tive to the sun. Includes a notice to use a Medic Alert garden to another’s. Since our government is the only bracelet because o complications with other drugs “oin icial” supplier and holds a monopoly on it, I went to emergency situations their website and got my in ormation there. It can be Remicade / Infliximab: Un ortunately I don’t haveound at http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/dhp-mps/marihuana/ one o those little reports rom the drug store to how-comment/applicant-demandeur/in o_patient_ re er to or in ormation on this drug but I do havee.html the Internet to look it up. This drug has its own website Cannabis: When you irst start consuming mariyou may experience mood reactions such as and it’s located at Remicade.com. I tried to removehuana, the anxiety, paranoia, agitation, amnesia, delusions or halmedical warning rom the main page o the website lucinations. I this happens stop consuming marihuana but they don’t allow that. I then went and checked out immediately. the PDF ile on the drug. When I copied it over there Fast heartbeat; this may be more o a problem i you was 2 pages o side e ects to watch or. A quick summary o the side e ects shows a lot o things wellhave and heart disease. Facial lushing or red eyes: Right a ter consuming beyond a con used body, as to whether it should have marihuana, you may get dizzy or eel aint when you diarrhea or be constipated. They are mild compared to get up rom a lying or sitting position. Try getting up this stu . Serious Infections: You just don’t want any!! Serious more slowly. I lying down sit on the edge o the bed in ections caused by TB or in ections caused by viruses, and let your eet dangle or 1 to 2 minutes, then stand ungi or bacteria you do not want to spread throughup slowly. Wheezing or a chronic cough, i the product is out your body as they have caused death in some May impair short-term memory attention and patients. Chronic carriers o Hep B should not takesmoked. it as it can reactivate the Hep B. This has lead to someconcentration. These e ects continue a ter you stop using marihuana and increase with longer periods o deaths in patients. Cancer: People who have used Remicade or along use. period o time to treat Arthritis, Crohns and Spondylitis When it came to the side e ects I elt terrible. When are at risk o and more than likely end up getting I review the list o the e ects it’s like bringing back the Hepatospenic T-cell Lymphoma cancer. Risks o other worst times o all through this whole disease. I know I cancers may also be increased. have the illness but when you look at the side e ects Congestive Heart Failure: Patients taking this mediyou got to wonder how many times a person can cation with a heart problem history are at risk as your take pills that create constipation, bloating, diarrhea, condition may get worse stomach problems as well as things like tarry black f The list goes on. Liver problems, Blood stools while battling the bloating, diarrhea, stomach l e Problems, Nervous System Disorders, to Lupus-like problems rom the disease itsel . I have gone through s r Syndrome. many o these e ects but thank ully so ar I haven’t u When it comes to pharmaceuticals, we’re always told ered the very worst ones o them all. Here’s hoping su o Y that the bene its out weigh their side e ects. I also I don’t develop some o the very serious e ects like the g cancers and growths At least I know I’m using cannabis n realize that pharmaceuticals are an evil necessity and i are a live saver or many but why don’t they use that which can help reduce such a thing rom happening. t a same theory or cannabis. Sure they’ll tell you that itCompare the e ects o our natural plant to these e r pharmaceuticals and it’s got to make you wonder T has to meet this process as well as certain criteria to what the ear is all about. I’m sure there are many meet. While also passing this and that test, the list goes 0 on. What about the real test? The test per ormed on theories behind it like control and money. While I 1 # know the pharmaceuticals were necessary, the least humans. Choose rom over one million Canadians that e u Health Canada can do is allow, without jumping over medicate with this natural product and I’m sure they s s I moon, access to cannabis as a medication or all have lots o great in ormation that certain people the don’t those in need. want to hear. Some o our governments tell us canna~ bis may kill us but yet we’re still waiting or that death ~ to happen. Meanwhile some o the pharmaceuticals I take are already proven killers.

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Mixing Marijuana and Hypnotherapy Marijuana is a plant that will enhance your trance.mind automatically subconsciously enhances signals There ore, in this installment, we will compare some rom actively engaged senses, while limiting, narrowo the myths, truths, similarities and di erences shared ing and iltering signals rom less active, unengaged by hypnosis and marijuana while exploring the idea senses. o The depth o your trance state constantly shi ts mixing them together. and changes according to the amount o ocus, concentration or interest you are applying to any thought, The brain and body communicate through electric action and or sense at any given time.” chemical receptors. All senses, memories and thoughts are electrochemical reactions. When you alter yourWhen you process marijuana, your subconscious and conscious unctions automatically change. The changelectrochemical interplays in any way, through your thoughts, emotions, hypnosis or substances, you es that occur can mani est as enhanced appetite, sedative, reduced stress, relaxation, nausea suppreschange your “subconscious” and “conscious” operasant or as a medicinal herb or healing. Marijuana tions. Your subconscious controls your growth, heartalso a ects changes to the conscious mind. Positive beat, breathing, digestion, nervous system, tears, saliva or negative connotations toward marijuana-induced and all others parts and processes that you don’t need to consciously think about to maintain operation. changes coincide with the agendas and perspectives Your conscious mind (consciousness) controls youro the observers. A list o “Marijuana Dangers” on the awareness, purpose and ocus in coordination with‘American Council or Drug Education website, classi ied these changes as “psychological dependency, your thoughts, actions and choices. The “trance state” is what makes hypnotherapy possible and a deep- impaired perception, loss o concentration, loss o coordination, impaired judgment, diminished shortened trance state is the most prominent side e ect o term memory, etc.”. marijuana. The ollowing quote explaining the trance state is an excerpt rom ‘Tao o Hypnosis – Magic o the These determinations are widely shared propagations Modern Mind’: o biased observations. As a practicing Hypnotherapist, “The term trance re ers to a state o awareness that I believe these alleged symptoms and side e ects indioccurs any time you ocus a sense, or combinationcate o a misdiagnosis by the individuals producing these senses, to the limitation or exclusion o other senses. tainted conclusions. Is marijuana addictive? Absolutely, as is anything that people acquire, enjoy or need. Work, In order to think, move and process your senses, your coca-cola, stu ed animals, sex, television and hypnosis are addictive too, and all o them can a ect the state o your perceptions in di erent ways. Perceptions altered by marijuana are not necessarily impaired; in act, marijuana use can increase the depth o your perceptions through the trance state. A shi t in concentration de if nitely occurs, but the intensity o l e concentration is heightened, not s r lost. Marijuana does not impair u your coordination or judgment, o Y though some people would use g it as a scapegoat, similarly to alcon i hol, to justi y their choices and t a decisions. Does marijuana cause e r a diminished capacity or shortT term memory? The answer is no. 0 Too again, quote ‘Tao o Hypnosis 1 # – Magic o the Modern Mind’: e

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“Your memory is like a complex organic supercomputer that automatically records, stores and separates all o your sensory experi-

ences into re erence iles. Everything that you have inalienable right to practice hypnosis. Hypnotherapists ever seen, heard, smelled, tasted, touched, thought,generally use their understanding o hypnosis to help dreamt or imagined rom every moment o your exispeople in any way they can. There are also those that tence is automatically saved and organized within your prey on vulnerable people. Hypnotic predators are promemory.”. People record everything subconsciously tected by the same shield o rhetoric that circumvents and constantly throughout their entire lives; including, all hypnosis related liability, making it very important when they are “high”, “impaired” or “normal”... to ind a Hypnotherapist whom you can trust. Just as di erent marijuana strains, growing methods and curSince being high and being hypnotized are uniquely ing processes will produce di erent characteristics, laindividual states, classi ied as phenomena, there are no and potencies; di erent hypnotists, using di ervours practical scales to measure the ull e ects or ramient icamethods, procedures and processes will produce tions on users or participants. Like marijuana, hypnosis di erent outcomes, experiences and new possibilities. is a controversial means o alternative therapy that is In conclusion, marijuana is conducive to a trance highly e ective and sa e. A hypnotherapy application state; as it produces a level o relaxation within users exists or all o the a orementioned remedies o ered that easily acilitates hypnotic experiences. The trance by marijuana, with the added advantages o guidance, state is a gateway to our thoughts. By exploring the intent and no side e ects. With the assistance o hypnomany acets o thought, people throughout all times therapy, you can reach a depth o ocus through which you are able to a ect and control many, i not all ohave yourlearned, developed and prevailed. With so many pro ound similarities, complementary di erences and subconscious and conscious unctions. Hypnosis and potential combinations, maybe the marijuana and hypmarijuana continue to display emerging new uses and nosis communities o activism and practice can share properties that constantly change the scope o current a united cause; the reedom to choose ones’ pre erred in ormation, dogma and understanding. method o treatment. People o all races, religions, rationalities and nationaliVisit www.balladeer.ca or urther articles, products ties use both hypnosis and marijuana around the world andseen art by Skyelar Pollack. or a variety o di erent purposes. I you have ever or participated in a stage hypnosis show, primarily or entertainment, than you may have a distorted view toward other more serious applications o hypnotherapy techniques and experiences. Like stage hypnosis, the entertainment applications o marijuana, o which we are all amiliar, o ten compromise the perceived legitimacy o its therapeutic possibilities. Hypnotists and Hypnotherapists created their own groups, organizations, schools, guilds, and associations to combat outside pressure imposed by medical communities, governments and societies that wanted to stop the practice o stage hypnosis and hypnotherapy. Hypnotists and Hypnotherapists constructed rules, standards and perspectives to inoculate the entire hypnosis community rom liability, a victorious battle resulting in a thick bubble o detached unity that protects all participants and practitioners. Through the assertion that all hypnosis is sel -hypnosis, hypnotists are viewed as talented guides rather than power ul mentalists. This simple perspective solidi ies, legitimizes and protects all hypnotists, Hypnotherapists, meditation guides, Yogi’s, Reiki masters and all other conventional shamans’

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The cannabis law reform movement needs YOU. Please do what you can.

As the report by the Senate Special Committee on Illegal Drugs states, "The continued prohibition of cannab jeopardizes the health and well-being of Canadians much more than does the substance itself." Ending the expensive and harmful policy of cannabis prohibition is an important social justice issue, but without pressur to do so, politicians will continue along with the status quo. e t u p

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There are plenty of ways to help in the effort to bring about rational cannabis policy in Canada. Being an "activist" simply means you've chosen to take action. Below are 10 suggestions for ways to help...

1. Initiate discussions with friends and family You don't need to talk about your own cannabis use in order to discuss important topics such as the war on drug or the harms created by cannabis prohibition. It's very important for more of Canada's three million cannabis consumers to step forward and challenge common stereotypes and misinformation about cannabis. 2. Attend rallies and marches Keep up to date on marijuana-related events in your area and show your support by attending. It's important for us to draw attention to, and put a human face on, this issue. Showing up to support these kinds of events also helps build a sense of unity, strength and optimism within the movement.

Canadian Cannabis Events Calendar - www.frankdiscussion.net/events.html

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3. Write letters-to-editors (LTE's) Using the media in this way to spread our message is a free and effective tactic. If you're concerned about your name appearing in the media you can write LTE's for newspapers outside your local area. *An LTE is also a great opportunity to communicate to the cannabis community as well, stressing the importanc getting involved. We need as many people as possible making an effort.

Great LTE Resources available at: Media Awareness Project (MAP) - www.mapinc.org

4. Write letters to politicians Name of MP Mail may be sent postage-free to any Member at the following address: House of Commons Parliament Buildings Find your Member of Parliament online... � Ottawa, Ontario http://canada.gc.ca/directories/direct_e.html K1A 0A6 5. Volunteer for, or donate to, an activist group or cannabis law reform organization Want to become active and don't know where to start? Find an activist or activist organization that's already doing something and ask them how you can help. Give your support to the organizations that are working for all of our rights. They need your financial assistance. Our opposition has much deeper pockets.

Canadian Cannabis Coalition - www.cannabiscoalition.ca

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[ click on "Participating Organizations" ]

6. Vote for political parties that endorse regulating and taxing cannabis. f This is one language that all politicians understand. If they do not know how you feel about cannabis laws they l e not s be influenced in that direction. r

8.u Print up some cannabis information flyers and drop them off at your local hemp shop.

o Y Download Flyers - www.frankdiscussion.net/info_flyers.html g n 9.ti Support hemp and cannabis related businesses a Buying hemp and cannabis-related products will strengthen the industry and legitimize cannabis consumers as e r viable demographic. Support businesses that support marijuana law reform. Supporting them supports the cau T

10. Participate in online discussions, newsgroups, and radio/TV call-in shows. 0 1 Keep an eye out for various ways to get the message out. Online discussion forums and internet newsgroups are # e an u opportunity to educate. On a high traffic web sites many people might read your response. Radio and TV call-in s s shows are another great opportunities to reach large numbers of the public. I

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Be part of the solution. Stay educated by keeping current with cannabis-related news: MAPinc.org CannabisLink.ca DrugSense.org MarijuanaNews.com Cannabisnews.com For more cannabis information flyers visit: FrankDiscussion.net

GET HIP TO THE TIP! The Standard Range o paper which are used or Yeah ok…sounds cool…great marketing blah, but the Mini Tips and the Mini Piktips is totally chlorine why? Good question, especially when its so much ree, ully recyclable and biodegradable, holds the cheaper and easier, to say nothing o the recycling aspect o roaching up your old xmas cards etc.ISO14001 certi ication and is sourced rom sustainable orests in Germany, Canada and Sweden. It is also designated as suitable or direct ood contact. Well it ‘aint just spin…I can assure you…and here’s some o the acts…

Whenever printing is done directly on to the tips Most papers are bleached with chlorine a highlythemselves, vegetable inks are used and the glues toxic and corrosive chemical, not all papers are are all water based PVA’s.

rom sustainable sources and in act some are not even made rom tree or hemp pulp at all, but areFrom the beginning, only the highest quality papers have been used…and whilst they recognize that manu actured rom such materials as China Clay waste and illers! Nasty! Printers ink can come there rom ais a certain irony in trying to make smoking healthier…every bit counts…and as the owners are crude oil base and glues are also o ten tainted with themselves tokers, they are the standards they wish unpleasant chemicals. or themselves. Quintessential is a UK based company that has been it comes to the actual product types which operational as a Head / Heart Store or 17 yearsWhen in are available in most o the paper ranges…there’s the magical County o Cornwall in England, but has become known internationally over the past 11 something or everyone…. rom the standard Tip which come 50 to a booklet, to the Maxi Pack which years through their well loved brand Quintessential is a handy 200 tip size. Smoking Tips . Whilst they didn’t invent the tip…they have per- New this year are the introduction o the Mini Tip and the Mini Piktips which are especially made or ected it….and in act were the irst Company worldthose o you who pre er something micro and the wide to introduce the Chlorine Free Tip, the Organic Pik’s are rom original artwork by antastic artists Hemp Coated Tip and the Pure Hemp Tip. rom various countries. They carry several products but the basic paper Quintessential is not some lashy in your ace comranges are as ollows:pany trying to make a quick buck on the back o the ‘health awareness’ issue….they have pre erred to go The Recycled Range is a paper that is not only chlorine ree, but is made rom 100% post consumerthe slow sure route, sticking to their principles and building up a worldwide ollowing based on quality, waste and carries the Nordic Environmental Label environmental application and consciousness. # and is NAPM approved. ## The by products rom

f the manu acture o this paper are used or compostl e You’ve nothing to lose but that peppery chemical ing, ertilizer, cement making and or heat energy s r taste on your tongue, so why not try ‘em and really conversion. u ‘Get hip to the tip!’ o Y

The Organic Hemp Coated Range is chlorine ree, g Contact KDK Distributors or your nearest stockist. carries the ISO 14001 Environmental accreditation n i email kellyk@valleyo green.com t ### and is sourced rom care ully managed sustaina See quintessentialtips.com or more in ormation on able orests in Scandinavia, USA and Portugal. This e r the Company. T paper is ully recyclable and the organic ood grade hemp oil is applied by our own actory and is a 0 1 unique process to Quintessential Tips. # The Pure Hemp Range is chlorine ree, Tree- ree and is made rom 100% hemp pulp.

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Prohibition at a glance By Mr.Nice Guy

most popular. These ‘trips’ reed peoples minds rom The movement to legalize and/or decriminalize the the normal constraints o society and opened locked personal use o Cannabis in America has been an ondoors and possibilities. Those that reed their mind going struggle since it was irst outlawed in 1937 bybegan questioning the government and their decithe Marijuana Tax Stamp Act. A common mistake sions, the lies and conspiracy surrounding the Vietnam that pro pot enthusiasts make is wanting to ‘legalize’War and the ollowing Watergate Scandal would show Marijuana. Legalizing Marijuana would just open upthe American people that the government could not a whole new world o problems, government would be completely trusted. This was the era o the Hippies, step in and regulate everything, the Marijuana would ormerly known as Beatniks or Beats. Hippies openly rejected material possessions, middle class morals be o very poor quality as noted by the 8 ederal medical Marijuana patients. Decriminalization is our mis-and norms, denounced the aith o their athers and sion, decriminalization would allow things to remainembraced Eastern religions, they ignored the laws o similar to how they are now, except their would be noman; instead believing in the laws o nature. Hippies created social circles that intertwined with each other penalty or sa e age appropriate use. The irst victim o but not with the outside world, they openly shared this Marijuana Tax Stamp Act was a 58 year old man sexual partners and did not believe in marriage. Then by the name o Samuel R. Caldwell. He was sentenced there where the Yuppies. Yuppies were individuals to our years o hard labor in Levenworth Penitentiary or selling two joints the very day the Marijuana Tax who on the weekends put on their dread lock wig, sunglasses, and ‘hippie clothing’ and went to party but Stamp Act passed. The judge was quoted saying, “I consider marijuana the worst o all narcotics, ar then when Monday came they were back with their worse than the use o morphine or cocaine. Under 9-5 o ice job, clean cut and proper.

its in luence men become beasts. Marijuana destroys Popular Culture at this time also urthered the exploli e itsel . I have no sympathy with those who sell this weed. The government is going to en orce this new ration and experimentation o these mind altering substances. Musicians such as Bob Dylan, The Grate ul law to the letter.” Dead, The Beetles, Big Brother and the Holding Company, Je erson Airplane, The Who , Jimi Hendrix Marijuana prohibition has it’s oundation in racism and Pink Floyd encouraged the use o such substances and lies, “marijuana makes men grow breasts”; “all and many began questioning why what one put in Mexicans are crazy and this stu is what makes them their body was illegal. crazy” ; “marijuana in luences Negroes to look at white people in the eye, step on white men’s shadows and The irst organization to publicly denounce the prolook at white women twice.” ; “3/4 o all crimes are hibition o Marijuana and called or decriminalization committed by Marijuana users” these are just some o Marijuana in America was NORML, The National o the quotes that pushed public opinion to outlaw Organization or the Re orm o Marijuana Laws. Marijuana. With the number o A rican American’s Founded in 1970 by Keith Stroup, over 50,000 people incarcerated or drug position nearly double that o would ally themselves with NORML the irst year o whites it would seem these racist policy is irmly in its existence. In 1974, High Times magazine would be place. ounded by Tom Forcade. This counter culture magazine would stir a lot o ‘buzz’ in the political world and fl With ‘Ree er Madness’ in ull swing, public support or later be named the “most in amous magazine e would s the Marijuana Tax Stamp Act was overwhelming. But r in publication”. u why is this? In this day in age, American amilies were o very patriotic, many o the athers had served in one Y Both o these organizations would make a public g i not both World Wars. These parents had broughtshowing that many Americans and many people n up their children to accept what the government told world wide wanted something done about the illegal-ti them without question, undoubtingly brain wash- ity o one o the most use ul plants on earth. The man a ing these baby boomers, most serving their country,everyone thought would answer this call would be e r T either voluntarily or involuntarily in the Vietnam War. President Jimmy Carter. 0 1

However, with the “turn on, tune in and drop out” Jimmy Carter, the 39th President o the United States# e u movement popularized by Timothy Leary. Based outis quoted having said, “penalties against drug use s s o Southern Cali ornia speci ically Haight-Ashbury, the not be more damaging to an individual than I should counter culture movement was slowly sweeping thethe use o the drug itsel . Nowhere is this clearer than nation, the majority o America’s youth experimented ~ in the laws against the possession o marijuana in priwith mind altering drugs, LSD and Marijuana beingvate the or personal use.”

All was looking avorable or decriminalization o running or presidency than ever be ore such as Ron Marijuana until the man that Jimmy Carter had appointPaul. Mr. Paul supports Medical Marijuana, production ed to be in charge o drug policy, Peter Bourne, was o Hemp, and decriminalizing Marijuana in general. seen and allegedly photographed snorting cocaine Mr. Paul is quoted saying, “individuals should be able at a NORML Christmas party. Carter had to change to make their own ree choices”. his position on drugs or risk looking un-American and issuing much more criticism toward his views on drug This is the best time to have our voice heard, to get our policy. message out there, as it is now polls indicate that 63% o Americans are in avor o decriminalizing personal Drug policies were re-en orced little until Ronald use o Marijuana. However over 25% o that 63% have Reagan, or should I say Nancy Reagan took o ice. admitted to not voting in elections. People this is how During the eight years that Reagan was president we are going to change policy by changing the politi(1981-1989) more people were incarcerated or noncians! Is jury duty really that big o a pain in the ass violent drug o ences than in the 44 years proceeding to keep you rom righting wrongs that have been in his election. Currently the US has the highest prisonplace since 1937? rate in the world, in which the non-violent prison population is roughly the size o the populations o With more than 17 million Americans having been both Wyoming and Alaska combined. There has been jailed simply or possession o Marijuana since 1937, a 80% increase in the prison population rom 1985 to a person in possession o Marijuana is arrested in the 1995, thanks to the penalties set orth by the Reagan United States ever 20 seconds. Think about all the administration. Nancy Regan’s “Just say No” campaign amilies and lives ruined because o this senseless war was in ull swing across the nation, ounding orga- on FREEDOM. Prisons are overcrowded by 32% and nizations such as D.A.R.E. in 1983, to brain wash a more o ten than we would like to believe, violent crimnew generation o Americans. Programs like D.A.R.E., inals are allowed out o prison early to make room or Drug Abuse Resistance Education, are misguiding our these non-violent drug o enders. Not only is this over youth by lies and deception, when youths do inally crowding inhumane, with up to our inmates living in try Marijuana as a result o the obvious peer pressure, a 7x9’ cell. It is also increasingly dangerous or prison they realize that they have been lied to by the gov- guards as well as prison inmates. Over crowding also ernment about Marijuana there ore the government makes escape easier. must be lying about the a ects o other drugs as well. Sadly or the most part the government is telling the Proo that the US drug policy has ailed is evident everytruth about these other drugs and those children learn where, rom the over crowded prison, law en orcethis by experience. ment organizations such as L.E.A.P., Law En orcement

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Against Prohibition, a collection o law en orcement The uture would continue to look bleak or Marijuana o icials rom various departments across the US, statusers until 1996 when a major stride was made in ing that prohibition should end as it distracts police Cali ornia when voters approved Proposition 215 byrom ocusing on the real criminals, rapist, murders, 56% which removed local and state level criminal etc. To a number o health organizations having done penalties on the use, possession and cultivation o research that indicates that Cannabis can be e ecmarijuana by patients who possess a “written or oraltively used as medication providing ew i any comrecommendation” rom their physician that the patient plications and their is no worry rom over dose. Yet “would bene it rom medical marijuana.” Marijuana is classi ied as Schedule I drug in the US,

placing it in the same category as Heroine and Crack 11 other states would ollow Cali ornia’s example:Cocaine, indicating that they have ‘no medical value’. Alaska in 1998, Oregon in 1998, Washington in 1998, Where as Cocaine and PCP are listed as Schedule II Maine in 1999, Colorado in 2000, Hawaii in 2000, meaning that doctors under ederal law are able to Nevada in 2000, Maryland in 2003, Montana in 2004, prescribe them. The US drug policies ailure is most Vermont in 2004, Rhode Island in 2006 and most evident by examining the US and Netherlands statisrecently New Mexico in 2007. tics side by side. The Netherlands has ewer users o all drugs than the US, including Marijuana. Despite this r T O course these strides have only been at a local andact, the US continues to pressure the Netherlands to ederal govern-change their policies. 0 state governments. Regarding the 1 # ment, no advancements have been made. However, e u With the 14 billion dollars the United States could save 2008 is looking avorable or change. With the majors s I ity o the Congress men and women who have con-annually by ending prohibition it just doesn’t make sistently voted ‘no’ on any legislation dealing with sense not too. 2008 could be a year or change, do ~ legalizing or decriminalizing Marijuana have not beyour part to make it one. re-elected this term and more pot- riendly politicians

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Marihuana, A Signal of directly related to an individual’s exposure as meaMisunderstanding issured by the number o cigarettes smoked, duration o

Overview by Otto Snow

smoking, earlier initiation, depth o inhalation, and the amount o “tar” produced by the cigarette and-data rom numerous prospective and retrospective studies In 1971 a report conducted by the authority o the indicate, that cigarette smoking is a signi icant risk acPresident and Congress “to place in proper perspective” tor contributing to the development o coronary heart the controversy surrounding marijuana. The report is disease (CHD) including atal CHD and its most severe called “Marihuana, A Signal o Misunderstanding” and expression, sudden and unexpected death. is available on the Normal website. Otto: “Cannabis smoking produces tars, but THC is According to the Raymond P. Sha er, Chairman, “We not a vasoconstrictor like nicotine. Cannabis will not on the Commission sincerely hope it will play a sigcalci y your heart and veins like tobacco. I would like ni icant role in bringing uni ormity and rationality to to see a comparison o the CT scans o the hearts o our marihuana laws, both Federal and State, and that twenty year cigarette smokers compared with twenty it will create a healthy climate or urther discussion, year Cannabis smokers. It should be on a public seror urther research and or a continuing advance in vice commercial. You tell me, why is Tobacco legal and the development o a public social policy bene icial to Cannabis not? Because tobacco causes heart disease all our citizens.” and kills people? So that pharmaceutical irms can pro it rom pumping helpless people with worthless medications? Otto: “I will go over the study, making comments and how it e ects medical patients, law en orcement and public health today.” I would also like to see scienti ic studies on the use o oral cannabis and resins in the treatment o Muscular Dystrophy, Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, A ter much thought and investigation, we now believe Sleep Disorders in Comparison to the Long Term that Congress was wise in ocusing this Commission’s attention irst on marihuana. By separating it romUse o Benzodiazepams, Muscle Spasms, Arthritis, the rest o the drug controversy, we have been bet- In lammation, Allergies and Seborrhea Dermatitis.” ter able to analyze the unique position marihuana occupies in our society. In recent years, use o the Short Term Effects (of Cannabis smoking) drug has spanned every social class and geographic region. The Commission-sponsored National Survey, “A Nationwide Study o Belie s, In ormation and Neither immediate nor short-term (21 day) highExperiences,” indicated that some 2 million Americans dose marihuana intoxication decreased motivation have tried marihuana at least once and that at least to 8.3engage in a variety o social and goal-directed million are current users. behaviors. No consistent alteration that could be

related to marihuana smoking over this period o time was observed in work per ormance o a simple task, fl Otto: “From the ONDCP “According to the 2005 e participation in aspects o the research study, or inters National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), r est and participation in a variety o personal activities an estimated 97.5 million Americans aged 12 or older u such as writing, reading, interest and knowledge o o tried marijuana at least once in their li etimes, repcurrent world events, or participation in athletic or Y resenting 40.1% o the U.S. population in that age g aesthetic activities. n group. The number o past year marijuana users in i t 2005 was approximately 25.4 million (10.4% o the a e population aged 12 or older) “ Otto: “As an adolescent... Go skiing or smoke Cannabis? r

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I would go skiing. Go swimming or smoke Cannabis? 0 ...tobacco smoking is not considered a major publicI would go swimming. There is a time and place or 1 # everything.” concern despite its link to lung cancer and heart dise u ease. According to the Surgeon General in The Health s s I Consequences o Smoking (1972). -cigarette smokLong Term Effects of Heavy and Very Heavy ing is the major “cause” o lung cancer in men and Very a Use (of Cannabis Smoking) signi icant “cause” o lung cancer in women; the risk ~ o developing lung cancer in both men and women

Jamaican and Greek subjects did not evidence any the existence o a cause-e ect relationship between deterioration o mental or social unctioning whichmarihuana use and antisocial conduct. Practitioners could be attributed solely to heavy very long-term such as police and probation o icers or example, cannabis use. Overall li e style was not di erent requently cite case examples in which apprehended rom non-users... They were alert and realistic, with o enders are ound to be in possession o marihuana average intelligence based on their education. Mostat the time o arrest. The mere presence o the drug unctioned normally in their communities with stable or the act that an o ender is a known user o mariamilies, homes, jobs, and riends. These individuals huana is sometimes deemed su icient to establish a seem to have survived heavy long-term cannabis causal link between the marihuana link the o ense.... use without major physical or behavioral de ects. no indings indicated that marihuana was generally or Looking only at the e ects on the individual, there isrequently used immediately prior to the commission little proven danger o physical or psychological harm o o enses in the very small number o instances in rom the experimental or intermittent use o the natuwhich these o enses did occur. In contrast, however, ral preparations o cannabis, including the resinous the aggressive and violent o enders in this sample mixtures commonly used in this country. The experidid report with signi icantly greater requency the use menter and the intermittent users develop little or o alcohol within 24 hours o the o ense in question. no psychological dependence on the drug. No organThe data show that marihuana users were much less injury is demonstrable. likely to commit aggressive or violent acts than were those who pre erred amphetamines or alcohol. They also show that most marihuana users were able to Otto: “An argument today is that marijuana today iscondition themselves to avoid aggressive behavior much more potent than back in the seventies. I don’t even in the ace o provocation. In act, marihuana know what other parts o the country were toking, but was ound to play a signi icant role in youth’s transiin the northeast it was Premium Gold Bud Colombian. tion rom a “rowdy” to a “cool,” non-violent style. No The ragrant at buds were sticky and gooey with resin. evidence exists, however, to indicate that marihuana There was also Red Hash Oil. It had a neuroleptic e was ectresponsible or generating or creating excessive and would probably be sa er than the use o neuro-aggressiveness or impulsivity in individuals having no leptics in the treatment o PTSD. There were bricksprior o history o impulse or personality disorder. The dark gooey Moroccan Hash in oval brick sacks that most that can be said is that in these rare instances, were heavenly. I remember a lighter blonde Lebanese marihuana may have aggravated a preexisting condiHash that came in oval brick sacks and was the dregs. tion. In sum, the weight o the evidence is that mariI guess it is all about who you know and what you huana does not cause, violent or aggressive behavior; wanted because everything is available. Compared itoanything, marihuana generally seems to inhibit Cannabis today? the expression o such behavior. Marihuana-induced Variety is the spice o li e. I guess the only problem is relaxation o inhibitions is not ordinarily accompanied the price.” by an exaggeration o aggressive tendencies. No evidence exists that marihuana use will cause or lead to the commission o violent or aggressive behavior Marihuana and Public Safety by the large majority o psychologically and socially mature individuals in the general population. In short, marihuana is not generally viewed by participants in The belie that marihuana is causally linked to crime the criminal justice community as a major contributand other antisocial conduct irst assumed promif ing in luence in the commission o delinquent or l e nence during the 1930’s as the result o a concerted criminal acts. s e ort by governmental agencies and the press to r u alert the American populace to the dangers o mario Y huana use. Newspapers all over the country begun Otto: “No wonder Cannabis is illegal. People are too g to publish lurid accounts o “marihuana atrocities.”laid In back to ight or legalization. Register to vote and n the absence o adequate understanding o the e ects i vote or candidates that support patient rights. Go to t a o the drug, these largely unsubstantiated stories rallies, dress conservative, get in the ace o the cane pro oundly in luenced public opinion and gave birth r didates and ask them i they support patient rights. T to the stereo type o the marihuana user as physically Such as national health care, now. Cannabis patients aggressive, lacking in sel -control, irresponsible, menwithout their meds can get cranky. Be polite. Cannabis 0 1 tally ill and, perhaps most alarming, criminally inclined # America (25.4 million strong, we could shi t the elece and dangerous. The combination o the purported tion) wants to know who not to vote or.” u s s I e ects o the drug itsel plus the belie that it was used by unstable individuals seemed to constitute a ~ signi icant danger to public sa ety. Now, more than 30 years later, many observers are skeptical about

Otto: “The widespread opinion o most Americans is that Cannabis is sa er than tobacco, alcohol and other drugs including legal pharmaceuticals. Most eel that Recent research has not yet proven that marihuanaCannabis should be legalized and taxed. The country use signi icantly impairs driving ability or per or- is going belly up. The stock market is a roller coaster. mance. The Commission believes, nonetheless, thatForeclosure America. Home Grown, legalize it and driving while under the in luence o any psychoactive tax. Open Cannabis stores next to the casinos that are drug is a serious risk to public sa ety; the acute e popping ects up to save area economies. Light one up and o marihuana intoxication, spatial and time distortion go play some craps.” and slowed re lexes may impair driving per ormance. That the risk o injury may be greater or alcohol than The Change or marihuana matters little.

Marihuana and Driving

Otto: “Intoxicated driving is against the law, doesn’tArrests, prosecutions, convictions and sentences o matter what the drug/medication is. I no one is imprisonment all increased at both the ederal and straight to drive, stay home.” state levels... Although the data compiled by the Federal Bureau o Investigation are not comprehensive, the FBI sample tracks the continuing increase o Progression to Other Drugs state arrests. There is no set proportion o marihuana users who STATE MARIHUANA ARRESTS “escalate” to the use o other drugs. The other drugs which some marihuana smokers use vary accordingYear Arrests Percentage Increase 1965 18,815 to the social characteristics o the population in question. Marihuana per se does not dictate whether other 1966 31,119 65.39 % drugs will be used; nor does it determine the rate o progression, i and when it occurs, or which drugs 1967 61,843 98.73 % might be used. 1968 95,870 55.02 % 1969 118,903 24.02 % Otto: “Individuals that I have known that were heavily 1970 188,682 58.68 % involved in hard drugs, eg. hard liquor, cocaine, narcotics, were not interested in Cannabis.” Otto: According to the Bureau o Justice Statistics. The Adult Marihuana User

1982 455,600 arrests 2005 786,500 arrests

37.7% o the marijuana arrests in 2005 were or posFor the most part, use o marihuana by adults has session. been ound to be more directly related to the acilitation o social interaction (much like the adult use o alcohol in social gatherings) than to any other actor. Otto: “At a $5.00 tax on each bag busted it would f Although their marihuana smoking behavior is illegal, equal $4,000,000 Now calculate in those that didn’t l e most adult users are not ordinarily considered by their s get arrested. 25.4 Million Americans. At a $5.00 tax per r peers to be criminal nor is their use generally likelybag, that’s $127 million. Say they buy a bag a month. u to result in arrest. Because the adult user generally Multiply by 12 equals $1.5 Billion. That doesn’t take Yo maintains low visibility, is primarily a recreational user, into consideration the tax on the income paid by the g is not usually involved in radical political activity and store owners. And they spend money in the their com-in t maintains a li e style largely indistinguishable rom his munities. It would be better that Uncle Sam legalize a non-using neighbors, he is not ordinarily viewed as and pick up on a tax with the sale o Cannabis. It is e r a threat to the dominant social order. In short, asidestupid not to. Its an economy. America is out sourcing T rom his use o marihuana, the adult recreational user the growing o Cannabis to Mexico and Canada.” 0 1 is not generally viewed as a signi icant social prob# e lem. A general interpretation o the National Survey u s s indicates that roughly one-quarter o the American I public is convinced that criminal sanctions should be withdrawn entirely rom marihuana use.

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policy designed to seek out and irmly punish those who use it. Misunderstanding also played an important part when the national government. adopted an ...arrestees generally possessed only small amounts o eliminationist marihuana policy in 1937. The policymarihuana. O our entire sample o 3,071 arrests: makers knew very little about the e ects or social impact o the drug; many o their hypotheses were speculative and, in large measure, incorrect. On the 67% were or possession o less than one ounce (18% basis o this evaluation we believe that the criminal were or less than one gram; 23% were or between law is too harsh a tool to apply to personal possesone and 5 grams; 26% were or between 5 and 30 sion even in the e ort to discourage use. It implies an grams) overwhelming indictment o the behavior which we 7% were or possession o between one ounce and 4 is not appropriate. The actual and potential believe ounces harm o use o the drug is not great enough to justi y intrusion by the criminal law into private behavior, a 8% were or possession o over 4 ounces step which our society takes only with the greatest reluctance. The present illegal status o possession has Adult Cases not discouraged an estimated 24 million people rom trying marihuana or an estimated eight million rom continuing to use it. Our survey o the country’s state At least 48% o the cases were terminated in the prosecuting attorneys shows that 53% o them do not de endant’s avor. The police themselves disposedbelieve o that the law has more than a minimal deter10% o the cases, re raining rom illing charges...rent Thee ect in this regard. Our empirical study shows prosecution declined to ile complaints in an additionthat 48% o the adult cases, and 70% o the juvenile al 7% o the cases. An additional 28% o the cases were cases, were dropped rom the system at some point dismissed in the course o pretrial judicial proceed-between arrest and conviction. The picture displayed ings. In 3% o the cases, the de endant was acquitted one o a large expenditure o police manpower to at trial. Because the igures have been rounded o en, orce a law most participants urther along the line the total is not always 100%. are not anxious to apply. In his March 1971 address to the National Con erence on the Judiciary, President Nixon said: “What can be done to break the logjam o Juvenile Cases justice today, to ensure the right to a speedy trial and to enhance respect or law? We have to ind ways to At least 70% o the cases were terminated in the clear the courts o the endless stream o “victimless crimes” that get in the way o serious consideration youth’s avor: The police themselves disposed o 21% o serious crimes. There are more important matters o the cases, re raining rom re erring the youth to juvenile authorities... An additional 48% o the casesor highly skilled judges and prosecutors...” A inal were dismissed either because the juvenile o icercost o the possession laws is the disrespect which the laws responsible or iling a delinquency petition re used to and their en orcement engender in the young. Our youth cannot understand why society chooses do so, or because the judge dismissed the case prior to criminalize a behavior with so little visible ill-e ect to trial. or adverse social impact, particularly when so many members o the law en orcement community also The Public Response question the same laws. Law Enforcement Behavior

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About a quarter o the public is convinced that the Otto: “As a teenager, law en orcement would con iscriminal sanction should be withdrawn entirely rom cate weed, no arrest. They could have arrested us. I marihuana use. In sum, the existing system is not supguess its about the act that most o the teenagers ported by the consensus o public opinion that oncewere smoking cannabis, that the o icers were children existed. There is a consensus that punitive measures and one time. Its about keeping the peace. A ter turnr are generally inappropriate. There is also a predomiing 18, law en orcement would not con iscate i it was T nant opinion that the legal system should not aban-personal (under a couple o ounces). Smoking in major ormal control. cities in the northeast was allowed in many public 0 don 1 # parks i done with discretion. On several occasions in e u numerous cities, I chatted with law en orcement while s s Otto: “The Department o Agriculture should be in I smoking Cannabis or my allergies. They know that I charge o Cannabis.”Marihuana’s relative potential am or su ering. Its weed not heroin or a WMD. Get real. harm to the vast majority o individual users and ~ When chatting with a detective, he said, “Cannabis, we its actual impact all society does not justi y a socialdon’t bother, we only go a ter criminals.”” Additionally,

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with the sale and use o more hazardous drugs on the The existing social and legal policy is out o proportion increase, and crimes o violence escalating, we do not to the individual and social harm engendered by the believe that the criminal justice system can a orduse the o the drug. time and the costs o implementing the marihuana possession laws. Otto: “Now, more than thirty years since the initial report... According to Normal the ollowing states Otto: “Arrests or heroin/cocaine has increased rom have medical marijuana programs: Alaska, Cali ornia, 112,900 in 1982 to 557,600 in 2005. Arrests or synColorado, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Montana, Nevada, thetic drugs has increased rom 24,800 in 1982 to New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and 88,600 in 2005. Other drug arrests increased romWashington. I would like to see Cannabis cultivation 82,900 in 1982 to 411,700 in 2005. I look at cannabis by medical patients decriminalized at a Federal level. as a ail sa e drug i the price is kept low. The current I would also like to see Pro. Craker be able to cultivate high price o cannabis promotes the use cheaper medical grade Cannabis or scienti ic research. Put scimore toxic drugs such as methamphetamine.” We ence back in the hands o the American People.” have care ully analyzed the interrelationship between marihuana the drug, marihuana use as a behavior, Thomas Je erson, “I know o no depository o the ultiand marihuana as a social problem. Recognizing the mate powers o society but the people themselves...” extensive degree o misin ormation about marihuana as a drug, we have tried to demythologize it. Viewing the use o marihuana in its wider social context, we Otto Snow is author o multiple drug chemistry books have tried to desymbolize it. Considering the range o used by students, attorneys, policy makers and law social concerns in contemporary America, marihuana en orcement. does not, in our considered judgment, rank very high. We would deemphasize marihuana as a problem.

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Vancouver Island Burmese 2at 4 weeks into flower - photo by Opus

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munity and I was looking orward to meeting them. The day inally came, and things were all ready to go. I showed up early to make sure everyone was prepared and what not. My photographer arrived irst, and shortly therea ter we got a call rom Brad X. They were on the way too but were expecting Lou to get by Jeremy Norrie there irst. Just then there was a knock at the door. I was working on this week’s column o “Here, There Lou Dogg had arrived. Rather than wait, we decided and Everywhere” when Marco sent me a message. to Hejust get started right away, so we had Lou come in wanted to know i I would be able to meet up or anand sit down. interview with the boy’s rom the Kottonmouth Kings.

Interview With The Kings Of Kottonmouth!

Lou Dogg O course I was more than happy to do so, but where? Hey what’s up? How you doing? Sorry i I’m a little late Neither o us had a place in mind, but I got an idea. I I just came rom work. called my riend Je who appeared in the last issue, f l e he owns the Wellness Earth Energy Dispensary in TY s Sherman Oaks, Cali ornia and I was thinking we could r Hey no problem. Thanks or coming out to talk with u do the interview there. Je was more than happy to us. So what were you working on? o Y help so I got back in touch with Marco and told him g the good news. A ter a couple calls it was all set or Lou Dogg n Well, when we’re not doing music I work or Bruce i Brad X, Pakelika, Lou Dogg and Taxman to come down t Margolin. Here I’ll tell you all about it. It all started or an interview. a e For those who don’t know them, the Kottonmouth when Bruce asked our band to do a little jingle or him. r T We did the jingle and everything but later on I went Kings are a Cali ornia based hip-hop/punk rock hybrid down to see Bruce. We were not recording because group. They are very popular band rom an indepen0 one o the other band members was hurt. So (Bruce) 1 rom MTV or radio # dent label. Despite little support o ered me a position basically as his assistant. You see e they broke the Billboard Top 40 with their last album. u to me Bruce Margolin is like a superhero, and I only s s I In act, last year they sold out concerts all over the know about positive things he’s done or people. All country and abroad as well as headlining the High the groups he works with do positive things. ~ Times Cannabis Cup in Amsterdam. They are de initely one o the biggest groups in the cannabis com-

am in a dispensary I eel the sameTY reedom I eel in Amsterdam or inRight on. Thanks or that. Let me Jamaica but as soon as I leave, my ask you irst are you patients? eeling changes. That’s not cool, Lou Dogg that’s NOT cool. Something needsPakelika What I do is, I get to go rom to happen to stop that. I am - or asthma. Lake Forrest and San Diego all TY the way up to Santa Barbara and Do you visit dispensaries? Ventura passing out the Margolin (Just then Pakelika, Brad X, and the Guide. I brought some or you Taxman enter) guys and I le t them up ront. It’s a Pakelika basic guide or everything relatedPakelika to medical marijuana, rom the Better get that Vaporizer plugged I go to the dispensaries. Actually laws to the type o things that can in and going, that’s what I’m talk- I’ve never been to this one be ore happen, like what happens when ing about though, but now I know.Lou you get pulled over, or how many checks out most o the dispensaplants you can grow, everything. Brad X ries, I just go to most o the ones It’s a great thing to have and he Wow what a cool place, what a around [my home]. I think its a reprints a new one every year. I cool vibe great thing, its how it should be. really enjoy going to all the di erent shops and meeting with It’s about this close to Amsterdam TY people. Now my li e has really Hey welcome guys, thanks or but we still need that little reechanged, but it’s a per ect balance. coming by. We’re getting every- dom part. You know we do the music and the thing ired up right now. crazy li estyle, and now we help Brad X people. I get to see positive thingsPalelika How about we throw down a happen that I’ve never seen in my Here’s a poster rom the High Pakelika or president sticker on li e, like the concept o the dispen-Times issue we did, and you know that ridge? sary. I get to see them rom SantaI’m running or president. I got the Barbara and Ventura to San Diego bumper stickers to prove it! My Jeff from W.E.E.D and Lake Forrest, Malibu, Van Nuys, next solo album coming out next No problem but you got to stick it! but not as ar as San Francisco andyear will be my campaign! I want (Pakelika gets down and sticks the Oakland though. But its good to to be the write in candidate; I don’tsticker on the ridge) know that as ar reaching as thoseclaim any party you know what I areas, even that ar and beyond mean? Well except the TRUE green TY people can get help. Like, when I party i you know what I mean? Since your band is so outspoken TY So what do you do

or Bruce?

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about marijuana, many people They asked me i I had any weed. think I would buy a card so I won’t would imagine you get more So I gave them my blunt box, (withget hassled by the cops when I got attention rom law en orcement. my weed) that was kush, so they an ounce o herb in my car you Have you had many problems withcould search me. Then I told them,know what I mean? the law? “I don’t have any now”... they searched me and gave me my box TY Brad X back. Then I had some (weed) I totally understand. What about Yeah we’ve been banned rom again. with elections around the corner, some college campuses and do you see any changes or positive we’ve been banned rom venues. TY things in the uture? Our shirts are banned rom High Here in Cali ornia we voted or Schools and our tour bus has beenstate wide medical marijuana lawsBrad X raided, our shows... you know or to be changed to aid the sick and Well I would like to think the demthe amount o shows we do it real-dieing people who wanted to use ocrats can make it. But you know ly is a small percentage. Most days it to help their su ering. Even still there are only 2 parties in America are good days but occasionally we we have problems with medical so what kind o choice is that? see a bad one. We got busted in marijuana though. Do you think I mean when we come into the Ohio once, Virginia… the next step is ederal legalization wellness center here, they don’t or another direction? have a display case with just 2 types o weed. No way, you got 20 TY or 30 to choose rom, 2 parties is a Brad X Is it mostly outside o Cali ornia? I would love to see marijuana legal-crazy concept. I think i the repubized ederally you know. I would licans remain in the White House Brad X like to see marijuana decriminal- then I think we’ll see more o the Oh no, we seen it hear in Cali orniaized more than anything though. Isame. Hope ully though, i the too. A couple spots, one time in don’t think a plant should ever democrats can get in they will be more realistic about the situation. Santa Barbara we had a problem be considered a crime. too. TY TY Pakelika Decriminalized or medical use? Despite little support rom MTV or radio, you have been around or They tried to arrest me (in Santa Brad X more than 10 years and have some Barbara) Not just or medicine. I mean, o the most loyal ans I have ever TY obviously like, people that are su seen. What is the secret? Brad X They tried to arrest you? How didering with cancer you get out o it? and other problems, it helps them I don’t think there is any one parwith their ailments so o course ticular thing that’s the secret. I Pakelika that’s obvious. Anything that think there are a bunch o things. will help alleviate su er- You know like i you asked 10 ing or people, whatever di erent people that went to a works or that person, Kottonmouth Kings show what they should let people they liked about the Kottonmouth sel medicate but lets be Kings then I think you would get real about it. Most people 10 that get a prescription get di erent answers you know what it cause they don’t want I mean? People like the message f to get hassled by cops o the band, that we sing about l e or smoking weed. They personal reedom and legalizas r like to smoke weed or tion, some people like the music u their own personal reaand the energy o the show. I you o Y sons not because they come to the show, a Kottonmouth g have a medical problem Kings concert is a good time, n i you know? I could go you’re going to have a good time t into the doctor and tell weather you like the band or not a e him I had something, I you’re going to have a good time. r T could make it up just to I think it’s a real grass roots band get my prescription but that tours and people can con0 really I just want to smoke nect with it and see its a real thing 1 # weed with the prescrip- you know? They should never e u tion because I don’t want think they can’t talk to someone in s s I to get arrested. I mean the band, you know what I mean? lets be real about it, I’m We’re not an untouchable band ~ not going to lie and say and we put out a record every I have a physical ailment year! I think we put out good so I can get my 215 but I records. Its not or everybody, not

everybody is going to like it but and then we use it with these hipwe put out a record every year orhop parts, we call it “Rip-Hop”. No the last 10 years so I think people one has ever done that, you know appreciate it. the songs like “Full Throttle”“Dieing Day” “Outcast” some o those punk rock songs go into these hip-hop TY That’s one thing I know I have won-parts. That style right there we call it “Rip-Hop” cause we are the only dered. Has your process o making a record changed since you irst ones I know that take straight old school punk ri s and blend them started over 10 years ago? into hip-hop. It’s not like “RapRock” where you got people doing Brad X O course, when we irst stared rock ri s and people rapping over that. (Rip-Hop) is like straight lipmaking records we had more time to just be in the studio. You ping the whole style on the song. And those are my 2 avorite kinds know now between the touring and everything we got to do, you o music, punk rock and hip-hop. know living and everything. With our tour thing that we do, we havePakelika to be more precise when we go I thought it was natural too. You in (to the studio) you know but know it’s like the same energy but everything is kind o cycled. We 2 di erent Brad X have our own record places it comes rom. It’s the same label and everything. We have shit, the same type o message. Yeah, we have a song on the new album “Proud to be a Stoner” and our own studio so when we’re we made a hemp T-shirt called out on the road touring, the beats Brad X “Proud to be a Stoner” too. It’s our are being made and we’re writing That’s coming rom the uture theme or 2008! That’s Pak’s presisongs you know. We’re always a president people! dential theme too! step ahead. Cloud 9 just came out but we inished that 8 months TY ago, now we’re working on the Can you tell us more about that? I TY Well, be ore you go I did have a next thing. thought Pakelika or president was just something your ans came up ew last questions. I asked some TY with. Why did you decide to actu- o your ans what they would ask you i they had a chance and they ally do this? So what are your goals or this new had a couple good questions. First album? the obvious, what are your avorite Pakelika Brad X I was just disgusted with what’s strains? Cloud 9? Well, we are just going been going on. I decided last Pakelika to tour. We’re touring November year on 420 that it was time to 15th and it’ll do it. 2 ounces a day keeps G. W. Green Crack take us all around the US and thenBush away! My campaign trail willLemon Super Silver Haze we come back and I think we do be our tour. You know its only two dates in San Francisco late right! Just spreading the messageSkunk #1 December and then we do a New to like-minded people. Brad x Years Eve party in Orange County. King Kush f Brad X We take o to Australia, Japan and l White Widow e Hawaii in January and Feb and As we continue to deplete mother s r come back. Then we release the earth o all its resources just drainLou Dogg u Kottonmouth Kings greatest hits, ing all the oil out o it o Blueberry Y its called “The Greatest High” hope ully someday we’ll come Taxman g to a rational point where we can OG Kush, you know the original n TY i legalize a plant that can be used t original kush Can you tell our readers aboutor uel, or so many good things. a e When you look at the act that your style, “Rip-Hop”? r T Hemp, not even containing THC, TY What is your avorite smoking can’t even be manu actured in Brad X 0 1 We coined that phrase “Rip-Hop” America, which really shows you method? # e because obviously we pull rom a what kind o corporate environu Brad X s bunch o musical in luences. Wement we’re in. s I Joints like to think that we innovated and create our own style, so “Rip-Hop”Taxman is basically the taking o punk rock, All our merchandise is made oTaxman ~ Bong you know the old school punk rock,hemp though!

doing or cannabis re orm. Their music speaks to a wide audience and many o their ans live their lives ollowing the Kottonmouth Pakelika Brad X code o honor. The new Vaporizer Yeah you know its called re-gi King ting, it never gets thrown away album they have out is one o their best yet and they are very proud o TY it. The Kottonmouth Kings will be Yeah? What’s your avorite vaporTY coming to a town near you sooner izer? So last but not least, what’s the cure or a bad case o Kottonmouth? than you think, as their tour kicks o November 2007. They try to Pakelika make it to as many cities as they Brad X the Vaporator can so they do a show or all o Water, ruit juice, anything natural. their ans all over the US. Get your TY Smoothies, mango juice tickets to the nearest show as soon Here’s a good one. What do you as you can because they will probdo with the weed when your ans Lou ably sell out! Don’t orget to check give it you? Corona! out their new album in stores now and watch out or the greatest hits Brad X Brad X album coming out in 2008! Most places we go…believe it or Nice Creams Ice Cream! I back that not in the mid west the herb is not company! the greatest. I don’t want to be a Thanks to everyone or reading, and weed snob you know? Somebody TY thanks again to the Kottonmouth is giving you weed and its like they Well thanks or stopping by and Kings and Marco or setting this all are trying to share something with talking with us, we really appreci-up. Now you can lip over to my you. You don’t want to insult them ate it and we wish you good luck regular column “Here There and or anything but we like to smoke a with your projects! Your welcomeEverywhere” and check out what I certain standard o weed. I don’t to come by and talk with us any got or you this issue! Take it easy really like to smoke low-grade time! and have un. weed, it just hurts my lungs and gives me a headache you know? Brad X Written by Jeremy Norrie So I usually give it away, you know Thanks, we had a great time! – AmsterdamDVD.com it’s the gi t that keeps giving! Photos by R.Carrillo - redskelSomebody that doesn’t have any [email protected] t was great meeting with the guys weed always appreciates it. rom The Kottonmouth Kings. I really do appreciate what they are Lou Dogg Bong

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Pharmapharmer Interviews Trainwreck In my initial research I learned o

the many interconI’d been hearing the buzz rom my hipster riends,nections between Trainwreck and Tenacious D. As it about some band called Trainwreck that was goingturns to out, one o Trainwreck’s members, Klip Calhoun be coming through my humble home town o Chico, (Kyle Gass) is the cousin o KG (Kyle Gass) who plays CA. I really didn’t pay too much attention till about with JB (Jack Black) in Tenacious D. To top it o , on 48 hours prior to the show when a riend casually some tour stops Kenny Bob (Jack Black) sits in or mentioned that Kyle Gass, o Tenacious D ame was regular drummer Dallas St. Bernard. Ironically, Darryl in the band. Well that piqued my attention so I madeDonald bears a striking resemblance to J.R. Reed a mad dash to the web tracking down any contact who played the memorable number one an, Lee, in in ormation I could which amounted to a ew emailTenacious D; The Pick o Destiny. addresses.

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The rule o thumb or getting into shows and scoring Con used? Me too! It took a while to actually igure an interview is to call early and call o ten. I did neither! out who was who in the band as they are all perIn act I didn’t know I’d actually be getting in or meetorming under alter-ego/stage names. Darryl Donald r T ing with the band until about eight hours prior to the(musician/actor J.R. Reed) ronts the band on vocals, show when I received a phone call rom who I thought plays the hell out o a cow bell and has mastered the 0 must be the PR agent or the band but actually turned train whistle. Klip Calhoun (Kyle Gass) rips it up on 1 # out to be lead singer J.R. Reed who also acts as the the acoustic guitar and lute, John B. Shredman (John e u bands road manager. While he hadn’t heard o TY yet s Konesky) on guitar, Boy Johnny (John Spiker) on Bass s I he was eager to make an impression on our readers and Dallas St. Bernard on drums round out the band and is riendly to the cause so he put me on the gueston drums when Kenny Bob (Jack Black) isn’t sitting in. ~ list (+1) with a photo pass and agreed to meet a ter the show.

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I killed some time be ore the show with my riendsinterview till they were done doing autographs and in the bar’s smoking area. It’s a small area with a ew merchandising so I hung out and snapped a ew more tables, stools and chairs enced in with some sort opictures o the interactions between band members mesh that looks like it’s constructed to keep visitorsand ans. I began to notice they actually paid attention rom slipping inmates contraband. Not the best place to their ans. They spent an incredible amount o time to toke up or certain but a ew well constructed signing autographs, chatting and o course posing or hash cig’s came in really handy while my riends and photographs. There was even a KG look-alike posing I sipped white Russian’s and locally brewed Sierra with KG at one point. Granted the doppelganger was a Nevada Summer Fest. good oot taller than KG but at irst look the two could have come rom the same egg. An un-introduced rap act and local band Gorgeous Armada opened or the swelling crowd. We missed The crowd thinned out as band members slipped the rap act while chatting with the event producer out one by one and changed out o costume be ore going over photo and access logistics and most o returning to remove their gear. At this point JR had Gorgeous Armada as well as my ellow cig addictedroped me into helping him carry out some o the le t riends and I used their set to get as many in as pos-over boxes o merchandise which I was happy to do. sible be ore the main act. Prior to leaving or the show It’s at this point where the actual interview begins. I loaded about a gram o hash into about hal a dozen cigarettes which we chain-smoked till right be ore I’m standing outside a bar at the end o the strip in Trainwreck hit the stage. Chico Ca. It’s hot and the only people around are le t over event sta , band members, some really drunk ans, mysel and my good pal Ian Carpenter who used Per orming to a hot and sweaty house o 200, his video camera to capture the interview or me. Trainwreck hit the stage and tore into a blistering set o southern-prog rock in used comical genius. TheWe’re standing next to a van with a small (read microstory telling, through song style o Tenacious-D is scopic) travel trailer attached. Inside the trailer we can realized in Trainwreck although to a much more southern-prog rock in luenced sound. Blistering guitar ri s, complex beats, lute and acoustic guitar solo’s punctuated the comical lyrics to per ect e ect. From the smoking area one could easily think that a classic rock station might be blasting through a non-stop block o southern rock but on a care ul listen, Trainwreck starts to sound like a genera all it’s own. While their in luences are obvious to many the sum e ect is both musically satis ying and unny as hell. The audience responded to every note the band played eating up this summertime show like a re reshing, ice-cold watermelon. Despite o or perhaps in part to the hot and moist environment o the venue the crowd was energized. Many patrons danced and sang along while crowding the stage snapping photos and swilling down cheep college town booze. Although drunk and pumped the crowd never became unruly and most hung on every hilarious lyric till the last.

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As the band le t the stage there was a throng o newly minted Trainwreck ans desperate or autographs and merchandise crowding the band as security shielded their exit. A ter a very short and well deserved break JR and KG took the brunt o the rush as exiting patrons reversed direction a ter realizing that their new hero’s were coming back or some one on one time with the ans. Photos were taken, tee-shirts signed and merchandise was sold. I met up with JR by the merchandise table as the crowd dissipated. He explained that we’d have to wait on the

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JR: The Trainwreck groupie, ummm, well, they’re usually trailer park residents that come rom long distances in old beat-up trucks. Ummm, slightly overweight, smoking lots o weed wearing some sort o weird comic book shirt. PP: What’s your avorite city to per orm in and why? JR: sh-sha, Chico (laughs erupt) your only as good as your last show right? Damn good, Chico came out. The Chico’ens came out in masses and this was an excellent show, one o our… KG , JR and BJ KG: (steps up to JR. Grabs him by the shoulder and in a tone mocking o a paid endorser, says) Hi, I am a big an o Trainwreck, oh wait I am in Trainwreck. see two mannequin heads wearing the wigs KG andWhat JR is this? Is this TV or stoners? Is that what it is? sport or the show. We’re on the street with JR and the interview proceeds: PP: This is Treating Yoursel magazine. JR: This is stoner tonight magazine.

PP: First things irst, I have to ask i the name Trainwreck has anything to do with certain Northern Cali ornia genetics? JR: ..ummm, only a ter the act. Trainwreck came as a train wreck o genera’s crashing together in an explosive rock inale. PP: Is it true that ans actually threw so tball size buds o Trainwreck at you while perorming up in Humboldt? JR: It’s true, in Arcata, up there in Humboldt, we were gods. I think they thought we were perhaps the gods o trainwreck weed strain. They did indeed throw gol ball, snow ball sized chunks o Mari-Juana at us on stage. PP: So did you guys smoke it? And i you did were you maybe a little worried about it? JR: (laughs under his breath) There was some apprehension but we did smoke it. Yes it was consumed.

PP: Does that happen pretty consistently? JR: No, we don’t always get stu thrown at us [likePP: How much would you say that pot plays a role in that] uh, which is an exclusive to Humboldt situation your creative process, i at all? I think. JR: Let me think about that…I’m going with 420%! f l e s r u o Y g n i t a e

PP: What would you say is the most consistent thing PP: What are your thoughts on medical marijuana? thrown on stage? JR: Positive, I would say my thoughts are. I think, uh, JR: Panties o course. that it bene its people’s lives much more than cocaine, heroin or LSD. I it comes rom the earth its good, it’s PP: Have you ever considered saving them and makgood! ing a quilt out o them like Frank Zappa? JR: Wow, did he really make a quilt out o them? PP: How about the war on drugs? Any thoughts on that? r T PP: I don’t know that he actually made a quilt but JR: Yeah! Let the weed o enders ree please! It’s a heard him solicit or panties to be thrown on stage natural to god growing plant people! 0 be made into a quilt on a live album. 1 # JR: Ummm, that sounds like a good idea, I’m going to PP: Some o our readers wanted to know, what kind o e start collecting. u classical training do you guys as a group have or is it s s I pure genius? PP: How would you describe the typical Trainwreck JR: A little bit o each, a little bit o each. We have ~ groupie? the genius and styling o Jonathan Barthalomew Shredman, Klip Calhoune on the vocals and acoustic

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guitar and then o course my on lyrical genius umm, PP: How would you describe your genera? yeah, there’s some training and some experience and JR: I would say its kick ass, southern prog-rock with a lot o Toking! Country Bear Jamboree in the mix. PP: What would you say your avorite strain is and PP: in Any movies in the works? JR: Right now no. We’re riding in on the wake o The general i you pre er indica or sativa? JR: Oh or sure indica! And avorite strain, I like Northern Pick o Destiny, trying to get our head above water. Lights a lot. Trainwreck’s pretty good too but call me Right now it’s all about the ‘wreck. It’s all about proli crazy. erating the country with the ‘wreck. We would like to go to every single persons how with our rock! That’s goal. PP: Tell us the truth, KG really stands or Killerour Green right? I thanked JR on behal o TY magazine and headed JR: It does, absolutely; you guys did your homework down to Du y’s, another bar where the rest o the on that one. band sans KG and JR had headed to. While there I had a chance to meet up with band members John B. PP: Would you agree that the all o communism was and Boy Johnny who seemed to be in shock due to the act that there was no real blueprint or Shredman the at the insanely cheap drink prices and abundance o lumpenproletariate? JR: De iantly! And the bourgeois screw those bour-very attractive young women. geois. You know the bourgeois need to smoke a little more weed I think. I took the opportunity to shoot a ew candid shots when events and circumstances once again conspired against me. I was just snapping a ew shots o local PP: What are your uture plans as a band? music promoter Katie o Devil Kat Rock Promotions JR: We will be releasing our ull length album, inally our irst studio album this all and doing a national and John B. Shredman when tragedy struck in the orm o a stumbling drunk who knocked a borrowed US tour. camera rom my hands and onto the cruel sidewalk. PP: Is this an “indie” project or on a major label? The lens was smashed into the body o the camJR: We’re not sure yet, we’re going to sell that S.O.B.era rendering it useless as anything other than a Uh, Sony Epic has irst right o re usal because our$200 paperweight. Luckily the smart card within was and the pictures were usable. good riend Klip (KG) owes is his li e to them. But a undamaged ter that we’re some to get some indie label representation. We’re making it on our own and then taking’ allAs o press time Trainwreck has recorded a new album comers. which is expected to be released in late 2007 early 2008. Show dates, streaming tracks, photo’s and more IC: Do you guys have any plans o producing can thebe ound at the bands MySpace page http://www. myspace.com/trainwreck [rumored] TV show? JR: We actually do, yeah. We have some people right or http://www.twreck.net now in the midst o creating a show or us and it’s Written by PharmaPharmer exactly what we said it’s sort o The Monkey’s meets Scooby do. We’re not sure i it’ll be animated or live action. PP: Who would you say your major music and comedic in luences are? JR: I would say, the major giant mega-bands like the Bantles, The Monkey’s, The Almond Brothers are huge in luences but we also really appreciate early 70’s prog-rock, Thin Lizzy, Blue Oyster Cult, Zappa and also heavy doses o the Footloose soundtrack and Smokey & The Bandit. PP: How do you eel about the term “Mock-Rock” being applied to the band? JR: As long as it’s spelled MAWK and I think it’s very appropriate or us because we are very sincere in our personas. PP: You’re rocking or the common man! JR: Yes, we’re rocking or the common man, we are embracing and celebrating. Not making un o . It’s a celebration, I think Cool & The Gang said it best, celebrate good times, come on!

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“The irst two GMMA were at Nimbin Mardi Grass in Australia,” Lee says. “The third was to be at UK Weed World Hemp Expo but the council banned the whole Expo two weeks be ore the event.” AMMA’s’ host and house poet Paul Bullock adds: “In 2006, I was supposed to MC the Gamma’s in Coventry, England. Weed World was renting a huge pavilion at the Ricoh Arena. The Weed World Expo was going to bring a huge gathering o vendors and per ormers and the like. from left to right: Steve Bloom, Stubacca Dashiki, T-Blackett, Stumpy, Sarah the About two weeks be ore the Selektor, Nick Funk, Will Funk, Sweet Willie, Sleepa event, the board o directors at Ricoh Arena realized that the Weed World Expo had something to do with marijuana, so they stopped the event. The trail has been a little rough the past two years, but I believe in what we’re attempting to do.”

THE AMMA’S An Awards Show Grows in Brooklyn BY STEVE BLOOM

The McCarren Pool in the Williamsburg section o Brooklyn, New York is a reminder o another era. Built in 1936 as part o the Works Project Administration during the Great Depression, it was intended to provide summer recreation or as many as 7,000 swimmers at one time. Its enormous size equals three Olympic pools. However, nearly 40 years later, in disrepair, the City shuttered the pool. Plans were made to modernize the acility, but it laid dormant until 2006 when Live Nation f entered into an agreement to convert the pool into an l e s alternative-rock concert venue. r iti u Today, McCarren Pool looks like an urban ruin. Gra o livens up the sidewalls and the Art Deco arched entryY way has been given a coat o red paint. Close your eyes g n and you can imagine the din o splashing kids and i t attentive li eguards keeping an eye on them. a e That was the backdrop and part o the back-story or r T the American Marijuana Music Awards, which came to Brooklyn on October 13 intent on staging a concert 0 or New York-area 1 starring weed-obsessed musicians # stoners. e

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Now add this ingredient: The AMMA’s are run by an Australian organization that originally ounded the Citizin Flip and Anthony Ross Owner of Shadow Global Marijuana Music Awards. The diminutive Tam Entertainment Lee is the driving orce behind both events.

Lee and her husband lew in rom Australia on October 12, and Bullock rom Texas. When the trio met at McCarren Pool the next day on a crisp, all Saturday morning, they ound a huge venue with no stage and a hand ul bands milling around. Over the last ew years, the AMMA’s has galvanized the ledging movement o marijuana musicians. Most o the bands scheduled to per orm had already either won an award or had been nominated. They drove and lew in rom all over the country: The Individuals, a hiphop quartet, came rom Chicago; Muck Sticky, an o beat per ormer who wears a Dr. Seuss-type hat, rom Memphis; Rich Hardesty, who has the easy delivery o Jack Johnson, rom Indiana; and Herbal Nation, New England’s answer to James Brown, rom Providence. Also scheduled to per orm were reggae artists Bigga Haitian and Michael Fabulous, Chicago-based singer Nice Peter, and a host o rappers: T.H.C. – True High Class, DJ Slim, Bazialini, King Magnetic, Craig G & Will Pack – Silent Majority, Terb, and Tha Wild Seed & Da Yella Fella. Only headliners Pato Banton and Marlon Asher had yet to arrive. The stage they had expected to use was the same one that had stood opposite the entrance or most o the summer, a large structure built by Live Nation or groups like the Beastie Boys and TV on the Radio, Mezklah guitarist Greg Hernandez and percussionist who’d played to big crowds there in July and August. Miss Claudia came all the way from LA. With the show supposed to begin at high noon and no sound or stage, the bands were getting restless. tations as well. “The huge stage turned out to be Lee pointed a inger at the Park’s Department, whono stage at all,” he mused. “An adequate sound system? Didn’t quite make it. Any publicity other than moved the AMMA’s rom August 25 to October 13, but MySpace? None. It would have been easy to get pissed also admits o having any “in writing” rom the City or Live Nation. “I had no idea there would be no stage at the lack o just about everything, but it was just as easy to hang by the pool and smoke copious amounts until the day I arrived,” she sighed. o herb while we waited or the show to begin.” Herbal Nation drummer Stumpy had great expecBand members congregated behind what should have been the stage on cement steps where a plume o smoke rom joints, blunts and pipes trailed upwards, painting cannabis clouds on the blue sky. It took untilf 2 pm or the irst sounds to squawk out o the speak-el s ers. r

u o At 3:30 pm, Bullock took the mic and, a ter apologiz-Y g ing or the delay and seeming lack o organization and n i attendance, introduced the irst o 15 acts and artists t that would strut across the concrete makeshi t “stage” a e over the next our hours. As Bullock said, “Let’s make r T

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# Rather than ace the empty rectangular pool, the e per ormers turned 180 degrees towards the back su s where the bands and a hand ul o ticket-buyersI Bigga Haitian (far right) and crew take a minute wall to pose lounged and pu ed. The AMMA’s quickly trans ormed for the camera. an exclusive club-style gig or a small group o ~ From left to right: Discipline / Links / Ras Baya into / Bigga loyal ollowers. Haitian

accepting Best Song honors or “Marijuana,” a reggae tune he per orms with A roman. In addition to a trophy, Amini received a $500 prize rom Treating Yoursel . Knowing that the show would not be up to expectations and that inances were perilously low, Lee scratched reggae stars Pato Banton and Marlon Asher rom the bill. “Pato did show up but I had to cancel both him and Marlon because we had totally run out o money and there was no audience to speak o ,” Lee con ides. ”Marlon had been lown over rom Trinidad, but I rang him on the concert day to say we Nicky Amini flew in from London to accept Song of the had to cancel his per ormance. His manager Anje was Year honors. It was presented by CelebStoner`s Steve mainly concerned that it didn’t appear that he was a Bloom, for “Marijuana,” a reggae tune with Afroman. The no-show.” award included the trophy and a $500 check courtesy of Treating Yourself magazine. Lack o local promotion and advertising doomed any hope o selling a signi icant number o tickets at $13 Despite all the di iculties, the musicians rose to the each. Lee said about 100 were purchased. occasion, shuttling on and o at a near breakneck pace. It was like “Stoner Idol” – a talent contest withA ew days later, asked or her assessment o the AMMA each group or artist good-naturedly attempting to show, Lee commented: “Although we had a number o unexpected organizational problems, overall it was outdo the previous one. great to have the American Marijuana Music Awards At around 4:20, Bigga Haitian – a Haitian Rasta whose in Brooklyn. We held a ull-on dope event in the heart brother Patrick Dorismond was killed by New York o New York with antastic music, everyone smoking police during an undercover pot buy in 2000 – providand not one cop to be seen. Apparently, while Bigga ed the day’s irst legitimate highlight with his impasHaitian was belting out ‘Gi Me Da Weed,’ a couple o sioned rendition o “Gi Me the Weed.” The irie vibescops stopped at the ront gate to see what was going continued as Michael Fabulous and the Juvenile Band on. They sni ed the air and one said, ‘It smells a bit – certainly the youngest per ormers on the bill – didillicit a in there,’ but then he said, ‘Let them get on with version o “Pass the Kutchie.” it,’ and they le t.” The AMMA’s’ only emale act, T.H.C. eaturing Ill e.So galwhat’s next or the burgeoning AMMA’s? and Miss Stress provided a brie burst o sass and “We’ve already been approached by three di erent energy. Not scheduled, but well received were ADM,out its who’d like to help us with the AMMA next year,” a hip-hop/Latin-jazz ensemble reminiscent o YerbaLee stated, predicting: “I trust, like all good crops, we’ll continue to grow!” Buena.

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The best band o the day was undoubtedly Herbal Steve Bloom is the ormer editor o High Times and publishes the website, CelebStoner.com. His book, Nation, the AMMA 2006 Best Song winner. As the sun set and darkness overtook the venue, they jammed on their original horn-heavy unk tunes - “High Hat,” “We Love the Herb” and “Bruce Miller” - with the help o James Brown’s bassist, Brooklynite Fred Thomas, and George Clinton’s daughter, Sativa Diva, with Ric Smoov, who twice broke into the P-Funk perennial, “Somethin’ Stinks and I Want Some.” r T Something

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stank – green and smelly – indeed. Un ortunately, minus lighting and with a 7:30 cur ew in e ect, the show had to end prematurely during Taco and the Mo o’s set and be ore the Individuals or Muck Sticky was able to per orm. (The AMMA’s continued at a club in Manhattan later that night.) Herbal Nation`s Horn Section consisting of Stubacca Dashiki, Will Funk, and Nick Funk perform `We Love The Awards were announced throughout the day (see “AMMA 2007 Winners”) with British singer NickyHerb` Amini

Pot Culture: The A-Z Guide to Stoner Language & Li e, comes out in March 2008. For more in o, go to: potculturebook.com.

AMMA 2007 WINNERS Song of the Year: “Marijuana” by Nicky Amini feat. Afroman Album of the Year: Eazzy Duzzit by Dr Mooch Best Reggae Song: “Sweet Sensei” by Freesound Best Rock Song: “Smoke Bigga Haitian calls everyone up to the stage before he will perform. He called That Weed” by Nice Peter Best Rap Song: “I Smoke” by for people to `stop hiding` and `smoke out in the open during the concert`. Oddballaz Best Pop Song: “Smoke That Weed” by Nice Peter Best Comedy Song: “Smoke That Weed” by Nice Peter Best Country Song: “Diggin in the Dirt” by Sean Reefer and the Resin Valley Boys Best Blues Song: “Smokin’ and Drinkin’” by Howard Glazer and the El34s Best Instrumental Song: “Metal Thunder” by Minya Best Experimental Song: “Drjackelvsmrhighed” by CelebStoner`s Steve Bloom poses with The Individuals for a quick picture Stony Kurtis Best Hemp Song: “Reggae on the Farm” by Sahra Indio Best Legalization Song: “Our f l Own Destiny” by Calypso e s Val r u Best Spiritual Song: “Puff o Y For Peace” by Jet Baker g Best Medical Song: “How n i t I Smoke” by Brandon a e Benefield r T Best “The Bush” Song: “The 0 Bush Song” 1 # e Best Poetry: “At the Passing u s s of the Joint” by Paul Bullock I Best Music Video: “Tree of Herbal Nation `Safety Meeting` before heading back to Providence. from left Life” by Human ~ to right: Sleepa, Sweet Willie, Chris (cousin of a band member), Nick funk, Will Funk, Stump, Stu, Rob George (Sound Tech) T-Blackett.

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