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Is Marijuana a Gateway Drug?

Superman-5A large argument coming from opponents of marijuana is that marijuana is a “gateway drug”. This line of thought is that marijuana use leads to harder drug use. I believe there is some truth to this, but not in the way that opponents of legalization think. The simple truth is, I have been using marijuana for over 25 years. I started using it as a teenager. I started marijuana because it was easier to get then alcohol (drug dealers don’t check ID’s). I do not use hard drugs. In fact, I prefer marijuana to prescription medicines (I will even use marijuana in place of ibuprofen… both are anti-inflammatories).

Marijuana is not a Gateway, Marijuana Prohibition is

Marijuana prohibition is, in itself, the gateway. There are 2 major issues with marijuana prohibition that make it more easy for marijuana users to move on to hard drugs and therefore make the gateway possible. First, there is the trust issue. Marijuana prohibition teaches that marijuana is a dangerous narcotic. When a young person tries marijuana, they soon realize that the fear mongering about marijuana is a bold faced lie. Logic then leads them to question what other “dangerous narcotics” they may have been lied to about. This has the potential to lead to experimentation with hard drugs.

master-kush-31The second issue with marijuana prohibition that supports the gateway theory is the supply chain. With marijuana being illegal, a marijuana user is forced to buy it from a drug dealer. Since marijuana is not a very profitable drug to sell on a small scale, most drug dealers sell other narcotics with a better profit margin. As professional salesman, these drug dealers push their marijuana buyers to try their other products. Making ten dollars on a bag of weed isn’t nearly as nice as making fifty dollars on an eight ball of cocaine, and users will go through that cocaine faster then the marijuana.

The simplest way to get rid of the gateway potential of marijuana is legalization and regulation. When we teach our children that marijuana is more on the dangerous level of alcohol, and less on the level of cocaine and heroin, then we will see our children less likely to make the move from marijuana to those harder drugs.

When marijuana is legally sold in legitimate, licensed, and regulated stores, you will no longer have the sellers trying to up sell the buyers to more profitable (and harder) substances.

So you see, the idea that marijuana is a “gateway drug” is really a reason why it needs to be legalized and regulated. Not a reason to keep it on the black market.

 

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Why Legalized Marijuana is an Economic Necessity

legalized marijuana created jobs

From the dawn of recorded history, marijuana has been a valuable crop to mankind. Used in everything from rope and cloth manufacture to medicinal uses. George Washington (America’s first President) is quoted as saying “Make the most of the Indian hemp seed, . . . and sow it everywhere!”.

legalized marijuana equals economic growthFederal control of marijuana was first attempted in 1937 with the passing of the Marijuana Tax Act. This law ruled that growers of marijuana had to pay a tax based on the weight of marijuana that they grew. It was illegal to be in possession of marijuana with a tax stamp. However, the grower had to produce the harvested marijuana to be weighed so that he could get the tax stamp. This would then result in the growers arrest for having marijuana without a tax stamp. The law was ruled unconstitutional in 1969 in the Supreme Court case Leary v. United States. As a direct response to this ruling (that effectively legalized marijuana possession in all 50 states), the US added marijuana to the Controlled Substances Act of 1970. Marijuana was added as a schedule I Narcotic under the advise of Assistant Secretary for Health and Scientific Affairs Roger O. Egeberg who stated in a letter to congress:

‘…Some question has been raised whether the use of the plant itself produces “severe psychological or physical dependence” as required by a schedule I or even schedule II criterion. Since there is still a considerable void in our knowledge of the plant and effects of the active drug contained in it, our recommendation is that marihuana be retained within schedule I at least until the completion of certain studies now underway to resolve the issue. If those studies* make it appropriate for the Attorney General to change the placement of marihuana to a different schedule, he may do so in accordance with the authority provided under section 201 of the bill..'”

Those studies were concluded in the 1972 Schafer Commission report, which recommended removing marijuana from the scheduling system and decriminalizing it. Those recommendations were ignored. This has brought us to our current situation where the law clearly states that the Attorney General should re-schedule any substance that does not fit the criteria for it’s current schedule into a schedule more fitting for it, yet for over 40 years, no Attorney General has moved marijuana away from schedule I. Meanwhile, cocaine, mdma (ecstasy), and opium (among others) all enjoy a schedule II or below classification allowing them to be used for medicinal purposes, legally, in all 50 states.

Economic Advantages of Marijuana Legalization

In our current state of technological advancement, we are teetering on economic catastrophe. Although technological advancements have greatly increased the quality of life, they have also greatly increased the cost of living. These technological advancements have also decreased the quality of available jobs, and will continue to do so at an accelerated rate.

legalized marijuana products  promote economic growthAutomation decreases the need for manufacturing jobs. Mobile pay kiosks decrease the employment need for cashiers at restaurants, and retail stores. High speed connectivity has pushed many customer service and technical jobs to oversees markets where favorable exchange rates and lower cost of living provides inexpensive labor. These examples we have already started to see. Not only will they continue, but technological advancements on the horizon will continue to impact jobs. Self Driving vehicles will eliminate the need for chauffeurs, cab drivers and delivery drivers, as well as reduce the need for police focused on traffic duties, and they will have a strong impact on the insurance industry. Connected homes will severely impact the home security industry as well as impact police personnel dedicated to burglary cases. 3D printing will further decrease manufacturing and retail jobs. Advances in genetic science will soon decrease medical, and pharmaceutical jobs.

With our countries current job situation, and these advancing technologies on the verge of disrupting many more job markets, it is imperative that we find new opportunities for income generation.

Legalized marijuana is the opportunity we need to create jobs across multiple fields. Retail stores to sell the marijuana need “baristas” and security, and they need to rent storefronts from which to sell. Grow operations need to rent facilities, and hire security as well as employees to grow, harvest and trim the product. Labs are needed to test the quality of the product being sold. Bakeries are needed to create marijuana edibles, the list of jobs goes on. Hemp (for paper, textiles, and even building materials like hempcrete) need vast amounts of land to grow, and harvest, and vast amounts of employees to maintain such operations. All of these operations will also create tax income to the state and federal government.

The Marijuana Industry has the potential to create millions of jobs, and strong economic growth. While the taxes generated from the marijuana industry has the potential to relieve a large amount of the tax burden citizens currently bear. Considering marijuana should have been legalized 40 years ago, it seems absurd that we hold on to incorrect presumptions of the “dangers of pot”. If we want economic growth in the face of technological job loss, we need to embrace legalization and regulation of the marijuana industry in the same way that we embraced the legalization and regulation of the alcohol industry after the repeal of prohibition in 1933.

Additional Information on Legalized Marijuana Products:

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Purple Haze Marijuana Review

“Purple Haze is in my brain. Lately things don’t seem the same. I feel funny, and I don’t know why. ‘Scuse me, while I kiss the sky.”

Fl-Purple-Haze-6Rarely has there been a strain of marijuana with such renown, and name recognition as purple haze. Ever since I first started smoking marijuana, getting purple haze was something to be excited about. In fact, it is one of the few strands of marijuana that I actually knew by name back in my teenage years. (back in the early ‘90s in Florida, we either got the standard Jamaican brick weed, kryptonite {or krippy} and every once in a while… purple haze).

Big Beautiful Purple Haze Buds

The strain is supposedly named after the Jimi Hendrix song, and not the other way around. If that is the case, the Purple Haze is a strong strain of weed deserving of it’s namesake. Although some places call this strain of marijuana a sativa, I would have to say it is more likely a hybrid. I have heard that Purple Haze is a hybrid of Purple Thai, Columbian Haze, and an early Dutch Skunk. The buds are large and dense. They have greens and purples mixed with abundant orange hairs, and there is a very earthy aroma with a bit of skunk. The flavor is berry or grape candy with a bit of sandal wood.

Purple Haze is in my Brain

Fl-Purple-Haze-14-EditPurple Have has an immediate effect. The indica head high quickly focus the mind, and simultaneously focuses it in different directions. The eurphoria of the head high settles into an energetic sativa body buzz. This strain of marijuana would be great for relieving stress or anxiety while not putting you straight to sleep. This creative strain is a fitting tribute to Jimi and should be high on your list when picking a strain to enjoy.

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Sativa Vs Indica: What’s The Difference?

There are over 1,000 strains of marijuana, so choosing the right strain for you can be a challenge especially if you’re looking to help a certain medical condition or find a desired effect. It’s important to understand that everything you find in your local dispensary or collective has a foundation in one of these types of cannabis plants or can be a hybrid of the two.  – For tips, great weed deals, recipes and more visit www.Greenito.com

Cannabis Indica and Cannabis Sativa are plants with different appearances, growing cycles, and native environments and have been classified as such for hundreds of years. However, these classifications have recently become a lot more important to today’s consumers as they look to customize their marijuana experiences by taking advantage ways that these two different plants produce diverse highs and treat specific symptoms. Indica versus Sativa is a major deciding factor when it comes to what the consumer buys or what a physician may prescribe.

Growers and researchers are in on it, too, constantly working within the two classifications to understand their effects and properties, including returning to some of the original genetic extractions. But what does this mean to you? Just what are the differences between the two and why are they important to you as a consumer?

We want to break it down for you. 

SativaIndicWhile the two strains have a fairly dependable and oft reported variance in effect and medical treatment, there are other factors at play in the way individuals experience their highs. Things like a person’s weight, age, gender, or even a woman’s time of the month, can affect your experience. Marijuana cannabinoids and terpenes are also responsible for the physical effect experienced when it is smoked or ingested. So while we see a lot of consistency in the differences between the indica and sativa strains, there are still variables at work.

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Against Medical Marijuana? What About Medical Cocaine?

cocaineEvery once in a while, I come across someone who is actually against medical marijuana. I try to explain to them the overwhelming evidence to support marijuana’s medical use, but they usually just say that the “chance of abuse is to high”. When I realize the stubbornness of their argument, I usually ask them if they think medical cocaine is ok. Of course, the answer is “no” and usually for the same reasons. Some will even admit that cocaine is worse.

Then I have to inform them that as a schedule 2 narcotic, cocaine is legally prescribed for medicinal use in all 50 states.

Cocaine is still used by some physicians to stop nosebleeds, and for pain control before minor nose surgery. Dentists or oral surgeons can also use cocaine for anesthesia before procedures. Cocaine is prescribed mostly as an anesthetic in topical or injectable form.

In addition to oral, and nasal surgery, The American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Inc. considers cocaine to be a valuable anesthetic and vasoconstricting agent when used as part of the treatment of a patient by a physician. No other single drug combines the anesthetic and vasoconstricting properties of cocaine.

*see links at bottom of page

So how do we move Marijuana from Schedule 1 to Schedule 2?

I don’t know anyone who thinks that marijuana should be regulated more heavily then cocaine. So how difficult is it to have marijuana moved from schedule 1 to schedule 2? According to the controlled substances act, subchapter I, part B, section 811 The Attorney General can remove any drug or other substance from the schedules if he finds that the drug or other substance does not meet the requirements for inclusion in any schedule.

master-kush-1In section 812, in order to be listed as a schedule 1 narcotic, a substance must meet the following criteria:

Schedule I.—

  • The drug or other substance has a high potential for abuse.
  • The drug or other substance has no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States.
  • There is a lack of accepted safety for use of the drug or other substance under medical supervision.

In contrast, a schedule 2 drug has to meet these following criteria:

Schedule II.—

  • The drug or other substance has a high potential for abuse.
  • The drug or other substance has a currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States or a currently accepted medical use with severe restrictions.
  • Abuse of the drug or other substances may lead to severe psychological or physical dependence.

It seems obvious that the Attorney General is legally obligated to move Marijuana from its current Schedule 1 classification, and place it into Schedule 2 (at the very minimum).

In a recent paper, the National Institute on Drug Abuse admits that a “scientific study of the chemicals in marijuana, called cannabinoids, has led to two FDA approved medications that contain cannabinoid chemicals in pill form. Continued research may lead to more medications.”

So if the FDA is approving medications based on the chemicals in marijuana, then the FDA is admitting that marijuana has medicinal use. Thereby proving that marijuana should not be a schedule 1 narcotic, and should be moved to schedule 2 with cocaine and other drugs that have “currently accepted medical use”.

Links to medical cocaine information

http://www.medicinenet.com/cocaine_hydrochloride-topical/article.htm

http://www.acmt.net/Cocaine.html#Q2

http://www.webmd.com/drugs/2/drug-1383/cocaine-top/details

http://www.entnet.org/content/medical-use-cocaine

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Check out this Stoney, funny Youtube Channel while You Are High

starwarsthumbFor all you marijuana smokers out there, there’s this best kids toys youtube channel with this whacky puppet that’s super entertaining to watch while you’re high! They quality is really good with movie quality effects and animations. They do Star Wars toy reviews, Toy Story kids toys, Super Mario Bros Episodes, Minecraft parodies, blind boxes and lots of best Disney Toy Reviews. The puppet kind of reminds me of Elmo from Seseme Street but he’s sillier and has funny outbursts on the show where he smashes the toys and stuff. Haven’t seen anything else this on youtube. Plus they donate all the toys to sick children in thei hospital. Check it out! Great stuff! It’s called Fuzzy Puppet and you can see it at this link. Make sure to subscribe to see more.

You can view here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLbfhc7oGxk&list=PLw-f-OsF83I1HLxSGz0t3frhXw3T6Pf7x&index=3

smthumb2 (1)You can also watch my favorite episodes so far, which was where the main character Fuz The Puppet, is playing an 8bit retro video game with him as the main character. There’s a dragon he can never defeat and he calls on his friends Super Mario and Luigi to help him get past the boss. The stop motion photography used in this episode is sick! See it here https://goo.gl/QvynMX

 

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Why Marijuana Vaporizers Are Booming

hotvaporpengirlmarijuanavaporizersIt is a fact, Marijuana vaporizers are the best accessory to use for marijuana smokers. Everyone is beginning to understand the power of a true vaporizer. There are tons of added benefits that you experience that sets a vaporizer apart from using a bong, pipe, tobacco wrap, cigar or joint. The biggest benefit is the health benefits that vaporizers hold to the user without doing any type of cardiovascular damage. There are thousands of different types of carcinogens when you smoke marijuana. Most of the carcinogens are in the wrap itself but there are hundreds inside marijuana when you smoke it including the leaf that burns which creates a very underrated and damaging factor when you decide to burn your marijuana.

Marijuana vaporizers started becoming very popular early 2008 when many companies understood how important it is to ones health when inhaling an active ingredient the plant holds. Vaporizers simply extract the pure active ingredient within the plant causing nothing to burn at all that would damage your lungs and other cardiovascular organs. Vaporizers filter out 95% of all carcinogens, the 5% is the active ingredient that everyone looks to inhale when using marijuana which would be the THC. The benefits are endless including; no more yellow / black mucas, no more yellowing of the fingers, no more inhaling butane and tobacco, most importantly you won’t inhale any poison that is included when burning marijuana.

Aside from the health benefits marijuana vaporizers carry you’ll also experience many financial benefits such as saving hundreds of dollars a month since vaporizers give you 85% more potency. If you smoke an ounce every week, you’re saving 8.5 grams per ounce. Adding the math lets say for example, you pay $15 a gram, you’re saving $125 per ounce smoked which saves you $250 a month. The amount of herb you go through will be in smaller amounts and you’ll find that a gram will last you more than a couple days instead of the one session you get out of a gram when smoking. As the marijuana industry expands, more and more people will lean toward marijuana vaporizer for not only the fiancial and health benefits, but from the style and discreetion that they carry. People that use a vaporizer look more sophisticated and less tacky as the old school methods. Only 26 states carry legal marijuana so there’s plenty of growing in the industry to be able to make the public aware of the benefits provided by a vaporizer.

What Type Of Vaporizer Are Out There?

weedvaaaYou’ll notice that there are many different vaporizer types. Portable vaporizers, Vapor Pens, and desktop vaporizers are the 3 types of vaporizers that are being produced with more technology. Prices range from $20 all the way up to $800 to buy yourself a unit. The average customer spends $150 on a vaporizer knowing it’ll save their health, health costs and herb spending. The millenials are the ones giving awareness to the old school users but the old school tokers are definitely investing more money now that many of them are aware of marijuana vaporizers and how powerful they are.

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How to Get a Medical Marijuana Card in Canada

Follow these three (3) easy steps to learn how to get medical marijuana in Canada from authorized producers under the Marihuana for Medical Purposes Regulations (or MMPR).

 

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Step 1) Consult with a Health Care Practitioner

DoctorandPatientTreatment decisions are best made in consultation with your doctor. Under the MMPR, an authorized health care practitioner includes physicians and nurse practitioners in all provinces and territories. Schedule a visit with your healthcare practitioner to discuss:

  • Your current symptoms and medical conditions.
  • The previous medications you’ve taken, along with any therapies you’ve tried in the past, or are currently using to treat your health condition.
  • Share any of the side effects you have experienced from conventional medications and treatments with your healthcare practitioner.

 

Step 2) Obtain a Medical Document from your Health Care Practitioner

A young caring doctorIf your doctor believes that medical marijuana is a promising option to help you treat the symptoms of your condition, ask your doctor to complete the Medical Document. The Medical Document is to be completed only by an authorized healthcare practitioner.

  • Download the Medical Document from the official website of the licensed producer of your choice. All licensed Canadian medical marijuana producers have their own version of the Medical Document available on their website for the convenience of patients and doctors, but they all include the same information. Health care practitioners can complete Health Canada’s sample medical document or provide the required information in the format of their choice.
  • Bring a printed copy of the Medical Document to take with you to your doctor’s appointment so that your doctor can complete the form.
  • Make sure your health care practitioner includes all of the following information on the medical document signed and dated:
    • Your full name;
    • Your date of birth;
    • The address where you consulted with the practitioner;
    • The daily dose in grams as well as the time period of the prescription, the period of use which cannot exceed one year.
    • The health care practitioner’s name and, administrative information; and
    • An attestation by the health care practitioner that the information contained in the document is correct and complete.

 

Step 3) Register and Order with a Licensed Producer

Tilray ProductionOnce you’ve got the go-ahead from your health care practitioner and obtained a Medical Document, you can register as a client with your preferred licensed producer. The registration process may differ slightly from one producer to another, however; all producers will require you to submit the original medical document completed in full and signed by your health care practitioner along with their own registration form(s) before you can order medical marijuana.

After registering as a client, you will be able to order dried marijuana from the licensed producer.

 

Important Notes

  • Your medical marijuana will be mailed to you directly by the licensed producer. Retail store-fronts and dispensaries are not allowed under the marijuana for medical purposes regulations.
  • The amount of medical marijuana you can possess is the lesser of thirty (30) times the daily amount stipulated by your health care practitioner with a maximum of one-hundred-fifty (150) grams.
  • If asked by law enforcement, you can demonstrate that you are in legal possession of medical marijuana obtained from a licensed producer by showing either the label on the marijuana packaging containing your patient information or the separate document that will be included with your shipment of medical marijuana from the licensed producer.
  • The “Authorization to Possess” document issued from Health Canada is no longer accepted by law enforcement for medical marijuana ordered from a licensed producer.

 

Visit MMJPR.ca for more details on How to get medical marijuana in Canada

 

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CannaMeds Medical Dispensary Expands From Colorado Springs to Denver

Colorado Springs, CO May 12, 2015 – CannaMeds plans to open its second store as well as a 9,000 sqft grow

CannaMeds Wellness Center is planning to expand its business to a second retail location in Colorado Springs, and a 9,000 sq ft grow in the heart of Denver. Their Denver manufacturing location will supply both Colorado Springs locations. Due to CannaMeds consistent success by offering its members the best deals, their customer base is constantly growing. CannaMeds was established in 2009 and was founded by Chris Rice.

By expanding their manufacturing into Denver CannaMeds hopes to expand their market while keeping their current customers happy. CannaMeds was the 14th medical dispensary stores to open in Colorado Springs and was one of the first to be officially licensed in Colorado. The current address for CannaMeds Wellness Center is 506 N. Chelton Rd. The planned addressed for the second grow opening in Denver is off of Blake St.

 

About CannaMeds Wellness Center

Chris Rice who currently operates the business full time established CannaMeds Wellness Center in 2009. CannaMeds is a licensed medical marijuana dispensary that runs out of Colorado Springs. CannaMeds was the 14th dispensary to open in Colorado Springs and one of the first licensed in the state. Its goal is to provide its consumers with award winning, clean and safe product.

All of Canna Meds product is grown hydroponically to ensure better quality for its consumers. Its entire product line is free of molds, pests and harsh chemicals to guarantee safety for its buyers. CannaMeds has a vast variety of options to choose from starting with drinks to edibles and much more. For further information on CannaMeds Wellness Center check out its website http://www.cannamedswellnesscenter.com/index.html. or call them at 719-638-6337.

 

CONTACT:

Nick Clark

PR Zebra –  Account Executive

910-389-9775

Clark@przebra.com

– See more at: http://przebra.com/cannameds-medical-dispensary-expands-from-colorado-springs-to-denver/#sthash.xQIvvfNT.dpuf

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How Marijuana Prohibition contributed to the Baltimore Riots

We have seen in far to often over the past few years. Protests against police brutality being met with more police brutality resulting in lawlessness and rioting in the streets of American cities. The Baltimore riots are the latest, but it has been ongoing in our streets for years now.

The usual suspects are often blamed: racism, police brutality, oppression of some sort or the other. What does Marijuana prohibition have to do with any of it you ask? Well let me some it up for you.

civil-unrestRacism can not be the cause of what is going on in Baltimore. The mayor is black, the police commissioner is black, half the cops are black. It is very likely that any racist cops in Baltimore were long ago rooted out by their peers. So why does Baltimore still have problems with police brutality? Why are the Baltimore riots happening?

There used to be a time in this country when Police were respected and looked up to as the good guys. That day has long since past. It seems to me that the decline of the perception of law enforcement has a lot to do with the draconian laws that the police are made to enforce, and marijuana prohibition is at the top of that list.

It stands to reason that when the Police are telling us that marijuana is illegal because it has no medicinal value, and the doctors and scientists (and history in general) says that marijuana has an incredible amount of medicinal value, that the people will stop believing the police.

You lie, and you loose credibility. It really is that simple. When we have seen decade after decade of our friends and neighbors hauled off to jail, and having there lives ruined by criminal convictions for possession of marijuana when marijuana is no worse (indeed most studies show that is better) then alcohol, why should we have faith in our police forces? Why should we have faith in our judicial system when it has lied to us year after year?

And this has a lot more to do with the failure of the judicial system then police brutality doesn’t it? We all understand that there are bad cops. Just like there are bad landlords, and bad cooks, and bad people in every other walk of life. But the judicial system is supposed to be there to protect us from these abuses of power. Yet time after time, the judicial system has failed us.

Baltimore is a bastion of liberalism. There has not been a conservative mayor in Baltimore since the 1960’s. In the last national election, Baltimore voted 87% democrat. The liberal platform is based on the idea that government is the solution to problems. That government does what is best for people. That government helps. So, liberals should (more then other political ideologies) trust the government. However, what we see in Baltimore is a population that has so little trust in the government they elected, that they are would rather take violently to the streets instead of letting their elected officials do the job they elected them to do.

In my opinion, this comes down to a lack of trust. Even the people with the political ideology that government helps, no longer trust the government. This is due to a history of bold faced lies from the government, oppression in the judicial system, and subjugation by the police. And in this, prohibition of marijuana stands front and center as a gleaming example of how the government, the judicial system, and the police are not to be trusted.

The civil unrest in Baltimore has very nothing to do with racism and police brutality. It has everything to do with a loss of faith in the laws passed by the government, perpetuated by the judiciary system, and enforced by the police. Stop lying to us, and maybe we will start believing you again.