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First time smoking? Don’t trip, ride it out

I’ve been inspired to write this post from a question: “Why are there hospitalizations from marijuana use?” It made me think about that question seriously. As long as I’ve been smoking (7 years) and growing (3 years), I have not ever come across someone who has been hospitalized for smoking marijuana. However, I have read the articles from various sources claiming hospital visits for marijuana use. The main theme in all of these articles comes down to someone who is simply not ready to get high, usually first-time users.

Let’s get this fact out of the way
No one has ever died from marijuana use. 5000+ years of recorded history and not one recorded death. I’m not saying there aren’t any deaths. I’m just noting that in 5,000+ years, there haven’t been any recorded. You would think that in 5000+ years of recorded history, at least ONE person could have died from marijuana use alone. Once again, no one saying it hasn’t happened. Then again, do your research and you’ll know exactly why it shouldn’t, couldn’t and wouldn’t happen.

We all know there are different kinds of marijuana, all with different levels of potency broken down into three. You have your Mexican schwag which floods the US. It’s cheap and easy to get. The THC level of this stuff is somewhere around 5%. Then, you have your mid-grade. You can’t really say what’s mid-grade until you look at it but the THC level here is around 5-15%. Then you have the kind, or high quality stuff. The THC is 15% and up, but usually tops out at around 20%.

There is no such thing as “super bud”.
Don’t believe the hype when police say they’ve found marijuana with THC at 50% and sometimes more. It doesn’t exist. Don’t sweat the seed dealers when they claim they have stuff that produces at that rate [New Marijuana Growers Beware]. The police and these seed dealers that overstate THC levels are just preying on the ignorance of individuals. Police want you to think there’s some “super bud” out there to scare you and the seed dealers want you to buy that “super bud”. It’s a twisted symbiotic relationship.

The main reason most people end up in the hospital is because they simply aren’t ready. Sure, many users know to expect certain feelings, even first timers. But, it’s one thing to have an expectation while it’s another to not know what exactly to expect.

And, this is where paranoia and anxiety show their ugly heads. You expect an altered mental state but you don’t know how altered nor how intense. No one told you about your heart feeling like it’s going to beat out of your chest. You can’t remember what you were just talking about. It was funny in the movies but you’re really not used to it. You hear a noise outside and remember, you’re doing something illegal; is that the cops? mom? the kids? nosy neighbors? You don’t want to get caught like this! Now you want to regain some control but can’t – you’ve just hit the panic button on yourself. This is where most people end up in the hospital.

What’s a hospital going to do for you?
I always wondered what doctors will do for you once you go to the hospital for marijuana use. Simply put, their advice will always be to just let the high take its course. While the nurses and doctors monitor you, they’ll be laughing at you as well. Guess what? There is no treatment for marijuana use. You think the doctors are going to put you on some magical pill that will make the high go away? Yeah, they do. It’s called the bill. That will induce sobriety within seconds. We, potheads, call it “buzz kill”!

Here is a list of potential effects of marijuana use:

  • Dry mouth
    Also known as cotton mouth; drink lots of water
  • Decreased coordination
    You might stumble, knock stuff over; just relax, take it slow, don’t drive
  • Increased heart rate
    Your heart may feel like it’s beating out of your chest; calm down, deep breaths
  • Increased appetite
    Also known as hunger; eat something; try not to raid the fridge
  • Hallucinations
    Depends on what and how much you use. Smoke enough of a strong sativa, you will experience hallucinations, some mild [Best marijuana I’ve ever had!] and some intense [New Suppliers & Pink Bunnies].
  • Sleepiness/Sedation
    Yes, you do become relaxed. Depends on what and how much you use. Indicas will put you right to sleep. [Marijuana Strains and Potency; Indica vs Sativa]
  • Altered libido
    There is a chance you will get horny. It depends what you’re smoking as not all strains are the same. And, sex is better on marijuana but not so much that you have to be high to enjoy it. If I had to apply a number, I’d say 20% better.
  • Worsened short-term memory
    Yes, you will forget what you were just going to say; just let it go and move on, you will NOT remember.
  • Altered time perception
    Time may fly by quickly or slowly, depends on your mood
  • Anxiety, confusion, paranoia, and panic
    This is not because of marijuana. It’s natural to have these feelings because you’re stepping into the unknown for the first time. Maybe, it’s your first time using marijuana or your first time being that high. It’ll happen. Just ride out the high and you’ll be fine. What are you going to do – go to the hospital?
Here are some tips on getting high safely
  • Comfortable Environment
    Make sure that if it’s your first time, you are around truly trusted friends/family. An environment where there are too many unknowns – people, places, things – will cause paranoia to go into overdrive. Over time, this will loosen up and if you’re smoking for years like me, you’ll do so in public eventually.
  • Start slow
    The good thing about marijuana is that it’s scalable meaning the more you take the higher you get. Conversely, the less you take the less chances you have of getting too high. Take your time. You don’t have to hang with the big boys.
  • Relax, Breathe, Focus
    You will feel a lot of different sensations. That is supposed to happen. Let it happen by taking deep breaths, close your eyes to shut out other stimulation, and relax. You smoked marijuana to see what it feels like. Well… don’t sweat it. It will all go away when the high wears off.
  • Don’t hold it in
    A lot of times your friends will tell you to hold it in. Don’t hold smoke in your lungs for more than 5 seconds. I can’t quote exactly why but it has something to do with the air exchange in the lungs. It happens.
  • No large pulls
    This is another case of bad friend advice that usually goes along with “Dude, you gotta hold it in!” Sometimes you see people take a huge pull from a bong or a joint. The idea behind that is if they fill their lungs with smoke, it will absorb more smoke. That is partially true but there is an unintended consequence. Think about it. You’ve filled your lungs with smoke – little to no oxygen whatsoever. That’s suffocation. This issue may have to be another blog post.
Good luck folks and remember, marijuana use does not need to end in a hospital visit. It should end with you waking up, taking a few minutes to adjust, and going on about your day.

The Problem With The Marijuana Legalization Movement

Here I am responding to a YouTube video where this guy is going nuts over some nice hash. As a grower myself, I like what I see. It’s good stuff. But, something stuck out to me and this interaction came about.Ya know, I love to go on YouTube to see folks smoking buds, talk about growing, etc etc etc. You know when someone is in it for the recreation, medicinal value, and/or just the love. I have to admit that for some time I did kind of feel that medical marijuana was only a stepping stone to legalization. Then, I saw folks like Michelle Rainey. I knew people who needed marijuana for true medical reasons existed but I didn’t really see them.

That changed my view of medical marijuana. Granted, I am indeed a recreational smoker. I have no medical need unless you count the slight bouts with insomnia. Marijuana has always helped me get to sleep and regulate my internal clock. But, I don’t need marijuana to do that. So, yeah, I am totally recreational with it. I grow for my own personal use. I have no problem admitting that.

However, that doesn’t mean I can’t have and show some respect to the people who actually do use it medicinally. So, it bothered me to see this guy on The Weed Report acting like a pure fuckin idiot in regards to medical marijuana. That’s why I posed the question to him.

Simply put, how are other people supposed to think about marijuana after seeing this stupid ‘sumbitch’ on YouTube completely disrespect medical marijuana by claiming VIP patients. I just wanted the guy’s point of view. And, he dodged the damn question. Like I alluded, he lost a lot of points for that.

First of all, how does it look to people who don’t know much about marijuana or who are brainwashed by the government? Let’s keep in mind that in many states, those people are in the majority. We need their support. Second, if medical marijuana is a stepping stone, then why destroy the step before we get to the next step of legalization?

You want to run a medical marijuana business, at least act like medical is somewhere in there and has some importance. Have some respect for the cause. There are a lot of sick people out there that really need marijuana and many who don’t need it taken away from them by stupid, arrogant stereotypes.

I truly hope that when it comes down to it, there are enough of me – professional, self-employed, successful potheads who give a damn- out there to keep clowns like that in the shadow long enough to make his influence insignificant. What’s sad is that at the end of it all, the clown thinks he’s being brave. Go figure.

I am just trying to imagine any pharmacist raving about the potency of the medication they’re giving people.

“Oooooo Anthony, this Albuterol Inhaler hits like a dream man! You’ll be breathing like a champ in no time. Check me out while I take a few pulls…. AAAAAAHHHHHHHH GOOOOOD *cough cough* SHIT MAAAAN.. HIT THAT, HIT THAT! Albuterol is wild stuff.”

Would you take your pharmacist serious if they had that attitude about the medication you’re buying?

Quick Update 5/28/10
As predicted the coward deleted the last three comments and blocked me from commenting on his video. I only went back because someone else commented to what I said. Make up your own conclusions.

 

Homegrown: Fears of Marijuana Growing

First, I want folks to understand that this is geared more toward the personal marijuana grower. These are people who grow under 10 plants at the most. So, I don’t go into the problems of a commercial grower. However, a lot of what’s said in this post will definitely apply to a commercial grower’s concerns.Intro to my world

Ever since I decided to grow my own marijuana, I’ve gone through many of the fears and paranoia of growing marijuana. But, I didn’t hide from the fears. I chose to investigate them. I wanted to know the reality of the situation. Growing marijuana is not legal and can result in jail time. But, there are so many marijuana growers in the United States that get away with it eventually. So, I wanted to understand it thoroughly. The best way to do that was to actually do it. So, from my fingers to your eyes, allow me to alleviate your fears.

Please ask questions if you don’t understand how to proceed about something.

The number one fear of any marijuana grower is, of course, getting caught. We always see someone getting caught in the news. Law enforcement tends to make a big deal over every marijuana grow they get their greedy little hands on. I always take the time to read those articles because I find those gems of security information to keep me aware. In other words, how in the hell did they get caught? From those lessons, I either add to or reinforce the knowledge that I have learned.

The best way to think about security is to draw three circles, one inside the other, with yourself as the core. Each circle represents a security concern. The inner circle represents your control over the grow room itself. The middle circle represents the home and includes close friends and family.The outer circle represents your community.

Let’s start…
Core: YOU

As a grower, your job is to be responsible for no one within those circles to reach the core. You’re responsible for a clean running grow room. You’re responsible for any friends and family that you entrust with knowledge of your activities. And finally you are responsible to anyone else who finds out that you grow. So, change your way of thinking.Recklessness will get you nowhere.

Inner Circle: Is your grow room snitching on you?

In a grow operation, you’ll have a lot of things going on – lights, fans, pumps, and so on. These can all be security concerns. It comes down to the planning and strategy of the grower. Just having the right space is a concern. Other concerns include lights which are bright and give off heat. Fans make a lot of noise. Odor control is major issue which can invade the home which is a bad thing if cops are at your door step. Electrical fires can happen with those Home Improvement/Tim Allen types who aren’t careful with wiring.

Usually, in the news, you hear about growers getting caught due to their own carelessness. Some homes are dead giveaways because the rooftops weren’t covered with snow during the winter due to the heat from the lights. Neighbors can smell your marijuana from inside their own homes. Someone may see a bright light that comes on at the same time every day. All a concerned neighbor saw was smoke coming from the basement so they dialed 911.

All of those lines are examples of things to keep in mind when growing. So, conceal the light, vent the heat, clean the air, and be very careful. You don’t want your grow room to snitch on you. Pay cash! Rip off barcodes/labels when done. Don’t stop there. Keep thinking of everything else you can do to keep your grow room from snitching.

Middle Circle: Home, friends, and family

The number one rule in marijuana growing is don’t tell anyone.

Unfortunately, this rule is always broken and probably leads to the most problems for marijuana growers. Human beings are social creatures. We do something, we talk about it. Marijuana growers are no different. We can’t live alone like some hermits. We have friends and we come from families. Law enforcement counts on that. The police will go after your friends and family like any criminal organization looking for blood. Keep your friends and family safe, and especially yourself, by simply keeping your mouth shut about what you’re doing.

Usually in the news, you’d hear about some grower going down because someone, an informant, told on them. It could be a jealous friend, an angry lover, a greedy partner, and even a “concerned” family member. Don’t tell anyone anything. Even if they seem cool at first. Things can change. Things always change. The best kept secrets are the ones you keep to yourself.

Although I try to remain approachable, I advise potential growers to join a marijuana growing forum – International Cannagraphic. You can get the best advice there from growers with way more experience than me and communicate anonymously.

Outer Circle: The Community

Unfortunately, we do not live in this world alone. It is important to be a good neighbor, employee, father/mother, etc etc etc. People are very suspicious, especially those suburban, conservative types. If something seems out of place, they will complain. A neighbor who never seems to be home or outside will arouse suspicion in a small community “where everybody knows your name.” Employers do drug tests and coworkers will take notice if you don’t act like everyone else.

The point is to keep up appearances as much as possible. You want to create an image for the community that if someone smelled something or saw something, they’d be willing to talk to you before outright dialing 911.

If you feel that you are not up to this.. perhaps it’s too much to deal with in your situation, then definitely postpone any growing until you feel you are in a comfortable space. For example, since this economy has basically been trash, I have a few friends who have moved back home with their parents. Another friend lost her house to foreclosure. They’re all interested in growing but want to be in a better situation – their own place. Some rather have a house because they’re worried about inspections.

A few more things
When I say ask questions, get an assessment of your situation. For example, those friends in an apartment waiting to get a home, you want a portable grow box. Simply put, you build a wooden box to whatever dimensions you need and outfit it to grow. Then you put wheels on it. Inspection day is here? Wheel it to a different location. Or, if the build was incredible, you wouldn’t need wheels because you could simply leave it in plain sight. It’s all about planning and strategy.

Lastly, no one gets caught from good police work. If that were in the news, I’d have to make sure I was reading the actual news and not some comedy. It’s hilarious. The police do not work. You will not hear a case where police infiltrated some network, went undercover, etc etc etc. I can’t recall a marijuana grow operation that wasn’t busted due to growers violating these unspoken rules. The last few cases I could think of were grower mistake – grower got caught smoking in the car, grower got pulled over for a busted tail light, grower’s house burned down due to electrical fire from grow room, and grower got caught after partner ripped off the grow to make it look like a robbery leaving the grower with liability. You stay within the circles and you’ll be fine.

Homegrown: The Future of Marijuana

Although this occurred to me a long time ago, I’ve yet to give the concept its true attention.DEA targets marijuana grow operations at a cost of some $12 billion every year. Local cops purposely create pseudo-war zones in urban communities with minority targets. Criminals destroy one another in search of a piece of the pie. Politicians stand by twiddling their thumbs as people are murdered in the street. Bullets flying from both directions. Marijuana users can’t find decent marijuana at a fair price.

The best option to put a stop to all of this pain is legalization.

But, you have law enforcement building lies upon lies to protect their easy jobs. Lawyers salivate over marijuana cases because of the ease in prosecuting marijuana cases. Large companies put millions behind pro-prohibition candidates to keep marijuana competition from being legitimate. By being tough on easy marijuana crime, politicians can pretend to care about their constituents.

It’s clear to me that the movement toward marijuana legalization is a perfect example of an unstoppable force meeting an immovable object. Then again, the details of this situation prove to be a less difficult scenario. Criminals work with law enforcement because most times, law enforcement are the criminals. So, the immovable object and unstoppable force become one and the same. That’s the current nature of this war on drugs. This is why it’s failed.

But, that’s aside from the point.

All of these people have their own loyalties whether it’s to their own riches or to someone else. That’s the nature of humanity. We really only care about ourselves individually. And, this is what what I appeal to with my marijuana using peers.

You see.. the criminals only care about making money. Law enforcement only cares about statistics. Politicians only care about getting votes. And, those random prohibitionists only care about who they can tell what to do. We all know, behind closed doors, the prohibitionists are doing the worst.

The solution becomes simple. What’s the best way to stay away from criminals? What’s the best way to keep off of law enforcement’s radar? How do we go about keeping those random prohibitionists out of our business? How do we get politicians to do something about marijuana legalization?

Answer: Set up your own personal grow room/box.

The main problems most people have with growing their own marijuana is fear of being caught. Rippers may find your stash and try to run off with it. Cops may show up at the door to investigate a noise. And, there are always nosy neighbors who smell or hear something. There’s a lot to be concerned about. But, all of these concerns can be addressed.

There’s a reason many people grow their own marijuana and get away with it. I’ll tell you how it’s done next time…

Another Reason Marijuana Prohibition Won’t Win

I was walking back home from the store when I noticed something and thought I should take a picture:
Yes, those are simple plants, growing in the corner between the base of a building and the sidewalk. There isn’t much sunlight on this particular block. Beyond that, there isn’t much soil for the roots either. As far as a water source, the closest this plant will get is rain water. For most people, this plant shouldn’t even exist.

Yet, there it is. Life.

I wonder if the proponents of prohibition understand this level of resilience and strength.

Sure, the building’s superintendent will probably scrape out those plants as he cleans up the sidewalk. Law enforcement is no different. They’ll scrape out whatever marijuana plants they can find. As both the super and law enforcement know, it’s a plant and it’ll be back.

Even if you tear up the foundation of the building and tear up the sidewalk, the plant will be back. It’s not going anywhere. If you think about it, to get that sidewalk and build that foundation, plants were already destroyed.

That’s the marijuana movement folks. We’re just like that plant. You feel we don’t belong. You feel we should be eliminated. You’ll get a few here and there. But, even without the light, without a true foundation, and without a source of food, we’re still here. Even if you get every last root, we’ll be back with the wind.

70+ years later, we’re still here, old plants and new plants. We’re all still here.

Nope. Prohibition won’t win. You folks simply don’t understand the resilience and strength of a plant.

Marijuana Does NOT Cause Psychosis

So, I’ve been pretty much inundated with nonsensical articles about marijuana causing psychosis. While many people have set the record straight on this issue in the past, it keeps coming back as some new article. Simply put, someone put together a half-assed study and somehow came to the conclusion that marijuana caused psychosis – schizophrenia, etc.
Well, let’s set the record straight again…

No, marijuana does not cause psychosis. This is more prohibitionist, drug war lies to keep marijuana criminalized. They purposely confuse causation and correlation. In other words, does marijuana use cause psychosis or is it the case that people who are predisposed to psychosis seek drugs most likely as a way to cope with their psychosis?

Instead, the authors of articles, most likely inspired by prohibitionists, purposely leave out many facts. For instance, what other factors in their lives may have affected the subjects mentally?

For example, you may see a 65yo man with mental problems claim he’s been using marijuana for 20 years. And, that’s pretty much all the study took into consideration – marijuana use. Well, what if that 65yo man was a Vietnam War veteran? Wouldn’t the hardships of war contribute to a psychosis? What about potential exposure to chemicals used by the military during the Vietnam War such as Agent Orange? How do you factor the possibility that 65yo man’s other habits may have included alcohol and cocaine abuse?

These factors are NOT considered in these studies. That is why, many times, these studies are debunked and ignored (yet again).

Yet, prohibitionists pick them up and sensationalize them to make our friends and families seem like they are crazy animals instead of decent human beings. The prohibitionists are losing the war on marijuana and they know it. So, they trot out these old, tired arguments that have been debunked time and time again because for many people, this is new information. As I know, this is not new information nor is it a “new” study.

Even before these studies came about, during prohibition’s early days, marijuana was painted as causing psychosis. Documentaries developed in the 30s portrayed marijuana users as everything from out of control young girls to crazed murderers. Law enforcement tried to blame many crimes of that time on marijuana use as is the case with Victor Licata. So, there is a long history dating back to the initial days of prohibition in which law enforcement tries to connect psychosis to marijuana.

The more you educate yourself and educate one another against the misinformation campaign by prohibitionists, we find more and more that marijuana is not the dangerous killer drug that it’s made out to be.

Education is legalization.

Enforcement of marijuana prohibition costs American taxpayers approximately $12,000,000,000 (billion) per year (which goes directly into the pockets of prohibitionists). With politicians interested in cutting spending, wouldn’t it be nice to cut $12,000,000,000 from the budget by legalizing marijuana? Imagine the tax revenues that can be received if marijuana were legalized in the form of new businesses and jobs that can increase tax revenues across the board.

Law enforcement could also do more to solve real crime instead of wasting their time and tax payer funds on petty marijuana arrests.

Never Tax MEDICAL Marijuana

How do you go about telling a terminally ill person that they’ll have to pay more for their medicine? Do you just pass the tax without so much as speaking with them? Do you ignore their hardships and pain? Have they ever even bothered to visit someone in true pain?

With that said, what kind of no-soul-having-black-hearted-son-of-a-bitch would seek to tax the medicine of someone suffering from AIDS, cancer, or a multitude of other terminal diseases?
In passing medical marijuana legislation, politicians admit the medical utility of marijuana while rejecting recreational use. They may not understand how marijuana helps but they only need to know that it does help. This is why they gave marijuana the respect of “medicine” as it deserves. If you respect medicine, especially the kind that truly helps the worst of the worst, then you shouldn’t seek to worsen a terminally ill patient’s overall condition by increasing the cost of their medicine even further.

In taxing marijuana, politicians show it disrespect as a medicine. If they don’t respect marijuana as medicine then why pass the medical marijuana legislation?

What’s happening here is that politicians are playing a game. Unfortunately, this little game they’re playing is on the backs of dying people. I’d rather see marijuana re-criminalized than to see greedy politicians seeking to tax terminally ill patients’ medicine.

It’s just not right.
If politicians want to tax marijuana, then legalize it completely. You can’t have it both ways. Unfortunately, that’s coming from a person with a heart. It might not be a heart of gold but it isn’t blackened and hardened to the world around me.

Unfortunately, this is coming from some very cowardly politicians who want to try to juggle the lives of the constituency between rabid law enforcement, a not-much-better criminal element, and budget deficits. This is totally NOT the right or honest way to go about it.

You do NOT close your budget gaps on the backs of the sick.
That is just filthy.
At least if you legalize marijuana you could affect a lot of positive change in the US. For starters, we could free up law enforcement funding to fight true crime – rape, murder, battery, robbery, and so on. Instead, police officers are busying themselves with petty marijuana arrests simply because it’s easier and safer to do. At the same time, it makes them look like they’re doing their jobs which they rarely do.

You can allow an entire industry (that already exists) to be legitimate. Businesses can open up, employees can be hired. You can also protect the citizens by regulating for quality control. And, you can collect taxes on it all – newly developed businesses, purchases, imports/exports, and so on.

I am not saying that legalization will save the economy. But, it can not hurt us more than the mess we’re in now. And, you won’t have to do it on the backs of sick and dying people.

Either, respect the medicine or legalize the “drug”!!

Thoughts on Medical Marijuana in NY

Yeah. You read the title. On Feb. 23rd, the NY State Senate Health Committee passed medical marijuana legislation. I’ll admit, I don’t fully understand all of these political procedures that NY State government must go through before a bill becomes a law. It seems a bit more complicated than the cartoon of the bill on the steps of Capitol Hill (ha, I’m a rapper now) in DC.

Wait.. it was Capitol Hill right?

Anyway, on the surface, I am happy that NY is finally coming to its sense on medical marijuana. Honestly, it should have happened at least at the same time as California who passed their medical marijuana legislation in 1996.

However, as I read the bill, I am quite upset with the language.

Read for yourself: S4041B: Provides for medical use of marihuana

Low Limits

It would seem NY politicians want to be super strict and allow for tiny amounts of marijuana for seriously ill patients. While they get the gist of medical marijuana, they need to fully understand that they are NOT patients or doctors. Even most doctors don’t understand how to prescribe marijuana. The amounts allowed under this bill – 2.5oz – don’t factor in the need of the patient or the tolerance of the individual.

Some patients are known to use up to an ounce of marijuana a day. I am not talking about the typical recreational user. As a recreational user myself, I don’t think I could do more than a gram a day which amounts to an ounce per month. But, I am talking about seriously ill patients for which this bill is intended. On top of that, the “caregiver” is not allowed to care for more than 5 patients. (Sections 3362 and 3363)

It’s like saying you’re only allowed 10 regular strength Tylenol pills per month for serious migraines. Of course, you can buy a box of Tylenol, thousands of pills, and no one will think twice about it. Unfortunately, you can’t have enough marijuana for terminal illness.

I don’t need ID for Tylenol

The other thing that bugs me is the registration for ID cards. Basically, you’re getting a driver’s license for medical marijuana – name, address, picture, etc etc etc. It says that the Dept of Health will keep the information confidential, that is, until they have a reason to snitch on you which could be as simple as a DEA or FBI or even some local cop requests it.

If marijuana is to be considered medical, why do you need to alert a government agency that you’re using it? It’s medicine, right? I am sure we all, at some point in time, visited a pharmacy to fill a prescription for various medications from asthma pumps to antidepressants to oxycontin and percocet. Did any of us have to register with the government to use these medications? Did you have to stand in line at the DMV to get your picture taken?

I can understand the caregiver, much like a pharmacist, needing registration as a business. But, I don’t see why patients need to be registered with the government to take medicine. It’s an unnecessary invasion of privacy.

No Plant Limits?

The other problem that I have with it so far is that I don’t see any specific information as it pertains to cultivation. For example, how many plants would someone – patient or caregiver – be allowed to grow?

Section 3364 defines “registered organization” as a pharmacy, a licensed facility, a non profit corporation, the department, a local health department, or a registered producer. However, the registered producer, which seems to be the grower/cultivator/manufacturer, can not provide directly to the patients. Such a designation completely separates the grower from the potential role as a caregiver.

Edit
After re-reading this section, it looks like I want plant limits. As far as I am concerned, the more the better. No plant limits is great. However, I am afraid that it will be addressed and severely limited by politicians. If they think that 2.5oz is good for a seriously ill person, I can’t imagine what they would believe is acceptable in a grow operation.

At any rate, there is a lot missing from this bill and far too many limits. I have to question politicians that wrote this bill. I wonder if they had any input from the patients that use marijuana. Did they even bother to look into the other 14 medical marijuana states and their provisions. This bill is so very incomplete. If it passed, as is, it would cause more trouble than it’s worth.

If Senator Tom Duane ever reads this or any senator that has to vote on this bill, I’d beg him and them to please talk to patients from other states. Do not ask police or the DEA for their input as they are not doctors nor are they patients. They aren’t even growers/botanists. Speak with the people who need the medicine, not the people who benefit from its control. It would not be unreasonable to allow for more marijuana per patient and to allow patients to grow their own. It would be sensible to allow caregivers to also be “registered producers.”

As a marijuana grower and user, myself, politicians have a lot to learn about the use of marijuana. If they are willing to admit to its medical utility, at some point, they will have to be willing to learn and comprehend why different strains exist outside of the cute names.

I think I need to make some phone calls.

Just as a reminder.. marijuana should be legalized, regulated and taxed. Medical marijuana is nice but it still leaves the door open to the black market and violence against citizens from gangs and police.

Legalize it.
(It’s been 70+ years. It’s obvious you can’t stop it.)

Seed Sites Need Marijuana Porn

I am sure many of my (3 or 4; lol) readers has visited a site that sells marijuana seeds. I know I visit them all the time. The next strains that I have my eyes on include Brainstorm and Mazar. I have some history with Brainstorm. And, Mazar, as I’ve read, is supposed to be an aphrodisiac for the ladies.. heh heh heh.

That’s neither here nor there…

The problem that I have with these sites is how they present the images of marijuana or marijuana porn. Most times, I can’t see shit. If you ask me, all the images might as well be the same save for the major differences in color from purples to deep greens to orange hairs and so on.

When I visit sites for specific strains of marijuana, I don’t even bother looking at the pictures. I already know their small. I’ll see them because they’re there but I am always disappointed. I want BIGGER pictures and I want to see more pictures as well. While the descriptions are usually incredible, bigger images are still good for folks to see just what kind of buds can be grown.

Beyond that, who doesn’t love some great “marijuana porn”.

Well, I’ll quit bitchin’. I figure it’s better to lead by example. Unfortunately, I don’t have a site for the purposes of selling marijuana seeds since I don’t sell marijuana or the seeds. However, I do have some killer pictures of Princess Diesel. So, if I had a marijuana seeds to sell, I’d present the strain like…

Princess Diesel

Breeder
Reservoir Seeds

Environment
Indoor/Outdoor

Flower Time
8 to 9 weeks

Description
The Grimm’s Ice Princess meets Rez’s Sour Diesel. Fat, quick plants that finish at 56 days,with superb yield and specifically bred for lower odor, for the stealth indoor grower with odor control problems.

Grower Testimonials
“PD had a lemon diesel fuel/cleaner smell as well.” -Anon

“We called it “giggle weed” as it put a major grin on our faces for hours.” -Anon

“Seems like the Sour Diesel is dominant.” -Anon

“She’s a pretty resistant strain putting up with my newbie grower mistakes. Can’t wait to see what the smoke is like.” -Anon

Price
I don’t sell seeds. This is just an example!! HA!

Now, go visit some sites that sell marijuana seeds. They’re expert growers, seed breeders, with award winning strains. The descriptions speak a lot. They make a lot of money. Why can’t they put up a decent picture of the marijuana that they’re trying to sell? Wouldn’t you, as a potential customer, like to really see what the seeds you’re about to buy can put out? I know I would like to see better images.

Marijuana Patients Need Future Protection

The one thing I never liked about Obama’s memo regarding medical marijuana is that his memo is nothing more than a memo. It’s not a change in the law. I’ve always stated the memo doesn’t really mean anything. If the DEA decided to ignore it, they’d be in the right. They are a law enforcement agency. Last time I checked, there were no “memo” enforcement agencies.

Today, 14 states and Washington DC (not a state) have legislated some form of medical marijuana. In most of these states, the patient and/or “caregiver” need to register with the government to be considered “legal”.

I have a major problem with all of this.

First of all, have we forgotten that the law has not changed? The good thing about being in New York City is that we have some serious problematic politicians (ie Bloomberg) so medical marijuana hasn’t come here… yet. So, I haven’t forgot. I am sure many of us haven’t forgotten either. While Obama’s love letter to the DEA suggests they concentrate on commercial business that somehow remains illegal, it’s obvious from various news reports that the DEA is still doing the same damn thing. Obviously, they aren’t giving President Obama much attention.

Aside from the obvious fact that Obama’s memo doesn’t mean much outside of a toilet stall, I have to wonder, how many people in these states (and territory) are registered with their local governments? Is it over one million or maybe less than 100,000?

Now, another question comes about. What is going to happen when Obama is not the president anymore? Does his memo still stay in tact?

Simple answer.. NO.

The memo goes in the trash along with all of Obama’s other “middle of the road” policy. Of course, it depends who the next in charge will be and what they will do. Maybe this nation will luck out and get someone whose common sense outweigh special interest money. Chances of that happening or low. Chances are much higher that this nation will have to further waste its time with another drug warrior.

The question becomes, when this new president gets into office, what will be the state of registered patients and their caregivers? What protections will they have from the US Government? Will the Department of Justice draft subpoenas for the names and addresses of all the “caregivers” and their patients? Will local and state governments help the people that they’ve registered or sell them out in the long run?

These are real questions that I believe should be addressed for the sake of those that are truly ill and find benefit from the use of marijuana. As far as I am concerned, my policy has always been to keep my mouth shut regardless of the state. I’ll change when the actual law changes. Until then, I am keeping well below the radar.

Perhaps my paranoia is getting the better of me. I do truly fear that one day in the future, there will be mass arrests of medical marijuana users. When you think about it.. what would stop the DEA from carrying out mass arrests? Is there some law in place that would prevent it? No. In fact, they’d be well within their right to do everything I just mentioned.

I hope it doesn’t come to that. I just don’t see any reason why it would not come to that. Perhaps some of you have more faith in humanity. I don’t have that kind of faith when it comes to law enforcement.

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