Feds Study Effect Of MMJ On Opioid Use
CategoriesAnalysis/Opinion, Culture, Medical, Research by

Feds Study Effect of MMJ on Opioid Use

 What would you do with access to MMJ and $3.8 million dollars?opioid treatment

Researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Health Systems get to find out if medical marijuana reduce opioid dependence. Researchers were granted the sum to fund the first in a new round of long-term studies. While past studies have tested cannabis in pain management in HIV and cancer patients, this has a different focus.
This study will officially investigate the effectiveness of medical marijuana in treating opioid addiction. Investigators explained their reasons in a media release by the associate chief of general internal medicine Chinazo Cunningham. She claims “There is a lack of information about the impact of medical marijuana on opioid use in those with chronic pain,” and “We hope this study will fill in the gaps and provide doctors and patients with some much needed guidance.”
There are many people who claim cannabis helps opioid users with chronic pain step down their use to safer levels. A minority of users also report that they can completely eliminate their opioid dependence with cannabis. The hope is that patients can remove their dependence entirely but only studies like this can prove it to be true or false.

The study focus on adults with HIV, chronic pain, and it uses real MMJ.opioid treatment

Study participants include 250 HIV- positive and negative adults with chronic pain. Subjects are also required to have a doctors recommendation for medical marijuana. This is the fist study of its kind to use state approved dispensaries to provide the cannabis.
Federal contractors in Mississippi normally provide “research grade” cannabis that has a THC content below 10%. Stored improperly by design and seemingly produced by putting a whole plant in a food processer, almost any dispensary would reject it. This cannabis is known as NIDA weed and these researchers decided they didn’t want it in their study.
Instead of using federally obtained NIDA cannabis like past studies, this one will use cannabis from New York dispensaries. This cannabis is produced and processed by master growers, passes laboratory testing, and has THC content between about 15% and 30%.

Up until now, evidence is mostly anecdotal.

Many people have moving personal stories but they fail to prove anything. We can’t forget the ‘placebo effect’ or projection when listening to a single person tell their story. This study offers 250 people the opportunity to produce the first peer-reviewed research on the safety and effectiveness of cannabis in treating opioid addiction.
This long-term study will also span 18 months and include web-based questionnaires every two weeks. The questionnaires focus on pain levels and the effect of medical and illicit cannabis on opioid dependence. Blood and urine samples get submitted every three months in-person at specified medical facilities. In-depth interviews of participants will explore their perceptions of how marijuana affects their opioid use.
HIV patients suffer from opioid addiction more than other populations. But there is conflict on how many actually suffer in silence. Past studies claim that over 90% of HIV patients suffer from chronic pain while others claim the number could be as low as 25%. With opioids as the go-to pain treatment for most doctors, there is a high risk for misuse and subsequent addiction.

The cards are stacked against cannabis reducing opioid use.

Medical marijuana has made serious strides in legitimizing itself as a treatment for pain. Twenty-nine states (plus the District of Columbia) have legal marijuana use in some way. Chronic pain and HIV/AIDS are qualifying conditions in all of those states.
Yet researchers have never explicitly studied whether or not medical marijuana reduces opioid use over time. Most studies attempt to prove marijuana doesn’t treat medical conditions but fail to do so. This looks at the possibility of treating pain with similar skepticism.
The best part about science is that all the evidence counts. Despite researchers personal desires, the results speak for themselves. This study is no different. “As state and federal governments grapple with the complex issues surrounding opioid use and medical marijuana, we hope to provide evidence-based recommendations that will help shape responsible and effective healthcare practices and public policies,” Cunningham said.

Medical cannabis promises hope to opioid abusers.

HIV and AIDS patients across the globe have claimed cannabis treats their pain. This is the first step in a new phase of medical research. Instead of using the lowest possible quality of weed, they plan to look at real people using real cannabis. The results will likely add to the mountain of evidence that supports medical marijuana.
There is still a long time to go before the results come in. Long-term studies take loads of time to analyze the data. Years pass before researchers publish results. Especially in studies like this. It may be two or more years before anyone can make a claim about the effectiveness of marijuana treating opioid addiction based on this research. We have to sit tight until then.
But if the past has taught us anything, it is that marijuana is a more powerful healer than we ever thought possible. This is just the first of a new wave of research but the results look to direct the following discussion heavily. Let’s just hope that those in power listen to the research.
 
 

Blaze It The History of Weed
CategoriesCulture, Guides, Research by

History of Marijuana

To say that marijuana has a long history would be an understatement.

As far back as there are records, marijuana or ‘cannabis’ as it is traditionally known, was integral to human culture. To truly understand why people across millennia grew cannabis, we need to understand what makes cannabis better than other plants. Cannabis can feed, clothe, heal, fuel and build civilizations.
Why would farmers in every corner of the earth and in every period of human history cultivate this specific plant? There are a lot of answers to that question and most depend on perspective. Let me highlight some of the best examples throughout the ages of how cannabis helped shape the course of human history.

Farming generally depends on fertile soil, consistent water and plenty of light.

But different plants have different needs so farmers need to balance the way they plant crops to keep from making the land infertile. Cannabis has the special properties of not needing to be rotated like many other crops and is drought resistant. These properties make cultivating cannabis from areas like the equator to the arctic circle very easy.
But genetics also play a key role in plant development. Long ago, our ancestors saw mutated cannabis ruderalis that was larger and produced better fiber than her sisters. Another natural mutation produced more seed than wild versions. Ancient farmers recognized the benefits of cannabis cultivation and created new breeds called cannabis sativa and hemp.

Cannabis is resistant to most diseases.

Plants like beans, corn and wheat produce pollen and flowers in a single plant. Male cannabis plants produce pollen and one male can fertilize females for miles around. The females produce flowers that if pollinated will produce seed. If the female plant remains unpollinated, the flowers become coated in a thick layer of trichomes.
The Great Famine of 1840’s Ireland and the recent Panama Banana Plague are both examples of major disease risk to farmers. Many plants are susceptible to a wide range of fungus, pests and bacteria. It’s a waste of a farmer’s time to grow plants they can’t protect from pathogens and pests.
Sexual reproduction made cannabis immune to many diseases, harsh conditions and pests that plague other crops. Cannabis tends to survive conditions that annihilate other plants including drought, frost and many pests. While not invincible, cannabis is surprisingly hardy and provides a robust natural defense against conditions outside a farmers control.

Cannabis is very special in the plant world. landrace 2

In addition to the natural resilience of the plant, it grows in soil that would strangle other crops. Cannabis also grows season after season in poor grade soil; a process that kills crops like corn, lettuce and tomatoes. It also revitalizes the soil for other plants by reintroducing nitrogen and breaks up compacted soil with its roots.
These properties make cannabis a great plant to grow but it has other traits that set it apart from the rest. Properties like producing the strongest, softest fiber for cloth and rope. Hemp seed also has more protein than beans and a near perfect ratio of omega vitamins. Few plants can claim to produce food and clothing but cannabis doesn’t stop there.

The medical properties of cannabis are incredible.Landrace Strain 1

Roman doctors used cannabis leaves to make anti-fungal bandages, cannabis tinctures to treat pain and hemp thread to sew wounds. The tradition of using cannabis for medicine wasn’t exclusive to Rome. Ancient Chinese doctors prescribed the plant to ease headaches, menstrual cramps, and improve virility. Monarchs from Europe like Queen Victoria used cannabis tincture. And even the Vikings sailed with rigging of hemp.

Cannabis is from a land before time.cannabis lights

Thousands of years before the first clocks graced the palaces of China, and centuries before the great pyramids were erected, cannabis was grown for fiber and food. In ancient caves and forgotten settlements around the world, thousand year-old hemp fibers are found regularly.
The 20th century saw humanity try to destroy itself and criminalizing cannabis was part of that history. Yet even the most anti-pot countries in the world continue to import massive amounts of hemp fiber and oil. Humanity is tied to cannabis in an ancient symbiosis that goes back to the beginning.
The deep history of humanity is spotty and full of holes. But if modern theories like those proposed by Carl Sagan are correct, civilization may be the result of convergent evolution of humanity and cannabis. It is possible that cannabis was the first crop ever cultivated, leading to the foundations of civilization as we know it.

Canna-Culture is older than most Gods but still tied to them.

As one of the few animals in the world with an endo-cannabinoid system, we are uniquely positioned in the animal world to benefit from consuming it. This kind of biological interaction takes many generations to develop. Further implying that human ancestors regularly consumed cannabis before agriculture took root.
By the time Christianity, Hinduism and Islam rolled around, all used cannabis in their ceremonies. But they weren’t the first or only ones to use ganja as a holy sacrament. Hebrew rabbi’s included cannabis flower in their anointing oils. In fact, Jesus himself was anointed with cannabis infused oil.
Centuries before Jesus was healing the sick, the Hindu god Shiva was talking about weed. Known as Shiva’s nectar, ganja helps Hindu holy men (and women) receive and interpret the desires of Shiva. It also helps them avoid the temptations of the world and maintain their spirit-centric lifestyles. The tradition was ancient even before they erected the majestic temples slowly sinking into the topography of Nepal.

Canna-Culture remains strong today.

Despite decades of global criminalization, recreational cannabis use is more common today than 100 years ago. Hemp still provides a major role in the textile industry although synthetic fabrics dominate the market. And doctors from Israel to Ireland and the US still prescribe cannabis.
The special properties that made cannabis attractive to ancient farmers remain important today. We still need strong, soft and durable fiber, we still need food and we still need medicine. As humanity moves into the 21st century, marijuana looks to remain a staple of civilization.
There is so much more to the history of marijuana that I couldn’t hope to touch on it all in a single article. I couldn’t even get to the importance of cannabis in the development of writing! Let us know in the comments below what other important historical facts I missed.

coco coir
CategoriesCulture, Growing, Guides by

Coco Coir Growing Technique Basics

Coco Coir is one of the most versatile mediums you can grow in.

Coco coir is derived from the coconut hull. It is made from the fibrous material between the outer husk and the inner meat. Originally, coir was used for cordage and ropes in ancient India but has also been used for mats and other flooring. In the 1980s, coir became popular in Holland to grow roses and lilies.
Coir is a lot like peat moss, but sustainable and eco-friendly. It can take centuries to re-grow peat moss once harvested but more coco coir is only a few ground up coconut husks away. Because coir promoted root growth, growers started using it for hydroponic gardening in place of peat moss. Eventually the economics of coco coir has helped it become one of the most popular grow mediums today.
Coco coir acts like a sponge and retains just the right amount of moisture for plants to grow in addition to being reusable. Where peat moss bogs can take decades to recover, coco is truly renewable as it converts annual waste into a usable product. Coco is also robust enough to last multiple harvests with the right care.

Coco coir reduces waste at its source and for the grower. coco coir

After harvest, giving coco a quick flush will get it ready to go back in the pot and nourish a new plant. It is recommended to use in no more than 3 grows before replacing entirely though. Having to replace the grow medium every cycle eats up profit so commercial operations find coco coir especially enticing.
It is also easily renewable, unlike peat moss. An average coconut tree produces 150 coconuts a year, so there is a continual supply of a product that would otherwise be considered waste. Some experts estimate that peat bogs take as long as 25 years to renew, while coco coir is an annual product.
While some growers use coco in soil based growing, it is more ideal for use in hydroponic operations. In soil it acts as a water retainer and aerator but as a soil replacement it has really comes into its own. The biggest reason it works so much better for hydro systems comes down to the fact that it has a neutral pH.

The neutral pH of coir is a huge benefit. pest control

Peat moss is considered acidic (it has a pH of 3.3 to 4) and requires additives to balance for growing cannabis. Coco coir on the other hand, is normally between a pH of 5.2 and 6.8. This means coco coir is ready to use without additives that can mess with the chemistry of nutrients.
Coco coir can also store nutrients for later use by the plant. This makes it ideal for drain to waste as well as drip systems because of how long the period between feedings/watering is. It is able to accomplish this nutrient storage because of an especially high cation exchange rate.

Nutritionally, coco is also an excellent choice. Indoor growing

Depending on the source, coco coir it is rich in potassium, iron, manganese, copper and zinc. If growing hydroponically, this needs to be taken into consideration to provide the correct balance of nutrients. Coco coir can also store nutrients and release them as needed due to a high cation exchange rate. Interestingly, it tends to hold on to calcium and magnesium more than other nutrients.
Coir also promotes the growth of beneficial bacteria because of compounds called lignins. Not only will beneficial bacteria thrive in the presence of lignins, they help to minimize harmful bacteria. This means a cultivator can expect better growth, higher yields and less diseases.

It can hold water like no other.CBD Flower 1

Coco coir holds water exceptionally well while still promoting good drainage and aeration. The material also prevents nutrients from leaching. The feeding schedule for a typical hydro drip system is three  15 minute cycles within an 18 hr period. Watering more than this won’t hurt the plant (unless you are also adding nutrients) but isn’t needed.
Because coco coir drains so well, it’s almost impossible to over water plants under normal conditions. Even saturated, coco coir retains a moisture to aeration ratio near 70:30. This prevents roots form ever sitting in anaerobic water ( a death sentence for roots). As long as the coco never dries out completely, coco coir provides reliable results.

It doesn’t retain nutrients forever.CBD Flower

Coco coir is mostly inert and won’t hold onto nutrients for very long. If there is a nutrient deficiency, correcting it is as easy as supplementing during the next watering cycle. The coco coir makes nutrients immediately available to a plant’s roots so recovery from deficiencies as fast as possible.
If the plant gets overfeed, a quick and thorough flush removes practically every trace of nutrients. This makes it so plants can recover from nutrient lockout even faster without risking damage to the roots.
Adding perlite to help wick up the coco also helps against root rot. Make sure to wash brick supplied coco as it is notorious for having a high salt content. Any high end pre-bagged coco will be virtually saltless and closer to neutral pH. Adding salt and algae removers to the nutrient mix is considered safe and prevents drip blockage down the road.

The best reason to switch to coco coir is getting much bigger yields.living cannabis garden

Plants grow bigger in coco coir systems than in soil given the same care. The overall boost to growth may not be quite as massive as methods like deep water culture, but they’re pretty close. In addition, coco coir is much easier to deal with.
Coco coir is eco-friendly, versatile, easy and more productive than soil. With those benefits, there is little reason to use anything else. Coco is available in pellets, bricks, sheets and ready-to-use bags. It can be found almost anywhere you can purchase potting soil, and in a pinch, can even be found it in the reptile section of local pet stores.
Coco coir presents a great compromise between full hydro and soil systems. Plants grow faster, get bigger and yield up to 25% more than in soil. It is also more forgiving than straight hydro setups which makes coir a great stepping stone. Coco coir offers a less demanding option to cultivators looking to grow the best cannabis out there.

I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Did I miss something important? Have you grown with coco coir before? What do you think new cultivators need to know about growing with it? Let us know your thoughts in the comments down below. Thanks for reading.

Collecting Marijuana Sculptural Glass
CategoriesAnalysis/Opinion, Culture, Guides, Products by

Collecting Marijuana: Sculptural Glass

Collecting glass is a passion shared by millions of people.

People aren’t the only ones that start collecting either. Some animals cache or horde items too. Crows are attracted to and give shiny objects as presents. Deep under the ocean certain crustaceans collect rocks. The act of collecting stems from a desire to make life easier or more bearable.
Collecting isn’t based exclusively on physical necessity either. People can collect everything from experiences like visiting all 50 United States to items like paintings. Even though these items and experiences don’t seem amazingly important, they can make all the difference to the color of the memories created with them.

Why collect glass?Collecting Glass

Glass is known for being fragile but modern advances make them far more durable than in days past. While some people still lose glass regularly, careful attention to storage and maintenance will keep a pipe around for decades. Granted, law enforcement has a habit of destroying paraphernalia when they find it.
Even if a smoker isn’t losing pipes regularly to damage or enforcement, the first pipe is rarely perfect. New users rarely know how a pipe should feel in the hand or how a bong should draw. This means many first-time purchases are based on looks and not function, leading to additional purchases.

What makes sculptural glass pieces special?

People buy sculpture because they feel it embodies some aspect of their personality or persona. Sculptural glass offers smokers the opportunity to merge their love of cannabis with other loves. What better piece to represent a SCA fighter than a steamroller in the shape of a mace or sword?
The glass sculpture also becomes a social extension of the person who owns it. A giant glass spider pipe suggests a flair for extravagance and a hint of danger. While a lewd and nude sculptural pipe reinforces acceptance of the chauvinistic tendencies of ‘that one guy’. The piece itself becomes an extension of the person collecting it.

And glass isn’t cheap either.

It is also difficult for many people to justify paying hundreds or even thousands of dollars for a piece of glass that has the same function as an $80 one. This is especially difficult to justify if the person might break or have to toss the piece at any given moment.
Spending $50 on a basic pipe every month because it gets dropped or has to be ditched is expensive. Over the course of a year, replacement costs add up to $600 or more. That is a lot of money to dish out regularly but it also means spending $300 on a bong once a year doesn’t feel as bad.

Remember that the smoking experience is colored by the device.

Smoke out of enough pieces and you will find one that looks cool but smokes like trash. Veteran smokers should recognize that function is more important to a smoking device than form. Even so, nobody can resist the draw of smoking out of and collecting something special.
Claiming to have a glass turtle to smoke out of is intriguing and grabs people’s attention. But if the piece is poorly made, it holds their attention for all the wrong reasons. People will critique burnt fingers and remember the stench of sizzling nose hair instead of the cool elements of the piece.
If the glass piece is masterfully crafted, it will show through on every element. Years after the fact, people will bring up the time they smoked out of your bad ass animal. They will fondly recite the story to friends as they describe the legendary status of smoking out of a spider. They won’t even remember how stellar or crappy the weed was!

There are a few key things to look for when collecting sculptural pipes.

Pipes and bongs are supposed to create thick smoke but not all can. The smoke cools as it is inhaled through the glass which allows it to expand and thicken. Denser and colder smoke fills the chamber evenly. But wide chambers aren’t able to empty as a slipstream is created between the narrow openings.
The airflow should be restricted enough to produce resistance while the flame is hitting the weed but strong enough to force the heat down and through the plant matter. Smokers should be able to draw a hit easily and the chambers should clear quickly.

Make sure it fits before you buy.

Buyer’s remorse is a real thing and stoners experience it regularly. Most glass galleries ensure that all sales are final so there is no recourse once the piece is open at home. In addition to that, nobody outside of a few Facebook groups and friends accept used glass.
The people who do accept used glass will likely offer pennies on the dollar. That’s assuming they are willing to pay for it to begin with. So make sure you really like a piece before dropping hundreds of dollars on it.

Keep an eye out for bad welds.

There are a lot of talented and honest glass galleries out there. There are also plenty of fly-by-night charlatans both online and in the real world. Instead of relying on the word of a salesman, inspect the piece for defects and shortcuts.
When two pieces of glass get fused, it creates a weld line. High quality pieces have smooth welds that create even transitions between pieces of glass. Poor quality pieces have bubbly, ridged or uneven welds. Poor quality welds create stress on the glass and can lead to spontaneous fracturing and other unpleasantness.

And make sure it’s stable!

Every piece needs to be stable when sitting on a flat surface. If a piece can’t stand on its own, it should at least have a stable stand. Nothing is quite as stunningly horrible as watching a $4000 piece crash every time a door closes.
Ideally, expensive pieces should also be easy to handle. Glass pieces need to sit well in the hand so they don’t get dropped while being used or passed. Some designs are inherently intricate and fragile but even these need to be stable enough to stand on a shelf and get moved from time to time.

10 Slang Weed Terms and Why to Use Them
CategoriesAnalysis/Opinion, Culture, Guides, List by

10 Slang Weed Terms and Why to Use Them

Before mankind learned to write, we used slang to describe the cannabis plants.

One of the most ancient plants ever cultivated is embedded with slang. Over the last few thousand years, people have come up with a lot of different ways to describe the plant we all know and love. Every time someone comes up with a new moniker for Shiva’s Gift, the list of slang terms grows longer.
The scientific name for our favorite plant is cannabis sativa and cannabis sativa indica. These species have collectively been called cannabis since the early days of mankind. Modern governments refer to industrial cannabis grown for fiber and seed as hemp. Cannabis plants cultivated for medical or recreational usage is called marijuana. Yet most people refer to cannabis with slang.
Cannabis use transcends social and economic barriers across all continents and times. As such, there are often divergent or outright contradictory stories about every name. I tried to include some historical reference to the entries and also some context. Be sure to let everyone know in the comments below if you have heard any alternative theories.

Herb: Youtube Bong

Herb is one of the older known slangs for cannabis. Originally coined when Latin was popular, it basically meant green or crop. The term was later used by Old French speakers to refer to a more specific subset of crops. Middle English speakers also adopted the word and it maintained its meaning since. As one of the oldest known crops, cannabis was often referred to as an herb throughout historical accounts. When cannabis was criminalized, it retained the old moniker.

Ganja: MS treatment

Ganja was originally coined in Sanskrit a millennia ago. The term was eventually adopted by the Hindi and Bengali people to describe hemp (the THC-free version of cannabis). The term is still used to describe cannabis in India and across the Caribbean.

Marijuana: coco coir

Originally coined in the early 1920’s by Larry Anslinger, marijuana was a derogatory term. Created to generate and reinforce negative stereotypes about minorities and later, hippies. There are several different spellings of the word from the early propaganda produced by Anslinger and associates. Other terms that mean similar to marijuana and is used widely today is MJ and weed.

Hydro:

Hydro refers to using hydroponic (water-soaked/submerged) techniques to grow any strain of cannabis. Advances in lighting technology and electronics during the 60’s and 70’s enabled growing indoors for the first time. By the late 80’s the technology was available to the mass market and people shortened the word from hydroponic to hydro.

Chronic: slang

Chronic does NOT refer to a chronic user of cannabis. In an interview with Seth Rogan, Snoop Dogg explained that the term stemmed from a misinterpretation in the 1990’s. Unfamiliar with hydroponic technology, Snoop, Dr. Dre and company mistakenly called it hydrochronic. It was shortened to ‘the chronic’ before long. Once Dr. Dre released the era-defining album by the same name, the misinterpretation stuck.

Terpy:

Terpenes are a broad group of hydrocarbon molecules that most plants produce. The term became popular in the late 1800’s. Used to describe aromatic compounds, the term came from the German word for turpentine. Terpenes interact with our olfactory organs to create smells and cannabis produces a wide range of them. Higher concentrations of terpenes create more potent smells so weed that smells strongly are called terpy.

Hit:

Smoking cannabis flower is known as ‘taking a hit’ or ‘hitting a pipe’. The term comes from the Middle English word hitten or ‘to strike’. It was later adopted by the Dutch before arriving in the US in the mid 1900’s. A hit is a single dose of marijuana flower, or dab, consumed by smoking from a pipe, bong, or dab rig.

Dab:Vapes 2016

To dab is to apply hash oil to a heated surface in order to vaporize it. Popularized in the early 2000’s, dabbing has developed into a subculture of cannabis consumption. The trend is partly due to advances in mobile vaporizing devices and a public perception of decreased risk of harm. A person needs to buy a dab rig in order to take a dab. Another type of dab is called Live Resin. It is made differently than a dab, but a dab rig is still required to take a dab hit.

Hash:

Originating in ancient India, hash describes cannabis preparation used by ancient assassins. Hash is produced by separating the oily trichomes from the rest of the plant and can be compressed into bricks. Smoking hash produces the same effects as smoking raw flower but at high potencies.
Some people can create their own hash with the right equipment, or it can be bought from a dispensary. Rick Simpson oil is another type of hash oil. It can be used as a bowl topper, for dabbing, or as a coating on joints.

Doobie:

A cannabis cigarette is commonly called a doobie. The origins are unknown but there are a few possibilities. The word could be derived from the Latin term dubiety, which basically meant to give rise to uncertainty. It was also slang used by black slaves during the mid-1800’s to describe smoked cannabis cigarettes.
The TV show Scooby Doo is credited with popularizing the term but the source material seems unconnected to cannabis consumption specifically. Several people who knew of cannabis from the 60’s still use this term today instead of a joint or jay. Another type of cannabis cigarette is cannabis wrapped in tobacco paper, but that is called a blunt not a doobie.

There are even more ways to say cannabis!

There are so many more slang terms for cannabis that I couldn’t include them all. Terms like stoned, blazed and faded. There are also slang specific amounts of weed  like dub and QP. Let us know if we should do a follow-up to this article and dive into more slang.
Also be sure to let us know in the comments below what slang you think should have been on this list. Or help add more slang to the list using the comment below. Remember, sharing is caring and thanks for reading.

10 Easy Makeshift Smoking Devices
CategoriesCulture, Guides, List, Marijuana Recipes, Offbeat, Technology by

10 Easy Makeshift Smoking Devices

Everyone needs a makeshift piece eventually.

Sometimes, an accident robs you of the only pipe you own and a makeshift option is needed. Other times, you bring weed to a party expecting to find a pipe there already. Either way, two of the three key ingredients for smoking (weed, fire, and a pipe) are present with no hope of the third finding you.
It is up to you to channel your inner MacGyver and create a makeshift smoking device they will talk about for decades. Many stoners struggle with trying to be as inventive as the Big Mac himself. This list will help you go from zero to hero in 420 style.

Here is a list of 10 makeshift smoking devices that will keep the smoke flowing and the party going. 

 

  1. 2-Liter Bong:

Drill a 1/2″ hole halfway down in the middle of a 2-liter bottle. Make another hole on the opposite side of the bottle from the first and about 2 inches higher. Take a 1/2″ straw and wedge a 10mm socket into one end securely. Insert the open end of the straw into the hole at ~45-degree angle. Fill the bottle with water until the tip of the straw is submerged but ensure the liquid does not reach the first hole. Load the weed into the socket, cover the second hole with thumb and draw through the mouth of the bottle.

Pro Tip:

Plastic straws melt (producing toxic chemicals) after a couple hits. Try using silicone straws for a safe makeshift smoking that won’t react to the heat of a bowl. Just don’t try setting silicone on fire.

 

  1. Apple:Makeshift Smoking Device

Use a pencil or drill to make hole down the entire center of the core. Create another hole that intersects the first hole at ~135 degrees near the bottom of the apple and bite out a bowl. Use the bottom of the core as a carb and the top of the apple as the mouthpiece. Draw hit from the first hole.

Pro Tip:

Place metal or glass bowl (if available) in the hole instead of letting the weed touch the fruit. This keeps the cannabis dry.

 

  1. Banana:

Use knife to cut the first inch of the tip (not stalk) off the banana. Set the tip aside for use later. Use a straw or drill to create a whole going 1/2 to 3/4 the length from the end that was cut. Drill hole at ~90 degrees to the first hole. Set the tip in the second hole and secure with toothpicks. Use the banana tip as bowl and draw through the first hole.

Pro Tip:

Fresh fruit is better for making pipes because old fruit can be too soft to hold its shape.

 

  1. Soda Can:

Flatten one side of empty can until it forms a small divot. Using a knife or screw needle, punch holes in the can to create the bowl. Punch additional hole in the side of the can for carb. Draw hit from can opening. Soda have chemical linings on the inside and out. Make sure to burn off the harmful material before taking the first hit.

Pro Tip:

Right handed smokers like a carb on the left of the pipe while left handed smokers prefer a carb on the right side. This makes it easy for the thumb to close or open the hole while toking.

 

  1. Strawberry:

Use a straw to core the strawberry. Create a second hole with the straw intersecting the first at ~90 degrees. Place a joint in the hole and draw hit from first hole.

Pro Tip:

You can use a steel 1/2″ or 10mm socket as a makeshift bowl.

 

  1. Knife Hits:

Roll a piece of paper up into a cone with an opening at both ends. Secure paper with tape or origami that shit to make a smoke hood. Take two kitchen knives and place the blade side against a heating element until red hot. Take a small pea sized nug (of any grade cannabis) and twist between knives beneath wide end of hood. Draw hit from narrow end of hood.

Pro Tip:

Cut the bottom off a 2-liter bottle. Punch holes in bottom piece. Fill bottle with ice and wedge bottom piece into the top piece. This creates a cooling ice dome that makes the smoke significantly smoother.

 

  1. Paper Towel Steamroller:

Drill a 1/2″ hole 3/4 of the way down an empty paper towel roll tube. Wedge a 10mm socket securely into the hole. Draw through the end furthest from the bowl and use the palm of the hand to cover the other end like a carb.

Pro Tip:

Fill a different empty paper towel roll with wadded up dryer sheets. When exhaling smoke, blow through the sheet-filled tube. The air on the other side smells like fresh laundry instead of pure resin.

 

  1. Coconut:

Drill a hole in top of the coconut. Drain the milk and set aside. Drill second hole intersecting first in the center of the coconut at ~135 degrees. Place joint in second hole. Draw hit from first hole.

Pro Tip:

You can use the coconut juice as bong water if you drop a stem down the second hole.

 

  1. Sobe Hit:

Using a nail or screw driver, punch a hole in the bottom divot of a glass Sobe bottle and set aside. Cut 1/2″ hole in the lid of the bottle. Wedge a 10mm socket into the hole in the cap. Cover hole in the bottom of the bottle and fill with water. Screw cap back on and fill with weed. Uncover bottom hole and light bowl simultaneously. Once all water has drained, unscrew cap and draw hit through bottle mouthpiece.

Pro Tip:

Hold Sobe bottle above a pitcher to catch and reuse the water. This also makes it easy to do gravity bong hits if the bottom breaks out of the bottle.

 

  1. Lightsaber:

Unscrew blade portion of saber and set handle aside. Remove plastic light bulb housing. Apply thin line of superglue to base of plastic cup. Slice top 1″ off the saber blade. Drill 1/2″ hole in second to bottom section of blade. Drill second 1/2″ hole 1 inch above and directly opposite the first hole. Take a 1/2″ straw and wedge a 10mm socket into one end securely. Insert the open end of the straw into the hole at ~45-degree angle. Fill the bottle with water until the tip of the straw is submerged but ensure the liquid does not reach the first hole. Load the weed into the socket, cover the second hole with thumb and draw through the open end of the blade.

Pro Tip:

Steel down-stems are commonly available in a variety of sizes at smoke shops. A properly sized down-stem should almost tough the opposite corner of the bottom of the chamber. Having it touch can transfer heat and cause plastic parts to melt faster.

The Founding Fathers US All Grew Weed
CategoriesAnalysis/Opinion, Culture, Research by

The Founding Fathers All Grew Weed

The Founding Fathers grew hemp before America was a nation.

Early colonists needed to grow hemp and the Founding Fathers helped make it easier. Hemp was used to make a multitude of essential gear for early Americans so importing it was impossibly expensive. Presidents like Washington, Jefferson and even Lincoln are well documented hemp farmers but their personal consumption remains a historical mystery.
While hemp and weed are both cannabis, there’s a big difference between the 16-1800’s and now. Similar to how humans grow larger when more specialized nutrition and scientific knowledge advances, so too does cannabis. Most Founding Fathers grew hemp specifically for fiber and seed instead of high THC seedless flowers.
They planted in dense patches and prioritized harvesting long, thin stalks. The Fathers allowed their plants to go to seed but removed the males after they pollinated the females. Any female cannabis plants that produce seeds have very little THC, just like modern day ones.
George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Ben Franklin all grew hemp on their plantations. Hemp was essential to naval vessels and travel in general, so every Founding Father needed more. In previous centuries, all ships navigating the western seas were rigged with hempen rope and sails.

It takes a lot of hemp to make ships, so everyone grew hemp.

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A 44-gun frigate like the USS Constitution took over 60 tons of hemp for rigging. This included sails, ropes and an anchor cable 25 inches in circumference. The Conestoga wagons of the pioneer days were covered with hemp canvas as well. In fact, the very word canvas comes from the Arabic word for hemp.
The founding fathers were well acquainted with the industrial version of cannabis but how they consume it. Many doubt that Washington and Jefferson grew hemp for recreational enjoyment but John Adams has a mysterious quote of his in several Boston newspapers.
In 1763, under the pen name Humphrey Ploughjogger, Adams wrote in the Boston Evening-Post about the advantages of growing hemp. Adams claimed that “… if grate Men dont leeve off writing Pollyticks, breaking Heads, boxing Ears, ringing Noses and kicking Breeches, we shall by and by want a world of Hemp more for our own consumshon,”. This is likely a reference to the hemp rope a hangman used and not a sweet bowl of some Purple Urkle.

The Digital Age has made a liar of Honest Abe.

The internet is overrun with people claiming that Honest Abe claimed to enjoy “a pipe of sweet hemp, and playing my Hohner harmonica.”  There are only a few issues with the timing of quote though. Hohner didn’t make harmonicas until years later and didn’t even start exporting them to America from Germany until 1868. That’s four years after Abe’s assassination, meaning the whole thing is made up.
But that isn’t the only popular Lincoln quote that was entirely false. The oft-cited “Prohibition… goes beyond the bound of reason…”? Claimed to be from an 1840 speech to the Illinois House of Representatives. In fact, it was written by a former mayor of Atlanta in 1922. The fake quote was used to court black voters into opposing alcohol prohibition. That doesn’t prove Lincoln didn’t partake, just that there is no proof he did.

Washington was into the Sticky Icky.

George Washington did make concerted attempts to cultivate high THC cannabis. He kept meticulous diaries throughout his life. Within his notes he wrote “Sowed hemp at muddy hole by swamp” This was far removed from the area he would have normally cultivated cannabis. This remote location improved the likelihood that the cannabis flowers would remain seedless or ‘sensimilla’.
Washington further reinforces the idea that he was growing for some sweet smoke by writing “Began to separate the male from female plants” and he specifically references the desire for flower by dismaying that he “Was too late for the blossom hemp by three weeks or a month” One theory for Washington’s interest in potent cannabis flower was to treat his toothaches.

Thomas Jefferson was known to farm hemp just as all the other Founding Fathers.

He has the unique distinction of being an international and intercontinental strain hound. During his time as Ambassador to France, hashish was a big deal. During his encounters with the court, it would have been disastrously unfashionable for him to refuse consuming.
The time with the French court must have left a lasting impression on him. Jefferson later sought out high potency cannabis seeds from China while he was searching for better versions of rice. At great risk of imprisonment, Jefferson smuggled many types of seeds back to the colonies for American production.
The president employed many hirelings to do the brunt of the work. He specifically employed Turkish smugglers to bring seeds back from China. No records prove that Jefferson himself transported the seeds, only that he arranged for and ensured the delivery of many restricted cultivars from across the globe to American farmers.

People have taken the stoner Founding Fathers idea and run with it.


Even without direct evidence of the Founding Fathers smoking weed, modern stoners have embraced the idea. Artists like Trevor Moore and groups like The Whitest Kids You Know have brought the mythology of the Founding Fathers into the modern day.
The historical accuracy of these interpretations remains hazy at best. Yet the performances are likely closer to reality than the stories and legends that people have grown up with. Regardless, they add a bit of spice and real world flavor to stories about wealthy young rebels.

This 4th of July, light up a joint, load a bong and hit a pipe for the Founding Fathers.

America wouldn’t be here without cannabis, so roast a bowl this Independence Day to honor our complex history. Greats like Andrew Jackson grew it for seed and fiber while Jefferson smuggled it out of China and likely France. And just think about how Ben Franklin would feel about a great summertime strain.
Be like Ben and grow a female plant or two, or take a page from Lincolns book and get some sweet hemp to enjoy. Don’t smuggle genetics from China like Jefferson though. Better to get a clone or seed from a reputable source like SeedsHereNow.com or a local dispensary.
 

Four Amazing American Made Products for Cannabis Consumption
CategoriesAnalysis/Opinion, Culture, Products by

Four for the Fourth: Four Amazing American Made Products for Cannabis Consumption

Four for the Fourth: Four Amazing American Made Products for Cannabis Consumption
The Fourth of July holiday is upon us. That means parties, road trips, hiking, and cannabis! Here are four great American Made products that are excellent for cannabis consumption. Nothing says patriotic like buying products made in the USA and nothing says holiday weekend like exploring new ways to enjoy our favorite plant.

  1. Mendo Mulchers Grinders: If your preferred method of consumption is flower than you know how important a quality grinder is. These grinders are not only high quality but are made here in the USA. With prices that range from just over $15.00 to just over $70.00, based on the size and whether or not it includes a screen, there is a grinder here for every budget. So if you are blazing up a bowl on the fourth and want an American made grinder this is an excellent option.
  2. Jane West Collection by Grav: If glass pipes are your thing then the Jane West Collection by Grav might be just what you are looking for. Designed with both form and function in mind these glass pipes for “the mainstream cannabis consumer” are made from borosilicate glass colored with pure cobalt ore giving them a distinctive deep blue coloring. Jane West’s goal is to make cannabis accessible to “everyday women” and these five glass pieces are designed with that in mind. The pieces look and feel luxurious and would be an excellent addition to any savvy consumer’s collection.
  3. The Galaxy E-Nail by Smoke Cartel: If you are looking for something a little pricey but definitely unique the Galaxy E-nail fits the bill. It is the only e-nail with an all ceramic air pathway, which is vastly preferable to titanium. Additionally these e-nails are handcrafted in Santa Cruz, CA with materials sourced from around the United States. At a price point of $349.00 this is for the serious cannabis enthusiast, but it is covered by a three year manufacturer’s warranty so you can purchase with confidence.
  4. Firefly 2 Vaporizer: I saved what I might consider to be the best for last with the Firefly 2 vaporizer. This is one of my favorite products for personal use. Gizmodo calls it “the best overall vaporizer,” Newsweek called it “the iPhone of vaporizers.” I call it an excellent travel companion. It’s a handheld vape that’s small enough to fit in your pocket, can vape both flower and concentrates, and has a bluetooth app featuring six preset temperature settings. It is high-end item, but totally worth it if you like to have options when you are on the go.

Bonus
Eucalyptus/Spearmint Earth Elements Tranquil Bath Soak from Ganja Chica: If you’re a California resident and are looking for something that is therapeutic, relaxing, and different for this 4th of July look no further than this bath soak from Ganja Chica. Sometimes we need to get away from the party for a little bit of self care and rejuvenation. This soak combines epsom salts, ground cannabis, and Eucalyptus and Spearmint for a relaxing, soothing, bath that will help you recover from your holiday adventures no matter what they were.
There you have it, not four but five products that could help you further enjoy cannabis this Fourth of July weekend!

Nevada Debuts Recreational Cannabis
CategoriesCulture, Marijuana News by

Nevada Debuts Recreational Cannabis

Nevada started recreational sales just in time for the 4th of July.

Nevada recreational sales debuted July 1st. Firework, parties, DJ’s and Sen. Tick Segerblom (who is considered Nevada’s hero) were celebrating the recreational kick-off. Sen. Tick has been around the cannabis scene for a while and remembers the hippies of the 60’s in addition to spearheading the cannabis legalization in Nevada.
Segerblom was the first in line buying a bit of weed from Reed dispensary on July 1st. The senator was all smiles. As he looked at the variety of flower available, he said, “When I was doing this back in the 60’s, it didn’t look like this. No seeds, no stems, no sticks. This is pure bud.”
Local Nevada resident, Zach Prekop, said,” Now that it’s legal, it’s more accepted and people can try it out without feeling like they’re doing something wrong. I think it’s going to be another tourist attraction.” Many Las Vegas residents feel the same way and look forward to the increased tourism.

The industry is running into issues spreading awareness about the new changes.

Even with all the hype, many people were not aware that recreational weed is now legal in Vegas. A cabby said on Friday that he expected a lot of people to show up for the July 4th holiday. He also noticed that no one seemed to know they could buy it.
Part of the issue is the lack of available ad space. Nevada law bans cannabis advertising on radio, TV and any other medium where the audience is expected to be under 21 years old. Finding good places to advertise is expensive and limited.
Sen. Segerblom says that cannabis is going to be another feature of Las Vegas. That Las Vegas is the entertainment capital of the world. And they aim to keep it that way with the help of exceptional recreational marijuana.

As of July 1st, recreational weed is legal in Nevada.

All customers need to show legal ID that they are 21 years or older. Out-of-towners are free to purchase as much as anyone else. But that doesn’t mean that it’s a free-for-all. Nevada does have some purchasing and cultivating limits.
Customers may purchase up to 1oz. of cannabis flower per day and/or up to 3.5g of concentrate per day. Nevada will excise a 10% sales tax, but medical patients are exempt from the tax.
Adults may grow up to 6 plants each and a household may grow up to 12 plants in total. Consumption is legal at private homes and on porches or in yards.  Public consumption is still considered illegal and carries civil penalties.
Cannabis is prohibited in casinos, bars, restaurants, parks, concerts and federal property, national forests and federal subsidized housing. The best bet is that if you don’t own it, you shouldn’t consume there. Literally, cannabis consumption is legal only on private property, for now. Oh, and smoking in the car will get people DUI’s.

Where is a traveling stoner to consume?

There are cannabis clubs being put together in Nevada, especially around the Las Vegas strip. These cannabis clubs are to give consumers, mainly tourists, a place to smoke instead of taking it back to their hotel rooms or smoke in the open.
Nevada officials don’t want to see a bunch of cops on the Las Vegas strip creating havoc. Deputy Reno Police Chief Tom Robinson said that previously, officers were told to aggressively enforce cannabis laws. Deputy Chief Robinson said, “Now, we’ve got to change our stance, which isn’t a big deal, it’s just a mindset shift for our personnel.” With police protection and oversight, Las Vegas Cannabis Clubs are set for development by 2019.
A Denver-based entrepreneur started setting up 420 condos on the Las Vegas strip. The interesting thing is that these cannabis-friendly condos are only 420 friendly and not cigarette friendly. Entrepreneurs set up cannabis tours complete with swag bags. They even have coupons and vouchers to use on tours of dispensaries and grow ops.

Nevada is preparing for the next step in their legalization plan.

Nevada is expected to take the lead in national cannabis sales. This is despite the state legalizing cannabis after California and Colorado. While California is the nation’s bread-basket, Nevada is where people go to party, and they know it.
Nevada is set to sell more cannabis that any other state. The reason is because Las Vegas, Nevada brings in 63 million tourists a year. That’s 20 million more than California, Colorado and Washington bring in.
Nancy Whiteman is the co-owner of the Colorado based Wana Brands, they create yummy edible products. Whiteman says, “I don’t think we’ve ever seen anything quite like what Nevada is going to look like just because of the sheer volume of tourism in the state.” Whatever the future holds, Nevada is proving that it can meet its cannabis goals.

Cannabis Flower Perfume Steals the Show
CategoriesCulture by

Cannabis Flower Perfume Steals the Show

Many people wonder if cannabis could smell good as a perfume.

The smell of cannabis is usually skunky or earthy with a hint of other smells like berries or flowers. Sometimes cannabis has a strong cheese or diesel smell and I don’t want to wear the smell of cheese. After over 12 years of trial and error, Mark Crames managed to successfully create cannabis perfumes that please the senses.
The popular cosmetic retailer Sephora asked Crames to create a fragrance based on the scent of cannabis. A difficult task for sure. He needed to capture the skunky essence of cannabis and at the same time include the pleasant essences of flowers and spices.
Crames experimented with several versions before developing his final line of fragrances. “I look at cannabis like liquor – it’s about capturing great, memorable tastes, smells and experiences,” Crames explained. His final offerings are light enough to incite desire in non-stoners but nostalgic for the cannabis consumer.

If at first you don’t succeed, try and try again.

12 years ago, Sephora asked Crames to create a cannabis based perfume. He created several formulations but they never found one Sephora approved of. Even though Crames’ perfumes were not where they needed to be, he didn’t give up. He found new backers and continued his work, looking for just the right mix.
In 2006, Crames released his first marijuana perfume line. He called the flagship fragrance Cannabis Flower. Crames also released the fragrance under his own label (along with others he had formulated) called Demeter Fragrances. The release became a turning point for cannabis-based perfume and Crames career.
Cannabis Flower became the most popular fragrance within his company’s product line. Cannabis Flower is not too spicy, not too flowery, but unmistakably smells like cannabis. Due to the use of cannabis flower during manufacture, the perfume is illegal to use and possess in some states.
Crames is a pioneer in both the perfume and cannabis industries. It took years of research, effort and imagination to get Cannabis Flower ready for market. However, that didn’t stop other companies from experimenting by trying to create their own cannabis perfume.

Crames started off as practicing lawyer and never went to perfume school.

Crames tried very hard to create a perfume that had the scent of marijuana but at the same time not let it be overpowering. He’s not a master perfumer, as they are called. He never attended a perfume school in France, which flies in the face of tradition. Crames was a practicing lawyer but had a passion for perfume and followed his passion.
Crames trained his nose for 15 years while working as a perfume distributor and a lawyer. Eventually, Crames received his own manufacturing license and started creating his own commercial licenses. Crames said, “I’m always approaching a target trying to capture what the majority of people would recognize as the thing itself. But in an idealized version.”
In 2002, Crames bought Demeter which already had a splendid perfume catalogue from renowned perfume artists. The Demeter company continued to employ perfume artists like Christopher Brosius. Brosius started Demeter 10 years earlier and his scents were exhibited at the Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum’s Triennial in 2003. That was the first time that perfume design elements construction was appreciated in that type of setting.
With years of practice, Crames developed a photographic memory with his nose. He can recall scents years after he inhaled them. His nose became Demeter’s driving force for fragrances. Crames stretches the concept of what is considered mainstream perfume. He has a long history of creating unusual scents. Some of his most popular fragrances are called Clean Skin, Paperback, New Baby, Laundromat, Snow and now Cannabis Flower.

Cannabis Flower is a haughty supporting actress that steals the show.

According to Crames, “Cannabis Flower is like a haughty supporting actress. There’s always the risk she might get too loud and steal the show.” There is a formula for making a pleasing scent. Good perfumes have top notes, middle notes and base notes.
Top notes are what people smell first but go away after a while. Middle notes reveal their scent over time and base notes appear several hours later. Cannabis Flower is similar to a perfume that has all three notes. Crames says it has a sneaky top note, a middle note that moves in and out, and a steady backdrop of base notes. Crames struggles with cannabis scents because its herby aroma tends to steal the show with its strong notes all together.

More designers are making perfume as well.

Christi Meshell is the owner and professional perfumer for House of Matriarch perfumes, a Seattle-based company. Meshell’s company created cannabis perfumes called Sex Magic and Forbidden. They describe working with cannabis as a strange and underused herb. Like, “drinking lemonade with your pet skunk in the middle of a pinyon pine forest as newly baled hay cures in a neighboring field.”
As the cannabis industry develops and matures, so too will the perfumes and scents associated with it. Gone are the days when patchouli was used to cover up cannabis. Let’s hope more designers like Crames and Meshell continue explore the wonderful world of weed.