healthopi
CategoriesAnalysis/Opinion by

Healthcare Bill Increases Opioid Addiction

Opioid addiction is ravaging the nation.

Over reliance on drugs like Vicodin and opioids by physicians has contributed to the groundswell of people struggling to overcome chemical dependence and opioid addiction. One of the emerging treatments uses cannabis in place of harsh or dangerous pharmaceuticals with unknown side effects.
1 in 3 Americans directly affected by the addiction epidemic. The low risk and cost of cannabis compares well to the wildly fluctuating pharmaceutical prices. Mandates around pre-existing conditions and mental health services in the Affordable Care Act helped expand Medicaid and insure millions for the first time in their lives.

Lawmakers decide killing up to 24 million is better than doing nothing.

Access to many of the essential addiction and mental health services people have come to depend on are getting removed. The 24 million Americans who can afford it the least will be expelled from treatment. Republicans voted to pass the American Health Care Act before they even knew how much it would cost.
After years of chanting ‘repeal and replace’, the Republicans had their chance to present an alternative. Yet they had literally nothing ready. Even when they were voting on the bill, they didn’t even know how much it would cost. But lawmakers were so zealous to pass ANYTHING that they willingly signed a blank check and hoped someone else would clean up the bodies.
According to an NPR interview with President Obama’s director of National Drug Control Policy (NDCP)Michael Botticelli, “I think it’s not hyperbolic to forecast that we’re going to see dramatic increases in mortality associated with drug overdose deaths [if the proposed bill goes into effect],”

Many organizations predict catastrophe for 24 million people.

It’s not just the NDCP that thinks the republican led healthcare bill will lead to more deadly opioid addiction. The American Society of Addiction Medicine sent a letter (PDF) warning Congress that the Republicans’ American Health Care Act will reduce coverage for vulnerable populations, including those who suffer from addictions.
Most states have medical marijuana laws in place that require a doctor’s recommendation. Many people are only able to obtain their medical marijuana cards because the Affordable Care Act forced insurance companies to include regular checkups. Millions of people on the low end of the economic spectrum could finally obtain the treatment they needed for years. Until the Republican led American Health Care Act was forced through the legislature at least.
The new AHCA doesn’t operate in a vacuum. The Trump budget plan cuts funding for mental health treatment in addition to the changes made in the healthcare bill. At the same time, it provides additional funding to drug enforcement. This will create more deadly clashes between police and the mentally ill. Clearly, the current lawmakers are Disturbed and Drowning Pool fans because they are Down with the Sickness to Let the Bodies hit the Floor. Although I’m pretty sure those bands have done more to promote mental health.
 

pot ses
CategoriesAnalysis/Opinion, Culture, Marijuana News by

Sessions Takes First Big Swing at Pot

After months in the making, Attorney General Jeff Sessions has taken the first swing at cannabis. His attack comes in the form of changing the policy set out by former Attorney General Eric Holder. Known as the Holder Memo, the 2013 directive asked federal prosecutors to avoid charging defendants with crimes that trigger mandatory minimums. It has also been the main legal protection states have relied upon when installing recreational marijuana laws.
Sessions has officially directed federal prosecutors to charge defendants with the most serious provable crimes possible. Specifically, crimes which carry minimum sentences and the harshest penalties. He even wants prosecutors to pursue punishments as far above minimum as is deemed physically possible.
He has directed federal prosecutors to use whatever means necessary to achieve his goals through his recent directive. With it, he has revealed the bloody legacy he intends to leave. He has decided to make his stand on the bloody and chained backs of mothers, fathers, the terminally ill and mentally unstable.
Sessions doesn’t want to reserve the harshest penalties for defendants with known gang, violence or large-scale trafficking histories. He wants to instill terror in the population. And the only tools at his disposal is the entire federal judicial system.

Is the water really that hot?Sessions feels froggy

Sessions laid out his plan in a two-page memo and sent it to more than 5,000 assistant U.S. attorneys. In the document, Sessions orders prosecutors to “charge and pursue the most serious, readily provable offense”. That is as clear a declaration of was as there ever was and marks the first significant criminal justice effort by the Trump regime.
In language that reflects a deluded and willfully malicious view of humanity, The attorney general’s memo claims that “By definition, the most serious offenses are those that carry the most substantial guidelines sentence, including mandatory minimum sentences.”
This move is likely to repeat the mistakes of the War on Drugs which has had a catastrophic impact on poor and minority communities. But Sessions is determined to leverage every last vestige of power to achieve his goals, even if that means blood in the streets and putting federal inmates into private prisons.

One Sessions to rule them all, and in the darkness bind them.

Although Sessions sees private prisons as another tool to increase incarceration rates. Sessions claimed earlier this year that decreasing the number of private prisons had “impaired the [Bureau of Prisons’] ability to meet the future needs of the federal correctional system”.
When confronted with a declining murder rate and decreased recidivism due to mental health treatments, Sessions claims that only more aggressive tactics can prevent a new violent epidemic. Instead of more mental health treatment and less punishment, Jeff Sessions feels that locking people in cages is the best way to treat his fellow Americans in 2017 and beyond.
 

mari
CategoriesAnalysis/Opinion, Medical, Research by

Accidentally Overdosing on Marijuana

How others have dealt with accidentally overdosing on marijuana.

When people consume cannabis, it stimulates the endocannabinoid system (ECS). The ECS is responsible for regulating the response to rewards, stress and emotions. THC affects the ECS by disrupting the ability to regulate the response to stress, which causes anxiety instead of relieving it in extreme cases. Weed is interesting because it can help people alleviate pain and cause relaxation, but at the same time it can cause paranoia and anxiety. However, there are thousands of cannabis strains that have different affects and cause feelings of well-being.
A 26-year-old graduate from University of North Carolina ate a pot brownie and had the worst experience of her life. She lost the sense of time and was shaky. She said it felt like she was trapped inside herself. Did this 26-year-old consume too much or eat the wrong type of pot brownie?

Chelsea consumed too much weed and caused her own anxiety.

Chelsea Wind, a 46-year-old is a normal cannabis consumer. One night she was suffering through an anxiety attack and her friends convinced her to consume more and more to help relax. Chelsea couldn’t calm down and eventually called 911.
Dr. Mohini Ranganathan, from Yale University is an assistant professor of psychiatry. Dr. Ranganathan specializes in cannabinoid research, and she says that people who consume low doses of weed are more likely to feel the effects of anti-anxiety effects. Chelsea consumed too much and in fact exacerbated her anxiety by taking too much cannabis. “As the dose increases, you become more and more likely to experience anxiety and panic,” Dr. Ranganathan says.

Is there such a thing as psychoactive safe weed?

Dr. Ranganathan also says that consuming a large quantity of weed causes people to feel the psychotic effects such as extreme anxiety, paranoia and hallucinations. “When people talk about marijuana, they’re not distinguishing between the different components of cannabis,” she says. One of the main components of marijuana is THC. The more cannabis with THC is consumed, the higher the amount of anxiety a person feels. Sativas are a type of weed strain that are usually high in THC and end up creating higher feelings of anxiety. Indica’s are nicer on people because they help create the feeling of relaxation and minimize the feeling of anxiety and other negative psychoactive issues.

gmo
CategoriesAnalysis/Opinion, Medical by

Is Mainstream Market Ready for GMO Weed?

Will GMO Weed take over the marketplace?

Genetically altered marijuana, GMO weed, has yet to find its way into the mainstream marketplace. According to Dr. Reggie Gaudino of the Steep Hill cannabis laboratory, everyone will soon see GMO cannabis for sale. Local farmers have two years to utilize their advantages before big corporate farmers like Monsanto take over the marketplace. But not all researchers and groups agree. Humbolt County has distanced itself from GMO marijuana and focused on organic and environmentally friendly farming practices.
Oregon researcher Mowgli Holmes from Phylos Bioscience disagrees with the idea of GMO’s taking over mainstream cannabis. Holmes says that the people will not be ready to accept genetically modified weed for a very long time. “I don’t think there is anything that GMOs could do for cannabis that we need that couldn’t be done by advanced plant breeding techniques,” Holmes said. “GMOs can make cannabis that glows in the dark, but we don’t need that.”

How is Phylos Bioscience and Steep Hill involved with cannabis?

Phylos Bioscience and Steep Hill are using DNA sequencers to unlock the secrets of marijuana. For example, labs are currently able to test different cannabis strains for terpenes and other non-psychoactive cannabinoids known as CBD’s. Other goals are to map marijuana genetic sequencing. This is an attempt to combine the best combination of cannabis strains to treat certain ailments without creating GMO strains.

Is the strength of weed today a result of GMO Cannabis?

Todays weed is more potent than cannabis from the 1960’s. Current day cannabis is strong because of traditional breeding techniques and cross-breading. Cloning doesn’t count as genetically modified weed because it does not manipulate the plants DNA. However, cloning comes with its own issues. “Some people in the industry believe that cloning has been responsible for perpetuating a lot of the disease issues that you see in the cannabis industry,” Humboldt and Trinity counties’ Agricultural Commissioner Jeff Dolf said.

Is there a future for GMO weed?

According to Gaudino, GMO weed modification is going to happen whether farmers and customers are ready or not. Holmes feels opposite, he says the community has no interest in genetically modified weed. That it is best to put our focus on understanding the cannabis genome to improve plant breeding techniques. Only time will tell.

war medical
CategoriesMarijuana Legalization, Marijuana News by

War on Drugs: Medical Marijuana

The war on medical marijuana is causing uncertainty.

The war on medical marijuana has arisen due to President Trumps latest document, causing uncertainty in the community. Medical marijuana programs exist in 29 U.S. states and have large public support.
White House aides argue that the President’s objections do not cause immediate policy changes. “It just creates a lot of uncertainty, and that uncertainty is deeply concerning for patients and providers,” said Michael Collins, deputy director of the Drug Policy Alliance. The public is concerned because the government insists that although weed is federally illegal, it will not impose strict punishments.
And yet, Attorney General Jeff Sessions recently directed federal prosecutors to pass harsher punishments for drug defendants.

Does the government know what it wants?

Recreational weed smokers have more to fear from federal intervention. The President says that he sees a big difference between medical marijuana prescribed to patients by doctors and recreational weed.
The provision in question prohibits the Justice Department from spending money that interferes with state medical marijuana programs. “I will treat this provision consistently with my constitutional responsibility to take care that the laws be faithfully executed,” Trump wrote in the signing statement.
Trump has objected on constitutional grounds to a program that helps black colleges and universities get low-cost construction loans.
According to Tom Angell, founder of Marijuana Majority, Trump is essentially saying that he reserves the right to ignore the congressionally approved provision. James Cole, a Deputy Attorney General had prosecutors enforce all federal drug laws, even in places where marijuana is legal. On the other hand, Cole wrote that federal authorities should stay out of states that have regulatory systems in place. Medical marijuana is to be revised again by Congress in the next few months. It seems like the trend is to allow the government to pick and choose who to prosecute for marijuana offenses.

officer mari
CategoriesCulture, Marijuana News by

Officer Gets Caught Trafficking Drugs

Alex Chapackdee is a veteran officer for the Seattle Police Department. He, along with three others, have been charged by the U.S. District Court of Seattle with interstate drug trafficking. The officer was suspended without pay and sits in detention awaiting trial. A conviction carries a five-year minimum in federal prison (up to 40) and a fine of up to $5 million.
Officer Chapackdee allegedly transported hundreds of pounds of cannabis from Washington to Baltimore. The details of the accusation were released in a 15-page unsealed document and included multiple trips involving upwards of 200 pounds at a time. Friends and family were shocked by the accusations during the early court proceedings.
If the grand jury indicts him, his May 22 court date will be moved. Until then, Officer Chapackdee will be spending his days in detention. Assistant U.S. Attorney Vince Lombardi said the serious allegations and significant penalty warranted detention for all four defendants.

Recreational weed is legal in Seattle but not in Baltimore.It's Legal Officer

Chapackdee’s Seattle attorney, David Gehrke, asserted that his client would fight the allegations. He went on to claim the federal criminal-justice system was pursuing a “dark ages” approach. One where marijuana crimes remain on the books even though “it’s legal to use and possess in every state on the West Coast.”
But possession and use of recreational marijuana is a crime in Maryland. A fact the police officer was privy to before smuggling his shwag there by the metric ton. The charges claim he was transporting more than just weed, he was providing cocaine and intelligence as well.
With six trips recorded just since September, he clearly wasn’t doing it to make ends meet. An informant revealed to the FBI and Drug Enforcement Agency that Chapadee provided the ringleader (his brother-in-law) information about arrests and investigations that could affect the operation. But Chapackdee claimed he made the other people front the shipments as though that made him look any better.

At least the officer made sure he was getting paid.Cash Money

As bad a police officer getting caught trafficking drugs is, at least he was doing it for the money right? It seems money made Chapackdee chose Baltimore as one of the places he peddled his police pot. Reports claim he was getting paid $15,000 or more each time he made a drug run.
In addition to the $30 grand each month from drug runs, the officer was getting another $10 thousand dollars a month just to keep an eye on the operations grow houses. So the official cost of a crooked cop in America is $40 grand a month. Chapackdee WAS part of a five-member community policing team.
The policing team Chapackdee operated in was part of the police department’s South Precinct. Seattle Police Chief Kathleen O’Toole issued a statement calling Chapackdee’s conduct “disgraceful and disappointing.”

stoneapps
CategoriesAnalysis/Opinion, Apps by

Weed Apps Every Stoner Would Love

6 Weed Apps Stoners Can Use

Weed apps are essentials for the average consumer. Looking for a good strain, Leafly is the place to go. To understand usage and dose, Releaf is the next app to use. For those growing marijuana plants, GrowBuddy and weGrow are wonderful apps to keep track of plants progress. Below are 6 popular essential apps that cannabis connoisseurs will love.

One of the most popular apps is Leafly.

Leafly is similar to Yelp, Amazon and Wikipedia. Leafly has a plethora of strain information along with weed related articles. Their strain index covers thousands of different types of cannabis which include name, scent, effects, reviews and dispensaries that carry them. It isn’t as in depth as an index like Cannafo.com, but Leafly has a great layout.

An app that keeps track of usage.

Releaf is the app that keeps track of dosages taken, the equipment being used, ailments that are being treated and the dispensaries where cannabis is bought. The graphs and charts are used to keep track of the experiences of being high. They give the user a better idea of what works for them. The idea of Releaf is to help consumers keep track of strains that work best for them.

MassRoots, the Instagram of weed.

An app with weed related images and posts. The app is not just about sharing beautiful marijuana plants though. There are images of exemplary glass works from all over the world. All a person needs to do is create a profile and they can start sharing and liking.

MJ app, designed to bring up to date marijuana news and coverage.

Twitter for stoners, MJ brings users up to the minute news from a variety of topics from around the world. This app is different from MassRoots because it is not an app where people browse and share thousands of images. MJ is strictly a current events news coverage site for cannabis.

GrowBuddy app & weGrow is great for tracking growing progress of weed.

GrowBuddy is an app designed to keep track of the growing process such as methods, progress and any changes or experimentations. The private app, GrowBuddy, is designed to help keep track of growing plants, from one to 3,000. Similar to GrowBuddy is weGrow. WeGrow is an app made for the first-time grower. It also helps keep track of methods and growing notes, but it also provides feedback to help create the perfect nugs. To sign up with weGrow it is necessary to send them an email for access to the weGrow app.
 
 
 
 

grow sme
CategoriesAnalysis/Opinion, Guides by

Growing Smelly Weed and Getting Sued

Growing smelly weed is offensive to vineyard company in McMinnville.

Richard Wagner is growing smelly weed. He is getting sued by the the vineyard developers Harihara and Parvathy Mahesh. He is also being sued by vineyard owners the Momtazy Family LLC. The Mahesh family and Momtazy family claim that weed from Richard’s property is damaging their grape crops and the odor from the farm is offensive. The families are seeking an injunction relief, hoping that Richard will be forced to stop production.

Plaintiffs are claiming that the smell of Richard’s herb is trespassing.

According to Momtazi, one of their customers canceled an order because they were worried that the weed smell would fuse with the wine smell via air, therefore ruining their product. In the past, several lawsuits arose from offensive cannabis smells, but no one has claimed damage to their property because of it. Each side would have to hire scientists and industry experts to help the jury decided if indeed the scent of marijuana would fuse with the neighboring vineyard and thereby damage their product.

Richard is not worried about losing the battle.

The plaintiffs are trying hard to stop Richard from growing. They took extra steps right after filing the lawsuit. They filed a temporary restraining order, but it didn’t go far. Richard hired an amazing lawyer, and squashed that restraining order.
The plaintiff’s attempted to use Richards Instagram posts as evidence against his “bad” nature because he posted comments like “fat dab” and “a most enjoyable odor of sour skunky grapefruit”. Richard’s lawyer’s counterargument was that Instagram posts reflect Richards admiration for marijuana and nothing to do with the plaintiff’s argument. The plaintiffs also attempted to use the fact that Richard had no OLCC card to grow. Richard’s lawyer proved that growing weed is legal in Oregon and currently Richard’s OLCC permit is being reviewed for approval. The court approved of the defendant’s side and denied the plaintiff’s request for the temporary restraining order.
Richard won the first round. After a year of attorney and legal fees that will continue to pile up every month, who will cave first? Some say Richard Wagner will win the war but we will have to say tuned to find out for sure.
 

workouthigh
CategoriesAnalysis/Opinion by

A Few Things to Know About Getting High Before a Workout

Getting high before a workout.

Most people are not sure why they are afraid or worried about getting high before a workout. For the last 3 years a certain group of scientists did their own research on the effects of smoking cannabis for a workout. They do suggest that people should consult a doctor before using marijuana before or during a workout. Also, the need to smoke for a workout is not about getting ridiculously high and then working out, that is dangerous.

Know how your body affects your own mind and body.

Weed affects everyone in a different manner. Cannabis has a bidirectional effect, meaning that the same bud can give two people different affects. For example, a weed that is meant to cause relaxation or energy can create that feeling for a normal person but also give the exact opposite reaction to someone with ADHD. We wouldn’t want someone to fall asleep while working out with heavy equipment, or become over stimulated. Working out for too long or too hard can cause injuries.

Smoking before a workout should be done in small doses.

Smoking before a workout should not be for becoming extremely high. Getting too high before a workout tends to cause people to pass out and crash. Dr. Chin says take smaller hits, get to lightly high and stick with it.

Noobs should think twice before smoking and exercising.

One of the researchers, Dr. Sulak, says for those who have never smoked before, they should try cannabis for a week without the workout. This is to get used to the THC reaction and develop the ability to judge the right amount to use during a workout. Start small and work your way up, “It’s better to err on the side of caution and not feel anything, than take to much,” fellow researcher McAlpine says.

Why smoke if you can’t get too high?

Marijuana helps a person deal with the pains of exercise, allowing for more reps or go that extra mile on the run. Cannabis affects the endocannabinoid system and these receptors respond to pain. Unique markers in the every persons system changes how they react to stimuli. That is how people can push through the pain a little further during a hard workout. This does not mean that people should try and force themselves to work out when the body is legitimately hurting and begging for rest.

Which is better; oils, extracts, CBD’s?

Experts say that smoking the whole bud is better. An herb with both THC and CBD is best. THC helps exercisers get into focus faster and not get too anxious when working out. CBD helps people recover faster from a hard workout because CBD acts as an anti-inflammatory.
 
 

canntech
CategoriesTechnology by

Cannatech Introduces New-Age Weed Technology

Silicon Valley utilizes Cannatech to introduce new weed technology.

For a long time, the most popular and sophisticated weed technology was smoking cannabis through rolling papers and bongs. Now-a-days American states are legalizing marijuana as well as several countries around the world. Thus, Silicon Valley is developing ingenious weed consumption and growing technology.

Cannabis Engineers can now Attend Cannatech.

Cannatech is an annual international convention. The innovative minds of several engineers come together to discuss and show off their latest creations in weed technology. Products that are found at the convention include; lights, extractors, smoking pens, cannabutter machines, plug-n-plant systems, and much more.

Growing Indoor Weed is Expensive.

Light bulbs break easily and increase the electric bill substantially. Advances in LED lighting have brought the electricity costs down significantly since they are sturdier and the light produced is better for cannabis plant growth than traditional bulbs.

Modern day solvent extractors are for everyone.

There used to be a few machines in the market that extract cannabis using solvents. Now, there are more machines available for commercial use that use lower temperatures and can extract larger quantities than ever before. There are also machines available for enthusiasts to use at home.

Secret Vapers Take Over!

The vaping device craze is flooding the marketplace with vaping tools. Too many people complain about the smell when smoking using regular means. The worst offenders are joints, bongs and pipes. The new vaping pens offer consumers a chance to conveniently smoke without bothering the people nearest them.

Cannabis Butter Machines

There are a few methods of creating cannabutter, but they normally leave us with a strong odor that permeates throughout residences. The newest butter machines seal off the smell and allows users to mix in buds and trim. This method allows users to keep their cannabis butter creation private without receiving unwanted attention from their neighbors and landlord.

The plug n’ plant grow system for the modern house.

A smart system that has everything a person would need to grow a small farm in their home. The plug n’ plant system is an automated miniature grow house that monitors and adjusts itself. The only thing people need to do is trim a few excess leaves to allow light to pass throughout the canopy and the system is useful to grow other plants as well.

What is in store for mainstream society?

Users and non-users can make use of weed technology. Cannabutter machines can be used to make other types of infused butter, it doesn’t have to just be weed. The fertilizers can be used for other plant nutrients, and the plug n’ grow is also useful to grow other plants as well. Tobacco can be used in vape pens to help give off a more discreet scent instead of bothering the people walking past them. The growing industry is a win-win for all technology innovators and it will be inspiring to see what other technologies cross over into weed culture.