CBN Transdermal Patches 01 01
CategoriesStrain Reviews by

Review: Mary's Medicinals Transdermal Patch

There’s a brand new product that has taken off the last couple years in the cannabis market: Mary’s Medicinals transdermal patch.
Available throughout Colorado dispensaries and now being introduced into the state of Oregon, these award-winning patches administer specific doses through the skin and straight into the bloodstream—which is the most efficient way to medicate.
They’re offered in doses of 10/20 mg and retail for around $10-15 each. So far they offer CBD, CBN, THC (indica/sativa), THCa, as well as blends of CBD:THC (whatever suits your liking). Each one has a recommendation for a specific application and/or symptoms.
We’ll focus on the THC (sativa) 10mg patch, suggested for the following; for relief from pain & anxiety, reduction of muscle spasms & nausea, promotion of sleep, & appetite stimulation.
 
Here are my findings:
The size of the patch is 2 in x 2 in, so fairly petite in size — a definite plus for the discreet user. I applied the patch to my wrist, which felt surprisingly comfortable and light on my skin. The adhesive didn’t feel heavy or sticky and my skin was still able to breathe.
There is a warning in the instructions stating that “burning or itching” may occur upon application, but I felt no such effects. It seems Mary’s went above and beyond with using high quality materials to manufacture their patches — Very nice!

  • 30 min later — I felt a very subtle ‘sativa’ high, but nothing extravagant. I must admit, I was skeptical of the dosages and delivery system because I couldn’t imagine feeling a “high” from something that resembled a Band-Aid®. After slowly transitioning into the first “peak”, the patch seemed to have plateaued to a moderate type high. Perfect for the casual user, with little to no paranoia.
  • 60 min later — At this moment, I felt another ‘wave’ of dosing enter into my body, another “peak”, if you will. This was a HUGE surprise for me. These “peaks” would last about 10 minutes, then the plateauing would follow. And for the next 6 hours the waves were like clockwork, releasing doses every 30 min.
  • 6 hours later — Removing the patch from my skin was surprisingly easy and comfortable.  Once the patch was removed, there was a bit of redness that lasted a few minutes, but I experienced no itching or irritation. The residuals from the adhesive was easily removed with little to moderate effort using soap and water.

 
Afterthoughts:
Overall, an excellent pharmaceutical grade, cannabis product! Strongly recommended for the traveling consumer and/or those suffering from chronic illness or long-term debilitating symptoms; especially pain, inflammation, insomnia, and cachexia.
Pros: The ease of use, discreet application, long-lasting effects and a relatively stable delivery system make for an incredibly efficacious product.
Cons: You don’t get the instantaneous “slap in the face” high you do from smoking or vaping. It just depends on what your preferences are.
 
A HUGE “Thank You!” to Mary’s Medicinals for their ingenuity in creating and distributing such a wonderful and viable product. These are exactly the kind of cannabis novelties we crave!
image credit: wikipedia.

smoking
CategoriesAnalysis/Opinion by

15 Best Things To Do While Stoned

A bag of your favorite sweet, sticky herb… check. Lighter… check. Pipe, bong, rolling papers… Check, check and check. You’re ready to kick back, smoke up, and…
And then what?
That might seem like a silly question, but it’s not. Sometimes it’s hard to think of something fun to do when you’re baked, and if you’re not careful you could end up zoned out on the sofa, watching infomercials (been there, done that), or whatever mindless show might be playing on the TV.
And that, my friends, is a waste of time — and a waste of perfectly good weed.
I know that cannabis makes everything better (well, almost everything), even infomercials and dumb ass sitcoms. But if you really want to get the most out of your high, you’ll need to get a bit more creative than that.
I also know that once you light up, and the buzz sets in, it can be hard to get motivated. Some of us need some inspiration, and little bit of a kick in the ass, in order to get off the couch and get active.
So here’s some inspiration for you — a list of activities that perfectly complement and accentuate the effects of cannabis, and make getting high a magical, sensual, and unforgettable experience. Here are my 15 favorite things to do while stoned.

1. Listen To Music In The Dark

Okay, so this one is completely obvious and unoriginal. Guilty as charged.
But come on, I can’t put together a list like this without including the #1 way to spend your “high time.” Being stoned, alone in the dark, listening to music with your headphones on or your stereo turned up obscenely loud, is nothing less than a spiritual experience.
You can feel the bass vibrating in your cells, and see colorful patterns conjured up on the back of your closed eyelids, shifting and dancing in time with the song. You can leave the whole world behind and lose yourself in lush and vivid inner dimensions; you can be moved to tears and laughter, and have life-changing epiphanies, as the music ebbs and flows and unveils deeper layers, and hidden meanings.
It’s some good shit.
Bonus: check out our kick ass list of 20 great songs to smoke to. You’re welcome.

2. Watch A Movie

Just like cannabis can help you lose yourself in music, it can also help you to immerse yourself in a movie. So much so that you forget who your are, and where you are, and are just completely carried away by the story, the characters, the drama…
But not all movies are created equal.
I know that when you’re stoned, even Troll 2 can be entertaining. I once got high and laughed my ass off watching the Spongebob Squarepants movie (Omg, their facial expressions!), so I get it.
But being high is good for so much more than a few cheap laughs. It’s a chance to go deeper, and explore the more creative/indie/experimental side of film making. It’s a chance to be moved, to expand your mind, maybe even have it blown wide open.
And yeah, a good laugh doesn’t hurt either.
Guess what? We’ve got a list of movies too. If you need some ideas, it’s a pretty good place to start.

3. Take A Walk Outside

Pretty simple, right?
Get stoned, go outside, and look around you. You will notice, and really appreciate, the beauty and immensity of the world. It gives eyes to see all the amazing thing that we usually just pass by without noticing. It helps you to get your mind out of it’s usual rut, and look at your life from a higher perspective. (Pun intended.)
Bonus points if you go to a park, or take a hike through the woods. Get away from the city, the crowds, the traffic, etc. and surround yourself with Nature. Double bonus points if it’s raining or snowing.
Seriously, if you haven’t played in the rain, or made snow angels in a while… it’s about time.

4. Go Swimming

Get high and go to the beach, or a water park, or even an indoor pool. (If you can afford to smoke weed, you can afford a membership to the YMCA.) This is always a good time, but when you’re high, it’s a sensual delight. The feel of the water on your skin, the sensation of floating, being weightless… simply awesome.
Plus, it’s a pretty good workout, so it’s good for you too.

5. Ride A Roller Coaster

And speaking of parks… you’ve got to ride a roller coaster high at least once in your life.
As you know, marijuana makes everything more vivid and intense. And it just doesn’t get much more intense than plummeting down the first steep drop of a massive roller coaster at 70+ mph, wind whipping you in the face, screaming at the top of your lungs…
Really let’s you know you’re alive.
Pro Tip: instead of smoking, try some cannabis edibles, like these Ooey-Gooey Chewy Pot Cookies. The high will last much longer that way.

6. Make Some Art

Weed is to art what steroids are to weightlifting. Only, you know, without the side effects.
The point is, there are few things better than getting high and getting creative. Get out your paints and brushes, and make a colorful mess. Get out some crayons and color (I like mandalas). Or just make some sketches or doodles (ever heard of Zentangle?).
Not into visual art? That’s alright. Try some creative writing. Get a pencil and a spiral notebook and just write — poetry, journaling, spinning fantastic tales, whatever comes into your mind.
Don’t consider yourself an artist? Maybe you just haven’t found your medium. Keep trying new things. Don’t expect perfection — that comes with practice. Forget about how “good” it is, and just have fun with it.

7. Jam Out

Making music is one of the most fun and rewarding things to do, anytime. Period.
But being high takes it beyond the stratosphere. You feel the vibration, the music pouring through you, shaped and formed by your hands, like making sculptures out of sound… there’s nothing like it. It’s magical. It feels like you are literally making magic…
Like you’re a fuckin’ wizard.
Don’t know how to play an instrument? Hey, no better time to learn than right now. Seriously, it’s not as hard as you might think. Practice every day and you’ll be amazed at how far you can get in six months.
It develops focus, discipline, coordination, confidence, and so much more. Plus it’s so good to look back a year from now and see how much you’ve learned, and what you’ve accomplished. Makes you feel like you can do anything.
And of course, it’s really fun too. What are you waiting for?

8. Exercise

Working out while you’re high is amazing. It can be anything: yoga, push ups, jumping jacks, tai chi, jogging, bike riding, mountain climbing, whatever. It just feels so good to move, and be active.
Being stoned makes you so much more attuned to your body. You are super aware of your breathing, your heartbeat, the burn in your muscles. The rush you get from a good work out can really complete your high, and make you feel like a million bucks.
Caution: don’t push yourself too hard, too fast. You can get a major head rush that might knock you on your ass. Also be sure and stay hydrated.

9. Meditate

When you’re high, it’s so easy to just close your eyes, and drift away. That can be a good thing — if you know how to do it right.
Meditation is proven to be good for you in countless ways: it lowers stress and boosts your immune system; it helps relieve anxiety and depression; it boosts your confidence, creativity and productivity, improves your relationships, and it just makes you an all around better, kinder, happier human being.
It can also be boring as hell.
But not when you’re high.
Smoke a little green, then sit down, relax, and close your eyes. Just watch the thoughts as they drift through your awareness. Don’t judge them as good or bad, don’t get caught up in them, don’t even identify them as “your” thoughts. Just watch them like you would a movie — a bizarre, interactive, virtual reality movie.
Relax, deeper and deeper, and just let go of every bit of stress, tension, judgment, and attachment. Eventually your thoughts quiet down, and you become aware of the vast, deep, silent awareness that lies behind them…
And that’s you.
That’s what you are — not your mind, not your thoughts, not the anxious, insecure, constantly-gibbering voice in your head. You are the peaceful, silent, consciousness beneath it all.
Liberating, isn’t it?

10. Have A Deep Conversation

When you’re done transcending your ego and tuning into the One Cosmic Consciousness, you might want to find someone to talk to about it.
Having deep talks while stoned out of your mind is just the best. Assuming, of course, that you have friends that you can have deep talks with.
Friends with whom you can sit and ponder the meaning of life and the mysteries of the universe. Friends that like to get really high and talk about God, and aliens, and how everything is energy, and all that jazz.
If you don’t, you need to get some new friends.

11. Read A Book

Yep, I’m one of those nerds. I actually read books. The kind made out of paper.
And you know what? There is nothing better than smoking a joint and then curling up on the couch with a really good book. You can lose yourself in the story, leave “reality” behind for awhile and go inhabit other worlds.
You can learn a lot, increase your vocabulary, expand your mind, and have a good time doing it.
I’m a big fan of poetry (Walt Whitman, Mary Oliver, e.e. cummings, David Whyte, Rumi and Hafiz) and fiction (J.R.R. Tolkien, Orson Scott Card, Kurt Vonnegut, David Mitchell, Greg Egan, Phillip K. Dick; even classics like Les Miserables, The Grapes of Wrath and Moby Dick). There’s also some non-fiction authors I really like, such as Alan Watts, Steven Pressfield, Ram Dass, Thoreau and Emerson…
Next time you get high, head down to the library and check out anything from that list. You won’t be disappointed.

Check out our List of 20 great books to read while high.

12. Try New Food

Yeah, everyone likes to eat when they’re high. But don’t settle for fast food, or a gas station burrito. How lame can you get? Plus, it’ll make you fat. And give you diarrhea.
Seriously, it’s just a bad idea.
When the munchies set in, try something new and different. Never eaten at a Korean restaurant? Well, tonight’s the night! Or you could sample some Bosnian, or Indonesian cuisine… the weirder the better. Or go to the grocery store and buy the most exotic fruit you can find, like a dragon fruit or an African cucumber.
Bonus points if you can track down a rambutan — just because they’re awesome. Even the name is fun to say. “Rambutan.” Rolls off the tongue.
The point is to be adventurous. Broaden your horizons. Explore the culinary possibilities…

13. Take A Shower

A nice hot shower is the perfect way to unwind and release your tension and stress. And also the perfect cure for any pot induced paranoia.
The heat, the steam, the feel of the water running over your skin… it’s delightful at anytime. But when you’re stoned, your nerve-endings are buzzing and your senses are sharpened, and the warmth and moisture of the water are intensified into a tidal-wave of relaxation and bliss.
And it’s the perfect precursor to #14…

14. Give And/Or Get A Massage

Speaking of relaxation and bliss, have you ever gotten a massage while stoned? Mmmm… it’s delicious.
Being high helps you to relax and loosen up, of course. So when a skilled pair of hands goes to work on your muscles, the stiffness and tension just melts away, and you basically become a big, fleshy puddle. In a good way.
And giving someone else a rub down is almost as good as getting one yourself. Best of all, do both. Call up the one you love, and tell them you’ve got a surprise in store. Set the mood with some incense and candles and music. Get high together and give each other slow, deep, thorough massages…
And before you know it, you’re on to #15.

15. Have Sex

Getting high and gettin’ it on — the ultimate sensual experience.
Sex is pretty great anytime, high or not. You can lose yourself in the throes of passion, the heat and sweat and friction and pleasure, even when you’re stone cold sober. But when you’re high, it’s a holy communion.
Remember what I said about buzzing nerve endings and hyper-sensitivity? Yeah. Exactly.
Every little kiss and lick and nibble, every squeeze and thrust and grind is intensified, sanctified, electrified. Lovers merge and blend together, no longer two separate people, they become one motion, one dance, one body — tingling, wet and throbbing.
And when the big moment arrives, hold on for dear life.
When you’re high, an orgasm is a full body explosion, a volcanic eruption of pleasure so powerful it’s almost painful. Your mind is obliterated by the sheer force of it, and all that’s left is the white hot brilliance of pure bliss, like you’ve come face to face with God, if only for a moment.
Sigh…
Sorry for going off the poetic deep end on you there. That’s just what weed does to me. Besides, if I’m exaggerating, it’s not by much.
And if you are a single person, don’t be discouraged. You can always take matters into your hands. It might take two to tango, but you can get high and get your rocks off all by yourself 😉
Well, there you have it; my favorite things to do while stoned. What are your favorites? Did I miss anything? Tell me in the comments below!
Too long to read? Watch all these point in this video: Best Things To Do While Stoned.

Check out 8 Things NOT to Do When Smoking Weed With Your Friends

chewy chocolate chip cookies25
CategoriesMarijuana Recipes by

Ooey-Gooey Chewy Pot Cookies

What You Need

  • 1/2 cup canna butter, softened (click here for our canna-butter recipe!)
  • 1 cup coconut palm sugar (or 1 1/2 cup brown sugar)
  • 3 tbs milk of choice (nut, dairy, plant)
  • 2 tsp molasses
  • 2 tsp maple syrup
  • 3 tbs unsweetened apple sauce
  • 1 tbs corn starch
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract or 1 vanilla bean pod
  • 2 cups flour (wheat, rice, coconut)
  • 1 tbs baking soda
  • dash of salt
  • baking sheet
  • large mixing bowl or food processor
  • whisk
  • rubber spatula
  • metal spatula
  • optional: chocolate chips, carob chips, chopped nuts, flaked coconut, dried fruit, heaped spoonful of cocoa, cacao powder, or milled flaxseed

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350F. In a bowl or food processor, combine the first 8 ingredients until it resembles a brown, syrupy goo. In a separate bowl, mix together flour, salt, and baking powder. If you choose to, add in any other dry ingredients now.
  2. Add the dry mixture to the syrup and blend until thoroughly combined. The resulting dough should be thick, and slightly sticky. Add in small amounts of flour or cornstarch as needed if it’s too sticky, and dashes of milk if it’s too stiff.
  3. Fold in any remaining ingredients such as chocolate chips or nuts. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper for easier clean-up, otherwise leave it ungreased & drop spoonful-sized amounts of dough in even rows. (Or, vary the size of the cookie. A few bite-sized ones may be handy for on-the-go, or if you don’t want a massive dose.)
  4. Bake cookies for 12-15 minutes. The oil may bubble and sizzle through the dough as it cooks, but don’t be alarmed–as long as you keep an eye on them, they shouldn’t burn. Remove from the oven when the edges are golden brown and hold together when poked. Let cool a few minutes before removing cookies from the pan.

Warm and at room temperature, these will be some ooey-gooey, chewy pot cookies! When I made them the canna butter was coconut-oil based, so when they cooled the edges were perfectly crispy and the middles remained soft and chewy. The flavor of cannabis isn’t overwhelming, but definitely detectable, and I find it’s balanced well with immense amounts of chocolate.

Pro tip: Freeze half of the dough, and try making the cookies a little smaller. You might be surprised at the strength/potency, so start small and see how your edibles effect you. If you discover you could handle a bigger cookie, or decide you want to go all-out and bake a giant space rock, you’ll be glad to have the dough saved!

Photo by Veganbaking.net

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CategoriesMarijuana Recipes by

Edibles 101: How to Make Canna-Butter

Edibles (food containing psychoactive cannabinoids) are a delicious, easy, and portable method of consuming cannabis, and beg to be shared with many. The best party favor, incredibly effective for those bothered by smoking, the greatest afternoon nap you’ve ever had — edibles have the potential to satisfy anyone’s weed needs.

The ~*secret ingredient*~ in edibles is what’s generally referred to as ‘canna-butter.’ It’s made by heating cannabis together with any vegetable oil, nut butter, or dairy/non-dairy butter — anything with a high fat content for THC molecules to bond with. I choose the animal-friendly option of coconut oil, or a dairy-free alternative like Earth Balance™.

How you intend to use your ‘canna-butter’ should influence which fat you use. For baking, go for a fat with neutral flavor (like coconut). If you like more savory, I’d suggest olive oil or peanut butter, something you could add a spoonful of to pasta or a smoothie when you’re feeling frisky.

What You Need

  • butter or oil (peanut butter, cacao butter, canola, etc.)
  • 1/8 or 1/4 oz of cannabis (you don’t need to sacrifice an entire ounce, honestly, even when using low/mid-grade quality! The trick is making sure the THC has been activated enough through gentle heat. I often use saved-up ‘already vaped bud,’ or ‘AVB’, to cut time and use every last bit.)
  • sauce pan
  • whisk or rubber spatula
  • jar or tupperware for storage

Directions

  1. Grind or finely chop your cannabis. If you’re using fresh, it would be wise to toast it first. Set your oven or toaster oven to its lowest temperature and toast the weed in a little tinfoil packet until it’s dry/crumbly. (side note: Your place is going to smell HEAVENLY, but dank — if that’s a concern, turn on an extractor fan or open a window.)
  2. In the saucepan over medium heat, melt your oil or butter. Once melted, add the cannabis. The ratio of fat-to-pot should be about 2:1. You’ll want to keep the mixture simmering throughout, as boiling may burn the weed. Stirring occasionally, you should be able to see your butter turn a rich hemp green.
  3. Many will say to simmer for at least an hour, but I’ve found 20-25 minutes to be plenty of time, and plenty effective. Ultimately, it’s up to you. So, whether it’s after 20 mins or 3 hours, remove the mixture from heat and set aside to cool for a bit.
  4. Strain the mixture through a nut/cheesecloth into your chosen container. (Save the detritus to use in edibles if you don’t mind grittiness.) You can freeze your canna-butter, which I’d especially recommend if you’ve used dairy, and it should last a few months. Oils will do fine in or out of the fridge, just store it air-tight and in a dark place.

Use canna-butter in your favorite recipes as the butter/oil substitute, usually in a 1:1 ratio. If you’re not fussed with making a whole batch of cookies, spread some on toast! Either way, enjoy, be safe, and know that when ingesting edibles the effects may be stronger and last longer than what you’d find with smoking or vaping, so plan accordingly!

Image credit: nwcana.

weed quotes
CategoriesCulture, Marijuana Legalization, Marijuana Quotes and Sayings by

20 Greatest Cannabis Quotes

It’s no secret that some of the most brilliant and successful people in the world smoke cannabis, and speak out in support of marijuana legalization. And I’m not just talking about actors and rock stars, either — but doctors and scientists, philosophers and presidents, and leaders from many different fields of human endeavor.
I could have easily stretched this list out to 100 more, but I wanted to share with you the best of the best, my personal favorites. Here are (IMHO) the 20 greatest cannabis quotes of all time:

1. Willie Nelson, country musician and cannabis activist:

“I think people need to be educated to the fact that marijuana is not a drug. Marijuana is an herb and a flower. God put it here. If He put it here and He wants it to grow, what gives the government the right to say that God is wrong?”

2. Bob Marley, reggae musician and Rastafarian:
When-you-smoke-the-herb-it-reveals-you-to-yourself

“When you smoke the herb, it reveals you to yourself.”

3. Sebastian Marincolo, philosopher and author of High: Insights on Marijuana:

“The legalization of marijuana is not a dangerous experiment – prohibition is the experiment, and it has failed dramatically, with millions of victims all around the world.”

4. Carl Sagan, scientist, astronomer and author of Cosmos:

“The illegality of cannabis is outrageous, an impediment to full utilization of a drug which helps produce the serenity and insight, sensitivity and fellowship so desperately needed in this increasingly mad and dangerous world.”

5. Terence McKenna, philosopher, psychonaut and author of True Hallucinations:

“If the words “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” don’t include the right to experiment with your own consciousness, then the Declaration of Independence isn’t worth the hemp it was written on.”

6. Joe Rogan, actor, comedian, MMA fighter:

“People say you can abuse marijuana. Well shit, you can abuse cheeseburgers too, you know? You don’t go around closing Burger King because you can abuse something.”

7. Bill Hicks, comedian and cultural commentator:
quote

“Why is marijuana against the law? It grows naturally upon our planet. Doesn’t the idea of making nature against the law seem to you a bit . . . unnatural?”

8. Hunter S. Thompson, gonzo-journalist, author of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas:

“I have always loved marijuana. It has been a source of joy and comfort to me for many years. And I still think of it as a basic staple of life, along with beer and ice and grapefruits -and millions of Americans agree with me.”

9. Jack Herer, cannabis activist and author of The Emperor Wears No Clothes:

“If you substitute marijuana for tobacco and alcohol, you’ll add eight to 24 years to your life.”

10. Thomas Jefferson, founding father and 3rd President of the United States:

“Some of my finest hours have been spent on my back veranda, smoking hemp and observing as far as my eye can see.”

11. Sebastian Marincolo:

“Marijuana enhances our mind in a way that enables us to take a different perspective from ‘high up’, to see and evaluate our own lives and the lives of others in a privileged way. Maybe this euphoric and elevating feeling of the ability to step outside the box and to look at life’s patterns from this high perspective is the inspiration behind the slang term ‘high’ itself.”

12. Abraham Lincoln, 16th President of the United States:

“Prohibition… goes beyond the bounds of reason in that it attempts to control mans’ appetite through legislation and makes a crime out of things that are not even crimes… A prohibition law strikes a blow at the very principles upon which our Government was founded.”

13. Thomas Jefferson:
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“If people let government decide which foods they eat and medicines they take, their bodies will soon be in as sorry a state as are the souls of those who live under tyranny.”

14. William F. Buckley Jr, author and conservative commentator:

“The anti-marijuana campaign is a cancerous tissue of lies, undermining law enforcement, aggravating the drug problem, depriving the sick of needed help and suckering well-intentioned conservatives and countless frightened parents.”

15. Bill Hicks:

“They lie about marijuana. Tell you pot-smoking makes you unmotivated. Lie! When you’re high, you can do everything you normally do just as well — you just realize that it’s not worth the fucking effort. There is a difference.”

16. Mark Haskell Smith, author of Heart of Dankness:

“The fact that, in the United States, there are people serving ten-year prison terms for growing marijuana plants in their backyards while Wall Street racketeers, who have defrauded millions of people and destroyed the global economy, walk free is a kind of bizarre hypocrisy that boggles my mind.”

17. Francis Young, former DEA Chief Administrative Law Judge:

“Estimates suggest that from 20 to 50 million Americans routinely, albeit illegally, smoke marijuana without the benefit of direct medical supervision. Yet, despite this long history of use and the extraordinarily high numbers of social smokers, there are simply no credible reports to suggest that consuming marijuana has caused a single death. By contrast, aspirin, a commonly used, over-the-counter medicine, causes hundreds of deaths each year.”

18. Jack Herer:

“The only dead bodies from marijuana are in the prisons and at the hands of the police.”

19. Willie Nelson:
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“The biggest killer on the planet is stress, and I still think the best medicine is and always has been cannabis.”

20. Steve Martin, actor and comedian:

“I used to smoke marijuana. But I’ll tell you something: I would only smoke it in the late evening. Oh, occasionally the early evening, but usually the late evening – or the mid-evening. Just the early evening, mid-evening and late evening. Occasionally, early afternoon, early mid-afternoon, or perhaps the late-mid-afternoon. Oh, sometimes the early-mid-late-early morning… But never at dusk.”

There you have it, hope you enjoyed! What are your favorite cannabis quotes? If you’ve got some good ones that aren’t on this list, leave ’em in the comments below.

songs
CategoriesCulture by

20 Great Songs to Smoke To

Music is one of those things that makes life worth living… and lighting up some sweet, skunky herb just makes it even better. A little weed can make even the worst song sound decent — and it can make a really good song sound downright amazing.
I know why you’re here. You’re in the mood to get high, kick back, and listen to some tunes… but you’ve listened to all your albums a hundred times. Radio is shit. And you’ve worn out all your favorite Pandora stations. You need some inspiration, fresh ideas, new material. You need some new songs to smoke to!
I got you.
I’ve put together this eclectic list of tracks, any of which would make the perfect soundtrack to your next smoke out. Unlike most other lists, these songs aren’t necessarily about smoking weed — they’re just excellent to listen to while you do. They’re pulled from all different genres, from jazz to country, hip-hip to stoner rock, so there should be a little something for everyone.
Some are classics, some are fairly obscure. Some are funky and upbeat, others mellow. Some are funny, some are heavy. Some feature brilliant, mind-blowing lyrics. Others are lush instrumental or electronic soundscapes; sonic oceans in which to immerse yourself, close your eyes, and drift away…
All of them are masterpieces in their own right. If you find even one song on this list that you haven’t heard — and really listened to — before, then do yourself a favor…
Get out your headphones and your best sticky-icky. Dim the lights, light up, breathe deep, and enjoy 🙂
 
1. Tame Impala — “Let It Happen”

Haunting vocals and a smooth beat. This is a great song to help get the bowls loaded. It even has just enough pep to keep things going after you surrender to the soundscape.
2. The Glitch Mob — “Starve the Ego, Feed the Soul”

Harkening back to the easy listening of the flower children, this is smooth electronic. Just enough variation to keep your mind right and has those floaty vibes that just make you want to dance.
3. Marian Hill – “Got It”

With a slow but strong baseline, Marian shows off her smoky and sultry voice. This track will wind its way into your brain like the THC coursing through your body. This is what I imagine a bong would say if it could talk.
4. Mos Def — “Sunshine”

This will hit you right in the feels. This song feels like a memorial of times past and will make any stoner  look for the sunshine.
5. Jimi Hendrix — “May This Be Love?”

The perfect pairing with a bong and some good indica. Jimi is a music legend and this is one of his best works. You can just feel the pressures of life roll off your back as this tune plays.
6. Return to Forever — “Earth Juice”

Coming straight out of the 70’s and full of electronic and synth sounds. This instrumental is perfect to have playing in the background while smoking with a friend. Good for keeping the conversation flowing.
7. Herbie Hancock — “Bubbles”

Sometimes you just want to snuggle up with your lover and roast a bowl before getting down on some hot love making. This is the perfect song to set a romantic mood.
8. Outkast — “Elevators (Me & You)”

Does weed make you slow down? This song feels like some good indica rolling over you. Solid lyrics and an R&B feel celebrating smoking weed and overcoming difficulty with the family.
9. Kendrick Lamar (ft. Gunplay) — “Cartoons & Cereal”

Don’t let the name fool you, this is an adult song. Hard hitting and dark at times, this is solid and intelligent rap. Kendrick brings the fire and smokes the competition with this one.
10. Stephen Marley — “Inna Di Red”

We all know Bob but have you heard his son? The legend lives on with this Marley masterpiece. This is Rasta as it should be.
11. The Beatles — “It’s All Too Much”

What stoner playlist would be complete without at least one entry from the Fab Four? This lighthearted track is one of the best for lighting up to. Lighthearted and full of cannabis references, it shows why they have remained so popular.
12. Band of Horses — “Blue Beard”

Slow and dreamy, this is perfect for curling up with a bowl and watch the snow fall. Great for reminiscing with old friends. It swells over you like a tide, gentle but insistent.
13. Afroman — “Because I got High”

We have all had work we know needs done but decided to put it off for later. Most of the time, our inner conscience (or outer repercussions) gets the better of us and we make it happen. Afroman accurately describes the results of following our inner slacker.
14. Sturgill Simpson — “Turtles All the Way Down”

This country tune is just right for relaxing and enjoying a sweet smoke after a hard day or dealing with haters. Those times when our patience is tested, we need this song mixed with a fat sack and a fresh pipe. Sit back, light up and embrace the sweet release.
15. Chet Atkins & Mark Knopfler — “Cosmic Square Dance”

This mostly instrumental soundscape is great with the lights off. Sit back and enjoy the cosmic trip through your mind as this energetic country tune plays. The rhythm is great for timing hits as well.
16. TAUK — “Mindshift”

This is electronica mixed with lounge music. Has a touch of jazz, techno and lots of soul. Just let that haunting guitar roll over you as the synth massages your eardrums.
17. The Mars Volta — Roulette Dares (The Haunt of)

Sometimes you just want to rage with a splif in hand. This punk song is just the right thing when the world seems overwhelming. Sometimes the best things in life are messy.
18. Down — “Nothing In Return”

This song really nails the hard rock vibe. The slow vocals offset the heavy bass and screaming guitar nicely. Just slow enough to be haunting but fast enough to be threatening. This song broods itself to greatness.
19. KOAN Sound — “Lost in Thought”

Sometimes you need to simply center yourself. This cosmic soundscape takes you through the universe at light speed. The slow rolling tones and keyboard/piano element combine to deliver track to really let your mind soar to new places.
20. John Coltrane — “In A Sentimental Mood”

We are going to finish this off with a nice jazz song. This tune carries all the glamour and mystery of a 1920’s speak easy. The smoky sax and lilting piano pair perfectly with a dab rig and some live resin. Life is short my friends, enjoy the good things.

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CategoriesMarijuana Legalization, Marijuana News by

Indian Tribes Legalize Pot

 
U.S. states aren’t the only ones leading the way in marijuana reform; in recent months, several Native American tribes have also taken steps to legalize pot.
It started late last year with a memorandum from the Department of Justice. Sent in response to questions from a tribe in Washington state (where of course, weed is legal), the memo essentially said that Uncle Sam would not enforce marijuana laws on sovereign tribal land — giving them the same freedom the states have to set their own drug policy.
While the message might have been intended for tribes whose surrounding states had already legalized weed, it also has implications for more than 500 other federally recognized tribes. Dozens of tribes from across the country attended forums and expressed an interest in marijuana as a possible source of medicine and revenue.
A tribe in South Dakota was among the first to test the waters. On June 11th, the Flandreaux Santee Sioux Indians voted to legalize marijuana on their lands. They have plans to start a sizable grow operation and even an Amsterdam-style pot lounge, which could be up and running by the end of the year.
But then on July 8th, the DEA raided tribal lands in California, seizing 100 lbs. of pot and thousands of plants. The land was owned by the Pit River tribe, who had set up dozens of greenhouses right alongside CA highway 395, in plain view of passing traffic.
The grow-op was supposedly approved by the tribal council back in February, although that is now in dispute. Feuding among tribal leadership raises questions about the legality of the operation, and even seems to be a major cause of the raid — it was a member of the tribe who informed the Fed and triggered the whole chain of events. But whatever the reason for the raid, it has caused a great deal of fear and uncertainty in many other tribes who had also been considering legalization.
Nevertheless, in August the Menominee Indian tribe of Wisconsin voted in favor of recreational and medicinal pot use in their territory. The tribal council is now in the planning and researching stage, exploring the logistics, potential revenue and other benefits for the tribe. Other Wisconsin area tribes are also considering legalization, including the Red Cliff and Sakoagan tribes, which have passed similar referendums.
What happens to these few brave tribes who accept the risks of being the first to legalize pot, will largely determine how many follow in their footsteps. As the July raid clearly demonstrates, a memorandum is not a law. And until the U.S. government reforms it’s drug policy, there is still the looming possibility of raids, arrests, prosecution and imprisonment.
And for the tribes, the loss of much-needed federal funds.

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CategoriesScience by

Cannabis: An All-Natural Sleep Aid?

It’s widely known that smoking weed can help reduce anxiety and stress, and generally help you relax and mellow out. So it makes sense that many people smoke before going to bed as a kind of “self-prescribed” sleep aid, and claim that it helps them to fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer.
However, those same people often have a difficult time sleeping without it. It takes them longer to fall asleep, and when they do they report having unusually intense and vivid dreams — even nightmares which are hyper-realistic and highly disturbing. Naturally, this can make it hard to stop smoking for whatever reason.
Then you’ve got other people who claim that marijuana makes them hyper, and causes their mind to race a mile-a-minute. Obviously, these folks wouldn’t dream of smoking pot at bedtime.
That’s the problem with a substance as chemically complex as cannabis. There are more than 80 naturally occurring cannabinoids in the plant, all of which could potentially have psychoactive effects. And each one of those compounds will affect each person differently, depending on their biochemistry.
The problem is made that much worse by the decades long ban on marijuana research, which has prevented us from properly studying cannabis and it’s medicinal properties, and gathering accurate data on how it affects different groups of people. We are forced to rely too heavily on anecdotal evidence, the “word on the street.”
The questions remain. Can marijuana really help you sleep? How does it affect your dreams and your sleep cycle? Can it be used as a safe and effective, all-natural sleep aid?
Let’s take a look…

Stoned Sleep Studies

Most of what we know about how cannabis affects the sleep cycle dates back to a 1973 study done on a group of insomniacs. The patients were given different doses of THC, from 10 – 30 mg, which were found to “significantly decrease the time it takes to fall asleep.” They also demonstrated some improvement in their ability to sleep through the night without waking up periodically.
The study also noted a “hangover effect,” which I for one am personally familiar with. (Sure, I may sleep soundly if I get high late at night; but in the morning I feel like I’ve been run over by a truck. I’m tired and sore, and can barely drag myself out of bed.)
The greater the dosage, the worse the hangover, the study found. So like most things in life, moderation is key. Smoking too much before bedtime can make you feel terrible the next morning, and even make it more difficult to fall asleep (or eliminate the urge and desire to fall asleep).
There have also been some more recent studies on the effects of synthetic THC on those suffering from sleep apnea. This research is in the early stages, but preliminary results are promising.

Stages of the Sleep Cycle

In addition to helping users to fall asleep faster, cannabis is also shown to alter their sleep cycle in interesting ways. For one thing, it seems to lengthen the amount of time that people spend in deep, “slow wave sleep.” This is thought to be the most important phase of sleep, during which much of the body’s rejuvenation and restoration takes place.
Secondly, marijuana reduces the amount of time spent in REM (“rapid eye movement”) sleep, which is the phase in which dreaming happens. This explains why many pot smokers can’t ever remember their dreams — they aren’t spending enough time in REM sleep to actually have an active dream life.
It also causes the “REM rebound” effect I mentioned earlier, where a smoker who quits experiences a sudden surge of intense and powerful dreams for several nights, or sometimes weeks.
Truthfully, there’s still a lot we don’t understand about the nature of sleep, what happens during the different stages, and why it’s so important; much less how the influence of cannabis on our sleep cycle might affect our mental and physical health in the long run.

Do the Benefits Outweigh the Risks?

Given the pros and cons, is marijuana really a good choice for those struggling with insomnia or other sleep disorders? To arrive at a fair answer to that question, let’s consider for a moment some of the most commonly prescribed alternatives — and the side effects associated with them.
(It’s worth mentioning here that trouble sleeping is usually just a sign of bigger problems, like depression or chronic anxiety — and cannabis may also help to treat these underlying issues.)
Some of the most common drugs prescribed as sleep aids are powerful “sedative hypnotics.” Examples include Ambien, Lunesta, Sonata, and sometimes Xanax, Klonopin, Ativan or Librium. These prescription pills are all potentially addictive or habit-forming, and in extreme cases have caused such effects as:

  • amnesia
  • hallucinations
  • sleep walking and sleep driving (wtf?!)
  • depression
  • abnormal behavior, sometimes violent
  • suicidal thoughts and actions

That’s some pretty heavy stuff. I mean, pot may suppress my dreams and make me feel kinda lousy in the morning, but it’s sure not gonna send me sleep-driving down the freeway at 70 mph. Or make me want to kill myself.
Okay, okay — so those are the most extreme cases; very rare. Fair enough. But even the most common side effects aren’t things I would wish on anybody. For instance:

  • drowsiness
  • dizzyness, loss of balance
  • trouble focusing or paying attention
  • memory loss
  • headache
  • heartburn
  • diarrhea
  • constipation
  • loss of appetite
  • tingling or burning in hands, legs and feet
  • uncontrollable tremors

When we consider the safety and effectiveness of marijuana as a medicine, we need to keep things in perspective… No, we don’t fully understand how pot affects the brain, or affects our sleep. But it’s a natural, herbal medicine that people have been smoking since the dawn of time. And the alternatives are dangerous synthetic chemicals that are known to cause serious harm, psychosis and even death.
For me at least, it’s an easy choice to make.

It’s All About the Strain

It’s also worth mentioning, as you probably already know, that there are some major differences in the way different kinds of bud affect you. It’s instructive (although really over-simplified) to differentiate between the two main strains of cannabis, namely indicas and sativas.
Indicas are shorter, bushier plants that are typically higher in THC. It’s commonly held (but not scientifically verified) that the indica high is more calming and relaxing, and the effects are felt primarily in the body.
Sativas plants are taller and ganglier, and tend to be higher in cannabidiol (CBD). The sativa high is generally much more energizing and cerebral (a mental, or “head high”).
It should be noted that after decades of careful cultivation and hybridization, there is now a dizzying variety of different strains, which combine the characteristics of both indicas and sativas in different ways. So there is really more of a colorful spectrum, as opposed to distinct categories.
The point is, that anyone wishing to use cannabis as a sleep aid is better off choosing an indica dominant strain, with a mellow, body high, instead of an uplifting and disorienting sativa strain.

Your Body, Your Choice

In the end, no one else can tell you how marijuana will affect you. Each person’s experience is unique, so you have to make an informed decision, and see for yourself how cannabis makes you feel, and what medicinal and psychological effects it has on you.
I think Dr. John Cline said it best:

“Cannabis is an exceedingly complex drug preparation, and its effects depend on the variety of the plant, the composition of the chemicals in any given sample, the route of administration, the setting in which it is used and the psychological state of the user.”

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CategoriesMarijuana News by

UPDATE: Jeff Mizanskey Going Home!

 
After more than 20 years behind bars, Jeff Mizanskey is finally going home.
The 62 year old grandfather has been in prison since 1993, when he was arrested at the scene of a pot deal gone bad. He was neither the seller nor the buyer, just “guilty by association.” But because of prior convictions, and Missouri’s “3 strikes you’re out” policy toward drug offenders, Mizanskey was sentenced to life without parole.
In 2011, the “3 strikes” rule was repealed. I guess lawmakers finally came to their senses, and realized what they had done was cruel and inhumane. Too bad for Jeff, that revision was not retroactive — meaning that it didn’t apply to those who had already been convicted and sentenced.
His story went mainstream in 2013, and pro-cannabis activists from across the nation joined in the #freejeffmizanskey campaign. An online petition calling for clemency from Missouri governor Jay Nixon gathered nearly 400,000 signatures. The governor responded by commuting Jeff’s sentence back in May, making him eligible for parole. He went before the parole board on August 7th.
His parole was granted.
He’s scheduled to be released on September 1st. Jeff is going home to his family. Finally.
Obviously, this is a momentous occasion for the Mizanskeys and their supporters, and for the whole cannabis movement. And we should celebrate, of course! But as we rejoice for Jeff and his family, and bask in the glow of a major victory, let’s not lose sight of the big picture…
There are still more than 2 million people behind bars in America — the largest prison population on the planet. And 17% of people in state run prisons are incarcerated for drug offenses; in federal prisons, nearly half (48%). There are still thousands of people serving life sentences for non-violent drug offenses, including more than a dozen who, just like Jeff, are serving life sentences for pot.
There were more than 1.5 million drug-related arrests in 2012, and 42% of them were for possession of marijuana.
That means that more than 650,000 people were handcuffed and caged just for getting high. Our nation’s correctional facilities are overcrowded and underfunded — or being run for profit by private corporations with government contracts… which is so tragically flawed it ought to be a crime.
And yet every year, thousands more are locked up for possession of a plant. A medicine.
That’s not even counting the number of people who get fired from their jobs, or lose custody of their children, because of a failed drug test. It is no exaggeration to say that millions of people have suffered because of pot prohibition, and the criminalization of one of Nature’s most powerful herbal remedies.
When will we finally stand up and say enough is enough?
As we celebrate Jeff Mizanskey’s release, and the happy ending (at last!) to his story, let’s also remember the lessons there are to be learned, and the work there is still left to do.

1. We must continue to campaign for retroactive decriminalization, so that all those currently serving time for pot possession can have their sentences overturned, and be sent home.

2. In the states where weed is made legal, recreationally or medicinally, we need laws on the books to protect cannabis users from being fired over drug test results.

3. Ultimately, we must not stop until we see reform of federal drug laws, and a re-classification of marijuana from a Schedule 1 narcotic to a legal and regulated substance. Because no one should be in jail over a plant.

Congratulations to Jeff and his family! We wish you nothing but the best. But let’s remember that the struggle isn’t over. We’ve got to continue to be involved, and let our voices be heard in the media, through petitions, and most importantly through the ballot box.
Let’s keep on fighting the good fight until all the victims of the Drug War are sent home, and all people are free to use cannabis as Mother Nature intended.
 

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CategoriesAnalysis/Opinion by

My Uncle Sam’s a Pot Farmer

image by weedmemes.com
image by weedmemes.com

Did you know that Uncle Sam grows weed?
Yep!
At the University of Mississippi in Oxford MS, under armed guards, high tech digital surveillance and dozens of locked doors and gates a government funded program is set to produce 650 kilos of pot this year.
Numbers like this can mean little until put into perspective. So, if you were to put a gram of reefer into a rolling paper and twist it up, you’d have a healthy looking joint. How many of those would 650 keys make?
650,000 doobies. That’s a lot of research.
The program, under the direction of Mahmoud ElSohly, has been in operation since 1968. It is charged with growing quality controlled marijuana for ‘research purposes.’
The question is, why is OUR government spending OUR tax dollars to provide those 650,000 joints to researchers?
Franklin Roosevelt once admitted that; “the real truth of the matter is, as you and I know, that a financial element in the larger centers has owned the Government ever since the days of Andrew Jackson.”
Big Business.
Business is afraid that if weed is not prohibited it would result in Business not ‘earning’ profits on a scale that they think they should.
Does this surprise you? It shouldn’t.
Together the pharmaceutical industry reported profits of $300 billion last year.
And the health care industry, another $1.7 trillion. The end result?
Physician and medication error along with adverse effects from drugs and surgery accounts for over 200,000 deaths per year in the US. Which makes the healthcare system the third leading cause of death in the US. Only cancer and heart disease are more deadly.
What did they researched to attain those noteworthy stats?
Money has been making the world go ‘round for a long time now. It’s time for a change.

What to do about it?

Quit supporting it. And start voicing your objections.
While this was written from a North American point of view, experience in other cultures suggest that governments get by with what they do because it’s tolerated. If the majority of people want government supervision OUT of their personal lives then nonviolent civil disobedience can help make change happen.
Begin to take responsibility for yourself. Ask yourself why it is necessary that YOU become the one of every four that will die from cancer this year. Then go searching for answers. You find what you look for.
Finding the answer is only the beginning. Information must be acted upon. Even if it makes life awkward.
Life became awkward for Rosa Parks. But because she had tied feet on the day a police officer ordered her to give her bus seat to a white person, the world is now a better place.
The Gallup Poll reports that 58% of Americans favor legalizing weed. The flame of change is now in our favor and we have the opportunity to turn it into a raging wildfire. All we need do is act.
It is time to get big business out of government. And government out of our personal lives.

Where to start?

Reform. Sign every petition you can that supports legalizing weed.

The Marijuana Policy Project, the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws and the Coalition for Cannabis Policy Reform are three groups to research and support. They need funding. Help if you can.

In 2011 a documentary film entitled “Breaking the Taboo” was released to a worldwide audience via YouTube. The focus of the film is the global effects of the war on drugs. Here are more than a few statistics, taken from the documentary, to piss you off.
Since Nixon declared war on drugs in 1971 $2.5 trillion of your tax dollars have been spent on that ‘war’. Over 44 million Americans have been arrested. And according to Human Rights Watch 60,000 persons, in Mexico alone, have died as a direct result of this ‘war’.
The US has the largest prison population in the world – 2.3 million Americans are behind bars. 500,000 for drug related crimes.
If global drug commerce where a political entity it would have one of the top 20 economies in the world with an estimated yearly net income of $320 billion. Yes that was billion.
If drugs that are now illegal were taxed at a rate similar to tobacco and alcohol they would generate an estimated $46 billion in tax dollars.
Legalizing drugs would save the US an estimated $41 billion a year in costs associated with enforcing current laws.
Are you black or hispanic? If so, you should be pissed. These 2 groups use illegal drugs at about the same percentage rate as whites but are between 2 and 5 times more likely to be arrested, convicted and imprisoned.
In a December 2012 feature article on CNN titled “War on drugs a trillion-dollar failure”, Richard Branson asked;
“How would our society, our communities and daily lives improve if we took the money we use running a police and prison state and put it into education and health? Treating drugs as a health issue could save billions, improve public health and help us better control violence and crime in our communities. Hundreds of thousands of people have died from overdoses and drug-related diseases, including HIV and hepatitis C, because they didn’t have access to cost-effective, life-saving solutions.”
(CNN)
Not to mention the hypocrisy of the US government engaging in activities that are prohibited for its citizens. For profit.
Sobering facts. And a travesty of civil and human rights.
Our interconnectedness as a society of over 7 billion people adds to the complexity of arriving at reasonable and effective solutions to this issue. Creativity and a new commitment to humanity over business is needed. And the role of government as ‘babysitter’ and ‘moral advisor’ must be rethought.
Archeologists tell us that weed (cannabis) has been used recreationally since 3000 BC. There are now over 7 billion of us. Weed is not a threat to human existence.
I urge you to live life to the best of your ability. And allow others the same right. Treat others as you yourself would like to be treated. And leave society better for your having passed this way.
Strive for the decriminalization of all adult activity that harms no other.
Starting with weed.