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APPROVED Strain Review.........................................................................09 Caregiver of the Month.............................................................14 Sensi Organics.........................................................................11 Hempology...............................................................12 Patient Storey........................................................................17 1000watts goes NON-Profit....................................................31 Maine & Vermont Snapshots..................................................20 Staff Picks Product Reviews.....................................................22 Cooking with Jan......................................................................25 Canna Comics welcomes Green Reefer......................................26 Antioxidents Natures Cure For Cancer.........................................29 Ron Paul................................................................................33 contact us...............................................................................35
Hey, this is important. 1000 Watts Publications does not endorse illegal activity in any form. It’s up to you to know and follow your state’s rules.
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This publication is proudly printed in the U.S.A.
2 FEATURED ART TYSON BREEN 3
SAN
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FRAN
CUP
LOTUS VAPE REVIEW
STRAIN REVIEW:LOUD
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TOMMY CHONG
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A GENERATION OF WHISPERS
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CAREGIVER OF THE MONTH
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OP-HEMP
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CBD’S
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BOSTON FREEDOM RALLY MAP
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MEDIBLE MIRACLE MAKER
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AND
DIABETES
CANNA
COOK
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BATH SALTS...LEGAL HIGH
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1000WATTS APPROVED DIRECTORY
35 SAN FRAN MED CUP WITHHIGHTIMES 37
LETS
MAKE
CONTACT
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ello 1,000 Watts Readers,
My name is Tyson Breen. I am a graphic artist and founder of Through The Veil. My company has its roots in sacred geometry, mandalas, shamanic rituals, and psychoactive compounds. These compounds provide the vivid colors and textures in my art work. They come in crystal, fungus, or flower forms. Cannabis flowers and concentrates provide a vast array of colors as well as textures. From the first time I picked up 1,000 Watts, I knew I wanted to work with them in some way, and I am very grateful to have my artwork in this month’s issue. My artwork is printed on t-shirts, posters and canvas. You can contact me at through-the-veil.com and throughtheveil.ttv@gmail.com.
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bout twenty years ago, I met Todd McCormick at the Cannabis Cup in Amsterdam. He became my idea of what a freedom fighter is; I thought, in a perfect world I would like to do the same. And over the next twenty years, my life has been influenced by many people. I’d like to thank some of those who have made a profound difference in my life, although I will forget a few. The ones I would like to thank the most are: Todd, Jack Herer, Mike Cann,
Ed Rosenthal, Bill Downing, Outkast and TOH, Steve Epstein, Geoff Charles, and all the guys at High Times who helped me get this going. -DJ Stone
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Looking for a vaporizer that’s down for a good time? Meet the Lotus from Mendocino Therapeutics of California, for a sleeker and sexier one you will not find. Solidly built, attractive to the eye, and comfortable to hold like your favorite piece, this little vixen is no plugin eyesore, but a manual vape seemingly catered to those of us who prefer a doit-yourself method. The Lotus comes attractively packaged in a zipper-clad canvas pouch. Inside is the bowl mounted on an exquisitelylacquered ebony stem; the wooden vapor cap on which the hot plate sits, engraved with a lotus flower; a bowl extender, just because; and a detailed instruction manual and diagram. Assembly of the separate pieces is simple and takes only a few moments. With a butane lighter, the user heats the
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very center of the lotus flower, under which the marijuana lays waiting in the bowl. Inhaling slowly, one must keep their eye on that small circle, as it must maintain a light pink color lest it burn too hot and hit too hard. And here is my only qualm with the gorgeous Lotus: it requires practice. When used properly (e.g. heated to the proper temperature, no more no less), the experience is smooth and exciting. When the piece becomes even the tiniest bit too hot, the hit is harshly cough-inducing, thick, and tastes of burnt popcorn. However, it doesn’t take a genius to master the Lotus, nor Buddha himself. As with any new mode of toking, you will get the hang of it. And you will want to spend frequent time with your lips wrapped around this pretty thing.
5076 1/2 West Pico Blvd Los Angeles, California 90019
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The Loud strain is an interesting genetic cross in the sense that Loud Seeds in the Golden State has isolated a phenotype that captures the more exceptional qualities of both strains. The plant doubles in size from the time it starts flowering to full bloom budding. And when grown outdoors from seed, if it is not anchored down to grow like a vine, it is not uncommon to see 12-15 foot plant heights. The Loud grows much denser than the Sour Diesel (mainly from the Jack influence) yet has both the same initial characteristics and nutrient requirements as the Sour D when grown properly. The crystal content is mind-blowing, even when using organics. You get petrol, lemon, and Pez candy on the nose. The flavor, which is
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next month: MASTER YODA
Lets Get Loud! as intense as the aroma, hits your palate like a freight train and leaves you with a long Meyer lemon finish that makes you want to take another puff, and another, and another. The roaches taste so good you can pick them out of the ashtray and get a clean tasty hit off of the smallest pinner. The Loud strain is extremely strong to the point of couch-lock and immediate facial sweat, yet seems to alleviate pain and has a lot of indica qualities, surprising for a strain that is more than 80% sativa. The concentrates made from the strain are among the best in the world. Ed Rosenthal himself smiled and said that this herb is quite amazing after chewing on a node for only a minute or two, at the recent Hemp Festival in Sacramento. History In an attempt to return to basics, two friends and growers unknowingly set a stage for the debut of something amazing. Unsatisfied with weak, over-cloned strains, an Oakland room was sown with an especially vigorous Original Sour Diesel stock. As the male seeds were weeded out, gaps were filled with an awesomely aromatic Spicy Jack seed stock obtained from a friend and fellow grower in Sonoma. Cultivation was carried out with meticulous attention and care. But as nature does, it found a way. One single node producing three male flowers resulted in one huge problem. What
is there to do with pounds of seeded medicine and a seemingly ruined crop? Luckily, the medicine was dried and manicured in spite of its pollination, and the result was breathtaking: sweet swirls of lemon and petrol playing on the palate, a candy to be remembered as the flavor slowly fades on the exhale. Something special was born. Further stabilization brought forth a strain with solid genetics matched with a cravable high and taste that will be sought after for years. Limits were thought to have been reached with the flowers from The Loud, but as soon as the concentrates were produced, minds were blown once again, proving that often, unintended results bring greatness to the world.
I, personally, am a huge sativa advocate. I like my brain to feel as though it was getting vigorously massaged, clearing out the clutter and making room for new creation. Basically, I’ve spent my last year or so searching for the perfect cerebral activation, and this Loud wax might just be it. My concentrate experience thus far has been that the medication effects are more clearly defined between indica and sativa, and need to be treated accordingly. (For instance, the Loud wax produces a clearheaded, euphoric experience that is very motivating; it is not a nighttime medication, unless you want to reorganize your closet because you ran out of sheep to count. And it has a delicious, creamy hash flavor that I loved, with just a hint of Diesel.) -mjwatts
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Medical marijuana is in the spotlight more and more these days. As research is being done to show the positive sides of the use of medical marijuana; another story of its use has hit the headlines. Tommy Chong, of the famous duo Cheech and Chong, has recently announced that he is suffering from prostate cancer. It’s a “slow stage one” that he has had for “a long time”. He first started noticing symptoms nearly eight years ago, when he was incarcerated for selling drug paraphernalia Tommy Chong is a supporter and medical marijuana activist. He is a regular contributor to Cannabis Culture Magazine and sits on the NORML (National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws) advisory board. “I’ve got prostate cancer and I’m treating it with hemp oil, with cannabis,” Chong said. He goes on to say, “So legalizing marijuana means a lot more to me than just being able to smoke a joint without being arrested.” He feels that he got cancer from being incarcerated and not being able to smoke. Chong looks at cannabis as a cure, not a cause. Even celebrities are not exempt from getting cancer. But since there is still no known cure, cannabis should be looked at as a treatment method. Legalizing it would also have its advantages if handled in a proper way. As for Tommy Chong, hopefully his treatment methods work and he can really enjoy his life.
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t’s a Tuesday afternoon and a breeze languidly makes its way through the streets of Providence, barely penetrating the veil of heat that hangs low over the city. I am sitting in an air-conditioned coffeehouse sipping on a “Spicy Chai” tea, researching Lyme Disease. I had the opportunity to meet a young man recently, Jessie, who is inflicted with the disease and has begun exploring cannabis as a medical means for pain relief. Behind me, a man in a linen shirt and Croc-clad feet sits cross-legged, sipping on a frothy hot drink. It is just cool enough indoors to enjoy a hot beverage. He is talking with a companion, who keeps his voice low and discrete. “Here’s his number. His edibles are fantastic. He does smoothies, muffins, brownies; his butter is amazing. I think he’s really going to help you out,” the companion says, his tone hushed. “Yeah? I hope so. These past few weeks have been horrible.” Ironically, while eavesdropping and reading up on Lyme Disease, I also came across a few articles regarding Governor Lincoln Chaffee’s stance on Medical Marijuana over the past few years: the Governor’s hesitation about approving the opening of Medical Cannabis dispensaries in Rhode Island for fear of violating federal marijuana laws (dated about a year ago), as well as his nowrecent signing of legislation making it clear that anyone working for a statesanctioned dispensary must submit to an FBI background check. It is no wonder at all that we are still whispering
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in cafes about the use of one of Mother Nature’s gifts, a natural plant that just so happens to possess medicinal properties that help patients like Jessie, or the café guru’s confidante. Sadly, there is still a negative connotation – a stigma, even -- that is associated with marijuana. Perhaps it has something to do with man-made substances such as synthetic cannaboids, some of which possess a stronger potency than even high-grade marijuana, which can be purchased at your neighborhood head shop, gas station, or even online. Jessie, seventeen, says that the idea of this synthetic alternative is “disgusting,” and while his friends have tried it, he has steered clear. This synthetic marijuana goes by many different names, two of which are “Mary Joy” and “Mad Monkey.” The effects can be quite intense and, in some isolated cases, even lead to death. And there are certainly no medicinal properties. But the drug can still be purchased because it is masked by labels that warn, “Not intended for consumption.” Still, what other purposes are people using them for? Surely not as incense like they are marketed. “It’s herbs sprayed with chemicals,” Jessie remarks with a tone of disgust. Although he stays away from this synthetic form of marijuana, he is definitely not opposed to the real thing. Jessie suffers from chronic Lyme Disease, a bacterial infection spread through the bite of a deer tick, commonly found in wooded or high-brush areas during the warmer summer months. The symptoms of Lyme Disease (named for
the Connecticut town wherein the first cases were diagnosed) include muscle pain, twitching of the extremities, headaches, fevers/chills, dizziness, joint-stiffness, and a general flu-like feeling of fatigue. There are three stages of this disease. Jessie has stage 3, the stage in which the spirochetes, a type bacteria, have spread throughout his body. Jessie’s mother also has Lyme Disease, and the two have been battling it together for the last two years. His mother recalls that she and her son were sick, weak, and kept getting “summer colds,” or flu-like symptoms. She decided to bring them both to the doctor. No one seemed to know what was wrong. “ It was like the whole right side of my body was paralyzed. I was shaking it was like I had Parkinson’s. They tested for Lyme Disease and it all came back negative,” a very common occurrence when testing for Lyme. What was even more frustrating was that the doctors kept telling them that the pain was all in their heads, psychosomatic symptoms of an unknown origin. Finally, one doctor asked Jessie’s mother about different rashes and bites she might have had in the past. He showed her a picture of a deer tick bite/rash. Then she remembered the rashes she had had, the one she had thought were the result of a spider bite. In a sudden panic, she also recalled the rash her son had developed on his back. The doctor started them both on a regimen of medications. But as she got better, if ever-slightly, her son’s condition remained the same. Jessie was started on a Rosephin IV through a PICC line where the antibiotic was pumped directly into him every night for six months. He began to experience more-heightened symptoms from the treatment, and soon developed a reaction to the dieoff of the spirochetes, nicknamed a “herx” or otherwise referred to as Jarisch- Herxheimer. Herx is described as a temporary increase of symptoms when antibiotics are administered. He says it is referred to as the “Chemo of Lyme.” Jessie was in so much pain he could hardly walk and was constantly nauseous. Throughout this arduous ordeal, however, his optimism never
waned. “He kept thinking with this new treatment or drug he would get better… my son has always been a good kid. He has always been honest with me.” His mother recalled. Jessie’s mother came from a family who abused substances (including, but not limited to, marijuana) and therefore made her own home a substance-free household. So, when Jessie shared with his mother that the marijuana he had been given by a friend had helped his pain and increased his appetite, simultaneously taking away some of his nausea, she was, at-first, skeptical. However, after seeing her son’s improvement, she finally agreed that if he kept it in his room and never took more than what he needed for pain, she would allow it. “Whatever it takes for him to get better.” Jessie now smokes from a vaporizer, which is safer for the lungs. Although smoking marijuana is less harmful on the lungs than cigarettes, the vaporizer takes this precaution one step further and allows Jessie to adjust the temperature,
which prevents certain toxins from being released. He is also learning about different forms of cannabis, such as edibles, and the different effects and benefits it may have on his disease. He is also taking other natural substances such as Pau D’arco, Silver Shield, and Black Walnut. Since he contracted Lyme Disease he has stopped working-out due to his joint pain and fatigue, and has had to start home-schooling with the aid of tutors. He rarely goes out and has lost approximately 35lbs. Jessie’s doctor, however, will not give the okay for him to go ahead and get a medical cannabis patient card, saying that Chaffee put a hold on patient cards. “He (my doctor) kind of just blew me off when I mentioned it.” This leaves Jessie with three options: take the medications which are full of chemicals and antibiotics; take no medications at all and deal with the crippling pain; or get cannabis illegally. Great predicament he’s in, yeah? The
saddest part is that this young man is an intelligent, optimistic, all-around trustworthy young adult, and our government is forcing him to sneak around. And unlike his peers, he is not abusing these synthetic, designer drugs or looking to get high. He is simply trying to relieve some of his pain via a natural substance. Although the use of cannabis will not cure his disease, but it will aid him in his goal of getting back to where he was before the Lyme, if not close to it. So, once again we ponder, is this young boy a criminal because he is taking the same medicine as many Rhode Island patients (and the world over), just because he cannot get a medical cannabis patient card? Jessie has hope, however, that he will be better before he is issued a card. Unfortunately, until then, he will have to smoke without the approval of the government, and bear witness to the age-old question of where our priorities lie as a society.
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name:XMAN How many patients do you have? I grow for two patients currently, and I am a patient myself. location:Sonoma, CA What strains do you grow? years growing:2 I grow my own strains, mostly cross-breeds for a Sativa effect. I started with DJ shorts blueberry and crossed it with Chemdog.
What do you use for nutrients? I use Roots Organic Nutrients; I prefer clean organic growing. I have a secret tea I mix up as well, and use at certain times in my growing.
Whats your motivation in being a caregiver? My best friend has MS and needed help. Then I also have a friend that was battling cancer, and I became motivated to help. Watching people I care about suffer and knowing I could ease their pain with a beautiful natural plant is all the motivation I’ll ever need.
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glaucoma. In fact, the inner pressure of his eye had risen to an alarming rate of thirteen points. (Glaucoma is a condition in which there is a gradual increase of pressure within the eyeball, causing a gradual loss of sight. It is painless yet insidious.)
Evie:Congratulations on quitting cigarettes, by the
way. From what I understand, it is as difficult to quit tobacco as it is heroin or crack.
Ed:Thank you, but breathing is a pretty good
d is a one-eyed man who wears a black leather eye-patch. This is important to mention, as he has glaucoma in the remaining eye. He is a veteran and a former habitual marijuana-user. I say former, because his lungs took quite a beating from years of inhaling tobacco smoke, and, perhaps, the pot smoke, as well. Ed had been smoking both since the age of thirteen until his present age of sixty nine, when he chose to call them quits. A wise decision, as he seems to have a zest for life and a healthy streak of self-preservation. But an ironic thing happened on the way to renewal and self-actualization. As he breathed easier, his sight seemed to be more labored than ever. This unfortunate turn-of-events was discovered when he went to the VA for new glasses and his vision was checked. The eye appointment took place after Ed had given up all tobacco products, after fifty years of being a hardcore smoker. He also went from smoking three or four joints a day (for mere pleasure and relaxation), to sharing a single sit-down bowl with his son when he arrived home from work. In essence, he drastically cut-out and cut-down both forms of smoke before he had his eyes reexamined last year. The doctors who examined him strongly urged that he have laser surgery, as the pressure in his remaining eye had increased due to a pre-existing issue with
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initiative to quit. I don’t miss the cigarettes. I miss smoking pot ‘cause I’ve always got a lot of pleasure from it. I just liked smoking it, ya know? Yes. I do know. Please elaborate on what happened next. Well, I saw two doctors at the VA [Veterans Administration] and they were really adamant that I get laser surgery to relieve the pressure in my eye. There was a strong, very strong possibility that if I did not do something about it, I would be totally blind. The doctors assured me that this operation would be the silver bullet cure-all. So I went ahead with it, mostly at my daughter’s urging, ‘cause she is a nurse. Did it hurt? Nah. What hurt was the drops they had me put in my eyes. I tried three different types and they all burned like hell. The cure was worse than the problem. I couldn’t see anyway you looked at it. So I went for the follow-up appointment. From my last appointment to the present one, the pressure had jumped from 22 in one eye and 23 in the other, to 35 in one eye and other was 33. Significant leap in the pressure. I said to the doctors, ‘how could this be? You promised that if I had this procedure my sight would be back in this eye. Now it’s worse!’ They said they couldn’t understand it. I told them I could. Then I went ahead and told them that I was a former chronic marijuana smoker and that I gave it up this past year ‘cause I couldn’t breath. I still think it was really the tobacco that took its toll, but when you are at the point I am, no smoke is good. How did the doctors react to this information? With typical arrogance and establishment misinformation. They were rally dismissive and told me there were no conclusive studies that indicate any correlation between the symptoms of glaucoma and relief through pot. I said I respectfully disagree. There are plenty of studies supporting just the opposite, in fact. I did not want to argue with them because I didn’t want to embarrass my daughter, the nurse. They shut me down ‘cause they thought they were hearing the stoned ramblings of an old hippie. Now some of that might be true, but I’m still aware enough to understand cause and effect. It went up thirteen
or so points in nine months once I stopped smoking pot. What happened next? (By the way, Ed is a veteran because he was part of the Marine Corp. Quite a leap from Marine to pot-smoking hippie and advocate.) I saw the light. That transformation didn’t take long, believe me. You lit up and you were enlightened. Yep. So I said, the hell with ‘em. I did it their way and it didn’t work. Now I’m doing it my way. Are you speaking of your eye operation or your life? Both actually. I went home and ground-up some old pot I still had hanging around and made a tea of it. I Googled some research on how to do it and messed around with the potency for a few weeks. In the meantime, the doctors said they were going to schedule me for another surgery. I said ‘no way’ but they said they were going to do it anyway. I told them I decided to self-medicate and I told them I did not want to continue taking the eye drops. They irritated my eyes. They still keeping mailing the drops to me even though I told them I don’t want to use them. Are they still charging you for them? You betcha. So I decided to test my theory and went back for the follow-up appointment. I was tested again and this time the inner eye pressure had dropped back down thirteen or so levels. I had my
daughter, the nurse, with me. She double-checked my eye pressure, looked at the computer and calledin the doctors. They had a big conference about how this happened. But I knew and I told them so. They just kept shaking their heads. They can keep shaking their heads and I’ll keep drinking my tea. So it sounds like the medical field, based on your experience, seem opposed to using medical marijuana. Is that correct? Absolutely. At least the ones I dealt with, including my daughter. Even though they were presented with scientific evidence, they still would not consider it. They chalked it up to a possible placebo effect. I don’t want to demonize the medical community, as I know there are plenty in that community who have been won-over by the positive effects of medical marijuana. However, I do know of many who still relegate us smokers to the shared land of flakes, fundamentalist, fatalist, crystal gazers, and chiropractors. Do you think this will change any time soon? I’m hopeful. After all, I’m almost seventy and I never thought I would live to see the day where marijuana would be decriminalized. Changing hearts and minds one puff at a time. Or in my case now, one mug of tea at a time.
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CBD’s & Diabetes by Sean Pratt The next time someone calls you a pothead, they may not be far from the truth. There is a reason why smoking marijuana has such a holistic effect on people. Scientists have discovered that humans and animals produce compounds called endocannabinoids that are very similar to those found in cannabis. The cells in our brain, nervous system, liver, kidneys, and lungs all have cannabinoid receptors called CB1. Furthermore, our blood cells and immune system have additional receptors called CB2. These receptors are activated naturally by endocannabinoids, as well as through consumption of cannabis or a manufactured derivative. The exciting news is that over 100 cannabinoid compounds in marijuana activate these CB receptors in a (not so) surprisingly therapeutic way. Scientists have gathered anecdotal material and conducted research on the effects of marijuana on the body. What they are discovering is that pot may help treat a plethora of conditions, such as depression, diabetes, heart disease, and various forms of cancer. The two main compounds, in concentration and metabolic interactivity, are delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and Cannabidiol (CBD). THC is the psychoactive compound that produces the “high” experienced by users who ingest marijuana. However, researchers have become very interested in CBD. Cannabidiol counteracts the infamously adverse effects of heavy marijuana usage. Strains that are high in
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THC are consequently low in CBD and other curative compounds. Smokers who enjoy the intense euphoria of “Tutankhamen” or “Y Griega” will miss the natural balance that this miraculous herb provides. Although getting high can be emotionally therapeutic, the other cannabinoid compounds can inadvertently provide balance to your body. A company in Israel is working on a strain of marijuana devoid of THC and high in CBD. However, scientists have not been able to establish the exact nature of the chemical interaction between THC and CBD. Additional research is necessary to determine if a properly balanced fusion of cannabinoids with THC actually strengthens the healing process. Diabetes is a metabolic disorder. According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, “most of what we eat is broken down into the main source of fuel for our body: glucose. Insulin is required for glucose to get into our cells. When we eat, the pancreas automatically produces the required insulin. With diabetes, the pancreas produces insufficient amounts of insulin, or the cells do not respond appropriately.” This illness can cause a multitude of disorders, including depression, stroke, blindness, kidney failure, nerve damage, heart disease, and can even require amputation of extremities due to improper circulation. “CBD is non-psychoactive and has anti-
inflammatory and anti-autoimmune properties. The results (of the present study)…suggest that CBD-treatment inhibits diabetes by induction of regulatory Th2 (cell) responses” (Weiss, et al., 2006). Ingestion of marijuana strains that are higher in CBD concentrations may help to lower blood-sugar levels. Studies in diabetic mice indicate that CB receptor interaction with marijuana compounds such as CBD and Cannabichromene (CBC) can also neutralize the body’s overreaction to blood-sugar imbalances, the results of which cause nerve-cell destruction and retinopathy (blindness). Synthesized CBD and THC are currently available for specific ailments. Marinol (Dronabinol) is used to treat chemotherapy-related nausea, vomiting and weight-loss. In the United Kingdom, Sativex spray is used to relieve pain. According to Dr. William Courtney, a Northern California clinician, “Pharmaceutical giants are salivating. They want to isolate all the active ingredients of marijuana and turn them into a hundred separate medicines” (Lee, 2011). There are drawbacks to allowing drug companies to synthesize marijuana compounds. As with all mass-produced medicine, users run a very high risk of dangerous side-effects. Marijuana is a natural herb that interacts with our bodies holistically on a cellular level. Why spend money for over-
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priced medicine that can be potentially harmful? Especially since the alternative medicine in question is derived from a readily available, naturally-occurring plant. Another consideration is that pharmaceuticals will keep marijuana use illegal and may lobby Congress to more strictly enforce federal laws. The potential issue is that any amateur gardener can grow pot inexpensively. Likewise, users can purchase hundreds of cannabis strains, legally or illegally. These two factors cut deeply into the potential profit margin of the pharmaceutical companies. My opinion is that you are better-off smoking a nice bowlful now and again. However, if you are treating diabetes with marijuana, be smart about it. Consult your doctor. He or she may disagree with your choice and possibly lecture you on the dangers of “the devil’s weed.� Nevertheless, remember that your physician is a trained professional who is prescribing you life-saving medicine like insulin. He or she needs to know if you will be taking anything, even over the counter drugs, in addition to your treatment regimen. I would compromise with them by asking periodically for tests to track my progress. Is the marijuana helping or harming my health? Do I have the right strain of CBD medicine? Do I need to smoke less often or in smaller doses? Diabetes kills people if it is not diagnosed and treated correctly. Marijuana may help. Talk to your doctor and listen to your body. References National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (U.S.). (2008). Diabetes overview. (NIH publication; no. 06-3873 ed.). Bethesda, Md: U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health. DOI: Gov. Doc: HE 20.3323/2:D 54/2/2008 Lee, M. A. (2011). The yin & yang of medical marijuana. Organica, 25(71) Weiss, L., Zeira, M., Reich, S., Har-Noy, M., Mechoulam, R., Slavin, S., & Gallily, R. (2006). Cannabidiol lowers incidence of diabetes in nonobese diabetic mice. Autoimmunity, 39(2), p143151. doi: 10.1080/08916930500356674
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-RON PAUL-
In my vast and varied experience with cannabis in all its various incarnations, not once have I ever experienced any sort of high (or relief) through eating marijuana edibles. Frankly, I was tired of the playacting. I was only cheating myself, I reasoned. So I told Dawn before we started our interview that I was afraid I was immune. She nodded sagely and said "Wait and see," as she slid a china plate of treats toward me. I needed no further urging, and claimed the first macaroon of the day, moist and delicious.So until now, I had nodded politely, when asked if I "felt anything,” the way one does when one misses the entire punch-line of a highly personal story. I don't want to disappoint, but never had I felt the much-lauded "body high.” All that had been promised had eluded me…until now. I tried a few macaroons, a very large chocolate chip cookie, and what was possibly some of the freshest trail mix I’ve ever had. It didn't have a whisper of that dry, dusty, barn-like taste that trail mix so often has. Any oily and medicinal taste was artfully banished by Dawn's perfectly precise balance of ingredients. We sipped tea and Dawn began to speak. “I started baking with marijuana when I was about fifteen. My mother was diagnosed with a wasting disease. Basically it’s a form of cancer that she has been fighting off and on since I was about fourteen. Even then, I was drawn to helping people and I could see that my mother was suffering and rapidly losing weight. She could not keep food down and really had no interest in it. She was about eighty pounds at one point. She does have a sweet tooth, however, and if she could be tempted it was through sweet stuff. The first few batches were awful. Really inedible.” “This was pre-internet, if some of us can still imagine such a world. It was a time of true trial and error. No way to Google the proper amounts of cannabis butter. I suppose you could have ordered a book, but things like that were not so readily found. In the land that time forgot.” Yeah. We are ancient. Any who, my mother was a really good sport about it and it’s hard to go wrong with brownies so she had lots of my brownies. I worked on the taste as well as the strength and it took me years. But my mother did gain back some fighting weight. She has rallied and is now about one hundred pounds. She is excited that I’ve branched out from the brownies though.
Indeed. Variety keeps the creativity flowing. Your wares are exquisite. I am in an insanely good mood. How many years would you say it took you to reach this level? Thank you. I’m glad. I would say I started to get it down about ten years ago, but it has really been the last six years that I think I have honed it. In a way I diagnose my patient’s symptoms. If they have insomnia I would make something with a different dosage than from say someone like my mother who is frail and chronically ill. I would make her batches of edibles to stimulate her appetite. I bake my edibles with three different levels of potency. The secret is in the way I make my butter I respect you too much to try and pry it from you. So I hate to be a stickler but are you...qualified? I am a card carrying provider or care-giver and at this time have three patients. By law, I can have up to five. The first step is to find a patient who wants a care-giver. Then you have that person download an application from the Rhode Island Department of Health and it takes about two months. Then the person who is applying to be the care-giver fills out an application and you have to go to the attorney general’s office to have a background check completed on the care-giver. If it comes back clean then you pick up your card at the Department of Rhode Island Health. It costs seventy-five dollars per card. I would like to mention that Dawn does not profit in any way from this enterprise. She has a few legal growers who donate the clippings and cast offs from the crops. They have absolutely no street value and cannot be smoked. Dawn spends hours of her free time baking her delicious desserts for later distribution to her patients. It cost her $150.00 a week for the ingredients that she uses, such as nuts, flour, eggs and so forth. Dawn makes a delicious barbecue sauce with cannabis as well as homemade candies and lollipops. I cannot stress enough that Dawn does not in any way derive an income from this; quite the opposite. Why? “Because all my life, there have been people very close to me who have suffered from some debilitating disease. I have had to watch them get sick and change from things like M.S. [Multiple Sclerosis] and cancer. It is very gratifying when a patient calls me and tells me that they have not thrown up today. Or that they actually slept the night through. It feels good and I would not want to profit off of their pain. I do it because I know that it works. I have witnessed it
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Ingredients: Lobster Broth
1 tablespoon unsalted butter 6 cloves of garlic, smashed 3 carrots, roughly chopped 2 ribs of celery, roughly chopped 2 red onions, roughly chopped 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt freshly-cracked black pepper 1 cup of a good white wine 6 cups of organic vegetable stock 1/3 cup of tomato paste 1/2 teaspoon of fresh peppercorns 3 cooked lobster carcasses, chopped 2 bay leaves 1 handful of fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley sprigs 1 sprig of fresh thyme
Dark Roux
1 stick of unsalted cannabutter 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour 1 cup of heavy cream
Lobster Meat
2 tablespoons of unsalted butter 3 cooked lobsters, meat only 1 bunch of fresh chives, for garnish For the lobster broth: Heat a large soup pot on medium heat. Add the butter, olive oil, garlic, carrots, celery, and onions. Then add the sea salt and freshly-cracked black pepper. Sauté for about 8 minutes. Pour in the white wine and reduce for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the vegetable stock, tomato paste, peppercorns, lobster carcasses (but keep the meat for later), bay leaves, parsley, and thyme. Topoff with water, just enough to where the shells are submerged. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, partially covered, for 1 hour. For the dark roux: Heat a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the butter and flour and whisk continuously until the mixture is amber in color with a nutty aroma, about 6 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat. For the bisque: Using a strainer and cheesecloth, strain the lobster broth into a medium-sized pot. Add the dark roux, heavy cream, and nutty amber mixture. Let reduce on medium-low heat until thick, about another 15 to 20 minutes. For the lobster meat: Heat a large saucepan on medium-high heat and melt the butter. Add the lobster meat and sauté until heated through, about 1 to 2 minutes. Spoon the lobster meat into a large bowl. Ladle the lobster bisque into the bowl and garnish with fresh chives. Peace & Enjoy.
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Zoom. Bloom. Cloud Nine. Blue Silk. Ocean Snow. White Lightning. Lunar Wave. Ivory Wave. Purple Wave. Red Dove. Bliss. Panic. Vanilla Sky. Rushmore. White Slut Concentrated. Scarface. Hurricane Charlie. Charley Sheene. These are only a few brands of Bath Salts, a synthetic drug that mimics the effects of cocaine, methamphetamine, and PCP, combined. Bath Salts usually contain the chemicals methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV), methylmethcathinone mephedrone, and less commonly, methylone. None of these compounds have ever been approved by the FDA but have been used and sold as research chemicals. When consumed, the body may experience an increase in heartbeat, some times to life threatening speeds; constriction of blood vessels; sweats; hypersensitivity; anxiety; paranoia; agitation; and a decreased desire for food or sleep. In 2009, Bath Salts began popping up around Europe, taken as a party drug throughout nightclubs. Soon after, the drug finally made a name for itself in the United States. Calls began flooding into emergency rooms and poison control centers across North America.
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Sure, in the past there have been plenty of media-scares that we have all seen and scoffed at, at one time or another; but perhaps this time we should heed the warnings. Hallucinations; the sudden onset of intense paranoia; heart attacks; suicides (some preformed even days later); cravings for flesh born out of paranoid delusions; and violence, are a few of the side effects we have all heard about. Do these side effects occur in every case or just the ones we hear about on the news? Jane, we’ll call her, a 24-year-old female drug user says that Bath Salts aren’t really all that bad. (‘Drug user’ as in this girl has dabbled in about every narcotic from the time she was a kid until just about a year ago.) Jane sat across from me chewing on a cocktail straw, her eyes blank and matter-of-fact. “When I tried Salts, it really wasn’t this kind of high where I wanted to eat peoples’ faces. Like, if we did Bath Salts right now, I can guarantee you will wake up with your face still attached,” she laughed. I politely declined and Jane went on to describe the high to me. According to her, the high is a lot like a cocaine- or methamphetamineinduced high. So if you are looking for an intense euphoria, I wouldn’t head straight to Bath Salts; they induce a more agitated state. What is so enticing about them is that they are so easily obtained. Unlike some drugs, Bath Salts do not discriminate based on social or economic class, according to an article written by Natasha Vargas-Cooper (Bath Salts: Deep in the Heart of America’s New Drug Nightmare, SPINJune 14, 2012). They are accessible, inexpensive, and packaged in brightlycolored or visually-enticing jars and wrappers. Even if labeled “not for human consumption,” this is simply
a way for consumers and distributors to defer government eyes from their products. But tell me, what else do people use “White Slut Concentrated” for, huh? The article also poses the argument that in order to buy “hard narcotics” such as meth, users have to deal with questionable characters and possibly venture into dangerous neighborhoods to purchase the drug. Yet drugs such as Bath Salts can simply be ordered online, and this is why they are so popular among a widely diverse group of people. The fact is that this drug was casually distributed for some time, and even since the ban on three of its main components in over forty-two states, it can still be purchased just as effortlessly, only under different names and disguises. If you want Bath Salts, you can find them. Methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV), methylmethcathinone mephedrone, and methylone, were not banned initially, so there was a good chunk off time when these stimulants were sold everywhere and legally, not only in head shops, but also in gas stations, minimarts, and convenience stores all over the United States. Although the base components of the Salts are produced primarily overseas, they are easily shipped-to and mixed in the United States. Consumers who order Bath Salts have no idea what they are really ingesting from one dosage to the next, seeing as these overseas chemists are not always adept. Last year, a ban on these components was posed and the DEA administrated an emergency one-year ban on the three basic Bath Salt chemicals, which is up this Fall. Rhode Island, so far, has only made a few of these Bath Salts illegal and has added them to the Schedule I Controlled Substances List, along with substances such as heroin and meth. Still, some Salts can be purchased in our state. Now, Senator Jack Reed is pushing for total illegalization of this drug. However,
Bath Salts are a very hard substance to completely wipe out due to their everchanging components and disguises. I myself stopped into a couple of head shops recently to see if they really sold any of these Salts. After reading about the bans, I was too afraid to ask straight-out for the drug, and was quite sure they would not be so upfront with it, either. I took a look around the shop and noted bongs, pipes, tobacco, hookahs, and product cleaners, but no Bath Salts. Turns out, Salts can be packaged as almost anything. They are often disguised as potpourri, jewelry cleaner, plant food, hookah cleaner, etc. How is a drug like Bath Salts, which is circulating through the news and hospitals with stories of people skinning themselves alive and swinging machetes at their mothers (Spin Magazine, June 14 2012, Natasha Vargas-Cooper and Florida Freedom Newswire January 20, 2011 Felicia Kitzmiller) still accessibledesired? After Jane’s dismissal of Bath Salts being anything more than a harmless recreational drug, I started to ask around about these Bath Salts, talking to college students, high schoolers, and young professionals, to see where this drug was trending. But not surprisingly, almost no one wanted to talk about it. I did speak to one boy, who wished to remain anonymous, but said that he would be interested in trying Bath Salts as long as he got to join in the zombie apocalypse. Of course he was joking, or at least I think he was. But it made me think: in a generation so encapsulated by virtual reality, how does a drug that warrants headlines such as “Zombie Apocalypse?” affect our youth? Nothing is really real; everything is the “someone else, never me” mentality; and we hide behind our widescreen televisions and computer screens. So, when kids hear about this new accessible, semi-legal drug, what is truly stopping them from trying it? If you spend some time scouring the Internet, you will find numerous blogs
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That’s when stories began to hit the media warning people about the Bath Salts-induced horrors and “zombie apocalypses.”
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and forums on how Bath Salts can be used in a safe, recreational manner, claiming they are harmless. In a blog posted July 27,2012 (“Bath Salts” Some Actual Facts about Bath Salts) the commentator posts: “It’s not the bath salts themselves. When used in small amounts, like you are supposed to, bath salts DO NOT cause ‘extreme paranoia, hallucinations, delusions, hypertension and suicidal thoughts.’ That stuff only happens if you are shooting up a whole bag, or blowing down lines every 5 minutes.” All around, people are swearing that, if used in the right manner, and if you are not “doing lines every five minutes,” Bath Salts can be a truly enjoyable experience. I am surely not advocating this drug, and even if this narcotic won’t turn our nation
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into flesh-eating zombies, the simple fact remains: it is on the same level as methamphetamine. So, to most of the population, Bath Salts would seem hardcore, regardless of legalization. These Bath Salts are full of chemicals and are in the same category as all synthetic toxins, not to mention the obvious: Bath Salts are labeled “not for human consumption.” We also must remember that these drugs are being made with inexperienced hands, making the effects unpredictable and unstable. You’ll never know what the high will be like and won’t be able to predict its intensity. Bath Salts’ recent debut has had quite a reception from the media in the past two years. On July 27, 2012 an article published on the (Business
Insider, July 27, 2012 Michael Kelley) website focused on a federal raid called Operation Log Jam, where agents seized about five million packets of synthetic drugs (including these Bath Salts), and numerous arrests were made. It was the first nationwide crackdown against synthetic drugs in the United States. The article also mentions a bill President Obama signed on July 10, 2012, banning the sale, production, and possession of thirty-one of the compounds that make up Bath Salts and other designer street drugs. Hopefully with this new crackdown, users will have a harder time obtaining this drug. Still, there will always be people who are willing to fill their systems with these toxic substances. Although it may fizzle and fade, I wouldn’t be so quick to think that Bath Salts are going to fall off the face of the earth any time soon.
LOUD SEEDS
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But why shouldn’t you profit? I understand in theory about your being so altruistic and I applaud you. Perhaps I’m just nakedly American. The good, the bad and the ugly. Where I’m from, hustling is good. Why shouldn’t you profit from your talent and resourcefulness, right from your own kitchen sink? I loathe the fact that the government, in some cases, is still fighting simple entrepreneurship. The people want it. At what point will we have to slam the door violently shut from its coldly assessing eye? Do you feel like a criminal? Whew.... Feeling those brownies yet? I would feel like a criminal if I did not possess the correct paperwork. I agree with you however, about profiting from my own endeavors. I’m working on it. If I were to be pulled over while transporting, I’m sure that Law Enforcement would think they nabbed a master criminal. Then I would produce my card. I suppose they could ignore the fact that I am a legal care giver. I doubt at first glance that they would recognize a profitable yield versus the cast offs which is what I use in my baked medical edibles. Then they could send it to a lab where it would be determined I was within my legal rights.
Hallinan & Hallinan Brendan Hallinan Attorney at Law 345 Franklin St. San Francisco, CA 94102 hallinan-law.com e.Brendan@Hallinan-Law.com t. 415.863.1520 c.415.786.0139 f.415.863.1519
Well I’m Evie Oliver from 1000 Watts and we endorse your products enthusiastically. I know I’d rather eat a macaroon than take an Ambien to help me sleep and I’d rather get it directly from you. I prefer to support small, local, cottage industries than a big pharmaceutical company. Later that evening, I slept a long, cool and dreamless sleep, one absent of fretful tossing and achy worry. I awoke refreshed and impressed.
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The whole environment was just a gorgeous, breathtaking view: on the water, the Golden Gate Bridge above us, Alcatraz in eyeshot, with the amazing outdoor medicating area all around us. The people and venue were perfect, and the medicine, top-notch. Not only did we see some old friends, we made a few new ones. Overall, a stellar energy. - BC Budz
publisher
dj stone djstone@1000watts.info
creative director mj watts mer@1000watts.info
webmaster
oscar oscar@1000watts.info
copy editor jj budsworth
sales & marketing director Brett C. bcbudz@1000watts.info
office manager/sales
kushy kim kushy kim@1000watts.info
distribution brian budz
contributing writers
sean pratt, savylink, evie oliver, tim pratt and nikki.
contributing photographer Todd McCormick
special thanks to dd baker, caitlyn, allison, janice, ann mccormick, geoff charles, lolly pop girl, uncle henry, uncle stoner, henry hemp and so many more people that make this all possible.
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