New Jersey’s Medical Marijuana Program Should Be “Fully Functional” Next Year

Snippets:

Nearly two years after it was legalized in New Jersey, lawmakers announced last week that the state’s medical marijuana program, the most restrictive in the country, would be fully functional sometime in 2012…

…Gov. Chris Christie had issued a surprise announcement in July that the state would move forward with its then-stalled medical marijuana program. But since then, federal prosecutors have done something even more surprising: They raided and seized property from medical marijuana growers and dispensaries in California, despite the Obama administration’s indications that they would not crack down on such facilities…

…even though 86 percent of New Jersey voters support medical marijuana, Christie put the program on hold while he awaited word from federal officials that New Jersey marijuana workers and doctors would not be prosecuted…

…New Jersey limits prescriptions to patients with terminal illnesses or illnesses where conventional pain medication has failed, such as glaucoma and epilepsy. Furthermore, a doctor can only prescribe marijuana to a patient they’ve been seeing for over a year…

…This is a big one: New Jersey’s non-profit dispensaries are all licensed by the state, unlike in California, where they are not required to obtain a state license specifically to sell marijuana. “They’ve [federal prosecutors] never interfered with a dispensary licensed by a state,” said Roseanne Scotti, New Jersey state director of Drug Policy Alliance.

Full Article: N.J. Green-Lights Medical Marijuana Program as Calif.’s Goes Up in Smoke

Upcoming show on Discovery Channel: Weed Wars

Snoop Dogg wrote the theme song. Good choice.

Weed Wars follows Oakland’s Harborside Health Center, the nation’s largest medicinal cannabis dispensary serving over 94,000 patients. The series introduces the Harborside staff as well as the growers and “patient farmers” whose job it is to provide the “medicine” – the buds – that will be eventually purchased and used by thousands of clients. The shows delves into the ongoing legal debate regarding cannabis and follows the journey of the plant from germination to harvesting and dispensation. Source: http://www.friendsofcannabis.com/directory/

Speaking of Snoop Dogg:

Music Video: Snoop Dogg
This Weed Iz Mine f. Wiz Khalifa

When Pot was Legal

Tincture of cannabis indica

Why Marijuana Became Illegal

Marijuana and Religion

Rastafari: The Secret History of the Marijuana Religion
A very thorough cover of the history of Rastafarianism; not as much mention of the importance of marijuana as the title promises.
Marijuana And Other Rasta Symbols
A more specific article on the use of marijuana in Rasta rituals.

Temple 420 Home Page
Not as much information or content as I would have liked to see.
Hollywood’s Temple 420 Raided by LAPD
I recommend watching the video on this one.

Marijuana in the News: Cancer, USD and Reefers

Woman claims marijuana cured her cancer

USD officials concerned by medical marijuana
This is actually a very in-depth look at the ongoing war between LEGAL marijuana dispensaries and the Federal law prohibiting marijuana

 

Marijuana Farmer Discloses Patch

This one kinda cracks me up. This is a newspaper article from 1951. He “went on the weed” as a GI in Europe, and “He returned to Pittsburgh, planted three patches of marijuana, and has manufactured reefers ever since.”

Sativa vs Indica

The Differences between Indica and Sativa Cannabis plants:

Fat Leaves and Short Bush = INDICA
Thin Leaves and Tall Bush = SATIVA

Indica….higher CBD than THC equals heavier, sleepy type of high. Yield is usually higher than Sativa, and shorter growing season. Better for indoor growing, because they don’t get as tall.

Sativa….higher THC than CBD equals cerebral, soaring type of high, more energetic Yield is usually lower than Indica, but is very potent. eg: Thai Sativa grow taller and have a longer flowering period, so they are better suited for outdoors.

Sativa’s typically take longer to germinate and flower, and they grow more gangly then indica breeds.

Here is a quote from Hilary Black of the British Columbia Compassion Society:

“Indica and Sativa are the two main varieties of the cannabis plant used as medicine. There are many strains that are crosses of those two varieties. Within each of those varieties and crosses there are a huge number of individual strains, each with a different cannabinoid profile and effect. According to anecdotal evidence, the Indica strains are a relaxant, effective for anxiety, pain, nausea, appetite stimulation, sleep, muscle spasms and tremors, among other symptoms. The Sativa strains are more of a stimulant, effective in appetite stimulation, relieving depression, migraines, pain and nausea. We are now aware of specific strains that are effective for specific conditions and symptoms.”

Source and more info: http://www.weedfarmer.com/growing_guide/cannabis_indica_sativa.php

Medical Marijuana Smoking Accessories

Unusual Facts About Marijuana: Let’s Google It!

OK “Unusual Facts About Marijuana” was my original query. Let’s see where it leads me 🙂

Fun Facts About Marijuana

This passage on this page:

The reason marijuana is illegal is because in the 30’s cotton growers lobbied against hemp farmers. They thought that the hemp growing would just be competition for them. However, the argument has become the fact that marijuana is not as addictive as caffeine, alcohol and nicotine.

led me to look up some hemp history, which led me to this page:

Hemp History

This is a very interesting and in-depth article on the growth and use of hemp in the past, errors in grammar and spelling notwithstanding. It does not, however, address the cotton vs hemp controversy. I may have to look into that more deeply one day.

Anyway, back to the original search…

31 Random Facts About Marijuana

Also contains some very interesting facts, with references. One of my favorites:

The psychoactive side effects of THC in small doses include loss of inhibition, elation, and a distorted sense of time. The drug can also cause increased visual sensitivity and heightened imagination.

10 Marijuana Facts

This one is very informative and the facts address many of the common misunderstandings about marijuana. The order and presentation of the facts leads to a valid argument for the legalization of marijuana. One fact I found interesting was this:

The only crime most marijuana users commit is using marijuana. The U. S. Shafer Commission report was the most comprehensive study ever undertaken on the subject. It found that marijuana smokers “tend to be under represented” in violence and in crime, especially when compared to users of alcohol, amphetamines and barbiturates.

Crackdown on California Pot Dispensaries: Opinion

Medical marijuana advocates sue to put stop to federal crackdown on Calif. pot dispensaries

“Attorneys for medical marijuana advocates on Monday sought a temporary restraining order to put a stop to a federal crackdown on California pot dispensaries, claiming the effort by the state’s four U.S. attorneys is unconstitutional.” — Read the Rest

I wish they had chosen some more articulate people to argue for the medical marijuana cause.

Random Weed Vocab

Bhang  is a preparation from the leaves and flowers (buds) of the female cannabis plant, smoked or consumed as a beverage in the Indian subcontinent
Cannabis indica – Pharmacologically, indica landraces tend to have a higher cannabidiol (CBD) content than sativa strains.  Most commercially available indica strains have been selected for low levels of CBD (which is not psychoactive), with some users reporting more of a “stoned” feeling and less of a “high” from indica when compared to sativa.  The cannabis indica high is often referred to as a “body buzz” and has beneficial properties such as pain relief in addition to being an effective treatment for insomnia and an anxiolytic, as opposed to sativa’s more common reports of a “spacey” and mental inebriation, and even, albeit rarely, comprising hallucinations.  Differences in the terpenoid content of the essential oil may account for some of these differences in effect.  Common indica strains forrecreational or medicinal use include Kush and Northern Lights.

Ganja –  Cannabis is also known to have been used by the ancient Hindus of India and Nepal thousands of years ago. The herb was called ganjika in Sanskrit (गांजा/গাঁজা ganja in modern Indic languages).