Do Your Part: spread the word about Medical Cannabis!

Urban Earth Med aims to create an environment that is welcoming and safe for everyone. Our patients come from all walks of life and we love to see this variation because it means that the word about the benefits of medical marijuana is spreading. I wanted to share this great blog post from Jhonny Green at The Weed Blog (http://www.theweedblog.com/) in hopes that it will inspire others to educate those around them so that this medicine can become more accessible.  Small scale activism can really make a difference, it starts with you!

One of my favorite things is talking to people about marijuana reform that don’t know much about the topic. I have found time after time that if people are presented with the facts about marijuana in a constructive way, they will support reform. It’s like playing wiffle ball. That’s not a testament to my persuasion skills; it’s a reflection on how horrible America’s current marijuana policies are.

I talk to seniors about medical marijuana any chance I get. Seniors suffer from all kinds of ailments that are usually treated with an array of harmful pharmaceuticals. To quote Robert ‘the Tuna’ Platshorn, “as an aging senior, my doctor wants me to take six medications to try to treat all my ailments, and then another six drugs to combat the side effects of the first six drugs they want to prescribe me. I told them I can clean out half of my medicine cabinet by just using cannabis, which is safer, cheaper, and works ten times better.”

Americans have been told that marijuana is bad for so many decades, that it’s ingrained in the sub-conscience of many citizens. Many of them don’t even know why they are against marijuana, they just know that they are. I ask everyone of these types of people for facts to support their opposition to marijuana reform, and 99% of the time they have nothing to offer. The other 1% of the time it’s someone that hates marijuana so much, that the ‘facts’ they present are so full of subjectivity that I don’t even waste my time. I hear their spiel, and move on to a conversation that is more constructive and worthwhile with someone that is more open minded. I have yet to hear a compelling case against marijuana reform that is based on facts and reality.

To those people that I talk to that don’t have any facts to present against marijuana reform, I have experienced an overwhelming success rate in changing their minds. All I do is spout out the facts that I have memorized, and I let the truth speak for itself. Some people require more facts (and sometimes citations) than others, but at the end of the conversation, it almost always ends with them saying, ‘If I knew this information before, I would have supported marijuana reform sooner.’

So I encourage all marijuana activists to get educated! Learn state laws, federal laws, case law, science, research, poll results, etc. The more information you know, the more information you can spread to the world. If people hear the facts, they will be convinced it’s time to end marijuana prohibition; it’s literally that simple. There are countless Americans that support marijuana reform already. If every one of us made it a daily goal to talk to one new person about marijuana facts, how many days would it take to reach every voter in the country?

When you look at it in those terms, it seems really easy. We could cut that time in half if we all talked to two people a day. If we could convince people to not only vote for marijuana reform, but to talk to one or two people a day themselves, we could spread the information to voters exponentially. But realize, we want to have good information going out to people, so GET EDUCATED! If you need help looking for good places to get started, send me an e-mail and I’ll gladly reply with links.

A Cannabis Connoisseur’s Book Shelf

We here at Urban Earth Med like to stay on top of our game when it comes to information about our medicine. We believe that our patients should also be equally informed. Here is our top 10 must read book list on cannabis knowledge, culture, and etiquette. Brush up my friends!

1) Dying to Get High: Marijuana as Medicine by Wendy Chapkis

2) Understanding Marijuana: A New Look at the Scientific Evidence by Mitchell Earleywine

 3) The Botany of Desire by Michael Pollan

4) The Emperor Wears No Clothes: The Authoritative Historical Record of Cannabis by Jack Herer

5) Aunt Sandy’s Medical Marijuana Cookbook by Sandy Moriarty

6) Marijuana Horticulture: The Indoor/Outdoor Medical Grower’s Bible by Jorge Cervantes

7) Marijuana Reconsidered by Lester Grinspoon

 

8) The Official High Times Pot Smokers Handbook by David Bienenstock

 

9) Dank: The Quest for the Very best Marijuana: A Breeder’s Tale by Subcool

10) Pot Planet: Adventures in Global Marijuana by Brian Preston

-Maddi at UEM

Up in the Air: Future of prohibition in Vancouver?

Mayors from eight B.C. communities have added their voices to calls to the provincial government to regulate and tax marijuana as part of a strategy to end gang violence and make communities safer.

The argument was made in an April 26 letter to B.C.’s premier, Opposition NDP leader and BC Conservative party leader. Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson was unavailable for comment Thursday afternoon, but Coun. Kerry Jang, who is also professor of psychiatry at the University of British Columbia, said the current federal laws have failed.

Jang said the laws have led to increased organized crime, policing costs and the presence of grow ops. “To make matters worse, we just look around, certainly we see here in the City of Vancouver, that pot is more readily available than ever before,” he said. “Whatever the federal government policy is, is not working, and we’re saying that we need a better approach, and that is to regulate it using a public health model, much as we do, for example, with tobacco or alcohol.”

Despite an “endless stream of anti-marijuana law enforcement initiatives,” marijuana remains widely and easily available to youth. “Based on the evidence before us, we know that laws that aim to control the marijuana industry are ineffective and, like alcohol prohibition in the U.S. in the 1920s, have led to violent unintended consequences,” it states. Based on statistics from the Organized Crime Agency of BC, the mayors state 85 per cent of the province’s marijuana industry is controlled by criminal groups. Using statistics from the right-of-centre policy group, the Fraser Institute, the mayors also state the industry is worth $7 billion annually. “It is time to tax and strictly regulate marijuana under a public health framework,” they write, adding that such a move would allow the government to address health issues, raise government revenue and eliminate profits going to organized crime.

Krog said there is a growing consensus among British Columbians that marijuana should be decriminalized and it’s time to debate the issue. B.C. Conservative Leader John Cummins wouldn’t say whether he supports or opposes decriminalization and taxation, but criticized several of the mayors’ arguments. “I think people are not thinking the things out carefully,” he said. Legalization will negatively impact trade with the United States and lead to longer waits at the border because border agents won’t absorb extra security costs just to move traffic, he said. Legalization will also negatively impact B.C.’s tourism industry, added Cummins. “You are going to attract tourists who are interested in, you know, smoking it up at will and that could have a, you know, detrimental effect on the tourist industry,” he said. Cummins also criticized the taxation argument, saying he doesn’t think the government would be able to easily tax the drug because people can grow marijuana at home.

A statement from the B.C. justice ministry said North Americans have been discussing decriminalization for “some time. However, it is important to note that criminal code matters rest solely with the federal government. As such, as a provincial government, we are not going to speculate on public debate about a matter over which we do not have authority.” But Jang said it’s important to get the support of municipal and provincial politicians for change to happen at the federal level. A similar approach was used with Insite, a supervised injection site in Vancouver for intravenous drug users, he said.”It’s a grass-roots campaign that started at cities and working it’s way up other levels of government,” said Jang.

Since October, four former B.C. attorneys general, several Vancouver mayors and a host of police and health officers, academics and the Brazil-based Global Commission on Drug Policy have challenged provincial and federal governments to reform Canadian laws. Earlier this month, John McKay, former high-profile U.S. federal prosecutor who helped jail Canada’s “Prince of Pot,” Marc Emery, joined calls to end prohibition in favour of regulation and taxation.

Via CTV BC

-Maddi at UEM

Hemp Products

There is a large, ongoing debate surrounding the use of Cannabis for medicinal purposes, largely linked to the infamous war on drugs. It’s difficult to deny the proven healing effects of the plant, something which doesn’t seem to be taken into consideration. I mean, why would pharmaceutical companies go out of their way to develop a drug which is essentially a chemically modified strain of Cannabis if it didn’t directly benefit patients? If Cannabis has no healing properties, surely modifying naturally occurring cannabinoids to produce the same effect wouldn’t be on the pharmaceutical company’s agenda?

I think there are other points to look at - like the fact that hemp products such as oils, seed hearts, leaves, etc. have so many beneficial properties on their own. It’s amazing that a plant growing in nature can provide so many benefits to our bodies, and something so health-giving shouldn’t be banned.

I thought I’d discuss a bit more about hemp products, their benefits, and the naturally occurring healing effects they have on our bodies.

Oils

Canna Oil

There are two common kinds of hemp oils – Cannabis Oil, which contains THC, and Hemp Seed Oil. Just in case you’re wondering, we carry both – (http://www.urbanearthmed.com/menu ).

Cannabis Oil, which contains THC, is exceptionally rich in omega fatty acids and proteins.  Omega Fatty Acids are great for our body in that they have a lot of health benefits such as increased circulation, reducing tumor growth in some cases,  improving the immune system, and excellent for the heart.  Because it contains THC, it will give the same effect as edibles, but can be used in cooking as a replacement for olive oil, etc.

Hemp seed oil has the exact same benefits, however contains no THC.

Both products are exceptionally high in other vitamins as well, such as Vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, B6, C, D and E.

Another interesting use for hemp seed oil is for skin ailments such as eczema, dry skin, acne, etc. Simply adding this to your moisturizer or putting directly on your skin will help. That’s probably why you find all those neat hemp products in beauty stores sometimes (for quite a high price, might I add!)

Compressed Hemp Heart Flakes

Hemp Flakes

Compressed hemp heart flakes are an excellent dietary supplement. They really fill you up for starters, curbing your appetite and helping you reduce the urge to have a midnight snack. They are 50% protein too, 14% Fat (12% of which are omega fatty acids, the good fats remember!), and one cup only contains 200 calories. They taste amazing as well, which is awesome considering they are used for low-carb, high protein dieting!

Hemp Seed Hearts

Hemp Hearts

These little guys are delicious, and not only are they really good for you, they contain a large variety of nutrients, are an excellent source of protein, and contain a health amount of fatty omega acids. They also really curb your appetite (I can speak from experience). They help with a number of health problems too, such as battling high cholesterol, celiac disease, depression, hyperactivity, etc.

Hemp has another number of interesting uses. These include building materials, plastic and composite materials, paper, fabric for clothing, cordage (rope), and even biofuels. Lots more information to be found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hemp

The key thing about hemp products is that not only is it a naturally occurring product, it’s cheap and easy to produce, requires little care, and has a multitude of unique and beneficial uses.  The point I was initially trying to make though was that the plant has a large amount of healing properties, not only in the bud, but in the seeds, leaves, and stalk too, making it a respectful, healing gift from nature, one which we should reap the benefits of rather than sowing the seeds of propaganda!

 - Holly @ UEM

How did 420 come about?

First, what “420” doesn’t mean:

• 420 isn’t the number of a bill in U.S. Congress to legalize pot, despite many people thinking it is.

• 420 isn’t the police or penal code for marijuana possession in California (or any other state), though many people believe that, as well.

• Nor is 420 is the number of chemical compounds in cannabis, the pot plant, though many authors seem fond of stating so.

What 420 is, whether expressed in the form 4:20 (as a time of day), 4/20 (as a calendar date), or just the unadorned numeral (pronounced “four-twenty”), is a universal symbol for the use and appreciation of marijuana. In fact, 4/20 (April 20) has come to be known in certain circles as “Marijuana Appreciation Day.”

‘420’ origin and history

Notwithstanding the many and various urban legends that have grown up about the meaning of “420” and its connection with marijuana, the true story behind it is surprisingly prosaic. In the early 1970s a small group of hippie stoners at San Rafael High School in northern California used to meet at a designated location every day to smoke pot at 4:20 p.m. They did this so regularly that among members of the group “420” became a general euphemism for lighting up.

The catchphrase spread beyond their immediate circle, beyond the high school they attended, and ultimately beyond California, so that within a decade or two pot smokers were using it across the country and indeed the world over.

How popular is the expression today? A Google search on the paired terms “420” and “marijuana” brings up more than 6 million results, including a link to the website of 420 magazine, a publication dedicated to what it refers to as “cannabis awareness.”

-Maddi at UEM

It’s a joke. Greed and the desire to take drugs are two separate things. If you want to separate the two, the thing you do is make drugs legal. Accept the reality that people do want to change their consciousness, and make an effort to make safer, healthier drugs.
Jerry Garcia

Taking Advantage of a Good Thing

We are lucky as Canadians to have a compassionate government, which allows patients access to medicinal cannabis as a medical treatment. But with every progressive change made comes a wealth of people who will take advantage of it, ultimately spoiling the blessing for those in need. I’ve been reading quite a bit about issues surrounding the medicinal cannabis system we have in place here in Canada, and I’m quite disappointed to learn that there are people out there taking advantage - be it patients, doctors, and even lawyers.

Recently, a woman suffering from multiple sclerosis, a debilitating inflammatory illness which affects the brain and spinal cord’s ability to communicate, says that her pain was so bad she was unable to even drink a glass of water. She tried multiple pharmaceutical treatments, and when she heard that medicinal cannabis is often used as treatment, she thought to give it a try.

“It worked so good that I couldn’t even believe I didn’t have to wait. I didn’t even finish smoking the joint. I hit it three times and [the pain] was gone. I was so shocked.” was her response to the immediate relief she felt after using medicinal cannabis.

However, getting the licence to use medicinal cannabis made her feel like she was part of a scandal. She saw multiple doctors who refused to sign her paperwork. Finally she came across a sympathetic doctor. When she arrived at his office, he demanded $1000 upfront to sign the required paperwork. Turns out he wasn’t even a doctor either – he was a lawyer with a network of doctors working with him in order to turn a profit.

When later interviewed, the lawyer responded simply with “”Listen, I will help people who want to be helped. There’s a market for it. There’s no question that there’s a market for it.”

How is it that people can bring themselves to take advantage of sick people desperate for relief and profit off a system developed by the Canadian government to help ease suffering? Bringing corruption into a system designed to help people will only support the war on drugs further, and defeat the all the medicinal values surrounding it.

The Canadian government is aware of the situation, and has responded to recently corruption by stating that they will be “phasing in a new program… so (medical marijuana) is designed more like a real [pharmaceutical] drug.”

We sincerely support the use of medicinal cannabis for medical purposes only here at UEM. We also think it’s the little things that count. Because of this, we have decided to distribute all of our treatments in the appropriate medical paraphernalia – see the image below:

The last thing we want to see is corruption take over and destroy one of the greatest opportunities for healing.

Read more about the story : http://www.globaltvedmonton.com/exclusive+patients+charged+to+access+health+canadas+medical+marijuana+program/6442609289/story.html

Read more about Drug Dealers taking advantage:

http://www.globalnews.ca/exclusive+dealers+taking+advantage+of+health+canadas+medical+marijuana+program/6442610107/story.html

-Holly @ UEM

Why use up the forests which were centuries in the making and the mines which required ages to lay down, if we can get the equivalent of forest and mineral products in the annual growth of the hemp fields?
Henry Ford

Top