Alabama Affirmative Defense for Parents up for a Vote

Alabama Affirmative Defense for Parents up for a Vote

      An important step forward in medical cannabis may be coming in Alabama. It will also be much needed relief for kids suffering from epilepsy and other debilitating conditions. Leni’s Bill, named after Lemi young who had to move to Oregon to get the medicine she needed, is being voted on in the Alabama House today. There have been restrictive amendments added, but the hope is these are removed in the Alabama Senate. If the Governor vetoes the bill, the sponsor of the bill believes the Senate and House have enough votes to over ride it.

     This bill unfortunately is not a bill that legalizes the use of medical cannabis. It simply gives parents the right to an affirmative defense. In other words after the parent gets arrested, drug into court, harassed and the kids are fairly traumatized, the parent can present a mass of medical proof that the child needs medical cannabis. This may keep the parent out of prison, but there are no guarantees. Alabama should go much further, and simply legalize medical cannabis for kids with debilitating conditions.

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Sports Medicine Potentially Helping Drive Cannabis Acceptance

Sports Medicine Potentially Helping Drive Cannabis Acceptance

      Sports medicine is a field that is becoming a center point for cannabis research, and at the same time, although more than likely unintentional, a driver in bringing medical cannabis into the mainstream. Athletes have long been in the spotlight for violating the zero tolerance cannabis rules in college and professional sports leagues, but there soon may come a time when cannabis is accepted as a medicine in sports.

     Constance Therapeutics, which makes whole plant cannabis extracts, has decided to partner with a sports medicine group called Grit Iron Cannabis Coalition. The research is being done to judge the efficacy of replacing widely prescribed and addictive opiates with medical cannabis. This study sets out to be unique when taking into account the entourage effect of cannabis. The entourage effect is the interaction of all the cannabanoids in cannabis, not just more widely used legal CBD extracts. Constance Finley, CEO of Constance Therapeutics, says in a release “After cycling through several prescription drugs with the hope of finding relief from my rare autoimmune disease, I reluctantly tried medical cannabis, This ended up being the decision that would save my life, and it led me to develop my own cannabis extracts and form Constance Therapeutics. It is now my mission to help others seeking alternatives to what are often highly addictive pharmaceuticals.”

        As athletes begin to use medical cannabis to treat their sports related injuries, cannabis will slowly and steadily become more accepted in our society. These societal shifts have been a key driver in the past to changing stigmas related to other once illegal topics that are now legal.

DEA Signals Possible Re-Scheduling of Cannabis

DEA Signals Possible Re-Scheduling of Cannabis

     According to several news sources the DEA is considering re-scheduling cannabis from a Schedule 1 Narcotic to a Schedule 2 Narcotic. Surprisingly, cannabis is currently classified with Heroin and LSD as a “drug’ with no medical value. The new schedule would put it on the same level as many pharmaceuticals, such as the many opiates currently over prescribed in the United States. This could be a turning point in the legalization movement, but also could spell trouble for people who grow at home.

     Many states and municipalities hesitate to legalize cannabis, due to its Schedule 1 status. They point to the long arm of the Federal Government, and use it as a justification for not legalizing. It makes sense n the context of the amount of money the Feds give out to the states. Even now DC could yank legalization away from the 4 states that have legalized cannabis. The Feds could simply say, “End legalization, or we’ll take away _______ funding.” The states would have no choice but to comply. A Schedule 2 designation would make this more difficult for the Feds to crack down on legalization. As far as working against home grows. Well, we don’t allow people to manufacture any drug on the Schedule 2 list. So, cannabis could be legalized, but not legal to grow at home. Home growing is the essence of the legalization movement.

      However, If the DEA reschedules cannabis in the end this will be a good thing simply for the number of people it will keep out of prison. It would also open up more research on cannabis. Let’s hope the DEA follows through, and reschedules cannabis as a Schedule 2 Narcotic.    

Reverend Weaver Grow Tip – Harvest for Aroma

Today research on the medicinal benefits of marijuana point in the direction of terpenes, the molecules that give cannabis strains their aroma or smell.  The different terpenes have been found to have unique medicinal qualities.  

Years ago through various periods I found out due to basic medical needs that what some would be considered an early harvest, 6 1/2 weeks to 7 1/2 weeks brought with it a much more pronounced flavor and aroma which reminded me of Lebanese Blonde hash from the 70's.  I would have to say that the " head rush" was more likely to occur here then with traditional harvest when 50 percent of the bud hairs are red.  Years ago whenever this was established as the harvesting standard thc was the focus.  We know more now about other components or chemicals found in cannabis and Thc is becoming a side note to the educated.

    To this day I find that what some commercial growers are now calling early harvest yields me a better product than if I " over finish" my produce.  I look for die off of the tips of the hairs and definitely harvest if I begin to see any red.  I know this goes against general harvesting folk lore and voices will talk about bud tightness and other things they dislike about harvesting a plant when the flower is at the peak of freshness.  This preference for flavor and taste known hereabouts as the Old Man Brand  or technique speaks to the feeling "that life is too short to smoke bad tasting ganja".  Besides I pick an apple before it falls from the tree and I give my lover a fresh fragrant rose not one that is at the end of its beauty.  

     When that 6 week period comes around we start watching for changes that show the hair receptors are beginning to deteriorate on the flower.  Harvesting after hair receptor die off means less flavor, fragrance and thus perhaps less terpene content due to 

the general deterioration of the flower.  

     This theory may already have been explored by commercial growers with product testing at various harvest times to check for terpene levels.  I never spent the money to prove this, direct experience by myself and others plus lack of loose change to pay for testing was enough for me.  

Another tip I discovered is to not trim so closely that I cut off hairs and all bits of small leaf within the bud.  Some plant strains have more vegetative leaf within the bud than others.  Also growing and flowering under a metal halide or full spectrum lighting system produces a leafier flower.  These flower leaves have flavor and may contain more terpenes than we are aware of, regardless I trim the tips off but make sure to not be so aggressive and so I try to leave any portion of leaf I see covered with tricombs or crystal.  The bud quality doesn't suffer if you have good curing procedures.  Again these things work for me and I enjoy the flavor of my harvest over most others I have tried, but it might not be for you.

Happy Harvesting

>From a Friend of the Friend

Reverend Weaver Grow Tip - Chemical Free Spider Mite Management

I don't claim to be an expert in the field but gaining some experience over 40 years has taught me some things that work for me, maybe they'll help you at least a little.

The most organic pesticide I have found is plain old water.  I should clarify, the best matricide is water.  The spider mite explodes as it absorbs the liquid.  Make sure to get the undersides of the leaves very well and the stem areas also.  I have a hand held pump sprayer I use with a worm tea mixture.  Don't spray cold water let it set out before mixing (if you’re going to flora feed also) otherwise you could end up with leaf spotting.  I turn my fan away until they are dry.  I give them a gentle shake to get a little excess water off.  Because of the egg laying cycle of the mite I try to follow some sort of 3 sprays within a 4 day period, usually 2 days of spray and a day off followed by another on the fourth day.  I have also found myself in the sad condition of webbing all over flowering plants 2 weeks from harvest, most resort to a loss of crop or use a pesticide at whatever toxicity level?  In an effort to remove a heavily infested plant from those yet to harvest  I took it to 

the shower and left it there to dispose of later.  The year before I had 2 Blue Dream that were transplants a foot tall.  It was April and I thought if they survived maybe the bugs wouldn't.  We had rain, wind, seasonal temps for April (I did set them under a glass table for frost protection).  Mother Nature worked her way and I harvested those in the fall after transplanting them that May.    So I thought what the heck so I took the hand held and gave her the 4 day treatment and it worked.  Looking for bugs on sample leaves with a magnifier how's only exploded carcasses.  After the shower the second day the webbing seemed to dissolve away too, nice.  I did make sure the water was not hot or tap cold, and while my spray was thorough and drenching it was not high pressure.  I got everywhere under the leaves especially.  If you don't stake your plants you will want to here, they have a tendency to fall over.  A gentle shake drops of the excess water.  Leave it there if you can for the 

4 days, believe me your not loosing THAT much in harvest weight being away from normal grow light. I do try to adhere to the same light cycle even if just using the bath light switch.  Try it out once and see if it works.  Happy Harvesting,

A Friend of the Friend