Saturday, 28 October 2017

Your Cannabis Buds Deserve Boveda


A few months back I wrote an article about these crazy little Boveda packs that come with my Cannabis orders from a legal LP.  Fast forward to today and I  now promote this product to anyone and everyone who will listen because I know that they add value to my life.  If you're looking for other ways to stay up-to-date on how Boveda can add value to your life, check out and follow them here:
 website, Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter 

Here's why I love Boveda packs:

Back in the day, smokers kept their stash wherever they deemed it to be safe.  I remember helping a friend tear off squares of foil to wrap one gram nugs in so she could ration her use.  Foil doesn't keep anything fresh especially not your Cannabis!  But as we age we learn and as our appreciation and understanding of Cannabis grows, we see the value in preserving our buds in air-tight containers or bags whenever we can.

Cannabis begins to degrade the minute it's cut down.  First to go is the moisture and depending on the aridity in your drying room, some of the plant's natural lipids will degrade as well.  Suspended inside these lipids and waxes in a structure known as a trichome are terpenes, aromatherapeutic compounds found in nature.  Terpenes are what make your Cannabis stink so sweet, sour, or as pungent as body odor!  Tests have shown that when Cannabis is left to over-dry, it can lose up to 15% of its terpenes.

Terpenes are not the only loss over-drying can cause.  As you may know, a few of our beloved Cannabinoids have an acid attached to them in their natural form.  The bond binding that acid to the rest of the molecule is very weak and so over-drying can cause it to break off prematurely resulting in a more sedative effect upon ingestion.  In fact, after the acid is broken off effectively converting THC-a into THC, even further degradation can then turn THC into CBN or Cannabinol and CBN is insomnia's nemesis.

Opening a fresh bag or bottle of the Goddess's gift to humanity is one of those really great moments in life.  Wouldn't it be great if the last nug of the bag or the bottle were as terpene-rich and pungent as the first nug was?  I'm here to tell you it can be done by controlling the relative humidity inside that air-tight storage container.

Cannabinoids and terpenes like to be kept at a relative humidity level between 58% and 62% and when kept there, your buds will stay fresh for much much longer.  Boveda is the leader in 2-way humidity control and they're out to keep all the buds fresh.  No bud left behind!  They've designed this incredibly effective pack that emits purified water vapor through a reverse osmosis membrane to parched bud while the saltwater mixture inside pulls in any extra moisture.  The fluid inside the membrane is as natural as are the plant products it strives to preserve.

I've personally been using my Boveda packs for many months now to give life back to some of that less-than-fresh producer Cannabis I receive.  The smoking or vaping experience is a step above when you can actually taste those natural compounds in your exhale.  I'm also now legal to grow my own Cannabis plants so I'm eager to cure my harvest with Boveda in a few months as well.

Cannabis is a valuable commodity and most of us will do anything to preserve it for as long as it's in our possession.  Boveda packs make it easier to do that.

Is Cannabis Stigma Felt More by Women?

Women in weed are winning right now but it hasn’t always been this way.  The Cannabis industry up until recently has been male-dominated on the surface, with the women staying in the background with soil under their nails and sticky trimming fingers.  For whatever reason, when we hear about historical masters of ganga, we don’t often hear female names.  Whether enforced by more of the same Machiavellian misogyny or whether mere self-imposed preservation, some women stayed back there for a reason, finding the stigma too ominous.

Social conditioning has made me act a certain way because I am female.  If I think about the people I grew up with that smoked, 90% of them were male.  Most of the people I’ve purchased Cannabis from were male.  Many young women like me were comfortable buying a bit from a friend but would never muster up the courage to go to buddy herself.  I can only speak of my own conditioning but I doubt I’m the only woman who has hidden her use from friends, co-workers, or new love interests for fear of judgement.  I was once told by a boyfriend that he didn’t want to be in a relationship with a “pot-head”.  I’ve been trying to dig that one out of my grey matter for about a dozen years!

I believe that Cannabis stigma stings the female a bit harsher than the male.  It’s certainly stuck with me and is so deeply ingrained that even after 17 months of legality I still hide my vape or doob when I see a cop.  A change in laws is not going to remove this trepidation overnight.  If female Cannabis users weren’t comfortable being seen going into buddy’s house or car, are they really going to be seen buying the devil’s lettuce in a federally-run store or even worse, a pharmacy?

The answer may be in a recent online survey of British Columbians and their opinions on where recreational Cannabis should be sold.  A large proportion of females say they prefer the idea of buying from a Cannabis-only store which to me, speaks volumes.


At 43 I’m still stuck in being a good-girl and the good-girl doesn’t smoke.  I don’t doubt that a good solid part of this thorn in my side is due to that patriarchal societal belief that the female must act a certain way.  I still hide my doobies from people I fear will judge me.  In my area of the country, it was more acceptable for the boys to smoke the ganga than the girls.  The girls would get offered a puff but rarely learn how to roll their own.  I’m glad to know this wasn’t the case with everyone but for many, stigma and judgement promotes a certain reticence and modesty when it comes to our own personal choices.  I predict that the majority of users still inside their Cannabis closets are female.

The OCS’s stand-alone thing means you can’t even sneak in through an adjoining store!  

I can see why women would feel more comfortable shopping for their Cannabis in a Cannabis-only store.  I imagine the seniors would too!  But alas, I must remember that Cannabis Illegalization was never about making it easier for us to flex our personal rights was it?

Wednesday, 4 October 2017

Illogical Cannabis Pricing in Ontario

#Cannabis #Marijuana #Recreational #Pot #illicit 


The Government has come out with suggestive pricing for next year’s recreational Cannabis and it’s a choking display of idiocy to say the least.  Had there been a question on their legalization questionnaire about price, they might know that $10 a gram is basically full price in a market sector where the price scale has always been fluid.

By fluid I mean that almost all recreational Cannabis sold in Canada is priced to encourage you to buy more.  On most city streets the price starts at $10 per gram and that price goes down the more you buy.  My prediction is that the producers supplying the OCS with the Cannabis will only offer it in the increments currently offered and thus will have a 5 gram minimum.  

In my area of Canada an ounce of good quality Cannabis costs $200.  This is the quantity most consistent users purchase and it works out to $7.15 per gram.  In one foul swoop the OCS just priced themselves out of a large portion of their clientele.

Pricing a product above market value is not only shortsighted but in this case, it’s going to feed into an already existing marketplace of better priced product sold in smaller increments.  If you only have $10, you likely aren’t going to be able to buy legal Cannabis from the OCS so there goes another large portion of their clientele.

In fact, where price is concerned the OCS is sounding more like the Cannabis Boutique you’ll go to when you want to try something new or when you want to buy the perfect gag gift for that friend you’ve been saying should really smoke a doob!  But for the bread n’ butter pot smoker, for the cancer-sufferer making Phoenix Tears, or for the rest of the hard-working Canadians simply trying to catch an affordable buzz, there’s a good chance they’ll pass the OCS and just meet buddy after work the way they do now.  My buddy used to deliver!    

Every great regulatory program begins with a first bill.  This is it and it will evolve but this display of utter ignorance to the reality in Canada is a bit of a buzz-kill to be honest.  I really thought they were listening.  I guess we’ll need to yell louder!

Wednesday, 6 September 2017

The Grand Profitability of Cannabis


There's a woman in my city who is allegedly scripted forty-five grams of Cannabis a day.  Now, if this patient were fighting a serious ailment like Cancer and had to do so in a short period of time, I'd commend the Doctor who wrote it.  But it's not one script it's likely twelve to fifteen different scripts from that many different Doctors of eight to twelve grams each.  This is pretty easy to do actually, especially if you don't mind traveling or paying a few hundred bucks for one.  In Canada, the legal program is breaking new ground and saving lives and yet, there is absolutely no oversight from anyone of importance.

Licensed producers have been given free rein in so many ways.  Differing prices, different gram equivalencies, different carrier oils, different marketing swag, sign-up bonuses and welcome packages.  The gifts given upon registration to buy from one of Canada's licensed dealers is starting to feel like a toy in a happy meal.  The happiest meal you ever got!

Let me remind you, this is healthcare.  As a patient you can choose from now 44 different makers of your medicine.  None of it is paid for.  Some of it is discounted.  You can choose to pay $6 a gram or you can choose to pay $17.50 a gram.  Does price mean superior medicine?  And in that case, does financial disparity mean I must satisfy my need with medicine of lesser quality and efficacy?

Remember this is healthcare?

I don't even understand why they're given such freedom to decide such vital aspects of a medicine. It's as though Health Canada thought that passing the initial approval process was some indication that they were ready to provide medicine to all of Canada on a consistent basis with best practices and ethical standards.  Could any of them grow a cactus?  These corporations basically have a captive audience too.  They are fishing in a barrel as they say.  A barrel that coincidentally keeps getting smaller as more and more dispensaries are raided. Seniors are scraping by just so they can try a Cannabis oil that's mandated to be less than 3% active ingredient per milliliter.  From a business standpoint, these corporations should have to pay higher taxes because the customers are basically gifted to them by this outdated federal law.

And yet still every day new patients wait by the phone hoping to be booked for an assessment.  The appointment a new patient should have could be taken up by someone like the woman I mentioned above and no one would be the wiser.  At what point would OHIP start questioning numerous visits to legalizing clinics?  Is it like credit where your rating falters the more attempts to get legal you make?

The average monthly prescription is one gram per day for new users and depending on which producer you buy from and which ingestion method you choose, you could be looking at a range of about $150 - $525 per month for dried bud and about $175-$750 per month for oil.  So much profit on the prescription.  It's so counter to what the plant is really about.

The ACMPR is a beautifully crafted cyclically profitable entity that by now is helping to build revenue for businesses big, small, new, and old.  From greenhouse to packaging to shipping to swag this new program is a business dream.  So many players profiting from medicine.  So many patients now hooked on good health!

Hooked ... like fish in a barrel.


Sunday, 13 August 2017

BEER HERE but Please Drink Responsibly!!


I work in an office building sandwiched between the beer store and the liquor store.  I start at 10 am and so almost everyday I say good morning to the man sitting on his walker guzzling the largest can of beer he could buy.  I see the same people walking into the beer store with their empties and walking out again with them full.  I watch as pedestrians walk under the building I sit in, to drink the cans they buy next door.  Last week I watched as a father and son bonded while loading cases of empties into the cart to take in for the refund.  Working and living in this area positions me to see the desperation that exists around alcohol and my fellow Canadians.  The number of individuals I've passed counting change to use for booze is now too great to remember.  Sadly it's becoming normal for me to walk past this on my walk to and from work.

Whether due to brain receptors, societal conditioning, or merely due to its effects, alcohol is one of our most popular recreational substances.  Unfortunately though, alcohol is poison and if you were to take a cotton swab drenched in vodka and rub it on your neck every day for mere weeks, you'd feel what I mean.  Alcohol burns the uppermost layer of your skin upon contact.  Imagine what it's doing to our insides.

And I'm no prude nor am I sober.  In fact, about two weeks ago my work stress was elevated so I bought myself some vodka.  I've been having a little nip almost every night since then.  It dulls the thoughts and now, fourteen days later I almost crave a drink by the time I clock out of work.  Another thing I've noticed is that my tolerance is rising very quickly whereby two wee drinky-poos used to do it for me, I now need three.  Will I need four next week?  Is this the beginning of something for me? Am I drinking responsibly!?

Upon walking home today from downtown, I found myself choked by the rising number of points of sale for alcohol on the main drag.  More wine stores OPEN LATE!  More bars, more craft breweries with whopping alcohol percentages that should really come with a warning.  I often wonder if tending bar at a craft brewery requires different training since the beer you're serving can oftentimes boast twice as much alcohol as other beers.

But let's protect the children.  Oh the children and their growing minds!  I'll never understand how big Tobacco can sit back after having so many marketing restrictions placed on their poison to watch big Alcohol be allowed to sell and thus advertise WHERE THE KIDS ARE!  Have you checked out the beer aisle at Lobl@ws lately?  That is some clear and fog-resistant glass eh?  Sheesh, if only the frozen vegetable aisle could have the same expensive displays!  I wonder how many empty beer cans the staff of these grocery stores find.  I wonder how many school kids can be heard talking about sampling Dad's beer.

Why are we allowing select grocery stores to advertise that they sell BEER HERE?!  Does it matter that a fresh study published last week in JAMA Psychiatry concluded that the drinking habits in the U.S. amount to a public health crisis?  As for Canada, according to this report from 2015, Alcohol is the top risk factor for disease among Canadians aged 15 to 49.  So we're making it more accessible?
Last month Apple Ciders were added to the shelves of those select grocery stores in Ontario because popularity demands it.  We know that stress increases consumption, so as life gets stressful Canadians get thirsty.

Of course, in many ways it's fine that they market to us, warn us of the dangers, and allow us to decide.  But for me, reading "Please Drink Responsibly" signs affixed beside the Caramel-flavoured vodka feel somewhat disingenuous.  Honestly, the Cream Soda bevvie I tried last week was made so that I couldn't even taste the 5% alcohol it contained.  A kid could guzzle a dozen of those in no time.



Like I said above, I'm no prohibitionist but I am wise to the powers of many drugs, especially alcohol. It seems to many that Canada is dragging its feet on legalizing Cannabis, the safer option to alcohol. They're still not sure if we too can have Cannabis stores that are allowed to be OPEN LATE like the wine stores are with signs that say CANNABIS HERE!  Like alcohol, they could  warn us of the dangers, but allow growers to market to us and let us decide about Cannabis too.

In 2017 with a balanced Parliament, we should surely see the dangerous hypocrisy here.  As an aunt of a 14 year old, how recreational substances are marketed to my niece is of concern to me.  Rampant marketing, rising alcohol levels, and better access is not good for Canadian society and yet regulation for booze is getting more lax.  It's high-time we were real about Cannabis too.



Sunday, 25 June 2017

The Monetization of Cannabis in Canada

***this post was published here on Cannabis Life Network.


Canada has a single-payer healthcare system yet every step of getting legal to use medicinal Cannabis is monetized in some way.  From the first step of referral to the last click of purchase, you'll pay in some way.

If you get a written diagnosis from your Doctor, you'll likely have to pay for it.  If you want to buy a copy of your file, you'll pay for that too.  That one stings more since the bigger the file, the bigger the fee and you have no control over how many notes your Doctor made in said file.

If you go to some legalizing clinics in any Canadian city you'll pay to be assessed by a Doctor.  My buddy just paid $139 to Medi-Green simply to be added to the client roster.  When the clinic registers him to a licensed producer, they'll likely get some kick-back to say thanks.

If you wanted to use your medicine safely by vaporizing, your Doctor can write a letter of recommendation asking for health insurances to cover the cost, and you'll likely pay for that letter.

Once you've jumped through the hoops to be legal you'll begin paying to pay for your medicine. You can pay by credit, debit, or e-transfer --none of which is free!  You'll pay for it to be delivered and you'll pay tax on it too.

Canada has a single-payer healthcare system but you wouldn't know it.

And I'm sure if you asked our brave and balanced Parliament how the legal medical Cannabis program was doing, they'd say it was a great success.  But I ask you, how can it be a success when our own Health Ministry doesn't recognize it as medicine?

Many people believe that the medical program is nothing but a Trojan Horse for recreational.  As someone who believes all use is medicinal, I sit on the fence with this one but as I see producers, financial gurus, and dabblers in the stock market drooling at the potential money to be made, I can definitely see their point.

I mean, let's be real for a moment here:  Snoop isn't medicinal nor are the Trailer Park Boys.  Yet they are now the faces of two common producers of this medicine.  Can you imagine if Merck used a celebrity to market for them?  Wait, I guess they do but it's done as though the celebrity is a patient successfully being treated with that medication.  As much as Bubbles could Ricky could likely use a daily shot of CBD, it's never been implied that they are medical patients.

But of course we're all to believe that Health Canada's "no marketing" rules surrounding all of the legal producers is being followed and respected.  I made notes for this article with a pen from CannTrust and my breath and lips are currently smooth and fresh thanks to mints and chap stick from Emblem.  So the swag from the LIFT convention isn't marketing?  Right.

What they don't see is that the simple fact that these producers get to price their medicine however they wish, is clearly marketing.  Bedrocan's $5 grams was a brilliant marketing achievement as is MedReleaf's 'Rex' at $17.50 per gram.  Both price schemes play into different mindsets to profit an industry pretending to be medical until recreational begins.

Oh my bum gets sore from sitting on this fence.  I'm so happy to be a part of this program and for me, getting legal was an antidepressant in itself.  But we have to stop pretending that things are going well.  Patients can't afford this medicine yet nobody in a position of change knows this.  Or maybe they don't care.

It's the micro view vs the macro view.  How can you govern unless you see both?




Thursday, 15 June 2017

The DIN: A Dangerous Safety Net


***This article was published here on Cannabis Life Network.

I work at a Cannabis Clinic that follows all of the rules.  Our Doctors get paid through OHIP to assess patients only after copious amounts of supporting documents are received.  Heck, sometimes I think we ask for more just to ask for more!

This is because our Doctors are also overly scrutinized by the CPSO.  Capping THC and limiting grams per day keeps them on their toes and ever aware that they're risking their license to help strangers use a plant.

A friend has been going through a stressful time at work.  Depression is ever close at hand in times like these so he went to his Doctor for help.  His Doctor couldn't see him so another stepped in. She gave him Clonazepam for immediate effect.

Immediate effect or immediate addiction?

What's more curious is this friend hadn't been to the Doctor this one replaced in 25 years.  There was no relevant medical history, no supporting documents to prove diagnosis or need for medication at all and she gave him one of the most addictive, sedative, and damaging meds created.  Zombie-pills.

If this guy came to my Cannabis Clinic, he would never have been booked for an assessment.  We'd make a file for him and we'd send requests for information to his Doctor, but no visits means no treatment notes, no medical history at all.  To be prescribed medical Cannabis you need relevant medical history and a clear diagnosis even though by toxicity it's safer than water.

What's the difference between Clonazepam and Cannabis?  A drug identification number or DIN.

The DIN is the medical industry's way of identifying drugs.  To get a DIN, the drug has to go through rigorous testing and studies so that its effects, side effects, and contraindications are known.  So knowing how addictive it is didn't deter this Doctor from prescribing it to my friend?  Why is that? Because with that DIN all she has to say is that the patient needed an anxiolytic.  The DIN protects the Doctor and the Pharmacist goes over risks and contraindications.  Easy-peasy.

The DIN is a dangerous safety net that allows too many of us to be harmed and addicted to meds that do no good.

Cannabis on the other hand doesn't have a DIN and if you talk to most Doctors outside of the Cannabis industry, they'll tell you there are no studies.  Absolute nonsense.  Humanity has been doing a Cannabis study for the past 5000 years.  And guess what?  By toxicity, Cannabis is the safest medication known to man.

Then why the fiery hoops?  Why do the Cannabis-curious have to prove diagnosis, list past meds, and give a urine sample to be given permission to try this uber safe plant while my friend got a highly addictive benzodiazepine that is incredibly difficult to withdraw from?

When you're stressed and on the verge of the dark hole of depression, you're like a hungry Sunfish biting at any therapy thrown at you.  Who questions the white-coats?  We do every single day through search engines and family friends, online forums and support groups.  As a member of this pack I feel that we are obligated to warn our fellow human about medications like this, and share the good news about Cannabis.

Lastly, only we can change Canada and these archaic prescribing mindsets.  When Cannabis was mentioned my friend says the Doctor acted like she didn't hear him.  She could have prescribed him Cannabis and capped his THC at 10% recommending high CBD and 1:1 strains only.  But the evil you know is better than ... a plant that has never killed anyone I guess and it's because of that stupid DIN.

Write your MP and your MPP and demand respect, research, and better access for Cannabis-curious Canadians.





Saturday, 3 June 2017

Boots & Hearts with a Side of Cannabis?

Last weekend my foreverfriend Julie texted me by surprise saying that the song she had just listened to, made her think of me.  It was “Little Bones” by The Tragically Hip.  They’re our band, always have been. Heck, at age 18 Julie and I tried to sell fine art and gift ware listening to “Highway Girl” from their debut album, until the boss found out.  We’ve been rockin’ and rollin’ to the tunes of the Tragically Hip for as long as I can remember.

I grew up playing air guitar on the handlebars of my bike listening to lyrics that pulled at my heartstrings with their Canadian flavour.  I learned about my country through their lyrics province by province.  Early years of guitar riffs that played to my anger at our ineffective “Trickle Down” system;  then soon after riffs that played soft like the sway of Wheat Kings".  Leaf lovers, those living where the great plains begin, communities like Bobcaygeon, The Hip put these places on the map.  We thank them for it.

A little over a year ago, time stopped for many as the news told us about lead singer Gord Downie’s cancer diagnosis.  I immediately tweeted for him to research whole plant Cannabis oil.  I know my friends did too.  I wonder now if those messages and the obvious outpouring of support for the use of this safe plant in his treatment, pushed the Hip to make this most recent announcement.



The Tragically Hip are partnering with Newstrike, a soon to be public producer of Medicinal Cannabis.  I worked at Canadian Cannabis Clinics counselling new patients on the safe use of this plant in the same city that half of the band still live, so I feel a newfound connection to them.  These are individuals that anchor pride in the hearts of thousands of Canadians living in Kingston and the surrounding area.  I can’t help but feel hopeful that this venture will further breakdown the stigmatic barriers that keep locals from coming to our clinic for help.

As last summer’s farewell concert proved, these guys are more than they think they are.  Humans all over the planet watched and wept and wailed like we were locked in the trunk of a car.  Kingston rocked that night.  The Prime Minister ate somebody’s poutine in front of Sir John’s A’s Pub!  Gord put him on the spot for our Indigenous people too.  Rob’s glossy hair swayed, Johnny pounded with purpose on the drums, Paul and Gord grinding out the guitar chords that every hand in the place played in time.  The night the Hip said goodbye, may have been the most poignant and endearing act they ever played, further solidifying them as true representation of great Canadian talent.

The future is green and Cannabis is at every angle you look.  It’s nice to see involvement with people that hold the same core values as many of us, however varied they be.  Cannabis is about health and with The Tragically Hip partnering with Newstrike, we know we’ll be hearing more from them. That’s something for Canada to look forward to.

Welcome to the industry guys!  Reach out anytime!!




Raise the Wage to $15, Raise the Quality of Life!



Perfect example for the need for the minimum wage raise:

A friend of a friend of a friend just posted about a friend needing
to rent an apartment in the range of $700-$800 a month.

Let's say you make minimum wage and you're lucky
enough to work 40 hours per week.

$11.40 x 160 hrs/mo = $1824

less 20% income tax = $1460 net income per month

$1460 - $800 rent = $660 left

If you were to go to get credit they would calculate your
total debt service ratio.

With $800 rent and only rent, your TDSR is 44%

No credit for you!
No progress for you!
No car for you, no trips for you, no hotel stays for you!
No purchase between paychecks, no extras, no booze,
no chippies, no dime bags, nothing.

If you made more you could spend more.

But you can't even get credit so you simply can't spend more.

Dear business owners, we can't wait to spend more when
we make more.

Doesn't this excite you??

It really should excite you.

Saturday, 20 May 2017

Stone City Gardens~ Dear Local Minds in Regulation


This post is to my local members of change:

MP Mark Gerretsen
MPP Sophie Kiwala
Mayor Bryan Paterson
About Kingston
Visit Kingston Soon!

I believe in putting my desires out into the universe to help them come to fruition.  So, in light of this I'd like to announce that with your help, I will have a storefront just down the street from each of you. My storefront could be beside our beloved and ever-growing Stone City Ales.  To match marketing I might call it "Stone City Gardens".

Like SCA, I too will 'produce' my commodity in the rear area of my location.  My commodity, like SCA's is rich and ripe with its own historic culture and pride.  With our Government's plans to legalize my commodity, tax-paying citizens like myself are going to start coming out of their prohibition-imposed Cannabis closets.  No more Canadians should feel the need to hide in closets!!  :-)

How many Kingstonians are illegal medicinal Cannabis users?  How many simply ingest Cannabis in place of wine or beer?  Where are they buying their product?  Is it safe to ingest?  Has it been grown without pesticides?  There is currently nothing in place to protect these people who are soon to shed their criminal skin.  Surely you can see that storefronts are necessary now if not next Spring!

While the SCA crew produce incredibly tasty craft beer ~ try the Green Goddess! ~ I will produce medical grade Cannabis and legal Cannabis derivatives in all forms.  I will offer classes and guidance to all who wish to medicate with this safe plant and this will help with Ontario's push to "denormalize smoking".  The real magic with Cannabis is happening when we eat it;  not when we smoke it.  Heck, my storefront will offer pick-your-own leaves for juicing or eating!

Who else will supply my location?  SCA offer wines and beers from other local craft businesses. What pride they must feel!  Will I be allowed to feel this pride too?  Kingston is full of green-thumbed gardening geniuses who could help supply my store.  Kingston Organics & Hydroponics is ready to supply them, local security companies are ready to secure them, all we really need is a testing facility. Kingston's Queen's University Chemical Engineering Department could break new ground by creating testing facilities that could be adopted by municipalities province and nationwide.


Stone City Ales production area >



< Stone City Gardens production area
By day I work up the street from you counseling new patients in the safe use of legal medicinal Cannabis.  My co-workers and I join the wee circle of local Cannabis educators.  Wee but growing rapidly by the way as at last count the City of Kingston now has seven locations to get legal.  My knowledge of safe ingestion methods for individual ailments is solid and growing daily as is my knowledge of the evolving legal status of this plant in Canada.  I'm perfect for the job since I'm already guiding locals at work and now weekly on CFRC Queen's Radio where I co-host "Medical Grade Canna Chat" on Thursday nights at 7pm with my counter-balance and friend MC Sinical.

We just need regulation.  There are other municipalities allowing storefronts right now.  Check out my buddy's storefront "Carter's Cannabis" in Huntsville.  They see the need for safe product and they see the benefit a successful retail outlet like a Cannabis dispensary can provide a city.

Dear local leaders, members of parliament, and Mayor Paterson, we have an airport to expand, homeless to house, and a bridge to build.   This city is changing, let's do this right!

We'll see how many times I can get this blog post shared on my social media!!

Thursday, 18 May 2017

Agreeing on Cannabis


For as long as they've been together, John and Linda have agreed to disagree on the topic of Cannabis. What Linda calls his dope;  John calls his medicine.  By now, the house wouldn't smell homey to even Linda without that faint whiff of herby skunk.

John will tell you that his blood runs green without the faintest hint of humour.  He's used Cannabis every single day since the age of 14.  At 60, he believes his body is a machine fueled by a well-oiled endocannabinoid system.  This machine has been through a lot and normal wear n' tear does not describe the damage his active life has left him with.  If he didn't smoke Cannabis he'd undoubtedly be one of the millions addicted to opioids for pain.  Thank God for Cannabis.

Linda's pain treatment has not been so successful.  She's been through the gamut of meds for pain and inflammation, never really finding relief.  Lyr!ca, Cympa!ta, so many pills.  The heating pad and a hot bath have been her comfort over the years, along with a glass of wine or two.  No matter how many times John has urged her she refuses to even try his medicine.

Last month after reading about the success others were having with Cannabis infused oil, John decided to try to smoke less but ingest his cannabinoids in other ways at every meal.  He'll tell you plain and simply that his life changed once he found The Magical Butter Machine.  The crazy thing is, Linda will tell you the same thing.

The MBM got a workout that first month with John making butter and baking edibles, making tinctures and making oils.  One night he took a cup of his freshly made Canna-Coconut oil and added some local Beeswax to it.  When it was cooled he decided to do something he never did before and offered to rub some cream on Linda's legs.  Her Fibromyalgea really made the back of her knees ache and stiffen after sitting for any length of time.  So John rubbed some on both of them, kissed Linda on the forehead as she sat reading her e-reader, and went to watch hockey downstairs.

Within twenty minutes Linda stood atop the stairs yelling down at John about how good her legs felt. She'd tried other creams but they usually warmed or cooled or numbed while this just took away the pain and stiffness.  She felt no pain but no numbness either.  Because Linda thought Cannabis was only ever smoked, it never occurred to her that the cream would be made with it until she saw John's grinning face climbing the stairs to kiss her.

"I made it in my magic machine." he said and he kissed her on the nose.

"And THAT'S what you rubbed on my legs?  Really?" squeaked Linda with a look of shock and awe on her face.  Had she been so wrong for this long?

The two made their way to the kitchen where John proudly handed Linda the little jar of light green cream and just said, "Where does it hurt my love?".

The rest as they say is history for John and Linda.  Sure, they still had pain and stiffness but now that they were ingesting their cannabinoids among healthy fats, their health is improving in ways they never imagined it would.  Biological annoyances that they once took as simply part of aging are a thing of the past now and they've even bonded over baking their edible medibles.

That plant ... she's just good for everything!




Wednesday, 17 May 2017

Goodbye $5 Grams


Today marks my one year anniversary of being a legal Cannabis patient.  I've been chasing the $5 dollar gram right from day one out a combination of need and a matter of principal.  I refuse to take part in the belief that a pricier gram is a more medicinal gram.  And I refuse to feed into the capitalistic machine that allows medicine to be profitable.  Believe you me, that $5 a gram is still making loads of profit!

My first producer was Bedrocan where I had "True Compassionate Pricing" and months of choosing from 6 different $5 grams. Today I would pay $8.50 with a compassionate price of $6.80 there.  Their selection dropped to 5 strains and half are usually only available in pre-ground or what they call "Granulated".

Next I jumped to MedReleaf where I once again had the choice of 2 different $5 grams.  Within months those began to waver in supply where I really only had the one to choose from.  It was like buying on the street all over again!  A few months later both of those $5 grams jumped to $6.50 without warning and remain that price today.

Next I hooked up with Organigram where I always paid between $5.25 and $6.50 per gram.  Today I couldn't buy a gram even with my compassionate pricing under $7.50.  Not that I would.  Although I thank them for taking care of that pesky appetite and weight problem I had.  Can't wait to see what happens with that class action law suit!

I ran for abcann when given the chance but could only ever afford their pre-ground for about $5.35 a gram and now I couldn't buy one gram under $8.50.  Once abcann started trading on the stock market, bye-bye went the $5 grams.

Finally I settled with Aurora and after kissing so many frogs I was so happy with them, still am!  I once again qualified for their compassionate pricing of $5 grams down from $8.  But this ended today and effective June 1st, all Aurora grams are $9 or $6 with discount.

Good bye $5 gram, we had a good run.

Part of the Health Canada regulations for Licensed Producers is a restriction on marketing and advertising.  But allowing them to make their own prices IS marketing and it leads patients to jump from one to the other searching desperately for the illusion of affordability.  How can you still allow any kind of self regulation in healthcare amid capitalism?  It defies logic that anything good will come of it.

So many things happen today actually.  I have my one-year performance review where I work.  I hope it comes with a raise, now that Aurora increased the price of my medicine by 20%, I'll surely need one!

I can see a glimmer of hope in the future for me though, since I patiently wait for Health Canada to approve my application to grow my own in my closet for under $1 a gram.  Honestly, feeling healthy shouldn't be this stressful or expensive.

Monday, 15 May 2017

Canna-Maple Candy



It’s Spring in Eastern Ontario, the season where Maple gives liquid love to mankind. Speaking of giving, a very generous friend gave my Daddy a jug of this golden nectar from trees around my home town.  My Daddy shared some with me and I knew I had to make candy.  The only decision was:  plain or medicated?  Medicated it is.


I believe we’ve only seen the tip of the iceberg when it comes to how many ways we can use the Cannabis plant.  One of the best ways for patients who have little to no appetite is in the form of candies and toffees.  The reason for this is simple; this method takes advantage of the multitude of tiny blood vessels under the tongue that lead right into the bloodstream. When we suck on candy or toffee, the cannabinoids can linger in the mouth and under the tongue for longer thus giving more time for mega absorption directly into your circulating blood.  Another benefit of sublingual administration is that it protects the precious compounds from coming into contact with other substances like digestive enzymes and stomach acid that can degrade them.


2 cups Maple Syrup (nectar of the Maple Goddess)
4 grams CBD-dominant Cannabis (decarboxylated)


When I write about my creations, I in no way believe it is the one and only way.  But I like to be versatile so I decided to decarb my bud differently this time.  Normally it goes into the oven but this time it went into my double boiler for 40 minutes on burner heat 4 to 5 with foil covering the top.  I stirred occasionally to ensure even heating.  We want all of those cannabinoids to vibrate and knock those acids off so they’ll fit into our cannabinoid receptors.

Next I simply took 2 cups of maple syrup and added that right to the decarbed bud in my double boiler. Stirring occasionally, I let that simmer on 4 or 5 for approximately 1 hour.
For me, the double boiler is a safety measure as I find it almost impossible to get liquids up higher than 215*F. When it comes to infusing cannabinoids into a solvent like Maple syrup, it’s more about time than temperature.  

Next, strain and transfer into another saucepan that will allow us to ramp up the heat to candy-town temps!  Once your canna-syrup reaches 240* to 250*F, pull it off the burner and let it cool approximately 10 minutes to about 175*F and start stirring.  I wanted this to be smooth and last a while in the mouth, so I only stirred it for 2-3 minutes and then poured that onto parchment paper.  Once hard, a smash to break up and voila!
In waste-not-want-not fashion, I also kept the syrup-soaked bud to be ingested over time. No cannabinoid left behind in my kitchen!  


This canna-maple candy has been wonderful in the mornings when I’m not ready to vape or smoke.  For the past year or so I’ve suffered from fairly extreme anxiety in the mornings before work.  Cannabidiol is an anxiolytic and calms my nerves without sedation.  The candies are wonderful with my morning coffee since the maple is still strong with only a hint of the herby flavour coming through at the end.  So if you’re looking for a new way to ingest your Cannabis, try making some medicated maple candy!

Friday, 12 May 2017

Medical Grade Canna Chat Radio Show: Pilot Episode



Over the past year or so I've been saying yes more often.  I've been tweeting and e-mailing, even buggin' the DJ's that work in the same building as I do, trying to get on the air!  Twitter got me on the Amherst Island Radio Show with my buddy Eric.  Email got me on "Free the People", winner of 2016 Best Hip Hop show on CFRC Queen's radio.  Give me time, those other DJ's will have me on their shows eventually!

The DJ and creator of "Free the People" is also a patient and that half hour show led into at least another half hour unrecorded after show.  Lemme tell ya, if this guy and I were in charge, shit would be fair and proper, and then some.  But alas, we have to start small and work our way up to running things.  So with that in mind I'd like to introduce the "Medical Grade Canna Chat" on CFRC
Queen's radio.

Click here to listen to the pilot episode aired Thursday May 11th 2017 at 7 pm < you'll have to add this date and time into the drop down menus in that link.

This is the episode that introduces Kaz and my back stories and what has led us to use Cannabis.
Looking forward to future shows we'll discuss:

Current affairs regarding Cannabis.
Medical Cannabis news.
Recent personal experience.

Topic suggestion?  We'd love to hear them!
Questions & comments?  Those too.

One show down ... so many more to go!

Wednesday, 19 April 2017

Molly's No-Bake PB Canna Bites


I pride myself on being a fairly waste-not-want-not person.  I like to reuse, regrow, repurpose, or redistribute any time I can.  After many months' batches of Cannabis oil, I had quite a collection of little balls of cheesecloth filled with oily plant material.  Each had a different shade based on leaf to bud content or time in the oven decarboxylating.  I decided to practice some alchemy.

Alchemy, noun:  "a medieval chemical science and speculative philosophy aiming to achieve the transmutation of the base metals into gold, the discovery of a universal cure for disease, and the discovery of a means of indefinitely prolonging life." ~Merriam Webster Dictionary

My pooch is gettin up there in years.  By the 7x dog to human conversion, Molly would be 70 years young.  She's spry for her age, likely because she's been on the herbal for about four years now. Aside from second-hand Cannabis smoke and the odd stem or nug she may eat off the floor in the smoking room, we've been giving her Cannabis oil for several years now.

Thunderstorms and fireworks are Molly's kryptonite.  Oh, and the monthly fire alarm test.  She would sit vibrating for hours sometimes.  But now, she immediately goes and stands by the cabinet where I keep the oil and waits to be given her dose.  If I don't see her, she'll stomp in place tapping with her nails til I look.  Within 20 minutes, she's grabbing her ball to play.

Cannabis improves Molly's quality of life.

I decided to take the left over and now oil soaked Cannabis mashes and mix them with some turmeric for its incredible anti-inflammatory powers and peanut butter to please the patient.  In my trusty double boiler I added all ingredients with some added coconut oil to manage consistency.

1+ cup Cannabis mash                                                                                          
2 tsp Turmeric
2 Tbsp Creamy Peanut Butter

Mix together well and heat on low until desired consistency, that being like thick gravy.  Coconut oil hardens at room temperature and these will be stored in the fridge.  Pour out into a baking pan or tupperware dish and store overnight in fridge.  Portion accordingly starting with very small pieces until you know the effects.

I don't imagine there is much THC in the mash but there are other compounds that sedate like Cannabinol or CBN.  This cannabinoid is actually the result of age and oxidization of THC.  So there are times and for some conditions where the older, dryer, and shakier the product you're using, the better.  The research is still out as to how long you'd have to leave your buds to oxidize before conversion takes place.  Add that to the list of needed studies.  People suffer needlessly daily due to sleep problems and insomnia.  Cannabis can help.

***This article and the products referred to herein, is Molly approved.




Wednesday, 12 April 2017

Cannabidiol: Nature's Anti-Anxiety


A dog barks three blocks away and Sarah suddenly wakes.  Like bubbles rising slowly up the side of a glass of pop, her consciousness comes to.  Within seconds she remembers that tomorrow is a work day and the tsunami begins.  In a rush it starts below her stomach and up into her heart--it feels like it skips a beat.  She's now wide awake, feels like she's drowning, must breath purposefully and deeply. Soon begins the nausea and that dull, unwavering ache deep in her stomach, pushing on her lungs.

Sarah used to suffer badly and she still suffers, but at least now she's found something that will help her in the moment, whichever moment it happens to be.  The pills they prescribe for anxiety are oftentimes overly sedative and addictive.  And one wonders, how can one medication treat all of the many opposing symptoms that come along with an anxiety diagnosis?

As Sarah learned very quickly through this investigation into medicinal Cannabis, the Canna she uses to treat the anxiety she feels at 3 am is not the same Canna she should use to treat her anxiety at 8 am. Sarah's early early morning anxiety requires Tetrahydrocannabidiol to put her thoughts to bed.  While her before work anxiety requires Cannabidiol or CBD only because CBD is an anxiolytic, meaning it treats anxiety.




For we anxiety sufferers, this revelation of separating these two medicinal compounds for certain situations was life altering.  And for many of us, the process is simply putting different Canna in the bowl, vape, doob, or drop of oil.  No big deal!

And of course, it's not quite this simple either.  I mean, all of the magic in the Cannabis plant is not only due to these two cannabinoids.  There's a whole supporting cast, a whole team of back up singers, a band of brass or woodwinds.  And, those two cannabinoids do behave differently when in the company of different ratios of these oftentimes silent partners in the healing.  Most mornings, Sarah chooses a CBD only sativa dominant strain or the Oil made thereof.  The terpenes and other cannabinoids in a sativa helps to wake her up and begin to think about things other than barfing. While at 3 am she'll choose an indica dominant strain to sedate the body and induce sleep.

The Canna-World is evolving so quickly and mad-scientist/ tree-huggers are seed-breeding their little hearts out creating new ratios of indica/sativa dominance in the Cannabis you can buy.  In doing this, they're almost custom making medicine hand-in-hand with Mother Nature.  Now, that's a team I'd like to be on!

Tuesday, 11 April 2017

The Farmer's Eye Fattens the Cow & the Crop


I work in a clinic that assesses patients for medical cannabis.  Our doctors also respect your right to grow.  The gardeners are coming out of the woodwork to partake in some horticultural therapy.  A patient was given a grow script a few weeks ago and in conversation about growing asked me how a person avoids getting mold, mildew, or spider mites.  I told her plainly from my own limited experience but also the knowledge I'd been given by friends and articles I've read that you can keep any botanical ailment at bay with careful daily inspection.  

I grew up in rural Farmerville Ontario with horses, so I learned a lot about animal husbandry.  At some point in time I was told an old adage that is more like a way of life than a mere saying:

"The farmer's eye fattens the cow."

The best farmers spend time with their animals getting to know each one.  These are humans who see farming as a partnership not a master-dominant industry.  And just like cattle, ensuring your green Goddesses are healthy requires among others, two major things:  time and your attention.

This is one of the main reasons why I herald the new home cultivation rules of the ACMPR.  Not only is growing therapy for the grower, but it saves us money too.   Some are worried that the average Canadian can't grow this plant safely but growing 5 to 20 plants is much different than growing enough plants to fill a factory! Careful daily inspection is a bit harder to perform when you're talking about 100's of plants.  And outside in the sterilizing rays of the ultra violet Sun mold is not the same problem that it is inside a factory.  The Sun kills the harmful microorganisms while it gives power and vigor to others that feed on them!  Any time we can take the strain off of the legal producer program, it's a good thing.  And growing your own leaves you with so many more usable parts of the plant!  From leaf to root there's medicine.

Growing can also be purely selfish and that's okay too.  Great effort must have some reward or it would never be repeated.  There is therapy in sharing energy with a plant such as Cannabis.  It grows like it's its job!  Each cycle growers revel in the sheer speed of growth seen by many strains out there. Others treat gardening like a courtship, getting to know each plant's evolving personal watering preferences.  Weeks later they harvest and repeat the whole thing over again.  It reminds me of the construction and then the destruction ritual of the Tibetan Sand Mandalas.



There is ritual in that cycle of life however bounteous the harvest.  The time a Cannabis grower invests in his or her crop can often be immeasurable though.  But the benefits of the time spent can be therapy that evens it all out in the end.  One gardening rule stays:  the closer the attention, the better the outcome.

Monday, 3 April 2017

Licensed Producers In the Best Position to Push For Insurance Coverage


Millions of Canadians are prescribed medications that are paid for by insurance coverage.  For many of them, this coverage is what allows them to take the prescriptions their doctors prescribe, as they simply couldn’t afford them otherwise.  Coverage encourages prescription compliance, and the studies are there to prove it.

In 2012, CMAJ published an article that researched the effect of cost on adherence to prescription medications in Canada.  They found that approximately 1 in 10 Canadians report cost as being a reason they don’t fill their prescriptions.  When they considered respondents with insurance coverage, their findings were clear, “After multivariate adjustment, we found that lacking insurance for prescription drugs was associated with a more than fourfold increase in the odds of cost-related nonadherence.”  There are even statistics that show a direct correlation between co-pay fees and adherence.  The lower the co-pay, the more likely that prescription will get filled.

As more and more retirees show interest in cannabinoid therapy, they’re faced with the shocking truth that switching from pharmaceuticals to Cannabis means a few hundred dollars out-of-pocket a month. That's a hard pill to swallow when you've had almost everything covered for years.  Cost is a definite roadblock for many who want to try Cannabinoid therapy.  Not so single-payer after all eh?

Statistics from 2012 state that 2.3 million working-age Canadians were on disability, a quarter of which were considered severe.  Cannabinoid therapy works very well for many severe disabilities like chronic pain, Fibromyalgia, MS, some cancers even.  So as it stands today, if any of these income-limited citizens wants to try cannabinoid therapy they have to pay for it out of their disability payments.  Many juggle food and medicine each month, rationing everything at all times.  This undoubtedly affects country-wide healthcare costs.  As long as Health Canada refuses to consider medical cannabis a medicine, both patients on disability and patients with insurance coverage will have to pay out of pocket for their cannabis.

Insurers say they cannot cover our medical marijuana prescriptions because Cannabis has no drug identification number (DIN).  And, at least by the standards Western medicine has set thus far, they’re right.  Is this one little acronym going to keep safer medicine out of the hands of Canadians?

Upon further inspection I learn that the DIN has much less to do with how the drug affects you, and much more to do with tracking, categorizing, and marketing.  The number itself is computer generated and upon search, will tell you everything from the manufacturer to the mode of administration.  But since a DIN is granted only after testing is done, the DIN in effect, ensures that the product has undergone sufficient testing. You see the problem.  No one wants to pay for studies on something that they’re not going to reverse engineer.  And as far as the Supreme Court of Canada has ruled, we have the right to use this plant however we see fit (aside from using organic solvents).

Pharmaceutical companies spend millions proving the safety, efficacy, and detriment of the chemical concoctions they sell.  But with successful medicines, these companies reap the rewards.  If most LP’s deem themselves a part of this industry, shouldn’t we expect the same from them?  It must be choking for some pharmaceutical companies who only sell pills, to see certain LP’s posting profits, hiring celebrities, buying mobile units, and trading on the stock market for selling something that they spent no funds to prove or create.  Who else would we expect should pave the way to not only societal acceptance through studies, but to attain insurance coverage for their patients?

We seem to be at a standstill in Canada where studies are concerned.  So many are done on animals not humans.  So many are done in other countries, where standards differ from our own.  But who better to perform these crucial human studies than the ones who have all the plant product!  They’re literally growing more every day!  And as time flies by, some of these LP’s are even opening storefronts where information and assistance can be attained.  Those outlets would be a great place for data recovery and study product distribution.  Sort of like study headquarters for participants to report to.  All under the strict guidelines that the ACMPR demands of the Licensed Producers.

From a Licensed Producer’s viewpoint, I want you to adhere to your doctor’s authorization, and have a recurring monthly order with me.  But from a patient perspective who sees the prices LP’s charge, I can tell you that isn’t likely to happen every month.  ACMPR patients supplement their medicine by buying elsewhere, meaning the LP’s are missing out on revenue.  Putting in the time, resources, and might that is required to legitimize this medicine to the point of insurance coverage is good for their bottom line.  Insurance coverage encourages compliance, and Cannabis compliance may just have more to do with convenience than with price or quality.

Like Pharmaceutical companies, Licensed Producers just want the bill paid.  If a DIN or the equivalent thereof is required for that to occur, it just seems logical that the Licensed Producers themselves be the ones to foot that bill.  I foresee a CDIN (Cannabinoid Drug Identification Number) perhaps grouped by ailment identifying ranges of cannabinoids and terpenes found therein.  Or one umbrella DIN to cover the whole team.

In the end I believe that this DIN argument is simply a foot-dragging attempt to delay progress.  Someone is profiting, so why change the status quo?  Because the status quo isn’t benefiting the average Canadian.  When we adhere to our prescriptions, the country’s health care costs go down.  We need to demand coverage for all insured and all those on social assistance.  We know what needs to be done.


Thursday, 30 March 2017

DIY Cannabis Skin Cream~ Enemy to Skin Infammation


The numbing power of THC has been a part of my skin care arsenal for a few years now.  It's incredible how quickly this cream relieves the sting of painful cuts and the ache of sore muscles.  For many of us our emotions are linked to the health of our skin.  Stress or emotional experiences can bring on irritating rashes that itch and all it takes is one minuscule tear in the skin's epidermis for infection to occur.

This happened to a woman I know.  Her rash always erupts on her 'decolletage' or chest/neckline. It's a good thing frilly scarves are in style right now.  Within days she had itched so much while she slept that she was red, sore, itchy, and bumpy from throat to nipple.

People who've worked with me can attest I'm one to whip out my own homemade meds.  In this case, I had some homemade Cannabis oil made with a high CBD strain in coconut oil that I told her to use over the weekend.

On Monday she reported that the oil didn't help the rash, though it made her skin soft.  So I decided to do an experiment.  That night I made a small batch of Coconut Cannabis oil with a moderate 16% THC Cannabis strain, and gave a small jar to the same woman.  After straining, I added a small chunk of Beeswax to make it a nice creamy consistency.  I'll add a nice aromatic oil of lavender or rose to future creams but didn't have any on hand at the time.



Within moments of applying this cream, my friend sat in awe of the total lack of irritation she felt. The Beeswax made it stay in place and kept it from rubbing off on her shirt.  She applied it several more times over the next day and was almost completely healed within three days.

What's even more encouraging is the fact that the texture of her decolletage, that ultra-feminine part of the female physique was now smoother, softer, and younger-looking than before.  This irritation had created a dry, almost scaley film on her skin that was nowhere to be seen or felt now.  Not only did the cannabinoids ease and heal her inflammation, but the idea that the cells themselves may potentially be invigorated and made more youthful is exciting.

If you're like the thousands of people who suffer from rashes, psoriasis, eczema and other skin issues, you should make a small batch of this cream.  The results are truly amazing and yet not surprising since cannabinoids are showing in studies to kill antibiotic resistant infections like MRSA.  Soon, Dr. Mechoulam and his awesome Israeli research team will prove that there are cannabinoid receptors in the skin as well as the gut, organs, brain, and bones.  More and more I see that our body craves cannabinoids.  This plant just does a body good!

Cannabis Oil today ... Cannabis Skin Care lines tomorow!  I say make your own :-)

Saturday, 25 March 2017

We Have the Power to Change the ACMPR



I work with the LPs daily & I used to work with the banks daily.
Like many of you, I criticize some and support others.

I also own technology made by manufacturer's who don't care about their employees or source for materials.  We all own material goods with parts made in factories that have no clue what employment standards are.

We wish it were different, but we accept it because we like having material goods and we believe
our voice has no power.

What is really blowing my mind lately is how so many of us can't see the legal Cannabis industry in the same way.  We have no problem yelling about that.    Keep it up!

But I believe that every industry has good & bad players.  Some deserve our respect while others deserve legal action.  To cloak them all as evil is incorrect in my opinion.

We humans are adaptable, opportunistic, and eager.  Some of us learn very quickly how to make money.  You can't really be surprised that the LPs are taking advantage of the absolutely chokingly lax regulations surrounding their operation!!

Don't harass the player, HARASS THOSE WHO MAKE THE RULES & REGULATIONS!!!

I love reading your rants and I love seeing your passions in print, on protest signs, in tweets, on forums.   Keep it up!!

But put pen to paper PLEASE and yell at your Members of Parliament!

They think the status quo is working!!  They believe that Canada's legal Cananbis program is efficient and doesn't require their attention.

When they see the many ways that this entire program is inefficient, unsustainable, and NOT about health, they'll pay more attention!

But right now, our members of Parliament think mail-order medicine is working.  They'll never know any different if we don't tell them.

Please write your MP & MPP and tell them how you feel about our legal Cannabis program.
Any contact is engagement, but remember ... hand-written is always better.

#OhCanada150

Canadian Member of Federal Parliament contact info.
Canadian Member of Provincial Parliament contact info.

Wednesday, 22 March 2017

Coconut Cannabis Alchemy~Apartment Style


**** the oil from this process was fairly weak.  If you have been ingesting Cannabis or oil made with it for a while, you may want to increase the amount of product used.  If you are a brand new user or are planning on feeding this to your pet, this recipe is a safe place to start.



Infusing Cannabis into a fat is a surprisingly straight forward process.  It involves two distinct steps that rely on strict heat control and timing.  There are a bazillion different methods and for small batches I've come up with this one.  Mainly, you need to set aside about 4 hours of your time and voila ... you just made your own medicine.

Cannabinoids bind to any fat, I prefer coconut oil.  I made some oil a few nights ago in my small apartment.  It yielded me about half a cup of medicine that I take sublingually (under the tongue).

I used:

2 grams Cannabis buds
1.5 grams Cannabis trim
1/2 cup Coconut oil

You will also need:

Heat-safe gloves/mits
A double boiler
medium sized mason jar
ceramic dish with lid
thermometer that goes over 200F
cheese cloth

The first process is called "decarboxylating" or "activating" your Cannabis:

To put it simply, in their natural form many of the medicinal cannabinoids in Cannabis are like jigsaw puzzle pieces that don't fit into our body's receptors.  Everything from sea sponges to humans have an endocannabinoid system~ a naturally-occurring system of receptors that accept this plant's compounds.  By burning or heating the Cannabis, you break off an excess piece of the jigsaw so now it easily fits.

For my fellow cooks, you're basically roasting here.  Pre-heat the oven to 290F.  While it heats, the Cannabis will exude an herby, almost onion-y scent.  Wrapping it in a little pouch of parchment paper definitely reduces the smell and also ensures even heating of the buds.

Break the buds apart with your fingers to cranberry sized pieces.  Many recipes tell you to grind, but there's a new train of thought suggesting that the cannabinoids leach out of the Cannabis more easily left intact than when ground into the organic material.  Halfway through the Coconut oil simmer, the buds easily mash up with pressure from a wooden spoon.


Place the parchment pouch inside a ceramic or glass baking dish with a lid (or foil in a pinch).
Roast for 30 minutes.


In the meantime, melt 1/2 cup Coconut oil in a mason jar.


Add your "activated" Cannabis.  At this point, I took the mason jar out of the
water and placed it into the ceramic dish so that if any buds fell too quickly,
they would be in that dish and easy to scoop out.


Halfway through, remove the oil from the double boiler and gently mash the
buds around to allow for effective leaching.


Simmer for 3 hours being careful that water doesn't boil dry underneath (kept
at #5 on my stove-top burner.)
Use a thermometer and ensure that the oil doesn't go above 220F.
The double boiler is a control measure as it's difficult to get the oil above 210F
or so.  At this point, the Cannabinoids need more time than heat to leach out into
the fat.

Strain when oil is cool enough to ring out with hands.
I always keep the bud in a waste-not-want-not fashion.  I usually add it to
my next batch.  It keeps for a long time in your fridge in a baggie.


And ... voila!  All you need now is a dropper/syringe measuring ml's.
Start low and go slow.  Dose on a full or partially full stomach.
Start by taking .25 ml held under the tongue and held for 30 seconds, then swallowed.
Wait 2 hours and judge how you feel.  Wait 4-6 hours before re-dosing at this point.

You can start increasing often when needed by .05 intervals until you reach the
proper dose.  This could take several days.  Go slow!  Each of us must find that
sweet spot.  If you cannot stand the taste,  gelatin caplets can be purchased online
or at any health food store.