Grow Journal - Day 42 of Flower!

We're at day 42..in three more weeks, they should all be about done. Then the rest of the work begins with trimming, hanging, drying and processing everything into meds. The last thing anyone really needs is for Big Pharma to get involved in cannabis but it's clear that they ultimately will. Legalization will happen throughout the country when they are ready for it, and not a moment before. That's why our government has various patents on cannabis compounds. It's never about what's best or what's honest, or what's respectful. It's never about people..only profits. Now they see that legalization is happening in the states, whether medical or otherwise, they're jumping on the bandwagon. But here's the deal, we're all on to them. We've sat by, watching our friends go to prison, while they continue to lie and ruin lives with draconian laws based on profit motive instead of science. We've sat by, watching patients who follow state law to the letter be tried and convicted of doing just that. And the fact that they're patients who are following state law isn't admitted into court, so the jury may not have all the facts before them when deciding the case. 

We become patients because we either don't like the drugs our doctors give us, or we've run out of options. That's what happened in my case. I ran out of options. So I decided to become a patient and see if cannabis could help me. And it did. It did everything the drugs weren't doing. I don't blame any of my doctors..they're only doing what they're trained to do. Few think outside the box because too much is at risk. Now that the DEA is contacting doctors in one state and threatening their DEA license if they have anything to do with legal medical cannabis, maybe we've reached a breaking point. The House has passed a bill that prevents the DEA from involvement with cannabis states as long as state law is being followed. The Senate will no doubt do the same because they're tired of the DEA's antics as well. Doing at least that would take the pressure off. Maybe then we can continue the conversation that began with Sanjay Gupta's and others' documentaries. We not only CAN talk about cannabis..we MUST talk about cannabis. The truth is coming out. Better to get in front of it than to be left behind in the dust.

Sorry for the rant..and here are the ladies!

9lb Hammer

9lb Hammer - day 42

9lb Hammer - day 35

Mickey Kush

Mickey Kush - day 42

Mickey Kush - day 35

Dr. Who

Dr. Who - day 35

Dr. Who - day 42

Honeymoon Mix

Honeymoon Mix - day 35

Honeymoon Mix - day 42

Cuvee'

Cuvee' - day 35

Cuvee' - day 42

Galactic Jack

Galactic Jack - day 35

Galactic Jack - day 42

The resin production is very noticeable now. Dominator XL LED lights are the reason for that as well as the addition of Sucanat in the water. I do have to say, though, Galactic Jack looks amazing. As always, the seeds are from TGA Genetics Subcool Seeds. Subcool and MizJill have created some really nice strains for patients. Their care and attention to detail is uncompromising. For folks like me, their devotion to this craft is beyond appreciated. I wouldn't be here without them.

~Blessed Be the Garden!

Get over it..Legalization is coming..

President Obama got conservative panties in a bunch when he said in an interview that cannabis isn't any more of a problem than alcohol. He also said in another interview that it was up to Congress to reschedule..that he couldn't do that on his own. He thinks that sentencing should be looked at given the racial disparity that exists. But he still believes the so-called science that states cannabis is a health issue and problem for the community. Needless to say, I respectfully disagree. 

Did he even watch Sanjay's show? What "science" is he referring to? I know there will be backlash, but it's not like he has to run for office anymore. People are serving long sentences for following their state medical cannabis laws to the letter. How is that fair? Any problems in the community are driven by draconian, unjust, and irresponsible cannabis laws. Just like the reforms needed for immigration, health care, women's safety, children's safety, gun violence, income inequality, we need cannabis and hemp reform. 

The government needs to be honest for once and stop lying about the safety and efficacy of this plant. Reschedule cannabis and then get out of the way of much needed research. Cannabis saves lives. Enough is enough. Parents are moving their families to medical cannabis states in order that their children live happy, healthy lives. Does the government want these precious babies to continue suffering when there is an answer to that suffering? Evidently so.

Legalization is coming. The revenues alone will push this along faster than you will ever believe possible. No one is listening anymore. The only smart approach to marijuana is to embrace legalization and the subsequent research it will produce. We don't need baby steps here. We don't need a Farm bill that doesn't let farmers grow industrial hemp. I'm sorry if that reduces your election coffers..that's the price you pay for deception and manipulation. We need the doors flung open wide..not the inevitable regulation that will follow. We've already seen how cities try to circumvent existing medical cannabis laws by disallowing dispensaries in states where they're legal. This needs to stop. Fix the banking rules, because the mountains of money retail outlets will earn will have to go somewhere. And don't overtax the new retail outlets in states that have already legalized. Give this a chance..you'll see that it can be a invaluable part of our economy.

Industrial hemp will save the earth. Cannabis makes everything a little better..and it sure seems to cure cancer. It gives life back to children with severe seizures. It balanced my runaway immune system, reduced the excruciating pain and constant inflammation I experience from rheumatoid arthritis, and I'm in clinical remission now. I still have RA, but the meds I take now actually work. Without cannabis, that's not possible. The list of chronic diseases that can be successfully treated with cannabis is endless. And cannabis should be the go-to treatment for PTSD in all forms.

Get over it..get on board..and if you can't do that, then get out of the way.. We're not going away, and we're going to keep talking about this until truth and sanity prevail.

Mr. President, patients need your help..

Dear President Obama,

It's me, your unabashedly supportive cannabis patient and adoring fan. And I mean that. I knew you'd be our president when you spoke at the 2004 Democratic National Convention. Seriously..my husband and I were watching the convention and you were the keynote speaker. As we listened to your speech, I got uncontrollably teary and I said to my husband, you know what? He's going to be our president one day. And as much as I love Hillary, I voted for you in Oregon's primary in 2008. My boys voted for you and my husband voted for you. It was the coolest feeling ever! I joined the Democratic Party then as well. I had always registered as non-partisan. I really couldn't take sides, even though my heart was always with the Democrats and what they stood for. At least, I couldn't until you came into view. You see, we share basically the same views on most everything. Everything except for cannabis, it seems. I say, it seems, because although you seem to not support legalization, you also seemed to support the medicinal use or at least you seemed to support state law. In any event, the Ogden memo was nice, and then proved to be something else.

US Attorneys like the one in California appear hell-bent on not respecting state law and, in turn, patients. DEA and other law enforcement agencies appear to look upon raids as a way to increase department funding. All at the expense of patients who are following their state laws and who simply want to get well. As legalization continues throughout the states, which it surely will, at some point, you guys are going to have to figure out how to reconcile federal laws with state laws. Or how about this? Take cannabis out of the federal drug registry completely, and let states decide from there. Unless of course you want to go ahead and legalize federally. That would be the simplest thing to do. That gets the federal government out of the way of states who want to legalize. Fix the IRS and banking laws that interfere as well. Then fire any US Attorney who doesn't comply and continues to harass everyone. That should apply to law enforcement as well, particularly those idiot cops who did the roadside cavity search in Texas.

And now for why you need to take a thoughtful and compassionate look at cannabis as medicine. There are amazing stories of healing out there..google them. This is what I went through and continue to go through. I've probably had Rheumatoid Arthritis for most of my life. It went undiagnosed until 2001. I was severe for almost twelve years. I have taken all kinds of meds for it, including methotrexate (5 years until it damaged my liver), sulfasalazine, Enbrel (7 years), Humira (the last 4 years), various anti-inflammatory drugs, and narcotics. I retained so much fluid in the beginning and over time that my weight increased dramatically. I was always waif-like, so this was really disturbing..excruciating pain and weight gain. None of my doctors believed the whole fluid retention thing..they told me to eat less and exercise more. I ate nothing and exercised when I could because frankly, I couldn't walk very well. The fatigue was similar to mononucleosis fatigue. For my doctors to not believe me was emotionally devastating. I knew I would tread water and never get better. So I did what they wanted and took the drugs. And every day I suffered beyond description. My feet were so swollen that wearing shoes, not to mention walking, was difficult. My energy would happen in short bursts, leaving me exhausted. By 1pm, I was done. Except that we owned a business and I couldn't be done. We put in 98 hour work weeks for the first six years of our business. I experienced excruciating pain 24/7. I don't know how I survived that.

In September 2009, a flare began that would last a little more than a year. Flares are awful because they're far more intense than what your daily pain level would be. They typically last for a short time..a day, or a week maybe. For this to go on month after month was ridiculous. Honestly, I didn't think I would live through this. Eventually it was going to take its toll. So, six months after the flare began, I decided to get my OMMP card. I submitted my medical records for review and received my appointment. You don't get one of those if you don't qualify, so I was encouraged. Upon receiving my card, I began growing. Or I should say, my husband began growing. I wasn't able to help at that point..existing was difficult enough. After the first harvest, I began processing my cannabis into tincture and capsules. I designed a treatment regime that I could track and began medicating. I also vaporized cannabis as well as used raw leaf in smoothies. Within 2 months, much of the fluid was gone (TYSVM!!) and I began looking like myself again. I had immediately stopped the narcotic I was taking when I started the treatment regime. I also began discontinuing the anti-inflammatory drug I was on. I couldn't believe that I was so much better so quickly. I had been researching everything I could find on the endocannabinoid system and I was convinced that properties in cannabis balanced that system and when that happens, health returns. And that's what happened with me. By the end of September 2010, my flare was over. My garden was almost ready for harvest, but I had been medicating during the summer with cannabis given to me by other patients so that stopped the flare. I just didn't have the concentrates yet that would give me the best results. But when I did, my health began to return. 

Mr. President, I know there are really important things that need to be addressed in our country. I understand the obstruction that's happening and I know people may think that cannabis is really not all that important in the broader scheme of things..but it actually is. Patients, growers, dispensary owners are all being targeted in states where they shouldn't be. People with cancer are using cannabis oil and curing their cancer! Children with severe epilepsy are living normal lives for the first time ever! We have a wonderful child here in Oregon, Mykayla Comstock, who is in remission from her cancer because of cannabis oil. We're all healing because of this plant.


Today, I'm healthier than I've ever been. I still have RA, but it no longer controls my life. It's a nuisance now, and that's doable. I'm still on a couple of RA drugs, but everything else is gone. Cannabis allowed me to do all of this. It balances the immune system, and so much more.


Cannabis is a safe and effective treatment for everything. It never should have been made illegal. Legalizing it would stop the arrests and incarceration of people who are doing nothing wrong. At the very least, resolve the conflict between federal and state laws so that states who have legalized as well as those that only have medicinal cannabis laws won't have the issues they currently face. That helps patients in the long run.


I sit here, tears streaming down my face, imploring you to take up our cause. It's emotional when we finally have something that actually heals us when nothing else has. We believe we're safe because we're following state law, only to discover we're not safe at all. Patients need your compassion, your thoughtfulness. We need you to stand with us and clear the way for our healing. We need you to listen to our stories and not view them with that dreaded "anecdotal" label that diminishes our experiences, relegating them to the proverbial dustbin. We need you to take us seriously.

Respectfully,


Jan