Tag: rick simpson oil

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Deschedule Now!

In 1970 the 91st US Congress enacted the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), which President Nixon signed into law. The CSA established a federal policy to regulate the manufacturing, distributing, importing/exporting, and use of regulated substances. All previous federal drug laws were combined, and the CSA allowed for federal enforcement of all controlled substances. The war on drugs began.

“The war on drugs is a war on people…
It’s a really sad state of affairs
When a human being’s freedom is treated as
Nothing more than an asset or liability.
Prisons are big business in this country.
The war on drugs is nothing more than a war on people
…It’s a bullshit war, It’s a war over money!” – Corporate Avenger


On October 6, 2022 President Biden announced the first three steps he was taking to end the failed federal approach of dealing with the plant. First he ordered a pardon of all prior Federal offenses of simple possession of marijuana. That pardon didn’t free a single federal Plant Prisoner, and was a limited time offer. Biden’s second step was urging all governors to also order the same pardon for their state plant prisoners convicted of simple possession. Governors were split on Biden’s call to pardon. For step three Biden asked the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Attorney General to initiate the administrative process to review expeditiously how marijuana is scheduled under federal law.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/10/06/statement-from-president-biden-on-marijuana-reform/

Recently the Department of Health and Human Services recommended to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), to whom power is delegated under the CSA by the Attorney General, that cannabis be rescheduled to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act. Apparently the recommendation was based on a scientific and medical review by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In 2016 the FDA denied a rescheduling petition and determined the medicinal plant was to remain schedule I on the CSA, as a highly addictive drug with no accepted medical use, despite in 2016 science and medical review didn’t support Cannabis’ continued schedule I placement. This all appears to be political theater to appease the now 59% of adults in the US who support legalization for medical and recreational use.

What would Cannabis rescheduled as schedule III look like? It would not federally legalize or decriminalize the plant. It would not set Jonathan Wall, Ismael Lira, Tameka Drummer, Frank Eppler, or any of the countless other federal and state Plant Prisoners free. It would not stop people from being arrested and prosecuted over the plant. Schedule III drugs are obtained through a prescription, and are generally not available over the counter.

Rescheduling would suddenly, magically make the plant considered by the eyes of the government to have low to moderate potential for abuse and/or addiction, while being less dangerous than the plant is considered now. Cannabis is currently schedule I, meaning it’s classified as having no accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse. A schedule III classification for Cannabis would give control over the manufacturing, distributing, importing/exporting, and use of Cannabis to the DEA.

The big question as of now seems to be will the Drug Enforcement Agency approve Cannabis as a schedule III substance? The Federal Code of Regulations has recently undergone some changes that signal the rescheduling of Cannabis to schedule III is the plan.

Title 21 Food and Drugs Part / Section
Chapter II Drug Enforcement Administration, Department of Justice 1300 – 1399
Part 1318 Controls to Satisfy the Requirements of the Act Applicable to the Manufacturing of Marihuana 1318.01 – 1318.07
§ 1318.01 Scope of this part.
§ 1318.02 Definitions.
§ 1318.03 Implementation of statutory requirements.
§ 1318.04 Specific control measures applicable to the bulk manufacture of marihuana.
§ 1318.05 Application of the public interest factors.
§ 1318.06 Factors affecting prices for the purchase and sale by the Administration of cannabis.
§ 1318.07 Non-liability of Drug Enforcement Administration.

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/chapter-II/part-1318?toc=1

The stage appears to be set for the implementation of Big Cannabis.
Marijuana is safer than alcohol, yet alcohol is not classified as a controlled substance on the CSA. Jared Allaway of safershirts.org , has been spreading the message of marijuana being safer than alcohol for years, by painting and mailing safer shirts around the world. When asked how he felt about the possibility of Cannabis becoming schedule III, Jared said “When trying to determine how to schedule Marijuana, one must consider that Marijuana is safer than alcohol.” For years many have been calling to treat Cannabis like alcohol in terms of legislation. While many activists disagreed with that call, in the case of the classification of Cannabis, the common ground now sure seems to be a call to completely remove Cannabis from the CSA, or descheduled. With alcohol not being a controlled substance, why should Cannabis be?

Cannabis prohibition has never been rooted in science, fact, nor the common good. The time is now to put a stop to this senseless prohibition of a medicinal plant that has helped countless lives. The fate of this plant is not solely in the hands of the DEA. There is something we can do. Call DEA headquarters 571-362-8487 and politely state “Cannabis should be completely removed from the CSA.” Getting those phones ringing off the hook to express the will of the people can and will make a difference. Use the hashtag #DescheduleCannabisNow on social media. Let’s get it trending and noticed. Never underestimate the power of a hashtag.

Cannabis Prohibition should not be an injustice passed down to yet another generation. Don’t give away your power by thinking you don’t have any. Stand in your power. Be courageous!

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This Organization Is Changing Lives In Idaho!

Idaho is among the last of the states still engaged in the racist policy of marijuana prohibition. All 6 states that border Idaho have some form of cannabis legalization or another. Idaho’s legislature is not representing the people on the issue of medical marijuana. Patients are left to suffer, or take serious risks by crossing state borders to obtain natural relief from various medical conditions.

The legislature is not on the same page as the people. More than two-thirds of adults in Idaho support medical marijuana legalization according to a recent poll commissioned by the Idaho Statesman. In 2021 Ilana Rubel, (D-Boise) along with Rep. Mike Kingsley, (R-Lewiston) had co-sponsored a bill to decriminalize medical cannabis, that failed to make it on the House floor for a vote.

In an interview with the Idaho Statesman, Ilana Rubel said she wouldn’t have been surprised if support for medical marijuana among the people (in Idaho) is actually higher. Rubel doesn’t think medical legalization is an Idaho problem, but rather a lawmaker problem. The legislators have shown their incompetence, so it’s going to take a citizens initiative to allow safe and legal access to a medicinal plant. Kind Idaho is on a mission to accomplish what the people’s representatives have failed to do. They aim to ensure Idahoan’s have safe and legal access to medical marijuana in their home state.

https://www.idahostatesman.com/news/politics-government/state-politics/article268261077.html#storylink=cpy

Kind Idaho has launched a citizens initiative titled The Idaho Medical Marijuana Act 2024. Signature collecting is well underway. To qualify this initiative for election, 74,000 signatures must be collected by April 14, 2024. Kind Idaho is a 501(c)(4) non profit organization leading this grassroots effort of Idaho natives and residents.

Kind Idaho

Qualifying conditions under The Idaho Medical Marijuana Act of 2024

Cancer, glaucoma, positive status for human immunodeficiency virus, acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), hepatitis C, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Crohn’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, post-traumatic stress disorder, inflammatory bowel disease, Huntington’s disease, Tourette syndrome;

Chronic or debilitating disease or medical condition or its treatment that produces cachexia or wasting syndrome, severe pain, chronic pain, severe nausea, seizures, including those characteristic of epilepsy, or severe and persistent muscle spasms, including those characteristic of multiple sclerosis;

Any terminal illness with life expectancy of less than twelve (12) months as determined by a licensed medical physician; and any other serious medical condition or its treatment can be added at a later date.

https://www.kindidaho.org/faq

The Kind Idaho team is Jackee Winters and Joseph Evans. Both are passionate about helping others while keeping in line with an honorable set of core values.

“People suffer in Idaho. That’s not a good thing. It’s time for Idaho to grow up. It’s not about getting high, it’s about giving grandma better quality of life.” Jackee Winters

“Patient advocacy is first and foremost in everything we do as Kind Idaho. Our focus is life, healing and kindness for those we care about.” Joseph Evans

How you can help Kind Idaho

• Idaho residents volunteer to collect signatures, share the message, and make your voice heard at events.

https://www.kindidaho.org/volunteer

• Make a tax deductible monetary donation to Kind Idaho. Donations contribute to the cost of printing petitions, gathering signatures, and raising awareness at events.

https://www.kindidaho.org/donate

• Share your story to help Kind Idaho show that what they are advocating for is a widespread need.

https://www.kindidaho.org/tell-us-your-story

•Help spread the word about Kind Idaho

•Follow Kind Idaho on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

https://m.facebook.com/kindidaho

https://instagram.com/kindidaho1?igshid=ZmRlMzRkMDU=

https://twitter.com/KindIdaho?s=20&t=-g_JxWJ6qkoVYLyFOEBSgQ

It is kind to help others. Cannabis Community, let’s come together and do what we can to help Kind Idaho help everyone in the state that would benefit from compassionate use of medical marijuana.

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Come On Man, Biden Really End Prohibition!

Early afternoon October 6, 2022 my usually quiet phone suddenly became very noisy. First came the news that President Biden is going to pardon all federal offenses of simple Marijuana possession. After the news spread a bit, I was asked over and over if Washington state Federal Plant Prisoner Lance Gloor was being freed. It didn’t feel good to have to deliver the news that neither Lance Gloor nor anyone else who is currently federally imprisoned for Cannabis would not be freed by Biden’s proclamation. The headlines that came out that day weren’t always clear, in fact they were really misleading! Many people are confused and do not understand what the Presidential proclamation really means, myself included. So as soon as I was able, I sought to find answers.

The US Department of Justice quickly had a page up on their website going over the proclamation Biden delivered to the country that day.  On October 6, 2022, President Biden issued a presidential proclamation that pardons federal convictions for simple marijuana possession offenses. The proclamation applies only to federal convictions, including D.C. Code offenses, and does not apply to convictions under state or  local law. 

https://www.justice.gov/pardon/presidential-proclamation-marijuana-possession

Biden’s proclamation will positively affect more than 6,500 people who were convicted on a federal misdemeanor ‘simple possession’ of marijuana charge, as well as those charged and convicted under Washington D.C. law. Amazingly, the proclamation has no effect on those convicted under state or local laws! Biden has encouraged state governors to follow his lead, but we will see if any actually do. Those who will receive a presidential pardon will have their social disabilities removed. They’ll be able to vote again, hold public office, sit on a jury, have an easier time obtaining licenses, bonding and gaining employment. A pardon signifies the president’s forgiveness. It is not an indication of innocence, and will not expunge the conviction. Eligible persons for a pardon should check the DOJ website for the pardon application. 

It is important to note that anyone charged and convicted for federal simple possession of the plant after October 6, 2022 will not be eligible for a pardon, would face up to 1 year of incarceration, and a fine of up to $1000 on a first offense. The President’s proclamation does nothing to help free Federal Plant Prisoners Lance Gloor, Donald Fuggitt, Luke Scarmazzo, Raquel Esquivel, Parker Coleman, Ferrell Scott, Pedro Moreno, Ismael Moreno, Daniel Longoria, Travis Longoria, Jose Cervantes, Gabriel Daniel Gomez, and countless others. The proclamation does nothing for Jonathan Wall and others currently awaiting sentencing on the federal level. Those who are not citizens or lawful permanent residents who were convicted of federal simple possession of Marijuana aren’t eligible for a pardon either.

While I am happy to see this positive step and for those who will receive a pardon, I don’t feel that this is nearly enough. I have come under fire for expressing my views, and for pointing out facts that I’ve written about here. I don’t say these things to attack Biden, I say them because we need to demand more. After years of advocating for Lance Gloor and other Plant Prisoners, I realize that I have different experiences from most other people. It is heartbreaking when I hear from families of prisoners about how their loved ones’ injustice has torn their family apart, as well as causing unnecessary hardship and tremendous stress. I feel deeply for these prisoners and their families. I want their living nightmares to end, and I don’t want this to happen to anyone else!

The truth is that prohibition was created from lies in order to generate obscene profits for corporations. Biden has done much damage during his time serving in government in the past. His 1994 crime bill imposed tougher prison sentences at the federal level and encouraged states to do the same. That bill provided funds for states to build more prisons, and backed grant programs for law enforcement to carry out more drug related arrests. The crime bill also banned incarcerated people from receiving Pell grants for education, which caused hundreds of academic and vocational programs for prisoners to be shut down across the nation. Thank goodness Congress reversed the Pell Grant ban for prisoners in 2021! The Department of Education has until July 2023 to restore the grant for incarcerated students.

On the campaign trail Biden made promise after promise to decriminalize cannabis and automatically expunge marijuana conventions. Time to really walk your talk Joe!

https://youtu.be/V7nQiUl6Iqw

With Biden holding the office of President of the United States of America, he could do a lot more to end federal prohibition on a global scale. I think he should do more! While addressing the nation, Biden stated that he was calling for a review to either deschedule or reschedule. I am skeptical about any government that has kept a non-toxic, medicinal plant as a schedule one drug (ignoring the science and facts for decades) will suddenly deschedule the plant. There are synthetic cannabinoids that are FDA approved for medicinal use, while the organic plant remains defined as  a drug with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse as defined in the United States drug scheduling laws.

Will the government suddenly right the wrongs of the past? I’m doubtful. Afterall prohibition began as a conspiracy to protect business interests with no regard for the people. Even today, cannabis prohibition is maintained to a degree even where the plant has some form of legalization.


I urge everyone who feels it’s beyond time that prohibition ends, to take action now. How many more generations are we willing to pass down the multiple injustices prohibition causes?  How many more lives are we willing to allow to be lost, destroyed, or needlessly suffer due to prohibition?

Please contact the White House and your representatives and politely urge them to completely remove Marijuana as a controlled substance, set all nonviolent marijuana offenders free, and to repeal all marijuana criminal laws.  I know it’s easy for many to think their voice doesn’t matter, but I have seen and even participated in many calls to action that have been successful. If the people who represent you don’t hear from you, it’s easy for them to assume you are in agreement with what they are or aren’t doing.

Like Activist Alex Gentry says…”Baby steps are for babies.”
https://instagram.com/cannarchist?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

For the love of the plant and humanity, let’s end this.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/

https://www.congress.gov/members/find-your-member

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Cannabis and Pregnancy – What Does Science Say?

A study was done in rural Jamaica, to identify neurobehavioral effects on unborn babies, exposed to Cannabis in the womb. This study was supported by The March of Dimes and later received funding from The National Institute on Drug Abuse, to further study the effects on the children, up to the age of 5.  

Melanie Dreher, PhD, RN, FAAN and team conducted the study.  Initially there were two groups of participants: 24 Cannabis consuming expectant moms, and twenty expectant moms who did not consume Cannabis,  and their babies. The expectant moms from both groups,  were matched for having the same quality of prenatal care, as well as nutrition. 

The new born babies from both groups were compared using the Brazelton Neonatal  Assessment Scale , which included supplementary items to capture  subtle effects.  
The new born babies were observed three times during their first month.

Day one assessments were omitted from the study due to unreliable data. At 3 days,  there were no measurable differences between the babies from the two groups. At one month, the babies who were exposed to Cannabis in the womb  showed better physiological stability.  

The newborns of Cannabis using mothers had better scores on autonomic stability, quality of alertness, irritability, and self-regulation. They were judged to be more rewarding for caregivers. 

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8121737/

The McCarthy Scales of Children’s Abilities was used to test the children at the age of 4 and again at 5. Data was collected about each child’s  temperament and home environment.  The results showed no significant differences in developmental testing outcomes between children of Cannabis-using and non-using expectant mothers, except at 30 days. 

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1957518/

The team who conducted these studies wanted to further their research on identifying neurobehavioral effects on the children who were exposed to Cannabis before birth.   Melanie Dreher, PhD, RN, FAAN  sought out additional funding from The US Federal Government,  to further study the same children from age 5 through 10 years. 

The request for funding a proposed extension of the study, was denied by the NIDA, based upon the results not being as expected, nor the results that Congress wanted. 
Melanie Dreher, PhD, RN, FAAN is often referred to as The Reefer Researcher.  She has conducted many Cannabis studies in Jamaica objectively.

Despite her impeccable credentials and a wealth of  information on Cannabis use, after Dreher released reports showing that children of Cannabis consuming mothers showed better physiological stability than children born to mothers who did not consume Cannabis, she encountered professional and political problems. 

Some have accused the government and anti-Cannabis groups of working to suppress her objective, science based findings. Dreher continues to speak openly about her research and political obstacles that were put in place in regards to her Cannabis research. 

Written by Kerry Cannon exclusively for CannabisActivismNow.com

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Rick Simpson, The Godfather of Cannabis Oil, Needs Our Help!

Since 1991, Rick Simpson has been educating the public on how to manufacture, and use High THC Cannabis Oil aka Rick Simpson Oil (or RSO for short). The results of his efforts have been life saving for thousands of patients around the world, who had terminal life-threatening conditions. For many others, the results from Rick Simpson’s shared knowledge have been life changing, given them quality of life, which they could not achieve from pharmaceuticals.
 

“I want people to know how to heal themselves.” -Rick Simpson 


For several years, Rick Simpson traveled the world, gave lectures and interviews, while authoring 2 books. Through his hard work and activism, Rick has helped pave the way for legalization of Cannabis in many countries throughout the world. He has never used his rediscovery of Cannabis Oil as a means to profit. Rick Simpson has maintained his belief that people have the right to heal themselves, and should have the freedom to grow this miraculous Cannabis plant. 

For the last 2 years, Rick Simpson has been removed from the public arena, and recently shared why. Sadly, he suffered a stroke in May 2018, which left him paralyzed. As a private person, Rick wanted to recover fully focused on doing so, outside of the public’s view. His wife has done an incredible job of taking care of him, and aiding in his recovery. Doctors didn’t think Rick Simpson would ever walk again, but he has been slowly recovering.  The couple lives on income generated from Rick’s books. Unfortunately, it is not enough to help Rick and his wife with the expenses of his recovery. He’d like to fully recover and get back to his mission. The man who has done so much, to help countless people around the world, now needs our help. 

How can you help?

You can support Rick Simpson by buying one of his books or by making a donation.

Make a donation in support of Rick Simpson via GoFundMe:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-rick-simpson

Buy one of Rick’s books at: www.simpsonramadur.com

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This Man Cured Over 3500 People From Cancer And This Is How He Did It

High THC Cannabis Oil has been used by numerous people for centuries, but it was banned in the second half of the 20th century, as a result of the rise of the billion-dollar pharmaceutical industry.

Mike with a batch of 60 gram syringes

Mike Wise is a skateboarder and national champion wakeskater with The University of Texas where he graduated with a degree in Radio-Television-Film in 2009. He has never been a fan of doctors, so when he got diagnosed with Crohn’s disease in 2014 he decided to take his health into his own hands.

Nowadays, he is one of the most well known activists in the world fighting for the legalization of cannabis oil. Using this treatment, he has cured over 3,500 people from a variety of diseases including extremely terminal ones such as Cancer and Glioblastoma (brain tumors).

Since moving to Europe in 2017, he has spoken at over 30 different countries all over the world on this topic. He is also currently filming a documentary with Rick Simpson to tell his story and help to get this information out to the public.

He states that cannabis oil can cure a vast variety of serious health issues, like diabetes, arteriosclerosis, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, asthma, psoriasis, as well as some of the deadliest forms of cancer.

Mike recently recounted his story to a magazine in the Czech Republic: “I always tell people – Cannabis will cure you, and you will see that at present, it is the best cure there is in the world!”

He began his story: “It was 2014.  I had been dealing with symptoms related to Crohn’s disease since 2000. As an athlete, I was always busy traveling and competing. Doing so caused much damage to build up in my body after years of this abuse. The symptoms got worse and worse until I began vomiting blood every morning at 4am when I would wake up, and several times throughout the day; every day.

I had been studying plants as a hobby for years, and had been growing cannabis illegally since 2005 to smoke and occasionally make into edibles. After moving to Colorado in 2014, I began to learn a lot more about growing from other local growers and about cannabis as a medication from other local activists, caregivers, and enlightened doctors. I was filming a movie about families who had to move and relocate from another state to access medical cannabis in Colorado for their children entitled: ‘Illegally Alive’, which you can watch for free with this link.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOn142GAjsU

During the production of the film, I got in touch with Rick Simpson and flew out to Zagreb, Croatia to interview with him in person. While I was out there, we attended a conference in Ljubljana, Slovenia where Rick was speaking. I had to run outside in the middle of the conference to vomit. Rick saw me and said: ‘Mike, you really need to get on this oil brother’.

After getting the kick in the butt I needed from the godfather of cannabis oil himself, I ingested 90 grams in 120 days of high THC oil and cured all my symptoms relating to Crohn’s disease. This first 45 grams I ingested orally, the second 45 grams I took via suppository. Now I only take 1 gram per month as a maintenance dose.

It’s important to note that I never elected to undergo any surgeries. I did not let the doctors mutilate me and remove any organs or other body parts. I also completely changed my diet eliminating all processed foods, sugars, and carbohydrates. If I ingest any of these substances, I will need to take oil to prevent any new symptoms from showing up. I also eliminated as many sources of stress from my life I possibly could.

After curing myself, I decided to share my story publicly on social media. I immediately began to receive hundreds of messages a week from friends and acquaintances of friends. Everybody needed cannabis oil for their brother, mother, sister, daughter, father, grandmother, grandfather, etc…

I decided to get my Caregiver License in Colorado and immediately planted 500 seeds in my basement and began to supply the oil to anyone who asked. I have never turned anyone away since I started making the oil for myself and others started asking for it. I even used to make it for free. I would tell patients if they could bring me the materials and solvent needed to make the oil, then I would make it for them for free and would not charge them for my time or labor.

Mike with his plants in Colorado

To take my activism a step further, I created an activist run and oriented company called: ‘OG Labs’. On my website (www.oglabsgenetics.com) anybody in the world can now reach me and have the oil made and sent discreetly to their doorstep to any state or country in the world. I believe, as the great Thomas Jefferson did, that ‘if a law is unjust, a man is not only right to disobey it, he is obligated to do so.’ I am hoping that by openly offering the oil for sale publicly, that other activists around the world will see what I am doing and feel empowered to stand up and make the oil for patients in need as well.”

Cannabis oil therapy is equally effective in all cases, for it knows no age limit. It can even be given to babies. People who publicly claim to cure cancer are threatened with 5 – 40 years imprisonment, according to laws in North America. Mike says the preparation of this miraculous oil is extremely easy. The standard protocol starts with several drops of cannabis oil three times a day.

“The usual dose I start cancer patients on is 60 grams within 90 days. If the patient has undergone any chemotherapy or radiation they will need much more than 60 grams”, he explains.

“Cannabis is not a miracle drug in the sense that most people think. The cannabis itself doesn’t necessarily cure you; your body heals and cures itself. Cannabis simply triggers this reaction to occur. You see, cannabis works like a key inserted into a lock. Your bodies contain what is known scientifically as CB1 and CB2 receptors spread throughout it’s entire system and on every organ. When cannabis gets into the body and into these CB1 and CB2 receptors it works like a key opening a lock, the receptors then began firing correctly and any imperfections or illnesses which are contained within your body will immediately begin to get healed because these receptors are literally located everywhere within your body.”

“This is significant for 2 reasons,” he continues “cannabis can help to heal or cure nearly any illness or disease because these receptors send signs to your body and organs to begin functioning correctly and to stop misfiring. In the case of cancer, these receptors will tell the body how to identify cancer cells and can help to specifically target and kill them without the use of any harmful or invasive treatments.

The second reason this is important is regarding chemotherapy and radiation specifically. I personally believe that these treatments do more harm than good. There are numerous studies out there stating that more people die from cancer treatments than from the cancer itself. To put it plainly, chemotherapy kills more people than it heals. After treating so many patients with cannabis oil, I began to notice a pattern. Patients who have taken chemotherapy or radiation always require more oil than the standard 60 grams in 90 days.

I know some patients who have taken dozens of chemo sessions, and have now consumed over 350+ grams of oil. They have consumed a lot of oil, and continue to take it today; but they are still alive. They often come to me after the doctors have given up on them, with only weeks to live. Their bodies are extremely frail and damaged. I believe that this is from the chemotherapy.

It is not a targeted treatment. It kills all cells in your body, unlike THC cannabis oil which helps to identify and kill only the cancer cells. This is why patients who are diagnosed with cancer and have not done any chemotherapy or radiation typically need 60 grams in 90 days before switching to a maintenance dose, as opposed to those who have done chemotherapy or radiation. They need more oil because their bodies are far more damaged from both the cancer, and the chemotherapy; as opposed to being damaged by just the cancer itself. Your body needs more oil, and more time to rest and heal from all the damage incurred.”

And, it is never too late for the patient to start cannabis oil therapy. Mike believes that every country in the world should allow their citizens to cultivate and use cannabis for medical purposes. He also points out that pharmacies should be opened for those who can’t cultivate it if they can supply it at fair rate for all people, not just the rich.

“Little is known that cannabis has been used as one of the most healing remedies for hundreds of years before Christ.

In the ancient Persian religious scripts, which among other things describe the most healing herbs, cannabis takes the first place,” concludes Mike.

His biggest wish and goal is to live in a world without cancer where every person can legally cultivate as many cannabis plants as they would like on their property or in their home, and where every person in the world can legally and openly consume cannabis in every place where you can legally smoke tobacco or cigarettes. Until that day comes he tells us that he will continue fighting for our rights to do so.

If you have access to materials and would like to watch his detailed video on how to make it yourself, you can do so here:
https://fb.watch/pauNSt-HqK/

He also hosts a page completely dedicated to cannabis patients on Facebook which can be found here:
www.facebook.com/MikeWiseShow

You can watch Mike’s latest documentary ‘Rick and Me’, which details his healing journey with cannabis oil, for free using the following link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjeR_J3Z-jQ

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How The Cannabis Industry Actually Stifles Innovation And Causes Higher Prices For Patients

When many people hear the words ‘cannabis industry’ they often think of a utopian world where legalization in America applies to everyone and nobody will ever go to jail for growing, possessing, or selling cannabis.

While this may be true for the ultra rich capitalist class of people in America who can afford to pay over a million dollars for a legal cannabis license, it is not true for the majority of us hard working Americans who just want to put some food on our table and smoke a joint or take a dab after a long day of work.

As an activist in Colorado, I learned some interesting things that you won’t see in High Times, NowThis, or any other for-profit corporate media conglomerate. They are only interested in getting money from their rich sponsors, who are only interested in numbers of viewers. The more eyeballs, the more the media company can charge advertisers. This is why they publish sensationalist viral garbage over and over, they seek to appeal to the lowest common denominator and will promote any company who gives them money to do so.

In Colorado, We The People were able to pass a referendum that legalized cannabis for personal use and home growing. As soon as we voted on our own proposed amendment to the Colorado constitution and it passed, politicians in conjunction with cannabis business owners immediately began to roll back our progress and began stripping our newly appointed rights away with dozens of new laws, regulations, and restrictions which hurt patients and only benefited the big business cannabis companies who donated to those politicians to restrict our rights.

While a few of the more ‘daring’ or ‘independent’ media out there might slightly mention what I just described, they will NEVER talk about the main point of this article; how the cannabis industry actually stifles innovation and causes higher prices for patients.

In the capitalist world, everything hinges on one basic concept: ‘intellectual property’. Intellectual property refers to intangible property that is the result of creativity, such as patents, copyrights, etc. Capitalists use intellectual property to justify charging a higher price for their product. Typically this will be done through words and phrases along the lines of: ‘our product was created with a special formula by scientists using a very technical, very expensive machine’… When in reality this product, or one extremely similar, can be made yourself at home quite easily. The capitalist business man, who we will now refer to as the vulgar economist, does not want you to know that you can do this yourself at home because that would hurt his profits. If you can make this, he can’t make money off you buying that product or service from him. So he protects his ideas (which he learned from someone else) by strict intellectual property laws and by deceptively keeping that information from the public.

When we are talking about using cannabis for medical use, keeping vital information that can improve a patient’s outlook and life is not only immoral but is down right destructive. Let’s take the case of Charlotte’s Web, (although every company in the cannabis industry is guilty of this unless they are completely open, transparent, and show the entire process behind how and what is used to make their product).

When Charlotte’s Web came out, nearly every magazine and news station in America carried a story about it and it’s ‘miraculous health benefits’. The company did nothing special to make this product. They simply got a strain from another grower, or created their own which is not hard to do yourself. They then hid any information about what this strain was, so that patients could not grow this strain themselves. Their only option was being forced to purchase products from the vulgar economist made from the strain at the highest price the market allows. If the corporate board members instead would have released the information that ‘Charlotte’s Web’ is pretty much the same thing as the strain ‘R4’, then thousands of patients could have easily have grown this plant at home and maybe then because of the massive increase in moms and dads growing for their epileptic children maybe we could actually achieve a true legalization in America in which all prohibition laws are repealed and we can all grow, sell, and process cannabis instead of just the rich friends of politicians.

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British Sugar and The Great Conservative Cannabis Con

By Simpa Carter

Founded in 1936 by the nationalizing of a 13 company strong industry, British Sugar now a private PLC annually produces over 1.4 million tons of ingredient sugar in the UK. They are also the sole processor of the UK’s entire beet sugar crop giving them an arguably unfair monopoly over the British sugar industry as a whole. Today the company is part of AB Sugar – one of the largest international sugar corporate conglomerates, which is itself wholly owned by international food, ingredients and retail group, Associated British Foods plc (ABF).

In this article, we will explore the links between British Sugar – a registered private company in the UK – and the current ruling British conservative government.

Over the last few decades, British Sugar has diversified from just producing and processing sugar beet, into creatively utilizing it’s excess and waste energy byproducts to produce a variety of horticultural crops.

In a statement from 2016, Managing Director of British Sugar Paul Kenward said; “Sixteen years ago we realised we could use some of the heat and waste carbon dioxide generated in our Wissington sugar factory to develop a horticultural business. During this time, we have invested in our world‐class facilities and developed our expertise to deliver consistent, high-quality crops season after season” adding that “The decision to switch from tomatoes to marijuana was in part to help treat a ‘debilitating childhood disease”. 

The condition that Mr. Kenward was referring to was Dravets syndrome – a rare form of epilepsy that causes severe medication-resistant seizures that begin in the first year of life in an otherwise healthy and happy child. It has been known for many years that Cannabis can greatly help reduce seizures and help manage the most dangerous symptoms of Epilepsy. 

British sugar announced on October 25th, 2016 that it had won a contract with the UK-based GW Pharmaceuticals and approval from the British Home Office under license to cultivate cannabis in its 18-hectare greenhouse facility at its Wissington factory in Norfolk.

The main chemical component of the cannabis plant are the Cannabinoids and it is specifically a combination of the Cannabinoids Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and Cannabidiol (CBD) which seem to exhibit the most anti-epileptic, antispasmodic, and anti-inflammatory properties. When consumed regularly these Cannabinoids have been shown to reduce the rate of seizures in epileptic patients from hundreds a day to a few a week/month. 

Since 2016, British Sugar has been completing three cannabis harvests a year, due to be extracted into the $32,500 a year patented drug Epidiolex – a CBD-based medication prescribed for the treatment of Dravet syndrome and Lennox-gastaut syndrome – two rare forms of epilepsy.

In 2018 GW Pharmaceuticals and its US subsidiary Greenwich Biosciences acquired official permission from the FDA to sell their cannabis medication ‘Epidiolex’ as a Schedule 5 prescription drug. This made them the only company in the world to have a patented FDA-approved cannabis-derived prescription medication.

We begin to see yet another unfair commercial monopoly partially created by the government and for the benefit of the producers and not the consumers begin to emerge.

This move all but guarantees further exploitation of the millions of people still facing the daily stigma, legal harassment, and very real threat of imprisonment for simply trying to treat their illnesses/chronic condition with cannabis-derived products – while pharmaceutical companies continue to make tens of millions of pounds in profit, 

Don’t worry if you are a little confused as to how the British government is continuing to regurgitate the party line on Cannabis being a “dangerous street drug with no accepted medicinal value”, while at the same time they’re licensing private multinational corporations to grow hundreds of tons of it in the UK to be exported across the world. 

As previously mentioned, Paul Kenward is the managing director at British sugar – although you may not have heard of him, you might be familiar with his wife – Victoria Atkins MP who was elected the sitting MP for Louth and Horncastle in May 2015 and was appointed minister at the home office in 2017 by the then-Prime Minister Theresa May.

The former barrister was appointed Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State Minister for Safeguarding by Mrs. May as she was a hard-line prohibitionist especially on Cannabis and that reflected her warped ideology perfectly. 

While this is going on at the home office – in number 10 Downing Street Mrs. May’s husband Phillip May the investment relationship manager for the Capital group investment firm which manages a portfolio worth over $2 trillion – is acting as an unofficial adviser to the Prime Minister. Keep in mind that the Capital group is the same firm that is the majority shareholder in GW Pharmaceuticals – a glaring conflict of interest, no? 

Mrs. Atkins had to voluntarily recuse herself in 2018 from speaking for the government on matters about cannabis and drug policy as she felt her husband operating a legal cannabis farm constituted a conflict of interest (another painful conflict of interests) She was quietly removed from being responsible for UK drug policy but remains in her post. 

Although Mrs. Atkins was no longer “the voice of the government” when it came to drug policy she still had the power to veto the appointment of Niamh Eastwood to the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) in June 2019 – after the home office advisory panel had previously approved her appointment. 

The longtime drug policy reformist and executive director at Release had previously been critical of the government and challenged a lot of the antiquated notions that underpin the continuation of the drug prohibition. An appointment that could have been a real and direct threat to the conservative cannabis cartel.

GW Pharmaceuticals announced in early April 2020 that Epidiolex would be de-scheduled in the United States, meaning that it is no longer a controlled substance and can now be sold from any retail outlet, in any state without requiring permission. 

So even with all of this being public knowledge and it is rather well documented by the mainstream media there have still been no real ramifications or legal consequences for the small cabal of Conservative ministers who have and continue to blatantly abused their positions to further the corporate agendas of their husband’s companies – further helping to set back cannabis law reform in the UK by years if not decades.

Ultimately, I believe that the best way to avoid the continuation of this kind of capitalistic, corporate, corruption, and cronyism is to completely and utterly decriminalize Cannabis Sativa L in all her natural forms for everyone to utilize as they see fit.

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Italy supreme court rules home-growing cannabis is legal

Italy’s Supreme Court has ruled that small-scale domestic cultivation of cannabis is legal, in a landmark decision triggering calls for further legalization from cannabis advocates and anger from the country’s conservatives.

Clipping leaf from home-grown cannabis plant ready for harvest

Called on to clarify previous conflicting interpretations of the law, the Court of Cassation decreed that the crime of growing narcotic drugs should exclude “small amounts grown domestically for the exclusive use of the grower”.

The ruling was made on Dec. 19, but went unnoticed until Thursday, when it was reported by domestic news agencies and immediately fuelled a simmering political debate over cannabis use in Italy.

“The court has opened the way, now it’s up to us,” said Matteo Mantero, a senator from the co-ruling 5-Star Movement.

Mantero presented an amendment to the 2020 budget calling for legalisation and regulation of domestic cannabis use, but it was ruled inadmissible by the senate speaker from Silvio Berlusconi’s conservative Forza Italia party.

“Drugs cause harm, forget about growing them or buying them in shops,” Matteo Salvini, leader of the right-wing League Party said in a statement on Friday, in reference to shops selling low-strength “legal weed” that are widespread in Italy.

Maurizio Gasparri, a senator from Forza Italia which is allied to the League, said the first law the centre-right coalition would approve if it came to power “will cancel the absurd verdict of the court”.

Salvini, who was interior minister until he quit the government in August in a failed bid to trigger elections, pushed for the closure of legal weed shops and cheered in May when the Supreme Court said many of their products should be banned.

The commerce has thrived in the last three years in Italy under 2016 legislation allowing cannabis with a psychotropic active ingredient (THC) level below 0.6 percent.

While the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement favours a more liberal approach to cannabis, its centre-left and centrist coalition allies are more cautious, meaning future legislation on the issue remains in doubt.

Reporting and writing by Gavin Jones, Additional reporting by Giuseppe Fonte; Editing by Alison Williams

Originally published: December 27th, 2019 at https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-italy-cannabis-ruling-idUKKBN1YV14D?fbclid=IwAR3juWfbJ2BiBrO5GttCY96I-R-sww4szonYkLl6PvVjU6F5q0aWjXZq9gQ

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Cannabis For Parkinson’s And Alzheimer’s Diseases -An Interview With Dr. Ethan Russo

Dr. Ethan Russo

Dr. Ethan Russo is a world-renowned authority on the medicinal use of cannabis; an academic researcher, author and industry leader whose expansive knowledge of cannabis therapeutics spans history, cultures and its myriad applications for improved health and wellbeing. A board-certified neurologist and former Senior Medical Advisor at GW Pharmaceutics, Dr. Russo is currently Director of Research and Development of the International Cannabis and Cannabinoids Institute, a consortium of international academic institutions and private companies dedicated to promoting medical cannabis research.

In this interview, Dr. Russo shares an informed and insightful vision of how cannabis-derived medicine stands to benefit two of the more intractable neurological conditions facing older adults, Parkinson’s (PD) and Alzheimer’s (AD) diseases.

Abbie Rosner: If medicinal cannabis targets our endocannabinoid system (ECS), what is the involvement of that system in PD and AD?

Dr. Ethan Russo: The ECS regulates most physiological systems in the body, but above all the nervous system, where it helps to achieve the balance that allows individual nerve cells to communicate. The ECS is disrupted in both AD and PD.

Rosner: What is the research with cannabinoids and Parkinson’s disease showing?

Russo: In a mouse model of PD, treatment with nabiximols (Sativex®), a cannabis- based pharmaceutical approved in 30 countries outside the USA, resulted in improvement in dopamine neurotransmitter function, and reduced oxidative stress (akin to “rust” of the nervous system), as well as leading to improvements in anxiety and self-injury behaviors.

Clinical results with treatment of PD with cannabis have been quite mixed. Cannabidiol (CBD) helped a few PD patients with psychotic symptoms, and some with a rapid-eye movement sleep disorder. Observational studies with smoked cannabis, presumably high in THC, reportedly produced acute benefits on tremor, rigidity and slow movement (bradykinesia). The best results in PD were reported in a Czech study in 2004, in which patients ate raw leaves of cannabis for as much as three months and reported significant improvement in overall function, tremor, bradykinesia and rigidity, with few side effects.

Rosner: And what about cannabis for AD?

Russo: The story in AD is even more intriguing. Both THC and CBD have been shown to interfere with the production of abnormal toxic matter in the brain of such patients. This is quite exciting, inasmuch as synthetic drugs designed for similar purposes have yet to advance in the clinic. Both THC and particularly CBD are known neuroprotective agents that hold the potential to slow or perhaps even halt the degenerative process. On the symptom side, THC as a single agent has proven beneficial in AD patients in reducing nocturnal agitation, improving sleep and appetite. Observations of nursing home patients in California with dementia have produced similar benefits as well as reducing the need for nursing intervention and amounts of other drugs.

There are four FDA-approved pharmaceuticals to treat memory loss in AD, but all have mild benefits on a temporary basis. These are designed to increase the amount of acetylcholine, the memory molecule in the brain that becomes depleted in AD. Interestingly, the terpenoid alpha-pinene is capable of boosting acetylcholine by inhibiting its breakdown, and with fewer side effects than the conventional drugs.

Rosner: We hear a lot of talk about THC and CBD, but what about the role of terpenes?

Russo: Terpenes are aromatic compounds from plants that are important in our everyday exposure to scents and flavors. Some of these, when combined with cannabinoids, boost their effects such that the result is greater than the sum of the parts. We discussed above the role of alpha-pinene to combat memory deficits in AD and PD. Linalool, a component of lavender essential oil as well as cannabis, has been demonstrated to calm agitation in AD. The terpene limonene, common to citrus and cannabis, is a powerful antidepressant and immune stimulator. Caryophyllene, a terpenoid with the distinction of also being a cannabinoid, is of key importance in AD, as it may help in clearance of beta-amyloid waste in the brain.

Rosner: CBD products are so popular now. But what price is paid when you remove THC from the cannabis equation?

Russo: A severe price may be paid if cannabis-based medicines are devoid of THC. It is clear from the above that THC has a major role to play in both symptomatic treatment of dementia and quite possibly in preventative benefit. The dangers of THC have been vastly exaggerated by alarmist politicians and the press, particularly in such contexts where alternatives have been extremely disappointing and are actually much more problematic. Very small doses of THC are required and their benefits outweigh any risks by healthy measures.

Rosner: You have also been a proponent of diet and other complementary approaches to cannabis.

Russo: Fascinating epidemiological studies have linked diet to degenerative diseases, especially AD. Diabetes and obesity, which are rampant in the USA, as well as trans-fats, all increase AD risk. In contrast, disease rates are lower in areas following a Mediterranean diet rich in monounsaturated olive oil and omega-3 fats from fish. We also know that daily cognitive challenges when carried into the elder years offer some protection, as does vigorous physical exercise.

An underappreciated factor in degenerative diseases is the microbiome, the bacterial content of the gut. We know that THC, rather than leading to obesity as one might surmise, rather changes the microbiome balance in the gut to favor bacteria that protect from development of obesity and the metabolic syndrome.

Great benefits may accrue to AD and PD patients through the use of probiotics (i.e., natural organic multi-culture yogurt, kefir, lacto-fermented vegetables, and supplements in capsules) and prebiotics (vegetable matter like acacia fiber, slippery elm, burdock root and supplement in capsules) that provide an optimum feedstock for the beneficial gut bacteria.

Rosner: From where we are today, what are the best approaches for prevention and treatment of PD and AD?

Russo: The best current approaches to AD and PD beyond what the conventional pharmacopoeia offers include: aerobic activity, daily mental exercise, Mediterranean diets with use of anti-inflammatory fruits and berries, probiotics and prebiotics. From cannabis, THC, THCA, CBD, beta-pinene, caryophyllene, linalool and limonene may all have important contributions to treatment of these disorders.

Rosner: Where do you see promise on the horizon?

Russo: While the current laboratory experiments have been extremely important in establishing a foundation for cannabis-based medicines in treatment of AD and PD, it is definitely time to move the effort into the clinical arena. It is clear that these conditions are increasing in our aging populations and conventional approaches to date have been less than satisfactory. Utilization of cannabis preparations with the right mixtures of cannabinoids and terpenoids show great promise to produce better results. While these may be simply palliative in reducing drug and care burdens, there is also the possibility of making a real difference in slowing or abrogating the pathological processes in these two disorders.

The conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity.


Originally published at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/abbierosner/2019/02/26/cannabis-for-parkinsons-and-alzheimers-diseases-an-interview-with-dr-ethan-russo/?fbclid=IwAR03BkSPfWjBzEJCRLxWv8p9yKpu7jj_M2R0rs6jXTDbxWKg7mK32m7sGqQ#3b31b7b95dd6