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Q: Will marijuana ever be legalized in China?
Weed is slowly being legalized in the US and the Mexican president just proposed legalization.
Do you think China will ever legalize?
Drug production and use are on the rise in China. My guess is the government is going to knee jerk and come down even harder than they have in the past.
http://www.cheatsheet.com/money-career/what-are-the-side-effects-of-mari...
by Eric McWhinnie
What Are the Side Effects of Marijuana on the Economy?
- April 22, 2016
http://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/GettyImages-5006613... 800x" width="757" />
Marijuana plants being grown | Yuri Cortez/AFP/Getty Images
The side effects of marijuana on the economy are hitting new highs, and are expected to keep growing for years. Thanks to stronger public support and new legalization laws, the billion-dollar cannabis market is soon set to quadruple.
Everybody knew there were wheelbarrows of money to be made from states legalizing cannabis, but the amounts continue to impress. National legal sales, which include medical sales and adult-use sales, grew from $4.6 billion in 2014 to $5.7 billion in 2015, according to a recent report from New Frontier and Arcview. The increase is a result of explosive growth in adult-use market sales, which surged 232% from $373.8 million to $1.2 billion as legalized recreational marijuana gained popularity. By 2020, national legal sales are expected to surpass $22 billion, with adult-use sales accounting for over half of that haul.
“The strong growth in demand for legal cannabis over the past two years is expected to continue in the years ahead,” explains the report. “Twenty-three states already permit medical cannabis use and four states and the District of Columbia allow full adult use. With nearly a dozen states debating changes to their cannabis laws in the coming year, 2016 will be the tipping point in which a majority of U.S. states transition from cannabis prohibition to some form of regulated legal markets. Key states, including California, Nevada and Massachusetts, are expected to legalize adult use, while Florida is expected to pass a medical cannabis bill similar to the one that narrowly failed in 2014.”
Legalizing marijuana is only the beginning. This flourishing industry creates a trickle-down effect. More relaxed laws fuel additional sales and tax revenue, which in turn results in more jobs and new business opportunities. Oregon’s first month of legal recreational marijuana produced $3.5 million worth of tax revenue. Washington’s first year of legal sales generated $70 million in tax revenues. Colorado bagged $135 million in 2015 from cannabis taxes and fees. It’s raining money out West.
The jobs market also stands to benefit from a legal cannabis market. At least 16 different job occupations are being created, and everyone from edible creators and budtenders to glass merchants and couriers are setting up shop to profit from the country’s green rush. In fact, Marijuana Business Daily estimates for every $1 spent on retail marijuana, the economic benefit realized amounts to an additional $3. Using New Frontier and Arcview’s $22 billion sales estimate, the total economic impact is likely to exceed $100 billion in the near future.
One line of business not expected to participate heavily in the cannabis market anytime soon is banking. Since marijuana is still classified as a Schedule 1 substance, the most restrictive of classes by America’s Drug Enforcement Administration, financial institutions are prohibited from taking marijuana money. Some marijuana-related businesses may be able to obtain limited bank accounts or electronic transferring services from companies like PayQwick, but cash still reigns king until federal law sobers up to reality.
What is reality these days? The majority no longer believe we should “just say no” to marijuana. A 2015 Gallup survey finds 58% of Americans believe marijuana should be made legal, tied for the highest support level in Gallup’s 46 years of polling. The majority of Americans have supported legalizing marijuana since 2013, while an average 48% supported the movement from 2010-2012. Support was only at 12% when Gallup first asked the question in 1969.
Support is even being seen on a federal level. The Centers for Disease Control recently told physicians across the country to stop testing their patients for marijuana. The federal agency made the change to help patients who are typically required to test free of illegal substances (including THC) in order to continue a pain treatment plan, such as patients going from a family doctor to a pain management clinic. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court threw out a lawsuit Oklahoma and Nebraska filed against Colorado, which basically claimed the state was undermining federal law and hurting neighboring states. In the near future, the DEA is expected to reconsider marijuana’s Schedule 1 status.
The stigma of marijuana is slowly fading, and local economies are seeing green.
whocaresreally:
This is great news for the young generation living at home with the parents that can't find a job, encourage all your friends to be potheads, and then you will be only one that passes the drug test and gets the good paying job in a fortune 500 or government job.
The policy of the government and companies are set by the old farts who don't want stoned employees at work. Finally, a way to rise to the top of the food chain and get a decent job in a screwed up economy. Don't forget to invest some of your hard earned money in the suppliers to these potheads that are publicly traded stocks for your retirement, after all your taxes are supplying the welfare check for them to buy the pot anyway. Might as well get some of your money back, think of it as a rebate instead of a dividend because that is actually what it will be unfortunately.
icnif77:
I was observing pot dispensaries/clubs in Spain in February this year. Don't know fin. details, but they aren't shabby whatsoever. Demand is there, Spaniards are growing (4 plants per person legal limit) and using weed. Dispensary is established as Club with members and no. of members is multiplied by 4 plants = legal Club weed farm.
Now, if you dismantle stigma and consider weed same as potato or corn, there is certainly money to be made, either in direct club involvement or investing into the weed stocks.
Have a look at GW Pharma, which successfully developed drug derived from CNB, which ease symptoms of epilepsy:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/gw-pharmas-cannabis-drug-gets-orphan-drug-status-121842189--finance.html?ref=gs
'The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted GW Pharmaceuticals Plc's experimental cannabis-derived epilepsy drug "orphan" status for a third group of patients affected by a rare form of the disease.
GW said on Thursday that its drug, Epidiolex, had been granted the status for the treatment of tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC), a rare genetic disorder that causes epilepsy in about 80 percent to 90 percent of the patients afflicted with it.
TSC is the third orphan indication that GW is targeting within its Epidiolex clinical development program.''
Israelis are more secretive about their cannabis research, but I am sure they are ahead of USA with State sponsored cana farms all over Israel. They developed strain without THC (no high) and full of CBD (most healing properties).
Origin of cannabis plant is China, known and used some several thousand years (less than 5000 years
), and I am guessing, Chinese drug Co's will take over cana drug/legal production.
China will most likely never let it go as USA, EU, S. America did, but matter (worldwide legalization) is hot topic in UN.
If you'll ever venture to Xinjiang, cannabis (ruderalis) grows everywhere. I saw weed plants on the garden in front of Police station and city's Supermarket. Either, it grows wild or it is planted by corn farmers as birds feed/deterrent instead chirping on growing corn. Just walk around any corn field, and you'll see spots of some 20-30m2 planted with weed. It's not really planted in order, so it might grows by itself as 'ruderalis' does. But, it is there.
I read, they don't smoke it, but they eat seeds instead.
It looks like, you're not talking about prohibited drug anymore, but just about the plant very similar to corn or potato.
The chinese don't have fond memories of the opium wars.
No Bob Marley is going to make it "cool" to do drugs again.
Though this article makes certain aspects of that premise kind of hypocritical...
http://www.echinacities.com/news/World-Anti-Doping-Agency-Suspends-Beiji...
You can't convince the chinese to be recreational stoners only exceptional stoners.
whocaresreally:
Chinese Olympic athletes get tested by a Chinese company that lies about the drug tests to cover up the athletes use of enhancements. I wonder if drug tests are randomly given on the streets, can they change test results and say 50 foreigners tested positive for drugs that really did not at, oh, I don't know, how about a rave party under a tunnel in shenzhen for an example.
icnif77:
That's all you know about China and drugs: 'opium war', which (war) doesn't have any connections to cannabis. Opium and Cannabis are two different words, same as 'day' and 'night' are.
Dig a bit more and you'll see origin of cannabis plant is China, which spread to surrounding areas (Pakistan, India, Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgystan, Vietnam....) several thousand years ago.
Now, the most important Q is 'Will China legalize cannabis?' and you know B. Marley, too....
Bravo, 10 pints!
seansarto:
The caliber of a bullet doesn't matter in terms of intent.
icnif77:
Some fond memories:
http://theleafonline.com/c/science/2015/01/indica-sativa-ruderalis-get-wrong/
Mate there has been evidence of cannabis and pipes in pouches placed with the dead in China dating back 27,000 years. Way before Mexico.
http://www.parl.gc.ca/Content/SEN/Committee/371/ille/library/Spicer-e.ht...
Archaeologists discovered an ancient village in China, containing the earliest known record of the use of the cannabisplant. This village dates back over 10 000 years to the Stone Age. Amongst the debris of this village, archaeologists found small pots with patterns of twisted hemp fibre decorating them. This use of the cannabis plant suggests “men have been using the marijuana plant in some manner since the dawn of history.”([8]) Cannabis fibre (hemp) was not only used in China as decoration, but it was also used to make clothes,([9]) ropes, fishing nets([10]) and paper.([11]) It was also important as a food plant and was originally considered one of China’s five cereal grains.([12]) The cannabis plant took on such great importance in the Chinese culture that early priest doctors began using the cannabis plant’s stalk as a symbol of power to drive away evil.
Eventually, when the process of extraction was developed, the Chinese realized the psychoactive use of the oil (resin) from the cannabis seed and applied this to their medicinal practices. The first evidence of the medicinal use of cannabis is found in the book Pên-ts’ao Ching, attributed to the Emperor Shen-nung of about 2000 B.C. Since Chinese medicine has its origins in magic, this book provides records of the Chinese using marijuana both in their medicinal and ritual practices. It was used in cases involving menstrual fatigue, gout, rheumatism, malaria, constipation, and absentmindedness, and to anaesthetize patients during surgical operations.([13]) Other historical therapeutic uses of cannabis that are also emphasized in folk medicine throughout modern Asia include ‘wasting diseases.’ For example, in Thailand, “cannabis is frequently used to stimulate the appetite of sick people and make them sleep… its use to counteract diarrhoea and dysentery is equally common.”([14])
There is debate in Chinese history over the hallucinogenic use of the cannabis plant’s psychoactive properties. Some Chinese denounced marijuana as the “liberator of sin.”([15]) This may have been due to the growing Chinese religion of Taoism in which “anything that contains yin, such as marijuana, was regarded with contempt since it enfeebled the body when eaten. Only substances filled with yang, the invigorating principle in nature, were looked upon favourably.”([16]) However a late edition of the Pen Ts’ao asserted that while “ma-fen (the fruits of cannabis)… taken in excess will produce hallucinations (literally ‘seeing devils’), if it is taken over a long term, it makes one communicate with spirits and lightens one’s body.”([17]) By the first century A.D., Taoists were using cannabis seeds in their incense burners to provide hallucinations that they valued as a means to achieving immortality.
However, by the 8th century A.D. cannabis had fallen into the background as a hallucinogen and opium took on much greater significance as a hallucinogen in Chinese culture. This non-adoption of cannabis as a hallucinogen can be explained on a cultural basis.
seansarto:
You argue...no, better yet, you staunchly provide evidence in china's history, that it is a gateway drug...Something the chinese have known then and have rationalized for many years....Once again: The caliber of the bullet doesn't matter in terms of intent.
seansarto:
You are quite obviously a feeble-brained dirtbag trying to defend drug use as profound lifestyle...You probably are also confused about which bathroom to use as "non-related" side effect of said lifestyle.
http://www.newsmax.com/FastFeatures/rheumatoid-arthritis-medical-marijua...
Some rheumatoid arthritis patients say that using forms of medical marijuana eases the pain and inflammation they suffer from their condition.
Yet most doctors specializing in rheumatoid arthritis treatment were unaware that a growing body of research identifies medical marijuana's active ingredient, cannabinoids, as a possible arthritis treatment, according to a 2014 survey in the journal BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders.
The survey found that 3 of 4 rheumatology doctors in the sample group "lacked confidence in their knowledge of cannabinoid molecules," and that nearly half — 45 percent — "believed there was no current role for cannabinoids in rheumatology patient care."
"With 70 percent never having previously prescribed or recommended any cannabinoid treatment," the study's authors wrote, "uncertainty regarding good prescribing practices was prevalent."
The San Francisco Chronicle reported in 2015 that patient surveys and preclinical research increasingly point to cannabinoids as a bona fide therapy for rheumatoid arthritis as well as osteoarthritis.
Far earlier, in 2005, researchers found that Savitex, a cannabis-based oral spray developed to treat symptoms of multiple sclerosis, also showed promise in easing symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.
Savitex, however, was not yet approved for any medical uses in the United States, reported the drug's British manufacturer, GW Pharmaceuticals.
But a recurring question in the medical marijuana debate is whether smoking pot is the best delivery method for cannabinoids.
A 2014 study from Canada, published in the journal Arthritis Care & Research, cast doubt on the both the safety and effectiveness of herbal marijuana for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.
The authors warned rheumatoligists against succumbing to the "societal groundswell" for medical marijuana and against prescribing it on demand for their patients.
Since the study, medical marijuana has become legal in several states plus the District of Columbia.
But the Canadian researchers deemed the clinical evidence scant for marijuana's effectiveness on rheumatoid arthritis symptoms, MedPage Today reported.
The researchers also noted the absence of an accepted medical protocol for prescribing and administering medical marijuana, and cautioned that marijuana has well-documented side effects such as slowed reaction times and short-term memory lapses, MedPage Today reported.
Even a leading advocate of medical marijuana, the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, agrees that more clinical research would be helpful in buttressing claims for cannabinoids' use against rheumatoid arthritis.
Dangerous drug
icnif77:
http://www.ibtimes.com/‘medical’-marijuana-10-health-benefits-legitimize-legalization-742456
"After dealing with about 10,000 patents in the last 15 years, I'd say about 200 different medical conditions respond favorably to cannabis," Mikuriya said.
We won't go through all 200 conditions here, but here are 10 of the most notable, common conditions, afflictions and diseases that marijuana has been proven to help.
Alzheimer's disease - In 2006, the Scripps Research Institute in California discovered that delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the active ingredient in marijuana, can prevent an enzyme called acetylcholinesterase from accelerating the formation of "Alzheimer's plaques" in the brain, as well as protein clumps that can inhibit cognition and memory, more effectively than commercially marketed drugs.
Epilepsy - A study performed by researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University discovered that ingredients found in natural marijuana "play a critical role in controlling spontaneous seizures in epilepsy." Dr. Robert J. DeLorenzo, professor of neurology at the VCU School of Medicine, added that "Although marijuana is illegal in the United States, individuals both here and abroad report that marijuana has been therapeutic for them in the treatment of a variety of ailments, including epilepsy."
Multiple sclerosis - It's long been believed that smoking pot helps MS patients, and a study published as recently as May provided yet another clinical trial as evidence of marijuana's impact on multiple sclerosis patients with muscle spasticity. Even though the drug has been known to cause dizziness and fatigue in some users, most MS patients report marijuana not only helps ease the pain in their arms and legs when they painfully contract, but also helps them just "feel good." How many prescription drugs can say their side effects include "happiness"?
Glaucoma - Since the 1970s, studies have called medical marijuana an effective treatment against glaucoma, one of the leading causes of blindness in the world. Researchers say marijuana helps reduce and relieve the intraocular pressure that causes optic nerve damage, but the proponents say it helps "reverse deterioration," too.
Arthritis - Marijuana proves useful for many types of chronic pain conditions, but patients with rheumatoid arthritis report less pain, reduced inflammation and more sleep. However, this is not to say that arthritis patients should exchange their medication with pot; marijuana eases the pain, but it does nothing to ameliorate or curb the disease.
Depression - A study on addictive behaviors published by USC and SUNY Albany in 2005, whose 4,400 participants made it the largest investigation of marijuana and depression to date, found that "those who consume marijuana occasionally or even daily have lower levels of depressive symptoms than those who have never tried marijuana." The study added that "weekly users had less depressed mood, more positive affect, and fewer somatic complaints than non-users."
Anxiety - An article published in the April 2010 edition of the Harvard Mental Health Letter, "Medical marijuana and the mind," said that while "many recreational users say that smoking marijuana calms them down, for others it has the opposite effect. ... Studies report that about 20 to 30 percent of recreational users experience such problems after smoking marijuana." The article did not mention which "studies" supported this fact, and most marijuana users would call this claim totally erroneous. Here's a story from Patsy Eagan of Elle Magazine, who describes how she prefers marijuana to treat her anxiety over prescription drugs.
Hepatitis C - A 2006 study performed by researchers at the University of California at San Francisco found that marijuana helps improve the effectiveness of drug therapy for hepatitis C, an infection that roughly 3 million Americans contract each year. Hepatitis C medications often have severe side effects like loss of appetite, depression, nausea, muscle aches and extreme fatigue. Patients that smoked marijuana every day or two found that not only did they complete the therapy, but that the marijuana even made it more effective in achieving a "sustained virological response," which is the gold standard in therapy, meaning there was no sign of the virus left in their bodies.
Morning sickness - In a peer-reviewed study, researchers at the British Columbia Compassion Club Society found that 92 percent of women found marijuana's effect on morning sickness symptoms as either "very effective" or effective." Read the first-hand account from Dr. Wei-Ni Lin Curry, who describes how medical marijuana saved her from a potentially life-threatening situation:
"Within two weeks of my daughter's conception, I became desperately nauseated and vomited throughout the day and night. ... I vomited bile of every shade, and soon began retching up blood. ... I felt so helpless and distraught that I went to the abortion clinic twice, but both times I left without going through the with procedure. ... Finally I decide to try medical cannabis. ... Just one to two little puffs at night, and if I needed in the morning, resulted in an entire day of wellness. I went from not eating, not drinking, not functioning, and continually vomiting and bleeding from two orifices to being completely cured. ... Not only did the cannabis save my [life] during the duration of my hyperemesis, it saved the life of the child within my womb."
Most prospective mothers will worry about the effect of ingesting marijuana in any form on their baby's development. The only study that showed any effect from smoking pot came from the University of Pittsburgh's School of Medicine in 2008, which showed that heavy smoking "during the first trimester was associated with lower verbal reasoning," while "heavy use during the second trimester predicted deficits in the composite, short-term memory, and quantitative scores." Though this singular study may be enough to scare away some mothers, the majority of studies say prenatal pot exposure "is not a major prognostic factor regarding the outcome of pregnancy," and that "marijuana has no reliable impact on birth size, length of gestation ... or the occurrence of physical abnormalities." Compared to mothers that used tobacco and alcohol, all of whom showed "increased risk of suspect or definite psychotic symptoms (in offspring)," mothers' cannabis use "was not associated with psychotic symptoms" in their children.
Cancer, HIV/AIDS and chemotherapy - Though the drug is illegal in the U.S., the FDA and American Cancer Society agree that the active ingredients in marijuana, or cannabinoids, have been approved by officials to "relieve nausea and vomiting and increase appetite in people with cancer and AIDS." The American Cancer Society says that "marijuana has anti-bacterial properties, inhibits tumor growth, and enlarges the airways, which they believe can ease the severity of asthma attacks."
https://www.yahoo.com/news/could-marijuana-help-treat-painkiller-heroin-addiction-144421438.html?ref=gs
Advocates argue a growing body of scientific literature supports the idea, pointing to a study in the Journal of Pain this year that found chronic pain sufferers significantly reduced their opioid use when taking medical cannabis. And a study published last year in the Journal of the American Medical Association found cannabis can be effective in treating chronic pain and other ailments.
But the research falls short of concluding marijuana helps wean people off opioids — Vicodin, Oxycontin and related painkillers — and heroin, and many medical professionals say it's not enough for them to confidently prescribe it.
In Maine, which is considering adding opioid and heroin addiction to the list of conditions that qualify for medical marijuana, Michelle Ham said marijuana helped her end a yearslong addiction to painkillers she took for a bad back and neck.
Tired of feeling "like a zombie," the 37-year-old mother of two decided to quit cold turkey, which she said brought on convulsions and other withdrawal symptoms.
Then, a friend mentioned marijuana, which Maine had legalized in 1999 for chronic pain and scores of other medical conditions. She gave it a try in 2013 and said the pain is under control. And she hasn't gone back on the opioids.
(How) Could dumplings be (ever) stuffed with weed? 
I am on the culinary-aspect-of-weed research with help of 'de Guardian':
http://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/apr/29/cooking-with-cannabis-leg...
Cooking with cannabis: ‘I have a fish guy, a meat guy and a weed guy’
In the two years since Colorado legalised cannabis, chefs in the state have been finding new ways to make a meal of it
Plenty of Brown’s other customers simply smoke his product, especially the popular death star (thus monikered because it makes you feel “like you might implode”), but many are also attempting the advanced recipes from books such as Catalano’s, which includes recipes for Sicilian somatic veal marsala and Indian kalichakra sweet carrot pudding. The cannabis cookery website herb.co, formerly The Stoner’s Cookbook, has five million page views a month. After three other states – Washington, Oregon and Alaska – followed Colorado’s lead in legalising the drug, the site’s chief executive, Matt Gray, predicted the edible marijuana industry will be worth as much as $40bn in the US within five years.
Meat and barbecue guru Neil Rankin is a little more enthusiastic. “I’ve never cooked with weed myself,” he says, “but marijuana’s pretty pungent stuff, so it could easily be used like a traditional herby ingredient – perhaps in a salad, much as you would rocket. You could also have it dried and ground, and the powder used as a seasoning for meat or fish, or in a curry. From a professional point of view, I’d probably only ever put it in a starter – then diners might order 10 courses each.” LOLOL
• Denver-based my420tours.com offers two-and-a-half-hour cannabis cookery classes for $129 a head.
http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2016/05/06/marijuana-gains-global-...
Germany's top health regulator reported this week that the country will pass sweeping medical marijuana legislation that will allow Germans with illness access to the drug. Separately, momentum is building in Canada for pro-pot legislation that will allow for recreational use. Since these advances in the marijuana movement could influence decisions here in the U.S., let's learn more about what's going on.
Overcoming obstacles
Currently, Germans with AIDS can be prescribed marinol, a drug derived from the cannabinoid THC, and MS patients who suffer from muscle spasticity can be prescribed GW Pharmaceuticals' (NASDAQ:GWPH) Sativex, a spray formulation of THC. Soon, many more patients who suffer from a variety of otherwise un-treatable ailments may also be able to get their prescriptions filled for dried marijuana buds.
According to Germany's Health Minister Hermann Grohe, legislation has been sent to Germany's parliament that would allow patients to purchase medical marijuana at pharmacies. That medical mariijuana would be grown at specially licensed plantations in Germany, and health insurance will be required to cover the cost of a prescription.
Germany's legislation doesn't go as far as recreational users might like, but it could help break down barriers that could lead to further reform later on. That's what happened already in the United States. Prior to passing their recreational marijuana laws, Colorado, Oregon, Washington, and Alaska all had medical marijuana laws on the books first.
Germany's parliament could still say no to Grohe's legislation, but if they pass it, medical marijuana could become a reality in 2017.
North of the border
In Canada, it's already OK for people to use medical marijuana under licenses granted by Health Canada. That privilege could expand significantly next year if Health Minister Jane Philpott's plans pan out.
Philpott says that recreational marijuana legislation will be put forth early in 2017 that makes good on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's promises to legalize the drug. In December, Trudeau reiterated his pro-pot stance in a speech to Canada's parliament.
At a special United Nations general assembly meeting on drugs recently, Philpott explained Canada's pro-pot position. By regulating the market, she believes they can keep marijuana out of the hands of children while also keeping criminals from profiting from the drug. Decriminalization will also reduce the burden that is put on prisons by enforcing the country's existing anti-marijuana laws.
Multiple fronts
The global grass-roots movement in support of marijuana legalization comes at the same time that drug developers are making strides in scientifically proving that marijuana can help patients.
Although the company suffered a high-profile disappointment when a study of THC in cancer pain failed in 2015, GW Pharmaceuticals reported earlier this year that its Epidiolex, a CBD derived medicine, significantly lowered the number of seizures experienced by people suffering from a form of epilepsy.
Specifically, GW Pharmaceuticals study showed that patients with Dravet syndrome who were treated with Epidiolex experienced 39% fewer seizures per month.
Increasing media coverage of scientific advances in the evaluation of marijuana as medicine may be helping tear down long-standing stereotypes. According to recent polls, Americans are more willing than ever to support marijuana legalization. Nationally, a poll conducted by Gallup revealed that 58% of Americans support legal marijuana. Similarly, polls in states considering approval, such as Florida, where medical marijuana is being considered, also tilt in favor of approval.
Looking ahead
There's considerable momentum to take a different approach to marijuana than has been taken in the past. An approval of medical marijuana in Germany and passage of recreational marijuana in Canada could further that momentum. If it does, then the global market for marijuana could look much different in a few years than it does today.
hi good job, nice article, i love this.... Meet in High , Weed, Marijuana, cannabis thank u... good job
Hotwater:
Can't decide is this should be classed as spam. Interesting website so I think it should be left here.
icnif77:
Rookie website!
Here few pro web sites:
http://www.kindgreenbuds.com
http://www.samsaraseeds.com/sam_en/about-us/
The curative value of CANNABIS and its derivatives has been proven and is accepted to treat a broad range of different ailments
I wish New Zealand would start doing this
Stiggs:
There's a referendum on it next month Rob, NZ will vote on whether to legalise it or not.
Kullu Valley, Himachal Pradesh:
http://www.india.com/travel/kullu/
Known as the ‘Valley of Gods’, Kullu is a cluster of beautiful valleys in Himachal Pradesh. Located between the majestic Himalayas and river Beas, Kullu is situated at an altitude of 1230 m. Kullu, along with Manali, are favorite hill stations with tourists especially honeymooners. Scenic views and snow-clad mountains, towering Deodar jungles, rivers and apple orchards have attracted several feature filmmakers too.
and especially Manali/Malana:
Wild marijuana is so prevalent around Manali that the whole town smells like a hippy's pocket. We had been driving the 25 miles from Kulu Airport to Manali and I had found myself fascinated by the roadside plants. There was something odd about them, but I couldn't quite make it out in the white-knuckle blur that is any Indian taxi ride. Then, as we slowed to enter Manali, it all became clear. Cannabis sativa is a native of these parts, and virtually every roadside weed really is, well, weed.
Hotwater:
Manali resin is excellent though difficult to find in Europe except maybe Amsterdam
icnif77:
Manalis rub alive plant and elsewhere around the world plant is dried first and then sieved.
http://herb.co/2016/10/31/malana-cream-hash/
The whole place is mystical. Malanis believe, they are descendants of Alexander the Great and all other non-Malani are inferior to them.
http://kullutourism.com/malana-village-kullu-trek.php
Malana
Malana is an ancient village to the north-east of Kullu Valley. This solitary village in the Malana Nala, a side valley of the Parvati Valley, is isolated from the rest of the world. The majestic peaks of Chandrakhani and Deotibba shadow the village. It is situated on a remote plateau by the side of torrential Malana river at a height of 3029 m above the sea level. Unaffected by the modern civilization, Malana has its own lifestyle and social structure. People are strict in following their customs. Malana has been the subject of various documentaries including, Malana: Globalization of a Himalayan Village, and Malana, A Lost Identity.
History
Malana has a history and it goes back to Jamlu rishi (sage) who inhabited this place and made rules and regulations. It is one of the oldest democracies of the world with a well organized parliamentary system. All of this is guided by the their devta (deity) Jamlu rishi. Although Jamlu is currently identified with a sage from the Puranas, this is a relatively recent development. Jamlu is believed to have been worshiped in pre-Aryan times.
Malana is considered to be one of the first democracies in the world. According to tradition, the residents of Malana are the descendant of Aryans, and they acquired their independence during the Mughal reign when the Emperor Akbar walked to the village in order to cure an ailment that he was afflicted with; after having been successfully cured he put out an edict stating that all the inhabitants of the valley would never be required to pay tax. An alternative tradition suggests that Malana was founded by remnants of Alexander the Great's Army.
The village administration is democratic and is believed to be the oldest republic of the world. The social structure of Malana in fact rests on villagers' unshaken faith in their powerful deity, Jamlu Devta. The entire administration of the village is controlled by him through a village council. This council has eleven members and they are believed as delegates of Jamlu who govern the village in his name. His decision is ultimate in any dispute and any outsider authority is never required. It is although a real fact that Malanis through this council perform a political system of direct democracy very similar to that of ancient Greece. Thus Malana has been named the Athens of Himalayas.
Malanis (the inhabitants of Malana) admire their culture, customs and religious beliefs. They generally do not like to change though some traces of modernization are visible. People in Malana consider all non-Malani to be inferior and consequently untouchable. Visitors to Malana town must pay particular attention to stick to the prescribed paths and not to touch any of the walls, houses or people there. If this does occur, visitors are expected to pay a forfeit sum, that will cover the sacrificial slaughter of a lamb in order purify the object that has been made impure. Malani people may touch impure people or houses as long as they follow the prescribed purification ritual before they enter their house or before they eat. Malanis may never accept food cooked by a non-Malani person, unless they are out of the valley (in which case their Devt can't see them). Malanis may offer visitors food but all utensils will have to undergo a strict purification ritual before they can be used again.
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icnif77:
http://traveltriangle.com/blog/secrets-of-malana/
3. Not-So-Camera-Shy Villagers
The villagers are always willing to pose for a photograph but videography is strictly prohibited.
4. It’s A Greek Thing! The Descendants Of Alexander The Great
They consider themselves to be descendants of Alexander the Great and their local court system even today reflects the ancient Greek system.
icnif77:
As the first rays of sunlight broke over the snow-capped peaks and reached the interior of the Dragon guest house, a score of men began to stir. They had been smoking hashish and drinking whiskey all night long until the early morning hours. By the time it was noon, they lit up and began smoking again.
They did not move from their places until sleep overtook them. And the cycle continued.
This is the vacation for many tourists in Malana, a tiny village amidst the lush green and shimmering snow-capped mountains of the Parvati valley, 9500 ft above sea level. Coveted as the city of the best hashish in the world, the villagers of this ancient city have been keeping several secrets to themselves.
So let us, together, unravel the secrets of Malana.
1. The Village That Grows The World’s Best Hashish, Shh….
We know it’s more like an open secret and the village is actually famous for this very feature. Malana is famous for ‘Malana cream’, a strain of Cannabis hashish, which has high oil content and an intensely fragrant aroma. But did you know that the Malana cream is also the most expensive hashish in the Amsterdam menu?
Must Read: 7 Most Beautiful Villages in India That You Must Visit Before You Die
2. The ‘Touch-Me-Not’ Villagers
One cannot touch them or their belongings without their permission. The people are friendly but outsiders are told to keep distance and not touch anything in the village. The shopkeepers will ask you to keep the money on the counter and place the goods on the counter, without any physical contact. In case of any contact, they will rush for a bath.
3. Not-So-Camera-Shy Villagers
The villagers are always willing to pose for a photograph but videography is strictly prohibited.
4. It’s A Greek Thing! The Descendants Of Alexander The Great
They consider themselves to be descendants of Alexander the Great and their local court system even today reflects the ancient Greek system.
5. The Malana Superiors: Looking Down Upon The Rest
They consider themselves to be superior to the rest. That is why they refrain from physical contact. Their language, Kanashi, is considered sacred and outsiders from other villages are not allowed to use the same. Tourists are not allowed to enter the temples either for they consider outsiders as untouchables.
Must Read: Taking A Vacation At These 10 Places With Your Family Would Be Super Awkward
6. Malana: The Village Of Taboos
In addition to the taboo on physical contact and use of Kanashi by an outsider, there are many other restrictions.
- According to village rules, fixing nails on a tree is prohibited as that could damage the tree.
- Burning wood is also prohibited in the forests of Malana.
- Only dry twigs and branches are permitted to be carried outside the forest.
- Similarly, hunting of wild animals is not allowed without the permission of the village council that too only during specific periods of the year.
- In case wild animals attack the herds of sheep and goats of the villagers the hunters are sent from the village to the pastures to kill them. And if a bear is killed, the hunter is rewarded but has to deposit the fur in the Bhandara of the Devta.
- Police intervention is not allowed, but if the accused wants to seek the help of police he has to pay a fine of Rs 1000/- to the village council.
7. Men of Faith, Less of Reason: Resolving conflicts based on the death of lambs
The judiciary in Malana is different from that in the rest of India in many ways. They believe in a godly approach over the rational one. In a difficult decision to solve a conflict, they make a deep cut in the foreleg of a lamb each of the two parties, poison it, and then sew it back with needle. The person whose lamb dies first is said to lose the case.
8. Similarity In Architecture Of Houses
Houses in Malana are two or three storied and each storey has a specific name and purpose. The ground floor is called Khudang, which acts as a cattle shed and where the firewood and fodder for the sheep and goats are stored. The first floor called Gaying is used to store eatables, wool and for weaving woolen fabric. The top floor with an overhanging balcony is called Pati – it is the actual living quarter. The houses are built of alternate bands of stove and limber. The inner walls are plastered with mud. The outer side is entirely made up of wood and acts as a verandah.
Must Read: 10 Fun Places To Go With Friends During Summer
9. Not Too Educated, Eh!
PRIMARY EDUCATION: There is one Government primary school manned by one teacher, Roshan Lal, a resident of Kulu. There are 100 children on roll in this school.
MIDDLE SCHOOL: There is another middle school headed by Naresh Patiyal, the science teacher with Jagpal Shastri, the Sanskrit teacher and Jog Raj Rana, the history teacher. The middle school was established in 1996. Although there are four teachers the number of students is only 13. Up to the primary school midday meals are provided. Girl students are provided free books.
So far only two students in the village have managed to reach class 12!
10. Celebrate Malana Shaun On 15th August
Malana Fagli is celebrated in mid of February while Malana Shaun is celebrated on 15th August.
Fagli: Harlala Mask Dance Festival, celebrated in the month of February, is an occasion when everybody takes a bath. A group of people wearing nothing but cannabis leaves and demon-like masks dance around the houses spreading cow dung, which provides insulation from the cold as well. Another interesting aspect of the festival is the procession for Emperor Akbar.
Shaun: To have a view of the celebrations, click here.
these kill
icnif77:
Health benefits of weed are major cause for 'illegal' tag ...i.e. Pharma industry!
http://time.com/3931863/medical-marijuana-benefits/
Here’s What Science Says About Medical Marijuana
There’s a big difference between anecdotal evidence and scientific proof, and the field of medical marijuana research is filled with more of the former than the latter—in part because marijuana is notoriously difficult to studybecause it’s classified as a schedule-1 drug.
Scientists led by Penny Whiting from University Hospitals Bristol in the U.K. report in JAMA that there is only moderate-quality evidence supporting the benefits of medical marijuana, and only for certain conditions. The majority of studies involving medical marijuana are of lesser quality and therefore more likely to be biased and provide unreliable results.
In all, Whiting and her colleagues analyzed 79 randomized trials, the gold standard in medical research in which volunteers are randomly assigned to take a cannabis-related product or a placebo. The studies evaluated marijuana’s ability to relieve a range of symptoms including nausea from chemotherapy, loss of appetite among HIV positive patients, multiple sclerosis spasms, depression, anxiety, sleep disorders, psychosis and Tourette syndrome. Most of the studies showed improvements among the participants taking the cannabinoid products over those using placebo, but in many, the scientists admitted that they could not be sure that the effect wasn’t simply due to chance since the association was not statistically significant.
The strongest trials supported cannabinoids’ ability to relieve chronic pain, while the least reliable evidence involved things like nausea and vomiting from chemotherapy, sleep disturbances and Tourette syndrome. Cannabinoids were, however, connected to more adverse events such as nausea, vomiting, dizziness, disorientation and hallucinations than placebo.
Summing up the state of the evidence, Whiting and her colleagues write that “Further large, robust, randomized clinical trials are needed to confirm the effects of cannabinoids, particularly on weight gain in patients with HIV-AIDS, depression, sleep disorders, anxiety disorders, psychosis, glaucoma, and Tourette syndrome.”
That puts patients who try medical marijuana products at a crossroads — in 23 states and Washington, DC, laws allow doctors to recommend cannabis products for their patients for medical reasons. But with little in the way of solid scientific evidence for which products works best, and in which doses, it’s up to the patients to adopt trial-and-error to figure out which, if any cannabinoids help to relieve their symptoms.
Adding to the confusion for patients, another study published in the same JAMA issue shows that medicinal marijuana food products, which include things such as candies, brownies and teas, aren’t often labeled correctly when it comes to their most active cannabis ingredient, and that the amounts are inconsistent. Ryan Vandrey, associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and his colleagues evaluated the contents of 75 products from 47 different brands purchased at marijuana dispensaries in San Francisco, Los Angeles and Seattle, where medicinal marijuana use is legal. When they analyzed them for their content of THC and cannabinoids, the two most concentrated chemicals found in marijuana, they found wildly divergent amounts from what was noted on the products’ labels. Among them, only 17% were accurately labeled, with 23% of the products containing more of these compounds than listed, and 60% containing less than advertised. The labels noted that anywhere from 2 mg to 1000 mg of these agents were in the products, while the lab-based analysis revealed readings as low as 1mg to as high as 1237 mg. “When I have a health condition, and need to go buy my medicine, I want to make sure I know what I’m getting,” says Vandrey. “I want to make sure the dose I buy is the same today and the same the next time and the same the next time I buy it. I want reliability and accuracy so I don’t end up with problems.”
But medical marijuana products, he says, aren’t regulated by the same system that vets other pharmaceutical drugs. In fact, cannabinoids are not regulated at all, since the federal government still considers marijuana an illegal substance and therefore does not acknowledge that marijuana-based therapies exist at all. So far, 23 states have legislated such medicinal marijuana into legality, which means that legislation, and not scientific criteria, have “approved” these compounds for medical use. The results? “What we saw was that there cant’ be much if any consumer confidence within the cities we purchased and tested products,” says Vandrey.
For the larger medical marijuana distributors who see the emerging market as a profitable business, there’s the concern that profit motives may push them to under-deliver the amount of THC or cannabinoid they note on the label. And for the smaller outfits, it could be a matter of not knowing how to extract and measure the active ingredients from the cannabis plant and distribute it in a consistent way in a batch of tea or baked goods.
How can consumers know what they’re getting in a medical marijuana edible? They can do their homework and talk to other consumers and the dispensary about dosing of THC and cannabinoids, says Vandrey. Or they can try to test the products themselves, which some states offer in an effort to standardize and gain more control over these products. But ultimately, he says. “if states are going to supersede federal law and say we think there is medical benefit in marijuana, and we want it to be available to our residents, then it should also be the responsibility of the states to set up appropriate programs for regulating and overseeing the quality assurance and manufacturing standards for medications being sold.”
Matt Nager for TIME
Charlotte's Web grows on the Stanley brother's farm near Wray, Colo. on Sept. 22, 2014.
The Stanley Brothers have developed a popular strain of cannabis that has been found to be helpful in reducing seizures in some children. Charlotte's Web is high in a compound called cannabidiol (CBD) and low in tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) the compound that causes a high.
New raincoat is on the way .....
Massive, I mean M-A-S-S-I-V-E scientific report on health benefits ....
http://arstechnica.com/science/2017/01/massive-scientific-report-on-mari...
In a new 400-page analysis that blows through the current state of scientific knowledge on the health risks and benefits of marijuana, one of the strongest conclusions is that it can effectively treat chronic pain in some patients.
The sweeping report, released Thursday by the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine, covered more than 10,000 scientific studies and came to nearly 100 other conclusions. Those mostly highlight unanswered questions and insufficient research related to health effects of marijuana, as well as several risks. However, the firm verification that marijuana does have legitimate medical uses—supported by high-quality scientific studies—is a significant takeaway in light of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s decision in August to maintain marijuana’s listing as a Schedule I drug. That is, a drug that has no medical use.
The new report also strongly concludes that the Schedule I listing creates significant administrative barriers for researchers wishing to conduct health research on marijuana and its components—an issue Ars has previously reported on.
“It is often difficult for researchers to gain access to the quantity, quality, and type of cannabis product necessary to address specific research questions on the health effects of cannabis use,” concluded the authors, a panel of experts led by Marie McCormick, a pediatrician and public health researcher at Harvard.
In a public presentation of their findings, the report’s authors repeatedly refused to comment on the DEA’s scheduling of marijuana, noting that the issue was outside the scope of their scientific review.
The massive report falls at a hazy time for enforcement of that scheduling. Despite the federal prohibition, dozens of states have enacted or passed laws allowing for medical and recreational use of marijuana. The Obama Administration was lenient in its enforcement of the federal law, largely leaving states alone. However, it’s unclear how President-elect Donald Trump’s Administration will handle the situation.
The issue was floated during the ongoing confirmation hearings for Senator Jeff Sessions, Trump’s nominee for attorney general. Sessions has previously been critical of the Obama Administration’s stance on the issue, but when asked about it in a hearing Tuesday, he said:
"I won't commit to never enforcing federal law… I think some of [the Obama-era guidelines] are truly valuable in evaluating cases… Using good judgment about how to handle these cases will be a responsibility of mine. I know it won't be an easy decision, but I will try to do my duty in a fair and just way."
The authors of today’s report are hopeful that their evidence-based conclusions will steer discussions, policies, and decisions moving forward.
The other big takeaways of the report include:
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- Cannabis and cannabinoids were effective at treating chronic pain, particularly that related to multiple-sclerosis. The substances were also effective for treating chemotherapy-related nausea and vomiting in cancer patients
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- Cannabis and cannabinoids use is not linked to cancers that arise from smoking, such as lung and neck cancers. However, smoking may increase respiratory problems, like chronic phlegm, if it’s done on a regular basis.
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- Smoking marijuana while pregnant can result in lower birth weights, but it’s unclear if there are long-term effects in children. States in which cannabis use is legal report upticks in accidental poisonings of children compared with states that don’t allow for use.
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- There’s not enough research to know how marijuana use relates to heart attack, strokes, or diabetes. But there’s some evidence that smoking pot could trigger a heart attack.
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- There’s a little evidence that marijuana could have anti-inflammatory effects, but otherwise there’s not enough research to know how cannabis and cannabinoids affect the immune system or those who are immune-compromised.
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- Using marijuana may increase the risk of developing mental health issues, such as schizophrenia, anxiety, and to a lesser extent depression.
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- There’s a little evidence that using marijuana increases the risk of using other drugs—mostly tobacco. However, the committee found a clear link between people who use marijuana and those prone to developing substance dependence.
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- Using marijuana immediately impairs learning, memory, and attention. There’s a little evidence that impairments could linger in people who stop smoking and—for those who start young—could affect educational achievement and employment.
'Everybody must get stoned .....', Rainy Day Women, 1966, B. Dylan
