Medical Marijuana Blog

Cultivating marijuana is now legal in several states in the United States as well as Canada for licensed professionals. While there are several requirements that must be met by Health Canada, there are some places in the U.S. where licensing is not as strict. The following information will help you learn about obtaining a medical marijuana growers license, which depends on your residence.

Canada

Only growers licensed through Health Canada as Licensed Producers are allowed to grow and sell dried cannabis in Canada. You must submit a business plan with your license application. The business plan must specify a business location and the business must meet Health Canada’s security requirements. Other rules govern cultivation, storage, pest control, packaging and inventory. Your business plan should show cost per gram and how you’ll market the cannabis. Once you are approved as a grower, you can purchase seeds from Health Canada.

Washington

Medical patients are allowed to grow their own cannabis without a license in the state of Washington. The rules for growing medical marijuana in the state of Washington require a 60 day supply limit, which amounts to up to 15 plants producing 24 ounces of marijuana. This amount or less gives the patient an affirmative defense in the event of an arrest. A medical marijuana growers license is not needed if you have a doctor’s recommendation.

Oregon

Measure 91, which Oregon state voters passed in November 2014, allows residents to possess and cultivate marijuana beginning July 1, 2015. Residents that wish to apply for licenses to sell marijuana can do so beginning January 1, 2016. Individuals who are at least 21 years old are allowed to possess up to 8 ounces in their home, but only 1 ounce in public.

Even after decriminalization of state laws, it’s still in the law that possession of four ounces or more is a felony. The law also says that growing a single plant is a felony with a fine of $365,000 and up to 20 years in prison. There is a general sense that Oregon has become a marijuana-friendly state much like its neighbor Washington.

Growers need to be far away from schools as possession within 1,000 feet of a school can result in jail time. Production licenses will be administered through the Oregon Liquor Control Commission beginning in 2016. Costs involved with licensing will include a $250 application and a $1000 annual licensing fee.

California

In California, where the medical marijuana marathon of legalization began with voters approving Proposition 215 in 1996, rules are stricter on growing. The state has many growers in northern counties such as Humboldt and Mendocino. It’s technically a felony to cultivate any amount, according to the NORML website. But the state has moved consistently in a direction of decriminalization, meaning no prison time. The state is authorized to do hemp research if the hemp contains less than 1% THC. The state does allow patients to use medical marijuana with a doctor’s recommendation and it does allow home cultivation with no specified limits.

Colorado

Colorado has legalized recreational marijuana along with Washington, Alaska and the nation’s capital. Colorado allows an individual to grow up to six plants at home and no more than 12 plants per residence. It is legal to grow plants outdoors if it’s in a fully enclosed or locked space. Homegrown weed, however, is not legal to sell. Retail stores selling cannabis in Denver must be licensed through the Denver Department of Excise and Licenses, which will begin taking applications January 1, 2016. Most other states will require some form of a medical marijuana growers license.

Sleep apnea involves inconsistent or irregular breathing patterns during sleep, which increases carbon dioxide in the bloodstream. The term apnea refers to an interruption in breathing and can be broken down into three categories: central, obstructive and complex. Central sleep apnea involves pauses in breathing due to respiratory problems. In obstructive sleep apnea, airflow is blocked while complex sleep apnea is a mix of the two forms. The following information explains types of weed, sleep apnea and decision-making involved with treating this sleep disorder.

Weed Treatments for Sleep Apnea

Conventional Treatment

The traditional treatment for sleep apnea has placed a focus on behavioral therapy that involves avoiding alcohol, tranquilizers and sedatives to protect the throat muscles from constricting airflow while sleeping. Doctors have also advised patients to sleep on one side instead of on their backs. In some cases, patients are given facial masks connected to air pressure machines that keep the airway open through the throat. The two types of machines used for this process are based on continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) devices and automatic positive airway pressure (APAP) devices. In some cases when these devices have not helped, doctors have recommended throat and mouth surgery. Despite these procedures, many people do not even know they suffer from sleep apnea, so many cases go untreated.

Evidence that Marijuana Helps

While there still needs to be much more research on types of weed, sleep apnea on a mild level can be treated by THC, which is more prevalent in the sativa strains of marijuana. Keep in mind, though, that indicas are more like sedatives while sativas produce effects that are more energetic. These facts suggest that hybrids are most effective for treating sleep apnea, although indicas have been known to work as well. A study at the University of Illinois in 2002 by Dr. David Carley found that THC helped reduce sleep apnea in subjects by 32 percent. In 2013, researchers reported in Frontiers in Psychiatry that THC significantly helped patients suffering from obstructive sleep apnea over a three-week period.

Hybrid strains that may help treat sleep apnea include Alpha OG, Blackberry Kush and OG Kush. However, you should still consult with a doctor and a professional medical marijuana caretaker at a reputable dispensary about your particular condition to get professional opinions, as marijuana has different effects on different individuals.

Alpha Medic OG

With a THC level over 20 percent, Alpha Medic OG, a form of OG Kush, has helped sleep apnea patients. This hybrid has been marketed as a “best of the best” strain at San Diego dispensary Alpha Medic and it won second place in the hybrid category at the 2014 LA Cannabis Cup. OG strains are believed to help with a wide variety of other health conditions as well.

Blackberry Kush

Known as a “one hitter”, Blackberry Kush is purple weed that leans indica but can also be found in hybrid forms. Although the origins of the strain are unknown, it has been a popular strain at California dispensaries. It has a fruity sweet taste like grape or berry with a smooth feel that is less likely to lead to coughing. The potency is fairly strong and the high can last for several hours. Therefore, new patients to this strain should consider small dosage.

OG Kush

This hybrid is 90 percent indica and 10 percent sativa. It is considered to be helpful for most ailments that can be treated with cannabis. Other indica-intensive hybrids that may be effective include Vanilla Kush, Bubba Kush and Blackwater. If you understand these various types of weed, sleep apnea problems can potentially be put to rest.

One of the reasons people turn to medical marijuana is to ease the symptoms of chronic pain. Chronic pain is most often treated with painkillers like opioids. Everyone now knows how addictive opioids are and the damage they can inflict on a person’s life, which is why doctors have become hesitant to prescribe them to patients. While this is understandable, it leaves patients who suffer from chronic pain with limited options for relief. One of those options, though, is medical marijuana. There are many medical marijuana strains that are effective at treating chronic nerve pain.

The best strains of medical marijuana for the treatment of chronic nerve pain are hybrids, with a high content of both tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). These cannabinoids are good at bonding to the body’s natural receptors for cannabinoids, and thus they’re good for helping modulate the body’s pain responses. Below are some strains for you to consider if you’re looking to treat chronic nerve pain:

ACDC

ACD is a powerful strain and is great if you’re suffering a condition that results in severe pain. It contains both THC and CBD (1:20 ratio). It’s important that medical marijuana strains that treat chronic pain contain both cannabinoids because THC blocks pain signals from reaching the brain. THC does, however, cause the psychoactive effects of marijuana, and that’s why it’s mixed with CBD because it doesn’t.

Cannatonic

Like the name suggests, one of the things the Cannatonic strain is able to help with is sleep. It contains a low THC content (it rarely reaches 6 percent) and a high CBD content (6-17 percent). It’s this combination that makes Cannatonic the perfect choice for pain patients.

Cannatonic carries in it the ability to give you deeper relaxation and sleep, which is why, if you’re unable to sleep because of your pain, it’s also a good option for you. It’ll allow you to sleep, and unlike sleeping pills, it won’t have a negative effect on your sleep cycle or give you any of the sleeping pill’s common side effects.

Harlequin

If you’re in need of a medical marijuana strain that doesn’t leave you high or drowsy so you can take it during the day, look no further than Harlequin. Harlequin is also a hybrid, but it has a more balanced ratio of CBD and THC. The balanced mix of cannabinoids makes this strain one of the best for combatting pain caused by inflammation. It also helps lower your stress level. If you’re looking for pain relief as you go about your day, then this strain is an excellent choice.

Get Advice

There are many different medical marijuana strains out there, and finding the best one for your condition can seem challenging. If you’re uncertain about the best strains for you and your condition, ask a medical professional, like your doctor, or someone at a medical marijuana clinic such as Aleafia’s Total Health Network.

Medical personnel at clinics like Aleafia are fully educated in how medical marijuana can help your condition, and they’ll be able to suggest effective strains. If you’ve decided you want to use medical marijuana to treat your chronic nerve pain, there are many educated medical personnel who are ready and eager to help you during every step of your journey.

Marijuana has faced stigma since it first came to the public’s attention. Canada’s House of Commons criminalized the drug in 1923 before it had even earned a widespread reputation. It remained completely illegal for all purposes until the early 21st century, when a court ruling led to Canada’s first medical marijuana laws. Still, cannabis users continue to attract negative attention, even as more Canadians support legalization.

This stigma becomes especially problematic when it draws upon misinformation or outright fabrications. False information about marijuana doesn’t just hurt the people who use it recreationally. Medical patients who could benefit from cannabis treatment may not consider the drug due to its poor standing. As a result, they may continue to suffer needlessly from pain, appetite loss, nausea, and other conditions that marijuana can reduce.

The best way to combat the most common misconceptions about weed is to disprove them. In that spirit, this article will outline just a few of the common myths about marijuana and show why they hold less water than a small bong.

1. Cannabis Is a Gateway Drug

The “gateway drug” myth is so prevalent that many people can’t divorce it from the substance itself. Its guiding principle is that marijuana causes users to develop a taste for its effects, which will ultimately lead them to abuse other, harder drugs such as cocaine or heroin. Like many marijuana misconceptions, this idea mistakes cause for correlation. It assumes that cannabis causes users to gravitate toward other drugs, when other factors may play a more substantial role in this shift.

The myth doesn’t even hold up to scrutiny when other drugs are invoked. Alcohol and nicotine usually precede marijuana use, yet neither are criminalized, let alone labeled “gateway drugs.” Marijuana continues to bear the brunt of this falsehood, even though it’s demonstrably inaccurate.

2. Marijuana Use Causes Violence

Marijuana and criminality have existed side by side in the popular consciousness since the 1930s. What can you expect when a drug is criminalized before the general public even knows it exists? Despite a lack of evidence, cannabis use has long been seen as a harbinger of violent crime.

While assault and murder have surrounded the marijuana trade in the past, it’s largely due to its status as an illegal drug. A lack of regulation leaves traffickers with little recourse other than violence should something go wrong. There’s little evidence to show that the substance itself actually causes violent behaviour, and recent studies suggest that sites for marijuana trafficking, such as dispensaries, don’t suffer from higher crime rates.

3. Cannabis Is Highly Addictive

Cannabis addiction is a valid concern. Users can come to depend on the drug, especially if they come to abuse. Yet marijuana’s potential for addiction is miniscule compared to other narcotics.

Nine percent of cannabis users become dependent on the drug, compared to 23 percent of those who try heroin and 17 percent of cocaine consumers. Even legal drugs are more addictive than cannabis. Fifteen percent of alcohol drinkers develop an addiction to it, while 32 percent of smokers suffer from nicotine dependency. These statistics don’t mean that marijuana addiction is insignificant, but they do show that it’s highly overestimated.

4. Marijuana Severely Alters Your Brain

Common misconceptions about weed aren’t limited to discussions of public safety and addiction. You’re as likely to hear stories about the substance’s negative effects on the brain as you are to hear about its role in criminality. In reality, both are exaggerated.

Studies do show that marijuana users’ brains differ from those of non-users. Yet the studies’ authors have never claimed that marijuana is the source of these changes. In fact, they’ve even spoken out against this assertion, showing that confusion between cause and correlation still rein when it comes to marijuana discussions.

5. Cannabis Is Harmless

Most myths about marijuana inflate its negative effects at the expense of its benefits. Unfortunately, many cannabis advocates do the exact opposite, ignoring its harmful effects while singing its praises. This results in more common misconceptions about weed.

Marijuana still causes addiction in some users, and smoking the drug does create carcinogens that can cause serious health problems. The stigma surrounding marijuana use is excessive, but that doesn’t mean the drug’s harmful aspects should be disregarded.