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.

Nothing ruins your day faster than a headache. Even at their most tolerable, these ailments can steal your focus and lower your productivity. But when you’re experiencing particularly bad pain and it feels like someone is bashing a gong on the inside of your skull, you’d do nearly anything to make it stop.

Unfortunately, many Canadians don’t have that option. Statistics Canada reports that over 2.7 million citizens experienced migraines in 2010 or 2011. This can be a chronic condition for some people, while others may experience them as a side effect from other medications. In the end, the result is the same: harsh, unrelenting pain that will needlessly complicate your life.

Thankfully, there are solutions for chronic sufferers. Medical marijuana has been known to reduce pain caused by headaches, offering relief to users who have obtained prescriptions from their doctors. However, some strains can also intensify this pain, so it’s important to know which varieties of marijuana to use to treat these ailments.

This article will help you find common medical marijuana strains that will remove grating, constant pain. Read on to find out about these unique assortments.

1. Blue Dream

When people discuss pain, mentions of Blue Dream are never far away. That’s because this is one of the more common medical marijuana strains available for relieving physical discomfort. As a hybrid variety, it offers patients the best of both worlds when it comes to treating headaches. Its sativa characteristics offer a heady feeling that’s beneficial for treating migraines and other cranium-based ailments. This also keeps you from falling prey to the drowsy body highs that are commonly associated with indicas. It does contain large amounts of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which can lead to exaggerated psychoactive effects. But for the most part, Blue Dream is perfectly suited to treating unpleasant headaches.

2. Jack Herer

Many people don’t want to use common medical marijuana strains to treat their headaches because it makes them feel too stoned to actually maintain their daily routines. Jack Herer helps patients avoid these prevalent pitfalls, so it’s used by busy professionals to treat their headache pain. It’s a sativa-based strain that emphasizes users’ creativity and productivity. Patients describe it as producing blissful, energetic feelings, so you’ll relieve both your pain and the negative energy it produces.

3. Northern Lights

If you’ve ever had to deal with intense head pain late at night, you know how it can prevent you from falling asleep. There are very few things that are more tedious and annoying than having to lie awake as you feel your headache’s dull throb pulsing through the top of your dome. Thankfully, one of the most common medical marijuana strains will leave you as awestruck as a tourist gawking at the Aurora Borealis.

That’s right: the popular Northern Lights strain is a great tool for when you need to slowly drift off after a long day full of pain. It’s an indica, so you’ll feel relaxed and happy enough to get the sleep you need. Readily available through dispensaries and licensed producers, Northern Lights can take away the tension that seems to grip your entire body when you’ve got a headache.

4. Blueberry

If Blueberry sounds familiar, it should. It’s a parent to the previously mentioned Blue Dream, but while that strain is tempered with a Haze sativa, Blueberry is a straight indica strain. That means you’ll get a relaxed, body-oriented sensation that’s similar to the Northern Lights variety. If you need to get rid of the bad feelings that pain brings, Blueberry is an ideal pick.

In June 2015, Vancouver became the first city to vote to regulate and license medical marijuana dispensaries at a public hearing. But only a few months later, approximately 6% of applications were successful. The vast majority of those applying for business licences have been denied.

The regulations state that medical marijuana-related businesses are only allowed to operate in commercial zones away from schools, neighbourhood houses, youth facilities serving vulnerable youth, and other marijuana-related businesses. These marijuana dispensaries can only operate with a business licence at a fee of $1,000 for compassion clubs and $30,000 for medical marijuana-related retail dealers, with a development permit that includes a community notification process, and with a signed good neighbour agreement.

The city of Vancouver adopted these regulations for several reasons. First, the number of medical marijuana dispensaries grow by 100% per year from 2013 and 2015 and there’s a lack of clear and transparent regulatory framework at the federal level. In addition, the regulations have been adopted in order to hopefully achieve a balance between adequate availability of medical cannabis for those in need as well as community security, health and safety.

Currently, only 16 marijuana dispensaries, out of the 176 that applied for licences under Vancouver’s new regulations, have received the go ahead. These include Stress and Depressed Association, The Green Room Society, The Buddha Barn, Apple Health Society, Wealthshop Social Society, Apollo Medical Society, BC Pain Society, Westcoast Medicann Society, EVO Medi Society, Medicinal Express (two locations), MPN Health Society, Scooter Health Society, The Herb Co., The Healing Centre, and the Urban Earth Med Society.

Location, Location, Location

Most of the marijuana dispensaries had their applications for a business licence denied because of their location. Some were too close to schools, others were too close to community centres, and others were in too close proximity to other marijuana retailers. The rules are clear: dispensaries must be set up at least 300 metres away from schools, recreation centres, and other marijuana retailers in order to be approved for a business licence.

Even the BC Compassion Club Society, which has been in business for 18 years and is the city’s oldest dispensary, has had its application denied because it’s located across the street from Stratford Hall Private School.

Appeal or Move

And as the Vancouver board of variance has denied appeals for many of the retailers, Chief Licensing Inspector Andrea Toma believes the best step to be taken by those who were denied is to set up shop in a different location and re-apply, rather than to continue appealing the decisions. Otherwise, they have six months to close their doors if they don’t move.

Moving is easier said than done, though, as many of these marijuana dispensaries are non-profits without much money. Moving to a different area will likely lead to an increase in rent, which means they’ll have to make cuts to the healthcare services they provide members. Others cannot find new rentals that meet the city’s strict guidelines.

Too Close to Other Dispensaries

However, 30 of the 176 marijuana dispensaries that did not receive approval on their first applications are now being moved to a secondary, competitive licensing stage. For these 30 stores, the only issue is that they’re too close to another cannabis dispensary. They now have the chance to make their case based on many factors, including community complaints and previous police contact. For these dispensaries, there is still hope of staying alive.

Didn’t Apply? Close Your Doors

The cannabis retailers that did not apply for a licence, perhaps in an attempt to stay off of the city’s radar or to avoid being denied altogether, business isn’t going to continue as usual. They, too, have been asked to close their doors immediately, or risk facing legal action and fines.

Though a lot of controversy surrounds it, medical marijuana is awesome. It’s an incredible alternative treatment option that more and more patients suffering from debilitating, chronic, and often fatal illnesses are starting to use. It really isn’t surprising that medical marijuana is increasing in popularity. Just consider these 13 amazing facts.

1. It Can Treat Alzheimer’s

There is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease, and few treatment options are available—most efforts are focused on prevention. And many studies have shown that medicinal marijuana can help prevent it. Both THC and CBD can positively affect the brain’s nerve cell function to reduce the chronic brain inflammation that causes Alzheimer’s.

2. It Kills Cancer Cells

Medicinal cannabis isn’t only beneficial in terms of reducing nausea and increasing appetite for cancer patients, it can also kill cancer cells, while leaving the healthy cells undisturbed. Brain, lung, breast, prostate, oral, pancreatic, liver, and blood cancers can be treated with cannabis.

3. Smoking Cannabis Can Lead to Brain Growth

Though many anti-marijuana activists will tell you that cannabis kills brain cells, it actually does the opposite. New studies show that medical marijuana actually promotes neurogenesis—aka, brain cell growth.

4. Legal Medical Marijuana Reduces Suicide Rates

Areas that have passed medical marijuana laws are now seeing a decrease in their suicide rates—by almost 5 percent. Most experts believe that the reduction is based on the fact that people who were self-medicating with alcohol have replaced this habit with the use of the safer alternative, cannabis.

5. Legal Medicinal Cannabis Reduces Overdose Rates

States that have implemented medicinal marijuana laws appear to be benefiting from a lower opioid overdose death rate than states that haven’t yet passed such legislature. Cannabis use doesn’t lead to fatal overdoses, and patients are switching from dangerous pharmaceutical painkillers to this more natural treatment option.

6. There’s No Need to Smoke It

Many patients don’t enjoy the harsh experience that comes with smoking—the smell, the taste, the dry mouth, or the coughing. But there are more enjoyable and health conscious ways to ingest your treatment. Making edibles can provide more long-lasting relief for chronic symptoms and eliminates the need for smoking completely. Vaporization is also another commonly recommended alternative.

7.  You Don’t Need to Get Stoned

Worried about feeling too high to function? There’s no reason to avoid medical marijuana for this reason. There are hybrid strains on the market that will allow you to get the health benefits you need to treat your symptoms that won’t get you stoned at all. Just buy strains that are high in CBD and low in THC.

8. It Can Improve Lung Health

A shocking truth, I know. But medicinal cannabis has no link to lung damage. In fact, it can even reverse the carcinogenic effects of tobacco to improve lung health.

9. It’s One of the Best Epilepsy Treatment Options

Unfortunately, many epileptic patients do not find relief from typical pharmaceutical treatments—they’re pretty hit or miss. Medicinal marijuana can be used to prevent epileptic activity in the brain—often better than traditional drugs can.

10. It’s also Effective for Treating Drug-Resistant Multiple Sclerosis

Patients living with MS often do not find relief of their pain with traditional drug treatments, either. But many see improvements after ingesting medical marijuana.

11. It Can Help Our Troops

PTSD is a nasty symptom of war and many veterans suffer from it—severely limiting their quality of life. Medicinal cannabis can help regulate the system that controls anxiety and fear in the brain.

12. It Protects Your Brain

People who have strokes or other traumatic brain injuries, like concussions, can benefit from medical cannabis’s neuroprotective effects on the brain.

13. Marijuana Is One of the Most Pharmacologically Active Plants in the World

Ever wonder why medical marijuana is so beneficial to your health? It’s because it has over 400 different pharmacologically active chemicals!

If you’re looking for weed dispensaries, online research is your best bet. It will save you plenty of time and help you find the best selection of medical marijuana quickly. A good place to start is Weedmaps.com, which has become the most popular directory of cannabis dispensaries in a short time. In 2014 the site ranked in the top 5,000 websites out of millions in the United States, according to Alexa.com. The site also gets a very high trust rating on ScamAdviser.com, which gives 1-100 point ratings on whether or not the site can be trusted based on over 150 different factors. Using WeedMaps.com and similar online directories can help you find the closest dispensaries in your geographic region quickly.

The Beauty of Weedmaps

Weedmaps has offices in Orange County, California and in Denver, Colorado, one of the most pot-friendly cities in the world. The site was founded by Justin Hartfield and Keith Hoerling in 2008 and has rapidly become the Yelp of weed dispensaries, online resource for dispensary geography and leading provider of dispensary reviews. Through this comprehensive website, you can search for medical marijuana based on lab-tests, delivery opportunities and other criteria. The site is also an index for legitimate and licensed doctors, which allows you to set online appointments. It can also direct you to grow shops.

Considered the marijuana industry’s leading authority on dispensaries, Weedmaps is built on a database that tracks over 3,000 dispensaries and an astounding 25,000 cannabis strains. Through the site, millions of patients can connect with each other and comment on dispensary experiences. Its sister site, Marijuana.com, is another excellent cannabis resource for staying up to date on marijuana news, strains and cannabis products. Although ownership of Weedmaps has traded hands since its formation, Hartfield bought the company back in 2013 and is now a NORML board member who is working toward the federal legalization of cannabis in the United States. Today Weedmaps is the most popular medical marijuana app in both the Apple and Google mobile app stores.

Expanding Your Mind Online

The amount of knowledge you can learn about marijuana from Weedmaps and Marijuana.com is amazing compared with most other pot websites, although NORML.org is very useful as well. The geography of dispensaries is demystified by Weedmaps, which integrates with Google Maps. Simply type the name of your city in the dispensary search box and get a listing of the dispensaries in your area. These cannabis vendors are rated by reviewers giving 1-5 stars with data on the number of reviewers.

When you click the link of the dispensary name, you’ll go to a page with a Google Map that shows where the pot shop is located. You will also learn the type of pot (indica, sativa or hybrid) as well as the name of the cannabis strains available at that particular location. It will also reveal if the dispensary sells other cannabis products besides buds such as concentrate or wax. Reviews at the bottom of the page are sorted by featured dispensary, most recently reviewed or most helpful establishments. The reviews of shops are rated on a scale of 1-5 stars based on five categories: bud quality, reliability, staff, professionalism and price.

From brief reviews of weed dispensaries, online research can be maximized in a matter of minutes, saving you time and money while learning where to find high quality medical marijuana. You can also click on the reviewer’s name and read their reviews of other dispensaries. Then you can add your own comment to the review if you login after signing up, which lets you join marijuana forums.