Big Weed (26 page)

Unfortunately, adolescents who use marijuana are likely to suffer other consequences that are far clearer and are more compelling reasons for avoiding the substance: In current U.S. society, young people who are caught using marijuana tend to pay a higher price than those who use alcohol, namely: a criminal record, loss of education and employment opportunities. Young people are still developing their understanding of moderation, and are liable to overindulge, which can lead to driving under the influence. They are unlikely to use any technology, such as vaporizers, to reduce their risks from combustion and are thus at risk for pulmonary damage. Last, adolescent usage of street drugs is always alarming because it is virtually impossible to know what drugs bought off the street actually contain.

One of the best discussions on marijuana I've found for parents is authored by medical sociologist and drug abuse expert Marsha Rosenbaum; in
The Pot Book: A Complete Guide to Cannabis, Its Role in Medicine, Politics, Science, and Culture,
edited by Julie Holland, MD (Rochester, VT: Park Street Press, 2010), chapter 30, titled “What to Tell the Children,” contains a brief summary of Rosenbaum's work. The full text of her pamphlet, titled “Safety First: A Reality-Based Approach to Teens and Drugs” and distributed by the Drug Policy Alliance, is mandatory reading for all parents and can be found online:
http://www.drugpolicy.org/sites/default/files/DPA_SafetyFirst_2014.pdf
.

In 2013, CNN's medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta, a neurosurgeon by training, made a very public about-face on the issue of medical marijuana, resulting in two documentaries, which can be found online:
Weed
(
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dn9eTC1mNTk
) and
Weed 2
(
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAFu-Ihwyzg
).

A fine resource for parents and others investigating the potential of cannabidiol (CBD) for family members suffering from seizures and other ailments is the website of the nonprofit organization Project CBD (
http://www.projectcbd.org
). Whether farmers who are growing hemp will be able to ship the nonintoxicating CBD oil made from this strain of cannabis out of state is a matter of speculation at this writing. The issue was summarized nicely in “Bid to Expand Medical Marijuana Business Faces Federal Hurdles” by Dave Philipps,
New York Times,
August 23, 2014 (
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/24/us/bid-to-expand-medical-marijuana-business-faces-federal-hurdles.html
).

The impact of cannabis on disease has been documented by a host of different researchers around the world. A 2009 landmark article in the
Journal of Opioid Management,
by University of Washington researcher Sunil Aggarwal and his colleagues surveyed thirty-three U.S.-controlled trial studies published between 1971 and 2009 that reveal cannabis as “safe, effective medicine for specific medical conditions.” The full article is behind a paywall at the journal, but the National Institutes of Health stores the article abstract online:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19662925
, and the Marijuana Policy Project, an advocacy group, posted a press releases on the report and its findings:
http://www.mpp.org/states/washington/press-releases/33-us-clinical-studies-show.html
. If thirty-three controlled trials are not convincing enough, readers may wish to review a seventy-page report issued by NORML, “Emerging Clinical Application for Cannabis and Cannabinoids: A Review of the Recent Scientific Literature, Sixth Edition,” that lists the more than two hundred recent studies dating from 2000 to 2013 that investigated the use and safety of cannabis to treat twenty different conditions. The full report is available online:
http://norml.org/pdf_files/NORML_Clinical_Applications_for_Cannabis_and_Cannabinoids.pdf
.

More germane to my discussion of cannabis and its impact on cancer patients such as Bob, readers will find part 3, “The Clinical Use of Cannabis,” in Holland's
The Pot Book
to be a more manageable read. The introduction, in particular pages 242 to 246, discusses the ability of cannabis to treat the Big Six side effects associated with conventional cancer treatment: depression, anxiety, insomnia, loss of appetite, nausea, and pain. This section of the text explores the U.S. government's obstruction of cannabis research; its “pot farm” in Oxford, Mississippi; the plant's potential use in psychiatry; and more. In the same text I refer readers to chapter 6, “The Endocannabinoid System,” by Gregory L. Gerdeman, PhD, and Jason B. Schechter, PhD; and chapter 7, “Anandamide and More,” by Raphael Mechoulam, PhD, and Lumír HanuÅ¡.

A compelling documentary,
Clearing the Smoke: The Science of Cannabis,
produced by PBS Montana, investigates the science behind endocannabinoids and can be viewed online:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aTbnO9I-TU
.

The full text of the U.S. government's patent #6630507, “Cannabinoids as Antioxidants and Neuroprotectants,” can be found online:
http://www.google.com/patents/US6630507
.

Some examples of old-time advertisements for hasheesh candy and a discussion of its properties can be viewed online:
http://www.cannabisculture.com/content/2013/02/07/Incredible-Delectable-Miracle-19th-Century-Medicine-Hasheesh-Candy
.

The “pot brownie” story has been somewhat distorted over time. Alice B. Toklas was the longtime companion of the writer Gertrude Stein. Technically, the recipe was not Toklas's but that of an artist friend named Brion Gysin, who called it “Haschich Fudge.” The original recipe can be found online (
http://www.brainpickings.org/2013/03/04/the-alice-b-toklas-cookbook-folio-natacha-ledwidge/
) and in the 2010 paperback of the cookbook by Harper Perennial.

The controversy over edibles was ratcheted significantly in summer 2014 after Maureen Dowd, a columnist with the
New York Times,
reported having a dysphoric experience after consuming a marijuana-laced chocolate bar on a research trip to Denver. After her column about the experience (
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/04/opinion/dowd-dont-harsh-our-mellow-dude.html
) went viral, reporters in Denver ferreted out that Dowd had been warned about how to consume the product (
http://www.thecannabist.co/2014/06/04/was-maureen-dowd-warned-about-edible-marijuana/13113
). Dowd noted in that same column that she knew that the candy bar was intended to provide sixteen individual doses, but that information was not indicated on the packaging.

10. Best in Show

Details on our various winning strains maybe be found online: Super Lemon Haze (
http://www.leafly.com/hybrid/super-lemon-haze
), the Hells Angels strain (
http://www.leafly.com/hybrid/hells-angel-og
), and Jack Herer (
http://www.leafly.com/sativa/jack-herer
). A discussion of the cannabis plant's origins in the Hindu-Kush ranges of the Himalaya foothills is documented in chapter 1 of
Ed Rosenthal's Marijuana Grower's Handbook
by Ed Rosenthal (Oakland, CA: Quick American, 2010).

The article “Despite Outlaw Image, Hells Angels Sue Often,” by Serge F. Kovaleski,
New York Times,
November 28, 2013 (
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/29/us/despite-outlaw-image-hells-angels-sue-often.html
) may shed light on my encounter with members.

Trichomes are discussed prominently in the Rosenthal text, particularly in part 4, as an indicator of harvesting readiness.

My understanding of the nonuniform nature of cannabis tolerance was informed, in part, by the discussion in
The Pot Book: A Complete Guide to Cannabis, Its Role in Medicine, Politics, Science, and Culture,
edited by Julie Holland, MD (Rochester, VT: Park Street Press, 2010), particularly chapter 12, “Cannabis and Cognition,” by Caroline B. Marvin and Carl L. Hart, PhD.

Details of future Cannabis Cups may be found at:
http://www.cannabiscup.com
.

See the article “420 Meaning: The True Story of How April 20 Became ‘Weed Day,'” by Ryan Grim,
Huffington Post,
updated April 19, 2013 (
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/04/20/420-meaning-the-true-stor_n_543854.html
) which is extensive investigation into the San Rafael, California, story and shares interviews with the original participants.

The H. P. Lovecraft short story often cited as the inspiration for 420 is entitled “In the Walls of Eryx” and is available to read for free at the following URL:
http://www.hplovecraft.com/writings/texts/fiction/iwe.aspx
.

11. Marijuana's Mecca

See part I of
Ed Rosenthal's Marijuana Grower's Handbook
by Ed Rosenthal (Oakland, CA: Quick American, 2010), particularly pages 21 to 33, for a discussion of terpenes.

The two seed companies mentioned in this chapter are Sensi Seeds (
http://sensiseeds.com
) and Soma Seeds (
http://somaseeds.nl
). Numerous videos of Soma discussing recipes and other topics can be found at his YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/user/somamissionTV
.

The story of Rosenthal's ordeal is told in the article “Medical Marijuana Clash Put a Grower in Court” by Dean E. Murphy,
New York Times,
January 21, 2003 (
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/01/21/national/21POT.html
).

The two Amsterdam cafés mentioned in this chapter are Grey Area (
http://www.greyarea.nl
) and Green House Seeds (
http://greenhouseseeds.nl
).

Find the Hash Marihuana & Hemp Museum online at:
http://hashmuseum.com
.

Articles and photos of the Cannabis Culture Awards I attended may be found at:
http://cannabiscultureawards.com/awards/cannabis-culture-awards-2013-amsterdam
.

12. Marijuana on the Ballot

The complete text of Amendment 64 may be found at:
http://www.fcgov.com/mmj/pdf/amendment64.pdf
.

The three advocacy groups mentioned in this chapter are the Marijuana Policy Project (
http://www.mpp.org
), SAFER (
http://archive.saferchoice.org
), and NORML (
http://norml.org
). The law firm Vicente Sederberg LLC can be found at:
themarijuanalawfirm.com
.

The rationale and execution of the “safer than alcohol” campaign is discussed in greater detail in chapter 11, “The Wall Comes Down: Colorado Makes Marijuana Legal,” in
Marijuana Is Safer: So Why Are We Driving People to Drink?
by Steve Fox, Paul Armentano, and Mason Tvert (White River Junction, VT: Chelsea Green, updated and expanded edition, 2013).

The issues surrounding marijuana DUIs are summarized in “Driving Under the Influence, of Marijuana” by Maggie Koerth-Baker,
New York Times,
February 17, 2014 (
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/18/health/driving-under-the-influence-of
-marijuana.html
). Another interesting report, “Marijuana Case Filings Plummet in Colorado Following Legalization,” by John Ingold,
Denver Post,
January 12, 2014, (
http://www.denverpost.com/marijuana/ci_24894248/marijuana-case-filings-plummet-colorado-following-legalization
), found that even in the period of time from the referendum until the law officially took effect, the number of marijuana arrests declined sharply, which indicates that police and prosecutors pursued fewer cases as a buildup to legalization.

13. Looking for the Win-Win

Notes regarding the outdoor event were drawn from articles such as “Denver 4/20 rally Draws Mellow Crowd; Police Issue Dozens of Citations” by John Ingold, Matt Miller, and Kate Gibbons,
Denver Post,
April 20, 2014 (
http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_25603926/2014-420-rally-denver-day-2
); “Police Hold 22 People at Mass Cannabis Rally in Denver” by Nick Allen, (London)
Daily Telegraph,
April 21, 2014 (
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/10777675/Police-hold-22-people-at-mass-cannabis-rally-in-Denver.html
); and “With Sales Now Legal, Cannabis Lovers Take Denver's 420 Weekend to New Highs” by Jessica Ravitz,
CNN,
April 21, 2014 (
http://www.cnn.com/2014/04/20/us/denver-420-weekend
).

Learn more about Ghost Train Haze at
http://www.leafly.com/sativa/ghost-train-haze
. Details about Breeder Rare Dankness may be found at:
http://raredankness.com
.

The
CBS This Morning
clip documenting our win can be found at:
http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/cannabis-cup-celebrates-all-things-marijuana-on-420-day
.

14. Investors

Pegging the exact revenue of the illicit drug trade is virtually impossible, and it's highly frustrating to see various agencies—from U.S. law enforcement to top drug commissions with the United Nations—bandy about figures that might well be meaningless. A 2005 UN World Drug Report (
https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/data-and-analysis/WDR-2005.html
) argued that the worldwide illicit drug market produced revenues of $320 billion annually, the worldwide marijuana market generated revenues of $141.80 billion annually, and the U.S. market alone generated half of this latter figure, about $64 billion. A 2013 report issued by the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission of the Organization of American States (available at:
http://www.cicad.oas.org/drogas/elinforme/informeDrogas2013/laEconomicaNarcotrafico_ENG.pdf
) repeated these estimates but cautioned that numerous experts regard them as “implausibly high.” Using another methodology, the report continued, the U.S. Office of National Drug Control Policy estimated that in 2012 the total illegal U.S. marijuana market was only between $15 to $30 billion. Government acceptance typically has settled around this range. A 2012 White House report, “What America's Users Spend on Illegal Drugs,” pegged the size of the illegal trade in the big four illegal drugs (cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and marijuana) in the country to be $100.40 billion in 2006:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/page/files/wausid_report_final_1.pdf
.