Visit our Website for more content: www.mmmrmag.com

Wednesday, October 4, 2017

Cover Story: Who is Got Meds? - by Ben Horner


When we first met the folks from Got Meds a few years ago, we knew that Got Meds would become the premier medical marijuana establishment in Lansing. By lowering the cost of meds and resting a safe environment for patients and caregivers to socialize, Got Meds became the busiest place on Cedar Street, in Lansing's bustling south side commercial area.

The Got Meds community has continued to grow. Got Meds continued to be the best priced in the State. Then they did the unthinkable; in December Got Meds dropped the market by promoting $5 grams. This continues to this day and in some respects, Got Meds aggressive undercutting has set the market value of cannabis for the state from $10-$25 per gram in 2015, to $5-$20 per gram in 2016.


After dominating in the Lansing Market, Mike Barron of Got Meds decided to start competing in cannabis events. Over the last year, Got Meds has won several events, famous for their exclusive moon rocks caviar winning top marks in both the High Times Cannabis Cup and the MMM Report Traverse City Cup. Got Meds has won numerous awards over the last year.


As everyone waits for LARA and the newly formed Michigan Marijuana Board to start the licensing process, Got Meds has hopes to never have to close. Efforts are underway in Lansing and Flint to pass emergency legislation to phase in phase out the current system so patients do not have an interruption in their medical supplies.

MMMR Recipe: Chocolate Fudgy Brownies - by Annette Nay Nay

Servings: 10
Prep/Cook Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

10 tablespoons cannabis unsalted butter, plus more for greasing

1 cup cake flour, sifted, plus more for dusting

1 cup sugar

4 ounces bittersweet chocolate

4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoons kosher salt

2 large eggs

Directions: 

1. Heat the oven to 400°F|200°C.

2. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with butter and set pan aside.

3. Pour 1-inch of water into a 4-quart saucepan. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to maintain a simmer. Combine the butter and chocolate in a medium metal/glass bowl and set the bowl over the saucepan. Cook, stirring, until melted and smooth, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

4. Whisk the eggs together in a large bowl. Add the sugar, vanilla, and salt.
Whisk to combine. Stir in the chocolate mixture and fold in the flour.


5. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan and bake until the brownie forms a thin skin on top but the batter is still loose in the center, about 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer the pan to a rack and let cool completely before slicing.


Grow Tip for October 2017 - by Ben Horner

     What is worse then mites and powdery mildew? Law enforcement, legislators, lobbyists and investors want to take away your right to grow and transfer cannabis. Michigan Growers, its time to expand your growing skills outside of the garden.  Ever since medical marijuana has been enacted into law, more and more people have become cannabis growers. Hundreds of grow stores have opened in Michigan over the last 5 years to sell us lights, nutrients and other supplies for our grows.

 
 Most growers in the state have been doing so with a patient or caregiver license for medical purposes. They transfer their overages to qualified patients and dispensaries around the state. Others have been doing so for many years prior the passing of MMMA, and will continue to do so illegally. the House Judiciary Committee passed an amended version of HB 4209, now called the Medical Marijuana Faculties Act. The bills allowed every caregiver to transfer up to 60 ounces every 60 days, now when these bills pass only state licensed growers (Class A 500 plants. Class B 1000 plants, Class C 1500 plants) which must pay an excise tax of 8% and use an armored car transportation service to deliver the raw herb to processing centers and provisioning centers. At the hearing, a spokesperson for the sheriffs association insisted that for the bills to work that the caregivers and home grows should be eliminated.

     Many owners of dispensaries, mostly from Detroit, have negotiated this deal with the help of the MRC, MDCA, NPRA and the MCC. They are trying to sell you out to law enforcement. They know that once they are the only legal supplier that market will spike, people will go underground and law enforcement will be targeting every caregiver in the state. Growers will go to jail by the thousands feeding the police budget. The price of medical marijuana will increase temporarily allowing the dispensaries that sell out the caregivers to make windfall profits and reinvest in commercial cultivation.


You have two options:

1.)  Call or write your lawmakers and tell them to add caregivers back into the program and don’t charge them an 8% excise tax. Donate to the Cannabis Stakeholders Group (CSG) and participate in meetings that will help protect you. If you have any questions about CSG check out the website:
www.cannabisstakeholdersgroup.org

2.)  Establish a commercial grow. Review the pending legislations and position yourself to get one of those commercial cultivation licenses.

     I think this is the best grow tip for Michigan growers right now. Good luck!

Plantain: The Medicine Plant - by Rebecca Veenstra

I was watching a lawn company service the neighbor's yard the other day and I started thinking about all the plants in the so called "lawn". That got me remembering a funny story I heard once from an old timer about his neighbor. Apparently the man's neighbor had been neglecting cutting his grass and the city was sending him citations.

Instead of paying the fines, the gentleman invited the city authority to his house to walk through the yard with him. At each plant (aka: noxious weed), the man's neighbor paused and explained that this particular plant was good for this or that malady. This went on for some time with the city official astounded that all the weeds had such varied uses and benefits. As they neared the edge of the man's yard the official pointed to a small stout plant with straight, thin leaves and asked. "What is this one?"

The neighbor quickly replied. "Oh that? That’s grass... I have no idea what that would be good for."

How funny it is that we as a society spend so much time deeming one plant or another a weed. Many times we might just be surprised at what capabilities these plants may have.

One prime example is Plantain. The Latin, or botanical name, is Plantago major. The parts used are the herb, root and, seed. This plant self-sows, meaning that it creates and distributes its own seed in order to propagate.

Historically plantain is not native to the North American continent. It was brought here by the settlers. The plant adapted quickly to the ecosystem here and now, is fairly common.

One of the old folk names for plantain is "white man's foot"-- referring to the manner in which the plant was spread in the trouser cuffs, wagon wheels and horse's hooves of traveling pioneers. However, once plantain became established in North America, one Native American nation gave it a name which translates as “life medicine” --demonstrating its value as a healing herb. Plantain was also known as "Soldier’s Herb" as it was carried by soldiers to treat wounds on the battlefield.

In an untreated lawn, it would not be unusual to find several plantain plants. In an urban environment plantain will cling to crevices in the side walk and grow along the sides of buildings. It is an extremely resilient plant.

I have a friend who tells me her Grandmother referred to plantain as the "medicine plant". When she first told me this I thought that was rather vague and all-encompassing. After studying the plant... I would have to agree with her. There are many maladies and symptoms that plantain has been reported to alleviate.

Skin eruptions and irritations would be one of the first and most prevalent uses for plantain. One of the most direct ways to apply the herb to the skin is to attach a leaf to an insect bite with a bandage or bandana. Macerating the plant leaf will make it moister and easier to absorb. Many pioneer stories refer to people chewing the leaf and then applying it to stings, burns, snake bites, and abrasions. 

Salves and oils containing plantain are commonly used by natural health practitioners to heal skin. A preliminary trial found that topical use of a plantain ointment (10% ground plantain in a base of petroleum jelly) was helpful as part of the treatment of people with impetigo disorders. (1) Plantain is approved by the German Commission E as topical use for skin inflammations. The fresh leaves can be applied directly three or four times per day to minor injuries, dermatitis, and insect stings. (2) Plantain is often combined with other soothing herbs like calendula and lavender to aid in skin healing.

One particularly healing herb that combines very well with plantain is Cannabis. Cannabis has a vast library of anecdotal information reputing its benefits for skin irritations and diseases. Many people report feeling relief and even healing from the topical application of cannabis preparations. One study done in Italy concludes that "cannabis could act as a primary treatment for epidermal ailments." (3)

So, if you have now wandered out into your yard to take a look for a plantain plant... I'm betting you found one.

If you are game to try harvesting a bit for experimentation you won't need any tools. Just snap a few leaves off with your fingers, being careful not to uproot the plant. Leave the majority of the plant intact and it will continue to grow for you until the end of the season.

Now that you have a few leaves in your basket or paper bag, you have several choices as to what you could do with them. You could rinse them off, nibble on them as is... or prepare them as greens. Many people enjoy the leaves in a nice salad too. The larger leaves can be bitter. It is best to pick the inner small leaves for eating fresh.

If you are thinking forget the salad... how do I make something for this awful rash?

Have no worries, in a matter of a few days you can make yourself a soothing plantain oil right in your own kitchen. What you need to accomplish in order to prepare an ointment is to extract the medicine from the leaves.

The old fashioned method would be to pack a jar with herbs and oil to set in the window for a few weeks. Since we live in the modern age though, we have several options to hurry that process along.

The basic idea is to infuse the herb into a preparation you would want to use via direct low heat. Sweet oil (olive oil) or Safflower oil are very good choices. Any oil will work, just pay attention to the scorching temperature. Some oils burn faster than others.

There are many fancy methods to use but one of the simplest methods is slow infusion with a crock pot or yogurt maker. The new induction cookers work marvellously for this process as well.

The amount of herb you have will determine the amount of oil and manner of heating best for your situation. A common ratio for herbal infusions is two ounces of herb to six ounces of oil. This ratio is really just a guideline. Benign herbs, like Cannabis and Plantain, do not require such strict measurements as herbs that have side effects and drug interactions.

In order to prepare a nice cannabis/plantain oil a good recipe could be:

- One ounce of dried cannabis leaf/trimmings/buds
- One ounce of dried plantain leaf/root
- Three ounces of Safflower oil (Safflower oil is
        reputed to sometimes relieve psoriasis symptoms)
- Three ounces of Sweet oil (olive oil)

Once again, you could use more or less of any of the above ingredients.

Combine your herbs and oils in a slow cooker, induction pan, or yogurt maker. Then, infuse at a low temperature (110-120 degrees is ideal) for several hours, even days if you have the time.

A good rule of thumb for a beginner is two days. If you have difficulty controlling the temperature of your mixture though-- you may have to strain it earlier. Over-heating an herb preparation will likely destroy the beneficial properties.

To strain the oil a metal mesh strainer is often one of the best methods. Cheesecloth will absorb a good deal of your oil resulting in less for you to use. Strain the oil into a clean jar or bowl. Then discard the herbs.

Usually, straining several times is necessary. Your oil will spoil if remnants of plant matter remain. Make sure it is crystal clear and void of any contaminants before you put it up to store.

If you find the oil messy, it is simple to create a salve with your herbal oils. This is a pretty easy process. You just heat one ounce of your oil slowly over low heat.  Get it hot enough to melt two teaspoons of beeswax into it. Then pour it into a container and cool. When it is fully cooled, you will have a lovely salve. So, Granny calls it the "medicine plant." The Native American's call it "life medicine." And you are wondering-- what else can it do besides heal the skin?

Plantain can be made into a tea as well. Many studies have found that it can be beneficial to people with lung conditions. It is considered a soothing herb that has been shown to help people with chronic bronchitis. Plantain is approved by the German Commission E for internal use to ease coughs and mucous membrane irritation associated with upper respiratory tract infections.  The German Commission E recommends using 1/4–1/2 teaspoon (1–3 grams) of the leaf daily in the form of tea made by steeping the herb in 1 cup (250 ml) of hot water for 10–15 minutes (making three cups (750 ml ) per day). (4)

Plantain is considered a cooling demulcent. That means that overall it has a cooling effect on the body's tissues. The word demulcent means that the plant produces mucilage which is a big word for slippery. The plant will produce a slippery type of substance when it is wet. That slippery substance can be extremely soothing to irritated inflamed tissues.

Plantain is a demulcent that has been documented in two preliminary trials conducted in Bulgaria to help people with chronic bronchitis. (5) Other demulcents traditionally used for people with bronchitis include mullein, marshmallow, and slippery elm. Because demulcents can provoke production of more mucus in the lungs, they tend to be used more often in people with dry coughs

Plantain has historically been used for symptoms like hemorrhoids and urinary tract infections. Some herbalists have written of its benefits for people with stomach issues like ulcers. Of course, using plantain for serious issues like that would require the intervention of a professional. It's never good to self-diagnose internal symptoms. It is always best to ask a doctor first.

The seeds of the plantain plant contain psyllium--which you have probably heard of before. Over the counter fiber supplements are mostly psyllium fiber. So, in theory, if you were to collect enough plantain seeds you might use it as a substitute for the store version.

One of the niftiest things I learned while studying plantain is that it can offset the craving for nicotine. The old school remedy says to chew a few plantain leaves when the urge hits.

Plantain is not associated with any common side effects and is thought to be safe for children. (6) There is no information available about its use by pregnant or nursing women, though topical application appears to be safe.

There are no well-known supplement or food interactions with this herb. It is possible that unknown interactions exist. If you take medication, always discuss the potential risks and benefits of adding a new supplement with your doctor or pharmacist.

Needless to say, sometimes things aren't what they seem. Next time you are out walking around take a look down and see if you don't just run across a plantain in your travels. If you do, pay it some respect for all the fabulous healing capabilities it has. Most of all-- hold back on the round up-- there is no such thing as a noxious weed.



Rebecca Veenstra
Chartered Herbalist
New World Seeds, Traverse City MI

Cannibals of Freedom: The Denial of Freedom - by Daniel L. Price Esq.

WOW!  It’s already October. Seems like I just prepared for summer, and now I’m already preparing for the long cold winter ahead.  Part of this preparation is celebrating the bounty of summer. Indeed, Halloween is fast approaching, and it began as part of an autumnal celebration called Samhain, in ancient Britain and Ireland by Celtic Pagans. 

Over time this transformed into the celebration of Halloween on October 31st as it was thought the day when souls of the dead were supposed to revisit their homes.  And, assuming that not all souls are good, this festival acquired a sinister significance.  Thus the birth of stories of ghosts, goblins, black cats and demons of all kinds. 

The Irish brought Halloween to America when they migrated. Over time, it became a celebration of scary fun in this country. Perhaps that’s because early in our history people were happier here than in most places in the world, due to the “promise” of freedom. I enjoy Halloween, even though I do not believe in supernatural powers. Yet I cannot help but wonder if souls did roam, how many would look at us and cringe with fear themselves, given that the promise of individual freedom has not only gone unfulfilled, but is becoming destroyed. 

Indeed, the right of the individual is denied at every turn, especially when it comes to ingesting a natural plant.  Some interesting statistics to ponder: The US War on Drugs (Freedom) costs approximately $51,000,000,000.00 annually; In 2015 marijuana arrests in the US exceed 643,000; and 1 out of every 11 persons in the US is incarcerated (the highest incarceration rate in the entire world). 

Is it the souls of the dead, or the living that haunt us?  Clearly it is not ghosts who make and enforce laws which deny freedom.  Next, who is it that is denying these rights?  Well, lawmakers and law enforcement create and enforce these laws.  Interestingly, its big business for these entities to make and enforce these laws which deny our freedoms.  To be sure, in Kent County alone forfeiture is used to take the property and money of people accused of drug crimes as a way to enhance tax revenues.  For example, according to Kent County’s budget for fiscal year 2015, which is set for the year ahead, the Kent Narcotics Enforcement Team (“KNET”) expected revenue from fines and forfeitures would be $418,258.00, with the total expected expenditures for Drug Law Enforcement estimated to be $542,238.  This means that drug law enforcement operates with a budget that is approximately 95.4% funded by fines and forfeiture.  And, because it is set forth before the year, this means that law enforcement must seize property and money in that amount to make their budget.  In other words, a quota system to enhance tax revenue.

But there are others whose souls haunt us in order to deny freedom.  These include anyone who support laws that deny freedom.  For example, as a stark example of this, I spoke to a couple very religious people who were complaining that in their town in Colorado, it is now against the law to carry a bible in public.  Apparently the town council deemed the bible offensive to the gay community due to its anti-gay words.  I asked them if they supported the right of gays and lesbians to marry, and they refused.  I pointed out that their denying the rights of others led to the denial of their right.

In essence, this is how I recognized Parasitic Anthrophopagy Syndrome (PASY).  When we support the denial of freedom to others, we support the denial of our own freedom.  In this case, these two otherwise good people who were willing to deny freedom to others, were now faced with those “others” denying them their right to freedom.  Worse, they gave their consent to this, when they supported the denial of those “others” their freedom.

This is only one of the thousands of issues when it comes to the denial of freedom.  Whether the denial is due to a trait with which one is born, such as color or gender, or due to a choice, such as using marijuana or marrying someone of one’s own gender, it is still a denial of freedom.  What is more, sooner or later someone will deny your freedom, and if you support the denial of theirs, then the denial of yours is with your support. 

Finally, can you imagine the reaction of these lawmakers and law enforcement personnel when marijuana is forced upon their children marijuana against their wishes?  It can happen, it already does with other drugs.  And, so long as they continue to support laws which deny freedom, they will be supporting the denial of their freedom to choose not to have their children forced to ingest marijuana. 

Till next month, Happy Halloween, and as always, keep rolling on.

Disclaimer:  This is an informational article only.  It is not to provide individual legal advice.  If you need legal services, feel free to contact me, or any attorney of your choosing.

Free the Weed 80 - by John Sinclair


   
   
     Highest greetings from Detroit, where I’m installed at Radio Free Amsterdam headquarters in the Cass Corridor right above the Carl Lundgren Art Studio for the fall, And, by the time you read this, I’ll be celebrating my 76th birthday, which is a lot of years on this wretched planet.

     Speaking of fall, I’m here recovering from a terrible spill I suffered last month in Amsterdam. A bike rammed into my back while I was walking down the street and knocked me flat on my face on the pavement, battering my left eye socket where I hit the ground and twisting my back around when the rest of my body struck the street.

     Thanks to timely care from the Dutch hospital system my eye came out alright, but my back is still killing me. I’m stuck in healing mode where all I can do is sit around and wait for things to get better. Concurrently, I’m undergoing a series of tests at the Detroit Medical Center concerning bronchial and cardiovascular issues, and trying to figure out how to improve my health while I’ve still got some.

      My mother used to tell me as she entered her late 80s, “Getting old isn’t for sissies.” I know what she was talking about, and one thing I can tell you is that life is not going to get easier as you get older. It’s going to get harder, and there’s no getting around it. But if you’re like me, you’ll be happy to be alive and ready to enter another miraculous year of life on Earth.

     I’ve been a marijuana legalization activist all of my adult life and have never felt closer to an ultimate solution to the problem of the War On Drugs and its effects in the State of Michigan than now. I take great pride in claiming victory in my war against the state’s marijuana laws. Although it cost me two and a half years in prison and five years of intensive struggle in the state’s court system, simply to establish legally that marijuana is not a narcotic.

     That was 45 years ago, in 1972, and it wasn’t until 2008 that the next step was taken. The citizens of Michigan voted to legalize medical marijuana and provide for its production by smokers and care-givers in the amount of six plants per person. Ten years later, in the 2018 election,  voters will be given the opportunity to legalize marijuana for recreational and all other purposes, by voting for the MILegalize initiative that’s bound to appear on the ballot next year.

     A lot of terrible things have happened since the 2016 initiative by MILegalize, failed to make the ballot. In the absence of leadership on this issue traditionally provided by the voting public, the State legislature jumped into the breach and enacted a series of statutes. These statutes aim to transform the advances made toward legalization into a new form of serious state interference in the process of growing, distributing, transferring, and, ultimately, purchasing and smoking the sacred herb.

     Now the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, the state agency in charge of implementing the new marijuana laws, has announced that any dispensary that wants to apply for one of five new types of licenses to be issued next year should shut down by Dec. 15 or face a “potential impediment” to getting a license.

     As I’ve reported repeatedly in this column, the City of Detroit has adopted the same goofy approach to regulation, and forced almost 200 shops to close since instituting a long-delayed licensing process. Now the State is threatening to do the same to compassion centers all over the state that have opened, and generally thrived, since medical marijuana legalization was passed in 2008.

     While we appreciate the fact that we are finally talking about true legalization of marijuana once and for all, we must never forget that it’s the same people seeking to regulate legal marijuana on every level who made it illegal in the first place. The same people who persecuted smokers for so many years under their ridiculous, vicious and totally unscientific legal system.

     In a singular demonstration of the genuine democratic process, the citizens of Michigan, and of many cities and municipalities within the state, have overwhelmingly voted to allow the smoking and procurement of marijuana as medicine. For almost ten years the state and city governments ignored the entire question of disseminating legal medical marijuana and allowed hundreds of independent dispensaries to open and operate publicly.

     This process was a beautiful example of small-scale economic democracy at work: patients established the fact that they needed to secure their medicine, care centers sprang up to take care of them. There were just as many outlets as needed, and everything operated more or less smoothly, with marijuana passing over the counter from compassionate care-giver to licensed medical marijuana patient.

     I’m not one to say that the state has no business regulating or licensing such premises, but other than collecting sales taxes and other levies there’s not much need for strict regulation of marijuana. Certainly not for seed-to-sale tracking of each seed of marijuana sold for cultivation purposes.These are measures meant to preserve the vast law-enforcement bureaucracy that’s been built up on the backs of marijuana smokers and subsists on our flesh and blood.

     Marijuana dispensing needs about as much supervison as a carrot stand by the side of the road. Establishing and collecting sales and use taxes from suppliers as legislated, is about as far as the law should extend into the world of marijuana smoking.

     I’m not trying to make this too simple, but for me it’s always been a series of simple questions: What’s wrong with marijuana? What harm has it ever done? Where can I get some right now? Why does it cost so much? What business do the police and other authorities have interfering on our use of the herb? How can we get them out of our lives completely on this issue?

     Now that marijuana is about to become fully legal, the question seems to be about who gets to grow it, how much can they grow, and how much do they have to pay to grow it? These questions are well over my head, I’m just a guy who wants to have his little stash of marijuana, at the lowest possible cost, and smoke it within the privacy  of his everyday life.

     I will continue to support all efforts to free the weed forever, whether or not I agree with every particular, because we can’t be satisfied until the deed is finally done. Right now I’m a little touchy about the concept of regulating marijuana like alcohol, which seems like an entirely ridiculous and backwards idea to me. But if that’s what they want to call it in order to get it passed, I’ll be casting my vote in favor when the time comes, and you can count on that. Free The Weed!


—Detroit
September 24-25, 2017

© 2017 John Sinclair. All Rights Reserved.

World News for October 2017 - by Joe Dauphinais

Cannabis Growers to Recieve Government Support
Israel: The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development is now considering marijuana cultivation as a farming sector, which will provide government support, grants, water quotas, and training. The last industry to be classified under the farming sector was ten years ago, when the horse sector was recognized.

     The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development is leaning toward the idea that the stance on medical cannabis should be changed. In a recent statement, the Ministry said, "The use of cannabis for medical purposes is still illegal in most of the world's countries, and an increasing number of studies are confirming the positive effects of cannabis, while showing its risks and damage.

     The Ministry also recently funded 13 biochemical studies for improving medical cannabis growing. The studies enable the development of a research structure for the next generation of medical cannabis products.

__________________________________________________

Cannabis Related Law Enforcement
Canada: Canadian officials are looking to spend at least $274 Million to train officers in Cannabis related law enforcement. This will mean that officers will be taught how to spot impaired drivers who may be under the influence of marijuana, how to use drug screening devices, and more. In addition, officers will be trained on policies and regulations that will be in effect when marijuana legalizes nationally. Government officials also seek to raise public awareness on driving under the influence of marijuana, as it is a huge public safety concern. Furthermore, funding will contribute to developing policy, ensuring organized crime does not infiltrate the legalized system, and to keeping cannabis from crossing Canadian borders.

____________________________________________________

Canada to Eradicate Current MJ Industry
CANADA: Next year when the promised plan to legalize cannabis goes into effect, most of the existing businesses in the industry will be shut down in lieu of government sanctioned businesses. In Ontario, 150 government-run dispensaries will open after July 2018.

     There are already businesses selling cannabis to adults, although illegal, there are dozens to choose from in Toronto alone. The dispensaries do get raided once in a while, although in Canada it is a minor setback as they often open up shop after only a few days.

     Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's plan will edge out all of the current dispensaries and cafes by threatening severe penalties for the outlaw businesses. The current lenient penalties will be replaced with harsher laws, and may even include prison time for offenders, creating a government monopoly on the industry.

______________________________________________________

British Family Move to Netherlands for Cannabis Treatment
ENGLAND: Alfie Dingley suffers from a rare form of epilepsy and has been hospitalized numerous times to treat the violent seizures. His parents, Hannah Deacon and Drew Dingley believe that cannabis oil could help, yet they could face jail for up to 14 years if they gave Alfie the oil.

     Alfie is five years old and is one of only five boys who have been diagnosed with this form of epilepsy. He was diagnosed at eight months old and has spent four years in a hospital. Hannah said "Alfie is deeply affected by the drugs that he is given." saying the drugs are "toxic and cause him to be very aggressive."

     Hannah went on to say, "We have done a lot of research into whole plant medical cannabis and have found many parents around the world who are using it effectively to either reduce or stop very aggressive seizures." and "We now have to raise enough money to take Alfie abroad so we can try this life saving medicine with him, in the hope that it gives him the chance of a normal and happy life."

     The couple will soon be moving to Den Haag in the Netherlands in order to legally obtain cannabis. Hannah said "It’s been a very traumatic couple of years for us as a family, but we are willing to do absolutely anything it takes for him to be well."

_________________________________________________________

Police Find Ganja Near Chicken Coop
Cayman Islands: Officers for the Royal Cayman Island Police Service say they found some ganja near a chicken coop during routine foot patrols. Police noted that they saw a suspicious male in the area. When the man saw the officers, he ran away, escaping police through the bushes. The area was searched, and officers found a bucket containing jars filled with ganja, while more herbs were stashed in a bag with other paraphernalia. In total, about 3 pounds of ganja were confiscated.

__________________________________________________________

Worshipping Ganja
Bhapur, INDIA: Villagers in the Odisha Provence have started worshipping an eight-foot ganja tree. Some people in Bhapur are honoring the plant by adorning it with various colors of flowers. Local police claim to be unaware of the situation. While marijuana is technically illegal in India, it is often used as a sacrament to honor the gods, and overlooked by authorities.





___________________________________________________________


Illegal Cannabis Cafes Pop Up All Over the U.K.
ENGLAND: A recent undercover investigation has revealed an outbreak of cannabis cafes in London and other cities in the United Kingdom. These establishments are set up to imitate the legal cafes in Amsterdam. One particular cafe, 'Adams Den' located in East London, as reported in The Sun, is located in a busy commercial district. According to the investigation, reporters witnessed cannabis being bought, sold, and smoked in the open. The reporters were able to by two £20 gram bags of Silver Haze from a man called "Abs" who runs the bar area in the back of the cafe. A source told The Sun that the cafe "gets busy late at night with 50 to 60 people in at a time.

     Research has indicated that their are over a million people in the U.K. regularly smoking cannabis, creating a black market industry worth billions of pounds each year. 


http://www.mmmrmag.com

National News for October 2017 - by Ericca M.

Cannabis Television Ad Runs on National NetworksDenver: For the first time in the cannabis industry, CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, Viceland, the Weather Channel, Headline News, and Fox Business are now airing a national advertisement for The Hoban Law Group, a cannabis law firm based in Denver, Colorado.

The Hoban Law Group specializes in hemp, medical marijuana, and adult-use cannabis issues. They worked with Denver-based producer DCP Media to create a spot that met the requirements of a variety of networks.

Bob Hoban, the firm’s founder, told Leafly that the networks wanted to make sure that they didn't hit people over the head with the word ‘marijuana.’ To ensure those requirements were met,  they decided that the ad should focus on industrial hemp, and the medical and adult-use marketplaces. They were also asked not to flash a lot of marijuana plants to prevent offending certain members of the viewing audience.

The ad buy isn’t so much about immediate business development, Hoban said, as it is about keeping his firm on the pioneering edge of the industry. “We’ve been on the leading edge of the cannabis industry not just as lawyers but as business consultants. With this ad we’re continuing to push the boundaries and reinforce the recognition of the Hoban Group as a national brand."

Because of the fact that Hoban's ad is about straightforward legal and business consulting, the Hoban firm was able to obtain primetime slots, from 7pm to 10pm weeknights.

The Hoban ad marks the first time the word “cannabis” is used or spoken directly in a national spot.

_______________________________________________________

Trump Fumbles, Cannabis With The Recovery
Washington, D.C.:  Last month, Congress passed a bill that would continue to fund the government until December and would also provide additional resources to victims of natural disasters. What President Trump was completely unaware of is that there was a hidden benefit in the bill that marijuana advocates would also benefit from. The bill passed by Congress extends a law that prevents the federal government from using resources to crackdown on marijuana in states where it has been legalized.

The Rohrabacher-Blumenauer amendment was originally passed in 2014 and was set to expire in late September. The Senate included the amendment as part of its debt and disaster relief bill. Some members of the House spoke out against the amendment, but despite their grievances, it still passed. And President Donald Trump later made it official by signing it into law. The president worked directly with Democrats and sidelined Republicans to finalize the deal. It’s not clear whether President Trump knew the marijuana protections were in the final bill, but in any event, this is a big win for Cannabis advocates and a huge fumble for Trump.

_______________________________________________________

He's Too YoungIowa: A 10-year-old boy and his mother were recently arrested on cannabis-related charges. They were arrested after the boy took his mom’s weed stash to school and attempted to sell it to one of his peers. The student then reported it to school administration and they immediately called local law enforcement. Authorities say that his case will end up going through juvenile court.

________________________________________________________

Ban on Cannabis Apparel RejectedCalifornia:  The California Assembly recently rejected a bill that would have ended the production of hats, t-shirts and other popular forms of cannabis apparel that help marijuana businesses utilize their customers as walking billboards. State Senator Ben Allen, proposed the legislation. Allen claimed that it “was a commonsense measure” that would prevent teens from using cannabis. The bill was supported by the California Police Chiefs Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics. The California Cannabis Manufacturers Association countered his claim, stating that the bill was a violation of their freedom of speech rights.

__________________________________________________________

MAMMA Wants Autism to Qualify for MarijuanaColorado: MAMMA (Mothers Advocating Medical Marijuana for Autism) has been fighting in Colorado to have the laws changed permanently to include Autism as a qualifying condition, so that individuals who suffer from it can treat it with medical marijuana. Underlying conditions of the disorder include oxidative stress, neurodegenerative diseases and inflammation, all of which can be treated and alleviated with cannabis use.

___________________________________________________________

Terra Tech Purchases Rapper's DispensarySanta Ana, California:  The Reserver, a dispensary in Santa Ana, California, co-owned by rapper 'The Game,' was purchased by Terra Tech last month for a whopping $7 Million.

Terra Tech plans to rebrand the shop as Blüm, as it will serve as another addition to their growing chain of dispensaries. Their purchase of The Reserver marks the publicly traded company’s first retail space in Southern California. Blum is also located in Oakland, they have four locations in Nevada and another coming soon to San Leandro. Terra Tech plans to keep The Game’s “Trees” strain, and will also be the exclusive distributor of The Game’s strains under the Terra Tech umbrella.

__________________________________________________________

Cannabis Improves Immunity in HIV PatientsPetersburg, VA:  A team of investigators from Virginia State University and the University of Florida Center for AIDS/HIV Research recently conducted a study to investigate the difference in the lymphocyte count among HIV patients who tested negative for THC and those who tested positive for THC. HIV Patients who tested positive for past cannabis exposure possessed significantly higher CD4+ and CD8+ counts than the patients who tested negative.

The investigators concluded that "the preliminary study showed THC positive patients had better HIV-related immune levels than their negative counterparts, despite not being statistically different on various demographic HIV-related covariates." This proves that marijuana can be used to treat some of the symptoms that are caused by the disease.

____________________________________________________________

Medical Marijuana Could Save Thousands of Lives Annually Indiana:  A study published by the University of Indiana states that approximately 47,500 American lives could be saved annually if medical marijuana were legalized nationally.

Dr. Thomas M. Clark evaluated the impact of legalized medical marijuana on cancer, appetite and metabolism, cardiovascular disease, liver disease, lung disease, and brain injury. Dr. Clark researched the effects of Cannabis use on organ systems and disease states in his investigation. Then, data on changes in mortality rates or harmful behaviors following legalization of medical marijuana were sought and analyzed.

The study noted that “cannabis use appears to prevent approximately 17,400 to 38,500 premature deaths annually.”


http://www.mmmrmag.com




Michigan News for October 2017 - by Dolan Frick

Dispensary News

     There’s a lot going on and a lot to comprehend as Michigan moves to bring order to its medical marijuana industry. Next year, Michigan will begin issuing five types of licenses for businesses associated with medical marijuana, from dispensaries to transporters. State officials warned existing dispensaries to close by Dec. 15 if they want a good shot at a license. Local communities can opt in or out of the new medical marijuana program. Cities that opt in and allow dispensaries get 25 percent of revenue from the 3 percent tax on gross receipts at dispensaries located in the municipality. Dispensaries and the other four types of licensed facilities can only operate in communities
that opt in.

________________________________________________

The Unknown
     Marijuana is still illegal under federal law. The Obama administration didn’t challenge state laws legalizing it in places such as Colorado and Washington state. Things are certainly changing. The Trump administration isn’t as accommodating. U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions, has asked the Senate to repeal rules so the Justice Department can enforce federal laws against medical marijuana. Changes are coming for the industry.

_________________________________________________

Petition for Good     Petitions are being circulated statewide for a referendum to legalize recreational marijuana use in Michigan. If voters pass it, that would mean any adult could buy marijuana, without needing a doctor to certify they need it medicinally. The proposal would impose a 16 percent tax on marijuana, with the revenue going to local communities, schools, and roads.

___________________________________________________

Pro Medical Marijuana     Bay City is among the latest Michigan areas to show interest in welcoming the medical marijuana industry.

The Bay City Commission voted recently to approve a resolution to opt into the state’s medical marijuana facilities licensing act. This act allows the city to start crafting ordinances and zoning requirements about where manufacturers and dispensaries might be able to operate. The Bay City Times reports neighboring Bangor and Pinconning townships spent months to write and approve ordinances. Both of the townships have already started accepting applications for commercial growers, transporters and others.

     The vote comes as the state of Michigan is moving ahead on a new regulatory system aimed at increasing oversight and imposing new taxes on the medical marijuana industry. Michigan voters approved marijuana use in 2008 for some chronic medical conditions.

_____________________________________________________

Patent on Marijuana     Michigan continues to be undecided on how to regulate and license medical marijuana dispensaries.

But there’s potentially a bigger issue facing the budding cannabis industry. There is someone that is trying to build a national monopoly on legal weed.

     As reporter, Amanda Chicago Lewis, writes in her story for GQ, there are some powerful people trying to turn their company into the “Monsanto of marijuana.”

“Biotech Institute is a company that has really no assets other than these very broad patents on the cannabis plant,” said Lewis.

    One marijuana geneticist estimated that the company’s patents cover “one-half to two-thirds of the strains currently on the market.”

     The impact of those patents could be substantial. If one company receives a wide-ranging utility patent before its competitors, it could hold major control over the entire industry. That could result in higher prices and lower genetic diversity.

______________________________________________________


Over 200,000 Signatures for Marijuana LegalizationVoters in Michigan could see marijuana legislation on the ballot in 2018. The Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol says it’s close to having enough petition signatures to get on the ballot in November 2018. They say they have passed 200,000 signatures of the 252,523 needed. In Lansing, MIRSNews.com reports attorney Jeff Hank says they’re still shooting to have 350,000 signatures by early October. The group has until November 26, 2017 to collect enough signatures from registered voters to be on next fall’s ballot.

________________________________________________________

Butane ExplosionA house explosion in Redford Township that injured three people was most likely caused by processing marijuana, police said. Redford Township Police Capt. James Turner said the explosion happened at about 8:15 p.m. on Wednesday, August 30th at a home near 8 Mile Road and Grand River Avenue. He said three people were in the home at the time and all three were taken to the hospital for severe injuries. Turner said police are not releasing the identities of the three people because they are still trying to notify their family members. He also said police continue to work to determine the cause of the explosion, but a preliminary investigation has revealed butane was being used to process marijuana in the house. Butane is used to extract concentrations of THC, from marijuana plants. The chemical produces the euphoric feeling users get from consuming marijuana.

________________________________________________________

http://www.mmmrmag.com