NATIONAL NEWS for August 2017 - by Kathy Hess

 

Marijuana Study Commission
CONCORD, NH: Last week, advocates for legalizing and regulating marijuana in New Hampshire sent a letter to their governor (R, Chris Sununu) asking him to veto House Bill 215, a bill that would create a study commission to consider the legalization and regulation of marijuana. The letter signed by leading advocates, including the bill’s prime sponsor, Rep. Renny Cushing (D-Hampton), states, “The commission envisioned by the final bill includes numerous vocal opponents, such as the Association of Chiefs of Police and New Futures, but it does not include any known supporters.”

     The original version of HB 215 included a representative of the American Civil Liberties Union of New Hampshire and a representative from the Marijuana Policy Project, which would have added some much needed balance to the commission, but the Republican dominated Senate removed those prospective members from the bill.

WORLD NEWS for August 2017 - by Joe Dauphinais

Mouse Memories: Better With Cannabis
GERMANY: Researchers at the University of Bonn discovered that a minute dose of cannabis every day may reduce memory failure due to ageing. After 28 days of cannabis treatment, evidence indicates that older mice were able to regain the brain functions of younger mice. The study also found that older mice who hadn't received the cannabis treatment showing signs similar to dementia. The scientists said they are now planning a similar study on humans later this year.

    

Free the Weed 77 - by John Sinclair

      Highest greetings from downtown Detroit in the blazing heights of summertime, with the new Little Caesar’s Arena going up just south of where I’m staying and the Detroit Tigers trying to play break-even baseball just a few blocks below that.

     Me, I’m a fanatical Tigers follower and have been all my life, and while my hopes for the Tigers’ success this year are dim at best, I listen to most games on the radio broadcasts by Jim Price and Dan Dickerson and I follow the commentaries in the local newspapers while I’m in the Motor City.

V.G.I.P. UPDATE for August 2017 - by Ben Horner

Gaylord: The Vote Green Project (VGIP) was established to help with local petitioning for grass roots ballot initiatives in Michigan and to educate citizens on issues related to cannabis and grow rights around the state. Over the last six years there has been dozens of VGIP meeting around the state, and the VGIP has assisted in several successful ballot campaigns in cities like Flint, Saginaw, Ferndale and many others.  Gaylord, Michigan has been a place that the VGIP has returned to several times to aid and assist local patients, caregivers and small business owners after multiple raids on medical marijuana dispensaries within the city. Here is a time line of recent events:

MMMR RECIPE: Cannabis-Infused Strawberry and Coconut Milk Popsicles - by Annette Nay Nay

Start to finish: 6 hours 30 minutes
(active 30 minutes)

Yields 12 popsicles

Approximate dosage: 5mg per popsicle*

*Note: Potency may vary widely depending on your tincture.

Ingredients:

1 sprig of peppermint

2 ½ cups fresh strawberries   

4 Tblsp. granulated sugar      

1 lime halved                       

14-oz. can of coconut milk

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract  

60mg of cannabis-infused tincture

GROW TIP: Clean Water, Please - by Ben Horner

     The purity of the water that we drink and use to water our plants should be the concern of everyone.  Your health and that of your plants can be diminished by water that loaded with chlorine, iron and other minerals, as well as bacteria and other nasty microscopic bugs.

     When watering your plants the wise grower uses purified water whenever possible. Reverse osmosis systems and bulk filters are often attached to a fifty-gallon drum with a float value to insure a steady reserve of pure water. Using a TDS meter to test for Total Dissolved Solids growers can determine how many residual solids is still left in the water after filtering.

Attracting Beneficial Insects to the Garden - by Rebecca Veenstra

     So, you have the girls started up for your summer outdoor garden. They're looking young and strong and green. You are imagining them tall and laden with heavy buds in the fall as you carefully tend to their needs.

     Then, a friend stops by one day. You get to chatting--and they start telling you a story about how they lost their entire crop to spider mites last year. Your blood runs cold. Spider mites?  or what about fungus gnats? or thrips? or aphids? Your friend starts listing all the potential destroyers that will be on the prowl for your beautiful girls. Panic sets in. You turn towards the grow room and start to compulsively water the ladies...trying to conceive of how you will protect them from the big bad world of insects out there.