1000 Watts Magazine Issue 44 by 1000 Watts Magazine

MAKE AMERICA GREEN AGAIN Polictical Victories and Defeats for Medical & Recreational Marijuana Plus: Strain Reviews Product Reviews Medicated Recipes Event Recaps and more...

$4.20 Series 6 | Issue 44 www.1000wattsmagazine.com

Greetings Patients and Readers! (a few words from Uncle Henry)

The 1000 Watts Magazine Crew: Founders: Uncle Henry onekwattsmagazine@yahoo.com

Here we are with our first issue of the new year! We have three great political insights from Nic Easley, Shelly B. and Carrie Hudson talking about the success stories of 2016 and also some states that were left disappointed.

DJ Stone djstone@1000wattsmagazine.com

John Dvorak is back with a retrospective on the High Times Cannabis Cup’s 20 year anniversary... good memories there!

Executive Assistant:

Team Feel Good and Herb and Earth Organics cook up some amazing medicated recipes for the cool Winter months and Master Bong and Victoria Lee teamed up and put together a nice recap of the Emerald Cup.

Office Manager: Lucy Watts lucy@1000wattsmagazine.com

Cindy Lou cindyat1000watts@gmail.com

Sales and Marketing: Katrina sales@1000wattsmagazine.com

e-Marketing & Creative Services: Margo margo@1000wattsmagazine.com Victoria Lee vicat1000watts@gmail.com

Victoria Lee also contributed a strain review and Lisa Green gave us some thoughts on a tasty AJ Sour. There’s a lot more inside for you to enjoy and I hope that 2017 is a great year for all of our readers and friends. I know I am looking forward to what lies ahead and we will continue to take a stand for our medicine. We are making strides but we still have a long way to go. Should be interesting to say the least!

Distribution: John

Contributors to Issue 44: John Dvorak

Master Bong Cindy Lou Herb and Earth Organics Team Feel Good Shelly B. Victoria Lee Lisa Green Lucy Watts Nic Easley Carrie Hudson Ilka de Laat Team Microbe a.k.a @Plant_n_Prosper Dr. Gary B. Witman (Canna Care Docs Medical Director)

#1000wattsmmj

Copyright 2017 by 1000 Watts Publications. All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form. All designs and illustrations are property of 1000 Watts Publications (unless otherwise noted with permission from original author) and may not be used without prior permission. 1000 Watts Publications does not endorse illegal activity in any form. It’s up to you to know and follow your state’s laws. This publication is proudly printed in the USA.

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margo

What the 2016 Elections May Mean for Commercial Cannabis

Twenty Years After the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;96 Cup 8 Strain Reviews 10 Emerald Cup Recap 12

Holiday Party Recap 15 Documentary Changes thoughts on Medical Marijuana 16

by Nic Easley

Medicated Recipes

What Happened in Missouri by Carrie Hudson

23 5

1000 Watts Magazine Series 6 | Issue 44

Twenty Years After - The 1996 High Times Cannabis Cup by John Dvorak

’m forever indebted to 1000 Watts Magazine for providing an outlet for my hempen emanations. Another forward looking publication that I was fortunate enough to write for in the mid to late 1990’s was Richard Tomcala’s Hemp Magazine. One of the first big events that I covered for it was the 9th annual High Times Cannabis Cup. Back then there was just one Cannabis Cup a year, held around Thanksgiving in Amsterdam, a bastion of hemp-friendliness in an otherwise cannaphobic world. Now, numerous cannabis competitions are held throughout the year all over America. In 1996, Cup attendees were euphoric over the passage of one of the first major statewide medical marijuana initiatives, Prop 215 in California. 20 years later, 40 states have medicinal cannabis laws and although new therapeutic advances are seemingly announced daily, it is still classified as a Schedule I narcotic. While outright legalization was a pipe dream in 1996, there are now 8 states that have legalized marijuana. Thousands of legal jobs are being created in the nascent cannabis industry and thousands fewer are being arrested. However, more than half a million Americans are still arrested every year for merely possessing marijuana. The small number of companies producing hemp products in 1996 has mushroomed into a multi-billion dollar worldwide industry. American farmers in several states are growing hemp as it becomes part of mainstream America. Healthy hempen products and environmental applications are being developed at a feverish pace. Despite the great strides being made, federal marijuana prohibition prevents the industrial, medicinal and recreational markets from reaching their full potential. A few of the constants over the years include Robert Clarke, still circling the globe locating, studying and preserving cannabis cultivars. Ben and Alan Dronkers have not only kept Hempflax going strong, they’ve also opened a second Hash, Marihuana & Hemp Museum in Barcelona. Don Wirtshafter keeps busy fighting prohibition and educating people through his Cannabis Museum. Todd

1000 Watts Magazine Series 6 | Issue 44

Hemp Panel (Don Wirtshafter, The Ohio Hempery, Mitch Cahn, Head Case, and Ben Dronkers, HempFlax) moderated by John Howell, Editor of Hemp Times Magazine. (Photo credit: John Dvorak).

McCormick and Marc Emery spent several years in Federal prison but emerged more impassioned and dedicated than ever. Mike Cutler, Etienne Fontan and Mila Jansen continue their efforts helping patients and normalizing cannabis use. Sadly, several dignitaries of the 1996 Cannabis Cup are no longer with us, including Jack Herer, Eagle Bill and Stephen Gaskin. We must Forget Them Not as we move onward and upward. (see page 6 of issue #41 of 1000 Watts Magazine) While celebrating our progress, we should keep in mind how far we have to go until we achieve real social justice and truly unleash the incredible potential of this humble plant. Now comes the really exciting part. The next 20 years will be looked back upon as “the good old days” when we were focused on healing the populace, cleaning the environment and building an inclusive trillion dollar industry.

1996 CANNABIS CUP REPORT The Expo at the 9th Annual High Times Cannabis Cup was held at the Pax Party House in Amsterdam from Saturday, November 23 through Monday, November 25, 1996. In addition to over 30 companies and organizations associated with industrial hemp, the Expo contained exhibits by several purveyors of products concerning the cultivation and consumption of THC laden cannabis. As the vendors began arriving at the Pax on Saturday morning, it was like watching a family reunion. Hugs, handshakes and smiles abounded as people filtered in and started setting up their tables. The hemp industry is composed of people who are dedicated to spreading the truth about the beneficial properties of an outlawed plant. If, through their hard work they make a profit, then another dagger is slipped into the heart of prohibition. Established industry leaders including The Ohio Hempery, Two Star Dog, Headcase and Ecolution were well represented at the Expo, as were some newer concerns such as the Austin Hemp Company, Lost Harvest and Planet Hemp. Most of the participants in the week long Cannabis Cup festivities were American readers of High Times magazine.

a big hit.

JD goes to the mountain: The author with the Hemperor, Jack . (Photo credit : Pam Dvorak).

The Expo exhibitors, on the other hand, provided a more international flavor with representatives from several countries including the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Poland, Hungary, Australia and Canada. The fact that the resurgence of the hemp industry is a global phenomenon lends credence to the overall movement.

AND THE WINNERS ARE: The Ohio Hempery, one of the oldest and most successful hemp companies in the world, again won two Cannabis Cups. This year, they won for Best Hemp Product and Best Hemp Fashion. The Hempery’s founder, Don Wirtshafter, is tireless in his quest to educate the public about hemp. His sage advice and kind smile keep him in constant demand. Two Star Dog’s quality clothing products brought them a Second Place Medal in the Hemp Fashion Category. Their shirts, jackets, and jeans are consistently some of the best hemp products currently available. Two Star Dog’s line of Body Dope hemp and essential oil body care products carry on this tradition. The most pleasant surprise in the judging occurred when the Austin Hemp Company won the Third Place Medal in the Hemp Fashion category. Although the Austin Hemp Company has only been in existence for a short time, their decision to develop new, innovative, and stylish clothing paid off. Their hemp/silk “Marilyn Monroe” dress is sure to be

HempFlax, a Netherlands based company headed up by the father and son team of Ben and Alan Dronkers, won a 3rd Place Medal in the Hemp Product category. The Dronkers’, who are often mistaken for brothers, also operate the Hash, Marihuana & Hemp Museum and the Sensi Seed Bank. They are now investing big time in industrial hemp. In this, their 3rd year of hemp farming, HempFlax worked with over 100 farmers to grow several thousand acres of hemp. Much of the hemp fiber from these crops is currently being stored in a warehouse for future processing. Individuals interested in investing in the “stalk market” should contact them. Because of the U.S. prohibition on the production of cannabis/hemp, the equipment to harvest and process it has not advanced much in the last 80 years. HempFlax has taken the initiative and made the investment to develop machinery that can more efficiently harvest the hemp and process it by separating the woody inner hurds from the stringy outer bast fiber. The result of their work was apparent on the Expo floor as large numbers of people came by to discuss their products, watch their hemp farming video or gawk at the hemp plants that brushed up against the 12 foot ceiling.

JD’S HONORABLE MENTIONS The International Hemp Association is a non-profit organization based in Amsterdam. This dedicated group of individuals, led by David Watson, David Pate, and Robert Clarke is performing yeoman work collecting and disseminating information about hemp. The Journal of the IHA contains a veritable cornucopia of information relating to all aspects of hemp. The IHA is also trying to preserve Europe’s cannabis germplasm to revive the viability of different strains of cannabis and to confirm their identity for future use by plant breeders. This project requires additional funds to achieve its goal. HanfHaus, which operates 20 retail stores in Germany, had a very small amount of table space at the Expo to exhibit their wares. They did, however, have room to display a THC free hemp beer that gives new meaning to the slogan “this bud’s for you.” HanfHaus’ impressive 36 page catalog contains dozens of “hanf” products including fabric, clothes, paper, cosmetics, laundry detergent, paint, mattresses and yes, even a hemp couch!! As you can tell, the guys at HanfHaus are very serious about their hemp. The near future may even see HanfHaus stores opening in America. Denny Finneran of Crucial Creations had his usual collection of high quality 100% true hemp men’s and women’s clothing on exhibition. A jaunty plaid suit also made its debut at the Expo.

Ben Dronkers and Alan Dronkers of HempFlax and the Hash, Marihuana & Hemp Museum. (Photo credit: John Dvorak).

Australian Hemp Products had their new hemp T-shirts on hand for all to see. Operations Manager Brett Lock explained to me that design and stitching improvements were made to this, the second generation of their highly sought after hemp T-shirt. A large selection of bright colors complements the natural color of the original design. Australian Hemp Products’ beautifully photographed catalog shows that the

Valchanvre Incorporated, a Switzerland based company, has developed several 100% natural products that utilize the nutritious and aromatic qualities of hemp seed oil. They have made a commitment not to use chemical solvents in the preparation of their hemp seed oil, massage oils or perfumes. Valchanvre’s “Indica” and “Sativa” perfumes exude a most kind fragrance. Their massage oils contain at least 98% hemp seed oil, with the remainder being made up of natural essential oils blended by an aromatherapist. To top it all off, their hemp seed oil is produced using the healthy cold pressing method.

REEFER GLADNESS

Author Steven Gaskin with Denny Finneran of Crucial Creations. (Photo credit: John Dvorak).

Aussies know about more things than just beer. The brother combination of Eric and Wes Crain had their rugged and comfortable Eco Dragon sandals on display at the Expo. These handcrafted sandals contour to the shape of your foot, massaging and energizing your feet as you go. Their strategy of producing high quality, affordable products seems to be working. The guys at Earth Goods from Seattle had a very nice selection of reasonably priced hemp clothing for men and women on display. Earth Goods uses 100% hemp for some of their clothing items and hemp/silk or hemp/cotton blends for others. The colors resulting from their natural dying process are “earthy,” which I love. For instance, there are several shades of brown to choose from when picking out one of their shirts, skirts, dresses, blouses or jackets.

The City of Amsterdam deserves special recognition for providing the atmosphere of tolerance that allows the Cannabis Cup to exist in the first place. The 400 or so cannabis coffeeshops in town do not prevent Amsterdam from being one of the safest, cleanest and most efficiently operated cosmopolitan cities in the world. In actuality, the coffeeshops contribute to Amsterdam’s remarkable prosperity by increasing tourism and decreasing drug related crime. Instead of incarcerating their cannabis users, the Dutch regulate and tax them, thereby turning a ban into a boon. The Dutch philosophy of tolerance basically means that you can do anything you want as long as you do not harm another person. The legitimization of cannabis reduces the influence of organized crime and hard drug pushers. As

Lost Harvest proudly showed a wide range of products that they manufacture out of colorful hemp cloth. These items, which include wallets, hats, kicksacks, flying disks, fanny packs and hand-bags all stand up to Ethan Jule’s exacting standards. Lost Harvest’s motto is: “You know you’re going to have fun, so have fun with hemp.” How can you go wrong with that?

Activist lawyer Mike Cutler with Eric Crain and Wes Crain of Eco Dragon Hemp Sandals. (Photo credit: John Dvorak).

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Dr. Alexander Sumach (aka Roddy Heading), noted author, artist and curmudgeon. (Photo credit: John Dvorak).

more Americans visit Amsterdam and realize that cannabis regulation actually works, the word will spread that tolerance can, in fact, be tolerated. Perhaps a fund should be started to send American politicians to Amsterdam so that they can see first hand how well the Dutch system works. Anyone up for a road trip with Jesse Helms and Orrin Hatch? Despite this illusion of paradise, a pall of misery still covers the hearts of many. America’s War On (some) Drugs has caused thousands of non-violent citizens to flee the land of the free. These “reefer refugees” come to the Netherlands to seek asylum from draconian laws. However, as Les and Cheryl Mooring are finding out, the long arm of American “justice” is far reaching. The Mooring’s have been held in a Dutch jail for over a year, awaiting extradition back to Clinton County, Arkansas for allegedly violating America’s cannabis laws. The Green Prisoners Release Amsterdam organization is working to free the Mooring’s and others. Paul J. Van Hartman is one of the dedicated volunteers who has tirelessly worked to spread awareness of the Mooring’s plight. Paul’s impassioned speeches throughout the Cannabis Cup informed the visiting Americans of the need to help abort this miscarriage of justice. The emotional impact of this issue was evidenced through the awarding of a Cannabis Cup for Best Expo Booth and a Second Place Medal for the overall Cannabis Cup to the Green Prisoners Release Amsterdam organization. Please do all you can to support their cause.

friendly political candidates. You’ll be surprised at hemp’s vast and varied past, and awed by its seemingly infinite future. America’s insane prohibition of cannabis/hemp prevents; farmers from growing the most versatile plant on the planet, millions of people from processing cannabis/hemp into thousands of products, us from healing the environment that has so thoughtlessly been ravaged, millions of people from using one of the safest therapeutic substances known to man to relieve and/or cure numerous diseases and ailments, all Americans from being truly free. The most significant tragedy resulting from cannabis/ hemp prohibition involves the arrest of over 500,000 Americans a year for cannabis possession, cultivation or distribution. That’s one half of a million individuals who are otherwise upstanding, taxpaying, members of society. The amount of resources wasted to track down, arrest, adjudicate and incarcerate these people is truly staggering. Persecuting people for this non-violent offense will surely be looked back upon as one of humanity’s greatest follies. Write your politicians and newspapers explaining to them that you do not agree with this inhumane policy. Keep up the fight and peace.

ROPE, DOPE AND HOPE Throughout this year’s Cannabis Cup, I felt as if I was standing at ground zero of a new era. All the lies of the past were being obliterated by the truth that hemp can, and will lead us into a more prosperous future. Some of the most active and intelligent people in the world of cannabis were there. In addition to the people mentioned above, notable attendees included: Jack Herer, Dennis Peron (Yes on 215!), Marc Emery, Michka, Dick Cowen, Mike Cutler, Steve Hager, Larry Duprey, Mari Kane, Todd McCormick, John Howell, Dr. Alexander Sumach, Arjan, Mila Jansen, Stephen & Ina May Gaskin, Ếtienne Fontán, Jerzy Prytyk, J.P. Morgan and Eagle Bill. All of the major disciplines of cannabis hemp were represented: industrial, medicinal, recreational, religious, environmental and activism/legalization. Impromptu bull sessions, smoke-ins and business meetings were commonplace. The foundation of the nascent hemp industry was being laid. It is up to all of us to build upon this foundation. J.P. Morgan, expatriate author and activist. (Photo credit: John Dvorak).

The Cannabis Cup is a place for people to get together and rejoice in the fact that they have not succumbed to the brainwashing of the media, politicians and big business. I was lucky enough to be able to attend this year’s Cannabis Cup. Even if you can’t make it to Amsterdam to enjoy true freedom, you can have your own Cannabis Cup. It’s easy. All you have to do is buy, make or sell hemp products, work to legalize hemp, research the historic uses of hemp, or just talk to people about hemp. Then, go out and vote for hemp

Tulips and windmill. (Photo credit: John Dvorak).

nose in the jar and inhale deeply, the scent is amazing and oh so refreshing. It’s like ripping open a bag of skittles and inhaling, only it’s wayyy better. Excited by this fragrance, I can’t wait to smoke it. I take out a nice chunky bud and observe its beauty. This eye appealing strain has a gorgeous combination of mainly light greens with some dark green colors scattered throughout, contrasting nicely with the pretty red hairs trickling out of the bud. Looking closer, this pretty color combination compliments the awesome amount of trichomes frosted throughout this bud. The trichomes are mostly cloudy with some amber heads scattered throughout showing that it was harvested at the peak of perfection. Sparkling as I move it back and forth in the light I admire its beauty, but I can no long wait to smoke it. I start to break up the bud. The scent gets more intense the more I break it up, as the terpenes continue striking me in the nose. Smelling this delicious strain I can almost taste it. I roll it up in a joint and take a dry hit. The flavor profiles are impressive. It’s like grape, citrus, and the rest of the rainbow had a baby. I spark it up and inhale. The terpenes are dancing on my tongue as I hit the joint. I get an immediate rush of awesomeness. Enjoying every minute of smoking this strain, it finally comes to an end. I finish the joint and observe my high. I feel fuckin’ fantastic! Zkittlez gave me a very happy high. I feel alert, awake, and uplifted with a body high that is stress relieving, relaxing, and euphoric. I can honestly say this is one of my top 3 favorite strains ever. It’s no wonder why they kicked ass again at the 2016 Emerald Cup. This strain has won so many trophies at different events it’s hard to keep up! If you haven’t tried it yet, you don’t know what you’re missing…. or maybe after reading this, now you do. Shout out to the creators at 3rd Generation Family, Dying Breed Seeds, and Terp Hogz, keep kickin ass guys!

#Zkittlez #TazteTheZtrainBro #TerpHogz #3rdGenFamily #DyingBreedSeeds

by Victoria Lee, 1000 Watts Magazine Staff Writer

his month the strain up for review is an awesome strain called Zkittlez. This Indica dominant strain is crossed between Grape Ape, Grapefruit, and another undisclosed strain. For this badass bud I feel like a regular strain review would not do it justice, so with this review, I’m writing it a little differently. I want to re-create my experience with it, as much as I can, for you and paint a picture in your mind. I crack open a jar of Zkittlez. Immediately, before the jar is even fully opened I sense its tropical, floral, candy like scent rushing towards my nose. Mmmm, those Terpenes though! This super terpy aroma sends a mouthwatering tingle up my nostrils. It stimulates my nose hairs, and invigorates me with an overwhelmingly awesome sense of happiness. I stick my

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Photos courtesy of TC Curtis.

AJ Sour Diesel

Photo courtesy of Medical Jane.

by Lisa Green

As a medical marijuana patient choosing the right medicine takes time and trial. When breaking the seal to the AJ Sour Diesel the immediate gassy, pungent terpene fragrance was abundant and I knew an excellent choice was made. This medication came from one of Massachusetts most stunning dispensaries located in Newton: Garden Remedies. Garden Remedies, like all Massachusetts dispensaries, is a seed to sale grow operation and has taken on the challenge and embraced growing strains like Cornbread, Chem 4 and Scottâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s OG. The art of growing medicine is not an easy task at hand. To attempt and conquer the 1990â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most highly demanded Sour Diesel strain is an accomplishment within itself. There is no imitation for Sour and also no comparison in its light and dark green hues and racy smell. It is impossible to pass anything off as Sour BUT Sour itself! Therefore this places AJ Sour in a category of its own. The immediate relief this Sativa dominant strain gives an individual not only stress relief but also is invigorating. Anxiety and depression also diminish quickly and create a happy, pleasant and uplifting feeling even in the coldest days of Winter. The energy this strain presents is as full as its ability to also stimulate the mind and body with peace and happiness. AJ Sour Diesel will not make it difficult to perform daily tasks or create any feelings of being lethargic, slow or sleepy. The effects of this medicine create a productive environment for the patient and an overall blissful feeling.

Emerald Cup 2016 Recap by Victoria Lee, 1000 Watts Magazine Staff Writer

Artist Seth McMahon, of Oakland, California continuing to paint a painting hes been working on for about 4 months.

Patient card were allowed in the medicating area.

hat do you get when you mix music, great vibes, awesome artists, enticing edibles, and kickass genetics, with some of the best sun grown organic cannabis in California? The Emerald Cup of course! These are just some of the many things the Emerald Cup made available over the weekend. So, if you’re a person who loves the cannabis community then you most likely have heard of the Emerald Cup, and if you haven’t, then you need to find out about it! This prodigious event is one of California’s greatest cannabis events. It takes place once a year in Northern California and is the most monumental Cup celebrating and honoring the fall harvest with the best organic, sun grown cannabis that California has to offer. Whether you’re looking for top genetics and strains, the best cannabis infused products, networking with growers, concentrates, educational information, or if you go for the competition, atmosphere, art, and music, this is the event/ festival that covers it. It was held over the weekend of December 10-11, 2016 at Sonoma County Fairgrounds in Santa Rosa, CA and is an 18+ event which is open to the public. Yup that’s right! Even if you are not a patient you can buy tickets as long as you are of age. The event is set up with a separate medicating area for patients, so, although the event is open to the public, the medicating area is not. Only people who are 21+ with a California Medical Marijuana

This 2 day event was jam packed with everything from tons of different vendors, speakers, workshops, glass blowers, music performers and artists, to all sorts of cannabis companies, and more! Many of these companies along with growers, farmers, and others submitted various cannabis products into competition in hopes of winning one of the Emerald Cup awards, which, in the cannabis industry, is a big deal. There were around 1200 entries of cannabis flower, concentrates, edibles, and topicals. Categories of the competition were: Flower, Bubble Concentrates, Rosin Concentrates, Dry Sieve Concentrates, C02 Concentrates, Edibles, Tinctures, Topicals, CBD Flower, CBD Extracts, CBD Tincture, CBD Topicals, and CBD Edibles. The Emerald Cup brought in close to 30,000 people over the course of the weekend. It’s definitely an event not to miss, with its rapidly growing crowd (pun intended), this was the largest crowd the Emerald Cup has seen to date. Saturday’s show was completely sold out, and even though it landed on a cloudy, chilly weekend where the weather conditions were not ideal, that didn’t stop people from coming out to show their support in the cannabis community. This was my second year going to the Emerald Cup and the medical footprint this year was so much bigger then last year. Walking into the event I was like a kid walking into a candy store, I wanted to see everything. I wanted to go here, there, and everywhere, but with so much going on at this event and so much to see it was almost impossible to see everything. Outside the medicating area there were many doctors giving MMJ patient recommendations to those who were eligible, as well as information about the cannabis industry. There were vendors selling different types of merchandise, food, art, etc. along with an impressive lineup of speakers to help educate people about the industry. The topics ranged from chemical free pest and mold management, regenerative farming, cultivating your maximum terpene profile, science and compliance, medical cannabis for veterans, and government agencies just to name a few.

Some of the 1000 Watts Crew and friends at the Emerald Cup.

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There were also a ton of great workshops available for people to attend. These workshops included various topics such as: safe and effective use of medical cannabis in dogs and cats, hemp in 2020, the future of felons, cannabis

Really big joints at the Emerald Cup!

science and therapeutics, teaming with fungi, stabilizing genetics, and so many more. There were also 2 different stages set up where performers including Damian Marley, Stick Figure, Hirie, Thrive, Dirty Heads, Tribal Seeds, Nattali Rize, and more performed. Some of the other artists that were there were even painting live on-site while the music artists were performing. The art was pretty awesome. In addition to all the great stuff going on outside the medicating area, inside the medicating area there was a lot going on as well. There was an area where you could find many different cannabis infused products such as: salves, topicals, tinctures, concentrates, and all different types of edibles. Some companies were giving away samples of various edibles. 5mg here, 5mg there, 10 samples later and all of a sudden... I felt great! Then there was an area where you could find some of the best award winning genetics, flowers, and concentrates. This place was constantly packed with people networking, medicating, and having a great time.

One of the representatives from Third Generation Family accepting one of their many awards.

Glass blowers Included: Jared Delong, Steve Bates, & Bluegrass Glass who were on site blowing glass. Emerald Cup Winners for flower included: 1st Place- Enterant: Dookie Brothers -Strain: Zkittlez 2nd Place- Enterant: Greenshock Farms- Strain: Purple CandyCane 3rd Place- Entrant: 3rd Gen/Terp Hogz/Dying Breed Strain: Strain #8 You can find the rest of the Emerald Cup winners on their website. Overall, this was a great event and even though I did not get to see everything, I still had a blast. Congrats to all of the Emerald Cup winners! I look forward to seeing how much bigger this event will be within the next 2 years now that California has passed recreational cannabis. Make sure you keep an eye out for next years Emerald Cup, you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t to want to miss it.

Detail of rosin art Buddha and flower from one of the many artists at the Emerald Cup.

Master Bong at the Emerald Cup

here are so many events out there today in the cannabis industry you might be asking yourself “which event is right for me?” This is something that I feel so many connoisseurs struggle with each and every single year because of the abundance that the industry provides now. Why, I’ve been attending events for 6 years straight hitting about 15 to 20 different events every single year, year-in and year-out. I choose different events for different reasons based on what I’m looking to do and experiences that I want to have. Some events are great for meeting amazing companies and their teams and being able to chill and relax with the family away from your family. Some events are awesome for meeting amazing people that are just at the event smoking, chilling and soaking up the environment. There is never a shortage of amazing conversation, amazing bud and amazing times. Let me share with you one of my favorite events to go to every year... The Emerald Cup takes place every December in Northern California. It used to be way up north but now they have it at the Santa Rosa fairgrounds so more people can attend. In fact the event that just took place on December 10th and 11th had around 30,000 people! The reason I love the Emerald Cup is because everybody up north is growing out in the cuts, finally having an opportunity to come down and chill after their summer harvest. Most of these people do not come out for a majority of the year because they are tending to their gardens which provide the medicine and the amazing flowers that so many people enjoy, love and partake in every single day. I don’t know if people quite understand what it takes to grow some of these gardens...the dedication to the passion and love of the plant. They are so far in the cuts that sometimes they don’t see anybody else for weeks or months

at a time, living off the land and growing some of the finest weed on Earth. So, imagine when all of these people get together after they have just finished all of their amazing crops, some of the most fine unique weed comes to one place gathered for one weekend for everybody to partake in. This is one of the major reasons that I love the Emerald Cup because it is an event by the people for the people. There were over 1,000 entries of flower into the event and countless amounts of hash entries for all the different categories. The homies Mendo Dope even placed 3rd in the Bubble category with their Grease Monkey! You can look back at the garden tour and see the plant that won actually growing, it’s just so trippy to watch these plants grow and flourish and you know they are fine but when they place out of all these people entering the competition it makes me proud to see the homies do so well! The Mendo Dope boys are great people too always giving back and preaching the truth and standing up for what they and we believe in! Let me share one of my funnest times that I have had at theEmerald Cup ever and that was this year while at the Pez Bros booth. These guys are from Mendocino as well and price out some of the dankest rosin that I have had the pleasure of dabbing on. Well, since it was the Emerald Cup we had to do something extreme so what I decided to do was smoke 19 joints at the same damn time!!! You might be asking yourself how do we smoke 19 joints at the same time? Well, let me share with you my friends...it is super simple easy and I guarantee you that all that you need is in your refrigerator and a couple of drawers right now!!! Yes, that’s right. Get out your gallon milk jug, get out a pen and a small knife, and you are good to go. I definitely would recommend having a nice even pattern to your milk carton so that it is easy to light your joints. Probably keep everything on the outer limit so that you can light all of them evenly without burning other joints at the same time. All you need to do is poke all of the holes and make sure that all of the joints or blunts have a crush on them so that they fit in there easily. Get a ton of friends together make sure that they all have a lighter in each hand and get to work lighting all those blunts or joints. Once you get everything lit this thing will be hitting like a champ so get ready because you might get ko’d in the first round!!! The milk carton Steamroller is a perfect device for any party or special occasion so if you’re ready to get your smoke on like Master bong and all the other MacGyver smokers out there, I’m ready to share this adventure and many more with you.

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The 2016 1000 Watts Holiday Party Recap by Hydra Jane and Cindy Lou

This year’s holiday party was all about charity. From one dollar dabs to our raffle baskets, 1000 Watts Magazine put on a party to remember. Kushville Creations put on their majestic four tiered chocolate fountain with an array of goodies for dipping. The medicated section was a big hit all evening while dollar dabs for charity were consumed by the generous patients. A great Big Shout Out to all who donated and participated in our Holiday Party. A special THANKS to Rocky, Kevin and their AWESOME staff at Underground Billiards for all their help. With your help and support a great time was had by all!! Let’s not forget our DJ!!! Thanks Mike for the great music and adding your special touch!! Also, a great BIG thanks to the following for donating to our raffle: Advanced Nutrients The Joint on 6 Puffins Smoke Shop Plymouth County Growers Irie Trading Post New England Grassroots Institute It was great meeting new people and seeing everyone enjoying themselves as well as all the delicious food that we all enjoyed!!!

Kushville Creations four tiered medicated chocolate fountain at the 1000 Watts Magazine holiday party 2016.

Raffle table with prizes generously given from our great donors. Much thanks to Advanced Nutrients, The Joint on 6, Puffin’s Smoke Shop, Irie Trading Post and Plymouth County Growers. We donated a few prizes as well!

Changing Thoughts on Medical Cannabis Through a Documentary by Ilka de Laat

ow three families helped me recognize my discrimination of cannabis as medicine (OR How making a film about medical cannabis forced me to look at my own prejudices about it). Imagine if your child had a pediatric condition that threatened their very quality of life. Now, what if you heard rumor of a treatment that was often highly successful but still very risky, that was considered by many to be immoral, and that was illegal to purchase nearly everywhere? What would you do? We’re talking about cannabis as medicine here. I have two daughters aged six and four. I don’t know if I would choose cannabis. Certainly not as a first line of defense -- and I have been researching the story of the medical cannabis movement for over a decade. In 2003, I met Hilary Black, founder of Canada’s first medical dispensary, the British Columbia Compassion Club. Black is a professional advocate who has influenced Federal policy on medical cannabis, spearheaded physician education, and is now the Director of Patient Outreach for two of Canada’s largest medical cannabis corporations. Hilary was awarded the Queen’s Jubilee medal for her commitment to healthcare. Her work influenced federal policy and in 2001 Canada adopted federal medical cannabis legislation that has seen various iterations. It is still a work in progress and to this day many patients are still fighting for access to reliable cannabis therapies. Hilary’s work inspired me to dig more deeply into the concept of this previously highly vilified drug being used as medicine. When I moved to the U.S. three years ago, I picked up the story here. Very quickly I realized that patients had a real struggle ahead of them. With cannabis still a Schedule 1 drug in the U.S., it has been nearly impossible to test and distribute the substance for medical use. Even in legal states, funding for medical cannabis research doesn’t exist. Yet, parents across the U.S. in states whether legal or not are giving cannabis to their children. It’s largely untested, unproven, and unreliable. What is their logic? It’s one thing for an adult to use cannabis to increase appetite, help with sleep or cope with chronic pain, but to administer it to your sick child without medical guidance in most cases? Isn’t that wrong on many levels? I was so curious to answer these questions that I decided to devote myself to making a film about the journey of these parents. Our Medicine follows three conservative-Christian,

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traditional, all-American families as they move from being staunchly anti-marijuana to trying cannabis as medicine for their children. Forced to seek remedies beyond the healthcare system, beyond state borders and beyond their comfort zones, they each undertake unexpected personal journeys that find them traversing the country, making the case for cannabis access in the halls of power, and living lives they could never have expected. Throughout it all, they remain deeply concerned with the health of their children, obsessively tracking each sign of improvement and decline in their conditions. My co-director, Jessica Congdon and I, decided that Our Medicine should be an observational film that captures lives of the families at the core of our story. The film is personal and direct and reveals the true struggles that the families face in their day-to-day existence. It also shows the deep dedication that these parents have to improving their kids’ health. Using the families’ powerful home movies and photos, Our Medicine goes further than news stories that merely sensationalize these issues, and shows how the pursuit for safe access has become all-consuming and changed the lives of these individuals. Here’s a short synopsis: Texas-based Dean Bortell and his wife Liza met in the military and consider themselves Christian Conservatives. To them, the concept of treating their young daughter Alexis, who also suffers from seizures, with cannabis seemed like a joke. But, pushed into a dire place by Alexis’s worsening condition, they take a radical next step: cannabis oil. Their road to access is excruciating. Dean and Alexis launch a media blitz to lobby their state representatives for change in legislation. Just as they begin to make headway, Alexis is struck with the worst seizure of her life. The Bortells immediately pack up their lives and head to Colorado, where the medicines they seek are readily available. Tom Minahan is an ER doctor in a busy trauma center in Southern California. He is no stranger to a medical crisis. Yet, for the past twelve years he has been pushing the limits of traditional medicine—and beyond—to offer his epileptic daughter Mallory the quality of life he believes should be possible. The Minahans go to church every Sunday and give their ten percent. They’ve always been strongly against recreational drugs. Mallory is prescribed every possible pharmaceutical to curb her seizures. Nothing helps. In fact, many of them are damaging her organs and numbing her mind. The seizures keep coming. Yet, within days of taking cannabis oil, Mallory’s seizures lessen significantly. How long will her improved health last?

In Staten Island, NY, Barbara Jennerich is at the end of her rope. Her twin boys, Billy and John, were diagnosed with Tuberous Sclerosis in infancy and have benign tumors on their brains which cause seizures. They’ve been put on so many pharmaceuticals that little Billy has suffered a stroke, dystonia, and nearly died twice. Like Tom and Dean, Barbara would never have entertained marijuana as a medicine for her sons. She’s a former NYC cop, married to a NYC firefighter. The idea of giving her kids illegal drugs feels absurd. But, finding themselves without options, the family begins packing to make the same move as the Bortells—to Colorado to access the same high CBD/low THC oil that has offered Alexis a chance at a better life. Our Medicine intimately tracks these three families as they adjust to their new realities. Tom finds himself addressing the U.S. Senate Caucus on Controlled Substances to describe his daughter’s successes with cannabis. Meanwhile, Dean grows frustrated at the lack of legislative progress in their home state and contemplates an entry into the political arena to effect change himself. Barbara struggles with the problems created by her new long-distance relationship— though her boys have seen improvement in Colorado, Bill has remained back in Staten Island to hold down two jobs and care for their older daughters. All of the families wonder how long the medicines will work and struggle with frustrating, often life-threatening setbacks. Each of the families participating in this film have taught me several things: that parents will do truly anything to help their children, that we have to be advocates for the health of our families, and most importantly, that stigma and prejudice can kill. I still don’t like that Dr. Minahan has to visit a counter in a California dispensary staffed by “bud-tenders” to get medicine for his daughter, but now I won’t judge him for it. If you are interested in learning more about this film, please visit:

http://www.documentary.org/film/ourmedicine

2016 Recalled with the 1000 Watts Magazine Crew & Friends!

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What the 2016 Elections May Mean for Commercial Cannabis by Nic Easley

egardless of what party affiliation you claim, the 2016 Presidential and state-level elections have been a roller coaster ride that still hasn’t ended. The results have huge implications for the marijuana industry that will continue to develop for some time to come. It is an exciting time for the cannabis industry: As the original legal and medical markets show signs of maturity, new programs passed in the last year are set to come online and a whole wave of new programs will begin to take shape throughout the coming year. The only thing we can say with complete certainty is that the commercial cannabis landscape is changing very, very rapidly. These changes present multiple opportunities and challenges for the industry.

Key Election Outcomes

Four new states voted to legalize recreational marijuana, and four others voted to allow for medical marijuana. This is remarkable because most of the new medical marijuana states tend to be very politically conservative. Just over 20% of Americans are now living in areas where recreational marijuana is legal for adults to purchase, consume, and in most cases cultivate. Insofar as Federal and state laws differing so drastically regarding the legal status of marijuana, we’re experiencing a watershed event. Even President Obama seems to think so: “The good news is that after this referenda, to some degree it’s going to call the question. Because if in fact it passed in all these states, you’ll now have a fifth of the country that’s operating under one set of laws and four-fifths in another. The Justice Department, DEA, FBI, for them to try to straddle and figure out how they’re supposed to enforce laws in some places and not in others, they’re going to guard against transporting these drugs across state lines… You’ve got the entire Pacific corridor where this is legal. That is not going to be tenable.” On a state level, eight US states will now be enacting new laws related to the cultivation, distribution and regulation of both medical and recreational marijuana. In Nevada, new ‘adult use’ cannabis laws will allow anyone 21 years of age or older to legally possess marijuana in small amounts (up to one ounce of flower or one-eighth of an ounce of concentrate). Newcomer states like Florida and Arkansas are entering the fold by allowing medical marijuana. This is all the more remarkable in that prior to the elections, possession of any amount of marijuana was a chargeable, criminal offense. California legalizing adult use cannabis is by far the most significant development to come out of the 2016 election. California, through both legal medical production and

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their infamous black market, has continuously influenced and shaped the cultural and economic impact of cannabis nationwide. With the pending implementation of MMRSA (Medical Marijuana Regulation and Safety Act) to rein in medical production in the state and now the oncoming adult use program that will serve a population base larger than every other currently active adult use state combined, California has the opportunity and obligation to establish a robust set of regulations. Everyone inside and outside the industry will be closely watching and taking cues from it. It should be made very clear that the development of California’s marijuana programs over the next few years will shape the future of legal marijuana forever. Probably the most surprising but least-impactful development during the elections was the news that North Dakota would be initiating Statutory Measure No. 5: The North Dakota Compassionate Care Act. This act will allow for the possession of up to 3 ounces of marijuana for qualifying conditions such as AIDS, cancer, epilepsy and glaucoma. The measure passed by a massive margin, with “Yes” voters accounting for 63.7% of the overall vote. Because of historically conservative North Dakota laws related to the prosecution of persons in possession of controlled substances, even the backers of the Measure expressed surprise that it had passed. For industry veterans who are running or funding businesses in more mature marijuana markets like Colorado, these election results may not come as too much of a surprise. After all, with the phenomenal success that states have seen in increasing tax revenues, it’s not a leap of faith to see so many other states trying to get in on the green action. Anyone who has spent time working with state budgets knows that once recurring tax revenue has been introduced to the balance sheet of a state, it’s very hard to take it away. It’s a kind of an addictive drug for state Treasurers, like an opiate fix that the state comes to rely on. This should add a sense of security for investors who are looking to enter these new markets. Nonetheless, investors should proceed with caution.Federal laws lending and banking institutions still forbid loans or lines of credit to businesses that cultivate or distribute marijuana, but this will soon change and evolve with the enormous market share and revenue opportunities that will be coming online.

Is National Sentiment Changing on Marijuana?

In recent polls, 60% of all Americans say they are now in favor of legalizing marijuana. This means that there is cross-party overlap of support for pro-marijuana legislation, as only 43% of polled Americans voiced their support for Democratic Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, and

34% sided with republican Donald Trump. This 60% figure eclipses even the President’s favorability rating, which sits at 56% as of the writing of this article. If we compare marijuana-related polling data from 1999, we find a doubling in support, as only 30% of Americans voiced support for marijuana legalization in that year. In another poll, support for legalization of medical marijuana came in at a staggering 89%. These are incredibly empowering statistics for marijuana business developers who might have been standing on the sidelines waiting for a more stable investing environment before jumping in with any serious capital. This data should also be encouraging for patients who are struggling with cancer, chronic pain, glaucoma or any of the other numerous health conditions for which cannabis treatment shows promise. If we’re being optimistic, we’re looking at a near-term future for marijuana businesses that spells serious profit potential, but this will only happen if strict adherence to regulatory laws and business accountability is implemented and maintained. This is why it’s critical for ‘ganjapreneurs’ or neophyte cannabis investors to seek out the advice of a tenured expert or advisory firms that can help make sense of this new legal marijuana paradigm.

The Trump Effect

With all of the good news coming from the eight states that are enacting new marijuana laws, it would seem like the future for marijuana businesses in the US is, well, very green indeed. But this all comes with a large measure of concern...Donald Trump and his cabinet. Trump, along with Vice President-Elect Mike Pence, have present a potential challenge to cannabis commerce in the United States. Trump has stated publicly while on the campaign trail that marijuana cultivation and distribution should be regulated and monitored on the state level, essentially indemnifying and exempting the Federal Government from involvement in the US marijuana trade as a whole. Though his inconsistent stance on many issues along with the advisors with whom he has surrounded himself should be the main cause for concern. For states that have already seen success with the taxed sale of marijuana, this is relatively good news, because it presumes that a Trump Presidency will not actively seek to further expand on existing federal laws that consider cannabis to be a Schedule I illegal drug. Though ultimately the future of the cannabis industry rests upon the participants and stakeholders who are actively forming and defining this nascent industry. The Federal Government is much less likely to involve itself in programs that are succeeding economically without imposing any kind of public health or safety risk. Therefore it is up to everyone involved with industrial cannabis to set forth a good example but holding compliance and transparency as a top priority. For many interested investors, it’s wise to seek guidance before making huge investment moves in the marijuana industry while some of the more important chips fall in the area of federal decisionmaking. One of Donald Trump’s appointees, Jeff Sessions, will be tasked with heading up the Justice Department. That’s no small task for someone who is on record saying:

“We need grown-ups in charge in Washington to say marijuana is not the kind of thing that ought to be legalized.” That’s straight talk from a politician who calls Alabama home, an overwhelmingly Republican state. Further, as Attorney General, Mr. Sessions would have the ability to rescind two Justice Department directives: the Cole Memo and the Ogden Memo. These memos call for less-stringent federal pursuit of marijuana-related prosecutions. Sessions could also leverage federal resources to sue state regulators in an effort to to block state systems. That’s a legitimate cause for concern. Regardless of how President-Elect Trump may feel about marijuana legalization, there are existing US institutions like the DEA who have their own opinion on the matter. The DEA wants to keep marijuana illegal on a federal level, with no set intention to change existing laws. The most recent spending bill signed by President Obama contained wording that prevented federal authorities from going after any statesanctioned marijuana activity. It remains to be seen if this provision persists in future budget bills, and if it does not it will then be up to federal agencies to make the decision. It is important to understand that the marijuana industry is not going away. Realistically, it would take millions, if not billions, of taxpayer dollars to enforce federal drug policy and dismantle all state-run programs. With a national debt to be overcome and general sentiment being in support of restricting regulatory oversight (conservatives now controlling all three branches of the Federal Government), and in support of state’s rights, it is clear the marijuana industry is here to stay. The further development of services which provide support or will need to be accessible to the marijuana industry such as banking, environmental regulation, and taxation policy will be eventually be revealed as our new Executive, Congressional and Judicial branches start implementing policy. To quote Bob Dylan, “The times they are a’changin’.” Even though recent election results point to a more relaxed environment in which cannabis companies can operate, there is no crystal ball. The Presidential election itself was a massive upset, so we shouldn’t be letting our guard down about other future upsets that may come down the pike. For now, it’s probably best to stay the course of conservative investment practices steeped in granular, die-hard market research and expert advice from trusted sources.

About the author: Nic and 3C have helped more than 60 clients design, start up, build, and optimize their cultivation and commercial cannabis operations. 3C uses science, research, and education as guiding principles, prioritizing ROI, profitability and shareholder value while recommending both socially and environmentally responsible practices. Nic’s scientific background, combined with over 15 years of agricultural field and biological experience offers the industry new possibilities of productivity, profitability, and professionalism. Over the past nine years - both in Colorado and nationwide - Nic has been asked to speak and keynote multiple industry conferences. Nic holds degrees in Environmental Studies and Biology and is a Veteran of the United States Air Force.

In a Surprising Final Count by Shelly B.

n a surprising final count, Trump becomes President Elect! How will this affect the legalization of marijuana? Well, no one really knows what the future holds, but there are some points mentioned that guide us toward status quo on the federal level and a huge win on the state level. First, on a state level, the results pulled the largest win for the US drug policy in decades. Legalization, in one form or another, was on the ballot in nine different states this election. With Arizona being the exception, the other eight states passed. Four of the states, (Montana, North Dakota, Arkansas and Florida), legalized the medical form of marijuana and the other four states (Maine, Nevada, Massachusetts and California), legalized marijuana for anyone over 21 years of age. Millions will now be able to purchase marijuana in state approved facilities. The only issues with this win, is that according to federal law, marijuana is still illegal. After the inauguration of Trump, the states legalization is in the hands of the White House.

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We know that Trump has stated multiple times that he believes in medical marijuana and wants the states to determine the legalization, so we can only hope he stands by his words. Now, of course, once the number of states hopping on board legalization continue to rise, the conflict with the federal law will need to be worked out. Will this happen in Trumpâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first term? Only time will tell. With the belief that Senator Jeff Sessions will become Trumpâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s selection for Attorney General, the marijuana industry feels a little bit uneasy. In the past, Sessions has passed judgment on both marijuana and its users. However, we know he also believes strongly in state sovereignty. Depending on the amount of pull that the Attorney General (possibly Sessions) will be given, we have to hope that he chooses the states sovereignty. The following issues give the Marijuana Reform hope in the fight for legalization. First, with over 20% of the country living in states with regular marijuana legalization for those over 21 and over 60% having access to medical marijuana, the republican party needs to be careful not to lose millions of voters. Second, having so many additional states legalizing marijuana, allows a more powerful and stronger voice and a more powerful economic voice. Thirdly, the Federal Government must remember that if they go in reverse, it wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t just end regulated sales, but it will send those sales back into a criminal market that we have little control over. All of these issues give hope that Republicans will shift from strict prohibition towards a belief in states rights.

Disappointed in Missouri by Carrie Hudson

Missouri was launched) showed over 60% of Missourians were in favor of medical cannabis?” Note: “New Approach Missouri” is the campaign to legalize medical marijuana in Missouri. What could cause such an unexpected turn of events? In the simplest of terms, there were not enough valid signatures to support the ballot...supposedly. I say “supposedly” because it wasn’t as though the campaign lacked money or resources. Thousands of dollars were donated, top-notch consultants were hired and signature gatherers headed out en masse. In the end there was nothing to show for their efforts and the $2million dollars that was gathered seemed a mute point in the end.

Medical patients of Missouri the day we went to court over the lack of valid signatures. Peter Loughead (left) and Ashley Markum with son Ayden.

t was a monumental year at the polls this November 8, 2016. Election night, as we all sat glued in front of our TV’s watching on pins and needles to see who would become our new president. For many it felt like we were voting between the lesser of two evils to lead our great nation. Another hot topic on the radar for the evening at the polls was the number of states voting on medical cannabis or recreational use. The election of 2016 went down as a record year for cannabis across the country! Eight state’s voters said cannabis prohibition is a thing of the past. The tipping point has come! We now live in a nation where over 28 states are on board with the benefits of medical cannabis and several states have opted in for recreation use as well. Medical marijuana initiatives were successful in Florida, North Dakota and (surprisingly) Arkansas, as well as ballot initiative in Montana that expanded the state’s existing medical marijuana laws. Ballot initiatives for recreational medical marijuana passed in California, Massachusetts, Maine and Nevada. The election of 2016 will be remembered as the single largest boost for the legalization of marijuana...EVER. Despite political differences over who should lead the free world, we are at least coming together to recognize the amazing healing qualities and uses of this misunderstood and historically revered and despised plant. While much of the country was celebrating victories that day and seeing all of their hard work leading up to that day pay out, that wasn’t the case for Missouri ballot volunteers. It was like a funeral on many levels. Many hopeful Missourians went to the polls to vote for our next president, while disappointment and anger ran high for those needing an alternative to Big Pharma, as there was no medical cannabis initiative on the ballot to vote on. The daunting question: “Why did Missouri not have medical cannabis on the ballot for November, 2016 when polling early on (even before the initiative by New Approach

New Approach is not deterred and are already planning for 2018 while still in disbelief that 2016 general election turned out the way it did. See, it is the demographic of voters that is a concern. In 2018, there will be a mid-term election which tends to be an older, more conservative voter turn-out that is more likely to vote “no” for anything related to marijuana. The general election of 2016 showed an increase in young voters who may have actually turned in “yes” votes for the legalization of marijuana - but they didn’t get the opportunity to even vote on the ballot question! So, now that we know what DIDN’T happen, let’s explore what actually DID. The fiasco explained: On April 28, 2016, just two weeks before the deadline to turn in signatures to get an initiative on the ballot, John Payne (director of New Approach Missouri) received a startling email. The email was from PCI Consultants, the California-based firm hired to handle the brunt of signature-collecting duties for the campaign. The company was paid $700,000 in March and April via checks from New Approach Missouri to handle the daunting task of dealing with all of the gathered and signed petitions. PCI Consultants President Angelo Paparella noted in the email that since the voting was broken down into districts that the signature gathering did not meet the per district requirements, and this would have to be done in the next 10 days in order to meet the May 8 deadline. Initially, New Approach Missouri needed a total of 168,000 total signatures but set a goal of 300,000 just to be on the safe side. According to the email, District 1 was “done”. This included St. Louis city and north county. So, signatures were all set there. But then there was District 2 which encompasses south and west counties. In the email Paparella stated District 2 was “In trouble, need 20,000 more.” Wait..... what?????? Before we can get into how this shortage happened it is important to understand Missouri’s ballot initiative rules – especially when dealing with a state with no less than 114 counties! The basics are laid out in Missouri’s constitution:

“The people reserve power to propose and enact or reject laws and amendments to the constitution by the initiative.” Basically, it is a process for passing laws or constitutional amendments without the state legislature. First an initiative is submitted to Missouri’s Secretary of State for approval, which means meeting certain formatting and legal standards. The petition is usually revised or amended several times. Once approved, supporters can start gathering signatures. Unfortunately, it is not a single lump sum of signatures where you can just walk in with 168,000 signatures and that’s it, that’s all – you’re done! There must be support for at least 6 out of the 8 state’s congressional districts but it must meet separate goals for each district, defined as eight percent of the district’s votes from the last governor’s election. New Approach had to collect a minimum 27,603 signatures in District 1, which extends from St. Louis city through the northern suburbs to the Missouri River. Next door, in populous District 2, the initiative needed 32,337 signatures to pass. That district line zig-zags through St. Louis’ near suburbs, extending outward to cover parts of St. Charles, Chesterfield, Ballwin, Fenton and Arnold to the south.

was kind of confounding.” As though the district’s issues of Missouri weren’t enough in itself, there were other obstacles. If a voter is not registered when they sign the petition or if a voter is registered in a different county when they sign, these signatures may be invalidated. Having the foresight to see this potential was the reason New Approach set their goal higher than the required amount – they knew they may lose a few. But again, eternally optimistic and driven like a force of nature, they reached the May 8 deadline and presented 20,000 more signatures. Or so they thought. Three months later on August 9, Secretary of State Jason Kander announced that 10,000 signatures were invalidated by local election boards and that the campaign was actually short by 2,242 signatures. In total New Approach had ultimately submitted 40,745 signatures. The next step was to sue Kander’s office and a trial date was set for September in Cole County. This fight was not yet over in District 2. For weeks volunteers (myself included) combed through signatures, matching voter registration records with petitions and piles and piles of paperwork were delivered to the New Approach legal team by courier – back and forth. Even PCI assisted in the fact checking.

Payne would later learn that PCI’s collectors had overcollected from St. Louis city in District 1, leaving the campaign facing a serious shortfall in District 2 with less than two weeks to spare. “It was the first time that I was worried about District 2,” Payne recalls. “We’d had concerns about other districts, but they were being addressed. A shortage in District 2 was a completely unexpected thing to have happen.” It was not uncommon for collectors to come back from their signature gathering efforts with stacks of signatures from the wrong district as there was confusion about the district line between St. Louis city, St. Louis County and St. Charles County. What a mess. “We got to the grinding stone, and we started getting as many people as we could muster into the area,” Payne says. Trying to trudge forward with eternal optimism, Payne mobilized the entire force of collectors (around 100 ) to hit District 2 only to be met with further confusion.

During the 2016 Missouri Cannabis Conference, John Payne (center) talked up the possibility of a medical marijuana ballot initiative in 2018. (Photo credit: Danny Wicentowski - Riverfront Times).

“One guy, he brought some signatures in and I said, ‘This is all south city,’” recalls Payne, who himself notarized petitions for hours on end during the campaign’s final stretch. “I had to get out a map. Some of these people coming from Springfield and Kansas City did not understand the distinctions between St. Louis city and St. Louis County. That ended up causing signatures to be lost.” Although it may be close for the May 8 deadline, Payne felt it could be done – until he took a closer look at the dense west suburbia area of District 2. “It can be hard to find people in that district that live there. One of the problems with that area is, for whatever reason, people don’t get out that much,” Payne observes. “There’s a lot of people around there, they just don’t do anything. It

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Thomas Mundell, Speaking on behalf of Veteran Initiatives.

As if that wasn’t enough, the day before my 44th birthday on August 18, 2016 (ironically the day I found a knot in my neck 13 years ago that lead to my cancer diagnosis) an affidavit signed by 12 prosecuting attorneys including

2 prosecutors from the districts in question argued that it didn’t matter if New Approach had enough signatures or not, “weed” as they like to refer to this life saving medicine to some, is illegal under federal law and legalizing it would violate both the Missouri and US constitutions. Marijuana, the affidavit stated, is “a destructive drug, with no benefits (medical or otherwise).” Access even to medical marijuana “would be a devastating mistake for millions of Missourians.” The affidavit also requested that the prosecutors’ attorney be allowed to take part in the trial. If New Approach could convince the judge that we had enough signatures, and had reached the overall goal, the prosecutors still wanted to challenge the basic legitimacy of legalizing drugs at a state level. This was hard for me to take as someone who, after signs of cancer returned for a second time, sought a holistic approach to health which includes an alkaline diet, exercise, mindfulness, spirituality and guess what? I am alive and well today because of the steps I took which included using cannabis to heal. The trial was scheduled for September 19 to be presided over by Cole County Circuit Judge Daniel Green located on East High Street. Oh, the irony. John Payne took the stand for 2 days, arguments for both sides went back and forth and the signatures presented continued to be invalidated for one reason or another until it was down’ to just 23 signatures short of the required amount. Then 200 more were slashed from the evidence that New Approach presented. Despite New Approach’s attorneys citing other cases where the origin of signatures was an issue and accepted (by Judge Green’s predecessor), it was pretty much a done deal. He rejected the argument of “wrong county” signatures and it was too late in the game to appeal. The trial concluded in heartbreak. It was not an option for a medical marijuana vote in Missouri in 2016.Time, money, passion, hard work and eternal optimism were not enough; but it was enough to look to the future and figure out went wrong and move on. Our country has no idea the impact of good that happened on that day for the states that did pass marijuana laws. Not only will this life saving plant generate revenue through tax dollars, create jobs, build communities and healthier families and individuals it will also be an immeasurable asset in the treatment of the diseases that respond so well to this plant. We are talking treating cancer, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, fibromyalgia, Hepatitis C, diabetes, HIV, ALS, Multiply Sclerosis, PTSD, epilepsy, mental illness, autism and Krohn’s Disease, just to name a few! The stock of the plant itself holds value in its hemp use. Hemp can be used as a renewable resource with so much potential to solve a lot of today’s crisis that we face in saving our planet. Hemp based fuel is a better source than coal, toxic plastic water bottles could be replaced with hemp based water bottles, hemp could be used for natural, durable clothing and think go all the trees we could save and increase our oxygen supply by not cutting down trees for paper. By planting hemp in large farms we could also larger increase our oxygen supply as well as help protect us against the effects of radiation, as the hemp stalk works to

absorb much of that from the environment. A plant that should of never ever become illegal in 1937, CAN do ALL this, and then some! It had been used for 10,000 plus years, producing hundreds of cures and over 300 million worldwide users until 1937, when it all came to halt because a few business men wanted to restructure the market and build profitable empires like Big Pharma. What they sold was to benefit them not the people! It had nothing to do with what was in the best interest of the people and everything to do with changing laws by positioning themselves to create laws that would help them build empires and large profit margins, off the sickness of it’s very own people. That would never happen as long as people could pick a weed like hemp alongside the road when it was freely accessible to everyone. It holds the ability to restore balance to a body. Around 1000 BC according to Indian culture, The Vedas contain text about marijuana as a gift of the Gods which lowered fevers, cured sleeplessness, relieved dysentery, stimulated the appetite, improved judgment by quickening the mind. For centuries, this plant has worked to restore receptors running throughout our body stored in the endocannabinoid system - a system housed along side our immune system. These receptors running throughout our body become depleted and over time this weed that once grew free alongside the road helps to restore balance to those receptors thereby restoring proper balance to a body. I truly feel the government should have no right to tell me or anyone else what’s in our best interest when it comes to our own personal health. In a country that we call FREE, America, we should at least have the right to choose our medicine from a plant and our food grown from the earth and have access to clean water. These are all things that nourish our cells and restore balance to our bodies, not destroy our bodies. I remain hopeful as time moves forward that Missouri will see some kind of relief from lawmakers over this plant. My concern is that there will be a bill submitted by lawmakers and eventually passed before the citizens of Missouri get another chance to vote on a cannabis initiative in Spring of 2018. My fear with a bill is this: the people DO NOT have majority say or control and as history has shown us with other bills, is rarely for the people and more about maintaining control of funds and power than about the rights of the people and patients of Missouri. My fear is it will be very restrictive in conditions it allows, along with the quality of medicine that will be provided and the number of dispensaries available across the state for patients to have access to cannabis medicine. Another concern I have is what kind of taxes are they going to attach to a plant with so much potential? Will home grows be allowed to qualified patients unable to afford the medicine otherwise? I really hope this is one time I am NOT right. If you want more information about the state of Missouri’s 2018 cannabis initiative ballot please go to and show your support at New Approach Missouri: (http://www.newapproachmissouri.com/).

1000 Watts Magazine was recently introduced to a caregiver known as @Plant_n_Prosper on IG. New to Shilajit resin and “notill gardening?” Read on, you’re about to be enlightened! What is your name?

People know me as @Plant_n_Prosper on Instagram

How many years have you been a caregiver? 3.

How many patients do you currently have? 4

What is your motivation for being a caregiver?

Creating a better quality of life for those that cannot stand the harmful and unnecessary side effects of pharmaceutical drugs. I’m grateful to have the power to do this through the healing properties of this beloved plant.

State of your Operation? Vermont - born and raised.

What do you use for nutrients? Why that product?

Lately I’ve been experimenting with Shilajit resin, which has never been done before so it’s gaining some attention. In short, it’s a fermented plant resin comprised of thousands of ancient plant species that were trapped during the formation of the Himalayan mountains, harvested by the native people by hand before it’s refined for human consumption. It is rich in Fulvic acid, ionic minerals, secondary metabolites, dense phyto-nutrients and enzymes that were preserved through cold refining processes. I mainly use this stuff to boost plant immunity in the garden, but it also assists in nutrient transport into the cell wall so essentially you can cut application rates by about 33% and still see great results.

What would you say are your favorite strains? Why?

A strain called “The One” (1976 Highland Thai x 1971 Kandahar Afghani) has been a favorite of my patients, it originated out of an indoor grow room back in 1984. Grown and hunted by Clackamas Coot, this strain has a broad range of ripening stages and can be chopped early for a functional day-time buzz, or cut down later beyond day 80 for a more

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narcotic, pain relieving, sleep inducing stone that lets you wake rested. Another favorite is Harlequin, a 5:2 CBD:THC clone-only cut. Very healing cannabinoid profile. This is my bread & butter.

What do you find to be the most useful piece of equipment you have purchased and why?

I use a Chapin 1949 concrete sprayer to water my containers, and then once a week I can attach a fogger nozzle to the tip and foliar spray with the same sprayer. It’s great for controlling your watering volume for young plants, as well as larger ones as you can simply remove the nozzle and water like you would with a hose. A must have IMO!

What specific illnesses do your patients have? (please do not include names).

2 of my patients have glaucoma, 1 has colon cancer and the other has MS.

How do feel that you have helped your patients’ illness/ailment?

Yes, immensely - especially because I grow their medicine in organic soil.

Do you prefer to grow Indicas or Stativas? Why? I prefer hybrids personally, but patient’s preferences vary and I try to satisfy everybody to the best of my ability.

What process do you use to grow?

I biomimic nature as best I can; the method I use is commonly known as “No Till Gardening”.

What type of lighting do you use to grow? Full spectrum HPS lamps, and full spectrum LED’s

Do you grow from seeds or clones? Why?

Clones, because their cannabinoid profiles are already tested and determined, so I can fill my room with potent cuts whereas pheno hunting would force me to give up valuable space for invaluable phenotypes - medically speaking.

What are the most difficult challenges you have faced as a caregiver?

You want to get completely involved in their recovery plan, and that’s hard sometimes because you have a job to do and can’t over step boundaries. I push alkaline diets for my cancer patients along with an array of other practices but I’m not a doctor so I have to always give the “disclaimer” when giving advice. This is also stressful for obvious reasons.

Do you prefer hydro or soil? Why?

I grew hydro for a long time before switching over to soil, and ever since I’ve battled less problems, spent less money on start up costs, and have yielded higher quality medicine as well as bigger yields. Once I made the connection between microbes and soil, plant, and human health I dove down a “rabbit hole” so to speak and haven’t peaked my head up out of it since…

Do you flush your plants before you Harvest? And if so, for how long?

No, it’s detrimental and pointless to flush when you grow in soil because elements are held onto the surfaces of humus/ clay particles (think compost and organic matter) in the soil via static charge. So we can’t “flush” them out of the medium by simply dumping water into it relentlessly; it will never release those elements in the soil. Should you worry? Nope! When utilizing organic soil, there is no need to rid the medium of toxic salt/chemical build-up. The plant transports nutrients and sugars on it’s own when it’s on what I call “auto pilot” and will fade into senescence (think of the color of leaves in the fall) where bright hues will begin to show, and the plant will naturally finish ripening on it’s own with NO need to flush, ever. I promise!

How do you feel about Compassion Centers and Dispensaries?

They can be of use to patients if the medicine is grown properly, but most of the time it is not because money is the primary focus of the grower. They need to start focusing on quality and what the patients like the most if they want to appeal to the patients that really matter. I’m optimistic about the future however, as long as legalization doesn’t ruin everything.

Winter and comfort food go hand in hand. Snow falls, and we all hit the kitchen for our favorite go-to hearty recipes. Here, Herb and Earth Organics gives us a savory meal and TWO sweet winter desserts. Team Feel Good also offers up a yummy hemp seed treat!

herbandearth www.herbandearth.com

Slow Cooker Beef Stew with Red Wine & Herbs INGREDIENTS: 2 lbs stew meat, cut into pieces 1/4 cup all purpose flower 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp pepper 1/4 cup infused olive oil 1 clove garlic, minced 1 bay leaf (extra pain relieving herb here) 1 tsp paprika 1 tsp Worcestershire splash of red cooking wine 1 onion, chopped 1 1/2 cups beef broth 3 potatoes, diced 4 carrots, sliced 1 stalk celery fresh thyme, oregano, &Â parsley

DIRECTIONS: 1) Place stew meat into slow cooker. Combine the flour, salt, and pepper and pour over meat. Stir to coat in flour mixture. Add the infused olive oil, garlic, bay leaf, paprika, Worcestershire, onion, beef broth, potatoes, carrots and celery. 2) Cover and cook on low setting for 10-12 hours, or high for 4-6.

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Apple Pie INGREDIENTS: 6 C sliced apples 1/2C Cannabis Infused Honey 1 tsp cinnamon

Dark Chocolate Hemp Seed Butter Cups with Strawberry Jam INGREDIENTS:

DIRECTIONS:

1 cup Bob’s Red Mill Hemp Seed Hearts 2 tablespoons canna coconut oil (melted) 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 1 tablespoon dark amber maple syrup 1 tablespoon cocoa powder 10 ounces dark chocolate chips (I used the Enjoy Life mini chips that are dairy-free!) 3 tablespoon canna coconut oil 1⁄4 cup organic strawberry jam mini cupcake pan

1) Preheat oven to 350. Line one pie plate with a crust, leaving an overhang to crimp edges.

DIRECTIONS:

1/4 tsp nutmeg 1/4 ginger 1/4 cloves 1/4 tsp salt 1 tbsp. lemon juice 2 prepared pie crusts

2) Combine apples, honey, spices, and lemon juice and pour into pie crust. Top with remaining pie crust. Trim, seal, and flute edges. 3) Wash top of pie crust with an egg wash (1 egg white and 1 tsp water combined) to help brown. Slit cuts into pastry. 4) Cover edges of pie crust with foil, to avoid excessive browning. Bake for 25 minutes or until lightly browned.

Old Fashioned Pecan Pie INGREDIENTS: 1 C Cannabis Infused Honey 3 eggs, beaten 3 Tbsp medicated butter 1 tsp vanilla

1. In a high-speed blender combine the hemp seed butter ingredients: hemp seeds, 2 tbsp canna coconut oil, vanilla, maple syrup, and cocoa powder. Blend until thoroughly combined and a thick butter forms. Set aside. 2. In a Pyrex safe glass bowl over a double broiler, combine the chocolate chips and 3 tbsp canna coconut oil. 3. Lay the cupcake liners. 4. Fill each liner with a spoonful of the chocolate mixture. 5. Put them in the freezer for approximately 15 minutes to harden up a bit. 6. Then, put a small dollop of hemp butter followed by a dollop of jam inside each cup. 7. Pour additional chocolate over each until the hemp butter and jam are totally covered. 8. Freeze for approximately an hour before serving/ devouring! 9. Store in the freezer. When you’re ready to serve more, be sure to let thaw a bit.

1 C pecans 1/4 tsp nutmeg 1 prepared pie crust DIRECTIONS: 1) Preheat oven to 325. Boil the honey, taking care not to scorch it. Quickly add in the eggs. 2) Add in the rest of the ingredients and mix well. 3) Bake for 30-45 minutes, or until the center is set.

#teamfeelgood420

CANNABIS TIMELINE

1965 First reports of C. afghanica use for hashish production in northern Afghanistan. 1965 Mustafa comes to Ketama in Morocco to make hashish from local kif. Dec 22, 1965 Timothy Leary and 18-year-old daughter Susan searched and arrested by U.S. Customs in Laredo, Texas, after being turned back at the border while heading into Mexico. Susan was carrying three ounces of cannabis; Tim said it was his. 1966 The Moroccan government attempts to purge kif growers from Rif Mountains. Mar 11, 1966 Timothy Leary convicted on marijuana charges, fined $30,000, and sentence to a maximum of 30 years in Federal prison; his 18-year-old daughter Susan who had also been arrested was ordered sent to a Federal reformatory. 1967 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Smashâ&#x20AC;?, the first hashish oil appears. Red Lebanese reaches California. Late 1960s - Early 1970s The Brotherhood popularizes Afghani hashish. Aug 21, 1968 Synthetic THCs were placed under control of the DACA in the U.S. 1970 - 1973 Huge fields of Cannabis cultivated for hashish production in Afghanistan. Last years that truly great afghani hashish is available. Early 1970s Lebanese red and blonde hashish of very high-quality exported. The highest quality Turkish hashish from Gaziantep near Syria appears in western Europe. Early 1970s Afghani hashish varieties introduced to North America for sinsemilla production. Law enforcement efforts against hashish begin in Afghanistan after U.S. and European law enforcement help overthrow a cannabisfriendly regime. 1972 The Nixon-appointed Shafer Commission urged use of cannabis be re-legalized, but their recommendation was ignored. Medical research continues.

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From Kushville Creations: by Lucy Watts

Kushville Creations: Chronic Creamsicle

LOVE orange creamsicles so I was very excited when Devin from Kushville Creations gave me a couple of their white chocolate orange creamsicles to try. They were beautifully prepared with white chocolate on the outside and a beautiful orange center and I almost felt bad eating them for this review….almost. I waited until dinner was over and until the kids were in bed before trying this scrumptious piece of chocolate candy. The chocolate melted in my mouth and the taste was fantastic! I only ate half of the chocolate candy but the half was more than enough for me. Within approximately 30 minutes after eating the orange creamsicle, I could feel my body just relax and unwind. I curled up on my couch with my snuggie and a good movie…”Bad Moms”. I literally laughed my butt off and thanks to the creamsicle I was able to shut my brain off to all other things except for the movie itself. Once the movie ended, I went directly to bed and had the best night’s sleep in a long time. The creamsicle helped me sleep straight through the night (which is very unusual for me) and when I woke up the following morning I felt refreshed and ready to go instead of groggy and discombobulated.

“At Kushville Creations, we value the remedial and restorative properties of cannabis. Our hand crafted products provide a healthier plant based approach to personal wellness management; something that seems to be dwindling in this day and age of pharmaceuticals. Since 2011, we have been paving the way for medicinal cannabis through innovation, safety, education, and efficacy. Blended with carefully extracted and double lab tested batches of THC and CBD, our products have helped several patients treat and even eliminate debilitating diseases and illnesses. Our high quality products are measured and labeled for accurate dosing to fit your medicinal requirements and for optimal comfort and consistent results. Crafters of infused candies, beverages, and topicals, Kushville Creations offers a natural and tasty alternative to modern day medicine.”

#kushvillecreations www.kushvillecreations.com

If you’re looking for a great medicated chocolate, than Kushville Creations is the way to go. They offer much more variety than just orange creamsicles and all of their candies/ chocolates are delicious. The crew at Kushville Creations is also very knowledgeable and would be more than happy to suggest dosing as well as treatments with the patient before you order. They are also willing to go the extra mile to provide you with whatever you may need for your ailment. Give these guys a call the next time you are looking for a quality medicated edible. Believe me, it’ll be worth it!

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Justification & Rationale for the BENEFITS FROM THE USAGE OF MARIJUANA IN THE TREATMENT OF MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS by Gary B. Witman M.D. Medical Director, Canna Care Docs

ne use which has been approved in all of the states authorizing patients to appropriately utilize medicinal cannabinoids is the usage in treating patients with radiographically identified experiencing science and symptoms consistent with multiple sclerosis. The appropriate utilization of medicinal marijuana provides therapeutic benefits such as, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antispasmodic, antidepressant, and abdominal complaints. There is no cure for multiple sclerosis. Symptoms vary considerably from person to person; however, one frequently noted symptom is spasticity, which causes pain, spasms, and loss of function. Multiple sclerosis is the most common demyelinating and an autoimmune disease of the central nervous system characterized by immune-mediated myelin and axonal damage, and chronic axonal loss attributable to the absence of myelin sheaths. T cell subsets (Th1, Th2, Th17, CD8+, NKT, CD4+CD25+ T regulatory cells) and B cells are involved in this disorder, thus new multiple sclerosis therapies seek damage prevention by resetting multiple components of the immune system. Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease. The exacerbations experienced with multiple sclerosis appear to be caused by abnormal immune activity that causes inflammation and the destruction of myelin (the protective covering of nerve fibers) in the brain or spinal cord. Myelin is a fatty substance, composed of water and proteins as well as lipids, which aids in fast transmission of electrical signals passing along the synapse, or cell junction. Myelin is a fatty material that coats, protects, and insulates nerves, enabling them to quickly conduct impulses between the brain and different parts of the body. Myelin also contains proteins that can be targeted by the immune system. Myelin coats the nerves of both the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system; the destruction of the myelin in the central nervous system is what triggers many of the symptoms of multiple sclerosis. Nerve cells are coated with sections of myelin, and the tiny spaces between the sections are called nodes. As the brain sends messages through the nerves of the spinal cord, the impulses jump from node to node. Myelin prevents these impulses from escaping from the nerve at the wrong point. In multiple sclerosis, T cells from the bodyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own immune system attack and destroy the myelin sheath, leaving the nerve cell fibers unprotected.

In multiple sclerosis, the bodyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s immune system T cells attack the myelin sheath that protects the nerve fibers. The T cells either partially or completely strip the myelin off the fibers, leaving the nerves unprotected and uninsulated. The nerves are not as able to pass messages from the brain to the other body parts. The messages the nerves try to send are delayed or distorted and the messages the brain receives may be misinterpreted. Myelin is lost in multiple areas, leaving scar tissue that due to its hardened characteristics is called sclerosis. These damaged areas where the myelin has been destroyed and further disrupt the ability for the nerves to pass messages are also called plaques. These plaques can be identified by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), a technique that helps doctors assess and monitor the progression of multiple sclerosis. When myelin is destroyed, the transmission of nerve impulses is impaired. Messages do not get through quickly and clearly from the brain to the correct body part. The more myelin is destroyed, the slower and less efficient the nerve impulses are. Depending on the severity of the immune system attack, the nerve fibers themselves may be damaged or destroyed. Damage to nerve fibers may play an important role in determining how severe disability in multiple sclerosis may become. When the brain nerves do not communicate well with nerves from other areas of the central nervous system (brainstem or spinal cord) or cannot relay information to nerves that exit these structures (peripheral nervous

system), the symptoms of multiple sclerosis can occur. As it degrades, the ability for cell communication is reduced, leading to a wide range of cognitive and motor problems. Drugs commonly prescribed for muscle spasticity and tremor include Klonopin, Dantrium, Baclofen (Medtronic), Zanaflex, Klonopin (Clonazepam) and Valium (diazepam). These medications come with a list of side effects ranging from feeling lightheaded or drowsy, to slurred speech, blurred vision, changes in sexual drive and performance, gastrointestinal changes, muscle spasms and a fast or pounding heartbeat. Multiple sclerosis patients have reported that smoking medical marijuana reduces symptoms such as muscle stiffness and tremors, and allows for greater mobility. Many studies of the pharmacology of marijuana have identified effects on motor systems of the central nervous system that have the potential of affecting tremor and spasticity. Moreover, marijuana has demonstrated effects on immune function that also may have the potential of reducing the autoimmune attack that is thought to be the underlying pathogenic process in multiple sclerosis. Although marijuana is illegal at the federal level, federal legislation passed in 2015 clarified that the federal government would no longer use federal funds to enforce federal marijuana laws in states that permit medical marijuana use. This should reduce confusion in those states listed in the legislation where the use of marijuana was approved for medical purposes before May 2014. In animal trials, the conclusion that “agonizing” the CB1 receptor reduces these symptoms was strengthened by further discovery that antagonizing the receptor increases them. For clarity: an agonist fully activates the receptor it attaches to; an antagonist attaches to a receptor but either does not provoke a biological response, or blocks the effect of an agonist. The researchers used two synthetic CB1receptor antagonists, SR141716A and SR144528, which caused the affected mice to suffer increased tremor and spasticity. Initial experiments have suggested that the neuroprotective properties of THC and CBD may actually slow the rate at which the myelin deteriorates. Cannabinoids, which are natural components found within the marijuana plant, are understood to possess medicinal effects even though the exact ways they work is not yet known. In a new study published by the Journal of Neuroimmune Pharmacology, researchers discovered that chemical compounds found in marijuana, namely THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol), prevented inflammation in the brains and spinal cords of mice with multiple sclerosis-like diseases. In vitro studies have suggested that their regulatory effect on glutamate release, free radical oxidation and calcium influx in the neuron may be significant. Various other studies have shown that CB2-receptor activation reduces both the formation of lesions of the myelin and the rate of neuron loss, as well as increasing the rate of oligodendrocyte survival. The oligodendrocyte is a type of brain cell which is crucial for myelin production, and as they die the body’s ability to repair the myelin sheath is disrupted. For this study, the researchers isolated immune cells from paralyzed

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mice and treated them with either CBD or THC. In both instances, immune cells treated with either CBD or THC began to produce fewer inflammatory molecules, including one called interleukin 17, or IL-17, which is extremely harmful to nerve cells and their myelin sheaths. IL-17 is also strongly associated with Multiple Sclerosis. Both CBD and THC seemed to inhibit production of IL-17 and so also seemed to restrict its ability to reach and damage the brain and spinal cord. Additionally, the researchers found that the cannabinoids seemed to boost expression of cytokine IL-10, which is an immunoregulator that acts to slow inflammatory processes. Remyelination is the phenomenon by which new myelin sheaths are generated around axons in the adult central nervous system. This follows the pathological loss of myelin in diseases like Multiple Sclerosis. Remyelination can restore conduction properties to axons (thereby restoring neurological function) and is increasingly believed to exert a neuroprotective role on axons. Remyelination occurs in many Multiple Sclerosis lesions but becomes increasingly incomplete/inadequate and eventually fails in the majority of lesions and patients. Efforts to understand the causes for this failure of regeneration have fueled research into the biology of remyelination and the complex, interdependent cellular and molecular factors that regulate this process. Examination of the mechanisms of repair of experimental lesions has demonstrated that remyelination occurs in two major phases. The first consists of colonization of lesions by oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs), the second the differentiation of OPCs into myelinating oligodendrocytes that contact demyelinated axons to generate functional myelin sheaths. Several intracellular and extracellular molecules have been identified that mediate these two phases of repair. Theoretically, the repair of demyelinating lesions can be promoted by enhancing the intrinsic repair process (by providing one or more remyelination-enhancing factors or via immunoglobulin therapy). Alternatively, endogenous repair can be bypassed by introducing myelinogenic cells into demyelinated areas; several cellular candidates have been identified that can mediate repair of experimental demyelinating lesions. Future challenges confronting therapeutic strategies to enhance remyelination will involve the translation of findings from basic science to clinical demyelinating disease. The researchers noted that much more research is needed to prove the effectiveness of cannabinoids in treating Multiple Sclerosis in humans. Cannabinoids are chemicals that are found naturally in Marijuana. Researchers believe that these naturally found cannabinoids could create immune suppression. Much like steroids, but with fewer side effects, cannabinoids can “switch off” a portion of the immune response and bring down inflammation and hyperactivity of immune cells, possibly preventing or slowing some of the damage caused to the myelin by immune cells. The cannabinoids do this by interacting with the receptors on specific immune cells. This legislation overturned the Supreme Court’s 2005 ruling that the federal government could prohibit and prosecute the possession and use of marijuana for medical purposes—even in the states where it was legal.

The primary goal is to allow neurotransmitting agents to travel down axonal pathways providing motoring sensory innovation to distal sites. In order to do so requires a full reconstitution of the myelin sheet which cover the axons. Current multiple sclerosis drugs slow the disease’s progression by quieting the inflammatory response of the immune system, which attacks the myelin surrounding nerve cells and kills oligodendrocytes, brain cells that make and repair myelin. Without their myelin, nerve cells gradually lose their ability to send electrical signals. But because they suppress the immune response, these drugs make patients more susceptible to rare infections such as viral brain inflammation and diseases such as leukemia. Multiple Sclerosis and Extract of Cannabis (MUSEC): Participants with stable Multiple Sclerosis were randomly assigned to receive oral cannabis extract (144 people) or placebo (135 people), and reported their perceptions of changes in muscle stiffness before and after 12 weeks of treatment. Muscle stiffness improved by almost twofold in the group taking cannabis compared to placebo, and improvements were also noted in body pain, spasms and sleep quality. The most frequent adverse events were urinary tract infections, dizziness, dry mouth and headache; no new safety concerns were observed. (NIH, 2012) Nabiximols—an oral spray derived from cannabis— (Sativex®, GW Pharmaceuticals) significantly improved spasticity in a proportion of people with Multiple Sclerosis who had been identified as likely to respond to the therapy. Well-controlled clinical trials such as this one help sort out conflicting findings surrounding the use of marijuana and related products to treat Multiple Sclerosis symptoms. Sativex is now available in 15 countries and approved in an additional 12 countries—not including the United States— to treat Multiple Sclerosis related spasticity. (European Journal of Neurology, 2011)

treating Multiple Sclerosis symptoms including spasticity, pain, balance, posture and cognition changes. The long-term safety of marijuana use for Multiple Sclerosis symptom management is not yet known. This data was published in the Lancet in 2003 as a double-blind clinical trial to evaluate the potential merits of medicinal marijuana, Zajicek et al. published in CAMS Study. This was a randomized placebo controlled trial which enrolled 667 patients ages 18-64 with stable Multiple Sclerosis and muscle spasticity from 33 neurological facilities within the United Kingdom. Patients with Ashworth scores of 2+ and 2+ positive in lower limb muscle were randomized in treatment to either receive a placebo drug or marijuana with high levels of THC. The duration of the clinical trial was 15 weeks with a measurement including an improvement in overall spasticity and the evaluation in secondary gains of pain, spasticity, mobility, and sleep quality. The results of this study demonstrated no effect on objective spasticity but there was improvement in the control of pain, as well as control of spasticity. The rate of relief from muscle stiffness after 12 weeks was almost twice as high with OCE than with placebo (29.4% vs 15.7%; OR 2.26; 95% CI 1.24 to 4.13; p = 0.004, one sided). Similar results were found after 4 weeks and 8 weeks, and also for all further complete responses. Results from the Multiple Sclerosis scales supported these findings.

The American Academy of Neurology (AAN), an association of neurologists and neuroscientists dedicated to promoting high-quality care for people with nervous system disorders, released a “Summary of evidence-based guideline: Complementary and alternative medicine in Multiple Sclerosis” in 2014, including the following conclusions on the evidence regarding marijuana and its derivatives: Oral cannabis extract and synthetic THC (tetrahydrocannabinol — a major active component of cannabis) are probably effective for reducing patientreported symptoms spasticity and pain, but not Multiple Sclerosis related tremor or spasticity measured by tests administered by the physician. For these cannabis derivatives the most commonly reported side effects were dizziness, drowsiness, difficulty concentrating and memory disturbance. Sativex oral spray (GW Pharmaceuticals) is probably effective for improving patient-reported symptoms of spasticity, pain and urinary frequency, but not bladder incontinence, MS-related tremor or spasticity measured by tests administered by the physician. Smoked cannabis research studies have not produced enough evidence to assess its safety or effectiveness for

About the author: Gary B. Witman, M.D. is the Executive Medical Director of Canna Care Docs. He has no financial disclosures.. He has previously served as an internist providing care to patients at the Veterans Administration medical centers in Davis Park; Providence, Rhode Island; and in West Haven, CT. His training was in internal medicine, pharmacology, medical oncology, and emergency medicine. He is the former program director in Clinical Oncology in the Clinical Investigation branch division of cancer treatment, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, and for more than 25 years served as night time directors in departments emergency medicine affiliated with Tufts University, Boston, MA. He is taught extensively in pharmacology in both the Yale University and Brown University Schools of Medicine.

Bove et al evaluated the use of marijuana for the treatment of Multiple Sclerosis by the performance of both the psychometric and MRI study. Their objective was to determine if functional and structural neuroimaging correlates with dysfunction of cognition which is associated with the use of cannabis in the treatment of medical marijuana. Cross-sectional 20 subjects with Multiple Sclerosis who smoked cannabis and 19 noncannabis users with Multiple Sclerosis, matched on demographic and neurologic variables Testing: Primary measure: fMRI while the N-Back (test of working memory) Resting-state fMRI and structural MRI data (lesion and normal-appearing brain tissue volumes, diffusion tensor imaging metrics) Psychometric: verbal (Selective Reminding Test Revised) and visual (10/36 Spatial Recall Test) memory, information processing speed (Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test [2and 3-second versions] and Symbol Digit Modalities Test), and attention (Word List Generation) Results fMRI: Cannabis users had more diffuse cerebral activation across all NBack trials and made more errors on the 2-Back task (p = 0.006), during which they displayed increased activation relative to nonusers in parietal (p = 0.007) and anterior cingulate (p = 0.001) regions implicated in working memory. No group differences in restingstate networks or structural MRI variables were found. Psychometric: Cannabis users performed more poorly on the more demanding of the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test tasks (i.e., 2-second version) (p = 0.02) and the 10/36 Spatial Recall Test (p = 0.03). The position policy of the American College of Neurology has published guidelines concerning the clinical utilization of medicinal cannabinoids. Clinicians might offer oral cannabis extract for spasticity symptoms and pain (excluding central neuropathic pain) (Level A). Clinicians might offer tetrahydrocannabinol for spasticity symptoms and pain (excluding central neuropathic pain) (Level B). Clinicians should counsel patients that these agents are probably ineffective for objective spasticity (short-term)/ tremor (Level B) and possibly effective for spasticity and pain (long-term) (Level C). Clinicians might offer Sativex oromucosal cannabinoid spray (nabiximols) for spasticity symptoms, pain, and urinary frequency (Level B). Clinicians should counsel patients that these agents are probably ineffective for objective spasticity/urinary incontinence (Level B). Clinicians might choose not to offer these agents for tremor (Level C). It is currently theorized that the THC molecule is able to bridge defects in the myelin sheath; and, thereby restore connectivity.

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BACKGROUND