SPLIFF Magazine | JUNE 2009 by SPLIFF Magazine

M Issue 3 Volume 1

June 2009

can

RiCK Simpson

HEMP OIL cure the world? +

Herbal Healing An alternative way to handle everyday health matters, instead of relying on perscription meds - whch ultimately arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t designed to heal; just keep you co m i n g b a ck fo r m o r e !

+ H y brid S pe e d B o ats! O raganic P u rse s

TICKETS GO ON

SALE ON 4-20-09

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CONTENTS 14

June 2009

36 Why Is Marijuana Illegal

8-9

part 2

Herbal Healing

14-25

Grow Room

28-29

Montel Williams and Marijuana

32-33

Fitness

36-39

Candy Shop

40-43

Edibles

46-47

Music

48-49

Tech Spot

52-53

Fashion

54-55

ON THE COVER Rick Simpson and his mission to spread the word about Hemp Oil and its ability to cure.

bringing you the truth by any means neccesary

Disclaimer SPLIFFâ&#x20AC;&#x2C6;Magazine would like to remind readers to be aware that the sale, possession and transport of viable cannabis seeds is ILLEGAL in many countries, including in the USA. We do not wish to induce anyone to act in conflict or disobedience with the law. We do not promote the germination, cultivation or growth of these seeds where prohibited by law. SPLIFF Magazine and its employees assume no responsibility for any claims or representations contained in this publication or in any advertisement All material is for entertainment and educational purposes only! SPLIFFâ&#x20AC;&#x2C6;Magazine does not encourage the illegal use of any of the products or advertisements within. All opinions are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of SPLIFF Magazine. Nothing in this publication may be reproduced in any manner, either in whole or in part without the expressed written consent of the publisher. All rights reserved. All advertised products and offers void where prohibited. Occasionally we may use materials we believe to be placed in the public domain. Sometimes it is not possible to identify or contact the copyright holder. If you claim ownership of something we have published we will be pleased to make a proper acknowledgement. All letters and pictures sent are assumed to be for publication unless stated otherwise. SPLIFF Magazine cannot be held responsible for unsolicited contributions. No portion of this publication can be reproduced for profit without the written consent of the publisher.

Greetings! So for this issue we decided to highlight some herbal healing alternatives because the prescription drug industry is out of control. There’s a medication for every ailment you can think of, and even for the ones you can’t think of. My question is, how do you start out with a headache and end up with a stomachache? So now you have to take another medication to counteract the effects of the first medication! Is that what you’re telling me Mr. Over the Counter Drug Dealer? Look, I’m not saying that prescription drugs are all bad; I’m just saying that they’re not all good. Just some food for thought – What did people do a hundred years ago before cortisone shots and Zoloft existed? Go ahead, sit back and think about an answer… don’t worry I’ll wait... Well they weren’t pumping up their bodies or their baked chicken with prescription drugs and hormones, that’s for sure! Something has drastically shifted in our way of life over the last 50 years – people are dying younger and children are getting illnesses that were once only found in older people; breast cancer, high blood pressure, diabetes. I don’t care what anyone says, there is some healing in the herbs – I know because my grandmother is an extremely healthy 78 year old that doesn’t take any medication, but she drinks 3 tablespoons of Essiac tea and takes her vitamins everyday. Now don’t get me wrong people, I understand and respect the fact that the medical industry has made amazing discoveries and breakthroughs in health that has saved countless lives – It just bothers me that these pharmaceutical companies are making a killing off of fear. They say: “Are you afraid you have this? If so, take this”. We’ve got to stop falling for the infomercials and these quick fix meds that come in powder and liquid form with a pretty label on it. But don’t take my word for it, go out there and seek the truth, speak the truth and live the truth for yourselves! Now if you will excuse me, all this typing has given me a headache… does anyone have any Tylenol, Advil, Excedrin, Motron, Bayer, Aleve, Flexall, BC Powder, or Bufferin that I can borrow? =) Thank you and Goodnight! greenest regards, Melissa Phillips Senior Editor

WHY

is Marijuana

A brief histor

illegal

y of the crimin alization of ca Part 2

nnabis

Harry J. Anslinger Anslinger was an extremely ambitious man, and he recognized the Bureau of Narcotics as an amazing career opportunity -- a new government agency with the opportunity to define both the problem and the solution. He immediately realized that opiates and cocaine wouldn't be enough to help build his agency, so he latched on to marijuana and started to work on making it illegal at the federal level.

"...the primary reason to outlaw marijuana is its effect on the degenerate races." "Marijuana is an addictive drug which produces in its users insanity, criminality, and death." "Reefer makes darkies think they're as good as white men." "Marihuana leads to pacifism and communist brainwashing"

Anslinger immediately drew upon the themes of racism and violence to draw national attention to the problem he wanted to create. He also promoted and frequently read from "Gore Files" -- wild reefer-madness-style exploitation tales of ax murderers on marijuana and sex and... Negroes. Here are some quotes that have been widely attributed to Anslinger and his Gore Files:

"Marijuana is the most violence-causing drug in the history of mankind." And he loved to pull out his own version of the "assassin" definition:

"There are 100,000 total marijuana smokers in the US, and most are Negroes, Hispanics, Filipinos, and entertainers. Their Satanic music, jazz, and swing, result from marijuana use. This marijuana causes white women to seek sexual relations with Negroes, entertainers, and any others."

"In the year 1090, there was founded in Persia the religious and military order of the Assassins, whose history is one of cruelty, barbarity, and murder, and for good reason: the members were confirmed users of hashish, or marihuana, and it is from the Arabs' 'hashashin' that we have the English word 'assassin.'"

"You smoke a joint and you're likely to kill your brother."

Harry Anslinger Yellow Journalism Harry Anslinger got some additional help from William Randolf Hearst, owner of a huge chain of newspapers. Hearst had lots of reasons to help. First, he hated Mexicans. Second, he had invested heavily in the timber industry to support his newspaper chain and didn't want to see the development of hemp paper in competition. Third, he had lost 800,000 acres of timberland to Pancho Villa, so he hated Mexicans. Fourth, telling lurid lies about Mexicans (and the devil marijuana weed causing violence) sold newspapers, making him rich. Some samples from the San Francisco Examiner: "Marihuana makes fiends of boys in thirty days -- Hashish goads users to bloodlust." "By the tons it is coming into this country -- the deadly, dreadful poison that racks and tears not only the body, but the very heart and soul of every human being who once becomes a slave to it in any of its cruel and devastating forms.... Marihuana is a short cut to the insane asylum. Smoke marihuana cigarettes for a month and what was once your brain will be nothing but a storehouse of horrid specters. Hasheesh makes a murderer who kills for the love of killing out of the mildest mannered man who ever laughed at the idea that any habit could ever get him...." And other nationwide columns... "Users of marijuana become STIMULATED as they inhale the drug and are LIKELY TO DO ANYTHING. Most crimes of violence in this section, especially in country districts are laid to users of that drug." "Was it marijuana, the new Mexican drug, that nerved the murderous arm of Clara Phillips when she hammered out her victim's life in Los Angeles?... THREE-FOURTHS OF THE CRIMES of violence in this country today are committed by DOPE SLAVES -- that is a matter of cold record." Hearst and Anslinger were then supported by Dupont chemical company and various pharmaceutical companies in the effort to outlaw cannabis. Dupont had patented nylon, and wanted hemp removed as competition. The pharmaceutical companies could neither identify nor standardize cannabis dosages, and besides, with cannabis, folks could grow their own medicine and not have to purchase it from large companies.

(Part 3 continued in July Issue)

William Randolph Hearst

HERBAL

he al in g

The Four Original Herbs

Essiac Tea

Burdock Root Sheep Sorrel Slippery Elm Inner Bark Turkish Rhubarb Root

The exact recipe is available on line for a two gallon batch. With the standard 2 gallon recipe, you can simply cut the herb amounts in half to mix a one gallon amount. Each time you drink the tea, mix 2 – 3 ounces of tea with the same amount of hot water. Drink once or twice a day, away from food. If your ailment is serious or chronic, then it is recommended that you drink as much as 3 ounces with hot water added three times a day. Essiac tea has been under controversy for being touted as an alternative cancer cure as well as a solution to other ailments. The formula or recipe, as used by the Canadian nurse who discovered it, was almost lost to humanity

Some Background on Essiac Tea

It is totally non-toxic. The only side effects recorded are with arthritic Essiac users. Their stiffness and pain got worse until they added calcium along with the tea.

Essiac tea has a history of improving the well being of cancer victims since 1925. There are many other health benefits. Do you know about it? Start learning

The name Essiac is derived from spelling the last name backwards of the Canadian nurse who used it successfully on cancer patients for 50 years, Rene Caisse. Nurse Caisse made no money from the herbal formula, yet she, like Dr. Glum in the USA, was harassed and intimidated by Canadian medical and government authorities for most of those 50 years. The recipe was given by a Canadian Obijway Indian medicine man to a woman diagnosed with breast cancer before the turn of the 20th century. The woman survived without surgery and lived on for several years. Nurse Caisse received the herb selections and recipe from that woman in 1922. Soon after, Rene Caisse began using the tea on others successfully. In the mid 1980’s Dr. Glum, a Los Angeles, CA based chiropractor and naturopath, purchased the 4 herb formula. Since Rene Caisse had passed away at the age of 90 a few years earlier, Gary Glum got it from a friend of Rene’s, Mary McPherson. Glum used it for his chronic bronchitis, which was quickly and completely cured.

The Benefits of Essiac Tea Essiac tea removes toxins, including heavy metals, from the body. It also removes mucous. This isn’t just runny nose relief. The ingredients remove mucous that forms throughout the body’s organs to form plaques. This mucous and plaque hampers digestion, liver functions, lungs, and blood flow. The tea acts as an immune booster as well. It generates the T-Cells and B-Cells needed to ward off pathogens, antigens, and antibodies before they can overwhelm the immune system. There are numerous reports of Essiac tea helping people recover from serious ailments, ranging from cancer, hepatitis, diabetes, and even AIDS. Essiac tea is also used for minor ailments, and as an immune booster it's known to keep colds and flu away. Do a little research on Essiac tea. You'll find it's safe, effective and inexpensive enough for you to try it for a few weeks. Think about it, why would the medical establishments of two nations, with the help of government agencies, suppress successful, low cost Essiac case histories? Maybe because there are some benefits from Essiac tea. http://herbalmedicine.suite101.com

Natural Alternatives vs

Prescription Drugs

When do we generally seek a doctor? Exactly what are those natural alternatives and how can we use them to better the general health life of ours? How safe are they? How effective are they? How are natural alternatives different from prescription drugs? Which health alternative is reliable, and where can we easily find their corresponding scientific proof? Seldom do we give a second thought to these.....donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t we?

Chris Read

www.hateweight.com

Natural Alternatives: A growing phenomenon across this world which is a very diverse concept yet very divine and instrumental in healing health diseases. It might be thought as any health care which is not a part of the mainstream medical establishment. Despite the tremendous disparity in philosophy, organization, practice, and origins of the myriad types of alternative medicine, the growing acceptance and use of these therapies is part of a single cultural phenomenon. It is also an extremely dangerous and pretty costly too.

long before conventional medicine came into the scene. Mainstream medicine is finally taking note of the herbal industry. More and more people are taking note of herbal therapies to treat various kinds of ailments in place of mainstream medicine. Herbal supplements are a type of dietary supplement that contain herbs, either singly or in mixtures. An herb (also called a botanical) is a plant or plant part used for its scent, flavor, and/or therapeutic properties. It is interesting to note that there were not so many mortal pestilence diseases in those days. What has caused this never-ending increase of deadly diseases that is Firstly let me deal with the critical differ- inflicting such havoc on the body today? ences between mainstream medicine and alternative medicine. And why the latter is cause for If conventional medicine was the answer concern. In short, prescription drugs are a scien- to these diseases, why have they increased, and tific endeavor, and alternative medicine is not. why are so many people dying from these devastating illnesses? And why do so many people We know that alternative medicine (Nat- seem to be convinced that alternative medicine ural Alternative) was being used in ancient times made by God do not have healing virtues as the

conventional medicine made by man? Why is information about cures by alternative medicine often suppressed even though conventional medicine very often interferes with the natural process of healing? People are so coerced to use conventional medicine that they refuse to even give alternative medicine a chance because advertisements have such great influence when heard often enough, that the public is convinced. Have you ever noticed the way conventional medicines are advertised? It seems apparent that every effort is made to highlight the possible negative effects. Next what comes into the scene is complementary medicine, another treatment which is used along with conventional medicine to affect a cure. However, not all complementary medicine must be used with conventional medicine to be effective.

For example: When the word "cholesterol" comes to mind some of us may think of it as deadly. The truth about cholesterol is that it isn't deadly at all, it's a vital substance. Cholesterol is actually a very important part of our bodies because it's used to form cell membranes and is needed for other functions in our bodies. However, it's when there are excessive levels of cholesterol in the blood that cholesterol can become dangerous. There are different ways one can develop high cholesterol. Your body, mainly the liver, can produce too much cholesterol and a poor diet will almost always do it. You MUST follow a strict, permanent, and healthy lifestyle to take control of your cholesterol.

This Includes: 1) Getting more active. 2) Eating foods that are low in cholesterol. 3) Maintaining a diet rich in soluble fiber. There are also many natural alternatives that can be used to compliment a healthy lifestyle. Lecithin, which is a natural substance derived from the soybean, is one of the most effective supplements available to lower cholesterol. What just hovers onto my mind is why most people donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t try natural remedies. Very often a simple massage is the answer to a problem. I personally have not had a headache for many years. There was a time when I was headache-prone, and got into the habit of using synthetic medicines to ease the pain, but after I decided to try natural treatments and medicines, I changed my diet from eating 'junk' foods and tried to stop using those synthetic headache remedies. Now they are virtually no more a part of my life. I have helped many, many persons to be rid of a headache by just simply giving them a massage as mentioned above. Many had headaches lingering for days, and after about 20 minutes of massage, they miraculously stopped. Think of the thousands of persons who might have been alive today if only they had known, and had been encouraged, to use certain natural remedies to be healed. It is not the intention of this article to condemn the use of conventional medicine, like prescription drugs . There have been countless such cases where, without the administration of conventional medicine, many persons would not have survived. However, it is my hope that conventional medicine in the field of drugs will one day give way to alternative medicine, and conventional medicine will retain its place in the field of surgery and other traumatic conditions where it cannot be replaced. Natural alternatives are not only much safer than using prescription drugs but also a lot cheaper.

By Shane Julian Published: 8/4/2005

k c i R mpson

cures with

Hemp Oil ?

Simpson is a firm believ

hile browsing You Tube I came across a documentary about Hemp Oil entitled “Run From the Cure – The Rick Simpson Story”. He is the founder of Phoenix Tears, “a non -profit entity dedicated to Hemp medicines and providing information about the use of natural Hemp oil, (not Hemp Seed oil) as an effective treatment for cancer and other serious illnesses”. His goal? – To share the Hemp Oil cure with as many people as possible, for FREE! Simple right…wrong! Simpson’s journey to spread the good news about this “cure all” oil has been less than smooth. Rick has been giving the oil away for free since 2003. He said, “I want people to know how to heal themselves”

What exactly is Hemp you ask? Well, it is considered to be the oldest and safest medication known to man. It’s known as panacea – which means “cure all”.

“

Hemp Oil if

produced p

roperly is a cure-all th at the pha rmaceutic al industry ca n’t patent

”

Marijuana slang ter world t cannabis ing to Ric 85 years cines we world. Dr ally prod tions dur early 190 pened? pharmace and gove or profit it is a pla comes fr factory chemical calling it should ca because icine for lucky, yo tional pai take more

Simpson oil after th had skin had the f removed

ver that

Hemp Oil can decrease

a is actually the rm used around the to describe the s hemp plant. Accordck Simpson, up until s ago, hemp mediere used all over the rug companies actuduced hemp medicaring the 1800’s and 00’s. So what hapWell, the big boy eutical companies ernment can’t patent from hemp because ant – which means it rom the earth, not a merging together ls and toxins and a pain reliever. They all it a pain receiver, when you take medone thing, if you’re ou then receive addiins that cause you to e meds!

began making hemp he doctor told him he cancer patches. He first patch surgically and claims to have

pain levels as well as cu re and heal:

cured the other two with Hemp Oil in 4 days. Hemp oil is created using the Indica strand of marijuana, which tends to relax the body. The oil itself is made from the bud of the female hemp plant. Hemp Oil can be ingested, vaporized or used as a topical application. The key element of healing within the oil is the all-natural THC, which is the main active ingredient. The THC has been known to kill cancer cells, according to Simpson. According to statistics, chemotherapy kills more people than it saves. Simpson and countless others are convinced cancer is caused by the elements we are exposed to in our everyday environment. This includes:

Chemicals Poisons Asbestos Hormones in meat Carcinogens

Skin conditions Arthritis Chronic Pain Cancer Diabetes Infections Glaucoma Burns Ulcers/Warts/Moles Migraines Any condition involving Mutating Cells Asthma Insomnia Anxiety/Depression Heals Scar Tissue Rejuvenates Vital Organs

Statistics show that 1 in 2 men and 1 in 3 women have Cancer in Canada. In 2004 Rick Simpson contatcted the Canadian Cancer Society about Hemp Oil curing cancer, and Simpson said they responded with: “The society does not endorse or support medical products or dietry supplements ...Thanks for the information. We wish you luck in your work”

“Rick Simpson has had his troubles with the law. The RCMP confiscated 1,600 marijuana plants from his backyard last year, plants he claims were grown for medicinal purposes.” At his supreme court hearing, Simpson had 10 ptients and 6 doctors ready to testify but they weren’t allowed to take the stand.

CHECK OUT:

by Dr. Sam Epstein, M.D.

The documentary states that The Marijuana Program grants people a license to process hemp. Approximately 2,000 out of 30 million people in Canada have this license. Without a proper license, collecting resins and making oil that contains THC is prohibited.

l salves i o p m e h f liction o p p a l a c i various e r u c The top r o ol to contr s p l e h s m the oil , y l or bal l a r o n ons. Take i t i d n o c cancer y o skin r t s e d nd eek out a s o t s d n any drug, te h t i w s a ut e body, b h t n i ost nom s l : s t cel c e f ef use side a c n a c h . Unlike s s e n i too muc s w o dr mp oil is e h h t i w hemp oil , s e table v i t a iv their der d n a s e t opia dictive is not ad impson

[

~ Rick S

http://www.phoenixtears.ca/ http://www.jackherer.com/ http://youtube.com/chrycheck http://www.squidoo.com/healing-hemp-oil

Got hemp? While hemp is known more for its relationship to marijuana, the milk made from nuts is actually good for you There is no hallucinatory effect from hemp milk â&#x20AC;&#x201D; it's completely legal â&#x20AC;&#x201D; but the nutritional breakdown of this relatively new product is almost mind-boggling. Hemp milk hit the shelves of health food stores last year as one more selection in a growing category of plant-based milk products. Industrial hemp is grown for seed and fiber. It is scientifically different from hemp grown for marijuana. Hemp is in the sunflower seed family. The nut used to produce milk is found inside the seed shell. Dr. Hans Diehl, founder of the Coronary Health Improvement Project, said scientific evidence supporting nutritional advantages of plant-based milk is mounting. An advantage to switching, he said, is the correlation between dairy milk consumption with prostate and ovarian cancer and with autoimmune diseases including multiple sclerosis, type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, celiac disease and gastrointestinal problems.

ateHouse News Service Posted Apr 07, 2008 @ 10:01 PM

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in it? One cup of hemp milk has 900 milligrams of omega 3 fatty acid, 2,800 milligrams omega 6 fatty acid, all 10 essential amino acids, 4 grams of protein and 46 percent of the recommended daily amount of calcium.

Still illegal to grow The United States is the only developed country in the world that still bans the cultivation of hemp, according to a report from the Congressional Research Service.

Allergies No allergies to hemp are created by enzyme inhibitors as there are with soy, tree nut and dairy milks, said Christina Volgyesi, president of a company that produces hemp milk

www.timesreporter.com/ archive/x1995247069

Marijuana To Help Asthma Sufferers The Claim: Its impossible to help someone who is having a asthma attack with marijuana smoke, not to mention helping them breathe easier.

The Facts: More than 15 million Americans are affected by asthma. Smoking cannabis (The "raw drug" as the AMA called it) would be beneficial for 80% of them and add 30-60 million personyears in the aggregate of extended life to current asthmatics over presently legal toxic medicines such as the Theophylline prescribed to children. "Taking a hit of marijuana has been known to stop a full blown asthma attack." Personal communication with Dr. Donald Tashkin, December 12, 1989 and December 1, 1997. The use of cannabis for asthmatics goes back thousands of years in literature. American doctors of the last century wrote glowing reports in medical papers that asthma sufferers of the world would "bless" Indian hemp (cannabis) all their lives. The inhalation of cannabis smoke causes bronchial dilation lasting up to one hour. The bronchodilator effect of orally injested THC lasts up to six hours, but is not so powerful as smoking cannabis. THC aerosols are not as effective as smoking cannabis because aerosolized THC has an irritating effect on the air passages. THC in a micoaerosol has proved to be up to 60 percent effective as a bronchodilator, with minimal mental effects and no parasympathetic effects. Other research demonstrates that THC defends against the encroachment of emphysema and suppresses coughing. Cannabis has been used sucessfully in the treatment of whooping cough. Today, of the 16 million American asthma sufferers, only those living in California, Arizona and Nevada, with a doctor's recommendation can legally grow and use cannabis medicines, even though it is generally the most effective treatment for asthma.

www.marijuanahempworld.com/marijuana-medical-fact-asthma-sufferers-12.php

http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2001/01/half-ounce-healing

O n a Half F O

orothy Gibbs is lying in bed in her trailer, barely able to move. It is a gorgeous Saturday afternoon in Santa Cruz, the October sun as full as July's. The curtains in Gibbs' room are half open; she is squinting as though the light stings her eyes. But her 90-year-old face, framed by a snowy froth of hair, looks cheerful, almost youthful. "I woke up in pain this morning," she says, "but then I took the marijuana and it made things better."

Nie â&#x20AC;&#x201D;By Evelyn bers of the Wo/Men's Alliance for Medical Marijuana, or WAMM, a Santa Cruz, California, cannabis collective run by and for people who are very ill.

ves

Hea

e The desp aren't gr

the caregivers who come to pick up pot for members who are too ill to come themselves.

But it is not a grim group. After sitting in on five WAMM meetings, led by its firebrand director, Valerie Leveroni Corral, I was most struck by how spirited, even happy, members sounded. People announced picnic lunches, organized a weekend in Reno, offered rides, memorialized the latest member to die with fond remembrances and spir-

jua Ala Ma tive ora ma cou WA lec eas sta fus jua nar

If WAMM, the first medical marijuana club in the country to be granted nonprofit status, will not convince skeptics that cannabis may have a healthy purpose, nothing will. The collective, which grows its own marijuana and distributes it free to its members each week, is no pot party. About Medical marijuana clubs 85 percent of its members are She reaches for an eight-ounce terminally ill. Many of those began quietly operating in bottle of brown liquid on a bedside who line up at the club's tray and takes a swig. The tonic, a small, borrowed storefront the early 1990s in response concoction of soy milk and mari- every Tuesday evening had to the AIDS crisis juana known as Mother's Milk, not used the drug before they looks like the muddy sand in a developed life-threatening ill- ited anecdotes. They also com- and child's pail. "It doesn't taste like nesses like cancer and AIDS. Oth- plained, like a family around the car much of anything," she says with a ers hadn't tried it before exhausting dinner table. In one meeting, a Me shrug. "It just makes me feel bet- a medicine chest's worth of phar- member with AIDS griped about Pre ter." maceuticals for chronic, debilitating having to wait around for an hour Ge ailments like postpolio syndrome listening to everyone's "issues" be- clu Ten years ago, Gibbs, who had de- or epilepsy. Relatively few have fore the marijuana is doled out: "I'm sev veloped polio as an infant, was used marijuana the way Bill Clinton in a room full of sick people," he los stricken by postpolio syndrome, did in college, for fun. said. "I don't exactly feel great lief leaving her arms nearly useless about that when my T-cell count is me and her nerves on fire. Two years The Tuesday night WAMM line is a down." That led to an hour of col- Bu ago, at the suggestion of her full- gallery of illness. People come in lective soul-searching on just what gov time visiting nurse, she tried pot for wheelchairs, using walkers, clutch- WAMM is supposed to be -- a com- ses the pain. ("I tried smoking it first," ing canes, bald from chemother- munity or a marijuana dispensary. sho she says, "but it hurt my throat.") apy, gaunt, hollow-eyed, nearly With laws legalizing medical mari- Th Now she is one of about 200 mem- wasted. The healthiest looking are www.motherjones.com

e c n Ou

g n i l a

b rijuana clu a m z u r C ta They just s of a San r . e y e b n m o e m m ke erately ill igh or ma h t e g o t t f. rowing po t to find some relie wan

ana already in effect in California, aska, Oregon, Washington, aine, and Hawaii (and with initiaes recently approved in Colado and Nevada), medical arijuana groups around the untry have been calling on AMM to see how patient-run colctives ought to operate. It is not sy. Federal law supersedes ate law, and the government reses to budge in classifying mariana as a dangerous, illegal rcotic -- and a gateway to harder drugs -- with no medical value. This means that in states where medical marijuana is legal, local and state law enforcement may leave the collectives alone but the Department of Justice could still step in, shut down the clubs, d prosecute patients and their regivers. In 1999, an Institute of edicine report commissioned by esident Clinton's then drug czar, eneral Barry McCaffrey, conuded that patients suffering from vere pain, nausea, and appetite ss might find "broad spectrum ref not found in any other single edication" by using marijuana. ut that failed to alter the federal vernment's position that posssing marijuana for any reason ould be a crime.

here is an encouraging develop-

ment in the battle for legitimacy: In September, ruling on a class-action suit filed against the government by medical marijuana advocates, including WAMM, federal Judge William Alsup of the Ninth Circuit Court in San Francisco ruled that the government could not punish doctors who recommend the benefits of marijuana to their patients. And while the federal government has threatened to prosecute medical marijuana patients, that seems increasingly unlikely given the public's growing acceptance of the drug as medicinal. Medical marijuana clubs began quietly operating in the early 1990s in response to the AIDS crisis, and in 1996 California passed a groundbreaking voter initiative, Proposition 215, that legalized possession of marijuana for patients with a doctor's recommendation who are suffering from AIDS, cancer, glaucoma, and other illnesses. But the fight for the right to exist is far from over. Especially since the passage of Prop. 215, the federal government (or state and local police, invoking federal law) has continued to shut down marijuana clubs in California and has repeatedly confiscated plants.

Marijuana is frequently beneficial in the treatment of the following conditions:

AIDS. Marijuana can reduce the nausea, vomiting, and loss of appetite caused by the ailment itself and by various AIDS medications.

Glaucoma. Marijuana can reduce interlobular pressure, thereby alleviating the pain and slowing -and sometimes stopping -- the progress of the condition. (Glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness in the United States. It damages vision by increasing eye pressure over time.)

Cancer. Marijuana can stimulate the appetite and alleviate nausea and vomiting, which are common side effects of chemotherapy treatment.

Multiple Sclerosis. Marijuana can limit the muscle pain and spasticity caused by the disease, as well as relieving tremor and unsteadiness of gait. (Multiple sclerosis is the leading cause of neurological disability among young and middle-aged adults in the United States.)

Epilepsy. Marijuana can prevent epileptic seizures in some patients.

Chronic Pain. Marijuana can alleviate the chronic, often debilitating pain caused by myriad disorders and injuries.

www.savedarfur.org

Cloning Step-by-Step Excerpted from Chapter Nine

Indoor Marijuana Horticulture The Indoor Bible Step Two:

Step One: Choose a mother plant that is at least two months old and 24 inches tall. Some varieties give great clones even when pumped up with hydroponics and fertilizer to grow fast. If a variety is difficult to clone, leach the soil daily with two gallons of water for each gallon of soil every morning for a week before taking clones. Drainage must be good. Or mist leaves heavily with plain water every morning. Both practices help wash out nitrogen. Do not add fertilizer.

Older branch tips root easiest. With a sharp blade, make a 45-degree cut across firm, healthy 1/8 – 1-inch-wide branches, 2 – 4 inches long. Take care not to smash the end of the stem when making the cut. Trim off two or three sets of leaves and growth nodes so the stem can fit in the soil. There should be at least two sets of leaves above the soil line and one or two sets of trimmed nodes below ground. When cutting, make the slice halfway between the sets of nodes. Immediately place the cut end in fresh, tepid water to keep an air bubble from lodging in the hole in the center of the stem. Store cuttings in water while making more cuttings.

Step Three: Rockwool or Oasis™ root cubes cost a little more than soilless mixes, but are very convenient and easy to maintain and transplant. Fill small containers or nursery flats with coarse, washed sand, fine vermiculite, soilless mix or if nothing else is available, fine potting soil. Saturate the substrate with tepid water. Use an unsharpened pencil or chop stick to make a hole in the rooting medium a little larger than the stem. The hole should bottom out about one half inch from the bottom of the container to allow for root growth.

Step Four: Use a rooting hormone and mix (if necessary) just before using. For liquids, use the dilution ratio for softwood cuttings. Swirl each cutting in the hormone solution for 5 – 10 seconds. Place the cuttings in the hole in the rooting medium. Pack rooting medium gently around the stem. Gel and powder root hormones require no mixing. Dip stems in gels as per instructions or roll the stem in the powder. When planting, take special care to keep a solid layer of hormone gel or powder around the stem when gently packing soil into place.

Step Five: Lightly water with a mild transplanting solution containing vitamin B1 until the surface is evenly moist. Water as needed.

Step Six: Clones root fastest with 18 – 24 hours of fluorescent light. If clones must be placed under a HID, set them on the perimeter of the garden so they receive less intense light, or shade them with a cloth or screen.

Step Seven: Clones root fastest when humidity levels are 95 - 100 percent the first two days and gradually reduced to 85 percent over the next week. A humidity tent will keep humidity above 90 percent. Construct the tent out of plastic bags, plastic film or glass. Remember to leave a breezeway so little clones can breathe. If practical, mist clones several times a day as an alternative to the humidity tent. Remove any rotting foliage.

Step Eight: Air temperature should stay about 5 degrees cooler than the 75 – 80-degree rooting medium. Put clones in a warm place to increase air temperature and use a heat pad, heating cables or an incandescent light bulb below rooting cuttings. See drawing.

Step Nine: Some cuttings may wilt but regain rigidity in a few days. Clones should look close to normal by the end of the week. Cuttings still wilted after 7 days, may root so slowly that they never catch up with others. Consider culling out cuttings that root slowly.

Step Ten: In one to three weeks, cuttings should be rooted. Signals they have rooted include yellow leaf tips and roots growing out drain holes and clones will start vertical growth. To check for root growth in flats or pots, carefully remove the root ball and clone to see if it has good root development. For best results, do not transplant clones until a dense root system is growing out the sides and bottom of rooting cubes.© Jorge Cervantes 2006-2009 Rights and Disclaimers

MONTEL

William s

Discusses His Use of Medical Marijuana

“medical marijuana has allowed me to live a productive, fruitful life despite having multiple sclerosis”

Montel Williams Published: April 3, 2007 Copyright: 2007 St. Louis Post-Dispatch

ou probably know me as a talk show host and, perhaps, as someone who for several years has spoken out about my use of medical marijuana for the pain caused by multiple sclerosis. That surprised a few people, but recent research has proved that I was right: right about marijuana’s medical benefits and right about how urgent it is for states to change their laws so that sick people aren’t treated as criminals. The Illinois General Assembly is considering such a change right now. If you see me on television [10 a.m. weekdays on Channel 4 in St. Louis], I look healthy. What you don’t see is the mind-numbing pain searing through my legs like hot pokers. My doctors wrote me prescriptions for some of the strongest painkillers available. I took Percocet, Vicodin and Oxycontin on a regular basis, knowingly risking overdose just trying to make the pain bearable. But these powerful, expensive drugs brought me no relief. I couldn’t sleep, I was agitated, my legs kicked involuntarily in bed and the pain was so bad I found myself crying in the middle of the night. All these heavy-duty narcotics made me nearly incoherent. I couldn’t take them when I had to work, because they turned me into a zombie. Worse, these drugs are highly addictive, and one thing I knew was that I didn’t want to become a junkie. When someone suggested I try marijuana, I was skeptical. But I also was desperate. To my amazement, it worked after the legal drugs had failed. Three puffs and within minutes the excruciating pain in my legs subsided. I had my first restful sleep in months. I am not alone. A new study from the University of California, published in February in the highly regarded medical journal Neurology, leaves no doubt about that. You see, people with MS suffer from a particular type of pain called neuropathic pain: pain caused by damage to the nerves. It’s common in MS but also in many other illnesses, including diabetes and HIV/AIDS. It’s typically a burning or stabbing sensation, and conventional pain drugs don’t help much, whatever the specific illness. The new study, conducted by Dr. Don-

ald Abrams, looked at neuropathic pain in HIV/AIDS patients. About one-third of people with HIV eventually suffer this kind of pain, and there are no FDA-approved treatments. For some it gets so bad that they can’t walk. This was what is known as a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, the “gold standard” of medical research. And marijuana worked. The very first marijuana cigarette reduced the pain by an average of 72 percent, without serious side effects. What makes this even more impressive is that U.S. researchers studying marijuana are required to use marijuana supplied by the federal government, marijuana that is famous for its poor quality and weakness. So there is every reason to believe that studies such as this one underestimate the potential relief that high-quality marijuana could provide. In my case, medical marijuana has allowed me to live a productive, fruitful life despite having multiple sclerosis. Many thousands of others all over this country — less well-known than me but whose stories are just as real — have experienced the same thing. Here’s what’s shocking: The U.S. government knows marijuana works as a medicine. Our government actually provides medical marijuana each month to five patients in a program that started about 25 years ago but was closed to new patients in 1992. One of the patients in that program, Florida stockbroker Irvin Rosenfeld, was a guest on my show two years ago. If federal officials come to town to tell you there’s no evidence marijuana is a safe, effective medicine, know this: They’re lying, and they know it. Still, 39 states subject patients with illnesses like MS, cancer or HIV/AIDS to arrest and jail for using medical marijuana, even if their doctor has recommended it. It’s long past time for that to change. Illinois state Sen. John Cullerton, DChicago, has introduced a bill — SB 650 — to protect patients like me from arrest and jail for using medical marijuana when it’s recommended by a physician. Similar laws are working well in 11 states right now. The General Assembly should pass the medical marijuana bill without delay. Sick people shouldn’t be treated as criminals.

$ 6 Ways to Build a Better Body on a Budget Lean times don't mean you have to skimp on fitness. Try these suggestions for workouts and home gym equipment on the cheap.

> By Colette Bouchez Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD

Gym memberships, personal trainers, pricey equipment for the home gym - all these expenses can make it tempting to use tough economic times as an excuse for avoiding exercise. But the truth is that you can build a better body on a budget. From simple workouts with no equipment, to getting some of the benefits of a trainer for free with the click of a mouse, there are lots of ways to stay in shape and still save money. To help point you in the right direction, WebMD asked the experts for advice on how you can get fit for little or no money.

1. Schedule Your Workouts When you've got a membership to a high-tech gym or a standing appointment with a personal trainer, the expense means you're less likely to skip out on workout time. Experts say it's essential to approach your "no frills" workout with the same convictions. "This means putting it on your schedule, making a specific time for when you're going to do your workout, and it means doing all you can to limit interruptions -- like turning off the phone, making sure the dog is walked before you start, and, if necessary, letting family members know that for 30 minutes or so, they are on their own," says Susie Shina, director of FitnessOneEighty.com and author of 60Second Circuits: 1,000 Easy Exercise Combos You Can Do Anywhere. You can also help keep your workout on track by laying out your exercise clothes the night before, says Shina. "This acts as a reminder that you don't want to skip out on your session." What can also help: Choose a playlist of your favorite exercise songs and load them into your mp3 player, or create a workout CD. Timing the music to fit the length of your workout will help keep you on track for the whole routine. "Motivation and music go hand in hand, so again, it's another way to ensure you stay motivated," says Shina.

McMillian and Garce suggest these basic, no-equipment exercises to get you started: Squats. Standing upright, feet wider than shoulders apart, with arms extended forward or hands on hips for balance, squat down. Push knees outward as you descend, until thighs are parallel with the floor. Continue pushing knees outward as you stand. Partial-body push-ups (with knees on the floor).

Modified jumping jack. Instead of moving your arms over your head, do these while pressing the palms of your hands together at chest level, with elbows out to form a straight line. Chair crunches. Sit on a chair with hands under your behind, arms straight, and fingers facing inward toward one another. Contract your pelvis and lower abs, and, keeping your knees bent at a 90-degree angle, lift your feet off the floor and tuck your knees in toward your chest, bending the upper body slightly toward your knees. Do as many as you can until you reach fatigue.

Chair dips. Place your hands on the side of the chair and wrap your fingers around the edge. Scoot forward until your bottom is on the edge of the chair and your arms are fully extended. Keep your feet about 3 inches apart with legs extended, so knees are at approximately 150 degrees with your heels grounded. With elbows pointed back and tucked in tight alongside the body, do 15-20 dips, 3 seconds down and 1 second up. Keep your chest up and your shoulders back.

3. Turn Your Housewares Into "Gymware" Your home may already be a home gym. Experts say if you think outside the (treadmill) box, you'd be surprised at how many household objects can be substituted for fitness equipment.

Use soup cans for weights. Janet Lee, deputy fitness editor of Shape magazine, says that any triceps or biceps exercise you'd do at the gym with dumbbells, you can do at home using cans of soup. To properly gauge the weight, don't go by the ounces listed on the can -- that's liquid weight. Instead, weigh the cans on your scale to figure out the poundage that's best for you.

2. Choose Workouts That Work at Home When you're starting a workout program, it can be hard to figure out what exercises you should be doing -- particularly if you don't have the budget for pricey equipment or personal training advice. But all you really need to do, says Charla McMillian, JD, CSCS, is follow a few simple guidelines. "You have to ensure that all your major muscle groups are targeted at least once each week -- and no more than three times a week, and your program has to include 30-60 minutes of moderate to vigorous aerobic exercise three to five times a week," says McMillian, creator of FitBoot.com, a training program for fitness professionals. And don't forget to stretch, which helps with both strength and flexibility.

"Always begin every workout with a few simple stretches, and always end with at least two to three minutes of stretching," suggests Adrian Garce, a Greenwich, Conn.-based personal trainer.-

Use jugs as weights.Fill a household bucket or jug with water (or sand, rock salt, or powdered detergent), secure the top with duct tape. Lift it up and down in front of you as you do squats. Substitute paper plates for body sculpting equipment. The key here, says Lee, is to use the plates to help your body slide on a carpet. This allows you do body sculpting moves that would ordinarily require workout equipment. You can do the sliding lunge (put the paper plate under one foot and lunge forward). Try stimulating skating to work your butt and thighs: Just attach the plates to your feet with rubber bands and slide away. Or, get down on all fours, put the plates under your hands, and use them to work your chest by sliding your arms back and forth. Substitute a countertop for a push-up bench. In most homes at least one countertop, in the kitchen or bath, is the right height for a pushup. Put both hands on the countertop, extend your legs behind you at an angle, lean down into the counter and then push back up. Substitute pantyhose for resistance bands. Almost any exercise you can do with a resistance band, you can do with old pantyhose or tights. For example, sitting on the floor with legs straight, loop a pair of pantyhose around the balls of your feet and pull back with both hands as if you were using a rowing machine.

4. Use Your Computer for Motivation & Help Do you tend to work out better when someone is setting goals for you? Then don't overlook the power of your computer - and many free applications that can provide some of the stimulation you need. You can find exercise-tracking tools and spreadsheets on a number of websites. Use them to create and maintain a training regimen, keep track of your progress, and even to share online with friends, family members, and fellow exercisers. For how-to instructions for specific exercises, check out WebMD's fitness slideshow, including those illustrating a 30minute workout and abs exercises. Further, video sites like YouTube.com are full of free videos from exercise gurus willing to share their know-how. Some other sites offer free workouts to download to your mp3 player. However, the experts warn, you shouldn't take advice from just anyone. "Make sure the fitness instructor is qualified. There is a lot of questionable advice out there, even on DVDs you purchase, so always make sure the advice is coming from someone certified by a reputable fitness organization," says Therese Pasqualoni, an aerobics instructor and director of StrikeItHealthy.com.

FIT

GET

5. Take a TV Exercise Break Here's a no-excuses, no-expense workout: Instead of going to the kitchen for a snack during TV commercials, exercise instead. "Pick a different activity for each commercial and do it till the show comes back on," suggests Shina. "During one commercial, do crunches; during another, do squats; during another, march in place. The longer you watch TV, the more exercise you'll get in, and before the night is over you've got at least 15 to 20 minutes of workout time."

6. Spend a Little, Get a Lot If you do have a few dollars to put toward building a better body, here is the fitness equipment experts say can give you the most benefits for the least amount of money: A dumbbell set that represents a realistic range of what you need to lift (5-30 pounds for most women, 10-50 pounds for most men) An adjustable weight bench (one that goes from flat to incline or decline) A mirror for the wall so you can see your technique Kettle bells -- hand weights that can be used to tone your entire body Resistance bands, a type of rubber tubing that creates resistance for your muscles Instructional DVDs Stability ball Step bench for step aerobics

Candy SHOP ~ Angelica ~

http://hillphotoworld.com/

Pa s Ingrediants

2 cup shell pasta 1 1/2 cup cannabis milk (1/4 oz. bud or 1/2 oz. leaf) half of a green (or red or yellow) pepper half of a onion a glove of garlic 2 tablespoons margarine (cannabis margarine!) 4 tablespoon flour 1/2 teaspoon wet mustard fresh dill spice 1 jar of tomatoe sauce

Directions 1. Boil pasta until complete. Set aside. In a saucepan, 2. Saute veggies until onion is transparent. Set aside with pasta. 3. Melt cannabis margarine completely. Add flour to produce a thick paste. Add more flour if needed. Blend in cannabis milk. Wisk until all is blended. Add heat to make the saute thick. 4. When desired consistency is achieved (be careful, sauce burns easily), add pasta and veggies. Heat all together and serve.

with a twist!

2 Ingrediants 2 cups heavy whipping cream 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme 1/2 ounce cannabis 2 teaspoons salt 2 teaspoons ground black pepper 1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper 1 teaspoon ground white pepper 1 cup chopped green onions 1 cup chopped parsley 1/2 pound peeled shrimp 1/2 pound scallops 1 cup grated parmesan cheese 1 pound dry fettuccine pasta

Directions 1. Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente. 2. Meanwhile, pour cream into large skillet. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until just about boiling. 3. Reduce heat, and add powdered cannabis, herbs, salt, peppers, onions, and parsley. Simmer 7 to 8 minutes, or until thickened. 4. Stir in seafood, cooking until shrimp is no longer transparent. Stir in parmesan cheese, blending well. 5. Drain pasta. Serve sauce over noodles.

www.thestonerscookbook.com

Blazed &

July 10 July 11 July 12 July 14 July 15 July 17 July 18 July 19 July 20

Confused tou Stephen Marley

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Th st M

Sn al pr

"Y flo

Re su th di

Snoop Dogg

St it la

Slightly Stoopid

0: Primm, NV (Star Of the Desert Arena) 1: Irvine, CA (Verizon Wireless Amphitheater) 2: Santa Barbara, CA (Santa Barbara Bowl) 4: Albuquerque, NM (Journal Pavilion) 5: Denver, CO (Red Rocks Amphitheatre) 7: Portland, OR (Amphitheater at Clark County) 8: George, WA (The Gorge Amphitheatre) 9: Boise, ID (Idaho Center Amphitheater) 0: Salt Lake City, UT (USANA Amphitheatre)

July 22: Vancouver, BC (Pacific Coliseum) July 24: Mountain View, CA (Shoreline Amphitheatre) July 25: San Diego, CA (Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre) July 30: Atlanta, GA (Masquerade Music Park) July 31: St. Petersburg, FL (Vinoy Park) Aug 5: Columbia, MD (Merriweather Post Pavilion) Aug 6: Holmdel, NJ (PNC Bank Arts Center) Aug 7: Philadelphia, PA (Festival Pier at Penn's Landing) Aug 8: Boston, MA (Comcast Center)

eggae, hip-hop and punk acts will go hand in hand this summer as Slightly Stoopid, Snoop Dogg and Stephen Marley join forces for the "Blazed and Confused" tour of North America.

he outing launches July 10 in Primm, NV, hitting amphitheaters in 17 cities nationwide, as well as a July 22 top in Vancouver. The month-long trek finishes up on East Coast with a final performance slated for Aug. 8 in Mansfield, MA.

noop Dogg, who will spend the first two weeks of May on the road with his crew in support of his forthcoming lbum, "Malice in Wonderland," considers Slightly Stoopid "his nephews," musically speaking, according to a ress release.

Ya'll just make sure ya'll tune in because Snoop Dogg and Slightly Stoopid, we gonna be rippin', rockin', flippin', oppin', hippin' and hoppin' in a 'hood near you," the rapper said in a statement.

eggae-influenced punk-rockers Slightly Stoopid embarked on their first headlining run of US amphitheaters last ummer and will continue supporting their 2008 album, "Slightly Not Stoned Enough to Eat Breakfast Yet Stoopid," his go-round. The record, which marks the group's ninth release, includes outtakes, rarities and "brand new stuio joints," according to the band's website.

tephen Marley, son of reggae legend Bob Marley, dropped his solo debut, "Mind Control," in 2007 and watched climb to the top of Billboard's Top Reggae Albums chart. His first single from the effort, "The Traffic Jam," was ater remixed by Snoop Dogg and dubbed the "Traffic Main Answer." By Tara Hall / LiveDaily Contributor

Cannabis Commercial On Comedy Central Dutch hemp production company, HempFlax has taken on the opportunity of the running of the TV series "Weeds" on Dutch Comedy Central to send their own green message. During the showÂ´s commercial breaks, Hempflax urges the audience to help save our environment by growing 100% legal cannabis seeds and help reduce the CO2 footprint in the atmosphere. Cannabis Sativa L, (Hemp) can be grown legally throughout the European Union. There are major environmental benefits of growing hemp, some of them are high production of oxigen and cleaning up toxins from the ground. Hemp produces the same amount of oxygen while itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s growing that it would use in carbon dioxide if burned as a fuel. It also cleans up pollution by a process called phytoremediation. A good example of this is when hemp was used to help clean up the Chernobyl nuclear disaster site to remove radioactive elements from the ground. A HempFlax commercial for their carbon footprint reduction program. You can buy 5000 cannabis seeds that can be grown legally throughout the EU, because of their USO-31 certification. By buying these hemp seeds you will also sponsor 100m2 of industrial hemp grown in the Netherlands by Dutch Farmers.

source: Friends of Cannabis

manufacturing in an ECO-FRIENDLY process can be accredited in saving:

1267.2 Trees preserved for the future 3659.16 lbs waterborne waste not created 538,275 gallons wastewater flow saved 59,558 lbs. solid waste not generated 117,269 lbs. net greenhouse gases prevented 897,600,000 BTUs energy not consumed Biodegradable / Recyclable VOC Free printng process

t s r i f s â&#x20AC;&#x2122; d Worl

electric hybrid sports boa

Going green won't come cheap though, as this 375-horsepower beauty will cost as much as $150,000 when it arrives this July, although to company hopes to release a $70,000 version by 2012.

http://www.gizmag.com/epic-23e-electric-hybrid-sport-boat/11107/

February 26, 2009 The low-emissions, fuel-saving benefits of hybrid technology aren't limited to the freeway and systems incorporating electric propulsion are popping up in all areas of transport. On the water we've seen hybrid tugboats and solar hybrid motor-yachts, but this is the first time we've seen hybrid technology in a speedboat. Billed as a world's first electric hybrid sport boat, EPIC Wakeboats EPIC 23E relies entirely on a silent, emissions-free electric motor for propulsion and uses half the fuel and produces half the emissions of its combustion-powered equivalent. Due for release in Spring 2009, details are still scarce on the 23E - it uses a Flux Propulsion EVO 8.1 Marine Drive System which "features an extremely powerful and compact drive motor that draws from cutting-edge battery technology". Recharge takes one about hour and the boat incorporates a touch-screen interface for control of stereo and video entertainment along with the GPS Speed Control. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The EPIC 23E will change the way people think about water-sports," said EPIC Wakeboats CEO Chris Anthony. "Not only is the design more environment-friendly, but it is a more affordable option for boating enthusiasts at a time when everyone is watching their budgets.â&#x20AC;?

by Carrie Pollare, Editor

ECO FRIENDLY

Handbag Colle Ashley Watson

This Canadian designer turns recycled into wonderful slouchy soft handbags, which are a little rough and edgy and ot have cleaner, more polished lines. Sinc uses all recycled leather for her bags, e is a hand made limited edition or one-o Choose from basic browns to bright turqu from small to large. We’re big fans of t bag in any color and the Kestral in teal fo Available at www.beklina.com or go to w leywatson.net for retailers near you.

Beth Springer If you go by Beth Springer's studio in Venice, CA, you'll see note cards, ribbon cuffs and one-of-akind handbags, all made with remnants from her collections. That's because Beth believes in zero waste and she works to that end every day. Her bags are made from reclaimed and vegetable dyed leathers and her spring collection boasts 100% organic hemp/cotton linings. Check out the “Ecovertible” limited edition tie-dyed bag in rose. It's so bohemian chic and uses all reclaimed leather for the trim. The yellow vegetable dyed leather Soft-T Saffron bag captures the spring brights look to perfection. Both come with straps that can be worn across the body to give you a hands free option. www.bethspringer.com

ections

d leather some of thers that ce Ashley each one of-a-kind. uoise and the Brant or spring! www.ash-

Ecoist It’s hard to do a top 10 handbag story without including one of the trends that started it all…recycled candy wrappers. We chose Ecoist because their newest Spring 2008 collection actually managed to make the look pretty sophisticated. The bags will be available this month, but we wanted to give you a sneak peak. The Daily Bag in green with orange handles is so cute, but we’re fondest of the Diva Clutch in Brown. www.ecoist.com

HER Design Helen E. Riegle has been producing beautiful handbags, inspired by nature, out of sustainable materials since 2004. In fact, HER Design was one of the first eco friendly handbag lines we discovered way back when and she continues to come out with luscious new styles. We’ve always been partial to the Petal tote bag in hemp canvas because we think the long deep shape, inspired by the shape of a single flower petal, is striking, plus it holds a lot for those of us who carry everything we own in our handbag. The trim on this bag is made from “treetap” wild rubber from the Amazon that looks surprisingly like leather. We know that Helen Mirren likes the Lilly bag, which is inspired by two trumpet lillies, and made of organic cotton with black PVC-free synthetic leather trim. www.her-design.com

www.aboutmyplanet.com/daily-green-tips

Change Your

Light Bulbs

By: Jeremy Taylor in Daily Green Tips

ere's a bright idea. Take a big step to- whereas your incandescent bulb is likely to last

wards energy conservation in your home by switching to energy-efficient light bulbs. Because electricity in most households is still generated in power plants that burn fossil fuels, any wasted electricity, even in the home, can be extremely taxing on the environment in terms of both resource depletion and carbon dioxide emission. Quite simply, some light bulbs are less efficient than others. Incandescent light bulbs, the kind that fit into most household lamps, turn the vast majority of the electricity they consume as much as 95%, according to one source into heat, rather than light. By contrast, compact fluorescent light bulbs (pictured), or CFLs, combine substantially increased efficiency with a significantly longer lifespan. Because of their increased efficiency, an 11-watt CFL, for example, will produce about as much light as a 60-watt incandescent bulb. And because of their longer lifespan, that same CFL should continue lighting up your room for as long as 15,000 hours,

only about 1000 hours. Just how long is 15,000 hours? That's almost two years, if you left it on 24 hours a day. In more realistic terms, that bulb could last you a decade or more. While until recently CFLs have been difficult to find, at worst, and expensive, at best, yearly sales have steadily increased, and they are now widely available and much more affordable. What's more, between their longevity and the cash you'll save on your electricity bill, you'll make back the difference pretty quickly. This commendation comes with a small caveat. CFLs generally contain small amounts of mercury, which means they shouldn't really be thrown out. Good news: you'll have to have them recycled. Some stores will take back dead CFLs, or you can bring them yourself to your local environmental society or recycling facility.