Vegas Cannabis Magazine

Contents

Editor:

Stephanie Shehan editor@vegascannabismag.com (702) 622-8001

Events

12

Resources

14

First Time Patient Tips

16

CannaKids: Sophie’s Story

20

Treating Autism with Cannabis

22

Voices of the Cannabis War

24

26

Spotlight: Highland Medical

28

Publisher:

Bill Shehan bill@vegascannabismag.com (702) 589-1282

MME Map

Contributing Writers:

Cannabis for Pediatric Epilepsy

32

Becca Nichols Derek J. Connor Dr. Kit

Hopper Stone

Jennifer Shepherd Mindi Griffiths Rob Ruckus Shelly Berkowitz Willie Spearmint

Danielle Vitale O’Brien Dr. Aseem Sappal Dustin Amato Jason Sturtsman Miggy Fourtwenty Pamela Jayne Sharon Letts The Happy Chef

Essentially Healthy Kids

34

Cannabis for Crohn’s Disease

36

Legal: Child Custody

38

Cannabis Activism on Campus

40

Tokin with the Infamous

42

Parents in Hiding

44

Advertising:

Dustin Amato Modest Jones

Jason Sturtsman

The Ruckus Rant

48

Web Design: Stephani Ortiz

Photographers: Miss Rad Reefer

Artists: Cliff Maynard

Kannabis Kinkaid Trog

Cartoonist: Neal Warner

Cover Photo: Cover Photo: Miss Rad Reefer

IG: MISSRADREEFER

Value $4.95

Vegas Cannabis Magazine, LLC 1631 E. Sunset Road, #C-104 Las Vegas, NV 89119 Editorial: (702) 622-8001 Advertising: (702) 589-1282 Fax: (702) 977-7135

Product Reviews

50

VCM Reviews

58

The Glassifieds

62

Happy Chef

68

Vegas Cannabis Magazine, LLC features content about marijuana, hemp, and marijuana-related products and information. In addition, we feature articles, legal information and medical news relevant to the cannabis industry. All content within our publication and on our website is for educational and entertainment purposes only and should not be considered personalized legal or medical advice. Both the printed publication and the website are intended for those over the age of 18.

Vegas Cannabis Magazine, LLC assumes no responsibility for the advertisements within this publication. We strive to ensure the accuracy of the information published. Vegas Cannabis Magazine cannot be held responsible for any consequences which arise due to error or omissions.

Reproduction in whole or in part is strictly prohibited. All rights reserved.

www.VegasCannabisMag.com

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editor’s note This month, we focus on kids and cannabis. As a mother of three daughters I often ask myself if I would use cannabis to treat my child if she were diagnosed with something that conventional medicine failed to treat. My answer is a definitive yes. For some, it may be difficult to understand how a parent could turn to a federally illegal plant when we have plenty of medical professionals and potent pharmaceuticals ready for the task. And I get it, those that are still wandering in a close-minded, anti-drug existence are struggling to understand why an adult would use cannabis, let alone a child. Some consider medicating a child with cannabis irresponsible while some even go as far as calling it abuse. It is neither. As parents, we choose the path we believe to be most beneficial for our children. It is ludicrous to point a negative finger towards medical cannabis while allowing deadly, and often times unsuccessful pharmaceuticals to be used. Many of the articles you will read in this issue tell the story of a child whose parents have chosen cannabis as a treatment option. Some use only cannabis and some combine it with conventional medicine. Hopefully, as readers, you will gain more insight in to just what this plant is capable of. From epilepsy and autism to Crohn’s disease and even cancer, cannabis can help and everyone should be aware of this option.

In Nevada, as of January 31st, we have 43 medical marijuana cardholders under the age of 18. Young children do not consume flower, they need cannabis oil to ingest. Currently, we do not have one dispensary open that carries cannabis oil. This product is essential in the treatment of pediatric cannabis patients and hopefully we will see it available soon.

For those of us that were patients prior to the dispensaries opening, we have no choice but to be patient. It would be unrealistic to believe that everyone entering this industry is in it for the right reasons but, we do have medical marijuana establishment owners that are. We have dispensaries bringing in qualified and caring staff in order to take care of our patients and eventually, we will see a wide array of oils, tinctures and topicals available. These establishments paid hefty fees and are supporting large facilities and staffs, they are not one-man operations with no overhead and we must be sensitive to that as many are wishing failure on them before they have a chance at success. As patients, make your voices heard, demand good medicine and informed assistance but do it in a positive, non-harming way and the dispensaries will listen.

And do not forget, we are all in this together.

Stephanie Shehan

MISSRADREEFER

events

Interested in having your event listed in Vegas Cannabis Magazine?

Send listing via email to editor@vegascannabismag.com W.E.C.A.N. 702 PATIENT SUPPORT GROUP: 2nd Saturday of the month, Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, 4550 S Maryland Pkwy Ste A, Las Vegas, NV 89119 and 3rd Saturday of the month, 1440 E Highway 372, Pahrump, NV, for patients, caregivers and those that are curious about becoming a patient.

“WHAT IF CANNABIS CURED CANCER”: Movie screening, 4th Thursday of each month at Herbally Grounded, 4440 W. Charleston Blvd, 7pm, www.cannabiscures.org.

OAKSTERDAM INDOOR HORTICULTURE SEMINAR: 3/11-3/14, The Plaza Hotel, Las Vegas, 510251-1544 to register or online at www. oaksterdam.com/lasvegas2016.

ABRA CA DABS: 3/26-3/27, NOS Event Center, San Bernardino, CA, www. abracadabsfestival.com.

LAS VEGAS HEMPFEST: 6/4, 11am3am, Craig Ranch Regional Park, 628 W. Craig Road, North Las Vegas, NV, www.lasvegashempfest.com.

CHALICE CALIFORNIA: 7/9-7/10, NOS Event Center, San Bernardino, CA, www.chalicecalifornia.com.

VETERANS CANNABIS EDUCATION & TRAINING: 3/20, Cultivation & Dispensary Tech Certification Courses for Vets, lasvegasnorml702@gmail.com for more info.

2ND ANNUAL NORML FORE20 DISC GOLF TOURNAMENT: 4/23, Mt. Crest Disc Golf Course, Las Vegas, lasvegasnorml702@gmail.com for info.

Send Smiles!

(702) 558-8547

6955 N Durango, Ste. 1111 Las Vegas, NV 89149

www.aTwistedTulip.com Vegas Cannabis Magazine • March 2016 • 12

SAINT PATRICK’S DAY WEEKEND PATIENT POTLUCK: 3/19, 1-6pm, 6490 W. Desert Inn, Las Vegas, Bring a dish, $10, PATIENTS ONLY, www. wecan702.org.

CANNABIS KICKBALL: 3/6, 124:30pm, Outside of Sam Boyd Stadium, 7000 E. Russell Rd, Las Vegas, Sign up at www.thetraveljoint.com.

2ND ANNUAL LAS VEGAS CANNABIS CHAMPIONSHIPS: 4/20, place to be announced, email hhclives@ gmail.com for more info.

REGGAE IN THE DESERT: June 2016, www.reggaeinthedesert.com for more info.

420 GAMES: Los Angles: Santa Monica Pier, 3/26, 8am-2pm, $20-$30, 4.20 mile fun run/walk, www.420games.org.

OREGON MARIJUANA BUSINESS CONFERENCE: 4/25, www.oregonmbc. com for more info.

DENVER HIGH TIMES CANNABIS CUP: Location and April dates to be determined, www.cannabiscup.com for more info.

WECAN 420 WEEKEND EMERALD GARDEN GALA: 4/16, 4:20pm-11pm, 21 and over, tickets $20 in advance or $25 at the door, bring a dish to share, Boulder City, NV, to prepay for tickets search 420 WEEKEND EMERALD GARDEN GALA on Facebook.

resources PATIENT SUPPORT & INFORMATION: WECAN: Wellness Education Cannabis Advocates of Nevada, Meetup.com/WeCan702/ is free to join and provides a platform for people to post and discuss ideas in a controlled environment, www.WeCan702.org or https://www.facebook.com/wecan702.

LAS VEGAS NORML: The world’s largest organization working to reform marijuana laws. Membership: www. lasvegasnorml.com/membership, Information: www. lasvegasnorml.com, Contact: staff@lasvegasnorml. com.

LAS VEGAS CANNABIS INFO CENTER: Provides referrals for all your cannabis needs including doctors, lawyers, legal dispensaries and classes, (702) 7616770, www.lvcic.com, www.CannabisCafeTV.com.

COMPASSION NEVADA CONSULTING: Assistance with obtaining a Nevada medical marijuana card, 2800 S. Highland Dr, Las Vegas, NV, (702) 506-6379.

NEVADA MEDICAL MARIJUANA PROGRAM: For information about obtaining your Nevada Medical Marijuana card visit http://health.nv.gov/ medicalmarijuana.htm.

DOCTORS: GETTING LEGAL: No medical records required, 99% approval rate, 2619 W. Charleston Blvd, #100, Las Vegas, NV 89102, (702) 979-9999, www.GettingLegal. com.

Have a company, organization or website that could benefit medical marijuana patients? Email your info to editor@vegascannabismag.com. com.

420 EVAL: $199 all inclusive, (702) 420-3825, 3131 La Canada, Ste. 110, Las Vegas, NV 89169, www. lasvegasmedicalmarijuana.com.

CANNABIS CARE LAS VEGAS: VIP packages & state recommendations available, (702) 8522420, info@cannabiscarelasvegas.com, www. cannabiscarelasvegas.com.

KARMA HOLISTIC HEALTH FOUNDATION: 9111 W. Russell Road, Suite 120, Las Vegas, NV 89148, (702) 388-1119, www.khhf.org..

GOLDSMITH HEALTHCARE LTD: 5375 S. Ft. Apache, Las Vegas, NV 89148, (702) 425-5191.

ATTORNEYS: AMANDA CONNOR: Connor & Connor PLLC, provides legal services to medical marijuana patients and medical marijuana businesses, 2450 St. Rose Pkwy, Ste 120 A, Henderson, NV, www.connorpllc.com, (702) 750-9139.

CHRISTOPHER TILMAN: Tilman Law Office, 1211 S. Maryland Pkwy, Las Vegas, NV 89104, (702) 2144214, www.christophertilman.com.

GROW: GREENSPOT HYDROPONICS: 3355 W. Lake Mead Blvd, North Las Vegas, (702) 463-6000, Open Mon-Fri, 10am-7pm and Sat 10am-6pm.

DR. GREEN RELIEF: Affordable evaluations, 7200 Smoke Ranch Rd, #120, Las Vegas, NV 89148, (702) 707-2414, drgreenrelief.com.

MEDIGROW NV: Professional cultivation education, (702) 606-9059, www.MediGrowNV.com. Also provides in home grow consultations.

ULTIMATE “U” MEDICAL: Medical recommendations and renewals, 8660 Spring Mountain Road, Suite 101, Las Vegas, NV 89117, (702) 353-9777, www. ultimateumedical.com.

AAA INDOOR GARDEN: 2 W. Charleston Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89102, (702) 450-4769, www. vegasindoorgarden.com.

CAM CARE: Registration services & 2 physicans on staff 5 days a week to help patients obtain their cards.

Also offering a variety of services to promote complete wellness, 2923 W Charleston Blvd, Las Vegas NV 89102, (725)777-3631.

LAS VEGAS MEDICAL MARIJUANA CONSULTANTS: Visit any Diversity location or call (702) 313-7273 for more information, www.LVMMC.

BEST HYDROPONIC SUPPLY: 6818 W. Cheyenne Ave, Las Vegas, NV 89108, (702) 750-9300, www. besthydroponicsupply.com.

EDUCATION: OAKSTERDAM UNIVERSITY: Coming soon to Las Vegas, www.oaksterdamuniversity.com, (510) 2511544.

NURSE JUHLZIE: Certified cannabis registered nurse

providing nursing-based information and educational services for patients, organizations, medical professionals, and corporations, (406)748-2624, www.

AskNurseJuhlzie.com.

UNCONVENTIAL FOUNDATION FOR AUTISM: (714) 805-8342, Resources for special needs families, www.

UF4A.org.

DISPENSARIES: EUPHORIA WELLNESS: 7780 S. Jones Blvd, (702) 960-7200, www.euphoriawellnessnv.com.

LAS VEGAS RELEAF:2244 Paradise Rd, Las Vegas, NV 89109, (702) 209-2400, www.LasVegasReleaf.com.

INYO FINE CANNABIS DISPENSARY: 2520 Maryland Pkwy #2, Las Vegas, NV 89109, (702) 707-8888, www.

InyoLasVegas.com.

NEVADA WELLNESS CENTER: 3200 S. Valley View, Las Vegas, NV 89102, (702) 470-2077, www. nvwellnessctr.com.

NEVADA PURE: 4380 Boulder Hwy, Las Vegas, NV 89121, (702) 444-4790.

THE OASIS DISPENSARY: 1800 Industrial Rd, #180, Las Vegas, NV 89102, (702) 420-2405, www.

TheOasisDispensary.com.

THE APOTHECARY SHOPPE: 4240 W. Flamingo Road, Las Vegas NV 89103, www.

TheApothecaryShoppe.com, (702) 740-4372.

THE SOURCE-LAS VEGAS: 2550 S. Rainbow Blvd.

Suite 8, Las Vegas, NV 89146, (702) 708-2000, www. thesourcenv.com.

NEVADA MEDICAL MARIJUANA: 3195 St. Rose Pkwy, #212, Henderson NV 89052 and 1975 S. Casino Dr, Laughlin, NV 89029, (702) 737-7777, www.nevadamedicalmarijuana.com.

SAHARA WELLNESS: 420 E. Sahara Ave, Las Vegas, NV 89104, (702) 478-5533, www.420sahara. com.

ESSENCE CANNABIS DISPENSARY: 5765 W. Tropicana, Las Vegas, NV 89103, (702) 570-8613, www.essencevegas.com.

THE APOTHECARIUM: 7885 W. Sahara, Las Vegas, NV 89117, (702) 778-7987, www.apothecariumlv.com.

SILVER STATE RELIEF: 175 East Greg St, Sparks, NV 89431, www.SilverStateRelief.com.

SIERRA WELLNESS CONNECTION: 1605 East 2nd St, Ste 103, Reno, NV 89502, www.

SierraWellnessConnection.com.

LABS: DIGIPATH LABS: (702) 209-2429, info@digipath.com, www.digipathlabs.com.

CULTIVATION/PRODUCTION: GREEN THERAPEUTICS: Coming soon, www.

GTNevada.com.

GREEN LIFE PRODUCTIONS: Sustainable, organic, cannabis cultivation, located in Pahrump, NV, www.

GreenLifeProduction.com.

EVERGREEN ORGANIX: Cultivation & production, (702) 550-4855, www.evergreenorganix.com.

HIGHLAND MEDICAL: (702) 385-2312, www.highlandmed.com.

Vegas Cannabis Magazine • March 2016 • 14

BAM QUALITY MARIJUANA: www.BaMmarijuana. com

nurse jenn First Time Patient Tips By: Nurse Jenn

Meet Jennifer Shepherd, Essence Vegas’ own on-staff registered nurse. Nurse Jenn was born and raised in Kansas and recently relocated to Las Vegas to grow her career in the cannabis industry. She acquired her love for cannabis at a very young age, as her father was a grower and she became infatuated with the cultivation and fascinated with the many benefits of the cannabis plant.

Nurse Jenn also had a passion for caring for others which led to her becoming a registered nurse, graduating from the Hesston College of Nursing in Kansas in 2013, after serving 13 years as a Certified Nurse’s Assistant (CNA). Combining her passions for patient care and cannabis, in 2014, Nurse Jenn began specializing in medical marijuana. Nurse Jenn is available for one-one-one appointments with patients looking to develop a medical plan specific to their qualifying condition.

She is proud to be part of the American Cannabis Nurses Association as well as its newly created local chapter in Las Vegas.

To contact Nurse Jenn or to schedule an appointment, email NurseJenn@ essencevegas.com.

suggest either vaping or getting an edible.

The problem with vaping for the first time is the cost of the equipment. However if you plan on consuming cannabis on a regular basis the equipment is worth the investment. Consuming cannabis at low temperatures (aka vaping) reduces the amount of carcinogens. Vaping flower is different than vaping the concentrated oils.

Make sure you tell your budtender if you have never consumed cannabis before, since concentrates are not recommended for first time consumers. If you are set on getting the discrete vape pen please use with caution. Consume cannabis in a friendly area, such as in the comfort of your own home. If you happen to get too “high”, stay in comfortable surroundings, eat some food, drink some water and

FIRST TIME PATIENT TIPS

There is something about spring that reminds me of using cannabis for the first time. The cannabis I consumed for the first time is nothing like the medication we have today. My first experience with cannabis was terrible- tasted like dirt, smelled like gasoline, was compressed into a brick and the sack was half seeds, probably a product of Mexico. Cannabis has come a long way in the last 15 years. Cannabis flowers today come in different strains (like Pineapple Express and Grape Stomper), and flower sold in dispensaries can contain as much as 30% THC, which is high especially for new users. Here are a few helpful tips for first time users:

take a nap. The feeling will go away after a few hours. According to the World Health Organization consuming too much cannabis will not kill you; however, with strong concentrates it is easy to over-consume and have an unpleasant experience. There can also be medication interactions with cannabis, so it is important to disclose all medications to your physician or nurse prior to consuming cannabis. I would also recommend trying cannabis with an experienced cannabis patient as they have helpful hints on proper ways to consume it.

Smoking vs Vaping Cannabis is generally thought of as being rolled into a joint and being smoked.

Today, there are many different ways to consume cannabis. Smoking is the easiest and most cost effective way, however, not all people like or want to ingest cannabis this way since the smoke can be rather harsh. If you are wanting to use cannabis for the first time I would

Choosing a Strain that is Best for You New patients should avoid high THC strains- these strains can have strong effects such as making people paranoid.

A strain that contains between 10-15% THC would be recommended for a first time user. If you are looking for a daytime strain it is best to use a sativa dominant hybrid strain. Avoid the high THC/sativa strains if you are a new consumer, become

Vegas Cannabis Magazine • March 2016 • 16

paranoid easily, or have anxiety or PTSD. If you would prefer to avoid the “high” of cannabis but would still like the benefit of consuming cannabinoids then choosing a strain with an amount of CBD as high or higher than the amount of THC will be your best choice.

Dosing with Flower or Vaping Take one puff and wait 10 minutes. If you like how you feel, leave it alone. If you want more take another puff and wait another 10 minutes.

Edibles OHHH the lovely world of cannabis edibles. Going into a dispensary and edible shopping is kind of like entering Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory. The main rule of thumb is to start low and go slow. Beginners should start out with 2.5mg-5mg dose. WAIT 2 hours. You can then calibrate your dose from that point.

If you like the effects of the edible at 2 hours- then you know your dose, and if not consume a little more using the same 2.5-5 mg rule. Keep in mind that not all edibles are created equally; 10 mg of one particular brand could be different than 10 mg of another brand. The effect of edibles is also different than consuming it through vapor or flower. This is due to the way cannabis is processed in the body and the amount of time it takes the cannabinoids to enter the blood stream. Its takes much longer for you to feel the effects of edibles but the effects last longer, usually between 6 and 10 hours. It is also helpful to have other snacks on hand when consuming cannabis edibles. This will help keep you from eating too much when the munchies kick in.

Topicals This is a wonderful option for anyone in pain. Nerve pain, back pain, arthritic joints- COME ONE- COME ALL- this stuff works!!! There are no psychoactive effects with topicals and they usually work within minutes taking the ache out of almost anything.

There are numerous other ways of consuming cannabis. If you are interested in trying cannabis or simply want more information please feel free to set up a consultation with me or with one of our knowledgeable consultants. We look forward to serving you at Essence Vegas!

Visit Nurse Jenn at Essence Cannabis Dispensary located at 5765 W. Tropicana, Las Vegas, NV 89103.

Expires 3/31/16

Medical Marijuana Studies

Enrolling NOW

• Patients with Pelvic Pain • Chemotherapy Patients with Nausea & Vomiting • Patients with Back Pain

Call 702-326-0585

NEVADA MEDICAL MARIJUANA PROGRAM What You Need to Know ...

To Request a Patient Cardholder Application

If you wish to request a medical marijuana patient registry application packet, please click on FORMS in the column on the right and select “Application Request Form.” Print, fill out and send or remit in person the Request Form, with $25 to: Nevada Division of Public and Behavioral Health ATTN: Medical Marijuana Division 4150 Technology Way, Suite 104 Carson City, Nevada 89706 Approved Conditions for Medical Marijuana in Nevada • Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) • Cancer • Glaucoma • Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) • Cachexia (general physical wasting and malnutrition from chronic disease) • Persistent muscle spasms (including multiple sclerosis) • Seizures (including epilepsy) • Severe nausea • Severe pain (the most commonly reported condition) For additional information, please call (775) 687-7594.

Vegas Cannabis Magazine • March 2016 • 18

an educated stoner CannaKids: Sophie’s Story

By Sharon Letts

Three year-old, California patient, Sophie Ryan was just eight months old when she developed a twitch in her right eye, leading to a diagnosis of an “optic pathway glioma brain tumor.” Thirteen months of chemotherapy was recommended, with the promise of the tumor shrinking “only slightly.”

The old adage “close only counts in horseshoes” comes to mind, and mom and dad, Tracy and Josh Ryan, took a serious look at alternative therapies, including cannabis, with a nod from Sophie’s oncologist.

visit: www.thehigherpath.com & www.savingsophie.org 2014, with the good news that this type of cancer has a 90 percent shrinkage rate; the downside is, an average of 75 percent of cases reoccur. Sophie’s first scan posttreatment showed tiny specs of cancer in an area where there was nothing, prompting chemo a second time.

The good news is, because of Sophie’s cannabis use her immune system is stronger than ever during the traditional treatment of chemo that typically knocks an adult to the ground with infections, pain, waste-away and more.

“When parents come to me with concerns in relation to the THC getting them high, I remind them what it is these doctors are putting them on – these horrific opiates and damaging pharmaceuticals that are not only damaging to their organs, but highly addictive,” Tracy informed.

Not the only cannabis patient in the house, Sophie’s mom takes her good medicine daily, too.

As treatment continued with both chemotherapy and cannabis oil, with every follow-up scan, the tumor presented smaller and smaller – an anomaly with this type of tumor, per Sophie’s doctors, via Tracy.

Chemotherapy was stopped in November,

When asked if they are able to do the cannabis treatment without the chemo, Tracy said it didn’t work for Sophie.

“Sophie is our only optic pathway glioma patient who hasn’t responded to just the cannabis oil off-treatment,” Tracy said. “We are trying to get to the root of the problem to find out why her body doesn’t respond to a maintenance dose of oil to keep the cancer away.”

The hope is once Sophie’s hormones via growth spurts slow down, the cancer will fade.

“But then you have to worry about when they go into puberty, then you have to get them to the age of 23 and 25 – and by then it’s 22 years of wait and see,” Tracy surmised. “The doctors feel confident at some point the tumor will just stop growing. But for now, she is in the heat of these growth spurts and it’s extremely troublesome.”

Working up to just a tenth of a gram, due to unknown factors of psychoactivity with THC, Tracy said the infant did remarkably well.

“When I take my ten milligram medible to sleep at night, it makes me smarter,” Tracy explained. “It opens my mind.

I can more easily problem solve and trouble-shoot after a good night’s rest. And I see the same effects in the kids. They get happy when their pain goes away. They are more relaxed, and they don’t have to be weaned off of addictive opiates with methadone – like I’ve seen a 14 year-old have to do.”

Tracy also expounded on the fact that using the oil does away with the opiates in the first place, as the pain is quelled simultaneously with the oil, along with the cancer.

tube right in front of her face. Yes, labs are very traumatic.”

While Sophie continues treatment with both chemo and cannabis, Tracy’s latest project is to bring together, what she calls, a “brain trust” of doctors, scientists, and researchers from around the world.

Sophie’s stem cells have been sent to Israel with the hope that they will find a perfect match from more than 150 strains of cannabis, with the goal of putting Sophie’s cancer into remission for good.

“Her immune levels hardly ever dropped below a normal range. And if they are, they are in the upper range of low,” Tracy reported. “She’s the only child during chemo break that doesn’t have to have her labs drawn.”

Doing laboratory work can often be difficult for anyone. For a child, it can add to the scars already received from the ailment itself. Tracy said due to the persistence of the cancer, she has what is called a “portacath,” or portable catheter, in her chest where chemo drugs are delivered.

“You can see all the thousands of tiny holes that are scars from the thousands of needle sticks she’s had,” Tracy said sadly.

“I’ve had to hold her down while they put this big plastic thing on her chest, with an IV running out of it, and blood running in a

Vegas Cannabis Magazine • March 2016 • 20

The couple founded CannaKids in their hometown of Los Angeles, with help from cannabis-friendly celebrity, Ricki Lake.

A fully staffed office assists families with children suffering from the same or similar ailments all over the world, offering advice and a shoulder to cry on when times get tough.

“I am determined to keep my child from having to go through this any longer,” she concluded. “And I’m just as determined to help keep other children from going through this ever again.”

For more information on Sophie’s treatment with cannabis oil and CannaKids, visit www.thehigherpath.com and www.savingsophie.org.

Sharon Letts started in this world as a gardener, ended up a writer/producer, and continues to advocate for the freedom to garden every seed bearing plant. You can find her on Facebook, LinkedIn & Twitter @lettsgarden.

special needs Treating Autism with Cannabis By: Stephanie Shehan

According to AutismSpeaks.org, “Autism statistics from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) identify around 1 in 68 American children as on the autism spectrum – a ten-fold increase in prevalence in 40 years. Careful research shows that this increase is only partly explained by improved diagnosis and awareness. Studies also show that autism is four to five times more common among boys than girls. An estimated 1 out of 42 boys and 1 in 189 girls are diagnosed with autism in the United States.” Dr. Bernard Rimland, founder of the Autism Society of America stated that “Evidence suggests that in such cases, medical cannabis may be a beneficial treatment for persons in the autism spectrum.”

Treating autism with medical cannabis is just what Mieko Hester-Perez has been doing for the past eight years. As a single mother of three beautiful children, one of which has been diagnosed with both autism spectrum disorder and Duchenne muscular dystrophy, Mieko is no stranger to the trials and tribulations that parents of special needs children face. Mieko’s son, Joey was just a toddler when he was diagnosed with autism. The signs were typical and slowly progressed to a point where the family was virtually unable to leave their home without fearing that Joey’s behavior would draw unwelcomed attention. Joey was aggressive; he would hit himself and others, throw things and yell at people.

He wouldn’t eat and by the age of nine weighed only 42 pounds. At one point, Joey’s doctors had prescribed him thirteen different medications in an attempt to control his autistic behavior. At her wits end and terrified of possibly losing her son, Mieko turned to medical cannabis. Delivering the cannabis in the form of oil infused into brownies resulted in Joey eating again, gaining much needed weight, sleeping easier and displaying an allaround calmness. Today, Joey smiles and attempts to speak from time to time. According

visit: www.UF4A.org get the app: The Joey Network on iTunes to Mieko, “Until Joey began consuming medical cannabis, no one knew who he was, and he displayed no personality.”

Mieko’s journey in to the world of medical cannabis would not have been possible without Aaron Justis, President of Buds and Roses Collective in Los Angeles and his Kushman Genetics team which includes Kyle Kushman, a 26-year veteran of organic cannabis cultivation, and Tyler Wadleigh. Inspired by Joey’s story, the team began specialized strain breeding using completely veganic practices in order to create a customized cannabis strain with the perfect combination of cannabinoids and terpenes just for Joey. According to Kyle Kushman, “Growing cannabis with Veganics is essential as Veganics has virtually undetectable levels of heavy metals. Heavy metals in our environment are believed by many to be linked to autism.” After trying approximately fifteen different strain varieties, they were finally able to create a particular strain that helped alleviate Joey’s symptoms – the strain has been appropriately named “Joey’s Strain.” When asked about the impact that Joey has had on him, Kyle replied “When I first met Joey he didn’t even realize I was there, but now, Uncle Kyle can usually get a smile.” Keeping the importance of safety in mind, Mieko and Aaron have also teamed up with MedTainer to create a custom, childresistant, FDA approved container to house “Joey’s Strain” as it is made available to families in California and other compassionate states.

Vegas Cannabis Magazine • March 2016 • 22

It is important to note that medical marijuana has not been deemed a cure for autism, but rather a treatment method which can be effective in mitigating symptoms. For Mieko, “Cannabis has proven to facilitate life for her son and has ushered him into his most progressive developmental period ever.” Mieko is co-founder of the Unconventional Foundation for Autism (UF4A.org) and she continues to work with families of special needs children to ensure that this treatment is available and each family’s rights are protected. Helping to guide parents through the unfamiliar process of beginning a medical cannabis regimen, Mieko provides confidential, child-specific assistance to families in need. Making the “Joey’s Strain” flower and oil available to those in all states with a medical marijuana program in place is Mieko’s goal and she says that “Hopefully, the Nevada dispensaries are on board and we will be seeing this strain available locally in the near future.”

Special needs families who choose cannabis as a safe and effective treatment option are often hesitant to discuss the option with their doctor. To remedy this, Mieko, in conjunction with Cannabis Science, Inc., has launched “The Joey Network” iPhone app which is free on iTunes and is designed to allow users to research the latest in autism and cannabis treatments. The app provides key resources to any patient seeking medical cannabis as a potential treatment for autism; from legal referrals to product recommendations and even parental consultations. As well, you can join “The Joey Network” to share stories, ask questions, and give feedback with other users, and even reach out for help via a phone call.

Mieko Hester-Perez may be contacted via her website at www.UF4A.org.

For more information on “Joey’s Strain” and the team responsible, please visit the following websites: www.budsandrosesla.com www.medtainer.com www.kylekushman.com www.purelifeveganix.com

vow Voices of the Cannabis War:

News from the Front Lines

By: Kristin Flor, Mindi Griffiths, Miggy 420, Danielle Vitale-O’Brien & Becca Nichols PRISON OUTREACH

This month, as you start seeing drink specials for St. Patrick’s Day and start seeing local businesses embrace the holiday with green beer, we would like you to think about those locked away for a plant that has medicinal qualities and is much less poisonous than alcohol. Just like St. Patrick’s parable of a stick turning into a tree because it takes a while to get a message across, we are here supporting and encouraging others to speak up for a prisoner, for a plant, in hopes of preventing future prisoners. Nothing is more powerful than the words straight from those who suffer the most.

REGIONAL

Nevada -Good news in the case of Terisa Deming in Las Vegas. In her own words, “Well, it’s over.” She chose to take a deal that consisted of one misdemeanor charge of possession of dangerous drug not for public consumption. A $348 fine was imposed and she was required to surrender her firearms. Once conditions of this agreement are met, the charges will be dismissed and sealed. Terisa was not required to enter a plea and was able to retain all of her rights without a criminal record to follow her.

NATIONAL

Portland, OR - Joy Graves is no stranger to legal issues that result from her bold fight against government control over her choice to use cannabis as both a medicine and sacrament as part of her spiritual practice as a leader of the Oklevueha Native American Church (ONAC). Now, Matthew Pappas, high-powered civil rights attorney

from California, is joining Joy’s most recent chapter in her fight. In the winter of 2015, Joy sent a care package of medicinal and spiritual items for an ailing church member, only to have the post office in Portland confiscate all of the items because cannabis was included. Matthew Pappas, in a press conference, laid out in great detail that this violates federal laws that protect the church. For more details about this case, please listen to interviews which include both Joy and Matthew at: http://www. blogtalkradio.com/cchi2016/2016/01/31/ voices-of-warthe-drug-war-marches-onpart-1 and http://www.blogtalkradio.com/ cchi2016/2016/02/07/voices-of-warthedrug-war-marches-on-part-2 Seattle, WA - We have been bringing you updates throughout the long ordeal Josh Mauk and Debbie Brechler have been enduring, which was instigated by a former patient and close friend, Tawnee Cowan.

Unfortunately, the couple fell prey to an all too common problem within the cannabis industry; the snitch. Although it is not completely over, due to the three years of probation imposed, Josh and Debbie will not be serving any time in prison. On January 29th in the Seattle Federal Courthouse, a judge determined the couple had shown their desire to follow the law and uphold, the already imposed, probation restrictions.

He also sighted the consequences to the couple’s children were far greater than the need to imprison Josh and Debbie. The courtroom was packed with supporters such as the couple’s pastor, family, friends and activists. Court support was absolutely instrumental in this case. It was difficult to find a dry eye in sight as the judge pronounced their sentences. We want to extend our heartfelt congratulations to Josh, Debbie and their family!

Wyoming - Jason Miller was first arrested April 1, 2015 in Sheridan County, Wyoming for possession of marijuana with intent to deliver. Jason states that he was placed in a suicide-watch cell completely naked and given nothing but a blanket. While in his

cell, he was startled by four officers, who caused him to jump up to put his hands up and the blanket went flying at them. The officers reacted by tazing Jason, leaving him with permanent scars as a result, as well as scars on his buttocks from being naked on the floor of the cell for several days.

After being bonded out, Jason ran for fear of ending up back in that cell. He was then arrested in Colorado for driving a vehicle without proper registration, and returned to Wyoming in July of 2015. He has since been charged with conspiracy to deliver a controlled substance, and was recently charged with three counts of interference with a peace officer while awaiting trial in jail. Jason was given Effexor, which has severe side effects causing depression, irritability, and violent outbursts and should never be given to someone with a history of seizures and low sodium. This drug was given to him without follow-up within the recommended time, without taking into consideration his medical history of seizures and low sodium. As a result, Jason did have an outburst, which resulted in the first two interference charges. They have since bounced him from one medication to another. Not long after the medication induced the outburst, on December 30, 2015 the jail staff read a letter Jason had written to his wife Terri and claimed he said something that made them think he was suicidal. Instead of talking with Jason about their concerns, they woke him up at approximately 5am, and took him to the suicide cell without telling him where they were going or why. Jason panicked when they told him to “get in there and put that F...... suit on” resulting in the third interference with a peace officer charge. We are unsure at this time when his trial will be held but will update the community with new information as it becomes available.

Bellingham, WA - Good news! On January 21st, the ‘Bellingham 3’ (Martin Nickerson, Chris Ramsey and Poppy Sidhu) finally had their charges officially dropped!

Martin shared on his Facebook wall, “I’m overwhelmed with happiness, and we can now focus on life with our loved ones”.

The three defendants have been fighting their case for over four years. They refused to take any deals, refused to snitch, and were determined to go all the way to trial.

Their courage and strength to stand up to their charges is quite admirable. Unfortunately, while the three are free from marijuana charges, Martin still faces tax charges.

spotlight Keeping Patients in Mind at Highland Medical By: Stephanie Shehan

We as patients are finally seeing an ample amount of local dispensaries opening.

Menus include high THC flower, various concentrates, edibles and a few topicals.

What we have yet to see is high CBD flower or balanced THC/CBD flower. This month, all of that will change as Highland Medical harvests its first batch of balanced, high CBD flower. I recently had the chance to sit down with Rick Turner, the master cultivator at Highland Medical to find out what sets their grow apart from other local cultivations.

Highland Medical is a boutique cultivation facility. They are highly specialized in providing product to a niche market. Keeping in mind their goal of providing high quality medicine, the team at Highland strives to produce unique products specific to the needs of patients. Being mindful of patients, Highland Medical is not really interested in producing the highest THC product on the market. They do however intend to fill the void created by the traditional goal of growing exclusively for high THC. For patients, this means being able to obtain a high quality flower that provides a good amount of both THC and CBD. For patients looking for pain relief, seizure reduction or relaxation without the side effects commonly associated with a high THC strain, a balanced flower might very well be a perfect match.

Master cultivator, Rick Turner began growing cannabis as a patient with the intent of finding a plant that had specific qualities to fill specific personal needs.

With no initial business ambitions in mind, Rick worked alongside his wife who was certified in Chinese Medicine/Herbology and was eventually able to master the crossbreeding of high CBD strains through a process referred to as heterosis.

According to Rick, “Heterosis is used in agriculture, both horticulture and herd management. Both animal breeders and professional seed producers are aware of the enhanced potential when proper application of heterosis is used. They are also aware of the deterioration quality of plants improperly crossbred. The uses of

dissimilar blood lines with complimentary dominant heritable traits are the measures used to determine proper cross breeding for a selected trait, or traits.” This process led Rick to refer to their genetics as Highland Heterotics.

My conversation with Rick gave me some insight in to the issues new cultivation facilities are facing. As he explained, “We have a set of laws governing our industry that were written without the benefit of appropriate agricultural and scientific input. We have State regulators that are struggling to write regulations that serve the industry and the patient within the confines of those laws and the cultivators are caught in the middle. In many cases, growers are unable to use the most beneficial and up-to-date practices as a result of these confines.” Another issue cultivators are dealing with is product

labeling, specifically in the case of CBD products. Since the entire cultivation at Highland Medical revolves around CBD flower, it has been easily observed that reporting potency profile such as CBD levels is very confusing. They believe that the confusion may be due to either the profile information on the label which is not yet standardized by the regulators or by certain misunderstandings encountered by those labeling the final product. According to Rick, “We have come across products with an admitted level of .07% CBD that have combined CBDa and CBD as well as other compounds and marketed them as a 7, 8 or even 9% CBD; while in fact the actual CBD percentage was under 0.1%.”

We consulted Dr. Chao-Hsiung Tung of G3 Labs on how we should quantify CBD in order to label the product accordingly.

Dr. Tung pointed out that the State has a policy providing guidance for all the certified laboratories to test and report

Vegas Cannabis Magazine • March 2016 • 28

potency. THC, THCa, CBD, and CBN are required to be reported separately.

The Independent Laboratory Advisory Committee, of which Dr. Tung is a member, has made a recommendation, based on industry needs, to add CBDa to the required list in the policy. He further indicated that the Nevada Cannabis Laboratory Association, coordinated by Dr. Ben Chew, is recommending that the State standardize the labeling of products. This recommendation is in agreement with the recommendations from Nevada Medical Marijuana Association, Nevada Dispensary Association, and many licensed medical marijuana establishments.

The team at Highland Medical wholeheartedly agrees with the recommendation of standardizing the information on cannabis labels. For the benefit of the patient, the labeling must be clear and consistent throughout the industry. The lab test result on potency should be the basis for labeling. Any inference of those test results should be authorized and standardized by the State regulator. Ultimately, it seems appropriate to label each product with the percentages of CBD only, THC only and CBN or if the State provides a method for calculating potential (as we do for THCa and Delta9 THC) the dispensaries and patients will find it easier to locate what they are looking for. Hopefully, as time passes and the rules and regulations of this new industry are ironed out, we will see a more streamlined and accurate approach to labeling.

Highland Medical’s products will be available in dispensaries in early March.

Along with their high CBD flower, they will also be offering a product specifically for use by patients when cooking. It was their goal to provide a less expensive and more appropriate product for parents to prepare edibles for their children. The raw material will be appropriate for infusion in oils and butters that can be used in any recipe that calls for oil and/or butter including pre-mixed baking products. Patients will also be able to infuse the flower in oil and then simply eat it or apply it topically for pain. Highland hopes to be able to include cooking and infusion instructions along with the product or on their website www.

Highland-med.com. Be on the lookout this month for Highland Heterotics at your local dispensary.

medical Spinning Charlotte’s Web: The Role of Cannabis in Pediatric Epilepsy By: Dr. Kit, Pharm.D, RPh.

Cannabis has been used to treat epilepsy since at least the 19th century. Some evidence even indicates that societies as far back as the ancient Chinese used cannabis to control convulsions. Recently, media attention has focused on the use of one cannabinoid in particular to control seizures: cannabidiol (CBD). The most famous strain of CBD-rich cannabis, called Charlotte’s Web, nearly stopped seizures in its namesake. A young girl named Charlotte, with a particularly severe form of epilepsy called Dravet’s Syndrome, not only had decreased seizures, but also showed improvement in her cognitive function after taking an oil containing an extract of the high-CBD strain Charlotte’s Web twice daily over an 8-month period.

After her story was published, other parents sought the strain’s extract, even moving to Colorado, where the strain was developed. In this month’s article, we will look at the evidence of whether cannabis

is effective in treating pediatric seizures, as well as the pros and cons of using cannabis to prevent seizures.

Epilepsy refers to abnormal electrical activity in the brain that results in seizures.

It affects approximately 2.5 million people in the United States, including nearly 500,000 children. A variety of treatments are utilized to control seizures, including medications and diet. However, up to 30% of patients do not respond to conventional treatments, or require the addition of more medications or interventions to bring seizures under control.

A recent study from Israel investigated the use of cannabis for epilepsy in children.

These children had used at least 7 different medications to treat their seizures without success, and most (66%) had also failed a ketogenic diet, one of the most well-known non-medication interventions for epilepsy.

Children used CBD-enriched cannabis for at least 3 months (average 6 months), then were assessed. Of these 74 children, 89% showed an overall reduction in the number of seizures (as reported by their parents), including 52% that had the number of seizures cut at least in half. CBD-enriched cannabis was well-tolerated in this group, with only 5 children who stopped cannabis due to increased seizures, and another 5 that stopped due to side effects.

Another study published in 2015 surveyed the parents of 117 children who were currently using CBD-enriched cannabis to treat seizures. On average, these children had tried 8 different anti-seizure medications without success before starting CBD-enriched cannabis. Of these 117 children, the parents of 99 children (85%) reported an overall reduction in the number of seizures, including 16 (14%) complete freedom from seizures. No parents reported stopping the medication due to side-effects or increased seizures.

Aside from effectiveness in preventing seizures, cannabis also has other benefits for children with hard-to-treat epilepsy. CBD-enriched cannabis is very low in THC, so it does not lead to the “high”

Vegas Cannabis Magazine • March 2016 • 32

that is often associated with medical cannabis. It is also sedating, resulting in improved sleep. CBD-enriched cannabis also has multiple ways to take the medication: oral (edibles, oil), topical (lotions and creams), sublingual (oil given under the tongue), rectal (suppositories), and inhaled (vaporizer). These different routes provide different absorption rates and allow caregivers to adjust both the dosing and administration to the specific child’s needs. CBD-enriched cannabis can be given either alone or in conjunction with other anti-seizure therapies, although cannabis may interact with other medications (such as benzodiazepines), so dose adjustments of the other medications may be required.

Despite these studies that appear to show the effectiveness of CBD-enriched cannabis for pediatric epilepsy, major drawbacks exist with these studies. These two studies, as well as many other studies in the use of cannabis for seizure control, rely on parents or caregivers to report the number of seizures the child is having, instead of objective measure. Parents, wanting the therapy to help their child, may underreport the number of seizures, or may not detect a seizure because they are not near the child at the time of the seizure.

Future studies propose to use objective monitoring equipment to accurately record seizure activity. Cannabis can vary from strain to strain and batch to batch, so it is difficult (without lab testing) to determine just how much CBD the patient is receiving. And labs lack published, defined standards (although they are currently in development) for determining the CBD content and content of contaminants (such as pesticides and fungus) contained in the cannabis or cannabis-containing product. Relative standardization could be achieved by greater control over cannabis lab testing and cannabis dispensing by the investigators in charge of the studies.

If researchers were able to acquire and provide cannabis to patients, they could have more control over the amount of CBD in the study medication in order to keep it consistent. However, current Federal regulations heavily restrict medical cannabis research, therefore making it difficult to have large, placebo-controlled clinical trials as for other, commerciallymanufactured medications.

Unfortunately, because medical cannabis is still considered illegal, with no accepted

medical use, by the federal government, practitioners cannot prescribe it and insurance cannot cover or help cover the cost of the medication. States vary regarding the acceptability of epilepsy as an approved medical condition for the use of cannabis (Nevada DOES consider epilepsy an approved condition). Other states restrict the use of medical cannabis to adults. Still other states do not provide a way to obtain cannabis legally.

Epidiolex, manufactured by GW Pharmaceuticals, is the first commerciallymanufactured CBD-containing drug to be investigated for the prevention of seizures.

It has already received orphan drug status from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for Dravet’s Syndrome and LennoxGastaut Syndrome (which cause severe and frequent seizures). This designation means that the drug is eligible to be fast-tracked for approval. Expanded access programs exist, so that children in the United States, meeting strict criteria and participating in the company’s research program are able to receive the medication. Initial safety and effectiveness studies, in which patients are given the drug, then are monitored to see how well it works, what dose is most effective, and what side effects occur, have shown promise. Randomized, controlled trials, where patients are assigned to either receive the drug or placebo (“sugar pill”), then again monitored to see if the drug shows a greater effect with minimal sideeffects compared to the placebo, are currently underway. While this particular study only focuses on the two diseases above, future studies plan to expand the study to focus on other children, and possibly adults, with difficult-to-treat epilepsy.

A major criticism of Epidiolex is that it contains primarily CBD with very small amounts of THC, but no other cannabinoids. These other cannabinoids are believed by some to also contribute to the anti-seizure effects of CBD-enriched cannabis. However, until trials are able to compare so-called whole plant cannabis extracts with Epidiolex, the controversy will remain, and the relative effectiveness will remain unknown.

Medical cannabis, especially CBDenriched cannabis, has shown great promise in the treatment of pediatric epilepsy. Multiple studies have shown the

effectiveness of CBDenriched cannabis, especially for children with difficult-to-treat epilepsy such as Dravet’s Syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome, although few randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trials (considered the gold standard for medical research) have been completed and published. Epidiolex, a manufactured medication containing CBD, is currently conducting its trials, but has not yet published the results.

Several hurdles remain for parents who wish to choose this option for their children, as well as for researchers and doctors who want to learn more about the use of and prescribe medical cannabis for pediatric epilepsy.

As more research is conducted and published regarding the use of medical cannabis to treat epilepsy, Charlotte’s Web continues to be spun. Only time will tell if it becomes a thing of beauty, or if the Web is destroyed by the hurdles or lack of gold-standard research.

• • • • • • •

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Dr. Kit, Pharm.D, RPh, is the co-owner of Medigrow, a Nevada grow school, established in 2008. She has also been a licensed, practicing pharmacist in Las Vegas since 2004.

...

• California Cannabis Business Expo in San Francisco, CA (March 3-5) (March 5-6) • NCIA Cannabis Business Summit & Expo in Oakland (June 20-22)

Vegas Cannabis Magazine • March 2016 • 33

essential oils Essentially Healthy Kids By: Shelly Berkowitz

Reflexologist & Holistic Health Counselor Children are one of our most precious gifts.

That’s why we want to give them the most incredibly pure form of love and health.

To me, that means less prescriptive-type stuff, and more of the natural stuff. If you are reading this, I think you might have this same mindset too.

The most important thing to know is that children are much smaller than us, and essential oils are very potent. It’s always good to test just a small amount to make sure there are no potential sensitivities.

Always dilute essential oils with oil, preferably fractionated coconut oil. Even the purest forms of essential oils need to be diluted to make sure you don’t use too much on any baby/child. I suggest a therapeutic-grade essential oil, but again DILUTE HEAVILY WHEN USING WITH CHILDREN. I cannot stress this enough.

Also, I don’t recommend using essential oils internally on babies and children under 12. Besides these heavy warnings, know that essential oils have been used on children for centuries because the body knows what to do with them. Just remember less is more when it comes to

the children we love.

Let me give you some examples of some ideas that work. Someone I am very close to has a daughter that was having panic attacks in middle school. Instead of putting her on medication at age 12, she decided to try therapeutic-grade essential oils. Specifically, her daughter wore a necklace “diffuser” around her neck with Wild Orange inside. It worked.

She went from a C and D student to an A and B student, and hasn’t had a panic attack in over two years. Another one of my friends has a daughter that had really bad problems with her sensitive skin and rashes. She started using a coconut oil with lavender & melaleuca salve, and her rashes are no longer a problem. For those of you with children with skin issues, this is huge. She can take warm baths again!

My other friend has a whole house of boys and swears by the antifungal (and antismell) properties of melaleuca. She uses it to clean with as well as freshening up her house with drops of melaleuca oil in her vacuum and in her homemade cleaners.

She swears the bugs run away and her house always smells fresh, and not like shoes.

For helping the children to uplift their moods, wild orange, lemon & grapefruit oils are awesome diffused. For a more restful sleep, lavender is great either diffused or on the feet & spine at bedtime. Again, just a drop, with a little coconut oil. The kids love the smell and it is so calming. A really great way to use essential oils with children, that is super convenient, is using a roller ball with a couple drops of essential oil plus a carrier oil, like fractionated coconut oil to dilute and fill. This way, you have the oil on hand, and diluted when you need it.

I know several moms that have used essential oils prior to the baby being born, and right after being born. The essential oils have therapeutic properties for mom post-baby too. Lavender, so healing to the skin, can be used diluted with coconut oil to help and nurture the skin back to health.

If you are my good friend, and you’ve just had a baby,

you will get a handy bottle of lavender and homemade lavender pop-up wipes to help your new baby transition into the new world. I think it’s important to introduce less toxins, even in your wipes! Speaking of toxins, did you know that your cleaning supplies, pesticides and the like have a HUGE impact on your child’s central nervous system? Here’s some proof: http:// time.com/7930/children-exposed-to-more-brainharming-chemicals-than-ever-before/

If you happen to have a lot of these items in your home, you might want to think about the different ways you can replace those items with some harmless products.

Remember, because essential oils are pure, it usually only takes just a couple drops, so it’s also really inexpensive on top of helping save your children’s health.

When you start utilizing a more natural approach to your home, your children’s own natural ability to fight off the bugs should also become easier.

For cleaning my home, I got a big spray bottle, filled it with water and lemon, oregano and melaleuca essential oils and it smells good, cleans great and I don’t worry about the toxic fumes or chemicals.

I make pop-up wipes by taking a roll of paper towels, cutting them in half on the cutting board, pop them into a container with about ¼ cup of water, lemon or orange oil, and oregano oil and Wala!

Homemade wipes to use on the counters!

Oregano and baking soda works really well in the toilet and on the stove to clean the heavier duty areas.

Hopefully I have given you some helpful tips on some oils to use for your beautiful babies and yourself as well as some great tips on replacing your chemical cleaning products with something nonharmful. As always, if you have questions, please feel free to send me an email at ahealthyresidual@yahoo.com. I look forward to hearing from you!

For consultations or more information about how to use or purchase essential oils, please contact Shelly Berkowitz, Reflexologist & Holisitic Health Coach at (714) 514-3737. Shelly can also be reached via email at ahealthyresidual@yahoo. com and her website can be viewed at www. mydoterra.com/shellyberkowitz. You can also find her on Facebook at A Healthy Residual FDA Disclaimer: The information, advice, statements, and testimonials made about the essential oils, blends, and products mentioned on this web site have not been evaluated by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The information on this site and the products listed are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease, nor are they intended to replace proper medical help. It is always recommended to consult with a healthcare professional before starting any regimen with essential oils. User submitted testimonials are based on individual results and do not constitute a guarantee that you will achieve the same results - what works for one may not work for another.

medical Cannabis for Crohn’s Disease By: Tommy & Wendy Turner

Our son, Coltyn has been using cannabis oil for two years on March 25th, 2016. He has severe debilitating Crohn’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis and drug-induced lupus. The last two years have been the best years of his life! It all started when we decided to find an alternative treatment for him after three years of trying westernized pharmaceuticals.

February 6, 2014. Coltyn had a colonoscopy. It wasn’t good. He had extreme inflammation, fistulas, ulcers, stricturing and granulomas. He was losing weight rapidly and hadn’t grown in quite a while. He was so weak we were wheeling him around in a wheelchair just so he could get around a little. His pain level was at a constant 5. We have a habit of asking “Where’s Coltyn?” Then two seconds later the answer is always, “the bathroom.” He spent most of his time sick in the bathroom, doubled over like he had the worst case of the flu. It just never went away. Every day he felt like this. Every day the rest of us grew tired of it. When was he ever going to get better? When was the medicine going to start working?

When could we have a moment in the bathroom? We lived in a one-bathroom house. Most of the time the rest of us had to walk two blocks to the gas station to use a bathroom.

Coltyn’s brother, Skyler and his sister, Ryleigh were tired of watching Coltyn slowly deteriorate. He used to be so active and funny. Now, if we can make it through a movie without Coltyn vomiting, we felt successful. If he was able to swim for a half hour, sit outside, run to Walmart, or just play some video games with his friends, it was a good day. But that wasn’t good enough. Surviving just isn’t good enough. We want to see Coltyn LIVE. We want to see him ride his bike, hang out with his friends, go hunting with his grandpa and fishing with his grandma. Watch a movie without pain. So we started researching and we found a research study from Israel that revealed shocking information. Cannabis worked to put 9 out of 11 Crohn’s patients into remission and the remaining two found some sort of symptom relief. Cannabis. How are we supposed to give our kid MARIJUANA???

Wasn’t marijuana bad for you? Would

follow: @coltynscrue on Facebook and Instagram and @coltynscrue14 on Twitter

he become dumb and lazy? Will he get addicted and try harder drugs? We had a lot of questions. So we kept researching and it was pretty easy to find the answers to all those questions. And we found that it was a resounding, no. The only bad side effect was that it may not work. NOT that he might get high. We’d seen him high on morphine and Vicodin. Not that he may experience euphoria. We welcomed that one! Not that he would become amotivational. He was already laying on the couch or sitting in the bathroom all day, if we could get him to just lay on the couch without pain and a million trips to the bathroom, we’d take it. The only fear we had was that it might not work. Because if it didn’t work, what was our plan B? We were out of options. The pharmaceuticals weren’t working and were actually making things worse. So, we had a family meeting and it was decided. Coltyn and his dad, Tommy were leaving for Colorado a few days after Coltyn’s 14th Birthday.

March 4th, 2014. One of the worst days of our life. We watched as they drove away.

Just a suitcase full of clothes. Not knowing if he would be back soon, if Colorado was the answer, or if this was the last time we’d see him alive.

We soon realized that Colorado was the answer!! After 20 days of eating pot brownies, living hotel to hotel, spending money on recreational cannabis and not knowing what the hell we were doing, we got Coltyn’s medical marijuana card, found them a more stable place to live and watched as Coltyn was showing signs that we just might be on the right track. He was laughing. He was walking around. He wasn’t in as much pain. Then, on March 24th, 2014, while the family was altogether for the first time since Coltyn and Tommy left, we met with Jason Cranford and things got much brighter. Jason is a caregiver for patients using cannabis to treat their ailments. And although Jason hadn’t cared for a child with Crohn’s Disease before, he was willing to take the chance on Coltyn that his cannabis oil just might work. It didn’t take long to find out. Three days after starting the oil and continuing with THC edibles, we took Coltyn to the Garden of the Gods for a hike. And he walked around for three hours! He was exhausted afterwards but he did it! Four months later, in July, Coltyn went on his first Boy Scout Camp Out since his diagnosis. While on that trip he took a 5-mile hike up Blue Mountain at 3am to watch the sunrise.

This was the kid that only 4 months earlier, was in a wheelchair. In August, the rest of the family decided to move to Colorado with Coltyn and Tommy. It had been long enough that we were apart!

We decided it was time to find Coltyn a doctor to see if the improvements we were noticing were real. Many phone calls into it we finally found a doctor that would see Coltyn. But it was made very clear that if cannabis wasn’t working and we opposed the treatment offered by the doctor, they would call CPS on us. Seven months after starting cannabis oil, on October 25th, 2014 Coltyn got another colonoscopy. This time, it was GREAT!!!! And there wasn’t a thing the doctor could say! We proved that cannabis worked on severe, debilitating Crohn’s disease. And without noticing, his RA and Lupus symptoms were gone too.

In the meantime, Coltyn met with Teri Robnett of the Cannabis Patients Alliance and got involved in advocacy. He spends quality time testifying in legislation at the Colorado State Capitol for the right to use cannabis and even won Cannabis Advocate of the Year. We share his story with anyone that will listen and he speaks at as many events as will welcome him.

He makes regular trips to his doctor to ensure that he’s still on the right track.

He’s had a few bumps in the road, its Crohn’s disease and that’s going to happen. But with cannabis it’s made life a whole lot easier.

Coltyn takes .75 milligrams of a THC/CBD hybrid strain called Cannatol. It is very important that everyone knows that Coltyn uses THC. He doesn’t get “high”, he’s productive and intelligent. Coltyn has a case study written on the clinical proof of his cannabis use which will be published soon. If you’d like more information on Coltyn’s journey and upcoming events, please visit his website at www. coltynscrue.org.

legal Child Custody and Cannabis By: Derek J. Connor Esq.

Some of the most bitterly fought cases occur every day in family courts across the county involving the issue of child custody between two divorced or separated parents. Family court judges are charged with the task of determining what is in the best interest of the child when parents bring allegations that the other is unfit. And with more and more frequency, a reason to claim that a parent is unfit is that the other parent uses cannabis, either recreationally or for medical purposes. Even if the parent was aware of and supportive of the cannabis use while the parents were together, the use of cannabis is often used as a way to claim the other parent is unfit to care for the children.

The family court judge is not given much guidance in this area and by law must determine what is in the best interest of the child. Therefore, different results have occurred when such allegation of cannabis use by a parent have been made. In very limited circumstances, the judge has determined that the cannabis use, typically for medical reasons, is not a factor in determining custody. More often though, the parent who is using cannabis is treated with greater scrutiny. Some parents have been

forced to stop using cannabis if they want to have some custody of their children.

Others have been asked to take drug tests, enroll in and attend drug treatment programs or attend counseling to discuss their drug use. Other parents have found that the use of cannabis has caused them to lose visitation with their children or have limited supervised visits. And in some situations, the cannabis-using parent has

been reported to Child Protective Services to be investigated as an unfit parent.

The fact is that divorces are messy and people will resort to whatever ammunition is available. Sometimes for a cannabis user, that ammunition becomes his or

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her use to limit access to the children.

Unfortunately, depending on the judge, and what is determined to be in the best interest of the children by that judge, the cannabis user may face a difficult decision on whether to give up his or her use of cannabis.

Cannabis users should consult with an attorney if they may be facing a divorce or child-custody case. It is important for cannabis users to be candid with their attorney regarding their cannabis use so the attorney can work with the user to develop a plan for moving forward through the child custody case. Cannabis users should also consider advocating for reform at the state level – requesting that the law be changed such that their cannabis use is not a factor in determining what is in the best interest of their children. Until the law is changed, cannabis use could be a factor and the user should be aware that it may be used against them.

If you have any questions regarding cannabis and the laws, you should consult a licensed attorney that is familiar with the cannabis laws in your state.

Derek J. Connor Esq. is the co-founder of Connor & Connor PLLC along with his wife, Amanda N. Connor Esq. Derek practices primarily in the areas of medical marijuana, civil litigation, business law and criminal defense.

higher education Cannabis Activism on Campus By: Willie Spearmint

The highest student leaders in the state make their stand on campus and spread the cannabis cause through colleges across southern Nevada.

Led by Deuvall Dorsey, the Nevada State College Scorpion’s Cannabis Awareness Network (CAN) is the first and only student cannabis organization in Nevada. They take a vanguard role in educating academic institutions and their students about the incoming employment opportunities of the cannabis industry.

The organization burst onto the scene August 24, 2015 and were received with mixed opinions.

When the Scorpion’s CAN leadership requested official recognition as a student organization they were initially denied by a unanimous vote.

The controversial rejection brought external support to Scorpion’s CAN and increased their membership roster.

After collaborating with organizations like National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP), Young Americans for Liberty (YAL) and the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (TheFIRE.org) the Scorpion’s CAN leadership were determined to continue exercising their rights on campus.

“We were preparing to take legal action if necessary,” said Founder and Executive Director Deuvall Dorsey better known as @Vegas420runner.

On October 23, 2015 Scorpion’s CAN was reluctantly approved by unanimous vote and officially recognized by the college, becoming the first and only student cannabis organization in the state. “Our role in the history of cannabis in Nevada is something we want to document and record,” said Scorpion’s CAN photographer and archivist Erwin Cuevas. As part of a documentary currently in production about Scorpion’s CAN both votes were recorded and can be seen at www.ScorpionsCAN. com.

Scorpion’s CAN has been featured in

follow: @Vegas420runner on Twitter and Instagram #Vegas420runner #420runner like: Nevada State College ScorpionsCAN & 420 Runner on Facebook #ScorpionsCAN #nscCAN

magazines and radio podcasts, most notably the Nevada Cannabis News Hour and Nuglife Radio. They’ve been part of several documentaries and were recently featured on the Charlo Greene Show presenting the mission and objectives of their organization to the faculty senate of the college. They’ve also had the honor of working directly with celebrities like Tommy Chong and Julian Marley.

Scorpion’s CAN began the Nevada Student Cannabis Coalition (NSCC) to unify the student voice on cannabis issues across the state while lending support and resources to students starting cannabis organizations at their colleges. The strategy includes creating more cannabis

awareness networks and establishing Rebel’s CAN, Coyote’s CAN and Wolf Pack CAN to be officially recognized by their respective academic institutions fall semester 2016. Email ScorpionsCAN@ yahoo.com to represent your college.

“We believe the changing economic landscape of our local community, state and nation should be reflected in our academic institutions and we’re clueless as to why more students haven’t seized the moment to participate in this paradigm shift,” said Deuvall. Scorpion’s CAN seeks ways to incorporate their fields of study into the cannabis industry. Students from degree programs like biology, chemistry, business, criminal justice, nursing and psychology are positioning themselves to be tomorrow’s cannabis experts. “My field of study is criminal justice so I like when we attend courtroom proceedings and observe official hearings concerning cannabis,” said Scorpion’s CAN Vice President Panchita “Maria” Crespo.

In January the Wellness Education Cannabis Advocates of Nevada (WECAN) visited Nevada State College to help Scorpion’s CAN raise awareness on campus and recruit new members. Despite the successful sanctioned cannabis collaboration the struggle continues as the members of Scorpion’s CAN take issue with the fact that they still aren’t represented on the clubs and organization page of the school’s website like every other recognized student organization at the college. “They may be persistent with their resistance but we are determined to endure,” said Deuvall.

The master mind behind the marijuana movement invading the Vegas college campuses is none other than Deuvall Dorsey, elite student of academia, endurance athlete and cannabis ambassador. The mysterious leader left a life of politics after being the student body president at Nevada State College from 2012-2014. During that time he began running to help with time management and goal setting.

He ran his first 5k in 2012 as a one-time thing with the college and afterwards wanted to run further. A year later, in 2013 he ran his first marathon while studying abroad in Dublin, Ireland. In 2014, he completed a 50-mile bike ride, a 2.4 mile swim and several triathlons. In 2015, he ran his first 50k ultra-marathon and has something even bigger in-store for 2016.

Deuvall is currently working on a documentary called Nevada’s Emerging Market about ballot initiative IP1 for his senior project. The film features cannabis advocates that support and oppose IP1 along with elected officials to explain the benefits and challenges of the initiative. The final project will be released in 2017 and will include reactions and afterthoughts on the results of the November vote.

“I use my personal story to destigmatize cannabis in my local community to make it more socially acceptable and dispel the myth of the lazy stoner,” proclaimed Deuvall - @Vegas420runner, “…and I always represent the cannabis community in a healthy, positive and legal way.” Find out how you can help or be involved at www.Vegas420runner.com.

Tokin’ With the Infamous

The rest of the world knows Rob Ruckus from the reality show, “Bad Ink”. Here in Las Vegas, he is known for his true passions- music and educating people on the benefits of cannabis. I was stoked to sit down and have a long session with him in the Vegas Cannabis Magazine suite at the International Cannabis Expo.

Hopper: So here we are at the International Cannabis Expo, in the Vegas Cannabis Mag suite playing Toker Poker.

How are you enjoying the event?

Ruckus: I’m absolutely loving this, man.

Hopper: We’re smokin’ on multiple strains, some Blue Dream, Chem-91, Angel Food, Northern Lights #5.

Ruckus: All of the tasty treats! That wax you had, too. That was delicious!

Hopper: Thanks brother.

I really admire your passion for cannabis.

Why is it so important to you? When did you become and advocate?

Ruckus: It’s something that has always been in my life. Growing up in the 70’s, being the child of bikers and hippies, it was always around.

My family used it for medicine, just like I do.

About eight years ago I started getting into the fact that it cures cancer and stops epileptic seizures, etc.

Hopper: It’s a miracle plant.

Ruckus: Exactly! I started finding out the real medical benefits. The other thing was, I had two of my drummers come down with stage four cancer and die within weeks of diagnosis. I knew there had to be a way around it, this couldn’t happen anymore.

I hooked up with Adam at Compassion Awareness Project, and he started teaching me how to make oil, and showing me patients it was working for. I jumped in head first. At the same time, the television show took off.

Hopper: Are you happy with how the cannabis industry is going here in Vegas?

Ruckus: Yes and no. I do love seeing the growth, and people getting medicine, but they aren’t really totally getting it yet.

There’s not one dispensary in Nevada that has Rick Simpson Oil.

Hopper: Yeah, and the RSO is actually killing cancer cells. It’s crazy, I’ve seen it myself.

with

Ruckus: Exactly! And children go from a thousand seizures a month, to four.

Hopper: Music is a big part of your lifeRuckus: HUGE! Hopper: Who are your favorites? What are your thoughts on the Vegas punk scene?

Ruckus: Playing music is something I’ve been doing since 1984, in punk bands, jazz bands, country bands, rock bands.

You name it, I’ve played it. I’m a band whore! I’ll play music with anybody. So many great bands came from here. M.I.A., Subterfuge, 5150.

was under a morality contract, and wasn’t allowed to advocate, I wasn’t allowed to talk about it (cannabis) for like four years.

Hopper: Now that you can speak freely, that brings me to my next question.

The Ruckus Rant, in Vegas Cannabis Magazine, is your new column. What’s your goal for it?

Ruckus: Education, and letting people know that the fight isn’t over just because we have a few dispensaries. There’s still a lot of bugs that need to be worked out.

There is no RSO in the dispensaries. It pisses me off. That’s where the whole rant thing started.

Hopper: It’s a beautiful thing to get your voice out there.

Hopper & Ruckus

Ruckus: It is. I feel so good about being able to say this stuff now, ‘cause for a long time I wasn’t allowed to.

It’s been bottled up for years. They don’t call me Ruckus for nothin’.

I’m an old punker. Fuck the system.

Hopper: You also have a radio show I really dig. Tell VCM readers the lowdown on ‘Ruckus On The Radio’.

Hopper: I like it. Straight DGAF- Don’t give a fuck!

Ruckus: What it is, is I’m a record junkie.

I have a massive collection. Marijuana and records, that’s who I am. I play jazz, country, punk, rap, you name it.

Hopper: Great seeing you, brother. It’s always a good time.

Hopper: Love the variety.

Ruckus: I just like cool music that I think people should hear, and that I don’t want to be forgotten.

Hopper: Switching gears- What was it like filming a reality show? Did you get to sneak off for smoke breaks, or like I call them, ‘production meetings’?

Ruckus: During that entire show I’d do dabs in the morning, and in the afternoon when Dirk was tattooing, I could go outside and do my thing, then come back and film later in the day. The only bad thing is I

Ruckus: Exactly!

Ruckus: Fuck yeah! It’s great to see these things happening here.

Hopper: Anyone you wanna shoutout to before we wrap up this sesh?

Ruckus: Definitely! Vegas Cannabis Magazine, Red Dragon Brothers, Compassion Awareness Project. These are people who I know have my back, and I’ve got theirs. We’re all doing things to help and educate people. There’s no reason for people to be sick and dying when we can easily fix it. I’m a high school drop out punk rocker ex reality TV star, and I can do this stuff easily. Anybody can do it!

parenting Parents in Hiding By: Mindi Griffiths

American citizens have been hiding in the proverbial closet of “parental shame” since the beginning of cannabis prohibition. At first, moms and dads were desperate to hide their personal cannabis use out of fear of shame, incarceration, or even worse, accusations of child neglect.

Public perception of the “stoner” has all but crippled the progress of those fighting the cause. We live in a society where alcohol consumption is not only accepted, but glorified. Even the morning talk show hosts on a popular national news network spend their morning sipping on wine, yet the mainstream media would like us to think a parent who tokes a joint will simply “forget” their children even exist.

Cannabis consumers know from experience and scientific evidence reflects that the mainstream public perception of cannabis is simply wrong. One does not turn into a neglectful parent because of cannabis. Not only that, but many parents are now turning to cannabis to treat the very children the government claims to be protecting. I say ‘claim’ because authorities are supportive of parents giving their children pharmaceuticals. As a matter of fact, a parent can be held liable if they do not want to follow doctor’s “orders” regarding medication choices.

Beginning in January of 2016, the Oregon Health Authority began requiring dispensaries to pass out a flier with every purchase warning the consumer that “Marijuana Can Make Kids Very Sick”.

Most of these fliers end up in the recycle bin next to the exit door. They include the Poison Control Hotline number with the instructions “If your child eats or drinks marijuana products, call...as soon as possible.” The parent is also warned, “When you use marijuana in front of them, they may want to use it too.” These types of warnings are being seen in different states across our nation.

Also in January, the Oregon Health Authority issued a pamphlet entitled, “Children and Marijuana Don’t Mix.” This two page document includes warnings about parental use of cannabis including a symbol reminiscent of the “Mr. Yuck” sticker. The icon is black, red, and white and depicts a cannabis leaf and an exclamation point. “The marijuana

universal symbol means a product contains marijuana and should be kept in its original packaging, out of the reach of children.” They further instruct, “If symptoms seem bad, call 911 or go to an emergency room right away.” The following are quotes from the brochure.

•

“Make sure no one uses marijuana when taking care of your children.

Being high or buzzed while caring for a child is not safe. Do not let anyone who is high take care of your child.”

•

“Marijuana can make children very sick. THC is the substance in marijuana that makes people feel “high.” As in adults, THC may alter perception and decrease coordination and reaction time. THC may cause some people to have acute distress or anxiety, hallucinations and paranoia.

Marijuana use may also relate to short-term memory loss and ability to learn.”

•

“The THC in marijuana can pass into your baby when you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Even though breastfeeding has many health benefits, using marijuana while breastfeeding may harm your baby because the THC stays in your body a long time.”

Obviously, one can argue it is reasonable to be careful when children are near cannabis. Yet, in 2014, even the judge presiding over the CPS case against Vicca and Jesse Thompson of Bellingham, Washington could not find that there was imminent harm to their child who was found to have low doses of cannabis in his system. The judge returned the child back to his family. Cannabis is non-toxic. The concern with this pamphlet is that it clearly leaves the reader with the impression that one cannot be a proper parent while medicated with cannabis. It also leads one to believe that children may be harmed or even die if they ingest or are ever exposed to cannabis, without any substantiated evidence or admittance that there are many children living normal lives because of medical cannabis.

As we continue to work towards changing public perception of parents who consume pot, countless stories on social media describe children who have been very ill, but when the parent turned to medicinal

Vegas Cannabis Magazine • March 2016 • 46

cannabis for relief, the child’s quality of life increased and in many cases the child was healed. According to a report

by KATU News in Portland, Oregon released in October 2015, more than 250 Oregon children have medical marijuana cards. One parent of a teenage Oregon Medical Marijuana Program patient, who wishes to remain anonymous, reports, “ I notice that my daughter gets better sleep, pain relief and has better concentration when on cannabis. I will not give her the debilitating pharmaceuticals. Her child is surviving with Cerebral Palsy, Asperger’s, and other conditions. What lengths would you go to heal your child? Would you break the law to get the medical treatment you believe is best? Parents all over the country face these questions daily, having to choose between being a criminal, and the possibility of losing their child to the system, and the child’s life.

It’s worthy to note, we all know alcohol kills people and is very toxic to children. Under Oregon law, parents or guardians may legally provide alcohol to their minor child or ward, but only in a private residence when accompanying their minor child.

No one has ever died from cannabis yet children are still being removed from homes, parents are still being shamed, and citizens are still in prison throughout the country, all the while the acceptance of alcohol prevails throughout society from morning T.V. shows to business luncheons and everything in between. We still have a lot of work to do to change the constant flow of government lies about cannabis.

No one says you can’t attend to your children if you drink a beer. I wonder how children who have survived cancer or no longer have seizures due to their parents choosing cannabis feel about the way the Oregon Health Authority as well as other state health authorities demonize the very plant that saved their lives.

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Genius To Smoke or Not to Smoke?

That May Have Been the Question By: Dustin Amato

New evidence shows, that perhaps the most famous and beloved Genius playwright of all time may have in fact been a cannabis smoker. Britain’s telegraph led with the story and it was even picked up by major outlets such as Time Magazine and USA Today. Scientists discovered 400-year-old pipes excavated from the garden near the home of the notorious Genius in Stratfordupon-Avon, England. The pipes in question contained traces of cannabis resin and other drug compounds, suggesting the playwright might have written some of his famous works while high.

The genius in question, is Sir William Shakespeare, the man who wrote 154 sonnets and 37 plays (Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth, etc.). Many of Shakespeare’s play are still being performed to this day or have been used as a source of inspiration a million times over by other authors and even Hollywood movies.

For example, “The Lion King” is simply the story of Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” reimagined with the main characters as animals (mostly lions) instead of humans. The bulk of the story and several key scenes remain completely intact.

The proud king (Mufasa) is killed ‘accidentally’ by his evil, power-hungry brother (Scar), and after a time away from the kingdom, the prince and rightful heir (Simba) returns to bring the truth to light. The film even includes the ghostly vision of Mufasa, and Simba’s pair of fasttalking friends Timon and Pumbaa (Rosencrantz and Guildenstern in Shakespeare’s original).

Since opening on Broadway, THE LION KING has become the most successful musical in history. It currently plays 8 times a week in the heart of Times Square and even had a nice run here in Las Vegas at the Mandalay Bay as many of you may remember.

The shows longevity and success can still be attributed to the Genius of William Shakespeare.

Since the pipes are

believed to have belonged to Shakespeare himself, this may shed new light onto his legendary writing habits. Shakespeare’s sonnets suggest he was familiar with the effects of drugs. In Sonnet 76, he writes about “invention in a noted weed”, which could be interpreted to mean that Shakespeare was willing to use “weed”, or cannabis, while he was writing.

Why is my verse so barren of new pride, So far from variation or quick change?

Why with the time do I not glance aside To new-found methods and to compounds strange?

Why write I still all one, ever the same, And keep invention in a noted weed, That every word doth almost tell my name, Showing their birth and where they did proceed?

There is little doubt that this combination of the findings by researchers and the possible references to weed in Shakespeare’s writings will make others speculate that Shakespeare potentially used cannabis as a source of inspiration.

Professor Thackeray writes: “One can well imagine the scenario in which Shakespeare performed his plays in the court of Queen Elizabeth, in the company of Drake, Raleigh and others who smoked clay pipes filled with cannabis” ‘ We will never know for sure, but if Shakespeare did use drugs as a tool to spark his creativity he certainly would not be the only literary genius to have done so. Perhaps he was Fear and Loathing in Great Britain centuries before Hunter S. Thompson took the plunge in Las Vegas.

Sources: http://www.cnn. com/2015/08/10/europe/ shakespeare-cannabispipe/ Art of Mary Jane, Fall 2015 magazine.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/ news/article-3191234/ Was-Shakespeare-highAnalysis-pipes-gardensuggests-taste-cannabis. html#ixzz405jDbsSa

www.VegasCannabisMag.com

STRAINS • CONCENTRATES • EDIBLES • PRODUCTS

Our team of patients will be testing and reviewing legal, lab-tested products featured in our local dispensaries. Each month, look forward to a sneak peek at new products hitting the shelves.

FIRE By: ALIEN KUSH Bill Shehan

This hybrid is a perfect choice for a head change.

As with all GLP flower, this specimen is beautiful to look at under the scope. I am still impressed with the LED lights and the “no-till” soil that produces such nice buds.

Fire Alien Kush smells very floral and purple, however looks light green with only a hint of purple to the naked eye.

She smokes tasty, and I enjoyed the piney, purple exhale.

The feeling stayed with me for quite some time, as I smoked about four bong rips in just as many hours. You know, I get to smoke weed for a living. I found myself relaxing as I was supposed to be cramming files for the next issue with the stress of a deadline breathing down my neck.

- Fire Alien Kush PACKAGING: LOOK: (Product)

TASTE: FEEL: DURATION:

No sweat though, because my stress was abducted by Fire Alien Kush, and I was feeling all right.

Green Life Productions Hybrid 100% Organic Total Active Cannabinoids: 23.3%

23/25

Fire Alien Kush is the kind of flower that has such a smooth flow in your lungs. Being an asthmatic, medical cannabis patient, this flower has me feeling not only highly medicated, but my lungs also feel open, and I can breathe better than ever!

- Anthony J.

BAKERS BATCH

This is a perfect product for patients who like to make edibles or infusions. We were impressed with the amount and quality of flower material inside the Bakers Batch. The label says shake and excess material, but this jar was filled with highly smokeable herbs.

There wasn’t much shake, and absolutely no stems and roughage. If this is the same stuff that they are rolling prerolls with, then kudos to them for changing our idea of a preroll. Brilliant. What will GLP think of next?

- BAKERS BATCH PACKAGING: LOOK: (Product)

VALUE:

Green Life Productions Fire Alien Kush Hybrid Shake & Excess Material

15/15

The perfect blend of material to bake with. Makes nicely infused butter or oil which can then be added to your favorite recipes.

- Stephanie S.

Attention Dispensaries, Production Facilities and Cultivators ...

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We are on the look out for awesome products to review!

Contact us and have your product(s) included in an upcoming issue.

THE GLASSIFIEDS

Canna Couscous Ingredients: • 473 g Water (or Vegetable Broth) • 265 g Pearl Couscous • 21 g Mushrooms (chopped) • 34 g Vegan Parmesan (grated) • 30 g Fresh Parsley (chopped) • 30 ml Truffle Vinaigrette • 44 ml CANNA INFUSED Olive Oil • Salt & Pepper to Taste Directions: 1. In a pot, bring water (or vegetable broth) to a boil.

Stir in couscous and cover. Remove from heat and let sit for 8 minutes. Then, fluff grains with a fork and set aside.

2. In a large bowl, combine couscous with mushrooms, fresh parsley, and vegan parmesan. Add in the truffle vinaigrette and CANNA infused olive oil. Mix well.

Season with salt and pepper. Place in fridge. - Serve cold.

This recipe and others are available in The Happy Chef Dr. Greenthumb Canna Cookbook available at the Vegas Cannabis Magazine Store, online at www.TheHappy ChefTHC.com and on Amazon. PICK UP YOUR COPY TODAY! Photos: Logan Pochatko, LLC Instagram/Twitter/MassRoots/Pinterest: @happychef_thc Check out The Happy Chef cooking show at www.YouTube. com/c/HappyChefTHCShow

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