This article is based on the experience and knowledge of David and does not constitute medical advice and should not be taken as such. dope-seeds.com do not and cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information and we do not want to encourage any body to do anything that is illegal.

I hope everyone who reads this article finds it as interesting as we have, Thanks David. 

The real “Dope” about Medical Marijuana/Cannabis use

By

David Hopkins (contact David)

My name is David Hopkins. I have been asked by the caring folks at allsalvia to write some useful information concerning medical Marijuana and its use. They wish for all of their medical users to be more informed, and so better able to make intelligent decisions regarding the use of their quality products. 

I am also a medical Marijuana grower/smoker. I’m what many would call a “veteran user”, having smoked Marijuana for pleasure on and off for the last forty years. I now suffer from an advanced medical condition that causes me severe pain daily, and my weight has fallen from 250 pounds down to 135 pounds in a little over a year. My appetite is practically non-existent as well. Now my reasons for smoking Marijuana have changed. For me and countless others, Marijuana is a safe, effective and predictable source of relief from many medical conditions/symptoms.

It is still, however, illegal in many parts of the world. It can also be a very dangerous outing to try and locate some “dope” from dodgy sorts standing in darkened corners of the street who may just as easily run off with your money, or hand you a packet of something that doesn’t even resemble Marijuana. Buyers beware! Don’t put yourself in illegal and potentially harmful situations just to “score” a little pot for your personal use. Growing your own is a much better…and safer…option. I’ll tell you more on that subject a little later. 

Having said all that, things are slowly changing for the better. And with continued pressure from those of us who express a real need for this easily-grown natural remedy, the people in public office who compose and enforce these ridiculous laws that we all are expected to abide by will change their narrow-minded thinking and see Marijuana for what it really is. A natural, medical marvel. 

My condition has advanced to the point that I now require Morphine Sulphate patches every day. These must be worn constantly, but even morphine patches are not enough to keep my pain completely at bay. So, I supplement the patches with Marijuana that I grow right here in my own home so I can control its overall quality and grow any kind of Marijuana I like. The combination of the two medications makes my life live able. I am able to think more clearly, eat, move around and even “work” on my computer. This gives me the opportunity to tell others who seek more knowledge concerning relief for their own physical problems, about the amazing benefits of this most misunderstood of all plants.  

Now that you know a little about me and my recent medical history, we’ll move on. You should understand that “Marijuana” and “Cannabis” are two different names that refer to the exact same plant-- Cannabis Sativa. But rest assured that no matter what you call it, Marijuana or Cannabis, they are one-in-the-same plant. “Hemp” is also a variety of this versatile plant, but it’s grown for fibre and oil production rather than for THC content. Hemp only contains an average of something like 0.00025 percent THC. In other words, you cannot get “high” by smoking it, no matter how much you consumed. For our purposes we’ll stick to talking about the more familiar Marijuana/Cannabis. But what’s in a name? 

American’s, Canadians, and many other “Western” cultures refer to this wonderful, most helpful weed (and it is exactly that…a weed) as “Marijuana”, which originally was a derogatory slang term for young Mexican men who secretly smoked the wild herb a couple of centuries ago in old Mexico. The name somehow attached itself to the plant, and it is known to many as Marijuana to this day. 

In most European countries, however, the plant is called “Cannabis” which, of course, is half its proper name. Some of the more common slang terms for Cannabis are: Pot, Reefer, Puff, Ganja, Grass, Pot, Gear, BoB Hope (Dope…Cockney rhyming slang), DirtY DeeD (Weed…Cockney rhyming slang), Herb, Dope, Mary Jane, etc. Slang words for Marijuana and Cannabis may be completely different in your part of the world. 

Now, here’s a bit of information about the plant itself. There are three distinctly different kinds of Marijuana/Cannabis. They are: Cannabis Sativa, Cannabis Indica, and Cannabis Ruderalis. Cannabis Ruderalis is a variety that grows wild in parts of Eastern Europe and Russia. It’s occasionally used in hybrids (an intentional crossing of two different types of Cannabis) to help the resulting plants be better able to cope with the cold weather. It is not generally thought of as a consumer strain, so we’ll confine our talk to Sativa’s and Indica’s. 

The “high” a person experiences when smoking a sufficient amount of pure or mostly pure Indica-- such as Warlock or Medicine Man-- is more of a heavy “body stone”. You may feel lethargic, tired, unwilling to attend to reality tasks. Experienced users call this “Couch Lock”. You really just want to let alone to sit and think deep, intellectual thoughts as you enjoy the pain relief. You may find it very hard to stay awake as well, so this sort of strain would be good for those having trouble sleeping. This is the best sort of “high” for easing pain and most of the other symptoms already listed here. A good Indica/Sativa cross can also offer the best of both worlds. There are many breeders who work hard to develop strains that will accomplish just that-- give you a great head high coupled with a relaxing and definitely medically-beneficial strong body stone. 

Sativa’s, on the other hand, offer more of a “head high”. This type of high is the one most associated with hilarious fits of laughter, long discussions about nothing, enhanced audio and visual senses. You hear things in songs you’ve never heard before, see things in movies you’ve watched a dozen times but never noticed before. Strolling through brightly-lit malls becomes a whole new and exciting adventure. In other words, smoking a pure Sativa or mostly Sativa hybrid will make you feel great! Energetic and social and ready for fun! And depending on the particular strain of Sativa/Indica cross you smoke, you may get a good measure of pain relief in the deal as well. Consuming (eating) either strain or hybrid of the two results in a stronger, longer-lasting high. But it doesn’t feel as good as smoking the herb does to many who have tried it. It’s a matter of experience and personal taste. It really depends on what effect you are looking for when making your seed selection and choosing a way to ingest it. 

Now, here’s a bit of boring, but very important, information regarding the weed you’re interested in smoking or eating. You should always find out as much about something you’re going to put into your body as you can, before you try it. 

THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) is the psychoactive component present in Cannabis. In other words it’s the component in Marijuana that gives you the pleasant “high” feeling. But it doesn’t work alone to produce that feeling. There are a cocktail of chemical components found in Cannabis. Recent research has proved THC to be medically useful. CBN is a non-psychoactive agent, and is the component that makes the weed smell and taste so nice after it’s harvested and cured properly. It can also cause drowsiness and other similarly unwanted, but mild, side-affects. 

Different strains help different types of medical conditions. Some of the additional chemical components found in Marijuana are: Cannabigerol (CBG), cannabichromene (CBC), cannabidiol (CBD), delta-8-THC, cannabicyclol (CBL), cannabinol (CBN), cannabitriol (CBT), cannabavarin (THCU). All are known to have psychoactive and pharmacological effects.       

Animal testing has shown that CBN and THC reduce IOP (intraocular pressure), but CBD does not. CBD has, however, been found to have anxiolytic and antipsychotic effects. Also, unlike THC, CBD alone is not effective in treating pain. Though it does act as a sedative and can relieve muscle spasms. Medical studies also show CBD can improve sleep. CBD is also reported to be effective for treatment of dystopias, Huntington’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and neuropathic conditions. 

The most desirable strains for medical use are ones that have been genetically developed by experts to have an extremely low CBN concentration while maintaining an available range of THC concentrates. These include: “Durban Poison” (Nirvana Seeds), “Haze” (Nirvana Seeds), “Reclining Buddha” (Soma Seeds), “Power Plant” (Nirvana Seeds), and “Skunk #1” (Dutch Passion Seeds). 

Note: I offer no testimonial to the standing-- good or bad-- of any of the seed banks listed above. I am simply guiding you toward sites where these particularly-beneficial seed strains are readily available. DH

Cannabis Properties

Cannabis has been claimed to help with a large number of wide-ranging symptoms. However, research has concluded three major properties which are medically useful. Cannabis is:

• an analgesic (relieves pain)
• an anti-emetic (relieves nausea and vomiting)
• an appetite stimulant (induces hunger)

A very large and growing community of people with medical complaints such as severe chronic pain use Cannabis for medicinal purposes without the after-affects and damage associated with many of today's commonly-prescribed medications. Typically, medical Cannabis use is practised by AIDS and MS patients, but it is certainly not limited to just these conditions. THC is also one of the safest active substances known to man, and has a wide variety of therapeutic applications including, but certainly not limited to:

• Reduction of muscle spasms.
• Relief from chronic pain.
• Relief from nausea and increase of appetite.
• Marijuana is frequently beneficial in the treatment of the following conditions:
• AIDS. Marijuana can reduce the nausea, vomiting, and loss of appetite caused by the ailment itself and by various AIDS medications.
• Glaucoma. Marijuana can reduce interlobular pressure, thereby alleviating the pain, and slowing -- and sometimes stopping -- the progress of the condition. Glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness in the United States. It damages vision by increasing eye pressure over time.
• Cancer. Marijuana can stimulate the appetite and alleviate nausea and vomiting, which are common side effects of chemotherapy treatment.
• Multiple Sclerosis. Marijuana can limit the muscle pain and spasticity caused by the disease, as well as relieving tremor and unsteadiness of gait. Multiple sclerosis is the leading cause of neurological disability among young and middle-aged adults in the United States.
• Epilepsy. Marijuana can prevent epileptic seizures in some patients.
• Chronic Pain. Marijuana can alleviate the chronic, often debilitating pain caused by myriad disorders and injuries.
• Many patients also report that Marijuana is useful for treating arthritis, migraine, menstrual cramps, alcohol and opiate addiction, depression and other debilitating mood disorders.

Nearly all medicines have toxic, potentially lethal effects. Marijuana is not such a substance. There is not a single record in the extensive medical literature describing a proven, documented, cannabis-induced fatality. Simply stated, researchers have been unable to give animals enough Marijuana to induce death. In practical terms, Marijuana cannot induce a lethal response as a result of drug-related toxicity. In strict medical terms, Marijuana is far safer than many foods we commonly consume. Marijuana, in its natural form, is one of the safest therapeutically-active substances known to man. DEA Administrative Law Judge, FL Young, 1988

Here are some great sources for individual research regarding Medical Marijuana and its use, trends, current laws, etc., Additional reference material can also be found at these Internet addresses.

http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/13625.html 

http://www.marijuana-as-medicine.org/ 

http://www.csdp.org/news/news/medmar.htm 

Growing your own: It’s really quite easy!  

Okay, here’s the deal with growing Marijuana at home. It’s still an illegal activity to cultivate Cannabis/Marijuana in your home in most places. Canada has recently become the exception, I believe, and eased their laws concerning personal possession. The point is you must ask yourself whether you are willing to take the risk of growing and possessing Marijuana in your home, as the penalties in some areas can be quite stiff. Know the laws in your area concerning Marijuana cultivation! I wouldn’t go ask at the local police station though. I can hear the smiling desk Sergeant now…”If you’ll just leave us your address and telephone number, we’ll be happy to send that information right out to you!” I can also imagine someone who is silly enough to ask such a question at such a place, happily scribbling his or her contact information on an official police note pad. I think the law section at the library would suffice. 

Getting back to reality, if you can grow tomatoes outside in your garden, then you can grow pot. If you’ve had any success at all with temperamental house plants, then you can grow Marijuana indoors. The trick is to get the lighting, nutrients, and watering right. But with a little bit of common sense and armed with some basic knowledge gleaned from Internet forums such as www.dope-seeds.com/growing.htm, www.uk420.com, http://forum.grasscity.com, you’ll be growing your own “head stash” in no time at all! But do the homework required to make an intelligent decisions regarding seeds and the growing equipment you’ll need to acquire. Ask questions of forum members and try to find out which online seed bank/equipment store does the most honest business. www.dope-seeds.com is one of these trustworthy sites. I have had business dealings with the owner of this site and can report that they were perfectly honest and forthright with all of our dealings. I highly recommend them! 

If you do choose to grow indoors, either in soil or hydroponically, there is nothing to be afraid of! It’s just a matter of setting up some rather simple equipment, placing your plants in there proper spots in whichever medium you decide to use, and them simply tending them as they grow. Remember, information is at hand any time night or day just by typing “Marijuana (or Cannabis) forums” into Google or any other search engine, and then selecting a promising-looking link from the long list of forums displayed. Most of these have a “Newbie” or “Beginners” area where people who have pressing questions can come and get their problems solved by friendly, helpful people with more experience. Registration is generally free, and this allows you to post to the forums as well as read posts from members who are registered. Join in! Don’t be afraid to ask the odd “dumb question”! We have all been new at this at some point, and just about everyone on those forums is eager to help you succeed with your first Marijuana garden. Good luck! 

How to smoke Marijuana 

Here is where personal preference plays a very big part in your chosen method of getting the THC and other helpful components of the Marijuana into your system where it can do you some good. If you are already a cigarette smoker, then it follows that you will likely choose to smoke your herb. If not, you may elect to eat it as a preparation such as Cannabis Butter, a potent concoction that you simply use in cooking like you would regular butter. The effects are very nice, but more of a “body stone” than the cerebral (head high) one gets from smoking the weed.   

“Bongs” are a popular choice for people who wish to smoke their pot. A bong is simply a tube of different lengths (depending on style) made of various materials such as glass or plastic, with an open top and a hole bored into it to hold a stem and pipe bowl, and a second hole bored to be used s a “Carb”, or “carburetor”. This hole is covered by the user’s thumb as the pipe bowl is lit and smoke is drawn down into the larger chamber at the bottom of the long tube, by placing the lips around the hole in the very top of the tube and sucking. When the smoker is ready, they take their thumb from the Carb hole and inhale deeply, allowing all the smoke in the bong chamber to rush into their lungs where it’s held as long as the smoker can comfortably keep it in. 

Rolling a “joint” or “spliff” is another popular way to smoke Marijuana. The prepared (slightly ground or crumbled) Marijuana is rolled into a cigarette just as though it were tobacco. Then the joint is smoked as though it were a cigarette, but the smoke is inhaled deeper and retained longer.

Pipes and Chillums (a small, specialized pipe designed only for smoking pot) and an assortment of other paraphernalia intended to be used for smoking pot are available for purchase over the Internet, and even at your local “head shop”. 

The method of consumption varies from person to person, but the end result is the same. Amazingly effective relief for many medical conditions with the only real side effect worth mentioning being the wonderful, relaxing “high” you’ll experience as your pain eases. All in all, I’d say that makes it a very attractive alternative to prescription drugs! Enjoy your new “hobby” and get all the benefits you can from Marijuana, the world’s most useful plant! 

What seems easy to understand to the person writing the information isn’t always easy for the reader to fully grasp. With that in mind, I decided to create a manual that truly is easy to understand. A book that explains things in such detail that you’ll know how things work instead of hoping that you understood what the author meant. No more guessing. No more worry. No more frustration and not being able to “catch on”. If you can read and understand what I’m telling you here, you’ll be smoking and enjoying the relief your home-grown herb before you know it! Common Marijuana/Cannabis slang will be explained so you can further your education by performing more of your own research on the Internet. If you have no idea what a “spliff” or a “roach” is, it really does you no good to spend time reading articles or other information regarding Marijuana, because you won’t fully understand what is being discussed. 

You’ll learn how to: choose the correct strain for your particular symptoms- how to germinate the seeds (prepare them so the little “feeler root” pops out of the shell and is ready to go) – how to take care of the seedlings until they are ready to be transplanted into inexpensive little water-saturated cubes called Jiffy Pellets (little fibrous cubes that can hold a lot of water like a sponge to keep the roots nice and healthy) - the best and easiest methods of taking your seedlings through the next stage, which is their “vegetative growth” period (this just means letting them grow a bit more in “Rockwool” cubes, which are very fibrous and also meant to hold water for the roots to feed from until they are old enough and large enough to move into their final home) – the easiest ways to tend to your fast-growing crop – how to know exactly when to harvest your crop – easy methods for harvesting your finished crop of Marijuana – simple ways to “cure” your herb (this just means to let it hang and dry a special way to bring out the Marijuana’s lovely smell and flavour) – how to store your “medicine” properly for long-term keeping – easy-to-follow recipes for cooking and consuming your Marijuana – and a lot of fun stuff as well like creative joint/spliff rolling and things to do when you’re high.

 I will take you through the entire process from selecting the correct strain for your medical condition (so you won’t have to drive yourself to distraction trying to make an intelligent decision regarding your “medicine”. You’ll learn how to grow Marijuana like the pros! 

Medical marijuana resources

Medical marijuana research

American medical marijuana association 

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Medical marijuana information