Life

Marijuana: REM Sleep Cycles And PSTD

How is it that marijuana affects dreams – and can this somehow benefit post-traumatic stress disorder patients? Chances are if you to ask the nearest Stoner… if they are aware of dreaming, the answer will come back a resounding no. Yet if that same marijuana smoker were asked to stop smoking pot for 7 to 14 days, they would again find their slumber state rich with vivid dreams… sometimes for better, sometimes for worse. Its one thing for the average pot head to make that observation after years of smoking, it’s another to try and find any psychological research based on scientific studies.

As sure as there is day and night… the human condition has grown dependent on a good restful night’s sleep. Unfortunatelywhen that sleep, and its four stages are interrupted for any reason, the outcomes can be less than desirable. The normal daily ebb and flow of sleep and slumber is called a circadian sleep rhythm. Many species aside from humans bow before the circadian sleep rhythm master: dogs, cats, rats and bats all must succumb to the powers of a restful night’s sleep, should they hope for a productive tomorrow.

While sleep appears to be a rather reflexive activity, at least to us, the mind utilizes this time to processes the day’s activities. In studies, sleep volunteers have been shown through the use of an electroencephalogram [EEG] — the different cycles of sleep which occurs on a nightly basis and how the depth of your sleep affects your next day’s productivity. As scientists have noted, each stage of sleep becomes increasingly deeper and sounder, and is repeated several times within an evening’s rest. When the sleeping volunteers were awoken during the REM section of their sleep cycle, all test subjects reported having vivid dreams.

So the obvious question becomes… If dreams only occur during REM sleep — and REM sleep is adversely affected by marijuana smoke, can smoking marijuana cure post-traumatic stress disorder?

There are many scientific research papers which point to use of marijuana’s cannabinoids as a potential memory suppressant in the treatment of PTSD, specifically with the THC cannabinoid. As scientist gaze into the future of PTSD and the THC compound found in cannabis. It is believed that THC may have the curing properties so desperately sought by those that suffer with post-traumatic stress disorder.

This is the report of an open label clinical trial to evaluate the effects of  Nabilone (a synthetic cannabinoid) , used on treatment-resistant nightmares in patients diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Methods: Charts of 47 patients diagnosed with PTSD and having continuing nightmares in spite of conventional antidepressants and hypnotics were reviewed after adjunctive treatment with nabilone was initiated. These patients had been referred to a psychiatric specialist outpatient clinic between 2004 and 2006. The majority of patients (72%) receiving nabilone experienced either cessation of nightmares or a significant reduction in nightmare intensity. Subjective improvement in sleep time, the quality of sleep, and the reduction of daytime flashbacks and nightsweats were also noted by some patients. The results of this study indicate the potential benefits of nabilone, a synthetic cannabinoid, in patients with PTSD experiencing poor control of nightmares with standard pharmacotherapy.

With the mounting proof showing support for medical marijuana as a treatment for PTSD continues to grow, the Department of Veterans Affairs finally decided that the scientific evidence was too strong to ignore. And back in July, 2010, finally gave in to common sense and scientific evidence. The United States Department of Veterans Affairs then made clear that it would permit certain war veterans the use of medicinal pot so long as they lived in a medical marijuana state, had received a doctors recommendation to smoke medical marijuana and were currently enrolled in a state approved program.

While marijuana continues to be classified as a schedule 1 narcotic under federal law, the newly adopted guidelines will potentially allow for doctors at hospitals and clinics to utilize medicinal cannabis; bringing marijuana back into the pharmacopeia of – ‘pain treatment plans’ offered to the vets which suffer from PTSD and the nightmarish dreams which accompany them.

Source: Marijuana.com

Marijuana: REM Sleep Cycles And PSTD | Marijuana.com.

First Ever High Times Cannabis Cup, DENVER!!! 4/20/2013

If you’ve never attended a High Times Cannabis Cup before, buckle your seats and get ready for a dazzling whimsical ride through the back stage door of Canna culture! These folks sure do know how to put on a party, all while educating and spreading the good vibes of activism. Information as follows:

 

US CANNABIS CUP SCHEDULE

Doors open at noon both days of the expo. The seminar stage is located in the main building of EXDO. The awards show will take place in the expo hall of EXDO’s main building.

Friday, April 19
An Evening with Snoop Lion
Details to come.

Saturday, April 20
1:30 p.m. THE ART OF EDIBLES
Elise McDonough (moderator)
Jennifer Smith
Jennifer Hawkins
Scott Durah
Jessica Laroux
Tamir Wise

3 p.m. MARIJUANA WAR STORIES
Michael Kennedy (moderator)
Gerry Goldstein
Michael Stepanian
William Rittenberg
Keith Stroup

4:20 p.m. A 420 WEDDING
The nuptials of Tim Docken & Michelle Peterson

5 p.m. “FREE WEED FROM DANNY DANKO”

A live podcast featuring cultivation experts: Adam from T.H. Seeds, Scott from Rare Dankness, Kyle Kushman and D.J. Short

Expo closes at 8 p.m.

8 p.m. THE HIGH TIMES US CANNABIS CUP CONCERT AT RED ROCKS (featuring Slightly Stoopid and Cypress Hill)
TICKET HOLDERS: Please come to the HIGH TIMES booth to pick up your concert tickets!

Sunday, April 21
1:30 p.m. NEW CANNABIS DIRECTIONS AND CONNECTIONS
Jen Bernstein (moderator)
“Radical Russ” Belville
Lenny Gaiter
Coral Reefer
Paul Tokin

3 p.m. CANNABIS CONCENTRATES 101
Bobby Black (moderator)
Derek Cummings
Daniel de Sailles
K from Trichome Technologies
Nikka T

4 p.m. ADVANCED CULTIVATION TECHNIQUES with Nico Escondido

5 p.m. COLORADO’S REVOLUTION/EVOLUTION
David Holland (moderator)
Rob Corry
Christian Sederberg
Mason Tvert
Brian Vicente

7:30 p.m. THE OFFICIAL HIGH TIMES US CANNABIS CUP AWARDS SHOW
Awards will be presented for the top sativas, indicas, hybrids, edibles, concentrates and more.

 

Source: http://www.cannabiscup.com/

 

Medical marijuana goes on sale in Czech pharmacies

The new law does not foresee health insurance coverage for marijuana, touted by some as a medical miracle drug. The prescription-only drug formally became legal on Monday, but was virtually unavailable as most pharmacies across the ex-communist European Union state of 10.5 million were closed over to the Easter long weekend. Prague will first import the drug for about a year, reportedly from Israel or the Netherlands, until the State Institute for Drug Control starts issuing licences to local growers for a maximum of five years. The institute will also determine the crop area and organise tenders for marijuana purchases from farmers. An EU member since in 2004, the Czech Republic provides some of the most liberal access to soft drugs in Europe. People holding up to 15 grammes (0.53 ounces) of marijuana or growing up to five plants of cannabis risk just a small fine—an approach that often attracts smokers from other countries such as neighbouring Poland, where tougher laws apply. A 2011 national report on narcotics said 16.1 percent of Czechs aged 15-34 admitted to having used marijuana in that year, down from 20.3 percent a year earlier. (c) 2013 AF
P

Medical marijuana goes on sale in Czech pharmacies.

 

Did you know…

Okay, so, you have to school me on Ganja Vibes. Go!

Today I made a new friend. It all started when I “liked” a picture and commented with praise of a certain awesome distribution company‘s move on Facebook…..The response was a “friending” along with the entitled request in a private message.

This is my response:

Cool, here we go…lol

Ganja Vibes is my mother load of all babies at this time. I have been a long time advocate of Cannabis and a healthy sex life. After a long romance with both cultures I saw a niche market untapped.

Enters “Ganja Vibes”, a place where sex and weed combine to help you find your highest highs. ;D

I have conceptualized adult novelty designs for Cannabis enthusiasts. The “Mary Jane VibratorTM” is my first product on the manufacturing line, as I type. Currently being worked on in China, my eventual hope is that the company will one day be “made in America”.

The “Mary Jane VibratorTM” is a personal massager/ clitoral stimulator. Discrete enough to leave lying around the house, but so well designed that you’ll want one for your every day massage use as well as sexual use in the bedroom (or where ever you get your rocks off). It’s amazing while being used in partner play and all around awesome to look at. The most common response is, “faces light up, electronics go to work (in-hand use only; no awkward/ too personal first moments please), and a loud “I WANT ONE” conclusion in meeting.

The Ganja Vibes line will include your basic toys along with some other wild machinations I have worked out while yearning for more creativity and a safe haven (toys that I actually relate to; i.e. my love of Marijuana) while exploring sexuality, pleasure and fun.

Clitoral Stimulator: The Mary Jane VibratorTM
Butt Plug: Under Development
Dildo: Under Development
Dong: Under Development
Fetish Toys: Under Development

Accompaniments:
Lube
Pasties
Sensual Dust
Oral enhancer

Swag:
Shirts Male & Female
Hats
Panties

Online presence:
www.ganjavibes.com - This is a blog I started in November of 2011 to test my name and see how I was going to shape this beast up.
This address will soon become our e-commerce website; the blog will remain a feature.

Twitter:
@ganja_vibes
@maryjanevibe

Facebook:
www.facebook.com/ganjavibes
The facebook page, like the blog is a musing, entertainment and updates hub as I have been very careful while establishing my trademarks, copyrights and become patent pending. I am super jazzed to be coming closer to releasing images and showing the world what Ganja Vibes has coming soon!

I have recently moved to Vegas to audit conventions and see where we get in to fit in.

I have a wild passion for what I’m doing, so pardon me if I’ve rambled! I hope this helps to get you up to date with Ganja Vibes!

What do you think?

New friends response:

Well, I was hoping you could be a bit more thorough.

Followed by a few more questions and praise which I am very grateful for….

I’m posting this because I felt like my followers on this blog deserve the inside scoop. I greatly appreciate all the support. This blog has been a jump off point and a tremendous confidence builder with all the great response I’ve received over the past year and few months I’ve been active, yet sometimes not so active. Thank you!

It’s been an interesting road to discovery in so many directions and so many ways.

Can a cornucopia of marijuana related sex tools change the minds of many and effect our society as we know it??? – I believe it can! AND I have never been declared as insane, for the record! yet. haha.

My goal is to offer these goodies while making them available at an affordable cost to all those who love the culture. It’s true, all these industries are booming and with the future looking so bright towards ending a long time prohibition, it is my soap box to help in the good fight! My secret platform can’t reach many, while a public platform along with audience interaction and vested interest can help change somehow.

I’m open about what I’m doing -on a generalized level- it’s partly what’s helped me get as far as I’ve gotten. I love to learn and I love what I’m doing. I’ve never had so many puns as I’ve experienced through this process and it’s been fun even though it’s been stressful.

Through my education of everything having to do with the industries- manufacturing, adult novelty, apparel, online development and head shop- I have learned more than a college educations worth and do know that it is- “all about relationships”. Luckily, I don’t have too big of a conundrum establishing relationships on a business level most of the time it seems.

I started this company myself and saw it through while treading water so to speak for the first year and a half. After which I brought on a business partner. I do most everything regarding conceptualizing “what is Ganja Vibes” in all directions, with a team of 2 awesome engineers, a graphic artist/art director (which was the hardest to find and settle on), and 1 project manager whose manufacturer I’m using in China, for the core of the operation, at this time. My business partner and I are hard workers and we aren’t greedy. We have hopes that we can build this brand and one day get enough interest to make it work on a wide scale level. I have a back ground in entertainment so one of my plans is to make Ganja Vibes an events brand as well. I know my partner doesn’t want more work, but he’s a little older than I am and I still have a lot of living to support, dreams to see through and fun to have with all the cool ass people out there….so I’m looking long-term.

I’ve run all the media platforms and still do while searching and praying for some good help! I feel like, until I have the first product and few offerings become available, money needs to be spent on production costs to boot.

I get phone calls every day from friends and messages from new supporters asking when can they see what’s being produced and some even ask where can they buy one, before they even see it. I can not express how much fuel this puts on the huge fires burning….I am GRATEFUL, TREMENDOUSLY APPRECIATIVE AND PUMPED about how excited everyone is to welcome Ganja Vibes on the scene with open arms! THANK YOU!

Me, Heather B, Kite flying brainiac & Founder of Ganja Vibes

Be Kinky, Be High…on life….One Love!

Time lapse Video of Cannabis Growing

Strong Baby

1st Round

Bar Owner Tells Pot Smokers to Light Up

Published: Monday, 10 Dec 2012 | 3:39 PM ET

Thanks to a successful ballot initiative last month, Washington state residents can legally smoke marijuana in the privacy of their living rooms as of Thursday.

When that gets old, bar owner Frank Schnarr suggests, area stoners have another option: grab a booth at Frankie’s Sports Bar & Grill in Olympia and toke up there.

Schnarr, 62, says he is not acting out of a love of cannabis – he says he hasn’t smoked the stuff since he was a soldier stationed in Southeast Asia in the 1970s. Rather, he’s looking for new sources of income.

“I stay up at night,” he said. “I’m about to lose my business. So I’ve got to figure out some way to get people in here.”

Schnarr, who waged an ultimately successful battle with local and state officials over Washington’s 2006 smoking ban, appears to be the first restaurant or bar owner in the state to test the recently expanded limits on recreational marijuana use.

So, is he breaking the law?

Federal, state and local officials appear unsure. Or if they are, they’re not saying.

“Marijuana remains illegal under federal law,” said Emily Langlie, spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Seattle. “I can’t tell you whether what he’s doing is legal or not.”

Says Tom Morrill, Olympia’s city attorney: “We’re looking into it. There are a lot of changes in state law right now. That’s all I can say.”

Mikhail Carpenter, spokesman for the state’s Liquor Control Board, newly empowered to make rules for and oversee the state’s planned regime for the cultivation, processing and sale of marijuana, is similarly noncommittal.

“The board is weighing its options with regard to Frankie’s,” he said. “It’s not perfectly crystal clear as to who this falls to.”

Carpenter said he knows of no other bar or restaurant in the state that allows marijuana smoking.

The legal gray area that Schnarr is exploiting exists in part thanks to his earlier fight over the smoking ban.

In order to flout it, Schnarr renamed his establishment’s smoking-friendly second floor as “Friends of Frankie’s,” a private room limited to those who pay a $10 annual membership fee.

A full range of alcoholic beverages are for sale and the room is staffed by comely bartenders and cocktail waitresses. They are volunteers entitled to reimbursement for travel expenses and childcare but otherwise making their living off tips.

“Frank’s ahead of the curve on (allowing marijuana use),” says Shawn Newman, Schnarr’s attorney. “A lot of other taverns, bars and restaurants would like to do this, but they didn’t have enough chutzpah to fight the smoking ban so they’re locked into non-smoking operations.”

Schnarr says “Friends of Frankie’s” has over 10,000 members, with upwards of 40 joining in the two days since he announced that marijuana would be welcome.

To help appeal to his new target market, Schnarr has introduced a $4.20 appetizer menu – included are breaded shrimp, breaded cheese sticks and breaded mushrooms – and he is toying with the possibility of opening a medical marijuana dispensary on a nearby property.

But he isn’t looking to attract Olympia’s sizable transient crowd, or stoned college students.

“I’ll have security in here, and if I see a bunch of guys just trying to get ripped, they’re gone,” he said.

Early last Friday evening, a few dozen customers played pool, drank beer, smoked cigarettes and loosened up for an impending shuffleboard tournament.

Only a small group at the back of the bar appeared to be smoking pot, a glass jar of the stuff sitting on the table between them.

Chris Sapp, 28, a long-haired diesel mechanic and longtime Frankie’s member, said being able to smoke pot at the bar makes him feel like he’s in Amsterdam.

“If I wasn’t a friend of Frankie’s already I’d be one now because you can come here and smoke and feel free,” he said after taking a pull from a small pipe. “That’s how it should be. We shouldn’t have to hide weed.”

Across the room, another patron commended Schnarr for welcoming pot use but begged off giving his name. As a volunteer firefighter, he said, he wasn’t supposed to be in contact with marijuana smoke.

“I cannot be in this room,” he lamented. “It’s not like I’m sitting here smoking a joint or anything. My problem is that I’d love to, but I can’t.

Bar Owner Tells Pot Smokers to Light Up.

 

Medical Marijuana Community Cultivating Pot Farmers Markets | Marijuana.com

Posted July 24th, 2012 by Johnny Dank & filed under 420 Jam, Events, Marijuana and Food.

‘Cheers’ had it right — people love going to places where they know your name — a community of friends in all walks of life embracing one another. Washington being a pro marijuana state with legalized cannabis, the “Ever-Green” state has fully embraced the “community” in medical marijuana community, with some cultivating to physically build one. On one hand we have medical marijuana card holding patients that like to get their pot and run, debating on where to smoke weed; and others that mash-up their love of marijuana with mingling and shopping — Mary Jane meets the farmers market.

This idea isn’t just an idea in a haze…Washington Farmer’s Market in Olympia provides a stoner’s haven for market fare. Open to the public and not being exclusive, the 420 friendly patients and vendors welcome all passerby’s with a smile and open arms; even if you’re the novice stoner still learning how to smoke from a bong.

The marijuana farmer’s market embodies why marijuana laws need to be re-addressed. The market is all about weed; having fun, enjoying the marijuana treats, while learning about all the medical benefits of pot and the exponential medical possibilities of THC and cannibinoids. With about 20 tables, vendors offer anything for the medical marijuana patient to salivate over from marijuana flowers, pot brownies to pot seeds and dank concentrates. Competition helps to have high quality pot products for a low cost, with free weed to sample for patients that donate. With energetic sativas for the day stoner and sedative indicas for the night pot smoker.

With many people with a ‘wake and bake,’ on the go mentality, Sonshine Organics provides relief. This medical marijuana collective runs on the same high grounds as the Washington Farmer’s Market and has a unique feature – a drive-thru. Sonshines own Sarena Haskins says, “It’s perfect for the busy mom on the go, who don’t want to leave her children in the car.”

A staple for the growing marijuana niche market is their food, like any other well-groomed farmer’s market. The BBQ pork slider, infused with cannabutter, from Chef Bilbus Yeoldshire is a must have for all patients. A bang for your buck being less than $5. For stoners with a sweet-tooth, there is a bevy of potent medicated weed treats which include: hash brownies, dark chocolate chip pot cookies and cannabis peanut butter cups.

With a serene and energetic atmosphere for all ages to enjoy; the Washington Farmer’s Market, hopefully, is the start of an ongoing influx of Pot Farmers Markets around the country so more medical marijuana patients can take pleasure in — A safe and nurturing environment for the medical marijuana community. Vendors and patients alike entertaining, educating one another for the greater of medical cannabis.

Identical to the typically, socially-accepted local farmers market minus the cannabis – there’s never a bland moment. With live music, smoking lounges, entertainers at every corner. Hopefully one day there will be a “C” answer to: “Want to go to the farmer’s market?”

A.) Yes

B.) No

C.) Which one? Pot or not?

Source: Marijuana.com

via Medical Marijuana Community Cultivating Pot Farmers Markets | Marijuana.com.

Blaze the Bowl!!!

Marijuana-dispenser stock gets too high – MarketWatch

By Quentin Fottrell

Arno van Dulmen / Shutterstock.com

A company that creates medical-marijuana dispensing machines says its stock is getting way too high.

Medbox MDBX -90.24%   shares surged 3,000% this week — from roughly $4 Monday to $215 Thursday — before falling to $100 after executives sought to dampen investor enthusiasm.

In a news release today, the company said that the stock’s rocket launch, which sent its market cap skyrocketing from $45 million at the start of the week to a staggering $2.3 billion, was ignited by a MarketWatch story Tuesday on how to invest in legalized marijuana (see How to invest in legalized marijuana .) (That’s about double the market capitalization of retailer Jos. A. Bank Clothiers.) The stock, which fell around 50% in early trading Friday, still hovers at $100. “We believe an appropriate trading range is between $5 and $10 but, alas, the market will do what it will do,” says Medbox founder Vincent Mehdizadeh.

Click to Play

How to invest in legalized marijuana

Several states made recreational use of marijuana last week. There are several small-cap stocks that stand to gain from marijuana’s growing acceptance, Quentin Fottrell reports.

At the height of trading this week, $600,000 to $700,000 worth of purchases were made, an unusually high volume for a company of this size. “It was astonishing,” Mehdizadeh says. “We couldn’t really understand why that was happening other than that there was a high demand for stock with limited supply.” It was “thin volume,” but Mehdizadeh says he doesn’t know whether it was one hedge fund or several big buyers.

The company says it’s also investigating ways to minimize any potential shareholder losses. Medbox is in discussions with its attorneys to see if it can reward early investors with company-owned shares should the price they bought at in recent days fall significantly. “We don’t want those investors to have sour feelings about what happened,” Mehdizadeh says. “Obviously day traders are having a field day lately trading our stock.”

But it’s very risky to invest in drugs prohibited at a federal level, experts say. Nearly 500 of the estimated 3,000 dispensaries nationwide have closed or were shut down by the federal government in the past year, according to StickGuide.com, an online directory for medical marijuana dispensaries. Currently, Medbox has 130 dispensers in the field and is due to install 40 more next month, and says it’s looking at the broader pharmaceutical market.

While the rush investors got from the company’s wild surge this week may be matched in coming years, the Hollywood, Calif.-based company says it is confident in its future prospects. Medbox reported a third-quarter revenue of $1.3 million, up from $850,000 in the second quarter. Medbox forecasts revenue of $24 million by the end of the fiscal year 2014 and $48 million by the end of fiscal 2016. It expects earnings before interest, depreciation and amortization to remain at a “healthy” $10.2 million and $22.1 million during those periods. “Real companies don’t need hype,” Mehdizadeh says.

“We feel within 10 years we could legitimately have share prices hit $215 again,” Mehdizadeh says. Currently, there are around one million shares available for trade and, this time next year, he says there will be another one to two million shares trading. Although the company focuses primarily on medical marijuana, he says the temperature-controlled dispensing machines could also be used in prisons and 24-hour drug stores for a larger range of drugs

Marijuana-dispenser stock gets too high – MarketWatch.

 

Blue Dream, a dream Indeed

Jenn Approves

Sign the petition, Be the CHANGE!

Help change. To list Marijuana as a schedule 1 drug is ridiculous and a hinderance to the natural health care of everyone. Sign the petition, be a part of history and help yourself and your children. Have you enjoyed watching sick family members suffer and diminish because of adverse effects of pharmaceuticals? Choose Cannabis and let your government know where you stand. Don’t let fear of voicing facts and your position stand between what’s right and what’s wrong. Be the change!

WE PETITION THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION TO:

Remove marijuana from the federal Controlled Substance Act and allow the states to decide how they want to regulate it.

Some states have clearly indicated that they wish determine how to regulate marijuana at the state level through medical marijuana programs or by legalizing personal use. Please remove federal implications by removing marijuana from the Controlled Substance Act.

Created: Nov 07, 2012

Issues: Government Reform

Learn about Petition Thresholds

SIGNATURES NEEDED BY DECEMBER 07, 2012 TO REACH GOAL OF 25,000

24,974

TOTAL SIGNATURES ON THIS PETITION

26

You’ve already signed this petition

go to:

https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/remove-marijuana-federal-controlled-substance-act-and-allow-states-decide-how-they-want-regulate-it/lzSd9fcG