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vikinggoddess
11-04-2005, 09:12 AM
http://www.mytelus.com/news/article....icleID=2075872

VICTORIA, B.C. (Black Press) - Some people might be shocked at the idea of pregnant women smoking marijuana to deal with the nausea that comes with pregnancy.
But a UK-based medical publication, Journal of Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, has taken the idea seriously and published a study conducted by the Vancouver Island Compassion Society on the topic....


That said, Lucas decided to move forward with a survey/study to determine if women who smoked marijuana while they were pregnant found that it dealt with the nausea and vomiting.
The survey shows that 92 per cent of respondents considered marijuana to be either "extremely effective" or "effective" as a therapy for nausea and vomiting (or morning sickness)....

herb ox
11-05-2005, 11:07 AM
Controversial, indeed.... the primary investigator reiterated twice against smoking anything during pregnancy.

Perhaps a vaporizer is in order? Seems the inhalation of THC is the fastest and most effective method of delivery. However, the smoke and carbon monoxide proves unhealthful. These new devices vaporize the active ingredient before the plant material begins to combust.

The main counfound I find with this research is the nature of the survey itself - asking pot smokers if they think it helps with just about anything is going to yield high (no pun intended) figures of agreement... otherwise, they wouldn't be smoking de herb to begin with.

Huo Ma Ren is a common item in the Chinese materia medica - however, I have yet to come across any concrete evidence of smoking the 'huo ma hua' (flowering tops)... anybody know of any references to the smoking of cannabis in Chin. medicine?

peace

herb ox

vikinggoddess
11-05-2005, 11:37 AM
The main counfound I find with this research is the nature of the survey itself - asking pot smokers if they think it helps with just about anything is going to yield high (no pun intended) figures of agreement... otherwise, they wouldn't be smoking de herb to begin with.

Huo Ma Ren is a common item in the Chinese materia medica - however, I have yet to come across any concrete evidence of smoking the 'huo ma hua' (flowering tops)... anybody know of any references to the smoking of cannabis in Chin. medicine?



I find the juxtaposition of these two objections rather ironic. You are critiquing the study as being biased for it's simplistic approach in asking self medicating mom's if their herb of choice works, and at the same time asking if this has been previously described in Chinese medical classics, which we know are not based on double bind experimentation but similarly looking at what herbs have worked for a given conditition. ;)

herb ox
11-05-2005, 12:00 PM
You're right about my critique. However, the classics were most often based upon an herbalist's long term experiences with a substance as prescribed to patients. The present cannabis study looks at an herb often used recreationally, and often accompanied by strong emotional responses about the herb itself...

Don't get me wrong... I'm all for huo ma research and 'experimentation' - however, I'm also all for presenting research that can't be picked apart by critics so easily. Thousand-year old writings documenting use of huo ma do provide better evidence of repeated usage with results, rather than a survey of people who probably already have a love affair with cannabis, in my not-so-humble opinion.

one,

herb ox

vikinggoddess
11-05-2005, 12:09 PM
I feel the self-prescription model is just as valid. This is the difference I see between the TCM way and the Wise Woman herbal tradition way. The wise woman herbalist self prescribes based on experience of other women and personal experience. I prefer the model where each person takes care of their own health with herbs.

I do not agree that women using pot for nausea neccessarily have a love affair with it. I think actually most women who smoke pot stop during pregnacy out of either caution or cultural stigmatization of this practice. You will see this point illustrated if you read the following editorial, which is esentially a personal case study.

http://www.mothering.com/articles/pregnancy_birth/birth_preparation/marijuana.html
"Medical Marijuana: A Surprising Solution to Severe Morning Sickness
By Erin Hildebrandt
Issue 124 May/June 2004

As is the case for many young women, my indulgence in recreational drugs, including alcohol and caffeine, came to an abrupt halt when my husband and I discovered we were pregnant with our first child. To say we were ecstatic is an understatement. Doctors had told me we might never conceive, yet here we were, expecting our first miracle. I closely followed my doctor’s recommendations. When I began to experience severe morning sickness, I went to him for help. He ran all of the standard tests, then sent me home with the first of many prescription medicines....."

irontiger1981
09-30-2008, 09:42 PM
i smoke marijuana almost everyday and i hear that a lot of people say that it makes them tired, lethargic, forgetful etc. but if you smoke the right amount for what you are doing i htink it could be a very good supplement for concentration."zoning out" you dont have to smoke a lot to where you are comatose or anything.:cool:any takers??!?!?!?!!?!?!

BoulderDawg
09-30-2008, 09:44 PM
Sure why not!:D

I enjoy it....however I think if I smoked every day then I would not enjoy it so much. Usually once a twice a month is enough for me.

The best part is that it don't make you sick and you feel great the next day!

irontiger1981
09-30-2008, 09:48 PM
Sure why not!:D

I enjoy it....however I think if I smoked every day then I would not enjoy it so much. Usually once a twice a month is enough for me.

The best part is that it don't make you sick and you feel great the next day!

amen to the godly grass, my brother,jk that was me being a hippy but totally hear ya on that

Lucas
09-30-2008, 09:54 PM
ive been known to partake ;)

I would never suggest anyone start intaking thc, but for those of us that find enjoyment in its presence, i dont see anything wrong with that. its been in use by humans for a very very long time to help with all sorts of problems.

i personally dont view it any different than say, alcohol, except that its illegal in a lot of places.

its actually legal where i live for medical purposes, ive met several people with aids, cancer, glaucoma, etc. that benefet from its use.

I dont really like to smoke before i work out. never, ever for me when i am recieving instruction. i cant stand it.

sometimes when i am at home and practicing in a really relaxed manner, i may puff a bit, on occasion.

there is this other thread (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=50695)

GunnedDownAtrocity
09-30-2008, 11:55 PM
if i were smoking pot instead of working on my 5th beer and considering my 6th right about now, i wouldnt be at all concerned about tomorrow.

ill give you that.

JGTevo
10-01-2008, 02:46 AM
but if you smoke the right amount for what you are doing i htink it could be a very good supplement for concentration.

The problem is, there is zero scientific evidence to support that idea.

And tons of scientific evidence, even recently, that says the opposite.


The effects it has on you are irrelevant. There are always exceptions to the rule, like Eddie Bravo who is able to do some pretty great things(like beat a gracie at abu dhabi) while high.. But the majority of people don't experience anything like that.

It's a mixed bag, mostly. It does impair learning ability, slows motor reflexes, hand-eye coordination, etc.

Try playing guitar hero on weed and you'll see what I mean.

... mushrooms on the other hand... well there's a reason they used to be called "Genius Mushrooms". :)

David Jamieson
10-01-2008, 03:40 AM
People find the oddest ways to justify their vices.

Cannabis is an external substance. it will get you high, it is illegal in many countries.

It dulls the senses somewhat as far as motorskills and short term memory are concerned.

It does however relieve nausea and increase appetite in patients who it is prescribed to. It has no analgesic properties except for it's hypnotic effects.

using for the sake of using is merely abuse.

uki
10-01-2008, 03:50 AM
marijuana is illegal... it's against the law to use it. you can't break the law... you have to do what your told like good controllable people, which reminds me... it's 6:30am and my mom and i haven't baked our breakfast yet. :D

my mom is visiting from maui...

sanjuro_ronin
10-01-2008, 04:04 AM
I don't need drugs, heck I don't even take pain killers.
I like the pain...
:p

GreenCloudCLF
10-01-2008, 06:03 AM
Drugs are for the weak. Drugs are for those whose lives are so bad they need an escape. Drugs are the root of all evil.

sanjuro_ronin
10-01-2008, 06:14 AM
While MA and drugs have gone hand-in0hand at times ( opium in China, hasish also), it makes little sense for a MA to partake in drug use, it is an external (outside) method to achieve a state that a MA shoudl get without any outside influence.
It is the anthesis of mental MA training.
Not to mention people that use them stink.

irontiger1981
10-01-2008, 06:50 AM
While MA and drugs have gone hand-in0hand at times ( opium in China, hasish also), it makes little sense for a MA to partake in drug use, it is an external (outside) method to achieve a state that a MA shoudl get without any outside influence.
It is the anthesis of mental MA training.
Not to mention people that use them stink.

well i know it helps me tremendously but i also have adhd. and to me i think in the fact that it is natural and could be considered medicinal, what about all the fermented kung fu wines the ancients used to use to aid in their training it really to me is the same difference. like i said im not getting stoned out of my mind i just take 2 or 3 hits to alllow me to get in my zone. but i can agree to disagree on this one

TenTigers
10-01-2008, 06:55 AM
Reality is just a crutch for people who can't deal with drugs.

sanjuro_ronin
10-01-2008, 06:56 AM
well i know it helps me tremendously but i also have adhd. and to me i think in the fact that it is natural and could be considered medicinal, what about all the fermented kung fu wines the ancients used to use to aid in their training it really to me is the same difference. like i said im not getting stoned out of my mind i just take 2 or 3 hits to alllow me to get in my zone. but i can agree to disagree on this one

Its cool man :D
Seriously though, agreeing to disagree is fine, not here to push my views on anyone, opinions are just that.
Never the less, taking something to "get into the zone" can be viewed as a crutch.
Now, if you smoke up to take away the pain from working out, THAT I can understand !
LOL !

SimonM
10-01-2008, 07:02 AM
SR: This is unless they have access to soap, shampoo, toothpaste, a safe out-door space to smoke (no hotboxing) and maybe (if they want to be thorough) some visene.

sanjuro_ronin
10-01-2008, 07:34 AM
SR: This is unless they have access to soap, shampoo, toothpaste, a safe out-door space to smoke (no hotboxing) and maybe (if they want to be thorough) some visene.

Tree hugging hippie.

SimonM
10-01-2008, 07:40 AM
Hey! I'm not a hippie! I dress in clothes that are relatively normal (except for my long black raincoat and fedora that I wear on rainy days) and have a sense of personal hygene.

(I am a tree-hugger though.)

sanjuro_ronin
10-01-2008, 07:41 AM
Hey! I'm not a hippie! I dress in clothes that are relatively normal (except for my long black raincoat and fedora that I wear on rainy days) and have a sense of personal hygene.

(I am a tree-hugger though.)

hairy arm pit woman lover

SimonM
10-01-2008, 07:54 AM
Um... no.... :D

Lucas
10-01-2008, 09:05 AM
hairy arm pit woman lover

he likes french chicks?

SimonM
10-01-2008, 09:27 AM
He is implying I am a hippie and like hirsuit ladies.

sanjuro_ronin
10-01-2008, 09:29 AM
He is implying I am a hippie and like hirsuit ladies.

true, I would never insult Simon by accusing him of being French.

SimonM
10-01-2008, 09:50 AM
LOL! Touche.

cjurakpt
10-01-2008, 12:14 PM
Touche.

I thought it was "toke"?

cjurakpt
10-01-2008, 12:15 PM
true, I would never insult Simon by accusing him of being French.

Non! He is a silly English pig-dog!

sanjuro_ronin
10-01-2008, 12:18 PM
Non! He is a silly English pig-dog!

yes, yes, who's mother smells of boisonberries, we know...french people....

SimonM
10-01-2008, 12:54 PM
No, I am a filthy rebel Irish. ;)

Or a surly drunken Scott... take your pick. :D

Calling me an englishman is the gravest of insults.

produces a heavy steel gauntlet and smacks cjurakpt with it.

Ray Pina
10-01-2008, 01:25 PM
The weed is awesome for self hypnosis. Zone out to your music....

nah, I aint scared. I'm light. I'm powerful. I'm in shape. Aint no way I'm avoiding the barrel. PULLING IN DEEEEEEEEP mother****er! (http://magicseaweed.com/Dunes-Surf-Report/452/)

Same about life.

**** that! I don't need no stinking straight life jack. So much money floating around one way or another.

Be free! Be free!

cjurakpt
10-01-2008, 04:08 PM
No, I am a filthy rebel Irish. ;)

Or a surly drunken Scott... take your pick. :D

Calling me an englishman is the gravest of insults.

produces a heavy steel gauntlet and smacks cjurakpt with it.

an insult!

on the first eve of the next waxing gibbous, staple guns at 43 1/3 paces, behind your mother's tool shed (it will be convenient for me, as I will have just finished with her :eek:)

JGTevo
10-01-2008, 05:34 PM
an insult!

on the first eve of the next waxing gibbous, staple guns at 43 1/3 paces, behind your mother's tool shed (it will be convenient for me, as I will have just finished with her :eek:)

A woman with a tool shed is usually a pretty manly broad :)

Raipizo
10-01-2008, 06:03 PM
if you do anything with drugs you should go die, XD!

Lucas
10-01-2008, 08:30 PM
what are drugs?

you mean like aspirin, vikidan, other things the doctor gives you made out of chemicals and bad stuff?

i agree, those nasty pills the doctors hand out to the majority of our populous are freaking terrible.

way worse than that stuff that god(s)/nature gave us.....

uki
10-01-2008, 08:32 PM
if you do anything with drugs you should go die, XD!if we are all going to die anyway, why does it matter what we do while we live?

sanjuro_ronin
10-02-2008, 05:21 AM
A woman with a tool shed is usually a pretty manly broad :)

That's not a woman, its a man baby, yeah.

Ray Pina
10-02-2008, 06:17 AM
if you do anything with drugs you should go die, XD!

This is a very strong sentiment. Were you are a loved one hurt by "drugs."

I can understand. After my mother died my father got all fu(ked up on coke and tried killing himself. I found him hanging and had to take him down. Those were rough times. Total hell.

As early as 7th grade me and the boys would sneak out drinks from home and party in the playground. This was only intensified in HS. By senior year I would bring a case of beer with me to a party... for me, and me alone (I need to develop this selfish attitude with kripy).

Anyway, I was fat and flabby. Almost 20 years later I am in 10x better shape and that's because I replaced legal booz with illegal weed.

First the legality issue: booz was legal, then illegal and then legal again. Legality is a matter of paperwork. A man can be crook one day and an upstanding system the next? Because who says so?

Health: While I agree a complete man should find peace naturally, and I would say I have, everything you put in your body causes an effect. Weed helped me see the truth. Guys you see making millions in rock-n-roll bands.... no doubt their family was like mine "You can't make money like that." "Get a real job."

Weed cuts through man's mass created reality of comfort. It breaks away all the programing (if you're a thinking man and not just some wanker) and allows you to reprogram yourself. It's also fun to go through life appearing to be somewhat of a happy dim whit.

My advice is any drug is not for everyone. But I would recommend any person well adjusted to try LSD at least once IF they can get a good, clean source of it. This "drug" will show you what's up.... or down, or inside out. Reveal other levels of reality that are as real as the one you currently have concrete faith in.

After that, the occasional magic mushroom... once every 2 to 3 years just to check in with yourself. There's no bull****ting yourself on mushrooms. This is why some people can't handle it.

That's it. You'd have to fight me to the finish to get me to try "hard drugs." No interest. Though I do not judge.

Everything under the stars is. You can shake your fist at it, shake its hand or walk away.

Ray Pina
10-02-2008, 06:18 AM
As far as effectiveness as a martial artist... it's getting harder and harder to find someone to beat me.

sanjuro_ronin
10-02-2008, 06:25 AM
As far as effectiveness as a martial artist... it's getting harder and harder to find someone to beat me.

You really need to get out more !
LOL

GreenCloudCLF
10-02-2008, 06:48 AM
what are drugs?

you mean like aspirin, vikidan, other things the doctor gives you made out of chemicals and bad stuff?

i agree, those nasty pills the doctors hand out to the majority of our populous are freaking terrible.

way worse than that stuff that god(s)/nature gave us.....

god(s)/nature gave us arsenic, cyanide, carbon monoxide, tornados, typhoons, earthquakes, mud slides, AIDS (unless you are a conspiracy theorist). Yeah, aspirin is much worse than thos that naturally occur.

I love druggies that rationalize their habit. Weakness is weakness.

SimonM
10-02-2008, 07:20 AM
god(s)/nature gave us arsenic, cyanide, carbon monoxide, tornados, typhoons, earthquakes, mud slides, AIDS (unless you are a conspiracy theorist). Yeah, aspirin is much worse than thos that naturally occur.

I love druggies that rationalize their habit. Weakness is weakness.

So I guess the question becomes whether you consider enjoying the psychotropic properties of a relatively harmless fibrous grass-like bush to be weakness. If you are dependant on it to feel normal than yes. If you simply enjoy using it for recreation than no.

GreenCloudCLF
10-02-2008, 08:32 AM
So I guess the question becomes whether you consider enjoying the psychotropic properties of a relatively harmless fibrous grass-like bush to be weakness. If you are dependant on it to feel normal than yes. If you simply enjoy using it for recreation than no.

Any time you need to change the chemical balance in your body by taking in other substances to enjoy yourself (IE recreation) you are weak. Smoking MJ is no different than the 300 lb whale eating chocolate cake to cope with depression or a crack head taking another hit...

Xiao3 Meng4
10-02-2008, 08:47 AM
Any time you need to change the chemical balance in your body by taking in other substances to enjoy yourself (IE recreation) you are weak. Smoking MJ is no different than the 300 lb whale eating chocolate cake to cope with depression or a crack head taking another hit...

Amen.

I add:

Buddha was not vegetarian. If he was invited to dinner with a family, he would eat whatever the family had cooked, including meat. He would NOT, however eat any meat that had been slaughtered in his honour or his name.

A beer offered is different than a beer sought. Likewise with tokes.

Also, everything in moderation... including moderation.

Lucas
10-02-2008, 10:01 AM
god(s)/nature gave us arsenic, cyanide, carbon monoxide, tornados, typhoons, earthquakes, mud slides, AIDS (unless you are a conspiracy theorist). Yeah, aspirin is much worse than thos that naturally occur.

I love druggies that rationalize their habit. Weakness is weakness.

i feel the same way about 'druggies' that drink.

alcohol is for the weak IMO. so is it a matter of opinion that i injest a plant vs. someone who injests acohol?

do you drink?

SimonM
10-02-2008, 10:03 AM
Any time you need to change the chemical balance in your body by taking in other substances to enjoy yourself (IE recreation) you are weak. Smoking MJ is no different than the 300 lb whale eating chocolate cake to cope with depression or a crack head taking another hit...

I would like to highlight the word need. It's like the old addage: I don't need alcohol for a good time but it helps.

Not everything we do is based on need. I would certainly agree (and in fact did agree) that if a person depends on any drug (whether Tylenol or Crack or anything in between) to maintain a base state of comfort they have a problem (generally that problem is one of, or a combination of, chronic pain, depression and chemical addiction). However if a person finds that one activity they do for recreation is consumption of psychoactive substances and if doing so does not lead to a chemical addiction or to harm to others this is not a weakness. It's simply an activity.

Me, I have many things I do for recreation. I do martial arts, read, write, camp, hike, I climbed a small mountain this summer, I swim, watch movies and television shows, listen to music, cook, play video games and, yes, sometimes smoke a little marijhuana. I don't NEED it any more than I need any of the other things I do for recreation.

Lucas
10-02-2008, 10:04 AM
also for the record, im not an addict of marijuana. ive said, ive been KNOWN to partake.

ask me when the last time that was..... my gues is you probably drink far more than i every in take that plant.

if you drink even minorly your a total hypocrite man.

Lucas
10-02-2008, 10:11 AM
Me, I have many things I do for recreation. I do martial arts, read, write, camp, hike, I climbed a small mountain this summer, I swim, watch movies and television shows, listen to music, cook, play video games and, yes, sometimes smoke a little marijhuana. I don't NEED it any more than I need any of the other things I do for recreation.

this is where im at as well.

hell i havnt watched tv in over 3 years. its all a matter of choice, i dont go around calling people down for veging out on a TV, which I feel is a lot worse than many other things people could be doing with their time.

because im not a hypocrite like a lof of other people are. and i can view the world in a balanced light.

heck, i dont even own a pipe or any other paraphanilia.

its just not something i seek, but may partake if i am at a friends house who offers and the time feels right.

ive been known to accept a jay now and again froma buddy and make that last me a couple weeks....

Lucas
10-02-2008, 10:21 AM
I don't NEED it any more than I need any of the other things I do for recreation.

I personally feel that i do NEED martial arts though. I dont know why.

i took a few months off after i busted some ribs to recoup, and i can tell you i was jonzing for some real action.

once i fully returned to working out and practicing it felt like a part of my life i needed had returned.

it actually physically hurt not to practice.

im sure its just the NEED to be active and exercise, but for me, biking, running, hiking, weights, just dont feel that void. so far ive found only MA can fill that need i have.

GreenCloudCLF
10-02-2008, 10:31 AM
i feel the same way about 'druggies' that drink.

alcohol is for the weak IMO. so is it a matter of opinion that i injest a plant vs. someone who injests acohol?

do you drink?

I do not drink, the feeling of being drunk did nothing for me.

Lucas
10-02-2008, 10:33 AM
I do not drink, the feeling of being drunk did nothing for me.

im happy that you feel that way.

its a shame that you have to view everyone that drinks or smokes as, some how, lesser than you....jedi.....

GreenCloudCLF
10-02-2008, 10:35 AM
I personally feel that i do NEED martial arts though. I dont know why.

i took a few months off after i busted some ribs to recoup, and i can tell you i was jonzing for some real action.

once i fully returned to working out and practicing it felt like a part of my life i needed had returned.

it actually physically hurt not to practice.

im sure its just the NEED to be active and exercise, but for me, biking, running, hiking, weights, just dont feel that void. so far ive found only MA can fill that need i have.

Needing something like Martial Arts is different than MJ. You are physically moving your body to produce a state, as opposed to taking something in. All the other examples from the earlier post (IE hiking, MA, climbing etc...) are all good examples of moving the body, not adding some outside chemical to get that state.

GreenCloudCLF
10-02-2008, 10:38 AM
also for the record, im not an addict of marijuana. ive said, ive been KNOWN to partake.

ask me when the last time that was..... my gues is you probably drink far more than i every in take that plant.

if you drink even minorly your a total hypocrite man.

Your guess would be wrong, since I don't drink. I am not one that would voice my opinion if it would make me sound like a hypocrite. I live what I say.

I have heard many addicts utter the same line you did at the beginning of your quoted post.

GreenCloudCLF
10-02-2008, 10:42 AM
im happy that you feel that way.

its a shame that you have to view everyone that drinks or smokes as, some how, lesser than you....jedi.....

Let me not generalize. I am not saying ALL druggies and drunks are weak and inferior. However, I am still looking for one to prove me wrong.

Lucas
10-02-2008, 10:45 AM
its funny that you assume i am some how addicted to smoking pot. you must not really read my posts very well....

i probably smoke pot far less than you would like to think.

quite a bit of men on this forum addmittedly drink alcohol. so you may want to start looking here to find one of the fine gentlemen to 'prove' you wrong. you have an abundance of people here to look at.

from what ive noticed over the years here, its the majority you hold your nose high to.

GreenCloudCLF
10-02-2008, 10:47 AM
its funny that you assume i am some how addicted to smoking pot. you must not really read my posts very well....

i probably smoke pot far less than you would like to think.

quite a bit of men on this forum addmittedly drink alcohol. so you may want to start looking here to find one of the fine gentlemen to 'prove' you wrong. you have an abundance of people here to look at.

from what ive noticed over the years here, its the majority you hold your nose high to.

I don't think about how much you smoke pot, it does not affect my day one way or the other. But I know that "I am not addicted" is the addicts mantra. But remember, rehab is for quitters!

Lucas
10-02-2008, 10:53 AM
lol at that.

so because i smoke maybe a couple times a year, im an addict....ya. sure i guess i am then.

i like that circle people like you try to put others in, 'oh if you say your not addicted you must be.'

so when i say im not an acloholic, i must be. even though i dont drink at all, ever.

your a classic there yoda.....rofl

GreenCloudCLF
10-02-2008, 10:57 AM
lol at that.

so because i smoke maybe a couple times a year, im an addict....ya. sure i guess i am then.

i like that circle people like you try to put others in, 'oh if you say your not addicted you must be.'

so when i say im not an acloholic, i must be. even though i dont drink at all, ever.

your a classic there yoda.....rofl

I didn't say you were addicted to MJ, nor did I say you are an alcoholic. And my reasoning for my comments isn't just to say the opposite of what you say, you are missing my logic (which is very straightforward). There is a reason that many organizations that try to help addicts make accepting their problem the first step. So many addicts are in denial. I cannot say you are or aren't addicted. All I said was that many addicts say the same thing. If you have a guilty concious, that's your problem.

Lucas
10-02-2008, 11:01 AM
implications are very apparent in your posts, no need to back peddle here. its quite straight forward that you speak on issues before you know facts.

no, i do understand what you are saying, and i agree.

of course there are organizations out there that can help people with substance abuse issues. thats a given.

so now you assume youknow my concience eh, and you seem to know what my problem is. you have the air to me of one who takes his personal assumptions as fact, when the fact is you make assumptions based on a large amount of ignorance. ive met plent of your kind sir. i personally think you overstep yourself and assume you are a bit more clever than you are, little jedi.

you are actually quite amusing to converse with.

Lucas
10-02-2008, 11:07 AM
you know greencloudCLF, i dont have any issue with you, and personally i think this conversation is quite silly.

how bout we just agree to stop this foolishness before it gets even more idiotic.

GreenCloudCLF
10-02-2008, 11:07 AM
One thing I can say is I do not mince words. If I think you are something I will say it outright. All I spoke to was the experiences I have had about people saying they are not addicts when, in fact, they are. Your overreaction a rationalizations do nothing to paint your drug use in a good light, IMO.

And as an example that you are missing even the basic content of my post I was not saying there are rehab organizations, I was pointing out that almost all of them make you accept your addiction first, because most are in denial.

And, trust me, you have never met anyone like me.

Lucas
10-02-2008, 11:12 AM
One thing I can say is I do not mince words. If I think you are something I will say it outright. All I spoke to was the experiences I have had about people saying they are not addicts when, in fact, they are. Your overreaction a rationalizations do nothing to paint your drug use in a good light, IMO.

And as an example that you are missing even the basic content of my post I was not saying there are rehab organizations, I was pointing out that almost all of them make you accept your addiction first, because most are in denial.

And, trust me, you have never met anyone like me.

sure, okay.

you are not saying anything i dont already know man. i am quite comfortable with the way i live my life, and am quite happy. i also understand what i do and understand moderation and self control.

everyones perceptions of things are different. hell, i view television as one of the worst drugs out there. it ALSO alters your mind state, did you know that?

part of the reason I dont watch the idiot box.

though, im still not going to sit around on my high horse and place judgment.

you may think one way, yet the actuality may be quite different. it can very hard to get a clear view of someone by a few posts on an internet forum.

i also view the internet as a drug, and one i knowingly am addicted to.

everything we encounter in life is an external source, and all of them effect our minds in one way or another.

again, this is silly man.

GreenCloudCLF
10-02-2008, 11:14 AM
I read a great study that showed you burned more Calories laying in your bed when compared to watching TV. TV is the devil. The internet is good for porn...I just wish IT wasn't watching. They hate donkey shows.

Lucas
10-02-2008, 11:15 AM
I read a great study that showed you burned more Calories laying in your bed when compared to watching TV. TV is the devil. The internet is good for porn...I just wish IT wasn't watching. They hate donkey shows.

lol, we have some common ground indeed my friend.

GreenCloudCLF
10-02-2008, 11:17 AM
lol, we have some common ground indeed my friend.

Donkey shows unite everyone!

sanjuro_ronin
10-02-2008, 11:52 AM
also for the record, im not an addict of marijuana. ive said, ive been KNOWN to partake.

ask me when the last time that was..... my gues is you probably drink far more than i every in take that plant.

if you drink even minorly your a total hypocrite man.

I like a nice glass of red wine with certain foods, just as I like a nice glass of white with others, I enjoy the way a nice cognac goes with a good espresso and a good champagne brings out the flavour in many foods.
I don't drink to get a certain "high" or in a certain "zone" but to enjoy the experience of eating a fine meal.
I could see your point if one drinks to get hammered though.

Lucas
10-02-2008, 11:56 AM
I like a nice glass of red wine with certain foods, just as I like a nice glass of white with others, I enjoy the way a nice cognac goes with a good espresso and a good champagne brings out the flavour in many foods.
I don't drink to get a certain "high" or in a certain "zone" but to enjoy the experience of eating a fine meal.
I could see your point if one drinks to get hammered though.

i hear that. somewhat like when i do find myself smoking, its usually in conjunction with enjoying a good moment with a close friend. ah the old peace pipe.

i have several friends that do drink to excess, to get drunk.

im fine with that. its just not for me, but i wont old it against them.

to each their own.

sanjuro_ronin
10-02-2008, 12:00 PM
i hear that. somewhat like when i do find myself smoking, its usually in conjunction with enjoying a good moment with a close friend. ah the old peace pipe.

i have several friends that do drink to excess, to get drunk.

im fine with that. its just not for me, but i wont old it against them.

to each their own.

Anything in excess is the issue, that and some people just have addictive persosnalities and have to go to the extreme with everything.
I don't ever begrudge anyone their crack pipe, **** mirror or hemp stoogie, just be honest with yourself if you have a problem ie: you need it to achieve something.

Lucas
10-02-2008, 12:51 PM
i have a problem.

i need to constantly pound on my punching bag in my living room at hours unfavorable to my neighbors...

but sometimes you just have that need to express a thought or idea...to achieve a conclusion with what i might be considering.

and then out of respect, i just cant, so it builds this...pressure in me...and then i have to search porn bull riding to release myself

sanjuro_ronin
10-02-2008, 12:55 PM
i have a problem.

i need to constantly pound on my punching bag in my living room at hours unfavorable to my neighbors...

but sometimes you just have that need to express a thought or idea...to achieve a conclusion with what i might be considering.

and then out of respect, i just cant, so it builds this...pressure in me...and then i have to search porn bull riding to release myself

LMAO !!
*cue the american gladiator theme*

Lucas
10-02-2008, 12:59 PM
LMAO !!
*cue the american gladiator theme*

as long as i dont get beat up on my honeymoon!

sanjuro_ronin
10-02-2008, 01:02 PM
as long as i dont get beat up on my honeymoon!

Why? you saving up to be jewish?

Lucas
10-02-2008, 01:05 PM
lol

i love jewish jokes. my old roomate was a jewish kungfu teacher and was always busting them out, i think ive developed a taste for them over the years.

sanjuro_ronin
10-02-2008, 01:08 PM
lol

i love jewish jokes. my old roomate was a jewish kungfu teacher and was always busting them out, i think ive developed a taste for them over the years.

Not sure if I wanna read too much into this...

herb ox
10-02-2008, 01:30 PM
all you have to do is mention tha weed and all of a sudden we have 7 pages of debate. Y'all are master-debaters!

Don't mope.

There's hope...

Smoke dope.....

Nature didn't have money in mind when the plants were evolving. Think about it.

herb ox

(yes, they call me that for a reason...)

GreenCloudCLF
10-02-2008, 01:51 PM
all you have to do is mention tha weed and all of a sudden we have 7 pages of debate. Y'all are master-debaters!

Don't mope.

There's hope...

Smoke dope.....

Nature didn't have money in mind when the plants were evolving. Think about it.

herb ox

(yes, they call me that for a reason...)


Lucas,

My point.

SimonM
10-02-2008, 02:08 PM
On the other hand I think 1bad65 doesn't smoke weed and have you SEEN his posts?

GreenCloudCLF
10-02-2008, 02:24 PM
On the other hand I think 1bad65 doesn't smoke weed and have you SEEN his posts?

There are exceptions to every rule. Perhaps he SHOULD!

Lucas
10-02-2008, 02:39 PM
rofl you guys are killin me here

Ray Pina
10-02-2008, 08:59 PM
Let me not generalize. I am not saying ALL druggies and drunks are weak and inferior. However, I am still looking for one to prove me wrong.

It depends what you're looking for from life.

Evidence suggests we're all mostly likely going to die. Is the world better off for having had a Jimi Hendrix or a Jerry Garcia in it, even for a short while? Jack Kerouac. Drugs influenced many an artists to break beyond the days norm and move into uncharted territory.

I am not condoning drugs. In fact, I often think what I'm going to do with my kids. If I get a hint that they started smoking weed I'm making them write a detailed report of who they think they are and what they want to be. If I see major changes a year or so down the road, I'll pull it out for a follow up.

Drugs scare people because they are powerful. They also draw people because they work. But you have to keep in mind there is crystal meth, and then there are all natural Morning Glory Seeds. St. Elmo's Fire, the ergot on rotten wheat, which was responsible for mass religious experiences, is where LSD was derived from.

Everything is what? What is it if we break everything down to its tiniest KNOWN element? I don't fear things. I educate myself about them and make decisions for myself.

Tough subject. Because I don't want to be quoted as recommending drug use, yet I would be lying if I said they haven't revealed very important things to me. Maybe I would have seen them anyway. Maybe not. It doesn't seem to be the common experience.

Ray Pina
10-02-2008, 09:04 PM
You really need to get out more !
LOL

I'll be out two weeks from tomorrow:D

JGTevo
10-04-2008, 03:21 AM
Let me not generalize. I am not saying ALL druggies and drunks are weak and inferior. However, I am still looking for one to prove me wrong.

There's Eddie Bravo...

Thats about it :)

GreenCloudCLF
10-05-2008, 07:00 AM
It depends what you're looking for from life.

Evidence suggests we're all mostly likely going to die. Is the world better off for having had a Jimi Hendrix or a Jerry Garcia in it, even for a short while? Jack Kerouac. Drugs influenced many an artists to break beyond the days norm and move into uncharted territory.

I am not condoning drugs. In fact, I often think what I'm going to do with my kids. If I get a hint that they started smoking weed I'm making them write a detailed report of who they think they are and what they want to be. If I see major changes a year or so down the road, I'll pull it out for a follow up.

Drugs scare people because they are powerful. They also draw people because they work. But you have to keep in mind there is crystal meth, and then there are all natural Morning Glory Seeds. St. Elmo's Fire, the ergot on rotten wheat, which was responsible for mass religious experiences, is where LSD was derived from.

Everything is what? What is it if we break everything down to its tiniest KNOWN element? I don't fear things. I educate myself about them and make decisions for myself.

Tough subject. Because I don't want to be quoted as recommending drug use, yet I would be lying if I said they haven't revealed very important things to me. Maybe I would have seen them anyway. Maybe not. It doesn't seem to be the common experience.


Think about how much more good they could have done if they didn't die prematurely due to drug use.

uki
10-05-2008, 01:18 PM
Think about how much more good they could have done if they didn't die prematurely due to drug use.rainbows don't last all day...

Xiao3 Meng4
10-05-2008, 02:09 PM
For those that missed it..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUqX07JX_3c&feature=related

herb ox
10-06-2008, 12:14 PM
Lucas,

My point.

That's not very nice, GCCLF.

Your judgmental stance is like insisting on holding horse stance when someone is rushing you from the front.

As the animals must physically adapt to the environment to ensure survival, humans too, must adapt MENTALLY to a wide variety of situations. Altering one's consciousness is simply a tool for adaptation. Those who argue most zealously for not altering the consciousness are often the ones who need to loosen up the controls the most. Some need it, some don't. And that's okay with me.

Some prefer the comfort of concrete and traffic to the dirt and wind. Let them have it.

I'll be on the mountainside smiling in the meantime.

ox

Cimaroon
10-06-2008, 05:28 PM
any folks here from Humboldt? We got it right here!!!

GreenCloudCLF
10-09-2008, 05:35 PM
rainbows don't last all day...

No, but we shouldn't shorten them purposely.

GreenCloudCLF
10-09-2008, 05:37 PM
That's not very nice, GCCLF.

Your judgmental stance is like insisting on holding horse stance when someone is rushing you from the front.



This is a mixed metaphor, if ever there was one. Smoking MJ is more like running 3 miles while slowly closing a noose around your neck.

uki
10-09-2008, 05:39 PM
No, but we shouldn't shorten them purposely.ah... but they only appear when certain conditons are met and even then they tend to disappear rather quickly...

except in maui, one day there were rainbows everywhere i went...

herb ox
10-10-2008, 09:03 AM
This is a mixed metaphor, if ever there was one. Smoking MJ is more like running 3 miles while slowly closing a noose around your neck.

Says who? Says you!

Funny, it seems YOU are the one finding mixed metaphors where none exists. I was referring to your attitude, Sir, not the act of smoking. Even my bloodshot eyes can read the lines better than that.

I realize this thread is going nowhere academic or even really intelligent. Perhaps we should let it die a natural death. Emotions tend to run high with this subject and those who believe always will and those who don't will never.

'ox

GreenCloudCLF
10-11-2008, 11:37 AM
I realize this thread is going nowhere academic or even really intelligent. Perhaps we should let it die a natural death. Emotions tend to run high with this subject and those who believe always will and those who don't will never.

'ox

If the thread were smoking MJ, it would probably be dead already. Isn't it terrible waiting for nature to run its course when we could speed things along?

uki
10-11-2008, 01:25 PM
If the thread were smoking MJ, it would probably be dead already. Isn't it terrible waiting for nature to run its course when we could speed things along?the nature of marijuana is that it is grown to be smoked.

GreenCloudCLF
10-11-2008, 03:14 PM
the nature of marijuana is that it is grown to be smoked.

The nature of MJ is it grows due to sunlight and water. Humans created the need to smoke it. MJ just grows, that is it's nature. Humans grow it to smoke it. Do not confuse the 2.

uki
10-11-2008, 04:21 PM
The nature of MJ is it grows due to sunlight and water. Humans created the need to smoke it. MJ just grows, that is it's nature. Humans grow it to smoke it. Do not confuse the 2.inter-reaction is the way of nature... don't confuse yourself.

GreenCloudCLF
10-11-2008, 04:24 PM
inter-reaction is the way of nature... don't confuse yourself.

Homeostatis is the way of nature. Maintaining the same state to expend less energy. MJ throws that off. Don't rationalize your addiction to illegal substances.

GeneChing
11-04-2008, 05:25 PM
To bring this back to something relevant (my how you potheads and prohibitionists digress :p), let's talk about marijuana as medicine. Here in California, it's legal in small amounts when prescribed by a doctor. Now of course, since it is an illegal drug, there's some misuse of that and abuse the system. But for many, it's a legitimate genuine medicine. To bring it back to TCM, the founding father of TCM, Hua Tuo allegedly used marijuana as a surgical anesthetic - mafeisan (麻沸散 marijuana boiled powdered medicine).

uki
11-04-2008, 08:02 PM
To bring this back to something relevant (my how you potheads and prohibitionists digress :p), let's talk about marijuana as medicine. Here in California, it's legal in small amounts when prescribed by a doctor. Now of course, since it is an illegal drug, there's some misuse of that and abuse the system. But for many, it's a legitimate genuine medicine. To bring it back to TCM, the founding father of TCM, Hua Tuo allegedly used marijuana as a surgical anesthetic - mafeisan (麻沸散 marijuana boiled powdered medicine).i use marijuana to maintain my ability to cope in this world. it keeps me peaceful and calm... when i get up, at work(most masons are potheads), before bed... always. for me it is like food for the mind and soul. in the hustle and bustle of the so called modern world, we have lost the understanding of nourshishment that transcends the physical plane... feelings, emotions... imaginations. without them we are dumbed down and mindless clones, just doing what were told to do. marijuana is illegal because a human population is harder to control when it is freethinking... control only works when people do as they are told. ironic that the same executive branch that labels marijuana as illegal, also turns around and approves synthetic, man-made pharmecutical with a heck of alot more adverse side-effects than the munchies or slight paranoia induced by using marijuana... what gives one man a right to deem what another man takes from nature and puts into his being? if the man dies, he's dead... if he lives he's still a man just doing his thing. marijuana is only a problem because it is made illegal... think about it... cigarettes are legal!!!

jimmi555
11-04-2008, 11:55 PM
I like a nice glass of red wine with certain foods, just as I like a nice glass of white with others, I enjoy the way a nice cognac goes with a good espresso and a good champagne brings out the flavour in many foods.
I don't drink to get a certain "high" or in a certain "zone" but to enjoy the experience of eating a fine meal.
I could see your point if one drinks to get hammered though.
red wine,white wine,cognac,shampagne, all that just to bring out the flavour in food, lol my sister use to say her tooth hurt lol man your a drunk lol

jimmi555
11-05-2008, 12:01 AM
Anything in excess is the issue, that and some people just have addictive persosnalities and have to go to the extreme with everything.
I don't ever begrudge anyone their crack pipe, **** mirror or hemp stoogie, just be honest with yourself if you have a problem ie: you need it to achieve something.Some one smoking crak will sell his own mother and rob you
some one smoking weed will give you 10 bucks if you ask him , big diferance between the two

jimmi555
11-05-2008, 12:04 AM
Why? you saving up to be jewish?
Good one lmao

jimmi555
11-05-2008, 12:11 AM
I didn't say you were addicted to MJ, nor did I say you are an alcoholic. And my reasoning for my comments isn't just to say the opposite of what you say, you are missing my logic (which is very straightforward). There is a reason that many organizations that try to help addicts make accepting their problem the first step. So many addicts are in denial. I cannot say you are or aren't addicted. All I said was that many addicts say the same thing. If you have a guilty concious, that's your problem.
Marijuana is clasified as a non adictive drug,you smoke it out of choice not cause your adicted to it

jimmi555
11-05-2008, 12:18 AM
This is a very strong sentiment. Were you are a loved one hurt by "drugs."

I can understand. After my mother died my father got all fu(ked up on coke and tried killing himself. I found him hanging and had to take him down. Those were rough times. Total hell.

As early as 7th grade me and the boys would sneak out drinks from home and party in the playground. This was only intensified in HS. By senior year I would bring a case of beer with me to a party... for me, and me alone (I need to develop this selfish attitude with kripy).

Anyway, I was fat and flabby. Almost 20 years later I am in 10x better shape and that's because I replaced legal booz with illegal weed.

First the legality issue: booz was legal, then illegal and then legal again. Legality is a matter of paperwork. A man can be crook one day and an upstanding system the next? Because who says so?

Health: While I agree a complete man should find peace naturally, and I would say I have, everything you put in your body causes an effect. Weed helped me see the truth. Guys you see making millions in rock-n-roll bands.... no doubt their family was like mine "You can't make money like that." "Get a real job."

Weed cuts through man's mass created reality of comfort. It breaks away all the programing (if you're a thinking man and not just some wanker) and allows you to reprogram yourself. It's also fun to go through life appearing to be somewhat of a happy dim whit.

My advice is any drug is not for everyone. But I would recommend any person well adjusted to try LSD at least once IF they can get a good, clean source of it. This "drug" will show you what's up.... or down, or inside out. Reveal other levels of reality that are as real as the one you currently have concrete faith in.

After that, the occasional magic mushroom... once every 2 to 3 years just to check in with yourself. There's no bull****ting yourself on mushrooms. This is why some people can't handle it.

That's it. You'd have to fight me to the finish to get me to try "hard drugs." No interest. Though I do not judge.

Everything under the stars is. You can shake your fist at it, shake its hand or walk away.
i smoke weed every day but not when im working out i need weed to function right life would suck with out it

Cimaroon
11-20-2008, 04:40 AM
To bring this back to something relevant (my how you potheads and prohibitionists digress :p), let's talk about marijuana as medicine. Here in California, it's legal in small amounts when prescribed by a doctor. Now of course, since it is an illegal drug, there's some misuse of that and abuse the system. But for many, it's a legitimate genuine medicine. To bring it back to TCM, the founding father of TCM, Hua Tuo allegedly used marijuana as a surgical anesthetic - mafeisan (麻沸散 marijuana boiled powdered medicine).

Its actually legal in very large amounts. I know mad people growing pounds upon pounds. I suppose it varies from county to county but seems like up north its 6 plants per person. Now, it also states that those 6 plants should be in a 10 x 10 area. That would be tiny, maybe room for one large plant. Most folks do it with maybe a few feet minimum between plants. When done correctly and with out much effort one can easily get 3-4 LBs per plant.

In Humboltd for instance one is allowed to have 3 lbs on their person.

Oso
12-12-2008, 06:04 AM
I can just hear the ancient teenager's now..."Quick, hide the stash man, here comes the Khan!!!"

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/12/11/ancient.cannabis/index.html

SimonM
12-12-2008, 10:50 AM
Nice find Oso.

Lucas
12-12-2008, 11:32 AM
a 3000 year stash of weed?

i wonder if its still good :p

that was definately an interesting read though. thanks for sharing.

Oso
12-12-2008, 05:47 PM
Nice find Oso.

sadly, i did not 'find' it...someone else did :D ;)

too bad I don't smoke at all...I sure could use a big fat one right about now...




and, WTF?, moved to the TCM forum?????

this was supposed to be todays funny friday thread...would have been funnier if I had been able to link to this .wav file:


I know you don't smoke weed. I know this. But I'm gonna git you high today. 'cause it's Friday, you ain't got no job, and you ain't got **** to do!

but, alas, my Link Fu was not working so well...had it all typed up funny like and kept getting a 401 or 404 error...

D-FENS
12-12-2008, 10:24 PM
I just find it hilarious that someone called "Green Cloud" hates marijuana. :D

uki
12-13-2008, 04:16 AM
I just find it hilarious that someone called "Green Cloud" hates marijuana.he probably named himself after a chlorine gas cloud that suffocates everything in it's vicinty until it dies a horrible choking death... much like denial and ignorance. :D

grains and fruit just grow... man created the need to eat them.

herb ox
12-15-2008, 09:46 AM
Actually, nature created the grains, the seeds, and the man to consume them.

Man however, created the 'need' to manipulate the availability of natural products for the sake of profiteering. Just take the prohibition of cannabis in the early 1900's as a way to allow DuPont's inferior nylon fabric to steal the military contracts from the superior hemp cloth and rope producers. It had nothing to do with health concerns, etc - although that was cited as a reason for prohibition, it was really a ruse to demonize the plant and shape public opinion. Do your research - Google "anslinger" and "Dupont" and see what comes up.

Nature is a closed system with everything it needs to maintain balance. Therefore no plant, animal or mineral should be prohibited or removed from the system (or added for that matter). In my opinion, the biggest terror threat is from mega-corporations who seek to control the world's seed supply (read: Monsanto), and make the farmer pay big sums of cash to 'subscribe' to their seed supply service (breach of contract if you replant their seed). 80% of the world's corn crop is already controlled by Monsanto. Farmers in India are throwing themselves off buildings to their deaths because Monsanto has found their 'genetic fingerprint' in corn contaminated by Monsanto pollen from neighboring fields, and are being sued by the corporation. Pure evil. Jah Jah a gwaan rain down fyah an' brimstone 'pon these minions of greed.

Stand strong in Babylon,

herb ox

SimonM
12-15-2008, 10:01 AM
Don't forget the alcohol lobby.

And the racists who thought that drugs were part of non-white plots to corrupt white women.

I'm not making this garbage up.

Google "The Black Candle".

GeneChing
04-13-2009, 02:04 PM
I'm getting tired of the health benefits of urine thread (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=53135) topping our TCM forum here so long. It's going to pot. Ok, bad pun, but for those of you living on the moon (or just too frickin' 'traditional' to stoop to MMA) Nick Diaz took out Frank Shamrock in a Strikeforce fight last Saturday (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=53448). Diaz is an outspoken pot smoker. He was penalized for it last year (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showpost.php?p=850558&postcount=23) and got pulled off the Shamrock vs. Le (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=50545) fight card.


MMA fighter Nick Diaz says smoking marijuana is part of his plan (http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-mma-diaz-strikeforce8-2009apr09,0,5110887.story)
By Lance Pugmire
April 9, 2009

For mainstream sports fans thirsting for an athlete to come completely clean about taboo subjects in sports, here's an introduction to mixed martial arts fighter Nick Diaz, who not only speaks openly but is willing to answer follow-up questions.

"I'm more consistent about everything being a cannabis user," Diaz said in an interview with The Times last week. "I'm happy to get loaded, hear some good music . . . I remain consistent. And I have an easy way to deal with [the drug tests].


"I can pass a drug test in eight days with herbal cleansers. I drink 10 pounds of water and sweat out 10 pounds of water every day. I'll be fine."

Stockton's Diaz, 25, is pitted against MMA veteran Frank Shamrock on Saturday night in San Jose in the main event of the first Strikeforce card on Showtime since the former promotional organization Elite XC folded last year.

Strikeforce inherited much of the Elite XC roster, and Shamrock-Diaz will be a 179-pound catchweight bout as Shamrock moves down from 185 and Diaz moves up from 160.

"This is a super important fight -- for Showtime to show the MMA world there's a clear alternative to the UFC -- and that's exactly why you're seeing this matchup of exciting, forward-moving fighters who bang," Shamrock, 36, said. "I respect [Diaz's] talent, he brings it."

What Diaz brings beyond flying fists and the ability to shut off a foe's breathing by holding the opponent's throat against his bottom leg is unbending honesty about his marijuana use, his frustration with his former bosses at the Ultimate Fighting Championship and his belief that steroids are pervasive in his sport.

"Let 'em do it, they'll have a shorter career than me," said Diaz (18-7 with 10 knockouts, five submissions and a no-contest). "With all that wear and tear on their tendons, something's going to explode. I feel like these guys are hurting themselves. You can't consistently fight on steroids."

Unfortunately for Diaz, state athletic commissions also ban marijuana use, and he tested positive for the illegal drug in Las Vegas after his impressive win over Japan's Takanori Gomi in early 2007. A state athletic commissioner in Nevada argued Diaz was numb to pain because of excessive marijuana in his system. Diaz's victory was vacated; he was fined and suspended for six months.

"The drug is banned because of the damage it does to the person taking it," said Keith Kizer, Nevada State Athletic Commission executive officer. "It could make you lethargic, slow your reflexes, and those are dangerous things in a combat sport."

The California State Athletic Commission said Diaz would undergo drug testing before and after Saturday's fight.

Diaz, however, argues marijuana eases problems he has battled since childhood when, he says, he was diagnosed with attention deficit disorder and prescribed mood-altering medication. His rebellion as a youth forced him to relocate to schools where he continually felt out of place and he ultimately became a high school dropout.

"I like the idea of being able to fight my way out of something," Diaz said.

Diaz fought on his first professional MMA card at 18 and was on the UFC roster two years later. He was 7-4 in MMA's premier organization, losing to two fighters who have since been suspended for steroids (Sean Sherk) and pain-killers (Karo Parisyan) and dropping another decision to current UFC lightweight title contender Diego Sanchez.

In 2006, Diaz was extended an invitation to compete on the UFC's popular "The Ultimate Fighter 4" reality television series. He said he didn't like the idea of being continually followed by cameras and speculated his presence was more a threatened order than a request.

Shortly after, Diaz and the UFC parted ways, although his brother Nate still fights in the organization. In Nick's first post-UFC fight, he tested positive for marijuana. He suspects someone tipped off authorities. "I got high in my [hotel] room the night before every [UFC] fight," Diaz said. But Kizer said Diaz was merely among 10 of 16 PRIDE Fighting Championships athletes who were tested that night.

Diaz is 4-1 since, earning a Brazilian jujitsu black belt in 2007 and complementing his intense MMA training by competing in triathlons. On March 29, Diaz finished fourth in his age group in an event in Sacramento as part of his training for Saturday's fight.

Said Shamrock of Diaz: "He definitely smokes marijuana. That's his own business, but it's not the greatest thing for the sport. We're fighting a stigma. Still, there's something refreshing about his honesty."

Diaz says he believes MMA fans admire his attitude, more so than his peers.

"I don't worry about the sport, I worry about my own . . . teeth getting kicked in," Diaz said.
Just trying to stir the pot. Ok, another bad pun. As long as we don't have to talk about pee for a while here, I'll be quiet.

Raipizo
04-13-2009, 03:15 PM
I hate drugs and i have no belief in any way that it could be a medicine because it still damages your body no matter what condition you are in. And for those who do it, have fun with that.

uki
04-13-2009, 06:34 PM
I hate drugs and i have no belief in any way that it could be a medicine because it still damages your body no matter what condition you are in. And for those who do it, have fun with that.so do you hate just the natural drugs or the ones you can buy in the drugstores? wait... are you talking about the street corner drugs made in someones bathroom or stove top? people like you who spout... I HATE DRUGS is nothing more than a ridiculous ignorant pasny baaing to whatever baa the rest of the sheeple are baaing to... you need to be more specific in your asinine stance here... what is a drug? why do you hate the ones you do? have you ever tried or experienced all the drugs you hate? if not, how do you know you hate them all? please, you must have some first-hand experiece with drugs for having made such a self-righteous and generalizingly blunt statement... please, take your time and word you post correctly or i will tear it to pieces and spit it right back out at you. :)

herb ox
04-21-2009, 05:30 PM
It's not right to chastise one for his or her ignorance on a matter, for who among us truly knows all? .... Uki, put your hand down! :p

Stoners are often just as ignorant and boldly opinionated as are Squares.

"When one eye is fixed upon the goal, that only leaves one good eye to find the Way"

If you all stopped trying to be right, maybe you'd learn something... but I suppose that's hard for martial artists, who often resort to force to get their way.

What are we learning here? There's a huge population of Cannabis consumers out there, and with the popular culture, it seems even more are accepting it. Raipizo, you need to do your homework. From an article from Dr. Ethan B Russo:

"Cannabinoid analgesics have generally been well tolerated in clinical trials with acceptable adverse event profiles. Their adjunctive addition to the pharmacological
armamentarium for treatment of pain shows great promise."

(Loose Translation: Marijuana based pain treatments overall work well and have few side effects, and we should add them to the pharmacy)

See this link for the article as it appeared in Therapeutics and Clinical Risk Management 2008:4(1) 245–259 (http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/picrender.fcgi?artid=2503660&blobtype=pdf)

How can you so quickly make a distinction between food, medicine and drugs?

ox

GeneChing
10-30-2009, 10:51 AM
moxa smells a lot like pot, so it's almost OT.

Chinese medicine tactic doesn't turn breech babies (http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE59S41C20091029)
Thu Oct 29, 2009 1:13pm EDT
By Amy Norton

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A traditional Chinese therapy used for turning babies out of the breech position before birth may not be effective, a new study finds.

The study, reported in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology, tested a tactic known as moxibustion, which uses heat to stimulate a particular acupuncture point in an effort to turn a breech fetus to the head-down position before birth.

Researchers found that the method appeared no more effective than Mother Nature among the 212 women they studied.

In about 3 percent to 5 percent of pregnancies, the fetus is in the breech position near the time of delivery -- meaning the feet or buttocks are closest to the birth canal. Because delivering a baby in this position presents risks, doctors typically perform a cesarean section.

In the weeks before the due date, women can also choose to try an external cephalic version (ECV), where a doctor or midwife uses their hands on the woman's abdomen to encourage the fetus to turn to the head-down position. The method, performed in the 37th week of pregnancy or later, is successful in 30 percent to 80 percent of cases, depending on the center.

Moxibustion has emerged as an alternative. Long used in Chinese medicine, the method involves burning a stick with the herb mugwort and placing it near the little toe to stimulate a particular acupuncture point there.

Some research has suggested moxibustion might be effective; a trial in China, for example, found that the method increased the chances of the fetus turning to the head-down position.

However, some other studies have been unable to replicate that success, and moxibustion remains "controversial" outside of Chinese medicine, according to the researchers on the new study, led by Marie-Julia Guittier of the Geneva University Hospitals in Switzerland.

For their study, the researchers followed 212 women who had a fetus in the breech position between the 34th and 36th week of pregnancy.

Half of the women were randomly assigned to have moxibustion therapy; a midwife trained in acupuncture performed it three times weekly in the hospital, and the women were encouraged to do it at home on all other days. The rest of the women received no therapy and served as control group.

All study participants, however, had the option of undergoing an ECV at the 37th week of pregnancy.

In the end, Guittier's team found, 18 percent of fetuses in the moxibustion group had turned to the head-down position by the time of delivery or a scheduled ECV. In the control group, 16 percent of fetuses had spontaneously turned -- a difference that was not statistically significant.

"To say the least, moxibustion was not as effective as suggested in (the) earlier trial that was conducted in China," co-researcher Dr. Michel Boulvain, also with the Geneva University Hospitals, told Reuters Health in an email. The reasons for the differences in the trials, he added, are unclear.

It's also unclear whether moxibustion has any physiological effects that would help turn a breech fetus.

Boulvain said that some researchers have reported increases in fetal movement during moxibustion sessions, which in theory could be beneficial. But he added that there are no known reasons, based on "traditional physiology," for why moxibustion would work in this context.

Based on the existing evidence, Boulvain said, "the decision in our hospital is to not implement or recommend moxibustion for these women."

SOURCE: Obstetrics & Gynecology, November 2009.

Xiao3 Meng4
10-31-2009, 12:34 PM
Apart from this guy (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=53335&highlight=cannabis), I know of know examples in Chinese Medicine where Huo Ma Hua played any significant role. Then again, it may be that it was in such common usage that it simply was a type of smoking passtime. You know, the kind you're supposed to avoid in autumn.

taai gihk yahn
10-31-2009, 06:49 PM
You need to know more than a single point to be effective in acupuncture. The way it is done in N. America is more like a distant cousin to acu/moxa in China. In the states people many people cry with any stimulation.
you are aware that the study was conducted in Switzerland, right?

GLW
11-02-2009, 08:56 AM
Just to be clear...I do not partake of cannabis in any form...

And to clarify an earlier point here...

The most recent studies citing DNA damage from SMOKING marijuana was very specifically about smoking it. The study also pointed out the DNA damage from smoking cigarettes as well. The study was tying the damage to the smoke.

While smoking cannabis is probably the easiest method to get it into your system, there are other methods...as in the notable brownies and even spaghetti sauce with cannabis combined with oregano.

I would say that if they truly want to study the use of the drug, doing so with removing the obvious health risk of inhaling smoke (and having asthma, I can tell you that inhaling ANY form of smoke is not a great thing for MY lungs)...they should use other methods of delivering the cannabinoids instead of smoking it.

GeneChing
07-27-2010, 09:27 AM
Oakland's fiscal health improves with medical marijuana tax (http://www.examiner.com/x-31195-SF-Wellness-Examiner~y2010m7d21-Oaklands-fiscal-health-improves-with-medical-marijuana-tax)
July 21, 8:46 PMSF Wellness Examiner Angela Rosen

Oakland, California has become the first city in the US to tax the proceeds of medical marijuana. The measure was passed by 80 percent of voters on Tuesday, July 20th. The 1.8% gross receipts tax on the four licensed medical dispensaries is going to generate a significant amount of revenue for the ailing city’s budget, with estimates varying between $215,000 and $350,000 per dispensary per year.

Medical marijuana is a controversial topic for health care practitioners of all fields. Not only are there the legal issues to contend with, the benefit of the drug is up for debate. The temporary benefits of marijuana use are acknowledged, especially for patients who are critically ill. However, there is very little evidence that long-term use of marijuana will do little more than suppress symptoms.

The most common conditions for which medical marijuana is prescribed are:

1. Side effects of chemotherapy
2. Fibromyalgia
3. Arthritis
4. Glaucoma
5. Premenstrual Syndrome
6. Alzheimer’s
7. HIV/AIDS
8. Crohn’s Disease
9. Migraines
10. Insomnia

Marijuana is prescribed for the symptoms related to these conditions, not the treatment of the original condition. For cancer patients who are being treated with chemotherapy and are suffering from nausea, vomiting and loss of appetite, marijuana can literally be a lifesaver as its effects quell nausea and stimulate the appetite.

But consider this: from the perspective of Traditional Chinese Medicine, smoking in the form of a rolled cigarette or pipe introduces a significant amount of heat into the body. This heat is dehydrating to the body.

The human body needs to be hydrated to perform normal physiological functions. Medical authorities claim that our bodies are 67% water. Following this line of thinking, when the body is chronically dehydrated by smoke, as it can be with marijuana, this dramatically increases inflammation.

For conditions like arthritis, which means “inflammation of the joint,” the treatment of such a condition by a substance that ultimately causes more inflammation in the body is counterproductive.

Follow-up articles discussing more of the health related aspects of medical marijuana will appear this week.

There is a lack of comprehensive research in this field, partially due to the fact that marijuana is still an illegal drug. As the popularity of cannabis clubs increase, which is sure to happen if they are going to be seen as a local revenue source for struggling city economies, it is important to ask, are the people who need help the most really going to benefit?

Poorly researched article. Smoking is only one way to medicate with marijuana. Every club offers edibles. The author should have visited one of those Oaksterdam clubs (or at least visited one of their websites) before drawing her conclusion.

Lucas
07-27-2010, 10:46 AM
Poorly researched article. Smoking is only one way to medicate with marijuana. Every club offers edibles. The author should have visited one of those Oaksterdam clubs (or at least visited one of their websites) before drawing her conclusion.

this is the problem with the internet, anyone write an article and put it on the internet. anyhow, im off to write an informative opinionated article about the suffers of the menstruation cycle.

Lucas
07-27-2010, 10:52 AM
"A state athletic commissioner in Nevada argued Diaz was numb to pain because of excessive marijuana in his system."

LOL!!!...just lol.....being stupid must be a requirment to land the state athletic commissioner in Nevada position.

so, he was so loaded with thc he was an un feeling killing maching? haha. its actually more impressive then considering his overall reaction time would have been reduced....

GeneChing
03-25-2013, 11:18 AM
The $900,000 question is "is marijuana a PED?"


Boxer Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr.’s marijuana use safer than alcohol (http://blog.sfgate.com/smellthetruth/2013/03/19/boxer-julio-cesar-chavez-jr-s-marijuana-use-safer-than-alcohol/)
Posted on March 19, 2013 at 11:20 am by David Downs in Legal, sports

A sport predicated on brain damage? Celebrated. A drug shown to prevent cognitive decline? Banned. A billboard calling out such hypocrisy? Priceless.

Boxer Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr.’s $900,000 fine and nine-month suspension for testing positive for marijuana is the subject of a new billboard unveiled in Las Vegas today. According to the national legalization lobby Marijuana Policy Project, the billboard decries the Nevada State Athletic Commission’s Punishment of Chavez Jr. for using pot, as Chavez prepares to file a lawsuit challenging the huge fine. The nation’s largest marijuana policy organization paid for the advertisement and calls on NSAC to drop the penalties and ‘stop driving athletes to drink’.

Here’s the graphic of the billboard at 2001 Western Ave., Las Vegas, which references a new poll showing a solid majority of Nevada voters support making marijuana legal for adults and regulating it like alcohol.

MPP “calls on the NSAC to drop the excessive penalties against Chavez and change its policy so that it no longer steers athletes toward using alcohol by threatening to punish them if they choose to use the less harmful substance – marijuana.”

MPP intends to deliver a request to the NSAC in the form of a Change.org petition that currently has more than 5,250 signatures – http://chn.ge/ZqWSuX.

“Issuing such harsh penalties for marijuana does nothing to promote the health and safety of athletes,” wrote Mason Tvert, director of communications for the Marijuana Policy Project in a statement. “If anything, it puts them in danger by steering them toward using alcohol and away from making the safer choice to use marijuana instead.”

“Marijuana is far less toxic, less addictive, and less likely to contribute to violent and aggressive behavior than alcohol,” Tvert said. “The NSAC should change its marijuana policy and stop driving athletes to drink.”

Furthermore, the U.S. government has sought to patent pot’s ingredients like cannabidiol for use as a non-toxic neuroprotectant during incidents of brain damage like stroke, or, I don’t know, repeated punches to the head.

Public Policy Polling has found a solid majority (54%) of Nevada voters would support a ballot initiative to make marijuana legal for adults and regulate it like alcohol.

A bill to make marijuana legal for adults was introduced in the Nevada Legislature on Friday by Assemblyman Joe Hogan.

Lee Chiang Po
03-25-2013, 12:26 PM
Pot has good uses. Such as anti nausea and creating an appetite. But my worries would be long term use in pregnant women. What could be the effects. Alcohol and other drugs can cause serious birth defects. I have on occasion used pot to curb a really bad nausea problem and to help me maintain my appetite. I have a terminal issue that does not cause me pain so I have no need for pain killers. I do drink my share and several other's share of alcohol though. I am really buzzing as I type. I told my doctor that I felt pretty bad once and he told me that the blood content of my alcohol was too high. Life is nothing more than an illusion, and no one should have to go through something like that sober.

David Jamieson
03-26-2013, 11:37 AM
As acceptance moves closer, the fringe freaks will grow louder with their protests etc etc. Let them. They are the types of people who have a country in a position where it now must vote on whether some of it's citizens are as human and entitled to the benefits of the rest of the humans that live there.

Cannabis should never have been made illegal. It was only done so to screw the Kentucky hemp farmers after W.R. Hearst got his monopoly on making paper out of trees instead. Once again, an oligarchical misdeed has screwed over a nation that calls itself free for almost 100 years of it's existence.

But don't feel bad, I live in a country that has a government that is naught but a boot lick to your government these days. It would have been legal and accepted here years ago if not for foolish conservative opposition the only reason for which I can see is that if it remains illegal, the price stays inflated. :confused:

Lee Chiang Po
03-26-2013, 06:53 PM
I read that it is listed as a class 1 drug. Amongst the worst of the worst. Over in East Texas the stuff grows wild on the clear cuts until the trees get so big they shade the stuff out. The loggers, only a couple do all the logging now, smoke the stuff and bury the roach so no one will know, and it gets a start. In a couple of years it is everywhere. Then the dope cops swear it is a weed plantation.
One of the better ways to do it is to turn it into snuff with a coffee bean grinder. You take a pinch and sniff it up the nose like the old aristocrats did ages ago and you get a shotgun blast high right in the face. Just because you are using it as a medicine don't mean you shouldn't also enjoy it. Hey, I only drink for medicinal purposes.

Ever watch Weed Country? These guys are wanting to push for legal pot growing, but they could do a much better job of representing the drug. One minute they are talking about growing only for the poor cancer kids and such, then next they are talking about how much wealth they are going to make from growing it, then they sit and smoke the stuff like they are trying to fatally overdose on it. It gives a bad taste to the agnostics sitting on the fence over it.

GeneChing
01-09-2015, 10:34 AM
...cannabis for hemorrhoids, man. mind blown.



Cannabis Use in Traditional Chinese Medicine (http://news.therawfoodworld.com/cannabis-use-traditional-chinese-medicine/)

Posted in: Health, Lifestyle, Medicine, News by Antonia on 29 Dec, 2014

http://s58q73kfqpn3sk9ll3tvhfvh.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/12160800144_f191ed58ed_k-940x500.jpg

(TRFW News) For over 4,000 years, the cannabis plant has been a reliable source for textile fibers, medicine and food. The Chinese, who are renowned for perfecting herbal medicine and concocting some of the earliest effective treatments against a range of debilitating conditions, were the first civilization to cultivate and use marijuana extensively. Ancient Chinese literature documents over 100,000 medicinal recipes and almost 2 million different types of drugs based almost exclusively on plants.

China high: a cure-all with widespread applicability

Dr. Li Gou Yong, author of the Bencao Gangmu, or Compendium of Materia Medica, explains that in Chinese Traditional Medicine, marijuana is called Da Ma. Although the Chinese recognized the plant’s consciousness altering effects early on, they also took note of its potential therapeutic uses. In fact, marijuana quickly became one of the fifty fundamental herbs of Chinese medicine, which means it was added to an impressive number of recipes.

During ancient times, its versatility and low toxicity had turned marijuana into the remedy of choice for most of the common ailments affecting the Chinese people. A wide range of symptoms, from moderate pain and inflammation to ulcerations, could be improved through the consumption of cannabis. What is truly remarkable about the Chinese approach is that they would try to use the entire plant in some form or another, thereby minimizing potential waste.

The flowers and leaves of the cannabis plant can be used to treat wounds and menstrual pains. Marijuana stalks, on the other hand, are a dietary source of natural plant fibers, but can also be consumed for their diuretic effects. According to Dr. Li Gou Yong, cannabis can be used to treat hemorrhoids, colitis, anal prolapse and chronic diarrhea. In combination with other herbs, cannabis will produce remarkable synergistic effects, which can even mitigate its less desirable, psychoactive effects. Furthermore, Dr. Li does not recommend smoking the herb, as that will inevitably lead to the inhalation of harmful chemicals associated with combustion.

Scientific research backs many of the traditional claims

Modern science has shown that marijuana contains chemical compounds that have analgesic and antispasmodic effects, which can help relieve tension and soothe pain. The seeds are usually crushed for consumption, and can be added to laxative and diuretic concoctions, as well as tonic infusions. Seeds would sometimes also be used to eliminate intestinal parasites, stimulate blood flow, protect the stomach lining, and boost metabolic functions.

The oil extracted from the cannabis plant is prescribed for the treatment of hair loss, throat soreness, and sulfur poisoning. Juice extracted from the plant’s leaves can be added to various salves and poultices that are recommended against insect stings and parasite infestations. Marijuana juice has anti-hemorrhagic properties, and was traditionally used in China to stabilize mothers immediately after having given birth. Marijuana was noted to have antiperiodic effects as well, so it can be consumed regularly to ease the intensity of virtually any kind of symptoms.

Sources for this article include:

(1) antiquecannabisbook.com
(2) www.narconon.org
(3) books.google.ro

GeneChing
01-22-2015, 10:08 AM
Guangdong man grows marijuana farm after learning skills online (http://shanghaiist.com/2015/01/22/guangdong_man_grows_marijuana_farm.php)

http://shanghaiist.com/attachments/katienelson/marijuana-farm.jpg

Police in Foshan, Guangdong, recently arrested three men for illegally growing marijuana in a local greenhouse and attempting to sell it, China News reports.

Located in Sanshui, a district in Foshan, the marijuana farm was disguised as a hop greenhouse and suspected by local residents before investigations. Inside, police discovered cannabis plants and some packed cannabis flowers and leaves.

The owner of the farm, surnamed Li, confessed to the police that the idea of growing his own pot came up a year ago after he discovered some leftover seeds from smoking weed. In the beginning, he only wanted to grow weed for his own use. After harvesting 420 seeds by planting only three, Li discovered his green thumb and decided to grow more for some quick profits by building a greenhouse with the help of two friends. Without any experience, Li started the business by buying all the equipment himself and learning the skills for growing online.

Sadly for Li, his precious operation was busted by police before the first bag of products was even sold.

In 2013, a marijuana farm was also discovered in Shenzhen, another city in Guangdong province. In China, growing, selling and possessing marijuana are illegal activities. The news about Jaycee Chan, the son of Jackie Chan, and actor Kai Ko being charged for marijuana use in August last year stirred a heated discussion in China’s public sphere. Jaycee Chan was sentenced six months in jail earlier this month.

By Zizhu Zhang

Wait, wait....packed cannabis flowers and leaves? Clearly this grower didn't finish his online growing course. Then again, harvesting 420 seeds by planting only three? Perhaps this reporter just ain't clued in. :rolleyes:

herb ox
03-13-2015, 01:26 PM
This was one of my all time favorite threads... so much has changed since the thread was active and oh-so-controversial. Several states have now legalized it for recreational use, our president has "experimented" with it (he DID inhale), and people are surreptitiously vaping cannabis concentrates in public....

So the question now is - if cannabis is legalized for recreational purposes - would that change how you feel about using it in conjunction with your martial or Qi cultivation?

BTW for you academics out there: the Shen Nong Bencao Jing aka "The Divine Farmer's Classic of Herbal Substances", which most likely dates back to 200-300 AD, states the following regarding cannabis preparations:


Ma Fen is acrid and balanced. It mainly treats the seven damages, disinhibits the five viscera and precipitates the blood and cold qi. Taking much of it may make one behold ghosts and frenetically run abnout. Protratcted taking my enable one to communicate with the spirit light and make the body light. The seed is sweet and balanced. It mainly supplements the center and boosts the qi. Protracted taking may make one fat, strong and never senile. 1

This quote is heavy with juice :p Next post I will decipher what some of the above implies to the Chinese medicine understanding of health.

Peace out

herb ox


1The Divine Farmer's Materia Medica: A Translation of the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing; edited by Shouzhong Yang; Pg 148

herb ox
03-13-2015, 05:02 PM
So where were we?


Ma Fen is acrid and balanced. It mainly treats the seven damages, disinhibits the five viscera and precipitates the blood and cold qi. Taking much of it may make one behold ghosts and frenetically run about. Protracted taking my enable one to communicate with the spirit light and make the body light. The seed is sweet and balanced. It mainly supplements the center and boosts the qi. Protracted taking may make one fat, strong and never senile. 1


"Ma fen" here refers (or should I say "reefers") specifically to the powdered flower tops of the plant as opposed to "Ma ren", the hemp seed. In the above quote, Acrid means a spicy taste and a dispersing nature. Balanced refers to the temperature; by itself, cannabis is neither hot nor cold but neutral in temperature. Smoked, however, makes it take on the 'Fire' energy inherent to combustion, thus introducing considerable heat into the body via the Lungs.

Seven damages refer to disease caused by the seven major emotions: anger, fear, sorrow, joy, worry, fright and grief. Each emotion has a distinct effect on the Qi of various organs. Anger, for example, hurts the Liver Qi, and fear injures the Kidney Qi. The five viscera refer to the 5 zang/yin/solid organs: heart, lungs, kidneys, spleen, liver.

As the author quoted above notes, taking large quantities of cannabis has significant mind-altering effects. Seeing ghosts could be attributed to "Shen disturbance", or mental derangement, and the frenetically running around seems to imply the Qi has been made chaotic, ostensibly due to its dispersing nature. In the "Spiritual Axis" aka Ling Shu, it says "The eyes are the messengers of the Heart which houses the Mind. If the Mind and Essence are not coordinated and not transmitted, one has visual hallucinations. TheMind, Ethereal Soul and Corporeal Soul are scattered so that one has bewildering perceptions.

The passage also states the prolonged user may be able to communicate with the "sprit light" - though I need to refer to the actual Hanzi text, I believe this refers to the "Shen Ming", or the "essence spirit" contained within the body - that is to say the psyche or mental state. Alas, I am uncertain as to how it makes the "body light" - could this be a hunger-reducing (contra to munchies) effect of the cannabis or is it another altered state where the person simply feels lighter or unburdened? Further research is needed here :p

Overall, the passage seems to imply in proper amount cannabis can increase one's mental and energetic health. Too much for too long can create mental derangement or "shen disturbance". However, consuming products of the seed may reverse these effects as we will explore in the next post.:D

peace

herb ox


1The Divine Farmer's Materia Medica: A Translation of the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing; edited by Shouzhong Yang; Pg 148[/QUOTE]

ShaolinDan
03-13-2015, 05:30 PM
:) :) :) Totally. Thanks Herb Ox.

curenado
03-14-2015, 12:36 AM
People find the oddest ways to justify their vices.

Cannabis is an external substance. it will get you high, it is illegal in many countries.

It dulls the senses somewhat as far as motorskills and short term memory are concerned.

It does however relieve nausea and increase appetite in patients who it is prescribed to. It has no analgesic properties except for it's hypnotic effects.

using for the sake of using is merely abuse.

That's so lo infomashun it sounds more like weak propaganda that went fail way back.
It's pure ignorance none the less.

When people don't "get off" on something? Guess what they're getting off on. (Heh)

boxerbilly
03-14-2015, 10:01 AM
I no longer use it but I say legalize it Tax it. And lets sort some of these money issues out! The finance guys say it would make a huge dent in paying a lot of bills.

curenado
03-14-2015, 10:15 AM
Our State is happy. All the judges and Lawyers are the ones who own the dispensaries.
Meanwhile arkansas thinks being American means sucking food stamps, benefits and cannabalizing their own people legally for money.
Two totally different worlds. One of them for humans.

boxerbilly
03-14-2015, 02:22 PM
Probably be 10-20 years before it is sold over the counter in gas stations, etc !

mickey
03-15-2015, 09:27 AM
Greetings,

I agree with the legalization of marijuana. I prefer that people be allowed to grow it for themselves. I prefer not to have any capitalist involvement with the consumption of marijuana, not even with drug dealers.

With the actual consumption of marijuana, I would rather have people consume it as a tea or as part of a salad.

What we need are several Johnny Appleseed types to start throwing cannabis seeds wherever there is grass. The cost of removing the stuff will eventually cause conservatives to give up and give in.

mickey

curenado
03-15-2015, 09:43 AM
I would rather have people do what they like and use accordingly. For the raw tooth nerve or cracked bone it is eaten. For the senses of sight and hearing it is smoked. For the joint and muscle it is applied.

boxerbilly
03-15-2015, 09:47 AM
People will grow eventually for sure. BUT, more people would just rather go to that gas station and buy a pack. I think that was the main reason it has been banned for so long. They worry about not collecting tax. I think their worry is nonsense. I really believe 80% would just prefer to buy it like they do beer and cigarettes. Growing is not as easy as people think. Most people do not want to take the time to learn that crap. All male plants? Good luck getting high.

curenado
03-15-2015, 09:54 AM
It seems like the gov is already making moves to monopolize and take yet another remaining vestige of free enterprise for their selves, not just the tax.
But we'll see. Got to watch those wa$$cally wabbits

boxerbilly
03-15-2015, 10:44 AM
It seems like the gov is already making moves to monopolize and take yet another remaining vestige of free enterprise for their selves, not just the tax.
But we'll see. Got to watch those wa$$cally wabbits


Don't worry so much about that. In time it will fix itself and we will have a handful of giant corporation controlling the main market. Later still will come the " craft beers ". It will probably follow a similar road that booze did. I really don't care either way anymore. If it was there, I may smoke it. Im not one of those, Im doing it for pain or enlightenment or even iron palm , types. I just want to get high! And that my friends is the real truth for most people that want it. It helps my cancer. So does death but I don't see you crying for that, YET !

We have to go this fu---cked stupid route for the time being. It is a waste of time but that's how it works.

boxerbilly
03-15-2015, 10:48 AM
And Im not a anti tax kind of guy. Yes, taxes SUCK. But get rid of them and watch your private bill grow so the road outside your door can be fixed. Or paying the Culligan man to come sell you undiseased water as the local utility turned its service off because there is no more funding. Taxes have there place. It is the misappropriation of those taxes that is the main problem.

Like the lottery money going to roads and schools. it does but then they generally take out the already allotted money given them for those things at an equal amount. So it is a wash. Where does that other money go? That's the problem with taxes.

herb ox
03-16-2015, 05:13 PM
It's funny how this discussion always boils down to either emotions, economics or politics... Indeed cannabis is a very powerful plant - so powerful, in fact, that Michael Pollan, in his book Botany of Desire, suggests that as an evolutionary tactic, by appealing to humans' innate need to intoxicate so wonderfully that humans brought the plant indoors and started tending to it so carefully, marijuana essentially ensured its future on the planet. There is a great writeup here (http://www.pbs.org/thebotanyofdesire/cannabis-intoxication.php).

But back to our previous discussion, deciphering the ancient passage attributed to the legendary Chinese cultural leader, Shen Nong:


The seed is sweet and balanced. It mainly supplements the center and boosts the qi. Protracted taking may make one fat, strong and never senile. 1

Huo Ma Ren has mild sweet taste and neutral energetic temperature. Sweet taste in moderation strengthens the spleen Qi, aka the digestion, and prevents atrophy of the musculature.

Hempseed has been shown through modern research to be full of fiber, good proteins and fats. To "supplement the center" means to strengthen the digestive Qi, in this case by its nutritional profile. Also it is used to lubricate and moisten the bowels to prevent constipation.

Indeed, to be "fat" in this instance does not imply obesity but rather means to be well muscled and not too skinny.

Most interesting to me however, is the "never senile" part of the statement. As modern research has shown, hemp seed oil is rich in fatty acids that have been shown to reduce inflammation and potentially nourish the nervous system - especially the fatty myelin sheath that surrounds the individual nerve cell that greatly speeds the propagation of the nerve impulse. This is relevant in cases like multiple sclerosis, in which that sheathing becomes compromised and the nerve function is greatly diminished.

On a side note for another discussion, I believe the "never senile" aspect of the hemp seed makes it a Jing/Essence tonic, which could, potentially restore what has been lost by years of bong rips. :p

Eat your hemp meal :D

Peace

herb ox

1The Divine Farmer's Materia Medica: A Translation of the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing; edited by Shouzhong Yang; Pg 148

SoCo KungFu
03-16-2015, 06:50 PM
What we need are several Johnny Appleseed types to start throwing cannabis seeds wherever there is grass. The cost of removing the stuff will eventually cause conservatives to give up and give in.

mickey

I'd rather idiots not go around spreading invasive species all over the place... This is the real problem with MJ. There are side effects, regardless of how bad the denialists wish to believe, but they're not much worse than anything else. But weed has a huge negative environmental impact.

herb ox
03-18-2015, 10:32 AM
I'd rather idiots not go around spreading invasive species all over the place... This is the real problem with MJ. There are side effects, regardless of how bad the denialists wish to believe, but they're not much worse than anything else. But weed has a huge negative environmental impact.

Wikipedia has a great list of species listed as invasive in North America (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_invasive_species_in_North_America) - interestingly, MJ is not included in that list, but the domestic dog and cat are! However, I think it can potentially meet the criteria per the wikipedia entry:


A species is regarded as invasive if it has been introduced by human action to a location, area, or region where it did not previously occur naturally (i.e., is not a native species), becomes capable of establishing a breeding population in the new location without further intervention by humans, and becomes a pest in the new location, directly threatening agriculture or the local biodiversity.

So, let's see - definitely introduced by human action; probably introduced to North America from Asia Major/Minor; can establish a breeding population, as seen in some of the wild hemp fields reported in the South; However, I have not yet seen it become a "pest", nor does it threaten local biodiversity or agriculture. I live in the wine country of Northern California and can say with certainty, the monoculture created by the grape industry is FAR more a threat than wild "dagga" - fertilizer runoff, terrain modification and bee colony collapse are just a few of the many issues created by the wine industry.

What IS a threat to the environment is not the marijuana but the greedy individuals covertly planting it on public and private land with no regard for the environment. Trash, booby traps, toxic fertilizers and drained local water supplies are the threat. Covert operations tend to be far more destructive than "legal" plantations. So the conclusion is that it is the prohibition of the plant that leads to the negative impacts, not the plant itself. As for "huge negative environmental impacts" produced by MJ, I would fathom to say it is greatly less than that of monoculture or worse, GMO cross-contamination with heirloom/nonGMO crops (http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/genetically-modified-crop/). So if you are concerned about idiots, focus your energy towards thwarting the advance of Monsanto and other groups who ultimately seek to control the world's food supply.

While I do agree that MJ does have the potential for negative health aspects if abused, the impacts are also much less than that of legal and socially acceptable substances like alcohol or tobacco, or the majority of prescription drugs.

Know your farmer.

herb ox

SoCo KungFu
03-18-2015, 03:55 PM
Wikipedia has a great list of species listed as invasive in North America (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_invasive_species_in_North_America) - interestingly, MJ is not included in that list, but the domestic dog and cat are! However, I think it can potentially meet the criteria per the wikipedia entry:

The world is larger than North America, and wikipedia is a terrible source. http://www.invasive.org/species/weeds.cfm

Listed here is as noxious. Noxious designation is a weed that is defined as "competitive, persistent, and pernicious."


So, let's see - definitely introduced by human action; probably introduced to North America from Asia Major/Minor; can establish a breeding population, as seen in some of the wild hemp fields reported in the South;

Transport -> Inoculation -> Establishment -> Spread. The only difference between this and the above definition is the degree of spread. In the US it has been kept in check because of its legal status leading to instant eradication whenever discovered. For a far better definition of the invasive process, See Moyle and Marchetti 2006; though that paper is about fish, it more than adequately describes the invasive pathway. Far better than your wiki link.

The largest predictors of invasive risk are propagule pressure and previous success of invasion. Cannabis propagule intensity is already high and only expected to increase as the market expands. The illegal growing has already produced established wild populations. And it has spread wildly in other regions of the world. The 2 largest predictors, fulfilled. Nevermind that people are actively breeding it to become more suitable for our native environmental conditions. In other words, its there.


However, I have not yet seen it become a "pest", nor does it threaten local biodiversity or agriculture.
You're also not an environmental chemist. Chemical inputs from decaying organic matter into water systems have dramatic effects on recruitment of native wildlife. Not to mention weeds are for more able to colonize opportune locations than longer developing flora.

But just a couple other sources which you could have easily found on your own.

Water usage and impact on threatened wildlife
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/cannabis-farming-in-california-using-so-much-water-it-could-wipe-out-salmon-population-biologists-warn-9775102.html

Carbon footprint; link to full report inside
http://evan-mills.com/energy-associates/Indoor.html

There's others, you can use your own time to search if you are truly not in denial.


I live in the wine country of Northern California and can say with certainty, the monoculture created by the grape industry is FAR more a threat than wild "dagga" - fertilizer runoff, terrain modification and bee colony collapse are just a few of the many issues created by the wine industry.
Tu quoque is your fallacy


What IS a threat to the environment is not the marijuana but the greedy individuals covertly
Tu quoque. And false dichotomy. The problem is greedy individuals. The problem is people that just want to get stoned and be ****ed with anything else. The problem is individuals lacking in proper environmental literacy not understanding the risk of non-indigenous species introductions. And the problem is a plant that is not native to this country that is now established wild type and the subsequent effects that can and will play out in the receiving ecosystem.


planting it on public and private land with no regard for the environment.
Indeed, the environment. Glad you agree.


Trash, booby traps, toxic fertilizers and drained local water supplies are the threat. Covert operations tend to be far more destructive than "legal" plantations.
Red herring


So the conclusion is that it is the prohibition of the plant that leads to the negative impacts, not the plant itself.
Blatantly false. And again, logical fallacy


As for "huge negative environmental impacts" produced by MJ, I would fathom to say it is greatly less than that of monoculture or worse, GMO cross-contamination with heirloom/nonGMO crops (http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/genetically-modified-crop/).
Tu quoque, all over the place. Oh and, you don't get to skate by minimizing the negative effects of growth methods with cannabis while simultaneously dragging out the big bad Monsanto below for the same reason.


So if you are concerned about idiots, focus your energy towards thwarting the advance of Monsanto and other groups who ultimately seek to control the world's food supply.
Don't tell me where to focus my research. FYI, invasive ecology is my field. And ditch the tinfoil hat.


While I do agree that MJ does have the potential for negative health aspects if abused, the impacts are also much less than that of legal and socially acceptable substances like alcohol or tobacco, or the majority of prescription drugs.
Debatable. Less carcinogenic that tobacco. But deposits far more tar in the lungs, largely due to the way it is smoked. So hey less cancer, but hope you like emphysema.


Know your farmer.

Know your science

curenado
03-18-2015, 06:23 PM
"Don't tell me where to focus my research. FYI, invasive ecology is my field. And ditch the tinfoil hat."


Ad hominem. I read your post and it's not the first time you've put yourself off as the most pointless world's foremost opinion authority using the same tactics you beat others down with, like the double standard, forked tongued California libtard which all disregard anyway.

Forcing a people against their will in their state to destroy all agriculture except monopolized Monsanto controlled farms is not tinfoil, it is fact. Payola is not made of tinfoil either. Hawaii thinks you are typical Californian

Destroying private farming in India ruthlessly and agra conquering while having your products classed as bio hazards and banned in numerous countries is not tin foil, it's truth and trying to use "GLAD" talk to hound those who actually are right is not truth at all, its just shilling and industry trolling, or like many in the dying state, just that misguided.

All Californian should fish everyday and eat fish everyday. Look at Japanese, they live a hundred years. Oh, and kelp prevents vd too! San Diego kelp the best!

herb ox
03-23-2015, 11:34 AM
So then, SoCoKF - would it be logical to deduce that you have a very strong emotional response toward this subject? Your replies seem disproportionate to the discussion at hand. I do, however appreciate the effort you put forth in providing such an excellent review of the application of logical thinking.

The subject of this thread, although frequently hijacked by political and emotional responses, is simply whether or not cannabis has a place in either the person who trains martial arts, or as a useful therapeutic substance. Neither of which require a zealous response either way.

But perhaps it was my bad by goading you on with my hopeless human illogic. Ever since Leonard Nimoy passed away my logical side has been suffering :p

Perhaps you'd prefer to elucidate exactly what it is that bothers you about cannabis culture?

Baso said: "Mind is not Buddha". Perhaps we can revisit this subject with open hearts and receptivity?

herb ox

RenDaHai
03-23-2015, 01:31 PM
But perhaps it was my bad by goading you on with my hopeless human illogic. Ever since Leonard Nimoy passed away my logical side has been suffering :p


Oh I wouldn't worry about your logic Mr. Ox.

Soco frequently demonstrates a far worse logical fallacy. That is the fallacy of appealing to logical fallacy (argumentum ad logicam). A point itself is not wrong because of the way it is argued or arrived at. The point itself must also be tackled as well as the working method. Frequently people arrive at the correct answer through poor reasoning and people can arrive at the wrong answer through good reasoning. We are human beings and not computers. Large parts of our reasoning process are hidden even from ourselves and we cannot express every facet of our workings. Conclusions cannot be dismissed because of a lack of logic in what a person happens to articulate as their thought process, the conclusion itself must be dealt with directly. Fallacious arguments can still arrive at true conclusions.

Ignoratio elenchi, this is frequently Soco's fallacy.

herb ox
03-25-2015, 04:13 PM
Back on topic - it appears cannabis may indeed have a place in health promoting practice. CBD aka cannabidiol has been found to have pain-killing and inflammation reducing properties. Last summer I had a long conversation with a gentleman who's wife had been suffering from a rare form of cervical cancer that was not responding to conventional treatment. As a last resort, she started juicing the fresh leaves of a particular strain of cannabis. Soon thereafter, her doctors were puzzled as her blood analysis numbers were improving and it seemed she was beating the cancer. Although I am not sure of the final outcome, it was certainly intriguing, to say the least. Also, I have a client who is taking CBD oil for prostate cancer and I just received word today that his PSA (prostate specific antigen) levels were HALF of what they were 6 months ago, before he started CBD therapy. This is a case where there is definitely an effect, as this chap doesn't even have a prostate anymore, so any level of PSA detectable is considered to be a harbinger of tumor formation.

The following is quoted directly from the NIH (National Institute on Health) cancer portal website - see http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/cam/cannabis/healthprofessional/page4 for complete references list, etc.


Cannabis and Cannabinoids

Cannabinoids are a group of 21-carbon–containing terpenophenolic compounds produced uniquely by Cannabis species (e.g., Cannabis sativa L.) .[1,2] These plant-derived compounds may be referred to as phytocannabinoids. Although delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the primary psychoactive ingredient, other known compounds with biologic activity are cannabinol, cannabidiol (CBD), cannabichromene, cannabigerol, tetrahydrocannabivarin, and delta-8-THC. CBD, in particular, is thought to have significant analgesic and anti-inflammatory activity without the psychoactive effect (high) of delta-9-THC.

Antitumor Effects

One study in mice and rats suggested that cannabinoids may have a protective effect against the development of certain types of tumors.[3] During this 2-year study, groups of mice and rats were given various doses of THC by gavage. A dose-related decrease in the incidence of hepatic adenoma tumors and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) was observed in the mice. Decreased incidences of benign tumors (polyps and adenomas) in other organs (mammary gland, uterus, pituitary, testis, and pancreas) were also noted in the rats. In another study, delta-9-THC, delta-8-THC, and cannabinol were found to inhibit the growth of Lewis lung adenocarcinoma cells in vitro and in vivo .[4] In addition, other tumors have been shown to be sensitive to cannabinoid-induced growth inhibition.[5-8]

Cannabinoids may cause antitumor effects by various mechanisms, including induction of cell death, inhibition of cell growth, and inhibition of tumor angiogenesis invasion and metastasis.[9-12] Two reviews summarize the molecular mechanisms of action of cannabinoids as antitumor agents.[13,14] Cannabinoids appear to kill tumor cells but do not affect their nontransformed counterparts and may even protect them from cell death. For example, these compounds have been shown to induce apoptosis in glioma cells in culture and induce regression of glioma tumors in mice and rats, while they protect normal glial cells of astroglial and oligodendroglial lineages from apoptosis mediated by the CB1 receptor.[9]

The effects of delta-9-THC and a synthetic agonist of the CB2 receptor were investigated in HCC.[15] Both agents reduced the viability of HCC cells in vitro and demonstrated antitumor effects in HCC subcutaneous xenografts in nude mice. The investigations documented that the anti-HCC effects are mediated by way of the CB2 receptor. Similar to findings in glioma cells, the cannabinoids were shown to trigger cell death through stimulation of an endoplasmic reticulum stress pathway that activates autophagy and promotes apoptosis. Other investigations have confirmed that CB1 and CB2 receptors may be potential targets in non-small cell lung carcinoma [16] and breast cancer.[17]

An in vitro study of the effect of CBD on programmed cell death in breast cancer cell lines found that CBD induced programmed cell death, independent of the CB1, CB2, or vanilloid receptors. CBD inhibited the survival of both estrogen receptor–positive and estrogen receptor–negative breast cancer cell lines, inducing apoptosis in a concentration-dependent manner while having little effect on nontumorigenic mammary cells.[18] Other studies have also shown the antitumor effect of cannabinoids (i.e., CBD and THC) in preclinical models of breast cancer.[19,20]

CBD has also been demonstrated to exert a chemopreventive effect in a mouse model of colon cancer.[21] In this experimental system, azoxymethane increased premalignant and malignant lesions in the mouse colon. Animals treated with azoxymethane and CBD concurrently were protected from developing premalignant and malignant lesions. In in vitro experiments involving colorectal cancer cell lines, the investigators found that CBD protected DNA from oxidative damage, increased endocannabinoid levels, and reduced cell proliferation. In a subsequent study, the investigators found that the antiproliferative effect of CBD was counteracted by selective CB1 but not CB2 receptor antagonists, suggesting an involvement of CB1 receptors.[22]

Another investigation into the antitumor effects of CBD examined the role of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1).[12] ICAM-1 expression has been reported to be negatively correlated with cancer metastasis. In lung cancer cell lines, CBD upregulated ICAM-1, leading to decreased cancer cell invasiveness.

In an in vivo model using severe combined immunodeficient mice, subcutaneous tumors were generated by inoculating the animals with cells from human non-small cell lung carcinoma cell lines.[23] Tumor growth was inhibited by 60% in THC-treated mice compared with vehicle-treated control mice. Tumor specimens revealed that THC had antiangiogenic and antiproliferative effects. However, research with immunocompetent murine tumor models has demonstrated immunosuppression and enhanced tumor growth in mice treated with THC.[24,25]

In addition, both plant-derived and endogenous cannabinoids have been studied for anti-inflammatory effects. A mouse study demonstrated that endogenous cannabinoid system signaling is likely to provide intrinsic protection against colonic inflammation.[26] As a result, a hypothesis that phytocannabinoids and endocannabinoids may be useful in the risk reduction and treatment of colorectal cancer has been developed.[27-30]

CBD may also enhance uptake of cytotoxic drugs into malignant cells. Activation of the transient receptor potential vanilloid type 2 (TRPV2) has been shown to inhibit proliferation of human glioblastoma multiforme cells and overcome resistance to the chemotherapy agent carmustine.[31] In an in vitro model, CBD increased TRPV2 activation and increased uptake of cytotoxic drugs, leading to apoptosis of glioma cells without affecting normal human astrocytes. This suggests that coadministration of CBD with cytotoxic agents may increase drug uptake and potentiate cell death in human glioma cells. Also, CBD together with THC may enhance the antitumor activity of classic chemotherapeutic drugs such as temozolomide in some mouse models of cancer.[13,32]

Appetite Stimulation

Many animal studies have previously demonstrated that delta-9-THC and other cannabinoids have a stimulatory effect on appetite and increase food intake. It is believed that the endogenous cannabinoid system may serve as a regulator of feeding behavior. The endogenous cannabinoid anandamide potently enhances appetite in mice.[33] Moreover, CB1 receptors in the hypothalamus may be involved in the motivational or reward aspects of eating.[34]

Analgesia

Understanding the mechanism of cannabinoid-induced analgesia has been increased through the study of cannabinoid receptors, endocannabinoids, and synthetic agonists and antagonists. The CB1 receptor is found in both the central nervous system (CNS) and in peripheral nerve terminals. Similar to opioid receptors, increased levels of the CB1 receptor are found in regions of the brain that regulate nociceptive processing.[35] CB2 receptors, located predominantly in peripheral tissue, exist at very low levels in the CNS. With the development of receptor-specific antagonists, additional information about the roles of the receptors and endogenous cannabinoids in the modulation of pain has been obtained.[36,37]

Cannabinoids may also contribute to pain modulation through an anti-inflammatory mechanism; a CB2 effect with cannabinoids acting on mast cell receptors to attenuate the release of inflammatory agents, such as histamine and serotonin, and on keratinocytes to enhance the release of analgesic opioids has been described.[38-40] One study reported that the efficacy of synthetic CB1- and CB2-receptor agonists were comparable with the efficacy of morphine in a murine model of tumor pain.[41]



And so I ask - what is really so evil about this plant?


Keep your friends close, but your seed supply closer :cool:

herb ox

mickey
03-25-2015, 04:44 PM
greetings,

The only thing evil about cannabis is the propaganda that follows it. The term "sativa", I have been told, is a classification that means that it is not dangerous to Mankind; e.g., poosie-sativa.


mickey

herb ox
03-25-2015, 05:12 PM
Heh. I had never heard of that before, so I searched "poosie sativa" and google made me giggle.

As far as I knew, (and while invasive species and environmental chemistry are not my specialties, ethnomedicine is :p ) the term "sativum" reefers to a plant that has been cultivated by humans and appears as sativa, sativum and sativus but all implying essentially the same thing.

But yeah, Mickey, that makes sense what you are saying though - if these plants are cultivated, I suppose they are GRAS - generally recognized as safe or somehow of use to humankind. So, point taken :D

peace out

herb ox

mickey
03-26-2015, 09:57 AM
Greetings herb ox,

I can't believe you actually looked that one up.

Even funnier is the major typo in your response. Now I understand why you ALWAYS come back to this thread after a long absence from the forum. Can you find the typo? I have a feeling it might take you a while. I'm dying laughing here!!! :D


mickey

herb ox
03-27-2015, 08:34 AM
That's no typo ;)

herb ox

mawali
03-30-2015, 11:03 AM
When stuff comes from the natural environment, corporations are unable to call it their own so they mount initiatives to pretend the product is no good or it is useless. But they have always found a way to usurp their own bad press and now we have corporations getting into the marijuana business as they see the ROI. Before the present 9read 'entrepreneural) investment was 0- nil but now the legal corporate hegemony fee is 1/2/million as a basic fee to meet the state requirements. But again, look at the people spending 5,10 15 years for possession +whatever bad act they were doing at time of apprehension! Then you have the Corporation Jail Industrial Complex so that is double the ROI and still they make out like the legal bandits they are and will continue to be.

Isn't the US Congress a wonderful retirement haven for alleged crooks:D who can get away with anything! Some of these US Congress fools call for nations to not negotiate with the US Government in preventing a nuclear fallout and they are seen as heroes. WTF Ok my rant is over. ganja for everyone!

GeneChing
05-29-2015, 09:05 AM
Aussie deported after cops find marijuana farm in his Jiangsu apartment (http://shanghaiist.com/2015/05/29/aussie-deported-marijuana-farm.php)

http://shanghaiist.com/attachments/katienelson/aussie-maryjane.jpg

A 34-year-old Australian man living in Changshu, Jiangsu province was sent back Down Under on May 18 after he had been held in detention for 13 days on charges of growing illegal drugs and drug use.

The suspect, identified as David, was aware of China's stringent regulations on drugs, but still decided to go ahead and grow ****loads of marijuana in his rented house for his own consumption.

The man reportedly purchased a book about cultivating the greenery during a trip back to Australia. He purchased some seeds online and got to work turning the attic of his Changshu apartment into a glorious growing den.

Despite the unfavorable planting conditions in the space, he invested in several devices to help with the growth of the 28 leafy plants, including a Carbon dioxide generator, an ultraviolet lamp, a heat lamp and a ventilating fan.

http://shanghaiist.com/upload/2015/05/foreigner-marijuana-1.png

David loved his marijuana plants. He told police that he played the sound of "birds' chirping" on repeat to stimulate the plants' growth, and that he spent almost three months nurturing them.

Cops confiscated two bags of marijuana seeds in a house raid after receiving a tipoff from a neighbor.

According to Li Duoyi, a police official, David had been in China for 14 years and was working as an English teacher in a Changshu training center.

In China, growing, selling and possessing marijuana are all illegal activities, but that hasn't stopped some people from testing out their green thumbs. In 2013, a 700 plant-strong indoor cannabis farm was raided in Shenzhen, leading to the arrest of seven people.

In more recent weed-related antics, Jaycee Chan, son of Jackie Chan, was sentenced to six months in jail for providing a venue at which to smoke the greenery. Months later, Jackie Chan was named Singapore's first celebrity anti-drug ambassador because the world makes no sense.

By Lucy Liu

We discussed Jaycee Chan's PRC drug bust here (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?68330-Jaycee-Chan-s-PRC-drug-bust)

GeneChing
05-06-2016, 09:27 AM
http://n9eif10g8s63jaeyc23xlvq1.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/oldbong.jpg
Could this be the world’s oldest bong?
OSCAR PASCUAL on May 18, 2015 at 12:30 pm

You may smoke one and/or spill its putrid used water daily, but did you ever stop to think about the historical origin of the bong?

The question was posed recently when a Reddit user claimed to have found an ancient African relic while scuba diving, reports the National Marijuana News.

After providing pictures of a crusty old water pipe for fellow Redditors, the particular piece was found to be a replication of a bong design that traces all the way back to the 18th century.

Could the original be the world’s first bong?

According to DabsMag, the answer is “no.”

They found that the earliest written record of anyone using bongs dates back to the 16th Century Ming Dynasty in China, which was a major cultural hub for cannabis and hemp cultivation at the time. It also wouldn’t be a bad guess to say that bongs originate from Asia, since they’re designed to work similarly to a hukkah.

But according to archaeologist J.C. Dombrowski, the bong actually did come from Africa. Although its use was never historically documented, similar water pipes and devices found in Ethiopia and other parts of eastern and central Africa have been carbon dated as early as the 1300s.

The fact that Africans were getting stoned some 200 years prior to China’s recorded history of pot means that bongs did indeed originate from Africa, making the Redditor’s find a legitimate historical artifact, if only it were several hundred years older.

Regardless of its more recent age, this old bong is still one cool find.

http://n9eif10g8s63jaeyc23xlvq1.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/oldbong3-300x225.jpg
http://n9eif10g8s63jaeyc23xlvq1.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/oldbong2-300x225.jpg
http://n9eif10g8s63jaeyc23xlvq1.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/oldbong.jpg

Photo credit: National Marijuana News

"Africans were getting stoned some 200 years prior to China’s recorded history of pot" <- This isn't quite right. It may be correct in terms of which culture had the oldest bong, but there is much earlier evidence of marijuana use in China, prior to the Ming.

GeneChing
10-10-2016, 08:47 AM
Not a TCM application, but very old and Chinese...;)



In Ancient Grave, 13 Well-Kept Pot Plants (http://www.newser.com/story/232104/in-ancient-grave-13-well-kept-pot-plants.html)
Man was buried with them about 2.5K years ago
By Arden Dier, Newser Staff
Posted Oct 7, 2016 11:06 AM CDT

http://img1-azcdn.newser.com/image/1087108-13-20161007105020.jpeg
File photo of a more modern variety. (AP Photo/Gillian Flaccus)

(NEWSER) – You probably wouldn't want to smoke the stuff, but archaeologists have discovered the most well-preserved cannabis plants one could hope for in an ancient Chinese burial. The first discovery of its kind comes from the grave of a man aged about 35—possibly a shaman, reports Discover—buried 2,400 to 2,800 years ago in Turpan, China, then a desert oasis along the Silk Road. Said to have Caucasian features, the body was found on a wooden bed with a reed pillow and an "extraordinary cache" of 13 cannabis plants placed diagonally across the chest, each almost 3 feet long, reports National Geographic. Archaeologists have found cannabis leaves and seeds in other ancient burials, but never whole plants.

This is also the first time archaeologists have seen cannabis used as a burial shroud, study author Hongen Jiang explains in Economic Botany. A few flowering heads on the plants—all others had been cut off—held unripe fruit, suggesting the man was buried in late summer. Researchers believe the cannabis was also fresh, meaning it was grown locally. Why exactly was the Subeixi culture of Turpan growing cannabis? Researchers say they could have made hemp cloth or used the seeds for food. More likely, though, they extracted resin containing cannabinoids like THC from the plant's tiny "hairs" to use in medicine or in ritual, "possibly to facilitate communication between the human and spirit worlds," per NPR. (These burials aimed to ward off demons.)

GeneChing
03-02-2017, 12:13 PM
I was researching an article on marijuana and ancient China a long time ago, back when I was a freelancer and looking to expand my submission range. Back then, the earliest evidence of marijuana usage was in China, at least as far as I found. I should dig up that source.


ChineseInvestors.com, Inc. (CIIX) Taps Traditional Chinese Medicine Market with CBD (http://blog.qualitystocks.net/chineseinvestors-com-inc-ciix/chineseinvestors-com-inc-ciix-taps-traditional-chinese-medicine-market-with-cbd/)
February 22, 2017

http://www.qualitystocks.net/content/clients/ciix.png

No one should have been astonished at the discovery, reported by NPR (http://dtn.fm/ah9NX), of a ‘trove of cannabis plants found in (an) ancient tomb in China’. China represents a past civilization that has sprung many surprises over the centuries, and has given us some of our greatest inventions, including the compass, gunpowder, papermaking, and printing.

On par with these innovations has been Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), which has relied, in part, on herbal remedies (tui na). The use of plant derivatives to alleviate maladies is as natural to the Chinese as drinking tea, which itself is thought to promote dental health due to a richness of fluoride in some strains, with anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties in others, and is a good source of Vitamin A in still others. Two millennia ago, a ‘tea’ made from hemp was consumed for medical purposes. Now ChineseInvestors.com, Inc. (OTCQB: CIIX) is going back to those roots. The company aims to be ‘the premier provider of cannabidiol (CBD) oil to the Chinese population in mainland China’.

CBD oil is a compound extracted from the cannabis plant. However, plants bred and grown for their high tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content are commonly referred to as marijuana. THC is psychoactive and is responsible for the ‘high’ that marijuana use provides. Other cannabis plants contain only trace amounts of THC but have high concentrations of CBD, which is the second most common cannabinoid of the 85 or so found in cannabis. Unlike THC, CBD is non-psychotropic. Plants with a preponderance of CBD are called hemp.

Hemp oil is rich in protein, polyunsaturated fatty acids, omega 6, omega 3 and insoluble fiber. It is a good source of tocopherols or Vitamin E antioxidants and is packed with minerals such as potassium, magnesium, iron, zinc, calcium, and phosphorus, as well as microelements like strontium, thorium, arsenic and chromium. Hemp oil is thought to increase immunity, counteract aging skin and improve cardiovascular health. Several studies show that the linoleic acid present in hemp oil can slow down the aging process and fight psoriasis.

There have been encouraging reports (http://dtn.fm/P6Ps1) of CBD helping epileptics, and Citizens United for Research in Epilepsy (CURE) has called for more study (http://dtn.fm/Rp9cM) into the use of CBD to treat epilepsy.

Unlike their western counterparts, Chinese companies have a long history of researching and developing cannabis products. Data published by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) indicate that Chinese firms account for about half of the filings for patents on cannabis products.

Late last month, CIIX announced it was launching the world’s first CBD health products online store in the Chinese language under the domain name www.ChineseCBDoil.com. The company will use the site to sell CBD oil products to customers in the Chinese mainland, where hemp oil-derived products are legal, and to Chinese speakers in the U.S. and Canada.

At present, the competitive landscape is clear, with virtually no rivals, and CIIX has signed an agreement with a San Diego producer to white label and distribute a number of CBD products, which, since they are not THC based, are legal in all 50 U.S. states, as well as in China.

The prospects for success are excellent. Founder and CEO of CIIX, Warren Wang, recently cited an industry study as he announced an alliance with a Chinese private equity firm to raise capital for investment in medical and recreational marijuana ventures:

“According to The CBD Report published by The Hemp Business Journal, cannabidiol is one of the fastest growing market categories in the U.S. hemp and legal marijuana industries. In 2015, the CBD industry grew from a nearly invisible market… to $202 million in consumer sales, and it is further expected to grow to $2.1 billion in consumer sales by 2020. We are very excited that CIIX is launching the world’s first CBD online store focused on providing CBD health products for Chinese-speaking customers and making it possible for them to order various types of CBD products through www.chinesecbdoil.com.”

Traditional Chinese medicine is about to experience a renaissance.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.ChineseInvestors.com

herb ox
03-09-2017, 09:34 AM
"On par with these innovations has been Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), which has relied, in part, on herbal remedies (tui na). "

I think what they are really referring to is Zhong yao or Cao yao maybe? Tui Na is a type of medical massage. The authors of this article need to do their homework a little more... but then again, in this age of instant "news" I've noticed the standards of reporting have sunken to an all time low. I see typographical and grammatical errors on a daily basis even on major news websites. [insert facepalm here]

On the other hand, the editorial staff of Kungfu Magazine research and verify their information very well. Hat's off to the Kungfu Magazine folks for creating a scholarly resource within a news stand periodical!

h. ox

GeneChing
04-06-2017, 09:36 AM
Front. Pharmacol., 10 March 2017
Cannabis in Chinese Medicine: Are Some Traditional Indications Referenced in Ancient Literature Related to Cannabinoids? (http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fphar.2017.00108/full)

E. Joseph Brand and Zhongzhen Zhao*
School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Cannabis sativa L. (Cannabaceae) has a long history of utilization as a fiber and seed crop in China, and its achenes (“seeds”) as well as other plant parts have been recorded in Chinese medical texts for nearly 2000 years. While the primary applications of cannabis in Chinese medicine center around the use of the achenes, ancient indications for the female inflorescence, and other plant parts include conditions such as pain and mental illness that are the subject of current research into cannabinoids such as cannabidiol (CBD) and Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). However, little previous research has been conducted to analyze the Chinese medical literature in light of recent advances in the pharmacology and taxonomy of cannabis, and most of the relevant Chinese historical records have not yet been translated into Western languages to facilitate textual research. Furthermore, many key questions remain unresolved in the Chinese literature, including how various traditional drug names precisely correspond to different plant parts, as well as the implications of long-term selection for fiber-rich cultivars on the medical applications of cannabis in Chinese medicine. In this article, prominent historical applications of cannabis in Chinese medicine are chronologically reviewed, and indications found in ancient Chinese literature that may relate to cannabinoids such as CBD and Δ9-THC are investigated.

Introduction
Cannabis sativa L. has been cultivated in China for millennia for use as a fiber, food, and medicine. References to cannabis are found throughout classical Chinese literature, including in many famous works of philosophy, poetry, agriculture, and medicine. Fiber-rich biotypes of cannabis (hemp) were extensively used in ancient China for clothing and the production of paper, rope, and fishing nets (Dai, 1989), and the achenes (“seeds”) of cannabis have been continuously used in Chinese medicine for at least 1800 years. Today, China is regarded as one of the world's ancient epicenters of hemp cultivation, resulting in a diverse germplasm with genetically distinct regional varieties of fiber-rich hemp that are adapted to local environmental conditions throughout the country (Gao et al., 2014; Zhang et al., 2014).

The prominence of hemp in ancient Chinese culture can be seen by its occurrence in classical literature from the Warring States Period (475–221 BC), including philosophical works by Confucius, Mencius, Xunzi, Zhuangzi, and Mozi, as well as the Classic of Poetry (Shi Jing; Sun, 2016). By the first to second century AD, the ancient Shuowen dictionary (Shuo Wen Jie Zi) featured multiple Chinese characters that illustrate knowledge of the dioecious nature of cannabis and discriminate based on gender (Liu, 1999).

In the sixth century AD, the agricultural text Essential Techniques for the Welfare of the People (Qi Min Yao Shu) described techniques for the cultivation of hemp in great detail, and its monograph on cannabis cultivation features one of the first textually documented applications of fertilizer in the history of Chinese agriculture (Shi, 1957). This text also demonstrates the knowledge that removal of male plants at the initiation of flowering will result in a lack of seeds; however, the text focuses exclusively on cultivation and harvesting practices to maximize the production of seeds and the quality of fiber and does not reference the deliberate production of seedless cannabis (Shi, 1957).

It is notable that most classical Chinese references focus on the use of cannabis for its seeds and fiber, with few, if any, explicit references to drug effects seen outside of the medical literature. Although early Chinese medical literature suggests that both drug and fiber biotypes of cannabis were known in ancient times, more research is needed to clarify the implications of these different biotypes in medical applications. Additionally, further research is needed to probe whether the medical applications of cannabis in ancient Chinese literature may relate to non-psychoactive cannabinoids such as cannabidiol (CBD), which may have been present in ancient fiber biotypes as well as drug biotypes (see Figure 1).

FIGURE 1
http://www.frontiersin.org/files/Articles/238535/fphar-08-00108-HTML-r2/image_m/fphar-08-00108-g001.jpg
Figure 1. The chemical structures of cannabidiol (CBD, left) and Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC, right).

Cannabis in Chinese Medicine
Cannabis has been continually documented in Chinese medicine for ~1800 years. In the modern era, its achenes (commonly referred to as “seeds” and known in TCM as huomaren 火麻仁) are frequently used as a moistening laxative and are official in the Chinese Pharmacopeia (CP, 2015). All parts of the cannabis plant have been recorded in historical Chinese medical texts, including the achene (seed), female inflorescence, leaf, and root, as well as the cortex of the stalk and the water used to process the stalk into fiber. However, only the achenes (seeds) are currently used in clinical practice (Brand and Wiseman, 2008).

In contrast to the prominent use of the achenes in Chinese medicine, many applications of cannabis in early Western medicine focused on preparations made from the female flowering tops of drug varieties of cannabis, which were featured in early Western pharmacopeia texts from the nineteenth to twentieth century (Wood, 1918). In the modern era, the investigation of cannabis for medical purposes in the West has continued to primarily focus on cannabinoids, resulting in prescription medicines such as the botanically derived drug “Sativex” by GW Pharmaceuticals (a mixture of Δ9-THC and cannabidiol in an oromucosal spray that is sold by prescription in 15 countries, including the UK, Germany, Italy, Canada, Australia, and Spain; Russo et al., 2007).

The notable contrast between the medical applications of cannabis in traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine has been poorly explored in current ethnopharmacological literature. Despite the fact that cannabis preparations have been extensively and consistently documented in Chinese bencao (materia medica) texts for ~1800 years, no English-language publications have systematically assessed the medicinal indications of cannabis in the Chinese bencao literature and historical changes in the plant parts used. Few reliable translations of Chinese monographs on cannabis from traditional bencao texts exist, which has led to significant gaps in the Western understanding about how cannabis was used in Chinese medicine.

Additionally, many problems related to cannabis in TCM remain unresolved in the contemporary Chinese literature. Modern Chinese journal articles as well as historical authors have attempted to clarify the complicated nomenclature of the female inflorescence in bencao literature (Liu and Shang, 1992; Liu, 1999; Liu et al., 2009; Wei et al., 2010), and monographs in modern TCM texts detail different plant parts and their use across a range of historical texts (Editorial Committee, 1977; Cui and Ran, 1993). However, a number of modern and historical Chinese sources contradict each other in terms of which plant parts correspond to certain traditional drug names such as mafen (麻蕡), mahua (麻花), and mabo (麻勃), complicating the interpretation of their medical actions.

As the difference between drug and fiber varieties of cannabis is largely determined by genetics, the historical and geographic prevalence of different biotypes of cannabis in China likely influenced its applications in Chinese medicine. However, this crucial question has received only limited attention in the Chinese literature. Furthermore, most Chinese publications that have attempted to address the topic of speciation as it relates to the historical application of cannabis in Chinese medicine utilize a relatively simplistic taxonomic model that does not take recent scientific advances into account (Liu and Shang, 1992; Wei et al., 2010). continued next post

GeneChing
04-06-2017, 09:37 AM
Biotypes of Cannabis in China
The complicated taxonomic history of cannabis has been previously summarized in numerous publications (Schultes et al., 1974; Small and Cronquist, 1976; Hillig and Mahlberg, 2004). Cannabis is often described as a monotypic genus with wide morphological and chemical variation, and the Flora of China and the Chinese Pharmacopeia adopt the monotypic classification of Chinese cannabis as Cannabis sativa L. (Chen and Gilbert, 2006; CP, 2015). By contrast, many of the Chinese publications that have investigated historical questions related to the speciation of cannabis in Chinese medicine across different dynastic periods have adopted a polytypic approach to nomenclature that primarily differentiates the genus into two species based on chemotype, with varieties focused on fiber and seed production described as C. sativa L. and drug varieties described as C. indica Lamarck (Liu and Shang, 1992; Liu, 1999).

Cannabis is a classic example of taxonomic debates related to “lumping vs. splitting” (i.e., whether the genus should be considered as monotypic or polytypic) as well as morphological vs. chemotype distinctions. Advances in DNA research have added further complexity to the picture, and terms such as “broad leaflet hemp” (BLH) vs. “broad leaflet drug” (BLD) and “narrow leaflet hemp” (NLH) vs. “narrow leaflet drug” (NLD) have recently been used to describe cannabis varieties based on a combination of morphology and chemotype (Piluzza et al., 2013).

The complex debate about cannabis taxonomy initially developed after Lamarck proposed the name C. indica in 1785 to describe psychoactive Indian cannabis in contradistinction to Linnaeus' description of non-psychoactive European hemp (Hillig and Mahlberg, 2004), which was regarded as C. sativa L. While Lamarck's original type specimen of C. indica reflected a narrow leaflet drug (NLD) variety, Schultes later applied the name C. indica to refer to broad leaflet drug (BLD) varieties from Afghanistan that shared the characteristic of psychoactivity but differed in morphology (Clarke and Merlin, 2013). In contrast to European hemp, which is considered as representative of a narrow leaflet hemp biotype (NLH), most landraces of Chinese cannabis are characterized as a broad leaflet hemp (BLH) biotype. (Russo et al., 2008) (see Figure 2). Chinese hemp has strong fiber and is generally not psychoactive, but DNA and chemotype distinctions suggest that Chinese hemp is more closely linked genetically to C. sativa subsp. indica [ = C. indica Lamarck] than to European hemp (C. sativa subs. sativa [ = C. sativa L.]) (Hillig and Mahlberg, 2004; Hillig, 2005). Accordingly, Chinese hemp expresses the BT alleles necessary for the biosynthesis of THC more prominently than European hemp, even though long-term selection for fiber has led Chinese hemp to produce only low levels of THC (Clarke and Merlin, 2013). This suggests that drug and fiber biotypes of cannabis in China may have shared a common ancestor and diverged through human selection, but the precise timeline of fiber hemp's increasing dominance in the Chinese gene pool remains unclear.

FIGURE 2
http://www.frontiersin.org/files/Articles/238535/fphar-08-00108-HTML-r2/image_m/fphar-08-00108-g002.jpg
Figure 2. Broad-leaflet hemp in Guangxi province, China.

Recent archeological evidence from a 2700 year old tomb discovered in the Yanghai region of China's Xinjiang province suggests that drug biotypes of cannabis were known to the ancient inhabitants of the region (Jiang et al., 2006), and genetic testing has shown that the 2700 year old cannabis specimens from the tomb maintain some similarities to feral cannabis that remains in the surrounding region today (Mukherjee et al., 2008). However, the Yanghai tomb housed a body of Caucasian ancestry (Russo et al., 2008), and the region was located well outside of the boundary of early Chinese cultural influence. In more central Chinese regions, archeological artifacts provide abundant evidence of hemp fiber but little evidence of drug cannabis, suggesting that the historical divergence of fiber and drug biotypes occurred early in Chinese history (Clarke and Merlin, 2013).

Today, cannabis landraces throughout most regions of China reflect fiber biotypes, and some provincial standards have followed international trends by defining fiber biotypes for cultivation as varieties containing <0.3% Δ9-THC by weight (Lu et al., 2007). In modern China, intermediate and drug biotypes have primarily been reported in isolated regions in the northwest province of Xinjiang and the southwest province of Yunnan (Zhan et al., 1994; Hu et al., 2015) (see Figure 3). Drug use of cannabis in Xinjiang province was recorded along the Silk Road from the Qing Dynasty (1644–1911 AD) to the twentieth century, and was described in a report by the Russian explorer Shoqan Walikhanov in 1858 (Ali et al., 2004; Zhou, 2015); however, there is little evidence outside of bencao literature that suggests that drug cannabis was known or used in other parts of ancient China. Furthermore, according to texts that focus on the history of drug prohibition in China, there is little evidence that cannabis was either abused or prohibited in China prior to the first documented seizures of imported cannabis products in Xinjiang in 1936 (Ali et al., 2004; Qi and Hu, 2004). This stands in notable contrast to other drugs that have a well-documented history of regulation, medical use, abuse, and prohibition in China, such as opium and deliriant drugs derived from tropane alkaloid-containing plants such as henbane (Hyoscyamus niger L.) and datura (Datura spp.; Li, 1999; Qi and Hu, 2004).


continued next post

GeneChing
04-06-2017, 09:38 AM
FIGURE 3
http://www.frontiersin.org/files/Articles/238535/fphar-08-00108-HTML-r2/image_m/fphar-08-00108-g003.jpg
Figure 3. Feral cannabis in Yunnan province, China.

On the whole, the abundance of references to hemp and the paucity of references to drug cannabis in early Chinese history suggest that fiber and drug varieties had diverged by ancient times. As cannabis is wind-pollinated and its biotype distinctions are genetically determined, the long-term and abundant cultivation of fiber-rich biotypes in China likely supplanted or diluted any drug biotypes that were once present. However, the timeline of this process has been poorly elucidated, and bencao literature suggests that drug effects of cannabis were recognized in Chinese medicine from ancient times up through Ming dynasty texts written in the sixteenth century AD. This curious anomaly suggests that the evolution of Chinese cannabis biotypes may have taken place gradually, and merits further investigation to determine if bencao literature can help to clarify when fiber and drug biotypes diverged in ancient China, and the implications of such a divergence on its medical applications.

Materials and Methods
Pre-modern Chinese materia medica texts, known as bencao, were systematically reviewed to investigate the historical applications of different parts of the cannabis plant. In particular, records related to plant parts such as the flowers and leaves were comprehensively investigated for applications that may relate to cannabinoids such as CBD and Δ9-THC; such records may also help to clarify the evolution of fiber vs. drug biotypes of cannabis in ancient China.

Representative bencao texts were selected for analysis, including influential bencao texts from different dynastic periods, thematic bencao texts dedicated to specialized topics, and regional bencao texts dedicated to specific geographic regions (Zhao and Chen, 2014). Additionally, modern Chinese materia medica compilations as well as texts focused on ethnic minority traditions in China were reviewed. The selected texts were organized chronologically by dynasty, and monographs on cannabis from bencao texts representing different historical periods were reviewed. The sources were analyzed based on the plant parts that were described, as well as the nature, flavor, actions and indications of the various cannabis materials within.

A diverse range of properties and indications have been ascribed to various parts of the cannabis plant over the centuries, and space limitations preclude a comprehensive translation of all the bencao records related to cannabis. Thus, special attention was given to tracing the historical development of applications related to seizures, pain, and mental effects or mental illness, as these conditions have been the subject of extensive research in the context of cannabinoids such as CBD and Δ9-THC (Mechoulam et al., 2002; Devinsky et al., 2014). As cannabinoids are primarily concentrated in the female flowering tops and leaves rather than the achenes, cortex, and roots, these plant parts were emphasized in this review.

Selection of Texts and Textual Editions
Authentic editions of over 800 historical bencao texts are collected together in a set known as the Complete Ben Cao (本草全書 Ben Cao Quan Shu); a set of this compilation stored at Hong Kong Baptist University was used as a primary reference in this study. In particular, five influential texts from different dynasties are recognized as milestones in bencao literature (Zhao and Chen, 2014); these texts were extensively reviewed and are detailed in Table 1. Multiple textual editions were reviewed for each of these bencao texts to ensure accuracy and textual integrity.

TABLE 1
http://www.frontiersin.org/files/Articles/238535/fphar-08-00108-HTML-r2/image_m/fphar-08-00108-t001.jpg
Table 1. Influential bencao from different dynastic periods.

For example, the longest and most detailed monograph on cannabis in the bencao literature is found in the sixteenth century Compendium of Materia Medica (Ben Cao Gang Mu) by Li Shizhen, which is widely regarded as the pinnacle achievement of bencao literature. For the review of this text, three authoritative editions were selected to ensure textual accuracy. The editions reviewed included an original copy of the 1603 AD “Shiquge (石渠閣)” print run of the Compendium of Materia Medica from the collection of Sir Hans Sloane at the British Library (see Figure 4), as well as a modern reproduction of the original “Jinling (金陵)” edition of the Compendium of Materia Medica (Li, 1999), and an authoritative modern annotated edition known as Compendium of Materia Medica Research (Liu et al., 2009). continued next post

GeneChing
04-06-2017, 09:39 AM
FIGURE 4
http://www.frontiersin.org/files/Articles/238535/fphar-08-00108-HTML-r2/image_m/fphar-08-00108-g004.jpg
Figure 4. Entry on cannabis in the Compendium of Materia Medica.

In addition to these five representative bencao texts of different dynasties, records related to cannabis were reviewed from 84 additional pre-modern bencao texts dating from the twelfth century to the late nineteenth century. The sources included 6 bencao texts from the Song Dynasty (960–1279 AD), 4 texts from the Yuan Dynasty (1271–1368 AD), 32 texts from the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644 AD), and 47 texts from the Qing Dynasty (1644–1911 AD).

Most historical bencao texts that were written prior to the invention of printing in the Song Dynasty are no longer intact, but their content has been preserved in printed texts such as the Materia Medica Arranged According to Pattern (證類本草 Zheng Lei Ben Cao) from 1108 AD. Accordingly, the Materia Medica Arranged According to Pattern, which cited 25 previous historical sources in its discussion on cannabis, was selected as a representative source for pre-Song Dynasty content (Tang, 1999). An additional early source of records related to cannabis from the Treatise of the Five Viscera (五臟倫 Wu Zang Lun), a manuscript discovered in an archeological excavation at Dunhuang that is thought to date from the Tang Dynasty (618–907 AD), was also reviewed.

Additionally, four thematic bencao were reviewed to investigate records related to specific geographic regions and imported medicinals. These texts include the tenth century Materia Medica from Overseas (海藥本草 Hai Yao Ben Cao), the thirteenth century Materia Medica from Steep Mountainsides (履巉巖本草 Lu Chan Yan Ben Cao), the fifteenth century Yunnan Materia Medica (滇南本草 Dian Nan Ben Cao), and the nineteenth century Illustrated Reference of Botanical Nomenclature (植物名實圖考 Zhi Wu Ming Shi Tu Kao).

Finally, monographs on cannabis from a variety of modern materia medica compendiums were reviewed. In addition to each edition of the Chinese Pharmacopeia from 1977 to 2015, several twentieth century compendiums of materia medica were reviewed, including the Great Encyclopedia of Chinese Medicinals (中藥大辭典 Zhong Yao Da Ci Dian), the Sea of Chinese Medicinals (中華藥海 Zhong Hua Yao Hai), the National Collection of Chinese Herbal Medicines (全國中草藥彙編 Quan Guo Zhong Cao Yao Hui Bian), the Chinese Materia Medica (中華本草 Zhong Hua Ben Cao), and the Chinese Great Encyclopedia (中華大典 Zhong Hua Da Dian). Modern compilations focused on Chinese herbal formulas and ethnic minority medical traditions in Western China were also reviewed, including texts on Uighur, Yao, Miao, and Tibetan medicine. Additionally, publications from English and Chinese scientific journal databases such as CNKI, Wanfang, Google Scholar, and Scopus were analyzed based on a wide range of search terms related to Chinese medicine and cannabis in both English and Chinese.

Approach to Translation of Technical Terms
Preserving the traditional terminology of Chinese medicine is essential in order for translations to capture the original meaning of historical sources. In this work, a source-oriented approach to translation is utilized; in most cases, the technical terms used in translation can be cross referenced to the original Chinese using the terminology established in A Practical Dictionary of Chinese Medicine (Wiseman and Feng, 1998). Additional bilingual term lists referenced in the process of translation include: the Dictionary of the Ben cao gang mu, Volume 1: Chinese Historical Illness Terminology (Zhang and Unschuld, 2014), the WHO International Standard Terminologies on Traditional Medicine in the Western Pacific Region, and International Standard Chinese-English: Basic Nomenclature of Chinese Medicine.

In the context of cannabis, several unique challenges relate to the translation of the plant parts used, as historical sources offer conflicting descriptions of different plant parts. In particular, historical and contemporary sources are divided regarding the botanical structures that correspond to the terms mafen (麻蕡), mahua (麻花), and mabo (麻勃), as well as terms related to the fruit or seed such as mazi (麻子), maziren (麻子仁), and mashi (麻實). In this review, these terms are preserved via a combination of English, Pinyin, and Chinese, and the implications of their historical and contemporary confusion are discussed.

Identification of Traditional Actions and Indications That May Reflect Cannabinoids
In contemporary Chinese medicine, fiber-rich biotypes of cannabis provide the achenes used as huomaren (Cannabis Fructus). However, as the achenes of cannabis contain at most only trace amounts of cannabinoids such as CBD and Δ9-THC (Mölleken and Husmann, 1997), the indications of the achenes are unlikely to relate to cannabinoids and their observed effects are unreliable for differentiating the historical prevalence of different biotypes of cannabis in Chinese medical applications. Similarly, Chinese medical records related to other plant parts with minimal cannabinoid content, such as the stalks and roots of cannabis, are of limited value for differentiating historical biotypes or evaluating applications that may relate to cannabinoids. Thus, the primary plant parts that can be reasonably expected to illustrate effects that relate to cannabinoids are the leaf and female inflorescence. Accordingly, while the actions, indications, and properties of all parts of the cannabis plant were reviewed in the historical texts described above, the female inflorescence and leaf formed the focus of the investigation.

A review of the nature, flavor, actions, and indications of various cannabis plant parts in Chinese bencao reveals a number of terms that may indicate the presence of intermediate or drug biotypes of cannabis. For example, applications related to severe pain, perceived toxicity, or actions such as inducing anesthesia or hallucinations may reflect the historical presence of drug biotypes. Accordingly, the terminology associated with such effects was compared with descriptions of other drugs found in the Chinese materia medica that have known hallucinogenic or narcotic effects, such as Datura spp., Hyoscyamus niger L., and Papaver somniferum L. Additionally, the bencao literature was reviewed for other medical applications that have been associated with cannabinoid-rich preparations, including applications for conditions such as epilepsy and mental illness that may be related to the pharmacology of cannabidiol CBD rather than psychoactive cannabinoids such as Δ9-THC (Mechoulam et al., 2002; Devinsky et al., 2014).
continued next post

GeneChing
04-06-2017, 09:41 AM
Results and Discussion
Cannabis has been documented in bencao texts from the Eastern Han Dynasty (c. 200 AD) up through the twentieth century materia medica literature. All parts of the plant were recorded in bencao texts by 659 AD, but the inflorescence (mafen) and the “seed” (achene fruit) tend to appear more frequently as monograph headings than the leaf, root, and cortex (Zheng, 2008); the achenes are the only plant part that remains used in modern clinical practice. As described below, the bencao literature suggests that both drug and fiber biotypes were known in ancient China, but bencao texts never differentiated the plant into drug vs. fiber or oil varieties. Consequently, determining the implications of different biotypes on the historical applications of cannabis requires an in-depth analysis of the actions, indications, and plant parts used in ancient medical texts.

Furthermore, although records in the historical literature that suggest intoxication or altered consciousness may help to indicate preparations with significant levels of cannabinoids, such references may overlook effects that relate to non-psychoactive cannabinoids such as CBD, which are the predominant cannabinoids in the cannabis (hemp) varieties widely grown in China today. Consequently, indications cited in ancient texts for conditions such as epilepsy, seizures, and pain may in some cases relate to cannabinoids such as CBD rather than Δ9-THC (Mechoulam et al., 2002), making it difficult to reliably use overt drug effects as a proxy for identifying cannabinoid-related medical applications.

Our textual analysis suggests that drug biotypes of cannabis were known in ancient Chinese medicine, but it is possible that long-term selection of fiber-rich cultivars caused drug biotypes to fade in terms of their medical importance over time. Several trends in the literature suggest that drug biotypes of cannabis were rarely applied in Chinese medicine or gradually became less prominent, including: (1) the increased prominence of the achenes and reduced prominence of other plant parts such as the female inflorescence in the bencao literature over time; (2) enduring nomenclature confusion regarding plant parts, which suggests limited practical application and experience by later authors; and (3) actions and indications in many early texts that were repeated over the centuries but had relatively little elaboration and practical application in later bencao sources.

Prominence of the Achenes in Clinical Application
Many early bencao texts from the second century through the twelfth century AD feature the inflorescence (mafen) as a main monograph heading with the achenes (known as mazi or maziren) presented as an addendum, but over time the emphasis gradually tended to favor the achenes. For example, in the Compendium of Materia Medica (Ben Cao Gang Mu) from the late sixteenth century, ~3 times as many words are dedicated to the discussion of the properties and indications of the achenes in comparison with the inflorescence (Liu et al., 2009). By the time of the Qing Dynasty (1644–1911 AD), many bencao texts only contained monographs on the achenes, and the inflorescence (mafen) was often omitted entirely, a practice that has carried over into modern clinical textbooks of TCM.

Beyond the context of bencao texts, an emphasis on the use of the achenes in clinical practice can also be seen from TCM formula literature. For example, the achenes are featured as a key ingredient in the classical formula Cannabis Seed Pill (Ma Zi Ren Wan 麻子仁丸), which was first recorded by the physician Zhang Zhongjing around the second century AD and remains prominent in both clinical use and TCM textbooks in the modern era (Brand and Wiseman, 2008). According to data from the National Health Insurance system in Taiwan collected in 2003, this formula ranked #40 out of the 301 most frequently prescribed TCM formulas for insurance reimbursement, with over 10,705 kg of concentrated dry extract prescribed in Taiwan in 2003. In the same year in Taiwan, 967 kg of concentrated dry extract from the achenes (huomaren) was also prescribed for insurance reimbursement as a single-herb addition to formulas, ranking it as #140 of 353 single herb extracts by weight (Jian, 2006).

By contrast, the inflorescence of cannabis rarely appeared in historical formulas, with the exception of a relatively modest range of small formulas that are found in bencao texts. No named formulas that feature the inflorescence of cannabis are found in the Great Encyclopedia of Chinese Medicinal Formulas (中醫方劑大辭典 Zhong Yi Fang Ji Da Ci Dian), which contains 96,592 historical formulas and features 69 formulas that utilize the achenes of cannabis as a primary ingredient (Peng, 2005). While a small number of combinations with other herbs are listed in bencao texts, the relatively small number of compound formulas that feature the inflorescence of cannabis thus suggests that the inflorescence was rarely used in clinical applications when compared with the achenes.

Abundant bencao references to cannabis as a food and fiber crop suggest that fiber and seed production were emphasized from an early time. For example, in the Collection of Commentaries on the Classic of the Materia Medica (Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing Ji Zhu) from the sixth century AD, the author Tao Hongjing notes that cannabis was used to make cloth and shoes (Tao, 1999). Additional references to pressing the seeds for oil and using the fiber for cloth and candlewicks are also found in later texts such as the Compendium of Materia Medica (Ben Cao Gang Mu) by Li Shizhen in the sixteenth century (Liu et al., 2009). Furthermore, cannabis was frequently classified in bencao texts with other food crops under the heading of “grains,” which suggests that it had a prominent role as a food (Li, 2005). Hemp seed continues to be consumed as a food in modern China; it has a reputation as a “longevity” food in the Bama region of Guangxi province (Wang et al., 2010), and in Hong Kong beverages made of hemp seed are commonly sold in street stalls as well as in bottled products made by large companies including Coca-Cola.

However, despite the prominence of the achenes in ancient and modern applications, contemporary and historical texts contain contradictions related to nomenclature that remain poorly resolved. Although colloquially referred to as “seeds” in both English and Chinese, in botanical terms the brown, lustrous achenes with intact shells seen in TCM pharmacies today are fruits that contain seeds under the brown pericarp.

Confusion between the “fruit” vs. “seed” of cannabis is found in both ancient and modern sources. In the 2015 and 2005 editions of the Chinese Pharmacopeia (CP), huomaren (火麻仁) is defined as the dried mature fruit, resulting in the Latin drug name of “Cannabis Fructus” (CP, 2015). However, the name “Cannabis Semen” was featured in the 2010 edition of the Chinese Pharmacopeia, which stated its identity as the mature seed but featured a description of the fruit. In other contemporary texts such as the National Collection of Chinese Herbal Medicines (全國中草藥彙編 Quan Guo Zhong Cao Yao Hui Bian), the identity of huomaren is listed as either the fruit or the seed with the pericarp removed. By contrast, the Chinese Materia Medica (中華本草 Zhong Hua Ben Cao) and the Great Encyclopedia of Chinese Medicinals (中藥大辭典 Zhong Yao Da Ci Dian) list only the seed but feature macroscopic and microscopic descriptions that match the fruit (Editorial Committee, 1977; Zheng, 2008). Furthermore, in some historical texts it is difficult to definitively identity the botanical structures of cannabis that are referenced by traditional terms such as “fruit” (實 shi), “seed” (子 zi), “kernel/seed” (仁 ren), and “shell” (殼 qiao). This mirrors the challenges inherent in interpreting the complex terminology surrounding the terms used to refer to the female inflorescence (and infructescence) in bencao texts.



continued next post

GeneChing
04-06-2017, 09:43 AM
Enduring Confusion Regarding Plant Parts: Resolving Traditional Nomenclature
One of the most significant challenges for the interpretation of bencao records related to cannabis lies in the traditional terminology used to describe the flowering tops of the plant. Three terms are prominently used in bencao texts, and different authors from different historical eras describe them in contradictory ways. These terms, mafen (麻蕡), mahua (麻花), and mabo (麻勃), all refer to the spike-shaped inflorescence of the plant, but various contemporary and historical sources interpret them differently.

Mafen (麻蕡), which is the term most frequently encountered as a heading for cannabis in ancient bencao texts, is often defined as the immature inflorescence of the female flower or the mature infructescence of the seeded female flower (Liu and Shang, 1992; Liu, 1999). It was first listed in the Divine Farmer's Classic of Materia Medica (神農本草經 Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing, c. second century), wherein the term mabo (麻勃, literally “cannabis spike”) was listed as a synonym but no physical descriptions were provided. As the text was transmitted, commentary known as Additional Records of Famous Physicians (Ming Yi Bie Lu) was added to clarify that mafen was the “rising spike on the cannabis flower,” and should be harvested on the 7th day of the 7th month (based on the lunar calendar). This harvest time stands in contrast to the achenes, which were harvested in the 9th month according to the same source (which also noted that mafen is “toxic” while the achenes are non-toxic; Tang, 1999).

In the sixth century, the Divine Farmer's Classic of Materia Medica and the Additional Records of Famous Physicians were transmitted along with additional commentary from Tao Hongjing, a physician and Taoist alchemist who utilized different colors of ink to differentiate his annotations from the original transmitted text. Tao's comments initiated centuries of debate because he described mafen as cannabis without fruit, which clashed with previous definitions from the Er Ya dictionary that described mafen as the fruit of cannabis. Later authors disagreed about the identity of mafen (麻蕡), mahua (麻花 “cannabis flower”), and mabo (麻勃 “cannabis spike”), with some sources regarding the terms as synonymous while others regarded them as separate entities using poorly defined concepts of fruit vs. flower, leading later sources to divide them into multiple entries. Notably, Li Shizhen attempted to rectify these nomenclature issues in the sixteenth century while dividing mabo and mafen into separate monographs in the Compendium of Materia Medica, but his analysis introduced additional confusion that carried over into modern materia medica compilations and remains unresolved to this day.

The complex debate surrounding the nomenclature of mafen has been summarized in several contemporary Chinese journal publications (Liu and Shang, 1992; Liu, 1999). In addition to the immature female inflorescence and the mature seeded female infructescence, modern bencao scholars have also proposed that the identity of mafen includes the bracts surrounding the achenes but not the achenes themselves (Chen and Huang, 2005). Prominent historical bencao authors also discussed the meaning of mafen, including Su Jing (659 AD), Su Song (1062 AD), and Tang Shenwei (1108 AD; Zheng, 2008). The author Li Shizhen summarized the disparate views advanced by earlier historical authors in the Compendium of Materia Medica (Ben Cao Gang Mu) in 1593 AD, and Li's descriptions and corrections were influential in shaping the definitions established by contemporary texts such as the Great Encyclopedia of Chinese Medicinals (Zhong Yao Da Ci Dian).

In the Compendium of Materia Medica, Li summarized the discrepancies between the Divine Farmer's Classic of Materia Medica, Su Jing and Su Song's descriptions. Li chose to follow descriptions from Wu Pu's Materia Medica (Wu Pu Ben Cao) that established synonymy between the terms mabo (cannabis spike) and mahua (cannabis flower), which were classified as acrid and non-toxic, and separated these terms from mafen, which was classified as acrid, sweet, and toxic. Thus, despite the fact that the Divine Farmer's Classic of Materia Medica listed mabo as a synonym of mafen, Li Shizhen split the two into separate entries.

For the entry on mabo, Li listed mahua (cannabis flower) as a synonym, and cited a statement from the sixth century agricultural text Essential Techniques for the Welfare of the People (Qi Min Yao Shu) that referenced removing the males at the time that the plant produces “bo” (the budding spike-shaped flower) as evidence that “bo clearly refers to the flower” (Liu et al., 2009). Although it is unclear whether the term “bo” refers to the male or female flower in the text cited, Li's classification was later adopted by the Great Encyclopedia of Chinese Medicinals, which lists the male flower under the heading of mahua (Editorial Committee, 1977).

In the entry on mafen, Li stated that mafen refers to mazi (the achenes or possibly the mature infructescence) with the “shell” (qiao) intact (Liu et al., 2009). Li noted that mafen was different from edible cannabis because the shell is toxic and the inner kernel is non-toxic, but his description failed to adequately clarify whether the shell was a reference to the pericarp or the bract surrounding the achene fruit. In the contemporary Great Encyclopedia of Chinese Medicinals, the term mafen is defined as the immature racemes (Editorial Committee, 1977).

The question of which plant tissues correspond to mabo, mahua, and mafen is thus poorly resolved, as early bencao texts regarded them as synonyms but some later texts divide them by gender. For example, mahua is regarded as a synonym of mabo in the Chinese Materia Medica (Zhong Hua Ben Cao); this text describes it as the male flower but its pharmacology section refers only to Δ9-THC, which is not found in significant quantities in the male flower. In the Sea of Chinese Medicinals (Zhong Hua Yao Hai), the term mabo is listed as a synonym for mafen, which is described as the immature racemes (Cui and Ran, 1993). The sixth century author Tao Hongjing listed mabo as a synonym of mafen and stated that mafen lacked fruit (Tao, 1999), which along with the non-toxic properties ascribed to mabo in later texts may have influenced its classification as the male flower; however, no major Chinese texts have proposed that mafen lacking fruit could refer to the seedless female inflorescence.

The wide range of different interpretations for the identity of mafen presented over the centuries suggests that many later authors were preserving previous quotations yet had little practical experience with materials such as mafen, mabo, and mahua. Indeed, the author Tao Hongjing noted as early as the sixth century AD that “mafen was rarely used in formulas” (Tao, 1999).

Applications of Cannabis in the Chinese Medical Literature That May Relate to Cannabinoids
The earliest historical references to cannabis in Chinese medicine are found in the Divine Farmer's Classic of Materia Medica (Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing) from the first to second century AD. This text, along with the added notes known as the Additional Records of Famous Physicians (Ming Yi Bie Lu), contains many of the fundamental statements that were repeated about cannabis in later centuries.

The original text of the Divine Farmer's Classic of Materia Medica ascribes the following properties to mafen: “Flavor: acrid; balanced. Governs the five taxations and seven damages, benefits the five viscera, and descends blood and cold qi; excessive consumption causes one to see ghosts and run about frenetically. Prolonged consumption frees the spirit light and lightens the body. Another name is mabo” (Tao, 1999). To this base description, the Additional Records of Famous Physicians adds that it is “toxic,” and is used to “break accumulations, relieve impediment, and disperse pus” (Liu et al., 2009).

Many authors have interpreted the statement “excessive consumption [of mafen] causes one to see ghosts and run about frenetically” as evidence that mafen had drug effects due to the presence of cannabinoids such as Δ9-THC (Chen and Huang, 2005). Additionally, the reference to “relieving impediment” from the Additional Records of Famous Physicians refers to a traditional category of conditions that typically result in pain and restricted movement, which may also relate to cannabinoids such as CBD or Δ9-THC.

These original statements were repeated in many later bencao texts, and have likely influenced the properties listed for mafen in contemporary Chinese texts. For example, the Great Encyclopedia of Chinese Medicinals states that mafen “dispels wind, relieves pain, and settles tetany” (a traditional disease category associated with severe spasm). According to this text, it is indicated for conditions traditionally known as “impediment patterns” (typically manifesting in pain and restricted movement), gout, withdrawal and mania, insomnia, and panting and cough (Editorial Committee, 1977). Additionally, in the 1935 text Illustrated Analysis of Medicinal Substances (Yao Wu Tu Kao), the ancient statement that cannabis descends blood and cold qi was interpreted by the author Yang Huating as an indication that mafen quickens the blood. Yang recommended mafen (which he regarded as the female inflorescence) for a variety of conditions including headache, menstrual irregularities, itching, convulsions, anemia, and dry cough (Editorial Committee, 1977). However, despite these twentieth century publications that summarize traditional indications using contemporary descriptions, only a few texts offered new information or applications for mafen between the sixteenth century and Yang's 1935 text (Zheng, 2008).


continued next post

GeneChing
04-06-2017, 09:44 AM
Applications for Pain

Several applications of cannabis for pain in Chinese medicine may relate to cannabinoids. As noted above, the first reference to mafen for pain is found in the Additional Records of Famous Physicians from the sixth century AD, which notes its use for “relieving impediment” (impediment is a traditional disease category that is also known as “bi” or “painful obstruction”; Wiseman and Feng, 1998). Some authors also speculate that an early anesthetic formula known as “mafei powder” (ma fei san) developed by the famous physician Hua Tuo around the turn of the third century AD contained mafen (at the time, the name mafen is believed to have shared the same pronunciation as the characters in the formula name; Chen and Huang, 2005). However, any link between cannabis and Hua Tuo's formula is purely speculative, as the original ingredients of the ancient formula ma fei san are lost.

In another application related to pain, the Tang Dynasty physician Sun Simiao (581–683 AD) recorded that the leaves of cannabis could be crushed to extract their juice, which was used to treat unbearable pain due to fractured bones (Chen and Huang, 2005).

By 1070 AD, the Song Dynasty text Illustrated Classic of Materia Medica (Tu Jing Ben Cao) included a quotation from a previous source titled Formulas Within a Small Box (Qie Zhong Fang) that referenced a preparation of cannabis for severe pain that inhibited movement (Su, 1994). In the original recipe, the preparation method specifies that the seeds of cannabis are soaked in water, then the sediment is collected from the bottom of the water, stir-fried until aromatic in a silver vessel, and ground into a fine white powder; this is then boiled with alcohol and taken internally on an empty stomach (Su, 1994). It is indicated for “bone marrow wind toxin” with pain that prevents movement; the text says that even in severe cases, “by 10 servings the suffering must be alleviated; its effect cannot be surpassed” (Zheng, 2008). This prescription was repeated in many later texts under the name “cannabis seed wine” (da ma ren jiu) under entries for the achenes (Editorial Committee, 1977); however it differs strikingly from other preparations of the achenes because it is used for severe pain. If the achenes were soaked in water with the bracts intact, it is possible that the preparation method described would yield cannabinoids, as broken resin glands from the bracts would sink in water; when this sediment was stir-fried, THC acids would be decarboxylated into bioavailable THC, which would then be efficiently extracted when boiled with alcohol, as in the original preparation. Nonetheless, while cannabinoids offer a plausible explanation for the unusual effects and preparation methods used for this formula, such an interpretation remains purely speculative in the absence of confirming evidence.

The first well-documented application of cannabis in an anesthetic formula in China appeared in the text Heart Text of Bian Que (Bian Que Xin Shu, 1127–1270 AD). The flower of cannabis (under the name mahua) was used internally in combination with datura flower (Datura spp.) as an anesthetic to decrease the sensation of pain when moxa cones were applied (Dou, 1992). This remedy was known as “sagacious sleep powder” (shui sheng san). The source text notes that it induces a stupor-slumber in which the person experiences no pain and is not harmed. The same combination is repeated in the Compendium of Materia Medica in the sixteenth century, which contains an additional recipe for wind disease with numbness that combines cannabis flower (mahua) with wild aconite root (caowu; Liu et al., 2009). By the seventeenth century, the text Reaching the Source of Materia Medica (Ben Jing Feng Yuan) reported that cannabis flower (mahua) can treat hidden wind within the body, and records further that it is used as an anesthetic, noting that it can be used to painlessly apply a stone needle to swollen welling-abscesses (Zhang, 2011).

Applications That Relate to Mental Effects or Mental Illness

A variety of historical sources describe mental effects from cannabis or applications to treat mental illness. In some cases, these applications may reflect cannabinoids, as CBD has been researched for anti-psychotic effects (Mechoulam et al., 2002) and some of the mental effects described may be related to the effects of cannabinoids such as Δ9-THC. As noted above, the early statement that “excessive consumption causes one to see ghosts and run about frenetically” is often regarded as a sign of mental effects (Liu and Shang, 1992). In the sixteenth century Compendium of Materia Medica, Li Shizhen repeated this statement and added a previous recipe that states: “for those seeking to see ghosts, take unprocessed cannabis [the text says “cannabis seeds” (sheng ma zi) but lists the recipe under the entry for mafen], acorus rhizome (shi chang pu, Acorus spp.) and dysosma (gui jiu, Dysosma spp.) in equal parts and form into pellet pills. Take one pill every morning facing the sun and after 100 days one will see ghosts” (Liu et al., 2009). Additionally, in 973 AD, the Materia Medica of the Kaibao Era (Kai Bao Ben Cao) quoted an earlier author from the eighth century with the statement that “cannabis causes happiness in the heart” (Zheng, 2008).

Other early quotations suggest that mental effects were observed from the use of cannabis. For example, in the sixth century Collection of Commentaries on the Classic of the Materia Medica (Ben Cao Jing Ji Zhu), the author Tao Hongjing noted: “adepts (likely referring to Taoist alchemists) take cannabis flower (mabo) with ginseng and know of things that have not yet come” (Tang, 1999). In the Compendium of Materia Medica in the sixteenth century, the author Li Shizhen regarded this as “an overstatement,” instead stating that the combination of ginseng and cannabis allows one to “know the affairs of the four directions” and treats forgetfulness. The Compendium of Materia Medica also noted that the leaf of cannabis was indicated to treat malaria and was said to induce a state of drunkenness (Liu et al., 2009).

In addition to mental effects observed from the use of cannabis, historical bencao texts featured applications for cannabis in the context of mental illness. The first appearance of these applications dates to the seventh century text Formulas Worth a Thousand Gold (Qian Jin Fang) by Sun Simiao (Tang, 1999), which stated that cannabis treated wind-withdrawal, a traditional category of disease that relates to mental illness (Wiseman and Feng, 1998). Similar indications are ascribed to the same quote from Sun Simiao by Li Shizhen in the Compendium of Materia Medica, which lists wind-withdrawal and “the 100 diseases” as indications for mafen. By the Qing Dynasty, the seventeenth century text Reaching the Source of Materia Medica (Ben Jing Feng Yuan) stated that cannabis flower (mahua) treats “120 types of malign wind” as well as itching, and expels all malign wind and blood; it was also indicated to treat lack of free flow following menstruation. These quotations may have inspired the actions listed for mafen in twentieth century texts such as “dispelling wind” and treating mania-withdrawal (a traditional category of mental illness in Chinese medicine).

In some cases, it is possible that actions that were ascribed to mafen in twentieth century Chinese texts were acquired from Western applications of cannabis. For example, the 1905 text Pharmacognosy (Sheng Yao Xue) by Li Chenghu stated that cannabis treated agitation, hysteria, spasmodic cough, and nerve pain, while the 1935 text Illustrated Analysis of Medicines (Yao Wu Tu Kao) by Yang Huating added many new indications such as mania-withdrawal, convulsions, and insomnia that were not previously discussed in historical texts (Editorial Committee, 1977).

In the case of traditional actions seen in contemporary Chinese medical texts for mafen such as settling tetany (a traditional disease term associated with severe spasm and convulsions; Editorial Committee, 1977), it remains unclear whether this action is related to assimilation of Western medical theories in the early twentieth century or whether it is derived from traditional indications for wind and wind-withdrawal. In ancient times, the line between “withdrawal” (dian) as a mental disease sometimes overlapped with the concept of epilepsy (dian xian), which is characterized by seizures and is associated with “wind” in traditional Chinese medical theory (Wiseman and Feng, 1998). However, the historical record provides insufficient detail to ascertain whether the seventh century indications for cannabis in the context of wind-withdrawal overlapped with epilepsy or seizures, or whether the meaning was primarily limited to mental illness and/or erratic behavior. continued next post

GeneChing
04-06-2017, 09:44 AM
Conclusion
In recent years, cannabinoids such as CBD and Δ9-THC have attracted increased attention in the context of modern pharmacology and popular Western culture, yet little research has been done to explore the historical applications of cannabis in Chinese medicine. Given China's long history of hemp cultivation and its rich body of un-translated medical literature, it is surprising that little academic attention has focused on exploring the ways in which cannabis was used in Chinese medicine. The importance of cannabis as a fiber and food crop in ancient China, combined with the extensive use of the achenes in medicine, makes the Chinese historical record particularly valuable.

Bencao literature opens a window into the history and culture of ancient Chinese medicine. As all parts of the cannabis plant were recorded in bencao texts, the Chinese medical literature can help to clarify many details about the historical applications of cannabis in Chinese medicine, as well as providing clues into the historical prevalence of different biotypes as ancient Chinese farmers gradually selected superior varieties for fiber and seed crops. The significant differences in how cannabis has been employed in Chinese vs. Western medicine likely relate to differences between drug and fiber biotypes as well as cultural factors, but thus far minimal research has focused on exploring this issue. Similarly, minimal attention has been given to the topic of CBD in Chinese medical history, as even fiber-rich biotypes of cannabis that were not associated with drug use may have had potential therapeutic applications related to CBD. While this modest review can only scratch the surface of the Chinese medical literature of cannabis and the questions it raises, it is hoped that further research will help to further elucidate these questions using a multidisciplinary approach.

Author Contributions
EB: Primary research and manuscript creation. ZZ: Expert review, source suggestions, revisions, and feedback.

Conflict of Interest Statement
The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
continued next post

GeneChing
04-06-2017, 09:45 AM
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Keywords: Cannabis, Chinese medicine, historical changes, bencao, cannabidiol

Citation: Brand EJ and Zhao Z (2017) Cannabis in Chinese Medicine: Are Some Traditional Indications Referenced in Ancient Literature Related to Cannabinoids? Front. Pharmacol. 8:108. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2017.00108

Received: 24 October 2016; Accepted: 21 February 2017;
Published: 10 March 2017.

Edited by:
Giuseppe Esposito, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
Reviewed by:
Anastasia Karioti, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece
Rajendra Karki, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, USA
Copyright © 2017 Brand and Zhao. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

*Correspondence: Zhongzhen Zhao, zzzhao@hkbu.edu.hk
This publication is just what this thread needed, so I posted all of it.

Mor Sao
04-06-2017, 11:22 AM
Nice find.

Thanks for posting.

GeneChing
04-06-2017, 12:21 PM
Nice find.

Thanks for posting.
Thought you might like that. Fascinating read, yes?

GeneChing
10-31-2017, 08:43 AM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24ZFy9ZKgh0

Garvani
11-06-2017, 06:38 AM
I dont know how you fellows, but i treating myself with it for a while :D

GeneChing
11-20-2017, 10:20 AM
http://www.ancient-origins.net/sites/default/files/field/image/High-Times-in-Ancient-China.jpg

18 NOVEMBER, 2017 - 18:56 THEODOROS KARASAVVAS
High Times in Ancient China: 2,700-Year-Old Marijuana Stash Found in Shaman Grave (http://www.ancient-origins.net/artifacts-other-artifacts/high-times-ancient-china-2700-year-old-marijuana-stash-found-shaman-grave-021722)

A 2,700-year-old stash of whole marijuana plants was uncovered in an ancient tomb in northwest China. If marijuana aged like wine, the rare “artifact” may be one of the most wanted objects for all the pot smokers around the world, but according to the researchers, the weed had decomposed over the years and no one would feel any effects if they smoked it today.
Plant Placed Next to a Dead Caucasian Shaman
A team of archaeologists, led by Hongen Jiang from the University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, found nearly two pounds of a dried plant that was still untouched after “hiding” for thousands of years underground. According to a study published in 2008 in the Journal of Experimental Botany , the green plant material found inside a 2,700-year-old grave from the Yanghai Tombs excavated in the Gobi Desert, turned out to be the oldest marijuana in the world. Interestingly, according to the archaeologists, the plant was placed near the head of a blue-eyed, 35-year-old Caucasian shaman among other objects like bridles and a harp to be used in the afterlife.

http://www.ancient-origins.net/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/tomb-of-the-Chinese-shaman.jpg?itok=GdDCh8ln
The tomb of the Chinese shaman where the oldest package of marijuana in history was found. ( Brazil Weird News )

The fact that the plant had a chemical known for psychoactive properties called tetrahydrocannabinolic acid synthase, or THC, made scientists speculate that the man and his community most likely used it for medicinal and recreational purposes. According to professor Dr. Ethan B. Russo of the Chinese Academy of Sciences Institute of Botany, someone had picked out all the parts of the plant that are less psychoactive before placing it in the grave, therefore the dead man probably didn’t grow his hemp merely to make clothes.

http://www.ancient-origins.net/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/Hemp-fiber_1.jpg?itok=2rioNJR2
Left: Hemp fiber from the Cannabis sativa plant ( CC BY SA 3.0 ). Right: Chinese hemp fiber paper, used for wrapping not writing, excavated from the Han Tomb of Wu Di (140-87 BC) at Xi'An ( CC BY SA 3.0 )

Archaeologists Initially Thought Marijuana was Coriander

Initially, the researchers thought the dried weed was coriander. After spending ten months getting the cannabis from the tomb in China to a secret lab in England, the team of researchers realized they were wrong. They put the stash through “microscopic botanical analysis”, including carbon dating and genetic analysis, and discovered the herb was really pot.
The exceedingly dry conditions and alkaline soil acted as preservatives, making it easier for scientists to attentively investigate the stash, which still looked green though it had lost its characteristic odor. "To our knowledge, these investigations provide the oldest documentation of cannabis as a pharmacologically active agent," Dr. Ethan B. Russo wrote in the published paper.

http://www.ancient-origins.net/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/Photomicrographs-of-ancient-cannabis.jpg?itok=aFpTIIoO
Photomicrographs of ancient cannabis. (A) Photograph of the whole cannabis sample being transferred in laminar flow hood. (B) Photomicrograph of leaf fragment at low power displaying non-glandular and amber sessile glandular trichomes. (C) Higher power photomicrograph of a single sessile glandular trichome. (D) Low power photomicrograph of a cannabis achene (‘seed’) including the base with a non-concave scar of attachment visible. ( Russo et al. )

History of Marijuana

Despite the tomb stash found in China being the oldest found so far, this isn’t the first time that archaeologists have discovered remains of the notorious plant. Marijuana, also known as cannabis or pot, has a long history of human use. The majority of ancient civilizations, however, didn’t grow the plant to get high as people usually do nowadays – they used it as herbal medicine. Remnants of cannabis have been found in ancient Egypt and other sites. The substance has also been referred to by authors such as the famous Greek historian Herodotus, who described the Scythians inhaling the smoke from smoldering cannabis seeds and flowers to get high.

http://www.ancient-origins.net/sites/default/files/Seshat_1.jpg
Seshat, the ancient Egyptian goddess of record-keeping and measurement with a colorful cannabis leaf over her head. ( History with a Twist )

The cannabis or hemp plant originally evolved in Central Asia before people introduced it into Africa, Europe, and eventually the Americas. Hemp fiber was used to make clothing, paper, sails and rope, and its seeds were used as food. Because it’s a fast-growing plant and very easy to cultivate (plus it has many uses), hemp was widely grown throughout colonial America and at Spanish missions in the Southwest.

In the early 1600s, Virginia, Massachusetts, and Connecticut colonies required farmers to grow hemp. These early hemp plants had very low levels of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the chemical responsible for marijuana’s mind-altering effects. However, it is believed that that some ancient cultures knew about the psychoactive properties of the cannabis plant and may have cultivated some varieties to produce higher levels of THC for use in religious ceremonies or healing practice.

http://www.ancient-origins.net/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/Cannabis-sativa-plant_0.jpg?itok=rsMNaEb4
Cannabis sativa plant. ( CC BY AS 3.0 )

Locally Grown Marijuana with a High Content of THC

The 2,700-year-old stash of marijuana found in China appears to strengthen the aforementioned belief, as it was found to have a relatively high content of THC - even though the sample was too old to determine an accurate percentage. Additionally, scientists could not determine whether the cannabis was smoked or ingested, as archaeologists weren’t able to find any pipes or other clues in the tomb of the shaman. However, this shouldn’t surprise anyone. Ancient people inhaled cannabis; they just didn't use pipes until the advent of tobacco. It’s very possible that the earliest inhalers of cannabis smoke did so by accident. Perhaps when throwing it on their campfire they found the fragrance pleasing to the nose and then discovered its effects on the mind.
So, what do we really learn from this 2,700-year-old rare find? Some of our ancestors – regardless of geographical location – knew more than we may think about the effects of inhaling pot. And probably some of them loved getting high, just like some of their descendants still do today!

http://www.ancient-origins.net/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/Smokers-hearts.jpg?itok=zhOl9iHS
‘Smokers hearts’ by Gabriel Ferrier, 1887. ( Public Domain )

Top Image: China has a very long history of marijuana use. Source: Edibles

By Theodoros Karasavvas

References
Dattatreya Mandal (2017). The World’s Oldest Known Stash Of Marijuana Was Found Inside A 2,700-Year-Old Grave. Realm of History. Available at: https://realmofhistory.com/2017/05/15/world-oldest-stash-marijuana-grave/
Lane Tr (2015). World’s Oldest Weed Found In An Unexpected Place. Herb. Available at: https://herb.co/2015/12/08/worlds-oldest-weed-found-unexpected-place/

Seshat is an intriguing reference because potheads will call smoking sessions 'sess' for short sometimes. If they were more literate about their own history, Sesh would make for a better reference.

GeneChing
01-08-2018, 12:16 PM
...the streets reek of pot. Even more so than before. And it reeked a lot before. :rolleyes:

How are things in Maine, Massachusetts, & Nevada? Pungent too?


California Expands Marijuana Dispensary Capabilities (https://www.healthcmi.com/Acupuncture-Continuing-Education-News/1815-california-expands-marijuana-dispensary-capabilities)
25 DECEMBER 2017

https://www.healthcmi.com/images/4ceu/huo-ma-ren.jpg

Recreational marijuana will be legal in California on January 1, joining states like Alaska, Colorado, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington. The plant is already legal for medical use in many states, and legalization has prompted much research in the field. Studies conducted by doctors from the New York University of Medicine and Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston find that marijuana may be effective for seizure control, noting that “marijuana use may be a beneficial adjunctive treatment in some patients with epilepsy.” [1] This augments earlier research on the benefits of marijuana, including findings published in the The National Academies Press (1982). [2]

Permits
Local permits are required for recreational-use dispensaries in California. Oakland, San Diego, Santa Cruz, and Shasta have already prepared permits for immediate implementation, and San Francisco and Los Angeles are expected to join the group in short order. Smoking marijuana will be prohibited in non-smoking zones, and use while driving will remain illegal.

Edibles
Access to safer and controlled forms of ingestion, including oral consumption, is expanded with legalization; this has taken a somewhat interesting culinary direction. Marijuana mints, boutique chocolates, pretzels, candies and more are gaining widespread popularity. An advantage to legalization is control of dosage. Many marijuana treat manufacturers strictly control and label the exact quantity of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol, the chief psychoactive component) in each bite.

HealthCMi Policy
The Healthcare Medicine Institute’s position is that the incarceration of individuals for growing, harvesting, and owning herbs is unethical and a tremendous burden on society. Marijuana is but one of many herbs with issues of such legal status. Many other safe and effective herbs are not legal. Even when supported by extensive research, curative claims are barred for the majority of herbal medicines that are legal. However, not all regulations are without merit. Restrictions on invasive or endangered flora and fauna have helped to preserve biodiversity.

Traditional Chinese Medicine
The history of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) documents longstanding use of marijuana. It is the seeds that have been extensively documented. Huo Ma Ren (cannabis seed) is used to moisten the intestines of patients with constipation due to blood or yin deficiency. To relieve constipation, Huo Ma Ren is often combined with Hu Ma Ren (flax seed) and Yu Li Ren (bush cherry pit) in decoctions. Huo Ma Ren is also used for clearing heat and promoting the healing of sores (clearing heat refers to inflammation reduction in TCM). Huo Ma Ren (also known as Ma Zi Ren) is found in the following herbal formulas: Run Chang Wan, Ma Zi Ren Wan, Da Ding Feng Zhu, and Zhi Gan Cao Tang.

Huo Ma Ren is included in herbal formulas for cases of large intestine fluid deficiency. This form of yin deficiency is indicated by constipation with dry, hard stools with dry mouth, bad breath, blurring of vision, or fatigue. Dehydration, blood loss, alcoholism, and fevers may cause fluid deficiency of the large intestine. Common forms of blood loss include heavy menstruation or sufficient blood loss during childbirth to cause amenorrhea. Kidney yin deficiency leading to jin ye deficiency in the elderly is also a common presentation. The TCM treatment principle is to lubricate the large intestine and tonify blood. TCM dietetics indicates that an increase of water, vegetables, fruit, honey, black sesame butter, and oatmeal consumption helps to lubricate the large intestine.

Huo Ma Ren is termed a moist laxative in TCM. This is distinct from stronger laxatives that are termed harsh expellants in that moist laxatives are nourishing and may be used long-term without depleting the constitution of patients. Use of Huo Ma Ren was first documented in the Divine Husbandman’s Classic of the Materia Medica (Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing), written approximately between 300 BCE – 250 CE. Numerous commentaries on the use of Huo Ma Ren in clinical case histories and medical texts have been written since that time. Indeed, the medical use of marijuana has a long track record of safe and efficacious applications, both internally and for topical use.

Scope of Practice

Many states include herbal medicine within a licensed acupuncturist’s scope of practice. This is because the system of Traditional Chinese Medicine is comprised of several medical modalities: herbal medicine, acupuncture, bone medicine, movement arts (e.g., Qi Gong, Taiji), dietetics. Some states prohibit herbal medicine as part of an acupuncture license or education (e.g., Illinois) while other states have stringent educational requirements to ensure consumer safety and exacting standards of implementation.

Notes
1. Mortati, Katherine, Barbara Dworetzky, and Orrin Devinsky. "Marijuana: an effective antiepileptic treatment in partial epilepsy? A case report and review of the literature." Rev Neurol Dis 4, no. 2 (2007): 103-106.

2. Institute of Medicine. 1982. Marijuana and Health. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi.org/10.17226/1894

GeneChing
01-18-2018, 11:42 AM
I'm copying all the marijuana references out of the MMA & Drugs (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?47075-MMA-amp-Drugs) thread and making this new Marijuana & MMA thread, and copying it to the marijuana tcm?!?!?!?!!? (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?52089-marijuana-tcm-!-!-!-!!) thread for good measure as this topic sometimes borders on medical usage. She's Californian, where pot is now legal recreationally.


Doping violation due to marijuana use leaves Cynthia Calvillo facing suspension (http://www.the42.ie/cynthia-calvillo-doping-violation-3803830-Jan2018/)
The UFC strawweight failed an in-competition test relating to her defeat to Carla Esparza last month.
6 hours ago 2,621 Views

http://c2.thejournal.ie/media/2018/01/ufc-209-woodley-vs-thompson-2-2-390x285.jpg
Image: Jeff Brown

THREE WEEKS SINCE she suffered the first defeat of her career, Cynthia Calvillo has been hit with another unwelcome development.

The 30-year-old Californian (6-1), who was beaten by Carla Esparza via unanimous decision on 30 December, failed an in-competition drug test for Carboxy-Tetrahydrocannabinol [THC] in relation to the UFC 219 bout in Las Vegas.

Carboxy-Tetrahydrocannabinol is “a metabolite of marijuana and/or hashish”, according to a UFC statement. Calvillo has been flagged by the United States Anti-Doping Agency [USADA] for being “above the decision limit of 180 ng/mL” for the substance.

In order to determine the sanctions that will subsequently be handed down, Calvillo will now be subjected to an adjudication process which will be carried out by both USADA and the Nevada Athletic Commission.

The UFC’s statement on the matter reads:


The UFC organization was notified today that the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) informed Cynthia Calvillo of a potential Anti-Doping Policy violation involving Carboxy-Tetrahydrocannabinol (“Carboxy-THC”) which is a metabolite of marijuana and/or hashish, above the decision limit of 180 ng/mL, stemming from an in-competition sample collected in conjunction with her recent bout in Las Vegas, Nevada on December 30, 2017, UFC 219: Cyborg vs. Holm. USADA, the independent administrator of the UFC Anti-Doping Policy, will handle the results management and appropriate adjudication of this case involving Calvillo, as it relates to the UFC Anti-Doping Policy and future UFC participation. Because the Nevada Athletic Commission was the regulatory body overseeing the fight in Las Vegas and has licensing jurisdiction over Calvillo, USADA will work to ensure that the Nevada Athletic Commission has the necessary information to determine its proper judgment of Calvillo’s potential anti-doping violation. Additional information will be provided at the appropriate time as the process moves forward.
In April of last year, UFC middleweight Kelvin Gastelum was handed a three-month suspension and had his win against Vitor Belfort overturned to a ‘no contest’ after he failed a test as a result of marijuana use.

Calvillo made her UFC debut in March 2017 and embarked on a 3-0 run with the promotion prior to her defeat to Esparza. She is currently ranked eighth in the women’s 115-pound division.

GeneChing
04-20-2018, 08:03 AM
It boggles my mind that some people actually fell for this hoax. The era of fake news is so devastating.

Happy 420.


WILL THE MOON REALLY GLOW GREEN TONIGHT? (http://www.newsweek.com/green-moon-moon-earth-420-893969)
BY KATHERINE HIGNETT ON 4/20/18 AT 5:52 AM

The internet has once again come down with a case of viral infection. Or this time, reefer madness. If social media is to be believed, the Moon will glow green in the sky tonight, bathing us all in light reflected from Uranus.

According to Snopes.com, the "green Moon" is a hoax originating on social media in 2016. A post originally claimed the Moon would turn green on May 29 (which it did not). Then, the original post was hijacked and the date changed to April 20, presumably reflecting what has become unofficial National Weed Day. The last known green moon supposedly took place 420 years ago, the post stated.

A comment from the original poster alleged the Moon would sit just four degrees from the planet Uranus, which reflects blue-green light. The Moon would supposedly reflect the light coming from the planet and itself glow green.

Unfortunately, Uranus will not bathe the Moon in its eerie hue this evening. According to Earthsky.com the Moon will appear about half a sky away from Uranus. Even if it did appear closer to the Moon when looking from Earth, it’s actually much too far away to be able to light up the surface of the Moon. Depending on the solar system’s orbital gyrations, Uranus can sit between 1.6 billion miles and nearly two billion miles away from Earth.

http://s.newsweek.com/sites/www.newsweek.com/files/styles/full/public/2018/04/20/420moon.jpg
A plane flies in front of the Moon, January 1, 2018. Uranus will not bathe the Moon in a green hue on April 20.
TOBY MELVILLE/REUTERS

Originally intended as a joke, this post has taken on a life of its own, spawning new iterations in 2017 and again this year.

It’s not entirely clear how the number 420 became associated with cannabis culture, but a number of suggestions have been put forward over the years. Former High Times editor Steven Hager told the New York Times that the date is inspired by the daily 4.20 p.m. pot-smoking ritual of a group of San Rafael High School students in California.

According to Snopes.com, a Grateful Dead concert flyer detailed 420's high school origins. Back in 1990, another High Times editor, Steve Bloom, told magazine staff about the flyer. They started using the phrase shortly after.

Another popular suggestion is that 420 is either police radio code for cannabis smoking or the penal code section for pot use in California. Snopes debunks both of these claims, as well as claims 420 recognises the death date of Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix or indeed, Janis Joplin. None of these performers died on April 20 of any year.

Even though it won’t glow green, it's certainly still worth gazing up at the Moon tonight. A sliver will be illuminated as our satellite passes through its waxing crescent phase. Stargaze for long enough and you might just catch a shooting star as we are just two days from the peak of the ongoing Lyrids meteor shower.

GeneChing
05-15-2018, 10:31 AM
https://cannabisnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/TCM.jpg
Cannabis & Traditional Chinese Medicine
(https://cannabisnow.com/cannabis-traditional-chinese-medicine/)Reconnecting patients with time-honored healing.

By Sara Payan Published on May 14, 2018

You don’t hear a lot about cannabis use in Traditional Chinese Medicine, but the plant has a long history with the practice. Known as da ma in Chinese medicine, cannabis is considered one of the 50 “fundamental” herbs of TCM.

The Chinese goddess Ma Gu, a name that literally means “hemp maiden,” is associated with longevity and the elixir of life and the Chinese term for anesthesia is composed with the Chinese character that means hemp.

Hua Tuo, a Han Dynasty physician, is credited as the first person to use cannabis as an anesthetic, by mixing the dried and powdered plant with wine for use internally and externally. By utilizing this preparation (known as ma fei san) in conjunction with acupuncture, he was able to perform surgeries and control the pain of his patients.

It is also believed that moxibuxtion — the burning of dried plants next to the skin to stimulate circulation — originally utilized both mugwort and cannabis.

In modern TCM, cannabis or hemp seeds are are often used to treat constipation. Additional uses include relief for menstrual cramps, anxiety, dry cough, asthma and spasms.

Cannabis is said to strengthen the Yin, but is rarely used on its own because using cannabis alone is considered unhealthy and toxic in TCM, as it may cause imbalances in the body.

TCM practitioners do believe however, that excessive cannabis use can cause a deficiency of vitality, overtaxing the liver and costing the body its Yin energy.

Recent studies show that acupuncture also manipulates the endocannabinoid system, increasing endogenous cannabinoid CB2 receptors to upregulate opioids in inflamed skin tissue. A 2009 study showed that inflamed skin tissue treated for pain relief with electro-acupuncture had a statistically relevant increase in anandamide, a neurotransmitter produced in the human body that binds to the same cell receptors as THC. These studies suggest that combining therapies present in TCM with cannabis use could be successful in treating imbalances in the endocannabinoid system.

A Century of Humiliation

You may be asking, “If TCM uses cannabis in its practice, why is cannabis use illegal in China?” The answer is colonization and the Opium Wars.

In the mid-19th century, after the defeat of the Qing Dynasty, the British forced China to legalize opium, creating a generation of addicts and weakening the strength of the country. The British government purposely encouraged the opium addiction in order to force trade in China’s ports and weaken the country’s economic foothold in the world — and to make money off opium sales. After Britain gained influence in the country, both the United States and France used China’s weakened state to leverage their power and demand access to its ports for trade.

After decades of healing after the Opium Wars, today’s TCM practitioners are increasingly more willing to partner with their patients and have informed conversations about cannabis use in daily life. One example of this is the fact that the American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine at CIIS in San Francisco held a symposium in last year to help better educate practitioners about the medical applications of cannabis and how it might fit into therapies with their patients. This class, which was open to acupuncturists, shows that along with a resurgence of cannabis incorporation in TCM, the curiosity, inquiry and enthusiasm to learn more about this plant has never been more evident.

Originally published in Issue 28 of Cannabis Now.

Mugwort = moxa in this particular article

Oso
05-15-2018, 07:23 PM
sad that it's even a topical issue these days. talk about some entrenched ideas. so way less bad than alcohol it's not even a joke.

Mor Sao
05-21-2018, 10:47 AM
truism, brother.

GeneChing
01-17-2019, 10:18 AM
What we can learn from the Chinese medical cannabis system (https://www.thegrowthop.com/cannabis-health/what-we-can-learn-from-the-chinese-medical-cannabis-system)
Classical literature reveals how ancient Asian cultures medicated
By Trey Reckling, The FreshToast January 16, 2019

https://www.thegrowthop.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/1a_GettyImages-860594926_TGO-e1547570793275.jpg
One interesting note is that, unlike Western fascination with cannabis “buds” or flowers, the Chinese documented using all parts of the plant: seeds, stalks and roots. 1971yes / iStock / Getty Images Plus

China is more than 5,000 years old with a legendary history of herbal pharmacology. It should be no surprise that Chinese medical marijuana is thriving.

The truth is out there, as two fictional characters once reminded us. Researchers from Hong Kong Baptist University were in search of the truth as it related to the historical use of medical marijuana in traditional Chinese medicine. They published a review of classic medical literature from Chinese antiquity as recorded in more than 800 texts collected in a set called the Complete Ben Cao or the Compendium of Materia Medica.

It is widely held to be the most complete and comprehensive resource regarding the practice of traditional Chinese medicine. They focused on the texts of five different dynasties in history, translating and cross referencing information about specific uses of cannabis.

One interesting note is that, unlike Western fascination with cannabis “buds” or flowers, the Chinese documented using all parts of the plant: seeds, stalks and roots. It is hypothesized that, because China so valued its traditional hemp production, the plant continued to be bred and selected based on its fiber and seed food quality rather than resin production in its flowers.

Hemp cultivars became the favored sons. That said, the psychotropic potential of the plant were well known, as evidenced by the quote, “excessive consumption causes one to see ghosts and run about frenetically.”

The authors found other interesting historic snapshots:

In the 6th century, author Tao Hongjing wrote, “adepts (believed to be Taoist monk alchemists) take cannabis flower (mabo) with ginseng and know of things that have not yet come.”

In 1070, physicians would compound a cannabis seed wine to treat pain so severe that it caused the patient to be immobile.

The first well documented use of cannabis was for pain relief 1127-1270 AD. The flower of the plant, called mahua, was combined with datura flower, a highly psychotropic plant. The mixture was known as “sagacious sleep powder” and caused a heavy, dazed sleep.

Historic cannabis use has been documented among Silk Road from the Qing Dynasty (1644–1911 AD).
Historic use of opium and some highly hallucinogenic alkaloid based plants is well documented in China. However, researchers found, “there is little evidence that cannabis was either abused or prohibited in China prior to the first documented seizures of imported cannabis products in Xinjiang in 1936.” In some regions, it was simply part of the everyday pharmacopeia for hundreds of years.

Research like this brought to us from Hong Kong is a humbling reminder that as we seek more information about therapeutic uses of cannabis that we must look not only forward to future research.

We must also seek to benefit from the ancients, those hard-working and passionate people who sought health centuries before we arrived on the scene. To not seek their consul would be an arrogance we cannot afford.

THREADS
marijuana tcm?!?!?!?!!? (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?52089)
2,700 year old ganja found in China
(http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?53335-2-700-year-old-ganja-found-in-China)

GeneChing
04-17-2019, 02:30 PM
what

Is

HAPPENING?

:eek:



Carl’s Jr. is rolling out a CBD burger, but don’t get your hopes too high (https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/voraciously/wp/2019/04/17/carls-jr-is-rolling-out-a-cbd-burger-but-dont-get-your-hopes-too-high/?utm_term=.5a6ae36345ba)
By Maura Judkis
April 17 at 2:00 PM

https://www.washingtonpost.com/resizer/4HHWeWw5OmCXZR3OgxnSVMbgssw=/480x0/arc-anglerfish-washpost-prod-washpost.s3.amazonaws.com/public/N7PRBU3TEIZ7LNH2HCPBOSLSZY.jpg
Carl’s Jr.

If you live in Denver and you’re celebrating 420, the weed-smoker’s holiday, the burger chain Carl’s Jr. has just the thing for your inevitable munchies. The restaurant is debuting a CBD-infused burger, to be sold for $4.20, on Saturday, April 20 (4/20), at a single restaurant in Denver. The burger, which has been named Rocky Mountain High: CheeseBurger Delight, consists of two beef patties, topped with pickled jalapeños, pepper jack cheese, fries and CBD-infused Santa Fe Sauce. Carl’s Jr. is the first major fast-food chain to put CBD on its menu.

But if you think you’re going to get blazed off a cheeseburger, bad news: CBD is a non-psychoactive compound in hemp. It does not contain tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, the compound in marijuana that makes people feel high. Advocates say it promotes relaxation, diminishes stress and eases pain. In fact, some say that CBD can counteract some of the unpleasant effects of being high on THC — so if you show up to Carl’s Jr. stoned and anxious or paranoid, the burger could mellow out your high.

CBD has been popping up in lattes, gummies, skin-care products and even pet food: It has become one of the biggest trends of the year and is only expected to grow. The CBD industry got a big boost after the passage of the farm bill earlier this year. When it’s derived from hemp and grown according to strict regulations, its use will be legal nationwide. (Cannabinoids that do not comply with these regulations will remain a Schedule 1 substance.) But for now, it’s a tricky area of the law, because the Food and Drug Administration still hasn’t decided how to regulate CBD products.

April 20 has become a major branding opportunity for food companies. Even such mainstream brands as Burger King, Denny’s and Chipotle use the opportunity to connect with their customers through cheeky social media posts using stoner lingo. But professionals in the cannabis industry don’t love the pile-on from junk-food brands, which they say promotes negative stereotypes about the lifestyle.

Though the burger will be available only on Saturday at the Carl’s Jr. restaurant at 4050 Colorado Blvd. in Denver, availability could eventually expand. A company executive told Business Insider that if the test goes well, Carl’s Jr. would consider, ahem, rolling it out across America, though it could face challenges with state regulations.

Given how much publicity the burger is getting, there’s a good chance that demand on Saturday will be … high.


THREADS
marijuana tcm?!?!?!?!!? (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?52089-marijuana-tcm-!-!-!-!!)
Fast Food Nastiness (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?65208-Fast-Food-Nastiness)

GeneChing
05-22-2019, 08:30 AM
Aurora Cannabis to research CBD with mixed martial arts outfit UFC, Canopy names new CFO (https://www.marketwatch.com/story/aurora-to-research-cbd-with-mixed-martial-arts-outfit-ufc-canopy-names-new-cfo-2019-05-21?siteid=bigcharts&dist=bigcharts)
By Ciara Linnane
Published: May 22, 2019 7:37 a.m. ET

https://ei.marketwatch.com/Multimedia/2019/05/21/Photos/ZH/MW-HJ976_Cannab_20190521110027_ZH.jpg?uuid=2afdeb9c-7bd9-11e9-9fed-9c8e992d421e
Getty Images

Aurora Cannabis Inc. shares rose Tuesday, after the Canadian company said it has entered a multiyear, multimillion-dollar agreement with mixed martial arts organization UFC to research the effect of hemp-derived CBD products on athlete recovery and wellness.

The companies have agreed to conduct the research at UFC’s Las Vegas institute, setting up clinical studies to evaluate CBD, a nonintoxicating ingredient in cannabis and hemp, as a treatment for pain management, inflammation, injury/exercise recovery and mental well being. Aurora shares ACB, +0.58% ACB, +0.00% rose 3%.

CBD is widely held to have benefits for all of those indications, although there is not a great deal of research to back up the claims, as MarketWatch’s Sarah Toy reported last week. The substance is also caught in regulatory limbo ever since the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, which fully legalized hemp but moved regulation of CBD to the Food and Drug Administration.

The FDA has said it would not allow companies to add CBD to food or beverages until a regulatory framework has been created. That’s because CBD is the main ingredient in the only cannabis-based drug to win FDA approval, Epidiolex, a treatment for severe childhood epilepsy developed by GW Pharma PLC.

The FDA appears ready to allow CBD to be added to cosmetics and topicals for now, although it will not allow companies to make claims regarding their efficacy in treating serious illnesses. Last month, the regulator charged three CBD companies with violating the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and the Federal Trade Commission Act for putting unapproved human and pet drugs into interstate commerce and making unsubstantiated health claims about them, according to Cannabis Law Report.

The FDA issued warning letters to Advanced Spine and Pain LLC, based in New jersey and Pennsylvania, Nutra Pure LLC, a Washington-based CBD company and Florida-based PotNetwork Holdings.

“The FDA’s tripartite assault, coupled with its landmark FTC prosecutorial alliance, sent shock waves through both the hemp and legalized Marijuana industries,” said Cannabis Law, noting that health and wellness and food and drinks are what makes CBD attractive to consumers.

Canopy Growth Corp. shares CGC, +3.51% WEED, +3.23% rose 2.6%, after it named Constellation Brands Inc. STZ, -0.08% executive Mike Lee as interim chief financial officer, replacing Tim Saunders, who will remain at the company as an adviser. Lee will become permanent CFO once Health Canada completes a security clearance that is required for all officers of the company. Constellation Brands invested $4 billion in Canopy last year, arming the Smiths Falls, Ontario-based company with a war chest to expand its business.

In regulatory news, the National Cannabis Industry Association is holding a legislative briefing Wednesday on the Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act, a bipartisan bill aimed at providing protections for banks that serve the cannabis industry in states that have legalized.

Speakers include Colorado Democratic Rep. Ed Perlmutter, one of the sponsors of the bill, along with representatives of the banking industry and individual cannabis companies.

For more on this topic, read: Push for legislation allowing banks to serve the cannabis business is gaining momentum

Shares of 48North Cannabis Corp. NRTH, -2.56% rose 21%, after the company posted earnings for its fiscal third quarter, showing a net loss of C$1.47 million ($1.1 million) on revenue of C$689,203. The company said it has received an outdoor cultivation license from Health Canada for a 100-acre organic farm in Brant County, Ontario, that it said will be one of the biggest-ever licensed cannabis operations in the world. The company expects to have more than 45,000 kg of dried cannabis in 2019 across its three facilities.

Tilray Inc. shares TLRY, +5.98% rose 1.1% and Aphria Inc. APHA, -0.29% APHA, -0.44% was up 5.4%. Hexo Corp. HEXO, -0.14% was up 1.0%.

Medical cannabis retailer MedMen Enterprises Inc. shares MMNFF, -2.42% were flat. Valens GroWorks Corp. VGWCF, -1.68% was down 0.6%.

Organigram Holdings Inc. US:OGRMF was up 4.1% on its first day of trade on the Nasdaq exchange.

GW Pharma PLC GWPH, -0.65% was up 3.0% and Green Growth Brands Inc. GGBXF, -1.17% was down 3.9%. Curaleaf Holdings Inc. CURLF, -0.65% was down 0.7%.

The Horizons Marijuana Life Sciences ETF HMMJ, +1.14% was up 1%, and the ETFMG Alternative Harvest ETF MJ, +0.83% was up 2%.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average DJIA, -0.20% was up 0.7%, while the S&P 500 SPX, -0.20% was up 0.9%.

THREADS
Marijuana & MMA (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?70657-Marijuana-amp-MMA)
marijuana tcm?!?!?!?!!? (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?52089-marijuana-tcm-!-!-!-!!)

GeneChing
06-13-2019, 07:44 AM
...first pot smokers. :D


In China, 2,500-Year-Old Evidence of Cannabis Smoking (https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/article/china-ancient-cannabis-smoking/?utm_source=FBPAGE&utm_medium=social&utm_term=20190612&utm_content=2400736215&utm_campaign=NOVA+Next&linkId=68929339&fbclid=IwAR2zh_JNYuCz1wEUEpfnnvn8Dfr1YmPnLKtKyw-uuIj4QbuXku6TuRbUlpM)
An incense burner from a century tested positive for a chemical that’s released when THC is burned.
BY KATHERINE J. WU WEDNESDAY, JUNE 12, 2019 NOVA

https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/media/images/renm1HR.width-2000.jpg
A brazier (incense burner) and stones, which would have been exposed to high heat and then used to burn plant matter like cannabis in the Pamir Mountains 2,500 years ago. Image Credit: Xinhua Wu

Recreational cannabis use is nothing if not versatile. In modern times, the drug is found everywhere from college dorms to medical clinics—but even 2,500 years ago, it apparently had its place in certain ceremonies, a new study shows.

Reporting today in the journal Science Advances, a team of archaeologists has unearthed traces of cannabis at an ancient burial ground in the mountains of western China. The findings, which the researchers claim are suggestive of intentional drug use during a funeral ritual, may be the oldest unambiguous evidence of intentional cannabis smoking to date.

The excavation site, located at the Jirzankal Cemetery in the Pamir Mountains, contained charred incense burners (known as braziers) and burnt stones that tested positive for cannabis. The plant itself is native to Asia, and there’s evidence that people have been growing cannabis for its oily seeds and fibers for many millennia. But thousands of years ago, much of the cannabis growing in the region probably yielded mostly hemp—a non-psychedelic variety of cannabis that’s fairly low in tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, the psychoactive ingredient marijuana is chock full of.

The residue found on the newly discovered braziers, however, tested high for cannabinol—a chemical that’s released when THC is burned. This, the researchers argue, indicates that, unlike many wild varieties, the cannabis smoked at the site, which dates back to about 500 BCE, was pretty potent stuff.

“Finding evidence for ancient drug use is a bit like finding a needle in a haystack,” study author Nicole Boivin, a researcher at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History, told Aristos Georgiou at Newsweek. “Such a nice, clear signal is pretty unusual.”

If that’s the case, there are a couple possibilities for where the product came from. Ancient peoples might have sought out varieties from other high-altitude regions, where cannabis plants naturally synthesize more THC as a sort of sunblock, study author Robert Spengler, a paleobotanist at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History, told Matt Simon at Wired.

Alternatively, humans might have already been cultivating cannabis for its mind-melting effects. Both practices have been noted in historical texts, Emily Baragwanath, a classics expert at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill who was not involved in the study, told Michelle Z. Donahue at National Geographic.

https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/media/images/203044.width-800.jpg
An excavated tomb from Jirzankal Cemetery in the Pamir Mountains. The brazier in the study was uncovered from this grave. Image Credit: Xinhua Wu

However it got to the site, the cannabis was then smoked—possibly to induce a state of altered consciousness to commune with deities or spirits during a burial ceremony. That’s just a theory for now, but other artifacts in the cemetery, including instruments and skeletal remains riddled with injuries sustained at or near the time of death, paint the portrait of a ritualistic—and potentially macabre—scene.

What’s more, this remote, mountainous region may actually have been something of a drug nexus: Several spots in the Pamir Mountains are thought to have been pit stops along the Silk Road, helping to spread cannabis smoking from Central Asia to the rest of the world. There’s no guarantee recreational use of this plant originated at Jirzankal Cemetery, but in at least some respects, it seems the ancient Chinese may have been ahead of the cannabis curve.

We knew about early Chinese cannabis use prior to this, but perhaps this is a more recent discovery.

GeneChing
06-17-2019, 08:25 AM
...see the post above. ;)


Beijing says US legalization of marijuana is a 'threat to China' (https://www.cnn.com/2019/06/17/asia/china-us-marijuana-smuggling-intl-hnk/index.html)
By Yong Xiong and Ben Westcott, CNN
Updated 9:37 AM ET, Mon June 17, 2019

At a press conference in Beijing Monday, Liu Yuejin, deputy director of the China National Narcotics Control Commission, said that the number of cannabis users in China had grown by more than 25% in 2018, rising to about 24,000 people.

https://cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/190617143514-01-liu-yuejin-marijuana-exlarge-169.jpg
Liu Yuejin, deputy director of the China National Narcotics Control Commission, at a press conference on Monday June 17.

"In two years, we have found increasing cannabis trafficked from North America to China," he said, though he conceded there were "few cannabis abusers in China" relative to the total population.
According to Liu, China intercepted 115 packages sent through international postal parcels, containing a total of "55 kilograms (1940 ounces) of cannabis and cannabis products" in 2018.
Liu said that most of the suspects connected to the seized parcels had been foreign students or students who had come home after working abroad. He said most of the drugs had been transported through international express delivery. Liu did not specify how many of the packages came from North America.
China severely punishes those caught smuggling or trafficking drugs, including foreigners. Anyone found with more than 50 grams (1.76 ounces) of a controlled substance can face the death penalty.
China has stepped up its efforts to combat the sale of illegal drugs in recent years. Authorities in major cities, including Beijing, have been known to carry out spot drug tests at bars and nightclubs in a bid to clamp down on recreational drug use.
The move puts it at odds with North America, where cannabis has increasing levels of social acceptance.
The first marijuana dispensaries opened their doors in Canada in October 2018 after it became just the second country in the world to fully legalize the drug. South of the border, it is legal to buy and possess marijuana in 10 US states, while many others have decriminalized possession of the drug or legalized medical marijuana.
Cannabis isn't the only drug which has caused divisions between the US and China. Washington has been trying for years to get Beijing to crack down on the country's production and distribution of fentanyl, a deadly prescription drug which is devastating parts of the US.
Fentanyl is about 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine and 30 to 50 times more potent than heroin. According to the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention, it was linked to one in four overdose deaths in the US in 2018.
US President Donald Trump has previously accused China of being behind the US opioid crisis, saying in August 2018 that fentanyl was "pouring into the US postal system."
The Chinese government announced in April that it would crackdown on fentanyl-related substances in what was seen as a concession to the Trump administration, who had been pushing hard for greater enforcement.

GeneChing
08-06-2019, 09:48 AM
Finding Balance with Cannabis (https://dopemagazine.com/finding-balance-with-cannabis/)
A Traditional Chinese Medicine Perspective
Marissa Grund August 2, 2019 2 minutes read

https://dopemagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/traditional-chinese-medicine-cannabis.jpg

Every health guru loves to spout the word “balance” when talking about wellness and while some find it to be cliché, balance plays an instrumental and pivotal role in wellness. To be healthy, the body must be in balance or homeostasis. This fundamental need is at the root of our most ancient models of medicine and more recently seen in functional, holistic and naturopathic medicine. To find where balance lies in using cannabis, what better place to look than the millennia-old gold standard of balancing — Chinese medicine.

Chinese medicine is founded on the belief that when balance falls out of harmony, disease develops. The five elements of the material world (water, earth, metal, wood and fire) give rise to yin and yang qualities in the body. These are further managed by the four bodily humors: qi, blood, body fluid, and essence. Qi is the energy that allows us to live and think, blood is needed for tissue generation and giving balance to the psyche, body fluids keep the body lubricated and protected and essence encompasses the body’s reproductive and regenerative qualities. Chinese medicine determines the state of this precarious, multifaceted teeter totter and uses therapies, especially herbs and food, to bring the body back into balance, into health.

Cannabis use has been a part of this balance and documented in Chinese medicine since 2700 BCE. It was used for over 100 conditions like gout, rheumatism, and headaches. However, with any nutrient no matter how beneficial, too much can be toxic. Certified in AOBTA and Amma Practitioner, Delaney Willey states, “Simply put, anything and everything out of moderation causes an imbalance.

https://dopemagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/traditional-chinese-medicine-cabinet.jpg

Effects
According to Willey, in traditional Chinese medicine, cannabis opens and heats the body, affecting the liver, gallbladder, lungs, heart, spleen, kidneys and lymphatic system. It also has a direct effect on the immune, nervous, and hormonal systems, furthermore affecting sleep. With so much of the body involved, the use or misuse is profound. If any of these areas are already suffering from excess heat, then opening and heating this organ may exacerbate the issue. For example, treating “liver fire invading the lung” with cannabis may be especially detrimental since cannabis is further heating these important organs.

Benefits
From a Chinese medicine perspective, “cannabis promises ‘creativity’,” explains Willey. “It opens and promotes vision and sight of how one wishes to interact with the world.” The mind is opened in the beginning stages of use, but there seems to be a threshold where benefits taper. Ancient texts note that the herb could benefit the five elements and descend blood pressure and cold qi (with its opening and heating qualities).

Imbalance
While the mind is initially opened, long-term use can cause loss of direction and gall to make things happen, resulting in boredom. According to Chinese medicine, long-term use may also cause a clogged lymphatic system and the burning up of fluids in the body, drying out the respiratory system (lungs) and digestive system (spleen/stomach). Since cannabis heats so many organs, someone with excess heat (think inflammation, acid reflux, acne) may want to balance their cannabis use.

Balance
Willey explains that “[cannabis] is beneficial for those who understand their relationship towards the medicine with every use. Are you using it in excess? Are you using it to limit stress? If so, understanding where stress comes from would be beneficial while using the medicine.” She further notes that, “with any medicine, there should be an understanding of why you are using it.” By making an honest assessment of the body’s current state and understanding your “why,” you can determine if cannabis will bring you closer to or away from balance.




It's all about balance for any medication, eastern or western. :rolleyes:

GeneChing
08-20-2019, 08:19 AM
Oh man, srsly? If they sent a sample, I'm sure I could find some one to review it. Maybe a Shaolin Rasta (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?58144-Shaolin-Rasta-the-37th-Chamber) or a Marijuana TCM (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?52089-marijuana-tcm-!-!-!-!!)proponent? ;)


MARKETING > EVERCANNABIS
Kung Fu Vapes sees growth ahead (https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2019/aug/19/kung-fu-vapes-sees-growth-ahead/)
Mon., Aug. 19, 2019

https://media.spokesman.com/photos/2019/07/25/kungFuMain_t1170.jpg?e2225bc5c1a75a1036ca3021fecba 2b47792abfe
Alexis Dawson and John Dawson Jr. of Kung Fu Vapes (Joe Butler / EVERCANNABIS)

By Joe Butler
EVERCANNABIS Writer

Kung Fu Vapes
4811 N. Market St., Spokane
(818) 254-8861
www.kungfuvapes.com

John Dawson Jr. knows exactly when his “Aha!” moment happened.

In a tattoo shop in San Diego, a friend asked him to try an early version of a vape pen loaded with hash, a cannabis concentrate.

He’d smoked pot before growing up but never experienced the type of high as he did with that device. He instantly knew that plenty of people are going to love their cannabis this way, and he wanted to be part of it.

“We went on a mission right then to all the stores around town and bought any kind of e-cigarette and vape pen we could find, so we could take them all apart, see how they were made, and see if we could figure out how to make them better,” said Dawson.

Today, a decade later, Dawson is the owner of Kung Fu Vapes, which provides components for vaporizers, including batteries and cartridges, plus all sorts of pens and pocket rigs designed for heating cannabis concentrates or oil.

“We love to help design, brand, and package products for different companies,” he said.

Located on Market Street in the Hillyard area, he and co-owner/brand manager Alexis Dawson now work with producers and processors and retailers in 25 states.

While Kung Fu Vapes must follow state rules governing the sale and use of vape products, the restrictions for 502 licensees don’t apply, allowing it sell and distribute outside of Washington.

“This evolution is a trip – we have a small niche of the industry, but we’re doing huge numbers around the country and even internationally,” John Dawson said.

Vape pens/e-cigs can deliver a more potent experience than smoking flower. They’re also more discreet than a traditional pipe or bong, can easily fit in a pocket or purse, and the vapor doesn’t fill the lungs or have a strong odor like pot smoke does.

A client may have ideas of what they want or don’t want in their next vape product. Or Dawson’s manufacturing partners in China may suggest new products and materials. Mostly, the ideas for come from his own hands-on research.

“We’re always trying to push the industry forward,” he said. “We never want to follow trends – we want to create them.”

He also likes to visit different growers and social media/industry influencers, and is always attending cannabis events around the country, either as a vendor or an attendee to learn what new products are in the works. It’s also a chance to educate consumers and possible partners about everything Kung Fu Vapes can bring to the table.

He and Alexis essentially do everything – it would easy to hire sales people around the country, but he likes being hands-on and involved in all discussions and decisions.

Kung Fu Vapes recently released the Quasar pod system, a one-time use fillable pen that’s already receiving praise for its portability, stability, and ability to use different types of oil. It’s child-proof, and there’s no wicking or alloys involved.

Later this year, it plans to release Kung Fu Vitals, a pre-filled device containing CBD oil sourced from high-quality hemp grown in New York.

Dawson said this is a great time for the industry. Though there are a lot of vape products, producers/processors want to make sure their customers have safe, reliable and enjoyable products, and that’s where he thinks Kung Fu Vapes has established a great reputation.

“What we’re seeing right now is this perfect blending of electronic materials and cannabis, and it’s all going to get bigger,” he said. “There are a lot of products out there, but your hardware is going to define you.”

Joe Butler is a longtime marketing writer and editor at The Spokesman-Review. He’s an enthusiast of Star Wars, commemorative spoon collecting, and the Oxford comma.

GeneChing
08-29-2019, 08:29 AM
Pop Culture Says CBD Cures Everything—Here's What Scientists Say (https://www.newsweek.com/2019/09/06/cbd-oil-miracle-drug-science-1456629.html)
BY DAVID H. FREEDMAN ON 08/29/19 AT 5:00 AM EDT

https://d.newsweek.com/en/full/1522918/fe-weed-01.jpg?w=1440&h=720&f=88fc5468b592fdeb398d7c4f0b04c151
CBD, which comes from hemp, doesn’t make you high. But many people use it for sleep, pain, anxiety and other health issues. It comes in oils, lotions, “vape” cartridges, smokable “flower” and candy. Medical science is just starting to catch up.
FROM LEFT: MAREN CARUSO/GETTY; THOMAS VOGEL/GETTY

Jonathan Duce entered Dion's, his neighborhood liquor store in Waltham, Massachusetts, walked past the wine and six-packs and headed straight for the gummy worms. At $69 for a jar of 25, they were more expensive than the Chateauneuf du Pape, but he didn't mind. His wife likes them, he says, because they help her sleep.The gummies aren't just candy. Each one packs a 30-milligram wallop of cannabidiol, or CBD, a constituent of the cannabis plant, more commonly known as hemp, a cousin of marijuana. Dion's started selling CBD products four months ago and now one in every 15 people who walk in buys at least one of the store's 30 CBD products, which include tinctures, vaping cartridges, smokable "flower," capsules and lotions. "But gummies are our biggest mover," says Kristen Correia, who works behind the counter.Duce, 54, prefers rubbing salve on his neck to relieve the stress of work. "We discovered CBD at a farmer's market a few months ago," he says." Instead of taking a prescription drug, I'd rather take something like this that comes from a plant."Mass-market retailers like CVS, Walgreens and Krogers have already signed up to carry CBD products with Walmart said to be close behind them. CBD candies and other products have been widely available online and in tens of thousands of small stores across most states; and the entrance of large retailers is about to pour gas on that fire. Big Food and Beverage lurks in the wings with its own plans to inundate the world with CBD ice cream and beer. The Brightfield Group, a market research firm, projects that CBD annual sales in the U.S., now at $600 million, will grow by a factor of 40 to $23 billion by 2023.

https://d.newsweek.com/en/full/1522934/fe-weed-cover.jpg?w=737&f=2e20ffd671bebb7ea8a2a8481209139b
OPENRANGESTOCK/GETTY

Hardly anyone had heard of CBD three years ago, but now two-thirds of Americans are familiar with it, according to a recent Gallup survey. One in seven Americans use it as an over-the-counter treatment for pain, anxiety and sleep problems. They have also turned to CBD for depression, muscle spasms, digestive issues and skin ailments. One in three pet owners give it to their dogs and cats, says a survey by market-research firm Packaged Facts. It's also been touted as a treatment for cancer, Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. One medical clinic reported that CBD relieved 90 percent of all symptoms in all its patients."Consumers are participating in one of the largest uncontrolled clinical trials in history, and no one really knows what it is they're taking," says Pal Pacher, an investigator at the National Institutes of Health and president of the International Cannabinoid Research Society. "It's scary."Trouble is, almost all of the claims are currently unsubstantiated. Clinical trials have failed to produce convincing evidence that CBD works on anything other than rare epilepsies, the sole treatment licensed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The agency, in fact, forbids companies from attributing any other health benefits to the substance. (It reprimanded Curaleaf, a startup, for making unsubstantiated claims about cancer and other diseases.)

"As far as we know, this may all be mostly a placebo effect," says Pacher. "Everybody is being sucked into the big hype."The one thing scientists know about CBD is that it's reasonably safe. There is solid data supporting the notion that it does no harm. "There are no credible issues with toxicity, and most people tolerate it quite well," says Michael Tagen, a pharmacology researcher who consults for pharmaceutical companies about cannabis-related neuroscience.Beyond safety, science doesn't tell us much one way or the other. But that leaves open the possibility that CBD does some good and that at least some of the claims that people make about its restorative powers are true. Many scientists, in fact, think that further testing will uncover additional benefits—but which ones, if any, remain to be seen.Europe and Israel have gotten a big head start on CBD research due to long standing legal restrictions in the U.S., but American scientists are rushing to catch up. In the meantime, says Tagen, "People should feel free to try CBD and see if it works for them."What's it good for?Everyone seems to know someone who raves about what CBD has done for them. Words like "miraculous" appear frequently in media reviews. Aside from anecdotes, there is some scientific evidence that CBD has benefits beyond epilepsy. These come mainly from observational studies, which track improvements after patients take CBD. Many people show improvements with sleep, anxiety, digestive problems and a variety of aches and pains. Such studies lack the controlled comparisons to a placebo or other treatment, which is critical to getting a drug approved. But they are still considered scientific evidence, if of a weaker sort, and often establish promise for drugs long before clinical trials can confirm it.While the animal and human observational evidence supports CBD's potential effectiveness for many conditions, the picture is far from clear. Consider CBD's impact on sleep and anxiety. A study from the University of Colorado Denver published earlier this year followed 103 patients with a mix of sleep and anxiety problems over three months of CBD treatment, finding that on average, CBD helped with anxiety, but sleep benefits faded after a month, possibly because the brain builds up a tolerance. And yet a similar patient study found the mirror opposite: that CBD gave sustained benefits on sleep but not anxiety. Rodent studies, too, go back and forth on the same questions.This sort of hit-or-miss evidence has also been turning up for CBD's ability to fight the "inflammation" caused when the body's immune system attacks healthy cells. Inflammation is considered a cause or symptom of a wide range of ailments, including allergies, heart disease and illnesses of the gut. "Most major diseases are inflammatory, and that alone would make CBD useful," says Maurizio Bifulco, a professor and CBD researcher at the University of Naples Federico II Medical School in Italy.Likewise, research indicates that CBD may—or may not—be helpful for psychosis, opioid withdrawal, arthritis, antibiotic-resistant infections, non-Parkinson's tremors, Alzheimer's disease, multiple sclerosis, tissue rejection after transplants, the side effects of cancer chemotherapy and even for several types of cancer itself, including the most aggressive and untreatable form of brain cancer. (Oddly enough, the property that wins CBD the most praise from users—pain relief—is one of the most weakly supported, with CBD often failing to provide much benefit in studies.)Scientists are not deterred by this conflicting data. Many new drugs get mixed results in tests—even Tylenol, a proven pain reliever for millions of people, comes up short in some trials. The clinical trials on CBD that have been done so far could have been flawed in ways that missed some of its healing properties. Hundreds of new trials now getting underway may do a better job of zeroing in them. "We really don't know what to measure in patients right now," Pacher says. "I do think in the longer term we'll figure that out and see some positive results in clinical trials."What impresses researchers most about CBD is that it offers at least a hint of effectiveness against such a wide range of often serious and hard-to-treat conditions without providing a corresponding hint of the problematic and sometimes dangerous side effects that hang over virtually all other drugs. Of those who use CBD oil, 40 percent take it daily, according to Paul Norman, CEO of Heavenly Rx, a major producer of CBD products. A survey by Consumer Reports earlier this year that found 22 percent of CBD users are using it as a substitute for prescription medications.

continued next post

GeneChing
08-29-2019, 08:29 AM
https://d.newsweek.com/en/full/1522926/fe-weed-04-987430224.jpg?w=737&f=2f7067c833b0183c543e8181ee27511e
Hemp clones at Wild Folk Farm are prepared for planting. Businesses, undeterred by conflicting results in clinical trials, are ramping up to meet a growing demand.
GETTY/BEN MCCANNA/PORTLAND PRESS HERALD

Industry Rushes InA more relaxed regulatory environment has helped set the stage for the CBD boom. Although the hemp plant includes only trace amounts of THC, it is a close cousin to marijuana. (CBD can also come from marijuana plants in which the THC has been bred out or extracted.) While there are still occasional stories of CBD busts and seizures at hemp farms, mom-and-pop stores and airports, they are rapidly vanishing. That's due to public outrage over any effort to suppress what's increasingly seen as a beneficial and harmless substance and to federal and state efforts to spell out CBD's legality. It helped, too, that the 2018 Farm Bill passed by Congress protected hemp growers, processors and sellers from federal or state prosecution, with reasonable qualifications such as keeping THC levels below 0.3 percent of the dry weight of the product. "There are still FDA restrictions," notes Brandon Beatty, CEO of Bluebird Botanicals, one of the better-known purveyors of CBD, with 2018 sales of $14 million. "But at least there's no risk now from the Drug Enforcement Administration."

With consumers going all in and the government backing off, the business world has stepped up to meet demand. Bluebird's 2018 sales were more than double its 2017 figures and the company says it's on track to more than double sales this year, too. That's typical for the industry. Veritas Farms, another major player and a publicly traded company, has also doubled revenues annually for the last two years and turned in first-quarter revenues this year of more than $1.5 million, nearly four times higher than the same quarter last year.Big retail's entry will keep that streak going. Veritas is already in 950 stories, including CVS and Rite Aid, and expects to reach 1,350 stores this year across 22 states as Kroger starts hawking the company's products. Heavenly Rx, another major player, brought in CEO Norman from Kellogg, where he ran the company's $9 billion North American business. "The CBD industry's future is in mainstream distribution," says Norman, adding that he thinks as much as two-thirds of all CBD products will be sold in big stores by 2022.The boom will be even bigger when CBD starts getting infused into major consumer products, such as cosmetics. Most of the stuff is currently sold as tinctures and capsules, but consumers have also taken to slathering it on their skin. Most of the leading CBD manufacturers have started selling a range of lotions and balms and major cosmetics retailer Sephora has taken on topical CBD products from Estée Lauder and other companies.Soon consumers may be getting CBD with almost anything they put in their mouths. "Global food, beverage and tobacco companies are just treading water waiting for the FDA to allow them to add CBD," says Brady Cobb, CEO of SOL Global Investments, a cannabis-focused investment firm that owns 45 percent of Heavenly Rx. "When that happens, they're going to plunge in head first." Among the companies that have reportedly already made plans to bring out CBD-infused products are Coca-Cola, Molson Coors Brewing and American Premium Water. Heavenly Rx has invested in craft soda maker Jones Soda, with the intention of eventually bringing out CBD versions. It's also acquired a line of protein bars for the same reason. "CBD can help with recovery after a yoga workout," explains Norman—a claim many users would endorse, though no study has clearly proven that CBD aids in workout recovery.

https://d.newsweek.com/en/full/1522923/fe-weed-03-1159248395.jpg?w=737&f=9f3a0b2385e584774c1a97bf218fb2f3
Cannabinoid extracts have been approved in Thailand.
GUILLAUME PAYEN/SOPA IMAGES/LIGHTROCKET/GETTY

What's in the bottle?With CBD products, it's hard to be sure what you're getting. THC aside, most companies boast of offering "broad spectrum" or "full spectrum" CBD products, which means other ingredients from hemp plants end up in the mix besides CBD. There are in fact hundreds of compounds in hemp falling into a variety of categories with names like cannabinoids, terpenes and flavonoids.Many consumers are already sold on the notion of "the entourage effect"—the scientifically unsubstantiated, though not entirely implausible, claim that the different ingredients somehow combine to provide health benefits that go beyond what any of the individual components might do. But good luck sorting out which of those ingredients are actually present in a given CBD product and in what quantities. "'Full spectrum' is a meaningless marketing term," says Tagen. "It's rare that any of these companies actually test for these ingredients and even rarer that they release the results."In fact, it's hard for consumers to know much of anything about what they might be getting when they buy a CBD product. "Some of these companies have zero science behind what they're doing," says Karyemaître Aliffe a Seattle-based physician and pharmaceutical researcher who runs a small biotech company and teaches at the University of Miami Medical School. "The quality control and regulatory oversight for CBD is not much beyond what it is for Snickers bars."Studies have indicated CBD products from some established vendors can have CBD levels well below or above what's claimed on the label, along with illegally high levels of THC and contaminants including heavy metals and pesticides. The hemp plant tends to pull in whatever lies in the soil and hang onto it, so unless the soil or resulting products are carefully tested—still not the case for many CBD products, especially those imported into the U.S. rather than grown and produced here—there may be risks for any number of toxins.For what it's worth, vendors like Bluebird, Veritas and Heavenly Rx insist they have rigorous quality-control and testing programs in place and enlist independent firms to analyze and certify their products.

continued next post

GeneChing
08-29-2019, 08:30 AM
https://d.newsweek.com/en/full/1522920/fe-weed-02-827764784.jpg?w=737&f=c65f90005fab23d66b3024b284603ee7
Samantha Brown’s daughter Kaylee, 5, depends on a cannabis oil to manage seizures. Millions of people now use CBD to treat themselves, their children or their pets. So far, the FDA has approved CBD only for two forms of epilepsy, but the substance is widely considered to be safe.
GETTY/DEREK DAVIS/PORTLAND PRESS HERALD

But even if you knew exactly what is in the bottle, is there enough of it to do you any good? There's little understanding of CBD dosages at this point, but what scientists do know suggests the amounts normally advertised as a typical dose are probably well below what's needed to make a big dent in a health problem. The rare childhood epilepsies—the one condition considered proven to be treatable with CBD—are treated with daily doses in the range of 500 milligrams, or about a sixtieth of an ounce—and that's for children. The standard recommended adult dose of over-the-counter CBD oil is an eyedropper-full, typically amounting to between a fiftieth and a hundredth as much CBD as the child-epilepsy dose. It wouldn't be advisable to take hundreds of milligrams a day—that would require chugging a whole bottle—outside of a doctor's care, but anyone who did would likely be paying more than a thousand dollars a month for the habit.Cecilia Hillard, director of the Neuroscience Research Center of the Medical College of Wisconsin, and one of the U.S.'s more prominent CBD researchers, says that she's encountered people who actually take such large over-the-counter doses and who do in fact report higher levels of relief from such problems as neuropathic pain. But one big hitch, notes Hillard, is that at doses that large, many CBD products would be delivering enough THC along with it to provide a bit of a high and that's more likely where the relief is coming from. "Even at high doses, the effects of CBD itself tend to be mild," she says. Human studies of CBD using purified and tested versions of CBD with little or no THC have shown effectiveness against acute anxiety, but they use single doses in the range of 300 milligrams—dozens of times larger than what a typical consumer takes. If CBD vendors were to recommend such high doses, it would raise concerns about as-yet-undiscovered side effects. And it prices CBD treatment out of the reach of most consumers.Tongue vs gut vs clinical trialsAdding to the uncertainties over CBD's effectiveness is the variation in how it gets into the bloodstream, which is where it has to go to do any good. Smoking and vaping are relatively efficient ways to take it—they deliver about half of the CBD in a dose to the bloodstream in seconds. But they carry health risks similar to smoking and vaping tobacco. Placing a tincture under the tongue and holding it there for a minute delivers about 20 percent of the CBD, with a delay of a few minutes. Swallowing CBD is the least efficient of all—only 10 percent makes it into the bloodstream because liver enzymes break CBD down in the gut—and what does make it through can take two hours to reach your blood. Eating fatty foods helps, because CBD dissolves in fat and is thus more easily absorbed in the gut before being broken down. But that doesn't bode well for consumption via fat-free beer or soda. "You'd end up with vanishingly small amounts in your body," says Hillard. "I can't imagine that little doing anything at all."

https://d.newsweek.com/en/full/1522928/fe-weed-05-705015845.jpg?w=737&f=d4f81cb6f25328077f68294d48da4f91
One hazard of an unregulated industry is that consumers can’t be sure what dosage they’re getting. A lot also depends on the method used for taking the CBD. Vaping delivers about half the CBD to the bloodstream in seconds, but carries some health risks.
GETTY/BSIP

That makes taking CBD under the tongue—so-called sublingual consumption—a winner in many experts' and aficionados' minds. But you won't see that recommended on your bottle of CBD oil. That's partly because many consumers don't like the oily, grassy-tasting stuff pooling around their mouths. It's also because the FDA doesn't allow unapproved references to sublingual dosing, considering it a drug-delivery mechanism. "Under the tongue is my personal preference," says Alexander Salgado, CEO of Veritas Farms, "but I can't say that on a label until the FDA provides some clarity." If the FDA relents on that score, Salgado predicts there'll be a big market for CBD-saturated strips that dissolve under the tongue.Chewing gum could hit another sweet-spot. Axim Biotechnologies, which has patents on gum-based drug delivery and FDA approval, is selling gum with 10 milligrams of CBD. "A chemotherapy patient can chew a piece and get immediate relief," claims Axim CEO John Huemoeller. The company will soon introduce a line of mass-market "wellness" gums that mix CBD with caffeine, ginseng, melatonin, tryptophan (the ingredient in turkey that supposedly makes everyone sleepy after Thanksgiving dinner) and other ingredients. It's also starting clinical trials of toothpaste and mouthwash that will aim CBD's claimed anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties against gingivitis and periodontitis.
Researchers are now fashioning clinical trials to learn which patients can be helped by what form of CBD. More than 500 trials are in the works around the world, says Hillard, fueled partly by startups already profiting from CBD. One firm, Kannalife Sciences, is designing clinical trials for treating chemotherapy side effects, liver disease, chronic skin conditions, non-Parkinson's tremors and even stage IV cancers. "At stage IV you have to hit the cancer with a sledgehammer," says CEO Dean Petkanas. "We want to transfuse 10,000 milligrams of CBD into bone marrow to see if it reduces the proliferation of cancer cells."Researchers will have to ply the scientific method through hype-roiled waters for years. In the meantime, doctors, scientists and consumers will have to feel their way. "Cannabinoid therapeutics is a completely new frontier," says Petkanas. "We're just where antibiotics were in the 1930s."

I'm launching this new CBD (cannabidiol) (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?71458-CBD-(cannabidiol)) thread, independant from our marijuana tcm?!?!?!?!!? (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?52089-marijuana-tcm-!-!-!-!!) thread. I think I've plucked the only CBD specific news piece above. If anyone sees another, just post the html here and I'll copy that too. I suppose many of them are relevant, given that this is the TCM forum, but I'm looking specifically for mentions of CBD and the forum doesn't search out 3 letter words (or anagrams in this case).

GeneChing
01-09-2020, 08:52 AM
I did start that CBD thread (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?71458-CBD-(cannabidiol)) by copying a few posts off the Marijuana & MMA (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?70657-Marijuana-amp-MMA) and marijuana tcm?!?!?!?!!? (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?52089-marijuana-tcm-!-!-!-!!) threads.


How CBD Got Into The World Of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) (https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cannabis/20/01/15068626/how-cbd-got-into-the-world-of-mixed-martial-arts-mma)
January 04, 2020 7:41pm

https://cdn1.benzinga.com/files/imagecache/story_image_685x375C/images/story/2012/pablo-rebolledo-h8sl-oncat0-unsplash_2.jpg

By WeedMaps News' Adam Woodhead, provided exclusively to Benzinga Cannabis.

Roman Mironenko's story as a professional mixed martial artist is a familiar one. After some career-high points, including a stint on the Russian reality show Mixfighter, he retired to train and teach Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) in Marseille, France. But due to the intense pain from a disc herniation from his competing days, his training was sidelined for months. He eventually found relief in a CBD oil he took sublingually twice a day. In time, he was able to return to BJJ training.

Mironenko's story is just one of many where professional and amaeteur fighters use CBD to help recover and protect their bodies from the physical and psychological toll of mixed martial arts (MMA).

It's a trend that MMA fighters find themselves ahead on compared to the rest of the sports world. Writing for the Telegraph, longtime fight sports journalist Gareth Davies argued that MMA athletes looking for pain management and “neuro-protective plusses” to protect against traumatic brain injuries had anticipated the CBD trend ahead of most other athletes and sports organizations.

The trend became all the more evident when major MMA organizations began endorsing CBD wholeheartedly. In June of 2019, Bellator MMA, one of the largest MMA promotion companies, announced it had partnered with cbdMD, a CBD products brand that also sponsors professional fighters Chael Sonnen, Jorge Masvidal, and Daniel Cormier.

A month later, the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), the largest and most successful MMA promotion company in the world, got into the mix when the UFC Performance Institute and publicly traded Canadian giant Aurora Cannabis announced they would be partnering up to clinically study whether CBD can treat the aches and pains of UFC fighters. The findings will be used to develop a line of hemp-derived CBD topicals.

Leslie Smith, a veteran MMA fighter and one of the first female fighters in the UFC, told Weedmaps News she can't quite remember when she first encountered CBD.

“Cannabis has always been such a big part of my life and my training,” Smith said. “I don't know if it's a shared love and appreciation for cannabis and healthy living that brought me to San Francisco and [Cesar Gracie] team, or if it just happened to work out that way.”

CBD enters the UFC with the “Nate Diaz rule.”
While Smith doesn't recall when she first encountered CBD, she does remember when CBD broke to the larger UFC public. The conversation around CBD began with a fighter who, like Smith, was part of the team at Cesar Gracie Academy: Nate Diaz.

“I think it was when Nate Diaz vaporized CBD right after his fight at the press conference,” Smith said. “I feel like that was the time that it really meshed the use of CBD in the fighting community ... and the general public.”

In August of 2016, following his rematch with Conor McGregor at UFC 202, Diaz was seen using a vape cartridge at the post-fight Press Conference. Dosing with CBD after a fight or sparring session is something that Smith practiced as well, using a 5,000-milligram full-spectrum tincture from Alpha Cannax.

“I definitely take it after any sparring session. Any time that I'm sparring and my head is getting hit,” she said. “I take it immediately after the practice, and then I take it again at night time. Basically, for as long as I'm feeling fuzzy.”


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1u3rf92rAgw

At the time, however, all cannabinoids, including CBD, were banned during competition and the incident was flagged by the media as a potential doping violation. Debate about whether Diaz had violated a rule ensued. This resulted in the creation of the so-called “Nate Diaz Rule” in 2018, under which CBD is allowed during competition even if other cannabinoids are not.

At open workouts before his match up with Anthony Pettis at UFC 241, Diaz found himself the subject of media scrutiny once again when he lit a joint and passed it to fans in the crowd. Diaz claimed it was CBD flower, but either way, the use of cannabinoids was well outside the bounds of the in-competition period.


ESPN MMA

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MMA fighters are still cautious about using CBD
While CBD is gaining in popularity among fighter athletes, they are still cautious about how and when they use it when training and recovering. CBD's emergence has come at a time when concern over tainted supplements, false positives, retroactive sanctions, and potentially canceled events is at an all-time high.

The Diaz brothers' regular conflict with, and sanctions from, officials have been noted by their fellow athletes. In the run-up to a recent bout in Oklahoma, Smith switched her CBD supplement as a precaution.

“The commission there in Thackerville does not allow you to have any metabolites in your system at all,” she said. “Even the small amount that would show up inside of the [Alpha Cannax] full-spectrum CBD would have cost me some money and gotten me some bad publicity. So I was taking Game Up Nutrition as I was getting ready for that fight.”

The fear of testing positive for THC from taking a CBD product is a sentiment echoed to Weedmaps News by John Kelly, the head coach and owner of Live Free Crossfit, and the fighter he trains, UFC heavyweight Jairzinho Rozenstruik.

“These guys work really hard,” Kelly said. “If for some reason they get popped for THC when they were trying to take a supplement, then it's going to destroy everything that they worked towards.”

Finding trust in a CBD product that will both work and not cause a fighter to run afoul of the rules is paramount to fighters interested in using CBD. After some research, Kelly opted for Cannafornia CBD for Rozenstruik's training. “I looked into the company pretty deeply and I saw all the third party testing, and I saw that there were very low levels of THC,” Kelly said. “So that was one of the deciding factors that made us go with [Cannafornia], was how clean the product was.”

Rozenstruik is also one of the top tier UFC athletes sponsored by Cannafornia CBD. Others have included Derrick Lewis and — until a falling out in December — Colby Covington, who Cannafornia CEO Paul King told Weedmaps News was the first fighter he decided to work with after the pair met in Miami. King said that Kelly works as the strength and conditioning coach for three of six fighters sponsored by the company.

Rozenstruik uses CBD as a topical rub before and after training, and orally before bed. His dosage is approximately 33 milligrams, which is doubled after intense training sessions.

“It helps, especially when you do strength training and your body gets sore,” Rozenstruik said. “I use the cream on my body and it really helps me recover really fast."

One of the most productive ways to use CBD is as a way to find balance in a fighter's training, according to Kelly. Using CBD to find the range between not being overtrained or undertrained is what allows athletes to optimally perform on fight night.

“It's all about homeostasis,” Kelly said.

Image by Unspash

GeneChing
03-16-2022, 08:21 AM
LOOK: YES, MIKE TYSON'S WEED COMPANY DOES SELL EDIBLES SHAPED LIKE EARS (https://www.iheartradio.ca/cjay92/features/dude-news/look-yes-mike-tyson-s-weed-company-does-sell-edibles-shaped-like-ears-1.17358185)
JD Lewis Monday, March 14th 2022 - 4:39 pm
https://www.iheartradio.ca/image/policy:1.17358203:1647301199/FN1tRLOUcAIid0C.jpeg?f=default&$p$f=8904fc5
Twitter / @gbaroth
Mike Tyson’s (back) in the weed game, and he’s come up with a hilarious way to make a splash.

With edible ears, obviously.

Add this (which apparently makes over $800,000/month!) to a few other ways that Iron Mike has delved into the cannabis industry. More, from Forbes.

The positive changes in Tyson’s life spurred on by cannabis and psychedelics have been reflected in his multitude of professional endeavors, including the 2018 launch of Tyson Ranch, a 40-acre cannabis ranch in California. In 2019, the serial entrepreneur and celebrity businessman kicked off his podcast, Hotboxin’ with Mike Tyson, where he interviews athletes, celebrities, and comedians while puffing on his favourite products. It currently has over 40 million listens.

The new company, Tyson 2.0, will be a step up from Iron Mike’s first cannabis brand, offering a wider array of products including everything from his personal favourite, flower, to concentrates, edibles, beverages, and pre-rolls. He’ll serve as the company’s chief brand officer (and likely, its chief product tester).

Mike’s got multiple strains available, in multiple states already. You can see more on the Tyson 2.0 website (https://tyson20.com/project/our-strains/).

threads
Mike-Tyson (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?56625-Mike-Tyson)
marijuana-tcm-!-!-!-!! (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?52089-marijuana-tcm-!-!-!-!!)

mawali
03-28-2022, 08:58 PM
Most rastafari I know rarely get sick from chronic diseases of civilization.
They get fresh mountain air, no MCdonalds, food from the ground they cook, no pizza, etc so their spirit and soul are magnetized by energy, frequency and vibration

heavens000
06-20-2022, 02:52 PM
I think pregnant women shouldn’t smoke pot because it change a little body metabolism, which is very bad, especially when the girl is pregnant. I’ve even heard that antibiotics are only given to pregnant women in that critical case, because pills can affect the baby. I would use cbd edibles canada (https://plantoflife.co/product-category/edibles/), since it does not cause addiction and has no negative effect on the body, just relaxes and helps with nausea.

GeneChing
06-21-2022, 10:14 AM
Doctor of weed? Thailand now offering cannabis science degrees after marijuana legalization (https://nextshark.com/thailand-offering-cannabis-degree/)
Rebecca Moon
4 days ago

https://nextshark.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/CANNABISDEGREE.png
Waldo 18, a medicinal cannabis supply chain company in Thailand, is partnering with Filipino-Thai restaurant Toto Inasal to give individuals an opportunity to obtain a degree in cannabis science.

The Waldo Institute of Petchburi, officially accredited by Thailand’s Office of Higher Education Commission, will offer bachelors, masters and PhDs in Cannabis Science.

Hemp and cannabis were officially decriminalized in Thailand on June 9.

With Thailand’s decriminalization of cannabis on June 9, a company that distributes medicinal plants is offering degrees in cannabis science.

Waldo 18, a commercial supply chain company that grows and sells medicinal plants, is teaming up with Jongkasem Julakham-Platon, the owner of Filipino-Thai restaurant Toto Inasal in Bangkok, to provide cannabis science degrees at the Waldo Institute of Petchburi. The institution is accredited by Thailand’s Office of the Higher Education Commision, making the degree officially recognized. According to Julakhan-Platon, the institute will be offering bachelors, masters and PhDs in cannabis science.

“They are also developing a new breed named Rocher Breed. It’s a highly resistant and high survival-rate cannabis breed,” Julakham-Platon told Mashable. “Toto Inasal will also help in the experimentation of Cannabis products with food and beverages.”

Thailand is the first Southeast Asian country to decriminalize cannabis, permitting people to grow their own cannabis at home, although they must be of medical grade and for medicinal purposes only. Cannabis products must also contain less than 0.2% of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive ingredient that produces the sensation of being high.

Although the Thai government stated that cannabis is only legal for medicinal purposes, many food and beverage establishments are serving edibles and cannabis-infused teas and coffees.

The country’s public health minister, Anutin Charnvirakul, previously announced on Facebook that 1 million cannabis plants would be given away for free in celebration of the drug’s legalization.

Feature image via Pexels
I thought this was already being done in Oaksterdam...

GeneChing
07-03-2022, 11:40 AM
Clint Eastwood Wins $2M in Trademark Infringement Suit Over Fake CBD Endorsement (https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/clint-eastwood-wins-2m-in-trademark-infringement-suit-over-fake-cbd-endorsement-1235174956/)
The actor-director accused a company of illegally using his celebrity to drive traffic to its website selling CBD products.
BY WINSTON CHO

JULY 1, 2022 11:37AM
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/gettyimages-459823298-h_2019.jpg?w=681&h=383&crop=1
ROBYN BECK/AFP/GETTY IMAGES

Clint Eastwood was awarded $2 million in a lawsuit accusing a CBD retailer of stealing his name and likeness to promote its products. The verdict is the second in favor of the actor in a pair of suits against CBD manufacturers and marketers that fabricated news articles and manipulated search results to make it appear that the actor endorsed their products.

“$2 million is a reasonable representation of the fair market value of Mr. Eastwood’s services in lending his influential and known name to a hidden metatag campaign for products he likely would have been unwilling to endorse in the first place,” reads the order issued on June 24.

Eastwood has waged numerous legal battles over his career to protect his reputation. The Hollywood veteran who rose to fame in Westerns and Garrapata, which owns Eastwood’s rights to his likeness outside of movies, sued the CBD companies in 2020 in California federal court to make it clear that he’s never been involved in the cannabis industry.

According to the lawsuit that led to the $2 million award, Eastwood alleged that Norok Innovation perpetuated an online scam that illegally used his celebrity to drive traffic to a website selling CBD products. He took issue with the way the company lured online shoppers to its website.

“Without Mr. Eastwood’s knowledge of permission, online retailers of CBD products strategically place Mr. Eastwood’s name within blog posts and webpage meta descriptions (content that describes and summarizes the contents of a given webpage for the benefit of users and search engines to locate) as a means to promote CBD products and guide customers to an online marketplace that sells CBD products,” reads the complaint.

U.S. District Judge Cormac Carney granted default judgment in favor of Eastwood, finding that he proved his trademark infringement claims. Although he didn’t award the full $3 million that the actor was looking for, Carney concluded that “the amount sought is not unreasonable in relation to Defendants’ unlawful conduct of exploiting and misusing Plaintiff’s rights for their own commercial gain.”

The judge pointed to the fact that Eastwood has only ever agreed to one prior endorsement deal for a Super Bowl television commercial in 2012, which addressed the country’s recovery from the recession. Eastwood claimed that he took a fee well below his market value at $2 million because he felt strongly about the commercial’s message.

“We are pleased with the Court’s decision as it recognizes the substantial harm that false endorsements cause,” said the actor’s attorney Jordan Susman. “It further sends a message to such offenders that they cannot evade liability by ignoring the legal system. This is a judgment we look forward to collecting.”

Norok Innovation couldn’t be reached for comment.

In October, Eastwood was awarded $6.1 million in his other suit against Mediatonas UAB, a Lithuanian company that published a fake interview with the actor to make it appear as though he was endorsing their products. The judge similarly granted default judgment in favor of Eastwood after the company failed to respond to the suit.

Actors, including Sandra Bullock and Ellen DeGeneres, have taken to court in recent years against companies that misappropriate their names and likenesses to drive traffic to e-commerce sitses.

That made his day...

GeneChing
10-03-2022, 08:32 AM
Elias Theodorou, Pioneer of Medical Marijuana in Sports, Dies at 34 (https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/02/sports/elias-theodorou-dead.html)
A Canadian mixed martial artist, he brought cerebral flair to the ring and a dogged determination to his campaign for changing the sport’s drug rules.

https://static01.nyt.com/images/2022/10/03/obituaries/30Theodorou1/merlin_147901980_7a6c6769-9c6e-4806-9d87-e3bf99774362-jumbo.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp
Elias Theodorou, right, in 2018 in a middleweight mixed martial arts bout with Eryk Anders of the United States in Toronto. He was already a widely admired sports figure when he took up the cause of medical marijuana.Credit...Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images

By Clay Risen
Published Oct. 2, 2022
Updated Oct. 3, 2022, 4:12 a.m. ET

Elias Theodorou, a cerebral, charismatic mixed martial arts fighter who campaigned to change his sport’s drug rules and is widely believed to be the first professional athlete to receive a therapeutic exemption to use marijuana, died on Sept. 11 at his home in Woodbridge, Ontario, a suburb of Toronto. He was 34.

His brother, Michael, said the cause was colon cancer that had metastasized to his liver.

Countless pro athletes are said to use marijuana — for pain, for anxiety, to focus — but most sports prohibit or heavily regulate its use. In 2019 the PGA suspended the golfer Matt Every for three months after he tested positive for THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, and in 2021 the American sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson was effectively disqualified from the Tokyo Olympics after THC was found in her bloodstream.

Theodorou, who suffered from bilateral neuropathy, which caused tingling pain in his hands and arms, didn’t want to be next. Known for his thoughtful, deliberative fighting style, he applied that same approach to his campaign to win permission to use marijuana during training and preparation for a fight.

He built his case meticulously, collecting research and statements from doctors and lawyers and documenting his own fruitless efforts to find an already permitted alternative, like opioids.

“What I’m trying to strive for is an even playing field,” he told Forbes in 2021. “Anyone with the same kind of injury would be able to take a handful of Vicodin to go and fight and it wouldn’t be an issue.”

Drug rules for sports like mixed martial arts are largely set at the state and provincial level, so he had to tailor his pitch over and over to address different regulations. He won approval from the British Columbia Athletic Commission in 2020, and a year later from a similar body in Colorado. He fought in both jurisdictions, and was planning to seek further exemptions when he was diagnosed with cancer in January.

According to his lawyer, Eric Magraken, he was the first professional athlete in North America to receive such an exemption, and very likely the first in the world.

Theodorou was already a widely admired sports figure when he took up the cause of medical marijuana.

He exploded onto the mixed martial arts scene in 2011, going undefeated for his first four years and signing a contract with the Ultimate Fighting Championship, the sport’s premier promotion company, in 2014.

His fighting style was slow, grinding, even a bit boring. But fans loved him for the charisma and humility he brought to a sport often stereotyped as violent and humorless.

“His personality just stood out, and he brought that into the fight,” Sarah Kaufman, a retired mixed martial arts fighter, said in a phone interview. “He would just be really smart. He was strategic and thoughtful.”

He made much of his long hair, which he wore in cornrows during fights but otherwise let flow down his shoulders. He called himself “the Mane Event,” ran a Twitter account dedicated to his locks and signed a sponsorship deal with Pert Plus, the shampoo brand.

As a model and actor, Theodorou appeared on the cover of 11 Harlequin romance novels (he joked that he was “your mom’s favorite romance cover and your son’s favorite fighter”), had small roles on Canadian television shows like “The Listener” and “Played,” and was a contestant on the Canadian version of “The Greatest Race.”

He also crossed boundaries. He spoke openly about his struggles with dyslexia. In place of the usual scantily clad ring girl who holds a sign announcing the next round in a match, he did the same by moonlighting as a “ring boy” at several events held by Invicta, an all-female mixed martial arts circuit.

“It was a beautiful subversion of this archaic institution,” Geoff Girvitz, owner of Bang Personal Training in Toronto, where Theodorou often worked out, said in a phone interview.

A true happy warrior, Theodorou mixed with fans, palled around with other fighters and generally seemed in gleeful awe of his own success.
“It’s the coolest thing,” he told The Province, a newspaper in Vancouver, British Columbia, in 2014. “Me being me and people wanting to see that is cool. I’m just rolling with the punches — metaphorically speaking and literally inside the cage, too.”
https://static01.nyt.com/images/2022/09/30/obituaries/30Theodorou2/merlin_147860664_917ab44c-12b3-47e6-9b11-30994fc50d2e-jumbo.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp
Theodorou during a weigh-in before a fight in 2018. Losing a sidewalk fight as a freshman in college that was captured on video inspired him to take up mixed martial arts.Credit...Tom Szczerbowski/USA Today Sports, via Reuters

Elias Michael Theodorou was born on May 31, 1988, in Mississauga, a suburb of Toronto, to Gary Theodorou, a computer engineer for Ricoh, the camera manufacturer, and Mimi (Bouloukou) Theodorou, a vice president of operations for Bank of America. His parents and his brother survive him.

Unlike most mixed martial artists, Elias didn’t grow up fighting; instead, he skateboarded. It was only in his first year at Humber College, in Toronto, that he took up the sport — and then only after a video of him losing a sidewalk fight went viral, and he started looking for a way to defend himself.

“I’ve said this before, if I ever saw the guy I fought with, even though he sucker-punched me, I’d buy him dinner,” he told The Ottawa Sun in 2019. “It was a catalyst to a healthy career.”

He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in creative advertising in 2010 and fought his first professional match the next year.

Without a background in any particular discipline, Theodorou developed a unique style, one that even two of his coaches called “awkwardly effective,” blending techniques from martial arts like Brazilian jiu-jitsu and Muay Thai as well as wrestling and boxing.

“He was coming into mixed martial arts as a blank slate,” Chad Pearson, his wrestling coach, said in an interview, “and getting pieces from wrestling, getting pieces from jujitsu, getting pieces from striking, and he was literally creating his own set of techniques.”

At 6-foot-1 and about 185 pounds, Theodorou competed as a middleweight, with the nickname the Spartan. He appeared on “The Ultimate Fighter Nations: Canada vs. Australia,” a reality TV competition, in 2013, a year before he joined the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

Theodorou went 8-3 during his five years in the U.F.C., and 19-3 for his career. But over time it became apparent that his measured style was not the right fit for a circuit that emphasized pyrotechnic aggression. After a loss to the American fighter Derek Brunson in 2019, the U.F.C. released him from his contract.

It was a lesson, and a mixed blessing. Theodorou developed a more aggressive style and went undefeated the rest of his career. But the U.F.C. can be all-consuming, and without it he had the freedom to pursue other interests, including his acting and his medical-marijuana advocacy — and, he said, to plan for a time when he would no longer be stepping into the ring.

“No one wants to get hit in the head forever,” he told The Chronicle Herald of Halifax, Nova Scotia, in 2016, “and I still want to find a life after fighting.”
Clay Risen is an obituaries reporter for The Times. Previously, he was a senior editor on the Politics desk and a deputy op-ed editor on the Opinion desk. He is the author, most recently, of “Bourbon: The Story of Kentucky Whiskey.” @risenc

A version of this article appears in print on Oct. 3, 2022, Section A, Page 21 of the New York edition with the headline: Elias Theodorou, 34, a Pioneer Of Medical Marijuana in Sports.

marijuana-tcm-!-!-!-!! (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?52089-marijuana-tcm-!-!-!-!!)
Marijuana-amp-MMA (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?70657-Marijuana-amp-MMA)

GeneChing
11-15-2022, 09:05 PM
Watch this tweet (https://twitter.com/MikeTyson/status/1592200811010228225)


Old Rivals Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield Promote 'Holy Ears' Pot Edibles (https://www.cnet.com/culture/old-rivals-mike-tyson-evander-holyfield-promote-holy-ears-pot-edibles/)
You've got to watch the two joke like grandpas in holiday sweaters, arguing about what Holyfield's ear tastes like.

Gael Fashingbauer Cooper
Nov. 15, 2022 3:07 p.m. PT
2 min read
https://www.cnet.com/a/img/resize/36b3adde1e6a28e69806f7600f45e8e2115dfbf8/hub/2022/03/15/2f7cb9e1-6bc6-4c91-9637-ab86dac41f9a/mike-bites-social.png?auto=webp&fit=crop&height=675&width=1200
The Mike Bites marijuana candies are shaped like little ears with bites out of them, in tribute to Mike Tyson taking a chomp out of Evander Holyfield's ear back in a 1997 boxing match.

Mike Tyson infamously bit a chunk out of Evander Holyfield's ear in the 1997 WBA Heavyweight Championship fight. But now the two former opponents have joined to sell marijuana gummi candies shaped like ears with bites out of them. The candies are called Mike Bites, and they're part of what Tyson's marijuana product company, Tyson 2.0, has dubbed the "Holy Ears" collection.

On Monday, the company released a holiday-themed video featuring the two men (wearing holiday sweaters, nonetheless) promoting the marijuana candy. The edibles aren't new -- I wrote about them in March -- but they're now available at many more stores and in many more states.

Back in March, Holyfield wasn't talking about the candies and it was unclear how he was involved. Now, he seems all in.

In the video, Holyfield gifts Tyson an iron, saying, "I'm glad we ironed things out."

Then, Tyson hands Holyfield a gift, which turns out to be a package of the gummi candies, in cherry pie punch flavor. The two then argue about whether Holyfield's ear really tastes like that, with Tyson saying, "I ate your ear, I should know!"

Tyson 2.0 products are available at a variety of marijuana retailers, with a location guide on the company site.

After Tyson bit Holyfield's ear in the 1997 fight, the match was resumed, and shortly after, Tyson bit Holyfield's other ear. Tyson was disqualified, his boxing license was revoked and he was fined more than $3 million.

"Cannabis has always played an important role in my life," Tyson says on the company website. "Cannabis has changed me for the good both mentally and physically, and I want to share that gift with others who are also seeking relief."
Mike-Tyson (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?56625-Mike-Tyson)
marijuana-tcm-!-!-!-!! (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?52089-marijuana-tcm-!-!-!-!!)

GeneChing
08-27-2023, 09:18 AM
https://cdn.asianmma.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Mike-Tyson-smoking-a-joint.jpg

Koh Samui to host Weed Boxing Championship (https://asianmma.com/koh-samui-to-host-weed-boxing-championship/)
By: News | August 22, 2023 1:53 pm

Koh Samui is set to host the Weed Boxing Championship. The event takes place on August 27th and participants will be required to ‘smoke a bong or a joint’ before participating.

Former heavyweight world champion Mike Tyson is the sport’s most high profile stoner. He admits to smoking every single day and has built his own cannabis empire selling a variety of different cannabis and cannabis related products.

Tyson’s heyday was several decades ago so he doesn’t have to worry too much about a visit from the drug testers. Plus the convicted rapist probably isn’t too worried that being associated with a drug that is still illegal in many countries will taint his reputation.

Reigning WBO and WBA super flyweight champion Kazuto Ioka tested positive for marijuana ahead of a title fight last year. But he was able to get off on a technicality because the sample was mishandled.

Open secret

There must be more boxers out there smoking cannabis because it is an open secret that several mixed martial artists like to get stoned. Among them are Nate Diaz and his brother Nick Diaz who served several bans during his UFC career and even had a submission win overturned after testing positive.

Newly crowned UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley has made no secret of the fact that he likes getting stoned. The American frequently posts videos of him smoking before, after and even during training.

No fear

Participants in the inaugural Weed Boxing Championships need have no fear of an unwanted visit from WADA or USADA. They are obliged to get stoned before the fights which will consist of three rounds of three minutes apiece.

Spectators will also be encouraged to smoke the same weed as the fighters and there will be live music and food. The event is set for the Samui International Muay Thai Stadium so a big audience is probably expected.

In June, 2022 marijuana was decriminalized in Thailand. Almost overnight shops and stalls popped up everywhere selling high quality product to customers who would previously have been required to break the law in order to get their hands on it.

Muay Thai tourism is well established but marijuana tourism is a relatively new phenomenon in Thailand. This event looks to fuse the two and while it will be the first of its kind in the country it is unlikely to be the last.

Boxing (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?54079-Boxing)
Mike-Tyson (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?56625-Mike-Tyson)
marijuana-tcm-!-!-!-!! (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?52089-marijuana-tcm-!-!-!-!!)

GeneChing
09-29-2023, 10:22 AM
Is Weed Yoga Really Worth It? We Tried it and Found Out! (https://thecurvyfashionista.com/plus-size-adventure-weed-yoga/#:~:text=As%20the%20experts%20say%2C%20“Yoga,while %20sipping%20on%20my%20cocktail.&text=Moving%20from%20pose%20to%20pose,I%20attribut e%20to%20the%20THC.)
LAST UPDATED: 09/26/2023
https://thecurvyfashionista.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/IMG_0030-860x645.jpg.webp
IMG VIA JILLIAN PFENNIG
Yogis across the country (and world) look to their yoga practice to allow them to reach enlightenment. With almost 50,000 yoga studios in the US, it’s a safe bet that you’ve tried yoga for a similar reason– whether as a form of body movement, meditation or mental health practice. But have you tried yoga under the influence of cannabis?

The yoga community is split on whether cannabis is good for a yoga practice, but agreed that it’s ultimately a personal choice. I practice yoga often, especially restorative yoga, so I was interested in trying THC-infused yoga to see if it enhanced my experience the way some yogis claim it does. So, I attended a weed yoga event at The Artist Tree in West Hollywood, CA.

https://thecurvyfashionista.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/IMG_3005-696x479-1.jpg.webp
Arriving at The Artist Tree in West Hollywood, CA for Weed Yoga

The weed yoga event I attended took place at The Artist Tree in West Hollywood, CA. The dispensary has a dispensary on the bottom floor, a lounge on the second, and an event space on the third. We got there a half hour early to indulge in some cannabis treats before heading up to the third floor for yoga.

Not knowing what to expect in the lounge, I was overwhelmed with the vast array of options. Their menu separated indica, sativa and CBD. They even had different devices such as bongs, gravity bongs, and vaporizers to rent for the optimum smoking experience– not to mention THC infused cocktails!

Our server, Clay, was so knowledgeable and welcoming, and he complimented my adorable Old Navy outfit. Clay answered all of my questions and actually allowed me to mix the liquid cannabis into our cocktail myself. Liquid THC concentrate is the prime method used during weed yoga events.

The THC cocktail was actually very good, and once mixed in, you couldn’t taste the concentrate. But would this actually help me connect mind, body and spirit?

My Plus Size Experience at a Weed Yoga Event

https://thecurvyfashionista.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Weed-Yoga-with-Jillian-1024x576.png.webp
IMG VIA JILLIAN PFENNIG
Heading up to the third floor we were offered another vial of liquid cannabis and it was up to us how we wanted to use it– add it to the cocktail we purchased, shoot it like a shot, or sip on it throughout the class. I decided to mix it into the delicious strawberry lemonade cocktail I was already drinking.

Laid out on our mats, the instructor, Amy, began the yoga class. The small intimate class was definitely the right environment for this experimental weed yoga. As the experts say, “Yoga is a journey of the self”, and I was beginning to feel more relaxed and centered than before while sipping on my cocktail.

Moving from pose to pose, I was definitely more in my body than my mind without needing to focus too much, which I attribute to the THC. My mind is always running a mile a minute, so when I normally practice yoga, it takes a lot for me to breathe out all of the distractions. But I 1000% didn’t have to work as hard to calm my mind as I usually do.

After the first half of flow yoga, we moved into restorative yoga, which is something I’ve grown very accustomed to following my past surgeries. This is really where I felt the THC added to my yoga experience. Restorative yoga is all about holding poses for a long time and really allowing your body to breathe through the pose (unlike flow yoga, which is constantly moving).

As someone always in their head, restorative yoga really challenged me to breathe life into my body as I lay in each pose, and not allow my mind to wander. The second half of the class is where I really felt the THC aid my yoga practice, as I didn’t have to constantly tell my mind to relax. I fell into it much quicker and didn’t find myself adrift as much. I was simply in my body and not my mind.

As the class ended, we decided to hang out at the lounge for a bit longer. Artist Tree is not allowed to serve food in the lounge, so they are partnered with two places where you can order food to be delivered. We ate lunch and smoked the remainder of the joint we bought earlier while enjoying the post yoga feeling in our bodies. I don’t know if weed yoga will become a regular practice for me, but I did get an extra vial to take home and try it again!



BY JILLIAN PFENNIG
Jillian Pfennig (she/her) hasn't met an adventure she doesn't love. She is a writer, photographer, plus size model and traveler of the world.


marijuana-tcm-!-!-!-!! (https://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?52089-marijuana-tcm-!-!-!-!!)
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GeneChing
01-16-2024, 10:24 AM
Runner's High: Experiment Reveals How Cannabis Actually Affects Exercise (https://www.sciencealert.com/runners-high-experiment-reveals-how-cannabis-actually-affects-exercise)
HEALTH
12 January 2024
By CARLY CASSELLA

https://www.sciencealert.com/images/2024/01/RunningCannabisHigh.jpg
Ultrarunner Heather Masshoudi partaking in the experiment. (Patrick Campbell/CU Boulder)

The impact of cannabis on exercise is rife with assumptions and contradictions. All at once, the plant is considered a performance-enhancing drug, banned by numerous sporting events, and a 'couch-lock', employed by the perennially lazy.

Emerging evidence suggests both perspectives are off the mark.

In US states that have legalized cannabis, several recent surveys have found those who use the drug actually get up and move more than non-users.

And while there is no direct evidence to suggest that recreational cannabis improves athletic performance in the moment, researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder (UCB) think it could make exercise more enjoyable.

In a recent experiment, 42 healthy adult runners from Colorado who identified as regular cannabis users ran on a treadmill at a moderate pace for 30 minutes. Before, during, and after the run, scientists monitored their physical and mental state. On another occasion, participants were given the choice to use either THC or CBD products before a similar 30-minute run.

THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, is the compound in cannabis largely responsible for the plant's psychoactive effects. Whereas CBD, or cannabidiol, is a compound in the plant that offers muscle-relaxing, anti-inflammatory effects without producing the trippy mind-altering effects traditionally associated with marijuana.

"The bottom-line finding is that cannabis before exercise seems to increase positive mood and enjoyment during exercise, whether you use THC or CBD. But THC products specifically may make exercise feel more effortful," says psychologist Laurel Gibson from UCB.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0ORKmfvX1k

Today, only a small number of studies have dug into the acute effects of cannabis on exercise, and most were conducted decades ago.

Recent legalization in states like Colorado has finally allowed scientists to conduct observational experiments on the drug, and researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder are particularly interested in those who say they like running high.

Ultrarunner Heather Masshoudi was one of the participants included in the study. Anecdotally, she says that a natural 'runner's high' on a 30 kilometer (just under 20 mile) run feels very similar to getting high on cannabis and running for a much shorter time.

Interestingly, studies have linked intense exercise to the endocannabinoid system in the brain, which is what cannabis taps into.

In 2023, psychologists at UCB found that getting high before a run often resulted in a slower, yet more enjoyable bout of exercise for regular cannabis users.

The newest study from Gibson and her team supports those results. Compared to running sober, running high was more enjoyable for participants, even if the inclusion of THC did make the exercise feel slightly harder.

By comparison, participants who took only CBD in experiments still enjoyed the run more than they did without it, but they did not feel as though their run required more exertion.

To be clear, this does not mean that scientists are recommending that people use THC or CBD products before exercise, as there could still be potential harms.

In the recent experiments, those who took THC showed an increased heart rate while high before they started running. Even though this effect wasn't compounded by running, there is reason to remain cautious about the potential consequences to cardiovascular health.

Neuroscientist Angela Bryan, also on the UCB research team, warns that "it's too early to make broad recommendations", but she thinks "it's worth exploring" further.

Because of ethical considerations, the study was not double-blinded or randomized, and dosage among participants wasn't regulated. Furthermore, the group of participants was limited to include regular cannabis users who ran a lot, which means enrollment could very well be biased towards those with positive cannabis experiences while exercising.

Studies with more rigorous methodologies are now needed to test these initial observations, but Bryan says "it is pretty clear from our research that cannabis is not a performance-enhancing drug."

Whether the drug helps in recovery after exercise is another matter still up for debate.

The study was published in Sports Medicine. fascinating

GeneChing
02-11-2024, 02:32 PM
An Ancient Tomb Revealed a Potent Surprise: 17th Century Bones Contained THC (https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/archaeology/a45999407/milan-17th-century-crypt-cannabis-discovery/)
Archaeologists dig up old joints of a different kind, leaving history in a haze.
BY TIM NEWCOMBPUBLISHED: JAN 29, 2024 1:00 PM EST

https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/skull-smoking-a-joint-royalty-free-image-1706463971.jpg?crop=1.00xw:1.00xh;0,0&resize=1200:*
madsci//Getty Images
Researchers studied bones in an Italian medical crypt from the 17th century, and discovered the presence of cannabis.
Since cannabis was not a prescribed medical treatment at that time in that hospital, the team hypothesizes that the use was recreational.
While stories of cannabis use stretch to well before the 17th century, this is the first physical evidence showing the plant’s use.
Weed was popular enough centuries ago that it became part of peoples’ bones. And now there’s scientific research to prove it. Researchers in Italy recently detected traces of Delta-9 THC and CBD—both from the cannabis plant—in bone samples dating back to the 1600s.

“This study reports the first physical evidence of cannabis use in Modern Age in Italy, but also in Europe,” wrote the authors of the study detailing this discovery. The study was published in the Journal of Archaeological Science, and chronicles the group’s toxicological analyses on human remains that were located in a Milan hospital crypt.

The team performed these analyses using a mass spectrometer on nine human remains from the Ca’ Granda Crypt—located under a church next door to a key hospital in Milan—with the goal of identifying individual chemical compounds. They carbon dated the bones to the 1600s, and found cannabis in two of the nine bones studied. The presence of the chemical seemed to have no correlation with demographic, as the bones of both a woman aged about 50 and a teenage boy were found to have DTC and CBD.

RELATED STORY
Marijuana Plants Found in Ancient Chinese Grave (https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/environment/a23231/marijuana-plants-cannabis-burial-shroud/)

“The presence of these two alkaloids evidences the use of the cannabis plant in the Italian population during the 17thcentury,” the authors wrote. After investigating the archived documentation of the hospital, the team found that cannabis was not administered as a medical treatment during the 1600s. “Thus, we hypothesize that the subjects under investigation used cannabis as a recreational substance,” the study said. The researchers caution, however, that they can’t rule out other sources of exposure related to medical treatments outside of the hospital.

While the use of cannabis is well chronicled back to the Middle Ages in Europe, cannabis fell out of favor as a medical option in 1484, according to the CBC, when Pope Innocent VIII labeled it an “unholy sacrament.” But that doesn’t mean that cannabis wasn’t a popular choice outside of medical settings.

“We know that cannabis has been used in the past, but this is the first study ever to find traces of it in human bones,” says Gaia Giordano, biologist and doctoral student at the University of Milan’s Laboratory of Forensic Anthropology and Odontology and Laboratory of Toxicological Investigation and a study author, according to the CBC. “This is an important finding, because there are very few laboratories that can examine bones to find traces of drugs.”

The lab in Milan certainly pulled it off. “Molecules of medicinal plants can be detected by toxicological analysis even centuries after the death of an individual,” Giordano says, according to the New Scientist.

Even amidst a ban on cannabis, Italy used hemp aplenty in commerce, so access to the plant was part of everyday life for those making ropes, textiles, feed for livestock, and paper (and, yes, the sails on ships used by Christopher Columbus).

“Life was especially tough in Milan in the 17th century,” Domenico di Candia, archaeotoxicologist and lead author on the study, told Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera. “Famine, disease, poverty, and almost nonexistent hygiene were widespread.” With cannabis proven as a drug of choice in the day, researchers may now begin investigating what other substances were present in the 17th century bones.


TIM NEWCOMB
Tim Newcomb is a journalist based in the Pacific Northwest. He covers stadiums, sneakers, gear, infrastructure, and more for a variety of publications, including Popular Mechanics. His favorite interviews have included sit-downs with Roger Federer in Switzerland, Kobe Bryant in Los Angeles, and Tinker Hatfield in Portland.

China is much older. I think we've discussed that here already but I activated the link to a past article on the topic in this article.