edibles magazine november 2015 veterans issue

1EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT PTSD

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i s s u e 1 8the veterans & ptsd issue

ptsd fact sheet...................................................... 6CALIFORNIA SECTION................................................ 7MEDICAL FEATURE:cannabis, PTSDAND YOUR DREAMS................................................ 9TOPICAL FEATURE:CANNAKITZ BY CANNATOPICS........................ 10NOVEMBER EDIBLES LIST420 EVENT GUIDE................................................. 14MEdical news:marijuana, PTSD & A VA UPDATE....................................................... 19INFOGRAPHIC: PTS & TBICO-OCCURING SYMPTOMS............................... 23FEATURED news:INTERNATIONAL HARM REDUCTION CONFERENCE COMMENDS UNODCDECRIMINALIZATION DOCUMENT.................. 24COVER feature:VETERANS WHO USE CANNABIS...................................................... 30

top ten things not to sayto a veteran with ptsd.......................... 35COLORADO SECTION.......................................... 41NOVEMBER infused recipes: LEFTOVER THANKSGIVING CASSEROLE, CANNA SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE, infused WEEDY CORN BREAD, 420 CARAMELIZED ONION &GORGONZOLA MASHED POTATOES,COLL ARD GREENS WITH RED ONIONS, EASY CANNA APPLE PIE...................................42COVER FEATURE:10 NON-PHARMACEUTICALALTERNATIVE TREATMENTS FOR PTSD.............................................................. 44MEDICAL FEATURE: TOP 10 BRAIN & HORMONEEFFECTS OF MARIJUANA................................ 46OREGON SECTION............................................... 49COVER FEATURE:NON-PROFITS AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT SUPPORT VETS & CANNABIS........... 51FEATURED NEWS: THE AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS ANNOUNCED IT WILL LEGALIZE THE GROWING OF CANNABIS FOR MEDICINAL PURPOSES...........................52OREGON MEDICAL MARIJUANAPROGRAM AND PTSD.......................................55WASHINGTON SECTION................................... 59EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW:KRISTOFFER LEWANDOWSKI U.S. MARINE CORPS VETERANFACING LIFE IN PERSON FORGROWING CANNABIS........................................60 MEDICAL SPOTLIGHT: cannabis education,medical programs & the Va..................61featured News:JUSTIN TRUDEAU TO LEGALIZE CANNABIS IN CANADA.....................................62

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9

MEDICAL NEWS: C A N N A B I S P T S D

DR. ALLEN MILLERSTAFF EDITOR

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is in everyday conversation now with our heroes coming back from protecting us from those who want to harm us as a Nation. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is defined as a debilitating mental disorder that follows experiencing or witnessing an extremely traumatic, tragic, or terrifying event. PTSD is no longer classified as an Anxiety Disorder (Grohol, PSY.D, August 19, 2015, p. 1). PTSD is sometimes associated with other mood states (for example, depression) and with angry or reckless behavior rather than anxiety. So, PTSD is now in a new category, Trauma- and Stressor-Related Disorders (Friedman, MD, Ph.D., Nov 7, 2013, p. 1). PTSD includes four different types of symptoms, living the traumatic event (also called re-experiencing or intrusion); avoiding situations that are reminders of the event; negative changes in beliefs and feelings; and feeling keyed up (also called hyperarousal or over-reactive to situations). Most people experience some of these symptoms after a traumatic event, so PTSD is not diagnosed unless all four types of symptoms last for at least a month and cause significant distress or problems with day-to-day functioning (Grohol, PSY.D).

The human condition sadly includes traumatic experiences from a variety of causes. Attacks by saber tooth tigers or twenty-first-century terrorists have likely led to similar psychological responses in survivors of such violence. Literary accounts offer the first descriptions of what we now call post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). For example, authors including Homer (The Iliad), William Shakespeare (Henry IV), and Charles Dickens (A Tale of Two Cities) wrote about traumatic experiences and the symptoms that followed such events. To understand the symptoms, one must understand how the human brain processes information and events then adapt to those “lessons learned” from the experience (, n.d., p. 2).

The relationship between sleep, dreams, and memory is still somewhat of a mystery. Most brain activity is automated as we say the brain runs on autopilot, but this doesn’t mean that we are automatons or that we are largely unconscious of the reasons we do the things we do. The conscious YOU uses a minimal amount of bandwidth of the brain, to the point that even our most important and personal decisions – such as choice of spouse, where to live, or occupation – are directed by brain mechanisms of which we

are unaware. This means that everything we experience and most importantly how we experience or understand these experiences relies on forces for which we have no control. As I stated above the “traumatic circumstances” are recorded by the brain in High Definition (HD) Video, with vibrant colors and superb audio, even smells, emotions leading to realistic memories that the brain attempts to understand, file, and process. We then as human beings consolidate both short-term and long-term memory adapting to that experience and what “we’ve learned” from the experience to avoid another traumatic experience. The human body is an amazing organism it cleans itself, heals itself, and warns you when there is a danger, and its number one objective is to stay alive. So, humans are always adapting to the information provided and reacting appropriately, to quote the great Yogi Berra “it’s like Deja Vu all over again”.

For trauma survivors, though, nightmares are a common problem. Along with flashbacks and unwanted memories, nightmares are one of the ways in which a trauma survivor may relive the trauma for months or even years after the event. To that end, the classic symptoms of PTSD include frequent panic attacks in response to triggers that keep a person always on the edge and physically and mentally stressed out, disturbed sleep, and recurring nightmares. This is the unconscious brain interrupting the conscious brain process based on situations, feelings, smells, genetics or just because of something we don’t understand, with a warning we do not understand resulting in the classic symptomology. However, again for reasons out of your control, it keeps playing the same scene until it figures the problem to its conclusion regardless of time.

Then at night during the Rapid Eye Movement (REM) portion of the sleep cycle, your brain tries to sort and file the information it experienced, and based on several factors, not in your control, the dreams come as the brain attempts to sort the incident and adapt. There are five stages of sleep: four NREM (non-rapid eye movement) stages marked from 1 to 4 and a fifth stage called REM sleep that is associated with dreaming. Stages 3 and 4 represent deep, slow-wave states of sleep, where the brain switches off almost completely and the heart rate and breathing decrease considerably. These states are restorative and refreshing. The four NREM and the REM stages occur in cycles throughout the period of sleep.

The brain is most active during REM sleep

and most dreaming is thought to occur during this stage. Numerous studies have shown that using marijuana before bed reduces REM sleep. Researchers believe this is why marijuana users report fewer dreams.

During the night, the brain cycles through 5 different stages of sleep, spending the most time in deep sleep (or slow-wave sleep) and REM sleep. The amount of time spent in these two stages is closely related. In fact, studies show that marijuana lengthens the time the brain spends in deep sleep, which leads to less REM sleep, which results in fewer dreams, leading to anxiety allowing the body to recharge and heal. Besides easing insomnia, marijuana seems to have a wide range of effects on sleep.

This is because chemicals in marijuana, known as cannabinoids, actually mimic the activity of chemicals found naturally in the brain (Nov 25, 2013, p. 2).

These chemicals and their biological pathways make up the body’s endocannabinoid system, which is responsible for regulating sleep, among other things (LeafScience, Nov 25, 2013, p. 2).

Ingesting THC or marijuana before bed also appears to reduce the density of rapid eye movements during REM sleep. Interestingly, less REM density has been linked to more restful sleep. According to several studies, marijuana has been found to both induce sleep and increase the duration of Stage 4 sleep. These effects improve the overall quality of sleep in an individual.

Cannabis or high THC compounds inhibit the dream state, reducing anxiety related symptomology, stress, and depression. THC allows the person ingesting it, to reach Stage 3-4 of sleep allowing the body and mind to recharge. What is important to note is this natural product has no side effects and has been very successful if giving those that suffer from PTSD an affordable, natural way to reshape their health.

References: (Nov 25, 2013). 5 Ways Marijuana Affects Your Sleep. Leafscience, (), 1.(n.d.). Marijuana, REM Sleep, and Dreams. Retrieved Oct 21, 2015, from http://www.leafscience.com/2014/09/13/marijuana-rem-sleep-dreams/Friedman, M., MD, PHD. (Nov 7, 2013). History of PTSD in Veterans: Civil War to DSM-5. Veterans’ Administration, (), 1.Grohol, J., PSY.D (August, 19, 2015). Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. Retrieved , from Oct 21, 2015

A N D Y O U R D R E A M S

10

TOPICAL FEATURE: CANNAKITZ

MadameMunchie.com

Introducing the NEW CANNAKITZ by CANNATOPICS

B. LE GRANDEDITOR-IN-CHIEF

CannaTopics was founded in Shasta Lake, California. Their products are the result of over a decade of research into the topical application of cannabinoids. They are innovators in the field of infused topicals, and the topical application of cannabinoids. This allows them to devote their primary time and research to just one thing: Getting the healing power and pain relief of cannabinoids through the skin and into your system without over-medicating. The result is pain relief at any time, anywhere.

In the latest wave of the nation’s green rush, CannaTopics has created a unique way to make their products available internationally. When you have an infused medical marijuana line of products, it becomes a legal challenge to distribute your medicine across state lines. CannaTopics has bridged the gap by creating CannaKitz, a line of products that you can make at home yourself with your own medicine!

Cannabis does not have to be smoked to receive the known benefits of the sacred healing herb. The first documented use of cannabis in written history was over 5,000 years ago when the ancient Chinese used the plant’s extract as a surgical anesthetic. As our legal barriers with cannabis begin to fade, the truth about cannabis is coming to light. We now have scientific evidence to show that the way cannabis works is by binding to our body’s endocannabinoid system, (our CB1 and CB2 receptors), helping the body to heal itself naturally.

You can now treat and manage your pain from the comfort of your own home. No more searching within the limitations of what your local dispensary

carries. CannaKitz by CannaTopics can be used for physical ailments, chronic pain, dermatological conditions or even as a youthful beauty regiment. Some of the ailments CannaKitz has been shown to help, based on patient testimonials, are arthritis, multiple sclerosis, acne, cuts, scrapes, burns, bruises, autism, psoriasis, eczema, dry skin, overall faster healing, sciatica, wrinkle reductions, cramps, muscle spasms, menstrual pain and the list endlessly continues.

Below is a complete list of their products which are available in both the infused medical marijuana collective version as well as a non-infused do-it-yourself CannaKitz. CannaKitz is available online at www.CannaKitz.com for $24.95. Go to CannaTopics.com for dispensary buying information.

Natural Lotions & Creams: Canna Silk

Canna Xtreme CannaSport Gel

Balms & Ointments: Med-Stick CannaFirst Tat Stick

Massage & Sensual Oils: Xtreme Massage Oil

Eden’s Passion Sensual Spray

Healing Oils: Oil of Eden - External

Eden’s Tears - Internal Healing Oil Tat Juice

Special Products: Chemo Conditioner

Tincture Kit

Their broad range of topical products cater to each individual’s physical pain needs. Canna Xtreme is for aggressive treatment of pain, whereas my favorite product, CannaSilk is more of an everyday moisturizer. What I like about their topical products is that they are not heavy, greasy and their products do not smell funny.

Each product has its own unique purpose and scent. They also offer a female lubricant, a tattoo salve stick and a first aid stick. What most people don’t know is that while the majority of cannabis users think that topicals are a “niche” product, in actuality everyone could use a cannabis topical in their medicine cabinet. The cannabinoid profiles in the cannabis plant are both modular and reactive, which in layman’s terms, means it will help the body heal itself. While the FDA might not stand behind these statements at this point in time, we do know that our patients say, “It Works!”

CannaKitz include everything that you need to create your own topicals, complete with detailed instructions and recipes. Absolutely no guesswork or measuring! Simply add 1 ounce of your favorite trim or bud mix and follow the simple instructions. With CannaKitz, you can use strains that are beneficial for you or your loved one’s condition, not something generic and mass-produced. For example, if you prefer a high CBD product, simply use 1 ounce of a high CBD strain herb. This provides you with the ability to make the perfect product to help bring relief for your particular condition.

For more information visit: CannaTopics.com.

Follow them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Pinterest: @CannaTopics

18 19

medical NEWS: MARIJUANA & PTSD:HOW CANNABIS HELPS VETERANS & VA UPDATEDR. ROBERT SETARISTAFF EXPERT

Our men and women in the military have devoted themselves to the protection of our country, our freedoms, and our way of life. Unfortunately, their “reward” for such a sacrifice is a lifetime of medical issues of both a physical and mental nature. While the physical nature is obvious, the psychological ramifications of having experienced some of the horrific encounters remain invisible to the majority of the civilian population. The two most common terms used to describe the psychological disorders that are a by-product of exposure to combat or even the military way of life are Post-Traumatic Stress disorder (PTSD) and Operational stress.

PTSD leaves Veterans with painful symptoms such as horrible flashbacks, social avoidance, isolation (even from family), and hyper-arousal reactions including outbursts of anger, anxiety and hyper-vigilance. These emotional and behavioral changes can have extremely destructive effects on a Vet’s interpersonal life, but also have a watershed effect on those close to them such as family and co-workers. Furthermore, PTSD can spiral into other problems such as panic disorder, substance abuse, depression, suicidal and homicidal feelings. The ramifications of PTSD are not preclusive to the Veteran, but all of society, especially their families. A spouse may have to abandon the role as wife or husband to become an in-house full time “caregiver” dealing with the daily crises. Veterans may develop their own anxieties and self-esteem issues propagating the problem to another generation. The estimated number of military members who suffer from PTSD or traumatic brain injury (TBI), or both, is over 30%. That statistic only includes those who formally get diagnosed or report having PTSD symptoms. Often times, symptoms are overlooked or misdiagnosed. Even worse, these veterans often suffer additional physical conditions like painful physical trauma, including missing limbs, chronic pain, spinal cord damage, and other symptoms that could potentially be alleviated by cannabis.

Self-medication by many Veterans for their medical issues with the use of marijuana has garnered a lot of interest in the possible medical therapeutic effects of cannabinoids. Admittedly, it has taken years of anecdotal evidence to finally draw the medical community’s, the public’s, and the government’s attention to this possible treatment modality.

Notably, the use of cannabis and the Veterans Affairs Hospital system’s relationship is convoluted. Twenty-four states plus the District of Columbia have legalized cannabis for sanctioned medical use, however at the Federal level marijuana is classified a Schedule I drug.

This scheduling of the plant suggests there are absolutely no known medical benefits to cannabis. Since the VA is a Federal program, previously the predicament was that under the aegis of the government, the VA system, and by extension the veterans who use it, are were not legally allowed to use it as therapy.

Antidepressants like Zoloft and Paxil, along with other heavy-duty pills, have been the traditional therapies that VA doctors provide. Unfortunately, they do not work as well as doctors would hope and they are fraught with side effects such as impotence and loss of emotional spectrum called “flat affect.” This means the treated patient becomes a functional “zombie.” Going through life but not really enjoying it or even able to experience the range of emotions we feel as human beings. Many patients end up on multiple prescriptions, with each drug having its own side-effect profiles.

Recent research indicates that medical marijuana may provide a single treatment option with much better side-effect profiles. Neuroscientists are providing tentative support for validating its use.

Dr. Kerry Ressler of Emory University states, “One way of thinking about PTSD is an over activation of the fear system that can’t be inhibited, can’t be normally modulated,”

In other words, the PTSD affected brain can not calm down. It constantly stays in a hyperactive state. Cannabis studies in animals over the past decade have shown that this may be modulated by the use of cannabis.

It is now definitively obvious that the anxiety, insomnia, and hyperactivity of PTSD can be modulated by the use of medical marijuana in humans. Another interesting discovery with profound implications is that the endocannabinoid system is integrally related to memory, specifically to memory extinction. Memory extinction is the normal, healthy process of removing associations from stimuli. For example, an animal which has been administered an electric shock after a certain noise will “freak out” when hearing the noise even if there is no shock that follows. This is the classic Pavlovian effect; however, if the noise appears by itself (with no shock following) for a few days it will eventually it will forget about the shock. Mice bred specifically without cannabinoid systems in their brains simply never forget - they continue to cringe at the noise indefinitely.

A classic PTSD symptom is that Vets respond to stimuli that remind them of their initial trauma even when it is no longer appropriate. If medical marijuana can aid in memory extinction it could help patients reduce their association between stimuli, (perhaps loud noises or stress), and the traumatic situations in their past.

New Mexico has recently begun allowing VA Hospitals to prescribe medical marijuana for American soldiers suffering from PTSD. Maine became one of the first few states to follow suit.

In November of 2014, Representatives Earl Blumenauer (D–Oregon) and Dana Rohrabacher (R–California) introduced the Veterans Equal Access Act, which aims to open the entire VA system to the judicious prescribing of medical cannabis. In May 2015, the Senate Appropriations Committee voted to back the amendment. Prior to its introduction, VA doctors couldn’t even discuss cannabis with their patients, much less prescribe it. Some Senators have gone on record and called it “unconstitutional.”

In October 2015, a GOP spending bill was introduced allowing reforming marijuana and the VA. It attempts to allow physicians at the Department of Veterans Affairs to recommend medical marijuana to veterans. It also prevents the VA from retaliation: that is, denying services to veterans who choose to take part in medical marijuana programs, or otherwise prohibiting them from those programs in any other way. This measure has previously been proposed but never enacted. Veterans’ advocates and members of Congress, including GOP Sen. Rand Paul, as well as Democratic Sens. Cory Booker and Kirsten Gillibrand, consider marijuana to be a viable alternative to the over-reliance on opioids at the VA.

There is a word of caution in all of this. Large doses of marijuana may not be of long term benefit. There can be attenuation of the endocannabinoid system; the patient’s nervous system can “get used” to the cannabis metabolites. Essentially, they become resistant to the effects. If a patient desired to get the most out of using therapeutic cannabis to improve PTSD they should use low to moderate doses.

Also, THC isn’t always for everyone, consider trying a high-CBD (cannabidiol) low-THC flower or edible. The key is that everyone is different and finding your right dosing might require some trial and error. If you ever feel “too high,” remember to keep CBD edibles, vapes, or flower around, as CBD will inhibit the THC from metabolizing, making you feel “normal” again.

If the goal is to use marijuana to facilitate extinction of the response to PTSD triggers, then small to moderate doses of cannabis vapors should be administered shortly before planned exposure to the trigger. A series of regular extinction sessions will produce better results than a single session. If cannabis appears to make aversion, fear, or aversive memories worse than the dosage should be lowered. If feelings of fear do not improve with lower dose then discontinue the use of cannabis completely and seek alternate methods of treatment.Dr. Robert Setari is the Founder of both TheCannaKitchen.com & Amec420.com

24 25

FEATURED NEWS:

DAN CAPENERSTAFF EDITOR

Billionaire Richard Brandson leaked an UNODC (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime) “Not Yet Ready” document on Drug Decriminalization. On his Virgin Blog website (http://www.virgin.com/richard-branson/finally-a-change-in-course-on-drug-policy) the British entrepreneur published a document from the United Nations Office on Drug and Crime that according to Branson,”The paper spells out in clear terms and based on extensive evidence: there are strong arguments for treating drugs as a health issue and not imprisoning or otherwise criminalising people for personal use or possession of drugs.”

However, as a result of the “leaked document,” David Dadge, UNODC spokesperson posted a reply on their web site stating; “The briefing paper on decriminalization intended for dissemination and discussion at a conference in Kuala Lumpur, is neither a final nor formal document from the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, and cannot be read as a statement of UNODC policy.

It remains under review and UNODC regrets that, on this occasion, there has been an unfortunate misunderstanding about the nature and intent of this briefing paper. UNODC emphatically denies reports that there has been pressure on UNODC to withdraw the document. But, it is not possible to withdraw what is not yet ready.”

However the blog of the International Harm Reduction Conference, held October 18-21 in Kuala Lumpur, has commended the document with the following statements.

“UNODC has denied that the document is a formal policy position, and has instead stated that it was ‘intended for dissemination and discussion

at a conference in Kuala Lumpur’. Today delegates attending the conference did just that during a morning plenary session.

Following a motion that the conference formally ‘commend the document and urge UNODC to publish it’, delegates held up copies of the document as a show of support for its call on governments to consider “decriminalising drug use and possession for personal consumption”.

“UNDOC has stated it wanted this document debated and discussed at our conference, and we are fulfilling those wishes,” said Dr Rick Lines, Executive Director of Harm Reduction International.

“The overwhelming support from our delegates today for UNODC’s drug decriminalization recommendations should embolden them to show brave leadership on this issue, and publish the document in its current form. It´s a document that acts in the best interests of preventing injecting related HIV, hepatitis C and overdose reduction, and promoting the rights of people who use drugs.”

The Virgin Airlines Magnate has long been a proponent of decriminalizing canabis and has worked diligently twords that end. This document titled: “Briefing paper: Decriminalization of Drug Use and Possession for Personal Consumption.” states “The international drug control conventions do not impose on Member States obligations to criminalise drug use and possession for personal consumption. Member States should consider the implementation of measures to promote the right to health and to reduce prison-overcrowding, including by decriminalising drug use and possession for personal consumption.”Apparently United Nations delegates feel the same way.

Branson called the UN’s apparent change in direction “refreshing.”

CONFERENCE COMMENDS UNODC DECRIMINALIZATION DOCUMENT

INTERNATIONAL HARM REDUCTION

27

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30

COVER STORY: VETERANS WHO USE CANNABIS FOR PTSD

I enlisted in the military in 1996, because I looking for a new adventure and a way out of Alabama. I was a Staff Sergeant and did mostly Convoy Operations in Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF 2) from ’04-‘05 in Baghdad, Iraq.

When I was honorably discharged in 2006, I was living in Hawaii. I started using cannabis again for some combat related issues soon after being released. I obtained my Hawaii state medical marijuana card though there was nowhere to get it except off the black market. I moved to California in 2008, and it was like I won the lottery. I was a recreational pre-military I now use it for pain management and anxiety. I am heavily involved in the cannabis movement. I am the Director of Santa Cruz Veterans Alliance, a cannabis gardener and advocate.

I was open with my primary care physician at the VA. I disclosed to them why I used cannabis and never had any repercussions in doing so. The same cannot be said for Veterans living in a state that does not recognize medical cannabis. A Veteran could lose their VA benefits if they disclose to their doctor that they use medical cannabis. That is precisely why we are trying to spread awareness through the Veteran community. There is a big suicide epidemic involving Veterans in our country and we feel that its directly caused by the prescription medicine (SSRIs, benzodiazepine, psychotropics, etc.) that the VA prescribes. They will not prescribe cannabis. I plead to the naysayers: Get educated before you make a decision about medical cannabis!

I was in the U.S. Marine Corps for four years beginning in 2008 and then honorably discharging in 2012. Becoming a Marine seemed like an incredible challenge that offered experiences I couldn’t find elsewhere. I was an Assaultman; my occupational expertise focused on high explosives, rocket launchers, and breaching obstacles. While in the Marines, I went on two tours, both to the Helmand Province in Afghanistan. I went to the Nawa District in 2010 and the Garmsir District in 2011.

Prior to the military, I was a recreational cannabis user. Now, I am heavily involved in the industry. I am a security operator tasked with the security of the product, personnel, and patrons of marijuana establishments. I just consider cannabis a superior alternative to alcohol. It allows me to unwind without heavy impairment, or being too hung-over to function the next day.

I am fortunate enough to live in Colorado where it is extremely easy to obtain cannabis and I completely avoid the VA entirely. I wish those who opposed cannabis would do their research. It’s helping millions of people with their ailments with little to no side effects. You can’t overdose on it, nor is there the propensity towards violence like alcohol. Give it a try!

I entered the Army in 1991 to support my two children after going through a divorce. Although I had a degree in Accounting/Business Administration, I joined the Army specifically for medical training and was a 91 Delta - Certified Surgical Tech, 16th MASH. Although I was ready to go, I was never deployed. When I arrived at my new unit in Ft. Riley, KS, they had just returned from supporting an engineering mission in Bolivia. Our equipment had to go to the paint shop and didn’t return in time to make it onto the planes, so we stayed behind. I was active duty from 1991-1994, and was on inactive duty from 1994-1999. Unfortunately, I had to get out early because I came down on orders for Germany, however, my son had just been born eight weeks premature and was in an NICU. He wouldn’t have survived the flight, so I was honorably released on family hardship. I had used cannabis recreationally in college years before joining the military and smoked from time to time, but did not become a regular user again until I needed cannabis for medical reasons in 2009. I was involved in a major auto accident in 1998 while sitting at a stop light on my way home from work. I was working as a CST at a major hospital in Idaho then. My sons had a little league game, so I was on my way to pick them up from daycare when I was rear ended and pushed three feet forward into another car. The results of this accident have been five back surgeries, including a spinal fusion in my lower back. My son was actually the one who convinced me to try cannabis instead of the many pain pills that did not seem to work.

I began using cannabis regularly in 2009. Due to my injuries, I have MRI’s at least every three years. In 2009, while being on opiates and just starting cannabis, doctors continued to see degeneration. In 2012, while I used mainly cannabis and low amounts of opiates, they saw no further degeneration. Now in 2015, I only using marijuana and no opiates, doctors are seeing improvement for the first time in 17 years. I planned to open my own edibles company called Ohana Mama’s Confections, but up until recently I lived in Eastern Oregon where they have implemented bans on in industrial growing, processing, testing and selling. I have since moved to Eugene where I can lend a helping hand to the cannabis community. Cannabis has changed quite literally saved my life and if I can get through to one person who is in a place I used to be in and help them, then it’s all been worth it.

I joined the military because I needed to serve our country after the attacks on the World Trade Center. At the time, I was a sophomore in high school and the war was really heating up. I believed it was my responsibility to defend our nation to the best of my abilities to hopefully thwart any kind of attack on American soil again. I did two combat tours; one to the Kandahar province in Afghanistan and one to the Haditha Triad in Iraq. I was in a little city affectionately known as the Haq.

While serving from June 2004 – June 2008, I was an infantryman 0311 (the military designation for my job). I had never used cannabis before joining the Marines. In fact, I did not use cannabis for a year or so after getting out. I use cannabis to help calm my PTSD and mood stabilization. Cannabis helps me withhold reactions in situations where anger tends to be the response. It also has been a blessing for injuries I have from being in a grenade explosion. I have nerve damage in my left foot and leg it helps significantly when the pain from the injuries gets aggravated.

The biggest problem I have faced as a Vet is that cannabis is still frowned on by the VA and government. Getting a medical card could result in losing benefits. Right now, in our country, we have 22 Veteran suicides a day. If Vets were allowed to combat their PTSD with cannabis I believe this number would be different. Vets are fighters if you give them the tools and the means they always come out on top.

I enlisted in 1999, when I was 17 years old. I wanted to go to college and knew it was the only way to pay for it. So my mom signed a waiver and away I went. I am currently still enlisted.

I have gone to Iraq and Afghanistan on multiple deployments and have an been a Track Vehicle Mechanic, Recovery Vehicle Operator, Personal Security for VIP, Combat Engineer, Operations Command and Control and Financial Management.

I was a recreational user of cannabis before entering in the military and use cannabis for PTSD, sleep aid, chronic joint & body pain and anxiety. I currently am involved with Grow for Vets in Oregon. I think having the option to treat holistically and naturally should be afforded to everyone. I would rather treat with cannabis than with all the various narcotic pain killers or PTSD drugs they have treated me with in the past.

I have inquired about cannabis with the VA on multiple occasions and have been told that they do not endorse it and will not talk about it as a viable treatment option. This came from both my primary care physician and my psychiatrist. I wish the naysayers would not pay attention to the negative stigma surrounding the medicine. They should try it on their own and then make an informed and enlightened decision. Allow those whose ailments it helps to use the medicine. It’s natural and holistic. Pharmaceutical companies make millions a year off the VA and injured Veterans. Why not give a naturally occurring plant a shot for the love of god modern medicine stems from the scientific study of naturalistic medicines (healing that has been practiced for thousands of years) from all over the world. We’ve examined and synthesized Aloe Vera plants to treat sunburns. I still have an actual plant that sits in my windowsill. I personally prefer the natural medicine and like knowing and seeing the plant grow and produce its healing aloe and use it myself when I need it. This is just me though, in my time in the military I have done enough destroying and destruction, it’s time for me to embrace and enjoy the life of it.

I enlisted in the military after 9/11 in 2002, and was in the U.S. Marine Corps until I was honorably discharged in 2008. I went on one deployment to Afghanistan in 2004-2005. I specialized in Expeditionary Aircraft Recovery and mostly I worked with attack helicopters on forward operating bases.

I used cannabis recreationally before entering the military. When I was diagnosed with PTSD in 2006, along with stress, anxiety, and migraine headaches I began using marijuana for medical purposes. Cannabis helps calm my anxiety and stress. It allows me to focus and be more present. I also believe that cannabis helps me to be a more compassionate person, and a better husband and father.

I am the Co-Founder and COO of the Santa Cruz Veterans Alliance. I am also a patient and advocate for Veterans and cannabis. We provide qualified California Military Veterans with top quality lab tested medical cannabis grown by fellow United States Military Veterans. We honor our veterans with our Veteran Compassion Program. Thankfully I haven’t experienced problems accessing cannabis since I grow it and have safe access to it; however, that is more that I can say some!

We live in the land of the free, that is why we love this country and why we choose to fight for this country and the freedoms it represents. We believe that we should have the rights to medicate with cannabis as a safer alternative to opiates, SSRI’s and other pharmaceuticals that are handed out like candy by the VA. We want to convey to the community that we are good, responsible, and active members of society.

I enlisted twice, once in 1989 and again in 2004. When I enlisted the first time, in 1989, it was a combination of things. Both of my parents are Vets, and my older brother also served. I felt like everyone should do something to serve his or her country. I went back in in 2004, because of the Global War On Terror (GWOT). Not because of the war, precisely, but I felt like with my experience, age and outlook I could affect some positive outcomes in my fellow soldiers. I did four overseas combat tours: Desert Storm, Southern Watch and then two GWOT Tours. Both of those were in Iraq.

Prior to Desert Storm I was stationed in Germany and my unit (1st Battalion, 7th Infantry, 3rd Infantry Division) got called up to go just after thanksgiving 1991, and by New Years were in Saudi Arabia. After returning to Germany, I was reassigned to 1st Cavalry Division at Ft Hood, Texas. Ironically, I arrived my new unit just in time to go to Kuwait in support of Operation Southern Watch where were tasked with providing interim security and helping to train the Kuwaiti Army. I chose not to re-enlist.

My break in service years, 1993-2004, was tough. I drank a lot. I went through a lot of jobs, and I got a DUI in 1998 that snowballed into other legal troubles because of missed court dates, inability to pay fines, etc. In October of 2004, after a bit of a paperwork fight, I enlisted into the Oregon Army National Guard and volunteered to go to Baghdad as a ‘replacement’. In 2008, I was when I was diagnosed with PTSD and got pulled off the deployment roster.

I have a total of 17 years in the military. Ten of those years were spent as ‘active duty’, the rest as some form or other of ‘reservist’. I was honorably discharged in December 2013 at the rank of Staff Sergeant (E-6).

Sleep is probably the biggest way that cannabis helps me. It’s really nice that if I only need a little help getting to sleep, I use just a little and I sleep. If I need a lot of help sleeping, I use some concentrate, or edibles and a higher dose. The best part of that is that it has never failed me. I’ve been known to be prone to thrill-seeking behavior that can be destructive, and cannabis certainly curtails that. I volunteer for Grow for Vets whenever I get the chance and I am a full time, 3rd year student at the Art Institute of Portland, where I study industrial design. Recently, my colleague and classmate Jeni Lee and I started www.cannabuzzmedia.com, which we hope to grow into a content manager and provider of consultancy for the cannabis industry. I live in Oregon where both medical and recreational cannabis are legal, so my biggest problem is paying for it. It’s not that expensive, really. I spend more every month on coffee than I do on cannabis. For those that want to hold onto that canna-bigotry – eventually, hopefully, they will catch on and take notice of what a versatile and useful thing cannabis can be.

I enlisted in the Army in 2000, to get out of a small town and to get away from my mother’s strict rules – oh, the irony, I went into something with even stricter rules and regulations. I medically retired after 14 years in September of 2015. I have been on two tours. I first went to Uzbekistan in November of 2002, and then before the Iraqi war began, we were moved to the border of Jordan and Iraq in February 2003. My second tour was to Qatar. When I first enlisted I was in Mortuary Affairs, which means I bagged and tagged soldiers. I had no problem dealing with the handling or care of our fallen Soldiers until about two years ago when I started to show signs of PTSD from my past military work experience.

Before entering the Army, I probably smoked once or twice with some friends recreationally. It wasn’t until the PTSD symptoms began that I turned to cannabis. I left the military due to PTSD, Anxiety, Major Depression Disorder and alcohol abuse. I recently moved to Colorado at the beginning of October, so that I could find a more natural way to control my disorders. Since I have lived in Colorado, I began smoking and noticed that I do not have to rely on my medication as much as I used too. My nightmares are less frequent and my anxiety has decreased as well.

Now, I have my MMOC and am looking to begin working in the industry.

The military pumps us full of medication. I take depression medication and it causes my anxiety to worsen, so I have take benzodiazepine on top of sleep medication at night. I’m still nervous to completely get off the depression pills; however, I have began to slowly ween myself off them. I have yet to deal with the VA just yet, but I have heard horror stories from some fellow Vets. I have heard that once they mark your file as a cannabis user you can not get your regular medication from the VA since they are unsure of the reaction between pharmaceuticals and marijuana when taken together. People need to educate themselves about cannabis; I’m still trying to educate my mother who called me a “junkie weeder”. People still don’t see it as a medicine. If you do the research you will see that cannabis has helped people live a functioning life and they aren’t “junkie weeders.”

“All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”-Edmund Burke

That quote always resonated very heavily with me and played off of my lifelong urge to serve and protect my country. I enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in January 2009. I was an Infantry Squad Leader. It was my job to plan, lead, and debrief combat patrols in southern Afghanistan in order to locate Improvised Explosive Devices (IED’s), pursue the Taliban, conduct marketplace security patrols, and aid local nationals with assessing and scheduling public works projects such as building bridges and schools.

I went on two combat deployments to Afghanistan and a Jungle Warfare training deployment to Okinawa, Japan. All were seven months long, and I would have much rather gone back to Afghanistan than to Okinawa. Everything in the jungle wants to kill you, even the plants. At least in Afghanistan it’s mostly only people that are deadly. I was honorably discharged in January 2014.

Pre-Marine Corps, I used cannabis recreationally. Cannabis helps greatly with things like joint pain, sleep issues, and public anxiety (especially in crowds). All of which are major issues for a lot of Vets, especially those with combat experience. I currently work for a security company that works heavily in the cannabis industry, protecting employees and customers from potential robberies or any other threat that may walk through the door of a dispensary or grow house. As a security guard, unfortunately having cannabis in my system is too high of a liability in the event of something like a shooting occurring, so I can no longer partake in it.

A message to those who oppose cannabis: Stop standing on outdated misconceptions of what a gateway drug it is or how harmful it could be. Instead, look at the factual data of overdose decreases and the decline of prescription drug abuse in the states that have legalized it. Also, simply look at the behavior of a drunken person versus someone under the influence of marijuana. The drunk person will be far more erratic, emotionally unpredictable and more prone to violence. A person who is high on marijuana will be far more likely to simply be spacey, giggly, and a bit lethargic. Aside from the massively greater negative physical side effects of alcohol, the behavioral effects are also clearly more detrimental. That’s just alcohol, which is legal, but doesn’t even come close to how harmful most street drugs like meth, crack, heroin or cocaine are.

BARBARA TAYLORARMY

ZACHARY T.MARINE CORPS

AARON NEWSOMMARINE CORPS

CORY LARIVEEARMY/NATIONAL GAURD

JASON SWEATTARMY

KORI WARDARMY

THOMAS A. CASHMANARMY/NATIONAL GAURD

TYLER D.MARINE CORPS

TOM MORTONMARINE CORPS

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COVER STORY: VETERANS WHO USE CANNABIS CONT’D

I enlisted in the military in 2003, because I was honestly just trying to pay for school. I was a cheerleader who had no idea what life in the military was like, but when I got accepted to all these schools my dad told me to at least think about it. Since he’s a Air Force Veteran, and because I’m the ultimate daddy’s girl I said “ok”. I was fortunate enough to survive two tours in Iraq during my enlistment. I was stationed in Tal Afar, and I did convoys to Fallujah, Blue Diamond, and Ramadi back in 2005. I was honorably discharged in 2007.

In the military my official title was Warehouse Clerk, which is basically Logistics in the regular world. I was in charge of tracking, shipping, and receiving all military supplies to and from Iraq and Afghanistan. Getting the right gear to the right unit can literally be the difference between life and death for some of those service members. While in Iraq, I dispersed gear throughout country and because I was Hazardous Material certified those shipments require special labeling, so that became my responsibility too. I have shipped and controlled not only millions of dollars worth of assets, but I also worked for base Air Traffic Control so that definitely included military personnel as well.

Prior to the military, I was NOT a cannabis consumer and was actually scared of it because I listened to D.A.R.E, so I thought it was a drug like Heroin. When I tried it at 16 I choked really bad, so I didn’t try it again until I was about 23. I was actually that person that would make my friends go in another room away from me if they wanted to smoke. Post-military, I use cannabis for insomnia because at one point my nightmares used to make me afraid to fall asleep. I also use it to treat my PTSD, chronic neck and back pain and anxiety. Honestly, I also just enjoy life more after using it as for as conversation, laughter, sex, food, music, etc. is concerned.

I am 100% involved in the industry first and foremost as a patient, but most importantly I’m the CEO/Founder of the cannabis brand Jayn Grene. I’m also a cannabis activist, model, and vlogger. I do daily Periscopes as the “Cannabis Industry Insider”, and I travel as a cannabis speaker all over the country. The problems I have faced while trying to obtain cannabis as a Vet are trying to find consistent quality medicine and finding ways to financially obtain it. Cannabis can be an expensive addition to an already tight budget, but this is my medicine and it truly helps me so I have to find a way to make sure I continually have it. I am very honest with my VA caretakers about my cannabis use, and it helps that I’m protected as a medical patient under Prop 215. I tell them that the medication that they prescribe is too strong and that I prefer the happiness from cannabis as opposed to the zombie-like comatose behavior on heavy narcotics. I still use the prescribed medicine on really dark days, but for the most part my relief comes from cannabis.

I would challenge cannabis naysayers to honestly do their own research on the cannabis plant to learn the truth themselves. I recognize that we have been fed years and years of lies, so we won’t wake people up over night, but I would tell them to solely focus on truth and facts. I would ask them if consuming cannabis saved the life of ONE of the 22 veterans that committed suicide a day is it not worth the effort to give it a chance? It helps me sleep at night knowing without a shadow of doubt that I’m on the right side, so I think they are going to come around in the next few years anyway.

I am not a Veteran, I was a Private Military Contractor for 14 years, but I do experience the same symptoms as Vets when ending our careers. We are hired by government agencies like the CIA or Department of Defense to perform a broad range of duties including patrol, personal protection detail (PPD) of VIPs, corporate security and escort operations. We are often hired by the government to supplement and/or train the military personnel overseas. I have spent time in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Libya, Syria and Israel.

I was recruited by a family member who had retired from a government agency and started a private military company. I attended boot camp style training, much like military training and was given my first assignment overseas. It was an honor to serve alongside the brave men and women of the U.S. military. As a private contractor, I had much more flexibility than my friends who were enlisted. I had the ability to choose my assignments and my team. My assignments could be as short as 90 days while most soldiers are deployed for 6-12 months.

Unfortunately, there is a common misconception about Private Contractors being a bunch of cowboys who do not have to adhere to any rules of engagement. The fact is, that we are highly trained and have to be accountable for our actions. The guidelines are clear, we are only authorized to use force if attacked.

I use cannabis to help ease symptoms of PTSD, anxiety and insomnia. Prior to my career as a Private Contractor, I was a recreational user of cannabis in high school and college, but I was required to abstain from cannabis use due to regular drug testing. Now, I am a patient and co-founder of Miss Mary Jane’s Edibles in Southern California. Medicinal cannabis saved my life and has enabled me to have a normal life.

Cannabis is widely accepted among former Private Contractors like myself. I talk to many of my former colleagues that use cannabis to treat the issues that many of us bring home after working overseas. For anyone who is vehemently opposed to cannabis, I would ask them to look at cannabis as a medicine rather than a “drug”. Prescription drug abuse has reached epidemic proportions in our country and cannabis is helping to combat that problem.

I come from a long line of military Veterans, both American and German. I enlisted after graduating from Oregon State University in 1998 and was honorably discharged in 2012. I felt it was my duty to volunteer and serve my country. I started my career in the Infantry, then volunteered for Special Operations soon after. Lastly, I was placed behind a desk; as I chose a field in computers.

I had never even considered cannabis before or after the military. My wife introduced me to her friend’s family, who are growers, and I began educating myself on cannabis before partaking. Once I decided to try cannabis, I didn’t look back. It has changed my life for the better. Prior to consuming my first medible, I had sleep issues that dated back well over a decade. I had a bad parachute accident while in Special Operations, which damaged my lower back, and have had poor sleep since then - add in other injuries, sleep deprivation, etc., it takes a toll on your body. Cannabis Oil was the most effective for me personally, but now I eat cannabis paste or as I call it, cannabis caviar. I can accurately measure my dosage, and it is in my system fast, effectively, and lasts up to 12 hours.

I do not smoke cannabis because you only receive 1% of the medicine. I cannot imagine my life without cannabis. Hence, why I share my experiences openly with other Veterans who suffer with day-to-day pain. I initially got involved with Grow for Vets because I have a friend who is slowly dying in Denver. Once I started conversing with Roger Martin, Founder and Executive Director of Grow for Vets, I decided that Oregon Veterans needed that form of help as an option. Being involved in Grow for Vets gives me the opportunity to help other Veterans. Our Grow for Vets events allow Veterans to come in, receive a gift bag with a mix of edible cannabis products, giving them an alternative to the toxic cocktails of prescription drugs. Hearing their stories, how cannabis has helped them, is my inspiration to continue down this path as the Grow for Vets Oregon Chapter President.

I am very fortunate. My grower friends are very knowledgeable about cannabis. They steered me in the right direction to obtain my medical card. My challenge now is continuing education about the positive effects of cannabis, how to obtain a medical card, or simply how to grow their own medicine. Those of us, who have the knowledge and access to this information about cannabis, have an obligation to ensure others have the same knowledge and access. My mother was a nurse for years, so growing up she always warned me about “marijuana.” Once I became more educated about cannabis and was using the medicine, it was time to persuade my mother to learn more about it. Sanjay Gupta’s “Why I changed my mind on Weed,” “Weed 2” and “Weed 3” series specials on CNN were helpful in enlightening her. I know it will take time to fight the stigma surrounding cannabis; there is 75 plus years of anti-cannabis propaganda brainwashing the world. The war on drugs was an utter failure on all levels. The $17 trillion dollars spent fighting the war on drugs, quite literally could have paid off our national debt!

CORWIN B.ARMY

TANGANYIKA AKA TANGYMARINE CORPS

MR. MARY JANEPRIVATE MILITARY CONTRACTOR

I have been very open with the VA about my involvement with cannabis. Two years ago, I launched Grow for Vets, and for the first few months that followed, every VA health care provider that I gave a business card to quickly handed it back to me. Over that past six months, every healthcare provider I have dealt with has accepted my card and most actually engaged me in conversation about cannabis and its use in treatment of medical conditions. Grow for Vets is an organization aiming to help reduce the staggering number of Veterans who die each day from suicide and prescription drug overdose. We provide Veterans with the knowledge and resources necessary to obtain or grow their own cannabis for treatment of their medical conditions. Here’s a question for cannabis naysayers: Why are you okay with more than 50 Veterans a day dying from deadly prescription drugs when cannabis is a safe alternative?

My family has an extensive military history, so I enlisted in the United States Army in 1973, and was honorably discharged in 1976. I was never a cannabis user prior to being in the military. Now I use edibles at night to deal with chronic pain in order to be able to sleep. I am blessed to live in a state where cannabis is legal and that I am able to afford and obtain it.

ROGER B. MARTINARMY

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American Medical Evaluation CentersAddress: 20830 S. Vermont Ave. Torrance, CA 90502Phone: (310) 320.4420 Hours: Monday-Saturday 1pm-7pm Closed SundaysAbout: American Medical is the specialty medical marijuana office in the Southbay area since 2010. Our center has physicians specialized in various fields and trained to expertly evaluate patients for medical marijuana. Patients look to us for medical guidance and legal defense. Our doctors, recognized as experts in the field of medical marijuana by the California District Attorney’s office.

Specials: Veterans get recommendations for $25 with valid documentation

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Total Herbal Consultation3 SoCal Locations Open Daily: • 5985 Topanga Canyon #B, Woodland Hills, CA, 9am-6:30pm,• 19825 Ventura Blvd., 10am-4:30pm,• 4942 Vineland Ave. 9am-7:30pm,Phone: (818) 888.7162 About: At Total Herbal Consultation, our licensed physicians are dedicated to spending time with you to evaluate your medical history and perform a comprehensive physical exam. Our consulting services are provided in compliance with prop.215 and sb420, health and safety code section11362.5. Our physician and his team are more than qualified to provide the highest quality MMJ recommendations for you.

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ECMMAddress: 13347 W Washington Blvd, Ste A, Culver City, CA 90066Phone: (424) 835-4137 Hours: Sun.-Mon. 10:00am-6:00pm Tues.-Sat. 9:30am-7:30pmAbout: At ECMM, our purpose is to provide our patients the medical marijuana verification they need. Our medical marijuana evaluation center is doctor-owned and -operated, allowing us to give you the thorough evaluation required for a legitimate medical marijuana card. Started in 2009, our medical clinic is run by a group of CA licensed holistic and alternative medicine physicians that believe in the scientific evidence for the use of medical marijuana. We take legal compliance very seriously in order to ensure your continued access to the treatment you require and our knowledgeable staff will be happy to answer any questions you may have about our services. Come visit our cannabis evaluation clinic to get a legitimate, safe medical marijuana evaluation in Venice.Cost/Specials: Call for More Information

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Medicated Thanksgiving Leftover Casserole

EASY CANNA APPLE PIE

Infused Collard Greens with Red OnionInstructionsPreheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish. Melt 3 tablespoons cannabutter in a saucepan over low heat. Blend in the flour. Slowly stir in evaporated milk and water, then season with salt, pepper, and onion powder. Stir sauce over low heat for 5 minutes. In a separate saucepan over low heat, melt 2 tablespoons cannabutter. Blend in the dry stuffing mix. Place the turkey in the prepared baking dish. Pour the sauce over turkey, then sprinkle with Cheddar cheese. Spread mashed potatoes over cheese. Top mashed potatoes with the stuffing mixture. Bake 45 minutes in the preheated oven.

Instructions:Bake sweet potatoes at 400° for about 1 hour or until tender. Let cool to touch; peel and mash sweet potatoes. Beat mashed sweet potatoes, sugar, milk, cannabutter, eggs, vanilla extract and salt at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Spoon potato mixture into a greased 11- x 7-inch baking dish. Combine cornflakes cereal and next 3 ingredients in a small bowl. Sprinkle diagonally over casserole in rows 2 inches apart. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Remove from oven; let stand 10 minutes. Sprinkle alternate rows with marshmallows; bake 10 additional minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Instructions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Melt cannabutter in saucepan over medium heat. Stir in white sugar, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, and water. Bring the syrup to a boil, stirring constantly to dissolve sugar, and then remove from heat. Unroll pie crusts, press one into a 9-inch pie dish, and place the apples into the crust. Unroll the second crust on a work surface, and cut into about 8 1-inch wide strips. Criss-cross the strips over the apples, or weave into a lattice crust. Crimp the bottom crust over the lattice strips with your fingers. Spoon caramel sauce over pie, covering lattice portion of top crust; let remaining sauce drizzle through the crust. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C), and bake until the crust is golden brown, the caramel on the top crust is set, and the apple filling is bubbling, 35 to 40 more minutes. Allow to cool completely before slicing.

Ingredients:1 (16oz) can Creamed Corn1 can Whole Kernel Corn, drained1 package, Jiffy Corn Muffin mix1 cup of CannaButter2 tbsp Sugar2 Eggs1 cup Sour Cream

Instructions:Preheat oven to 350 degreexs. Use extra large mixing bowl, Melt cannabutter beat eggs, mix those with all other ingredients and put in greased 9’x12’ pan. Bake for 1 hour.

Ingredients:4 1/2 lbs Sweet Potatoes1 cup Sugar 1/4 cup Milk 1/2 cup CannaButter, softened 2 large Eggs 1 tsp Vanilla Extract1/4 tsp Salt1 1/4 cups Cornflakes Cereal, crushed 1/4 cup chopped Pecans1 tbsp Brown sugar1 tbsp Cannabutter, melted1 1/2 cups Miniature Marshmallows

Ingredients:6 tbsp Unsalted CannaButter

1/4 cup White Sugar1/2 cup Brown Sugar

1 pinch Salt1/4 tsp Ground Cinnamon

1/4 cup Water1 (15 ounce) package Double Crust Ready-

to-Use Pie Crust4 large Red Apples, cored and thinly sliced

Ingredients3 tbsp CannaButter

2 tbsp All-Purpose Flour1 can Evaporated Milk

1 cup Water1/4 tsp Salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground Black Pepper1/4 tsp Onion Powder

2 tbsp CannaButter1 cup finely crushed Herb-Seasoned Dry Bread Stuffing mix

1 cup cooked, diced Turkey Meat1 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese

2 cups Leftover Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:3 pounds Yukon Gold Potatoes,

peeled & quartered1 3/4 tsp Salt, divided

2 tbs CannaButter 1 tbsp Canna Olive Oil

2 medium Onions, diced4 Garlic Cloves, minced

2 tsp chopped fresh or 1/2 tsp dried Rosemary

1/2 cup Cannabutter ¾ cup Half-and-Half

3/4 cup crumbled Gorgonzola or Blue Cheese

3/4 tsp Pepper

Ingredients:3 (16-oz.) packages fresh Collard Greens2 medium-size Red Onions, finely chopped2 tbsps Canna Coconut Oil 2 1/2 cups Vegetable Broth1/4 cup Cider Vinegar2 tbsps Dark Brown Sugar1 1/2 tsps Salt1/2 tsp dried Crushed Red Pepper

Instructions:Bring potato, 1 tsp salt, and water to cover to a boil in a Dutch oven; cook 20 to 25 minutes or until tender. Drain and keep warm. Melt 2 tbsps cannabutter with canna olive oil in a skillet over medium heat; add onion, and cook, stirring often, 12 to 17 minutes or until tender. Add garlic, and cook 3 minutes. Stir in rosemary; remove from heat. Mash potato with a potato masher; stir in 1/2 cup butter, half-and-half, and cheese until blended. Stir in onion mixture, remaining 3/4 tsp salt, and pepper. Spoon enough mixture into a decorative, ovenproof dish or 13- x 9-inch baking dish to fill bottom; pipe or dollop remaining mixture over top. Broil, 3 inches from heat, 5 minutes or until top is lightly browned. Garnish, if desired.

Instructions:Trim and discard thick stems from bottom of collard green leaves. Thoroughly wash collard greens. Sauté onions in hot canna olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat 8 to 10 minutes or until tender. Add broth and next 4 ingredients. Gradually add collards to Dutch oven, and cook, stirring occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes or just until wilted. Reduce heat to medium, and cook, stirring occasionally, 1 hour or until tender.

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medical news:

DR . SARA GOTTFRIEDCONTRIBUTOR

Twenty-four states and the District of Columbia have legalized marijuana. Ever since, I have been asked repeatedly how marijuana impacts hormone levels.

To be honest, this isn’t a topic I learned about in medical school, so I had to research it. In this article you will learn how your brain and hormone levels are affected by marijuana (Cannabis sativa), and how certain hormones can alter the effect marijuana has on your body.

Cannabis: The BackstoryCannabis was listed as a medicinal plant until 1942.[1] Half of the United States population has tried it, about 4 percent smoke pot at least once per year, and 1 percent abuse it. Statistics show 1 in every 300 people are addicted, and among teenagers, this number climbs to 30 %.

There are approximately 200 known medical conditions reported to be improved by cannabis. A few such conditions are: glaucoma, cancer, and multiple sclerosis. Most people smoke the dried pot leaves, stems, flowers, and seeds, but it can also be mixed into food, brewed as a tea, vaporized, or concentrated as hash.

Entheogen?Recently on my podcast with Dr. Pedram Shojai, we talked about entheogens, the drug class that’s ingested to produce an altered state of consciousness, designed for religious or spiritual goals. Full disclosure: I’m more of a square than most people. Nearly all of my friends have tried pot. Even President Obama says that he’s smoked pot (and unlike President Clinton, he inhaled and liked it), but I’ve never personally been stoned. Still, I find the topic of entheogens fascinating and wanted to share the latest neurohormonal science with you – that is, the effect of cannabis on the brain and hormones.

Your Brain on CannabisThe active ingredient in cannabis is THC, which stands for delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol. To kick things off, below you’ll find the latest brain effects

of cannabis followed by the hormonal effects:

Pleasure centers: marijuana stimulates the same pleasure centers as heroin, crack, and alcohol. [2] Executive functioning and learning are impaired in a dose-dependent manner,including perception, judgment, and event-based memory.[3] In fact, memory and attention are impaired for up to 24 hours after use, and may last a few days.[4] Operating a car is dangerous because of dream-like states, impaired motor control, distorted perception of time, paranoia, magical thinking, altered peripheral vision, and decreased reaction time. [5] Increased appetite, also known as “the munchies.”[6] Amotivational syndrome: in heavy users, one finds reduced ambition and drive, increased distractibility, decreased communication skills, and less effectiveness in relationships.[7] It’s not completely clear whether these brain effects stem from the marijuana itself or from the withdrawal.

Many adults who use marijuana claim it helps them in relationships, enhances behavior, and expands their sense of awareness. Yet the research I found doesn’t align with this. Researchers report users to be more willing to tolerate problems.This indicates the drug causes individuals to avoid confrontation rather than make changes that might increase their satisfaction with life.

Often, folks use marijuana to avoid dealing with difficulties often making their problems worse.[8] Although users believe the drug enhances their understanding of themselves, research shows it is actually a barrier of self-awareness. In other words, marijuana may not be the spiritual awakening it is often perceived it to be. (If you disagree, I’d love to hear from you – see below for specific questions.)

Your Hormones on CannabisHeavy cannabis use can affect hormones in both males and females:

Cortisol: THC raises cortisol.[9] This means you may not feel as chillax’ed as you might expect – you may even feel paranoid if you have an issue

with big stress. Prolactin: THC lowers prolactin.[10] Since prolactin provides the body with sexual gratification, this may not be something you want.

Ovulation: Among women, regular marijuana use can disrupt the normal monthly menstrual cycle and inhibit the discharge of eggs from the ovaries. [11] Puberty: Onset of puberty may be delayed in young men. [12] Sperm: Marijuana also can have adverse effects on sperm production. [13]

Pregnenolone as BuzzkillNew data shows that pregnenolone can block cannabis receptors while also reversing the effects of cannabis, or it can block its effects from the start.[14]

Pregnenolone is the mother sex hormone in your body—it’s made from cholesterol and converted into progesterone, cortisol, or DHEA. (I describe pregnenolone in detail in my New York Times bestselling book, The Hormone Cure, which you can purchase right here.) In the United States, pregnenolone is available over the counter.[1] The University of California at Berkeley Wellness Letter, May 2014.[2] Tanda G, Pontieri FE, Di Chiara G. “Cannabinoid and heroin activation of mesolimbic dopamine transmission by a common mu1 opioid receptor mechanism.” Science 276 (5321) (1997): 2048-50[3] National Institute on Drug Abuse. “Marijuana Facts: Parents Need to Know.” Accessed May 27, 2014. http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/marijuana-facts-parents-need-to-know[4] Pope HG Jr, Yurgelun-Todd D. “The residual cognitive effects of heavy marijuana use in college students.” Journal of the American Medical Association 275 (7) (1996): 521-7.[5] Adams, I. B. & Martin, B. R. Cannabis: pharmacology and toxicology in animals and humans. Addiction, 91 (11) (1996), 1585 -1614; Fehr KO, Kalant H, eds. Cannabis and health hazards. Toronto: Addiction Research Foundation, 1983; Hollister LE. “Cannabis-1988.” Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica Supplementum, 345 (1988): 108-18; IOM (Institute of Medicine). Marijuana and Health. Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 1982; Charles Tart, On Being Stoned: A Psychological Study of Marijuana Intoxication. Palo Alto, California: Science and Behavior Books, 1971.[6] Kirkham TC. “Cannabinoids and appetite: food craving and food pleasure.” International Review of Psychiatry 21(2) (2009):163-71. doi: 10.1080/09540260902782810.[7] National Institute on Drug Abuse. Background: Marijuana.” Accessed May 28, 2014.http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/brain-power/grades-6-9/weeding-out-grass-module-4/background; Schmits E, Quertemont E. “So called “soft” drugs: cannabis and the amotivational syndrome” Revue Medicale de Liege 68 (5-6) (2013): 281-6.[8] Hendin H, Pollinger A, Ulman R, Carr A. “Adolescent marijuana abusers and their families.” National Institute on Drug Abuse (1981).[9] Klumpers LE, Cole DM, Khalili-Mahani N, Soeter RP, Te Beek ET, Rombouts SA, van Gerven JM. “Manipulating brain connectivity with δ⁹-tetrahydrocannabinol: a pharmacological resting state FMRI study.” Neuroimage 63 (3) (2012): 1701-11. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2012.07.051.[10] Klumpers LE, Cole DM, Khalili-Mahani N, Soeter RP, Te Beek ET, Rombouts SA, van Gerven JM. “Manipulating brain connectivity with δ⁹-tetrahydrocannabinol: a pharmacological resting state FMRI study.” Neuroimage 63 (3) (2012): 1701-11. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2012.07.051.[11] National Institute on Drug Abuse. “Marijuana Facts: Parents Need to Know.” Accessed May 27, 2014. http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/marijuana-facts-parents-need-to-know[12] “A Fact Sheet on the Effects of Marijuana.” PBS.org, accessed May 28, 2014.http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/dope/body/effects.html[13] “A Fact Sheet on the Effects of Marijuana.” PBS.org, accessed May 28, 2014.http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/dope/body/effects.html; Nudell DM, Monoski MM, Lipshultz LI. “Common medications and drugs: how they affect male fertility.” Urologic Clinics of North America 29 (4) (2002): 965-73.[14] Vallée M, Vitiello S, Bellocchio L, Hébert-Chatelain E, Monlezun S, Martin-Garcia E,Kasanetz F, Baillie GL, Panin F, Cathala A, Roullot-Lacarrière V, Fabre S, Hurst DP,Lynch DL, Shore DM, Deroche-Gamonet V, Spampinato U, Revest JM, Maldonado R,Reggio PH, Ross RA, Marsicano G, Piazza PV.“Pregnenolone can protect the brain from cannabis intoxication.” Science 343 (6166) (2014): 94-8. doi: 10.1126/science.1243985.

TOP 10 BRAIN &HORMONE EFFECTS OF MARIJUANA

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FEATURED NEWS:


It looks like the “Land Down Under” may be finally catching up to the rest of the world in discussions about legalizing cannabis. In a recent statement, Australian Health Minister Sussan Ley said the Government wants to give people suffering from debilitating illnesses access to the most effective medical treatments.

Ms. Ley said the Australian Government intends to amend the Narcotic Drugs Act to allow cannabis to be grown for medicinal and scientific purposes and ensure that Australia is not in breach of international drug treaties.

She also said it would allow cultivation similar to the way Tasmania has grown opium poppies for the world’s morphine market.

She went on to say, “You can import the product from overseas, but it is almost impossible because of the demand in, for example Europe, is very high and the cost is very high too. So I don’t want to place these difficulties in the way of patients who are terminally ill who may be able to get relief from medicinal cannabis.”

Even the Federal Opposition has declared they would move to legalize cannabis. The shadow assistant health minister, Stephen Jones said, “If you are suffering from a terminal [illness], if your child has drug-resistant epilepsy suffering from life threatening fits, then you should have available to you through medical advice and appropriate channels, medicinal cannabis.”

The commonwealth government’s announcement, came shortly after the Victorian government’s announcement in early October, that it will legalize access to medicinal cannabis products for patients with severe symptoms from 2017. However changing the laws as we know here in the USA, isn’t that easy, and in Australia, Cannabis and its products are regulated under various federal and state laws. But the states don’t have legal authority to set stand-alone rules for the cultivation of cannabis and production of medicinal products. In addition, the Therapeutic Goods Act also sets a framework for drugs that states and territories adopt in their laws. Cannabis is listed as a “prohibited poison” unless used for medicine or research. Commonwealth, state and territory laws create offences for growing, possessing and selling cannabis. The severity of the penalty depends on the seriousness of the offence.

Last Year in Australia, the Regulator of Medicinal Cannabis Bill 2014 was referred to a Senate committee. The committee released its final report and recommendations in August. The bill proposes a national regulatory body to set up a system to license people to grow cannabis for medical uses, manufacture medicinal cannabis products and supply regulated medicinal products to authorized patients.

The proposed Regulator of Medicinal Cannabis Bill will likely be put to Parliament in November.

THE AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS ANNOUNCED IT WILL LEGALIZE THE CULTIVATION OF CANNABIS FOR MEDICINAL PURPOSES

FEATURED NEWS:

ANTHONY TAYLORSTAFF EDITOR

Today we lose 22 veterans a day to suicide. This is a tragic loss and is, in many instances, avoidable. Veteran’s care for PTSD patients can be a tangled web of medications that initially provide temporary relief for most but many find the regimen of SSRI’s and pain medication to be insufficient in the long for treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress.

Cannabis on the other hand has proved vital in treating symptoms of sleeplessness and hyper-vigilance commonly associated with Post-Traumatic Stress. It turns down the dream machine allowing Veterans to begin getting recuperative sleep and it also takes the edge off of hyper-vigilance. It must be added that it is not ideal for all Veterans as it can increase anxiety in some patients.

Many Veterans receive their health care from the Department of Veterans Affairs which has been on the forefront for federal agencies regarding policy changes that allow the concurrent use of cannabis while receiving care from a Department of Veterans Affairs facility.

“If a Veteran obtains and uses medical marijuana in a manner that is consistent with state law, testing positive for marijuana would not preclude the Veteran from receiving opioids for pain management in a Department of Veterans Affairs facility.” – Robert A. Petzel, MD, Dept. of Veterans Affairs, Undersecretary of Health, July 6, 2010.

As the Oregon Medical Marijuana Program has grown over the years attempts were made to add PTSD to the list of conditions for which the use of medical marijuana could be approved. Ed Glick, RN and Leland Berger, atty at law petitioned the Program seeking this addition but were denied.

In 2013, Compassionate Oregon asked Oregon Senate Veterans Committee Chair Senator Brian Boquist, R DIst. 12, to introduce legislation to add PTSD. Senate Bill 281 adding PTSD as a qualifying condition was introduced and referred to the Senate Health Care Committee Testimony before the Senate Health Care Committee was compelling and included testimony from Dr. Lester Grinspoon, MD., Susan Sisely, MD., and Bryan Krumm, RN. The bill received a do-pass recommendation. The Senate Judiciary also passed it out of committee with a do-pass recommendation. It passed the Senate and was heard in the House HealthCare Committee where it also received a do-pass recommendation and was sent to the floor of the House where it passed by a two-thirds vote in favor. Then governor Kitzhaber signed it into law.

To date we have nearly 7,000 OMMP patients reporting PTSD as their qualifying condition making up nearly 7% of all patients. While not all these patients reporting PTSD, not all are veterans and indeed we have 20 patients listing PTSD that are minors.

The VA continues to trend in a positive direction on the use of cannabis as part of a Veterans treatment plan and if any Veteran is having trouble with their VA physician, please be sure to check in with your VA Patient Advocate to make sure your doctor understands your usage of cannabis.

If you need a copy of the letter cited in this article please visit our website, CompassionateOregon.com and go to the Veterans page. If you have any questions regarding your use of cannabis in the VA health care system please feel free to contact us via the website and we will do our best to help you. Or visit Veterans for Access to Medical Cannabis Access website veteransformedicalmarijuana.org.

Finally, Oregon Veterans with PTSD now qualify for a discounted medical marijuana card for the reduced fee of $25. This is also available for Veterans with 100% service related disability.

Anthony Taylor, is a Vietnam Era Veteran and long-time activist for cannabis reform. He is the co-founder of Compassionate Oregon a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting the rights of medical marijuana patients, their families and the communities that serve them. He is a registered lobbyist and continues to fight for the cannabis industry.

OREGON MEDICAL MARIJUANA PROGRAM AND PTSD

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MIKE ROCHLIN, RN, MN, COHN-S, CSPAmerican Cannabis Nurses Association

Military Veterans who served active duty in wars, have access to VA health care. Some VA centers came under recent Congressional scrutiny, when it was discovered that the real wait times for Vet medical access were not honest, and were actually longer than what had been publicly known. Significant wait times for medical treatment can impact health outcomes. While the diagnosis and treatment of PTSD has received a lot of recent publicity, adequate PTSD treatment is still not precise, nor applicable to everyone. Other medical issues, such as underlying mental illness, multiple medications/drug interactions add to the complexity of medical treatment, as well as large systems that can be slow and difficult to change.

This article is NOT intended to disparage the VA Medical system. The VA actually has demonstrated remarkable progress in acute care medical treatment, electronic medical. This article attempts to provide information for more open medical communication between patients and their medical providers.

In this regard, a 2015 review of clinical studies of cannabis validated high-quality clinical evidence, for treatment of pain. The study was published in JAMA (The Journal of the American Medical Association). JAMA is an AMA peer-reviewed medical journal. The JAMA article, by Dr. Kevin Hill, MD, per his byline, specializes in Public Health at Harvard. Dr. Hill reviewed clinical cannabis studies, and ranked them according to objective, controlled outcomes, AKA evidence. Chronic pain treatment had very high quality evidence, but other diseases, such as cancer did not have enough quality evidence to support cannabis treatment. Federal Prohibition essentially eliminated, and sometimes may have disregarded, scientific evidence regarding cannabis as a medical treatment, not only for pain, but for major neurological disorders, cancer, and other illnesses. One cannabinoid, CBD, may have strong medical promise, but it needs clinical study, not just anecdotal reports, to enlist medical support.

ACNA (American Cannabis Nurses Association), is reaching out to healthcare professionals via annual conferences, and is educating about the human EndoCannabinoid System (ECS): our bodies make it’s own cannabinoids! The ACNA has joined with cannabis clinicians to provide online education about the ECS, so practicing physicians and nurses could have real time access to facts. The information for clinicians could help to educate and remove one barrier to moving science

forward. Universities have Federal Funding and have been prohibited from studying or teaching about cannabis, and the ECS (except to demonstrate harmful effects, deal with addictions, etc. via DEA). The DEA holds a unique and significant power with prescribing medical professionals: their DEA license to prescribe controlled substances.

Including cannabis as a Schedule 1 drug (like heroin - according to The Controlled Substance Act of 1976), was likely an easy tool in the past to increase drug abuse stats and justify DEA funding, due to “drug” offenders, no matter the substance or level. Prohibition has impacted lives by creating criminals and cartels, and medical treatment costs continue to skyrocket, now forcing very tough government funding decisions being addressed by cutting the most vulnerable funds from Vets, elderly, disabled, poor - social programs that should help, but have been underfunded, until it is a crisis. No wonder Vets can’t get the help they need! The social care and healthcare system’s broken and needs active citizen involvement and journalist advocates, to help to focus on more sustainable short and long term fixes and not hype.

ACNA is proposing clinical studies of cannabis, to demonstrate that lower medical costs for pain treatment that could be demonstrated in an acute care setting, in states where medical cannabis is legal. A study project could take less than a year, from initiation to reporting. So far, there seems to be a lack of public health interest. However, in Colorado, one of the first two “legal” (AKA “recreational”) cannabis states, Colorado provided a very progressive method of funding some of their own research in 2014: taxes from sales of Legal (AKA “tecreational”) sales were used to fund research, approx. $9 mil. Washington State has struggled without a good medical program, and recently a story quietly emerged that the head of the Liquor Control Agency resigned, due to stress (possibly from reportedly undermining the demise of medical dispensaries?). I have visited Washington a few times this year, spoken with medical dispensaries about feeling left out of the process and their fear of not being able to participate in the cannabis industry would drive them out of business. I recently observed several closed medical establishments. Time will tell if the story about possible collusion is accurate, but Washington medical patient access, may not survive. There are some new reports at attempts to recover medical use of cannabis, but stay tuned to see what happens.

Oregon learned from Washington’s mistakes and Colorado’s, as well as successes. Oregon is on a fast-track to develop high quality rules, from collaborating with the

Industry, Citizens and being transparent with rule-making for the new Legal cannabis supply chain and retail, under the Liquor Control Commission (OLCC). It takes time to deliberate, but the outcome will be a better baseline for more accurate information about cannabis, including standardized lab testing , product labels, education and research opportunities.

The existing Oregon Medical Marijuana Program (OMMP), under the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) agency, has been a good program to help those patients in need, especially helping them afford cannabis, but OMMP may be at risk of losing affordable medical patient access to empathetic growers, as the recreational “Green Rush” takes over and limits the amount that small, high quality, patient-specific and clean farms can grow. It takes a lot more of the plant to produce concentrate for medical needs, versus flower alone.

Dedicated medical growers are actively focusing on a win-win going forward, to try and preserve the collected wisdom and compassion of the collective patient growing experience. Oregon has a great history of quality agriculture, and with the Dept. of Agriculture working together to align regulations with the Health Authority and Liquor Commission, there are significant expectations for quality Oregon cannabis rules by next year. Temporary rules are being finalized now and by next year, data should help provide important feedback.

To summarize:

• ACNA has clinical education available on-line about the ECS.

• High quality clinical evidence supports treatment of pain with cannabis.

• Hospitals should consider collaborating with ACNA on a pilot study to demonstrate health care cost savings, in states where it is legal for patients to use cannabis.

• More Medical education and Clinical studies are needed to demonstrate the value of proper Cannabis use, methods, dosing to treat pain, versus potentially dangerous, addicting and harmful substances, such as opiods.

• Communicate with your Legislators about the facts: Cannabis is a medical herb that JAMA has published high quality evidence supporting pain treatment. Consider it as an alternative to Opiods and other proven dangerous narcotics for chronic pain.

• For novices, when used responsibly and with proper education, cannabis could be used safely for relaxation, AKA recreation, instead of trial and error.

FEATURED NEWS: CANNABIS EDUCATION, MEDICAL PROGRAMS & THE VA

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EXCL USIVE INTERVIEW:

KYMBER WARDSTAFF EDITOR

You may remember a story earlier this summer about Kristoffer Lewandowski, a U.S. Marine Corps Veteran that faced life in prison because he was growing cannabis plants inside his Oklahoma home. After having a major PTSD episode, his wife went to a neighbor’s house to call for help – not help for her, but for her husband. Since the ordeal, Kris has moved to California and is doing extremely well. Edibles List had the change to sit down and talk with him. We already know what happened in Oklahoma, now it is time to give Kris a chance to tell his side of the story.

Edibles List: Tell us about being a Marine.Kristoffer Lewandowski: I joined the U.S. Marine Corps in September 2004. I served with the 11th Marine Regiment Bravo Battery 1st Battalion 11th Marines and Bravo company 1/1, and retired from the Marine Corps Artillery Detachment in Ft. Sill, OK in 2014, after ten years. In layman’s terms: I was an Operation Chief for an Artillery Battery. However, during my first deployment I was in Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) Security and I did two years with Bravo Company 1/1, an Infantry unit.

The highest rank I achieved was E-6 Staff Sergeant. I originally enlisted because I was looking to get into law enforcement and at the time a military background gave you a great foot in the door. While in the military, I deployed three times; first was to Iraq in 2006. Next, I was sent to hunt pirates on the open ocean with the Navy in 2009 – there was a movie based on this mission. My last deployment was to Afghanistan in 2010. I was medically retired in 2014 and am 100% disabled due to severe PTSD.

EL: What is your history with cannabis?Kris: When I was younger I was a heavy recreational user and then I enlisted and quit using marijuana. After being in the Marines, I was diagnosed with PTSD (Adjustment Disorder with mixed disturbances of emotion and conduct), so I began using cannabis in lieu of high-powered pharmaceuticals.

EL: How does marijuana help you?Kris: To put it simply, it allows me to take my

kids to Disneyland. When I can’t sleep it allows me to, when I am in pain it calms it, but most of all cannabis allows me to be comfortable when I am not home.

EL: Tell us about what happened in Oklahoma.Kris: The situation in Oklahoma was a culmination of a lack of options. I was taking copious amounts of opiate prescriptions. I was prescribed 13 pills a day including 60mg of Oxycontin OP (30mg, twice daily) and 30mg of Oxycodone IR (5mg, 6 times a day), I went through terrible withdrawals the first week of my son Jaxon’s life. I knew I needed something different so I tried cannabis, then because of the street cost of marijuana in Oklahoma, I decided to grow my own medicine. I had six cannabis plants and am now looking at life in prison. The main thing about Oklahoma is that I still have a long road ahead of me and am always looking for support.

EL: Since moving to California what have you been doing?Kris: I am currently in my first semester at Saddleback Community College in Mission Viejo. I am majoring in Civil Engineering or Landscape Design with a minor in Horticulture. I would love to be a full time grower and advocate for medical cannabis and PTSD research.

EL: How are you currently involved in the cannabis industry? (Patient, User, Work in the industry?)Kris: I am very much a patient. My goal is to become so much more! I find the process of growing cannabis to be just as relaxing as ingesting at times.

EL: What problems have you faced as a Vet trying to obtain cannabis? Kris: Mainly the cost. Good meds are not cheap.

EL: How do you deal with the VA & cannabis?Kris: I go out of my way to try and make the doctors acknowledge that I am a cannabis patient, that nothing they do or say will stop my use. But most importantly I ask them to understand and research issues with medication they prescribe with my cannabis use.

EL: What would you say to cannabis naysayers or those who are blindly anti-marijuana?Kris: I do my best to stay away from those individuals, but I usually ask what their concern

is and attempt to educate. If not, I laugh because well, that means more meds for those like myself who understand and utilize the benefits of cannabis.

EL: What are some of the things you struggle with when trying to navigate through PTSD?Kris: Depends on the day. Worst-case scenario, I struggle with leaving the house.

EL: What are some of the misconceptions you would like to see changed about PTSD?Kris: First, the stigma the PTSD means crazy, overly aggressive, maniac. It is a disease, that is treatable and there is more than one way to treat it and that cannabis is a very real option.

EL: How do people react when they find out you suffer from PTSD?Kris: Depends, I’ve had warm embraces with “thank you for your service” or “sorry”, but I also get others who automatically think I am crazy and treat me accordingly .

EL: What are some of the things you do to cope with your symptoms outside of cannabis?Kris: With a lot of hard work and counseling I have identified most of all my personal triggers, I then do my best to avoid those things. For me these things include driving in traffic, any area with large amounts of people, or watching certain movies.

EL: What is some advice you would give to someone who is just coming home from duty or is starting to show signs of PTSD?Kris: Find your triggers and begin the process of living around them. Most importantly establish your support group now and educate them on living with PTSD, what it is and things it may cause you to do; also know who you can call and will be there via phone or in person at any time. With great people, friends and family around you, your ability to live with PTSD is easier.

Kris is one of the many people countrywide who is still dealing with outrageous legal ramifications surrounding cannabis. In an effort to stop these horrible situations from occurring it is our responsibility as citizens to become aware and go out and vote to change the local cannabis laws.

Kris – Edibles List would like to thank you for your service and taking the time to share your story with us.

KRISTOFFER LEWANDOWSKIU.S. MARINE CORPS VETERAN FACING LIFE IN PRISON FOR GROWING CANNABIS

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FEATURED NEWS:


The marijuana industry in Canada exhaled with Trudeau’s win to be the next Prime Minister. The Liberals are in favor of legalizing marijuana, whereas the current ruling party, the Conservatives, would only go as far as allowing medical marijuana.

The Trudeau platform put legalization as a top priority if he were elected, leaving the details and the time frame open. His Party has said quick action will be a priority, however new regulations may take 1-2 years to be implemented. It is expected that existing companies with licenses to grow medical marijuana would have an advantage over newer recreational entrants.

The forecast for Canada’s medical marijuana business is expected to become a $1 billion industry by 2020. Legalization of recreational use could push cannabis into a $7 billion industry by some estimates.

Marijuana tax revenues would allow Trudeau to pay for the infrastructure spending he wants and the tax cuts on the middle class he promised, especially when Canada’s economy has been suffering from the impact of low energy prices.

The Liberal Party’s policy statement for marijuana is as follows:

“We will legalize, regulate and restrict access to marijuana.”

Canada’s current system of marijuana prohibition does not work. It does not prevent young people from using marijuana and too many Canadians end up with criminal records for possessing small amounts of the drug…

…To ensure that we keep marijuana out of the hands of children, and the profits out of the hands of criminals, we will legalize, regulate and restrict access to marijuana.

We will remove marijuana consumption and incidental possession from the criminal code, and create new, stronger laws to punish more severely those who provide it to minors, those who operate a motor vehicle while under its influence, and those who sell it outside of the new regulatory framework.

We will create a federal/provincial/territorial task force, and with input from experts in public health, substance abuse and law enforcement will design a new system of strict marijuana sales and distribution, with appropriate federal and provincial excise taxes applied.

It looks good on paper, and sounds good as campaign promises. Now it’s time for Canadians to wait for actual implementation.

CANADA’S HIGH ON LIBERAL PARTY LEADER, AND CANNABIS LEGALIZATION PROPONENT, JUSTIN TRUDEAU GETS ELECTED AS NEXT PRIME MINISTER

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edibles magazine november 2015 veterans issue

Documents

medical feature

medical news

cover feature

cannabis education

growing of cannabis

featured news

medical spotlight

medical programs