A mom and her weed
Whooo are youuuu?
Is marijuana the new cure?
Apparently not if the FDA has their way.
I see them plotting.
At the end of December last year, I had had enough - enough of migraines and enough of chronic insomnia that refused to give me any kind of restorative sleep. I had been told that cannabis might be what I'm looking for.
Here is a grown woman who has never smoked anything in her life. The smell of weed in general disgusts me. Return to the mid 1980s to an Echo and the Bunnymen concert. I was so green I had to ask my friends what that smell was. So yeah, not even in college did I experiment with lighting up joints and partaking in the hallucinogenic revelry.
I was a chicken. Inhaling anything into my lungs seemed to go against all logic. Besides, I didn't want to cough like a fool and be found out. I was a weed virgin.
But somehow chemical amphetamines were different. Though less "natural," pills were something I could swallow -ha! And I did for years. You can read about my conflicted relationship with speed here: https://steemit.com/art/@jlwkolb/art-on-amphetamines
I don’t like stimulants. I like the effect, but I don’t like the fall. It feels like you have had too much caffeine – all the shakes with the perks worn off. I was rattled, irritable, impatient, and unable to chill out. Enter tranquilizers and the start of a long-term romance with Xanax.
This can’t be a good thing. I originally was prescribed Xanax for my fear of flying. But it soon became my go to for any stressful situation. I’d get to the point where having to vacuum was stressful, so I had a solution.
I know better. That’s not the way. A friend of mine had been having problems with migraines and was using cannabis in capsule form – pills? Marijuana you didn’t have to smoke? I was down for that.
And let me make something clear. I wasn’t chasing any kind of high. I wanted the chronic pounding in my head to stop. I needed to sleep - sleep well for once. I’m a mother and I need to be operating at full capacity.
I finally made an appointment to get my medical marijuana card – an easy process in California. Because of my aversion toward smoking, the doctor advised me to start with the edibles. Chocolate? I was familiar with the space cakes from Amsterdam. During my junior year abroad that was all the rage - I never tried them.
I was scared going to the dispensary with my ID. There was a security guard in front and bullet proof glass where you check in. Wow – I haven’t seen this kind of set up since the inpatient pharmacy at the hospital. Isn't this a natural plant with medicinal purposes? Why the fuss? Their stash was behind closed doors. I wondered what delights were waiting.
Alice knows
The real scary thing, though, is that despite being a natural pain alternative, we have to jump through so many hoops just to prove we should be able to try it. Anyone can go into CVS and buy poisons by way of over the counter remedies. No one cares. But once you bring up the taboo subject of pot, it is assumed you are some leftover from the hippy days. If you are a woman you probably don't shave your armpits and you wear tie dye. People are serving time in JAIL for possession. Really?
I call bullshit. The thing is the FDA knows. They know they will be put out of business if word gets out that hash is in fact a safer way to treat chronic anything. And we all know how crooked the pharmaceutical industry is. They won't get rich off of healthy citizens. The solution? Make it hard and dangerous to obtain. Never mind that every year almost half a million people die from prescription medications made by the Big Pharma mafia - to be taken as directed by their own doctors. I just read that the FDA wants to include marijuana as a schedule 1 drug right up there with ecstasy and heroin. They are going to make it as hard as they can to get a hold of.
Back to the forbidden fruit.
Once inside, I find myself in a room surrounded by a counter that wrapped around the storeroom. About five or six 18 year old hipsters were working gathering up orders. I had no idea what the hell I was doing. I asked for something “edible” as was recommended. I bought two chocolate bars to try.
Just in case I got the capsules – Indica is the variety you want for relaxation. Sativa is the variety for stimulant-like effects. Or you can get something called a hybrid, which is both. They gave me free sample of a truffle – cookies and cream flavor - told me to take half and wait before I ate the whole thing.
*Indica variety
*Sativa variety
I also got some CBD –Cannabidiolcaps that are non psychoactive (no THC) for overall wellbeing. THC is the compound that is sought out for recreational use - the stoner's high. And they work for headaches or any other physical maladies.
After I got home, the truffle took some effect. As I predicted, it tasted like weed smoke. You can't hide that. The problem was I didn’t give it long enough – I ate the other half too soon. It hid me hard. Is this what being stoned feels like? I felt like I was looking out of my eyes but everything was far away. Then I felt tired and overly caffeinated at the same time. When I went to bed to rest, I kept twitching. It was uncontrollable - much like a chronic shiver with intervals. Later, I was watching a movie and couldn’t remember the scene just before. I learned my lesson.
The next day I tried the Indica capsules. I took them around 5 in the afternoon. By about 9:30 I felt relaxed enough to the point where I knew I would sleep well. That was a first.
And I did.
I'm so glad I took the plunge to try something new to help my maladies. Here’s the best part. I can get all the marijuana I want delivered. I order online, and some really nice guy brings me my stash in a paper bag. Totally legal and legit. They have my card license on file – I proved myself, I guess.
I am convinced that the USA over-medicates to the point of numbness and apathy. Every day more and more addicts are born - not from marijuana, but from man made toxic chemicals that are prescribed willy-nilly. Who regulates that?
I don't trust the FDA to make decision about my health. They simply don't care. In the meantime, I will experiment with different forms of Indica strains to battle my insomnia and keep my debilitating migraines at bay.
And I will never be convinced that this is a dangerous substance.
Illustrations ©Johanna Westerman 2016
that is a decent smoked post :)
thank you @fairytalelife for another great store, I enjoy you painting as much as your writing, very clam and smooth, reading this article made me want to write about my first and ever marijuana experience about 15 years ago, LOL =^^=
Thank you, @miacats. Please do share!
Yep, most pharmaceuticals seem to do more harm than good. Cannabis can be a fantastic medicine. Strains high is CBD are generally lower in THC (such as Harlequin and Harley-Tsu). I prefer these kinds of strains since I don't really like being stoned and they help to relieve headaches. My partner uses CBD infused bath salts (not the kind some people smoke) and they tend to work very well for relaxation.
Any strain can be harvested for CBD.
Un-ripe blossoms contain extremely little THC if any. All un-ripe cannabis blossoms are LOADED with CBD.
All strains produced it, CBD is the precusor to THC.
CBD (cannabidiol) is polymerized with CBC (cannabichromene) during the _slow drying of the branches known as 'curing'_ into THC (tetra-hydro-cannabinol).
Over time, THC breaks down into the useless CBN (cannabinol), as far as I've read CBN has no effect, period.
Best thing for us all to do is GROW IT. Presidents Washington and Jefferson did. It was a needed cash crop for centuries, and will become one again come hell or highwater!!! :^)
@matherly, you know your weed! I'm still learning. But I do know that it helps. The FDA won't be able to make that decision for me.
ah, it says you get delivery.
Here in the valley that isn't available.
In Ventura county however, its the only way as there no dispensaries.
Still, pretty local if you are out in Thousand Oaks, etc.
That is good to know, @ironwood. Bath salts would be great. Thanks for the tip.
I also use mmj for insomnia as well as pain control during the day, and i agree that it is a life changing switch from traditional medicine, witch slowly takes over your life. Thank you for sharing your story so others can learn of the healing effects this plant has to offer. If you ever see the strain blue cheese available at your local delivery service id recommend giving it a try as it has worked by far the best for my sleeping troubles.
Thanks, @fourbirds. It's time to uncover the truth about who the real drug pushers are. I will keep an eye out for the blue cheese strain. That sounds like what I need.
Like ur post ......butt
![](https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://ipfs.pics/ipfs/QmZBETjJRzeVASAU7WTUL2xqNasMFftr15Kd1L2HEp3UdV)
Smal leaves is sativa
Large leaves is indica
grts
Good On You For Choosing Cannabis!
It's the healthier choice, even with all the contaminated cannabis out there. (Working on passing around clean growing information myself.
@ossama-benjohn I was going to point that out as well. :)
Most Edibles are Awful!
Keep looking for the edibles that work best for you. The highest quality are artisan crafted edibles, small batch jobs by people who care about medicine. Most retail edibles taste like chlorophyll and nutrients. :)
My cannabis oils are spiiiiicy, not green/weed tasting. When I make edibles they come on fast for everyone. I make them with foods which are easily digestible by nearly everyone as well. Makes for easy dosing. :)
Oh no! Thanks, @ossama-benjohn - a mix up I will correct!
Can't change now, but thanks for pointing out my error.
It is okay when adults choose to take stimulants. It just seems sad when young adults waste their life smoking weed all day.
Thank you for that read it was very interesting actually. I also live in California and was shocked when my sister in law commented she was going to buy some marijuana at the shop. I was like "WTF". In New Zealand(from there been in America since 2012) you get stomped on for a small tini, check this out http://www.police.govt.nz/advice/drugs-and-alcohol/cannabis-and-law. It is sad how the government acts the way they do. I don't think they will ever pass a law for medical marijuana in NZ.
Sanity is Coming!
Though the DEA is being a bunch of ignorant thugs, the truth is spreading among the people in the USA. Federal prohibition will not last much longer.
Once the USA Goes Down, the World Will Follow!
Most of the nations have treaties with the USA that include cannabis as an illegal drug. When the USA ends prohibition, all of those treaties will be re-negotiated. It sucks that so many nations are afraid of the USA, we're such a screwed up country.
What can you do though?
1961 UN "Single Convention Treaty"
We (as in the criminal U.S. Oligarchy) bribed or threatened the world into signing on.
China and a few others refused.
Thanks, @cryptoiskey. They react this way because they are scared we won't need them anymore to manage our afflictions. Knowledge is power!
Great story @fairytalelife Positive MMJ stories from other people than "stoners" will help to get rid of that "hippie" "rasta" stigma it has. It's like with the food industry ... we're finally getting aware of GMO and Meat scandals . Everyone should be aware of how bad the drugs prescribed to us by doctors we trust are.
How right you are, @binauralism. They will do everything they can to keep what is good for us under wraps, won't they? Thanks for your comment.
got to be causes...the ones that come out are the ones who know the pro and corns of that substance...treat medication as medicine for cure.
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