Cannabis Oficially Legal In Canada: Natural Healing & Super Food?
Now that Cannabis is officially legal in Canada, I want to mention my fondness for this plant and how beneficial it is when it comes to natural health, nutrition & medicine.
When you get past the stigma of cannabis being an illegal drug and you look at it from a perspective of botany it soon becomes fascinating and compelling. It is a plant that offers so much and asks for so little and in the end it is just that - a plant that grows in the earth.
You can utilize cannabis without experiencing ANY psychoactive effects!
The Brief History Of Cannabis Criminalization in Canada
In 1923, Canada became one of the first countries in the world to outlaw cannabis, giving it the same status as opium and other narcotics. As written in a 2002 Canadian Senate committee report, “Cannabis: Our Position for a Canadian Public Policy”: “Early drug legislation was largely based on a moral panic, racist sentiment and a notorious absence of debate.” source
Fast forward 95 years to October 17th 2018 and Canada is about to become the second country in the world and first G7 nation to legalize marijuana. This has been a LONG time coming! I find it hard to celebrate something that should have simply been decriminalized in the first place but this is a move in the right direction.
Natural Medicine
I care a LOT about legal and FREE access to cannabis. I believe in the power of plant healing and have been impressed with the medicinal properties of cannabis. There are many non recreational uses for this plant and it is so compelling for someone who loves natural medicine to want to explore how it can benefit my own life.
Topical creams can heal various aliments and alleviate pain. The leaves can be eaten in salads or juiced as a super food, far more nutritious than kale or other greens. Even the seeds and the roots can be dried and used! This is a truly amazing plant.
I have witnessed the beneficial impacts cannabis has on people suffering with severe illnesses: specifically Multiple Sclerosis and debilitating arthritic pain. When you watch someone who is suffering, breathe a sigh of relief because their suffering is lessened, it really opens your eyes to the power of plants.
Here are some of the nutritional Statistics (this list is not comprehensive).
The more I read, the more I seem to uncover about this plant and this is the same for scientists. This plant is extensively studied and yet they keep unearthing more about it.
Hemp
Complete Protein, High in Omega-3 and Omega-6 Fatty Acids
Cannabis Leaf
Rich source of fibre, Flavonoids, 9 Essential Amino acids, Essential oils, Magnesium, Calcium, Phosphorous, free radical scavenging polyphenols, flavonoids.
Cannabis Seeds
Protein, Carbohydrates, Insoluble fibre, Beta-carotene, Phosphorous potassium, Magnesium, Sulphur, Calcium, Iron, Zinc, Vitamins E, C, B1, B3, B6 essential fatty acids. source
Cannabis Roots
Although it's not common to hear of people using cannabis roots much these days, they have a rich history as a medical substance. Chinese texts dating back to 2700 BCE discuss the use of cannabis root as a medicine to reduce pain caused by broken bones and surgeries. The text describes how roots would be dried, then ground to form a paste. The roots were also said to be juiced or boiled to make a tea that was apparently used as a diuretic, to stop bleeding during childbirth and reduce pain from minor injuries.source
We've all read about how cannabis helps kids who suffer from debilitating seizures. We've all read the countless stories about how this plant helps and heals. We've also read about or know first hand about people who can't afford medications or treatments and it seems reprehensible that they aren't allowed to at least grow and try cannabis.
A lot of what we do know about cannabis comes from trial and error, people using cannabis as a last resort for healing. As this plant become more commonly accepted, I hope that studies are made available that will help people even more.
I am glad Canada has legalized cannabis and hope that we'll set an example and de-stigmatize it for the rest of the world.
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@walkerland, I want to upvote but no upvote button. Noob here. I am still learning the ins and outs of steem. I juiced the leaves and it is horrid, so, so bitter. Mixed with carrot and cucumber makes it somewhat tolerable. If one simply eats the buds or leaves it is not bitter. I have dried leaves I will start using for tea. I ahve also baked them in cookies without decarboxylating them. I discovered if you eat them well warm it is like smoking it. It will get you high if it is not pure CBD. Wait until the cookies are thoroughly cooled and there is no high. I will start a regiment of tea and cookies and see if it helps. I do not like to be negative or talk of being unhealthy but I have fibromalgia, lupus and grew up with chronic bronchitus so my lungs are crap. We will see how it goes over the next few months. I feel lifestyle change though, removing stress, loving oneself, being positive and being aware of one's thoughts also go a very long way to healing oneself. So with all those things in place let's start the ride of healing. <3
Hi @gardengranny - posts that are older than a week can't be upvoted at the moment. It takes a bit of time to learn this system but there are loads of people willing and happy to help!
I really admire that you are focusing on such positive lifestyle changes and natural remedies for healing. We believe strongly in this as well.
Thanks for sharing your experiences and trial and error of using cannabis.
The roots are something that ive briefly heard of being used in ancient remedies. It will be interesting to see what we come up with now that were legally able to use and share information freely. Also studies can be done with out all the redtape and government approvals. Yesterday was a good day indeed for this miraculous plant. There is still a good fight ahead for us though.
Roots, hemp and leafs :)
Isn't that notoriously something that can be applied to so many laws we have to abide by on this planet!
Congratulations to you guys for being allowed to use a natural plant so fantastic.
I like the root diuretic tea. Never heard of it either... it is interesting to know that we are only uncovered to tip of the iceberg on what the plant as a whole is capable of doing.
I tried to get my step mother to at least smoke a vape pen with some oil for here pain from cancer... but that stigma on cannabis kept her away from it. it's not like we can't get it in many many forms, but a lot of people still see it as a Gateway Drug... just amazing.
hey thanks for the info @walkerland
Hopefully one day in the US it'll be full as legal as basil is!
I am quite sure we all break laws frequently because it is impossible to know all of them.
The stigma is really big in my family and no amount of fact or science will change that. I thought I would occasionally write about the medicinal, non recreational, benefits as I explore them. Seeing this plant in a different light could help someone somewhere.
Nice, I'm sure it will shine the light for someone. People do want to learn. And that's a good idea to try and make people explore through the medicinal path.
Australia has only just, finally, legalised standard hemp for food use! I think cannabis has been decriminalised, but it's still not legal. Generally you can get away with growing up to 5 plants without being fined, as long as it's not hydroponically grown. We've still recently had someone imprisoned for supplying cannabis oil, for free, to sick people.
I have had good results with cannabis infused coconut oil for topical treatments, including bumblefoot on a chicken. I really hope Canada does set an example.
I had no idea that they'd decriminalized it in Australia. That is really what should have been done here in the first place. It will be quite interesting to see how it plays out. There is a lot of money in this for the government so I can only assume it will do tremendously well.
Here! Here! for legalizing Cannabis in Canada from your fellow Canadian! I too love that plant and found it so crazy that such a beneficial plant was made illegal. I have got some seeds and will be growing some in my new indoor gardening setup.
Congrats on having an indoor set-up. We'll be patiently waiting for spring and growing in the greenhouse mingled with the tomatoes and other veggies. :)
We will be starting a few to have outside too. We want to get a good start on them for we have a very short growing season here in our zone 2 garden. What zone do you garden in? Do you have lots of time to get them to bud properly outdoors?
We are in zone 4 and there is just enough time so long as we start the seeds indoors. It's going to be a bit of a trick getting all the logistics of it figured out but interesting all the same!
I here ya about getting the logistics figured out but I'm definately growing my own, not going to the dispenseries to buy the now "legal" weed!
I am with you on that!!
Please be careful. A buddy of mine says he got a print out of the 98-page of regulations and it does not say what I was told. To grow even 4 plants apparently, we still need to have a license or verification from a doctor. I am waiting to see this document in person because it is not what was advertised. So not sure if it was amended before or after the advertising to know 100% sure of its validity. Also, each province has their own set of laws.
Here is Saskatchewan they said on the news that you can legally grow 4 plants and they even had someone in giving growing advise. I was kinda floored when I read one paper where it said you can not carry edibles in your vehicle - so strange, you can grow it, smoke it but you can't have edibles in your car. Weird!
That is weird and not good to hear since edibles is the way I would want to go. Thanks for sharing @porters, it will be interesting to see what is on that papertrail my friend has.
You're welcome! Yes, keep us updated to what your friend found. I'd like to know more, especially with the growing.
Gotta love cannabis. One of the biggest things I am excited for besides it helping medical patients is the benefits the world will get when we can start utilizing hemp to its fullest potential. The thousands of uses for the plant are going to revolutionize the world we live in which is perhaps one of the biggest reasons the ridiculous fear campaign has lasted so long. Information about the plant and it's properties was not as widely available as it is now.