Trouble reading today's article? Click
here: Issue #198 - Sunday, February 7, 2016 Dear Fellow
Grower, In today's issue... - Learn the difference between medical and non-medical strains, and find
out what you need to know about using medical marijuana effectively
- Which growing tactics increase THC and CBD, and what conditions can be helped with medical marijuana?
- This week's trophy pics features
some incredible roots in a DWC/hydro setup, along with some of the best trained plants I've ever seen!
Nebula Haze & Sirius Fourside (founders of GrowWeedEasy.com) “For 3,000 years marijuana was a legitimate medication.”
~Dr. Sanjay Gupta
What is "Medical" Marijuana? by Nebula Haze |
What Makes a Strain "Medical" or Non-Medical?
What's the difference between "medical" and non-medical marijuana? Well the answer is that there is no "real" difference
between adult-use and medical marijuana.
When it comes to cannabis, there are thousands of varieties which can have quite a wide spectrum of possible effects, and some of these effects are more "medical" than others.
In fact, there are so many strains known as cannabis that it's pretty much impossible to try to neatly
categorize them all. You'll hear people talk about the difference between "indica" and "sativa" strains, but nearly every single strain of cannabis you run into today is actually some sort of hybrid. Instead of focusing on whether a strain is indica or sativa, or some other aspect like how it
looks/smells, when it comes to medical marijuana it's often a lot more useful to choose based purely on the effects of each individual strain. Does medical marijuana make you "messed up?"
While many types of cannabis have strong mental and/or physical effects, some types of cannabis are completely
non-psychoactive, which means they won't affect your thinking much, if at all. Non-psychoactive varieties of cannabis have very low levels of THC. However, there are many patients who use high-THC varieties of cannabis for the relief of certain types of symptoms like pain and nausea.
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What Diseases Can Medical Marijuana Cure?
The first thing that I think is really really
important to get out there is that cannabis has not been proven to "cure" anything. Despite how much I love this plant and personally benefit from its properties, there is no credible scientific evidence that cannabis is some sort of cure-all.
That's not to say that medical marijuana/cannabis is without relieving properties. In fact, cannabis is so reliable at giving relief to those in need that
it's been available for medical use in California for almost 20 years. As of 2016, there are over 20 additional states with some form of legislation to allow cannabis for those in need. However, there are many people who are willing to offer false hope to very sick people, by saying that cannabis can cure their cancer, their MS or epilepsy. When someone says that cannabis can actually
"cure" something, their comments should be taken with a healthy bit of skepticism and a huge grain of salt until you're given information that legitimizes their claim. Again, as of yet, there is no proof that marijuana "cures" anything in that it hasn't been proven to completely eliminate a disease or condition.
I'm not saying that medical marijuana doesn't cure anything, just that we don't
currently have evidence that it does. And when it comes to evaluating your possible medical options, I believe it's incredibly important to look at the evidence, and not go by word of mouth from people who are not medical practitioners.
Unfortunately, despite what you may have heard there is no credible evidence that marijuana "cures" anything (though research
is ongoing). What marijuana has actually been shown to do is offer relief from specific symptoms.
There is a lot of substantive evidence that some people are experiencing relief from cannabis for various symptoms, and that's going to be the focus of this article.
Which Strains Work for Which Symptoms?
I can give you some general guidelines (find them below) to help you get started, but there are no absolutes when it comes to the effects of different strains. Not only do strains have different effects if they're grown under different conditions, even the same buds affect people differently.
What gives some people
relief from persistent pain or muscle spasms may aggravate those same symptoms for others. A strain might be so potent that it causes some people anxiety, meanwhile someone else might be looking for that same potency to reduce pain. What helps prevent some people from having seizures can actually trigger seizures in others.
This huge spectrum of effects is part of why we need to legally reschedule
cannabis as a whole plant, so we can start to tease apart the specific components of cannabis that cause each specific effect, like how we would with any other medicine.
As it is now, patients in the medical marijuana scene must go off of 'iffy' information combined with personal trial and error. There is no current database or other good way for medical marijuana providers and patients to share their
experiences with each other. Because cannabis is illegal on a federal level in the US, there is very little reputable research that can be conducted on a large scale without the worry of some kind of legal trouble.
Example of Medical Marijuana from a Dispensary in California - Often You Don't Get Much Information About What You're
Buying! This is part of why it can be so much better to grow your own medical marijuana at home - you get to choose exactly what you
want!
However, because of all the misinformation out there, when it comes to finding relief with medical marijuana it's important to be realistic and manage expectations. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is!
All that being said, we do know some stuff about medical marijuana and what makes it effective for some patients and not-so-effective for others.
What We Know About Medical
Marijuana
There are different components found in cannabis which cause different effects. Although some substances such as terpenes
(aromatics/smells) may alter the mental and physical effects of buds, it is the cannabinoids found in cannabis flowers that are the subject of most research and interest. Cannabinoids work on natural receptors in our brain, causing the majority of effects attributed to cannabis.
Here's a very short list of common
cannabis cannabinoids (say that three times fast!) that have medical interest for researchers and patients. There are dozens more, but these are the ones we know the most about.
THC vs CBD vs CBN
- THC - responsible for many of the mental, anti-nausea and possibly pain-relieving effects
- CBD - great promise for the relief of anxiety, seizures, and many more conditions
- CBN - CBN levels rise as buds are allowed to go longer before harvest. It has a relaxing or body effect, and is less psychoactive than THC.
- Other Cannabinoids - There are dozens, even hundreds of cannabinoids that can be found in various strains of cannabis or hemp. Most of these are not well studied or may not even be officially identified yet!
- Learn more about THC vs CBD vs CBN
Common Conditions That May Find Relief From Medical Marijuana
- Pain, Spasms, Nausea & Lack of Appetite - often treated with high-THC strains, and results vary widely from patient to patient so it's best to gage results on a strain-by-strain basis
- Seizures / Epilepsy / Dravet Syndrome - I have epilepsy and it's insane how much incorrect information I
see thrown around about medical marijuana. The truth is, some epilepsy patients are reporting a reduction of symptoms when using high-CBD strains. Most of these patients are using medical marijuana in addition to their other prescriptions, not as a replacement. However, higher levels of THC can actually trigger seizures for some patients, and most strains available today are high-THC and low-CBD. That means that most types of cannabis have the potential to cause seizure symptoms to get
worse! Therefore it's incredibly important for epilepsy patients to know what they're getting, and also to work closely with their neurologist when making any changes to their medication! Learn more about seizures and the effects of medical cannabis.
- Anxiety - generally the best results for reducing anxiety seem to be reported with high-CBD, low THC cannabis, though not always. For some people high THC can exacerbate anxiety, especially if trying cannabis in a new or unusual situation, or when taking more at once than they're used to. Note: Buds that are harvested too early, or not dried and cured properly are more likely to cause anxiety and headaches for some people. Learn more about finding relief from anxiety with medical marijuana.
Mullaways Medical Cannabis' medical crop, used for cannabinoid research in Australia Vaping & Edibles for Medical Marijuana
When it comes to medical marijuana, smoking isn't the best option as it can irritate lungs and there's a lot of evidence smoking isn't good for you!
However, vaping (vaporizing your weed instead of burning it) or
eating edibles (cannabis in edible form) are considered the "gold standard" way to take advantage of medical marijuana.
Popular Edible Recipes Grow Tactics for Medical Marijuana
Strain is the most important aspect of growing cannabis plants when it comes to producing the effects you want!
How to Increase THC When Growing Weed How to Increase CBD When Growing Weed
- High-CBD Strain - Like THC, the most important aspect of producing high levels of CBD is to grow a high-CBD strain. Although clones are best because you know exactly what you're getting, there are now seeds available online for those who don't have access to medical marijuana clones.
- Autoflowering Strains - Auto-flowering strains can be a good choice because they are more closely related to wild hemp and naturally have higher levels of CBD than most other types of cannabis. Although there are cannabis strains bred specifically for CBD which have higher levels, nearly all auto-flowers have at least 1-2% CBD (compared to less than 1% in most strains).
- Don't harvest early - Harvesting at right time maximizes cannabinoid and CBD levels
- There's more...
Read the Full Growing Tutorial on How to Increase CBD
How Long After I Switch to Medical Marijuana Can I Stop Taking My Prescription? There are likely some people who may be able to stop taking their prescriptions and manage their symptoms purely with medical marijuana. These patients are featured in stories and articles about medical
marijuana so it might give the impression that they are the majority.
But the truth is, in all my years speaking with various medical marijuana patients, I haven't spoken to a single patient who was able to completely replace all of their prescription medications with medical marijuana. Instead, the
patients I've talked to almost always use marijuana in addition to the prescription medication that they've been prescribed by their doctor.
Most Patients Use Cannabis in Addition to Their Prescription Medications, Not as a Replacement
This doesn't
mean that cannabis won't be effective at improving the quality of life for someone suffering from any one of a number of conditions. However, anyone trying cannabis for medicinal reasons should be aware that if you're already taking medicine for a condition, cannabis will likely help you in conjunction with prescribed medication as opposed to replacing it.
Just as an example, you've
probably seen one of the popular news stories about medical marijuana helping children with serious seizure conditions like Dravet Syndrome. While high-CBD cannabis is helping to make massive improvements in their quality of life, many of these children are still taking prescription medications in addition to taking cannabis. The cannabis is simply used in addition to other medications to further relieve symptoms that the medication wasn't as effective at
treating.
In some cases patients are able to reduce the amount of other meds they need to take every day, and as more research is done into cannabis, the amount of relief it can provide will certainly increase. However, those thinking about trying cannabis for medicinal reasons should go in with the expectation that if anything, cannabis will likely be an addition to your
regimen.
Growing Medical Marijuana for a Friend or Family Member
A lot of people write to us because they want to try growing a
high-CBD or other medical marijuana strain for a sick friend or relative. It's a very human, and very admirable trait to want to help people if we can, especially the people we love! Every time I hear from a concerned family member trying to do all they can, I think of how fortunate you have to be to have someone who cares so much!
I also feel a pang of sadness at how much of a task is ahead of someone
thinking to jump into indoor growing without knowing what it entails. After deciding to try medical marijuana, often someone's initial plan is to start a whole grow operation, get a high-CBD strain, grow it, prepare it and then hope it actually does something. As admirable as this quest is, there are many possible points of failure. Anyone who tries to do this could be setting themselves up for a lot of possible heartache!
Unless you enjoy growing cannabis just for the sake of it, I believe it's very important to try to confirm that cannabis will even do something for you or your friend or family member before you set off on a 4-month journey to grow it yourself!
Neither the creators of this site nor the author of this article are doctors or any type of medical professional. Please don't take anything said on this page or anywhere on GrowWeedEasy.com as
medical advice. We are trying to share very general information to help people, but please speak with a doctor about any specific questions, especially if you're thinking about trying medical marijuana yourself!
Medical Marijuana Resources
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Here are some resources for medical marijuana patients:
Medical Marijuana Laws
Medical Conditions
Cannabinoids
Growing Tactics
Edibles & Vaporizing
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I really want to thank you for all of the great info you've provided on the site. I always wanted to try growing pot, and you have helped me so much!
I'm about to harvest my first indoor plant (White Widow XXL feminized autoflower). I chose CFL's (8 bulbs, 60 watts each). I am thrilled with the quantity and size of the buds, and I have you to thank for leading me every step of the way with so much detailed info. I'm looking forward to this
summer's outside grow. You guys have really provided an excellent service for us newbies! Thanks again!!
Russ |
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Everything is looking better than I expected.
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I don't think "Noob Grower" is the right name for you, your plants look amazing! Great training, and look at all those bud sites! ~Nebula We encourage you to forward this email to a friend in need!
Who Runs This
Newsletter? |
Nebula Haze:
Medical cannabis is important to me personally, and I'm dedicated to showing others how easy it is to grow their own supply of
cannabis at home.
It is my mission to educate and build growing resources to help both new and advanced growers get bigger, better yields with less time and money. We update GrowWeedEasy.com at least weekly (often even more often!) to make sure that our website provides you with all the information you need to succeed at growing! |
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Learn which seed sources are personally recommended by Nebula Haze |
Sirius Fourside:
Sirius Fourside is a hobbyist grower who has gained the bulk of his experience growing in water as a medium (deep water culture,
bubbleponics).
"Growing cannabis is a relaxing hobby in and of itself, but it also saves you money and keeps you from having to deal with shady characters. Cannabis is much
easier to grow than people give it credit for, and growing in water doesn't increase the difficulty much, if any. But whether you want to grow in water, coco, or a different medium, we'll show you how easy it can be!"
Get Your Seeds Delivered
Safely! |
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GrowWeedEasy.com has put together a hand-picked list of all the available SEED BANKS including what type of payment they
accept and where they ship in the world!
View complete list of trusted seed sources:
http://www.growweedeasy.com/seeds
Why not start your grow with quality genetics from an award-winning
strain? Or choose a strain that suits your growing style and personal needs. Still not sure? We recommend Nirvana. They've been breeding award-winning strains for decades
and offer some of the most reliable stealth shipping in the industry. In our complete seed sources list you'll discover... - Which Seed Sources are Fast, Safe and Reliable (list is updated regularly)
- Credit Cards, Debit Cards, Check Money Order, Paypal & even more secure payment options!
- Connoisseur, High-CBD & Medical Grade Strains Available
- Find Out Which Seed Sources Deliver to YOU!
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Nothing in this e-mail should be considered personalized Financial, Legal, Medical or any other kind of Advice. The contributors to this magazine grow legally under their local laws. If you cannot legally grow where you live, we DO NOT recommend that you start growing marijuana, as you can be
arrested, put in prison, or worse! Any decision to grow marijuana should only be made after consulting with an experienced lawyer or other legal adviser. Although our staff may answer your general customer service questions, they are not licensed under securities laws to address
your particular investment or legal situation. No communication by our staff to you should be deemed as personalized Financial or Legal Advice. Any investments and steps recommended in this letter should be made only after consulting with your lawyer or other legal or investment adviser. Nothing in this e-mail should be considered
personalized Health Care or Medical Advice. Although our staff may answer your general customer service questions, they are not licensed health care professionals. No communication by our staff to you should be deemed as personalized Health Care Advice. Any Health Care recommended in this letter should be made only after consulting with your Doctor and licensed Health Care Adviser. How Did I Sign Up For This Newsletter?
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