Tuesday, April 28, 2009

BLUNTS.



hahaha, it used to say BUMP, now it says BLUNTS. Win. Painted by a lovely, lovely, artistic, friend of mine.

Monday, April 27, 2009

Episode 2.




Today on the T ride home, I was listening to "We Used to Vacation" by Cold War Kids on my iPod and the lady next to me tapped my shoulder and said, "Your music is too loud," I said sorry and did absolutely nothing about it, I just put it on the ...And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead CD so it would be even louder/more aggressive. I had headphones on, so there's no way I could have been any more of a bother to her than the crying baby next to us, or the sparks and sounds of the train.

Who has a reasonable expectation of quiet on the T? Wtf. Get over yourself.

/End Rant.

Sunday, April 26, 2009

Short and Sweet.. I hope.

Alright, so I'm smokin a bowl and should be reading for class but whatever. I'm on my last little nug of the 1/8th I bought last week. A little anxious about it, I'll prolly invest in a $20 sack or something, just so I can get through all this studying. I have a 10 page paper on the gay rights movement and it's progress over the last 10 years. Only my yuppie college would assign a paper like this.

I've also been smoking a lot to make being at home bearable. My 2 of my 3 roommates have taken it upon themselves to attempt to make every moment of my home life miserable (Note to self: never run out of contact solution again). Hence why updatings been a bit shaky lately. I just haven't (willingly) been home.

Anyways, stoner ramblings sorry, New York is getting close to legalizing medicinal marijuana. I will like New York (and I really need to go for a real visit to the city, I've never been there for more than 24 hours) a lot more than I currently do. They will prove to me they have good sense. Read about it here: http://www.buffalonews.com/home/story/647328.html

That's all I got for now, I'm exhausted. I worked an 8 hour shift today at the new bookstore-cafe- that's-really-the-same-cafe-i-used-to-work-at-which-will-not-be-named-either. Yay stoned hyphenation!

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Oh I'm on a roll.

LIFE IS SO MUCH BETTER WHEN YOU SMOKE WEED.

As I typed that, I realized I left my bag at home and won't smoke tonight. Fuck. Whatever, I can't take a bag to work anyways. While in line at the DD (Dunkin' Donuts, yo) my boyfriend told me he likes me better when I'm high, he said I'm "smiliey and giggly." I must seem really depressed and stressed all the time. That's bad. But really, why don't more people see it? Weed is my medication.

Anyways, today is a busy day for me, I hope I survive. I will leave you all with a list of the most successful potheads...



Read it here: http://coedmagazine.com/2009/02/06/the-10-most-successful-potheads-on-the-planet-cool-enough-to-admit-it/

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

UHM FIRST AND FOREMOST (love that phrase):

SONIC IS COMING TO MASSACHUSETTS!!!


Read more here: http://blogs.townonline.com/massmarkets/2009/04/21/sonic-makes-noise-in-peabody-with-its-entrance-into-massachusetts/

Life for stoners in Mass. is going to change dramatically. I hope it opens in the summer so I can get high and visit on a little day trip.

Secondly, Austinites,



Participate in the Texas Cannabis Crusade!

That is all for today, as I'm pretty sure I woke up stoned... who knows.

Monday, April 20, 2009

Happy 420!



Today is a fucking beautiful day! Peace, love, and grass all around!

I hope you all spend a little time with Mary Jane today and relax on this Northern holiday! I could honestly give two shits about the marathon, lol. Whatever. I think the Queen bee and I are gonna spend some time at the Esplanade and get smoothies! It's not very warm outside, and I have to work tomorrow morning (womp womp, hello money!!!!) but I am just so happy it's 420 and that it's almost May!

Spring is the best season everrrrrrrrrrrr. And I need to eat breakfast, wtf do I do!?

Thursday, April 16, 2009

What a day.

It's only 2:42 p.m. and I've already experienced a whirlwind of emotions.

First and foremost, I want to say that if you have friends who don't approve of you smoking, don't like you when you smoke, or criticize you in any way for smoking: Get rid of them now. It'll save you the time, the effort, and a bunch of bullshit. True friends accept you for who you are, no matter what you smoke! I wish I would have known that, and maybe saved myself some shitty situations.



Second, let's talk about marijuana and mental health. As most of you know, I have anxiety issues and love my Xanax, but before Xanax and all those other bullshit (and expensive) pharmaceuticals, all I did was smoke weed. When I tried a short stint with Celexa and Effexor all I did was black out when I drank, want to drink a bunch, make poor decisions and throw myself into a mental mania (faux, often dangerous extreme 'high').

When I smoke weed, I'm happy, giggly, and hungry. I can tackle one issue at a time, instead of getting overwhelmed about my massive to-do list, and can get through a 12 hour day like a fucking champ. And finally, after years of arguing with shrinks and therapists, science is starting to back me up.

While not anxiety related this is a great article: http://www.cannabisculture.com/v2/content/marijuana-mental-health
I don't understand how so many people can be denied access to less harmful medicines from the Earth. This study (http://www.jci.org/articles/view/25509/version/1) is a great study and I've pulled out some of the highlights from the medically pedantic text to share:

The graph from above is from the study and kind of hard to understand, but if you'd like to take the time to read a bit of the study, it's interesting.

"We observed here that chronic administration of high, but not low, doses of HU210 exerts anxiolytic- and antidepressant-like effects... In summary, since adult hippocampal neurogenesis is suppressed following chronic administration of opiates (20), alcohol (21), nicotine (22), and cocaine (23), the present study suggests that cannabinoids are the only illicit drug that can promote adult hippocampal neurogenesis following chronic administration. Increased hippocampal neurogenesis appears to underlie the mechanism of anxiolytic- and antidepressant-like effects produced by a high dose of chronic HU210 treatment. The opposing effects of high doses of acute and chronic cannabinoids, together with the anxiolytic-like effects caused by a low dose of cannabinoids, may finally explain discrepancies in the clinical study literature regarding the effects of cannabinoid on anxiety and depression."

HU210 is a synthetic cannabinoid, FYI. I find it really funny that HIGH doses and not low produce these effects, adequately explaining why my tolerance is so high, and why some people may feel paranoid with small doses. Neurogenesis is also the way in which neurons are created in the brain, populating a growing brain. It basically makes your brain grow. Maybe thats why so many non-smokers are so ignorant...

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

DRUGGGGGGGSSS.



Lately, it's come to my attention how big of a problem heroin is here in Boston. Lots of episodes of Intervention have taken place either here or in Gloucester or Worcester and just the other day I was riding the subway out to my boyfriends, and this guy who was BLATANTLY high on herion (slightly comatose, looks like they're falling asleep, slow/slurred speeech) and falling all over me.

And as the price of marijuana continues to rise, the price of heroin is often less than a 6 pack of beer. What kind of crap is that? Heroin involves some pretty intense chemical processes (opium > morphine > heroin) while basic marijuana just needs a sunny corner, some fertilizer, and enough space.

Legislators, congressmen, and policy makers need to get their heads out of my grass and onto the streets to get heroin, a DANGEROUS drug, commonly and easily overdosed on, off the streets and users into rehab. Or something. I dunno, but this is bullshit.



Next Post: Oh-so-startling research linking cannabis as an effective antidepressant/anti-anxiety treatment. I TOLD YOU, SHRINKS!!!!

Monday, April 13, 2009

Wake and Bake with Snoop Dogg.

Grab a honey game or a strawberry philly and join Snoop for a luscious blunt. It's almost 420, tell me what you're up to and how you're celebrating!!

Live streaming video by Ustream

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

A little something for my Texas Tokers...

TOMORROW!!


(Not medical, but it was the only pic I could find, haha)

"HB 902, the decriminalization bill introduced by Rep. Dutton, has been scheduled for a hearing this Wednesday, April 8th. If you are interested in sharing your testimony with the Criminal Jurisprudence Committee, please take some time today and tomorrow to put your opinions on this bill into words.

The hearing is scheduled for 2 pm in room E-2028 in our State Capitol Building.
Remember, HB 902 would reduce the penalty of possession of under ONE OUNCE to a class C misdemeanor. The penalty for 1-2 ounces would remain the same. The bill also addresses issues regarding occupational driver’s licenses. read the full text of the bill HERE.

The Texas Legislature only meets for 140 days every other year. Similar bills have been introduced over the last few sessions, with no success. Please help us ensure that this bill receives the attention it deserves by attending this hearing and offering your testimony."


I hope you guys go out and make yourselves heard, especially those of you who are on financial aid, because this can seriously effect you. I f you're caught with marijuana as the laws stand today, you could lose all federal/state financial aid. It's law that if you are convicted on drug charges you notify the FAFSA and typically, they will revoke your aid.

Get out there!!

Sunday, April 5, 2009

I love when random decisions pay off.




THIS STUFF IS THE SHIT. Seriously, so easy. Make some rice, microwave this shit and put it on top. It's delicious and spicy. I bought it at the little indian food market in the square and I'm going to buy a bunch more.


That is all.

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Catching up with our fellow tokers.

I had a pretty good time interviewing Mike Cann from mikecann.net for my reporting class so I thought I'd post it here. Take some time to read it and educate yourself and about marijuana reform and get involved!



Tell me a little about yourself?
Basically, I’m a 30-something year old financial professional. I grew up in the North shore in Byfield, Mass. I do music shows, I’m on the MASSCANN/NORML board of directors, and I book the music for the annual Freedom Rally [on the Boston Common].

How did you get involved with MASSCANN/NORML?
Probably a lot like other people; reading High Times growing up and going to the Freedom Rally. I went to a couple of the first years they had it when I was in college and I ended up coming back. I was helping a friend of mine who was in a band trying to book their band for the Freedom Rally and I just ended up in a meeting and decided I wanted to help out and I’ve been doing it ever since. Basically, what we do is we try to let people know what going on with marijuana reform and how they can help. With MASSCANN/NORML we started out with 50 non-binding decriminalization and medical marijuana initiatives and we won every one.

What does marijuana reform mean to you?
I think the big thing is to make sure that people aren’t arrested is number one. It’s always been the big issue for me that peoples lives get ruined over one joint. I think bigger than that, the drug war itself and the crime, it’s just to make the world a better place. One of the biggest things I try to bring to this is that we’ve always focused on people who are users of marijuana which is fine and great, but there are also a majority out there that don’t use marijuana that also support us, and that’s what you saw with the vote [on Question 2] is that of the 65% that voted for marijuana decriminalization and at least half of those that voted for it are non-users. I think that he war on marijuana users and the drug war effects all people whether you use or not and I think that’s a big message I’m trying to get out there.

Marijuana is often referred to as a ‘gateway’ drug, do you think this is a misnomer?
Absolutely, I smoked pot but I never did heroin, I never had a problem with any of those other things. Obviously there’s always that one person, but that person also drank milk, and I’m sure they drank beer first and we don’t try to outlaw beer cause of other drugs like heroin. It doesn’t make any sense and scientifically it is shown it is not a gateway [drug].

Are you a medical or casual user?
Both. I’m a former athlete; I was an amateur wrestler. I’ve got a bad back. I probably needed surgery about 10 years ago and I didn’t go for it. I’ve just been dealing with Ziatica. I’ve always enjoyed it too so I’m not going to say I don’t enjoy it or even use it. Even if I was pain free tomorrow, I still think I’d smoke pot.

How long have you been using?
[Laughter] I tried it when I was in high school but wasn’t really a smoker because I was an athlete. I pretty much stayed away from it, you know, I tried it quite a few times in high school, but I never really was a regular user until I got to college. I used to get these migraines, and I lived next to a kid who always had it and if I had a migraine I’d talk to him and it would work and I discovered that it not only work but I liked it and enjoyed it.

How does pot affect you?
Not much, the biggest thing for me is if I’m out 5 or 6 hours at a show, working and I come home and I can’t sleep cause my back hurts I have two choices; I can take a Tylenol, which will work, or I can smoke a joint. And if I smoke a joint, for me, it makes me feel better than if I take a Tylenol cause I know that my father has the same condition as me and he just had a liver transplant and I’m convinced its from 25 years of taking Tylenol. Doctor’s tell you, “Yeah, this is going to kill your liver.” For me personally, it allows me to moderate my Tylenol use. In general, it doesn’t do too much for me, especially compared to the drugs they wanted to put me on.

What negative effects have you seen from marijuana use?
The big thing is that it’s illegal; so therefore, by people using it in an illegal market it creates black markets and I think there’s some violence associated with that, so that’s one negative. I also think anything you smoke is generally not a good thing so obviously smoking cannabis may not be the best thing for your lungs and may not be the best thing health-wise. Obviously, I think some people have problems with substances whether it’s chocolate or alcohol or tobacco or marijuana. For some people, it take’s over their lives like anything else so I think like any other substance out there that people like and enjoy, for some people, it’s an issue.

What’s up with Scott Brown and his re-criminalization tirade?
Yeah... yeah...[laughter] Scott Brown is a Republican in the state and is supporting a bill that would fine anyone $1000 for marijuana in the car. It doesn’t matter if you’re using it or not, whether you’re sober or not, medical user or not, it’s basically a blanket law that would charge $1000 and if it’s not paid then it would be a criminal offense. Which to me is de facto re-criminalization. A lot of people are not going to be aware of it and not be able pay $1100 in fines within the 30 days they’re probably going to require if this becomes law. There are a lot of us out there who don’t like it so we decided to stage a protest next Tuesday night at his next campaign fundraiser.

What positive things can you see coming with the approval of medical marijuana?
The big thing is someone like Marcy Duda, who’s a grandmother, who’s been testifying for years at the state house to be able to get legal marijuana. Marcy has a brain aneurisms and she testified last year that she had two sisters with the same medical condition, neither one of them used medical marijuana and both of them are dead right now and she credits marijuana with saving her life. Someone like her would be able to either have someone grow some plants for her or grow them herself. That would be the big thing, that someone like Marcy would have access to medicine and not have to go to the black market, not be at risk for arrest and be able to get good cannabis to help her relive her daily pain.

Of legalization?
Ending the black market, taking corruption out of our government. I’ve become more conservative as I’ve grown older and people don’t necessarily assume that being a marijuana reform advocate. I think that’s a big thing you get from law and order people, is that there’s no respect for the law, and there’s a reason why there’s no respect for the law. The law is unjust and it doesn’t make any sense. When you put these illegal drug gangs out of business and at the same time, get rid of the biggest law out there that people don’t respect, I think that people might actually start to respect the law again and get much more good will for police out there.

How will Americans react to marijuana regulation?
I think that most Americans would be fine with it. I think even the ones that pose against us right now, once it happens I think they will be totally happy with it just like they were when alcohol prohibition was repealed. It’s been proven--and this is another big thing I like to being up, especially with people who are against changing the law-- other count and other states, if you look at Amsterdam, have lower use among adults and youth because its regulated. You look at neighboring countries that have laws similar to the U.S. and they have higher rates of use. It’s the same thing in America in the states where it’s decriminalized, we’re not seeing higher rates of use, and we’re actually seeing lower rates of use. When you legalize it there’s kind of a taboo factor, outlaw factor, that goes away and it’s not as exciting anymore.

What types of obstacles and opposition are reformers facing with these bills?
Our biggest obstacles are the politicians themselves. Every single year we’ve had hearings on this and we bring out a lot of medical users from Massachusetts to speak at these and the last year, for instance, the bill actually passed the committee, we had a vote on committee level, and we won the vote and it should have gone to a full house vote but it never did. The politicians are too scared to be on the record one way or another, they’re too scared to make the 65% (which is more like 80% for medical), they’re worried about making them upset by voting against medical. On the other hand, they’re worried about small percentage like police union, jails, the district attorney, on the other side are worried about making those folks upset that also fund their campaigns. We’re kind of stuck where we’re really trying to get the politicians to let us have a vote on medical marijuana and we think it will win if it comes to a vote with a full house but that’s our biggest obstacle, to actually get them to allow us to get this to come to a vote.

What’s the best way to get involved with marijuana reform?
I would say if you’re a college student, start or join a NORML chapter or student policy chapter. Also, if you’re just regular person, same thing, I would look out for NORML chapter and probably attend the meetings to see how you can help out there. Beyond that, I would say there are a lot of things you can do. Whether you show up to the Scott Brown rally for instance, showing up with a video camera and recording it, putting it up on YouTube, writing about it. I always tell people that it really depends on who you are what you want to do. There are so many ways you can get involved; it’s about taking the way will keep you interested.