From stress relief to increased hunger, better sleeping to safe pain management, marijuana has been prescribed to treat nearly every discomfort people experience during their life. Daily issues can be miraculously resolved through a couple of puffs and citizens across the country are beginning to experiment with this fine herb as they begin to understand that cannabinoids are naturally produced in our bodies, and these ailments could be symptoms of a cannabinoid imbalance or deficiency in the body.

As people routinely pop over-the-counter pills such as acetaminophen and aspirin for minor aches and pains, the side effects of these socially accepted drugs far outweigh those of marijuana and yet the social stigma towards this plant has kept it out of the public’s eye. Even drugs such as Ritalin have proved to have negative irreversible side effects on children and yet hundreds of prescriptions for this harmful drug are filled and refilled every day across the country.

Cannabinoids are naturally produced in the human body. We also have cannabinoid receptors making our bodies physically capable of interacting with other cannabinoids.  The only other places these cannabinoids naturally occur are in some animals and in the cannabis (marijuana) plant. This fact makes it easier to understand why humans, animals and marijuana relate so well.  If cannabinoids were looked more as something that needs to be maintained and balanced in the body, people could begin to treat their imbalances or shortage like an iron deficiency or a Vitamin C deficiency- a serious problem that needs to be resolved immediately. The government makes synthetic pill forms of THC (one of countless cannabinoids discovered to date), but the efficiency in treatments is not as good and the side effects outweigh those of the natural plant. The natural plant has hundreds of cannabinoids working together to interact with the body and this natural combination tends to have a very high success rate in treatments. The government-created cannabinoid does not show the same results.

So a plant that grows naturally in close relation to the human body or a pill that the government has created in a lab. Which do you prefer?

Ask yourself what your doctor would prescribe you;  Vitamin C pills or oranges? Is your life in the hands of someone who would rather profit in the pharmacy or someone who would rather direct you into a healthier lifestyle and thus an improved quality of life. Vitamin C pills are great, but for one’s body to process the nutrients, there is a combination of other things that need to be present. For example, one can eat an entire bottle of Vit. C pills, but their body will only be able to process as much as the body can take in, reflecting hugely on what else is in the body to help it break these substances down and use them. An orange however, has the natural combination and chemistry to work with the body. From helping your body digest the orange, to allowing your body to actually use the nutrition within the orange, nature has provided all of the necessities for life to gracefully continue. So which do you prefer- the pill or the orange? Either way, preventing deficiency triggered diseases is important, and your quality of life will depend strongly on your choices regarding these preventative measures.

1 in 2 Canadian citizens are expected to get cancer in their life. Can you imagine if 1 out of 2 Canadians were expected to have an iron deficiency, or scurvy? Doctors would be handing out iron and vitamin pills left, right and center. Cannabis has been proven repeatedly to stop the growth and even shrink tumors and cancers. So why aren’t doctors mentioning this to people? Why do majority of citizens know nothing regarding the Medical Marihuana Program that Health Canada has had in play for 9 years now? How can so many people be suffering from cannabis treatable ailments while others are going to jail for possessing it? People are popping harmful pills needlessly when they could be using a natural plant from their garden.

Who is responsible for this lack of public knowledge?  Well believe it or not, the College of Surgeons and Physicians has called every doctor across the country discouraging the support for these licenses, making them at least par responsible. Doctors refuse to sign forms in fear of scrutiny from the College despite the abundant scientific research backing the plant, thus allowing the social stigma to get in the way of their practice, making them par responsible. Pharmaceutical companies profit millions from these pills so they refuse to inform the public on preventative measures.   Law enforcement neglect to learn about the marijuana program and worse, they continue to charge people and ruin families over a medication. They demonize the plant as well as citizens who use or grow it despite the legal avenues available to these very same people.  Media of all kinds refuse to publish any information regarding the marijuana program and the public remains uninformed or unfortunately misinformed.  People aren’t asking questions and more importantly, demanding answers. All and all, everyone is responsible, but this reminds us that it is our responsibility and in our power to make this information public knowledge.  It begins with freelance media sources and word of mouth. Spread the news to everyone you care about.

Pharmaceuticals will no longer be able to profit off of the diseases of the public once the public realizes their ability to grow their own medicine and treat themselves legally. Cannabinoids in the body need to be balanced and maintained and what better way than to experiment with natural plants that are so closely related to the human body. From sleeping troubles to cancers, marijuana has the potential to help with treatments and every Canadian is eligible to apply. Get informed, spread the news. It is time to educate yourself and people you love about medications and preventative measures. Don’t hesitate.  Meducate yourself today.

Recommended Article to check out: Helping Sask Grow

Gain access to high quality medical cannabis.

Helping Sask is on the grow!

What is ‘Helping Saskatchewan Grow‘? ‘Helping Saskatchewan Grow’ is a movement that brings farmers back to the fields of Saskatchewan to benefit from the once cash-crop in the Queen City; cannabis.  This movement began late last year and has really kicked off in the last few months as everybody is rushing in to find out more information on how to get involved.

Becoming a part of Helping Sask Grow is easy. Come down to Head 2 Head Novelties 2923 Dewdney Avenue in Regina and chat with one of the highly educated crew members. They will guide you through the medical forms, approaching your doctor, understanding your medical rights and give you direction on how to get started in the program.  Most importantly, they will explain how you can gain access to high quality medical cannabis for a fraction of the street price. With multiple strains to choose from, baking good of all kinds and a guaranteed full- organic selection, the black market will hopefully follow suit before long.

It all began last year when Tim Selenski decided to help open an Art Gallery- The Green Canvas, that offered space for local artists, natural healings practices free of charge and informative seminars on legal access to medical marijuana. This allowed people from all over the province to come and learn about how marijuana could potentially relate to their lives. This proved to be a successful establishment as over 200 showed to celebrate the grand opening on August 24^th, 2009 and strong support continued through even the coldest months of winter.

Pharmaceutical interests however, must have felt threatened by this building, as they probably should have. They have since moved in, purchased the building and evicted The Green Canvas- breaching the rent-to-own contract and proving corruption in the judicial system. You can read more about this issue on the post “Injustice” when it is posted.

Despite the legal issues and unjust eviction however, the surfacing of these conflicts within the government programs seems to have really helped get this movement in gear.  As people are asking what happened to the gallery or when they can catch another seminar, the updates regarding the issue shock majority. It seems to spark some activism in most, as they become determined to help make a difference with this controversial plant that benefits so many.

Hundreds of people have been helped in seeking advice and access to safe legal marijuana.  This is all part of what Helping Sask Grow is all about. Instead of having our citizens being locked up for grow houses and possession of this fine herb, we present the option of being a designated grower or legal user. This takes away the legal conflicts and allows those who have a green thumb to provide for those who need the greens. It does not make sense that so much grow equipment, plant genetics and lives are destroyed in the name of prohibition. In fact, it only makes dollars, by the millions, for the people on top of the chain.  This is what we hope to change through this movement. Enough lives have been ruined, families broken, and harmless citizens painted as prisoners- prisoners that our tax dollars continue to pay for. It is time for change.

Clients have joined this movement with countless ailments and symptoms to treat through cannabis, but finding the strains that work best for each individual can be tedious. Helping Sask Grow speeds up this process for people through research and documentation.  By filling out simple surveys regarding the strain being used, method of ingestion, dosages and symptoms relieved, those who are already a part of this movement can help guide new-comers in finding the strains that may help to best treat their ailments. This can be a crucial time where treatment needs to be assessed immediately and having a strain that helps specific conditions and documentation to back it up can make the difference between a fast recovery and no recovery at all. This gets clients involved in helping future members, building a foundation of strength and a sense of community within the movement.

People helping people is what has made Saskatchewan what it is- a global leader in countless aspects. The official provincial motto- Multis E Gentibus Vires, which means “From many peoples strength” reminds us that together, we can continue to Help Sask grow. We are a province with a foundation built on community and working together, farming the land and supporting one another. It is our responsibility to ensure a healthy, affordable, sustainable lifestyle for ourselves and future generations, and what better way to do this than to lower costs of medication, provide safe access for those who need it and to keep gardeners in the fields and out of prison.

These small steps are making big changes. Growing support for ‘Helping Sask Grow’ ensures a successful result. Whether you are a farmer, a politician, a patient or a doctor, prohibition is affecting your life in many ways. Overcoming the obstacle of prohibition is something we all need to achieve together, and as support for this movement continues to rise, our province will continue to flourish. The time is now. Join us at Head2Head and become a part of this revolution.

Photographer: GanjaGreenEyez H.S.C Editor

We’ve all started hearing about flavored tobacco products coming off of the shelves in the near future and yes, the rumors are true. As of now manufacturers have stopped their production and many are beginning to run out of stock. This means big changes for ganja smokers who enjoy their tasty papers or blunts.  Those who enjoy flavored cigars or even herbal blends containing tobacco may soon have to look elsewhere for the tasty flavors. This law seems to lack reasoning and appears to be a direct hit to marihuana users. As the flavors are bound to be welcomed in illegal trades,  there is no doubt the they will become the new gateway into the black market.

A reason for the new law is that the flavors are encouraging children to become smokers. This may be so, but it is important to remember that to legally purchase a tobacco product, a person must be at least 18 years of age, making them an adult, and they must have photo identification to prove it. If we are going to start making laws to suit children, even for adult products, we will have to be very careful as to where we draw the lines. For example, a person must be 19 years old to purchase alcohol. Booze is sold in a variety of flavors, be it fruits, plants, butterscotch, etc. Now if we were to take into consideration that children may be more enticed to acquire and drink alcohol that is flavored than alcohol that is not, we might feel the need to ban all flavored booze, regardless of the fact that these children are not allowed to even see the booze, let alone purchase it, until they are adults. Do you see what I’m saying?

If flavor is what is drawing the children into using a product, perhaps we should consider other products that are legal for them to purchase but may also be encouraging them to do adult-rated actions . First things that come to mind that have no age limit, but are perhaps targeted more for adults than children are  flavored condoms.  Now if the flavors are really what’s bringing the children  to use the product, it’s a little bit uncomfortable to imagine how many children are being encouraged into having sex while they are extremely young solely because strawberries are their favorite or because they haven’t tried peach yet. So where do we draw the lines?

Well, first of all, we must analyze our reasons for this change and consider who it affects. Flavors may encourage children to try smoking, but it also encourages adults the same. Our taste buds do not expire at 18 and so bringing the children into a law for adults seems to lack sense.  However, there are probably more people that would try a cigarette if it was of their favorite flavor that if it was not flavored at all. If someone is going to try smoking and enjoys the sensation of tobacco, flavored or not, they will continue to smoke.

More than cigarette smokers use flavored blunts and papers. In fact, many citizens across Canada have been prescribed cannabis through the form of inhalation, which is more often than not, smoking. To make a law that could restrict the flavors added to make a medicine more desirable is undoubtedly an attack on marihuana users. As banana penicillin or strawberry flavored antibiotics helped us down our medications since we were young, the flavored wraps do the same to help medical marihuana users reach their recommended dosage. If labels need to be reprinted to read “For Medical Marihuana Use Only”, then someone should hop on the wagon and get printing because these laws are only encouraging the demand to rise.

It remains uncertain whether this law will result in fewer young smokers or in more products for the black market. One thing however, that is certain, is that prohibition has failed repeatedly in the past. While causing more harm than it has ever prevented, we can only hope this law won’t prove to be another destructive movement towards a world of prohibition, black market trades and violence.  Luckily,  Head2Head Novelties- Canada’s only Marijuana Specialty shop is located in the Queen City for the Regina folk, but the demand throughout the country is on the rise. But then again so is this amazing little store.

RC’s seized roughly 200 ganja plants they say resembled “small Christmas trees as opposed to mere plants”, evidently due to advanced grow methods. The plants belonged to three individuals, all of which possess a license distributed by Health Canada to grow and possess marihuana at the specific location. The two men arrested at the scene, however, had no permits.

Police also found 30 lbs of drying ganja as well as a loaded .357 Magnum handgun and 30/30 calibre rifle. The two men aged 39 and 40, are facing 4 charges related to possession of controlled substances as well as firearms. Their court date is set for April.

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DeVries, a 52 year old activist, has been running his compassion club for roughly eight months now. Running a professional operation, DeVries offers a multitude of strains priced reasonably at $15/g and $7/g for seniors, with a 7 gram daily limit. Despite DeVries best effort to abide by regulations, even going as far as refusing patients whom could not back their claims or were caught abusing medication, he was still raided by police on Aug. 15th, a set back that nearly cost him his operation. It took DeVries until fall to re-up and recruit a new crop.

“People in Nunavut who can benefit from marijuana are having their rights violated because the medical community won’t provide the documentation the law requires.” says Alison Crowe, DeVries Lawyer. DeVries court date is set for Feb. 15th. Both police and the Crown refuse to comment on the case while it is before the courts.

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Los Angeles City Council passed an ordinance, regulating the uproar of recently opened Medical Marijuana dispensaries. Since the Obama Administrations’ leniency towards medicinal users and distributors, more than 600 dispensaries have opened in L.A. alone. The new law states that dispensaries mustn’t be within 1000 feet of schools, libraries, churches, playgrounds etc. and also, that only 70 of 600 dispensaries will remain open for business. Although highly unfortunate for owners of the dispensaries at stake, the ordinance is nevertheless a firm stand on behalf of medical marijuana’s permanent presence.

Read full story here.

Aspiring artist and song writer, Jayde “Wizwon” Goodon, was born in 1986, to parents Floyd and Karen Goodon. Driven by a love for tattoo art since childhood, Jayde began experimenting with a variety of colouring utensils on all available surfaces, mainly his own body. Although he enjoyed drawing out everyday objects and scenery’s, he more so enjoyed drawing on them. This led him to pursue graffiti.

Towards the eighth grade, a fascination with letters

came into play. Jayde became obsessed with creating unique letter styles, forcing the reader to detach from the ordinary and enter his mind. Making a consistent effort to draw inspiration from within, Goodon chose to overlook other artists styles, ensuring originality rather than encouraging comparison. Finding inspiration in friends, music and past-present situations or experience

s, his artwork developed a uniqueness sole similar to his own ever evolving style. The fact that practice required illegal activity was no concern.

During high school, Jayde’s artistic horizon was broadened thanks to a vast amount of art tools available. From paper to canvas and from canvas to murals, he left his mark. It was here that Goodon discovered his favored mediums such as pressurized spray cans, paint markers and India ink. However, aside from paint and canvas, a new artistic outlet was calling for Jayde. Accompanied by his childhood companion, Ill Kid Kris, and mesmerized by the hip-hop movement, Goodon began freestyle rapping and beat boxing, challenging his creative abilities. It wasn’t long before word got around of his microphone tactics and abstract flows. This was the birth of Wizwon.

Over the next years “Wiz” focused on evolving as a musician. He started recording as well as producing his own beats. In the year 2000, Wiz received provincial recognition for his contribution on the Prairie Roots Project. This exposure opened a number of doors for Goodon, resulting in numerous collaborations with the Queen City’s top musicians and artists. Now, although Goodon’s lyrical abilities where blossoming, his undying love for painting and graffiti (also a growing necessity for cash), urged him to refocus and channel his growth. He then teamed up with fellow graff artists and began organizing legal murals around the city and later the province, continuing to rap as a side hobby.

Overtime Wizwon’s crew became known as the 11 Hooks Crew. The Hooks enabled Wiz to once again excel in his creativity, launching a spring clothing line in 2009 and later a series of calendars. Goodon progressively networked his talent in graffiti, branching out to artist all over Canada, namely the GFC crew out of Toronto. 11 hooks was on the rise. When asked why the decision to pursue painting on a mainstream, Wiz replied “there is no purpose but to feel good about my creations”.

Currently you can locate some of Goodon’s pieces at his exhibit being held at Regina’s own Green Canvas Art Gallery located at 1621 11th Ave. Future plans include attending “Under Pressure” which is a Graffiti Art festival held in Montreal each year, launching summer and women’s clothing line, accessories, calendars, and of course numerous canvas’s and murals.

In the end it is clear to see that Jayde Wizwon Goodon is a force to be reckoned. He went from illegally leaving temporary evidence of  his whereabouts, to leaving permanent landmarks by means of spray cans or tattoo guns. One key element in his style says Wiz, is that he will not paint when upset. Only when the mood comes, which is often stimulated by good vibes in music. In the next 10 years Wizwon plans to “just let it flow”. Experimenting with new techniques but still staying true to his own style and abilities, Jayde Wizwon Goodon will without doubt become a household name.

]]> http://www.headshopcanada.com/fresh-hits/wizwon-melted-visions/feed/ 0 http://www.headshopcanada.com/fresh-hits/jamrock-decriminalizing-holy-erb/ http://www.headshopcanada.com/fresh-hits/jamrock-decriminalizing-holy-erb/#comments Wed, 16 Dec 2009 07:36:57 +0000 Opertune http://www.headshopcanada.com/?p=1335 Jamaica Labor Party is urging Parliament to decriminalize Ganja. Sen. Dennis Meadows, a deputy general secretary of the JLP strongly believes that decriminalizing small possessions of ganja will allow for more leeway to crack down on more serious crimes and harmful narcotics.

During  a conference held over the weekend of Dec. 11th, Sen. Meadows passionately stated, that relaxing laws against Marijuana cigarettes – commonly referred to as “spliffs”- would free up the island’s courts and police to focus on violent street crime and harder drugs. He went on to say that Marijuana at the level of spliffs for personal use, should be treated in similar fashion to a traffic ticket.

Friday, Meadows announced to senate, “pursuing convictions for possession of small amounts of marijuana is only serving to criminalize our already marginalized young men and women, thereby creating a reservoir of hopelessness.”

As a matter of  fact, one of the leading reasons as to why Jamaica has not yet legalized the holy herb, is fear of scrutiny from other nations as well as fear of violating  international treaties. The U.S. has spent millions of dollars in attempts to demolish Jamaica’s natural crop, but evidently have repeatedly failed. Jamaica is ranked as one of the worlds largest exporters for Ganja. However aside from economic reasons, it is stressed that the plants propagation is to bring smokers/users closer to the Divine. Since the beginning of time Ganja or the Holy Herb has been used for cognitive enhancement and spiritual healing. It goes without say that time has come to give in to the Divine and abolish Ganja oppression

Marijuana is one of the oldest recorded plants used for the treatment of countless ailments. Although people have been sparking up this herb for centuries to medicate themselves, research demonstrates safer, and potentially more efficient ways to use cannabis.

It isn’t until recently that doctors have returned to old remedies and began represcribing cannabis to treat symptoms such as severe pain, nausea, persistent muscle spasms, seizures, anorexia, cachexia and weight loss. However, doctors are not educating their patients on the safest ways to use this medicine as they do other medications that they describe dosages, how to take it, and how not to take it. Infact many cannabis users have had trouble obtaining this type of information even upon request.

Smoking anything will make a person feel different. A lack of oxygen to the brain is bound to make one feel light-headed, dazed and or confused and filtering the poisons of smoke would slow any healing process. Smoking of cannabis has been so widely accepted due to the instant relief is can provide. This method of inhalation brings the active medicinal ingredients to the blood stream faster than eating it, drinking it or applying topical ointments. This is not however, the only method of inhalation.

A vaporizer uses heat to evaporate the medicinal properties from the plant without burning any of the plant matter. Vaporization has been practised for thousands of years and can provide the same instant relief as smoking, without the carcinogens of the smoke.  Because it is so much easier for the human body to absorb vapors than smoke, vaporisation tends to cut ones usage in about half. This tends to leave patients feeling clear-headed as oppose to the “foggy” head that is often tied in with cannabis as oppose to the smoke itself. For patients using cannabis to treat nausea,  this is one method of inhalation that is undoubtedly more efficient as a treatment than adding smoke to the mix.

Feeling effects of cannabis via eating compared to vaporization is prolonged but also seems to have longer-lasting effects. For muscle spasticity, the long duration of the ingested cannabis often proves more successful. Although this form of medicating takes longer to initially take effect, if doses are timed properly, this waiting period is eliminated.  It is efficient for people with sleeping problems as well as the slow absorption will allow them to stay rested instead of waking up every couple of hours to medicate.

Tinctures are also available as a method of medicating. As the medicinal properties of cannabis can be absorbed in high percentage alcohol, some people prefer to let their herbs soak in their favorite booze before ingesting it. This may be a quick way to feel the effects of the medicine , however, it is adding a workload to other organs that may not even be strong enough to filter the alcohol from the body. Because of this, as a treatment, this may not be the most efficient way to heal ones body.

Topical ointments do exist and although they can be difficult to find, many people insist that they help with pain management, as well as stopping and even reversing the growth of skin cancers. Topically, the cannabis oils are absorbed into the body via skin, and can then soak in around muscles allowing them to relax, thus eliminating pain. As cannabis is an anti-inflammatory, muscles spasms, and chronic inflammation of joints from injury or movement disorders such as arthritis can be controlled and more easily managed with its aid. Some users believe this is less invasive than other methods of medicating and gives more localized results.

Different methods of using cannabis effect people differently. While eating cannabis is not an option for someone with severe nausea, it may be the most beneficial for someone with persistent muscles spasms. Discovering the most efficient way of treating oneself comes from trial and error of personal experience. However, knowing ones options in the first place is an important starting point. Understanding how different methods could help different ailments is information every doctor should be able to provide, but unfortunately, very few have even considered learning about.

HeadShopCanada is here for users across the world to discuss what treatment methods are working best for them as well as what methods are not.  Discussions on dosages vs. methods vs. efficiency are very important in moving this medication forward in today’s world. With 1 in every 2 people being expected to have cancer sometime in their life,  the demand for this type of information continues to increase. Please become a part of this research by joining HSC and sharing your story with others across the world.