Pubdate: Thu, 10 Jul 2014
Source: Sacramento News & Review (CA)
Copyright: 2014 Chico Community Publishing, Inc.
Contact:  http://newsreview.com/sacto/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/540
Author: Ngaio Bealum

WHAT'S IN A NAME?

I'm a middle-aged professional woman who started using cannabis a
couple of years ago due to illness. I don't get the crazy names for
the medication. Chernobyl? Romulan Grapefruit? Sour Diesel? Are the
names referring to the type of high you'll experience? Why don't they
refer to the healing effect? "Sleep Well"? "Pain Be Gone"? "Stress
Relief"?

- -Nancy

I am glad that cannabis is working for you. As to the names of pot
strains: whee! It can be a little confusing. Most names refer either
to flavor, effect or geographic origin. Blueberry, Lemon Skunk,
Diesel are all flavor names. Trainwreck, 9 Pound Hammer, Headband,
Chernobyl: effects. Mendo Purps, Durban Poison, Acapulco Gold:
geography. Sometimes names get combined. NYC Diesel is location and
flavor. Alaskan Thunderfuck is location and effect. Strawberry Cough
is flavor and effect. I could go on.

I like your idea of naming strains for the healing effects, but I'm
not sure "Hella Sleepy" or "Mood Leavener" would be popular strains,
although a strain called "Good Sexytimes" would probably be a smash
hit. No one goes to the drugstore and asks for a medicine called
"Makes You Poop," they ask for a laxative. And laxatives all have
gentle names like Natural Moves or Miralax. If you want to know more
about the effects of different strains, or just want to giggle at the
ridiculous names that growers come up with, check out
www.leafly.com.

Do you know of any local politicians who are open to a Colorado-esque
take on pot, or any that at least seem affable toward the idea or
something similar? The tax dollars coming in from their "experiment"
seem too good to simply ignore, and I'd like to know what or who I
need to vote for in order for California to get in on the action.

- -R.W.

Hmm. I know Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom has made some good points regarding
the "war on some drugs" during his speech at the Democratic Party
Convention in March: "How long before we realize drug addiction isn't
a crime, it's a disease. There never was, and dare I say, never will
be a society free of drugs, as much as we'd like there to be. So it's
time for all of us to step up and step in and lead once again in 
California."

He also said we should talk about taxing and regulating marijuana.
California lawmakers Tom Ammiano and Mark Leno have been on the
marijuana-law-reform bus for a while. And that's about it. The entire
Sacramento County Board of Supervisors hates marijuana. Sen. Dianne
Feinstein really hates marijuana. We clearly need more pro-pot
politicians in the buildings of power. Vote.
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MAP posted-by: Matt