Pubdate: Thu, 28 Jan 2016
Source: Westword (Denver, CO)
Column: Ask A Stoner
Copyright: 2016 Village Voice Media
Contact: http://www.westword.com/feedback/EmailAnEmployee?department=letters
Website: http://www.westword.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1616Author: Herbert Fuego

DEAR STONER: WHAT IF YOU'RE ALLERGIC TO MARIJUANA?

Dear Stoner: Do marijuana allergies exist? If so, what happens if 
you're allergic to marijuana and smoke it?

Mick

Dear Mick: Marijuana can cure many ills, but like pollen, peanuts or 
grass, it's also capable of making some people swell up and turn red. 
According to a story in U.S. News & World Report, one woman required 
two EpiPens and hospitalization after just coming in contact with 
marijuana (she didn't smoke it or otherwise ingest it). And according 
to a study featured in the Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, 
she's not the only one with a severe marijuana allergy. "As expected 
with most plant aeroallergens, cannabis pollen inhalation has been 
noted to cause symptoms of allergic rhinitis, conjunctivitis, and 
asthma," the publication reports. Don't be scared, though: That study 
also indicated that cannabis allergies are relatively uncommon.

The fact that a plant's pollen or smoke can cause throat swelling, 
rashes and other reactions for an unlucky few is nothing new, but 
marijuana's exposure and public acceptance is. All of that recently 
legalized and decriminalized pot around the world is sure to 
introduce some stuffy noses and watery eyes that might not have 
appeared in simpler times. I just feel bad for the poor souls who 
can't enjoy the benefits of such a wonderful plant: Now I know how 
those lactose-intolerant kids felt on chocolate-milk day.

Dear Stoner: Does milk kill powdery mildew on plants?

'80s Dan Dear

Dan: A spray of milk diluted with water can be very effective when it 
comes to mildew, but like most fungicides, it's best used 
proactively. Killing the disease once it's rooted in the leaves of 
the plant is much harder than protecting your grow in the first place.

Scientists still aren't exactly sure why the mixture is effective, 
though many believe the milk's proteins create an antiseptic effect 
after sunlight exposure. Nor is there any real consensus on the 
perfect milk-to-water ratio (some use only 10 percent milk, while 
others go as high as 40 percent), but mix the two together and spray 
your plants lightly under a bright light once every week or so 
(before any signs of mildew appear), and you should be safe.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom