Every time I take the kids downtown or anywhere for a nosh we have to walk through clouds of pot smoke. I get such a contact high it borders on a panic attack. I'm not saying it should go back to the old days where we sneaked into alleys, but is there any way to promote responsible, considerate consumption? - -M. H. On behalf of all public pot smokers everywhere, let me say: Sorry? I mean, I get it. Most cities in California these days don't really try to enforce laws against using marijuana in public, because then they would have to write hundreds of tickets per day and nothing else would get done. [continues 396 words]
So I just heard that some people are using high doses of CBD to counteract the effects of ingesting too much THC. Does this really work? - -Oso Hyman Good question. One of the things we know about cannabidiol (CBD) is that it acts as a sort of THC inhibitor. Cannabis plants with a high amount of THC but low CBD content will get you "higher" than plants with a high CBD content, even if the THC percentage is the same. No one has done any studies yet, but there are anecdotal reports of folks, especially those folks that enjoy cannabis concentrates (hash, wax, dabs, hash oil, etc.) or edibles, using either a sublingual CBD tincture or pills containing a high amount of CBD, to assuage the effects of overindulgence. In fact, my homie Grand Daddy Mike is working on a commercial product designed to lessen the effects of THC in case of accidental or intentional cannabis overindulgence. [continues 359 words]
Rancho Cordova Bans Dispensaries, Sacramento Allows Them and Other Cities Fall in the Middle Sometimes, Stephanie Raskin smokes marijuana to stop thinking about suicide. Diagnosed with bipolar disorder and depression, she remains stable through a blend of prescription pills that must be constantly tweaked to match her body chemistry. When the pharmaceuticals fall short, she supplements her treatment with medical marijuana. But her hometown, Rancho Cordova, bans dispensaries. And the closest one is 11 miles away. "It's frustrating," she said. "Especially with my condition, I get debilitatingly depressed to the point where everything is a monumental task. I only smoke because my depression can cause suicidal thoughts. And sativa can keep me from reaching those depths. I'm not one of those sit-on-the-couch stoners." [continues 781 words]
So did the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency finally make a decision? B.A. "Ted" Breath Meh. They did, but it's pretty much the same old song, although they did make a small change. In case you missed it: Last week, the DEA decided not to change cannabis' Schedule I status, meaning that the DEA still considers cannabis to be of no medical use and to be highly addictive, like GHB or heroin. Go figure. I talked about some of the reasons why the DEA probably wouldn't change their position on pot in the column before this one (see "Overscheduled," August 11). I had thought they would have tried to stall for a while longer, but they didn't. Maybe they should have. [continues 366 words]
Wasn't the DEA supposed to have released its decision on rescheduling cannabis by now? - -John E. Law Of course it was, and of course it hasn't. Word was that the Drug Enforcement Administration was in talks to bump cannabis to Schedule 2 within the first half of 2016. Do you know how hard it is for government agencies to admit they've made a mistake? Currently, marijuana is classified as a Schedule I drug, meaning it supposedly has no medicinal value and has a high risk for abuse. You know, like other Schedule I drugs such as heroin or LSD. [continues 458 words]
What kind of pot should I smoke if I want to be social at a party? - -Wanda Wallflower Good question. Different kinds of weed can definitely make you feel a certain way. Most indicas will give you the quiet introverted couch lock in a hurry. I have definitely killed a party or two with a fat indica joint (usually the Granddaddy Purple). Also, be careful with concentrates and hashes. More than one person has dabbed into oblivion and sat in a corner at the party, staring into space and thinking their own thoughts. [continues 399 words]
I am a 37-year-old mom that suffers from bipolar and major depressive disorder. I am on prescription meds but they don't always work. Sometimes the only thing that will pull me out of a deep, suicidal depression is smoking a pure sativa strain of medical marijuana. I have my recommendation from a doctor and am able to obtain it from dispensaries. However, I live in Rancho Cordova and have realized there are zero dispensaries to be found in my city. City council has deemed that medical marijuana dispensaries are "a public nuisance in that many violent crimes have been committed that can be traced back to the proliferation of marijuana dispensaries, including armed robberies and murders." I did some minor fact checking and found that this simply is not true. ... Are you able to steer me in the right direction of whom to talk to or how to go about getting a city council to change an ordinance? [continues 369 words]
Would my medical marijuana recommendation be legal in other states that also honor recommendations? - -Dee Starr Generally, it depends on the state. Michigan and Maine will welcome anyone with a medical cannabis card to visit their dispensaries. However, states like Arizona will allow you to legally possess cannabis if you have an out-of-state letter, but they won't let you buy cannabis. Nevada is supposed to honor your letter, but the cops that wrote me up in 2015 didn't see my valid letter of recommendation as a legal defense allowing me to have marijuana in my possession. [continues 404 words]
California's Legalization Initiative Sets Possible Deadline for City to Reconsider Marijuana Stance Rancho Cordova is still saying no to marijuana dispensaries-and the tax dollars generated by their sales. At the July 5 city council meeting, City Attorney Adam Lindgren submitted a report detailing "significant tax revenue" to elected officials who listened politely then decided to uphold their current prohibition, citing concerns with violating federal law and the drug's increased potency in recent years. The issue arose anew because of the Adult Use of Marijuana Act, which will come before California voters in November. If approved, the initiative would allow adults to possess up to 28.5 grams of marijuana for recreational use, and would place a 15 percent tax on the gross receipts of any retail sale, in addition to any other taxes levied by city and county governments. [continues 203 words]
Hey I heard some folks in Colorado were trying to change their pot laws. Can I get an update? - -Pueblo Boulder There were a few concern trolls, calling themselves the Healthy Colorado Coalition, that wanted to put an initiative on the ballot that would do a few things, but the biggest issue was an attempt to keep THC levels in commercial cannabis below 16 percent. This is one of the dumbest ideas ever. Consider this: Most commercially grown cannabis comes in between 15 and 19 percent THC. Some strains get into the low 20s and a rare few will hit 25 percent. Mandating superlow THC content would be like telling boozers that they could only have 3.2 percent alcohol-by-volume beer, none of this crazy 6 percent or 9 percent ABV barley wine. And no hard liquor. [continues 414 words]
I hear the AUMA has made it to the ballot. Which way are you leaning? - -Imonda Phince The Adult Use of Marijuana Act has indeed made it to the ballot. California voters will get a chance to join states like Oregon, Washington, Colorado and Alaska by legalizing recreational marijuana use for adults. Other states with adult-use initiatives on the ballot this year are Maine, Massachusetts and Nevada. I am going to support AUMA and do all that I can to get this initiative passed. It isn't perfect, but it's really, really good, and it's high time for California to retake its proper place as a leader in the recreational cannabis industry. I have traveled extensively through Washington, Oregon and Colorado, and I have to tell you that the freedom (and the money) that comes with cannabis legalization is incredible. And dig this: If the AUMA does pass, it doesn't mean that our jobs as activists are done. The AUMA is just a step. A big step, but there will be things we need to change, and we will need pot activists to stay involved. [continues 310 words]
Any thoughts about the possibility of California going recreational? Or corporations like Microsoft getting in the game? - -AG916 Microsoft is in the game. They just announced a partnership with marijuana "seed-to-sale" data management company Kind. There are already a few companies (like MJ Freeway) that offer this service, but Microsoft is the first big corporation to enter the market by allowing the company access to its specialized cloud services, if you don't count Facebook's support of the 420-friendly social app MassRoots. [continues 453 words]
Hey, what's all this about a company in Santa Rosa getting raided? I thought raids were a thing of the past? - -Lou Kout Sigh. You heard right. The CBD Guild (the company behind the brands Absolute Xtracts and Care By Design pills and tinctures) in Santa Rosa, was raided last week. According to reports, a disgruntled former employee went to the police and accused CBD Guild of making butane hash oil and concentrates. Using butane or other volatile solvent to make hash is illegal in California, although possessing or selling butane extracted marijuana concentrates is not illegal. [continues 423 words]
My wife and I both have medical cannabis cards. If we are flying within California, shouldn't we be OK to carry cannabis and our vape with us in our carry-on or in our checked baggage? The answer is: Yes! As long are you stay in Cali, you are all good! Bring a copy of your letter of recommendation with you and you should have no problems. If you are really worried about it, don't bring anything and take advantage of all the nice dispensaries and delivery services from wherever you are. I bet you could even plan a vacation around different cannabis dispensaries. Someone should start a weed tour. Have a fun trip! [continues 366 words]
I was wondering: Since you have your face on a brand of weed, do you think celebrity endorsements influence youths' perception of weed? Since you're a comic for adults maybe it doesn't apply in your case, but I was still curious. - -E. I'm sure it does. I mean, that's kind of the point of a celebrity endorsement, right? Influencing people is the goal. Paris Hilton wants you to buy her perfume. Steph Curry wants you to drink Brita-filtered water. Tommy Chong wants you to smoke his weed. Nas wants you to drink Hennessy. This is America. We sell things. Commercials are abundant. Parents should be teaching their kids about the persuasiveness and perniciousness of advertising by the time their children are old enough to eat a Happy MealTM. [continues 326 words]
Can we put the genie back in the bottle? The news was grim. "I received a call that people were pouring into the emergency room dead on arrival after taking counterfeit Norco laced with fentanyl," Sacramento County Public Health Officer Dr. Olivia Kasirye told health professionals gathered at the Prescription Drug Awareness Conference held at Sacramento State University on May 20. Trying desperately to prevent additional deaths, Kasirye says she went into overdrive to get the word out about this dangerous batch of fake Norco. Norco is a prescription painkiller, but this batch contained fentanyl, a powerful painkiller hundreds of times stronger than heroin. [continues 652 words]
Can I get an update on the Legislature? They seem to be hella busy lately. - -Eric You are correct. The Legislature has been working hella hard to get a bunch of bills out of suspense. A bill being held "in suspense"? They make it sounds so ... suspenseful. "What's gonna happen? Who knows? We will let you know right after this commercial." Anyway, there were a bunch of bills about marijuana in the suspense file. Which bills lived and which bills died? I have a list of winners: [continues 404 words]
Why does cannabis keep getting stronger? My tolerance isn't keeping up. - -O.G. Lyte-Waithe Eh. Who knows? It's probably because growing techniques get better and better every year, and Americans love to have the "biggest" and "the most." While most cannabis plants will contain 15 to 18 percent THC, it isn't unheard of for some growers to produce plants that have more than 20 percent THC. Last year at the High Times Cup in Denver, one strain clocked in with an amazing 31.2 percent THC. Talk about a one-hitter quitter. But here's the thing: THC is cool and all, but THC content alone does not indicate a quality cannabis strain. [continues 394 words]
What's the right way to get crossfaded? My buddy who's just getting into it won't stop puking on my carpet. - -Amy Choor This is the best question I have received in a looooong time. Thank you. Getting "crossfaded" (being high on weed and drunk on booze at the same time) can be hella fun. The challenge is finding the right balance of booze and buds to keep it enjoyable and vomit-free. Moderation is the first part. There is no reason to smoke all the weed and drink all the booze. A shot or two of this, a dab or two of that and you should be well on your way to finding a happy medium. But I think the most important part is in what order you ingest your intoxicants. My research and experience have led me to understand that getting stoned before you get your drink on is the best way to avoid the spins and the hurls. Just say this to yourself before you start your adventure: [continues 333 words]
Re "Baby steps" by Ngaio Bealum (SN&R The 420, May 12): Ngaio, you say "I'm not sure this initiative will pass. All the growers I know hate this measure. ... There is no reason for a grower in Fresno or Calaveras or any city that allows cannabis cultivation to support this measure." They only hate it because they have been taking advantage of either the black market or the now-absurd "medical excuse" marijuana system, MEMS. MEMS gives them quasi-monopolies and outrageously high prices. Neither of these artificial systems could last and they only exist on the massive suffering from the government persecution of marijuana consumers. "It does nothing to help the folks that need it most. ... Without the support of the growers and the hardcore activists, AUMA proponents will have to appeal to the squares." [continues 131 words]
