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July 2018

Mind KEY / 2018 / July

Understanding Cannabis: This issue’s TOC

By The Mind Key Community   The literature discussing cannabis use, contemporary cannabis issues, and legalization is vast. Cannabis isn’t just about lifestyle. It has become a public health and human rights concern. Regardless of your feelings on the issue, being up-to-date on the changes in laws and regulations is an important element of our changing legal landscape. Regulating medical marijuana Medical professionals have varied opinions on medical marijuana. This complicates the debate as a whole, especially when it comes to legalizing medically. On one side of the debate, Dr. Stuart Gitlow, MD, MPH, MBA, an instructor at Mt. Sinai School of Medicine, is quoted as stating that there is “no such thing as medical marijuana.” Gitlow further argues that there are “already existing medications—safe medications—demonstrated to have value.” Finding...

industrial hemp farming and industrial cannabis are changing the landscape of American cannabis

CBD Oil and Farming–A new wave of cannabis-inspired agriculture

by Daniel Downing Marijuana isn’t just for smoking anymore. With industrial cannabis on the rise, it is time to better understand industrial hemp uses. The decision to buy industrial hemp and industrial cannabis affects US farming. Industrial Hemp Farming promises to play a big role in the future of the cannabis industry. The Hemp Industries Association, a membership-based non-profit trade group, whose purpose is to educate the market and advance the hemp economy is one such resource for understanding the changing cannabis laws. Still, the legality of cannabis can be tricky. In this article, Mind Key has tried to distill new and existing laws to better understand the industrial hemp plant as a whole. Here is what we currently know about what we can and cannot...

Recreational cannabis legal minefields are due to the many issues with marijuana as a possible legal substance.

Your rights as a recreational cannabis user

By Joseph Gonzalez Be on the lookout‒‒recreational cannabis might be coming to your state soon. There are a great many proponents of legalization. That being said, recreational cannabis legal minefields can make it difficult for users to understand what is legal‒‒and what isn’t. A poll done by Marist College showed that more than half of Americans 18 or older have tried marijuana, and almost a quarter of America’s adults currently use it. As medical marijuana is making strides in America, recreational marijuana is right behind it in terms of progression, even if the movement has had slower traction.   Slow, but sure progress As of the date of this publication, Statista, a source for statistics, reports that only nine states along with Washington D.C. have legalized the substance for...

Cannabis' intellectual creativity capacity is being shown in recent research.

Cannabis and Creativity: Using your whole brain

By Marla Funez   Creativity is not just creation, but the ability to see many solutions to a problem. Current research indicates cannabis' capacity to strengthen our intellectual creativity and ability to think freely.   Where is creativity in the brain? A common misconception of creativity is where it comes from. Many people think those who are "left-brained" have a linear thought process and use more logic, while the "right-brained" are creative and more inclined to use their feelings. The assumption is that people who use more of the left hemisphere of their brain are not as creative as people use more of the right hemisphere of their brain. This is a misconception because, as sports psychology writer Christopher Bergland explains in an article for Psychology Today, creativity comes from...

Holistic healthcare considers cannabis in this personal healing account.

Healing with Compassion: A caregiver’s experience

Compassionate healthcare considers cannabis use for patients as a way to heal with dignity. Cris McCullough, MA, is a Holistic Counselor with a practice in Portsmouth, RI. This personal account tells of her first-hand experience with medical marijuana in Rhode Island as a caregiver of a cancer patient who was rapidly losing weight due to aggressive treatment.   By Cris McCullough, MA, Holistic Counselor   It was with some anticipation that we entered a new world together, my BFF of 60 years and myself. As we crossed the threshold of the Greenleaf Compassion Center, we didn’t exactly know what to expect. I had known Marcia since college. She was the maid of honor at my wedding, and godmother to my daughter. We had been through a lot together over...

Medicinal cannabis users: Know your rights

By Joseph Gonzalez   Lawmakers and cannabis users making strides toward legalization have taken charge of the medical marijuana debate. In an ever-changing America, it can be difficult to keep up with the constantly-changing law. A substance that used to be outright banned throughout the U.S., this Schedule I substance is now widely being considered for its medical uses.   The legality of medical marijuana With Proposition 215, California, in 1996, became the first state to legalize medical marijuana. As of the date of this publication, the National Conference of State Legislature reports that a total of 30 states, plus the District of Columbia, have followed suit, legalizing marijuana for medical use. Twenty-two of these states, plus Washington D.C., have policies that have decriminalized possession of small amounts of the substance,...

Cannabis research shows CBD aids athletic recovery, performance, and training.

Athletic lifestyle: How cannabis can benefit your training

By Kevin Hall Athletes come in all shapes and sizes and are concerned with all manner of endeavors. Many feel the demands of focus, rest and recovery, much as we all do. Without the exertion and discipline of an athlete, however, we may not be as self-aware of these needs. New evidence is showing that cannabinoidiol (CBD) aids athletic recovery and training in different doses and combinations.   Be aware, however, that when using THC, the psychoactive contribution of the plant, how you respond is very individual, and so no good dosing guidelines exist.   Cannabis to get focused with training Before, and leading up to the actual competition, athletes tend to need to find focus.  This takes CBD and, perhaps, THC combined. Many guides, such as this article on...

Savor cannabis moderately and take care of yourself with balance and harmony in all things.

Moderation is key: Enjoying marijuana without overdoing it

By Joseph Gonzalez   Marijuana can be something anyone can enjoy, though it certainly isn’t for everyone. Just like anything else you put in your body, you must learn to savor cannabis moderately. Those who are fond of it can use it for a variety of reasons. Personally, though, this substance brought me closer together with many of the friends I have today. Whenever there was an acquaintance I thought I had nothing in common with, smoking ended up being the one thing we could indulge in together. And this was all that was needed for us to be able to open up to each other. It was a simple, yet effective way to make new friends.   Moderation is key As with anything enjoyable, moderation is key. Too much of a...

Cannabis studies substantiate scientific claims that addiction recovery can be aided by marijuana strains.

Overcome addiction with cannabis?

By Oneyda Salazar   Everywhere you turn, there is a new cannabis study in the news, but did you know that recent cannabis studies substantiate scientific claims that various forms of cannabis are useful in overcoming addiction? When the Marihuana Tax Act of 1937 was implemented, doctors and pharmacists had already been prescribing cannabis to patients—particularly those addicted to opioids. Since then, marijuana has been reclassified by the DEA as a Schedule I substance. This classification indicates no known medical usage, and places marijuana it in the same category as ecstasy and heroin, the very drugs it was originally used to help alleviate addictions from.   The US opioid problem According to a recent press release from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), “Each day, according to the...

The chemistry behind cannabis: An overview

Understanding and researching cannabis’ chemical breakdown and structure is important to comprehending the overall cannabis debate. What exactly is cannabis? What is its chemical makeup? What’s the difference between the terms, marijuana, hemp, THC and CBD? Are they all names for the same thing? How does this psychoactive drug offer medical relief? What parts of the plant are used, and what properties do they have? What are the plant’s chemical constituents and how do they work within the body? To answer all of these questions would take a series of books, never mind a series of articles. However, Mind Key correspondent, Joey Morelli, attempts to give an overview of this complex, and often misunderstood plant, and how it works.   By Joey Morelli   The historical use of cannabis Cannabis...

endocannabinoid research expanded in the 1960s, allowing for a greater understanding of how our bodies use cannabis products for health.

Understanding the endocannabinoid system

By Dawn Goodman   Only since the 1960s has endocannabinoid research expanded and started to uncover cannabis' role in health and disease. However, the analgesic and healing properties of cannabis have been recognized for many years—in the 1800s doctors in Ireland and the U.S. prescribed it regularly for pain, even to nursing mothers. Cannabis has been cultivated by humans because of its versatile uses as industrial textile fiber, a narcotic and psychoactive agent. The plant has two identified subspecies: Cannabis indica and Cannabis sativa, although studies show there is debate among scientists about the current usage of these terms. Today the plant is mainly cultivated by humans, so crossover is common. Selective breeding to make its effects more potent has altered the original plant.   How cannabis interacts...

America’s soil: A brief history of cannabis production in the US

By Daniel Hollingworth, with Dawn Goodman   To understand the complex relationship between Americans and cannabis, it is important to investigate and survey traditional American cannabis products and history. Not just in the U.S., but all over the world, the use and cultivation of the hemp plant, or Cannabis, commonly known as marijuana, is evidenced throughout the ages. Some sources date back 25-30,000 years. To trace the entire history of the plant would be a Herculean task. However, we hope to offer some insight into this plant’s role throughout humankind.   What is cannabis? Cannabis is believed to be native to Asia, and is one of humankind’s oldest agricultural crops. It has been found in doctors’ and herbalists’ medicine cabinets for thousands of years. According to "The Health Effects of Cannabis...

Welcome the joyfully healing July days and experience the richness of summer’s power.

July Astrological report: The slow burn of a summer month

By Seshat Clairvoyant   This is a month of intense energy shifts, but it is also a time of lazy summer days, so get set for a joyfully healing July.   Retrogrades abound in the joyfully healing July sun Last month we had two more planets go into retrograde, and this month Mercury joins in on the fun. The good news is that at least Jupiter will be stationing direct this month since going into retrograde back in March. Jupiter will finally finish its deep introspection in Pluto on July 10. Visiting Pluto was a very reflective mode of deep soul healing. The shift in energy will be felt, as with it will come some shocking news. Past traumas will be healed, past wounds will be sealed,and optimism will shine through.   New...

This month, Mind Key will be discussing the multifarious cannabis uses currently in practice, while trying to understand the many facets of use, misuse and abuse, laws, and the history of this drug.

Former gateway drug turns medicinal: An introduction to cannabis use

By Danielle Rose Once considered the “gateway drug,” cannabis has now taken on a new definition of health and wellness, and Mind Key is excited to discuss the multifarious cannabis uses currently in practice. We will delve into many questions regarding its uses and history. For example, is cannabis’ evolving definition accurate? If so, what has become of the multitude of claims that marijuana is dangerous? What are the benefits of cannabis? The downfalls? Is it really any better than other medicinal options out there? To clarify, cannabis is the Latin or scientific name for the plant commonly known as marijuana. Marijuana generally refers to the flowers or buds—the part of the plant that contains the psychoactive component, THC (tetrahydrocannabinol). Hemp is the fibrous part...

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