Schedule 1 Status Hurts Patients Like My Dad
Written By Melanie Rizzo
At first, my dad was wholly against trying any cannabis products. However, his pain continued, as did his refusal to take any narcotic pain relievers. He started low and slow and worked his way up to a full 10mg. His mood lifted, and best of all, he was eating and sleeping soundly.
This progress came to a screeching halt when he was hospitalized for the treatment of his leukemia. A broken, overregulated system prevents patients from receiving their medical cannabis as part of their treatment regimen at most hospitals. Doctors can be prosecuted for prescribing cannabis to their patients because of the plant’s Schedule 1 status.
The possibility for cannabis to aid those suffering from a multitude of ills is still not fully understood, but when our loved ones are benefiting from the use of a harmless, natural herb like cannabis, it’s nearly unfathomable to believe that this plant has been cursed by our government for nearly 100 years.
How on earth is it possible that we regularly ingest toxic substances in our food, in our water, and in our pharmaceuticals, but a friendly green plant is vilified? It makes you wonder – how many nefarious things are going on behind the scenes, unbeknownst to the majority of us?
Women Are Now Networking Over Blunts & Brunch: Next stop - Vegas!
Written By Lindsey Gunter
Would you know if a woman smoked cannabis by looking at her? This is what’s hard for brands and companies to connect with in cannabis when it comes to marketing toward women.
What better way to begin building awareness as well as connection to this vast and unfamiliar assortment of women than a woman-focused event? One with “activations” and more, within which women can explore and converse! Cannabis is still a very male-dominated industry, women sticking together in cannabis will inspire women to stand together more in general - Events are a great way to accomplish this.
When it comes to this niche, Adelia Carrillo (CMO/Co-Founder of “EventHi”) and “The Marijuana Momma” Parisa Mansouri-Rad’s “Blunt Brunch” has grown to become one of the nation’s best places for women in cannabis to network and empower one another. 2022 has been a great year, as Blunt Brunch has successfully put on events in multiple cities including Chicago, Los Angeles, San Diego, Phoenix, and, coming up - Las Vegas!
The Stigmatization of Cannabis Is Still Alive and Well in California
Written By Dan Wittmers
Consuming cannabis is so far outside their definition of personal preference that maternity patients are forced to sign a physical document before delivery demanding they “do not trust anyone who is using marijuana to care for [their] child.”
This extremist document was presented to us as an agreement that “just states you won’t bring cannabis in the hospital or use it while you’re on-site.” It should be noted that they did not take the time to discuss with us the effects of drinking alcohol, smoking tobacco, or taking opioids while breastfeeding, nor did they present to us any similar documentation regarding those drugs and their potential effects on parenting an infant. Likewise, when they prescribed my wife fentanyl for her discomfort because it wasn’t yet time for an epidural, there was no discussion about its potential effects on the baby still in her womb.
Introducing: The Naive Newbie
Written By Blue Amnesia
My actual stoner birthday wasn’t until I was, well, I don’t remember. I want to say that I was 25, but I honestly can’t recall. I’ll tell you later why I’m named Amnesia. What I can recall was the exact experience I had with it, though. Every moment. Every feeling. I treasure that memory because it was the beginning of Blue Amnesia. Not in a literal sense, but that was the night that my pretty little healing seed was planted!
Cannabis Advocates and Professionals react to President Biden’s Statements Regarding Federal Marijuana Reform
Written By Bri Smith
The dust is settling from the news of last week’s announcement from President Biden regarding federal marijuana reform. For many Americans - especially cannabis advocates - it was a historic moment. However, his announcement fell short of what so many felt could have been truly beneficial for so many Americans still serving unfair sentences for nonviolent cannabis charges.
As could be expected, cannabis industry professionals and advocates had a lot to say about the statements. Some celebrated the effort, while others met it with harsh criticism for not being impactful enough. We’ve collected the statements and reactions, ranging from joy to frustration, of 30 cannabis industry professionals.
Invitation Only
Written By Blue Amnesia
I guess most people would consider me a loner, but I always viewed myself as diverse. I connected with people on a direct level, but was never really invited to the group events. People connected with me when they were pulled away from their cliques, but as soon as the group was together, I was back to feeling like an outcast, even if the entire group connected with me on a one-on-one basis.
Does this speak to the reality of the cannabis space? Abso-freaking-lutely! We won’t discuss the internal war between Big Pharm Cannabis and Legacy Cannabis right now, but let’s discuss, for a moment, the invitation only mindset that each one has. It seems that as soon as you’ve had any sort of interaction with one or the other you are instantly thrust into that clique, with or without your consent.
Recreational Medicine: Rethinking Cannabis in the Age of Legalization
Written By Benjamin Gold
Cannabis usage continues to grow in the United States, but our framing of it remains archaic, reflecting a non-existent binary that cannabis is either medicinal or recreational. Yet, the truth is that as more Americans use cannabis, they are discovering that its recreational benefits are just as important as the medicinal.
Today, while the fight for cannabis takes place across the U.S, we can do our part by shaking off the notion that cannabis can only be either recreational or medicinal. Instead, we must promote it as the plant that can elevate all aspects of life.
Useless Stigma
Written by Natalie Goldberg
I remember when Mom found my secret stash of weed. It was seven years ago and I was just divorced, so I had moved back in with Mom. One day, I found my glass bong out of his bubble-wrap protector, with my zip-lock bag of mystery-strain weed thrown about on the bed. I now understood why she ignored me upon my arrival home that day. How could she still be this judgmental?
A Bud to Pick with the Daily Trojan
Written By: Julianna Montano
It is always a positive to see more conversations about cannabis taking place at USC’s campus. I appreciate our esteemed publication, the Daily Trojan, for granting the real estate on their platform for such discourse. However, a recently published article entitled, “Summer is the time to abstain from smoking weed,” paints an unfair picture of cannabis consumption for our university’s community.