New York State Gearing Up to Offer Medical Marijuana to Hospital Patients

On June 5^th of this year, New York state created a deadline for applications to produce and distribute medical marijuana. The State Health Department can only approve of five applicants. Greater New York Hospital Association (GNYHA Ventures) has reported that they have applied for one such license. North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System announced their application as well.

North Shore-LIJHS has partnered up with Silverpeak Apothecary (a medical marijuana company in Colorado) for their license. Michael Dowling, CEO of North Shore, stated that “the importance of our patients having access to every legal option to manage the symptoms of their illness, if there is clinical evidence to support marijuana’s use for the condition.”

Other academic medical facilities have showed interest in partnerships with license holders. The University of Rochester Medical Center and Mount Sinai Health System in Manhattan both expressed interest in working with medical marijuana. Health insurance does not currently cover medical marijuana. Having access to the production and distribution of medical marijuana allows medial facilities to research the drug for treatments while providing access to their patients. Medical marijuana could be available to New York hospital patients as early as January 2016.

Source:

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/06/nyregion/hospitals-back-providers-applying-for-new-york-state-marijuana-licenses.html?_r=0

Casa Luna CBD Edibles

Casa Luna Edibles

There is nothing better than nourishing your body while indulging in delight! Casa Luna handcrafts their chocolate bars with quality ingredients, infusing their treats with anti-oxidants to boost your health. They are also unique as they add cannabidiol (CBD) so patients can doubly enjoy their medicine.

Casa Luna controls every aspect of production, from the cocoa bean seed to the final product. The chocolate is 100% organic and made with kosher certified ingredients. Grown on family-owned small farms, the cocoa bean goes through a process of fermenting, drying, and roasting to release the chocolate’s flavors.

A wide assortment of Casa Luna chocolate bars are available at Outliers Collective. Super foods (such as Goji Berries, Maca, and Pomegranate) are infused in the chocolate for an added health boost. Vegan and sugar free chocolate is also available.

Alta California Botanicals

Alta California Botanicals

Outliers Collective carries Alta California Botanicals in El Cajon, San Diego. Alta products are 100% organic cannabis tinctures made for specific treatments. They use primarily cannabinoids CBD, THC, and THCa to give different beneficial effects to their medicine.

Based in San Francisco, Alta uses legally grown marijuana to make Cannabis-Based Medical Extracts (CBME). Quality standards and hygienic practices result in their products being consistent and safe. Alta California Botanicals is an all-natural remedy without negative side effects.

Members at OUTCO can benefit from Alta's various tinctures. The Pain Relief Tincture has a high concentration of THCa. When not heated, it can provide pain relief without a psycho-active effect. The Anxiety Relief Tincture is formulated with CBD to offer the maximum in healing properties. Alta's Stress Relief Tincture is a psycho-active treatment that allows for a euphoric feeling and should be used at the end of the day.

Dr. Daniele Piomelli

Dr. Piomelli is a professor of Anatomy & Neurobiology at the University of California, Irvine. He runs the Piomelli lab which researches the messenger molecules that affect the function of the brain and organs. His goal is to understand how we experience pain, feel anxious, crave food, our sleep patterns, and inflammation as a result of brain signaling. Dr. Piomelli's research has led him to become an advocate for the use of medical marijuana.

Mapping the brain’s signaling has led Piomelli's research to focus on the endocannabinoid system. Our bodies naturally produce cannabinoids that work with the endocannabinoid system in order to regulate the messenger system in our body. Cannabis has cannabinoids that attach to the same cell receptors, resulting in similar effects. By increasing or decreasing the endocannabinoid system, Piomelli is discovering ways to treat pain, depression, and inflammation with the use of marijuana. His results have proven to be more effective with fewer negative effects than current prescription drug medication.

Piomelli comes from Naples, Italy; there his family owned a pharmacy for over 400 years. Keeping with his family tradition, Piomelli has taken pharmacology further in the search for new drugs. Piomelli states, "The study of the body's cannabinoid system is relatively young, scientifically speaking, but it's presenting promising opportunities for drug discovery... I feel we're on the forefront of a new frontier." Piomelli has been studying the endocannabinoid system since its discovery in the late 1980's.

In the 1990's, Piomelli published research in the scientific journal Nature which discussed how the endocannabinoid compound ‘anandamide’ is created. This “bliss molecule” triggers behavior with appetite, motivation, and pleasure. Piomelli found that it helps patients cope with stress and depression.

Piomelli advocates for the use of marijuana for medical purposes. He has also lamented the struggle he’s faced while researching marijuana due to its Schedule I drug classification. Piomelli states that cannabis can be difficult to dose correctly in its natural state as each flower has a different potency. Despite these hurdles, he still finds marijuana to be a powerful drug, meant to treat many conditions.

Source:

http://www.pharmacology.uci.edu/research/labs/piomelli.asp

https://www.som.uci.edu/features/feature-piomelli-05152012.asp

Groundbreaking Bill to Allow Veterans Access to Medical Marijuana

On May 21, 2015, a historic vote passed, allowing veterans access to medical marijuana. The Veterans Equal Access Amendment, which succeeded with a vote of 18 to 12 by the Senate Appropriations Committee, is the first positive legislation regarding access to marijuana granted by the U.S. Senate.

States that have passed medical marijuana rights will be allowed to utilize this ruling. Veteran Administration (VA) doctors now will be able to recommend medical marijuana. The Veterans Equal Access Amendment was sponsored by Senator Steve Daines (Rep) and Senator Jeff Merkley (Dem).

Medical Marijuana has shown to treat multiple conditions faced by veterans. Depression, PTSD, anxiety, and chronic pain are a few diseases for which veterans have sought access to medical marijuana. It is estimated that every 22 minutes, a veteran takes their own life.(Source) A study published in 2014 concluded that PTSD patients who used marijuana showed a 75% reduction in symptoms.(Source) Veterans see this as a positive step in restoring first amendment rights.(Source)

Source:

http://www.drugpolicy.org/news/2015/05/historic-vote-senate-appropriations-committee-approves-veterans-medical-marijuana-amend

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24830188

A New DEA Lead Holds Promise for Marijuana

Chuck Rosenberg was appointed as the new DEA’s administrator this month. He is quoted as saying that he will spend less time and money restricting marijuana access. His efforts are reported to focus more on heroin and harder drugs. (Source)

A public scandal has led to a change in leadership of the Drug Enforcement Agency. Former DEA Administrator Michele Leonhart stepped down after DEA was found hiring prostitutes and leaving a man in jail without food or water for five days. The Obama administration chose Chuck Rosenberg, former chief of staff to FBI Director James B. Comey.

Many advocates for marijuana are cautiously optimistic of the DEA power shift. The past administrator, Leonhart, enforced the restriction of marijuana. President Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder have played a hands-off role in regards to marijuana enforcement. Chuck Rosenberg shows promise on working together with the Obama administration in order to allow the states to regulate marijuana.

Source:

https://www.leafly.com/news/headlines/new-chief-of-the-dea-vows-to-focus-less-on-cannabis

Montel Williams Supports Medical Marijuana

Television personality Montel Williams has many reasons to support medical marijuana use. With past military service, Williams is an advocate for Veterans for Medical Cannabis Access. (Source) He's a spokesman for the Partnership for Prescription Assistance (PPA) which emphasizes the desire for access to medication to all. Montel Williams also suffers from multiple sclerosis and uses medical marijuana for treatment.

In 2011, Montel Williams helped start a marijuana dispensary in Sacramento, California. He advocates for regulation, quality, and safe dispensary of medical marijuana. His efforts focus on people who medically need cannabis, not those who use marijuana for recreational use.(Source)

Montel Williams was a daytime talk-show host for seventeen years but his advocacy for medical marijuana did not begin until after the show. He was arrested in 2011 for possession of marijuana and subsequently released. He recognizes marijuana as an integral part to his treatment for multiple sclerosis:

"For immediate cessation I smoke it," Williams says. "Most of the time I eat it at night because I suffer from extreme tremors in the evening and I also suffer from extreme neuralgic pain in my feet. If I eat it in the evening it takes [the pain] from a six to about a three. When I pop out of bed, I'm normally at my best, so that's when I work out and I try to get as much work done early in the day. As I get later on in the day, my feet start to go on fire. When they start to hit the fire mark I'm easing my pain, it's just that simple. I've been speaking to politicians all around the country and all around the world on this issue and you'd be surprised that more people understand and back it and believe in it." (Source)

Source:

http://www.veteransformedicalmarijuana.org/endorsement/montel-williams

http://www.thefix.com/content/montels-high-marijuana-12600

http://www.celebstoner.com/celebstoners/profile/montel-williams/

The NIDA has Changed to a Pro-Pot Position

In the last 6 months the National Institute of Drug Abuse has changed their position on medical marijuana. On December 16^th, 2014 a report was released by the NIDA that led to their change in opinion. The results showed that acceptance and use of marijuana has gone up dramatically while illicit drugs and alcohol abuse has been reduced.(Source)

In July 2012 NIDA stated:

“The use of marijuana to treat various medical conditions—or “medical marijuana”—is a controversial topic and has been for some time. Some people have argued that marijuana’s reported beneficial effects on a variety of symptoms justify its legalization as a medicine for certain patients. Often the potential harm of marijuana use is not considered in these arguments, although risk is part of what the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) assesses when deciding whether to approve a medicine.”

A dramatic shift on how NIDA views marijuana was revised in December 2014:

“The marijuana plant contains several chemicals that may prove useful for treating a range of illnesses or symptoms, leading many people to argue that it should be made legally available for medical purposes. In fact, a growing number of states (20 as of March 2014) have legalized marijuana’s use for certain medical conditions.

The term “medical marijuana” is generally used to refer to the whole unprocessed marijuana plant or its crude extracts, which are not recognized or approved as medicine by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). But scientific study of the active chemicals in marijuana, called cannabinoids, has led to the development of two FDA-approved medications already, and is leading to the development of new pharmaceuticals that harness the therapeutic benefits of cannabinoids while minimizing or eliminating the harmful side effects (including the “high”) produced by eating or smoking marijuana leaves.”(Source)

This ideology shift has led to recent movements by the government for research and public access to marijuana. On March 10, 2015 the CARERS Act was introduced to downgrade marijuana to a schedule II drug. This bill would remove cannabidiol from the Controlled Substance Act allowing for intrastate sales.

Source:

http://www.collective-evolution.com/2015/04/15/the-us-finally-admits-cannabis-kills-cancer-cells/

http://www.drugabuse.gov/related-topics/trends-statistics/monitoring-future

http://animalnewyork.com/2015/federal-health-agency-greenlights-medical-weed/

What do Playboy and the Legalization of Marijuana have in Common?

The Playboy Company established the Playboy Foundation in 1965. Their mission was to give grants to groups supporting first amendment rights. The main agenda was fighting censorship and exploring human sexuality.

In 1970, NORML was founded by Keith Stroup from the Playboy Foundation. NORML stands for National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. NORML became a non-profit organization that based itself in Washington D.C.

Since the 70's, NORML has been at the forefront in changing the public opinion for legalizing marijuana. Stroup stated:

“It is truly the beginning of the end, and I am thrilled to have lived long enough to experience this. We now have members of Congress who formerly would not even take our phone calls now calling our office to ask for our help drafting marijuana bills, and the positive reaction on the state level is even more pronounced. What seemed politically impossible to elected officials only a few months ago now seems quite achievable.”

The connection to Playboy continued with the establishment of High Times Magazine. In 1974, Tom Forcade thought his magazine "High Times" would be a one-time publication. His goal was to create a parody of Playboy by showing naked marijuana leaves. The first publication sold 550,000 copies becoming a hit. High Times has become one of the most popular marijuana magazines and promotes the legalization of cannabis.

Source:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Organization_for_the_Reform_of_Marijuana_Laws

http://www.alternet.org/drugs/new-norml-looking-back-40-year-crusade-end-marijuana-prohibition

Francis L.Young, DEA Administrative Law Judge

In 1970 marijuana became labeled as a Schedule 1 drug.(Source) In 1988 Francis L Young was the first judge to rule that marijuana should not have this classification. His ruling is consistent to the same effort in 2015 to reform marijuana laws.

In 1972 NORML petitioned the DEA on the ruling of marijuana as a schedule 1 drug. They requested it be reclassified as a schedule 2 drug. Their goal was to allow doctors to prescribe marijuana for therapeutic purposes. The Drug Enforcement Agency then began to stall for fourteen years before reluctantly holding public hearings.

Francis L. Young was one of the two DEA administrative judges chosen to rule on the public hearings. Young was hand picked as a judge for his conservative viewpoint. The judgment was based on 15 days of reviewing hundreds of documents from the DEA/NIDA against the benefits of marijuana. His conclusions came from the research found in the medical community using marijuana for treatments. He stated:

"Marijuana is one of the safest therapeutically active substances known to man...Marijuana has been accepted as capable of relieving distress of great numbers of very ill people, and doing so with safety under medical supervision. It would be unreasonable, arbitrary and capricious for DEA to continue to stand between those sufferers and the benefits of this substance in light of the evidence in this record... The Administrator transfer marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule II, to make it available as a legal medicine."

This monumental ruling was quickly squashed by DEA Director Judge Lawn. The Court of Appeals let Lawns ruling stand to keep cannabis a schedule 1 drug. Each succeeding director has held up this viewpoint for marijuana to be labeled a narcotic with no medicinal value. Judge Francis Young goes down as one of the first government official to acknowledge the beneficial use of medical marijuana.

Source:

http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/library/studies/YOUNG/index.html

http://norml.org/marijuana/medical/item/introduction-7

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legal_history_of_cannabis_in_the_United_States

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Controlled_Substances_Act

Americans for Safe Access

Americans for Safe Access

In 2002 Americans for Safe Access (ASA) was founded to promote the opportunity to use cannabis for research and therapeutic uses. Their focus is on the patients who rely on cannabis as a medication. They advocate for patients civil liberties.

In 2002 the ASA started in California. They joined the AIDS\HIV organizations to help medical cannabis providers protect themselves from federal raids. ASA was an integral part to implementing Proposition 215 in California that gave safe access to medical cannabis. The efforts in California continued to expand to other states and capital hill.

The ASA is a grassroots organization of 50,000 members. Their efforts focus on marijuana regulation as an herbal medicine. Membership allows free legal support from the ASA and discounts from supporting affiliates.

Source:

http://www.safeaccessnow.org/about_asa

Who is NORML?

NORML

Did you know there is a NORML chapter near you? In 1970 National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Law (NORML) established as a non-profit organization in Washington DC. They are an advocacy group that supports the legalization of marijuana. They aid people that have been arrested for possession.

NORML has been effective in reducing penalties for marijuana offenses. Currently they are helping legislatures write bills to give public access to cannabis. Through education, lobbying, and grass-root activists they help to make marijuana accepted by the public. Working on close to a million dollar annual budget they have 135 chapters nationwide. Other countries have started their own NORML organizations for the acceptance of cannabis as well.

NORML has formed a Political Action Committee (PAC) to help change national laws for legalization. They started a new mission in 2014 to set standards in quality business practices in the marijuana industry. They offer a “NORML Preferred Business Partner” badge that dispensaries can display for meeting guidelines to a safe and quality driven establishment.

For many patients the access to quality medical marijuana is crucial for their treatment. NORML allows patients to make a positive contribution to cannabis reform. You can represent NORML and find a chapter by you to volunteer, go to meetings and donate to their cause.

Source:

http://norml.org/about/intro

http://www.cnbc.com/id/36179727

http://norml.org/business

How Marijuana Policy Project Has Helped Legalize Marijuana

Marijuana Policy Project (MMP) is the largest policy reform group in the United States. Co-founders Chuck Thomas, Mike Krishner and Rob Kampia broke off from NORML in 1995 to create MMP. Currently they have 32,000 dues-paying members and a budget of over five million annually. The goal of MMP is to lobby for state/federal laws, decriminalize marijuana and education.

Marijuana Policy Project has been successful on legislation at the state and federal level. They employ two lobbyists in Washington D.C as well as other lobbyists at the state level. MMP was integral in the legalization of marijuana in Colorado in 2012 and Alaska in 2014.

Becoming involved with MMP allows you to be apart of the legal process in making marijuana legal. In the United Sates currently there are more arrests for possession than all violent crimes combined. (Source)

Source:

http://www.mpp.org/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marijuana_Policy_Project

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/apr/2/billionaire-george-soros-turns-cash-into-legalized/?page=all

The Drug Policy Alliance

The Drug Policy Alliance (DPA) is a non-profit organization based in New York City. Their goal is to end the American “War on Drugs” campaign. The goal of the organization is to insure people will be treated with compassion and maintain human rights. They offer education on the misuse of drugs.

Well known journalist Walter Cronkite was a spokesman for the Drug Policy Alliance. He endorsed them through advertisements, publications, and fund raising efforts. Cronkite believed the “War on Drugs” was a financial disaster that led to many ruined lives.

The mission statement for the DPA states:

“The Drug Policy Alliance envisions a just society in which the use and regulation of drugs are grounded in science, compassion, health and human rights, in which people are no longer punished for what they put into their own bodies but only for crimes committed against others, and in which the fears, prejudices and punitive prohibitions of today are no more.

Our mission is to advance those policies and attitudes that best reduce the harms of both drug misuse and drug prohibition, and to promote the sovereignty of individuals over their minds and bodies."

One unique aspect of the DPA is how it has an extensive library in New York called The Lindesmith Library. The Lindesmith Center in 1994 formed to conduct research on drug reform. They conducted NIDA studies on harm reduction and has served as a resource for drug education. In 2000 they merged with the Drug Policy Foundation to become the Drug Policy Alliance.

The DPA help write policies on decriminalizing drug use. The Opioid Overdose Reduction Act of 2014 was supported by the DPA. This Act would allow people to aid in opioid overdose drugs without civil liability. You can donate to the Drug Policy Alliance and help their cause to reform drug legislation in America.

Source:
http://www.markey.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Opiod_ReductionAct_Summary.pdf
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drug_Policy_Alliance
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lindesmith_Center

The ACLU Supports Legalizing Marijuana

The criminal act of possessing marijuana leads to more arrests in America than all violent crimes combined. Blacks are 4 times more likely to be arrested than whites for marijuana possession. White and black people consume marijuana at an equal rate. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) advocates for influencing public policy and defending citizens against unequal liberties. The prohibition of marijuana has resulted in a disparity of arrests and liberties against American citizens.

In 2013 the ACLU released a report called “Marijuana in Black and White”. The report shows that blacks in some regions of the United States are arrested up to fifteen times more than whites. The report also focused on the amount of money wasted on the arrests. A survey found that 9 out of 10 people believe that minor possession of marijuana should not face any jail time.

It is estimated that marijuana arrests cost the taxpayers ten billion dollars annually. In 2010 the minor marijuana possession arrests in New York City alone were $75 million. On an individual level a conviction can lead to a lost job, suspended license and ineligibility for public assistance.

The ACLU supports the legalization of medical marijuana including regulation and taxation. ACLU advocates for legislation like Colorado and Washington to decriminalize marijuana. They support citizens who pose no danger to public safety.

Source:

https://www.aclu.org/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/17/marijuana-possession-arrests_n_2490340.html

Sue Sisley

Suzanne “Sue” Sisley is at the forefront of medical marijuana research. In December 2014 Dr Sisley received a 2 million dollar grant from the Colorado Board of Health to study medical marijuana treatment for veterans with PTSD. Colorado approved $7.6 million in studies for medical marijuana becoming the largest amount granted for cannabis research from any state.

Colorado legislature created the Medical Marijuana Scientific Advisory Council to establish funds for research. This fund reserves money from marijuana sales for researching the effectiveness of marijuana for medical treatment.

Sue Sisley was previously a psychology professor at the University of Arizona. Sisley explained her study: "This is a triple-blind randomized control trial, where we're looking at 80 veterans with treatment-resistant PTSD, which means they have to have failed at least drug therapy or psychotherapy, or both."

Sue Sisley says her first problem for doing this research is procuring cannabidiol rich marijuana. Frustration from regulation has made this hard with cannabis for research only available from the University of Mississippi. Marijuana at this federally funded location does not match the high quality of medication found at local dispensaries.

Sue Sisley is dedicated to finding the benefits of medical marijuana. She states that the approval by the FDA of marijuana as medicine will allow insurance companies to pay for marijuana medications. Sisley goes on to say that grants funded by the government allows for the most unbiased research to show the benefits and risks.

Source:

http://www.dailycamera.com/marijuana/ci_27158147/researcher-sue-sisley-gets-2m-from-state-study-pots

http://www.thecannabist.co/2014/12/29/sue-sisley-op-ed/26029/

Top Doctors who Endorse the Use of Medical Marijuana

The science behind the medical effectiveness of marijuana is substantial.(Source) Marijuana has had more clinical trials to prove the benefits then most FDA approved pharmaceutical drugs.(Source) Top doctors in the United States are endorsing the use of medical marijuana to be legalized and studied further.

Within the last five years three top profile doctors have changed their mind to become pro-legalization of marijuana. Dr. Sanjay Gupta introduced the documentary Weed on CNN to show the benefits of the medicinal use. On Larry King Now Dr. Mehmet Oz said “I think that most of us have come around to the belief that marijuana is hugely beneficial when used correctly for medicinal purposes.” ABC News chief health and medical editor Dr. Richard Besser said “Marijuana is less likely to be addictive, it’s less likely to cause car accidents and birth defects, it’s less likely to cause domestic violence.”(Source)

The new U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy has recently endorsed marijuana for medical use. He is urging for the justice department to reclassify the medicine from a schedule 1 drug. In a recent interview Murthy said "We have some preliminary data showing that for certain medical conditions and symptoms, marijuana can be helpful."(Source) His endorsement has led to two bills in Congress to change marijuana classification.(Source)

Doctor organizations have endorsed the use of medical marijuana. In 2008 the American College of Physicians (ACP) with 124,000 internal medicine doctors endorsed the effectiveness of cannabis.(Source) Just recently the American Academy of Pediatrics changed its view to endorse marijuana for medical use.(Source) Over 60 doctors associations have publicly endorsed the use of marijuana including; American Academy of Family Physicians, American Nurses Association and Kaiser Permanente.(Source)

Source:

http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2015/2/4/top-us-doctor-says-medical-marijuana-may-help-some-conditions.html

http://naturalsociety.com/marijuana-backed-studies-fda-approved-pharma-drugs/

http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2008/feb/21/top_doctors_association_says_yes

http://norml.org/component/zoo/item/quick-reference?category_id=734

http://www.thecannabist.co/2014/05/13/changing-tide-drs-gupta-oz-bessner-changed-minds-medical-pot/11705/

The First Recorded History of Medical Marijuana

Cannabis was first used for rope, textiles and food. Hemp cord pottery was found in modern day Taiwan dating back to 8,000 BC. Humans have existed for 250,000 years. Signs of cultivation has only been dated back to 8,000 BC. In 1977 Carl Sagan stated that marijuana could have possibly been the first agricultural crop of modern civilization. Cannabis used as food dates back to 6,000 BC. Seeds and oil were found in the region of China during this period.(Source)

In 2900BC the legend stated that the first record of marijuana used for medicinal purposes was from Chinese Emperor Fu Hsi. In 2727BC Chinese Emporer Shen Nung (also known as Shennong) recognized marijuana for its healing benefits. China did not have a written system until the Shang Dynasty (1600-1046BC). Any written record of Fu Hsi or Shennong was past down from oral stories and mythology hundreds of years later.

Fu Hsi was the first mythical Chinese Emporer that stated cannabis was a popular medicine that possessed both yin and yang. According to written accounts, Shennong was a mythological figure also known as the Emperor of Five Grains. He is a deity that is accredited discovering agriculture including the invention of the plow, ax and digging wells. Shennong was said to have ingested herbs and record how they reacted to his body including cannabis.(Source)

The first recorded use of cannabis for medicinal use dates back to 1500 BC. The pharmacology book called the Rh-Ya is the first writing that affirms the medicinal properties of cannabis. Fifty years later the Book of Exodus in the Bible was thought to have been written. The scripture (Exodus 30:20-23) describes a holy anointing oil recipe that has Kaneh-bosem. Many historians believe the written term Kaneh-bosem refers to modern day cannabis. This anointed oil had healing properties.(Source)

Source:
http://www.advancedholistichealth.org/history.html
http://www.advancedholistichealth.org/history.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_China
http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/view.timeline.php?timelineID=000026

The Country of Bhutan and Cannabis

The Cannabis plant is so prolific in Bhutan it grows like a weed in the countryside. Nestled in the Himalaya mountains Bhutan flourishes in a sativa type of cannabis called Thimphu. This variation of cannabis is rich in cannabinoids. Traditionally the country people saw no benefit in the plant medicinally and used it as feed for their pigs. They liked the use of cannabis for pigs because it allowed the swine to feed without rapidly getting fat.

The introduction of television was the first sign to the Bhutan people that cannabis was used as an intoxicant. This led to a large increase in youth to start using it as a drug. The new fascination with cannabis did not flourish and usage today is very rare. Historically Bhutan used cannabis minimally while the neighbor countries used it more widely. There is evidence they used hemp cord to make bow strings and a small amount of textiles. The Bhutanese preferred other sources for their paper and textiles.

There have been no references to medicinal Cannabis use in Bhutan. This is unique because the neighboring countries of China, Tibet, and Arurvedic medicine use it widely. Some medicinal treatments are secret to the ingredients. Their is speculation that cannabis is hidden in the medicine to avoid public scrutiny.(Source)

The Bhutanese practice Vajrayana Buddhism prohibits any intoxicant. The religion dates back in Bhutan to the 17^th century and is thought to be the main reason cannabis isn't consumed. Today the religion is less predominant leading to signs of cultivation of cannabis and smuggling.

Source:

sensiseeds.com/en/blog/cannabis-bhutan/

The Aromatic Use of Cannabis

Cannabis used for Aromatics in Pillows

Cannabis is known for it wide variety of scents from it's terpenes. Aromatics play a role in the popularity of the strain as well as the medicinal benefits. The sense of smell can play a major role in someone's daily well being.

Studies have shown that aromatherapy can reduce anxiety, depression, and improve quality of life. The use has also shown to help with pain and help improve sleep. The calming effect of aromatherapy has lead to the popularity of essential oils, including cannabis.(Source)

The use of cannabis for aromatherapy was found in Switzerland during the 1990's and early turn of the century. Switzerland grew hectares of cannabis purely for the aromatic purpose of pillows and bath scents. Cannabis aromatherapy use in Switzerland is regulated and these products are no longer found.(Source)

Source:

http://sensiseeds.com/en/blog/switzerland-and-copenhagen-beyond-cannabis-tolerance-part-one/

http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/consumer-health/expert-answers/aromatherapy/faq-20058566