The Power Of Cannabinoids Compels You!!!

The demonization of cannabis in America started around the turn of the twentieth century because of the high THC strain called Marijuana. Hemp was cultivated by many and used in a variety of products during the first 150 years of this country, but by the early twentieth century, the psycho-active ingredient and deviant appeal of marijuana scared the hell out of the establishment, and cast Cannabis into the shadows of the country for decades. Currently, people from all walks of life are starting to cast the demons out of Marijuana. From politicians to soccer moms, many are starting to seriously talk about legalization. The real exorcists in this drama are researchers in the medical field. They are finding the power of cannabinoids found in marijuana too compelling to fear, but are still haunted by THC's demonic past. Marijuana got its name from a popular song sung by Mexican immigrant farm workers who cultivated hemp for its high THC qualities, and harvested the plant to smoke for personal use and during social occasions. These activities creeped out the white American establishment, and tales of Mexican men smoking weed and turning into red eyed sex monsters circulated in white communities, most notably in the publications of William Randolph Hearst. The popularity of the drug with black jazz musicians made marijuana even scarier, and by 1934, the U.S. Government criminalized Cannabis, and the Federal demonization of marijuana began. The repressive forties and fifties turned out iconic propaganda films warning people of the dangers associated with smoking pot. The most infamous was Reefer Madness. The film shows clean cut white youths who smoke joints and become possessed by THC demons that make them giggle uncontrollably. Marijuana's bad reputation and psychoactive effects mad it irresistible to Hippies of the sixties. Marijuana became the Baby Boomer drug of choice, and its leaf an iconic symbol of the peace and love generation. By the seventies, Pot tapped into the cultural mainstream, making parties serving "special" brownies the hippest trip among many circles. Many young adults found the criminalization of marijuana for personal use outdated, and the Nixon administration formed an advising board led by Gov. Raymond Shafer of Pennsylvania to advise the Feds on Marijuana decriminalization. On March 22, 1972 the commission presented its finding which concluded; "Neither the marihuana user nor the drug itself can be said to constitute a danger to public safety," ..."Therefore, the Commission recommends ... [the] possession of marijuana for personal use no longer be an offense, [and that the] casual distribution of small amounts of marihuana for no remuneration, or insignificant remuneration no longer be an offense." Transcripts of a May 26, 1971 conversation between president Nixon and Shafer , however, highlighted the administrations plan to keep pot illegal, Nixon explained to Shafer "You're enough of a pro to know that for you to come out with something that would run counter to what Congress feels ... and what we're planning to do would make your commission just look bad as hell'. The administration ignored the findings, and right wing republicans were on a crusade to abolish pot smoking in the country. During the 1980's, Ronald Reagan's "War on Drugs" spent billions trying to keep drugs of the streets of America. He employed the social propaganda and law enforcement tactics he used as governor of California and First Lady Nancy Reagan's infamous " just say no " campaign targeted young school children using the mass media to encourage them to just say no to the evils of drugs. The results were mixed, and ultimately did not stop the use of marajuana. Generation Xers took weed to the next level during the 90s by resurrecting it's long anecdotal medicinal qualities. In 1996, the state of California decriminalized the use of marijuana by patients for medical use and gave way ot our current medical marijuana debate. Evidence of marijuana used in medicine dates back to 3000 B.C. China, and researchers around the globe are currently investigating THCs ability to not only relieve symptoms, but modify disease itself.

The human body is hardwired to process the cannabinoids found in THC and in the Cannabis plant. Cannabinoid receptor CB1 is found in the body's central nervous system, and Cannabinoid receptor CB2 is located in the cells of the immune system. THC binds to the receptors and partially activates them. Research into the body's Endocannabinoid regulatory system may change the way we treat disease and offers hope for a cure to some. Apoptosis is the process of programmed death that occours in some multicellular organisms and THCs natural apoptosis ability and warm reception in the human body may have a big influence on the way we fight disease in the future. Because of the criminalization of Marijuana in the U.S. and the trade agreements it has with other countries, research of THC stays at pretrial stages, focuses on individual cannabinoid studies, and is conducted outside of the United States. Decriminalization of Marijuana will allow researchers to study the entire cannabis plant and conduct clinical trials. Pharmacutical companies have been eager to manufacture and market THC based products for the past fifty years. In 1964, THC was isolated into a pure isomer and named Dronabinol. Dronabinol is sold under the name Marinol and is a prescription drug used to treat a variety of symptoms related to cancer, Aids, and even Anorexia. Other analogs of dronabinol are Nabilone, sold commercially in Canada as Cesamet, and Sativex, a mouth spray used by Multiple Schlorosis patients, which is marketed in Europe and Canada. Scientists are also investigating cannabinoids ability to modify autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease, and in the treatment of neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (a.k.a. Lou Gehrig's disease). In 2009, the American Medical Association (AMA) resolved for the first time in the organization's history "that marijuana's status as a federal Schedule I controlled substance be reviewed with the goal of facilitating the conduct of clinical research and development of cannabinoid-based medicines." . A 2010 review by researchers in Germany reports that since 2005 there have been 37 controlled studies assessing the safety and efficacy of marijuana and its naturally occurring compounds in a total of 2,563 subjects. By contrast, most FDA-approved drugs go through far fewer trials involving far fewer subjects. The global research community is throwing scientific holy water on the U.S. criminalization of pot in hopes to repeal the dark shadow it has cast on medical marijuana research.

Legalizing Marijuana for medical and personal use is a still a scary idea for many Americans. The fear of youths having access to a mysterious mind altering drug is a valid concern for many adults on both sides of the debate. Still, the fact remains that people who want to smoke weed to get high are going to do it. Federally prohibiting marijuana has not curbed its use, but spawned a multibillion dollar illegal industry and some say has inhibited the U.S. scientific community. So say your prayers and strap on your crucifixes, the results of the exorcism of cannabis could be frightening to some, and a blessing to others.

Green Acres Is The Place To Be.....

The iconic 1960s sitcom Green Acres is about a waspy Manhattan lawyer named Oliver Douglas, who quits his successful firm and moves to the country to become a farmer, dragging his reluctant wife Lisa with him. The urban dreamers threat to chuck it all for a the simple life becomes more attractive during volatile social and economic times. Just like back in the 60s,today's social upheavals, economic uncertainty, and a country at war , have people looking for ways to tune into the environment and drop out of city. The sitcom got a lot of laughs playing up the differences between city and country folk, and how the grass isn't always greener on the farm. In the 21st century, your biggest obstacle in farm living could be finding a farm. However, if the farming community in California has its way and Hemp is decriminalized, America could potentially become the global farming powerhouse we once were. I thought it would be interesting to update the sitcoms premise using today's technology and social issues , and compare the parallels and differences from fifty years ago. The visual contrast between city slickers and country folk was a staple on Green Acres. City slickers drove Lincolns, wore designer frocks, and lounged on leopard print furniture while watching color tv. Country folk drove tractors, wore overalls, and sat in rockers on the front porch while watching the sunset. Most episodes had the glamorous Eva Gabor rummaging around a chicken coup, dripping in jewels and wearing a couture gown looking for eggs to cook for breakfast, purring out a conversation with the neighbors pig. Other mainstay's of the sitcom showed Lisa climbing up a pole in a Chanel suit to make telephone calls, and constantly blowing fuses trying to plug in her array of modern pink appliances. The show clearly took the view ubanites had superior stuff, and people in the country were technologically impaired. This clearly is not the case today. Wireless, Satellite technology has shrunk the world into a hand held device that connects people with everything. This allows us to run a corporation and shop at Macy's from an igloo in Iceland if we want to. In fact, people who live in rural communities have less restrictions and the land needed to incorporate modern sustainable energy systems.

Wind turbines, Organic building materials, and Compost Toilets are old school technologies that are making a comeback. These systems have worked with mother nature on farms sustainably for millennial. Thermal heating coils and Solar panels also work in tandem with mother nature, and become a more feasible option in rural settings. Eco Yuppies drool over the sustainable options rural folks have, and are green with envy over the equipment farmers of today use( ever been on a John Deer with GPS?). Outlet malls and international food chains make country folk just as fashionable and fat as us in the city . Climate change has made simple ECO friendly practices used by farmers in the past popular among the city dwellers. Composting is down right chic these days. Green Acres made a lot of the social aspects of rural life and little of the actual farming, showing Oliver trotting around on a tractor in his Brooks Brother vest, amongst a field of something; corn, carrots, hay? what he was growing didn't get many laughs. If he decided to grow hemp back in the groovy 60's, it would have been fodder for hippie jokes and the establishment would frown upon the notion. Farmers in California are not laughing at the idea of growing hemp, and are leading the way for Federal decriminalization of the crop. Democratic Assemblyman Tom Ammiano has sponsored a bill to make marijuana legal to be sold to people over the age of 21, and each ounce taxed up to $50. Marijuana is the biggest cash crop in California, with an estimated 14 billion dollars a year in sales, dwarfing milk and cream, which are the states other big cash crops that bring in 7 billion a year combined. Some say making cannabis legal would end a huge hipocracy, and bring in much needed tax revenue to the tune of 1.3 billion dollars a year. Legalizing cannabis will also allow farmers to grow industrial hemp. Hemp is currently imported from Canada, China, and Europe for use in the U.S., and the growing use of hemp in consumer products has spiked the demand for the crop. Many businesses are starting to scoff at having to import hemp from nations that compete with America industrially. There are also many environmental reasons why hemp is an appealing crop. Industrial hemp is a excellent rotation crop because its dense growth smothers weeds without herbicides, and breaks the disease cycle. Hemp requires less water and fertilizers, and has a tap root that leaves the land good for the next crop. These factors save farmers time, money, and cuts the use of toxic pesticides and herbicides that leach the land and pollute our waters. An Acre of hemp will produce two to three times as much fiber as cotton or flax. Hemp seed oil has the highest concentration of essential fatty acids of any oil( 80%), and Hemp pulp produces clean-burning alcohol, ethanol, and methane. These bio-fuels do not contain sulfur and are a viable alternative to petroleum. Hemp also produces exactly as much oxygen as CO2 it absorbs( female plants absorb 5 times as much CO2 than any other plant) and the crop can be grown on a variety of soils under many conditions.

So does farm livin sound like the life for you? Ready to say goodbye to city life for the country side? The big city dream of packin up the wife for land spreadin out far and wide is more appealing than ever to weary urbanites these days, and many are investigating the reality of living on a working farm. Cannabis legalization may be a key to reviving the American farm industry, and creating a industry that energizes the U.S. economy. GREEN ACRES WE ARE THERE!!!

Spliting Cannabis Hairs

The debate over marijuana legalization is louder than ever for many different reasons. The depression-like economy has forced Americans to look for new economies, and seriously talk about social issues we have tried to suppress. Marijuana criminalization seems to be at the top of the list because of its social, economical, and environmental impacts, and as a horticulturalist, It's interesting to compare the different arguments and their parallels to specific marijuana plant species. Certain species seem to have direct impact on rural and urban environments, and have many people questioning the reasons behind our current classification and criminalization of the cannabis plant. Wikipedia's explanation of cannabis goes like this:"Cannabis (Cán-na-bis; English pronunciation: /ˈkænəbɪs/) is a genus of flowering plants that includes three putative species, Cannabis sativa,[1] Cannabis indica,[1] and Cannabis ruderalis. These three taxa are indigenous to Central Asia, and South Asia. [2] Cannabis has long been used for fibre (hemp), for seed and seed oils, for medicinal purposes, and as a recreational drug. Industrial hemp products are made from Cannabis plants selected to produce an abundance of fiber. To satisfy the UN Narcotics Convention, some hemp strains have been developed which contain minimal levels of THC (Δ9- tetrahydrocannabinol), one of the psychoactive molecules that produces the "high" associated with marijuana. The psychoactive product consists of dried flowers of plants selectively bred to produce high levels of THC and other psychoactive chemicals. Various extracts including hashish and hash oil are also produced from the plant." Hemp, is the fibrous species that has been grown for thousands of years and harvested for human and animal consumption. Hemp based products range from food, clothing, shelter, and fuel. The plants fiber is used to make building materials, clothing and paper. The oils from hemp are used as lubricants, fuels, and their high omega-3 fatty acid content are used in food and dietary supplements. The U.S government wasn't always down on hemp, as a matter of fact, they depended on the growth of hemp and mandated early American farmers to grow the plant for the good of the nation. The Declaration of Independence and Constitution where drafted on hemp,and many president's grew hemp including Washington and Jefferson. During the 19th century, a rugged hemp fabric called "Duck", was used to cover wagons and Levi Strauss used it to make jeans. Hemp's problems in America started during the early twentieth century because of it's relation to its cousin Marijuana, and it's threat to the oil and timber industry.

Marijuana is the cannabis species cultivated for it's high THC levels and get's it name from it's popularity with Mexican immigrant farm workers who used it as a recreational drug during the turn of the twentieth century. The laborers would cultivate the plant, smoke it, and according to intimidated whites, would turn into uncontrollable savages, lusting for their woman. It's popularity with black jazz musicians also aided in demonizing the plant in the minds of white Americans, and led to its ultimate illegalization. However, racism may not be the main reason why marijuana became illegal. William Randolph Hearst used his newspaper empire to publish the so called" horrors" of marijuana use by immigrants and minorities, in an effort to ban the drug. Some feel that his campaign to ban cannabis was more about hemp than marijuana. Hearst owned millions of acres of forests he planned to use for paper and other industrial production and hemp threatened to compete with all of that. Hemp also threatened the oil industry who wanted the automobile to use products that were based on petroleum, not hemp. The U.S. government also had a stack in the beef with hemp. Alcohol prohibition was lifted and marijuana prohibition seemed easy to enforce due to it's popularity with minorities.

The people who currently want to legalize cannabis, want it to be legal for the same reasons it was in the past. Legalization will have a great impact on people both in the urban and rural environments. Rural farmers and environmentalists have become advocates for hemp legalization, and urbanite's and scientists seem to be taking up the cause for marijuana legalization. Both groups are passionate about the reasons for thier convictions, and sometimes are at odds with each other, but just like in the past, are classified together under the same controversial genus

My Own Private Public Transportation

The future of transportation is going to be heaven or hell depending on whether you like to drive or not.For driving enthusiast's, we are at the dawn of the Apocalypse. People who think driving is a chore on the other hand, are rushing in "smart" cars that almost drive themselves. Climate change, the automotive industry, and public driving habits are shaping the future of what we currently call the automobile.

By mid century, there will approximately be 9 billion people on earth, and 70% of them will be living in cities. Making urban transportation more efficient is a high priority for environmentalist and automobile manufacturers.Climate change, and urban lifestyles are forcing the reinvention of the automobile. According to the research group Partnership for Roadway Electrification and Automation(PREA), the future will look like this: 2-5 inch inductive charging pads will be imbedded in the ground of major streets and roads, delivering up to 30 watts of power wirelessly, giving the vehicle the ability of up to 70mph. This will allow vehicles to become smaller, run abut each other, and eliminate toxic emissions associated with fossil fuels. A secondary effect is increased automotive safety due to a decrease in crashes and driver error related incidents like drunk driving, and texting while driving.At a recent event sponsored by tire giant Michelin, Execs from GM, Ford, and Chrysler, expressed their excitement over the prospects of building vehicles with no engine or safety equipment to worry about. American cars are known for their luxury features, speed, and the status attained by owning one. Historically, fuel and safety technology have come only by a forced hand in the form of governmental mandates that the industry has angrily protested. Getting into bed with environmentalists, potentially getting the Feds of their backs, and making themselves competitive in the world market again has them almost giddy with excitement for the future. Driving enthusiast's are bemoaning the end of a era and cultural freedom as we know it.

Motor Trend magazine, the twentieth century automotive bible, trumpets the end of the car monthly with multiple articles on how public driving habits are becoming more about maximizing what you do in and with your car and less about the thrill of driving. Busy urban lives and, long suburban commutes have forced people to "live", to some degree, in their cars. Multitasking while driving has become a necessary modern evil. Gas prices and fuel mileage has also made a big impact on the American driving psyche. The Sunday drive around town in grandpa's sedan is not only environmentally passe, but people can't afford the time or gas for that anymore. People who drive for the sake of driving are becoming an endangered species, and automakers are ushering in their extinction. If you look at the current line of U.S. cars, you will find them to be smaller, boxier, and loaded with electronic equipment designed to entertain the passengers and drivers alike. The engines have become smaller and more fuel efficient while trying not to reduce power and sportiness. The try, however, is lackluster according to auto industry magazines, and the era of robo-pod vehicles is upon us.
My love/hate relationship with public transportation gives me mixed emotions about the future of automotive design. The environmentalist in me loves it and knows its importance, the car nut in me loves the freedom and privacy driving your own vehicle gives you. Giving up the psychological control and cultural norms driving a toxic, 4000lbs machine has allotted us has been harder and longer than Americans predicted forty years ago during our first energy crisis. As populations become denser, the need for public privacy and energy efficient transportation is outweighing the need for sport and speed.So drive them if you got them now, because public and private transportation is morphing into a hybrid vehicle we all will be using in the near future.

Theres a Thin Line Between Hypermiling and Road Rage

According to a study by Environmental Defense, U.S automobiles and trucks are responsible for emitting nearly half of all greenhouse gases emitted by automobiles globally. In 2004, carbon dioxide from personal vehicles in the U.S equaled 314 million metric tons, enough to fill a coal train 55,000 miles long( enough to circle the earth twice). Americans have been struggling with our cultural need to drive and our responsibilities as stewards of the planet, with our culture for cars winning by a mile. For better and worse, driving has become a form of expression to Americans that has helped define our way of life. The latest news from the driving world is a phenomena called Hypermiling. It's premise is to help you attain a higher MPG which in turn helps the environment. However, the techniques are sometimes dangerous, and could solicit anger and rage from other drivers on the road.

Road rage is a modern title given to a condition that has afflicted drivers for decades. According to the U.S Dept of Energy " Aggressive driving(Speeding, rapid acceleration, and hard braking) wastes gas. It can lower your gas mileage by 33% on the highway and 5% around town". Riding someones tail to make them speed up, or rolling through a stop sign is dangerous, but to some Hypermilers, they are just some of the techniques that could raise their MPG and in affect help lower CO2 emissions. Government MPG ratings can be confusing because the highway rating is usually higher than the city rating, and people equate driving faster to "better" MPG from their vehicle.

The real reason a car gets better MPG on the highway is the constant speed, not the higher speed. Once a vehicle hits 60mph, it automatically starts loosing gas mileage. Aerodynamics also play a big part in a cars MPG ability. Air pressure is literally a drag on cars and makes them heavier, which raises the MPG of the vehicle. Riding someones tail, preferably a vehicle bigger than yours, can greatly improve your vehicles aerodynamics, but breaks all of the rules of the road and common sense.
Hypermiling is the latest buzzword put in the mix to help us navigate through global warming. The machines we drive and how we drive them make a significant impact to our current atmospheric crisis. Hypermiling and Road Rage are opposites on the same scale, they both represent the way modern drivers feel. The complicated world we live in leaves us isolated and frustrated, yet we have an urgent need to do our part to save the earth. The future of automobile design is being determined by our current social and economic needs, and our cultural actions.