They say weed is a gateway drug. Most think of it as a drive-through drug that leads to McDonald’s, Wendy’s and Chic-fila!
Most people my age do not know the real back-story and the history of 420. I always knew it had to have something to do with The Dead! So here it is. Tell me what you think.
“In 1971, five high school students in California, used the term “4:20” in connection with a plan to search for an abandoned cannabis crop, based on a treasure map made by the grower. Calling themselves the Waldos, because their typical hangout spot “was a wall outside the school” the five students (Steve Capper, Dave Reddix, Jeffrey Noel, Larry Schwartz, and Mark Gravich) designated the Louis Pasteur statue on the grounds of San Rafael High School as their meeting place, and 4:20 PM as their meeting time. The Waldos referred to this plan with the phrase “4:20 Louis”. After several failed attempts to find the crop, the group eventually shortened their phrase to simply “4:20”, which ultimately evolved into a code word the teens used to refer to consuming cannabisSteven Hager of High Times was responsible for popularizing the story of the Waldos. The first High Times mention of 4:20 smoking and a 4/20 holiday appeared in May 1991, and the connection to the Waldos appeared in December 1998. Hager attributed the early spread of the phrase to Grateful Dead followers] – after “Waldo” Reddix became a roadie for the Dead’s bassist, Phil Lesh– and called for 4:20 PM to be the socially accepted hour of the day to consume cannabis.
We are currently in a weed conundrum. Forty-seven of the fifty states have legalized medical marijuana. Only a few have completely legalized it recreationally. Here is a map from June 2019.
“Many clinicians are hesitant to prescribe weed for illnesses. The active component of marijuana (cannabis) is tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). In some people, THC has the effect of controlling nausea, increasing appetite and lessening pain. The synthetic derivative of THC (dronabinol) is manufactured and sold as a Schedule III drug, defined as having low to moderate potential for physical or psychological dependence, and may be prescribed by your physician. These medications are strictly regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for purity, effectiveness and safety. The FDA approves the use of dronabinol for anorexia related to AIDS wasting syndrome, as well as for refractory chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. THC may also be obtained by smoking or eating the marijuana (cannabis) plant. However, the dosage of these plant-based forms is variable and not regulated by the FDA. This variability may lead to decreased effectiveness or increased side effects among users of marijuana. There have not been enough clinical studies that provide concrete information.”
I hope that this will change sometime soon. You should be able to discuss this with your care providers; however, some are completely opposed to it. My oncologist is not a fan. You also should think about looking at other supplements that you take that might interfere with the current prescriptions you are taking. Talk to your pharmacist. All medical dispensaries are required to have a staff pharmacist. I do understand his concern for lack of regulation on CBD & THC from a physician’s perspective. I respect this.
Now from my perspective. Weed has been around for centuries. People have found solace for depression, anxiety, and disease state management such as cancer. I do have my medical marijuana card in Pennsylvania. I had discussions with Lanie Francis M.D. at Hillman on alternative medicine. If you have not been to her department, you are clearly missing out. You can find a link to her team on my blog section of On A Serious Side. They provide fantastic services from acupuncture, massage therapy, etc. Moreover, who knew you could get a foot rub and pedicure while on chemo!
So how do you navigate this crowded space? I am incredibly lucky that my son, Keegan is in the weed business in Colorado and is gaining knowledge of all tiers of this business from retail, manufacturing, grow, and harvest. He has been able to educate me on what should work best for the issues I have. I take THC CBD to stop the shaking from the chemo & of course that devil, Dex! Insomnia is the biggest side effect of the steroids (weight gain shall be addressed in an entire other blog). I have several great options for this. RSO (Rick Simpson oil) specifically designed for cancer patients, or pens with an Indica based plant, which is designed to relax as opposed to a Sativa based plant that can cheer you up most definitely. Just remember when you are on your shopping spree at the dispensary, you want INDICA as into the couch, not SATIVA, into the air! You can use CBD oil with and without THC. There are different levels of THC/CBD tinctures. It is a trial and error process. Start with a very low dose and build up if you need to. It works! Of course, you can always just light up a blunt or do a dab if that is your passion.
I know you are still trying to find the humor in all of this so here goes. Apparently, I am such a lightweight that I have been too high on several occasions while out on medical leave. One of the few times when I actually smoked. It turns out, you really need to pace yourself and make sure you build up your tolerance. Multiple Myeloma is responsible for a lot of bone pain. I do use medical marijuana for this for that as well. The other alternative is to meet with pain management and a neurologist, especially if you have neuropathy. They will prescribe anti-seizure meds, and or antidepressants and opioid combos. I prefer not to stay on opioids, so I have found a combo that works for me with THC. Expect a detailed neuropathy blog soon. Back to humor.
One evening when I was overserved via smoking, we were out for a lovely dinner. I think I felt like I was in multiple conversations at one time. It was actually funny. I thought I should not be this high, but my bone pain was completely gone. I really wanted NARCAN for weed! My son says that no one ever wants to get un-high! Probably not a big market for this. Turns out my son suggested I chew on peppercorns. What? Hey, at this point I will try anything. I asked the waitress to bring me an entire ramekin of peppercorns. Forty-five minutes later with a mouthful of hot pepper and bread. It worked! Note to self; make sure you have peppercorns available if you make the same mistake I did. Never smoke too much marijuana! I am sure others will tell you that is not possible.
Feel free to share your need for NARCAN for weed stories. Let us all know if you have positive experiences with medical marijuana unless you live in a state that has recreational weed. There are so many benefits to discuss. For more education on medical marijuana, please go to my section The Grass is Greener on the top of the blog. Some of you may just choose to contact my son Snoop for personal education. He is available. His friends work with a number of cancer patients in Colorado. I am anxious to hear from you.
Until then Happy 420. Find something funny to share with everyone.
Best,
Cathy