Reefer Smoke

Yesterday CNN published a Report: Marijuana cultivation in Mexico rises which stated that:

Marijuana cultivation in Mexico increased 35 percent in 2008 and continues to grow, even as authorities there push forward with a large offensive against drug cartels that smuggle the product into the United States, according to a State Department report released this week.

Perhaps some of the information came from the Oxymoron group "National Drug Intelligence Center" when they should have actually just asked Ed at "Over grow your Government" and he could have explained the current situation to the State Department and broken the news to them, that the War on Drugs at the marijuana front was lost, as soon as they started fighting a plant that grows like a weed, then by making it contraband, it was made as valuable as gold and more popular than soda pop.

Once upon a time in China there were over 80 million people addicted to opium, a product that the British introduced, which was imported initially and then later smuggled in from India. The Chinese leaders came to the realization that the best way to overcome the problem, which was causing significant social problems in China, was to outgrow the suppliers and corner the market with a cheaper product. Eventually every government will come to a similar realization. Until then expect more weed from more sources and understand that Mexico can grow smugglers too, willing to risk their lives for profit, faster than the U.S. Gov can train and hire border patrols to catch them.

If you live in Europe and you're a weed grower, cannabis seed company, hemp product manufacturer, cannabis advocate or marijuana activist the place to be today is Barcelona, Spain for Spannabis 2010 which starts today and runs through Sunday at the Cornellá's convention center

This enormous Hemp festival is held in a 8,000 m2 expo space with over 150 exhibitioners, showing a wide variety products, ranging from industrial hemp to materials for cultivating, various paraphernalia and of course the world's best known seed banks.  Also in attendance are the cannabis associations and various professionals of the weed world, making Spannabis an excellent place to meet cool people and network.

One of the most popular events at Spannabis is the Cannabis Champions Cup. Last year attendance reached over 18,000 people in a three day period.  DJ's with all the best music and people in costumes parading through the isles will be present to add an extra element to the atmosphere.

Every week there's a great bounty poker tournament on Reefer Poker on Thursday night at 20:00 Reefer Time with an entry fee of just $3 + .30 for a No-Limit Holdem Tournament with no rebuys, where everyone begins with 1,500 starting chips then we play 15 min blinds with antes. The thrill of the game though, is winning a $30 bounty on RPDave, or $30 bounty on previous week's tourney winner TheRealVVViper and $10 bounty on any other RP staff that you knock out of the game. Guess what? There's also a bounty on ReeferSmoke! Plus a $50 bounty when we have a special guest/pro poker player.

NOTE: Tonight's Special Guests will be CiaoBush and xXlimogalXx and next Thursday 3/4 the Special Guests will be reefer96822 and whitewidow9999.

There's a place on Hollywood Boulevard founded by the marijuana activist Ed Forchain, also known as the NJ Weedman, or "Superhero to the Pot Heads" (according to the book "Public Enemy #420"), the place is called "Liberty Bell Temple," member of the United Cannabis Ministries and a licensed Medicinal Marijuana dispensary, where they host a "Healing Hour" everyday at 4:20 PM. From what I understand, there's a remarkable mural painted on the side of the building, plus the NJ Weedman can often be spotted driving around in a van called the "Weed Mobile" also painted with a cool mural. There's so much more to this story that I highly recommend visiting the site Liberty Bell Temple.

The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution says the government cannot make laws "prohibiting the free exercise" of religion. Many people use marijuana as a religious sacrament, and forcing them not to use marijuana clearly prohibits the free exercise of their religion. In order to comply with the First Amendment, our laws should allow for the religious use of marijuana.

...... it creates no impediment to the free exercise of their faith in their homes, their houses of worship, or other non-federal locations. - (Forchion Vs USA)

In just a few hours the doors to the Los Angeles Convention Center will swing open for the biggest Medical Marijuana event in Southern California, HempCon 2010 Los Angeles, happening today until Sunday February 21st! HempCon is a premiere event held at the where exhibitors from all over California and across the United States come showcase their products, educate about their services and promote awareness about the Medical Marijuana community.

This year's show will feature Keynote addresses from two of the top Medical Marijuana activists in Southern California and the US, Cheryl Shuman and Frederic Rhoades from Beverly Hills NORML. Cheryl is the Executive Director of Beverly Hills NORML (National Organization for the Reform Of Marijuana Laws) and Frederic is the Director of Operations, both of whom are widely recognized and respected voices in the Marijuana community. Along with Cheryl and Fred, there will be a list of events all day long, every day consisting of guest speakers to educate and guest entertainers to elevate your spirits while taking in the show. This year's lineup of speakers speakers, entertainers and exhibitors guarantees that HempCon 2010 will be the most fun you'll have at an event all year.

Now here's a weed if there ever was one that surpasses it's mystique and lives up to it's legend. What I love most about this cannabis strain is that it's more often than not grown outdoor because of it's reputation as a hearty breed, fond of the long California summers. In more recent times, with the world gone mad for whole foods and paranoid of chemicals, rightfully so, this durable strain is often grown organically. When primo Afghani Bullrider buds find there way to your grinder be grateful and give thanks to the Cannabis Gods, for you have in your hands one of the most exotic weed strains on earth.

The Bullrider Legend: In the same issue of High Times Magazine as Toker Poker there was a story called "The Bull Rider's Journey" in which the author Jef Tek tells the myth of an African-American dude who was a professional Bull Rider that was passionate about growing weed. As the story goes, this Bullrider traveled allot and knew at least one serious grower from overseas who bestowed the seeds upon him, after which he arrived in California and grew the plant to full-strength and cured it, then the bull-rider and some friends smoked some of the bud, after which one of the friends remarked that he felt like he'd just been riding a bull - bam!

The Afghani Bullrider name stuck and ever since the late '80's the strain found it's way all over California in clone form. At one point someone even created Hats and T-shirts to commemorate the great strain. Growers as far away as Oregon and Vancouver managed to get their hands on either the seeds or the clones as the Afghani Bullrider strain made it's way far and wide. However, it's Southern California where the climate provides an endless budding season, all you need to do is place a clone outside and it will begin to produce buds. As with most indica-dominant strains the Afghani Bullrider will reach maturity within 8 weeks or less and deliver an impressive harvest.

Dr. Lester Grinspoon may very well be the most influential marijuana activist of all time. If there were an award for achievement in changing the way people think about smoking marijuana Dr. Grinspoon would win hands down. During his more than 4 decades of honest intellectual contributions and recommendation for re-thinking the use of cannabis and the laws related to marijuana Dr. Grinspoon founded the Harvard Mental Health Letter, and was its editor for fifteen years, which among other qualifications, put him in a better position than any contemporary American physician to tell the truth about drugs.

Dr. Grinspoon is Associate Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and the author or co-author of over 160 journal articles, including his 1995 commentary in the Journal of the American Medical Association entitled "Marihuana as Medicine: A Plea for Reconsideration." His first book, Marihuana Reconsidered, originally published in 1971 by Harvard University Press, was recently republished as a classic. His latest book, Marihuana, the Forbidden Medicine, co-authored with James B. Bakalar, was published by Yale University Press in 1993 (revised and expanded edition, 1997) and has now been translated into ten languages. Dr. Grinspoon was also a reviewer of the 1999 Institute of Medicine report, "Marijuana and Medicine: Assessing the Science Base."

Dr. Grinspoon appeared in the Canadian documentary The Union: The Business of Behind Getting High ~ Also, he has two very good websites that I recommend, plus that you visit and join his Facebook Fan Page.

• Marijuana: The Forbidden Medicine - Dr. Grinspoon's official website
• Uses of Marijuana - A website about the potential of medical cannabis

Reefer Love is the name of the newest event at Reefer Poker where players are awarded with a free coupon to a $200 added Reefer Love tournament by winning a poker hand with a heart flush.

Details: From Saturday, Feb 13 through midnight on Sunday Feb 14 any player that wins a cash (ring) game hand with a heart flush, using both of their hole cards, will earn a free coupon to a $5 + .50 tournament with $200 added that will be held on Monday Feb 15th. Only games of Texas Holdem will qualify for this promotion, and both SnG and multi-table tournaments will be excluded. Players that have the qualifying hands must email love@reeferpoker.com with the winning hand number. After verifying that the hand qualifies, players will be awarded their coupons on Monday, February 15 at least 2 hours prior to the start of the tournament.

So don't be shy, whip-out that big sticky cola, roll it up and show some love, enjoy it with your sweet hearts....

With the Winter Olympics firing-up in Vancouver, British Columbia, February 12, the most marijuana-friendly host city in Olympic history, a place where restrictions on pot are loose enough to allow "consumption lounges," some of which are extending their hours to accommodate a wave of jet-lagged international visitors, partly explains why this has been nicknamed the "Pot Olympics". Many of the winter sports enthusiasts attending are also ganja lovers who will be pining to score some of the legendary BC Bud, to take with them to the slopes. Since I'm somewhat of an expert at scoring weed in Vancouver, my city of birth, I felt it only hospitable and kind to offer a few suggestions and tips.

If you're heading to Whistler, where most of the Alpine action is, don't take the risk of being able to find a steady supply of weed there, also because you won't want to drive the "Sea to Sky" highway without blowing a nice fatty along the way, preferably as you drive out of the city limits but also because the chances of finding some bud to smoke at Whistler is not always a sure thing, however if your stash runs out cruise the outside area of Moguls Cafe, around the liquor store and the little grocery store, just ask people sitting around and most of the time you'll be able to find some dank BC Bud.

One thing to remember about buying good herb in Vancouver is to look in the right places, discreetly ask the right people and you'll be hooked up with BC Bud at it's best because there is so much good grass grown locally that the street market always has fresh crop at fair prices and even a small sack of pot from the back of a bar parking lot, rolled into nice reefers, will keep you pleasantly buzzed and the stash last for days of watching winter sports, skiing, snowboarding and/or whatever other recreation. To get some ideas where to look for BC Bud just start by heading for W. Hastings Street and walk around, to get a feel for the city. Just relax and walk around the city and feel comfortable about your rights related to weed, follow your instincts and ask for advice. There are many people who will point you in the right direction, even the cab drivers.

If Hunter S. Thompson were still alive he'd have been the "Master of Ceremony" and I'll wager that if he hadn't of thought of the idea he would have thought it was an outstanding concept but none-the-less, the smart folks from "High Country Caregivers" probably got really high one day and dream't up this clever idea. I mean really, is there a better place in continental USA to host such an event? How high do you want to get?

Already the Western Slope Cannabis Crown, held April 17-18, will include as many as 400 strains of weed, live music, guest speakers, and information about medical marijuana. The event is open to the public, but only registered medical users can buy weed or get their hands on "golden tickets" to let them sample all the entries.

"We're really almost sold out already," said Joe McVicker of High Country Caregivers, a Glenwood Springs dispensary helping organize the event. "There were, like, 1,500 tickets and we probably have, like, 40 now."

Luckily, for those of us too stoned and lazy to go all the way to Glenwood Springs for a $25 ticket, McVicker said there's another 80 or so on Craigslist. Oh, and some place in Denver called Green Thumb has them, too, but he wasn't sure where it is. (No joke.)

"We're going to have Hunter S. Thompson's wife here for a chat, and the editor of High Times will be here, too," McVicker said. "We're gonna help people get [medical marijuana] cards, and it's just going to be a good time."

Cannabis strains will be judged based on THC levels and how well they treat different medical problems. Golden ticket holders will help choose a people's choice, but expert judges will select the winner, and McVicker thinks the grower will win a trip to Amsterdam. For more information, you could visit the website, but it's, you know, still in the works. For more information visit www.cannabiscrown.com.

The UN estimates that up to 190 million people use cannabis, representing 4% of the global adult population, compared with 1% of the population, which uses all other illegal drugs together.  Thus cannabis is by far the most used controlled drug in the world, making it the mainstay of the War on Drugs. In the United States alone there were an estimated 829,625 arrests for cannabis violations in 2006.  Despite these figures, cannabis continues to be largely ignored in international drug policy debates.  Here is a list of 10 other interesting facts about marijuana.

1. According to one national survey on drug use, each day approximately 6,000 Americans try marijuana for the first time.
2. Worldwide, it is estimated that about 162 million adults use marijuana at least once per year, and 22.5 million use the drug daily.
3. Marijuana usage is a ritual part of many religious traditions throughout the world. In Islamic nations, it is accepted alongside coffee and tobacco while alcohol is strictly prohibited.
4. According to one report, it would take 800 joints to kill a person "but the cause of death would be carbon monoxide poisoning.
5. There are over 200 slang terms for marijuana in the popular vernacular.
6. The name marijuana comes from a Mexican slang term for cannabis and is believed to have derived from the Spanish pronunciation of the names Mary and Jane. (The two names were also common Mexican military slang for a prostitute or brothel.) Marijuana came into popularity as a name for cannabis in the U.S. during the late 1800s.
7. The cannabis plant can grow in nearly any environment and averages one to two inches of growth per day and up to 18 feet total in ideal conditions.
8. The primary active ingredient in marijuana is THC (delta 9 tetrhydrocannabinol). It is this chemical that produces marijuana's mind-altering effects.
9. Depending upon the weather conditions, soil type, and time of harvest for a cannabis plant, as well as the specific mixture of dried leaves and flowers in the marijuana product, a sample of marijuana can contain anywhere from 3% to 20% THC.
10. Cannabis seeds were used as a food source in China as early as 6000 B.C.

What is it that makes the Weekend 420 Poker Tournament on Reefer Poker so much fun? Could it be hanging-out with the coolest people online? Or is it just the thrill of the game and the love of the ganja?

Every Saturday and Sunday at 4:20 Reefer Time they host a $4.20 + $0.00 (yup, no fee) tournament with $50 cash added, PLUS an exclusive, highly coveted and cool Reefer Poker Prize Pack for the winner! This is your chance to really "smoke the competition"!

The Reefer Poker Prize Pack consists of a Reefer Poker shirt, hat, papers, and stickers, and will be sent to your address on file. If you are the winner.

The Caribbean Festival is the best party of the year in Miami and this year will be the 17th Annual, this time back in Bayfront Park, right downtown in Miami on the bay in a fabulous outdoor amphitheater. The event is sort of like a Marley family party combined with a food drive for South Florida charity. This year the festival is dedicated to the memory of Cedella Booker Marley (Mother Bee, Bob Marley's Mom), who passed away last year. The line-up of talent is excellent as always and one thing you can count-on is that at some point during the festival there will be set played as a tribute to Bob Marley, where you'll see the family, old friends and guest musicians, all come together to jam to some great Bob Marley songs. Another thing you can count on is more ganja smoking in one place than you ever imagined possible. To learn more visit Caribbean Festival.

OG Kush is a super-potent variety of medical-grade, Indica dominant Cannabis with very distinct lemony citrus, pine-sol aroma. The look of OG Kush is remarkable, it's lime green and covered in white trichomes but the main reason it's so popular in medical marijuana dispensaries is the long-lasting, heavy-hitting sativa buzz effect which is both a soaring cerebral high and physically stimulating.

Whenever I think of OG Kush I think of Los Angeles, since that's where I first tasted this legendary cannabis strain and the only place I've ever seen this great bud. Amongst the details that make this strain so interesting is that OG Kush is mostly a Cannabis Sativa hybrid, so really doesn't even deserve having Kush in it's name, although it's probably bred into it's genetic heritage. Added to that, OG Kush is a 1st generation offspring of a self-pollinated hermaphrodite and is only privately available in clone form and not in seed.

OG Kush clone-only cultivar is rumored to have been grown from a cutting of 91 Chemdog, which means that unless you live in Southern California it may be very difficult to get your hands on this strain. However, if you are lucky enough to locate some clones for your grow-op these plants are reputed to yield a great crop and for medical marijuana patients living in the greater Los Angeles area, they can score this wonderful medicine for an average of $75 USD for an 1/8 of an ounce.

Recently I joined the Daily Buds Community online and have been really impressed with the activity that's happened since I got started. I'm very stoked to meet so many interesting people from a broad spectrum of the Cannabis Culture, many of whom are experts in the Canna Biz, as growers, medical marijuana dispensary owners, managers, doctors and patients etc... Two things we all share in common 1) we all love the love ganja 2) we all want legal marijuana. It's very encouraging to be a part of the Daily Buds Community, to meet and communicate with so many cool people in the 4:20 army. Please Join Us!

He's a 'healer not a dealer' - is the slogan now being associated with the Canadian Marijuana Activist Rick Simpson after he won the "Freedom Fighter of the Year" award at the High Times Cannabis Cup, last November in Amsterdam. Rick has quite a story to tell and it doesn't bode well for Canadian authorities, as it gains more momentum every day, and since the moral to the story, which RCMP and Canadian government officials have tried to suppress, is that Hemp extract Oil (we call Hash Oil, or Honey Oil), made from high-grade strains of cannabis, cures cancer. Surprise, surprise! There's enough people to back-up what Rick is saying to make an inquiring mind wonder - could it be true? can THC cure cancer?

High Times Magazine Steve Hager is a person in a position to know the difference between truth and sensational bollocks, especially when the topic is medicinal marijuana related. There is an excellent article on High Times website called Rick Simpson's Hemp Oil Medicine and according to an interview by the Urban Grower (see: YouTube video) we'll be seeing more support from Steve Hager and High Times Magazine and possibly a movie to illuminate the truth about the Rick Simpson story.

The good folks from Greenhouse Seeds sponsored Rick's trip to the Cup in Amsterdam, which indicates two interesting issues to consider, first; The StrainHunters have made a life of researching cannabis, Ok for a different purpose than healing cancer but the point is that Arjan and Franco are not likely to be duped by smoke and mirrors, these guys know the power of the plant. Secondly; Rick Simpson is not rich enough to be able to afford his own travel to the Dam and now his exile from Canada, since as it turns out his house was again raided and the RCMP are seeking him for questioning. The point here is that if he were able to grow enough high-grade weed to produce honey-oil to help a bunch of people recover from life-threatening illnesses, and if he were motivated by capital gain (ie. Money) then he'd certainly have enough cash to travel in style to Europe. Maybe Rick Simpson is telling the truth because someone had to?

We are at the dawn of new age in medicine and a new day for mankind. Not only can hemp save the world, it can eliminate a great deal of human suffering and can even put an end to starvation. What are we waiting for? Join with me and let us put an end to this madness. It can only survive if we continue to sit on our backsides and do nothing. Stand up and be counted and let us give ourselves a chance to heal. ~ Rick Simpson

Over 500,000 people have viewed his You Tube video called Run From the Cure and every day the traffic is growing to the Rick Simpson website called Phoenix Tears

On February 28, 2008 (2.28.2008 = full house) Reefer Poker enjoyed the most successful launch of an online poker room in the history of the Internet. As the second year anniversary approaches the managing partners are very enthusiastic about what lies ahead for this counter culture iGaming company and are planning a series of events and promotions to celebrate the anniversary with the 50,000 registered players that made it happen, to give back cash because that's how they roll.

California has so far been the most important market for Reefer Poker and the founders believe that they've played a part in helping to dispel the age old myth started by "Reefer Madness" that marijuana was bad or evil; they've done this by supporting the pro-marijuana movement and advocates. In many ways the brand has become another loud voice for rallying cannabis activism. Also, Reefer Poker worked alongside the leading organizations and chapters to promote the reformation of marijuana laws.

If you have it in your heart and your pocket to help, please give to the American Red Cross International Response Fund, which provides immediate relief and long-term support through supplies, technical assistance and other support. Also, Doctors Without Borders is in Haiti and is seeking volunteers and donations. Every dollar will help, so donate whatever your heart tells you that you can afford to give.

For a more complete list of organizations helping with the Haiti relief click here.

Jesus and his apostles were reputed to have used a Holy oil for healing and enlightenment. The Bible makes no direct mention of marijuana, so for anyone to assert that Jesus smoked it is making assumptions, although there were mild types of marijuana in Palestine at that time so it is possible.

The Bible does however make references to the "new wine" and sacred herbs which some have considered to be a reference to marijuana. The original Hebrew recipe for this mix, found in Exodus 30:23 contains references to a plant known as "keneh bosem", and a number of researchers have identified this with cannabis. The most compelling research for Jesus being an advocate of Cannabis was by Chris Bennett and first published in High Times on February 10th, 2003

Chris Bennett said cannabis was widely used at the time to heal the sick.

"The medical use of cannabis during that time is supported by archaeological records."

"The holy anointing oil, as described in the original Hebrew version of the recipe in Exodus, contained over six pounds of keneh-bosum - a substance identified by respected etymology, linguists anthropologists, botanists and other researchers as cannabis extracted into about six quarts of olive oil along with a variety of other fragrant herbs".

"The ancient anointed ones were literally drenched in this potent mixture."

Cheryl and Fred from Beverly Hills NORML 90210 are working with a team of canna-business marketing pros and two media companies, LA Weekly and LA Jemm, plus they've enlisted the sponsorship of the DailyBuds community to promote two major expo/conferences in California. The first annual "Hemp Con- Los Angeles" from February 19 - 21 at the LA Convention Center and then "Hemp Con San Francisco" running August 6 - 8 at the San Mateo Event Center.

3 Full Days of seminars & exhibitions by industry leaders and advocates

Marijuana Dispensaries - Marijuana Collectives - Marijuana Delivery Services - Marijuana Evaluation Doctors - Hydroponics - Equipment / Accessories - Fertilizer / Chemical - Novelty / Paraphernalia - Legal Services - Educational Institutes - Clubs / Associations - Publications - Apparel

These are exciting times for the pro-marijuana movement, get on the wave and attend Hemp Con.

Good honey oil or hash oil, which is a misnomer because all oil derives from cannabis not hash, is like smoking pure THC when it's produced correctly but remember there are many varieties and several ways to produce oil from marijuana. Naturally, like almost anything in this world, the better the ingredients the better the finished product. Some connoisseurs even suggest that pure Indica strain buds is the only way to produce the best oil but I've smoked weed oil from primo sativa buds and that was stellar, just that the color and consistency wasn't as golden as true honey oil.

Honey oil is considerably more potent than cannabis itself, due to its extreme purity and lack of other plant matter. The THC content of honey oil is variable based on the particular strain of cannabis from which it was derived, and is similar to that of hashish. The name honey refers to the color and consistency of the oil; there is no honey. One or two hits of good oil and you're as blazed as if you'd smoked an entire joint. Actually that's one of the reasons some people prefer honey oil over bud, as it lasts a long time and provides a strong buzz from a single toke.

One popular method for making honey oil is known as "Budder Hash" or commonly known as BHO (pictured) which stands for Butane Hash Oil but that doesn't sound so tasty because of the word 'butane' but if you've ever smoked this gear you'll know that the flavor is fabulous and the buzz totally rocks!

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As if Weedmaps and Nugporn wasn't enough, on the first day of this new year those clever (and crazy) folks from the Marijuana News Network launched another new website: Medical Marijuana Bootcamp.

Tang the creator of WeedMaps.com (medical marijuana dispensary finder website) is the brainchild of this new killer project. As (one) of the owners of WeedMaps, he's in a unique position to speak about the medical marijuana business in general, especially in California, because the site is a meeting place for both patients and collectives and Tang is on first-name basis with many of them, plus has an understanding of the cannabis strains that they purvey, which goes way beyond expert.

To not be outdone on the intake and creative output of Tang, a seasoned nug expert was needed, so the dev team recruited the expertise of Chubbs, the founder and connoisseur/weed critic extraordinaire of MarijuanaReviews.com as well as NUGGETRY SD, the premier cannabis collective located in east San Diego. Chubbs has been actively involved in the marijuana movement since 1989, when he started to;experiment with hydroponics. He started the NUGGETRY delivery service based out of Orange County, CA in June of 2009 and became an overnight success.

What's cool about Medical Marijuana Bootcamp is that unlike their earlier projects the primary form of media is video via YouTube and it's light-hearted but serious content about the medicinal cannabis strains and the cannabis collectives of California. These videos are not just a couple of stoners quaffing back huge bong hits, although they do, and then mumbling the first random thoughts to the top of their minds, this content is coherent and interesting. The episodes are fairly improv, so their not scripted, they do have meaning and you will gain value in watching. I'm very impressed with this effort and give the Tang and Chubbs to enthusiastic bongs up!

Cheryl Shuman and Fred Rhoades the founders of Beverly Hills NORML 90210 are two crusaders for the reformation of marijuana laws who are making a big noise across the web and over the social networks. Fred has a most interesting background (see: Fred's Bio) with a wealth of knowledge and experience in Organic farming, then in 2007 he first met Cheryl, which he say's changed his life forever, and since that day they've worked together on a number of cool projects, first and foremost was treating the cancer and lung disease that Cheryl had been diagnosed with, Fred became her caregiver and they elected to apply a medicinal cannabis therapy combined with natural remedies. Today Cheryl is in remission and living an active lifestyle but the overall experience compelled her take a more active roll and lend her energy and experience to bring about change in the laws that surround marijuana, hence the formation of the Beverly Hills Chapter of NORML (www.norml90210.org)

The two cannabis crusaders made such a dynamic duo that they decided to start an organic farm in Northern California, where they hope to bring all their focus and knowledge to the business of healing. Complying with the legal guidelines of California Fred and Cheryl formed "Shaman Therapeutics" a Private Non-Profit Medical Cannabis Collective that serves seriously ill patients in both Northern and Southern California.

Fred and Cheryl also work with other collectives, activists and medical marijuana patients working to reform marijuana laws in Beverly Hills and throughout USA.

"This is a challenging time as a legal medical marijuana patient. Laws and politics are changing on a daily basis, says Fred Rhoades." "The prohibition of such a miraculous healing plant must stop. As a patient, caregiver and activist I will stand strong to fight for legalization and safe access for everyone."

One of the great byproducts of the movement to legalize medical marijuana is the immergence of independent cannabis cup "type" marijuana growing contests. Who could have ever imagined a fancy hotel ballroom filled with weed connoisseurs and the proud growers that supply the medical marijuana dispensaries all showing off their hybrid strains of designer dope? This is a great time to be a pot-head.

Last September Colorado Caregivers had there first contest and now it's the Michigan Caregivers Cup. It's too late to enter, deadline was Dec. 18th for submission of forms with payment of $100 and proof of Caregivers license, for the privilege of providing two and half ounces of your best bud, to be judged by a panel of 140 judges. However, it's not too late to become a judge and that's the job at this event but take note that there's only 100 judge's passes available at $250 each, so make sure to take action today if you want to participate in the first annual Michigan Care Givers Cup.

The conference, exposition, concerts, and main event are being held to raise political and social awareness of the necessity of structure within the law. The funds generated from this event will be utilized in order to compete with those that will continue to view those of us in the medical marijuana field as criminals. Get more information here.

According to the definition in the encyclopedia of plant genetic resources, a landrace is an early, cultivated form of a crop species, evolved from a wild population, and generally composed of a heterogeneous mixture of genotypes. Therefore a cannabis landrace is a marijuana plant species that has been geographically isolated from the possibility of cross-breeding with any other strain of a similar plant species. If we were discussing vegetables or another type of plant we'd be using the term "heirloom".

For many years some of the leading Cannabis Seed Company owners have taken a keen interest in preserving the great original marijuana strains of the world and several even work together, creating Seed Banks. There are some important reasons that landrace cannabis has become popular, first because they're the best strains for cross-breeding to make new marijuana strains or brands, maybe the only true way to make a new strain and secondly the plants themselves are fabulous to smoke in their natural form and have recently become very popular amongst both recreational smokers and medical marijuana patients. This dispels a myth that THC content has increased in modern strains of marijuana, as any cannabis landrace will get you very high.

Some of the more famous landrace cannabis strains are from Afghanistan, Africa, Brazil, India, Mexico and Thailand but that's generalizing because according to botany a plant growing from the same strain of seed, such as Jamaica Lambs Bread, for a long enough period of time, without being crossed with another strain, can be known as a landrace. Some of the other best known strain brands are Hindu Kush (pictured), Malawi Gold, or Acapulco Gold, which I recently heard was re-produced by a Dutch grower and brought back to the Coffeeshops in Amsterdam and has become very popular.

Why do many of the best poker players in the world smoke weed? What is it about marijuana that gives the smoker an advantage in tournament poker? These are questions that get asked more often than you'd expect and not just at online poker rooms such as Reefer Poker, which obviously, by it's namesake, cater to the hoards from the cannabis culture, who are in their own homes and have chosen to play with other like-minded individuals but what about the Poker Pros we see on TV?

Many Professional Poker players who compete in high-stakes tournaments, often televised, such as the World Series of Poker on ESPN, are known to be chronic marijuana smokers. California and Nevada have booming businesses in medical marijuana, it's fast, simple, and affordable to acquire a license in Las Vegas to smoke marijuana legally and once licensed an entire catalog of medicinal marijuana is available to the patient/card player. Various cannabis strains have recommendations for various ailments as well as reviews and testimonials of the effects of smoking, plus a qualified bud-tender is always on hand at the cannabis dispensary, to suggest certain types or strains that are best suited for playing poker.

Let's drop the Hollywood stoner stereotype for the sake of this discussion and consider that a Poker Pro has been smoking weed for 10 years or more and is good at bluffing (that he's not stoned) and after a break only his closest friends, or whomever he's been smoking with, has any idea that he's just quaffed (ie. Smoked) a reefer of the strongest, medicinal grade cannabis, known to mankind, and now he has his Poker-face on, behind a relaxed nonchalant looking, often smiling face. However his heart is beating slightly faster but more importantly a part of his brain that is usually not very active has now kicked-in to high-gear and the Poker Pro is collecting detailed information about his opponents that they're not even aware he can read. In short, the Card player high on marijuana is like a poker scientist in stealth mode. As a side note: I've referred to the Poker Pro as "he" because the vast majority of Pro's are male but I happen to know that female poker pros also regularly play high, especially online.

If you're in the Los Angeles area next week then head-up to the 2010 Hollywood Hills New Years Eve Party presented by NJ Weed Man where there's sure to be lot's of ganja.

Open Bar from 9PM - 11PM
Midnight Free Champagne
Surprise Guest DJ's & Celebrities + Live Reggae Music
Fully Stocked Bars
VIP MMJ Patient Area
12 Midnight countdown overlooking LA with Fireworks Show
21 & over *Open to the Public*
Shuttles will take off every 15 mins. from Capitol Records 1750 Vine St. Los Angeles, Ca. 90028

For more info: NJ Weedman Promotions. This event will sell out!