By Ruth Hill R.N.
Trump’s message to Attorney General (AG) Pam Bondi underscores the administration’s intent to follow the legal framework and to expect a timely outcome rather than prolonged administrative delays. Although Trump ordered Bondi to issue a ruling “by the end of January, it’s possible a verdict could come early in the month.
The push for a January deadline comes as pressure continues to build from lawmakers, industry stakeholders, and patient advocates who have been awaiting clarity since the rescheduling review began. A final ruling will mark the first change to marijuana’s federal classification since it was placed in Schedule I more than five decades ago.
In anticipation of AG Pam Bondi’s final ruling, dispensaries will begin offering larger discounts to attract new customers. Where does the consumer start to find marijuana? Rescheduling does not make it legal under Federal guidelines. Start with state-licensed dispensaries. Resist the urge to go to Amazon for the least expensive product.
Cannabis Corner’s first golden rule is DO NOT BE AFRAID. Cannabis has been around for over 5000 years. In contrast to propaganda on the news, it does not kill you unless you mix it with alcohol, cocaine, methamphetamines, ecstasy, and synthetic cannabis, which CAN KILL you. Did you catch the word synthetic? Synthetic cannabis is made in the lab, not from a plant. The cannabis you grow yourself or purchase in a legal dispensary will NOT kill you.
Here is the only science you need to absorb. There are receptors on each of our cells, too numerous to count. Technicians need a computer to calculate. The receptors in our brain stem control our breathing. Too many activated in that special place depress breathing. Alcohol, opiates, and other dangerous drugs can depress our breathing. If 911 is not called in time to reverse that depression, you die.
There are NO receptors for Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) & cannabidiol (CBD) in the brain stem. Eureka! No depression of your breathing. THC is the only psychoactive ingredient in cannabis that makes you high. Ingest too much THC, and you have a couch lock. However, when it wears off, you wake up feeling fine, in contrast to having a hangover from being drunk.
Do you remember when you took your first alcoholic drink? Did you ingest a six-pack of beer all at once on the first try? Did you take shots of liquor or mix it with soda? It’s the same with cannabis. Don’t eat the whole bag of gummies and expect to be OK. You gradually try a small amount and determine your tolerance, the same as when you started drinking alcohol.
Experimentation is the rule. Using our alcohol metaphor, we see that beer, wine, and hard liquor have different effects. Start low, adjust the dose slowly, and know your milligram dose and ratios. (80-proof alcohol or 90-proof THC). Cannabis Corner recommends tinctures for anyone new to medical cannabis. Start with 1-2mg twice a day of a tincture that has a ratio of 30 CBD to 1 THC. Stick with this dose for 2-3 days, then increase by 1-2 mg daily. Repeat this process slowly until you obtain the desired benefit.
Most gummies have 5-10mg of THC. Cut the gummy in half with scissors the first time to determine your tolerance to THC. CBD is the rescue for getting high on THC. For this reason, have high-dose CBD or peppercorns on hand. Peppercorns have beta-caryophyllene, which is similar to CBD. A high from too much THC can always be reversed within 10-15 minutes with a rescue dose of CBD or peppercorns. Gummies taste great, which can lead to gouging like candy.
Ask the dispensary who their most experienced Budtender is? Like any product, a wine connoisseur is no comparison to a helper at Ralph’s grocery store. Do not expect a refund similar to returning a bottle of wine you did not like. Cannabis Corner recommends Zoom and Podcast episodes with the Green Nurse and Holistic Caring Network—or Healing Essence Hemp, which has no THC and is rigorously tested, like marijuana.
Ask Cannabis Corner for a free reference at hilruth@gmail.com.
