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3P’s for Purchasing Cannabis Oil – Purpose, Purity, Procurement

Demand for cannabis oil has skyrocketed.  We believe cannabis has the potential to be very effective as part of the integrated therapy for cancer, epilepsy, MS and many other chronic and terminal illnesses.  But not all cannabis oil is created equally and it’s important to do your own homework before you buy or make cannabis oil.

Hemp Oil vs. Cannabis Oil

Cannabis oil is also known as concentrated cannabis oil, Rick Simpson Oil (RSO), Phoenix Tears, or Milagro Oil.  Cannabis oil is a dark, thick paste or gel of a highly concentrated cannabinoids made from the flowers (and sometimes leaves) of seed-free female cannabis flowers. Making cannabis oil requires extraction of the cannabinoids from the dry plan matter, with a solvent, and the heating to activate the cannabinoids and to cook off the solvent.   It is very different from Hemp oil which is a legal food-grade product made from pressing hemp seeds, (not from the flower or leaf like cannabis oil) grown specifically as a food grade product.  This oil is high in healthy nutrients including the very important essential fatty acids.  While hemp oil is a highly nutritious product that does indeed support a healthy endocannabinoid system, it does not have the same assumed curative properties of cannabis oil. While hemp and medical cannabis plants are cousins of sorts hemp has very low levels of cannabinoids, especially low (negligible) levels of THC.  Keep in mind that cannabinoids (the pharmaceutically active component of cannabis oil) reside in the trichome, a small gland on the exterior of the cannabis flower and leaf, not within the seed.  And, that cannabinoids such as THC and CBD have to be heated to 212F to be converted from a cannabinoid acid to a cannabinoid. While each product has their merits, they are completely different products with different purposes.

 

3 things to consider when purchasing/making cannabis oil

Purpose

What is it that you want this oil to do for you or your loved one?  This will provide guidance as to whether you want an oil high in CBD or THC.  They provide different benefits.  See our page on “Introduction to Cannabis” for more information on CBD & THC.

High CBD oil has been all the rage in the last year for treating children with epilepsy. While many children are having incredible results with it, the popularity of the product invites scam artist to prey upon desperate parents.   Steep Hill Labs and the Werc Shop – both reputable cannabis testing facilities, report that approximately 12 in 750 samples tested are considered high in CBD.  Make sure you do your homework in finding the right oil for you and purchase from a reputable source.

Purity

To have clean quality product, you must begin with clean, quality cannabis.  Regardless if you are buying or making your cannabis oil it is important to use very dry, high quality cannabis flowers that are pesticide, mold, and bacteria-free.  You would not want these things in your antibiotics or cough medicine, why would it be ok in your cannabis oil?  If you are in a state with access to lab testing they can test your plant material and concentrates for cannabinoid content, mold, bacteria, other microbes, and pesticides and your concentrates for all of that and residual solvents.  Purity Matters!

What solvent was used to make the cannabis oil?  Know that some of the most common solvents used in making cannabis oil like Naptha and Butane are carcinogenic and should NOT be used in cannabis oil.  While they are supposed to be burned off in the finishing process, the only way to be sure is to have that product lab tested.  Even small amounts of these chemicals can be harmful to your health.  The safest cannabis oil preparation is the  CO2 method but that equipment is expensive.  Ethanol (alcohol) extraction is the second best choice. The experts that we interviewed for this article urged extra caution for alcoholics using ethanol extracted cannabis – it is important to ensure that no alcohol residue remains in the oil.

Procurement

Be sure to purchase your cannabis oil from a reputable place.  Do not buy cannabis oil on the internet – especially from someone with a random email address!  It is likely it is a scam.  There is no way to know the quality of the cannabis oil or if it is in fact cannabis oil that is being sold.  Again, purchase from a reputable, trustworthy source.

Please remember Purpose, Purity, and Procurement when purchasing or making cannabis oil.  We hope this information is helpful to you.

How to Make a Small Batch of Rick Simpson Oil

This is an excellent video on how to make small-batch high-concentrated cannabis oil.

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Dr. Grinspoon Responds – “Weed: Been There, Done That”

 

Dr. Grinspoon diplomatically comments on an article written in the New York Times by popular columnist David Brooks.  Obviously there are still those who are uninformed and cling to old stigmas.  Dr. Grinspoon continues to be a voice of reason offering engaging and relevant information on cannabis.  Dr. Grinspoon is considered an expert in the field of cannabis science and has been writing on the topic for over forty years.  It is worth noting that when he began his professional investigation of cannabis at Harvard, that his goal was to prove it’s negative effects.

David Brooks’ article really highlights the fact that many very smart people remain ignorant about the nature of cannabis.

The following is an excerpt from the article “Dr. Lester Grinspoon on David Brooks’ ‘Weed: Been There, Done That’”

Harvard Professor emeritus and author of Marihuana Reconsidered, Dr. Lester Grinspoon, responds to David Brooks’ New York Times anti-pot polemic.

Dr. Lester Grinspoon
Dr. Lester Grinspoon

Lester, how did you react to Brooks’ takedown of cannabis?
My overall impression is that David Brooks, who seems like a very smart man, is very much mistaken about what he thinks he knows about marijuana and out of date.

Let’s start at the top. He says that all of his friends gave it up after college, as if it’s indicative of some sort of emotional or psychological immaturity.
I think it’s true that most people who use it as young people do give it up in the course of their lives. I don’t think they give it up because it’s harmful. They give it up because they turn to other things, like getting married or having children, or having jobs with drug testing.

Brooks claims it’s addictive in 1 in 6 teenagers.
I don’t believe it is addictive, and there’s no evidence of it being so. You get addicted to things like alcohol, cigarettes or heroin and many opiate derivatives, but people do not become addicted to marijuana. There are people who use it all day long and that seems to me silly—you get the high in the morning but the rest of the day, there isn’t much. Nevertheless, it’s not an addiction because those people can give it up if they want to and will not suffer any withdrawal effects. Some may get a little irritable or depressed. That has nothing to do with withdrawal symptoms.

He claims that “smoking and driving is a good way to get killed.” Agree or disagree?
I am opposed to smoking and driving. Using any psychoactive drug, even one with a minor effect on reflexes is dangerous. However, unlike the stereotypical drunk driver who is speeding recklessly with one hand on the wheel and who isn’t in control of his car, the person who is high is usually in the right lane with both hands on the wheel and he’s going so slow he’s a pain in the neck. That doesn’t mean he hasn’t increased his risk—he might get distracted by a pretty scene on the road. However, I have to tell you there is far less danger to both the driver and other people from the stoned driver than the drunk driver.

He insists that young people who smoke “suffer IQ loss and perform worse on cognitive tests.”
Both of those statements are absolute nonsense. I’d like to see the data he finds convincing. I’ve been reading it for a long time now, and I find no data for either contention. A lot of those cognitive studies were compromised.

“it’s becoming increasingly understood that it is a very interesting and versatile medicine with much less toxicity than some of the pharmaceutical products it replaces.”

Read more: http://www.mademan.com/dr-lester-grinspoon-on-david-brooks-weed-been-there-done-that/#ixzz2q0sXieBZ

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Cannabis for Breast Cancer

Breast cancer awareness month is a great thing.  Early this month I had a chance to attend the Be Brave and Fight Like a Girl Party hosted by Heal In Comfort founded by breast cancer survivor Cherie Mathews. The point of the fundraiser was to raise money to provide post operative shirts to people after a mastectomy. The night was filled with laughter, celebration, camaraderie and inspiration.  I was amazed at the number of brave women who we willing to stand up and tell their personal story. And, the number of people who I met that had experience using cannabis for breast cancer.

Cannabis for Breast CancerBreast Cancer Statistics

We applaud all of those who are fighting the brave and good fight against breast cancer, the friends and family who support them and all the people working to raise awareness for early detection.  According to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc., breast cancer is the second leading cause among women behind heart disease.  Other haunting facts include:

 

  • 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime
  • 220,000 women are diagnosed annually
  • 40,000 will die from it annually
  • 2,150 men will be diagnosed and 410 will die from it

 

The good news is the rate of breast cancer is declining as is the number of associated deaths.  The reduction in breast cancer seems to correlate with the decline in synthetic hormone replacement.  The decrease in deaths is also associated with reduced rates of breast cancer and early detection.

Those who are diagnosed are faced with a lumpectomy (removal of the tumor), mastectomy (removal of the breast), chemotherapy, and/or radiation.  None, of which are very pleasant. At the Be Brave and Fight Like a Girl party, I was amazed at the number of people who confided in me that they might not have made it through chemo without cannabis.

Cannabis for Breast Cancer

Cannabis is a girl’s best friend,  and a guy’s too!  Regardless of how one chooses to move forward with fighting cancer, cannabis can help. One of the categories of pharmacologically active components of the plant is called cannabinoids.  There are over 70 cannabinoids that occur in cannabis plants but only a handful are really being studied.  Leading the way are Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive component of cannabis, and cannabidiol (CBD) a non-psychoactive cannabinoid.  Both have anti-cancer effects and are proven anti-emetics (prevents nausea and vomiting).  Cannabis also helps the patient sleep which is critically important to healing.  It reduces pain, depression and anxiety and stimulates the appetite.  Well-known oncologist and cannabis researcher, Dr. Donald Abrams, says that he can prescribe 5 different medications to his cancer patients or he can prescribe cannabis. Cannabis is most commonly inhaled via a joint, bong, pipe or vaporizer (safest inhalation option).  It can also be ingested in the form of the prescription drug Marinol that comes in a pill form or some sort of a food like brownies or pasta made with cannabis butter.  These options are highly effective for managing symptoms associated with the side effects of cancer treatment.

There is mounting science, however, that indicates cannabis may also be effective as a treatment against cancer not only helping manage symptoms associated with treatment, but to change the progression of the disease.  In the lab, components of the cannabis plant have been proven to kill breast cancer cell cultures.  No clinical trials have been performed on humans with breast cancer yet, but this is a good beginning.  It is not yet clear exactly how cannabinoids work against cancer.  Some of the possibilities include directly inducing cell death, reducing cell proliferation, the prevention of angiogenesis (the creation of new blood vessels required for tumor growth) and most likely a combination of all of the above.  Remarkably, cannabinoids target cancerous cells not healthy cells. The anti-proliferative effect of cannabinoids on cancerous cells was first reported in 1975.  Little was done with this information for over twenty years.  Thankfully, interest is growing in the research community.

However, droves of people are not waiting for the research to come in. They are making their own highly concentrated forms of cannabis medicine known as cannabis oil.  While I believe strongly in the power of the cannabis plant to heal the human body, it is important to be aware of the challenges when using cannabis to alter disease progression.  The two biggest of which is a) understanding dosing and b) knowing what you have.  Not all cannabis plants are the same.  Each plant’s chemistry is as different as each human being’s unique chemistry.  While no one really knows for sure, many people speculate that some types of cancer are going to be treated more successfully with cannabis than others.  And varying ratios of the components from the cannabis plant may be more effective than others and some are going to be better for one cancer versus another.  Simply put, we don’t really know what doses are needed to kill cancer.  On the flip side a well respected physician recently told me, “Do not let perfect be the enemy of good.”  In a perfect world, cannabis would be available at your pharmacy or in your backyard.  Chemical analysis of your plant material would be affordable and guidelines for dosing would be well established.  But this is not a perfect world.  Thus, we do the best we can with what we know and have.

Why Cannabis is SAFE

Regardless of how you choose to integrate cannabis into your treatment it is important to know that the cannabinoids in the cannabis plant mimic important chemicals in your own body that are directly responsible for helping your body maintain homeostasis or balance.  These chemicals are part of a system called the endocannabinoid system which regulates, modulates or is somehow involved in every major biological system in the body. When the endocannabinoid system is so stressed that it is unable to bring itself into balance, outside cannabinoids, be they from the cannabis plant or a synthetic cannabinoid (like the prescription drug Marinol), are often effective at supporting the endocannabinoid system in helping bring the body back into balance.  Additionally, cannabis has a high safety profile because of its low toxicity and the fact that there are not enough cannabinoid receptors in the part of the brain that control breathing or heart beat to stop the heart or lungs – no one has ever died from over-consumption.

Should you choose to integrate cannabis into your cancer treatment, know that the adverse effects are minimal but may occur.   If you experience side effects that are beyond the benefits you are receiving from cannabis, simply discontinue use and the side effects will stop as soon as the cannabis has left your system.

Talking to other breast cancer survivors about their experience with cannabis will be helpful. There is so much we can learn from each other’s experiences.

Support Cannabis Education

Thru 3:00 PM October 28th, we are raising funds to publish our upcoming guide to cannabis for the terminally and chronically ill.  Your support of our crowdfunding campaign is greatly appreciated.  Please support us at http://rkthb.co/32069

Source: Integrative Oncology by Donald Abrams & Andrew Weil.  Chapter 7 pgs 147-170.

This blog was written by Nishi Whiteley marketing consultant and cannabis educator.  Learn more at www.MyChronicRelief.com

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Cooking with Cannabis

While most people think of pot brownies when they think of cooking with cannabis, I would like to argue that for people with compromised immune systems, sugary foods are not the most healthful delivery system for cannabis. That is especially true for people who are trying to recover from injury or illness, whereas, in palliative care the priority is making the patient comfortable.

Food is a Pleasure Center: Striking the balance between nutrition, pleasure and medicine

Equadorian Quinoa StewFood is a pleasure center for most people.  But often times, when people get sick – especially those going through chemo, the taste buds change or people simply lose their desire for food. In the last 6 months of my mother’s life, the drugs she had been taking really started to take their toll.   Things that she once loved made her gag at the sight of it.  And what seemed palatable one day was nauseating to her the next.  When she decided to try cannabis in food she started with peanut butter cookies.  They were sweet and salty and one of the few things that “sounded” tasty to her. The cookies stimulated her appetite. Then she started to desire more savory foods like potato and veggie popovers and pizza – all made with cannabis butter.  Those foods helped take the edge off of her prescription drugs, reduced her anxiousness and controlled her nausea and vomiting.  It was pretty amazing to watch it work.

How to Incorporate Cannabis into Healthier Foods

After she died, I spent lots of time, thinking about how to incorporate cannabis into healthier foods and how to share that with others.  This entire project Chronic Relief and the forthcoming book under the same title were born from this question.  I LOVE to cook.  It’s both a creative outlet for me and an intellectual challenge to make something delicious and healthy.  Among my friends and family, I am known for my interest in health, wellness, nutrition, gardening, and how to use food as medicine.  People are amazed at what I can get their picky loved-one to eat and come back and ask for more.  Helping people figure out how to improve their diet in an easy and satisfying manner is sheer joy for me. As is helping people understand how the food we eat impacts our mind, body and soul.  When people start to connect the dots of their own wellness and see results I feel very satisfied.

When cooking for the sick and injured I recommend a few basic principles:

  • Find something that seems appealing to them
  • Use fresh ingredients and good fats
  • Make things that are nutrient dense
  • Choose foods that are relatively easy to digest
  • Minimize gluten to reduce inflammation

The therapeutic components from the cannabis plant exist in the glandular trichomes on the surface of cannabis leaves and flowers. You can use the plant material to make cannabis butter, olive oil, coconut oil or any type of oil you prefer.  You can also drop ground herb directly into dish that is going to be cooked.  However if you are going to do that, please remember that to get the trichomes to release the medicine so it can be used by your body, you must cook it (low heat) with a fat.  That is why most cannabis recipes begin with a cannabis butter or oil.  Low heat and fat are required when cooking with cannabis.  The heat will help release the medicine so it can then bind to the fat.

Tips for Cooking with Cannabis

It is important to remember that cannabis ingested (swallowed) is processed through the liver so it provides a more psychoactive effect than inhalation.  A little bit goes a long way.  This is not the time to say, “If a little bit is good, then a lot must be better.”  Certain studies have shown that there is “sweet spot” or a therapeutic window for providing relief against pain and that if too much is consumed, some patients will experience more pain instead of less.  Start by ingesting small amounts.  The recipe featured in this blog uses a small amount (3 tbsps.) of butter and oil – I think the combination gives better flavor, but you can use one or the other. After you have cooked the dish and tested it for its impact, you can add more butter or oil later if necessary.

When cooking with cannabis there are a couple of important things to remember:

  • Potency of your dish depends on the potency of the bud or leaf you use.  Buds have 75% more trichome density, therefore, more medicine.  However, leaves (if you can get them) can be a more cost effective way to make butter and oil.
  • A little can go a very long way.  Ingested cannabis processes through the liver unlike smoked cannabis which processes immediately through the central nervous system.  Because it processes in the liver, the psychoactive effect is magnified.
  •  It will take 60-90 minutes to feel the effects depending on how much someone eats, their body, and the chemistry or the plant material used.
  • The effects will last for 6-9 hours.  That is why it is so important NOT to eat too much.  People who consume too much can find it to be a fairly unpleasant experience.  It won’t kill you but you will be glad when it gets out of your system.
  • Start slow until you know how products with butter or oil affect you.

One of my favorite recipes that we share in the book is Ecuadorian Quinoa Stew.  Stay with me here – give it a chance!   It is vegetarian (add roasted chicken if you need some meat), easy to cook, keeps well for several days, is full of fresh ingredients, is high in protein, easy to digest and has NO gluten.  A friend of mine made it for me for lunch one day.  Admittedly, I was not too excited about it when she described it, but it would have been rude to have expressed my skepticism, right?   I thought it just sounded weird.  On the contrary, it is scrumptious!

After my mom died this friend was supportive at times when others had moved on.  She has also been super supportive of my book and my cannabis education efforts.  It only seemed fitting to me to include her awesome recipe in the book.  Besides, it is so darn good, it would be wrong of me not to share it with you.  So a big thanks to my friend who shall remain nameless for sharing it with me!

Don’t be intimidated be the ingredients list.  This will take you 20-30 minutes to make.  And it even tastes better the next day!

Equadorian Quinoa Stew

Quinoa, is an ancient grain from South America available in many grocery stores and most health food stores.  It is an excellent source of essential amino acids, calcium and has more protein than any other grain.  Because its carbohydrates are slow releasing, it does not cause a spike in blood sugar.

  • ½ cup raw quinoa
  • 2 tablespoons canna olive oil (click for the recipe)
  • 1 tablespoon of canna butter (click for the recipe)
  • 2 cups chopped onion
  • 1 teaspoon of sea salt
  • 1 cup diced potatoes
  • 1 cup chopped red or green bell peppers
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 3 cups water or vegetable stock
  • 1 ½ cups chopped fresh or un-drained canned tomatoes (14 ½ ounce can)
  • 1 cup diced zucchini or yellow squash
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Toppings: Chopped scallion, chopped fresh cilantro, avocado, crumbled tortilla chips, grated Cheddar or Monterrey Jack cheese, dollop of Greek yogurt optional.  I prefer mine with all of the above but add what you like.  Fresh cilantro brightens any dish and is itself a healing herb.

Directions:

Rinse the quinoa in a fine mesh strainer under cold running water.  Set aside to drain.

Warm the oil and butter in a non-reactive soup pot, add the onions and salt, cover and cook on medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add the drained quinoa, potatoes, bell peppers, coriander, cumin, oregano, black pepper, water or stock, and tomatoes. Cover and bring to a boil.  Then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until all of the veggies are tender.

Stir in the lemon juice.  If desired, serve with a sprinkling of the scallions, tortilla chips, and grated cheese.  A dollop of Greek yogurt on top is also delicious and will add more protein to the soup.  Additional butter or oil can be used for a more potent dish.

This recipe will be one of five electronic recipe cards for anyone who gives $25 or more on our RocketHub crowdfunding campaign for the publishing of our book.  Support Cannabis Education: http://rkthb.co/32069

The Chronic Relief blog is written by Nishi Whiteley, marketing and strategy consultant and cannabis educator.  To learn more about the safety and efficacy of cannabis as medicine please visit www.MyChronicRelief.com .