June 26th, 2015 – A Historical Day to Close Out an Epic Week - Presidents, Podcasts, Progress

(Started writing this on Friday, had to take lots of breaks to finish it to my standards and add hyperlinks/pics, so it's going up on Saturday afternoon, 7-27)

The Supreme Court just ruled in favor of same sex marriage!!!!

What a way to close out an epic week for progress! I learned rather belatedly that the feds cut off funding to the DEA for medical cannabis raids late last year, due to recent back lash from the Justice Department. Come on guys, just let it go already! Stop fucking with sick people and our right to choose our symptom management! You'll come around eventually. 

It was a close decision, 5-4, but history has been made on this day here in this country. My mind is totally blown. I had no idea this was going on, as I don't watch the news, and avoid it online (not on Facebook, my homepage is Google). Especially when the Fibromyalgia is kicking my ass like it has been for the last few weeks (boo).

The decision was based upon the 14^th Amendment, and from what I've read it sets a potential precedent for federal legalization of medical cannabis. Crazy exciting shit. Talk about a badly needed open door that we can now utilize for even further progress! Can't believe I'm seeing all this in my lifetime! If you had told me ten years ago that today we would be questioning the validity of the Drug War, ending cannabis prohibition at the state and federal level, opening up channels for medical applications of MDMA and Psilocybin, and recognize the legal right to same sex marriage at the federal level, I would have asked you what you were on so I could have a hit.

Someone please pinch me, I must be dreaming!

'Merica, fuck yeah!!!

Something else revolutionary that happened this week and has me very excited – President Obama was on Marc Maron's WTF Podcast!!! A president, on a podcast! And not just any podcast, a comedian's podcast. And not a clean comedian, either! Not that there's anything wrong with clean comedy. It just would have been more socially sanctioned for the President to choose to sit down with Jerry Seinfeld, Jay Leno, Jimmy Fallon, or Ellen Degeneres.

To say this was a ground breaking decision would be an understatement.

President Barack Obama posing with Marc Maron in his garage:)
For more pics, check out http://marcmeetsobama.com/.

It was a very interesting listen. I wound up connecting with Mr. and Mrs. Obama in ways I hadn't foreseen. Michelle's Dad has MS, and this was back before the ADA act. Mr. Obama told a story or two about her father's struggles with his illness, and the public's perception of disability, which really touched me. I wonder if he uses cannabis for his MS symptoms. I sure hope so. Montel Williams says it's the only thing that really helps him with his. After being prodded (boldly, IMHO) by Marc to describe his eccentricities (“So, how are you crazy? When Michelle says 'Stop doing that!', what is she referring to?”), Mr. Obama talked about his history and childhood. How he moved around a lot, how that makes him kinda loose and restless. How Michelle grew up in a small town with a “Cleaver” kind of family, living in the same house her whole life, and being very grounded. Mr. Obama described how they in turn balance out each other's “crazy” - she helps to ground him out, and he in turns helps to bring her out of her shell. This made me think of my man and I, but reversed roles. I moved more times than I could count growing up, my man grew up in the house we're staying in now. This bedroom used to have pink carpet because it was his sister's when they were growing up. When I first met his family I totally thought of them as “Cleaver-like” compared to my fubared family (love mi familia, but we are all are fucked up, just tellin' it like it is). He totally grounds my crazy wanderlust, and I help him overcome his tendency towards being an extreme introvert.

I came away from the hour or so conversation very pleased. I was a tad disappointed with how one dimensional some of Mr. Obama's answers were - “Gun control must be solved by taking away guns. Other countries don't have shootings like we do, if they don't allow their citizens to have guns.” I'll save my personal thoughts on such a complex situation for another post. But I think he dropped enough hints so that anyone could read between the lines and really hear what he said in that conversation. He acknowledged the limitations he has as President. Marc did great by comparing it to a “middle management” position. And I think that is an excellent metaphor, one I had never thought of before. The President in this country is the ultimate “Mr. Manager”.

In case you haven't noticed, I make old school AD references whenever possible ;)

Think of all the bureaucracies, organizations, special interests, and branches of government that exist, that work together like some insane fucked up machine, and interfacing with all of that madness. No way you can please all those people, no matter what you do. Then you have millions of citizens with all their desires and wants and needs. Fuck, that sounds like too much for one person. I definitely gained more respect for the man. Not that I didn't respect him before. I may not have voted for Barack Obama, and may not agree with everything that has happened under his organization, but I knew before hearing the podcast it was a tough gig. I just never saw it with such clarity before, in ways that I could relate to.

The one burning question I'm left with, that I wish Marc had thought to ask our Commander in Chief, and I'm sure I speak on behalf of all citizens when I say this – I wonder if Mr. and Mrs. Obama have seen the bit Chris Rock did about having a black First Lady back when Barack was running for office? If he is a fan of comedy, chances are strong he has seen it. I am so freakin' curious as to if he's seen it, if Mrs. Obama has, and if they thought it was funny. I would like to think they laughed their asses off. I appreciate people who don't take themselves too seriously.

The art of laughing at oneself seems to be a dying skill.

Overall, I think it was fucking brilliant. And refreshing. And brave, on both their parts, and all the other cats involved in making that magic happen. People have been hating on Marc for not being "harder" on the President when touchy issues, like gun control, got brought up. I think you all missed the point of this conversation. First off, remember that Marc Marin is not a journalist. He is a comedian. And he only had an hour. You start going down a rabbit hole like that, and nothing else gets discussed before you're out of time. The point of this conversation was for Mr. Obama to be able to step outside of mainstream politics for a moment, and be seen as a person. Hopefully, by millions of people he doesn't normally reach thru traditional media, because we are disenchanted with it, and no longer utilize it as an information source. People like me.
And in that sense, it worked like a charm.

Besides walking away with a new connection to Mr. Obama, his family, and their story, it was nice to hear the President be real. Or at least as real as one is allowed to be. What I heard him say in so many words was, “The system isn't perfect. I am limited in what I can do. I am not happy with these limitations, but am pleased with the progress we have been able to make within the system as it exists today. I remain optimistic for the future, because I have learned a lot and now I can put that to use in my last year and half as President. I have learned what the game is and how to play it, and I may not like it very much, but I still give a shit, I still remember where I came from, why I got into politics. I still remember the grind and the hustle and the racism and the poverty and the sickness we are experiencing as a society. And I promise to do as much as I can, as fast as I can, in the time that I have left. I'm getting gangsta. I'm keeping it real. I give zero fucks now. I'm gonna do things like go on the WTF Podcast, and be a real human being without having to interact with just another talking head on some agenda driven media outlet.”

I'm curious as to what he's gonna do next. Very intrigued, and excited.

Thank you, Mr. Obama, and those working towards loosening the tight grip of the Judeo-Christian-Puratin-Paternal driven tyranny we have been under for the last few thousand years or so. The same insanity that destroyed my people, scattered them and our history and culture and songs and art and religion to the dust. The same that enslaved Mr. Obama's people, tore them from their homelands and treated them like cattle. If we truly have separation of the state from the church in this fine country of ours, then why is the government involved with affairs concerning love, sex, expression, and ideologies? Why does it care who we choose to marry, what substances we choose to ingest? These are not concerns of practical matters, these are moralistic arguments, and have no place in government. How nice that we seem to be finally coming around as a people and realizing this.

There was more than one "Trail of Tears". Never forget!

Thank you for giving me hope, for renewing my faith and interest in the system, for reminding me it's far easier to create change from within an existing frame work, rather than tearing it all apart and starting from scratch (makes me think of SLC punk). For reminding me I can be jaded and sit here and bitch, or I can get involved and participate and push for the changes I desire, knowing it takes time and patience and cooperation and love and energy.

Like Sasha Shulgin did for “The Tribe” - be an emissary rather than a guerrilla rebel, and you're more likely to get a lot more accomplished in your lifetime. More likely to have a lasting impact on the generations to come. Which is where our perspective needs to be anyway.

Cheers to all the brave emissaries of these movements towards progress, equality, freedom!

And to you, Marc, you did great! I would have fallen apart under all the pressure! I can't imagine how surreal that must have been, and look forward to hearing you talk about the experience on the podcast you put up on Thursday.

<3 Much love from a fan of comedy and democracy <3

P.S. Shame on all you who freaked out about Mr. Obama “dropping the N-word” once during the podcast!

Obviously, you missed the whole fucking point of that eloquent and enlightening conversation, and you made asses out of yourselves acting like infantile ignoramuses flipping out about it. "The Rapper in Chief"...fucking really, Fox??? You all are acting like he rolled up to Marin's with a do-rag on, an L hanging from his lip, ice hanging from his neck, dropping N Bombs like they're going out of style. Fucking pathetic!!!

Also, in case you didn't notice, he's black.

He's allowed to use that word anytime, in any way he wants.

You're probably just butthurt The President is sick of mainstream media's bullshit, and chose to go chill out in Marc Maron's garage, rather than shoot the shit with you on your TV Show.

And that it worked. I bet that annoys you even more.

To quote the great Bill Burr, “Go fuck yah-self.” 

Whoever did this is fucking brilliant!

Should you find any value from this blog, please consider making a donation to the PayPal link at the top right of the site (mobile users, please click on the web version to view). I don't create these posts expecting anything but to help/entertain others, but I am a disabled mechanic/artist who is not currently receiving SSI/SSDI and when I'm flared up it's hard if not impossible for me to get my hustle on. I'm also working on adding Bitcoin here! Thank you so much for reading and supporting my work :) 

Fibromyalgia/M.E./CFS/Invisible Illness Awareness Week

When you picture a disabled person, you're probably like I used to be. For me, the term "disabled" used to conjure images of quadriplegics, like Stephen Hawking, or the blind, or deaf. I had no clue there is a whole spectrum of disabilities out there, many of which aren't visible to the uneducated/inexperienced, nor that they can vary in severity from moment to moment and day to day.

After the onset of what turned out to be Fibromyalgia in 2011, I have learned differently. Even though I'm half Mexican and used to sunbathe all day, one of the most debilitating symptoms I struggle with is a light sensitivity (UV rays). In fact, that is the primary reason my boyfriend and I left Boulder County, Colorado. At over a mile high and with more than 300 days of sunshine annually, I was literally stuck inside our apartment most of the day with the blinds drawn and tapestries over them because even then it was still too bright. I remember struggling to walk maybe a hundred feet to our mailbox to check the mail, because there was very little shade and even with a giant UV sunhat, parasol, and clothing, it still felt like the sun was burning into my very bones, sapping me of all energy so that I was exhausted when I got back home and just had to sleep off the rest of the day like when I used to party like an animal out in the desert. But all I'd done was check the friggin' mail. That's why we left one of the greatest places in the country - a place where you can buy cannabanoid infused transdermal patches with a credit card, surrounded by some of the most beautiful people and mountains I've ever seen. Not to mention the music scene pops off out there. And I didn't even get to explore it much because I got sick. Not that I'm bitter or anything. Moving on.

And that is just one symptom that debilitates me that you can't see. Except that I'm super pale compared to how I was a few years ago (will post pics up later to show before/after, don't have access to old pics at the moment and am crashing at 3:30am here from gnar-gnar hyperactivity/insomnia - another thing you can't see that throws me for a loop). For further details on what my Fibro feels like check out this post here. It does a pretty good job. 

What I want to rant about before I take a few more of some of my favorite meds (a discussion I will save for another time) and bongloads and hopefully finally sleep is that one thing that shocks me is how misunderstanding people can be about these "invisible illnesses". I've been critiqued/disbelieved along the way by just about everyone except my boyfriend, bless him, especially when you consider about 75% of couples experiencing the onset of illness in one of the partners will fail - that includes the more understood diseases like cancer, folks. Everyone in my family has questioned it, and most of the extended family still hasn't come around, and it's caused issues in my boyfriend's family too. 

It's a common issue that many fellow "chronic badasses", as I like to call us, deal with on an all too frequent basis. People think we're lazy, hypochondriacs, attention whores, mentally ill, or something along those lines. I can't speak for us all but I can tell you in my case that I do have my fair share of personality flaws just like anyone else, but I sure as hell am not lazy or any of those other things. Up until 2011, I raved/partied harder than people twice my size, I started working at 15 so I could take care of myself since I grew up a latch key kid - coming home to notes with instructions about how to make dinner for my sisters and I - I commuted/drove all over California, worked as part of a pit crew at Irwindale Speedway, and started getting serious about my journalism/automotive restoration career. And right before I got sick I finally found a job I could picture staying with for more than a few years without getting jaded or bored, as well as getting my shit together as a person enough so that I established my relationship with my current love. 

Why in the fuck would I leave that kind of awesome life to relocate to some po-dunk hick ass town in the middle of Nowhere, Vermont, more than three hours from any major city? Do you know what that does to this city girl? 

Now, don't get me wrong, I'm incredibly grateful for my life, including the challenge that is living with chronic illness. I feel it's made me a stronger, more integrated person, giving me an invaluable perspective on life/our time here on this plane, I've fallen in love with where I live, have definitely benefited from the lower elevation and UV index, and I wouldn't trade my path for anything. I feel I could be of great service by sharing my experiences with others. This is what has helped me to get writing regularly again, after all the pain and grief I've experienced. Still haven't been able to get back on Facebook though, I wonder if my account is even still active? 

And forgive me if I come across as angry. But sometimes a little fire needs to be mixed in. People need to know that they don't know and that is the exact reason they should respect illnesses and disabilities that can't be easily seen or understood. I would never expect someone to understand what it's like to be chronically ill or disabled if they have never faced it themselves. Just like I could never understand what it's like to be in anyone else's shoes. But I respect your story exactly because I could never comprehend it. And all I'm asking for is the same, and it just boggles my mind how rare reciprocity is.

And I'm angry about how illnesses like Fibromyalgia are traditionally diagnosed and managed. The methods employed are about as ass-backwards as leaching or cutting or sprinkling holy water. The drugs used generally aren't very efficacious, tend to have sketchy side effects, and are dangerous when used long term (and these are chronic illnesses, so long term is a part of the picture). I am passionate about sharing my successes using medical cannabis products and other non-traditional plants/drugs and methods like diet/lifestyle changes. Which I will be getting to in more detail as soon as I finish the current series I'm working on. 

So, please, as this week winds to a close, keep the spreading the awareness and compassion for these invisible illnesses. If you know someone who is ill or disabled and don't know what to do or want to understand more, just ask. Or do some quick Google searching. You'd be surprised how many celebrities are affected by these extremely challenging conditions - like Morgan Freeman, Toni Braxton, Janeane Garofalo, and Halle Barry. 

Well, that's all for now. Thank you so much for reading this post! I hope you found it informative and it sparked some curiosity or compassion in you to learn more. 

*Love & Light*

Renata Carmen

Please, if you find any value from this blog, please consider making a donation to the PayPal link at the top right of the page. I don't create these posts expecting anything but to help/entertain others, but I am a disabled mechanic/artist who is not currently receiving SSI/SSDI and when I'm flared up it's hard if not impossible for me to get my hustle on. I'm also working on adding Bitcoin here! :) 

4/20 - A Celebration of Freedom of Choice

Today, people across the globe people will be celebrating The 4/20 Holiday, and in this great year of our lord 2015, we do have a lot to celebrate!

After over 70 insane years we're finally seeing some progress towards the end of Cannabis Prohibition!!!! We've legalized medical use of Cannabis in 23 states, with nine more pending, along with its recreational use in two states, with an estimated 10 more pending. People of all ages and from all walks of life are openly discussing spiritual and medical uses of Ayahuasca, MDMA, and Psilocin - topics that were only for the wild fringe just five years ago. This makes me more optimistic than I could have ever hoped to be that in my lifetime we will continue seeing much needed change in the way we view and manage mind altering substances. 

Hmm...haven't we been down this road before?

But, we must not get complacent. We must remember there are still many states and nations that do not yet have safe access to Cannabis, even medically. And we still have a long ways yet before we've overcome The War on Consciousness, aka The Drug War. If we as adults don't have the right to explore our minds and bodies, then how can we call ourselves free?Why are drugs like alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine culturally sanctioned, but cannabis, LSD, and mushrooms remain taboo? What makes one drug "good" and one "bad" in the eyes of a society? Certainly not factors like safety, considering there is NO known lethal dose of LSD and no recorded deaths from Cannabis, while countless deaths related to alcohol and tobacco use occur every year. 

It's time to ask questions, it's time for answers. It's time for education, not fear mongering.

I am a Psychonaut, and proud of it! And I'm a grateful Medical Cannabis patient. I seriously don't know how I'd manage my Fibromyalgia without this amazing and versatile plant. It breaks my heart to see how many people could benefit from medical alternatives like Cannabis, but are prevented from even trying them because of local laws created out of fear, not logic. 

Wish I could be in Colorado. celebrating this day as only they can. But, I'm out in the rural country of the Green Mountain State, so I will be celebrating virtually with the Global Tribe. 
And that is more than enough :) 

Want to get involved? Check out The Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies, The National Organization for Reform of Marijuana Laws, and Americans for Safe Access. 

Let's all keep working towards change! 

An anti-prohibition poem I wrote this morning: 

Today
We celebrate

Freedom of Choice

Today

We stand 

United as one voice

Today

We honor

Those who came before

Today

We speak

For our right to explore

the inner planes of body and mind 

It's not immature, or reckless

It's a natural part of human nature to expect this

Desire

This unquenchable thirst

You can try to stop the fire

but it was burning first

And always will be

So long as there's human curiosity

An ember glows within us all

Can't you see 

Your delusion will be your downfall

Under the illusion that there's Justice for All

While lives are destroyed for heeding the call

To explore 

The inner planes of body and mind 

It's completely insane

How can we be so behind?

For such an advanced society
We're as arcane as the Inquisition used to be

How many more must suffer or go to jail

Before we admit Prohibition has failed?

Has robbed us of options, of choices

I dream of living in a world where our voices are heard

Where our rights to explore body and mind aren't deterred

Where Drug Cartels are a thing of the past

Where doctors and patients are free to ask

"What if?

What if this works?

What if there are cures 

We haven't been allowed to research?"

It's about time 

We're free 

To explore body and mind

An inalienable right

To all Humankind

Here's some Cannabis related material for your entertainment and enlightenment:

The Emperor Wears No Clothes - Cannabis History by Jack Herer

Joe Rogan - Why Marijuana is Illegal

Dr. Sanjay Gupta's CNN Special "Weed"

A few people to remember as we celebrate:

Robert Randall - First ever legal US Medical Cannabis patient under the US Investigational New Drug Program. He went through legal and physical hell to make this happen. He then went on to co-found the Alliance for Cannabis Therapeutics with his wife, Alice O'Leary, to push for the end of prohibition of medical cannabis. Robert died in 2001 after decades of fighting Glaucoma and serious illness. To learn more about Mr. Randall and the Federal New Drug Program he was a patient under (and is still a technically active program) go to: Federal Investigational New Drug Program (Original Medical Cannabis program)

Jack Herer - A brutal pro-war Republican prohibitionist, transformed into one of the most renowned Cannabis Activists in modern history. From 1967 to 2010 he dedicated his life to pushing for prohibition change, risking it many times in the process. He died in 2010 due to complications from heart attack. For more information on Mr. Herer's life, and a bunch of useful books, videos, and links, go to http://www.jackherer.com/.

Terence McKenna - A silver tongued bard, bold psychonaut, author, ethnobotanist, lecturer, and cannabis enthusiast. He was not afraid to speak of his discoveries deep in the wilds of the jungle, or altered states, and co-wrote Psilocybin: Magic Mushroom Grower's Guide: A Handbook for Psilocybin Enthusiasts. Check out Terence McKenna on Cannabis  for a nice intro to his thoughts, on one of my favorite podcasts, The Psychedelic Salon.

You tell 'em, buddy!

I hope you found this to be entertaining and enlightening :) 
Who are some of your favorite psychonauts and/or Anti-Prohibition activists?

Happy 4/20 my fellow Explorers! Be  sure to party safely!

*Love & Light*

Renata Carmen

Medical Cannabis in Vermont vs. Colorado, and Thoughts on America's Drug Policies

“The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men. Blessed is he, who in the name of charity and good will, shepherds the weak through the valley of darkness, for he is truly his brother's keeper and the finder of lost children. And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who would attempt to poison and destroy my brothers. And you will know my name is the Lord when I lay my vengeance upon thee.”

I’m gonna get real for a sec.

As I write this, pain and frustration have me in their grip. I have been crying all morning, consumed by Great Vengeance and Furious Anger.

Yeah, this is how I feel about US Drug Policy...

You see, I am running low on my plant medicines, specifically cannabis, and my Fibromyalgia symptoms have been running around unchecked. My already severely limited quality of life is being impacted even further, because of lack of safe access to this plant. I’m in the process of applying for Vermont’s Medical Cannabis Program, but its much more involved than where we were living just two months ago, and it will be at least a month before I will be able to purchase from a state-legal dispensary.

Toto, we certainly aren’t in Colorado anymore.

Moving from somewhere where this ancient plant medicine is legal and respected, to New England, or anywhere that doesn’t recognize its value in the same way as those states who have legalized or have less restrictive medical cannabis programs, is like stepping back in time 50 years. I appreciate and understand to a certain extent why Vermont is so strict, it keeps that legal Mob known as the Feds off their case. But it makes things infinitely more difficult on the patients. To start, it costs much more money to apply out here than in Colorado, with no options for fee waivers or adjustments for those who are below a certain income bracket. I can’t shop until I get my official state card, unlike Colorado where patients can shop with their temporary paperwork until they get official documents in the mail. Also, unlike Colorado, upon application approval, I have to pre-select a designated dispensary for procurement, and can only shop at that location. And its not like I get to check the quality or variety before I choose, and anytime I want to switch dispensaries I have to send in more money to the state and fill out more paperwork. Oh yeah and you can only shop by appointment. Talk about frustrating. Being a Los Angeles native, and having relocated here from the booming Green Rush of the High Rockies, and having worked in the industry in both states, one could say I have very high standards of quality. And with the Fibro I have found that specific strains and methods of ingestion are more effective for some symptoms than others (will be discussing in detail in a future post). But I don’t get to shop around or know what my options will be before I drive an hour to the nearest dispensary to purchase my medicine. Awesome.

Leaving the bubble that is Colorado has really driven home how ass-backwards drug policies are in this country. How is it, that in 2014, with the World Wide Search Engine known as the Internet at our fingertips every moment, that we are still attacking plants? It just boggles my fucking mind. It is open information now, and has been for some time, that cannabis was made illegal for political and racist reasons, not for the health and well being of the citizens of this fine country; that this plant is safe, efficacious, and potentially profitable to boot. Should you happen to believe otherwise, you are in complete denial, I know you have no science to back up your claims, only beliefs, biases, and convoluted data. Argue with me, please, I fucking dare you. When I look around Vermont and see the overwhelming poverty and all that comes with that; drug and alcohol abuse, shuttered windows, closed stores and gas stations, entire neighborhoods with For Sale signs in front of each home, abandoned homes, buildings and properties, I don’t understand why lawmakers wouldn’t be jumping all over the chance to boost their economy and bring safe alternatives to their sick populous. Especially when you consider Vermont’s exploding opiate abuse problem, why wouldn’t you want to offer people safe alternatives?

Why are Cannabis and other plant medicines still illegal and stigmatized? 

I just don’t understand. It just doesn’t compute. 

And why are processed opiates legal, but you can't harvest your own opium from poppies? Opium is much safer than refined opiates, and much less addictive, altho it still must be handled with care. People would save a lot of money if they could grow their own poppies for opium.

What’s my beef with the medicines already legal and available? I don't feel pharmaceuticals shouldn't exist at all, I just don't feel they are the only solution, and think its only fair to have options about how one manages their health. What works for some might not work for others, or what's safe for one person might be detrimental to another.

For example, I have severe allergies to most medications, including the highly praised Penicillins, as well as suflas, and opiates. As someone who has been dealing with monthly Level 10 pain for going on 15 years, I have tried pretty much every pain pill imaginable to manage it, to no avail. And I have seen firsthand the detrimental effects of long term opiate use and abuse. I have lost several people to overdoses or complications from withdrawal, and all but one were prescription related. I never thought I could be grateful for my opiate allergy until I saw how addicted my friends were becoming. The most recent one I lost was like a brother to me; he passed while in jail, withdrawing from Methadone. His family hid the news out of shame or something, I’m not sure why, and he never even got a formal memorial. He was one of the most talented people I’ve ever known, and it breaks my heart. Methadone is the one they give you to get off Heroin. Which makes NO fucking sense to me because its so fucking dangerous and addictive in itself. How in the fuck does it make sense to treat an addiction with another addiction? All the people I knew who got into Heroin started with pills. And the majority of them wound up preferring Oxycontin over Heroin when they could get that. “It’s way easier than mainlining bro. I like to drink grape gatorade so that when I vomit it doesn’t taste bad.” Cannabis has not been shown to be physically addictive, and as someone who has been using it regularly for over a decade, I can tell you it is not. Habit forming, yes. Physically addictive? No. You will not puke and shake and rob your own family to feed your need for cannabis. 

"You ever suck some dick for some marijuana?" "No, I can't say that I have..."

As someone with a chronic illness, meaning I have it FOR LIFE and it will NEVER go away, I have to carefully consider the long term safety of any symptom management regiment I choose to follow. Besides my monthly pain I also have developed severe daily chronic pain and other symptoms over the last several years due to the onset of my Fibromyalgia. Opiates, NSAID’s, and other commonly used pain management methods are definitely not safe when used for years. I used Ibuprofen for so long that I started developing stomach problems and had to stop. 

So what do you do when you are in constant pain? When you wake up every morning feeling like you are going to shit yourself and puke at the same time? When you can’t sleep, can’t eat? When your quality of life has been severely impacted by your health?  When it feels like there’s needles poking thru your retinas and your head pounds like its in a vice? The generally accepted answer is pills, pills, and more pills. I’ve been lurking immune disease forums for the last couple years, and the members are almost always on a myriad of pills. One to help with pain, a laxative to help you poop since pain pills bind you up, an SSRI or some other anti-depressant because being chronically sick fucking sucks, a pill for nausea, a pill for appetite stimulation, a pill to help you sleep...pills, pills, pills! Processing all that shit has to be super hard on the body, especially the kidneys, which are already at risk of being attacked by an immune system gone awry, as happens in immune mediated diseases. Not to mention manufacturing pharmaceuticals is poisonous to the planet (which is why the majority are made in other countries...they aren’t under US Environmental laws and so forth), and involves a bunch of gross stuff that you wouldn’t want to put into your body. (I will procure references for all my claims in another, better organized post. For now, I just need to rant.) 

So what if I told you I use plants for all my Fibro symptoms? Primarily cannabis, one of the first plants known to be cultivated by man per archeological carbon dating, a plant whose entire parts can be used, from roots to flowers, for either medical or industrial purposes, a plant that can be grown on the same soil for years before needing to rotate crops, a plant that is ridiculously safe. 

Speaking of the topic of safety, let’s get Scientific for a second. Whenever assessing the potential danger of a drug, one should know its LD-50. The term “LD-50”, refers to the dose that kills off 50% of a population in a drug study. So if you have 100 rats in a lab and you give them X amount of Z drug and half of them die, then that’s the LD-50 for that drug. Ideally, one wants to be working with drugs whose LD-50 is much higher than the effective dose. LD-50’s can be affected by animal type (mice vs. rats. vs. humans, etc), age, gender, and tolerance (Especially with opiates and alcohol. What would kill a non-user would not affect an addict, and addicts usually die from overdose when they have been clean for a while and then use again, at a dose they were used to when they still had a tolerance.). Published LD-50’s show that opiates, cocaine, amphetamines, and antidepressants have relatively low LD-50’s, whereas cannabis has a much higher LD-50 (generally around 1500 pounds in 15 minutes....good luck with that shit, homie! You’d most definitely pass out long before you reached that goal!). In the case of LSD, the LD-50 remains unknown. Meaning nothing has ever died from any dose of LSD, even crazy high doses. Hmm. Interesting.

With this information in mind, doesn’t the way the Federal Government has scheduled drugs seem a little confusing? How is it that cocaine and opiates’ medical value has been recognized, which can kill you quite easily and are incredibly addictive, yet cannabis remains Schedule 1, meaning that it has “no medical value and is incredibly dangerous”? This in spite of the fact that the Federal Government established the Compassionate Investigational New Drug Study program in 1976, giving medical cannabis to over 30 patients until 1992, when George Bush the 1st decided there was “no medical value” to it and scaled back the program. Now there are just 4 patients under this program. But it still exists. So the Feds say “this is a dangerous drug with no known medical value, so we shall make it Schedule 1. But we have this medical program where we give this drug to patients because it has been deemed a medical necessity.” WTF?!?

And this is what REALLY pisses me off. They sure as hell didn’t ask the patients they kicked off the program about the medical value of it. They didn’t say, “Hey, does this help you? Okay, sweet.” Nope, they just fucking decided, because the Bush administration wanted to be “hard on drugs”. 

Let’s not even look at the science for a sec...

How in the fuck can you tell me or anyone else who suffers what has medical value?

How can you tell me how to manage my pain, my nausea, my cachexia, my vertigo, my eye pain and headaches, my daily living?

How can anyone tell someone who suffers how they can and can’t manage it?

You have NO fucking idea what its like, unless you are in the same shitty boat. Some people get handed a raw deal in this life, and some get really lucky. If you have your health, consider yourself one of the lucky ones. I don’t give a fuck if you are broke, or you just got dumped, or you failed a class or got fired. I don’t care. You cannot buy health, you cannot earn it, you can’t get it back once its lost. I don’t care how shitty your life situation is, if you are in good health and free of chronic pain or other chronic symptoms, you are one of the richest people on the planet. Truly, you are lucky. 

Like drawing cards from a deck. Some people get a full house, or royal flush. Others wish they could trade in their hand and pull from the deck again. A fresh start. But life doesn’t work like that. 

Now, looking at Science, let’s talk about the Endocannabinoid System. I will produce a more detailed post dedicated specifically to this system and to the numerous cannabinoids found naturally in plants and animals in the near future, but for now a quick overview. One of the most common receptor sites in the human Central Nervous and Peripheral Systems is the cannabinoid receptor. The purpose of endogenously produced cannabinoids remains poorly understood, as does the majority of the inner workings of our bodies, but it is speculated that they are involved with the regulation of pain, appetite, motor learning, and synaptic activity. Interestingly, studies are showing that the amount of cannabinoids produced by our bodies exceed the amount of cannabinoid receptors, which suggests cannabinoids are used by our bodies in other ways that we still don’t know about. 

Now why would we restrict people from using things that our own bodies make? I’m just as puzzled over this as I am with DMT, which is also Schedule 1. DMT is made in our brains and is in our bodies. We also don’t understand much about its role in our physiology, but its there, so obviously its important. Mother Nature doesn’t conduct processes over billions of years and keep things for Shits’n’Giggles. But if you, or I, or your sweet innocent Mom, or your preacher/rabbi/sensei, or your child, or anyone regardless of whether having purposely ingested DMT or not, were to be forcibly tested right now for it, we’d “all be holding”, to quote the late, great, Terence McKenna. 

Fuckin' love this!!

In short, our brains run on drugs. They would not function without them.

We need to re-evaluate the way we use the word “drug”. Why are pharmaceuticals accepted as medicine, and anything else demonized and called “drugs”? Why don’t we recognize that we all use drugs everyday? Caffeine, nicotine, refined sugar, alcohol; the products praised and supported by our consumerist nation, those are some of the most dangerous drugs on the planet. 

So why don’t we have the option to use Cannabis? Why is it still illegal? Why can’t I buy cartridges for my vaporizer pen from Amazon, and grow cannabis in my garden next to my tomatoes? Why must countless people suffer needlessly due to lack of safe access or proper education? We are still fed Reefer Madness bullshit, in this, the Age of the Internet. 

I miss my Colorado bubble more than words can express. I’m freaking out about my Fibromyalgia breaking thru the curtain I manage to keep up everyday by using Cannabis. I am in massive pain right now, the only things allowing me to type are Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa, a post on that is coming), ginger (also have a post coming on the science behind that), and Great Vengeance and Furious Anger.

You see, I have a Dream. 

A dream that someday all the residents of this beautiful and fragile planet will have safe access to alternative methods of treatment and symptom management. 

A dream that we can free ourselves from deadly addictions and toxic habits. 

A dream of having the freedom to explore our own consciousness as we see fit. 

A dream that one day we will be able to discuss plant medicines with our doctors as easily as we currently discuss SSRI’s and opiates with them. 

Perhaps I was pulled out of Colorado for a purpose. 

I would have remained complacent there, lazy in my surroundings, forgetting that is the exception rather than the norm. I wouldn’t have felt the need to become more involved, to make my voice heard, to stand up for what is right and push for continued reform. Every voice counts.

The time has long been overdue for some serious change in the way this country views drugs. Too many people have suffered for too long. Too many good people have stood by and done nothing, too many presidents have said cannabis should be accessible but haven’t done anything to change it, too many innocent people have been and remain incarcerated. 

Being sick is not a crime. Pain is not a crime. Consciousness exploration is not a crime. 

There is hope on the horizon, with reform taking place at the state level, and the re-examination of plants and alternative drugs in medical studies, like the ones taking place at John Hopkins. I personally believe its only a matter of time. But some of us don’t have much time to wait. And It doesn’t change all the injustice that has taken place since the advent of Harry J. Anslinger and Prohibition. 

Thank you for reading this rant. Maybe it will do some good in this world.

I promise my future posts will have specific and scientific references accompanying my claims. 

And I promise to fight for the plants.

*Peace & Plants*

*Love & Light*

Renata Carmen 

Please, if you find any value from this blog, please consider making a donation to the PayPal link at the top right of the page. I don't create these posts expecting anything but to help/entertain others, but I am a disabled mechanic/artist who is not currently receiving SSI/SSDI and when I'm flared up it's hard if not impossible for me to get my hustle on. I'm also working on adding Bitcoin here! :) 

"It's Time for a Renaissance"

Finding the strength to write again after the last couple months has a been a great challenge, probably one of the greatest of my life. Which, as you get to know me, dear reader, you may find has not been an easy one.

But who has an easy path in this life, really? I can sit here and make excuses about it, after all, I have some pretty good ones; at the beginning of the year I lost two people who were very close to me,  shortly after that I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia (a bittersweet experience..."Hey, I'm not crazy! See, I really am sick, in your face haters! Oh shit, I have Fibro, fuck what now??"), and I relocated a couple thousand miles from the thriving industry of Boulder County, Colorado to a quiet, small town (technically a "village") in Southwest Vermont - which required the sale of my dearly beloved AW11 ('87 MR2).

"And so she walked out of our lives, forever..."

The move was madness, as all such moves are, but was exasperated by our extremely tight budget and emotionally tense situation. We didn't move for happy reasons. We both love Colorado very much and left behind a budding career, fabulous social circle, and "The Green Rush". We left because my health could never improve in a place that gets over 300 days of sunshine a year, with some of the highest UV indexes in the country, and the stress building in our household was becoming too much to bear. My awesome Man was fried from holding down so much responsibility at work and home. He couldn't handle being Mr. Manager over 40 hours a week on top of household responsibilities and my ever worsening health.

Who could? The emotional baggage that comes with managing a debilitating chronic illness is too much to bear alone, which is something we will be discussing at length on this blog. We needed the support of loved ones, and a less sunny place to live. My family is scattered all over the country, and bless 'em, can barely take care of themselves. Luckily, my man's family is much healthier than mine, and are all in one spot here in The Green Mountains (which gets less sun annually than Portland....ah, heaven to my light sensitive eyes and skin!).

So, we sold and gave away pretty much everything we owned, used the now closed Fundraiser money to buy a badly needed truck (Thank you SO much to all who contributed, we wouldn't have been able to get out of Colorado without your generous help!!!), loaded up what few personal belongings we had left, and drove out here. We had no prospects, no promises of anything other than a place to stay, and knew we would dearly miss the Colorado cannabis scene (that has turned out to be an understatement!)....but we felt we had no choice. We had to get off that mile-high, sun baked pile of rocks, and fast. I couldn't spend another summer up there, stuck inside our small apartment, watching other beautiful girls walking to and from the pool and hearing all my friends talking about what shows they'd be going to next. I needed a change. And boy, did we get what we asked for! Talk about culture shock...

Water & Trees! Missed these out on the Front Range

Change. Wasn't that something the whole nation was chanting, almost like some religious mantra, when Obama got elected? How is it we got away from that? I didn't vote for him myself, because I feel the Right and Left are both the same (Ron Paul!!!)...but this isn't about politics. Not this post anyway, or at least not directly. We should still be screaming for change. The way we handle health, wellness, illness, and consciousness in this country is fucking madness and in dire need of an overhaul. Literally madness; "doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result."
There's so many pieces to the puzzle, and I have been (almost obsessively) working on putting the big picture together, so that I can get a better idea of what's going on, so I may help myself to get better. Maybe in the process I can help someone else, too.

So this is for You. This is for the Lonely, the Broken, the Weak, the Tired, the Angry, the Bitter, the Resentful, the Depressed, the Overwhelmed, the Homebound, the Disabled, the Fed-Up, the Disillusioned.

Know that you are not alone, you are never alone, you are not fighting alone, and you are stronger and more beautiful than you could ever know. The Powers That Be, The System, The Establishment...none of the institutions in place are going to do it for us. We haven't seen a medical break-thru in immune mediated diseases in over 50 years, and the average time it takes to get diagnosed is 7 - 10 years! Obviously, there's still much to learn about the human body and how it works, and the medical industry is severely out of touch with some (more like most) of its patients. We must change the status quo ourselves, from the ground up. And this can only happen if we speak up, make ourselves heard, "come out of the closet".

I have been scared to stand out, to be heard above the crowd. No, terrified is a better word. Of what? I guess what we all fear; offending someone (like family or loved ones), potential consequences from said Powers That Be for saying they are wrong and need to change, discussing subjects that are taboo or flat out illegal, or for being criticized due to my lack of a college education. I've been studying, and plan to openly discuss, some pretty heavy/technical topics and potentially controversial self-experiments, and will be putting myself out there by opening them up. Topics related to drugs, plant medicines and herbs, politics, PTSD, shamanism, psychoneuroimmunology, Big Food/Pharma, and whatever else I find to be interesting and pertinent.

I also fear criticism of my writing style itself, as it has changed dramatically with the onset of my Fibromyalgia. I am not the same person or writer I was just a couple years ago. My brain fog has totally compromised my ability to hold a conversation or write coherently. My widespread physical pain and chronic fatigue make sitting at the pc and typing a mighty feat of strength that requires many sleeping/stretching/cannabis breaks. I've tried that talk-to-text software, but its just not the same. A different part of the brain is engaged when we are speaking versus writing. Maybe in time I will learn to like it. But for now I continue to be stubborn and type when I can, even though what used to flow like a river now has to be forced out and edited heavily before anyone else sees it. And even then, there will be little mistakes and forgotten words.

Yep, can totally relate to this!!! (Obviously, not my photo)

Please be patient, dear reader. It drives me bonkers and I've had to work really, really hard on being okay with it and moving on. Writing this today and posting it is a big step towards loving myself and my writing, no matter what.

In the end, really, I shouldn't care if someone is critical or gets offended. This is MY unique experience, my life, my illness ("There are many like it, but this one is mine"). No one can take that from me, can discount that.

And my experience is showing that it's time for a change.

No, better yet, to quote Aubrey Marcus's most recent plant medicine experience:
"It's Time for a Renaissance."

And I plan to be a a part of it. Won't you join us???

It feels so good to be back! 
*Love & Light*

Please, if you find any value from this blog, please consider making a donation to the PayPal link at the top right of the page. I don't create these posts expecting anything but to help/entertain others, but I am a disabled mechanic/artist who is not currently receiving SSI/SSDI and when I'm flared up it's hard if not impossible for me to get my hustle on. I'm also working on adding Bitcoin here! :) 

Patient Review - Medical Cannabis Product - Mary’s Medicinals Transdermal Patches!

*Note: I am an independent, third party patient, reviewing new products that come into the dispensary I have designated as my Primary Care Center. They highly value constructive feedback from a patient who has a genuine debilitating condition, as well as previous experience in the industry. I hope my unique and candid insights help the Medical Cannabis Industry continue to evolve in ways that always keep patient needs first.*

Please, if you find any value from this blog, please consider making a donation to the PayPal link at the top right of the page. I don't create these posts expecting anything but to help/entertain others, but I am a disabled mechanic/artist who is not currently receiving SSI/SSDI and when I'm flared up it's hard if not impossible for me to get my hustle on. I'm also working on adding Bitcoin here! :) 

Management of chronic pain can be a great challenge. Most effective pain relievers are dangerous or potentially addictive, and every body has unique biochemistry, so what works for some people may not work for others. Cannabis has the potential to be an extremely strong analgesic, among its countless other uses, but an efficacious delivery method is vital for the body to absorb and use it properly.

Those patients with compromised digestive systems, fast metabolisms, high tolerances, and/or chronic illness often find ourselves struggling to keep ahead of our symptoms. I know the issues such people can have all too well! I am currently disabled and homebound due to a genetically inherited autoimmune disease. Besides the pain and inflammation I deal with on a daily basis, I also have been desperately struggling to manage the extreme pain caused every month by my menstrual cramps. They have ruled my life for almost 14 years now; affecting my work schedules, social plans, and overall quality of life in ways that are impossible to comprehend unless you have been there in some way yourself.

 

So how does one manage this kind of pain in ways that are as minimally damaging to the body as possible? 14 years and counting is a long time to rely on pills, and I know firsthand how detrimental they can be when used long-term. I’ve lost multiple friends to overdoses from prescription drugs, and my body has been torn up from chronic NSAID use. I also have a true allergy to opiates and sulfates. This is why I have been experimenting with Plant Medicines instead of pharmaceuticals, using myself as a guinea pig, and Cannabis still remains one of my favorite Plant Allies.

To be honest, I am disappointed with the majority of Medical Cannabis products currently in production. Many of the “medibles” on the dispensary shelves are made up primarily of ingredients like refined sugars, starches, chocolate, grains, dairy and other major allergens – items which promote inflammation and my chronically ill body can’t tolerate at this time. These are “stoner munchies”, not medicine. Some vendors are pretty legit, focusing on whole foods based and allergen friendly ingredients, but in the end, if it’s a product that’s consumed via the mouth, it’s probably not going to work very well for patients like me. My gut is just too damaged and thus anything I eat doesn’t get absorbed very efficiently; throw in my lighting fast metabolism, annoyingly high tolerance, and pain that rivals anything else I’ve felt before (including when I had an accident that involved losing the end of my middle finger – story for another time)…then you may start to understand how I’m able to rabidly consume the products that put your “six foot two, 210 pound buddy to sleep”.

"Medicine"?

When I am in the midst of my most severe pain, what we would call “Level 10” if using the standard “0-10 Assessment Scale” (see above Scrubs clip), and the only medical cannabis products I have are edibles, tinctures, drinks, or flowers, I find I have to consume something at least every 2 hours to keep my pain within a manageable threshold, on top of smoking or vaporizing constantly. This is not only expensive, time consuming, and taxing on the body, the last thing I want to do to when I’m getting my ass kicked by my cramps is eat a sweet or salty snack every few hours for days on end. In my quest for pain alleviation, I keep thinking to myself, “There has to be a better way!” Please don’t get me wrong, I’m a huge fan of all methods of cannabis delivery, as they all serve their purposes. Some people get the relief they need from half of a 100mg cookie, and that’s great! It’s just that I personally have been really, really struggling to find a medical cannabis product that efficiently alleviates my long-term, debilitating, chronic pain, and after conferring with fellow patients in similar situations, I know I’m not alone.

Thankfully, Mary's Medicinals has unveiled a series of new products that I am very excited about.  They are called “transdermal patches”; sticky silicone patches that are applied to the skin and deliver the medical cannabis directly into the bloodstream! These are straight-up pharmaceutical grade medical products. Transdermal patches are an ideal way to manage pain like mine, because the medicine is delivered straight into the bloodstream, is completely bio-available (meaning 100% of the medicine is absorbed by the body, compared to an edible where only about 10% is readily absorbed) and the effects last exponentially longer than any other method of consumption. At least, this is what the lovely information packet that came with the patches declared. I couldn’t wait to put these claims to the test. And the patches were delivered to me, by my super awesome boyfriend (and caregiver), right when I needed them most – the first day of my menstrual cycle or what is known in our household as “D-Day”. No exaggeration, I plan and prepare for my cycle like a survivalist preparing for the Coming Apocalypse. I have to. I fear my monthly pain infinitely more than zombies or food shortages. You can kill zombies and grow food. It's not that easy to manage chronic pain!

The product packaging features nostalgic images of old-time apothecary bottles, information about some of the primary cannabinoids currently under medical study, and the transdermal patches themselves. They are offered in doses of 10 mg, and are cannabinoid specific. So far they offer CBN, CBD, CBG, THC, and THCa specific patches, as well as blends of CBD/THC. Each one is recommended for specific applications and symptoms.

I got three patches in my sample kit:

THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol)- Suggested for relief from pain & anxiety, reduction of muscle spasms & nausea, promotion of sleep, & appetite stimulation.

THCa (Tetrahydrocannabinolic Acid) - Non-activated form of THC. Suggested for non-drowsy pain relief, anti-spasmadic, & inhibitor of cancerous cell growths.

CBN (Cannabinol) - For muscle spasms, inflammation, & insomnia.

I must admit that initially I was very skeptical of the dosage. At only 10 mg I was tempted to try all 3 patches at once and consider myself lucky if I felt any effects at all.
But, I was advised against it, and after my experimentation am glad I listened. 

Here are my findings:

3:35pm – Started with the THCa patch, since I am seeking “non-drowsy pain relief”. At this time, my pain level is around a 7. I’m also feeling dizzy, nauseas, fatigued, and have no appetite. The instructions suggest applying the patch to a “venous part of the skin; top of foot, inside of ankle, inside wrist”. Based on this, I put the THCa patch on top of my right foot. I find the plastic lining difficult to remove - had it been a day when my arthritis was really acting up I would have needed assistance getting it off - but once applied the patch feels surprisingly comfortable and light on my skin. The adhesive doesn’t feel heavy and my skin is still able to breathe. There is a warning in the instructions stating that “burning or itching” may occur upon application, but happily I feel no such affects. It seems Mary’s went out of their way to use high quality materials in these patches, which is greatly appreciated, since they will be on my skin for at least 8 hours. 

What the patches look like when applied

4pm – Starting to feel pain relief. It’s coming in “waves” – my body starts to relax and eyes get heavy for around 10 minutes, then the pain will peek through for about the same amount of time, and then it is masked again by another wave of pain relief. Perhaps it’s because the patch is on one side of the body and the blood has to flow around. The instructions do say “While it delivers cannabinoids at a controlled rate, it is not a perfectly steady release.” I’m also finding that my head feels a bit “funny”, very similar to how Marinol made me feel when I first tried it many moons ago (long before we had things like blogs). Overall, the effects feel  very nice; more effective than any edible product I’ve had in Colorado. When the pain is masked, its down to a 2. When the pain peeks through the “cannabis curtain”, its closer to a 7. So yes, the THCa patch is definitely working. Probably will need to apply a second patch soon though, my pain is really starting to become severe.

4:11pm – Applied the CBN patch to the top of my left foot. I’m hoping that having patches on both sides of my body will help steady the release of the medicine, as I’m still feeling the effects in very noticeable “waves” and the pain that is peeking through now is very strong, getting close to Level 10. I’m also thinking that the synergy of the THCa combined with the CBN will help my head feel less “Marinol-like”.

4:50pm – Pain is almost completely alleviated! I’d say my pain is now around level 2 or 3 and staying there pretty consistently. Seems like having patches on both sides of the heart really helps, along with the synergy of multiple cannabinoids. I’m still fighting the vertigo and dizziness I was feeling before applying the patches, but its probably because I haven’t eaten anything yet today. Oh. Food! I forgot how awesome you are! My appetite is now totally primed. I’m gonna go raid my kitchen! Be back in a bit J

5:30pm – Feeling much better after eating. So happy I was finally able to do that! Now I’m ready for a much needed nap.

6:30pm – Woke up feeling groggy but in good spirits and still free of pain. The effect of the two patches combined is proving to be very strong, very narcotic-like. Awesome! Once out of bed my grogginess clears up. Ready for dinner now!

8:40pm – Still feeling effects from the two patches, including The Munchies. The “waves” affect still comes and goes, but much less pronounced with patches on both sides of the body. Pain levels are currently fluctuating from 2-5, but the cycles where the pain peeks through are much shorter than the times I feel relief. Head still feels a little bit funny/”Marinol-like”, but its easy to ignore. It’s a small price to pay considering most efficient analgesics have really harsh side effects like nausea, dizziness, constipation, and physical addiction.

10:30pm –Baked an improvised dessert, and it was glorious! I’ve eaten a lot today, and that’s good news, because I really struggle with eating and absorbing nutrients, and my doctor wants me to gain at least 10 pounds. Still feeling waves of symptom relief, but have definitely passed the peak. My head is much clearer now, eyelids aren’t feeling as heavy, and the pain is making itself known again. But the patches themselves are still very comfortable. I’m surprised that I keep forgetting they’re on top of my feet, and even when I remember I don’t feel them much at all. No itchiness or discomfort to speak of, and I have very sensitive skin. Pretty sure I will need to apply the third and last patch before I am able to go to bed for the night. Gonna smoke/vape a bit and brush my teeth before making up my mind.

10:55pm – Yep, definitely need that last patch. The pain is becoming very strong again. I apply the THC patch to the inside of my right ankle, targeting the veins that run through that area. Currently my pain level is fluctuating between 3 and 6.

11:15pm – Pain starting to become alleviated again, but too exhausted to stay up any longer and take additional notes. Off to bed with this sleepy but content patient.

Next Morning – 

Woke up around 8:30, not completely refreshed, but I’m blaming my hormones, hot flashes, and late night berry cobbler for that and not the patches themselves. Having two fresh patches to apply prior to bed instead of just one probably would have been beneficial; despite that my pain is still subdued which is a lovely surprise. Overall, I’m in good spirits, and feel much better after my morning routine of smoking/vaping and sipping some warm ginger tea. I feel mentally sharp and have an overwhelming desire to do something active/social ; a rarity for me nowadays.

The patches are still very comfortable on my skin – no itching or sweating, and they remain firmly in place. I put socks on in case the corners tried to lift up while I was sleeping, but I don’t think that was necessary. These patches are very thin and so don’t have a tendency to snag on surfaces like sheets.

Removing the patches from my skin was surprisingly easy and comfortable. I must note that I don’t have hair on any of the areas where I applied the patches, so I can’t comment on how badly they tug on hair. Once the patches are removed, there is a bit of redness that lasts a few minutes, but I experience no itching or irritation. The residual tackiness is easily removed with little to moderate effort using soap and water, and adding an exfoliate like baking soda helps. 

Right after removing all three patches, can barely see any redness or irritation

Although the instructions state “the cannabinoids remain in the blood for several hours even once the patch is removed”, about 20 minutes after removing the patches I am hit with a wave of pain. Apparently they were still releasing cannabinoids! Unable to go purchase more and desperate to keep the pain from coming back full force, I pull the now wadded up ball of patches out of the trash, unravel them, and stick them back on my feet! Luckily, after about 30 minutes, I start to feel minor relief again, which lasts through the afternoon. I’m impressed by how long the effects last, and wish I had more to get me through the following few days! From now on, I definitely plan to have a stash of Mary’s Medicinals Transdermal Patches in my medicine cabinet at all times.

Afterthoughts:

This is by far the best medical cannabis product and delivery method I have used to date for treating my most severe pain. It even rivals many of the true narcotics that I’ve experimented with in the past. The ease of use, discreet application, long lasting affects, relatively stable delivery, and bioavailability make for an incredibly efficacious medicine. If you had told me last week that I would feel viable effects from 10 to 30 mg and they would last for over 6 hours, I would have laughed in your face. I’ve eaten 800 mg edibles that went right through me and had barely any effect at all. These patches are so efficient that those with lower tolerances or less debilitating symptoms could (make that “should”) cut these patches in half, or even quarters.

-There are only a few minor changes I would like to see take place with these patches:

1) I would greatly appreciate a more user friendly plastic backing. Once started, the backing came off with little effort, but I found it was very difficult to get started. Perhaps there is some way to make it like a sticker’s, where the plastic is perforated and peels off in pieces. This way someone with arthritis could just fold the patch and the backing would already be started and ready to peel off. 

Example of suggested plastic backing

2) I strongly prefer the synergy of multiple cannabinoids to the way isolated ones make me feel. This may be caused by the fact that my condition is systemic, i.e. involving the entire body, and so I may benefit the most from as close to a “whole plant” experience as possible. Perhaps Mary’s could offer patches in different combinations of cannabinoids, along with one higher strength level, like 15 or 20 mg. I could have definitely used something a bit stronger when I was in the grip of my Level 10 Pain.

3) Lastly, my experience shows these patches release the medicine more consistently when there is one on either side of the heart, so perhaps they could be packaged for use in pairs, or this suggestion could be added to the already detailed and helpful instructional packet.

Overall, an excellent, pharmaceutical grade, medical cannabis product! Strongly recommended for the traveling patient (think: flying!) and/or those suffering from chronic illness or long-term debilitating symptoms; especially pain, inflammation, insomnia, and cachexia.

A massive “Thank You!!!” to Mary’s Medicinals for creating and distributing such a wonderful and viable medicine, not just another “stoner novelty”. I look forward to experimenting with your full line of Transdermal Patches to manage my myriad of symptoms, and to more Medical Marijuana companies offering similar grade products in the future.

What are your favorite Medical Cannabis products or companies in Colorado today?
Which new products would you like to see produced by these companies, or reviewed on here by this self-appointed guinea pig?

Thanks so much for reading and your continued support!

*Love & Light*
-Renata Carmen

Please, if you find any value from this blog, please consider making a donation to the PayPal link at the top right of the page. I don't create these posts expecting anything but to help/entertain others, but I am a disabled mechanic/artist who is not currently receiving SSI/SSDI and when I'm flared up it's hard if not impossible for me to get my hustle on. I'm also working on adding Bitcoin here! :)