Arthritic thumb.

adorshki

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I hope this doesn't cross any LTG lines or cause trouble with anyone. I appreciate the open minds here on this subject, and I will try hard to keep from rambling on...dang....too late :).
My only advice would be to be very very careful about what personal info you share, even in pms here, since this part of the forum can be seen by just anybody on the internet.
I suspect you're probably already well aware of the need for discretion, but "just in case".
Even though it's legal now in many states, the federal government still considers it illegal and which side would ultimately win a Constitutional challenge remains unknown.
And thanks for clarification on the chemistry, that does ring the bell, now.
Truth be told, up to about the mid-'70's, here in lower Northern California in the SF Bay Area we had a veritable international smorgasbord of varieties and flavors available, of course, it was all for recreational purposes back then, except for the one federally recognized medical use as a chemotherapy relief agent.
My mother actually had a 1 lb can of pre-rolled joints in a generic black-and-white labeled container, just like the generic cheese and peanut butter packages the Dep't. of Agriculture made for Food Assistance programs.
Said it didn't get her high and was more trouble to smoke than it was worth.
I had so much experience I used to be able to tell folks where a given batch came from by structure and taste characteristics, even different regions of Mexico had their own local phenotypes and processing techniques.
Nowadays it all seems to be almost indistinguishable hybrids from a couple of the strains that were selected and refined beginning in the late '70's, and indoor-grown plants don't have the complex bouquets that were available back then.
Most Mexican had a salty/piney flavor (classic Sativa), Thailand product frequently had a cough-syrup flavor nothing else did, and real Columbian product fresh off the brick smelled literally like cat p-ss until it aired out for a 1/2 hour then it tasted like the best Lebanese green clay hashish (Classic Indica).
All due to different terpene profiles, for the vino-phile in you.
Variety was the spice of life, so to speak.
I miss the old days.
3 friends could share a whole joint, play frisbee without feeling like the world might be about to end, and still be laughing a half hour later, instead of passed out.
I love acoustic guitars!
Me too! :friendly_wink:
 
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Punkybub

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Much appreciate the advice adorshki. I will take it to heart if/when anyone contacts me. I'm a recovering over-sharer (it's a struggle...) and especially when this most excellent, much maligned plant is involved the quacking can get intense. :)

I'm of the mind that these are the good old days - the variety, freedom to grow, availability of information and lessened law enforcement pressure make exploring the uses and different effects so much easier. Unless we grow our own, it's difficult to experiment with different ways to use it - dispensaries use black-market pricing (unaffordable for me), and eating it fresh/frozen wouldn't have happened.

That's cool your mom had the fed-produced pre-rolls. I think there's one or two people left on that program - closed by the senior Bush unfortunately - that gave people government-grown, fully federally legal (!), free pre-rolled joints. Irv Rosenfield in FL is an activist and still on the program - and he has smoked on the steps of the Capital in D.C. in full view, daylight even. We (the feds) give it to him because it keeps his rare bone-tumor disease at bay and allows him to have a normal life. Like you mentioned, it's terrible quality - full of sticks and leaves - and from what I've read, ol' Irv has to puff 10+ joints a day (yikes) to keep his disease under control.

Weed aside, using those Baoding balls (pre-cannabis-era for me) really did the trick for my hands. An hour or more a day rolling them around while reading made a huge difference over a few days in my ability to make a fist without pain. Cheap too - less than $15 mostly. With the fresh cannabis I don't need them as much but still use them, and they still help.


I love acoustic guitars! (so say us all) :)
 

walrus

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I miss the old days. 3 friends could share a whole joint, play frisbee without feeling like the world might be about to end, and still be laughing a half hour later, instead of passed out.

Well said.

walrus
 

JohnW63

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I have always found the ever growing list of amazing uses of ONE plant more and more hard to take seriously. The more someone wants to justify getting stoned the more things come to light about all the OTHER uses of it. I could be wrong, but that is the feeling I get. I mean. if it were all true, all them hippy stoners in the 60s and 70s would be the healthiest S.O.B.s in the world right now ! But, that hasn't shown to be true.
 

adorshki

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I have always found the ever growing list of amazing uses of ONE plant more and more hard to take seriously. The more someone wants to justify getting stoned the more things come to light about all the OTHER uses of it. I could be wrong, but that is the feeling I get. I mean. if it were all true, all them hippy stoners in the 60s and 70s would be the healthiest S.O.B.s in the world right now ! But, that hasn't shown to be true.
Yeah but all we did was smoke it.
Or eat it after it was cooked.
It was the researchers trying to figure out how it got you high that that stumbled across the pretty surprising fact that humans actually have built-in cannabinoid receptors in their brains and actually manufacture their own "endo-cannabinoids", much like we make endorphins that resemble opiates.
So it seems like a symbiotic relationship is almost inevitable.
I used to think like you, that the medical legalization movement was just a "front" for recreational users to further their agenda, but those documentaries I cited earlier changed my mind.
And keep in mind that the best medical uses are associated with the non-psychoactive compounds in the plant.
Let's not forget, too, that hemp was legal in the US for far longer than it's been illegal.
It was needed for rope and canvas in the days of tall ships, some jurisdictions even mandated production for that purpose.
In fact, some states even accepted taxes in the form of hemp seed.
Granted the phenotype that makes the best fiber generates little psychoactivity, but the demonization of recreational hemp in the '30's had very little to do with public health dangers and a whole lot to do with issues which Don our forum founder prefers we not discuss here.
 

Punkybub

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I have always found the ever growing list of amazing uses of ONE plant more and more hard to take seriously. The more someone wants to justify getting stoned the more things come to light about all the OTHER uses of it. I could be wrong, but that is the feeling I get. I mean. if it were all true, all them hippy stoners in the 60s and 70s would be the healthiest S.O.B.s in the world right now ! But, that hasn't shown to be true.

If I hadn't done some reading (and experimentation) on this subject I'd be agreeing with you. When I voted for it in '96 here in CA, I never thought I'd use it - was always more vino-centric. We've learned a lot about this plant over the last couple of decades though, and now that the ridiculous Reefer Madness era is over (it is, isn't it...?) restrictions on cannabis research have eased, and our knowledge about it is growing almost daily.

We have receptors for cannabinoids in most major organs (and cartilage too). Rimnobant was a drug designed to block a cannabinoid receptor (CB1). It was intended as a diet pill, but it had to be removed from the market in the E.U. (never approved in the U.S.) for serious and sometimes fatal side effects. Gastroenteritis, insomnia, depression, diarrhea, vomiting, tendonitis(!!), muscle cramps, seizures and suicides were some of the problems noted. That's what can happen if your CB1 receptors are blocked. Maybe the opposite happens if the receptors are full?

One reason all them (us!) hippie-type-stoners aren't living forever is smoking doesn't get enough in your system to heal. Puffing it up is great for symptom relief, sleep and fun but to use this to cure anything you need enough to be effective, and that can really only be done by eating it. My arthritis (and depression, prostate and pancreas) relief came from eating it fresh, but most people consider fresh cannabis to be inactive - because activity to them means getting high. To my 62-year-old body though, fresh cannabis allows me to kneel down to pet the cat, feed the dog and continue to play guitar with a small fraction of the pain I had to endure without it.

<end rant> :)

I love acoustic guitars!
 

Punkybub

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You haven't said anything about how much to consume at one sitting.

Rich - I've been using it since 2012 and for the first couple of years I had a daily smoothie with around 5-7gm (small handful) each. These days I'll have a smoothie 3-6 times a month - more if I need to get stuff done or my hands/knees feel funky - but nowadays I use one or two quarter-sized frozen flowers (buds).

A couple of quarter-sized buds might be a good start - adjust up/down according to how you feel. Cannabinoids are mainly fat-soluble so full-fat yogurt, chia seed, coconut oil or other good fat in your smoothie will help to assimilate them.

I just gave some to an old friend who doesn't use this plant at all and after one smoothie (two quarter-sized flowers) she could almost make a fist, whereas it was not possible before. Another friend has taken it and she hasn't seen much improvement. To be fair, her arthritis was much more advanced than the first friend and this second friend might not have taken it for very long. All have felt the energy, and most feel an anti-depressant effect - usually with the first one.

**IMPORTANT: this is all using FRESH/FROZEN buds (flowers) - same as you'd harvest to smoke only IMMEDIATELY frozen, and used frozen - never dried or heated. I have another friend who forgot this and used dried/frozen flowers instead and it was not fun for him... :-\ **

Disclaimer: I don't advocate anyone breaking the law, even ridiculous laws, and my only intention is to help others by sharing information that might be of benefit to them.

I love acoustic guitars!
 

Rich Cohen

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Thanks Punkybub (love your handle BTW!). I take tamsulosin for my prostate situation once a day. Do you think this remedy will let me get off of the tamsulosin? In India, during the spring festival called "Holi," basically a rite of Spring during which outlandish behavior is allowed, especially from women who can berate and verbally abuse men all day (which they normally can't in public), plus colored water and powders are thrown on people in a jovial manner, there is a traditional drink called "tandai" which is made from milk and cannabis and other mild spices, though the cannabis is of the dried/heated kind. Boy, after about half an hour, you're feelin' uninhibited! It's a great time!
 

Punkybub

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Thanks Rich - Punkybub was my beloved cat...sadly passed a few years ago. Loved that little furball....! :)

I am not on any pharmaceuticals and other than antibiotics (in the past) have never been. I was - pre-fresh-cannabis - developing problems with my prostate along with my beginning arthritis, and had a long time problem with hypo-glycemia (pancreas problem I think - never diagnosed though). Most of my life when my blood sugar dropped and I got hungry, I had problems with decisions and thinking in general. I would need to eat to get functioning again, and if I ate sugar on an empty stomach I'd get *really* wound up...and cranky. Also lifelong depression issues that I kept at bay with St. John's Wort fairly well.

I took fresh cannabis for the energy at first, but once I noticed my joints were much better I also noticed the other stuff - my prostate issues had disappeared, along with the blood sugar thing and the depression. I can function fine even when I'm really hungry now. I'd love to tell you the same will happen for you but all I can honestly say is it happened for me. Others I've given it to have felt the energy, depression relief, and the arthritis help as well to differing degrees - not sure if anyone else I gave it to had blood sugar or prostate problems.

I have read a bunch on the subject since then and that's when I found out how many of our organs and tissues have receptors for cannabinoids, and how important the (very recently discovered) cannabinoid system is for balance and health. The results from using a chemical that blocks a single receptor (the Rimnobant story I mentioned) fits with what I've read and experienced myself in some respects too.

I've read about that Indian festival! Looks like a bunch of fun...other than the berating part (folks here don't need a festival for that). :) I'd like to visit there sometime - ancient cultures have lots to offer.

Good luck and I'd love to hear if you have any success in case you try this. For me, fresh cannabis has headed off most of my age-related complaints - it does not, however and very unfortunately, grow hair on a bald head. :-(

I love acoustic guitars!
 

Rich Cohen

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Thanks Rich - Punkybub was my beloved cat...sadly passed a few years ago. Loved that little furball....! :)

I am not on any pharmaceuticals and other than antibiotics (in the past) have never been. I was - pre-fresh-cannabis - developing problems with my prostate along with my beginning arthritis, and had a long time problem with hypo-glycemia (pancreas problem I think - never diagnosed though). Most of my life when my blood sugar dropped and I got hungry, I had problems with decisions and thinking in general. I would need to eat to get functioning again, and if I ate sugar on an empty stomach I'd get *really* wound up...and cranky. Also lifelong depression issues that I kept at bay with St. John's Wort fairly well.

I took fresh cannabis for the energy at first, but once I noticed my joints were much better I also noticed the other stuff - my prostate issues had disappeared, along with the blood sugar thing and the depression. I can function fine even when I'm really hungry now. I'd love to tell you the same will happen for you but all I can honestly say is it happened for me. Others I've given it to have felt the energy, depression relief, and the arthritis help as well to differing degrees - not sure if anyone else I gave it to had blood sugar or prostate problems.

I have read a bunch on the subject since then and that's when I found out how many of our organs and tissues have receptors for cannabinoids, and how important the (very recently discovered) cannabinoid system is for balance and health. The results from using a chemical that blocks a single receptor (the Rimnobant story I mentioned) fits with what I've read and experienced myself in some respects too.

I've read about that Indian festival! Looks like a bunch of fun...other than the berating part (folks here don't need a festival for that). :) I'd like to visit there sometime - ancient cultures have lots to offer.

Good luck and I'd love to hear if you have any success in case you try this. For me, fresh cannabis has headed off most of my age-related complaints - it does not, however and very unfortunately, grow hair on a bald head. :-(

I love acoustic guitars!

I live in Virginia, which I don't believe allows cannabis in any form, nor can one grow it here at home. But, I'll check into it. Thanks for all the information....I'm a university professor, so too much information is never a problem!
 

gilded

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Rich, do you play any Indian musical instruments?
 

Rich Cohen

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Rich, do you play any Indian musical instruments?

No, I don't. However, I'm fairly knowledgeable about Indian music...having listened to it for fifty years...I travel to India once or twice a year for family and research reasons. Like American music, there are many types and forms of Indian music, most notably the difference between north and south styles.
 

gilded

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Friend of mine in Austin has a couple of professional grade sarods. Got a goat skin head from the Ali Akbar Khan store and put it on himself!

H says it's like playing 3D Chess. I can attest that they sound pretty good in the key of G!
 

Rich Cohen

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I enjoy listening to the sarod more than the sitar. Though I do like the sarangi a lot as well. The sarangi's voice is almost similar to the human voice. Of course, there's vocal music. I enjoy Indian music in most any form. Qawwali singers often outstrip our best opera singers. You've probably heard of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan....unfortunately no longer with us; but his nephew, Rahat, who has taken over for him, is almost as good...can be a little shrill at times.
 
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