Willie Nelson Has A Point On Pot

While he’s definitely not an advocate for the use of hard drugs, Willie Nelson is a big supporter of marijuana. He shares with Parade magazine, “Legalize weed. It’s 50% of what’s causing the problems along the border with the drug cartels. A lot of people who sell it want to keep it illegal because that’s where the money is. The cartels are now in hundreds of our cities, growing and selling weed. Legalize it, and it would stop all that immediately.” Having cut down on drinking alcohol lately, Nelson admits, “There are many bands that are not here anymore because of the drugs and alcohol. I know a lot of singers who have ruined their careers drinking and drugging.” Someone very close to Willie, in fact, suffered the effects of drug addiction; his son, Billy, hanged himself on Christmas Day in 1991. Billy was 33 years old. While Willie is distraught over the great loss of a son, he also has mentally turned it into something positive. Nelson reveals, “Death is not the ending of anything. I believe all of us are only energy that becomes matter. When the matter goes away, the energy still exists. You can’t destroy it. It never dies. It manifests itself somewhere else.” He adds, “We are never alone. Even by ourselves, we are not alone. Death is just a door opening to somewhere else. Someday we’ll know what that door opens to. I believe that. I really do.”

A Letter From Eddy Lepp in Prison

Dear Ed and Angela,
Thank you so much for caring, I can’t express how much it means to us. Linda works and is home after 6-7 in the evening and is looking forward to speaking with you, she was thrilled just to get your message.
I have enclosed a series of books I have been reading, I love all the books you have sent and have read them all. I loved Indian Givers [by Jack Weatherford] as well as Nowhere Man [by Robert Rosen] [We have purchased the next two books and sent them to Eddy, federal prisoners can only have two books sent to them at a time]

I am trying to get sent to Atwater Camp, it’s about 1 hour from here, my daughter has cancer so hopefully they will show some compassion and move me closer, if not I will be going back to Lompoc soon. [Eddy was originally in FCI Lompoc, CA before being moved to Oklahoma and then to FCI Dublin, CA, reason unknown]
Yes, as emabarrassing as it is to ask, I could use some money on my books.
Thanks, Love and Respect,
Eddy Lepp
PS: Can anybody hear me? I often wonder! Hope to be out soon.

Supplements for Celiac Disease

In the last article we examined the use of Neural Therapy for the treatment of Celiac Disease and Wheat Sensitivity. We learned that Neural Therapy is a treatment originally created in Europe that makes use of homeopathic medicines, B vitamins, and procaine injected into acupuncture points and scar tissue. It is a therapy that helps improve the function of the digestive organs by supporting the nerves that innervate the organs, clearing acupuncture meridians, promoting detoxification, and treating scar tissue that impairs organ function. In this week’s column we will investigate the three most important oral supplements for repairing the integrity of the digestive system.
Glutamine
Glutamine is an amino acid found in most foods containing protein. However, to obtain enough glutamine to have therapeutic effects one must take it as a supplement in capsule or powder form. Glutamine is a very important nutrient for repairing damage and rebuilding the integrity of the cells that line the intestines. These cells gobble up glutamine like it is going out of style. They use glutamine to rebuild their structural components so they can withstand the rigors of existence in the digestive tract. Relatively high doses of glutamine should be taken for several months in order for optimal healing to occur.
Probiotic Bacteria
Probiotic bacteria are the “good guys”. They are the native bacteria that live along our digestive tracts. Species like acidophilus, bifidus, and hundreds of other species colonize our digestive system and live in harmony with the cells of our intestines. Basically, we give these bacteria a home to live in and they keep that home neat, tidy, and clean no matter what we throw at them. However, people with digestive system disorders like Celiac Disease and Wheat Sensitivity typically have an imbalance of the “good” bacteria vs. “bad” bacteria and yeast species. A major part of treatment is to use probiotic bacteria to restore a healthy population of the “good guys” and dismantle the “bad guys”. For probiotics to be therapeutically useful you must take in more than is available in most yogurts. In fact, I typically recommend a probiotic with at least 20-30 billion live organisms per day.
Essential Fatty Acids
Essential fatty acids are amongst the most important nutrients for all of us. They play several crucial roles in every cell of the body. The most significant may be the role they play in the cell membrane. This is the outer lining of a cell. The cell membrane is where most of the cell-to-cell communication takes place. It is also the part of the cell that allows nutrients and other molecules either into or out of the cell. When cells of the digestive tract are damaged by the inflammatory processes associated with digestive disorders like Celiac Disease and Wheat Senstivity they need higher than normal amounts of essential fatty acids for optimal repair.
The most important essential fatty acid for the digestive system is an omega 3 fatty acid called EPA. This is a highly anti-inflammatory molecule that helps to damper down inflammation in the digestive system so that repair can begin. However, it is best to take more than just EPA because the other types of essential fatty acids also play crucial roles in repair. The best sources of essential fatty acids are purified fish oils, hemp oil, and flax oil. However, there is a great deal of other benefits in consuming some essential fatty acids from flax seeds, hemp seeds, or chia seeds. These sources also provide extremely healthy forms of fibre that supports the proper elimination of toxins from the bowel.
This article concludes our investigation of the Naturopathic Medical Treatments for Celiac Disease and Wheat Sensitivity. We began our investigation by looking at what Celiac Disease and Wheat Sensitivity actually are. We then examined the diagnosis and conventional treatments. In the last three articles we have focused on the most important Naturopathic Medical Treatments for these conditions. We learned that intravenous infusions of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, homeopathics, and other nutrients helps quickly rebuild the digestive tract. We saw how Neural Therapy supports the nervous system innervations to the digestive organs and decreases scar tissue. And, finally we examined the three most important oral supplements for repairing the digestive system.

ACLU sues Walmart over worker's firing

Regarding Joseph Casias’ medical marijuana use

BATTLE CREEK, Mich. (WOOD) – A chain store is being sued after an employee said he was wrongfully fired when he failed a drug test.
Joseph Casias has a prescription for medical marijuana and says he uses it for pain from sinus cancer and an inoperable brain tumor he has been suffering from for the past 10 years.
He worked at the Walmart in Battle Creek for five years prior to his firing in November 2009. He didn’t use medical marijuana on the job or before work. He hurt himself on the job, and after that, had a routine drug test. That is when the controlled substance was detected.
Casias, 30, told 24 Hour News 8 he showed his managers his medical marijuana card, but eventually was fired anyway. He said he shouldn’t have been fired in a state where medical marijuana is legal.
The American Civil Liberties Union and ACLU of Michigan, in partnership with the law firm of Daniel W. Grow, PLLC, filed the lawsuit against Walmart Stores, Inc. and the manager of its Battle Creek store.
The groups held a news conference Tuesday morning on the front steps of the Calhoun County Circuit Court to discuss the case.
In November 2008, voters in Michigan overwhelmingly approved the Michigan Medical Marihuana Act, which legalizes the use of marijuana for medical purposes. In compliance with state law, Casias received written certification from his oncologist and is a registered medical marijuana patient.
According to the text of the law at Michigan.gov, it says people using medical marijuana “shall not be subject to arrest, prosecution, or penalty in any manner, or denied any right or privilege, including but not limited to civil penalty or disciplinary action by a business or occupational or professional licensing board or bureau, for the medical use of marihuana in accordance with this act.”
But later on, it says, “Nothing in this act shall be construed to require … An employer to accommodate … any employee working while under the influence of marihuana.”
A rally was held March 14 in support of Casias outside the Battle Creek Walmart to protest. The group wanted him to get his job back, receive an apology from Walmart and a change in policy.
In a statement to 24 Hour News 8 late Tuesday afternoon, Walmart Media Relations Director Lorenzo Lopez said, “This is just an unfortunate situation all around. We are sympathetic to Mr. Casias’ condition but, like other companies, we have to consider the overall safety of our customers and associates, including Mr. Casias, when making a difficult decision like this. In this case, the doctor prescribed treatment was not the relevant issue. The issue is about the ability of our associates to do their jobs safely.
“This is becoming more of an issue. As more states allow this treatment, employers are left without any guidelines except the federal standard. In these cases, until further guidance is available, we will always default to what we believe is the safest environment for our associates and customers.”

Medical Marijuana In HIV/AIDS

By Stephen Gardner and Shruti Kalra

Medical Marijuana In HIV/AIDS – Part 1: Legal Support For Medical Marijuana Use Gains SteamThis article is the first in a two-part series and will explore the current legal environment for medical marijuana. Part 2 will discuss the results of scientific studies examining medical marijuana use in people with HIV.
Legal support for the use of medical marijuana, including by people with HIV/AIDS, has been growing nationwide. Laws are not uniform and have often been the source of contentious debate; however, an increasing number of states have passed or are considering laws to legalize the drug for medical purposes.
The most recent advance on the medical marijuana front is in Washington, D.C., whose city council voted last month in favor of legislation to legalize medical marijuana in the district. The bill will allow access to the drug for those with serious illnesses, including HIV infection.
Mayor Adrian Fenty signed the bill on May 21, sending it to Congress for a mandatory review period (expected to end July 23) before becoming law.
Advocates celebrated the bill’s passage, arguing that the shift toward legalizing marijuana for medical purposes is long overdue.
Expansion Of Medical Marijuana Laws
If the proposal in Washington, D.C. becomes law, the city will join 14 states that have already legalized the drug: Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey (see related AIDS Beacon news), New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington.
According to MedicalMarijuanaProCon.org, 11 other states – which include Alabama, Arizona, Delaware, Illinois, Massachusetts, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and South Dakota – have legislation pending to legalize medical marijuana.
Most of the laws legalize the use, possession, and cultivation of marijuana by patients with serious medical conditions, including HIV/AIDS, who have received written approval from their doctors.
The laws governing medical marijuana, however, are not uniform across states.
Amounts of marijuana allowed in possession vary widely: in Montana and Nevada, which have the strictest laws, patients may only carry one ounce of usable marijuana, while residents of Washington state are allowed up to 24 ounces.
Most states also allow users to grow at least six marijuana plants, although New Jersey does not – medical marijuana users must obtain the drug from authorized dispensaries, which have not yet been established.
Users usually must register with the state and obtain an ID card stating they are certified to receive medical marijuana. The exceptions are Washington state and Maine, which have no registries. New Jersey, which only recently legalized the drug, has not yet established its registry.
In addition, several states with older medical marijuana laws have been tightening restrictions recently.
An ordinance in Los Angeles took effect this month that limits the location of medical marijuana dispensaries. Dispensaries registered before 2007 that meet the new requirements will most likely remain; an estimated 400 unregistered dispensaries, opened after a 2007 moratorium, will be shut down.
On June 7, Colorado governor Bill Ritter Jr. signed two bills that tightened Colorado’s medical marijuana laws. The bills allow local governments to ban dispensaries and require doctors to conduct a full medical exam before authorizing medical marijuana for a patient.
Federal Government Continues To Look The Other Way
While states are taking action on medical marijuana, federal law enforcement has adopted something of a laissez-faire attitude toward the issue.
In 2009, Attorney General Eric Holder sent a memorandum to federal prosecutors in the 14 states with medical marijuana laws on the books.
While the memorandum reiterated the Obama administration’s commitment to the war on drugs, Holder stated that it would be a poor allocation of resources “to prosecute patients with serious illnesses or their caregivers who are complying with state laws on medical marijuana.” (See the related New York Times article.)
Holder also stated that such prosecutions “will not be a priority” for the administration.
Kris Hermes, Media Specialist for Americans for Safe Access (ASA), an organization that promotes safe and legal access to medical marijuana, believes that a federal medical marijuana policy is inevitable.
According to Hermes, 80 percent of Americans support legalization of medical marijuana.
However, Hermes believes the stigma associated with marijuana use may deter politicians from legalizing the drug, for fear the laws will not be supported in their districts.
The temperature of the debate can run high, especially among those who feel that ceding ground on medical marijuana is a major setback in the war on drugs.
In May, two medical marijuana storefronts in Billings, Montana were firebombed. The city council was considering additional regulations on medical marijuana at the time.
Despite such negative responses, Hermes encourages the HIV-positive community to reach out to their government.
“Contact the Obama administration and strongly convey why you need medical marijuana, and urge the administration to develop a federal policy, so that nobody is left without access to this important medication,” Hermes said in an interview with The AIDS Beacon.
Signing of the Washington, D.C. medical marijuana bill by Major Adrian Fenty was first reported by MedicalMarijuanaProCon.org, which also has information on medical marijuana legal requirements and pending medical marijuana bills available on its website.

Oregon petition signatures due Friday

SALEM, Ore. (AP) — Sponsors of ballot measures have until Friday to submit the needed petition signatures to qualify for the Nov. 2 general election.
Oregon voters are likely to decide this fall whether to set up dispensaries for medical marijuana and set minimum terms for repeat felony sex offenders and drunken drivers.
That pair of measures may be joined by as many as 13 additional ballot initiatives.
Two years ago, 10 initiatives were submitted for the ballot. Two failed to qualify because of insufficient signatures.

Weed Control Part 1: MS sufferer finds relief

Matt Young used to bust kids for smoking pot as a security officer in Calgary, but now it’s Young who’s trying to find a way to smoke marijuana in peace.
That search almost cost him his life.
Young, now living in Saskatchewan, is a former private security manager and amateur bodybuilder who wanted to be a police officer. He’s watched all that disappear as his multiple sclerosis advanced since his diagnosis at age 14.
The 28-year-old has tried every drug suggested to him by doctors in three provinces, but he said marijuana, which he only tried once or twice in high school, is the only drug that stops his spasms and lets him eat and sleep at night.
“Marijuana still doesn’t eliminate the problems, but it reduces them so I can get out of bed and play with my boy,” Young said, referring to his seven-year-old stepson.
At the end of May, Health Canada sent Young the card that allows him to legally smoke marijuana. He’s one of 100 Saskatchewan residents and 4,029 Canadians who can legally possess cannabis, according to Health Canada.
“I wish it could have been something else that helped me,” Young said, sitting beside his childhood friend and now partner, Tina Mauro, in their home north of Saskatoon. “But I’ve tried everything else.”
To legally smoke pot, one has to find a doctor willing to sign a prescription for the drug. Health Canada approves the possession licence and the prescription is filled by growing a small supply of marijuana, finding a designated holder (also licensed by the government) or buying from Health Canada.
Legal access to medical marijuana in Saskatchewan is not easily obtained, say several users and proponents of medicinal pot.
Earlier this year, the local chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws blasted the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan for deterring doctors from prescribing pot. Health Canada counts 59 Saskatchewan doctors who support medical marijuana.
Young had a difficult time finding a Saskatchewan doctor to prescribe marijuana before Health Canada sent him his licence.
“A lot of damage has been done to our lives,” Young said. “If somebody reads this, maybe it’ll provide them a glimmer of hope.”
– – –
Young grew up in Saskatchewan, but found himself in Calgary where he ran security for an office complex.
He applied to be an officer with the Calgary Police Service, but was told he was ineligible because of his multiple sclerosis, a disease that attacks nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord.
Eventually, the MS symptoms escalated and Young sought treatment. He tried a barrage of drugs prescribed by doctors. The medication didn’t work and, in 2005, after getting approval from Health Canada, he tried marijuana as an alternative.
“I got better,” Young said, while sitting in his two-bedroom bungalow in a small town north of Saskatoon.
He smoked for a year. He felt so good that he stopped smoking. He had a severe relapse and he soon found himself moving back to Saskatchewan in 2008 to live with Mauro at her suggestion. They were engaged in September 2009.
But in Saskatchewan, Young couldn’t find a doctor to prescribe marijuana. They pushed more pharmaceuticals on him, he said, but nothing worked and the drugs often made Young more ill.
“He’s the one in 100 that the drugs didn’t work for,” said Mauro, a former pharmacy technician who now works at a bank.
Young pleaded with his doctors to write him a prescription for marijuana. He’s not a man to mingle with drug dealers and Health Canada sells pot at half the price of its street value.
In January, frustrated and depressed with refusals from doctors, Young set out to kill himself. He overdosed on prescription pills at his home while his family was away.
“When I walked in the door, he stopped breathing,” Mauro said. Their son was screaming for Young to wake up while Mauro called paramedics. Young was taken to Shellbrook Hospital before a transfer to Saskatoon where he spent several days in a coma.
“The doctors didn’t think he was going to make it,” Mauro said. “He was in a coma on a Monday and on Tuesday I walked into the hospital room and he turned over and looked at me and we both started crying.”
– – –
The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan warns doctors about prescribing medical marijuana. The treatment has plenty of anecdotal evidence but little else to back up health claims, say medical experts.
“In time, I think we’ll have a greater level of consensus, but we need more evidence,” said Dr. Peter Butt, a Saskatoon family physician and addictions specialist. “We’re in the early of days of medical marijuana and the story has yet to unfold.
“There’s limited evidence about its efficacy. We have a product being smoked, so there’s a health problem with that. Just as tobacco companies are being sued, some physicians might be reluctant to prescribe something that will also cause harm.”
There are other problems: Criminal involvement in marijuana trade and the contamination of street drugs, addiction and the trouble of measuring dosage for different patients.
But there are cases in which marijuana has helped people, especially those who are HIV positive, receiving chemotherapy or diagnosed with MS, said Butt, also an assistant professor with the University of Saskatchewan College of Medicine.
There is some evidence that marijuana can help patients regain their appetite and ease nausea and chronic pain, he said.
“It can help in select cases, but that doesn’t mean it’s a panacea for all chronic pain,” Butt said.
To make marijuana use safer for patients, researchers must develop a better delivery system to avoid the health problems associated with smoking, Butt said.
“How many medications are dispensed in leaf form?” Butt said.
Some medical marijuana proponents and users believe current alternatives — sprays and pills with concentrated THC — don’t work as well as smoking.
The MS Society doesn’t recommend MS patients use marijuana, but does say that there is anecdotal evidence to support its benefits, said Laurie Murphy, the charity’s client services co-ordinator in Saskatoon.
“It can help with spasticity and pain,” she said. “But we can’t advocate for any treatment that doesn’t have the research to back it up.”
The society directs curious patients to Health Canada if they feel like marijuana is the last resort, Murphy said.
“I don’t know of many doctors in Saskatchewan who support it and many won’t even talk about it,” she said. “It’s sad they can’t access (marijuana) if they benefit from it.”
– – –
A neurologist gave Young a prescription in February and Health Canada mailed Young his licence four months later.
Young can only pay for some of his prescription, which allows him 3.5 grams of marijuana per day. Health Canada charges Young about $600 per month to fill his prescription, half of the street value for the same amount, he said.
He’d like governments to subsidize marijuana, like provinces do for other prescriptions, for low-income people. He and Mauro are a single-income family and they run a cake decorating business on the side. The couple is trying to keep their home as they fight financial problems, Young said.
Despite the discount, Young only bought one ounce for his first purchase this year. He smoked it all by the middle of June and he can’t order more until the end of the month.
“He scrapes and conserves if there’s any residue left,” Mauro said.
Young said marijuana “is supposed to heal, but waiting for it feels like torture.”
In an email, a Health Canada spokesperson suggested licensed users grow their marijuana — it charges $20 for a packet of 30 seeds — to keep expenses low.
Young doesn’t want to grow his marijuana, although it’d be easy to do with Health Canada’s approval. He lives with a young family in a small town and fears how even a couple of marijuana plants could jeopardize his family’s security.
“I hope to fall asleep before the spasms start,” he said. Without the marijuana, Young said, his body is wracked by insomnia, spasms, nausea and eating troubles. “I feel like I’m literally losing my mind. I have a digital recorder I rely on because I’m constantly forgetting things.”
Once Young inhales the marijuana smoke, the changes are instant, Mauro said.
“The depression is gone. His thoughts are clear, concise,” she said. “He loves to write again and the appetite is there.”
“The only thing that makes it better is the marijuana,” Young said.

Pot Proposal Has Some Feeling Left Out

Berkeley City Council members will consider new rules for medical marijuana Tuesday, but some cannabis activists are disappointed that some groups would get fewer benefits under the proposed regulations.
Under the proposed rules, dispensaries would be allowed to get permits to cultivate their product in commercial spaces of up to 30,000 square feet, but members of medical marijuana groups without storefronts — called “non-dispensing collectives” — would be limited to growing in homes and couldn’t apply to grow pot in commercial locations.
“It’s a restriction of trade,” said Charles Papas, a Berkeley medical marijuana activist. “The collectives could provide more medicine and better quality medicine with more space.”
One of the Berkeley groups that wanted more recognition is the 40 Acres Medical Marijuana Growers Collective, a non-profit group of 150 mostly African-American users and growers.
40 Acres has had a vocal presence at the many city meetings leading up to the proposal, asking the city for clearer rules for collectives because some of their members have had problems with police.
“We get questioned left and right because somehow there’s this stigma on the African-American community’s use of medical marijuana,” said spokeswoman Toya Groves.
Groves said the city should “regulate and support” collectives like 40 Acres by allowing them to get a business license or a permit to grow in a commercial area.
Berkeley Mayor Tom Bates, one of the authors of the proposed rules, said that isn’t part of his plan, but come November, collective growers could have more opportunities if Californians vote to legalize marijuana for recreational use.
“More than likely there would be additional growing faculties and new outlets that would be available to the recreational smoker,” said Bates.
And if the legalization effort failed, Bates said, his proposal would allow an additional dispensary to form in Berkeley. The city currently caps the number of storefront medical marijuana distributors at three. 40 Acres and other collectives could apply for this new spot.
Bates’ plan calls for the following rules:
• A tax of up to 2.5 percent on cannabis businesses’ gross receipts
• A commercial growing location for each of the city’s three dispensaries
• New requirements for dispensaries with a commercial growing location, including giving away 10 percent of their product to low-income people; providing an energy offset to compensate for electricity use; and making their product as organic as possible
• Restricting collective growing to residential areas of 200 square feet (100 square feet if recreational marijuana is legalized in November) or less; the limit can be lower in smaller units
• Mandating that dispensaries provide financial records to the city
• Considering one additional dispensary if marijuana is not legalized in November
• New guidelines for where dispensaries can be located
The City Council will hear the proposal Tuesday night. If council members agree on the rules, they will direct city staff to draft a ballot initiative, and put the measure before city voters in November.

Marijuana Initiatives Get Big Endorsements

(June 28, 2010) in Society / Drug Law
Marijuana_leafIn another example of marijuana policy reform’s growing approval by the mainstream political establishment, this week two major state-level political organizations gave their backing to local initiatives to end marijuana prohibition.
Citing inherent racism in the government’s war on marijuana, the California state chapter of the NAACP announced its support for the Tax Cannabis initiative, which will appear on the California ballot this November.
Meanwhile, the Washington state Democratic Party voted by an overwhelming 314-185 margin to endorse a proposed legalization initiative by Sensible Washington, which has not yet qualified for the ballot.
As more and more influential political forces oppose the doomed philosophy of prohibition and embrace the sensible path of reform, the potential for major electoral victories in 2010 and 2012 seems more promising than ever before.

DESIGN DILEMMAS: ‘Showers’ of questions

Question: I am considering redoing my bathroom. Nothing major, just some new paint, accessories, shower curtain, etc. I have two questions for you. Number one, I feel like I am constantly changing our shower curtain because of mold and mildew. I generally purchase the vinyl liner and a cotton curtain. It seems the mold accumulates so quickly no matter what we do. I feel like I am always spending money on new liners and curtains. Is there any way to prevent this from happening so often? And, second, do you have any suggestions for a decent looking bath mat? The typical ones are so ugly.
Answer: I agree. Shower liners and curtains are forever turning moldy no matter how often you change them. There is a fairly new curtain on the market made from hemp. I, personally, have not tried it but have heard that it remains mold and mildew free for an extended period of time. What happens with your typical fabric curtain is it gets wet, stays wet and, therefore, turns moldy fairly quickly. The vinyl liners also become moldy and are not easy to clean. I do run my fabric curtains through the washer but the liner makes a total mess. Apparently, the hemp shower curtain, while not waterproof, absorbs water and then dries more quickly than most shower curtains. The cost is higher, but you’ll replace it less often. Plus, it is good for the environment. The look is hip and the environmental benefits and, in the end, you’ll probably save a little money. What more could you ask for?
The answer to your second question is, yes. I have recently used a shower mat with much more style than its vinyl relative. There are new pebble style shower mats, which will give the appearance of pebbles in a stream when placed in your tub. The stones alternate between rough and smooth to provide a non-slip texture. Another feature is that you can custom fit them to any size and shape you like with a pair of kitchen scissors. They actually look nice enough to place on the floor outside your shower as well.
Question: We are installing a new showerhead in our master bath and have heard much about conservation of water with the new showerheads. Is this going to affect the flow and intensity of our water pressure to a point that I can’t rinse my hair?
Answer: There are so many new options available to you regarding the type of showerhead you need and like. The “old” version used upwards of six gallons of water every minute, I believe. This is too much for the environment to handle. The new ones are much more conservative. The new showerheads spray at most 2 1/2 gallons of water per minute. This is a big savings in water usage. The manufacturers have come up with all sorts of new technology to conserve water but still provide an enjoyable shower. To find out how fast your water flows put a gallon bucket under the showerhead and see how long it takes to fill it up. If it is time for an updated more conservative showerhead, they are quite simple to install yourself. It’s a win-win situation.