University of Vermont professors craft first course on medical cannabis

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Medical marijuana will be the subject of a new class at the University of Vermont in the spring.

“We’ve been doing this for all kinds of different drugs, so why not for cannabinoids?” said professor Wolfgang Dostmann, Ph.D.
Dostmann and Karen Lounsbury, Ph.D. will co-teach the course Medical Cannabis.
There is limited literature on the subject, so the professors are pulling most of their material from texts written in other countries.
“We really want to make sure students know this is going to be a science course,” Lounsbury said. “It’s going to talk about the underlying biology and physiology of the compounds. That said, it’s going to be taught at a level where any student with a basic science background will be able to understand it and apply it to their current knowledge.”
 
Full Article:
http://www.wptz.com/news/uvm-professors-craft-first-course-on-medical-cannabis/36902508

New Business Aims to Teach D.C. Residents How to Smoke Weed

by Tim Regan

 
When marijuana was legalized in the District last year, many people rejoiced, but some with less smoking experience scratched their heads. “Weed is legal, great!” they might have mused. “But how do I grow it? Where do I find it? How do I smoke it?”
Just a few months ago, the answer to many of those questions was “just Google it,” or “I dunno man, go ask Adam at Capitol Hemp.” But the D.C. School of Mary Jane, a new educational business based in Columbia Heights, aims to change all that.
In a nutshell, the School of Mary Jane exists to teach you how to consume marijuana recreationally and safely. The company’s founder, Ryan (who asked us not to his last name for employment reasons) said his goal is to weed out falsities based on “decades upon decades of misinformation and stigma tied to marijuana.”
 
Full Article:
https://www.borderstan.com/2015/12/09/new-business-aims-to-teach-d-c-residents-how-to-smoke-weed/

John Trudell, poet, activist for American Indian rights, dies at age 69 – In 2012, Trudell and singer Willie Nelson co-founded Hempstead Project Heart, which calls for the legal cultivation of hemp for clothing, biofuel and food.

Jill Leovy and Robert Jablon
 

John Trudell, then 25, speaks to reporters about a 1971 Native American occupation of a remote former Nike site near Richmond, Calif. (Richard Drew / Associated Press)
 
John Trudell, a Native American activist who became a spokesman for American Indian protesters during their 1969 occupation of Alcatraz Island — and whose personal grief-inspired poetry was celebrated by famous fans such as Bob Dylan— died Tuesday. He was 69.
 
Full Article:
http://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-john-trudell-20151210-story.html
 

Board game introduces pathways to a competitive bioeconomy using hemp & bamboo

Derek Markham (@derekmarkham)

 
“In order to transition our economy from one based on nonrenewable and energy intensive resources, we’ll need to make a shift to other, more eco-friendly, materials which can be grown sustainably and sourced locally. In short, we need to establish and grow a ‘bioeconomy’ that is both regenerative and economically viable.
That’s essentially the premise of a new board game from the Foundation for a Bioeconomy, which seeks to introduce the concepts and strategies, as well as the economic factors, of a functional bioeconomy that could scale up to be a true gamechanger. The backstory for this proposed ‘Industrial Evolution‘, as well as some illustrative examples, can be seen in a short video series (4 parts, 15 minutes total), which lays out the groundwork for a “bioeconomy founded on bamboo and hemp, built by women for all.”
 
Full Article:
http://www.treehugger.com/culture/board-game-introduces-pathways-competitive-bioeconomy-using-hemp-bamboo.html

Is Smoking Weed the Secret to a Successful Relationship?

by Abbie Stutzer

 
Next time you want to feel close to someone, make sure you have a joint handy, because smoking weed may actually be the secret to a healthy relationship.
Some interesting research has come out of the University of California that reveals there’s a link between oxytocin, the chemical produced in the brain when in close contact with a loved one, and marijuana’s effect on human behavior, specifically the behavior that impacts human bonding.
IFLScience reports that oxytocin could make social interactions more pleasurable by stimulating humans’ own, built-in cannabinoid system. The research indicates that oxytocin is able to do this by triggering the release of anandamide, the so-called bliss molecule. (Anandamide can cause increased motivation and happiness.)
 
Full Article:
http://ecosalon.com/is-smoking-weed-the-secret-to-a-successful-relationship/

Why Legalization Could Save the Earth

By James McClure

 
The 2015 Climate Change Conference in Paris is currently underway, bringing world leaders together to discuss ways to preserve the environment. Marijuana isn’t on the agenda this year, but as Canadamoves toward becoming the first G7 country to legalize and regulate cannabis, and more states consider legalization, future conferences will need to address the cannabis industry’s impact on climate change.
Fortunately, researchers such as Gina S. Warren of Texas A&M’s Energy Institute are already tackling the issue. In June 2015, Warren published an article in the Columbia Journal of Environmental Lawthat looks at how legalization could reduce the impact of cannabis on climate change.
 
Full Article:
https://www.civilized.life/marijuana-can-save-the-environment-1500328112.html

The Rise of the Stoner Bride



 
“I never wanted to be drunk on my wedding day.” Jerilyn is a medical marijuana dispensary manager and writer living in Detroit, dreaming of her wedding to her musician true love.”It’s a day I want to remember and feel completely connected to. Marijuana has always been a tool of mine to enhance experiences and memories. I remember the places I got high and how I felt, and what the air smelt like, and what song was playing with what person.” Michigan is one of 23 states that has legalized medical marijuana. And Jerilyn isn’t the only woman dreaming of a wedding that includes weed. Due to shifting attitudes and changing legalities, it seems that it won’t be long until stoner brides will not only be able to take a toke before they walk down the aisle, but serve it to their guests as well. Along with the 23 that have allowed for medical cannabis, four states and the District of Columbia have legalized recreational use.
 
Full Article:
http://www.racked.com/2015/12/7/9858438/marijuana-wedding-stoner-bride-pot-marriage

Students learn ‘green’ skills – Hempcrete!

By Liz Wylie
SUSTAINABLE: Duncan Sinclair of Black Pine Architects demonstrates the making of environmentally-friendly insulation to students at St Johns Hill School. PHOTO/SUPPLIED
SUSTAINABLE: Duncan Sinclair of Black Pine Architects demonstrates the making of environmentally-friendly insulation to students at St Johns Hill School. PHOTO/SUPPLIED
 
As part of their study on energy efficient buildings, children at St Johns Hill School recently got to experiment with Duncan Sinclair of Black Pine Architects who visited the school to demonstrate the use of hempcrete.
Hempcrete is a bio-composite made of the inner woody core of the hemp plant mixed with a lime-based binder.
The hemp core or “shiv” has a high silica content which allows it to bind well with lime.
“The intention was to let the kids help with the mixing and tamping and make up a block of hempcrete, so that they can see and feel a healthy alternative to the more typical types of insulation found in New Zealand,” Mr Sinclair said.
 
Full Article:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/wanganui-chronicle/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503426&objectid=11556955