Dear Sarah,
I’ve been an MMJ Patient for quite some time, and I think there are some things I want to change about our community. How can I get more involved with advocacy?
—Avid Advocate
Dear Avid Advocate,
Our movement is constantly evolving, and it can be difficult (and exhilarating) to keep up with the breaking news.
Most groups maintain an email listserv to announce fun events, important court hearings or city council meetings. In my inbox, you’ll find emails from Americans for Safe Access, CalNORML, Drug Policy Forum of California and the MMJ News Yahoo Group.
If you are in the L.A. area, the local ASA chapter meetings are the third Saturday of every month from 1 to 3 p.m. Check www.AmericansForSafeAccess.org for information on chapters in other areas.
I also have links to all sorts of important websites for medical cannabis at www.sarahdiesel.com or our very own www.freeculturemag.com. You’ll quickly find plenty of opportunities to help press our movement forward.
Dear Sarah,
I recently got my doctor’s recommendation, but I’m hesitant to smoke anything. Are there any ways I can use cannabis without smoking it?
—Beginner Patient
Dear Beginner Patient,
A lot of people think the only way you can use cannabis is to smoke it. Well, that’s not true at all! There are many alternative and convenient ways to ingest and use cannabis. First, you can use a cannabis-infused topical and lotion. These are great for arthritis, joint pain, muscle pain, headaches and other ailments. Topicals and lotions are not meant to make you feel high, even if you lick it.
Edibles (or medi-bles) are very effective and can be very strong too. You must titrate them (small, slow dosages) or you will be sorry. Start with a quarter of the edible and wait at least an hour before you eat another quarter of it. You may fall asleep before that hour, but that means the edible worked. You see, edibles are for insomnia and chronic pain. If you do choose to medicate on an edible, make sure you have nothing to do and the kids are at the babysitters. All you will want to do is sleep and maybe eat as you might get a huge appetite (i.e. munchies).
Edibles come in many varieties like rice-crispy treats, popcorn, mac ‘n’ cheese and cookies. Brownies are so 1970s, but still a favorite item at most collectives.
Another form of edible is a tincture or sublingual, which means it’s absorbed under your tongue and into your blood stream. It usually is alcohol or glycerin based and kept in a glass jar with a dropper. Just put a few drops under the tongue—you’ll feel the relief in about 30 to 40 minutes. The effects will depend on your metabolism, height, weight, what you eat, etc. Also, the items mentioned are easier to travel with (no flying with cannabis though—that’s a big no-no) and are more discreet than cannabis flowers. Visit your local collective(s) to see the various items they carry.
420 Days and Cannabinoid Nights,
Sarah Diesel
Got a burning question about love, life and/or the pursuit of medicine? Ask Sarah Diesel, medical-marijuana advocate and L.A.’s Countess of Class and Cannabis. Just keep your questions short, straightforward and obscenity-free, and email them to AskSarah@freeculturemag.com.
