Well, I just broke my bong...

Dr. Mutabi

July 28, 2009-December 27, 2009 

I got this bong in July of this year after spending a couple of days examining the selections of all the local headshops.  I loved it, it was short, blue, glass on glass bong and it smoked excellently.  I named it Dr. Mutabi after a Kenyan history professor I once had and guarded him fiercely from anyone showing signs of clumsiness.

Today I felt like having a quick toke before lunch and so I decided to grab Dr. Mutabi, my faithful sidekick.  As I was handling him, he slipped out of my hands and fell onto my bed.  Everything would have been fine except that I had my jar of bud sitting on my bed, and Dr. Mutabi fell right on top of it, shattering into twenty or so pieces.  Now I am left with a broken bong and a set of sheets with a bong-water stain and I am sad.

Damn it all to hell.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone, I hope you all enjoy yourselves and have something to be thankful for (like a huge bag of weed). 

Sincerely,
TheGanjaGuru

I guess I'll have to take down my pumpkin picture now.

10 Drugs You Won’t Believe Are Not Controlled Substances

Title II of the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970 established the legal precedent for our current drug control policies in the United States.  The law is more commonly referred to as the Controlled Substance Act (CSA), and it is an extensive and complex piece of legislation that dictates restrictions on a multitude of substances.  With so many drugs falling under the control of the CSA, it would seem that the government has covered it’s bases when it comes to potential drugs of abuse.  However, despite the extensive restrictions placed on seemingly every drug one could think of, some have still managed to fall through the cracks.  For this reason, I present to you the reader, ten drugs you won’t believe aren’t controlled substances.

Before we begin, there are some things that I should take the time to clarify.  To start, when I say a “controlled substance,” I mean exactly that, a drug that is subject to restrictions and limitations as dictated by the Controlled Substance Act.  For our purposes, we will not be discussing any drugs that are controlled by the CSA, however some of the substances I will mention may be controlled in other ways.  Ultimately what is implied by a drug not being a controlled substance, is that an individual may self administer the drug as they see fit without needing to jump through any of the legal hoops set forth by the CSA.

10.  L-Dopamine:

            Most drugs of abuse have a profound impact on the reward center of the brain, which is expressed by the release of the neurotransmitter dopamine.  Dopamine is the brain’s way of rewarding the body for a job well done.  Weather it be finding food, laughing at something funny, or reaching sexual climax, dopamine is released to inform the individual that what they have done is good, and that if they would like to be rewarded with dopamine again, they can do so by participating that activity again.

            Drugs can also release dopamine, and in particular stimulants such as cocaine and methamphetamine cause the brain to release massive quantities of dopamine, making the user feel better than they have ever felt in their entire life.  Both methamphetamine and cocaine are controlled substances, and it seems unusual that synthetic forms of the main neurotransmitter that those drugs act upon are not controlled as well.  L-Dopamine is not controlled by the CSA, and is considered a research chemical, and thus it is widely available on the Internet.

9.  L-Adrenaline:

            Adrenaline or epinephrine/norepinephrine is another neurotransmitter produced naturally in the body, and is typically associated with the “fight or flight” response.  It could be said that adrenaline is the drug of choice for “adrenaline junkies” and those who like to get “high on life.”  In reality, adrenaline might not actually be the cause of the good vibes that adrenaline junkies and “life addicts” experience, and it is more likely that those feelings are caused by dopamine and endorphins.  However, considering that it is the position of the federal government that one does not get high on anything, it seems odd that this one also falls under the category of research chemical.

8.  JWH-018

            JWH-018 is an analgesic compound that acts at cannabinoid receptors in the brain, and produces similar effects as THC, the active ingredient in cannabis.  The acronym JWH stands for John W. Huffman, who was one of the developers of the substance.  This drug is sometimes found in “legal highs” that are intended to substitute cannabis.  Such legal highs are often sold as incense, or in the case of raw JWH-018 it is sometimes sold as plant fertilizer.  JWH-018 may be subject to control soon, as it is currently being researched as a painkiller due to its analgesic properties.

7.  Nitrous Oxide:

            Also known as laughing gas, nitrous oxide has a variety of applications including automobile performance, aerosol propellant (commonly used in whip cream canisters), and anesthesia.  If you have ever had a cavity filled, there is a good chance your dentist used this gas to take your mind off the fact that he is drilling through your teeth. 

When inhaled, nitrous oxide produces disorientation, auditory hallucinations, and a profound sense of euphoria.  The downside is that none of these effects last longer than a minute after the gas is exhaled.  However that doesn’t prevent individuals from chronically abusing the drug, and deaths have occurred by asphyxiation when individuals have attempted to use the gas in a confined space such as a plastic bag or closet in order to prolong the effects.

6.  2C-I

This one is a tricky one, as it technically could be considered a controlled substance based on the CSA analogs act, which automatically makes any analog of a schedule I or II drug a controlled substance by default.  On the other hand, if it is not sold for human consumption, it may pass that criterion and be available for sale for some other purpose such as a research chemical.  The drug is similar in structure to that of 2C-B, which is a psychedelic drug and a controlled substance.  Its effects have been described as combination of LSD and ecstasy.  Other than that, the drug is virtually unstudied, and little is known about its toxicity and side effects.

5.  Salvia

            Now we are getting into more familiar territory for most.  Salvia divinorum, or the diviner’s sage, is a powerful psychoactive herb.  Its main psychoactive compound is a powerful k-opioid receptor agonist, or in other words it acts at similar brain receptors that opiate drugs do.  It is often sold as incense, and can be smoke or ingested.  Its effects include, uncontrollable laughter, hallucinations; feelings of becoming one with objects and well… if you really want to see what happens just look it up on youtube. 

The DEA currently has its sticky fingers and prying eyes fixated on salvia, so there is a good chance that it won’t be legal for long, so you know, stock up (seriously though, don’t).  Also, according to Wikipedia, which for our purposes will serve as the culmination of all of humankind’s knowledge, the liquor and tobacco industries are two of the main lobbyers for salvias classification as a controlled substance.  It is kind of ironic that two industries that contribute to some of the most numerous cases of preventable death want a drug to be illegal isn’t it?

4.  Tramadol:

            Tramadol is a synthetic opiate analgesic painkiller.  It is not a controlled substance in the United States, although a prescription is typically required in order to acquire the drug.  The effects are similar to other opiate painkillers such as vicodin, and like all other opiates, tramadol is addictive.  Unlike other opiate however, tramadol has the withdrawal symptoms of regular opiates in conjunction with more dangerous withdrawals symptoms such as seizures, which can be fatal as cardiac arrest can occur.  In addition, tramadol acts as a selective norepinephrine serotonin reuptake inhibitor in the same manor that antidepressants such as prozac do, which means that it has a myriad of unsafe drug interactions.  Don’t mess with this one my few and dedicated readers, its bad news in a little white pill.

3.  Phenazapam:

            This one you probably haven’t heard of, and it’s another one of those drugs that falls through the legal loopholes of “not intended for human consumption,” and “for research purposes only.”  Phenazapam is a benzodiazepine like valium (diazepam) and xanax (alazopram), and it is considered to be about four times as powerful as xanax.  Like all benzodiazepines, phenazapam has the potential to produce amnesia, euphoria, and physical dependence.  Benzodiazepines act on gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the brain in a similar fashion to alcohol.  Withdrawals from benzodiazepines can be fatal due to the potential for seizures to occur after cessation of the drug.

2. Dextromethorphan:

            If you have taken an over the counter cough medicine recently, odds are you have ingested this drug.  Dextromethorphan was used to replace the opiate codeine as a cough suppressant in over the counter cough preparations, when it was determined that the abuse potential for codeine was to great to allow individuals to self administer the drug.  Interestingly enough, dextromethorphan is closely related to two powerful opiate analgesics, levorphanal and levomethorphan.  Levorphanal has the same properties as morphine in terms of addiction, dependence, and withdrawal, although it is about four to eight time as powerful as morphine.

            Of course, dextromethorphan is not an opiate itself, nor does it produce the effects of opiates when used recreationally.  At therapeutic doses used in cold medications, dextromethorphan acts as an antitussive, and relieves cough.  However at high doses far exceeding dose recommendations for cough suppression, dextromethorphan acts as a powerful disassociative psychedelic.  Dextromethorphan is an NMDA receptor antagonist, and has a mechanism of action similar to that of ketamine (special K) and phencyclidine (PCP).

            You may have seen news stories in the last few years describing a group of teenagers getting sent to the hospital after ingesting a whole pack of cold medicine in an attempt to “dex” or “robotrip.”  In other words, they were trying to get high off of cold medicine, and overdosed on the other active ingredients in the drug, typically acetaminophen or whatever nasal decongestant was in the medicine.  Of course, overdoses of dextromethorphan can also occur, and dextromethorphan’s lethal dose is only about ten times greater than its effective dose.

1.  Alcohol:

            "Wait what, alcohol?" 

Yes, alcohol.  Alcohol is subject to other forms of legal control, but it is not a substance controlled by the CSA, and users are free to self-administer the drug as they see fit. 

"Wait, alcohol is a drug?"

Yes, alcohol is a psychoactive drug, and a very, very powerful drug at that.  Alcohol affects the brain in a similar manor to benzodiazepines and barbiturates as it increases levels of GABA in the brain.  GABA is the body’s primary inhibitory neurotransmitter, and slows neuronal activity.  What this means for the user is that when GABA is released by alcohol, one feels calm and relaxed.

Alcohol use is pervasive in nearly all western cultures, and most of us don’t think a thing of it when we have drink or six.  Alcohol has been used for thousands of years by many different societies, and well, that is pretty much one of the main reasons for it remaining legal.  That and the fact that the last time our government tried to prohibit it’s use, it didn’t go so well.  Many would argue that our experience with alcohol is a perfect example of why prohibiting the use of drugs is generally ineffective.

In every state in the United States, one is considered to be legally intoxicated by alcohol with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.08%.  Fatalities due to alcohol overdose occur with a BAC of about 0.45% - 0.5%, although some may be more or less susceptible to its toxic effects depending on the individual’s tolerance for the drug.  This means that alcohol’s lethal dose is only about six times greater than its effective dose, making it about as dangerous as heroin in terms of potential risk of fatal overdose, yikes!  Unlike heroin, alcohol use causes far more extensive damage to the body’s organs, as it is a solvent.  The risk of overdosing on alcohol is about three times greater than the risk of overdosing on cocaine, and about one hundred and fifty times greater than the risk of overdosing on cannabis or psilocybin (magic mushrooms), that is, if one was even able to ingest that much cannabis or shrooms.

Alcohol is also addictive, and alcohol addiction is referred to as alcoholism.  According to the Henningfield and Benowitz ratings, of all drugs of abuse, alcohol has the worst withdrawal severity, and produces the strongest physical intoxication, worse than cocaine, and worse than heroin.  In other words alcohol is bar none, the most powerful and dangerous drug one can acquire legal or otherwise.  Now, remind me again, why it is perfectly acceptable to drink alcohol, but it isn’t okay do smoke cannabis?  Oh, right, there is absolutely no rational, logical reason for that prerogative whatsoever.

To sum up, the CSA hardly controls all drugs that could potentially be abused, nor could it, as when one is made illegal, another will quickly take its place.  In addition, many out and out illegal drugs such as cannabis, LSD, and psilocybin are far safer, and much less likely to be abused than society’s current legal drug of choice, alcohol.  In light of this, one must wonder, have I have over looked something about drugs such as cannabis, or do our policy makers have their heads crammed so far up their rear ends, that they can’t see the light of day, let alone the obvious differences in safety between alcohol and many schedule I drugs?

An Additional Note:

In this article I have discussed the availability of a number of rather unsafe substance, and in no uncertain terms should my dissemination of this information be considered permission from me to seek out and abuse said substances.  In fact, this article is meant to serve as a warning as to how unsafe these drugs actually are.  Some of the drugs I have mentioned have never really been tested on humans, or even animals, and there is no possible way to know how dangerous they actually may be.  If you disregard my warnings and attempt to seek out and abuse said substances, let it be known that you’re intelligence is likely on par with a large rock or a bag of hammers.  Seriously, do not even think about messing around with the drugs I have discussed, it could be the last thing you ever do.

The First U.S. "Cannabis Cafe" to open in...Portland?

Well this is a bit of a shocker, but the first "cannabis cafe" is to open in this good 'ol fun love'n country of ours, and its set to open in Portland, OR.  Really, Portland?  I mean, I'm not complaining, it's short trip for me, but I really expected it to be California.

All the same, bravo Portland, OR.

Here is a link to the site I got this information from.  I'm not sure if it is the original site or not, and I have not done any extra research whatsoever, but hey, why would they lie?

Anywho, thought I'd let you know.

The Crime of Addiction

The use of psychoactive substances is ubiquitous in human society and has been since our early pre-history. Mind-altering substances have the remarkable ability to change the way we think, feel and interact. For bettor worse, we like to use psychoactive substances, and we use them all the time. Most of us don’t see our personal consumption of these substances as being particularly criminal regardless of how additive, harmful, legal or illegal the substance we consume may be. Why is it that some substances that have a particularly high potential for abuse are perfectly legal, while other, less addictive substances are not? For that matter, why is it that we criminalize something that could be classified as typical mammalian behavior? Why is it that the United States criminalizes the disease of addiction?

Humans consume a multitude of substances for a multitude of reasons. We consume everything from an innocent cup of coffee to a cigarette, to antidepressants, sedatives, pharmaceutical stimulants, to the perceptibly less innocent street drugs and everything in between. We consume these substances on a daily basis, mainly for the simple purposes of coping, adapting, and surviving.
Just think about it, most of you reading this probably had coffee or some form of caffeinated beverage this morning. Take a moment to consider this morning ritual that you partake in on a daily basis. How long have you done this and more importantly, why? Is it because coffee is simply the most flavorful and delicious substance known to man? Or, could it be possible that you only drink it for the buzz? Likewise, does alcohol such as beer and wine really tastes that great? Of course not, however we acquire a taste for these substances because we desire their respective effects.

In the universe of drugs there are galaxies of uppers, downers, psychedelics, and dissociatives to choose from, many of them are highly addictive, and most are strictly controlled. It is true that some individuals will try these drugs a few times and walk away, while others will become chronic abusers of the substance, strongly dependent, and hopelessly addicted. Fortunately for those individuals, most reputable doctors consider addiction to be an illness. Additionally there are ways to treat their substance dependence and abuse problems. Unfortunately for those individuals, their addiction also typically makes them criminals by default because for the most part, drug use is seen as a crime by our government.
Sadly, there isn’t necessarily a lot of sympathy for addicts in our society. Like sexually transmitted diseases, many see addiction as disease that is one acquires by choice of action, and a disease of vice. This may be true to a certain extent, however for many addicts, the choice was already made for them by their DNA, and their exposure to mind altering substances in their childhood environment. This idea being contrary to the former motif of addiction being a moral failing, or a disease of choice

Furthermore, by the logic that addiction is a disease that one chooses to acquire, any communicable disease could be considered a disease that one chooses to acquire by virtue of one’s desire to intermingle in society. Imagine that an individual acquires some terrible infection, he or she goes to their doctor and he tells them “too bad, you should have never gone outside, but since you did, you have chosen to get this disease and thus there is nothing I can do to help.” To make matters worse, the drug that person needs to make them feel better is illegal, and if they are caught with or trying to get the drug, they could be arrested and jailed.
In a sense, this is what addicts face on a daily basis. An individual dependant on a substance may feel fine when they have gotten a fix, but when that fix wears off, they will need another, and it won’t be cheap. Withdrawal is a powerful motivator for the addict, as the symptoms of withdrawal, depending on the drug can range from severely unpleasant, to debilitating, to even life threatening. Thus that individual has no choice but seek out their substance of abuse, or face the harsh reality of withdrawal and any other underlying emotional or mental problems that spurred their drug use in the first place.

This is the reality of Americans who are dependent on illegal substances. Their doctors tell them that they are ill, yet their government tells them that they are criminals because of their illness. Their doctor (if they have a doctor, or insurance) may be able to prescribe them medication to stave off withdrawals, but should they have a relapse with their drug of choice, and if they are caught with that drug, they will be arrested, prosecuted, humiliated, and imprisoned, simply because they were sick.

From this point, the addict can expect his or her life to become progressively worse. Not only are they ill, now the individual is a convict, convicted of possessing the drug that is the manifestation of their illness. Being a convicted felon is a terrible thing for an individual to experience. As a convict one may not leave the country, they may not vote, and they may find it difficult to find adequate employment or housing. In addition since they have been convicted of possessing an illegal drug, they are no longer eligible for student loans or any form of government loan or grant, and thus they are deprived of any means of improving their lives.

Now I ask you, is this fair? Is this right? Is this what we as Americans call justice? I think, or at least I hope not. It is time for Americans to encourage their government to change they way that substance abuse is approached. Our nation needs to shift its focus to harm-reduction and education, rather than arrest and prosecution.

One of the major flaws of our nation’s drug policy is our government’s unwillingness to accept the tenets of harm-reduction. First of all, what is harm-reduction? Well, its pretty simple, the basic idea is to reduce the potential for drug users to harm themselves or others in the course of their drug use. This process involves a number of steps such as providing clean hypodermic needles, providing purity testing, even providing safe drugs and a safe environment to use to addicts.
All of this may seem pretty liberal to the citizens of this country, and some may fear that such steps will only encourage more people to use drugs. However, the idea of harm reduction, and the steps that I have mentioned above are not new ideas, in fact they are old ones that have been employed for some time by a small European nation that we call the Netherlands.

Like other nations of the world, the Netherlands is not exempt from drug problems; the difference is how they have chosen to handle the issue. Rather than seeing drug abuse as a moral and legal issue, the Dutch see drug addiction and abuse for what it is, an illness. Likewise, rather than pursing our own corporalistic approach of prosecuting and imprisoning citizens with drug problems, citizens of the Netherlands have adopted the approach of harm-reduction.

This does not mean that drugs are legal in the Netherlands nor is their country comprised of mostly drug users. On the contrary, drugs are still very much illegal, and unlike the United States and many other European nations, drug use is relatively low. This is odd considering that most of us here in the states see the city of Amsterdam in the Netherlands as the Mecca of marijuana. However, despite their liberal drug policies only about ten percent of all high school students in the Netherlands have used or do use soft drugs such as cannabis. In the United States almost half of all high school students have tried cannabis in spite of the outrageously disproportionate legal and social consequences.

Of course, I am not advocating the legalization of all drugs, however, our government needs to reassess how effective the war on drugs (and consequently the war against its own citizens) really is. Furthermore, our legal system needs to treat citizens with substance abuse problems as people with psychological and biological illnesses, rather than as criminals. In order to do this, the very thing that makes them a criminal; the possession of a drug, needs to be decriminalized, if not controlled outright by the government.

It is time for the United States Government to start seeing addiction for what it is, an illness, and not a crime. Furthermore, it is time for our nations leaders to realize that although addiction is an illness, it is hardly communicable, and purging drug users from our society is for one impossible (as nearly all of us use drugs), and secondly a waste of time. It is time for our government to stop harassing drugs users, and to start focusing on organized crime and drug traffickers, perhaps then our government would have a drug policy that actually makes a difference.

Limey Scientists Angry After Sacking of Drug Advisor

(United Kingdom) Professor David Nutt of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs was fired from his position as a government drug adviser after making statements claiming that cannabis is less harmful than nicotine or alcohol.  He stated that cannabis had been upgraded to a Class B drug while ignoring contradictory scientific evidence, and it had been reclassified for political rather than pragmatic reasons.  In the wake of his dismissal other top scientists have resigned from their positions as government advisers.  So far at least two have resigned, leaving the ACMD without three of their top advisers.  Further resignations may follow which could leave the council unable to function, and worse it could result in   The move has been called an act of thuggery, and there are concerns that it could lead to resignations by scientists in other key advisory positions, resulting in a policy making crisis.

 Click here to read the whole story on the BBC's website.

Well I have to say an even like this would be nothing new or suprising as the government has made it very clear that when it comes to policy making they put very little stock into the opinions of scientists.  If this weren't the case, cannabis would not be a Schedule I substance as it has been demanded by doctors to be rescheduled to Schedule II for decades so that they may have access to the drug's medicinal value.

Rather than listen to what governments and doctors have to say, our policy makers have decided to play doctor, and generate a body of (questionable) evidence that justifies thier policy.  Should anyone question thier policy or supportive evidence, our government, particularly the DEA, simply ignores what they have to say, and in some cases go so far as to claim it isn't true.  If you haven't visited the DEA's page on medical marijuana, you should, its full of so much shit it smells bad.

I suppose that's all I have to say about that.

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween from TheGanjaGuru! I hope you all enjoy yourself this year!

Come back on Monday to read my latest article The Crime of Addiction. I think you should all find it to be an interesting read.

Have fun and be safe.

Sincerely,
TheGanjaGuru

New Posts Starting Monday

Hey everybody, it looks like I'll have some new posts up starting Monday November 2nd. Next week I'll be talking about addiction, and things that I would change about America if I could so stay tuned.

Sincerely,
TheGanjaGuru

Stay Tuned...

...there is more to come from TheGanjaGuru, I swear. I'm sorry about the long gap between posts, but I've been pretty busy with term-papers and what-not, and I just haven't had the time to generate any content for this site. This situation may continue a bit longer, although I am going to try to have an article up next week.

In other news, did you hear that President Obama has asked federal persecutors (excuse me, prosecutes I mean) not to pursue medical marijuana patients or their suppliers? Its big news, and it is a big deal. This could be the first step toward a logical drug policy in our country, although I won't hold my breath.

Again, sorry for the silence, I'll try to break it more often.

TheGanjaGuru

Marijuana Isn't A Gateway Drug, But the Commentary Is Hilarious

I stumbled upon this article some time ago, and always meant to write about it, but for some reason or another, I just couldn't find my muse...until now. In brief, the article basically covers what most of us already know, that cannabis use is not a gateway to other drugs. However, according to this article we no longer need to rely on common sense as the "gateway" theory has now been dis-proven by a definitive scientific study. The article itself is informative, but the comments, oh man the comments, don't even get me started...too late, I'm already started.

"We Value Our Brain

April 24, 2009 by Anonymous, 21 weeks 5 days ago

Comment id: 36349

ha ha
There is no way that none-users will "try" marijuana.

We value our brains, as they are, undamaged. You will never get your intellect back.

We will never be influenced by user comments."

That's fantastic! If you don't smoke pot, then there will be more for me. On the subject of your brain being undamaged, well first off, I think it may be more damaged than you think as the title of your comment is "We Value Our Brain." We? Brain? As in two people sharing one brain? Are you sharing your brain with a conjoined twin?

By the way, I still have my intellect as pot doesn't cause brain damage, but alcohol does Mr./Ms. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. I apologize to anyone who actually has FAS and was offended by being compared to this genius.

"Dear Anonymous (Comment id: 36223)

April 21, 2009 by Anonymous, 22 weeks 1 day ago

Comment id: 36311

Response to the writer of "you know what look at a." You are not doing any good to the people who want to legalize marijuana. You see what a life time of smoking pot does to you. Makes you write long run on sentence full of misspellings. Set the bong down and pick up a grammar book you illiterate son of a..."

Oh, oh dude, let me help you out and make some much needed corrections to your post...

Here is how it should look:

In response to the author of the post titled You Know What Look At A. You are not doing any good for the people who want to legalize marijuana. Don't you see what a life time of smoking pot does to you? It makes you write long wrong on sentences full of misspellings. Set the bong down and pick up a grammar book you illiterate son of a bitch (this is the Internet, its okay to swear).

Now who is the illiterate one?

In all fairness though, the post he/she was replying to wasn't very eloquent...

"You Know What Look At A

April 17, 2009 by Anonymous, 22 weeks 5 days ago

Comment id: 36223

you know what look at a smoker of tobacco then look at a smoker of weed can you figure out the diffrience cause i know what it is one ask a smoker who smokes daily for a ciggerete then look at a kid 15 16 and see what he dose when he gets some the first thing he dose is calls his or her friends and saies hey man i just got some cool new shit bring your piece and we can smoke some bowl then go and ask a smoker of cigertettes and see what they say some will give it to you and walk away and mabey offer you a light but others will just be like no i see weed as a better thing to do if any of the two even if it is illegaile thats why ill never smoke a ciggerete peace"

I'm not even going to go there, except to say that pot use is not a reliable indicator of literacy.

"Hey stupid, yeah you

April 15, 2009 by Anonymous, 23 weeks 3 hours ago

Comment id: 36165

just to let your pot smoking ass know...MAIL is spelled MALE..im assuming since you are possibly a MALE you should know how to spell your own gender. just a thought...have a nice day love you bye

love michelle"

Holy Shit! That is feisty. In all seriousness though, is this your argument for why pot should be illegal? Simply because it may cause someone to spell "male," "mail?" How can you get on someone about something so trivial when you don't even capitalize your own name?

"Yeppp

February 25, 2009 by Anonymous, 30 weeks 2 hours ago

Comment id: 34834

Hmmm. All I have to say is screw the studies and look at the facts. If you look around ANY high school, the teenagers catorgorized under "stoners" AREN'T the straight A students and don't participate in any extra cirrucular activities. I believe weed ruins relationships and makes you say stupid things that aren't yourself!! If your going to smoke pot, look around you first."

Screw the studies and look at the facts? Where the hell do you think facts come from? Your facts obviously come from your butt-hole. Furthermore, I never got straight A's in high school, and yet I never tried cannabis until after I graduated. Does that mean that because I didn't get straight A's in high school that I was a stoner by default? Oh, oh! I think I have an answer; not that many students get straight A's. Think about that the next time you go see your doctor (if you have health care that is). By the way, you spelled "categorized" and "curricular" wrong.

I'm going to stop there because there are far too many comments, and too few hours in the day to dissect and criticize them.

To see these comments and more go here. Its well worth reading the comments if you need a good laugh, in addition to a lively Internet debate, there are also plenty of accusations of folks knob slobbing, dick sucking, ass licking and being retarded to boot.

How the Legal Status of Cannabis Fosters and Environment For Organized Crime to Profit

In the 1920s, the Volstead act made alcohol effectively illegal in the United States, and the result was utter chaos. It is hard to say whether or not anyone saw the ensuing storm of lawlessness coming, or whether it would have even been possible to predict it, but when the storm hit, the United States government was woefully unequipped to handle the issue. The result of the prohibition on alcohol was that it became America’s hottest black market commodity. The financial incentives to break the law by bootlegging booze were too much to resist for many people, particularly after the onset of the great depression.

Fortunately, the United States government was roused from its fairy tale fantasy and reversed the Volstead act with the 21^st amendment, thus once again making alcohol legal, like it had always been. Unfortunately, the 21^st amendment did not reverse the lasting legacy of the prohibition; organized crime. The high profitability of bootlegged alcohol allowed for the establishment of large and powerful organized crime networks. Once alcohol was made legal again, those networks of organized crime were forced to branch out into new enterprises, mainly other drugs.

This brings us to cannabis, which found itself on the wrong side of the legal fence with the Marihuana Tax Act of 1937. Of course at this time, cannabis wasn’t very popular amongst the majority ethnic group in America; white people. However, that all changed in the 1960s, and today white folks consume more cannabis than those of Latin American or Africa-American descent. In fact, two thirds of all white Americans consume or have consumed cannabis, while only one fourth of Latin Americans and Black-Americans consume or have consumed cannabis. What is even more interesting is the fact that despite the relatively low numbers of users in both ethnic minorities, those two minorities represent the vast majority of citizens incarcerated for cannabis possession and distribution.

The funny thing about cannabis, is that it is regarded as relatively cheap drug, so how could it be so profitable for organized crime? There are plenty of other drugs out there that have much higher street value, such as cocaine, and are much more addictive, thus keeping users coming back for more day in and day out. With all these other drugs available to sell, why sell cannabis?

To begin with, cannabis isn’t only cheep to buy, it is cheep, and easy to produce. Think about it, cannabis is a plant. Have soil? Got sun? Great, plant a seed, water and wait. It’s that easy, and three to five months later you have a large quantity of consumable cannabis buds that will return an incredible profit for your investment. There are no chemical processes that need to be applied to extract the drug; the buds you pick from your plants are as ready to smoke, as picked cherries are ready to eat. Since its illegal, you can also expect to be able to command a great enough fee to cover your risks as well.

How large will the return be? Well that depends, however the average cannabis plant grown outdoors will produce up to one pound of cannabis buds at harvest. Cannabis sold on the streets is literally worth it’s weight in gold, with an average price of $200-$350 dollars an ounce. Just planting a few plants and selling the harvest can amass a profit well into the tens of thousands.

The question is, why is it worth so much? Its not because it’s a drug, coffee is a drug, and it certainly doesn’t cost hundreds of dollars an ounce. Tobacco is also a drug, and despite the government’s best efforts to increase its price via taxation, it also isn’t worth hundreds of dollars an ounce. Both products are in high demand, and all three drugs have ample supply, so why is cannabis worth so much more? Well, its pretty obvious isn’t it? Cannabis’s value is artificially inflated by its legal status. Since it is illegal, a buyer pays a premium for the risk involved in its distribution.

There is one other factor involved in cannabis’s massive black market value, its popularity. There are a couple of factors that drive it’s popularity for sale and consumption. What makes it so popular for consumption is the fact that it is safe, far safer than other street drugs, and far safer than drugs like alcohol, tobacco and even caffeine. Why? Because it isn’t possible to overdose on it’s main psychoactive ingredient, delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC.

What makes it so popular for sale, is who happens consumes it. The majority of consumers are members of the wealthiest and most powerful ethnic demographic in the United States, white people. Thus the market is rather large, and the consumers have the money to spend on the commodity.

Not only that, cannabis isn’t particularly addictive, and it does not have unpleasant withdrawal symptoms usually associated with opiates and psycho-stimulants like cocaine and amphetamines. In fact it is significantly less addictive than tobacco, which is regarded by some to be even more addictive than heroin. Cannabis is probably even less addictive than caffeine, not to mention that the withdrawal symptoms, if any, are also less severe than caffeine as well. What this means, is that not only do users have the money to spend on the drug, they also are a lot less likely to rob or maybe even kill their dealer or someone else to get the drug, making it a relatively safe and profitable drug to sell.

It is easy to see why cannabis is such an enticing criminal enterprise; it’s easy to produce, cheap to produce, and commands massive profits. No wonder so many Mexican drug cartels are growing mega crops of cannabis and smuggling it across the border. Likewise, is it any wonder that so many Americans are willing to go to Canada and take advantage of the virtual decriminalization of cannabis there, so that they can smuggle large quantities of high grade cannabis across the border and cash in its massive profits?

Profiteering by organized criminal enterprises aside, the worst part about cannabis being illegal is that it is impossible to prevent it from falling into the hands of minors. The reason for this is that there is no way to control who it is sold to. Unlike in a store where a clerk has no financial incentive to sell to an underage buyer, a dealer who needs to sell their stash quickly to pay off any debts and avoid getting caught, will sell a bag to anyone who has the money in hand, and aren’t likely to card the buyer to verify their age.

To sum up, if alcohol was easy enough to produce during the prohibition, despite its complicated, time consuming, and costly production process, and that prohibition failed, how can our government possibly expect to control the production of a plant? Anyone can grow a plant, and the cannabis plant grows itself, it is after all, a weed. It grows naturally in all but the most extreme environments on the planet. We might as well be trying to stop people from growing tomatoes or roses. In fact, we might as well be trying to get the planet to not produce vegetation.

Is it Candy or Medicine?

Just for fun/quick reference, you know, just in case.

Marijuana Manifesto: Why The United States Should Legalize Cannabis

Marijuana, its green, its sticky, and it can get you high. Sadly, that’s probably the full extent of most people’s understanding of the Cannabis plant. For this reason it has become the most controversial drug, rather, the most controversial plant on the planet. As of right now, it is strictly illegal in the United States, save the few states that allow the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes in spite of superseding federal laws. However, the cannabis plant’s expansive industrial and medicinal value and remarkably large margin of safety warrant it’s immediate legalization.

To begin, the cannabis plant has vast industrial and medicinal value. Most people probably don’t know this, but the cannabis plant is possibly the most valuable renewable resource on the planet. Almost everything that we produce today could be made with the cannabis plant. Just one acre of hemp is the equivalent to 4.5 acres of trees for paper production. It is extremely easy to cultivate, requires little to no pesticides, and returns most of its nutrients to the soil. An acre of hemp can be grown in one season, while an acre of trees may require ten to twenty. On top of that it can be used to make fuel for cars, clothing more durable and comfortable than cotton, and about 25,000[1] other commercial products, heck, we could build house made completely from hemp.

As a drug, there are a multitude of ailments that can be treated with cannabis. Some of the more common ailments include glaucoma, post-chemotherapy nausea, epilepsy, HIV/AIDS, migraines, multiple sclerosis, arthritis, spinal chord injury, and various other painful and debilitating conditions. However the list doesn’t end there and it is believed that cannabis may be useful for the treatment of many more conditions. In addition to that, not only is it possible to treat many conditions with cannabis, cannabis itself may even be safer than the treatments already in place.

That’s all well and good, but it’s still a drug isn’t it? Well, yes it is a drug, however according to the DEA’s Chief Administrative Law Judge, Francis L. Young, in a 1988 ruling, “Marijuana, in its natural form, is one of the safest therapeutically active substances known to man.”[2] Yet the federal government still list marijuana a Schedule I controlled substance, which means that it has no medical value, it is addictive, and it is not safe to use, even under medical supervision. The federal government places marijuana in the same category as drugs such as heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine, and ecstasy. Why does this matter? Because marijuana doesn’t belong on that schedule, unlike most schedule I drugs, marijuana cannot kill you.

The safety of a drug is determined by its therapeutic index. A therapeutic index is determined by dividing the dose that is lethal in 50% of test subjects by the dose that is effective in 50% of test subjects.[3] The therapeutic index for heroin is 6, meaning that it is lethal at a dose six times its therapeutic dose. For alcohol it is 10, for cocaine 15, aspirin 20. Marijuana’s therapeutic index is so high that it is probably impossible to quantify, although it is usually listed as "<" 1000. That means a smoker would need to consume about 1500 pounds in 15 minutes to cause a lethal reaction.[4]

As a medicinal and recreational drug, marijuana is extremely safe, safer than most substances that we consume regularly. In fact, in 5000 years of human experience with cannabis, there is not one credible record that indicates that anyone has ever died from consuming cannabis.[5] By comparison, tobacco causes 435,000 deaths per year, and alcohol causes 85,000 deaths per year, even over the counter pain medicines such as aspirin, acetaminophen (Tylenol), ibuprofen (Advil), and naproxen (Aleve) manage to pull down a couple thousand deaths a year.

Given that tobacco and alcohol are perfectly legal, and kill plenty of people every year, does cannabis use even matter at all? Yes and no. The amount of harm done by cannabis is virtually non-existent, with the exception of the artificial harm that has been fabricated by the Justice Department via arrest and conviction. However if cannabis were legal, the tax revenue from cannabis and all of its constituents would be massive, and its legalization could even save our ailing economy, while displacing many if not most harmful and high pollution industries. Now that matters.

So know you know, cannabis is remarkably safe, and incredibly useful. Of course, this isn’t new information; people have known this for centuries. It has only been the last century that cannabis has had any formal sanctions against its production and use. The question remains, how can we reverse a century of flawed policy? Education; educate yourself, and then educate others.

Next Time: Find out how cannabis’s legal status fosters an environment for organized crime to profit.

---

[1] Harris Sherline, “The Case For Hemp.” Santa Ynez Valley Journal. 06 Aug 2009. http://mapinc.org/norml/v09/n774/a08.html

[2] Young, Pg. 58

[3] Daniel E. Becker, DDS. “Drug Therapy in Dental Practice: General Principles Part 2—Pharmacodynamic Considerations.” Anesthesia Progress. Spring 2007. Pgs 19-24. http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?tool=pmcentrez&artid=1821133

[4] Francis L. Young. Marijuana Rescheduling Petition Opinion and Recommended Ruling, Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law and Decision of Administrative Law Judge Francis L. Young. 06 December 1988.

http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/library/studies/young/young4.html. Pg 57.

[5] Young, Pg. 57

Reefer Madness: See the Film That Started It All

Okay, its Friday night, you've got nothing going on, you're bored, and you need something to do (must be the case if you're visiting my sight). Well my friend, look no further for entertainment because you've found it.

If you have been living on the moon and have never heard of the iconic film Reefer Madness, also known as Tell Your Children, here is a little background information. The film was originally produced by a church group, and later it was purchased and re-cut by exploitation filmmaker Dwain Esper, who released the film in 1936. The film was used as an educational film and has been released under several titles since its original release. Today it is a cult classic for modern stoners and old school hippies alike.

For more on the history of the film, I suggest you check out the Wiki

The film itself is about an hour long, so I suggest you spark up a fat one and enjoy the film in it's entirety, which I have embedded below.

Movie Review: The Union: The Business Behind Getting High

There are a lot of "pot-umentaries" out there, and many of them aren't even worth watching stoned. However, Brett Harvey's film The Union: The Business Behind Getting High is NOT one of those movies. It is hands down the best documentary covering any aspect of marijuana that I have seen to date, period. This movie should be watched by everyone in the United States, hell on the American continent, North and South for that matter.

The Union is a Canadian documentary, and for the large part focuses on flaws in Canadian drug policy. However, those flaws are highly applicable to the very flawed United States drug policy. The fact of the matter is that the drug policies of the United States, Canada, and Mexico are intrinsically entwined, and it is hard to talk about just one while excluding the others, and this film does a good job of including everyone.

The film itself focuses mainly on legalization vs. decriminalization, which is becoming a hot-button issue in both Canada and the USA. Harvey argues that legalization is the best alternative for a number of reasons, the main reason being that legalization of marijuana would take a very large chunk out of the profits of organized crime. Other reasons include tax revenue, and better control over sale to minors.

Harvey's arguments are compelling, however, what really sets his movie apart from others is the expert contribution to the documentary. Unlike other documentaries pertaining to marijuana, Harvey's film includes interviews from high level Canadian politicians including mayors and senators, the former Chief of Police for Seattle, WA, Harvard medical doctors, chemists, and biologists. The point I'm making here is that this film has real expert testimony from real experts, explaining why marijuana should be legal.

Well that's the short of it, I highly recommend you see the movie for yourself to get the rest. After you see the movie, get your friends and family to watch it too. If we want pot to be legal, we can't be afraid to share our point of view with those close to us, so please, share this film. This is a film anyone can enjoy, and everyone should find informative and enlightening.

New stuff coming soon...

I'm fighting a cold right now, but there will be some new stuff posted very soon so stand by.

Now on help.com

Well, I figure one great way to spread the word is by directly addressing questions regarding cannabis. That is why I am now active on help.com, you can find me as TheGanjaGuru, and if you ask a questions related to weed, I'll probably find you. Of course you can always ask me a question here by leaving it in a comment, or by emailing me at theganjaguru@gmail.com.

I hope to hear from you.

Product Review: Kingpin Blunt Wraps

Here is a common problem, say you want to roll yourself a blunt, so you pick up your favorite flavored Swisher© Sweet (mine is strawberry), and when you get to breaking it open, it turns out its all dry and frail. To say the least, it won't be easy to roll with it, and if you're able to succeed, your blunt probably won't be very impressive. This is doubtlessly a bummer status situation, and potentially an embarrassing one as well, depending on how seasoned your smoking buddies are.

The good news is that there is an easy solution to this problem, and it'll cost you less than a Swish. Instead, get yourself some real blunt wraps, personally, I recommend Kingpin© blunt wraps.

For around a dollar you'll get not one, not two, but three blunt wraps in a fancy plastic tube that doubles as a carrying case. They come in a variety of flavors and sizes including a don size which is large to the point of being ridiculous.

When I decided to try these, I picked myself up two tubes of regular sized and one tube of don sized wraps, all Bahama Mama flavored. That night some friends and I rolled a pretty good sized blunt with some "dons." I was surprised at how easy these papers rolled, it seriously took me less time to roll a 4 gram blunt than it normally does to roll a 0.5 gram joint. The wraps sealed fairly easily with a bit of slobbering, which was helped by the fact that the wraps tasted and smelled fantastic. In the end I produced this...

4.0 Grams...

30+ Minutes of Smoking Pleasure...

All in all, I'm pretty damn happy with these papers. The main thing I would complain about is a "special feature" of these wraps, which is an extra thin piece of wrap on the end which is intended for sealing the wrap. It doesn't really hold up all that well when its wet which is a bit annoying, otherwise, I recommend you get yourself some of these, you won't be disappointed.


NOTE: I was neither paid, nor received any form of incentive to write this review, I wrote this for you, the reader, so that you may be better informed. However, if you work for the producers of this product and want to pay me, shoot me an email @ theganjaguru@gmail.com.

Today We Celebrate...

Today we celebrate...a moderate expansion in readership for this blog. I've been checking, and page visits ("impressions" as we say in the biz) have been in the 10-20 range, which is a hell of a lot better than none, so I'm pretty happy about that. I guess it would be nice to hear some feed back, so for that reason, I'm going to reactivate the comments. This could be a pleasant surprise or a bit of an embarrassment, only time can tell...

Celebrate!*

*That is not me, and I smoked a much smaller blunt, but this should be the first image to pop up when the word "celebrate" is searched

The Controlled Substance Act

To really put into perspective how un-free we are in this country, we must examine the behavior of the government. That is why I am providing you with the this; the Controlled Substance Schedules. It could be considered the ultimate body of evidence for indicting government hypocrisy, but I'm sure that there are plenty of other examples so I won't jump the gun. These should make for an interesting read for many of you, and hopefully an informative one as well.

For those of you who don't know how it works, there are five different controlled substance categories. Schedule I (that's the worst of the drugs) Schedule II, Schedule III, Schedule IV, and Schedule V. In addition to these very long lists of controlled substances are regulated chemicals, Lists I and II, these chemicals can be used in the production of drugs.

The schedules are explained below.

Schedule I.
(A) The drug or other substance has a high potential for abuse.
(B) The drug or other substance has no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States.
(C) There is a lack of accepted safety for use of the drug or other substance under medical supervision

Schedule II.
(A) The drug or other substance has a high potential for abuse.
(B) The drug or other substance has a currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States or a currently accepted medical use with severe restrictions.
(C) Abuse of the drug or other substances may lead to severe psychological or physical dependence

Schedule III
(A) The drug or other substance has a potential for abuse less than the drugs or other substances in schedules I and II.
(B) The drug or other substance has a currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States.
(C) Abuse of the drug or other substance may lead to moderate or low physical dependence or high psychological dependence

Schedule IV.
(A) The drug or other substance has a low potential for abuse relative to the drugs or other substances in schedule III.
(B) The drug or other substance has a currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States.
(C) Abuse of the drug or other substance may lead to limited physical dependence or psychological dependence relative to the drugs or other substances in schedule III

Schedule V.
(A) The drug or other substance has a low potential for abuse relative to the drugs or other substances in schedule IV.
(B) The drug or other substance has a currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States.
(C) Abuse of the drug or other substance may lead to limited physical dependence or psychological dependence relative to the drugs or other substances in schedule IV."

Anyhow, without any further ado, here they are the controlled substances listed by schedule.

The DEA Diversion Control Program Main Page, and for convenience sake, here is a handyControlled Substances PDF. Its called the Orange Book.

I'm not sure why its called that, but I suspect that the original document passed around at DEA meetings had an orange cover. Of course I could be wrong, it could be some kind of weird code or some inside joke those snide fuckers snicker about whenever a PDF is downloaded. Who knows? Any-who, the point is there is nothing colorful about this document except the goofy logo on the cover page that looks like it was made with clip-art.

If you don't know what a substance on this list is, I suggest you Wikipedia it and read up on it. You should be able to find some pretty interesting inconsistencies on there. For instance I'm sure you have all heard of GHB, gamma-Hydroxybutyric acid, liquid ecstasy. Its a Schedule I substance, however there is a pharmaceutical known as Xyrem, which is produced by the somewhat ironically named Jazz Pharmaceuticals that is regarded as a Schedule III substance. That drug, Xyrem, is the exact same thing as GHB.

Did you get that? Its the same thing, but one is a Schedule I drug, which means it is addictive, dangerous, and of no medical value, while the other is a Schedule III drug, which means it is considered safe when used properly. I hate to say it but WTF?!

Our good friend Marry Jane finds herself in the same boat as her considerably more dangerous counterpart GHB. Marijuana in its herbal form is also considered a Schedule I substance, meaning that it is dangerous, addictive, and has no medical value.

Just to clear this up, I have two questions for you. One, have you ever known anyone that has overdosed on pot and died? I'm actually died, not "almost?" Two, have you ever sucked dick for weed? For all of you I know that the answer to the first question is "no." For almost all of you, I know the answer to the second question is also "no."

Now if it has no medical value, why is there a synthetic version of THC known as Marinol or dronabinol, which is produced by a pharmaceutical company, and listed as a Schedule III drug?

What is interesting is that while not many definitive studies have been done on marijuana (some would say none), Marinol was thoroughly studied, and the results are pretty interesting.

For instance in an open-label study in patients with AIDS who received MARINOL Capsules for up to five months, no abuse, diversion or systematic change in personality or social functioning were observed despite the inclusion of a substantial number of patients with a past history of drug abuse. Studies also showed that there was no carcinogenicity associated with even high dose, continuous use of THC.

Best of all, Marinol is listed as Schedule III substance, which means it is safe when used properly. That means that the government admits that THC, the same thing in weed, is perfectly safe. If this is the case, why the hell is pot still illegal? Moreover, why is it listed as a Schedule I drug along with heroin, coke, ecstasy, meth, and GHB?

It seems to me that even the government knows pot should be legal, and any right minded individual should be able to see that Marijuana should have no place on Schedule I. I hope this has helped open your eyes to the hypocrisy surrounding the marijuana prohibition.

My New Favorite Kind of Bud

Its called Super God bud, and it is absolutely fierce. I picked up quantity of it the other day, and without realizing how powerful it was, I rolled a king size joint of the stuff to share with three friends. While rolling we went through a couple bong loads. Needless to say by the end of the session, we were stoned sideways, I mean, we were so baked we didn't even talk, we just sat there staring at each other like a bunch of statues.

Moral of the story, if you friendly stranger contacts you about getting some great bud called Super God, do yourself a favor and buy a bag, you won't be disappointed.

69

Sorry, had to point this out. At this very moment, there have been 69 visitors to my blog. Too bad most of them are me.

Now on twitter

That's right, I'm now on twitter. Why? Well, because I have no followers, and this seems like an easy rout to shameless self promotion. I desperately need a fan-base. I don't want to admit that I want attention, but I do! I so do! It shames me deeply, and I hope that you'll forgive me (by "you," I mean my one semi-dedicated reader).

On the subject of Vaporizers...

This just needs to be said, the price of vaporizers is outrageous. For the amount of money these things cost, you'd think that they would be marvels of technology, some are even more expensive than a new iPod. The truth is though, the vaporizer is comprised of very simple, very cheap technology. These things can't cost much to make, and for the amount of money they cost, you'd expect them to be a bit more impressive.

I do not intend to say that vaporizers are not worth getting, they are. The trouble is, they are so expensive that for many people, they are priced out of competition by less expensive glass pipes. Also, in my experience, head shops don't tend to carry a good selection of vaporizers. My guess is because they are expensive, and more difficult to sell due to their high price tag.

Many of my friends speak of their experiences of smoking from a vaporizer like it was a one time thing (like a threesome). The reason is that vaporizers are expensive, and thus less common in the ever-growing ganja community. Due to their rarity less smokers have a chance to experience the benefits and advantages of a vaporizer, and are thus less willing to pay the premium for simple looking but very expensive pot smoking contraption. Imagine, paying two hundred dollars for a device that does what a cheap ten to twenty five dollar pipe can do, and not much more.

Health benefits and weed conservation aside, vaporizer prices just aren't justifiable. For the amount they cost, I expect some kind of medical grade looking device instills confidence in its capabilities. Unfortunately, vaporizers either look like toys, lamps, or bubble-gum dispensers. Its shameless gouging, and the vaporizer manufactures need to drop the prices within reason. At the very least, cut it down to 900% mark-up.



See, bubble-gum dispensers.

The VaporTower-Review

I won't lie, I'm a bit disheartened by my lack of readership, I'm afraid however that at first I failed to realize that I didn't put my whole heart and sole into this blog. No more however, as I intend to bring new, quality content that is timeless and enjoyable. Well, maybe those are high aspirations, but then again, I am high. No, seriously, I'm blazed, I've been blazed all day. How are my lungs not dead do you ask? Well, I'll tell you, its because of my shiny new vaporizer, the VaporTower. Its simple in design, but sturdy in construction, unlike many of the low quality, cheap vapor box's that your local head shop doubtlessly carries.

The VaporTower is of durable construction, and is thoughtfully designed with the user in mind. The bowl has a glass on glass connection, and sits upright. It unscrews, and has two separate screens; one to place the herb on, and the other to prevent the bud from being inhaled. There are many pluses to this situation. For one, the two screens are fairly close together, which helps keep the weed in place. Also, the screens ensure that your smoking material (which is obviously pot) is spread evenly.

This vaporizer doesn't have a digital temperature display, which I do like, is hardly necessary. With the dial pointed somewhere between ten and twelve 'o clock, the VaporTower works beautifully. Seriously, vaporization is the superior method of inhalation. Furthermore, it is thirty percent more efficient. I can attest personally to this, with a vaporizer, both another person and myself can get completely stoned off of what would be one bowl out of a normal sized pipe or bong stem. The best part is, its easy on the lungs and far less harmful. I won't say its harmless because I don't know, but it is a hell of a lot better than smoking.

Look, I can't say it enough, the VaporTower is great. Its high quality, and its built to last. It even looks kind of cool and retro (if you're into that). Even better, they are made in the USA, and from what I can tell, they come with a lifetime warranty. They sell for about $200 plus shipping, but if you're lucky you might be able to find one at a head shop for less. Compared to the prices of other vaporizers, the VaporTower is a hell of a buy. On the flip side, vaporizer prices are a sin in general. Still, its worth it, take my word for it, go to VaporTower.com if you want more info. Search for them at your local head shop or on eBay if you decide to get one.

P.S. I'm not earning anything for this. Hell I don't even have a readership, I'm just putting the word out there that this is a quality product.

Oh, and by the way, this is it:



I don't know who this person is, but apparently her name is Claudia.

Its been a while...

...but I figure I might as well write something anyways. Only 18 people have visited my site, I'm pretty sure they were all me. (Sigh), nobody cares...

Hotties in Pot-Tees (You know, if you're into that)

Here is something you might like if you are both stoned and lonely, it's College Humor's Hotties in Pot-Tees.

Cleaver name, I know, but not as cleaver as Fatties With Caddies. Anywho, it's worth a look if you happen to be a single male (or gay female) and you'd like to have a boost. Me, I'm taken, so I'll probably get an ear-full for posting this, but hey, it's my responsibility, I'm The Ganja Guru!

Although I found a couple of peculiarities that I would like to point out:

The chick at the top of the page is making a really weird facial expression, and on top of that this one doesn't have anything to do with pot. That didn't stop College Humor from linking the pick though. Oh, and for some reason (and I'm sure you'll see for yourself) the only tag in that photo is the girl's right nipple. Well anyways, I hope you like it you dirty, lonely man.

How to Not Get Paranoid

Paranoid? I might have an answer for you. Try theanine, its a supplement that can be found in most grocery stores. Many use it to aide relaxation and improve their sleep, which it does work well for, however based on my own experience, it also tends to enhance my high from THC. On top of enhanced highs, I have also noticed that it helps to reduce anxiety and paranoia. So, if that has been a problem for you lately, consider picking up a bottle of theanine, or finding some tea that contains it, after all, it was originally extracted form tea.

Wikipedia (surprise) has a nice little write up on it that may be worth checking out here

Enjoy!

P.S. If you decide to give this a go, give me some feedback.

How to Scrape a Pipe

We've all been there, out of bud and desperate for a hit. We've all stooped to the same lows; scouring the house for weed, smoking the stems, and scraping the pipe. None of these methods is very satisfying, and worse yet they are all a pain in the ass.

Scraping your pipe is the worst of the desperate options a stoner has. I have learned from personal experience that this can oftentimes end very poorly. Three of my pipes have been broken during resin collecting accidents, and considering how much a glass pipe can cost, this can be very disappointing.

Odds are, you're still planning to scrape your pipe, but before you do, let me say this; DON"T DO IT MAN! ARE YOU FUCKING CRAZY?! No, seriously, don't do it, I have a much better alternative.

What You Need: -A glass jar large enough so that your pipe will fit inside
-Something to cover the jar
-A full supply for 99% isopropyl alcohol (Don't opt for the cheep/weak stuff, it will fail you)
-Another jar
-Some paper coffee filters
-A glass bowl (if it isn't glass or ceramic don't go there)

Ok, now if you have any inclination to use anything other than glass for your jar and bowl, don't. The process that you will be doing will not work well with plastics (and it could be harmful to your health).
What You Do

1. Put your pipe in the jar
2. Pour alcohol into the jar until your pipe is fully submerged
3. Put a lid over the jar and let it sit for at least a day

At this point you are probably thinking that I'm just fucking with you, but fear not, for the Guru doesn't do that kind of shit. I'm your friend remember.

Now that you have given your pipe a day to soak, the alcohol should look and smell pretty gross. This is good. Go ahead and pull your pipe out of the alcohol and rinse it off. Now don't get rid of the alcohol because you aren't done with it yet. As you will see, when your rinse your pipe out, the end result will be a practically new looking pipe. This is because alcohol is a strong solvent and a damn good cleanser.

Here is the best part, getting back all of that THC that was stuck to the inside of your pipe. If you don't know it already, THC is absorbed by alcohol and other solvents, so the THC that was in your pipe, is now in the alcohol.

Now, do you remember the bowl, coffee filters, and the other jar I told you to get? Of course not, you're probably stoned, that's ok, I don't frown on that, but you should probably read go get those things if you haven't already.

Go ahead and secure a coffee filter in your empty jar with a rubber band or some tape. Now slowly pour the alcohol that you used to clean your pipe through the coffee filter and into the other jar. This will ensure that the bits of soot and what not will be filtered out of the alcohol. After that, pour the now filtered alcohol into your bowl. Have you done all that? Good.

Now just go ahead and leave your bowl of alcohol in your garage or outside (away from the weather) and let it sit. Check back on it now and then, but it should be evaporating. On a hot day in the sun, it should evaporate within a day or two, otherwise a week or so. DO NOT BE IMPATIENT! DO NOT, AND I CANNOT STRESS THIS ENOUGH, DO NOT USE A HEAT SOURCE TO INDUCE EVAPORATION, YOU COULD BLOW YOURSELF UP. I said it, that's your one warning, if you burn your house down doing this, it won't be my fault because I told you not to do it.

Once all of the alcohol ( and I do mean all so don't be impatient) has evaporated you should be left with a black goo. It will be very sticky, and have the consistency of toffee. This is hash, use a razor blade and scrape up every last bit. Use it sparingly, it will get you plenty stoned with even the smallest quantity.

Enjoy!

How to Make a Desk Lamp Vaporizer

If the light bulb vaporizer is cool, but doesn't quite do it for you, I might have something else you will like. Behold, the desk lamp vaporizer!



Now I know it doesn't look like much, but its beauty is in its simplicity. Wait, what's that? You want to know how to make one for your self? Well, I suppose...

What you need:

A desk lamp like this one.



















Two jars like what the ones you see here. Notice that one jar is bigger than the other. You need your small jar to be able to fit over a 60w light bulb, and your big jar must fit over your small one.







Next you'll need the lid for your large jar. You'll notice that I have already done all of the work that needs to be done on this jar. To make this, simply bore a hole in the center that will fit snugly on the shaft of the lamp, where the shade used to fit. Drill two holes, one large enough to accommodate your hose, and another slightly larger hole for air supply. I wrapped everything up in foil and sealed it up with hot glue. This improved my seal in general and made it look less like a lid from a pickle jar. You won't want to use hot glue on any surface that will be inside your jar.





















Step 1:
Remove the bulb and lamp shade from your desk lamp.

















Step 2:
Install your base/jar lid/air hose/air supply.

















Step 3:
Install the light bulb

Note:
The bulb I am using is for illustrative purposes. You'll want to use a 60w incandescent bulb, or better yet a 100w on a dimmer for maximum control.












Step 4:
Place the small jar upside down over the light bulb.

















Step 5:
Place your big jar over the small jar and screw it into your base.

Ta da! You've just made yourself a desk lamp vapo!













To use it, place your weed on top of the small jar once it has been placed over the light bulb, seal everything up and flip the switch. It shouldn't take more than a few minutes and then you'll have sweet, delicious, and awesome THC! The best part is, it didn't cost a whole hell of a lot of money, sure your out a few bucks for a desk lamp and a light bulb, but that's still at least $50 less than you would be out if you forked over the cash for a real vaporizer.

This design has a lot of potential. I'd love to see any variations off of this. If anyone makes, or has made this, let me know.