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 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.

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!