http://www.boomj.com/articles/13730
‘Employers can fire workers who use medical marijuana even if it was legally recommended by a doctor, the California Supreme Court ruled Thursday, dealing the state another setback in its standoff with federal law enforcement.
The high court upheld a small Sacramento telecommunications company’s firing of a man who flunked a company-ordered drug test. Gary Ross held a medical marijuana card authorizing him to use the drug to treat a back injury sustained while serving in the Air Force.
The company, Ragingwire Inc., argued that it rightfully fired Ross because all marijuana use is illegal under federal law, which does not recognize the medical marijuana laws in California and 11 other states.
The justices upheld that argument in a 5-2 decision.’
http://www.google.com/patents?id=A4ktAAAAE...dq=bong#PPP1,M1
‘An improved smoking water pipe or bong comprising a chamber containing water in its lower portion, its upper portion serving as a smoke collection reservoir; a bowl for combusting tobacco or medicinal herbs, the smoke directed through a tube to the water chamber below the water [..]’
Cacti seed planted today 21/2/2008:
Ariocarpus Retsus "No Areole"
Astrophytum "Superkabuto"
Astro asterias "Kituko"
Astro Myrio "Bohumil Schuetz"
I will post pics of previous seeds and grafts soon.
http://www.newscientist.com/channel/health...line-news_rss20
'Smoking cannabis regularly can lead to gum disease in people in their early thirties – much younger than generally expected. Lifestyle factors associated with the condition are also linked to chronic diseases later in life, and some argue that gum disease itself may contribute to cardiovascular disease directly.
A quarter of people who had smoked cannabis regularly from 18 to 32 years old had established gum disease, found the study led by Murray Thomson at the Dunedin School of Dentistry in New Zealand.
In 2007, the same team showed that smoking tobacco also significantly raises the risk of gum disease in young people (Journal of Clinical Periodontology, vol 34, page 828)'
http://www.newsdaily.com/Science/UPI-1-200...othepatitis.xml
'Using marijuana daily may raise the risk of liver fibrosis nearly seven-fold in those with chronic hepatitis C, or HCV, infection, U.S. researchers said.
The study, published in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, also found combining marijuana use with alcohol use in HCV patients significantly raised the risk of liver fibrosis.
The recommendation to avoid marijuana is of particular importance for HCV patients who are also infected with HIV -- because the progression to fibrosis is already greater in these patients.'
http://www.goldcoast.com.au/article/2008/0...coast-news.html
‘Like a man on a mission, perennial cannabis protester Peter Till arrived at court in Brisbane yesterday with a large, green, leafy plant sticking out of his backpack.
His mission, he told anyone who would listen, was to campaign for the decriminalisation of cannabis in Queensland and show authorities the plant should not be classed as a ‘dangerous drug’.
As he strode through the doors of the Brisbane Magistrates Court, security guards calmly passed his bag and the plant, complete with roots and long stalks of pointed leaves, through the X-ray machine.
Mr Till, barefooted and wearing another one of his many colourful sarongs, walked through the gate shortly afterwards as security guards were familiar with his game.
The plant was then taken into a secure room while Mr Till, who lives in his car at Nimbin, made his way to the courtroom where he was facing a breech of community service order charge.
It is not the first time the stunt has played out in court with Mr Till already convicted and sentenced to two months’ jail, wholly suspended, for bringing a 90cm cannabis plant into court last year.’
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/20/health/2...amp;oref=slogin
‘Too much caffeine during pregnancy may increase the risk of miscarriage, a new study says, and it suggests that pregnant women may want to reduce their intake or cut it out entirely.
Many obstetricians already advise women to limit caffeine, although the subject has long been contentious, with conflicting studies, fuzzy data and various recommendations given over the years.
The new study, to be published Monday in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, finds that pregnant women who consume 200 milligrams or more of caffeine a day — the amount in 10 ounces of coffee or 25 ounces of tea — may double their risk of miscarriage.’
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/loca..._border19e.html
‘A Canadian prostitute says she bared her cleavage and hiked up her skirt as she drove through the border at Blaine, where her “sure thing” always waved her through with a smile, even though her car was packed full of marijuana.
Minutes later, she’d fool around with the guard at a gas station down the road.
The border guard, Desmone Bastian, says it never happened.
“I’ve never failed to perform my duties,” Bastian told a federal jury Friday in Seattle. “I did my job with a lot of integrity, and a lot of pride.”
Bastian, 31, a U.S. citizen who lives in Surrey, B.C., worked as a U.S. immigration inspector for eight years before being charged in 2006 with taking a bribe — free sexual contact, and sometimes money — in exchange for turning a blind eye when the prostitute, Sandra Maas, would cross the border in his lane.’
http://www.craigslist.org/about/best/sfo/301345524.html
‘OK, I am not going to lecture you about the dangers of narcotic pain medicines. We both know how addictive they are: you because you know how it feels when you don’t have your vicodin, me because I’ve seen many many many people just like you. However, there are a few things I can tell you that would make us both much happier. By following a few simple rules our little clinical transaction can go more smoothly and we’ll both be happier because you get out of the ER quicker.
The first rule is be nice to the nurses. They are underpaid, overworked, and have a lot more influence over your stay in the ER than you think. When you are tempted to treat them like shit because they are not the ones who write the rx, remember: I might write for you to get a shot of 2mg of dilaudid, but your behavior toward the nurses determines what percent of that dilaudid is squirted onto the floor before you get your shot. [..]’
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/...80109091102.htm
‘An extraordinary new scientific study, which for the first time documents marked improvement in Alzheimer’s disease within minutes of administration of a therapeutic molecule, has just been published in the Journal of Neuroinflammation.
This new study highlights the importance of certain soluble proteins, called cytokines, in Alzheimer’s disease. The study focuses on one of these cytokines, tumor necrosis factor-alpha(TNF), a critical component of the brain’s immune system. Normally, TNF finely regulates the transmission of neural impulses in the brain. The authors hypothesized that elevated levels of TNF in Alzheimer’s disease interfere with this regulation. To reduce elevated TNF, the authors gave patients an injection of an anti-TNF therapeutic called etanercept. Excess TNF-alpha has been documented in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with Alzheimer’s.’
http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=new-di...le-of-the-bulge
'Want to lose weight but lack the willpower to just say no to fatty foods and sweets? Help may be on the way. The first clinical trials of an experimental weight-loss drug show that it helps curb appetite—and burn more fat—even at low doses.
Researchers report in the journal Cell Metabolism that taranabant, developed by drug giant Merck, is the second drug found to be successful in fighting flab by blocking cannabinoid receptors (responsible for the psychological effects of marijuana a.k.a. Cannabis sativa) in the brain's reward circuitry.
"The effects of marijuana on appetite have been known for millennia from its medicinal and recreational use," said study author Steven Heymsfield of Merck Research Laboratories. "The ingredient responsible stimulates cannabinoid receptors. When you block the cannabinoid system with an antagonist like taranabant, you suppress appetite."
The first indication that the cannabinoid-1 (CB1) receptor might be a prime weight-loss target came during studies of an earlier drug called rimonabant (manufactured by sanofi-aventis), which is now available as a diet aid in several European countries but has yet to receive the Food and Drug Administration's nod for use in the U.S.'
NOTE: I'm in the USA
Have (Seeds):
Althaea officinalis
Andrographis paniculata (Kalmegh)
Artemisia vulgaris (Mugwort)
Brassica juncea, Giant Curled (Mustard Greens)
Datura stramonium
Desmanthus illinoensis (Illinois Bundleflower)
Delosperma bosseranum
Hyssopus officinalis (Hyssop)
Inula helenium (Elecampane)
Lactuca virosa (Opium Lettuce)
Lespedeza bicolor
Linum usitatissimum (Flax)
Mahonia aquifolium (Oregon Grape, plant in fall or stratify)
Melissa officinalis
Mimosa pudica (Sensitive Plant)
Nepeta cataria (Catnip)
Nicotiana tabacum 'Kentucky 9' (Tobacco)
Ocimum micranthum
Ocimum tenuiflorum, Rama Tulsi (I think its rama tulsi anyway, a small green leaved one i got from a dude in Gujarat)
Phalaris brachystachys
Purshia stansburiana syn. Cowania mexicana (Mexican Cliffrose)
Salvia nemorosa
Salvia officinalis
Scutellaria baicalensis
Scutellaria barbata
Silene undulata (syn. Silene capensis) "Undela Ziimhlophe, African Dream Root"
Silybum marianum "St. Marys Milk Thistle" Caution: Listed as an invasive weed in many parts of the US and Australia.
Sphaeralcea munroana (western US native mallow used as pottery dye)
Verbascum thapsus (Mullein)
Withania somnifera "Ashwagandha, Indian ginseng"
Zea mays subsp. mays var. PI218175 A heirloom Hopi tribe corn-flour type blue corn (kernels are solid blocks of starch, not good for corn on the cob)
Have (Plants):
Allium x proliferum (Walking Onion) bulbs
Alpinia galanga plants
Delosperma bosseranum plants
Sceletium tortuosum plants
Have (Pollen, desiccated, 2010. Each accession typically consists of 1/2 the anthers from a single flower- enough for 1-3 crossings):
Capsicum annuum 'Sweet Banana'
Echinocactus grusonii
Turbinicarpus lophophoroides
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5h4s0F9R...RrPPQQD8TTC2N80
‘Two Baylor College of Medicine researchers in Houston are working on a cocaine vaccine they hope will become the first-ever medication to treat people hooked on the drug. “For people who have a desire to stop using, the vaccine should be very useful,” said Dr. Tom Kosten, a psychiatry professor who is being assisted in the research by his wife, Therese, a psychologist and neuroscientist. “At some point, most users will give in to temptation and relapse, but those for whom the vaccine is effective won’t get high and will lose interest.” [..]
The immune system — unable to recognize cocaine and other drug molecules because they are so small — can’t make antibodies to attack them.
To help the immune system distinguish the drug, Kosten attached inactivated cocaine to the outside of inactivated cholera proteins.
In response, the immune system not only makes antibodies to the combination, which is harmless, but also recognizes the potent naked drug when it’s ingested. The antibodies bind to the cocaine and prevent it from reaching the brain, where it normally would generate the highs that are so addictive.’
Late last week I received a seed order containing several astrophytum and ariocarpus cultivars a few of them quite rare. They were planted and many have already popped their heads up :) Today I decided o plant some ther cacti seed I had lying around so this is what I planted today:
Echinocactus Grusonii
Astrophytum Capricorne
Astrophytum Myriostigma
Astrophytum Asterias "Texas"
Will update in a few week how everything is going
http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=psychedelic-healing
'Mind-altering psychedelics are back—but this time they are being explored in labs for their therapeutic applications rather than being used illegally. Studies are looking at these hallucinogens to treat a number of otherwise intractable psychiatric disorders, including chronic depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and drug or alcohol dependency.
The past 15 years have seen a quiet resurgence of psychedelic drug research as scientists have come to recognize the long-underappreciated potential of these drugs. In the past few years, a growing number of studies using human volunteers have begun to explore the possible therapeutic benefits of drugs such as LSD, psilocybin, DMT, MDMA, ibogaine and ketamine.
Much remains unclear about the precise neural mechanisms governing how these drugs produce their mind-bending results, but they often produce somewhat similar psychoactive effects that make them potential therapeutic tools. Though still in their preliminary stages, studies in humans suggest that the day when people can schedule a psychedelic session with their therapist to overcome a serious psychiatric problem may not be that far off.'
I received some new grafting stocks from a very generous member of these forums. I have potted them all up and i'm just awaiting roots now. Once new growth is established most will be grafted with various rare cacti. I like this paticular plant so much i'm going to let a few of the cuts grow like mad.
I decided to leave them pretty long for the grafting in an attempt to see if there is any difference between larger versus smaller trafting stocks. I have previously only used smaller socks so I will see how this goes. Depending how many stocks I need I may still have to cut one of 2 of them up, but for now they are fine.
The stocks:
And just for fun a TBM cutting pupping like mad.
http://cbs13.com/watercooler/Police.Pot.Ca...s.2.616128.html
‘A man being held in a Dutch police cell on suspicion of growing cannabis got an unintended treat in his lunch — a piece of hashish-laced cake, a spokesman said Thursday.
“It was an accident,” said Alwin Don, police spokesman in the southern province of Zeeland.
The hash cake had earlier been seized by police in an unrelated investigation and stored in a refrigerator — close to lunch packets served to suspects being held in cells at the police station in Goes, 110 miles south of Amsterdam.
“Clearly it looked a lot like the other lunch packets,” Don said of the hash cake, which was served with a cup of coffee on Sunday.
“Officers returned to the cell a half hour later and the suspect told them: ‘I think you’ve given me something you weren’t supposed to,’” Don said.’
http://psychcentral.com/news/2007/11/01/bi...espan/1477.html
‘A recent study has found that an older, commonly prescribed bipolar drug — lithium — can significant increase the lifespan of a certain type of worm. Researchers at the Buck Institute said nematode worms treated with lithium showed a 46 percent increase in lifespan.
It is not yet known whether people taking lithium might also benefit in a similar manner with an increased lifespan.
In the study, scientists discovered the worms’ longevity increased when the lithium reduced the activity of a gene that modulates the basic structure of chromosomes.
“Understanding the genetic impact of lithium may allow us to engineer a therapy that has the same lifespan extending benefits,” said Gordon Lithgow, the lead researcher in the study. “One of the larger questions is whether the lifespan extending benefits of the drug are directly related to the fact that lithium protects neurons.”‘
Over the past 2ish weeks I have grafted a heap of Lophs mostly willis but also some others and a few Astro Asterias Nudum. The first lot have taken and are just beginning to grow.
The astro's are a little more difficult to graft than the lophs. They become dehydrated easily and high hummdity is essential for at least 7days. I have lost a few astros due to this. All the lophs have taken with no casualties as yet.
I will post some pics in a week or so.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/...71217110328.htm
'Here's another reason to "keep off the grass." Researchers in Canada report that marijuana smoke contains significantly higher levels of several toxic compounds -- including ammonia and hydrogen cyanide -- than tobacco smoke and may therefore pose similar health risks.
David Moir and colleagues note that researchers have conducted extensive studies on the chemical composition of tobacco smoke, which contains a host of toxic substances, including about 50 that can cause cancer. However, there has been relatively little research on the chemical composition of marijuana smoke.
In this new study, researchers compared marijuana smoke to tobacco smoke, using smoking machines to simulate the smoking habits of users. The scientists found that ammonia levels were 20 times higher in the marijuana smoke than in the tobacco smoke, while hydrogen cyanide, nitric oxide and certain aromatic amines occurred at levels 3-5 times higher in the marijuana smoke, they say. The finding is "important information for public health and communication of the risk related to exposure to such materials," say the researchers.'
http://blog.wired.com/wiredscience/2007/09...rd-scienti.html
‘Smoking during a brain scan is not easy. Why would you want to? Because functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) allows researchers to observe activity in the brain, and doing so while smoking tobacco or pot could enhance our understanding of addiction and how to treat it.
But during an MRI, the head must remain completely still. In the narrow bore of a superconducting magnet, there isn’t much room to maneuver a cigarette or eat a pot brownie either. Smoke raises a second set of concerns. At the very least, it will stink up the lab. Perhaps, it could even damage the expensive machine.
So Blaise Frederick at Harvard Medical School built a device that delivers smoke into the narrow confines of a scanner. His colleagues, Kim Lindsey and Liz Ryan, tested it out on nine volunteers at McLean Hospital. They described their work in the May issue of Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Behavior.’
