Here at Cannabis College we are dedicated to providing you with everything, and we do mean everything, about the greatest plant in the world. Get high, research, and enjoy.
The Ingredients of Marijuana
The ingredients of pot not only effect how you feel when you get high, but also how long the high lasts, and how high you get. THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) the "active ingredient" if you will, is the most important element. The higher the THC level of the bud, the better. THC is responsible for the "high" feeling. It's very uplifting, euphoric, and sensational. Plants can range from 0% THC :( to 30% THC :) in stronger strains. The little white crystals you see on your weed (if you live in Cali), that's THC. You want it, lots of it. CBD (Cannabidiol) is pretty good stuff too. It gives you the "stoned" feeling. Its an excellent sedative, causing the nervous system to completely relax. Remember if you want to get HIGH you want a SATIVA with lots of THC. If you want to get STONED you want an INDICA with lots of CBD. There's 4 other ingredients CBN, THCV, CBC and CBL as well, but they play little of a role in getting you high.
The Library of Lingo
The Ingredients of Marijuana
The ingredients of pot not only effect how you feel when you get high, but also how long the high lasts, and how high you get. THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) the "active ingredient" if you will, is the most important element. The higher the THC level of the bud, the better. THC is responsible for the "high" feeling. It's very uplifting, euphoric, and sensational. Plants can range from 0% THC :( to 30% THC :) in stronger strains. The little white crystals you see on your weed (if you live in Cali), that's THC. You want it, lots of it. CBD (Cannabidiol) is pretty good stuff too. It gives you the "stoned" feeling. Its an excellent sedative, causing the nervous system to completely relax. Remember if you want to get HIGH you want a SATIVA with lots of THC. If you want to get STONED you want an INDICA with lots of CBD. There's 4 other ingredients CBN, THCV, CBC and CBL as well, but they play little of a role in getting you high.
The Library of Lingo
There are a billion different slang terms used in the pot industry. These terms have come about due to pot's illegal nature and the need to "keep it on the hush." Other expressions have been passed down through tradition, to the pot smokers of today. It seems that almost every day there is a new name for pot. Don't be surprised if tomorrow you go to buy an 1/8th and you get some shit called Cryptochronicudalite.
Other Names of Cannabis
Marijuana, Pot, Weed, Bud, Nugs, Grass, Trees, Herb, Green, Sticky, Fire, Smoke, Purp, Mary Jane, Ganja, Reefer, Mota, Dank, 420, Marley, Chronic, Dro, Broccoli, Indo, Stanky, Homegrown, Killer, Sensimilia as well as by it's strain name such as skunk or trainwreck.
Other Names of Cannabis
Marijuana, Pot, Weed, Bud, Nugs, Grass, Trees, Herb, Green, Sticky, Fire, Smoke, Purp, Mary Jane, Ganja, Reefer, Mota, Dank, 420, Marley, Chronic, Dro, Broccoli, Indo, Stanky, Homegrown, Killer, Sensimilia as well as by it's strain name such as skunk or trainwreck.
The History of Marijuana
The Marijuana of Ancient Times
The earliest known documentation of cannabis dates back to 3727 BC in ancient China, where weed is thought to have originated. Chinese emperor Shen Nung, the earliest known stoner :) understood marijuana's medicinal properties, and noted its healing capabilities were far superior to other substances available. He recognized marijuana as a particularly effective medicine in the treatment of malaria, rheumatism, gout, and absent-mindedness. As marijuana's popularity grew, people discovered just how useful it was. By 1800 BC it had made its way to India. The muslim nation greatly favored pot for recreational use, as alcohol use was banned by the Koran. And it was the muslims, in the twelfth century or so, who discovered the means for making hash. Hashish products became extremely popular, as the knowledge of the drug spread across Africa and eventually to Europe.
Marijuana in America
The Spanish carried marijuana aboard a ship destined for the New World in 1545 and by 1611, it had become a staple crop in Jamestown. America’s first marijuana law was passed in 1619 “demanding” that all farmers grow at least one crop of hemp. There were several other “must grow” laws passed over the next 200 years, and during most of that time, hemp was legal tender (you could even pay your taxes with hemp — try that today!) Hemp was such a critical crop that the government went out of its way to encourage growth.
The United States Census of 1850 counted 8,327 hemp “plantations” (plantations being a minimum 2,000-acre farm) growing cannabis hemp for cloth, canvas and even the cordage used for baling cotton.
Marijuana was listed in the United States Pharmacopeia from 1850 until 1942 and was prescribed for various conditions including labor pains, nausea, and rheumatism. Its use as an intoxicant was also commonplace from the 1850s to the 1930s. A campaign conducted in the 1930s by the U.S. Federal Bureau of Narcotics (now the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs) sought to portray marijuana as a powerful, addicting substance that would lead users into narcotics addiction. It is still considered a "gateway" drug by some authorities. In the 1950s it was an accessory of the beat generation; in the 1960s it was used by college students and "hippies" and became a symbol of rebellion against authority.
The Controlled Substances Act of 1970 classified marijuana along with heroin and LSD as a Schedule I drug, i.e., having the relatively highest abuse potential and no accepted medical use. Most marijuana at that time came from Mexico, but in 1975 the Mexican government agreed to eradicate the crop by spraying it with the herbicide paraquat, raising fears of toxic side effects. Colombia then became the main supplier. The "zero tolerance" climate of the Reagan and Bush administrations resulted in passage of strict laws and mandatory sentences for possession of marijuana and in heightened vigilance against smuggling at the southern borders. The "war on drugs" thus brought with it a shift from reliance on imported supplies to domestic cultivation (particularly in Hawaii and California). Beginning in 1982 the Drug Enforcement Administration turned increased attention to marijuana farms in the United States, and there was a shift to the indoor growing of plants specially developed for small size and high yield. After over a decade of decreasing use, marijuana smoking began an upward trend once more in the early 1990s, especially among teenagers.
At the turn of the new millennium, marijuana began to take a medical foothold once again, becoming widely popular - and widely effective - for treating the symptoms of various diseases, including cancer, hepatitis, and glaucoma, along with irritable bowel syndrome and depression. Individual states had begun to recognize marijuana as an effective medicine, and they began to decriminalize and or legalize marijuana usage for certain medical patients, for these particular medical conditions.
By 2005, many states had also changed the guidelines on the laws of possession, usage, and cultivation, so that many previous felony charges are now misdemeanors. Pressured by the constant support from activists and the outspoken voice of pot smokers all over the world, the laws continue to change daily.
LET'S KEEP THE PRESSURE UP!!!
LET'S KEEP THE PRESSURE UP!!!
Sativa, Indica or Hybrid
Sativa, Indica or Hybrid, to which should I smoke? Living in Northern California, where weed is practically legal and dispensaries outnumber Starbucks, the choice is definitely out there. On average the clubs tend to carry AT LEAST 5 strains of both, not to mention all sorts of hybrids. So the question is, what should you pick?
Let's start off with Sativa. They are tall, thin plants, with much narrower leaves and grow a lighter green in color. They grow very quickly and can reach heights of 20 feet in a single season. They originally come from Colombia, Mexico, Thailand and Southeast Asia. Once flowering has begun, they can take anywhere from 10 to 16 weeks to fully mature. Flavors range from earthy to sweet and fruity. Sativa's higher THC than CBD levels equal a cerebral, soaring type of high, which is more energetic and can stimulate brain activity and may produce an uplifting, euphoric feel. The buds are usually soft, light green, and have almost a styrofoamy feel. I also noticed the crystals tend to stay on the buds more so than on Indicas, and you don't end up with green fingers after preparing a blunt. Good for day smoking, especially before work, because you can still function and don't feel locked in place. GREAT FOR PATIENTS WITH DEPRESSION, ADHD, ANXIETY, STRESS, AND PRETTY MUCH ANYTHING THAT INVOLVES YOUR MOOD. GREAT FOR OUTDOOR GROWING.
Indica, a killer. If you want to do nothing but sit on the couch for 6 hours and stare at the tv, then this is for you. Indicas originally come from the hash producing countries of the world like Afghanistan, Morocco, and Tibet. They are short dense plants, with broad leaves and often grow a darker green. After flowering starts they will be mature in 6 to 8 weeks. The buds will be thick and dense, with flavors and aromas ranging from pungent skunk to sweet and fruity. The smoke from an Indica is generally a body type stone, relaxing and laid back. Indica's higher CBD than THC equals a much heavier, sleepy type of high. This is the weed that makes you super lazy, tired, and have droopy eyes. If you got nothing to do all day, this is the weed for you. GREAT FOR PATIENTS WITH MUSCLE, BONE OR NERVE PAIN, HEADACHES, INSOMNIA, CANCER OR AIDS. GREAT FOR INDOOR GROWING.
The Marijuana Grow Guide
There is simply too much information about growing to put on a blog-based website such as this, so here is a link to the best grow guide around.
Whether you have zero experience or you just want to improve your yield, this guide is right for you.
Cannabis and the Presidency
Several presidents have been fans of the herb. A few even grew fields of it. These may seem a little absurd...a president smoking weed...but we must remember, it was as legal as lighting up a pipe of tobacco until recently.
Here's a tribute to the Pothead Presidents of the United States of America.
George Washington-
The first president of the United States, also revered as the father of this country, led by example as he grew several fields of marijuana on his farm. Not only did he smoke it to help with his "chronic" tooth aches, but he was also known to argue how much better pot was for you than alcohol. Thank you Mr. Washington, for everything.
Thomas Jefferson-
Thomas Jefferson also grew hemp. He drafted the Declaration of Independence on hemp paper, and he supposedly hated smoking tobacco. “Some of my finest hours have been spent on the back of my veranda, smoking hemp and observing as far as the eye can see.” Jefferson wrote in 1781. Washington and Jefferson were even known to exchange smoking blends as personal gifts.
James Madison-
The father of the Bill of Rights and the constitution, James was an all out stoner. Like the two former founding fathers, Madison grew hemp on the farm as well. He made a majority of his income selling the hemp into the fabrics industry of the time.
James Monroe-
James, the fifth president of the United States, and the last of the Founding Fathers, was also known to smoke a little herb from time to time. It was recorded that Monroe, Jefferson, and Napoleon Bonaparte had a smoke session to calm the nerves while debating on the Louisiana Purchase.
Andrew Jackson-
Jackson was one of the more sickly presidents, suffering from chronic headaches, abdominal pains, and a hacking cough, caused by a musket ball in his lung that was never removed. For these conditions, Jackson was known to smoke pot on a daily basis.
Abraham Lincoln-
Lincoln was the sixteenth president and successfully led his country through its greatest internal crisis, The American Civil War, preserving the Union and abolishing slavery. “Two of my favorite things are sitting on my front porch smoking a pipe of sweet hemp, and playing my Hohner harmonica.” Lincoln wrote in 1854 to the head of the Hohner Harmonica Company in Germany.
Bill Clinton-
Bill is the man. If only we could get back to the Clinton Era. Economy was good, medical marijuana was taking off, and we had a regular guy for president. When asked by reporters if he had ever tried pot, Bill responded, “I experimented with marijuana a time or two, and I didn’ t like it. I didn’t inhale and never tried it again.” Cough, "Bullshit", cought. Never inhaled, that's a good one.
Georg W Bush Jr.-
I think this is one, us stoners would rather not claim as our own. Nonetheless, George has smoked the ganja, so like it or not here he is. “I wouldn’t answer the marijuana questions. You know why? Because I don’t want some little kid doing what I tried.” No Bush, you wouldn't answer them because you were too stoned, just watch any of your interviews. It shows.
Barrack Obama-
President Obama admitted to smoking weed in his first book, Dreams From My Father, “When I was a kid, I inhaled. That was the point.” 10 points for Obama. You could of left the part about using blow out though, -5 points. Now help us legalize pot, and I'll give you those points back.