Hydrolife Magazine April/May 2017 (Canada Edition)

grow. heal. live. enjoy. 

APR/MAY 2017 // CAN 

Mary Jean Dunsdon 

WATERMELON 

Baking a fool of herself since 1993

inside 

10 from the publisher / 12 own it / 14 ask kyle / 38 ask a nurse / 74 the chill list 

grow. 

16 The Basics of Light 

Deprivation Cultivation 

18 Why Humans Use Lumens 

and Plants Use PAR 

24 Good Stress, Bad Stress 

heal. 

36 Cut and Dried 

40 Can Cannabis Treat Epilepsy? 

42 Medicating with Cannabis 

in the Golden Years 

30 Testing for Pesticides 

6 


myhydrolife.ca

live. 

50 Training with Cannabis 

52 A History of Cannabis Part II 

enjoy. 

60 Baking a Fool of Myself: 

Cover Girl Aspirations 

66 Five Effective Methods 

for Stashing Your Stash 

72 Let Them Eat Cannabis Cake 

myhydrolife.ca grow. heal. live. enjoy. 7

our crew 

Billy Bishop 

Chris Bond 

Isaac Cedillo 

Jessica Ferneyhough 

Josh Gerovac 

Kent Gruetzmacher 

Stephen Keen 

Kyle Kushman 

Gibson Lannister 

Sharon Letts 

Monica Mansfield 

Jodi McDonald 

Alan Ray 

Watermelon 

April/May 2017 

volume 2 - number 1 

Published by 

Hydrolife Magazine 

Inquiries to 

editor@myhydrolife.com 

No part of this magazine may be 

reproduced without permission 

from the publisher. The views 

expressed by columnists are 

personal opinions and do not 

necessarily reflect those of 

Hydrolife or the editor. 

Publication agreement 

number 40739092 

Printed in Canada 

Cover photo credit: 

Tom Davidson 

8 


myhydrolife.ca


from the publisher 

To know where you’re going, you 

have to know where you’ve been. 

The adage rings true for the modern cannabis 

industry, which is why this issue of Hydrolife 

takes a look back at the roots of marijuana and how 

the plant has travelled through history in North 

America ("History of Cannabis Part II", page 52). 

A century ago, marijuana was widely accepted 

because of its ability to ease or cure a variety of 

ailments. After being unjustly tied to immigration 

and health woes in the US and Canada for decades, 

the plant became vilified in society. It is only now, 

with the help of modern science, emerging as a 

potential game changer in the health world due to 

its medicinal benefits. 

Of course, old habits die hard. Just as it appeared 

the air was clearing over the acceptance of 

cannabis, newly appointed US Attorney General 

Jeff Sessions has made it clear cannabis will not 

be tolerated by the Trump administration—Obama 

considered marijuana enforcement a low priority— 

and that it is still illegal under federal law. Unless 

congress changes its position, says Sessions, it is his 

responsibility to uphold the law. 

It’s not just the Trump administration. A United 

Nations panel responsible for enforcing antidrug 

treaties just gave Canada and the US a 

strong warning on legalizing marijuana. Under 

conventions signed in 1961, 1971, and 1988, countries 

are prohibited from legalizing cannabis. The UN’s 

International Narcotics Control Board is working hard 

to prevent cannabis legalization in all countries. 

It will be interesting to see how these external 

pressures affect the legalization framework in 

Canada this summer. 

For the marijuana industry to not only survive, but 

thrive, in the future, it will need to have a virtually 

perfect record moving forward. Every dispensary, 

festival, licensed producer, and individual user that 

does not follow regulations to a tee will only give 

anti-marijuana campaigners a reason to tighten the 

noose. If medicinal marijuana wants to be a first line 

option, it is going to have to earn it. 

Marijuana’s past has been a rocky one to be sure. 

We should expect no less for its future. 

10 

grow. heal. live. enjoy.

ROW. HEAL. LIVE. ENJOY.

own it 

2 

4 

1 

own it 

3 

1. With QBracelet, combine 

fashion with innovative 

technology and look good 

doing it. With QBracelet, 

charging your iPhone has 

never been easier; simply 

pull the bracelet open at the 

clasp and plug the lightning 

connector into the device. 

It will update you when the 

device is charged to 25, 

50, 75, and 100 per cent. 

Weighing just 80 grams, 

the QBracelet is made of 

ultra-thin 316 stainless steel 

and is compatible with 

models beginning at 

iPhone5 and later. 

—qdesigns.co 

2. Remember trading baseball 

cards as a kid? Now that 

you’re a grown-up, you and 

your friends can carry on 

the fun with Canna Cards’ 

Collectible Trading 

Cards. Each pack includes 

seven cards which showcase 

vivid descriptions and full 

colour photos of your favourite 

cannabis strains from Bubba 

Kush to SinMint Cookies. 

Also includes up-to-date 

information on the strain’s 

associated products, history, 

processes, farming and 

growing techniques, flowering 

times, definitions, phenotypes, 

aromas, flavours, and potential 

medical uses. 

3. ClubM’s MBox has 

changed the game with 

an exclusive channel that 

allows consumers to try out 

the ever-changing variety 

of the very best cannabisinfused 

products in the 

privacy of their own homes. 

This online membership 

program provides cannabis 

and related products in a 

way that is safe, secure, and 

confidential. Customers can 

get a monthly shipment of 

curated premium cannabis 

concentrates, vapes, edibles, 

and flowers delivered to their 

door via this premiere service. 

—joinclubm.com 

4. Drift Sublingual is a fastacting 

sublingual spray that 

provides the ease of a vape 

pen without the smoke. Spray 

it under your tongue, hold 

it there for 30 seconds, and 

shortly after, enjoy a smooth, 

subtle body high. Every spray 

contains exactly 1.6 milligrams 

of THC, and each bottle 

contains 100 mg of THC from 

the best sourced cannabis, 

infused into an organic, coldextracted 

peppermint oil. Using 

a proprietary delivery system 

called Gravitine, the full range 

of cannabinoids is delivered 

directly into the bloodstream. 

—mirthprovisions.com 

—canna-cards.com 

12 


myhydrolife.ca

5 6 

7 

8 

5. True Dope of Canada was 

started with one purpose: 

to legitimize marijuana use 

and end social stigmas 

surrounding it by providing 

the nation with highquality 

and stylish cannabis 

accessories. The TrueDope 

Leaf T-Shirt, with its floral 

design discreetly intertwined 

with cannabis leaves, allows 

even the most sophisticated 

smokers to show their own 

support while remaining 

fashion-forward. The 

100 per cent cotton shirt is 

designed in Canada, but 

comes in European sizes (in 

other words, it runs small). 

6. Resin-coated water pipes not 

only look gross, they also 

underperform. To keep your 

pieces sparkling and your 

experience clean, try using 

RezBlock by 420 Science. 

Just a few drops added with 

each water change will help 

prevent resin from building 

up. (Of course, the more 

frequently you use it, the 

better it works.) Made of fruit 

extracts, vegetable glycerin, 

purified water, and citric acid, 

RezBlock won’t affect taste. 

—420science.com 

7. Named for its clever design 

and sophistication, the IQ 

vaporizer from DaVinci is 

both unique and portable. 

Its sleek exterior comes in 

four colours and features 

a ceramic air path, Smart 

Path technology, and 

Bluetooth app integration. 

The DaVinci IQ is made for a 

range of users from vaping 

newbies to on-the-go users 

and connoisseurs. Includes 

a USB charging cable, 

alcohol wipes, chimney 

brush, keychain tool, 10 mm 

adapter, and a carry can. 

—davincivaporizer.com 

8. Now is your chance to cast 

off the synthetics and go fully 

natural for your next camping 

experience. The Yukon 

Hemp Sleeping Bag 

from Rawganique is made 

from 100 per cent organic 

hemp canvas on the exterior 

and a sweater-weight hemp 

knit blanket on the inside. 

Both parts are grown, woven, 

knitted, and sewn in-house 

at the Rawganique Atelier 

in Europe—a process the 

company proudly describes as 

environmentally sustainable 

and “sweatshop-free.” 

—rawganique.co 

—truedope.com 


ask kyle 

Q 

a 

Well, Carole, isn’t this 

the crux of the whole 

shebang? More sugar! 

The basis of my whole 

career is trying to help 

the personal grower 

make the most of their 

efforts. Stronger flowers and higher 

yields make your cannabis more valuable. 

If it’s more potent, you can smoke 

less to achieve the desired effect. If you 

grow more, then you can smoke more. 

There are many angles of attack; I 

could write a book of yield enhancement 

techniques! For now, though, I’ll suggest 

a few that can be easily applied while 

having substantial effects. 

First off, plants need to be healthy 

to achieve their genetic potential. 

Keeping plants healthy and 

photosynthesizing through the entire 

production phase of flowering is 

the only way to maximize potency. 

Remember, you are what you eat and 

so are your plants. So, be patient when 

learning how much to water and feed. 

Hi Kyle, 

I’ve been growing for a couple of years, and I’m disappointed with the potency of my 

plants’ essential oils. I use marijuana for pain relief and would really like to boost my buds' 

cannabinoid levels. Any advice you could provide on improving my plants? 

Thanks, 

Carole 

Next, stress training is a technique 

like that used by bonsai masters. 

Manipulating branches, whether 

by carefully bending, twisting, and 

snapping the inner hurd (core) of 

branches, is a technique known as 

supercropping. You can also use garden 

tape or twine to tie down branches and 

expose lower, inner nodes to more light. 

Also, use a bloom booster during 

peak flowering, which usually 

occurs in weeks four to six 

(possibly week seven for sativas). 

This can be achieved by elevating 

levels of phosphorous and 

potassium by 10-15 per cent. 

You can also preserve your root 

mass by not under- or overwatering. 

Roots are sensitive; too dry and 

they die, too wet and they suffocate. 

Learn to effectively cycle your plants 

through complete wet to dry cycles 

during the veg stage. As the plants 

get larger, they need more water 

present to hold up its vegetation and 

keep a larger root system moist. 

Kyle Kushman is an internationally renowned marijuana 

cultivator whose collaborations have earned 13 Medical Cannabis 

Cup awards, including three US Cannabis Cups for Best Flowers. As 

the creator of Vegamatrix, the only line of vegan and organic nutrients 

designed for growing cannabis, Kyle continues to make advances for 

people who want to cultivate the purest, cleanest medicine possible. 

Also, keeping the lights close to the 

plants is a great way to increase photosynthesis, 

growth rates, and minimize 

internodal spacing. However, having the 

ability to back off the lights while the 

buds are ripening is essential. This can 

be done either by raising lights to double 

the distance during production, lowering 

the wattage, or both. 

Finally, mimic the natural world by 

using halide for vegging and sodium 

for flowering. Plants that wake up from 

their first full dark cycle to the intense 

light spectrum change will experience a 

pronounced difference in time until bud 

set. Less time stretching means a shorter 

intermodal spacing, which directly 

relates to larger colas. 

Good luck! 

Kyle 

DO YOU HAVE 

A QUESTION 

FOR KYLE? 

Email editor@myhydrolife.com 

to get an answer. 

14 grow. heal. live. enjoy. 

myhydrolife.ca

grow 

BACK BLACK: 

IN 

The Basics of Light Deprivation Cultivation 

by Kent Gruetzmacher 

Tricking your plants into thinking harvest time 

is approaching through light deprivation can 

result in more frequent high-quality yields. 

While becoming popular, light deprivation 

greenhouses take some dialing in. Kent 

Gruetzmacher sheds some light on the 

basics of blackout growing. 

16 


myhydrolife.ca

The popularity of light deprivation cultivation 

has been on the rise over the 

past few years. There are several reasons 

why, but key factors include higher-quality 

yields and off-season harvest times, 

allowing growers who utilize this method 

to supply the market with a particular 

product when others can’t. In light deprivation 

growing, growers use sunlight to 

fuel their gardens while simultaneously 

employing environmental controls not 

seen in traditional outdoor grow scenarios. 

This blend of cultivation styles allows 

light deprivation gardeners to combine 

their knowledge of indoor and outdoor 

growing to produce exceptional crops. 

Furthermore, light deprivation requires 

less electricity and allows for harvests 

during better weather. 

Plant Photoperiods 

The most definitive characteristic of lightdeprivation 

cultivation is the artificial 

simulation of equal 12-hour light/dark 

photoperiods. Using light deprivation, 

cultivators seek to mimic the photoperiods 

of the late summer and early fall, which 

trigger plants to produce flowers. This idea 

of artificially induced flower periods represents 

a merging of outdoor and indoor 

growing methods. While indoor growers 

have timers that simulate night and day 

in a growroom, light deprivation growers 

must devise other means to black out the 

sunlight during the 12-hour dark period. 

It should be noted, however, that artificial 

light deprivation methods are only 

necessary in evening and morning in most 

areas. Exposing your plants to sunsets, 

moon rises, and the fresh air of summer 

nights will generally improve their quality. 

With that said, light deprivation enthusiasts 

must devise blackout systems that 

cover the entire canopy and exterior of 

their gardens to block all sunlight in the 

simulation of nighttime conditions. 

Frames, Hoop-houses, 

and Greenhouses 

No matter how sophisticated or simple 

cultivators wish to make their operations, 

all light deprivation crops require an 

exterior frame that supports a blackout 

system. There are three routes one can 

take in the creation of a framework: wood 

frames, hoop-houses, and greenhouses. 

Gardeners can create wood frames by 

placing heavy wooden posts in cement 

at the ends of the garden. These wooden 

posts have heavy cables that support 

the tarp and allow for it to easily slide 

over the canopy of the garden. Secondly, 

PVC hoop-houses can be constructed by 

pounding two-foot pieces of rebar into the 

ground at opposite 

ends of the garden and 

simply bending the PVC 

over the canopy and onto 

the rebar, forming a “hoop.” 

Finally, greenhouse kits and 

frames make excellent support 

over which to pull blackout tarps. 

Greenhouses provide growers with 

the ability to utilize more environmental 

controls than with wood frames and 

hoop-houses, and greenhouses have 

opaque walls as well as door systems, 

making them more attractive for 

privacy and security. 

Tarp Systems 

The sort of tarp-pulling system one 

chooses for a light deprivation operation 

will prove to be important for the 

duration of a flowering cycle. This is 

because the tarp has to be pulled over 

the entire canopy of the garden twice 

a day for an entire 55- to 70-day flower 

cycle. Therefore, light deprivation cultivators 

have to be present twice a day, 

for two months solid, to ensure this task 

is complete. In the novice operation, as 

seen with wooden frames and hoophouses, 

it’s often possible to simply pull 

the tarp over the frame by hand or with 

the help of ropes. To aid in this process, 

growers also devise pulley systems 

mounted on trees and wooden poles to 

help with getting a tarp over a large or 

tall frame system. 

Finally, greenhouse companies have 

designed a number of automated, less 

labour-intensive systems that black 

out daylight. These automated systems 

include motorized tarp pulley systems 

as well as large blinds that fold over 

on one another to create a completely 

dark environment. 

Airflow During the 

“Night” Period 

Regardless of the scope of a light deprivation 

operation, all cultivators need to 

consider airflow in their gardens when 

the tarp is pulled over the canopy during 

nighttime simulation. This is because 

the tarp hinders all airflow from outside 

the canopy, presenting challenges with 

humidity and subsequent issues with 

mould and mildew. To remedy these 

concerns, growers must employ intake 

and outtake fans similar to those found 

in indoor growrooms to ensure a steady 

exchange of air when the coverings are 

drawn. When choosing the size of inline 

fans for intakes and outtakes, gardeners 

should use similar considerations as 

seen with indoor growing. Exhaust fans 

“ THERE ARE THREE 

ROUTES ONE CAN TAKE 

IN THE CREATION OF A 

FRAMEWORK: WOOD 

FRAMES, HOOP- 

HOUSES, AND 

GREENHOUSES. 

should completely exchange 

the air in a light deprivation 

garden in five minutes or less. 

Depending on the size and the 

structure of a garden, intakes 

and outtakes can be mounted 

on the framing system or simply 

placed on the ground. However, for 

air to move efficiently, it’s essential 

that the ducting connected to these 

fans is long enough so that the ends are 

not covered by the tarp when it is pulled 

over the frame. 

Light deprivation greenhouses essentially 

signal plants that seasons are 

changing earlier than they actually are, 

so growers can manipulate their crops to 

produce more robust and frequent crops. 

Keep in mind that some plants react 

better to light deprivation methods than 

others, and that issues such as excessive 

heat or humidity, lack of oxygen to 

the roots, and pest infestations can be 

prohibitive. Once dialed in, however, 

light deprivation technology can be used 

to harvest early and often, particularly in 

late summer and early fall. 

Kent Gruetzmacher is a Californiabased 

writer and the west coast director 

of business development at Mac & 

Fulton Executive Search and Consulting, 

an employment recruiting firm. He is 

interested in utilizing his Master of Arts 

in humanities to explore the cultural and 

business facets of this emerging industry 

by way of his entrepreneurial projects. 


grow 

BY JOSH GEROVAC 

WHY HUMANS USE 

LUMENS 

AND PLANTS USE 

PAR 

Humans need light to perceive colour 

and brightness while plants need 

light to support photosynthesis. Using 

the correct metrics and instruments 

to calculate PAR is essential to avoid 

adverse lighting effects on your crop. 

18 


myhydrolife.ca

grow 

Whether you are using horticulture 

lighting systems to provide supplemental 

lighting in a greenhouse or solesource 

lighting indoors, it is important 

that you know the quality and quantity 

of light that your fixtures are providing to 

your plants. There are numerous metrics 

used to measure light; however, certain 

ones were developed for applications 

related to human vision, while others 

were developed specifically for measuring 

light that influences plant growth 

and development. 

HUMANS USE LUMENS 

It goes without saying that plants 

perceive light very differently than 

humans. Where plants use light to 

drive photosynthesis and other lightmediated 

physiological responses, 

humans and many other animals use 

something called photopic vision in 

well-lit conditions to perceive colour 

and brightness of light. Lumen is a 

unit of measurement based on a model 

of human eye sensitivity in well-lit 

conditions, which is why the model 

is called the photopic response curve 

(Figure 1). As it shows, the photopic 

response curve is bell-shaped and shows 

how humans are much more sensitive 

to green light than blue or red light. 

LUX and foot candle meters measure 

the intensity of light (using lumens) for 

commercial and residential lighting 

applications, with the only difference 

between the two being the unit of area they 

measure (LUX uses lumen per square metre 

and foot candle uses lumen per square 

foot). 

The fundamental problem with using 

LUX or foot candle meters when measuring 

the light intensity of horticulture lighting 

systems is the underrepresentation of blue 

(400–500 nanometres) and red (600–700 nm) 

light in the measurement. Humans may 

not be efficient at perceiving light in 

these regions, but plants are highly 

efficient at using blue and red light 

to drive photosynthesis. 

PLANTS USE PAR 

Plants primarily use wavelengths of light 

between 400-700 nm to drive photosynthesis 

(Figure 1), which is why this range is 

called photosynthetically active radiation 

(PAR). PAR is a much-used (and often 

misused) term related to horticulture lighting. 

PAR is not a measurement or metric 

like feet, inches, or kilos. Rather, it defines 

the type of light needed to support photosynthesis. 

The amount and spectral light 

quality of PAR are the important metrics 

to focus on. Quantum sensors are the 

“HUMANS MAY NOT be efficient at perceiving light in these regions, but plants 

are highly efficient at using blue and red light to drive photosynthesis.” 

PAR 

Relative Photosynthetic Efficiency (%) 

100 

80 

60 

40 

20 

0 

Lumens 

300 400 500 600 700 800 

Wavelength (nm) 

Figure 1 

Graph depicting the average photosynthetic efficiency of plants and the spectral 

range that photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and lumens are measured. 


myhydrolife.ca

grow 

primary instrument used to quantify the 

light intensity of horticulture lighting 

systems. A quantum sensor measures 

the total amount of PAR landing on a 

specific location of your plant canopy 

and is measured in micromoles per 

square metre per second (µmol/m 2 /s). 

These sensors work by using an optical 

filter to create a uniform sensitivity to 

PAR light, and can be used in combination 

with a light meter to measure 

instantaneous light intensity or a data 

logger to measure cumulative light 

intensity (Figure 2). 

If you used a LUX or foot candle meter 

to measure the intensity of a horticulture 

lighting system, you would end up 

receiving different values depending on 

the spectrum of the fixture, even if the 

fixtures were providing the same PAR 

intensity to your crop. For example, if 

you took a measurement using a LUX or 

foot candle meter under a fixture using 

broad spectrum (i.e. white) light emitting 

diodes (LEDs), you would receive a much 

higher value than if you took the same 

measurement under a fixture with red 

and blue LEDs, even if both fixtures 

were providing the same amount 

of PAR. This will cause growers to 

miscalculate the actual amount of PAR 

they are delivering to their crop, which 

can lead to unfavourable growth and 

development. This is why lumens, LUX, 

and foot candles should not be used as 

metrics for horticulture lighting. 

When you are looking to optimize 

growing conditions by measuring and 

fine-tuning light intensity in a controlled 

environment, it is extremely important to 

use the correct metrics and instruments. 

The amount of PAR delivered to a 

crop has a direct correlation to the 

amount of water, CO 2, and nutrients 

a plant requires, in addition to other 

environmental factors (e.g. temperature 

and humidity) that need to be adjusted 

based on light intensity. Measuring 

lumens instead of PAR is just one 

example of using incorrect metrics for 

horticulture lighting that can have an 

adverse effect on your crop. 

Josh Gerovac is a horticulture scientist 

at Fluence Bioengineering. He has spent 

the last decade working in controlled 

environment agriculture, ranging 

from growth chambers to commercial 

greenhouses. His research and practice 

is focused on the influence of light 

intensity and spectral light quality 

from sole-source LEDs on growth, 

morphology, and nutrient content of 

edible, ornamental, and medicinal crop 

production. He has a BSc in horticulture 

production and marketing, and a MSc in 

horticulture, both from Purdue University. 

Figure 2 

Using a quantum meter to measure light intensity. 


myhydrolife.ca

grow 

Good Stress, Bad Stress 

by Stephen Keen 

HOW YOUR 

PLANTS WILL 

RESPOND 

The phrase “What doesn’t kill you 

makes you stronger” can also apply 

to your plants. By providing good 

stress to your crop, you can ensure it 

will be more robust and productive. 

Just don’t overdo it. Stephen Keen 

from Surna tells us how. 


myhydrolife.ca

grow. heal. live. enjoy. 25

grow 

In cannabis cultivation, as in life, there 

are two types of stress—good and bad. 

Good stress causes the cannabis plant 

to work harder to achieve a desirable 

goal (larger buds, anyone?); bad stress is 

counterproductive to growth and could 

ultimately kill the plant. When growing 

cannabis, it is important to maximize 

the use of good stress and minimize the 

introduction of bad stress. 

Bad Stress 

Some plant stressors are 

counterproductive to growth as they 

inhibit the plants’ ability to absorb light 

for photosynthesis, constrain appropriate 

amounts of leaf transpiration, increase 

susceptibility to pest/disease attack, 

and potentially cause the plants 

to develop genetic abnormalities 

(hermaphroditism); all of which could 

devastate an entire flower crop. 

Light 

When flowering, cannabis plants 

are very susceptible to stress from 

interruptions in the light cycle. Even 

a red indicator light on a camera can 

cause plants to become hermaphroditic. 

As such, it is crucial to maintain 

complete darkness during the entire 

lights off cycle. Because commercial 

operations require cameras in every 

room of the grow, look for cameras and 

other emergency lights that have green 

indicator lights instead of red and then 

securely cover the light with a piece 

of electrical tape. The photoperiod of 

cannabis plants is largely unaffected 

by low intensity green light, making it 

the better choice of light source for dark 

cycle work lights and indicators. Now, 

don’t mistake the previous statement as 

“Cannabis plants don’t use green light 

for photosynthesis.” They very much do. 

However, there are different chemical 

processes within the plant that are at 

play when it comes to photoperiodism. 

If work must be completed during the 

lights off cycle, only use a low power 

green LED for a light source. When no 

work is being completed in the flower 

room, the space should be completely 

dark and tested regularly to 

verify that no new light leaks 

have developed. 

Temperature 

Within the conventional indoor grow 

environment, heat is typically much more 

of a negative stressor to cannabis plants 

than cold. Cannabis plants grown indoors 

aren’t usually exposed to temperatures 

below 10°C, so seeing stresses caused by 

plants getting too cold is an uncommon 

event. However, when ambient conditions 

rise above 29°C, the plants start to alter 

their growth patterns to accommodate a 

higher rate of transpiration to keep the 

plant cool. This altered growth puts extra 

energy into growing more plant stem, 

ultimately resulting in a lanky plant 

without the desired flower mass yield 

and essential oil production. At extremely 

high temperatures, photosynthesis can 

cease entirely and maturation of the crop 

will certainly be delayed. Keeping the 

temperature and humidity of the room at 

an appropriate level throughout the day is 

crucial to maintaining an efficient grow. 

Good Stress 

There are a variety of good types of stress 

that can be introduced throughout the 

growing cycle. Exposing cannabis plants to 

good stress will result in robust plants that 

are more likely to produce more resin and 

larger buds. The best plants are the ones 

that not only survive doses of good stress 

but actually thrive on it. To ensure you are 

growing the best plants, it is important to 

cull plants at each stage of growth. 

Air Circulation 

Using air circulation is the most common 

way of stressing plants that most people 

already incorporate in their room for other 

reasons. By using an oscillating fan to keep 

young plants moving with forced air, you 

are, in effect, constantly providing small 

stresses to the stem of the plant that help 

the stem become thick and robust more 

quickly than if forced air is not used. 

“ 

KEEPING THE TEMPERATURE & HUMIDITY 

OF THE ROOM AT AN APPROPRIATE LEVEL 

THROUGHOUT THE DAY IS CRUCIAL TO 

MAINTAINING AN EFFICIENT GROW.” 

Plant Training 

Plant training is the process of managing 

plant growth using various levels of 

applied stresses to manipulate the plant 

shape and size. These stressors alter 

growth by changing the plants’ nutrient 

distribution pathways, modulating metabolic 

rates, and by physically spreading 

the plant out laterally, making it easier 

to maintain an even canopy. There are 

several ways of achieving this end. Some 

may seem extreme, but they’re worth experimenting 

with if you haven’t already. 

26 


myhydrolife.ca

grow 

Low-Stress Training (LST): Low-stress 

training is the practice of using small 

amounts of constant force to encourage 

plant branch growth in the growers’ 

chosen direction while opening up lower 

nodes to higher light intensity. Applying 

this stress throughout the vegetative 

growth phase will provide thick stem 

growth, which will produce additional 

nutrient and water delivery capabilities 

during flowering. This technique is 

very good for increasing yield per plant 

while keeping the overall plant height 

to a minimum. Screen of Green (ScrOG) 

trellising, tomato cages, and using 

bamboo stakes (sticking and spreading) 

are all great methods of applying this 

type of gentle stress. 

Supercropping: Break your plants! 

While this may sound extreme, it will 

increase your yield if done correctly. 

Supercropping is the method of taking 

growth that is too tall for the grower’s 

liking and bending it in the desired direction 

of growth until the stem’s inside 

structure breaks. The intent is to break 

the inside while leaving the outer 

structure free from damage. After a few 

days, you’ll notice a knuckle forming 

at the bend; this is a good thing. This 

stress increases the plant's ability to 

deliver nutrients to the top nodes on 

that branch while opening up the lower 

branches to more light. 

Topping: Topping is the most common 

plant control technique used in cannabis 

gardening. This process involves 

clipping off the very top shoot from the 

topmost plant branch(es). In doing this, 

the top node splits into two shoots. This 

can be done multiple times through the 

vegetative phase to maintain the desired 

canopy height. For some cannabis 

strains, this technique will produce a 

nice bushy structure that provides a 

higher yield potential per plant. Remember, 

this technique should be used 

during vegetative growth only and is not 

appropriate to use during flower growth. 

to the top cola on each branch. It’s 

recommended to take advantage of this 

technique before placing the plant into a 

flowering state and between two to three 

weeks after the 12/12 photoperiod has 

been applied, depending on the genetics 

of the plant. 

Cold Temperatures 

While it may seem like a bad idea to allow 

cannabis plants to get cold given their 

ideal growing climate, it can actually be 

beneficial to allow the room to cool down 

to between 10 and 15°C at night during 

the last two weeks of the flower cycle. A 

sequence of warm days (lights on) and 

cool nights (lights off) towards the end of 

growth mimics the natural growth cycle of 

cannabis plants. In fact, many cannabis 

genetics naturally flower in the colder 

months. Running colder temperatures 

boosts the plants’ metabolic system, 

resulting in more resin production and a 

larger range of aesthetically appealing 

flower colours. Purple pistils are a result 

of cool nights at the end of a flower cycle 

combined with the plants’ genetic predisposition 

for producing purple colours. 

Simulate a Drought 

Drought stress is another method that is 

commonly used to encourage accelerated 

growth rates. If applied correctly, simulating 

a drought causes plants to react by 

increasing root growth rates as it prepares 

for supply shortages. At the same time, 

this increases the levels of available 

oxygen to the root zone. Advanced growers 

can push their plants’ growth much 

harder using this method. However, 

be careful as too much of this stress is 

definitely a bad thing. You don’t want 

to see wilting plants or have the plants 

develop an embolism while you’re in the 

middle of a flowering program. Become 

comfortable with this technique on the 

small scale prior to attempting to incorporate 

it into a large cannabis production 

process. 

Stephen Keen has been an indoor 

gardening hobbyist for nearly 10 years. 

The hot summers in Texas led him to start 

experimenting with different equipment 

and alternative ways to cool the garden. His 

personal successes with his garden led him 

to want to bring new ideas, mainly watercooling, 

to the mainstream, which led to the 

founding of Hydro Innovations. He tries to 

educate as many growers as possible any 

way he can about the benefits of new ideas 

and how to be effective at controlling heat 

in indoor gardens. 

Lollipopping: Lollipopping is another 

way of directing plant hormones to 

the branches or nodes of interest 

through defoliation. In this technique, 

undergrowth is periodically stripped 

away with the intention of pushing 

robust new growth to the top of the 

branches. During vegetative growth, this 

practice will allow the grower to direct 

growth in the direction of their choosing 

by stretching branches into the desired 

position on the canopy. During flowering, 

this technique is used to discourage 

“popcorn buds”—small underdeveloped 

flowers that are typically not marketable 

for flower sales—by directing growth 

“ 

BREAK YOUR PLANTS! WHILE THIS 

MAY SOUND EXTREME, IT WILL INCREASE 

YOUR YIELD IF DONE CORRECTLY.” 

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grow 

KEYSTONE LABS: 

TESTING FOR 

PESTICIDES 

With the cannabis industry still in its 

infancy when it comes to government 

standards, allowable pesticides are 

emerging as a source of concern for 

human health. Jodi McDonald explains 

why more scrutiny is needed to protect 

cannabis users from harmful chemicals. 

esticides might be something that you 

Pare thinking about a lot recently. They 

have been in the news and have played 

an important role in cannabis product 

recalls in Canada. 

What do we know about pesticides? In 

general, pesticide use is a calculation to 

increase yield by reducing loss to pests. 

Pesticides are approved for use through a 

rigorous program that considers the health 

and safety of the consumer and the individual 

applying the product to a crop, as well as 

the environmental impact. Many pesticides 

are considered for use on cannabis crops; 

however, cannabis is not consumed in the 

same way that lettuce or tomatoes are. Due to 

the young age of the legal cannabis industry, 

we are only beginning to collect meaningful 

data about the risks and concerns of control 

products utilized during production. 

“ 

In general, pesticide use is a 

calculation to increase yield 

by reducing loss to pests.” 

by Jodi McDonald 

In Canada, Health Canada has published 

a list of 13 approved pesticide products for 

cannabis producers as of February 1. A look 

through this list reveals that there are a very 

limited number of chemical products that 

cannabis growers have at their disposal when 

a pest problem shows up. Most of the approved 

products are biological controls. Compared to 

the products that are available for growers in 

the US, this may seem like Canadian growers 

are at a great disadvantage. 

In Colorado, the Colorado Department 

of Agriculture has also compiled a list of 

approved products for pest control as of 

March 6. Compared to the list available for 

Canadian use, this list is 27 pages long, 

offering a wide variety of choices for growers. 

Biological pesticides work because the 

insect or organism in the product is a natural 

predator or parasite to the pest problem. These 

products are effective because once they have 

done their job and rid a crop of the unwanted 

pests, they die from starvation. Biological 

pesticides require an awareness of the health 

of a crop and diligent application of the 

products; this can mean frequent reapplication 

to completely eradicate a problem. 

30 


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grow 

“ 

we are only beginning to collect meaningful 

data about the risks and concerns of control 

products utilized during production.” 

Chemical pesticides have benefits 

as they act quickly and can reduce or 

completely eliminate an invading pest. 

Unfortunately for Canadian producers, 

these are not approved for use in 

cannabis crops. 

Recently, the pesticide myclobutanil 

has been in the news related to cannabis 

recalls in Canada. Myclobutanil 

is a common chemical used to 

eliminate powdery mildew on plants. 

It is interesting to know that this is 

acceptable for use on edible crops, but it 

is not approved for use in tobacco in the 

US and Canada. It is also not approved 

for use in cannabis in Canada. 

Myclobutanil is a good example of pest 

control and science not being applied 

in equal measure. This pesticide works 

by blocking an enzyme in fungal cells; 

this impacts the way the fungal cell 

membrane is built and maintained 

leading to cell death. It is a systemic 

pesticide, which means that it enters 

the plant through the leaves and then 

spreads internally through the plant to 

provide protection to the whole plant 

and not just at the site of application. 

Since this pesticide is carried inside 

the plant, it cannot be washed off. 

While its levels decrease over time, the 

frequency that it has been applied to 

the crop will impact the final amount 

left in the plant at harvest. 

Also concerning is that the pesticide 

is soluble in common solvents used in 

production of cannabis oil, which means 

as the cannabis oil is being concentrated, 

the pesticide is being concentrated too. 

At temperatures above 205°C, the pesticide 

breaks down into a number of byproducts, 

one of which is hydrogen cyanide. 

This byproduct is dangerous because it is 

known to cause problems in most of the 

major systems in the body—the brain, the 

lungs, heart, and hormone control centre. 

Overall, myclobutanil is a terrible 

choice for pest control in cannabis. While 

it is effective against powdery mildew, 

it has a high cost of use for the patients 

who are exposed to products treated with 

it. This is one clear example of a common 

pesticide used in one industry being 

adopted by a different industry without 

consideration given to the way the crop 

is processed or consumed. 

In response to the recent product 

recalls, Health Canada has committed 

to random testing of products for 

pesticides to provide a level of 

assurance to the patients in Canada. 

In March, the Cannabis Canada 

Association, which represents 

15 licensed producers, voted to 

implement mandatory product testing 

for its members. It also called for 

these results to be made public. For 

personal growers, the use of pesticide 

products is not regulated by the 

federal government, so the bottom 

line is to be diligent, know what you 

are applying to your plants, and know 

what the potential impact is to you 

as a grower and you as a patient. You 

can’t see pesticides or the residues, 

but a good test lab will have sensitive 

equipment that will detect the 

presence of pesticides. 

Jodi McDonald is the president and 

founder of Keystone Labs and is a 

medical microbiologist, inventor, and 

super science-geek. She has 20 years’ 

experience in the quality control, 

regulatory, and quality assurance 

environment for the pharmaceutical 

industry. Jodi believes testing is essential 

for taking control of your personal health. 

32 


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heal 

CUT AND DRIED: 

A MONTHLY LOOK AT DIFFERENT MMJ STRAINS 

BY BILLY BISHOP 

There has always been something singularly difficult about trying to convey 

the taste and aroma of a powerful Kush. It’s all about that “Kushiness” or, 

more specifically, that “Kush smell” that is so 

difficult to define: Citrus, gasoline, pine 

needles, chlorophyll. A unique scent and 

taste that is all of these and yet none. 

starkiller 

Sometimes a Kush leans towards the 

piney… more often towards the fuelly… 

and hopefully towards the lemony or 

citrusy. Some describe it as jet fuel, but 

I don’t know what jet fuel smells like. 

The often-used term “diesel” is quite 

appropriate for Kush strains but really 

doesn’t do the aroma justice. No verbal 

description does. 

Origins 

This descriptive challenge continues 

with Starkiller, the latest and greatest 

70/30 indica/sativa hybrid from Broken 

Coast Cannabis. This award-winning 

strain is a cross between Skywalker 

OG and Rare Dankness #2. 

Physical Description 

Visually, it is a deep, dark green 

with delicate, wispy orange hairs 

and a predilection for robust, large, 

solid colas covered in a fine velvet of 

shimmering, sparkling trichomes. The 

colour and appearance of Starkiller 

is unusually dark and lush. The 

trichomes create levels of light that 

make the colas seem to have a texture 

and depth like folds of dark velvet. 

Taste and aroma 

Starkiller offers a rich and heady aroma 

focused strongly on ambrosial, deepforest 

chlorophyll notes, mixed with 

more subtle tones of pine nuts, menthol, 

and oiled leather. All swirling around 

a strong, lemony centre. A very lemony 

centre. When smoked, it produces 

highly aromatic flavours reminiscent 

of forest undergrowth and fresh 

green vegetables, with undertones of 

caramelized sugar and gasoline fumes 

at the back of the throat. 

Award Winner 

Starkiller is already a well-known 

contender (it was winner of Best Hybrid 

Flower at the 2016 Colorado Cannabis 

Cup), but Broken Coast has shown its 

chops by developing this strain into a 

seriously top-notch finished product. I 

know I say this every time, but this is my 

favourite strain ever. 

Topping out the THC at 23.2 per cent, 

this is also the one of the strongest 

strains I’ve tested and it shows. This 

was one of the fastest-hitting and 

powerful highs I have experienced. 

Although highly physically reactive, it 

provided gentle cerebral stimulation, 

so it had an easy, even-keeled feel 

throughout the entire experience. 

Medical Suitability 

This is an outstanding option for pain 

management. It is strong, sedative, 

and helpful for inducing sleep. The 

immediately noticeable muscle-relaxant 

properties will appeal particularly to 

patients with muscular or joint injuries, 

sciatica, back and neck pain, and 

spasmodic digestive tract conditions. 

A patient with Crohn’s or colitis will 

not only appreciate alleviation from 

spasmodic episodes but enjoy a mild 

appetite enhancement and a boost to 

taste and scent experience. A strong, 

effective medicine both physically 

and mentally, Starkiller is also a great 

choice for managing your anxiety under 

challenging circumstances. The CBD 

levels are around one per cent. 

A success story 

Selected from more than 120 seed options, 

this phenotype is Broken Coast’s 

latest attempt to one-up its already 

impressive stock of quality, high-potency 

options. As a growing option, Broken 

Coast tells me that this phenotype produces 

large, dense buds with high yields 

for this type of hybrid. Shorter and stockier 

than her true OG sisters, Starkiller is 

an ideal size and structure for efficient 

and successful indoor growing. 

I get the feeling that the Broken Coast 

crew is quite proud of this one. They 

should be. 

Billy Bishop is a long-time cannabis 

patient and suffers from extended postconcussion 

syndrome. This is a complex 

disorder in which various symptoms 

including headaches, nausea, dizziness, 

and depression can last for weeks, 

months, or years after the initial head 

injury that caused the concussion. 

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heal 

Herbal 

ASK A NURSE: SEXUAL HEALING 

Q 

Dear Nurse Jessica, 

My boyfriend and I have been dating for about three years. He never used 

marijuana before he met me, but now he is a regular user and really enjoys 

it. It’s something we share as a couple (we’re in our late 20s). Problem is, 

in the last few months, he has been having some erectile difficulties. 

He doesn’t want to talk about it. Could this be related to marijuana? 

Thank you, 

Sandy 

Hello Sandy, 

A 

Since cannabis has a unique reaction to everyone, it 

could be the ganja. Some men need it, some men don’t. It 

could also be his diet, hydration level, busy brain, or a 

boring sex life (no offence). 

Start by booking an appointment with your family doctor 

and naturopath. It’s never a bad idea to request some blood 

work and see how everything is going on internally. 

Erectile difficulty isn’t easy to deal with as a couple, but this too shall 

pass. Hang in there, Sandy, this may be a way to elevate your intimacy 

and discover new pleasures. 

Perhaps you two need a 72-hour detox from cannabis. Give yourselves 

a reset and see what you’re both like without it. Since you use cannabis 

together, try doing some other things for those three days. Why not do 

some couples yoga, book massages, take floats in a float 

pod, get acupuncture done together, or book a cottage 

for a weekend and spend some time outdoors? Since 

your boyfriend doesn’t want to talk about it, don’t. 

Just provide some tender love and affection with 

the right dose of newness. 

Another possibility would be to go shopping 

for some sex toys together. Adding another 

dimension to your intimacy might be just 

what he needs. Grab a cock ring, a Swedish 

penis pump, and a few different dildos 

for yourself. Don’t allow your sexual 

frustration to make him feel insecure. 

Let masturbation lead the way both as 

individuals and as a couple. 

You two have lasted for three years. Now, 

you face a time where one of your bodies 

is asking for gentleness and realignment. 

Don’t jump ship; step up and tune into your 

lover’s vibrations. With an open heart, you 

two may be surprised to see how much 

there is to still learn of one another. 

Please feel free to e-mail me once your detox 

is over, and we’ll go from there! Have fun. 

Nurse Jessica 

Jessica Ferneyhough, a registered practical nurse, brings a 

unique approach to care, empowering patients as a medicinal 

cannabis nurse and horses for healing advocate. 

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heal 

Can 

Cannabis 

Treat 

Epilepsy? 

by Monica Mansfield | More research is needed, but 

early indications suggest cannabis can help reduce 

epileptic seizures in people. Monica Mansfield 

explores some case studies and the potential role 

cannabis can play in treating epilepsy. 

By now, many people have heard of Charlotte 

Figi, the little girl from Colorado 

who used medical cannabis oil to dramatically 

reduce the number of seizures she 

suffered. Her story was made famous on 

CNN, and it popularized a strain of cannabis 

called Charlotte’s Web. Charlotte’s Web 

is unique because it is very low in delta- 

9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and high 

in cannabidiol (CBD). Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol 

is the psychoactive compound 

in cannabis that gives the user the “high” 

feeling. Cannabidiol is another compound 

found in cannabis that has gained recognition 

for its medicinal benefits without the 

psychoactive effects. 

Although Charlotte has spread awareness 

for the medicinal use of cannabis 

to treat epilepsy, there are many others 

with similar stories. Austin Roberts is 

a 12-year-old boy who was having 200 

seizures per month. When he started 

using cannabis, his seizures decreased 

dramatically, and his mood, appetite, 

and energy levels improved. 

Tim Shellman is 29 years old and his 

seizures began when he was 15. He 

started smoking cannabis shortly after 

developing the condition and quickly 

realized that smoking controlled his 

seizures. At 17, he was seizure-free for 

eight months while he had consistent access 

to cannabis. Unfortunately, medical 

cannabis is not legal in his state and he 

has difficulty finding someone who can 

supply his medicine. When he is unable 

to secure a supply, the seizures return. 

Shellman has used nine different seizure 

medications in a variety of combinations, 

but his body is resistant to them. 

Cannabis is the only thing that controls 

or stops his seizures. 

Until the last few years, studies on 

cannabis were hard to come by due 

to US federal law. Now that more than 

half of the US has legalized medical 

cannabis, and a handful of states have 

legalized it recreationally, there have 

been more studies on the medicinal 

effects of this powerful herb. 

40 


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Dr. Orrin Devinsky, who specializes in 

epilepsy and neurology, is the director 

of NYU Langone’s Comprehensive Epilepsy 

Center. The centre not only treats 

patients with the most cutting-edge 

treatments, but they are also leaders 

in epilepsy research. Dr. Devinsky sees 

medical cannabis as a promising treatment 

for epilepsy. “We don’t today know 

exactly how CBD exerts its biological 

effects, which include, in animal 

models, very potent anticonvulsant or 

anti-seizure effects in numerous species 

and in numerous different models of 

epilepsy,” he says. “And interestingly, 

in none of the animal models that have 

been looked at to date has CBD been 

actively causing seizures, and in the 

majority of them, it is quite effective as 

an anti-seizure agent. 

“By contrast, THC…is also an important 

and potential anti-epileptic 

drug based on our animal experience 

because in most animal studies, THC 

also exerts anti-seizure properties. 

However, in about 10 per cent of the 

animal models, THC can actually lead 

to more seizure activity or more seizure 

severity. So, it is something to keep 

in mind that THC and CBD are really 

quite different, both in how they act 

in the brain and, potentially, how they 

affect different types of epilepsies. We 

still don’t have really good clinical scientific 

data from humans, but we have 

quite good data in animals.” 

Many studies point to the benefits 

of cannabis, and particularly CBD, in 

treating seizures. In 1978, nine patients 

received either 200 mg per day of pure 

CBD or a placebo for three months in 

a randomized study (Mechoulam and 

Carlini 1978). Two of the four patients 

receiving CBD became seizure-free, 

while there was no change in the five 

placebo recipients. 

In 1981, 15 adult patients were enrolled 

in a double-blind, placebocontrolled 

study to examine the effect 

of CBD for 18 weeks (Carlini and Cunha 

“THC and CBD are really quite 

different, both in how they act in the 

brain and, potentially, how they affect 

different types of epilepsies.” 

1981). These patients exhibited partial 

seizures with secondary generalization. 

Of the eight patients who received 

CBD, four became seizure-free, one 

“improved markedly,” one “improved 

somewhat,” one showed no improvement, 

and one withdrew from the study. 

A retrospective case review of 75 pediatric 

epilepsy patients was performed by 

researchers at Children’s Hospital Colorado. 

Each patient used a form of cannabis 

extract containing CBD. Researchers 

found that 57 per cent had some seizure 

reduction, while 33 per cent had a reduction 

of 50 per cent or more. 

In March 2017, Mexican researchers 

used a pure CBD oil to successfully 

reduce seizures in patients with 

Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome, a rare form 

of epilepsy. Of the study’s 38 patients, 

86 per cent reported a 50 per cent 

reduction in motor seizures, 55 per cent 

had a 75 per cent decrease in overall 

seizures, and 13 per cent experienced 

complete seizure remission after four 

months of treatment. Nobody reported 

negative side effects. 

There are many types of epilepsy and 

many different strains of cannabis with 

varying amounts of THC and CBD, so it 

may take time to find the correct strain 

and dosage for each individual situation. 

While most doctors recommend 

trying pharmaceuticals first, many see 

cannabis as beneficial to patients who 

are drug resistant and recommend they 

find a strain high in CBD and low in THC 

for best results. 

Charlotte’s Web and Haleigh’s Hope are 

two well-known, high-CBD strains developed 

in Colorado. A British company, GW 

Pharmaceuticals, has created Epidiolex, 

which contains almost pure CBD and is 

expected to file a new drug application 

with the FDA in the first half of 2017. 

CBD is generally taken in the form of 

tinctures, capsules, oils, and patches. 

The Mayo Clinic recommends taking 

200-300 mg of CBD by mouth daily for up to 

18 weeks. Some patients find success with 

a combination of pharmaceuticals and 

cannabis. It is important to work closely 

with your doctor to create a treatment plan 

suited specifically to your needs. 

After owning an indoor garden store for 5 ½ 

years, Monica Mansfield sold the business 

and started a seven-acre homestead with 

her husband, Owen. Monica is passionate 

about gardening, sustainable living, and 

holistic health. She writes about these 

topics and her homestead adventures on 

her blog thenaturelifeproject.com. 


heal 

Is Grandma Self-medicating Again? 

Relax, it’s Just a Plant: 

Medicating with Cannabis 

in the Golden Years. 

Story and photos by Sharon Letts 

An unlikely sector of the population is playing 

a larger role than anticipated in the fight to end 

cannabis prohibition. Sharon Letts tells us how 

senior citizens have come out of the closet in 

legal and illegal states to sign up for medical 

cannabis cards, demand good medicine via 

cannabis for aches and pains, and more. 

42 


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heal 

Twenty-one years after California 

became the first state allowing 

cannabis as medicine, 27 others 

have followed suit. Eight states now 

offer legal recreational weed, with 

13 introducing decriminalization 

legislation. The common belief is 

seniors from the Boomer Generation, 

already familiar with using the plant 

recreationally, are most prominent 

members of the patient pool. But 

in the more conservative state of 

Florida, one senior is proving that 

theory wrong, and is becoming an 

unlikely victor leading the fight to 

end prohibition in the process. 

“ DURING ONE Silver Tour 

event, more than 400 senior 

citizens made their way to the 

steps of Tallahassee’s City Hall 

in peaceful protest, to share 

their personal use of cannabis 

as medicine publicly.” 

Should Grandma Partake in Pot? 

Robert Platshorn served 30 years in 

federal prison for selling cannabis 

via a fleet of tuna fishing boats along 

Florida’s shores during the 1970s 

and ’80s. Released back into the 

general population in 2008 at the age 

of 64, Platshorn began a campaign 

to educate the elder population, 

creating The Silver Tour, a non-profit 

organization aimed at enlightening 

Laguna Woods Cannabis Club meeting 

and educating the grey-haired sect 

on good medicine across the country 

by using the less expensive platforms 

of social media, emails, radio, local 

television spots, and billboards. 

One of his most successful 

campaigns—a video featuring two 

elderly ladies partaking for the first 

time—went viral on social media, 

changing public perceptions and 

inspiring knock-off clips of other seniors, 

even retired law enforcement officers, 

smoking weed for the first time. 

During one Silver Tour event, more 

than 400 senior citizens made their way 

to the steps of Tallahassee’s city hall in 

peaceful protest, to share their personal 

use of cannabis as medicine publicly. 

There were no arrests made. 

Platshorn knows his demographic; he 

knows the elderly still read newspapers, 

watch local TV, and listen to the radio. 

During Florida’s first attempt to legalize 

cannabis as medicine in the state, 

voters failed to pass legalization by a 

two per cent margin. After Platshorn’s 

campaign, by April 2015, the Sun Sentinel 

reported upwards of 84 per cent of 

registered voters approving of cannabis 

as medicine in the Sunshine State. By 

November 2016, Florida voted to accept the 

plant, allowing physicians to prescribe, 

and dispensaries to provide safe access to 

its seniors and the ailing in the state. 

“When we started The Silver Tour five 

years ago, seniors in Florida would not 

even discuss the medical use of cannabis,” 

Platshorn says. “I’m happy to say things 

have changed. Seniors are an easy sell, 

but no one was using the media to inform 

them. Using TV, radio, live shows, and 

billboards changed minds quickly.” 

Primrose Engaged Living in Santa Rosa, CA, allows its residents to medicate with cannabis. 

Healing in California 

Since voting in Proposition 215 in 1996, 

which allowed Californians the right 

to medicate with cannabis, the Golden 

State now lists 12.6 per cent of its senior 

population as card-carrying medical 

cannabis patients, according to Americans 

for Safe Access, a national organization 

helping move weed transactions from the 

alley to legal storefronts. 

The US Center for Disease Control 

(CDC) reports aches and pains a common 

malady among the aging population, 

with 47.5 million or 21.8 per cent of seniors 

reporting some kind of disability— 

with arthritis or rheumatism topping the 

ailment list, and cancer now seen 

as part of old age. 

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heal 

Laguna Woods Village began as Leisure 

World, an upscale, gated retirement 

village in conservative Orange County 

just south of Los Angeles. Today, it’s an 

incorporated city hosting more than 

18,000 residents, with more than 500 cannabis 

patients, comprising The Laguna 

Woods Medical Cannabis Club. 

The group is “a non-profit for the 

purpose of educating, supporting, 

and informing Laguna Woods Village 

residents about the uses and issues 

for medical cannabis and to provide 

a forum where new patients, their 

families, and other interested residents 

can discuss their illnesses and the 

benefits of medical cannabis treatment 

in a safe environment,” says its mission 

statement. 

Members learn about the medicinal 

benefits of the plant via workshops, 

lectures, and the sharing of what are 

commonly referred to as “anecdotal 

stories” via word of mouth. 

On the evening of its monthly meeting, 

more than 150 club members, residents, 

and newbies fill up one of the larger 

meeting rooms within the community. 

Tables are set up with literature of the 

medical efficacy of the plant, books to 

read, and medicating implements donated 

for the evening raffle. 

The meeting is called to order by club 

executive director and founder Lonnie 

Painter, a Laguna Beach transplant, 

artist, retired carpenter, therapist, and 

past owner of the popular Café Zoolu 

in the upscale beach town on the coast. 

He’s worn many hats in his lifetime, 

but currently he’s helping to change the 

way seniors think about the plant. 

“Our membership is growing,” Painter 

says of the residents quickly filling up 

the large hall. “We need to find a bigger 

meeting room,” he adds with a laugh. 

“ MANY SENIOR citizen 

patients returning to cannabis 

as medicine had used it 

recreationally years prior, then left 

it behind in their college days.” 

Within the largely conservative 

populace of Orange County, some 

residents were reluctant to comment 

on the record. However, one member in 

her 80s says that once she started using 

cannabis, the first pills to go from her 

medicine cabinet were painkillers and 

sleeping pills. When asked what else 

she was learning, she says, “I’m going to 

try that strong oil. I heard it will put my 

diabetes into remission.” 

Eat Five Leaves and 

Call Me in the Morning 

Cannabis growing at the Humboldt Patient Resource Center in California. 

Sixty-seven-year-old Susan Williams 

(name has been changed by her request) 

is a retired public relations professional 

from Northern California. Gardening is 

her passion, as well as her husband’s, 

with the couple growing and canning up 

to 90 per cent of their own food each year. 

As with many active seniors, Williams 

says that after decades of toiling in the 

garden, she is suffering from the effects 

of osteoarthritis—mainly in her hands 

and the back of her hip. 

“It was actually a grower friend who suggested 

I try cannabis. I then checked with 

my doctor and he said it wouldn’t hurt 

me,” she says. 

Williams chooses to medicate by eating 

raw leaves, harvesting them herself for 

optimal effect, namely to treat inflammation 

that leads to swelling and subsequent pain. 

“I was given a Sour Diesel plant and 

started eating the midsized leaves just off 

the bush,” Williams explains. “I would eat 

up to 10 leaves a day, and felt a noticeable 

difference in about a week, and continued 

eating the leaves until it was time to 

harvest the plant.” 

She also made an alcohol-based tincture 

using the trim—or leaves and small 

stems—taking three droppers-full at a 

time, but did not feel it was as effective as 

consuming the fresh, green leaves. 

“I have told many of my friends about 

ingesting raw cannabis, and recommend 

that if they want to do this, they should get 

a California 215 license so they don’t get 

in trouble,” Williams says. 

The stigma of cannabis, she added, is 

what holds most people back from experiencing 

the medicinal benefits of the plant. 

Availability is also an issue, as patients 

who juice are often networking for leaves 

from several sources, then freezing overages 

for later use. 

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heal 

The silver-haired Williams’s hands are 

slightly crooked and worn from years of 

work in the garden, but they no longer 

ache with pain. 

“If you asked me a year ago if I would 

have tried this remedy, I would have 

laughed at you,” Williams muses. “Now, 

I’m telling my friends.” 

Good Medicine vs. Bad Drug 

One fact that opens up a big can of weed 

worms in treating senior ailments is that 

the US government holds a patent on 

cannabinoids (CBD), one of the medicinal 

compounds of the plant. The patent, in 

effect since 1993, directly contradicts 

the government’s stance that cannabis 

is not medicine—along with its refusal 

to remove the plant from the Drug 

Enforcement Agency’s (DEA) Schedule 1, 

where it currently sits alongside heroin. 

Within the patent is a list of benefits, 

stating that cannabinoids have 

antioxidant properties, useful in 

the treatment and “prophylaxis of a 

wide variety of oxidation-associated 

diseases, such as ischemic, age-related, 

inflammatory, and autoimmune diseases.” 

The patent goes on to state the plant’s 

application as a neuroprotectant, with 

the ability to limit neurological damage 

following stroke and trauma, or in 

the treatment of neurodegenerative 

diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, 

Parkinson’s, and HIV dementia. 

Engaged Living 

Primrose Engaged Living is a private 

nursing home located just north of San 

Francisco in Santa Rosa, it specializes in 

dementia, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s. 

Patients retain their own physicians, 

and if they and their families are open to 

cannabis use, it’s allowed. 

The home is not unlike a five-star hotel, 

with gated grounds and gardens allowing 

its residents freedom to be outside— 

an option not found in many homes 

where those with dementia live. 

Dan O’Brien, RN, oversees the care 

of the home’s patients, including a 

handful of residents whose families 

and doctors are on board in treating 

their symptoms via the ingestion of 

cannabis-infused treats. 

Dementia, as defined in the National 

Library of Medicine’s site, has a 

varying group of symptoms, whereas 

Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s are 

diagnosed diseases. None of the 

maladies are curable; all present with 

a slow deterioration of motor skills and 

bodily functions, including language 

difficulty, agitation, inappropriate 

behaviour, deteriorating spatial 

skills, poor judgment, and diminished 

capacity to problem solve, maintain 

attention, plan, or organize. 

“Dementia patients don’t really like to 

take pills,” O’Brien explains. “It’s easier 

for them to eat a piece of candy.” 

On the evening of my visit, I observed 

a patient finish up her dinner before 

being given one square of chocolate 

dosed with 15 milligrams of THCactivated 

cannabis. 

Alzheimer patients comprise two-thirds 

of the home’s population, but O’Brien 

added that cannabis is given as a last 

resort, replacing or given in addition to 

other mind-altering prescription meds 

intended to calm agitated patients. 

In this particular patient’s case, the 

cannabis works with great success, 

and O’Brien reports that the patients 

dosed with cannabis remain alert, 

are less agitated, and are able to 

sleep through the night. Other symptoms 

reported to be quelled are the 

tremors associated with Parkinson’s 

and anxiety disorders. 

The process of getting cannabis to its 

patients can be challenging, for not only 

does the family have to be willing to use 

this treatment, the patient’s doctor needs 

to be on board. This is something cannabis 

patients should think about when 

drawing up a care plan while they are 

still able to do so. 

Stigma vs. Truth 

Many senior citizen patients returning to 

cannabis as medicine had used it recreationally 

years prior, then left it behind 

in their college days, says registered 

nurse Lanny Swerdlow. 

“Of all the reasons for stopping, not 

one was for negative reasons against 

the herb,” Swerdlow says. “All of them 

stopped due to the stigma that came 

with it when a job or kids came into 

play, or they just didn’t think they 

should use it any longer.” 

The American Nurses Association 

published a statement in 2008, 

supporting patients’ “safe access to 

therapeutic marijuana.” At the top of 

the letter, which originated from the 

Congress on Nursing Practice and 

Economics, it states that “‘Marijuana’ 

(cannabis) has been used medicinally 

for centuries. It has been shown to be 

effective in treating a wide range of 

symptoms in a variety of conditions.” 

Caregiving with cannabis began 

in the early 1980s with hospice 

workers helping AIDS patients. 

Studies on pain management using 

cannabis were done at that time 

at the University of California in 

San Francisco. Findings included 

upwards of 80 per cent reduction in 

pain by merely smoking the flower, 

in addition to using prescription 

pain meds. Other anecdotal stories 

demonstrate that using a stronger 

oil or tincture does away with the 

need to supplement with prescription 

meds altogether. 

As legalization allows more access, 

seniors are the fastest growing 

demographic utilizing cannabis as 

medicine in the US today, leading many 

to reconsider the question, “Should 

Grandma smoke pot?” 

Sharon Letts began her life’s work as a 

gardener in southern California, and now 

calls Humboldt County home. She’s a 

writer and photographer. When she isn’t 

writing about gardening, she is outside 

working in her own garden. 

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Training 

with 

Cannabis 

by Isaac Cedillo 

Forget couch-lock. There’s a growing body of evidence that cannabis 

can be a productive part of an active, even athletic, lifestyle. 

The mind’s connection with the body 

is strong, and improving one often 

involves improvement of the other. 

So, it’s no surprise that those who 

seek to improve their body could also 

benefit from cannabis, an aid that 

people have long used for mindfulness 

and overall well-being. In recent 

years, more and more evidence is 

challenging the negative “lazy stoner” 

stereotype by showing that this plant 

can indeed be used as a tool by those 

pushing their physical limits. 

CANNABIS AND THE RUNNER’S HIGH 

We’ve all heard of the runner’s high. It’s 

a feeling can be described as euphoric, 

anxiolytic (anti-anxiety), sedative, and 

analgesic (pain relieving) all at once. It’s 

also similar to the high one can get from 

ingesting cannabis. 

The runner’s high is only achieved 

after prolonged physical exertion, and 

its effects can help an athlete deal 

with the discomfort one endures when 

physically pushing themselves. For 

decades, it was believed the main 

biomechanism of a runner’s high was 

the release of endorphins. However, 

a 2015 study (Fuss et al.) found this to 

be only half of the phenomenon. The 

research, which was performed on 

mice, found that “running increases 

plasma levels in ß-endorphin (Opiod) 

and anandamide (endocannabinoid/ 

eCB) in mice and men.” In other words, 

it affects the endocannabinoid system. 

This group of receptors is found within 

the central and peripheral nervous 

system. Described as “the body’s own 

cannabinoid system,” its main function 

is to maintain homeostasis within 

the human body. The results of the 

study found that the endocannabinoid 

receptors CB1 and CB2, which are the 

system’s main receptors, are crucial for 

a runner’s high in mice. 

So, with this information brought about 

from this study, it can be concluded that 

the feelings of euphoria from a runner’s 

high can be simulated by ingesting cannabis 

before physical activity. Cannabis 

essentially puts your mind and body into 

this state before your body can produce it 

naturally. The ability to force the effects 

of a runner’s high can be a tremendous 

advantage for those wanting to push 

themselves in their training regimen. 

The use of cannabis as a focusing 

agent and anxiety reducer can also 

help athletes better perform under 

pressure during competition. A 

2011 study by Huestis et al. titled 

“Cannabis in Sport” also shows 

that cannabis plays a role in 

the extinction of fear memories, 

such as traumatic events and 

injuries athletes may have 

endured, during training and 

competition. This reduction in 

fear can be what an athlete 

needs to push themselves 

to the next level. 

PERFORMANCE 

The question of 

whether cannabis 

can be considered 

a performance 

enhancer is still 

up for debate, 

and it has been 

widely discussed 

at every level 

of sports 

competition. Still, 

there’s no doubt 

that the old belief 

that cannabis only 

breeds lazy stoners 

is slowly being reversed. There’s an 

increasing number of athletes coming 

forward with their personal experiences 

in utilizing cannabis during training. 

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If you are considering using edibles during your routine 

workout, be sure to plan accordingly: drink plenty of water, 

know your tolerance, and only ingest what youʼre capable of.” 

“So, how much of an edge in training can 

cannabis give you? That depends on the 

user’s perspective and intended goals. 

Olympic snowboarding gold medalist 

Ross Rebagliati and MMA fighter Nick 

Diaz both claim that cannabis doesn’t 

make them faster or stronger, but allows 

them to train harder and for longer 

periods of time. “The motivation that you 

need to go and pound out the workout 

and go and do the 100-km bike ride— 

cannabis really got me out on a regular 

basis,” Rebagliati said in an interview 

with Hydrolife. During a live 2016 postfight 

press conference where he famously 

vaped CBD oil, Diaz's brother Nate, also 

an MMA fighter, said that CBD “helps 

with healing process and inflammation 

and stuff like that. So, you wanna get 

these for before and after the fights, training. 

It’ll make your life a better place.” 

RECOVERY 

Intense workouts can take its toll on 

both the body and mind. Pain, stiffness, 

and muscle fatigue are all common 

post-training symptoms, and much 

research has been done on delayed 

onset muscle soreness (DOMS). 

While these symptoms can decrease 

motivation and even cause a workout to 

do more harm than good, the 2015 Sports 

Medicine study “Cannabis and Exercise 

Science” by Gillman et al. shows 

there is a growing body of evidence 

that cannabis—specifically, CBD-rich 

strains—can be used to help counter 

DOMS. The anti-inflammatory and 

analgesic properties of cannabis can 

aid in the recovery of intense workouts. 

APPLICATION 

Many athletes prefer edibles such as 

brownies, chews, and cannabis-infused 

energy bars during their workouts. 

Edibles are discrete and the delayed 

high they offer will kick in when it’s 

needed most during intense workouts. 

Also, the heavy high provided is great 

for focused-based activities. If you 

are considering using edibles during 

your routine workout, be sure to plan 

accordingly: drink plenty of water, know 

your tolerance, and only ingest what 

you're capable of. 

Balms and salves are a great way to aid 

in muscle soreness and recovery. They 

can be applied pre- or post-workout. 

Massaged thoroughly into the desired 

location, these topical medicines can 

effectively reach deep muscle tissue, 

nerves, and epidermis. THC-rich strains 

will help with pain and soreness, while 

CBD-specific strains can help with inflammation 

and long-term recovery. Also, 

topical treatments will not reach your 

bloodstream, which can be a plus for 

those that do not want the cannabis high. 

Whether cannabis can give athletes 

an edge is up for debate, but there 

is no denying it has recovery and 

healing benefits everyone can use. 

Sure, cannabis doesn’t make you 

bigger, faster, or stronger, but its 

effects are felt indirectly, the same way 

good nutrition and overall well-being 

will influence the body. It’s just up to 

the athletes and weekend warriors to 

decide for themselves if their training 

can benefit from cannabis. 

Isaac Cedillo works as the marketing 

manager at Current Culture H2O in 

Fresno, California. He holds his bachelor’s 

degree from CSU Fresno and is currently 

pursuing his MBA in marketing. As an 

avid photographer, Isaac loves to travel 

the country chronicling his adventures 

through his camera. 


live 

A 

HISTORY 

by Chris Bond 

OF 

CANNABIS 

PART II 

In the 20th century in the US, marijuana was unjustly linked to immigration and economic 

policy, and later vilified by some presidential administrations. In Part II of his brief history of 

cannabis, Chris Bond provides reasons on why the noose on marijuana may be loosening. 

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As we learned in Part 1, under President 

Richard Nixon in 1970, marijuana was 

classified as a Schedule 1 drug in the 

newly passed Comprehensive Drug Abuse 

Prevention and Control Act. It continues with 

that classification today. 

Prior to this, however, a Nixon-appointed 

presidential commission had recommended 

marijuana use not be a criminal offence. This 

recommendation was made by the Shafer 

Commission, whose members were appointed by 

Nixon himself and were, for the most part, strongly 

opposed to marijuana. After launching dozens of 

reports and polls, and taking thousands of pages 

of testimony, members of the commission came to 

a different conclusion than they had set out to find. 

Instead of condemning marijuana, they hinted that 

legalization was a more appropriate step, though 

Shafer himself did not support this. The Shafer 

Commission’s final report concluded marijuana did 

not cause crime or aggression or act as what is now 

called a “gateway drug.” It also recommended the 

decriminalization of marijuana possession. 

Nixon, whose personal views 

remained strongly anti-marijuana, 

overruled the commission’s findings and 

announced “all-out war” on marijuana. 

While President Jimmy Carter took 

a softer stance on pot, the Reagan 

administration reinforced Nixon’s hard 

line by ramping up the war on drugs. 

Just 20 years later, in 1992, Bill 

Clinton became the first American 

president to admit to having tried (but 

not inhaled) marijuana. Then, in 1996, 

California became the first state 

in the nation to legalize the use of 

medicinal marijuana. 

The march towards the 

acceptance of cannabis in 

North America has gone on into 

the 21st century, but what has fueled this? Why do 

the majority of citizens support the use of cannabis 

when only an estimated six per cent of individuals 

use it? More Americans agree on the legalization, 

or at least the decriminalization of cannabis, 

than they do on who should be the American 

president. Its acceptance crosses party lines and 

generational ones. 

Of course, entire anthologies could be written on 

dozens of different reasons why cannabis is becoming 

less stigmatized. It seems to be the confluence 

of several factors ranging from a changing notion 

of the role of government, the age of the citizenry, 

and the financial state we have found ourselves 

in over the past couple of decades. Whatever the 

combination is, it seems to have caused a perfect 

storm of change that continues to sweep through 

the nation and around North America. 

”AFTER launching dozens of reports 

and polls, and taking thousands of 

pages of testimony, members of 

the commission came to a different 

conclusion than they had 

set out to find.“ 


myhydrolife.ca

”MANY STATES decided it would be 

better to join them if they can’t beat 

them; in some cases, maybe even 

beat them by joining them.“ 

Whether or not it is reflected in the outcome of elections 

or in party membership rolls, North America 

has taken more of a libertarian approach to the way 

it does business. As industry and manufacturing left 

many parts of the United States and Canada at the 

end of the 20th century, the vacuum left in its wake 

was financially devastating to the economy. In an 

effort to raise revenues, a more “Las Vegas” approach 

was taken by many regions. Municipalities and states 

realized that there was money to be made by allowing 

people their vices legally (this was usually first led by 

the acceptance of casino gambling). Hardline moralists 

in politics could not argue that vice was good 

for the state’s (or province’s) bottom line. In business, 

sales absolve all your sins. One could argue that this 

helped to pave the way towards legalization of cannabis 

in many states. 

The rise of the internet can also be attributed to 

the acceptance of marijuana use. An untold number 

of websites sell the gambit of seed, extracts, and 

all manner of paraphernalia, legal or otherwise. 

Knowing it would be highly unlikely, or at least costprohibitive, 

to combat the panoply of online vendors, 

many states decided it would be better to join them if 

they can’t beat them; in some cases, maybe even beat 

them by joining them. 

An additional, but by no means final, reason 

that marijuana usage is enjoying new or renewed 

acceptance is the age of the populace. Many of 

the hardline, anti-marijuana voters belong to the 

venerated Greatest Generation. These heroes were 

raised in a time when we were the “good guys,“ and it 

stands to reason that they believed their government 

when it told them that marijuana was as bad as or 

worse than other narcotics. This generation is dying 

out. Their children, the Baby Boomers, came of age in 

an era where it was the norm to at least try marijuana. 

myhydrolife.ca 

grow. heal. live. enjoy. 55

live 

Boomers comprise a large proportion of 

our senior citizens. They tend to have a 

more realistic outlook on marijuana use, 

and they vote. 

This propensity to install less hardline 

administrations, on average, has led 

to more research funding for cannabis 

trials. The outcomes often not only 

underline the Shafer Commission’s 

original findings that marijuana results 

in much less harm than Nixon believed, 

but that it also has medicinal values 

that benefit society while increasing 

revenue for governments. 

”AS industry and manufacturing left 

many parts of the United States and 

Canada at the end of the 20 th century, 

the vacuum left in its wake was 

financially devastating 

to the economy.“ 

The Current State of Cannabis Usage 

in the United States and Canada 

All Canadian provinces currently allow 

for medicinal usage of cannabis, as do 28 

US states and the District of Columbia. 

Each of these states has a range of 

different medical conditions for which 

cannabis may be used and differing 

procedures regarding the manner it is 

prescribed, where it is legal to dispense, 

etc. Eight states and the District of 

Columbia also have laws allowing for 

recreational cannabis use. In the next 

few months, the Canadian government 

is expected to announce federal 

legalization of recreational marijuana. 

The federal government of the United 

States still classifies cannabis as 

a controlled substance, but in 2014, 

Congress passed a law that prohibits 

federal agents from conducting raids on 

growers of medicinal marijuana in states 

where it is legal. 

The tide is certainly turning. More 

states are considering laws to allow 

for medicinal cannabis and the US 

federal government has indicated 

that the enforcement of laws related 

to marijuana are not the best use of 

the country’s time and resources. It is 

inevitable that more states will allow for 

its use in the years to come. 

Chris Bond is the manager of 

the McKay Farm and Research 

Station at Unity College in Maine. 

His research interests are with 

sustainable agriculture, biological 

pest control, as well as alternative 

growing methods. He is a 

certified permaculture designer 

and certified nursery technician 

in Ohio and a certified nursery 

professional in New York, where 

he got his start in growing. 

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enjoy 

by Watermelon 

A FOOL OF MYSELF 

A Cannabis Culinary Column 

Shaken by her arrest—and acquittal—Watermelon left her life on Wreck Beach 

behind and sought another way to subvert the status quo. Armed with nothing but 

naïveté and persistence, she soon found herself to be the world’s first marijuana 

pin-up and cover girl, and, later, legit professional. Can politics be far behind? 

60 


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enjoy 

“Dripping water hollows out stone, not through force but through persistence.” 

Cover Girl Aspirations 

—Ovid 

I was told they were 

a “LEGIT WEED” 

magazine, not a “foxy 

chick” magazine.” 

When I was a young 

woman of 20, my big 

dream was to get on the cover 

of a cannabis magazine. The 

one I had my eye on was the 

No. 1 publication promoting 

civil disobedience and 

protesting marijuana 

prohibition at that time. 

While other girls 

dreamed of a big white 

wedding, I was dreaming 

of being a cover girl 

for the cannabis magazine 

I felt was doing its 

best to subvert the status quo. 

I spent a short time in Queens, 

New York, practising stand-up 

comedy in my early 20s. One day, I 

strolled into the magazine’s office in 

downtown New York and introduced 

myself. I told them I wanted to be on 

the cover, bringing with me a naive 

enthusiasm that was hard to quell. 

They were definitively entertained, 

but in the end I was told they were a 

“legit weed” magazine, not a “foxy 

chick” magazine. 

Everybody there was pretty jovial 

about everything, so we went up on 

the rooftop and smoked a big joint. 

Then I was given the ubiquitous swag 

and some friendly handshakes as 

I was ushered out the door. Going 

straight home, I wrote them an 

impassioned letter about my quest in 

more detail. No response. 

Two years later, Vancouver writer 

Shawn Conner pitched a story to the 

magazine about my cannabis comedy 

shows and they bought it. When it came 

time to discuss the photo, I told Shawn 

I wanted to shoot for the cover (naive 

enthusiasm still unscathed). 

We got lucky because the photo the 

magazine was scheduled to publish 

got pulled at the last minute. Desperate 

now for a new cover shot, they said if 

we could get them a great photo by 

yesterday, “it would be considered.” That 

was all the encouragement I needed. 

I called up my friend Anne, who grew 

beautiful indoor buds, and we concocted 

a plan together. I would drive the photographer 

and writer to a big parking lot 

in Richmond, BC. It is there she would 

pick us up in her van and blindfold the 

crew with old suit ties. We drove them 

directly into Anne’s garage and closed 

the automatic door. They were then led 

down a hall into a well-disguised growroom 

where we removed the blindfolds. 

This was 2000 and a big growroom could 

still get you quite a few prison years, not 

to mention the threat of armed robbery. 

I walked into the bathroom, put on 

some makeup, and changed into my 

Marijuana Monroe costume. This began 

my long illustrious career as the world’s 

first pot pin-up model. Meanwhile, the 

photographer struggled with lighting. 

It is notoriously difficult to light a 

growroom as it is steaming with lights. 

Too many lights. Too many hot lights. 

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enjoy 

Gluten-free 

PEANUT 

BUDDER 

COOKIES 

1 C peanut butter 

1 C brown sugar 

1 egg 

1 tsp baking soda 

15 g shake flour 

• Pre-heat oven to 350°F 

• Place all ingredients in a big 

bowl and mix thoroughly 

• Spoon out heaping tablespoon-size 

balls onto 

a cookie sheet lined with 

parchment paper 

• Flatten balls slightly with fork 

• Sprinkle each ball lightly 

with rock salt (optional) 

• Bake for 12-15 minutes 

• Cool on racks and 

serve with milk 

• Don’t kiss anybody with a 

peanut allergy 

Photo by: Maria Coletsis 

Twenty minutes later, I walked out 

of that bathroom…and became the 

new cover girl for the nation’s biggest 

marijuana magazine. Hallelujah! 

To date, I have done as many 

characters as I could dream up: 

Cleopotra, Little Miss Puffet, Jungle 

Mary Jane, Mary Jane Mansfield, 

Crops and Robbers, Mae West 

Coast … you get the idea. 

What I learned then, and what I 

still believe today, is it is important 

to have unconventional aspirations 

when you are young and naive 

because then you dream big and 

bold, beyond your abilities. As 

we age, we tend to get more 

pragmatic with our quests. 

Such a shame really. 

These pin-ups have 

been published in almost 

It is important to 

have unconventional 

aspirations when you 

are young and naive 

because then you 

DREAM BIG and bold, 

beyond your abilities.” 

every cannabis magazine around the 

world. They have been printed in calendars, 

posters, and bong advertisements. 

Since then I have forged ahead with 

other seemingly impossible feats. I am 

about to open my second licorice and 

hula-hoop business; I’ve learned to be 

a decent tango dancer; I’m a retired 

watermelon vendor; I have produced 

countless cannabis cooking shows; I run a 

marijuana bakery; became a chocolatier 

and a writer; and next I want to become 

the mayor of Vancouver, BC. 

Not right away though. I have a 10-year 

campaign set in motion. By then, I will no 

longer be considered a “druggie.” I will 

be considered a “forward thinker.” Vote 

Watermelon for Mayor 2024. That is what 

it says on the buttons. Collect all 10. 

To see Watermelon in action, check her out on 

YouTube. Baked: Cooking with Mary Jean is a 

special show that features one special ingredient: 

cannabis! Follow Watermelon, a.k.a. Mary Jean 

Dunsdon, on Twitter @weeddiva to never miss an 

episode, or sign up for updates at potent.media. 

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enjoy 

FIVE EFFECTIVE 

METHODS FOR 

Stashing 

YOUR 

Stash 

by Alan Ray | With more 

people subscribing to the use 

of medical marijuana, keeping it 

safe and fresh within the home 

is becoming more important. 

Look no further than Alan Ray’s 

suggestions to stylishly and 

effectively stash your stuff. 

Medical marijuana can be a powerful 

tool in the fight against many 

physical and mental disorders, and, 

as with any tool, it should be stored in 

its proper place. With MMJ, the reasons 

for designating its own safe space are 

many and obvious. Aside from convenience 

and ready access, there is the 

safety factor. Emergency room visits for 

acute marijuana intoxication in children 

less than nine years old is on the rise in 

states that have legalized marijuana, but 

this can be easily avoided with a little 

thoughtful effort. Proper storage is paramount 

to keeping MMJ safely out of the 

reach of children, pets, and prying eyes. 

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enjoy 

Today’s MMJ carries a far richer bouquet 

than ever before. It doesn’t take a 

bloodhound to detect that fragrance.” 

Below is a list of five cool and 

stealthy ways of keeping your stash 

safely hidden while significantly 

reducing or virtually eliminating 

marijuana’s herbal essence. 

Odour-Proof Bags 

Today’s MMJ carries a far richer 

bouquet than ever before. It doesn’t take 

a bloodhound to detect that fragrance. 

Also, if odour is leaking out of your 

bag, then air is also seeping in and 

accelerating the drying process. You 

don’t want either one of these issues. 

To address them, several companies 

now manufacture bags designed 

expressly to control or even eliminate 

the smell of marijuana much better 

than traditional baggies ever could. 

Many bags are made of extra thick 

polyethylene and offer the customer 

a variety of options. In addition to 

containing the fragrance of their 

contents, they are relatively inexpensive 

and reusable. Many scent-proof bags 

come in a range of handy sizes as 

well. Some thoughtful brands are even 

available with a double-squeeze childresistant 

(not childproof) lock. 

Name Brand Look-alike Containers 

These stash holders emulate practically 

every famous brand, from Coca 

Cola to STP and a hundred in between. 

Fake and hollow bottles, cans, and 

more are an effective way to hide your 

treasure in a product virtually identical 

to the real thing. The beauty of these 

stealthy storage containers is they 

can be hidden in plain sight with little 

chance of detection. Many products 

are even properly weighted for greater 

realism. Scores of these deceptive 

receptacles are available online. 

A Small Safe 

An excellent way to protect your 

MMJ is to simply keep it locked up 

in a small safe with either a key or 

combination known only to you. A 

locked safe prevents children, guests, 

and friends from gaining access to 

its contents. Moreover, unless a thief 

flat out steals your mini-vault, your 

stash will be safe even if the safe is 

discovered in a burglary. 

Aside from traditional safes that you 

have to physically hide, there are also 

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diversion safes available to protect 

your valuables. These are cleverly 

designed to look like everyday items 

to fool almost any burglar or person of 

disreputable character. From working 

wall clock safes to fake electrical 

wall outlets that contain a fold-out 

tray, there are several excellent ways 

to conceal your favourite goodies. 

A Prescription Bottle 

with a Combination Cap 

As with most prescriptions, MMJ can be 

stored in a prescription bottle—but not 

your typical drug store version. Those 

bottles generally come with a childproof 

cap that practically any child can open 

with a little time and minimal effort. The 

effectiveness of those so-called safety 

caps is minimal at best. 

Instead, there are prescription bottles 

available that offer added protection 

from busy little (or big) hands. By creating 

your own four-digit combination 

to secure the cap, you decrease the 

likelihood of someone intentionally or 

inadvertently opening the bottle. 

Humidors 

Effective methods for maintaining moisture 

content and shelf life are key factors 

in preserving the potency of your herb. 

Marijuana-dedicated humidors are a 

popular and efficacious way to keep your 

MMJ fresh and strong for a long period. A 

tobacco humidor, while great for keeping 

pipe and rolling tobacco fresh, is not 

recommended for marijuana storage. Cigar 

and tobacco humidors are generally made 

of cedar wood and anyone familiar with 

cedar knows it emanates a woody smell that 

potentially can transfer to the tobacco. 

In addition, where optimum relative humidity 

levels for tobacco range from 70 to 72 

per cent, marijuana stores best in a lower 

humidity environment of 55 to 72 per cent. 

There are humidors on the market constructed 

explicitly to protect and preserve your 

favourite herb. 

And, just because we can, here’s a 

sixth way to stash your cannabis: If 

you are in a household where such 

safety isn’t a concern, airtight glass 

jars kept in a dark place will suffice 

very nicely for storage purposes. 

Effective methods for maintaining moisture 

content and shelf life are key factors in 

preserving the potency of your herb.” 

Alan Ray has written five 

books and is a New York 

Times bestselling author. 

Additionally, he is a multiaward 

winning songwriter with 

awards from BMI and ASCAP. 

Alan lives in Tennessee with 

his wife and two dogs: a 

South African Boerboel and a 

Pomeranian/Wolverine mix. 

70 


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let’s be buds 

@myhydrolife 


myhydrolife.com

enjoy 

The cannabis edibles market 

is in a state of revolution. It’s 

expanding throughout the country 

as more states decriminalize/ 

legalize marijuana use, but there 

isn’t a set of universal, federal 

regulations to guide it. So, instead 

of venturing into this tumultuous 

territory blind, here’s an insight as to 

where the market stands now, and 

what we could see in the future. 

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As more states legalize (or decriminalize) 

the use of marijuana, the 

variety and sheer number of edible 

cannabis options increases, too. This is 

relatively new territory, however, and 

there is little regulation or oversight in 

the production of edible products containing 

cannabis. None of these products 

are eligible for FDA approval since 

the federal government still considers 

marijuana a controlled substance. This 

means that manufacturers and consumers 

of edible cannabis products must 

cover this murky, untrodden ground 

with some degree of caution. 

Edible marijuana products are used by 

different people for different reasons. In 

some cases, they are produced for the 

casual user to consume recreationally. In 

other cases, these products are produced 

solely for medicinal purposes by patients 

seeking pain remediation. Since there 

is no smoke, medicinal edibles are 

especially useful for individuals with 

respiratory issues. They also allow 

patients to access their medication in 

places where a smokable form would 

not be permitted either by policy or by 

law. Moreover, edible forms of cannabis 

deliver a more consistent medical effect 

than smokable forms. This can mean that 

dosing throughout the day is not required 

for many sufferers. 

Whether medicinal or recreational, 

cannabis must be infused into fats or 

alcohols for the delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol 

(THC) to be released and easily 

used by the consumer of edible marijuana. 

Most often, this is done by adding 

it to butters or oils. These are then used 

to create any number of edible products, 

including candies, gummies, lozenges, 

chocolate bars, baked goods, and beverages. 

Many manufacturers also add 

flavours such as lemon, chocolate, mint, 

cinnamon, or butterscotch to make their 

offering more enjoyable. 

As for the type of cannabis used, manufacturers 

draw on different strains for different 

desired outcomes. Often, sativas 

are used in products intended to aid in 

pain relief, and indicas are often used in 

products intended to help fight insomnia. 

Marijuana strains can be employed separately 

or in concert; there are numerous 

combinations used by different manufacturers 

for myriad intended results. 

In the US, edible products containing 

cannabis can currently be legally—by 

state laws, not federal—purchased 

in Colorado, the state of Washington, 

Alaska, and Oregon. Those products 

must only be sold, though, within the 

state that they were manufactured in. 

If a manufacturer of cannabis edibles 

As more states begin to allow the production, sale, 

possession, etc. of these types of products, it will 

likely lead to more edible cannabis items in the 

marketplace, as well as additional legislation and 

oversight by health officials to enforce them.” 

was to cross state lines, they would be 

in violation of the federal Interstate 

Commerce Act and thus potentially 

subject to prosecution and penalty. 

Those four states were joined by 

California, Maine, Massachusetts, and 

Nevada on Nov. 8, 2016. As more states 

begin to allow the production, sale, possession, 

etc. of these types of products, it 

will likely lead to more edible cannabis 

items in the marketplace, as well as 

additional legislation and oversight by 

health officials to enforce them. While 

some may question the need for government 

to be involved in personal choice 

issues, few would argue that it is a 

legitimate role of government to protect 

children and minors from making uninformed 

decisions. 

In all states allowing the purchase of 

products containing THC for medicinal 

use or otherwise, it is unlawful for 

persons under the age of 21 to do so. 

However, at the time this article was 

written, only the states of Washington 

and Colorado have laws relating to the 

marketing of edible cannabis products 

towards minors. In these two states, 

manufacturers may not target their 

advertising towards young people (think 

along the lines of Joe Camel), and any 

product containing cannabis needs to be 

packaged in child-resistant containers. 

Some manufacturers have already 

faced penalties for packaging their 

products to appear like popular non-cannabis 

products (the Hershey Corporation 

recently won a lawsuit against such a 

manufacturer that packaged their THCcontaining 

chocolate bar to appear like 

the quintessential, eponymous candy 

bar). Trademark issues aside, this poses 

a risk to children—and adults—with the 

over-consumption of edible cannabis 

products. A single serving of cannabis 

chocolate may be the same size and 

contain the same calories as a single 

serving of non-cannabis chocolate, 

but that does not mean it necessarily 

contains a single “serving” of THC. It’s 

easy to eat too much, which can lead to 

over-intoxication. This is especially relevant 

because THC is more extensively 

metabolized when ingested orally. In 

other words, users absorb a much larger 

amount of THC when they eat cannabis 

than if they smoked the same amount. 

Of course, at this early stage, there is 

no official standard when it comes to 

THC serving size. The state of Colorado 

determined 10 milligrams of THC should 

be considered a serving, regardless of 

the amount of non-cannabinoid ingredients 

in an edible product. A 2004 journal 

article, however, cites 16.3 milligrams 

as the maximum amount of THC per 

serving for medicinal cannabis. Back in 

1997, a study proposed that the maximum 

dosage of THC when used to treat pain 

and nausea symptoms is five milligrams 

per square metre of body surface area. 

The same study suggested that patients 

needing appetite stimulation should 

consume 2.5 milligrams twice daily. 

Regardless of where one stands on the 

issue of edible marijuana products, 

there are sure to be more: more products, 

more opportunities, more studies, 

and probably many more lawsuits 

and prosecutions before the market 

eradicates these variables and decides 

on a set of regulations to rule the postprohibition 

era of marijuana. 


y Gibson Lannister 

LADY IN MIND 

BEGONIA 

From Winnipeg, Canada, 

straight to the depths of 

your soul, enters Begonia. 

Begonia is Alexa Dirks and 

Lady In Mind is her debut solo 

album. Her voice is powerful, 

poignant, dark, beautiful, and 

intoxicating. If you ever get an 

opportunity to see this soulful 

pop beauty live, do not miss it! 

5 

THE BEST OF 

OBAMA GOLD WAX 

CANDYBLASTA 

European electronic pop 

group Candyblasta are as 

chilled out as it gets. Their 

latest EP The Best Of Obama 

Gold Wax does nothing but 

make me smile. No politics, 

just music, beautifully 

rendered, gentle, and pure. 

4 

HOT OR MOOD 

OAK HOUSE 

Oak House is a band to 

behold, as sturdy as their 

name. Their album Hot or 

Mood is a beautiful blend 

of samples from the alt rock 

kingdom. It is progressive 

rock, with peeks and valleys 

of hard and soft, fast and slow. 

4.5 

Gibson Lannister has 

been a musician for 

more than 15 years and 

continues to expand his 

knowledge of theory 

and technique. 

SUNBELT EMPTINESS 

POLLEN RX 

Sunbelt Emptiness is the 

debut album from Pollen Rx. 

This band is a hard one to nail 

down…alt rock, post-grunge, 

noisy surf pop? I just call them 

good. And the battle between 

vocalists Maud and Ben adds 

another layer to the sevenlayer 

music dip. It’s addictive! 

4 

ART AMBIDEXTROUS 

PROPAGANDA 

& ODD THOMAS 

LA’s own Propaganda & 

Odd Thomas have put forth 

something provocative in 

Art Ambidextrous. It’s poetic, 

prophetic, passionate, and 

humble, with a high level of 

energy. Propaganda’s lyrics 

are drenched in truth, a rarity 

in our increasingly hyperbolic 

world. Hip hop at its finest. 

4 

REMEMBER US TO LIFE 

REGINA SPEKTOR 

Regina Spektor has done it 

again! Just when you think it 

can’t get any better, she drops 

her latest album, Remember 

Us To Life. She has this 

inane ability to bring to life 

characters and narratives, and 

tell a story that every person 

can relate to, all while pushing 

the envelope artistically. 

5 

74 


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Hydrolife Magazine April/May 2017 (Canada Edition)

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