Welcome to season three of the Cannaba Verum podcast, the cannabis truth podcast. I speak the language of cannabis freely and uncensored while educating my audience on safe use of this live plant therapy. You should know what’s in your cannabis. What’s good and what’s not. It does not come with an FDA stamp of approval yet. 

Using cannabis mindfully as medication is a different concept in Western healthcare philosophy, specifically the past 100 years. There’s a lot to learn and reconsider. The information you’ll find here comes straight from the scientists and clinicians doing the work and reporting their findings in real time through various live online outlets. The scientific truth of cannabis is finally getting out and is wide open for all to see at respected medical sites like www.pubmed.gov and JAMA, the Journal of American Medical Association (jamanetwork.com). 

I’m right there in the thick of it with all those titans of medicine as a fly on the wall. Because I’m not a doctor. I didn’t go to med school. I did take dozens of private cannabis courses offered by cannabis expert scientists online over the past few years and slowly began to understand the bigger picture. Well, I can talk to those medical professionals about cannabis all day long and their patients and hopefully inspire them to research the facts as we know them today. 

Cannabis is an amazing alternative in health remedies that can reportedly alleviate typical disease problems and troubling side effects caused by synthetic prescriptions. This is Honey Smith Walls, a 21st century cannabis shaman… not a doctor… not a scientist. Raised by nuns and wolves in the verdant cattle pastures of the Oklahoma oil fields. I’m here to amplify the truth of this great big story and language of cannabis in historical, political and scientific terms… so you can make educated decisions about the medicine you choose to ingest. 

Seg 1

My Friends,

My heart is broken for the country of Ukraine. I can’t get my head and feelings out of it and I don’t want to. The news is all I can think about. I find advice to limit my intake of the war but I’m not that girl. The Ukrainians can’t just shut it off… neither can I. It makes me feel guilty to turn it off. I want it to be our focus until we help them finish it. I want us to recognize the need for our military intervention by air to stop this insanity of violence upon the citizens of Ukraine. There is a line in the sand that NATO has drawn but not until it is crossed will anybody do the necessary ill will of a No-Fly Zone.  The bottom line is that the US doesn’t want to be known for starting WWIII. 

The truth is that Putin already started WWIII. He is a trapped failed leader of 150 million people he is still trying to control with lies and deceit. I am horrified that the rest of the world has allowed this to go on. That the power of one man can utterly devastate another autonomous country of 40 million people is the most bizarre fact of this century to me. 

That and the absolute obstinance of our own federal government to deschedule cannabis. The lies abound and whoever is whispering in Biden’s ear about it should be replaced. And as long as we’re talking about liars, why can’t we make telling lies to the public from a pulpit or platform a serious crime? We see the damage that’s done. We can’t lie to a federal agent without getting in trouble. How can they be allowed to get away with lying to us?  We were promised movement on cannabis years ago when Biden was running for office. What happened?

I’ve been chatting with friends in the cannabis industry in California. What a mess the cannabis situation is out there! They have a sort of medical system but from what I hear, most people get their cannabis from Recreational places and I have no idea what their level of understanding is about the plant and it’s effects.  Delta-8 is not legal in California. And as I understand the statutes of Federal regulation, Delta-8 is a derivative and is therefore, not legal to use by the public. But it’s everywhere.  I’m afraid it’s being made without good industry protocol for safety and there’s nobody watching these “moonshiners” except for the emergency room attendants. But I don’t have all the hard facts and that may just be my worry at this point.

I want to tell you about a recent event I attended. It was so much fun to get all dolled up and trot over to Orlando to one of those big sprawling resort hotels that caters to corporate. It was even more exciting to be among other real live people! I live and work from home and rarely go out, except to rehearsal with my band and an occasional gig throughout the year. We only play for the pleasure of each other’s company and the ancient music we make together… payment comes in fun, food, and libations.

So dressing for this century, I wore some fabulous fake snake knee-high boots with sharply spiked kitten heels, did my long hair up in a fashionable twist with rhinestone clips to hold everything in place and added a sassy hat with an enamel pin on the side. That pin is shaped and painted like a tiny cannabis extraction machine that only people in that area of the industry would recognize. It’s a great conversational piece. My outfit was very retro-BoHo with a rich velvet paisley jacket and long pencil skirt to keep me warm in those cold conference rooms. I love getting all dolled up.

There were about 20 other people in the room and seated at long conference tables set up with a screen and pulpit at the front. This was going to be a presentation of a company I was looking into. 

Let me just say at this point, that the company said all the right things about their cannabis products.  They triple-lab test, they were the first to produce a CBD product in the world and yada yada… They explained a lot of company details through one of their company scientist “Ambassadors” who has an impressively long pedigree in the industry. And although I think the product is fine, the company model was not for me. 

Yall know I don’t sell anything. For the last 3 years, I’ve just been podcasting and trying to help you understand how to use cannabis safely to lift your quality of life.  I follow the original scientists who have been discovering the secret treasures of this plant and writing about it in medical journals since the 60s in the last century. Scientists like Dr.s Raphael Mechoulam, Ethan Russo, Dustin Sulak, and more. I had never heard of this company’s scientists but my bubble could be considered pretty small… So that was a fleeting notation in my head.

The point is… I vetted this company through days of investigative due diligence and found them to have the highest A+ rating for the BBB and other accolades but they wanted to bring me into their team and I just couldn’t. They have a business model that would’ve taken me away from you. And I like being with you. So that was that.

And this is what I want to leave with you about this company and my experience…

There will be lots of companies in the cannabis industry blossoming with new ideas and business models that will be wonderful for many to work with. Some of them will even make a few people very rich. 

But I’m not that girl.  I may never be a Midas but I can tell you one thing for certain… I am happy and content to work right here for you… to bring you information about the cannabis industry and what you can expect. To help you understand the plant and how it can safely elevate your health and well-being.

Seg 2

We are complicated individual creatures each eating our own favorite foods and medicines that effect the way cannabis works in us. No two people are gonna have the same cannabis regimen because our needs are all so different.

What I’m trying to teach you in this particular moment of cannabis history is that you must be your own alchemist and “safety officer”… you must investigate the source of your cannabis products and determine if they care enough about you to sell UN-contaminated cannabis! It matters to your health.  Sure you can eat McDonald’s all the time and feel sated… but you also know that it will get you to the grave sooner if you don’t balance all those carbs and fat with better foods and exercise. Same in cannabis right now. You simply must take care to find good trustworthy product to consume.

I’d like to tell you that the company I was describing earlier is called Kannaway. And for those friends who want to jump into the hemp industry, they have a serious presentation that may inspire you to join them. It’s more about building a team around you to build their own teams if you see what I mean. But I’ll let them give their own presentation. 

In the meantime, I’m going to stick with what I know to be true, the facts about cannabis and helping you understand how to protect yourself in this “Wild Wild West of Cannabis” and get the best bang for your buck with the proper cannabinoid therapy.

That’s why I’m so suspicious of Rec.  Who’s teaching the public? And what are they saying?

I want you to be aware of the questions I get asked the most… and it usually comes from someone who doesn’t have the money to become a medical marijuana patient in Florida… it’s expensive. I don’t mean to scare you off but I pay about $400./mo out of my own pocket because there’s no insurance. People ask, s“How can I tell if this CBD product is good? I see it everywhere but don’t know who to trust!”

And here’s the Florida dispensary side of that… “I just can’t seem to find the same product twice because I have to shop for sales to afford dispensary prices and they keep changing their formulas so I can’t find the original product that worked for me anymore.”

And then… “I know I’m supposed to “start low and go slow and don’t be afraid to go all the way like Dr. Dustin Sulak says of  Healer.com, but I still can’t find my sweet spot… even though I’m layering my delivery methods in various ways throughout the day and at bedtime.”

And I’ve seen some patients give up and go back to prescription meds along with their own set of aches and pains… out of frustration and lack of funds.

Cannabis is complicated. Over 500 compounds we haven’t even named completely. But what we do know after thousands of years of use without one death recorded… it is a reliable source of medicine for all kinds of human and animal issues.

I’m trying to find a way to make it simpler and easier for you… the laws really have us kalliwhompered about it right now.

So until we figure it all out, here’s what we do know:

Cannabis is good for us and can alleviate all kinds of misery.

Contamination is highly probable so 3rd-party lab testing is absolutely necessary to your health and safety.

If that cannabis product does not have a 3rd-party lab test attached to it, don’t buy it.

If you have medical issues, you should see a real cannabis expert doctor for proper care. It’s very easy to over medicate and bust your thc tolerance. Its also very easy to reset your tolerance by abstaining from cannabis for at least 24 hours. And you should also know that cannabis is bi-phasic… meaning at one dose it will effect you one way and at another dose it will effect you the opposite way.

So you must become your own alchemist. You’re the only one who can feel the effects. And depending on what you’re looking for, you’ll just have to experiment. You’ll have to try a tiny dose first, one that you won’t feel an effect from. And if you do… and you have the relief you were searching for, then you found your sweet spot… with that product. Each product will be different and how you deliver it into your body will create questions of time… how long the effects will last.  So learning that timing according to which delivery method you choose plays into the puzzle you’re piecing together… the puzzle of yourself using cannabis.

Timing isn’t complicated but there are several ways to look at it. 

1. Inhaling smoke or vaporized cannabis equals instant effects and lasts about 2 hours.
2. Using tincture inside your cheeks equals momentary effects and lasts about 2 hours.
3. Swallowing tincture equals slow effects within an hour and lasts 6-8 hours.
4. Swallowing pills and edibles equals slow effects within an hour lasting 6-8 hours.
5. Rubbing topicals on skin equals slow effects within an hour lasting 6-8 hours.

I really want to impress the need for a good cannabis expert doctor to help you through the initial phase of becoming a new cannabis patient. They are the only ones who understand your diagnosis and the precise cannabis compounds that would suit you better for your condition. I know when Recreational hits Florida, there will be a lot of turnover from medical marijuana dispensaries. But I implore you to stay with clean products from sources you vetted and trust that come with a 3rd-party lab test.

You can always call me and ask. My number is all over my website. I’m on LinkedIn every day learning from my cannabis tribe of scientists in the industry and totally open to conversation. Of course you’ll see me on other social media too because I am committed to helping you understand and feel better. I love being here with you and I think about you all the time and the information you need to know to navigate this world of cannabis. I’m humbled by the scientists who include me in their conversations and guide me to help you. Amplifying their work to you has been the joy of my existence for the past 5 years. I want to thank you for listening. For paying attention. For spreading the word. And for accepting me as I am. 

For now… and maybe forever more… I am Ukrainian… even though I was born in Arkansas and raised in Oklahoma by nuns and wolves in the red clay oil fields of Indian Territory… Pax Vobiscum my cannabis friends.

FINI:

You’ve been listening to another Cannaba Verum podcast with 21st century cannabis shaman Honey Smith Walls about the importance of using verifiably safe products. The process of getting a diagnosis from your family doctor and taking your records to a cannabis specialist can lead you to the correct cannabinoid therapy for those issues. Otherwise, you’re just your own guinea pig looking for answers without any foundational knowledge or ability to determine the best choices or strategies. 

To find a qualified cannabis expert in your area… visit www.cannabisclinicians.org. 

It is a national society of cannabis experts and you’ll see that link down in my show notes. 

Unless otherwise proven by a reputable third party lab test, please be advised that all street weed is contaminated. It may do grave harm to a patient with a delicate immune system who already has inflammatory issues like arthritis, IBS, fibromyalgia or worse. 

Subscribe to the Cannaba Verum podcast and become part of a project to understand the effects of cannabis on the public. Your anecdotal testimony is priceless to me. Medical citations are posted on my podcast blog when you visit CannabaVerum.com. That’s CannabaVerum.com. Hey, and one last thing… Would you take an extra second to give my podcast a Like and Review? It’s like Bitcoin crack for the algorithms. Thanks so much. Hey, I hear the cows calling.

MOOOOOOO!!

Sources:

Cannaba Verum is Latin for Cannabis Truth. Sourcing factual information about cannabis hasn’t always been easy for a variety of reasons. However now because of modern innovations, it is. My sources are from leaders in cannabis science like: 

Roger Adams, U.S. Organic Chemist who isolated the structure of CBD, 

Raphael Mechoulam, Israeli Organic Chemist who isolated the structure of THC,

Ethan Russo, Dir R&D International Cannabis and Cannabinoids Institute 

Dustin Sulak, DO – my favorite doctor at healer.com, teaching the art of Cannabis Healing to the world, and other industry greats like: 

Rev. Dr. Kymron DeCesare, Ed Rosenthal, Jack Herer, Michael Backes, and Michael Pollen and so many more… plus I use classical sites like: PubMed.gov, JAMAnetwork.com, ResearchGate.com. I listen to several daily podcasts to keep up with the latest cannabis news across the nation and throughout the world like: Dr. Codi Peterson et al on The Cannigma Podcast,  MJTodayDaily.com and MarijuanaMoment.net.  I trust the CBDProject.org and CannabisScienceTech.com. I watch the National Cannabis Industry Association (NCIA) at: thecannabisindustry.org and many more like: NCIA’s Cannabis Industry VOICE (CannabisRadio.com)

Over past episodes of Cannaba Verum, we’ve listened to some amazing scientists and medical professionals talk about their discoveries and patient successes as hundreds of questionable compounds rise to the public grasp. I am especially interested in the pharmacists movement becoming an integral part of this new medicinal choice. 

Watch this machine roll into action through conversations with pharmacy doctors all over the nation like Dr. Leah Johnson out West and Dr. Alan Ao up North. There are so many more but these two have come on my show to explain the situation and it’s fascinating.

You’ll find Citations available on my podcast blog at cannabaverum.com 

PS: Helping society get past the fear of using cannabis will be a lifelong journey for me. This industry is just opening up and most patients and doctors are seriously cannabis naive and need help understanding where to turn for trustworthy information. 

If you need help opening that cannabis discussion with your family doctor,  please reach out and grab the Dear Doctor Letter I wrote for this exact purpose. It will explain your decision to try cannabis and ask for their help in monitoring your labs and progress. It will also show them where they can find medical research on the subject of your diagnosis and the effects of cannabis. 

You’ll find that letter at cannabaverum.com  

My Neurologist and Cannabis Expert Medical Marijuana Doctor in Melbourne, FL: 

Anthony Mazo, M.D.

Brevard Neuro Center

(321) 733-2711

315 E. Nasa Blvd. 

Melbourne, FL 32901.    

All opinions are my own and should not be mistaken as medical advice. 

1. Microdosing – https://healer.com/cbd-cannabis-dosage-guide-project-cbd-interview-with-dr-sulak/
2. Concentrates – https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29307505/ 
3. Cannabis Helps Dementia Podcast – Anchor.FM/cannabishelpsdementia
4. Society of Cannabis Clinicians – https://www.cannabisclinicians.org/
5. Take the Pledge – GreenTakeover.com
6. Handbook for Clinicians – Principles and Practice – https://wwnorton.com/books/9780393714180
7. The Cannigma Podcast = https://cannigma.com/podcast/behind-the-scenes-on-cannabis-normalization-with-jm-pedini/
8. Curious About Cannabis Podcast = https://cacpodcast.com/