Cannabis, in its natural form, is a very unique medicine. It can effectively treat so many ailments, but those effects vary greatly from user to user. This is its blessing and its curse. Anecdotal evidence traditionally does not carry a lot of weight in the field of research medicine but it is essential in the understanding of cannabis and how it affects people. By hearing enough stories, and by treating those stories as “cases”, bigger picture extrapolations can occur which could potentially help doctors to gain a broader knowledge of the plant and how it can be optimally used to heal.

We are all about safe access for all, especially when it comes to the medicinal use of cannabis or hemp. Lower priced hemp products are not inherently bad, and those that are farmed and produced ethically need to have a place in the market but this feels like a deadly blow to the already niche market of CBD-rich cannabis production in California and that is scary.

Nobody on our crew voted for Prop 64 but unless it is somehow repealed and replaced it is the flawed law of the land. Our windows of opportunity to effect real change are so narrow and when we miss them, months go by before they reopen. It is imperative that we keep the pressure on our elected officials at all levels of government so that we can take advantage of our next opportunity to correct this law. We have the overwhelming will of the people on our side - will you add your voice to the cause?

For me, PTSD is one of a handful of issues that I treat with cannabis. I look forward to the day that I can say I am “cured”, and I have no doubt that this plant has me on that path.

It should come as no surprise that we stand behind the growers in Santa Barbara County. As the County Supervisor stated, the growers have gone the extra mile to be good members of the community on top of unprecedented regulations from the state that they must abide by to get licensed and remain compliant.

Whatever else war and military service means, they are conscious choices made by millions of people. We can choose peace. We can choose compassion. We can choose truth. Memorial Day is as good a day as any to rejoin the fight for a better future and reject endless war and all the ill it brings into our world. All we have are our choices.

Of the 123 professional sports teams across the NFL, NHL, NBA, and MLB, 45 of them (or 36.6% of them) are based in states or provinces where recreational cannabis is legal for consumption by adults aged 21 and up. On top of that, 56 of them (or 45.5% of them) have home court/field/ice advantage in states or provinces where medical use of cannabis is legal. Don’t worry, we did the math – that’s 102 out of 123 teams, or a heavily lopsided 82% of sports teams from those four leagues. There are only six states remaining that have a pro team but do not have progressive cannabis reform in place – Georgia, Indiana, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Wisconsin. That sure adds a new twist to draft day.

Military veterans have shouldered an unbelievable amount of the burden to make cannabis reform a reality and we at Beard Bros. Pharms are eternally grateful to these groups and individuals for their service and for their advocacy. The least we can do is help to spread the word and rattle some political cages when called to action - won’t you do the same?

We have written over 150,000 words in the past year telling other people’s stories but this time around we hit a little closer to home. This is your ringside seat for a life or death prizefight between our Media Director here at Beard Bros. Pharms and a 6” x 6” x 2” tumor dubbed “The Malignant Porkchop”.