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This Is How Marijuana Can Help With Spinal Cord Injuries

Kent Gruetzmacher
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This Is How Marijuana Can Help With Spinal Cord Injuries

The uses of medical cannabis for treatment of spinal cord injuries are quite well researched and documented. As spinal cord injuries resultant from automobile accidents and vocational hazards are prevalent across the US—with the national average totaling 12,000 new cases annually—natural therapies for these ailments are quite welcome.

The spinal cord is a bundles of nerves that run along the vertebrae in the human spine. Moreover, “the spinal cord is responsible for carrying signals back and forth between the brain and body”. When an individual’s spine receives a powerful blow, as seen in car accidents, this vital neural message pathway can be greatly disrupted. For “complete” spinal cord injuries sufferers are entirely paralyzed below the point of impact, while “incomplete” spinal cord injuries are characterized by a partial loss of feeling and control below the injured area. No matter the severity of one’s spinal cord injury, symptoms include “insomnia, severe pain, muscle spasticity, and anxiety, along with uncomfortable bowel and bladder”. Medical marijuana has several applications in relation to spinal cord injuries:

Muscle Spasticity

Muscle spasticity is one of the most prevalent, and debilitating, side effects of a spinal cord injury. The ailment is defined by the uncontrolled contraction of muscles resultant from nerve damage within vertebral cord damages. Moreover, “it is estimated that between 65-78% of individuals living with a spinal cord injury experience muscle spasticity”. In relationship to medical cannabis, the University of Manitoba, Canada researched the effectiveness of a “synthetic cannabinoid” named “Nabilone” on victims of muscle spasticity. Amazingly, over 90% of participants in the study experienced far less muscle spasms after taking the synthetic marijuana drug.

Pain Relief

Comparatively speaking, for patients suffering from a variety of ailments one of the largest draws of medical marijuana is its relative unobtrusiveness in relation to prescription medicines. Along this line of thought, cannabis as a pain reliever has attracted a fair amount of attention in the medical world concerning spinal injuries. For most individuals that suffer from chronic pain, the prospect of taking prescription pain killers is quite intimidating due to issues with addiction as well as harmful side effects. To tie it all together, The Journal of Pain researched the effectiveness of “vaporized” medicinal cannabis in relations to spinal cord injury pain and found it to be extremely beneficial in reducing previously incapacitating ailments. Moreover, the use of cannabis doesn’t pose as large of risks with addiction and side effects as seen with prescription medications such as opioids.

Moderation Of Bladder Activity

For those not “in the know” concerning the essential functions of the human spinal cord, the fact that it plays an important role in bladder control is generally unfamiliar. In fact, “the spinal cord is a messenger between the brain and bladder” and facilitates the messages within the human body to urinate. Consequently, for those suffering from spinal cord injuries, this loss of effective neural communication generally results in an “overactive bladder” for patients. The role of medical marijuana in relation to these bladder issues was studied in 2001 by “The Switzerland Centre for Spinal Cord Injury” through rectal administrations of THC. Amazingly enough, these rectally directed doses of THC reduced the rampant bladder activity synonymous with many spinal cord injury cases.

Kent Gruetzmacher M.F.A. is a Colorado based freelance writer and the Director of Business Development at Mac & Fulton Talent Partners (www.mandfconsultants.com), a recruiting firm dedicated to the indoor gardening and cannabis space. He is interested in utilizing his M.A. in the Humanities to critically explore the many cultural and business facets of this youthful, emergent industry by way of his entrepreneurial projects.

Dunkin’ Donuts Is Making Craft Beer Now

Maria Loreto
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Dunkin’ Donuts Is Making Craft Beer Now

Dunkin’ Donuts makes and sells a lot of products. Known for their coffee that’s able to battle the likes of Starbucks, the doughnut company is now dipping its toes into the craft beer business, collaborating with local breweries for limited release beers.

Dailycoffeenews.com reports that Dunkin Donuts’ first experiment with craft beers was through a partnership with Catawba Brewing Company, with whom they collaborated on the Dunkin’ Punkin’ Brown Ale. This drink included DD’s cold brew and their famous flavoring agents.

Via Daily Coffee News:

“Craft coffee is at the core of our business so we like to brew up something for National Coffee Day that really delights our customers. That’s when we hatched an out-of-the-cup idea – combine craft coffee and craft beer — the perfect pair.

To give it the local flare, we partnered with an established, family-owned brewery with a mission that caught our attention — create unique, small batch beers inspired by our communities and lifestyle.”

Since then, Dunkin’ Donuts has partnered with Wormtown Brewery, a Massachusetts based company, with whom they’re working on a collaboration featuring DD’s dark roasted brew in the style of a stout beer. The drink will be released on December 21st, to celebrate the “darkest day of the year.”

We’ll excitedly await for DD’s next partnership with other small and local breweries. Maybe they’ll even start selling beer at your local Dunkin’ Donuts. That’d be something.

A Simple Guide For Making Your Own Touchscreen Gloves This Winter

Maria Loreto
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A Simple Guide For Making Your Own Touchscreen Gloves This Winter

Winter is here, which means that we’ve only just started to experience the bitter cold, and we’re all moody and depressed over it.  Touchscreen gloves are a simple item that makes winter more bearable, protecting our hands and allowing us to use our phones without getting frostbite.

And we all know how expensive touchscreen gloves are. The ugly things can cost as much as $150 and often super unfashionable.

Luckily, they’re pretty simple to make if you’re a little handy. According to Science Daily, your phone uses electricity to sense touch, which doesn’t work if you’re wearing normal gloves.

To make your own DIY touchscreen gloves, you can follow these simple set of tips:

What You Need:

  • Gloves
  • Marker
  • Needle threader (optional)
  • Conductive thread or yarn
  • Needle

Instructions:

You normally use your index finger and the inside edge of your thumb to swipe around, so mark down those areas on the fabric of the gloves with a marker. Turn the gloves inside out and be sure that you can still see the marks you’ve made.

Thread the needle and stitch over the spots you’ve marked, covering around a quarter of an inch of your markings. Leave long tails of thread that’ll touch the finger on the inside of the glove and that’ll be responsible for creating the electricity that’ll make your touchscreen react.

Turn your gloves right side in, put them on and try them on your phone. If they don’t work, then add more stitches or make your patches larger. If you need more help then be sure to check out the video below that shows you what to do step by step.

Watch What Happens When You Fill Your Gas Tank With Coke

Amy Hansen
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Watch What Happens When You Fill Your Gas Tank With Coke

We’ve all been there. You’re pumping gas into your car and thinking to yourself, “What would happen if I filled this gas with another sort of liquid? What would happen?” But would any of us be stupid enough to actually try to replace fuel with anything but?

One guy did. TechRax has built an entire YouTube channel off of destroying technology, specifically smart phones. He’s dropped an iPhone in lava, put it through a blender and a waffle iron, and took a swim in a pool filled with Coca-Cola, Mentos and 200 pounds of ice (his most popular video to date). This time around, he’s filled the gas tank of a BMW with two liters of Coke.

RELATED: Watch What Happens When This Kid Soaks His Sister’s Teeth In Soda

The car starts out seemingly fine, but then about a minute into the drive post-Coke, it starts making weird noises followed by the inevitable “check engine” notification. You can see how it all unfolds and how much it’s going to cost to fix the car. It’s not cheap.

In May, Project Farm experimented with adding sugar to the gas tank of a lawnmower. The sugar didn’t cause any significant damage to the engine, but did leave a residue on the cylinder head, which could have a long-term impact on the engine overall.

Is soda the next fuel alternative? Elon Musk has nothing to worry about.

The 10 Funniest Tweets About ‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’

Maria Loreto
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The 10 Funniest Tweets About ‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’

There’s crazy rabid fans, and then there’s Star Wars fans. The Last Jedi came out a couple of weeks ago, yet people have not stopped talking, dissecting, and ranting about its every detail. Maybe you haven’t seen the movie, but you’ve heard of Porgs. You’ve also definitely read or heard some strangers’ opinion on the film, claiming that it’s either the best thing in the world, or the worst.

On the Internet, we’re used to discussing a subject for an hour, a couple of tweets at max, before some other bit of shinier news steals the spotlight. In this regard, The Last Jedi is an exception; a blockbuster that’s managed to stir up controversy and propel some cybernetic feuds.

If you haven’t seen the movie, and are interested in doing so, then read the following tweets at your own risk. While they’re not spoilers per se, they all discuss things that may spoil the movie if you’re one of those spoiler-phobes. You’ve been warned.

Check out the funniest 10 tweets regarding Star Wars: The Last Jedi:

This Snake Wearing A Sweater Will Warm Your Cold Heart

Amy Hansen
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This Snake Wearing A Sweater Will Warm Your Cold Heart

Pet parents will do anything for their loved one – look what this snake owner thought up!

Nobody should be exempt from getting holiday gifts or wearing ugly Christmas sweaters (even if unintentionally) including pets. One pet who got both is Spaghetti. This snake wearing sweater will warm your cold heart. The docile corn snake received a custom made knitted sweater courtesy of an amazing aunt who obviously loves him beyond words.

Via reddit user Rancor_Emperor

According to Spaghetti’s caretaker:

My sister made my pet snake a sweater! Spaghetti is a corn snake. Super nice, doesn’t bite or anything. He’s about 39″ long. He just ate so now he’s too fat to fit into his sweater, like most of us on Christmas after dinner!

He posted a video of Spaghetti on YouTube and tells reddit, “I wish I made more videos before I fed him. Now he’s too fat to fit in his sweater lol.”

RELATED: Snakes Eating Snakes Is A Thing And We Have Video

And while many reddit users commented on the fact that snakes don’t need sweaters to stay warm (and that yarn might actually be bad for them), most seemed taken aback by the fact that they were looking at a snake wearing a sweater:

“I’m waiting for somebody to post a video of getting a snake into their sweater, cause right now I am so confused.”

RELATED: Man Fined $190 For ‘Walking’ His Snake In Park Without A Leash

Here’s Spaghetti looking super chill in his new outfit. This is what Christmas is all about.

US Border Patrol, California Clash Over Legal Marijuana Law

Terry Hacienda
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US Border Patrol, California Clash Over Legal Marijuana Law

Federal agents will be allowed to confiscate any marijuana found even in vehicles driving through checkpoints 100 miles from the Mexican border.

After more than a year after Californians overwhelmingly voted to legalize cannabis, the law will go into effect on Monday. Residents and visitors of the state will be allowed to possess small amounts of marijuana without fear of arrest. Well, that’s not totally true.

According to a report by the Associated Press, cannabis possession still will be prohibited at eight Border Patrol checkpoints in California. Federal agents will be allowed to confiscate any marijuana found even in vehicles driving through checkpoints 100 miles from the Mexican border.

“Prior to Jan. 1, it’s going to be the same after Jan. 1, because nothing changed on our end,” Ryan Yamasaki, an assistant chief of the Border Patrol’s San Diego sector, told the Associated Press. “If you’re a federal law enforcement agency, you uphold federal laws.”

This tension between the federal government and legal marijuana states does not just apply to California. The Border Patrol operates 34 permanent checkpoints along the Mexican border and an additional 103 “tactical” stops, typically cones and signs that appear for brief periods, the Associated Press reports.  Eleven of those checkpoints are located inland in California, and agents still to confiscate small amounts of cannabis from motorists.

According to the American Civil Liberties Union:

Border Patrol agents routinely ignore or misunderstand the limits of their legal authority in the course of individual stops, resulting in violations of the constitutional rights of innocent people. These problems are compounded by inadequate training for Border Patrol agents, a lack of oversight by CBP and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and the consistent failure of CBP to hold agents accountable for abuse. Thus, although the 100-mile border zone is not literally “Constitution free,” the U.S. government frequently acts like it is.

The Government Accountability Office reported last month that roughly 40 percent of cannabis seizures at CBP checkpoints from 2013-2106 was from US citizens carrying one ounce or less. California law allows for possession of one ounce.

Earlier this year, US Attorney General Jeff Sessions, a longtime opponent of marijuana legalization, said he was taking a close look at federal enforcement. At times, he has been critical of President Barack Obama’s lenient approcach to cannabis.

In about an hour, three raised enough suspicion to be ordered aside for a thorough vehicle search.

About two-thirds of the US population lives within the 100-mile zone — that is, within 100 miles of a US land or coastal border. That’s about 200 million people. Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont lie entirely or almost entirely within this are.

Nine of the 10 largest metropolitan areas fall within this zone: New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Antonio, San Diego and San Jose.

Gossip: Meghan Markle And Kate Middleton Money Shot; Kylie Jenner Trying To Hide Pregnancy Because Of Her Age

Naughty Gossip
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Gossip: Meghan Markle And Kate Middleton Money Shot; Kylie Jenner Trying To Hide Pregnancy Because Of Her Age

Rumors that Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton are not getting along have reached the Royal ears and now the Palace is desperate to get photographs of the two ladies together to prove they are the best of friends – which has been more difficult than you might think.

“Kate was scheduled to have breakfast with Meghan but cancelled when she didn’t feel very well,” sources tell Straight Shuter. “Now the Palace is hoping to get photographs of the two ladies looking happy together over the holidays.

William and Kate spent Christmas 2016 with her mom and dad in Bucklebury, but now have been convinced to spend this holiday with the Windsor establishment at Sandringham. Will and Kate will host Prince Harry and Meghan at Anmer Hall and the Palace will get the “money shots” of Meghan and Kate interacting.

Kensington Palace confirmed, “You can expect to see the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry and Meghan on Christmas Day.”

Kylie Jenner Trying To Hide Pregnancy Because Of Her Age

People reports that Kylie is “continuing to enjoy a quiet life” as she prepares to welcome the baby, and that the makeup mogul is “doing well.”

“She has expressed some concerns about giving [birth] and the recovery, but she isn’t freaking out…It seems more like first-time mom concerns.”

“Kylie wants to disappear and be out of the spotlight and focus on her health and happiness,” a source told People. “Kylie isn’t going to publicly address her pregnancy until she gives birth. She’s not doing any public appearances and just wanted to take six months off. Kylie is only trusting her closest friends and her sisters right now. She wants to reveal things on her own terms but she’s, of course, having fun teasing everyone. She knows all the attention is on her and her baby bump, but she won’t share until she wants to.”

There has been no confirmation from any family member, and when asked at a fashion show in Milan about the pregnancy, Kris played dumb. “I just woke up this morning. She’s not confirmed anything. I think it’s kind of wild that everyone is just assuming that that’s just happening. Something happens every single day. You never know what is going to break at any moment.”

“She feels good, but her body is changing,” People reports. “She doesn’t want to be photographed. At the moment, she wants more privacy. She has family and friends come to her house instead so she has company. She’s very excited about the baby, though. She talks about the baby nonstop.”

Love the fresh dirt we bring over daily from Naughty Gossip? Let us know in the comments!

Combining Seattle’s Coffee And Cannabis Cultures Into One Shop

Terry Hacienda
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Combining Seattle’s Coffee And Cannabis Cultures Into One Shop

Cannabis and coffee. It’s a combination made famous in Seattle. Origins, a premium Seattle-based marijuana retailer, is blending the two popular mood boosters when it opens the doors to its second location about 15 miles east of Seattle.

Since Starbucks opened its first storefront in Seattle in 1971, the Emerald City has built a well-earned reputation as the nation’s coffee capital. And when Washington citizens voted to legalize recreational cannabis in 2012, a thriving marijuana culture emerged in the city also famous for rain, grunge music and natural beauty.

Origins, which opened its first store in West Seattle in 2016, will host a grand opening for its new Redmond location Saturday from 3-7 p.m. The store is smack-dab in the middle of the suburb’s Old Town retail corridor and just a few miles away from Microsoft’s worldwide headquarters.

“We believe there will be tremendous growth opportunity in the suburbs,” said Angela Carson, Director of Marketing for Origins. “We know there are a lot of people living in this community who are curious about what cannabis can do for them. And we definitely will focus on customer education and information.”

Not only will the Redmond store have a full complement of cannabis products – from flower to edibles to concentrates – Origins will also have a corner coffee shop for downtown shoppers to stop and socialize. “Coffee and cannabis are similar in that they both are meant to bring people together,” Carson says. “We want our store to be a hub for the community and a place for people to meet.”  The coffee shop will seat about 20 people and will serve small-batch roasts.

The Origins Lifestyle Spectrum

Origins provides a unique retail experience designed for all cannabis consumers – from longtime experts to the “cannabis curious crowd.” Origins makes shopping intuitive and simple by breaking down the plethora of products into “lifestyle” categories.

“When we embarked on building the Origins brand, we found that due to years of misinformation (or lack of information), most consumers don’t fully appreciate the complexity of cannabis,” says Andrew Cornwall, Origins Partner. “Given how many different active ingredients there are in cannabis, and the sheer volume of different strains, choosing the right strain to achieve desired effects can be overwhelming. That’s precisely why we developed the Lifestyle Spectrum. We want to take the mystery out of cannabis while helping consumers choose the best strain to fit their lifestyle.

“Once we have established a strain’s Lifestyle, cannabis guides receive training on each Lifestyle and strains within the Lifestyle,” Cornwall continued. “Origins goal is to provide relevant recommendations thus creating loyal and educated clients,” Cornwall added.

The “Lifestyles” created at Origins include:

  • Self-discovery
  • Adventurous
  • Social
  • Holistic
  • Party-goer
  • After hours

According to Cornwall, the Lifestyle Spectrum has helped educate customers new to the cannabis experience while at the same time shortening the shopping time for experienced consumers.

“Our customers who know very little about the effects of cannabis feel very comfortable making purchasing decisions with our system,” Cornwall said. “And we train all our employees about all aspects of our products. Our trained employees love to help shoppers select the right product for them.”

The company has also created the Origins Certified™ program. Cornwall and his team insist on buying their cannabis products from trusted producers and processors, ensuring that the cannabis meets stringent quality and purity controls.

Origins Cannabis is located at 16390 Cleveland St. in Redmond, WA 98052. The location is just a few blocks away from the city’s only outdoor mall – the Redmond Town Center – and is on the main bus route that runs through the town.

A Beginner’s Guide To Investing In The Marijuana Industry

Jacob Ellman
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A Beginner’s Guide To Investing In The Marijuana Industry

Whether you love weed, wine or coffee, you need to admit that marijuana is seeing a banner couple of years.

It’s also now clear that cannabis is the new gold rush. Last year the industry generated $7.1 billion that flowed into governments, as well as into the pockets of entrepreneurs, farmers and investors. With so many states hopping on the legalization train following the November election, marijuana reform has the people’s’ vote and they are looking to get rich.

But are you savvy enough to invest and receive some solid returns? Let’s be clear: it’s unrealistic to think $10 invested would yield $1 million in six months It’s more likely $10 invested might get you $20 in a year or two.

This leads us to the questions in focus – how do I invest in the blossoming cannabis industry? and how do I do it in a smart way?

Let’s give you a primary on how to invest. and you can start for as low as $25!

How To Invest In The Cannabis Industry 

When you buy stock in a company, you’re buying equity a.k.a. a piece of the company. For the average person considering putting some hard earned cash into the industry, publicly listed and exchange traded names are where to look. Just as you would with any other stock, you’ll need a brokerage account to buy or sell.

Almost any online broker-dealer will allow you to buy and sell shares of cannabis-related companies, but it’s always a good idea to ask them to be sure. Now that you’re able to access the markets…you must decide how to invest.

Diversify In The Cannabis Industry

In every industry, there will be winners and losers. If you aren’t following the industry’s ins and outs enough to confidently pick the winners and avoid the losers, than you may fall into the trap. You’ve probably heard the age old saying “don’t put all of your eggs in one basket,” and this is what they’re talking about. This is where diversification comes in.

If you choose to put all of your money into cannabis companies…you better really believe in the future of the industry. Beyond that, to put all of your money into one or two specific cannabis companies can be risky. To avoid these common pitfalls of investing, seek out diversification in your portfolio.

Beyond that, diversify within the cannabis landscape. In the world of weed there’s cultivators, retailers, grow light manufacturers, packaging companies and more. Don’t go all in on just one!

Diversification sounds easier than it actually is, right? Wrong! It’s actually easier to diversify than you’d think. Below are a few different strategies to diversify exposure within the growing marijuana industry.

  • Go for a diversified company: For those who are looking to diversify within cannabis, one of the favorites on Wall Street has to be CannaRoyalty Corp. (CSE:CRZ) (OTC:CNNRF) (FRA:CY4). Started by Wall Street veterans, CannaRoyalty Corp. now has an impressive platform of 24 different holdings across high-value areas of the cannabis world – research, devices, brands and intellectual property.
  • Invest in a marijuana-focused mutual fund: For those who are most comfortable with a managed fund approach to cannabis investing, they should take a look at the first and only marijuana-focused mutual fund, The American Growth Fund Series II (MUTF:AMREX). Granted, the fees are sky-high, but with a professional money manager at the helm, this may be a good option for those with the set-it-and-forget-it mentality.
  • Invest in the upcoming marijuana-focused ETF: Not available yet, but coming soon is the Emerging AgroSphere ETF. According to the fund’s prospectus filed with the SEC, the ETF will invest in the non-recreational and supply chain side of the cannabis world, hence the AgroSphere.

Conclusion

Hopefully this was a useful beginner’s guide to investing in the cannabis industry. As a reminder, this article is for informational purposes only, and the information contained herein is not a recommendation to buy or sell any securities. You should always consult your financial advisor before making an investment decision.

Disclaimer

I/we have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and no plans to initiate any positions within the next 72 hours.

I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it. The Daily Marijuana Observer and/or its affiliates may in the future seek out business relationships with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

Investing in nanocap, microcap, and small cap stocks is highly speculative. The publishers, directors, employees and officers of DailyMarijuanaObserver.com are not registered as Investment Advisors or Broker-Dealers in any jurisdiction whatsoever. The information contained herein has been prepared solely for informational purposes. Nothing on the site is an offer or solicitation to buy or sell securities. Investors should seek financial advice regarding the appropriateness of investing in any securities mentioned from their financial advisor.

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