What is General Cannabis?

General Cannabis is a rapidly growing, technology driven company that is defining the multi-billion dollar cannabis industry. The wholly owned subsidiaries of General Cannabis include WeedMaps Media, Inc., General Health Solutions, Inc., General Merchant Solutions, Inc. and US Cannabis, Inc. Each subsidiary plays a vital role in the ongoing success of General Cannabis and the industry itself.

General Cannabis explores opportunities of vertical integration within and outside of the cannabis market through the five core industry sectors identified as probable high growth areas including media, technology, merchant services, medical and management. We invite you to explore our website and discover why General Cannabis intends to be the responsible leader in the cannabis industry.

Today General Cannabis, Inc. (OTCPK: CANA) announces that the 11 medical clinics that its wholly owned subsidiary, General Health Solutions, Inc. DBA Marijuana Medicine Evaluation Centers (MMEC) manages exceeded $4,000,000 in gross sales in 2010. General Health Solutions specializes in the turn-key management of medicinal marijuana clinics throughout California. The company currently manages 11 medical clinics and anticipates opening or managing 10 additional clinics throughout states that permit the use of medicinal marijuana by year-end 2011.

Can Medical Marijuana Help With Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea (AP-ne-ah) is a common disorder in which you have one or more pauses in breathing or shallow breaths while you sleep. There are three types of sleep apnea: obstructive, central and mixed. Obstructive sleep apnea is the most common type and is caused by a blockage of the airway, usually when the soft tissue in the rear of the throat collapses and closes during sleep. This type of sleep apnea is associated with obesity. With central sleep apnea, the airway is open, not blocked, but the brain fails to tell the muscles to breathe. Mixed sleep apnea is when a person suffers from both obstructive and central sleep apnea.

With each apnea episode, the brain usually arouses the person with sleep apnea in order for them to start breathing again. But this type of pattern results in disrupted sleep that is of poor quality.

Central sleep apnea can occur in anyone. However, it's more common in people who have certain medical conditions or use certain medicines.

Sleep apnea often goes undiagnosed. Doctors usually can't detect the condition during routine office visits. Also, there are no blood tests for the condition. Most people who have sleep apnea don't know they have it because it only occurs during sleep. A family member and/or bed partner may first notice the signs of sleep apnea.

One preclinical study is cited in the scientific literature investigating the role of medical marijuana on sleep-related apnea. Writing in the June 2002 issue of the journal of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, researchers at the University of Illinois (at Chicago) Department of Medicine reported “potent suppression” of sleep-related apnea in rats administered either exogenous or endogenous cannabinoids. Investigators reported that doses of delta-9-THC and the endocannabinoid oleamide each stabilized respiration during sleep, and blocked serotonin-induced exacerbation of sleep apnea in a statistically significant manner. No follow up investigations have taken place assessing the use of marijuana to treat this indication. However, several recent preclinical and clinical trials have reported on the use of THC, natural cannabis extracts, and endocannabinoids to induce sleep and/or improve sleep quality.

Oakland Marijuana Growers Vs. DEA

While Oakland keeps taking steps towards becoming the first major city in the
United States to allow marijuana cultivation for wholesale medical marijuana use, the budding cannabis cultivators who showed up at Oakland City Hall Monday night wanted some kind of guarantee that their sizable business investments will be sheltered from the DEA should they come to town.

Whoever the lucky four medical marijuana farmers are will have to pay an annual permit fee of $211,000. That being said, they also stand a chance to make millions for themselves and the city of Oakland. Nevertheless, they are in unexplored legal waters and one of the principal threats out there will be the federal government and the DEA.

There were around 75 applicants attending the meeting to gain knowledge of how to apply for the one of the four (golden ticket) permits allowing for the development of medical marijuana on a large scale manufacturing level. From all I’ve read it will be a “blind selection” process.

Of course there will be rigorous environmental and safety regulations that will have to be meet by all four medical marijuana farms.

How can all of this be done when CA state law is in direct disagreement with federal law on this issue? Many of these applicants will invest somewhere around five to eight million dollars, and would like to know if the city will defend them if the DEA decides to come to town and do a search and seizure on their cannabis farms.

The High Five Marijuana Misunderstandings: 5 Cannabis Myths Dispelled

The High Five Misunderstandings ...

1.) Cannabis Can Cause Permanent Mental Illness

2.) Cannabis Is Highly Addictive

3.) Cannabis Is More Potent Today Than In The Past

4.) Cannabis Offenses Are Not Severely Punished

5.) Cannabis Is More Damaging to the Lungs Than Tobacco

Misunderstanding # 1: Cannabis Can Cause Permanent Mental Illness. Among adolescents, even occasional marijuana use may cause psychological damage. During intoxication, marijuana users become irrational and often behave erratically.

Truth : There is no convincing scientific evidence that marijuana causes psychological damage or mental illness in either teenagers or adults. Some marijuana users experience psychological distress following marijuana ingestion, which may include feelings of panic, anxiety, and paranoia. Such experiences can be frightening, but the effects are temporary. With very large doses, marijuana can cause temporary toxic psychosis. This occurs rarely, and almost always when marijuana is eaten rather than smoked. Marijuana does not cause profound changes in people's behavior.

References:

Iverson, Leslie. “Long-term effects of exposure to cannabis.” Current Opinion in Pharmacology 5(2005): 69-72.

Weiser and Noy. “Interpreting the association between cannabis use and increased risk of schizophrenia.” Dialogues in Clincal Neuroscience 1(2005): 81-85.

"Cannabis use will impair but not damage mental health." London Telegraph. 23 January 2006.

Andreasson, S. et al. “Cannabis and Schizophrenia: A Longitudinal study of Swedish Conscripts,” The Lancet 2 (1987): 1483-86.

Degenhardt, Louisa, Wayne Hall and Michael Lynskey. “Testing hypotheses about the relationship between cannabis use and psychosis,” Drug and Alcohol Dependence 71 (2003): 42-4.

Weil, A. “Adverse Reactions to Marijuana: Classification and Suggested Treatment.” New England Journal of Medicine 282 (1970): 997-1000.

====================================================================

Misunderstanding # 2: Cannabis is Highly Addictive. Long term marijuana users experience physical dependence and withdrawal, and often need professional drug treatment to break their marijuana habits.

Truth : Most people who smoke marijuana smoke it only occasionally. A small minority of Americans - less than 1 percent - smoke marijuana on a daily basis. An even smaller minority develop a dependence on marijuana. Some people who smoke marijuana heavily and frequently stop without difficulty. Others seek help from drug treatment professionals. Marijuana does not cause physical dependence. If people experience withdrawal symptoms at all, they are remarkably mild.

References:

United States. Dept. of Health and Human Services. DASIS Report Series, Differences in Marijuana Admissions Based on Source of Referral. 2002. June 24 2005.

Johnson, L.D., et al. “National Survey Results on Drug Use from the Monitoring the Future Study, 1975-1994, Volume II: College Students and Young Adults.” Rockville, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 1996.

Kandel, D.B., et al. “Prevalence and demographic correlates of symptoms of dependence on cigarettes, alcohol, marijuana and cocaine in the U.S. population.” Drug and Alcohol Dependence 44 (1997):11-29.

Stephens, R.S., et al. “Adult marijuana users seeking treatment.” Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 61 (1993): 1100-1104.

=====================================================================

Misunderstanding # 3: Cannabis is More Potent Today Than In The Past. Adults who used marijuana in the 1960s and 1970s fail to realize that when today's youth use marijuana they are using a much more dangerous drug.

Truth : When today's youth use marijuana, they are using the same drug used by youth in the 1960s and 1970s. A small number of low-THC samples seized by the Drug Enforcement Administration are used to calculate a dramatic increase in potency. However, these samples were not representative of the marijuana generally available to users during this era. Potency data from the early 1980s to the present are more reliable, and they show no increase in the average THC content of marijuana. Even if marijuana potency were to increase, it would not necessarily make the drug more dangerous. Marijuana that varies quite substantially in potency produces similar psychoactive effects.

References :

King LA, Carpentier C, Griffiths P. “Cannabis potency in Europe.” Addiction. 2005 Jul; 100(7):884-6

Henneberger, Melinda. "Pot Surges Back, But It’s, Like, a Whole New World." New York Times 6 February 1994: E18.

Brown, Lee. “Interview with Lee Brown,” Dallas Morning News 21 May 1995.

Drug Enforcement Administration. U.S. Drug Threat Assessment, 1993. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, 1993.

Kleiman, Mark A.R. Marijuana: Costs of Abuse, Costs of Control. Westport: Greenwood Press, 1989. 29.

Bennett, William. Director of National Drug Control Policy, remarks at Conference of Mayors. 23 April 1990.

=====================================================================

Misunderstanding # 4: Cannabis Offenses Are Not Severely Punished. Few marijuana law violators are arrested and hardly anyone goes to prison. This lenient treatment is responsible for marijuana continued availability and use.

Truth : Marijuana arrests in the United States doubled between 1991 and 1995. In 1995, more than one-half-million people were arrested for marijuana offenses. Eighty-six percent of them were arrested for marijuana possession. Tens of thousands of people are now in prison for marijuana offenses. An even greater number are punished with probation, fines, and civil sanctions, including having their property seized, their driver's license revoked, and their employment terminated. Despite these civil and criminal sanctions, marijuana continues to be readily available and widely used.

References :

United States. Federal Bureau of Investigation. Uniform Crime Reports for the United States. 1996. Washington: U. S. Dept. of Justice, 1997.

Gettman, Jon B. National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. Crimes of Indescretion: Marijuana arrests in the United States. Washington: NORML, 2005.

Marijuana Policy Project. Smoke a Joint, Lose Your License. July 1995 Status Report. Washington: MPP, 1995.

Treaster, J. “Miami Beach’s New Drug Weapon Will Fire Off Letters to the Employer” New York Times 23 February 1991: A9.

Reed, T.G. “American Forfeiture Law: Property Owners Meet the Prosecutor.” Policy Analysis 179 (1992): 1-32.

====================================================================

Misunderstanding # 5: Cannabis is More Damaging to the Lungs Than Tobacco. Marijuana smokers are at a high risk of developing lung cancer, bronchitis, and emphysema.

Truth : Moderate smoking of marijuana appears to pose minimal danger to the lungs. Like tobacco smoke, marijuana smoke contains a number of irritants and carcinogens. But marijuana users typically smoke much less often than tobacco smokers, and over time, inhale much less smoke. As a result, the risk of serious lung damage should be lower in marijuana smokers. There have been no reports of lung cancer related solely to marijuana, and in a large study presented to the American Thoracic Society in 2006, even heavy users of smoked marijuana were found not to have any increased risk of lung cancer. Unlike heavy tobacco smokers, heavy marijuana smokers exhibit no obstruction of the lung's small airway. That indicates that people will not develop emphysema from smoking marijuana.

References :

Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse. “Legalization: Panacea or Pandora’s Box.” New York. (1995): 36.

Turner, Carlton E. The Marijuana Controversy. Rockville: American Council for Drug Education, 1981.

Nahas, Gabriel G. and Nicholas A. Pace. Letter. “Marijuana as Chemotherapy Aid Poses Hazards.” New York Times 4 December 1993: A20.

Inaba, Darryl S. and William E. Cohen. Uppers, Downers, All-Arounders: Physical and Mental Effects of Psychoactive Drugs. 2nd ed. Ashland: CNS Productions, 1995. 174.

California: Under 1 Oz. of Marijuana now just $100 infraction ...

Wow it looks like California’s Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, is starting to revert back to his old self again. On September 30, 2010 Arnie signed California State Senate Bill 1449.

This bill will change the crime of ownership of less than an ounce of marijuana from a misdemeanor punishable by a $100 fine, to an infraction punishable by a $100 fine. Within the framework of the existing law, jail time cannot be imposed… probation cannot be ordered and the base fine cannot exceed $100 for someone convicted of possession of marijuana.

Even though the Govenator is opposed to Proposition 19, he signed the measure because possession of less than an ounce of marijuana is an infraction in everything but name. The only difference is that because it is a misdemeanor, a criminal defendant is entitled to a jury trial and a defense attorney, which as we all know cost the state of Ca. millions of dollars a year.

It would seem that California has come to the realization that in this time of drastic budget cuts, prosecutors, defense attorneys, law enforcement, and the courts cannot afford to expend limited resources prosecuting a crime that carries the same punishment as a traffic ticket. As noted by the Judicial Council in its support of this measure, “the appointment of counsel and the availability of a jury trial should be reserved for defendants who are facing loss of life, liberty, or property greater than $100.”

Makes perfect sense to me…

Ca.'s Prop 19 and My Medical Marijuana Recommendation

While we have all been hoping and waiting a very long time to see the headlines, “California Legalizes Marijuana“, the Nov. 2^nd vote is now just a short 34 days away. I can’t begin to explain how very much I want us to blaze a new trail for the rest of the nation in correcting our backwards drug policies regarding this harmless substance. Are we not as forward thinking as the Netherlands and Portugal, who’s countries have not fallen into chaos because they legally recognized marijuana use.

As opposed to the U.S. Fed Gov, the World Health Organization agreed with marijuana legalization by stating, “On existing patterns of use, cannabis poses a much less serious public health problem than is currently posed by alcohol and tobacco in Western societies.”

I know that there are a lot of MMJ patients that are curious about how the newly legal recreational marijuana consumption by those over 21 will affect medical marijuana patients. It’s more than a little disingenuous for the Yes On 19 camp to publish, as they plainly do on their “Medical FAQ” page that absolutely no part of Prop 19 will affect the medicinal marijuana patient or collective owner. Yes, it’s true the medical marijuana patient will still have all the same legal coverage as they did before, all while lowering the burden of taxes on medical cannabis patients and dispensaries. The problem is that one can’t help but wonder what will happen to your favorite collectives after the flood-gates are opened to big business and how that might affect the current medical marijuana collective business model.

While it seems that most of the fallout from P19 is so vague, it’s exceptionally tough to address. Some broader questions are much easier ponder. 1.) Will the preponderance of medical marijuana patients who do not have seriously debilitating illness’ (patients such as myself, who use marijuana medicinally but are not currently ill) … will we no longer try to or be able to obtain medical recommendations? 2.) Will the market become inundated with marijuana business in certain socio economic areas? 3.) Will marijuana use be converted into an even bigger stick within child custody battles because of the provisions about child endangerment and adult consumption? 4.) MMJ Patient can grow “X” amount while recreational users can only grow “x” … who will grow their own marijuana? 5.) What will the Feds do? … and last, but not least, the most important question out there…Should I keep my medical marijuana recommendation current until the fed’s are done going after California for Prop 19…. YES!