Simple Cannabis Butter Recipe For Weed Edibles

Simple Cannabis Butter Recipe For Weed Edibles | Third Monk image 4

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By infusing cannabis with butter, you can easily turn any recipe into a marijuana-infused dish.

The entire process usually take a few hours, though, so be warned. But once you have a batch of cannabutter, you’ll be able to whip up any marijuana-infused food within minutes.

Cannabinoids require heat in order to be activated, which is why you can’t use raw cannabis to make edibles. Use the recipe below and you’ll have fresh, homemade cannabis butter that can be enjoyed as part of any cannabis-infused food, ranging from brownies and cookies to soup and tea.

Cannabutter Recipe

Ingredients
1 cup butter (2 sticks)
1/2 ounce cannabis (ground or raw)
2 cups water
Metal strainer
Medium pan

Directions
1. Add water and butter to pan over medium heat. Make sure there is enough water to create a layer between the butter and the bottom of the pan. Use extra water if necessary.
2. Add cannabis to pan and mix thoroughly.
3. Simmer on low heat for 2-3 hours. Stir occasionally to prevent scorching. If mixture starts to boil, reduce heat.

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(Photo: Debra Solomon/Flickr)

4. Allow pan to cool before straining into bowl or container.
5. Place mixture in fridge overnight. The butter will separate from the water and rise to the top.
6. Once butter has risen to top, remove from fridge. Peel off the chunks with a fork or knife and place in separate container.

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(Photo: Debra Solomon/Flickr)

Congratulations, you’re now ready to make edibles! When it comes to dosing, it’s best to start with small amounts and move up gradually. Any extra cannabutter can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 months.

Quick & Easy Weed Edibles

If you’re not sure what to do with your very first batch of cannabutter, here’s a list of edible recipes that are great for beginners:

1. Cheesy Garlic Bread
2. Medicated Waffles
3. Pot Brownies
4. Cream of Cannabis Soup
5. French Toast
6. Marijuana Tea

How To Make Cannabis-Infused Butter | Leaf Science

Donating Big Money to Keep Cannabis Illegal – CVS Pharmacy and Pushers of Mind Numbing Pills

Donating Big Money to Keep Cannabis Illegal - CVS Pharmacy and Pushers of Mind Numbing Pills | Third Monk image 2

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Behind the legal battle for cannabis — both medical and recreational — are deep-pocketed entities who have a stake in the outcome. 

One of the largest anti Cannabis groups is the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids, best known for its long-running ad campaign “This is Your Brain on Drugs,” featuring young people cooking eggs and smashing things. While most kids found the message inaccurate, the advertising and anti-drug communities lauded the campaign as one of the most effective PSAs in history.

The PDFK is funded by special interest groups, which means corporations. By law, the organization must make public its donor list. At the top tier, donations of $250,000 or more, there are eight benefactors, here are six of them:

AbbVie

A biotechnology company responsible for Humira, a drug that treats rheumatoid arthritis and has earned the company more than $10 billion.

 

Purdue Pharmaceuticals

Maker of OxyContin

 

Consumer Healthcare Products Association

The leading trade and lobbying organization for makers and sellers of over-the-counter drugs and nutritional supplements.

 

CVS

The drug store chain with more than 7,700 locations in the United States. In 2010, a single location in Sanford, Florida, (population 53,000) ordered more than 1.8 million Oxy-Codone pills.

 

Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals

The largest U.S. supplier, by prescription, of opioid pain-killer medications.

 

Pharmaceutical Research & Manufacturers of America

One of the biggest and most influential lobbying groups in the United States, representing the interests of 48 pharmaceutical companies.

 

Hmmmm, why would these companies want to prevent access to a natural and medicinal plant?

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Here’s a List of the Biggest Donors to the Anti-Pot Lobby | Marijuana News

Getting Stoned Before Sleeping – More Rest But Less Dreams (Study)

Getting Stoned Before Sleeping - More Rest But Less Dreams (Study) | Third Monk

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Some people who smoke cannabis before bed often struggle to recall their dreams the next morning. But there’s a simple reason why marijuana users tend to have less dreams.

This phenomenon can be explained by how marijuana affects the sleep cycle, specifically a stage known as rapid eye movement (REM) sleep.

Cannabis and REM Sleep Activity

The brain is most active during REM sleep and most dreaming is thought to occur during this stage. Numerous studies have shown that using marijuana before bed reduces REM sleep.

During the night, the brain cycles through 4 different stages of sleep, spending the most time in deep sleep (or slow-wave sleep) and REM sleep. The amount of time spent in these two stages is closely related. In fact, studies show that cannabis lengthens the time the brain spends in deep sleep, which leads to less REM sleep.

Deep Sleep Vs REM Sleep

It’s not clear whether the effect of marijuana on REM sleep is actually harmful. In fact, experts are still not sure why we need REM sleep.

On the other hand, deep sleep is believed to be the most important sleep stage for repairing and restoring the body. Likewise, studies show that when deprived of sleep, the brain prioritizes deep sleep over REM sleep.

While more research is needed, it’s possible that the ability of cannabis to increase deep sleep, even at the expense of REM sleep, might turn out to be a good thing. Getting into Lucid Dreaming can help produce vivid dreams even after smoking weed.

Marijuana, REM Sleep, and Dreams | Leaf Science

Drug War Shows No Remorse For Innocent Baby Injured During Botched Raid

Drug War Shows No Remorse For Innocent Baby Injured During Botched Raid | Third Monk image 2

Earlier this year in May 2014, a baby was placed in critical condition after police tossed a flash grenade into his playpen during a fumbled drug raid.

Five months later, Habersham County officials say they do not plan to pay for the medical expenses of the toddler seriously injured during a police raid.

Bounkham Phonesavah, affectionately known as “Baby Boo Boo,” spent weeks in a burn unit after a SWAT team’s flash grenade exploded near his face.

The toddler was just 19-months-old and asleep in the early morning hours of May 28. SWAT officers threw the device into his home while executing a search warrant for a drug suspect.

Habersham County officials are defending their decision not to pay, but the child’s family isn’t giving up.

The Letter of the Law Is Broken

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After weeks of recovery at two different hospitals, Channel 2 Action News was there in July as the little boy walked out of a hospital with his family.

He is doing better, but late Friday afternoon, his family’s attorney told said the family’s medical bills are mounting.

“But at this point, the county is refusing to pay,” said attorney Muwali Davis.

Habersham County’s attorney provided the following statement, saying:

The question before the board was whether it is legally permitted to pay these expenses. After consideration of this question following advice of counsel, the board of commissioners has concluded that it would be in violation of the law for it to do so.

Latest reports indicate that the raid was influenced by faulty information. The obvious needs to be stated here.

If there’s a law that prevents a local government from reimbursing a family to heal a child nearly killed by the negligence and ineptitude of local law enforcement officers, then that law needs to be changed.

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The drug war means never having to say you’re sorry | Washington Post

Hotboxing Caves – Oldest Evidence of Cannabis Use Discovered

Hotboxing Caves - Oldest Evidence of Cannabis Use Discovered | Third Monk

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Archeologists working at 120,000 year old cave in the Hindu Kush mountain range have unearthed the most ancient evidence of cannabis use to date.

A team from Quad-i-Azam University in Pakistan discovered a cave containing ancient Indica seeds along with various other objects belonging to a cave dwelling, cannabis-loving shaman.

According to the location and context in which the cannabis was found, leads us to believe it was used for ritual purposes.

It seems that the occupants of the site threw large quantities of leaves, buds and resin in the fireplace situated on the far end of the cave, filling the entire site with psychotropic smoke. – Professor Muzaffar Kambarzahi, World News Daily

The discovery of resin inside a jar found on site confirms the fact that our stone age ancestors were not so different from us after all. They were hot-boxing their cave, a practice that is alive and well in contemporary culture.

While this may be the oldest known case of ritual cannabis use, it’s far from unique. Cannabis has a well documented history in ancient culture: Aryans, Scythians, Thracians, even the Dacians used Cannabis to induce trance-like states of altered, if not heightened consciousness.

Cannabis Sativa also served more practical purposes in ancient cultures. Hemp cord was found in some 10,000 year old pottery unearthed in what is now Taiwan, suggesting that it may have been one of the first crops grown in the early days of agriculture.

Moreover, such evidence inspired Carl Sagan to speculate on the possibility that marijuana cultivation may have been instrumental in the development of agriculture and, consequently, civilization as we know it.

Archaeologists Discover Marijuana in 120,000 Year-Old Prehistoric Site | Marijuana News

An Introduction to Cannabis Edibles (Guide)

An Introduction to Cannabis Edibles (Guide) | Third Monk image 3

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With all the options available to medical marijuana patients today, many are choosing to explore methods of medicating beyond the traditional pipe or paper.

Edibles Provide a Safer Alternative to Smoking

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Many patients believe that ingesting their cannabis is a healthier alternative to inhaling it because there is no exposure to carbon-rich smoke.

Some patients, such as those on supplemental oxygen, turn to edibles when smoking is no longer an option. For patients with eating and digestive disorders, edibles are not only a great source of nausea-reducing CBD, but also a vital source of nutrients and calories. The same is true for cancer patients suffering from nausea caused by their treatments, and expecting mothers dealing with hyperemesis (morning sickness).

A few patients choose edibles because they are a more discreet way to medicate, while others simply prefer the effects of ingesting cannabis to the effects of smoking.

What Conditions are Edibles Recommended For

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The cooking process, as well as the high levels of THC found in edibles, work together to create the perfect treatment for many disorders.

  • Chronic pain
  • Muscle inflammation and spasms
  • Autoimmune disorders
  • Nervous system disorders
  • Insomnia
  • Nausea

While anyone can enjoy the benefits of edibles, patients suffering from Crohn’s disease, an autoimmune disorder of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract that affects as many as 700,000 Americans, find this method of medicating extremely beneficial. Because Crohn’s Disease occurs in the GI tract, edibles distribute useful active and inactive cannabinoids at the root of the problem, instead of having to rely on the bloodstream to carry them from the lungs.

Does Ingesting Cannabis Affect You Differently Than Smoking?

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Yes, without a doubt. However, exactly what effect edibles will have on you depends on several factors: the type and potency of the edibles you are using, your tolerance, your body chemistry, and even how much you’ve had to eat. Because the effects of eating an edible differ greatly from the effects of smoking, many first time users are caught off guard by the stronger potency and long-lasting effects.

Despite CBD’s anxiety relieving properties, many people experience a heightened sense of anxiety and paranoia when they initially ingest an edible.

When you smoke marijuana you only receive a small amount of the cannabinoids in each hit, although it’s felt instantly. Where as, edibles tend to hit you much more slowly. This allows the cannabinoids to be released in waves, as they are processed by the stomach and digested.

Two Different Types of Edibles

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Though there are untold varieties of edibles available on the market today, they can all be split into three basic categories: those geared towards gastrointestinal uptake (digested through stomach), those geared towards oral uptake (through saliva), and a few that fit into a hybrid category that targets both.

The most common edibles are geared towards gastrointestinal absorption. Any edible where the cannabinoids are absorbed through the stomach, like a brownie, cookie, cashew bar, or crepe falls into this category. These edibles tend to take longer to activate within the body (sometimes as long as two hours), but produce a longer-lasting effect (up to eight hours of relief).

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On the flipside, edibles geared towards oral uptake can affect a patient almost immediately, but tend to wear off faster (within two to three hours). Edibles that you hold in your mouth for an extended period of time like suckers, lozenges, or tincture, fall into this category.

Some items, such as drinks and chocolates fall into a hybrid category, because they are designed to be absorbed in both the mouth and the stomach. These edibles are a middle ground between oral and intestinal absorption, offering fast-acting relief (patients usually feel this type of edible within a half hour) that can last for four hours or more.

> What You Should Know About Ingesting Cannabis | Medical Jane

Legal Marijuana is Making Streets Safer

Legal Marijuana is Making Streets Safer | Third Monk image 4

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During debates over whether or not marijuana should be legalized, safety was one of the biggest talking points on both sides.

From a pro-legalization perspective, advocates noted that full legalization would bring transactions off the streets — often dangerous for many reasons — and into safe, responsibly run retail environments.

From an anti-legalization view, some of the major concerns regarding cannabis included the actual effect of the plant on people’s health, the prospect of people driving under the influence, and of course, what would happen to the children if legislation was allowed to pass.

Won't somebody please think of the children - Legal Marijuana

Well, nearly a year since Colorado initiated legal marijuana sales to the general public, it appears that legalization has indeed made the streets safer. In fact, marijuana use among teenagers has actually dropped in Colorado.

Survey results released by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment indicate that kids of high school age are less likely to view marijuana as risky than they were before, and that overall, the number of teens who have used it has dropped.

One in five high school kids used cannabis within the past 30 days, the survey found. Thirty-day use rates took a drop from 22 percent in 2011 to 20 percent last year, while over the same time lifetime use — which measures how many teens had actually tried marijuana at some point in their lives — dropped from 39 percent to 37 percent. While not a significant shift, it is indeed a drop, instead of the supposed increased many assumed.

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What About Driving…

One of the other chief concerns about legalization would be that it would encourage drivers to get behind the wheel while under the influence. A worthy concern, yet traffic data from Colorado has proven that traffic fatalities have actually declined since prohibition was ended in Colorado.

Fatalities in Colorado peaked in 2002, one year after Colorado’s medical marijuana law went into effect, and has since dropped by more than a third. Also, since legal sales began in January, traffic fatalities for the year are down as compared to 2013.

While there really can’t ever be anything directly linking legal cannabis to safer roads, the data does show marked improvement. Some experts believe that fewer fatalities and legal cannabis can be linked, as some people may decide to substitute the act of marijuana use in place of drinking.

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Ultimately…

For the majority, legal marijuana doesn’t necessarily change their behavior. If they smoked before, they still do. And if the law was the only thing holding them back, chances are they still aren’t smoking now.

For now, it appears that the streets, at least in Colorado, are a bit safer. At the very least, people no longer need to be worried about engaging in sketchy black market drug deals in parking lots, and can instead engage in commerce like adults in retail stores.

Larry David Buys Weed

> Is Legalized Marijuana Making Steets Safer? It Appears So | Wall St. Cheat Sheet

High Culture in Spain – Cannabis Social Clubs and Hemp Museum (Video)

High Culture in Spain - Cannabis Social Clubs and Hemp Museum (Video) | Third Monk image 2

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While the Spanish culture certainly embraces their buds, it’s become clear that they do so in subtle and elegant ways. 

Barcelona Hemp Museum

The Barcelona Hemp Museum presents valuable paintings and prints depicting cannabis use throughout history and rare antiques, such as the various tools and implements used to make hemp into rope, paper and fabrics.

A medicinal section representing one of the world’s largest collections of medicinal cannabis bottles dating back to the 19th Century testifies to the widespread use of medicinal cannabis in the past.

Cannabis Social Clubs in Spain

Cannabis Social Clubs are private places where the social side of cannabis is encouraged since it is illegal in Spain to profit directly from it.

The clubs are formed by thousands of members, creating a strong pressure group supported by professionals and legislators as well as large plaintiffs firms and specialized doctors. A CSC is a social meeting place, a catalyst for art and culture in general, a “fix” on the loopholes to grow and use cannabis at a private place.

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So High – Doja Cat, A Psychedelic Hit of Stoner RnB (KJ Song Rec)

So High - Doja Cat, A Psychedelic Hit of Stoner RnB (KJ Song Rec) | Third Monk image 2

Doja Cat’s playful stoner flow and silky voice is enough to seduce proven venues like the underground hip hop collective Project Blowed in Los Angeles.

So High produced by Evil Needle is Doja Cat’s psychedelic bid for her place in a growing genre of stoner RnB that highlights chill drums, neo soul synthesizers, and dirty honest lyrics.

Then we’ll roll up
A hunnit fuckin’ blunts
All up in my mouth
Now Im all up in yo…

Evil Needle – Falling Leaves (So High Instrumental)

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When you put it on me
You relieve my stress
You got me so high
Takin’ deep, deep breaths

You get me so high
You get me so high
I know you ain’t a drug
But you get me so high

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Listen to Doja Cat’s debut EP on SoundCloud and follow her on Twitter @DojaCat

Enemies of Peace – Law Enforcement, Private Prisons, Alcohol and Pharmaceutical Companies Spend Against Cannabis Legalization

Enemies of Peace - Law Enforcement, Private Prisons, Alcohol and Pharmaceutical Companies Spend Against Cannabis Legalization | Third Monk image 2

Some of the most lucrative and powerful industries in America oppose marijuana decriminalization because it threatens their financial bottom-line.

Four different interest groups form the backbone of the anti cannabis legalization campaign, according to OpenSecrets.org, which tracks political spending.

Alcohol Companies

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First, there’s the spirits, wine and beer companies. Legalized marijuana represents a direct threat to this industry’s business model. The more people can legally smoke a bud, the less need they’ll have to buy a Bud.

In 2010, the California Beer and Beverage Distributors contributed $10,000 to help defeat California’s Proposition 19, which sought to legalize recreational marijuana in the state.

Law Enforcement

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Law enforcement groups also want to maintain criminal penalties for pot possession. If the country stops waging its war on drugs, including marijuana, fewer government dollars will flow to police efforts to address this public policy issue. Municipalities will also receive less money from property seized in drug raids.

Prison System

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Others in the criminal justice world that want to keep the status quo of locking up marijuana offenders are private prison operators and prison guard unions. States that legalize marijuana use are likely to experience a decline in prison populations—and that will reduce the need for government to hire private prison companies and correctional officers.

Another example is the Golden State’s mighty prison guards union, the California Correctional Peace Officers Association (CCPOA), a major player in state politics for decades. CCPOA contributed $1 million in 2008 to defeat Proposition 5, which sought more drug treatment and rehabilitation programs for inmates.

Pharmaceutical Industry

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Finally, there’s the legal drug industry: Big Pharma. It opposes marijuana decriminalization because it could mean people spend less money on painkillers and anti-inflammatory remedies like ibuprofen.

Its primary lobbying group, the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), has loads of money to spend. Two years ago, it dropped nearly $22 million on congressional races, demonstrating how big a war chest it can muster.

Who’s Funding the Anti-Marijuana Movement? Private Prisons, Prison Guards, Police and Alcohol, Beer and Pharmaceutical Companies | AllGov

A Gourmet Cannabis Dinner Celebration at Hunter S. Thompson’s Ranch (Video)

A Gourmet Cannabis Dinner Celebration at Hunter S. Thompson's Ranch (Video) | Third Monk image 2

To celebrate marijuana legalization in Colorado, Munchies columnist David Bienenstock traveled to Aspen, to attend a legal seminar hosted by the NORML —America’s largest group dedicated to legalizing cannabis.

And since the late Hunter S. Thompson was one of NORML’s earliest and most consistent supporters, what better way to embrace the sweet smell of herbal liberation in the Colorado than by throwing a small victory party at Owl Farm—the author and advocate’s home and “fortified compound” in Woody Creek—featuring an appropriately over-the-top pairing of fully legal cannabis and high-end cuisine?

To handle the culinary and scientific feat of preparing a multi-course marijuana-infused meal of the highest order, Munchies partnered Chef Chris Lanter of Cache Cache with cannabis-infusion expert Tamar Wise, former head of science at the world’s largest marijuana edibles company.

In all, the dinner infused four different oils, using four different ganja strains, for use in four different preparations (three savory and one dessert), with a joint of each strain set aside for smoking.

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