DETAILED DOSAGE KEY TO REMEMBER: Each case is individual because every person is unique. An optimal dose will be what the ‘perfect fit’ is for you; your lifestyle, your condition, your symptoms and your side effects. Finding your optimal dose is your own personal process. Document Index: 1. How to get started – Page 23 2. Different Dosing Types – Page 24 a. Preventative b. Increasing c. Combination & Varied Dosing 3. When to Change Dose – Page 27 4. Tolerance Break – Page 29 5. THC : CBD – What’s in a ratio? – Page 29 6. Dosing Tables – Page 30 The first stage is one of self-preparation and orientation. Familiarise yourself with the different preparations of medical cannabis available; Flowers for smoking or vaporising Creams/Topicals/Salves Tinctures Oil Blends Concentrated Oil Isolates/Distillates Edibles Depending on your situation and lifestyle, which would be the most appropriate product to use? (Please see pg. no. 12-17 Product Guide for useful information such as absorption rates and typical uses) Page 23 Once you have decided on a product or possibly even a combination of two or more products, you will then plan for your first dose – keeping in mind that people’s side effects can be vastly different. Try to anticipate and control the environment that you will occupy while taking your medication. For example; Choose a day you can stay at home, perhaps even over a weekend. Be in a comfortable place, your bed or couch, etc. Have a glass of water nearby. If you’re particularly nervous, we recommend having someone you trust with you, to help and reassure you if necessary. It is best to keep a daily journal on your dosing amount, chosen product(s), time, effects, measurable symptoms and results. Feel free to add any other notes you think may help you take control of your health. Use the dosage tables on page 30 to help you determine a starting dose based on your sensitivity to medication and your body weight. Remember that these are only guidelines and there are always exceptions. a. Preventative: – A preventative dose is used to maintain a healthy balance. It is usually sufficient when kept at around the initial starting dose (see pg. 30 – Dosage tables). This may be adjusted according to any changes in health, or lifestyle factors. Page 24 b. Increasing; three different techniques: – This type of dosing is required for certain conditions where smaller doses are known to be helpful but do not always achieve optimal results. The most well-known is cancer, where, generally, best results are achieved with fairly high doses which saturate the lipids with THC (and CBD). Other cases where an increasing dose is required is simply where results do not meet expectations. In some cases, Varied Dosing may also work well. (see c. on pg. 28). Your ability to increase your dose will depend on your tolerance to the medicine. It’s important to note here that the THC : CBD ratio may have a large impact on the side effects felt. Knowing the ratio of THC : CBD is a key piece of information in learning what your body responds to at this present time. In order to increase dose, map out a schedule, which should be reviewed periodically. Use your situation and tolerance to plan out your optimal dosage method. Please read this case study to help you understand different types of dosage. A Dosage Case Study; Increasing, Spiking & Stabilizing and Spread Dosing: John and Jane Green both have chronic cases of Rheumatoid Arthritis. Guidelines tell them they should be aiming for a 150mg daily dose but they feel they will be sensitive to the medication and so they decide to attempt an Increasing al Dosage method to build their tolerance. dosage. Read the case study below to help you understand different types of dosing and how they can be changed to Based their weight, condition, age and sensitivity level, they decide that 15mg will be a good starting dose for suit youron individual needs. both of them. They aim to increase their dosage to 150mg in 4 weeks which means they will double their daily dose weekly. They map out a schedule to follow and will review it periodically. Here is an idea of what their first map may look like: INCREASING DOSE Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Start of week dose 15mg 30mg 60mg 120mg Day/Time to increase Friday 9PM Friday 9PM Friday 9PM Friday 9PM End of week dose 30mg 60mg 120mg 150mg Dose (in mg) Taken 2 hrs before bed 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 M T W T F S S M T W T F S S M T W T Dose (in mg) Taken 2 hrs before bed Page 25 F S S M T W T F S S After the first 2 weeks, Jane and John’s pain have both eased significantly but they are both battling to increase dosage in such large increments and they are both experiencing some unfavourable side effects. So they decide to try a different dosage method; Spiking and Stabilising. They increase their goal time limit, think about their side effects and accommodating for that, decide to increase their dosage on Friday nights when they can sleep it off the next morning. Their new plan looks something like this: SPIKING & STABALIZING Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Start of week dose 15mg 30mg 50mg 80mg 130mg Day/Time to spike Friday 9PM Friday 9PM Friday 9PM Friday 9PM Friday 9PM Spike dose Plateau dose 30mg 60mg 100mg 160mg 180mg 30mg 50mg 80mg 130mg 150mg Notes Dose Achieved Spiking and Stabalizing Dose 200 180 Dosage (in mg) 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 M T W T F S S M T W T F S S M T W T F S S M T W T F S S M T W T F S S Spiking and Stabalizing Dose Jane finds this methods works for her but John finds he is still battling with side effects and so decides to try Spread Dosing method. This method requires taking larger dose at night, when effects can be slept off and taking a smaller dose during the day that carry little to no side effects. His strategy may look like this: SPREAD DOSING Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 Page 26 Day time dose 5mg 7.5mg 10mg 12.5mg 15mg 20mg 25mg No of day time doses 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 Night time dose 15mg 25mg 35mg 45mg 55mg 65mg 75mg Total Daily Dose 25mg 40mg 55mg 70mg 85mg 105mg 125mg Increased Day Dose Increased Night dose 7.5mg 10mg 12.5mg 15mg 20mg 25mg 30mg 25mg 35mg 45mg 55mg 65mg 75mg 90mg Total Daily Dose 40mg 55mg 70mg 85mg 105mg 125mg 150mg Week 1 - 4 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 M T W T F S S M T W T F S S M T W T F S S M T W T F S S Night Time Dose 15 15 15 15 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 35 35 35 35 35 35 35 45 45 45 45 45 45 45 55 55 55 Day Time Dose 2 5 5 5 5 7,5 7,5 7,5 7,5 7,5 7,5 7,5 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 15 15 15 Day Time Dose 1 5 5 5 5 7,5 7,5 7,5 7,5 7,5 7,5 7,5 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 15 15 15 Day Time Dose 1 Day Time Dose 2 Night Time Dose Week 5 - 7 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 M T W T F S S M T W T F S S M T W T F S S Night Time Dose 55 55 55 55 65 65 65 65 65 65 65 75 75 75 75 75 75 75 90 90 90 Day Time Dose 2 15 15 15 15 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 30 30 30 Day Time Dose 1 15 15 15 15 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 30 30 30 Day Time Dose 1 Day Time Dose 2 Night Time Dose John and Jane have had a few months of experience with their medication and they’ve learnt how to gauge their own dosage, reaction, and tolerance levels. Most importantly they got to know themselves and they now feel confident enough to combine and vary their dosing. (see c. on pg. 28) Page 27 c. Combined and Varied: – This opens up all sorts of possibilities for John and Jane. When they start to understand themselves more, they learn to listen closer to their bodies. This allows them to combine and vary things according to their present needs. This means that they may use different products with varying doses, depending on their present requirements. To explain this simply, let’s use the example of a headache and painkillers. Sometimes when we feel a mild headache, a single painkiller is enough, other times it is not. Every now and then we may feel a headache which is persistent and is resilient to painkillers altogether. This is why we would choose to combine and vary our dosing. Another way to see it is that our symptoms change from time to time. Some days are manageable, others are more challenging, so it makes sense for our medication to cater for this change in condition by combining and varying dose to suit the present set of conditions. It works off the principle that “I am a new person every morning.” One who has learned from the experience of the previous day and can cast my mind forward to the future. It’s a level of consciousness and mindfulness that you reach while walking your journey. This can be both a simple and complex question. The simple answer is when your current dose is no longer delivering optimal results. This usually occurs when your tolerance for cannabis, both THC and CBD is increased. Meaning you will require a larger dose to achieve the same or similar effect. In other words, if you notice your condition is not receiving the same relief (e.g. insomnia - your sleep may become lighter, more disturbed and shorter. Arthritis - the relief is lighter and shorter, onset of stiffness occurs quicker. etc.). The other side of the simple answer is, in rarer cases, when tolerance lowers resulting in stronger side effects. The solution here is quite easy; lower your dose by 20 – 50%. The simple answer is assuming all other circumstances remain the same, which they seldom do. Stress changes, eating habits change, sleep patterns change, we experience emotional highs and lows as often as our environment changes so these factors seldom remain constant and is why they are often referred to as “variables”. The complex answer takes in all variables, one of which may be the medicine itself. The questions to ask here are: What is the potency/purity of the product in its concentrated form? What is the cannabinoid profile or THC:CBD ratio? What is the consistency of production, from plant to product? What is the reproducibility of the products? What Quality Systems are in place? Does the products contain any residual solvent or heavy metals? The need for testing cannabis oil becomes apparent. Page 28 Tolerance breaks are usually required when the dosing becomes medium to high and is applied consistently for several months. A tell-tale sign of when a tolerance break is needed is when a higher than usual dose is used and little effect is felt. A break of 3 – 4 days is normally sufficient but people can break for up to 2 weeks. Longer breaks can even be taken. This decision should be made according to your individual needs. If the 3 – 4 day tolerance break becomes excruciating and pain management is required, then a shorter break is better. Perhaps more regular but shorter breaks would be best in this type of situation. An example of someone who may want longer tolerance breaks is someone suffering with insomnia. Perhaps they wish to naturally regain their circadian rhythm, without the aid of any substance. In this case, their tolerance breaks may become longer and longer and their dosage lower and lower until they are able to ween off completely and sleep all on their own. THC is well known for the potential to carry heavy side effects and a high which some people struggle to manage. Despite the information which is currently mainstream, CBD is psychoactive but carries a much milder and different effect to THC. It has been known to lessen and stretch or suppress the psychoactive effects and enhance the benefits of THC. It is for this reason mainly that folks will opt for a higher CBD content in their cannabis medicine. In many cases, the choice is based on research which shows considerably improved results with higher CBD content. Please bear in mind that some of this information is distorted and equally effective results are achieved with high THC cannabis. Choosing a ratio or cannabinoid profile is personal and is best chosen after experiencing the effects for some time. Remember that natural medicine works best is applied consistently over a period of time. As a general guide, we recommend 3 months to evaluate whether cannabis is the correct medicine for you. Page 29 Humans We recommend using a factor of 0.25mg per kg for a mild starting dose, 0.50mg per kg for a medium dose and 0.75mg per kg for a strong dose. Weight Range (kg) Mild Dose (mg) Medium Dose (mg) Strong Dose (mg) 0–2 2–5 5 – 10 10 – 15 15 – 20 20 – 30 30 – 40 40 – 50 50 – 60 60 – 70 70 – 80 80 – 90 90 – 100 100 – 110 110 - 1.5 3 4.5 5 6 7.5 9 10 11 12 14 16 18 21 24 2 4 6 7.5 9 10.5 12 13 14 15 18 21 24 27 30 3 6 9 10.5 12 13.5 15 16 17 18 21 24 27 33 39 Other animals Dogs Since dogs exhibit a sensitivity to THC, it is recommended using a ¼ dose of that you would use for a human. Weight Range (kg) 0–2 2–5 5 – 10 10 – 15 15 – 20 20 – 30 30 – 40 40 – 50 50 – 60 60 – 70 70 – 80 80 – 90 90 – 100 100 – 110 Page 30 Mild Dose (mg) 0.3 0.75 1 1.25 1.5 1.8 2.25 2.5 2.75 3 3.5 4 4.5 5.25 For most other animals, it is recommended using a ½ dose of that you would use for a human. Weight Range (kg) 0–2 2–5 5 – 10 10 – 15 15 – 20 20 – 30 30 – 40 40 – 50 50 – 60 60 – 70 70 – 80 80 – 90 90 – 100 100 – 110 Mild Dose (mg) 0.6 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.6 4.5 5 5.5 6 7 8 9 10.5 THE HEALING HIGH - THC EXPLAINED You can’t spell healTHCare without THC! THC seems to be very misunderstood. It has been given a reputation which is quite unreasonable. It is one of the safest substances on earth. It forms the backbone of cannabis’ ability to interact with our bodies and by doing so, heals us! It is estimated that the lethal dose of THC is 680kg consumed in 15 minutes. This shows it is impossible for THC to kill you or even harm you in any way. Remember that it is using your own body’s intelligence to maintain homeostasis through the Endocannabinoid System (ECS). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6JiHYMtNZc Some evidences that Cannabis is a Safe and Natural Medicine:1) THC and the other cannabinoids like CBD and THCV are fat soluble and we see this when we use it. It stores in our fat cells (adipose tissue). So unlike a toxin or harmful substance, the body does not try to expel it but stores it and holds on to it for anything from 2 – 8 weeks! 2) THC mimics Anandamide (pictured pg. 32). It even looks very similar. Our brains make Anandamide and while the effects of THC differ, it is imparting benefit to your being; physically, mentally and emotionally. 3) The 2 places in nature we find concentrations of these cannabinoids, like THC and Anandamide are: 1. Cannabis and 2. Breast Milk. So you could argue that thinking THC is in the same league as breast milk in terms of safety. 4) Natural land races of cannabis usually have higher concentrations of THC than other phytocannabinoid. Similarly our bodies produce more Anandamide than any other endocannabinoid. The cannabinoids from cannabis work together better in what is known as the pg. 6 The Entourage Effect. It is crucial to remember that cannabis induces a selective response as it interacts with our ECS; which is a signalling and response system that regulates and modulates the body’s homeostasis. So while some side effects are common, each person has their own response, feels their own side effects and develops their own relationship with cannabis. So the effect THC gives you depends on your chemical makeup, which depends mostly on the foods we eat, the lifestyle we live and the frame of mind we exist in most often. Page 31 Anandamide is also known as the “bliss molecule.” Read more here - https://herb.co/marijuana/news/anandamide-aea Cannabis is a teacher plant and it forms part of holistic healing very well. It has the full auric spectrum and can impart a psychoactive response. This “high” is very much an essential part of the healing process: it provides a mind/body interface, through bouts of deep introspection, which allows for the patient to address themselves with their own mental and/or emotional and/or spiritual and/or physical issues. The attention to all these aspects is key in holistic healing and cannabis provides for a full spectrum healing of this type. Of course, there are other ways to achieve holistic healing and the high from THC can be negated or minimised if it is interfering with the functioning of the patient but its inclusion is very much recommended. Remember here too that health is each person’s own responsibility. There are things we can use and people who can help, but it’s up to each of us to want to get better, to learn how to get better and then to do what it takes to regain our health and vitality. There is nothing or no-one that can heal YOU better than YOU! YOU heal YOU! Page 32 So what about CBD Hemp Oil? These products attract people as they claim many of the health benefits of medical grade cannabis oil. CBD Hemp oil it’s legal because it’s low in THC and is grown under permit/license. Most of the Hemp is not grown under medical conditions but is grown as a commercial crop originating in China. CBD is an amazing cannabinoid but expresses limited ability to interact with our ECS on its own. It requires the presence of the other cannabinoids, mainly THC in order to function optimally. See pg. 6 – The Entourage Effect. Holistic healing is all about energy and intention. You get the best results when the plants used are grown for healing purposes and industrial hemp is not. CBD does negate the psychoactivity of THC so it makes sense, if high CBD is required, that it is accompanied by reasonable levels of THC as well. This will offer maximum health benefit. High CBD cannabis strains are now available – they are hybrids of hemp which offer higher yields. Some CBD Hemp oils are made from good quality Hemp. The best way to tell is to research the supplier/manufacturer. Any well-made cannabis oil, made from well grown medical strains of cannabis (including land races), have CBD levels that will sit between about 1 – 10% and while this may seem insignificant, the difference will be profound! The Images below demonstrate the difference in quality of raw material used for CBD Hemp oil and Medical Grade Cannabis Low Quality Hemp Field Low Quality Hemp Flowers Page 33 Example of Medical Grade Cannabis Flowers – Grown outdoors Example of Medical Grade Cannabis Flowers – Grown indoors We choose Cannabis grown organically with the intention of healing in our medicine preparation. We choose High CBD Strains which contain significant amounts of THC for maximised healing. We choose to follow Holistic Healing and the Entourage Effect when applying cannabis treatments. Page 34 FAQ 1. SECTION ONE: DOSING AND SAFETY 1.1. Will it make me high? It can make you high depending on what cannabinoid ratio (THC: CBD) your medicine contains and how you use it. Oral and ingested doses of a high THC cannabis oil can make you high yet in severe cases it relieves chronic symptoms. Topical and suppository products are without the high but do still have some side effects. At this present time, we offer a high THC cannabis oil and limited quantities of a high CBD cannabis oil. Later in 2018 (date to be confirmed) we will be offering a consistent High CBD cannabis oil which will carry far fewer side effects. For more information, please see pg. 3 Dosage, pg. 4 Managing Side Effects, pg. 5 The Cannabinoids, pg. 6 The Entourage Effect, pg. 11 Ratios and pg. 12-17 Product Guide 1.2. How should I take it? There many effective ways to use/take cannabis, detailed on the link below. This decision will depend on what condition you are treating and your personal preference. Please refer to our product guide which shows the different preparations we offer. Cannabis is best used as part of a holistic health regimen. Choose a method or combination of methods which will target your health concerns and offer the most suitable effects and symptom relief. For more information, please see pg. 3 Dosage and pg. 12-17 Product Guide Introduction to medical cannabis: http://www.safeaccessnow.org/using_medical_cannabis 1.3. When should I take it? This depends on the condition you are treating, the method you choose and the effects and results you desire. Taken orally or ingested, we recommend to start by taking a single dose about 1 – 2 hours before bed as a high THC cannabis oil can have a sedative effect. Topicals can be applied often, 2 – 3 times daily is usually best. Suppositories require some timing and should be taken about an hour after regular bowel movement. For more information, please see pg. 3 Dosage, pg. 12-17 Product Guide And pg. 23 – 30 Detailed Dosage If you are new to this medicine, we recommend having a loved one/friend/family member with you the first few times you use it. 1.4. How much should I take? We recommend to start with a low dose and increase steadily if required. Start by using a dosage based on the weight tables provided on pg. 23-30 Dosage Guides. Base this ongoing decision on the symptom relief, side effects felt and most importantly: results! Page 35 Bear in mind when used as part of a holistic health regimen, results from chronic conditions may take several months. For more information, please see pg. 3 Dosage and pg. 23 – 30 Detailed Dosage 1.5. Can I take it with my other meds? Yes, but please first check here for any possible contra-indications: http://www.drugs.com/drug-interactions/cannabis-index.html Cannabis can be used to combat addiction and ween off medication such as pain killers, sleeping tablets, anti-depressants etc. We recommend a very slow and methodical approach to this goal. 1.6. How long will the side effects last? This will vary depending on your dose size, how you took it and what the THC: CBD ratio is. Cannabis, like most medicine has general effects but can vary greatly from person to person. For more information, please see pg. 4 Managing Side Effects and pg. 12-17 Product Guide 1.7. Where must I store my medicine? Cannabis oil as a concentrate (we pack into syringes) and tinctures are best stored in a dry, dark and cool place. Below 25°C. Shelf life: 1 – 2 years (syringes) and 3 – 6 months (tinctures). Capsules/Suppositories are best stored in a fridge or freezer. Recommended temperature range: 5°C to - 30°C. Shelf life: 5 – 10 years (freezer) or 2 – 3 years (fridge) Topicals are best stored in a fridge or a very cool, dark and dry place. Recommended temperature range: 5°C to 15°C. Shelf life: 1 – 2 years. Unless stored in fridge then 2 – 3 years. For more information, please see pg. 12-17 Product Guide 1.8. What do I do if it makes me feel weird? All side effects from cannabis are temporary. Side effects can vary greatly from person to person in how they feel and the time taken for them to wear off. First and foremost – remain calm. At no time is cannabis able to harm you if you are using it in a controlled way. This is why we emphasise mindfulness, planning, forethought and intention all be part of your process. Although the effects can be strong and overwhelming, you are still in control. If you are just starting out, be mindful and control the circumstances and environment as much as possible. For more information, please see pg. 4 Managing Side Effects 1.9. How safe is it to use? Cannabis is one of the safest substances on Earth. It’s safe for humans of all ages, genders and ethnicities and for all animals who have an Endocannabinoid system (Dogs, cats, horses, mice, spiders, etc.) For more information, please see pg. 8 – Safety Facts and pg. 30 – 34 Healing High Page 36 1.10. Will I get addicted? In our considered opinion, the addiction rates of cannabis are grossly overstated. Usually the worst effect someone will experience once they discontinue use is mild mood swings, insomnia and loss of appetite. This is due to when one is using cannabis your brain stops producing endogenous cannabinoids such as Anandamide. Simply because the cannabis is providing them so there is no need for the body to produce cannabinoids as well. In most cases after 3 or 4 days the withdrawal symptoms disappear as your brain begins to produces endocannabinoids again. Cannabis is emerging as one of the best drugs to help break addictions. Here is what we feel is a fairly unbiased article on addiction and stopping use: http://brainblogger.com/2015/05/13/debunking-the-myths-of-marijuanawithdrawalsyndrome/ https://www.leafscience.com/2017/10/06/is-marijuana-addictive/ 1.11. Do I have to use it forever? This will depend on you; what you are treating and whether you want to make cannabis a daily part of your life or not. It is a far too personal and complex question to answer here. The reason for using it will usually determine a continual or short-term treatment, however this may change, and often does when the results are experienced. Recurring and persistent conditions like migraines, arthritis and epilepsy will usually require frequent and continued usage. Others like MS, IBS and Cancer can be cleared up and you can decide on continued usage, perhaps as a preventative/tonic rather than as a medication/remedy. Page 37 2. SECTION 2: LEGALITY AND PRESCRIPTION 2.1. Is it legal? No. In South Africa, despite recent changes, the Drug and Drug Trafficking Act prohibits the possession, cultivation and sale of THC and cannabis. The Constitutional Court effectively decriminalised cannabis for personal use, possession and cultivation on the 18 th September 2018 giving Parliament 24 months to amend the law. For more information, please see our 1-page circular entitled “Is Cannabis Now Legal in South Africa?” available as pdf, also see: https://fieldsofgreenforall.org.za/faq/ 2.2. Will it show up in a urine (drug) test? Yes. In our experience, some of those cheap 5-in-1 tests at the chemist do not show a positive result but rather expect a positive result when using cannabis. Remember you cannot be drug tested without your consent. 2.3. Will it show up in a blood (drug) test? Yes. Remember this is specifically drug screening blood tests and not general pathology as part of your doctor’s treatment. Most path labs will not screen patients for cannabis use and generally show compassion. 2.4. Should I tell my Doctor/Health Practitioner? Since it is illegal, that choice is up to you since you know your doctor. Doctors and Medical Practitioners must obey patient confidentiality however a difference in opinion here may cause trust issues. A good way to gauge if your doctor is receptive towards medical cannabis, is to mention the press coverage and ask if you think you should consider using it for yourself. This way you are not admitting anything and can quickly tell your Doctor’s opinion. Soon we will be launching a Healer’s Network, comprising of medical practitioners who see the value of medical cannabis and who mostly support holistic health practices. 2.5. Can I travel with it? There is always risk involved here. A few things to consider; how will you travel? By road or by air? Local or international? Driving and flying locally are the least risk. Conceal it well when travelling and if asked what it is try and be vague. Call it herbal medicine for pain or something similarly simple. Travelling abroad is always more challenging. The destination will determine the risk. Some people have even taken it places like the UK and Australia. Avoid attempting to take it to certain places like Dubai. If you do want to try fly overseas with it, we recommend concealing your medicine amongst your on-board luggage. Keep it with your other meds and/or toiletries. Disguising it is an option but may be more of a risk if it makes you nervous or it is poorly done. Another option is hiding it in other medical packaging. Using an effervescent tablet tube or big box of tablets for example. Keep it as simple as possible. Complicated schemes are hard to maintain and while they may be clever Page 38 are more likely to get you caught. Here is guide for South Africans: https://daggacouple.co.za/know-your-rights/ 2.6. What happens if I get caught? First, please make sure you are familiar with the Know Your Rights pamphlet. Download it, print it, read it and keep it. It’s a great document. There is a campaign in RSA to drive legalisation, part of this includes a Constitutional Court case currently awaiting a second court date and another part is called Join the Queue which has successfully deferred judgement on over 30 cannabis possession cases: http://jointheq.co.za/ 2.7. Anyone else who can help with legal matters? Yes, Jeremy Acton, leader of IQELA LENTSANGO: THE DAGGA PARTY OF SOUTH AFRICA is very knowledgeable and passionate about helping folks too. You can find him here: http://daggaparty.org/contactus.html 2.8. When will it become legal? Great question! Many passionate people and groups around the country are working hard for this, these include Fields of Green for All (see link below), Dagga Party (https://www.daggaparty.org.za/) and NORML SA (http://norml.org.za/). Since IFP MP Mario Ambrosini tabled the Medical Innovation Bill in February 2014, it is being considered by Parliament. There seems to be movement among some folks involved in the Hemp Industry and government but it’s all being done in secret without the chance for the general public to shape the way it’s rolled out. Or perhaps rather, it is being done very nervously and seems fraught with miscommunication, misunderstanding and misinformation. It is difficult to give an accurate answer to this question as it seems the legality will be staggered, meaning it will be legal for some pilot projects initially and then its availability will be widened as progress is made. It’s a complicated issue with as many traps as there are benefits. Far too complicated to get into fully here but consider quickly that what we see overseas is that regulation pushes prices up dramatically making it expensive for ordinary people to afford. It also means there is still a black market and people are still being arrested for the safest and most nutritious plant on earth. I often ask people to consider that more laws do not constitute more freedom and if a law restricts something safe then perhaps the answer is simply to remove the faulty law? After all there are many, far more dangerous substance in your home right now, most of which are freely available on the open market. The other perspective to have here is for us to make known what we want from a legal cannabis market and start working together from the ground up and influence the decisions that way – this is the technique we are adopting and we welcome anyone who wants to help. For updates on the legal status check here: https://fieldsofgreenforall.org.za/faq/ For more recent changes – please see “Is Cannabis Now Legal in South Africa?” Page 39 SECTION 3: HOW ITS MADE 2.9. How is the oil made? There are many ways to make a good quality cannabis oil. The method we use is butane extraction. You can use Carbon Dioxide, Alcohols, Ketones and even Oils to extract cannabis. Here is a great place to check out all the different methods: http://skunkpharmresearch.com/ They have several methods you can look at including butane: http://skunkpharmresearch.com/bho-extraction/ ISO: http://skunkpharmresearch.com/qwiso/ Ethanol: http://skunkpharmresearch.com/qwet-extraction/ http://skunkpharmresearch.com/glycerin-extraction/ Here is the dome vaporiser method: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5K_lcBU-sI 2.10. What is the difference between Cannabis and Hemp Oil? There are 3 types of oil available: Cannabis Oil, Hemp Oil and CBD Hemp Oil. Hemp Oil is cold pressed from Hemp seeds and does not contain any cannabinoids (such as THC or CBD). It is fantastically nutritious and has perfect balance of Omega oils and can even repair DNA but it’s not the same as cannabis oil. Please read some great benefits oil hemp seed oil here: http://www.zliving.com/health/natural-remedies/9-health-benefits-of-hemp-oil-that-youshould-know-2467/ Cannabis oil is extracted from the flowers of the female cannabis plant. For methods on extracting cannabis oil see question above. CBD Hemp oil is something similar to cannabis oil but the difference comes in the environment and intention to grow and extract as medicine. For more information, please see pg. 31-34 The Healing High. We do NOT support Hemp oil extracts as the plants are usually not grown with the intention of producing medicine. How can you make medicine from something which is not intended to become medicine? Page 40