Ask Dr. Mike
Q. How’d the term coffeeshop end up getting used for cannabis?
A. It started in 1972, in Amsterdam, when the Mellow Yellow coffee shop and bakery decided to traffic cannabis making it the first dispensary. Drug dealers disguised as customers would sit at the bar and sell cannabis to the hip customers. At the time, the Netherlands had just decriminalized cannabis, and there was little enforcement for getting caught with it. Shortly after, many more coffee shops selling cannabis began to emerge such as the famous Bulldog coffeeshop. Today there are over 200 registered coffeeshops in Amsterdam.
Q. What happens to the price of cannabis when a state goes legal?
A. As a crop cannabis is 33 times more valuable per acre than tomatoes (tomatoes being the most valuable legal crop per acre for Big Ag). The high price of cannabis is solely the result of prohibition. However, once a state goes legal cannabis prices fall drastically. According to the Washington Post, cannabis prices have fallen over 67% three years after legalization in Washington with similar trends occuring in the other legal states. As more cannabis is transitioned from black market operations to legal farming the price of cannabis will continue to fall.
Q. Which states in the US can consumers purchase cannabis without a medical ID card?
A. There are currently 8 states where cannabis can be purchased without a medical note: California, Nevada, Massachusetts, and Maine, Alaska, DC, Colorado, Oregon and Washington.
Q. Do people really use cannabis on their pets?
A. Yes! Many of the same ailments treated with cannabis in humans can be treated with cannabis in dogs. This includes arthritis, epilepsy, chronic pain, anxiety, etc. CBD has been the most common cannabinoid used on animals because it has great therapeutic properties and is non-psychoactive. Most evidence is still anecdotal, however researchers like Dr. Stephanie McGrath at the University of Colorado have begun investigating CBD for treatment of arthritis and epilepsy in dogs under a medical setting.
Q. What’s the difference between hemp and cannabis?
A. The biggest difference is the level of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Technically, both plants come from the genus Cannabis, and the species Cannabis Sativa. Hemp is more fibrous and contains less than 1% THC. U.S. laws define hemp as all parts of a Cannabis Sativa plant that does not contain psychoactive properties. Canada law states hemp is cannabis that contains .03% of THC or less.
Q. Can cannabis treat erectile dysfunction (ED)?
A. Yes and No. There is a lot of contradicting information out there regarding cannabis use and erections. Anxiety, or stage fright, is a common cause of ED. In small quantities, cannabis has shown to reduce anxiety, which can help some men relax and achieve an erection. Additionally, cannabis alters your senses which can make you more aroused. At higher doses cannabis can have a desensitizing effect, which means you can last longer in the sac. However, at high enough doses your johnson can become completely desensitized and go limp. Bottomline using cannabis for ED is completely case dependent. It really depends on the individual, the dosage, the partner, the setting…catch my drift. If you suffer from a limp noodle cannabis is worth a shot, and if that doesn’t work there’s always the little blue pill!
