Cannabis Essentials

Book excerpt: If You Simply Want to Know the Basics of Today's Cannabis Landscape... One of the most popular topics of discussion and debate today is the use of cannabis. In recent years we have seen the expansion of the availability of both medical and recreational cannabis across the United States and, like many adults, you are probably curious about what cannabis is and isn't. Is cannabis the same thing as marijuana? Are marijuana and hemp the same plant? Can you really use cannabis and not get high? What are the possible health benefits of cannabis? How is it responsibly consumed? What should I tell my kids about cannabis? What's fact, what's fiction, and what's simply a cliche? These and other questions are addressed in Cannabis Essentials: A Field Guide for the Curious. In a clear, brief, and objective format, author Rob Mejia will help you to learn the basics needed to navigate this ever changing landscape. Mejia has spent the last five years listening to and learning from the many diverse voices involved in the world of cannabis--from dispensary owners and budtenders to medical patients, growers who happen to be nuns, cannabis chefs, hemp oil producers, journalists, and more. Their personal and illuminating stories, featured throughout the book, bring the discussion about cannabis to life-- and you will never again think of cannabis in the same way. Cannabis Essentials: A Field Guide for the Curious is your own personal cannabis concierge to help you explore this new world of opportunity and possibility. Among the many topics covered, it will guide you through: Why cannabis was vilified and became essentially illegal in the US in 1937 when it had been accepted medicine for centuries How other parts of the world are embracing cannabis Why the use of cannabis is a social justice/racial justice issue and what we can do about it What medical conditions respond best to cannabis and why cannabis medical research in the US is severely hampered How to visit a dispensary and how to find the cannabis strain that works best for you What are the many ways that cannabis can be responsibly consumed and what are the advantages and drawbacks of each type of use How to cook with cannabis Recipes that work well with cannabis infusions Lists of helpful websites, references, and revealing cannabis factoids Challenges and opportunities in the cannabis world going forward If you are ready to start your cannabis journey, or understand the landscape before heading out, Cannabis Essentials: A Field Guide for the Curious will keep you secure, knowledgeable, and prepared to embrace your cannabis curiosity.