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PART 1: MOTIVATION TO GROW
I’ve always considered myself decidedly undomesticated. Cooking and gardening typically cling to the bottom of my to-do list.
However, now that I’ve been properly introduced to medicinal cannabis I see the benefits of embracing a slightly more domesticated lifestyle.
Over the past year, I have enjoyed creating cannabis edibles and topicals with product from my Licensed Producers. Ready-made edibles and topicals won’t be legal to purchase in Canada until sometime in 2019 according to Health Canada.
A commitment to growing has eluded me because, well, it’s a commitment. Still, I have decided to say my ‘I do’s’ to this amazing plant and apply for my license to grow at home.
Why? You may ask.
Having studied and been certified in holistic nutrition, I have a healthy respect for whole plant medicine in all its forms. I believe the cannabis plant, specifically the balanced CBD and THC strains, is one of the healthiest plants on the planet when consumed responsibly.
Juicing the plant (bud and leaves) will allow me to benefit from THC-A and CBD-A (‘raw’ acidic and non-psychoactive form of those cannabinoids). Licensed Producers do not currently sell raw cannabis except in starting material.
Whole plant cannabis contains hundreds of chemical components, many of which have been shown to have anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antibacterial and antioxidant properties. If you are treating bacterial or viral infections make sure you speak with your doctor about proper treatment, my plan is more along the lines of preventative maintenance.
Worth noting is that cooking with cannabis and making tinctures or topicals typically require a minimum of 15 grams or more of the bud. Some Licensed Producers carry less expensive strains which I gravitate to for using in baking. I am hoping to augment those grams with ones I grow at home.
As a bonus, I’ll likely be working with full spectrum blue and white lights, which, like the sun, can have considerable mood-lifting benefits, especially in our long winter months.
Over the coming months, I’ll document the ups and downs of the entire process — from application to ‘harvest’ (fingers crossed). I look forward to the continued learning curve of getting to know and work with the cannabis plant, as well as the simple joy of helping something grow. I may even add some tulip bulbs!
— Kait Shane, Community Outreach Educator Natural Health Services. Follow Natural Health Services on Twitter.
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