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THE GOOD HERB

Cannabis legalization allows you to grow your own and DIY

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Let’s take a little walk back in time to 2007 when the NM Medical Cannabis Program was established. At that time, there were few licensed growers or dispensaries. The few dispensaries that existed mostly had flower for smoking. The program was not prepared for the needs of non- smoking patients. It took years of constant pressure to get the dispensaries to carry medicinal edibles and when they did, it was mostly hard candy and cookies. Years later, the patients were able to get tinctures, capsules and gummies. There has always been a lack of healthy, quality medical edibles. The dispensaries are now carrying more edibles but the health ingredient quality is still lacking.

Case in point: Diabetic and cancer patients cannot and do not want to eat sugar especially high fructose corn syrup. It is found in most gummies, hard candy, syrup and cookies. I think we can all agree that sugar is not medicine. It is the culprit in many health issues.

When I was in college back in 1974-1978, I volunteered to teach friends and family how to make their own edibles and tinctures. We started with canna butter; this could be added to any and all breads, cookies, etc. There was no hospice back then, but plenty of cancer patients suffering from the side effects of the chemotherapy who wanted relief from the side effects. My goal was then and has always been to ease the suffering and increase the quality of life. Truth be known, recreational users are mostly interested in getting high; medical patients prefer to reduce pain without being high.

So that was 40-plus years ago, and here we are now, New Mexico is about to launch legalization and recreational use come April 1, 2022. Growers and dispensaries are rushing to be part of the Green Rush. As of September 2021, according to the CCD, the Cannabis Control Division, there are already over 1,500 applicants for grow licenses. Grow licenses are the only licenses available at this time; manufacturing and dispensary licenses will be available later in the year. Time is of the essence to insure there will be enough medicine available come April 1.

You may have heard, that as of July 1, 2021, any 18-year-old New Mexican resident can now grow up to 12 plants for personal use ( six flowering and six in vegetative state). It is no longer necessary to have a NM medical card to grow your own.

It has been my experience that growing for personal use is not only rewarding and therapeutic but less expensive. Since 2007, I have taught hundreds of medical patients how to grow and how to make their own medicines. If you can cook, with a bit of guidance and a Magical Butter Machine, you can DIY.

There is more interest in the DIY approach now than ever. If you want to learn how to grow your own and create do-it-yourself remedies, email me for an appointment. For years, I taught classes but since Covid, I am only doing private consults and private lessons.

NOTE: Starting Nov. 15 to Dec. 20, we will have Magical Butter Machines on sale.

By the way, you do not have to grow your own to make your own remedies. At this time, if you are a NM medical cannabis patient, you can purchase flower at the dispensaries and make your own medicines. In April, recreational dispensaries will be open and you will be able to purchase flower to DIY. You can do it.

 Hilda Luz Chavez is a traditional naturopath, business and medicine woman, medical cannabis expert with over 40 years’ experience in the field of natural medicine. Call or email   Dr. Hilda at: 915-204-5440  or email her at chavezhl@aol.com.                                

Hilda Luz Chavez

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