It’s 2018, You Should Grow Some Pot

Happy New Year everybody!  2018 is going to be a very special year for cannabis culture as more and more states are legalizing the plant for adult use.  The cannabis industry is expanding, creating all sorts of business opportunities as new uses for the plant is discovered.  For those of us who have been involved in cannabis culture since the dark days of prohibition it is a very special time where we can finally come out of the shadows and openly discuss our use of the plant; for those who were scared away from the plant through prohibition and propaganda it is time to re-evaluate your feelings towards the plant and begin exploring it’s many uses.  No matter what your past history with cannabis is, we are truly living in a era of opportunity for this ancient plant and people from all sorts of backgrounds are interested in growing and cultivating it.  Got a backyard with a little extra space and some sun?  The time has come for you to start growing pot.

Growing Cannabis is an Easy, Low Stress Hobby

Growing cannabis is a great excuse to get outside and absorb some vitamin D.

In his book, Marijuana Grower’s Handbook, Ed Rosenthal states that growing the cannabis plant is more addictive than consuming it and I have to agree; after 10 years of growing and 25 years of consuming, I get far more excited over the seasonal switch from winter to spring than trying the latest hash oil to hit the market.  Simply put; the modern world that we live in is a stressful one and we can all use a break from the overstimulation that we receive. A few hours in the garden each week is the perfect cure for the detrimental effects of the 10 hours of recycled office air and florescent lighting we get in our day to day lives.  Your garden will become your sanctuary, that quiet place you go to where you can breathe in the fresh air and not worry about when your next project is due.  Rather than spending your free time obsessing over the latest celebrity gossip or stressing about the sad state of world affairs on the news you will spend your time learning about the nutritional needs of plants, how weather cycles can effect growth cycles, and looking up new recipes for to share with your friends.

You Will Save Money (If You Already Consume)

A fraction of last years’ harvest: The small jar carries 1 oz of cannabis which can cost up to $400 at a dispensary.

Despite its new found status as a plant legal for adult consumption, the price of cannabis flowers is still high enough to discourage many from using it on a regular basis even for medicinal purposes.  To put this in perspective; 1oz of cannabis in California at a recreational dispencary can cost anywhere between $200-$400 while the same amount of tobacco (a much costlier crop to grow) will only cost $10.   On the other hand, cannabis clones (a baby cannabis plant) cost around $15 and will on average produce about 2-10 oz of flowers ($400-$4,000 at the club).  To be fair, there are other expenses to factor when choosing to grow cannabis but if you grow your plants outside in the sun rather than hydroponically outdoors those costs are rather minimal (dirt, fertilizer, and some gardening equipment; a $50 trip to your local gardening store will have you covered).  If you are a cannabis consumer, have a backyard, and are not already growing your own plants you are spending far more money than you should be.

It’s a Social Thing

Got a full garden and some chill neighbors?  Invite them over and they might help you with the harvest!

I grew my first cannabis plants in my parents’ backyard in the house I grew up in where they are surrounded by neighbors they’ve lived next to for over 20 years but barely ever got to know.  Like most backyard growers during prohibition, I did my best to keep my crops a secret from even my most trusted friends but sure enough, word got out and soon my parents neighbors were knocking on my door.  The first neighbor who approached me was the parent of one of the kids that I grew up with and rather than scold me for doing something illegal, they asked me if I could help them grow their own plants!  The very next year we were waiting in line together to pick up our clones from the dispencery and have helped each other each year ever since.  Other neighbors and friends have joined us; harvest time has become like a family reunion as people from a wide variety of backgrounds come together and strenghten our bonds over the plant that we love.

It’s Medicine

Some “Dream Queen” that has been decarbed and ready to be turned into tincture;

Like most people who became fascinated with cannabis during prohibition, my incentive was purely recreational; I enjoyed the effects the plant has on me and wanted to produce the plant for my own personal, adult use.  As my circle of fellow growers and consumers expanded throughout the years however, I learned that a lot of people use cannabis for medicinal purposes or are at least curious about it.  The neighbor that I first shared my hobby with was primarily interested in pain relief; years of working in a bakery had left her with tendonitis and back pain that traditional, over-the-counter, pain killers just weren’t efffective enough for.  Another neighbor (who was at one time a prohibitionist) began using the plant to relieve themselves from insomnia while another one uses the plant to relieve themselves of anxiety.  These are just a few medical conditions that people face everyday that can be treated with a plant grown in your backyard and there are many others; cannabis is now being used to treat post-traumatic stress disorder, glaucoma, epilyptic seizures, and is even being used to extend the active lives of older, beloved pets that would otherwise have to be put down.

It Can Create Business Opportunietes

Breeding new strains is just one of the exciting fields in the emerging cannabis industry.

Cannabis was already a leading cash crop in the United States and now that it is becoming legal the industries around it are about to explode.  While large, commercial farms will that there will be plenty of cannabis flowers available for recreational users, there will be many smaller, niche business opportunities for backyard growers and the knowledge that you gain with your new hobby could turn into a new gig or even career.  Did your crop come out good this year?  People will want to hire you as a growing consultant.  Did your CBD hand salve recipe help your neighbors arthritis?  It might help other people’s too!  The legalized cannabis industry is still in an infantile state and the knowledge you gain from growing in your background will give you a leg up in an exciting new industry.

It’s a Political Statement

Who will control the future of cannabis, the consumers or the corporations?

With more and more states flex their rights by legalizing cannabis one would think the dark days of prohibition are coming to an end not just in the United States but around the world; sadly, our fight for individual rights and freedom is not over.  Our right to grow our own medicine is under threat not just from both major political parties but also some of the biggest industries in the world; pharmacuetal, alcohol, tobacco, prison, and police all have powerful lobbies in congress and have the financial means to bribe their representatives to vote any way they want and they do.  All of these constituents have one thing in common; their monopolies are threatened by the legalization of the cannabis plant.  A few more clever entrepanuers from these big businesses have decided to invest in the incoming cannabis industry (once their small time competetors are in prison for dealing illegal drugs, of course); when legalization hits the nation they will take over the industry, flood the market with inferior products, and turn our beloved plant into yet another mass-produced product to be bought and sold on the stock exchange.  By growing cannabis in your backyard in 2018 you are not only taking a stand against an authoritarian government, you are helping create a market place that values the cannabis plant for all of it’s qualities without exploiting it or it’s users.  For those of us who live in states that have ended prohibition, it is our moral obligation to produce as much of this medicine as possible not only to provide for ourselves and our loved ones but to create a culture and market that allows users access to a wide variety of strains and methods of consumption to fit their individual needs.

2018 will indeed be an exciting year for the cannabis plant and its time to bring the plant to the general public.  With a little dirt, a little sun, some water and some seeds you can be a part of these exciting times.  It’s 2018, you should grow some pot!