Revisiting Cannabis: History, Stigmas, and Sustainable Futures

Weed, Green, Wacky Tobacky, the Devil's Lettuce, Sweet Mary Jane, SweetLeaf (if your Ozzy) these are all common names for Cannabis Sativa the plant that can be medicine, paper, textiles, construction materials, and, perhaps most surprising, fuel. Cannabis has been used throughout most of recorded history and we have archeological evidence that it was in use prior to recorded history. It’s no wonder that our ancestors cultivated these fascinating plants before tomatoes. 

Today I want to focus on some of the more modern thoughts surrounding what is arguably one of the most versatile plants in existence. I grew up in the DARE era. I was shown commercials about how my brain on drugs looked like a fried or broken egg. Weed being one of the most talked about for some reason. Sure, the program talked about coke and heroin but for some reason, weed was the focus of the media it seems. This was of course decades ago now and I live in a state that has legalized the “recreational” use of cannabis. I put recreational in quotes because I am of the opinion that all folks that are using mind and mood altering substances are self-medicating to some degree. 

“What are your qualifications?” I can hear some of the more critical folks asking. I have been observing and living various degrees of addiction since I was born. I’ve seen it all. I lived with an alcoholic mother who at some point developed a love affair with booger sugar and other things that we don’t often automatically even consider as addiction. Members of my extended family have all shared stories of their own addiction struggles. I spent years tending bar. I’m observant and psychology is a hyper fixation of mine, even though I do not have a degree. I have spent years observing addiction and drug use, in various settings. And I have that face that everyone wants to share their demons with. You start to notice some patterns after a while. 

Now back to cannabis, specifically. Did you know that our Founding Fathers smoked, just, a lot of pot and used hemp as textiles? Neither did I until I started working in the cannabis industry. I started working with a company that took great pride in their caregiver roots. Caregivers are what the medical industry called folks that grew for medical use patients. Card carrying patients with any number of ailments ranging from chronic pain and loss of appetite caused by cancer and cancer treatment to severe and debilitating anxiety. Because this company took great pride in what they were doing, they provided us with reading material for education purposes that we were encouraged to read during our down time. I unfortunately can’t remember all the books that I read, but I will do my best to include a list of references for more reading.

Wait, so the founding fathers smoked pot and used hemp and then it was bad and now it’s good again? How did we get here? Great questions. Hemp and Cannabis are the same plant, but one is bred specifically for its medicinal benefits. We actually used cannabis in this country for like 100 years without an issue. Then POC brought us jazz music and jazz cabbage became associated with POC. I shouldn’t have to tell you that during the early 1900s we, those of us lacking melanin, were particularly heinous in our treatment of what we perceived as others. Many of us STILL are and unfortunately that is a conversation for another day. So, I am saying that racism set our country back significantly. 

Had it not been for racism and greed we could have had a healthcare system that bothered to research why cannabis is medicine and we could have been further ahead in identifying exactly which compounds work best for which ailments. Had it not been for racism and greed we could have saved millions of acres of forests in Michigan alone. I’m not here to educate you on why that’s bad. I’m sure there are better resources for that. Well where does greed come in, you ask. It was lobbyists with personal interest in things like paper made from trees and criminalizing the medicine to make a profit that convinced corrupt politicians to help demonize it. Crazy to think that we still allow lobbying despite humans proving again and again that they will only look out for their own best interests instead of the best interests of the many. But again, that is not today’s topic! Stay on track.

When Nixion had cannabis scheduled as a drug, it was against medical professionals advice. For context, because context is always important, there were protests against the Vietnam war going on at this time, there were civil rights protests and there was the women's liberation movement. Politically it was an active time. Culturally, the communities that would be disproportionately affected by the criminalization were - you guessed it- POC. There are better educators out there than me to explain the nuance here, but it boils down to this, believe POC when they tell you their experience and how it is we got here. Generational trauma gets passed down in two ways; behaviors like people pleasing and code switching (and many others.) and a literal genetic component. Trauma: individual like abuse suffered in the home and collective like slavery, lynching, and an un-winable war literally change our DNA. None of that is actually today’s main focus however it is an important bit of context. And you are always encouraged to fact check me.

Medical professionals knew that there were real world applications for cannabis in the healing sector, even in the 70s. In the 70s, maybe for the first time, we were seeing things like PTSD which were talked about as “shell shock” and “combat fatigue”. While there was a huge stigma around mental health, even more so than today, especially in regards to our veterans, what they were seeing would eventually be labeled as PTSD. I can’t say for sure that medical professionals knew cannabis would help with mental health things back then, but given that was when they were also looking at LSD for its ability to rewire the brain, it's not hard to imagine they had an inkling. 

What we know now is that humans have what is called an endocannabinoid system. Its a complex system that I once read described as being responsible for the body’s homeostasis. Research on this is a bit on the newer side of course but what we know is that the shape of the compounds found in the cannabis plant fit perfectly into this endocannabinoid system. This system helps regulate things like cortisol, the stress hormone and other systems. It is a key player. I can’t remember specifically if I read this next bit or if it is an original thought, but it seems to me that the endocannabinoid system can be thrown out of wack by living in fight or flight and this effects the cortisol levels. I don’t remember the specific science that led me there, unfortunately. Smoking pot, anecdotally, helps me function like a normal person with a normal nervous system. Smoking pot helps others manage their physical pain. Cannabis is medicine.

Moving forward, I hope to see a future where we use cannabis in sustainable ways. Imagine less deforestation and more hemp farms. Picture a shift from oil to hemp biofuel and replacing concrete with hempcrete for building materials. Cannabis is a plant that requires fewer resources to grow than most crops, and its applications are endless. If we hadn't demonized this plant a century ago, we might already be living in a greener, more sustainable world. But the second-best time to make this a reality is now. If you have thoughts on how we can make this vision a reality, let’s chat in the comments.

With love,

Mia Marie

P.S

Further Reading
Green: A Field Guide to Marijuana by Dan Michaels and Erik Christiansen
Grass Roots: The Rise and Fall and Rise of Marijuana in America by Emily Dufton
The Cannabis Manifesto: A New Paradigm for Wellness by Steve DeAngelo and Willie L. Brown Jr.
Terpenes: The Magic in Cannabis by Beverly A. Potter Ph.D

Additional resources:
Generational Trauma
Trauma and Addiction

Generational Trauma and substance use

War on Drugs and the demonization of Cannabis

For all your CBD (and THC if your in MI) Needs, check out Swamp Yeti Project and get $5 off when you use coupon code MIAMARIE 

A Brief Introduction to Herbal Medicine

Something I’ve been wanting to talk about for a while is Herbalism. I want to tell you how I came to understand plant medicine, what herbalism is, what herbology is and how it came to be that we believe plant medicine to be bunk science. To be frank, I am not an expert, I have simply had occasion to be in rooms with (self-taught) herbalists. I make the self-taught distinction because it matters, at least to some extent. The herbalists that I work with know their limitations, there is a lot of complexity when we are working with plant medicine. My purpose with this post is to lend credibility to Herbalism as an ancient and complementary practice that works with modern medicine. First, let me tell you a bit about my mother, the first herbalist I learned from.

My mother has had many medical issues in her life that I can remember. She’s an alcoholic, she has had mental health issues including suicidal ideation, she has fought several different kinds of cancer and rheumatoid arthritis. I watched my mother struggle with mental health meds that not only didn’t help but also caused a slew of other issues with the side effects. I watched as they put my mother on med after med until she eventually worked herself off of all of them, because she understood that this med caused the high blood pressure, and the high blood pressure med caused another issue that caused another med and another issue until she was taking 10 medications a day. This prompted my mother to start making St. John's Wort tinctures. She made several others that I don’t remember but I remember the St. John’s wort was the first. She had researched enough to know what the plant was, where to find it, and perhaps most importantly what you can and cannot take with St. John’s Wort. My mother continued making tinctures and other herbal concoctions for many years and by the time my mother and I had a relationship again, she had painstakingly researched and produced a salve for her arthritis, we call it At Bay, because it keeps the pain at bay. I use it for my migraines, my sister for her fibromyalgia, a friend used it to help her knee after surgery, another friend uses it for migraines, and a few years ago a friend that has arthritis asked to try it again. My mother taught my oldest sister and I how to produce it when she got a grim diagnosis a few years back, it is her legacy. 

So what is Herbalism? The Merriam Webster dictionary defines it simply as “herbal medicine”. In the USA you often have to have a degree or certificate to practice as an herbalist. Technically the mentors that I have probably fall under the “Herbologist” label. Neither my mother or my mentor will diagnose you, neither will feel comfortable telling you what you need to take, that is stuff you learn in courses. But both know things like; soy is an estrogenic, or capsaicin is a vasodilator, and St. John’s wort is a nervine. It was on me to learn that the soy carrier may be what’s helping my migraine, or that I can use capsaicin in a poultice to draw heat to an area, and that a nervine might help me relax. It was also on me to learn that several nervine herbs I might take for my extreme PMS or anxiety/depression would also interfere with my birth control.  My mentor is a nurse, so she goes even deeper, recently she was telling me about plants she was going to try that affect specific parts of our brain chemistry. 2 things to note, she did the research on the plant and her symptoms, and advocated to her medical team that she would like to try plant medicine, but still work with her medical team. Even Western doctors are starting to recognize the benefits of plant medicine, though most still won’t even entertain the idea of connecting you with an herbalist. Do you wonder why that is? Or maybe you think that my claims are too anecdotal. Well to explore both of those points further let's chat about how we abandoned our roots. (A rare intended pun for you.)

I would hope that it is common knowledge by now that all ancient civilizations had a deep relationship with the plants found around them. So when did we stop favoring plants and start looking to modern medicine to solve our problems? In the 19th century, scientific advancements allowed us to isolate and extract active compounds from plants. This was revolutionary because it meant that medicine could be concentrated, mass-produced, and fast-acting. For instance, one of the earliest examples was the isolation of salicylic acid from willow bark in the 1800s, which later became known as aspirin—one of the most widely used drugs in the world today.

But instead of honoring the roots of this discovery, the powers that be (pharmaceutical companies with money and political influence) chose to rebrand herbal medicine as “folk medicine” to discredit it. Why? To pull the power of healing from our hands, funneling it into their pockets. In the early 20th century, as pharmaceutical companies grew in power, they began lobbying governments and medical boards, establishing the dominance of Western medicine. The infamous Flexner Report of 1910 played a key role in this. Funded by the Carnegie Foundation, it reshaped medical education in the United States and Canada, pushing for a more scientific, pharmaceutical-based curriculum, while discrediting practices like herbalism, homeopathy, and naturopathy as “unscientific.”

What chaps my ass is that instead of acknowledging herbalism—which WALKED SO MODERN MEDICINE COULD RUN—as a foundational practice, they ridiculed it. The pharmaceutical industry is now a multi-billion-dollar juggernaut, generating over half a billion in the USA alone annually, and that number is only set to increase. The discrediting of herbal medicine wasn’t about its efficacy, but about profit. Herbalists were painted as quacks (along with massage therapists, chiropractors, and other “alternative” medicine practitioners) so that these corporations could monopolize healthcare.

When I first started looking into herbal medicine for myself at 19-20 years old, the information available online was sparse. It was a lot of digging through folk remedies and reading about the properties of herbs to see if there was sound logic behind why they worked. But let’s not forget, even with limited research back then, some remedies have always been effective. I’ve used garlic and turmeric for a mouth infection, clove for the pain, and a mixture of onion, garlic, ginger, and black pepper for bronchitis. These were the remedies of our ancestors, and in many cases, they still work just as well today—maybe just a little slower than modern medicine.

Fast forward to today, and now, when I look up the properties of herbs, WebMD itself often provides peer-reviewed studies on the topic. However, even with this newfound access to information, many of us don’t know the right questions to ask or where to find reliable sources on how to harvest, work with, and properly ingest these herbs. Modern society is preoccupied with quick fixes, and that’s where modern medicine excels. It’s why specific compounds in plants are isolated and concentrated in the first place.

Take cannabis as an example. Since its legalization, there has been a surge in research on how its compounds interact with the body. A key concept emerging from this research is what’s known as the entourage effect—the idea that the whole plant works together to create a synergistic effect, with compounds like terpenes and cannabinoids complementing each other. In contrast, isolating just one compound, like THC or CBD, can reduce the overall efficacy of the plant. The Swamp Yeti Project, an industry leader, advocates for this whole-plant approach, emphasizing that isolating compounds can strip away many of the plant's natural benefits. (We’ll get into more cannabis specific lore and research soon.)

This principle applies to all herbalism. Some folks will try an herbal remedy, and when it doesn’t work immediately, they dismiss herbalism as “bunk.” What they don’t realize is that their fast-acting pills also have roots in plant medicine, often with their active ingredients isolated and concentrated to act faster. The issue here is a fundamental misunderstanding of how herbs work. Take catnip, for example: I can’t take it once and expect to experience all its benefits. As with anything natural, consistency is key. We’re working to correct imbalances in the body—imbalances that didn’t develop overnight.

Herbalism, like proper diet and exercise, is about working with the body over time, not forcing a fast, temporary solution. Maybe it’s my experiences with my mother’s journey, or those of others who have been steered wrong by modern medicine, but I always seek a long-lasting solution with as few side effects as possible. That being said, I don’t hate modern medicine entirely. I hold a healthy skepticism about the motivations of the doctors I speak with, and an understanding of the limitations of both modern medicine and herbalism. I’m not like these other spiritual girlies, looking at you queen of appropriation, I’m going to the doctor for a kidney infection, or any infection really - the garlic and tumeric helped buy me time to get to a dentist but I still needed antibiotics. I’m still getting vaccinated against tetanus. Herbalism is a great preventative measure, as I alluded to earlier, but it’s awful for a fast acting CURE. Herbalism is also a great long term solution for righting imbalances. If your suicidal and can’t make it to tomorrow, please, please seek medical attention but know that there are other long term solutions, once your brain is in a better spot. 

I have provided a link to the Swamp Yeti Products page for your cannabis (THC, CBD, and Nootropics) herbal needs. Full disclosure, I am a part of their affiliate program, but I believe in their mission, and I personally know the passion and care they put into their research and products. Also, for other tincture and dry herb needs, Holly at Wyrd Owl Cottage has you covered. I am not an affiliate of hers, but she is my mentor, and someone I know to be responsible and ethical in her production.

Love yourself better by questioning everything, 

Mia Marie

Diet: Physical Health, Mental Wellbeing, and Spiritual Connection

In our quest for health and wellbeing, diet often stands at the forefront of our concerns. What we eat not only impacts our physical health but also influences our mental wellbeing and, according to some, our spiritual state. However, while the benefits of certain diets, such as veganism and vegetarianism, are widely recognized, the accessibility of these diets and healthy food in general remains a significant challenge in many parts of the Western world.

Our diet is the foundation of our physical health. Consuming a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins can help prevent chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and certain cancers. Nutrient-dense foods provide the vitamins and minerals necessary for the body's functions, supporting everything from cellular repair to immune function.

Conversely, diets high in processed foods, sugars, and unhealthy fats can lead to numerous health issues. The rise of fast food and convenience meals has contributed to an increase in lifestyle-related diseases. Emphasizing whole, unprocessed foods can lead to better health outcomes and improved quality of life.

The connection between diet and mental health is increasingly recognized by the scientific community. Nutritional psychiatry explores how food impacts our mood and cognitive functions. Diets rich in omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, and vitamins B and D are linked to lower rates of depression and anxiety. Conversely, diets high in refined sugars and processed foods are associated with an increased risk of mental health disorders.

For instance, the Mediterranean diet, which emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and olive oil, has been shown to improve mood and reduce symptoms of depression. This underscores the importance of diet in maintaining mental health, suggesting that what we eat can significantly affect how we feel and think.

For some, diet extends beyond physical and mental health into the realm of spirituality. Certain dietary practices are believed to enhance spiritual wellbeing and foster a deeper connection with the world around us. This perspective is often seen in various spiritual and religious traditions.

For instance, many people believe that a vegetarian or vegan diet can raise one's vibrational frequency, promoting feelings of peace and empathy. This idea, while considered "woo-woo" by some, aligns with the ethical considerations of non-harm and compassion found in many spiritual teachings. Eating clean, natural foods is thought to purify the body and mind, facilitating spiritual growth and clarity.

Despite the recognized benefits of healthy diets, access to nutritious food remains a significant barrier for many, particularly in the Western world. Food deserts—urban areas where residents have limited access to affordable and nutritious food—highlight the disparity in food accessibility. In these areas, fast food restaurants and convenience stores are more prevalent than grocery stores offering fresh produce.

Economic factors also play a crucial role. Healthy foods, particularly organic and non-GMO options, are often more expensive than processed and junk foods. This price disparity makes it challenging for low-income families to maintain a healthy diet. Additionally, the time required to prepare healthy meals can be a barrier for with demanding work schedules - which let’s be so fuck honest, is most of us.

Veganism and vegetarianism, while gaining popularity, can also be less accessible. These diets often require careful planning and sometimes more expensive specialty ingredients. In some regions, cultural norms and lack of availability further hinder the adoption of plant-based diets.

While navigating the challenges of food accessibility, it’s essential to be kind to yourself. Recognize that these barriers are not a personal failing but a systemic issue. There are resources available to help make healthier food choices, even when the demands of everyday life make it difficult. Local food banks, community gardens, and online resources can provide support and guidance. Remember, striving for a healthier diet is a journey, and every small step towards better nutrition counts. By being compassionate with yourself and utilizing available resources, you can make positive changes that support your overall well being.

With Love and Compassion,
Mia Marie