Making your own cannabutter is nasty. smelly, messy work, but it is one way to know how strong it might be, and how finely it has been strained. That is why it is wise to make bigger batches and freeze it. The usual proportions I have been told is an ounce per pound of butter . . . but that would be very strong butter! The best (and most cost efficient) cannabutter I have ever made was done with shake I got for free. Put it in the blender and cooked it in butter/water mixture most often described in recipes for hours . . . really smelled up the house. But the end product made the best medicine in the form of gingerbread cookies. Three 2" cookies was a good dose . . . five was overstone. The spices did a great job hiding the taste and even helped with the odor.

I used to get a good snickerdoodle cookie made locally, but she moved. The new baker didn't seem to like to fully bake the cookies, and I got tired of soggy, flat, doughy cookies. I found 1/4 - 1/2 of one of those was a dose.

Ingesting is not the best way to fight nausea, as it takes too long to act. Inhaling is still faster and better relief for nausea, IMHO.

Pineapple is a indica. The only sativa I have is Blue Dream and even though I have a separate whip, I have not used it. My body does not seem to require any kind of pain/spasm medication during the day. It is only in the evening when sitting to watch TV that my spasms often become so annoying as to use medication in order to relax. My pain is manifests mainly as heat/icy cold and again, I can ignore it during the day.

@Surfer. Do you suspect that the different results could be that although you thought you purchased the same strain that in fact, you got a different variety or was your reactions just based on a different day?

I want to make my own cannabutter for a few reasons.

1. I would know exactly the ratio of buds to butter mixture.

2. There seems to be no control when it comes to the cannabutter I have used. When getting an edible, I ask what strain was used but every time, nothing is printed on the homemade food label.

When I talked to Mo at the Colorado dispensary, I asked about edibles and if the strain used would effect the reaction of my body. He said yes.

So part of my self exploration will be if I can discern a difference.

Mo suggested a mild roast of the buds to release the THC and make the cannabutter stronger. I have very little product so although I would like to experiment, I have nothing to "waste."

3. When it comes to homemade goods, I know my kitchen is clean/sanitary.

4. Smell and mess? I am ready for it. It will be noted eventually!

5. Although MMJ in Arizona is going through a lot of challenges, if it ever becomes legal enough, I may go into the cooking edibles business. That is really far off in my planning and may never happen.

bumping up.

Since the more recent overstone, I have backed off on my night brownie to see how I feel.

I will probably go back and forth on usage.

Last night's spasms got dosed with Baclofen. I was too lazy to go to the kitchen. The bathroom was closer.

"@Surfer. Do you suspect that the different results could be that although you thought you purchased the same strain that in fact, you got a different variety or was your reactions just based on a different day?"

No, I'm referring to actually smoking from the same bud. I think that a lot has to do with a person's mood, pain level, etc. each time it's utilized. The same bud can produce different results.

I think I've mentioned it before, that sometimes a Sativa will knock me out and an Indica will raise my spirits. (opposite of what one would expect). Try your Blue Dream sometime and see if you like it. It shouldn't be a dramatic difference to you.

It makes sense to make your own butter to monitor the strength. Btw, in case you didn't know it, you just need inexpensive trimmings to make butter, not the buds.

@Surfer. hmmm, interesting input that the current mood can change the reaction of the cannabis rather than a consistent reaction.

I will have to see how it works for me and monitor my moods. Thanks!

And when it comes to using shake to make cannabutter rather than buds, my benefactor may have given me cannabutter made from shake. There is no label to indicate anything.

That is a negative.

Shake has never been made available to me, only buds. It does mean I can use less product, the MJ taste with edibles will be less intrusive/edibles may taste better. It means to proceed cautiously when creating my own cannabutter.

If the study ever begins, I will have a better handle on everything. I am not bothering the cancer center about it though.

MJ has not made me "laid back." I am a laid back personality in my own right! not pushy unless asked about my politics!

I went to a community meeting last night. No progress on where dispensaries should be allowed.

But two caregivers approached me after the meeting was over, both want to give me MMJ with no strings attached. Both are willing to deliver.

I will give them bread as a thank you.

Good people in my world.

Be careful taking free MJ from strangers, Cyn..

I had a good conversation with one of the two caretakers I met at the meeting. Both had given me their business cards. The other caretaker answered his phone but he was unable to talk.

The first caretaker had wonderful "energy" at the meeting. Silly to say but true. In fact he had his business card in his car and said he would get it while I waited for DD to pick me up. I watched him from the curb and saw him running in the parking lot so as not to keep me waiting long.

The MMJ industry is very new to AZ and the business adventures have the potential to be lucrative.

It would be all sunshine and flowers to ignore the possibility. Certainly the Mexican drug cartel would not be happy if marijuana was legal.

But I digress. I talked to caretaker#1 and he was smart insightful and willing to let me hear his plans. His father deals with pain and this is, in part, what has led him to investigate cannabis now that it is legal.

He talked about marijuana massage oil...is anyone familiar with this?

I hope to also hear from caretaker#2. Also a nice guy who sat next to me at the meeting and we had a side conversation at a couple of points in the meeting.

Interesting dilemma. His plants are budding, no problem but the law does not allow the amount he is able to harvest. It means that as soon as he takes buds off the plant, he is violating the law!

But back to my question...have any of you heard of using MMJ topically? Have you tried it?

I've not, but I've had topical medications made here at a compounding place in town, so I can definitely see marijuana in a topical setting. I am curious to know the 'mode of action' so to speak, and how the medication gets absorbed as such.

If you happen across some, let us know! Topical form would be an excellent alternative to consider for some situations I'd imagine.

Hi,

I purchased a "cream" about 6 months ago and it had no effect on me. I can't think of the name right now and it's at home and I'm at work. It seems like a wonderful idea to apply mmj externally, but I don't think it's in the cards.

Aarcyn - Shake is usually available at dispensaries and is relatively cheap ($50/oz?). They don't have any use for it themselves and sell it cheap to bakers sometimes. You can also make hash out of it, but that's another story.

On another note - I know mmj helps with my PN pain, but I am so used to it that I am kind of spoiled I think and don't appreciate how well it works for me.

Anyway, I had a bad day yesterday and my legs were killing me. I went home a little earlier than usual and told the wife I need to take a hit. (I normally don't smoke til around 8 pm and it was around 5 pm). I went outside and took ONE hit and by the time I walked back inside, I had ZERO pain in my legs. I find this amazing.

One more thing. I live in L.A. and there was a story in the Times about an independant study that found when a mmj dispensary is forced to close, the crime rate shoots up in the area. The police are upset at the study, but the researchers claim they are just going by statistics. I certainly wouldn't have expected those results, lol.