While we are waiting, I hope this helps someone out there...as it did me.


In our fast-paced world, waiting is often seen as a burden. We desire...While we are waiting, I hope this helps someone out there...as it did me.


In our fast-paced world, waiting is often seen as a burden. We desire instant results, immediate success, and swift answers to our prayers. However, the story of King David reminds us that waiting is not a sign of weakness but an opportunity for growth and trust in God’s timing.

Before David became the renowned King of Israel, he endured a period of waiting. Despite being anointed as the future king by the prophet Samuel, David had to navigate through years of challenges, opposition, and even threats to his life. He served as a shepherd, a warrior, and a loyal servant to King Saul, all while patiently awaiting his turn to ascend the throne.

During this time of waiting, David learned valuable lessons about faith, humility, and dependence on God. He sought the Lord’s guidance, honed his skills, and developed a deep intimacy with God through prayer and worship. Instead of allowing impatience and frustration to overshadow his purpose, David used the waiting period to grow closer to God and cultivate the qualities necessary for effective leadership.

Likewise, in our lives, we often find ourselves in seasons of waiting. We may be waiting for a breakthrough in our careers, for a life partner, for healing, or for a door of opportunity to open. It is in these moments of uncertainty and anticipation that our character is refined, and our trust in God deepens.

Waiting teaches us patience, perseverance, and the importance of surrendering our desires to God’s perfect plan. It reveals our dependence on Him and invites us to seek His guidance and wisdom. It is during the waiting that God often molds us into the person He wants us to be, preparing us for the blessings and responsibilities ahead.

As we wait, let us be encouraged by David’s example. Let us remember that God’s timing is impeccable and His ways are higher than ours. Let us seek Him wholeheartedly, trust in His faithfulness, and take comfort in knowing that He is working behind the scenes, orchestrating every detail according to His perfect purpose. Show more

Coming up on my 4 year anniversary to iCannabinoid

Registered Date
Monday, 28 October 2019

Would be great to graduate to the next level in the near...Coming up on my 4 year anniversary to iCannabinoid

Registered Date
Monday, 28 October 2019

Would be great to graduate to the next level in the near future. I seriously wonder Raymond, when or if there are future plans for your auto-biography being written. I've only seen from my distant vantage point these past 4 years of you being the helmsman to this war-ravaged ship. Not too many people have the qualities you possess that have allowed us to advance to this critical juncture. I believe we were left for dead, destined to be swept under the rug by various entities ,but NO! something or someone was a game-changer! How did you evolve? Who or what instilled your make-up/qualities/ethics?
I could go on but I'll wait to read the book!!
Thank you Raymond for going the distance and.at some point most of us will realize this wasn't by luck but by forces of change that could not and would not be denied.

E Pluribus Unum

Paul L. Show more

Medical cannabis for doggies, kitties is fully legalized in California
David Downs
Published on September 27, 2022

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Medical canabis became...Medical cannabis for doggies, kitties is fully legalized in California
David Downs
Published on September 27, 2022

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Medical canabis became more legal for pets in California. (Alesya/Adobe Stock)
Countless thousands of California’s good doggies and cute kitties will suffer fewer seizures, and less arthritis pain, and anxiety, thanks to a new law signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom on Sept. 18.


Newly enacted Assembly Bill 1885 allows veterinarians to “recommend” medical cannabis products for their furry patients. Before, vets could only “discuss” such products with their patients’ owners, leading many vets to avoid the topic rather than risk losing their license.

“It’s a huge shift,” said Pet Cannabis Coalition President Tim Shu, a Los Angeles-based DVM and founder/CEO of VetCBD. “This is the first bill of its kind in the world. My goal is for other states and countries to see this as a framework.”

Sponsored by San Jose, CA, Assemblymember Ash Kalra (D), the new law had the backing of the state’s veterinary Veterinary Medical Board, and unanimously passed both houses of the California legislature. “That was just incredible,” Dr. Shu said.


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The bill had no organized opposition. One small topical brand, Lovingly & Legally, had safety concerns.

Nobody is talking about hotboxing your cat
This law does not mean you can or should give your dog weed chocolate, or hotbox your cat. The whole point is to empower animal medicine experts to guide caregiving for sick animals. Right now, desperate pet owners turn to internet forums, or DIY pet dosing.

“We want owners to have guidance,” said Dr. Shu. “Traditionally, vets have said, ‘Sorry, I can’t talk to you about that.’ This bill closes that gap. Go to a vet and get that recommendation.”

Rep. Kalra stated, “While existing law allows veterinarians to discuss the use of cannabis products in animals, it does not let them recommend it for their own animal patients. This is a serious legal oversight, as veterinarian recommendations help pet owners make safer, more responsible decisions when they consider giving their animals therapeutic substances.

“AB 1885 will ensure that pet owners receive proper guidance when they bestow the benefits of safe, regulated therapeutic cannabis upon their pets.”

Rep. Ash Kalra (D-San Jose)
“In short, AB 1885 will ensure that pet owners receive proper guidance when they bestow the benefits of safe, regulated therapeutic cannabis upon their pets.”

The Veterinary Medical Board (Board) stated in support, “By allowing veterinarians to recommend animal cannabis products for potential therapeutic purposes, AB 1885 provides a safer environment for pet owners to make well-informed decisions for their pets.”

MMJ being used for pet seizures, pain
Vets have been ‘discussing’ using cannabidiol (CBD) as well as low doses of THC to calm seizures, decrease arthritis pain, ease anxiety, and stimulate appetite in animals with cancer. If these sound like the usual human applications for medical cannabis, it’s because they are. All vertebrates have an endocannabinoid system that responds to the active ingredients in pot. Animals have different tolerances and contra-indications than humans, but the science is sound.

“We have seen cannabinoids, primarily CBD, drastically reduce the number of seizures a pet is having, and in some cases completely eliminate them,” Shu said. “Dogs on CBD show decreased pain and inflammation, or decreased itchiness.”


“Every year we’re starting to see more and more vets say, ‘I’ve seen it be so effective for my patients that have arthritis or anxiety.”

No FDA approval for pet-focused cannabis yet
About 70% of American households have pets. In many cases, they’ve become substitutes for spouses or children. In Los Angeles, humans push dogs in strollers and take cats for walks, Shu said.

Just like humans, marijuana’s federally illegal schedule 1 status blocks basic research into drug efficacy. Vets use expensive, dangerous pharmaceuticals on conditions that could be managed cheaply and safely with cannabinoids.


Raw cannabis is too cheap and hard to patent for drug companies to exploit it. “There are no cannabis-derived products approved for use in animals by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA),” according to state records.

According to the state’s vet board, “the Board wishes animal cannabis research funding could be obtained.”

Related
5 Things to Know Before Using Medical Cannabis for Your Pets
It’s not just about CBD
Hemp legalization has energized pet CBD research, but Shu said THC is important, too. Cannabinoids might be more effective and less toxic than many non-steroidal anti-inflammatories.

“THC has gotten a bad wrap. … Too much THC can have negative side effects, but THC does have medicinal benefits itself. A big one is THC and inflammation,” he said. “Sometimes we will see pets do better with an increased amount of THC.”


But you have to get the dosage right or THC can cause anxiety. All the more reason to loop in a trained vet now protected by state law.

According to a Senate floor analysis, “THC especially is considered toxic to pets, and can cause hyperactivity, excessive drooling, vomiting, gastrointestinal upset, urinary incontinence, seizures, disorientation, and difficulty maintaining balance. In addition, many edible cannabis products may include added ingredients that are dangerous for cats and dogs, such as chocolate and xylitol.”

Related
What veterinarians really think about pot and pets
Medical cannabis animal rights follow humans
The reform path follows the one laid down for humans. In 1996, Californians legalized medical cannabis, but doctors feared license revocation for recommending a plant deemed equal to street heroin. A court case affirmed physicians’ First Amendment right to ‘recommend’ cannabis; though they cannot ‘prescribe’ it.

“Veterinarians are just a little bit more hesitant than their human counterparts, and a little bit more scared. We have seen that change,” Shu said.

A world of applications across the animal kingdom awaits in the 21st century. Dr. Shu knows of cannabinoid use on horses, pigs, ferrets, rabbits, rats, and birds.

The bill requires the vet board to adopt and publish recommendation guidelines by January 1, 2024 . Show more