Send us pics of your special smokadelic moments while wearing a Vansterdam t-shirt and you could win another tee for FREEEEEE! Be creative and show some love for Vansterdam

We want to see outdoor pics! Get out there! Enjoy the sunshine! Be one with nature! And, find the sickest session spot and share your summer moments!

You can be discreet, just wear em shades! (Pics may be posted on the site at our discretion)

email pics to: drblaze@vansterdamclothing.com

HAPPY BLAZING!
Professor Blaze

Below are several links I’ve received from Matt Penstone of Toronto about the benefits of marijuana in preventing or treating several common illnesses.

http://www.livescience.com/health/061005_alzheimers_marijuana.html
-Marijuana’s Key Ingredient Might Fight Alzheimer’s

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/4286435.stm
-Marijuana may block Alzheimer’s

http://rawstory.com/news/afp/Marijuana_helps_in_battle_against_c_04022009.html
-Marijuana helps in battle against cancer: study

http://alzheimers.about.com/od/research/a/marijuana_alz.htm
-Marijuana May Prevent Alzheimer’s Disease

http://www.mondovista.com/maryjane.html
-Marijuana Prevents Alzheimer’s Disease

http://www.entheology.org/edoto/anmviewer.asp?a=293
-Marijuana May Prevent Cancer, Not Cause It

http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2005/10/15/marijuana-good-for-the-brain/
-Marijuana Good For The, uh, Brain?

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,526853,00.html?sPage=fnc/health/diabetes
Scientist: Marijuana May Treat Diabetes

http://www.cannabismd.net/diabetes/
-Study’s Show Marijuana May Help Solve Diabetes

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090401181217.htm
-Active Component Of Marijuana Has Anti-Cancer Effects, Study Suggests

http://www.webmd.com/cancer/news/20040815/marijuana-stall-brain-tumor-growth
-Marijuana May Stall Brain Tumor Growth

http://www.cannabinoids.ca/specialized/articles2.htm
-Study’s Find Marijuana Helps a Variety of Neurological Disorders.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/10/051016083817.htm
-Research Suggests Marijuana Analogue Stimulates Brain Cell Growth

http://www.newstrackindia.com/newsdetails/80990
-Active component of marijuana may fight brain cancer

http://health.dailynewscentral.com/content/view/1775/63
-Marijuana Ingredient Triggers Brain Cell Growth

http://announcements.usask.ca/news/a…search_29.html

U of S Research Suggests Marijuana Analogue Stimulates Brain Cell Growth

http://announcements.usask.ca/news/archive/2005/10/u_of_s_research_29.html
University Of Saskatchewan Research Suggests Marijuana Analogue Stimulates Brain Cell Growth

http://stason.org/TULARC/health/hemp-marijuana/22-Doesn-t-Marijuana-cause-brain-damage.html
-Marijuana Doesn’t cause brain damage

http://esciencenews.com/articles/2008/11/19/scientists.are.high.idea.marijuana.reduces.memory.impairment
Scientists are high on idea that marijuana reduces memory impairment

http://psychcentral.com/news/2008/11/20/marijuana-may-help-the-aging-brain/3380.html
-Marijuana May Help the Aging Brain

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/11/081119120141.htm
-Marijuana: Help Prevent Or Delay Memory Impairment In The Aging Brain?

“Why is marijuana against the law? It grows naturally upon our planet. Doesn’t the idea of making nature against the law seem to you a bit . . . unnatural?”
-Bill Hicks

It’s been a while since you’ve heard from me…I’ve been tied up with work since returning from winter break.

On January 16th Michael Ignatieff, leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, spoke at the University of Victoria (UVIC) in Victoria, Canada. When asked about whether he supports legalizing marijuana Ignatieff had this to say,

“I never make comments on the personal lifestyle choices of my colleagues and friends, and I’ve never felt that marijuana use or, for example, possession of small amounts of marijuana are to be criminalized or that anybody should suffer consequences for personal recreational uses of marijuana. But then I have to say to people who then ask me if I want to legalize marijuana, and I know you don’t want to hear me say this, but I’d say no”

Let’s take a close look at Ignatieff’s statement. First,

“I never make comments on the personal lifestyle choices of my colleagues and friends, and I’ve never felt that marijuana use or, for example, possession of small amounts of marijuana are to be criminalized or that anybody should suffer consequences for personal recreational uses of marijuana.”

Here Ignatieff is saying “each to his own” or “what you do with your body is your business.” Okay, good, so Ignatieff agrees that if an individual wants to smoke pot, they shouldn’t go to jail for doing so. The last part of this sentence pleases me the most….Ignatieff agrees that an individual should not suffer consequences for the personal recreational use of marijuana. Up to here I am happy with Ignatieff’s statement. It’s the next part that throws me off a little,

“But then I have to say to people who then ask me if I want to legalize marijuana, and I know you don’t want to hear me say this, but I’d say no”

It’s not the fact that Ignatieff is against legalizing marijuana that annoys me, it’s how he contradicts himself. He believes that marijuana should be illegal, but decriminalized, suggesting that one can not go to jail for smoking a joint, but, can be given a fine. Last time I checked receiving a fine for smoking pot is suffering a consequence for the personal recreational use of marijuana. Obvious? Apparently not to Ignatieff. To me it looks like Ignatieff probably supports legalizing marijuana, he just doesn’t have the guts to say so. So, Ignatieff, Professor Blaze has been kind enough to re-write your statement for you,

“I never make comments on the personal lifestyle choices of my colleagues and friends, and I’ve never felt that marijuana use or, for example, possession of small amounts of marijuana are to be criminalized. However, I do believe that people should suffer some consequences for personal recreational uses of marijuana, just not major consequences. I have to say to people who then ask me if I want to legalize marijuana, and I know you don’t want to hear me say this, but I’d say no”

Happy blazing!

Professor Blaze

I came across this chart during my nightly readings (which involve me getting stoned and browsing the internet for whatever comes to mind), and I’d like to share it with you.

Below is a chart that was compiled from a poll among various medical psychiatrists specializing in addiction treatment. It shows a comparison of the perceived harm and dependence of various drugs.

As you would expect, cannabis is rated lower for both harm and dependence than alcohol or tobacco, both of which are legal. Benzodiazepines, which are often prescribed by doctors for treatment of ailments such as depression, anxiety and alcohol withdrawal, are rated significantly more harmful than cannabis, which can be used to treat the above three ailments. What are your thoughts?

Happy blazing!

Professor Blaze

Many studies have come out saying that youth who use marijuana have a higher rate of alcohol abuse, a higher rate of STDs and higher rates of incarceration/juvenile detention (resulting from non-marijuana related offenses) than those who don’t smoke marijuana. These studies imply that one of the reasons these youth have these problems is because they smoke marijuana. This is actually one of the arguments of the infamous ‘War on Drugs’. However, causation has not been proven. In other words, it has not been proven that these youth have these problems because they smoke marijuana, only that youth who have these problems smoke more marijuana than youth that don’t.

So, what are your thoughts? It’s pretty obvious (in my opinion at least) that smoking marijuana will not increase a youth’s chances of committing a crime (besides the ‘crime’ of possessing the marijuana). Why might there be a positive correlation between marijuana use and alcohol abuse rates, incarceration rates and STD rates among youth?

Feel free to comment below or email me at drblaze@vansterdamclothing.com.

Happy blazing!
Professor Blaze

We’ve all heard that marijuana contains some of the same carcinogens (cancer causing agents) as tobacco. There are rumors floating around that one marijuana joint is as carcinogenic as four or five cigarettes. While burning marijuana does produce carcinogens, there has never been a study that has definitively linked smoking marijuana to lung cancer, even in heavy pot smokers. So, if burning marijuana does produce carcinogens, then why have scientists yet to determine a definite link between blazing and lung cancer?

According to an article published by Reuters on August 25, 2009, long term pot smokers (those who had smoked for at least 10 to 20 years) were up to 62% less likely to develop head and neck cancers than those who did not smoke pot. The study, featured 434 patients who had a head or neck cancer and 547 people without these cancers in the greater Boston area between 1999 and 2003. After accounting for drinking alcohol, smoking cigarettes and other factors that might increase the risk for one to develop a head or neck cancer, scientists found that people who blazed between one and three times every two weeks, on average, were half as likely to develop a head or neck cancer, compared with less frequent pot users. Age also played a factor, as scientists found that those who began blazing between the ages of 15 and 19 were 47% less likely to develop a head or neck cancer, and those who began blazing at age 20 or older had a 61% reduced risk.

So how does marijuana actually help prevent cancer? The exact reasons are unknown, but scientists believe that cannabinoids within weed have anti-tumor effects. So, it is the belief of many scientists, myself included, that these cannabinoids offset the carcinogenic effect of other chemicals found in marijuana. Of course, if you use a vaporizer to blaze, you will get the anti-tumor effects of the cannabinoids, without the carcinogens.

With that note, I think it’s time for me warm up my vaporizer. Happy blazing everyone.

Professor Blaze

drblaze@vansterdamclothing.com

I hope that some of you have had time to complete my survey on marijuana and sex. If you haven’t yet, but would like to, the survey can be found here.

Today, I’m going to discuss how cannabis has been used as a medicine over the last several thousand years. I’m sure most of you know that marijuana is currently used to treat a multitude of ailments including glaucoma, depression, HIV/AIDS, breast cancer, brain cancer and even lung cancer. However, some of you may not know that cannabis has been used to treat a variety of conditions over the last 4,000 years.

In ancient China and Taiwan, marijuana was used as an anesthetic by converting it to a powder and mixing it with wine.  In fact, cannabis is one of the 50 fundamental herbs in traditional Chinese medicine. In ancient Egypt, marijuana was used to relieve the pain caused by hemorrhoids as early as 1700 BC.   In ancient India, cannabis was used to treat insomnia, headaches, gastrointestinal disorders and pain. In fact, it was often used to relieve the pain caused by childbirth! In ancient Greece, cannabis leaves were used to treat nosebleeds and pot seeds were used to expel tapeworms. The Greeks even used cannabis to treat wounds on their horses!

In my opinion marijuana can be used to treat many more everyday conditions than many people think.  Over the years I have used cannabis to treat a variety of ailments including the pain caused by muscle injuries, toothaches,  nervousness, headaches and insomnia (to name a few). With that note….I’ve got a headache from sitting in front of the computer all day. See you later!

Happy blazing!

Professor Blaze

I’m doing some research about the effects of marijuana on one’s sex life. If you have some free time, complete a quick (4 question) anonymous survey. Please note that you need to be at least 18 to complete my survey!

This survery has ended… View the survey results.

Let it be known – not all weed is created equal! A strain can be thought of as a marijuana plant that produces a particular kind of bud. Strains can be created when a pot breeder selectively chooses male and female plants and breeds them over multiple generations. The plants from each successive generation will produce buds with characteristics more and more like the desired attributes. So, lets take a look at some types of strains and their effects.

There are two main types of marijuana strains – indicas and sativas. Indicas produce more of a body high. They are often used to relieve stress or insomnia, and many people choose to smoke indicas late in the evening before bed. On the other hand, sativas produce more of a head high. They do not usually induce sleepiness in the same way as indicas, and are a better choice for blazing during the daytime. Personally, I smoke both strains, depending on the time, where I am, and who I’m with. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of different strains (or sub-strains if you prefer) which can be classified as indica, sativa, or a combination of both.

Blueberry is a combination indica/sativa strain that produces a high that is eurphoric and long lasting, and is often used to treat chronic pain, migraines and depression. El niño is an indica strain that produces a smooth, long lasting body high, and is often used to treat chronic pain. The world famous BC bud is a combination indica/sativa and gives a combination body/head high. Now, a word of advice. Your dealer may or may not know exactly what strain he (or she) has, or may tell you that he has a certain popular strain (such as kush), but sell you something cheaper. It is usually quite difficult for an inexperienced marijuana connoisseur to tell the difference between strains, although most people should be able to tell the difference between a strong indica strain and a strong sativa one. I have experimented with growing several strains in my lab over the last 25 years. About ten years ago I produced a strong indica strain I named ‘Blaze’ (what a surprise). It produced a very strong body high, followed by sleepiness, and had a mild citrus taste. In fact, some of my students have used Blaze in order get a better night’s sleep during stressful times, such as exam time.

Happy blazing everyone!

Professor Blaze

drblaze@vansterdamclothing.com

I’m sure many of you have heard of a vaporizer, but you may not know exactly how a vaporizer works. When marijuana is smoked in a joint or a pipe the plant is burned at between 500 and 700 degrees Celsius. This temperature not only releases the THC but also burns the marijuana plant material which releases tar and other not so cool compounds.

However, THC is released from the marijuana plant at temperatures much less than 500 Celsius…in fact, temperatures of only about 200 Celsius are needed. A vaporizer heats the weed so you get the THC, but virtually no tar or other carcinogenic compounds. This makes vaporizers the healthiest way to blaze…and since your health is something you don’t want to mess with, you may want to consider a vaporizer! Although I own two vaporizers, I admit that I still find myself smoking joints fairly regularly…old habits are heard to break. But, that’s what New Years Resolutions are for, right? Vaporizers are still fairly pricey…the most popular model, the Volcano, retails for about $540 US, although there are much cheaper models between $200 and $300 that are almost as good. Vaporizers are fairly simple to construct, and I’ve actually built one myself in my lab, but that’s a topic for another day.

So, if you’re considering buying a vaporizer, my advice would be…go for it! Not only are you taking care of your health, but you typically need less weed to get high with a vaporizer than you do in a joint or pipe.

Happy smoking everyone!

Professor Blaze

You all probably know about the cannabis cafes in Amsterdam and that the possession and sale of small amounts of weed is legal in the Netherlands (Holland). We often hear that several US states including California have decriminalized marijuana possession for small quantities of the herb (although it’s still illegal federally in the US). But, you may be surprised to learn of marijuana’s status in other countries around the world.

In Spain, personal consumption in private places and home cultivation for personal consumption have been decriminalized, while buying and selling remain illegal. Wait? You may be thinking…am I high, or did he just say that it’s legal to grow ganja in Spain? Well, you may be high, but that’s right…the Spanish government effectively encourages people to grow their own weed! What could be better than grabbing some tapas after getting stoned?

While South American countries may have harsh penalties for cannabis trafficking, many have a much more relaxed attitude when it comes to personal use. Possession of up to 8 grams (a little more than a quarter ounce) is absolutely legal in Peru! Both Argentina and Uruguay decriminalized possession for personal use. In Colombia and Venezuela possession of up to 20 grams (about 0.7 ounces) is decriminalized.

Several western European countries, including Germany, Italy and Portugal have decriminalized possession for personal use. Most recently, on August 21, 2009 Mexico decriminalized possession of up to 5 grams (0.17 ounces) of marijuana.

Well, if you weren’t sure where to go on your semester break, now you have some ideas. If you’re planning on blazing you may want to stay away from Saudi Arabia, Indonesia or Malaysia where simple possession can result in a lengthy jail sentence or even death.

Happy toking everyone.

Professor Blaze

If you have any questions or comments on my posts, or a topic you’d like me to discuss,  you can comment to my post directly (by registering first) or email me at drblaze@vansterdamclothing.com. Remember, don’t be afraid to disagree with me. As a true academic I welcome all comments, positive or negative. You can also find me on Facebook under ProfessorBlaze Vansterdam.

Happy blazing everyone!

Professor Blaze