Today feels really good! I am on the brink of something Big. Something so exciting I want to scream it from the top of the rafters. The timing is not right yet. Hopefully in just a few short weeks I can share what I am so pumped about!
Until then I will share with you an excerpt from my book, Plant Songs: Reflections on Herbal Medicine. Chapter 8- Cannabis: Reflect, Feel, Create, Evolve was probably the hardest chapter to write. Partially because of the stigma that surrounds Cannabis and partially because I am still processing my experiences of 20+ years in Humboldt County. It’s hard to be open about parts of my life that I have been so secretive about. Even writing these sentences is causing my heart rate to rise. (If I was at home I’d make myself some chamomile and rose tea!)
Excerpt from Chapter 8 of Plant Songs: Reflections on Herbal Medicine Wriiten by Jessica Baker, LAc, RH (AHG)
The legalization of cannabis and its acceptance in the medical community is long overdue. I get giddy every time I see a cannabis dispensary. It brings back the fondest memories of standing in the middle of a ganja garden, feeling the warm Northern California breeze, smoking a joint, pruning the plants while listening to my solar-powered radio. This was the late 90’s, and although growing medical cannabis was legal under California law, there was still eradication under CAMP (Campaign Against Marijuana Planting). The fear of imprisonment was real. Growing medicinal cannabis was not respected as it is now and people risked everything for their right to cultivate. There is something exhilarating and empowering about growing your own medicine. It makes me feel alive and connected to all the people who have cultivated cannabis over the ages. For those in Northern California that grew under fear of harassment and arrest, the legalization of medicinal and adult-use cannabis has the potential to change not only the lives of patients, but also cannabis growers. A lot of healing can occur when prohibition goes away. Like many, there are days when I still pine for the good old days, when cannabis growers were the freedom fighters, providing clandestine medicine to those in need.
Today, cannabis is highly regulated, packaged for consumers, in child-proof packaging, and probably contains ingredients like propylene glycol, butane residue, and/or refined sugar. Yum! Almost makes me want to go back to the outlaw days. Almost. The fear that cannabis prohibition perpetuates is something that I have trouble comprehending. The losses of community, family and character that have come from imprisoning nonviolent drug dealers and cannabis users far outweighs the negative effects cannabis can have on a person’s health or psyche. As our culture evolves, we have to look at the bigger picture. Which is worse: ingestion of a safe plant for recreational purposes or knowingly ruining someone’s life because they are growing an herb? It is an obvious choice if we care about people at all.
So there it is. A little window into my past. If you’re interested in learning more about herbalism or cannabis, you can get a copy of Plant Songs from bakerbotanica.com or from Amazon.
May you be inspired to live your dream as I am living mine!
With love,
Jessica
when energy flows, wellness grows
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