Last days till contest closes. Scruffy for Fido!   Someone pointed out to me they believe this Scruffy thing is just a distraction to myself! LOL- I have an important meeting coming up next week and will be making a very important decision! Surgery - so I said well if Scruffy wins and it is the same date - Surgery will have to wait!  -KIDDING! It was not received with the smile I thought I would get. 

Ignorance is bliss... It was until I started to research all this Cannabis stuff!  I then was turned onto GMO information and documentaries on STUFF.  Cannabis is STILL illegal even after  centuries of  '0' reported deaths, proven medicinal qualities and numerous (MILLIONS) of first hand accounts from the PEOPLE on how it HELPS.  There is a growing (no punn intended) concern regarding GMO's from Salmon to tomatoes (GREAT DOC - WATCH FREE CLICK HERE)  -who will say what the long term affect of GMO's will be - a rise in cancer? That is what is expected ... EXPECTED!?  Don't believe me research it for yourself. I DARE YOU!  Yes because ignorance is bliss. 
Too  many would rather turn on the tube and be amused - worse - possibly educated by the countless mind melting reality T.V.;  NOT a REALITY of mine!! Thank God. Sadly in many cases children copy parents and we will have a new generation of mind melted drones - who will not have a clue what to do when they really NEED to. . they will eat all this crap and die at an earlier age - Oh wait! That is happening NOW! 
For the first time in history children are dying at a  earlier age with  diabetes and obesity & childhood cancers on the rise. Passing before their parents. ;-(
Do you know that the average very successful and intelligent person watches very LITTLE   T.V. ? And they for sure do not spend the day on Face book. Distraction. 
Like or not - we all all being distracted and sooner or later it will hit home.  In India they have tried to patent seeds - so that you can only ever get seeds if you have money! SEEDS!!
Should you plant a seed from a vegetable that is patent - you will be fined. Charged. 
We here say - well just go to the grocery store- in India - they say -  we will starve. That could be our future should we CONTINUE to lose control of our rights as humans.
When I was thinking of this toon I was going to have a animal say the comment on the end because the reality might not be appreciated, the next morning - before I started to draw  - on FB someone posted a starving man and my mind was made up. No cute gopher.
TOO BAD if some find it harsh.  It is reality and I will not be a part of ignoring it. 
I pray I can be a part of changing it.  
WHEN will you TURN off the T.V and TUNE into LIFE and the serious issues surrounding all of us? When you are starving? 
This is starvation. If you are interested. I found it by accident just now and thanked God I drew my cartoon. http://knowmorethanyouretold.blogspot.ca/  I was blown away - over a year ago someone sent me an image that changed my life.  I will warn you I NEVER got it out of my head, the same image and the same comment are at the bottom of that page.  It took me a while. But I thank God for seeing that image.
I was blind but now I see and I will make a difference. 
No one should suffer like that let alone innocent children. Imagine being that mother.  I Am BLESSED!!!    PAY ATTENTION!  Please.
xox <>< 
Oh BTH I have never seen the Kardashiens (really don't know how to spell it) from the rare posts and news bits that I have witnessed - It is a very sad sign that these people are being idolized.  I feel sorry for them and us.  

I drew this toon a few weeks ago but decided it was too sensitive to post. Thinking yesterday - it is too sensitive NOT to post. Like it or NOT it is the truth. I use to be confused. I am no longer confused only disgusted.  Not confused because I have been educating myself on the topic of Cannabis and its legal/illegal battle.
I see Cannabis for what it is (rather how the media presents it) - they show only the negative - stoners, rednecks and ignorant - like the young mom who is seen placing her infants head on a BONG.  That will be spread like wild fire- VERY WRONG - clearly she is a product of her raising and knows no better - Pay attention parents!  Cannabis is a HUGE distraction I believe. All this over a plant that has never killed anyone - Something smells skunky around here...

People need to know and realize the simple insanity of it all.
Yes we do have guns in Canada - but not legal like our friends in the U.S. 
I had company this past year who informed me - it is not uncommon for people in the theatre, mall, grocery store  all to have guns in the U.S.A.  I understand the right to protect yourself and your home. It is legal to purchase a gun and all the fixins that go with it - but does no one question ever??  There are far too many gun related deaths in the U.S.A - the worst - Children that come across a parents gun.  Who is to blame?  The television? Society?  As for drinking , how many people go to a bar after work for a few and then get behind the wheel and drive- You don't need me to tell you - TOO F*&^%$# MANY!  Sadly many walk away with a slap on the hand.  Both legal. 
YET - Here I am and a few other parents and seriously ill people who can't GROW a PLANT to ease their own child's pain. 
IT MAKES NO SENSE what so ever! It is a crime and a slap in the face compared to the other serious, deadly issues that face us all daily. 
We are Victims in the war/distraction on drugs.  Call it what it is. 
xox <>< 

I have several friends who are teachers - some who use Cannabis and others who do not. One thing all agree on is they have to be very careful when talking Cannabis to peers and students. WHY? Students (our future) should be educated on the importance of Cannabis as a medicine. Educated not lied to. I met Lee and his wife a couple of years ago at the TY EXPO  and was impressed by his attitude, wife and beautiful family. After doing a drawing for Lee and learning more I asked him for this blog, it is clear, well written and I believe Lee will be writing for several magazines. It is refreshing to have a new perspective on a OLD topic that needs some SERIOUS changes.  Thank you to Lee for taking the time and sharing and PLANTING the seed of cannabis education- IMO there is no one better than a good teacher to accomplish such tasks.


MedicaLEE
Paradigm Shift     A Teacher’s Perspective of Marijuana
By Lee Parker

A paradigm shift, is when an event(s) has such an impact on an individual so as to fundamentally change their way of thinking.  In teachers college, I remember learning about the concept of paradigm shifts.  Little did I know at the time, but my life was to experience a series of them for years to come.  Of all the changes in thinking that I have gone through as a result of my experiences, one of most important paradigm shifts that I have had is in respect to my feelings regarding marijuana.

I have always been a big fan of the truth.  One of my favourite lines of any movie comes from Almost Famous when Kate Hudson’s character says, “The truth just sounds different.”  For me, the truth was that most of my life I had a very poor understanding of marijuana in general.  Although I did partake in high school,  that all came to a screeching halt one night when a friend shared a joint with me that was unknowingly laced.  That early impression, combined with a few heaping shovels full of “reefer madness” propaganda, put an end to my early pot smoking days.  I think it is important to share where I was coming from.  Marijuana had to overcome my own misconceptions and the only way for it to have ever have done so is to be effective for me medically.  Over time, I was struck with the suffering of others and their stories of how they face life with courage everyday.  Also, that medical marijuana had helped them guide their ships through some of the rougher waters of life as well.  

As a whole, the topic on marijuana is complex and multifaceted.  Cannabis culture has a variety of influences.  Hard issues, politics, stigmas and personal agendas (both positive and negative), seem to form a an overall impression of the cultural in general and smokers in particular.  For medical users, this can sometimes be a lesson in frustration as they often feel their concerns are lost in the fray and they are stigmatized.  Fortunately, many magazines have arisen that cater to medical patients and allow them to have a voice.

People use cannabis for a variety of reasons.  With respect to recreational users, it is generally used so that someone can get out of their head space for awhile and relax.  Comparatively, medical users use marijuana to get back to a state where they can function by easing the side effects of an existing medical issue(s).  To put it simply, it picks me up off the floor… stops me from throwing-up… it eases my suffering in a variety of ways and allows me to spend more quality time with my family.  Trust me, IT IS MEDICINE.  Comparatively, I am on medications that may include side effects such as lymphoma and multiple sclerosis.  After 3 years of using medical marijuana, the largest side effects that I have felt with the medicine is that I smile more, have a better quality of life and often crave potato chips.

My experiences and consequent paradigm shift opened my eyes to many things.  Since being a medical user, I have met doctors, lawyers, teachers, grandparents and a host of others that use marijuana both recreationally and medically.  Many of these people medicate secretly as they are afraid of being stigmatized.  I personally know many teachers in this category.   As examples, I have one friend that uses cannabis to combat her ADD while marking at night.  Another suffers from arthritic pain so badly that sometimes she medicates at night to help her fall asleep and get enough rest for the next day.  With this being said, there is a new wave of information and acceptance sweeping the world in many respects.  The advent of the internet has caused the world to be that much smaller, connected and informed.  As understanding grows, hopefully such wonderful women will feel more comfortable easing their pain.

A few years ago, I had the pleasure of meeting a young man named Storm.  I later remember him chatting with his friends, a few of whom were wearing UFC t-shirts.  Funny enough, I had trained with Royce Gracie at a conference when I was a kid.  What immediately occurred to me when seeing the t-shirts was how tough these kids were!  Listening to their stories and seeing what kind souls they were, I felt that the shirts had a certain sense of irony.  I knew they were the real fighters and champions.  The difference is that they did not chose their fight.  

Seeing young men and woman in pain is heartbreaking.  A holistic child centered approach is needed when considering any aspect of education.  If cannabis can return patients from a state of struggle and pain to a state where they are able to learn and function, then as adults we have a responsibility to open our minds to the possibility that such extreme and exhaustive cases warrant medical marijuana.  

As I said, marijuana as a topic is very complex.  When you separate the issues and purely examine the medical aspect, thousands of years of human medical usage across hundreds of cultures provides evidence of it’s medical worth.  The question remains as to what we are going to do with that knowledge and where it will take us.  At the end of the day, does anyone have the right tell someone with cystic fibrosis that they don’t have the right to medicate in order to clear their lungs?  How about someone who is dying of cancer and is in pain?  What if they were only 18?  I have seen it.  

These are the real questions of the day.  How would you answer?  When you remove the various external aspects and influences of the cannabis culture and get down to brass tacks, such questions cut to the heart of the matter.  How would being faced with such tough questions shift your paradigm?

MedicaLEE
Lee Parker
Your friendly neighbourhood medical user.
Follow @MedicaLEE on Twitter or Lee Parker on Facebook

Today women all over the world in over 30 cities will bare their breasts for all to see! -Except me. I'll keep my girls protected and contained. Because I feel like it - NOT because I have to! The U.S.A, Isreal, France, the United Kingdom, and Australia ALL GUARANTEE gender equal rights! But for some women in the USA and other places ( NOT Canada! Yeah Canada! Legal for Medical Cannabis and allowing out women equal rights to bare our boobies) if you dare to bare you can end up in jail!  REALLY!? It is the ultimate insult. 
Men - especially on a hot day like to day - walk around in a thong and no shirt if they so desire! Not always visually pleasing for other humans - but hey - completely legal! 
If you don't like it don't look - right? If a woman is confident enough in her own skin and not worried about skin cancer * (please protect your girls, girls!) then why should it be any different!  The last thing I probably care about is the equal right to walk topless amongst others- BUT that is NOT what this is about. 
EQUAL rights should be EQUAL rights 
- it is that simple.
 If men won't give women equal rights with our own bodies then why should we think it is fair with other situations, and in most cases it is NOT.  I am in support of women going topless when ever they choose! It is about equal rights. I myself would much rather look at a woman's breasts most time than the man boobs that usually cross my path on a day like today!  To go to jail for taking off your top when men are permitted to go topless is a crime against humanity not just women. They are simply breasts.  
BEAUTIFUL, nourishing (babies), all shapes, colours and sizes - Breasts. 
Deal with it.  

Scruffy is trying to win the FIDO  photoshoot! 
Well,we both are!!
Someone told me about the casting call so I entered - thinking - "Oh, that would be cute."  I KNOW she is cute - and everyone that meet Scruffy usually can't help but express an 'Awwwwwwwwww'.  Not only that Scruffy is a well behaved little bitch!  As an after thought I checked out what she can actually win! 

The Grand Prize winner will receive :
A 3-day VIP trip to Montreal including airfare and/or limousine/train transportation, a doggy spa treatment, a spa treatment for the owner, a limo ride around Montreal and most importantly, professional grooming and a photo shoot starring the winning pooch. 
The prize also includes:

• Food for the dog for the duration of the trip
• $1,000 in spending money
• A Fido LG Optimus L7, a Fido gift card worth $100 and a Fido branded USB key
• A gold medal engraved with the winning dog’s name
• A dog accessory in Fido colours

A total value of $10,845

How cool would that be!? Just the thought of hanging with Scruffy in Montreal! PUTS a smile on my face and hers too! We are both in need of some serious grooming! LOL I am NOT going to groom Scruffy - and she needs it right now - I will let Fido do their best! (fingers crossed) So, I am going to have fun with it! I am going to try to win! WHY else enter and with a little help from my friends I believe we have a fantastic chance! 
Irony of this is I do NOT own a cell phone. NOT even sure how to use them! I guess I can learn! Please take a moment to vote! You can vote once a day!  

CLICK on the link>>> http://fidocastingcall.ca/dog/589820037
REMEMBER you can VOTE one a day! 
The end of the contest is Sept 10th! So get them in now!!    THANK you!

Smoking your medicine. 

Once Cannabis is introduced to you as a medicine and you can't believe that you can experience the extent of relief from a plant you can't help but step back and think - WOW! 
These past five years has been transforming. Especially in the kitchen!!  I now use Sage for a mouth wash- I'm prone to cankers- well I USE to be! Now when I feel one starting - rinse with a sage tea and it's gone before it gets worse. Honey and cinnamon are a daily  spoonful taken in the a.m. to assist with arthritis, I have rosemary, basil and more on my window and plan to keep them there all year long!  
Looking back I can't help but feel cheated - WE had it right a long time ago, we ate healthier not processed, we medicated FIRST with plants.  We are always hearing about someone that is getting flesh eating disorder, some sort of stomach ailment, pain from pills- been there done that.  I for one feel    better -(twitch aside) than I have in years! 
I have a new book - medicine in the garden and I plan on using it FIRST before I put  toxic chemicals into my system . I KNOW pills sometimes help but I no longer believe it should be my first choice but rather - my last resort.    
So, in the past when I might have said to a friend in need- "Not feeling well ? Want one of my pain pills?"  WE all do it! We do not like to see those we love suffer.  Instead now I will inform them on Cannabis - and try to help them seek other alternatives. I will never offer a friend a pain 'pill' again  realizing now, I might just be offering them a future of addiction and other problems.   
From pill popper to plant pusher!!!!  Which would you rather be? 

TOP 10  Plants & Medicine
Top 10Cannabis (Cannabis sativa) 
Used medicinally for thousands of years, today it is used in the treatment of sleeping disorders, autoimmune diseases and glaucoma.
Coca (Erythroxylon coca) 
Cocaine was widely used as a local anaesthetic in the 19th century and coca leaf tea is taken for altitude sickness in South America.
Daffodil (Narcissus spp.) 
Galantamine hydrobromide, a compound derived from daffodil bulbs, is being used to treat Alzheimer’s disease.
Deadly nightshade (Atropa belladonna) 
All parts of this plant, especially the berries, contain the extremely toxic chemical atropine. Atropine is used to relax the muscles of the eye and to stop muscular spasms.
English yew (Taxus baccata) 
The leaves of this yew are used in the synthesis of compounds called taxols, which are used in the treatment of breast cancer.
Fever tree (Cinchona succiruba) 
A native of Latin America, the bark of the fever tree produces quinine, which is used to treat malaria.
Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) 
Digitalis has been used since the 16th century to treat heart disease and its derivatives are still used in modern medicine.
Opium poppy (Papaver somniferum) 
Opium derivatives such as morphine are still used as powerful painkillers in hospitals.
Rubbertree (Hevea brasiliensis) 
From rubber gloves to waterproof sheeting and prophylactics, latex plays an important role in health care and medicine.
Willow (Salix spp.) 
The bark of the white willow contains acetyl salicylic acid, commonly known as aspirin. It has been used for pain relief for 2,000 years.


xox <><

The price we pay is not always revealed till much later. WHY!? 
Steroids are so dangerous - for the sake of a muscular appearance? How about just a normal muscular body  brought about from exercise and eating healthy. I personally do NOT 'go' for the body builders that are so big they look deformed. I'm quite visually satisfied with a natural toned body.  
I believe it is true - if steroids are not legal then why should it be legal to modify your body in photos - to be marketed to the general public? IT is a lie. 
Women especially are lied to constantly! 
Young girls learn that often the hard way they will never reach the 'image' portrayed -because that image is false! Pimples are removed, teeth are straightened and curves are cleaned for a skinnier shape! Boobs enhanced, skin tones changed, pounds removed and even hair removed and added!!!  It should be illegal - It is misleading and very harmful for the minds of those that believe it is the reality we live in. 
No one is perfect. It is time we embraced our pimples, wrinkles, sags and split ends and shades of people!              LOVE sees no imperfections. 
Below are photos of famous people WITHOUT touch ups and make up. Have a peek - some of these people with out he makeup and clothing would not get a second glance. It is time to see each other as we all - all beautiful - ON the inside - I hope! 
REALITY. If you have a daughter especially share.. also please share the steroid information! BEFORE they figure out the REAL long term cost. 
xox <>< 

Growing up I heard that expression often - 'she needs to get off her high horse!' I never quite got it - although as I got older I understood it - it was not till recently that it gave me a giggle. Of course when I heard it just last week this was the first thing to come to mind.
I AM a Cannabis cartoonist ;-) AND proud of it.
I do get offended if someone asks if Storm 'high' - if he was taking prescribed pills would you ask me -is he high? He is medicated. He takes his medicine to keep his chronic pain under control. 
My Country says Cannabis is a legal medicine proven to help many ailments, my Dr. prescribed it (he is a medical professional with a degree) So really - why should we care what the average  uneducated (I mean on the topic of Medical Cannabis -not on life in general ;-)  person thinks? 
I saw a post where someone said "how do you get past the opinions of others?"  It comes so clearly to me the answer. SEE that your child is no longer suffering. See that your child gets a quality of life back that they did not have before. See your child be able to sleep finally. See your child happy and have POSITIVE outlook on life with a serious illness and it no longer matters what anyone thinks. Their 'Opinion' is no longer valid.
So get off your high horse and accept it for what it is. 
A medicine - easing suffering all OVER the world for all kinds of reasons.
A Plant.     How many are we?
xox <><