Cannabis is finally legal in Canada! Like many young, respectable professionals. Dankmasta P is a medical and recreational cannabis enthusiast. He's also a school teacher, and an activist in the good fight against the reefer madness stigma and the government's nefarious corporate weed agenda. We hooked up at Planet Paradise, here in Toronto, for his November 22 Nugswap event! Meet Dankmasta P:
OC [Oh Cannabis]: Hi Dankmasta P! Why, as a school teacher, do you like to smoke weed?
P: Teaching is stressful work. Some teachers like to unwind after a hard day in the classroom with a glass or even a bottle of wine. Some like to unwind by consuming cannabis.
OC: As a retired teacher, I recall the reefer madness stigma before legalization very well. God forbid if the public ever found out that we smoked weed. It could mean sudden death for your teaching career! Goodbye to years of university, college and lots and lots of hard work!
P: I was amazed at how many of the teacher candidates used cannabis when I did my degree abroad. I think that there are a lot more of us using the herb to help cope. More than we think. Some of us also use cannabis medically. I use it as for a myriad of issues related to pain and trauma. Some is related to trauma I experienced on the job.
OC: Same then! Many teachers and support workers were physically and verbally assaulted in carrying out our duties. Some drank. Others, like myself were prescribed opioids and pain killers. Very addictive. Debilitating. Not good! Has legalization changed things for you, as a classroom teacher today?
P: While the public may still be a long way from equating our cannabis use with recreational alcohol use, or prescription pain killers, our government has finally decided to allow us to grow our own at home, and consume it wherever cigarettes can be consumed. I have two other ACMPR growers that I have traded with in the past, but with recreational cannabis being illegal, I had to be very careful about who I traded with.
OC: So what's different now?
P: We can at least start communicating with each other about our cannabis use and build up a cooperative community of teachers who have discovered the benefits of cannabis use. That being said, some of us have decided that government cannabis use is not for us.
OC: Legalization means the OCS [Ontario Cannabis Store] and overpriced LP [Licensed Producer] weed. A huge bummer, burn and ripoff!
P: Many medicinal users who don't want to support the government grows have been growing for awhile. Some of us just grow for ourselves. Many of us, myself included grow for a number of family members and friends. Some have taken it a step further and started cooperatives with multiple medicinal users and growers which is ideal in the terms of adaptability. Think multiple grows, methods and skill sets. Plus better selection. Multiple grows equals more genetics, plain and simple. I've said it all before ....
OC: Right! So what else are you planning to do, now that it's legal?
P: My idea is to create a nugswap which can give all cannabis enthusiasts access to the best model for our community; the cannabis co-operative. At first the coop will just be a bunch of growers legally swapping grams of their grow, but eventually I want it to be open to everyone who has something good to swap. Some new members have mentioned the idea of having a clubhouse where we can comfortably share our flower and press rosin and use communal equipment, which is an amazing idea as well.
OC: The times they are a changing, dude!
P: I think it's a revolutionary idea that we can now also create canna friendly safe spaces where we can medicate or just get high without being prosecuted or fired. It's huge. There is also the potential to run a Home Growers cup, which is a great way to publicize this great alternative to LP buds.
OC: Tell us about your next December 22 Nugswap?
P: The meet up will be openly advertised as an invite to bring your own grow and find people to swap with. Hopefully, more like minded people will join our Nugswap collective and give back some of what they harvest from their grow!
Oh Cannabis is pleased and honoured to promote the Dankmasta's December 22 Nugswap. Details are forthcoming here on my blog site and via my Twitter feed. Also stay tuned for my review of the Nugswap buds from the November 24th meet!
Nugswap's are held the third Saturday of each month. Bring a bud to swap! More details via my Twitter feed @ Here!
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