Welcome to Bliss Comma: My Story

This blog covers cannabis for consumers from the perspective of a Californian. Think of it as a starting point for people not familiar with cannabis, both medicinally or recreationally (AKA adult use).

 The use and consumption of cannabis has changed over the past few years as it become more mainstream. Five years ago, I despised cannabis, having never touched it even after going through six months of chemo, in 1999, for late-stage, widespread cancer (Hodgkin's lymphoma, stage 4). I'm happy to say that I'm completely cured in every sense of the word. 

Paradigm Shift

The event that changed my mind about cannabis was this CNN article by Sanjay Gupta; specifically, he mentioned that he couldn't find a recorded death as the result of a cannabis overdose, alone. Despite the fact that Gupta is CNN's chief medical correspondent, a neurosurgeon, and former White House Fellow, I was immediately skeptical until I did my own research and confirmed his findings.

 While 'cannabis' is the professional term, most Americans know it more commonly as marijuana, weed, pot, etc., albeit with slightly more stigmatized connotation. 

My CV

This short video, produced by MerryJane.com, explains my background.

 Last week, I had the pleasure of being a radio guest on KFMB, along with Sanjay Gupta, where we both spoke about our cannabis findings and experiences. We touched on the difference between THC and CBD which are the two key compounds in cannabis. In a nutshell, THC is the chemical that makes a person feel high, while CBD does not seem to have any intoxicating effects. CBD is popular for its anti-inflammatory and anti-seziure effects (among other medicinal benefits). As one case-in-point, Gupta began his 2013 Weed documentary with a story about a girl who began suffering from seizures at three months old. When no other medication would significantly reduce her hundreds of seizures per week, the parents reluctantly turned to cannabis.

Old Drug, New Term

If you're new to the world of cannabis, I wouldn't recommend taking up smoking it – I do not smoke it – simply because, like tobacco, smoking contains tar and carcinogens. While cannabis seems to prevent and even kill cancer cells, there are healthier ways to consume it such as vaping (using a vaporize similar to an e-cigarette), eating it (edibles), topical (creams), or tinctures. 

 While cannabis does seems to have many good benefits, it certainly needs to be closely studied to separate fact from fiction which is one of my goals of this blog.

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