Will three states legalize cannabis? And can you juice marijuana?

Are there three states that have a shot at actually legalizing marijuana in November? Is it really possible?

—High Curious

In the words of Lili Von Shtupp: “It’s twue! It’s twue!” There is a really good chance that Oregon, Washington and Colorado could pass laws legalizing marijuana. The polls in Washington and Colorado show each measure is supported by more than 50 percent of likely voters. Oregon polls show them to be in a dead heat.

I talked to Paul Stanford, chief petitioner, spokesperson and treasurer for Oregon’s Yes on 80 campaign, and he said things are coming along.

“We just got endorsed by Portland’s mayor, Sam Adams. We also just picked up an endorsement from the head of Oregon’s House Ways and Means Committee. But we need money. We spent all of our money getting the measure on the ballot, and we haven’t gotten any big donations like the other measures. Just $5,000 from Dr. Bronner’s.”

So send them a check, will you: www.octa2012.org.

If these three states do legalize marijuana, it will be a huge step toward full nationwide repeal/reform of cannabis laws. Expect the feds to try and stop the whole thing, especially if Mitt Romney is president.

Dude, I heard you can make juice out of weed. Really? WTH?

—Nick in Chico

Dude, it’s true. The thing is, it doesn’t get you high. The tetrahydrocannabinolic acid, or THCA, found in the cannabis plant turns into THC when heated, and THC is what gets you stoned. If you just eat raw cannabis, you can ingest several hundred milligrams of THCA, as opposed to about 10 milligrams you would get by smoking, until you can’t keep your eyes open. So why would you want to drink raw cannabis smoothies?

Dr. William Courtney, vice president of the Association Luxembourgeoise des Methodes Preventives and the founder of www.cannabisinternational.org, knows why. He says that cannabis provides a highly digestible globular protein and has an ideal ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 essential fatty acids. Some people, like his wife, Kristen Courtney, have found great benefits from taking larger doses of THCA. She suffers from lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, endometriosis and a bunch of other awful stuff. She almost died, and doctors told her she could never have kids. Now, she has two kids and is living a healthy life. She credits raw cannabis for her recovery.

Not everyone is convinced. Michael Backes, from Abatin Wellness Center in Sacramento, has this to say: “The medical benefits of large doses of acidic cannabinoids have not been subjected to controlled clinical trials. The evidence at this point is anecdotal.”

He added, “If someone is not harvesting the cannabis fresh and consuming it immediately, then there is a risk of significant THC intoxication.” He also warned that “cannabis can harbor a wide range of microbes, and some can be pathogenic.”

Also, the amount of raw, fresh, undried cannabis needed to create the hundreds of milligrams of THCA to ingest could get pretty expensive, unless you live on a farm. So, I don’t think we’ll be seeing any Ganja Juice franchises opening soon—but you never know.