Hemp seeds for health

Ngaio Bealum is a Sacramento comedian, activist and marijuana expert. Email him questions at ask420@newsreview.com.

What is the law regarding gifting people weed? If I buy it, can I share? Thanks.

—Jess

Yes. In California, if you are over the age of 21, you are allowed to give someone else (as long as they are also at least 21) up to an ounce of weed. And when I say you can give it away, that’s what I mean. No shenanigans. Let’s not have any sort of, “Yeah, this eighth of weed is free, but the little plastic bag is $50,” type of nonsense. Doing things like that will get you charged with illegal distribution. Please respect the spirit of the law.

Hydro or soil?

—Matt

I like soil. Outdoor, er, “sun-grown” cannabis just tastes better. Folks may want to argue, but that’s my opinion, and I am sticking to it. If you have to grow indoors, soil pots make it a little easier to keep your nutrients balanced and whatnot. Hydroponics are awesome, but they can be time consuming and tricky for the inexperienced grower. By the way, if you haven’t gotten your garden area and your dirt ready yet, now is the time to start. Try to get your plants into the ground by 4/20.

Raw shelled pot seeds. How can we use them in our everyday meals?

—Kd

Hemp seeds? Delicious and nutritious. By the way, Senator Mitch McConnell

(I don’t really like him for a variety of reasons, but I give credit where credit is due) just announced that he will introduce a bill to remove hemp from the Controlled Substances Act.

Currently, America imports all of its hemp and hemp seeds from China and Canada, because the Drug Enforcement Administration is weird and they think hemp is the same as cannabis. Not true. They are very similar, but if you smoke a hemp plant, you will get a headache and not a buzz.

It would be great to have a homegrown (you heard me) hemp industry. Hemp is a versatile and sustainable plant. Not only can you make everything from paint to gasoline. Hemp seeds are hella good for you.

They are high in proteins and all the of omega-3, omega-6, fiber and all sorts of things. I like them in smoothies, and sometimes I throw a handful into my banana cake batter. Trinity’s Conscious Kitchen has a nice list of hemp seed recipes on her website: www.trinityskitchen.com. Bong appétit!