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Some of you may think this is a bit of a controversial review, given the nature of the subject matter. And up until recently you *could* to some degree have had a valid point. But taking into consideration that very recently, the US Department of Health has confirmed that cannabis CAN kill cancer cells, it makes sense that someone should create the “Medical Cannabis Playing Cards”, showcasing various cannabis strains and their effects. Funding is live on Kickstarter right now, so get over to the project page and show them your support.
Cannabis Sativa Plant
On its website, The National Cancer Institute (part of the US Department of Health) said: “Laboratory and animal studies have shown that cannabinoids (the active ingredient in cannabis) may be able to kill cancer cells while protecting normal cells. They may inhibit tumour growth by causing cell death, blocking cell growth, and blocking the development of blood vessels needed by tumours to grow.”
While it has to be stressed that so far there has been no such claim made about treating cancer cells in humans, and that various cancer charities are treating this news with caution, it also has to be noted that the laws against the use of marijuana have been relaxed or amended not just in many US states but also in some countries around the world. I’m not making any major medical statements here, I’m just going to tell you about this deck in the same way as I’d tell you about a deck of unsolved murders without advocating going out and killing someone….
Medical Cannabis Playing Cards
This deck is the brainchild of Mike Mikolajczyk and his wife Brenda of Philadelphia, PA. Brenda is described in their bio as a “compassionate registered nurse”. So I’m guessing that she has dealt with and treated many patients who she knows, in some way or another, could benefit from the use of medical marijuana. It must be very hard for someone who has dedicated their life to helping people in pain to have to sit back and watch them suffer when there is something out there that could help ease the suffering, if it was only legal… Mike describes himself as a “Libertarian, and a champion for those without a voice” and he says that “we hope this project will help bring more awareness to both the benefits of medical marijuana as well as the need for more research.”
As you can see from the photo, the deck has 54 cards (standard 52 + 2 Jokers) which will each feature a full colour photo of a different strain of marijuana, it’s commonly known name, and what effects the particular type of cannabis will have on you once you’ve taken it. I myself have been astounded at the vast selections available – I always thought it just got you ‘stoned’ but I’ve had my eyes opened recently by one of the coolest and most sensible young men I’ve ever come into contact with. His name is Matt and he also goes by the name of TheDopestMatrix. You may have heard of him. His “PassTheJoint” website has opened my eyes to the world of marijuana, and his mature approach to educating people of it’s effects, both medicinal and recreational, has truly impressed me. He’s is certainly no ‘dope’.
Medical Cannabis Playing Cards Tuck Box
Of course, not everyone is in the fortunate position of being allowed to take cannabis as a medicine. It’s only legal in some States, and some countries still have it listed as a Class B drug. Simply having one half of a joint in your pocket can get you a criminal record. I myself live in one of the most archaic, backward thinking countries in the world. Our so-called ‘leaders’ are so caught up in the teachings of a book written thousands of years ago (cherry-picking their passages – naturally – and leaving out those that don’t ‘suit’ them, of course) that they would try to have any kind of “forward-thinking” itself prohibited. But. I digress. I of course would not condone the use of any drug, however ‘soft’, if the governing authorities deem it to be against the ‘common good’. So, this post is aimed at those fortunate enough to live somewhere where their governing bodies actually have some compassion.
We all know someone who could benefit from being prescribed medical marijuana. That someone who suffers from a crippling illness that causes constant pain and even the strongest painkillers have stopped taking effect. I know a few people myself. It’s tough for me to watch, never mind what it must be like for them.
Medical Cannabis Playing Cards Backs
The back of the cards feature the medical symbol ‘Caduceus’ – 2 serpants wrapped around a winged staff – as well as a marijuana leaf. Both extremely well recognisable images, showing the balance and harmony between the two. The ‘Medical Cannabis Playing Cards’ will be made my MPC (Make Playing Cards) on their casino grade 310gsm card stock. As the deck creators Mike and Brenda say, hopefully this deck can go to help raise awareness of medical marijuana and it’s benefits, as well as encouraging more research into the effects rather than just dismissing it.
If you’d like to help support this cause then head on over to the Kickstarter project page and pledge for a deck or two. Unfortunately, the decks are only available to the USA and Canada, so (because I live in the UK) I’m not able to pledge for a deck. Don’t forget you can also share this post on your social media to get the word out. Just click on any of the buttons below.
Any questions or comments? Feel free to use the box below and I’ll get right back to you. Thanks for reading! :)
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This really is a wonderful idea. I think that there is a common misconception of about marijuana for medical use.
I live in Oregon, where recreational marijuana is legal. I recently took my father to a dispensary so he could try is for chronic pain that he has (he’s elderly). He truly is searching for a medical relief, not a way to get high.
There were so many different strains, it was unbelievable. Each strain has different benefits and side effects. It seems weird, but his marijuana was completely curated to fit the exactly what he was looking for: pain relief, non-drowsy, etc. It was quite amazing, actually how they do it.
I think this is really a great idea to get the message out there. It really does serve as many medical benefits.
This is a great idea which brings together gaming cards and the holy plant. I also like your niche very much. It’s so creative and interesting that you may easily become an authority in no time. But the design of the cards themselves seemed a little poor to me. Just some box weed images. But still, the idea itself is great
Hi there Jyl. It was good to have a read through your article on medical cannabis playing cards. Actually, I really liked some of your other recent posts as well.
What a great thing to collect! I bet there’s some really rare and valuable packs and individual cards out there. Would love to see some really old, historic ones. They would really fascinate me!
Your info on the use of medicinal marijuana was interesting too. It’s definitely a topic which needs more consideration.
All the very best to you! Jamie
I live in the United States and am a disabled military veteran. Unfortunately, I live with chronic pain and pain killers have not been able to help me. I have considered moving to an area where marijuana is legal to see if it will help me. It would be a huge sacrifice for my family to move that far and start a new life somewhere farther away from family members, which is why we haven’t made that decision yet.
These cards look interesting. Where does the Kickstarter money go? Is it to produce more card decks to spread more awareness? It looks like this Kickstarter was not fully funded and has been closed. Do you know if this group is going to do other fundraising activities?
Jess
I will comment again how cool this idea is. I just visited some other pages and have realized this is such a creative niche. So many people play cards and I am certain that almost every household has a deck or two or maybe even three in their house. Great way to sell cards and I never would have thought that there were this many cards too.
Thanks for your comment Chris. There are so many different designs of playing cards these days that they can cover absolutely any subject, which this deck has done. Medical cannabis may be a taboo subject for many but it is also a live saver for many many more. It’s great the publicity that a deck of cards can achieve.
Hi,
I would like to congratulate you on a beautifully written article and an eye-catching website, congratulations!
To the topic, I think it is a shame that the governments of most of the countries in this world of ours don’t pursue in legalizing marijuana for medical purposes, which could benefit millions of people suffering in pain when it could be avoided and eradicated for good, It is time to change the laws and attitudes about what marijuana is and what benefits it can provide us.
Once again thank you for thinking and pursuing this wonderful niche
Hi there,
I really enjoyed your article. I kind of laughed to myself at first as I was no stranger to marijuana in my younger days. Ironically it was very bad for me to smoke as I developed Bipolar Disorder and smoking eventually encouraged psychosis. I do however think it’s a shame that those who could benefit from this drug can’t just be given what they need. My Dad died of cancer and this would have made his battle that much easier (in more ways than one) had he been allowed this opportunity. But of course I live in a country where laws are particularly stringent so this could never have been possible for him as he wouldn’t consider breaking the law. Someday further studies will be carried out and many of our world leaders will be convinced. They will influence others and people will finally benefit in the way that was intended (I believe all our plants have a purpose for our own good). Thanks for your interesting article.
Brenda, thank you so much for your brutally honest and personal comment. I completely get that marijuana can and will cause adverse effects on people. That’s in no doubt. But as with any medication, or indeed drug, sometimes any level of use can lead to complications and dependencies. Pain killers. Anti-depressants. Even bloody cough medicine!!!! Don’t NOT prescribe because of that. If it’s done in a controlled way, why not? Treat it like any other medicinal drug. The problem is though that we can grow it ourselves and therefore the powers that be don’t make any $$$ or £££ from it….. there’s the problem right there….. as if we didn’t know… :)
I’m really happy I came across this article.
I’ve been doing some research on marijuana recently, as a good friend of mine suffers from crohn’s disease and often uses marijuana to help himself relax.
He feels guilty about it because it gets demonised as a drug (he is a social worker and it’s heavily frowned upon), but it makes him feel so much better. I’m going to forward this on to him as I think it will really help him out.
Thanks again.
Olie.
Thanks Olie. I reckon we all know quite a few people who could benefit from a little smoke or a little brownie every now and then. We’re not talking cartels here, just everyday folk needing a little something to make their lives a little bit more bearable. As someone else said – Mother Nature has provided it… let’s use it :) I have a friend too who has Crohn’s and it’s not something I’d ever want to experience. Can the politicians say the same….?
I think using medical cannabis playing cards to support awareness of what the benefits of marijuana are is a great idea. I live in the state of Washington where marijuana is legal for personal consumption but cannot be sold legally for medical purposes. That is not right. I too know of close friends that are in need of this type of treatment. It is time to change the laws and attitudes about what marijuana is and what benefits it can provide us. Let’s stop spending money prosecuting or demeaning individuals for their beliefs about marijuana. I support this cause 100%. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you Rick. It’s ridiculous what is deemed ok and what isn’t these days. It’s no longer about what is good for people but about what can earn the most amount of money for governments…. sick… (and not in a good way!) Why have marijuana legal for personal use but not for personal medical use??? Doesn’t make sense… how do they enforce that?? “It’s ok I just wanted to get high” as opposed to “It’s ok I just wanted to get rid of the pain”…. feck sake…!!
Wow I didn’t know there was such a niche? That’s interesting that Cannabis has playing cards! Well I can honestly say that I know nothing about your love of playing cards, but your site looks very clean and easily navigable. Using Kickstarter to create funding for your passion for playing cards is quite creative and gives me ideas about my blog. Keep up the good work!
Thanks for your comment Hanh.
Hello Jyl
I came across your article and I must say that I’m glad I did. It is very interesting topic you picked and I really enjoyed reading the article. Honestly… once I started I couldn’t stop :)
I’m marihuana user for last 17 years and I can guarantee to everyone, that cannabis is demonised for no reason. It’s a herb that Mother Nature provided for mankind with MANY medical and industrial uses!
And the cards? Wow I would love to have a pack of these but unfortunately the same as you, I’m in the Uk :) what a shame!
Brilliant article though, very interesting to me personally. Thank you for that.
Thank you Lukas, I really appreciate your input on this :) You clearly have experience and you know what you’re talking about. You even mention industrial uses for cannabis. There’s a whole other post :)
You used a great word to describe cannabis – demonised. It certainly does seem to be the case. Why is it that so many US states can appreciate and acknowledge it’s ‘medicinal’ qualities but so many others can’t..? or won’t…? And Mike has told me that the reason for the deck not being available to the UK is the cost of shipping. I buy playing cards off Kickstarter all the time, and shipping is just one of those things you expect to pay…. maybe if he got messages from some potential UK buyers he may change his mind….? :)
Hi Jyl!
That certainly was an interesting topic in your article as you promoted the notion of playing cards meant to fund the monetary need for more research regarding medical marijuana as it relates to killing cancer cells in human beings.
Indeed the momentum appears to be swinging towards the usage of medical marijuana legally as slowly it is being approved in a number of state where I live in the U.S.
As our American football is extremely popular here in the U.S. a number of professional players seek to have the league approve the use of marijuana to medically help in the case of violent head injuries which incur during the games. As you’re from Ireland and probably follow the European version of futbol, our football indeed while extremely popular, (the league makes billions of dollars annually) nevertheless it is a very violent sport.
Your article was very thought provoking. Certainly even 10 years ago the idea of medical marijuana with its legal ramifications would truly have been something that only took place underground so to speak. One would have faced ridicule after having publicly issued his/her thoughts about how this herb would be so useful for many people in society suffering from the debilitating effects of cancer – especially in the brain.
You wrote a very enlightening article, the second one that I remember reading about this subject here at WA.
Great job on your part!
Sincerely,
Jeff
Thank you Jeff. To be completely honest, I don’t use cannabis myself. So this isn’t a post about ‘defying the system’ or ‘sticking it to the man’. But I DO know for a fact that cannabis can and has helped those with muscular issues and I truly believe that it’s wider medicinal uses have been ignored by governments all over the world. Now…. why would that be….? Maybe because you can cultivate and grow it yourself and so they wouldn’t make a penny off it. Which is why, the states that HAVE legalised it have decided on the ‘medicinal’ route. So they can control it…. The very fact that it is being classed as ‘medicinal’ is a testament to the FACT that it helps certain medical conditions. Why is no one questioning this more….?
American Football (as we call it over across the pond) is definitely a violent sport, and I’m sure that those with head injuries could be helped with something that can ease their pain. Of course, there are a lot of people – whether sports orientated or medically – who could benefit from the legalisation of cannabis for medicinal purposes.
The good thing is that this deck has pushed me to write this review, and to put the notion out there. I probably wouldn’t have done that until now. Thank you for your comment Jeff. Very much appreciated :)