As we said before, there are a lot of health benefits to ingesting raw cannabis. It’s easiest and tastes best to consume raw cannabis as juice, just as many health-conscious people drink juice from kale, carrots, wheatgrass, etc. The emerging research seems to indicate that patients needing medical marijuana can absorb more acidic cannabinoids through raw juice while avoiding an uncomfortable reaction from the psychoactivity of neutral, or decarboxylated, THC. Any drying or heating of cannabis affects the cannabinoids, forming THC from THC acid. Other important enzymes are present in raw cannabis, and heating or drying them degrades their nutritional value. So, while it’s absolutely necessary to dry and cure your buds for a satisfying smoke or a muscle-relaxing edible, if you’d like to use raw cannabis as a nutritional supplement, juicing your leaves is the way to go. (See Cannabis Health Juice, Wild Weed Smoothie, and Lawnmower for recipes using raw cannabis.) Popularized by Dr. William Courtney and his partner Kristen Peskuski, raw cannabis leaves and fresh flowers are juiced along with carrots, apples, lemons, etc. and consumed three to five times a day as part of a regimen that greatly increases the amount of cannabidiol available to the patient. It’s especially good for those who need immune system support or anti-inflammatory medicine. The doctor recommends juicing fifteen to twenty leaves per day. The juice can be frozen for later use or stored in the fridge for up to three days, although it’s most medicinal when fresh. Always use organic fruits and vegetables whenever possible for the most healthful juice.