Wyld Just Got Greener
What to do if your pet ingests cannabis....
Step 1. Determine the type and potency.
Here's a quick rundown of the types of cannabis your pet could have gotten into, ranked from least severe to most severe:
Raw cannabis flower - least severe because it's not decarboxylated, so the THC hasn't been activated
Vaped or burned cannabis flower - not ideal because there could still be some activated THC in it
Non-chocolate infused edibles - can vary in danger levels depending on the edible's potency and ingredients
Cannabutter - can vary in danger levels depending on the potency of the cannabutter
Concentrates - inherently potent; therefore, even the smallest amount of concentrate(e.g., a dab) can have an acute effect on an animal, particularly smaller pets
Chocolate-infused edibles - can vary in danger levels depending on the edible's potency, but certain properties in chocolate can be toxic to animals such as dogs and cats
Step 2. Evaluate your animal's symptoms.
Check for the following symptoms your pet is exhibiting:
Mild toxicity will result in sluggishness, lethargy, excessive saliva production, and wobbling.
More extreme cases may result in loss of bodily control, urinary incontinence, low blood pressure, a slow heart rate, seizures, or even death (via asphyxiation on their own vomit)
Step 3. Soak up the bad stuff.
You can try avoiding a worst-case scenario for your precious furbaby by soaking up your pet's stomach contents. Activated charcoal is available at most drug stores and can soak up the toxins in your pet’s stomach, including any remaining THC that hasn’t been absorbed into their bloodstream yet.
Note: Do not attempt to use activated charcoal if you’ve already tried to induce vomiting.
Step 4. Induce Vomiting.
If step 3 didn't work, try to make your pet puke. You can use hydrogen peroxide to induce vomiting -- use one teaspoon per 10 pounds on your pet, every 15 minutes (no more than three times total).
Monitor your pet closely, as this method can result in excessive vomiting or bloody stool. Don’t overdo it and watch for signs of distress, in which case you may need to seek a professional.
Note: You will feel awful and heartless and your pet will not understand why this is happening. Sorry, that’s just how it goes.
Step 5. Seek Professional Help.
If all else fails, and especially if you realize that your pet has consumed a large amount of cannabis or THC, this may be a necessary, and even life-saving next step. Be honest with your veterinarian – he or she will be able to determine the outcome either way, so transparency will save you both time in the long run.
Give the vet as much information as possible – what kind of product, its potency, how long it has been since it was ingested, etc. For example, if the edible contained chocolate, this could put your pet at further risk, so try to be specific with details.
Read the full article from Leafly HERE.
Test Results anyone? THC, THCA, Formula...
States that have legalized in cannabis require testing for potency and contaminants in cannabis, and lab-testing cannabis is quickly becoming an important part of the industry. The tests for pesticides, mold, contamination, etc. don’t require any new or special analytical techniques and are part of standard practice for other agricultural products as well. With the right lab equipment, chemists can measure cannabinoids to a certain degree of precision if they do it right, but the lack of a standardized way of looking at the data has everyone confused.
The subject of this issue is Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA), which occurs naturally in the plant. THCA needs to be heated so it changes into THC, the active form that gets you high. All cannabinoids occur naturally in their acid forms, that’s just how their enzymes make them. The difference between THCA and THC is a carboxy group. Upon smoking, cooking or vaping heat gets rid of the carboxy so THCA gives of CO2, losing about 12% of its weight in the process. Why does this matter for lab testing? Because THCA is heavier than THC, and lab results are given in percent mass.
The root of the confusion is the fact that different lab techniques give inherently different potency values. Depending on the lab, the analysis machine might use one of two separation methods: gas chromatography (GC) or liquid chromatography (LC).
GC happens at high temperatures, enough to completely decarboxylate all the cannabinoids in the mixture. The oven it happens in decarboxylates THCA before passing on to the detector, so it only picks up THC. This makes GC almost useless for testing edibles, because you need to be able to tell the difference between orally inactive THCA and active THC. Furthermore, decarboxylation happens incompletely at those high temperatures in the injector port, conserving no more than 70% of THCA, according to one study.
Liquid chromatography happens at room temperature and does not decarboxylate any cannabinoids, giving separate values for THCA and THC, which are always both present. These results need to be interpreted correctly, and hold hidden information about how the sample was handled and temperatures it has been exposed to.
Let’s look at an example. Given one lab result you could get three THC potency readings depending on how you read it, but only one method really stands to reason. Consider a made up lab result of Hypothetical OG that used LC, say it has 22.32% percent mass of THCA and 2.41% percent mass THC (active THC).
If you just look at the THCA value, you might think it has 22.32% THC. If you add the THC value to that, you might think this strain has 24.74% THC. Neither of these values is correct.
To get a real potency value you need to consider both THCA and THC, but with a correction factor for THCA before you add in THC. To calculate THCTOTAL:
THCtotal = (%THCA) x 0.877 + (%THC)
0.877 is the molecular mass (mm) of THC divided by that of THCA; this factor boils it down to a simple formula: take 87.7% of the value for THCA, then add on the value for THC. This formula also holds true for finding the active CBD content (CBD TOTAL) because CBD and THC have the exact same mm. Therefore the correct value of THC TOTAL for Hypothetical OG is 21.98%, the weighted average of THCA and THC.
To get a real measure of the potency of a strain of pot, you need to look at THC TOTAL. This is because the relative amounts of THCA and THC depend on the amount of heat the flower, dry bud or extract has been exposed to. Since this is always different, lab testing needs to see past this variable.
Since GC doesn’t work for edibles, many labs are switching to LC to test for edibles. If you know you’re looking at a lab test that used LC, you’ll need to use this formula to get a consistent value of THC TOTAL.
When looking at lab results, make sure to take this into consideration. Be suspicious of lab results that just give you one number for %THC. If the lab used GC, you won’t have this issue at all. The %THC given from a GC machine roughly reflects THC TOTAL.
Read the original article from High Times HERE.
Top 10 Cannabinoids
You’ve heard by now that marijuana is a powerful medicinal herb. But, just how powerful is it? The list of medical benefits for these top 10 cannabinoids seems endless.
What is A Cannabinoid?
The term “cannabinoid” refers to one of a number of chemical compounds found in the weed plant. If we want to get technical about things, the proper name for these plant-based molecules is “phytocannabinoid”. When you smoke or ingest marijuana, these are the chemicals that interact with cells in your body to produce medical benefits.
Primary Cannabinoids in Marijuana
1. THC
The Stoner’s Cookbook has written extensively on THC, so for the purposes of this article, we’ll highlight a few of the big points on this famous cannabinoid. THC is the abbreviation for Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol. As most cannabis lovers probably know, THC is the primary psychoactive compound in marijuana. It’s what creates the high feeling weed has become so famous for.
The list of medical benefits of THC is a long one, but here are a few of the big ones to get us started:
For a more complete picture of this cannabinoid, be sure to check out our “What Is THC?” article.
2. CBD
CBD, short for cannabidiol, is the second most famous cannabinoid. Like THC, the list of medical benefits of this cannabinoid just keeps getting longer. Unlike THC, CBD is non-psychoactive. It’s also now legal in more states than its more controversial counterpart.
Once mainstream media learned that CBD had medical value, a whirlwind of cannabis research ensued. Just to give you a quick summary, here are a just a handful of conditions CBD can treat:
This is just a small glimpse into the world of CBD. For more information, check out “Everything You Need To Know About CBD” and “5 Must-Know Facts About CBD“.
The Lesser Known Cannabinoids
3. CBC
Also known as Cannabichromene, CBC is the third most common cannabinoid in the marijuana plant overall. In some strains, CBC may even take dominance over CBD. Like CBD, cannabichromene is non-psychoactive. Here’s what you can expect from CBC:
Anti-Inflammatory
CBC is effective at fighting inflammation on its own, but 2010 research has found that it’s even more effective when combined with THC. This finding helps support the idea that cannabinoids work synergistically with each other. While scientists have been successful at finding and isolating over 100 different compounds in the marijuana plant, the strongest medicine is created when different components work in harmony with one another.
Anti-Tumor
When coupled with THC and other cannabinoids, CBC has also shown some promise in fighting breast cancer. The anti-tumor effects of CBC alone are not quite as exciting as the potential of CBD, THC, and CBG, but together they make for one powerful tumor-fighting combination.
Anti-Depressant
In the science world, there’s a sure-fire way to test if a rodent is depressed. You suspend it by its tail and watch to see how much it struggles to get away. The more it struggles, the more elevated the mood of the mouse. This test is known as the Tail Suspension Test (TST). Researchers from the University of Mississippifound that mice treated with CBC struggled significantly more than mice treated with other cannabinoids.
The amount the mice struggled also depended on how much CBC they were given. Mice given 40mg of CBC struggled less than mice that were given 80mgs.
Anti-Fungal
In a review of cannabinoid literature, author Ethan Russo reported that CBC was mildly anti-fungal.
Encourages Brain Growth
A 2013 study found that CBC may actually help you grow new brain cells. Regardless of your age, cells in certain portions of your brain continue to grow through a process known as neurogenesis. The portions affected are responsible for memory and learning. You run the risk of developing diseases like Alzheimers when your brain stops developing new cells in these areas.
4. CBN
Short for Cannabinol, this cannabinoid emerges when you’re dried flower has gone a bit stale. THCa breaks down into this compound over time. If you leave some bud out sitting out in the open air for too long, you’ll eventually have a product with larger amounts of CBN. CBN has been found to have these medical properties:
Appetite Stimulant
Researchers out of the UK found that CBN stimulated appetite in rats. During the testing period, rats treated with CBN ate significantly more than rats treated with cannabinoids CBD and CBG.
Antibiotic
CBN was one of the three cannabinoids identified by Italian researchers as being effective against antibiotic resistant MRSA infections.
Potential Medication for ALS Patients
A study conducted in 2005 found that CBN delayed symptom onset in mice that were genetically designed to have a rodent version of Lou Gehrig’s Disease. Lou Gehrig’s disease is also known as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). These findings show that CBN may be effective at easing symptoms for patients with degenerative, motor neural diseases.
Pain reliever
As early as 2002, Sweedish researchers found that cannabinol has strong pain-relieving effects. Interestingly enough, CBN and THC were the only cannabinoids that fought pain through the release of endorphins and by relaxing tense blood vessels.
Anti-Asthmatic
Featuring strong anti-inflammatory properties, research from 2003 found that CBN stopped allergy-related asthma in mice. The cannabinoid achieved this by boosting the rodents’ immune systems andeasing the inflammation associated with an asthma attack.
Sedative
Berkeley-based Steep Hill Labs has claimed that CBN may be the most sedative of all of the cannabinoids. The cannabis testing and research laboratory stated that a good dose of CBN is equivalent to 2.5 – 5mg of pharmaceutical sedative diazepam. Diazepam is also known as Valium.
Potential Medication for Glaucoma
Along with THC, CBN was effective at lowering the ocular pressure which produces blindness in glaucoma patients. This cannabinoid’s ability to decrease ocular hypertension may also point medical professionals in the right direction when it comes to understanding marijuana’s effect on blood pressure overall.
5. CBG
CBG is short for cannabigerol. This cannabinoid is found early on in the growth cycle, which makes it somewhat difficult to find in large quantities. CBG, however, is non-psychoactive. This means that it can be cultivated via hemp. The medical potential of CBG makes it a prime target for research these days. Here’s what the science says so far:
Antibiotic
Cannabigerol was another one of the cannabinoids tested on the MRSA virus in 2008. As far as antibiotic properties go, CBG was stronger than CBN and comparable to CBD. CBG is also known to be mildly anti-fungal. Research as early as 1982 found that isolated CBG is antimicrobial and kills various types of bacteria and fungi.
Possible Treatment for Psoriasis
This cannabinoid just-so-happens to be good for your skin. Not only does it help prevent the reddening of the skin, but it’s been shown to have therapeutic potential for skin conditions like Psoriasis.
Pain Reliever
CBG is reportedly a more potent pain reliever than THC.
Anti-Tumor
Back in 1998, Korean researchers found that CBG was effective at slowing the growth of cancerous cells in the mouth. More recent research published in the British Journal of Pharmacology found that CBG also had mild anti-tumor effects in prostate cancer cells. The study focused on non-THC cannabinoids. While CBG did have an effect on tumor growth, it was CBD that really shined through as a potential treatment for prostate cancer.
Antidepressant & Mood-Stabilizer
As early as 1975, researchers found that CBG prevented the uptake of amino acids that help regulate mood. The amino acid in question, GABA, was better regulated by CBG than THC or CBD.
Further studies have shown that CBG is a moderate anti-depressant, working to increase serotonin levels in your brain. The antidepressant effects of CBG were first found in 2006 in by Richard Musty and Richard Dayo who tests conducted on lab rats.
6. THCv
Short for tetrahydrocannabivarin, THCv is another cannabinoid that works in tandem with THC. Some studies cite that THCv has about 20% the psychoactive capacity as THC, but recent research has shown that THCV actually mitigates some of the negative psychoactive impacts of THC. THCv’s medical properties include:
Anticonvulsant
Researchers out of Berkshire, UK put the anti-epileptic properties of THCV to the test in rat brains. First, they tested whether or not THCV stopped seizure-like activity in brain slices. THCv reduced the amount of convulsive “bursts” observed when the brain segments were treated with the compound before seizures were induced. They then tested whether or not the cannabinoid stopped convulsions in adult rats. They found that THCV significantly reduced seizure incidence.
Neuroprotective
If you’re familiar with smoking weed at all, then you know that you might be a little slowed down after smoking a high-THC strain. This is where THCv comes in handy. Smoking a strain high in THCV may help mitigate some of the short-term memory and speech impairment that goes hand-in-hand with being a little too high.
Promotes Weight Loss
There have been several studies that highlight the appetite suppressant effects of CBD, but more and more research is coming out linking THCV and weight loss. A paper published last year by C4 Laboratories in Arizona cited evidence that THCV decreased body fat and boosted energy metabolism in mice.
7. CBDv
CBDv is short for cannabidivarin. So far, not a whole lot of research has been done on CBDV. But, what little is out there looks extremely promising. CBDv is very similar to CBD, but it is a slightly degraded version of the cannabinoid. This changes the shape of the molecule in small but significant ways. These are a couple of the benefits CBDv can provide:
Anti-Epileptic
UK’s GW Pharmaceuticals announced a patent for CBDv last year. The patent will allow GW Pharma to create a CBDv-based anti-epileptic drug. They’re currently undergoing phase 2 trials for the drug.
This patent comes after a wave of research published back in 2012 and 2013. Two separate studies isolated CBDv as a strong anticonvulsant. The first study published in 2012 found that the cannabinoid stopped seizures in mice and rats. The second study also looked at rats and confirmed the first study’s findings. Studies from 2014 and on continue to corroborate this information.
Anti-Nausea
CBDv may also prove useful for patients with stomach or gastrointestinal issues. 2013 research out of the University of Ontario found that the compound is one hell of a nausea-fighter. Scientists found that nauseated behavior was significantly reduced in rats treated with both CBDv and THCv.
8. Delta(8)-THC
The THC that many of us have come to know and love is known as Delta(9)-THC. This version is slightly different. Delta(8) is less psychoactive than “regular” THC in adults. Some resources claim that Delta(8) may have neuroprotective and anti-anxiety properties, making it an interesting companion to the more notorious psychoactive. However, more research is needed to confirm just how this particular compound acts inside the body. Here are a couple of additional benefits you can expect from delta(8)-THC:
Appetite Stimulator
You might have thought that the familiar delta-9 THC gave you the munchies, but apparently it doesn’t compare to delta(8). An experiment on mice found that delta(8) increased the rodents’ appetite significantly more than delta(9).
Anti-Nausea
Back in 1995, 8 children with cancer were treated with delta(8)-THC during the course of chemotherapy. The results of the study were actually a little odd. While nausea and vomiting were reduced in all cases, delta(8)-THC also did not produce any psychoactive response in the children. Their ages were between 2 and 13-years-old.
9 & 10 Nutritional Cannabinoids THCa and CBDa
THCa and CBDa are the compounds found it marijuana before it is decarboxylated, or “decarbed”. These cannabinoids are found in raw cannabis, and can be eaten as a nutritional supplement or applied topically. You cannot smoke or inhale THCa or CBDa. Once you take heat to these two acids, you convert them from an acid to forms that are slightly more broken down.
In the case of THCa, you decarb down to psychoactive THC. THCa on is not psychoactive until you apply heat.
Dr. William Courtney has spearheaded the raw cannabis movement. In his opinion, cannabis is a dietary necessity. The superfoods of all superfoods, if you will.
As per his medical expertise, raw marijuana has several properties as a nutritional supplement, just to name a few:
- Anti-inflammatory
- Antioxidant
- Improved intestinal function
- Improved neural function
- Cancer and pre-cancerous detection
In case you haven’t noticed, this plant is a medicinal gold mine. The 10 cannabinoids outlined here are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to marijuana research. In all, there are over 400 unique chemical compounds in the marijuana plant. The individual compounds studied so far have not only wowed researchers with their medical potential, but the scientific community is further amazed by how these chemicals work together in harmony.
Terpenes- Essential Oils and Cannabis
We are reposting this article, originally written by Drake Dorm for MedicalJane, because we think you might want to know how terpenes can affect your cannabis experience.
Terpenes Influence the Synergy Effect of Cannabis
As we know, science has identified and characterized the molecular structure of around 20,000 terpenes, which makes it the largest category of plant chemicals. These aromatic compounds are found in the essential oils of plants and flowers, and plenty of studies have been done on their effects.
Of the 20,000 identified terpenes, there have been more than 120 found in cannabis. Only a few of them appear in high concentrations, but they have been found to have a number of benefits. A few of these effects are covered in our terpenoid article, but recent research has suggested an “entourage effect” as well. In his 2011 study “Taming THC,”Ethan Russo, from GW Pharmaceuticals, discussed the interaction between terpenes and cannabinoids.
Terpenes May Reduce THC-Induced Anxiety
For years, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) was the only cannabinoid investigated for its medicinal value, and we know it has the potential to cause anxiety in some patients. However, certain terpenes in cannabis, like Linalool, have been found to counter the anxiety.
In fact, Russo points out that terpenes likely played a role in a number of ancient antidotes for the less desirable effects of THC. For instance, citrus fruits (high in limonene) were used as a “cannabis antidote” in 10th century Persia. Other ancient antidotes include calamus plant roots and pine nuts (high in pinene), as well as black pepper (high in caryophyllene and myrcene).
Terpenes and Cannabinoids Work Better Together
Terpenoids can be used for more than countering THC-induced anxiety. Russo discussed interactions to treat a number of issues including: pain, inflammation, depression, addiction, epilepsy, cancer, and infections.
Russo believes pinene would be useful in the treatment of MRSA. Cannabigerol (CBG) is a potent MRSA inhibitor, and can be found with small amounts of THC. Because of this Russo suggests a whole-plant extract, high in CBG and pinene, which was found to have its own anti-MRSA qualities in 2010.
Terpenes could also aid inAlzheimer’streatment with cannabidiol (CBD). Linalool, which is prominent in lavender, helps counter stress and anxiety. Limonene is commonly used in aromatherapy to improve mood, and pinene is known to promote alertness and memory retention. Combining these terpenoids with a CBD-rich extract may help treat the wide-ranging effects of Alzheimer’s disease.
Another interaction that Russo highlighted could have benefits for addiction treatment. An essential oil made from black pepper reduced nicotine cravings in cigarette smokers. Interestingly enough, black pepper essential oils are high in myrcene, pinene, and caryophyllene, all of which can be found in cannabis.
Caryophyllene is interesting because it directly stimulates the CB2 receptors throughout the body. As we know, CB2 agonists prevent the release of dopamine, which is related to addiction. This, in combination with the use of CBD for opiate withdrawal, suggests that cannabis with caryophyllene could have a variety of rehabilitative benefits.
Russo, Trichome Technologies Suggest A Focus On Terpenes
In “Taming THC,” Russo focused on the interaction between terpenes and cannabinoids. With that being said, the knowledge is useless without some way to apply it. His solution: selective breeding designed around terpenes. Citing the 2002 study, “The Inheritance of Chemical Phenotype in Cannabis Sativa,” Russo suggested that growers focus on their desired terpenes when breeding.
In fact, Kenneth “K” Morrow, founder of Trichome Technologies, a leading international cannabis consulting company, recently endorsed a similar sentiment during Danny Danko’s cultivation panel at the recent High Times Cannabis Cup. In discussing the topic of terpenes, “K” urged people to tailor their grows towards the production of individual terpenes.
“K”, like multiple growers on online forums, believes that a number of variables (lighting, soil composition, nutrients, etc.) can influence terpene production. If growers are able to influence the production of specific terpenes, they could improve their product’s effectiveness.
Terpenes Can Improve Medical Marijuana, Infused Products
It’s been reported that certain terpenes dilate capillaries in the lungs. Logic tells us that this would be useful in the case of smoked or vaporized cannabis. Dilated capillaries would enable beneficial cannabinoids to enter the bloodstream easier. This certainly could be useful for growers who know how their crops will be ingested, and in the production of cannabis concentrates.
In fact, a number of concentrate makers enhance their finished product with pure terpenes. This is typically done for added flavor, as the more volatile terpenes can be lost during the extraction process. However, infusing concentrates with a specific terpene for added effect would be equally beneficial. For instance, pinene is a bronchodilator, which could benefit asthma patients.
In fact, similar processes already exist. According to Jeff Raber, founder of The Werc Shop, a lab-testing facility in Los Angeles, they are able to infuse concentrates with the terpenes lost. “Based on the terpene-profile of each strain,” he added, “we can recreate as much of the whole plant component as possible.”
One step further, K believes terpene-rich extracts could play a major role in the future of medical marijuana. He points out that some patients might want the terpene-related flavor and relief, without the high from THC.
Another potential application of terpenes could benefit users of medicated topicals. Nerolidol, a sedative terpene, is a known skin penetrant. Therefore, it could aid in cannabinoid absorption if infused in topicals.
The benefits of terpenes are widely recognized, but they just now are being explored by experts in the cannabis industry. As Ethan Russo pointed out, terpenes may influence a number of cannabis’ benefits. Their interaction with cannabinoids often impacts the effectiveness of medical marijuana strains and products, and could be used to facilitate a better overall experience.
Clean Green Certified!
We are now Clean Green Certified!!
Here at Gorge Greenery we never stop striving for the best, and are one of the few Clean Green Certified Dispensaries. From sustainable labels and packaging, reclaimed wood and recycled furnishing, to Clean Green Certified cannabis and gardens with extended pesticide screening, we are always striving to protect consumers as well as our environment.
Clean Green Certified is the number one certifier nation-wide for cannabis cultivated using sustainable, natural organically-based and biodynamic practices. Legally, marijuana cannot be called organic — no matter how environmentally friendly the cultivation practices used to grow it — because the term is federally regulated and the USDA does not recognize cannabis as a legitimate agricultural crop. The Clean Green Certified program was created in 2004 as a way to regulate legal cannabis-products that called themselves "organic." Consumers can rest assured when they buy a Clean Green Certified cannabis product that it has met all of the requirements of the rigorous program.
Modeled on national and international sustainability, organic and biodynamic program standards, the Clean Green program requires on-site inspections. Clean Green Certified goes further that the USDA organic in some areas, requiring more strict regulations on pesticide testing for all operators and each cannabis operation must put into place a carbon footprint reduction plan, water conservation measures and fair labor practices.
Clean Green Certified has a certification specifically for cannabis processors and handlers. Whether it be a store-front or a cannabis concentrate company, certification audits the processor/handler's ability to keep Clean Green cannabis separate from cannabis grown conventionally. A consumer can have greater confidence when buying cannabis or a cannabis product from a Clean Green Certified outlet that it was grown fair-trade and sustainably, without the use of synthetic pesticides.
Check out the Clean Green website here: www.cleangreencert.org
Why there's no such thing as a stoner girl...
Reading marijuana-devoted websites can be both educational and frustrating. The frustrating part begins when people who are in charge of attracting more visitors make up silly meaningless listicles, like this one that claims to provide 17 reasons to date a girl who smokes weed. Of course every girl who smokes weed will click on this. And some of them will also forward the link to their boyfriends, so it works.
I need to say that I highly respect the High Times magazine. It is probably the most important media outlet for drug culture of the 20th century. They still do quality journalism, although they have some competition now. But can’t they do better than trying to imitate Buzzfeed?
Really, this GIF idea is not even working for them: number 17 has a Chris Brown Smokes Up Rihanna GIF. And look what the caption reads: “The couple that smokes together, stays together.” The troubled story of Rihanna and Brown’s relationship was covered by tabloids, so anyone who is interested is free to read up some TMZ archives.
Besides that, Buzzed is not a model cannabis-covering media. They have been harshly criticized for promoting a lazy unfocused stoner stereotype.
But the real problem is in the message. We criticize mainstream media for cultivating the aforementioned pothead stereotype. We know that anyone can be a stoner, and, frankly, we prefer to call it ’a cannabis enthusiast’ or something like that. So why do we support creating a stereotype of ‘a woman who smokes weed’? There is no such thing. There are women who smoke weed, and not all of them are relaxed chicks who are open to threesome experience (as number 11 implies) and have cool friends (or any friends.)
Some of them are stay at home mothers who relax by getting high when the kids are asleep. Some of them are career women who use marijuana to deal with daily stress. Some are students who use daytime strains to feel energized at their part-time jobs. Some are creative professionals who have mastered the art of high brainstorming and stoned planning. Each of them is unique.
Another issue is over-sexualizing marijuana smoking. There are whole websites dedicated to erotic photos of women who smoke weed. And this piece of infotainment also implies that sexy stoner chicks wear stockings (you can keep joints in them!), are good with their hands and tongue, and love to try new things. It is not a secret that in stoner humor women are often shown as sexually attractive ladies who like weed, but don’t know where to buy or how to smoke it.
Meet my friend Helen. She’s a photographer and a digital media professional, she’s in her mid 20s, and she smokes weed several times a week. She is definitely a high-maintenance young woman; her jewelry is perfectly organized, her looks are very thought-through. She will not laugh at your jokes if they are not funny. Helen prefers smoking through a bowl.
And this is my friend Maria. She is in her late 30s, but if I asked you to define her age basing on her looks, you would probably say 31-32. Maria knows how to roll a spliff and how to run a company. She is happily married and she has a teenage son. Before the recent recession in Russia, her career had been thriving; she’s now a freelance translator, and a successful one.
Diana works as a waitress in a cafe that belongs to a famous designer. Sofia is a researcher at a biotech lab. Jessica is a radio host and TV producer. They are all normal woman, not some mythical relaxed sexy chicks. The society would have done a very good job if it stopped treating women who smoke weed differently than other women. Cannabis consumption does not define us.
Article written by: By Maya Novikov from www.MonroeBlvd.com
Why we need to rebrand the term "HIGH"
“My patients need that THC; they don’t really get a lot of benefit from CBD-only products,” says Bryan Krumm, a psychiatric nurse practitioner who currently works with about one thousand PTSD patients in New Mexico.
He has seen whole-plant cannabis heal all types of patients throughout 25 years in the psychiatry field. He has seen it relieve struggles with PTSD (including his own), as well as other psychiatric woes such as depression and addiction.
“There’s nothing wrong with that psychoactive effect,” he says. “People opposed to cannabis complain that this is a euphoriant and that it makes you high. But that’s what we do in psychiatry. We try to induce euphoria, to lift people’s moods. We don’t want people to be down and low and depressed.”
The difference between Krumm and a lot of other psychiatrists is this: he refuses to ever prescribe another pharmaceutical.
His only exception is the FDA-approved Marinol, a synthetic version of THC developed in the 1980s. A lot of cannabis physicians and practitioners frown upon Marinol because of negative studies and because whole-plant cannabis seems to be more therapeutic with its additional 100+ cannabinoids and multitude of terpene profiles.
But Krumm prescribes Marinol to certain patients when they travel out-of-state to places where cannabis remains prohibited. And some of his patients, contrary to what the studies tell us, actually prefer it to whole-plant medication.
By talking and listening to so many patients, Krumm has discovered that a lot of the studies out there are inaccurate.
In general, the term “high” is supposed to have good connotations, Krumm says.
“If you do the right thing morally and ethically, you’re said to be taking the high road. When we want to get smarter we pursue higher education. We set out to improve ourselves and lift ourselves, and we try to raise ourselves up out of poverty.”
But, like with so many other things applied to cannabis, the idea of getting high immediately gets a negative connotation, he says. “We need to change our understanding and reclaim that term as something positive – which is what it’s supposed to be.”......
Another expert I talked to, Sebastian Marincolo – a cannabis philosopher and writer who has been researching the herb for 10 years now – likes the difference between high and stoned. “When we say stoned we think of that couch-lock state of mind where you’re sedated, not thinking clearly – and for some people this is the desired effect,” he says.
“But the ‘high’ is something else,” Marincolo continues. “It is more euphoric and energetic – a different state of mind which comes with systematic changes in cognition and perception. And most people underestimate all of this and they don’t understand the full bouquet of changes.”
Where a lot of people view the psychoactive element as the adverse side effect of marijuana, Marincolo has methodically explored and laid out what he calls the bouquet of cognitive effects offered by the plant.
In Marincolo’s new book What Hashish Did To Walter Benjamin, he writes about many of these cognitive effects:
- Hyper focusing
- Episodic memory retrieval
- Pattern recognition
- Enhanced imagination
- Increased empathy
- Associative & lateral thinking
- Deeper introspection
“It doesn’t really give you a total enhancement of cognition, but there are a bunch of possibilities,” Marincolo says. “No matter what you do, you always have some functions enhanced and some that get worse.”
Read the whole article at GreenFlower Media HERE.
A BIG THANK YOU!
A big thank you to all who came out yesterday! 420 was a great success. From our staff, to patients, customers, and neighbors, we all had a blast. A special thank you to Matt from Freshies Bagels and Juice for manning the much needed munchies food cart, and to Cesar for hosting our Cannabis 101 social as well as those who attended it, including Dr. Steve from MAMAs. We are looking forward to our next class event. Follow us on social media for great deals, news and classes in the meantime!
Spring Hours are here!
We have extended our hours for Spring!
Come in Mon-Thurs 10a - 8p, Fri-Sat 10a- 9p, and Sundays 10a- 7pm.
Join us on Wednesday, 4-20!
Our Canna Social and Cannabis 101 will run from 5-7, but we will be open 9-9 with specials all day!
For more details check out our FB Event here!