 This story is by Sean Teehan from NY Cannabis Insider
On the morning of the 2005 Rochester Marathon, Brian Lane considered not showing up for the race. Juggling his job with the U.S. Postal Service, raising two children, and going through a divorce took the wind out of his sails, and running a long-distance race felt like a chore. But people were expecting him to be there, so he dragged himself out of bed, took four heavy bong rips and made his way to the starting line. Lane ran the 26-mile race with a time of 3:11:23, finishing 16 out of 658 runners and qualifying for his first Boston Marathon. Lane is owner and compliance officer at Rochester based hemp processing company NOWAVE and host of Hempthlethics, a podcast about incorporating Cannabis into exercise. “I think it’s the most under talked about niche,” Lane told NY Cannabis Insider. A subset of users some call “cannathletes” are becoming increasingly visible. In a University of Colorado survey of 600 Cannabis users, 80% reported using Cannabis before, during, and after workouts. “Everyone who is a regular Cannabis user that I have brought onto my show, they’re all active,” says Lane. “There’s nobody sitting on their couches doing nothing.” Lane’s long-term goal is to release a line of products that cater to the cannathletic market. Cannabis companies currently serving the athletic market include Offfield, which makes gummies, soft drinks, and other products that include THC. Another is WannaFit, who makes products that are infused with THCv Josiah Hesse, author of the book Runner’s High, dives deep into how both elite athletes and weekend warriors use Cannabis. “The market for it is endless,” says Hesse. “There’s no demographic that Cannabis doesn’t reach, young people, old people, all races, all political affiliations, all economic backgrounds.” Dr. Ethan Russo agrees. “Some uses of Cannabis in conjunction with exercise already have pretty strong scientific backing. THC and CBD have pain killing and anti-inflammatory effects that can help following a workout. However, the idea that Cannabis can help people during a workout is more nuanced.” He recounts his own experience of skiing under the influence of Cannabis. “Being able to key into the rhythm is a benefit,” says Russo. I really like this idea of combining Cannabis and athletics. I usually consult patients who are using Cannabis for chronic pain or other illness. It’s refreshing to know Cannabis is also used for wellness activities like workouts. Cannabis is not always about the party and we don’t have to wait and get sick before using Cannabis. Using Cannabis for wellness is proactive. I also think the Cannabis industry should promote their own Cannabis athletic events. We could raise awareness for elite athletes like Sha’Carri Richardson, the sprinter who was banned from the Tokyo Olympics. Athletic events are a good way to highlight the positive aspects of Cannabis use.
Cannabis consumers would be able to buy directly from cultivators at farmers markets, just like they do for produce, under approved legislation, AB 2691, by the California state Assembly. The state Committee on Business and Profession recently approved the bill, which now has to clear the Assembly Appropriations Committee and the full Assembly Chamber and then go through the Senate before reaching the governor’s desk.
Cultivators have had financial challenges since passage of Prop 64, the Control, Regulate and Tax Adult Use of Marijuana Act. Wholesale prices farmers receive for outdoor grown Cannabis averaged $488 per pound according to research from Cannabis Benchmarks. This is a 55% drop from 15 months earlier. Kristen Callahan, owner of Magic Meadows Farms in Middletown in Lake County is quoted by the Sacramento Bee, “This is an important first step that will help our cash flow by being able to sell directly at farmer’s markets.” Several dozen farmers that showed up for the committee vote were pleased. They see the direct sales as a beginning of Cannabis tourism in California. Visitors could sample different varieties of Cannabis, similar to what they do at a winery The bill’s opponents are dispensary owners, who are concerned about competition. Another of the bill’s opponents, Assemblyman Phillip Chen, states, “As I represent Orange County, there will be an over saturation of these retailers in my communities.” The bill sponsor, Assemblyman Jim Wood, D-Santa Rosa, countered that the legislation was about, “giving the little guy a chance.” The farmers insist that allowing consumers to sample their product at farmers markets will only promote Cannabis, benefiting all the Cannabis consuming community. Farmers can show their products currently at farmer’s markets, but the system doesn’t allow them to make a direct sale. Consumers must go to another booth at the market and buy Cannabis products from a licensed retail operator. "I think it's super, super awesome and I like that they're kind of getting rid of that guilt or that dark cloud that they have around the whole weed industry,” Davis resident Crystal Molina said. Since recreational cannabis was legalized in California the morning of January 1, 2018, there have been only three outdoor events in San Francisco with legal cannabis sales. And all three were in Golden Gate Park — Outside Lands 2019, Outside Lands 2021, and the 2022 4/20 Hippie Hill celebration from two weeks ago According to SFiST, Permit applications have been submitted to bring legal cannabis sales to Carnaval SF on May 28-29, and there’s a high likelihood that Carnaval will be the first California street fair with legal, regulated cannabis use.  As if California Medical Cannabis patients didn’t suffer enough. Apparently, other states have not learned from California’s mistakes. The headline from Ganjapreneur by TG Branfalt is “Medical Cannabis Strained by Adult-Use Sales in New Mexico”
New Mexico medical Cannabis patients are expressing frustration. Increased demand from adult-use sales is straining the New Mexico Cannabis supply. On April 1st, licensed Cannabis dispensaries in New Mexico started adult use sales one year after legislators passed an adult use legalization bill. The roll-out was expected to be gradual since many producers and retailers were building out their operations or just getting municipal approval. The expectation didn’t account for consumers. The state Cannabis Control Division says New Mexico sold over $8 million in adult use Cannabis in just two weeks after legalization. KOB 4 Eyewitness news reports that, despite the large sales, medical Cannabis demand remains high. Stephanie K, a long-time medical Cannabis patient says, “They’re telling us we should keep our cards (Referring to medical Cannabis identity cards) even though it’s recreational. For what reason? What perks are we getting? We don’t get to get in line in front of anybody, we don’t get to pay less, we don’t get better weed. No, we get nothing.” Some New Mexico Cannabis retailers have tried to look out for patients. Ellie Besancon, Executive Director of Green Goods, wants to create separate display cases for recreational products and medical products. But she feels patients still have a frustration level. They already know what they want and the lines are long. MJBiz Daily reports that Texans may be playing a role in consuming New Mexico Cannabis. “Our studies show that 40% to 42% of all adult-use cannabis will be derived from out-of-state purchases, particularly Texas,” says Duke Rodriguez, CEO of the state’s largest cannabis company California went through its own growing pains after enacting adult-use Cannabis laws. In California, consumer prices remain high despite a supply glut. A significantly large percentage of Cannabis sales are believed to remain in traditional markets. On the East Coast, New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut will be selling adult use Cannabis soon. As of April 21st, New Jersey has already started. Can they learn from the issues western states are experiencing or will medical Cannabis patients suffer similar access issues? Medical patients typically have a different need and urgency for Cannabis. "I don't do it to party. I don't do it to go out and dance. I don't get high. I don't laugh. I do it because it makes my pain go away,” said Stefanie. now that adult-use has arrived, the shops are only concerned about “money, the dollars.” Once again, it seems to me that legislators have forgotten about COMPASSION for patients for the money. What do you think?  This story was published in Ganjapreneur on March 8, 2022, by TG Branfalt. Their headline is “Few Parents know about CBD use in Children” A recent poll by the University of Michigan’s Mott Children’s Hospital sampled 1,992 parents with at least one child between the age 3-18. Most parents polled (80%) either did not know much about CBD use in children or never heard of it prior to the poll. I might have stopped the poll right there. Apparently, it is of some value to the authors to ask parents about something they don’t know much about. Seventeen percent of parents reported knowing something about CBD and children. Only three percent said they knew a lot. Despite not knowing about CBD, 73% of parents optimistically thought CBD might be a good option for children when other medications don’t work. The factors that are important to parents in deciding whether to give CBD to children are its side effects. 83% thought CBD products should be regulated by the FDA, and about three quarters say CBD for children should require a doctor’s prescription. About one third thought taking CBD is basically the same as using marijuana. (By marijuana, I assume they mean Cannabis with more than 0.3% THC.) Most (93%) parents have never given or considered giving their child a CBD product. 2% have given their child a CBD product, while 4% have considered giving CBD to their child; 1% say their child has used CBD without their permission. Among the small percentage of parents who have given or considered giving CBD to their children, the most common reasons included anxiety (51%), sleep problems (40%), ADHD (33%), muscle pain (20%), autism (19%), and to make their child feel better in general (13%). This poll highlights the limited knowledge that most parents have about CBD and children. Parents might do anything for a sick child, especially when other medications are not working. Would you give a sick child CBD? Would you give THC? Lauren Robertson of Cannabis Scientist recently interviewed Dr. Richard van Breemen about his research on cannabinoids and their ability to block cell entry of Sars-CoV-2.
“It’s been amazing!” says Dr. van Breemen. “All these years we’ve been doing research…” “… but very rarely does a project catch on so globally.” He boasts, “We are currently on 402,000 views for the paper.” “As you might imagine, people were excited. Very excited.” Ms. Robertson writes about the discovery. “In fact, you may recall reading headlines that claimed smoking weed stops COVID-19. These claims were outlandish – but where there’s smoke, there’s fire (sometimes).” Dr. van Breemen’s research focused specifically on the role of cannabinoid acids – CBD-A, CBG-A, and THC-A. These are ingredients found, mostly, in the raw plant. And though smoking the flower won’t do much, dietary supplements like raw Cannabis smoothies could be effective. Van Breemen’s research team used a technique called Affinity Mass Spectrometry to discover that the three cannabinoids inhibited the virus’ spike protein. Then they combined CBD-A and CBG-A with the live virus and found that it blocked the infection of cells. “I expected some pushback,” said Dr. van Breemen. “But, people really haven’t been criticizing it. I’ve even had phone calls from people to say thank you because they now understand why they didn’t get sick after attending a gathering where everyone else got Covid.” Dr. van Breemen has been interested in studying natural products as a source for drugs his entire career. He works at the Global Hemp Innovation center at Oregon State University. He got the idea to study Cannabis and Covid-19 after noticing a pattern that the top 10 states with the lowest Covid death rates were all states that had legalized Cannabis His wife, an epidemiologist, pointed out that this pattern had too many confounding variables and that he couldn’t draw any conclusions with confidence. . He also knew that studying Covid would keep his lab open during the pandemic. During his study, Dr. van Breeman was surprised to find that only the three cannabinoids bound to the spike protein and that the decarboxylated CBD and CBG did not. He pointed out that the lab could only get a small amount of THC-A, not enough to do the live virus test. To get enough THC-A he would have had to apply for a special license. “Every successful experiment brings up new questions,” says Dr. van Breemen. “There are so many experiments we’d love to do. We are only constrained by regulations and funding.” I liked this story because it reminds me that there is a lot more to Cannabis than any of us might imagine and that it’s more than just smoking a good “dube”. By Jean Talleyrand, M.D. and John S. Abrams, Ph. D. In times of crisis it is customary to “sound the alarm”. However, an alarm with solution is significantly more effective and worthwhile than an alarm alone. The worldwide effect of COVID-19 is alarming. In the U.S., over 20% of the tested population has contracted the virus. As COVID-19 and likewise SARS produce acute respiratory symptoms, it is often mistakenly assumed that people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are at higher risk for contracting the infection. Data on the prevalence of COVID-19 and SARS infection shows a lower percentage of infection in people with COPD compared to the general population.1 However, common sense prevails. Despite the lower prevalence of disease there is a five-fold increase in severe outcome in those patients with COPD who have contracted the virus.2 Smoking Cannabis alone has not been associated with an increased risk of developing COPD.3 However, smoking both tobacco and Cannabis is associated with an increased risk or respiratory symptoms and COPD.4 Dr. Jeffrey Block, Executive Board Member of the American Society of Cannabis Medicine suggests that in this time of crisis safer alternative methods of using Cannabis are likely to “save lives”. Historically, Cannabis tincture and Cannabis water decoction formulations have been reported effective ways of using Cannabis.5,6 As well; modern state regulatory standards allow Cannabis to be available in capsules and gummies with incremental doses of 2.5mg, 5 mg, and 10 mg of THC. Additionally, there is growing recognition of the efficacy of the other major cannabinoids in Cannabis, THCA, CBD, and CBDA, all of which demonstrate therapeutic potential without psychoactivity. Medical Cannabis use is a recently developing clinical practice. Due to the Controlled Substances Act, years of Cannabis prohibition have impeded medical understanding of the therapeutic benefits of Cannabis active ingredients. A March 2020 review of clinicaltrials.gov identifies 106 completed Cannabis clinical studies. Seventy studies (66%) involve Cannabis 1 Halpin, DG et al. Do Chronic Respiratory Diseases or their Treatment Affect the Risk of SARS-COV-2 Infection? The Lancet Respiratory Medicine Comment 2020 Apr 03 2 Lippi G et al. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease is Associated with Severe Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). Respiratory Medicine 2020 Mar 24 3 Tashkin, D. Does Smoking Marijuana Increase the Risk of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease? Canadian Medical Association Journal 2009 Apr 14; 180(8); 797-798 4 Tan WC et al. Marijuana and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Lung Disease: A Population Based Study. Canadian Medical Association Journal 2009; 180(8); 814-820 5 Bridgeman, M et al. Medical Cannabis: History, Pharmacology and Implications for the Acute Care Setting, Pharmacy & Therapeutics 2017 Mar; 42(3); 180-188 6 Boekhout van Solinge, Tim (1996), Ganja in Jamaica. Amsterdams Drug Tijdschrift, nr 2, December 1996, pp. 11-14. Abuse, Cannabis Use Disorder, Cannabis Withdrawal and Substance Use Disorder.7 The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) advances science on the causes and consequences of drug abuse and addiction. NIDA has actively funded the majority of Cannabis research during prohibition, which has left an imbalance of information on the cumulative effects of Cannabis. Dr. Nora Volkow, director of NIDA, identifies persons with addictions and drug abuse as vulnerable to poor outcomes from COVID-19. Indeed, persons with addiction are well known to have comorbid behaviors, which makes them vulnerable to illness.8 However, the tide has turned in regards to Cannabis use. Cannabis can no longer be considered just an illicit drug. It is increasingly appreciated that the Endocannabinoid system (ECS) plays a key role in shaping the direction of the immune response. Cannabinoids (such as THC and CBD present in Cannabis products) may be differentially influencing the overall type of immune effector function 9,10. This can result from a push more towards a cell-mediated virus-killing effector function, or towards a protective or neutralizing antibody response. In this era of the COVID- 19 pandemic, it is key that we understand the Cannabinoid tools that we currently have at our disposal. The “medicalization” of Cannabis allows access to products with identified active ingredients and recommends guidance to their use by physicians. In this time of crisis when infection, stress, anxiety, and insomnia are at increasing prevalence, the responsible use of Cannabis presents a solution for consideration. Jean Talleyrand, M.D. is Chief Medical Officer of MediCann, a medical Cannabis education organization and the Clinical Endocannabinoid System Consortium, a research organization John S. Abrams, Ph.D. is Chief Science Officer of the Clinical Endocannabinoid System Consortium, a research organization 7 Talleyrand, J. Review of Completed Cannabis Studies with Results (clinicaltrials.gov). The Clinical Endocannabinoid System Consortium www.thecesc.org; 2020 Mar. 8 Miller, NS et al. Comorbid Cigarette and Alcohol Addiction. Journal of Addictive Disease. 1998; 17(1); 55-66 9 Yuan M1, Kiertscher SM, Cheng Q, Zoumalan R, Tashkin DP, Roth MD. Delta 9- Tetrahydrocannabinol regulates Th1/Th2 cytokine balance in activated human T cells. Neuroimmunol. 2002 Dec;133(1-2):124-31. 10 Nichols, James M. and Kaplan, Barbara L.F. Immune Responses Regulated by Cannabidiol. Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research Vol. 5, No. 1 ReviewsOpen AccessOpen Access license CDC and State Health Departments caution those who use vaporized oil products
The promotion and sale of e-cigarettes as an alternative to smoking tobacco (and additives) in rolled paper along with the rising popularity of inhaled vaporized oils derived from the Cannabis plant is new to everyone, even those of us in the scientific community. The Increasing use of these new products is revealing new potential harms. We know that inhaling smoked oils from burning oil reservoirs is harmful and may even be the cause of Gulf War Syndrome. We know that inhaling smoke oils in poorly ventilated restaurant kitchens causes a decrease in forced expiratory volume (FEV) among employees. Data from The Dosing Project™ (www.thecesc.org) reveals a significant increase in self-reported cough among those vaporizing Cannabis flower in comparison to smoking Cannabis flower. Poly-ethylene glycol, vegetable glycerin, or tocopheryl acetate (Vitamin E), common fillers in e-cigarette and Vape pen cartridges, have been implicated as a potential throat and lung irritant. The CDC along with State Health Departments are investigating an increase in serious lung disease not associated with other causes and associated with recent use of e-cigarettes and/or Cannabis oil Vape pens. At this point they have noted at least 215 cases over the last two months. The disease has similarities to lipoid pneumonia, which is distinguished by macrophages exhibiting large intracellular vacuoles in lung tissue. Exogenous lipoid pneumonia is generally considered a rare and benign condition. Patients report cough, fatigue, and shortness of breath. Chest X-rays are non-specific. Chest CT may demonstrate “ground glass” opacities representing thickened interlobular septa. Two of recently reported cases have resulted in death. 10.8 million U.S. adults are currently using e-cigarettes and more than half of them are 35 years old or younger. 2018 data reveals that the Vape pen market is approaching 20% of the inhaled cannabis products sold. This rise in incidence of serious adverse event was bound to occur with the recent shift in social behavior to inhaling vaporized oils. Whether the damage is do the method of administration, ingredients in the oil itself, or contaminants is uncertain. It is appropriate for the CDC and state health departments to caution those who vaporize oils to seek medical attention if the presenting symptoms occur. Patients with chronic lung conditions (Asthma, COPD, etc.) who use Vape pens may consider use alternative methods to using Cannabis until we have more specific information can be gathered and analyzed. Dr. Jean Talleyrand, M.D. Chief Medical Officer MediCann & The CESC
By Dr. Jean Talleyrand
A pheromone is any chemical an animal produces which changes the behavior or physiology of another animal of the same species (animals include insects). Pheromones are not hormones. The difference is that pheromones act outside the pheromone-producing animal, while hormones act inside the hormone-producing animal. In fact, there is no defined chemical structure to a pheromone. Scientists are not even sure they exist!! Pheromones are supposed to cause behavior changes, like making another animal sexually aroused or warding off others from marked territory. Pheromones don’t necessarily have an odor, but they are often described as having an odor or causing its effect through scent. In review of clinical studies on pheromones, often it is the sweat or oil on the skin of a animal that is believed to contain the pheromone. There exists a group of chemicals that are known for their scent or external effect. They are called terpenes or terpenoids. Terpenes are mostly produced by plants, and sometimes by insects. They have a strong odor and are believed to prevent infection or parasites, or attract beneficial insects to plants. One might consider them the “pheromone” of the plant and insect world. They are defined chemically in groups of five carbon units called the isoprene unit. Terpenes can have one or some multiple of these five carbon units and are often defined by the number of them; hemiterpene (1 isoprene unit), monoterpene (two isoprene units), sesquiterpene (3 isoprene units), triterpene (6 isoprene units). Steroids are terpenes made from the triterpene squalene. The larger (multiple unit) terpenes are found in animals and are an important part of human metabolism. Terpenes include the adrenal hormones, cholesterol, and Vitamins A, E and K. Aromatherapy is a form of complementary or alternative treatment that uses essential oils, which mostly contain terpenes. Aromatherapists apply essential oils (terpenes) on the skin or through inhalation. (Sound familiar?) Essential oils have been used as medicine at least since ancient civilizations have documented their use and likely before. Dioscorides, physician, pharmacologist, botanist and surgeon to the Roman Army under Nero, described the use of oils from plant as medicine. His writing collected under the title De Materia Medica described six hundred plants and their medicinal uses. The use of oil persisted throughout multiple centuries. The oils were termed “essential” after going through a steam distillation. Aromatherapy was described in 1937 by French chemist, Rene-Maurice Gattefosse in his book Aromathérapie: Les Huiles Essentielles, Hormones Végétales. Outside of medicine, terpenes have uses from agricultural pesticides to perfume. Terpenes are the building block of many organic molecules. When modern literature described terpenes as having a synergistic or “entourage” effect on the Endocannabinoid system it was no surprise. Apparently, terpenes play a significant role in the medicinal effect of cannabis. Most medical cannabis users and some non-users know that cannabis has an odor. The odor varies from “fuel” to “earthy” to “floral” or “fruity” depending on the strain. Some medical cannabis users associate the odor with symptom relief. The fruity and floral smelling flowers will uplift mood while the earthy or fuel smell reduce pain and make you sleepy. Terpenes are the source of that odor. It may be argued in the future that terpenes, the “pheromone” of the plant and insect world, add to the medicinal effect of cannabis. It might also be argued that aroma alone is the cause of the effect. What’s clear is the terpenes and their smell are at least as important as THC and CBD. Among medical cannabis patients, it’s commonly agreed that their are two major effects from cannabis. One effect is more stimulating and euphoric and the second is more sedating and pain relieving. There are studies that have tried to correlate the chemical makeup of the plant with these two effects noted among cannabis users. Out of southern California, Dr. Pearce et al performed an internet survey and was able to verify the distinct effects. However, the conclusion that the effect came from botanically distinct plants was self evident in that the surveyors decided whether the plant was distinct without prior botanical training or knowledge. Another botanical study tried to identify plants as either C. Sativa (a narrow leafed plant) or C. Indica (a wider leafed plant) and ended up distinguishing six different plant types rather than two. So what causes this distinction between stimulating and euphoric (“sativa effect”) and sedating and pain relieving (“indica effect”)? Dr. John Abrams, founder of the Clinical Endocannabinoid System Consortium (CESC - www.thecesc.org) believes it’s the terpenes. The more floral or fruity odor might create the sativa like alertness and euphoria. The sour, fuel like odor of the plant is more likely to produce the indica-like relaxation and somnolence. “Time will tell. We will have to prove that with appropriate research.” states Dr. Abrams. Meanwhile, start smelling your medicine. ------------- 1McPartland, J. et al, PLOS ONE:Care and Feeding of the Endocannabinoid System: A Systematic Review of Potential Clinical Interventions that Upregulate the Endocannabinoid System, March 12 2014 2Pearce, D et al, Discriminating the Effects of Cannabis Sativa and Cannabis Indica: A Web Survey of Medical Cannabis Users, The Journal of Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Vol. 20, No. 10, 2014, pp. 787-789 3Hillig, K. et al, A Chemotaxonomic Analysis of Cannabinoid Variation in Cannabis, American Journal of Botany, 91(6), 2004, pp.966-975 By Christopher Lindquist & Jean Talleyrand
Edibles are food items made with cannabis or infused with cannabis oils or butter. They come in brownies, cookies, chews, gummies, candies, chocolates, butter, and beverages. Many cannabis patients choose to medicate with edibles. Some prefer ingesting cannabis rather than smoking; others prefer edibles because eating part of a cookie is more discreet than lighting up a joint or bowl. Some like the difference in effects. Edibles are a great option to administer medicine, but it’s important to know that the body responds differently to each mode of administration. Consider these factors when taking edibles as opposed to smoking cannabis: 1) The effects of ingesting a cannabis infused edible takes longer to begin, 2) The effects can be stronger and more intense, and, 3) The effects can last longer. The differences derive from how the body responds to cannabis when it is smoked as opposed to when it is ingested as an edible. When smoking, THCA (non-psychoactive cannabinoid present in fresh bud) is immediately converted to THC when it is lit. This process is called decarboxylation: (removing the (A) carboxylic acid from THC). The THC is then absorbed in the smoke by the exposed blood vessels of the lungs. The effects of a puff can happen within minutes, even seconds. Both smoking and taking edibles involve decarboxylation. Edibles often have a manufacturing process when heat is applied with edibles before they are baked. The effects of eating a cannabis infused edible take approximately 30-40 minutes to begin. This is because the medicine takes time to travel through the digestion process before entering the bloodstream. The edible enters the stomach, is absorbed by the lining of the intestine, and then is shuttled to the liver where it’s metabolized. When metabolizing an ingested edible, the liver converts THC to 11-Hydroxy-THC (11-OH-THC), which has greater affinity for the cannabinoid receptors and produces stronger effects. This conversion by the liver of THC to 11-OH THC creates a stronger effect that can last 6-8 hours, as opposed to 2-3 when smoking. When making an edible, cannabis flower is usually heated to about 220º F. This decarboxylates the THCA to THC. The decarboxylation produces the psychoactive “high”. The process of heating cannabis is not necessary. THCA reduces pain and doesn't create a “high”. As patients report the desire to not get “high” when using cannabis, more and more products are being created that skip the decarboxylation process. As well, CBD, an important molecule in the cannabis plant, is sometimes used instead of THC in order to reduce the high and still produce medicinal effects. Baked goods are a popular conduit for cannabis because most of them use an oil or butter, and THC and CBD are soluble in fat. The molecules dissolve well in fat and are evenly distributed throughout the product. Some edibles are mostly sugar based. Unless careful attention is put into dissolving the THC and CBD, the molecules clump and produce unpredictable effects. One product or portion can be much stronger than another. This is often seen in candy, lollipops, and sodas. We highly recommend patience when dosing with an edible. The longer wait can make a person anxious to feel the effects. And when testing the waters, we strongly recommend microdosing: the act of taking a small amount of medicine at first - gauge the effects - and next time, slightly increasing or decreasing the dosage amount to arrive at the best, most effective dose. Microdosing is also important with an edible because - once eaten, it’s difficult to “go back”. It is usually a good idea to wait 4-6 hours to re-dose. With smoking, you can microdose as you go. Some people prefer to smoke because it‘s inherently easier to gauge within minutes from puff to puff. We suggest finding a quality edible that is as consistent as possible. Read reviews and ask questions of your dispensary. MediCann will soon be testing, reviewing, and providing information that helps point patients in the right direction for finding medicine that works best for them. Please be responsible and store cannabis infused edibles out of reach of children. Also, store in cool, dark places; heat and sunlight can compromise cannabinoids and terpenes. |
AuthorJean Talleyrand, M.D., Archives
January 2023
Categories
All
|
RSS Feed
Mailing Address: MediCann 1336 Willard Street, C • San Francisco, CA 94117
Important Disclaimer!
The information contained in this site does not intend to replace any medical advice or care by a trained physician.
Any use of this information is solely the the responsibility of the user.
Important Disclaimer!
The information contained in this site does not intend to replace any medical advice or care by a trained physician.
Any use of this information is solely the the responsibility of the user.
© COPYRIGHT 2015. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.