ICYMI: Here are the headlines making news this week on The Fresh Toast.
Marijuana use among men among ages 65 to 69 nearly doubled between 2016-2018 and researchers are concerned about a few things; cannabis reform appears to be an influential factor in the upcoming presidential election based on recent comments by both campaigns; and did you know cannabis has been used as a healing agent since around 2737 BCE?
Let’s dive into those stories and more as we round up the top five headlines on The Fresh Toast this week:
3 Things Older Adults Using Marijuana Should Be Cautious Of
Now that marijuana has earned legal status across different states, it has gone through a process of reevaluation. People of all ages are now more open to trying the plant, whether for recreational or medicinal purposes. One of the fastest growing demographics are baby boomers.
A survey conducted on adults over the age of 55 between 2016 and 2018 found that men are increasing the amount of marijuana they consume, particularly those between the ages of 60-64. According to NBC News:
“Men ages 60 to 64 reported the highest rates of marijuana use, with 12.6 percent of those surveyed saying they used the drug in the past 30 days in 2018, up from 8.9 percent in 2016. Over the same time period, use also nearly doubled among men ages 65 to 69 (rising from 4.3 percent in 2016 to 8.2 percent in 2018) and among men ages 70 to 74 (from 3.2 percent to 6 percent). There was less change in the use among women.”
While young adults are still the largest consumers of cannabis in the U.S., the rise in older adult use and seniors concerns some researchers; there are a few factors that could influence the effect marijuana has on them. Here are three of the most pressing.
How Introverts Can Use Cannabis To Cope With Social Anxiety
For those with social anxiety who prefer to be alone or in the company of a small group of close friends, social situations involving a large group of people can be quite stressful.
Some of Collen King’s introverted qualities stem from her over sensitivity where she can get overwhelmed by any stimulus. King, who does strategic sourcing for cannabis and specialty coffee, finds that taking cannabis before a social event can help reduce her anxiety and make it easier for her to connect with people. “With cannabis,” says King, “I’m more patient and less analytical. Some times it makes me feel like I have a superpower because I can do things that I honestly would never try without the help of cannabis.”
Her favorite strains are Peanut Butter Breath, Harletsu, and Kosher Kush. Except for family events, she will smoke a 1/2 gram joint throughout the evening. When she’s around family during the holidays, she’ll take a 10mg edible for a very chill evening though increase the dosage to 20mg if people are drinking.
What We Can Learn About Cannabis From Chinese Medicine
What roles do herbal and classic natural medicines have in common with modern medical research when it comes using cannabis for medicinal purposes? During the 2019 Cannabis Collaborative Conference in Portland, Oregon, Dr. Heather George, Doctor of Science in Oriental Medicine (DSOM), c-IAYT , TheLotusWay.org and AOMScholarshipFund.org, sought to address this question.
George offered a brief history of cannabis as a healing agent dating back to around 2737 BCE. During this era, Emperor Shen Nung, the father of Chinese medicine, was said to have used cannabis for medical purposes. During this reign form 2698-2598, Emperor Huangdi was said to have written the Nei Jing (Chinese Canon of Medicine).
Quoting from the Nei Jing, George pointed to how, throughout history, Chinese medicine sought to return the body to a state of equilibrium.
Marijuana Decriminalization, Record Expungement Now Top Priority For Biden-Harris
Comments from a top Biden-Harris aide show how the Democratic presidential ticket has prioritized cannabis reform ahead of the 2020 election. Symone Sanders, a senior advisor to Biden, stated in a recent interview the potential administration wants to establish preemptive criminal justice reform and that includes cannabis records.
“We’re really reforming the criminal justice system so we’re preventing things on the front end,” Sanders said, as Marijuana Moment first reported.
“Joe Biden and Kamala Harris don’t believe anyone should be in jail for drug offenses only,” she continued. “They believe that marijuana should be decriminalized and folks with marijuana convictions should have those automatically expunged.”
5 Life Hacks You Wish You Knew Sooner
If we were ever in need of some simple tricks to make our lives easier, it’s now. While life hacks may sound like they take some effort, they’re actually creative solutions to simplify everyday tasks. Here are just a few clever and effective shortcuts that you’ll wish you had in your arsenal sooner.
