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Ask The Doctor: Can I Use Marijuana During My Pregnancy?

Thomas Green, MD
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Ask The Doctor: Can I Use Marijuana During My Pregnancy?

Dear Dr. Green:

 I’m 11 weeks into my pregnancy and suffer from some pretty bad morning sickness. Can marijuana help with my nausea? Is is safe? Can I use marijuana during my pregnancy? — Erica L., Spokane, Wash.

Dear Erica:

Pregnancy can be such a wonderful time, but unfortunately at least 70 percent of women have some form of morning sickness that can be mild or severe. During pregnancy, my wife had such severe vomiting that she had to be admitted to the hospital twice.

We try to keep treatment of this condition very conservative so that the developing fetus is not affected. These treatments can include changing your diet, herbal teas, aromatherapy, fresh air, acupuncture or an acupressure band. If the conservative measures are unsuccessful, we consider medications which do not cross the placental barrier to the blood supply of the fetus.

 I have multiple concerns about the use of cannabis during pregnancy. There are studies which have linked its use to miscarriage, low birth weight and premature birth. We have also seen in studies in the monkey that THC will pass through the placental barrier into the fetus, however the fetus does not readily metabolize the THC.

There is considerable concern about THC in the developing brain of young adults and I have significant concern about damage in the developing fetal brain. Cannabis has been found to be associated with developmental delays, behavioral and learning difficulties.

Therefore, I do not feel it is worth the risk of using cannabis during pregnancy.

This information is intended only to complement, and not to replace or contradict, any health or medical advice or information provided by healthcare professionals.  If you have any questions, please contact your doctor or other healthcare professional. 

Here Are 5 Reasons Why People Prefer To Dab CBD

Amy Hansen
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Here Are 5 Reasons Why People Prefer To Dab CBD

The CB Distillery out of Colorado surveyed their social media followers about why they like to dab CBD versus other methods and by far, most people prefer to dab for instant relief.

Here are our 5 favorite, most revealing responses:

  • Related Story: What’s The Deal With Dabbing And Should You Do It

Immediate Results

@zensual.nature: Dabbing CBD seems to have far more pronounces and often times more immediate results that other forms of administering the cannabinoid. I like the tinctures and I like the topicals, but most of the time, they are not as noticeably/instantaneously effective for managing my symptoms. I think tinctures/edibles will generally address body/mind in a slower/less distinct manner, topicals address specific sites of pain, and smoking/dabbing will bring relief to the body, but targets mental affliction, in my experience.

Inexpensive

@droppinslabs: Low cost (not paying for material for cartridges and accessories every time you buy, just raw medicine) and it allows me to have a delivery method that is fine-tuned and exactly how I want it, I know exactly how I like to dab and that is why it’s my favorite delivery method. Also almost immediate effects in a strong delivery

Flavor

@ryantreat4 It feels natural and in my opinion tastes amazing. I love CBD and will never go back. As far as physical pains, as I said, no experience with smoking CBD and gaining relief, however, rubbing CBD topicals like Salve or lotion has given me almost immediate comfort/relief as well.

Balance

@drewishdrews Dabbing gives me a nearly instant balancing effect after smoking THC.

Other Benefits

@fourdeeounce I myself don’t think it takes all my pain away when dabbing it, I would say 60% relief, but that being said, there are so many other benefits it gives me that are just truly astonishing.

Why You Maybe Should Say ‘Cannabis’ And Not ‘Marijuana’

Brendan Bures
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Why You Maybe Should Say ‘Cannabis’ And Not ‘Marijuana’

The history of cannabis is fraught with smear campaigns and negative propaganda. Many antiquated associations of cannabis consumers remain prevalent throughout pop culture and politics, despite growing tides of evidence to the contrary.

For example, when you use the word “pot” to describe cannabis, it typically conjures stereotypes of headshops and stoner culture. And while stoners are a subculture of cannabis, they aren’t the prevailing representation of what cannabis culture and the cannabis industry has become. I mean, many legal weed shops look more like Apple stores aimed at education and assisting those with medical ailments.

This is why The Fresh Toast, as a guiding principle, doesn’t use “pot” when we write about cannabis. We don’t want those negative “stoner” associations to distract from the important work of the cannabis revolution.

But now Alejandro Albo of NowThis News has produced a video explaining the historically objectionable roots of the term “marijuana.” He believes those roots should be enough reason for you to never say the word “marijuana” again.

“Now the word itself isn’t inherently racist. But it was used by prohibitionists to exploit racism and xenophobia. So by using the ‘M word,’ you’re ignoring a long history of oppression against Mexican immigrants and African Americans,” Albo says.

He later dives into the earlier history of cannabis in America, explaining how it was consumed by the “American elite” since the 1840s, often sold as over-the-counter medication to treat symptoms like insomnia, migraines, and rheumatism (sound familiar?). But when millions of Mexicans migrated to the U.S. after the Mexican Revolution in the early 1900s, they brought “marihuana” with them.

These Mexicans would smoke it casually and regularly, which was reason enough for Harry Aslinger, the director of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics from 1930 to 1962, to launch the original War on Drugs.

“Anslinger believed marijuana influenced Black and Brown people to commit murder and other violent crimes,” Albo explains. “Which is ridiculous because all I see people do when they smoke is sit on their couch, watch TV, eat munchies, and fall asleep.”

“So his solution was to launch a vicious propaganda campaign against marijuana and associate it with all inferior races and social deviants. Anslinger traveled across the country to convince people that marijuana was something that was invading the U.S. He even pronounced the drug as ‘marihuana’ to make it sound Hispanic and foreign and scary to white people.”

Anslinger’s campaigns were instrumental in convincing Congress to pass the Marihuana Tax Act of 1937, which was the first step to cannabis sales and usage becoming illegal. Efforts made by Anslinger will be familiar to anyone who has listened to the rhetoric of Attorney General Jeff Sessions, though many activist groups and media have helped counteract the spread of such miseducation.

While Albo contends that “marijuana lost its prejudice bite years ago,” he asserts that “you can’t ignore the racial implications of its introduction to the American lexicon.”

That much we agree with. However, some words’ meanings change over time. Marijuana is, in many ways, distant from its racially contentious roots. Though it’s important to remember it as representative of how cannabis prohibition was started as a racially motivated action, it doesn’t mean the word “marijuana” is still used in such a derogatory way, like “pot” can be.

As always, to play it safe, referring to the plant as “cannabis” remains the most technically correct method. Just don’t forget the complicated history of where marijuana came from.

Why Eating Marijuana Edibles On An Empty Stomach Is Not A Good Idea

Amy Hansen
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Why Eating Marijuana Edibles On An Empty Stomach Is Not A Good Idea

Much like alcohol, cannabis edibles are best taken with food. Not doing this can result in anxiety and a paranoia freakout. But why?

Some believe the Rate of Absorption Hypothesis that states edibles cause increased anxiety when taken on an empty stomach because THC is absorbed at a quicker rate.

But according to the Prof of Pot, who broke down some recent studies on the issue:

I call bullshit because compared to either fasted or fed, the absorption is 100 times faster when cannabis is smoked. Furthermore, plasma concentrations of THC after a meal don’t lag the fasted state by that much – the time to peak plasma concentrations is only much later after a meal because so much more is absorbed.

Others think that formation of the 11-OH-THC metabolite is responsible. Prof of Pot says though 11-OH-THC is probably more potent than THC:

It is true that 10 times more 11-OH-THC can be formed after taking cannabis edibles than any other route such as smoking. However, the peak concentration of 11-OH-THC in the fasted state is only 25% higher than in the fed state. That is not a big enough difference to convince me that 11-OH-THC is the culprit.

Prof thinks the extra anxiety is due to the ratio of THC to CBD under fasted conditions:

Because the activity of 11-OH-THC is at least as strong as THC, I summed the levels of THC and 11-OH-THC for a measure of ‘total THC’. I then examined the ratio with CBD and the results were surprising.

After a meal, the ‘total THC’ to CBD ratio was about 3 at the time of peak blood concentrations. This is already on the high side (no pun intended). However, this ratio after fasting was almost 9 –  nearly 3 times higher than after a meal.

So eating a cannabis edible on an empty stomach, even if it contains a 1:1 ratio, is the equivalent of smoking a cannabis strain with a 9:1 THC to CBD ratio!

Prof surmises that anxiety is “due to the relatively low absorption of CBD compared to THC when you haven’t eaten” and suggests taking edibles after a solid meal (preferably one with some fat to stimulate bile acid release), especially if you are taking edibles with CBD.

Medical Cannabis Combats Anorexia’s Obsessive Thoughts

Mary Schumacher
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Medical Cannabis Combats Anorexia’s Obsessive Thoughts

With all the anxiety and obsessive thinking that can come with anorexia, many sufferers of the disorder are finding relief through cannabis. Not only does marijuana give out the munchies, it helps to slow down self-harming thoughts and loosens the obsession with control that some people experience.

A Colorado woman named Jessica told Cosmopolitan, “I’m able to step back and see my irrational thoughts for what they are — irrational — and it gives me the space to look at it and go, ‘Wow, that’s a ridiculous thought to have; nothing bad is going to happen to me if I eat this piece of pizza.’ It also makes food taste better and eating more enjoyable, which is nice because chronic anorexia messes with your digestive tract and can sort of break your natural hunger cues.”

And as far as feeling guilt once the munchies and high wear off, Jessica said that it just doesn’t bother her. She does not suffer from the “body distortion” issues that many others do. For her, anorexia is about control, and the feeling of being more flexible is one she enjoys.

A Seattle woman who was obsessed with counting calories to the point of degradation also credits cannabis with having moved her past her own behaviors. Though she did start off feeling guilty the day after using cannabis, she also realized that she felt better and that she could remember clearly how many calories she consumed without the obsessive factor.

Neither woman smokes to excess or even on the “stoner” level, but a hit of pot eases their anxieties. Another reason cannabis is so calming for those who didn’t use to imbibe is that its standing, worldwide, has eased over to the open-minded side of the equation. The stigma has fallen away and people are able to treat their disorders without feeling like a drug addict or social pariah.

Though some experts worry that cannabis is a bandaid to eating disorders, to the point that they aren’t learning coping mechanisms for the long run, conventional medicine hasn’t provided a better solution, certainly not a natural one. And since it’s working, more power to the people for expanding their horizons and letting go of destructive behaviors.

‘Plogging’ Is The Hot New Fitness Trend And You’ll Never Guess What It Involves

Amy Hansen
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‘Plogging’ Is The Hot New Fitness Trend And You’ll Never Guess What It Involves

There’s a hot new trend in fitness and it’s not just about looking great. “Plogging” is about getting the environment in shape, as well.

From the land that brought us IKEA, Skype and Spotify, Sweden is once again responsible for getting Americans woke.

Plogging, which is basically the act of picking up trash while you jog — a mashup of the words “plucking” and “jogging” — has been making the hashtag rounds on Instagram, so you know it’s real.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BfNMwVLnwxj/

Certified personal trainer and behavioral change therapist Charles F. Porter tells Moneyish:

There are two great things about this type of exercise. You get the added benefit of carrying a few extra pounds and you’re bending over and doing squats, which is a move that’s fundamental to your everyday life. You’re getting a full body workout.

It’s also just about the least selfish physical activity you can do. Says Porter, “You’re helping the planet and that can encourage others to participate, especially if it’s a social media phenomenon, everyone wants to jump on that bandwagon.”

According to Moneyish, the Environmental Protection Agency estimates Americans generate 4.4 pounds of trash per person per day, with the most common items consisting of food, paper, plastics, wood, metals and yard trimmings.

Seattle-based ultramarathon runner Margaret Young tells Moneyish this is nothing new to runners, but it’s still cool:

It’s great that plogging is a trending word and people will think it’s Nordicly cool to pick up trash, but most trail runners and leave-no-trace believers have been practicing this already. My pockets are usually stuffed with other people’s trash when I get home from a hike or run.

She adds, “It seems silly that we need to have a special word for something that people should be doing anyway, but if it gets the trash picked up, I’m all for it.”

LA Cannabis Executive Director Answers City’s Most Pressing Questions

Brendan Bures
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LA Cannabis Executive Director Answers City’s Most Pressing Questions

Cannabis legalization can be confusing. To run correctly, state and local governments need to erect various infrastructure to support the nascent industry. Furthermore, people need to be informed about how and what will change when it comes to their legal cannabis rights. All this causes questions, especially in a large state like California.

That’s why Cat Parker, Executive Director of the Department of Cannabis Regulation for Los Angeles, hosted a Reddit AMA (Ask Me Anything). Parker previously worked at the Drug Policy Alliance. When hired, she told the Los Angeles Times, “It’s extremely important that as this industry develops in the city of Los Angeles, that it’s done with consciousness.”

Parker and her staff are aiming to do just that. In her Reddit AMA, she spoke eloquently about the challenges of shaping the industry and how her staff is reacting to those challenges. Below some of her most revealing answers appear in abbreviated form.

What Does Her Department Oversee?

Our job is to get cannabis businesses licensed and to monitor compliance with new business standards to ensure our regulations protect communities and consumers within the City of Los Angeles. With the development of an entire new cannabis program and department, I largely focus on policy and citywide coordination. LAPD is the primary agency handling enforcement against illegal activity.

How Will Los Angeles Tax Cannabis?

The State of California will impose a 15% excise tax on the purchase of Medical and Adult-Use cannabis. Cultivators will also have to pay a tax on dry flowers ($9.25 per ounce) and dry leaves ($2.75 per ounce).

The City of Los Angeles will impose the following new business taxes as of January 1, 2018: 10 percent gross receipts from Adult-Use Sales; 5 percent gross receipts from Medical Sales; 1 percent gross receipts from Transportation, Testing or Research; 2 percent gross receipts from Manufacturing, Cultivation and Other Activities.

How Is LA Promoting Representational Equity In Cannabis?

The City of Los Angeles has adopted a Social Equity Program as a part of its larger cannabis regulatory program to allow individuals and communities most harmed by marijuana prohibition and its enforcement more equitable access to the new cannabis industry.

Within the City’s Social Equity Program, individuals who are low income, have a qualifying prior California Cannabis conviction, and those who have lived in a disproportionately impacted community may qualify for priority process and business and licensing assistance.

The City is also considering establishing a fee deferral program for qualifying social equity applicants.

Will LA Allow Cannabis Cafes In The Future?

Some members of the City Council have expressed interest in exploring the authorization of on-site consumption. Right now, we’re rolling out policy in stages to make sure that each step of the way we address the needs of businesses, customers, and government so that responsible consumers can safely get access to products at legal and well-run businesses. FYI: according to state law, consumption of any kind of cannabis in public is subject to a $100 fine — and smoking cannabis where tobacco smoking is prohibited is subject to a $250 fine.

Meghan Markle Is Reportedly Overwhelmed By Pressures Of Royal Life

Maria Loreto
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Meghan Markle Is Reportedly Overwhelmed By Pressures Of Royal Life

As Meghan Markle prepares for her wedding in May, sources claim the retired actress has been feeling trapped and overwhelmed by the pressures of royal life.

Markle moved to London last year after she and Prince Harry announced they were engaged, and ever since, she’s been traveling to different parts of the UK for all sorts of meetings and charity events.

According to the Daily Mail, even though she seems comfortable and confident in her outings, she’s been missing the anonymity that came with her life in Toronto. And since the engagement was confirmed, it’s hard for her to leave the palace, where she lives in a two bedroom apartment with Prince Harry.

Via Daily Mail: 

Meghan may appear confident when on royal walkabouts, but she does have some pre-wedding butterflies – not about Harry, but about her new life.

She can’t potter about on the High Street, attend gym classes, or jog around Hyde Park. Instead she is confined to yoga at home or visits to Kate and William in Apartment 1A.

Markle has sought advice from the Duchess of Cornwall, Camilla, and from Kate Middleton, who’ve both helped her cope with the pressures of being part of the royal family.

Gossip: Pregnant Kate Middleton Goes Against Protocol; Angelina Jolie & Brad Pitt Divorce Talks Go Nuclear

Naughty Gossip
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Gossip: Pregnant Kate Middleton Goes Against Protocol; Angelina Jolie & Brad Pitt Divorce Talks Go Nuclear

Kate Middleton chose a dark green dress and many wondered if she would choose a black dress in solidarity with the Time’s Up movement. Many actresses tonight have chosen black dresses, and fans on Twitter were speculating if the Duchess would take a stand.

It is against royal protocol to take a stance on political issues, though Duchess Kate did wear a black ribbon around her dress.

Angelina Jolie & Brad Pitt Were Close To Finalizing Divorce But ‘Talks Blew Up’

They came this close. Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie were just days away from finalizing a divorce and custody agreement in late January when talks blew up at the last minute, In Touch magazine has learned.
“They had been diligently going along privately and amicably, trying to keep the focus on the family,” an insider tells In Touch exclusively. “But suddenly, Angelina reversed course when she felt Brad was pushing too hard to resolve the situation to his benefit.”

Now both Brad, 54, and Angelina, 42, say they need more time to hash everything out. On Feb. 6, both asked to extend the temporary judge in their case — which remains sealed — while both parties continue to discuss custody and distribution of assets. “The completion date for all proceedings before the temporary judge is extended from Dec. 31, 2017, to Dec. 31, 2018,” reads the order (right), obtained by In Touch.

“This means their custody battle can drag on for another year,” says the insider.

Love the fresh dirt we bring over daily from Naughty Gossip? Let us know in the comments!

These Cities Consume The Most Marijuana In The World

Evan Eitzel
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These Cities Consume The Most Marijuana In The World

Where marijuana is legal, people will not necessarily consume more of it. In fact, of the top five cities for cannabis consumption, it’s illegal in three. The U.S. was the only country to place two cities on the list (cue “U.S.A.!” chant if that’s your thing).

Seedo, a company that makes a device allowing users to grow cannabis plants at home, recently released a report that shows which cities around the world consume the most weed. They compiled the list through crowdsourcing and cross-referencing it with the World Drug Report 2017.

Important reminder: The cities were ranked by overall consumption, not per capita use.

5. Cairo, Egypt

  • Population: 7.8 million
  • Area: 117 square miles
  • Legal status: Illegal
  • Total consumption in metric tons: 32.59
  • Consumption per capita in grams: 4.17
  • Price per gram: $16.15

Hemp production in Egypt can be traced back as many as 5,000 years, though there exists no concrete proof that it has always been used for psychoactive purposes. But, numerous sources conclude enthusiasts there have been getting high for about 1,000 years.

Alcohol is illegal in the Islamic country. The book “Cannabis: A History,” claims that when Napoleon’s troops invaded in 1798 the troops turned to, and liked, hashish.

Users with weed caught by authorities face very long jail time. Though enforcement is considerably lax and judges have wide sentencing leeway.

Foreigners in the country’s largest and capital city will find purchasing cannabis relatively easy. Sample advice from webehigh.com: Strike up a conversation with a local, but watch out for inflated prices and camel dung.

4. Los Angeles, USA

  • Population: 4 million
  • Area: 469 square miles
  • Legal status: Legal
  • Total consumption in metric tons: 36.06
  • Consumption per capita in grams: 9.015
  • Price per gram: $8.14

Voters made recreational use legal effective the first of this year. Prior to that, California was one of the leaders in legal medical marijuana.

To buy weed in The City of Angels go to a state-licensed shop. You can search for those outlets on the state Web site. There are also many quasi-legal “co-ops” that were established to bend the medical weed rules prior to full legalization that operate around the city.

And, as with alcohol, check your watch and plan ahead for that big night. It is illegal for the shops to sell from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.

3. New Delhi, India

  • Population: 11.7 million
  • Area: 178 square miles
  • Legal status: Illegal
  • Total consumption in metric tons: 38.26
  • Consumption per capita in grams: 3.27
  • Price per gram: $4.38

The history of cannabis use in India dates back at least 4,000 years. Common traditional uses include a milkshake-like beverage. Though illegal, the law is rarely and laxly enforced, due in large part to its long history of use in Indian traditions.

According to legend, Shiva, one of the main gods of Hinduism, called cannabis his favorite food. He discovered the plant while seeking rest from an argument with his family (wonder if it was on Thanksgiving).

The very low prices may seem enticing to the tourist, but webehigh.com cautions to watch out for weed that has been cut with shoe polish. The site’s travel guide suggests going to one of the city’s many “hippie” cafes and ask a fellow tourist.

2. Karachi, Pakistan

  • Population: 15 million
  • Area: 237 square miles
  • Legal status: Illegal
  • Total consumption in metric tons: 41.95
  • Consumption per capita in grams: 2.8
  • Price per gram: $5.32

The country’s largest city also ranks as the third-largest in the world by population. Possession or sales can lead to a seven-year sentence. The law is enforced but, as one travel guide says, most police can be bought off for less than $10.

Cannabis is widely available throughout the country from local dealers. That same report said throughout the country 6.4 million people (at the time roughly 6.5 percent of the adult population) used cannabis.

1. New York City, USA

  • Population: 8.5 million
  • Area: 690 square miles
  • Legal status: Partially legal
  • Total consumption in metric tons: 77.44
  • Consumption per capita in grams: 9.11
  • Price per gram: $10.76

The Big Apple has a long history of growing and using weed. In the 80s, the Green Aid movement supplied AIDS patients with cannabis — one of the first organized medical marijuana efforts in the country.

Recreational use in the city has largely been decriminalized and possession of a small amount is now a violation — a ticket with a fine, no jail time, and no criminal record. There are harsher penalties for amounts greater than two ounces. Medical use, from state-licensed outlets, was allowed last year.

Finding marijuana is easy for tourists. Weedmaps.com lists local dispensaries (some deliver and may only require a phone consultation to qualify) and storefronts.

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