Why Does Cannabis Make Some People Freak Out

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September 29, 2023

Why Does Cannabis Make Some People Freak Out

Marijuana is not completely understood, which is why some people have adverse reactions to the drug and others don’t.

People tend to have two reactions when it comes to using marijuana: they either find it very relaxing or they don’t. Those who belong to the latter group accuse the plant of causing them tons of paranoia and anxiety, making them feel like they are too “in their heads.”

Bad highs are almost like meltdowns, where your body’s reactions become stressful and scary. These episodes are temporary, but they still feel terrible and the only relief is either waiting them out or trying to sleep off the effects. Bad highs are a big reason why some people choose to avoid marijuana altogether.

These anecdotes leave cannabis in an interesting spot. The same plant can produce exact opposite effects in different people, all because of genetics, experience and predisposition to the drug.

Marijuana produces effects by interacting with the cannabinoid receptors in our bodies, located in different areas, like our brain and skin. Cannabinoids, such as THC, bind to the receptors in the brain, causing either relaxing or stressful effects. Some of these receptors are located in spots governed by the amygdala, a section of tissue that’s responsible for managing emotions like fear, stress and paranoia.

THC is also known for increasing heart rates and producing an influx of thoughts — both behaviors that can cause anxiety for people that are naturally anxious or who haven’t experienced these feelings before.

Studies show that the positive and therapeutic effects of cannabis are due to the influence of cannabinoids on our endocannabinoid systems. These positive results appear even more markedly on patients that have experienced trauma and PTSD, who usually have low levels of chemicals like anandamide.

5 crazy things that turn people on — Photo via Pixabay

The most clear link between freak outs and cannabis occurs when people are new to the plant or they’ve had a negative experience with it — both of which create a predisposition towards certain behaviors. What people can do in order to prevent these reactions is to stick to low and manageable doses (avoiding oils and edibles since they’re harder to manage) and smoke somewhere that’s comfortable and private, surrounded by people they trust.

For newbies and people who’ve had bad experiences with weed but are willing to give it another shot, the type of weed you smoke, your location and companions are pivotal factors. Ask your budtender for a relaxing strain, something that’s focused on the body and not the brain. By trying to manage these factors you can try to curb freak outs and reintroduce yourself to fun experiences with cannabis.

Which Ethnic Groups Are Driving The Marijuana Consumer Boom

Terry Hacienda

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September 29, 2023

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Which Ethnic Groups Are Driving The Marijuana Consumer Boom

Marijuana has gone mainstream and the 90% of people feel it should be legal in some way. Currently 40 states have medical marijuana and major medical research facilities are working on unlocking the potential benefits of cannabis.

A YouGov poll discovered about 52% of Americans have tried marijuana. Among those who have tried, 43% have used it in the past year, and among those, 72% have used it in the past month. And there is an increase among those aged 60 for not only medical use but also recreational use.

In the fall of 2022, the cannabis industry developed an economic slump due to overpricing of flower, government regulations, a still thriving black market and some bad players going under. Coupled with lack of follow through on the Biden administration’s part to legalize marijuana, things looked bleak. EXCEPT for consumers, who have only grown in numbers and spending. In fact, Gen Z is turning away from alcohol and using lower doses of marijuana more often and on the go.

While marijuana is used by everyone, here is some interesting data regarding ethnic groups and their purchases.

The data categories include Native America, Caucasian, Hispanics, Asians and Black/ African American. The base line is a gumbo of everyone’s purchases, but there are standouts when you look at ethnic groups just as in age categories.

In data from BDSA for spring 2023, Hispanics were the highest spend the highest per month. Hispanics spend 20% more per month and 7% more per trip than the aggregate of consumers in the most recent survey.

When looking at spend per trip, respondents who identified as Black or African American outspent Hispanics by over $2. Per trip, Black or African American consumers spend the most. Those who identified as Black or African American reported spending 9% more per month and 9% more per trip than the aggregate of consumers in the most recent Spring 2023 survey

Asians and Native Americans spend well below the average monthly on each dispensary visit.

Another way to look at data is Gen Z and Millineials are moving toward vapes and edibles and away from traditional flower. This is having an impact on the industry but is also a sign of the mainstreaming and “on the go” use as there are products which can be used in public places with the the telltalel scent.

Can You Life-Hack Your Way To Love

Joseph Reagle

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September 29, 2023

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There’s never been a shortage of dating advice from family, friends and self-help authors. Yet in the digital age, people are also turning to nerdy hacker-types as guides.

At first, they might seem like an odd source of romantic advice, but think again: Computer programmers created the systems of quizzes, swipes and algorithms that millions rely on for matchmaking. Who better to explain how to make the most of these digital tools?

This new approach to dating takes advantage of the power of data. “Quantitative futurist” Amy Webb, for instance, created a handful of fake accounts depicting the types of men she wanted to marry and learned what her highly-rated competitors’ profiles looked like. After applying these insights to her own profile, she became the most popular woman on JDate, an online dating site for Jewish people. Mathematician Christopher McKinlay similarly hacked his profile on OkCupid and crawled thousands of profiles to identify the clusters of women he most wanted to target.

With hundreds of candidates in hand, both had to then filter the field: Webb created a sophisticated spreadsheet, and McKinlay went on 88 dates. In the end, each found a spouse.

All of this is part of a new approach to life, as a thing to be hacked and optimized by way of a quantified self.

People track what they eat, the hours they work, the items they own and countless other details, hoping to experience better health, improved productivity and greater contentment. However, in my forthcoming book, “Hacking Life: Systematized Living and its Discontents,” I reveal how the quest for the optimum path can lead you astray. In the case of dating, trying to optimize can be foolishly naive and misunderstand the nature of the task.

Counting on love

Consider the case of former software engineer Valerie Aurora, who in 2015 returned to the dispiriting task of online dating. This time, she hoped she might make the experience palatable, fun even, by hacking dating. Inspired by Webb, Aurora developed a spreadsheet for ranking candidates with positive and negative attributes, including flaws that were so bad they were “dealbreakers.”

However, with experience, Aurora realized that she had been too inflexible about dealbreakers. She wrote, “I am now in a happy relationship with someone who had six of what I labeled ‘dealbreakers’ when we met. And if he hadn’t been interested in working those issues out with me, we would not be dating today. But he was, and working together we managed to resolve all six of them to our mutual satisfaction.”

It is a mistake to believe that an ideal match is somewhere out there, just waiting to be rated and ranked. Instead, people invest and grow in their relationship. A good match can be found, but psychology research suggests a good relationship is made.

Searching far and wide

Taking a data-centric approach can also lead to a never-ending search. Technology entrepreneur Sebastian Stadil went on 150 dates in four months – more than one a day! At the end, he wrote, “I still believe technology can hack love, though that belief is likely irrational.” He confessed that “having more matches increased my odds of finding someone interesting, but it also became an addiction. The possibility of meeting that many people made me want to meet every one of them, to make sure I wouldn’t miss the One.”

It’s a paradox of choice in the digital age: A better match could be just one more date – and data-point – away. Hackers who know their computer science recognize this as the puzzle of “optimal stopping,” which seeks to determine how long someone should hold out for a better option.

There is no perfect solution, but there is a reasonable formula: Figure out your parameters, like how soon you want to be in a relationship and how many dates you want to go on in search of the right person. Say you’ve given yourself a year and 100 dates – two a week. The math says you should go on dates with 37 percent of them without committing, and then – after the 37th person and about four and a half months – pursue the first person who’s better than all the others you’ve met.

Of course, this still assumes that the problem of starting a relationship is a matter of quantity, measurement and optimization. Aurora’s experience suggests that making a match is as much about interpersonal negotiation as it is about data and analysis.

Joseph Reagle is an Associate Professor of Communication Studies at Northeastern University.

Study Shows Women Who Use Marijuana Have Better….

Maria Loreto

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September 28, 2023

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Study Shows Women Who Use Marijuana Have Better….

A new study reveals that cannabis use has a positive impact on their sex lives.

Marijuana and sex, particularly when it comes to women, tend to have a positive relationship. Plenty of studies have shown that for some people, the drug can help them have better orgasms, feel more relaxed and more connected to their partners.

A study published in the journal Sexual Medicine compiled data from over 400 women who consumed marijuana on a regular basis and found that frequent cannabis use was linked with higher arousal, better orgasms and more sexual satisfaction overall.

“Our results demonstrate that increasing frequency of cannabis use is associated with improved sexual function and is associated with increased satisfaction, orgasm, and sexual desire,” said the authors of the study.

Researchers contacted women who’d responded to an invitation from cannabis retail stores, asking them to fill out a Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), a survey designed to assess sexual activity throughout their previous 4 weeks. The test implies that the higher the score, the higher the sexual function, with low scores relating to low sexual function. In order to draw results, researchers compared the level of cannabis use of each participant with their FSFI score.

Women who consumed cannabis more frequently reported better sexual function in different aspects of their sex lives, from better orgasms to higher levels of arousal. A subset of these women also reported experiencing less pain during sex, something that has been echoed in other studies conducted on cannabis use and sexuality.

While there have been some negative links between sex and male arousal, when it comes to women, it appears the drug makes them feel less anxious and more relaxed, which translates into a more positive sexual experience. Researchers haven’t yet pinpointed the relationship that exists between cannabis and sex, but more and more evidence suggests that there’s something there and that it’s worth investigating.

What To Know About Mixing CBD And Alcohol

Maria Loreto

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September 28, 2023

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What To Know About Mixing CBD And Alcohol

Before you wash down that eye dropper of CBD oil with a glass of wine, read this.

If you’re an adult, you already know that mixing substances is a mixed bag. Sometimes you get the results you want, and other times you’re laying in the fetal position wondering how much longer you have to endure your own self-inflicted struggle. The same goes for CBD and alcohol.

The combination of cannabis and alcohol is well documented. Some people enjoy the mellow effects, while others experience a dreadful crossfaded high, which is often harder to manage than a simple drunken episode.

When it comes to CBD and alcohol, there’s not much data out there, even if there are some manufacturers who are making packaged alcohol drinks infused with CBD. Out of the few studies that have been conducted, some experts theorize that alcohol and CBD could maximize each other’s effects, for better or worse.

While some might assume that people would become less inhibited and more relaxed, since those are some of the most common positive side effects of both CBD and alcohol, a 1979 study published in the journal Psychopharmacology found that the combination of CBD and alcohol can cause significant changes in mood and behavior. Researchers discovered that mixing these substances resulted in impairment in motor performance and caused participants to lose track of time. On the other hand, it also showed that those who consumed CBD capsules had lower levels of alcohol in their blood.

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(NOTE: It’s important to highlight that this information comes from a study that’s dated, since it used a much higher dosage of CBD than a study would use now.)

Can CBD Help Seniors With Insomnia? — Photo by Oliver King via Unsplash

A more recent study, published in the journal Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology in 2019 concluded that “there are too few human studies to draw any inferences about CBD and alcohol interactions.”

For now, there’s not enough information to get an accurate picture and no way of giving people an estimate of the results they’d get when combining alcohol and CBD.

It’s important to note that CBD could have an effect in helping people recover from alcohol addiction and in coping with some side effects of hangovers. Consistent use of the compound could protect people’s livers from alcohol damage, reduce symptoms of withdrawal and the odds of relapsing. When it comes to treating more basic symptoms of hangovers, CBD is capable of treating nausea and headaches.

CBD Reduces Anxiety And Tremors In Parkinson’s Patients

Brendan Bures

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September 28, 2023

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CBD Reduces Anxiety And Tremors In Parkinson’s Patients

New research suggests that CBD may be an alternative treatment for patients with Parkinson’s and anxiety.

If you or a loved one suffers from Parkinson’s disease, you might be encouraged by a new study out of Brazil, which found that CBD can calm nerves in anxiety-inducing situations — specifically symptoms surrounding this debilitating disorder.

Previously, the Brazilian researchers had discovered that CBD increased the emotional wellbeing and quality of life for Parkinson’s patients. This time, the team wanted to better understand how CBD could affect anxiety associated with Parkinson’s.

For the study, which was published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology, researchers recruited 24 Parkinson’s patients. Half were given 300 milligrams of CBD, while the other half received a placebo. While monitoring blood pressure, heart rates, and tremor frequencies, scientists administered a Simulated Public Speaking Test (SPST) 90 minutes after the CBD dose. (This model has been used for several decades in testing anxiety symptoms in subjects.) Those patients who received CBD had significant reductions in anxiety and tremors.

Here's What Doctors Know About CBD — Photo by Tinnakorn Jorruang/Getty Images

“These observations suggest that CBD may be an alternative treatment for patients with [Parkinson’s] and anxiety,” the researchers wrote. “Thus, the chronic administration of CBD could be tested in future studies.”

The study represents the first randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial that focuses on how CBD affects anxiety in Parkinson’s patients. Johns Hopkins University reports that up to 40% of Parkinson’s patients have anxiety. As researchers wrote in the study, many patients are given pharmaceutical medication to treat anxiety symptoms, which can have various side effects, including tremors and impaired cognition.

However, the researchers wrote, it is “not possible to conclude whether CBD had a direct effect on the amplitude of the tremors or whether the reduction in anxiety levels led to the differences observed.” This study will likely inspire more research into how CBD affects Parkinson’s patients. In addition, it’s a positive development for patients looking for a more natural replacement to pharmaceuticals in the future.

Study Claims Marijuana Consumers Have Higher Sperm Counts

Maria Loreto

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September 28, 2023

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Study Claims Marijuana Consumers Have Higher Sperm Counts

As it tends to be the case with medical marijuana, new studies keep popping up and contradicting our previous beliefs.

Despite the fact that marijuana has been linked and associated with low sperm counts, a study published on the journal Human Reproduction found higher sperm counts on current and former marijuana users than on men who’d never smoked marijuana.

Researchers worked with 662 men in the Massachusetts General Hospital Fertility Center, gathering over a thousand samples of sperm between the years 2000 and 2017. The men complemented the study with questionnaires that reported on their marijuana usage.

Jorge Chavarro, lead author of the study and researcher of Harvard university, spoke with the Daily Beast and explained his team’s findings. He warned that the results are preliminary, and that men shouldn’t turn to marijuana if they were looking for a higher sperm count.

“The most important message of this study is highlighting how little we know about how marijuana use impacts the health in general,” he says.

Chavarro hypothesized that moderate amounts of marijuana could help men enhance their quality of sperm, explaining that the active compounds in marijuana could bind themselves to the cannabinoid receptors in men’s bodies and support their sperm production. Other researchers were less hopeful, claiming that with our current knowledge of the drug, it’s really hard to know whether or not marijuana has a definitive impact on men’s sperm.

Marijuana remains mysterious but it’s good that new studies contradict previous findings on the drug and remove some of the mysticism that surrounds it. Maybe marijuana is not the answer to male infertility but hopefully these studies will help researchers stumble upon something that could.

Marijuana Users Consume To Rock Music

Brendan Bures

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September 27, 2023

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Americans prefer eating edibles and vaping over Canadians and almost everyone thinks marijuana enhances sex.

Over the past several years, we’ve watched Americans undergo a seismic shift around their perspective on cannabis. Typically, conservative groups like baby boomers and professional golfers have all embraced the plant in larger numbers as of late. Women have popularized alternative consumption methods, like edibles and topicals. And the wellness world is obsessed with CBD oil.

But as much as things change, they also stay the same. A new study found that despite this dramatic turn, most cannabis users predominantly choose smoking as their consumption preference and love listening to rock music while doing so. The Summer of Love happened more than 50 years ago, but its influence hasn’t really gone away.

Marketing firm Ipsos teamed with PAX Labs to survey more than 2,700 American and Canadian adults aged 21 and over to learn more about modern cannabis trends. (Only Americans in recreationally legal states were polled.) Questions included how often they consumed and why, as well as where they bought their marijuana and what they liked doing while using.

Photo by Alphacolor via Unsplash

What probably doesn’t surprise you is that most marijuana users admit to consuming at least once per week (61%). However, the poll found that more Americans smoked cannabis than Canadians, despite the plant’s federally illegal status in the States. Canadians still prefer buying weed from their friends, whereas Americans opt to purchase theirs at dispensaries. Most interestingly, Americans were more likely to discuss using marijuana after a first date (53%) than Canadians (37%). Also worth noting: 92% of people admitted that marijuana enhanced their sex lives.

Another activity appreciated more by weed is listening to music, with about half of respondents saying they do so while smoking. One limitation of the study is we’re not what age these people are, because 50% of those polled saying classic rock was their genre of choice while smoking seems like a generational preference. Hip-hop, a genre more popular with millennials, came in second with 39% and pop followed in third with 36%.

American and Canadians agree in how they prefer consuming marijuana—smoking, with 61% of all respondents claiming it as their go-to method. But Americans eat more edibles than Canadians (21% to 17%) while also vaping more (16% to 11%). Overall most people like using cannabis “to wind down after a long day,” with 67% of both Canadians and Americans responding in the affirmative.

Quick Ways To Cope With Cannabis-Induced Anxiety

Maria Loreto

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September 27, 2023

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Quick Ways To Cope With Cannabis-Induced Anxiety

Anxiety is a common consequence of cannabis, especially when consuming too much of it. Here are 5 simple solutions.

Bad highs are common but they express themselves differently depending on the person. For some, the symptoms might be physical, such as nausea or dry mouth. For others, the symptoms can express themselves through paranoia, stress and discomfort. All of them lead to anxiety, which can quickly grow overwhelming if you don’t spot it and take action.

A bummer high can be absolutely terrible, but their side effects are never dangerous, especially if you stay calm. Remember, no matter how bad it gets, it’s all temporary and your attitude can have a huge impact for better or worse.

Focus on your breathing

One exercise that always works when dealing with anxiety is breathing. If you find yourself overthinking after a smoke, take some deep breaths and count them in your head. Put a hand on your chest and one on your stomach and breathe deeply, focusing on the way your belly inflates and your chest stays still. This kind of belly breathing is effective in reeling your brain into the present moment.

Put on some relaxing music

5 Meditations For Your Different Kinds Of Quarantine Moods — Photo by Oluremi Adebayo via Pexels

Marijuana increases all sensations, which is one of the reasons why it’s so great. But when we’re talking about bad highs, it makes it particularly difficult to stay present and rational. One thing that can help is to put on relaxing and soothing music, while taking deep breaths. You can put on your favorite record or even something with no lyrics, that way it’s even easier to prevent overthinking.

Light stretching

If you’re feeling anxious and too high, a vigorous workout will likely stress you out even more. Some peaceful music or a background yoga video can assist with some light stretching to help you focus on the way in which your body feels. Stress and tension is held in the body too, so the stretching will make it easier for you to relax, no matter how anxious you’re feeling.

Take a shower or a bath

how to come down from a marijuana high quickly bath — Photo by Roberto Nickson via Unsplash

Showers are great things when high. If the water is warm, it can signal to your body that it’s time to wind down and relax. If the water is cold, it can wake you up and zap your brain into action. Try both and see what works, but either option will surely help you switch your mood.

Sleep

The oldest trick in the book is also the most effective. While sleeping is not convenient during certain occasions, it’s the quickest way of getting rid of a bad high, especially if your feeling drowsy and woozy. If you’re having a bad high and are with friends you trust or at your house, set up an alarm and catch a half hour nap. You might not be completely recovered afterwards, but you’ll feel way better and prevent an anxiety spiral.

5 Ways Marijuana Can Improve An Active Lifestyle

Mary Schumacher

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September 27, 2023

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5 Ways Marijuana Can Improve An Active Lifestyle

Fall is here which includes wet weather, holidays and a change to exercise routines – marijuana can help.

Spring and summer are the most active time of year and autumn starts the transition to more work and a little less healthy lifestyle. Why not use a smaller amount of time and try to boost workouts and take physical activity to the next level? Here are 5 ways marijuana can improve an active lifestyle. With cannabis being the enhancement plant that it is, it’s no wonder keeping active and using marijuana go hand in hand. For many, weed is part of a well rounded lifestyle includes nutrition, fitness and a balanced work life.

To begin, no matter how often you work out or eat healthily, an essential ingredient for good health is good rest. Cannabis, especially an indica or indica heavy hybrid, puts us in a state where we can more easily drift off to dreamland. Whether power napping before crunches class or getting a full night’s sleep before tackling a tough day, marijuana helps.

Many yoga studios and private teachers in legalized states are turning to cannabis, especially microdosing, to enhance their practices. Taking the smallest amount of marijuana and mixing it with hot yoga or even just good, deep stretches, will synergize the experience and help move it forward to the next level.

Get in the zone. Literally. Though we don’t recommend getting stoned before hitting the gym, having a puff and getting into the right frame of mind before a mild workout is the perfect way to work into the strain, while also getting into the music playing in your headphones to keep your body going with the flow.

Though cannabis has gotten a bad rap for being a demotivational drug, it can actually energize you for an active session. Here you’ll want to use a sativa dominant strain and again, not too much beforehand, don’t forget about the rewarding cool-down to come. Marijuana is a great motivator and vaping some and then hitting the floor running is the best way to utilize it. Just be sure to keep your head out of the clouds; focus is the goal here and you need to be clear headed to pay the best attention to your muscle groups.

Finally, after working out and getting workout high turned on, it’s time to cool down and soothe some sore muscles. Rub CBD or activated THC cream into those worked areas, use some tincture, vape a bit, however it hits you best. Cannabis is a known anti-inflammatory and it goes right to work on where it hurts, soothing aches and pains and readying you for the next round.

The Fresh ToastThe most trusted name in cannabis

Why Does Cannabis Make Some People Freak Out

Marijuana is not completely understood, which is why some people have adverse reactions to the drug and others don’t.

Which Ethnic Groups Are Driving The Marijuana Consumer Boom

Can You Life-Hack Your Way To Love

Counting on love

Searching far and wide

Study Shows Women Who Use Marijuana Have Better….

A new study reveals that cannabis use has a positive impact on their sex lives.

What To Know About Mixing CBD And Alcohol

Before you wash down that eye dropper of CBD oil with a glass of wine, read this.

CBD Reduces Anxiety And Tremors In Parkinson’s Patients

New research suggests that CBD may be an alternative treatment for patients with Parkinson’s and anxiety.

Study Claims Marijuana Consumers Have Higher Sperm Counts

Marijuana Users Consume To Rock Music

Americans prefer eating edibles and vaping over Canadians and almost everyone thinks marijuana enhances sex.

Quick Ways To Cope With Cannabis-Induced Anxiety

Anxiety is a common consequence of cannabis, especially when consuming too much of it. Here are 5 simple solutions.

Focus on your breathing

Put on some relaxing music

Light stretching

Take a shower or a bath

Sleep

5 Ways Marijuana Can Improve An Active Lifestyle

Fall is here which includes wet weather, holidays and a change to exercise routines – marijuana can help.

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