New York cannabis regulators approved a rule that would allow medical marijuana patients to grow and harvest their own plants, making for a cheaper and more accessible alternative.
The New York State Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) has voted to adopt home grow rules that would allow medical marijuana patients and caregivers to grow and harvest their own cannabis plants. Tuesday’s ruling will go into effect on October 5.
BREAKING: Medical Home Grow has been approved!
✅Certified medical cannabis patients and designated caregivers in New York will now be able to harvest immature and mature cannabis plants. #NYCCB
The rule will allow registered medical marijuana patients and caregivers to grow and harvest up to six cannabis plants at a time. They would be able to possess up to five pounds of that cannabis, complying with the state’s cannabis laws.
According to Marijuana Moment, the OCM’s Executive Director, Chris Alexander, said that their office has prioritized medical marijuana patients and that this focus will “continue to be a priority.”
“I’m just really excited that we’re able to provide this more affordable option to patients to get access to that medicine,” said Alexander.
The state of New York started accepting applications for cannabis dispensaries on August 25th. These licenses, known as Conditional Adult-Use Retail Dispensaries (CAURD), will be awarded to applicants that have been “justice-involved,” meaning that they’ve been negatively impacted by anti-cannabis legislations.
Photo by RODNAE Productions via Pexels
The goal of the OCM is to have some dispensaries up and running by the end of the year. “CAURD licensees are positioned to make New York’s first legal cannabis sales before the end of 2022, speeding the delivery of investments into communities across New York State that were impacted by the disproportionate enforcement of cannabis prohibition,” reads the official website.
In the meantime, New York is working hard to make the transition into a cannabis state as seamless as possible. While the drug was legalized in March of last year, it’s taken some time for the state to get all of the pieces in order and establish a functioning legal market.
How can you stop the pizza and junk food cravings after a smoke session? You can either stop smoking entirely, or try some of these tricks.
Cannabis has so many benefits, from pain whether emotional or physical, to spiritual exploration. However, for people who may be plagued with a few extra pounds – there is one downside to cannabis: the munchies! So how to beat the munchies, is it even possible?
But how do you stop them?
Smoke before meals
This approach combats the munchies by not fighting it at all but rather to use it to your favor. It simply means that you have to plan when you decide to smoke in order to use this natural side effect to your benefit.
I personally like to smoke while I’m cooking a good meal for two reasons:
It helps me enjoy the experience of cooking
I have an appetite after cooking. If I don’t smoke, I’m typically not interested in eating after I cook for at least an hour. This way, I can smoke and eat with my family. Yum!
This is definitely a smart way to deal with unhealthy munchies, but you’re still giving into the munchies.
Going cold turkey
“I broke this habit cold turkey, I just stopped one day, it wasn’t that difficult.
The key is to not eat even a little, because once you start it’s hard to stop.” – Some dude on Reddit
I personally don’t think you need to be so drastic, but some people find that the challenge of denying yourself these short-lived pleasure is the way of breaking the habit. If it works it works!
The person is right, though. Munchies is somewhat of a compulsive behavior you begin with one doughnut and suddenly you’re snarfing down a few more for good measure.
If you’re going to go Cold Turkey and test your resolve, I’d recommend being as religious about this as possible. However, this may begin to deteriorate your high since you’ll always be starving yourself post-toke.
There’s no fun in that!
Healthy munchies
One of the best ways to “beat the munchies” is to properly plan for the munchies. The biggest issues with the munchies isn’t that you’re hungry but rather that you don’t want to be munching down on sugary caloric filled garbage.
Instead, you can prepare for the munchies by getting healthy foods in your fridge — prepared for consumption at a second’s notice.
Photo by Irina Iriser via Unsplash
For example, make a bowl of toasted peanuts with dried cranberries. Cut up pieces of carrot, celery stalks, jicama and put them in little Tupperware containers in the fridge.
You can also make nutritional treats like cacao with a bit of organic peanut butter, ground nuts, and shredded coconut, roll it into balls and put it into the freezer. That stuff is amazing!
These super foods will help you beat the munchies by simply giving your body super-nutritious snacks which will stoke your energy levels with all the essentials you need.
There was a season where I drank smoothies daily for my munchies, just raw organic stuff — I felt AMAZING. I should totally get back into that!
Smoke away from the source
Another option is to simply make it more difficult for you to comply. After all, a compulsion can be reduced if you increase the effort to comply.
For example, only smoking in the woods, away from people and away from stores. Or to lock the fridge. Or put your favorite snacks out of reach — anything to increase the degree of difficulty.
This does work for procrastination, but I personally think this is too much effort to be a sustainable practice. What if it rains? Are you going to run into the woods to toke up? Of course not, you’re probably going to be toking at home, meaning that you’ll be faced with the same problem. Do women get munchies more than men after using cannabis, check this science out!
Photo by Christopher Williams via Unsplash
Wait for 10-minutes and be mindful
This is one of my personal tricks that have worked for me in the past. Since munching can be a compulsive habit, you can use this little trick to hack your mind.
In essence, when you want to munch, simply stop what you’re doing, set an alarm for 10-minutes and simply observe your state.
See what it is you are craving and question it: Will this help me or not? Do I really need it? Is there something better I can do? Usually, by the end of the 10-minutes you would have reduced the intensity of the compulsion and then can take a mindful decision to engage or not.
The trick is not to deny yourself, but to become aware of your compulsions. When you do this, you are able to release yourself from “automated responses” and stop becoming a slave to the body. Leptin levels in the body is one reason some people may get munchies more than others.
Sometimes you’ll f*** up — and that’s totally okay! But the more you practice “mindful munching,” the better you’ll get at identifying the underlying programs that dictate a lot of your behavior.
However, this is not limited to weed alone; you can use this trick for everything from gaming to porn, smoking tobacco or any other issue you may have. A bit of mindfulness goes a long way!
Bottom line
At the end of the day, you only have a few options when it comes to dealing with the munchies:
Smoke and eat (meals)
Get healthier snacks
Deny yourself via the “Cold Turkey” method
Make it harder to comply
Be mindful of your behavior
Beyond that, the only other way to deal with munchies is to not have them, which means not smoking weed. Others have suggested that high CBD strains of weed reduces the munchies. I’m not too sure about that, but it could be an additional option.
While many popular religions are still figuring out their modern day policy on marijuana, some religions have been cannabis friendly all along.
Some people describe marijuana as a spiritual experience. It certainly has the ability to expand the mind and help you relax at the same time, which can allow you to accept all sorts of positive vibrations. Unfortunately, not all religions and religious leaders see it that way. What are the most cannabis friendly religions?
Many religions, including most Christianity sects, still have a long way to go before they have fully embraced marijuana. Even the “cool” Pope Francis isn’t a supporter of weed yet.
But while many popular religions are still figuring out their modern day policy on marijuana, some religions have been cannabis friendly all along. Here is a list of some of the most cannabis-friendly religions on the planet.
Rastafarianism
If you have ever gotten high and listened to Bob Marley, you are most likely familiar with the Rastafari religion, at least on a basic level. Rastafarianism is a newer religion that came to fruition in Jamaica in the 1930s. This religion has a specific interpretation of the Bible and it became known worldwide through the music of Bob Marley. Marley was an avid marijuana enthusiast, brilliant musician and Rastafarian.
According to theBBC, “Marijuana is used by Rastafarians to heighten feelings of community and to produce visions of a religious and calming nature.” Additionally, according to the article, Rastas rarely referred to the plant as marijuana, but rather as “wisdom weed” or “the holy herb.” It doesn’t get much more accepting than that.
Hinduism
Marijuana dates back to some of the earliest days of Hinduism, in the form of the Vedas. The Vedas were sacred Hindu texts that date back as old as 2000 B.C. They expressed that cannabis was one of five sacred plants and that a guardian angel lived in its leaves. The Vedas call cannabis a source of happiness, joy-giver, liberator that was compassionately given to humans to help us attain delight and lose fear.” To this day, many Hindus gather at certain festivals to honor Shiva, a God associated with this magical plant. This deep rooted history and continued tradition makes Hinduism’s relationship with cannabis very unique.
As we have reported, spiritual meditation and marijuana go hadn’t in hand, but Buddhism frowns on substances seen as drugs, or things that alter the mind or body. However, the Dalai Lama himself, the Buddhist spiritual leader, vocalized his support of medical marijuana.
According to The Atlantic, “he supports legal, medicinal marijuana when the drug has been shown to have value.” He did mention, however, this does not extend to someone using the substance to have “a crazy mind.”
So while the religious leader may not be able to get behind recreational marijuana quite yet, it seems like he has seen the light in regards to medical cannabis.
Atheism and Agnosticism
Atheism and agnosticism are not exactly religions, more the absence of belief and a philosophical practice, but they are both worth mentioning in this context. Atheists and agnostics often poll as the religious (or non-religious as the case may be) group that support cannabis legalization more than any other polled organized religion.
Take the recent Pew Researchpoll that asked a variety of Americans with different beliefs about cannabis legalization. The poll found that “those who describe themselves religiously as atheist, agnostic or “nothing in particular” — about three-quarters (76%) say marijuana should be legal for both medical and recreational purposes.”
Photo by Tetra Images/Getty Images
What is striking about those numbers is that not only are they much higher than the percent of those who identify as religious who believe cannabis should be legal for recreational and medical purposes (54%, according to the poll). Additionally, 76% is higher than the national average as a whole (60% according toPew), meaning an atheist is more likely to support recreational and medical cannabis legalization than a non-atheist.
With Germany located in the heart of Europe, there is strong potential for tourism growth and expansion to an audience of EU travelers and other international visitors.
By Niklas Kouparanis, CEO and Co-founder, Bloomwell Group
Tourism has become a profitable and ever-growing asset of the licensed cannabis industries within the U.S. and Canada, as well as the Netherlands, despite the country’s lack of formal adult-use cannabis legalization. With Germany on the cusp of legalizing adult-use cannabis amid a profitable medical-only market, businesses, investors and travelers alike are gearing up to embrace new cannabis tourism opportunities on the horizon.
Since 2013, Amsterdam has welcomed residents and tourists to its coffee shops. These social cannabis consumption lounges were even declared “essential businesses” as part of the Dutch lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Over in the States, adult-use markets have attracted both in-state and out-of-state cannabis connoisseurs. Forbes recently cited data from a 2022 Harris Poll survey which found that half of Millennial respondents said that access to legal cannabis is a factor in planning a vacation. In addition, 43% said that they’ve specifically chosen a destination with a legalized adult-use market. Colorado, which has legalized adult use since 2020, has noted that dispensary visits are common amongst travelers to the Centennial State.
According to research released from the Colorado Tourism Office, 16% of those who traveled to Colorado in winter and 15% who traveled to the state in summer visited a cannabis dispensary or retail store while they were there. Also, according to the report, visitors who participated in cannabis-related activities were more likely to stay longer in the state versus those who did not partake.
Photo by Maheshkumar Painam via Unsplash
Germany is set to legalize adult-use cannabis by 2024 and will be the world’s largest recreational cannabis market due to the country’s population size. In June 2022, the German government held five hearings to discuss the framework of adult-use cannabis legalization. Representatives from the German government and more than 200 people from medical, legal and business verticals as well as international experts participated in these critical discussions.
Adult-use legalization in Germany will induce a “tourist demand,” particularly from its nine neighboring countries. The criteria of what adult-use legalization will entail, including whether visitors from other European Union (EU) countries and other parts of the world would be able to purchase and use cannabis within the country, has yet to be determined. In addition, the EU’s non-discrimination laws would make it difficult to forbid EU residents from purchasing cannabis even if they are not German citizens. However, if tourists can purchase and use cannabis while visiting Germany, it would open up more opportunities for growth and expansion within the new market.
While the guidelines have yet to be declared, overall cannabis demand in Germany will still inevitably increase. For example, even if tourists do not have permission to purchase cannabis in Germany once adult-use cannabis comes into focus, economists must take into account that they would be able to purchase legal cannabis through local friends and acquaintances. Considering this factor, the total market demand would be increased by a flat-rate tourism demand of 10%, according to renowned economist Justus Haucap. This 10% corresponds roughly to the magnitude of tourism demand in Colorado (source: Leeds School of Business and MPG Consulting, 2020).
According to the 2022 “European Cannabis Market Survey” conducted by Bloomwell Group, more than 66 percent of American cannabis users surveyed said they “would visit a cannabis dispensary or social consumption lounge” in Germany. In addition, 44 percent said that they would travel to Germany specifically for cannabis tourism. Fun fact, nearly 75 percent polled said Pretzels, a Deutschland specialty, are a “satisfying ‘munchies’ food.” There’s a bonus for those who make the trek!
Photo by Igor Flek via Unsplash
Other countries with adult-use markets have shown that the attractiveness of these industries for tourists also depends on the sales infrastructure. For example, here are a few options that may be considered as part of Germany’s future adult-use cannabis legalization policies:
Dispensaries
Cannabis dispensaries are the norm in adult-use markets like Colorado and California. These are local government-regulated retail storefronts in which people can purchase cannabis flower and other types of cannabis products. Most of these dispensaries have budtenders – a person who can suggest recommendations to customers based on their functional needs and desires – answer questions, handle products and showcase the products that are being sold. Although consumers can purchase cannabis and cannabis products within dispensaries, it is yet to be determined whether German law will allow personal consumption or smoking on site.
Coffee Shops / Social Consumption Lounges
Amsterdam’s social consumption lounges known as “coffee shops” have already gained international interest and popularity among travelers. In the Netherlands, although cannabis production is illegal, there is a “backdoor policy” that allows coffee shops to sell cannabis for personal consumption. Although the sale of cannabis is a criminal offense, individual sales of small amounts of cannabis within these establishments are tolerated by local authorities.
While it has yet to be determined if adult-use cannabis legalization in Germany will include policies for public consumption of cannabis, it would be unlikely these establishments will resemble Dutch coffee shops. Instead, they are more likely to follow the model of social consumption lounges that have started to populate within the U.S.
Similar to a bar that serves alcohol, social consumption lounges allow consumers at least 21 years of age to purchase cannabis flower, edibles and other products and consume them in a social gathering place. Social consumption lounges are gaining popularity in mature adult-use markets like California and Alaska. A total of seven states have policies in place for social consumption lounges, and New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Illinois are forging ahead with their plans to allow for consumption lounges this year. Similar to dispensaries, these consumption lounges often have budtenders that help consumers through the purchase process.
Photo by Goodboy Picture Company/Getty
Pharmacies
The current German medical marijuana market operates using pharmacies to distribute cannabis to patients. Through this process, medical cannabis of pharmaceutical quality is distributed to pharmacies on behalf of the German Cannabis Agency. Under the law, it is mandated that a special relationship is maintained between patient and pharmacist who serve as the front-line of patient care, ultimately allowing the free flow of information, education and one-on-one medical patient care.
With adult-use legalization likely to come into fruition for Germany sooner rather than later, the prospect of expanded cannabis and related product distribution, whether in the form of dispensaries, consumption lounges or pharmacies, have resident consumers, business operators and investors salivating and eager to take a bite into the potential of its expanding market. Business owners within the current medical-only market spectate that Germany will likely implement a dispensary model with educated salespersons or budtenders, as well as the potential to also offer e-commerce. However, the government has not yet determined if public and social consumption will be allowed.
With Germany located in the heart of Europe, there is strong potential for tourism growth and expansion to an audience of EU travelers and other international visitors. Making cannabis accessible for both local adult users and tourists alike is key to driving the profitability of a burgeoning market. For this reason, now is the time for German legislators to start mapping out what adult-use cannabis legalization would look like, taking into account the overall foals to protect minors and product security, while determining how best to capitalize on the tourism aspects of the future market.
“I propose to you, as President of one of the most beautiful and bloodied countries on Earth, to end the War on Drugs and thus allow our people to live in peace.”
Gustavo Petro, Colombia’s newly elected President, attended the United Nations meeting on Tuesday and made his stance clear on the topic of marijuana and drugs. He urged responsible parties to take a stance against the war on drugs and said that democracy in the American continent would die if this issue wasn’t addressed.
Petro gave a speech before the UN’s General Assembly, where he shared the failings of the War on Drugs.
“Les propongo como Presidente de uno de los paises más hermosos de la tierra y de los más ensangrentados y violentados, acabar la guerra contra las drogas, y así, permitir que nuestro pueblo pueda vivir en paz”: Presidente @petrogustavo en la @UN. #ColombiaEnLaONU 🇺🇳🇨🇴#UNGApic.twitter.com/U6D1iraodU
“The war on drugs has lasted 40 years. If we do not correct the course, and this continues another 40 years, the United States will see 2.8 million die of overdoses,” said Petro. “You will see millions of African Americans be imprisoned in their private prisons.”
When speaking about Colombia and its history with the War on Drugs, he said, “I propose to you, as President of one of the most beautiful and bloodied countries on Earth, to end the War on Drugs and thus allow our people to live in peace.”
In an interview with GZERO, Petro talked about US-Colombia relations, one that has lasted decades and that will be undergoing some changes now that Colombia has a leftist President. He said the American government’s attitude towards drugs was like “a slow animal.”
“Great transformations don’t happen overnight,” he said, implying that a bigger effort from other nations, mainly those in Latin America, was necessary. Still, he said Biden’s attitude toward drugs has been more open than in previous administrations.
Photo by Guillermo Legaria/Getty Images
In the past, Petro has discussed the possibility of legalizing marijuana and creating a functioning market for it, comparing Colombia to Canada. “Let’s see if by exporting cannabis we make a few dollars because in part of the world the drug is legal,” said Petro, per Noticias RCN. “Why can’t the farmers from Cauca plant cannabis?,” he said, referring to a region in Colombia where farming is the principal way where residents make their living.
Petro also talked about releasing prisoners that were jailed for cannabis offenses. “If we’re going to legalize cannabis, are we going to allow all of those people who’ve been imprisoned to remain in jail? Or is it time to release those people?” he said.
Gustavo Petro was elected as President on June 19, and is a polarizing figure, having past ties with guerrilla group M-19.
Minnehaha County Sheriff said cannabis is one of the most represented drugs that law enforcement deals with on service calls and that it is often closely connected to violent crime and gang activity.
As citizens prepare to head to the polls this fall and vote on recreational marijuana, two South Dakota officials lash out against legalizing cannabis during a press conference on Monday regarding the plant’s legal status, reported Dakota News Now.
Mayor Paul TenHaken pointed to three “myths” coming from cannabis activists behind Measure 27, an initiative to the list of ballot questions for the November 2022 election.
First, TenHaken strongly disagreed that the state’s prisons are full of people with cannabis convictions. He contends that crime rates would not drop if marijuana was legal, but rather the contrary.
“The absolute opposite happens, and I share that because the data supports that,” TenHaken said, citing results from a Los Angeles Times investigation conducted by Paige St. John. The Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter revealed that rural parts of California are flooded with illegal marijuana farms.
Photo by powerofforever/Getty Images
TenHaken noted that the black market is flourishing even in places where marijuana is legalized.
“Why would you, as someone with a legal cannabis license, how can you compete against someone who says, ‘I’m going to bypass the laws, I’m going to bypass the permits, I’m going to bypass all the other things and just grow illegally, I don’t have to pay the taxes,” the mayor said.
TenHaken then touched on the issue of revenue, insisting that communities are not seeing any benefit from cannabis sales. “Any revenue that is realized is used to deal with the unintended consequences, treatment issues, crime issues that (are the result) of legalization.”
He also demanded, “articles, data, stats on how cannabis helps kids and families in a community” in order to “check the box and vote for it [recreational marijuana]” on November 8th.
Marijuana Goes Hand In Hand With Crime & Violence According To County Sheriff
Minnehaha County Sheriff Mike Milstead was even more critical of cannabis, putting it in the same category as methamphetamine and fentanyl.
He said cannabis is one of the most represented drugs that law enforcement deals with on service calls and that it is often closely connected to violent crime and gang activity.
“I certainly would keep marijuana in that top three of what drugs we’re encountering and dealing with on a regular basis, sometimes with people that are armed and posing a danger to our community,” Milstead said.
Photo by alyssa teboda via Unsplash
Background
In May, South Dakota’s Secretary of State added Initiated Measure 27 to the list of ballot questions for the November 2022 election, providing the voters with yet another chance to weigh in on the legal status of recreational marijuana.
This time South Dakotans for Better Marijuana Laws (SDBML) took a more narrowly tailored approach to legalization after a 2020 legalization measure that got the green light from voters two years ago was struck down by the state Supreme Court.
However, a statewide poll conducted this summer revealed that South Dakotans’ general sentiment toward legalizing recreational marijuana has shifted over the past two years, signaling that a referendum on the issue this fall could fail.
Perhaps, rather than fighting off cannabis, pharmaceutical companies can invest more into understanding the many possibilities and benefits of cannabis.
Individual states continue to open their doors to medical and recreational marijuana, and as they do a new frontier of treatment options opens up to all that states citizens who struggle with various conditions. From cancer to Multiple Sclerosis and many other conditions in between, cannabis is starting to help those who, before medical or recreational cannabis legalization, only had access to pharmaceutical medications.
While this is great news for those who previously had limited tools to treat their medical conditions and the pains associated with them, this is causing shortfalls in pharmaceutical stocks that are likely to widen as legalization efforts progress further.
A recent study published in the journal PLOS ONE has data suggesting that when medical and recreational marijuana becomes legal in a state, there is a swift and noticeable dip in pharmaceutical stock profits. While this decrease might not look significant when measuring overall profits of one of the grandest and most profitable industries, the losses this study is suggesting are certainly eye opening and worth some contemplation.
To put things into perspective, you should understand how much of an impact just one legalization can affect overall drug company profits margins. According to the study, “Returns decreased in response to both medical and recreational legalization, for both generic and brand drugmakers. Investors anticipate a single legalization event to reduce drugmaker annual sales by $3 billion on average.” Regardless of how big of an industry it is, $3 billion is not petty cash. Further, this loss occurs each year, and just from one legalization.
What makes these losses even more dramatic is that they often begin to take effect almost immediately. According to the study, the average stock returns were 1.5-2% lower just 10 days after legalization of cannabis in a given state. This shows that not only is there a very real and noticeable loss in profit, but the losses begin almost like clockwork after a state grants legal access to marijuana.
This financial downturn the drug companies are taking on might have you wondering if and how these powerful companies are responding to this. As the New Atlasreported “The study does note there is evidence that pharmaceutical companies have recognized this threat from legalized cannabis and begun targeted lobbying to prevent broader legalization.”
Photo by Cappi Thompson/Getty Images
It is no secret that pharmaceutical companies are doing what they can to stop further legalization efforts. In fact, The Guardian first reported on pharmaceutical companies funneling money in an effort to block future marijuana legalization across the country in a2016 article, and these efforts do not currently show signs of ending. After all, why would they — until the last state has legalized marijuana that is.
Still, one has to wonder if this is a futile battle. Perhaps, rather than fighting off cannabis, pharmaceutical companies can invest more into understanding the many possibilities and benefits of cannabis. It is, after all, still a relatively untapped resource for potential new products.
As we previously reported, a new study came out this summer showing that cannabinoids can be safer and more effective than opioids for certain types of pain.
If the energy being placed to stop cannabis legalization was channeled into finding more ways to use cannabis to treat illnesses, who knows what great and profitable results could be achieved.
New Orleans Police Department says that police recruits who have used marijuana within the past year are not automatically disqualified from becoming cops.
This week, the New Orleans Police Department made a change in their policy as a way of attracting new police officers. While historically, NOPD recruits were disqualified if they admitted to using marijuana, on Monday, the department unanimously agreed to relax this policy.
This marks a significant moment, representing just how much the city has changed in a short span of time. A few years ago, the justice system in New Orleans was handing out long prison sentences for marijuana possession.
While the change in the stance of the NOPD is significant, it’s still not a pro-weed organization. NOLA.com explains that the new policy makes it clear that new recruits won’t be disqualified over marijuana use within the past year, but they still must pass a drug test before getting the job. If accepted, officers must not use drugs while in the force.
New Orleans is currently facing a low number of police officers and high levels of crime rate. This crisis was prompted by the pandemic, where the department reported having under 1,000 cops for the first time in decades. In the case of crime, homicides have soared 141% over the past years. New Orleans currently has the nation’s highest level of homicides, with 52 homicides per 100,000 residents.
Photo by ev via Unsplash
“Action must be taken now if there is ever a chance to save the city and bring the reputation of being a city where tourists can come to party and celebrate and not become victims,” said Fausto Pichardo, a consultant to the city’s police department. “The residents of New Orleans also need and deserve to have a police force that can make them feel safe and be there for them every time they call 911.”
The New Orleans police department isn’t the first to relax its marijuana policies in hopes of appealing to more recruits and with being more in line with the attitude of its people. It joins states like Atlanta, Fort Lauderdale, and New York City, which removed marijuana from their list of automatic disqualifiers.
Generally, cannabis effects that have been closely linked to gender differences include anxiety and depression, pain relief, appetite, sex drive, energy, and even the tendency to drive under the influence.
Traditionally, males have consumed cannabis more than females. However, this gap is quickly closing as more females are becoming regular cannabis consumers seeking both medical and recreational gains. Do males and females experience cannabis in the same way?
Key Takeaways
Males and females experience cannabis differently
Males have more CB1 receptors in the CNS
Females have fewer but greater binding at CB1 receptors in the CNS
THC effects are more potent and prolonged in females
Females may experience greater pain and relief from cannabis compared to males
Cannabis is likely to reduce libido in males and increase it in females
Results of sex-based differences in driving under the influence are conflicting.
How one experiences cannabis is affected by several factors including the chemovar in question, frequency of use, environmental setting, and even placebo effects. At the physiological level, two plausible theories come to mind. One has to do with gonadal differences between males and females while the other has to do with the phenomenal and intriguing endocannabinoid system. And the two theories could still be interconnected.
It now emerges that males and females don’t have an identical endocannabinoid system and this makes them respond to cannabis differently. In a nutshell, males and females can share a joint but end up having very different experiences.
Generally, cannabis effects that have been closely linked to gender differences include anxiety and depression, pain relief, appetite stimulation, sexual drive, energy balance, and even the tendency to drive under the influence. The strength of the effects and even side effects experienced are apparently also influenced by male/ female differences in the ECS.
In this article, we have analyzed the results from a review study investigating sex-based differences in responding to cannabinoids with a focus on cognitive and emotional behavior. The review which was published in Behaviour Neuroscience in 2011 was titled “Sexually dimorphic effects of cannabinoid compounds on emotion and cognition.” This article also mentions later studies that have investigated the same issue.
Photo by photographer/Getty Images
Cannabinoid Receptor Differences
From preliminary research, it appears that males have more receptor binding sites for the CB1 receptors while the CB1 binding sites for females though minimal are more efficient. Just as a reminder, CB1 receptors are abundant in the higher centers and therefore are responsible for most of the psychoactive effects of cannabis. These are the same receptors to which anandamide (the bliss molecule) binds.
The studies analyzed included young rats, adult animals, as well as adolescents. Though a clear picture emerged from the analysis the CB1 variance was stronger in the younger rats.
Most studies covered in the review focused on the hippocampus, amygdala, hypothalamus, and cortex. Males consistently showed a higher prevalence of CB1 receptors in most of the cerebral regions. At the same time, females showed higher CB1 receptor- G protein coupling.
In simpler terms, males appear to have more CB1 receptors in the brain while females, even with fewer CB1 receptors, exhibit higher effectiveness at the CB1 receptor.
Sex Differences in Breakdown of THC
The review also examined sex differences in the breakdown of the psychoactive cannabinoid THC. In females, THC is metabolized to 11-OH-delta-9-THC which retains THC’s potency. In males, THC is metabolized to 11-OH-delta-9-THC and the other three metabolites, diminishing its potency. From this, the researchers concluded that since females have a higher 11-OH-delta-9-THC, they are likely to experience stronger and prolonged psychoactive effects after consuming cannabis.
In a 2021 study, researchers used a rat model to compare the expression of the endocannabinoid system in males and females. The results from this study revealed that indeed there are significant sex-based differences in the expression of the ECS in parts of the central nervous system (CNS) that are involved with chronic pain and anxiety management.
Photo by Kampus Production via Pexels
A different study examined sex-based differences in the side effects experienced by males and females after consuming cannabis. Typically, females experience more side effects from conventional drugs. Participants in this cross-sectional study were adults with chronic non-cancer pain who were treated with a medical cannabis cultivar. Females were more susceptible to adverse effects from cannabis than their male counterparts.
In a 2010 review, researchers came up with the following conclusions on how males and females respond to cannabis differently.
Males
Increased food intake
Increased energy homeostasis
Decreased sexual behavior
Females
Increased analgesia
Increased anxiety
Increased sexual behavior
It’s clear that males and females have key differences in the ECS which affect their response to cannabinoids. However, research evidence on the exact mechanisms is mostly preliminary and scanty. Additionally, there’s a paucity of research on females, and this cuts across different fields. Further studies in this area are essential to guide cannabis prescription for medical and recreational use.
Plain stone chillums are thought to have been used by Indian holy men for thousands of years and have traditionally had a connection with spirituality and meditation.
One-hitters or chillums are small pipes that contain one hit of cannabis. Generally, they are made from glass or metal and look like a long tube that has a bowl at the end and a mouthpiece at the opposite end.
One-hitters are made in a wide range of shapes and designs and can range from stunning blown glass pieces to one hitters that look exactly like a cigarette for extra discretion.
The terms “chillum” and “one-hitter” are often used interchangeably, but they can refer to slightly different devices.
Both chillums and one-hitters consist of a tube with a bowl at the end. However, a one-hitter holds one hit of cannabis flower, while a chillum can hold more. Some chillums have fairly spacious bowls that can fit nearly a gram of ground cannabis flower.
How to properly smoke a one-hitter
You can smoke one-hitters the same way you smoke a pipe, although it’s a straight tube, so you’ll need to angle it upwards so that cannabis doesn’t fall out. The conventional way of smoking chillums is to smoke them vertically through a closed fist.
Chillums, dugouts, and one-hitters are best used with ground-up cannabis, as it is easier to burn and can be packed and carried without the flower falling out.
To properly smoke a chillum or one-hitter, pack the one-hitter tightly, angle it, and light it. Then you inhale as if it were a standard pipe.
Try not to get the lighter too close to your mouth since one-hitters tend to be small and short, and there is a chance you could burn your lips.
One-hitter benefits
Discretion
One-hitters are one of the most discreet means of smoking cannabis. Quick to use and convenient to store, they can be tucked away out of sight in your pocket or the palm of your hand at a moment’s notice.
Also, to the untrained eye, lighting a one-hitter can appear like lighting a cigarette, which is why many are designed to look like a cigarette or a cigar.
Ideal for low dosing
You can also preserve your stash and keep your doses low by using one-hitters. For example, when smoking a bong, pipe, or joint, it is easy to fill up the entire bowl and consume it quickly. If your bowl is large, each bowl could hold nearly a gram of flower.
With one-hitters, you can only use a small amount of cannabis at a time, helping you use your minimum effective dose and preserve your stash.
Cannabis microdosing using one-hitters
Microdosing is easy with one-hitters. Consumers can adjust the effects of marijuana with smaller, more precise hits. Using it allows you to manage your consumption while maximizing your performance.
Originally used by holy men in India, chillums are also known as one-hitters or bats. Plain stone chillums are thought to have been used by Indian holy men for thousands of years and have traditionally had a connection with spirituality and meditation.
Smoked vertically, chillum pipes are held in your fist with the bowl sticking out between your middle and ring fingers. You inhale through the opening formed by your index finger. You can also smoke a chillum pipe horizontally like a standard pipe.
Chillums have become popular in recent decades as they are known to produce powerful hits that are often more potent than typical hand pipes. As a result, chillums are becoming increasingly popular as an alternative to the common hand pipe, and they are easily found at nearly every headshop.
In terms of design, chillums are fairly straightforward, making them a good choice for beginners. Chillums do not have a “carb,” or a hole to clear the smoke pooled in the chamber of the pipe. That’s why chillums have a heavier hit. But the airflow in the chillum is less controlled than pipes with carbs. As a result, a chillum’s bowl burns for as long as its flame lasts.
How to use a chillum
Chillums are traditionally held between your ring and pinky finger with your hand cupped over the end. Use your fist to create a smoke chamber by placing your mouth over your cupped hand. It cools the smoke and catches embers, making smoking a more enjoyable experience. Chillums should be lit at 45 degrees to prevent losing flower.
