Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker signed into law a marijuana compromise bill addressing social equity and taxes. The Thursday move comes nearly six years after The Bay State legalized recreational cannabis use.
Senate Bill 3096 is aimed at advancing diversity in the sector and regulating the host community agreement (HCA) between cannabis companies and municipalities. It proposes allocating 15% of the money in the Marijuana Regulation Fund, which is fueled by the state’s cannabis excise tax, various operational fees, and industry penalties to a new Social Equity Trust Fund. The task of the new fund will be to provide grants and loans to people from communities most affected by the drug war who are now interested in joining the cannabis industry.
One part of the bill also offers guidelines on a process for cities to allow on-site marijuana consumption establishments or cannabis cafes.
According to Sonia Chang-Díaz, Senate chair of the Cannabis Policy Committee, the compromise bill “takes on some of the industry’s biggest issues.”
The Republican cover only removed one controversial section from the bill – the proposal to conduct a study on medical marijuana use in students during school days reported State House News. The American Academy of Pediatrics had already expressed its opposition to the proposed study on medical marijuana consumption in schools.
No Medical Marijuana In Schools
While Sen. Michael Rodrigues, Ways and Means committee chairman and lead Senate conferee, said earlier that the study could help students who would largely benefit from medical cannabis, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) didn’t agree.
“The AAP opposes medical marijuana outside the regulatory process of the US Food and Drug Administration,” an academy spokesperson told the Boston Herald.
The association of pediatricians says there is not enough data on proper dosing and side effects to make a decision.
“There are no research studies on the use of medical marijuana in teens, so actual indications, appropriate dosing, effects, and side effects are unknown. The only data available on medical marijuana in the pediatric population are limited to its use in children with severe refractory seizures,” the organization advised parents.
The governor agreed with the AAP on this proposition, deciding to leave it out of the marijuana compromise bill.
Baker said the measure as written “is highly prescriptive — making it clear that the agencies charged with producing the study must identify ways to make medical marijuana widely available within schools, rather than considering whether such an allowance is advisable.
“The voter initiatives that legalized medical marijuana in 2012 and 2016 included strong measures to keep marijuana away from K-12 schools and school children. Both laws explicitly stated that marijuana would in no circumstance be permitted on school grounds,” the governor wrote in a letter to lawmakers. “Because the study proposed in section 26 clearly works against these important and well-established protections and disregards the clear intentions of the voters in legalizing marijuana use, I cannot approve this part of the bill.”
Photo by FatCamera/Getty Images
Monumental Step
At a Cannabis Control Commission meeting, several hours before the governor signed the bill, commissioner Ava Callender Concepcion urged her colleagues to take a minute to “recognize the significance of this moment and the magnitude of this impact. By no means am I saying that this single piece of legislation will solve every issue that’s facing the cannabis industry, but it is a massive step,” she said. “This is monumental.”
Chang-Díaz, commented, “This law will rebalance the playing field, where so far wealthy corporations have been able to buy their way through the licensing process and too many local, small business owners and Black and brown entrepreneurs have been locked out. The reforms and funding we fought so hard for will be game changers, putting Massachusetts back among the leading states for racial justice in our economic policy on cannabis. I’m so grateful to the many community members and grassroots leaders who came together and held the state’s feet to the fire to make this happen.”
Shanel Lindsay, a marijuana advocate who took part in the 2016 initiative petitions said that the governor and lawmakers “have made history with this vital — and overdue — grant and loan fund.
“This bill is an important step forward in undoing the harms of prohibition and over-policing and will provide an important path for families of color to create jobs in their community and generate generational wealth,” stated Lindsay, who is also co-founder of Equitable Opportunities Now.
Summer sex can get sticky pretty fast. Here’s what you can do to prepare ahead of time.
This summer sure has been sweaty. While the season is usually linked with longer days and more fun, sometimes it’s too hot out to do anything but lounge in bed with your AC on, if you’re lucky enough to even have AC.
While there’s not a lot you can do when it comes to the weather, there are some things you can do about summer sex. Preparedness is key and a few steps can make your whole experience sexier and more pleasant, resulting in more sex. Here are some things you can do to be ready for summer sex no matter the heat.
Turn on the AC ahead of time
Photo by Sinitta Leunen via Unsplash
While the electric bill is a concern during the summertime, it’s key if you’re looking for some romance. No one wants to have sex in a sticky and humid room. Some good airflow will make your room seem nicer and will provide some much refuge from the heat.
Use your shades
Photo by Matt Moloney via Unsplash
Your shades are very important during the summer, keeping the sun out and the cool in. When thinking about summer sex, this should be one of your priorities.
Try out new things
If it’s too hot out, try out new things, like ice cubes and minimizing full body contact. Try your best to avoid unnecessary warmth.
Protect yourself from UTIs
Photo by Kampus Production from Pexels
The summer months are popular for UTIs, vaginal infections, and other painful inconveniences due to sweaty clothes, wet bathing suits, etc. Pay special attention to your body during these months, bringing a change of underwear to super hot days and beach days. Also, avoid beach sex, which is pretty rough on your body and provides the perfect opportunity for infections.
Be extra safe
The summertime is perfect for dating, which means that you should be extra careful when having sex with other people. Have fun but remember to use protection, and avoiding unwanted pregnancies and all sorts of STIs. Also, a piece of timeless and seasonless advice: pee after sex!
“I recently got deleted off Instagram, again. I had about 4.1 million followers. My Snapchat was number two in the country, not just for cannabis, but in general: It was Kylie Jenner, me and Cardi B. And then they deleted that also. But in terms of sheer numbers online, my watch time is roughly 70 million watch time minutes a month. So I get in a day what some of the biggest cannabis websites get in a month,” explains Thomas Araujo, better known as Dope As Yola, when asked what makes him (probably) the most popular cannabis content creator in the world.
To understand how he got there, we need to go back a decade because, as they say, it takes 10 years to become an overnight celebrity.
The Real Grinder
Thomas “fell in love” with weed at a very young age, even though he recommends people wait until the legal age in their respective jurisdictions to commence their cannabis journey. He remembers first trying the herb the day before the Raiders lost the Super Bowl to the Bucks.
“My relationship with weed is a friend that never moved out,” he states.
In 2012, at age 22, Thomas made his debut as Dope as Yola. He’d put out product reviews and other fun videos. “I was showing my face with weed on Instagram before anybody else, so I got a huge following.” Among fan favorites were his recreations of famous movie scenes, but with cannabis buds.
Around that time, he met John Castaldi, a guy who traveled with him, joined him at cannabis cups, and would ultimately become his business partner. John was already a fan of Thomas’ “Story Time” segment, which would go on to become one of the most popular “story time” segments in the internet, often garnering more than 1 million views each on YouTube alone.
“When I look back I realize the amount of stupid things I’ve done. And I think people can relate to it,” he voices. “Right now I have the biggest cannabis audience in the world and it’s taken 10 years, but it’s an organic following. Every single person there follows because they feel identified… My fans are more than fans: We’re like friends who haven’t met yet.”
Nowadays, Thomas does live streams, videos, podcasts and much more. He also started a brand of his own quite recently, The Dopest Shop.
Despite his busy schedule, he still smokes “a ton” of weed daily – albeit about half of what he used to smoke. “People always ask, ‘Why do you smoke so much?’ And I answer, ‘For all the time I didn’t have enough weed.’ However, my relationship with weed is more mature nowadays, because I have too much to do, I’m too busy to be frivolous. During the day I just smoke a bit and do work; it’s more like drinking water or coffee.”
Contrary to popular belief, Thomas doesn’t think cannabis makes you lazy at all. And he feels he’s living proof of this.
In his view, it’s people who are or aren’t lazy. Weed will not make you lazy, but I can emphasize that trait, if it’s already part of your personality: “Weed can be used as an excuse, but I will do nothing to you, it won’t make you lazy… It’s a stereotype I think people like to fall back on so they can have an excuse on why their life isn’t going as well as it should be going… It’s not about smoking, but about caring and having a purpose. Weed is just there to be a friend and just chill. That’s how I see it.”
The Dopest Shop
The Dopest Shop was born from a desire to make safe cannabis products available across all 50 states in the U.S. Thomas and John partnered with Claudio Hand and started selling HHC products – disposable vapes, vape cartridges, edibles, concentrates and pre-rolls.
“HHC is a naturally occurring cannabinoid found in cannabis that provides extremely similar effects as THC,” Claudio explains. However, unlike THC, HHC is federally permitted, as it is derived from hemp, which was legalized by the passing of the 2018 United States Farm Bill. The brand has filled a long-time unattended niche in states and rural areas where THC is illegal.”
“A lot of people in states where weed isn’t legal were saying ‘I wish I could smoke what you smoke.’ HHC allowed us to do this legally,” Thomas adds.
For the YouTube star, the partnership is like a match made in heaven. “All of us play a perfect part and it links like a well-oiled machine. John makes what I think is the best hash in the world under a company called Hash House. Claudio is so organized and professional, plus he knows the CBD business inside out. And I’m over here with the content.”
Authenticity was key for this project to work and take off within just a month of its launch. “Thomas has a huge, cult following, he never sells anything, he’s so careful with everything. Before this, he was strictly making money off of his clothing,” John says. “And I knew he could sell massive amounts of weed. But he would never do anything illegal. So we came up with this idea of HHC.”
“What I didn’t expect is to go this big this fast,” he continues. “Thomas’ people are great supporters, man. And as long as we get out the good stuff, they’re going to keep coming despite the marketing limitations we might face.”
Thomas confirms this. “I got paid for my first anything for weed content in 2019. So from 2012 to 2019, I was just poor and struggling. And I think it made it better; my fans really saw that I really was not getting paid. I’m making this content for free, I’m putting in 60 hours a week because I love it so much. And I think that’s what elevated us to where we are. And then the cult following of people going, ‘I know your whole story from start to finish. I can watch it online.’”
According to Claudio, The Dopest Shop was getting between 7,000 to 13,000 daily sessions on Shopify four months into the business. And the number would go as high as 30,000 sessions per day when a new drop was announced. While not all of these sessions convert into sales, Claudio assures the brand’s conversion rate is among the top 1% on the famed online retail platform.
The Seal Of Approval
Another important aspect for Thomas and his partners is quality. “I wanted to make everybody feel included on things that I approve of. For the past eight years, I have been doing extensively detailed product reviews for all the brands in the world, doing everything you can think of. And now it’s for us, so I critique it even harder. I want people to feel exactly how I feel when I’m doing a video about the product,” he says.
Dope as Yola – Barry Hackett
In fact, whenever Thomas doesn’t fully love one of The Dopest Shop’s new products, he has it fully remade.
This was also one of the main reasons why they created HHC products, versus the more popular Delta-8-THC, another hemp-derived cannabinoid that has become insanely popular in the last year or two. They simply don’t like the feeling, the high, that Delta-8-THC products give you. And consumers seem to concur.
Thomas explicates, “When I got everything from Claudio, he gave us an extensive and overly detailed list of what was in each product, each terpene. Me and John are snobs, so we went through them one by one and picked only the ones we loved. When I tried this, and I’ve done 5000 milligrams of THC videos and been obliterated for two days… I ate 1400 milligrams of our Dopest edibles and I was so high I couldn’t process it. When I asked Claudio how he had gotten me so high, he told me it was a proprietary blend, HHC, CBD and CBN. The reason you feel the effect is because they’re blended perfectly. So when I smoke this, it’s shocking to me. It’s this unexpected punch in the face; you do not expect to feel like that.”
For Claudio and John, the creative process is all about overwhelming Thomas. “Thomas has been reviewing top-of-the-line cannabis products for a very, very long time. So, when we give him things and he’s like, ‘Wow, this is amazing,’ it makes us feel really good,” John assures.
Some Good Old Reefer
Going back to lighter topics, Thomas reminisces about the best joint he ever smoked.
It was in Denver, Colorado. During a cannabis cup, a fan of his who’d driven all the way from San Francisco, California, just to meet him, shared a joint packed with one pound of pot. It took 32 hours to smoke it, but they did it.
“We walked downtown Denver smoking this thing and it was obnoxious, truly obnoxious,” he says. “I think it was the wildest thing I ever did, but the most memorable one too.”
Also quite unforgettable was the experience of smoking a 40-gram joint on camera. “I smoked all of it without moving, I didn’t get up, no water breaks. I just smoked it down for two-and-a-half hours. And it was the most memorable thing because that is what started my YouTube. That’s what had people going, ‘I’ve never seen anybody do this in my life.’ I was coughing up tar for weeks. But I still have that roach, I’m going to frame it in a shadow box.”
Without hesitation, Yola moves on to the next question: If you could share a joint with anyone, dead or alive, who would that be?
Before the question is even fully worded, he responds: Adam Sandler and Chris Farley, two of his favorite funny guys.
Thomas already got a chance to smoke with another one of his idols, Tommy Chong.
“I’ve had a lot of celebrities in the podcast smoking joints. My first big break was with Tommy Chong. I rolled a joint for Tommy Chong to smoke in 2015, and I think that was the most memorable one, just sitting there unable to believe this was were weed had brought me.”
– If you can stand in front of Congress and testify, explain why you think we should be legal in America, what would you say?
– I think they kick me out because it be so blunt. But it always comes down to, I never got in a fight with somebody who was smoking a joint. I’ve never seen a pot fight, but I’ve seen bar fights. I’ve seen people get killed and shot, drunk. I’ve never once met anybody smoke a bowl and go, “let’s box.”
I think if everybody smoked a joint and forgot about religious beliefs and political beliefs and laws, I think a lot of people would change their perspective on life. And they [lawmakers] are not going to try to hear that, that’s why I would be escorted out of the building.
Looking Ahead
In the coming months, Thomas and his team will be doing a national tour to present the brand and expand it even further, reach new consumers and find the right partners.
“We want to try to include everyone, but on a more personal level. So the more we can connect the fans with Thomas and then to bring more people on to like the whole fan bases is the goal is.”
The Dopest Shop will also be launching a subscription service soon. This is a big bet for them. Fans love it, they assure.
“I’ve worked with all the largest subscription boxes providers in America and I know, just from our retail and our numbers, that the second we step into that space, it’s going to be a whole other conversation. This is just the start,” Thomas concludes. “The Dopest Shop is a community and it’s super engaged. They inform our decisions.”
Cannabis farmers tend to aim for high THC content cultivars of weed when they’re creating a new strain, without giving much thought to the effect these compounds have on the user’s body.
The potency of cannabis is determined by the content level of CBD and THC compounds present in the plant. So, it is normal to be curious about the exact amount of THC and CBD present in a cannabis product before smoking.
In the last decade, hundreds of new strains of cannabis have been created giving smokers a wide range of options to choose from. No two strains of weed can offer exactly the same characteristics. The taste and aftereffects of each cultivar will be distinct from one another.
This has caused a deviation from the normal cannabis culture practiced in the ’70s and ’80s. Back then there were fewer cannabis cultivars and everyone had an idea of the amount of THC and CBD present in them.
Photo by Anastassiya Bezhekeneva/Getty Images
Now, THC and CBD content levels have risen and can be as high as 30% in a weed product, with extracts having very high levels of CBD or THC compounds.
Most of the experienced cannabis smokers have very little idea of how much THC they’re taking into their system— especially when these products are purchased from unlicensed stores.
Licensed dispensaries have the product’s data. Information like THC and CBD content level, as well as the other compounds present in the products, can be provided by these dispensaries. Seed banks also offer this information to customers.
You must understand that these figures even though they are given by these stores are subject to change. The change may occur due to the duration spent on the shelf, or reactions occurring between the compounds in the weed, etc.
Why You Should Test The THC & CBD Content In Your Weed
Testing your weed before consuming it helps to assuage the fears you might have over the absence of information about a particular weed product.
Cannabis farmers tend to aim for high THC content cultivars of weed when they’re creating a new strain, without giving much thought to the effect of these compounds once they enter the body of the user.
When you test your weed before consuming it, you know;
what effects to expect.
the right time to use it.
the right dosage to consume.
whether or not to maximize the cannabinoids levels if you’re a grower.
THC & CBD Testing
This can be done in three ways.
If you have a product procured from a licensed dispensary, you can use the approximate figures provided by the retailer. This way you substitute the figures into a few equations to get the content level of the THC and CBD compounds in the weed.
If you live in a state with approved cannabis laws, you’ll have access to records of hundreds of lab-tested weed samples. Almost all weed products are labeled with approximate percentages of individual cannabinoid compound levels, so far they’re stocked by a licensed store.
The second method is by grabbing a test kit and running the test in the privacy of your home.
The third is through third-party testing, which is a licensed laboratory.
Are Home Tests Up To Par With Third-Party Testing?
Sure, there’s nothing like third-party testing— they make use of expensive equipment for high-performance liquid chromatography and gas chromatography, however, home testing of your weed is also a viable option.
Home tests are DIY ways of determining the accurate potency of your weed before having some puffs. Depending on your adherence to the steps on how to test your weed at home, you would be able to judge the amount of THC, CBD, and even other compounds like terpenes in the weed.
How To Test The THC & CBD Content Of Your Weed At Home
Cannabis users in most parts of the world do not have access to accurately labeled products, nor do they have records of measured and tested weed samples to reference. So you cannot always use the formula method to determine the content level. You either choose to send samples to a lab or do it yourself.
There are several options to choose from when testing your flowers at home. Some options cost more than the others, however, they give you more detailed results. The cheaper options often give limiting results.
Color Chart Test Kits
These kits test for both THC and CBD. They can be used to test flowers, extracts, and oils. These tests require only a minute amount of material to determine the content reading.
Mix a small sample of the weed with the test fluid. Mix well and when the solution changes color, compare the color with the colors on the chart to determine where it falls.
The Colour chart test kit method is the cheapest method that can be used at home. They also do not give detailed results. Most charts only show readings for THC levels that do not exceed 20% and CBD content of less than 2.5%.
Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) Test Kits
These kits produce more accurate readings. They can also be used to test for not only THC and CBD but other minor cannabinoids like CBN, CBG, and THCV.
Simply mix 0.1g of the weed sample with the test fluid. With the provided pipette, stain the coated glass plate with little quantities of the mixture.
Here, the various cannabinoid compounds present are detected and separated. To find out the content level of each, stain the glass with the dye. Then you can now compare it with the template provided.
Testing Gadgets
This is the most expensive option that can be used to test CBD and THC levels at home. It is used by growers, breeders, and other weed smokers that are so much invested in knowing the cannabinoid content of their weed.
It can determine the level of THC, CBD, and CBN. It can also detect the presence of various terpenes.
Conclusion
To save yourself the cost and stress of carrying out these tests yourself, you can depend on the figures given by the retailers. This will give you an idea of what your weed contains.
Laboratories provide the most accurate and detailed information while home test kits give you basic or in-depth information about your weed, depending on the kit purchased.
New York’s Office of Cannabis Management announced that they’d soon start taking applications, explaining how the process worked and which people could apply for these licenses.
Marijuana regulators in New York announced Thursday that they would accept dispensary applications starting August 25. These applications will be reserved for people and families that have been directly impacted by the war on drugs.
The announcement was made through the NYS Office of Cannabis Management’s social media platforms.
Did you hear? Cannabis in NY is here and in just 2 weeks, you will have the chance to apply for your own cannabis adult-use retail dispensary license, CAURD.
— NYS Office of Cannabis Management (@nys_cannabis) August 11, 2022
The office clarifies what it means to have been impacted by the war on drugs, claiming that applicants must be “justice-involved,” meaning anyone that has been arrested or convicted for a marijuana offense. This initiative is called the Seeding Opportunity Initiative, with New York being the first state to implement it.
“We’re writing a new playbook for what an equitable launch of a cannabis industry looks like, and hope future states follow our lead,” said Cannabis Control Board (CCB) Chair Tremaine Wright in a press release.
The application portal will remain open until September 26th, a short period of time, with authorities suggesting that interested parties start compiling their documents as soon as possible. People involved with the design of the portal and the new rulings in place claim the application process is designed to be as smooth and straightforward as possible, requiring no outside help.
New York is currently in a confusing moment when it comes to cannabis. While the drug is legal to consume, carry and gift for anyone over the age of 21, the sale of it remains illegal. All through the year, dozens of cannabis shops have appeared and the marijuana market has boomed, leaving many who wish to be involved in the business confused and like they’ve already missed their opening. To mitigate this, the government has sent out dozens of cease and desist letters.
“Sale of untested products put lives at risk,” said Wright when addressing these sales. “I implore these illegal store operators, and any other stores pretending to be legal operations, to stop selling cannabis products immediately.”
The businesses that received these notices were issued a warning, with no threats of arrests or any police involvement.
In order to understand why tobacco prices steadily increase while marijuana prices fluctuate, it is important to understand the differences between why and how these two products are taxed.
If you are a frequent cannabis purchaser you have likely noticed that some of your favorite cannabis products have stayed the same price, or even decreased over the last year. When prices on your favorite cannabis go down you likely don’t want to ask too many questions. Instead you are more likely to buy as much as you can and leave with a bag full of savings.
Marijuana prices have indeed decreased or at least stayed stable recently. While this may not prompt suspicion, you have to wonder why a highly-taxed product like marijuana is not going up in price while tobacco, another taxed and regulated substance, continues to climb in price.
In order to understand why tobacco prices steadily increase while marijuana prices fluctuate, it is important to understand the differences between why and how these two products are taxed.
Tobacco is taxed on a federal and state level. One main reason tobacco is taxed on a federal level is to offset the mounting cost tobacco has on preventable medical costs. According to theCDC, cigarette smoking cost the United States more than $600 billion in 2018 alone. The money to cover these costs has to come from somewhere.
Photo by Cappi Thompson/Getty Images
The other reason taxes in tobacco steadily increase, without dipping, is that increasing price is linked to smoking cessation (especially in young people). “Tax increases are the most reliable policy tool to encourage smokers to quit, discourage young people from trying cigarettes, and generate revenue to offset the public health costs of tobacco use,” according toTobacconomics, an economic research group on tobacco control policy.
Marijuana is taxed heavily as well, but in a different manner than tobacco and with different goals. For one, marijuana is not taxed on a federal level, as it is not legal on a federal level. Instead it is taxed on state and local levels. Since marijuana is not linked to terminal disease like tobacco products are, the tax collected from marijuana is used for programs that often tend to benefit the state the marijuana is purchased in.
Most states use the collected tax revenue to support educational and treatment programs, law enforcement and even boost their state’s general fund. Colorado, for example, uses 71.85% of the tax revenue collected for “health care, health education, substance abuse prevention and treatment programs, and law enforcement,” according to the Colorado General Assembly. More than 15% (15.56%) of the revenue goes to the state’s general fund.
This shows that while both products are taxed highly, tobacco tax is aimed to stop people purchasing the product and decrease federal cost of healthcare issues caused by smoking. Marijuana tax is used to benefit the state it is purchased in, meaning there is likely no desire to decrease marijuana sales in states where it is legal, so keeping the product affordable is a wise idea. Overtaxing could hurt sales, and in turn hurt the state’s economy.
Another reason marijuana prices are going down while tobacco prices are going up has to do with how established (or unestablished) these two markets are. Tobacco and its leading companies have established their markets, brands and customers. This means while they can spend money on advertising and promotional offers to entice customers, the price is fairly established.
Marijuana, on the other hand, is a very new market, especially the legal market. It is so new that major players are only just beginning to rise, and sometimes fall, as the industry grows. While this is an exciting time for the industry and those who support it, it is also an economically volatile time for those who are invested in it. There is a lot of competition in many states. The new cannabis boom has prompted a rush of entrepreneurs to enter this growing market.
Photo by Hugo Cattelain / EyeEm/Getty Images
This growth, however, has led to a bit of an over-saturation in some places, and also an over-abundance of product. “In some states, there’s simply too much product, leading to plunging prices. In California, for example, wholesale cannabis prices plummeted by about 50% last year,” according toPolitico, which mentioned that Colorado, Washington and Oregon all saw significant declines as well. This is a major reason you have likely noticed those decreased prices lately.
Marijuana is slowly growing in acceptance among lawmakers and the general population, which in turn will likely lead to it being accessible and affordable for years to come. Since it is a new market, prices are bound to fluctuate, but when they eventually settle the odds are they will not break your bank account.
While cigarettes and joints might look the same, the political and public acceptance of tobacco continues to decline. As more people want to see an end to nicotine addiction and the preventable death associated with it, there will likely only be further taxation and higher prices in the future.
Is the CAOA a perfect model for legalization? Probably not, as I am not sure there is a way to legalize cannabis that will please everyone. However, it is comprehensive and would completely change the cannabis industry.
A few weeks ago, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), introduced the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act (CAOA). But how would The Cannabis and Opportunity Act work?
The nearly 300 page bill is comprehensive and is unlikely to pass before the midterm election (if at all, thanks to the filibuster). However, it does provide a real glimpse as to what we can potentially expect when federal cannabis legalization actually happens. Today, I will cover a few interesting portions of the CAOA.
Cannabis Legalization
The CAOA would remove marijuana from the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). Individuals over 21 could legally use marijuana in states that have legalized. States could continue to prohibit marijuana within their borders but could not prohibit the interstate shipment of marijuana. The unauthorized growing, manufacturing, shipping, transporting, receiving, possessing, selling, distributing, or purchasing of ten pounds or more of marijuana would remain illegal.
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-NY) (C), joined by Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) (L) and Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) / Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images
The CAOA would also amend the 2018 Farm Bill by defining hemp as cannabis with less than 0.7% THC on a dry weight basis. That would more than double the current THC threshold of 0.3% for hemp.
Regulatory Oversight
If the CAOA passes, it would task several federal agencies would take part in regulating marijuana at a federal level. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) would each be involved. The FDA would regulate the manufacture, distribution, and labeling of “cannabis products,” as well as register cannabis product manufacturers.
The FDA would also could initiate a recall of cannabis products. TTB, which would be renamed to include “cannabis”, would enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with the FDA to work on interagency regulation of cannabis. The CAOA would ban flavored electronic cannabis product delivery systems (e.g., vape pens).
Social Equity
The CAOA would grant wider access to banking by prohibiting banks from denying customers due to a “prior conviction for a nonviolent cannabis offense.” In addition, those convicted of low-level marijuana offenses could have their convictions expunged and those currently serving time for marijuana offenses could petition the courts for relief.
The proposed bill would also provide funding to the Community Development Financial Institutions Funds “to provide grants to expand lending and investment in low-or moderate-income areas, including those most affected by the war on drugs.” The bill would also establish an Equitable Licensing Grant Program to provide states, localities or tribes the ability to encourage minority and low-income people to enter the cannabis industry. Through the Small Business Administration, CAOA would establish a lending program intended to help startups and small businesses owned by those impacted by the war on drugs.
Photo by FatCamera/Getty Images
Bottom Line
Is the CAOA a perfect model for legalization? Probably not, as I am not sure there is a way to legalize cannabis that will please everyone. However, it is comprehensive and would completely change the cannabis industry. We’ll continue to cover national cannabis law and policy on the Green Light Law Blog. If you are looking for more on the CAOA, check out Kyle Jaeger’s comprehensive summary on Marijuana Moment.
Daniel Shortt is a corporate and regulatory attorney based in Seattle, Washington who works extensively with entrepreneurs in the cannabis industry. You can contact him at info@gl-lg.com or (206) 430-1336. This article originally appeared on Green Light Law Group and has been reposted with permission.
Cannabis produces its effects by binding to cannabinoid receptors in your body, and CB1 receptors are found in a variety of tissues involved in feeding and appetite control.
What comes to mind when you think of the word “munchies”? Maybe you think of cartons of ice cream, sleeves of cookies, or bags of chips. Maybe you picture a stoner feasting on junk food.
The munchies is defined as the intense hunger, particularly for sweet and savory treats, that strikes you after you use cannabis. While you may think of the munchies as an adverse side effect, many people use cannabis with the goal of stimulating their appetite.
What does it look like to use cannabis to stimulate your appetite? It could be a jet-lagged business executive who uses cannabis to get hungry for dinner despite his body telling him it is the middle of the night. Or a marathoner who takes a few drops of weed oil to stimulate her appetite after a grueling training session. Or a person battling cancer who uses medical marijuana to stimulate her appetite during chemotherapy.
Is cannabis the right choice to help you stimulate your appetite? Jointly can help you find out, but first let’s explore what it is known about cannabis and the munchies, and try to answer the question, “Why does weed make you hungry?”
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Does Weed Make You Hungry?
While people may have different results as to whether cannabis helps them relieve mild daily stress or whether cannabis improves their sleep, cannabis reliably stimulates appetite in animals with an endocannabinoid system. Weed is so consistent in causing the munchies that cannabis has been used as an appetite stimulant for thousands of years. The earliest record of using cannabis to treat appetite loss comes from 300 A.D. in India and this tradition continues in modern folk medicine traditions throughout Asia. For example, in Thailand “cannabis is frequently used to stimulate the appetite of sick people and make them sleep.” So, why does weed make you hungry?
Why Does Weed Give You the Munchies?
Weed gives you the munchies because of the way the endocannabinoid system (ECS) interacts with feeding behavior. The ECS is a “ubiquitous system that provides homeostatic balance to the nervous and immune systems, as well as many other organ systems.”
The ECS is composed of the endogenous ligands (AEA and 2-AG) also known as endocannabinoids (eCBs), their receptors (CB1 and CB2), and the enzymes that degrade and recycle the ligands. Ligands and receptors are like keys and locks. When the ligand binds to the receptor, it produces a signal in the cell. All animals except insects have an ECS. This reality indicates that the ECS “rose concurrently with the development of the nervous system as multicellular animals developed increasing complexity.”
The Hydra (H. vulgaris) is a type of small, fresh-water organism that was one of the first animals with a neural network. According to researchers who studied the Hydra’s ECS, the major function of this system “in this primitive organism was determined…to control its feeding response.” Evidently, the ECS plays an important role in controlling feeding behavior. Research has shown that when you stimulate the ECS in humans, rats, or worms with exogenous cannabinoids or eCBs, the animal will eat more food and prioritize palatable foods. In humans and rats, palatable food means sweet food. But why does weed make you hungry?
Why Does Weed Make You Hungry?
Your body normally feels hunger in response to certain stimuli: emptiness in the stomach and intestines, blood sugar levels, hormone levels, and signals from the hypothalamus. Cannabis produces its effects by binding to cannabinoid receptors in your body, and CB1 receptors are found in a variety of tissues involved in feeding and appetite control.
For example, CB1 receptors are distributed throughout your stomach and small intestine. These organs release ghrelin, the hunger hormone, based on signals from your hypothalamus. Ghrelin and leptin are two hormones that have been recognized to have a major effect on energy balance. Leptin suppresses the desire to eat, while ghrelin stimulates hunger and plays a role in “meal initiation.” Stimulating CB1 receptors in your GI tract can directly stimulate the release of ghrelin.
Fascinatingly, circulating levels of leptin and circulating levels of eCBs have an inverse relationship. Leptin suppresses appetite by acting on receptors in the hypothalamus. When circulating levels of eCBs are high, leptin is low. And after you have eat a large meal, leptin levels rise and eCB levels fall. Additionally, cannabis causes the munchies because THC binds to CB1 receptors in your hypothalamus, which stimulates the release of ghrelin and initiates various other appetite-stimulating processes. Satiety is partly modulated through special neurons (POMC neurons) in the hypothalamus.
Activating CB1 receptors inhibits these neurons, so they stop sending satiety signals to your brain, which leads to a change in hormone and peptide levels, which stimulates hunger and the desire to eat. Not only does cannabis stimulate many of the processes involved in feeding and appetite, it also enhances the pleasure from eating. THC binding to CB1 receptors in the basal ganglia of your brain “may enhance eating pleasure,” and THC binding to CB1 receptors in the limbic forebrain may make food taste better. That is part of the answer to the question, “why does weed make you hungry?” Now let’s explore some other elements of the munchies.
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Why Does Food Taste Better High?
Essentially, cannabis hijacks the pathways that your body uses to regulate your appetite and sends the signal that you are starving. Have you ever heard the phrase, “hunger is the best seasoning”? This phrase exists because hunger makes things smell and taste better; hunger “arouses sensory perception.” Until recently, scientists did not understand how hunger made food taste better, but recent studies in mice indicate that it has to do with the ECS. The ECS is known to play a role in sensory processing, including smell and taste, as well as regulation of mood, stress, and emotion.
In mice, THC binds to receptors in the olfactory bulb, “significantly increasing the animals’ ability to smell food and leading them to eat more of it.” Mice genetically engineered to lack cannabinoid receptors in their olfactory bulbs “did not demonstrate an increased appetite when given [cannabis], showing that the ‘munchies’ effect was dependent on olfactory bulb activity as well.” Fascinatingly, when the researchers deprived the mice of food for 24 hours, their natural eCB levels increased, which in turn increased their food intake as well as their sensitivity to smell. So, it seems like part of the answer to the question, “Why does weed make you hungry?” is that the ECS plays an integral role in getting an organism to start and continue eating.
Endocannabinoids, Appetite, and Reward
When we haven’t eaten for some time, eCB levels rise, which enhances our taste and smell. Why is this process evolutionarily advantageous? If we can answer this question, we might have fleshed out the answer to our original question: “Why does weed make you hungry?” The flavors in our food tell our brains about what we are eating. Salty, sweet, and umami flavors “have an evolutionary role in nutrition as a selective source of calories, proteins, and minerals; whereas bitter and sour tastes are involved in the avoidance of harmful and/or spoiled foods.”
Endocannabinoids have been shown to enhance “sweet taste sensitivity” in both humans and rats. Scientists hypothesize that cannabinoids “might act in the brain to increase hedonic impact or palatability of the taste of foods.” When feeding is driven by reward rather than internal signals related to hunger, it is called hedonic feeding.
In short, homeostatic feeding stops when an animal is sated, while hedonic feeding continues. Hedonic feeding makes evolutionary sense, but often adversely affects us in the modern world as it can lead to metabolic disorder. But in prehistory, humans rarely encountered sweet food sources. And when they did, they wanted to eat as much of it as possible. Sweet foods were typically seasonal and energy dense, so it was advantageous to keep eating long after you were full. People who ate more of that food at once and stored that energy as body fat were more likely to be successful.
Scientists have found that injecting eCBs into rats and exposing them to sweet taste significantly increases the activity of the nerve that innervates the anterior tongue. These findings show that “cannabinoids increase behavioral response” to sweet taste. CB1 knockout mice did not have this effect, demonstrating that this increased sensitivity to sweet flavor is related to eCBs interacting with the CB1 receptor. Let’s put this information together. Scientists have observed that starvation increases the levels of circulating endocannabinoids, which increases sensitivity to sweet taste.
Additionally, stimulating CB1 receptors “promotes the storage of energy in adipose tissue.” That means that when you have not eaten and you have higher levels of circulating eCBs stimulating your CB1 receptors, your body is primed to store energy as fat. Food deprivation leads to a rise in eCBs, which creates a situation where an animal is increasingly sensitive to and rewarded by sweet, energy dense foods. If the animal finds a source of sweet food, it will eat it and experience increased pleasure, and eat far past the point of being full (hedonic eating).
Additionally, this process will tell the body to store this excess energy as fat. These interrelated processes illuminate how important the ECS is in maintaining homeostasis in feeding and metabolism, and hopefully answer the question, “why does weed make you hungry?”
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Does Smoking Weed Make You Lose Weight?
We have answered our original question, “why does weed make you hungry?” But in answering this question, we encounter new ones. For example, if the ECS plays such an important role in regulating eating and metabolism, does weed affects your metabolism? Does weed make you lose weight? Does weed make you skinny? Does weed speed up your metabolism?
There is some evidence that chronic cannabis use may affect weight and metabolism. Cannabinoid receptors are expressed in the brain as well as the gut and other peripheral organs involved in “food intake, metabolism and energy homeostasis.” As we have discussed, stimulating CB1 receptors, “by either endocannabinoids or exogenous cannabinoids, acutely stimulates food craving, intake and reward, and promotes the storage of energy in adipose tissue.” However, chronic “daily administration of THC suppressed weight gain [and] fat mass gain” in rats.
Epidemiological studies in humans indicate a relationship between long term chronic cannabis use and “decreased prevalence of obesity and diabetes.” More research is needed to understand why cannabis products opposite effects when administered acutely versus chronically. At present, there is no evidence that weed will help you lose weight. However, because of the complex role that the ECS plays in metabolism and weight maintenance, researchers are exploring new obesity drugs that target the ECS.
Does CBD Give You the Munchies?
Unlike THC, CBD is a non-intoxicating cannabinoid produced by the cannabis plant. To learn all about CBD, check out our article What is CBD and What Does it Feel Like? CBD interacts with the ECS in a different way than THC does. While THC agonizes or binds to CB1 receptors, CBD produces a nearly opposite effect. CBD is a partial antagonist of CB1 receptors, making it more difficult for THC (or endocannabinoids that bind to this same receptor) to bind and produce psychoactive effects. As a result, CBD produces the opposite effect of THC and mildly suppresses the appetite. CBD may also create this appetite suppressing effect by affecting processes in the gut.
Do Edibles Give You the Munchies?
Now that we have explored the question, “Why does weed make you hungry?” you probably know the answer to this question. Edibles give you the munchies. Any ingestion method that gets you high on THC will give you the munchies. For example, THC has very low absorption rates through the skin, so using a topical THC product may not give you the munchies. However, taking cannabis oil sublingually, eating an edible, or inhaling cannabis vapor will stimulate your appetite. If you eat a weed brownie and suddenly find that you crave edibles, you are probably experiencing the munchies. Experts recommend against eating edibles when experiencing the munchies, as you may experience a THC overdose.
What is the Best Weed Strain for Munchies?
Is there any scientific basis for why one cannabis strain might stimulate appetite better than another? For example, does sativa make you hungry? Is the terpene myrcene an appetite stimulant? What is the best weed strain for the munchies? The primary appetite stimulating effects of cannabis come from the effect of THC on CB1 receptors. While there likely are secondary and complementary effects from terpenes or other lesser-known cannabinoids, there is not yet enough research to state anything definitively. However, it is possible that some strains will stimulate appetite better than others.
The best way to find out which weed strains give you the munchies is to try different cannabis strains from different brands, record your use on the Jointly app, and track how each strain or product made you feel. For help choosing the best weed strain, check out our article Why Jointly is Better than a Strain Finder. In that article, you will learn what strain names really mean, how to find the best appetite stimulating weed strains, and how to use Jointly to discover the most effective products in your area.
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How to Not Get the Munchies
So, cannabis reliably stimulates the appetite in animals with an endocannabinoid system. But maybe you are reading this article to discover how to not get the munchies. Or maybe you want to find out how to stop the munchies once they have started. But is it possible to avoid the munchies entirely?
If you want to avoid the munchies, try eating a substantial meal before you ingest cannabis. By filling your stomach up, you will send the strongest signals to your body that you just ate. Perhaps you will find the best results with controlling the munchies if you pair cannabis with a weed companion food like black tea or green tea, which has other compounds that may suppress your appetite.
Additionally, you could consume CBD with THC so that the appetite stimulating effect of THC is balanced by the appetite suppressing effect of CBD.
Lastly, you could try to drink lots of water. Staying hydrated and full of water may help send a signal to your body that your stomach is full, which may help suppress the munchies-inducing effects of cannabis. Of course, the most effective way to stop the munchies is to build up a tolerance to the appetite stimulating effects of cannabis. Many of us have a friend who notes, “I don’t get the munchies anymore.” Likely, this individual is a regular cannabis user who has built up some degree of tolerance to the appetite stimulating effects of weed.
Our data indicates that Jointly works best when you report at least 10 cannabis sessions. If you only fill out a few reports and then stop, you won’t have enough data to start to see trends and improve how you consume cannabis. When you use Jointly, you are rating how well a product helped you achieve your wellness goals. Over time, your average ratings should go up as you optimize how you consume cannabis and CBD. Use the Results Tracker feature to make sure your results are improving over time.
How to Find Weed Products for Appetite Stimulation
Unlike other wellness goals, appetite stimulation is such a reliable and consistent effect of cannabis that every THC product is likely to produce this effect to some extent. We expect to see more products designed specifically for this wellness goal in the future, but for now you can filter your Product Finder results to show you the highest rated cannabis products for the goal Stimulate Appetite. Jointly’s Product Finder feature allows you to look up legal, licensed cannabis and CBD products in your state based on your wellness goals. Select Stimulate Appetite and see how other users like you rated a product on a scale from 1-10, based on how well it helped them stimulate their appetite. By reporting your cannabis and CBD consumption, you are contributing important data to the Jointly community and helping Jointly make better product and routine recommendations for you. Download the Jointly app on the App Store or the Google Play Store to get started on your cannabis wellness journey.
Sam is the content Director at Jointly, a cannabis wellness company powered by a proprietary data platform to help people reach their full potential. The company was created on the premise that purposeful cannabis consumption is the key to unlocking a better you.
A new report shows that cannabis retailers in the state are very careful when letting people into their stores.
Now that marijuana is legal in a variety of places, a lot of people are concerned about teens and access. The good news, is long time leader Colorado efforts stops underage cannabis purchases. The state with legal retailers are doing everything in their power to prevent the under 18 for getting ahold of marijuana.
On Tuesday, Colorado regulators shared there’s a 98% rate of compliance with requiring people to show IDs before entering cannabis retailers. The report shows that 190 compliance checks have been done so far this year, with only four instances failing to ask for IDs.
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Colorado state laws make it clear that non-compliance with this law can quickly lead to a lot of trouble for these businesses, with employees caught putting their cannabis licenses at risk and facing up to a $100,000 fine.
“Unauthorized sale of Regulated Marijuana to an individual under the age of 21 is considered a license violation affecting public safety,” said the Colorado Marijuana Enforcement Division (MED). “Businesses must remain vigilant in establishing internal measures to prevent underage access, and as the MED continues to monitor licensee compliance, it will evaluate business practices licensees have adopted to prevent unauthorized/underage sales.”
Colorado asks its cannabis retailers to vet everyone that comes into the shop and actively look for people who are perusing the store and look like they’re younger than 21, verifying their age with an ID check. Retailers have the power to turn people away if they think their ID is fake.
While surprising in its cohesiveness, the data shared by Colorado has been backed by other studies that make it clear that legalizing cannabis doesn’t increase underage drug use.
“Legalized cannabis retail sales might be followed by the increased occurrence of cannabis onsets for older adults, but not for underage persons who cannot buy cannabis products in a retail outlet,” wrote the authors of a study on legalization and underage cannabis consumption published this year.
Consumers now have the liberty of choosing from so many products and methods of consumption that you can tailor your dose and experience just the way you like it.
Microdosing is a form of consuming drugs in such a way that you avoid getting extremely high. Once associated with psychedelic and hallucinogenic drugs such as magic mushrooms and LSD, more people have discovered the benefits of microdosing marijuana over the last few years. As opposed to macrodosing or getting as high as you possibly can, the point of microdosing is to enable the user to still stay productive and focused in a task.
There really is no right or wrong way to consume marijuana. Whether you prefer to microdose to up your creativity or medicate, or macrodose because you want to feel extremely relaxed or buzzed, it’s all down to personal preferences. There are also many ways you can consume marijuana these days — some are better suited for microdosing while others are best for macrodosing.
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Microdosing Marijuana
A microdose of marijuana is considered between 1 to 2.5 mg of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive substance of the plant. This is considered the minimum effective dose.
Microdosing small amounts such as these provide the user with the plant’s medicinal and therapeutic benefits without getting too high that you can no longer function. People microdose for many reasons.
General wellness and stress reduction: Studies show that microdosing marijuana is the most effective way to relieve stress and feel happier. Users experience a range of benefits when used for this purpose, such as an increase in physical and mental energy as well as improvements in clarity and focus — particularly when consuming sativa dominant strains. Microdosing indica dominant strains can better relax you at the end of a stressful day.
Medicinal benefits: Microdosing has been shown to be the ideal way to medicate for a variety of conditions. These include pain, migraines, insomnia, post-traumatic stress, Alzheimer’s, and much more.
Productivity: Many artists and creative professionals rely on microdosing to help them get work done. In fact, people in just about any kind of industry can benefit from microdosing cannabis. The right strains and products can enhance clarity and help you tick things off your to-do list. Anyone who has ever gotten too high at work can tell you that being too stoned can actually counter productivity; microdosing may be the answer especially if you also have medical conditions to treat but need to get things done.
Having said that, certain ways to medicate marijuana are more ideal for microdosing. These forms of consumption can help you take controlled, small dosages for your specific needs:
Edibles: buying edibles provides an exact way to get small doses. Edibles these days run the gamut when it comes to dosage, which is specifically indicated by the manufacturer in the packaging. You can choose from a variety of edibles that have already been pre-dosed including gummies, candies, chocolates, and even beverages. Edibles take longer to hit, usually 20 minutes to an hour or even more, but its effects can last for hours.
Tinctures: these herbal extracts are made by soaking up marijuana plant material in oils, vegetable glycerin, or alcohol. Tinctures are always made with dropper bottles, so depending on how high you want to get, you can opt for low-dose tinctures and customize your very own dose. Just place a drop or two of it under your tongue, and its effects can be felt within minutes.
Vape pen: Taking a small hit off a vape pen can give you a controlled dose. This method is ideal for microdosing only for those who know how vape pens work. You may accidentally take a very large puff and get much higher than you expected.
Macrodosing weed means taking enough weed to get you really high. For some, this can be as little as 10mg of THC while others with a higher tolerance require taking as much as 25mg of THC or even more.
People macrodose for many reasons: some medical patients need to take a significantly larger amount of THC to feel any relief from their pain or other conditions. There are also some people who simply enjoy being really blazed as they engage in activities such as playing video games, cooking, socializing, or simply unwinding.
Macrodosing marijuana can impact significant benefits aside from pain relief. Users can experience bliss, euphoria, empathy, mild hallucinations, color enhancement, and even depth distortion. To those who are new to taking such large amounts of THC, some anxiety, and paranoia so it’s best to be aware that your macrodosing trip can easily go sideways if you aren’t prepared. It is also not recommended to drive or operate any kind of machinery when you are macrodosing so be sure that you are in a safe setting where you can enjoy your high for several hours. A trip can be as long as 12 hours especially if you consume concentrates.
However, you can easily counter this by having some CBD with you; taking CBD can mitigate the effects of getting too high with THC.
Certain types of cannabis are made specifically for macrodosing. Cannabis concentrates are the perfect example. You can easily consume up to 90% of THC in just one hit, making it efficient to macrodose without having to smoke too much. Other ways you can macrodose include using a bong, smoking several puffs from a joint, or consuming edibles with a high amount of THC in them.
Conclusion
There are many benefits to both microdosing and macrodosing. As we said earlier, there’s no right or wrong way. Consumers now have the liberty of choosing from so many products and methods of consumption that you can tailor your dose and experience just the way you like it.
