A new study found links between cardiovascular conditions and a common activity a lot of people do on a daily basis.
Strokes and high blood pressure linked with his every day activity. A large study found a link between a variety of cardiovascular conditions and napping, puzzling a lot of people. Isn’t sounds sleep generally linked with healthier life?
The study is large and has prompted researchers to question about the nature of sleep, primarily, the time in which it takes place, something that has proved to be very important over the course of a person’s life.
Published in the journal Hypertension, the study had data from over 360,000 participants collected from UK Biobank between the years 2006 and 2010. These participants provided blood, urine, and saliva samples, while also answering a variety of questions about their sleep habits.
Researchers found that participants who napped during the day were 12% more likely to have high blood pressure and that they were 24% more likely to experience a stroke when compared to people who have never napped. Results were even worse with nappers over the age of 60, who were 20% more likely to develop high blood pressure when compared to those who didn’t nap.
While it would be easy to connect naps with poor cardiovascular health, researchers theorize that these results reflect a lack of sleep during the night.
“This may be because, although taking a nap itself is not harmful, many people who take naps may do so because of poor sleep at night. Poor sleep at night is associated with poorer health, and naps are not enough to make up for that,” said clinical psychologist Michael Grandner in a statement.
Researchers explain that beneficial power naps, between 12 to 20 minutes, are the most effective. A longer nap is discouraged since it’ll likely affect your sleep time during the evening and isn’t really considered a nap by sleep experts.
Apart from the surprise factor, these results are important since they highlight many questions that health experts should ask when meeting patients for their routine checkups, opening up risk factors and spaces for vulnerabilities.
There are several spinal conditions, and thanks to the evolving medical systems around the world, medical marijuana has been incorporated into the recommended drugs for these conditions in some countries.
Research shows that cannabinoids might play a vital role in treating the mental stress and physical injuries that come along with degenerative disc conditions.
What Is Degenerative Disc Disease?
DDD refers to a group of spinal illnesses that results in the degeneration/degradation of the spinal discs. These intervertebral discs are found in all major areas of the human spine. From the cervical to the thoracic, and the lumbar region.
The spinal column is made up of a total of 23 vertebral discs. These discs help you stay flexible, as they act as a shock between the bones.
From observation, as a person gets older, he/she loses his flexibility. This is because with time the spinal discs wear down and varying levels of pain are felt; depending on the origination of the pain.
Degenerative disc disease is a specific problem that a human undergoes when regular changes within the spinal disc cause pain. These problems may prompt other unique symptoms, but the most common symptom is pain.
A World Riddled With Back Pain
One of the leading causes of disability and chronic pain in the aging population around the world is back pain.
It results from multiple nervous system and musculoskeletal conditions. DDD affects a person’s quality of life and inhibits their ability to function efficiently in their respective place of work.
Why Does DDD Occur?
Strains due to daily activities
A person’s occupation, sports, and other repeated activities expose the musculoskeletal system and the spinal discs to strain due to excessive force.
Exercise helps people keep fit, however, too much of these activities can also add to the damage and leave out don’t, muscles, tissues, and spinal discs in an unhealthy shape.
Aging
The body’s ability to heal itself declines as its advance in age. At a certain age, cells being to lose their capacity to divide and proliferate. The regeneration of tissues gets slower. Degraded collagen is then accumulated throughout the body; some along the spinal column. Leaving the body exposed to DDD.
Genetics
Recent studies have identified that the presence of certain genes may leave an individual with a high risk of having degenerative disc diseases. The spinal disc located in the lower back has a high risk of degrading in an accelerated manner if there is 5A allele polymorphism.
Most times, patients only find relief when they lay on their backs.
How CBD Fits Into All Of This
Currently, different medications are accessible for treating back pain, especially NSAIDs. However, more studies are being carried out to determine the possibility of cannabis being a better treatment option for treating musculoskeletal conditions like degenerative disk disease.
For thousands of years, cannabis has been used traditionally to treat a host of physical and mental conditions. The intriguing plant has resinous flowers which are loaded with over 100 cannabinoids and 200 terpenes. Cannabidiol (CBD) seems to be the most promising cannabinoids from the various clinical trials.
Observed Impacts Of CBD On DDD
Reduces inflammation
DDD induces the release of inflammatory molecules to the affected areas. CBD is an anti-inflammatory compound that will inhibit the dispersal of inflammatory molecules to the affected areas. With this, it accelerates the healing response of the body.
In 2014, a study suggested the potential of CBD to stop, reduce and hold back the inflammatory response of the body that increases swelling and pain. Researchers were able to establish the any-degenerative effects of CBD at the end of their research. They also went on to suggest that CBD is better suited to treat the condition, with emphasis laid on the non-psychoactive status of the compound and the minimal risk attached.
Stimulates the endocannabinoid system and increases anandamide production
CBD reacts with the ECS receptors, CB1 and CB2, which can be found all over the body in high concentrations present in the immune and nervous systems. These reactions reduce the prevents the degradation of anandamide.
Anandamide is commonly called the “bliss molecule”.
Photo by IRA_EVVA/Getty Images
By slowing down its degradation, the molecule stays longer in the body system—Relieving pain and inflammatory effects that play a role in DDD healing.
One thing about chronic pain and DDD is that it could lead to mental disorders like depression, anxiety, and catastrophization. These disorders leave the patient in a bad mental state. This is another point anandamide comes in. It uplifts the mood of the patient long enough to improve his/her psychological state.
Research carried out years ago states that CBD reduces symptoms of stress, this way it alters the way a patient perceives and deals with pain.
Observed Side-Effects Of CBD On DDD
This varies depending on the sensitivity and tolerance of a person to cannabis compounds. These side effects include;
Fatigue
Memory loss
Reduced appetite
Mood swings
Paranoia
Dizziness
Bottom Line
While we understand that DDD is a complex and very wide disease condition, it is important to note that it doesn’t equate to tissue damage.
It is possible to have experienced none of these symptoms of DDD and have a considerable degeneration in your spinal discs. In the same way, it is possible to have a few symptoms and be in the clear.
In addition to this, those who feel a high level of pain are predisposed to negative mental states.
Fortunately, now we know that CBD has the potential to provide both physical and mental relief to the patients — just more reasons for the medical bodies to approve the use of CBD in treating degenerative disc disease.
With further research, added therapeutic benefits will be uncovered and utilized to formulate the right dose and administration method needed.
The new legislation could directly impact an ongoing case against the DEA after the federal agency refused to grant psilocybin access for the treatment of terminally-ill cancer patients.
On July 20, bipartisan lawmakers from both chambers of Congress sent companion bills clarifying that federal Right to Try (RTT) laws give terminally-ill patients access to Schedule I substances including marijuana and psychedelics. The DEA is pressured to allow access to psychedelics and weed by Congress. The legislation’s lead sponsors are Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Rand Paul (R-KY) together with Representatives Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) and Nancy Mace (R-SC).
As Marijuana Moment first revealed, the measures would constitute a technical amendment to the original law’s text, yet its main aim is to clarify that the measure—signed by former President Donald Trump—actually translates to terminally-ill patients being allowed to get and use Schedule I drugs that have undergone clinical trials.
The new legislation could directly impact an ongoing case against the DEA after the federal agency refused to grant psilocybin access for the treatment of terminally-ill cancer patients.
It is relevant to remember that research on psilocybin, MDMA and cannabis has greatly advanced in clinical trials for mental health conditions in recent years. Even more, the two psychedelics have received the status of breakthrough therapies by the FDA.
Specifically, the new bill discusses the point that RTT laws apply “to schedule I substances for which a phase I clinical trial has been completed and to provide access for eligible patients to such substances.”
In this sense, Sen. Booker stated in a press release that “recent studies suggest that MDMA and psilocybin could represent an enormous advancement in mental health and psychopharmacology,” and that “this legislation will put the patient first and help ensure access to life-changing and life-saving drugs.”
Sen. Paul added: “As a physician, I know how important Right to Try is for patients facing a life-threatening condition. I’m proud to lead this bipartisan legislation with Sen. Booker that will get government out of the way and give doctors more resources to help patients.”
On his behalf, Rep. Blumenauer said that “patients and doctors deserve to discuss treatments that researchers find provide immediate and sustained relief from pain, anxiety, and depression for people battling terminal illness,” while he agrees on former congressmen’s declarations on the fact that “federal restrictions have obstructed access to end-of-life care for too long.” He expects that the introduced legislation will change that “and ensure that all patients have the Right to Try.”
Two more Senate Democrats expressed support for the U.S. Senate bill that would decriminalize and deschedule cannabis on the federal level.
The new cosponsors of the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act (CAOA), which was unveiled on Thursday, are Assistant Democratic Leader Patty Murray (D-WA) and Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI), according to Marijuana Moment. The two join the bill’s three prime sponsors: Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ).
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
“It is long past time the federal government catches up to Washington state when it comes to cannabis laws,” Murray said in a press release. “This legislation is about justice, strengthening our economy, and bringing the federal government into the 21st century.”
The senator also emphasized that the measure would “undo deeply unfair and racially unjust laws that have disproportionately harmed people of color.”
Interestingly, the senator’s statement also addressed the bipartisan Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act, a piece of legislation that was approved by the House members seven times so far but failed to advance in the Senate.
“While the reforms we are pushing for are critical and long overdue—I remain fully committed to passing SAFE Banking however possible—including as a standalone bill,” Murray said. “It makes absolutely no sense that legal cannabis businesses are forced to operate entirely in cash and my bill would bring them into the formal banking system where they belong.”
The bipartisan marijuana banking reform measure aims to protect financial institutions that wish to provide their services to state-legal marijuana businesses.
Rep. Ed Perlmutter (D-CO), the bill’s House sponsor, recently filed an amendment to the Fiscal Year 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) which would include the marijuana banking reform bill.
Support for the enactment of the policy reform is broad, with the latest push coming from the American Bankers Association (ABA) and other financial organizations.
Kentucky governor Andy Beshear is considering taking executive action to allow patients dealing with chronic pain as well as veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder to access medical marijuana. That is if the general assembly doesn’t advance the legislation.
Beshear reminded his Twitter followers that 90% of adult residents in Kentucky support medical marijuana and that the Team KY Medical Cannabis Advisory Committee will make sure every voice is heard.
Ninety percent of Kentucky adults support medical cannabis and the Team KY Medical Cannabis Advisory Committee will help ensure every voice is heard as I weigh executive action that could provide access for those suffering from chronic pain or our veterans suffering from PTSD.1/2
— Governor Andy Beshear (@GovAndyBeshear) July 24, 2022
The governor’s note comes ahead of a town hall meeting scheduled to be held by KY Medical Cannabis Advisory Committee this week in Hopkinsville. The committee was established in June via Beshear’s executive order to have a panel of experts field public opinion statewide on the issue of medical cannabis legislation.
“Townhall meetings will be open to the public for discussion and feedback from residents, local leaders, health care providers, and advocacy groups,” said the notice.
The committee is directed to advise the governor on providing access to medical cannabis for Kentuckians who deal with a myriad of medical conditions.
“This is not about partisan politics,” Kerry Harvey, secretary of the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet, said at the time. “This again, quite simply put, is about finding information that will assist our governor in making decisions that might lead to the alleviation of a lot of pain and suffering on the part of our fellow citizens.”
Commenting on Beshear’s note that 90% of Kentucky adults back medical cannabis legalization, state representative Al Gentry (D-Jefferson County) confirmed his surveys reflect that, reported WKYT.
“This question about medical cannabis is almost always on my survey and over the last five years has drawn between 85 and 91 percent approval,” said Gentry, who is one of the co-sponsors of these pieces of legislation.
A Republican-led bill passed the house in the latest session, but it was never presented in committee in the senate.
“It is my belief that the intent of the constitution was to put the power in the hands of the people and there’s no way you can exercise that if you don’t engage in the process,” Gentry said.
One veteran attending a recent town hall meeting said he hopes to be able to say one day that he hasn’t broken the law for the last 50 years.
The committee noted it will hear from both political parties on the matter, as there are some groups and lawmakers still opposing the reform. During the past legislative session, for example, Senator Damon Thayer (R-Georgetown) expressed his opposition, and Senate president Robert Stivers, (R-Manchester) noted that he would like to see more Kentucky-based research on this issue.
The altered state of perception you experience when high on marijuana can change the way you perceive your senses, including the way you hear your favorite songs.
Quality weed and a great record could be considered the perfect pairing by many cannabis and music enthusiasts. After all, marijuana has had a long history and close relationship with music.
From clouds of intoxicating smoke rising from crowds at music festivals this summer, to the lyrics in many classic songs, marijuana is present. And while there is no denying this close relationship, you are apt to wonder exactly why music sounds so much better when you’re high.
As we previouslyreported, scientists have long been interested in how marijuana affects the way we perceive sound. Unfortunately, studies on marijuana and music, and how it affects sound perception in general, remain scarce due to marijuana’s illegal status. Still, there is some information and insight to draw from in order to help understand why marijuana can make a song sound so much better with it than without it.
Onestudy from 1970 showed the ability of marijuana to perceivably span time, “The smoked marijuana altered pulse rate, time estimation, and EEG.” In fact, the perception of 15 seconds of time, according to the study, was “expanded” to 16.7 seconds. This could possibly explain why those under the influence of marijuana have an ability to notice minute details, and pay particular attention to a piece of music. After all, they have more time to do so — theoretically speaking anyway.
In fact, marijuana taps into our minds in all sorts of ways, many of which seem to positively influence how we perceive things, including music. “Marijuana also accesses a special neurotransmitter system, the endocannabinoid system, which regulates appetite, pain, mood and memory. The way the plant activates this system explains a lot of the unique effects it has on music listening,” according toMIC. Some of these influences, like changes in the endocannaboid system, may be imperceptible at the time, but can change the way we feel when we experience sounds.
Some of marijuana’s mind altering properties, however, can be consciously apparent while listening to music. The altered state of perception you experience when high on marijuana can change the way you perceive your senses, including the way you hear your favorite songs. In particular, individuals often report “heightened senses” while high. The reason for this, is that THC is interacting with receptors in your brain responsible for many of these senses. As Marijuana Doctorssaid, “Areas of the brain that are involved with your senses, such as the olfactory bulb, which manages your sense of smell, bind with THC receptors and create heightened perceptions of your surroundings.”
Cannabis and music also have a strong influence on your dopamine levels, which lead to emotion and gratification in humans. Cannabis with high levels of CBD and THC is reported to have an increased release of dopamine. These strains, paired with the enjoyment from music, may result in a heightened experience.
According toCBC News, “With music and cannabis simultaneously triggering the mesolimbic dopamine system, the brain is chemically reinforcing two extremely gratifying behaviours — and coupling them over time.” This simultaneous heightened experience might explain why some of your favorite songs can feel extra special, almost euphoric, after you smoke weed.
There is still much to learn and understand about marijuana and how it affects the way we hear and perceive music and sounds in general. Still, maybe evidence is secondary to what it feels like hearing a record with some weed after a long day.
Trusting the ability of the olfactory lobes in identifying cannabis — and discerning the quality of — strains is a very important factor before making a purchase.
When it comes to purchasing weed that is fit for the special need of the user, be it for recreational purposes, relaxation or medical purposes, there are a number of things to consider. Buying the right weed is much more than just knowing the name of the strain to purchase and getting it from a trusted dealer. You should smell your weed before buying.
Although these two factors play a huge role in your weed purchase, there are still some basic factors that go a long way in ensuring you get exactly what you bargained for. One such basic factor is the ability to smell your weed before purchasing it.
Photo by Cavan Images/Getty Images
Terpenes and Their Importance in Weed
First off, before we go into why smelling your weed is important, we must first touch on one class of phytochemical molecules found in cannabis plants known as terpenes. Terpenes, simply put, are aromatic molecules found in cannabis plants that give different strains of cannabis buds their characteristic scent. Examples of terpenes found in cannabis plants include limonene, myrcene, linalool, caryophyllene, terpineol. These are just some of the numerous types of terpenes found in cannabis plants. The concentration of some of these terpenes in cannabis buds helps in identification as well as in the assessment of quality.
Terpenes also do more than just give aroma to cannabis buds. Medical marijuana is based on the medicinal properties of cannabis of which terpenes are one of the major contributing factors. Cannabis contains cannabinoids such as THC, CBD, and CBG which have medicinal and recreational effects.
Terpenes work in synergy with these cannabinoids in what is known as the entourage effect to improve the different medicinal effects of the cannabinoids. Myrcene has antipsychotic, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and sedative properties while caryophyllene has analgesic, anticarcinogenic, and antidepressant effects. This gives the understanding that the more the terpenes, the better the medicinal properties of the weed.
This relationship helps to establish the importance of these aromatic compounds in the quality of weed. Now let’s go back to see how this can help in purchasing weed.
Advantages Of Smelling Your Weed Before Purchasing It
Now that we have looked at what terpenes are and the role they play in the medicinal properties and characteristic scents of different cannabis strains, how does this help in purchasing weed?
Identity
It is common knowledge that there are different strains of cannabis and while many know that it is possible to differentiate between cannabis strains, they still don’t know how to do it. This is where terpenes and smelling cannabis strains before purchasing it comes to play. It is easy to know the name of the strain one wishes to purchase but if you are dealing with a dealer that is untrustworthy, you are at a loss if you cannot identify the strain you wish to purchase. This is where smelling your weed comes to play.
Terpenes give cannabis strains a specific smell and the aroma of a strain can help in identifying if it is the desired strain or not. This is where smelling your weed before purchasing it becomes an advantage so as to avoid being given the wrong weed. Some cannabis strains can only be differentiated from others based on their taste and smell because of similarities in physical appearance. This is the major reason why some cannabis dispensaries allow buyers to smell reference samples of weed they have in bottles before they go ahead to purchase it.
The downside of not smelling your weed and identifying it is a therapeutic failure for those using it for medicinal reasons and unwanted effects for those using it for recreational effects.
Quality
For those that are new to cannabis, they might not know that cannabis comes in different grades in terms of quality. Cannabis can be classified into three basic spectrums namely low, medium, and premium-quality bud. The quality of the bud is largely dependent on the producers and how much care and experience is used by the grower to arrive at the final product. Low-quality buds are predominantly grown by novice growers or growers that are majorly profit-driven. They are usually dry with a harsh or bitter taste and tend to have lower levels of THC.
Medium-quality buds have a better appearance and better taste as more are is put in by the growers to ensure a good product. Mostly produced by domestic growers, medium-quality buds are very common. Premium-quality cannabis is what you know as top-shelf products with high grades in terms of content and physical characteristics. It is produced by skilled farmers and special breeders.
These obvious differences in the quality of cannabis buds can be exposed by simply smelling your weed before purchasing it. Due to the lack of a high concentration of terpenes, low-quality terpenes usually lack a distinct smell. This lack of smell can also be due to degradation of the terpenes causing such strains to have harsh taste and less than ideal effects.
Medium-quality cannabis strains have pleasant and characteristic scents. Smelling such strains before purchasing them gives a pleasant feeling and it is easily reproducible in different samples of the strain. Premium-quality buds have a skunky and pungent smell due to a complex network of terpenes.
Bottom line
It is very possible for cannabis plants to be labeled incorrectly with the intent of promoting sales. Low-quality cannabis can be marketed as top-shelf products and in such situations, you might have nothing else to count on except smelling your weed. Trusting the ability of the olfactory lobes in identifying cannabis strains and discerning the quality of strains is a very important character that every cannabis purchaser must possess. This is because the cannabis market is one that required proper intuition and knowledge in all respects.
With the right knowledge, you can get what you bargained for and more and with the wrong knowledge, you could be left wishing you never purchased the weed. So before you fire up that bong or get out those rolling papers, let your nose do the talking.
Plant Growth Regulators seem nonthreatening, but this cannabis should instill fear in you as a user. Here’s why.
Of course, you have heard about the negative impact of fungicides and pesticides on your bud, but that is not the only risk of contamination you will experience. There is another chemical scare brewing in the cannabis industry, and you’ve got to know how to identify it. What are the dangers of smoking PGR marijuana?
Plant Growth Regulators (PGR) weed is a novel substance in the cannabis sector, and it came to bear because of the desire for larger buds and yields. When consumer’s demand for cannabis goes higher, farmers start cutting corners by squirting the cannabis crop with damaging PGRs. So now metal contamination should be your sole concern as a cannabis consumer; you also need to be worried about the possibility of PGR in your weed.
Photo by msk.nina/Getty Images
What is PGR?
In the 1930s, American agricultural enthusiasts were faced with a chemical revolution. At this time, the farm industry in America had accepted the use of synthetic chemicals, which includes things like:
Fungicides
Pesticides
Fertilizers
This was also a time when new chemical applications referred to as “Plant Hormones” and regulators were applied to pineapples to boost their flower production. Farmers in this American agricultural era started to adopt these methods with other crops, hence gaining popularity.
The plant growth regulators used on crops were aimed at controlling their growth in a particular way. For example, with cannabis, it meat that cannabis growers will have denser buds, larger yields, and bushier crops, which were a sign of abundant growth.
Aside from cannabis, the plant growth regulator can be sprayed on trees to keep them short and preserve them; there are also other ways of application on crops. PGRs are chemicals utilized to change the rate at which a plant grows or alters a part of the plant.
The plants naturally produce hormones that aid with their growth, fruits, and other developmental phases. Now cultivators continued to use PGRs from the 19th to the 20th century, with some of the chemicals regulated and others banned.
Top 3 most common PGRs
The rising rate of PGRs in the cannabis sector is still uncovered because more significant parts of the marijuana industry still function in the illegal (black) market. Therefore there is no way to tell when PGR is sprayed on cannabis and when growers can utilize them.
Most worrisome is the fact that frequently cannabis cultivation chemicals do not include a list of ingredients. More so, you can buy PGRs online or at hydroponic shops. If you take the time to read the label, you will know if there is PGR in the product or not.
Another crucial rule to remember is this: if the nutrients offer the assurance of great returns with no ingredients listing, then it may have PGR. Here are three types of PGRs:
Paclobutrazol
This can be applied on different plants from trees to turfgrass and even cannabis. It is mainly used to manipulate the plants into growing uniformly with thick vegetative sizes.
Unfortunately, Paclobutrazol doesn’t allow the plants to produce their natural terpenes despite the buds looking like regular cannabis plants. The final product will be less effective and not very tasty. This chemical has a damaging toxic effect: it affects brain activity and can impact the reproductive cycle.
Chlormequat chloride
Chlormequat chloride was initially solely used for flowers, but it is now used for weed. When used on plants such as cannabis and other cereal grains, it impacts its vegetative growth.
But accidental human exposure through inhalation or immersion through the skin can cause throat and nose irritation. It is still being used in major agricultural sectors like the cannabis market, posing a threat to safe cannabis consumption.
Damiozide
Initially, this chemical was crafted for ornamental plants, but when applied to cannabis, it inhibits growth. In 1989, it was banned by the EPA with the strict instruction that it shouldn’t be used for food. It was also forbidden because it contributed to cancer growth, with the EPA warning that consumption can lead to public health risks.
How to identify a PGR weed
Other damaging pesticides used on cannabis do not display worrisome signs, but PGR weeds show clear signs. PGR cannabis doesn’t look like a natural organic weed, and they are known for having orange hairs all over the buds.
You will also see tiny trichomes developing on the buds (they will be like crystals with o clear yellow and purple colors. The plant’s flowers will also feel spongey; they will have smaller buds and wouldn’t even smell like weeds.
If you see these signs on the cannabis plant or a bud you buy, PGR has been used. The more PGR is used on the plant, the more signs will be on the plant. Inspect all new cannabis batches you get, and if you are still unsure after the inspection, insist on speaking with the supplier.
There are many health-related concerns with PGRs in consumables. With these substances still in use in the agricultural sector, it is a cause of the problem for cannabis enthusiasts. Even when these PGRs are banned in food crops, it is still used on cannabis, exposing the consumer to all kinds of health risks. Immediate exposure can lead to respiratory disease, vomiting and nausea.
Bottom line
Some cannabis growers enjoy using PGR because of its capacity to transform the plant to produce larger yields. But this is a way of cheating nature ad making inferior cannabis products.
Even if you end with aesthetically pleasing and large buds, the plants will be more minor cannabinoids, and they wouldn’t be rich in terpene. Yes, you will have a bountiful harvest but inferior quality, which is dangerous to users.
So the fears for PGRs are legitimate as smokers and cultivators are calling for a total ban. Until the ban happens, look out for dull-orange buds with a flexible center. You don’t want to face a health risk because of PGR in your cannabis.
“Plaintiffs independently tested products purchased from licensed dispensaries and found that THC levels were inflated by an average of 25%,” states the lawsuit.
Three Arkansas residents have filed a federal lawsuit against four licensed medical marijuana companies operating in the state, accusing them of altering the THC levels on the labels of cannabis products they sell to medical cannabis users.
“Each Plaintiff files this suit to vindicate the federal laws prohibiting the cultivation and sale of marijuana and their rights under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (“RICO”). Each Plaintiff is in “chronic pain and has been prescribed medical marijuana by a physician,” reads the Plumlee et al. v. Steep Hill Inc. et al. lawsuit.
Photo by PhotoAlto/Katarina Sundelin/Getty Images
Among the companies sued are Bold, Osage Cultivation, Natural State Medicinal, and primarily Steep Hill Arkansas by Steep Hill Inc. “Plaintiffs independently tested products purchased from licensed dispensaries and found that THC levels were inflated by an average of 25%,” states the lawsuit.
“We noted over time that some marijuana was more potent than others, despite being labeled with similar amounts of THC,” expressed Don Plumlee, Jakie Hanan, and Pete Edwards, which are the plaintiffs. “RICO works with Steep Hill Arkansas, to generate labels with higher THC results (…) Defendants used a telephone, email, or other communication facilities to take action in support of their efforts to illegally sell marijuana that had been mislabeled hundreds of times,” the plaintiffs alleged.
“The RICO Defendants together formed an open-ended partnership business for the purpose of growing marijuana in Arkansas and selling it to dispensaries in Arkansas for purchase by Plaintiff,” the lawsuit continued. “To that end, they pooled their resources, knowledge, skills, and work to achieve through the company efficiencies in the cultivation and distribution of marijuana that none of them could have achieved individually.”
In addition, the plaintiffs’ argument added that “if higher THC levels equate to higher sales, then a concerted effort to mark those THC levels on Certificates of Analysis will lead to consistently higher sales.”
The plaintiffs even argued that this type of activity in the state’s medical cannabis market would violate the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) when CSA stated that, ”the large-scale manufacture and distribution of marijuana is a serious felony.”
Photo by Yarygin/Getty Images
What Do The Scientists Say About THC Effects?
According to a new study published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology, CBD can minimize some of the negative effects THC has on the brain. “THC is the major psychoactive, addiction-promoting, and psychotomimetic compound, while CBD may have opposite effects,” reads the study.
“Cannabis is a very popular recreational drug and is also starting to be used medically for some purposes, but we still don’t know a great deal about how different cannabinoids affect the brain,” said Matt Wall, the study author, and a senior imaging scientist at Invicro.
A study conducted on a global sample of people found that alcohol consumption is not good for anyone under this age.
Alcohol isn’t the healthiest of vices, but many claim that there are certain benefits of consuming with moderation. But a new study has shut down all of our hopes, at least for those under the age of 40, finding that alcohol provided no health benefits for this rather large age group.
The study, published on the Lancet Medical Journal, is a global one and the first of its kind, accounting for factors like geographic locations, sex, ages, and more. It found that males between the ages of 15 and 39 are at highest risk of alcohol’s damage.
“Using estimates of alcohol use in 204 countries, researchers calculated that 1.34 billion people consumed harmful amounts in 2020,” reads the study’s press release. “In every region, the largest segment of the population drinking unsafe amounts of alcohol were males aged 15–39 and for this age group, drinking alcohol does not provide any health benefits and presents many health risks, with 60% of alcohol-related injuries occurring among people in this age group, including motor vehicle accidents, suicides, and homicides.”
In the case of people over the age of 40, drinking small amounts of alcohol was linked with some benefits, like less risk of heart disease, particularly if these people lived in places where there was a lot of heart disease. There was one caveat: for these people to experience benefits, they had to not have any underlying health conditions.
“Our message is simple: young people should not drink, but older people may benefit from drinking small amounts. While it may not be realistic to think young adults will abstain from drinking, we do think it’s important to communicate the latest evidence so that everyone can make informed decisions about their health,” said senior author Dr. Emmanuela Gakidou, who is also a professor at the University of Washington.
So, drinking is bad for you, but also, the world is on fire. Researchers should cut us all some slack.
