New research shows that allergic reactions have a connection to heart conditions.
Allergic reactions vary greatly, swinging from one end of the spectrum to the other. While some responses don’t need medical attention to resolve, others need immediate intervention. To make matters worse, new research has discovered a link between allergic diseases and cardiovascular ones.
The study, published in the American College of Cardiology, found that adults with a history of allergic disease, such as eczema, hives, asthma, hay fever and food allergies, had a higher risk of high blood pressure. Those who had asthma were at the greatest risk. The sstudy confirmed a link between allergies and heart disease that has existed for some time.
While asthma and allergic reactions are considered different diseases, they often coincide with external substances (pollen, for example) capable of prompting both reactions at the same time.
Scientists tested their data against 10,000 allergy sufferers between the ages fo 18-57 who participated in a National Health Interview Survey. They found that subjects between the ages of 39 to 57 had the highest risk for coronary heart disease.
While researchers don’t know why this link exists, they believe it has something to do with people’s inflammatory systems. When there’s an allergen attack, the immune system increases blood flow to the affected area, which can trigger inflammation to a degree that can quickly turn problematic.
Inflammation is the body’s natural response to infection and fighting off a variety of pathogens. But it’s also connected to a variety of chronic conditions that include diabetes, high blood pressure, and more.
Interestingly enough, inflammation also plays a big part in COVID-19. The virus’ infection triggers a strong response from the body’s immune system, which can then result in organ damage and long-term repercussions. For those struggling with long COVID, some studies have found links between the condition and a prolonged response from the immune system, one that can last for up to eight months.
Cannabis-focused DNA testing services are a great way for curious canna consumers to dive deep into scientific insights about their health and endocannabinoid system.
At-home genetic DNA tests have become so popular and trendy over the last few years. These tests, where you merely swab your cheek or spit in a tube and send it back to the manufacturer to have it analyzed, have made it so easy and convenient to learn about so much — from ancestry information, health and medical patterns within your family, what sicknesses you may be prone to, and even the chance to discover relatives that you perhaps didn’t even know about.
Some of these famous companies include 23andMe, Circle DNA, and Ancestry. But what about cannabis-specific DNA testing, which use your very own DNA to learn about the most efficient ways to use cannabis?
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After all, knowing that everyone responds to cannabis differently makes it interesting to learn about how our bodies respond to it. This means that when you are sharing a joint with a group of friends, some of you will have a different reaction to the high based on your very own genetic makeup as well as the strain you’re using, personal experiences with cannabis, and many other factors. Another example is that for many people, high-THC cannabis makes them prone to anxiety and panic attacks while it calms others down.
Instead of doing a trial-and-error experiment with cannabis products, these tests can remove the guesswork — for a fee. You get to learn about exactly what kind of cannabis or CBD product to use, how much of CBD and THC you should be consuming for optimal health, which products won’t give you unwanted side effects of cannabis (this can range for some people from nausea to anxiety, insomnia, couch lock, etc), and which ones are best for any medical conditions you may have suffering from.
Understanding genetics is a very complex thing. The genetic mutations we are each born with can happen and change based on the very individual things we are exposed to in our lives, from our stress levels to the food we consume, we all have a very unique response to cannabis and understanding your DNA can help you learn more about it. And for many consumers, it’s worth the investment.
Here are some of the common cannabis DNA testing services available on the market.
Endocanna Health
Behind Endocanna Health is a team of scientists that have identified 57 human genetic signatures that have an impact on how we respond to cannabis. Consumers can choose to either swab themselves with a home kit, or you can also send data from another similar DNA service such as 23andMe. The company was founded to solve a problem: helping consumers identify cannabinoid or CBD products that suit their specific needs, which many people already struggle with.
“Think of us as a scientific matchmaker for cannabis,” explained Endocanna Health CEO Len May to Rolling Stone. “We provide you with your personalized ratio of cannabinoids and terpenes that align best with your genetic profile.”
The Endocanna website states that their product is the future of cannabinoid therapeutics, using the latest science and biotechnology for consumers to determine the best CBD and THC products for them. The patent-pending DNA tests together with genetically-customized formulations create the blueprint for users to learn about the optimal terpene and cannabinoid ratios and profiles that suit them best. For companies and cannabis product manufacturers, these services can help them match products that will work best for their customers on the first go.
Strain Genie
With easily over 10,000 different cannabis strains in the market today — and growing — it can be overwhelming for consumers to decide on which strains work best for them.
That’s where Strain Genie comes in: users get their DNA sequenced using a home test kit, though also you can upload raw data from other similar kits such as 23andMe. Afterwards, you will be asked to answer an optional questionnaire and share information about cannabis products or brands that you have already tried in the past. Then you will receive a full personalized report telling you about how your body and mind work with the various terpenes and cannabinoids so you can find out which ones suit you.
In addition, they can also make recommendations on CBD products as well as cannabis products that you can buy in a dispensary nearby, if you live in a state with legal adult-use or medical cannabis.
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Dynamic DNA
Dynamic DNA offers a range of DNA testing available with categories for consumers to choose from. There are tests for Proactive Health, Family + Ancestry, Personalized Medicine, and then there’s Cannabis under substances.
The steps are similar to other cannabis DNA testing methods: order a kit from the website, give a sample of your cheek swab, send in the mailer, and your DNA report will be mailed back to you. The test results will help you learn about 13 genetic traits that give you the information you need for maximizing your cannabis experience while also avoiding any unwanted side effects.
Aafter you have your report, you can learn about the best THC:CBD ratios to better navigate the cannabis products on the market.
Cannabis-focused DNA testing services are a great way for curious canna consumers to dive deep into scientific insights about their health and endocannabinoid system. While recreational cannabis users may want to do this for fun or simply to learn something new, these are excellent tools for medical patients or first-time medical marijuana patients who want to know which products work best without having to do a trial and error, so that they can find the best way to medicate for their specific needs and get it right the first time.
While retailers should definitely have an assortment of flower, concentrate, and candy products, expect beverages to play a bigger role in this year’s 420 celebrations.
BDSA, a market research firm focused on the cannabis sector, predicts that the impact of the 4/20 holidays will be greater than in the past two years. The past two years, April 20 fell on a Monday and Tuesday — the two days of the week with the lowest daily sales according to past BDSA retail sales tracking data.
This year, BDSA predicts that cannabis sales on 4/20 in mature markets will total 50% higher than the average daily sales for April.
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4/20: An Opportunity to Boost Dollar Sales
“The retail promotions and sales offered around 420 are a big draw across the consumer base, as “low price” is consistently a top three influencer of product choice, as well as the top three most important factors for consumers when choosing where to shop for cannabis,” reported BDSA in a press release.
With Americans contending with higher prices for a wide range of other goods, consumers are likely to take advantage of 4/20 promotions. BDSA retail sales tracking data from Colorado in 2021 showed that April 16-20 saw the lowest average retail prices, but also the highest daily dollar sales of any day of the month.
According to BDSA, in 2022 retailers are offering more heavily discounted products.
“On average retail prices on the 420 holiday are expected to fall 15% from average retail prices on other days in April, and a boost across all product categories, with the beverage subcategory “making a breakout performance.”
Cannabis Beverages Expected To Lead Sales
While sales volumes and total dollar sales will be driven upward during the days around 4/20, the source of these increases will not change compared to the category share during a regular week.
BDSA advised retailers to make sure they have “the right assortment of products leading up to the peak sales days around the 4/20 holiday.
“Beverages have seen the largest percent growth of the edible share of any edible subcategory in the past year. While retailers should definitely have an assortment of flower, concentrate, and candy products, expect beverages to play a bigger role in this year’s 420 celebrations,” noted the firm.
New Jersey legal weed sales can begin April 21, state officials announced. The state Cannabis Regulatory Commission will issue licenses to seven medical marijuana dispensaries, officially known as alternative treatment centers that will also sell recreational weed beginning April 21.
The seven treatment centers are now clear to sell adult-use cannabis at 13 locations across the state. It is up to each of them to decide when they will open.
“This is an exciting time for New Jersey,” said Cannabis Regulatory Commission executive director Jeff Brown. “We have been intentional and deliberate to do everything in our power to set the market on good footing to start.”
Earlier this week, the commission gave initial approval to alternative treatment centers, which are multi-state operators to begin operating. They include Acreage Holdings, Ascend Wellness, AYR Wellness, Curaleaf, Green Thumb, Columbia Care, TerrAscend and Verano Holdings.
Representatives of the companies told NJ Advance Media they all intend to open at least some of their facilities on April 21.
Why Not Open On 4/20?
A source representing one of the approved alternative treatment centers told NJ Advance that none are ready to open Monday or Tuesday. But more importantly, Wednesday is 4/20, “which the regulators want to avoid at all costs in opening any stores” due to fears of draining supplies. Thus, the source said, “Thursday is go time.”
The alternative treatment centers have been approved to sell recreational cannabis at their medical marijuana sites in various NJ cities.
Which Shops Are Opening Where?
A spokeswoman for Verano said late Thursday that the company is planning to begin recreational cannabis sales at its sites in Elizabeth and Lawrence on April 21.
Acreage intends to kick off sales at The Botanist Williamstown and The Botanist Egg Harbor on the 21st.
Acsend reps said it wants to begin sales at its Rochelle Park facility.
Green Thumb, which uses the RISE Mankato banner, confirmed that RISE Bloomfield and RISE Paterson will open this coming Thursday at 6 a.m.
Under CRC guidelines, registered patients can purchase up to three ounces of medicinal cannabis/cannabis product.
Recreational users will be able to purchase up to one ounce in a single transaction.
The CRC said it would provide a list of which locations will open on April 21 on its website as soon as the alternative treatment centers make their decisions.
A meta-study shows that this activity is extremely helpful for depression.
Exercise is the most popular suggestion for wellness, whether that’s mental or physical. It’s so pervasive that it’s almost an annoying suggestion to make, yet more and more research continues to appear in its support.
A new study shows that even small amounts of exercise can substantially decrease the risk of depression, helping people feel better in the long run and have less bad mental health days.
The research, published in JAMA Psychiatry, found that those who reaped the most benefits were the ones who transitioned from a sedentary lifestyle into adding more movement and activity into their day-to-day lives, a fact that researchers find encouraging for many who believe that a variety of workouts a week is unrealistic for their lifestyle.
Results show that those who worked out for 1.25 hours a week had 18% lower risk of depression. Those who worked out for 2.5 hours a week had 25% lower risk. After the 2.5 hour mark, the effects of exercise no longer appeared to have an increased effect on mental health.
More and more studies continue to add evidence that workouts are healthy, no matter their intensity or regularity. A good workout can range from a gym session to a vigorous walk, something that’s possible for most people, especially if they make the time for it by adding in more commutes in their lives or by making small decisions like incorporating the use of bikes and taking the stairs in lieu of elevators.
Medicare users are over the age of 65, a demographic that coincides with a lot of medical marijuana users.
A new report shows that Medicare users and medical marijuana patients have a lot in common. According to a survey reported by U.S. News, 1 in every 5 Medicare patients use medical cannabis. Cannabis is not covered by Medicare in any state.
The survey, which was conducted on 1,250 Medicare recipients, also found that 23% of them had used cannabis in the past. Out of all recipients, 21% of them use medical cannabis to treat an ailment.
According to the survey, patients used medical marijuana primarily to treat anxiety, closely followed by chronic pain. Other conditions that were submitted include depression, glaucoma, symptoms of HIV, like nausea, depression, and more. Two-thirds of respondents said they agreed with a statement that said that medical marijuana should be covered by Medicare.
Interestingly enough, current medical marijuana users aren’t too keen on having Medicare cover cannabis. They believe Medicare coverage could increase the price of the product, resulting in them paying more in the long run for the product they want to consume.
Lastly, 31% of Medicare users oppose Medicare’s coverage of marijuana, quoting a lack of research and knowledge on the drug as the main reason for their reticence.
Medicare is federal health insurance for people over the age of 65, a demographic that includes a lot of medical marijuana users. In recent years, seniors have increased their medical marijuana use steadily, coinciding with the legalization of cannabis across the country.
While Medicare tends to cover medicines like narcotics, something that’s different from cannabis’ more naturalistic bend, its coverage would mean a lot for the cannabis community as a whole and would add some validity to its medicinal use. Still, there’s a long road ahead, and more research and a more stable industry are needed before taking such big steps.
Senate Bill 1186, which aims to put back voter-created access to medical cannabis across California, sponsored by Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), recently passed the Senate Business and Professions Committee by a vote of 8-3. The bill was sent to the Senate Governance and Finance Committee, according to Senator’s official website.
“Access to medical cannabis is both a health and equity issue, which is why we need to ensure everyone who needs this medicine — including seniors, those living in rural areas, and those living with chronic illness — has access,” said Senator Wiener. “No one should have to drive two hours or buy from the illegal market in order to get their medicine. That’s unacceptable and undermines the will of California voters. SB 1186 ensures that every Californian can access medicinal cannabis, either at a store or by delivery.”
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The California Cannabis Industry Association is sponsoring SB 1186, while California NORML is also backing the proposed measure.
What does the current California law say?
The Golden State allows cities to forbid any and all marijuana sales, which is something 62% of cities are doing right now, with medical marijuana sales included. This means that those city residents, including the ones who suffer from HIV, cancer, insomnia, arthritis and other illnesses and disorders for which cannabis could be helpful, have no other way than to buy it on the illicit market.
Because of this, the illegal cannabis market in the state is booming, and its residents are at risk of getting contaminated and unsafe cannabis products from illegal sources.
New Bill Summary
Under the SB 1186 cities would be required to allow some kind of medical cannabis access. The choice of how to enable that access would be given to each city. Options are several — enabling medical marijuana delivery, storefront or both. But, most importantly, if the bill passes into law, cities in California would no longer be allowed to ban all medical cannabis access.
After all, California was the first state in the U.S. to legalize medical cannabis in 1996, approving Proposition 215, and now medical marijuana is legal in more than 30 states.
This mantra was touted time and time again during the golden years of prohibition and in a way, we’re still adhering to this kind of thinking in related to cannabis policy.
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The “What about the children” argument typically followed the following logic:
Drugs are bad
If you were to legalize drugs you send the message that “it’s okay to do drugs”
The “Children” would see this, imitate it…and….
YOU’LL INVOKE THE APOCALYPSE!!!
Perhaps the fourth point is a slight exaggeration, however the general logical progression in the argument suggests that having something “legal” is indirectly going to convince kids to try drugs.
The problem with this false sense of concern is that “The children” are exposed to a myriad of other social ills that are perfectly legal, and thus – “the children” can verily go fuck themselves, because in “those instances” parents are considered the caretakers of their children and the state no longer has any responsibility towards their wellbeing.
Confused yet?
Yeah, me too!
Let me make it simpler.
As of 2018, nearly half of Americans had a “propensity for obesity” with nearly 1 in 10 Americans being severely obese. When we look at Child Obesity Rates in the US, nearly 1 in 5 has a propensity to obese.
This is directly linked to the American diet. All the sugary, hormone packed, corn syrup-industrial guck they sell you as “food” are packaged in plastics drenched in phthalates that reduces fertility and shrinks the taints of young boys. This was sold en masse without virtually any over sight, and when you looked around in the room, you could hear the crickets as no one screamed “WHAT ABOUT THE CHILDREN!”
Only recently has the discussion on phthalates gained some popularity, but I’m not seeing any major legislations happening, no major push from these so called “Mother groups” concerned about the health of their children. I guess, if they ain’t smoking the icky sticky – they can eat themselves into a coma while actively working on a healthy dose of diabetes to accompany their shriveled little taints.
However, the “What about the Children” mantra might have even perpetuated actual harm against children as a new study found.
Photo by August de Richelieu via Pexels
Legal Cannabis – Fewer Foster Kids!
A recent study entitled, “Recreational marijuana legalization and admission to the foster-care system” found that legalizing cannabis actually could have a positive impact on child wellbeing. Here’s the abstract of the study:
We estimate the effects of legalized recreational marijuana on entry into the foster-care system. Exploiting state-level variation in legalization and its timing, we estimate that legalization decreases foster-care placements by at least 10%, with larger effects in years after legalization, and for admissions for reasons of parental drug and alcohol abuse, physical abuse, neglect, and parental incarceration.
Our findings imply that legalization may have important consequences for child welfare, and that substitution toward marijuana from other substances can be an important part of how legalization affects admissions.
In other words, because parents didn’t go to jail for cannabis, they were able to stay at home and take care of their children. Cannabis is a far less dangerous substance than alcohol on all measurements. Alcohol is involved in nearly 40% of all violent crimes and is highly addictive. Yet, you’ll see ads run on Youtube which can be viewed by children.
You can drink yourself into a stupor, pass out in your yard and piss yourself – which would all be legal and socially “acceptable”. Sure, people frown on alcoholism yet glorify it on T.V with Super Bowl commercials. Once again, the “what-about-the-children” protests are eerily silent when it comes to promoting a more harmful substance during “family time”.
However, the fact that the War on Drugs sends roughly 25,000 kids with families to foster care per year…that is an atrocity. That does merit a “What about the Children!” Yet, once again, those moral-driven parent groups could give a damn about some “poor kids” that aren’t their own. The hypocrisy is real!
How did I get the 25,000 per year? Well, this is based on the general entries into Foster Care in 2019. You can check the stats here. Considering that the study found that it reduced admissions, “entries” by 10%, we’re roughly looking at 25,000-26,000 children.
These are 25,000 children that now have to deal with psychological trauma, a disruption in their development, and a forced separation from their parental figures by a “hostile state”. And you wonder why people don’t trust the government.
I’ve been very disappointed by the number of people who’ve supported legalizing marijuana not because they’ve come to understand the profound problems with the War On Drugs, but simply because weed is about as harmful as caffeine.
Unfortunately most people still don’t understand how the WoD is a harm maximization strategy that takes an already dangerous substance, and greatly exacerbates every dimension of it’s harm, from the user up through society as a whole and national governments.
The calculus is still “This thing is bad, we must ban it.” There’s just been a shift to ‘weed isn’t bad’. That’s why we’re in the midst of yet other drug panic and crackdown where we mindlessly ramp up penalties over fentanyl, even as weed gets legalized everywhere. Left unacknowledged is the fentanyl is a pure example of the consequences of prohibition; virtually no one prefers it, and the crisis was largely created by government policy when the CDC, acting as a mouthpiece for the DEA against medical expert consensus, started a war on pain pills in general, instead of targeted action against inappropriate prescribing, spiking demand for street opioids, leading to need for a greatly expanded supply. Then once they saw the easier sourcing and greater profits, it’s basically replaced heroin, at the cost of far, far, far more ODs.
Which brings us to the fundamental problem with prohibition – it doesn’t make drugs any safer. It also doesn’t solve the problem – only lines the pockets of criminals, bolsters a hostile state, and oppresses children by forcibly removing them from their parent’s care.
As Fafalone pointed out, the War on Drugs shifts in accordance with the latest “problem”. Currently we’re in an “opioid epidemic” and “need” the DEA and the government to “fight” more boogie men. But unlike the average person, I have been covering the War on Drugs, prohibition and the political policies of cannabis for over a decade.
What the study has revealed is that legalizing cannabis reduces admissions by 10%, but how many other drugs also play a role in that? What if treatment was free? What if there was a safe way to get out of addiction? What if locking people up for drug use is the worst possible way to deal with a drug problem?
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The fact of the matter is that the War on Drugs cannot and should not exist at all. It’s an atrocious policy that corrodes the trust in governance, which for an anarchist like myself is something that has long been lost (trust in the gov).
The fact of the matter is that if we’re truly striving for a society that cares about people, we need to stop treating drug use as a crime. We need to acknowledge that we all use drugs, one way or another. We need to understand that Pharma isn’t god when it comes to medicine and people should be allowed to explore alternatives to the Pharma option.
It’s time we as a collective step up, challenge these dinosaurs, and once more “decentralize the power structure”.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced that the Cannabis Control Board has approved 52 adult-use Cannabis Conditional Cultivator Licenses across the state. These are the first adult-use cannabis licenses granted in New York.
The approved licenses are from a pool of over 150 requests that were submitted to the Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) following the March 15 opening of the application portal.
Gov. Hochul said the OCM will continue to review applications on a rolling basis and work to get them to the board for approval as quickly as possible.
“New York’s farms have been the backbone of our state’s economy since before the American Revolution, and now, New York’s farms will be at the center of the most equitable cannabis industry in the nation,” Hochul said.
“I’m proud to announce the first adult-use cannabis cultivation licenses in the state, and I’m proud of the work the Office of Cannabis Management and the Cannabis Control Board are doing to get adult-use cannabis sales up and running as fast as possible without compromising our mission to uplift communities and individuals most impacted by the past century of cannabis prohibition,” said Hochul, who is up for election in November.
The approved licenses also advance the Seeding Opportunity Initiative, announced in mid-March. The initiative prioritizes people with past cannabis convictions enabling them to get the first round of adult-use cannabis retail licenses—ahead of existing medical cannabis businesses.
The policy is part of a concerted effort to assure that early business owners in New York’s projected billion-dollar marijuana industry will be members of communities that have been affected by the nation’s decades-long war on drugs.
This is a clear sign that the MORE Act has a slim chance of reaching President Biden’s desk, considering it needs 60 votes and most Republicans already openly spoke against it.
Even though the House of Representatives approved the Marijuana Opportunity, Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act, H.R. 3617 on April 1, sending it to Senate, the big cannabis battle isn’t over. Some say it has just begun.
The MORE Act, which aim removes cannabis from the federal Controlled Substances Act, allowing states to legalize cannabis, its production, and sale, free from federal interference, seems to have many opponents among politicians.
On the other hand, the newest survey conducted by YouGov, more than 50% of the U.S. population wants to see marijuana legal on the federal level.
More precisely, 60% said yes to cannabis legalization. While Democrats are more likely to support the change, 72% of them voted for marijuana reform. Republicans are evenly split on the issue, with 46% supporting and 46% opposing it.
Just this week, U.S. Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ) confirmed the fear that the bill doesn’t have the support of all the Democrats in the Senate.
Kelly, a retired NASA astronaut and retired U.S. Navy captain, noted that the bill should make operations easier for cannabis businesses in states that have legalized the plant, but “stopped short of endorsing it,” writes azfamily.
“I think in general, folks that are legally conducting business in states like Arizona should have access to the banking system, but I’ll have to look at the details,” Kelly said.
This is a clear sign that the MORE Act has slim chances of reaching President Biden’s desk, considering it needs 60 votes out of the 100-member chamber and most of the Republicans already openly spoke against it.
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Senators Who Recently Opened Up Against Cannabis Reform
When asked last week at the Capitol about the MORE Act, Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) said, “Okay, I don’t support that. I’ve had family members who have had a lot of drug issues, and so I’m not going to do it,” reported CNSNews.
Even, Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC), who is one of the leaders among GOP representatives in favor of removing cannabis from the list of federally controlled substances voted against it. Why?
“The MORE Act forces a system on South Carolinians and other states they do not want. By comparison, my bill, the States Reform Act, removes the federal government from the equation and allows states to decide for themselves,” Mace explained as reported by The State.
Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO.) doesn’t think the measure “would pass the Senate right now,” and Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.) emphasized that there are “serious drug problems in Montana,” a state that legalized recreational marijuana in recent years.
A Spark Of Light
What many cannabis enthusiasts across the U.S. say they’re hoping for, and most cannabis industry experts agree upon, is that medical marijuana legalization has a better chance, as does some form of cannabis banking reform.
Republicans, in general, seem to be more interested in helping to resolve what many see as one of the biggest problems in the industry: banking. Medical marijuana reform seems to be more easily acceptable to members of both parties.
