The largest study conducted on the effects of COVID-19 shows that the disease has serious implications for cardiovascular health.
The impact of long COVID-19 has been documented in thousands of people. Still, since the disease is still new, researchers have only been able to provide estimates and rough numbers, unable to see the big picture. The first large study to assess health one year after a COVID-19 infection found some disturbing results, particularly within the cardiovascular health area.
The study, published in the Nature Journal, analyzed more than 11 million records of U.S. veterans who experienced COVID-19 the previous year.
Researchers found connections between patients who struggled with COVID-19 and over 20 different cardiovascular disease issues. The risk and damage rose with the severity of the disease, but even patients who didn’t need to attend the hospital to treat their COVID-19 symptoms still experienced more risks than people who were never infected.
Science magazine spoke with cardiologist Eric Topol, who said these numbers were “worse than I expected.” “All of these are very serious disorders,” said. “If anybody ever thought that COVID was like the flu, this should be one of the most powerful data sets to point out it’s not.”
Other experts say that, in the future, COVID-19 might become the biggest risk factor for heart disease, outperforming smoking, obesity, and more.
While researchers only looked into cardiovascular health, they speculate that other organs affected by long COVID might show these types of results. “Similar things could be happening in the brain and other organs resulting in symptoms characteristic of Long COVID, including brain fog,” said the study’s senior author, Ziyad Al-Aly.
When it comes to caveats to the research, there are a few. The study was conducted on veterans who sought medical help between 2020 and 2021, for reasons other than COVID-19. Ninety-percent of these subjects were white, male, and elderly.
Researchers make it clear that these results were surprising for all, and that they should encourage unvaccinated people to get their COVID-19 vaccines as soon as possible. While the pandemic may pass, heart disease is something that will linger, and that must be monitored for the remainder of people’s lives.
The Calgary Police Department in Alberta, Canada, lifted the ban on cannabis use for its officers.
According to Industria 420, the consumption of psychoactive cannabis will only be allowed during free time as long as it does not interfere with the duties of police personnel.
Speaking to the Calgary Herald, Andrea Urquhat, Director of Human Resources, explained, “We analyzed the substance use policy and transitioned to fitness for work policy instead of zero-tolerance. There is no evidence that this particular change is detrimental to our fundamental goal of serving and protecting.”
Photo by rgbspace/Getty Images
In 2018, following a raid on an illegal Toronto dispensary, two police officers ate cannabis-laced chocolate while on duty. What happened? One of the police officers, Vittorio Dominelli, 36, stole three chocolate bars from the raid, ate one while on duty, and encouraged his lower-ranking partner to do the same.
As reported by the National Post, when the marijuana-infused chocolate took effect, Dominelli thought he was going to die and called for help over the radio.
One of the officers who rushed to the scene to help slipped on ice and suffered a serious head injury, affecting his speech and vision.
From a public interest perspective, the impact was profound. “This conduct cannot be described as anything other than stupid… he is just a complete idiot, ” said Judge Mary Misener, during the hearing. Dominelli pleaded guilty to attempting to obstruct justice and faced a suspended supervised sentence of nine months and 60 hours of community service.
Recently, Const. Jamie Young read an apology in court: “In doing so, I caused great embarrassment and damage to the reputation of the service and my fellow officers, and for that, I am deeply sorry.”
The officer’s attorney requested an 18-month demotion to constable fourth class, followed by a 12-month demotion to constable third class. In addition, according to The Growth Op, Young proposed to attend the Toronto Police Service university for training once she is reinstated.
However, the court has not yet officially ruled on that joint offer.
Many dispensaries already offer concierge services through one-on-one consultations with expert budtenders. However, other services take the concierge concept up a notch.
If you live in a cannabis-friendly state, you may have come across the term cannabis concierge. Cannabis concierges represent a new wave of customer service in the marijuana industry. Inspired by the humble hotel concierge, whose sole job is to make the guest happy by providing them with a customized itinerary or organize a VIP trip, cannabis concierges do pretty much the same thing.
Depending on the company, cannabis concierges can provide any range of services from 420-friendly travel to organizing special events and social gatherings, sourcing premium cannabis for you in a new city, custom cannabis advice on products, and so much more.
Photo by Helen King/Getty Images
Benefits of a Cannabis Concierge
No matter what kind of cannabis concierge it is, there is one thing they all have in common: personalized service. Many dispensaries already offer concierge services through one-on-one consultations with expert budtenders. However, other services take the concierge concept up a notch.
There are many scenarios when you could make use of a cannabis concierge. Traveling, for one; if you are visiting a new city and want to know where it’s safe to smoke, seek out some cannabis social clubs, and want some help in sourcing weed, these are some of the services they can do for you. While you can also find this information on Google, what makes them so special (and worth the extra cash) is that they go the distance to give you personalized information, most of which is only known to locals.
Some concierge services also take care of organizing special events such as weddings, when couples and the guests want to put marijuana in the middle of it all. We all know that planning big events can be a daunting task especially if you don’t have the experience, connections, and knowledge. That’s definitely where a concierge can come in handy: they make sure that you will have an unforgettable event while staying classy. They know the cannabis-friendly venues in town, where to look for smoke-friendly limos, locate caterers who can design cannabis-infused wedding and party menus, and so much more.
These services are a step up for discerning cannabis connoisseurs, for people who want to pay to experience something special, unique, and made just for them. Concierge clientele are willing to pay a little more to get something you can’t get anywhere else.
In short, we think cannabis concierge services are totally worth the money if you can afford it, and it makes a certain experience more special for you. Whether it’s an upcoming holiday or travel, putting together an event, or simply just getting an extra hand to pick out premium cannabis products in your area, the expertise is there so take advantage of it.
Cannabis Concierge Services To Check Out
There are many cannabis concierge services popping up in adult-friendly states. Here are some that are worth checking out:
MedMen Cannasseur: MedMen Enterpises Inc. is a nationwide leading marijuana retailer, with presence all over the United States. They have just announced the launch of Cannasseur, a personal cannabis concierge service which specializes in personal shopping.
The service is available in California, Florida, Arizona, and Nevada. It’s led by experts, providing customers with one-on-one consultations with professional budtenders who are equipped to handle everything from product and strain recommendations to advice on responsible use and even education. All Cannasseurs are given expert trainings through seminars and workshops, so that they have the skills necessary to answer customer questions about consumption methods, effects, and more.
Photo by mikroman6/Getty Images
Hawaiian Cannabis Concierge: Ever dreamed of visiting the Aloha State while high? Well, the Hawaiian Cannabis Concierge can do that for you. Based in Kauai, they specialize in taking care of everything you need for the ultimate cannabis vacation for that special aloha feeling.
You can customize your trip with a personal driver, staying at excellent cannabis-friendly accommodations, 420 tours, and so much more. Hawaiian Cannabis Concierge provides all-inclusive travels with luxury hotels, daily infused dining experiences, medical cannabis vouchers, island excursions, and access to premium smoking accessories. Talk about the ultimate getaway to paradise!
Cultivated Travel: For the best in cannabis-friendly holidays, get in touch with Cultivated Travel. They are experts in organizing cannabis tours around Colorado as well as other cities around the world. You can be assured that you will be getting the best 420-friendly travel, as it’s founded by a keen traveler who is also passionate about premium cannabis.
Cultivated Travel takes the guesswork out of the complicated cannabis laws wherever you are going, to ensure that you have a safe, smooth, and hassle-free experience. Clients can choose from a range of services including VIP Travel, Peace of Mind, and Easy Access.
Cali Concierge: Cali Concierge takes pride in offering exclusive cannabis services for discerning clientele with varying needs. Their strong areas of focus are CBD White Label Services, which enable them to connect you to specialized technicians and companies who can create and customize products for you so that you can launch your own dream CBD brand with high-quality products.
They also do Retreats + Events, helping event organizers and retreat planners curate the most incredible high vibe experiences. They can help you navigate the legal obstacles while also ensuring your event gets the exposure that it needs to be lucrative. Additionally, they can also do Cannabiz Consulting, since their team already has years of experience within the cannabis industry, and can help you build the cannabis business of your dreams.
Cali Concierge can also connect you with wholesale CBD suppliers, which is such a great help for retailers, online businesses, and brick and mortar shops who want to get started being successful. Their team is ready to help in any way they can, and with these available avenues, they make it easy for anyone to get a foot into the industry.
This year, consumer experts predict high demand for marijuana products ahead of Super Bowl Sunday.
In not surprising news, cannabis experts expect product sales to rise by a significant bump ahead of Super Bowl Sunday.
MarketWatch reports that last year, cannabis sales jumped 33% the Friday before the Super Bowl and increased 22% that Saturday. Interestingly, cannabis sales dropped by 28% on Sunday, becoming the day of worst sales during the months of February and March, likely because people already has their stash by the time Sunday rolled around.
These numbers were gathered by Surfside, a New York-based tech company that spoke with MarketWatch and provided their predictions for this year’s cannabis sales, expecting an uptick now that more people will likely gather.
Photo by Nico De Pasquale Photography/Getty Images
“The Super Bowl being in California may help as well. We tend to see that when events are held in a state with recreational cannabis, you get a large influx of tourists that may be from other states that aren’t fully recreational and we see an uplift from that,” said Jon Lowen, Surfside CEO.
Weed isn’t the only thing people are stocking up on ahead of the Super Bowl. MarketWatch reports that consumers are planning on buying snacks, team apparel, TV and home theater gear, and even grills, coolers, and chairs for gatherings with friends.
A trend you’ll likely notice if you have a Super Bowl party is that items will be much more expensive. According to the Consumer Price Index, goods and services surged 7.5% in January due to inflation. This is due in large part to labor shortages, supply-chain problems, product shortages, and increasing consumer demand.
It’s expected that shoppers will spend $14.6 billion on food, drinks, apparel, and decorations.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) asked senators to help them complete the marijuana legalization bill expected to be filed in April. To that end, the top Senate Democrats sent letters to their colleagues encouraging them to get into the drafting process and help finalize this legislation.
“In order to appropriately address such a nuanced issue, we respectfully request the input, advice, and guidance of Chairs and Ranking Members of relevant committees as well as senators who have dealt with the challenges and realities of legalization in their own states,” the three senators wrote. “We would deeply appreciate your willingness to share your expertise on the intersections between your committees’ jurisdictions, your states’ experiences, and comprehensive cannabis reform and invite you to join the process of perfecting this legislation. We would welcome the opportunity to discuss this issue with you in the weeks ahead.”
Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images
The letter comes nearly a week after Schumer told a press conference in New York City, that in April he plans to officially file the long-awaited bill to federally legalize cannabis.
At the same NYC press conference, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), talked about the advancements on his separate legalization measure. The event also included House Small Business Committee Chairwoman Nydia Velazquez (D-NY), New York lawmakers, advocates with the Drug Policy Alliance and other organizations.
“In the coming weeks, we’re ramping up our outreach—and we expect to introduce final legislation. Our goal is to do it in April,” Schumer said. “Then we begin the nationwide push, spearheaded by New York, to get the federal law done. As majority leader, I can set priorities. This is a priority for me.”
“Right now, we’re taking those comments [on the draft version] and reaching out to Democratic and Republican senators,” said Schumer, adding that “we have some Republican support.”
It was not clear if Schumer was referring to having GOP cosponsors of the legislation or general support from voters.
“If any senators have other ideas that they want to add to the bill, as long as it keeps social and economic justice as the spearhead, we’re happy and willing to listen,” he said.
Record Legalization Support
The number of Americans who think marijuana should be legally obtainable hit a record high in 2021 for the second year in a row, according to a November Gallup poll, which showed that as many as 68% of American adults support cannabis legalization. The figure is the same as in 2020, which is the highest percentage of support ever revealed in a national Gallup poll.
“Hundreds of millions of Americans live in states that have legalized cannabis in some form while it remains illegal at the federal level,” the three senators highlighted on Thursday. “This discrepancy leads to confusion and uncertainty and raises significant questions around criminal justice reform, economic development and small business growth, and public health and safety, all of which we believe require some type of federal answer.”
Cannabis companies have long tried to make their mark on Super Bowl Sunday. Is this the year it’s finally happening?
If there’s an important moment for advertisers, it’s the Super Bowl. The ads played during the game tend to reflect cultural milestones and moments, whether that means a new technology or the trendiest actors. This year, Snoop Dogg is among the night’s entertainers. Does this mean weed companies finally get a chance to run some ads?
The Verge reports that despite the fact that products as varied as cryptocurrencies and all sorts of liquors are getting their chance to run ads, cannabis is once again shut out of the game.
The NFL has a list of restricted products, which no ads can reference. “Cannabis falls within that restricted category,” said Alex Riethmiller, spokesperson for the league.
The NFL is picky with the ads they play during the Super Bowl, following their own set of rules. For example, antidepressants, birth control pills, and gambling ads are fair game while ads for condoms and cannabis are not allowed. This year’s list of banned products is not available, but in 2017 it included products like fireworks, social cause, and issue advocacy, tobacco products, male enhancements products, and more.
This isn’t the first year where a cannabis business has tried to air an ad during the most viewed TV program of the year. In 2019, Acreage Holdings, a medical marijuana company, tried to air an ad highlighting their products. They were denied. This year, Weedmaps, a company from California, tried to broach the topic with the NFL but was swiftly shut down. “It was a blanket ‘no,'” said the company’s COO.
Cannabis ads remain a controversial topic. As is the case with most things in this industry, while a majority of people long for the drug’s normalization, policies and guidelines remain leagues behind.
Even though the list of emojis isn’t an exhaustive one, it’s fascinating to see that the DEA pays attention to the way drugs are discussed, even digitally.
As a method of fighting back against overdose deaths, the DEA recently began the “One Pill Can Kill” campaign. The driving source of motivation behind the new campaign is to provide an opportunity for the media, parents, teachers, educators, and community organizations to raise awareness about counterfeit prescription drugs.
As part of the campaign, the DEA is helping to teach parents signs to watch for that can help them indicate when their children are discussing illegal drug use. If the point of the program is to teach the mentors of teens and young adults the coded language they use to discuss drugs, then it makes complete sense why emojis would be one of the program’s core focuses.
Here are some key takeaways about the DEA’s findings regarding the way emojis are used to discuss drugs amongst teens and young adults.
Photo by Minty via rawpixel.com
When Emojis Are Most Often Used For Depicting Drug Use
The fact that emojis are used to depict specific types of drugs and actions likely isn’t much of a surprise to most people. Still, it may come as a surprise to see just how many different types of activities related to drug use can be depicted solely using emojis.
For instance, according to a graphic shared by the DEA, emojis are used to depict all sorts of drugs from meth to marijuana. There are also emojis that depict the potency levels of drugs, like bombs or flames along with some that are shared just for the purpose of dealer advertising like plugs or stacks of cash.
Platforms Where Emoji Use Is Common
Knowing what emojis are used for the purpose of depicting drug use is helpful, but that insight is limited. The only way this insight can be leveraged is by knowing what mediums teens are using to discuss drug use.
According to the DEA, the platforms range from long-standing entertainment platforms like YouTube to newer social media platforms like TikTok. The most widely used platform for criminal drug network activities is Snapchat, followed by Facebook Messenger and Instagram.
Some examples of emojis that are commonly used on these platforms that may depict drug use include the P Button emoji, to represent Percocet, or the 8 ball, which is used to refer to cocaine.
Glaring Omissions By The DEA
It would be hard to miss out on the obvious ones like a tree meaning marijuana or a mushroom emoji depicting shrooms. That being said, it’s somewhat surprising that some of the less obvious, still widely used emojis like a gas container which depicts high potency marijuana or the eyeball emoji for must see products that are being advertised.
Another oversight from the DEA’s powerpoint is the use of the Canadian maple leaf as a universal signal for drug use. One could be left to wonder what our neighbors to the north think of the DEA confusing the emblem of their flag for a pot leaf.
Even though the list of emojis isn’t an exhaustive one, it’s fascinating to see that the DEA pays attention to the way drugs are discussed, even digitally. Since the book is out on the fact that the DEA is watching, it’s fair to question if drug dealers and their customers will take things offline in the near future like back in the old days.
The idea is to signal to the business community and to employers that because Colorado has legalized cannabis, the state should be following the same laws and rules that apply to prescription drugs.
Colorado employers would be prohibited from denying employment or firing workers because of their off-the-clock cannabis use and on-the-job medical marijuana consumption under a measure introduced last week.
What’s In The Bill
House Bill 1152, co-sponsored by Rep. Brianna Titone (D) and Rep. Edie Hooton, (D) would consider exceptions for those who work in dangerous fields or jobs requiring fine motor skills, The Colorado Sun writes.
Photo by Dylan Gillis via Unsplash
The issue has been one of the focal points in Colorado, following the passage of Amendment 64 in 2012, which legalized the sale and use of recreational cannabis.
“Marijuana is legal in Colorado,” Titone said. “And what people do in their spare time that doesn’t impact their work shouldn’t really be a problem for them. They should be able to enjoy the legal things that we have here in Colorado and not be penalized for it.”
Titone and Hooton emphasized that using cannabis can be grounds for job termination, addressing the case of Colorado Supreme Court ruling in favor of an employer, Dish Network who fired worker Brandon Coats after he tested positive for cannabis.
“The whole idea is to signal to the business community and to employers that because we have legalized cannabis, we should be following the same laws and rules that apply to alcohol and prescription drugs,” Hooton said.
Photo by José Antonio Luque Olmedo/Getty Images
What’s Next?
Considering that a similar measure was dismissed in 2020, pushback from employers with drug-free workplace policies is expected. The Colorado Chamber of Commerce also hasn’t disclosed its official position.
“The National Federal of Independent Businesses has historically opposed any legislation that would (allow) the use of marijuana on the property of the employer or cause an employee to test positive for any prohibited drug or prohibit any authority of the employer to perform random drug tests,” said Tony Gagliardi, who leads the Colorado chapter of the group. “Marijuana remains illegal under federal law.”
Nevertheless, Titone intends to present the measure as a way for Colorado-based employers to quickly find workers.
House Minority Leader Chris Holbert, (R), who opposes the concept, highlighted that Amendment 64’s provision clarified that “employers can have a 100% drug-free policy in their workplace, and that, in my opinion, should not be infringed upon.”
The amendment’s provision states: “Nothing in this (ballot measure) is intended to require an employer to permit or accommodate the use, consumption, possession, transfer, delay, transportation, sale or growing of marijuana in the workplace to affect the ability of employers to have policies restrict the use of marijuana by employees.”
Meanwhile, House Bill 1152 will have to wait for its first committee hearing, which is yet to be scheduled.
A new study showed strong connections between weight loss and proper sleep habits.
A new study found links between weight loss and an activity we normally do, one that doesn’t ask for much effort. Published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine, the study showed that people who slept more could cut significant calories from their days.
The study was conducted on a group of people who were overweight and sleep-deprived. These people were sleeping about six hours a night and were asked to comply with an eight-hour and a half schedule for two weeks.
Study results showed that these people decreased their caloric intake by an average of 270 calories. In some cases, participants decreased their caloric intake by 500 calories per day.
“This is almost like a game-changer for weight loss or weight maintenance,” study author Dr. Esra Tasali told CNN. “A small intervention you can do to yourself to increase or preserve your sleep duration so you are not sleep deprived can have a significant impact on healthy weight.”
Researchers did some calculations and showed that by simply sleeping over eight hours a night, some of their patients could lose 26 pounds in the span of three years. One of the perks of the study is that it was conducted outside of a laboratory, showing how people’s bodies reacted to this simple change.
Experts have some theories as to why this weight loss occurs, mostly pointing towards the hormones ghrelin and leptin, which regulate hunger and the feeling of being full. Ghrelin stimulates hunger and increases when people are sleep-deprived, resulting in them eating more. Leptin is the hormone responsible for letting our bodies know we are full. It’s a hormone that decreases with sleep deprivation, resulting in us feeling more hunger at awkward times.
Photo by Weiquan Lin/Getty Images
Despite the fact that the study was conducted on people who were overweight, experts believe that a regular sleep schedule is a good thing for maintaining a healthy weight. Being sleep deprived increases cravings for junk foods, carbs, demand more food to fill full, and can even mess with people’s insulin resistance.
So, the next time you’re stressing out over sticking to a diet and keeping up with your workouts, start from the ground up. Focus on healthy eating and on clocking in your eight hours of sleep every night.
The utility said employees will report to management if they find that a local power company is using its services to provide electricity to state-legal cannabis businesses.
After Gov. Tate Reeves (R) signed a bill to legalize medical marijuana in Mississippi, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), a main supplier of electricity to the state’s northern region, announced that since it is a federally-owned utility company, it must adhere to federal drug laws. So, off with the lights.
In a document obtained by the Daily Journal (and confirmed by the TVA), the federal agency states that “Given this important point, TVA will not direct any federal resources or funds to the cultivation and/or distribution of marijuana.” The statement is unclear if municipal companies that receive TVA power can serve electricity to legal cannabis facilities.
Tupelo Water & Light, a municipal-owned utility company in Northeast Mississippi that receives power from the TVA, did not acknowledge any official communication from the TVA on medical marijuana.
Meanwhile, “the utility said its employees will report to management if they find that a local power company is using TVA services to provide electricity to state-legal cannabis businesses,” reported Marijuana Moment.
U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen (D) pushed back against the TVA’s stance, telling Marijuana Moment on Tuesday that medical marijuana “has been legalized in the majority of our states generally by the people’s votes…TVA should not discriminate against legal businesses that need utilities,” Cohen said.
“TVA needs all the business they could get as their rates are way too high already and many want to leave TVA,” Cohen added.
A federal rider continually approved by Congress since 2014 prevents the Department of Justice from spending money to interfere with the implementation of state medical cannabis laws, but it does not affect TVA.
