Democrat Gary Chambers, who is seeking a U.S. Senate seat from Louisiana, released a campaign ad on Tuesday in which he smokes a sizable blunt while sitting in an armchair looking about as chill as someone could possibly look. But Chambers is dead serious about the harms of cannabis criminalization.
“Black people are four times more likely to be arrested for marijuana laws than white people,” Chambers says quoting ACLU statistics. “States waste $3.7 billion enforcing marijuana laws every year. Most of the people police are arresting aren’t dealers, but rather people with small amounts of pot, just like me.”
The ad is titled “37 Seconds,” a reference to research finding that police make a marijuana-related arrest every 37 seconds on average.
“For too long, candidates have used the legalization of marijuana as an empty talking point in order to appeal to progressive voters,” Chambers said in a press release. “I hope this ad works to not only destigmatize the use of marijuana, but also forces a new conversation that creates the pathway to legalize this beneficial drug, and forgive those who were arrested due to outdated ideology.”
Chambers, a well-known social justice advocate in Baton Rouge who ran for a U.S. House seat in the past, is now running against incumbent Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA), who has consistently refused to sponsor any cannabis-related legislation since he took the seat in 2017.
In the press release, Chambers also expressed support for the Harnessing Opportunities by Pursuing Expungement (HOPE) Act, a bipartisan congressional bill introduced by Ohio Republican Dave Joyce and New York Democrat Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in December.
Although a sitting member of Congress has never publicly smoked weed, this might be the first time a candidate does so in a campaign ad.
Chamber’s Twitter account, by the way, is exploding, mostly with ecstatic support though there are a few prohibitionist naysayers warning that he’s a “fool.” Only time will tell. After all, support for cannabis legalization and growing disgust over racially-biased marijuana arrests are at an all-time high.
The loss of taste and smell is one of the most worrisome of COVID-19 symptoms. Is it the same with the Omicron variant?
One of the strangest and most concerning symptoms of COVID-19 is the loss of taste and smell. This symptom, which can last for weeks to months, has become one of the disease’s most infamous ailments. Does the Omicron variant trigger this condition?
A study conducted by the Health Security Agency in the UK found that only 13% of people with Omicron reported a loss of sense of smell or taste. When the Delta variant was running rampant, 34% of people reported these symptoms. The study found that the most common symptoms of Omicron were a runny nose, headache, fatigue, sneezing, and a sore throat.
The rise of the Omicron variant has been swift, with cases in South Africa, the country where the variant was first discovered, rising from 300 a day to 3,000 within just a couple of weeks after the variant was first spotted last November. Still, as more data appeared, researchers noted that people tended to experience milder cases of the disease. While they continued to experience fatigue and fever, there were also fewer reports of loss of taste and smell.
The appearance of new variants isn’t a surprising thing. While it’s understandable to panic with every new wave, Omicron won’t likely be the last wave we see, especially since there are COVID-19 outbreaks in places all over the world. Though there’s still a lot we don’t know about it, more and more evidence suggests that it’s a departure from the variants we’ve seen in the past. While you may lose your sense of taste and smell, it seems like the odds are lower than they were before.
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Getting the vaccine is the clearest way of staying protected against COVID-19. Getting the booster shot as soon as you’re able to is also an efficient way of staying safe and of continuing with your normal life. If infected with the virus, a vaccine and a booster will increase your odds of having a mild disease and preventing hospitalization.
Aside from that, social distancing practices are the next best thing in terms of staying safe; wearing your surgical or KN95 masks and keeping track of the COVID-19 cases in your area will help you have some peace of mind and inform you of what is safe or unsafe in your situation.
Young marijuana enthusiasts and alcohol consumers have better orgasms and overall sexual function than those who abstain, according to a new study undertaken in Spain, reported Marijuana Moment.
Researchers from the University of Almeria were inspired to tackle the controversy swirling around numerous previous studies that looked at the impact of cannabis and alcohol on sexual functioning, which disclosed both positive and negative effects. And so, Spanish researchers created a new observational study that concluded: “Sexual function in young people who use cannabis and alcohol more frequently was shown to be better than in those who do not use either.”
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Study Details – Reduction In Anxiety And Shame
For six months, researchers examined 185 females and 89 males between the ages of 18 to 30 who were either regular cannabis or alcohol users or non-users. The research excluded those who were using opiates or MDMA and those suffering from health conditions like depression and diabetes, as these are known to produce a negative impact on sexual performance.
“Sexual function is improved in young people who are high-risk cannabis consumers with a moderate risk of alcohol use, resulting in increased desire, arousal, and orgasm,” revealed the study, which was published in late December 2021 in the journal Healthcare. “This improvement is usually associated with a reduction in anxiety and shame, which facilitates sexual relationships.”
Cannabis consumers had better scores than non-consumers when it came to both the overall sexual functioning scale and subscales of arousal and orgasm. In addition, frequent cannabis users also had better functioning and arousal scores than those who consumed weed moderately.
There was no significant difference in scores between men and women.
“Our findings indicate that young people who use cannabis frequently, regardless of gender, have better overall sexual function,” according to the Spanish study.
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What About Alcohol? Depends On The Amount
Surprisingly, alcohol use showed no notable differences in either overall sex function or any of the subscales examined. There were, however important differences based on levels of alcohol consumption, with heavy drinkers having higher scores on the total sexual function and arousal subscale, compared to those who did not consume booze at all.
“The findings of this study revealed a higher score in sexual function, as well as arousal and orgasm, in subjects at risk of having cannabis-related problems and risk of addiction associated with alcohol consumption,” noted the study.
The researchers reported that they did not focus on the detection and consequences of heavy drinking and/or marijuana use such as the tendency to engage in less safe sex due to them being under the influence of either substance.
In conclusion, considering that these and similar results are often associated with less anxiety and shame in individuals who consume marijuana or alcohol, the study suggested that future sex education methods provide strategies that help people reduce shame and anxiety without placing them at risk of developing potential marijuana and alcohol dependency.
It was just a year ago when the “Pot For Shots” promo was rolled out, giving away more than 30K pre-rolls to anyone who showed proof of a COVID vaccination.
The “Pot For Plasma” campaign is an effort being undertaken by Greenhouse of Walled Lake and UBaked Cannabis Edibles of Burton to help remedy Michigan’s critical scarcity of blood and plasma donations.
Starting Tuesday, Jan. 18, the two cannabis companies will provide free pre-rolls to anyone over the age of 21 who comes in with proof that they have donated blood or plasma. Anything will do — a sticker, a band-aid on your arm can be used as proof and no purchase is necessary.
The two companies stressed that Michigan is currently undergoing the worst blood and plasma shortage in more than 10 years, a situation also going on in the rest of the United States. The American Red Cross and Michigan Association of Blood Banks are pleading for help; they urgently need blood and plasma donations.
It was just one year ago that Greenhouse of Walled Lake launched its “Pot for Shots” promo where the company gave away more than 30,000 pre-rolls to anyone who showed proof of a Covid vaccination.
“Our state and our country continue to be in crisis, and we are asking people to go out and donate their blood or plasma at a convenient site,” Greenhouse of Walled Lake founder and owner Jerry Millen said. “Their generous donations may allow someone to have surgery or even save their life.
“Pot For Plasma is our way of rewarding our old customers and new customers for giving back to the community,” he added. “In fact, I will be donating my blood and plasma as well.”
The high barrier of entry into the wine world is one of the biggest reasons for the lack of diversity within the industry. Being a budtender or managing a dispensary doesn’t require as much training.
As the cannabis industry develops, it’s hard not to make comparisons to other industries that had gone legit after years in the shadows. Among the first that comes to mind is wine.
Given the fact that the wine industry predates recreational cannabis by decades, it seems that it should come as no surprise that there’s a level of racism present within the industry, just as there are throughout other industries. Unfortunately, much of the racism that existed during the inception of the wine industry persists today.
Naturally, this leads many people to wonder about the ways in which cannabis is any different from the wine industry in that regard. Even though the cannabis industry is still young, all indications show that the cannabis industry will provide more opportunities to People of Color than wine has. Here’s how cannabis is different from recreational cannabis from a social equity perspective.
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Barrier of Entry Is Higher
The high barrier of entry into the wine world is one of the biggest reasons for the lack of diversity within the industry. The process of earning the certification necessary for becoming a wine sommelier can cost hundreds of dollars, which inherently excludes people without that kind of disposable income — which happens to be People of Color in most situations. In the cannabis industry, being a budtender or managing a dispensary doesn’t require as much training.
According to the Deputy Director of the Center for Effective Public Management at the Brookings Institution, John Hudak, the ability of cannabis businesses to stay true to its beginnings will be essential in helping to ensure that the industry remains diverse. “Higher end wines tend to be disproportionately white compared to other parts of the economy,” he explains. “Because cannabis, the consumer base is inherently more diverse than wine, it benefits it to stay to its roots.”
As far as staying true to itself goes, a big part of that means not turning every budtender who works in a dispensary into a sommelier, as some businesses are likely tempted to.
Recreational Cannabis Businesses Are Actively Seeking a Diverse Workforce
Another difference between recreational cannabis and the wine industry when it comes to social equity is the fact that the cannabis industry is actively recruiting talent from diverse backgrounds. “Looking out at who’s going to make a good budtender, you think of younger individuals rather than older individuals,” says Hudak.
“While usage rates between whites and nonwhites are the same, when you go into dispensaries, especially in California and Nevada, you can see diversity among the workforce. When you think about higher end wines, you think about higher end individuals,” explains Hudak, adding that, “When you’re thinking about the wine consumer base, higher end wines tend to be disproportionately white compared to other parts of the economy.”
The effort that recreational cannabis businesses place on diversity is also exemplified by the fact that estimates currently place the level of minority recreational cannabis business owners at 23%, which is a stark contrast to the wine industry.
Photos by: Kelsey Knight via Unsplash, Matthew Brodeur via Unsplash
Less Than 1% of Wineries Are Black-Owned
Even though wineries have rapidly grown in popularity ever since the end of prohibition, there are still relatively few minority-owned wineries to show for it. A recent study unveiled the fact that Black-owned wineries account for less than 1% of all wineries in the country. On the other hand, another recently conducted survey found that minority-owned businesses account for 19% of all respondents. While minority ownership numbers aren’t overwhelmingly high, they are more promising than what the wine industry can offer.
As far as what the recreational cannabis industry can do to ensure the continued growth of minority businesses, Hudak says nothing is going to make or keep the cannabis industry diverse. “It has to have a conscious conversation with itself to make sure it’s expanded then maintained once it’s achieved.”
Whether or not the cannabis industry is capable of reaching and maintaining heightened diversity levels will be one of the most intriguing stories to watch for within the space.
The product has several utilities, but the downsides surrounding it are guaranteed to put people off.
Water is one of the most fundamental needs for the survival of humans. This is why CBD water is a brilliant innovation that speaks to the innate needs of cannabis users while promising an excellent high at the same time.
Many have heard about CBD water, but few have seen it on shelves, and fewer still have tasted it. The product has been described as exciting, convenient, and novel for so long, it’s surprising that it’s not yet mainstream. Several factors have stalled the progress of this product’s market, especially its high cost and basic formulation.
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In the last few months, several dispensaries have begun to stock up on many CBD-derived products after consumers indicated interest. Products like candies, beverages, cosmetics, pet food, and several everyday consumer items have been infused with CBD. In this recent surge, one would have expected CBD water to be one of the most common products since everyone depends on water, but this is not so.
The first time CBD water was released into the market, what came to the minds of consumers was that it was a uniquely formulated cannabinoid-infused beverage. This description is correct! However, many producers have begun to cut corners in producing this good product.
The Promising Nature of CBD Water
CBD water can become the most crucial cannabis product before CBD flowers, oils, isolates, and other edibles. Consumers only need to gain access to its premium versions.
Based on its liquid nature, it has the edge over other cannabis products because hydration is an essential concept for people, irrespective of their line of work. For instance, athletes reach for their water bottles after training sessions; fitness enthusiasts also guzzle down water when they are done with each session, and artists and even office-goers take their hydration seriously. Everyone needs a bottle of water with a cup of coffee.
A bottle of CBD water provides a less obvious way of consuming cannabis. The unseemly bottle of water containing cannabis is a socially acceptable method of discreetly ingesting CBD at the workplace, parks, restaurants, and other public spaces compared with loosening the cap of a tincture popping a gummy, or rolling a stick of flower mid-activities in public areas. Dissolvable CBD powder that works in water is also a new market entrant in the CBD water craze.
The Chemistry of CBD Water
The production of CBD water employs a nanoemulsion theory, which allows the water to be compatible with the cannabinoids. In this product, emulsifiers are used to encase the CBD compounds in tiny droplets (which is why you can see the CBD particles in a bottle of CBD water). Cannabinoids are fat-soluble compounds, not water-soluble. This relative mixture of cannabis and water makes the cannabinoids bioavailable.
Reports say some bioscience companies utilize better techniques to create CBD water through water-soluble methods. Some CBD water products are infused with flavorings and colorings to appeal to regular products.
The Problem With CBD Water
The support for CBD water is currently at a simmer. That is why the product has been scarce despite being proven to provide relief for pain, inflammation, anxiety, and some other medical conditions. Here are a few factors creating a chokehold for the product.
Cost
CBD water is one of the most expensive CBD-derived products. This is the first thing that puts people off. In the UK, a 250ml bottle of CBD water with about 10mg of CBD costs £1.99, which is equivalent to about $2.7 in the United States. For a full bottle with as much as 500mg of CBD, the cost can be as high as £26 ($35) for a 10ml size.
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Low CBD content
CBD water has a low cannabidiol content. The first products that were released into the market were highly concentrated. However, recent products contain only a minimal amount of CBD. Compared to edibles, isolates, and flowers, CBD water does not provide its value in cannabidiol to consumers. For such high-priced products like these, consumers expect only the best in quality and potency.
The majority of the bottled or canned CBD waters on the market are incredibly diluted and offer minimal impact to the user. For you to feel the effects of cannabidiol with CBD water, you need to gulp down at least two bottles. Even with this, the impact you think is more or less the same level as the effects felt when you take a drop of mid-strength full-spectrum CBD oil.
Degradation
CBD water loses its potential benefits when exposed to light and air for days or weeks. Different labels package their products with various types of materials. The most common packaging is transparent plastic bottles. However, it has been discovered that while transparent containers are optimal for water, the container causes a gradual degradation of CBD compounds.
CBD is a meroterpene; it is part phenol and part terpene. This quality explains the gradual degradation observed when CBD products are exposed to light and air over a prolonged period. Placed on shelves under supermarket light, CBD water lost its potency well before customers purchased it. The only way to reduce this deterioration is to use opaque containers. However, these can not be revealed once opened. So either way, the content gets exposed to air or light.
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Some companies have worked around this dilemma by producing CBD water in smaller opaque bottles and glasses that can be gulped down at once (with this new development, prices are expected to go even higher).
Bottom Line
The CBD water market is sinking at a fast rate right now. The questionable product design, the volatile nature of cannabidiol, and the hefty price tags all contributed to this massive downfall. The product has several utilities, but the downsides surrounding it are guaranteed to put people off.
This does not mean you should not try the product. If you prefer convenience without worrying about the cost, you can carry on with these products. But you would do well to exercise caution by purchasing only the recently produced bottles from licensed dispensaries.
For people who care about the impact of this product on their wallets, it is better to avoid CBD water now until the manufacturers are ready to do what’s right. For this market to start swimming, CBD water has to live up to its hype.
Bio-farming results in cannabis biomass that’s uniquely consistent and clean, resolving two major pain points related to product quality in the medicinal cannabis industry — product variability and contamination.
BioHarvest Sciences Inc. (CSE: BHSC), a biotech company with offices in Canada and Israel, recently announced that it has produced some 22 pounds of full-spectrum cannabis biomass at a commercial scale without growing the plant itself.
This is the first time that any group, in either industry or academia, has successfully done this. The cannabis biomass, which is not genetically modified, was produced using BioHarvest’s proprietary BioFarming technology platform that grows plant cells in their natural structure in proprietary bioreactors, the company said in a press release.
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The result of the breakthrough by the Canadian-Israeli biotech company is cannabis biomass that is uniquely consistent and clean, resolving two major pain points related to product quality in the medicinal cannabis industry — product variability and contamination.
“The legal cannabis industry has been waiting for this moment as many of the challenges it has faced are being resolved using BioHarvest’s technology and capabilities,” said BioHarvest CEO Ilan Sobel. “With this milestone, we are ready to start engaging with key players in the global cannabis industry for the right partnerships ahead of the introduction of our new cannabis products.”
The biomass consists of cannabis cells, including cannabis trichomes containing cannabinoids such as CBD, THC, as well as other compounds that are naturally occurring in the cannabis plant.
BioHarvest’s cannabis trichome cells are amalgamated in a proprietary high-density coral-shaped structure, which enables a trichome density — the number of trichomes per unit surface — of up to 200 times greater than the conventional agriculture case.
The company pointed out that the result of the study is a “win for global sustainability.” For starters, BioHarvest’s production facilities use some 95% less physical space than traditional farming: one seven-foot bioreactor produces what would require 240,000 square meters of land annually.
The 5 Cs
The significant advantages compared to cannabis produced through conventional cultivation can be summed up by what the company refers to as the 5 Cs: consistency, cleanliness, cost, composition and climate.
Third-party assessments confirm BioHarvest’s growing process generates no direct greenhouse gas emissions, no hazardous waste and only produces 100% biodegradable wastewater while requiring less than 10% of the land resources and significantly less energy when compared to conventional cultivation.
Photo by Kamonrat Meunklad/EyeEm/Getty Images
“For its therapeutic qualities, hemp-based CBD holds a significant potential for the Food and Beverage industry to which we have been supplying ingredients for over 40 years,” said Vince Pinneri, president of Batory Foods, a leading ingredient distributor for the US food industry.
“That is why we decided to team up with BioHarvest in order to guarantee the F&B industry the highest quality CBD with fingerprint consistency and ultimate cleanliness that their BioFarming technology can produce,” added Pinneri.
BioHarvest has a market capitalization of about C$152 million and has raised about C$57.3 million to date. The company’s next stage will consist of producing cannabis biomass in industrial-scale bioreactors. Its offering will consist of multiple strains, carefully selected based on specific indications and B2B customer requirements.
“This major scientific and technological achievement is unprecedented in the cannabis world and is a strong validation of the superiority of the BioFarming technology,” said BioHarvest CTO, Yochi Hagay. “BioHarvest’s global leadership position in plant cell biology is proving itself now on a wide variety of applications.”
Reflecting the breadth of possible applications, earlier this month, BioHarvest appointed renowned astronaut Chris Hadfield to its board of advisors as part of a drive to leverage its biotechnology platform to create products that address the challenges of space exploration.
The future of anti-inflammatory medication looks bright, and cannabis-based drugs could make it even brighter.
Regardless of how anyone feels about inflammation or the amount of pain it comes with, it remains an unavoidable healthy response that keeps us alive. From bruising a finger to the after-effects of cancer treatments, inflammation is the body’s automatic response to every physical condition. There are times when inflammation could lead to extreme pain and adverse conditions due to a dysfunctional effect on the immune system. At this point, drugs are needed to reduce the pain and hasten to heal. So, with cannabis and inflammation, what’s the connection?
Recent studies show that cannabis could be an essential anti-inflammatory agent. Some medications have been tested and proven over the years to be effective against debilitating and extremely painful inflammations. However, better options are being sought for managing chronic conditions. Because most potent anti-inflammatory medications tend to have adverse side effects when used for long periods.
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This piece investigates the potential of cannabis to serve as a panacea for chronic inflammation and autoimmune disorders. We investigate the relationship between cannabinoids, the endocannabinoid system (ECS), and these disorders mentioned above.
What Is Inflammation?
You can consider inflammation to be the body’s way of fighting and protecting itself against harm. In this case, harm could mean an infection or injury within or outside the body. For instance, when you have an injury, the first thing you notice is that the affected area reddens and swells. This reaction is due to the immune system sending out a group of white blood cells to contain the bleeding and fight off any form of infection.
Within the body, this same reaction occurs around the vital organs and also in the blood vessels. Put simply; the immune system causes any part of the body at risk of being infected to be inflamed. The elderly deal with more chronic inflammation and use cannabis at a higher rate than earlier generations.
Some have touted inflammation as being a horrible thing. In contrast, it is a good reaction. It only becomes bad when it is identified to be pathological. According to Harvard Health, inflammation can be broadly grouped into two; acute inflammation and chronic inflammation. Inflammation occurs as a response to an injury or illness, and it gets resolved in a matter of days, while chronic inflammation is long-lasting and it occurs due to an ongoing autoimmune dysfunction or chronic ailments (in worse cases, it could be fatal).
Diagnosing and Treating Inflammation
This condition is self-diagnosable. The symptoms of inflammation can be easily identified, mainly when it is localized to one part of the body. Some of these symptoms include redness.
Swelling
Heightened sensitivity
Headache
Mood disorders
Fatigue etc
Most of the time, acute inflammation is nothing to worry about. However, chronic inflammation can be extremely dangerous. Medication is necessary to limit the extent of the inflammation, kickstart healing, and return the body to its normal state.
Antacids are sometimes used to provide relief for inflammation affecting the inside of the body. Other anti-inflammatory drugs can be purchased over the counter or with a prescription from a doctor. Some of these drugs include NSAIDs and steroids.
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A Possible Treatment Via Cannabis
Cannabis is composed of cannabinoids which have therapeutic benefits for the human system. Their impact on inflammation has been researched in highly respected institutions and labs, and the established theory is that cannabis’ anti-inflammatory property is linked to the endocannabinoid system.
Relationship Between Inflammation and ECS
CB1 and CB2 are the primary receptors found in the ECS network. These receptors primarily respond to naturally occurring endocannabinoids in the body. In experiments using the human body, it was observed that inflammation triggered the release of anandamide and 2-arachidonoylglycerol. The entire process is quite complex.
Also, N-arachidonyl glycine, a derivative of anandamide, exerts an effect on inducing the orphan G protein-coupled receptor GPR18. This stimulation is responsible for macrophage cytosis (the process of immune cells fighting off infectious cells by ingestion). The study also showed that the stimulation quickens resolution to reduce inflammation. The research hinted that the process still has other undiscovered aspects, as no one has been able to determine whether or not natural inflammation starts and ends this way.
Using Cannabis to Manage Inflammation
Here are some ways cannabinoids can be delivered to the human body to treat ailments. It is essential to state that most of these cases have not been approved by the FDA as a treatment for cannabis. The standard methods of ingesting cannabis are:
Smoking
Vaping
Edibles and Capsules
Sublingual oils
If you’re considering any of these products, make sure to do more extensive research before going ahead. CBD products for inflammation are also used to manage conditions in non-legal cannabis states.
CBD-Based Cannabis Medication for Inflammation
CBD is a non-psychotropic cannabinoid responsible for treating medical conditions. It is the main component in medical-purpose cannabis products. When ingested, CBD interacts with the ECS and inhibits the production of FAAH (a compound that breaks down anandamide). This inhibition extends the potency of anandamide, which is helpful for inflammation.
It is best to get prescribed CBD-based cannabis medication by a licensed medical practitioner in your state.
Photo by Kindel Media from Pexels
Benefit Of Cannabis-derived Medicines On Inflammation
The compounds responsible for treating the symptoms are cannabinoids. They send a message to the brain.
Pain is the most common symptom of chronic inflammation. It is sometimes characterized by a burning sensation in the affected area.
Cannabis helps control inflammation, which reduces the pain in these patients. The drug has shown no visible side effects in people who have used it, but this doesn’t excuse the fact that more research is definitely needed before a person can begin using cannabis as a medication for inflammation.
The root cause of the condition has to be traced. In some, it results from cancer, disease treatments, etc. Researchers say some people are born with a dysfunctional immune system and, as such, experience inflammation.
Conclusion
The full scope of the relationship between cannabis and inflammation has yet to be fully discovered. The endocannabinoid system plays a significant part in treating inflammation in acute and chronic patients, and the interaction between the two is what is currently unclear. Nevertheless, the future of anti-inflammatory medication looks bright, and cannabis-based drugs could make it brighter.
Visit a medical professional before making the switch from your NSAIDs and steroids to cannabis, primarily to treat inflammation.
Swapping saliva is not the best thing you can do when it comes to preventing the spread of respiratory diseases. Still, this doesn’t mean cannabis is off the table.
After some ups and downs, we find ourselves in the midst of a new COVID-19 wave, prompted by the Omicron variant. Even if we’re now virus veterans, it’s still important to take care of ourselves, taking extra precautions. This includes cannabis, especially the communal aspect of it.
While there’s no need for you to stop smoking altogether, there are a few things you should account for when consuming cannabis while engaging in social distancing. Marijuana use has long been associated with community: marijuana lounges, joints and bongs, are activities that are meant to be shared. Even smoking at home with a few friends can make you think twice if you don’t know that person’s vaccination status or have been simply watching the news.
Here are a few actions that can keep you and the people around you safer as you consume marijuana in the midst of a pandemic.
Prevent sharing joints and bongs
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Whether you’re kissing or sharing a smoking device, swapping saliva during this climate can make everyone a little paranoid. Make sure that you’re socializing with people who are healthy and stay home if you’re feeling a bit under the weather. When it comes to sharing joints and bongs, consider other alternatives, carrying your own vape pen or having some weed on you.
If you miss the sense of sharing weed with others, there are alternatives. At-home testing is an effective yet not entirely foolproof way of ensuring everyone you’re hanging out with is safe. Limit your gatherings to people you trust, provide tests or make sure people get tested beforehand, and you’ll be eliminating some sources of stress.
When battling a cold, flu or infection, hot smoke will only irritate your lungs and make your symptoms and cough worse. While THC & CBD have anti-inflammation and pain-killing properties, it’s important to account for the method of consumption and to also speak with a doctor. Cannabis has a complex effect on our immune system and a pandemic might not be the best time to experiment with your health.
If you’re healthy and want to avoid sharing entirely, edibles are a good option to try. Nowadays, edibles come in all shapes and sizes, meant to share and consume alone. If you want to add a personalized touch to the holiday season, bake your own, and bring them over to your trusted friends and family. Prevent freak-outs by consuming small doses, avoiding your triggers, and drinking lots of water.
The news broke this week that cannabis can help with fighting COVID-19 and almost the entire non-cannabis world picked up the headline from the Oregon State University study on cannabis and cellular pathways used by the COVID virus to invade the body.
Fortunately, almost everyone in the cannabis industry kept a level head and said that, no, marijuana does not stop or cure the COVID virus, but it does have potential to help in a few ways. One, it can reduce the spread of the virus by binding with receptors the virus uses to spread throughout the body. Two, it can reduce the symptoms associated with the virus, since cannabis has natural anti-inflammatory properties. Marijuana, up until the point, cannot cure COVID or keep you from getting the virus.
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As the article “The Cannabis Grinch” pointed out, hopes are fading for fast federal marijuana legalization in 2022, unless a long shot bet like cannabis having a major impact on COVID transmission or remission occurs. The article also points out that the news has to come from a Big 4 pharma company, one that has tremendous pull right now with the White House and CDC.
The reason this is the case goes back to the history of “cannabis can inhibit pathways that the COVID viruses uses to spread, so it closes doorways the virus uses to gain strength” started with Dr. Kovelchuk in Canada almost two years ago. You can watch the full interview with Dr. Kovelchuk here, and listen as he explains his findings before peer to peer review. Fast forward to Dr. Richard Van Breeman’s study from Oregon State that builds on Dr. Kovelchuk’s thesis and you can see how the cannabis and COVID headlines could start to spin off the rails.
One problem is that for the marijuana industry to see a real push at the federal level to legalize cannabis for COVID research and deployment, the study has to come from a company or lab like Pfizer or Johnson & Johnson. Will those labs, that are making millions per day on vaccines, want to rush a cannabis-COVID alternative to the plate? No way. As some medical professionals have also pointed out, while Dr. Van Breeman’s work is a start, there is a long way to go from a petri dish and mass spectrometer predictions.
While the marijuana industry perked up at the news of a possible Holy Grail of fast cannabis legalization, the facts as summarized in by Dan Adams in The Boston Globe are as follows:
Researchers at Oregon State University‘s hemp lap used some nifty computer modeling and mass spectrometry techniques to make predictions about how well a variety of organic compounds would bind with the “protein spike” of the coronavirus, which allows it to infect human cells. They then sent their list of top candidates to the Oregon Health & Science University, which has a special containment facility authorized to work with live samples of dangerous pathogens such as the coronavirus.
The tests at OHSA (sic – OSHU not the Occupational Safety and Health Act) showed that two hemp-derived cannabinoid compounds bound strongly with the spike, blocking the ability of the virus cells to infect human cells.
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However, the effect hasn’t yet been studied in human subjects, just petri dishes. Also, the compounds in question occur in very low levels in most strains of cannabis and hemp, and can only be ingested via extracts made with solvents, not through smoking or cooked edibles.
Assuming clinical trials go well, the researchers’ eventual hope is that a pill containing purified versions of the cannabis compounds could be developed as a supplement to vaccination, for use after a known exposure or by those who are immunocompromised.
Whenever there is a positive clinical study around cannabis and COVID, marijuana stocks jump, and the world gets excited about the medical potential of marijuana as a medicine. Then the details start to emerge, and they are never as game-changing as the click-bait headlines.
While cannabis has potential to heal and help the human body in a myriad of ways, the medical testing has been kept in the dark for the past 58 years thanks the federal government’s Schedule 1 classification of the plant. Research has been prohibited in almost all cases by the feds. Medical studies over the past 7-8 years of state legalization are just starting to catch up to modern medical standards, but in a way, we are starting research like it is 1958 all over again.
Does Big Pharma want marijuana legalized right now? Based on studies showing patients dropping over half of their prescription drugs once they start on a cannabis therapy program, the commonsense answer would be “no”. Why would Big Pharma want to see full legalization of a plant that would theoretically cut into their profits by 50%? The same goes for Big Alcohol and Big Tobacco at this point in time.
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Billions of dollars in lobbying money against legalizing marijuana paving the road to full federal marijuana legalization is a pipe dream right now. While the voters want legalization by an overwhelming margin, major businesses tied to lobbying and election funding do not want that right now.
Federal marijuana legalization will happen when Mitch McConnell says it will happen, as he holds the key votes and influence in the Senate to pass or kill marijuana legalization. As of now, the senator from Kentucky has shown no interest in helping a “Democratic” cause, and legalizing marijuana at the federal level. Without strong support from Republicans, federal legalization is dead in the water, with the SAFE Banking Act now looking like a long shot in 2022 as well.
Those facts push the marijuana industry into “Hail Mary” or “holy grail” mode. While no obvious path exists right now to federal legalization, especially with mid-term elections coming up later this year, the industry must have an outlier or long shot come through for a game-changing cannabis move. Cannabis curing or preventing COVID is certainly one headline, if it turns out to be true, that could do just that. Outside of a major medical finding on the cancer or COVID level, 2022 does not look like the year for federal marijuana legalization.
