At the height of her pre-trial fame, Stormy Daniels jumped in the CBD world…well, she is still in the cannabis world.
You have to say she is interesting – a dancer, porn star, director, trial witness and more. And, Stormy Daniels is immortalized with a marijuana strain. Yes, you and Stormy can chill together. She entered the greater cannabis world in 2020 working with Forest Farms who develop a CBD lube with Forest Farms. Since then, a chill strain has been named after the blonde bombshell.
Daniels rose to fame in 2004 when she won the Best New Starlet Award from Adult Video News. She went on to win more awards and eventually moved to behind the camera, directing over 150 films. She has appeared in mainstreams shows and also in a Maroon 5 music video. Currently she is appearing in New York for a courtroom battle Royale.
Photo via Pixabay
While the lube is no longer on the market, you can purchase a marijuana strain in Oregon named after her. This strain is known for its high potency and low THC content, making it perfect for those who want to enjoy the benefits of cannabidiol without getting too high. You can even buy the seeds to grow your own.
For her part, Daniels said that she believed CBD was a fad until she experienced the benefits of the compound herself. She fractured her spine and severely sprained her pelvis while jumping her horse. She was told it would be a minimum of six weeks until she could walk with crutches. Hating pain pills, she decided to use some CBD products a friend sent. From them on she has been a fan.
In another turn of events Daniels attempted to run for senator in Louisiana. She was approached and conisidered when she discovered the Republican National Committee (RNC) paid expenses for fundraisers at a “lesbian bondage” themed nightclub. She felt the RNC’s use of party funds for sex convinced her Republicans represented her libertarian values. Daniels had been a registered Democrat but now identifies as a libertarian and bisexual.
Having someone to turn to, laugh and having adventures is good for your soul and your mental health. And you don’t have to be perfect to have great friends – here are some tips.
Finding someone to share your life with can be challenging, even finding someone to share a meal or activities is tough. But if you take a breath, here are tips to building better relationships. Sometimes we don’t fully understand art of relationships, it seems complicated. But one doesn’t need to love oneself perfectly to love others. Women and men need others in their life. In fact, a recent study showed bromances were more satisfying in their emotional intimacy, compared to their heterosexual romances. But sometimes, we get in our own way of finding and enjoying relationships.
Everyone has flaws, but it shouldn’t interfere with having true friends and meaningful love. Dr. Carla Manly has written a new book about how to build better relationships – both friends and lovers, including gay and straight. It explains you can be imperfect and still have great relationships. And explains the need for multiple people are in to fulfill our needs. Her new book is The Joy of Imperfect Loveand explains the need and process of building relationships.
Here are some tips and insight from Dr. Manly
Sometimes the wisest step is to invest primarily in the relationship you have with yourself. Taking a time out from dating and relationships can give your soul a chance to reset and breathe.
You do not need to love ourselves perfectly to love others well. The journey of imperfect love never asks for perfection; it only asks you strive to evolve toward the best self.
Regardless of the pasts, you have the power to leave intergenerational wounds and patterns behind us so you can enjoy life more fully.
Relationships with others tend to mirror the relationship with yourself and the greater world. Making the choice to lovingly invest in relationships can be life-changing.
When we dive into relationships with honesty, courage, and respect, you cannot help but change and evolve.
Love—or its absence—is where our lives begin and end. It is never too late to foster love in one’s inner and external life. In today’s fragmented world where material success and excess are often prioritized, millions suffer from empty, false, or broken promises of love. Yet, no matter how much you have in the external world, the lack of love from a partner or friend is hurtful. Everyone has the power to reset—to shift priorities—and focus on fostering genuine love in all our relationships, from romantic partnerships and family connections to our vital friendships.
Finding the right relationships takes patience and investigation. The first step is to consider what you have to offer – what you have to give in a relationship. The second step is to determine what you want. The third step is to put yourself out there, keep your heart open, and dare to find the person who fits well into the puzzle of your life.
Having friends and others in your life is key to your mental health. But finding others to share your life is a process, and it is important to give yourself permission to be happy on in the journey.
It is crazy popular and it seems you can find it all over, but be careful – here is what to look for before you buy CBD.
Science and the public have been good to CBD. It helps with the ever popular issue of sleeping and it can help reduce anxiety. Discreet, convenient and semi fast acting – it can be a help mate for first dates, stressful family events, or just rough days. The CBD/cannabis Epidiolex has been proven to reduce seizures and is the first cannabis-derived medicine approved by the FDA. So lots of benefits, but since it is still a bit of a newbie on shelves…you need to be careful of what you buy. Here are 5 key tags to check on a CBD label.
Reading product labels is often confusing, overly technical and filled with materials no one understands. Add to the mix the fact CBD is still in FDA limbo, and you need a list like this to point you in the right direction. Here are 5 things to check when reading a CBD label.
Make sure CBD is in on the label and in the product
First thing’s first: make sure there’s actually CBD in your CBD product. Today’s CBD landscape is filled with products that claim to contain CBD while really containing just hemp oil, or lie about the amount of CBD they contain. Look for either CBD or cannabidiol and be wary of products containing hemp seeds, cannabis sativa, hemp seed oil, etc. Although these ingredients sound weedy, they’re not the same thing as CBD.
Photo by IRA_EVVA/Getty Images
Check the dosage and ingredients
Dosage in key in how effective it will be. Be understanding it you time the amount you need then time out when you might want to take it again. Additionally, look for a full list of ingredients, including the carrier oil used. Check for any potential allergens or additives you want to avoid.
COAs guarantee the product you’re looking at has been tested by a third party facility that has no relationship to the maker. Their results are unbiased and thus trust worthy. Reputable companies should feature this information on their labels, which should come in the shape of a bar code and should be easily accessed via smartphone. If this isn’t the case, the COA should appear on the product’s website.
Photo by Sabrina Rohwer via Pexels
Look for the CBD oil source
One of the first red flags of fake CBD products is a label that’s vague or doesn’t state where the CBD oil was sourced. CBD can be sourced from cannabis plants or industrial hemp, and most quality products tend to be “full spectrum,” “broad spectrum,” or “CBD isolate.”
Know your cannabis state laws
This is important since CBD label requirements vary by state, with the best labels being from products sold in areas where marijuana is legal. If you’re purchasing a product from out of a legal state, these packages should at least imitate how regulated products look.
Since the beginning of legalization, there are has been a discussion about how to frame the illegal marijuana market.
The phrase black market took off during the Great Depression where products were hard to come by and an illegal market trading outside the system took off. It grew during WWII during rationing so those with extra cash could have extra of staples and luxuries. With the growing legalization of cannabis, there has been a internal industry debate about what to call the illegal marijuana market.
Since the start of legalization, there has a been a vibrant discussion of the OG businesses.
A segment of the industry who wants full customer access with limited legalization. The fear is with full legalization, current medium and large players will lose to mainstream business in manufacturing, agriculture, and retail. Their was a hard push in 2019 for cannabis media to refer to the black market as the grey market.
A grey market or parallel market is the trade of a commodity through distribution channels not authorized by the original manufacturer or trade mark proprietor. Grey market products (grey goods) are products traded outside the authorized channel. The phrases and process helps make it appear more legal than the black market.
In talking with industry notables, there is definitely a push from a minority to slow roll legalization and reframe the black market as a “perfectly ok” option to the average consumer. Both New York and California have huge black or illegal markets. New York’s botched rollout of licenses has made a legal market of about 85 dispensaries and over 2,000 unlicensed ones selling both legal and illicit products to the public. California crushing taxes and non existent enforcement has allowed unauthorized grows to florish. The rumor is these grows have quiet sold to legal producers to make products to help battle the costs.
Most traditional media, data analysts and legitimated investors and executives refer to it as the black market. Having a thriving black market hurts both the legalization process and legal businesses. Colorado and Maine are two examples of states who have done a great job to shrink the illicit market. While immediate short term there could be profits, in the long term, it chokes the growth and mainstreaming of cannabis for both recreational and medical use.
In a surprising move, Pakistan has decided to allow marijuana – and they hope it will help their national revenue.
In a surprise, Pakistan is opening the door for legal cannabis. The Islamic country is 96% Muslim, with a belief from most scholars cannabis is similar to intoxicants/alcoholic drink and therefore deemed forbidden. The country’s northwestern region, especially the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, is home to thousands of acres of land where the crop has been cultivated for hundreds of years. The governments has chosen to ignore rather than crack down on the businesses.
But in an effort to help their economy, Pakistan makes positive move on cannabis. The country ranks as the 24th-largest based on the gross domestic project (GDP). When the country was formed, the US was a huge backer during the Cold War, but with the rise of the technology industry in India, they are having to build a broader, internal economy base. To help, it seems the country is embracing cannabis, CBD, and medical marijuana, but not recreational or high THC products.
In Canada and the US, tax revenue of cannabis products have been very lucrative, just like alcohol. Pakistan’s economy is in a bit of turmoil and economists have warned the country needs deep reforms to reduce its dependence on overseas financial assistance. Their $350 billion economy has been plagued with high inflation (up to 38% at one point.). The hope it they can generate more internal revenue and cannabis is one area.
Recently, Pakistan approved the passage of an ordinance that created the Cannabis Control and Regulatory Authority (CCRA). This government body is tasked to regulate the cultivation, extraction, refining, manufacturing, and sale of cannabis derivatives for medical and industrial purposes.
UN laws says if country wants to produce, process and conduct sales of cannabis-related products, it must have a federal entity to deal with supply chain and ensure international compliance. The regulatory framework of the CCRA is the organization.
The CCRA specifies the maximum level of THC in the cannabis derivative to be 0.3 percent to avoid the abuse of medicinal products and use them recreationally. With this move, the government plans to crack down on illicit grows in order to bring them into a licensed tax paying business.
She has won Grammys and awards from BET, BillBoard and more while redefining enticing. But does she consume weed?
She burst into the mainstream in 2019 with her third studio album, Cuz I Love You and has been making waves ever since. Resetting standards of how a female music star needs to look and behave, she has been the center of ongoing dissuasions. Through all this, you wonder does Lizzo consume weed to chill and relax. She has attracted legends of fans called Lizzbians, a number of social media trolls and Grammys, BET awards, Billboards Awards and appearance on SLN, Ugly Dolls, Hustlers, and more . She rode another wave of popularity when she featured an original single titled Pink in the Barbie movie.
She started her career in hip hop music. After doing a couple of studio albums, she signed with with Nice Life Recording Company and Atlantic Records releasing Coconut Play.The album spawned the singles Juice and Tempo. The deluxe version of Cuz I Love You topped the US Billboard Hot 100 and became the longest-leading solo song by a female rapper. In 2021, Lizzo released the single Rumors (featuring Cardi B), which debuted in the top five of the Billboard Hot 100. Her fourth studio album, Special (2022), was preceded by its lead single “About Damn Time“, which reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and made Lizzo the first black female singer since Whitney Houston in 1994 to win the Grammy Award for Record of the Year.
Like everything in her life it seems, she is unabashed about her use of marijuana. Her Instagram shares she is on a fan consuming and treats it just like drinking wine. She has even been cheeky about her use including wink wink tweets about marijuana suppositories.
Lizzo grew up attending the Church of God in Christ but has since embraced a more open concept where she sings hip hop mixed with soul and blues. Lizzo being so open about herself and weed use is similar to the late Mama Cass, who refined talent, fun and what is like to be a celebrity.
Spring has arrived and so has the sunny. While most want to soak in the rays – your lips might need a bit of help.
The summer sun brings out the kid in us, water activities, sun bathing, sports, or just long walks….but our lips might not be so excited. Lips are vulnerable to EV rays and often get forgotten. The skin on the lips can’t produce its own natural moisture or protective oils, making it more prone to drying out, so it is important to give them a little assistance. Could you help your lips with CBD balm…yes, and here is why.
From simple Chapstick to Chanel lip balms, the global market in just lips balms (not counting lipstick, glosses, and other lip products) is expected to hit close to $850 million this year. Not only do the products help the lips stay healthy, they can prevent cancer with a sun screen, so it is important. A CBD lip balm can have extra benefits.
Photo by StockSnap via Pixabay
It’s antibacterial and antioxidant
CBD is known for its antibacterial and antioxidant properties, which, when applied to lip balm, lead to more protection for your skin and to reducing element overexposure. When experiencing symptoms of the flu, cold sores, inflammation or allergies, CBD lip balm can reduce redness and irritation.
The oil is packed with vitamins
Most CBD products are full of vitamins like A, C and E and hemp oil. These vitamins promote healthy skin and slow down its natural aging process. It gives them a healthy appearance and a natural glow.
Drinking enough water is key to keep your body hydrated, especially in the heat. Lips are one of the first places to show signs of dehydration. Good lip balms provide the pathway avoiding them becoming dry and flaky. Lip balms with quality CBD oil creates a seal which can make your lips moist for longer periods of time.
It can treat severely chapped lips
Things happen and before you know it, the lips are painful and chapped. A CBD balm can can help severely chapped thanks to CBD’s healing properties. Unlike the compounds found in everyday lip balms, CBD oil can treat skin blemishes much faster, helping heal superficial cuts, protecting you against weather and more.
Could you help your lips with CBD balm, you bet your summer smile it can.
They are becoming a thing in ALL states…what you should know about hemp and marijuana drinks
Hemp and marijuana beverages represent about $4 billion in sales and are only going to get bigger. Tasty, intoxicating, and available in most states, here are some key things to know about hemp and marijuana drinks. You might enjoy either or both, but where, how and what happens varies between the two.
Hemp or CBD drinks are created by infusing hemp extract, derived from the cannabis plant, into a liquid base. The most popular hemp-infused drinks include water, juice, tea, and coffee. One of the big differences between marijuana and hemp drinks is the “high”. With Delta-9 hemp, consumers tend to have a more intense experience and comes on faster than THC. It is a euphoric high when altered sensory perception and a sense of relaxation.
Photo by MysteryShot/Getty Images
THC or marijuana drinks require digestion (like an edible) for the THC to hit the bloodstream. It takes between 15-20 minutes to kick in, with the effects peaking after approximately 45 minutes. The high from marijuana beverage can be unpredictable, and potentially more intense.
Another big difference is 47 of the 50 U.S. states and DC have legalized the sale and use of hemp-derived CBD products. Bayou City in Texas is a huge brand which sales in mainstream retailers. Cannabis drinks, a growing market but still way behind gummies, can only be purchased in the 24 legal recreational states.
Additional scientists determined liners inside aluminum cans cause the drinks to lose their potency. These liners are used for different reasons, among them extending the product’s shelf life, preventing the corrosion of the can and, most importantly, protecting the flavor of the drinks themselves. Without these liners, the natural metallic taste of aluminum would seep into the drinks.
“Our theory is the cannabis material, the droplets, will stick to the liner and cling on it. When you open the can to take a drink, it will lose its potency,” said Vertosa founder, Harold Han.
Perfect for Cinco de Mayo, weekends, long lunches and just to enjoy while hanging out…tequila will treat you right!
Tequila is very popular for good reason…good tequila can treat you right. 2021 was its year when it passed whiskey as the second most popular liquor. It only stands behind vodka. Celebrity tequila’s have been a huge help with George Clooney selling his Casamigos brand for $1 billion.
If you are thinking about staying in swimsuit shape, tequila is your friend – chilled and straight up is great. At 97 calories a shot, its is one of the best to drink. And it has 0g of carbs, 0g of fat per serving, and 0g of saturated fat.
So to celebrate its success, here are the best simple tequila cocktails. And for your information, all tequila is mezcal. The term mezcal refers to spirits made from the agave plant, while tequila refers to a specific type of mezcal that can only be made from blue Weber agave in five Mexican states. Reposado tequila stays in the barrel for a duration of 2 months to a year, depending on the flavor profile a distiller is looking to achieve.
Photo by Flickr user slgckgc
Paloma
This is a classic simple cocktail to make you happy. The oragin is a bit murky but is generally credited to Javier Delgado Corona, owner of the oldest bar in Jalisco – La Capilla. More importantly – you will be just thankful for this drink and it its refreshing feeling.
Ingredients
2ouncestequila
2ouncesfresh grapefruit juice, plus wedges for garnish
2ouncessparkling water
½ouncelime juice
¼ounceagave nectar or simple syrup, or to taste
Coarse sea salt, for the rim of the glasses
Ice
Create
Salt the rim of the glass by rubbing a grapefruit wedge around the edge and dipping it onto a small plate of salt.
Mix the tequila, grapefruit juice, sparkling water, lime juice, and agave nectar into the glass. Fill the remainder of the glass with ice. Adjust sweetness to taste. Garnish with grapefruit wedge.
Mexican Mule
The Moscow Mule is a go to for some…but what about a warmer more flavorful replacement?
Ingredients
1 ½ oz. Tequila Silver or Reposado
1 lime wedge
1 wedge pineapple
4 oz. ginger beer
Create
Combine the lime wedge and pineapple (if using) in the bottom of a chilled glass or moscow mule mug
While it is credited to have been created as a Bloody Mary alternative, it truly appeared on the scene in the 1940s. Bartender Fernand Petiot is credited with
Ingredients
Tequila Reposado or White
Mexican hot sauce
Celery salt
Black pepper
Tomato juice
Lemon juice
Worcestershire sauce
Horseradish
Celery salt
Black pepper
Create
Chill the tomato juice/mix and tequila first
Shake ingredients in a cocktail shaker without ice
Strain and if time, chill. Straining removes the chunks of horseradish from the drink
Rim the glass and garnish
Serve over ice with the garnishes of your choice.
Tequila Sunrise
Big on college campuses and creating all sorts of boozy adventures – the Tequila Sunrise is delight to the taste buds.
Ingredients
2 oz. Tequila
1 oz. Orange Juice
.5 oz. Lemon Juice
.5 oz. Grenadine
Garnish with a cherry
Create
Combine tequila and juices in a shaker
Add ice, shake vigorously and strain into a glass
Add grenadine then garnish
May you enjoy these the best simple tequila cocktails morning, noon and night!
Taking a cue from the public, Senate leadership is putting forward a bill to end the federal prohibition of cannabis.
In a big week for the marijuana industry and a surprise to most of the industry, Senators Schumer (D-NY), (Murray D-WA), Wyden (D-OR), Cory Booker (D-NJ) and 14 others have deduced to follow the public and make a change. As of today, Senate leadership pushes end of federal prohibition of cannabis.
Senator Patty Murray, a senior member and former Chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) has long been a champion of veterans. This falls in line with PTSD treatments and with the American Medical Association’s backing of rescheduling and more medical research to see how the cannabis plant can help more patients.
They have reintroduced the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act (CAOA), legislation that would end the harmful federal prohibition of cannabis by removing cannabis from the list of federally controlled substances and empowering states to create their own laws. This legislation would be a historic step toward rectifying the failed policies of the War on Drugs and would help federal law better reflect the will of the vast majority of Americans, 91% of whom believe that cannabis should be legalized for either adult or medical use.
“It is far past time that the federal government catch up to Washington state when it comes to cannabis laws. This legislation is about bringing cannabis regulations into the 21st century with common-sense reforms to promote public safety and public health, and undo deeply unjust laws that have for decades disproportionally harmed people of color,” said Senator Murray. “The Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act will help set us on a safe and responsible pathway to legalization—I’ll keep working to secure the necessary support to get it done.”
Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
The Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act establishes a federal regulatory framework to protect public health and safety, prioritizes restorative and economic justice to help undo harm caused by the War on Drugs, ends discrimination in the provision of federal benefits on the basis of cannabis use, provides major investments for cannabis research, and strengthens worker protections. By decriminalizing cannabis at the federal level, the CAOA also ensures that state-legal cannabis businesses or those in adjacent industries will no longer be denied access to bank accounts or financial services simply because of their ties to cannabis.
The Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act:
Protects public healthby:
Establishing a Center for Cannabis Products to regulate production, labeling, distribution, sales and other manufacturing and retail elements of the cannabis industry.
Instructing the FDA to establish standards for labeling of cannabis products, including potency, doses, servings, place of manufacture, and directions for use.
Establishing programs and funding to prevent youth cannabis use.
Increasing funding for comprehensive opioid, stimulant, and substance use disorder treatment.
Protects public safetyby:
Removing cannabis from the Controlled Substances Act and eliminating federal prohibitions in states that have chosen to legalize medical cannabis, or adult-use cannabis.
Retaining federal prohibitions on trafficking of cannabis in violation of state law; establishing a grant program to help departments combat black market cannabis.
Requiring the Department of Transportation (DOT) to create standards for cannabis-impaired driving.
Directing the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to collect data on cannabis-impaired driving, create educational materials on “best practices,” and carry out media campaigns.
Incentivizing states to adopt cannabis open container prohibitions.
Regulates and taxes cannabisby:
Transferring federal jurisdiction over cannabis to the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB).
Eliminating the tax code’s restriction on cannabis businesses claiming deductions for business expenses, and implementing an excise tax on cannabis products.
Establishing market competition rules meant to protect independent producers, wholesalers, and retailers and prevent anti-competitive behavior.
Encourages cannabis research by:
Requiring the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to study and report on metrics that may be impacted by cannabis legalization.
Requiring the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and National Institutes of Health (NIH) to conduct or support research on the impacts of cannabis.
Requiring the VA to carry out a series of clinical trials studying the effects of medical cannabis on the health outcomes of veterans diagnosed with chronic pain and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Requiring the Bureau of Labor Statistics to regularly compile and publicize data on the demographics of business owners and employees in the cannabis industry.
Establishing grants to build up cannabis research capacity at institutions of higher education, with a particular focus on minority-serving institutions and Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
Prioritizes restorative and economic justiceby:
Using federal tax revenue to fund an Opportunity Trust Fund to reinvest in communities and individuals most harmed by the failed War on Drugs.
Establishing a Cannabis Justice Office at the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs
Establishing a grant program to provide funding to help minimize barriers to cannabis licensing and employment for individuals adversely impacted by the War on Drugs.
Establishing expedited FDA review of drugs containing cannabis manufactured by small businesses owned by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals.
Directing the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to establish a grant program to provide communities whose residents have been disproportionately affected by the War on Drugs with additional funding to address the housing, economic, and community development needs of such residents.
Initiating automatic expungement of federal non-violent cannabis offenses and allows an individual currently serving time in federal prison for nonviolent cannabis offense to petition a court for resentencing.
Disallowing the denial of any benefits or protections under immigration law to any noncitizen based on their use or possession of cannabis.
Prevents discrimination in the provision of federal benefits against people who use cannabis.
Strengthens workers’ rights by:
Removing unnecessary federal employee pre-employment and random drug testing for cannabis
Ensuring worker protections for those employed in the cannabis industry.
Establishing grants for community-based education, outreach, and enforcement of workers’ rights in the cannabis industry.
The Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act is co-sponsored by U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Ed Markey (D-MA), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Gary Peters (D-MI), Tina Smith (D-MN), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Rev. Raphael Warnock (D-GA), John Fetterman (D-PA), and Laphonza Butler (D-CA).
Senator Murray has been a leader on common-sense cannabis reforms. She helped introduce the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act last Congress, and in 2017, she first introduced the Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act which would allow state-legal cannabis businesses to access banking services. She has reintroduced the bill multiple times and is pushing hard for its passage. An updated version of the legislation—the Safe and Fair Enforcement Regulation (SAFER) Banking Act of 2023, which Murray also cosponsored—passed through committee after a bipartisan markup last fall.
