Staycations make for a good option when you want to rest, stay safe, and save some money without traveling outside of your city.
There’s really no substitute for traveling. It exposes you to different people, foods, cultures and makes us feel like we’ve grown and changed for the better after we return home. Despite the fact that countries are reopening and states across the U.S. are returning back to normal, expensive ticket prices, bookings and rising COVID-19 cases can make people think twice. A staycation may be the best bet.
Here are 6 things you should avoid when planning your next staycation:
Checking your emails and working
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While it’s becoming increasingly popular for people to continue working even while on vacation, it’s important to disconnect. Even if you have to check your emails, limit the number of times you do so, keeping it to the evenings or the mornings. Just because you’re staying close to home doesn’t mean your mind can’t explore a new realm of relaxation.
Following the patterns of your normal life
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It’s very easy when on a staycation to use up your time doing what you normally do on your time off. While this can be relaxing, when it comes to taking real time off, it helps when you do different things, like visiting places you’ve never seen before, even if you’re in your hometown.
If you plan on going to restaurants or spending a night in a hotel, be sure to book a reservation ahead of time. Last-minute bookings are usually expensive and could add up and end up costing the price of a regular trip.
Keeping your home the same
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If you’re staying in your home, try to make it look and feel a little different. Clean up your place before the start of your staycation, buy flowers, or even rearrange some furniture. It may seem silly, but small changes can add up and make it feel like you’re truly on vacation.
If you go to the same coffee shops and delis that you usually visit, your staycation will kind of feel the same as your everyday life. Try doing an activity you’ve been looking forward to, or visiting a place that you’ve wanted to visit but never had the time to.
Not researching local rates
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When going on touristy activities or museums, don’t pass up on the rates you get from being a local. Some hotels, spas, and other attractions may provide discounted prices for residents.
The blame game sputtered to the surface again on Wednesday when Edwin Moses, two-time Olympic track and field gold medalist and emeritus chair of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), appeared before a federal commission at a hearing on international sports where he was questioned by panel co-chair Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN) about the controversial suspension of Sha’Carri Richardson.
Moses repeated USADA’s trope about how “heartbroken” they all were over Richardson’s suspension following a positive cannabis test and that the organization’s hands are tied with respect to enforcing international drug policy.
Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images
Cohen also did his share of hand-wringing when he railed against Richardson’s punishment and how onerous changing marijuana rules can be especially on the international level, “slow as molasses.”
Cohen repeated a remark he’d made earlier about cannabis not being a “performance-enhancing drug unless you’re involved in the hot dog eating contest on the Fourth of July at Coney Island.”
Very funny, but still no cigar unless the U.S. gets serious about removing a harmless plant from the Controlled Substance Act and recognizes the U.S.’s role in the inclusion of cannabis on the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) list of prohibited substances.
The US’s Role
Regardless of the lip service, such as Moses’s remark that there are no countries in the world that will “ever be as liberal as we are,” the fact of the matter is that the U.S. itself has for years played the leading role in imposing cannabis prohibition.
Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images
WADA made that abundantly clear to Reps. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) in a letter last month from its president, Witold Banka, who implied that the U.S. has consistently bullied the rest of the world to keep cannabis on the list of prohibited substances.
“At no time since the first Prohibited List was published in 2004 has WADA received any objection from U.S. stakeholders concerning the inclusion of cannabinoids on the Prohibited List,” Wada wrote. “On the contrary,(…) the U.S. has been one of the most vocal and strong advocates for including cannabinoids on the Prohibited List.”
But in all fairness to Rep. Cohen, he did push the envelope at this week’s hearing on international sports wherein his questioning got USADA to “publicly flesh out its position on marijuana use by athletes,” wrote Marijuana Moment.
“USADA told Congress, right to its face, that the policy of prohibition and stigmatization of cannabis consumers is wrong,” Justin Strekal, said political director for NORML. “The remaining question is when will the House take action to end the mandate that organizations like USADA, the DEA, ONDCP, and others stop criminalizing otherwise law-abiding Americans?”
It’s possible for a weed-consuming population to use marijuana without needing emergency medical assistance. Here’s how.
It seems that every time a state officially launches its legal cannabis market, reports showing that emergency rooms are filling up with people who can’t handle their weed start to bombard the internet. This took place earlier this year throughout Illinois, which rolled out its taxed and regulated pot trade in January. In Chicago, doctors claimed an increase in ER visits due to people overdosing on weed.
Listen, this madness might be happening, or it might not. The purpose of this article is not to debate whether legal marijuana brings about an uprising in freakouts that send people on a mad dash for the hospital. It is to serve as a guide, of sorts, intended to prevent these horrific events from happening in the first place. Because, get this, it is possible for a weed-consuming population to use marijuana without needing emergency medical assistance. It’s a novel concept, we know. But we swear that people can use cannabis products safely and responsibly.
Here’s how.
Photo by Nicole De Khors via Burst
The first thing to consider is this: Any report that comes out in the media suggesting that people are running to the ER because the weed got on top of them can almost always be attributed to edibles. We’re not going to lie, these popular pot products sold in dispensaries in states where marijuana is legal can be tricky and the source of great misery if they are not consumed correctly.
We’ve seen these things turn grown men into crying globs of slobber and regret, curled up in the fetal position, begging for someone to call 911 or bring them an oxygen tank. If you’ve never taken too much THC, there is no possible way to understand the intense anxiety that it brings. It can make breathing extremely difficult and mess with your senses in ways that are just plain scary. But there is no need for a person to go down this road if they don’t have to.
Avoiding a panic moment is as easy as understanding dosage and timing. But that alone can be difficult enough to put cannabis newbies in a bad situation. Unlike smoking marijuana, which comes with an instant buzz, pot edibles can take a while to kick in. It’s nothing to be sitting around for an hour waiting to feel the effects.
This is where some people make a tragic mistake. They’re thinking, “Man, these edibles are not doing anything for me,” so they take another dose and maybe another one after that. Then, in a matter of hours, they are as high as they’ve ever been in their lives, and there are no signs of a comedown. So, if there is one piece of advice we can offer for someone trying edibles for the first time, it’s to have some freaking patience.
The other is not to be a hero. Seriously, most of the edible products that can be purchased down at your neighborhood dispensary will come with 100mg of THC. Fair warning, this is not a single dose. Not unless you happen to be an elephant. This much THC has the power to cause a level of panic that you don’t even want to think about. Will it kill you? Well, science says that it won’t. But that doesn’t mean you won’t spend several, long hours utterly convinced that grim death is looming overhead.
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In fact, the fear of dying from a marijuana overdose (note: An overdose doesn’t necessarily mean someone has to die. It just means that they took too much) is the reason so many people storm the doors of an ER. It has been our experience that there is a bit of a learning curve when using edibles. Beginners should probably see how they do on 5mg of THC and go from there. Although budtenders typically tell customers they can start with 10mg, we have found that even this amount can be a little much for some folks.
Just remember, you can always take more if the initial dose isn’t quite doing the trick (give it an hour to do its thing, first). But you cannot back away from a pot overdose once it is on course. There is no Narcan-like reversal for it. You’re just going to have to deal with getting super stoned, paranoid and afraid.
And forget about all of those articles you’ll find on the internet about how to calm down after consuming too much THC. Most of these suggestions will not work on someone who is really ripped up and convinced that their life is about to end. Therefore, it’s probably best not to overdose in the first place. And the only way to avoid it is to start low and slow.
From DIY filters to storing your weed for ultimate freshness, here are some tricks to make your weed consumption a little easier.
Weed has been around for a long time. The fact that for the majority of its history it’s been shrouded in shame and secrecy is unfortunate, but it has also resulted in a lot of underground hacks that a lot of people don’t know about.
Here are 7 weed hacks that can simplify your life.
Buying pipe cleaners
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If you smoke from a bong or a pipe, you know how terrible it is when it gets clogged, and how difficult it is to clean if too much time has passed. Luckily, there are devices designed with this purpose in mind: pipe cleaners. Buy them. These brushes make the cleaning process very simple and will extend the life of your pipes and bongs
Store your weed in a mason jar and cover it with something black
Mason jars are the right way to store weed. To make these containers into something even better, cover them with black construction paper or a black shirt. This dark and cool environment will ensure that the weed stays fresh over long periods of time.
Smoke around mealtimes
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One of the best weed hacks of all time is to plan your smoke sessions around your meal times, and in the era of remote work, it’s even more convenient. By smoking around mealtimes you’ll ensure your food tastes amazing while also curbing the munchies by having something to eat.
Use old cards as filters
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Old greeting cards, birthday cards or any type of hard paper make for great filters, which will, in turn, make your joints last for longer periods of time and protect your lungs.
The right kind of high will have you focusing deeply on all kinds of things. Use this to your advantage like when you want to carefully brush your teeth for two minutes, or when you feel like working on your core by doing pushups and planks.
Store small amounts of weed in your packaged flavored blunt wraps
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While they don’t make for good containers over long periods of time, packaged flavored wraps make for good temporary storing places, giving your weed a nice flavor.
Pairing coffee with weed
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For those who get very sleepy after smoking weed, coffee could help you stay more alert. Just be careful with how much of each you consume; if you overdo it, your body may end up feeling disoriented and confused.
Oregon’s framework presents a more nuanced option for regulating hemp-derivatives with an intoxicating effect.
On July 19, Oregon Governor Kate Brown signed HB 3000, an omnibus bill focused on Oregon’s hemp industry into law. HB 3000 includes many modifications, but one aspect of the bill that will have a huge impact on how Delta-8 THC products are sold in Oregon (and, if other states follow suit, across the country), is the radical change the bill makes in the traditional classification of cannabis and cannabis products into either marijuana or hemp (or their respective derivatives) by creating a new, over-arching classification called Adult Use Cannabinoids and Cannabis Items.
Adult Use Cannabinoids and Cannabis Items
HB 3000 establishes a new classification of cannabinoids under Oregon law called “Adult Use Cannabinoids” which is defined to include the following:
Tetrahydrocannabinols
Tetrahydrocannabinolic acids that are artificially or naturally derived
Delta-8 THC
Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Delta-9 THC)
The optical isomers of delta-8-tetrahydrocannabinol or delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol
Any artificially derived cannabinoid that is reasonably determined to have an intoxicating effect
Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images
HB 3000 also creates a new classification of consumer product. An “Adult Use Cannabis Item” is defined to include:
A marijuana item (items that contain marijuana that are sold in Oregon’s recreational and medical market), and
An industrial hemp commodity or product that exceeds:
A concentration of Adult Use Cannabinoids to be established by the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission (OLCC), in consultation with the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) and the Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) or
A concentration of Delta-9 THC that exceed 0.3% on a dry weight basis or the threshold set by federal law if those changes.
HB 3000 prohibits any person from selling an Adult Use Cannabinoid Item to individuals under the age of twenty-one.
HB 3000 grants the OLCC rulemaking authority to establish what level of Adult Use Cannabinoid causes a product containing hemp derivatives to become an “Adult Use Cannabis Item”. The OLCC has wasted no time in establishing rules under HB 3000.
Under OLCC rule, an industrial hemp commodity or product is an adult use cannabis item if it:
Contains 0.5 milligrams or more of any combination of THC or tetrahydrocannabinolic acids, including Delta-9 or Delta-8 THC or delta-8-tetrahydrocannabinol or any other cannabinoids advertised by the manufacturer or seller as having an intoxicating effect;
Contains any quantity of artificially-derived cannabinoids; or
Has not been demonstrated to contain less than 0.5 milligrams total delta-9-THC when tested in accordance with ORS 571.330 or 571.339 (industrial hemp laboratory testing).
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These rules make product with more than 0.5 milligrams of Delta-8 THC (or any other THC) an Adult Use Cannabis Item which cannot be sold to individuals under the age of twenty-one (unless sold in a marijuana retail store to a medical marijuana card holder under twenty-one but over eighteen). The inclusion of any artificially derived cannabinoids also makes an industrial hemp product or commodity an Adult Use Cannabis Item. Finally, the OLCC creates a presumption that if lab test does not demonstrate that a hemp product is under 0.5 Delta-9 THC, then it is considered and Adult Use Cannabis Item.
The Future of Delta-8 THC
As we mentioned above, by developing a new classification of cannabinoid product, Oregon has upended a long-held distinction between marijuana and hemp. Hemp is cannabis with less than 0.3% Delta-9THC on a dry weight basis. The 2018 Farm Bill defines hemp to also include derivatives and cannabinoids from hemp. Simply put, this means that anything derived from hemp is hemp and anything derived from marijuana is marijuana with Delta-9 THC being the dividing line. Oregon adds another wrinkle by creating a new class of products and altering the dividing line to turn not solely on Delta-9 THC, but on the presence of Adult Use Cannabinoids which will be set by the OLCC.
HB 3000 does not ban Delta-8 THC but it will distinguish products containing 0.5 milligrams of Delta-8 THC (and any other products containing intoxicating cannabinoids or artificially derived cannabinoids) from other hemp commodities. HB 3000 does not provide further restrictions on selling or distributing Adult Use Cannabis Items and neither does the OLCC, at this time. That means that unlike marijuana items, which can only be sold in licensed retail stores, Adult Use Cannabis Items can remain on the shelves in most places that they are currently sold, so long as minors cannot access or buy those products. One area to watch is whether the OLCC will eventually impose a requirement that stores selling Adult Use Cannabis Items hold a license or authorization.
Photo by Christina Winter via Unsplash
Bottom Line
Oregon’s experiment with Adult Use Cannabis Items could provide a valuable framework for other states. Delta-8 THC has caused massive headaches for regulators across the country and resulted in many states banning hemp-derived Delta-8 THC all together. Oregon’s framework presents a more nuanced option for regulating hemp-derivatives with an intoxicating effect. It remains to be seen how this will work and much of that will turn on how the OLCC enforces HB 3000, with regards to Adult Use Cannabis Items. We will continue to track Adult Use Cannabis Items and write about them here on the Green Light Law Blog.
Daniel Shortt is a corporate and regulatory attorney based in Seattle, Washington who works extensively with entrepreneurs in the cannabis industry. You can contact him at info@gl-lg.com or (206) 430-1336.
The sheer range of cannabis effects and characteristics are what make it globally beloved, and it requires a look at the sum of its parts.
Walk into any licensed cannabis dispensary in a recreational state and you’ll notice — weed can get pretty expensive. Eighths can range from a reasonable $30 to as much as $80, before taxes even get factored in.
Many consumers feel like they need to get their money’s worth, and much like with alcohol, have looked to THC content to determine if the sticker price is worth it. The demand for flower that tests at 30% THC or more has become so prominent that growers often can’t sell their relatively low-testing flower to retailers.
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But as it turns out, THC is far from the best indicator of a flower’s potency, let alone its overall quality. THC content is one static result in a live organism that changes with its environment, and should never be the deciding factor. Here’s what else you should look for when purchasing marijuana.
Check the Cultivation and Packaging Dates
The days of growers bringing fresh pounds of cannabis in turkey bags in the dispensary back door are sadly over. Industry regulations require inventory tracking, lab tests, compliant packaging and distribution in order to get any buds from the garden to the shelves, all of which take time.
It’s unfortunate, but far from unusual to see cannabis being sold six months after it was cultivated. Exposure to light and oxygen degrades THC content and converts it to the more sedating and less psychoactive cannabinoid CBN, which is great if you’re sleep deprived, but not much else.
Ask About Terpenes
More and more companies are now offering terpene profiles in addition to just cannabinoid content, which is a win for consumers. Terpenes are aromatic compounds found in cannabis and innumerable other plants responsible for that “dank” smell, but in cannabis they converge with cannabinoids in what’s called the entourage effect to express a certain strain’s effects.
The earthy, stony OG Kush, for example, has a very different terpene profile than zippy Super Lemon Haze, and the two provide distinct highs. A low terpene content can indicate poor cultivation methods or an aged product, neither of which a high THC content can make up for. Your budtender or dispensary associate may have more information as well.
Research the Brand
Wine grown in Napa Valley is going to taste different than wine grown in Martha’s Vineyard, and the same goes for cannabis. Location, genetics and growth methods can result in two versions of the same strain having almost nothing in common, except the name.
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A company that specializes in outdoor cultivation won’t offer the same experience as an indoor-grown brand, and larger companies may partner with smaller growers to white-label their crops instead of growing their own.
See it Up Close, if You Can
Cannabis is a visual plant, just take a scroll on Instagram or a perusal of cannabis magazines. These images are typically the creme de la creme, and can be used as a point of reference against what you see in stores, provided pandemic guidelines allow you to view and sniff samples.
Fresh cannabis not only smells fresh, but looks like it. Colors of the leaves and pistils are vibrant, not browning, the crystal-like trichomes should still be white, and the bud should even have a slightly wet appearance. There should never, under any circumstances, be any stems or seeds mixed in.
The healing power of cannabis is a group effort that THC alone can’t provide, nor should it. The sheer range of cannabis effects and characteristics are what make it globally beloved, and it requires a look at the sum of its parts, not by the numbers.
For now, there’s no country in the EU that allows for the legal production, commercialization, and consumption of adult-use cannabis. Things, however, are just beginning to move on the Old Continent.
By Barbara Pastori, Director of Strategy & Data – Prohibition Partners
In this insightful article, international cannabis expert, Barbara Pastori, explores the potential impact of adult-use legalization in Europe.
Adult-use cannabis legalization is picking up pace in the Americas. On Wednesday July 14, Senate Majority leader Chuck Schumer released a draft bill that would federally legalize cannabis in the United States. Earlier this year, New York joined the ever-growing collection of US states in which adult-use cannabis is already fully legal. Last June, Mexico’s Supreme Court ruled that the government should legalize the recreational use of cannabis, bringing the country a step closer to becoming the largest legal market for adult-use cannabis in the world.
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And Europe? It’s still lagging behind. For now, there’s no country in the EU that allows for the legal production, commercialization, and consumption of adult-use cannabis. Things, however, are just beginning to move on the Old Continent as well.
There are a few governments that are taking the first tentative steps towards legislation that allows for adult cannabis use (at least on a trial basis). June saw two political parties in Portugal — Left Bloc and Liberal Initiative — each present proposals for the legalization of adult-use cannabis. The outcome of the debate was an agreement that both bills be sent to the Health Committee for a period of 60 days, during which public hearings can be made, amendments presented, and negotiations carried out before the deciding vote takes place in Parliament.
Luxembourg, Switzerland, and The Netherlands have all passed regulations to get the ball rolling in the legalization process. In Switzerland and the Netherlands, new laws allow for the initiation of pilot schemes wherein cannabis can be legally produced, imported, and distributed to registered users. It is likely that these pilot projects will be underway, with products on shelves within 1-2 years. This will make the two countries the first to de facto allow for a fully legal supply chain for adult-use cannabis.
Photo by Steven Lasry via Unsplash
If the legalization process continues as expected, Portugal — along with other European countries like Spain, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, and Malta — may be on course to introduce legal access to adult-use cannabis within the next few years.
What will be the effects of legalization?
The potential effects of the legalization of cannabis in Europe are far-reaching and significant. From an economic, social, political, and medical perspective, the opportunities created by legalization could be transformative. Let’s take a look at a few now.
A commercial boom
Firstly, let’s examine the potential commercial impact of cannabis legalization in Europe. Put simply, the potential market for adult-use cannabis is huge. A whopping one in ten Europeans smokes cannabis every year, while a quarter of people admit to having used cannabis at least once in their lifetime. The annual sales in illicit market cannabis are estimated at around €11 billion.
It appears likely that many countries will focus on developing infrastructure for the domestic production of adult-use cannabis. This is the course that Switzerland and the Netherlands are charting in order to allow for tighter oversight of all stages of the supply chain and maximize the amount of tax revenue.
Although fragmented legislation might somehow be a hindrance to the market reaching its full potential quickly, the gradual legalization of adult-use cannabis will mark a significant turning point for the industry and opportunities will arise as a result. As highlighted in The European Cannabis Report: 6th Edition, we project that sales of adult-use cannabis will reach €200 million by 2023, coming close to €800 million in 2025.
To put these figures into context; when cannabis was legalized in Canada, the illicit market for cannabis was worth €800 million. It took just two years for the legal adult-use cannabis industry to take away half of the market share.
Product differentiation will be a natural outcome, as we’ve seen in the US and Canada. There are a number of ways cannabis can be consumed for recreational purposes, many of which are currently made impossible by prohibition.
This diversification could lead to an increase in cannabis usage more broadly – many people are, after all, put off by the illegality of the business and the lack of alternatives to smoking flowers. The drive to satisfy the diverse needs of consumers will involve a wide variety of sectors. Those most likely to play a role are consumer goods, food, and healthcare. Profitable investment opportunities will be available to essentially create a functioning value chain from scratch.
A plethora of medicinal uses
The legalization of cannabis across Europe will not only create a new market but will also have a significant impact on the medical side of the industry. The relationship between these two segments has indeed always been a controversial one.
In the US, medical cannabis has occasionally been used as the basis for wider arguments about the legalization of adult-use cannabis. We’ve all seen the photos of medical practices in areas like Venice Beach offering quick prescriptions for cannabis for a few dollars. This practice has helped to normalize cannabis use, while also damaging the image of cannabis as a medicinal product.
Photo by thegoodphoto/Getty Images
The situation is very different in Europe, where medical and adult-use cannabis have largely remained separate issues. Cannabis is permitted in many countries for medical purposes, while recreational use still carries a stigma and is largely left to the illicit market.
However, it can be expected that the legalization of adult-use cannabis will have an impact on the medical cannabis market in Europe. One likely effect is the increasing medicalization of these cannabis markets. Patients and doctors will increasingly move away from the flower — still predominant in Europe — and towards products like extracts, edibles, and the more refined pharmaceutical products which align medicinal cannabis to more traditional medical practice.
This is a natural process, but also one that will be necessary for the pharmaceutical cannabis industry to evolve. As more and more patients will be able to find satisfaction for their consumption needs elsewhere, medicinal cannabis will need to differentiate its offering. A similar trend can already be seen in a more mature market like Canada, where the opening of adult-use cannabis stores has put the total number of registered patients on a downward trend.
Socially and politically transformative
Finally, the recreational legalization of cannabis is almost certain to bring with it further normalization and social acceptance of cannabis across Europe, fanning the flames of a market that is already set to grow exponentially over the next few years (we project it will be worth more than €3 billion by 2025). As with anything, the social stigmas attached to cannabis are largely borne out of its illegality and have begun to be stripped away as countries move towards legalization.
It’s also entirely possible that countries will begin to see the political and legislative benefits of legalization, leading other governments to follow suit. Countries that go down the legalization route are likely to feel the immense benefits of direct revenues through taxes and a significant reduction in pressure on the judicial system. Colorado, a state with an economy the size of Norway’s, sold $1.6 billion in cannabis in 2020 and is an industry that is supporting the creation of thousands of jobs, reviving the economies of many communities.
Legalization is unlikely to completely transform the market with one clean sweep. It’s much more likely that countries will gradually adopt a hybrid solution or implement new legislation in increments. This is, however, a story we’ve seen time and time again. When we reach a legislative tipping point, change comes thick and fast.
We may not see a European country legalize recreational cannabis this calendar year, but the process is underway and it’s difficult to predict how quickly things will move when they do. For anyone hoping to ride this wave, now might be a good time to start preparing.
Photo by Kyle Glenn via Unsplash
Barbara is a leading expert on the international cannabis industry. She has done substantial work on emerging cannabis markets such as Europe, Latin America and Africa. Barbara heads Research & Consulting in Prohibition Partners, the leading source of market intelligence, data and strategy on the global cannabis industry.
Barbara has extensive experience in managing and executing strategic consulting projects in a variety of heavily regulated sectors ranging from Oil & Gas to transportation and FMCG. Previous to Prohibition Partners, she covered various positions in General Electric, Wood Mackenzie and KLB Group. Barbara is a graduate in Political Science and International Relations from LUISS University and holds a MSc in Petroleum and Energy Economics and Finance from the University of Aberdeen.
To get in touch with Barbara, you can email her directly: barbara@prohibitionpartners.com
Can you smoke your leftover weed stems? What can you even do with them? Here’s what you should know.
It’s happened to the best of us. It’s late at night and we’ve totally underestimated the amount of marijuana at our disposal. We aren’t in a position to buy more at the moment. We look through our ashtray and our weed baggie and there’s nothing useful in sight. Then we spot the stems. Should we smoke them? Can we smoke them? What happens when you smoke marijuana stems?
Sadly, it appears that weed stems are different from the usual bud you smoke. For starters, they don’t contain much THC, rendering them useless if you’re looking to get high. They also taste bad and woody, because there’s no plant in them, and they’re associated with a batch of negative side effects like headaches, sore throats and coughing fits, according to Healthline.
Still, just because you can’t smoke cannabis stems doesn’t mean you can’t find something useful to do with them. A lot of people find inventive ways of incorporating these parts of cannabis, using them to brew teas, to make tinctures, topicals and to even make stem butter. While there’s not much THC in stems, they are still a part of the cannabis plant, having many of the mysterious health benefits that experts and cannabis users love.
Before re-purposing your stems for any reason, it’s important to decarboxylate them, activating however small amount there is of THC and other cannabinoids. Once you’re done with this part of the process, you can infuse the stems into whatever you want.
Cannabis stems aren’t likely to get you high, but they could provide therapeutic and relaxing effects for you. There’s anecdotal evidence of cannabis stem teas treating nausea, anxiety, chronic pain, and more, all the while eliminating the unpredictable psychoactive effects of cannabis drinks. We even have a recipe for it.
CV Sciences also released its potential plans to develop the world’s first and only FDA-approved treatment for smokeless tobacco addiction.
This week, CV Sciences (OTCQB:CVSI) released the results of a preclinical study that suggests that CBD can reduce nicotine withdrawal symptoms in smokeless tobacco users.
The study, conducted in collaboration with researchers from the University of California, San Diego and published on Springer Nature, found that CBD prevented nicotine-dependent rats from exhibiting withdrawal symptoms including increased pain sensitivity and weight gain during short-and long-term nicotine restriction.
Photo by Mathew MacQuarrie via Unsplash
The company also released its potential plans to develop the world’s first and only FDA-approved treatment for smokeless tobacco addiction.
“We are thrilled with the results of this study done in collaboration with UC San Diego, which marks a significant milestone for our drug development division,” Joseph Dowling, CEO of CV Sciences told Benzinga. “Through continued research and innovation, we are committed to developing a CBD-based therapeutic to address the huge, unmet medical need and global health issue of nicotine addiction.”
New York Cannabis United is calling on both the Cuomo Administration and New York State Legislators to uphold the promises made in the new law by swiftly appointing leadership to the Cannabis Control Board.
By Imani A. Dawson
On March 31st, Governor Cuomo signed the Marihuana Regulation and Taxation (MRTA) into law, conceived as one of the nation’s most equitable. The law has the potential to create the country’s largest legal cannabis industry and mitigate the harms experienced by Black and brown communities in the process.
Three months later, legalization has stalled in New York. Elected officials have taken no clear and public steps to create the promised cannabis industry grounded in social justice, economic equity, and environmental renewal. Every day that goes by without the administrative structure in place to implement the MRTA harms New Yorkers. The lack of transparency around selection criteria and lack of action around proposing candidates undermines this historic victory.
Photo by Joshua Earle via Unsplash
New York Cannabis United (NYCU), a coalition of New York cannabis advocacy organizations, businesses, farmers, aspiring entrepreneurs and people disproportionately impacted by cannabis prohibition, is calling on both the Cuomo Administration and New York State Legislators to uphold the promises made in the new law by swiftly appointing leadership to the Cannabis Control Board (CCB) and Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) leadership who represent the geographic and cultural diversity of New York state.
Read the full letter below.
Dear Governor Cuomo and New York Lawmakers:
We are a dedicated group of New York cannabis law reform and advocacy organizations, trade associations, businesses, farmers, aspiring entrepreneurs, concerned individuals, and people negatively impacted by the racially disparate application of cannabis laws and policies. We have come together to call upon every elected official in New York with control over implementation of legislation, from the Governor to the Senate and the Assembly, to reconvene and appoint appropriate leadership to the Cannabis Control Board and Office of Cannabis without further delay.
Governor Cuomo heralded the victory of NY’s new Cannabis Law, the Marihuana Regulation and Taxation Act, signed into law on 31 March 2021 stating: “This was one of my top priorities in this year’s State of the State agenda and I’m proud these comprehensive reforms address and balance the social equity, safety, and economic impacts of legal adult-use cannabis. I thank both the Leader and the Speaker, and the tireless advocacy of so many for helping make today’s historic day possible.” Truly, New York’s cannabis law holds the promise to uplift our state. In order for the new law to meet its vast potential and become the national model of creating an industry that puts communities, people, health, and environment above profits, we must have leadership in place that reflects these principles.
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Yet, despite Cuomo claiming this as a priority, legalization has already stalled. If this new law was a collaborative victory between the Administration and the Legislators, why is there such disagreement about who should be implementing these consensus based goals? It is time to stop talking about diversity, equity, and inclusivity and start taking bold action to manifest these principles. The will of the people should be reflected in the implementation of the new law. Appointees should represent the geographic and cultural diversity of our state, and represent the commitments codified in the law to social equity, economic inclusivity, small businesses, and redress for communities most harmed by prohibition drug policies.
Now is the time to bring the $350 million annual projected tax revenue and the 30,000 to 60,000 new jobs across the State to fruition. Failure to move forward with acceptable appointees undermines this victory and only encourages municipalities to opt out; discourages the conversion of legacy markets, allows out-of-state, unregulated, and often pesticide-laden cannabis to be sold in NY communities; delays redress to communities most harmed by the war on drugs; allows unregulated indoor grow to continue at a detriment to the environment; and compromises opportunities for aspiring farmers and small business owners.
Not until these key positions are appropriately created can we make progress towards a cannabis community that uplifts and prioritizes New Yorkers, our climate, our environment, our economy, and our health. We need political leadership to start from the premise that the needs of protecting NY farmers; developing small business opportunities; creating a level playing field for equity applicants; and providing New Yorkers a pathway to enter the market is more important than political gain.
It is now legal to consume cannabis in New York but still illegal for anyone except licensed medical cannabis companies to grow or sell it. Continuing to delay implementation will further disadvantage equity applicants and cause the industry to scramble to begin operations, and plant fields in time for next year’s growing season. This can be avoided. Reconvene now for a special session and uphold your stated commitments to NY voters. We call upon Governor Cuomo to work expeditiously with NY State Legislators to appoint a Cannabis Control Board and Office of Cannabis Management leadership that reflects the people of this state. Uphold your promise and uplift New York.
