The CDC is finalizing guidelines for people who’ve been vaccinated for COVID-19. Here’s what we can expect.
After months of inoculations, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is finalizing guidelines for those people who’ve been vaccinated, including whether or not they’re able to gather with others in person and they’re public behavior when they’re out of their homes.
The CDC has been explicit in its orientations, for the past year advising for social distancing measures and mask wearing for people who come from different households, suggesting that virtual means are the safest way of socializing with others.
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According to Politico, the new guidelines for vaccinated people will allow them to meet up with small groups of people of different households without much of a risk. Still, those who’ve been vaccinated will still have to comply with other safety measures, like wearing masks in public and maintaining social distance. These guidelines are expected to be finalized by the end of the week and released at some point after.
People who have received both shots are now the group at lowest risk for the virus, with science suggesting that they should be able to return to a semblance of normalcy sooner rather than later. Still, some experts are concerned with the speed in which states are loosening up safety and distancing measures due to the shift in the pandemic, which could make a comeback if people are not careful.
“The goal in those first 100 days has always been to sort of make sure that we are in a place to be out of this pandemic,” said CDC director Dr. Rochelle Walensky. “At 70,000 cases per day, we’re not in that place right now.”
It remains important for people to be patient and to avoid significant movement and exposure to the virus. The rate of reopening businesses and other public institutions must be on par with the rate of inoculations. Thanks to a third vaccine in circulation, this process will hopefully pick up in the coming weeks.
Despite more Americans supporting federal legalization of cannabis, many people still don’t know about the industry’s potential to harm the environment.
Just like other agricultural commodities, there are environmental impacts involved when growing cannabis. But many consumers don’t know, or simply don’t care how their cannabis was grown or even if it was sprayed with harmful chemical pesticides. Here is how to find sustainable cannabis and why it is important for you.
Tons of carbon is emitted into the atmosphere too just to grow a single cannabis plant. However, there is a growing number of people who do care how their cannabis was grown, and if they are produced with care to reduce its impact on the environment.
With climate change the number one issue our earth faces today, it’s important for you to help make a positive change by looking for products — your cannabis included — from brands or manufacturers that work to reduce their carbon footprint.
Cannabis is one of the oldest agricultural commodities out there, and more grow operations continue to sprout because of demand for the product. However, growing it using modern techniques especially in indoor grows requires massive amounts of energy and water, which have a major carbon footprint. Despite more Americans supporting federal legalization of cannabis, many people still don’t know about the industry’s potential to harm the environment.
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That’s not to say that the industry as a whole has a fault, it’s just that awareness of sustainable growing techniques are still lesser known but there are many companies out there who have made it their mission to provide customers with sustainably-grown cannabis all while complying with local regulations.
And there’s a market for it: survey says that cannabis consumers are willing to shell out more money for clean and green products.
What Does Sustainable Cannabis Growing Involve?
It’s estimated that a grow house uses up around the same energy to produce a kilogram of cannabis flower as driving a vehicle across the United States as much as 7 times. That’s a LOT of energy. And it’s no secret that there already is a need for making energy more efficient for the industry.
Having said that, sustainable cannabis growing doesn’t just apply to big-name players and cannabis corporations, and doesn’t exclude the location of your grow whether it’s indoors or outdoors. Mom and pop setups and even cannabis startups can also do the same when it comes to their exhausts, grow lights, and fans. And no matter what the size of your grow op is, you can still have total control over the quality of nutrients you use on your plants, since many pesticides and packaged plant fertilizers are made with chemicals that are harmful to the environment.
Aside from reducing the impact of your grow on the environment, another major way that businesses can reduce their carbon footprint is by using more eco-friendly packaging options. This can be a challenge because some cannabis laws in certain states especially when it comes to edibles require them to be individually wrapped, which means that candies and other such items that contain CBD or THC need to be self-contained and have the proper labeling, while liquid medications should provide their own cups.
How To Find Sustainable Cannabis
Being informed means you’re one major step ahead. Educating yourself on the various types of products out there and learning to decipher among a massive amount of tempting cannabis variations will enable you to make an informed choice that will play a big role in reducing your impact on the environment, whether you consume for fun or whether you need it for medicine.
Sierra Club, a renowned authority on practices we ordinary people can do to help save the planet, released a list of helpful tips to help cannabis consumers become more green. Here’s what they say:
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Look for labels: There are numerous third-party certifications available in the cannabis industry, which, albeit small, still give peace of mind that certain products have been given the green light on sustainability. Some that you can start looking for include Certified Kind,Cannabis Certification Council, and Dragonfly Earth Medicine. There are also additional certifications that go to products, verifying that they made an effort to reduce electric consumption to produce their goods.
Opt for sun-grown cannabis: Indoor cannabis operations are notorious for the vast amounts of energy they consume to grow pot. On the other hand, sun-grown cannabis makes use of resources that are already naturally available, like sunlight of course! This is an excellent alternative to indoor-made products that use artificial light on top of massive nutrients, fertilizers, pesticides, and temperature-controlled environments. Simply look for packages that indicate they are made with “sun-grown” practices.
Look for eco-friendly packaging: Once you start looking, you might be surprised to find that many cannabis products are packaged in a sustainable manner, such as with recycled or recyclable packaging.
Go for simpler products: The simpler to produce, the less energy was required from the environment. So if you have a choice between buying cannabis oils which required tons of processing as compared to raw cannabis flower in a glass jar, go for the flower.
Look for laboratory tests: There are cannabis products that come with testing results at the very least, or a Certificate of Analysis. These tests are required for being sold at dispensaries in legal states, so this should be a quick and easy step you can do. They test for harmful ingredients such as mold and heavy metals, meaning they aren’t just cleaner for the environment but safer for your health, too.
These are just some helpful tips to get you started on your path to becoming a more environmentally-conscious cannabis consumer. What are your favorite eco-friendly cannabis brands?
In recent years and to this day, researchers have been focused on learning more about CMV and how people can help treat and/or prevent this virus from happening.
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a common herpes virus that’s also known as HCMV, CMV, or human herpesvirus 5 (HHV-5). Cytomegalovirus can affect babies and adults alike, and it’s the most commonly transmitted virus to a developing fetus. Essentially, CMV is a form of herpes that you don’t want to pass onto your significant other because it could have long-term effects on your future offspring, among other things.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than half of adults have been diagnosed with CMV by the age of 40. Usually, those affected by cytomegalovirus show few or no symptoms. However, once an individual is infected with CMV, it remains within the body for life, and at any point, can reactivate. People of all ages can be infected with cytomegalovirus, but fortunately, various precautions can be taken to prevent it from occurring.
As the medical community and researchers gain more knowledge about CMV, studies like this one HERE are providing more informative and helpful details about the virus including ways to prevent the occurrence of it and how to effectively fight it.
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Top Five Cytomegalovirus Facts
Once an individual is infected with CMV, the type of treatment that’s pursued is based on different factors, especially specific symptoms and their severity. Being well informed about cytomegalovirus can significantly help prevent the occurrence of it, which begins with these five key facts:
There are three types of cytomegalovirus consisting of congenital, primary, and reactivation:
Congenital CMV occurs when a baby inherits the virus from the mother before birth, and it’s worth noting that around one in five babies with congenital CMV infection will have long-term health problems
Primary CMV refers to the first time an individual is infected with CMV, which doesn’t typically cause any serious symptoms
Reactivation CMV occurs when the infection that was once dormant becomes active again once an individual’s immune system is weakened
Those infected with cytomegalovirus may be able to keep the virus from causing illness if they have a healthy and strong immune system
A large majority of people infected with CMV don’t show any major symptoms
CMV can be passed onto others through saliva, blood, urine, semen, and breast milk
Individuals with weakened immune systems and those born with CMV are more likely to experience severe symptoms and/or long-term health issues as a result of being infected
Photo by Dean Mitchell/Getty Images
Major CMV Preventative Measures
Although cytomegalovirus can affect anyone regardless of their age, one silver lining is that different precautions can be taken to prevent CMV, which include the following:
Proper hygiene, especially washing hands often and thoroughly
Avoiding contact with saliva and tears when kissing a child
Not sharing food, glasses, or kitchen utensils with others
Safely and properly disposing of diapers, tissues, and other potentially contaminated items followed by thorough hand washing
Practice safe sex by using condoms during sexual contact
In recent years and to this day, researchers have been focused on learning more about CMV and how people can help treat and/or prevent this virus from happening. Clinical trials like this one HERE are being performed by research groups with the goal of helping the healthcare community not only learn more about CMV, but also develop solutions.
So far, experimental vaccines are being tested for women of childbearing age, with the goal of an effective inoculation that’s safe and useful in preventing CMV infection in both mothers and babies.
When In Doubt, Schedule a Doctor’s Appointment
Most people infected with CMV show no noticeable symptoms, but this doesn’t apply to everyone. It’s possible to experience symptoms, such as a sore throat, fever, swollen glands, or fatigue. If you have any of these symptoms, or if you have any reason to believe you may have been infected with CMV through other means, we suggest scheduling a doctor’s appointment to receive a proper diagnosis and/or treatment plan. Being proactive not only helps protect you and your partner, but also your future child/children among other parts of life including your love life.
National treasure Dolly Parton got inoculated and filmed herself while it happened.
The world exhaled a collective sigh of relief yesterday when Dolly Parton posted a video of herself receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. She joked that she “got a taste of her own medicine,” alluding to the fact that she was one of the investors of the Moderna vaccine. The internet is, of course, extremely relieved.
According to reports, the 75-year-old donated $1 million to Vanderbilt University in 2020 in order to help them find a cure for COVID-19 and speed the process along.
Parton also uploaded a video of her talking about her decision to take the vaccine, calling herself “old enough” and “smart enough” to take it. She then proceeded to sing a version of “Jolene” where she replaced the name with the word “vaccine.” It’s great.
The video is three minutes long and it explains the process of the COVID-19 shot pretty thoroughly, with Parton introducing her doctor, putting on her face mask and then having him inject her. Aside from encouraging eligible people to get their shots, Dolly also provides us with sensible clothes to wear when out for a vaccination; a dress with some fancy holes on the upper side of her arms.
Dolly Parton calling out anti-vaxxers by singing “cos once you dead then that’s a bit too late.” Queen of public health pic.twitter.com/hiY8K4dhF8
Before injecting Parton, the doctor asks her whether she has any serious disorders or allergies, to which she said no. After the shot, Parton said that the process didn’t hurt at all.
Be like Dolly and, if eligible, sign up to get your COVID-19 shot.
You can blow through your cannabis stash pretty quickly. Here are some tricks that can help extend its use.
It’s not a great feeling to reach for your weed supply only to find out there’s very little left. Regular marijuana users burn through their cannabis quickly, even if they’re not smoking copious amounts. If this is you, it might be a good idea to pace yourself. Fear not, there are ways of spreading out your cannabis without feeling like you’re consuming any less. Here are 5 hacks that can make your cannabis last longer.
Grinder with kief-catcher
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While a kief catcher won’t save you a lot of weed, it could add some dimensions to your smoking and provide with something you don’t usually use. Kief is the tiny, sticky crystals that cover the cannabis flower, which are usually potent in terms of effects. Kief is strong and can be used to cover a bowl or a joint, making the high much more powerful, which in turn, helps the joint or bowl last for longer periods of time. New to kief? Here’s a primer on how to use it.
Instead of waking and baking or sitting down at the end of the day and smoking your anxiety away, microdosing can help you obtain better results while also spreading out your weed. If you microdose with glassware, your results will be even better, giving you a more thorough understanding of the amount of weed you’re consuming and are going through.
As is the case with most purchases, the larger the order, the more you save. Of course, it’s very important to know how much you buy, that way you won’t have any weed going stale. Before purchasing in bulk, keep an eye on how much cannabis you spend and how long it takes to consume it. Once you have these numbers at hand, head over to your favorite dispensary and buy what you need. And to make sure none of that weed goes to waste, here are 8 Ways To Properly Store Marijuana For Freshness.
While making edibles is a weed-heavy project, depending on the way you consume them you might end up actually saving some money. Edible highs can last for longer than three hours, which is ostensibly longer than the high you could get from smoking.
Smoke solo
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Another tip that’s very helpful, especially when living through a pandemic, is smoking solo. While smoking weed with friends is fun, it’s very easy to lose track of how much you consume and the amount of money you spend. If you’re looking to save some weed and money, the best thing you can do is have an understanding of how much you smoke, try to spread it out as much as you can while still having fun, and shop accordingly.
The last 10 years saw a dramatic increase in consumption and there is every reason to believe that the trend will continue.
Cannabis business consulting firm Nucleus One recently released the findings of their February 2021 Massachusetts Adult-Use Marijuana Market Report. Nucleus-One tracks and analyzes data from the Cannabis Control Commission of Massachusetts.
February’s report heralded good news for the Commonwealth’s cannabis industry after a short-lived decline in sales in 2020. Since the decline, December and January 2021 saw unprecedented sales, with over 98 active retailers in the state. This growth is due to higher sales in product categories other than flower shares, which hit an all-time low in December.
The Commonwealth’s uptick isn’t confined to the retail space, as the largest Massachusetts operator (measured by active agents), NETA, and its parent company Parallel prepare to go public following a SPAC Agreement with Ceres Acquisition Corp. On the regulatory front, the CCC published new Medical and Adult Use Regulations in January, which will create a more hospitable environment for this thriving market. Also supportive of 2021’s promising growth are Northampton’s move to waive the community impact fee of 3% on gross sales for cannabis businesses and upcoming discussions about eliminating the vertical integration requirement for medical operators.
The last 10 years saw a dramatic increase in consumption and there is every reason to believe that the trend will continue. The number of final licenses granted is up 134 percent from January 2020, with January 2021 sales up 68 percent from the previous year. The number of employees in Massachusetts’ cannabis industry rose by 72 percent from last year, and operators harvested 48 percent more plants than a year earlier.
Licensing can be a long, laborious and expensive process for entrepreneurs to navigate, but on that front, too, there is encouraging news. The number of final licenses in the Commonwealth has more than doubled over the past year and a record 25 final licenses were granted in January. A total of 724 licenses have been approved and 389 provisionally approved across the Commonwealth, though marijuana is still banned or partially banned in over 120 communities in the state.
Boston in particular has the highest number of pending retailer licenses, with Brockton coming in a strong second. Smaller operators make up the majority of the 571 new active agents added by the Commonwealth, with all but 8 of the top 25 operators increasing their number of active agents compared to data from December
With daily sales averaging $2.8 million in January 2021, the Massachusetts adult-use market is now worth $1 billion annually, which is certainly correlated with the spike in the number of retail locations from 33 in December 2019 to 94 by December 2020. Sales benefited from a holiday shopping boost, and have sustained that momentum at around $30k per day per store well into 2021.
Despite changing buyer behavior, such as steep declines in daily sales on Thursdays and Fridays attributed in part to the pandemic and disrupted commuting routines, overall numbers remain strong with more than $1.26 billion worth of cannabis products sold through the adult use market between November 2018 and February 2021. With big operators like NETA going public, favorable regulations making the books, and a user-friendly licensing process welcoming more new businesses to the market, the future is bright for Massachusetts’ cannabis economy.
Legalization could mean millions of dollars for the states as the growth of the supply chain will open multiple opportunities.
The growth of medical marijuana has seen the trend of legalization and opening of new markets prevalent in recent years. Some states that were not leaning towards legalization have greater chances of success this year. The surprise is these 4 red states could legalize weed in 2021. The traditionally conservative states are considering allowing medical marijuana programs in Alabama, Kansas, Kentucky, and South Carolina.
A paradigm shift has been taking place carefully since last year and 2021 could help solidify that shift. Many Southeastern states are leaning towards following the trend of Mississippi with respect to marijuana legalization. Likewise, states that normally lean towards the Republican view of things are already embracing cannabis. 2020 showed this reality as Montana and South Dakota legalized medical and recreational marijuana use in November. This makes it 38 states with Washington DC that have medical marijuana programs infused in their state health system.
Legalization for these states will do a whole lot of good given the economic and commercial effects of the 2020 pandemic. Legalization could mean millions of dollars for the states as the growth of the supply chain will open multiple opportunities. Jobs will be created for the populace and the states can hugely benefit from the opening of new economic systems and tax opportunities.
Prospects of the new possible markets
Each of the four states has peculiarities in terms of their road to legalization. Kansas already had two medical marijuana bills squashed last year. Nonetheless, the journey of West Virginia to medical marijuana legalization in 2017 leaves much to expect good news in Kansas too. Though the stakeholders in some of these states seem resilient with prohibition, they will have no choice in the face of a decision made by voters. This was the case of Mississippi where voters used the power of the ballot box to incorporate medical marijuana despite resistance from the legislature.
Medical marijuana bills in Alabama and Kentucky were well on their way to approval last year. However, the onset of the pandemic drew things backward yet there is much hope that 2021 will be the breakthrough year. Spencer Duncan, executive director of the Kansas Cannabis Industry Association attests to the fact that some of the lawmakers in Kansas who were uncomfortable with the idea of medical marijuana are now open to the idea. This is why there is much hope in the possibility of Kansas legalizing marijuana when a new bill is passed.
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States in the Southeast and Midwest are bound to benefit the greatest with the opening of new cannabis markets. They have the advantage of lower labor costs and real estate costs compared to other regions. They also have limited licensing programs which will affect the ratio of competition to be expected for such licenses. Another advantage heading into legalization will be the technological advancements of such states in the area of agriculture and processing of its products.
Here is a closer look into the four states that could legalize medical marijuana in 2021.
Alabama
The likelihood of Alabama passing a medical marijuana bill in 2021 is very high. The Senate already passed a medical marijuana bill in March 2020 before the pandemic hit. A 22-11 vote in favor of medical marijuana enough to get the bill to the House. However, the effects of the COVID-19 made that hard to do. The same bill is expected to be passed this year by Sen. Tim Melson and the bill is expected to have smooth sailing towards rubber stamping.
The bill in 2020 was tailored to allow licenses to be offered for cultivators, processors, and dispensaries. There is also room for licenses for testing labs and transporters. The bill allowed for pills, patches, creams, and gelatinous cubes. However, there is no room for food products and products that involve smoking and vaping.
Kansas
Kansas has already seen two medical marijuana bills rejected last year, yet this year has started with another bill. The present bill has until May 14 when the legislative session concludes to receive passage. When the medical marijuana bill is passed in Kansas, it is expected to be modeled after the medical marijuana program in New Mexico. Over 25 health conditions are listed under medical marijuana in New Mexico which includes chronic pain and PTSD. Kansas is expected to have licenses that will enable stakeholders in the cannabis industry to be well designated and differentiated in the eyes of the law.
Photo by Roxana Gonzalez/EyeEm/Getty Images
Kentucky
Despite the fact that Kentucky has a Republican-dominated House, they passed a medical marijuana bill last year. A difference of 65 to 30 shows how much support the bill had in the house. Nonetheless, the pandemic halted what would have been a momentous victory. The new session runs till March 20 which is sufficient time to pass the bill.
The bill from last year allows for state regulators to issue a specified number of licenses for cultivators, processors, producers, and dispensaries. This will enable the proper designation of duty and differentiation. The medical marijuana program will cover conditions such as chronic pain, epilepsy, nausea, vomiting, and multiple sclerosis. The bill allows for flowers to be sold with a capped THC level of 35%.
South Carolina
They already have two medical marijuana bills in the works in South Carolina. One bill is from the house while the other is from the Senate. The house has the less restrictive bill of the two as the legislative session has until May 13 to come up with something positive. The bill by the House allows for products that can be smoked while that of the Senate only allows oils, edibles, and topical products. The two bills allow licenses to be offered to 15 cultivators, 20 processors, and one dispensary for every 20 pharmacies in the state. It should be noted that only the house bill has chronic pain listed among the list of conditions though both bills have over 12 conditions slated to be covered under medical marijuana.
Clubhouse is a new social media app based on audio exchanges. Here’s everything you should know before you sign up.
When pulling up the Clubhouse website you only get a mysterious prompt and a waving emoji. It reads: “Hey, we’re still opening up but anyone can join with an invite from an existing user!” By downloading Clubhouse through the app store, you’ll join a seemingly endless wait list.
Clubhouse is an invitation-only audio based iPhone app that has been around for 11 months. By January of this year, the app was valued at $1 billion, having over 10 million active users per week. On eBay, invitations to join the app are sold for up to $125, with celebrities like Elon Musk and Joe Rogan making random appearances that make the experience all the more enticing. Plenty of celebrities have mentioned Clubhouse on their social media profiles.
The app allows users to create and join “rooms” where they drop in, listen to other people and post audio clips if they’re invited on the stage (which limits disruptions and guests who are there to derail the room’s conversation).
Photo by PhotoMIX Company from Pexels
Once you enter the app, you have the option of creating a room or join other rooms. Rooms have different topics and are often hosted by an expert. These can range from discussions about cryptocurrencies, to Korean karaoke contests, to impassioned Real Housewives debates. Unlike Instagram and Facebook, there are no options for posting images or videos. The easiest way to describe Clubhouse is by calling it a temporary live podcast.
Immediacy is important to Clubhouse, with rooms disappearing after guests are done. This is one of the main reasons why the app is so interesting to high profile users like celebrities and experts, giving them the freedom to post without self-consciousness. While the people in the room will hear what they have to say, the audio clips won’t make it onto a different website. If something scandalous is said, the outside world will only get a retelling of it.
The invite-only format means Clubhouse can only be downloaded by getting a direct invitation from someone. According to Clubhouse’s CEO Paul Davidson, the app will open at some point for everyone who’s interested in joining, including users with Android devices.
In 2021, when there are several apps leading the social media charge, it’s worth pondering why downloading another app is beneficial. Aren’t there enough already? And while this is true, apps with new ideas tend to boom, with others trying their best to remain relevant and incorporate these new features in intuitive ways.
Much like TikTok, there’s a sense that Clubhouse is here to stay, especially if developers handle the app’s expansion with care. Clubhouse seems to provide social media users with a much needed sense of exclusivity and community.
But before you join, Inc. recently did an eye-opening story about how much of your personal information is being shared (without notifying you) and how hard it is to delete the app.
Says, Inc.: “It seems pretty clear that Clubhouse is getting ready to monetize the platform it’s building. That’s fair–every business should have a plan for making money. If that plan includes monetizing its users’ activity and data, I think we can all agree it should be upfront and transparent about that fact.”
Marijuana is known for its relaxing effects, but it also gets a bad rap for its capacity to produce a lot of anxiety. Here’s how you can try your best to avoid this.
Marijuana is highly variable. While frequent users have a solid routine with their weed consumption, marijuana can straddle the line between deep relaxation and intense paranoia, with a single variable being able to tip the scale in either direction. And that’s without accounting for the hellish times we’re living through.
Paranoia is a common occurrence when consuming marijuana, something that might turn people off if they’re feeling stressed out. There’s no standard way of preventing it, but there are ways of controlling some of the variables that might cause you to spiral out of control.
THC is a complex compound; there’s a lot of mystery surrounding it and the data that exists is sparse and conflicting, but when it comes to its effect on anxiety there’s one clear answer. Small amounts of THC are effective at mitigating anxiety and larger amounts are likely to increase the odds of experiencing it.
As always, marijuana is deeply personal and there’s no one size fits all approach; what may work for tempering my anxiety may not work on you, but it can provide you with a helpful frame of reference. Here’s how to avoid marijuana paranoia during the pandemic:
The relationship between CBD and THC is important, particularly when it comes to anxiety and paranoia. CBD plays an important role when mitigating the psychoactive effects of THC. Strains with high amount of CBD or with equal amounts of CBD and THC may not provide you with the giggly euphoric yet delightful mess of THC, but may still leave you feeling relaxed after a long day spent of staring intently at your computer.
Keep track of your triggers
Photo by Elsa Olofsson via Unsplash
If you’ve had bad experiences with marijuana, try to remember what happened that day that triggered it. Was it the strain? Was it your mood? Was it the people you were with? Keep in mind these variables whenever you’re planning on toking up and limit your amount of stressors. Start off slow, preferably with something you’ve tried before and increase or experiment as you go.
While marijuana can be used to treat anxiety, timing is very important. When experiencing your anxiety peak, try your best to take it easy. If you’re planning on having weed, control the amount of THC you consume, and smoke only with people you trust and feel comfortable with.
Unlike CBD, CBN is not present in significant quantities in fresh marijuana, but when unheated marijuana ages or is exposed to air and light, the THC in it turns to CBN.
According to a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 25% of U.S. adults report insufficient sleep or rest at least 15 out of every 30 days. In addition to its profound impacts on cognitive health and behavioral functioning, sleep deprivation can cause accidents, affect relationships, and contribute to lowered immunity and chronic illness.
A report by Express Scripts, a Cigna-owned pharmacy benefit manager, concludes that more than one in five people say their quality of sleep has suffered during the spread of COVID-19. With that spike, the demand for sleep aids and medications has seen a similar surge, and with it the debut of products containing cannabinol (CBN), a minor cannabinoid with, what some claim is, a uniquely sedative effect.
Unlike CBD, CBN is not present in significant quantities in fresh marijuana, but when unheated marijuana ages or is exposed to air and light, the THC in it turns to CBN, which is only psychoactive if ingested in large doses. Promoted as the cannabinoid with the most significant sleep-inducing qualities studied to date, CBN has been compared to Valium in the way it calms the body without having a negative impact on functioning. While CBN has also been shown to have positive benefits for sufferers of glaucoma, psoriasis, bacterial infection, and pain, sleep is where some say CBN (in concentrated form) comes out on top.
An analysis performed by cannabis testing and analytics company Steep Hill Labs showed that 5mg of CBN is as effective as 10mg of diazepam, a prominent pharmaceutical sedative. Steep Hill later amended their analysis to state that their results did not show conclusive sedative qualities, but enthusiasm for CBN is still on the rise.
Numerous cannabis companies are jumping on the CBN bandwagon, offering products targeted towards those suffering from chronic disordered sleep as well as occasional sleep disruption. Extract Labs PM Formula Hemp Softgels contain 30mg of CBD and 10mg of CBN per capsule for a full spectrum remedy with less than .3% THC. The gummy gurus at PLUS (PLPRF) offer options in flavors like Sleep Cloudberry and CBN Relief Lychee, which combine THC, CBD, and CBN for an entourage effect that promotes restful sleep.
Photo by Adam Kuylenstierna/EyeEm/Getty Images
Despite the rising popularity of these products and a growing consumer interest in them, most evidence on the efficacy of CBN as a sleep remedy is still anecdotal. In fact, a clinical trial published in the journal Pharmacology suggests that CBN has a sedative effect only when used in combination with THC.
Dr. Ethan Russo, Director of Research and Development at the International Cannabis and Cannabinoids Institute, suggests that the sedative effects of old cannabis are more likely due to a loss of monoterpenoids and retention of sesquiterpenoids, which induce drowsiness. These conclusions suggest that if consumers are interested in seeing what CBN can do, it might be best to focus on products that contain THC as well as sedating terpenes for an entourage effect to achieve that deep sweet slumber that eludes so many among us these days.
