Everyone probably assumes this Grammy award winner and popper of Champagne smokes weed. But does he?
Drake is one of the most famous people on the planet. As both an accomplished actor and singer, he’s won plenty of awards and broken many Billboard records. He’s universally loved by rap purists and pop fans alike. This week he released a new song and announced his new record, “Certified Lover Boy.”
But let’s get to the important stuff. Does he smoke marijuana?
Googling “Drake” and “weed” is an interesting experience, one that provides many results. Like all things Drake, these are a little weird and unintentionally hilarious. “It’s no secret that Drake sucks at smoking weed: He rarely raps about it; he routinely claims to only do it in moderation; he never posts the late-night smoked-out Instagram,” states a 2017 Vice article. “He’s such a lightweight that he recently made headlines for allegedly getting too stoned to perform at a concert in Amsterdam, which, buddy, come on.” According to TMZ, he had food poisoning, which honestly makes the whole thing worse.
Although it is true that Drake rarely raps about weed or drugs, there are videos of him smoking weed onstage.
He looks pretty awkward and for some reason the video goes out of its way to say that it’s his fist time, but, you know, he’s still smoking.
In 2019, Drake announced that he was partnering with Canopy Growth to launch a cannabis company called More Life Growth Company, named named after Drake’s More Life, a commercial mixtape featuring the rapper’s known associates like PartyNextDoor, Travis Scott, Jorja Smith, and Kanye West. Drake is the majority owner.
While Drake may look silly while smoking weed and may works a little too hard to try and keep his image clean, he’s still involved in the cannabis industry and is a smoker, nonetheless.
It would appear that changing over the Senate is even more important than who is President on this particular issue.
Many in the cannabis industry have, understandably, backed Joe Biden and Kamala Harris for President and VP, presumably for a variety of reasons which include a belief that they are more likely to support legalizing cannabis at the federal level. Many are not as aware that President Donald Trump has stated that he is, in his words, “100%” in favor of legalizing medical marijuana, and that he believes recreational or adult use should be decided by the states, although early in his 2016 campaign he said he opposed legalizing adult use. But cannabis legalization does not depend on the presidential election.
The truth is, as many have discovered, the Biden campaign has almost the same view as Mr. Trump. The former VP will support the legalization of cannabis for medical purposes, leave decisions regarding legalization for recreational use up to the states, and reschedule cannabis as a Schedule II drug. If Trump supports legalization essentially in this manner, then why has it not been enacted since his inauguration? There are primarily three barriers to this, and their names are Republican Sens. Mitch McConnell, Mike Crapo and Lindsey Graham. But let’s step back.
In January 2018, then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions rescinded the Obama-era Cole Memo in the Justice Department which deemphasized federal prosecution of state legal cannabis enterprises. In response to this, Sen. Cory Gardner (R-CO) told the President he would hold up all his judicial nominees until he addressed the issue. A few months later he was able to talk to Trump, who assured him that if a bill came to his desk legalizing medical marijuana and leaving adult use to the states, he would sign it. Gardner then backed off his resistance to Trump’s judges.
Shortly thereafter, Gardner, along with Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), introduced the Strengthening the Tenth Amendment Through Entrusting States (STATES) Act, then reintroduced it a year later. A companion bill was also introduced in the House. The bill would take the steps Trump said he would accept in legalizing medical marijuana and allowing states to legalize adult use.
In December 2018, in part to assist his beleaguered Kentucky farmers, McConnell supported and completed the passage into law of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (also known as the Farm Bill). That bill federally legalized industrial hemp and CBD derived from it.
In the meantime, the STATES Act remains one of dozens of other bills currently pending in Congress to either legalize, deschedule or decriminalize cannabis or enhance banking access for those in the industry. Although a strong majority of Americans in both parties favor legalization, and many Republican legislators hail from states where significant tax revenues and jobs have resulted from state legalization, none of these bills has passed to date. And the most recent pandemic relief bill passed by the House includes help for cannabis companies for banking. This has been roundly criticized by Senate Republicans, who like saying the bill mentions cannabis more than jobs.
Photo by Joshua Sukoff via Unsplash
The primary impediment on the STATES Act and other bills: our threesome of GOP Senators mentioned above. In November 2019, the House Judiciary Committee passed a legalization bill, after which Senate Majority Leader McConnell did meet with cannabis executives in California, pre-pandemic. As he was pursuing the Farm Bill in 2018, however, he made clear he does not wish to legalize marijuana. Regarding hemp, he said in May 2018, “It is a different plant. It has an illicit cousin which I choose not to embrace.”
Lindsey Graham (R-SC) runs the powerful Rules Committee through which all legislation must pass. Graham has supported certain pro-cannabis bills such as the CARERS Act in 2016, which would have prohibited federal enforcement against state-legal cannabis and reschedule it. But the tobacco-state Senator has also been clear in his stance against legalization or descheduling. Graham has a surprisingly strong Democrat opponent to his reelection in November in Jaime Harrison, who is a major supporter of cannabis legalization. This does not appear to have shaken Graham’s views.
Less critical but still important is Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), leader of the Senate Banking Committee. He could have been crucial in passing some banking relief, such as the SAFE Banking Act which has passed the House. In December 2019 he made clear he had major issues with the bill the House passed, though he is not opposed to some form of banking legislation. He also has been clear in his opposition to cannabis legalization.
Where does this leave us? If, as some are predicting, the Democrats retake control of the Senate next January and retain their majority in the House, I believe the likelihood of passage of something like the STATES Act increases dramatically. And if Trump is reelected? Based on his past views it does not appear he would oppose signing such a bill. And if Biden is elected, presumably the same result. In fact, it would appear that changing over the Senate is even more important than who is President on this particular issue.
Anecdotal and scientific evidence proves that breathing exercises are efficient in managing your stress and improving your mental health.
It may sound reductive to say that taking some focused and deep breaths can help you improve your mental health, but evidence continues to support these claims. Aside from being super easy to adopt, deep breathing techniques have been associated with muscle relaxation, reduced tension and stress relief. A new study says that the practice can also decrease the odds of having depression, anxiety and other mental health issues.
The study, published in the journal Frontiers in Psychiatry, was conducted on college students, a subset of people known to lead highly stressful lifestyles. According to Yale researchers, people between the ages of 18 and 25 are the most susceptible to mental health illness. They also explain that the mental health of college students has been declining over the years, with more reports of anxiety, depression, and more.
The researchers analyzed more than 100 students who were placed in three different wellness programs. It found that breathing exercises, yoga posturing and positive psychology skills had the best impact out of all the wellness practices, which correlated to reduced depression, better stress management, better mental health and increased feelings of social connectedness.
While these results are exciting for college students, they add more credence to breathing techniques as one of the main ways of providing stress relief. These exercises, like belly breathing, diaphragmatic breathing, or even counted breaths, can be done at any time or place. Unlike popular beliefs, they don’t need to be paired with some form of meditation, yoga, pilates or other activity associated with wellness in order to provide effects and consistent change.
Breathing techniques can be adopted by anyone who’s interested. They can be included into whatever wellness routine you currently have; the only ask is that you allot a couple of minutes a day and some concentration in order to obtain positive results for your mental health.
Overthinking is common, particularly during times of high stress. Here are some simple tips that can help you control your thoughts.
The line between thinking and overthinking is thin and easy to blur, primarily during those weeks where you feel like your mental health is not at its best. While thinking is a necessary tool for practically any activity, overthinking can transform something as simple as breakfast into an anxious spiral. It’s not good and very hard to control.
Once you start overthinking, your brain starts to develop a habit for it, creating a cycle that can quickly facilitate anxiety spirals and stress. Although it takes some active work, there are ways to prevent this, especially if you know what you’re dealing with. Overthinking usually functions in two ways: people can ruminate or they can worry.
These statements are similar but rumination refers to overthinking about something that has already happened, while worrying refers to overthinking about something that hasn’t happened yet. Both of these issues are correlated with other mental health issues, like depression, anxiety and more.
While there’s not one perfect way to stop overthinking, there are different techniques that can get the job done. Here are some of the most popular:
There’s no elegant way of stopping your thoughts. Depending on your situation you can try saying “stop” out loud, distracting yourself with work, a TV show, a movie or a book, going out for exercise, and more. Any activity can be successful in stopping your thoughts; you just have to find one you enjoy and that works for you.
Mindfulness
Mindfulness exercises remind you to stay in the present moment. It’s a practice that encourages you to reel in your thoughts once they start taking over your mind. It’s a popular practice because it’s simple and can be done anywhere that’s quiet and comfortable.
Most of the time, when we overthink, we tend to focus on all the mistakes we’ve made or the bad things that could happen if something goes wrong. This is not only stressful but harmful to your health. It’s important to shift your focus and try your best to view all of the positives that are in your life in hopes of shutting that voice off in your head.
Use a timer
If you really feel like you need to stress out over something you did or something that’s coming, set a timer for it. Put some parameters in place, freak out and then get back to living your life. While it won’t be easy to stop worrying once you succumb to the overthinking, it could help to give yourself 5 minutes to feel and then 10 to vent your thoughts on paper or on the notes app on your phone.
With an ever-increasing number of adults in the United States developing Alzheimer’s disease, research is expanding into alternative methods of treatment.
A new study published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology found something remarkable about cannabidiol’s effect on blood flow and memory. Dr. Michael Bloomfield, lead author of the study, acknowledged that CBD (oil) can “help reduce symptoms of psychosis and anxiety,” but added that there is evidence to support the belief that CBD can elevate memory function.
The goal of the study was to uncover how CBD “influences cerebral blood flow (CBF)” where the human brain processes memories. Interestingly, the team from the University College London found that not only does CBD increase CBF inside the hippocampus (located deep in the temporal lobe), but greater CBD use was associated with a reduced reaction time on memory tasks.
The study used a randomized, double-blind design of 15 individuals who were healthy prior (and showed no signs of Alzheimer’s). While some study participants were given 600 mg of CBD orally, others were given a placebo. Using MRI-technology, researchers measured the blood flow for both groups. The results found that CBD increased blood flow to the brain, and the potential for treatment of Alzheimer’s.
According to researchers, “These results identify potential mechanisms of CBD for a range of conditions associated with altered memory processing, including Alzheimer’s disease, schizophrenia, post-traumatic stress disorder and cannabis-use disorders.”
Photos: Matthew Brodeur via Unsplash; Patrick J. Lynch, medical illustrator via Wikimedia
In late summer last year, a study about cannabis and Alzheimer’s highlighted that CBD could help prevent learning impairment and cannabidiol could reduce the spread of plaques responsible for causing memory blockages, directly associated with the disease. According to the U.K.’s National Health Service, Alzheimer’s is believed to be associated with an, “abnormal build-up of proteins in and around brain cells and the plaques they deposit.”
Paving the way to new treatments and better understanding of the brain’s inner workings on and off the leafy medicine, the team is delighted with the results. Study authors declared, “These findings suggest that CBD increases CBF to key regions involved in memory processing, particularly the hippocampus,” meaning that this research not only expands understanding about the brain, but offers deep insights to how blood flow aligns with memory health.
With an ever-increasing number of adults in the United States developing Alzheimer’s disease, research is expanding into alternative methods of treatment. More scientists than ever before are understanding CBD and marijuana’s potential treatment and disruption of the disease.
Disclaimer:The views expressed in this article solely belong to the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Fresh Toast.
Real research into the medical uses of cannabis is finally getting underway, and researchers are finding several ways it may help with treating COVID-19. Why wasn’t this done sooner?
Have I “jumped the shark” polemically? It is true that 95% of the American people are in favor of medical marijuana, and we know that cannabis can help with a variety of medical problems, including:
The extreme nausea caused by cancer chemotherapy
Epilepsy in children
Crohn’s Disease and other autoimmune problems
Wasting syndrome for people with AIDS, and many more
And all that has been known for decades, so consider the history.
In 1972, the Shafer Commission, the National Commission on Marihuana and Drug Abuse, recommended that marijuana be decriminalized, and that we should take a different approach to dealing with “drugs.”
President Richard Nixon immediately rejected the report and in 1974, the Senate Internal Security SubCommittee, chaired by Senator James Eastland (D. Miss.), one of the most vicious racists ever to be in the Senate, claimed that marijuana was “a threat to the internal security of these United States.” Really.
Theoretically, that should not have stopped research into the medical uses of cannabis, but in the real world, it was very difficult to get approval or even get access to cannabis for the research. Why? Because “medical marijuana” was seen as a threat to the Drug War.
Now, almost fifty years later, real research into the medical uses of cannabis is finally getting underway, and researchers are finding several ways it may help with treating COVID-19.
According to Forbes, a new terpene study “is being performed by two Israeli research and development companies, Eybna which specializes in terpene based medicines, and CannaSoul Analytics which is led by Prof. David “Dedi” Meiri, PhD a well known cannabis researcher and biochemist who has studied cannabis’ use for conditions like cancer and Alzheimer’s disease.”
Photo by sinology/Getty Images
Previously, the same reporter, Emily Earlenbaugh, explained, “There have been several different ways researchers have suggested CBD might help, including its ability to reduce ACE2 expression and pro-inflammatory cytokine production to fight lung inflammation, and it’s potential as an antiviral. But few studies have tested these theories with actual experimentation.”
The latest Israeli report said that the combined CBD and terpene formula inhibited about 90% of cytokines, while Dexamethasone inhibited cytokine activity by about 30%.
All of the publicity about the search for a vaccine tends to obscure the fact that an effective treatment that could make the virus much less dangerous could be much faster and safer than a vaccine.
Now consider what it would mean to have a very cheap and easy treatment like medical cannabis available immediately. It has been said, “Vaccines don’t save lives. Vaccinations save lives.” If any of the vaccines now being tested are found to be safe and effective, it will still be many months before they can be mass produced even in advanced countries. Meanwhile, the world economy is being devastated, impacting even countries where the virus seems to be under control.
As I always try to make clear, I am not a doctor and my point is political not medical, but the suppression of medical marijuana has caused enormous human suffering, so we owe it to ourselves to take these latest reports seriously.
Richard Cowan is a former NORML National Director and co-founder of Best CBD Planet.
If California passes a new law, the only kind of flavor additives allowed in vape products will be naturally occurring ones.
The California legislature is considering a new law (AB-1639) that, if passed, would restrict how cannabis vape products are made and sold. AB-1639 would change California law for tobacco and cannabis businesses (for the purposes of this post, we’ll just focus on the cannabis side of the law), and would effectively prohibit almost any kind of flavoring added to vape products in the Golden State.
Under existing California laws and regulations, there is no express prohibition on adding flavoring to cannabis vape products, and as any reader knows, there has been a huge pushback across the U.S. to ban any kind of flavored vape product whatsoever.
AB-1639 would change existing law by prohibiting cannabis businesses from selling “artificially flavored vape products”, which are defined as “cannabis or a cannabis product that contains flavor not derived or synthesized from the cannabis plant or other natural botanical sources and that can be used to deliver cannabis to a person in aerosolized or vaporized form.”
Photo by jetcityimage/Getty Images
In other words, if AB-1639 passes, then the only kind of flavor additives that can be used in vape products will be naturally occurring flavors. For good measure, AB-1639 would also prohibit manufacture of flavored vape products as well:
Flavors not derived from the cannabis plant or other natural botanical sources shall not be used in the production of cannabis products that can be used to deliver cannabis to a person in aerosolized or vaporized form.
Flavor derived or synthesized from tobacco shall not be used in the production of cannabis products or sale of cannabis products that can be used to deliver cannabis to a person in aerosolized or vaporized form.
Notably, the law would not become effective immediately upon being passed, as it says “This section shall become operative 90 days after the effective date of the act that added this section.” In other words, if the law passes, businesses will have a short grace period to sell off products that would no longer be authorized under the amended law.
Though there is a short grace period, it’s clear that if AB-1639 passes, any cannabis business that makes flavored vape products will need to immediately consider the impact of this law and on products that are already on the market. Failure to do so could lead to far-reaching consequences and huge monetary losses.
AB-1639 has already made it pretty far through the legislative process and there’s a good chance that it becomes law. We’ll keep readers updated on the progress of the law, so please stay tuned to the Canna Law Blog.
As one of the 50 million adults living with chronic pain, the TV-personality turned spokesmodel turned New York Times bestselling author realized she could make a dramatic difference by sharing her story
Known for her velvet-barbed wit, Karen “Duff” Duffy was a mainstay in the 90s music scene with a stint as an MTV VJ which lent well to a modeling, acting and book-writing career. In an exclusive conversation with The Fresh Toast, Duffy shares that while one of her largest passion projects was steeped in pain, she had the upper hand all along.
“I’m a very healthy looking sick person,” she articulated. “I can sum up my journey in a few words: Career. Fertility. Self-respect. Resilience. Gratitude.” Diagnosed with the sarcoidosis, an inflammatory disease — which in her case is located in the brain — Duffy exclaimed the best medicine was creating a legacy for survivors, just like herself.
Before her days interviewing Anthony Kiedis from the Red Hot Chili Peppers at the MTV Video Music Awards, Duffy believes her best job wasn’t in front of the camera, but rather caring for elderly patients. “I worked in Gerontology — a form of recreational therapy in a nursing home and it was the greatest job of my life.”
Volunteering since age 12, Duffy saw pain and aging first-hand and decided at a young age she wanted to change how we treated those with pain and how we spoke words about pain. Explaining that her family modeled a deep care and concern for others, Duffy said one of her favorite Muhammad Ali quotes summed up her life’s mission, “Service is the rent we pay here on earth.”
On a phone call last week, Duffy jumped right in, exuberantly describing that as a health care system, we get pain horribly wrong. “Chronic pain feels like serving a life sentence,” she declared. “The body is being punished for a crime not committed and often, those that suffer with my disease do so alone.” Her illustration of the agony felt deep in her body, sometimes making her homebound, came down to a deep-understanding of the Latin language.
As one of the 50 million adults living with chronic pain, the television-personality turned spokesmodel turned New York Times bestselling author and advocate realized she could make a dramatic difference by sharing her story, which in turn created balm for the deeper wounds her pain left. Duffy quipped, “Pain in itself is embarrassing. Often those that suffer feel mollycoddled and even finding the right words can be hard to express.”
Feeling that pain infantilized patients in clinical settings, she created the Duffy/Murray pain scale, incorporating her infectious humor and family friend, Bill Murray, into helping patients explain their pain in a new way.
Pain is resistant to language and destroys the words that patients long to say. Often the silence or moaning mean so much more.
For years Duffy had looked for remedies as big as the ache was, and nothing seemed to meet the challenge. “On August 24th, 2019, I had instantaneous relief from my pain.” The difference wasn’t in a prescription bottle but rather a balm. “CBD oil was probably the last thing I tried.” After years of wearing lidocaine patches, (which often caused irritation,) the author described in her latest book, Backbone: Living with Chronic Pain without Turning into One, that two decades after the pain first emerged, she found a solution that is ever-near. “There is a saying that in NYC, you are never more than 3 feet from a rat. In my case, I am never more than 3 feet from my Tribe Revive CBD cream.”
When asked how she could hold both pain and humor in the same place when so many struggled, a line in Duffy’s book encapsulated everything she said on the call, “My illness became my metamorphosis.” Coining the term, “No-cebo,” Duffy leaned into the phone receiver and almost whispered that it all came down to embracing the power of believing that a medicine would work. Feeling more like herself, and advocating for patients all over the globe, Duffy’s remedy came just in time.
Cannabis telemedicine allows physicians to supply medical cannabis prescriptions to patients through video chats. New Jersey is the latest state to adopt this option.
The pandemic has pushed telemedicine to the forefront of the conversation, providing an option that’s safer for everyone and that gives patients the chance to get the medical advice they need while saving money, time and stress.
According to state law, the doctor must discuss the risks and benefits of opiates and other alternatives during these video meetings. They must also provide the necessary information on medical cannabis, check in with a Prescription Monitoring Program for what they prescribe and supply a maximum supply of 5 days when it comes to acute pain diagnoses. The meetings must also have video and audio enabled from all participants and must be “consistent with the standard of care.”
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio via Pexels
“New Jersey health care practices are again offering in-person services, but telehealth remains an important option for patients and providers,” said Attorney General Gurbir Grewal. “Today, we’re making it easier for patients to choose telehealth services for any reason, including to avoid an in-person visit due to the continuing risk of COVID-19.”
While telemedicine is a simple way of eliminating in-person visits to hospitals and doctors offices and, thus, preventing the spread of the virus, New Jersey’s new ruling has to follow the DEA’s standards. Due to the pandemic, the DEA has allowed a temporary waiver that allows medical practitioners to supply medical cannabis through video but doctors will likely be extra careful when prescribing these, ensuring that the condition being treated fits neatly into their state’s medical cannabis program.
Other states in the U.S. have implemented cannabis telemedicine, not only due to the pandemic, but also in hopes of facilitating virtual visits for patients who are in no condition to visit a doctor’s office or who live far away from their physician. At the end of the day, telemedicine, particularly when it relates to cannabis, is something that’s very convenient.
Even if you’ve taken CBD, chances are you still have questions. We’re here to help.
Over the past couple of years, CBD products have exploded in popularity and access. They’re one of the few items that can be found in your local CVS and gas station mini-mart (although we do not recommend buying CBD from a gas station!) as well as Sephora. Despite the buzz that surrounds it, there’s still a lot of misinformation surrounding CBD, with many not quite getting a grasp on its effects.
CBD, or cannabidiol, is a cannabinoid found in the cannabis plant. While it can be consumed along with THC, it’s not psychedelic, making it more accessible to people of different ages and religious beliefs. Although more research is necessary, CBD tests have shown some promise in providing pain relief and treating mental ailments like anxiety, stress and depression.
Here are 5 of the most common questions people Google when it comes to CBD:
While research on the compound is still rudimentary, CBD appears to be safe when consumed as an oil and even as medication. CBD topicals haven’t been associated with negative side effects either.
When consuming too much of CBD in oil form, some people have reported effects like diarrhea, reduced appetite, dry mouth, nausea and more. Some animal studies have also shown that CBD could harm the health of their livers, but evidence isn’t conclusive.
In 2018, the US Farm Bill was approved, legalizing industrial hemp. CBD products fall under a tricky legal ground; they should be legal provided they contain less than 0.3 percent of THC. If the product contains more THC than that, then it’s considered illegal on a federal level. One issue that makes this topic all the more complex is the fact that CBD is a relatively new industry, with many companies not knowing how to measure the amount of CBD and THC that’s in their products.
While some CBD users swear by their CBD products, others believe that the craze behind it is a fad. The truth lies between these two statements; while the compound can do a lot of good for some people, companies have taken advantage of the misinformation that surrounds the compound, making exaggerated statements that have no scientific proof.
While a CBD product might say that it provides relaxing effects, don’t trust products that claim that they can heal your every problem.
CBD gummies have become very popular, primarily due to how easily and discreetly they can be used. While there’s no scientific evidence that proves that they actually work, different statements from people suggest that they produce relaxing effects, especially if they’re used over long periods of time. Until there’s some scientific studies that look into their functionality, there’s no way to say if they’re effective or not. For now, they appear to be safe and delicious.
Can you have withdrawals from using it?
Photo by Anupong Thongchan/EyeEm/Getty Images
While CBD doesn’t produce a high, it is psychoactive (not be be confused with psychedelic), meaning that it can influence your state of mind. This means that it could also potentially lead to withdrawals once usage is stopped. There are not a lot of scientific studies on this, but personal anecdotes suggest that when some users stopped using CBD, the original symptoms they were treating come back more pronounced. Otherwise, there have been no symptoms of traditional withdrawal associated with the compound.
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