People need to be exposed to the drug repeatedly until their body understands what it’s supposed to feel. Experts call this a “sensitization period.”
The first time people smoke weed is always a weird experience. While some might get paranoid, giggly or immediately stoned, there’s a large group of people who smoke weed and then feel… nothing. Despite what we know of marijuana tolerance — the more you’re exposed to cannabis the less it affects you — this phenomenon of not feeling anything the first few times you toke affects more people than you might imagine.
Experts have different theories as to why this happens.
One of the most prominent theories states that in order for people to experience weed properly, they must first learn how to do it correctly. People need to be exposed to the drug repeatedly until their body understands what it’s supposed to feel. Experts call this a “sensitization period,” when THC interacts with the cannabinoids in your system a few times in order to activate them and to produce that high feeling.
It may take a couple of sessions before you smoke and know that you are actually high versus feeling what you think you should be experiencing.
First timers could also have an issue with the smoking part of things, maybe inhaling cannabis but keeping the smoke in their mouths, which prevents the THC from making its way to your bloodstream.
Photo by Matheus Ferrero via Unsplash
There’s not one definitive answer when it comes to cannabis and its effect on our bodies, but it’s always hard to do something for the first time, whether that’s smoking weed or getting a tattoo. Your expectations, the people you’re with, and your biology will have a hand in your first couple of experiences with weed, which is why it’s important to be patient and open minded.
When first using marijuana, start off slow surrounded by people you trust. Put your phone on silent to minimize extra sources of stress. Once you start smoking, pause between puffs for 20 to 30 minutes and monitor your feelings closely, that way you can make sure you get high but not too high. Because that sucks, too.
“I’ve seen some really large numbers in terms of the amount of cash flow that would come into the government as a result of just a normal excise tax regime.”
State lawmakers have proposed marijuana legalization as a needed economic injection following the coronavirus pandemic. Should states continue to legalize, one top cannabis executive believes the feds will soon be forced to end prohibition nationwide within the next couple years.
“My assumption is that 2022, for me, is the magic number,” Canopy Growth CEO David Klein told CNBC’s Jim Kramer. “I think, as you watch more and more states move to legalization for medical or rec, you really bring in almost two more senators each time who are really going to feel compelled to not make criminals out of the people in their state who are doing what’s legal in their particular state.”
Kramer had asked Klein whether state and local governments will leverage cannabis to uplift slashed budgets and down economies. New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham expressed regret in April the state had not legalized cannabis before the coronavirus hit the United States. She later added that marijuana would likely have funded programs the state cut due to the pandemic.
Pennsylvania and New York lawmakers have also suggested marijuana as a possible tax revenue solution to looming budget deficits. Republicans in Pennsylvania described recreational cannabis as “inevitable” in the state post-pandemic. No doubt the weed-related revenue numbers legal states enjoy look attractive to those in distressed states. Colorado, which approved adult-use marijuana in 2012, surpassed $1 billion in cannabis revenue last year and collected more than $133 million in taxes and fees between January and May this year.
Photo by Joshua Sukoff via Unsplash
“The revenue opportunity is huge,” Klein said. “I’ve seen some really large numbers in terms of the amount of cash flow that would come into the government as a result of just a normal excise tax regime.”
Klein previously served as chief financial officer at Constellation Brands, the beverage giant behind beers like Corona and Modelo, which has invested $4 billion into Canopy Growth. Canopy founder was ousted as CEO last year and Klein took over In December.
“You know, not to mention that it doesn’t make sense that cannabis isn’t legal already,” Klein added. “Alcohol prohibition [ended] 87 years ago, and [I’m] not really sure why cannabis was left off that list.”
Based on his comments, Klein is still educating himself in his new role on America’s checkered marijuana history. Alcohol prohibition ended in 1933. The Marihuana Tax Act, which effectively started cannabis prohibition in America, was signed into law in 1937.
‘Finsta’ accounts allow people to be more open and creative than they would be in real life. Here’s why they’re taking off in lockdown.
Instagram is by far the most popular social media app, but it’s also the one that is most effective in creating a feeling of isolation among its users. Scrolling down your Instagram feed can feel like everyone you know is beautiful, involved in a loving relationship, constantly traveling and living their best lives. No wonder people are choosing to carve out richer spaces for their mental health.
‘Finsta’ is a term that has become more popular across generations. Short for “fake Instagram,” these accounts started out with celebrities who wanted to keep their privacy and teens trying to hide their “real” accounts from their parents. But now, they’re common for people of all ages. They’re usually kept private and can be used in different ways, from groups chats to posting unflattering photos and, more recently, showing off skills picked up in isolation.
It makes a lot of sense for people to find ways of expressing themselves online when there’s a pandemic going on. The stress and boredom in the current situation has increased our already high use of social media. During the first months of the pandemic, it was very common to see a lot of users taking up Instagram challenges, from drawing carrots on their screens, to doing push-ups, to then doing more Instagram Lives and joining TikTok. Anything to starve off boredom.
Now that social distancing guidelines are lifting and people are coming to terms with the fact that they’ll likely be spending more alone time than usual, there’s been a rise of Instagram accounts dedicated to hobbies.
Bustle reports that some people are choosing to create side accounts in order to avoid crowding other people’s feeds. “Not everyone is going to want to look at my food every night, I know that,” explains one user. “I like the idea of putting this kind of content out there into an anonymous space, it makes me feel more creative and open and there’s this sense of possibility, like I might connect with someone I don’t know who finds my page because we share the same interests.”
These side accounts are spaces where people can feel like they’re doing something productive with their time, whether that’s cultivating a hobby or developing a new way to connect people with their business. It helps that social media is a place for socialization and connectivity, which is what we’re craving most of.
My adult son moved back home to quarantine with our family, but he’s not pitching in for household expenses, even though he makes good money. What can I do?
Etiquette tips on how to interact in today’s world. Have a question for Mister Manners? Send your queries to info@whatmannersmost.com and look for replies in the coming weeks.
REUNITED AND IT FEELS SO RUDE
Q: I have a 26-year-old son who’s moved back home to North Dakota to wait out the pandemic with my husband, our 15-year-old daughter and me. He’s been working remotely here since March and makes good money. Unfortunately, it never dawns on him to chip in for anything. I’m not expecting rent, and to be candid, we’re thrilled to have this bonus time with him. But is there any way I can gently suggest he begin chipping in for household expenses?
A: Though it has been years since your son was a teen, it would seem it didn’t take long for him to revert to the mindset of being your dependent again. Old habits die hard and apparently, now that he’s back in the abode of Mom and Dad—albeit as a salaried young professional—he’s presumed he can have his cake and eat it, too.
Clearly, the idea of his taking on even a modest part of your monthly spending has yet to occur to him. By extrapolation, I highly doubt he’ll pick up on your feelings through subtle hints.
All of which means the time for tiptoeing around this issue has passed. Instead, I would have a loving conversation with him, reassuring him of how much you enjoy having him back on the homestead. From there you can explain that since he is a fully grown, wage-earning, milk-drinking, washer-using, steak-eating, Netflix-watching member of the household, you’d welcome his taking part in ongoing expenses. He’ll still be shelling out far less than if he were living on his own, but the funds he’ll provide should help contain your monthly budget while also easing any concern that your continuing generosity has gone unappreciated.
Last but not least, he’ll also be setting an example for your daughter should she decide to move back home as an adult in (gulp) 2031.
NOT READY FOR THE NEXT STEP
Q: I work for a small dance school in northern California. We’ve been conducting classes for students on Zoom, but my boss recently sent a group text to my fellow teachers and me letting us know she expects us to be instructing in-person again next week. This thread quickly became awkward, with some people responding how excited they are to return, and others expressing concern. I have an older person in my household, so I’m in the latter camp. What’s the best way for me to have my feelings heard?
A: After so many months away from your place of work, it is easy to see why you might have mixed feelings about returning. With the vast majority of the U.S. population under stay-at-home guidance for the better part of spring, you and millions of others now find themselves on the cusp of summer, emerging from hibernation like tardy daffodils suddenly coming to life — and yet still not sure it’s safe to bloom.
Photo by rawpixel.com
The decision to head to back work is an individual one, a choice to be undertaken thoughtfully. And while I appreciate your boss’s desire to return to business as usual, given that yours is a small organization, I might have suggested she handle the reopening with more sensitivity.
Rather than a group text — which always results in a chaotic chorus of voices — she could have started with an informational email to everyone detailing the new precautions and guidelines your school will certainly be implementing. Presuming that her teachers’ physical and emotional well-being are as important to the school as the institution’s financial well-being, she could also have scheduled a call to speak with each of you individually. This would have been her opportunity to hear your thoughts and concerns.
Ultimately, it will be your choice whether you are prepared to return to the studio. And though I’m certain your students must miss working with you in-person, I appreciate that you are also being mindful of a potentially at-risk senior citizen back home. All of which equates to a conversation far more nuanced than you could ever hope to achieve by text. Therefore, although your boss chose to begin the conversation with everyone via smartphone blast, in this instance, I think you’ll find a pas de deux works far better than a do-si-do.
Mister Manners, Thomas P. Farley, is a nationally regarded expert who appears regularly in the media to discuss modern-day etiquette dilemmas — from how to split a check fairly to how to get a word in edgewise. Follow Thomas on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. And for more insights, listen to his brand-new podcast, “What Manners Most,” which will be focused exclusively on Coronavirus-related etiquette for the foreseeable future.
The pandemic has created a lot of rifts between family members and friends. Here’s what you can do to avoid them.
As time passes and the pandemic evolves, we learn more about the virus and begin to adjust to our new lives. As cities reopen, people’s different experiences feed in to their opinions on what’s going on. Within the same country, you may have people wearing masks every time they leave their houses and people who aren’t required to do the same. Then there’s the individual ways in which people cope, which have caused serious rifts between roommates, close friends, couples, and family members.
Since states are adapting their social distancing guidelines and reopening their economies, it’s important to remember that the virus hasn’t changed. No cure has been found. In order to care for your health and the health of others, it’s important to follow your state’s guidelines and to apply some common sense.
While everyone is allowed to have their own opinion, it’s hard to understand these differences in times of stress. Here’s what you can do in order to avoid conflict with a loved one over pandemic safety measures:
Learn where they’re coming from
The first step in resolving any type of conflict is to use your empathy. Try to have the willingness to see the other person’s perspective. Understand what’s making them anxious or act a certain way. What helps most is the way in which you communicate. Avoid having fights over social media and try to hold these discussions over the phone or in person. Stay calm and be as understanding as possible. That way you’re more likely to get a similar response.
In order to have someone be open and vulnerable with you, you have to be vulnerable and open yourself. Express what’s making you anxious about your friend’s or family member’s response and why it’s a source of concern for you. Even though it’s hard, try to avoid pulling out scientific facts and trying to win the argument.
Have these conversations with your close relationships
Save your breath and avoid trying to save every person in the world, or getting them to think the way that you do. People will react differently to the pandemic, with some taking it more seriously than others. Focus on your close relationships, the people that are truly affecting you and that you’re concerned over.
If your parents want to board a plane and visit you, let them know that you don’t feel safe doing that and that you’re concerned over their health. Be aware things are evolving rapidly and that what you might be feeling right now might change within a couple of weeks. Talk it out with your loved ones, see where they’re coming from, establish a boundary and negotiate. Maybe you can meet up with friends if you’re all wearing masks, or visit your family members if you have a space where you can quarantine yourself.
Don’t try to control other people
At the end of the day, people are going to do what they want to do. As long as they respect your boundaries and your safety, you can only do so much in terms of protecting them and in trying to get them to understand your point of view. Be vulnerable and open, sharing your concerns. Then leave them be.
The two celebrities will use their platforms to lift up black owners in the cannabis industry through incubator programs and advocacy initiatives.
Two celebrities aim to spearhead more diverse representation in the cannabis space. This week, rapper Method Mad and former NBA basketball player Al Harrington announced new programs that would usher more black ownership into the industry. These initiatives accompany the nationwide protests against systemic inequalities following the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. The civic demonstrations have shined a new spotlight on diversity access and opportunity in multiple business sectors, including cannabis.
“Personally, it is essential that we use our brand to help bring awareness to the social, systemic and economic injustice in communities that have struggled with oppressive mass incarceration and racially biased policing policies,” Method Man said in a statement.
Method Man launched a new social conscious cannabis brand called TICAL, which stands for “Taking Into Consideration All Lives.” It is also the name of Method Man’s 1994 debut album. TICAL sold product from its first three marijuana strains—“Gelato, “Cake,” and “Crusher”—to four black-owned dispensaries in California last weekend. Method Man, who owns a 20% stake in TICAL, will use the business to promote advocacy against racism in law enforcement and promote cannabis legalization.
Al Harrington, meanwhile, plans to make 100 black individuals into millionaires through the cannabis industry. Harrington, who is the CEO of Viola Brands, labeled it his mission and will launch an incubator program the helps transition black market marijuana business into legal, licensed ventures. Cannabis entrepreneurs say it’s “nearly impossible to get a license” in legal marijuana states, but black market products might have “million dollar valuations” if they received effective marketing and retail placement, Harrington said in an interview with CNBC.
Photo by Rob Carr/Staff/Getty Images
“A lot of brands that are on the black market that has a lot of credibility and unbelievable following, have market share, but they just don’t know how to get into the legal market,” Harrington said.
Multiple state lawmakers have referenced legalization as a possible solution to boost local economies in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. That can’t happen, Harrington said, unless diversity program that lift up communities of color are included.
“That is something I will continue to harp on; continue to bring awareness to because once again, I feel like the war on drugs was aimed towards our community, and they used cannabis as pretty much the main drug to continue to lock us up,” Harrington said “All this money being made now, we’re not represented; we’re not there. I feel like we pioneered this industry.”
Diversity representation in the cannabis industry is far from ideal. A study released by Denver policymakers just last week showed about 75% of licensed dispensary owners in the city were white. Only 12% of business owners were Hispanic and 6% were Black or African American.
“This study sadly confirmed what was widely suspected,” executive director of Denver’s Excise and Licensing division Ashley Kilroy said in a statement. “Just like what has been seen across the state and in other legalized markets across the U.S., Denver does not have a diverse marijuana industry.”
A new comprehensive survey found many consumers still need help understanding basic cannabis concepts like THC and alternative delivery methods.
Despite various efforts by numerous companies big and small, education remains the biggest obstacle in the cannabis industry, a new survey conducted by Oasis Intelligence found. The firm’s research showed the majority of legal consumers still lack foundational knowledge about marijuana’s effects, risks, and benefits. One explanation? The number one resource customers use when seeking out information about cannabis and potential products is their friends.
The survey places stark contrast between the conversations occurring inside cannabis spaces and how people discuss marijuana at home.
“We inside the industry have a real advantage when it comes to understanding the plant from a scientific, regulation and usage perspective that is generally a requirement for those in the space,” Oasis Intelligence co-founder Laura Albers told The Fresh Toast. “However, when it comes to the average consumer, we see the needs for education are not about more advanced topics that the industry may prioritize—think terpenes, minor cannabinoids gaining popularity or even the endocannabinoid system.”
According to the Oasis study, over 70% of people are unfamiliar with terms like the “entourage effect” and “endocannabinoid system.” Instead, Albers said, many are still grasping the basics. Subjects that most interest consumers include different available products, CBD:THC ratios, and alternative consumption methods. A significant portion of consumers still seek more understanding around tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC.
Photo by McKinsey via rawpixel.com
Put simply, many customers still require education in Cannabis 101. The good news is that customers prefer to learn while visiting dispensaries and view budtenders as indispensable assets. That isn’t what always happens, though. Most people find the majority of information through Google searches, cannabis websites, and online video platforms like YouTube. But friends remain the biggest marijuana resource, as 43% of people rely on social circles to keep them informed.
“Cannabis is a unique category where previous personal experience counts tremendously,” Albers said. “It’s a relatively new shopping experience for the masses and the stories of taking too much of an edible can make a person less confident about how exactly to engage with cannabis.”
The Oasis Intelligence report surveyed more than 20,000 current and prospective customers across every states, representing one of the most comprehensive profiles of modern cannabis consumers to date. The results indicate that the majority of modern consumers support many social justice initiatives, including legalization, expungement for marijuana-related crimes, and social equity programs that invest in communities disproportionately affected by the War on Drugs.
But the survey shows education is still essential in determining purchasing behavior by consumers. While the industry prides itself on cutting-edge research and deeper knowledge about the cannabis plant, many of the people these businesses serve still need help with the fundamentals.
“Best advice is to begin at the beginning and while messaging can, and should, expand into details for the more curious set, continue to beat the drum of Cannabis 101,” Albers said. “We know that consumers are going to online search and YouTube for video content as the first line of personal research so ensuring strong SEO and creating more video info-tainment will help enormously.”
CBD products have always had a labeling issue. A new report shows that the problem remains but that it has improved consistently.
Dosage is very important for marijuana products. The accuracy of them allows people to understand how the drug and its compounds interact with their bodies, preventing overdoses and giving them a point of reference when trying out new brands and strains. Unfortunately, some CBD brands still have inaccurate dosages. A recent report found that 27% of leading CBD brand products don’t have the correct amount indicated on their labels. It’s a number that has improved over the past couple of months.
The report, conducted by Leaf Report, analyzed the CBD industry and compiled the biggest names in the business. From this list, they then selected 37 different kinds of CBD products and tested them for their cannabinoid potency. About 27% of them showed variances in claims versus potency, to a degree that wouldn’t be accepted by states with legal marijuana standards. The rest of the products fared better, making researchers conclude that the CBD industry is growing and cementing itself as something reliable.
CBD isn’t regulated by the FDA, a main causes behind the inaccuracy in these labels. Brands are responsible for everything about their products, from making them, to ensuring that they’re safe, to labeling them correctly. While these are common problems for an emerging industry, they do make it more difficult for smaller businesses to find steady footing.
Photo by pcess609/Getty Images
Most importantly, lack of FDA regulation makes it imperative for customers to be careful with their purchases. They must go out of their ways to find brands they can trust, supply them with data that ensures product safety, and demonstrate it was tested by third-party experts.
Despite the bumps, the report has a positive outlook on the CBD industry. Researchers express that they were surprised by the numbers they found and by the overall accuracy of the leading brands in the CBD industry.
If you find a new CBD brand that appeals to you and that has an attractive price, be sure to check it and to do your research. While it’s likely that there are brands that are starting from scratch and are simply trying to make a good product, it pays to be safe while the industry remains so new and shaky.
The cannabis and LGBTQ communities share a history of support, but marijuana companies could step up more with monetary support.
The Marijuana industry celebrates Pride. The shared history between cannabis and the LGBTQ+ community is long, including the landmark moment when HIV/AIDS activists pushed through medical marijuana legalization in California in 1996. There is a commonality of lived experience as well. As articulated by Laila Makled and Caroline Phillips in an April 2019 article for The Washington Blade, “Both cannabis and LGBTQIA community have lived on the fringes of society for decades, navigating a country where their acceptance was, and often still is, hard to attain.”
Several cannabis companies are stepping up to support and commemorate Pride month. In addition to donating $15,000 to GLAAD for Pride month, edibles brand Kiva Confections has re-released their tropical-flavored Proud Camino gummies. San Francisco-based company SPARC has launched its exclusive Unicorn OG cartridge, and is donating $1 per sale to the GLBT Historical Society. Peak Extracts is offering a Pride promo with 10% off of their entire line of tinctures and topicals, and purchases of Aster Farms’ limited edition Rainbow Chip Pre-Rolls and a Coolhaus pint will benefit Los Angeles based LGBTQ+ charities.
But Pride month is not happening in a vacuum. We are in the midst not only of a global pandemic, but a global uprising of citizens in the face of systemic racism and police brutality against Black people. Though many cannabis companies have made strong gestures of solidarity with the fight for racial equality during Pride month, such as Envy CBD which posted a “How to Support Your Community” primer on its website, few are stepping up on the monetary end, at least not yet.
Photo by lillen via Pixabay
Black communities have long been disproportionately affected by the criminalization of marijuana (as reflected in this report published by the ACLU), and black trans women of color are even more vulnerable to police brutality than their cisgender counterparts. “Trans people who have done street economy work are more than twice as likely to report physical assaults by police officers and four times as likely to report sexual assault by police” according to Blueprint for Equality, published by the National Center for Transgender Equality. In case you missed it, “street economy” includes the sale of marijuana in places where its recreational use is still a crime.
Many Pride event organizers have offered to dedicate their marches and rallies to solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement, such as the All Black Lives Matter march in Los Angeles on Sunday, June 14. The organizers made inclusivity an explicit theme of their protest, which helped to highlight the invisibilization of black trans people that occurs within the context of racial justice.
The annual Pridefest in Milwaukee, Wisconsin was canceled altogether to center the concerns of the Black Lives Matter movement. With all of the crossover between cannabis, LGBTQ+ and Black communities, it seems a natural step that in addition to “sharing the mike” with Black voices, cannabis companies might be moved to share the spotlight and profits from their promotions as well. With two weeks left of Pride 2020, there’s still time.
Coronavirus tracing apps have been suggested as an effective method of keeping people safe. Experts believe they could also pose a big risk to your digital information.
The coronavirus restructured our lives without giving us time to prepare. Once the virus hit the U.S., it took weeks for the government to implement effective social distancing guidelines and for people to understand the gravity of the situation.
Time passed, thousands of people died, the curve of the virus stabilized and now cities are tiptoeing their way back to normal. The social distancing guidelines remain, however, since they’re the only effective measure against the virus until a vaccine is available.
One way of making this process easier and safer for people is through technology. Contact tracing apps have been much discussed. These would function with people logging relevant data, such as their location, activity, and whether they’ve contracted the virus. The app would then provide suggestions from health and government officials on how to proceed and stay safe.
It sounds like a great tool in theory, but even people who don’t know too much about technology should be hearing some warning bells by now. We live in an age too jaded by Facebook and breaches of privacy, making it a tall order to ask us to trust apps with information as sensitive as the state of our health, especially during a pandemic that has brought social unrest.
Photo by Gilles Lambert via Unsplash
Check Point, a cyber security firm, recently released a report detailing how the features necessary to run these coronavirus tracing apps could be used to steal your data.
Among the biggest red flags the report uncovered are the possibility of hacking your phone’s Bluetooth, which has an individual “identification packet,” your GPS location, and the personal data stored in your device, which includes passwords, logins, phone numbers and emails.
While these apps are still in the development stage, the precedent they could set could contribute to an even more concerning digital privacy landscape. It doesn’t sound too far off for governments to ask people to log their locations, activities, likes and dislikes, all for the sake of keeping them safe.
