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What You Need To Know Before Trying Cannabis For The First Time

If you have the privilege of being the person introducing another to the herb, there are a few things you need to keep in mind as well.

As cannabis stigma dissipates into a cloud of fragrant vapor, young adults to seniors are coming out of the woodwork to finally try — or in some cases come back to — marijuana.

The key for new users is to start slow and level up from there. You could start with a 5 mg edible, a few puffs of flower, a half dropper of tincture or some other product you’re comfortable with. But choosing the right type of cannabis can be just as important.

If you’re naturally an anxious person, a sativa-heavy hybrid with more CBD in it than average is your best bet. If you’re looking to really experience a high, go with highly concentrated forms of THC, but remember to go slow so you don’t overshoot your target.

RELATED: How To Come Down From A Marijuana High Quickly

If you have the privilege of being the person introducing another to the herb, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, make sure the space you’re in is a comfortable one. Maybe incorporate some throw pillows, an afghan blanket and a good movie for the first round. That way everyone’s comfy, there’s a film that everyone can focus their high minds toward.

Photo by aamiraimer via Pixabay

Music is just as good if not a better idea than a movie, which could be hit or miss. Cannabis is nothing if not an enhancement drug, and hearing your favorite band high for the first time can totally change your perspective on the intricacies of music.

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Remember to not outright laugh at any of the experiences the newbie is going through, unless a shared belly laugh is exactly what’s called for. Anxiety is a common side effect for first-time users, mostly because they don’t have the benefit of experimentation to see which cannabinoid ratios work best, or if sativas, indicas or specialized hybrids work better with their systems.

Be sure to have healthy, delicious snacks at the ready for when the munchies kick in. Also remember to relax into the experience, whether the newly initiated or the one doing the initiating. Just remember, it’s all good, even if someone gets a little too high. Cannabis is non-toxic and will safely wear off if one overindulges on their first time out the gate.

Too Stressed Out To Function? Here’s How CBD Can Help

CBD is known for treating stress, depression and anxiety — symptoms you might be experiencing due to coronavirus.

With the emergence of the coronavirus, our daily lives have shifted dramatically.

With a steady increase in COVID-19 cases all over the country, a large percentage of businesses were forced to close for an indeterminate amount of time, with millions of people losing their jobs and the economy taking a plunge. This environment can make anyone question their mental health, shifting their routines, forcing them to spend long hours at home and ruminate about everything that’s wrong with the world.

Isolation, cabin-fever and stress are affecting all of us to different degrees. While some have acclimated to this change, others are experiencing a lot of discomfort with symptoms of depression, stress and anxiety. With a limited range of options, this might be the right time to give CBD a try.

RELATED: Doctor’s Advice On How To Ease Anxiety Around Coronavirus

CBD products are known for treating a wide range of mental health symptoms without getting people high or introducing THC’s very common bouts of paranoia, which might not be the best idea for someone who’s struggling with anxiety. Plenty of research conducted on rodents shows that CBD can aptly treat stress and anxiety, with almost all studies showing positive results for the rodents who consumed CBD.

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio via Pexels

While experiments conducted on humans are not that common due to CBD’s complex legal standing, plenty of testimonials from users claim that CBD is a beneficial supplement when it comes to treating different kinds of anxiety.

RELATED: Americans Are Drinking Tons Of Alcohol During Lockdown

When it comes to treating mental health disorders, it’s important to take into account that CBD doesn’t have the necessary research from experts, thus, there’s still a lot of stuff we don’t know about the compound. When used in conjunction with other elements, such as therapy, meditation, and the appropriate medications, CBD can help you cope.

The Best Time Of Day To Take CBD

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Before deciding which time of day is best for you, it is important to understand that the delivery method used for CBD changes when and how often it should be used.

Cannabidiol has become a part of the daily lives of many users, taken as part of their routine just like any supplement or medicine. Once or twice a day, they fill a dropper, take a few gummies or swallow a capsule to help manage a chronic condition, like pain, anxiety, or anxiety. What is the best time of day to take CBD to have the best effect?

As it turns out, when CBD is taken may make a difference in how it affects users; finding the right time of day could improve the effectiveness of this hemp-derived product, getting users closer to their desired results.

The Right Time For Each Delivery Method

Before deciding which time of day is best for you, it is important to understand that the delivery method used for CBD changes when and how often it should be used. This is because each method is absorbed differently in the body, some more quickly than others while some have a slow, but long-lasting, effect.

Inhalation Using a Vape Pen

Inhalation using a vape pen is a fast delivery method. Since CBD is quickly absorbed through the alveoli of the lungs, the CBD hits the bloodstream quickly. Within minutes of inhalation, CBD reaches peak levels in the bloodstream. 

This means the effects can wear off quickly, too. Whatever your goal might be for using CBD, a vape pen is probably best used on an as-needed basis in addition to regular supplementation using other methods.

Capsules and Edibles

Cannabidiol is available in an edible form, swallowed in a capsule or taken through a gummy. There are also products that dissolve into a drink. Since these methods have to be digested first before the CBD enters the bloodstream, they’re slower acting. It can take 1 to 6 hours to reach peak CBD levels in the bloodstream.

The FDA's Relationship To CBD Is Confusing Everyone
Photo by IRA_EVVA/Getty Images

For this reason, this delivery method is best used with a goal of supplementing for the long-term and won’t work well on an as-needed basis. Deciding on the best time of day for this method of delivery comes with two considerations — what fits your lifestyle and when you eat.

RELATED: How Long Does CBD Stay In Your Body?

Remembering supplements and medications isn’t easy. To consistently keep up with daily CBD supplementation, weave it into your routine in a convenient way. Take it alongside other supplements or at the same time each day. Since eating when you take an edible or capsule can increase the bioavailability of the CBD, it is a good idea to take this form alongside food.

Oral Delivery

Oils and tinctures are typically taken by placing them under the tongue where they are quickly absorbed into the bloodstream at a receptor site. This delivery method isn’t as fast acting as inhalation, but it is still fairly quick with CBD reaching the bloodstream somewhere between five and 20 minutes after use. The effects of oral delivery are longer acting than vaping, however, and it can take hours for peak levels to be reached in the bloodstream.

RELATED: 5 Of The Most Popular Ways To Take CBD

As far as timing goes, this method can be used as a daily supplement once or twice a day or taken as needed. Even though it doesn’t need to be digested, using CBD right after eating may increase absorption of CBD so it is a good idea to take alongside a meal or snack.

CBD And How It Works With Your Body's Built-In Cannabinoid System
Photo by R+R Medicinals via Unsplash

Timing and the Effect of CBD

CBD users have offered up varying anecdotal reports about how CBD makes them feel. Some say that they feel energized after use while others report it having a calming effect. It is helpful to pay attention to how CBD affects you as you decide on the best time of day for using CBD.

Feeling energized? Opt to take it with your morning meal or at lunch time not only to feel better throughout the day but to avoid sleeplessness at night. If a calming effect is your typical experience, considering waiting until the evening meal to take CBD.

The effect of CBD can vary from person to person, so don’t be afraid to make changes to when and how you use CBD based on how you feel. A healthcare provider who works with cannabis products may be able to offer additional insight into getting the best results.

Ways To Treat COVID Stress Skin Issues

Coronavirus might be causing you tons of stress, something that your skin is very susceptible to. Here’s what you can do to manage these unwanted side effects.

The coronavirus is a reasonable source of stress. The stress of the pandemic and the long hours spent at home mean that your schedule might be off balance, and that you might be lacking motivation to do things that you normally enjoy. You might even be eating different foods or working out less than usual (nods everyone in agreement).

Your skin is usually the first part of your body that freaks out once stress surges. Dermatologist Heather D. Rogers told the Huffington Post that skin is a reflection of your overall health. Targeting a zit or some blemishes misses the whole picture; you should be focusing on your health.

Here are 5 things you can do to improve your skin’s well-being:

Work out and wash up 

Working out is important when spending time indoors, because it allows you to move around and release much-needed endorphins instead of just sitting around. Your skin can be affected by either working out less or more, with the former necessary for burning cortisone and the latter for your health. However, exercise can elevate testosterone, “which can wake up acne,” says Rogers. So, keep working out, but make sure to shower afterwards to get rid of those toxins.

Moisturize

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Photo by vadimguzhva/Getty Images

RELATED: Does Sex Boost Your Immunity?

Our new and improved hygiene means that we’re avoiding tons of germs and bacteria, but we’re also subjecting our skin to a lot of stress and dryness, especially our hands. Use moisturizer or Vaseline to battle cracked knuckles and palms.

Sleep

Poor sleep habits can make your body produce more cortisol, which stress you out and can cause skin inflammation. Rogers recommends setting an alarm for going to bed and for waking up, helping you stay on track.

CBD

What You Should Know About CBD & Intermittent Fasting
Photo by Tinnakorn Jorruang/Getty Images

RELATED: How To Find The CBD Dosage That’s Best For You

CBD oil has been found to successfully treat different kinds of acne, managing the amount of sebum that your skin produces. It’s also a compound known for treating inflammation. CBD oil could also work if it’s a product you’ve never used before, providing a break from your traditional skincare products, which your skin might have adapted to at some point.

Don’t go overboard with skincare

The large amounts of free time you now have can make you want to try out new things, like cooking elaborate dishes, baking or using up all of our skincare products for fun. Your skin is pretty delicate; using large amounts of products or with too much frequency might mess with your pH levels and produce strange reactions from your skin.

Lowest Rate Of Vape Lung Injury In Legal Weed States

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States with legal recreational marijuana access had around seven fewer cases of EVALI per million population than medical marijuana and prohibition states.

Those living in legal recreational marijuana markets were less likely to acquire e-cigarette– or vaping–associated lung injury (EVALI) than those where adult-use cannabis access was illegal, reports a new study published this week. Though scientists haven’t yet confirmed the definitive cause behind EVALI, the majority of analysis indicates the illness is tied to marijuana vaping products purchased on the black market.

According to the study published in the JAMA Network Open, legal “recreational marijuana states had among the lowest EVALI rates of all states.” 

Nearly 3,000 people suffered from EVALI, resulting in 60 deaths, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data in February 2020. Vitamin E acetate is strongly associated as a culprit behind EVALI, and is typically used as a thickening agent by black market distributors. A small study published in February found vitamin E deposits in the lung tissue in 48 out of 51 EVALI patients.

RELATED: Pennsylvania’s Medical Marijuana Rules Relax Thanks To Coronavirus

This new research dug deeper into this belief black markets played a significant role in the EVALI outbreak, which caused a significant drop in vaping sales at the time. Researchers compared confirmed cases from the CDC database against the prevalence of e-cigarette consumption using 2017 estimates from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.

Why States Need To 'Flick The Legal Switch' On Cannabis Amid COVID-19
Photo by bubaone/Getty Images

“The data suggest that EVALI cases were concentrated in states where consumers do not have legal access to recreational marijuana dispensaries,” researchers wrote. “This association was not driven by state-level differences in e-cigarette use, and EVALI case rates were not associated with state-level prevalence of e-cigarette use. One possible inference from our results is that the presence of legal markets for marijuana has helped mitigate or may be protective against EVALI.”

Legal adult-use marijuana states had an average of 1.7 EVALI cases per million population, while medical marijuana states saw 8.8 EVALI cases per million — slightly more than prohibition states, which had 8.1 EVALI cases per million population.

RELATED: How Safe Do Consumers Really Feel After Recent Vaping Illness?

“The reason for this association is not yet clear,” researchers concluded. “It is possible that in recreational states, people tend to purchase marijuana products at legal dispensaries, which may be less likely to sell the contaminated products that are thought to cause EVALI.”

Facebook Drops Exclusive App For Couples

The app is an interesting one for the company since it doesn’t require users to have a Facebook account.

In a timely turn of events, Facebook dropped an app designed exclusively for couples. According to the app’s description in the Apple store, the contents of it are private and only shared between the couple.

The app is called Tuned, and is designed to look like a digital scrapbook of sorts, emphasizing the fact that the contents of it can only be viewed by the couple. The app allows for partners to develop a small social network of sorts, where they can sync up their Spotify accounts, set moods, send photos, postcards, voice notes, stickers, reactions and more.

RELATED: 7 Tips For A Healthy Breakup In The Social Media Age

Social Media Websites Are Banning The Use Of 'Sexual' Emojis facebook
Photo by NeONBRAND via Unsplash

The app is an interesting one for Facebook since it doesn’t require users to have a Facebook account, yet it still treats all the information you provide according to Facebook’s data management. The information that’s submitted can and will likely be used for targeted ads.

RELATED: 4 Coronavirus Scams And How To Avoid Them

Tuned is an individual app, developed by a small Facebook group called New Product Experimentation team (NPE). The team specializes in building experimental apps and projects that deviate a little from Facebook’s M.O.. Their previous project called Hobbi is an app which allows users to document and keep track of their projects and hobbies over time.

Does Tom Brady Smoke Weed?

In a new interview, Tom Brady says the thought of disappointing his dad stopped him from becoming a regular marijuana user.

A new interview with SiriusXM host Howard Stern revealed a candid and vulnerable Tom Brady, who left the hallowed New England Patriots this offseason to join the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Brady opened up about past marital problems, suffering multiple unreported concussions, and when he knew it was time to leave the Patriots.

Brady also admitted to previously consuming marijuana, though he did so in the most Tom Brady way possible.

“In the end what kept me from smoking a lot of weed and obviously, in high school, you try that and you go to parties and drink,” Brady told Stern. “But what kept me from doing that was I always thought I would be letting my dad down.

RELATED: How Can Parents Tell If Their Teenager Is Using Marijuana?

“I definitely had fun in high school with partying and drinking and smoking weed on occasion,” he added.

NFL Hall Of Famer
Photo by Rob Carr/Staff/Getty Images

Often heralded as the greatest quarterback of all time, Tom Brady led the Patriots to nine Super Bowls and won six of them. He also won three NFL MVP awards. But he told Stern he probably knew last season would be his last as a Patriot.

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“I don’t think there was a final, final decision until it happened, but I would say I probably knew before the start of last season that it was my last year,” he said. “I knew our time was coming to an end.”

Charlotte’s Web Namesake Charlotte Figi Passes From COVID-19

The 13-year-old with Dravet Syndrome who inspired the popular CBD brand passed away from complications associated with COVID-19.

Charlotte Figi came to fame as the sweet little girl who suffered hundreds of seizures a day from a rare condition called Dravet Syndrome. She was the patient that inspired the Colorado-based Stanley Brothers to create the cannabidiol (CBD) heavy version of cannabis to treat her condition back in 2011. The response was somewhat miraculous.

Unfortunately, Charlotte has passed away from COVID 19 at the age of 13. According to reports, she had tested positive and went to the hospital. She was released on Sunday, but apparently took a turn for the worse and returned. A family friend posted on Facebook “Charlotte is no longer suffering. She is seizure-free forever.” The family has requested privacy.

Charlotte’s parents were willing to take chances with cannabis as a treatment and their bravery resulted in the migration of many families to Colorado seeking the same treatment. She was featured in the now-famous CNN episode where she was treated on camera and millions were able to see with their own eyes the response CBD had on epileptic patients. She was six years old at the time and had been suffering from seizures since the age of three.

RELATED: You Should Reconsider Using Store-Bought CBD To Treat Seizures

Colorado legalized medical marijuana and then adult-use marijuana causing the state to become the home of many cannabis companies. Stanley Brothers eventually changed the name of their company to Charlotte’s Web (OTC:CWBHF), the strain that was named after Charlotte. The company has ultimately captured 20% of the CBD market and is now a publicly-traded company with a market cap of $452 million. The company’s website posted the following message:

Charlotte was ten feet tall and carried the world on her shoulders.

Inspiring is a lacking word, as are courageous and vivacious and strong and beautiful.

She was divine.

She grew, cultivated by a community, protected by love, demanding that the world witness her suffering so that they might find a solution. She rose every day, awakening others with her courage, and with that smile that infected your spirit at the cellular level.

The infinite compassion of community members who sacrificed their time, resources, and ideas to tend her garden of love were instrumental in her care, but there was no one more committed than the selfless Paige, both a mother and a warrior, both a human and an angel. Charlotte’s cause was her family’s cause and created a foundation of plant-based health that breathed life into their daughter, and the countless sons and daughters like her.

Charlotte, then, became everyone’s daughter or sister or friend and enlivened empathy and love from anyone who had the privilege of hearing her story, as millions did. Her story built communities, her need built hope, and her legacy will continue to build harmony. 

To Paige, Matt, Greg, Max, and Chase – we are humbled by your grace, as the fruits of your kindness have fed the world with love.

She was a light that lit the world. She was a little girl who carried us all on her small shoulders.

Her legacy lives in the garden, in the blooming of ideas, in the fragrance of compassion, in the greenery of nurturing us to be better humans in all ways, always.

What began as her story, became the shared story of hundreds of thousands, and the inspiration of many millions more in the journey of their betterment. Charlotte was and will be, the heartbeat of our passion, and the conviction that the dignity and health of a human being is their right.

Charlotte, you are the light of our lives.

Thank you for your life, your bravery, and your beautiful soul.

We love you, Charlie.

-Joel, Jared, Jesse, Jon, Jordan, Josh, and Austin Stanley

This article originally appeared on Green Market Report.

Mass. Medical Marijuana Applications Soaring Amid Pandemic

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Massachusetts registrations more than doubled following shutdown of recreational marijuana sales.

The majority of Americans believe medical marijuana dispensaries should be considered “essential businesses” during the coronavirus pandemic, a YouGov poll found last week.  Eight of the 11 states that have legalized adult-use marijuana have allowed recreational cannabis sales to continue, permitting stores follow strict social distancing protocol. In Maine, legal recreational marijuana sales haven’t started yet while Vermont has yet to form regulation around adult-use marijuana operations.

That leaves Massachusetts as the only state to halt legal recreational marijuana sales in the country. When Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker shut down all “non-essential” businesses on March 23, he included adult-use cannabis stores among the group. While some residents rushed to stockpile legal goods, others admitted they will turn to the black market. Baker stated last week restarting recreational cannabis sales was a “non-starter” until May 4.

In response, Massachusetts applications for medical marijuana cards have surged in recent weeks. Regulators see around 500 registrations in a usual 10-day period. In the weeks following the shutdown, more than 1,300 people have filed paperwork to receive medical marijuana cards.

RELATED: Canadians Are Panic-Buying Marijuana — Could Coronavirus Cause Another Shortage?

The Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission has lifted some restrictions around becoming a medical marijuana patient. In-person doctor visits are no longer required and certified physicians can approve medicine over the phone. Some of the benefits medical marijuana patients have over recreational consumers include tax-free purchases, home delivery, and higher THC concentrations in edibles.

Differences In Marijuana Highs: Flowers, Edibles and Concentrates
Photo by Sonya Yruel/Drug Policy Alliance

According to CCC Chairman Steven Hoffman, this spike in registrations came as no surprise.

“There’s always been a belief that people were—some people and I don’t know the percentages—but some people were using the adult use market to satisfy their medical needs,” he told reporters. “And I think since the adult-use market is temporarily shut down, I think those people are applying for medical licenses.”

RELATED: AOC: Marijuana Dispensaries Should Stay Open As Long As Liquor Stores Do

Gov. Baker refuses to re-open recreational marijuana stores because he believes it will attract out-of-state visitors into the state, thereby furthering the spread of the novel coronavirus. The CCC has discussed recreational manufacturers selling products through medical retailers, both to keep the adult-use market afloat but also meet this new demand.

“We do have to be mindful of [the] supply chain,” CCC executive director Shawn Collins said. “And so looking at manufacturing, cultivation and allowing for some wholesale operations there could be a consideration—which really would leave the retail aspect of the essential services as the remaining elements of the shutdown.”

Does Sex Boost Your Immunity?

While it’s been proven that sex provides health benefits, but what about immunity?

Does sex boost your immunity? Couples who are quarantined together or singles who are spending time at home might be having more sex or masturbation sessions than usual. Despite the stress and anxiety that surrounds us in quarantine, there’s also plenty of boredom and free time, which is usually when the horniness comes in. This is great, but does sex or masturbation actually boost your immune system?

Orgasms, cuddling and physical contact have long been associated with positive health effects, from stress relieving properties to stronger and healthier bodies. But scientific research shows a more complicated landscape.

RELATED: How The Coronavirus Pandemic Is Affecting Our Sex Lives

A 2004 study found that having regular sex (once or twice a week) was associated with higher levels of immunoglobin. This could be due to the physical aspect of sex, since higher immunoglobin is also reported in people who workout regularly. The study also shows that couples who had more sex than once or twice a week didn’t have higher levels of immunoglobin, meaning that more sex doesn’t mean that people’s immunse systems are instantly stronger.

how to practice post sex hygiene
Photo by South_agency/Getty Images

Sex is a process that not only involves the physical but also the emotional side of things. Researchers theorized that those who are having more sex might be trying to make up for other insecurities in their relationship, which could augment their stress and reduce the benefits of sex.

RELATED: 5 Tricks To Help You Fall Asleep

While data on sex and its effects of health is confusing, it still shouldn’t discourage couples or singles from sex or masturbating. While an orgasm might not protect you from the coronavirus, it will offer a much needed mental break, a boost in endorphins and serotonin, relaxation, better sleep and a fun way to pass the time.

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