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A Simple Guide For Marijuana Concentrate Newbies

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Entering the world of marijuana concentrates can be intimidating. Here’s how you can grasp this process in its simplest form.

Marijuana concentrates are extractions from the cannabis flower, resulting in powerful goo that contains around 70% or more of concentrated THC. By contrast, a really strong strain of flower can have a concentration of up to 30%. Concentrates can be extracted through different methods, with the most popular ones being through the use of butane and ethanol.

It’s important to know that concentrates are much stronger than the average marijuana plant, so even if you’re a seasoned cannabis smoker, don’t be embarrassed if you want to start off slow. Like with every new method of consuming cannabis, there’s a learning curve. here is a simple guide for marijuana concentrate newbies.

Strength Of Concentrates

Since these products have become very popular, dispensaries have a lot of options in terms of the amount of concentrates and their levels of THC. Start of cautiously, with a maximum concentration of 70%, dabbing slowly and letting the cannabis do i’s thing.  You don’t want to ingest a lot and then end up freaking out.

RELATED: 4 Myths About Cannabis Concentrates

The more potent the concentrate, the more expensive it’ll be, ranging from $30 to $70 a gram. This stuff is more expensive than the average marijuana plant, but it also lasts much longer considering that you don’t need to take as many hits to get high.

cannabis concentrates market
Photo by ZombieFrieZ/Getty Images

Types Of Concentrates

There are different kinds of concentrates, such as RSO, Live Resin, Bubble Hash, etc. The most popular ones, however, are shatter and wax, which are different from each other.

Shatter is pure and potent, where the cannabis materials endure a double extraction process where all impurities are removed and a glass like material is the result. Wax is formed through a heating process that has more cannabis fat than shatter concentrates. The texture is crumbly and easy to work with, being able to be consumed on its own or as an added kick to your joints.

RELATED: Marijuana Concentrates: The Good, The Bad And The Ugly

With these tidbits of information, you should be able to go to your nearest dispensary and have a successful first dabbing experience. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and to be curious. The world of concentrates is evolving and growing, and it’s never too late to join the party.

Chicago Airport Won’t Bust You For Flying With Weed

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Once recreational marijuana becomes legal in Illinois, Chicago authorities won’t punish you for flying with weed.

Another day, another airport saying you can carry marijuana through their terminals. The Chicago police announced this week they won’t punish travelers caught with personal amounts of marijuana in Chicago airports starting Jan. 1, 2020, when recreational cannabis officially becomes legal in the state.

That doesn’t mean flying with marijuana is legal in Chicago. Transporting cannabis across state lines remains a federal offense, but the Transportation Security Administration doesn’t decide whether or not to press charges. Instead they defer to local authorities on the matter.

“Our officers are not looking for cannabis as they go through their normal security [check]. But should they come across it, we are going to contact the Chicago Police Department to make a final determination on the disposition,” TSA deputy federal security director Louis Traverz said at a news conference last week.

RELATED: What TSA Would Do If You Got Caught With Marijuana

If caught, law enforcement won’t even demand that you dispose your cannabis in a trash receptacle, like you do if caught carrying a fifth of vodka. They will instead remind passengers that marijuana laws differ nationwide and internationally, explaining the possible repercussions if they choose to fly with cannabis on them. If they prefer to play it safe and throw their cannabis away, authorities will help them with that, too.

The Scary Reason You Want To Avoid A Window Seat On Your Next Flight
Photo by Jakob Owens via Unsplash

“If it is not a violation of the statute or ordinance, we would offer them a proper disposal of the cannabis if they wish, or they could continue on with their travels,” Chicago police commander William Mullane told the Chicago Sun Times.

Mullane advised against flying with marijuana, referencing the aforementioned possible consequences. But if travelers are “within the guidelines of our current statute, starting Jan. 1, we can’t enforce anything. If they’re legal, they’re legal.”

RELATED: What You Should Know About Flying With CBD

Beginning Jan. 1, Illinois residents ages 21 and older can legally purchase and possess up to 30 grams of marijuana flower. In addition, they are allowed up to 500 mg of THC in cannabis-infused products and five grams of marijuana concentrates. Non-residents visiting the area are allowed to purchase and possess half those amounts.

Tesla Stock Hits Record $420 A Share, And Elon Musk Made A Marijuana Joke

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More than a year after Musk’s notorious 420 tweet, Tesla actually reached his stated marijuana-friendly goal.

Elon Musk got in trouble a year ago for suggesting he had a buyer that could take Tesla private at $420 a share. The mysterious buyer never materialized, but Tesla stock did rise 3.8% this morning to hit the smoking target — $420 a share.

The joke, however, was not lost on Musk.

“Whoa … the stock is so high lol,” he tweeted.

Last August, Musk found himself in hot water with the Securities and Exchange Commission and investors for a different tweet he’d sent. “Am considering taking Tesla private at $420,” Musk tweeted Aug. 7. 2018. “Funding secured.”

RELATED: Marijuana Does Not Make You Dumber, According to Science

At the time, Tesla’s shares were valued at $379.57. That price increased by $16 a share within several minutes of Musk’s tweet. Accusations were directed at Musk, stating that he was manipulating the value of Tesla stock, as he had not actually secured the appropriate funding to take the company private, court proceedings found.

Tesla’s head of investor relations at the time even texted Musk to ask, “Was this legit?”

Musk had reached the potential $420 figure, he says, by taking the closing value of the stock that day and adding a 20% premium to a potential buyer. But the exact figure following that calculation was $419.

RELATED: Elon Musk Is Smuggling Marijuana Onto The International Space Station

“Musk stated that he rounded the price up to $420 because he had recently learned about the number’s significance in marijuana culture,” a lawsuit filed by the SEC reads. Musk “though his girlfriend ‘would find it funny,’” the lawsuit adds. Page Six reported in August  that Musk and his pop musician girlfriend Grimes were still going strong.

Are Marijuana Users Ditching Joints For Dabs And Vapes?

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A study found that pipes and bowls were the most often used method of toking; about half of smoke seshes are powered by pipes. Joints were a very close second.

Although cannabis has been consumed for millennia — usually in the form of inhaled smoke or edibles — today, there are a multitude of ways to get high. But are people embracing newer forms of marijuana consumption, such as dabbing, vaping, inhalers, or even cannabis-infused tampons? Insight from a few sources are showing that one particular form of marijuana ingestion continues to be the most popular.  

Firing up dried and cured flower buds and inhaling the smoke remains the most popular way to get high, according to scientific research and sales data. A study of marijuana usage among American adults conducted by the U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC) and Emory University and published by the American Journal of Preventative Medicine, found that pipes and bowls were the most often used method of toking; about half of smoke seshes are powered by pipes.

RELATED: 7 Ways To Consume Cannabis You’ve Probably Never Heard Of

Joints were a very close second, at 49.2%, and bongs/water pipes and blunts were used about a fifth of the time. Vaporizers, while gaining a lot of attention recently, were only used in about 8% of sessions, although the study was conducted in 2014 and vaping may, in fact, be more popular now.

Marijuana Really Helps You Poop, According to Science
Photo by OlegMalyshev/Getty Images

More recent sales data shows that while flower is king, vapes were the second most popular cannabis product in the first five months of 2019. BDS Analytics, a cannabis consulting firm that tracks marijuana sales, found that in January through May of this year, flowers outsold vapes by $275 million dollars. The top third product category, pre-rolled joints, adds credence to the notion that stoners are usually burning their weed to get high and not using electronic devices such as oil-based vaporizers quite as much.

RELATED: Marijuana Bongs Vs. Water Pipes: Which Produces A Smoother Smoke Sesh?

Both methods of measuring modes of marijuana consumption have inherent limitations. Sales data only includes legal purchases and does not measure data from the black market. Scientific research thus far has limited by the rapid pace of marijuana legalization and can not account for factors such as reluctance to admit engaging in an activity that is still illegal where they reside. Even with the limited insight, it is probably a safe bet to say puffing on burning buds remains the stoner go-to most of the time.

Feeling Down This Holiday Season? Marijuana Might Help

Many people experience stress or depression this time of year and research suggest cannabis could help you through the holiday blues.

Tis the season…for the blues. With all the holiday parties, unpredictable weather, and intense family time (or lack of intense family time), this month elicits strong emotions all around. It can make you feel incredibly grateful and full of love, but it can also spark feelings of loneliness and the inability to connect with holiday cheer.

A 2015 Healthline survey asked people about their stress levels around the holiday season. Around 44% of the 2,280 respondents said they were “somewhat stressed” this time of year while 18% admitted feeling “very stressed.” The biggest reason people said they were stressed were due to finances (47%), a tricky thing to manage this time of year.

If you’re feeling down, or worry about not 100% loving the holidays, don’t worry. You’re not alone, as the survey indicates. There are practical things you can do to help combat those holiday blues. Some practical advice includes managing expectations, reach out for connections with others, and plan ahead for any potential triggers you might have.

study people who purchase recreational marijuana are also looking for pain relief and sleep
Photo by Seth Ryan/EyeEm/Getty Images

But the biggest thing you can do is practice self-care. Keep exercising, continue eating well, and take time for yourself in select moments. That could also include cannabis. Or if you’re not a marijuana user already, it could be something to consider.

RELATED: How To Use CBD To Reduce Holiday Stress

A study published last year (in the Journal of Affective Disorders) by Washington State University researchers concluded that cannabis significantly reduced feelings of anxiety, depression, and stress. For those feeling the stress of the holidays, scientists found that marijuana strains high in THC, the psychoactive component in cannabis, and low in CBD (cannabidiol) was best. If you’re feeling down or depressed, the study recommended using high-CBD/low-THC marijuana strains.

But perhaps you’re not able to buy such specific marijuana strains, and sharing a joint your cousin brought is your only option. A good way to adjust, if you’re feeling depressed, is to have a bottle of CBD tincture on hand to reduce the “high” sensations from the THC.

holiday
Photo by Annie Spratt via Unsplash

By the way, you wouldn’t be alone if you did use marijuana to push back the holiday blues. A study published this December reported that cannabis use has steadily risen across the United States between 2005 and 2017. Marijuana use, however, was twice as common among those with depression in 2017.

RELATED: 7 Crucial Cannabis Hacks For Surviving The Holiday Season

Among the 728,691 persons aged 12 years or older surveyed, 18.9% of those with depressed had used marijuana in the past month vs. 8.7% among those without depression. Some demographics reported even higher usage rates: Nearly 30% of young adults (18-25) with depression cited past month use.

Just because the holidays traditionally include more frequent level of alcohol consumption doesn’t mean you have to participate, particularly if you’re not in the right mental space. The holiday blues, which really is a small episode of depression, affects everyone in different ways. If cannabis helps you, don’t be afraid to practice the self-care you deserve this holiday season.

Busiest Holiday For The Cannabis Industry? It’s Not Christmas

There are the customary cultural holidays that we are all familiar with, like Christmas, along with holidays specific to cannabis users, such as 4/20.

In the grand scheme of things, the cannabis industry is still relatively young and we are still learning much about the ups and downs of this industry.

One interesting factor to consider and observe as this industry continues to grow is the effect that the holiday season has on the cannabis industry as a whole.

Let’s take a moment to compare various bits of data regarding the cannabis industry from Headset to see what we can discern from it.

First off, we must understand that in relation to the cannabis industry there are two sets of holidays to consider. There are the customary cultural holidays that we are all familiar with, meaning the time traditionally known as “Christmas”. There are also holidays specific to cannabis users such as 4/20 or 7/10 (calendar dates).

4/20 and 7/10

These two specific calendar dates are considered to be days to celebrate in the cannabis community. 4/20 has long been associated or considered to be a time to get high for years now(since the 1940’s according to some sources). 7/10 relates to cannabis concentrate oils as 7/10 upside down spells out “oil”. You can find many of these oil concentrate products to be available for consumption via pens, rigs, and vaporizers.

RELATED: This 4/20 To Be Biggest Sales Day In 420 History

Reports indicate that the week leading to and the day of 4/20 show an increase of cannabis flower sales. Consuming the actual flower has a more traditional flair to it as opposed to more modern concentrated options. A factor in these increased sales is the fact that many dispensaries and shops are reportedly running deals leading up to 4/20 that contribute to these increased flower sales.

Photo by Hillary Kladke/Getty Images

The week leading up to 4/20 showed a 25% increase in sales of cannabis products. Colorado, Nevada, Washington, and California all totaled over 100 million dollars in cannabis product sales during the week of 4/20.

The week of 7/10 does not seem to reflect any serious changes in terms of sales data. It is worth considering that 7/10 is a lesser-known cannabis day of celebration due to these concentrates being comparatively newer to the market.

Customary Holiday Season

The week of Christmas is another time of the year that has shown statistical increases with cannabis product sales. During the week of Christmas, the cannabis industry has seen an increase of around 15% in sales.

RELATED: Nevada Has The Most Expensive Vape Pens, Washington the Cheapest Pre-roll

While this increase is not as large as that of the week of 4/20, it is still a considerable burst of growth for business owners in the cannabis industry.

What factors might lead to increased cannabis sales during the week of Christmas?

It appears to be more socially acceptable to gift cannabis to one another as time goes on. Many people have a little extra cash to spend due to bonuses from work and gifts from family. Many shops and dispensaries are trying out discounts and sales for the season. A wider array of options for methods of consumption will mean more people willing to try cannabis than before as not everyone enjoys the idea of smoking.

4 Ways Cannabis Can Improve Your Holidays
Photos by: Giftpundits.com via Pexels; Get Budding via Unsplash

Who’s Buying?

A separate report from Team Headset breaks down the key demographics and their percentages of cannabis products purchased.

52% of all cannabis sales since legalization occurred are from the millennial demographic. The remaining 48% of cannabis sales appear to be split evenly between the Silent Generation, Generation Z, Baby Boomers, and Generation X.

Another interesting point from this report is that from 2018 to 2019 Generation X doubled their cannabis purchase rate from 3% to 6%. This trend currently shows no sign of changing or slowing down.

Conclusion

The data from Team Headset makes it clear that the holidays do indeed have a positive impact on sales in the Cannabis industry. The most notable being the week of 4/20 with the 25% increase.

It is also interesting to learn that Millennials alone make up over 50% of total cannabis product sales as of this time.

Perhaps the sales numbers relating to the week of 7/10 will also begin to increase over the years as concentrates become more commonplace in the cannabis market and social awareness.

If you would like to download and review these detailed reports from Team Headset yourself you may find them here:

https://www.headset.io/blog/how-do-the-holidays-affect-cannabis-sales-a-look-at-the-data

https://www.headset.io/blog/cannabis-demographic-analysis-trends

This article originally appeared on Green Market Report.

This Week’s Music: Alanis Morissette, Dua Lipa And The Voidz

This week’s music feature a new song from Alanis Morissette, the title track of Dua Lipa’s new album and new work from The Voidz.

This Week’s Music is a weekly column that discusses the weeks’ best, worst, and most interesting songs. We try to select songs of different artists and genres to keep things interesting and to please a variety of music fans.

This week’s music feature a new song from Alanis Morissette, the title track of Dua Lipa’s new album and new work from The Voidz. Have a listen.

Pop

Alanis Morissette – Reasons I Drink

Alanis Morissette has a devoted set of fans who can sing all of her 90’s and early 2000’s songs without missing a beat. The devotion she inspires is cult-like, leading to a 2019 musical based on her most famous record, which somehow feels current even if it was released in 1995. Sadly, “Reasons I Drink” doesn’t feel like her best work. Although it boasts her unique voice work it does nothing memorable with it. The lyrics are poetic and elaborate but nothing holds the song together.

Dua Lipa – Future Nostalgia

RELATED: This Week’s Music: Liam Payne, Harry Styles And Sassy 009

“Future Nostalgia” is the title track of Dua Lipa’s upcoming album and it features the sounds you’d expect of a song with that name. Dua Lipa raps and sings about her usual stuff — you know, breaking up with people and getting over them — and at times, the music and production is fun and smart, adding dashes of robotic voices and sounds. As the song ends, you realize that it isn’t as vibrant as “Don’t Start Now,” but it’s still a fun taste of the album to come.

Rock

The Voidz – Did My Best

The Voidz is an experimental band, fronted by Julian Casablancas, the leading man from The Strokes. Featuring a strange music video and a much more narrative style than the one allowed by The Strokes, “Did My Best” is ethereal and soothing. The best part of the band is the fact that the music will satisfy fans of The Strokes but that it’s also capable of capturing listeners who are patient and are looking for something innovative and distinct.

5 Ways To Score Marijuana In Vegas

Just like with gambling, there are rules for the visitor to follow: no consumption in any rooms, in any hotel, on any casino floor, walking around anywhere. But getting it is easy.

“We know how to do sin.”

With those words, former Nevada State Senator Tick Segerblom connected the dots in 2016 when recreational marijuana was legalized in the state. Prostitution, gambling, and cannabis — a perfect Sin City combo! And it’s turned out to be a huge regulated vice success.

As of May 2018 there were officially 47 retail marijuana stores dotting Las Vegas with potentially 60 more to come, serving 43 million visitors who stay in any of the 150,000 hotel rooms and spend $36 billion.

In just the first full year of sales (2018), visitors and residents in the state spent $530 million — way over forecasts and averaging about $50 million a month — with the majority buying their marijuana in Vegas. The first social consumption lounge opened in October, another history-making marijuana moment.

RELATED: Las Vegas May Have To Wait For Cannabis Lounges After All

Just like with gambling, there are rules for the visitor to follow: no consumption in any rooms, in any hotel, on any casino floor, walking around anywhere. No single purchase over 1 ounce. Discretion is key. Lock it up in the safe in your room.

But getting it? Easy peasy.

Go big

Check out Planet 13 Cannabis Superstore and Entertainment Complex, the world’s biggest dispensary (for now) that opened late in 2018. This is as Vegas as Vegas gets – a stoner fantasy dispensary, operating big and proud inside a glitzy 112,000 square feet building. It’s a cannabis wonderland of 50-plus retail vendors that’s open 24/7, with free rides to the store available.

Go small

The smaller boutique shops might be your quickest get-and-go cannabis joint, and the best place for newcomers to spend a little time with a knowledgeable budtender. You can find them near 7-11s and small restaurants in the city, like ReLeaf, sometimes two and three stores in a meandering looking strip mall, and most able to deliver to you wherever you are in the city.

How Young Adults Are Misusing Medical Marijuana Prescriptions
Photo by MmeEmil/Getty Images

Go now

There are at least 30 marijuana cannabis retail stores that are open 24-7 (it’s Vegas – remember?) many providing free delivery. The Reef, The Apothecary, Oasis Cannabis, NuWu are just a few. Most others open early and close late – 8 a.m. to midnight is pretty common – and more are adding drive-thrus.

Go anywhere

Dispensaries are located just about anywhere in the greater Las Vegas area. Or you can take a hop on/hop off two hour cannabis dispensary tour that includes a stop at the first ever cannabis-themed wedding chapel.

RELATED: 3 Types Of Marijuana Perfect For A Night In Las Vegas

First 24/7 Marijuana Store
Photo by masbebet via Pixabay

Go old school

Say you just got off a long cross-continent flight and don’t want to start Googling and checking your GPS and all that? No problem. Just ask your cabbie or Lyft or Uber driver. “It’s the first question I get,” a Vegas cabbie said during my last visit there. There are at least five dispensaries within a 5 minute cab ride from the airport. You can also ask you hotel concierge or doorman. Some dispensaries allegedly pay drivers to bring them customers. Just sayin’…

5 Apps To Help You Land Your Next Job

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There are tons of job searching apps online, ranging from those that connect you with potential employers to others that offer career advice. Here are 5 of the best.

Apps allow you to do tons of different things, from helping you organize your life, to facilitating meet-ups between people who could potentially help you find work. Technology has come a long way, especially when it comes to great apps that connect you with job opportunities. No longer is LinkedIn your only source of potential employment.

Teen Vogue compiled a list of apps that are great for building connections and giving you some room to get to know people within your field of expertise. Check out 5 of our favorites.

Shapr

This app looks for mentors based on your interests. Each user has a profile that you can swipe right or left on, and if you get a match, you’ll be allowed to interact with the other person, meet up if you want, and get some quality career advice.

Let’s Lunch

Checking emails during commute should count as part of the working day
Photo by rawpixel.com

RELATED: 5 Important Questions You Should Always Ask In A Job Interview

Like the name implies, Let’s Lunch takes a look at your schedule and connects you to people who have similar lunch breaks and hours, allowing you to make the most out of your free time. The app facilitates short meetings between professionals, giving you a chance to plan ahead and get to know them.

Hey! VINA

Hey! VINA is exclusively for women and tries to pair you up with someone who lives nearby and who has similar interest to you. The app asks you to fill out a questionnaire, which will gather all the necessary information on your lifestyle and goals, and will later suggest personalized connections.

Switch

Tinder Super Like
Photo via freestocks.org

RELATED: 5 Signs That Indicate Your Job Isn’t Making You Happy

More straightforward than other apps on this list, Switch is like Tinder for job positions, allowing you to swipe left or right on jobs. The app provides two services: one for those who are looking for jobs and another for those who are hiring.

ZipRecruiter

This app allows you to set up personalized job alerts, notifying you when related jobs are posted. It’s great to use on the go, allowing you to get the job you want first by applying instantly from your phone wherever you are. You can also set up notifications to get job alerts on a daily basis, helping you find a job as soon as possible.

Are Weed Moms The New Wine Moms?

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Work, childcare and household demands with limited support mean that moms carry a heavy load, taxing the body, nervous system and emotional and mental health.

The familiar meme of a baby’s pacifier lying beside a filled-to-the-brim class of Pinot Noir has come to signify #momlife. Ask any random mom how she keeps sane and she will likely answer, “wine.”

Wine is the go-to salve for frazzled nerves, exhaustion and a pressure release. It’s legal, ancient and served at dinner. Moms are encouraged, particularly by other moms, to uncork in the early evening (late afternoon?) or hit the wine bar hard on mom’s night out.

Modern motherhood has come to be defined as the improbable pursuit of “having-it-all.” Work, childcare and household demands with limited support mean that moms carry a heavy load, taxing the body, nervous system and emotional and mental health. Alcohol can take the edge off, but while some studies have shown some potentially positive effects of moderate red wine consumption, the body ultimately processes alcohol as if it were a poison.

Your body may respond to too much wine with increased depression, weight gain, hangovers, or a brain fog. Alcohol consumption with a predisposition to alcoholism is also a situation that can quickly become dangerous.

RELATED: Microdosing Mamas And Divorced Dads Emerging As Key Cannabis Consumers

Alternatively, the medicinal properties of cannabis have been shown to be many, including benefits for pain management, anxiety relief, muscular relaxation, insomnia, migraines, sexual function and an increased feeling of general wellbeing. Moms are starting to catch on: why poison your body when you can provide it with relief and have a more elevated experience to offset stress?

Are Weed Moms The New Wine Moms?
Photo by Belhurst Winery

For some, weed and the like may conjure up memories of dorm-room bong-rips, stoner ex-boyfriends and paranoia. But today’s world of cannabis is much more nuanced and advanced, with a wide variety of consumption methods and experiential choices to suit individual comfort level, constitution and desired effect.

Vape pens in particular, as well as CBD-infused gummies, topical creams and tinctures are helping moms to discreetly integrate medicinal cannabis into their self-care routines for stress management. Moms who responsibly use cannabis in conjunction with other wellness habits like regular exercise and good nutrition report a laid back, rebalancing experience that helps to integrate mind and body as well as alleviating the effects of overwhelm, anxiety and depression.

RELATED: Move Over ‘Chardonnay Mom’, It’s Time For The ‘Pot Dad’

Marijuana, like alcohol, is contraindicated for pregnant and breastfeeding mothers, even though many moms “pump and dump” after a heavy night out. Most Moms integrate cannabis into their lives after weaning from breastfeeding, although preliminary research is exploring this area. While special care must be taken while consuming cannabis products around children (no driving, buy a lockbox), some forms, such as non-psychoactive CBD products with little to no THC, offer an enhanced sense of calm without the high.

We are told as moms to practice self-care, and for some this means downing half a bottle or more of wine at a time every evening in front of the kids. But even a “microdose” of cannabis can help moms manage stress, slow down and become more patient and attuned to themselves, their partners and children, without the hangover.

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