Thursday, June 18, 2026
Home Blog Page 608

5 Things Sleep Experts Would Never Allow In Their Beds

Maria Loreto
-
0
5 Things Sleep Experts Would Never Allow In Their Beds

Sleep experts believe these annoyances should be kept out of your bed forever, including alarms.

If anything can throw off your work day, it’s a night with no sleep. Despite how important sleep is and how much all of us love it, around 70 million Americans suffer from some kind of sleep disorder, like insomnia, sleep apnea or restless leg syndrome.

Everyone can recover from a single night of restless sleep, but when it begins to affect us over long periods of time, it can alter our weight, increase our risk of heart disease, strokes, and more.

The Huffington Post spoke with several experts who said that sleep can be influenced by a lot of things. Some of these fall out of our control, but others can be managed by our behaviors. Here’s a few distractions they claim can totally ruin our sleep quality.

Pets

According to Roy Raymann, vice president of sleep science and scientific affairs at SleepScore labs, pets should sleep in their own beds at the end of the day.

“Pets can disrupt your sleep at night by jumping on the bed, begging to play or begging for food. Next to that, they might worsen any allergy and bring fleas to your bedding,” says Raymann.

RELATED: Just 16 Minutes Of Sleep Loss Can Harm Work Concentration The Next Day

While he makes some valid points, one study did say that dogs make better sleep companions than cats and even humans.

TVs

No one can be too surprised by this. Aside from emitting a lot of blue light (guys, it’s a big screen), TVs are also perfect for distracting you with a great movie or some reality TV that’ll have you feeling like a zombie in the morning.

RELATED: Everything You Need To Know About Marijuana And Sleep

“When you are watching, your brain is secreting chemicals like norepinephrine and dopamine, which stimulate the ‘wake centers’ of your brain, thus making it harder to fall asleep,” says Sujay Kansagara, sleep expert from Mattress Firm.

10 useful accessories you should have in bedroom
Photo by Holly Stratton via Unsplash

Work

Despite this being a no-brainer, most of us have worked from bed at least a couple of times. It’s a bad idea. Aside from being super distracting, adding your work into your bed will make your mind wander. Before you know it, it’s 3AM and you’re thinking about all the stuff you have to do for work without actually doing a thing about it.

Alcohol

Despite the fact that alcohol is a depressant, one drink too many can facilitate nightmares, night sweats, headaches and more.

Bottle Of Wine
Photo by jill111 via Pixabay

Alarm clocks

According to Christopher Lindholst, CEO of MetroNaps, alarm clocks are bad for you because they interrupt your sleep cycles, and you should complete as many of them as you can per night. What’s the solution, you may wonder? Lindholst says you should train your body to wake up naturally by going to bed at the same time every night. Sounds cute but fake.

Alex Trebek Gets Choked Up Following ‘Jeopardy!’ Contestant’s Answer; Drake Responds To Being Booed Off Stage

Naughty Gossip
-
0
Alex Trebek Gets Choked Up Following ‘Jeopardy!’ Contestant’s Answer; Drake Responds To Being Booed Off Stage

Drake’s feelings don’t seem to be too hurt after being booed off stage at Tyler The Creator’s Camp Flog Gnaw; A Jeopardy contestant’s final answer nearly brought Alex Trebek to tears.

Alex Trebek gets choked up following ‘Jeopardy!’ contestant’s answer

Via Yahoo! Entertainment:

Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek was nearly overcome with emotion during Monday’s show when contestant Dhruv Gaur had no chance of winning in Final Jeopardy, and, in place of an answer, wrote, “We (heart) You, Alex.” Trebek’s initial reaction was one of surprise, and he was clearly getting choked up as he tried to continue as usual. All three contestants were also wearing purple ribbons in support of Trebek, who is battling Stage 4 pancreatic cancer.

It didn’t take long for #WeLoveYouAlex to begin trending, and it was obvious that Trebek wasn’t the only one who was moved by Gaur’s message.

With #WeLoveYouAlex trending, Gaur doubled down on his message of love and support for Trebek.

Drake Reacts To Being Booed Off Stage At Tyler The Creator’s Camp Flog Gnaw

Via iHeart Radio:

Drake’s surprise performance at Tyler, the Creator’s annual Camp Flog Gnaw festival did not go as planned. Shortly after the “Money In The Grave” rapper took the stage at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles Sunday night (November 10), he was booed right off it.

See, the crowd seemed to be hoping to see Frank Ocean instead of the Canadian rapper. And since the headliner for the festival was not announced before Sunday’s show, and the lineup reflects Tyler’s personal taste in music, many believed, in fact, they were certain that Frank was going to be the top act. So when it wasn’t him, they didn’t hide their disappointment.

“Make some noise for yourself tonight,” Drake told the audience in the middle of his song “Wu-Tang Forever.”

“I’m here for you tonight,” he continued. “If you want to keep going, I will keep going. What’s up?”

To his surprise (and mine too, honestly), the bitter crowd began loudly booing. “If you want me to keep going,” Drake said again, “I will keep going tonight.” Unfortunately, the crowd didn’t let up. The boos got louder and people started screaming “No.” So, with that clear response, Drake wasted no time exiting the stage. “It’s been love. I love y’all. I go by the name of Drake. Thank you for having me,” he said visibly disappointed while walking off stage.

Video of the incident has since gone viral, with many fans condemning the “ungrateful” crowd for their “rude” behavior. However, Drake is reportedly taking the incident in stride. DJ Akademiks tweeted Monday morning (November 11) that he spoke to the 33-year-old rapper, who told him that the performance was a “moment of humility which is always welcomed.” The “God’s Plan” rapper added, it “was just not my night. Wasn’t who they wanted to see.”

We Now Know What Likely Caused The Vaping Illness Outbreak

Maria Loreto
-
0
We Now Know What Likely Caused The Vaping Illness Outbreak

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention says that Vitamin E acetate is just one of the culprits behind the outbreak of vaping lung illnesses.

Following the outbreak of a strange vaping illness that caused lung damage to more than 2,000 people in the United States and killed at least 39, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention has found the likely culprit: Vitamin E acetate.

The CDC’s report explains that they came to this conclusion after analyzing the data from 29 patients with EVALI (E-cigarette or Vaping product use Associated Lung Injury) from 10 different states across the country. All of them showed traces of Vitamin E acetate in their lungs.

“Vitamin E acetate is used as an additive in the production of e-cigarette, or vaping, products. This is the first time that we have detected a potential chemical of concern in biologic samples from patients with these lung injuries,” explains the report.

RELATED: Fake Cannabis Vapes Are Everywhere And Poisoning Folks

legal marijuana users have stopped buying vapes following illness epidemic
Photo by HighGradeRoots/Getty Images

The data goes further, explaining that both THC and nicotine vape devices currently pose a risk for smokers. Out of the 29 patients tested, 82% of them had THC in their lungs and 62 of them had nicotine.

Other substances thought to be associated with the disease were tested, with most of them showing no links to the illness. “CDC tested for a range of other chemicals that might be found in e-cigarette, or vaping, products, including plant oils, petroleum distillates like mineral oil, MCT oil, and terpenes (which are compounds found in or added to THC products). None of these potential chemicals of concern were detected in the BAL fluid samples tested,” says the report.

RELATED: The Dark Truth Behind The Recent Outbreak Of Vaping Related Illnesses

As of this writing, there have been 39 deaths associated with EVALI. Although new substances and elements could continue to be linked with the disease, it’s believed that the biggest risk users face is consuming THC from vape devices that have been acquired illegally. No matter the legal status of marijuana in your state, right now is not the time to explore new methods of vaping weed.

Study Confirms CBD Products May Cause You To Fail A Drug Test

Maria Loreto
-
0
Study Confirms CBD Products May Cause You To Fail A Drug Test

New research confirms what many medical marijuana patients already know: CBD can cause them to fail a drug test.

A new study from John Hopkins University confirms that certain CBD products can trigger urine drug screens. These are some of the most popular drug tests used by employers and criminal justice and addiction proceedings.

The study was published in the Journal of Analytical Toxicology. In it, six individuals (three men and three women) were administered with pure CBD and with CBD-dominant vapor. They were later asked to submit urine samples for analysis. While the subjects who consumed pure CBD demonstrated no THC in their urine samples, two subjects who consumed the CBD-dominant vapor triggered positive results for cannabis in their urine tests.

RELATED: Will Using CBD Cause Me To Fail A Drug Test?

5 Products That Can Help You Pass A Drug Test
Photo by KLH49/Getty Images

“Conventional urine drug testing for cannabis targets a common metabolite of THC called THCCOOH (THC is the primary psychoactive component of cannabis). Importantly, many CBD-dominant products contain low levels of THC, including hemp-derived CBD products which can legally contain up to 0.3% THC,”  explains Tory Spindle, PhD fellow at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center.

While this is the first official study that proves that some CBD products are capable of triggering a false positive in urine drug tests, medical cannabis patients have been reporting instances where their use of CBD has caused them to lose their jobs. Although these cases continue to be rare, it proves that urine analyses are not equipped to notice the differences between THC and hemp.

RELATED: Sorry, But Your CBD Hemp Products Probably Contain Some THC

It’s also important to highlight that there’s a regulation issue going on with CBD products, causing a lot of misinformation to swirl around. A study by Penn Medicine found that different CBD products purchased online contained over 6.4ml of THC. Legally, most CBD products should not contain over 0.3 percent of THC.

Study Finds Cannabis Use Disorder Declining Among Daily Users

Brendan Bures
-
0
Study Finds Cannabis Use Disorder Declining Among Daily Users

Though marijuana is more widespread and mainstream, people are abusing the drug at far lower rates.

Earlier this year, United States Surgeon General Jerome Adams issued a warning about the newfound potency of today’s marijuana. “This ain’t your mother’s marijuana,” he said. “Not enough people know that today’s marijuana is far more potent than in days’ past.” The statement was picked up by prohibitionists like Alex Berenson and Tucker Carlson as proof positive we should not legalize marijuana nationwide.

While the Surgeon General isn’t wrong, that doesn’t mean legalization is wrong either. At a time when more Americans than ever support legalization — either as a medicine and wellness supplement or alcohol replacement — prohibition encourages posers. Black market producers grow high-THC strains because it delivers them the highest return on investment; vape cartridge mills add vitamin E acetate, as the CDC reports, to extend profit margins, a process that resulted in more than 2,000 vaping illness cases and 39 deaths.

RELATED: FBI Data Shows Marijuana Arrests Increased For Third Straight Year

The Surgeon General emphasized high THC levels in today’s marijuana as a warning to parents, as the effects of cannabis use in teenagers can include later problems in life. Studies have linked adolescent use to memory problems, depression, and loss of other cognitive functions as an adult. But if you analyze the data, the best solution isn’t scaring kids and maintaining prohibition policies.

5 tips on how to politely smoke marijuana with friends
Photo by Kimzy Nanney via Unsplash

Research suggests that legalization has helped discourage marijuana use in young people. Washington and Denver saw drops in adolescents using weed following legalization, one study found, while research published in an American Medical Association-backed journal found teen marijuana use rates dropped in all legalized states.

Perhaps the most encouraging study is the newest. Published in the Drug and Alcohol Dependence last month, researchers found that cannabis use disorder — the medical term to describe marijuana addiction — is declining among daily cannabis users. Between 2002 and 2016, the number of people diagnosed with CUD dropped 26.8% in adolescent users and 29.7% for those ages 18-25. Among those ages 26 and over, CUD diagnoses for daily users fell nearly 38%. In addition, researchers found the number of heavy marijuana users who drove under the influence (either drunk or stoned) also dropped significantly during that same time period.

RELATED: What Too Much Coffee Can Do To Your Endocannabinoid System

“There could be several reasons behind these declining rates,” study author Silvia Martins said in a statement. “First, the new national cannabis policy environment, with 33 states legalizing medical use and 10 states allowing recreational use of cannabis may have played a role in reducing stigma and perceptions of risk associated with cannabis use.

“Secondly, increasing legalization may also be associated with changes in social attitudes resulting in fewer conflicts with relatives and friends around cannabis use.”

Every Funny Thing About The Dion Waiters No Good, Very Bad Edibles Incident

Brendan Bures
-
0
Every Funny Thing About The Dion Waiters No Good, Very Bad Edibles Incident

Everyone has a bad edibles experience, but Dion Waiters has a story that is funnier and costlier than yours ever was.

You never believe you’ll be the one destroyed by an edible. That’s what I thought when news of Dion Waiters, a professional NBA player for the Miami Heat, and his no good, very bad edible experience broke across my timeline. The story captivated, and still captures attention, because it’s an experience far too funny and relatable to ignore. A millionaire athlete, with every resource and tool imaginable to prevent something like this at his disposal, got wrecked mid-flight by a gummy bear.

Let’s peek behind the curtain for just a quick moment. Every Saturday afternoon at The Fresh Toast, we receive a spike in hits for one specific article: 9 Ways To Chill Out When You’ve Eaten Too Many Marijuana Edibles. Just last month a reader emailed thanking us for the article, after he ate too many edibles and “was FREAKING OUT and everyone had gone to sleep so I was by myself trying not to cry bc I thought I was dying,” he wrote.

do cannabis products over promise and under deliver
Photo by Jamie Grill/Getty Images

Even those you would assume have all the marijuana experience in the world go through this. Snoop Dogg and Seth Rogen have sworn off edibles for this reason, saying popping a THC-infused gummy is too much of a “crapshoot.”

RELATED: Don’t Smoke Bon Iver’s Weed, According To This Musical Collaborator

Now that all the empathy and understanding’s out of the way, it’s time we had fun. Sorry, Dion Waiters, your misery is our comedy.

“When the edible hits…”

According to ESPN’s official report, Waiters experienced “a panic attack” after consuming a “THC-infused edible” on a flight from Phoenix to Los Angeles. Passengers flying out of Seattle or Denver know the feeling. The initial report inspired a wealth of memes. It’d be a crime if I didn’t share these with you.

https://twitter.com/Zardawg/status/1193360907176464385

https://twitter.com/KingJosiah54/status/1193594806619926528

He lost $2 million from edibles

The Miami Heat suspended Waiters for 10 games without pay for conduct detrimental to the team. To put that into context, Waiters has a $12.1 million salary this season. Missing 10 games translates to $800,000 in lost wages. Wait, there’s more! His contract also includes a potential $1.2 million bonus if he plays more than 70 games this season (reminder: there’s 82 total games in an NBA season). Waiters has yet to see the court this season, so the suspension already disqualifies him from that bonus.

Kudos to Saturday Night Live Chris Redd for capturing the nation’s mood after this news.

Teammate’s foul play

This story would be entertaining enough if it ended there. But the narrative gained a surprising twist, thanks to a report from The Athletic’s Shams Charania.

It sounds like Waiters didn’t even mean to take the edible! A teammate, slipped him the ol’ okie doke and now he’s paying the consequences. Waiters might not snitch, but that hasn’t stopped everyone from assuming who it was. According to the internet, the likeliest culprit is Jimmy Butler. After all, Butler once detonated a team scrimmage with the Timberwolves by calling out and belittling teammates to their face. At one point, he yelled at Minnesota’s general manager Scott Layden, “”You f—ing need me, Scott. You can’t win without me.”

Good chances it’s him, right?

https://twitter.com/BuzzShitty/status/1193671079832756224

https://twitter.com/BurryThreeee/status/1193232328971169792

Can’t stop, won’t stop

Trust us, this story is far from over. By all reports, Dion Waiters will return to the Miami Heat after serving his suspension and attempt to get back into the organization’s good graces. We can only assume how his first game back will go.

RELATED: 4 Ways To Relieve A Marijuana Hangover

https://twitter.com/vertvsworld/status/1193364978436321281

Can CBD Help People Lose Weight

Maria Loreto
-
0
Can CBD Help People Lose Weight

CBD has demonstrated benefits for different health issues, but could it help people lose weight? Here’s what experts think.

CBD is one of the most important compounds of cannabis, making up around 40% of the plant’s extract. Following THC, it is the second most abundant cannabinoid within the cannabis plant. Although human trials and studies on CBD have been very limited due to the legal status of the plant, many users are wondering if the compound could help people lose weight.

According to Healthline, CBD has been associated with many health benefits, with some studies suggesting that there’s a connection between it and weight loss.

Studies conducted on animals show that CBD interacts with two receptors that play important roles in metabolism and food intake. One of these studies looked into rats for a period of two weeks. These animals were split into two groups and injected with a daily dose of CBD. The rats in the first group were injected with larger doses than the second group. Although both groups of rats lost weight, the first group experienced a more pronounced drop, indicating that the amount of CBD in their system played an important role in the study.

RELATED: Should You Mix CBD With Your Morning Coffee?

get high and lose weight
Photo by Melissa Ross/Getty Images

While studies like these sound incredibly promising for CBD and its effect on weight loss, the issue is complicated and there’s not enough information out there to draw conclusions.

One study on humans said that CBD oil increased children’s appetite. The study in question was a survey where parents of kids with epileptic seizures answered some questions. These said that, although CBD oil drastically reduced their kids’ seizures, 30% of the children experienced more hunger when ingesting CBD oil.

RELATED: Do CBD Beauty Products Actually Improve Skin?

Although more research and experiments on human subjects might show a connection between CBD and weight loss, currently, there’s not enough data out there to make an educated guess. It’s also unlikely that a compound on its own would have a more important effect on people’s weight when compared to their diet and exercise levels.

Like most things CBD, positive results should follow when the compound is used as a compliment to a healthy lifestyle.

How To Use Marijuana In Public Housing Without Issue

Mike Adams
-
0
How To Use Marijuana In Public Housing Without Issue

If you are part of the two million people who live in public housing, your situation involving marijuana isn’t that much different than those living in apartments or rental houses across the country.

Marijuana is now legal for adult use in more parts of the United States. But that doesn’t mean that people who use cannabis for whatever reason have the same freedoms as, say, someone who uses alcohol. Although weed is now supposed to be a part of mainstream society, there are still plenty of snags in the system preventing people from using the herb, even where it is legal, in a manner that doesn’t set them up for hardships and troubles that they’d rather not endure. One of those snags is the inability to consume legal cannabis in public housing properties.

It was announced recently via a report from the Chicago Sun-Times that even though Illinois is set to launch its legal pot market at the beginning of 2020, people living in public housing will not be allowed to partake inside their homes or anywhere else on the property. A notice from the Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) indicates that since marijuana remains an outlaw substance in the eyes of the federal government, marijuana use in federally subsidized housing units is strictly prohibited. “The CHA can TERMINATE all assistance … if you, a member of your household, or a guest or person under your control is found engaging in drug-related criminal activity, including the use and/or possession of marijuana for medical or recreational purposes,” the notice reads.

RELATED: How To Smoke Marijuana In An Apartment Without Getting Evicted

If you are part of the two million people who live in public housing, your situation involving marijuana isn’t that much different than those living in apartments or rental houses across the country. Most property owners do not allow tenants to smoke weed inside of their homes. This is usually covered in the lease someplace, either under the no-smoking policy or with the rule banning the use of all illegal drugs. It doesn’t matter if marijuana is legal at the state level unless a property is advertised as “marijuana-friendly,” a property manager can toss you out on your ears for it. 

whats the best way to get rid of cannabis smell
Photo by Tunatura/Getty Images

But public housing units are a bit different. They are subject to monthly inspections and other governmental snoop tactics that require a tenant to be on his or her toes. If maintenance or anyone involved with the property even think they smell marijuana lingering in your home, it could be enough to bring about some unwanted heat. It is for this reason that it is necessary for marijuana users who reside in public housing to exercise a little savoir-faire when it comes to how they catch a buzz.

And rule number one of this “us vs. them“ sneak maneuver is to reinvent the way you consume cannabis. 

RELATED: The Essential Guide To Smoke Proofing Your Apartment

You see, getting caught with weed is really just one part bad luck and about three parts stupidity. Caution is king, so the first thing you will probably have to do is stop smoking marijuana. But this doesn’t mean that you have to stop using it altogether.

Fortunately, in the case of states like Illinois where marijuana is now legal for adults 21 and older, there are a variety of pot products on the market that are smoke-free and do not come with a pungent odor that is bound to lead to eviction. For those living in public housing, these THC-infused goodies are going to become your best friend. Items like edibles, beverages and even vapes can provide the user with a means to getting stoned clandestinely without putting themselves at risk. We recommend visiting your local dispensary and discussing the many non-smoking options they have available. 

Avoiding trouble for marijuana in public housing really is as simple as not “smoking” it and advertising personal business to those who might rat you out. And there are plenty of those people out there. But if you must smoke weed and are willing to risk the consequences, we would recommend reading our guide on “How To Smoke Marijuana In An Apartment Without Getting Evicted.” 

Good luck.

This Kardashian Is Taking A Step Back From ‘KUWTK’; Justin Bieber Sparks Outrage With His Opinion Of Popeyes Chicken Sandwich

Naughty Gossip
-
0
This Kardashian Is Taking A Step Back From ‘KUWTK’; Justin Bieber Sparks Outrage With His Opinion Of Popeyes Chicken Sandwich

Justin Bieber said the Popeyes chicken sandwich is ‘not worth the hype’; Kourtney Kardashian is taking some time away from KUWTK to be a mom.

Kourtney Kardashians Says She’s Taking A Step Back From ‘KUWTK’

Via iHeart Radio:

Sorry, Keeping Up With the Kardashians fans, it looks like you’ll be seeing less of Kourtney Kardashian on the reality TV show.

While promoting KKW Fragrance Diamond collection with her sisters Kim and Khloe Kardashian, Kourtney revealed that she’s not saying goodbye to the show for good, but she is possibly stepping away. “I just decided to spend more time as a mom and put more of my energy there,” the mother of three told Entertainment Tonight. “But I’m not saying goodbye.”

“I think you’ll have to see more of it on the new season, season 18,” she added. “It isn’t airing yet but it’s being filmed… currently, in this room.”

While Khloe said she hopes Kourt decides to stay, she admitted that the show can and will go on. “We definitely love Kourtney and we’ll miss Kourtney and whatever she decides to do, but people come, people go all the time in this family,” she admitted. “I feel like it’s a revolving door, so Kourtney might leave this week, [but] she’ll be back. They all come back.”

Kim and Khloe were then asked if they’d be down to do a spinoff show like the old days, to which Kim replied: “Kim and Khloe take… Calabasas. That’d be amazing. We can live in the condo with all of our kids and see how that goes.”

However, Kourtney made it clear that she wanted no parts of that idea. “Not for me,” the Poosh creator replied.

Justin Bieber Sparks Outrage With His Opinion Of Popeyes Chicken Sandwich

Via iHeart Radio:

Justin Bieber was not impressed with the Popeyes Chicken sandwich.

On Thursday (November 7), the 25-year-old singer took to Instagram Story to give his review of the oh-so-popular and always sold-out sandwich to his 121 million Instagram followers.

“I gotta see what all this hype is about,” he said as he showed the three sandwiches he picked up. “All this hype on the Popeyes chicken sandwich. Let me see what we got here”

It only took one big bite for Justin to issue a verdict. In his second Instagram Story video, he said while chewing, “It’s good but it’s not worth the hype.”

While he wasn’t a fan of the sandwich, Justin did say he loved one thing from the fast-food joint. “Sweet tea’s bangin’ though,” he shared.

Synthetic Marijuana Is A Dangerous Misnomer

Rudy Sanchez
-
0
Synthetic Marijuana Is A Dangerous Misnomer

Synthetic cannabinoids do not taste like cannabis, do not provide the same high, and in a frightening number of cases, cause nasty side effects, including psychosis and death.

Lab-made cannabinoids — molecules meant to mimic natural compounds found in cannabis upon the body — are a relatively new group of drugs. They found their way out of research labs and onto the streets, starting to notably appear in the 2000s. Going by many names, including early brand “Spice,” it is also unfortunately referred to as “synthetic marijuana” by law enforcement, legislators, media, and the public.

Fact is, the name is a dangerous misnomer, as synthetic cannabinoids do not taste like cannabis, do not provide the same high, and can even be life threatening.  

The connection of synthetic cannabinoids to marijuana isn’t a completely unfounded one. These compounds came about through the work of chemist John W. Huffman. Many compound names will start with his initials, such as JWH-108, a molecule popular, in part, because it’s one of the easiest cannabinoids to synthesize. Huffman wasn’t looking to create a marijuana-like high; his research focused on endocannabinoid receptors, which in addition to being responsible for cannabis’s psychoactive effects, is also related to inflammatory pain.

RELATED: This Is Why Synthetic Marijuana Is So Risky

Marijuana’s high is often described as anywhere from calming to uplifting, and is usually a pleasant experience, although too high a dose has caused anxiety and panic in some. On the other hand, the effects of synthetic cannabinoids include intense highs, anxiety, nausea and vomiting, rapid heartbeat, and heavy body highs sometimes causing immobility or muscle spasms. In some cases, consuming these chemicals causes psychosis and possibly death. Cannabis on the other hand, has shown promise in the opposite direction, promoting health and possibly reducing inflammation, pain, and anxiety.

Endocannabinoid System
Photo by Kitt_KS via Pixabay

Some consumers of synthetic cannabinoids report developing a “spice” habit, where they become dependent on increasing amounts of the substance and experience physical and mental withdrawal symptoms associated with hard drugs — a phenomena not typically tied to cannabis. Law enforcement, social workers and health care professionals have expressed having far more concern over the use, consequences, and difficulty in detecting and treating overdoses of synthetic cannabinoids than of marijuana.

RELATED: Are Synthetic Cannabinoid Medications As Effective As Marijuana?

The ability of synthetic cannabinoid makers to skirt drug laws, often by continuously altering the molecular structure ever so slightly, has contributed to its low cost and wide availability. Its cheap price, odor dissimilar to cannabis, and the fact that it often goes untested in mandated drug screenings makes it a popular drug of choice among the poor, homeless, and youth, as well as those subject to random drug tests. For many consumers of these substances, their circumstances make cannabis out-of-reach.

Given the differences between cannabis and products containing synthetic cannabinoids, there seems to be little reason to call these products “synthetic weed” as there’s really no association with marijuana. “Synthetic weed” is not a different form of cannabis; it’s not cannabis at all. Products like Spice, K2, and C-Cigs, are addictive, potentially lethal, and produce a high unlike cannabis. The connection is uninformed at best and disingenuously deceptive at worst.

1...607608609...1,475Page 608 of 1,475

Don't Miss Your Weekly Dose of The Fresh Toast.

Stay informed with exclusive news briefs delivered directly to your inbox every Friday.

We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe anytime.

The Fresh Toast is an award-winning lifestyle & health platform with a side of cannabis. We work hard each day to bring uplifting and informative information about culture, weed, celebrity, tech and medical marijuana.

© Copyright @2020