A Scottish distillery released whiskey stuffed pods and Twitter can’t stop comparing them to Tide Pods.
Remember when Tide Pods were considered a health hazard because of their delicious looks? Glenlivet, a Scottish distillery, is apparently still thinking about this, releasing a collection of whiskey-filled pods.
The Tide Pods scandal began as early as 2012, when the pods first entered the market. In the span of a year, over 7,000 cases of kids ingesting these yummy looking pods were reported to authorities. It wasn’t until 2017 that the Tide Pod craze boiled over, becoming a meme where teenagers on social media challenged the other to eat Tide Pods. That’s when Tide had to step in and announce that their pods were a health hazard.
Need to get your drink on at work?
Wanna sneak a little sumpin’ sumpin’ into your next restricted venue?
No worries!
And, you can ditch the flask!
People gon’ be sucking these down like Tide pods! https://t.co/xmiGLcAdKm
Two years later and Glenlivet introduces these capsules. “No ice, no stirrer, no glass,” is how their pods are advertised. Some journalists have compared the drinks to Gushers, ignoring the most glaring influence: delicious looking laundry detergent.
Exec 1: So, Millennials aren’t buying enough premium booze.
Exec 2: Maybe we don’t pay them eno—
Exec 3. Wait, what do millennials love to eat? Maybe there’s something
Exec 4 [[googles frantically]] it says… Tide Pods!
Exec 2 You’ve got to—
Exec 1: That’s it. Make it happen https://t.co/UxgQFqijfW
At last! An end to the tiresome drudge of holding a glass of a fine single malt, warming it in your hand, watching the light play on its deep amber and mahogany depths, enjoying the warm winter aroma rise up as you swirl it in your hand, savouring the taste on your lips. No more! https://t.co/nu59ap1FGj
A new virtual reality headset currently in development wants to determine if drivers are high on weed. Here’s how it works.
One of the concerns that people voiced with the legalization of marijuana was how to measure its influence on drivers. Like alcohol, marijuana produces an intoxicating effect that could impair people’s driving skills. IMMAD (which stands for Impairment Measurement Marijuana and Driving) is the first device that tries to determine if a driver has consumed marijuana.
According to the International Business Times, IMMAD uses a Samsung VR headset that tests the driver’s vision. According the lead developer Dr. Denise Valenti, vision is one of the first skills that is temporarily impaired when consuming marijuana.
The device flashes gray scale stripes of different frequencies around a small black dot. When the viewer sees a stripe, they press a Bluetooth button to record their response. Impaired subjects should see less stripes than subjects who haven’t been consuming marijuana.
“Marijuana causes temporary paralysis of the cell operating in the retina. So when you have certain neurologic deficit in your retina, you just can’t see the stripes,” said Valenti to American Inno. “If you can’t see, you can’t drive.”
Although it the IMMAD device sounds promising, before it’s introduced to police officers it must first pass some legal hurdles. While the device is in development, the necessary tests that determine its effectiveness — like the ones conducted on subjects under the influence of marijuana — are banned under Massachussetts law. Another factor that researchers must be sure of is that IMMAD measures the influence of marijuana and nothing else, that way no other variables can trigger a false positive.
Like most things marijuana, there’s still a long way to go before substantial change is made.
The demand for topical cannabis products has risen in the U.S., especially products that contain only cannabidiol (CBD). But what, exactly, does it do for skincare?
Topical cannabis products are ideal for localized relief, and in recent years, sales of these products have significantly grown. Specifically, topical cannabis product sales in Colorado, Oregon, and Washington increased from $14.2 million in 2015 to $26.39 million the next year. Since then, the demand for topical cannabis products has risen in the U.S., especially products that contain only cannabidiol (CBD). What’s the purpose and functionality of CBD’s presence in skincare products though?
Reasons For CBD’s Presence In Topical Cannabis Products
Due to CBD’s plethora of medicinal properties, more people are interested in trying forms of it, especially topical products like lotions, creams, oils, salves, and balms. To achieve localized relief, it’s common for cannabis users to administer topical CBD products to the areas of their body that need the most help. Fortunately, since CBD is non-psychoactive, it can be consumed or applied at anytime during the day or evening without worrying about feeling cerebrally high after usage.
So far, CBD is present in countless skincare creams, serums, oils, and gels with the intention of moisturizing the body’s skin, relieving pain caused by different skin disorders, smoothing out wrinkles, and preventing breakouts and acne. How does this cannabinoid really work in skincare products though, and is it truly effective? One board-certified dermatologist, Jeanette Jacknin who specializes in topical cannabinoids used in different skincare products expressed that several studies have discovered CBD’s impact on the body’s endocannabinoid system, which results in the skin often looking rejuvenated and youthful. The study that Jacknin referred to was one that focused on visible signs of aging in mice in which it was found that CBD could effectively slow down the aging process.
Furthermore, Tamás Bíró—professor, department chair of Immunology at the University of Debrecen in Hungary, and director of applied research at Phytecs shared his knowledge on CBD’s value, especially regarding the treatment of skin issues. Bíró mentioned that CBD possesses anti-inflammatory properties, which can be useful in treating conditions like psoriasis, eczema, and acne. Bíró then conducted cell model research in which it was found that CBD inhibited sebum production while also normalizing overactive sebaceous gland cells, which is known as one major cause of acne. Thus, there’s a significant potential in CBD not only treating various skin disorders but also relieving inflamed and dry skin and preventing acne.
The Growth Of Mislabeled Online CBD Products
Now, let’s touch on the growing issue of mislabeled online CBD products. According to a Journal of the American Medical Association study, it was discovered that there’s an extensive amount of mislabeled online CBD products. Bíró expressed the following about this matter, “…at this moment, CBD and marijuana products are totally unregulated and the ingredients in the jar don’t have to be the same as on the packaging because no one is checking.”
Generally, the most effective ways to find the best Cannabidiol companies on the market is to contact the company and inquire about the steps they take to ensure that their products are consistent and accurate to what’s displayed on their label. These companies should willingly release their up-to-date product’s test results. To avoid the time-consuming process of finding credible CBD products, several CBD-based skincare products are listed below thanks to recommendations from different experts within this cannabis sector.
Effective & Credible CBD Skincare Products
Charlotte’s Web Hemp Infused Cream: Natural Partners is one company that upon request is willing to provide an analysis certificate of any product that’s sold. Natural Partners sell CBD products including Charlotte’s Web body cream that includes Vitamin B, Aloe Vera, and shea butter to help soothe, relieve, and heal inflamed skin. Also, the production of Charlotte’s Web products follows the FDA’s good manufacturing practice guidelines to ensure that they produce safe yet high-quality products.
Myaderm CBD Blemish Control: Myaderm’s products aren’t only formulated by pharmacists, but Myaderm also undergo tests and attains results from Botanacor labs to ensure that each batch of CBD products are pure.
Cannuka CBD Calming Eye Balm: Cannuka uses a mixture of hemp-derived CBD isolate, manuka honey, and Vitamin E to deliver moisture and brightness to the skin near the eyes. The CBD isolate that’s used is tested by Botanacor, and in previous tests, it was found that the products are 99.7 percent pure, and they contain zero impurities.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B2_gEfrDtc7/
Vertly CBD Infused Lip Balm: Vertly’s lip balm not only relives dry and chapped lips, but it moisturizes them and delivers anti-inflammatory properties. Vertly’s CBD is also extensively tested throughout the production stage by starting at the hemp farm and then when CBD is added into the product. Additionally, Vertly is partnered with Credo, a natural beauty store/spa that follows strict standards for the products they stock. Thus, Vertly’s products are held to the same standards.
CBD Skincare Co.Body Bar: These CBD body bars soothe dry and itchy skin while softening it after usage. According to Scott Rushton, a founding partner of The CBD Skincare Co., the following was stated about product testing: “We have a certificate of analysis that each soap actually contains what we say is in it.” The company even adheres to third-party SC Labs testing to confirm the CBD oil’s purity.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxgFI9pgNpq/
Overall, although there are numerous online CBD skincare products available, it’s crucial to find ones that undergo testing to ensure that they’re safe, pure, and high-quality. Next time you have a breakout, experience dry skin, or a skin issue of yours flares up, don’t worry because CBD can help in more ways than you could imagine.
Despite marijuana legalization in 11 states and widespread decriminalization, police still focus on arresting Americans for cannabis possession.
A new crime report produced by the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting Program found there were 663,367 marijuana arrests in the United States last year. That amounts to one cannabis arrest every 48 seconds. More alarming, however, is that the FBI’s data shows the marijuana arrests have increasing each year for the past three consecutive years. There were 663,367 cannabis-related arrests in 2017, an increase from 653,249 arrests in 2016.
The data was compiled by the FBI after local police agencies shared their crime data with the federal agency. The numbers reported that more than 90% of these marijuana-related arrests were for possession alone. Furthermore, cannabis arrests outnumbered arrests for burglary, sexual assault, arson, fraud, and disorderly conduct.
“Despite cannabis being decriminalized in over half of the country, a growing number of states enacting laws to legalize adult-use and medical cannabis, and the reality that two-thirds of Americans support legalization, cannabis arrests continue to rise,” Steve Hawkins, the executive director for the Marijuana Policy Project, told The Fresh Toast. “This new arrest data is a stark reminder that cannabis prohibition is far from over.”
Photo by FatCamera/Getty Images
Hawkins noted that focus on marijuana arrests distract police nationwide from focusing on more serious crimes. The same FBI data reported that only 62% of murders, 33% of rapes, 30% of robberies, and 53% of aggravated assaults were cleared nationwide in 2018. A study published in Policy Quarterly last year demonstrated that clearance rates for violent crimes increased following marijuana legalization in both Washington and Colorado. Clearance rates for property crimes also rose in these states, while declining nationwide.
“Moreover, in the absence of other compelling explanations, the current evidence suggests that legalization produced some demonstrable and persistent benefit in clearance rates, benefits we believe are associated with the marijuana legalization proponents’ prediction that legalization would positively influence police performance,” researchers said.
As advocates like Hawkins emphasized, marijuana legalization impacts society in ways beneficial beyond eliminating negative impact from the War on Drugs. If nothing else, it allows police to focus on solving more important matters than prosecution marijuana possession.
“There are many reasons to support replacing prohibition with regulation, but as additional data from the new FBI report illustrates, arresting cannabis offenders prevents police from focusing on real crime,” Hawkins said.
It’s no fun having a syndrome that makes what you’re used to doing either impossible or limited, but there is relief to be had.
Certain people in the cannabis business are more prone to carpal tunnel syndrome than others who work in the industry. Just like professions that require their workers to type, cook, or use a cash register all day, marijuana trimmers suffer due to the detailed, repetitive nature of their work.
The carpal tunnel is a thin tube in your wrist, pretty much from elbow to palm of the hand, that houses the median nerve, which becomes inflamed when the syndrome kicks in. Fortunately, cannabis is here to save the day yet again.
The NSAIDs or corticosteroids that are commonly used to treat the pain associated with carpal tunnel have side effects that range from weight gain and easy bruising to osteoporosis. On the other hand (no pun intended) cannabis’ side effects are short term and include an increase in appetite, dry mouth and the potential for giggles. CBD has no side effects at all. However, depending on the severity of your carpal tunnel, you still may need to wear a splint to bed in order to combat the numb, tingling feelings.
Photo by yodiyim/Getty Images
Another problem with using the anti-inflammatories like NSAIDs and steroids is that your body builds up a tolerance to them over time. This can lead to stronger painkillers, more discomfort and an increased moodiness. Cannabis is a known anti-inflammatory and though you may build up a tolerance if you’ve never tried it before, it evens out pretty quickly. Let’s say in a matter of weeks, though it certainly varies from person to person.
Cannabis is a natural remedy for inflammation in soft tissues, for nerve damage and for joint pain—all associated with carpal tunnel syndrome. It makes the most sense to use a substance that’s able to relieve the three symptoms of carpal tunnel and that has additional benefits like mood elevation and the alleviation of other aches and pains. If you’re using a topical cannabis product, however, it will be non-psychoactive, but it will work wonders.
THC or CBD Topicals are the best bet for workers who fear drug testing and the products work even better in conjunction with CBD tincture, gummies and/or vape pens. If you’re able to get a bit lifted, though, using an edible or smoking/vaping a good strain for pain, like Girl Scout Cookies, will provide deeper relief.
It’s no fun having a syndrome that makes what you’re used to doing either impossible or limited, but there is relief to be had. Incorporating cannabis into your wellness regime may be the difference between a good day and a bad one, a good night’s rest or an awkward tossing and turning to keep your wrists in position. Cannabis is an excellent medicine, especially when it comes to inflammation, and its potential to help mitigate carpal tunnel syndrome is no small miracle.
Tucker Carlson stokes ‘Reefer Madness’ fires again, labeling the SAFE Banking Act as a nefarious conspiracy to ruin America.
Last month, the House of Representatives passed a historic banking bill through Republican and Democrat support. Known as the SAFE Banking Act, the legislation would provide financial institutions working with legal marijuana businesses sanctuary from criminal prosecution. The measure would go a long way to securing and stabilizing the cannabis industry, which has long requested for such financial protections from the federal government.
Despite the bipartisan support for the bill, worry remains the legislation will stall in the Republican-controlled Senate. While the idea of our political parties reaching across the aisle on an issue like this should encourage many Americans, FOX News host Tucker Carlson isn’t having any of it. He believes the SAFE Banking Act only helps “weed dealers.” Furthermore, the only reason Congress would pass a bill like this is because they “want you to be dumb” by smoking marijuana.
“Even though marijuana is still illegal federally, the bill would allow banks and credit unions to provide banking services to people who deal marijuana,” he said. “In the middle of the deadliest drug epidemic in our history, the only thing Congress can agree on is it ought to be easier to sell drugs to Americans.”
Carlson went on to critique the motivations behind the bipartisan support for the SAFE Banking Act. Instead of viewing it as means to eliminate nefarious black market players and allow small businesses in the cannabis industry the same financial advantages other small businesses receive in every other industry, Carlson believes the measure is all about greed.
Photo by OlegMalyshev/Getty Images
“One, a small number are getting very rich doing it. The former Republican Speaker is now a weed lobbyist,” Carlson said, in reference to John Boehner. “And for another, when you mismanage the country this badly, you want the people to be so out of it they don’t respond. That is really true. They want you to be dumb.”
“Choose sobriety so you can be awake enough to critique them and the crappy job they’re doing,” he added.
But the SAFE Banking Act has no association with Americans using cannabis. “The SAFE Banking Act does not legalize cannabis, it solves a narrow and specific public safety and policy question,” Randal Meyer, executive director for the Global Alliance for Cannabis Commerce, told The Hill.
As Marijuana Moment first noted, the bill also has been publicly endorsed by a majority of state attorneys general, the National Association of State Treasurers, 50 state banking associations, and bipartisan governors of 20 states.
An intense workout shouldn’t give you license to eat burgers and fries. Here are 5 tips that can help you preserve the work you did at the gym.
Completing a workout feels great, especially when you get ravenously hungry and feel like you deserve to treat yourself with something caloric and delicious. Sadly, we tend to overestimate the amount of exercise we do, resulting in us eating more calories than we burned in the first place.
The body works in interesting ways after finishing a workout. If you were hungry before working out, all the strain and effort once you begin to move will force your blood to other parts of your body, making you forget your hunger for the duration of your exercise and maybe for a couple of hours afterwards. Now, once you get hungry, expect some intense cravings that will be hard to manage.
Here are five things you can do to eat healthy-ish and preserve your hard work at the gym:
Don’t force yourself to eat
Some athletes believe they should eat within an hour after their workouts, increasing their muscle gain. Sometimes the body doesn’t work that way and you shouldn’t force yourself to eat if you don’t want to. If you worked out and are not feeling hungry it’s totally natural; focus on hydrating and eat once you want to.
Avoid rewards
After a tough session in the gym it’s natural to crave burgers and milkshakes. While you can do this on occasions, you shouldn’t make a habit of this. No matter how hard you worked out, it’s likely that you’ll lose most (if not all) of your work by going to the nearest McDonald’s. Think with your brain and not with your stomach.
Before, during and after a work out it’s important to hydrate your body. Doing this will help your body recover and will make it easier for you to work out the next day and avoid sore muscles. While some athletes weight themselves before and after they work out – that way knowing how much liquids they need to drink – a simple way of keeping track of your hydration is to keep an eye on the color of your urine. You should be aiming for a clear yellow.
Replenish what your body lost
Your post work out meal should replenish the elements your body lost while working out. You’re mainly going to need proteins, carbs, sodium, potassium and water.
Photo by Alora Griffiths/Getty Images
Stock up on proteins and veggies
Healthline recommends a meal that contains protein, carbohydrates and healthy fats. Foods like oatmeal, yogurt, quinoa, avocado, and more, contain plenty of nutrients that your body will soak up after a workout.
Though us consumers may love the intricate and unique smell of each type of cannabis we consume, we want to exist under the radar sometimes. Let these tips help you stay low key.
As commonplace and cool as cannabis is becoming, it’s still not welcome everywhere. It’s also pretty illegal to partake publicly, especially when traveling or visiting a new place. Covering up those fragrant clouds that give you pleasure may be the only way to indulge when in the presence of haters and people that can get you in trouble.
Masking weed smells is pretty new in the context of weed. We’ve had weed in sarcophagi of ancient Egyptians for 5000 years but prohibition for less that 100 years. Rest assured that won’t last for too much longer as we pass the tipping point of legalization and hopefully normalization.
We chatted with five proud weed smokers about what steps they take to avoid the narc patrol. Though us consumers may love the intricate and unique smell of each type of cannabis we consume, we want to exist under the radar sometimes. Let these tips help you stay low key.
Erik Whalen, Barber, Los Angeles
“Generally I prefer to light sage or palo santo, maybe some nag champa, but let’s be real it’s just gonna end up smelling like weed sooner or later.”
Jessica Faria, Project Coordinator, New York
Photo by Juanmonino/Getty Images
“[Growing up] It was a mixture of hotboxing the car and then waking around the mall paranoid that I was convinced my friends and I stunk, we probably did too. [Today] I just try to air out. Nowadays I don’t care if I smell like weed, get over it!”
Ben Cassiday, The Terpene Guy at True Terpenes, Portland
“I use essential oils to cover the smell of cannabis, generally I’ll put some lavender on the back of my right hand and maybe some lemon balm on the back of my left hand and if someone asks I tell them I’m an EO freak and I wear a ton of them and the combination MAYBE smells like marijuana to them. And I let them smell the two hands independently if they want ([this]has happened 2 out of 100 times). At home I use essential oils in a diffuser or burn sage or Palo Santo.”
Rena, Singer, New York
“In desperate times i’ve boiled fabuloso because it smells so strong that it will literally cover up any smell (i don’t recommend anyone boil chemicals lol). I’ve stopped caring about covering the smell of weed now, so these days I just light an incense after I smoke.”
“As much as I love the smell of a smoking session I also want to be courteous of my neighbors. I crack open a window and I burn my Fern + Moss Candle by Brooklyn Candle Studios. It’s in my web shop as the only candle because I really did test it to make sure that it covered up the weed smell but not in a way that made the weed smell worse. It’s a green, natural scent and really plays with the aroma of weed—- if anyone comes knocking I can says it’s my candle.”
As the cannabis industry continues to grow, it’s important to minimize environmental harm.
Legalization has opened the floodgates to cannabis production. More marijuana is being produced and smoked than ever before, leading some researchers to questions what impact all that cannabis has on the ozone. But it’s not the clouds of smoke from joints and pipes that concern scientists.
Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment researchers have narrowed its focus on terpenes, which are classified as volatile organic compounds. When VOCs interact with other pollutants and the sun, it accentuates the ozone problem. Other commons VOCs, like lavender, are often grown in rural areas. But cannabis is chiefly produced in cities under greenhouse conditions, allowing its VOCs to mix with other pollution in the air.
Typically, this responsibility would fall on the Environmental Protection Agency. Whenever new industries start, they monitor emissions and set guidelines to minimize environmental impact. But because cannabis remains federally illegal, it prohibits the EPA from getting involved. That’s why Colorado is taking it upon itself to monitor marijuana’s possible ozone problem.
Urso clarified their research isn’t intended to shame the cannabis industry. Instead the goal is to help a new industry, establishing new guidelines and regulations, to become more efficient in how it operates. She went through a similar process with craft beer several years back when the state grew from 100 craft breweries in 2011 to more than 400 now.
One solution the state already offered cannabis growers was the use of carbon filters to process and limit harmful VOCs. While many grows already utilize carbon filters to eliminate smell, they reduce VOCs simultaneously. As CPR first reported, the results of the CDPHE study is expected to be available in 2020.
CBD is incredibly popular, but a lot of questions surrounding the compound remain unanswered. Here are some science supported facts.
Despite CBD’s lack of research and its relative newness, we’ve seen an increase in demand for the compound, with new infused products hitting retailers every day. We know cannabidiol is a good addition to skin and beauty products because of its medicinal properties, and that it produces relaxing results when consumed as a supplement. But where’s the science?
The fact that CBD is so new and mysterious has allowed for some misinformation to slip in, with many companies calling it a miracle drug that can fix anything and everything. This confusion also has led to hundreds of knock-off products that claim to contain CBD, while they don’t actually contain enough to produce an effect.
The Huffington Post spoke to experts regarding CBD, trying to separate fact from fiction. Here are some of the effects that have some scientific support.
CBD can reduce inflammation
CBD attaches itself indirectly to cannabinoid receptors in the body, which could lead to less inflammation. Dr. Rahul Klare says that the compound might work best as a compliment to another medication, helping people manage their symptoms and pain. “CBD won’t completely take the pain away like a morphine would, but it may decrease it to a point where it makes the pain more tolerable,” he explains.
It can help manage anxiety
Studies show that CBD can affect your emotional state, managing short term disorders like anxiety, panic disorder, social anxiety and more. A study from the University of Montana says that CBD attaches itself to a serotonin 1A receptor in the brain, producing these anxiety relieving results. Another interesting discovery is the fact that, with a little THC, CBD’s effects are even more pronounced.
A little known fact is that CBD has shown some promise in treating gastrointestinal issues, particularly the ones caused by gastroesophageal reflux disease. The Huffington Post explains: “Cannabinoid receptor antagonists (AKA parts of CBD that bind to those cannabinoid receptors in your body discussed earlier) decreased relaxation in the lower esophageal sphincter. When the lower esophageal sphincter relaxes too much, it can often lead to acid reflux.” TLDR: By decreasing relaxation of the sphincter, CBD can also limit acid reflux and similar symptoms.
CBD could have an adverse reaction to other medicines
Doctors explained that CBD in high doses could have a negative and maybe even dangerous reaction with conventional medicines, especially if the person taking them is older or consuming multiple medications. It’s important for you to be careful and to talk to your doctor if you’re considering pairing CBD with a prescribed medication.
It may also cause nausea
CBD has been related to nausea, especially when consumed in high doses. Making matters more complicated, CBD is also particularly hard to dose, with experts and authorities not setting a dosing standard. As always, if you’re consuming CBD or planning on doing it, start off slow and listen to your body.
