Michael J Fox brought attention to Parkinson’s at his recent appearance at the BAFTA awards. But what about Parkinson’s Disease and Medical Marijuana
Parkinson’s disease is one of the worst things to happen to a person. Ultimately, an active mind will be trapped in a non-functioning body. Along with the physical symptoms of Parkinson’s, many people with the diagnosis also experience psychosis, which begins with mild symptoms. This mental side of Parkinson’s can start with confusion and progress to include hallucinations and dementia. Michael J. Fox, the actor, is one of the most famous faces of the disease. The actorreceived a standing ovation during a surprise appearance at the British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA) Sunday. But what about Parkinson’s disease and medical marijuana.
Long an advocate for more research and discovering treatments to help patients, Fox has been a leader in the field. His Foundation has shared research to date lacks the data to prove benefits or safety. Thus, doctors don’t have strong evidence to guide recommendations on what to use or how to truly help patients. Still, many people are interested in trying this therapy. In 2020, The Michael J. Fox Foundation convened a workshop on medical marijuana with field leaders and other Parkinson’s organizations.
The limited amount of true research completed has had mixed or conflicting results (some positive, some negative). On questionnaires, people often report benefit on pain, sleep, mood, or motor symptoms such as tremor or stiffness. But many also report side effects. This leaves patients, doctors and researchers with insufficient evidence to guide use.
Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the principal psychoactive constituent of cannabis. In limited studies, THC has shown to improve both activity and hand-eye coordination in an animal model. A clinical study of 22 patients with the Parkenson’s and smoking marijuana, resulted in improvement of motor symptoms such as bradykinesia, resting tremor, rigidity, and posture, along with with non-motor symptoms such as sleep and pain.
Cannabis has been used for hundreds of years for pain relief, improving sleep and for other purposes, there is still very little evidence regarding its efficacy and safety. Parkinson’s Europe is more positive toward research and information. They note many clinical studies into cannabis as a Parkinson’s treatment have been hampered by regulatory restrictions or have had various shortcomings.
Harsh cold weather can do a number of your hair….should you add CBD to your healthy hair routine?
Winter is tough on the hair. Like skin, it can often feel dry in the wintertime. This is mainly due to the lack of humidity leaving it slightly damaged. Curly-haired folks are more likely to suffer since it takes longer for natural, moisturizing oils to travel down the hair shaft. Add in hats, snags and everything else and your help needs a little extra help. There are several things you can do, but can CBD help with winter hair care?
There are some basic tip to help not only your hair, but your body. Drinking healthy fluids, sleep, and good habits are year round benefits. But in winter, you might need to adjust a few other things. Hair care is a huge business, and there are cbd products, but it’s important to find something to truly. help your hair and scalp health. Read the labels and reviews to make sure you get solid results.
Photo by Element5 Digital via Unsplash
The body naturally produces cannabinoids to help it stay healthy. CBD products are thought to help balance healthy hair. Hair has receptors which respond to CBD when it touches them, and some experts believe this is what can help hair and keep it strong. The antioxidants in CBD may help give you a healthy scalp. CBD also has anti-inflammatory properties, which could help soothe inflammatory scalp conditions that may affect hair growth, such as eczema and psoriasis.
A CBD hair mask can rehydrate the hair in the winter and give it more bounce and luster. It can will help replenish lost nutrients through the use of too many heat tools, heater blasts, and dry air.
Humidifiers help rehydrate the air to keep your locks looking lustrous.
Trimming hair every four to eight weeks is a good way to maintain hair health and keep locks looking fresh. Taking a half inch off reduces the chances of developing dry, split ends.
Avoid a hot shower. the water pulls moisture from your hair, making it brittle and vulnerable to breaking. Instead, wash the hair with lukewarm water followed with a cool rinse.
Wet hair outside when it is cold can make you feel chilled and uncomfortable. But it will not give you a cold. But it can cause hair to freeze and break, since wet hair is more vulnerable to damage.
Some beer loving states are facing an uphill battle with marijuana
It is classic favorite of the public, beer holds a grip and is the favored intoxicant of those who imbibe. It is the most consumed alcohol in the world. In fact, after water and tea, beer is actually one of the most popular drinks in the world! According to reports, in the 2022 brewing year, global beer production ended up increasing slightly year-on-year by 1.3%. This translates to almost 50 BILLION gallons each year.
Data is clear cannabis is better than alcohol for many reasons. People die from alcohol overdoses. There has never been a fatal marijuana overdose. Yet, states who love beer are slow to weed. There are exceptions. If you are a beer distillery, you might have a good reason if you aren’t invested in marijuana. Gen Z is drifting away from alcohol and California has seen a decline specifically in beer sales, in part due ot legal marijuana.
Photo by 2H Media via Unsplash
The number one beer state is New Hampshire. The Granite States pops a cold one more often per capita than any other state. Yet, medical marijuana is legal, but recreational use remains illegal.
Montana is big sky country and enjoys a a beer while enjoying the magnificent views. Slow to the dance, the state has legal medical and recreational marijuana. Recreational use was legalized in 2020 with dispensaries opened in January 2022
Vermont folks, while they enjoy their beer, also are enjoying their bud. The Granite state legalized medical (2018) and recreational (2022) marijuana are legal. Vermonters beat to their own drum.
North Dakota state motto includes “Liberty and Union, now and forever”. But when it comes to marijuana, there is no liberty of choice. While medical marijuana is grudgingly legal, recreational use is against the law.
Maine has been a leader in how to roll out recreational weed, and it hasn’t had the downsides for beer. A well oiled machine can make winners of all industries.
South Dakota mirrors their neighbor to the north slowly allowing medical marijuana seeing recreational as a crime. Alcohol sales boom in the sparsely populated state.
Pennsylvania has the Philadelphia, the famed city of brotherly love, but they have no love for weed. Medical marijuana is legal, but recreational is not. Which is interesting considering the size of state and the potential tax revenue which could be generated for their budget.
Nevada believes what happen in Vegas, stays in Vegas…but the larger casino owners had to be dragged kicking and screaming into legalizing both medical and recreational. Now it has the largest dispensary in Planet 13 and soon will have Cannabition, the revolutionary marijuana immersive experience.
Hawaii allows servers to serve customers providing they are 18 years of age and if a supervisor 21 or older is present. But weed is a big no no. The state with an amazing international tourism base only has legal medical marijuana.
Wisconsin the top most popular beer state has is also one of hte few state to not allow medical or recreational marijuana.
Only 4 of the 10 of the most beer love states allow recreational marijuana. Some of the other smaller states which legalized weed have not seen an impact on beer, which is another case of live and let live.
It’s Girl Scout cookie season, and nothing goes together like a sleeve of sweet goodness and a good wine
When the Girl Scout troop in Muskogee, Oklahoma sold a batch of home made cookies in 1917, they had no idea it would become of the best seller it is today. Since then, it has grown into a cookie juggernaut, selling over 200 million boxes annually, generating $800 million dollars. In addition to raising funds for troops, it is an education journey for the members as well. The process of running a “small business” helps train the scouts in goal setting, decision making, money management, people skills and business ethnics.
It is hard to be just one box of cookies, so people wind up with a variety of flavors and tastes. The good news is tasty treats are versatile and do well with work, relaxing, movie watching, post workout, at the office and in the car. And with beverages, and here are the best wines to pair with Girl Scout cookies.
Photo by Terry Vlisidis via Unsplash
Thin Mints
Mint and chocolate is a delightful combo, and fortunately happens to pair wonderfully with Cabernet Sauvignon from Chile, which just so happens to also have both strong mint and chocolate notes. You can also experiment with other members of the Cabernet family, in particular Carmenere, if you want to broaden your horizons.
Tagalongs
As a general rule of thumb, pair white wines with a lighter chocolate, such as white or milk chocolate, creating complimentary flavor profiles. Red wine pairs best with dark chocolate.
So we’re looking for a fruit-driven wine that maybe also packs a touch of residual sugar to help bring out the cacao.
Expand your mind and think Zinfandel, something from a warmer place like Lodi or Napa.
Trefoils
Shortbread is a natural pairing with sparkling wine, and in this case I’m looking at a Reserva-level Cava from Spain, something that spent a fair amount of time aging so that it’s really developed the rich notes of brioche and clotted cream that will make this under-loved cookie pop!
Samoas
Well, this is a bit of a toughie, consider working with the coconut and caramel and let the chocolate take care of itself. A big, oaky Chardonnay, something with a hint of tropical fruit to compliment the coconut is the ticket. And the butter and vanilla will work with the caramel. Napa Valley or Australia would be good places to start.
Do-si-dos
The combination of peanut butter and oatmeal makes for a bit of a complicated pairing, but in this case think a richer, more oxidative white wine is just perfect. Consider a Roussanne-Marsanne blend from France’s Rhone Valley, where you’ll get some of those same nutty flavors and a delightfully full body without.
One of the most liberal and populous and visited cities in the US, yet New York continues to struggle with legal weed
The Big Apple has some amazing things including The Metropolitan Museum, condos worth $75+ million, delis sandwiches to make your heart sing and a creative community like none other. But it seems they can’t pull their act together to sell marijuana. New York continues to struggle with legal weed, but they are trying to put a positive spin on it.
Cannabis has been legal for medical purposes under New York law since 2016, and recreational purposes since 2021. But thanks to state workers, New York is being robbed of hundreds of millions of dollars of revenue due to the way they rolled out legalization. New York laid out a clear pathway including a way for medical dispensaries to flip to fully legal, then, at the last minute, scrapped it all and went with a total different version. Now a lack of clear and timely regulations, and a complex application process has lead to less than a 100 legal dispensaries open, but over 1,500 unlicensed open in New York City alone.
The New York Office of Cannabis Management is looking to allow 100 new legal licenses, after only a few months of debating. But the bureaucrats in New York has an answer to make really only another small portion happy – allow more home grow! They acknowledge they can’t really police the majority of unlicensed retailers making millions, so lets focus on the few home growers will will never really look at.
It hasn’t be clear about home grow in the state, but it is becoming more clear now. For the home cultivation regulations, which were developed by the Office of Cannabis Management and submitted to Cannabis Control Board, the approved resolution means there will now be a 60-day public comment period before the rules are finalized. For the older, traditional consumer population, this is somewhat good news. For the majority of consumers. it means nada.
When looking at research from BDSA, a leading cannabis data analyst firm, vapes and gummies are the most popular, especially for the under 40 set. Specifically, 49% of consumers across adult-use and medical states claimed to have consumed a gummy edible in the past six months compared to 47% who used flower.
For a comparison, The latest Gallup research find 37% of people drink beer as their primary alcohol. This is compared to 17% who use all forms of marijuana. The Brewers Association, a national group that holds regular conferences and competitions, estimated despite the massive amount of beer drinkers, only about 1.1 million try to make it home.
Neighboring state New Jersey, not know for outshining New York State, excels in legal marijuana. The state is on track to break $1 billion in annual sales and will be a boom for state tax revenues. You know it is rough when Curbed does a guide for “legal dispensaries” in NYC so you have some guidance.
Belize has been an increasing popular vacation spot, especially in the winter months – but what about Belize and marijuana?
A short two hour hop from Miami to the capital, this Central America country is known for beautiful beaches, authentic culture and speaking English. The Caribbean coast and snorkeling/diving are breathtaking. Eco tourism is on the climb and if you are into travel including the outdoors – this is the natural environment for you. Equipped with white sand beaches, pristine coral reefs, thriving marine life, the Maya Mountains and an extensive cave system, is a great get-away. But what about Belize and marijuana?
According to Anthony Mahler, Belize’s minister of tourism, over 80 percent of our business coming from the United States and Canada. Marijuana is legal in all of Canada and in big parts of the United States. Pubic opinion is supportive of legalization and the younger generations prefer ways to be more on the go and discreet with use.
Gen Z has drifted away from alcohol but have strongly embraced California sober and travel. Belize is a good option for adventures. Marijjuana use is common and generally tolerated. Possession or use of 10 grams or less on private premises was decriminalized in November 2017. But, it is still technically illegal and possession can result in fines or more.
The Government of Belize announced that it was considering decriminalizing possession of small amounts of cannabis in 2012. In October 2017, the House of Representatives passed an amendment to the Misuse of Drugs Act decriminalizing possession or use of 10 grams or less on private premises. The bill was signed into law in early November by the Governor General.
Influential and leading government leaders in Belize have supported legalization. In 2017, the Leader of the Opposition, John Briceño, stated, “It is time for us to stop locking up our young people for a stick of weed. The time has come for us to decriminalize marijuana smoking and prepare the necessary research to move to legalizing marijuana for medicinal purposes and in small quantities.”
So if you head to Belize’s white beaches and activity inlands, think about how much you are consuming, be discreet and have a great time.
Thinking of talking the plunge and starting a cannabis business? Expert attorney Lonnie Rosenwald shares some key information.
Consumers continue to drive an ever expanding marijuana industry and new opportunities appear at every turn. While the market is involving, there is still opportunities to make money and start a successful business. Public opinion is pro-legalization and it is just a matter of time before the government reschedules driving more growth. If you are considering it, here is the best advice for starting a cannabis business.
Lonnie Rosenwald is a partner in Zuber Lawler’s cannabis practice group and shares some valuable insight into starting a business. In the rapidly growing cannabis industry, small business owners face a myriad of challenges, ranging from the typical complexities of business structures and investment to navigating the particular nuances of cannabis contracts, banking, and real estate. Establishing a successful cannabis business requires careful consideration of these areas of law to ensure compliance, mitigate risks, and foster growth. Here’s a brief guide for small cannabis business owners on five key areas for your focus: legal entities, investments, contracts, banking, and real estate.
Photo by Luis Llerena via Unsplash
Legal Entities
Choosing the right legal entity is crucial for cannabis businesses. Each state’s cannabis program differs from all other states, and the legal entity you need may be required by your state’s program. Additionally, each structure has advantages and disadvantages. Sole proprietorships, partnerships, limited liability companies (LLCs), and corporations all offer distinct benefits. For example, LLCs are popular structures for new cannabis businesses due to the liability protection they provide their owners (called “members”) while maintaining flexibility in management and favorable tax treatment. Some sophisticated investors prefer corporations. A sole proprietorship is not an entity, but it is simpler than the other business structures in that you, and only you, control the business, but you do not have liability protection. Partnerships are just that: a number of partners work or invest together in the business. A joint venture is a type of partnership whereby the partners are committed to a common goal; general partners may not be protected from liability; limited partners typically are. Corporations have limited liability for the shareholders and employees. A decision on your business entity structure should be made with advice from your attorneys and tax professionals familiar with cannabis other applicable laws and regulations. Your business may also be required to comply with the U.S. Corporate Transparency Act with respect to reporting to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) certain information regarding the beneficial ownership of your entity (effective as of January 1, 2024). Whether you are required to report should be a topic of conversation with your attorney.
Securing funding by private capital raises, financial institution lending and/or friends and family commitments is often a crucial step in the growth journey of a small cannabis business because of the significant costs of real estate, equipment, and employees. Investors, whether individuals or venture capital firms, are attracted to businesses with a solid legal foundation, clear growth strategies, and compliance with laws and industry regulations. Business owners should be prepared to present potential investors and lenders comprehensive business plans, showcasing not only the financial viability of the venture, but also a deep understanding of the legal and regulatory landscape. The U.S. and state securities laws typically apply to offerings of securities in cannabis entities notwithstanding that your state may have a cannabis program and that cannabis is illegal at the federal level. These laws are particularly complex, so before issuing shares or member or partner interests in your cannabis business, please seek legal advice from securities-competent counsel. Businesses should have an attorney review all investor materials to avoid problems down the road.
Lonnie Rosenwald, attorney, Zuber Lawler
Contracts:
Clear and comprehensive contracts are the foundation of any successful business. In the cannabis industry, contracts play a vital role in clarifying and documenting relationships with suppliers, distributors, employees, investors, lenders, and partners. Ensuring contracts comply with state cannabis regulations (as well as other applicable laws and regulations) is critical to avoiding the potential that the contract is unenforceable or worse, illegal. We frequently see clients desiring to buy or sell a cannabis business, obtain loans or investments, and those entering into complex contracts regarding real estate or equipment leases, cultivation, manufacturing, transport, marketing services agreements, and partnership agreements. Many of these contracts are lengthy, and of course, use legalese that you may not understand. Some include complex rights and responsibilities, as well as how the parties will calculate various fees and expenses relating to the contract. Seeking legal advice during the contract drafting and negotiation stages is a prudent step.
Accessing banking services remains a significant challenge for many cannabis businesses as the sale and consumption of cannabis remains illegal under federal law, and most financial institutions (banks) are regulated by the U.S. and are required to follow certain regulations applicable to their operations. While some banks are cannabis-friendly, business owners must establish relationships with banks that have experience in the cannabis industry and that understand and comply with state-specific cannabis regulations. It is imperative to maintain meticulous financial records. Exploring alternative financial service providers, such as credit unions or specialized cannabis banking services, can help businesses navigate the financial landscape. Financial institutions such as banks will want to see what collateral your business has, such as ownership of real estate (a lease typically won’t work here), to secure your promises to repay a loan. Most banks will not lend to plant-touching cannabis businesses (even those with real estate assets), nor will they even process your deposits, debits or credits. Ask cannabis leaders in your state for cannabis bank referrals; caution, most banks doing business with cannabis businesses don’t publicize that fact!
Cannabis businesses must carefully consider real estate issues, including zoning, building, health and safety and other applicable laws and regulations, lease and lending agreements, and compliance with state, county, and municipal property laws, as well as owners associations’ regulations. Zoning regulations can significantly impact the location of cannabis operations, making it crucial to choose properties where cannabis activities are permitted under local ordinances. Often, the cannabis business’ compliance with local zoning codes requires a lengthy and time-consuming review process with a substantial amount of documents, plans, specifications and other costly information, as well as public hearings and numerous conferences with planning staff. Leases should address cannabis-related activities explicitly by including cannabis use (for cultivation, extraction, retail, etc.) in the permitted use provision, permitting limited access to the facility by landlord (and its lenders), allowing early termination in the event of a change in cannabis law prohibiting a cannabis use, and the like, also ensuring alignment with both state and local regulations. Engaging with real estate professionals and attorneys familiar with the intricacies of the cannabis industry can streamline the process of finding and using suitable properties.
Small cannabis business owners must be thoughtful and proactive in choosing suitable legal entities, negotiating enforceable contracts, accessing banking and investment and acquiring real estate. Navigating the complex regulatory landscape requires collaboration with legal and financial professionals who specialize in the cannabis industry. By establishing a solid foundation in these five key areas, small cannabis businesses can position themselves for sustainable growth and success in this dynamic and challenging industry.
Lonnie Rosenwald is a partner in Zuber Lawler’s cannabis practice group. Ms. Rosenwald is located in Seattle, WA. These comments are general and not specific to your particular business or business situation; these comments are not intended to be legal advice, nor is Ms. Rosenwald or her firm representing you. We encourage you to seek qualified legal counsel to represent you or your business especially with respect to a cannabis (touching or not) business.
Long seen as potential villains – turns out data indicates coffee and tea maybe the good guys!
Coffee and tea have been seen as villains for the body. An entire industry has popped up around alternatives to just good coffee or a piping hot cuppa tea. There is a rough estimate the world drinks three cups of tea for every cup of coffee. And tea is the second most popular beverage in the world (behind water). Now science is indicate Coffee, tea and good health may go together.
The study, published in PLOS Medicine, surveyed data on 360,000 people between the ages of 50 and 74, looking for their coffee and tea drinking habits and incidents of dementia and strokes over the years. After the initial survey was conducted, these same participants were followed up with 11 years later, allowing researchers to compare and contrast.
The study concluded participants who drank two to three cups of any of these two drinks a day fared better than those who didn’t drink them at all. The sweet spot was found when people consumed the amount of each beverage daily (4 to 6 cups total), resulting in a 28% lower risk of dementia and 32% lower risk of a stroke.
In an email exchange with CNN, Dr. Lee H. Schwamm, chair of the American Stroke Association Advisory Committee and chair in Vascular Neurology at Massachusetts General Hospital, explained while the study was intriguing there was no way of establishing causation from this initial data.
“We cannot impute causality, and say ‘drinking more coffee or tea is good for your brain.’ What we can only say in this study, people who reported moderate coffee/tea drinking were less likely to have a stroke or dementia occur in the 10 years of follow-up,” he said.
Coffee has long been associated with preventing a wide range of diseases and improving heart health. Still, it’s always important to approach caffeine in moderation, managing your coffee intake without keeping too much of a stern hold on it. When it comes to tea, studies have found links suggest lower odds of cardiovascular disease, better teeth, and even protection against cancer.
In short, go for the warm drink in the morning, and don’t overthink it if you get the urge to have more later on in the day.
If you are new or new”ish” to cannabis, it can be a fun adventure with lots of thing – like what is CRC?
Cannabis is legal in some form in 40 states and the DEA has been advised to reschedule it. It has become more mainstream as the majority of the population believe it should be legal. Smoking, long the most popular way to consume has given away to vaping and edibles. Like alcohol, there are dozens of way to enjoy it – and one is CRC.
CRC (color remediation column) is a type of cannabis extract that is made using a process called “column chromatography.” It was initially started to remove dark colored substances left over from low-quality extraction, which signaled to the consumer its low grade.
The process makes the extract appear lighter, as lighter color extracts are associated with high quality. The idea was to enhance the visual aesthetic of a cannabis extract so it would sell better.
CRC has started to become a mainstream practice used by legal and illicit manufacturers to enhance the appearance of cannabis extracts. CRC has evolved and is now used to remove pesticides, unpleasant flavors, and other wanted byproducts.
CRC is most commonly used with butane hash oil. The color of low-grade hash oil changes from nearly “black, or dark brown, to light gold, or even white” when it undergoes CRC.
What is CRC extraction?
CRC extraction is a post-extraction process that uses technology to enhance the appearance of cannabis extracts and concentrates.
Column chromatography works by using a column (often a steel cylinder) and packing it with a filtration medium. Common filtration mediums include:
Activated bleaching earth (used to remove colors)
Activated carbon/charcoal (paired with activated silica gel to withdraw chlorophyll)
Activated silica gel (used to remove very dark colors from an extract)
Bentonite clay (used to remove colors and impurities)
Diatomaceous earth (helps to create a fine filtration process)
Magnesol (used to remove colors and impurities)
Sand (used to remove impurities)
T5 clay (remove colors and impurities)
The cannabis concentrate is then pushed through filtering mediums that result in the removal of color-impacting pollutants and other impurities. Pollutants and impurities that can be removed (depending on the filtration medium) include:
Chlorophyll
Carotene
Lipids
Lycopene
Pheophytins
Xanthophyll
One of the downsides of CRC is that it will also strip a concentrate of its terpene content. A way to tell if an extract or concentrate has undergone CRC is the smell. It may smell of chemicals, or may smell excessively fruity or earthy, indicating that it may have had terpene infused to attempt to restore the original flavor profile.
Photo by eskymaks/Getty Images
Is CRC wax bad for you?
This question is up for debate. A manufacturer who uses CRC will say CRC is safe, while a cannabis consumer advocate might not.
The debate is rooted in the fact that cannabis lab tests that deem if a product is safe for consumption do not currently test for CRC filtration mediums. As a result, a cannabis concentrate can be approved for sale despite containing contaminants from CRC filtration.
There is no regulation and testing for filtration mediums in the end product
Long-term studies show that miners who inhaled bentonite clay and diatomaceous earth experienced respiratory damage, so vaping extracts that have trace amounts of bentonite clay and diatomaceous earth could lead to respiratory harm
Bentonite clay can have elevated levels of lead
The inhalation of silica gel can cause respiratory damage
Manufacturers claim filtration materials are safe for use because the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) deemed them as “safe” but the safety approval only applies to ingested food products that could impact the stomach the approval does not apply to not inhaled products that impact lung tissue
When CRC manufacturers push too much extract through a filtration medium at once, the filtration doesn’t work properly and results in contaminants in the final product
Activated carbon from natural sources can release carcinogenic metabolites such as benzopyrenes
Not switching out activated carbon mediums can result in the activated carbon breaking down and releasing heavy metals when overuse.
Photo by Cappi Thompson/Getty Images
In theory, if a manufacturer properly does CRC extraction, the concentrate could come out with fewer contaminants.
If you are concerned about contaminants in your cannabis concentrates, ask your budtender if the product you’re interested in underwent CRC and what filtration mediums were used.
Key takeaways about CRC extracts
CRC, or color remediation column, is a process used in the cannabis industry to remove impurities from extracts and enhance visual aesthetics.
The debate surrounding CRC wax is whether or not it is safe for consumption. At the time of writing this, cannabis labs do not test for residual filtration mediums, so it’s hard to state definitively whether or not CRC-processed extracts are safe.
Long-term exposure to some of the materials used in CRC processing (such as bentonite clay and diatomaceous earth) can be harmful to respiratory health.
If you’re interested in purchasing a CRC extract, you can ask your budtender what filtration methods were used.
The munchies come in various forms as a study about sleep saw subjects craving fatty, high-calorie foods
Up to 75 million of adults in Canada and the US suffer sleep issues with almost 40% unexpectedly dozing off at some point during the day at least once a month. Sleep deficiency can disrupt our mental process making work, school, driving, and social functioning more challenging. And you could wind up gaining way, study show like marijuana, sleep deprivation can trigger the munchies.
Previous research has linked not getting enough sleep with nighttime snacking and junk food cravings. But a study published in eLife journal examined the neural pathways connected munchie symptoms and sleep deprivation. When individuals received only four hours of sleep instead of the recommended eight hours, it increased certain compounds in the body’s endocannabinoid system that want high-calorie foods.
The endocannabinoid system, or ECS for short, regulates various biological processes to like sleep, appetite, internal temperature, and more. All mammals have an ECS, not just humans. These functions receive adjustments through endocannabinoids, which your body creates naturally and similar to the phytocannabinoids in marijuana. When you smoke marijuana, it activates these receptors, making your body crave high-calorie foods. According to this study, sleep deprivation works much in the same way.
To begin the study, researchers asked 25 subjects to receive seven to nine hours of sleep each night for a week. The following week researchers randomly assigned half of the participants to sleep four hours certain nights and kept the other half on standard sleep schedules. In a cruel temptation, researchers then had everyone from the study eat from a buffet, where their food choices were monitored, included what foods they ate and how much of it.
Photo by Flickr user Jenn Durfey
Sleep deprivation didn’t necessarily increase the amount of food participants ate, the study found. But it did affect the kinds of foods they chose, often opting for fattier and higher-calorie foods.
“Importantly, effects of sleep deprivation on dietary behavior persisted into the next day (after a night of unrestricted recovery sleep), with a higher percentage of calories consumed,” researchers wrote.
Scientists also conducted fMRI scans regularly throughout the study to track the brain’s olfactory system. Participants were exposed to a variety of odors and were tracked for their reactions. Those who were sleep deprived had far stronger reactions to food odor than all other odors.
“Taken together, our findings show that sleep-dependent changes in food choices are associated with changes in an olfactory pathway that is related to the ECS,” researchers wrote. “This pathway is likely not restricted to sleep-dependent changes in food intake but may also account for dietary decisions more generally. In this regard, our current findings may help to guide the identification of novel targets for treatments of obesity.”
