Canada’s progressive approach to cannabis legalization is leaving the United States in the dust when it comes to international trade. While the US federal government continues to fight against marijuana law reform, our neighbor to the north is establishing relationships around the globe.
As more and more nations legalize medical marijuana, Canadian cannabis farmers and manufacturers are shipping marijuana to Germany, Czech Republic, Australia, New Zealand and others. At least seven producers in Canada have been granted licences to export cannabis.
“I’ve never experienced anything like this,” Ranjeev Dhillon, a corporate lawyer focusing on the cannabis export business, told CBC. “I think it means that we’ll be a global player. This could be our opportunity to be viewed the same as we are in mining or hockey. We’ll be world class and be world leaders and I think that will stay to be the case for a very, very long time.”
According to the Marijuana Business Daily, Canadian shipments of dried medical cannabis have soared since 2015. More than 522 kilograms of dried cannabis was exported to four countries last year, more than 10 times the 44.8 kilograms shipped abroad in 2016.
Shipments of cannabis oil in 2017 topped 400 kilograms, nearly quadrupling the 2016 amount of 100 kilograms. “I believe we are going to see this trend – of cannabis oils demand and exports from Canada – significantly increase in the immediate future,” Deepak Anand, vice president of government relations for the consultancy Cannabis Compliance, told the Marijuana Business Daily.
Peru, Mexico and a few other nations have recently legalized medical cannabis. You can be sure that Canadian companies will be exporting to Central and South America. The world market is estimated to be valued at more than $200 billion.
Cannabis farmers and oil producers in the United States are effective shut out of the growing global market because of the federal prohibition on cannabis. While Attorney General Jeff Sessions and other top administration officials fight against marijuana reform, Canada continues to gain international market share.
Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights is one of the coolest events of the year, drawing thousands of visitors to the already packed theme park. What better way to pack ’em in even more than by including a haunted maze from “Stranger Things,“ everyone’s favorite show?
According to Gizmodo, Netflix and the show’s creators will work with Universal to bring to life the world of “Stranger Things“ to the company’s three parks: Universal Studios Hollywood, Universal Orlando Resort, and Universal Studios Singapore.
Each of these parks will have a maze based on the first season of the show, which will include important places like the Hawkins National Laboratory, the Byers family home with the creepy Christmas lights, and the Upside Down. There will surely be several Demogorgon monsters prowling around the maze and scaring the hell out of people.
Halloween Horror Nights will kick off September 14 in Hollywood and Orlando, and September 28 in Singapore. In America it’ll run for over a month, ending its run on the first week of November. For the time being, “Stranger Things” is the only confirmed maze of the event.
Previous shows and movies that have had appearances on Halloween Horror Nights include “The Walking Dead”, The Shining, Alien Vs Predator, From Dusk Til Dawn, The Purge and Halloween. You can check out the full announcement below.
Even though Meghan Markle’s engagement ring is made up of some jewels and diamonds that belonged to Princess Diana, royal expert Katie Nicholl told the Daily Mail that “there’s every possibility that Meghan might wear a piece from Diana’s jewelry collection on her wedding day.”
Experts are throwing guesses when it comes to which of these items Markle might wear, since Kate Middleton wore Princess Diana’s engagement ring and Harry feels like he should honor his mother in some way or another.
One of these items is the Spencer Tiara, which is very remembered. Even though a lot of people have mentioned the item, Ella Kay from Town & Country magazine believes that this is unlikely, explaining that “Meghan is marrying into the Windsor family, not the Spencer family, so if she borrows a tiara, I think it will reflect her new royal status.”
Other iconic pieces from Princess Diana include a Qatar diamond and pearl earrings gifted to her by the Emir of Qatar, and a diamond and sapphire suit.
Whatever Markle wears on her wedding day, Prince Harry made sure to invite all of Princess Diana’s relatives to the wedding, so that his mother is honored and remembered properly.
Do you know what IBD stands for and/or what it means? If not, this article will fill you in. IBD is short for inflammatory bowel disease, and it’s an umbrella term that covers two medical conditions—ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s Disease. So far, as many as 1.6 million Americans are diagnosed with IBD, and most people are aware of this diagnosis before age thirty. In the U.S. ulcerative colitis is more common than Crohn’s Disease. However, each of these medical conditions are painful and chronic in most cases. Although ulcerative colitis is more prevalent amongst adults, it affects children as well.
Each year, anywhere between 2-14 individuals are diagnosed with ulcerative colitis per 100,000 individuals. Nowadays, there are different treatment methods for ulcerative colitis, and cannabis is one of those. Read on to find out the impact cannabis has on ulcerative colitis and how it can help patients with this condition.
About Ulcerative Colitis And Its Causes
Before learning about about ulcerative colitis, it’s important to understand what colitis is. Colitis is a medical condition that affects the body’s rectum and colon. As a result, this causes a variety of uncomfortable symptoms and side effects. In general, colitis refers to inflammation that occurs within the body’s colon. There are different types of colitis, but the most common form is ulcerative colitis. In particular, around 907,000 Americans are affected by ulcerative colitis. To find out which type of colitis you have, it depends on your specific symptoms. Furthermore, the main types of colitis include ulcerative colitis, ischemic colitis, microscopic colitis, and pseudomembranous colitis.
Out of these types of colitis, ulcerative colitis is one of the most frequently diagnosed forms. Ulcerative colitis normally begins in the body’s rectum before spreading into the colon, which then creates bleeding ulcers and inflammation. Typically, ulcerative colitis is a life-long condition. Some physicians and scientists believe that ulcerative colitis happens when the body’s immune system overreacts to certain substances within the digestive tract. Overall, though, ulcerative colitis is a painful and uncomfortable condition that interrupts people’s daily routine and usual activities. There are different symptoms of colitis and ulcerative colitis, but the main ones include the following: anemia, dehydration, diarrhea, fatigue, fever, abdominal pain and cramping, joint pain, appetite loss, nausea, rectal pain and bleeding, weight loss, urgency to defecate, and/or inability to defecate despite urgency. In most cases, ulcerative colitis patients experience relatively mild to moderate symptoms, but each case is different.
Current Ulcerative Colitis Treatments
Currently, there are various ulcerative colitis treatment options available such as steroid medicines, suppositories, dietary changes, over-the-counter anti-diarrheal medications, biologic treatments, and surgery. However, many patients require treatment for their symptoms rather than for the condition itself. Over the years though, cannabis has made itself known for its ability to provide relief to colitis sufferers.
Cannabis As An Ulcerative Colitis Treatment
In a 2011 study, it was found that 51 percent of ulcerative colitis patients were regular cannabis users. In the same study, 33 percent reported that they’ve used cannabis to help treat their colitis symptoms. It has also been found that naturally-present endocannabinoids can help limit intestinal inflammation. Additionally, cannabinoids like Cannabidiol (CBD) contain anti-inflammatory properties, which can deliver substantial relief to ulcerative colitis patients. Although cannabis can alleviate colitis symptoms, it doesn’t cure the condition.
Regardless, different cannabinoids are used to alleviate ulcerative colitis symptoms. According to one study, cannabinoids can prevent abnormal movement within the body’s large intestine while also preventing secretion and reducing inflammation. Pain is a very common colitis symptom, and due to cannabis’s analgesic properties, it can be effectively relieved. Several traditional ulcerative colitis medications can result in appetite loss, nausea, and vomiting. Fortunately though, cannabis acts as both a nausea-reliever and appetite stimulator.
Aside from cannabinoids, it has been found that endocannabinoids could play an essential role in limiting intestinal inflammation. Since inflammation is closely associated with ulcerative colitis, the usage of cannabis and derivatives of it could deliver much-needed relief.
In recent years, throughout different U.S. states, ulcerative colitis has been added onto medical cannabis lists of qualifying conditions. Therefore, qualifying ulcerative colitis patients can legally benefit from cannabis’s medicinal properties and benefits.
Overall, an ulcerative colitis diagnosis can result in people struggling to keep a job, maintain solid relationships and friendships, and even execute daily tasks without a painful flare-up or uncomfortable symptoms. However, medical cannabis can serve as a helping hand and reliever of many distressing ulcerative colitis symptoms without adverse side effects. Next time you experience pain, inflammation, nausea, appetite loss, or fatigue caused by a form of colitis, give cannabis a chance, and see what it can do for you!
“CNN chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta made headlines in 2013 for coming out in favor of medical cannabis, apologizing for aping the views of drug warriors. In 2014, following more in-depth research, Gupta announced he was “doubling down” on his pro-marijuana views. This Sunday, Gupta will be quadrupling down, with the fourth part of his special report.
The popular TV doctor will examine marijuana’s potential as both an alternative to opioids in treating pain and in ending opioid addiction. The report, called “Weed 4: Pot vs. Pills,” will air on CNN. Check your local listings.
Gupta has an interesting relationship with marijuana. In 2009, he authored a column for Time magazine headlined “Why I would Vote No on Pot,” in which he cast doubt about the efficacy of medicinal cannabis. Today, he may be one of the most well-known advocates of marijuana. In his 2013 telecast, Gupta admitted that we “have been terribly and systematically misled for nearly 70 years in the United States, and I apologize for my own role in that.”
In Sunday’s fourth installment, Gupta meets pioneers in the field of pain management as well as addiction research who believe that marijuana is the next best hope for treating both. He also speaks with those who have struggled with addiction including an interview with NFL running back Mike James.
In 2013, James suffered a devastating leg injury. He was given opioids after surgery to treat his pain, and months later he found himself addicted. Scared and worried, his wife suggested he try marijuana, a drug that is banned by the NFL and could cost any player their careers. Today, James is making history as the first player to file for a therapeutic use exemption for cannabis with the NFL.
Gupta visits Maine where he speaks with a woman who is opening a rehab center where she will use cannabis to wean patients off of opioids. He also talks with several state legislators who are working to change the laws allow access to medical marijuana to those who are addicted to opiates.
Gupta also delves into how marijuana became a Schedule I drug, considered equal to heroin, LSD and ecstasy, while cocaine, methamphetamines, and many opioids including OxyContin, Fentanyl, Dilaudid and Vicodin are Schedule II drugs.
What is it about wanting something we can’t have? That goes for a nicer house, a nicer car and men who are unavailable. The latter seems to be a trend that’s got sizable staying power.
According to an extensive 2009 study, 90 percent of single women preferred men who they believed to be attached. That’s compared to 59 percent of women who desired a single man.
What gives? Psychologist Valerie Golden tellsPsychology Today that “for some, the food on someone else’s plate always looks tastier. If someone else wants him, he must be worth wanting.”
It’s counterintuitive because, let’s face it: if he’s cheating with you, honesty and trust can’t be topping your list. Nor can respect, availability, spending holidays and family time together, or being his first priority. So why do it?
Dr. Golden says there’s also the thrill factor: sneaking around makes for exciting, illicit sex. Says Golden, “The need to be secretive, sneak around undiscovered, grabbing quick sexual encounters on the fly, can be a huge turn-on in comparison to a dinner date with a single man who calls on Wednesday night for Friday. Especially for rule-breakers, it’s just more fun being naughty. And bawdy.”
There’s also the sad fact that some women just don’t trust men. So, if she’s the one he’s cheating with, he can’t possibly be cheating on her with another woman. But as Golden sternly reminds those women, “If he were to actually leave his wife or partner to make this relationship permanent, brace yourself for a nosedive. For starters, he cheated on her with you, so how could you ever know he wouldn’t treat you the same way?”
The Hague banning public consumption of cannabis in many of its most popular areas is the latest event in the Netherlands becoming a less weed friendly destination or place to call home.
In 2012, the country tried enforcing what came to be known as “The Weed Pass” where only residents could purchase and use cannabis. It’s basically fallen by the wayside at this point, but the original sentiment is still spreading. This latest move by The Hague may be sparking inspiration in other cities.
According to The Guardian, a spokesperson for the mayor of The Hague said that the move came after a series of complaints from local residents about the strong smell of cannabis and the noise its users were making.
The new rules will be enforced by local police, with the first two weeks having warnings issued and then subsequently fines will be given out. The window may seem small, but it was also little consolation for lost privileges and revenues for the city.
Amsterdam has already put restrictions in place itself, banning use near schools and playgrounds and starting to pare down the number of infamous coffee shops in its region. Amsterdam has long been a destination for traveling cannabis lovers, but it increasingly goes down the list as more countries expand their marijuana policies and beautiful hotspots like Ibiza, Spain become more likely to be frequented by cannabis tourists.
In The Hague, their own coffee shops plus shelters and hotels are being given flyers about the new bans to spread awareness and to slow public consumption in the designated areas at the very start of the already begun two week grace period.
Fortune reported that The Hague is now the first Dutch city to have banned pubic usage in its city center, malls and train stations. Though some municipalities had already made similar moves, it remains to be seen how many more cities will be emboldened by this new move on The Hague’s part.
The Netherlands had long been considered a testing ground for what could be with the legalization of soft drugs like cannabis and magic mushrooms. While it continues to be a sort of mecca in that respect, perhaps its new rules could signal rule changes that could affect the world stage regarding weed, though, just like the variances from state to state in the U.S., other countries who are legalizing cannabis seem to be doing it in their own ways.
It’s no easy feat to put together a movie. Not only do you have to write the script, you have to find your actors and actually make the movie. And sometimes, by the time the movie is actually made, it doesn’t look anything like the original script. So when you get the chance to see a script and finished product line up perfectly, it’s kind of amazing. And now, there’s now an Instagram account that gives you all those feels.
It’s called Script to Screen and it offers viewers the chance to see a movie script and final cut all in one frame so you can see words actually come to life. It’s pretty addictive.
Here’s a clip of Oscar winning “Ladybird,” in which the movie’s heroine jumps out of the car. On paper, it doesn’t look like much. But in the movie, it’s one of the most thrilling scenes. It just goes to show you how important it is to hire the right actors to really sell the story.
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And here’s the famous “sunken place” scene from another Oscar winner, “Get Out.” Unlike “Ladybird,” the selling point of this scene isn’t so much the dialogue, but the expression on the actor Daniel Kaluuya’s face.
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In this scene from “Inglourious Basterds” (2009), Brad Pitt’s character pretends to be an Italian actor named Enzo Gorlomi, which is the birth name of the director from the film’s muse, “The Inglorious Bastards” (1978) — Enzo G. Castellari.
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Other films include “Rocky”, “Pulp Fiction”, “Star Wars”, “Wizard of Oz”, “Dead Poets Society” and “The Big Lebowski”, in which The Dude says the word “man” 147 times throughout the movie, which is more than once per minute.
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Script to Screen also has a YouTube channel worth checking out. Here’s the classic bear attack scene from “The Revenant”. Seeing the dichotomy between the words and the physical translation is really something to witness.
Eons ago, cannabis and hops were the same plant, and now they are being reunited by several West Coast beer-makers who are spiking their brew with THC or CBD or other cannabis components.
Once upon a time, cannabis and humulus (hops) were the same plant. About 27 million years ago, cannabis and hops diverged from their common ancestor and evolved as separate botanical species.
Today, cannabis and humulus are identified as distinct species within the same plant family Cannabaceae. One can see a family resemblance in the jagged-edged leaves emblematic of both plants.
Photo by Sarah Pender/Getty Images
Family ties are also evident in the fact that cannabis seeds and pollen look the same as humulus seeds and pollen. These similarities make it difficult to distinguish between the fossilized remnants of both plants.
So how did scientists figure out when cannabis became cannabis, a unique species of its own?
Niche Theory
Dr. John McPartland addressed this question when he spoke at the 2016 meeting of the International Cannabinoid Research Society in Poland. He used “niche theory” to ascertain whether a carbon-dated pollen sample was indicative of cannabis or its humulus cousin.
Niche theory involves identifying a plant remnant based on other botanicals found in proximity. Cannabis prefers uplifted, flood-disturbed, alluvial soil and appears in a pollen assemblage dominated by high grassland flora, cereal grains, Artemisia, and flowering plants of the Goosefoot family. When remnants of these plants are present, cannabis rather than hops is likely among them.
Humulus, by comparison, colonizes a wetter ecological niche, flourishing in the vicinity of poplars and willows, for example. When remnants of these plants are found with cannabis/humulus seed or pollen, hops is the likely suspect.
Based on chloroplast DNA sequences and radiocarbon dating, McPartland suggests that cannabis emerged as a distinct botanical species 27.8 million years ago, and its area of origin was the Tibetan Plateau.
Therapeutic Attributes
As well as their shared physical characteristics (leaf, seed, pollen), cannabis and hops are similar in other ways. Some of the same components, including terpenes and other phytonutrients, are found in the female inflorescences of both species.
Cannabis has a rich history as a medicine going back to prehistoric times, and so does hops. Long before they became a bittering agent in the brewing industry, hop flower tops were used in traditional Eurasian cultures to treat restlessness and sleep disturbances. Ditto for cannabis flower tops.
Photo by Ivan-balvan/Getty Images
In addition to their calming, sleep-inducing qualities, hops and cannabis share other significant therapeutic attributes. Both herbs have potent antibacterial and anti-cancer properties, according to recent scientific research.
Xanthohumol is one of several phenolic compounds in hops that have noteworthy medical potential. This “prenylated flavonoid” was shown to be a “’broad-spectrum’ cancer chemopreventive agent” in a 2004 preclinical study at Oregon State University, which recommended further investigation into its “potential for application in cancer prevention programs.” Subsequent research in Belgium found that xanthohumol “effectively inhibits proliferation of prostate cancer.”
Chinese scientists reported that xanthohumol is effective against HIV infection and suggested that it might serve as “an interesting lead compound” for developing “a novel therapeutic agent” for HIV.
Another flavonoid, 8-prenylnaringenin, found in hop flower tops is a potent phytoestrogen that could be useful as a dietary supplement for treating post-menopausal hot flashes. This flavonoid compound also has anti-diabetic potential, according to a 2018 report by German and Italian scientists.
Beer & Bud
What goes around, comes around. Eons ago, cannabis and hops were the same plant, and now they are being reunited by several West Coast beer-makers who are spiking their brew with THC or CBD or other cannabis components.
In the summer of 2017, Lagunitas, the craft beer exemplar, partnered with CannaCraft, a California-based cannabis oil producer, and introduced a limited edition of “Supercritical,” an ale brewed with terpenes (but no THC or CBD) extracted from two popular cannabis varietals, Girl Scout Cookie and Blue Dream.
Photo by Elevate via Unsplash
For an encore, CannaCraft is producing a couple of different THC-infused vape oil blends combined with terpenes extracted from hops. The dominant terpenes in “Stereoterpical” and “Hop Cannon” – the newest psychoactive additions to the AbsoluteXtracts vape cartridge product line – are also present in various cannabis cultivars.
The terpene profiles of these THC-fortified hop oil blends include memory-enhancing pinene with its woody aroma; anxiety-reducing limonene with its citrus flavor; relaxing linalool with lavender notes; humulene, an appetite-suppressing sedative; and anti-inflammatory beta-caryophyllene, a bitter, all-star phytonutrient.
So smell the mystery, and sleep well. And if you can’t smoke your beer, you might try vaping it.
Here are 15 tips to seduce a woman in the best way possible. Here’s the thing to remember that all of these have in common: you’re playing a long-game here.
No, but really — how does a person have better sex or a better relationship? The Fresh Toast has enlisted Rachel Krantz, a sex writer and proud canna-enthusiast, to help readers out with some answers as its sex columnist. No question is off limits, and all questions will remain anonymous. Please send your sex and relationship inquiries to editor@thefreshtoast.com. Now, onto this week’s topic: 15 ways to seduce a woman that actually work.
Q: I’m a guy who’s been with my girlfriend for about five months now. We’ve just started to get out of that infatuation phase where all we can do is have sex, but we still want each other plenty. I really like her and want to hold onto her, but she made an offhand comment the other day about the fact that I always ask for sex the same way — kissing her and touching her boobs. She said she likes to be seduced in other ways sometimes. What are some ways I can maybe get her in the mood? A: Ah, women. For us, “getting in the mood” is mostly psychological. Here are 15 tips for turning a woman on. Here’s the thing to remember that all of these have in common: you’re playing a long-game here.
Massage Her While You Have A Deep Conversation
I hate to spill his secrets, but this is how my dude first seduced me. We spoke for hours about deep stuff that was important to me, all while he rubbed my feet and thighs, never creeping too far … just far enough. It was a long physical and psychological tease. I nearly guarantee this will work.
This usually only works once things get going, but if you speak another language, use it! Whisper some French in her ear, especially if she doesn’t speak it. It will feel like you’re foreign and familiar to her at once, and she can imagine you’re saying all kinds of romantic things, even if you’re just being dirty.
Push Her Up Against A Wall When She Least Expects It
Look, this happens in movies so often that she probably wants you to do this sometimes. Next time you’re looking at her and thinking how fine she is, push her up against a wall and give her a big, passionate kiss, or grab her wrists and put them above her head and tell her how you need to have her.
Make Out With Her Until She Takes Your Clothes Off
Guys almost always move faster than us, so women rarely get to be teased as much as we’d like. Make out with her and grope her through her clothing until she’s the one begging you to get naked.
Do it on a day where you’re not in the doghouse for anything, and where it isn’t because you haven’t gotten laid recently. When she asks you what inspired you, tell her you were just thinking about her and wanted her to know how much you love her.
Send Her Random Texts When You’re Feeling All In Love
My dude doesn’t tell me he loves me reflexively, or even super often — but he does send me random texts on the regular that just say ‘I love you’ or ‘I’m feeling all about you right now.’ Expressing spontaneous love when you’re not expecting anything in return is key.
Nothing turns me on more than when my dude takes the time to edit my writing, or provides moral support during an annoying phone call. This is foreplay.
Pay A Lot of Attention To Just One Part Of Her Body
Worship her arms, or her neck, her nipples. Whatever it is, just make her feel like that part of her is special and you’re obsessed.
Compliment different things — specific things. Don’t just say she’s pretty (though that’s nice too). Tell her about her ass in those jeans, how much you respect her work, or the way you were looking at her at that party from across the room all night.
Do A Chore & Don’t Claim Credit
Again, it’s all about demonstrating that you care without demanding sex or anything else in return. She’ll notice.
Wear Her Favorite Outfit Of Yours
The next time she makes an effort to get dressed up to go out, wear that outfit of yours you know she likes, even it might be easier to just wear something else. She’ll appreciate the effort, and think you look handsome all night.
Foreplay starts the moment she walks in the door, so give her a proper, passionate greeting. Remember: women aren’t faucets. You can’t expect to just turn us on and off — instead, think of it as a slow build — we’re more like piggy banks.
