You may now toke with the bride. The legalization of recreational marijuana in a handful of states opened the doors to all sorts of cannabis-laden commerce, from dinner service to vacation packages. It was inevitable that weddings, among the most expensive purchase an adult will ever make, would find a way to introduce weed into nuptials, receptions, and party favors. Specialists have launched entire businesses to meet this new wedding-weed demand. In Colorado, where recreational marijuana has been legally sold since 2014, Bec Koop operates cannabis-friendly Irie Wedding & Events and is one of the founders of the Cannabis Wedding Expo, an event where brides and grooms can meet marijuana vendors. Koop offers a litany of wedding services: day-of coordination, overall planning, floral arrangements, cannabis open bars. She also offers consulting services for venues looking to bring in cannabis-inclusive events. Prior to the legalization of marijuana, Koop worked in hospitality, including conventional catering and florals. Now her offerings range from the full-service $3,000 O.G. Kush plan—everything from day-off coordination to vendor bookings—to a scaled-back $420 elopement plan in which Irie finds the officiant, books a photographer, and makes a dinner reservation for the couple. A marijuana-knowledgeable wedding coordinator, called a Best Bud, costs between $50 and $100 an hour for day-of-event help Koop did five weddings in her first full year in business, then about twice as many in her second year. Now she expects she will have booked nearly two dozen by the end of 2017. "We have people who are already outreaching to us for 2020," she says. "A lot of foresight coming from these so-called lazy stoners." The early days of legal marijuana proved difficult, Koop says, since only 10 percent of venues would even consider cannabis-related weddings. Now she says nearly a third will accommodate pot, and locations regularly call Koop to be placed on her preferred vendors list. Serving marijuana at a wedding reception isn't altogether different from offering alcoholic drinks. "It's actually cheaper than liquor," says Adrian Sedlin, chief executive officer of Canndescent, a California grower that has put on bud bars for weddings. "There's a lot more buzz for the buck in cannabis than in alcohol." For a 100-person wedding, Cultivating Spirits offers a bud bar for $300 for a minimum of two hours, with an additional $100 per hour beyond that. A typical bud bar might include prerolled joints, vaporizers, and glass pipes. Some couples choose to add bongs, edibles, and cannabis cocktails to the mix. Depending on the potency, strain, and promotional offerings, an ounce can run roughly from $100 to $250 at Colorado dispensaries, said Philip Wolf, CEO of Cultivating Spirits in Colorado and the Cannabis Wedding Expo, although prices for recreational marijuana vary from state to state. For couples who choose to have an unmanned bar, the full cost can come to less than $300. But many opt for a budtender, a cannabis expert who oversees the bar and rolls joints for guests. Koop recommends one tender per 35 smoking guests and charges $25 an hour per budtender, plus setup fees. There are a few legalistic twists: Colorado state laws forbids guests from tipping budtenders, and the hosts of the wedding must technically supply the cannabis for the bar themselves and "donate" it to the server. Marijuana vendors like to tout benefits beyond pot's relative affordability. "A lot of people feel like alcohol can take away from events because people can overconsume, it might not be as enjoyable or someone might cause an issue, or god forbid something worse," said Wolf. "With cannabis, you really don't have that threat." There's no risk of marijuana bars cutting into the boozy reputation of weddings. A budtender is more of a supplement than a replacement, explained Stephanie Cain, an editor at the Knot, a wedding marketplace and publication. "Its another amenity for guests and the couple to partake in," she says. Her tip for those considering cannabis: Place the bud bar in an area apart from the primary reception hall, creating a barrier for both underage guests and those who don't partake. Koop, who operates the Colorado weed wedding business, has found that about half of clients are occasional indulgers at best. Some are marijuana tourists who travel from out of state (and sometimes from overseas) to get married in scenic Colorado. These couples tend to go with a more low-key approach—a single bud of marijuana in the bouquet, perhaps, and a bud bar at the reception. The other half of Irie's clients are locals who are very avid cannabis consumers. These couples will often incorporate the plant throughout the wedding. They may take a "first toke" together before the first kiss, often from a pipe with two openings, similar in ceremonial value to lighting a unity candle. "They're loud and proud," Koop says. "A hemp silk wedding dress, a hemp suit, a 'budquet'—you can crack it from your bouquet to your bowl."
0 Comments
Marijuana may be slightly effective at reducing chronic nerve pain known as neuropathy. But there's little evidence on whether pot helps treat other types of pain or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a pair of new studies suggests. The findings on neuropathy "fit generally well with what we know," said Dr. Sachin Patel of the Vanderbilt Psychiatric Hospital in Nashville. Patel wrote a commentary accompanying the review in a recent online edition of Annals of Internal Medicine. Medical marijuana is legal in almost all states for certain medical purposes. Some states may have laws that haven't yet been implemented, according to NORML, a pro-marijuana legalization group. But research into the medical uses of marijuana remains controversial. Plus, it's difficult for scientists to study the drug because it’s illegal on the federal level. However, some research has found positive results. Earlier this year, the National Academy of Sciences released a report saying there is conclusive or substantial scientific evidence that marijuana is effective at treating chronic pain, calming muscle spasms caused by multiple sclerosis, and easing nausea from chemotherapy. The new reviews into pain and PTSD were commissioned by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The department refused to allow the authors of the reviews to be interviewed to discuss the findings. Curt Cashour, a spokesman for the department, provided a written statement with a comment from David Shulkin, the secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs. The statement said the VA system will not prescribe medical marijuana although "there may be some evidence that this is beginning to be helpful." For the review of research into chronic nerve pain and marijuana, the researchers examined 27 studies. The investigators determined that there's "low strength" evidence that marijuana can help nerve pain. But there's just not enough reliable research to come to a conclusion about whether marijuana is useful for other types of pain, the study authors determined. The researchers also looked at 32 studies and 11 reviews of research on side effects. They noted several potential risks of marijuana use such as car accidents, psychotic symptoms and "short-term cognitive impairment." However, the review noted that research into risks and side effects is limited. The researchers said their findings may have "limited applicability to older, chronically ill populations and patients who use cannabis heavily." Paul Armentano, deputy director of NORML, said the review findings are consistent with "anecdotal reports of patients, many of whom are seeking a safer alternative to the use of deadly opioids. And it is inconsistent with the federal government's classification of the marijuana plant as a schedule I controlled substance with 'no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States.' " In the second review, researchers looked at three studies and two reviews of marijuana as a treatment for PTSD. The investigators found only a very low level of research. In addition, they said, the research had a "medium- to high-risk of bias." You and many more people just like you may use cannabis as a sleep aid. It’s safe, natural (non-pharmaceutical) and best of all, it works…well as long as you know the strain you use works best for you. This can be a tough under our current prohibition driven legal circumstances, but have no fear we are here to help rest easy. Shortcomings of the hypocritical policy aside, when one delves deeper into genetics and cannabinoid and terpenoid concentrations, it can come as a surprise that some strains do the exact opposite of the “sleepy stoner” sterotype (i.e. keep one awake). Then, there are some strains that can have an “alert” effect followed by a sleepy effect, or vice-versa. To make things even more confusing, one strain can have different phenotypes with a variety of effects. To make sense of all of this, we shall explain why cannabis can help a person get to sleep, and a little something about the strains that might help you do so. Some of this may seem elementary to the seasoned user, but the deeper we go the more mysteries we will unlock. Indicas, Sativas and Hybrids Ask a person what one of the effects of using cannabis are, and one of the answers will be “sleepy” and “relaxed” . Whether this is through personal experience, seeing its effects on others or through media depictions. You will also read or hear of cannabis enthusiasts from the 60s or 70s writing or talking about the strains of yesteryear – ones that made a person more energetic or focussed. There is one good reason for this change from “awake” to “asleep”: more and more people started to grow cannabis in their own homes, and more and more indica strains or sativas bred with indicas started to be released in order to accommodate this trend. Growing small plants indoors and out-of-public-view became a possibility. Indicas also have a shorter flowering time, making the whole cultivation process a lot quicker. Add to this the fact that pure, landrace sativas can be difficult to grow when out of their native environment, and you have several good reasons why people started to grow indica more and more often. However, many people still enjoyed the sativas of their youth, and many people who weren’t around in the 60s/70s were curious about these old sativas. Growing these at home is no easy task, so breeders around the world tried to perfect the art of hybridizing, adding indica genetics to sativas in order to get the shorter flowering time, improve yield and benefit from hybrid vigor, yet still retain the sativa effects. The 80s were a cornerstone decade in the development of many of today’s strains, and it is arguable that these experiments may have also helped us understand how to start breeding for specific cannabinoids like CBD as well. There have arguably been some successful hybrids that do just this, with Jack Herer and Super Silver Haze (SSH) being two of the most prominent examples. Yet, these two strains are still hybrids, meaning that there will still be phenotypes that lean towards indica effects. Also, the indica will exert its influence on phenotypes that lean more towards the sativa side (and vice-versa), meaning that using Jack Herer or SSH might make you feel awake for an hour or two, then sleepy! People also started to find that hybridizing strains could also alter and even improve on a particular strain’s effects. The effects of a sativa tend to elongate when crossed with an indica, and vice-versa (more on this later). This allowed for breeders to start “tailoring” strains to the particular flavor and effect profiles people were looking for. People also liked hybrids for the choice in effect it gave them. People could pick a few phenotypes of a strain that treats them particularly well, and then use the different effects for different times of day! For example, a person might have three SSH plants, one indica-leaning for night time, one sativa-leaning for day time and one hybrid for other times. This variation in cannabis leads nicely onto the next two sections … What Makes an Indica “Sleepy”? This is an interesting question. Sativas, with their tendency to be high in THC and low in CBD, are said to keep one awake. Indicas are usually high in both THC and CBD, and are said to keep one asleep. Many postulated that this was because CBD inhibited the actions of the enzyme fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), which breaks down THC and the natural endocannabinoid anandamide, thus providing a less “high” feel and a more “couchlock” one. This was also one of the reasons given as to why indicas tend to prolong the effects of a sativa when hybridized. However, this is not entirely accurate, as fatty acid-binding proteins (FABPs) are the intracellular carriers for THC and CBD in humans. Rather, it seems that CBD “competes” with THC, and the THC:CBD ratio determines to what extent these two cannabinoids compete for FABPs. However, CBD does inhibit THC, but the system of modulation may be competitive rather than cooperative! This may also explain why indicas increase the duration of a sativa’s effects when the two are crossed – the THC essentially stays in the system for longer! CBD inhibits FAAH in mice, not humans! There is also the fact that CBD can also increase anandamide levels, meaning the whole CBD = sleepy formula pretty inaccurate. However, one of the main reasons why people might associate CBD with sleep is because it can and does help many people feel relaxed and less anxious. So, whilst the CBD isn’t necessarily making you feel sleepy in and of itself due to some inherent property of the phytocannabinoid, the fact that you are getting relaxed and feeling less anxious does. Should we look at the top 10 CBD-rich strains on Leafly, we can see this inaccuracy in play. There are plenty of sativa-leaning, CBD-rich strains that make one feel alert, and indicas even with a 1:1 ratio still retain their sleepy effects. There must be something else going on that we’re missing out on … Terpenes More than just the taste and smell, terpenes have their own effects in and of themselves, and it is these terpenes that might be helping induce sleep, as opposed to just the cannabinoids in and of themselves. Moreover, terpenes also help contribute to the entourage effect, and have powerful effects all of their own. There are three particular terpenes in cannabis that can aide sleep. They are:
http://www.cannabisculture.com/content/2017/08/09/need-know-cannabis-sleep Florida’s medical marijuana program is exploding. In fact, Florida has added over 10,000 medical marijuana patients since June. Despite laws that seem to be changing constantly, Florida’s medical marijuana program is exploding. In fact, Florida has added over 10,000 medical marijuana patients to its medical marijuana roster—and that’s just since June. Florida’s Medical Marijuana Program is ExplodingThe latest numbers released by the Florida Department of Health show just how rapidly the state’s medical marijuana program is growing. Since June, Florida has added over 10,000 medical marijuana patients to the program’s roster. That’s a 60 percent increase in less than two months. The state now has 26,978 registered medical marijuana patients. This explosive growth hasn’t just been on the patient side of things. There have also been more than 130 new doctors who have joined the program to recommend medical weed to patients. The state now has more than 900 doctors who are qualified to recommend weed to patients with a qualifying condition. This growth comes despite a constantly-changing set of laws in Florida. Back in 2014, Florida passed the Compassionate Medical Cannabis Act. This act legalized a medical marijuana program, which went into effect in 2015. Then, last year, Florida voters approved a bill designed to greatly expand the original medical marijuana program. In fact, the amendment won by a landslide. Just over 71 percent of voters said yes to the bill, while only 28.7 percent voted against it. Even after last fall’s elections, there have been more recent changes to the state’s medical marijuana program. In June, Governor Rick Scott signed a bill into law that banned smokable forms of cannabis. Lawmakers who supported the move said that smoking is unhealthy, and so should not be part of the medical marijuana program. The bill allows patients with a qualifying condition to vape certain cannabis products and to use edibles, oils, sprays, and tinctures. Despite this, many advocates say the state’s program is still too restrictive. In fact, lawyer John Morgan sued the state in July over the ban. He argued that smoking is one of the most effective ways for patients with some conditions to use medical cannabis. Morgan claimed that by outlawing smokable weed, the state has made it too difficult for patients to access the medicine they’re legally allowed to use. Final Hit: Florida Has Added Over 10,000 Medical Marijuana Patients Since JuneDespite the state’s rapidly-changing and often controversial medical marijuana laws, the program continues to grow. With a 60 percent increase in the number of registered patients, as well as a large increase in the number of qualified doctors, Florida’s medical marijuana program has significantly expanded this summer. In addition to the more than 26,000 patients and over 900 doctors who are participating in the program, the state has issued licenses to seven cannabis businesses. Four of them maintain storefronts where medical marijuana is sold. Two of them deliver to patients. The seventh business has been licensed to grow weed, but it hasn’t harvested a crop yet. https://www.greenrushdaily.com/florida-added-10000-medical-marijuana-patients-since-june/ New Jersey could see the expansion of its medical marijuana program sometime in early 2018. The state’s Medicinal Marijuana Review Panel recently recommended that patients suffering from more than 40 conditions should have access to medical marijuana with permission from a doctor. The suggestions, which were based on a review of testimony provided by doctors and patients familiar with the conditions, could potentially open up program participation to people with chronic pain, migraines, anxiety, opiate-use disorder, arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease, autism, Tourette syndrome and others, according to Philly.com. New Jersey’s seven-year-old medical marijuana program is considered one of the most restrictive in the nation. It currently allows only those with 12 serious conditions, including terminal cancer and multiple sclerosis, to purchase cannabis medicine from their local dispensary. It is for this reason that, after all this time, the program services only a little more than 13,000 patients statewide. The addition of some or all of the recommended health conditions, however, would undoubtedly lead to thousands more people being registered. But that is not exactly a situation the Christie administration seems prepared to support. In fact, Governor Christie has mostly opposed any expansion of the state’s medical marijuana program for fear that it create a “front for legalization.” Although the governor did eventually approve a measure in 2016 that allowed PTSD to be added to the state’s list of qualified conditions, his favorable decision on the matter was made with much apprehension. From here, the panel’s recommendations must go through a two-month long public comment period before going in front of Health Commissioner Cathleen Bennett for a final decision. There is no word yet on which conditions—if any—Bennett will consider. “The commissioner has to review the recommendations and rule on them, so the department has no comment at this time,” Donna Leusner, a spokesperson for the commissioner said in a statement. One way or another, New Jersey is on its way to hosting more progressive marijuana laws. State lawmakers have been discussing the possibility of passing a piece of legislation early next year that would allow the existence of a taxed and regulated marijuana market. The only real hold up, at this point, is the fact that Governor Christie, a staunch opponent to legalization, remains in office. But his term comes to a screeching halt at the beginning of 2018, when the new governor elected this November takes control. Democratic nominee Phil Murphy, whom the latest polls have leading by a substantial margin over the Republican pick, Lieutenant Governor Kim Guadagno, fully supports bringing an end to marijuana prohibition. But even Guadagno supports making it easier for patients to gain access to medical marijuana, not to mention the elimination of criminal penalties associated with small time possession. So, regardless of what happens with the proposed medical marijuana expansion this year, it seems inevitable that New Jersey will experience some much needed reform on the cannabis issue as soon as lawmakers no longer have to contend with the ultra-conservative ideals of Governor Christie. At least one Ohio public college is willing to test medical marijuana for quality purposes, a company recently announced in an effort to snuff concerns that a lack of labs could delay the entire program. CCV Research would not name the college, but announced that it meets the requirements in the state program that a public college or university host a laboratory to monitor the quality of plants and products sold to Ohioans. CCV Research hopes to partner with the school, according to CCV spokesman John Cachat, whose son Dr. Jonathan Cachat runs the company. John Cachat said CCV made the announcement because state lawmakers were considering amending Ohio’s medical marijuana law out of concern that no schools would apply. The law requires the first labs to be hosted at a public college or university, but schools expressed concern that taking part in the program would jeopardize federal funding they rely on because marijuana is still illegal under federal law. “We had a difficult time even finding qualified colleges willing to engage in the conversation” said Jonathan Cachat. “However, we found a unique, entrepreneurial team that recognized the opportunity to provide education with hands on lab experience, create local jobs, and support a functioning medical cannabis system in Ohio.” Company officials did say the institution isn’t in northeast Ohio. They wouldn’t rule out southwest Ohio. This news organization reached out to officials at Miami University, Wright State, Central State, Ohio State and Sinclair Community College. Spokespeople at all weren’t immediately aware of any involvement in the program. Neither the governor’s office — which CCV says was made aware of the deal — nor the Ohio Department of Commerce would identify the school, either. Commerce will accept applications for lab licenses from Sept. 11 through Sept. 22. State law requires for the first year of the medical marijuana program that the quality testing lab be operated by a institution of higher education that is public, located within the state of Ohio and has the resources to operate a lab. After a year, private labs can be licensed. “The Ohio legislators did a great job in getting colleges involved to assure an unbiased and controlled approach to testing medical cannabis. Other unregulated states have seen ‘lab shopping’ where cannabis product is being taken to whatever test lab gives the best results,” said Dr. Cachat.” The attorney general’s own experts recommend respecting states’ experiments with legalization. He’ll probably ignore them.When Attorney General Jeff Sessions convened his Task Force on Crime Reduction and Public Safety in February, it was widely assumed to be the first step toward a crackdown on the state-level legalization of marijuana. Sessions stacked the task force with federal prosecutors and law enforcement officers, who were expected to endorse an assault on the cannabis industry in states that have signed off on recreational marijuana use. But on Friday, the AP got ahold of the task force’s recommendations and revealed that they weren’t draconian at all. Rather, the group suggested maintaining the current compromise between states and the feds that has allowed marijuana reform to flourish. In the end, that surprising affirmation of the status quo probably doesn’t matter. Sessions may have failed to produce a pretext for his anti-pot crusade, but he is still preparing to target legal cannabis in at least three of the eight states that have legalized recreational weed. The attorney general has almost certainly known about the task force’s recommendations for weeks if not months, since they were provided to him on a “rolling basis.” Yet even as these findings came in, Sessions was laying the groundwork for a strike against the legalization movement. The strategy taking shape at Sessions’ Justice Department revolves around an Obama-era policy designed to strike a balance between federal interests and state sovereignty. After Colorado and Washington state voted to legalize recreational marijuana in 2013, Deputy Attorney General James M. Cole issued the so-called Cole memo outlining the DOJ’s new approach. While cannabis is illegal under federal law, Cole directed federal prosecutors not to target individuals, growers, or sellers who comply fully with state regulations. Instead, the Cole memo instructed prosecutors to focus their efforts “on certain enforcement priorities,” including the distribution of marijuana to minors, interstate smuggling, and “drugged driving” as well as “other adverse public health consequences.” Since then, as more states promulgate and implement cannabis regulations, they have focused on staying “Cole compliant”—prioritizing enforcement in those areas outlined by the memo. Under the leadership of Eric Holder and Loretta Lynch, the Justice Department mostly kept its promise, allowing an increasing number of states to experiment with full legalization. Meanwhile, Congress barred the DOJ from going after medical marijuana, depriving the agency of funds to prosecute users, growers, and sellers of medicinal cannabis who comply with state law. (Twenty-nine states, the District of Columbia, Guam, and Puerto Rico have legalized medical marijuana.) Sessions has said that “much of” the Cole memo is “valid” and has not publicly expressed interest in rescinding it. But as Reason’s Jacob Sullum has pointed out, the memo is so elastic that it gives prosecutors leeway to target the legal cannabis industry under the pretense that states have failed to comply with Cole. Obama’s DOJ interpreted the memo to encourage a laissez-faire approach to states’ experiments with marijuana reform, so long as they crafted a stringent regulatory framework. But Sessions criticized this approach as a senator, asserting that the agency had construed Cole too leniently. His comments raised fears that, as attorney general, Sessions would reinterpret Cole, allege state noncompliance, and launch a clampdown on legal marijuana. A company which makes cannabis products has bought an entire town in California and plans to turn it into a "destination" for marijuana. American Green has agreed a deal to buy the town of Nipton for $5m (£3.8m). The company will own 120 acres of land, which includes a school building, a hotel, mineral baths and a general store. They also want to power the town with renewable energy. "We are excited to lead the charge for a true green rush," American Green's president David Gwyther said in a statement to Time. "The cannabis revolution that's going on here in the US has the power to completely revitalise communities in the same way gold did during the 19th Century." Nipton was originally founded during the gold rush in the early 20th Century when the precious metal was found nearby. The town - which has a population of about 20 - sits on the border of California and Nevada. A fictional version of the settlement was recreated in the 2010 game Fallout: New Vegas. Previous US president Barack Obama relaxed government intervention, which made it easier to buy cannabis for recreational purposes. But since Donald Trump became president, the future of legalisation is less certain. The value of shares in American Green has fallen by about half since January until the company announced its purchase of Nipton. Share prices have increased since then, but still remain under a penny each, according to Bloomberg. Sure, we know cannabis has proven helpful in relieving symptoms associated with cancer, epilepsy and glaucoma. But did you know, more and more evidence has been recorded that cannabis is more than beneficial, we actually need it? Since the discovery of the endocannabinoid system (ECS) and various phytocannabinoids beyond just tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), it seems that a sort of “shift” occurred in how we approach cannabis. “Clinical endocannabinoid deficiency” – sometimes (and less accurately) called “clinical cannabinoid deficiency – is actually an umbrella term for various conditions, in particular:
Now, there are a lot of conditions that could be linked to a CECD. This is perhaps because of the ECS’s intimate relationship with homeostasis (the balance of the body’s physiological processes), and there is still the chicken-or-egg question of “do these conditions arise because of a CECD, or does suffering from, say, multiple sclerosis or persistent headaches eventually cause a CECD?” The answer is likely to be “both”, and it could be one of the key reasons why cannabis is so useful for so many conditions. The CECD concept comes from Dr. Ethan Russo, who is a leading researcher on cannabidiol (CBD) and was involved in the development of GW Pharmaceutical’s Epidiolex – a CBD extract for epilepsy, and currently at Stage 3 development in the US. To see more of his work, check out the following links: The original 2004 paper, which states: “Migraine, fibromyalgia, IBS and related conditions display common clinical, biochemical and pathophysiological patterns that suggest an underlying clinical endocannabinoid deficiency that may be suitably treated with cannabinoid medicines.” However, the lack of evidence at the time made it just an “educated guess based upon some observable data and experimentation”. As stated earlier, the evidence is mounting. Neurologist and Medical Scientist Ethan Russo is at the spearhead of this research. In this video he explains the concept of CECD and the importance of CBD. In 2016 Ethan Russo updated his findings in a peer reviewed journal that can be found here. The abstract to Russo’s article states: “Currently, however, statistically significant differences in cerebrospinal fluid anandamide levels have been documented in migraines, and advanced imaging studies have demonstrated ECS hypofunction in post-traumatic stress disorder. Additional studies have provided a firmer foundation for the theory, while clinical data have also produced evidence for decreased pain, improved sleep, and other benefits to cannabinoid treatment and adjunctive lifestyle approaches affecting the ECS.” In a 2014 review published in the US National Library of Medicine journal, Scientists S.C. Smith and M.S. Wagner backed up Russo’s theories. The pair wrote, “…subsequent research has confirmed that underlying endocannabinoid deficiencies indeed play a role in migraine, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome and a growing list of other medical conditions. Clinical experience is bearing this out. Further research and especially clinical trials will further demonstrate the usefulness of medical cannabis. As legal barriers fall and scientific bias fades this will become more apparent.” Can You Simplify This Further but With More Details, Doc? Sure can! There are two main endocannabinoids that you should know about. They are:
As you may have noticed, THC is the main phytocannabinoid that affects the cannabinoid receptors 1 and 2. The relationship between THC and anandamide, and why THC may help beat nausea (antiemetic) and muscle spasms. Anandamide also has a role to play in mood regulation and memory, which is why THC can affect memory as well as potentially help with post-traumatic stress syndrome and anxiety-related conditions. CB1 receptors are found mostly in the CNS, and in smaller numbers in the liver, kidneys and lungs. CB2 receptors are found in the immune system and blood cells. CB2 receptors may play a role in inflammation, pain sensation and immune responses, and could also play a role in liver, kidney and neurodegenerative diseases. Where Does CBD Fit Into All of This? CBD doesn’t affect the CB1 and CB2 receptors directly. Rather, CBD activates other receptors, like the vanilloid, adenosine and serotonin receptors. To give some examples:
Furthermore, CBD inhibits the FAAH enzyme, which breaks down anandamide and affects the CB1 receptor (see above). This means that it can be used to “modulate” THC’s psychoactive effects, whilst the THC can help CBD do its job better. Indeed, there are some interesting studies taking place at California Pacific Medical Center, where specific concentrations of THC and CBD injected into breast and brain tumors eliminates those tumors completely, in 30 days! Exciting stuff! Can a Person Have an “Overabundance” of Endocannabinoids? “Cannabinoid Abundance Syndrome” (“CAS”)? Yes, this is also a theoretical possibility. In fact, it could be said that CHS is an overabundance of endocannabinoids, caused by the “build up” of phytocannabinoids over time, and thereby inducing nausea, vomiting and generally exerting negative effects on the TRPV1 receptor. Yes, this means that cannabis can “switch” from antiemetic to emetic! To confuse you even more, cannabis can potentially help treat cyclical vomiting syndrome (CVS), a condition that resembles CHS! However, could it be said that there are conditions out there that are caused by having too many endocannabinoids, rather than too few? Could having too many cannabinoids, or even too many of some and a deficiency of others, explain why some people have negative reactions to cannabis, or why some strains have positive effect whereas others have a negative effect? This doesn’t seem all too crazy a supposition. However, what conditions could be caused by by having too many cannabinoids, other than possibly CHS (which is rare)? Possibly, and it might help explain why, rather than dull pain, THC may heighten pain sensitivityfor some long-term marijuana users. Although whether this is because marijuana users were more intolerant of pain in general is up for debate! (I.e. do they use pot because they’re intolerant to pain?) There isn’t much research on the opposite of CECD, but there may be some conditions that merit a “CAS” label. Could schizophrenia be said to be caused by having too much anandamide, hence why CBD may be useful as an antipsychotic? Whilst cannabis could be helpful for some people suffering from cluster headaches, it may actually make others feel worse. Could some kinds of cluster headaches be caused by having too many cannabinoids, whereas migraines and some other kinds are caused by a CECD? Whatever the answers to these questions are, of this there is no doubt: the discovery of the ECS and various phytocannabinoids has revolutionized our understanding of the human body, and knowing more about it could provide us with some novel solutions to beating conditions ranging from chronic brain damage to autism to garden-variety headaches! And this is without even getting into terpenoids, which have effects of their own, and may also have an influence on the entourage effect. Two more medical-marijuana businesses have joined seven already licensed by the state, and another three are in the works, as the potentially lucrative industry continues to develop. The Florida Department of Health this week issued licenses to Tornello Landscape, also known as “3 Boys Farm,” and Plants of Ruskin, both based in Ruskin. Licenses for Jacksonville-based Loop's Nursery and Greenhouses, Eustis-based Treadwell Nursery and Arcadia-based Sun Bulb Nurseries are in progress, according to department spokeswoman Mara Gambineri. The new licenses are the result of a law approved by the Legislature during a June special session to carry out a constitutional amendment that legalized medical marijuana for a broad swath of patients with debilitating conditions. Voters overwhelmingly approved the constitutional amendment in November. Florida lawmakers in 2014 legalized usage of non-euphoric cannabis, touching off legal and administrative battles as companies sought a limited number of licenses in five different regions of the state. The low-THC treatment approved in 2014 paved the way for the full-strength marijuana laws now on the books. The law approved during the June special session required health officials to issue additional licenses --- on top of the state's seven current marijuana operators --- and included criteria. Licenses would be issued to businesses whose applications were reviewed and scored by the Department of Health and who were denied licenses, or who had one or more administrative or judicial challenges pending as of January. The law also required health officials to issue licenses to applicants who had a ranking of within one point of the highest applicants in their regions. The licenses issued Monday by health officials bring to nine the number of marijuana operators in the state, which could be home to as many as 500,000 patients under the constitutional amendment. In addition to the two newly issued licenses and the three that are in progress, the new law gives health officials until Oct. 1 to issue five more licenses. The law includes a controversial element instructing health officials to give special preference for licenses to applicants that “own one or more facilities that are, or were, used for the canning, concentrating, or otherwise processing of citrus fruit or citrus molasses.” Earlier this year, an administrative law judge recommended that 3 Boys Farm and Plants of Ruskin each be given licenses, after excoriating the state for relying on what Judge John Van Laningham found was a faulty system to determine which applicants should be selected. Van Laningham in May called for the state to issue licenses to both nurseries, which had challenged health officials' decisions regarding an initial five medical marijuana licenses granted nearly two years ago. 3 Boys Farm already produces organic herbs, vegetables and fruit, company president Robert Tornello said in a news release after receiving the state's approval to grow, process and dispense medical marijuana. “This organic product is not available from other producers,” Tornello said. “Our team members' experience and credentials, coupled with their deep knowledge of, and passion for, cannabinoid science, will bring the proven medical benefits of this wonderful plant to those who need it most.” Loop's, meanwhile, lost an administrative challenge last year, after Administrative Law Judge Bruce McKibben found that the Jacksonville grower failed to prove its application was superior to its competitors in the Northeast Florida region. Loop's had been considered a front-runner in the contest for a license, and part of the Jacksonville nursery's case hinged on the grower's exclusive relationship with CWB Holdings, headed by Joel Stanley. The Colorado-based company owns the rights to “Charlotte's Web,” a substance whose name has become synonymous with the low-THC, high-CBD treatments believed to eliminate or drastically reduce life-threatening seizures in children with severe epilepsy. http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/florida-medical-marijuana/fl-reg-medical-marijuana-licenses-20170802-story.html |