As a nutritionist and the co-founder of the Holistic Cannabis Academy, I get asked a lot of unsolicited questions about food and cannabis. After all, we imbue all of our social interactions with food. As a society, we have become intrigued with food and everything that pertains to it including cooking and, of course, my favorite topic — nutrition.

Cannabis is a great conversation starter for so many reasons. For one, it’s not federally legal, yet it’s legalized by individual states for medical or adult use (recreational) purposes in more than half the country. And, of course, the plant has literally come out of the closet, so cannaphobia is mitigated, and it’s become acceptable to talk about the plant. Combine talking about food with cannabis and you have a winning combination!

In that spirit, here are five winning combos for food and cannabis.

Avocado

Though thought of as a vegetable and often categorized as a fat, avocado is actually a large berry with a single seed. That means that avocado is a fruit, according to botanists. And, an amazing and versatile fruit it is. Of course, there’s the ubiquitous avocado toast found in hipster neighborhoods beyond Brooklyn. Guacamole was, of course, the first introduction to avocado to Americans.

Hemp Seed

Combining two cannabis plant ingredients together is a no brainer. Hemp as a food is from the seed portion of the cannabis plant and contains little to no THC. Hemp foods include protein powder, milk, hearts, flour, butter (which can also be used for skin), and pressed juice. Hemp oil as food from the seed of the plant is completely different from hemp-derived CBD oil processed from the aerial parts of the plant.

As winter approaches, so does the need to preserve the last of nature’s harvests before the arrival of the first frost. Cannabis is harvested throughout the year, but it is crucial to always preserve buds as best as possible upon purchasing.

Whether you procured the last ounce of a favorite strain, or take your time getting through your supply, preserving cannabis properly can keep your flower fresh and fragrant the entire winter, and beyond.

Studies point to UV light as the number one destroyer of cannabis potency. According to Medical Marijuana, Inc., “While direct sunlight is the most degrading to marijuana flower, even indirect light can cause a loss of potency.” With even indirect light affecting cannabis longevity, it is crucial to take time to purchase the perfect container.

There are several factors to consider when choosing a storage container for cannabis. According to Healthline, “Light, humidity, temperature, and oxygen can all mess with cannabis and affect its aroma, taste, and potency potential.” Therefore the container must be airtight to prevent unwanted humidity and oxygen from entering. Be sure to have a container with a secure seal.

The container’s material is also important. Many dispensaries provide cannabis in plastic containers. This works for quick storage purposes, but when preserving marijuana for a long period of time, plastic is an enemy. Plastic containers leak air and can release some of their chemical properties. This can transfer to cannabis and change its flavor and taste. Plastic can also cause sweating inside the container or bag, which can cause mold and deterioration in quality.

There are so many different opinions on what the best way to consume marijuana is and as a result, it can be challenging for the average person to know what they should do. Some people believe that smoking marijuana is the way to go, while others believe that edibles are a better option. It seems with so many opinions that there is no right answer, but if you’re having a hard time choosing a product or device that will suit your needs, it is best to ask for help in a cannabis store where experts will answer all of your questions. For example, The Joint, a chain of cannabis shops in Canada, has knowledgeable staff who will work closely with you to find the best product for your situation and answer any questions you may have about cannabis use. There are two  The Joint Saskatoon locations and many more across the country that offer both medical and recreational products.

Cannabis has been used as a substance to help people manage symptoms such as pain and many others because of its medical properties. There are so many ways that one can consume marijuana which leaves just one question: which method will deliver the best results? If you’re looking for answers, this blog will outline all the best available options as well as highlight some things you should consider before making your decision.

Dry herb vaporizer

Dry herb vaporizers are a battery-operated inhalation device that has risen in popularity in recent years. Incredible vape supplies such as those found in Cold Turkey St James are easily available and convenient, making the life of cannabis consumers more enjoyable in every aspect. Vaporizers are handheld, portable, and extremely convenient. You have the luxury of determining your temperature depending on what effects you want to experience. The main components of a dry vaporizer are the chamber, battery, mouthpiece, and LED screen. The small chamber means you use less dry herb compared to other inhalation methods such as joints. The main appeal of this device is that it is a healthier option compared to traditional smoking and that can be attributed to the fact that dry herb vaporizers produce vapor instead of smoke as well as the fact that the herb gets heated instead of burnt during combustion.

Bubblers

A bubbler is a small water pipe that is used to smoke dry cannabis flowers. This device is similar to a bong in that it is a water filtration device that purifies smoke. Bubblers are generally small and can be handled with a single hand which also makes them very portable and easy to store. A bubbler hits similar to a dry pipe except there is a carb that builds and releases the smoke. If you are looking for healthier consumption, this is a method to consider because of the low heat temperature and lack of smoke. After prolonged usage, your lung health will start to be negatively affected so proceed cautiously. You will feel the effects within minutes.

Bongs and joints

Bongs and joints are two of the most popular marijuana consumption methods. A bong is a water filtration device and a joint is a hand-rolled inhalation consumption method that uses dry herbs and rolling paper. Both these methods use combustion because the dry herb has to be burnt; however, a bong has water which purifies the smoke to give you a smoother hit. Still, both bongs and joints are not the healthiest of ways to consume cannabis as they both produce smoke which is risky for your lungs. If you consume this way you can expect to feel effects almost instantly. Still, bongs are a bit healthier than joints, since the smoke is not as harsh.

Festival season in Austin has a pretty dope new addition: a one-day festival featuring music and highlighting a cousin of marijuana.

The first-ever Texas Hemp Harvest Festival is set for 10 am-11 pm October 23 at Carson Creek Ranch, a 58-acre event venue in eastern Travis County. Musical acts scheduled to perform include Jamaican reggae and hip-hop artist Ky-Mani Marley, son of the legendary Bob Marley; country musician Gary P. Nunn; and country music band The Derailers.

Sweet Sensi, an Austin-based seller of “artisanal” CBD products, is staging the “family-friendly festival.” The event will offer food trucks, beverages for adults and children, vendor displays, and games.

The festival also will put on a “Battle of the Buds” competition. Anonymous judges will vote for their favorites in four categories of hemp products made in Texas: flower/pre-rolls, edibles, topicals, and tinctures/capsules.

Organizers say the festival is being produced by farmers, processors, manufacturers, and retailers to celebrate the hemp harvest in Texas. In 2020, the state saw its first legal hemp harvest in more than 80 years, the Austin Chronicle says.

New Frontier Data, the premier data, analytics and technology firm specializing in the cannabis industry worldwide, publishes its latest report, Cannabis & Wellness: A New Consumer Paradigm, released in partnership with SōRSE and Jointly, examining various facets of health and wellness-related consumption patterns amongst current U.S. cannabis consumers. For each wellness practice identified in this report (medical, mental health, physical fitness and alcohol replacement), individuals represented by New Frontier Data’s cannabis consumer archetypes illustrate distinct motivations and use cases.

The study reveals, as cannabis normalization continues to build across the U.S. market, 23% of cannabis consumers now partake in support of their general wellness, while 79% report cannabis to have an overwhelmingly positive impact on their lives. From cannabis-friendly yoga to cannabis social lounges as alternatives to traditional bars, the growing acceptability of cannabis use outside of the home, as well as in regulated public and social spaces, now provides numerous options for consumers to access cannabis to enhance their physical, mental and social well-being.

“The U.S. consumer base is diversifying, and reasons for use are extending well beyond recreational use into broader medical and wellness applications,” noted Giadha A. DeCarcer, Founder and Executive Chair of New Frontier Data. “Our continued focus on data and reporting on the full spectrum of cannabis consumer behavior, now expanding into more nuanced aspects of medical use across North America and Europe, will provide industry stakeholders with a 360-degree view of the cannabis consumer opportunity.”

Key Findings:

Relaxation and stress relief are the leading reasons for cannabis use, and 52% of current consumers reported taking cannabis to improve their mental health during the pandemic.

Combining cannabis and exercise challenges the longstanding “unhealthy, sedentary stoner” stereotype, and 13% of consumers reported regular use of cannabis before exercise to improve training.

The Greenwood Police Department (GPD) in South Carolina issued an advisory to parents this week cautioning them about a recent discovery in which a green substance tested positive as heroin, but looked quite a bit like cannabis.

The advisory posted on Facebook implores PARENTS: PLEASE READ. In a straightforward approach surely meant to get parents’ attention, police kick off by asking: “If you saw this, what would you think it was? Candy? Marijuana? This is heroin.”

One person commenting on the police post noted: “ I’d like to see one of the pieces cut open and also what the coating is, or was. It would help in keeping an eye out for crap like this.” Another poster thanked the police for providing a photo, adding “ more photos of other drugs would be helpful. ”

According to 7News, GPD public information officer Jonathan Link reports: “This is not something people just smoke a little bit and walk away. This is the kind of thing that grips people and puts them in the addiction, recovery process for the rest of your life.”

But Link notes the substance, which initially looks like cannabis that has been compressed, but when manipulated is much more of a “powdery, kind of a crystal substance,” Link adds.

While most cannabis consumers likely don’t have weed lying around the house that they don’t want to smoke, it can happen, especially if a person harvests their own marijuana or suddenly finds they have a whole lot of weed on hand.

Leftover cannabis can always be stored in glass jars and dark places for later use, but, if feeling a bit more creative, there are plenty of fun things that can be done with these leftovers, remnants that could offer different experiences to compliment that cannabis high.

Cannabutter

Whenever there’s too much weed, cannabutter is a great place to turn. For starters, it’s very easy to make; it’s also super malleable, able to be be added to coffees, teas, drinks and just about any edible treat. Making cannabutter is also simple. Just remember to decarb the weed in the oven beforehand.

Some type of concentrate

Concentrates are potent forms of cannabis, stronger than flower. They can be consumed in different ways, which is why there are so many in the market. Still, some simple ones can be made at home, like rosin, which is made by pressing flower into some parchment paper with the help of a curling iron until it crackles. This process creates some oil that can be used on a dab rig, and consumed in that way.

A huge party joint

Sometimes, though, the best response is the easiest. Consider simply using that leftover weed to make a huge joint. There are dozens of ways to make them, from cross-joints to stuffing a whole bunch of weed into some tobacco paper. Just remember to share.

Every year around Halloween time, rumors will start to creep up about “marijuana-laced” Halloween candy. Should parents be worried about there being truth behind the rumors?

Some older stories stem from the 1950s that people would “heat pennies on skillets and put them into the hands of trick-or-treaters.” This eventually turned into stories about “arsenic and pins” ending up in children’s candy in the 1960s.

This could be where the fear of marijuana-laced candy came from, but these instances can now be considered ancient Halloween sadism, according to Joel Best, the nation’s top researcher on Halloween candy contamination.

When looking further into information about marijuana-laced candy on Halloween, there have never been any real cases of it showing up in a trick-or-treater’s possession. 

“I’ve done the research, and I can’t find any evidence that any child has been killed or seriously hurt by any candy picked up in the course of trick-or-treating. My view is this is overblown. You can’t prove a negative, but it seems unlikely,” Best told Vox.

In a continuing trend across the country whereby cities are taking steps to decriminalize the possession of certain amounts of all kinds of psychedelics, Seattle joined the herd this week by voting to formalize the non-prosecution of the possession of certain entheogens, commonly known as psychedelics. We were especially gratified to see the results of the vote, as John Rapp and Mason Marks from our office have been working hard on this behind the scenes.

Resolution 32021 passed on Monday (see the actual ordinance here), and it basically renders as one of the lowest “law enforcement priorities” the “investigation, arrest, and prosecution of anyone engaging in entheogen-related activities.” More specifically, the ordinance states that:

“. . . the investigation, arrest, and prosecution of anyone engaging in entheogen-related activities, including but not limited to the cultivation of entheogens for use in religious, spiritual, healing, or personal growth practices and the sharing of entheogens with co-practitioners without financial or other consideration, should be among the City of Seattle’s lowest enforcement priorities.”

Almost more importantly, the Council openly indicates in the ordinance its full support behind decriminalization of the foregoing activities and directs the Office of Intergovernmental Relations to add to its 2022 agenda full decriminalization of psychedelics under state law.

“[e]ach of these decriminalization measures is different, but fundamentally they are the same in that they do not actually make psychedelics legal. All they really do is direct law enforcement in those cities to make enforcement of existing criminal laws a low priority, and only then for non-commercial possession and use. Decriminalization measures don’t change state or federal law, and even don’t really change local law.”

When Wisconsin legalized hemp, sales of CBD products took off. Now there is a new hemp byproduct that is growing in popularity. It's called delta-8 THC. It's sold like CBD but its effects are similar to marijuana.

"Will it get you high? Basically, yes," said Rachel Cartwright, owner of CBD Therapeutics of Wisconsin.

You can get delta-8 in candies, oils and vapes, and sales are booming across Wisconsin.

"Three quarters of my telephone calls, do you sell delta-8? Do you sell delta-8?" said Dan Sebring, who owns The Real Milwaukee CBD.

But how is it legal? Well, it's complicated. In Wisconsin, hemp-derived products are legal as long as they contain less than 0.3 percent delta-9 THC. Delta-8 THC is also found in hemp and is not explicitly prohibited.

In Passaic, entrepreneurs can grow, manufacture, package, wholesale and, in the newest incarnation of its marijuana ordinance, even deliver cannabis products. They just can't sell it at retail.  "No municipality in the state can prohibit the delivery to homes," Mayor Hector Lora said. Because New Jersey requires cities to allow cannabis delivery, the City Council introduced an amendment to its ordinance Tuesday to make it clear that home delivery is acceptable. The mayor said the city is dotting the i's to make sure its ordinance, which permits the cultivation, manufacturing and wholesaling of cannabis, follows state law.  It has high hopes that it will be able to land cannabis growers and the jobs that should come with such businesses. 

Passaic has set aside the eastern portion of the city around Market Street as an area where it would permit the cultivation, manufacture and wholesale sales of cannabis products. 

Gov. Phil Murphy signed the state's new marijuana legalization rules into law on Feb. 22. According to initial rules established by the state's Cannabis Regulatory Commission, in the first two years after that, New Jersey will issue no more than 37 cultivator licenses, although more licenses will be allowed for "microbusiness cultivators" limited to 1,000 plants and 2,500 square feet of operations.

"There's 12 large and four smaller," he said. "I am confident that we will get one large and one small.At least a dozen people interested in cultivating have contacted the city, the mayor said. Most, however, hadn't done their due diligence. 

"They all went up in smoke," he said.

For all the blubbering I do about older strains, the hybridization of cannabis makes everything in my pipe bigger, faster and stronger. Growers take the yield and potency from a strain over here, match it with something flavorful over there, and maybe you have a winner. Kids don't always outshine their parents, though, and don't have to be A.J. Soprano to come up short. Sometimes Mom or Dad are just too tough of an act to follow.

Banana MAC had a big hill to climb from the start. The name sounds like a cartoon pimp who hangs out by a fruit stand, and then there are the legacies of parents Banana Kush and MAC (Miracle Alien Cookies) to live up to. Banana Kush still clings to the title of most popular banana-flavored strain, and MAC has been a dispensary superstar for years now, thanks to serious potency and a sterling extraction record. If plants knew the pressures of societal expectations and resentment, Banana MAC would either experiment with ecstasy a little too much in high school or constantly overachieve. But Banana MAC was bred for a reason, and we'd be wise to take it seriously.

Banana Kush is a fragrant, delicious strain, but its power largely reflects those of past decades. MAC's potency and trichome production are unquestioned, and they've helped usher in a new era of strains bred for extraction. No one has ever accused MAC's basic, earthy flavor of blowing their minds, though, so the obvious plan here was creating a banana-flavored strain with bigger biceps. And for the most part, the plan works.

Representing qualities of both parents, Banana MAC has bigger buds and a fuller head of trichomes than Banana Kush, and a much louder flavor profile than MAC. The high is one of the more dangerous I've come across in a while, but it's also a fair representation of the strain's lineage, taking me on a bungee-jump-like experience of disoriented energy before gluing me to the couch if I overdo it.

If you’re a cannabis connoisseur, it can be easy to tell the difference between weed that’s been grown outdoors versus those that are grown indoors. But to the untrained smoker, the difference between the two isn’t noticeable.

There are advantages and disadvantages with each of these cultivation methods, so whether you’re looking to grow your own or simply want to become better at identifying your cannabis, learning about them is beneficial even if you prefer one to the other – or may not even care, until you find out how they differ.

At this point, no one really knows when indoor cannabis operations began though it’s safe to assume that people began looking for ways to do so when cannabis became illegal. During the later 20th century, more people began growing cannabis indoors for many reason and because of its popularity as well as the ability to customize many aspects of the plant’s growth, more people began believing that indoor cannabis is superior than those grown outdoors. But that simply isn’t true; there are more things that constitute what makes cannabis “good quality” than simply where it’s grown.

Color

One of the easiest ways to differentiate them is that outdoor grown cannabis are usually darker. So if the strain results in green flowers, its nugs will be a darker green, or even brown if it hasn’t been cured properly. On the other hand, indoor grown cannabis will exhibit bright colors. If the cultivar yields purple flowers, the outdoor cannabis will have a striking violet color while indoor grown cannabis will have lighter purple shades.

Size

Typically, outdoor grown cannabis means everything will be bigger including the buds and the stems. Indoor buds tend to have smaller buds that are more dense than the chunky nugs of the outdoor grown cannabis.

With cannabis legislation flying about and American citizens being drawn into the appeal of marijuana, discussions have moved on to issues concerning cannabis-induced anxiety. Concerned communities are wondering if marijuana causes or helps to manage anxiety. And experts have explained that it works both ways.Marijuana-induced anxiety is often experienced by both long-term and new cannabis users. The type of cannabis being consumed does not matter, as both recreational and medical cannabis have been found to trigger the condition.

This article delves into the causes of weed anxiety, methods to combat its occurrence, as well as how to prevent it from occurring in new cannabis users.

Cannabis and Anxiety

These two have an intriguing connection. Researchers have carried out trials to explain this relationship. Some studies have involved the use of cannabis and its compounds to develop a potential form of anxiety treatment, while other studies have focused on looking for ways to develop and improve cannabinoid-based anxiolytic agents.

Weed Anxiety

For you to understand weed anxiety, you have to know the concept of anxiety itself. Anxiety induces a bunch of reactions like increased heartbeats, inability to focus, incessant worries, and sweating. It occurs in moments that cause an individual to relieve their doubts and insecurities.

Unlike brief anxiety moments that can be brushed off by composing yourself with breathing exercises, weed-induced anxiety is much more complicated.

Potency has increasingly become the name of the game in the world of cannabis as THC concentrations are reaching ever greater heights. If you're looking to find the strongest cannabis around, we're here to help. Just remember, these strains do not mess around. Exercising caution when consuming them would be wise even for experienced users with high tolerances.

WEDDING PIE

An indica-dominant hybrid that packs a punch with THC content reaching up to 26 percent, Wedding Pie is a great late-night "snack" just before bedtime. This relatively new strain is a cross between two other indica-dominant hybrids, Grape Pie and the extremely popular Wedding Cake — Wedding Cake was named strain of the year in 2019 by industry website Leafly. Caryophyllene and myrcene are the dominant terpenes, giving this pie a unique peppery flavor.

There are a few Wedding Pie options available in the region, but Longview-based producer Mama J's takes the top spot when it comes to THC. Their flower clocks in at 25.7 percent, making it a decent starting point if you don't want to jump straight into the high THC deep end. Find it at Royal's Cannabis and Sativa Sisters.

SCARLET QUEEN

Grown on the rolling hills of the Palouse, Burnwell's Scarlet Queen, simply called Scarlett, is one of the strongest flower options on the market. This sativa-dominant hybrid is a cross of two other queens, killer and space. Scarlett inherited the sticky buds its parents are known for but significantly upped their punch, landing at 30.6 percent THC. It also took on the myrcene levels of its parents, giving it a traditionally herbal flavor.

Don't let the smooth, subdued packaging fool you; this is without question an in-your-face strain. Find it at Cannabis & Glass, Spokane Green Leaf and Cinder.

Marijuana may have been legalized in New York state earlier this year, but Johnson City residents may soon be restricted in where it’s legal to light up. 

The village is looking to pass an amendment to local law that would add cannabis to the list of substances restricted from spaces like public parks and other village-owned property. Tobacco smoking and vaping are already banned from those public spaces. 

“This adds cannabis to our list of things you can’t do in public parks and public property similar to the no-smoking rules we have now,” said Mayor Greg Deemie. “We’re just adding recreational marijuana to it. Right now cigarettes and vaping is already banned in the parks and certain other areas in the village. We’re just basically adding (cannabis) to the list of things you cannot do.” 

Johnson City's action will be the subject of a public hearing at the village’s Oct. 5 meeting before coming before the board for a vote. Deemie said the primary goal is to protect residents from secondhand smoke in Johnson City’s public parks.  

This isn’t the first time Johnson City has been at the forefront of local policy changes. Laura Kelly, Community Engagement Coordinator for Tobacco Free Broome and Tioga, said the village was among the first in Broome County to enact a tobacco-free parks policy. Kelly expects other municipalities in the region to follow the village’s lead once again when it comes to restricting cannabis use in public parks. 

Marijuana enforcement officials, city council members, and citizens all came together to discuss marijuana sales in the city, the timeline, and the economic impact at the 5th annual Western Colorado Economic Summit at the Grand Junction Convention Center on Thursday. City Council member, Abe Herman says, “Things we’ve come to consensus on is the cap of the number stores which is ten stores throughout the city. We have agreement from council on that, and the other item is the selection process for those ten stores which is a weighted lottery.”

Herman is pushing for store owners to give back to the community through non-profits and other ventures instead of just chasing profits. “Rather than it being pure chance, it will be weighted towards operators we feel are going to meet the goals and the vision we have for the community,” said Herman.

Also discussed were buffer zones of 1,000 feet from schools, 500 feet from parks, and rehabilitation facilities, but it could all change. Herman says, “Nothing is concrete at this point cause we haven’t adopted regulations yet.”

The marijuana city sales power point presentation may be done, but the city council policy discussions continue including a special tax rate of 6% with a total rate of over 26%. Community Development Director Tamra Allen says, “15% sales tax for marijuana, and that goes to the state. We get 10% of that back or 1.5%.”

Most decisions can change, but what won’t change is where the revenue is going. “For administration enforcement related to marijuana in the city is one. And, the second one is to the highest priorities of the recently adopted parks recreation open space master plan,” said Director Allen.

Marijuana is now legal in New York, but that doesn’t mean you can smoke it everywhere. Here’s a look at some of the rules on where you can and can’t smoke in the state. Generally, anywhere you’re not allowed to smoke a cigarette, you’re also not allowed to smoke a joint.That includes a host of places where smoking is banned under New York’s Clean Indoor Air Act:

But there’s more. Numerous cities and counties across the state have banned smoking in public parks and other locations.