WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CBD & THC? JOIN US TO FIND OUT!

Description: There are a lot of discussions about cannabis effects recently! Some are saying it should be legal because of all the benefits of CBD! Others are saying that THC comes with a lot of risks? What do you think? Are you certain that you have all the right information?

A simple truth is that marijuana marked a big part of our youth. Okay, truth to be told, we were rebellious teenagers, so smoking pot was an essential part of growing up. But, plenty of our friends who didn’t take any risks whatsoever also used to smoke it at parties, etc.  Although the use of cannabis isn’t a new thing, at that time, it was somewhat of forbidden fruit. Hence, smoking or making cookies with it was super exciting. What are your experiences with pot? 

As you probably know, the attitudes towards cannabis were significantly changing throughout history. They also varied from culture to culture. For example, in Asian and Native American cultures, it was pretty used for both recreational and medicinal purposes. In the incident, however, it was quickly labeled as harmful. The main reason for that is its psychoactive ingredient, tetrahydrocannabinol or THC.

Recently, however, we see the winds shifting. First, it became clear that CBD which is extracted from hemp has plenty of positive effects on our health. Hence more and more states in the U.S. and countries worldwide started to legalize it. Further research showed there are plenty of cannabis effects and benefits.  So now we are moving towards the legalization of marijuana as well.

At the same time, an increasing number of people are seeking supplements that can help improve their health, such as protein powder cookies or alleviate the symptoms of existing health problems. Hence, more and more folks are becoming curious about the differences between CBD vs.THC and cannabis product’s effects.

An ingredient strongly implicated in the EVALI (e-cigarette or vaping use-associated lung injury) outbreak that spread across the U.S. in 2019 could soon be banned in the state of Michigan.

Last week, Michigan’s House approved three bills that would ban the sale of tobacco and cannabis vaping products containing vitamin E acetate, reports MLive.com.

The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has “strongly linked” the ingredient to the EVALI outbreak that resulted in 68 deaths and nearly 3,000 hospitalizations, across all 50 states.

The package of bills was introduced by Rep. Abdullah Hammoud, D-Dearborn, and Rep. Joe Bellino, R-Monroe, and passed with bipartisan support. The bills will now move on to the Senate for further review.

Between April 2019 and February 2020, nearly 3,500 vaping products containing vitamin E acetate were sold in Michigan and an additional 8,000 cartridges containing the ingredient were removed from inventory.

Cities and towns across New York are considering whether to allow retail cannabis dispensaries and consumption lounges legalized under state law to operate within their jurisdictions, with some officials urging them to act as a deadline approaches.

In March, the New York state legislature and Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo approved legislation to legalize marijuana for adults and establish a regulated and taxed economy for the commercial production and sale of cannabis. Under that legislation, municipal governments have the right to opt out of the establishment of licensed cannabis dispensaries and consumption lounges within their borders. Towns and cities that decide not to allow such businesses must hold a referendum on the ban if at least 20 percent of registered voters sign petitions calling for such a vote.

During a recent webinar, Sarah Brancatell, the legislative director for the New York State Association of Towns, warned municipal leaders that do not want cannabis lounges and retailers in their communities that they have only until the end of the year to approve a local ordinance. Cities and towns that do not opt out before that time will not be able to in the future.

“The local law has to be adopted on or before Dec. 31, 2021. That’s coming up really quickly,” said Brancarella. “It’s like a one or done shot. If you adopt it on Jan. 1, it has no effect.”

New York Local Officials Taking Action

Municipal leaders across the state have begun to take notice, and movements to enact bans on cannabis businesses are already underway. In North Salem, a suburb of New York City in Westchester County, the Town Board has set a hearing to be held June 22 via Zoom on a proposed opt-out ordinance. At a meeting of the board on May 25, Supervisor Warren Lucas said that if the town opts out of the businesses, the decision can be reversed at a later date.

Maine’s adult-use cannabis retailers sold over $5 million worth of marijuana products in May, a new record for the state’s nascent legal market. 

The state’s 34 licensed adult-use retailers reported 71,843 sales transactions totaling nearly $5.4 million last month, earning the state roughly $536,000 in tax revenue. 

Recreational cannabis sales figures in Maine have climbed steadily since the market launched in October, with retailers bringing in about $1.1 million in the first month.

May’s $5.4 million record broke the previous record, set in April, by over $1 million. 

So far, the legal adult-use market has reported about $22.7 million in sales, earning the state more than $2.2 million in sales tax revenue, according to data from the Maine Office of Marijuana Policy.

Charlotte’s Web Holdings is teaming up with the University of Colorado-Boulder on investigating supporting improved sleep with two cannabinoids.

Many people would be familiar with the cannabinoid CBD (cannabidiol) these days, but it’s just one of many cannabinoids in cannabis. Another is CBN – cannabinol, which is found only in trace amounts in the plant.

Charlotte’s Web says while there is some anecdotal evidence for CBN supporting better sleep, there is little substantiated clinical or preclinical evidence to back these claims.

Charlotte’s Web’s CW Labs division is collaborating with University of Colorado-Boulder’s REACH (Research and Education Addressing Cannabis and Health) Center to investigate the company’s full spectrum hemp formulations with CBN (cannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol) to examine the impact on anxiety and sleep quality. These formulations contain less than 0.3% THC.

University of Colorado-Boulder’s Monika Fleshner, PhD, Professor of Integrative Physiology, and a member of the Center for Neuroscience at the University is lead for the project, which will be conducted her Stress Physiology Laboratory.

Cannabis brings big money to those U.S. states willing to legalize. This is the message marijuana advocates have been preaching for years, and they take every opportunity to praise it as a selling point.

Some of the latest numbers prove that the sale of cannabis products is poised to become one of the largest, tax-generating inebriation markets in the U.S.

The state House on Monday approved a set of revisions to Pennsylvania’s medical marijuana law, seeking to make permanent some of the changes put in place temporarily because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Representatives voted 164 to 38 for the bill, which would permit dispensing a three-month supply at a time, up from one month’s supply. Patients will be able to continue to pick up their medicine outside a dispensary, rather than coming inside the building.

State Health Department communications director Barry Ciccocioppo said the agency was concerned about provisions of the bill he said threaten product quality and patient safety.

” We look forward to working with the legislature to resolve these concerns for the best interest of Pennsylvanians,” Ciccocioppo said.

The legislation would also let caregivers provide help to more than five patients at once and would ease the process by which contaminants must be removed before the final testing. Grower-processors would be permitted to use pesticides under standards the Agriculture Department would develop.

The economic picture is getting high in Southwest Michigan, thanks in great part to the marijuana industry.

New businesses in empty factories. Busy storefronts. Tens of thousands of dollars in tax revenues. The marijuana business is big in Southwest Michigan.

The South Bend Tribune reports that a number of factories and storefronts that had been forced to close their doors when redevelopment efforts came up short have found new life since the state legalized marijuana.

Marijuana Advocacy groups Are Pushing Congress To Pass A Federal Cannabis Bill This Month

A collection of influential advocacy groups are pushing for federal cannabis reform. Both the ACLU and NAACP are pressing the heads of a congress to conduct a vote. This vote would be in regards to a House bill to legalize cannabis on a federal level. The vote and potential passing of the bill are trying to be accomplished by the end of the month.

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights (LCCHR) shared their thoughts on cannabis reform. This was done in a letter that was sent just last week, to the House leadership. The group stated that it’s important to pass the Marijuana Opportunity, Reinvestment, and Expungement Act. Back in 2020 the MORE Act passed the House and is now being reintroduced.

Ever since last year when the House approved the MORE Act. “the circumstances of this past year have made the War on Drugs even more untenable and amplified the voices of those demanding transformation in our criminal-legal system,” the groups wrote.

“In the face of a growing national dialogue on discriminatory law enforcement practices, including the disproportionate policing of drug use in communities of color, transforming our criminal-legal system and redressing its harms is more relevant and more pressing than ever before,” the letter states. “Marijuana reform represents a modest but necessary first step toward that transformation and toward repairing the harm wrought by the War on Drugs. The MORE Act remains the most effective and equitable way forward.”

Federal Cannabis Reform A Step In The Right Direction

Jerrold Nadler who is the Judiciary Committee Chairman has stepped up as the sponsor of the bill. This bill would remove marijuana from the Controlled Substances Act. As well as erasing the past cannabis crimes for people who have been in trouble with those issues. Next, this bill would also impose a federal tax on cannabis. The tax money that is made from legal cannabis would be used to rebuild communities and fund other programs. 

Besides treating gastrointestinal inflammation and pain, CBD may also help treat particular psychological conditions, such as anxiety and depression.

Cannabidiol (CBD) is one of at least 144 cannabinoids found in the cannabis plant. Unlike delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is another well-known cannabinoid, CBD has no intoxicating effects.

CBD acquired from hemp has different effects than marijuana because of its lack of an ability to produce a “high,” unlike THC. Legally, delta-9 THC cannot be present in any chemical entities in quantities of more than 0.3% on a dry weight basis. Hemp contains less than this amount of THC, while marijuana has a greater concentration.

Photo by Nisangha/Getty Images

Effects of CBD on the Brain

Before understanding the effects of CBD, we have to learn about an important system in our body known as the ECS, or endocannabinoid system. It is a critical system that helps the body maintain homeostasis (i.e. balance).

Acne: the four-letter word that haunts many people from their teenage years to adulthood.

According to The American Academy of Dermatology Association (AADA), acne is the most common skin condition in the United States, as it effects up to 50 million Americans annually. Known medically as Acne Vulgaris it effects 80% of all Americans at some point in their lives. Unfortunately, after puberty, acne continues for many. A study done by the AADA showed overall facial acne prevalence of 54% for woman and 40% for men aged 25 and up. In recent years, due to widespread legalization of cannabis and subsequent studies, CBD is now being hailed as a natural and effective form of acne medication.

Sebum Production

Sebum is an oily substance produced by your body’s sebaceous glands. Sebum oil is instrumental in skin health. When an ideal amount is produced your skin is glowing and healthy, however, too little creates excessive dry skin and leads to cracking. It is over production of this sebum that is a key contributor to acne, as the excess oils clog your pores. Sebocytes are cells that synthesize sebum. In a 2014 study investigating the effects of CBD on Sebocytes, the research discovered that CBD could prevent these cells from creating too much sebum oil. Research also suggests that CBD causes anti-inflammatory effects on these cells.

Dry Skin

A 2009 study suggests that CBD may be an effective treatment for dealing with dry and dehydrated skin. Dehydrated skin results in the buildup of dead skin cells and, in conjunction with the sebaceous glands producing excess sebum oil to make up for the dry skin, it can cause acne. These results are promising.

Anti-Bacterial and Anti-Fungal Effects

A review conducted by Frontiers in Plant Science in 2016 on the cannabis plant revealed that due to CBDs anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties, their effects could reduce the infections caused by pollutants on the skin. This is an important finding as dirt and other pollutants can block your skins pores and leave you with acne.

Now that Michigan has legally approved the process of expunging past cannabis convictions, it’s time to put plans into action and get some of these past convictions overturned. In order to do so, the state held its first expungement fair last Wednesday to help clear records in record time.

Yvonne Morrow is one of the people who came out to Michigan’s first expungement fair to get her 20-year-old possession charge cleared. Even though the conviction happened so long ago, it still plagues her as a mark on her record.

“If it takes 20 years for somebody to get their record expunged for marijuana, I mean, come on,” she said as she waited in line for her record to be cleared.

The fair is a chance for people to either get their record completely cleared, or get help with the process. Currently, expungements for cannabis misdemeanors and select felony cases are on the table to be cleared, and folks with prior convictions are flooding in to make it happen and start with a clean slate.

“Today marks the day in history where the lives of 718 people will be set free, dignity restored, family trees changed forever,” said Sheriff Christopher Swanson regarding the move and the fact that lives will be changed positively by this exciting step in the right direction.

Police in Great Britain reportedly discovered that a 17th century castle had been used as a massive cannabis growing operation.

The state Senate passed legislation that would legalize recreational cannabis just before 2 a.m. Tuesday morning.

The bill passed 19-17, with six Democrats voting against and one Republican voting in favor. Sen. Heather Somers, R-Groton, and Sen. Paul Formica, R-East Lyme, both voted and stood to argue against the measure.

While the state House is expected to debate the bill over the next few days, time is dwindling to push the bill through the legislature, as the legislative session ends Wednesday at midnight.

House leaders acknowledged the tight deadline, especially given the fact that the House plans on taking up the state budget on Tuesday, but maintained confidence that the bill would become law.

House Majority Leader Jason Rojas, D-East Hartford, said he believes the votes are in place to pass the bill.

We’re at in interesting point in our society where, not only is cannabis becoming further integrated in our daily lives, but as a society, we’re leaning more towards natural remedies, DIY solutions, and overall freedom and independence. In that vein, it makes sense that consumers are trying to figure out the best ways to grow their own cannabis, as well as manufacture products in the comfort of their own homes.

Just like food and most other consumable products, the healthiest way to do pretty much anything these days is to do it yourself. And with all the health benefits achievable through using cannabis, it’s almost a travesty to use low-end products that are tainted with heavy metals, absorbing toxins through crappy packaging and vape carts, and filling your body with carcinogens. And above all, DIY cannabis isn’t rocket science, but in many cases a simple process that will allow you to make your own medicine…

With the rise of DIY technologies, you can make most of your favorite cannabis products in the comfort of your own home. In today’s market, you can buy supplies to grow the flowers yourself, extract the compounds, and make a variety of high-quality and very pure products, without worrying about any possible mystery ingredients that could be harmful to your health.

Growing your own flower and making cannabis products at home has never been easier… but it’s still sometimes fun (and much easier) to buy product that you already know are reliable. To learn more about cannabis, and for exclusive deals on flowers and other products, make sure to subscribe to The CBD Flowers Weekly Newsletter. If you want to get the latest deals on Delta 8 THC, please subscribe to the Delta 8 weekly.

Extract at home

Until recently, consumers who wanted to make their own extracts and concentrates were reduced to using various types of kitchenware and flammable solvents. Although effective, these methods are dangerous and lead to many housefires, explosions, and other deadly outcomes.

Some people might find it reckless, but what it really showed the world is that there was a serious demand for these types of products, but no safe and efficient way for the average consumer to make it themselves. “There was definitely an incredible amount of interest from the market,” says Troy Ivan, CEO of Colorado-based ExtractCraft. “Consumers were happily paying $350 down for a product which had a 4-month wait with a company which had never existed,” Ivan continued.

If you are trying to reduce the amount of coffee you’re drinking every morning, save some money by slowing down on your twice-a-day cafe run or just cut down on caffeine in general, there are energizing cannabis strains that you can still enjoy in the morning or midday that won’t leave you feeling drained, sleepy or low on energy. As a bonus, some of them can even help melt away tension in your body like a tight neck and shoulders and improve your mood all while stimulating your mind.

For people who need a little help staying focused, getting motivated or boosting their creativity, a quick sesh can make a big difference but it’s all about the strain choice. Need some help? Check out these hybrid and sativa-dominant energizing cannabis strains that are known for their uplifting effects that still allow you to focus, be productive and stay mentally clear as you blast through a day full of activities or catch your breath while you get your second wind.

This bright, citrusy strain tastes just as good as it smells thanks to its limonene content. This potent terpene can aid in increasing energy, improving your mood and helping you feel invigorated when you need a bit of a kick and. It also has some great medical benefits from boosting your immune system to reducing inflammation which can help on days that you’re not feeling your best or a little tense from sitting at your desk all day.

Green Crack

Although the name might sound a little daunting for the uninitiated, those who are familiar with this powerful strain will swear by its ability to beat fatigue and a bad mood without fail. It has a euphoric, long-lasting buzz that may have your head in the clouds if you overdo it, so less is definitely more if it’s your first time trying it out or if you need to remain present and focused without mentally floating away.

On May 7, 2021, the National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Cancer Institute, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, and the National Institute of Mental Health published a joint notice in the National Institutes of Health Guide to establish a standard THC unit to be used in research studies funded by these institutions.

The notice defines a standard THC unit as “as any formulation of cannabis plant material or extract that contains 5 milligrams of THC.”

According to the notice, “inconsistency in the measurement and reporting of THC exposure has been a major limitation in studies of cannabis use, making it difficult to compare findings among studies.”

While subjects may experience different effects, even when consuming the same quantity of THC due to route of administration, other product elements, an individual’s genetic make-up and metabolic factors, prior cannabis exposure and other contributing factors, the goal of the notice is to increase the comparability of cannabis research studies.

The standard does not require that researchers administer no more or less than 5mg of THC during studies. It is intended as a unit of measure, much like research on alcohol has established a standard drink as 0.6 fluid ounces of pure alcohol.

Colorado has submitted a revised Hemp Management Plan to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that it says aligns with the Department’s Final Rule.

The USDA’s interim final rule on hemp was published back in late October 2019, followed by a consultation process Colorado participated in. Colorado decided not to submit a revised plan to the USDA until after the release of the Final Rule, which occurred in mid-January. In the state’s opinion, the resulting Final Rule was “vastly improved”, but the Colorado Department of Agriculture will continue to advocate for additional rule revisions with view to creating even more flexibility for producers.

Currently, the state’s hemp program is still operating under provisions in the 2014 Farm Bill, but it can only continue to do so until September this year – so this Plan is a very important document.

“I’m proud Colorado is home to a strong hemp industry and that our state is the leader in the development of industrial hemp,” said Governor Jared Polis. “The revised Hemp Management Plan gives Colorado’s hemp producers a realistic way to expand operations while also ensuring that testing is in place.”

It was back in 2012 when Colorado’s citizens voted to pass Amendment 64 to the Colorado Constitution, which contained a directive to enact legislation governing the cultivation, processing and sale of industrial hemp. Legislation adopted the following year delegated the responsibility for establishing registration and inspection regulations for hemp cultivation to the CDA.