WeedLife News Network

Depression is an increasingly common health concern. People have often refrained from talking about depression due to the stigma around mental health issues. But, more and more people are opening up about their struggle.

A mild case of depression may not affect your life adversely. You may continue with a routine while suffering from symptoms like irritability, sadness, fatigue, and anger. But, severe cases need immediate intervention as they start affecting your daily life and relationships.

Your mental health can worsen, making you frequently think about death or suicide. Such severe cases of depression can paralyze your life and make it difficult to carry on.

Medical assistance is necessary to manage the problem. With a doctor’s guidance, natural remedies such as CBD may be used as an alternative to conventional therapies or in conjunction with them.

Symptoms of Severe Depression

Before going into how you can prevent losing control over depression, know when to take action. Here are some of the symptoms indicating the need to intervene:

Defending his stance against a bill to adopt Nebraska’s Medical Cannabis Act, Governor Pete Ricketts says “legalising marijuana” will “kill kids”.

In a press conference after discussion between lawmakers regarding Legislative Bill 474, Governor Ricketts said:

“So this is a dangerous drug that will impact our kids. If you legalise marijuana, you’re going to kill your kids. That’s what the data shows from around the country.”

It was really an over the top statement given Legislative Bill 474 is in connection to medicinal cannabis – but the Governor sees it as the thin edge of the wedge and also wants the FDA’s blessing on any medical cannabis products.

Here’s the full video, posted by The Recount:

New Mexico has not moved any closer to fully legalizing recreational cannabis, as a Senate panel has decided to pull discussions at the last minute.

Initially, a hearing was scheduled for this past Sunday, but the topic has now been pulled and won’t be discussed at this time. This is probably due to the fact that the Senate is finding it hard to agree on issues like taxation, pardoning and expungement, and licensing—the issues that often hold cannabis industries up initially. 

This is stressful for advocates, as New Mexico’s Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham wants to go ahead and get legalization under way, and only gave state senators this week to approve legislation. Then, the session will end, and cannabis legalization needs to be decided and worked out before then. 

The Status of Cannabis in New Mexico

This discussion and debate started when two proposals were introduced to legalize cannabis, one from a Republican and another from a Democrat. Those deciding on legal cannabis are also looking at how the medical industry already does things, as well as how to balance economic opportunity with best practices for equity. 

When Sticky Detroit opened its first recreational marijuana shop in March 2020, partner Chris Jackson was certain the timing could not have been worse, thinking the coronavirus pandemic would surely be a damper on sales in the first months crucial to any new business.

“We put a lot of work and time into building it from the ground up,” Jackson told The Hill. “And we were really excited to be in Detroit.”

But Michigan deemed marijuana businesses essential during the pandemic, and people with plenty of time on their hands during the lockdown decided to check out the products on offer at Sticky Detroit and at their first location in Ypsilanti, just outside the city.

CBD oil is a diluted form of cannabidiol, a chemical compound that derives from the cannabis plant. Diluting the CBD with a carrier oil makes CBD oil. By infusing this with other ingredients, manufacturers can create bath bombs or bath salts. 

Is there anything more indulgent than a warm bath? Whether you hit the tub to wash up, unwind mentally, ease stiff muscles, or promote a good night’s sleep, you know all about the healing power of a good soak. But if you thought taking a bath couldn’t get any more relaxing, think again. A CBD bath might just be the ultimate way to soothe your mind, body, and soul.

Bath bombs and bath salts can benefit the skin and provide a relaxing bathing experience. Some of these products may contain cannabidiol (CBD) oil, which may have some extra benefits for the skin.

Even if you’ve been skeptical about trying CBD in any form, a soak of aromatic, CBD-infused bath salts could be the perfect way to experience CBD’s effects without ingesting it, and while doing something you already enjoy (lounging in the tub).

CBD Bath Benefits 

So what does this calming, homeostasis-promoting, cannabis-derived plant substance have to do with bath time?

Cannabis concentrates are perhaps the trickiest form you may come across. They are highly potent, and the consumption techniques are also complicated, whether you choose to smoke, vape, or dab. Still, using the right gear can make things a lot simpler for beginners, and you get better with practice and experience. The choice of equipment depends on several factors, so you need to consider them while taking your pick. Here are some helpful tips that you can follow while choosing the right gear for using concentrates.

Size and convenience 

You will want to choose your concentrate gear according to your skill level. For a beginner, the simplest is the best because it will be easy to handle and use. Handling the potency and managing dosages for cannabis concentrates may be hard enough for you. So you will want only the gear that is easy to use. Size also matters because larger pieces can be difficult to operate. Thankfully, there are lots of choices in bongs and bubblers, from large, table-top pieces to small, handheld ones.

Method of consumption

The next factor to consider is the method of consumption and the form of concentrate. When it comes to types of concentrates, you come across a lot, from wax to shatter, resin, rosin, oil, hash, and more. Consumption methods also vary, depending on your preference, and the equipment you use will differ accordingly. For beginners who want to learn how to smoke resin, a bowl gives you a good start. You can graduate to a bong or bubbler as you learn the ropes. Similarly, you will need a vaporizer for vaping a concentrate and a dab rig for dabbing it.  

Quality of smoke

The quality of smoke makes all the difference when it comes to experience, both for beginners as well as seasoned users. You will want cooler, smoother smoke that gets you high without irritating your throat or lungs. A bong with an ice catch is a good option as it helps in cooling the smoke before you inhale it. If you are more experienced, you can work with a nail and rig as it lets control the temperature for an optimal hit. Lower temperatures deliver a smoother vapor, while higher temperatures make it harder-hitting.

Durability

When you spend on smoking or dabbing gear, you will want it to last. Durability is another factor that needs attention when you buy it as a beginner. Look for ones made with high-quality material, even if it means that you have to spend a little extra. You need to be extra careful about glass gear because there are chances of dropping the bong when you do not have much experience of using it. Always stick to a reputed seller because they go the extra mile with quality and durability.

Although we started off our journey at CBD Testers with a strong emphasis on minor cannabinoids, lately, we’ve been taking a closer look at the most abundant one – THC – and all of its many applications and benefits. Another interesting, and sometimes confusing, point about this compound is how many variations of it exist.

Most people know that THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) is the dominant compound found in marijuana, and also the one that holds the plant’s psychoactive properties. It’s the most popular cannabis compound, for obvious reasons, and it also has numerous medical benefits that we as a society are only beginning to fully understand.

There are 4 major types of THC that are naturally occurring in the plant: THCA, THCV, Delta 8 THC and Delta 9 THC. There is also another type that was very recently discovered – Delta 10 THC. Although this one was accidentally manmade, it still has some interesting properties that are worth covering. All of these different types of tetrahydrocannabinol are chemically unique with varying therapeutic potential.

To learn more about cannabis, and for exclusive deals on Delta-8 THC and other products, subscribe to the Delta 8 Weekly Newsletter

THCA – Tetrahydrocannabinolic Acid

For the sake of simplicity, we’ll start at the very beginning by looking at THC in its most natural form: THCA. In short, THCA is the type of THC found in raw cannabis plants. So, when you walk into a dispensary and start looking at different bud samples and see how much THC is in each one, what you’re actually looking at is the levels of THCA. Once heat is applied, THCA loses its carboxyl acid group (in a process known as decarboxylation) and becomes THC.

THCA is found virtually everywhere in the plant, including the stems, leaves, and flowers. On its own, it has no psychoactive properties. The mind-altering effects come into play after decarboxylation, as THCA is just a precursor to all the other tetrahydrocannabinols.

As water use complaints and violations landed on the radar of the Oregon Department of Agriculture, the state decided to lean in and see if an educational approach might help course-correct the burgeoning industry. A recent audit of hemp farms’ water sources shed light on the problem: About a third of licensed hemp farmers who received a visit from the state were found to be in some form of violation.

Once the 2018 Farm Bill decriminalized hemp cultivation at the federal level, growers of everything from canola to tobacco started seeing green in the idea of dedicating acreage to the cannabis plant—which, as the source of cannabidiol (CBD), also happens to be the source of one of the most hyped botanicals to hit the health-and-wellness sector in years.

But as often occurs when entrepreneurial spirits rush in to satisfy what they suspect will be stratospheric demand, these newly minted hemp farmers overshot the mark and grew more hemp than the market could absorb.

Years after the 2018 farm bill legalized hemp production at the federal level, Idaho legislators are close to lifting the state’s ban on growing the plant.

In a 44-26 vote Monday, House members approved a bill that would authorize the production, processing, transportation and research of hemp in the state. Idaho is currently the only state that hasn’t legalized industrial hemp.

House Bill 126 also would create a dedicated fund that would collect state revenues. The bill would initially cost the state $150,000 for a program manager and operations, according to the fiscal note.

“We need long-term studies! There is a ‘painful’ parallel between medical marijuana and the past and present situation with opioids, where the short-term demonstration of efficacy on chronic pain led to the promotion and broad scale prescription of opioids in the absence of high quality evidence.” – Dr. Thorsten Rudroff

Recently, The Fresh Toast shared an article about Dr. Thorsten Rudroff’s study in partnership with the National Institute of Health and the University of Iowa that focuses on understanding how aging and mobility is linked to medical marijuana.

Already garnering attention all over the globe, the study sought participants to discuss if the use of marijuana could increase the risk of falls or cognitive impairments in aging adults.

Dr. Rudroff, whose background includes a PhD in neurophysiology and a degree in physical therapy, recently spoke in depth with The Fresh Toast about common misconceptions and barriers to research currently in place when studying medical marijuana or CBD.

Q: Other researchers often discuss the red tape that surrounds marijuana and CBD studies. Have you experienced this with your current study?

A: We have to distinguish between intervention and observation studies. Intervention studies, the investigators tell the subject how to use medical marijuana, are difficult. You need a special license to conduct these studies. To get this license can take more than 2 years. Observational studies, like this one) are easier to perform. We invite users to the lab and test them. However, it took some time to get approval from the UIOWA IRB (Institutional Review Board). For example, we had to make sure that we follow strict Iowa Marijuana laws. Furthermore, my lab is the first at UIOWA who is doing this kind of research. I hope that the next marijuana study will get approval much quicker.

Loyalty programs, long a staple of consumer marketing strategies, have found a place among regulated cannabis retailers in the United States and Canada. By offering perks such as discounts, points, special offers and new-product notifications, retail operators say loyalty programs can be a useful tool for:

Offering those perks isn’t free, but loyalty-program operators say the benefits can easily outweigh the costs.

Data shows loyalty advantage

Recent figures provided by Seattle-based marijuana analytics firm Headset illustrate how loyalty programs can drive shopping habits. Roughly 50 percent of cannabis stores in Washington state appear to use a loyalty program, according to Headset data analyst Cooper Ashley.

Over a 90-day period, the average basket spend among retailers with loyalty programs was $37.18 – 13 percent larger than the average spend at retailers without such a scheme. Loyalty-program baskets also had more items per basket and slightly higher item prices.

“That’s a pretty significant advantage to having a loyalty program right there,” Ashley said. “Your customers tend to have larger transactions.”

Marijuana, cannabis, weed, ganja. All common names for a very common drug. We know, thanks to archeological digs, that cannabis has been used by humans for millennia in rituals, for recreation, and to gain the purported health benefits. 

The effects, both good and bad, of marijuana are well known. With many of them not seeming entirely conducive to being an extraordinary essay writer or a professional in any field. So why is it that, if not for the nootropic effects, marijuana use is rising amongst college students?

For starters, marijuana use has always been high – pun intended – in this demographic. College is a time for exploration, and drug (mis)use is a common part of the journey. 

Cannabis culture is now part of mainstream culture; legalization and medicalization have thrown the limelight onto the plant. Fourteen states, two territories, and even the seat of government – the District of Columbia – have legalized marijuana for recreational use. In addition to this, thirty-five states have legalized medical uses of it. 

That means that 48 out of 50 states have a way to legally use the drug. Most of the population supports legal marijuana too: some of the most recent polls showcased support at 68%. Compare that 68% in 2020 to the 12% who supported it back in 1969. A huge rally in support has taken place as education, experimentation, and evaluation of the war on drugs have presented a strong case for regulating the drug market.

They don’t make cannabis products like they used to, and there’s an increasing number of Colorado lawmakers who think that’s problematic.

As recently as 2014, the vast majority of medical and recreational cannabis sold in Colorado was flower and only 11% was the high-potency concentrates consumed through dab rigs or vape pens. By 2019, concentrates took up a third of the market and flower was below 50%.

With the rising popularity of high-THC concentrates, which are several times more potent than flower and edibles, come worries among deep-pocketed political groups and their statehouse allies that teenagers have too much access to it without enough knowledge of the effects.

Lawmakers are working on what could be the biggest marijuana legislation in Colorado since recreational cannabis was legalized in 2012 — a bill that would more tightly regulate the state’s industry with a range of proposals, including a possible THC potency cap, a requirement that people seek medical cards in person only and improved data collection aimed at stricter enforcement of purchasing limits.

Its potential impact is enough to have the cannabis industry and its advocates warning of a so-called soft prohibition and again raising concerns about racial inequity in the business itself.

Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf has granted pardons to dozens of low-level marijuana offenders. The pardons were granted as part of an expedited process put into place last September via the Board of Pardons. That process, which was spearheaded by Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, explicitly facilitates the expedited review of those with criminal records for low-level marijuana violations. 

To date, the Governor has issued expedited pardons to just under 100 marijuana offenders. 

In recent months, lawmakers and public officials in various states have taken aggressive steps to review and vacate the criminal records of tens of thousands of people with marijuana convictions. In California alone, over 100,000 citizens had their records expunged. In several other states – including Colorado, Nevada, Illinois, and Washington – public officials granted pardons to tens of thousands of citizens with cannabis convictions. 

Said NORML’s Deputy Director Paul Armentano: “Millions of citizens unduly carry the burden and stigmatization of a past conviction for behavior that most Americans no longer believe ought to be a crime, and that in a growing number of states is no longer classify as a crime by statute. Our sense of justice and our principles of fairness demand that officials move swiftly to right the past wrongs of cannabis prohibition and criminalization.”

The future is looking brighter for Idaho farmers interested in growing hemp, as members of the state’s House Agricultural Affairs Committee approved House Bill 126 on Monday.

Voting on H.B. 126 was initially delayed during a hearing on Feb. 24, as some members of the committee said they needed additional time; however, the bill passed in a 44-26 vote. 

H.B. 126, which Rep. Clark Kauffman sponsored on the House floor, would legalize the production, processing, research and transportation of industrial hemp in Idaho.

If passed, farmers would be required to follow the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) final rule, set to take effect March 22, prohibiting them from growing plants that test over the 0.3% legal tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) concentration limit.

According to the bill, any grower who violates the 0.3% THC limit will be charged with a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $150 for the first offense. For a second offense committed within five years of the first, a person would be guilty of a misdemeanor, and the fine could double to $300. Following this, a person who commits a third offense within five years of the first conviction is guilty of a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of not more than $1,000 and six months in the county jail. 

A new study has found that using cannabis lowered the systolic and diastolic blood pressure for people in their 60s with hypertension. That's an important finding, as the number of people with hypertension in the United States alone is more than 100 million.

The study found that using cannabis regularly for three months led to a five-point drop in systolic pressure (the higher number in a blood pressure reading) and a 4.5-point drop in diastolic pressure (the lower number). The decline seemed the biggest about three hours after the use of cannabis.

The researchers, who published their findings in the European Journal of Internal Medicine, found that the improvement occurred whether patients smoked cannabis or used cannabis oil. They also theorize that the reason for the blood pressure drop relates to weed's effectiveness in helping people manage pain.

More older people than ever are using cannabis

Researchers at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Israel launched the study in reaction to the increasing number of older people who are using cannabis and CBD. Most of them use cannabis to treat pain, reduce anxiety and get better sleep.

Researchers at the university point out that little study has been done on how cannabis impacts older people. Dr. Ran Abuhasira, who led the research team, said the study "is part of our ongoing effort to provide clinical research on the actual physiological effects of cannabis over time."

Cannabis should be regulated and taxed like alcohol and tobacco, ADPD have said.  

The party was reacting to a statement by the Prime Minister Robert Abela where he announced that government will be launching a white paper on the decriminalisation of cannabis for personal use.  

“Over the years, despite the rhetoric and crocodile tears, authorities have ignored the suffering of thousands of people because of the so-called and ridiculous war on whoever smokes a joint. Victims of hard drugs are also made into victims of the justice system,” chairperson Carmel Cacopardo said.  

In light of recently published statistics that sixty percent of cases before the drug tribunal are for the possession of cannabis, ADPD said this is leading to a waste of police resources and cannabis.  

“The criminalization of drug users has completely failed, as even the United Nations claims. Those who are victims of heavy drugs have also ended up being victimized all over again, because instead of medical and social assistance they have ended up stuck in the criminal justice system,” spokesperson Samuel Muscat said.  

It’s not just the turtles and the fish we need to worry about, humans are now breathing in microplastics from all types of packaging. According to the lead researcher of a Utah State University study, microplastics are turning into dust and are contaminated with toxic chemicals, plastic fragments, and metals. These contaminants are in 4 percent of the air we breathe.

The cannabis industry’s fear of big tobacco trying to elbow into the industry has finally come true with today’s announcement of a $175 million investment into Organigram Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: OGI) from a wholly-owned subsidiary of British American Tobacco or BAT (NYSE: BTI). The BAT subsidiary has subscribed for approximately 58.3 million common shares of OGI, which represents a 19.9% equity interest on a post-transaction basis for total proceeds of approximately C$221 million (“Investment Proceeds”) at a price per share of C$3.792.