WeedLife News Network

We’re now armed with more facts about marijuana than ever before, but a lot of misinformation continues to circulate. Here are some untruths you should be aware of.

As marijuana becomes more mainstream, so do   myriad myths and legends. Fallacies and untruths about marijuana have existed as long as its opponents have. The main difference between then and now, however, is legalization and popularity.

Increased data and newly-funded research have given birth to scientific findings that help shed light on how marijuana actually affects people and society. As weed becomes legal and the states that legalize it continue to operate normally, many skeptics are starting to realize some of the great myths of marijuana are just that — myths.

Marijuana Use Causes Cancer

The research and study of how marijuana affects or contributes to cancer is still very new and inconclusive overall. Although marijuana has proven to be a helpful therapy for those undergoing cancer treatment, whether or not marijuana causes cancer is still up in the air.

Weed Is Not as Potent as It Used to Be

There is a common rumor, sometimes spoken among more senior generations, many of whom are reformed marijuana users, claiming the potency of marijuana has decreased. There is no denying the way cannabis is grown in this country has changed a great deal. 

Marijuana was illegal and often farm-grown in the 1960s, and today it is a multi-billion dollar industry in the United States.

Over the course of the past decade, the public perception of adult recreational cannabis use has shifted dramatically.

Ever since Colorado legalized marijuana for recreational use back in 2012, it’s been no secret that it could create a financial windfall for both cannabis businesses and the state itself.

A decade later, multiple other U.S. states have followed in the footsteps of the Centennial State in allowing their citizens to purchase cannabis in a manner similar to alcohol or liquor.

People are seeking new alternatives to alcohol

No one has been caught more off guard by the high demand for cannabis products than beer, wine and liquor companies. Sales tax revenue for alcohol has been surpassed by those of recreational marijuana.

According to David Feldman, CEO of Skip Intro Advisors, a strategic consulting firm for up-and-coming cannabis brands, there are numerous reasons why tax revenue for cannabis has surpassed alcohol.

One of Thailand's major fast food chains has been promoting its "Crazy Happy Pizza" this month, an under-the-radar product topped with a cannabis leaf. It's legal but won't get you high.

Veterans of the backpacker trail, familiar with the legendary pizza parlors of neighboring Cambodia's capital Phnom Penh that offer powerful marijuana as an optional condiment, might feel downright cheated.

"Of course, they cannot get high," Panusak Suensatboon, general manager of The Pizza Company, said in an interview this week. "It's just a marketing campaign. and you can taste the cannabis and then if you have enough, you maybe get a bit sleepy."

The Crazy Happy Pizza is a mashup of toppings evoking the flavors of Thailand's famous Tom Yum Gai soup along with a deep-fried cannabis leaf on top. Cannabis is also infused into the cheese crust and there's chopped cannabis in the dipping sauce. A 9-inch pie costs 499 baht (about $15). Customers preferring a do-it-yourself variety can choose their own toppings, with a 100 baht ($3) surcharge for two or three cannabis leaves.

In recent years, a kind of middle-ground product has emerged: cannabidiol, or CBD, a chemical found in cannabis that can be processed into what is touted as a cure-all medicine. CBD can be separated out from tetrahydrocannabinol — THC — the chemical in cannabis that produces marijuana's high.

Health officials in Connecticut are issuing a warning about fentanyl-laced marijuana which is being eyed in a rash of overdoses throughout the state.

Since July, 39 overdoses requiring the use of naloxone for revival have been reported. In each of the cases, the person involved said they had only smoked marijuana, but officials said they exhibited opioid symptoms.

“This is the first lab-confirmed case of marijuana with fentanyl in Connecticut and possibly the first confirmed case in the United States,” said Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Manisha Juthani.

A new cannabis film documentary entitled Lady Buds, releasing this weekend, explores the lives and challenges of female business owners.

The cannabis industry has heavily benefitted from niche documentaries, which present a professional way to educate viewers about the stigma of cannabis, its history on the War on Drugs or its effectiveness as a medicine. Films such as WEED (2013), featuring CNN’s Chief Medical Correspondent Sanjay Gupta, who opened up the conversation about medical cannabis to the nation. Weed the People (2018) explores the effectiveness of medical cannabis for children. Grass is Greener (2019) examines the history of music and its depiction of the War on Drugs.

Now it’s time to enjoy a new cinematic adventure in the form of Lady Buds—a unique perspective about female cannabis business owners from all walks of life.

High Times conducted an exclusive interview with Director, Producer and Writer Chris J. Russo in the High Times’ November Issue, aka the Women’s Issue, where she offered an inside look at her film and what kind of experience it presents to audiences. According to Russo, Lady Buds is the first of its kind—and it all began with a statistic about women in the industry that stuck with her. A few key studies have produced some shocking data about women in the industry, or lack thereof.

This low-risk activity, which has increased in popularity during the pandemic, may be your new go-to fitness exercise.

Walking is one of the world’s most common, no-gear-required activities. Aside from carrying us from point A to point B, walking is also a form of exercise that everyone can commit to, no matter their age or fitness level. According to CNN, hiking, an activity that’s becoming increasingly more popular, can burn even more calories.

Walking and hiking are two very similar activities. Like most cardio workouts, they boost bone and heart health, improve your balance, and strengthen your core. The main difference between the two is the level of energy they demand, with hiking, an activity done in nature and usually accompanied by changes in the ground in terms of terrain and elevation, gaining the upper hand.

“Walking is one of the best workouts for heart health for all ages, including those with heart problems and conditions,” said cardiologist Dr. Fahmi Farah. “Hiking is also heart-healthy and provides a higher calorie burn in a shorter amount of time.”

Both activities are healthy and good for helping you manage stress. Hikes are usually more strenuous, burning more calories and distracting you more from the problems of your everyday life.  The fact that hikes tend to put you in close contact with nature is also a perk, with studies linking happiness with surrounding yourself with nature.

With much to be thankful for, industry experts appeared optimistic about continued progress through 2021 and into the new year.

Cannabis operators tell Benzinga that there is much to be thankful for as the United States heads into Thanksgiving this year.

Dozens of sources cited a range of subjects they’re thankful for, including the eroding stigma against the plant, growing sectors and state marketplaces and improving tech. Some brought up subjects that included the industry’s growth, advancing legislation and their community.

Matt Hawkins, managing partner of Entourage Effect Capital and Interim CEO of Harborside Inc., said he is thankful to see the industry grow into a sophisticated, professional space that he’s happy to help scale.

U.S. sales are slated to reach $26 billion in 2021, according to Marijuana Business Daily.

With the COVID-19 pandemic ongoing, several noted that legislative and consumer growth is that much more impressive. They credit the public’s increased cannabis use as a critical component.

With much to be thankful for, industry experts appeared optimistic about continued progress through 2021 and into the new year.

Cannabis operators tell Benzinga that there is much to be thankful for as the United States heads into Thanksgiving this year.

Dozens of sources cited a range of subjects they’re thankful for, including the eroding stigma against the plant, growing sectors and state marketplaces and improving tech. Some brought up subjects that included the industry’s growth, advancing legislation and their community.

Matt Hawkins, managing partner of Entourage Effect Capital and Interim CEO of Harborside Inc., said he is thankful to see the industry grow into a sophisticated, professional space that he’s happy to help scale.

U.S. sales are slated to reach $26 billion in 2021, according to Marijuana Business Daily.

With the COVID-19 pandemic ongoing, several noted that legislative and consumer growth is that much more impressive. They credit the public’s increased cannabis use as a critical component.

The adult-use of recreational marijuana is a fast-growing market, and non-alcoholic beverages have an even more meteoric rise.

In places where recreational cannabis is legal, THC-infused beverages often share shelves with beer, wine and other drinks. But, should alcoholic beverage producers worry about competition from weed-infused beverages? Experts in these industries answered these questions in a recent report published by winemag.com

Colleen McClellan, regional director of client solutions for Datassential, a leading food and beverage insights platform, expects business opportunities in the THC-infused drinks space. “I think as more states relax the regulations, we will continue to see an increase in interest and use,” said McClellan, who is a trained sommelier.

The data expert highlighted that “there are consumers who enjoy the use of cannabis or THC-infused products, as it provides a functional benefit without the hangover effect” and stressed the centrality of marketing in driving consumers to dispensaries. “Weed has never been so bespoke. You can choose the strain, strength and method of consumption as you would a bag of coffee beans.”

Michelle Mendoza, head grower at Sweet Flower, a California dispensary, said, “I think the most interesting development for infused drinks as of late is the expansion of minor cannabinoids that are being featured in these drinks. We are only going to continue to see more of these minor cannabinoids as the star of the sector.”

Berner once had his own business account on Instagram blocked.

Rapper and cannapreneur Berner has teamed with Weedmaps to give people a place to feature cannabis on social media without fear of getting shut down. According to Ganjapreneur, the rapper who founded the Cookies brand and stores reports that Facebook and Instagram have been cracking down on cannabis-related posts by closing multiple accounts. That leaves the providers and their followers out of touch, potentially having a negative impact on businesses both now and going forward.

Being blocked out in part provided the rapper-turned-cannabis entrepreneur with the push he needed to pursue the new network.

Teaming with dispensary review site Weedmaps, the idea is to level the playing field by making the “Instagram of Marijuana,” a safe destination for cannabis businesses, key figures and enthusiasts.

In a tweet earlier this month, Berner asked, “Are you sick [of] being silenced ?? Have you lost your account for posting weed ?? Don’t worry … me & @weedmaps have something special in the works.”

It can take a while to feel the effects of edibles, but there are a few tricks that can help you get your desired results faster.

It’s a crapshoot with edibles. You never really know if you’ve consumed enough of them, because their effects don’t hit you until you’ve waited at least an hour after you’ve consumed them. This often results in the common scenario of inhaling an entire batch of delicious pot brownies only to spend the remainder of the day rocking yourself back and forth. Unlike other forms of cannabis that get you high within the hour, edibles require patience, timing, and the correct dosage, which is a lot to ask of someone who’s never had experience with them.A lot of people stop themselves from enjoying the perks of infused food products because of the long wait time and their unpredictability. While these challenges are adaptable and manageable, there are some ways of making edibles affect you faster. Here are a few options worth considering.

One of the most interesting developments within the cannabis industry are fast-acting edibles, designed to bypass the wait time. Known as “rapid delivery,” these edibles are being developed by companies who claim that you’ll start feeling their effects within 15 to 20 minutes.In an interview with Forbes back in 2017, Peter Barsoom, founder of cannabis company 1906, explained that his company began to make rapid delivery edibles thinking about people who didn’t have six hours to wait around for their edible to hit, aka, everyone who’s not consuming an edible on a weekend. This new formula allows edibles to “bypass the stomach and get into the small intestine faster,” through a process called proprietary lipid microencapsulation.

Sublingual Edibles

A trick savvy consumers can try is to purchase edibles that melt — like chocolate or mints — and then placing it under their tongue. Instead of waiting for the edible to make its way down the digestive track, this sublingual method allows the THC to be quickly absorbed by the bloodstream, much like a tincture or oil, which are among the quickest way to absorb THC. 

Tougher to hack, but just as important, is the speed of your metabolism. Although increasing it won’t be possible within a short span of time, over the long run, you can work on speeding up your metabolism by consuming enough calories, drinking water, working out, and getting plenty of sleep, which will also likely result in a healthier body and mind. There’s a lot of perks associated with edibles, not only because you’ll stop ingesting smoke and vapor. Edible highs are strong and can be fun, especially when people learn how to manage them. Still, if you’ve never tried them, don’t be intimidated by the newness of edibles. In order to see for yourself how they work and if they’re the right fit for you, you’ll just have to experiment.

Heirloom Pet Products recently announced it has partnered with Crystal Coast Pets to expand distribution in the United States. Crystal Coast Pets will provide Heirloom’s water-soluble hemp-based pet supplements to independent retailers in North Carolina and South Carolina.

“Crystal Coast Pets is a great fit for Heirloom Pet Products because they are very passionate about offering retail customers high-quality, differentiated pet product solutions,” said Jason Lysak, founder and chief executive officer at Heirloom Pet Products. “…Great distributor partners like Crystal Coast Pets are critical for Heirloom’s continued growth and help offering educational resources to independent retailers on the new standard of CBD for pets so they can share the differentiating benefits to the pet-loving customers they serve.”

Recreational cannabis sales begin in less than two months in half of Montana’s counties. Regulators and retailers alike are scrambling to finalize last minute details before that January 1st deadline.

It’s another busy morning at Missoula’s Greenhouse Farmacy. The dispensary’s staff is picking dried bulk marijuana flower out of a large plastic storage container, pre-weighing and packing it for sale in small aluminum containers.

“I feel like I’m in a hamster wheel. It’s constant," Greenhouse Farmacy co-owner Brian Monahan says.

He says the cannabis industry is intense under the best of circumstances, but especially now with recreational sales on the horizon. Monahan is preparing his medical marijuana dispensary to join the new marketplace for the first legal sale of recreational cannabis to adults 21 and over. Monahan estimates his sales could triple next year. To prepare, he’s ramping-up production, updating floor plans, installing new sales kiosks and improving parking accommodations.

"It’s almost just like a marathon runner at the end of a marathon. It’s like, just a couple more miles and it’s there.”

This means marijuana sales can look different county by county.

Elevate your “green” bean casserole or mac and cheese using cannabutter, THC extract or flower

Since marijuana was legalized in Colorado, edibles have become an increasingly popular choice for buyers. In fact, edibles — a category that includes infused gummies, chocolates, cookies, candies and even beverages — accounted for 13.9% of sales in Colorado between July 9 and Oct. 7 (the most of any state, according to analytics firm Headset).

But you’re not just limited to what’s sold at the store. As the variety of edibles has increased, so too have the ways consumers can make their own at home. With Thanksgiving on the horizon, we tested three different infusion methods with popular holiday dishes — using cannabutter, marijuana concentrate and flower — so everyone can gather and giggle around the dinner table this year.

Before we dive in, let’s start with a few disclaimers: Cannabis use is a highly personal experience and the effects tend to hit differently when eating it versus smoking or vaping. The standard single serving size is 10 milligrams of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive compound that produces a “high.”

If you’re new to edibles, start by eating a little rather than over-indulging. In classic Thanksgiving fashion, you can always go back for seconds.

Whacky Mac & Cheese with cannabutter

About cannabutter: Butter is one of the most well-known ways to infuse a meal with marijuana. (Brownies, anyone?) You can make your own, or you can buy some pre-made Sweet Grass Cannabutter from Colorado edibles maker Infusiam, available at LivWell Enlightened Health and other dispensaries throughout the state. The latter is great because it’s already subdivided into 10 milligrams servings. A whole stick (100 milligrams) costs $20. To dilute the recipe dosage, cut the cannabutter with un-infused butter.

Marijuana’s effect is not completely understood, which is why some people have adverse reactions to the drug and others don’t.

People tend to have two reactions when it comes to using marijuana: they either find it very relaxing or they don’t. Those who belong to the latter group accuse the plant of causing them tons of paranoia and anxiety, making them feel like they are too “in their heads,” or like they expect people on the street to call them out on their misbehavior.

Bad highs are almost like meltdowns. They’re moments where the consumer’s body reacts in a way that’s stressful, paranoid and even scary. While temporary, these episodes still feel terrible and can turn a lot of people away from weed. The only way to get through a bad high is to wait them out.

These anecdotes leave cannabis in an interesting spot. The same plant can produce exact opposite effects in different people, all because of genetics, experience and predisposition to the drug.

Marijuana produces effects by interacting with the cannabinoid receptors in our bodies, located in different areas, like our brain and skin. Cannabinoids, such as THC, bind to the receptors in the brain, causing either relaxing or stressful effects. Some of these receptors are located in spots governed by the amygdala, a section of tissue that’s responsible for managing emotions like fear, stress and paranoia.

Studies show that the positive and therapeutic effects of cannabis are due to the influence of cannabinoids on our endocannabinoid systems. These positive results appear even more markedly on patients that have experienced trauma and PTSD, who usually have low levels of chemicals like anandamide.

Raw marijuana doesn’t have THC, but it can be consumed for some extra benefits. Here are some examples.

Amateur cannabis users likely don’t know the inner workings of cannabis. They don’t know that a key element for the “high” experience is heat, which transforms the compound THCA into THC, which is why someone might try to add raw marijuana into their sweets and expect some sort of benefit.

While this doesn’t work, raw marijuana does have some interesting health benefits.

In recent years, people have taken an interest in other parts of the cannabis plant, removing THC from their focus. There are a variety of elements present in the plant that have benefits, at times mysterious, since they haven’t been all that studied. These compounds and terpenes are plentiful and vastly different, to a point where researchers don’t even know how many there are and what their effects are in full.

For the THC in the cannabis plant to become effective — providing the high and the sensation of relaxation or creativity — the plant needs to go through a decarboxylation process. This is the step many neophyte cannabis chefs skip before cooking edibles. Decarboxylation occurs when you apply heat to the plant, be that when smoking a joint or when preheating cannabis before adding it in to your edibles.

In its natural state, cannabis doesn’t have any THC. Instead it has a compound called THCA, which has been linked with anti-inflammatory properties, the promotion of brain health, the propagation of cells, and even slowing down the growth and spread of cancer cells.

Cannabis and caffeine are two very popular substances, the go-to of a lot of people for productivity. Here are 5 things you should know.

Marijuana and caffeine are substances that people are very attached to. They facilitate the productivity for many of us, making our lives easier and more manageable. Nowadays, there’s a lot of companies trying to combine the two.

Even before marijuana was embraced by the mainstream, enthusiasts of the drug were finding creative ways of mixing these two elements, adding cannabis to oil or butter and mixing it in with their coffee, perfecting recipes that resulted in a completely different high.

Photo by Priscilla Du Preez via Unsplash

More research needs to be conducted in order to understand how these two elements work together, but there’s a variety of anecdotal evidence that says that the pairing of these two results in a special high, one that adds deeper layers to the effect of marijuana. Here’s what we know about caffeine and marijuana, and the joint effect that they produce on the body.

Caffeine might increase the duration of your high

Photo by Julian Hochgesang via Unsplash

The amount of time you allow for your T-break is important, but how you spend that time away from THC can also affect the effectiveness of your respite.

Tolerance breaks, often referred to as T-breaks, are a great way to reset your body and reawaken the long-forgotten feeling you had when you first started using cannabis. If you use marijuana regularly, its effects can alter and weaken over time. When you need more and more weed to feel the same effects, you might be one of many cannabis users who could benefit from a T-break.

The saying “absence makes the heart grow fonder” can certainly be applied to a tolerance break, which gives you a chance to regroup and start enjoying marijuana like you did when you first started consuming. But what if your T-break does not bring back that old feeling and you still need the same amount of product to feel its effects?

When you take a break from THC and it does not seem to affect your tolerance, you may need to rethink the way you take your T-breaks.

If your break did not lower your tolerance, or did not restore the feeling you once had when you enjoyed it for the first time, try taking a longer one. According to WebMD, cannabis breaks should be at least 21 days long. Try to last for three weeks without THC in order to effectively reset your tolerance, especially if your previous T-breaks were brief.

Photo by Ivan-balvan/Getty Images

The Greenhouse of Walled Lake is launching a home delivery service and is now hiring 12 delivery drivers but is only seeking veterans of the military.

Oakland County's first fully licensed medical and recreational marijuana dispensary is launching the new home delivery service on Tuesday, just two days before Veterans Day, and is seeking "12 good men and women" for the jobs that can pay up to $50,000 per year.

No knowledge of the cannabis industry is necessary to apply but a valid Michigan driver's license and good driving record are both required.

Owner Jerry Millen said they launched the service on Tuesday, just two days before Veterans Day.

"So I'm looking to hire up to 12 veterans. We started delivery today at the Greenhouse of Walled Lake because there's such a demand for deliveries.  It's called greenhouse to go," he said

But that's not all. Jerry wants to help veterans by giving them $10,000 from the sales of the Veterans Day infused-chocolate canna-bar