WeedLife News Network

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."

A bill aimed at capping the amount of THC in medical marijuana cleared its first committee stop in the Florida House of Representatives on Tuesday.

The Professions & Public Health Subcommittee passed the bill, HB 1455, allowing it to move forward in the Florida House.

The bill states that qualified physicians may not prescribe medical marijuana containing more than 10 percent THC to patients. THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, is the main psychoactive compound in cannabis that produces the high sensation.

The bill would also limit patients to 15,000 milligrams of THC every 35 days.

For decades now, cannabis has been treated as a joke medicine, or worse. Fortunately, since 2020, we’ve seen several groundbreaking studies that have begun dispelling cannabis’s negative reputation.

In a December 2020 study by the University of New Mexico published in the Journal of Cannabinoid Research, researchers reviewed data collected from 2306 self-administered doses of cannabis flower by 670 participants via a cannabis tracking app called Releaf.

From that data, researchers found that decreases in symptom intensity were reported in 95.51 percent of cannabis sessions. Additionally, higher CBD concentration was not associated with changes in intensity of symptoms while higher THC concentration was associated with reductions in negative symptoms. Yet, cultivars labeled indica provided better results than cultivars labeled sativa. While the labels sativa and indica have been discounted, this study used them to match the consumer’s market options.

Although paranoia has commonly been associated with cannabis, this study found that people were much more likely to report positive effects after ingesting cannabis than negative ones. Due to this, the authors have hypothesized that the classic paranoia may have more to do with the illegality of cannabis than the inherent effects of the plant. They also hypothesize that this positive profile is why many patients choose to substitute cannabis for traditional pharmacological substances such as benzodiazepines, atypical antipsychotics, SSRIs, beta-blockers, and other medications meant to treat negative affect.

In contrast to the idea that THC causes anxiety, the study found that: “…the fact that higher THC appears to confer greater anxiolytic effects in our study at higher THC levels suggests that the whole natural Cannabis plant may act very differently on the brain as compared to synthetic or derived THC isolates.” While there was a lack of absolute control over the experiment, Releaf represents an innovative solution that allows for reliable and comfortably supplied information to be reported.

When Silicon Valley tech workers didn’t invent microdosing, they may be responsible for turning it into a trend: The practice is often touted as a biohack for creativity, inspiring new ways to pump out code, design interfaces, or harness the entrepreneurial spirit. But, microdosing psychedelics may have real benefits that go beyond the reflective walls of San Francisco high rises. 

A “microdose” is a dosage of a psychoactive substance that is too low to produce a noticeable intoxicating effect. Psilocybin mushrooms, LSD, and cannabis are the three most commonly micro-dosed substances. Anecdotally, the reasons why consumers microdose are many: Anxiety, creativity, and depression all make the list. 

Yet, while consumers report many benefits to microdosing, the topic has long eluded the scientific community that’s responsible for putting these reports to the test. The 1971 Controlled Substances Act criminalized the possession, cultivation, and processing of many drugs, psychedelics included. The act, however, does a lot more than criminalize the possession of these substances. It also forces scientists to jump through immeasurable hurdles to access psychedelics for research.

But that doesn’t mean that some researchers don’t try. 

Microdosing for Anxiety

Every once in a while, researchers are given express permission to move forward with psychedelic studies. Fortunately, the rising popularity of microdosing is spurring a push for real scientific research on the topic. Five years ago, there were virtually no studies on microdosing psychedelics. Yet, in the time since, academic journals published nearly 400 different papers on the topic. 

The best CBD oil for pain really depends on your condition. Whether you have an injured back or chronic migraines, let us help you find what you need.

If you have never experienced chronic pain, it is difficult to imagine how much a sensation can impact your life. Pain has a way of making itself known in every occasion, taking the limelight in the middle of the night and forcing your attention during quality time with friends and loved ones. This intrusive feeling is the single most common reason people use medical cannabis. Yet, accessing the herb is still difficult around the globe. Fortunately, patients now have another natural option that can help them feel their best: CBD oil for pain.

CBD for Pain: How It Works

Along with emotion, temperature, and pleasure, pain is one of the few ways that the human body communicates with the brain. While there are many different types of pain, the uncomfortable sensation, first and foremost, acts as a signal for tissue damage. When cells in a particular area experience damage, they release chemical compounds that trigger inflammation and sound the alarm to the nervous system that something is wrong.

If everything goes according to plan, pain signals stop when tissue damage stops. However, it doesn’t always pan out that way. Chronic pain occurs when nerves continue to send distress signals to the brain and spinal chord, even if the painful stimuli or tissue damage has stopped.

Here’s where CBD for pain comes into play. Short for cannabidiol, CBD is a non-intoxicating compound found in the cannabis plant. Over the past decade, a growing body of evidence has found that the cannabis compound may act as a strong anti-inflammatory, reducing triggers for pain at the site of injury. However, that’s not the only superpower behind CBD for pain. The molecule may also trigger the release of feel-good neurotransmitters, which not only improve mood but may counteract negative pain signals to the brain.

More people are embracing the Adderall and weed combination, but we don’t know much about how they really interact.

A way to level up, or a dangerous drug cocktail? There’s lots of enthusiasm and skepticism out there about the weed and Adderall, aka “weederall,” combination, and plenty of misleading and concern-trolling information about taking the two together.

And that makes learning actual, useful, credible info about the combo difficult. But don’t worry, we’ve done the digging for you. Depending on who you ask, Adderall and weed are an ideal combo, a perfect pair of stimulant and depressant. Yet others who’ve combined the two have had unpleasant and sometimes distressing experiences involving racing hearts and shallow breathing.

Both experiences are true and possible. Complex drugs lead to complex effects, especially when combined in experimental ways. Everyone’s results will vary, but knowing how and why those effects can be so different is important. So if you’ve ever wanted to learn more about the Adderall and weed combo, read on.

Why Do People Mix Adderall and Weed?

So what’s behind the cannabis and Adderall combination that’s so attractive to the people who consume and take the two drugs?

Weed trim is a common term used to describe the excess parts a cultivator must trim from their plants post-harvest in order to fully maximize a plant’s bloom and, in turn, get more desirable crystals. In short, a good trim will get the grower a bigger, higher quality plant yield.

With a varying amount of states now allowing marijuana-users to legally grow their own crops, cultivation and harvesting techniques are, arguably, more important now than ever before. When it comes to the excess scraps that come from a fruitful harvest, an inexperienced (or in some cases, even an experienced) grower might not know what to do with weed trim. Luckily, there are several ways you can utilize your weed trim, rather than simply dump it in the garbage and call it a day. So let’s go through and look at what to do with trim leaves after a successful harvest.

What To Do With Trim Leaves — What Are Trim Leaves?

First, let’s go into a little more detail about weed trim, before getting into how to best utilize it.

Typically, weed trim is collected after harvest. In fact, it plays an important role during the growing process, as it serves as an indicator for your plant’s health. The leaves, which are commonly referred to as fan leaves before they are trimmed, can help a cultivator determine if the plant is lacking nutrients, water, or even sunlight depending on the colors of the leaves.

Removing trim helps make the plant’s buds achieve the classic nug look, but it also helps remove some unnecessary parts of the plant, at least in terms of smoking. But some of these parts, although low in potency, can still be consumed. And yes, you can still get high. Or, at the very least, achieve a higher level of physical and mental wellness.

When it comes to products that can be made from hemp, the possibilities seem to be endless.

Hemp may not get you high, but it can do pretty much anything else you can imagine. This low-THC variant of the cannabis plant has a dizzying array of uses, including everything from food to medicine to rope to bricks and more—somebody even made a sports car out of hemp. Here are 15 products that can be made from hemp.

1. Beer

Beer and hemp are the perfect match. That’s because hops and cannabis are essentially botanical cousins.

There are now a handful of breweries around the country that use hemp to make cannabis-infused beer.

Unlike CBD, CBN is not present in significant quantities in fresh marijuana, but when unheated marijuana ages or is exposed to air and light, the THC in it turns to CBN.

According to a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 25% of U.S. adults report insufficient sleep or rest at least 15 out of every 30 days. In addition to its profound impacts on cognitive health and behavioral functioning, sleep deprivation can cause accidents, affect relationships, and contribute to lowered immunity and chronic illness.

A report by Express Scripts, a Cigna-owned pharmacy benefit manager, concludes that more than one in five people say their quality of sleep has suffered during the spread of COVID-19. With that spike, the demand for sleep aids and medications has seen a similar surge, and with it the debut of products containing cannabinol (CBN), a minor cannabinoid with, what some claim is, a uniquely sedative effect.

Unlike CBD, CBN is not present in significant quantities in fresh marijuana, but when unheated marijuana ages or is exposed to air and light, the THC in it turns to CBN, which is only psychoactive if ingested in large doses. Promoted as the cannabinoid with the most significant sleep-inducing qualities studied to date, CBN has been compared to Valium in the way it calms the body without having a negative impact on functioning. While CBN has also been shown to have positive benefits for sufferers of glaucoma, psoriasis, bacterial infection, and pain, sleep is where some say CBN (in concentrated form) comes out on top.

An analysis performed by cannabis testing and analytics company Steep Hill Labs showed that 5mg of CBN is as effective as 10mg of diazepam, a prominent pharmaceutical sedative. Steep Hill later amended their analysis to state that their results did not show conclusive sedative qualities, but enthusiasm for CBN is still on the rise

The New Zealand Medical Cannabis Council claims the country’s government scheme is being undermined by unregulated medical cannabis imports.

The NZMCC says some medical practitioners are importing products and selling directly to patients, taking advantage of a loophole in Section 25 of NZ’s Medicines Act.

That section provides an exemption allowing all authorised prescribers to “procure the supply of any medicine”; including approved and unapproved medicines. Among other things, it allows an authorised prescriber to obtain a medicine by direct importation.

The Council claims currently there is less regulatory oversight of Section 25 imports than vitamins sold in supermarkets.

While benefiting patients through lower cost products being available, the situation is impacting on the viability of local producers and distributors who cannot compete on price at this point. Among some of NZMCC’s other concerns is that some of these imported products are of “unknown quality and consistency”.

CBD capsules are often marketed as being a modern and simplistic alternative to traditional CBD oil tinctures. CBD capsules remove many of the factors that can put people off trying CBD supplements. As a result, they have quickly become one of the fastest-growing niches within the CBD industry.

There are many reasons why people are increasingly looking for products like CBD capsules. There have been a number of studies focusing on how regular use of CBD can help to improve both general health and even manage specific health issues.

With an ever growing number of people turning to CBD supplements – including capsules – the industry has responded. Now, one can find a variety of CBD capsule options available across a range of online and retail markets.

Knowing where to find the best CBD capsules and soft gels can feel a little daunting at first. We have put together a guide to some of the best CBD capsules on the market to help you discover the benefits of CBD supplements.

#1 PureKana – Best for targeted effects 

Australia’s national science agency has been granted a manufacturing licence to develop medicinal cannabis products by the Australian Office of Drug Control.

The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) says it will work to bridge the gap between cannabis cultivation and medicine manufacture, developing protocols and the first prototype products before transferring the technology to manufacturers.

“We had been able to do early-stage work with cannabis, but the new licence will enable us to develop cannabis-derived cannabinoid medicines using innovative extraction, refinement and formulation techniques,” said CSIRO Scientist, Adjunct Professor Peter Duggan.

The news was welcomed by ASX-listed Cann Group, which  has worked closely with CSIRO for more than three years.

“With this independent license CSIRO will be able to play a key role in helping establish a vibrant industry in Australia,” said Cann Group CEO Peter Crock.

Rhode Island is looking for an experienced person or a firm to create and run a lottery in May to decide who operates six proposed new medical marijuana dispensaries.

On Friday the state posted online a request for proposals to “design and develop the methodology for the random selection process,” that would be held, in public, around May 14.

“The firm or individual will be primarily responsible for securing all equipment, technology, or other necessary mediums to run the process.”

Lotteries have been used in other jurisdictions around the country to decide who wins the often lucrative licenses, but the practice hasn’t been universally endorsed here.

Several local marijuana business owners have said operating licenses should be based on merit, with those companies with proven track-records better positioned to run new dispensaries than newcomers.

The CBD industry has attracted a great deal of attention over the last few years. A combination of high profile cases in the media and an investment in research has led to an increasing number of people showing interest in the potential benefits of CBD.

Research into the varying benefits of CBD has shown that it can be an extremely versatile supplement affecting health in a number of positive ways. A large number of studies have focused on the benefits of using CBD as a general wellness supplement.

There have also been more focused research projects that have found CBD possesses powerful anti-inflammatory capabilities and has led CBD to become a common natural remedy for treating related inflammatory conditions.

The effect of CBD on mental health and, in particular, anxiety and stress is another popular area of research and one that has attracted a great deal of interest. Early studies have yielded positive results, causing a rise in CBD products and PureKana CBD gummies focused on managing mental health.

Research into CBD and mental health

Arizona celebrated its first month of recreational marijuana sales yesterday, and there's much to cheer. More than 100 medical marijuana dispensaries have been cleared to sell recreational marijuana to customers 21 years and older, and business is booming. Drive past a Valley dispensary in the middle of the day, and there's a decent chance you'll still find a line outside the door.

For longtime marijuana shoppers in Arizona — MMJ patients, that is — there's been less to celebrate. Ironically, many of them feel that legalization has made marijuana less accessible for them.

One gripe: those lines.

"I should not see young, able-bodied folks coming in and out of a dispensary while there are folks in wheelchairs and using walkers waiting in line," says James Carter, a medical marijuana patient in Mesa.

Some dispensaries, still adjusting to balancing medical and rec sales, have begun implementing new policies that aim to prioritize patients. Many Harvest locations have a special window for medical patients. Territory Dispensary has implemented a cashless, pre-pay system for online orders called TreezPay that expedites the pick-up process, cutting down the amount of time customers have to spend in the store. Raul Molina, COO of The Mint dispensaries, recently told Fox 10 that their goal is to serve medical patients within 10 minutes and recreational patients within 30 minutes.

Topical CBD (cannabidiol) products are becoming increasingly popular – but recent testing indicates some who use them may not be getting what they paid for.

CBD topicals are being used for a number of applications including general cosmetics, moisturising, treating skin irritations and to relieve muscle and joint pain. Research indicates cannabidiol may be effective in treating or managing a number of skin problems.

As an active ingredient it’s important that what’s in the product is reflected by what’s on the label.

Leafreport engaged Canalysis Laboratories to test dozens of CBD topicals including creams, balms, serums and toners, and found 31 of the 40 products contained 12% to 99% cannabidiol versus what was on the label either way (less or more). Just 9 of the products had CBD levels within 10% of the label and 11 were off 30% or more from what the label noted. The majority of the products (31 or 77.5%) contained more CBD than advertised.

While more CBD may sound like a good thing, it raises the question – if a company can’t get CBD levels pretty right, what else is happening with the product? Additionally, more CBD than indicated can make it difficult for a user to determine what they actually need.

Researchers at the University of Sydney are conducting a wide-ranging study concerning quality of life issues for medicinal cannabis patients.

Funded by Australian medicinal cannabis firm Little Green Pharma (LGP), the QUality of life Evaluation STudy (The QUEST Initiative) will delve into related patient outcomes and aims to recruit 2,100 patients by June this year.

The Australian Government is backing the study.

“The QUEST Initiative represents a significant Australian contribution to the global need for reliable, objective and clinically-relevant quality of life data for patients accessing medicinal cannabis treatments for a broad range of chronic conditions,” said Federal Minister for Health, Greg Hunt.

The research, being led by Associate Professor Claudia Rutherford, also has the endorsement of various national bodies including MS Research Australia, Chronic Pain Australia, Arthritis Australia and Epilepsy Action Australia.

After nearly 59 years, the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND), the UN’s central drug policy-making body, recently voted to remove Cannabis from Schedule IV of the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs - where the strictest control measures apply, and its use was generally discouraged for medicinal purposes. 

27 of the CND’s 53 Member States, including India, the United States and most European nations, voted “Yes” on the motion.

If the idea is to genuinely tackle and provide a solution for medical ailments using Cannabis, the regulations in India already provide for it under Ayurveda. 

In India, the earliest mention of this plant has been found in The Vedas (the Atharva Veda) - where it is listed as one of the five sacred plants. In fact, due to the legality of being able to provide this medication across all states, India is actually one of the few “federally legal” medical Cannabis countries.

Cannabis, (genus Cannabis) is a group of medicinal, recreational, and fibre plants belonging to the family Cannabaceae

The state can resume its review of nearly 150 medical marijuana license applications that have sat untouched for more than a year, thanks to a ruling from a state appellate court Thursday.

The court ruled against all but one medical marijuana license applicant rejected by the Department of Health in 2019. It upheld the department’s denial of seven other applications.

The case, which consolidated eight applicants rejected in an initial review, halted the expansion of New Jersey’s strained medical marijuana program in late 2019 when the court granted a stay in the process. Now, with the stay lifted, the Health Department can reopen its review of 146 applications the state put on hold and resume the process of issuing as many as 24 new licenses.

No matter the ruling, these paused applicants were always going to see victory in a decision that gets the process restarted and inches them closer to attaining a license.

The new licenses will not only ease burdens to medical marijuana for the state’s 100,000 registered patients, but also set New Jersey up for the 21 and older marijuana market. Medically-licensed facilities are slated to get the first shot at selling to the public.

With each state’s laws varying to some degree, medical cardholders and applicants are advised to review state and local regulations.

State medical marijuana programs tend to suffer as adult use laws are passed. While much of the purchasing shifts to what is commonly called the recreational market, the medical sector still serves its purpose. In fact, medical cardholders can continue to find benefits in being part of the program, depending on a state’s laws.

Considering the following benefits, patients may find use in the medical cards well after adult use laws pass in a state.

Priority Over Adult Use

Photos: JDawnInk/Getty Images, Matthew Brodeur via Unsplash

Having a medical marijuana license may also provide a patient with increased priority.