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Cannabis and asthma: How good are cannabinoids for bronchial spasms?

Fri, 30 Nov 2018 02:53:11 +0000

What is the science behind using cannabis to address asthma symptoms?

Contrary to popular opinion, cannabis can help asthmatics in many ways. Though perhaps surprising, some research indicates that compounds found in cannabis can contribute to relieving certain acute and life-threatening symptoms of asthma.

When one thinks about cannabis, the first image that likely comes to mind is someone somoking a joint. Of course, smoking is most often associated with various adverse effects on our lungs, but things are never that simple when it comes to cannabis.

Cannabis and asthma have a three-millennia-long relationship

Around 1200 BC, ancient Egyptians used the herb to treat many conditions, including asthma.

French writer Marcel Proust used cannabis regularly to manage asthmatic symptoms, referring to it as “anti-asthma cigarettes.”

More recently, and not so long ago, before cannabis was made illegal, cannabis was used as a cough medication. In fact, during the early 1920s, medical practitioners were allowed to prescribe it, and cannabis tinctures were one of the preferred additions to cough medicines since they didn’t make patients depressed and constipated (as morphine often did).

Prohibition started soon thereafter, and the tobacco industry expanded to unimaginable heights. When the lung cancer-tobacco link was discovered, however, smoking (including cannabis) began being labeled as very dangerous for everyone, including asthma patients.

Recently, new scientific findings have shed more light on the issue. What is the science behind using cannabis to address asthma symptoms, patients’ experiences with the plant and the recommended methods to achieve some relief for those so afflicted?

Introduction to asthma

Asthma is a chronic, long-term inflammatory disease of the lungs that affects the airways. Genetics usually play a major role in developing the condition, but many things can irritate the airways and, in turn, trigger an asthma attack, such as the following:

air pollution;
different allergens (such as pollen or dust);
exercise;
smoking (especially cigarettes);
respiratory infections (flu or cold);
some medications (such as aspirin);
strong emotions (such as stress and even laughing); and
changes in temperature or humidity (even the cold air).

All those stimulants cause obstructions and spasms in the irritated and sensitive airways. And that’s when the symptoms may start to appear:

coughing (especially in the morning and during the night);
shortness of breath;
chest tightness and pain; and
wheezing.

Depending on the individual, asthma attacks can occur a few times a day or a few times per week. Although the disease affects people of any age, usually, the first symptoms start to occur in early childhood. Interestingly, boys are more likely to developm asthma than girls, but adult women are more prone to getting asthma than adult men. Also, young adults between the ages of 18 and 24 are more likely to be diagnosed with the condition that older adults.

Because of all the air pollution and an ever-growing variety of allergens, it’s no wonder the number of asthma sufferers is on the rise since the ‘60s, increasing by 15 percent in the last decade.

Usually, if sufferers avoid conditions that trigger their symptoms and take their medications as prescribed, keeping asthma under control is not an issue. That said, asthma can be persistent, very frustrating and exhausting. Conventional medications may not be attractive in general since they contain steroids and immunomodulators that could have side effects.

That may be why many patients are looking for different solutions. So how does cannabis compare to mainstream pharmaceuticals as an asthma treatment?

Research on cannabis use in asthma patients

Discovering the link between cannabis and asthma began in earnest back in 1975 with one small and very simple study. A group group of researchers led by Dr. Donald Tashkin artificially induced bronchial spasms in eight “clinically stable” asthma patients, focusing on the behaviour of their airways.

In different sessions, spasms were induced either by methacholine inhalation, or by exercising on an electric stationary bicycle and treadmill. Patients were then administered either a placebo or actual cannabis with two percent of THC.

The study, Effects of smoked marijuana in experimentally induced asthma, found that placebo subjects recovered from bronchial spasms in 30 to 60 minutes, on average; subjects who were given 2 percent THC cannabis were relieved from spasms almost immediately. This was a revolutionary discovery at the time given the stigma around cannabis and smoking with asthma.

In March 1985, a 20-year-long study was initiated and concluded that moderate cannabis smokers who were diagnosed with asthma improved their lung function without suffering the lung damage compared to cigarette smokers.
In a 2014 study, researchers isolated bronchi samples from 88 participants, both from healthy subjects and asthma patients. They induced bronchial spasms by electrical stimulation, and then administered THC as well as some other, synthetic cannabinoids.

The research found that cannabinoids (THC to be precise) activated CB1 receptors, which stopped the spasms and dilated the organs. In layman terms, the most psychoactive substance in cannabis expanded the airways, making it easier for air to get into the lungs.

After years of research, one thing was becoming clear: THC was winning the race over CBD. CBD is known as a great anti-inflammatory agent and has increasingly been garnering the attention of users, medical experts and scientists in the last five years.

That has meant THC has been underrated in the past few years, perhaps because of its psychoactive effects, which likely concerned many medical professionals and patients.

A study from 2015, however, serves as a reminder of THC’s medical value. Although it was an animal study, it reached some very important conclusions and provided a strong base for further research.

Researchers analyzed six different cannabinoids: THC, CBD, CBG, CBC, CBD-A, and THC-V, with a view to finding out if those cannabinoids would stop the constriction of the airways caused by inflammatory proteins.

It was surprising to see that only THC and THC-V inhibited contractions; other cannabinoids, including CBD, did not. In fact, THC had a much stronger effect than THC-V, which actually blocked CB1 receptors inducing some negative effects.

Alternatives to smoking cannabis

As can be seen, these studies indicate cannabinoids from cannabis are not as bad for asthma sufferers as was originally thought. However, until there is more conclusive evidence and a scientific consensus on the topic, the aforementioned findings should not be considered as hard proof.

There is still some open questions around whether cannabis smokers don’t suffer from lung cancer as much as tobacco smokers. Unfortunately, there is substantial evidence that smoking should be avoided and one particular study from 1998 found that young healthy adults who smoke cannabis regularly are more likely to have lung inflammation, just like tobacco smokers.
Edibles may prove a safe and healthy way for asthmatics to enjoy cannabis. Just Google and there are tons of recipes available for pot brownies, biscuits, candies and much more.

However, be careful with edibles since it’s actually quite easy to take more than a person can handle. Edibles are metabolized in the digestive system and take up to 45 minutes to start producing effects. Compare that to smoking, which produces effects almost immediately. The high from edibles, however, is both longer and stronger.

But worry not, because regardless of how high a person gets, there is no evidence that a person can overdose and die from weed.

How can edibles help asthma sufferers?

Since it takes long for cannabinoids from edibles to enter the bloodstream, this way of consuming cannabis probably won’t stop an asthma attack. However, if using edibles on a regular basis, it may be able to help prevent an asthma attack, as was the case for subjects in the above mentioned studies.

What do other asthma sufferers think about smoking cannabis?

That is a bit of what science has to say on the topic, but what about real asthma patients? How do they feel about smoking cannabis with their condition?

Reddit offers some threads like this one. In this instance, the experience of asthmatic patients seems to be divided. If a person is suffering from asthma and is still using cannabis, feel free to share any experiences in the comment section below.

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Holiday Gift Guide 2018: The Most Chic Cannabis Accessories Under $100

Sat, 24 Nov 2018 21:46:22 +0000

665 viewsNov 23, 2018, 11:59pm

Holiday Gift Guide 2018: The Most Chic Cannabis Accessories Under $100

Because smoking cannabis is too pretty to hide anymore.LAUNDRY DAY

Cannabis retail has hit new highs. The degree of creative design going into new accessories, from smoking utensils to cannabis-concerned housewares, is increasing almost as fast as new ideas for better ways to serve modern consumers. People no longer just want to get high, they’re proud of being high. They want to celebrate their high with a piece; environment; utility belt worth being equally proud of. The finest. Here are 10 ideas for ways to celebrate the adults who enjoy cannabis—to the fullest— in your life.

Green for green.LAUNDRY DAY

Laundry Day Hudson Pipe

No matter how far the technology of smoking accoutrement progresses, a classic pipe is always called for. Something that can work anytime, anywhere, without charge, and requires nothing but some flower and a light. That isn’t to say your resin-encrusted handheld pipe from college should last a lifetime. This palm-sized piece from Laundry Day is as functional as it is stylish sitting on a coffee table tray. And despite the modern disc design, the Hudson is a pipe that everyone can easily use, regardless of how long it’s been since they’ve indulged. $60.

Because your loved one deserves something more than the edges of business cards.TETRA

Harold Natural Wood Rolled Smoke Filter

In a similar fashion, joints will never go out of style. Ingredients may have upgraded to more refined, wellness-oriented items, like undyed rice papers, rose gold grinders and Harold Natural Wood Filters as a crutch. But the social and cultural ritual that is breaking up a bit of flower with fingertips or grinder, distributing it in the paper before rolling it compact and sealing it with a lick, and then passing to a friend, will always have a place in our habits. These filters work better than any scrap of business card you typically use as the mouth of the joint, and if you’re careful, can be used more than once. Find them on Tetra for $18.

Anyone can become a roller.SERRA

Tumbleweed Roller

Though all of us may enjoy the occasional pull from a well-rolled joint, not all of us are bestowed the same rolling skills. These can be honed over time, of course, but there are a few things to be said for the consistent convenience of a well-constructed rolling machine. For one, a rolling tray is no longer necessary. The paper lays neatly inside, and the intuitive design allows a tightly-rolled, standard size joint. When rolling freestyle, it’s imperative to have clean, dry hands in order to avoid damaging the delicate paper. The Tumbleweed Roller is a sanitary solution that puts the belt in between you and the paper. Find it at Serra for $52.50.

We aren’t trying to start those kind of fires.SOOTHSAYER

Cylinder Tamper Keychain

Personally, I enjoy the filtration and control that a bong provides. I can smoke as little or as much as I like, without wasting half a joint. But at the end of any size of bowl, there is a simmering cherry that can stink up a room, or much worse, ignite something other than cannabis. That’s when a tamper comes in, like this chic, sturdy and conveniently portable keychain by Portland-based Soothsayer. Each 2.5-inch Cylinder Tamper is made of solid brass and handmade to order, assuring a sufficiently extinguished bowl without ruining the bottom of every lighter. $48.

Because no session should be too rushed not to empty the ashtray.LOVE + DESTROY

Love + Destroy Cross Bar Ashtray

Geometrically designed to catch the eye, this petite vessel for good times passed is named for the perpendicular bars on the base. They prevent the tray from toppling sideways and keep the ash up and out the way if something spills. The smooth, oval tray Cross Bar Ashtray reminds one of the clean lines of Japanese ceramics and architecture, and the small size forces one to clean it after each session–keeping your area ash-free. $90.

Pick your stone.HIGH SOCIETY COLLECTION

High Society Stoned Circle Necklace Clip

Drawing from the classic tool used to hold a joint when it gets too small for fingertips, this stylish innovation comes in handy from spark to finish. Slide the stone down to open the tongs, which can be customized in black onyx, green aventurine, and abalone shell. The Stoned Circle Necklace Clips are timeless, both as art-deco inspired jewelry and delicate, easy-to-clean tools that keep your manicure pristine when passing a resinous joint to a friend. $85.

Make the inside feel like the great outdoors. (Norden)TETRA

Norden Room Spray

There isn’t anything necessarily wrong with the smell of cannabis. I love it. But I don’t want my room to smell like it when I’m not smoking. And depending on the setting, volume and company, the cannabis scent is best when at least diluted. Febreze does not count as dilution, and neither do sticky sweet candles that make a space smell like edibles rather than fresh. This room spray from outdoors-inspired California brand, Norden, deodorizes and freshens the air 100% essential oils, making my apartment feel cleaner too. Of the three scent profiles, you can’t go wrong with the foresty Big Sur: a blend of balsam fir, citrus, and birch tar. Find on Tetra for $35.

Pop off the top for a small, subtle ignition.TETRA

Queue Stick Lighter

One can only get a thrill at the sight of a new shade of Bic lighter so many times. At the other end of the spectrum, upgrading all the way to a Zippo can be a jarring transition. Enter Tsubota Pearl’s Queue Stick Lighter, a slim, high-design combustion that will set an elevated tone at any session. Not to mention this two-toned color block collection blends in stylishly with pens and lip products in your purse. Fluid is not included, but be sure to use Zippo (not butane) when you do. Find on Tetra for $30.

Fresh smelling, and fresh pieces.HERBAN ESSENTIALS

Herban Essential Oil Wipes

You can buy all the New Cannabis paraphernalia you want—after a few uses, it all gets just as messy as your college bong. Every piece, large and one-hitter alike, ought to be cleaned frequently with some degree of isopropyl alcohol. In between those thorough cleanings, these Herban Essential Oil Wipes are a natural way to sanitize between uses (and users). They’ll come in handy cleaning off resiny fingertips after a joint as well, or as a refreshing face wipe on a trip. $16 for a pack of 20.

Helpful for understanding not just what you’re cooking, but what you smoke in general.LYT

Goldleaf Cooking Journal

Goldleaf strain journals gave consumers a tool to record their experiences and thus better understand what plants, cannabinoids, and terpenes are achieving the desired effects when experimenting. As our bodies’ reactions can vary greatly individual-to-individual, these unique records are truly the most accurate and effective tool when navigating the lack of research and mountains of misinformation of cannabis. The Goldleaf Cooking Journal is an elegant, more culinary-leaning accompaniment to the original strain journal, giving curious chefs not only a journal to record recipes and cannabis dosage, but a resource brimming with terpene descriptions and recommended flavor pairings, ingredient-by-ingredient. $17.99.

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Tech Companies and Pot Producers Becoming Fast Friends

Sat, 24 Nov 2018 21:30:28 +0000

Growers and emerging ‘weed tech’ sector looking to grow profits together

Marijuana plants require a lot of attention. This is one of thousands being monitored by high-tech sensors at the Beleave greenhouse in Burlington, Ont.

Recreational pot has been legal in Canada for just over a month but the pressure on cannabis producers to improve their yields and profits is already growing.

And one factor that will influence their fate is the technology that keeps their plants healthy and improves harvests.

“Nobody can manage a million square feet by themselves the old way, which is to look, see, smell,” says Michael Kadonoff, the founder and CEO of the cannabis technology firm Braingrid.

Michael Kadonoff started Braingrid to build sensors for solar power industry, then switched to the cannabis industry. (James Dunne/CBC)

Braingrid got into the business in 2016. The Toronto-based firm started out in 2012 selling sensors to the solar power industry.

“We had to pivot into what we believe is centre stage for Canada. Globally speaking, cannabis is one of the best examples of where Canada’s actually leading the world,” says Kadonoff, who plans to take the company public by the end of the year.

Other companies serve different aspects of the industry. Calgary-based FluroTech tests cannabis samples for potency and chemical composition, watching for pesticides and other contamination. BlockStrain, in Vancouver, has developed a platform that registers and tracks intellectual property in the industry.

Another Vancouver company, Cannvas MedTech, has a program that matches people with specific pot products and strains, based on information the user submits about their health and the effect they’re seeking.

The success of these companies will, naturally, be closely tied to that of their clients; their new best friends.

And the clients need that technology because pot is a demanding plant, explains Chad Rigby, the cultivation manager at Beleave in Burlington, Ont.

“It doesn’t stop growing and you kind of need to work on its schedule and its schedule is 24 hours a day, seven days a week.”

Beleave is a small operation, but Rigby still has to manage five different strains and multiple rooms packed with plants.

The right tech, he says, “makes the grower’s life a lot easier.”

The savings on labour, for example, “frees up growers to do other tasks, like propagating new crops, doing plant maintenance in other rooms,” he says. He’s convinced technology will play a make-or-break role in the industry.

“As companies are scaling up, there’s going to be a lot of automation and a lot of environmental monitoring coming online,” he says.

“You want to make sure your entire facility is working at a 100 percent. It’s going to be a dog-eat-dog market out there, and the guys who produce the best product are the ones who will be coming out on top.”

Chad Rigby, the cultivation manager of Beleave, says tech helps manage pot plants, which grow 24 hours a day, seven days a week. (Derek Hooper/CBC)

There are 130 licensed cannabis producers in Canada; each striving to improve quality, increase production and reduce cost.

“The conventional wisdom is that the price of cannabis at wholesale is going down to the $2 per gram range,” says Brad Poulos, who teaches a class called the Business of Cannabis at Ryerson University in Toronto.

The pressure on producers to grow at that price puts the weed tech companies who help them in an excellent position, one that echoes the past of an iconic Canadian industry.

Brad Poulos, teaches a class on the business of cannabis at Ryerson University in Toronto. He believes cannabis technology companies are well-positioned to succeed. (Joe Fiorino/CBC)

“If you go back 100 and some years to the gold rush, the people who made the money were the people who sold the picks and the shovels and the axes and the pans, not so much the people who were scouring for gold,” says Poulos.

The analogy isn’t perfect but Braingrid and other weed tech companies are betting on the idea that serving the needs of pot producers will pay off. Monitoring plants is one thing, but being part of the industry’s pace of growth doesn’t leave Kadonoff with much time to reflect.

“It shows no signs of relenting,” he says. “It’s hard to keep track of how much is going on.”

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How Cannabis Was Criminalized

Wed, 21 Nov 2018 23:43:34 +0000

And why legalizing pot is about more than making history

A wave of anticipation and excitement swept the nation when Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that the recreational use of marijuana would be legalized. Who knew that a simple, annual, herbaceous plant would evoke such strong reactions?

With legalization on Oct. 17th, 2018, Canada made headlines across the world — supposedly creating history and (perhaps, accidentally) doing much more.

History has well documented the use of Cannabis sativa across the globe. Consumed in all three states of matter, its cosmopolitan roots have spread across the globe and it is utilized not just recreationally, but medicinally, industrially and domestically.

An omnipresent, multi-purpose plant, such as this one was, for a portion of time, accepted with open arms. However, colonial times signalled a shift in the perception surrounding cannabis.

Bungling bhang

The British Empire’s crown jewel, India, has a deep-rooted history with cannabis. Apart from being mentioned in The Rig Veda, Shiva — one of the most powerful Gods of Hindusim — is depicted smoking ganja using a chillum, or hookah pipe. To this day bhang — a milk, spice, cannabis flower and leaf concoction — is consumed across the country, especially during the festival of colours, Holi. Despite cannabis’ deep-seeded religious and cultural existence, the British thrice attempted to criminalize the possession and consumption of it (1838, 1871 and 1877).

A man is shown smoking a hookah in this vintage illustration from the “Dictionary of Words and Things” (Larive and Fleury, 1895).

In 1770s, the corrupt and nearly bankrupt East India Company turned to the British Parliament to be rescued. Handing over its operation directly to Parliament, the company watched the Parliament silently take over, passing a law in 1798 (without conducting any known studies) to tax bhang, ganja and charas, a cannabis resin. To appear altruistic, the British (lacking empirical data) insisted on this tax to curtail the use of cannabis, “for the sake of the natives’ good health and sanity,” while, in reality, quietly recuperating their finances through taxation.

When the British Raj’s reign in India officially commenced in 1857, it discovered that native Indian soldiers serving in their forces were using ganja, ostensibly, leading them to believe that the efficacy of the British forces were hampered. Further, British administrators and officials attributed all wrongdoings to cannabis and its users. The users, often poor, were looked down upon by the rich, snobbish, British colonial powers, further adding another class divide in an already deeply split India.

Between 1893 and 1894, one of the largest studies in modern history on the effects of marijuana was commissioned by the British. Despite indicating that “moderate use of cannabis drugs had no appreciable physical effects on the body,” the commission opined that, “…the general principle may be fearlessly asserted that it is right to tax intoxicants; and the higher they are taxed the better. … If it is necessary to put briefly in words a description of what the policy of the government should be … it would be… To control their use… in such a manner as to avoid a worse evil, and subject to this proviso, to tax them as fully as possible.”

American influence

While it is debated whether psychoactive uses of cannabis were discovered before or after the arrival of Europeans in North America, it is a known fact that French botanist Louis Hebert sowed the seeds of this controversial crop in Nova Scotia in the early 17th century.

Highly encouraged to be cultivated by colonial governments for its profit from fibre production, cannabis rose to fame in the early 19th century in Canada. For nearly 60 years (1840–1900), based on its use in India, it found medicinal purposes throughout North America, treating migraine attacks, epilepsy and depression.

There isn’t clear understanding around why marijuana was criminalized in Canada. However, it can be argued that global perceptions, racism and colonialism impacted this decision. With the influx of Mexican immigrants at the dawn of the 20th century in America, a wave of fear about the herb and the superstitions surrounding it arose in the dominant demographic. Hearst’s tabloids depicted Mexicans and their marijuana as criminal, fuelling its criminalization in various states by 1922, which seems to have infiltrated Canadian minds.

Catherine Carstairs’ book “Jailed for Possession” attributes (Canadian women’s rights activist, Alberta magistrate, leader of the Famous Five) Emily Murphy’s articles, published in Maclean’s, as a turning point in the criminalization of marijuana in Canada.

Known to be racist, anti-immigration and anti-drug, these articles encapsulated Murphy’s thoughts about visible minority immigrants, stating that “Negro” drug dealers and Chinese opium peddlers “of fishy blood” were out to control and debase the white race.

These articles became the basis of her 1922 best-seller, “The Black Candle,” where she penned her views on marijuana. “Speaking of the latter delusion, Dr. Palmer writes that in India, under its influence, your servant is apt to make you a grand salaam instead of a sandwich and offer you an houri when you merely demanded a red herring,” wrote Murphy, her views evidently coloured by the colonial perception of cannabis.

With cannabis perceived as being low-class, foreign and criminal, and nonconforming to the dominant demographic’s standards, a year after the release of “The Black Candle,” Canada added it to the anti-drug law, the first Western country to do so, and without any solid evidence.

Colonial powers, especially the British through their actions in India, not only impacted lives in India but also those in Canada. Their biases haunt us today. Therefore, Oct. 17th 2018 is about more than making mere political and cultural history. Canada’s small step of legalizing cannabis — knowingly or unknowingly — is a giant leap towards decolonization.

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UK’s First Cannabis Restaurant Opens Next Month

Wed, 21 Nov 2018 17:54:19 +0000

An upcoming cannabis restaurant is all the buzz around Brighton, England. The Canna Kitchen is planning to open December 1, specializing in vegetarian and vegan cuisine — all infused with cannabis oil.

Of course, nobody will get high off this food, as CBD is the non-psychoactive part of the plant. However, foods will also be infused with CBG (Cannabigerol), and CBN (Cannabinol), the latter of which is the only cannabinoid of the three with traces of THC. As Gizmodo so eloquently puts it: “The Canna Kitchen is only using the non-psychoactive branch of cannabis products, so the only highs on offer will be of the ketogenic kind in the heads of diners who’ve been avoiding carbohydrates all day.”

According to Canna Kitchen’s website, they’ll offer zaa’tar roast cauliflower with hemp heart tabbouleh, smoked aubergine, sesame cavolo nero and CBD tahini cream; buckwheat and beetroot pancake with roast roots, rocket and CBD cashew cheese; and…well, that’s all that’s listed on their online menu at this point.

According to their website, they want to ‘change the way people think about the cannabis plant’, adding:

Cannabis is a highly nutritious, versatile and powerful herb; it is packed full of flavour, fragrance and natural therapeutic benefit. We at The Canna Kitchen aim to redress dated stereotypes mislabeling this extraordinary natural resource purely as a recreational substance. Our food is contemporary and fresh, using locally sourced and organic produce wherever possible. We ensure any trace elements of THC, (the psychoactive compound found in cannabis), are within legal limits, rewriting the book on traditional canna infusion.

Canna Kitchen’s founder, Sam Evolution, told UNILAD:

I just want to do my bit to educate people… With the recent resurgence of cannabis and CBD in the press, its reclassification or acceptance as a medicine, I felt the time was right to do something that was a bit of a statement to get people to shift their thinking. I’m very passionate about plant-based living and healthy eating, and I have some close connections to some very creative culinary masterchefs. The idea came quite a while ago, but I was waiting for the right time to push it forward.

The restaurant will also offer a CBD Café and dispensary upstairs offering infused cakes, drinks and beverages.

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CBD Oil and the UK Law

Wed, 21 Nov 2018 08:30:08 +0000

CBD Oil and the UK Law

CBD, also known as Cannabidiol, has become very useful in our daily lives due to its therapeutic value. Ever since its rise as a blessing without disguise to treat various ailments, there have been many questions concerning CBD’s legal use in the UK.

Here, we probe the legal implications related to CBD oil use in the country.

Legal Status of CBD Oil in the UK

All that is Legal

In October, November and December of 2016, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) ruled hemp-derived CBD products without medical claims as completely legal, allowing their sale as meal supplements. However, a medical registration is mandatory to support this claim. Additionally, such claims are illegal without a marketing licence. Till November 2018, no CBD products had been registered as medicine nor received marketing licences.⁽²⁾

Furthermore, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in CBD products should be restricted to less than 0.2% and should not be mixed with oil.

All that is Illegal

In the UK, CBD-rich full hemp buds are illegal, but crushed hemp teas are legal. Though consumption of CBD isolates is prohibited, they can be inhaled or used as vapours. On the other hand, oral consumption of a variety of CBD oils is permitted. UK law does not allow marketing of CBD oil for pets.

NHS and Cannabis Prescription

Following changes to the legislation of 9 October 2018, the law permits the National Health Service (NHS) to prescribe cannabis. Although existing UK laws empower only a consultant to prescribe cannabis, it is believed that the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is likely to frame guidelines in this area in the times to come.

Even though a broad range of regulations cover cannabis, the condition is that one must be a consultant to prescribe it.

Marijuana CBD and Hemp CBD—The Differences

CBD can be obtained from either hemp or marijuana. Hemp-based CBD contains up to 0.2% THC, whereas that acquired from marijuana contains up to 100 times more of the same compound. Consequently, hemp-CBD oil is not psychoactive at all, making it legal in many nations (including the UK). Marijuana-based CBD has the tendency to cause hallucinations, making it unlawful in most countries (including the UK).

CBD Laws in the Rest of Europe

Here is a summary of CBD laws in the leading nations of Europe:

France

France ⁽⁴⁾ permits cultivation of both hemp as well as CBD, restricting THC to 0.2%.

Germany

The Medical Marijuana Act of March 2017 allows cannabis and cannabis-derived medicines, including CBD oil, under a doctor’s prescription.

The Netherlands

The Dutch and their ‘open arms policy’ make CBD absolutely legal.

Italy

Italian law ⁽⁷⁾ permits hemp-based products, limiting their THC content to 0.6%.

Spain

In Spain, products having less than 0.2% THC are legal, though THC itself is prohibited.

Belgium

Belgian laws allow possession of up to 3.5 grams of cannabis and CBD oil.

Sweden

In Sweden, cannabis as well as THC is illegal but hemp is legal.

Switzerland

Swiss laws permit hemp plants/strains with 1% or lower THC content. The same benchmark applies to CBD.

CBD Laws in the United States

CBD laws in the United States are more complex than those in the UK because:

Unlike the UK, the US market is huge
Every US state has different laws
The US healthcare system is majorly governed by private players

All 50 US states approve hemp-based CBD. Only 8 states allow cannabis (hemp and marijuana) for medication and relaxation purposes. Of the 46 states that have legalised CBD in medicines:

The amount of THC in CBD, even for allied medicinal purposes, is highly regulated in 17 states
Twenty-nine states permit all CBD yields procured from either hemp or marijuana
The permissible percentage of THC in CBD products for therapeutic purposes (as prescribed) differs in every state but ranges between 0.3% and 0.8%
Except for the states of Idaho, South Dakota, Nebraska and Kansas, CDB derived from marijuana is permitted all across the US

However, since rules and regulations are subject to change, it is advisable to go through the most recent legislations for updated information.

UK’s CBD Oil Market

The UK market for CBD has grown from scratch to £50 million⁽¹²⁾. Nevertheless, in the USA, CBD is a billion-dollar industry.

As reported in The Hemp Business Journal,⁽¹³⁾ CBD sales will exceed $2 billion by 2020, which is formidable as compared to that in 2015. Nearly 50% of this comes from hemp-derived products. Another source⁽¹⁴⁾ traces the rise of CBD sales since 2014 and forecasts more than $1 billion in sales before 2022.

References

1. GOV.UK. (2018). MHRA statement on products containing Cannabidiol (CBD). [online] Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/mhra-statement-on-products-containing-cannabidiol-cbd [Accessed 26 Oct. 2018].
2. BBC News. (2018). What are the rules about cannabis oil in the UK?. [online] Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-44534861 [Accessed 26 Oct. 2018].
3. Legislation.gov.uk. (2018). [online] Available at: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2018/1055/pdfs/uksi_20181055_en.pdf [Accessed 26 Oct. 2018].
4. Eiha.org. (2018). [online] Available at: http://eiha.org/media/2016/05/16-05-17-European-Hemp-Industry-2013.pdf [Accessed 26 Oct. 2018].
5. Loc.gov. (2018). Germany: Medical Marijuana Act Enters into Force | Global Legal Monitor. [online] Available at: http://www.loc.gov/law/foreign-news/article/germany-medical-marijuana-act-enters-into-force/ [Accessed 26 Oct. 2018].
6. Wetten.overheid.nl. (2018). wetten.nl – Regeling – Opiumwet – BWBR0001941. [online] Available at: http://wetten.overheid.nl/BWBR0001941/2010-05-29 [Accessed 26 Oct. 2018].
7. Gazzettaufficiale.it. (2018). Gazzetta Ufficiale. [online] Available at: http://www.gazzettaufficiale.it/atto/serie_generale/caricaDettaglioAtto/originario?atto.dataPubblicazioneGazzetta=2016-12-30&atto.codiceRedazionale=16G00258&elenco30giorni=true [Accessed 26 Oct. 2018].
8. Unodc.org. (2018). [online] Available at: https://www.unodc.org/pdf/convention_1971_en.pdf [Accessed 26 Oct. 2018].
9. Ejustice.just.fgov.be. (2018). LOI – WET. [online] Available at: http://www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/cgi_loi/loi_a1.pl10. Riksdagen.se. (2018). För ordering (1992:1554) om kontroll av narkotika Svensk författningssamling 1992:1992:1554 t.o.m. SFS 2018:1586 – Riksdagen. [online] Available at: https://www.riksdagen.se/sv/dokument-lagar/dokument/svensk-forfattningssamling/forordning-19921554-om-kontroll-av-narkotika_sfs-1992-1554 [Accessed 26 Oct. 2018].
11. P, B. (2018). CC 812.121 Federal Act of 3 October 1951 on Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances (Narcotics Act, NarcA). [online] Admin.ch. Available at: https://www.admin.ch/opc/en/classified-compilation/19981989/index.html [Accessed 26 Oct. 2018].
12. CLEAR. (2018). The Facts about CBD in the UK. April 2018. – CLEAR. [online] Available at: https://www.clear-uk.org/facts-cbd-uk-april-2018/ [Accessed 26 Oct. 2018].
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Canada’s Top 7 Marijuana Growers Lost Nearly $300 Million This Quarter

Wed, 21 Nov 2018 00:38:37 +0000

There’s no denying that the marijuana industry is growing like a weed. The legalization of recreational marijuana in Canada is big news, and it clearly puts the cannabis industry on the map as a high-growth and viable business model. According to various Wall Street estimates, the legal industry in Canada could see around $5 billion in added annual sales from adult-use pot within a matter of years.

Of course, the expectation of rapid sales growth and (eventual) strong profitability has sent nearly all marijuana stocks soaring. The question is, with recreational cannabis now legal in our neighbor to the north: “Can these pot stocks live up to expectations when it comes time to report their operating results?”

Following earnings releases from all seven of the projected top producers over the last month, the early indication isn’t very encouraging.

A rundown of Canada’s projected top cannabis producers

As a brief rundown, here are the marijuana stocks expected to lead in annual weed output once at full capacity:

Aurora Cannabis (NYSE:ACB): Following its acquisition of ICC Labs in South America, Aurora has a genuine shot at producing around 700,000 kilograms a year, making it the clear leader in aggregate annual output.
Canopy Growth Corp. (NYSE:CGC): Canopy Growth hasn’t exactly dished on its peak production potential, but with 5.6 million square feet of growing space that it aims to license, somewhere around 500,000 kilograms per year seems reasonable.
Aphria (NYSE:APHA): Aphria is expected to get the majority of its production from two projects — its organic Aphria One project and its partnered Aphria Diamond development — and should slide in as No. 3 in annual yield with 255,000 kilograms.
Tilray (NASDAQ:TLRY): It’s anyone’s guess at this point what Tilray’s peak production capacity will be, but based on the approximately 850,000 square feet of growing spaceexpected to be complete by the end of 2018, and its nearly 3 million square feet of expansion potential, somewhere between 200,000 kilogram and 225,000 kilograms annually seems about right by late 2020 or 2021.
The Green Organic Dutchman (NASDAQOTH:TGODF): Despite having not made a single sale yet, The Green Organic Dutchman projects 195,000 kilograms in annual yield when at full capacity. Nearly 80,000 kilograms of this output came from a partnership and acquisition-spree in June.
Auxly Cannabis Group (NASDAQOTH:CBWTF): Auxly Cannabis is an interesting case, because some of its output is received via royalty interests, whereas other aspects are wholly owned grow facilities. In total, the company expects to peak at around 170,000 kilograms of cannabis per year.
Cronos Group (NASDAQ:CRON): Rounding out the prospective top-7 producers is Cronos Group. With its July announced joint venture, known as Cronos GrowCo, I estimate it to have doubled its peak production capacity to 140,000 kilograms a year.

Brand-name growers lost a lot of money in their recently ended quarters

That’s close to 2.2 million kilograms of production just from these seven industry mammoths. Unfortunately, the high costs associated with capacity expansion, brand building, marketing, product diversification, and acquisitions took their toll in the most recently reported quarter. Removing a number of one-time benefits and expenses, here’s how the seven pot stocks performed on an operating basis. Please note that all figures are in Canadian dollars:

Aurora Cannabis: CA$111.9 million loss
Canopy Growth: CA$214.6 million loss
Aphria: CA$10.4 million loss
Tilray: CA$26.3 million loss
The Green Organic Dutchman: CA$9.8 million loss
Auxly Cannabis Group: CA$10.3 million loss
Cronos Group: CA$4.9 million loss

Adding this up works out to just over CA$388 million in aggregate losses, or just shy of $300 million U.S. on an operating basis. That’s more than $1 billion in extrapolated losses on an annual basis from an industry that investors are absolutely enamored with.

It’s going to be a while before pot stocks are seeing green

The grim reality for marijuana stocks is that it’s probably going to take a number of quarters, even with rapid sales growth, before they’re profitable on an operating basis.

Capacity expansion will remain a key expense for these top-tier growers. Despite its pathway to the top, Aurora Cannabis noted in its press release that it’s currently producing at a run rate of 70,000 kilograms per year. That’s perhaps 10% of what the company is ultimately capable of given what assets it has in its production portfolio. Then there’s The Green Organic Dutchman, which won’t even make its first sale until the first half of next year.

Product differentiation is also driving costs higher. Dried cannabis has proven to be a commoditized product in select U.S. states where it’s legalized recreationally, and the same fate likely awaits the Canadian cannabis industry. Thus, growers are spending liberally to develop new products. For example, Aphria is constructing an extraction center that’ll be able to produce 25,000 kilogram-equivalents of concentrates when fully up to speed. It’s worth noting that vapes, edibles, cannabis-infused beverages, and concentrates aren’t yet legal in Canada, but they are expected to become legal sometime in 2019.

Acquisitions are another reason costs could be high. Even though these are generally cash-rich companies, financing for the weed industry has proven challenging up to this point. Therefore, most acquisitions are being conducted as all-share or cash-and-stock deals — the latter of which usually has a small cash component. The use of shares in acquisitions, and to reward employees or retain talent, will drive costs up.

It’s time for investors to face the facts: Marijuana stock profits are going to be elusive for a while.

This Marijuana Stock Could be Like Buying Amazon for $3.19
A little-known Canadian company just unlocked what some experts think could be the key to profiting off the coming marijuana boom.

And make no mistake – it is coming.

Cannabis legalization is sweeping over North America – 10 states plus Washington, D.C., have all legalized recreational marijuana over the last few years, and full legalization came to Canada in October 2018.

And one under-the-radar Canadian company is poised to explode from this coming marijuana revolution.

Because a game-changing deal just went down between the Ontario government and this powerhouse company…and you need to hear this story today if you have even considered investing in pot stocks.

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Ontario Marijuana Buyers Are Canada’s Grumpiest: Ipsos Poll

Wed, 21 Nov 2018 00:26:16 +0000

Cannabis buyers in Ontario are the least likely to say pot has been easy to buy after legalization, and most likely to be unhappy about delivery times of online purchases, an Ipsos poll conducted exclusively for Global News shows.

Respondents in Ontario were second-most likely to say that they hadn’t tried to purchase, after B.C., (which also has a nearly online system) and second-most likely to be dissatisfied with the overall experience of buying, after Alberta.

Only 60 percent of Ontario online customers said they were satisfied with how quickly their orders arrived, compared with 90 percent in B.C., 85 percent in Quebec and 87 percent in the Atlantic provinces.

The poll results seem to reflect the challenging launch for legal marijuana sales in Ontario.

The province’s online-only monopoly has run into a long string of problems, which included a failure to cope with a rush of orders on Oct. 17 (the Ontario Cannabis Store had 100,000 orders in the first 24 hours of legalization), shipping delays, an ill-timed Canada Post strike, a data breachthat exposed customers’ signatures and postal codes, what seemed to some like excessive packaging, and poorly labelled products delaying shipping.

Over 1,000 disgruntled customers complained to the province’s ombudsman about shipping delays, and about 4,800 are members of a Reddit group largely dedicated to discussing the monopoly’s various failings.

“I would say Ontario sh*t the bed the worst,” Aurora CEO Terry Booth told a cannabis conference in Nevada this week, the Financial Post reported. (Aurora, an Alberta-based licenced producer, supplies gel caps, dried flower and pre-roll to the OCS.)

This week, provincial Finance Minister Vic Fedeli said that the OCS has caught up with its ordering backlog.

For its part, the OCS blames its backlog on the rush of orders.

“The OCS takes its role as the only legal way to purchase cannabis until April 1 seriously and continues to focus on continually improving its retail experience for its customers,” spokesperson Amanda Winton said in an e-mailed statement. “The customer response upon legalization was truly unprecedented. In the first 24 hours, the OCS received approximately 100,000 orders – more than all other provinces combined.”

There are a number of unanswered questions about the OCS’s operations. They include:

Unanswered questions about Ontario’s cannabis rollout include:

Where is the province’s distribution centre, where all of Ontario’s legal cannabis is received from producers and shipped to customers?
What is the company that was hired to operate it?

Ontario’s NDP opposition hammered the PC government this week in question period on these issues, with little to show for it.

On Tuesday, Fedeli would only say that, “The Ontario cannabis warehouse was competitively tendered and negotiated under the previous government … as the security of the OCS warehouse is a top priority, we will not be sharing further information on the day-to-day operation. That’s how business works. Idiot.”

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Artisanal Edible Cannabis Honey Causes A Buzz

Tue, 20 Nov 2018 01:41:33 +0000

Innovative Israeli cannabis technology company PhytoPharma International is causing a buzz! The artisanal honey producing company’s bees are feasting on a spectrum that contains cannabinoids. Since bees are insects that do not have a mammalian endocannabinoid system, they are not getting high. However, they pass these nutrients directly through their natural honey making process and –voila– they create Pure Bee cannabis honey.

The company discovered an IP protected method that allows bees to naturally express THC and CBD in their honey in a highly efficient manner, utilizing low amounts of cannabinoids to achieve high performance. This honey is not a cannabis-infused product. Instead, Pure Bee is an entirely natural product, combining the beloved texture and taste of honey with the healing properties of cannabis. The bees are converting the full spectrum of the plant into the honey. Pure Bee is a highly bioavailable cannabis-derived honey containing up to 1,000 times lower measurable concentration of cannabinoids, compared to conventional treatment methods, well under 0.3%.

The honey effectively serves as a platform which can “host” different strains of cannabis with varying ratios and concentrations, and can offer them to a broad patient population in a highly-bioavailable way, in a much safer method than vaping or smoking.

Ilan Ben Simon invented Pure Bee. His career was initially halted due to arthritis when he began using medical marijuana. During this time, he became highly knowledgeable on the plant’s medicinal properties, products, and the overall market.

Following this research, Ben Simon invented the medical cannabis, honey, using analyses by Prof. Dedi Meiri, head of the Cancer and Cannabinoid Research Lab at the Technion, the Israeli Technology Institute. Both gentlemen aimed to uncover its full potential and properties.

“The pertinent thing that I feel is special about our product is that we are enhancing nature, by nature,” says Avner Ben Aharon, CEO of Phytopharma International, in an exclusive disclosure to Forbes.com. “Although other people were trying to create natural honey with cannabis, only my inventor Ilan found a way to achieve it.”

Phytopharma claims to implement the most advanced biotechnology to enhance natural products and processes delicately.

“We combined the healing powers of cannabis with the amazing delivery capability of honey. We aim to continue to apply our unique brand of ‘nature-tech’ to cannabis medicine, food, and beverages, veterinary and cosmetic products,” says Ben Aharon.

“There may be two optional mechanisms that can explain the honey’s high-efficacy,” Ben Aharon continues. “The honey serves as a high-efficient vector to cross the Blood-Brain-Barrier. While producing the honey, cannabinoids are transformed in the bees’ stomachs into superiorly efficient molecules.”

Phytopharma filed a US provisional application on August 2015, and on July 2016 a PCT was submitted (published January 2017) which covers their delivery platform from start to finish – bee feeding composition, feeding process, and final product. They entered the national phase in January 2018 in numerous countries, including the United States and Canada.

The uniquely reddish fuchsia honey is characterized by its rapid onset –five to 10 minutes– compared to other edible products, which can take anywhere from 30 to 90 minutes to take effect. Therefore, the honey is more appropriate for patient populations that require quick activation, such as those with chronic pain. Secondly, it contains up to 100 times the efficacy. Two grams of the honey, which contain 50 ppm (0.1mg), were reported to alleviate pain for fibromyalgia patients significantly.

The product is packaged in pre-measured-dosage cooking syringes, containing units of six or three cc, as well as in a single shot of one cc. The non-intoxicating CBD Honey has a concentration of 0.5 mg per gram, while the psychoactive THC Honey contains a level of 0.7 mg per gram. A consumer can squirt the honey (via the syringe) under the tongue or into a teacup.

Citing a significant cause for concern, Declining Bee Populations Cause a Threat to Global Agriculture states, “The danger that the decline of bees and other pollinators represents to the world’s food supply was highlighted (when the European Commission decided to ban a class of pesticides suspected of playing a role) in ‘Colony Collapse Disorder.’ One of every three bites of food eaten worldwide depends on pollinators, especially bees, for a successful harvest.”

As for potential implications on the general bee population in connection with the cannabis honey production, PhytoPharma sees a positive impact. They claim that the superior nutrition provided in their bees’ proprietary feeding composition –as opposed to sugar syrup utilized in the honey making industry– lead to a successful proliferation of the bee population in the project. In the future, their model may be emulated in other hives.

Additionally in the pipeline, Phytopharma will use the concept of their product as a basis for various forthcoming edible cannabis products. They also plan on combining other therapeutic, essential ingredients with cannabinoids, for improving the spectrum of activity in the product. Developing products for specific disorders in collaboration with pharmaceutical companies is currently underway in their research and development department.

“In the future, if companies will prove that specific cannabis strains can cure or treat specific illnesses, then we can make honey from those specific strains, specifically to treat the correlating illness,” Ben Aharon says, hopefully.

Meanwhile, the company completed its first production season in California, and their honey will soon be available initially in California’s dispensaries. A fast-acting, naturally-derived edible that supports patients’ health, as well as the bee population, is clearly something to buzz about.

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How medical pot made me a better mom

Tue, 20 Nov 2018 01:33:47 +0000

I had a medical marijuana card for nearly two years before I worked up the nerve to buy legal weed. Living in laid-back Vermont, I had access to a friend’s homegrown herb, which my husband used to make me cannabis-infused coconut butter in the family Crock-Pot.

Applying the butter topically soothed my chronic pelvic pain and relieved symptoms of the debilitating bladder syndrome that had plagued me for a decade and warranted the card. Occasionally, I ingested a tiny lick of butter during a flare-up — an imprecise home remedy. I savored the full-body relaxation that followed but loathed the disorienting mental side effects.

I’d been a cannabis skeptic from the start: I never much liked getting high for fun, tending to feel nervous and paranoid rather than happy and chill. I also carried childhood shame about catching my mom smoking a little pipe in secret — the strange pungent smell, her altered state, her mortified reaction when I walked in on her. And I worried that using more cannabis would alter me in turn, distance me from my children and prevent good parenting.

How wrong I was.

It turns out the costs of living with chronic pain and depression are far greater than the risks of using medical marijuana to help those conditions. This past summer, although I was physically pain-free, a sudden depression knocked me to the ground. Crippled by anxiety and insomnia, I struggled to get out of bed and function for my two daughters, ages 10 and 12, who had both experienced some depression themselves. I’d read in Scientific American that mood disorders are passed genetically from mother to daughter, and I feared what my girls would learn from watching me break down in tears or lash out in rage. Even in the fog of despair, I knew taking care of myself was essential to my ability to take care of them.

When my therapist-husband gave me Victoria Costellos memoir, “A Lethal Inheritance: A Mother Uncovers the Science Behind Three Generations of Mental Illness,” I took its message to heart: One of the best things a depressed parent can do to help a child prone to mental illness is to treat her own depression.

So I went to my doctor, but all he could offer was a prescription for Ativan, an anti-anxiety med, and an increase in my antidepressant dosage. I was already going to therapy, practicing yoga and exercising regularly. Rather than become dependent on benzodiazepines or suffer more pharmaceutical side effects, I got out my green card and made an appointment at the local dispensary.

The modest office felt like a hippie health spa, with green-and-white decor and posters displaying different plant strains. My consultant, Mike, quickly put me at ease with his cheerful brown eyes and gentle manner. Clad in jeans and plaid flannel, Mike told me that cannabis had been his “exit drug” from opiates, then listened carefully to my history of chronic pain and depressed mood. He explained the healing properties of endocannabinoids and cited a recent study in which cannabis significantly reduced reports of stress, anxiety and depression, especially in women.

Because I didn’t like to smoke and wanted minimal psychoactive effects, Mike recommended I try microdosing — taking small amounts of cannabis to reap the therapeutic benefits without getting stoned. I took home a tin of indica-dominant buttermints, some salted caramel gummies and a high-CBD oral tincture. (Indica strains of cannabis tend to be more sedating and relaxing; CBD, or cannabidiol, is a nonpsychoactive cannabis compound with anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties.) The sativa-strain gummies were strangely activating and made me irritable, but even one tiny buttermint allowed me a blissful night’s sleep. And the oral tincture proved the holy grail — one dropperful to relieve anxiety and sustain a mellow relaxation for hours. Within a week, I felt my depression lighten, and for the first time all summer, I could laugh with my family.

Stigmas and false stereotypes have surrounded marijuana use since the 1930s, when it was classified a federal Schedule 1 substance, like heroin. Maybe because of this disrepute, I never expected the gifts of cannabis to go beyond symptom relief. But I’ve discovered that the plant slows me down and tunes me in, softens my competitive edges. When I microdose, I experience a heightened sense of gratitude and patience, as well as lighthearted humor. Joining the kids on the couch for a love fest with the dog or playing a family game of cards, I feel more present, more grounded in my body, free from mental agitation.

Other mothers have told me they enjoy these benefits too. Jane Lanza, a yoga teacher certified in cannabis science and medicine through the University of Vermont’s Robert Larner, M.D. College of Medicine, says she sees cannabis as a healthier alternative to the socially accepted “wine mom” culture, especially when taken in small amounts.

“The cannabis medicine we use is the feminized version of the plant,” Lanza told me at a canna-wellness retreat I attended with my husband, adding that cannabis growers cull the male plants and use the flowering female plants for the cannabinoids they produce.

“The spirit of healing I receive from medical cannabis is nurturing and supportive,” Lanza said. “It amplifies positive feelings for me, so I experience greater love, patience and compassion when it comes to my kids.”

I hope that, if I speak honestly about my own use, more women will come out of the cannabis closet, a crucial step toward ending the stigma. While I’m grateful for my medical card, I recognize how my white privilege and economic advantages play into my access to cannabis. Marijuana prohibition has racist origins, and the criminalization of cannabis continues to disproportionately affect people of color. According to the American Civil Liberties Union, black people are 3.7 times as likely as whites to be arrested for marijuana. It’s ironic and unjust that many mothers of color are in prison for using the same plant that has benefited me.

Meanwhile, the tide of legalization keeps rising. Although federal law still classifies marijuana as an illegal drug, 10 states plus the District of Columbia have legalized recreational cannabis, while 33 states and the District now allow adult medical use. To our north, Canada just became the first major industrialized nation to fully legalize cannabis.

Clearly, we’re starting to dispel the shame and secrecy around cannabis. That means I don’t have to hide in a backroom with a secret pipe, like my mother did. My daughters see the green, zipped lock-bag where I keep my tinctures and edibles. They know I take the medicine to help with pain, depression and anxiety, and I’ve talked to them about microdosing for symptom relief — using the substance consciously, rather than as a form of escapism. “It’s a healing plant for grown-ups, and for kids with epilepsy,” I say. “But it has negative effects on adolescent brains, so please wait to try it.”

Lanza told me that for cannabis to work therapeutically, it takes an “alchemy of all the right factors” — the right time in your life, plus the right strain, method of ingestion, environment and time of day. All these factors have come together for me in my 40s, and I’m a better mother because of it. Still, I don’t relate to the stoner stereotype. I’ve never been a “wine mom,” and I don”t feel like a “weed mom,” either. I’m ready to embrace a new kind of cannabis culture, free from stigma and judgment, where the plant’s healing benefits are studied and shared, and the medicine is available to all in need.

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