Author: Michelle Blanchard

Lifelong fitness advocate. General student. Internet trailblazer. Proud entrepreneur.

Health Risks with High Potency Cannabis 

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Cannabis is not only becoming more popular in the United States but is also becoming more accepted from a social standpoint. With new legislation coming into effect each year, and more states committing to medical marijuana programs, it seems to be a great time to hop on the cannabis train.

However, we do not often talk about some of the darker and more serious health effects that can actually be created from using cannabis too much, or with too high of a potency. Did you know that there is a huge difference in the weed you are smoking based on its potency? Back in the 1970s when weed was still illegal, you may find marijuana with 14% THC potency to be some of the highest around.

Nowadays, you can find solvent based cannabis concentrates with anywhere from 50% to 70% THC potency. Even more alarming, you could potentially find weed with even higher potencies depending on where you look. While it is great that we have come far enough as a society to develop even more potent strains of cannabis and related products, it is safe to say that there are some health concerns in this area. In fact, some states have already begun to address this issue by placing potency caps on all marijuana products manufactured and sold in that state.

This means that these products must not contain a higher percentage of THC than what is allowed by the state authorities. In Vermont, for example, raw flower cannabis is capped at 30% potency, and concentrates are capped at 60%. There is talk in other states of lowering the potency cap to something as little as 15%, which is honestly too low in my opinion. However, there is a good reason for all the concern around this issue, and that is because using extremely potent marijuana products can have some pretty serious repercussions down the road in the form of health risks and conditions. So what are these risks?

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One of the biggest concerns with using high potency cannabis in the long term is the cardiovascular damage and increased risk for heart attack. Some studies that have been done regarding long term use of marijuana suggest that there are some long term effects on one’s heart and cardiovascular system. This is mostly due to smoking and inhaling a large amount of weed and THC, which can lead to these problems.

Another problem that is associated with long term cannabis usage is memory loss and decreased cognitive function. Many people are already familiar with the old sayings about marijuana killing your brain cells and whatnot, but there is actually some research that suggests marijuana abuse can lead to decreased brain function and long term memory loss. Again, it is important to remember that cannabis usage is still relatively young in our world.

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While we know that people have been using marijuana for centuries, we still do not have any conclusive evidence about how it will affect one’s body and mind if used frequently over long periods of time. We know that tobacco is extremely addictive and bad for the lungs and respiratory system, but we do not generally put marijuana in the same category.

There are lots of positive benefits to using medical marijuana, including a variety of health benefits and all of that. However, it is important to keep in mind that these things should be done in moderation. Marijuana is generally a risk free and natural alternative to a lot of medications and treatment options out there, but there are still risks to consider!

How to Have a Career in the Cannabis Industry 

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Finding a job right now is kind of a double edged sword. On one hand, there are arguably more jobs available than there have been in a long time; however, on the other hand, finding a job that is fulfilling and pays enough money to sustain yourself can be difficult. Cost of living, gas prices, inflation, and housing costs all continue to climb while wages remain relatively stagnant. I can see why a lot of people are frustrated with trying to find a well paying job right now. But do you know which industry is not going away anytime soon? That’s right – I’m talking about the cannabis industry in our country.

Medical marijuana (and recreational marijuana) dispensaries throughout the nation have proven to be both pandemic and recession proof over the last couple of years. The sheer amount of cannabis being sold in the United States alone is a great indicator of how profitable and lucrative this industry has become. Plus, if you really love weed and everything involved with it, finding a career in the cannabis industry can also be really fulfilling and fun. I wanted to write this article to give you a bit of information about starting your career in the marijuana industry. This really has not been a better time to get involved with the marijuana industry, especially as there seems to be continuous growth across the entire country.

What’s the first job that comes to mind when you think about working with marijuana? For me, it’s working as a budtender at a dispensary. After all, this is usually the job that most people see the most when it comes to working in cannabis. Being a budtender is a great way to get your foot in the door in the marijuana field (no pun intended), and it will give you a lot of good insight and experience into the industry. Budtenders have quite a few different responsibilities when it comes to working at a dispensary, and they definitely don’t just let anyone work the job. You need to be somewhat competent about various marijuana strains and products to ensure that you can properly help customers and medical patients alike.

Other responsibilities of a budtender include stocking shelves with cannabis products, demonstrating how to use pipes, rolling papers, and other products to patients, weighing and dispensing whole flower cannabis, and maintaining the clean and friendly environment of the dispensary. Again, the nice thing about being employed at a dispensary is job security. You really don’t have to worry about your dispensary not getting enough business, since it only seems that more and more people are beginning to use marijuana on a regular basis in the United States. If you live in a state that has not yet legalized medical marijuana, it may be hard to get started in the cannabis industry. 

Another job that is becoming really popular in the marijuana industry is cannabis cultivation. This section of the industry really stands out to people that love planting and working with their hands. Cannabis cultivators specialize in growing certain strains and marijuana plants that can then be shipped out to cannabis dispensaries all over the United States. People who work in this field need a bit more training and knowledge about horticulture and agriculture. Generally, you should have a background working with marijuana and other types of plants. Types of jobs in this field include master growers, post-harvest supervisors, trimming and packaging associates, and supply chain managers. Of course, there are all sorts of jobs in the cannabis industry that I have not even mentioned, so it’s worth doing a little more research on your own.

How to Manage Anxiety Using Marijuana 

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The recent data trend in the United States shows a lot of problems going forward in terms of our country’s mental health. More specifically, there are about 40 million adults in the United States that have a diagnosed anxiety disorder, and this number continues to increase year over year. The problem of rising anxiety in America is one that cannot be explained in simple terms. Honestly, there are hundreds of factors that are leading to increased anxiety levels, specifically in the younger generations. While lifestyle changes and therapy are great steps in order to reduce some anxiety in your life, it may be time to see a doctor if you are continually dealing with anxiety about life’s problems, serious or not.

Using anti anxiety medications is not usually on the list of things that someone wants to do in their lifetime, but they can be effective at helping to ease some of those anxious thoughts and feelings. However, there has recently been a push for using alternative methods of treatment for anxiety relief – marijuana. Now, marijuana has often got a bad reputation in the United States, mostly because the government wanted to use marijuana as a tool to oppress and incarcerate people of color (but that’s a story for another time). Anyways, marijuana can actually be extremely beneficial for treating certain conditions, anxiety included.

Did you know that over 30 states in the nation have anxiety disorders listed as one of the qualifying conditions to apply for and obtain a medical marijuana card? Many patients have begun trying out cannabis as a means of treating their disorders as well. And no, you don’t have to get high in order for it to work. In fact, depending on your condition and medical history, getting high may not ever be the goal for you. However, there is still a lot that cannabis can offer to adults struggling with anxiety disorders. Make sure to read the rest of this article to learn more about how marijuana can help with your anxiety.

So is marijuana actually an effective treatment for anxiety? And how does it even work? Well, I am here to answer those questions and more. In truth, marijuana can be an effective treatment for anxiety. However, studies and research have had mixed results in some patients. The reality of using cannabis is that it can be different for everyone, especially depending on which strain you use. Many people will attest to certain types of marijuana strains or products actually making their anxiety worse, and I have dealt with this myself as well. But, in addition to that, I have also had great success in treating my anxiety with weed as well. You really just need to find the product, strain, and dosage that works best for you.

The best way to go about this is to talk to your doctor or healthcare professional in order to come up with a treatment plan. I have written many blog posts about which strains of cannabis are commonly used for treating anxiety, so I recommend that you go and read those as well. If you want to feel the most relaxed, I suggest smoking whole flower weed over using vapes or edibles. Most people who smoke weed will tell you that it usually yields the most euphoric and pleasant results, and I would have to agree. However, I have also had success in treating anxiety with vapes and edibles, so it really all depends on you. I hope that this was helpful for you and that you can get some weed in the next week or so to try out yourself.

Can you Get a DUI wit a Medical Cannabis Card 

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While the laws do vary, yes, you can get a DUI with a medical cannabis card, especially if you’re driving while under the influence of cannabis. However, possessing while in a state that’s legal is not a problem, especially if you hold a medical card. DUIs happen when you’re driving or operating some kind of vehicle while you’re intoxicated, and most of the time, people believe it’s just alcohol they need to worry about, where the legal limit is .08% in the US. However, you may be prosecuted and pulled over for DUIs if you’re driving while under the influence of other compounds too, including THC. 

While there isn’t a legal limit to this, but the problem is that cannabinoids will stick around because you can get tested, and the metabolites do create a positive, even if you haven’t consumed any in the last 24 hours, or prior to driving as well. If there is no minimum however, this then creates a gray area, where even if there are trace amounts may lead to prosecution, and if you’re prosecuted, it’s the same with a DUI that’s alcohol related, and it’s sometimes varying by state. 

The laws 

Right now, there aren’t any guidelines and laws, so the states set their own thing, and some may also hold you accountable for the transportation of marijuana, even if you don’t have any THC within you. This is because it’s a controlled substance that’s illegal, so you may not be able to transport it even if you do have a card. 

Some of them may also offer much harsher penalties for trafficking this. Nort Carolina and Georgia are two that actually don’t allow it, so transporting it is considered drug trafficking, and transporting more than an ounce in Georgia is actually punishable at $5000 or 10 years in prison.  Now that Georgia does have low THC options, they are loosing this, and it’s on its way to decriminalization. 

Biggest states and laws 

For California, if you do have it and are under the influence, you can be prosecuted for it.  They may make exceptions though for medical cannabis. However, you’ll be arrested under suspicion, and then given a blood or urine test, and then, they’ll take the appropriate measures. This can include six months in jail, suspension of a license, safety classes, and finds. 

For Florida, if you do drive while under the influence and have a card, you will still be subjected to the laws, which include jail, revocation, fines, and also a 75-year penalty on your record. For new York, you get charged for DWAI, which means driving while ability impaired with drugs. Prison is potential for this one, and the penalties do increase if you have minors in there. If a child that’s under 15 dies, you’ll get charged with felonies and then face about 25 years in prison potentially. 

Finally there is Texas, which is very harsh for those who do drive while under the THC influence, with fines of up to $10K, and also prison sentences of about 10 years possibly happening, and there are potential penalties for those who also drive while other drug influences. 

You also will get harsher results if you do this a lot. Obviously, the first time will be the lightest, while the third and fourth instances usually mean suspension of a license, or even reducing driving privileges, and prison terms which are along. You should try to avoid driving while under the influence at all times, since it’s definitely the same as alcohol is. 

PGR Weed Problems and how to spot this 

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Genetically modified foods are becoming more and more common. While you don’t hear about GMO weed per se, there are now different growth regulators being used alter the cannabis in a chemical fashion, and it can inflate the profits of this, at the result and expense of someone’s health. 

Plant growth regulators or PGR, do control the different parts of a plant’s growth, including fruits, the flowers and certain issues including roots and stems. The problem is that these are toxic when you eat them, let alone with smoking. It also doesn’t fit the right cannabinoids, trichomes, and terpenes, and it doesn’t even have THC in it, so you’re smoking something that doesn’t help, but creates health risks too. 

What PGR Weed Is

This is one that’s basically weed but has regulators for growth. It’s oftentimes purely synthetic to make weed that’s denser or stronger, and with nugs that are a bit bigger. 

This may seem like nothing, but the truth is, it can impact the THC development. It inflates the cannabinoids that are there and also the size of it, while also getting rid of the terpenes, trichomes, and cannabinoids which are beneficial. 

You’re basically going to spend money on cannabis that doesn’t actually provide a high o it, but you’re also risking the fact that you might have chemicals that humans shouldn’t be having. Lots of times. PGRs are also not used in crops which are food-based, and it’s actually only used in most cases for plants that are decorative. 

This is being used for the sole reason of black market growing, which has become popular since cannabis does sit in a gray area in terms of legality. This can be used to sell weed illegally that’s hyperinflated. Legal cannabis in contrast does not use this, and it actually is done based on certain regulations and don’t utilize PGRs.

How to Find the PGR Weed 

There are different characteristics that define this kind of weed, and it’s important to make sure that you know what these are. 

First, there are the hairs. Most cannabis has different hairs but PGR weed tends to have much more, and they grow a lot more of this rather than creating trichomes or the crystals that have THC to it. 

Speaking of crystals, PGR weed does not have any of this, since it stops the development of the trichomes, terpenes, and other cannabinoids that are in there. It also will not smell, due to the terpenes that are in this. Or lack thereof.  PGR weed definitely does not have the smell, which means you will not get high with it. 

The buds will also be heavy, dense and rock-hard, which is usually due to the pushing for growth. It also doesn’t feel good, but much weirder.  It may also be a bit spongy, almost we, simply because of the PGR that is in it. Finally, the weed will taste very chemical. Most of the time, you will get a taste that is very harsh and tastes only chemical. It also means that the high you’re getting is purely chemical, brief, and is going to leave you very fatigued. 

You can also notice it through the lack of terpenes and flavonoids, which offer a specific type of smell and taste to it.  It basically is not natural, is lifeless, and not appealing, and it can definitely be something to avoid. Try not to have PGR weed, as it’s dangerous, and not good for human consumption, and it’s better to just get the real thing than that sham. 

How to Have the Best Smoke Sesh Imaginable 

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We talk a lot about the medical benefits of using medical marijuana to treat a variety of health conditions, ranging from cancer to anxiety disorders. However, there is something to be said about the recreational use of cannabis to just chill out and have a good Saturday afternoon.

For this reason, we are going to be talking about how to create a really nice environment and experience for smoking weed with your close friends or family. Burnout is a real thing, and especially in the midst of all the pandemic problems, normal Americans like you and me are dealing with a lot on our plates. This can make it hard to relax after work or even sleep at night. As a people, we love to stay busy.

We pride ourselves on being able to fit everything into our busy schedules, all while subsisting on what little sleep we can manage to grab at night. However, I am a big proponent of just taking it easy every once in a while. What better way to relax and take it easy than to roll up a joint on the weekend by yourself or with some friends. Some people use cannabis in the evenings after work, which is just as good!

But it is worth mentioning that there can be a stressful component of thinking about having to go to work the next day, and fall into that weird cycle of smoking just to make it to the next day. Instead, turn cannabis into a nice relaxing get away that you can enjoy with other people on the weekends. Today, I wanted to talk about how you can go about making a nice smoke session for yourself and anyone else that you invite.

The first step to having a great smoke session is to come prepared with lots of food and drinks. There are two different components to this – safety and fun! On one hand, each strain of cannabis is different from the last. If you are trying a new type of weed that you haven’t had before, you cannot be sure how it will affect you in the hours to come.

Having some food and water on hand is critical in the event that you feel too groggy and locked up to even leave the couch. Better yet, keep those things with you on the couch! I’ve smoked enough weed to know that sometimes the kitchen just seems too far away. Maybe set aside your diet for just the day and relax a little bit with some of your favorite munchies.

For me, Doritos and ice cream hit completely different when I’m high. Those are must haves for me if I am trying to have a great smoke session. In other ways, you want to make sure that you have enough water on hand to stay hydrated from the couch. Don’t be afraid to grab some other drinks too! Soda, juice, smoothies, and other beverages can all taste great while you’re on cloud nine.

Another thing that you need to do to have a great smoke session is to find the comfiest spot you can. Once you start smoking weed, pretty much any spot is going to feel more comfortable than it did before. With that being said, cuddle up into a nice spot on the couch with some great stoner movies lined up and a bag of chips on your lap. Maybe even invest in a heated blanket if you have the funds or desire to! You’ll thank me later. I hope that you can use these tips to have yourself a very relaxing and enjoyable smoke session.