Category: medical marijuana

Cannabis and Pain

Author Article

This could be the delicious anti-inflammatory treat you’ve been looking for.

Cannabis and Pain

For more than 20 percent of Americans, chronic pain is part of daily life. Many aren’t getting the relief they need.

Pain treatments have been typically limited to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and opioid medications, which carry the risk of addiction. Both have risks of side effects. With opioids frequently in the headlines, many people with chronic pain can’t get access to the medication they depend on to get through the day without intense pain.

As a possible alternative to long-term opioid use for chronic pain, many people are turning to cannabis. Cannabis has a long history of medical use and is especially effective in the treatment of pain.

Cannabidiol (CBD) has gained mainstream attention for its effectiveness in treating a number of conditions including pain, both acute and chronic.

Combining CBD and THC

In states where medical marijuana is legal, a combination of CBD and THC can be used for pain to great effect, and is more potent than when CBD is used alone. The complementary nature of the compounds is known as the entourage effect.

Best 3 Recommended CBD Oils

If medical marijuana isn’t available legally in your state, you might still be able to find relief from chronic or acute pain by using hemp-derived CBD.

CBD extracts are available in multiple forms, but the most popular is an oil base. CBD oils can be mixed into many different recipes for ingestion or added to lotions, massage oils, or balms at different concentrations to match your need.

Below are CBD oils recommended by Green Flower Media and CannaInsider:

CBD Mango Smoothie Recipe for Pain Relief

Author and cannabis advocate Sandra Hinchcliffe shares a favorite smoothie recipe from her forthcoming book “CBD Every Day.”

CBD oil is mixed with mango and orange juice for a refreshing drink to ease your aches and pains.

Research has shown that mango can heighten the effects of cannabinoids because they share a compound called myrcene which is a terpene found in both cannabis and mango.

The result? A more effective, longer-lasting experience.

Citrus fruits also contain a large quantity of antioxidants, giving them anti-inflammatory properties. That makes this smoothie the perfect vehicle for your pain-relieving CBD oil dose.

Sandra’s Mango Canna-Booster Smoothie

Serves: 2 smoothies (8 oz each)

Ingredients

  • 1 cup fresh-squeezed blood orange juice, room temperature (you can substitute any fresh-squeezed orange juice)
  • ⅓ cup fresh coconut milk
  • Preferred or specific dose of CBD oil
  • 2 large or 3 medium mangoes, sliced and partially frozen
  • ½ cup ice

Directions

  1. To a blender, add the orange juice, coconut milk, and CBD oil. Blend until creamy.
  2. Add the frozen mango and ice into the blender. Blend until icy and creamy.
  3. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

Even if marijuana is legal in your state, it continues to be illegal under federal law. While there are some claims that CBD derived from hemp (rather than a cannabis plant) is legal in all 50 states, other reports point out legality isn’t so straightforward. We suggest checking your state’s laws regarding CBD oil.

Kristi is a freelance writer and mother who spends most of her time caring for people other than herself. She’s frequently exhausted and compensates with an intense caffeine addiction. Find her on Twitter.

Reposted with permission from our media associate Healthline.

CBD Oil for Depression, Schizophrenia, ADHD, PTSD, Anxiety, Bipolar & More

Psych Central Article Here
By John M. Grohol, Psy.D.

You can extract more than 70 different components from a marijuana plant, technically known as cannabis sativa. Two of the most common constituents are delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (known colloquially as THC) and cannabidiol (CBD).

Because CBD is not as regulated as THC (though it may be technically illegal under federal laws), nor does it provide any accompanying “high” as THC does, it has become increasingly marketed as a cure-all for virtually any ailment. You can now find CBD oil products online to treat everything from back pain and sleep problems, to anxiety and mental health concerns.

How effective is CBD oil in the treatment of mental disorder symptoms?

Unlike it’s sister THC, CBD doesn’t have any of the associated negative side effects of tolerance or withdrawal (Loflin et al., 2017). CBD is derived from the cannabis plant, and shouldn’t be confused with synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists like K2 or spice.

Because of its relatively benign nature and more lax legal status, CBD has been more widely studied by researchers in both animals and humans. As researchers Campos et al. (2016) noted, “The investigation of the possible positive impact of CBD in neuropsychiatric disorders began in the 1970s. After a slow progress, this subject has been showing an exponential growth in the last decade.”

Research has shown that CBD oil may be effective as a treatment for a variety of conditions and health concerns. Scientific studies demonstrate the effectiveness of CBD to help relieve some of the symptoms associated with: glaucoma, epilepsy, pain, inflammation, multiple sclerosis (MS), Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, and Alzheimer’s. It appears to help some people with gut diseases, such as gastric ulcers, Crohn’s disease, and irritable bowel syndrome as well (Maurya & Velmurugan, 2018).

You can find low-end and high-end CBD oil products. The most popular CBD oil product on Amazon.com retails for around $25 and contains only 250 mg of CBD extract.

ADHD

In a pilot randomized placebo-controlled study of adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a positive effect was only found on the measurements of hyperactivity and impulsivity, but not on the measurement of attention and cognitive performance (Poleg et al., 2019). The treatment used was a 1:1 ratio of THC:CBD, one of the common CBD treatments being studied along with CBD oil on its own. This finding suggests more research is needed before using CBD oil for help with ADHD symptoms.

Anxiety

There are a number of studies that have found that CBD reduces self-reported anxiety and sympathetic arousal in non-clinical populations (those without a mental disorder). Research also suggests it may reduce anxiety that was artificially induced in an experiment with patients with social phobia, according to Loflin et al. (2017).

Depression

A review of the literature published in 2017 (Loflin et al.) could find no study that examined CBD as a treatment for depression specifically. A mouse study the researchers examined found that mice treated with CBD acted in a way similar to the way they acted after receiving an antidepressant medication. Therefore, there is virtually little to no research support for the use of CBD oil as a treatment for depression.

Sleep

Loflin et al. (2017) only found a single CBD study conducted on sleep quality:

Specifically, 40, 80, and 160 mg CBD capsules were administered to 15 individuals with insomnia. Results suggested that 160 mg CBD was associated with an overall improvement in self-reported sleep quality.

PTSD

There are two human trials currently underway that are examining the impact of both THC and CBD on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. One is entitled Study of Four Different Potencies of Smoked Marijuana in 76 Veterans With PTSD and the second is entitled Evaluating Safety and Efficacy of Cannabis in Participants With Chronic Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. The first study is expected to be completed this month, while the second should be completed by year’s end. It can take up to a year (or more) after a study has been completed before its results are published in a journal.

Bipolar Disorder & Mania

The depressive episode of bipolar disorder has already been covered in the depression section (above). What about CBD oil’s impact on bipolar disorder’s manic or hypomanic episodes?

Sadly, this has not yet been studied. What has been studied is cannabis use on the effect of bipolar disorder symptoms. More than 70 percent of people with bipolar disorder have reported trying cannabis, and around 30 percent use it regularly. However, such regular use is associated with earlier onset of bipolar disorder, poorer outcomes, and fluctuations in a person’s cycling patterns and severity of manic or hypomanic episodes (Bally et al., 2014).

More research is needed to see whether supplementing CBD oil might help alleviate some of the negative impact of cannabis use. And additional research is needed to examine whether CBD oil on its own might provide some benefits to people with bipolar disorder.

Schizophrenia

Compared to the general population, individuals with schizophrenia are twice as likely to use cannabis. This tends to result in a worsening in psychotic symptoms in most people. It can also increase relapse and result in poorer treatment outcomes (Osborne et al., 2017). CBD has been shown to help alleviate the worse symptoms produced by THC in some research.

In a review of CBD research to date on its impact on schizophrenia, Osborne and associates (2017) found:

In conclusion, the studies presented in the current review demonstrate that CBD has the potential to limit delta-9-THC-induced cognitive impairment and improve cognitive function in various pathological conditions.

Human studies suggest that CBD may have a protective role in delta-9-THC-induced cognitive impairments; however, there is limited human evidence for CBD treatment effects in pathological states (e.g. schizophrenia).

In short, they found that CBD may help alleviate the negative impact of a person with schizophrenia from taking cannabis, both in the psychotic and cognitive symptoms associated with schizophrenia. They did not find, however, any positive use of CBD alone in the treatment of schizophrenia symptoms.

Improved Thinking and Memory

There is little to no scientific evidence that CBD oil has any beneficial impact on cognitive function or memory in healthy people:

“Importantly, studies generally show no impact of CBD on cognitive function in a ‘healthy’ model, that is, outside drug-induced or pathological states (Osborne et al., 2017).”

If you’re taking CBD oil to help you study or for some other cognitive reason, chances are you’re experiencing a placebo effect.

CBD Summary

As you can see, CBD research is still in its early stages for many mental health concerns. There is limited support for the use of CBD oil for some mental disorders. Some disorders, including autism and anorexia, have had little research done to see whether CBD might help with the associated symptoms.

One of the interesting findings from research to date is that the dosing found to have some possible beneficial effects in research tends to be much higher than what is found in products typically sold to consumers today. For instance, most over-the-counter CBD oils and supplements are in bottles that contain a total of 250 to 1000 mg.

But the science suggests that an effective daily treatment dose might be anywhere from 30 to 160 mg, depending on the symptoms a person is seeking to alleviate.

This suggests that the way most people are using CBD oil today is not likely to be clinically effective. Instead, at doses of just 2 to 10 mg per day, people are likely mostly benefiting from a placebo effect of these oils and supplements.

Before starting or trying any type of supplement — including CBD oil or other CBD products — please first consult your prescribing physician or psychiatrist. CBD may interact with psychiatric medications in a way that is unintended and could cause negative side effects or health problems.

We also do not really understand the long-term effects and impact of CBD oil use on a daily basis over the course of years, as such longitudinal research simply hasn’t yet been done. There have been some reported negative side effects experienced in the use of cannabis, but it’s hard to generalize such research findings to CBD alone.

In short, CBD shows promise in helping to alleviate some symptoms of some mental disorders. Much of the human-based research is still in its infancy, however, but early signs are promising.

 

For further information

Reason Magazine: Is CBD a Miracle Cure or a Marketing Scam? (Both.)

Thanks to Elsevier’s ScienceDirect service in providing access to the primary research necessary to write this article.

 

References

Bally, N., Zullino, D, Aubry, JM. (2014). Cannabis use and first manic episode. Journal of Affective Disorders, 165, 103-108.

Campos, AC., Fogaça, M.V., Sonego, A.B., & Guimarães, F.S. (2016). Cannabidiol, neuroprotection and neuropsychiatric disorders. Pharmacological Research, 112, 119-127.

Loflin, MJE, Babson, K.A., & Bonn-Miller, M.O. (2017). Cannabinoids as therapeutic for PTSD
Current Opinion in Psychology, 14, 78-83.

Maurya, N. & Velmurugan, B.K. (2018). Therapeutic applications of cannabinoids. Chemico-Biological Interactions, 293, 77-88.

Osborne, A.L., Solowij, N., & Weston-Green, K. (2017). A systematic review of the effect of cannabidiol on cognitive function: Relevance to schizophrenia. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 72, 310-324.

Poleg, S., Golubchik, P., Offen, D., & Weizman, A. (2019). Cannabidiol as a suggested candidate for treatment of autism spectrum disorder. Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry, 89, 90-96.

8 Best Marijuana Strains For Medical Purposes

See Author Article Here
By Joseph Misulonas

Learn

8 Best Marijuana Strains for Medical Purposes

Joseph Misulonas

While many people use marijuana for fun or recreational purposes, there are many people who are interested in cannabis purely for medical purposes. They want to use it as an alternative to more dangerous prescription medications. And there’s definitely plenty of options for them to accomplish that goal.

Here are the eight best marijuana strains for medical purposes:

1. Charlotte’s Web

Charlotte’s Web is probably one of the most known marijuana strains for medical purposes. It’s received tons of media attention since many people use the strain to help treat epilepsy and other seizure disorders. But it an also help treat chronic pain and other conditions as well.

2. Ringo’s Gift

Named after CBD pioneer Lawrence Ringo, not The Beatles’ drummer, Ringo’s Gift is one of the best strains out there for relieving pain. Since it’s also high in CBD and lower in THC, it’s also good for dealing with stress and anxiety as well.

3. Remedy

Talk about an appropriate name. Remedy is a marijuana strain that can be used for just about anything. It’s known to help treat seizures, pain, anxiety and there are some people who say it helps people with autism as well.

4. Sour Tsunami

Sour Tsunami is well-known for being very high in CBD, but less so in THC. It’s particularly good for treating pain and inflammation, so if you’re someone dealing with the aches and pains of exercise, this may be a great strain for you.

5. Hawaiian Dream

Like other strains on this list, Hawaiian Dream can treat stress, pain and inflammation, but it’s also known for helping with muscle spasms as well. This can be particularly important for people dealing with chronic conditions that cause spasms frequently. It also has a really nice tropical taste to it.

6. Dance World

Dance World is one of the best strains for people dealing with nausea, such as people going through chemotherapy. It’s also an effective strain for dealing with headaches, which makes this strain a little more specialized than others on this list.

7. Nordle

Nordle can treat pain and anxiety like others on this list, but it’s particularly effective for people dealing with insomnia. If you’re struggling to sleep, Nordle could be your solution.

8. Harlequin

Harlequin is one of the most talked about high-CBD strains out there that can help tackle any condition you can think of. It’s also widely available, particularly since it’s so effective.

Marijuana Access Is Associated With Decreased Use Of Alcohol, Tobacco And Other Prescription Drugs

See Author Article Here
By Paul Armentano

A significant amount of data has been generated in recent years showing that cannabis access is associated with reduced levels of opioid use and abuse. But emerging data also indicates that many patients similarly substitute marijuana for a variety of other substances, including alcohol, tobacco and benzodiazepines.

Last month, a team of researchers from Canada and the United States surveyed over 2,000 federally registered medical cannabis patients with regard to their use of cannabis and other substances. (Medical cannabis access has been legal across Canada for nearly two decades).

Investigators reported that nearly 70 percent of respondents said that they substituted cannabis for prescription medications, primarily opioids. Forty-five percent of those surveyed acknowledged substituting cannabis for alcohol and 31 percent of respondents said that they used marijuana in place of tobacco.

Among those who reported replacing alcohol with cannabis, 31 percent said they stopped using booze altogether, while 37 percent reported reducing their intake by at least 75 percent. Fifty-one percent of those who reported substituting cannabis for tobacco said that they eventually ceased their tobacco use completely.

 

This documentation of cannabis substitution is not unique. A 2017 study of medical cannabis patients similarly reported that 25 percent of the cohort reported substituting cannabis for alcohol, while 12 percent substituted it for tobacco. A 2015 paper published in the journal, “Drug and Alcohol Review” also reported that over half of patients surveyed substituted marijuana in lieu of alcohol. A placebo-controlled clinical trialperformed by researchers at London’s University College reported that the inhalation of CBD — a primary component in cannabis — is associated with a 40 percent reduction in cigarette consumption.

Numerous studies also indicate that legal cannabis access is associated with reductions in overall prescription drug spending. While much of this reduction is the result of the reduced use of opioids, studies also report decreases in patients’ consumption of other prescription drugs, such as sleep aids, anti-depressants and anti-anxiety medications. A 2019 study by a team of Canadian researchers reported that the use of marijuana is associated with the discontinuation of benzodiazepines. (The popular anti-anxiety medication was responsible for over 11,500 overdose deathsin the United States in 2017, according to the US Centers for Disease Control). In their study of 146 subjects, the initiation of medical cannabis resulted in significant and sustained reductions in patients’ use of the drug.

By the trial’s conclusion, 45 percent of participants had ceased their use of benzodiazepines. In a separate study, also published this year, of over 1,300 US medical cannabis patients suffering from chronic pain conditions, 22 percent reported substituting marijuana for benzodiazepines.

These scientific findings run contrary to the so-called “gateway theory” – the long-alleged notion that marijuana exposure primes users to ultimately engage in the use of far more intoxicating and addictive substances. By contrast, for many people cannabis appears to act as an “exit drug” away from potentially deadly pharmaceuticals, booze, cigarettes and even other illicit substances such as cocaine.

As more jurisdictions move away from cannabis prohibition and toward a system of regulated access it will important to monitor the degree to which these trends continue and to assess their long-term impacts on public health and safety.

Paul Armentano is the deputy director of NORML — the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. He is the co-author of the book, Marijuana Is Safer: So Why Are We Driving People to Drink? and the author of the book, The Citizen’s Guide to State-By-State Marijuana.  Laws.

Here’s What We Actually Know About CBD Oil And Anxiety

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By  TAMIM ALNUWEIRI

Over the last few years, cannabis has (slowly) started going through a transformation as it becomes destigmatized and increasingly legalized around the country. There’s more information, research, and interest in it than ever before, and one of the buzziest aspects of the booming cannabis industry is a compound it contains called cannabidiol, more commonly known as CBD. The phytocannabinoid, which was discovered in 1940, can be found in many plants but is most commonly extracted these days from cannabis and hemp.

We’re still in the early stages of understanding the full potential, side effects, and benefits of CBD. Or, as J. H. Atkinson, MD, of the Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research at the University of California, San Diego, told us earlier this year: “There is very little data from rigorous scientific research on the therapeutic effects of CBD.” That said, Dr. Atkinson did go on to say that some of the early research does show that CBD could be beneficial in treating anxiety.

Still, finding out what’s real and what’s false about CBD oil and anxiety can be difficult. To clear up some of the confusion, I spoke to Brooke Alpert, RD, a holistic cannabis practitioner, and Cayla Rosenblum, a healthcare informatics specialist at PotBotics, on the topic to see what experts know (and don’t) about the cannabidiol and mental health.

The first thing they both tell me is that should you have anxiety, you should always speak to a qualified medical and mental health professional before incorporating new supplements or products into your routine. There aren’t any known downsides to taking CBD if you have anxiety, at this point, but “the dangers of CBD as a treatment plan comes from patients who take this treatment plan upon themselves” Rosenblum says. So proper oversight is a must.

Beyond that, “since the oversight of CBD products is not as strict as many other pharmaceuticals on the market, it is imperative that patients are well informed about the product they are using and the exact cannabinoids within the products” Rosenblum says adding that things may become more clear and regulated now that CBD products have been legalized.

Here is everything the pros know about CBD oil and anxiety so far.

cbd oil and anxietyPIN IT
Photo: Stocksy/Marti Sans

1. WE’RE IN THE VERY EARLY STAGES OF RESEARCH

Because of the red tape surrounding cannabis, the research currently available on all aspects and compounds is somewhat limited. Most of the clinical trials and studies that have been executed so far have been done on mice and rats or small sample sizes of human subjects.

To prove “a relationship between CBD use and positive benefits on anxiety treatment, the medical community still needs more large scale randomized clinical trials using CBD. However, with new legislation legalizing hemp and CBD products, it is to be expected that these much-needed, large-scale trials will be conducted soon, providing even more clinically based evidence” Rosenblum says.

2. RESEARCH SHOWS A CONNECTION BETWEEN CBD AND SEROTONIN

A study published in 2016 found that CBD has a noticeable impact on serotonin levels. Alpert explains that the study demonstrates that CBD could work “similar to how SSRIs work by preventing serotonin from being reabsorbed in the brain, allowing for more of that feel good hormone to be present.”

The study, however, does have a major caveat, which is that it was conducted on mice and not humans. Additional studies using human trials have been inconclusive. A study published in 2018 found that CBD can, in fact, behave somewhat like an anti-depressant but only when there are certain levels of serotonin found in the central nervous system.

3. CBD COULD EXPAND THE HIPPOCAMPUS

Another study with promising results (though conducted on mice) found an interesting and beneficial relationship between CBD and the hippocampus. The research published in 2013 showed that “CBD can stimulate neurogenesis, or the generation of new neurons, in the area of the brain associated with anxiety. More neurons mean a bigger hippocampus, which is associated with better moods,” Alpert explains.

4. IT COULD BE ESPECIALLY EFFECTIVE FOR SOCIAL ANXIETY

In 2011 a small study was conducted on two groups of people, patients with a generalized social anxiety disorder (SAD) who had never undergone treatment before, and those without a social anxiety disorder. The study examined how CBD affected their social anxiety with promising positive results. “In both the social anxiety disorder and healthy subject groups, when tested with the CBD treatment, a large positive difference in the reduction of stress measures were seen in both groups. It was indicated that even in the healthy control group, the stress measurement levels were almost abolished in the CBD treatment group,” Rosenblum says.

Study: Medical Cannabis Oil Helps Relieve Autism Symptoms in Kids

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Medical cannabis oil for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) appears to be a well-tolerated, safe and effective option to relieve symptoms including seizures, tics, depression, restlessness and rage attacks, according to a new study by Israeli researchers from Ben-Gurion University (BGU) of the Negev and Soroka University Medical Center.

The findings, published in the journal Scientific Reports, also show that cannabis treatment can significantly improve sleep and concentration.

“Overall, more than 80 percent of the parents reported significant or moderate improvement in their child,” said Lihi Bar-Lev Schleider of the BGU-Soroka Clinical Cannabis Research Institute.

Autistic spectrum disorder is an extensive developmental disorder that is expressed in almost all areas of a child’s development. ASD is commonly considered to be a wide range of pervasive developmental disorders (PDD) in which there are various manifestations and symptoms.

For the study, researchers evaluated the data of 188 ASD children up to 18 years old who were treated with medical cannabis between 2015 and 2017.

“The treatment in the majority of patients was based on cannabis oil containing 30 percent cannabidiol oil (CBD) and 1.5 percent tetrahydrocannabinol (THC),” said Dr. Gal Meiri of the Negev Autism Center at BGU. “Symptoms, patient global assessment and side effects at six months were primary outcomes of interest and were assessed by structured questionnaires.”

Overall, after six months of treatment, 30 percent of patients reported a significant improvement; 53.7 percent reported moderate improvement; and only 15 percent had slight or no change.

Quality of life, mood and ability to perform daily living activities were evaluated prior to treatment and at six months. Good quality of life was reported by 31.3 percent of patients prior to treatment initiation. At six months, good quality of life more than doubled to 66.8 percent. Positive mood was reported as 42 percent before treatment and 63.5 after six months.

In addition, the ability to dress and shower independently improved significantly from cannabis treatment. Only a quarter (26.4 percent) reported no difficulty prior to the treatment while 42.9 percent improved their ability to dress and shower independently at six months.

Medical cannabis oil also significantly improved sleep and concentration. Before treatment, good sleep and concentration had been reported by only 3.3 percent and zero percent respectively vs. 24.7 percent and 14 percent during active treatment.

“While this study suggests that cannabis treatment is safe and can improve ASD symptoms and improve ASD patients’ quality of life, we believe that double-blind, placebo-controlled trials are crucial for a better understanding of the cannabis effect on ASD patients,” says Dr. Victor Novack, of the BGU-Soroka Clinical Cannabis Research Institute.

Source: American associates, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev

Cannabis: Indica Strain For Pain & Insomnia

I recently discovered a really great Indica strain called “God’s Gift.” This strain is phenomenal for both pain & insomnia. (I am not paid for promoting this)

I have both degenerative cervical disc disease (my spine is messed up) & CHRONIC insomnia. I have found great relief from this strain. Give it a try!

 

Weeeeee


According to Wikileaf:
“God’s Gift is a mix of two potent pain-relief strains – OG Kush and Granddaddy Purple. It became popular in the year 2005 with the California-area dispensaries. With a strong overripe berry smell and taste like Granddaddy Purple, this blend is a mix of about 90% Indica and 10% Sativa. It gives an instant and full-bodied feeling of euphoria which is great not only for feeling happy and relaxed, but also for treating pain symptoms like migraines and PMS.

Along with the similar taste to Grandaddy Purple, God’s Gift also has a more citrusy and lemon after tone. When grown correctly, it appears with vibrant purple hues, dense buds and should be laden with crystal like trichomes. This Indica-heavy strain leaves the user in a peaceful and dreamy daze that makes you want to hug the couch for hours at a time. It takes just a few hits to get really sleepy from this bud. Medically speaking, because of its daze like state, God’s Gift has proven helpful for dealing with pain, MS, Parkinson’s, chemotherapy, inflammation and PMS pain. This would also be a good strain for users who need a natural boost in appetite and stress relief.

God’s Gift is easy enough for beginners to grow and only has a flowering time of 8-9 weeks and yields a moderate size crop. It requires little care and attention during vegetation and will generally grow over 4 feet tall. Outdoor harvest time will be during the middle of October.

The unique difference God’s Gift has is that even while it provides a calming and trance like state, it’s not uncommon to feel extreme happiness and burst into fits of giggling and laughter. This aids in pain relief without completely immobilizing the user.”

The Rise of Women in Cannabis

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In what may seem like a male-dominated industry, the legal cannabis market has attracted many female entrepreneurs and participants who are making a big difference. Encouraged by states’ support for and focus on minority participation, women are taking advantage of opportunities in the developing and maturing legal cannabis space.

In fact, women hold nearly 27% of leadership roles in regulated cannabis compared to the 21% they hold in traditional businesses. Since women make about 80% of the health and wellness decision for traditional American households, women are well poised to create and sell cannabis products, especially those pertaining to luxury or skin-care such as topicals, lotions, candles, balms, and scents.

The high-growth cannabis industry is a rather level playing field providing equal opportunities for men and women, young and old. To that end, three like-minded women – Jane West, Jazmine Hupp, and Julie Batkiewicz – started a Women Grow, an organization designed to educate, connect, and inspire women in cannabis, in Denver, Colorado in 2014.

Since then, Women Grow has had over 50,000 women and some men attend their monthly Signature Networking Events and Leadership Summit across the country and in Canada. With a presence in dozens of cities and markets across the United States, Women Grow has helped and empowered hundreds of women to become CEOs, advocates, and successful business owners in the cannabis arena.

“Women Grow’s focus is the dissemination of information and support of women in cannabis through quality education and networking,” according Kay Garcia, CEO of Women Grow. Women Grow hosts networking events throughout the country for women interested in getting involved with cannabis.

“We try to make our events as inviting and comfortable as possible for new participants who are oftentimes unsure of what to expect, nervous, and do not know anyone in the room” says Garcia, who pointed out that the networking meetings almost always include ice breakers and an identification of who, in addition to the speakers and panelists, is in the room.

“We find that a lot of women come to our meetings with many misconceptions, myths, and misinformation about cannabis, starting a cannabis business, and the amount of capital needed to break into the space” commented Garcia.

“People get hung up on opening a dispensary or a grow operation,” says Garcia, “and do not realize the vast opportunities that exist in all various facets of the business from equipment sales to community relations to software development.”

Asked what the most sought after skills in the industry are, Garcia responded that “technical skills can be taught to anyone, but what the industry needs most are people with empathy and patience because businesses have to be patient focused in order to succeed.”

To find out more about upcoming Women Grow events and how to get involved go to https://womengrow.com/events/. Kay Garcia can be reached at support@womengrow.com.

COPYRIGHT © 2019, STARK & STARK

Vice: Young Farmers Are Cashing in on Hemp to Live Happier

In recent years, media attention has attributed the anxiety, depression, and suicide among farmers to factors beyond their control. Could growing cannabis for CBD turn the tide?

See Vice Article Here

 

“Why Cannabis Oil is an Insomniac’s Best Friend” (& cured cancer)

https://www.ricksimpsonoilcalifornia.com/insomnia.html

RICK SIMPSON OIL (RSO) is not your average cannabis oil. In 2003, RSO was developed by a man named Rick Simpson, a Canadian medical cannabis activist who was recently diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma, which is a form of skin cancer. He used his concoction on bandages which he applied to the cancerous spots – which disappeared after several days.

This little experiment was based on clinical trials that have proven that THC and other chemical compounds in Cannabis can help kill cancerous cells. This was found in a study conducted by the American Association for Cancer Research in 2004.
Link: http://mct.aacrjournals.org/content/early/2014/11/12/1535-7163.MCT-14-0402


ANYWHO, this oil helps with a ton of other ailments, from Alzheimers, PTSD, ADHD to insomnia and other mental and physical ailments.

My tolerance to THC is pretty darn high, but this stuff really does what it claims to when it comes to sleep! You’ll find I do not say this lightly, as I rarely have a night where I sleep more than 3 hours at a time, constantly waking up. When I have a little RSO in my life, I fall back to sleep much more quickly and sleep much better.

Try it out if you can. I don’t get paid for promoting this either, check it out for yourself.