WeedLife News Network

From the last couple of years, the demand for cannabis products has been bombed. Scientists have proved the amazing benefits of this powerful plant. 

CBD acts as a non-psychoactive way to treat various mental issues like anxiety. Many people use CBD products regularly but are not seeing any effect of cannabis for improving their anxiety. Remember, the reason is not cannabis but the way you are using it. There could be two common mistakes like too much CBD consumption, buying the wrong product. These blunders may be becoming a big hurdle from getting effective results. Let’s know these mistakes to see the real benefit of CBD. 

One of the common mistakes that many people make is not choosing the right product.

Users purchase cheap quality products to save some bucks or sometimes are not aware of less reputed brands in the market. Therefore, to get the best quality, you need to choose high-quality products? But how to choose the right quality products is a matter of concern for new CBD users. Therefore, keep in mind certain factors;

Sometimes it could be hard to get a quality product that can meet the guidelines mentioned above. But once you choose a product, it will help minimize anxiety and other symptoms. 

The events of recent months – which, at no risk of ambiguity, will not be discussed here – have created something of a roadblock for nearly every industry that was, just twelve months ago, thriving in the global marketplace. 

Not least among those industries is the world of travel and tourism which, on both a local, national and international level, has ground to a halt for nigh-on twelve months. 

There are plenty of ideas swirling about the best ways to restart the world of travel when circumstances allow, and forecasts for how that side of life will have changed for good. The notion of harnessing the new freedom surrounding marijuana usage holds plenty of potential for the industry, and offers an exciting new normal for millions of people. Read more below. 

RELATED: Canna-Tourism Company Curates Trips for Influencers

It Began at the Heyday of Commercial Air Travel

Of course, the notion of cannabis-related tourism is nothing new – it is, in reality, the driving force behind the sheer quantity of strains we now have today. 

Sales of 1-gram cannabis flower packages tumbled in multiple North American marijuana markets last year, likely related to consumers who shopped less often because of the COVID-19 pandemic but made larger purchases when visiting a dispensary.

The shift away from 1-gram packages offers implications for both retailers and producers trying to keep up with shifting consumer preferences sparked by the pandemic. Despite the shift, the single-gram flower format – the smallest, cheapest size of marijuana bud available on the market – remains relatively popular in terms of unit sales. That suggests consumers haven’t given up on the package size altogether.

Nevertheless, the downward slide in 2020 readily is apparent in point-of-sale data from Seattle-based cannabis data-analytics firm Headset.

“I think that one of the big reasons that we see grams trending down is as a result of COVID,” said Liz Connors, Headset’s director of analytics.

Connors said the 2020 trend toward fewer sales of small cannabis packages mirrored broader trends in consumer packaged goods during the pandemic.

America has a bad case of pandemic anxiety.

COVID-19 infections are rising.

Tens of millions of workers lost their jobs and face dismal prospects of getting new ones.

There is no end in sight.

Anxiety has gone mainstream and so has marijuana.

No one has died from a marijuana overdose and there is no evidence of anything more lasting than embarrassment. That certainly is not the case with alcohol.  

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article solely belong to the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Fresh Toast. 

The pandemic has produced a number of social changes that we hope may last. An online Harris Poll sponsored by marijuana company Curaleaf found that 45% of cannabis consumers age 21 and up have replaced or reduced their alcohol consumption with marijuana since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, and one-third of those who use cannabis recreationally prefer cannabis to drinking alcohol. 

Half of the respondents (50%) said they increased their use because cannabis helped them relax, and 48% said they did so to help them sleep. Of those who said they use marijuana recreationally, a third (33%) said that they prefer cannabis over alcohol.

Interestingly, parents are actually turning to cannabis at higher rates than those without children. Think of the children!  

There have been a considerable amount of studies done on different cannabinoid formulations, not just on CBD.  The studies focused on all kinds of areas that could impact you at work, including memory, computer or telephone skills, even driving skills.

We don’t know exactly which cannabinoid causes any type of concerning problems surrounding any of these issues. The products that were tested in these settings were formulations. They were combinations of multiple different cannabinoids. It is possible that CBD could have an effect in any one of the places where all of these different cannabinoids impacted people. It’s worth keeping in mind and exercising a significant amount of caution so that you do things properly and safely at your workplace; you want to maintain an excellent work environment for yourself.

We used to think that people who used cannabinoid formulations regularly had ongoing difficulties with their memory and IQ. But in fact, further studies have shown that there’s really no significant changes in IQ.

Studies on CBD and work

It was initially a British study that suggested a drop in IQ of seven points when people used cannabinoids regularly. But then a subsequent New Zealand study said that there was actually no significant change in IQ. There was a US study finally done that was very well done. It had almost twice the number of people studied than either the New Zealand or the British study. The US study also had a number of identical twins. One of whom was using cannabinoid formulations and one of whom was not. In the identical twin pairs, there was no change in IQ.

The U.S. study involving several thousand people is our best research today to say that there is no impact on IQ with the use of cannabinoid formulations. However, significant heavy use of cannabinoid formulations can lead to changes in memory. Again, we don’t know which cannabinoid is implicated in this. It is possible that some people could see changes in their short term memory capacity with high dose usage or high serving sizes of CBD.

Hemp is one of the most talked about ingredient in the beauty industry. When it comes to skincare the many benefits of hemp or hemp seed oil makes it’s a hero ingredient. It contains a very little cannabinoid, a compound often used for therapeutic purposes and help in soothing the skin and relieving inflammation. Along with essential fatty acids, hemp oil contains vitamins, minerals, and amino acids which improves skin’s health. Nowadays the buzzy ingredient is taking over the world of beauty and skincare, from hand cream and facemask to body oil, creams and cleansers, there is an array of hemp-infused products popping up in beauty supply stores everywhere.

Plabita Sharma, Beauty Training Manager, The Body Shop India lists down the top five benefits of hemp induced skincare products:

Good for sensitive to super dry skin: One of the many benefits of hemp induced skincare product is that it has been found to have significant soothing properties. Its substantial skin-soothing and skin-normalizing effects can help minimize issues related to skin sensitivity, dryness including redness and reactivity. Since all skin types are affected daily by environmental stressors, hemp seed oil soothing mechanism can help and keep everyone’s skin in check.

Rich in Antioxidant: Hemp seed oil is a rich source of antioxidant and helps in promoting repair and rejuvenation of skin. It can also protect the skin from environmental damage, such as over-exposure to sunlight which can accelerate premature sign of aging like fine lines, dark spots and more.

Promotes clearer skin: Acne is a most common concern for oily skin however incorporating a skincare product enhanced with hemp oil could mean the difference between pimple-ridden skin and a clearer complexion. Hemp oil is perfect for most skin types as it can moisturize without clogging your pores. It can even help to balance out oily skin, hydrating it and regulating the skin’s oil production. Dryness can also cause your skin to overproduce oil, which in turn, can stimulate acne. Hemp oil can prevent dry skin without clogging pores. This helps reduce acne that’s caused by excess oil.

Adult-use cannabis in California has brought quite a few changes to the state, including easier access to needed medicine and a thriving cannabis tourism scene. However, there has been no marked increase in young adult cannabis use since the start of legalization. 

The recently published study, which was published in the Addictive Behavior journal and conducted by the University of California at San Diego, looked at cannabis use within a group of 563 young adults, all ages 18 to 24. All the adults resided in California in the years just prior to cannabis legalization, and the trends were monitored based on their activity throughout the study. 
Initially, the study was conducted because of concern over cannabis use in teens and young adults. In their abstract, the researchers wrote that teen use is a concern because of the chronic health risks associated with using cannabis, as well as worry over an increase in using tobacco and nicotine products due to legalization. 

They took this on because no other studies had looked at this connection before theirs, and to see if cannabis use frequency would increase with recreational sales. They also assumed that more cannabis legalization would lead to more consumption of cannabis and nicotine.

The Researcher’s Findings

However, their initial assumptions about cannabis use did not end up being correct, as their final research spells out. They also over-predicted a connection between cannabis and nicotine use, a connection they thought would be much more evident.

“Contrary to our expectations, frequency of marijuana use did not change significantly after legalization and was stable throughout three years of observation,” the authors of the study claimed. “In examining marijuana use before and after legalization of recreational sales in California, we found that frequency of use did not change significantly overall, including following legalization.”

Marijuana sales to anyone 21 or older in Arizona could start within a day or two, with state health officials telling dispensaries they are poised to issue licenses for recreational sales.

The first stores able to sell recreational marijuana and marijuana products, such as vape pens and gummy edibles, are existing medical-marijuana dispensaries. Some of those businesses said Tuesday they are awaiting approval from state regulators to show up online so they may open their doors to anyone with a state-issued ID. 

"I'm sitting here at my computer hitting refresh, refresh," said Raúl Molina, a partner and senior vice president of operations for The Mint dispensaries in Mesa and Guadalupe.

A spokesman for the Department of Health Services said 40 medical dispensaries had applied to sell recreational marijuana as of Tuesday afternoon.

The quick turnaround for licenses was unexpected by some dispensary owners, who anticipated the state agency would use the full amount of time given under the law to approve applications, meaning recreational sales wouldn't begin until March or April.

How Hemp Helps You During the Winter

Discover the benefits of taking hemp during the winter and how it benefits our body. 

Hemp- A Helping Hand for the Cold Winters

Winter is here and during the winter season we barely get any long sunny days, it is rather filled with long cold nights. All we want to do is lay in bed under our comfy blankets and just be lazy, wishing someone would bring us a cup of hot cocoa with marshmallow toppings.

Moreover, the gloominess outside from the pale white skies makes us depressed and we feel a lack of motivation to go by our daily routine. It is that time of the year where due to dry weather, the sale of moisturizers, lip balms, and other such products increase and become our basic need. If you think winter completely brings your spirits down then we have the perfect solution for you – Hemp.

After three straight months of declining sales, statewide medical marijuana dispensaries saw an increase in revenue in November.

According to the most recent data from the Oklahoma Tax Commission, statewide dispensaries remitted $11.8 million in total revenue in November, an increase of more than $1 million from the $10.7 million dispensaries remitted in October. The latest OTC marijuana data reflects data collected two months prior.

November marks the first month since July that statewide dispensaries remitted more revenue than the previous month.

Although revenue numbers from December have not been released, the revenue remitted by dispensaries in 2020 is on track to nearly double the revenue remitted in 2019. Through November, statewide dispensaries remitted more than $127 million in total revenue in 2020, compared to $73 million in all of 2019.

While statewide dispensaries saw a November revenue increase, Norman dispensaries saw a decrease compared to October. Norman dispensaries remitted $3.1 million in November, a decrease of $300k compared to the previous month.

Did you know that we’re supposed to get 5 to 9 servings of fruit and vegetables every day? This equates to roughly two cups of fruit and 2.5 cups of vegetables. Although this is the recommended amount of fruit and veggies we should eat according to the USDA (United States Dietary Association), most of the American population doesn’t come close to meeting these guidelines.

Fortunately, though, another plant consumed for centuries due to its plethora of medicinal, therapeutic, and nutritional benefits is cannabis. Recently, numerous researchers and physicians have labeled cannabis a superfood, worthy of incorporation into your diet in some way or another. Here’s why.

Medicinal, therapeutic, and nutritional value 

Cannabis’s many medicinal and therapeutic benefits have been well established, but the nutritional benefits of cannabis are still gaining recognition and public coverage. According to the British Dietetic Association (BDA), superfoods are unprocessed foods rich in vitamins, minerals, and nutrients, which are often derived from fruits, vegetables, and other herbs. Under this definition, numerous doctors believe cannabis can be grouped into the ‘superfoods’ category.

Besides cannabis’s array of medicinal and therapeutic benefits, the plant is an excellent source of vitamins and nutrients. In general, there are various parts of cannabis that can be consumed such as its leaves, stems, and buds whether they’re heated up or not. To reap cannabis’s nutritional benefits though, consuming raw parts of the plant is the way to go.

Superfood properties

Cannabis sativa (hemp) seeds:

Various cultures and countries have used cannabis for medical purposes going back thousands of years.

The cannabis plant is capable of providing tremendous wellness benefits and has been found to be an effective form of treatment for a variety of conditions.

One area that the cannabis plant can provide significant benefit, but is often overlooked, is when it comes to treating addiction to harmful substances.

Historically, cannabis has been portrayed as a ‘gateway drug,’ however, it is now being more commonly referred to as an ‘exit drug’ because of how it can help folks curb consumption of much more harmful substances.

Cannabidiol and tobacco

The World Health Organization estimated that tobacco use contributes to over 8 million deaths annually. 

Because of the recent health and wellness trend, cannabis is gaining popularity for being a gluten-free, no calorie substitute for alcoholic beverages.

One of the most common stereotypes to circulate around the cannabis scene over the past several decades is that people who use marijuana are lazy, unemployed wastes of space. But according to the latest data from market research company BDS Analytics, this is not the case with the majority. In fact, it is safe to say that the average cannabis consumer — at least with respect to the modern day user in the newly legal climate — is more active and productive than anyone else in the throes of the daily grind.

Researchers at BDS found that 43% of cannabis consumers are busy with outdoors activities several times a week. This is significantly higher that non-cannabis users, according to the data. Only 25% of this group admitted to getting off their back cracks long enough to engage in activities outside the house.

Another interesting tidbit from the study is that cannabis users are more concerned about their overall health and wellness. Researchers found that around 40% regularly attend a gym or fitness center, which was about 10 points higher than non-users. This should come as no surprise. It’s like legendary stoner icon Tommy Chong once said (we’re paraphrasing, of course), “You’ve got to be in shape to do drugs, man.”

This pursuit of health and wellness is now a major trend across the United States. A recent analysis from Rabobank found that, because of this, cannabis is gaining popularity for being a gluten-free, no calorie substitute for alcoholic beverages.

Blue Dream, Purple Haze, Girl Scout Cookies, Red Headed Stranger, Acapulco Gold, Fruity Pebbles or Pineapple Express… all classic strain names and all of them meaningless.

“Strain names are absolutely misleading with considerable variation in the same cannabinoid content among different specimens of the same strain. You can get the same color and the same smell, but actually levels of the THC and CBD and some of the other compounds could be quite different,” says Robin Marles, Ph.D., chair of the U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP) Botanical Dietary Supplements and Herbal Medicines Expert Committee.

USP has assembled an expert panel of clinicians, scientists and industry representatives from around the world to provide necessary information and guidance on critical quality attributes, including recommendations for naming , all laid out in an article in the Journal of Natural Products, Cannabis Inflorescence for Medical Purposes: USP Considerations for Quality Attributes.

“USP recommendations are entirely focused on the inflorescence of the cannabis plant, popularly known as the flower or ‘the bud.’ And as with any plant product, the first challenge was to determine how to classify the various varieties and subtypes that are currently in use.” said Ikhlas Khan, Ph.D., USP’s Cannabis Expert Panel chair.

USP has elected to recognize cannabis as a single plant species, Cannabis sativa L., with different varieties or subtypes that can then be classified based on their THC and CBD content. The expert panel provided guidance for organizing the plant material into three “chemotype” categories: THC-dominant, CBD-dominant, or intermediate varieties that contain physiologically meaningful levels of both – intending to give prescribers or consumers greater clarity about what substances they are using.

Maine is currently the only state in the country to kick off recreational marijuana sales during the pandemic.

According to the Maine Office of Marijuana Policy, even with nearly 45 active licenses given to growers, manufacturers, testing sites and retail stores across the state, the demand has been too high for the supply chain to keep up.

But officials expect that to change and they predict more sales in the future.

John Lorenz, the owner of Sweet Relief, agrees.

“There's Downeast travel again. If 3 million people head to Acadia again every year for lodging and restaurants and food, they will pass my location,” said Lorenz.