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Legal cannabis sales continue to break records in Illinois with a total of more than $99 million in sales of both recreational and medical marijuana products sold in September, according to state regulators. The figure tops the previous record for total cannabis sales from August, when combined sales totaled more than $95 million, according to data from the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.

“We are not surprised to see another record month for cannabis sales in September approaching $100 million,” said a spokesperson for Chicago-based Green Thumb Industries, a multi-state operator with facilities in 12 legal cannabis markets in the United States. 

“Consumer demand remains strong throughout the ongoing COVID-19 crisis and we expect industry growth to continue as operators ramp up capacity to increase supply, new stores open throughout the state, and existing stores add adult-use sales,” the spokesperson continued in the statement emailed to High Times, noting that a new location of its Rise brand of dispensaries will be opening in Naperville, Illinois this week.

September sales of adult-use cannabis products, at more than $67 million, also eclipsed figures from August, when sales were just shy of $64 million. Legal sales of recreational marijuana began in Illinois at the beginning year, with more than $39 million in sales posted in January. Following a slight dip in February sales at more than $34 million, the total for recreational marijuana products has increased each subsequent month. 

Since the launch of recreational marijuana sales in Illinois in January, nearly 9.5 million cannabis products totaling more than $431 million have been sold. Sales figures do not include the taxes collected on adult-use cannabis sales.

For many decades THC was the most popular and well-known cannabinoid.

That has changed in recent years to some extent.

THC is still very popular, however, other cannabinoids have seen their popularity increase recently, with CBD seeing the most dramatic increase in popularity and awareness.

Google search trends show that CBD is queried more often than THC, and that has been the case for a few years now.

Interest in CBD is clearly on the rise, but what about actual use? 

The Gentlemen, an action-comedy focused on an American ex-pat (played by Matthew McConaughey) who builds a cannabis empire in London and then tries to sell the business, is getting remade for television, reports Deadline.

Guy Ritchie, who wrote and directed the film, will also be writing and directing the TV adaptation.

“Miramax Television is thrilled to break new creative ground in our partnership with Guy Ritchie on The Gentlemen,” said Marc Helwig, Miramax’s head of worldwide television. “One of the most distinctive and prolific filmmakers working today and someone whose creativity I have admired for many years, we couldn’t be more excited to bring the cinematic journey of The Gentlemen forth into the realm of global premium television.”

The film, which was released in January of this year, grossed more than US$115 million worldwide. McConaughey plays the role of Mickey Pearson, an American millionaire who uses an auto body business, the aptly named THC Wheels, as a front for his cannabis business.

Gemma Jackson, the film’s set designer, told Hollywood Reporter that making the weed look real was one of the film’s biggest obstacles.

With an origin story stretching back millions of years, hemp is making an overdue appearance in Paleo diets.

Paleo purists may disagree, but the benefits of hemp — a plant with a known history dating back 28 million years ago to central Asia — are undeniable, according to Yes! Weekly. The Denisovans may have been the first human ancestors to make use of the crop 160,000 years ago but evidence of its ancient use dots history books from around the world.

“The cannabis plant seems to have been distributed widely from as early at 10,000 years ago, or even earlier,” said Tengwen Long, a researcher at the Free University of Berlin in Germany.

Hemp originates from cannabis sativa, the same plant that produces marijuana, but with just a fraction of the psychoactive substance THC, its recent road to legalization and expanded use has been much easier than that of marijuana.

The popular Paleo Diet encourages a return to the foods that would have been available 2.5 million years ago in the Paleolithic Age, such as fruits, meats, vegetables and nuts, and an avoidance of dairy and processed foods. With more than 25,000 known uses throughout human history — and hemp-made products now considered superfoods — the crop would seem an ideal fit.

There are expected to be a number of fast-growing trends this decade, including cloud computing, the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity. But don't sleep on marijuana.

After generating an estimated $10.9 billion in worldwide sales in 2018, legal channel cannabis sales are expected to hit anywhere from $50 billion to $200 billion a year by 2030, according to various Wall Street estimates. Yes, this is a pretty wide range, but it's to be expected of an industry that's never been legalized in the modern era, and which has tens of billions of dollar in activity occurring behind the scenes.

It's also an industry that could soon get a lot bigger in the United States. Currently, two-thirds of all states have given the green light to medical marijuana, with 11 of these states also allowing for the consumption and/or retail sale of adult-use weed. But in less than a month, we could see these figures tick higher.

The Nov. 3 election will feature five states with cannabis measures on their respective ballots. However, none is going to be more unique than what the Mount Rushmore State is presenting to its residents.

The Mount Rushmore State is four weeks away from making cannabis history

While we've witnessed a number of unlikely ballot measures before, South Dakota is about to do something no state has previously attempted: It's trying to legalize medical and recreational marijuana at the same time, albeit with two separate ballot measures.

Cannabis does not actually calm the digestive tract. Instead, this is how it treats nausea.

People around America more and more are using cannabis as a treatment for nausea, from cancer patients trying to combat the nausea that follows chemotherapy to expecting mothers trying to keep food down in the months before birth.

As more is discovered about the endocannabinoid system, scientists are coming closer to pinpointing exactly why cannabis helps to reduce nausea.

Nausea is a necessary function of the body, used primarily to alert the body that something it ate might be poisonous or rotten and should be avoided now and in the future, or that the body is experiencing an illness or imbalance and needs treatment or rest. For example, dehydration can trigger nausea because the body is trying to send a signal that it’s unbalanced and needs more water.

But there are other factors, like motion or certain medications, that will also increase the signals being sent to the brain from the rest of the body, many of which the brain interprets as nausea

In a time marked by shuttered business, depressed consumer shopping, and plunging retail spending, not many markets can claim the victory that the CBD (cannabidiol) market has done so far. Back in 2018, sales of CBD products in the United States alone harvested a generous $600 million-$2 billion. Sales of CBD have actually grown slightly from those impressive numbers in 2019, as more consumer concerned about their health have switched their shopping habits, and now buy full-spectrum CBD online directly from the manufacturers. This is according to a report published by Forbes, which also foresees the figure inflating upwards of $16 billion by 2025.

As a cannabis-derived compound that harbors numerous pharmacological actions, such as antiemetic, anti-inflammatory, anxiolytic and antipsychotic properties, it is understandable why the market has such promising prospects. 

While emerging research is highlighting the benefits of this non-psychotropic cannabinoid, a handful of studies have also spotlighted how CBD lacks the non-toxic properties to cause negative changes on food intake, blood pressure, body temperature, heart rate, gastrointestinal transit, psychomotor and psychological functions.

But just how safe is it and should you be wary of introducing CBD into your lifestyle? Read on to find out.

CBD Research Has Been Suffocated by Classification Standards 

Due to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) classifying the cannabis plant as an illegal substance since the 1970s, strict restrictions have been imposed on CBD research for the past decade. Anyone who wishes to study the plant-derived compound is welcome to do so, buy only if they have obtained the necessary license.

A Massachusetts health care system said it is seeing an uptick in children becoming sick after ingesting candies, chocolates and gummies containing THC.

South Shore Health, located in Weymouth, said the many of the THC-laced edibles are packaged to look like brand name candies and snacks.

“Over the past few months, South Shore Health’s pediatric emergency department noted an uptick in incidences involving children who have become ill after ingesting products such as candies, chocolates, sours and ‘gummies’ containing THC,” South Shore Health said in a news release. “One case involved gummies which were packaged to look nearly identical to a leading brand of children’s vitamins.”

The health care system said recently one teen was treated after consuming five (600 mg each) fruit-flavored, THC candies.

"Children often can’t tell the difference between a food product laced with THC and one without. Edibles laced with THC, and intended for adult consumption and dosages, have a greater clinical impact on children based on their smaller size due to the child’s larger “volume of distribution.” said Mark Waltzman, chair of Pediatrics at South Shore Hospital.

More than 113 cannabinoids have been discovered in the cannabis plant, including tetrahydrocannabivarin, or THCV. An obvious molecular cousin to the infamous euphoric tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), THCV offers distinct characteristics in the world of cannabinoids.

According to Raphael Mechoulam, the Israeli researcher who discovered THC in 1964, “Most of the cannabinoids in cannabis have not been fully evaluated for their pharmacological activity. Tetrahydrocannabivarin is a potent antagonist of anandamide, a major endogenous cannabinoid. It seems possible that many of the non‐psychoactive constituents of this plant will be of biological interest.”

The Details on THCV

Probably the most distinct — and distinctly marketable — aspect of THCV is its ability to suppress appetite. This characteristic of this molecule is the opposite of THC, which has a reputation for enhancing appetite to create what is sometimes dubbed “the munchies.” This cannabinoid should be avoided by those suffering from anorexia.  

The medical community finds obvious interest in the appetite suppressing qualities of molecules such as THCV. The efficacy of natural and non-addictive products, lacking the side effects of traditional pharmaceutical therapies, is of obvious benefit to consumers suffering from conditions like obesity and Type 2 diabetes.

THCV regulates blood sugar levels and reduces insulin resistance. It is believed to be helpful for osteoporosis and other bone-related conditions. For the same reasons that it is helpful for Alzheimer’s disease, this special cannabinoid shows promise for alleviating the symptoms of and delaying the neurodegeneration associated with Parkinson’s disease. THCV may also prevent and relieve panic attacks in PTSD patients.

It can reduce anxiety, promote healing, and relax the body and mind. Here are some other ways athletes use cannabis to enhance performance.

Anna Symonds, Education and Partnership Manager for East Fork Cultivars, has been a  rugby player for 18 years and attributes a lot of her longevity as a professional athlete to cannabis. 

While she experimented with cannabis as a teenager, she discontinued this practice when she got more serious about sports. After she smoked with some teammates after a game, she experienced immediate healing and muscle relaxation. “I started to have this mental shift of seeing cannabis as medicine.” About five years ago after she got a back injury, cannabis proved to be the only thing that would provide her with pain relief and muscle relaxation, while increasing her functionality without the side effects from other medications.

Some time ago, Symonds observed how she would play better if she smoked the night before. “In addition, it  helped with the anxiety that comes before a competition, as well as relaxing the mind and body.” Also, the munchies enabled her to take in enough good calories so she could power up for the next day.

By microdosing before practice with a 1:1 full spectrum chocolate edible containing 1 mg THC, Symonds found the sweet spot where her pain would reduce and her mind would get into flow state where she was fully present and performing fully optimally. 

Mixing CBD and coffee is a fast-growing trend among CBD oil users — and for a good reason.

It’s more than just a commercial trend; there are real benefits to mixing CBD with coffee. The calming effects of CBD help reduce the unwanted side-effects of caffeine, such as anxiety and jitteriness. At the same time, CBD is able to enhance the mental alertness provided by your cup of morning coffee.

Would you try this win-win combo yourself?

Then you’ve come to the right place. In this article, we explain everything you need to know about mixing CBD and caffeine. We’ll cover the potential benefits, go over proper dosing, and share a few tips and tricks for using this combination to the fullest.

A Primer on Coffee, the Most Popular Stimulant on Earth

Coffee is by far the most popular stimulant brewed in the world. According to various estimates, people consume over 2.2 billion cups of coffee every day.

Despite Government’s declared intention to decriminalize small amounts of marijuana for personal use, the state’s main mental health institution is insisting on abstention except for medically prescribed purposes.

Director of the Psychiatric Hospital David Leacock said today his institution is firm in its position that no one should be using any type of narcotic drug whatsoever the amount.

“The hospital’s policy has been for the most part that we only believe marijuana should be used for medicinal reasons and prescribed by a medical practitioner. That still remains the case,” Leacock told Barbados TODAY this afternoon.

In fact, he warned Barbadians that marijuana poses a risk to the health of those who use it.

“We are not going to get into that discussion whether we think it is fair or unfair for those persons…whether it is within their rights to do or not to do. We deal from the medical side of things as far as how we see it, it does present a risk to persons if they are using marijuana,” the Psychiatric Hospital director stated.

It is recommended that people receive 8 hours of sleep every night.

Proper sleep plays a huge role in people’s overall health and wellness.

If someone gets the proper amount of sleep it means that they spend literally one-third of their life sleeping, which further highlights how important sleep is to humans.

Unfortunately, not everyone gets the proper amount of sleep each night. 

Poor sleep can significantly lower a person’s life expectancy via an increased risk of obesity, heart disease, and diabetes.

Cannabis strains aren’t as important as people think they are. Still, some key effects have been associated with sativas separate from others.

As two primary cannabis forms, sativas and indicas become associated with certain behaviors and effects. However, the value of these definitions has lost weight over time. Their effects are not as clear cut as the names sativas and indicas make it out to be, with experts now understanding the multiple variations inherent in cannabis plants, as well as how these variations impact people differently.

Even though sativa strains can change depending on the user, there’s a few effects that are associated with them. To have more certainty over these effects, your safest bet is to visit a dispensary and have an open talk with your budtender. That way you can discuss the effects you’re looking for and your level of experience with the plant.

Here are 5 of the most popular benefits associated with cannabis sativa strains:

Creativity

While indicas are associated with body highs, sativas are associated with head highs, which at times can translate to bursts of creativity and thinking outside the box. These strains tend to avoid any sleepy feelings, meaning that if you feel creative and high, you also won’t feel like falling asleep when trying to get something creative done. These strains are a good idea for when you want to do something expressive, whether that’s writing, painting or making a sculpture.

Connecticut could collect nearly $1 billion in taxes over five years if the state were to legalize recreational marijuana, according to a new University of Connecticut report.

A study by UConn’s Center for Economic Analysis estimated that in five years of recreational sales Connecticut could collect anywhere from $784 million to $952 million in new taxes, according to the Hartford Courant.

Since the COVID-19-fueled recession has hit the U.S., many states are looking at new ways to raise tax revenue.

Lead study author Fred Carstensen said that in addition to raising taxes, welcoming the recreational marijuana industry to Connecticut would also add 16,000 jobs to the local economy in five years.

If you haven’t heard, this weekend was big for football. Not only did it mark the first football season since the pandemic, but also the first season since the National Football League amended its labor agreement to cease the suspension of players who test positive for marijuana.

For a historically conservative league, the decision (made this spring) was a surprise, but one that made a lot of sense. Former players Nate Newton, Shaun Smith, and Mark Stenoski of the Dallas Cowboys, along Martavis Bryant of the Pittsburgh Stealers, Josh Gordon of the Cleveland Browns, and many others associated with the league admit to using cannabis before and after games, and former Denver Broncos star Nate Jackson has taken an outspoken stance against the NFL’s dismissal of the drug, writing an op-ed on the subject in the New York Times and working with the Gridiron Cannabis Coalition. In a 2018 interview with the Bleacher Report podcast, “The Lefkoe Show,” former tight end Martellus Bennett estimated as many as 89 percent of current NFL players use cannabis to decrease pre-game anxiety, ease the effects of concussion, and alleviate pain as an alternative to opioids.

“There are times of the year where your body just hurts so bad,” Bennett told Bleacher Report. “You don’t want to be popping pills all the time. There are anti-inflammatory drugs you take so long that they start to eat at your liver, kidneys and things like that. A human made that. God made weed.”

And it’s not just NFL athletes who have gone green. In 2014, snowboarding company executive Jim Alpine founded the 420 Games, an annual series of athletic events for those who use cannabis to reach their fitness goals, and at San Francisco’s Power Plant Fitness, gym trainers are working cannabis into their recommended fitness regimens. In his early career as a bodybuilder, Arnold Schwarzenegger had a habit of smoking before pumping iron, a part of his past that likely influenced his progressive marijuana policy as Governor of California.

The benefits of weed on athletic performance are little researched, but would make a lot of sense to anyone who’s tried cannabis before. Dr. Leigh Vinocur, Board-Certified Emergency Room Physician and Member of the Society of Cannabis Clinicians, says there are several well-known effects of cannabis that some believe benefit a workout: 1) inflammation reduction, 2) anxiety reduction, and 3) protection of the brain (though, until further research is conducted on the subject, she does not recommend exercising or participating in sports high.)

(WWJ) A new University of Michigan study shows more young adults are vaping marijuana now than any time in the past four decades.

The annual Monitoring The Future (MTF) Panel Study shows the percentage of young adults (19 to 22 years old) who vaped marijuana at least once in a month’s time has jumped from 5% in 2017 to 14% in 2019 among full-time college students.

It has more than doubled from 8% in 2017 to 17% in 2019 among young adults not in college, according to the study.

The study revealed marijuana use among both groups is currently at 43%, the highest it has been since the early eighties.

Principal investigator of the study, John Schulenberg, said this is an extremely “worrisome” trend, considering the health risks that come with vaping and smoking, such as severe complications from COVID-19 and the addictive properties of the substances.

High-end cannabis has made its way to Jamaica's west coast, although that's not new news to anyone familiar with the destination.

Hedonism II, the iconic adults-only playground -- a clothing-optional, lifestyle-friendly, party-hardy resort in Negril -- opened its newest guest amenity earlier this summer.

HedoWeedo is its medicinal marijuana dispensary located within the resort although is independently owned and operated and not part of Hedonism's all-inclusive experience.

Hedonism II joins several other ganja-friendly resorts in Jamaica offering access to weed, including six properties near Negril and one near Port Antonio, under the GanjaVacations umbrella.

In the case of GanjaVacations, the marketing positions it thusly: "Looking for a cool holiday destination to chill, soak in some sun, get a little sand between your toes and score some righteous legal weed?"

One subject on which the generations definitely agree, however, is their mutual appreciation for and enthusiastic use of cannabis, according to a new study by U.K.-based Verilife, which hosts dispensaries n six U.S. states.

Even that appreciation, however, dissolves into generational differences, Mehul Patel, COO of Verilife’s parent company PharmCann, told LeafReport. “Cannabis bridges the generational divide,” Patel said. “Our recently commissioned Verilife study shows baby boomers are twice as likely as millennials to look to cannabis for medical purposes; and relaxation is the top reason for consuming recreationally for both generations.”

The study surveyed 1,000 millennials ages 24 to 39 and 1,000 boomers ages 56 to 74, from late May through early June. Among its more findings:

In terms of the differences in uses cited, medical use broke down to 22 percent for millennials, versus 50 percent for boomers.

Percentages of use by the two groups included: millennials and chronic pain, 27 percent, as well as migraines, 13 percent; and boomers and arthritis, 15 percent, and chronic pain, 13 percent. Boomers (60 percent) were much more likely than millennials (46 percent) to talk to a doctor before embarking on usage.

Numerous studies have revealed the many health benefits of incorporating CBD into your life.

In fact, even healthcare professionals are finally starting to acknowledge the healing properties that come with the drug.

Due to recent popularity, CBD is easily accessible and comes in a variety of forms.

There are coffees, teas, capsules, candies, creams, shampoos, and a stunning variety of products to suit every taste.

Whether you’re a newbie or an enthusiast, if you’re looking to incorporate some healthy CBD into your diet through innovative and creative products, you’ve come to the right place.