Tuesday, November 14, 2017

The Stigma Around Medical Cannabis Usage

Medical cannabis is something that’s been accepted by many but is still considered controversial, especially if people who see it still believe that it’s just a drug people take to get high. Lots of people assume those who use it are just lazy and trying to chase a high, but that comes mostly from misinformation, but in reality, it’s one of the best ways to treat a variety of condition. Physicians, patients, and researchers is working to stop these stigmas, changing this so that the narrative is not something bad, but something really good too. It’s an alternative for medical trugs and treatments in a ton of cases. 

The Cannabis Debate 

The reason why there is a lot of news and stigma surrounding this is for a few reasons. The first is politics.  Political parties and influencers have played a major role in the spread of misinformation surrounding cannabis to the people that read up on it, and don’t offer true data instead. This has caused issues with legalization, and a lot of stereotypes that come with this. A lo of people get this information along with that knowledge from a variety of locations, including news outlets and the views of other people who are looking to keep those claims and views. 



Some people believe that marijuana isn’t treatment, but they’re missing out on something potential that could benefit their life.  The stigmatization of this does come from the side effects that are found in it, mostly THC. THC is something that controls the function of the brain because of how it attaches to your receptors in order to offer concentration, coordination, controlling the pleasures, and movement too. When people sometimes take this, they lose their ability to control themselves, their concentration, and their focus. These side effects, especially when seen, make people believe that people who use weed are irresponsible, but in reality, there’s a lot of people who use it to better their lives. 

The Effects of This 

Because the stigma tends to be a little bit prevalent, a lot of people aren’t interested in getting treatment, and those that end up doing so don’t tell their friends or families about it. This also becomes a challenge for some people, and it’s a challenge that a lot of people deal with. Most patients, however, are educating more and more about the benefits of marijuana to other people. 



Plus with more and more research that’s credible, it’s something that hopefully we’ll be able to stop stigmatizing, and instead, make it something that will indeed help you feel better, and much happier as well. 

A big part of tis is the legalization of this. There are now cards that a person with a condition can get to get the right kinds of marijuana. This is something that a lot of people see as different, and not just a as a recreational item, but something more. Educating others, talking to a doctor, and even seeking out experts is something that a lot of cannabis people need to do. The experts are great for removing those worries that you might have, and also help you make the proper choices surrounding your life. 


Doctors also can prescribe certain cannabis products to manage pain, and also mitigate the side effects. Marijuana is not some sort of hippie drug that’s extremely addictive, but instead, it’s a way to help treat major problems that come with this, and also, help you feel better, and happier as well, changing the game not just for you as a patient, but for others.


Thursday, April 13, 2017

Delta-8 Vs. CBD

Delta-8 and CBD are both considered cannabinoids within the plant that has cannabis within it, and they actually have very similar chemical formulas. The primary difference though, is the structure of the molecules, with delta-8 being a lot more similar to delta-9, which is the THC that weed is made up of. This is considered mildly intoxicating, and also mildly psychoactive, but the CBD that is compared to this is not psychoactive. 

What Delata-8 Is 

This is basically an isomer of the delta-9 THC that’s there and is considered psychoactive. They have the same formula empirically, but the way the atoms get arranged difference. This is considered a tricyclic terpenoid, and it’s something that occurs in a lot of small amounts within the cannabis plants that are out there. Most of the products that are out there actually come from hemp-derived types of CBD, and it’s considered a type of gray area in terms of regulation. there are some states have this legal, and other states that don’t.


 

This is usually synthesized when being made for consumption through the use of industrial chemicals. The conversion of this uses a solvent tha’ts organic, such as toluene, and from there, it’s the catalyze for this. This then refluxes, and then condenses the vapors so that it totally condenses to the system that this originates from.  It’s done in a manner tha’ts nice and controlled so you’re not burning the plant matter or the solvent. 



This is a very aggressive process though, and it does have a lot of byproducts, which is why many of them are not considered “pure” products in most cases. How this works is simple. it’s basically an agonist that works partially with the receptors within the body, so it’s a good anti-inflammatory, and it definitely can offer you euphoria, along with good feeling, but when compared to delta-9 it’s not as sedative, and it seems to be a little less psychoactive. 

However, people like to use delta-8 as the effects aren’t as strong. They can help with the following: 

  • Pain tha’ts chronic 

  • Depression 

  • Anxiety 

  • Spasms 

  • Nausea 

  • Vomiting 

There are a few negative side effects that Delta-8 THC has, similar to delta-9. However, since it’s in a lot of small dosages, we don’t know a ton about it, and right now, since it is considered a semi-legal item, it’s not as properly regulated, and we right now don’t have the information on the effects of consumption for the long-term may have on this. 

What about CBD 

This is a cannabinoid that’s abundant in a lot of plants. Most of the time, you either get them as isolates, broad-spectrum which pretty much has no THC, and then full spectrum, which has a little bit of THC, along with the terpenes, and some of the flavonoids. 



There are different ratios and whatnot, and while THC is not federally regulated, CBD that’s availible with trace amounts is. It is also of note that you can get CBD directly from the cannabis plant, and tha’ts actually not totally legal. This works similar to the other products, but it’s more of a modulator for the CB1 receptors, and it reduces THC within this. 

Both of these are good products, and they can help with various benefits that are already there. for a lot of people who are struggling to figure out what they need, then they can try both of these, see which one is right for them, and from there, decide how they want to utilize the cannabis that they feel like consuming as well too.


Sunday, January 8, 2017

Cannabis Soup for the Sniffles

Between the flu, cold, and covid, there are a ton of bugs just wandering around. One way to treat it, is cannabis soup.  There are different tried and true remedies for you to consume, and it’s important that you also focus on good nutrition, and hydration, and also focus on getting better. Cannabis is great for soup, and it’s something that, you may not think to actually use, but the benefits are there. 

Why a Soup? 

You might wonder if smoking a bowl would just be easier, but the thing is, when you’re sick, that’s very harsh on the respiratory system. Even vaping and dabbing can be very hard to do when sick. Edibles are good because they offer psychoactive results of this, and it’s something that you will feel about thirty minutes after you’ve had it, and it’s something that gets absorbed slowly. 

But what people love about edibles as well is that it does actually work slower, which means longer relief. Plus, it can offer comfort for an elongated period of time. Cannabis is something that you should use to relieve symptoms, and it’s something that you should try to make sure to use for a full recharge.  OTC medications for flu and cold symptoms will also help, but they make you feel hungover. This one doesn’t, and it is great if you do need to work, but struggle with doing that. 

Cannabis for Viral Infections 

Why cannabis for viral infections. Well, CBD is great for inflammation, so if your respiratory system is inflamed, it reduces irritation. A lot of people who deal with this do have pains and aches, and it’s a symptom that comes with the flu. A lot of cannabis strains offer analgesic results, and this high also is great for aches and muscles which are sore. 

There isn’t any evidence that suggests cannabis provides the curative benefits when you’ve got respiratory issues, or a cold. But it does offer you the potential to make you a lot comfier too, and it also helps with relaxation, better sleep, and also does help the body recover a whole lot better. 



There are also benefits from the soup as well that work with cannabis. For starters, there are a ton of vitamins, minerals, and fatty acids that are really good for ensuring that the body does get the treatment that it needs. If you’re healthy enough to make the soup that you want, do so, since it offers a lot more nutrition including antioxidants, and the terpenes work well with this compared to just getting something from the grocery store. 



How to make this 

You do need to activate the cannabis before you can do something with this. This is known as decarboxylation, which is necessary to get the THC out of this, and also helps with cannabis infusion. This is something that you can use in different forms. Cannabutter is one way to do this, and once you’ve made the cannabutte,r you heat up the soup, and then, let it sit in there to simmer. 

One thing that you can do too, is you can take the cannabis after the decarb process, simmer this in the soup, and let it stay submerged for a bit as it cooked, so that it’s absorbed in veggies and the broth as well. 



The cool thing about this, is you can add this to any soup that you want, so if you have a soup that you’d like to try, don’t hesitate to go with that and see what the effects are from it as well for you.