{"componentChunkName":"component---common-build-tags-template-js","path":"/tag/culture-and-lifestyle/9","result":{"data":{"allArticle":{"edges":[{"node":{"id":"Article_2196-markdown","title":"My Teen, Snapchat & Why the DEA Got it Wrong","slug":"my-teen-snapchat-and-why-the-dea-got-it-wrong","content":"### DEA Rules: Cannabis is the Same as LSD\r\n\r\nEven as an entrepreneur in the medical cannabis industry, the truth is I paid little attention to the Drug Enforcement Agency’s cannabis classification discussion of the last few months. For one, whatever was written was purely rumor-based. And secondly, I get up every morning to build a business that will educate millions on the wellness benefits of medical marijuana -- and I will continue to do so regardless of what the DEA says. \r\n\r\nYet when the news of the DEA decision recently broke, I found myself bitterly disappointed to again see numerous headlines that compared, or in some ways even equated, medical cannabis to Heroin or LSD. Despite years of anecdotal evidence to the contrary, years of death-less cannabis consumption, and now 25 states offering legal access to medicinal marijuana - somehow the federal government chose to reaffirm their position that cannabis compares to Heroin and LSD in medicinal value and in its ability to do harm. What?\r\n\r\n### Ask a Teenager\r\n\r\nIn search of rational thinking, I turned to my teenager and asked her what she thought of the news. She perked up, took the question very seriously, and answered with a much straighter face than I’m used to. ‘How could cannabis and heroin be in the same sentence? Heroin can kill you; cannabis can help you’, she exclaimed. And then added, before moving back to Snapchat, 'Why would the government do this?’ That was it. Short, simple but with infinitely more wisdom than the DEA.\r\n\r\nI shouldn’t gloss over the mind-bending complexities behind this recent decision. The very rules that govern drug classification appear to make it impossible for the federal government to change its longstanding view of cannabis. It’s the chicken and egg – on the one hand, clinical trial findings establishing cannabis’ efficacy are required in order to move cannabis from its Schedule I substance classification. On the other, it’s almost impossible to executes these while a drug is classified Schedule 1. Go figure. Still, if the current process results in telling the general public (remember, we live in a headline world) that cannabis is essentially akin to heroin, something has gone terribly wrong. In a world where heroin and opioids dot the news for their increasing association with death, this ruling strikes me as a cowardly and irresponsible act by elected officials. Even teenagers appear to know better.\r\n\r\n### The Medicinal Power of the Plant\r\n\r\nNow granted my seat at this table is still a fairly unique one. I consider myself lucky; I get to witness people every day moving away from opioids, finding pain relief, taking on PTSD, relieving stress and altogether discovering hope through medical cannabis. These are people abiding by state laws, and taking their health into their own hands. Actually, they form part of a broader trend. As a nation, we are transitioning to an era of self-advocacy and self-guided treatment when it comes to our health. Gone are the days of simply depending on your doctor for an answer. People are sick of pills, sick of the cost of healthcare and sick of fancy machines that bring little long-term relief. Instead, they want control over their health - and the right to choose and safely access medical cannabis fits right in. \r\n\r\nThe DEA and its limited perspective aside, maybe the word itself - ‘medicinal’ - is getting in the way. Some suggest, as cannabis is plant-based, that we call it herbal. Others say holistic. I like to think of it as therapeutic. Therapeutic is good for everyone, from the very sick to those simply trying to feel a little better. In fact, couldn’t cannabis just as easily be on the shelf at Vitamin Shoppe, or GNC - next to the fish oil? Americans spend billions of dollars in these stores every year - seeking therapeutic benefits - and yet you would be hard-pressed to find a product in there labeled FDA-Approved. Instead, shoppers are depending on the mighty Internet and underpaid clerks to tell them what to put in their bodies and why. What do you think of the term ‘Medical Cannabis’?\r\n\r\n### The Power of the People\r\n\r\nIt is possible that the ruling - and the news reel that comes with it - will misinform the millions who search every day for a better way to heal themselves, and also arm those determined to keep cannabis at bay. But I believe that the sheer power of people feeling better (with minimal side-effects, by the way) will overcome. As time passes, people who find relief though cannabis will passionately share their stories with those around them until, regardless of the DEA’s blind spots, cannabis will be widely considered therapeutic. HelloMD will continue to do its part. Ours is to enable millions of Americans to connect with doctors, experts, like-minded patients and the right products – so they may leverage cannabis in managing their own wellness. You can get involved too. If you have a story of success with cannabis that you’re willing to share, please let us know. We want to share it.\r\n\r\nI can’t help but close with a message for the DEA’s employer, our federal government. If you people can figure out how fast we should drive, and how to regulate proven killers like alcohol and cigarettes, surely there is a better way to take medical cannabis mainstream. Oh, and maybe check with some teenagers. They hold more wisdom than you think.\r\n","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.3333333333333333,"src":"/static/304c57d1bdd878c00199984c7a067375/14b42/e73aba1af36dd033e120a4e293b2c6b5.jpg","srcSet":"/static/304c57d1bdd878c00199984c7a067375/f836f/e73aba1af36dd033e120a4e293b2c6b5.jpg 200w,\n/static/304c57d1bdd878c00199984c7a067375/2244e/e73aba1af36dd033e120a4e293b2c6b5.jpg 400w,\n/static/304c57d1bdd878c00199984c7a067375/14b42/e73aba1af36dd033e120a4e293b2c6b5.jpg 800w,\n/static/304c57d1bdd878c00199984c7a067375/47498/e73aba1af36dd033e120a4e293b2c6b5.jpg 1200w,\n/static/304c57d1bdd878c00199984c7a067375/54ac5/e73aba1af36dd033e120a4e293b2c6b5.jpg 1365w","srcWebp":"/static/304c57d1bdd878c00199984c7a067375/58556/e73aba1af36dd033e120a4e293b2c6b5.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/304c57d1bdd878c00199984c7a067375/61e93/e73aba1af36dd033e120a4e293b2c6b5.webp 200w,\n/static/304c57d1bdd878c00199984c7a067375/1f5c5/e73aba1af36dd033e120a4e293b2c6b5.webp 400w,\n/static/304c57d1bdd878c00199984c7a067375/58556/e73aba1af36dd033e120a4e293b2c6b5.webp 800w,\n/static/304c57d1bdd878c00199984c7a067375/99238/e73aba1af36dd033e120a4e293b2c6b5.webp 1200w,\n/static/304c57d1bdd878c00199984c7a067375/5e0b8/e73aba1af36dd033e120a4e293b2c6b5.webp 1365w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_1974-markdown","title":"Clean Eating and Cannabis for Optimal Health & Wellness","slug":"clean-eating-and-cannabis-for-optimal-health-and-wellness","content":"Jamel Ramiro is a co-founder of [MoonMan's Mistress](https://moonmansmistress.com/). MoonMan’s Mistress is an award-winning, artisanal paleo-centric edible company committed to taste worthy products healthy for the body. This week Jamel is our featured guest blogger and he talks about the overall health benefits of clean eating and the use of cannabis.\n\n### Health & Happiness Starts with Food\n\nToday, we live in a complex world filled with technology based on simplifying and life hacking our everyday. Because we hustle hard to stay afloat, often times these shortcuts do a disservice to our health and well-being. We become drowned in a world of convenience, causing us to make poor choices that gravitate towards instant gratification. This is especially true when it comes to the food we choose to eat. \n\nMoonMan’s Mistress strongly believes that overall health and happiness begins with food. Liz Rudner, one of the Co-Founders, suffered from Celiacs and Hashimoto’s disease. After struggling and living in pain for so long, she started listening to her body and learned to heal herself through the medicinal benefits of real food and cannabis. Liz changed her diet to a clean eating lifestyle and was able to fight the chronic inflammation she had been dealing with for such a long time. She also took things a step further and used cannabis, which helped offset the inefficiency in the Celiac’s ability to absorb nutrients in the food she ate. Research has shown that cannabis can also help ‘cool the gut,’ in which it slows down the muscle contractions that move food through the stomach and intestines. Combining the healing properties of real food and cannabis, Liz paved her road to recovery.\n\n### Clean Eating is a Lifestyle\n\nSo, how do you define a clean eating lifestyle? Look at food as fuel and medicine for your body. Eat whole, unrefined, nutrient dense foods and stay away from anything processed. What you put in your body should give you energy to perform well and nutrients to recover and heal. CLEAN EATING is a LIFESTYLE CHOICE. Plain and simple, it’s not a diet. Diets come and go, just like the pounds you shed and put back on. If you commit to your health and make your eating choices a lifestyle instead of a “diet”, you can succeed in reaching AND sustaining your health goals. Most importantly, your mind, body and spirit should be in alignment when it comes to staying healthy.\n\n### The 8 Key Ingredients\n\nMoonMan’s Mistress believes there are 8 KEY INGREDIENTS to achieving health and happiness.\n\n>1.\tStay away from fad diets and quick weight loss plans. Eating is a lifestyle, it is NOT a restrictive diet.\n\n>2.\tChoose wisely and always eat real food, especially when it comes to cannabis edibles. Think of food and edibles as energy for performance and medicine for healing and recovery. Always read the labels and pass on anything processed. Your body will thank you.\n\n>3. Water is your best friend, so keep it close and stay hydrated. Drink the delicious pure and play in the salty varieties of the world.\n\n>4.\tPlay more, stress less and keep moving to stay youthful and healthy. \n\n>5.\tTake a moment to reset from your everyday routine. Drown your lungs in fresh air and pause to smell the wild flowers.\n\n>6.\tNever underestimate the power of sleep. It’s essential to finding your rhythm.\n\n>7.\tLive in laughter and smile often. Share yours with someone else. It’s contagious. \n\n>8.\tYou have one chance to live how you dream. NEVER STOP chasing your passions.\n\n\nRemember, eat well, move well and rest well to promote and balance a healthy lifestyle to the moon and back!\n\nDo you have questions about MoonMan's Mistress? Ask a question in [HelloMD's new Answers](https://www.hellomd.com/biz/moonman-s-mistress) feature. \n\nIf you are new to cannabis and want to learn more, take a look at our [Cannabis 101](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/cannabis-101-your-quick-guide-to-medical-marijuana) post. [HelloMD](https://www.hellomd.com/) can help you get your medical marijuana recommendation; it's 100% online, private and efficient.\n","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.3333333333333333,"src":"/static/39457114610dbdb92f28ea87853d2a15/14b42/45be69d81bf03cfba61616dcc02740a3.jpg","srcSet":"/static/39457114610dbdb92f28ea87853d2a15/f836f/45be69d81bf03cfba61616dcc02740a3.jpg 200w,\n/static/39457114610dbdb92f28ea87853d2a15/2244e/45be69d81bf03cfba61616dcc02740a3.jpg 400w,\n/static/39457114610dbdb92f28ea87853d2a15/14b42/45be69d81bf03cfba61616dcc02740a3.jpg 800w,\n/static/39457114610dbdb92f28ea87853d2a15/47498/45be69d81bf03cfba61616dcc02740a3.jpg 1200w,\n/static/39457114610dbdb92f28ea87853d2a15/54ac5/45be69d81bf03cfba61616dcc02740a3.jpg 1365w","srcWebp":"/static/39457114610dbdb92f28ea87853d2a15/58556/45be69d81bf03cfba61616dcc02740a3.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/39457114610dbdb92f28ea87853d2a15/61e93/45be69d81bf03cfba61616dcc02740a3.webp 200w,\n/static/39457114610dbdb92f28ea87853d2a15/1f5c5/45be69d81bf03cfba61616dcc02740a3.webp 400w,\n/static/39457114610dbdb92f28ea87853d2a15/58556/45be69d81bf03cfba61616dcc02740a3.webp 800w,\n/static/39457114610dbdb92f28ea87853d2a15/99238/45be69d81bf03cfba61616dcc02740a3.webp 1200w,\n/static/39457114610dbdb92f28ea87853d2a15/5e0b8/45be69d81bf03cfba61616dcc02740a3.webp 1365w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2146-markdown","title":"Celebrities that Support Marijuana","slug":"celebrities-that-support-marijuana","content":"### Celebrities are Stepping Up in Support of Marijuana\r\n\r\nMarijuana has long been a part pop culture through movies and music, but now celebrities are speaking out about their real world experiences with marijuana and advocating for legalization. The once taboo drug has found its way into acceptance throughout the United States, despite its continually federally illegal status, with majority of voting age americans in favor of legalization.  Marijuana was once represented in the media by stoner characters or drug lords, but now marijuana is being represented as commonly as alcohol. Actors, musicians, and other celebrities have now taken the conversation of cannabis off of the big screen and into the real world. \r\n\r\nDanny Glover spoke out in favor of Prop 19 in California, a marijuana legalization bill, and believed that the criminalization of marijuana was a draconian law. Celebrities from Snoop Dog to Susan Sarandon have talked about their varied experiences with marijuana. Miley Cyrus lit a joint on stage at the MTV Europe Music Awards and Alanis Morissette smokes marijuana to help her write her songs. What we must realize is that celebrities, though wealthy and in the spot light, are normal people who each use cannabis for a personal reason. These major stars are able to be a voice for the marijuana industry, allowing for a mainstream outlet for advocacy. There are five celebrities who have lead the charge for marijuana legalization, both medically and recreationally: Bill Maher, Whoopi Goldberg, Melissa Etheridge, the Dalai Lama, and Oliver Stone. \r\n\r\n### Bill Maher\r\n\r\nBill Maher has advocated for the legalization of marijuana periodically throughout his career, though he made his biggest gesture in support of marijuana when he lit up a joint on live television. On HBO’s Real Time, Bill Maher followed up a conversation about marijuana by smoking a joint to drive his point home that marijuana is not shocking or taboo anymore. Maher, who sits on the board of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, believes that legalization has been blocked out by the financial sector, along with alcohol and pharmaceutical companies. He believes that the war on drugs is perpetuated by those who profit on it, and that the world would be a lot better off if marijuana was legal. Maher is still skeptical about the pace of change, however, because of all of the components working against legalization. \r\n\r\n### Whoopi Goldberg\r\n\r\n![](https://hellomd-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5756ff04d113af000b000151/embedded_images/5756ff07d113af000b000152/whoopi_goldberg_enters_marijuana_industry.png) \r\n\r\nWhoopi Goldberg got her introduction into the marijuana community while seeking relief for glaucoma induced headaches. She began smoking marijuana, but after she stopped smoking cigarettes, she switched her delivery method to a vape pen. Goldberg has not been shy to share her opinion on cannabis and what it has done to help her, even writing a column in The Cannabist in 2014 describing her relationship with her vape pen. In her column, Goldberg describes the gentle relief she receives while using her vaporizer and how its discretion allows her to travel with her medication. Goldberg is now breaking into the cannabis industry in a new way by becoming a producer of medical marijuana products. She has teamed up with Maya Elisabeth, the decorated founder of Om Edibles out of California, to create Whoopi & Maya, a medical cannabis company which specializes in products to ease menstrual related symptoms.  The line includes topical products, as well as relaxing bath mixes. The idea behind the product line is for women to be able to apply the topical cannabis product to their abdomen throughout the day to ease cramping and be able to medicate their bath at night to relieve tension. The products in the Whoopi & Maya line will include both THC and CBD heavy products, creating a range of relief for different symptoms and preferences. Goldberg is hoping to help many women find relief during a time of the month that is often painful and can keep them away from their daily lives. \r\n\r\n### Melissa Etheridge\r\n\r\n![](https://hellomd-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5756ff04d113af000b000151/embedded_images/575700858a98c7000b00015e/melissa_etheridge_supports_cannabis.png)\r\n \r\nMelissa Etheridge may be on of the most outspoken celebrities on the subject of marijuana. At the 2016 Women Grow Leadership Summit, a gathering of 1,400 cannabis industry professionals, Etheridge was the keynote speaker. She is passionate about the marijuana industry because she believed it was crucial in helping her through breast cancer treatment. During her bout with breast cancer, Etheridge used cannabis to help her with chemo related symptoms. Now she is on the march to make sure that others have access to medical marijuana and that it gains legitimacy. She believes cannabis needs to be viewed as a choice made by a responsible adult, not a criminal action. Etheridge believes that women like her are leading the charge to legalization because they are self aware, understand their bodies, and may not be viewed as a “typical marijuana user”. Etheridge believes in legalization across the board, so cannabis can be widely accessed. Etheridge plans on staying in the industry and continuing her advocacy. This year, the short film When Bright Lights Fade, in which Melissa Etheridge was the narrator, was released. It depicts the journey of five former NFL players, Jake Plummer, Nate Jackson, Charlie Adams, Tatum Bell and Reuben Droughns, using CBD to help ease their chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), which effects 96% of former NFL players. The Realm of Caring Foundation has launched this short film and project as a whole to fundraise for a series of studies exploring how CBD could help players with CTE. Etheridge has also broken into the production side of the marijuana industry, launching her own line of cannabis infused wine tincture in 2015. \r\n\r\n### Dalai Lama\r\n\r\n![](https://hellomd-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5756ff04d113af000b000151/embedded_images/5757008a8a98c7000b000160/dali_lama_advocates_for_medical_marijuana.png)\r\n\r\nThe current Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, advocates for the use of medical marijuana. Though the Dalai Lama has never used marijuana himself, he thinks that there are clear pharmaceutical advantages to using the plant. The Dalai Lama, however, is strongly against the use of recreational marijuana because he sees it as something that could cloud the mind or judgement. He supports letting the medical community, both doctors and scientists, determine how marijuana can be best prescribed to help with particular ailments. \r\n\r\n### Oliver Stone\r\n\r\n![](https://hellomd-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5756ff04d113af000b000151/embedded_images/575700888a98c7000b00015f/oliver_stone_says_marijuana_saved_his_life.png)\r\n\r\nDirector Oliver Stone claims that marijuana saved his life and his sanity while he was a solider in Vietnam. His personal experience with marijuana has made him a large advocate for the benefits  of marijuana, “When I was in Vietnam, pot made the difference between being a human and being a beast,” he said in an interview on CBS This Morning, “there were a lot of guys who were drinking and doing a lot of the killing that was so unnecessary…the guys who did dope were so much more conscious of the value of life.” He also praises the high quality of California cannabis, comparing it to California wine. He used his movie Savages to show the corruption and money that comes from marijuana being illegal, and how the system in place does not achieve what it hopes to. Stone hopes that the United States will soon wake up to the fact that keeping cannabis illegal no longer makes fiscal or moral sense. \r\n\r\nInterested in asking a question about this? Go to [HelloMD Answers](https://www.hellomd.com/answers) and ask one of our doctors or community. \r\n\r\nIf you are new to cannabis and want to learn more, take a look at our [Cannabis 101](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/cannabis-101-your-quick-guide-to-medical-marijuana) post. [HelloMD](https://www.hellomd.com/) can help you get your medical marijuana recommendation; it's 100% online, private and efficient.\r\n\r\n[Photo Credit](https://www.flickr.com/photos/sharongraphics/4990953593/in/photolist-8B2WC2-8B62fb-8B62Ts-bMwRMi-4XU7XC-6YzfMC-7dXWG8-8B636G-9sLmsk-e5mm9q-4D49e8-bAarUV-8B62G1-5dz1K5-652bXM-qiLiN-aBLoXJ-qiJXf-645NFQ-qiLiK-aBLod5-8NQtND-aBHJyt-8B2W7M-83kWD2-4J6afF-5jwNCM-5jwNFF-t6FUz-t6FQX-8B2Vk4-4D8pC1-4D49UK-4D49tV-4D8q6q-652bRX-5jB6E1-5jwNPp-5jwNSc-qiLiQ-8ttYqG-6REySF-9DZQzr-5jwNy8-5jB6sN-4Yici8-5grQWw-qiLiP-eZ2An-5jwNUD)","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/png;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.5151515151515151,"src":"/static/6d076fb3c6dea7e3a35ed88c07d7dbfa/ee604/b72c3f580c01f5f7f5c01f6b70b4b31b.png","srcSet":"/static/6d076fb3c6dea7e3a35ed88c07d7dbfa/69585/b72c3f580c01f5f7f5c01f6b70b4b31b.png 200w,\n/static/6d076fb3c6dea7e3a35ed88c07d7dbfa/497c6/b72c3f580c01f5f7f5c01f6b70b4b31b.png 400w,\n/static/6d076fb3c6dea7e3a35ed88c07d7dbfa/ee604/b72c3f580c01f5f7f5c01f6b70b4b31b.png 800w,\n/static/6d076fb3c6dea7e3a35ed88c07d7dbfa/4e859/b72c3f580c01f5f7f5c01f6b70b4b31b.png 1013w","srcWebp":"/static/6d076fb3c6dea7e3a35ed88c07d7dbfa/58556/b72c3f580c01f5f7f5c01f6b70b4b31b.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/6d076fb3c6dea7e3a35ed88c07d7dbfa/61e93/b72c3f580c01f5f7f5c01f6b70b4b31b.webp 200w,\n/static/6d076fb3c6dea7e3a35ed88c07d7dbfa/1f5c5/b72c3f580c01f5f7f5c01f6b70b4b31b.webp 400w,\n/static/6d076fb3c6dea7e3a35ed88c07d7dbfa/58556/b72c3f580c01f5f7f5c01f6b70b4b31b.webp 800w,\n/static/6d076fb3c6dea7e3a35ed88c07d7dbfa/4589c/b72c3f580c01f5f7f5c01f6b70b4b31b.webp 1013w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2173-markdown","title":"Limonene: The Uplifting Citrusy Terpene","slug":"limonene-the-uplifting-citrusy-terpene","content":"My name is Nick Ocampo and I'm the Founder of [Nug Run](http://www.mynugrun.com/) a Sacramento, California based startup  that creates curated cannabis subscription boxes called 'NugBoxes'. Nug Run pairs cannabis terpene profiles with complementary snacks, and treats. We aim to support all-natural healthy cannabis by creating fun, creative ways to consume within the comfort of home. In my first blog post for HelloMD, I talk about limonene, the terpene that literally transformed my life.\n\n### A Terpene Walked into a Bar...\n\nI’m sitting in a rustic whiskey bar, and across the crowded picnic table seating, a beautiful girl says to her friends “ I don’t know why, but I love citrus in any drink.”\n\n“Limonene” I say out loud with a smile. The group of girls look at me oddly, like the freak at a bar who talks to himself. I lean in and say politely to my seat mates, “What if I could scientifically prove why you love citrus?” I am most definitely met with blank stares but continue. “You see this lemon peel?” as I point to one of the girl’s glasses. “That lemon peel is magical, it is rich with a compound called limonene.”\n\nI move in headlong, continuing the conversation which includes my personal experience and the power of terpenes. The conversation that transpired between us on that evening is one that I have had time and time again. Terpenes, the chemical compound found in everything from citrus to hops, is the new unknown frontier of both medicine and foodie alike; and we have barely scratched the surface of it’s full potential. In short, terpenes, which are found in lemons, are also the aromatic compounds found within our cannabis. The terpenes such as limonene work in tandem with cannabinoids and our endocannabinoid system to help relieve different symptoms we may feel or even evoke new and often positive bodily sensations.\n\nAs the charming girl leaned in and chose to sit next to me, I began to unpack my reasoning and observations regarding people that enjoy both limonene and citral notes within their food and how this translates to cannabis. The terpene limonene is a natural anxiety relief that creates a positive mood and its elevating effects are what draw us in. It is like when you squirt a lemon, words like 'bright' and 'clean' come to mind. The aroma and ingestion of limonene when smoking works to calm your nerves, and let’s be honest citrus tastes amazing whether it be in a drink or within your cannabis. The effect of limonene can be profound, especially for those of us who need to be uplifted.\n\n### Limonene: A Positive Revelation\n\nI actually believe terpenes saved my life.  Years ago, before my terpene and cannabis journey began, I was sitting in my apartment alone. It seemed I was watching dust collect on my midtown, middle-class bachelor lifestyle. Unhappy, I had insufferable chronic insomnia, and even worse I didn’t know why. One weekend I was invited to a private BBQ at a friends house.\n\nIt was at his house I was introduced to a new iteration of limonene I had never met. Her name was Super Lemon Haze, and she was sun grown in my friends back yard. My friend's father grew this strain every year and it was an introduction I will never forget. During our time together, which lasted a few days, we packed our vaporizer and let the flavor and medicine wash over us. This particular limonene-heavy strain sent me on a rocket ship of positive thought and clear energy that transcended the blood/brain barrier in resounding fashion. This revelatory experience eventually changed my life. \n\n### Life Restarts with Citrus Undertones \n\nMy experience with Super Lemon Haze, and in particular the terpene limonene,  led me to research the chemical makeup of terpenes in cannabis. It started me thinking about the relationship terpenes have with the ‘entourage effect’ and their significance on both the mind and mood of those who consume it. Through my research, I began to understand a great deal about how the chemical compounds within the cannabis plant help and support our dynamic systems.\n\nLooking back now, that was a breakthrough year for me. In a short time I decided to become an entrepreneur, which led to the most successful year of my career. I also broke free from depression and insomnia. Later that year, I lost 25 pounds got in great physical shape and started rock climbing. I also met my wife over an Old Fashioned at our favorite whiskey bar. To be honest, I believe I am a product of the revolutionary effects of medical cannabis; it literally turned my life around. So, you can call me a sucker for citrus, but I say cheers to terpenes and all the positive benefit that flows from them.\n\nDo you have questions about Nug Run? Ask a question about the product in [HelloMD's new Answers](https://www.hellomd.com/talk-to-doctor) feature. A doctor or member of our community will answer.\n","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/png;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.3333333333333333,"src":"/static/50791d3fb28ca9d655f1c8f24ac65f7b/ee604/c2f2391bb0da87751549bc17b3b973d5.png","srcSet":"/static/50791d3fb28ca9d655f1c8f24ac65f7b/69585/c2f2391bb0da87751549bc17b3b973d5.png 200w,\n/static/50791d3fb28ca9d655f1c8f24ac65f7b/497c6/c2f2391bb0da87751549bc17b3b973d5.png 400w,\n/static/50791d3fb28ca9d655f1c8f24ac65f7b/ee604/c2f2391bb0da87751549bc17b3b973d5.png 800w,\n/static/50791d3fb28ca9d655f1c8f24ac65f7b/f3583/c2f2391bb0da87751549bc17b3b973d5.png 1200w,\n/static/50791d3fb28ca9d655f1c8f24ac65f7b/f90fa/c2f2391bb0da87751549bc17b3b973d5.png 1365w","srcWebp":"/static/50791d3fb28ca9d655f1c8f24ac65f7b/58556/c2f2391bb0da87751549bc17b3b973d5.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/50791d3fb28ca9d655f1c8f24ac65f7b/61e93/c2f2391bb0da87751549bc17b3b973d5.webp 200w,\n/static/50791d3fb28ca9d655f1c8f24ac65f7b/1f5c5/c2f2391bb0da87751549bc17b3b973d5.webp 400w,\n/static/50791d3fb28ca9d655f1c8f24ac65f7b/58556/c2f2391bb0da87751549bc17b3b973d5.webp 800w,\n/static/50791d3fb28ca9d655f1c8f24ac65f7b/99238/c2f2391bb0da87751549bc17b3b973d5.webp 1200w,\n/static/50791d3fb28ca9d655f1c8f24ac65f7b/5e0b8/c2f2391bb0da87751549bc17b3b973d5.webp 1365w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2091-markdown","title":"Cannabis & Yoga: An Active Lifestyle with Marijuana?","slug":"cannabis-and-yoga-an-active-lifestyle-with-marijuana","content":"After enduring multiple painful surgeries and finding little balance or relief with traditional pain medications, Nick became co founder of [Outset Edibles](http://outsetedibles.com/), an ‘active lifestyle’ edibles company. Outset focuses on healthy dried fruit edibles dosed in manageable 5mg to 10mg micro serving sizes. In his first post, Nick talks about his journey to health with edibles and his company’s dedication to wellness through yoga + cannabis classes.\r\n\r\n**My Journey into Edibles**\r\n\r\nIf you’ve been to a dispensary, you have seen them, the homemade plastic wrapped cannabis cookie or brownie edible sitting on the display table. They’re sugar laden, improperly labeled and seem designed to put you in a coma if you’re an edibles newbie. After having my own horrible edibles trip, I dreamed of creating a new breed of edibles designed to integrate with a normal every day lifestyle, without causing whole-day-couch-lock. My new-world edible would be micro-dosed, so you wouldn’t need to worry about eating too much. Lastly, my fantasy edible would be healthy, organic, and cater to an active lifestyle community of cannabis consumers. Living in San Francisco, I knew this community existed.\r\n\r\nMy personal mission became to create an all natural, vegan edible that could be easily dosed and enjoyed everyday. After enduring multiple sports injuries, which required numerous knee surgeries, I found myself using too many pharmaceutical prescriptions. Wanting to both alleviate pain as well as stay physically fit, I started looking for pain management alternatives. The result is Outset, the company I created that manufactures a high-quality, low dose (5-10mg per serving) dried fruit edible. I knew if I could support my own physical recovery and mental wellness, hopefully I could help others as well.\r\n\r\n**Cannabis & Yoga Pairing**\r\n\r\nFrom the Outset’s beginning, our team felt passionate about nurturing the mind, body and spirit. Early on we chose to focus on education within the community of wellness minded patients. Several months ago we launched Outset’s first yoga/cannabis focused event to educate patients on specific products and strains of cannabis that pair well with various yoga sequences. Yoga is an amazing practice that seeks to connect the body with the mind. The end goal is not only physical wellness but the relaxation of the mind as well as connection to your inner bliss. The pairing of yoga and cannabis might seem like a bizarre combination, but cannabis and yoga enthusiasts often are seeking the same body-mind-connection result. We believe a yoga/cannabis pairing can display how cannabis consumers can combine a meditative practice with a physical one, such as yoga, while using cannabis.\r\n\r\nFor our first yoga/cannabis event, our focus was on the combination of cannabis with yoga in a comfortable and nurturing environment. Our class, called ‘VinyaSativa’, is a vinyasa flow paired with sativa dominant products meant to energize patients while at the same time creating a sense of equilibrium. The events success led us to create a more relaxed and nurturing sequence. ‘Yindica’, our new restorative yin sequence class, is now on offer and our yogi patients are paired with indica dominant products, which have a more meditative effect overall.  \r\n\r\n**Cannabis & Yoga: a San Francisco Vibe**\r\n\r\nOur classes have been extremely well attended and yogis have sung their praises regarding the physical and emotional wellness they feel after a yoga/cannabis pairing event. Many people comment that they feel a deeper relaxation and sense of mental clarity. Our journey has only just begun as we continue to grow our class offering in our continuing community outreach efforts. \r\n\r\nCannabis infused yoga classes hosted by Outset are held at [YogabeachSF](http://www.yogabeachsf.com/) studio in San Francisco, CA. Attendance is open to all California medical cannabis patients who have valid marijuana medical recommendations. Go to [Outset Edibles](http://outsetedibles.com/) to learn about future events.\r\n\r\nIf you are new to cannabis and want to learn more, take a look at our [Cannabis 101](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/cannabis-101-your-quick-guide-to-medical-marijuana) post. [HelloMD](https://www.hellomd.com/) can help you get your medical marijuana recommendation; it's 100% online, private and efficient.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/png;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.3333333333333333,"src":"/static/1fa0f5b57f7edda4d42ed6e5799c7a24/ee604/834ff54a36d99cae9c3db4387126888c.png","srcSet":"/static/1fa0f5b57f7edda4d42ed6e5799c7a24/69585/834ff54a36d99cae9c3db4387126888c.png 200w,\n/static/1fa0f5b57f7edda4d42ed6e5799c7a24/497c6/834ff54a36d99cae9c3db4387126888c.png 400w,\n/static/1fa0f5b57f7edda4d42ed6e5799c7a24/ee604/834ff54a36d99cae9c3db4387126888c.png 800w,\n/static/1fa0f5b57f7edda4d42ed6e5799c7a24/f3583/834ff54a36d99cae9c3db4387126888c.png 1200w,\n/static/1fa0f5b57f7edda4d42ed6e5799c7a24/f90fa/834ff54a36d99cae9c3db4387126888c.png 1365w","srcWebp":"/static/1fa0f5b57f7edda4d42ed6e5799c7a24/58556/834ff54a36d99cae9c3db4387126888c.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/1fa0f5b57f7edda4d42ed6e5799c7a24/61e93/834ff54a36d99cae9c3db4387126888c.webp 200w,\n/static/1fa0f5b57f7edda4d42ed6e5799c7a24/1f5c5/834ff54a36d99cae9c3db4387126888c.webp 400w,\n/static/1fa0f5b57f7edda4d42ed6e5799c7a24/58556/834ff54a36d99cae9c3db4387126888c.webp 800w,\n/static/1fa0f5b57f7edda4d42ed6e5799c7a24/99238/834ff54a36d99cae9c3db4387126888c.webp 1200w,\n/static/1fa0f5b57f7edda4d42ed6e5799c7a24/5e0b8/834ff54a36d99cae9c3db4387126888c.webp 1365w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2201-markdown","title":"Cannabis Versus Marijuana: What's in a Name?","slug":"cannabis-versus-marijuana-whats-in-a-name","content":"For many cannabis consumers, \"marijuana\" and \"cannabis\" are mere\r\nsynonyms used to indicate the same plant. Many people don't know,\r\nhowever, how varied the histories of cannabis and marijuana truly are.\r\nAs cannabis becomes more widely accepted, the way that the plant is\r\nreferred to in the public sphere becomes more critical to consider.\r\nWhile this is true with anything that represents a changing social norm,\r\nreferring to cannabis properly is one of the most sure-fire ways to earn\r\nacceptance for the plant in the future. While there are many slang terms\r\nused to refer to cannabis, aficionados everywhere are beginning to agree\r\nthat changing the way consumers talk about the plant is one of the most\r\ndirect paths to changing public viewpoints on it as well.\r\n\r\nCannabis Throughout History\r\n---------------------------\r\n\r\nCannabis has a long history of serving human beings. For the last\r\n[10,000 years](http://www.hemp.com/history-of-hemp/), hemp and hemp\r\nderivatives have been used in textiles, rituals, burials and\r\n[medicines](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/the-history-of-medical-marijuana-usage).\r\nIn Egyptian civilizations, hemp also has a long history of use as a food\r\nsource, lamp oil and paper material. While the cannabis plant has\r\nboasted many titles throughout history (cannabis, marijuana, hashish and\r\nhemp, to name a few) the name of the herb itself wasn't a point of focus\r\n[until the\r\n1930s](http://www.salon.com/2013/08/06/weed_and_words_the_growth_of_dank_vocabulary_partner/),\r\nwhen narcotics agents began to cast aside the scientific term \"cannabis\"\r\nin favor of the more pejorative Mexican word \"marijuana.\"\r\n\r\nAccording to well-known marijuana scholar [H.L.\r\nMencken](http://www.citypaper.com/bcp-blog-18806-20130830-story.html),\r\nthere are actually no known uses of the term \"marijuana\" until the late\r\n1800s, when prohibitionists began to use terms like \"marijuana\" and\r\n\"devil's weed\" to discourage the general public from using the plant.\r\nWhile the word \"marijuana\" may not seem sinister to modern-day\r\nconsumers, it's important to remember that prohibitionists began using\r\nthe Mexican-Latino term as a way to associate the herb with Mexican\r\nimmigrants. These immigrants were responsible for [the first\r\nintroductions of\r\ncannabis](http://origins.osu.edu/article/illegalization-marijuana-brief-history)\r\ninto American society, and many Americans during that time regarded\r\nthese immigrants as dangerous, sinister and thieving. Because of this\r\nconnection, many current cannabis aficionados interpret the word\r\n\"marijuana\" to be pejorative and discriminatory.\r\n\r\nIn 1937, the name-game surrounding cannabis became heated thanks to\r\nsomething called the [Marihuana Tax Act of\r\n1937](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marijuana_Tax_Act_of_1937). This act\r\nwas the first piece of official legislation to expressly prohibit\r\nmarijuana. The Marihuana Tax Act of 1937 outlawed all parts of the\r\nCannabis plant except for the stalks and oils, which could be used for\r\nindustrial purposes. During hearings surrounding the act, the assistant\r\nattorney of the Treasury Department made a widely-publicized statement,\r\nclaiming that the tops, leaves and seeds of the hemp plant were home to\r\na dangerous and addictive drug that went by the name of marijuana. This\r\nstatement, combined with the prior efforts of prohibitionists, is where\r\nmuch of the pejorative weight of \"marijuana\" comes from.\r\n\r\nThe Current Inception of Cannabis\r\n---------------------------------\r\n\r\nWhile many modern consumers understand that the words \"marijuana\" and\r\n\"cannabis\" are used to refer to the same plant, many are unaware of the\r\npock-marked history of the word \"marijuana.\" While the word \"marijuana\"\r\ndoes not pack any sinister weight in and of itself, many cannabis users\r\ntake issue with the negative historical implications of the term.\r\nBecause of this, \"cannabis\" has become the preferred lexicon. In\r\naddition to being perceived as more elegant, \"cannabis\" manages to\r\nescape negative historical connotations and contributes to the effort of\r\naficionados and researchers alike to lead the public to regard this\r\nplant in a scientific and evidence-based fashion.\r\n","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/png;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.492537313432836,"src":"/static/6b313e33f87997a7eeb66a8aa4fe041b/7dac8/0f9c667267d829f10039ffe8f8e47cf3.png","srcSet":"/static/6b313e33f87997a7eeb66a8aa4fe041b/69585/0f9c667267d829f10039ffe8f8e47cf3.png 200w,\n/static/6b313e33f87997a7eeb66a8aa4fe041b/497c6/0f9c667267d829f10039ffe8f8e47cf3.png 400w,\n/static/6b313e33f87997a7eeb66a8aa4fe041b/7dac8/0f9c667267d829f10039ffe8f8e47cf3.png 780w","srcWebp":"/static/6b313e33f87997a7eeb66a8aa4fe041b/a6aca/0f9c667267d829f10039ffe8f8e47cf3.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/6b313e33f87997a7eeb66a8aa4fe041b/61e93/0f9c667267d829f10039ffe8f8e47cf3.webp 200w,\n/static/6b313e33f87997a7eeb66a8aa4fe041b/1f5c5/0f9c667267d829f10039ffe8f8e47cf3.webp 400w,\n/static/6b313e33f87997a7eeb66a8aa4fe041b/a6aca/0f9c667267d829f10039ffe8f8e47cf3.webp 780w","sizes":"(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2136-markdown","title":"The History of Marijuana Propaganda","slug":"the-history-of-marijuana-propaganda","content":"The history of marijuana propaganda follows an interesting trajectory,\r\nfrom moral outrage to a seemingly objective and measured scientific\r\ncensure. In the arguments, certain themes and tropes appear again and\r\nagain, as the narrative has built on its own stories, refined its\r\napproach and responded to criticisms.\r\n\r\n**Reefer Madness**\r\n\r\nThis [1936 film](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbjHOBJzhb0) depicts\r\nthe anti-marijuana propaganda movement in its first frenzied iteration.\r\nThe narrative follows the plight of a young man who smokes the \"vicious\r\nweed\" and finds himself plunged in short order into a nightmare of\r\nviolence and murder that culminates in suicide and insanity. In the\r\n1930s, cannabis and hemp, which had been grown for hundreds of years in\r\nthe US, even by the founding fathers, began being referred to as\r\n\"marijuana,\" perhaps to associate it more closely with Mexican\r\nimmigrants, who were accused of taking American jobs during the\r\nDepression.\r\n\r\n**Marijuana, Assassin of Youth**\r\n\r\nThis [1937 screed](http://druglibrary.org/mags/assassinofyouth.htm) was\r\npenned by H.F. Anslinger, U.S. Commissioner of Narcotics, together with\r\nCourtney Ryley Cooper. Published in the American Magazine, the article\r\ncould easily be a synopsis of \"Reefer Madness,\" suggesting that the\r\nNarcotics Czar didn't look too far for his inspiration. Its notable\r\ntheme is marijuana's unpredictable quality, presumably responding to\r\npeople who had tried the plant and discovered it to be quite benign. One\r\nnever knew how the brain would react, and \"whether he will become a\r\nphilosopher, a joyous reveler, a mad insensate or a murderer.\" This work\r\ncontained a potent theme that would appear again and again in the annals\r\nof drug prohibition literature: of young people, completely detached\r\nfrom material reality, flinging themselves from windows to their death.\r\n\r\n**Marihuana -- The Evil Weed**\r\n\r\nPublished in Detective World in 1947 and written by Judge Carl F.\r\nDieffenbach, Jr, [this\r\narticle](http://druglibrary.org/mags/detectiveworld.htm) built on the\r\nassassin theme and began to associate the plant with everything foreign\r\nand strange to the American mind. The notable use of the Anglicized\r\nspelling variation -- with \"h\" replacing \"j\" -- was very likely a\r\ndeliberate choice to make the plant sound more unAmerican and menacing.\r\nHinting that \"hashish\" is related to the Arabic word \"assassin,\" the\r\narticle depicts the plant as a snake that originated in the Orient and\r\ntraveled through Mexico, then wound itself in a serpentine fashion\r\nthrough the social world of American life, determined to destroy not\r\njust the mind but also our collective culture. The article goes on to\r\nindulge in blatantly racist insinuations, associating \"reefers\" with\r\n\"jazz\" halls and \"juke joints.\" In this reprehensible but masterly\r\nexample of period propaganda, even the poet Homer is evoked to denounce\r\nthe deadly plant, which had apparently invested the ancient Persians\r\nwith their devilish power.\r\n\r\n**Dare Smokes a Reefer**\r\n\r\nPublished in 1953, [Dare\r\nMagazine](http://druglibrary.org/mags/dare_smokes_a_reefer.htm)\r\nconcocted a scary composite picture of drug users turned into criminals\r\nand murderers from smoking \"reefers.\" Beyond these cautionary tales, the\r\nreader was told that nearly all heroin and cocaine users started with\r\nmarijuana, and only graduated to harder drugs when the thrill wore off,\r\nestablishing marijuana as a \"gateway\" drug to harder stuff. One\r\nconsequence of marijuana depicted in these case studies is tied back to\r\nits very illegality. This circular reasoning -- marijuana users suffer\r\nwhen they get arrested for possessing it -- became very popular in\r\nfuture messaging.\r\n\r\n**The Surgeon General's Warning on Marijuana**\r\n\r\nBy 1982, [the\r\nstory](http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00001143.htm) had\r\nchanged quite a bit. Marijuana was linked to \"amotivational syndrome,\"\r\ncharacterized by low energy, diminished performance and lack of drive --\r\nalmost exactly the opposite of the manic, super-human claims of the\r\nprevious decades. Along with these effects, the literature warned of low\r\nsperm count, cancer and an impaired immune system.\r\n\r\n**Marijuana -- National Drug Threat Assessment**\r\n\r\n[This official\r\nreport](https://www.justice.gov/archive/ndic/pubs3/3300/marijuan.htm),\r\npublished as recently as 2003, positioned marijuana as the leading drug\r\nthreat to the country. It focused heavily on crime reports in framing\r\nthe argument, which was heavily skewed to the perceptions of law\r\nenforcement agencies. Again, this problem arises from the fact that\r\nmarijuana is illegal. It suggested that marijuana might be physically\r\naddictive and posited that decriminalization would increase usage.\r\n\r\nToday, marijuana still tops the federal list of dangerous and addictive\r\ndrugs. Since 1970, cannabis has been classified as a schedule I\r\nprohibited substance, the most restrictive category. However, there are\r\nsignals coming from the DEA that changes may be coming soon. Maybe it's\r\ntime to hear the other side of the story.\r\n\r\n[Photo Credit](https://www.flickr.com/photos/invisibleinkweb/4267823492/in/photolist-7v8HeE-7v8J1u-6FJtKG-ERy2K-o7J8bN-o7K9Ar-onbC11-6W7GBW-7Q6qWh-7Q6r2j-9Af8yo-BZVYA-2UNycr-2SHXM-zxrbN-5Dya21-bdZEmk-sSivV-Czt7X-7Q6qN9-6t1ydA-8adKGF-f37iq-33RSKY-9zPgo3-4rLJGj-4rGFvp-4rLJjh-dhBszY-bPakS2-5jod4v-7Tg5Hx-8fJGNT-8qrkvj-B9tYQr-A7HGEr-e5N2FG-aoVWhb-AxPr8H-4rLKp9-B9tYP4-AxPr9e-7v8HvJ-yLvBR3-A9LYSK-5jJAGR-AvvAzA-ACxmbs-AoyvPE-AvvErc)\r\n","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/png;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.5625,"src":"/static/c0e1ef437177a3a84bd01bdb9c0e8316/a2255/d7dd7e666a4adfe85efffe9f769bbfbd.png","srcSet":"/static/c0e1ef437177a3a84bd01bdb9c0e8316/69585/d7dd7e666a4adfe85efffe9f769bbfbd.png 200w,\n/static/c0e1ef437177a3a84bd01bdb9c0e8316/497c6/d7dd7e666a4adfe85efffe9f769bbfbd.png 400w,\n/static/c0e1ef437177a3a84bd01bdb9c0e8316/a2255/d7dd7e666a4adfe85efffe9f769bbfbd.png 578w","srcWebp":"/static/c0e1ef437177a3a84bd01bdb9c0e8316/45990/d7dd7e666a4adfe85efffe9f769bbfbd.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/c0e1ef437177a3a84bd01bdb9c0e8316/61e93/d7dd7e666a4adfe85efffe9f769bbfbd.webp 200w,\n/static/c0e1ef437177a3a84bd01bdb9c0e8316/1f5c5/d7dd7e666a4adfe85efffe9f769bbfbd.webp 400w,\n/static/c0e1ef437177a3a84bd01bdb9c0e8316/45990/d7dd7e666a4adfe85efffe9f769bbfbd.webp 578w","sizes":"(max-width: 578px) 100vw, 578px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2066-markdown","title":"Canna Tourism: Pack Your Bags ","slug":"canna-tourism-pack-your-bags","content":"Right now, it's possible to take trips centered around everything from\r\nwine to food, but did you know that cannabis-focused vacations are\r\nbecoming popular as well? Across the country, states where recreational\r\ncannabis is legal are starting to offer so-called \"canna-tourism\" trips.\r\nHere's what you need to know.\r\n\r\n**What Is Canna Tourism?**\r\n\r\n[Canna\r\ntourism](http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/marijuana-tourism-colorado-washington)\r\nis an industry dedicated to connecting cannabis lovers with unique\r\nattractions and cannabis-focused amenities. Currently, the market for\r\ncanna-tourism services is booming in marijuana-friendly states such as\r\nWashington, Oregon and Colorado.\r\n\r\n**Why Is Canna Tourism So Popular?**\r\n\r\nDespite the fact that cannabis is now legal for medical use in [23\r\nstates](http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=000881),\r\nconsumers may still face scrutiny surrounding their cannabis use.\r\nBecause of this, many cannabis consumers (both medical and recreational)\r\nare booking cannabis tours that allow them to spend a day, a weekend or\r\neven a week in the company of like-minded people who appreciate cannabis\r\nas much as they do. Additionally, people who live in states that haven't\r\nyet legalized cannabis are using canna tourism as a way to enjoy and\r\nlearn more about marijuana.\r\n\r\nBecause of their inclusive environment and world-class accommodations,\r\ncannabis-focused tours have the potential to virtually explode in\r\npopularity. In fact, [New Frontier\r\nestimates](https://frontierfinancials.com/marijuana-insights/potential-number-of-cannabis-tourists-in-key-states/)\r\nthat California alone could have up to 20 million canna-tourists in the\r\ncoming years.\r\n\r\n**What Can I Expect From a Canna Tourism Trip?**\r\n\r\nThe selection of canna-tourism experiences currently available is wide\r\nranging, but consumers who book a canna-tourism trip can generally\r\nexpect an all-inclusive experience, featuring cannabis-friendly\r\ntransportation, dining, accommodations and plenty of cannabis-focused\r\nattractions varying from massages to cooking classes.\r\n\r\n**5 of the Best Canna Tourism Trips**\r\n\r\nIf you're interested in booking a canna-tourism trip, you'll quickly\r\nfind that the type of trip you book depends completely on your\r\npreferences and desired attractions. Here are the five best tours to\r\nhelp you get a head start on your decision.\r\n\r\n**1. My 420 Tours**\r\n\r\n[My 420 Tours](https://my420tours.com/) is an all-inclusive cannabis experience for true\r\naficionados. While My 420 Tours offers several package options,\r\nincluding the \"Cannabis Foodie Tour\" and cannabis massages, one of their\r\nmost popular packages is the All-Inclusive Luxury Cannabis\r\nVacation.\r\nThis package includes a 1-hour cannabis massage, classy cannabis\r\nfriendly transportation to and from cannabis-focused destinations,\r\n4-star hotel accommodations, grow and dispensary tours, delicious meals,\r\na cannabis cooking class at Colorado's most famous culinary school and a\r\npersonalized cannabis concierge service. Ideal for travelers who want\r\nthe complete cannabis experience, My 420 Tours is a virtual\r\none-stop-shop for all things cannabis.\r\n\r\n**2. Ferrari 420 Tours**\r\n\r\n[Ferrari 420 Tours](http://www.ferrari420tours.com/) is run by a husband\r\nand wife duo. Designed as the response to the growing cannabis culture\r\nof Napa Valley, Ferrari 420 Tours offers a huge selection of experiences\r\n- from guided dispensary tours in Mendocino and Humboldt to dispensary\r\ntours in the Bay Area. Services include limousine charters, dispensary\r\ntours, vaping lounges, and access to unique local cannabis events. Plus,\r\nsince Ferrari 420 Tours is still a small, local business, it's easy to\r\nuse the service to put together your dream cannabis tour.\r\n\r\n**3. Travel THC**\r\n\r\nFor consumers who don't live in marijuana-friendly states and want to\r\nexperience the culture and science of a place where marijuana is legal\r\non a recreational basis, [Travel THC](http://travelthc.com/) is the\r\nservice to use. Designed to connect travelers with marijuana-friendly\r\nrental homes in states like Alaska, Washington, Oregon and Colorado,\r\nTravel THC acts quite a lot like Airbnb, but for cannabis-friendly\r\nhomes.\r\n\r\n**4. Bud and Breakfast**\r\n\r\n[Bud and Breakfast](http://www.budandbfast.com/home/) is a unique\r\nestablishment with locations in Denver, Silverthorne, Parshall and\r\nColorado Springs. Positioned on rustic ranches or in stately historic\r\nhomes, Bud and Breakfast is a fun and unique adult cannabis experience\r\nthat offers things like a delicious wake and bake breakfast, cooked by\r\nprofessionally trained chefs; a 4:20 happy hour that features\r\ncomplimentary beer, wine and hors d'oeuvres; cannabis-infused massages\r\nand quality accommodations in beautiful settings. The perfect place to\r\nkick back and relax, Bud and Breakfast is a mellow vacation experience\r\nyou'll want to return to again and again.\r\n\r\n**5. Colorado Cannabis Tours**\r\n\r\nIf you're in the market for a more simple form of canna tourism without\r\nall of the accommodations and included amenities, check out [Colorado\r\nCannabis Tours](http://www.coloradocannabistours.com/). Located in\r\nDenver, Colorado, Cannabis Tours is the largest cannabis tourism\r\nplatform in town. The tour will let you explore Denver in a huge party\r\nbus complete with live glass blowers and celebrity guests. (Tommy Chong,\r\nanyone?) If you'd like to take your tour a step further, opt for one of\r\nColorado Cannabis Tours' cannabis massages or spend the night in one of\r\ntheir affiliated cannabis-friendly hotels.\r\n\r\n**Canna Tourism: A Unique Experience for Cannabis Lovers**\r\n\r\nVacations are meant to be relaxing and memorable, and canna tours are\r\nsome of the best ways for cannabis lovers to kick back, refresh and\r\nlearn something new about the cannabis industry. Regardless of whether\r\nyou choose a relaxing weekend at Bud and Breakfast or a fun-filled\r\nafternoon on the Colorado Cannabis Tours party bus, a canna-tourism trip\r\nis sure to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience.\r\n\r\n[Photo Credit](https://www.flickr.com/photos/dgperis/2267307751/in/photolist-4smxAX-5wMLff-4smzmH-4smwx6-5bfD8Y-3m29kW-4sqypw-4sqxA3-uhUxF-9eY9P-4sqzeC-4sqygs-b2Sm4z-75Qnkq-edaEY2-4sqyEb-4sqzCW-4sqy9d-8z7ex4-8F6M1T-4smvu2-4smw2n-8uFTZ7-4SgH4G-4smxtv-4sqyMY-63uNdX-4SuEUi-5cMwTu-DY2PAd-5rg2Em-9DnFG8-a4eJVy-e5sJn4-55SSqg-dfqVgf-c2yrK1-oE81UW-94gw4T-6g8Xc9-6cxsF9-6mgnFr-oWzy3U-ejwRo2-fv6BG8-9nnQY8-pA79bd-qx31gS-ejwQJX-ejwR3Z)\r\n","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/png;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.5151515151515151,"src":"/static/9384a65c569c245ca6ef1cf9c89f61d0/ee604/35ad36b713053ec84d781c1b8fdd4f48.png","srcSet":"/static/9384a65c569c245ca6ef1cf9c89f61d0/69585/35ad36b713053ec84d781c1b8fdd4f48.png 200w,\n/static/9384a65c569c245ca6ef1cf9c89f61d0/497c6/35ad36b713053ec84d781c1b8fdd4f48.png 400w,\n/static/9384a65c569c245ca6ef1cf9c89f61d0/ee604/35ad36b713053ec84d781c1b8fdd4f48.png 800w,\n/static/9384a65c569c245ca6ef1cf9c89f61d0/b2cb7/35ad36b713053ec84d781c1b8fdd4f48.png 882w","srcWebp":"/static/9384a65c569c245ca6ef1cf9c89f61d0/58556/35ad36b713053ec84d781c1b8fdd4f48.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/9384a65c569c245ca6ef1cf9c89f61d0/61e93/35ad36b713053ec84d781c1b8fdd4f48.webp 200w,\n/static/9384a65c569c245ca6ef1cf9c89f61d0/1f5c5/35ad36b713053ec84d781c1b8fdd4f48.webp 400w,\n/static/9384a65c569c245ca6ef1cf9c89f61d0/58556/35ad36b713053ec84d781c1b8fdd4f48.webp 800w,\n/static/9384a65c569c245ca6ef1cf9c89f61d0/aff14/35ad36b713053ec84d781c1b8fdd4f48.webp 882w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_1995-markdown","title":"Corporate Greed, Corruption & Racism: Marijuana Became Illegal","slug":"corporate-greed-corruption-and-racism-marijuana-became-illegal","content":"The marijuana legalization movement has blazed a forward path by slowly\nopening minds and challenging archaic laws and regulations. Much work is\nstill needed to redeem this useful plant from the toxic mythology that\ngrew up around it, however. A little bit of history can illuminate just\nhow that mythology took root.\n\nJack Herer, an iconic figure in the marijuana legalization movement,\nwrote a fascinating history of the marijuana plant and its political and\nsocial history. It's an interesting story and, like many American\nstories, we find it tracking along the lines of corporate conspiracy,\npolitical corruption, social propaganda and a legacy of racism and\ncriminalization. We've summarized some of the key plot points below. Be\nsure to [check out the whole story](http://www.jackherer.com/) on his\nwebsite.\n\n**Farming and Industry**\n\nIn 1938, two innovations stood poised to shake up markets, transform\nindustry and bring a new economy to the fore. Industrial hemp\ndecorticating devices designed by scientists at the US Department of\nAgriculture in 1916 were both fully operational and economically\nfeasible. It seemed the plant was poised to revitalize the American farm\nand transform both agriculture and industry. The plan involved not just\nthe green buds, but utilized the pulpy stalks to make paper, an\nexploding market back at the beginning of the mid-20th century. The\neconomic and ecological benefits resulting from the cultivation and\nproduction of pulp paper might have saved countless forests from\ndecimation, preserved ground water from contamination, and softened the\nimpact of the great depression. What happened?\n\n**Barriers to Market**\n\nAt the same moment, the Dupont family had patented an industrial process\nfor making plastics from coal and paper from wood pulp. Eager to corner\nthe paper market and to fend off competition for a whole host of\nsynthetic products made of nylon, the company realized that hemp, once\nit was converted into an industry of scale, would be one of its largest\ncompetitors. One of Dupont's largest investors, Andrew Mellon, was\nserving in the Hoover administration as the Secretary of Treasury.\nMellon tapped Harry J. Anslinger, his soon-to-be nephew, to run the\nFederal Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs. Interestingly,\nAnslinger had already served as prohibition commissioner in the era of\nalcohol prohibition.\n\nEnter sensational newspaper publisher William Randolph Hearst, who had\ninvested heavily in timber and had a vested interest in keeping hemp off\nthe market. A [propaganda\ncampaign](http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/dope/interviews/musto.html)\nensued, and the toxic misrepresentations still haunt us today. Anslinger\nand Hearst begin to produce\n[films](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Azf320JDdqU), stories and other\n[sensational\nreports](http://ssdp.org/news/blog/why-was-marijuana-illegal-first-place/)\nthat maligned marijuana users as deranged and violent. It targeted\nMexicans, Chinese and black Americans as the bad guys. They tied\nmarijuana use to [everything the public\nfeared](http://all-that-is-interesting.com/20th-century-anti-marijuana-propaganda)\nmost and branded its users as rapists and beasts out to destroy white\nculture. Sound familiar?\n\nIt didn't take long, between regressive taxes and vicious propaganda,\nfor marijuana to become associated in the public mind with every kind of\ndeviance and violence. Anslinger testified before Congress that\nmarijuana was \"the most violence-causing drug in the history of the\nworld.\" The marijuana tax of 1937 regulated the plant and made its trade\nand possession illegal. The economic and ecological benefits that hemp\nhad promised vanished almost overnight.\n\nSince that time, marijuana has continued to be a potent weapon in the\nhands of policy makers and politicians who need a scapegoat. The\noriginal campaign against marijuana provided a template for forwarding\nsocial and economic agendas.\n\n**The 60's and the Rise of Stigma**\n\nIn the 60s, marijuana use was associated with the rising anti-war\nmovement. Although marijuana became more openly acceptable in some\ncircles, publicly it was demonized, often in association with other\ndangerous compounds and synthetic drugs. As the streets became saturated\nwith heavier drugs such as heroin and cocaine, marijuana was considered\nguilty by association and framed as a gateway drug. In the meantime, the\nwar against drugs was often posited in nationalistic and geopolitical\nterms.\n\nToday, these associations linger. People still believe that marijuana\nuse is responsible for empowering Mexican drug cartels, instead of\nunderstanding how legalization and thoughtful regulation policies would\nmake the import of marijuana from Mexico completely irrelevant. In fact,\nthe growth of powerful cartels was a result of the criminalization of\nmarijuana, and their decline can be [linked to our changing\npolicies.](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/56e35016c6ebce000c0000bc/legalization-of-marijuana-is-destroying-mexicos-drug-cartel)\n\nAn autopsy of our history of marijuana policies reveals a tortured logic\nthat tries very much to shape itself as a moral authority but fails at\nevery turn. Even a surface glance reveals some painful contradictions.\nAs marijuana entrepreneurs experiment with marijuana extracts in\nhigh-tech labs, many others, often individuals of color, have forfeited\ntheir futures to the American justice system and are living out life\nsentences in prison. Opportunities to correct these injustices are\nmanifest, but the federal government has declined again and again to\npass comprehensive laws that would limit selective punishment and make\nmarijuana an opportunity for all. Whether pursuing the plant from the\nbusiness side or as a medicine that has been [shown to mitigate\nsuffering](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/56f5a323f763e40008000020/new-guidance-on-opiates-for-chronic-pain-but-there-is-a-solution)\nwithout the harsh side effects of synthetic drugs.\n\n**Conclusion**\n\nIn a nutshell, the criminalization of marijuana came about because the\nfinancial potential of hemp was too threatening to captains of industry\nthreatened by competition. In the 1930s, Harry J. Anslinger, who had\njust lost his position running the defunct alcohol prohibition agency,\nwas appointed to oversee the enforcement of drug laws. He was appointed\nby a powerful relative a huge position in Dupont, which saw hemp as a\ndanger to its profits. Meanwhile, William Randolph Hearst, the\ninspiration for Citizen Kane, had investments in timber to keep the\npresses rolling at his sensationalist newspaper. Despite the lack of\nscientific studies, the public perception of marijuana as a gateway drug\nremained in the public eye. This year, the Supreme Court upheld\nColorado's thriving cannabis ecosystem against its punitive-minded\nneighbors, but the official federal policy hasn't changed. What the\nnation needs is for marijuana to be regulated sensibly and fairly, as a\nnational resource, and not demonized or used as a tool for moral panics.\n\n[Photo Credit](https://www.flickr.com/photos/47217049@N05/15599895956/in/photolist-pLvxzo-3nnmnE-cox4s5-6EqLTA-d3rirs-gtgA2D-46QDYd-2K9sR7-6QLQXh-3aTFwk-6QLSUU-6QLRam-2hPbuM-6QGKAt-2SePj5-6QGKXH-r1iQV-r1iR2-6QLRtw-6QLS7C-3cB1Jb-6QLTnu-9CNoNk-6QLTwf-7mqyR1-cxa4Mm-6QLU3C-6QGMrt-6QGLqK-6QLQLw-6QLRjw-6QGL9D-6QGK3x-bcFASR-q5eDVV-6QLRXN-6QLTeb-dUqtg5-6QGMAK-39Goki-jip6DN-6QGPt8-6QGNmR-76CSak-8nNZCa-fhw5Ge-76CRNe-8Fetuy-6QGKLt-stGeAT)\n","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/png;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.4492753623188406,"src":"/static/840bcb5e4349a64737aa4b330052c4b8/ee604/3794c2a21b97605fa3f221a4d917dde1.png","srcSet":"/static/840bcb5e4349a64737aa4b330052c4b8/69585/3794c2a21b97605fa3f221a4d917dde1.png 200w,\n/static/840bcb5e4349a64737aa4b330052c4b8/497c6/3794c2a21b97605fa3f221a4d917dde1.png 400w,\n/static/840bcb5e4349a64737aa4b330052c4b8/ee604/3794c2a21b97605fa3f221a4d917dde1.png 800w,\n/static/840bcb5e4349a64737aa4b330052c4b8/a3f62/3794c2a21b97605fa3f221a4d917dde1.png 1066w","srcWebp":"/static/840bcb5e4349a64737aa4b330052c4b8/58556/3794c2a21b97605fa3f221a4d917dde1.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/840bcb5e4349a64737aa4b330052c4b8/61e93/3794c2a21b97605fa3f221a4d917dde1.webp 200w,\n/static/840bcb5e4349a64737aa4b330052c4b8/1f5c5/3794c2a21b97605fa3f221a4d917dde1.webp 400w,\n/static/840bcb5e4349a64737aa4b330052c4b8/58556/3794c2a21b97605fa3f221a4d917dde1.webp 800w,\n/static/840bcb5e4349a64737aa4b330052c4b8/0465f/3794c2a21b97605fa3f221a4d917dde1.webp 1066w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2154-markdown","title":"Cooking With Cannabis","slug":"cooking-with-cannabis","content":"For people who want to consume marijuana but don't want to inhale it,\ncooking with the herb is a fantastic alternative. There are literally\nhundreds of ways to cook with cannabis, and consumers who learn to make\ntasty edibles in their own kitchens will enjoy experimenting with new\nrecipes for years to come. Here's an overview of what budding marijuana\nchefs need to know.\n\n**Cannabis Cooking 101**\n\nCooking with cannabis is a little more complicated than taking the\nentire plant and tossing it into brownie batter. In addition to\nproducing some unfortunate-tasting brownies nobody would want to eat,\ndoing so would also defeat the purpose of cooking with cannabis, as the\nherb needs to be processed (via heat) in order to decarboxylate and\nbecome psychoactive. Left to its own devices, the human body can't\ndigest the THC found in raw cannabis. Because of this, most [cannabis\nrecipes](https://www.hellomd.com/learn/recipes-and-diy)\nrequire a form of cannabis extract, such as cannabutter or\ncannabis-infused oil.\n\nBecause cannabis is fat-soluble (stored in fat), it must always be\ncooked with some form of fat -- like butter, an oil, or milk. This\nallows the compounds within the cannabis to release into the fat,\nmaximizing the effects of the plant and creating a better-tasting\nedible.\n\n**The Process of Decarboxylation**\n\n[Decarboxylation](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/56de6bd6c60fd50008000081/decarboxylating-marijuana-why-its-important) is the process cannabis must go through *before* being\nused for cooking, and also before being included in any form of\ncannabutter or cannabis-infused oil. Because raw cannabis contains a\nmultitude of compounds that are not psychoactive (THCA, for example), it\nmust be heated in order to change the chemical structure of the herb and\nactivate the psychoactive compounds within it.\n\nDecarboxylation is a simple process that can easily be done at home.\nMost consumers choose to decarboxylate their cannabis by laying it out\non a lined cookie sheet and baking it at low temperatures for a long\nperiod of time. At the end of the baking period, the cannabis becomes\ncrumbly and dry. At this point, it is ground in a food processor and can\nbe included in a variety of different extractions.\n\nWhile decarboxylation may seem like an added step in the journey toward\nhomemade cannabis cuisine, it's something consumers who want to cook\nwith cannabis must do in order to ensure a quality product.\n\n**Extracting Cannabis**\n\nCannabis must always be processed with heat before cooking, and there\nare several methods of doing so. The two most popular methods of\nextracting cannabis at home are by making cannabutter (cannabis-infused\nbutter) and cannabis-infused oil.\n\nWhile the THC in cannabis doesn't bind to water, it binds to fats very\nwell. This means processing the cannabis in the form of heated butter or\noil activates the psychoactive compounds within the plant, preserves the\n[terpenes](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/562948683138320006d70000/terpenes-that-augment-the-healing-power-of-cannabis)\n(the heat-sensitive oils and compounds within marijuana that give the\nplant its taste and smell), and produces a simple, tasty, and\neasy-to-use method of incorporating cannabis into a variety of meals and\ndishes. Most consumers enjoy experimenting with both cannabis-infused\noil and cannabutter, each offering ease of use and versatility.\n\n**Cannabutter**\n\nCannabutter is a favorite of cannabis consumers everywhere. Easy to use\non everything from toast to homemade cookies, cannabutter is a versatile\nmethod of extracting cannabis at home. Check out our [cannabutter\nrecipe](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/56b27915fe98a1000c000243/diy-recipe-cannabutter-or-cannabis-butter).\n\n**Cannabis-infused oil**\n\nSimple, tasty, versatile, and easy to use, cannabis-infused oil can\neasily be used as a replacement for normal cooking oil in recipes like\nbrownies and other baked goods. It can also be used in things like salad\ndressings and garnishes. See our [recipe for marijuana-infused\noil](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/5a34777c100a820006562f0a/diy-recipe-marijuana-infused-cooking-oil).\n\n**Measuring Cannabis for Cooking**\n\nOne of the biggest struggles home cannabis cooks face is accurately\nmeasuring the amount of marijuana to include in a recipe. Homemade\nedibles that contain too much cannabis produce an uncomfortable high,\nwhile homemade edibles that don't contain enough cannabis are simply\ndisappointing. Fortunately, it's easy to calculate cannabis levels\ncorrectly by using a simple guide.\n\nAs a general rule, 1 teaspoon of cannabis butter or cannabis-infused oil\ncontains 10 milligrams of cannabis, which is a good introductory serving\n(people who have never used cannabis before will be more comfortable\naround 5 milligrams per serving). If the consumer would like to alter\nthe serving size as they become more experienced with homemade edibles,\nthey should be sure to start off slowly and move up gradually.\n\n**What to Expect From Cannabis Edibles**\n\nConsumers who have never eaten marijuana before are often shocked by how\ndifferent the effects can be from smoking. In addition to producing a\ndifferent high, consuming edibles produces effects that last [much longer\nthan they would](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/56bd2f8ffe78ef000c0000a5/marijuana-edibles-vs-flowers) after inhalation. Here are some general guidelines about\nwhat to expect from homemade edibles:\n\n-   Effects of the edibles are generally felt within 30 minutes to three\n    hours after consumption of the edible.\n-   Effects usually begin with relaxation and may become a \"head high,\"\n    depending upon which strain of marijuana the consumer is using.\n-   People who do not enjoy the effects of edibles can drink citrus\n    fruit juice (such as orange or grapefruit) or consume a\n    [high-CBD](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/56b4fec6ea6a2d000c000077/high-cbd-marijuana-strains)\n    product to calm the effects.\n\nCooking with cannabis is a fantastic way for consumers to expand their\ntoolbox of marijuana tricks and create some tasty, unique edibles at\nhome. From brownies to salad dressings and everything in between,\nthere's no question that cooking with cannabis is a skill every\nmarijuana aficionado should master.\n\nSome simple and popular recipes include:\n\n- [Coconut Oil](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/56d69dde22efe4000b00004c/how-to-make-marijuana-coconut-oil-recipe)\n- [Sugar Cookies](https://hellomd.com/health-wellness/56f5a089f873bb0008000010/diy-recipe-cannabis-infused-sugar-cookies)\n- [Fire Crackers](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/56de6921c60fd5000c00007d/marijuana-fire-crackers-recipe)\n- [Chocolate Chip Cookies](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/56dd799696763100080000b4/marijuana-chocolate-chip-cookies-recipe)\n- [Garlic Bread](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/56dbb8d7cdbd0a000c0000ac/cheesy-marijuana-garlic-bread-recipe)\n- [Brownies](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/56ce39abde99bd000c0000bb/how-to-make-marijuana-brownies-recipe)\n- [Cannabis Infused Tea](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/56b946413c7953000800007d/diy-recipe-marijuana-infused-tea)\n- [Cannabutter](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/56b27915fe98a1000c000243/diy-recipe-cannabutter-or-cannabis-butter)\n- [Cannabis Infused Oil](https://hellomd.com/health-wellness/56b3979094aec0000c000043/diy-how-to-make-cannabis-infused-cooking-oil)\n\n\n[Photo Credit](https://www.flickr.com/photos/42954113@N00/5711890071/in/photolist-3G984z-q278BB-rnryRn-8ytHbH-ja25Li-5TZpxZ-7ANMA-amp2Sm-4z9qH4-77SLK1-amp4aL-9GJVVi-ammeQZ-9mowhT-7mc14U-472faG-apPgDq-8gUnB-5cazqp-nAusb-75N1TP-qtuzP9-oPNwHr-4HSXga-74Xit-9NqeZu-veDPq-5FNH6C-9BY99b-9sgKiH-4jQ775-e52n4L-9GSExz-b6rHvi-7pW2g8-9xRVSv-4zW5nF-oDywoe-7oXv6H-7pW2rK-4YuCHB-amp5cf-7LJmdV-dsSoNu-akM31Z-amp2zA-ammgHe-75N23i-amkFEu-5RSoWt)","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/png;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.5384615384615385,"src":"/static/e9efb9ed57feee0803657262edd03330/ee604/1e3ca08154df7642b36050da41ccd227.png","srcSet":"/static/e9efb9ed57feee0803657262edd03330/69585/1e3ca08154df7642b36050da41ccd227.png 200w,\n/static/e9efb9ed57feee0803657262edd03330/497c6/1e3ca08154df7642b36050da41ccd227.png 400w,\n/static/e9efb9ed57feee0803657262edd03330/ee604/1e3ca08154df7642b36050da41ccd227.png 800w,\n/static/e9efb9ed57feee0803657262edd03330/86756/1e3ca08154df7642b36050da41ccd227.png 997w","srcWebp":"/static/e9efb9ed57feee0803657262edd03330/58556/1e3ca08154df7642b36050da41ccd227.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/e9efb9ed57feee0803657262edd03330/61e93/1e3ca08154df7642b36050da41ccd227.webp 200w,\n/static/e9efb9ed57feee0803657262edd03330/1f5c5/1e3ca08154df7642b36050da41ccd227.webp 400w,\n/static/e9efb9ed57feee0803657262edd03330/58556/1e3ca08154df7642b36050da41ccd227.webp 800w,\n/static/e9efb9ed57feee0803657262edd03330/a2a2c/1e3ca08154df7642b36050da41ccd227.webp 997w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2015-markdown","title":"Pairing Cannabis with Food: A New Culinary Trend","slug":"pairing-cannabis-with-food-a-new-culinary-trend","content":"Living near Napa Valley, everyone seems to know a lot about wine. Often, I have been invited to wine pairing dinners with friends who have spent countless hours learning their Cabs from their Pinots and the cheese with which to pair it. Wine pairing has been popular for so long, it’s now passé. Given the current trend towards marijuana legalization, many people are now treating cannabis like wine and high-end cannabis food pairing events are starting to pop up like mushrooms in February. According to [Philip Wolf, a pairing experience expert](http://www.mensjournal.com/food-drink/chefs-restaurants/pairing-pot-with-food-the-next-big-culinary-trend-20150309),  “Cannabis should be treated like fine wine. It harmonizes so well with food when you have the right pairings.\" Gone are the days of stoner food and in is the convergence of sophisticated chefs, growers and collective owners throwing elaborate culinary fetes in intimate settings. Sounds like fun, right?\r\n\r\nSo, it was with much enthusiasm that I recently received an invite to [Sava’s](https://www.getsava.com/) upscale cannabis and food pairing event in San Francisco to celebrate the launch of their new online collective. I’ve talked about Sava before; I love the Etsy-like concept and the highly curated, hand crafted cannabis brands like [Flour Child](https://www.getsava.com/our-providers/flour-child/) and [Hepburns](https://www.getsava.com/our-providers/hepburns/) which are represented. Never having been to a cannabis & food pairing, I was excited to see how it might play out, and in the back of my mind wondered if the evening would devolve into some sort of weird insanity. Always a possibility.\r\n\r\nAs cannabis and food pairings are still on the fringe of what some may consider ‘publicly acceptable’, the exact location of the event was kept a secret until just a few hours before the event. Around 3pm on Friday I received an email that let me know that the dinner would take place that evening in the Mission, a popular San Francisco neighborhood. My husband Mark and I pointed our new Google self-driving car (OK, wishful thinking) toward the city and we were on a good-times-Friday-night-journey.\r\n\r\nArriving at the door of a large Victorian, just shy of being late, we were both warmly greeted to the Sava event by a woman in an apron who asked for our names and our medical recommendations. I handed her my HelloMD paper rec and Mark showed her his new digital recommendation on his IOS, but not before he chided me for being wicked old school. Whatever. Keiko checked us into the event and we were ushered into a beautiful home, warmly lit and full of about 45 other diners. Everyone was abuzz and happily socializing. Vaporizers, kindly offered for the evening by the folks at [Firefly](https://www.thefirefly.com/), were neatly arranged on a silver tray in the spacious gourmet kitchen. My hunch had been correct; this would be a very fun evening full of interesting people!   \r\n\r\nPhilip Gelb, a well known Bay Area Vegan chef and mastermind behind the pop up catering dinner series outfit called [Sound & Savor](http://www.soundandsavor.com/) bobbed between the guests in the kitchen. The event coordinator mingled with the dinner guests who started on the outrageously delicious chickpea crepes canapés being offered with the first pairing. JX13, a sativa and indica hybrid was lightly packed into 10 next generation [Firefly](https://www.thefirefly.com/) vaporizers by an assistant bud tender. Andrea, an engaging & educational hostess introduced the JX13 like a true cannabis sommelier. After tapping a knife gently on a champagne flute full of Prosecco she guided the crowd gently through the experience they were about to have: \r\n\r\n“Welcome everyone! I would like to take a few moments to talk about JX 13, which is what you are currently enjoying. JX13 is a new strain that is quickly gaining popularity.  It’s a cross between Jack Herer and G-13 with strong sativa and strong indica under tones.  JX13 has all the flavor notes of Jack Herer and contains citrus, fruity, pine flavors.  This flower will create the cerebral high of sativa but also has a strong body effect, but will not couch-lock you.  JX13 is also high in the terpene pinene which originated from the Jack Herer, and is thought to be an anti-inflammatory, a broncho-dilator and it is also thought to help counter the short-term memory loss attributed to THC.”   \r\n\r\nAnd so began the first of many guided experiences throughout the night. As the first JX13 pairing began, I watched on (I was going to be cautious this evening). Happily, I began chatting with many folks I know from the cannabis industry, including Nick Lanza co founder of [Outset Edibles](https://www.getsava.com/our-providers/outset/). Outset, also a California favorite of mine, creates ‘active lifestyle’ low dose edibles made out of dried fruit. Nick was one of many industry folks to attend the event, but the crowd was stacked towards the numerous medicinal patients who wanted to learn more about various cannabis strains.\r\n\r\nOne of the patients I met was a seriously entertaining Physics Professor who recently applied to be part of a 'guest astronaut program' i.e., she wants to explore outer space. Mark and Physics Professor tried to decipher which rocket would be safer-would it be Elon Musk's SpaceX or Amazon? I chose neither.  Physics Prof. was attending the event with her way-cool Mom, and both were interested in learning more about the various strains currently available in the market. \r\n\r\nCannabis pairing events, according to Andrea, are an opportunity to offer innovative and educational events for the community and allow her to, on a more personal level, go into further detail regarding each flower's profile. During the evening she shared with the diners how cannabis had saved her life during a debilitating illness in which doctors told her she may not walk again. It was through cannabis she found relief from the pain and also the ability to start functioning without the use of heavy narcotics. In Andrea’s words, \r\n\r\n>“Even for patients that are already aware of the incredible health benefits that cannabis can provide, so many are still hard-wired to reach for a pill when something in our body goes awry.  Being able to gather different people together in a warm, intimate space creates a special learning environment. In terms of the pairing the cannabis with food, every strain has it's own distinct qualities and it's fascinating to examine and explore those differences.  For example, being able to introduce existing patients to how a CBD strain can feel or can be used is incredibly important to me, as it was a critical component in my recovery from extensive nerve damage. There are numerous different ways to connect people to new ways to manage stress or pain, and events paired with food provide a unique avenue.”\r\n\r\nI'd say so. As everyone sat for dinner, the candles warmly glowing, more silver trays were delivered family style with numerous Firefly vaporizers. A sumptuous roasted beet salad with homemade cashew feta and arugula arrived as my Prosecco was refilled. The flower pairing with the salad would be Yoda, a flower that according to Andrea is “musky and savory; Yoda holds it's aroma very well.  While predominantly an indica strain, it tends to take you where ever your journey is meant to be, bringing a sense of both relaxation and joy.” At this point, I decided to take the plunge and go on my journey. To my surprise and delight, Yoda was exactly the way Andrea described it. \r\n\r\nTo learn more about Sava and future events, visit Andrea’s collective at [GetSava](https://www.getsava.com).\r\n\r\n If you are new to cannabis and want to learn more, take a look at our [Cannabis 101](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/cannabis-101-your-quick-guide-to-medical-marijuana) post. [HelloMD](https://www.hellomd.com/) can help you get your medical marijuana recommendation; it's 100% online, private and efficient.\r\n","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/png;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.3333333333333333,"src":"/static/f430a962449de3b739d96e5545afdebc/ee604/a77e88c75928301198c2118cec59174b.png","srcSet":"/static/f430a962449de3b739d96e5545afdebc/69585/a77e88c75928301198c2118cec59174b.png 200w,\n/static/f430a962449de3b739d96e5545afdebc/497c6/a77e88c75928301198c2118cec59174b.png 400w,\n/static/f430a962449de3b739d96e5545afdebc/ee604/a77e88c75928301198c2118cec59174b.png 800w,\n/static/f430a962449de3b739d96e5545afdebc/f3583/a77e88c75928301198c2118cec59174b.png 1200w,\n/static/f430a962449de3b739d96e5545afdebc/f90fa/a77e88c75928301198c2118cec59174b.png 1365w","srcWebp":"/static/f430a962449de3b739d96e5545afdebc/58556/a77e88c75928301198c2118cec59174b.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/f430a962449de3b739d96e5545afdebc/61e93/a77e88c75928301198c2118cec59174b.webp 200w,\n/static/f430a962449de3b739d96e5545afdebc/1f5c5/a77e88c75928301198c2118cec59174b.webp 400w,\n/static/f430a962449de3b739d96e5545afdebc/58556/a77e88c75928301198c2118cec59174b.webp 800w,\n/static/f430a962449de3b739d96e5545afdebc/99238/a77e88c75928301198c2118cec59174b.webp 1200w,\n/static/f430a962449de3b739d96e5545afdebc/5e0b8/a77e88c75928301198c2118cec59174b.webp 1365w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_2060-markdown","title":"How Long Does Marijuana Stay in Your Body?","slug":"how-long-does-marijuana-stay-in-your-body","content":"Despite the potential therapeutic benefits, using marijuana is\r\ncurrently prohibited under federal law. Additionally, testing in the workplace is common, with many people feeling their jobs may be at risk in case of detection.\r\n\r\nAs a result, many prospective and current medical marijuana users want to know how long marijuana\r\nstays in their system so they can reap the benefits while avoiding the\r\npotential legal repercussions. \r\n\r\n**Detecting the Presence of Marijuana**\r\n\r\nWhen marijuana is inhaled or ingested, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and\r\nother cannabinoids are absorbed into the bloodstream. THC is detectable\r\nin the blood for only a short time before being broken down into\r\nmolecules known as metabolites. These metabolites are stored in fat and\r\nare eliminated from the body over time. Determining exactly how long\r\nmarijuana stays in the body depends greatly on how long THC and its\r\nmetabolites remain in the following biological specimens:\r\n\r\n### Urine\r\n\r\nUrine reveals the presence of THC-COOH, a THC metabolite, for up to\r\neight days after a single use of marijuana. The accuracy of urine\r\ntesting declines after about a week, but many frequent or heavy\r\nmarijuana users continue to test positive for up to 15 and 90 days,\r\nrespectively. Diluting urine with water or other substances can increase\r\nthe chances of a false-negative result.\r\n\r\n### Hair\r\n\r\nHair provides the longest record of past marijuana use, and detection\r\ntimes are based on hair length. It takes about 5-10 days for hair\r\ncontaining THC-COOH to grow above the scalp where it can be extracted,\r\nand moving from root to tip, every half inch of hair provides a 30-day\r\ndetection window. A standard hair test uses a 1.5-inch sample of hair\r\ncut at the scalp line, and covers a 90-day detection period. The results\r\nof hair analysis are not affected by external contaminants, such as hair\r\ndyes and styling products.\r\n\r\n### Blood\r\n\r\nTHC is detectable in the blood for appropriately six to 24 hours after a\r\nsingle use of marijuana. Heavy or frequent use can produce positive\r\nresults for up to a week.\r\n\r\n### Saliva\r\n\r\nSaliva testing offers the shortest detection window and thus provides a\r\nrecord of more recent marijuana use. THC is most readily detectable in\r\nsaliva one to two hours after ingestion, but can continue to produce\r\npositive results for up to 12 hours. The results of saliva analysis are\r\nnot always reliable because only minimal amounts of marijuana are\r\nexcreted in saliva.\r\n\r\n**Factors Affecting the Elimination of Marijuana**\r\n\r\nEstimating how long marijuana stays in the body is a challenging task\r\nbecause of the many factors that influence the drug's elimination. Some\r\nof these include:\r\n\r\n-   **Amount and frequency of use:** Frequent or heavy marijuana use\r\n    typically results in longer elimination times.\r\n-   **Metabolic rate:** People with high metabolic rates break down THC\r\n    faster than those with low metabolic rates and thus eliminate\r\n    marijuana faster.\r\n-   **Age and overall health:** Metabolism slows with age and ill\r\n    health, resulting in longer elimination periods.\r\n\r\nThe amount of time marijuana stays in the body depends on a combination\r\nof factors that are unique to each individual. In a small percentage of\r\ncases, marijuana may stay in the body for longer than the times\r\ndescribed here.\r\n\r\n[Photo Credit](https://www.flickr.com/photos/spapax/4864045598/in/photolist-8pPvi9-6yJcjt-jRcDHD-94iuSL-p6MCC5-dzFnp3-fKm5e6-5WgcMT-mLTYN7-7DCC5m-d9txSf-88G64K-pn5hmK-5DVfVF-rNDquC-qNUG9X-eb373f-gXvhUX-2TtdZm-dtgLMo-hKgkTV-rWJ5K-dZrrr-7CBSbv-c3sm2W-dtPGk-5qhemo-pELvqg-HmAzJ-srLvJp-amT8d2-rqW93q-7Q9sio-7gYhP-5ZvVMf-71c6CD-4rFABb-ePnmx-Kr1ZU-qJrofv-iwCDhG-5eqYC3-cS5Rqj-8Luk2K-9grNy-srCwVE-co64gJ-7svqiD-nxhgPZ-oeXqzE)\r\n","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/png;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.5267175572519085,"src":"/static/6e98958a5ee565cfb9746215b363b56d/86732/7327ef5a1d418846597b77ffb49c5bf5.png","srcSet":"/static/6e98958a5ee565cfb9746215b363b56d/69585/7327ef5a1d418846597b77ffb49c5bf5.png 200w,\n/static/6e98958a5ee565cfb9746215b363b56d/497c6/7327ef5a1d418846597b77ffb49c5bf5.png 400w,\n/static/6e98958a5ee565cfb9746215b363b56d/86732/7327ef5a1d418846597b77ffb49c5bf5.png 596w","srcWebp":"/static/6e98958a5ee565cfb9746215b363b56d/a6880/7327ef5a1d418846597b77ffb49c5bf5.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/6e98958a5ee565cfb9746215b363b56d/61e93/7327ef5a1d418846597b77ffb49c5bf5.webp 200w,\n/static/6e98958a5ee565cfb9746215b363b56d/1f5c5/7327ef5a1d418846597b77ffb49c5bf5.webp 400w,\n/static/6e98958a5ee565cfb9746215b363b56d/a6880/7327ef5a1d418846597b77ffb49c5bf5.webp 596w","sizes":"(max-width: 596px) 100vw, 596px"}}}}}]}},"pageContext":{"limit":12,"skip":96,"numPages":10,"currentPage":9,"id":5167,"name":"Culture & Lifestyle","slug":"culture-and-lifestyle","country":"US"}},"staticQueryHashes":["3949754563","4179947113","4202924991"]}