{"componentChunkName":"component---common-build-tags-template-js","path":"/tag/insomnia/5","result":{"data":{"allArticle":{"edges":[{"node":{"id":"Article_1932-markdown","title":"Cannabis Coffee and Tea - A New Frontier in the Edibles Market","slug":"cannabis-coffee-and-tea-a-new-frontier-in-the-edibles-market","content":"HelloMD sat down to chat with Jill Amen, co founder of [House of Jane - Jane's Brew](http://www.houseofjane.com/), to learn about her company’s fast and furious rise within the cannabis-infused edibles market. House of Jane offers a variety of high-end gourmet coffees, teas, hot chocolates & edibles to a wide variety of cannabis consumers. To date, Jane's Brew is offered in 127 dispensaries across the state of California and has been a trending brand since winning their first award at the Hempcon conference in 2014. Jill is upbeat and passionate about the Jane’s Brew product line and is a strong believer in and advocate for the medicinal benefits of cannabis.\n\n**What was the inspiration for starting Jane’s Brew?**\n>My grown son Trey and I were in Amsterdam a few years ago and I was very inspired by the coffee houses there and the array of cannabis products that were offered. However, I don’t like to smoke pot. So what I really wanted was to find a method of ingestion that made sense to me. I don’t have a sweet tooth as I don’t eat sugar, so I thought, ‘What do I drink every day?’. That’s when it hit me, I drink coffee and tea and that this could be a great vehicle for a cannabis-infused product. When we came back to the States I started to do R&D for our product line and to get back into the industry and well, here we are today! We started out in 2014 and did a very soft launch that year with a small group of clubs in the Orange County area. Afterwards, we did our actual launch in January 2015.\n\n**Soon after you launched, Jane’s Brew won an award at Hempcon. You have been going through the stratosphere ever since that happened, right?**\n>Yes, thank goodness! One of the products we entered into Hempcon was our [creamer](http://www.houseofjane.com/#!janes-brew-cannabis-non-dairy-creamers/c1ld); everyone loves our French vanilla creamer. I think it was the regular hot chocolate that won. We invested so much time and energy in creating our products right before we even launched and we continue to make adjustments along the way. This is an interesting industry and an interesting time. There are a lot of little things that happen in our industry every day. I believe the saying is ‘every 3 weeks in this industry is 6 months [in any other]’. \n\n**Do you feel that your product is a good introduction for people who are trying cannabis for the first time?**\n>Yes, absolutely. We are conversing with patients all of the time. They want to know and understand the benefits of cannabis, especially those who are trying it for the first time. Many people are intrigued by the consumption of cannabis through our coffees and teas because it seems like a very natural way to take medication. We do get a lot of feedback from people who have tried our products who say, “Oh my goodness, I am so glad you are here.” It makes me feel really good to hear the positive feedback.\n\n**Since you have started, whom have you found to be your target demographic?**\n>Our core demographic is people like you and me, people in the forty plus market. We are professionals, we are busy with some stress in our life, and we have families: that is our target market.  Also, a lot of our target market hasn’t even tried cannabis yet, or doesn’t even know what [CBD (cannabidiol)](https://www.hellomd.com/health-wellness/55e12afb6539390006040000/cbd-oil-breaking-the-stereotypes-of-cannabis) is. Our goal is to educate people and let them know what the positive effects of CBD may be for them. Many of our products are CBD-focused without any psycho-activity at all. Many people do not realize that you can take cannabis for medicinal reasons and not get high or stoned. When we launched, I knew that we would hit a slightly older demographic because of interest in wellness as well as experience with illness. The one thing that did surprise us is that people in their 20s also seem to really appreciate and seek out our products.\n\n**Do you associate your products as being helpful for any specific illnesses?**\n>We have stayed away from all claims. I believe that as more people are educated about cannabis they will absolutely understand how our products can be helpful to them and their condition specifically. In terms of education, we want to teach people about the benefits of consuming edibles verses inhalation, but we don’t talk about specific illnesses.\n\n**A lot of your products have a high CBD component, with that I’m assuming some of your products may have higher levels of THC as well. How do you go about dosing a tea or coffee beverage practically?**\n>Our products come in multiple doses. For example, our [chamomile tea](http://www.houseofjane.com/#!janes-brew-cannabis-infused-teas/c1gh9) comes in 20mg tea bags. The first time, someone may want to share a glass of that 20mg, or put half of it away for the next day. You can also brew the tea in a communal format. Say, I am having a 420 evening with other medical patients, I may brew a 200mg container of tea, but I’ll make 12-20 servings out of that when I add ice and dilute it some. \n\n>Our new bottled beverages are coming out dosed at 80mgs. In the future we want to include a small dosing cup in the package so people can actually measure out a unit to try it before they continue to drink the rest of the bottle. Secondly, we have a CBD version of the bottled product that will come out soon, as well as a 20mg bottle.  We introduce by market demand, 80mgs is not a very high dose for most of the market we are serving at the present time.\n\n**There is a lot of negative media these days surrounding the edibles market and the potential problems with dosing. Do you find that putting yourself in the category of edibles is beneficial to Jane’s brew?**\n>The truth is that we are classified under edibles because our cannabis products are consumed orally. I have often thought about coining my own name for our beverages as a new category in the market. I have a few ideas, but I haven’t done anything with it yet. So at this point in time, our goal is to best educate people regarding the benefits of our edibles and how to dose appropriately. \n\n>The most important thing I think we do is to educate the bud masters who are responsible for selling our products in the dispensaries. We do not want our product abused or for people to have a bad experience. In everything we publish, we talk about beginning with doses as small as 5-10mgs per serving, waiting at least an hour, then evaluating if dosing needs to be adjusted. Our [Jane’s Brew Oath](http://www.houseofjane.com/#!join-janes-army/c209p) is really our philosophy that encompasses all of these ideas. \n\n**Could you explain the Jane’s Brew Oath philosophy for us?**\n>I think there is an element about who Jane is; Jane is a very free, but responsible, spirit. We ask that people, if they choose, to take an oath for responsible consumption of cannabis. We believe people should have a right to do what they choose, as long as it is not harming others. They should have an opportunity to be inspired, creative, energized, and strive for wellness. They should also be very responsible when communicating this message with others. Essentially, I would say that is a lot of what the message is about. It is all to enjoy the benefits of cannabis. \n\n\n**Do you do laboratory testing on the products you bring to market? How do you manage the consistency of your products?**\n>We triple lab test our products using three different labs because it is very important to us to make sure that all lab results are consistent with one another. We test at our oil stage to make sure the product is calibrated for what we understand the percentage of components to be and for microbes and other additives. Our second level of testing is at powder stage, we convert all of our oils to a powder form for the manufacturing of our product, where we test for similar components as the first stage. Lastly, we test at the finished product level. We post lab results every month--not all of them, however, because we have far too many--on our website so people can look at the results and feel secure that our products are free of pesticides or microbial issues. \n\n**Do you feel that rigorous lab testing sets you apart from some of the other product companies out there?**\n>Yes and no. I think the industry is changing quite a bit. I think that anyone who wants to be taken seriously in the market will lab test. The dispensaries that we work with require lab testing and will lab test independently themselves. It’s important for the health and safety of our consumers.\n\n**What are your favorite products from Jane’s Brew?**\n>I love our bottled products, especially the unsweetened ones because I don’t drink sweetened tea. For the evening, my favorite beverage is our chamomile tea. Every night I drink a cup of chamomile tea and watch some TV, then I head to bed and I am ready for a good night’s sleep. The tea is very natural and herbal; there is never a hangover when you wake up after drinking cannabis tea like there is with some sleeping pills. \n\n**Where can people buy Jane’s Brew products?**\n>We have our products in127 different dispensaries, as far north as Shasta and all the way down to San Diego, and everywhere in between. We also work with a delivery service that distributes to  individual patients in California regardless of their location. So if you go through our website it will take you to an online ordering page. \n\n**Wrapping up, is there anything else you would like to say?**\n>I really think people need to educate themselves. They can go on our site or a number of quality sources online to learn more about cannabis. It is not only about Jane’s Brew products, patients should know what products are and understand them before medicating.\n","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.3333333333333333,"src":"/static/0158bc7747c1b1913e8aec7798aafcee/14b42/5c80a3c9f01bf0fb14049b5ec91aae08.jpg","srcSet":"/static/0158bc7747c1b1913e8aec7798aafcee/f836f/5c80a3c9f01bf0fb14049b5ec91aae08.jpg 200w,\n/static/0158bc7747c1b1913e8aec7798aafcee/2244e/5c80a3c9f01bf0fb14049b5ec91aae08.jpg 400w,\n/static/0158bc7747c1b1913e8aec7798aafcee/14b42/5c80a3c9f01bf0fb14049b5ec91aae08.jpg 800w,\n/static/0158bc7747c1b1913e8aec7798aafcee/47498/5c80a3c9f01bf0fb14049b5ec91aae08.jpg 1200w,\n/static/0158bc7747c1b1913e8aec7798aafcee/7d1a7/5c80a3c9f01bf0fb14049b5ec91aae08.jpg 1218w","srcWebp":"/static/0158bc7747c1b1913e8aec7798aafcee/58556/5c80a3c9f01bf0fb14049b5ec91aae08.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/0158bc7747c1b1913e8aec7798aafcee/61e93/5c80a3c9f01bf0fb14049b5ec91aae08.webp 200w,\n/static/0158bc7747c1b1913e8aec7798aafcee/1f5c5/5c80a3c9f01bf0fb14049b5ec91aae08.webp 400w,\n/static/0158bc7747c1b1913e8aec7798aafcee/58556/5c80a3c9f01bf0fb14049b5ec91aae08.webp 800w,\n/static/0158bc7747c1b1913e8aec7798aafcee/99238/5c80a3c9f01bf0fb14049b5ec91aae08.webp 1200w,\n/static/0158bc7747c1b1913e8aec7798aafcee/cedc7/5c80a3c9f01bf0fb14049b5ec91aae08.webp 1218w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_1954-markdown","title":"Auntie Dolores: The Forefront of the Gourmet Edibles Movement","slug":"auntie-dolores-the-forefront-of-the-gourmet-edibles-movement","content":"[Auntie Dolores](http://auntiedolores.com/), a gourmet cannabis edibles company, was founded by Julianna Carella in 2008. The idea was hatched in the ever popular Dolores Park in San Francisco during a time when the cannabis industry was still in its infancy. Except for the ubiquitous home made ‘pot brownie’ and the odd gummy bear, Julianna was hard pressed to find other edible choices in the marketplace. Inspired by the gourmet foods movement in her hometown, Julianna surged forward to provide gourmet edibles to a sophisticated crowd of cannabis patients and enthusiasts. Auntie Dolores took off quickly and is now represented by hundreds of dispensaries across California with big plans for future expansion. HelloMD spoke with Julianna to get to know more about her company and the philosophy behind it. \r\n\r\n\r\n**When you launched Auntie Dolores, what were your first products offered?**\r\n>The first unique product that became very popular was the savory pretzel. They are vegan and low glycemic. After the pretzels became popular, we developed our chili lime peanuts and the caramel corn. We’ve always had brownies and cookies, which are a staple in most dispensaries. Yet our brownies are vegan, low glycemic, and made with coconut oil and coconut sugar. We wanted to make something that not only tasted great, but was healthier than other products out in the market. We wanted to appeal to a wider clientele with both great flavors and new savory products. At the time we started Auntie Dolores, everything was made with white sugar and white flour and with extremely unhealthy ingredients.\r\n\r\n\r\n**I read on your website that the Latin root of Dolores is ‘Dolore’ which means pain. Naming your company Auntie Dolores is meant to represent anti-pain. When you created your company were you thinking about targeting the medicinal community?**\r\n>Absolutely, there are many, many people who are using cannabis as medicine and we wanted to reach those people. However, we also want to appeal to a wide array of people, whether they are using it for pain management, anxiety, epilepsy, or just to feel good.\r\n\r\n**Is it fair to say that you are aiming to create gourmet foods that are also healthy?**\r\n>Yes. The first thing we always start with is the flavor of our foods. Cannabis can usually be tasted so we are interested in finding ingredients that can mask the flavor of cannabis really well. We have found that the savory products do a great job of that. We also include super-foods in our products because it is a way of making edibles an overall healthier experience. \r\n\r\n>Coconut oil, which is a common ingredient for us, and cannabis have a lot of the same health benefits and they work well together. A lot of the super-foods, like cacao for instance, are really good for you and have a strong flavor that helps to mask the cannabis flavor, so that is an example of how we might select an ingredient. Almost all of our products have coconut oil in them. We love coconut oil! \r\n\r\n**It sounds as if you were ahead of the coconut oil movement which is so popular now.**\r\n>Coconut oil used to get a bad wrap as a saturated fat, but it has a lot of health benefits, as we all know now. It also does a great job of extracting cannabinoids because of the high fat content. We use CO2 extracted cannabis oil infused into coconut oil to bring cannabis into our products.\r\n\r\n\r\n**What is good about CO2 extracted cannabis oil?**\r\n>It is so concentrated so you can really achieve a better flavor with that product, because you are using such a small amount. You end up with high potency, without the flavor of cannabis, which is ideal. With CO2 cannabis oil, you’re using a lot less oil because it is so concentrated which creates more consistent potency and an overall better flavor. \r\n\r\n\r\n**Elderly patients are beginning to discover cannabis as a form of medicine for a variety of ailments. How do you educate  a less experienced patient population on how to use your products effectively and safely?
**\r\n>Over the years we have gained insight into the elderly community and how they use our products. For instance, I recently heard from an elderly woman who told me that she eats one caramel corn a night right before bed to help her sleep. A lot of elderly patients choose to use our products for arthritis, and they tend to only need one or two savory crackers at a time because their tolerance is fairly low. \r\n\r\n>Our products are designed so you can eat a little bit or a lot, but it also depends on the person’s tolerance level. The dosage is on the package, each pretzel has 3 mg so you may only need 3 or 4 of those pretzels to give you a 10 mg dosage, which is often enough. You can experience the analgesic effects without feeling high, if you know how to regulate your dosage. I think people who have had difficulty with edibles, who have had a bad experience with them, find our products a lot easier to work with because they can eat 2 pretzels and have the effect they are looking for. It’s important to start slowly as everyone is different but we do state dosages on our packaging very clearly.\r\n\r\n**You have some new CBD (cannabidiol) products coming out, can you tell me a little about that?**\r\n>We have secured a great source for CBD and it took us a long time. Now that we have a consistent source, we are in the process of developing new products. We hope to sell our CBD edibles worldwide. \r\n\r\n**Is the CBD hemp derived?**\r\n>Yes, the CBD we use for our international products is derived from Hemp.  We chose to use hemp-derived CBD so that we can sell this product outside of California, being that it is below the legal THC threshold. That way, if someone is interested in the CBD products, you will perhaps have better access to those products. Also, you can independently mix them with THC if you want. Our 50mg CBD brownie and our 10mg THC brownie combined will create a 5:1 ratio (CBD:THC) or you can take a 100mg THC brownie and our 50mg CBD brownie for a 1:2 ratio (CBD:THC). The brownies are small and low in calories and many patients combine to get the effect they are looking for.  There are many different combinations you can create or you can just have the CBD brownie on its own. \r\n\r\n**Are the hemp derived CBD products as effective as cannabis derived CBD products on the market today?**\r\n>Yes, CBD is CBD. There are a lot of misconceptions about CBD. We have sourced a superior form of CBD that is free of heavy metals and other contaminants. Usually the concentrations of THC in marijuana are going to be hard to take out, but if you start with CBD in hemp, where there is no THC present, it is easier to get a pure CBD product. It is advantageous to have both CBD and THC in a product, but that is not something we can ship it across the country. \r\n\r\n**What is most exciting development within Auntie Dolores right now?**\r\n>We are extremely excited about launching our line of CBD products. We’ve only had the CBD brownie out for a few weeks and the response has been overwhelming. We are also looking forward to when the price of CBD comes down to the price of THC. CBD has a lot of great applications but it can be 4 times as expensive as THC, so we are having to charge so much more for our CBD products. We look forward to the day when we can give access to everyone who wants CBD products at a fair and balanced price point.","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.2903225806451613,"src":"/static/e4c93fc5ad37b4bf5dbf809664de85da/33aa5/d3512a02960b3efad954ba0d9204eebd.jpg","srcSet":"/static/e4c93fc5ad37b4bf5dbf809664de85da/f836f/d3512a02960b3efad954ba0d9204eebd.jpg 200w,\n/static/e4c93fc5ad37b4bf5dbf809664de85da/2244e/d3512a02960b3efad954ba0d9204eebd.jpg 400w,\n/static/e4c93fc5ad37b4bf5dbf809664de85da/33aa5/d3512a02960b3efad954ba0d9204eebd.jpg 768w","srcWebp":"/static/e4c93fc5ad37b4bf5dbf809664de85da/7f8e9/d3512a02960b3efad954ba0d9204eebd.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/e4c93fc5ad37b4bf5dbf809664de85da/61e93/d3512a02960b3efad954ba0d9204eebd.webp 200w,\n/static/e4c93fc5ad37b4bf5dbf809664de85da/1f5c5/d3512a02960b3efad954ba0d9204eebd.webp 400w,\n/static/e4c93fc5ad37b4bf5dbf809664de85da/7f8e9/d3512a02960b3efad954ba0d9204eebd.webp 768w","sizes":"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_1930-markdown","title":"Medical Marijuana Could Help Insomniacs Sleep Better","slug":"medical-marijuana-could-help-insomniacs-sleep-better","content":"It's estimated that 50-55% of adults suffer from insomnia. For many, insomnia means difficulty falling asleep, but some people also\r\nexperience frequent waking during the night. A lot of people use\r\nsleeping pills to help them get to sleep and stay asleep all night, but\r\nthese can have side effects. Sleeping pill\r\nside effects can be dangerous, which makes them a less-than-ideal option\r\nfor many people.\r\n\r\nCannabis: A Natural Alternative?\r\n--------------------------------\r\n\r\nCannabis has been used for hundreds of years as a sleep aid. Originally\r\nused in Indian medicine, Western society adopted marijuana as a\r\ntreatment for insomnia in the 1800s. In recent years, scientists have\r\ndiscovered that the body's own endocannabinoid system has a role in\r\nregulating sleep. Medical marijuana could replicate this effect,\r\nproviding help for people who have trouble getting to sleep or staying\r\nasleep through the night.\r\n\r\nTHC and CBD Both Helpful for Sleep\r\n----------------------------------\r\n\r\nResearch suggests that both THC and CBD cannabinoids can regulate the\r\nendocannabinoid system, therefore helping to treat insomnia. In\r\nparticular, CBD appears to have a modulating effect on this system,\r\nhelping patients to establish regular sleeping patterns. CBD may also\r\nhave fewer side effects than THC. For example,\r\n[studies](http://www.eurekaselect.com/75752/article) show that CBD is\r\nnot psychoactive and has no effects on the gastrointestinal system.\r\n\r\nFaster, Better Sleep\r\n--------------------\r\n\r\nAccording to a [2011\r\nreport](http://www.beyondthc.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Tringale-Jensen-20111.pdf),\r\npublished in *O'Shaughnessy's: The Journal of Cannabis in Clinical\r\nPractice* by Rolando Tringale, MD and Claudia Jensen, MD, patients often\r\nreport that they are able to fall asleep much more quickly since they\r\nstarted taking medical marijuana. Data collected at Dr. Jensen's clinics\r\nin 2005 showed that medical marijuana users are able to fall asleep\r\nroughly 30-45 minutes faster since they started taking the cannabis. 79\r\npercent of the 116 patients questioned in the study also reported that\r\ntheir sleep quality improved while taking medical marijuana.\r\n\r\nConclusion\r\n----------\r\n\r\nMedical marijuana could be a promising treatment for insomnia. With\r\nstudies showing a reduction in the time taken to fall asleep among\r\npeople taking medical marijuana, accompanied by a long history of the\r\nuse of cannabis as a sleep aid, there is hope that marijuana could be a\r\nsafe and effective treatment for insomnia.\r\n\r\n[Photo Credit.](https://www.flickr.com/photos/seniju/13355401113/in/photolist-mmaVsr-9ZEzfQ-nnGwgR-gPMdZD-wfoP2c-dFDcWm-rE9Xst-cD8sBC-iNN1qw-fi4Mfy-cdSunh-mfbKGP-m2HYKP-dTgMt8-cWPax1-s1YLq1-9xE1Ne-buZtGc-e78Amy-a538Ph-4xV83N-nerZ55-ek4Y81-qej1mX-99vzQm-ehA1fZ-p2ne2q-9jEUyz-92o4zi-o6qDhW-8XEDSP-c1PoUf-hZu9iw-dKGLVV-q6A7xo-9vGLek-8RiYCo-9jCmdF-nvwyHa-bEYy4q-7TThWB-dM66LX-88nikK-b98Gex-qPmkYv-ayfoP8-dntpMV-a7x9BK-9agWik-cFpMQU)","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.3333333333333333,"src":"/static/8e649d63991863ff92d7059229a6c571/14b42/4aa68a354aaa3048cd57adf320ac73d8.jpg","srcSet":"/static/8e649d63991863ff92d7059229a6c571/f836f/4aa68a354aaa3048cd57adf320ac73d8.jpg 200w,\n/static/8e649d63991863ff92d7059229a6c571/2244e/4aa68a354aaa3048cd57adf320ac73d8.jpg 400w,\n/static/8e649d63991863ff92d7059229a6c571/14b42/4aa68a354aaa3048cd57adf320ac73d8.jpg 800w,\n/static/8e649d63991863ff92d7059229a6c571/47498/4aa68a354aaa3048cd57adf320ac73d8.jpg 1200w,\n/static/8e649d63991863ff92d7059229a6c571/54ac5/4aa68a354aaa3048cd57adf320ac73d8.jpg 1365w","srcWebp":"/static/8e649d63991863ff92d7059229a6c571/58556/4aa68a354aaa3048cd57adf320ac73d8.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/8e649d63991863ff92d7059229a6c571/61e93/4aa68a354aaa3048cd57adf320ac73d8.webp 200w,\n/static/8e649d63991863ff92d7059229a6c571/1f5c5/4aa68a354aaa3048cd57adf320ac73d8.webp 400w,\n/static/8e649d63991863ff92d7059229a6c571/58556/4aa68a354aaa3048cd57adf320ac73d8.webp 800w,\n/static/8e649d63991863ff92d7059229a6c571/99238/4aa68a354aaa3048cd57adf320ac73d8.webp 1200w,\n/static/8e649d63991863ff92d7059229a6c571/5e0b8/4aa68a354aaa3048cd57adf320ac73d8.webp 1365w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_1894-markdown","title":"A Snapshot into the Medical Marijuana Industry: A Conversation with Alicia Rose, the Founder of Herba Buena","slug":"a-snapshot-into-the-medical-marijuana-industry-a-conversation-with-alicia-rose-the-founder-of-herba-buena","content":"*What does Herba Buena do?*\n\n>HerbaBuena is a licensed California Medical Cannabis Collective providing a sophisticated, personalized approach and a curated selection of solution-based functional medicine. We differ from other dispensaries and collectives in a few ways. First and foremost we make and carry only the finest organic and artisan crafted medicine which has been tested for purity, potency and impact. We offer a hands on approach and private consultations for all our patients and are dedicated to helping them find the medicine and delivery methods that suit them best. We also offer our members the chance to gather and experience the medicine in a guided, education setting through our series of [HerbaBuena Social Club events](http://herbabuena.com/the-social-club/).\n\n\n*What gave you the idea for Herba Buena?*\n\n>Over the last few years it started to become clear that my demographic was being underserved in this new frontier of cannabis. Rather than looking for more potent medicine, I was looking for a refined, sophisticated experience and products that allowed me to be more present and functional in my daily life, rather than less. Because I’m coming from the high-end wine industry I knew that there were many folks out there just like me, looking for the same high-quality, intentionally made products and experiences – including parents and professionals. There are so many parallels between the artisan wine world, and that of cannabis, it was a natural progression.\n\n\n*What drew you to medical marijuana as a cure for ailments?*\n\n>Cannabis has so many incredible therapeutic properties I wanted to create products that were specifically oriented around a particular need or symptom. The endocannabinoid system in our bodies actually helps to regulate many of the other body systems and offers an array of harmonizing and balancing effects – especially when utilized in its whole herb state. In many ways it could be considered the world’s most powerful adaptagen as it helps to balance the body on the physical, emotional and even spiritual level.\n
Cannabis is one of the most complex plants in terms of active components which makes it a medicine chest in its own right. Each component has its own healing properties and acts on different parts of the body. By isolating these components we’re able to treat various ailments. That said, maintaining a balance of the whole plant constituents allows each to be most effective.\n\n\n*Herba Buena promotes its organic, winery like approach to medical marijuana. How do you assure a high quality in your products?*\n\n>Just like a winery, we go out and interact directly with the people growing the raw plant material. We have in-depth discussions with all of our producers involved in our medical marijuana plants and processing, so we can make sure all qualities of our products are up to our standards.  We tour the farms where are products are grown to assure the nutrients that are being used with their plants to assure they are in alignment with what would meet organic standards or better. \n \n\n*How has being a parent shaped your journey in the medical marijuana industry*\n\n>Because I am a parent its critical for me to find and develop products that allow me to be present and functional and to create my own experience, so potency and doses need to be exact. I strive to create products that offer all the benefits of cannabis, like managing anxiety or pain, without having to get super stoned or “checked out”.\nI am also very serious about creating and carrying products that don’t appeal to kids. I think it’s dangerous and unconscionable that so many edible cannabis products are being made to look like treats  – like candy, cookies and sweet drinks – without any child safety measures in place, like special packaging and locking caps. Because of this we currently we only sell one edible product, a chocolate bar which is high in CBD and low in THC, and it is packaged discreetly so it looks less like a candy bar. We’re currently seeking out vendors who are making special, artisan edibles in child proof packaging.\nAs a last step we do everything we can to educate our members about treating their medical marijuana products like they would any other medicine and keep it out of reach of children at all costs.\n\n \n*Do you create products with particular medical conditions in mind?*\n\n>Absolutely, every HerbaBuena product is created with a purpose in mind. For example, Lullaby is one of our elixirs made to aid in sleep, so it’s produced with cannabis strains which are known for aiding in relaxation, and we even extract the herbs in a way to amplify the desired effect. We then blend the cannabis extract with other organic, critically extracted herbs, along with gemstone and flower essences which aid in relaxation and sleep.  Our Rock & Roll elixir was created to ease pain and reduce anxiety, while helping to elevate mood and energy, and increase the feeling of connected creativity. Our topical Body Balm product is specifically formulated to reduce inflammation and ease pain.\n \n\n*How do you distribute your products? Do you sell at dispensaries or directly to your customers?*\n\n>At the moment we sell our HerbaBuena products directly to our members.  As our products have gained popularity, we are working on a plan to expand to being able to sell to other dispensaries and collectives as well. \n \n\n*Do you see the medical marijuana industry merging with traditional pharmaceuticals or do you see them as always remaining as separate entities?*\n\n>I hope the medical industry becomes more involved with the medical marijuana industry because I think it would allow us more access to good research and ways in which to better measure potency and impact of these products. On the other hand, I hope if the FDA does get involved that it doesn't over regulate what is a perfect medicinal plant.  If it becomes over regulated the plant could simply be stripped apart into various compounds instead of retaining the positive benefits of the whole plant. Currently, we work with various doctors with specialty practices, including oncologists, in order to formulate products and regimens which specifically fit their patient’s needs.  \n \n\n*What change, if any, do you see as necessary for the medical marijuana industry to move forward?*\n\n>I think there is already a trend that is moving toward functional and solution-based medicine. To me that is the most important part, as well as making sure the medicine is clean. Another thing we like to advocate is micro dosing, taking small amounts of medicine over more regular intervals to keep the body regulated rather than taking larger doses all at once.\n \n\n*Do you have any advice or tips for first time medical marijuana users?*\n\n>We advise that people who are new to cannabis stay away from edibles because they are unpredictable in potency and effect. We recommend that new users start with our elixirs or by vaporizing whole flower (with a dry herb vaporizer) or with CO2 cartridge vapor pens because the intake can be easily measured. Often we’ll advise a particular strain that is higher in CBD and lower in THC to start as well. Topical treatments are also great for novices because they’re particularly effective in treating pain directly, often without an overt psychoactive effect. \n \n\n*How do you see Herba Buena staying current in the fast changing industry of medical marijuana?*\n\n>I feel that, in many ways, we’re setting the trend with sun grown, organic flowers being the most important and sough after.  Micro-dosing is also a relatively new idea that we’ve been promoting with our members and in the creation of our products since the beginning.  We have a lot of exciting plans moving forward and are excited about being thought leaders in the industry by brining the concepts of holistic and functional medicine into everything we do, and coupling that with the organic, artisan and high-end approach I’ve learned from the wine industry. In fact, we’re in the midst of purchasing our own land which will allow us to be in complete control of every aspect of our products from farming the specific strains to controlling pruning, harvesting, curing and production all the way through to the end product. It’s much like a winery for medical marijuana and the best way to create the finest products, without compromise through every step of the process.","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.7094017094017093,"src":"/static/dcac2c05261dcc6c309610b6204c0b86/14b42/98972f7b276e62cb0b727c4afc04170b.jpg","srcSet":"/static/dcac2c05261dcc6c309610b6204c0b86/f836f/98972f7b276e62cb0b727c4afc04170b.jpg 200w,\n/static/dcac2c05261dcc6c309610b6204c0b86/2244e/98972f7b276e62cb0b727c4afc04170b.jpg 400w,\n/static/dcac2c05261dcc6c309610b6204c0b86/14b42/98972f7b276e62cb0b727c4afc04170b.jpg 800w,\n/static/dcac2c05261dcc6c309610b6204c0b86/47498/98972f7b276e62cb0b727c4afc04170b.jpg 1200w,\n/static/dcac2c05261dcc6c309610b6204c0b86/0c4a8/98972f7b276e62cb0b727c4afc04170b.jpg 1333w","srcWebp":"/static/dcac2c05261dcc6c309610b6204c0b86/58556/98972f7b276e62cb0b727c4afc04170b.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/dcac2c05261dcc6c309610b6204c0b86/61e93/98972f7b276e62cb0b727c4afc04170b.webp 200w,\n/static/dcac2c05261dcc6c309610b6204c0b86/1f5c5/98972f7b276e62cb0b727c4afc04170b.webp 400w,\n/static/dcac2c05261dcc6c309610b6204c0b86/58556/98972f7b276e62cb0b727c4afc04170b.webp 800w,\n/static/dcac2c05261dcc6c309610b6204c0b86/99238/98972f7b276e62cb0b727c4afc04170b.webp 1200w,\n/static/dcac2c05261dcc6c309610b6204c0b86/149df/98972f7b276e62cb0b727c4afc04170b.webp 1333w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}},{"node":{"id":"Article_1884-markdown","title":"No Longer Sleepless in Seattle: Medical Marijuana Eases Insomnia","slug":"no-longer-sleepless-in-seattle-medical-marijuana-eases-insomnia","content":"Insomnia, the inability to fall or stay asleep, affects approximately\r\n[30% of adults in the\r\nU.S](http://www.aasmnet.org/resources/factsheets/insomnia.pdf).\r\nNinety-five percent of insomnia sufferers take a pharmacologic sleep\r\naid, such as hypnotics and antidepressants, which can produce various\r\nside effects, from dizziness to irregular heartbeats, addiction and\r\npotential overdose.\r\n\r\nAs an alternative, medical marijuana eases the symptoms of insomnia\r\nthrough its compound delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). THC acts on the\r\ncentral nervous system, and at the right dosage, it produces a [sedating\r\neffect](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15118485). Cannabidiol (CBD),\r\nanother major component, triggers [vascular or smooth muscle\r\nrelaxation](http://www.nhs.uk/medicine-guides/pages/MedicineOverview.aspx?condition=Muscle%20spasm&medicine=Cannabidiol/Dronabinol)\r\nand [reduces\r\nanxiety](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3079847/) at the\r\nsame time.\r\n\r\nCannabis has also demonstrated promising results in sleep apnea, one of\r\nthe common causes of sleep disturbance. Sleep apnea, a disorder\r\ncharacterized by repeated pauses in breathing or shallow breaths during\r\nsleep, is often due to a collapsed airway. Classified as obstructive\r\nsleep apnea (OSA), it leads to an insufficient supply of oxygen to the\r\nbrain. A 2013\r\n[study](http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyt.2013.00001/full)\r\nconducted by the University of Illinois in Chicago found that\r\ndronabinol, the synthetic form of cannabinoid, significantly reduced\r\nApnea Hypopnea Index (AHI) by 32% in adults with moderate to severe OSA.\r\nAHI refers to the number of apnea episodes per hour, with 15 to 30\r\nepisodes considered moderate, and more than 30 as severe. The 17\r\nsubjects, aged 21 to 65, exhibited no serious adverse effects throughout\r\nthe dose escalation intervention that lasted 21 days.\r\n\r\n[Dronabinol](http://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/cam/hp/cannabis-pdq)\r\nis FDA-approved for the treatment of chemotherapy side effects, such as\r\nnausea and vomiting. Its muscle-toning action on the upper airway is\r\nsimilar to that induced by the Continuous Positive Airway Pressure\r\n(CPAP) machine used in the treatment of OSA. Dronabinol is a viable\r\noption for patients who cannot tolerate long-term usage of the mask. The\r\n[PACE](http://www.uic.edu/orgs/cnshr/clin-trials-res.html# pace2)\r\nClinical Trial, a larger study funded by the National Institutes of\r\nHealth, is also underway to determine dronabinol's efficacy and safety\r\nin OSA, and the biomechanisms involved.\r\n\r\nInsomnia and other sleep disorders are prevalent in cases of\r\n[fibromyalgia](http://www.rheumatology.org/assets/0/116/401/408/419/420/8da30b14-8bbd-48d9-85b1-366550c86d2a.pdf),\r\na syndrome that presents chronic muscle and soft tissue pain,\r\ntenderness, and fatigue, affecting 5 million adults in America. A\r\nrandomized, controlled\r\n[trial](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20007734) demonstrated that\r\nnabilone, another FDA-approved cannabinoid for cancer-related nausea, is\r\neffective in enhancing sleep in patients with fibromyalgia. As\r\nresearchers at McGill University Health Centre in Canada noted, although\r\nnabilone and the antidepressant amitriptyline improved sleep, nabilone\r\nhad a greater effect on the Insomnia Severity Index. Since it was well\r\ntolerated by the 32 subjects, the authors recommended that low-dose\r\nnabilone be considered as a treatment alternative.\r\n\r\nBetween 54% to 63% of Americans who experience chronic and acute pain\r\nreport experiencing sleep disturbances, the National Sleep Foundation\r\nrevealed in the [2015 Sleep in America\r\nPoll](http://sleepfoundation.org/media-center/press-release/2015-sleep-america-poll).\r\nPain management is therefore crucial to restoring better quality sleep.\r\nSeveral [studies](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2503660/)\r\nhave already confirmed the analgesic effect of marijuana in chronic pain\r\nassociated with neuropathy (peripheral nerve dysfunction) and spasticity\r\n(muscle control disorder), conditions that manifest in a host of\r\ndiseases, like cardiovascular, diabetes, and HIV. As science reveals,\r\nmedical marijuana does have a role in pain and sleep management.","image":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.5037593984962405,"src":"/static/162281cb58c210e9022d3662ed8fb765/14b42/a7c678171523210641d6cf8bf995297e.jpg","srcSet":"/static/162281cb58c210e9022d3662ed8fb765/f836f/a7c678171523210641d6cf8bf995297e.jpg 200w,\n/static/162281cb58c210e9022d3662ed8fb765/2244e/a7c678171523210641d6cf8bf995297e.jpg 400w,\n/static/162281cb58c210e9022d3662ed8fb765/14b42/a7c678171523210641d6cf8bf995297e.jpg 800w,\n/static/162281cb58c210e9022d3662ed8fb765/16310/a7c678171523210641d6cf8bf995297e.jpg 1024w","srcWebp":"/static/162281cb58c210e9022d3662ed8fb765/58556/a7c678171523210641d6cf8bf995297e.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/162281cb58c210e9022d3662ed8fb765/61e93/a7c678171523210641d6cf8bf995297e.webp 200w,\n/static/162281cb58c210e9022d3662ed8fb765/1f5c5/a7c678171523210641d6cf8bf995297e.webp 400w,\n/static/162281cb58c210e9022d3662ed8fb765/58556/a7c678171523210641d6cf8bf995297e.webp 800w,\n/static/162281cb58c210e9022d3662ed8fb765/cc834/a7c678171523210641d6cf8bf995297e.webp 1024w","sizes":"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px"}}}}}]}},"pageContext":{"limit":12,"skip":48,"numPages":5,"currentPage":5,"id":5389,"name":"Insomnia","slug":"insomnia","country":"US"}},"staticQueryHashes":["3949754563","4179947113","4202924991"]}