Move as quickly as the cannabis industry, printing variable data on demand.

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National CBD Day Is Saturday

National CBD Day on August 8th, just when the CBD market needs a boost from the deflating impacts of COVID-19. 

The post National CBD Day Is Saturday appeared first on The Fresh Toast.

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Although Canada is far ahead of the US when it comes to cannabis reform, the Great White North has yet to match its southern neighbor’s enthusiasm for psychedelics reform. That may soon be set to change, however. 

Canadian Health Minister Patty Hadju just granted four terminally ill patients the right to legally possess and consume psilocybin mushrooms during their end-of-life care. The patients petitioned for the right to use psilocybin therapy back in April, with the help of TheraPsil, a non-profit working to legalize psilocybin-assisted therapy in Canada.

After filing the initial petition, the patients launched a social media campaign begging for their requests to be heard. All four of the patients, who have all been diagnosed with untreatable forms of cancer, personally called out Minister Hadju on Twitter, asking her to acknowledge their petitions. This Tuesday, Hadju announced that she would grant the requests.

This is a historic moment for Canada, as it is the first time that any citizen has legally been granted access to psychedelic therapy since psilocybin was banned in 1974. Unfortunately, these exemptions only apply to the four specific individuals who applied. TheraPsil believes that the approval will inspire more terminally ill patients to apply for similar exemptions, however.

The health minister’s decision was likely informed by the growing body of clinical research on the therapeutic effects of psilocybin. Researchers have found that even a single dose of this compound can reduce anxieties related to terminal illness, and other studies have found that this entheogen can help treat depression, addiction, and other issues.

“At this point psilocybin is a reasonable medical choice for these individuals,” said Spencer Hawkswell, executive director of TheraPsil, to Marijuana Moment. “This is about the minister being compassionate and using her ministerial abilities to help give patients access to something that’s going to help them.”

“I want to thank the Health Minister and Health Canada for approving my request for psilocybin use,” said Laurie Brooks, one of the patients who received an exemption. “The acknowledgement of the pain and anxiety that I have been suffering with means a lot to me, and I am feeling quite emotional today as a result. I hope this is just the beginning and that soon all Canadians will be able to access psilocybin, for therapeutic use, to help with the pain they are experiencing, without having to petition the government for months to gain permission.”

That day has yet to come, however. Health Canada has officially clarified the fact that psilocybin-assisted therapy remains illegal for every other Canadian.

“Health Canada is committed to carefully and thoroughly reviewing each request for an exemption under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, on a case-by-case basis, taking into account all relevant considerations, including evidence of potential benefits and risks or harms to the health and safety of Canadians,” said a government spokesperson to Marijuana Moment. “These exemptions do not change the fact that the sale and possession of magic mushrooms remain illegal in Canada.”

This is only Canada’s first foray into psychedelics reform, but advocates are hoping that the success of America’s psychedelics movement will inspire the country to embrace psilocybin-assisted therapy.

Several US cities have decriminalized psilocybin and other natural psychedelics within the past year, and lawmakers in Vermont and New York have proposed statewide decriminalization. This fall, Washington DC will vote on decriminalizing shrooms, and Oregon will vote on legalizing psilocybin-assisted therapy in the entire state. US health officials have even sanctioned clinical research trials that could lead to the creation of a federally-legal psilocybin treatment.

5 Ways Marijuana Can Improve An Active Lifestyle

For many, marijuana is part of a well rounded lifestyle that includes nutrition, fitness and a balanced work life.

The post 5 Ways Marijuana Can Improve An Active Lifestyle appeared first on The Fresh Toast.

Global Pandemic Has Caused Legal Marijuana To ‘Cannibalize’ The Black Market

By year’s end the legal cannabis industry is expected to surpass $15 billion. But the money that marijuana generates on the black market far exceeds that amount.

The post Global Pandemic Has Caused Legal Marijuana To ‘Cannibalize’ The Black Market appeared first on The Fresh Toast.

Image via The Last Prisoner Project

Last June, MERRY JANE reported on the case of Michael Thompson, a 69-year-old Michigan inmate busted in 1994 for selling weed to an undercover cop. Even though Michigan has since legalized cannabis, Thompson remains behind bars and is supposed to stay there for the rest of his life. But, jails are the last place anyone deserves to be — especially for a non-violent weed offence — amidst a pandemic. Unfortunately, we regret to report that Thompson was just hospitalized for COVID-19. 

Getting Thompson out of prison took on emergency status this year in light of the coronavirus, which has torn through incarcerated populations like wildfire. Thompson, who suffers from diabetes and other health issues, was especially vulnerable to infection. Not surprisingly then, he fell prey to the disease.

Thompson is currently hospitalized. If he recovers, he will be sent back to prison. If he’s not sent back to prison, it’ll be because the coronavirus took his life. That’s why he needs our help now more than ever. Here’s how you can help. Call the Michigan Parole Board (517) 373-0270 and Governor Whitmer (517) 373-3400 and tell them to grant clemency to Michael Thomspon. His MDOC number is: 176309.

The Last Prisoner Project (LPP) has been working relentlessly to commute the sentences of Michael Thompson and other inmates presently locked up for weed crimes in states, such as Michigan, that are no longer even crimes. And the LPP needs our help. They are asking us to take action immediately by urging the Parole Board and the governor to grant Thompson clemency.

According to Bailey, Thompson is extremely ill. “Michael is feeling incredibly weak. He is diabetic and unable to eat the food being served in the hospital. His main source of sustenance right now is milk and juice, which is not enough. He is feeling malnourished. On a phone call earlier today, his voice was barely audible and he was coughing a lot.”

Despite this, Thompson’s case remains in an extremely dangerous state of legal limbo. “Last Prisoner Project and Michael’s attorney sent in his clemency petition on January 29, 2020,” Bailey wrote. “We applied for an expedited review back in March… His case has still not been reviewed by the Michigan Parole Board. Governor Whitmer is unlikely to grant Michael clemency without a statement of support from the parole board. They have told us repeatedly that they would be reviewing his case ‘soon’— but they have not given us any further information.”

Meanwhile, Bailey expressed gratitude to Michael’s supporters. “Many celebrities have posted on Michael’s behalf via social media,” she wrote, “including Snoop Dogg, Chelsea Handler, Jim Belushi, Montel Williams, Sarah Silverman and the Michigan Attorney General, Dana Nessel.”

What’s infuriating is the fact that Roger Stone was spared from going to prison after lying to Congress, while people like Tekashi 6ix 9ine, Michael Cohen, and Paul Manafort are among the prisoners released due to the coronavirus outbreak — all while Michael Thompson’s case, and thousands of other non-violent drug offenders, is continuously ignored. How is this true justice?!

“Please help Michael by calling the Parole Board and Governor Whitmer to urge them not to return Michael to prison from the hospital,” Bailey said. “He has already served 25 years for only three pounds of cannabis. Don’t let a nonviolent cannabis sentence become a death sentence for Michael Thompson.”

It wasn’t long ago that dabbing conjured visions of intense consumption and high THC levels. Fast forward to e-rigs, portable vaporizers and strides in testing and quality of concentrates, all helping propel this once “sketchy” corner of the black market into a booming, legal industry. Though, despite this, consuming concentrates and extracts tends to make newcomers a little wary.

Like all forms of weed villainization, the negative connotations that surround dabbing are unfounded. Understanding extraction is inherently complicated due to its scientific nature, but the way extracted products are displayed is complicated too. New users are immediately bombarded by the market, forced into making choices between products and terms they know little about — think solvent versus solventless extraction, badders versus diamonds, rosins versus resins, and so on. Brands consistently tout staggeringly high THC percentages, while providing little to no useful information for beginners to cannabis attempting to navigate this vast and confusing sea. 

With our guide to getting into concentrates, you’ll find everything you need to know to get started. From methods of extraction and different types of extracts, to a rundown of the best dabbing devices and extracts on the market. We’ll help you learn how to choose the best concentrate or extract to suit you and the effects you’re wanting. 

What are concentrates and extracts?

The terms “concentrate” and “extract” refer to concentrated cannabis products like rosins, resins, sauces, shatters, and so on. These potent substances are produced by isolating the active ingredients in cannabis, like terpenes and cannabinoids, from plant matter by a method called “extraction.” The type of concentrate produced, and whether it would be considered a concentrate or an extract, is determined by which method of extraction was used in production. 

To explore the inner workings of cannabis concentrates and extracts, we spoke to concentrate/extract experts, Russ Daniels, master extractor and CEO of Cali Stripe Concentrates (formerly known as Candy Stripe Concentrates), and Michael Tanzer, co-founder of RedTape Ventures, a venture firm that invests and develops business in the cannabis industry, including Candy Stripe. 

“A good way to communicate what concentrates and extracts are is to think about them as the active ingredients in the plant,” Tanzer said. “Through extraction, we’re able to isolate and remove just the active ingredients, so you don’t have to consume all of the plant’s fiber and materials.” By isolating the active ingredients (cannabinoid and terpenes), these products offer the cleanest, and most time-efficient way to get lifted. 

Gina Coleman/Weedmaps

“I would define concentrates as solventless products like rosin and bubble hash, and extracts as anything produced with hydrocarbons like BHO or CO2 closed loop systems,” Daniels explained. 

It should be noted that extract and concentrate are considered interchangeable terms by certain regions and cultural circles. For the sake of this article, we will be adhering to the distinction supported by our experts. 

Types of extraction 

Extraction methods are first broken into two groups: solvent and solventless. It should be noted that there are two types of material that can be extracted with solvent or solventless extraction: dry material (flower that has been dried) and fresh/frozen material (whole plant that has been frozen immediately after being cut down). 

• Solventless extractions (concentrates) only use water, agitation, or pressure to separate the active ingredients from plant matter, and are called “concentrates.” These produce unrefined concentrates like kief, rosin, dry sift, and bubble hash, which still contain a good deal of plant matter.

• Solvent extractions (extracts) employ a solvent, like C02 or a hydrocarbon like butane, to separate the active ingredients from plant matter with advanced scientific equipment, and are called “extracts.” This process produces substances that are far more pure, like the waxes, shatters, badders, etc. we associate with the market with today. 

“The difference is that solventless extraction is considered more of a vegan or holistic approach,” said Daniels. “When we use hydrocarbon gases to extract, people who are less educated about cannabis and consider themselves on the healthier side of life don’t like that. They tend to choose rosin over a butane hash oil (BHO) because they feel the rosin doesn’t contain toxins.” 

Different Types of Extracts and Concentrates

Once either form of extraction has been employed to remove active oils from plant matter, the base product is processed again into different variations, like a shatter or a live resin, using various techniques. 

To understand this process further, we spoke to Will Jacod Pennstrom, a master extractor from Raw Garden’s extraction program, who now heads up the extraction lab for a new brand called Exir by Euphoric Life Inc. For the sake of making this mass of information more digestible, Pennstrom helped create an outline that illustrates the most popular forms of extracts and concentrates that are produced by different subsects of extraction.

Solventless Concentrates

Solvent Extracts 

Different types of extracts and concentrates can be produced using a number of post-extraction processes. When trying to determine the high of any given one, it comes down to the chemical makeup of the plant. 

Regardless of extract texture, extraction method, or form the flower has taken. It’s the terpene profile and cannabinoid ratios of the original flower that ultimately dictates how an extracted product will make you feel. Simply put, if the flower sucks, so will the extract.

Device Guide

Gina Coleman/Weedmaps

Now that you’re read up on all things concentrates, what are the go-to quality products that beginners, concentrate fanatics, and those in-between, reach for the most? Check below for our picks. 

Best E-rig: Puffco Peak

The Puffco Peak was the original game changer, simplifying the old school process of a nail and a torch into an electronic device sleek enough to be sold at an Apple Store. 

Best portable vaporizer: G Pen Roam 

Part e-rig, part vape pen, the G Pen Roam is the first portable electronic dab rig, complete with a bubbling water chamber.

Best Extract Pen: …

Personally, I don’t think any concentrate pens work that well if you’re looking to replicate the experience of a dab. The secret to hand-held concentrate vaporizers is the size of the battery. The bigger the battery, the better the hit. The battery of a vape pen is simply not strong enough to effectively vaporize thicker materials from my experience.

Best Dab Straw: Dip Devices, Nectar Collector

Electronic dab straws are cool, but tend to break easily. The best two I’ve tried are The Dipper by Dip Devices, and the Huni Badger by Nectar Collector. 

Best Hybrid Device: Dr Dabber, Flowerpot

If you’re not ready to invest in an extract-only device, meet yourself halfway with one that also vaporizes flower. Dr Dabber’s Switch and New Vape’s FlowerPot Vaporizer are both excellent.

Price: Switch $399.95, FlowerPot $370

Products to try for every vibe

First time dabber

First time dabbers should abide by two rules: start small and stay low.

The dab should be as small as you can make it, and the temperature should be low, around 450—500° as opposed to 650° or higher. The higher the temperature, the higher you’ll get. 

Check out Guild Extracts’ Delta 8-THC, a cannabinoid that promotes a sense of calm and is geared towards people who experience anxiety with cannabis use. Or, reach for something super chill, like Punch Extracts’ Fatso Live Rosin. 

Summer fun 

Both Kaizen Medicinals’ Chemdawg Caviar and Apex Extractions’ Tropicana Cookies are perfect companions to a fun summer day. Exciting and uplifting, they’ll leave you feeling clear, bright, and just a little bit silly. For a more relaxing summer experience, try Moxie’s Sour Sandia Live Resin Badder. 

Working from home 

To muster the unmatched focus it takes to work from home on a beautiful summer day, try the ultimate fire that is Maven’s new Guava Kush Sugar Diamonds. Lowell Farm’s fragrant and exquisite Pink Lemonade Live Rosin will help you get the job done, too. 

Relax and unwind 

After a long day, treat yourself to a fruity dab of Eel River Organics’ Dairy Queen Live Resin. For other anxiety melting experiences, try Cosmic Concentrates’ Purple Medusa, or AbsoluteXtracts’ ‘s Forbidden Fruit. 

Featured image by Dre Hudson/Weedmaps

The post The Weedmaps guide to getting into concentrates appeared first on Weedmaps News.

The Incredible Truth About Marijuana And Bladder Cancer

Bladder cancer accounts for about 5% of all new cancer diagnoses in the U.S. each year and kills more than 16,000 individuals annually.

The post The Incredible Truth About Marijuana And Bladder Cancer appeared first on The Fresh Toast.

Thailand is continuing to further their medical cannabis program.

Senate Republicans Really Don’t Want SAFE Marijuana Banking, Or So They Say

Cannabis dispensaries remain a cash-only business as financial institutions fear that working with these companies could generate harsh penalties.

The post Senate Republicans Really Don’t Want SAFE Marijuana Banking, Or So They Say appeared first on The Fresh Toast.