5 Physical Symptoms Of Anxiety
Anxiety is a condition that’s largely discussed in terms of mental health. While this is completely accurate, it often overshadows anxiety’s physical symptoms.
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Rates of cannabis use among children and teens have steadily declined in adult-use states. In fact, the decrease has been so significant that even the federal government has taken notice.
At a recent meeting with North Dakota lawmakers, an official from the White House anti-drug task force acknowledged that teen pot use rates have steadily declined in Colorado and other adult-use states. Dale Quigley, the deputy coordinator for the National Marijuana Initiative, a division of the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA), made these statements during a presentation discussing the long-term impacts of legalization.
“In looking at the state of Colorado for 12-to-17 year old current use, we had a spike in ’14, but overall the use rates in Colorado have been declining, and that matches what we’re seeing in other states and also the trend we’re seeing nationally,” said Quigley, according to Marijuana Moment. “For some reason, the use rate among this age bracket is going down. We’re not 100 percent sure why it’s going down. It’s a good thing that it’s going down, but we don’t understand why.”
For his presentation, Quigley used data from the US Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Organization (SAMHSA), an agency that conducts annual surveys on drug use. The survey data reported that while Colorado teens are more likely to smoke pot than the average American teen, their rate of pot use declined by 15.8 percent from 2013 to 2018.
Even as more states legalize medical and adult-use cannabis, the overall rate of weed use among American teenagers continues to fall. According to SAMHSA, adolescent pot use declined by 8.2 percent from 2013 to 2018. In North Dakota, where cannabis remains prohibited, teen use has only fallen by 5 percent in that same time frame. That’s only one third of the rate of decline seen in Colorado — where pot is legal.
The government surveys also ask teens whether or not they perceive cannabis consumption to be potentially harmful. The number of adolescents that said yes to this question also declined from 2013 to 2018.
“What we can see with the kids, according to the data from SAMHSA, is that the perception of harm in marijuana has been consistently going down over the course of time,” Quigley explained to lawmakers. “They don’t see it as being as risky or dangerous to consume. When risk and harm go down, and availability goes up, so does use rates.”
Quigley’s own data completely contradicts his claim, however. The perceived sense of harm declined by 18.6 percent in Colorado between 2013 and 2018, but the rate of teen use also declined just as drastically, even as the availability of weed increased. In North Dakota, perceptions of harm decreased by 23 percent in that time frame, but teen pot use still decreased modestly. On a national level, the number of teens who felt weed was dangerous declined by 6.8 percent, while national rates of teen use also decreased by a similar percentage.
The White House official contradicted himself again when he tried to explain why Colorado teens were smoking less weed. “We’re not exactly sure,” he said. “We’re hearing anecdotal stories about kids that are afraid of the potency levels, you know, teens that have had adverse reactions to vaping and concentrates.”
Quigley suggested that teens were shying away from weed because they were scared of higher-potency products, but just a few minutes earlier, he said that teens were becoming less and less convinced that pot was dangerous. And he presented the statistics to prove it.
The feds may not understand why teen pot use is declining in Colorado and similar states, but research studies have already provided some insight into the issue. Dozens of studies have found that rates of teen cannabis use have declined in adult-use states, as well as in countries like Uruguay, where pot is federally legal. Yet, in states like Utah — where pot is prohibited — weed use among teens is on the rise.
Researchers have not yet identified a conclusive explanation for the decline in teenage cannabis use. But, current research strongly suggests that increased regulation and age limits on legal weed purchases are a more effective deterrent to adolescent marijuana use than outright prohibition ever was. Other researchers have theorized that the de-stigmatization of weed has reduced its appeal, as pot is no longer a novelty. Teens who may have traditionally used cannabis to rebel against their parents or other authorities may also have lost interest now that pot is more socially acceptable.
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A measure that would allow the legal use of psychedelic plants in healing ceremonies is under consideration in Oakland, California, Marijuana Moment reports.
After successfully working with Oakland lawmakers to decriminalize psychedelics last year, the activist organization Decriminalize Nature (DN) has submitted a new proposal to City Councilmember Noel Gallo (D), who sponsored the group’s previous measure.
The push to legalize and regulate psychedelics in Oakland has picked up speed since decriminalization and, while some discussion has focused on sales, the new ordinance does not mention commercializaion of these plants.
Instead, the DN measure specifically advocates for Oakland residents to have the freedom to participate in legal ceremonies that incorporate entheogenic substances, such as magic mushrooms, huachuma (also known as San Pedro cactus), and ayahuasca into plant-based healing rituals. Such practices, DN states, should be conducted in the context of community-based treatment under the guidance of experienced, vetted facilitators.
Stressing the potential for positive impacts, the proposed DN measure points out how psychedelic healing might profoundly benefit traumatized, at-risk populations such as survivors of violence and people who have previously been incarcerated.
“Members of these vulnerable communities are not receiving adequate mental health services in our country,” DN chair Carlos Plazold stated in a press release. “The solution we’re offering the city is to bring the ancient wisdom and practices that have enabled communities to heal for centuries, together with modern science and harm reduction techniques that are showing high rates of success of mental health healing in scientific studies, and will cost participants next to nothing.”
Beyond having the freedom from being arrested, the measure also addresses the need for community-oriented therapeutic alternatives to commercial exploitation.One of the biggest issues the psychedelics space is already facing is an onslaught of big, money-focused businesses looking to make a profit off of naturally occurring hallucinogenic plants. Ones that have been used for hundreds — if not, thousands — of years by indigenous populations for healing and religious purposes. The concept of appropriation is more than lost on these (generally white) folks.
“For-profit corporations are becoming increasingly dominant in the plant-based healing and psychedelic medicine spaces,” the ordinance states, “increasing concern among the compassionate-care community that there is very limited time to protect citizens’ rights to establish their own direct relationship to naturally occurring plant medicines, without corporate intermediaries or obstruction.”
The proposed pilot program would establish a community-based infrastructure for managing psychedelic healing work. By the end of its first year, a task force would create “micro-economic models for engaging in entheogenic plant practices that create opportunities for self-sufficiency in Oakland’s most vulnerable communities and are specific to the city’s unique needs.”
After two years, the measure proposes, the City Council would conduct a study on the program and report its findings to the people of Oakland.
The ordinance also brings up specific requirements for psychedelic healing facilitators. Such candidates would have to be over age 21, live in Oakland, have five years documented experience, and be recommended by a participating organization. Once established, the measure calls for facilitators to receive full protection from the City Attorney’s office.
In addition, the DN document advocates that Oakland “shall encourage research on the safety, therapeutic potential, and healing powers of entheogenic plants so long as the research is done in collaboration with, or led by, leadership from within community-based organizations.”
If enacted, the new Oakland plan could go into effect in October 2020 — the thick of election season. The timing couldn’t be more perfect.
Hippie Sabotage is an electronic dance music duo from Sacramento, California, made up of brothers Kevin and Jeff Saurer. Like most hippies, Kevin and Jeff love weed. It’s influenced their growth as humans, it’s influenced their music, and as they evolve, it now influences their merch.
Hippie Sabotage started smoking weed in summer camp as kids, and the relationship never stopped. Camp Counselors were down to blow and the hippies joined a few sessions. Around 16, they started smoking blunts when they started making music. It’s been a holy matrimony ever since, a love that translates into their newest product: the Devil Eyes OG pre-rolls. “It sounds corny, but we do have a passion for marijuana. As it becomes legal and more accessible — especially in California — we just wanted to participate in that.”
Currently, the brothers are gearing up for a social distance-appropriate tour across the country. “We’re doing a drive-in movie theater tour in mid-August. It’s going to be a very special ambient banger. Full of cool instrumental experiences at a drive-in, mostly projected up on a screen. Perfect time to bring out Devil Eyes OG.”
In our talk about their experiences with cannabis and their upcoming tour, we also spoke about some of the group’s favorite smokeables. Here are a few cannabis products Hippie Sabotage can’t live without.
Quite obviously, Hippie Sabotage loves smoking their own product, and they love those classic Kush flavors. When asked how Devil Eyes OG tastes, Kevin says, “It tastes like an OG. I’m not a big fan of real strong berry or fruity flavors.”
Named after their 2018 Devil Eyes EP, the duo told me that the main mission behind the joints is to keep strengthening the connection between the music and the fans. “We really just wanted to do a joint for our fans that we like smoking ourselves, that they could bring to the concerts. So they could know that they’ve had a similar smoking experience to us.”
In addition to that classic OG flavor, when I asked about their favorite cannabis strains, Hippie Sabotage told me, “we love sativas, because we’re always making beats.” Of those sativas, they named two favorites, the first was Jack Herer.
Named after the legendary cannabis activist, Jack Herer, this strain is a well-known big daddy sativa strain that many associate with a super energetic and buzzy high. It’s old school and was bred by crossing Haze, Northern Lights, and Skunk genetics. For some, the rush of cerebral energy that comes with Jack Herer can be a little hard to manage; for the hippies, it’s a bridge to creativity that works wonders for their music.
The second sativa that Hippie Sabotage loves is Super Lemon Haze. Super Lemon Haze is a cross of Super Silver Haze and Lemon Skunk. As the name suggests, this sativa-dominant hybrid pushes out those classic skunky, citrus and piney haze flavors. The high, much like Jack Herer mentioned above, tends to be energetic and happy, fit for those who are seeking a strong cerebral high.
Weed purists, the hippies may especially love Jack Herer and Super Lemon Haze, but truthfully, “we just love weed man.”
The Otto Automated Cone Roller from Banana Bros is an amazing product, straight up. I first saw it back in August 2018 when I attended Matt Barnes’ Athletes vs. Cancer event at Snoop Dogg’s compound. Set up sort of like a trade show/farmer’s market, the lot was filled with all kinds of products, and one clearly stood out amongst the rest: the Otto. I specifically remember watching Snoop’s son Cordell participate in its demonstration then yell, “Yoooooo, this the future right here, bruh!” The hippies caught one as a gift and they tell me they’ve made huge use of it.
Basically, the Otto has two components: a grinder and a cone stuffer. The grinder is an automatic grinder that can also be used as a standalone. You split it open like an egg, stuff your weed in, and then press a single button and watch your flower fall on your coffee table.
The second component is a cone tube for stuffing a joint. You put a cone in the tube, connect the tube to the grinder, press the button, and the weed falls directly into the cone on some Wiz Khalifa Day Today shit. The days of spraining your wrist while twisting an impossibly dirty grinder that you refuse to clean are over.
When it comes to the Hippie Sabotage smoking experience, the brothers are purists in that they prefer flower over anything else. Of other consumption methods, they said, “We like pretty much strictly flower; we [may] throw some hash in there. I’m not the biggest fan of blow torches or large fire devices; I prefer to keep it old school by smoking blunts, smoking joints, having a coffee with it.”
When they do choose to toss some hash in a joint, versus dabbing it, the hash they favor comes from a Los Angeles-based company called Axiom. However, their relationship with hash started in Spain. “We first got into hash when we were in Barcelona. They had a lot of different hash blends. So when we got back to the states, we found this hash company called Axiom Hash. It’s solventless, so it’s supposed to be as pure as possible.”
In so many words, solventless hash is a form of cannabis hash oil that uses no solvents to extract the cannabinoids and terpenes you consume. They include dry sift, ice water or bubble hash, and rosin.
Conversely, solventless-based hash do use solvents. Common forms of solvent-based hash oils are butane hash oil (BHO) and propane hash oil (PHO). Most extract fans prefer solvent-less because they’re cleaner and more natural.
Axiom’s internet presence is pretty scarce, but a peak at their Instagram account shows that they produce a slew of concentrates including: solventless hash, temple balls, and a seemingly pre-roll alternative that is a tube full of their hash and pre-ground flower.
Featured graphic by David Lozada/Weedmaps
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Multitasking Is Worse For Productivity Than Smoking Marijuana
Jumping between screens or responding immediately to notifications caused a 10-point drop in IQ, one study found.
The post Multitasking Is Worse For Productivity Than Smoking Marijuana appeared first on The Fresh Toast.
These Are The 4 Biggest Problems With CBD Products
These are just a few of the most common problems with all that CBD the nation has become so smitten with.
The post These Are The 4 Biggest Problems With CBD Products appeared first on The Fresh Toast.
Lawmakers are fighting for the rights of medical cannabis patients.
Any classic film fanatic should already know: Don’t ever mess with Clint Eastwood.
Clint Eastwood Confirms He’s Not Quitting Movies To Sell Cannabis
Notoriously protective of his image, Eastwood is suing these companies for fake news articles, manipulating metadata, and alleging he quit moviemaking to promote cannabis.
The post Clint Eastwood Confirms He’s Not Quitting Movies To Sell Cannabis appeared first on The Fresh Toast.
Desde el lunes, las tropas del ejército de Estados Unidos ya no tienen prohibido usar productos de CBD, así como cualquier producto derivado del cáñamo.