PodTones make it easy! Their disposable vaporizers come in four options to fit every part of your day: Up, Fun, Chill, and Dream. These vaporizers are filled with 100% pure rosin.
Choose Your Tone
Sometimes you just need a little hit to get you through the next step of your day. It can be a bit time-consuming to grind up your cannabis, then pack a bowl or roll a joint. Disposable vapes are an excellent way to consume on the go. They are discrete, portable, and user-friendly.
The issue some people often face is choosing which vape cartridge is right for them. There are so many strains and brands. Where does one even start?
PodTones make it easy! Their disposable vaporizers come in four options to fit every part of your day: Up, Fun, Chill, and Dream. Each vaporizer is filled with 100% pure rosin.
What Is Rosin?
Put simply, rosin is a concentrate created by pressing cannabis flower between two plates and adding heat. (It’s actually much more of an art form.) It’s a sappy resin full of cannabinoids and terpenes, giving it rich flavor profiles and providing users with a dynamic high.
Packaging
Each tone comes in a bold color, a quick guide to help consumers easily coordinate the color to its effect. Up is an awakening sativa in bright yellow. Fun is the uplifting body-high hybrid sativa in orange. Chill is teal and a relaxing hybrid indica. While Dream is a dark blue full-body indica.
The packaging is clear and easy to read. It lists both the cannabinoid and THC content. The four vapes I had ranged from 64-80% THC and 63-83% cannabinoids. There’s a brief description of the possible effects and a shortlist of ingredients (pure cannabis rosin). It mentions that the vapes are recyclable, which we always love to see!
The vapes themselves are palm-size and sleek. There are little windows to see the oil, LED lights that illuminate to let you know it’s working, and a USB port at the bottom.
The PodTones come charged but the universal micro USB port allows you to charge it in the unfortunate scenario that the battery dies before you’re able to finish it. This actually might happen because there’s over an 8th worth of weed compacted into these pods, translating to about 120 hits.
Taste
The hits off all of these pens are delicious but also very light. The smoke is smooth and enjoyable. I was able to take soft inhales off the pen and get a decent mouthful of smoke. It’s super gentle on the throat, a very effortless experience.
Since each tone is sourced from a single strain, they each have a unique flavor profile. Up has hints of citrus fruits. Fun tastes chocolatey and sweet. Chill has lingering tastes of vanilla, and Dream is lightly floral.
Quality
What I really appreciate about the PodTones vapes is the cleanliness, simplicity, and transparency.
The rosin is made by hand, in small batches, and extracted from pesticide-free cannabis. The design is sleek, light, and stylish. PodTones also come ready to use and are pull-activated, making it simple for the most beginner user. Just inhale and enjoy.
There are QR codes on each box that take you to the testing results, here. You can find information on the specific batch as well as terpene profiles. It’s easily accessible. A QR code and lab results also provides peace of mind regarding the safety of the vape and knowledge for the curious stoner.
Recyclable
I have to reiterate that they are recyclable! This is so important because most vape carts are not and end up in landfills. Podtones partnered with Call2Recycle to give users an incentive to dispose of their vaporizers properly.
Effects
Now to the real reason you’re here, does it get you high?
I will say a single hit off these pens provides a light buzz. This is great because when I did feel like I was ready for more, I was able to intensify my high at my own pace. A few extra hits elevated the experience.
Up gave me a big burst of creative and thoughtful energy. It was an excellent mood lifter to start the day. I smoked Funduring my morning cardio session, and I was focused while keeping a nice momentum. I saved Chillfor my nightly yoga and catching up on some TV.
It was mellow and provided giggles and a chill body high. The Dreamwas probably the most stoney of them all. It is perfect for getting ready for sleep. After my night routine, I took a decent hit off it and melted into my bed before drifting off.
Overall
I’d say PodTones are pretty dope disposable vape pens. They are simple to use and really cute. They are perfect for the smoker on the go. These are high-quality vapes filled with delightful tasting rosin that, at least for me, gave a differentiated experience for each part of my day. They definitely stand out from others on the shelves, and I can see various cannabis consumers appreciating them. I certainly did.
Where Can I Buy PodTones Vaporizers From?
PodTones are currently only available in select southern California retail dispensaries. Find your closest Authorized PodTones dispensary here
This review couldn’t have happened without collaborating with Rebecca Olmos, or better known as That Cannabis Writer. If you enjoyed this review feel free to have a look at her work on her website or drop a follow on Instagram
The Last Prisoner Project & HUM became partners in the Spring of 2020. These brands are committed to fight for criminal justice reform – more importantly the lives & families of those affected by harsh cannabis laws. The Last Prisoner Project is a voice for those currently incarcerated for non-violent cannabis offenses across the country.
As more states legalize Cannabis this also makes way for new business opportunities and sources of wealth, which is great although there’s one problem with all of this – there are people serving lengthy prison sentences for non-violent criminal convictions because of a plant that’s been around for thousands of years. Today we’re talking about vape brand, HUM and The Last Prisoner Project, and their collaboration to raise funds to support all the work they do.
What Is The Last Prisoner Project?
Imagine sitting in a cell for decades or even serving a life sentence for a plant that’s been around for centuries and no longer a crime in most states, you have thousands of people and start-ups doing the same thing everyday.
LPP is a not-for-profit organization, originally founded by Steve DeAngelo, the organization is backed by industry leaders, executives, artists and advocates from the likes of Damian, Stephen Marley & Matt Gray among a large list of industry leaders. They’re dedicated to Cannabis criminal justice reform just like you and I. Through spreading advocacy online and offline, The Last Prisoner Project is and has been a voice for the ones who have been silenced and have suffered the most for laws that are now legal in most states.
LPP believes that if anyone is able to profit and build wealth in the legal marijuana industry, the individuals must also work to release and rebuild the lives of those who have suffered from cannabis criminalization.
Through their organization and the enormous support they receive from the Cannabis community online as well as retail support, they’re able to do the work they do.
Once a prisoner is expunged, released or served their time life after jail can be challenging for most so LPP have designed a roadmap to get prisoners back on their feet so they can move forward with living and finding peace.
The Last Prisoner Project facilitates a Reentry Program, which focuses on job creation specifically for those that have been affected by the justice system so they can get back on their feet and be entitled to equal opportunities across the industry. The program offers training opportunities and skills to help one navigate through the Cannabis industry.
Free At Last. Michael Thompson was released this January
The Release Of Michael Thompson
Michael Thompson was released this January, thanks to Governor Whitney who has granted him a commutation, after 25 years in prison for a non-violent cannabis offense Michael can now finally move forward with his life and make up for lost time. In 1994 Michael was arrested for selling three pounds of Marijuana to a Confidential Informant in Genesee County 1994.
Notable Achievements Made By LPP
California – The Last Prisoner project developed the Prison to Prosperity reentry program designed to create pathways to employment in the legal cannabis industry; piloting in Los Angeles with local community reentry organizations.
Colorado – Initiated their own Cannabis Clemency Program and worked with the Governor’s office and the Department of Corrections to secure an executive order expanding parole eligibility amidst the COVID pandemic leading to the release of hundreds of at-risk prisoners.
How Can I Contribute?
There’s a few ways to join the movement. Find the below platforms that you can contribute to.
HUM was designed in Boston by BeGreen Supply, a technology company that manufactures custom vaporizer devices used by some of your favorite cannabis brands
When they partnered up in Spring last year HUM designed a special edition variation of the HUM battery to commemorate the start of the partnership, The double-sided engravings let users show their support for the cause with every puff.
You’ll also notice the HUM2 has a second cartridge slot, this is ideal for medical patients or anyone that utilizes multiple cartridges throughout their day.
HUM has also taken the extra step in teaming up with their local retail partners and dispensaries throughout the country to push the movement even further.
For Each unit that is sold HUM will donate $5 from HUM sales & $15 From HUM2 sales to the LPP organization.
Cannabis in Australia is still developing, it’s been a long and slow road for the 25 Million Australians however in recent years the industry has grown rapidly and it’s been awesome seeing it flourish. Government officials and Doctors have become more fond and supportive of the Marijuana plant and the benefits it has to offer our wellbeing, whether that be mentally, spiritually or psychical I believe it does positively impact my own life and alleviate my pain.
Exporting Medicinal Cannabis
Local distribution isn’t all they are executing, there are a handful of Australian Marijuana companies that are dipping their toes into other medicinal Marijuana markets such as Brazil, Germany & the UK.
The first Australian company to export Medicinal Cannabis products into Germany is Little Green Pharma, the company successfully completed a exportation of approximately 2400 units of LGP branded medicinal Cannabis oils to Germany back in November 2020, once received and cleared customs the products will be batch tested and then distributed to German Pharmacies.
The two products are sold under the same the LGP Brand with two variations available. One being the 20:5, which is a THC dominant tincture and the other is a 10:10. For the ones who don’t know what that means there is 10mg of THC & CBD per ml.
Below you will find information for the following LGP Products.
Ahh Germany, home to the Autobahn, Oktoberfest & beautiful scenery. Since 2017 German Doctors have been legally allowed to prescribe Marijuana in either form, flower or extract. It also should be kept in mind that under certain conditions health insurance companies may cover the cost of the medicine.
How Much Is Medicinal Cannabis In Germany?
You’ll find the cost of the product of either Cannabinoid, THC or CBD can be quite costly. Average price of medicinal flower could cost up to €23 Per Gram. Please check with your health insurance company if they cover your treatment.
4 Other Countries That Are Exporting Medicinal Marijuana To Germany
Chances are good that you’ve heard a lot in recent years about Medicinal marijuana and cannabidiol, or CBD, as it’s usually known. But even if you’ve seen the news, it can be hard to figure out whether either might be right for you, as well as what’s legal where you live.
The first thing to know is that even if Marijuana is legal in your state, it is still illegal from the point of view of the federal government. In 2013, the U.S. Department of Justice updated its policy on marijuana to allow states to govern themselves when it comes to legalization, whether for medical or recreational use or both.
What You Need to Know
Marijuana comes from the Cannabis sativa plant and CBD is derived from hemp, which is related to the marijuana plant but does not contain THC, the compound that gives you a “high” feeling.1
The amount of marijuana you can have depends on your state’s law (if it’s legal at all); use the state map here to see what’s legal where you live.
Studies find that many seniors get relief from pain and other symptoms with medical marijuana and CBD, but if the THC content level is too high for your body, you may experience side effects.
What’s the Difference Between Medical Marijuana & CBD?
The marijuana plant contains more than 500 different chemicals, of which 60 are cannabinoids, a group of substances found in the cannabis plant. Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is responsible for the “high” feeling that marijuana is best known for.
Medical marijuana products may have less THC than recreational marijuana; it’s called medical marijuana because these products are designed to relieve health problems such as pain, anxiety, glaucoma and other issues.2
Cannabidiol (CBD) is another active compound in cannabis, but it doesn’t bring on a high. There are three types of CBD: isolate, full-spectrum and broad-spectrum. Full-spectrum is the only kind that contains small traces of THC, but it’s not enough to get you high. Broad-spectrum CBD contains no THC and isolate CBD is the purest product; up to 99% all CBD is this type.3Oils, tinctures, lotions and gummies are just a few of the ways you can use CBD.
How Can Medical Marijuana and CBD Help Seniors?
Between 2015 and 2018, medical marijuana use among older Americans nearly doubled, from 2.4% to 4.2%.4It’s not hard to see why: More states have legalized marijuana not just for medical use but recreationally, making it easier to buy the products and reducing the stigma.
Here are some of the most common conditions for which seniors use marijuana:5
Cancer: Medical marijuana increases appetite, relieves nausea from chemotherapy and curbs pain and anxiety.6
Severe/chronic pain: Marijuana reduces pain without increasing the risk of overdose that comes with taking opioids.7
Glaucoma: One of the most frequently cited reasons for using marijuana, studies have found marijuana reduces the intraocular pressure in glaucoma patients.8
Alzheimer’s disease and dementia: Research shows that taking a combination of CBD and THC increases brain cell survival, reduces lipid function and stimulates the hippocampus.9
Crohn’s disease: Decreases pain, improves appetite and relieves nausea and inflammatory bowel disease.10
Epilepsy and seizures: Can reduce the number of seizures.11
Multiple sclerosis and muscle spasms: Treats pain and spasms and relieves muscle stiffness.12
HIV/AIDS: Stimulates appetite and relieves nausea brought on by medication.13
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS): While still being studied, early indicators point to some relief for muscle stiffness when a combination of CBD and THC is used with ALS medication.14
How Do You Choose Between Medicinal Cannabis and CBD?
If you don’t want the high feeling that comes from the THC in marijuana, you’ll naturally want to avoid any medical marijuana products and perhaps choose a product with CBD instead.
Though the Food & Drug Administration hasn’t approved the cannabis plant for any medical use, it has approved a few drugs that have cannabinoids in them. Depending on what health issues you’re dealing with, these may be useful. The drugs Marinol and Syndros treat nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy to treat cancer, and Epidiolex can help treat seizures in people with epilepsy.
How you take medical marijuana also affects how potent each dose is:15
Smoking: Paper rolling, pipes (traditional or vape) and water pipes deliver marijuana through inhalation and work quickly. Smoking vaporizes the marijuana, allowing users to inhale the medicine purely. However, this form isn’t recommended if you have a breathing problem.
Edibles: If smoking isn’t an option, you can eat cannabinoids, though you may only need a small portion compared to what you would smoke. Keep in mind that edibles — which come as brownies, candy, cookies, drinks and snacks — can take up to 60 minutes to work.
Concentrated oils and extracts: Highly concentrated cannabis can be found in vape oil, hash, pills, tinctures, dab oils, CBD oil and many other products. Oils have been separated from the marijuana bud, making them extremely efficient in how they work in the body.
Topical creams: Creams and lotions can be very effective for pain relief, and, because they don’t enter the bloodstream, there’s no risk of side effects you might experience with a product that has THC. Topical CBD also has anti-inflammatory properties, which gives arthritis sufferers relief.
Which States Is Medicinal Marijuana and CBD Legal?
To date, 36 states and four U.S. territories have legalized the use of medical marijuana and 15 states and three territories allow recreational marijuana use.16All 50 states have legalized CBD on varying levels.17Find a list of dispensaries by state.1819
Alabama
Marijuana is illegal. CBD can be sold by a licensed vendor and must contain no more than 0.3% THC by weight.
Alaska
Fully legal.
Arizona
Fully legal.
Arkansas
Medical marijuana is legal. Qualified use is defined as “intractable pain that has not responded to ordinary medical or surgical measures for more than six months.” CBD is available.
California
Fully legal.
Colorado
Fully legal.
Connecticut
Medical marijuana is legal. Qualified use is defined as “chronic pain of at least 6 months’ duration associated with a specified underlying chronic condition refractory [resistant to] to other treatment intervention.” CBD is available.
Delaware
Medical marijuana is legal. Qualified use is defined as “severe, debilitating pain that has not responded to previously prescribed medication or surgical measures for more than 3 months or for which other treatment options produced serious side effects.” CBD is available.
District of Columbia
Fully legal.
Florida
Medical marijuana is legal. Qualified use is defined as “any debilitating medical condition that the physician believes cannabis may alleviate qualifies if it is of the same kind or class as or comparable to those enumerated (which are serious conditions such as HIV/AIDS and cancer).” CBD is available.
Georgia
Medical marijuana is legal, however, it is limited to low-THC medical cannabis oil only. CBD can be sold by a licensed vendor and must contain no more than 0.3% THC by weight.
Hawaii
Medical marijuana is legal. Qualified use is defined as “a chronic or debilitating disease or medical condition, or treatment [for such conditions, which produces] … severe pain.” CBD is available.
Idaho
Marijuana is illegal. CBD products are legal only if they contain zero THC and are derived from one of five parts of the cannabis plant.
Illinois
Fully legal.
Indiana
Marijuana is illegal. The law allows any person to buy and possess CBD oil as long as it meets certain labeling requirements and contains no more than 0.3 percent THC.
Iowa
Medical marijuana is legal in CBD oil form only. The law allows a registered patient the ability to buy and possess CBD oil as long as it meets certain labeling requirements and they receive no more than 4.5 grams of THC every 90 days.
Kansas
Marijuana is illegal. CBD can be sold by a licensed vendor if it contains no THC.
Kentucky
Medical marijuana has passed the state legislature but has yet to be enacted. Currently, the law allows any person to buy CBD oil as long as it meets certain labeling requirements and contains no more than 0.3 percent THC.
Louisiana
Medical marijuana is legal but extremely restricted. Doctors can recommend medical cannabis for any medical condition the physician “considers debilitating to an individual patient” that the physician is qualified to treat. CBD is available.
Maine
Fully legal.
Maryland
Medical marijuana is legal. Qualified use is defined as “a chronic or debilitating disease or medical condition, or treatment [for such conditions, which produces] … severe pain.” CBD is available as long as it meets certain labeling requirements and contains no more than 0.3 percent THC.
Massachusetts
Fully legal.
Michigan
Fully legal.
Minnesota
Medical marijuana is legal but extremely restricted. Qualified use is defined as “intractable pain – a pain state in which the cause of the pain cannot be removed or otherwise treated with the consent of the patient and which, in the generally accepted course of medical practice, no relief or cure of the cause of the pain is possible, or none has been found after reasonable efforts.” CBD is available.
Mississippi
Medical marijuana is legal but a program is not in place yet. Currently, CBD can be sold by a licensed vendor and contain no more than 0.5% THC by weight.
Missouri
Medical marijuana is legal. Qualified use is defined as “a chronic medical condition that causes severe, persistent pain” or “a chronic medical condition that is normally treated with a prescription medication that could lead to physical or psychological dependence, when a physician determines that medical use of marijuana could be effective in treating that condition and would serve as a safer alternative
Montana
Fully legal.
Nebraska
Marijuana is illegal. CBD can be sold by a licensed vendor and contain no more than 0.3% THC by weight.
Nevada
Fully legal.
New Hampshire
Medical marijuana is legal. Qualified use is defined as “moderate to severe chronic pain.” CBD is available.
New Jersey
Fully legal.
New Mexico
Medical marijuana is legal. Qualified use is defined as “painful peripheral neuropathy and severe chronic pain with objective proof and two physician certifications.” CBD is available.
New York
Medical marijuana is legal. Qualified use is defined as “a condition for which an opioid could be prescribed or any severe debilitating pain that the practitioner determines degrades health and functional capability; where the patient has contraindications, has experienced intolerable side effects, or has experienced failure of one or more previously tried therapeutic options; and where there is documented
North Carolina
Marijuana is illegal. CBD oil is available.
North Dakota
Medical marijuana is legal. Qualified use is defined as “severe, debilitating pain that has not responded to previously prescribed medication or surgical measures for more than 3 months or for which other treatment options produced serious side effects.” CBD is available.
Ohio
Medical marijuana is legal. Qualified use is defined as “pain that is either… chronic and severe or intractable.” CBD is available as long as it meets certain labeling requirements and contains no more than 0.3 percent THC.
Oklahoma
Medical marijuana is legal. Qualified use is defined as ”any condition qualifies if a physician believes cannabis may alleviate it.” CBD is widely available.
Oregon
Fully legal.
Pennsylvania
Medical marijuana is legal. Qualified use is defined as “severe chronic or intractable pain of neuropathic origin or severe chronic or intractable pain.” CBD is available.
Rhode Island
Medical marijuana is legal. Qualified use is defined as “a chronic or debilitating disease or medical condition, or its treatment, that produces debilitating, chronic pain.” CBD is available.
South Carolina
Marijuana is illegal. CBD can be sold by a licensed vendor and must contain no more than 0.3% THC by weight.
South Dakota
Fully legal.
Tennessee
Marijuana is illegal. CBD can be sold by a licensed vendor and must contain no more than 0.3% THC by weight.
Texas
Medical marijuana is legal in CBD oil form only. The law allows medical patients who qualify to buy CBD oil as long as it meets certain labeling requirements and contains low amounts of THC.
Utah
Medical marijuana is legal. Qualified use is defined as “pain lasting longer than two weeks that is not adequately managed, in the qualified medical provider’s opinion, despite treatment attempts using
Vermont
Fully legal.
Virginia
Medical marijuana is legal in CBD oil form only.The law allows patients to buy CBD oil as long as it meets certain labeling requirements and contains no more than 10 milligrams of THC per dose.
Washington
Fully legal.
West Virginia
Medical marijuana is legal. Qualified use is defined as “severe chronic or intractable pain in which conventional therapeutic intervention and opiate therapy is contraindicated or ineffective.” CBD is available.
Wisconsin
Marijuana is illegal. The law allows anyone to buy CBD in oil form only, as long as it contains low amounts of THC.
Wyoming
Fully legal.
What Are the Effects of Medicinal Marijuana on Your Health and Your Brain?
An American Geriatric Society survey showed that most seniors were able to partially or fully curb their use of prescriptions by using medical marijuana.
Another study found Medicare Part D prescriptions filled for opioids decreased in states with medical marijuana laws.20Though this research isn’t conclusive, it may indicate that older Americans find medical marijuana effective in managing pain and perhaps other health conditions.
If you choose to take medical marijuana, it’s essential to work with a physician who knows you and your health history and also understands how the plant might interact with any prescription medication you’re taking. While medical marijuana can be useful in some patients with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, higher doses of THC could cause cognitive and physical impairment, including a worsening of dementia. Thinning blood is also a concern, and using marijuana can cause a sedative effect if you’re also taking antidepressants.21
How Do You Get a Medicinal Cannabis Prescription?
Even if you live in a state where recreational marijuana is legal, it pays to apply for an official medical marijuana card. It can give you preferred pricing, help avoid taxes and enable you to purchase products across state lines, if the state allows it. In addition, you can get access to stronger potencies if you need them. Here are the typical steps for getting an ongoing prescription for medical marijuana:22
Determine if your condition qualifies you for a medical marijuana card. If your state has legalized marijuana, you should be able to find this information through your state’s department of health.
Get treatment advice from a physician with experience prescribing medical marijuana for your condition(s) and can write a legal prescription.
Through your state health department’s website, find out how to apply for a medical card in your state and pay the application fee, if there is one.
Once accepted, talk to someone at a dispensary who can direct you to the best type of marijuana and the best product(s) for your condition(s).
Listen to your body. You may need to adjust your dosage over time if your prescription doesn’t relieve your symptoms or your body adjusts to the dosage over time and you no longer see any benefit.
Renew your medical card every year.
Does Medicare Cover Medical Cannabis?
Because marijuana is considered illegal by the federal government and Medicare is a federal program, it does not cover this type of treatment.
What Are The Next Steps?
Many seniors who use marijuana, whether in a low-level CBD form or through medical marijuana, praise medical marijuana and CBD products for their benefits in easing pain, nausea, seizures and other health problems.
If you’re ready to explore how these products might help you, start by talking to a healthcare provider who knows your health history and understands how to use cannabis-derived products. He or she can be an important advocate while keeping you safe.
If your state hasn’t legalized marijuana for medical or recreational use, you can still advocate for legalization at the local level. Contact organizations like NORML ( the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws) to find a chapter near you and learn how you can help push legalization where you live.
This article originally appeared on MedcareGuide, read the article here. This article was published here with permission.
Australian Cannabis companies like Little Green Pharma, Althea, THC & Creso are among a number of Medicinal Cannabis companies which will benefit from the recent down scheduling of CBD to be sold over the counter.
Update: CBD Products won’t be on shelves in the first week of February, we may not see these products on shelves for another 12 months. Why? Cannabis products must be tested and approved by the TGA before Australian Manufacturers can launch their products in chemist around Australia.
Previously it was said to be only 60mg a day, like when we reported back September that the TGA was going to allow certain CBD products to be sold over-the-counter without the need of a prescription at a maximum recommended daily dosage of 150mg per day versus the 60mg per day proposed previously. The TGAs has decided to down-schedule a number of CBD products from Schedule 4 to Schedule 3.
That’s not all that’s changed, when this was announced earlier back in September, the TGA advised the changes to the sale of CBD in Australia will be implemented on the 1st of June 2021 however the TGA brought the date forward and this will now be implemented from the 1st of February 2021.
What You Need To Know
The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) final down-scheduling decision for cannabidiol (CBD) which increases maximum daily dose up from 60mg/day, to 150mg/day
The change represents a significant step forward for the Australian medicinal cannabis industry
You might be able to purchase registered CBD Products over-the-counter from a pharmacy from 1st of February 2021 without the need of a prescription.
All CBD & Cannabis products still need to go through an expensive and lenghty clinical trials. Although the TGA have approved this, CBD won’t be available in the first of February, experts advise that we might not see these products for another 12-24 months.
This is a big step forward for Australian Cannabis patients and many others who are looking for a safe, natural and legal alternative to treating their health. CBD comprises at least 98% of the total cannabinoid content in the preparation. Other CBD products like ones with THC will continue to be scheduled as Schedule 4.
Australian Cannabis companies anticipate the decision will drive registration applications across a range of eligible CBD conditions and will serve to only further increase the accessibility and affordability of medicinal cannabis for Australian prescribers and patients. At the time of writing this, Medicinal Marijuana in either form THC or CBD, could cost patients anywhere between $170AUD to $250AUD for 10g of flower or $180 for oil. Mind you Medicinal Cannabis Patient applications in Australia are at well over 60,000 approved patients and growing.
This final scheduling decision demonstrates both the TGA’s commitment to patient safety and product quality as well as its appreciation of prescriber and patient needs. We wish to congratulate the TGA on its decision and look forward to the significant benefits it will bring to both Australian patients and prescribers and the Australian medicinal cannabis industry as a whole.
LGP Managing Director Fleta Solomon
Overall the TGA decision to increase the daily maximum dose from 60mg to 150mg will likely give Australian Medicinal Cannabis manufacturers a little more freedom and confidence necessary to progress through the meticulous ARTG [ Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods CBD product registrations and launch new products.
Companies such as LGP & THC Global are cultivators of a number of products which we talk more about here.
The UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs has voted to remove cannabis and cannabis resin from a category of the world’s most dangerous drugs, in a move certain to impact the global medical marijuana industry.
The Vienna-based UN agency said in a statement that it had voted 27-25, with one abstention, to follow the World Health Organisation’s recommendation to remove cannabis and cannabis resin from Schedule IV of the 1961 Convention on Narcotic Drugs, where it was listed with heavier drugs like heroin, which has caused many overdoses and several other opioids.
The drugs that are on Schedule IV are a subset of those on Schedule I of the convention, which already requires an immensely high level of international control. The agency voted to leave cannabis and cannabis resin on the list of Schedule I drugs, which also include cocaine, fentanyl, morphine, Methadone, opium and oxycodone, which are dangerous and often deadly.
In 2019 WHO found last year and said that Cannabis, by contrast carries no significant risk of death and it has shown potential in treating pain and conditions such as epilepsy.
WHO said last year that “Cannabis should be scheduled at a level of control that will prevent harm caused by cannabis use and at the same time will not act as a barrier to access and to research and development of cannabis-related preparation for medical use”
Schedule I Drugs include Fentanyl, Morphine, Cocaine, Opium, Methadone, & Oxycodone. These drugs have had a severe detrimental impact on peoples lives, young adults and communities, even death.
According to the CDC Website between the years 1999–2018, it’s writes that almost 450,000 people died from an overdose involving any opioid, including prescription and illicit opioids.
Experts have said that removing cannabis off the strictest schedule could lead, however, to the loosening of international controls on medical marijuana.
Research shows CBD is safe for driving and the THC effects fade in hours.
Share Scientists from the Lambert Initiative have demonstrated that the CBD compound of Cannabis does not impact driving ability and moderate THC intoxication lasts a few hours.
If you’re a consumer of Marijuana you already know it most certainly does not impair your driving skills. In fact we most likely become more careful as some have told me. And CBD definitely does not have any effect on our driving or impair our skills to function.
Disclaimer: I do not recommend driving under the influence of Cannabis or any other drugs, especially if you do not feel confident – nor will I be sued or responsible for your decision to get behind the wheel and potentially endanger not only your life but the lives of others – don’t do it, simple.
Driving & Smoking Cannabis in Australia
This is a small but big win for the Australian Marijuana Community due to the stigma that’s been associated with the plant for decades despite the number of companies cultivating locally, Cannabis Clinics launching all around Australia and the immense popularity of the plant in Australia among consumers.
As Medicinal Cannabis becomes more known, spoken about and accepted by the Australian Medical Community and Federal & State Governments as well as the educational resources available to these Medical Marijuana prescribing Doctors.
It would be nice to see drivers being drug tested for the level of THC detected not just providing a positive reading of THC. As for the not so regular user they could’ve smoked a joint at a party weeks ago. and potentially lose their license because of a plant.
In Australia drivers are faced with harsh penalties from expensive fines, suspension of your drivers license and even imprisonment.
“These findings indicate for the first time that CBD, when given without THC, does not affect a subject’s ability to drive. That’s great news for those using or considering treatment using CBD-based products.”
Dr Thomas Arkell | Lead author
There has been a substantial growth in medical treatment using cannabis-related products in Australia especially over the past 12 months. Between December 2019 and November 2020 the TGA has approved 80,000 applications. This includes increasing use of CBD-containing products for conditions such as the following:
Epilepsy
Anxiety
Chronic Pain & Addictions
Majority of the available products currently on the market that are available to patients also contain a mixture of THC and CBD.
Australian CBD & THC Research
The research involved people consuming Cannabis via a vaporizer containing different mixes of THC and CBD strains and then driving a vehicle on public highways in controlled conditions.
Keep reading below for further details on this study.
“The research involved people inhaling vaporized cannabis containing different mixes of THC and CBD, then going for a 100-kilometre drive under controlled conditions on public highways both 40 minutes and four hours later. Cannabis containing mainly CBD did not impair driving while cannabis containing THC, or a THC/CBD mixture, caused mild impairment measured at 40 minutes later but not after four hours.”
Dr Arkell also went onto say “With cannabis laws changing globally, jurisdictions are grappling with the issue of cannabis-impaired driving. These results provide much needed insights into the magnitude and duration of impairment caused by different types of cannabis and can help to guide road-safety policy not just in Australia but around the world”.
“Road safety is a primary concern,” Dr Arkell said. “These results should allow for evidence-based laws and regulation for people receiving medical cannabis.”
The Academic Director of the Lambert Initiative, Professor Iain McGregor, said: “We were delighted to have the opportunity to collaborate with Professor Jan Ramaekers and his team on this study. Studying the effects of cannabis on driving with such precision in a real-world context is incredibly important.
“The results should reassure people using CBD-only products that they are most likely safe to drive, while helping patients using THC-dominant products to understand the duration of impairment.”
The Study
The study involved giving 26 healthy participants four different types of cannabis in a random order to vaporise on four separate occasions. Each participant’s driving performance was then assessed on the road in real-world conditions along a 100-kilometre stretch of public highway in a dual control car with a driving instructor present.
The tests were done at Maastricht University in the Netherlands using a well-established scientific test that measures standard deviation of vehicle position (SDLP), an index of lane weaving, swerving and overcorrecting. SDLP increases under the influence of alcohol and drugs such as Valium and Stilnox.
Participants used a vape to consume Cannabis containing mainly THC & CBD, THC and CBD in combination, or placebo Cannabis (No Active Components). The amount of THC vaporised by participants was enough to cause strong feelings of intoxication.
To test how the different types of cannabis affect driving, participants completed two one-hour, on-road highway driving tests commencing at 40 minutes and at four hours after inhaling vaporised cannabis.
Professor McGregor said: “With rapidly changing attitudes towards medical and non-medical use of cannabis, driving under the influence of cannabis is emerging as an important and somewhat controversial public health issue.
“While some previous studies have looked at the effects of cannabis on driving, most have focused on smoked cannabis containing only THC (not CBD) and have not precisely quantified the duration of impairment.
“This is the first study to illustrate the lack of CBD effects on driving and to also provide a clear indication of the duration of THC impairment.”
For more on this study and research, feel free visit the below references.
2020 has been a wild, painful and unpredictable year but for Cannabis advocates it’s been a winning streak of a year with a handful of states legalizing, decriminalizing & expunging records. This Friday in Cannabis news the plant acquired another win in the US Congress but don’t get too excited yet though.
The US House of Representatives passed a bill on Friday to end the Federal prohibition on Cannabis. They voted this Friday on the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act, or better known as the MORE Act, which decriminalizes Cannabis and paves the road to erase non-violent federal Marijuana convictions, what a relief this will be for many. Some reports suggest the Senate is unlikely to approve the bill.
That’s not all though, the MORE act creates pathways for ownership opportunities in the industry, allowing Veterans to obtain Medical Cannabis recommendations from Veteran Affairs and establishes a source of funding to reinvest into communities and regions affected by the “war” on the drugs.
The vote was the first time a full chamber of Congress has taken up the issue of federally decriminalizing Marijuana. 222 Democrats were in favor of passing the MORE Act and there was 6 which voted against it due to not being educated enough. Fiver republicans are said to have voted in favor of the plant and a 158 were against passing the bill.
Co-sponsor of the MORE Act, Representative Earl Blumenauer went on to say prior to the vote – “it’s the right thing to do. For too long, the war on drugs has targeted young people, especially Black & Brown of color and rejected advice of the experts.”
Earl Blumenauer has been working endlessly to end Marijuana prohibition since the 1970s. He states himself that the war on drugs never made sense and was only fueled by the President Richard Nixons hate on Cannabis and other controlled substances.
“For decades, discriminatory cannabis policies have perpetuated yet another form of systemic racism in America, and this legislation will begin the process of restorative justice for those most harmed”
Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Calif | Co-sponsored the bill with Blumenauer.
In a joint letter to Congress, Lee and Blumenauer said their reform efforts underscore the “critical issue of racial justice, and the failed war on drugs that has devastated communities of color, especially Black and Brown communities.”
“We can no longer ignore our duty to repair the damage that this harmful form of systemic racism has done,” the letter read.
What Happens If Marijuana Is Descheduled?
If Marijuana is descheduled thanks to the the MORE Act, large banks and financial institutions would be more likely to enter the Marijuana industry and accept Cannabis businesses to securely take payments and run their business. Once a legal framework is established, said Justin Strekal, political director of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, or NORML.
What States Legalized, Decriminalized & Expunged Cannabis Records?
Arizona
New Jersey
South Dakota
Montana
Mississippi
What Is The MORE Act ? ( Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act )
An act to decriminalize and deschedule cannabis, to provide for reinvestment in certain persons adversely impacted by the War on Drugs, to provide for expungement of certain cannabis offenses, and for other purposes.
The Canadian government announced back in August that it would allow terminally ill patients to use psychedelic mushrooms as part of “psilocybin therapy” to help ease their end-of-life anxiety.
In April, four Canadians suffering from terminal illness asked the government’s Health Ministry for a legal exemption for them to obtain and use “magic mushrooms,” which studies have shown help alleviate anxiety and depression, CTV News reports.
Canadian non-profit organization Therapeutic Psilocybin (TheraPsil) revealed Minister of Health Patty Hajdu’s approval for exemption Tuesday, noting that the four patients will be the first four Canadians to legally use psychedelic mushrooms since they became illegal in 1974.
“I want to thank the Health Minister and Health Canada for approving my request for psilocybin use,” Laurie Brooks, one of the four terminally ill applicants, said in a statement via TheraPsil.
“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.” Another patient stated that their prescribed anti-anxiety medication was no longer working and sought the use of psilocybin therapy.
Founder of TheraPsil, Dr. Bruce Tobin went on to say,
“Although it has taken a long time we are impressed with their willingness to listen to patients who have not been heard and to shift focus and policy to accommodate their interests and protect their needs. We also thank the brave Canadian patients who have been public in their fight for psilocybin access, along with the honorable Canadian MPs who have demonstrated courage, standing up for patient rights.”
With the exemption, the production, possession or sale of “magic mushrooms” remains illegal “unless authorized for clinical trial or research purposes,” the CTV reported.
In the U.S., cities like Oakland, Portland and Denver have led the charge in decriminalizing magic mushrooms, with the FDA also weighing approving a psychedelic drug for treating depression. More recently voters in Oregon became the first state to legalize Magic Mushrooms for therapeutic use during this November Election.
N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) is a component of the Ayahuasca brew traditionally used for ritual and therapeutic purposes across several South American countries.
The research examined, in vitro and vivo, the potential neurogenic effect of DMT. Our results demonstrate that DMT administration activates the main adult neurogenic niche, the subgranular zone of the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus, promoting newly generated neurons in the granular zone.
Moreover, these mice performed better, compared to control non-treated animals, in memory tests, which suggest a functional relevance for the DMT-induced new production of neurons in the hippocampus.
Interestingly, the neurogenic effect of DMT appears to involve signaling via sigma-1 receptor (S1R) activation since S1R antagonist blocked the neurogenic effect. Taken together, our results demonstrate that DMT treatment activates the subgranular neurogenic niche regulating the proliferation of neural stem cells, the migration of neuroblasts, and promoting the generation of new neurons in the hippocampus, therefore enhancing adult neurogenesis and improving spatial learning and memory tasks.
New research has come to light, first published in the journal Translational Psychiatry, is reporting on several years of animal studies showing how a psychedelic called DMT (Dimethyltryptamine) can promote brain plasticity and prompts the formation of new neurons. This new research presents evidence to suggest the hallucinogenic effects of the drug may be able to be separated from this neuron-generating mechanism.
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Ayahuasca
Ayahuasca is a hallucinogenic preparation known to be consumed in shamanic and religious contexts such as ceremonies by indigenous populations in South America. People still today practice and take part in ceremonies. There are even Psychedelic tours available to experience in South American countries which I’ll talk more about in future articles. DMT is the main psychoactive compound in the psychedelic brew, and it has become the focus of an immense deal of research due to it’s profoundly powerful, but short-acting, hallucinogenic elements.
The recent awakening in psychedelic science has found psychedelics such as psilocybin can induce potent antidepressant effects. Preliminary studies investigating Ayahuasca have seen similar antidepressant benefits. It has been hypothesized that the positive mental health outcomes from these psychedelic compounds stems from their ability to stimulate new neuron production, a process referred to as neurogenesis.
What Is Neurogenesis?
Neurons are born through the process of neurogenesis, in which neural stem cells divide to produce differentiated neurons. Once fully differentiated neurons are formed, they are no longer capable of undergoing mitosis. Neurogenesis primarily occurs in the embryo of most organisms. – Wiki.
This new research, led by a team of Spanish scientists, set out to understand by what mechanism DMT could induce neurogenesis. Across several mouse experiments the study first established DMT does indeed promote acute neurogenesis, and furthermore, these new neurons can be linked to detectable improvements in the animals’ memory and cognition.
“These [new hippocampal neurons] have a functional impact since DMT treatment during 21 days clearly improved mouse performance in learning and memory tasks, in which the hippocampus is considered to play an essential role,” the researchers have written in the new study.
“These observations are in agreement with previous works showing that adult hippocampal neurogenesis plays an important role in these cognitive functions.”
Perhaps the most fascinating finding in the new research is the confirmation that this psychedelic-induced neurogenesis seems to be produced by a mechanism that is separate to that which generates the drug’s hallucinogenic effect.
The hallucinogenic qualities of most psychedelics are commonly thought to be generated through the stimulation of 5-HT2A serotonin receptors in the brain but it is still up for debate whether neurogenesis induced by psychedelics is mediated through the same serotonin receptor activity.
The new research suggests neurogenesis may be mediated through sigma-1 receptors (S1R), which prior research has established are also influenced by DMT. The study reveals the neurogenic effect of DMT could be effectively blocked when mice were administered a S1R antagonist.
“The results here obtained indicate that the observed effects of DMT are mediated by the activation of the S1R,” the researchers write in the study. In this regard, it has been shown that the stimulation of the S1R by different agonists enhances neurogenesis in the hippocampus.”
What Does This All Mean?
It’s possible the new-neuron-stimulating effect of DMT could be separated from it’s hallucinogenic and psychoactive properties. José Ángel Morales, an author on the new research, suggests this promisingly points to new research pathways investigating ways to harness the therapeutic potential of neurogenesis.
“This capacity to modulate brain plasticity suggests that it has great therapeutic potential for a wide range of psychiatric and neurological disorders, including neurodegenerative diseases,” says Morales.
Not The First Psychedelic Research Study
This research is not the first to raise the possibility of divorcing the therapeutic potential of psychedelics from their hallucinatory effects. Both the US government and commercial pharmaceutical companies are investigating ways to either moderate, or eliminate altogether, the psychedelic effect of psychedelics.
However, there is considerable debate within the psychedelic research community as to how fundamentally important the overwhelming psychoactive experience actually is to the drug’s subsequent therapeutic benefits.
Morales went on to say “The challenge is to activate our dormant capacity to form neurons and thus replace the neurons that die as a result of the disease, this study shows that DMT is capable of activating neural stem cells and forming new neurons.”
How Are Neurons Generated?
Neurons are born through the process of neurogenesis, in which neural stem cells divide to produce differentiated neurons. Once fully differentiated neurons are formed, they are no longer capable of undergoing mitosis. Neurogenesis primarily occurs in the embryo of most organisms.
If you’d like to read more into this research and topic, you can right here.
