For centuries, the cannabis plant has been used to help users deal with chronic pain and many other mental and physical ailments. Yet there’s been a surge in the market for a plethora of cannabinoids found within the cannabis plant. You may already be familiar with CBD, Delta-8 THC, and Delta-9 THC, but today we’ll be reviewing an entirely new type of cannabinoid: THC-O.This particular cannabinoid claims to be nearly three times stronger than traditional marijuana, a powerful claim that we intend to test with the Raspberry Kush THC-O vape cartridge from Utoya. If you’re an advanced THC user and are looking for a strong and captivating high with a delicious raspberry flavor, keep reading to find out our official thoughts on this unique product! Here at CBD Testers, we love products! We love to try them and share what we learned with our readers. These THC-O vape carts from Utoya are truly a fun product, and we’re excited to share the experience with you. For more product reviews and articles, and for exclusive deals on all the trending cannabinoid products, remember to subscribe to The THC Weekly Newsletter. Also save big on Delta 8, Delta 9 THC, Delta-10 THC, THCO, THCV, THCP & HHC products by checking out our “Best-of” lists! The Utoya BrandIf you’re looking for a one-stop cannabinoid company, you’ll fall in love with the Utoya brand the moment you visit their website. The company offers a stunning assortment of every type of product you can think of, from familiar favorites like gummies and tinctures to rare finds like hash and moonrocks. The site has a bit of a unique layout in that they categorize everything by products instead of cannabinoids. For example, if you’re looking for a THC-O vape cartridge, you’ll have to navigate to the vape section and select the cannabinoid from the drop-down menu. In a way, this categorization allows you to see everything that Utoya has to offer instead of restricting your browsing to a specific cannabinoid. Utoya has several different options when it comes to their vape cartridges: a single pack, a three pack, and a disposable. Each option is available in several different flavors and is sold for $32.99. If you need a vape device (called a battery) to use with your cartridge, Utoya offers a simple device in several colors for an extra $10. The cartridges themselves are not made with any cutting agents and contain a full gram of oil (900mg of THC-O and 100mg of trace terpenes and other cannabinoids. Keep in mind that cartridges contain a concentrated form of cannabinoids, so it’s best to start slowly and gradually increase the dose after you understand your body’s reaction to the initial dose. Utoya goes above and beyond when it comes to their product descriptions, something that is extremely useful for beginner and advanced users alike. Each product contains a lengthy description about what the cannabinoid is, what to expect during your high, recommended dosage amounts, how long the high lasts, and other useful information tailored to the product and cannabinoid listed. If you’re curious about the purity and potency or have general questions about cannabinoids, Utoya has a tab called Learning that features several topics in their drop-down menu including some Testing Results and how cannabinoids work naturally with your endocannabinoid system. Now that we’ve reviewed the Utoya brand, it’s time to check out their Raspberry Kush THC-O vape cartridge! Utoya THC-O Vape Cartridge ReviewVape cartridges can seem like an intimidating option for new users because it requires a pen-style vape device with a 510-screw in connection. The cartridge screws into the base of the pen mod, and the pen mod itself must be charged and capable of firing at a certain temperature. A quick Google search will display sites that carry such hardware, and can be as inexpensive as $20 (although the more expensive ones can top $100). The Utoya THC-O vape cartridge screwed in easily to the base of my vape pen (I use the Vuber Pulse Pen) and was ready to use instantly. I noted that the mouthpiece for the cartridge had a very wide bore tip, a stark contrast to the other duck-billed cartridges I’ve used in the past. The yellow oil in the cartridge was extremely thick and sludgy, and did not move at all despite tilting the device from several angles. ![]() I held the device to my lips and pressed the firing pin. Vapor flowed into my mouth and I immediately tasted a sweet and fruity raspberry flavor. The entire hit was smooth and calming. I felt no urge to cough and no tightening sensation in my chest, which was surprising compared to other Delta-8 THC cartridges I’ve tried. The sweet flavor made me want to take more hits, but I decided to stop at three hits and see how the THC-O felt. I noticed that the effects began much more gradually than traditional Delta-8 THC cartridges. While Delta-8 THC hits usually begin in under 5 minutes, the THC-O started to kick in after about 10 minutes. I noticed a familiar tingling in my hands, feet, and face and an enhanced sensitivity to touch. After half an hour, I felt more of the traditional effects of Delta-8 THC such as sleepiness, heavy eyelids, and warm euphoria. I also felt a light dizziness, very brief paranoia, and some queasiness in my stomach, but nothing that detracted from the high. The high lasted for several hours, slowly increasing for about an hour. The full-blown high made me extremely relaxed and sleepy, and I experienced the “couch-lock” sensation very strongly. I easily slipped into a deep sleep and woke up feeling refreshed and invigorated. On a side note, these cartridges are more of an advanced user item, but can be used by anyone with a bit of practice. Keep in mind that THC affects each person differently, depending on age, weight, metabolism, gender, previous exposure to THC, and much more. You should always consult your primary care physician before taking any cannabinoid for the first time. THC-O in particular is especially potent and may cause adverse reactions if you take too much in a single sitting, such as extreme drowsiness and paranoia. You should not attempt to operate machinery or vehicles while under the influence of a THC-O high. Lastly, no cannabinoid is ever intended to replace your current medication and should not be used to treat or cure any disease. ConclusionI was completely blown away by all that Utoya had to offer. From popular cannabinoids like CBD and Delta-8 THC to newer cannabinoids like THC-O and HHC, Utoya had an incredible selection of every type of product on the market. While I was expecting more of an intense high from the THC-O cartridge, it felt more like a prolonged Delta-8 THC high (which wasn’t a bad thing!). ![]() I loved the sweet and fruity flavor along with the ease of use, and especially appreciated that I didn’t need to cough or experience a tightening in my chest. Sometimes cartridges can have a bit of a learning curve with the inhale technique and how long to hold the vapor in your lungs, and can cause the user to violently cough if not done properly. The Raspberry Kush cartridge was beautifully designed with the wide-bore drip tip and company logo engraved into the metal. I loved that the intensity of the high built up over time and lasted for several hours, something that doesn’t usually happen with vape cartridges. Lastly, I deeply appreciated Utoya’s dedication to information presentation in the product description. Even as an experienced THC user, I was intrigued to read about the different types of cannabinoids, effects, and dosage amounts that Utoya lists for each product. It was truly an honor to review the Raspberry Kush THC-O vape cartridge from Utoya and I look forward to reviewing more of their products in the near future! Hello and Welcome! Thanks for making it to CBDtesters.co, the internet’s preeminent location for the most important and though-provoking cannabis and psychedelics-related news globally. Visit us whenever you can to stay on top of the always-in-flux universe of legal drugs and industrial hemp. For the best deals on THC-O and other THC products, remember to subscribe to The THC Weekly Newsletter.The post Utoya Raspberry Kush THC-O Vape Carts appeared first on CBD Testers. Via https://cbdtesters.co/2022/01/31/utoya-raspberry-kush-thc-o-vape-carts/
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Edibles have been growing wildly in popularity, going from an every-now-and-then item, to a primary way of getting high. Whether using them medically or recreationally, there’s something pretty awesome about eating your way to feeling better. And now with new methods, even better edibles can be made. Take CannaPowder and its patented technology for edibles and other products. CannaPowder is on the forefront of edibles technology producing nanometric powder that can be used for all kinds of products. These powders are definitely growing in popularity for both the recreational and medical markets. Check out The THC Weekly Newsletter to keep on track with this, and tons of other stories in the cannabis industry, and for special access to deals on flowers, vapes, edibles, and many other products! We also have great offers for cannabinoid compounds like HHC-O, Delta 8, Delta 9 THC, Delta-10 THC, THCO, THCV, THCP & HHC, which you can find in our “Best-of” lists! What are cannabis edibles?Cannabis edibles, much like the name implies, are cannabis products that you eat. While this might be well understood, how they work is a little more complicated. Edibles are known to cause slightly different effects from smoked or vaped cannabis, and this happens for a couple reasons, and leads to a couple main differences. First off, when cannabis is inhaled, it goes straight to the lungs where it gets picked up by the alveoli, and then transferred to the bloodstream. This happens within seconds of time, giving what seems like a near-instantaneous high. The majority of cannabinoids therefore never make it to the digestive tract, and the result is a high that only lasts for a couple hours. When cannabis is eaten, it goes down to the stomach, through the digestive tract, and to the liver, where the THC binds with a glurononide compound to form 11-hydroxy-THC, a slightly altered metabolite of standard delta-9 THC. This form of THC is more water soluble, making it easier to pass the blood brain barrier. When eating edibles, the trip through the digestive tract takes time, and effects generally aren’t felt for 1-3 hours. Subsequent to that, however, the high can go on for 4-6 hours, or even longer. Edibles are known to cause more of a body high than a head high, although they can certainly do both. ![]() Since the effects last longer, edibles are better for circumstances where a longer lasting substance is desirable. They also come with the caveat that they must be taken carefully. Since effects can take time to kick in, it’s very easy to consume too much, and then realize too late. This can lead to overconsumption of THC and a general feeling of being sick, which can last as long as the general effects. For this reason, users are instructed to go slow with edibles, giving them a couple hours before increasing doses. What foods can be used for edibles?For decades, the pot brownie was the prototypical way of doing cannabis edibles, though cookies and cakes were also popular. Since THC is fat soluble, and not water soluble, it was always important to use foods (like brownies) that involve a fat, as a way to leach out the THC into this fat substance. And so, until newer technology came out, the only real edibles game was to have them involved in something very fat-heavy. With the advent of nanotechnology, and emulsions, this is no longer the case. Emulsions involve the ability to force two different kinds of liquids together, namely water-based and oil-based. Think of what usually happens when you try to mix oil and water, they repel each other, forming their own independent droplets. With emulsions, a consistent new mixture can be formed with these forced together particles, and this can happen on a big scale, or a small scale. Emulsions done on bigger particles, are called macroemulsions or microemulsions. When they’re done on particles the size of 20-200 nm, they’re called nanoemulsion. Mico and macroemulsions are widely used in food products, and in the chemical industry for products like pesticides. Nanoemulsions are a newer invention, and can be seen more and more in pharmaceuticals, the cosmetics industry, and in biotech. When it comes to applications of nanotechnology for cannabis edibles, this is the technology that allows non-fat foods to be infused with fat-based cannabinoids like CBD and THC. Instead of relying on brownies and cakes, cannabis edibles can now be made with nearly any food. This includes things like sodas, potato chips, chewing gum, and the current favorite – gummies! So, what is CannaPowder, and how does it effect edibles?CannaPowder is a company based out of Los Angeles, California, which doesn’t make edibles, but which created a technology to make cannabis powders, which it uses to “produce nanometric cannabis powders to meet the specific requirements of individual producers”. While these cannabis powders are growing in popularity, CannaPowder is certainly at the forefront, with some interesting technology behind its operation. ![]() The company produces what it calls ‘nanometric powders’ using proprietary technology, which allows oil to be absorbed into these solid particles. According to the company, their formulation is comprised of: “a cannabinoid oil and other materials which are dispersed in water controlled by several repeatable parameters. The oil concentration can be increased or decreased in the process and can include permeation enhancers for increasing bioavailability. In addition, it can be formulated in various pharmaceutical delivery systems such as capsules, tablets, creams, and aqueous dispersions.” As you can see, CannaPowder isn’t just about edibles, it’s about helping improve all kinds of delivery systems, by making a better, more absorbable product. How exactly is this done? Well, super exact information is private to the company, but it does explain that: “CannaPowder utilizes an ultra-high pressure nano-emulsifier, a unique composition of emulsifying agents, and a proprietary evaporation technique. Once vaporized, stable spheres of nano-drop particles are formed and then the liquids are evaporated to form micronized powders with particles ranging in size from 100-150 nanometers.” The company stipulates that this “transformation is a physical and not a chemical process”, meaning, “the unique properties of the cannabis oil are preserved, while the bioavailability is enhanced.” The company claims that these powders provide more absorption, faster starting times, and longer effects, with less required to reach said effects. My experience with CannaPowder ediblesAs mentioned, CannaPowder doesn’t create edibles, but rather the powders used in them. However, CannaPowder did provide me with sample edibles to test the effects of this powder technology. I was given several one-serving packets containing crackers, cookies, a tea bag, and seasonings for food (one a chili pepper powder, one a garlic powder). So far I have tested the crackers and cookies. The first thing I’ll say is that the food tasted decent. Not amazing, but decent, and without an overly weedy flavor. It tasted like food meant to be in packaging for a long period, so the idea of freshness was never a part of it. However, unlike some edibles, there wasn’t a strong cannabis flavor. Both the cookies and crackers came in packets with five pieces, each piece containing two milligrams of THC for a total of 10mg per package. I admit I was not told anything further like the strains used, or if I should expect indica or sativa effects. I took this into account when trying the products. ![]() I started with just two crackers (as I did crackers the first day). I could actually feel the effects of the four milligrams pretty well, though obviously more intensely when I added in another cracker. It took me several hours by the time I got to all five, as I wanted to make sure I wasn’t consuming too much of something too strong. As it turned out, though I could feel effects at smaller amounts, I was still perfectly fine to take the full 10mg. 10mg is technically a standard dose. I had not eaten before taking the edibles in either case, so it’s not shocking that I felt effects in less than an hour, although I did get the feeling that they started in as little as a half hour, maybe a few minutes less. This could be the result of my empty stomach. In terms of intensity, I can’t say that I saw a real difference between these edibles, and standard dispensary edibles, although I can say I did feel something at a smaller dose. Even so, I didn’t get overly high taking the full serving. I also can’t say the high lasted longer than usual, but it certainly didn’t cut out early either, and very well might have gone on longer than a standard edible, but not by huge amounts. I’ll pay more attention in future testing. It is quite possible that the idea of smaller doses could be more relevant to other products like vape fluid, or capsules. Regardless, the edibles I did eat provided a nice high, without anxiety or couch locking, while keeping me relatively clear-headed. I expect this technology can go much further with medical applications, or simply as a way to streamline the edibles-making process, for producers who want a consistent product, and a quicker and easier way to do it. ConclusionCannabis powders are certainly growing in popularity, and CannaPowder and the edibles I sampled are a good indication that this technology can produce some pretty decent cannabis products. It will be interesting to see where this technology goes in the future, and all the cool stuff that comes out of it. Hello and welcome! Thanks for joining us at CBDtesters.co, your #1 web location for the most thought-provoking and relevant cannabis and psychedelics-related news in the world today. Stop by whenever possible to stay on-top of the quickly-expanding universe of legal drugs and industrial hemp, and sign up for The THC Weekly Newsletter, to ensure you never miss a single thing. Disclaimer: Hi, I’m a researcher and writer. I’m not a doctor, lawyer, or businessperson. All information in my articles is sourced and referenced, and all opinions stated are mine. I am not giving anyone advice, and though I am more than happy to discuss topics, should someone have a further question or concern, they should seek guidance from a relevant professional. The post CannaPowder and A New Way to Do Edibles – My Review appeared first on CBD Testers. Via https://cbdtesters.co/2022/01/31/cannapowder-and-a-new-way-to-do-edibles-my-review/ Unless you’re living under a rock, you should have heard the word that psychedelics are becoming the new medical darling, with the idea of a legalization on its way. What does this mean though? Will we all be tripping on acid, or going to ayahuasca ceremonies, or playing around with magic mushrooms? Well, its possible, but maybe not right away. There are some realities to a psychedelics legalization, and some things to understand. Is a psychedelics legalization on the way? Could be, but maybe not how you think. The US government is edging closer to the idea of allowing medical use, while different states are floating policies for recreational use. Stay tuned to life to find out what happens next! For more articles like this one, remember to subscribe to the Psychedelics Weekly Newsletter, your #1 source for everything related to this rapidly growing industry. Are psychedelics legal now?When it comes to many things in the US, there is a federal truth and a local truth. This goes for both cannabis and psychedelics as well. Cannabis has been federally illegal since the Marihuana Tax Act of 1937, with more stringent laws added to create a complete illegalization by 1970. However, if you’re really not living under that rock, you also know that there are huge legal cannabis markets in the US, but only in certain places, and each individual place with its own individual market. That’s because America has States rights, which are actually ‘personal rights’, or anything that isn’t established by the US constitution, and which therefore can be argued in the Supreme Court. These rights enable laws to be made that run counter to US federal law, and cannabis is a prime example. 18 states now have legal, regulated recreational industries, or are on their way to. The number should be 19, but South Dakota had its publicly voted on measure taken away by its government. Nearly 40 have comprehensive medical programs, while even many of the remaining states have at least a minimal allowance for something cannabis related. Psychedelics on the other hand were illegalized much more recently, though some of them only came about more recently. While entheogenic plants (which constitute natural psychedelics) have been used for millennia, synthetic psychedelics like LSD and ketamine were only invented within the last century. Psychedelics first became illegal in the US through the Staggers-Dodd Act of 1968 – though this only applied to mushrooms and LSD. ![]() In 1970 the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act was passed which put massive restrictions on pharmaceutical industries, which though not bad in terms of oversite, were the beginning of the current drug scheduling model which works to rule out many compounds, with much bias. The UN, for its part, put nearly all psychedelic compounds in Schedule I of the Convention On Psychotropic Substances in 1971, making them illegal worldwide. And to add onto all this, the US signed into legislation the Comprehensive Crime Control Act in 1984, which allowed the government to immediately ban any drug it pleased so long as it claimed the drug was dangerous first. The law was used to illegalize MDMA the following year. This, even despite a judge’s decision to put it in Schedule III instead and allow it for medical use. Having said all this, Oregon decided not to care about it in 2020, allowing residents to vote on the matter of legalizing psychedelic compounds for medical use (Measure 109), and decriminalizing the recreational use of the drugs (along with many other drug classes) with Measure 110. These went through making Oregon the first state to set such policies. But not the first to do something. Denver, Colorado was the first on this front, decriminalizing magic mushrooms in 2019. Since that time, it has been joined by Oakland, Santa Cruz, and Arcata, California; Ann Arbor, Washtenaw County, and Detroit, Michigan; Washington, DC; Somerville, Cambridge, Northampton, and Easthampton, Massachusetts; and Seattle, Washington. So, what does a psychedelics legalization mean?The main thing to expect in terms of a psychedelics legalization federally, is for a medical legalization of specific compounds. In fact, this can already be seen with the legalization of esketamine, though chances are this legalization was spurred on by the non-government-sanctioned, yet not-illegal ketamine clinic industry which has been growing rapidly in the last several years. Esketamine, a close relative of ketamine, was quietly legalized in 2019 as a way to attempt to divert from this existent ketamine industry. Ketamine is legal as an anesthetic, but can be prescribed for ‘off-label’ use legally, allowing it to be used for pain management and psychological issues at these clinics, but outside of specific regulation or taxation for the treatments. More well-known psychedelics MDMA and psilocybin (of magic mushrooms) are on the docket as well. How do we know this? Because the FDA was willing to grant breakthrough therapy designations to three different companies studying these drugs. Compass Pathways and Usona Institute both received this designation for their studies into psilocybin, while MAPS received it for its study into MDMA. Not only did MAPS win this designation, but it also planned Phase III of its trials in conjunction with the FDA to ensure that results meet regulation. Out of all of this, I’m not sure that another move more clearly signifies the intent to legalize, than for a federal body to actively promote a compound to the point of ensuring a study on it will be able to meet all regulation, even before seeing results. ![]() If you’re wondering what this designation of ‘breakthrough therapy’ actually means, according to the FDA, “A breakthrough therapy designation is for a drug that treats a serious or life-threatening condition and preliminary clinical evidence indicates that the drug may demonstrate substantial improvement on a clinically significant endpoint(s) over available therapies.” Will the US federal government go for a recreational psychedelics legalization? Though I would certainly never say never, I don’t see that happening any time soon, though its quite possible that the US government will find itself in the same place it is with cannabis, having state after state adopt policies that conflict directly with it. In the case of cannabis, its gotten to such a fever pitch, that the federal government looks weaker and weaker with every new legalization. So much so that the federal government is doing a complete turnaround, and even before getting to a medical legalization, its already floating two different legalization bills. One is called a decriminalization, but as it sets up tax measures, it sounds like more of a legalization in decriminalization clothing. Will psychedelics ever be legalized?Sure, as stated, the federal government might get there at some point if more and more states go against it. And its likely to happen faster than with cannabis, as cannabis set the stage so well. But even if the federal government drags its heels, it’s already being taken up by individual locations within states, as well as state governments introducing policies for the entire state. So far, these have been strictly decriminalization measures, with the exception of Oregon, which legalized medical use. However, two other states are looking to take it up a notch. Both California and Michigan introduced legislation for full-state legalization policies for psychedelics. In California, this is being done through the California Psilocybin Legalization Initiative, which may make it onto the ballot for 2022 as a referendum for public voting. The bill would specifically “legalize psilocybin, including psilocybin mushrooms, truffles, sclerotia, and mycelium, in California.” This would cover the “cultivation, manufacture, processing, distribution, transportation, possession, storage, consumption, and retail sale of psilocybin mushrooms.” Michigan, for its part, introduced Senate Bill 631 in September of last year, which would legalize plant-derived psychedelics for use (including communal), cultivation, possession, delivery, and production. This would not include sales, however, as this would remain illegal, with a caveat that a fee could be charged for “counseling, spiritual guidance, or a related service that is provided in conjunction with the use of an entheogenic plant or fungus under the guidance and supervision of an individual providing the service.” ![]() Psychedelics haven’t been fully legalized anywhere yet like cannabis has, but it looks to be in the works. When trends like these start, they don’t generally just stop. So even if these bills both get stifled, the next round will likely produce a winner. And that means that if this is indicative of a new trend, that we can expect to see state-wide legalizations for recreational use of psychedelics within the next couple years. Add onto this the FDA’s interest in psilocybin and MDMA, and the US government’s desire to tax anything it can, and it looks like a medical legalization can be expected on a federal level whenever those drugs are ready to be sold. ConclusionWhat will a psychedelics legalization look like? Probably a lot like with cannabis. Individual governments will set up policies, and eventually the federal government will cave and start to offer its own legislation. Much like with cannabis as well, the government will fight itself to legalize the compounds medically, knowing its smear campaigns can’t work forever, and that eventually it will have to take a 180º turn. In both cases – cannabis and psychedelics – these compounds do not go from fully illegal to fully legal with no parameters at all. The cannabis industries of today are highly overregulated, so even in a legal place, the guidelines for legality are extensive, with tons of pitfalls. Smokers in legal locations must beware of blood THC levels as a new DUI possibility, the inability to smoke in public places, and the appearance of alcohol in places that cannabis is still not allowed, among many other regulations. Hello readers, thanks for joining us! You’ve made it to CBDtesters.co, the internet’s one-stop-shop for the most relevant and important cannabis and psychedelics-related news going on world-wide. Drop by whenever possible to stay aware of the constantly-morphing landscape of cannabis and medical psychedelics, and check out the The Psychedelics Weekly Newsletter, so you’re always on top of everything going on. Disclaimer: Hi, I’m a researcher and writer. I’m not a doctor, lawyer, or businessperson. All information in my articles is sourced and referenced, and all opinions stated are mine. I am not giving anyone advice, and though I am more than happy to discuss topics, should someone have a further question or concern, they should seek guidance from a relevant professional. The post What Would a Psychedelics legalization Look Like? appeared first on CBD Testers. Via https://cbdtesters.co/2022/01/31/what-would-a-psychedelics-legalization-look-like/ “The construction of Europe is an art. It is the art of the possible” – Jacques ChiracThe European Union is looked at as a magical creation, highlighting the beauty of diplomacy. It’s a shared idea that the majority of European countries all unite behind. This unity can materialise in the form of laws, civil rights, taxations and job prospects. However, whilst the world is beginning to turn their attention to cannabis and see it in a different way, one would assume that the EU would be the first to take over this market. But, it hasn’t really happened. The USA and other nations or continents have proved to be far more progressive towards cannabis than Europe has. So why has this happened? What is truly wrong with the EU cannabis market? And is it all really so doom and gloom? Let’s take a look. The EU catches up slowly, just barely having increased the legal level of THC allowed in hemp. If you want leniency and products, you’ll have to look across the pond. Make sure to subscribe to The THC Weekly Newsletter for deals on legal cannabis products, as well as all the latest news and industry stories. Also save big on Delta 8, Delta 9 THC, Delta-10 THC, THCO, THCV, THCP & HHC products by checking out our “Best-of” lists! What is the European Union?In 1951, many major European countries came together to try and find a peaceful pact after two bloody wars, which had killed millions. What was then referred to as the Schuman Declaration, later became the European Economic Community in 1957 and then the European Union in 1992. Now, the EU contains 27 European countries – which the UK is now longer part of. However, for the basis of this article, we will include the UK because their exit is too recent to show any separation from the rest of Europe when it comes to the cannabis market. “Today, hundreds of millions dwell in freedom, from the Baltic to the Adriatic, from the Western Approaches to the Aegean. And while we must never take this for granted, the first purpose of the European Union – to secure peace – has been achieved and we should pay tribute to all those in the EU, alongside Nato, who made that happen.” – David Cameron, Former prime minister of the UK Not only was the European Union made to end any potential future world wars, but also to create a single market. The EU allows selling and buying between European countries to be easy, with few limitations and embargos. In addition, travelling and working in neighbouring nations is made easier – which promotes the idea of sharing workforces and expertise across borders. The ideas and concepts behind the EU are magical, but the way in which they’ve been handled in reality have left many smaller nations to feel hard done by. EU and Cannabis MarketThe EU cannabis market is a tricky one to analyse. You might be thinking: ‘why are we analysing it at all? Surely each country is different with its own laws on cannabis?’. Well, you’d be right in a sense. Each nation in Europe does have its own cannabis laws and regulations – some more progressive, some more strict. However, whenever a country shifts the window of expectation in Europe, the other neighbouring nations react. This is of course because no action goes unnoticed, especially with the many EU meetings and conversations that take place. The ideal is that the continent moves forward as one in almost all decisions. The pact of the EU lays deep, and therefore there are trends that begin to occur when it comes to legalization and policy. That means that if enough major European countries decided to legalize recreational cannabis, it would be likely that the rest would follow. However, the year is 2022, and that has not happened. Whilst the majority of countries in Europe may have legalized medical cannabis, recreational cannabis is majorly illegal throughout the continent. CBD products containing no more than 0.3% THC are legal, but any products with THC content above this is mostly illegal. The Netherlands, though it seems like a drug-utopia, has never officially legalized cannabis. It is simply decriminalised for personal use. Rather than the Netherlands becoming an example for the rest of Europe, it’s simply become a drug-related theme park where hungry Europeans can flood to smoke themselves to oblivion. Another minor cannabis highlight of Europe is Luxembourg, which in 2021 became the first European nation to legalize the cultivation of cannabis. However, again, the impact of this is still yet to be seen. In fact, the only nation in Europe that has officially legalized cannabis in Europe is Malta, which is the smallest nation in the EU. As you can imagine, the smaller nations have less impact and influence over the proceedings of the larger countries. These powerful nations are: Germany, France, Italy, Spain and – for the basis of this article – the UK. None of these 5 pivotal countries have fully legalized cannabis. ![]() The Pharma Letter states that: “Europe’s legal cannabis market is predicted to reach a high of 3.2 billion euros by 2025. The European cannabis market is forecast to grow with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 67.4% to reach 3.2 billion euros ($3.75 billion) by 2025, a new report has found” Whilst this seems like a growing market with huge signs of potential, it must be compared to other places. For example, the USA. Statista writes that: “In the United States, sales of legal recreational cannabis are expected to reach an estimated 25 billion U.S. dollars by 2025. Legal marijuana sales are forecast to increase steadily with each consecutive year.” As you can see, the difference in expectation is rather staggering. For reference, 3.2 billion euros is around 3.7 billion dollars. In addition, it’s worth mentioning that the population of Europe is 750 million, whereas the population in the USA is 330 million. Therefore, there’s far more customers in the EU market, yet they still fall short of America by quite an amount. To make matters worse, even Canada’s legal cannabis market is predicted to reach a superior worth of 8.2 billion dollars by 2026. So what’s wrong with the EU cannabis market? Well, to understand why the cannabis market in Europe has yet to reach its full potential, we must look at the major countries in the EU and how they’ve, together, stalled any real progress. Germany
Some would call Germany and Angela Merkel the real leaders of the EU. They are the most powerful economy, and do perhaps have the greatest influence. In fact, Germany constitutes over half of the EU cannabis market. Germany legalized medical cannabis in 2013. However, they recently decrimanlized ‘small quantities’ of cannabis for personal use in most places. It’s important to mention that decriminalisation is not the same as legalization. That might sound obvious, but the reason it’s important to state is that the act of cannabis legalization is a far more bold and wide-spreading message than the act of decrimanlization. When a big nation decides to legalize cannabis, the whole world turns to look. However, things may be starting to change in Germany. The New York Times wrote: “Germany’s new government announced that it would legalize recreational cannabis for adults in its coalition contract presented in October. Although no bill or official schedule for a law exists yet, experts believe one will be passed within the next two years.” When or if this does end up happening, it could be the major moment that changes the EU cannabis market forever. Let’s wait and see. Italy
Italy legalized medical cannabis in 2013. In 2019, Italy decriminalised the growing of a small amount of cannabis for personal use. Again, the act of decriminalising a small amount of cannabis use has yet to affect the cannabis market. This is because the act of decriminalization has not allowed for shops selling THC cannabis to exist. It’s these shops or coffee shops or dispensaries that will improve the EU cannabis market a great deal. France
France is known to have one of the least progressive cannabis situations in Europe. Whilst medical cannabis is legal, it’s hardly ever prescribed and incredibly hard to get ahold of. Medical cannabis is usually the first step on the cannabis legalization journey, and France is yet to even master that. The one minor silver lining came in 2018 when the government passed a law reducing the penalty and fine of possession to 200 euros. Still a bit steep though, isn’t it? Spain
In Spain, cannabis is decriminalised for cultivation and personal use at home, but not in public. This led to a major culture of cannabis clubs in Spain, which allowed people to become members and enjoy consuming cannabis inside the building. There are thought to be around 400 of these in Spain, but they are constantly under threat of closure. These cannabis clubs are really treading the line of legality. However, it’s this line that will need to be tested if any real change is going to happen in Europe. In addition, it’s definitely going to take a larger nation in the EU to cause this shift of opinion. UK
The UK legalized medical cannabis in 2018 but have yet to show signs of decriminalising THC cannabis. In addition, medical cannabis is still very hard to get a hold of in the UK. Wiley Clinical Health Care writes: “The number of patients who have received NHS prescriptions for licensed cannabis medicines is estimated to be in the low hundreds” The act of legalizing or decrimanlizing cannabis for personal use in the UK seems quite far away. Especially with the current Conservative government who would look weak to their supporters if they were to show signs of drug leniency. The issue with the UK, in particular, is that it’s very old fashioned in its ways and in its beliefs. It’s this conservatism and small-mindedness that ended up leading to the UK leaving the EU in 2019. ConclusionThe EU cannabis market is making slow progress, there’s no doubt about that. However, the real highlights are coming from smaller nations like the Netherlands, Malta and Luxembourg, rather than from the larger EU nations like Germany. The issue is that each country in the EU have their own history, their own laws and their own people to please. The EU cannabis market has the potential to reach the heights of the US and Canada and, perhaps, one day surpass them. But this won’t happen until the major EU nations decide to take the plunge of full-scale legalization. But when will this happen? Well, if Germany decides to take the leap of faith, then perhaps sooner than we think. Welcome! Thanks for joining us at CBDtesters.co, your one-stop-shop for the most important and thought-provoking cannabis and psychedelics-related news around the world. Check us out daily to stay aware of the ever-changing world of legal drugs and industrial hemp, and sign up for The THC Weekly Newsletter, to ensure you never miss a single story. Disclaimer: Hi, I’m a researcher and writer. I’m not a doctor, lawyer, or businessperson. All information in my articles is sourced and referenced, and all opinions stated are mine. I am not giving anyone advice, and though I am more than happy to discuss topics, should someone have a further question or concern, they should seek guidance from a relevant professional. The post What is Wrong with the EU Cannabis Market? appeared first on CBD Testers. Via https://cbdtesters.co/2022/01/30/what-is-wrong-with-the-eu-cannabis-market/ The world of cannabis is an ever changing one, especially now. More and more elements of the cannabis plant are being utilised and utilized as time goes on. This is not only due to the fact that this magical plant has so much to offer, but also because many nations are now beginning to open their arms to the benefits of this plant. Cannabis is finally beginning to be accepted by the world. Not all of it, but some of it. CBD and THC are becoming more wildly known cannabinoids within cannabis, however, what about these new ones everyone’s mentioning? Today, we’re going to be looking into CBDA. What is it? What does it do? What are its benefits? And how does it differ from CBD? Let’s find out. When it comes toto medicinal cannabis, alternative cannabinoids are the way of the future. Check out our newsletter, The THC Weekly Newsletter, to learn more about these incredible compounds as well as gain access to exclusive deals on flowers, vapes, edibles, and other products. Also save big on Delta 8, Delta 9 THC, Delta-10 THC, THCO, THCV, THCP & HHC products by checking out our “Best-of” lists! Why Does It Matter?There are many cannabinoids within the cannabis plant – around 100 in fact. Don’t worry, we’ll get into the science later. Whenever a new one is revealed or discussed, many people wonder the same thing: why does it matter? CBD and THC have been well-known for a long time and everyone understands the difference between them. They’ve stood the test of time. But when people start speaking about THCA, THCV, CBN, CBT, and now, CBDA, it often creates a lot of confusion. Do these cannabinoids actually differ from the more well-known ones? Is CBDA worth knowing about? Well, since the turn of the century, more nations around the world have begun to legalize cannabis medically or sometimes even recreationally. As it stands, 18 states in the US have legalized recreational cannabis and 36 of them have legalized medical cannabis. In Europe, the majroity of countries have legalized medical cannabis and some are beginning to become even more progressive. Malta has totally legalized recreational cannabis, Luxembourg has legalized the cultivation of cannabis for personal use and Germany seem to be two years away from the same. In addition, many other countries around the world have legalized cannabis too. Esentially, what once was a century of strict laws on cannabis, has now shifted. The 2000s are the years for cannabis acceptance. What has followed, is a genuine interest in the cannabis plant, how it works, and how it can benefit people. CBD was the first, as it’s assistance with chronic pain, lowering blood pressure and treating anxiety became more evident. This was only the start. The NCBI writes: “The renewed interest in the therapeutic effects of cannabis emanates from the movement that began 20 years ago to make cannabis available as a medicine to patients with a variety of conditions…the most common conditions for which medical cannabis is used… are pain, spasticity associated with multiple sclerosis, nausea, posttraumatic stress disorder, cancer, epilepsy, cachexia, glaucoma, HIV/AIDS, and degenerative neurological conditions” The research into cannabis and its medical benefits, as well as it’s recreational purposes, has developed a lot over the last few years. These developments matter because some have found cannabis to be a genuine life saver. Some people struggling with Tourettes have found cannabis to be the only substance to alleviate their tics, some people struggling with muscle pain have found cannais to sooth them, and some people struggling with anxiety have found cannabis to be the only substance that quietens their negative thought patterns. Cannabis, whether you’re a supporter or not, has powers that affect our body through the endocannabinoid system. So, what about CBDA? The Science of CannabisCannabis derives from the natural-growing sativa plant. Whilst people use many words to describe it – like marijuana, weed and Mary Jane – the word ‘cannabis’ seems to me the most poigniant. There are around 400 compounds in the plant, about 100 of these are cannabinoids, and about 100 of these are terpenes. The exact number of each are constantly disputed. TerpenesTerpenes are what give cannabis it’s flavour and aromas. Remember, cannabis is a herb, and like many other herb, it has an extremely potent smell. Myrcene usually has earthy and clove-like tones, linalool has floral notes and pinene has a refreshing pine-forest smell. These are the natural terpenes that are common within canabis. However, many batches of bud are of course synthesised to taste even more extreme. CannabinoidsCannabinoids are what gives cannabis its effects. THC is known for its psychoactive effects (high), as it alters the state of the mind. However, CBD also affects the body but does not count as a pysocactive substance. Nonetheless, all cannabinoids react with the endocannabinoid system within the body. This system has two main receptors: the CB1 and the CB2. The CB1’s are found mainly in the central nervous system, and the CBD’s are found mainly in your peripheral nervous system and immunity cells. Ultimately, the ECS has been found to help in the function of sleep, mood, memory, reproduction, fertility and appetite. When cannabinoids attach themselves to these receptors, they are able to alter these functions. This is where the magic of cannabis can happen. ![]() What is CBDA?CBDA is much the same as THCA in theory. Before THC or CBD are heated or lit, they are THCA and CBDA. This process of heating is known as decarboxylation and this is what unlocks the known effects of both THC and CBD. But before even this, as Mont Kush writes: “All cannabinoids in cannabis and hemp come from cannabigerolic acid (CBGa), the mother of all cannabinoids. Plant enzymes then convert the CBGa into a combination of the three major cannabinoid precursor compounds: tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA), cannabichromenic acid (CBCA), and cannabidiolic acid (CBDA). The combination will depend on the unique cannabis strain they are derived from.” Many unknowing youths might try and eat loads of dry cannabis buds and wonder why they aren’t getting high. Well, that’s because you’ve just eaten THCA, which is not psychoactive. It only becomes psychoactive when it is transformed into THC by heating through a vape, cooked in edibles or smoked in a joint. So, if CBDA is just CBD before its been decarbed, then what’s the point of it? Well, whilst CBDA is technically a pre-cursor to CBD, it does actually have its own individual properties and benefits. Non-psychoactiveCBDA, like CBD, is a non psychoactive cannabinoid. So it does not have wild effects on the mind like THC does. It will not get you high. But it does activate our 5-HT1A serotonin receptors, which is responsible for mood, sleep, anxiety and nausea. CBDA can have a positive impact on all of these processes. Whilst the research into CBDA is in its early stages, many people will consume it either through raw-juicing, tinctures or topical creams. Raw-juicing is a specifically trendy activity, which involves blending lots of healthy raw substances and creating a juice. Kama Hemp writes: “CBDa is Superior to CBD because of its Bioavailability. CBDa is only found on raw hemp/cannabis flowers and leaves, CBDa is often ingested through juicing or taking freeze-dried juice powders. Juicing raw hemp is the most popular method of consuming CBDa.” For your information, when a substance is ‘bio-available’, it means that more of the substance enters the circulation when introduced to the body. The belief currently is that CBDA has more bioavailability than CBD. Positive SignsCBDA is hardly really spoken about, but the early research signs are positive. A study recently found that CBDA has anti-depressant effects on rats – even with doses 10 to 100 times lower than a CBD dose. Plus, it’s been discovered to have more antiflafamority abilities than CBD. In addition, CBDA is also being found to be more effective at alleviating nausea than CBD is. Mont Kush writes: “CBDA is actually more effective. It’s more than a thousand times more effective than CBD in activating a serotonin receptor that reduces nausea and anxiety. This effect is even more pronounced in chemotherapy patients using ondansetron (OND) to treat nausea.” Very recent findings have even gone as far to say that CBDA can benefit those suffering from the Corona Virus. According to some reports, CBDA can bind to the proteins with covid and prevent the virus from entering more cells and causing more infection. ConclusionThe research going into newly discovered cannabinoids like CBDA is extremely important. We’ve been blown away by the power of cannabinoids before, and we may be yet again. Cannabis research was stunted and not given the time it deserved for generations due to stagnant governments. Now is the time of cannabis research. CBDA has shown early signs of being an extremely effective cannabinoid in the medicinal cannabis realm. If these signs show to be correct, then CBDA could lift off globally just as CBD did a very years ago. I wouldn’t be surprised if CBDA is sold in local health shops in the next few years and used more in medical treatment. Hello and welcome! You made it to CBDtesters.co, the #1 internet spot for all the most thought-provoking and important cannabis and psychedelics-related news going on today. Join us whenever you can to stay aware of the quickly-expanding world of legal drugs and industrial hemp, and check out the The THC Weekly Newsletter, so you’re always first to know what’s going on. Disclaimer: Hi, I’m a researcher and writer. I’m not a doctor, lawyer, or businessperson. All information in my articles is sourced and referenced, and all opinions stated are mine. I am not giving anyone advice, and though I am more than happy to discuss topics, should someone have a further question or concern, they should seek guidance from a relevant professional. The post What is Cannabidiolic Acid (CBDA)? appeared first on CBD Testers. Via https://cbdtesters.co/2022/01/30/what-is-cbda/ GCSE’s are a set of exams that occur at the end of secondary school in the UK. We usually sit them at the age of 16 and to many, they are the most important exams they’ll ever sit, contributing towards employment opportunities in the future and even to university applications. To make matters worse, they are the broadest exams UK students will sit often covering around 8 subjects, meaning that in one day you might have to sit both a Biology paper and a Drama one too, or sit for 3 hours working on an Art exam, to jump into solving mechanical equations in Physics. GCSE’s are the kind of exams you wake up thirty years later, in a fever dream, sweating thinking you have your Chemistry test that day and you’re in your pants.In fact, 1 in 10 young adults will suffer from post exam stress disorder after their GCSEs. So are there any better ways to revise for these hellish exams? Is there a modern method, perhaps using cannabinoids, that may have been experimented with in the process of exam revision and preparation. We have written a lot about the benefits of microdosing psychoactive drugs and today we are going to look at an experience of microdosing THC to help in the approach and execution of GCSE exams. I use my friend Josh, who I promise isn’t a thinly veiled nom de plume for myself… genuinely, as an example of someone who used THC’s multiple benefits to help him succeed in his GCSEs. We know that THC has many uses, from recreational to medicinal, and even to help you do better on exams. What an absolutely amazing compound. To learn more, and for exclusive deals on flowers, vapes, edibles, and other products, remember to subscribe to The THC Weekly Newsletter for exclusive deals on flowers, vapes, edibles, and more! Also save big on HHC-O, Delta 8, Delta 9 THC, Delta-10 THC, THCO, THCV, THCP & HHC products by checking out our “Best-of” lists! Microdosing: What is it and how can you do it?Microdosing is the act of taking a small amount of a drug, small so as not to feel the full psychoactive effects, but enough of the drug to gain some of the benefits it has to offer. Microdosing isn’t anything new and has been around for quite some time, however it has often been associated with psychedelics. Microdosing perhaps gained notoriety thanks to the many silicon valley tech workers, who have openly admitted to microdosing shrooms and LSD in aid of their creativity and productivity. Though microdosing hasn’t been studied extensively due to its only recent popularity surge, there are still some encouraging papers that show microdosing is linked to perceived reductions in anxiety as well as an increase in popularity. Microdosing isn’t only limited to psychedelics though, and a growing number of drug users are turning to cannabis and its associated compounds to see if similar gains can be found. Both THC and CBD can be purchased as oils, which make it exceptionally easy to microdose and mix with any of your favorite foods and beverages. To microdose THC, it’s advised to purchase concentrated THC oils, which you can buy from CBD testers. Take about 1-2.5 milligrams of THC to start with, you can add this to your morning drink, or just drop it straight onto your tongue. If you feel zero effects or benefits, you can gently increase the dose, but remember the aim isn’t to get high, only to notice the slight changes in your productivity, concentration and energy levels. What is THC?To understand the benefits of microdosing THC, we must first understand exactly what THC is. Cannabis is a rather broad name that is often used to describe multiple aspects of the cannabis experience. Cannabis is the name of the plant, but cannabis itself contains a number of component chemicals that have differing effects on the mind and body. These chemicals are called cannabinoids. The most famous and well known cannabinoids are of course phytocannabinoid tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and Cannabidoil (CBD). THC and CBD both have different interactions with the Endocannabinoid system (ECS) , the network of receptors in the body that react to cannabinoids. The ECS is a rather incredible network that seems to have links to a wide range of cognitive functions, hence the benefits of cannabinoids which interact and stimulate the ECS. It seems that THC binds to CB1 receptors in the ECS strongly and is associated with the euphoric high that cannabis produces. CBD bins with these receptors less so and is linked more to reductions in anxiety and has a calming effect on the body. Both have their benefits and are just two of the myriad of beneficial compounds found within cannabis. Benefits of Microdosing CannabinoidsThere have recently been many studies on the benefits of both CBD and THC when taken as small doses. A huge review (that is very much worth examining) by a specific board dedicated to the benefits of cannabis from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; Health and Medicine Division looked at all of the reported benefits of low doses of cannabis and showed how there were moderate effects on pain relief from specific disorders as well as a reduction in nausea in chemotherapy patients. Another study showed that the microinjection of cannabinoids even had an antidepressant on participants, increasing serotonin levels. When it comes to ultra-low doses of THC too, there seems to be research promoting the benefits. Ultra low doses of THC given to mice was shown to speed up the recovery of some brains from minor damage, as well as delaying the onset of cognitive decline. Of course, we have to be wary when generalizing animal studies to human cases, but still encouraging nonetheless. ![]() One of the most interesting studies to show how low doses of THC may be preferable in the preparation before exams comes from Kowal et al. They showed that some aspects of creativity were actually reduced in a very high dose of THC, but not from a low dose. Of course, this doesn;t mean that a high dose of THC is a bad thing, it just may mean that if you are looking to improve your creativity before an exam, microdosing may be the preferred method over macrodosing. An issue with this study though is that it was a between-subjects design, which means that different participants were used in the different conditions, so it is hard to dissociate between the individual differences between the participants and the dose of cannabis. Using THC Microdosing for GCSEsThe benefits of microdosing THC are clear, but let’s take an in depth look at how microdosing THC could be beneficial for exam preparation, revision and the exam itself. For this, I will have to use the example of my good friend Josh. Josh was a few years below me at school, but we were close family friends. Josh had always been a keen proponent of the benefits of microdosing Cannabinoids since we were 15 and he’d promised me that the benefits of them were multiple, particularly for coping with exam stress. He told me that he had been microdosing THC capsules throughout the entire revision process as well as through the exam season in his final year at secondary school. Initially skeptical, I was shocked when his grades were actually pretty solid. Josh had suffered from quite severe exam stress and was always looking for ways to calm himself, focus and think creatively in exams. Knowing I was writing this article, I asked him a few questions about his experiences from microdosing THC and how he felt that THC saved his GCSEs. He mentioned how he started with a very low dose, only one drop of THC oil in milk in the mornings, but increased to three drops as he felt the exam stress increasing. Josh reported that the THC not only left him feeling calmer in the face of the exams, but also increased his productivity and creativity when revising for the tests. He said, what usually would have taken days to produce (revision wise) due to being easily distracted, or focussing on the anxiety of the exams, he would be able to whip through in a day. When it came to the exams themselves, Josh found he had a new confidence when entering the exam hall, he felt he was ready, that he had the knowledge he needed to smash the exam. The fear that he usually had before the tests was gone. He ended up getting some of the best results he’s ever had and he puts that success down to his careful microdosing of cannabinoids and THC. ConclusionIt’s clear to see that microdosing THC can have largely beneficial effects on a wide range of skills needed to smash those GCSEs, with concentration, creativity and productivity reportedly improved. Josh’s example too, proves to me that if microdosed correctly THC can be a great study aid. Of course a caveat must be that if you choose to microdose, do just make sure it is a microdose. Too much THC will lead to an exceptionally great evening, but perhaps will distract from the task at hand. So please, be responsible and careful with your microdosing and if you are, it seems that you will reap the benefits of these truly remarkable chemicals. Remember that you can purchase both THC and CBD from the CBD testers shops. Hello and welcome! You made it to CBDtesters.co, the #1 internet spot for all the most thought-provoking and important cannabis and psychedelics-related news going on today. Join us whenever you can to stay aware of the quickly-expanding world of legal drugs and industrial hemp, and check out the The THC Weekly Newsletter, so you’re always first to know what’s going on. Disclaimer: Hi, I’m a researcher and writer. I’m not a doctor, lawyer, or businessperson. All information in my articles is sourced and referenced, and all opinions stated are mine. I am not giving anyone advice, and though I am more than happy to discuss topics, should someone have a further question or concern, they should seek guidance from a relevant professional. The post How I Passed my GCSEs Microdosing THC appeared first on CBD Testers. Via https://cbdtesters.co/2022/01/29/how-i-passed-my-gcses-microsing-thc/ Hemp has a million uses (including alternatives for building materials, plastics, paint, leathers, and more) many of which were important in history, and have been slowly coming back into use with the end of prohibition for hemp products. What is one of the newer hemp uses to start making it back to the public? ‘Hempanol’, or hemp fuel, which could serve as an alternative to big oil, and the horrible environmental problems this industry has caused. But can it really break Big Oil’s hold, and become the next big thing in the automotive world? Hemp fuel could change the landscape of the automotive industry, but it might take a bit longer to cut into Big Oil’s reign. Make sure to subscribe to The THC Weekly Newsletter for all the latest news and important industry stories, as well as access to deals on flowers, vapes, edibles, and many other products. We’ve got great savings for Delta 8, Delta 9 THC, Delta-10 THC, THCO, THCV, THCP & HHC products. Find them in our “Best-of” lists, and enjoy everything the cannabinoids market has to offer! What is gasoline?Gasoline, also called ‘petrol’, is a liquid derived from petroleum, also known as crude oil. It’s made of a mixture of organic compounds from fractional distillation of petroleum, with other things, like ethanol, mixed in. While this can vary, about 90% of gasoline composition comes from crude oil, with most gas in America containing about 10% ethanol. Ethanol is an organic compound known as a simple alcohol. It’s also known as ethyl alcohol, and grain alcohol, and is the same kind of alcohol we ingest with alcoholic drinks. Ethanol is made by the fermentation of sugars with yeasts or with petrochemical processes like ethylene hydration. It is a component of most gasoline sold in the US. Gasoline fits into two categories: regular gasoline, and diesel. Diesel (a less refined version of crude oil) is another way to power motor vehicles, with ethanol being more standard for regular cars, and diesel being more common for use with larger motor vehicles like trucks, buses, and ships. The most common kind of diesel is made by a particular fractional distillate of petroleum fuel oil. Diesel can also be made synthetically from carbon materials, or as biodiesel using vegetable oils and animals fats. In the US, in the year 2020, gasoline made up 44% of petroleum consumption. This, according to the US Energy Information Administration, accounts for approximately 338 million gallons of gasoline used per day, which equals 8.05 million barrels per day, and 123.73 billion gallons that year. This is equivalent to 2.95 billion barrels. This was lower than other recent years, likely because of corona, with 2018 holding the record with 392 million gallons per day consumed that year. ![]() What is ‘hempanol’, or hemp fuel?If you noticed, the word ‘hempanol’ sounds like a conglomeration of two words: hemp and ethanol. Hempanol, also known as hemp fuel, can be broken down into two categories: hemp biodiesel, and hemp ethanol, just like with standard gasoline. Both of these can be used to replace standard gasoline, or combined with it to make a less detrimental gasoline. So what are these substances? ‘Biodiesel’ is an alternative fuel that’s made of a mixture of regular diesel and vegetable oils, or used on its own. It serves as both a renewable and biodegradable gasoline option. Vegetable oils generally used to make it, are soybean oil (the general choice), or animals fats, cooking oil, algae, and hemp. Hemp biodiesel is created by extracting the oil from hemp seeds via pressing them, and then mixing this with standard diesel oil, or simply using it alone. Hemp biofuel is usable for any engine that takes diesel oil. When vehicles runs on hemp biodiesel, they no longer give off heavy smells of soot, but instead give off the smell of hemp. Can you imagine hemp fumes coming out of all the cars on the road? I’d take that over the mouthful of smoke I get from big trucks on highways. Hemp ethanol is an alternative ethanol product. Regular ethanol can be made from the fermentation of grains, sugars, starches, corn, sorghum, barley, sugar cane, or sugar beets. What else can be used to make this ethanol? Yup, hemp. To do this, hemp stalks are shredded and then heated chemically to get the cellulose out of the plant. This cellulose is in turn converted to sugar with enzymes, which is then fermented to ethanol, which is then distilled and purified to become a biofuel usable in automobiles. While cars aren’t designed right now to run on pure ethanol (as that would disrupt the Big Oil industry), they can be made to, which would invalidate the need for crude oil. Why does this matter?What we use for fuel matters because it effects our environment and our own health. Efficiency is an issue as well, of course, but when looking at the real and most useful benefits of using biofuels like hemp fuel, the biggest positive lies in what it can do to minimize environmental harm. So what kind of harm are we talking about? Here are some basic stats on oil production, and oil consumption as they relate to the environment. Gasoline is both a highly toxic and flammable liquid. It produces many byproducts from vapors or when burned which contribute to the pollution in the air. These include: carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, unburned hydrocarbons, as well as the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide. According to the US Energy Information Administration again, one gallon of burned gasoline (which does not contain ethanol) produces approximately 19 pounds of CO2 emissions. Total US CO2 emissions for 2020 in relation to the use of fuel for automobile and aviation, was approximately 979 million metric tons, which amounts to 21% of CO2 emissions in the country that year. ![]() In America alone, about 12.6 million people are unwittingly exposed to toxic pollutants in the air from oil wells, oil transportation, and from processing and waste. These include chemicals like benzene which has been linked to childhood leukemia and blood disorders, as well as formaldehyde which causes cancer. Those are emissions, but what about extraction?Before crude oil becomes gasoline, or plastic, or any other product, it must be extracted from the ground. Crude oil is known as a fossil fuel since its made from the fossil remains of plants and animals from millions of years ago. This gives these fuels a high carbon content, mainly in the form of hydrocarbons. Crude oil is obtained by drilling into the earth whether on land or at sea, and then transporting said oil to refineries in supertankers, trains, trucks, and pipelines, all of which are capable of causing spills. This unearthing process hurts landscapes and ecosystems, with fossil fuel producers often leasing large amounts of land for processing, waste storage, and waste disposal. That last one is important because it means hazardous byproducts are often dumped on land or in waterways. Oil spills and leaks are not in the least uncommon, and have caused grave damage to waterways, polluted drinking water, killed entire ecosystems, and endangered tons of human and animal habitats. The process of fracking has been especially detrimental. Fracking means “drilling down into the earth before a high-pressure water mixture is directed at the rock to release the gas inside… Water, sand and chemicals are injected into the rock at high pressure which allows the gas to flow out to the head of the well.” Besides using huge amounts of groundwater, fracking produces carcinogenic chemicals that escape during drilling and contaminate groundwater in the area, something the US government was very slow to officially recognize, even denying damage until recent years, likely at the behest of Big Oil. All the processes for extraction and production create huge amounts of wastewater laden with tons of pollutants including heavy metals and radioactive materials, which often get stored in open-air pits, and underground where it often leaks out of its containments into waterways and ground soil. Such contaminants have been linked to tons of health issues including birth defects, different kinds of cancer, neurological issues, and so on. Benefits of hemp fuelFirst and foremost, hemp biofuel is carbon neutral – as in, it emits the same amount as it absorbs therefore not adding to the problem of promoting green house gases. Rather than emitting carbon dioxide, hemp plants absorbs it, at an even higher rate than trees. Not only that, the CO2 which is emitted from burning hemp biofuel, is reabsorbed through photosynthesis by the plants. Growing it also enables crop rotation, as the growing cycle is rather short, and hemp plants can both absorb toxins in the soil, as well as add nutrients to it. This is all in contrast to palm oil, which is another commonly used biofuel which produces nearly 150% the output of hemp crops for this purpose (500 gallons per hectare). But which also emits huge amounts of carbon dioxide, as well as being a big reason for the destruction of rainforests. While most currently made biofuel use soybeans, hemp is much more practical, producing 207 gallons per hectare which is almost four times higher than soybeans. A 2011 study found that hemp biomass energy yield was more than double of that produced by wheat straw in terms of solid fuel. On top of all this, literally every detrimental chemical from oil extraction and processing, is not relevant to hemp fuel, making it a safer, cleaner option for our environment and our lungs. ![]() It is often said that Henry Ford created his automobiles with the intention of running them on hemp fuel (because its been known for that long that hemp can be used in this way). This was followed by Ford’s 1941 invention of a car made almost entirely of hemp. Apparently the car was made “70 percent of cellulose fibers from wheat straw, hemp and sisal plus 30 percent resin binder. The only steel in the car [was] its tubular welded frame.” Even the guy who invented diesel engines – Rudolf Diesel, had intended for them to run on vegetable and seed oils. At the 1900 World Fair, he ran an engine using peanut oil. When Henry Ford designed his Model T in 1908, he engineered it to run on ethanol made from biological materials. However, when the production and use of crude oil, a cheap alternative, started to grow in the early 1900’s, biofuels were generally ruled out in favor of Big Oil. Add onto that the Marihuana tax act which illegalized the general use of cannabis, and hemp was all but taken out of the equation. ConclusionWhile it’s often written about hemp being the target of chemical companies, paper companies, and pharmaceutical companies in the early 1900’s, and how the government intervened with legal moves to illegalize the plant and stop competitive uses, hemp was also a major adversary of big oil, with the inclusion of hemp gasoline options likely being a major reason for illegalization. And just like these other industries, hemp fuel offers a much safer environmental impact. Imagine what the world would be like today if hemp had never been outlawed? Welcome readers! Thanks for dropping by CBDtesters.co, the #1 internet source for the most important and thought-provoking cannabis and psychedelics-related news pertinent today. Stop by daily to stay informed on the quickly-expanding universe of legal drugs and industrial hemp, and check out The THC Weekly Newsletter, so you always know what’s going on. Disclaimer: Hi, I’m a researcher and writer. I’m not a doctor, lawyer, or businessperson. All information in my articles is sourced and referenced, and all opinions stated are mine. I am not giving anyone advise, and though I am more than happy to discuss topics, should someone have a further question or concern, they should seek guidance from a relevant professional. The post Hemp Fuel as An Alternative to Big Oil: How Is It Better? appeared first on CBD Testers. Via https://cbdtesters.co/2022/01/29/hemp-fuel-as-an-alternative-to-big-oil-how-is-it-better/ You’ve seen the headlines at this point, everyone has. It’s the new rage in covid-related discussions, and the talk at every party. That’s right, it finally broke that cannabis might be able to be used against covid-19, the pandemic that’s got everyone riled up. But shouldn’t we already know this? Why is this even news? And how far have we gotten from out nature roots that these headlines draw such awe and confusion? When it comes to cannabis and covid, it’s a great time to remember that plants are extremely important, and Eastern medicine traditions that use them, should never be ignored. Who’d have thought cannabis could be useful for covid? Well, honestly, anyone paying attention. But we’re not a world that does, and so though cannabis (and other plants) that might be/are useful against covid and other coronaviruses, big pharma will push pharmaceuticals instead. Luckily, you can access cannabis on your own to get those antimicrobial benefits, and we’ve got tons of products to get you on your way. Check out the THC Weekly Newsletter for all the most relevant news and industry stories, as well as some pretty sweet deals on flowers, vapes, edibles, and other products. We can offer huge savings on Delta 8, Delta 9 THC, Delta-10 THC, THCO, THCV, THCP & HHC products. Check out our deals in our “Best-of” lists! What is covid-19Technically, we should all have a working definition of what this is, but I want to go over some basic information on it anyway. To start with, Covid-19, also known as ‘severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2’ or SARS-CoV-2, is a virus of the Coronaviridae family, under the sub-heading of Orthocoronavirinae. While it’s often called ‘novel’, this is strange terminology, as many of the dozens* (yes, dozens) of yearly viruses that come through each year, are new. Yet we don’t talk about the ‘novel flu virus’ every year. Beyond that, coronaviruses are not novel in the least. For example, we’re all familiar with the much more deadly SARS of a few years ago, which though being way more dangerous, didn’t seem to require the world to stand still. And beyond that, coronaviruses have been known about for decades, with the terminology first used in 1968 by June Almeida and David Tyrrell who were two of the first to study coronaviruses in humans. In fact, the name ‘coronavirus’ was officially instituted in 1971 by the then-named International Committee for the Nomenclature of Viruses, now called the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses. Though this is where terminology came from, noted cases go back as far as the 1920’s. While the covid-19 strain might be new, coronaviruses are not, and the term ‘novel’ seems way more about building hype, than promoting accuracy. ![]() Is this really a massive issue, or hype?How common are they? As of 2020, there were 45 different species within this category. In fact, the first ones to be studied, were common cold viruses. Coronaviruses make up approximately 15% of common colds. Obviously, the viruses therefore have a range in their destructiveness, as we already stated that SARS is a coronavirus. SARS has been noted to have up to an 11% fatality rate. Weirdly – or for marketing purposes, agencies like WHO have decreased that percentage to 3%, though this contradicts the papers written at the time, the known understanding at the time, and seems to be a way to promote the reaction to a less serious virus, being this extreme. We could debate forever about how deadly covid-19 actually is. We never got to the point of seeing bodies in the street, or watching people fall down dead, and this should be remembered. Nor is there a hole in society from all the deaths. Large death tolls are always noticeable. There might have been complaints about shortages of beds, but that’s a yearly occurrence more based on the occupancy required to run a hospital being high (80% minimum in the US), which doesn’t leave much room for any wintertime illness issues. And maybe best to keep in mind we’re warned about overfilled hospitals pretty much every year! Seriously, here are comparable complaints from 2019, 2018, and 2017. When looking at global death rates, 2020 does not stand out as a ‘problem’ and goes in line with a general yearly increase, likely due to population increases. These increases can be seen in about the same general ratio every year for decades. Weirdly enough, though I used to be able to find statistics specifically for yearly wintertime illness deaths, those same sources seem to have been deleted from the internet. Cannabis antimicrobial propertiesWhat does ‘antimicrobial’ mean? It means the ability to fight ‘bad microbes’ or microorganisms, which are comprised of viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites. Let’s remember that cannabis is already studied heavily for its antimicrobial properties, and that automatically makes it a possible candidate to work against covid. Cannabis can fight bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites. So, what does antimicrobial resistance mean (the most common form spoken about is antibiotic-resistance)? It means when a standard medicine can no longer treat the bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites. Why does this happen? These microbes have the ability to mutate over time, and this allows them to change themselves to not be affected by medications like antibiotics, antivirals, antifungals, and anti-parasitics. In terms of viruses, cannabis has already been studied quite a bit for antiviral properties, with tons of research pointing to its effectiveness for treating viruses, possibly even covid. Like this 2017 study called Potential of Cannabidiol for the Treatment of Viral Hepatitis where CBD was shown to inhibit hepatitis C replication by 86.4%. Or this study from 2020, An investigation on antiviral activity of extracts against in ovo Cannabis sativa Newcastle Disease Virus (NDV), which states: “There is significant antiviral activity of Cannabis sativa plant extracts against Newcastle virus (<0.05)”. ![]() Or this one from 2004: Delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) inhibits lytic replication of gamma oncogenic herpesviruses in vitro, where it was found that “Micromolar concentrations of THC inhibit KSHV (Kaposi’s Sarcoma Associated Herpesvirus) and EBV (Epstein-Barr virus) reactivation in virus infected/immortalized B cells. THC also strongly inhibits lytic replication of MHV 68 (murine gamma herpesvirus 68) and HVS (herpes simplex type 1) in vitro.” Why Eastern medicine should never be ignoredEastern medicine traditions are natural medicine traditions. These encompass everything outside of the new-age Western pharmaceuticals market. And as different cultures throughout history have nearly always had some form of medical treatments, these traditions can be seen throughout millennia of time, and across the world. Obviously, these traditions vary between cultures, as there would have been absolutely no communication between time periods and places, most of the time. What this means is when something repeatedly comes up as being effective across time periods and cultures (or ineffective, or dangerous, or particularly awesome), it should be paid attention to. That is the exact opposite of what goes on today. Two of the more famous traditions are Ayurvedic medicine out of India, and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) out of China. Cannabis has been a part of Ayurvedic medicine since 1,000 BC, used as an antibiotic, specifically for skin infections and afflictions like tuberculosis. So to make this clear, it was understood1,000 years before the time of Jesus Christ, that cannabis could be used to kill bacterial infections. And yet here we are treating it like this is a new invention. What about TCM? While much in the world of TCM has not been published, this isn’t because the texts don’t exist, as these natural medicine traditions were excellent at documenting literally everything – good and bad. Many sites actually cite the lack of translations to languages like English as the reason, but I’m personally skeptical of this explanation as there are more than enough people in this big wide world interested in these traditions, and no shortage of ability for translation. I expect the lack of public appearance has more to do with a specific interest in keeping it away from consumers. And lets be honest, if we’re having a conversation about new headlines screaming the ability of cannabis to help with covid, it means this information has been woefully misunderstood – or lost – by the masses, who are happy buying big pharma medicine, instead of using a plant, regardless of how little pharmaceuticals often work, and how dangerous they can be. Cannabis has been a part of TCM for at least 1,800 years, with some saying it likely goes back as far as 4,000, when all that info is actually looked at. I don’t know whether to call it ‘funny’ or ‘sad’ that this information has been known for literally thousands of years, and the general public is currently unaware of these uses. Instead of paying attention to history, doctors of today have been taught to uniformly reject Eastern medicine in favor of big pharma and feeding people synthetic chemicals. And while Western medicine continuously tries to rewrite the narrative, people aren’t getting the treatments that could actually help them. ![]() A little on plant medicineWhy are plant compounds so good at fighting nearly any kind of infection? Because these compounds are the plant’s own defenses against the very same things. Plants can get bacterial infections, viral infections, fungal infections, and be attacked by parasites. These compounds – varying as they are between plants, are there to fight these microbes, and they do the same in people. And this isn’t unknown, not in the least. In fact, it’s so widely known, that pharmaceutical companies base their medications off the structures of these compounds. Why do they do this instead of just selling the plant compounds? Because they legally can’t. A plant compound can’t be patented if found in nature, only if its created, or cultivated specifically. So while pharma companies base many of their medicines on existing compounds that they cannot directly patent, they leave out that the plant itself is medicine. I am, of course, talking about ‘plants’, not specifically ‘cannabis’ as cannabis is just a representative of the plant world. Tons of other plants have just-as-strong, or stronger compounds when it comes to fighting infection. Take for example this 2012 study which tested several essential oils on one of the hardest to kill bacterial infections, Staphylococcus aureus. Cassia, red thyme and Peru balsam showed to be most powerful in this study. The study authors also pointed out how tea tree, thyme, and peppermint had been shown useful at cutting through MRSA biofilms, another major issue in antibiotic resistance. Now consider that back in 2005, during a separate outbreak of a coronavirus (because there are so many), testing was done on more than 200 herbs used in TCM, with four showing antiviral activity strong enough for results: A. annua (Sweet wormwood), L. radiata (Red spider lily), P. lingua, and L. aggregata. The study authors stated: “The results from our study provide strong support for the usage of these herbs to treat SARS-CoV infectious diseases. Our results also demonstrated that lycorine (alkaloid found in many plants) is a good candidate for the development of new antiviral medicine.” Yet nothing of this was spoken about when covid-19 came out…or even now two years later. Interesting trivia, did you know one of the things noticed during the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic was that people working in cinnamon factories were unaffected, or sick to a much lesser degree? This was the early 1900’s, so while I can link to mentions, the story can only (admittedly) be considered rumor as it can’t be backed up. But it shows up in many places, and as cinnamon was/is used to fight many ailments, this isn’t shocking. And a great example of the power of plants. One thing to remember, is that Western medicine antimicrobials are more simple than plant compounds, which allow microbes to more easily change to counter them. As plant compounds are much more complicated, this resistance has not been shown to be built, meaning not only can plants offer many answers, but these answers aren’t impeded by being used frequently. And this is a major benefit to the microbial resistance established by pharmaceuticals. ![]() ConclusionIf the public thinks that the idea of a plant like cannabis being able to treat something like covid is new, the public is painfully mistaken. Just to make this 100% clear, two years into what is being touted as a horrible pandemic, the public is still gleefully unaware that plants have already been tested (17 years ago!!) and found useful for corona viruses. So yes, cannabis is likely to have an effect on covid, but its an embarrassment to society today that this isn’t known or expected. If the public wants better answers to medical issues, it should remember that Eastern medicine should not be ignored. Or the Western medicine that backs it up. Welcome to CBDtesters.co, the best web source for all the most recent and important cannabis and psychedelics-related news in the world today. Stop by frequently to stay on-top of the ever-expansive universe of legal drugs and industrial hemp, and check out The THC Weekly Newsletter, so you can join the conversation, anywhere you are. Disclaimer: Hi, I’m a researcher and writer. I’m not a doctor, lawyer, or businessperson. All information in my articles is sourced and referenced, and all opinions stated are mine. I am not giving anyone advice, and though I am more than happy to discuss topics, should someone have a further question or concern, they should seek guidance from a relevant professional. The post Cannabis & Covid: Why Eastern Medicine Should Never Be Ignored appeared first on CBD Testers. Via https://cbdtesters.co/2022/01/29/cannabis-covid-why-eastern-medicine-should-never-be-ignored/ Psychedelics are coming, that’s for sure, but some have already arrived! Not only has the government legalized esketamine for medical use, but there is an already existent ketamine industry for you to take advantage of. How is this possible? By accessing the ketamine loophole. Here’s more about it. The ketamine loophole is growing everyday, and you can take advantage of it! Just find yourself a local ketamine clinic here, or search the internet for a clinic close to you. We’re dedicated to staying on top of this new industry, and providing you all the info necessary to get the help you need. For more articles on the growing industry of medical psychedelics, you can subscribe to the Psychedelics Weekly Newsletter, the #1 web source for everything important in this new and expanding market. What is ketamine?First and foremost, ketamine is a legal psychedelic drug in Schedule III of the DEA’s Controlled Substances list. This means it’s legal for medical use, and has been approved as an anesthetic by the US’s FDA. This legalization happened back in 1970. The compound was found by scientists at Parke-Davis pharmaceutical company in 1962, and fit the intended goal of a strong anesthetic. It’s described as having cataleptic and analgesic effects as well as anesthetic effects. It is noted to not have hypnotic properties, though it does cause sedation. At the time ketamine was discovered, it took the place of PCP, which was already being tested for this purpose. Ultimately, after creating and testing PCP, it was thrown out, and ketamine was moved onto instead. Before being approved solely as an anesthetic (in both humans and animals), studies in the 1960’s involving prisoners found that ketamine was good at minimizing some of the more toxic behaviors of these inmates. Nevertheless, this was not factored into the approval. Ketamine is a ‘dissociative anesthetic’ meaning it tends to make users feel like different parts of their brains are disassociating from each other. This was described as “electrophysiological and functional dissociation between thalamocortical and limbic systems.” Perhaps it’s this effect that has made it popular as a party drug, first becoming popular recreationally in the 1980’s club scene. The chemical formula for ketamine is C13H16ClNO. ![]() What about esketamine?While most people will be familiar with the name ketamine, many will be confused by the name of its half-brother, esketamine. However, esketamine was surprisingly legalized in 2019 for use with treatment-resistant depression. Of course, it was already known from the 1960’s that ketamine could help with the negative behaviors of prisoners, so its not shocking that a similar compound with the same chemical formula, would do similar things. Esketamine was discovered in Germany in 1997, for use as an anesthetic as well. During testing for this purpose it was established that esketamine had anti-depressant effects, and that it worked very fast. It could be that owing to ketamine’s known abilities, that this property was actually being looked for in another compound, undercover. Either way, phase III trials for esketamine and depression ended in 2017 in the US, followed by Johnson & Johnson filing for a new drug application. This was approved by the FDA on March 5th, 2019, as the first psychedelic antidepressant drug Spravato. The following year, because esketamine works so quickly, it was also approved for use with suicidal thoughts, a diagnosis that requires something very fast acting in order keep suicidal thoughts from leading to suicide. Esketamine has only been approved as a nasal spray, whereas ketamine is generally delivered via IV injection. Whereas esketamine has been cleared for use with depression, ketamine has not. One negative caveat of this esketamine legalization? It actually requires patients to take a standard (monoamine) antidepressant as well – like Prozac, Wellbutrin, or Zoloft. This is not ideal for patients who are trying to get away from these non-working, and sometimes dangerous medications. In fact, the two are not related at all, making this requirement seem like a handout to big pharma, rather than a measure to help improve the wellbeing of people in need. What it also means, is that what health agencies like to constantly warn about – possible negative drug interactions, is literally being promoted by forcing patients to take two kinds of drugs, for which interactions are not fully known. What is the ketamine loophole?The question of why the lesser-known esketamine was legalized over the well-known ketamine – even as both showed the same properties for help with depression, is a great question. And the answer seems to lie within the ketamine loophole. So, what is this ketamine loophole, and why would it mean the legalization of a different compound? Ketamine is not cleared for use with depression or pain, but it is cleared as an anesthetic. This means that unlike other psychedelics like MDMA, LSD, or psilocybin, all of which are in Schedule I and therefore 100% illegal, ketamine has the ability to be prescribed off-label. What does this actually mean? ![]() Off-label use is defined as “the use of pharmaceutical drugs for an unapproved indication or in an unapproved age group, dosage, or route of administration. Both prescription drugs and over-the-counter drugs (OTCs) can be used in off-label ways, although most studies of off-label use focus on prescription drugs.” And yes, this is perfectly legal according to the FDA, which states: “Once the FDA approves a drug, healthcare providers generally may prescribe the drug for an unapproved use when they judge that it is medically appropriate for their patient.” This means that even though ketamine has not been approved for uses with any psychiatric issues, or for pain, it can legally be prescribed for these purposes. This makes it perfectly accessible to anyone, and without government intervention, so long as they can get a prescription As such, it also makes ketamine part of a gray market. Though medical facilities that administer it must still follow regulations for operation, this would be more about standard requirements. Things like cleaning regulations, capacity limits, and abuse reporting. But nothing to do with how ketamine is administered since the government has no regulation set for this. And neither do any individual states. Yet because of the Schedule III placing, and legality of off-label use, the ketamine loophole has been established. I expect the federal government didn’t want to try to compete with this industry, or try to bring it above board. Think about the cannabis industry, and the difficulty legal markets have had in overtaking black markets, even getting to the point of needing a bailout. I think esketamine was legalized to create a separation in the minds of the public, in order to attempt to divert from the ketamine industry to the FDA approved esketamine one. It also likely has to do with the idea that the government and big pharma would rather have you hooked on antidepressants that don’t work, or pain meds that you’ll never get off of, than to really promote an option that will take away the necessity for further medications. Differences in prescribing ketamine vs esketamineJust because these drugs are similar, does not mean they can be accessed in the same way. Esketamine requires a prescription, which will generally come from a specialist, and not a primary care physician. This means a patient has to find a doctor willing to prescribe it. As psychedelics use for this purpose is very new, and runs counter to decades of smear campaigns, not everyone is on board just yet, and that might mean having issues finding a doctor who will comply. Add onto that the requirement of needing to be taking an antidepressant, and the idea of using esketamine pales in comparison to ketamine. Though ketamine still requires a prescription, as it can only be used medicinally, that prescription can come directly from a ketamine clinic, and will never require a patient to be on another antidepressant. ![]() If all this makes ketamine seem like the clear winner, there is one other factor to consider. Medical coverage. Since esketamine is approved by the FDA, insurance can cover it. This is not the case with ketamine therapy, where no insurance plan will cover it, as it’s not approved for these purposes. Ketamine therapy unfortunately is not cheap, so unless you can pay out hundreds of dollars per treatment session, it does propose a major issue for those with less funds. In fact, it makes it impossible for anyone living on a tight budget to access these treatments. In the cases of patients who want to try it but can’t pay, esketamine might be the best choice for now. How big is the ketamine industry?‘Ketamine’ seems to be quite the buzzword these days, and it makes sense. Both in helping with what seems to be an increasing number of depression cases, as well as with the growing opioid epidemic which is damning more and more people to long-standing addictions, and which comes with an overdose death rate that nearly reached 100,000 in 2020. Plus, the lack of governmental oversight might make it preferable to those who don’t want to be beholden to stringent government regulation in how they take their medicine. In around 2015, there were approximately 60 ketamine clinics in the States, a number that increased to approximately 300 by spring of 2020. Now, two years later, that number has likely doubled again, if not grown past that. Not only do individual clinics exist, but entire chains have been established. One example is Ketamine Wellness Centers Arizona LLC, which operates 10 clinics across multiple states, and which was just bought out by Delic Holdings Corp, which expects to open 15 more. This transaction makes Delic the largest psychedelics organization currently operating in the US. Another big player is Field Trip Health, a Canadian-based company with locations in several different US cities, as well as Canada, and Amsterdam. In fact Field Trip is doing something that might help with the issue of cost. While these clinics offer standard personal treatments, they also offer guided group treatments, at just over half the cost of a personal treatment session. This might be ideal for people who want ketamine treatment, but cannot pay higher amounts. Clinics are also going beyond just standard depression management, to target similar issues. These include treatments for anxiety, bipolar disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, postpartum depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. This is exemplified by Ketamine Clinics, an LA-based ketamine therapy center, which offers treatments for all these issues. ConclusionAs the ketamine industry grows, so do the options available to consumers. There are still plenty of questions to answer, like how to judge a clinic, and what safety measures to be aware of, but we’ll get to all that in time. For now, it’s great to know that this alternative exists through the ketamine loophole, and that people in need, might finally be able to get better treatments for their psychological problems and persistent pain issues. Welcome to CBDtesters.co, thanks for joining us at the best internet location for the most important and thought-provoking cannabis and psychedelics-related news of today. Stop by frequently to stay in-the-loop on the ever-moving landscape of cannabis and medical psychedelics, and check out The Psychedelics Weekly Newsletter, so you’re up on all the need-to-know talking points. Disclaimer: Hi, I’m a researcher and writer. I’m not a doctor, lawyer, or businessperson. All information in my articles is sourced and referenced, and all opinions stated are mine. I am not giving anyone advice, and though I am more than happy to discuss topics, should someone have a further question or concern, they should seek guidance from a relevant professional. The post The Ketamine Loophole: Everything You Need to Know appeared first on CBD Testers. Via https://cbdtesters.co/2022/01/28/the-ketamine-loophole-everything-you-need-to-know/ We know that plant-based medicine has been part of civilization since the earliest humans walked the earth. Even today, up to 25 percent of OTC and pharmaceutical drugs contain plant extracts, or synthetic versions of the natural compounds. But we’re not the only animals that use substances to relieve pain, regulate the body, or alter our minds. Many of our animal brethren – from intellectually advanced primates to instinctive insect colonies – do the exact same thing.Think about some of our most common animal companions, cats and dogs. If your furry friends spend any amount of time outdoors, there’s a strong chance you’ve seen them eating grass. Some experts believe it’s to aid in digestion, treat intestinal worms, or boost vitamin levels; but the bottom line is, this is a self-medicating behavior that has been observed in wild, feral, and domestic species. In Eastern medicine and many societies where people live a more traditional and natural lifestyle, the difference between food and medicine is negligible. Take the term “ishoku dougen” a Japanese phrase that directly translates to “medicine and food are of the same origin”. This can explain why so many people report substantial health benefits (such as lowering of blood pressure and managing diabetes) after switching to a plant-based diet. If we consider that natural medicine has healed us and kept us alive for so long before modern pharmacology came into play, the idea of animals self-medicating the same way we do becomes much more plausible. Remember to subscribe to The Psychedelics Weekly Newsletter for more articles like this one and all the latest, most exciting industry news. And save big on Delta 8, Delta 9 THC, Delta-10, THCO, THCV, THCP & HHC products by checking out our “Best-of” lists! What is Zoopharmacognosy?The act of animals self-medicating is referred to as zoopharmacognosy (“zoo”, “pharmaco”, “gnosy”), a term with Greek roots that can be roughly translated to mean “animal”, “remedy”, and “knowing”. It’s a relatively new field of biology, officially documented for the first time in 1987 and still considered a somewhat fringe concept. That said, there are hundreds of instances of animals, even carnivores, using plants medicinally and sometimes recreationally. Similar to us, animals self-medicate with a few different delivery systems, depending on the compound and the condition they’re trying to treat. Like our prescription medications, plant-based treatments can be eaten, inhaled, applied topically, and so on. For instance, chimpanzees swill the leaves of Aspilia plants in their mouths, which releases toxins that kill gut bacteria. Another example would be formic acid created by ants, known to kill bird lice. Over 200 species of birds are known to roll around in ant nests to aggravate them into spraying this lice-killing acid. And speaking of ants, wood ants control disease and fight pathogens within their colonies by building their nests out of conifer tree needles, whose sap contains potent antimicrobial compounds – this is the equivalent of disinfecting your home. Animals also use plants in proactive and preventative ways, akin to our utilization of vitamins and supplements. A great example of this is seen in various tropical species such as parrots, bats, and sifakas, who consume dirt and clay containing very high levels of minerals and nutrients. Brown bears have also been observed taking an active stance on plant medicine, by making pastes out of mashed, wet osha root and rubbing it on their bodies to prevent insect bites. And of course, our beloved dogs and cats eating grass as mentioned earlier, which has been reported by many pet owners, but you can also find a published study on the topic here. Learned or instinctive?Most actions and behaviors of modern-day humans are learned through a combination of personal experimentation, observation, and passed-down information. Because adult humans rely so much on higher reasoning and technology, we have very little reason to be instinctive in today’s world. At this point, we barely even need to have a sense of direction anymore. Sure, we might get some gut feelings that seem important, and we try to listen to them, but we tend to override these so-called instincts with logic and experience. An instinct, on the other hand, is “an innate, typically fixed pattern of behavior in animals in response to certain stimuli.” Lions hunt instinctively, snakes brumate instinctively, and human babies cry instinctively – but at around 6 months of age, our instincts, often referred to as “baby reflexes” begin to give way to learned behaviors and intentional actions. ![]() Self-medication has always been thought of as a learned methodology, perfected over centuries thanks to trial-and-error coupled with the detailed record-keeping of our ancestors. However, emerging research on both, animals and natural healing, has poked a few holes in this theory. The first documented examples of animals self-medicating came from studies on primates, a species that also can watch and absorb information (monkey see monkey do), but the fact that this behavior has also been observed in several different insect species indicates that it could be more hard-wired. Animal communities and social medicineWe tend to think of medicine as being very personal and individualized, which it is to an extent, but there are many social aspects to it as well. Medicine varies culturally, and society often decided collectively what type of medicine is practiced and how it is applied. Even in psychiatric settings, society concludes what is considered abnormal behavior, and how such behavior should be dealt with. Historically, many different forms of medicine existed throughout the world. Although some overlapping practices and theories did exist, overall, physical and mental disorders were known to be caused by a number of different factors, many of which were genetic and regional – such family medical history, diet, and weather. Initially, the diagnosis and understanding of health disorders was social, and based on people simply making observations about themselves and others. Over time, we developed multidisciplinary approaches to better recognize and manage these disorders. A good example of social medicine is in the implementation of vaccinations or quarantines. Pandemic craziness aside, just during bad flu seasons it was common for the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) to recommend that people be extra vigilant about washing their hands and avoiding crowded spaces. I gave birth to my second son during a particularly nasty flu season, and the hospital had a lot of restrictions in place regarding cleanliness and visitation. For example, I could not have more than one person in the room with me at any given time, and no one under the age of 18 was allowed in the labor and delivery area. In nature, animals often live in groups, and when we look at insects, many live in colonies of up to millions of other organisms; like some of the world’s most populated cities. Social insects such as fruit flies, bees, and ants participate in a phenomenon known as social prophylaxis, a process consisting of various methods to preserve the health and well-being of their society, but often it’s accomplished by collecting antimicrobial resin from trees. The insects consume it, and also feed it to their young in order to prevent disease. Although resin-collecting is practiced by many different species of insects, they time and method of collection varies. Do animals like getting high too?This is the million-dollar question. The idea of animals using plants therapeutically is not so farfetched, but animals getting high… is that even a thing? As it turns out, yes. Animals are much more like us than many realize. Not only do they learn how to harness their local resources in a medicinal fashion, but they’re not afraid of a good time either. Just like us, different animals prefer different highs. Some like to trip, others just want to relax, and quite a few prefer to get drunk. The Smithsonian reports on adventurous dolphins who intentionally instigate toxic pufferfish. When threatened, pufferfish release a chemical cocktail that can be extremely potent and dangerous, but in small doses may produce a trance-like, hallucinogenic state. Cats like getting high too, using a plant in the mint family called Nepeta cataria – commonly known as catnip, nicknamed so because roughly two-thirds of cats exhibit an intense attraction to this plant. ![]() In Siberia, it’s not uncommon for reindeer to eat Amanita muscaria mushrooms to experience their psychotropic effects, although how ‘high’ they actually get still remains up for debate. Some experts theorize that, while humans seek out these specific compounds to foster feelings of spiritual connection, the reindeer might use them to make the monotony of a cold, bleak, depressing winter a bit more tolerable. Horses also engage in recreational drug use. They enjoy a plant known as locoweed, which has similar effects on horses as pot does on people. Locoweed is the only green plant that grows throughout the winter in some areas, so horses initially find it as a food source then keep coming back for the high – to the point that ranchers have to constantly monitor their pastures out locoweed plants to keep their stables sober. Then we have elephants, which are pound-for-pound the largest land animals on earth, and they enjoy getting drunk. And elephants can get pretty destructive when they’re on a bender, often wandering into towns and demoing small buildings and other structures. And the observations don’t stop there: bees high on orchid nectar, goats eating magic mushrooms, birds affinity for marijuana seeds, rats, mice, lizards, flies, spiders and cockroaches on opium, moths gravitating to the hallucinogenic datura flower, drunk monkeys abandoning their children, and mandrills tripping on iboga root. Even my grandmother used to have an alcoholic parrot that would dip its beak into any uncovered glass of alcohol that it came across, until it was wobbling drunkenly all over the kitchen counter. And it wasn’t just a one-time thing, it was a regular occurrence for this party bird. I currently have a cat that looooves the smell of weed. When I start smoking, he’ll often come over and get in my face to try and catch a whiff; then he’ll purr and paw at me until I finish. Why this all mattersAs resistance of microorganisms to various forms of medication continues to rise, researchers are constantly on the lookout for new ways to fight illness and infection. Since so many of our existing therapies already contain plant compounds and synthetic isomers, it makes sense to continue searching in nature for novel treatment options. Making note of what plants the animals are using can be helpful in determining what we can treat with these compounds as well, and while that may seem like a somewhat foreign concept to many, it was a smart survival strategy in a time when doctors, pharmacies, and antibiotics were not available. Take the brown bears I mentioned earlier. Several Native American tribes witnessed them using osha root paste, and they adopted the method for themselves. And just as important as finding new medicines, if not more so, is the knowledge that we gain about the environment around us, the importance of natural food, and how to conserve it. Much like the idea of the entourage effect, when we eat from the earth we benefit from the diverse interlinking of primary compounds and secondary metabolites found in plants. When we, as humans, truly understand the importance of plants in their natural state, as opposed to mass-produced factory-farmed vegetables, we will put in the necessary effort to salvage what is left of our environment. In that same vein, research about animal self-medication can help us learn about the most effective ways to care for certain species. Take the common honeybee. For decades, beekeepers have been choosing bees that collect less resin, because excess resin makes it much more challenging to collect honey. However, resin is known to protect bee colonies from pathogens, and knowing how quickly an entire beehive could succumb to disease, it could be worthwhile to let the bees collect resin as they naturally would. ConclusionAs far removed as we are from some the animals on this list, we still share similarities. It seems that all species on earth have a want, urge, or instinctive need to feel “good”, whatever that means to them. It could be as simple as relieving minor pains or stomach aches, to a full-on psychedelic trip that completely alters one’s perception of the world around them, and everything in between. Psychopharmacologist Ronald Siegel sums up the “rampant drug use” in the animal kingdom in his book, Intoxication, like this: “[The] pursuit of intoxication with drugs is a primary motivational force in the behavior of organisms.” Sounds about right. Hello readers! Thanks for joining us at CBDtesters.co, the #1 internet location for the most recent and interesting cannabis and psychedelics-related news from around the globe. Visit the site everyday to stay abreast of the quickly-moving landscape of legal drugs and industrial hemp, and sign up for The Psychedelics Weekly Newsletter, to ensure you always know what’s going on. Disclaimer: Hi, I’m a researcher and writer. I’m not a doctor, lawyer, or businessperson. All information in my articles is sourced and referenced, and all opinions stated are mine. I am not giving anyone advice, and though I am more than happy to discuss topics, should someone have a further question or concern, they should seek guidance from a relevant professional. The post Self-Medication and Recreational Drug Use in Animal Communities appeared first on CBD Testers. Via https://cbdtesters.co/2022/01/28/self-medication-and-recreational-drug-use-in-animals/ |
ABOUT MEHallo, ik ben Rosalina Klerkx, ik ben een RHIA-gecertificeerde zorgbeheerder met meer dan 6 jaar ervaring in het creëren van een productieve omgeving voor zorgprofessionals. Leiding gegeven aan een team van 12 opname- en verkoopmedewerkers in een instelling voor langdurige zorg met meer dan 170 patiënten. Opstellen van complexe HIPAA-conforme rapporten aan patiëntendienstcoördinatoren in een zorgkliniek. Archives
April 2023
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