WHAT IS CANNABIS ?
UNDERSTANDING CANNABIS
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WHAT IS CANNABIS?
ELEVATE YOUR MIND
Marijuana also called weed, herb, pot, grass, bud, ganja, Mary Jane, and a vast number of other slang termsis a greenish-gray mixture of the dried flowers of Cannabis sativa. Some people smoke marijuana in hand-rolled cigarettes called joints; in pipes, water pipes (sometimes called bongs), or in blunts (marijuana rolled in cigar wraps).
Marijuana can also be used to brew tea and, particularly when it is sold or consumed for medicinal purposes, is frequently mixed into foods (edibles) such as brownies, cookies, or candies. Vaporizers are also increasingly used to consume marijuana.
Stronger forms of marijuana include sinsemilla (from specially tended female plants) and concentrated resins containing high doses of marijuana’s active ingredients, including honeylike hash oil, waxy budder, and hard amberlike shatter. These resins are increasingly popular among those who use them both recreationally and medically.
The main psychoactive(mind-altering) chemical in marijuana, responsible for most of the intoxicating effects that people seek, is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). The chemical is found in resin produced by the leaves and buds primarily of the female cannabis plant. The plant also contains more than 500 other chemicals, including more than 100 compounds that are chemically related to THC, called cannabinoids.
WHAT ARE INFUSED EDIBLES?
ELEVATE YOUR MUNCHIES
Cannabis edibles are foods and beverages infused with cannabis. Though they've risen in popularity recently, edibles aren't exactly new. There's a long history of humans incorporating cannabis into their diets, ranging from traditional drinks in India to the humble pot brownie in the US. Now, thanks to advances in infusion methods, you can find a wide selection of cannabis-infused baked goods, gummies, seasoning packets, cooking oil, chocolates, breath strips, mints, sodas, and countless other items.
The benefit of consuming cannabis-infused edibles is the ability to feel the effects of cannabis without having to smoke flower or vaporize concentrates. Consuming is easy and intuitive.
Because the cannabis within the edibles has to go through your digestive system before entering your bloodstream, the effects may take hours to set in and the strength of effects gradually builds to a peak. The duration of your high can then last anywhere from a couple of hours to a full day depending on how much you consume.
Trying edibles for the first time can be intimidating, but it's all about taking it low and slow, as we'll explain in a four-step process. Here are the key takeaways for an optimum edibles experience:
- Try edibles with both THC and CBD
- Start with 2 mg of THC or less
- Shop for products that are easy to dose
- Wait at least two hours before consuming more
WHAT ARE CONCENTRATES?
ELEVATE YOUR EXTRACTION
All concentrates are made by extracting the most effective compounds from the cannabis plant to make a ‘concentrated’ form of the cannabinoids and terpenes responsible for the high associated with marijuana use.
Using solvents, professionals extract these concentrated chemicals by separating the most important compounds from the plant matter itself. The resulting mixture consists almost entirely of these psychoactive chemicals, distilled into their purest and most potent form.
Depending on the extraction method used to distill these, concentrates can take the form of a solid or a liquid. Their effects can also be drastically different to those produced from standard cannabis flowers, especially if vaporized. This is largely due to concentrates’ higher THC levels, which can range from 50 to 90 percent far higher than the typical 10 to 25 percent levels of marijuana buds.
Rising in popularity in the 2010s, the three most commonly used cannabis concentrates are now dab wax, shatter, and THC oil.
WHAT ARE VAPE CARTS, PENS, AND THC OILS
ELEVATE YOUR MODERNIZATION
A vape cart is a glass cartridge pre-filled with a gram or half-gram of cannabis oil. This oil contain various combinations of cannabinoids and terpenes extracted from cannabis.
Most oil vape carts are high in THC, however, more and more CBD-dominant vape cartridges are entering the market, as are 1:1 THC:CBD products. Vape cartridges come in many forms: 510-threaded cartridges (the most common), as well as some proprietary forms like Pax Era Pods and Airo Pro oil cartridges.
Vape cartridges work in conjunction with vape pen batteries. The vape battery will power an atomizer in the cartridge that heats up the oil, activating the various chemical components in it. You then inhale the vape smoke, which produces the effects of cannabis. Some vape batteries have multiple functions that enable temperature customization and dose management.
For uninitiated cannabis concentrate consumers, dosing can be a major concern. Nobody wants an overwhelming experience when attempting to enjoy cannabis. Unlike dabbing, using a pre-loaded vape pen allows for a highly controlled dose with each inhalation, giving you more control over how much or how little you consume.
WHAT ARE PRE-ROLLED JOINTS?
ELEVATE YOUR TIME
Pre-rolled blunts & joints allow individuals to immediately enjoy cannabis at their convenience without having to prepare it. These are considered one of the most popular forms of cannabis consumption as they are safe, discreet, and can easily be disposed of responsibly after use.
There are many different forms of cannabis that a pre-rolled blunt or joint can be filled with. One of the most common types of cannabis trim is a flower, which is what people generally associate marijuana with. Another form of pre-rolled cannabis is shake, which is composed of a collection of A-grade or B-grade (popcorn) buds. Pre-rolled blunts and joints can also be infused with concentrates and can be mixed with any type of strain to create the best experience possible.
One of the primary benefits of using a pre-roll is that you know exactly what you are getting. Instead of being passed a joint that you are unsure of what is inside it.
Pre-rolls make it easy for you to obtain different blends or mixtures for total satisfaction. In addition, pre-rolls are disposable, easy to use, and save you time in the long run.
WHAT ARE CANNAGARS/GODFATHERS & THAI-STICKS?
ELEVATE YOUR HIGH
What’s a Cannagar?
A Cannagar is an all cannabis cigar made by compressing cannabis around a skewer and then rolling it with hemp or cannabis fan leaves. The process of compressing the cannabis around a skewer creates a slow-burning, full-flavored roll that lasts for hours. This type of compressed roll was originally known as a “Thai Stick”. The term Cannagar was newly created to signify a Thai Stick rolled in fan leaves.
What’s a Thai Stick?
A Thai Stick is the original Cannagar. In the 1970s they were usually made by tying hemp rope tightly around cannabis on a skewer, covering it in opium, and then letting it cure for months. The end result is a rougher looking Cannagar. In recent years, people have started to bring this trend back (without the opium) due to the elevated smoking experience it creates. Because the cannabis is so compressed, Thai Sticks can burn for hours while being smooth and easy draw due to the hole left behind by the skewer.
Since Cannagars are a relatively new term, there’s still a lot of confusion and debate about its definition in the cannabis community. We believe both Thai Sticks & Cannagars are compressed cannabis on a skewer and the only thing that separates them is rolling material. Cannagars are usually rolled in hemp or cannabis fan leaves, while Thai Sticks can be rolled in anything.
Store-bought Cannagars are hard to find and cost ‘ hundreds ‘ of dollars.
WHAT IS KIEF?
ELEVATE YOUR WEED
Kief is the term for the accumulated trichomes, or resin glands, sifted from cannabis flowers through a mesh screen or sieve. Trichomes secrete a sticky resin containing the terpenes and cannabinoids that give cannabis its unique qualities. As concentrated resin glands, kief is a potent form of cannabis. It can be sprinkled on top of joints and blunts, infused into food, or pressed into hash.
Kief is the term for the accumulated trichomes, or resin glands, sifted from cannabis flowers through a mesh screen or sieve.
Hash is a hardened, solid piece of compressed kief. It's possible to make hash at home by collecting enough kief, folding it between two pieces of wax paper, and pressing with your hands, a hair straightener, or an iron.
HOW TO USE KIEF ?
Sprinkling a generous dusting of kief on the top of a packed bowl, joint, or blunt can dramatically increase the potency, making for a more intense and longer-lasting high. Adding kief will also cause the cannabis to burn slower, extending the time it takes to smoke perfect if you enjoy long smoke sessions with friends. If you're a fan of smoking shisha out of a hookah, you can sprinkle it on top of the tobacco before adding the hot coals.
You can use kief to whip up a homemade batch of cannabutter and turn that into cakes, brownies, salad dressings, etc. When using kief in your favorite edibles, remember that it's not decarboxylated yet so make sure to expose it to enough heat long enough to activate the THC or you may be disappointed. That being said, kief is concentrated trichomes so a little will go a long way.
Heat activates cannabinoids, so if you add kief to hot beverages such as coffee or tea, it can produce similar effects as edibles. Expect the effects to kick in 30 minutes to two hours after you consume.
WHAT IS CBD?
ELEVATE YOUR HEALTH
CBD stands for cannabidiol. It is the second most prevalent of the active ingredients of cannabis (marijuana). While CBD is an essential component of medical marijuana, it is derived directly from the hemp plant, which is a cousin of the marijuana plant. While CBD is a component of marijuana (one of hundreds), by itself it does not cause a “high.” To date, there is no evidence of public health related problems associated with the use of pure CBD.”
Cannabidiol (CBD) is the second-most abundant cannabinoid in the plant, and has many potential therapeutic benefits, including anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anti-anxiety and seizure-suppressant properties. CBD can be sourced from both marijuana plants and hemp plants, the latter of which are legal in the U.S. as they contain minuscule amounts of THC.
In the body, cannabinoids, the receptors they bind to, and the enzymes that break them down are known as the endocannabinoid system (ECS).
CBD can bind to receptors that are located throughout the body, allowing it to activate several different receptor pathways and possibly provide therapeutic benefits. CBD may also be able to minimize the undesirable effects of THC, including paranoia and heart palpitations, while enhancing the latter's therapeutic effects.
CBD has been touted for a wide variety of health issues, but the strongest scientific evidence is for its effectiveness in treating some of the cruelest childhood epilepsy syndromes, such as Dravet syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS), which typically don’t respond to antiseizure medications. In numerous studies, CBD was able to reduce the number of seizures, and in some cases it was able to stop them altogether.
WHAT ARE STRAINS?
SATIVA - INDICA - HYBRID
Cannabis strains are either pure or hybrid varieties of the plant genus Cannabis, which encompasses the species sativa, indica, and ruderalis (a low-THC variety or subspecies of Cannabis which is native to Central and Eastern Europe and Russia.) Varieties are developed to intensify specific characteristics of the plant, or to differentiate the strain for the purposes of marketing or to make it more effective as a drug.
Variety names are typically chosen by their growers, and often reflect properties of the plant such as taste, color, smell, or the origin of the variety. These varieties have been cultivated to contain a high percentage of cannabinoids. Several varieties of cannabis, known as hemp, have a very low cannabinoid content, and are instead grown for their fiber and seed.
THE SCIENCE
Ever Wonder How Cannabis Works In The Body?
WHAT ARE CANNABINOIDS?
Cannabinoids, or phytocannabinoids, are chemical compounds found in the cannabis plant. Most consumers are familiar with the two major cannabinoids, cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), but the cannabis plant contains over 100 cannabinoids. These compounds have numerous potential benefits and effects including reducing inflammation, aiding in sleep, providing stress relief, and much more. The therapeutic benefits of cannabinoids have been used for thousands of years, and researchers continue to discover more information about cannabinoids and their effects.
HOW DO CANNABINOIDS WORK IN THE BODY?
Our bodies naturally produce cannabinoids referred to as endocannabinoids in the endocannabinoid system (ECS). This system is so paramount that Cerebrum, a magazine dedicated to the study of the brain, describes it as “one of the most important physiologic systems involved in establishing and maintaining human health.” Endocannabinoids are responsible for activating responses in the body and brain to maintain homeostasis or balance within the body.
Cannabinoids act as endocannabinoids inside the body, and like endocannabinoids, cannabinoids engage the ECS receptors, CB1 and/or CB2, to produce different effects. Many individuals use cannabinoids, like CBD, to produce therapeutic effects and to help with their overall wellness. Cannabinoids have numerous potential benefits, and each cannabinoid interacts differently with your body’s endocannabinoid system.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE MOST COMMON CANNABINOIDS?
There are many different cannabinoids, but science has only investigated the effects of a select number of commonly occurring compounds. While more research is necessary to discover every cannabinoid and its full potential or effects, some of the most common cannabinoids have many potential wellness benefits. Learn more about the most popular cannabinoids and their effects below:
TETRAHYDROCANNABINOID (THC)
THC is the most prevalent and well-known cannabinoid in the cannabis plant. When people refer to THC, they are usually talking about Delta-9 THC despite the multiple forms of THC found in the cannabis plant. Different forms of THC have varying levels of psychotropic effects, which have the ability to alter mood, behavior, and perception. You may be familiar with some of the following forms of THC:
• TETRAHYRDOCANNABINOID ACID (THCA) is a compound found in the cannabis plant, known to be a precursor to Delta-9 THC, and it may be beneficial in helping to ease nausea.
• DELTA-9 THC is the main psychoactive cannabinoid found in the cannabis plant, and it can alter your perception by binding to the receptors in your body that affect coordination, thinking, concentration, and pleasure. Research indicates that Delta-9 THC may also have restorative effects to aid in pain relief, sleep, and appetite issues.
• DELTA-8 THC has similar effects to Delta-9 THC, but its effects are much milder. There is a slight difference in the way it interacts with your ECS to produce more physical relaxation, and it may even aid in sleep for many consumers.
• DELTA-10 THC has similar effects to Delta-9 THC and Delta-8 THC, but it is much milder than these forms of THC. Its energizing effects also differ significantly from Delta-9 THC and Delta-8 THC. Many consumers have found Delta-10 THC beneficial for encouraging creativity, increasing focus, and promoting alertness.
• TETRAHYDROCANNABIVARIN (THCv) is a lesser known cannabinoid present in low amounts in the cannabis plant. Its benefits may include reducing stress, relieving symptoms related to anxiety or panic attacks, and acting as appetite suppressant.
• THC-O ACETATE (THC-O) is a hemp-derived isomer converted from CBD with strong psychotropic properties, and it may also help reduce pain, promote relaxation, and decrease stress.This cannabinoid is sometimes referred to as “the spiritual cannabinoid.”
CANNABIDIOL (CBD)
CBD is a non-psychoactive compound, meaning it does not alter mood, consciousness, cognition, perception, or behavior. This is one of most well-known cannabinoids due to its wide range of benefits and ability to help other cannabinoids interact effectively within the body. CBD is usually derived from hemp, which produces high levels of this cannabinoid and contains less than 0.3% Delta-9 THC. Research indicates that CBD may provide powerful pain relief as well as potentially decreasing inflammation, alleviating stress, and aiding in sleep.
CANNABIGEROL (CBG)
CBG is a minor, non-psychoactive cannabinoid that may help regulate bodily functions, maintain homeostasis, and provide antibacterial properties. This cannabinoid is known as “the mother of all cannabinoids” because it converts into other phytocannabinoids. CBG may be beneficial in helping to decrease inflammation, pain, and nausea as well as potentially promoting relaxation and boosting mood. Many individuals have found CBG beneficial for digestive issues and symptoms of anxiety. Research also suggests it may help with bone growth.
CANNABICHROMENE (CBC)
CBC is a non-psychoactive cannabinoid which may have strong anti-acne and anti-inflammatory properties. This cannabinoid is created when cannabichromenic acid (CBCA) breaks down after being exposed to heat or ultraviolet light. CBC may also encourage healthy brain function, stimulate appetite, and help defend against certain neurological diseases. CBC may also be beneficial in boosting mood, stimulating appetite, and providing stress relief. Research suggests CBC may act as an antidepressant to help provide individuals with more motivation.
CANNABINOL (CBN)
CBN is a minor, non-psychoactive cannabinoid often referred to as “the bedtime cannabinoid” because of its calming effects. As Delta-9 THC ages and oxidizes, it turns into CBN. CBN may help improve appetite, promote bone health, and relieve pain or inflammation. Research also indicates CBN has strong antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.
CAN YOU COMBINE DIFFERENT CANNABINOIDS?
When multiple cannabinoids are taken together, the behavior of the combined cannabinoids may be enhanced within the body, a process known as the entourage effect. Taken alone, cannabinoids may not act as strongly as when taken with others. We offer a variety of products that are made with a combination of cannabinoids.
Full spectrum products contain a full profile of cannabinoids, like CBD, and other compounds including flavonoids, terpenes, essential oils, and fatty acids. Broad spectrum products also contain a full profile of cannabinoids and other compounds with any trace amounts of Delta-9 THC removed. THC Free products use an isolated cannabinoid which does not include any Delta-9 THC.