Pain Relief from Cannabis Without The High? Studies Show CBD Is Just As Promising As THC for Treating Pain

With some 50 million adults living with chronic pain, pain has become one of the most common dreaded conditions. That’s not even considering the millions of others globally who struggle with different kinds of pain: pain from the joints, chest, back, nerves, tissue damage, and more can affect anyone.

But whether pain is acute or chronic, caused by a damaged joint or long-term illness, is nonetheless always unpleasant. When it persists for too long, it can rob anyone of their quality of life, making even the most mundane everyday tasks a serious challenge. However, we can’t rely on pharmaceutical solutions to treat pain; the opioid epidemic has left thousands dead in its wake because of fatal and addictive effects, while over-the-counter medicines also have its own side effects.

Thankfully, various parts of the cannabis plant have been shown to be beneficial in treating pain.

For many years, the studies (and anecdotal evidence) surrounding the efficacy of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) products have long been in the limelight for its powerful pain killing properties. THC is perhaps most famously known as the psychoactive compound in the marijuana plant. Countless patients have been able to find relief from a variety of pain conditions thanks to THC which can be smoked, vaporized, eaten, or used as an oil. But along with pain relief, patients also experience its psychoactive effects. While some don’t mind getting high as a way to medicate, there are simply those who prefer not to get high – and have thus shied away from using cannabis as pain medicine.

However, there is a growing body of studies showing that cannabidiol (CBD), the non-psychoactive compound in the plant, can work just as well as THC in treating pain. CBD will not get you high; in fact, it’s relaxing but has powerful anti-inflammatory properties that can address pain at its root.

What The Studies Say

One of the latest studies on the topic was conducted by researchers from the NYU Grossman School of Medicine’s Department of Orthopedic Surgery. They tested ORAVEXX, a tablet with CBD, on patients after they underwent minimally invasive rotator cuff surgery. The capsule is a buccally absorbed tab conceptualized by Orcosa, Inc., a company in life sciences.

“On the first day after surgery, patients receiving CBD experienced on average 23 percent less pain as measured by the visual analog scale (VAS) pain score compared to patients receiving the placebo, highlighting that in patients with moderate pain, CBD may render a significant benefit,” they wrote.

“On both the first and second days after surgery, patients receiving CBD reported 22 to 25 percent greater satisfaction with pain control compared to those receiving placebo. Further analysis also showed that patients receiving 50mg of CBD reported lower pain and higher satisfaction with pain control compared to patients receiving placebo. No major side effects were reported,” reads the analysis.

“There is an urgent need for viable alternatives for pain management, and our study presents this form of CBD as a promising tool after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair,” says Michael J. Alaia, MD, study lead investigator and an associate professor in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery. “It could be a new, inexpensive approach for delivering pain relief, and without the side effects of anti-inflammatory drugs like NSAIDS and addiction risks linked to opiates. Additionally, CBD has the benefit of pain relief without the psychotropic effects associated with THC or marijuana,” he said.

In 2021, a survey of patients who underwent spinal surgery in New York found that 1 in 4 patients used CBD to help them manage their symptoms. Forty-six percent of the respondents said that CBD was effective in reducing pain while 33% said it helped with sleep issues, and 20% reported reduced anxiety. “This is the first study, to our knowledge, to examine the consumption patterns and perceived effects of CBD in patients with spinal pathology,” said the authors. “This investigation demonstrates that CBD is a prevalent alternative therapy used by many patients with spine-related symptoms. As the popularity of the supplement is only expected to increase over time, spine surgeons must educate themselves on the evidence behind the use of CBD, understand its legal status, and be aware of the potential for mislabeling of ingredients,” they cautioned.

Also in 2021, a study found that CBD was effective in treating migraine pains. Individuals who struggle with migraine pains have a difficult time treating these conditions; oftentimes, the pain can be so severe that it leads to vomiting and nausea, as well as increased sensitivity to light and sound.

The 2021 study involved sending out a survey to customers who used Axon Relief’s CBD oil, which is designed specifically for treating migraine pain. The clinically validated poll analyzed the impact of headaches on the daily life of participants, as well as their ability to function. The respondents were asked to complete the survey before and after they consumed the CBD oil, which they took for 30 days. They reported 3.8 less headaches compared to the time before they consumed the CBD oil from Axon, while those with chronic migraines experienced 33% less headaches.

Conclusion

Pain patients now have more choices than ever when it comes to treating acute and chronic pain conditions. The studies on cannabidiol are surely promising to say the least, and provide an excellent alternative for patients who don’t want to get high while treating pain of many kinds.

PAIN RELIEF BATTLE, READ ON…

WHICH IS BETTER FOR PAIN RELIEF, CBD OR THC? READ THIS!

Senators Urge Biden To Reschedule Marijuana

Was Biden Lying To Us About Marijuana All Along While Campaigning?

For many who thought that President Joe Biden was going to help reschedule marijuana, the one thing we’ve been waiting years for, it seems that we thought wrong.

Did he lie to us when he pledged to decriminalize marijuana as well as automatically expunge previous marijuana convictions while campaigning back in 2020?

In fact, Biden’s lack of efforts with regards to marijuana legalization has been so disappointing that senators have had to call him out on it earlier this month. Six US senators wrote a letter sent to the POTUS asking for two requests: one, that the attorney general work to finally remove marijuana from the Controlled Substances Act and two, for the president to use his power to provide relief from people convicted of non-violent marijuana crimes.

It was signed by Democratic Senators Elizabeth Warren, Cory Booker, Bernie Sanders, Ed Markey, Ron Wyden, and Kirsten Gillibrand. They added that the Department of Justice (DOJ) took all of six months to respond to a letter sent in October 2021, pushing the attorney general to begin the steps needed to federally deschedule marijuana. They said that the DOJ’s response was “extraordinarily disappointing”.

“It is obvious that cannabis has widely accepted medical benefits, affirmed by medical and scientific communities both here and across the globe,” reads the letter. “The therapeutic properties of cannabis caused by the effects of both the tetrahydrocannabinol-alpha (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) components make it an excellent alternative to highly addictive opiates for pain relief,” it reads.

“The Administration’s failure to coordinate a timely review of its cannabis policy is harming thousands of Americans, slowing research, and depriving Americans of their ability to use marijuana for medical or other purposes,” said the senators in the letter.

“We ask that the Biden Administration act quickly to rectify this decade long injustice harming individuals, especially Black and Brown communities,” the Senators added.

Then last July 16, during a White House press briefing, the president was asked by a reporter if he will be fulfilling his campaign pledge to free marijuana prisoners, which he has the power to do in federal prisons though not in state prisons. He responded with: “I don’t think anyone should be in prison for the use of marijuana. We’re working on the Crime Bill now,” though it remains unclear what on earth he was talking about.

As US President, he has the executive power to pardon any federal crime, there is no need for a bill or a vote from Congress to do so.

So why isn’t he acting on it? He simply needs to sign it.

“Our country’s cannabis policies must be completely overhauled, but you have the power to act now: you can and should issue a blanket pardon for all non-violent federal cannabis offenses, fulfilling your promises to the American people and transforming the lives of tens of thousands of Americans,” wrote the senators in the letter.

“As a candidate for President, you argued that, ‘We should decriminalize marijuana’, and, ‘Everyone with a marijuana record should be let out of jail, their records expunged, be completely zeroed out,’” they continue in the letter. “The first and simplest step in the process is a blanket pardon. The Constitution grants you the authority to pardon broad classes of Americans to correct widespread injustice, as previous presidents have done.”

The sad reality is that the President has taken too little steps to fulfill his campaign pledges since he stepped into the office.

What About Schumer’s Bill?

Last week, a bill by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer was introduced; known as the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act, it would decriminalize marijuana federally while also allowing states to have the liberty of setting their own marijuana laws without worry of federal penalties from the government.

Senators Schumer as well as Ron Wyden and Cory Booker have been working on this bill over a year ago, though it needs to be passed in the senate. The chances of it passing are small at best, though the good news is that having this piece of legislation can influence discussions on legalizing marijuana in the near future. In addition, some parts of the bill may even be adopted by other bills that have a higher likelihood of passing before the year ends.

The bill will also help expunge federal marijuana convictions while creating a fund that law enforcement can use to prevent illegal cannabis grows. Grant programs will be established to help small marijuana business owners who are new to the industry and who come from communities that have been disproportionately affected by the drug laws. Additionally, the bill mandates the Department of Transportation to create a nationwide standard for testing marijuana-related impairment while minimizing marketing of marijuana to minors.

So far, it’s only been Schumer who has been championing the legalization of marijuana in Washington. He has made it clearly a priority in the last 2 years even if marijuana legalization has spread rapidly around the United States and the government isn’t giving it the time it deserves.

Conclusion

Disappointing is an understatement when it comes to describing Biden’s efforts – or lack thereof, to legalize marijuana. We have to wait and see, should the government suddenly prioritize marijuana convictions and legalization within the coming months. Don’t get your hopes up: thanks to the work of senators, the administration will also be held accountable and policed because of their promises during the campaign period.

THE NEW CANNABIS LEGALIZATION ATTEMPT, READ MORE…

3 DEMOCRATS INTRODUCE A CANNABIS LEGALIZATION BILL IN THE SENATE!

After reading the write ups on the new Cannabis Administration Opportunity Act (CAOA) and checking with our DC sources, I wish we could say we are more opportunistic on the passage of the new cannabis legalization bill in the Senate. 

The new 296-page bill mimics the early 163-page flop that Senator Shumer and Booker introduced many months ago. If you don’t remember back that far due to a smoky haze, or care not too, we are talking huge federal taxes, nonsensical amounts of cannabis for personal use, not supporting the Safe Banking Act, and a whole slew of head-scratching marijuana ideas and promises. You can read about it here.

The new bill improves such things as cannabis worker’s rights, a legal standard for driving while impaired, banking access, and a new Federal marijuana license idea for shipping cannabis from state to state.  Yes, that is included so that legal states can ship product to other legal states and non-legal states must allow the cannabis to pass through, but it may not be distributed in those states.

You think wholesale prices and retail prices are hitting a bottom now?  Look out below when mass producing states can ship their excess inventory across the country to heavily regulated states.  Prices will plummet, but the good news is that we will get an efficient market for the legal and non-legal markets.  Just to make it more exciting for law enforcement, the legal THC limit for hemp would also be raised to 0.7% from 0.3%.  How you like them apples, officer?  Now try and test that crop you just pulled me over for in your legal or non-legal state.

Before the industry gets too excited about a the federal cannabis legalization bill actually in the Senate now, not just the House, let’s look at five dire facts. 

One, we will have cannabis legalization when Senator Mitch McConnel says we will have federal legalization.  At the present, he has not endorsed this bill.

Two, do you think the Republicans are going to let the 3 Democrats introduce and pass a very popular bill with the voters in the Republican controlled Senate?  So, the Democrats get to do a victory lap for weed legalization in the Republican’s endzone?  Fat Chance!  Better chance of Rep. Nancy Mace’s bill getting traction with Mitch and his band of 8, then a Democratic lead bill in the Senate.  Let us not forget how Senator McConnel has publicly mocked Democrats for trying to even pass the Safe Banking Act in a variety off add-on measures to current Defense and China-based bills.

Three, this version of the CAOA has a good amount of social justice, economic empowerment, and federal taxes going to communities most effected by the War on Drugs thanks to Senator Booker.  This is a non-starter with most Republicans, the new federal taxes and the social equity parts of the bill, that is.

Think we are being a bunch of curmudgeons on federal legalization, again? Here is Marijuana Moment’s take on the passage of the bill:

While the sponsors have spent months discussing the proposal with offices across the aisle, there’s still a fair amount of skepticism about the prospects of reaching the 60-vote threshold needed to pass the measure through the Senate.

Republican senators are generally expected to oppose a measure to remove cannabis from the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), let alone one that would also impose a federal tax on marijuana sales and contains progressive social equity provisions such as automatic expungements for prior cannabis convictions.

It’s also not guaranteed that all Democratic members of the Senate will support the legislation. Several members have been either non-committal or signaled that they’d oppose it based on the original draft language. Democrats hold a slim majority in the chamber, so any dissent within the caucus could compromise the bill’s chances of passage.

Four, November elections are coming up and Democrats are losing seats.  We are also in a wave of Conservative thinking sweeping America in regard to gun laws, abortion, maybe gay marriage is next, and weed legalization would not be high on the list of things to get done by Conservative Americans in power right now.

Five, President Biden is no fan of drugs, a longstanding “War on Drugs” supporter, and having a family member die of drugs, he is just not a weed guy.  While pledging on the campaign tour to release low level cannabis-offense inmates, 3 years later we are still waiting for that pledge to be fulfilled. His office has said an announcement is coming soon, but he is obviously not making cannabis legalization a priority even though he is a Democrat and his Vice President sponsored one of the cannabis legalization bills.

If the House flips Republican in the Fall, then Rep. Mace’s bill may be the best shot at legalization as she is a Republican in the House and then the Republicans could take full credit for legalizing weed, their way, and get the voter approval ratings.

Time will tell and elections will come and go, but weed will be legalized when Mitch McConnell says so.

MORE ON THE SENATOR SCHUMER LEGALIZATION BILL, READ THIS…

THE FIRST CANNABIS ADMINSTRATION AND OPPORTUNITY ACT FLOPS!

Why 2023 will be the year for growing your own Food and Medicine – Here’s some plants you should consider growing!

While I generally tend to be a very optimistic person, the way things have been going in 2022 has me perplexed.

As of writing this article, it has become blatantly obvious the level of incompetence of our global leadership actually addressing the real issues people have been facing – and rather, quite dogmatically cling to their partisan narratives 

One of the more distressing trends I have seen is the direct assault on food supply for the sake of the “climate”.

Don’t get me wrong, I believe the earth should have legally-binding rights and global societies should always strive towards finding a homeostatic balance between earth and our desires for expansion.

However, the overall “climate narrative” that is being sold to us by Private Jet Setting millionaire-billionaires and special interest groups is NOT for the betterment of the planet.

While this article isn’t about poking holes in the “Climate Disaster Narrative” I simply look at the measures being passed by climate crusaders in countries like Shri Lanka and the Netherlands – and how it is directly impacting everything we hold dear.

All in the name of “saving the planet!”

Rules for Thee, not for Me!

Interestingly though, the mega corporations that are “part of the fold” hardly have to make any significant changes in their operations. We don’t see the wealthy give up their private jets or large mansions, yet the rest of us have to ride-share, reduce out consumption habits, track our carbon, report to the government, etc…otherwise we’re DOOMED!

While it’s true that we – as a society – need to be mindful of our consumption choices, but before we limit nitrogen levels in farmlands, perhaps we could address the fact that we throw out 50% of all of the food that we produce.

Publications like NPR would remind you that “It starts with you!”, shielding corporate interests from ever taking any real responsibility in the practices they fermented in the collective minds of the consumers.

Decades of aggressive and suggestive advertisement, selling of a consumerist dream, promoting the “throw away culture” – only to flip it on the consumers and call them Bioterrorists for doing exactly what they have been engineered to do!

Why don’t Coca Cola and all major soft drink companies invest in mass desalination plants all over the world? Doing this would solve many of humanity’s problems, they have the money – and they are part of the problem in mass consumption of water – upsetting the ecosystem.

In a way, they are ethically obliged to do this small simple act of building facilities to extract unsalted water from the oceans – which according to the Climate Disaster promoters are rising in sea levels. All the more reason to extract it and send it to our waterways, places where people are suffering water shortages.

These are all practical solutions – things that these “Climate Engineers” would never dare talk about. Hell, stopping the proliferation of war would have a far more significant impact in favor of the planet than everyone going vegan – just saying.

Is there Hope?

So far, for every push for totalitarianism, there has been a push back by free-independent thinkers and doers. In the current assault on our global food production, where we are seeing a dramatic increase in costs associated to all the lock downs, wars, and embargos the current global administrations decided were the “best way forward” through the shitshow they engineered over the past few years.

If you have been paying attention, you’d understand that we live as a global society. Shri Lanka is the canary in the coalmine…or the ferret in the Tesla factory…or something like that.

Shri Lanka had too much debt – with 30%+ held by BlackRock – and with strict environmental policies being enforced so they didn’t lose their credit – forced the government to buy out farms, and reduce nitrogen significantly – which led to a food production collapse.

Now with no gas, no food, and everything coming to a dismal standstill – the people rose up against their leadership – and now, there is no law there…it’s pure unorganized chaos. Anarchy driven by need and chaos.

Fortunately, as we saw Truckers stand up against Covid Regulations all over the world, we’re seeing the Farmers of the world unite to stand up against these global measures.

Irrespective of where you sit on the climate debate, you have to acknowledge that “not eating food” will be a bad move for humanity as a whole. This will breed a highly volatile situation, and typically it’s here where dictators and authoritarians promise to “bring order” by ethnically cleansing the opposition.

Don’t believe me?

Read your history!

Which bring us to the true purpose of this article…

What Plants do you need to start growing at your home today in order to survive the coming manufactured food shortages?

I am a firm believer in fractal-societies, where the individual sits at the center of it all and through a principle of interdependence, we sustain each other. Stronger together than apart.

I could go into lengthy details about how to set this up in society, however I’m going to address the issue of food and medicine, and why self-sustainability is the way to ride out the coming storm.

Let’s begin with food:

Grow your Foods

I live in a highly urban area, but I converted my balcony and available spaces to food production. My kitchen has its own herb garden and the lights from the kitchen is more than enough to make it work. You can also grow food from scraps, like carrots, garlic, onion, etc.

According to a few Prepper Sites (the most prepared for a food shortage situation) the best foods to grow at home are;

1. Beans (assorted)

2. Corn

3. Winter Squash

4. Potatoes (can make vodka)

5. Carrots

6. Cabbage

7. Kale

8. Sweet Potatoes

9. Garlic

10. Herbs

All you need is some good soil, pots and you can start growing as soon as possible. It will take you a few months before you see any results, but if you start now, by this time next year you’d probably be able to completely sustain yourself from your garden.

If you’re into meat, etc – you can consider getting chickens that lay eggs daily, and can be another source of protein. Feed them hemp and some of the corn you’re growing and you’ll have awesome tasting chicken readily available. Of course, since you won’t be pumping them full of hormones, they will take longer to fatten up – but in a world where chicken could cost you $15-$20 per pound.

Don’t believe me? Check out this chart about the average cost per boneless chicken in the US…

Perhaps we correct our ways and get things under control…but judging by the past few years…what’s your gut telling you?

Now, if food’s going to get expensive…you can damn well bet that so will medicine, which brings us to our next crop to grow…DRUGS!

Grow Your Medicine

I would see if there’s any crossover between your Medicine and Food production, that way you can reduce space consumption because there is a cost to sustain this configuration of living. However, that cost will be significantly lower than buying from a store.

If you want some more help in “Drug Gardening” – check out this Subreddit

Here’s the plants you’ll want to grow;

1. Cannabis – Cannabis is a versatile crop and a powerful medicine. Apart from being able to consume the leaf and utilize the roots in salves or lotions, cannabis can also provide you with oil, which will help boost the immune system. You can make some RSO at home with no problem and would need to grow about 5-6 plants to sustain you and a few other people. Ideally, you’d want to get cyclical production set up – you’ll want to achieve a process of harvesting and moving the next crop into the vegetation stations. If this is not possible, one large crop to sustain you year round.

   There are plenty of things you can do with cannabis, from smoking it, to drinking it in teas, anti inflammatory creams and lotions, oils, etc. This will keep you healthy and in optimal conditions for weathering any storm.

2. Aloevera – This is something you’ll want if you want to create topicals, but also for food, skin care, cloning plants, creating insecticides and much more.

3. Lavender – Mix it with your cannabis, and you’ll understand why! But also, improves sleep, relieves migraines and pain, relieves indigestion, relaxing.

4. Poppies – Poppies are abundant, easy to grow, and legal. They are also pretty as hell! Put some color into your garden and plant some poppies. You can make soothing teas to help diminish pains, etc…or do some extraction and make more potent forms of pain relief. Get papaver somniferum for the type of poppy to grow.

5. Kratom – Once more, this can be a powerful narcotic and can help diminish pain significantly. While this can also be addictive, it can be a good alternative for people who want to wean off more harmful opioids.

6. Psilocybin (and other mushrooms) – While psilocybin can be used to deal with depression, do spiritual journeys, or just to have a fun time. You should also consider getting into growing oyster mushrooms, these are fantastic sources of nutrition.

Collect some rain water while you’re at it…get some fish!

If you have the space, think about collecting rain water (even if they make it illegal) and get an aquaponics set up…this way you can incorporate more protein and use the aquaponics system to fertilize the garden.

But…but…it’s EXPENSIVE!

This is true, everything that I have described here won’t be cheap. It will cost time and money and will only give you returns after months.

You’ve got a couple of options here;

1. Do it in phases – figure out what is most essential and start there. You don’t have to grow it all at once. Just begin setting up your areas, grow as you can and work towards your main goal of completely self sustainability.

2. Upcycle shit! – if you’re creative, you can find a lot of stuff for free. You just have to go out into the world and find some garbage and repurpose it. Using things like Craig’s list, or Marketplace or any community service program – you can find a whole lot of tools, containers, etc. Old Mini-Fridges can grow 2-3 cannabis plants easily.

3. Work in community – as I mentioned, I’m a big fan of “interdependence” – where people come together for the common good. In this case, if you can start talking to neighbors or even friends and share the workload, you all can invest into particular activities and share your results with the group. In fact, this strategy can work exceptionally well if you organize an entire street or cul-de-sac, sharing crop loads and coming together to exchange goods as needed.

Is any of this possible?

Yes – you just need to get organized, stop thinking you can’t and get started. It’s not easy getting people on the same frequency, but bit by bit – your results will inspire others.  If you help them on their journey, you can build intermodal communities where everyone supports each other while food production is reduced all over the world.

In fact, prior to the 1950s, most people grew their food at home. It wasn’t until the introduction of the Super Market that people abandoned their home gardening for the comfort of depending on corporations. Now however, the corporations are blaming you for all environmental sins and instead wants to alter your diet to suit their needs.

There’s a reason Bill Gates is buying farmland, why the Dutch government wants to shut down farms, etc…but our ace up our sleeve is that technology has made it incredibly simple to grow at home again…so maybe, if you start today – you can ride out this wave like the champ you are.

I hope that this article inspired some of you to start unplugging from the system, to become the Renegades of Freedom for a society where we all watch out for each other.

THE END IS NEAR, READ MORE…

HOW TO STORE SEEDS FOR THE COMING ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE!

New Poll Shows Australians Support Cannabis More Than Tobacco For The First Time In History

Attitudes around marijuana are changing all around the globe, which is fantastic news for people everywhere.

Now, even Down Under, more Australians are supporting cannabis compared to tobacco for the first time ever in history. The Australian government has made drug law reforms so that there is significantly less stigma around the drug, enabling more people to access the medicine that they need.

The results of a 2019 survey have just been released by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, asking 20,000 people over the age of 14 about their opinion on drug. They found that 20% of participants said they support cannabis use, a five-percent increase more compared to those who support tobacco – a record-breaking change.  Additionally, support for marijuana legalization increased 16% from 2010 while 41% supported legalization, and 37% were opposed to it.

Around 4 in 5 respondents said that they wouldn’t use cannabis even if it was legalized but the ratio of people who would use cannabis if it was legal jumped from 5.3% in 2010 up to 9.5% in 2019.

The data also revealed the support for marijuana legalization was highest among the major cities in Australia including Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane. The highest ratio of support was found in Canberra, where 66% of respondents favored legalization, not surprising given the liberal approach the Australian Capital Territory is known for when it comes to marijuana policy.

Similar findings were revealed in a survey whose results were published on December 2021. Researchers in Australia assessed the results of the National Drug Strategy Household Survey, which takes place every 2-3 years. The last one, also conducted in 2019, found that support for marijuana legalization down under was at 41.1% in 2019, a large improvement from 25.5% back in 2013.

According to Don Weatherburn, a professor at the University of New South Wales’ National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, the increase in support can be attributed to the rise in marijuana consumption. “It’s gradually become more prevalent, probably because the law has become less draconian,” he disclosed to The Guardian. “Most states now have some form of cannabis cautioning scheme, which makes the drug somewhat less stigmatized than it had been back in the 80s and 90s,” he said.
 

“It’s also partly true that the people who first tried cannabis are now in positions of authority in and around government and major institutions,” he says.

Cannabis In Australia Today

Australia legalized medical marijuana at the federal level back in 2016. Since then, the cannabis industry as well as its culture has evolved and grown significantly. According to Prohibition Partners, the legal marijuana market in Oceania is seen to reach US $1.55 billion come 2024.

Recreational use is still a pipe dream, and the medical industry is strictly regulated. Despite this, the public continue to embrace the use of marijuana which is wonderful for breaking down the stigma. However, accessibility varies based on the states and territories as each gets to set their own rules, much like how state governments in the USA determine the legality and other rules surrounding accessibility for medical marijuana use, if any.

Getting access to medical marijuana in Australia is no easy feat, though: patients have to follow a complex set of steps to get prescriptions or legally access them, while doctors who want to write prescriptions for it have to make an application in order to do so. Patients who have one of several conditions can apply for MMJ prescriptions from their doctor, including those with pediatric or adult epilepsy, chronic pain, multiple sclerosis, and chemotherapy-induced nausea or vomiting. In addition, patients in palliative care may also apply though it’s a case to case basis.

Legal MMJ will fall under either approved or unapproved categories at the moment in Australia. Despite this, patients can access both types through a licensed medical practitioner. The approved MMJ products have already been registered by the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods, assessed for its safety, quality, and effectiveness. As of the time of writing, only 2 MMJ products have been approved in Australia: nabiximols, also known as Sativex, which contains a proprietary blend of CBD and THC for treating spasticity in patients with Multiple Sclerosis. The other is CBD under the Epidiolex brand, a laboratory-made CBD preparation which is used for treating epilepsy.

Patients who want to access the unapproved MMJ products have to go through the Special Access Scheme (SAS) or Authorised Prescriber Scheme (APS). In addition, there are other products available that can be consumed in a range of consumption methods such as vaporization, liquid capsules, oils, sprays, and topicals. But the Therapeutic Goods Administration still doesn’t approve smoking marijuana.

Some cannabis products can be obtained through certain pathways that enable patients to get a hold of marijuana from Europe or Canada. These may include raw flower for vaporization, sprays, liquids, and oils.

Conclusion

Over the past few years, Australia has seen growing support for marijuana legalization across all territories and states. It is wonderful that the government has stepped forward to decriminalize it while treating marijuana use as a health problem instead of one that is criminal. However, more reform is needed to make it more accessible to the public but while interest is growing, change is expected to be slower than most would hope.

AUSTRALIA ON WEED, READ MORE…

HOW AUSTRALIA PLANS TO LEAD THE WORLD IN MEDICAL MARIJUANA EXPORTS!

OR..

FIRST AUSTRALIAN TERRITORY LEGALIZES REC MARIJUANA!

For many that are new to the cannabis industry, you might have heard the word “mid” being used repeatedly while trying to buy weed. Now I know that we all want to act like we are in tune with every lingua in the cannabis industry, but it’s okay if you’re not. All you need is the right info and you’re good to go. So, if you have been asking yourself “What are mids?”, then look no further. This article will tell you all you need to know about mids as well as the pros and cons.

Cannabis Quality Spectrum

Before we delve into what mids are, you must understand what is known as the cannabis quality spectrum. This is simply the classification of cannabis based on its quality and many cannaseurs are known to use the classification that recognizes mids. Under this classification, cannabis flowers are graded into 4; Regs, Mids, Beasters, and Headies. This classification arranges the quality of the weed from the least to the best. This means that regs are the least in terms of quality and headies are the best.

Another explanation of the cannabis quality spectrum has the marijuana flowers divided into three. This is beneficial as the three categories are low quality, medium quality, and high quality. The high-quality cannabis can further be divided into the low-high quality and high-high quality. However, since our focus is on mids, further explanations will be with respect to both classifications to better aid understanding.

What are mids?

From the earlier explanation, we already know where mids lie in the four categories of grading marijuana flowers. With respect to the three classes, mids can be regarded as the mid-point between low-quality and high-quality cannabis. This classification has brought on different names for this class of marijuana flowers over the years. This includes middle, middle shelf, the thirties, middies, and B+.  All these names point to the same thing but what identifies mids are the flower variables. This includes appearance, flavor, cannabinoid content, effects, and price.

Appearance

You can easily identify mids from its appearance as many U.S. cannabis readily falls into this category. The buds are usually separated and contain few seeds and stems. It is also possible for the buds not to contain seeds at all. Mids have very few trichomes and are very bright with colored pistils and orange hairs.

Flavor

Mids have a normal flavor depending on the characteristic of the strain. They are not as harsh as regs but they aren’t without their deleterious effects. Mids are likely to make you cough and hack repeatedly.

Cannabinoid content

You guessed right by thinking that mids will have a higher cannabinoid content than regs. This means they are more likely to give better recreational and medicinal effects compared to regs. That’s just about where it ends though as beasters and headies have better cannabinoid content than mids.

Price

The cost of mids has been more regulated now that there are legal markets in different states. Nonetheless, prices vary depending on existing conditions in different states. However, mids are less expensive when compared to beasters and headies.

Pros and Cons of Moderately Good Weed

Price

One of the good things about mids which has caught the fancy of many is that it is very cheap. This means that you won’t necessarily have to break the bank whenever you want to procure your weed. This is probably why it is still a fan favorite of many, especially at such a time of increased inflation.

Color

As explained earlier, mids are properly endowed with colored pistils and orange hairs. This makes them very attractive and pleasing to the eye which then stimulates purchase. Though mids are not nearly as bright as headies, they are also so as dull as regs.

High

The type of high experienced from smoking mid-quality weed depends on the smoking experience. Veteran tokers love mids because they are bound to get their desired high easily. Others with a reduced level of experience range from feeling blasted to blazed before experiencing the desired high.

Cons

Appearance

While the color of mids gives it a big edge over regs, its appearance is still a major issue. The majority of the bud still appears brown and green despite the orange hairs and many be compressed. Mids can also contain seeds that have unpleasant harsh effects on the smoking experience. If not procured from the right source, some mids are known to be moldy. While the whole plant matter might not be engulfed in fungus, breaking it apart can show signs of fungus. If you see signs of mold in your cannabis, it’s best not to consume it for health reasons.

Comparison with other qualities of weed

Regs are at the bottom of the scale so you know what to expect to a certain degree. They are usually packaged in bricks with visible stems and seeds. They are mostly brown in color and harsh in terms of flavor which causes throat burn. They give a mellow high and promote sleep though stomach upset and respiratory issues are common side effects.

Beasters are very attractive with orange and purple hairs, trichome crystals, and an absence of stems. It has a smooth and delicious flavor depending on strain which aids the smoking experience. Beaters give a good high depending on the THC concentration of the strain. They are however more expensive than mids so get ready to spend the dollars.

Headies are what you call top-shelf material. It has no stems and seeds with a full covering of orange, purple, and green hairs as well as trichome crystals. It has a perfect flavor with no hint of harshness and high cannabinoid concentration. This makes it quite expensive but you will get your money’s worth.

Bottom line

Mids are not the perfect class of cannabis flowers but it has its perks. Depending on what you have and what you want, you can go for the best category that applies to you but mids are fairly alright.

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