5 Canna-Commitments to Jump-Start Your New Year
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If you’re reading this, you’re probably thinking: Oh no, not another “New Year, New You” list of resolutions. So often the start of a new year is a thinly veiled ploy to get you to buy into a product, a membership or a whole new lifestyle.
At Nugg we believe people can grow, just like our favorite plant, but they’re unlikely to make radical shifts all at once.
Similarly to how cannabinoids work to soothe your body’s nervous system over time, the “new you” will likely also take time to be nurtured and developed into the biggest, most dank nug – I mean person – you can be.
With this “slow down to speed up” philosophy in mind, here are five New Year’s canna-commitments to consider.
What would you add to this list? Tell us in the comments below!
Canna-commitments you'll learn about:
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1. Support Black and Brown-Owned Cannabusinesses
In what’s hailed as perhaps the biggest year for cannabis ever, people often forget to read the fine print of history playing out today.
Did you know that in the mid-1930s, joints were called “jazz cigarettes?” It’s true. And cannabis was linked to ground-breaking musicians like Louie Armstrong, whose music was deemed “satanic” by the Federal Bureau of Narcotics.
Ever since cannabis was outlawed in 1937, people of color have been targeted by racially-biased drug laws. This is still the case in the criminal justice system. It’s why we consumers need to continually push lawmakers to expunge records and roll back sentences, especially in states where recreational cannabis has been legalized.
We also need to pay attention to the fact 81% percent of new cannabis businesses are owned and operated by whites, while just 4% are black-owned.
There are city-level equity programs which allegedly help people of color obtain priority business licenses. And yet, even in places covered in a cloud of lemon haze like Oakland, obtaining a license doesn’t always translate into production and revenue due to faulty implementation structures.
In light of the “Permit Patty” episode of 2018, consumers can do their part to look into a company’s background before purchasing. Here are a few ways to learn more about and support leaders in the equity in cannabis movement:
- Follow cannabis influencers on social media like Women Grow’s founder Jazmin Hupp and writer and cannabis entrepreneur Mennlay Golokeh Aggrey
- Listen to the “potcast,” “High, Good People”
- Read Broccoli Magazine
- Subscribe to Maria & Jane’s weekly newsletter for cannabis round-ups for and by women (of color!)
Power Ballad: Can You Get To That by Funkadelic
Edibles for Equity: Whoopi & Maya
2. Cultivate Beginner’s Mind
Some of you are old hands at cannabis. You can roll a joint with your eyes closed, know the optimal vaping temperature, and make homemade edible treats and tincture drinks. But that doesn’t mean you can’t go back to square one.
Beginner’s Mind is a useful idea that comes from traditional Zen Buddhism. This philosophy encourages “an attitude of openness, eagerness, and lack of preconceptions when studying a subject, even when studying at an advanced level, just as a beginner would.” (According to Google, so consider this a very rudimentary definition.)
How can you approach your cannabis consumption with a “don’t know” mind in 2019, regardless of expertise? What can you experiment with, as the wise ones say, to deepen your practice? If you’re new to cannabis, where do you start and, more importantly, how can you do so with no preconceptions? Jump in and find out!
Power Ballad: Light It Up by Major Lazer, Nyla, Fuse ODG
Contemplative Flower Strains: Blue Dream, Granddaddy Purple, and Northern Lights
3. Look Out for “Minor” Cannabinoids
Never heard of THCa, CBN or CBG? These dudes are VIPs and will make some power moves in 2019.
Ask budtenders if they know which products are labeled with the full cannabinoid breakdown. Companies worth their salt are providing it, along with other detailed info, on their offerings.
Don’t worry about sounding picky; more research shows that even small percentages of these compounds can have a profound impact on conditions like insomnia, inflammation and neurological disorders. Minor is a bit of a misnomer; these cannabinoids are essential in creating the “entourage effect” that washes your system with plant-based healing.
Power Ballad: Girl Blunt by Leikeli47
Full Spectrum Cartridges: Level, TreeBase Klear
4. Not So Scary Edibles
Edibles actually took a bit of a hit in 2018 for several reasons. Most notably, safety was an issue due to pesticides and mold.
At Nugg, we make sure to review our products based on rigorous quality standards. If a product doesn’t deliver after repeated use, you’ll know. Even if you don’t order from us, find a budtender you trust for recommendations and/or a reputable company with stringent, triple-testing standards.
Power Ballad: Échame La Culpa by Luis Fonsi and Demi Lovato
Safety First, Then Teamwork Microdose: The Venice Cookie Company’s Savory Pretzels (3mg THC per pretzel!)
5. Get Active with Cannabis
Remember, sativa isn’t just good for socializing – it’ll also get your butt up and in gear. As we start the new year, it can mean committing to being more active, even if that’s just breathing deeply. Then, as always, indica and/or CBD will help soothe exercise-induced aches and pains, and also help you fall asleep so you can do it over again.
Power Ballad: Where Them $@ by Dreezy
Step To This Triple Threat: Cartridge: Jetty Extracts Super Lemon Haze 0.5g; Flower: Durban Poison; Edible: The Farmaceuticals Do Drops.
These are just a few ideas to help you make the most of 2019 and feel good about your purchase decisions while nurturing your body.
If you’re looking for specific product recommendations, chat live with Nugg’s Cannabis Concierge. Our experts are standing by to help you find exactly what you need – make this year the best one yet.
What Are Cannabinoids & How Do They Affect Your Cannabis Use?
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Imagine, for minute, that you’re a patient with a life-threatening form of epilepsy. Every day a series of electrical storms originating in your brain render your daily existence a living hell. Anticonvulsant medication, radical diets, and invasive procedures provide marginal relief, but they leave you feeling like a zombie. In the end, no matter what the conventional treatment, the seizures always return.
Incredibly, medical marijuana, the same drug your parents used to smoke before rock concerts, seems to zap your seizures before they zing you. You can thank compounds called cannabinoids for that, but what are they? It seems too good to be true, but respected physicians and accredited researchers agree—cannabis can stop a grand mal seizure in its tracks.
Scientists aren’t exactly sure how pot alleviates convulsions, but they believe one particular cannabinoid, called CBD, helps to calm excessive electrochemical activity, which is responsible for epileptic seizures. Epilepsy is just one condition that pot seems to offer dramatic forms of relief. Muscle spasms, depression, PTSD, and arthritis are distinct conditions, but marijuana can counteract each of them and many others.
What accounts for pot’s seemingly miraculous versatility? More specifically, how can it boost serotonin levels in depressed patients and dampen pain signals in arthritis victims, yet calm the nerves of war vets suffering from PTSD?
The answer lies in the literally hundreds of beneficial compounds found in marijuana. These include THC, CBD, and other cannabinoids that bind to specific receptors in the body. In fact, marijuana is something of an alphabet soup of substances that can address specific deficiencies and imbalances in the body’s neurochemistry. The more you study how cannabis interacts with the body, the more you realize that this plant seems tailor-made to promote homeostasis and wellness.
Let’s take a look at cannabinoids in action and how they can promote optimum health.
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The Endocannabinoid System
Homeostasis is probably the most important concept when it comes to health. In everyday language, it refers to the way the body aims to maintain its balance by regulating itself. To do this, a network of hormonal signaling called the endocannabinoid system regulates bodily processes that involve pain signaling, cellular repair, and the like.
Endocannabinoids are chemical messengers that the human body produces naturally; they bind to receptors in the brain, the nervous system, and cells throughout the body. Essentially, endocannabinoids are like the “keys” that either trigger or “unlock” receptors in the endocannabinoid system.
A quick glance at how this system works can not only help explain how disease arises, but also how medical marijuana can promote health.
Let’s imagine that you stubbed your toe while exercising. Inflammation causes damaged tissue, resulting in pain signals being sent to your brain. Maybe you even let out a curse word under your breath (or perhaps not so subtly); depending on the severity of the injury, you know it’s only a matter of time before you’ve completely forgotten your little mishap.
Ultimately, endocannabinoid signalling is what causes the body to adjust to changing internal or external conditions. As with your stubbed toe, the endocannabinoid signals will instigate a chain reaction of cellular processes aimed at stabilizing the damage and repairing it.
The endocannabinoid system, of course, is far more complex that our simple example suggests.
In fact, it’s instrumental in regulating not just pain signaling, but also psychological mood, immune function, and many other bodily processes central to our health and well-being. So much so that many scientists now believe the impairment of the endocannabinoid system may be the root cause of fibromyalgia, MS, arthritis, depressive disorder, and a host of other diseases.
Cannabinoids Make Marijuana a Wonder Drug?
“Cannabis is the single most versatile herbal remedy, and the most useful plant on Earth. No other single plant contains as wide a range of medically active herbal constituents.”
–Dr. Ethan Russo
Medical marijuana is loaded with literally hundreds of compounds called phytocannabinoids, which is just a fancy way of saying cannabinoids derived from a plant source. Essentially, the cannabinoids in marijuana either mimic or counteract the endocannabinoids our body naturally produces.
As mentioned, some researchers have proposed that impairments or defects in the body’s endocannabinoid system may be responsible for many common illnesses. They’ve labeled this proposed spectrum disorder Clinical Endocannabinoid Deficiency (CECD).
Unfortunately, federal restriction on cannabis research has greatly hampered the studies that would shed light on this topic. Nevertheless, anecdotal reports and many clinical studies indicate that numerous health conditions respond well to cannabinoid-based medicines.
Presently, scientists believe there are three main types of cannabinoid receptors in the body:
- CB1-R: These are the receptors that THC, the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana, bind to. Health experts believe that when THC binds to the CB1-R receptors the result is a dampening of neuropathic pain, muscle spasticity, nausea, and seizures.
- CB2-R: These are the receptors that other cannabinoids, like CBD, bind to; they’re thought to govern immune function and anti-inflammatory response. Emerging evidence suggests that cannabinoids in marijuana work via these receptors to counteract inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.
- TRPV1: These receptors are involved in the detection and regulation of temperature. Less is known about this type, but researchers believe cannabinoids targeting these receptors may dampen neuropathic pain signaling.
Research on medical marijuana and its impact on the body’s endocannabinoid system is still in its infancy. However, the clinical studies conducted so far suggest that cannabis-based therapies hold tremendous promise for treating conditions that stem from deficiencies in the body’s endocannabinoid system.
Dr. Dustin Sulak, an osteopathic physician, explains why cannabis works so well with our body’s endocannabinoid system:
“Research has shown that small doses of cannabinoids from cannabis can signal the body to make more endocannabinoids and build more cannabinoid receptors. This is why many first-time cannabis users don’t feel an effect, but by their second or third time using the herb they have built more cannabinoid receptors and are ready to respond. More receptors increase a person’s sensitivity to cannabinoids; smaller doses have larger effects, and the individual has an enhanced baseline of endocannabinoid activity. I believe that small, regular doses of cannabis might act as a tonic to our most central physiologic healing system.”
Marijuana’s Versatility as Medicine
Recently, a landmark report conducted by the National Academy of Science, Engineering, and Medicine concluded that marijuana is undeniably effective in treating pain, nausea, and muscle spasticity.
The authors of the study urgently called for lawmakers to lift federal restrictions that prevent large-scale clinical studies from investigating marijuana’s potential as medicine.
The potential health benefits of cannabinoids in marijuana—specifically their ability to remedy deficiencies in the body’s endocannabinoid system—are too promising to ignore. Indeed, investigators have identified a range of individual cannabinoids and the conditions they’re very helpful in treating.
Here’s a list of some of the better known cannabinoids:
- CBD: A powerful anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor agent.
- THC: Known to help reduce pain, nausea, and seizures.
- THCA: A highly effective anti-spasmodic.
- CBDA: Known for its antimicrobial benefits.
- CBC: Thought to have neurogenic and antidepressant effects.
- CBDV: Has shown promise in the treatment of epilepsy.
- THCV: Believed to help reduce anxiety and panic attacks.
- CBG: Evidence suggests it can promote bone growth and inhibit cancer cells.
- CBN: Is believed to promote a sedative effect.
Individual cannabinoids hold great promise in helping researchers develop targeted therapies, though many experts believe whole-plant therapies may represent the best approach since individual cannabinoids seem to have a synergistic effect on one another. Essentially, they’re more effective collectively than isolated.
Scientists call this phenomena the “entourage effect,” referring to the fact that the whole plant is more than the just the sum of its parts.
In all probability, the future of medical marijuana will entail specific strains that contain the appropriate ratio (or combination) of cannabinoids suited to particular endocannabinoid deficiencies.
Cannabinoid Facts
- There are at least 60 molecules in marijuana classified as cannabinoids.
- THC has a neuroprotective effect and may promote the growth of new neurons.
- THC in mainly responsible for weed’s psychoactive properties, but CBN and CBDL also have mind-altering effects.
- CBD is not psychoactive, but it’s attracting great interest among the medical community for its health benefits.
- CBD reduces the intoxicating effects of THC.
- CBD and THC interact with the body through different neural pathways, but they have many similar medical benefits.
Conclusion
There’s an amazing correspondence between the phytocannabinoids in marijuana and the body’s endocannabinoid system. The notion that compounds in cannabis can alleviate epileptic seizures, dampen pain signals, stimulate appetite, improve creativity, lessen anxiety, and boost mood is truly amazing when you think about it.
The body’s endocannabinoid system is so central to our well-being and medical marijuana is so exceptionally abundant in compounds that appear to both modulate and remedy its function.
For years, aspirin—which is made from willow bark—has been hailed as a “wonder drug.” But given medical marijuana’s unmatched versatility and effectiveness, it may deserve that term even more. Perhaps “miracle drug” is more like it.
Mary’s Medicinals Review: Transdermal Patch, CBD Capsules & More
13 CommentsThis post explores and reviews one of the most revolutionary product-manufacturers in cannabis — Mary’s Medicinals, a company that has pioneered a new form of cannabis consumption.
As you’re probably aware, there are almost as many ways to ingest medical cannabis as there are reasons for ingesting it. But you may not realize there are new cannabis products you put ON your body instead of IN your body, and these delivery methods are making the whole industry take notice.
What you'll learn in this post:
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About Mary’s Medicinals
Starting in 2013, Colorado-based Mary’s Medicinals, a company dedicated to advancing medical marijuana technology, began distributing transdermal patches and topical gel pens that are carefully dosed, beautifully packaged, and highly effective. Today, the entire line of Mary’s Medicinals cannabis products are finally available wherever marijuana is sold legally. Thanks to great cannabis delivery services like Nugg, your THC-infused patch is just a few taps or clicks away!
The best part about Mary’s revolutionary new way to administer marijuana is the head-spinning array of choices. If we’re just talking about transdermal patches (don’t worry, I’ll get to the other exciting products shortly), you can get the 2 “x2” medicated patch in the following varieties: 10mg of CBD , CBN , THC or CBD/THC; and 20mg of indica or sativa.
We put Mary’s new medicated patches to the test below, but first we’ll look at the history of the patch itself. After all, transdermal patches are nothing new. You probably know of nicotine patches used for smoking cessation, but did you realize that transdermal patches have been around since 1979, when the FDA first approved them for administering the drug scopolamine to combat motion sickness? Since then, the patch has delivered everything from birth control to vitamin B12.
In many ways, a medicated adhesive patch is the ideal way to ingest cannabis. Most importantly, it releases the cannabinoids in a constant, controlled manner. This time-release property is a perfect complement to the medicine’s analgesic effects, and it may be the most convenient way to take your medication ever – stick one and done.
Do Mary’s Medicinals Transdermal Patches Work?
In a word, yes. You will start feeling the effects about 25 minutes after you slap it on. The effects are quite subtle at first, but also very enduring – not 8 to 10 hours like Mary’s website claims, but a solid 4 to 6 hours of extended relief. The THC “high” is as potent as a double-dose cannabutter edible, but lasts longer, and the CBD pain-relieving properties are out of this world.
Mary’s most popular cannabis patches, and the only ones we tested, were the 10 mg. CBD/THC combination patches with a 1:1 ratio, and the 20 mg. THC Sativa patches. They cost about $10 apiece, less in multipacks. The most remarkable effect noticed by everyone in our diverse sample, is the analgesic effect of transdermal CBD on old, forgotten aches and pains you’ve simply accepted and learned to live with. Several of our test patients, who suffer from different ailments helped by cannabis, were surprised to experience an absence of discomfort in joints and muscles that were normally a problem, including this writer!
Both a nagging ache in my shoulder, and a lifelong knee pain simply disappeared. I had suffered for years, and gotten used to the soreness, so it was a pleasant surprise to get some relief I didn’t bargain for. These effects wear off about 4 or 5 hours after applying the patch, but you can then light up a bowl and keep the medicine flowing. Seriously, a joint or a vape pen hit are exquisite after your patch starts to wear off. The 20 mg. THC patch was designed primarily for recreational users, and it will keep you comfortably medicated for half the day. Our test of the Sativa patch proved to be the perfect focus for daytime use, more of a natural pick-me-up – Mary’s non-drowsy formula, if you will.
As expected, a few of our patients inquired about using multiple patches at the same time. According to Mary’s Medicinals’ Chief Scientist Noel Palmer, multiple patches can be applied, including mixing and matching the different types. In fact, Palmer recommends two patches for regular cannabis users or large body types. You can’t O.D. on cannabis, but applying more than two patches is downright wasteful, not to mention expensive. If you prefer uninterrupted low-dosage relief, says Palmer, feel free to cut each patch into four pieces, and apply one quarter at a time.
The patch should be applied anywhere on your body where you see veins below the skin – wrists, ankles, or the top of your foot. They are not any more uncomfortable to remove than a Band-Aid, but if that thought makes you queasy, soak the patch in warm water before removing. Remove any residual adhesive with rubbing alcohol.
Mary’s Medicinals New Products
While this proprietary line of medicinal patches is spreading quickly through the cannabis community, and putting Mary’s Medicinals on the map, the company has a number of equally revolutionary products on the market.
- Transdermal Gel Pen – The Transdermal Pen is like the patch, except you squeeze out 2 mg of either CBD, CBN, THC Sativa or THC Indica gel, which is rubbed into the skin to ease soreness and relieve pain.
- Transdermal Topical Compound – an all-natural analgesic cream containing 100 mg of active cannabinoids, including CBN and THC, which is reported to be the balm-dot-com for stiff muscles and inflammation.
- Cannabinoid Green & Protein Powder Mixes – Mary’s has found a method of encapsulating fresh plant material that retains the nutritional value and active cannabinoids, available in powder form mixed with either whey powder or greens. Maybe the perfect product for those who love combining cannabis with their exercise and workout routines?
- Elite CBD Muscle Freeze – This is Mary’s newest product, a combination of CBD and natural plant extracts for a soothing and cooling cream that eases sore muscles and provides a warm glow you’ll never get with Ben-Gay.
- CBD/CBN Capsules – Mary’s capsules are 100 percent plant-based, vegan, GMO-free, gluten-free and contain no additives or organic volatile impurities. Each container contains 30 5mg. CBD/CBN capsules that are 100% non-psychoactive, meaning they’re intended strictly for medical use and their pain relieving properties.
We did not try the gel pen (or other products for that matter, but we will), but noted that it’s a sophisticated instrument for exact dosing and includes a child-safety feature. Simply rotate the top portion of the pen clockwise to unlock the child safety mechanism, and back the other direction to lock it after dispensing. To dispense, push down on the top of the pen – the tip will dispense 2mg of gel per click – rub this into a veinous area such as your wrist.
If you’re at all curious about exploring these products in more-depth, you should definitely check out the Mary’s Medicinals website, where you can see how the founders are dedicated to natural pain-killing techniques and cutting-edge cannabis medicine. Their slogan, “For us, it’s simply black and white” is reflected in their simple philosophy and in their elegant, old-timey black and white web pages that hark back to 100 years ago.
And if you’re looking to buy any of Mary’s Medicinals products, you can do a simple (but powerful) search in Nugg to find which local dispensaries are currently able to deliver these products to you.
How Do Transdermal Products Compare to Other Cannabis Medications?
It’s impossible to compare. While patches and transdermal gels are a godsend for long trips and a perfect way to time-release your medication, you may miss the sensual experience of inhaling a thick cloud of smoke, or of biting into a delicious brownie.
On the plus side, Mary’s products are delivered directly to the bloodstream avoiding first-pass metabolism by the liver and breakdown by stomach acids. This gives their products an effective dosing of approximately 10 fold over anything else on the market, according to the Mary’s Medicinals website anyways. Many of their patches contain THC which is also the primary active ingredient in cannabis. However, smoking cannabis high in THC results in a sudden “high” that wears off quickly, while Mary’s Patch is designed to deliver a slow and consistent long-term medicinal dosage. Their cannabinoid specific products, such as THCa and CBD, are non-psychotropic, so they are much less like smoking.
Their list of ingredients, as displayed on the packaging, includes carefully extracted Cannabis oil, which is cannabinoid- and terpene-enriched. A proprietary carrier compound delivers the active medicine directly to the bloodstream for maximum efficiency and bioavailability. Plus, all of their patches are made with hypoallergenic silicone backer and are latex-free.
However, a guy who claims to have helped develop the transdermal cannabis patch has been trolling (well, it depends how you see it) medical marijuana boards and offers a little shade. He says the Mary’s patch is not all-natural, and that it contains chemicals in both the patch and the adhesive. Furthermore, he reminds us that ALL transdermal patches come with risks.
Remember that our skin is a fairly effective barrier, but it’s not 100% fool-proof. It’s been protecting our innards for hundreds of thousands of years, and it will never let stuff enter your body without a fight. In order for a transdermal job to do its job, it must include an agent that relaxes the skin to let the medication seep into your bloodstream. Unfortunately, in this relaxed state, the area of skin covered by the patch also lets you take in smog and other environmental toxins intravenously.
Sounds scary, we know, but even the skeptical patch developer considers the patch and transdermal gel pen to be safe. Just be sure to clean the area with alcohol only – don’t use soap – and cover the dab of gel concentrate with a chemically-resistant material, like Teflon sheet.
Patient Testimonials
“This works better than any medicine I’ve tried for my fibromyalgia, and it’s also helping my chronic anxiety. It’s pretty incredible” — Ron, 65
CBD & THC have been known to help shrink tumors. I know that’s what happened to me. These patches saved my life.” –Steven, 38
“I’ve been enduring chronic neurogenic pain for many, many years. I tried some of your patches and they really worked. Better than morphine, methadone, anything.” –Kelly, 45
And the Winner Is…
Mary’s Medicinals innovative topical and transdermal products have won many awards, including the Cannabis Business Awards 2014 Invention of the Year and Best New Product at the prestigious High Times Cannabis Cup. We couldn’t agree more – transdermal products with precise dosing and maximum effectiveness are here to stay.
You can decide for yourself, because Mary’s Medicinals products are currently on the shelves of your favorite dispensary. Or you can simply visit Getnugg.com, the GrubHub of medical marijuana delivery services, and have Mary’s convenient patches, creams and powders at your door in about an hour. Nugg delivery is now available in over 60 California cities, and provides online research and thousands of products from local cannabis dispensaries, with 24/7 customer service and no cost to you. Register below for free home delivery.
Transdermal ingestion of cannabinoids may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but in this instant-gratification world of potent concentrates and red-hot dab hits, Mary’s Medicinals’ transdermal marijuana patch is certainly a welcome relief.
