Browsing Cannabis Classroom

What is Kief? When a cannabis plant reaches maturity, trichomes holding a majority of the cannabinoids are formed on its leaves and buds. The accumulation of these trichomes (or resin glands) creates a fine, powdery substance referred to as kief (also written as keef or kif). “On average, kief tends to measure between 75 and 125 microns…” Kief on its own is more potent than traditional flower, but less potent than most extracted concentrates like shatter, budder, wax, and oil. The quality of the kief you are collecting will depend directly on the quality of the plant …

Results of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial published in The Journal of Pain in July 2015 provide supportive evidence that inhaled, aerosolized cannabis may be effective for reducing pain experienced by patients with diabetes experiencing neuropathic pain. In separate testing sessions, 16 human participants were administered a placebo (i.e. inactive agent) and 3 different THC doses (low/1%, medium/4%, high/7%). “This adds preliminary evidence to support further research on the efficacy of the cannabinoids in neuropathic pain.” At each increasing dose, there was a more significant reduction in spontaneous pain (i.e. the response was “dose-dependent”). Further more, …

A systematic review/meta-analysis published in JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association) in June 2015 evaluated the efficacy of cannabinoids in the treatment of various symptoms, diseases, and disorders. Results of the Review Using 28 databases to find and analyze 79 different trials with a total of 6,462 participants, the authors conducted the review on the use of cannabinoids for the following signs, symptoms, diseases/disorders: nausea and vomiting due to chemotherapy appetite stimulation in HIV/AIDS chronic pain spasticity due to multiple sclerosis or paraplegia depression anxiety disorder sleep disorder psychosis glaucoma Tourette syndrome They found: …

Do The Words “Drug Test” Give You a Panic Attack? Many different methods exist for testing for drugs, but most employers, insurance companies, government agencies, etc., will ask for a urine test, as this is the industry standard for workplace drug testing and the only method approved for federally mandated drug tests. What Are They Looking For During A Drug Test? Delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), a cannabinoid found in cannabis, is psychoactive and credited for creating euphoric and psychoactive effects. Your urine is used to test for the amount of just …

Most medical marijuana patients are familiar with different options for ingesting cannabis, such as eating cannabis-infused edibles or smoking the dried plant flowers and leaves. However, many people do not realize that they can also consume cannabis in the form of marijuana-infused tea. For numerous patients, drinking this easily-prepared therapeutic tea offers a convenient and potentially healthier alternative to other methods of consumption. Benefits and Uses of Infusing Tea With Cannabis Today, marijuana-infused tea is a popular choice for people who wish to avoid the health risks associated with smoking any substance. This approach may be especially beneficial for …

Atopic diseases, or those that cause an individual to experience immediate allergic reactions (asthma being one of the more common), affect about 20 percent of the population in developed countries. Researchers looking for a way to combat the longtime public health concern conducted a series of tests involving the use of cannabidiol (CBD). Although the research used rats as subjects the results are nonetheless encouraging. Early research suggests that CBD is an effective treatment for minimizing the inflammation experienced by asthma sufferers. The Study With the approval …

In our previous installment, we provided a brief overview of the preclinical research implicating the role that the endocannabinoid system (ECS) plays in the progression of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), preclinical research supporting targeting the ECS to treat ASD, and provided a number of preclinical studies indicating the potential value of phytocannabinoids in treating symptoms and diseases associated with ASD. Here we’ll examine the shortcomings of current research, explore possible adverse effects of cannabinoid treatments, discuss the types of autism that may currently warrant cannabinoid treatments, and illustrate how a family might systematically approach a cannabinoid treatment for …

In part one of this series the preclinical scientific evidence illustrating the involvement of the endocannabinoid system (ECS) in the physiological progression of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) was provided. Here we’ll highlight some of the pharmacological characteristics that phytocannabinoids share with endocannabinoids, the use of phytocannabinoids in the treatment of symptoms and diseases associated with ASD, and why having access to a variety of cannabis chemotypes will always be preferable to a select cannabinoid and/or ratio. The anecdotal reports of successful cannabinoid therapies seem to be supported by the fact that phytocannabinoids from cannabis, and other natural sources, …

The importance of the discovery of the role that the endocannabinoid system (ECS) plays in human health and disease cannot be understated. Cannabinoid receptors are the most highly expressed of any G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) in the body. They’re the only ones to play a direct role in virtually every aspect of the human body (CNS and immune systems, throughout the periphery, presynaptic, and postsynaptic).[1] It’s no wonder that anecdotal reports of cannabis treatments indicate effectiveness in such a wide array of conditions. The growing body of scientific research …

A “side effect” is a secondary, unintended effect. The side effects of pharmaceutical drugs are notoriously scary, and often enough, fatal. Most anti-depressants, for example, come with the warning that, suicidal thoughts may be experienced, especially in the youth. Other common side effects of antidepressants include: nausea increased appetite and weight gain loss of sexual desire and other sexual problems, such as erectile dysfunction and decreased orgasm fatigue and drowsiness insomnia dry mouth blurred vision constipation dizziness agitation irritability anxiety It is distressing to me that “one in five adult Americans takes some kind …