Getting Started with Cannabis

  Taking the Nickel Tour

Cannabis is a multifaceted topic, which is one of the reasons it’s so fascinat ing. You can approach it from many different angles, discussing consump tion (both medical and adult use), law (as it applies to individuals and businesses), the science behind it (in terms of both biology and chemistry), how to buy it without getting ripped off, the various ways to consume it, how it’s made, and even different ways to make money in and from the industry

 In this chapter, we touch on each of these topics and more to provide you with a broad introduction to the fascinating world of cannabis and refer you to other parts and chapters in the book where you can find more in-depth discussions. Think of this chapter as cannabis orientation day and your roadmap to discovering more about cannabis all rolled into one

Exploring the Basics of Marijuana Consumption

 People have been ingesting marijuana in various forms (mostly by smoking it) for more than 5,000 years. The plant has unique chemical properties that make it attractive for use in certain religious and cultural ceremonies, adult recreational activities, and medicinal regimens (to potentially alleviate symptoms of a wide range of medical conditions).

 In this section, we explore some of the potential benefits of cannabis for medical and adult recreational use along with some of the potential drawbacks, so you can begin to develop well-informed opinions and decisions regarding its use.

Considering medical use

Some of the chemical components of cannabis have unique properties that mimic certain chemical messengers found naturally in the body that help to regulate cer tain bodily functions, such as appetite, digestion, and immune function. (See the later section “Knowing What Makes Cannabis So Special” for details.) As a result, two countries and the majority of states in the U.S. have legalized medical mari juana use for certain medical conditions. Qualifying medical conditions vary from one jurisdiction to another but may include the following:

Unfortunately, by classifying marijuana as a Schedule I drug, the U.S. federal gov ernment has declared that it has “no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse.” As a result, and because of the lack of research supporting cannabis’ potential health benefits, we need to be careful about how we approach this topic. We can’t say it cures any disease or illness, that it helps to cure a dis ease or illness, or even that it provides symptomatic relief. All we can say is that it has the potential to alleviate symptoms of certain medical conditions, which means maybe it works and maybe it doesn’t.

 A LACK OF RESEARCH

One of the big factors preventing doctors and veterinarians in many states from recom mending medical marijuana to patients is the lack of research proving or disproving its effectiveness and risks. The lack of research can be traced to several causes, including

Regulatory hassles: Researchers must navigate through complex regulatory barri ers put in place by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), and state regula tory agencies.

 Restricted supply of cannabis for research: NIDA is the only source of cannabis available for research scientists, and until recently, the University of Mississippi had the sole contract to grow it, and the strains it grows have a potency that’s too low for high-quality studies and much lower than current products available in the legal market.

 Funding limitations: Federal funding for cannabis research is primarily allocated to study its possible adverse effects and much less so to study its potential thera peutic effects.

Challenges with dosing and placebos: Study participants may not accept any consumption method other than smoking or vaping, which makes dose control in studies especially difficult. Also difficult is finding a suitable placebo for the control group.

 Research controls: Tremendous variations in cannabinoid content and potency in different strains as well as consumption methods are difficult to control for researchers using current cannabis consumers as subjects

 Although some challenges are outside the scope of government control, the big reasons for lack of research in this area can be traced back to the fact that cannabis is federally illegal in the U.S. This results in a Catch-22, in which the government denies the poten tial health benefits of cannabis while preventing the studies necessary to provide any evidence

The one big exception is at least three clinical studies have shown that low-dose cannabidiol (CBD) is useful in reducing seizures in people who suffer from two rare forms of epilepsy — Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome. Proof for alleviating symptoms related to a host of other medical conditions is restricted to either anecdotal evidence or evidence from limited clinical trials. See the chapters in Part 3 for details about using medical marijuana for yourself and possibly even your pets

Looking into adult recreational use

THC (short for tetrahydrocannabinol) has strong psychoactive properties, meaning it can alter brain function to create changes in perception, mood, consciousness, cognition (thinking and memory), and behavior. Other substances that are psy choactive include caffeine, nicotine, alcohol, ephedrine, cocaine, and a number of pharmaceutical drugs used for treating psychiatric conditions. At low doses, THC tends to create a sense of well-being or euphoria and relaxation, which is largely responsible for making cannabis such an attractive adult recreational drug. At higher doses, it can create anxiety, impaired thinking, and loss of coordination.

 When looking at cannabis as an adult recreational drug, it’s best compared to alco hol, which also produces intoxicating effects and tends to lower anxiety in the short term. Some argue that cannabis is actually safer than alcohol because canna bis isn’t associated with physical addiction and because it may not be as harmful to the body as alcohol. However, cannabis is associated with psychological addic tion, and long term use or overconsumption may be associated with long-term adverse side effects, so it is not totally safe. In addition, because it’s intoxicating, a consumer should never drive or operate machinery when using cannabis.

 Use cannabis only legally and responsibly. Follow the same precautions as you would (should) when consuming alcohol recreationally — use it in moderation, and don’t drive under the influence.

 Knowing What Makes Cannabis So Special

 Mammals, including humans, are equipped with a chemical messenger system called the endocannabinoid system (ECS), which plays a role in regulating appetite, pain, inflammation, immune function, digestion, reproduction, memory, motor learning, stress, and so on. The ECS contains cannabinoid receptors distributed throughout the central and peripheral nervous systems along with endocannabi noids, which serve as chemical messengers to enable communication across the system

 The ECS plays a key role in helping the body maintain homeostasis — healthy equilibrium. When an imbalance occurs, the body engages the ECS to help correct it. Certain endocannabinoids are dispatched, and they lock into designated can nabinoid receptors, fitting into the receptors like keys in a lock. The receptors then engage the nervous system to take action to correct the imbalance. The two main cannabinoid receptors are CB1 and CB2

CB1 receptors are located primarily in the brain and central nervous system and, to a lesser extent, in other tissues. They play a role in regulating appetite and pain and in memory and emotional processing.

 CB2 receptors are located primarily in the peripheral organs, especially cells associated with the immune system. When activated, they work to reduce inflammation. Because many chronic conditions, including pain, are associ ated with inflammation, many of the potential health benefits of cannabis are thought to be linked to the CB2 receptor.

 Cannabis contains phytocannabinoids — a type of exogenous (as opposed to endog enous) cannabinoid — along with terpenes — aromatic chemical compounds com monly found in plants and essential oils made from plants. Here’s a list of the chemical compounds in cannabis most strongly associated with its effects:

 Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the psychoactive chemical compound in cannabis that creates the high. It affects thinking, memory, pleasure, physical movement, concentration, coordination, and sensory and time perception.

 Cannabidiol (CBD) is mostly associated with cannabis’ potential health benefits. CBD is often used by patients seeking relief from pain, inflammation, anxiety, and seizures. It’s not psychoactive, so it won’t make you feel intoxicated. In fact, it may help to counteract the psychoactive properties of THC. CBD can also be extracted from hemp, and in this form, it’s federally legal; hence, hemp-derived CBD products are generally more available across the U.S.

 9-tetrahydrocannabinol acid (THCa) is the precursor to THC that doesn’t have psychoactive properties, so it won’t make you high. When cannabis is heated to above 220 degrees Fahrenheit, THCa is converted into THC through a process called decarboxylation. THCa may help to stimulate appetite, reduce nausea and vomiting, prevent or reduce inflammation, inhibit prostate growth, and slow the progression of certain neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson’s disease.

 Tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCv) is similar to THC and does have some psychoactive properties in high doses, but it has some unique effects that differ from those of THC. It is an appetite suppressant, stimulates bone growth, and may help with diabetes, Alzheimer’s, and panic attacks in PTSD. It needs to be heated higher than THC to about 428°F when vaporizing

Cannabigerol (CBG) is a non-psychoactive cannabinoid. It has analgesic, muscle relaxant, anti-erythemic (reduces redness is skin), antifungal, anti-depressant, anti-proliferative, anti-psoriatic, and anti-bacterial properties. As an antibacterial, it can be a powerful weapon against the methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) virus.

 Cannabinol (CBN) is a mildly psychoactive cannabinoid that comes from the degradation of THC after an extended period of time due to exposure to oxygen and heat. CBN has analgesic, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti insomnia, antiemetic, appetite stimulant, and bone stimulant properties. It’s also effective in treating burns. CBN is only 10 percent as psychoactive as THC, but it can produce a very mild high

Terpenes are aromatic chemical compounds in plants that give them their unique aroma and flavor. They may also work synergistically with cannabi noids and other terpenes to enhance the overall effect of the cannabis — a phenomenon commonly referred to as the “entourage effect.

Recognizing the Diversity of Cannabis Strains

Not all cannabis plants are the same. They vary in structure, cannabinoid and terpene content, and the conditions they require for optimal growth. However, the diversity of strains can all be traced back to one or more of the following strains:

Indica: Indicas are short, bushy plants that reach a maximum height of 10 feet and have rounder leaves (than sativas). They flower relatively quickly and are sensitive to changes in light. Indicas have a higher concentration of CBD-to-THC than sativas, so they produce a more relaxed effect and are more likely to make you drowsy. The high CBD content also makes indicas more attractive for their potential medicinal properties.

Sativa: Sativas are taller and less bushy than indicas and can reach a maxi mum height of about 19 feet. Their leaves are more slender. Sativas tend to have a higher concentration of THC-to-CBD, which tends to create a more active, energetic, and creative high.

Ruderalis: Ruderalis plants are very short and bushy, reaching a maximum height of about two feet. They have a shorter growing season and are auto- f lowering instead of photoperiod plants. While photoperiod plants require about 12 hours of total darkness over several weeks to form buds, auto-flowering plants f lower after a certain amount of time regardless of the amount of light to which they’re exposed. Ruderalis plants aren’t nearly as psychoactive as indicas and sativas, so you’ll rarely see them on product labels, but you will see them on labels when you’re shopping for seeds to plant. A ruderalis is commonly cross-bred with an indica and a sativa (or an existing hybrid) to make the latter plants auto-flowering.

Sativas and indicas are cross-bred to create many of the popular hybrids, such as Blue Dream, Pineapple Express, and Lemon Kush. See Chapter 2 for more about the different strains

Buying Cannabis

Buying cannabis has never been easier or less risky, at least in places where it’s legal. You enter a cannabis dispensary, show your ID to prove you’re of age and show your medical marijuana card (when applicable), and consult with a sales associate (sometimes referred to as a budtender) to find the products that meet your needs and desires. The only big difference from other retail purchases is that when you’re buying cannabis, you usually have to pay cash. Of course, the process is somewhat more involved, which is why we devoted an entire chapter to choos ing and visiting a cannabis dispensary (Chapter 5).

In this section, we bring you up to speed on how to buy cannabis in order to rein force the rationale behind buying legally and steer you clear of common scams.

Knowing where and where not to get it

One of the biggest benefits of marijuana legalization is the accompanying regula tion that’s put in place to protect consumers. When you buy from a legal, reputa ble dispensary or other retailer, you’re benefiting from those protections. Some of the value delivered by the dispensary or retailer is quality assurance. All products are tested and clearly labeled to show the ingredients and potencies along with the levels of any contaminants. You can purchase products with the assurance that you’re getting what you paid for. If you choose to buy from a friend or from a black market seller, which we highly discourage, you increase your exposure to risks, including the following:

Getting robbed or ripped off: A thief may either steal your money outright or sell you a poor quality product that’s not worth the money.

Buying and consuming a potentially dangerous product: You may be sold something other than cannabis, something laced with a dangerous substance, or something that inadvertently contains high levels of pesticides, mold, fungi, solvents, or other harmful contaminants.

Not knowing the potency of the product: Because black market sellers don’t lab test their products and label them, you may have little to no idea how potent it is, what the CBD-to-THC ratio is, or what dose to take.

Supporting crime: By buying on the black market, you’re supporting crime, which increases safety risks not only for you but also for others in your community.

Because the seller plays such a key role in quality assurance, your choice of where to buy may be even more important than your choice of what to buy. Buy from a medi cal marijuana or adult recreational dispensary and not from a black market seller.

Placing an order online or over the phone for pickup or delivery is fine, but only if you’re ordering from a licensed and reputable retailer with whom you’ve already established a relationship. Otherwise, you’re exposing yourself to a significant risk of getting ripped off or passing your credit card information to someone who’ll use it for his personal spending spree

Understanding what you’re buying

Although the sales associate at your chosen cannabis dispensary can be your greatest ally in understanding what you’re buying, you still need to be able to read and understand product labels and, if you’re buying bud/flower, be able to judge its quality by looking at it and smelling it.

The information printed on product labels for flower, edibles, vape oils, tinctures, and other cannabis products is very useful for understanding what you’re buying and for comparison shopping. Product labels are usually required to contain the following details

Universal THC logo: If the product contains more than 0.03% THC, it needs to display the universal THC logo

Cannabinoid content: For bud/flower, the label may indicate the percent ages or ratios of CBD, THC, THCa, and other cannabinoids. In processed products, such as edibles and tinctures, cannabinoid content may be pre sented in milligrams (mg) for the entire package and broken down by serving

Strain(s): The strain(s) of the bud/flower or the plants used to create the product

Organic: If the product is organic, the label usually has some indication of that fact.

Terpene content: Percentages or milligrams of the various terpenes.

Test results: Some indication that the product doesn’t contain harmful levels of pesticides, molds, fungi, solvents, or other contaminants

Expiration, sell-by, or best-used-by date: The date on which the freshness of the product can’t be guaranteed

Additionally, you can usually tell the quality of flower by looking at it and smelling it. It should be colorful, mostly green, and have a pleasantly pungent odor. If it looks brown and dry, smells moldy or like wet hay, or it has little to no aroma, don’t buy it. For additional guidance on buying quality cannabis, check out Chapters 8 and 19

Hemp-derived CBD products are widely available, but they contain no more than 0.03 percent of THC. If you buy a hemp-derived CBD product expecting some sort of high, you’re going to be very disappointed. However, these products should have similar medicinal properties to the CBD in cannabis