Advice

Best Ways To Introduce Someone To Marijuana

Published

7 months ago

November 3, 2023

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If you have a marijuana consumer, you feel pretty good about cannabis. Cheaper than cocktails, better for your body than alcohol, and lower calorie than beer. You can’t help but be a fan and an a friend who is canna-curious. Data shows people have their first experience with weed for a variety of reason – medical, anxiety, the need to sleep or just for fun…but are usually hesitant because they don’t have a good guide or friend to help them. Here are the best ways to introduce someone to marijuana.

If your first time was a good experience, great! If not, you can help prevent unfortunate event for your loved one. So get out your stash and remember: a friend with weed is a friend indeed.

1. Knowledge Is Power

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Some people want to know everything going into their body right down to the syllable count on the ingredient list of their most recent Whole Foods purchase. Others may not care, but since potential effects probably do matter, it helps to discuss why they want to get high and what they expect out of it. Here are some cursory talking points.

THC: Is the stuff in cannabis which gets you high. Generally speaking, the higher the THC percentage, the more potent the cannabis will be. There are, however, other factors come into play. Dosage (see below), method of ingestion (more later), and even age and weight, can affect the high. Legal cannabis should have a label with the THC level (15 percent or less is good for first-timers) and the level of the next substance …

CBD: Is the pain-relieving compound in marijuana. Does your buddy want to finally understand why so many otherwise smart people freely listen to Pink Floyd? Or does their back really hurt and they are scared to death their doctor will prescribe opioids? If it’s the latter, a high CBD percentage (4 is considered “high” CBD) is better.

Indica vs. Sativa: These two strains are the ying and yang of pot. Simply put, Sativa is the “head” high making most users happy and some even use to pass mundane tasks such as housework or filling out taxes (seriously, does your accountant look baked?). The latter was a joke, but if you want to spend some time talking and laughing, Sativa may be the better choice.

Indica is the “body” high. It promotes rest, sleep and helps with pain (or, in the author’s case, spending a pleasant evening watching the NBA). In its most potent forms it can put a user to sleep in short order or promote “couch-lock” which is pretty much exactly what it sounds like.

At most legal pot shops there are a wide variety of hybrids which mix the two. And as a practical matter, most marijuana you will buy is some sort of hybrid.

If you’re a veteran cannabis consumer, a few questions of your rookie should help you decide on what THC/CBD levels and strain are best to get started on. If you’re not sure, be very specific with your budtender about what effect they are going for. As one asked me when my team was in the Super Bowl and I was shopping for game day, “Do you think they are going to win or lose?”

2. Comfortable Surroundings

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Your friend’s first time is not suitable for a Taylor Swift concert with the dazzling lighting effects and massive dance numbers. Or to show off your new 7.1 surround sound system with the fillings-rattling subwoofer. Although it is impossible to overdose on the herb, the resulting confusion can lead to paranoia which can lead to panic in some cases. Make it easy on your friend.

One long-time cannabis consumer who has helped many friends and family members for the first time offers this advice:

“The most important factor is comfort. Talk through the expectations. If the first-timer is too nervous or anxious, it certainly will not be a positive experience. Make sure there is a place for your friend to sit down and relax if the experience becomes uncomfortable.”

This usually means at their place at a time when they don’t have to be any place until tomorrow and bed is a short shamble away. Put on a favorite old movie. And have plenty of water. Try to avoid booze. They need to learn what being high is like before mixing. And have food. Preferably pizza. Is there anything more satisfying and relaxing than pizza? Two great tastes, etc …

3. Fools Rush In

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Take it slow. Just because Jeff Spicoli is your spirit animal, doesn’t mean you should

Try to smoke it all at once. Even if you are a semi-regular cannabis enthusiast, you will have built up some tolerance. Start with a small dose. Share a bowl or half a joint. When they feel it coming on ask them to describe the feeling. If they want to do more, do more. But slowly. Then ask again.

Marijuana isn’t for everyone. But everyone deserves, their first time out, to not feel like their brain has been clubbed with a rubber mallet … repeatedly.

4. Smoke Or Vape

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Your friend might not smoke. And have apprehension about smoking or vaping. But this a manageable way to moderate. The onset from eating an edible can take up to two hours and there variables in addition to strength. During that time there’s a natural impulse to go “Nothing’s happening. Maybe I need more.” Which sounds benign until you end up like Maureen Dowd, the New York Times columnist who traveled to Denver and ended up writing what can be viewed as a cautionary tale of not doing your research.

Your new marijuana buddy will feel the effects sooner and can quit after just a few puffs. One fast rule: Do not dab. For a first-timer, it can literally be too much of a good thing (see above).

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Advice

5 Key Things To Check On A CBD Label

Published

1 week ago

May 9, 2024

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Science and the public have been good to CBD. It helps with the ever popular issue of sleeping and it can help reduce anxiety. Discreet, convenient and semi fast acting – it can be a help mate for first dates, stressful family events, or just rough days. The CBD/cannabis Epidiolex has been proven to reduce seizures and is the first cannabis-derived medicine approved by the FDA. So lots of benefits, but since it is still a bit of a newbie on shelves…you need to be careful of what you buy. Here are 5 key tags to check on a CBD label.

Reading product labels is often confusing, overly technical and filled with materials no one understands. Add to the mix the fact CBD is still in FDA limbo, and you need a list like this to point you in the right direction. Here are 5 things to check when reading a CBD label.

Make sure CBD is in on the label and in the product

First thing’s first: make sure there’s actually CBD in your CBD product. Today’s CBD landscape is filled with products that claim to contain CBD while really containing just hemp oil, or lie about the amount of CBD they contain. Look for either CBD or cannabidiol and be wary of products containing hemp seeds, cannabis sativa, hemp seed oil, etc. Although these ingredients sound weedy, they’re not the same thing as CBD.

The FDA's Relationship To CBD Is Confusing Everyone — Photo by IRA_EVVA/Getty Images

Check the dosage and ingredients

Dosage in key in how effective it will be. Be understanding it you time the amount you need then time out when you might want to take it again. Additionally, look for a full list of ingredients, including the carrier oil used. Check for any potential allergens or additives you want to avoid.

Keep an eye out for COA

COAs guarantee the product you’re looking at has been tested by a third party facility that has no relationship to the maker. Their results are unbiased and thus trust worthy. Reputable companies should feature this information on their labels, which should come in the shape of a bar code and should be easily accessed via smartphone. If this isn’t the case, the COA should appear on the product’s website.

Here's How Long It Takes To Feel CBD's Effects — Photo by Sabrina Rohwer via Pexels

Look for the CBD oil source

One of the first red flags of fake CBD products is a label that’s vague or doesn’t state where the CBD oil was sourced. CBD can be sourced from cannabis plants or industrial hemp, and most quality products tend to be “full spectrum,” “broad spectrum,” or “CBD isolate.”

Know your cannabis state laws

This is important since CBD label requirements vary by state, with the best labels being from products sold in areas where marijuana is legal. If you’re purchasing a product from out of a legal state, these packages should at least imitate how regulated products look.

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Advice

How To Manage Warring Political Conversations

Published

1 month ago

April 18, 2024

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The presidential campaign is in full swing – but why should it interrupt friend and family gathers…here are the best tips to managing different political perspectives.

With the presidential race heating up and the country seemingly divided, how can you hang with the people you have known who might have a different political perspectives. Patience, grace and planning can make it a bit easier. Here are some tips on to manage warring political conversations at events.

First, think and understand people are different than you and rarely do people all have the exact same opinions. Also think why you are gathering, what is the purpose and is it more about

When it comes to your boundaries, don’t mince words. If you know yourself and feel you won’t be able to engage in a discussion regarding politics without become heated, let other people know that you won’t be talking politics. If you want to have a discussion with someone, try to be the person you’d like to have a discussion with, taking turns to listen and talking while measuring your words and not being insulting.

Plan ahead

If you are organizing an event, think about why you are pulling people together. If it a birthday, to celebrate a happy occasion or a good catch up, think of the guests and how they will interact. Taking the time beforehand and sharing behavior no-nos like yelling, dominating a conversion, snide comments or bullying tactics will not be accepted. Recognize people are being invited to something enjoyable, not a cage match.

State your discomfort

If you’re having a conversation and it starts to get heated, state your discomfort. Try to avoid awkwardness and instead push for being as sincere as you can. Your response will vary depending on the person you’re talking to; if speaking to a coworker, try to change the subject or state that you’re not in the mood for politics. When speaking to friends and family, you can try a more honest approach.

Know when to end a conversation

The more you’re exposed to different kinds of people, the more you learn how to read their physical and verbal cues. Be aware of them, so when the conversation turns heated, change the course. Election eve might be too late to change someone’s mind, especially if they have strong political views. Save yourself the stress and try to preserve that relationship if it’s important to you.

Have an open mind

It’s always important to have a discussion with an open mind; try to understand why this person thinks the way they do. This doesn’t mean that you have to agree with them, but it can help you have a more civilized conversation, ensuring that the relationship won’t be lost due to the heat of the moment. Empathy can go a long way.

When it comes to your boundaries, don’t mince words. If you know yourself and feel that you won’t be able to engage in a discussion regarding politics without screaming, let other people know that you won’t be talking politics. If you want to have a discussion with someone, try to be the person that you’d like to have a discussion with, taking turns to listen and talking while measuring your words and not being insulting.

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Advice

The Best Activities To Maximize Your Weekend

Published

2 months ago

March 23, 2024

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Sometimes you have a week of 5 Mondays and it seems a half of Saturday – here are some tips to make the most of your weekend and be ready for the next round of Mondays

Most people work 5 days then have a weekend – for some it is Saturday/Sunday for others it is more flexible. But what should be flexible is going to your mind and body a break so you can head back to work refreshed and energized. The better you are at relaxing and resting, the better you will be at working. Downtime is essential for increasing attention, boosting mood, unlocking creativity, and solving problems. It’s also necessary for improving learning and memory and restoring mental health at work.

A Stanford study demonstrates that over working has clear limitations, with employees showing a sharp decline in productivity when they clocked in more than 50 hours per week. People in the study who worked more than 70 hours per week managed to get the same amount of work done than people who worked 55 hours per week. Where does all of that time go?

Studies like these highlight how important is to have time for yourself, where you can reflect, think, rest and do things that bring you pleasure. Downtime can significantly improve mental and physical health and personal relationships. One study, for example, found employees who unplugged and took time off reduced serious health issues like coronary heart disease.

Disconnect from work

It’s important to remove yourself from work over the weekend, digitally and physically, so that you feel that you had some days off and were able to rest. This is easier said than done, especially if you need to get work done over the weekend. What you can do is make a weekend work schedule that allows you to check emails and make calls without the time you’d spend doing other more pleasant things.

Minimize your chores

Chores tend to pile up over the week, resulting in weekends where all you manage to do is clean up and fix stuff around your apartment. To avoid this, try scheduling your chores throughout the week, making them a part of your day to day routine and giving you more time to relax over the weekend. Laundry can be done in small amount rather than a chunk of a Saturday afternoon.

Work out

Finding the time to exercise is taxing, especially on week days where you have to work and get other things done. Weekends are perfect for clocking in your workouts, giving you tons of time of fit in exercises that feel motivational and much less like chores.

Do something you’re passionate about

Find time to do something you enjoy, be that drawing, writing, reading, or something else that makes you think and also makes you happy. By doing this activity on the weekend you’ll reap even more benefits because you’ll feel like you’re actually doing something instead of passing the time.

Try to wake up at the same time

This is kind of hard but it works if you’re the type of person who has a hard time easing yourself back into the week. Inconsistent wake up times over the weekend disturb your circadian rhythms, resulting in you feeling very tired and groggy despite the fact that you slept more than you do regularly. This uncomfortable feeling can also seep into your Mondays and throw the rest of your week off balance.

Use your mornings as your “me time”

Your mind achieves peak performance two to four hours after you wake up, resulting in really gratifying morning activities where you’ll get to have better workouts and enjoy whatever it is that you’re doing.

Prepare for the week

By planning some of your work ahead of time, your weeks will be much more productive. You’ll skip the entire “set up” stage of your Mondays, jumping right into your work and making your week feel much more pleasant and easy going.

Resting during the weekend gives your body and mind a chance to recharge and recover from the stresses of the week. This can help you feel more energized and productive when you return to work on Monday. When you’re tired and overworked, it’s easy to become irritable and short-tempered but fully rested improves your mood and outlook.

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