Jamaica is often misunderstood. Few travellers realise that beyond the stereotypes, Jamaica has sandy beaches, the 960-foot-tall Dunn’s River waterfall, calypso and reggae beats under fire sunset skies, glassy coral waters and endless hidden mangroves. For such a small island, Jamaica has had a massive influence on the world, socially and historically. Of course, that doesn’t mean Jamaica is without its problems. But Jamaica has produced some of the greatest artists, beats and sportsmen and women in the world. It has inspired writers, poets, artists and filmmakers, and just uttering its name conjures up images of rum shacks and lazy, hazy summers.
The day before Thanksgiving has the honor of being two of the biggest consumption days of the year – are you ready?
While some people are prepping for Thanksgiving Thursday, the big feast and the holiday season afterwards, a significant amount are looking forward to Wednesday. The day before Thanksgiving has become a mini-holiday in its own right. It has become a time of robust celebration, so much it is known as Green Wednesday and Blackout Wednesday. It is a significant consumption day for both marijuana and alcohol imbibers.
Blackout Wednesday, also known as Drinksgiving, has grown to rival major drinking holidays like New Year’s Eve and St. Patrick’s Day in terms of alcohol consumption. And cannabis is not far behind seeing a big spike in dispensary purchases on the same day. As legal cannabis moved across the nation, it caught on and gave options to people who want to “unplug” at the start of the holiday weekend.
Green Wednesday is a cannabis-centric moment the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. In in 2016, the phrase was coined when California cannabis delivery service noticed a significant uptick in orders the week before Thanksgiving. With over 50% of the country having access to legal weed, each year has only gotten bigger!
“Last year’s Green Wednesday had sales 72% higher than the average day. Flower accounted for 39.5% of sales with Vape at 23.7%, pre-rolled at 16.9% and edibles at 10.6%. Pre-rolled showed the biggest increase compared to the week before when it accounted for only 11.9%, so sales on Green Wednesday of pre-rolls specifically, were more than double a normal day.” shares Roy Bingham, Co-Founder and CEO of BDSA, one of the cannabis analytics firms.
The original partakers start Blackout Wednesday, also known as Drinksgiving or Thanksgiving Eve. They helped make it become a significant cultural phenomenon. This unofficial holiday takes place on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and has gained notoriety as one of the busiest drinking nights of the year. The exact origins of Blackout Wednesday are not precisely documented, but the phenomenon is believed to have started decades before it was named. The term “Drinksgiving” dates back to 2007, while the first Google searches for “Blackout Wednesday” were recorded in 2014.
If you choose to celebrate, be safe, have fun, and have the ingredients for a hangover cure come the morning.
There is big money at stake and everyone wants an edge to focus and win. So what about professional poker and marijuana.
The relationship between professional card playing and cannabis use is a topic of debate among players and enthusiasts. So what is up with professional poker and marijuana? There are roughly 3,000 full-time poker and 30,000 semi-professionals in the US and Canada. Around 60% of full-time professional poker players are online players with the median total pay for a professional poker player between $82K – $110K per year. But globally about 100,000 play online poker every day. This means the industry is valued at $59.35 billion in 2022, and is expected to grow to $155.36 billion by 2030. The World Series of Poker (WSOP) talks place in Las Vegas. Sin City is also home to Planet 13 the largest marijuanal dispensary and soon to be Cannabition, an elevated immersive experience.
Done correctly, some studies show cannabis can help concentration, which can be a benefit in poker, a game requiring intense focus and attention to detail. Some players continue to drink which can impair judgment. Marijuana use has been used for therapeutic treatments being particularly helpful in limiting distractions and helping with focus and ADHD medication side effects. However, while it can be helpful for some individuals, much of the research online advises against its use as a primary treatment option.
In the card playing word, players argue cannabis can negatively impact decision-making at the poker table. It may lead to playing on autopilot, reducing the depth of thought required for strategic decisions. Others believe it helps with emotional control, such as calming nerves after a bad beat, which can prevent tilt—a state of emotional frustration that leads to poor decisions.
Some players use cannabis for its stress-reducing properties, which can help manage anxiety and improve overall well-being during long poker sessions. The calming effects of cannabis might benefit players who struggle with stress or anxiety, potentially improving their performance by maintaining a clear mind. This is similar to the only video gaming culture.
There are anecdotes of successful poker players who have competed while under the influence of cannabis or alcohol, suggesting that individual tolerance and experience play significant roles. The key is recognizing whether cannabis helps or hinders one’s ability to play optimally and making decisions accordingly.
Food is usually the core of holidays – but it is tough if you have digestive issues. Can marijuana help?
The festive season is filled big meals, favorite foods, sweets, snacks, drinks, cocktails and more – all fun, unless you have stomach issues. A significant portion of people experience tummy troubles during the holidays, with estimates suggesting a large number of individuals with pre-existing digestive conditions like IBS see their symptoms worsen during this time due to factors like stress, overeating, and rich, high-fat foods commonly served at holiday meals. Some studies even report up to a third of people experience increased digestive complaints over the festive season. Can cannabis help with holiday digestive issues?
Marijuana’s impact on digestive health is complex and multifaceted, with potential benefits for various gastrointestinal conditions. It has shown promise in managing symptoms of several digestive disorders, but it is good to understand before you start it. If you are seeing a medical professional, talk with them. Also, seek advice about frequency and dosage.
Photo via lotherington/Flicker
Marijuana can help in a variety of ways. Cannabinoids found in the plant can engage with the body’s endocannabinoid system to regulate gastrointestinal motility and inflammation, potentially offering relief for those with IBD, including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. The anti-inflammatory properties of cannabis compounds like THC and CBD may help mitigate inflammation in the digestive track.
Many patients with irritable bowl syndrome (IBS) report that medicinal marijuana can be used successfully to manage symptoms. It may help alleviate common IBS symptoms such as abdominal pain, cramping, and altered bowel habits.
Cannabis has been consistently shown to be highly effective in suppressing nausea and stimulating appetite. This can be particularly beneficial for patients experiencing these symptoms due to digestive disorders or as side effects of other medical treatments.
Another issue is when anxiety causes stomach problems. Low levels of marijuana and CBD has been known to help with anxiety, relaxing the body’s system allowing the digestive to ebb.
You should be very careful mixing even low levels of cannabis with alcohol, it can have unexpected reactions in your body. Make sure you space out the usage if you plan to use both.
