Weekends are made for indulgences – and what could be better than marijuana milk?
Weekends are made for indulgences – donughts, sleeping in, relaxing and maybe a bit of chilling. But what about marrying a childhood treat and relaxing with a little marijuana? Or having a little canna-focus when you get ready for the day? Around 42% of adults aged 19–70 years drink some form of milk – in coffee, in cereal, in a glass or in a variety of other ways. Marijuana milk is a creamy weekend treat.
Today there are 52 types of milk including the original – cow’s milk…the others include goat, soy, oat, white, coconut, almond and more. This recipe is perfect to use in coffee, in a dessert, in a cold glass, or dunking your favorite cookie…add honey or vanilla to give it a sweeter flavor and just has it as a treat.
Canna-Milk
Makes about ¾ cup (the milk reduces slightly during cooking)
1 cup milk (your choice of type of milk)
About 3 grams marijuana (see recipe notes, below)
* This recipe can be scaled up or down using the same ratios
1. Decarboxylate the marijuana. Scatter the marijuana on a lined, rimmed baking sheet; toast at 240 degrees F for 30-40 minutes, turning a few times throughout the baking. Remove from the oven, let cool completely, and then grind it finely. You can also grind it before, but I find that it’s easier to grind after this heating process as it is drier.
2. Pour the milk into a saucepan. Add the marijuana. It will float at first, but as it warms it will become more combined. Place the saucepan over medium heat, and bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring occasionally to discourage scorching on the bottom of the pot.
3. Once the mixture comes to a simmer (with bubbles around the edges and steam coming off the mixture, but not boiling), reduce the heat to the lowest setting. Cook, uncovered, for 30-45 minutes, stirring every few minutes and making sure that the mixture isn’t getting so hot that it scorches the bottom of the pan, and that it isn’t forming a “skin” on top (if it does, just break it up and stir it around) If it seems like the milk is reducing a lot, add ¼ cup more. The mixture will thicken slightly as it cooks; it will also begin to take on a slightly greenish-yellow tint.
4. Remove from heat and let the mixture cool completely (I let it cool with the marijuana still in the mixture; extra infusing couldn’t hurt, right?). Strain through a mesh strainer or cheesecloth into your storage container. Place in the fridge, and enjoy as you see fit.
Recipe notes:
Dosage: dosing your marijuana milk can be tricky because of the differing strengths of strains and your personal tolerance. I personally found that about 3 grams per cup of milk was a good amount. For me, each “serving” was about ¼ cup. So, each serving had about 1 gram of marijuana, which for me is a little more than the average joint. If the average joint is far larger or smaller for you, you can adjust this recipe accordingly.
Dilution: The milk will reduce during the cooking process. You can either add more milk during the cooking process if it is losing a lot of volume, or you can mix a little milk in after your batch of cannamilk has cooled, so that it will bring it back to the original amount of liquid.
Storage: Store your canna-milk as you would store regular milk, in a sealed container in the fridge. Keep in mind, the expiration date on your milk is still going to be the expiration date for your canna-milk, so consume with that in mind!
Serving suggestions
How should you use your canna-milk? Here are just a few ideas:
Millions suffer, but relief could be here thanks to science and a simple plant. Here is how cannabis can help with dysmenorrhea.
It is an uncomfortable topic to discuss, but the painful truth is a majority of women will suffer it at some point and finding relief is invaluable. Around 80% of women experience period pain at some stage in their lifetime. Dysmenorrhea is the medical term for pain or discomfort during menstruation. It is a common gynecologic problem, but the pain can range from dull cramps to indescribable agony. Here is how cannabis can help with dysmenorrhea.
Medicinal cannabis has emerged as a potential treatment option for dysmenorrhea, offering hope for the tens of millions of women who suffer from menstrual pain. Current medical management options primarily consisting of over-the-counter pain relievers and hormonal contraceptives. The effectiveness of these treatments vary greatly.
The endocannabinoid system plays a role in uterine function and pain perception. Cannabinoid receptors CB1R and CB2R, as well as TRPV receptors, have been identified in human myometrial tissue. Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), a primary component of cannabis, can act as a cannabinoid agonist, potentially triggering myometrial relaxation and easing menstrual pain.
The potential benefits of cannabis for dysmenorrhea includes pain relief, improved sleep quality, and reduced reliance on pharmaceutical pain relievers. While research specifically on cannabis for dysmenorrhea is growing, studies on chronic pain provide some insights:
A systematic review of 18 randomized controlled trials found that synthetic cannabis products with high THC-to-CBD ratios may offer moderate improvement in pain severity.
A meta-analysis of 32 trials showed that medical cannabis or cannabinoids resulted in small to very small improvements in pain relief, physical functioning, and sleep quality among chronic pain patients.
There is significant interest in using cannabis for gynecologic pain management:
A survey found that 61.2% of women who had never used cannabis and 90.0% of those who had were willing to try it for gynecologic pain.
After cannabis legalization in Canada, current cannabis use increased from 13.3% to 21.5% among women with self-reported moderate-to-severe pelvic pain.
With th American Medical Association, American College of Physicians and even AARP recognizing the medical benefits of cannabis, it is critical more research is funded. Millions of women may be in pain needlessly due to untreated dysmenorrhea.
The holidays are fun and full of family, activities, and food. But does marijuana have a natural secret weapon to help you at least not gain weight this season?
The holidays are here – turkeys, pie, and family favorites. Along with Christmas cookies, holiday cocktails, everything adds up and starts to make a difference in how clothes fit. On average, people gain between 1-2 pounds in November and December. Some studies suggest people gain more, with an average of 2–5 pounds. But is marijuana’s THCV your natural holiday weight loss plan. While Ozempic has been the wonder drug of weight loss, cannabis a natural plant used for thousands of years in medicine. Why not use to look good also? Here is some information and also advice on how much to take and how it works.
The most famous cannabinoids are THC or CBD. Legal to over 50% of the country and used by millions across the country. While they are the most commonly used cannabinoids, the cannabis plant contains many other medically beneficial cannabinoids including THCV. Although THCV (Tetrahydrocannabivarin) is similar to THC, it contains its own unique benefits.
Research points to THCV’s ability to block the body’s rewarding sensations while eating different foods. If you’re looking to keep your food cravings at bay or prevent the munchies, check out strains high in THCV, which will suppress your appetite, especially during the holidays.
It has also been found that THCV in its purest form can calm the unreasonable urge to overeat while also reducing hunger cravings. Thus, consumption of THCV can be beneficial for those who struggle with weight gain and/or food craving. Since THCV can help curb one’s appetite, researchers believe there’s a potential for THCV helping people fight obesity and other related health issues.
It is important to manage the dosage. Start with a low dose of 5-7.5mg of THCV for appetite suppression effects. Options for taking THCV include gummies, tinctures, vapes, or THCV-rich cannabis strains Take THCV in the morning to help with focus and energy. Start on teh weekend so you can make sure it works in a way which is comfortable. Consume it with food to increase absorption.
Gummies and tincture/oils are the easiest ways to consume to manage the dosage. Start with half a gummy or 1 full gummy (typically 10mg) and adjust based on your response. You can increase to 2 gummies per day if needed. For tinctures, start with half a dropper or less and adjust as needed. Take THCV about an hour before you normally start feeling hungry
THCV should be part of a healthy routine including exercise and proper rest. Research on cannabis continues, to using THCV is not a long term solution, consider it for the holidays. As usual, take to your health professional to make sure it doesn’t interact poorly with any prescribed medications. Start low and grow so you can pay attention how your body and mind reacts.
As it it becomes available to more people, there is a positive health change going on according to data.
Cannabis is becoming more mainstream and and the side effects are doing even better than expected. It seems the availability of legal marijuana is helping with the health of the general population. Studies in California, Canada and the now New Zealand have shown the upside of legalization. While cannabis has been used for health benefits for millions of years, reduction in more harmful intoxication products is another important wellness trend.
Alcohol consumption is associated with significant health risks, including liver damage, cardiovascular issues, and certain cancers. In contrast, marijuana has not been linked to the same level of severe physical health consequences. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that over 36,000 annual U.S. deaths are attributed to chronic alcohol use, while there is no comparable category for marijuana-related deaths. Alcohol is also much more addictive than marijuana, causing long term physical and mental issues.
A study from New Zealand has found some interesting trends regarding the relationship between marijuana legalization and the consumption of alcohol and opioids.
Following the legalization of marijuana in New Zealand, researchers observed a notable decline in alcohol consumption:
The study found no significant impact on underage drinking rates among those aged 12-20.
This suggests for adults, marijuana may be serving as a substitute for alcohol in some cases, particularly when it comes to heavy drinking episodes.
The relationship between marijuana legalization and opioid use appears more complex:
There was no clear evidence of marijuana legalization directly reducing opioid use or abuse.
However, some research indicates that people who use cannabis are more likely to initiate opioid use, with an odds ratio of 2.76 compared to non-cannabis users.
The likelihood of transitioning from opioid use to opioid use disorders among cannabis users was found to be 2.52 times higher than non-cannabis users.
The study also revealed some additional findings regarding substance use patterns:
Marijuana use increased by 16% among adults aged 21 and older following legalization.
There was a 5-6% increase in marijuana use initiation among adolescents and young adults aged 12-20. This would be go with the greater North American trend of California sober and Gen Z drifting away from alcohol and more into marijuana.
No significant changes were observed in the use of hard drugs like cocaine or heroin in any age group.
These findings suggest while marijuana legalization may lead to decreased alcohol consumption among adults, it does not necessarily translate to reduced use of other substances, particularly opioids. The relationship between cannabis use and other substance use behaviors is complex and multifaceted. Time and more research should yield more benefits.