Cannabis
SpaceX Makes for An Extra-Explosive 420!
Sure, its fun when things go bang, and sometimes we plan it that way. However, no such sky explosions were in the works for this year’s 420, even if a huge one happened anyway. Luckily, no one was hurt when a SpaceX rocket exploded a few minutes after takeoff in Boca Chica, Texas; but it sure does give us a 420 to remember!
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SpaceX gives us an explosive 420
If it sounds like I’m not taking this seriously enough, I promise I am. But as a massive silver lining to the unexpected events of this morning, no one got hurt. As far as rockets exploding in the sky, we can be thankful this isn’t a redo of the Challenger. Plus, in many ways, the launch was considered a great success.
The rocket SpaceX launched earlier this morning, was the biggest ever to get launched upward. And it was specifically scheduled on the holiest of holy days for weed smokers, 420; as SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk has a particular interest in this holiday. Okay, that’s not true, but it was specifically rescheduled to 420 when a Monday launch was unable to take off due to pressure valve issues.
Okay, that’s not true either. But it was very much appreciated by Musk that his team had the rocket ready to go in tandem with the smoking holiday. There were concerns in the minutes before takeoff as to whether it would happen at all, but the rocket indeed made it into the air.
The mega-rocket in question, named ‘Starship’, flew off from a launch pad in Boca Chica, Texas, right around 9:30am ET. Starship has the designation of being the largest, longest, and as-of-yet most powerful rocket to take to the air, even if it didn’t last long once up there. It was reported to have lifted off with a record-breaking level of thrust. This whole thing was a test-flight of the larger-than-usual rocket, with simply a desire to see how far the sucker could go.
The rocket launched as it was supposed to, passed the launch tower, and got through the MaxQ point, in which the rocket experiences the maximum dynamic pressure: what with gravity, thrust, and atmospheric drag all pulling at it. But up it continued to go. And all looked good until right before it hit the four minute mark.
At this point it started showing weird behavior for a rocket. It’s assumed the ensuing explosion was actually the result of a self-destruct command via SpaceX’s ground control team. The explosion happened right before the stage separation phase, when the rocket separates into different parts.
How well did Starship do?
How far did it get in its inaugural flight? It had reached about 37 miles above the Gulf of Mexico before it began to stop acting normal. The rocket failed to cross the Kármán line which designates the atmosphere from space, and which is reached at 62 miles above sea level. So the rocket did not make it into space. The two elements used for Starship, prototype 27 and Super Heavy booster 7 prototype, both got destroyed.
If that sounds like a complete letdown, it wasn’t. SpaceX had hoped the upper stage would make it to Hawaii, and crash somewhere in the Pacific. The booster was expected to fall somewhere in the Gulf of Mexico. It wasn’t meant to circle the earth, or make it to the moon. But it was expected to last about 30 minutes in the air, and only made it four minutes.
However, since the rocket wasn’t intended to go further than this in its first crack at flying, it wasn’t considered a failure of any kind, and is more than anything, a learning experience for the company. The machine had never lifted off from anywhere prior to today, making it a first in history for something of this size to launch into the atmosphere.
There’s a lot involved with getting a rocket built, space-ready, and then actually into space. Especially when dealing with bigger models like this for which there is no previous history. That the rocket cleared the Boca Chica launch tower was considered an achievement by the SpaceX team; who had no hard expectations for how much more it might accomplish.
Plus, though unplanned-for problems resulted in an explosive 420 for all of us, it also helped SpaceX engineers identify problems that must be attended to in order to get the rocket in real working order. This was a test mission, after all, meant to figure out next steps in creating this rocket as a workable system.
What is Starship intended for?
This larger-than-usual rocket wasn’t made big for nothing. It has high expectations attached to it. The Starship rocket is meant to move both crews and cargo, to as close as within the Earth’s orbit, and as far as the Moon, or even Mars. Musk has been planning for some time to create living situations on Mars and the vehicles to get everything there. The Starship is an example of his progress toward this goal.
The rocket is also designed to be reusable. So not only is it not meant to be a one-off, but it’s representative of general progression in the field of space aviation. For this reason (among others) NASA is quite interested in this particular rocket, as it has hopes to use this technology in the future for its own purposes; particularly in the transport of crews to the moon’s surface for Artemis missions (coming soon).
In terms of Musk and his desire to get people to Mars, you can read about it on SpaceX’s site, called Mars & Beyond: The road to making humanity multiplanetary. As per Musk’s words on the site: “You want to wake up in the morning and think the future is going to be great – and that’s what being a spacefaring civilization is all about. It’s about believing in the future and thinking that the future will be better than the past. And I can’t think of anything more exciting than going out there and being among the stars.”
Mars was chosen as the primary destination, as it’s the closest plant to Earth, and still gets enough sunlight to be technically inhabitable, but not without being pretty cold. The site explains “Its atmosphere is primarily CO2 with some nitrogen and argon and a few other trace elements, which means that we can grow plants on Mars just by compressing the atmosphere.” And that “Gravity on Mars is about 38% of that of Earth, so you would be able to lift heavy things and bound around.”
However, just to be clear for those interested, this isn’t the kind of flight you can change your mind on, as there isn’t going to be another flight you can catch in the opposite direction. Getting to Mars takes traveling through space for six months.
And considering that, it will come with a large price tag. Though there’s no exact price set just yet (SpaceX has tons of work to do before that part can realistically be considered), Musk has said before that he expects it to be around $100K for a ticket. Better start saving now if you want to try out interplanetary life in the future!
Conclusion
SpaceX sure helped us have an explosive 420 this year, and luckily, its not the kind of explosion that leaves people crying. New records were set, a successful launch happened, and a lot of information was put out there for the SpaceX team. Altogether, the whole thing was considered a win, and it certainly gave us stoners something interesting to watch in celebration.
For anyone who’s interested in possible space travel, but concerned about the ability to smoke in space; check out this article for a low down on the possibility of getting a true out-of-this-world high.
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States are starting to scramble with looming budget deficients, but marijuana is a boon to some – especially one state.
The new federal administration is revamping how the government operates. With Doge, they are changing agencies and reducing services and support of states, which has left budget deficients in many. But some states have legal marijana and it has been a boon, for like alcohol…people are still consuming. States who are fully legal are making more money on weed than booze and this state’s cannabis revenue keeps pouring in. Missouri, the show me state, is being shown unexpected revenue.
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“Due to a strong cannabis market and effective, efficient regulation of that market,” Amy Moore, director of the Missouri Division of Cannabis Regulation, told The Independent this week, “the funds available for the ultimate beneficiaries of the cannabis regulatory program continue to outpace expectations.”
Funds will help veterans and other key projects. The other benefit is as seen in data from legal states, teen use is down so it frees up some other funds. Legal states are seeing benefits from legal cannabis including lower teen use and crime reduction.
States with legal cannabis are experiencing a significant boost in tax revenue, surpassing those generated by alcohol sales. This trend highlights the economic benefits of marijuana legalization, as cannabis markets expand and mature.
In California, cannabis excise taxes have consistently outperformed alcohol-related taxes, bringing in over double the revenue. Colorado has seen even more striking results, with marijuana tax revenues totaling seven times those of alcohol. Similarly, Massachusetts has collected more tax revenue from marijuana than alcohol since fiscal year 2021, marking a notable shift in state finances.
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Nationally, legal cannabis states generated nearly $3 billion in excise taxes on marijuana in 2021—20% more than alcohol taxes. By 2024, total adult-use cannabis tax revenue exceeded $20 billion, with states like Illinois and Washington reporting record-breaking contributions. Illinois alone collected $451.9 million from cannabis taxes in fiscal year 2022—one-and-a-half times the revenue from alcohol.
The funds are being put to good use. States like Illinois are channeling marijuana tax dollars into mental health services and community programs, while Colorado has invested nearly $500 million into public education. California has allocated millions to nonprofits addressing the impacts of the war on drugs.
This growing revenue stream underscores the potential of cannabis legalization to support vital public services and bolster state economies. As more states embrace regulated marijuana markets, the financial benefits are expected to continue flourishing.
The federal administration is all over the board around fed cannabis policy…and millions of patients are worried.
The industry employees over 440,000 workers at all lives and is driven in a large part by mom and pop businesses. Millions use medical marijuana for health issues ranging from chronic pain to sleep. But there are mixed messages from the feds about cannabis, and people are very worried. The federal government’s stance on marijuana has become increasingly complex, as recent developments show conflicting approaches to the drug’s potential benefits and risks. On one hand, there’s a push for research into medical marijuana for veterans, while on the other, a campaign against cannabis use is being launched.
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The juxtaposition of initiatives highlights the federal government’s inconsistent approach to marijuana policy. While some departments are exploring the potential benefits of cannabis, others are actively working to discourage its use. This dichotomy is further exemplified by ongoing legislative efforts. For instance, Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL) has reintroduced the Veterans Equal Access Act, which would allow VA doctors to recommend medical marijuana to patients in states where it’s legal. Meanwhile, documents from an ongoing lawsuit suggest that the DEA may have weighted the marijuana rescheduling process to ensure rejection of moving the drug from Schedule 1 to Schedule 3.
The Department of Defense (DOD) has allocated nearly $10 million in funding for research into the therapeutic potential of MDMA for active-duty military members. This initiative, driven by congressional efforts, aims to explore MDMA’s effectiveness in treating conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI). Rep. Morgan Luttrell (R-TX) expressed pride in this development, stating that it could be a “game-changer” for service members battling these combat-related injuries.
Additionally, a bipartisan effort in Congress has been pushing for VA research on medical marijuana for PTSD and other conditions affecting veterans. The VA Medicinal Cannabis Research Act, introduced in both the Senate and House, would mandate studies on how cannabis affects the use of addictive medications and impacts various health outcomes for veterans.
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In stark contrast to these research initiatives, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has partnered with an anti-cannabis nonprofit to launch a social media campaign targeting young people. The campaign, set to run ahead of April 20 (4/20), aims to “flood” Instagram with anti-cannabis content. The DEA is offering monetary incentives to students for creating and posting anti-THC videos, with payments ranging from $25 to $50 depending on the type of content produced.
This approach has raised eyebrows, as it seems to contradict the growing acceptance and legalization of marijuana across the United States. Critics argue that such campaigns may be out of touch with current societal trends and scientific understanding of cannabis.
Not everyone has access to marijuana to help them sleep – good news, hemp is available.
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Hemp contains several compounds contributing to better sleep quality. Cannabidiol (CBD), a non-psychoactive component of hemp, has shown potential in promoting relaxation and reducing anxiety, which can often interfere with a good night’s rest. Studies suggest that CBD may help individuals fall asleep faster and experience fewer sleep disturbances throughout the night.
When formulated and used properly, preliminary research and user reports suggest that hemp gummies improve subjective sleep quality. Users of quality hemp sleep gummies report feeling more rested, a better quality of sleep and fewer awakenings in the night. However, clinical research has shown that over consumption of THC negatively impacts the quality of sleep, especially with long term use.
Wana Brands has launched a hemp sleeping product nationally, Mike Hennesy, Vice President of Innovation shared the following about how it works. Naturally hemp-derived sleep gummies contain the same cannabinoids like CBD, CBN, and THC as cannabis or marijuana. These ingredients interact with receptors in the body’s endocannabinoid system, which plays a role in regulating mood, stress, and sleep-wake cycles. For example, CBD may promote relaxation and reduce anxiety, CBN can relieve discomfort and reduce awakenings, while THC can shorten the time it takes to fall asleep, especially at low doses. Together, they may help ease the mind and body into a sleep-ready state.
The best sleep products don’t rely on just one cannabinoid like CBN but instead use a combination of cannabinoids, terpenes, and other sleep-supporting ingredients such as melatonin. This is because the reasons for sleeplessness are multifaceted, and include trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, chronic, pain and anxiety. Each ingredient targets different root causes as well as synergizes with the other cannabinoids and terpenes for the best night sleep.
Longer lasting formulations can actually help reduce awakenings in the night. CBN has been shown in recent research to reduce the number of times you wake up in the night. Combined with other cannabinoids they can synergize to reduce discomfort and anxiety helping consumers stay asleep.
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If you do wake up in the middle of the night and can’t fall back asleep products including CBD and CBG to reduce middle of the night anxiety and racing thoughts that can keep us awake, and they have only 1mg of THC so you wake up refreshed and not high in the morning.
For most people, hemp-derived cannabinoids are considered safe and non-intoxicating, with a low risk of dependence. When THC is included in small amounts, it can produce mild effects and can help us fall asleep faster. It generally poses a minimal risk when used in moderation, but there is a potential for dependence if overused, just like with any sleep aid. Adverse events are far more prevalent in pharmaceutical and even over the counter sleep aids than with hemp-derived cannabinoids.
The key is responsible use, including starting with a low dose and taking breaks when needed. If you rely on it every night at high doses, your body may adjust, and it can be habitual. But when used in moderation and with a well-balanced formula, cannabis can be a sustainable part of a healthy sleep routine.
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