Electronic vaporization of cannabis was supposed to be the safer alternative to smoking. After all, users still get all the benefits of the cannabinoids and terpenes without inhaling combusted products like carbon monoxide, plant matter particulates, or the over 100 toxins that are released when flower is burned.
However, a few years ago, an outbreak lung illness, most of which were tied to the vaporization of illegal THC-containing oils, challenged this illusion of safety. Vitamin E acetate, a cheap thickening additive for diluting oils was deemed the culprit and quickly removed from products, yet its prevalence may persist in illicit oils and vape pens.
Even though the rates of these electronic vaporization associated lung illnesses (EVALIs) have been falling drastically since their peak in September 2019, safety concerns around cannabis vaporization are still present in peer reviewed scientific reports and in popular media sources. While much has been written about the pros and cons of vaping compared to smoking cannabis, it’s important to re-address the topic in the post-vitamin E acetate era to draw comparisons.
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Why vape cannabis?
The increased popularity of vaping cannabis is believed to be tied to legal access. Yet vaping is rarely the sole mode of cannabis consumption: 13% who vape cannabis only vape. People often choose to vape cannabis over smoking flower because of its convenience, discretion, and efficiency; there are times when one just doesn’t want their space to smell like weed.
Vaping is also deemed to be the safer option since heating the liquid rarely surpasses 400°F, whereas combusting flower approaches 500°F, thereby reducing the amount of harmful gases and toxins that are inhaled.
Furthermore, for those seeking specific and repeatable effects, the cannabinoid (e.g., THC or CBD) and terpene composition of vape carts can be consistently reproduced.
Also, the oils can be optimized for a particular therapeutic need or recreational desire through the addition of cannabinoids and terpenes at levels that are impossible to achieve with traditional grow methods and the limitations of a strain’s genetics. Notably, the science behind what represents a therapeutically-optimized composition remains mostly theoretical.
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Is vaping safer than smoking?
There aren’t any studies within the last couple years that directly compare the safety of smoking and vaping cannabis in a controlled and randomized manner (a standard methodological model for drawing causative conclusions).
Nonetheless, the perception that vaping doesn’t harm the lungs is likely wrong. A 2020 study of 2,553 young adults found that cannabis vaping at any point was associated with increased risk for bronchitic symptoms, such as shortness of breath. This outcome persisted even after adjusting for nicotine vaping and smoking cannabis or tobacco.
Vaping at least 3 times in the last month doubled the risk for experiencing wheezing, which is a short whistle or rattle when one breathes due to a partially blocked airway. However, given the proximity to the vitamin E acetate era, it’s impossible to rule out impacts that possible previous exposure to vitamin E may have on the lungs.
Studies of e-cigarettes have clearly demonstrated a link with adverse effects on the lungs and airway. But inflammation in the airway can be triggered by the vape liquid itself, even in the absence of nicotine, suggesting that some of these effects may carry over to vaporization of cannabinoids.
The anti-inflammatory properties of THC and CBD, especially in combination, may counter some of these inflammatory effects of vaporization, but irritation of the airway is commonly reported from vaporizing cannabis, suggesting that there will still be some inflammation.
Some additional health concerns may arise when consuming unregulated vape products. Although vitamin E acetate has largely disappeared from vape products, the same damaging gas that’s released from heating vitamin E acetate and led to the EVALI epidemic in 2019 can be produced by other compounds found in unregulated delta-8, CBN, and CBG vape products. Knowing what’s in your vape cart is essential for safe use.
Do vaping and smoking have different effects?
There’s a fair amount of variability in the outcomes of studies that compare smoking and vaping cannabis, highlighting the challenges in studying these routes of consumption in people. For instance, history and frequency of use, as well as natural puffing patterns, vary a lot across individuals and can impact how much of the cannabinoids make their way into the body and how long they remain.
In one study, when inhalation amount was tightly regulated, there were no clear differences in THC or other cannabinoids collected in blood between the two methods.
However, in one study of infrequent cannabis users (i.e., no use in the last 30 days), vaporization led to higher amounts of THC in the blood and more impairment across several cognitive, visual, subjective measures, when compared to smoking.
Similarly, a separate study investigated how smoking versus vaping impacted appetite- and metabolism-related hormones after eating a standard breakfast. While both smoking and vaping cannabis blunted insulin levels, smoking cannabis led to a stronger reduction in insulin 15 minutes after use.
This reduction in insulin may partially explain the low rates of type II diabetes among regular cannabis users, a disease that stems from excessive insulin release that eventually leads to insulin resistance.
Which is better? Smoking or vaping?
The EVALI scare in 2019 tainted the safety reputation of vape devices in the minds of the public, the media, and the research community. These reports of the harm caused by cannabis vaporization can contribute to “white hat bias”–when people misrepresent information, often unintentionally, to match societal expectation or one’s personal feelings toward an industry.
In this case, the historic illegality and ingrained societal beliefs about the harmful effects of cannabis may have led to the idea that vaping cannabis is just as harmful, if not worse than smoking flower.
Some may report their subjective experiences to be in line with these beliefs despite a dearth of evidence indicating increased harm from vaping. Yet even though most devices no longer contain the overtly harmful additives that contributed to hospitalizations and deaths during the EVALI outbreak, illicit and non-approved devices and vape oils continue to circulate.
Studies comparing the long-term safety and health effects between smoking versus vaping often capture a use period when these unregulated products were more readily available and make it difficult to draw conclusions regarding the long-term safety of vaping with current devices and oils.
Acutely, there are no clear differences in the effects produced by smoking versus vaping, or on cannabinoid concentrations in the body. But differences in puff patterns between smoking a bowl versus hitting a vape pen may lead to different impacts on the brain and body. In the end, as with most cannabis products, knowing what’s in them, the reputation of the source, and regulating intake are primary factors for safe and effective use.
Josh Kaplan
Josh Kaplan, PhD, is an Associate Professor of Behavioral Neuroscience at Western Washington University. He is a passionate science writer, educator, and runs a laboratory that researches cannabis’ developmental and therapeutic effects.
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The War on Marijuana has always been a propaganda war.
One hundred years ago, Americans learned everything they thought they needed to know about cannabis not from doctors, scientists, patients, scholarly journals or even aficionados, but from the newspapers. In particular those owned by OG media baron William Randolph Hearst.
On January 31, 1923, millions of Hearst readers coast-to-coast woke up to the following headline:
Marihuana Makes Fiends of Boys in 30 Days; Hasheesh Goads Users to Blood-Lust
By the tons it is coming into this country, the deadly, dreadful poison that racks and tears not only the body, but the very heart and soul of every human being who once becomes a slave to it in any of its cruel and devastating forms…. Marihuana is a short cut to the insane asylum. Smoke marihuana cigarettes for a month and what was once your brain will be nothing but a storehouse of horrid specters. Hasheesh makes a murderer who kills for the love of killing.
Hearst’s reporters backed up their claims with outlandishly fictional data. His newspapers once reported that it was possible to “grow enough marijuana in a window box to drive the whole population of the United States stark, staring, raving mad.”
For those unfamiliar with cannabis: No, that’s not possible.
Today’s version of the Hearst machine
Today, the propaganda campaign against cannabis is a bit more subtle. But its central theme—that cannabis is to blame for a plague of violent crime—comes straight out of the Reefer Madness era.
In recent years Fox News has become the modern-day version of Hearst newspaper empire, with a powerful voice and a predilection for hyping fictional fears into national panics.
Laura Ingraham and Tucker Carlson have been working overtime in their attempts to link mass shootings to cannabis use. But there is no link.
Two of the cable network’s highest rated hosts, Tucker Carlson and Laura Ingraham, have been working overtime in their efforts to blame cannabis use as the cause of mass shootings.
Carlson recently included “high-end, government endorsed weed” among the social ills he blamed for supposedly leading young men to turn homicidal. Ingraham, for her part, claimed that “there is mounting scientific evidence of a connection between the increase in violent behavior among young people and regular sustained cannabis use.”
Spoiler alert: There is no “mounting evidence.”
Connecting dots that don’t connect
In both instances, the Fox News hosts were clearly deflecting attention away from the national debate around gun control by offering their viewers an alternative explanation: It’s the demon weed. Every minute spent blaming cannabis is a minute not spent on a serious discussion about how easy it is for mentally ill Americans to access semi-automatic weapons.
At best, these articles offer a hodgepodge of logical fallacies, straw man arguments, ad hominem attacks, “expert shopping,” and cherry picked statistics. At worst, they claim without a shred of direct evidence that cannabis has played a central role in horrific killing sprees—reinforcing the most dangerous kinds of stereotypes.
‘Cropaganda’ takes root on Fox News
A hallmark of propaganda is that opposing facts and analyses are either outright ignored or purposely misconstrued. For instance, none of the above sources mention an extensive RAND Institute study—published in 2013 by the federal Office of National Drug Control Policy (home of the “Drug Czar”)—that reviewed a decade’s worth of data and flatly concluded “marijuana use does not induce violent crime.”
And only rarely do they present opposing viewpoints.
I’ve had the dubious honor of debating the issue with Tucker Carlson in front of his millions of viewers. The show’s producer invited me on in 2019 after I wrote a Leafly article debunking claims Carlson and a guest had made on air. In our televised confrontation, Carlson gave no indication that he’d bothered to read the article, never mind respond to my arguments therein.
Instead he talked over me and spouted the very talking points I’d just carefully debunked.
Which gets to the final distinguishing characteristic of propaganda. It’s meant to serve as a kind of morality play, in service of promoting a specific agenda.
In this case, that agenda is the reversal of cannabis legalization.
A skewed viewpoint, repeated endlessly
It’s been said that there’s nothing more dangerous than someone who’s only read one book. And for the modern anti-cannabis wrecking crew, that book is very clearly Tell Your Children: The Truth About Marijuana, Mental Illness, and Violence by Alex Berenson.
Berenson’s book made a big media splash in 2019 . The author hit the media hard, claiming to have found a previously unreported national outbreak of cannabis-induced psychosis. But then came the backlash. People who actually know what they’re talking about started weighing in. That pushback culminated in a letter signed by 100 scholars and clinicians that labeled the book “a polemic based on a deeply inaccurate misreading of science.” .
“We need to have thoughtful debates about the benefits and risks of marijuana legalization, and those debates should be grounded in science,” said Sheila Vakharia PhD, Policy Manager at the Drug Policy Alliance’s Office of Academic Engagement. “Unfortunately, Berenson’s book is the worst kind of misuse of science to advance a political agenda.”
That agenda that was, sadly, on full display in Washington, DC, last week, when Berenson addressed a Senate subcommittee hearing on federal cannabis reform. He was the Republicans’ choice to provide expert testimony, despite having no credentials whatsoever in science, medicine or criminal justice.
His main qualification, it would seem, is his willingness to twist the truth and misrepresent scientific research.
Cannabis Legalization is Not ‘Settled Law’
For the more than 40% of the American population living in legal states, it’s tempting to think of the right to possess and consume cannabis as inalienable. But there’s no Supreme Court ruling or federal law backing up any such right. In fact, federal law still considers cannabis a Schedule I drug, making it technically illegal even for stage 4 cancer patients in California going through chemo to smoke a joint.
Also—as recent history shows—even long settled law can be overturned in an instant.
So while we needn’t take Alex Berenson or his arguments seriously, we must take seriously their wider adoption by the media and the political class. Tell Your Children is not just the name of Berenson’s book, it’s also the original title of the film Reefer Madness.
That film hit theaters just a year before passage of the 1937 Marijuana Tax Act outlawed cannabis federally for the first time. People like Berenson push propaganda because it works. It’s up to us to push back.
David Bienenstock
Veteran cannabis journalist David Bienenstock is the author of “How to Smoke Pot (Properly): A Highbrow Guide to Getting High” (2016 – Penguin/Random House), and the co-host and co-creator of the podcast “Great Moments in Weed History with Abdullah and Bean.” Follow him on Twitter @pot_handbook.
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Hello Stargazers and welcome to another month of smoking under the stars! Can you believe it is August already? Maybe you’re ready for spooky fall nights, maybe you want to keep sweating in the heat. You do you this month.
The month heats up first with Mercury entering steady Virgo on August 3. Bright ideas and fastidious commitment to your goals will be the early highlights of August. On August 11, there is a full moon in Aquarius. August 20 features Mars entering party sign, Gemini.
Lots of creative flow going on in the later part of the month. Finally, there is a new moon in Virgo on August 27. So kick back with your fruity drink and bid the season ado with style and grace.
Your August horoscope
Leo
(Savina Monet for Leafly)
Happy August, Lions! This month isn’t going to be all that chaotic for you. Nice, right? On August 3, things kick off with Mercury entering into Virgo. Mercury being one of Virgo’s rulers makes this a balanced, if not a little boring, celestial pairing. Take the first week of the month to catch up on your favorite shows. Kick your feet up.
On August 11, there is a full moon in Aquarius. Your wackiest and wildest ideas will be your brightest around this time. Lean into them. On August 11, Venus also enters into your sign. Your love life will be on fire in the best possible way. Make your intentions clear. Invest in rekindling romantic partnerships that have started to fizzle. It’ll be worth your time.
On August 22, the sun (your faithful ruler) will enter into Virgo. Balance will be plentiful at the end of the month; just don’t let your fire go out trying to get every little detail of your life right. Focus on the big picture for the rest of the year.
August strain: Looking for something fruity and buzzy without alcohol in it? Tropical Punch is calling your name. This hybrid strain has a modest 17% THC, making it the perfect bud to bring along to a fun gathering outdoors or inside where you can beat the heat. Users report this strain is great for kickbacks and casual afternoons on the couch.
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Virgo
(Savina Monet for Leafly)
Happy Birthday, Virgos! This is your month in the sun. There will be balance! Open communication! Attention to detail! All the things you love and adore about life. On August 3, Mercury (your ruler) enters your sign. Things will start to feel synergistic early in the month. Lean into this, and your best ideas will start to pour out of you like a sieve.
On August 11, there is a full moon in Aquarius and Venus enters into sunny Leo. There will be a delightful mix of passion and creativity in the middle of the month. Pick up a new artistic medium. You might be surprised to find you take to it readily.
On August 22, we officially begin Virgo season. While it’s true Virgos tend to be among the most humble of the zodiac signs, now is not the time to step out of the spotlight. You deserve all the praise and accolades for your hard work this year, Maidens.
August strain: Fresh Water Taffy lets you enjoy the tastes of summer without getting your hands too sticky. This hybrid strain is very mellow and offers great body effects, according to users. That makes it the ideal companion for a day spent on the couch watching your favorite childhood summer movies. Heck, make it a marathon. Treat yourself!
Libra
(Savina Monet for Leafly)
Well, this summer flew by, didn’t it Libra? This month will also feel like driving in the fast lane. On August 3, Mercury enters earthy Virgo. Prioritize making lists and planning ahead. On August 11, Venus (your ruler) enters into fiery Leo for a bit of spice and passion. Venus is also in direct motion this month, meaning your love life should be rock solid through August.
On August 24, Uranus enters retrograde in stubborn Taurus. Uranus, known as the planet of innovation and enlightenment will be … doing a lot less of that for you in 2022. So, be wary of any investment or idea that seems too good to be true. It probably is. On August 27, there is a new moon in Virgo. Celebrate peace and harmony under this lunation. Things will be fairly settled in your interpersonal relationships heading into September.
August strain: The summer is winding down. Extend it a little with some Hot Cakes. This hybrid strain has garden aromas and a creative buzz. Users report this strain is great for insomnia (How about a little summer nap?) and has a great taste. Wipe away the day’s muscle tension and pour yourself something fruity. Enjoy the summer sun while it lasts.
Summer is wrapping up, Scorpions. Be ready for a fairly peaceful month ahead. On August 3, Mercury enters Virgo. Grounded Virgo will distill any restlessness you’ve been feeling about your current location. For now, it appears you are right where you need to be. On August 7, Mars (your ruler) in Taurus square Saturn in Aquarius will present an opportunity to focus on goal-setting for the rest of the year.
On August 11, there is a full moon in Aquarius. Again, there’s no better time to decide where you want to spend your energy for the rest of 2022. Is it work? Artistic endeavors? Personal relationships? Do some journaling to tap into your deepest desires. On August 20, Mars enters into partying Gemini. Throw an end-of-summer get-together with your friends. Make new memories and celebrate the people you love.
August strain: Did you go to the summer fair as a kid? Miss it? Harken back to those simpler times with some Cotton Candy. This hybrid strain has a moderate 19% THC. This bud has euphoric effects and a relaxing buzz that will keep you in your seat. Put on a summer soundtrack and kick back.
Sagittarius
(Savina Monet for Leafly)
Summer days are numbered, Sags. Be sure to soak up what is left of the season this month. On August 3, Mercury enters Virgo. You’ll kick things off feeling very grounded. Flex your decision-making muscle. On August 11, Venus enters into sunny Leo. The planet of passion in the sign of fire will do exactly what you imagine it to do for your love life. Just be sure to save some of that passion in the tank for the long haul.
On August 18, Venus in Leo trine Jupiter (your ruler) in Aries also turns up the heat where romance is concerned. Grand gestures will work best in the middle of the month. On August 20, Mars enters Gemini. Things will be slightly chaotic in your inner circle. Don’t sweat over other people’s problems. Focus on your own intentions this month and come fall you’ll be a whole new person.
August strain: We spend part of the month in Leo season, and the sun shines on. Honor your Lion friends with a bowl full of Sun Cake. This is a hybrid strain with an impressive 20% THC, which makes this a bud to bust into when you’re planning a day of Netflix and Chill. Users report it has an earthy taste and a very strong body buzz. It only takes a small amount to get routine users going.
Capricorn
(Savina Monet for Leafly)
Happy August, Caps! Thanks to all the Earth-sign energy going around this month, things will be pretty grounded. August 3 kicks things off with Mercury entering Virgo. Sweet, predictable Virgo won’t exactly bring the heat to your personal relationships, but you will notice the small things that make those around you tick. Use this to show your appreciation to those who have treated you well this year.
On August 11, there is a full moon in Aquarius. Bold, creative ideas are yours for the taking. Just don’t let your passion projects wither on the vine. Keep some of that motivation in your back pocket for when you truly need it. On August 26, Venus in Leo square Uranus in Taurus will bring a little heat to your romantic entanglements. Treat your partner to a night on the town. On August 27, there is a new moon in Virgo. More earth energy to round out the month under a dark night sky.It’s true what they say — virtually anything is possible if you put your mind to it, Capricorns.
August strain: While it’s a bit of a misnomer that the best time to surf is summer (waves are the best in winter), you can still be a surfer in your heart. Roll a J with some Silver Surfer inside. This is a sativa-dominant hybrid with 19% THC. This strain is considered medical quality, so it works best for patients looking to bust up aches and pains. New users and new patients who experience anxiety should be cautious.
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Aquarius
(Savina Monet for Leafly)
Happy Last Days of Summer, Aquarius! Your desire for autonomy shines bright this month. On August 3, Mercury enters Virgo. This is a very well-matched pair that will have you setting intentions and making long-range goals. In other words: you’ll have balance in spades the first week of the month.
On August 20, Mars enters into partying Gemini. While you might not be at your most reliable around this time, you will be at peak social levels, so be sure to soak up time with friends before the season is truly over.
On August 24, Uranus (your ruler) enters into a retrograde in bull-headed Taurus. Uranus is known as the planet of innovation, so maybe think twice before investing any cash or energy into sketchy ideas. Finally, there is a new moon in Virgo on August 27. Hone in on your least favorite traits with self-compassion and a willingness to work on things. If you do this, September is destined to be successful for you.
August strain: Grab the reef and get yourself some Tasty Waves. This is a hybrid strain with a tidal 23% THC. Do not expect to be writing Shakespeare after you smoke this bud. You’ll be lucky to have the capacity to write your own name. So, kick your feet up on the couch and find that nostalgic movie that takes you back to your favorite childhood summer. Treat yourself.
Pisces
(Savina Monet for Leafly)
The summer months can be hard on gentle Pisces. With so much going on, you’ve probably been craving some alone time to recharge your social battery. The good news is you’ll get that in spades this month with all of the Earth-sign energy floating around. On August 3, Mercury enters grounded Virgo. Set your intentions and remain committed to them for the rest of the month.
On August 11, there is a full moon in Aquarius. Paint a picture of your future. Yes, literally. Or draw it. Visualization will help you determine if your goals are realistic or not. Also on August 11, Mars in Taurus sextile Neptune (your ruler) in Pisces brings out the best in our romantic entanglements. Grand gestures will be very well received in the middle of the month. Neptune is in retrograde this month, which may make you feel a little disconnected from your spiritual self.
On August 27, there is a new moon. Things end on a positive note this month, with a lunation that calls attention to our biggest flaws with self-empathy and determination to become the best version of ourselves.
August strain: The days still feel pretty endless, don’t they? Bring on a sleepy, nighttime buzz with the buttery, irresistible Endless Sky. This is a great indica strain for those who struggle to fall asleep quickly. Users report good potency and a delicious, pie-like taste.
Summer is breezing by, Rams. Though, this month will still bring the heat. On August 3, Mercury enters into Virgo. Virgo is ruled by Mercury so this celestial combination will bring both balance and a desire to create a productive working environment. Clean your home office or your cubicle at the beginning of the month to set your intentions.
On August 11, there will be a full moon in Aquarius. This is an incredibly creative and self-motivating lunation. Get laser-focused on your artistic endeavors. On August 11, Venus also enters Leo. Romance will feel smooth like butter. Focus on building a foundation of trust with your partner in the middle of the month. You ruler, Mars, is in direct motion in August.
On August 20, Mars enters into fun-loving Gemini and stays there until 2023. Interpersonal relationships will feel like more work. People will ghost you, only to reappear 3 months later. Just focus on what is important for your personal growth the rest of the year. You’ll be glad you did come 2023.
August strain: Summertime Squeeze is a sativa with arousing effects and earthy tea aromas. Users love it for its high-energy buzz that pairs perfectly with a day spent in nature. Users report this strain is deceivingly strong, so new users beware!
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Taurus
(Savina Monet for Leafly)
Happy August, Bulls. This month will feel like it’s moving at warp speed for you. On August 3, Mercury enters Virgo. Fellow Earth sign, Virgo, will bring out the most balanced qualities in you. Lend your expertise to someone who needs it.
On August 11, your ruler Venus enters sunny Leo. Hone in on the little things your partner loves and make them feel seen. It’s what you do best. On August 20, Mars enters Gemini and remains there until 2023. You might not get your brightest ideas during the last part of the year, but they’ll certainly be your most fun ideas. Time to plan parties and see friends before winter sets in. On August 22, we enter Virgo season. You’ll feel almost suspiciously balanced. Don’t worry; trust the process. If you’ve been meaning to shake loose flighty or unavailable friends, this is the time to do it. Focus on intentions and setting boundaries for the rest of 2022.
August strain: Summer Breeze Isn’t just Seals & Croft’s biggest hit — it’s also an incredible hybrid strain. With enticing flowery aromas and a euphoric buzz, this strain is a hit with those looking to break up the stresses of the day. Roll a Summer Breeze joint and take it to a park. You never know where the adventure will take you from there.
Gemini
(Savina Monet for Leafly)
Nothing fuels fire quiet like air, Gems. And this is a month of fire. Passion! On August 3, Mercury enters Virgo. So, things start off a little more reserved. Energies will be balanced. Don’t let this slow burn fool you — things pick up steam the following week. On August 11, Venus enters into sun-loving Leo. Your romantic intentions will be like a smoke signal. You won’t be able to hide your true feelings for long, so why not embrace it under the celestial pairing of Leo and the planet of love?
On August 20, Mars enters Gemini. This is when the party starts! Don’t expect to be coming up with any Nobel-Prize-winning ideas around this time. But, you will be a solid party planner around this time, so bust loose a little and get together with the people you love. On August 27, there is a new moon in Virgo. This lunation is earthy and grounded. So, all that fire you’ve been feeling in your belly will dull to a simmer. You’ll start to see clearly which of your relationships are fueled by passion, and which are meant to stick around for the long haul.
August strain: There are few summers quite like the Seattle Summer. Users report the taste is fruity without being overbearing. It also offers a creative, happy buzz that pairs well with a day spent at the beach or taking a hike in the woods. Bring along this strain to enter a positive, earthy mindset.
Cancer
(Savina Monet for Leafly)
Things are starting to wind down for 2022, Cancers. This month will feel like a week spent in a remote cabin: maybe a little isolating, but the clarity you get will more than make the time alone worthwhile. On August 3, Mercury enters Virgo. Earthy Virgo promises balance and the opportunity to find compassion for yourself. You’re human, Crabs! Never forget it.
On August 11, your ruler, the moon, will be in Aquarius. This is a powerful, artistic lunation. It calls on you to bring your wackiest, most out-there ideas to fruition. You might even shock yourself with how well your weirdest concepts turn out. On August 20, Mars enters Gemini. Air and water often struggle to mix, so Airy Gemini might feel a little grating on your personal relationships. Remember, you’re focused on your own intentions anyways. On August 27, there is a new moon in grounded Virgo. Take this chance to assess who belongs in your inner circle. You are worth consideration, Crabs.
August strain: Tropical Heat brings just what its name implies — HEAT. With a whopping 25% THC, this is not a strain to smoke before visiting grandma (or maybe that’s your family’s thing). This bud is a hybrid but hits like an indica, offering a mellow, sleepy buzz. It’s the perfect companion to take with you to the beach or a park. Just be sure to lather on that sunscreen because you might take an unexpected nap in the sun.
Maeva Considine is an award-winning journalist and author of “Cat Zodiac: An Astrological Guide to the Feline Mystique.” She’s a Taurus who loves traveling, canceling plans, and dessert. She lives in Syracuse, New York.
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Disclaimer: This article contains discussions on suicide, PTSD, and other health conditions.
It also contains spoilers.
The public perception of psychedelics is quickly changing. The state of Oregon approved the medicinal use of psilocybin—the active compound in psychedelic mushrooms—and is expected to open psychedelic clinics in 2023, the first of their kind. In addition, many US cities have even decriminalized psychedelics, including Denver, Oakland, Santa Cruz, Detroit, Ann Arbor, and more.
However, the latest surge of momentum surrounding psychedelics hasn’t always been the case. Perhaps surprisingly to many, there was a wealth of clinical research on psychedelics, (LSD in particular) in the 1950s and ‘60s in America. Hundreds of studies showed huge potential in treating alcoholism, depression, and end-of-life anxiety, among other conditions, with LSD.
But in the late ‘60s, the hippie counterculture movement latched on to psychedelics, associating them with the anti-establishment. The conservative government fought back, outlawing LSD and many other psychedelics in 1970, despite their huge potential to treat a variety of mental health illnesses.
This is how the story of psychedelics begins in Michael Pollan’s new Netflix docuseries, How to Change Your Mind, which continues from his wildly popular 2018 book of the same name. The series charts the history of four psychedelics, LSD, mushrooms, MDMA, and mescaline, and unearths the history of each powerful substance, how they were criminalized, and where current research and legalization are headed.
The series comes at a pivotal time as the psychedelic movement is gaining steam, and questions about how to use, respect, and regulate these substances aren’t fully answered. The series successfully draws on history, insight, and some of the most fascinating minds in research to try and answer these questions, helping to propel the conversation on psychedelics and their benefits into the mainstream.
The specter of prohibition
A constant theme throughout the series centers on how the War on Drugs (kicked off by President Nixon and conservative America) prohibited psychedelics for political reasons. A war veteran suffering from PTSD talks about how he was raised during the D.A.R.E. era in the ‘80s and ‘90s with “good” drugs and “bad” drugs.
“Well, ‘good’ drugs led to an opioid epidemic, and ‘bad’ drugs heal PTSD, so I think our definitions of those need to change,” said Sgt. Jonathan Lubecky, a participant in an MDMA trial.
A former police officer continues the same train of thought, saying, “We got to the point in this country where you can’t outright criminalize a particular people… but you can criminalize a substance that that particular group of people use and have a backdoor entry into their communities,” said Sarko Gergerian, Police Lieutenant and Therapist Trainee at MAPS for MDMA, referring to the mass incarceration of Black and Brown people in this country.
It’s easy to draw a comparison between the prohibition of these substances and cannabis. Both weed and psychedelics have been used for millennia and have shown incredible medical potential. And both were outlawed in the US due to fear of other races and cultures.
In fact, the legalization of first medical marijuana and then recreational cannabis is serving as a framework for the legalization of psychedelics.
From that framework, the conversation on psychedelics today is focused on the medicinal potential of the substances. MDMA, and its ability to treat PTSD, is in the vanguard—the substance has passed three rounds of clinical trials, all with resounding success, and is expected to be approved by the FDA within the next few years.
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The healing power of psychedelics
Some of the most powerful scenes in How to Change Your Mind are interviews with patients whose lives have changed after psychedelic therapy. According to Professor Robin Carhartt-Harris in the show, 1 in 4 people suffer from some mental illness, and psychedelics have the potential to help. Seeing and hearing the words of these patients is moving and has the ability to change perceptions.
In the MDMA episode, an Iraq War veteran with PTSD talks about constant paranoia, nightmares every night, and the inability to trust anyone. He said that MDMA saved his life by preventing him from taking his own life because of his experiences during the war.
A woman with PTSD vividly describes past events of discovering a murder, one of the causes of her trauma. After trying multiple antidepressants and therapies, MDMA has helped her manage PTSD and be present in her life, even three years later.
In Switzerland, a man contemplates taking his own life because of cluster headaches, which he experiences multiple times a day. He describes the headaches as a smoldering ice pick stuck into the back of his eyes. LSD has given him at least a handful of pain-free days and gives him hope for the future.
A man with OCD describes his condition as someone following him around with radio static constantly blaring in his ear. One psilocybin session appears to have cured him of his condition and helped him regain his life.
In all of these instances, the pain these people were experiencing is visceral for the viewer, and their recoveries, relieving. Simply watching these patients talk about their experiences before and after psychedelic therapy is cathartic for the viewer and paints a much clearer picture of how helpful these substances are.
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How to create a psychedelics industry
One of the stickiest questions facing proponents of psychedelics is how to respect indigenous cultures who use these substances for spiritual practice and healing, and who have been for thousands of years. Are rich, white Americans going to exploit these substances and make enormous profits, disrespecting indigenous cultures in the process?
The series gets into the politics of this question in the last episode on mescaline. The substance is largely derived from the peyote cactus, which only grows in a narrow band around the Rio Grande river between Mexico and Texas. There is a very real concern that legalizing peyote or mescaline will see these peyote gardens disappear to psychedelic tourists or money-hungry capitalists.
In the series, many Native Americans talk about the collective trauma of their people, after their ancestors were forced off their lands and into reservations by the US government. They describe peyote as a medicine to help heal their collective trauma.
The Native American Church was created in the 1880s in Oklahoma territory, after the usage of peyote among Native Americans spread north to the Great Plains, partly as a means for Native American communities to use peyote to heal from the trauma of their experience. Today, it is one of the biggest indigenous religions among Native Americans in the US.
Many interviewees say that peyote must be respected and not white-washed or appropriated by white America, like so much of their culture already has been.
Thinking ahead to the future, Pollan talks about how peyote is a great example of how a drug can benefit society at large and can be used in a socially constructive way to solve a community’s problems. “Drugs are highly contextualized, and it’s the meanings we put on them, the uses to which we put them, that really matter; they’re not inherently good and they’re not inherently evil, they’re tools,” he said.
But how to create an industry to support psychedelic-assisted therapy still has a lot of open questions. Pollan ponders how the current model of the pharmaceutical industry is to invent and patent a drug for people to take every day or all the time, whereas with psychedelic-assisted therapy, a person only need take a drug once or a handful of times, and in conjunction with therapy.
How does a company make that drug profitable? How much can you charge for it? Can you patent a plant? Currently, there is no model for creating an industry to support psychedelic therapy, and logistically, much still needs to be figured out.
However a new industry might arise, public perception on psychedelics and their healing potential is quickly changing. Noting a sea change in current thinking, Sgt. Lubecky talks about his experience attending a conference of police chiefs after participating in an MDMA trial, saying, “When you have the people who literally ran the Drug War now turning around and saying ‘we were wrong this, can help,’ that’s a major thing.”
Pat Goggins
Pat Goggins is a senior editor who handles Leafly’s informational content and specializes in cannabis cultivation after working for a commercial grower in Oregon. When not fixing typos, you’ll probably find him on a boat or in the mountains.
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These treats from Trulieve spark joy in just 15 minutes.
Instant rays of sunshine: now pocket-sized. Sweet Talk’s colorful cannabis confections, available in a rainbow of classic flavors, are fast-acting, temptingly tasty, and game-changing gummies. Just one vibrant little bite can cut through a tedious routine with just a sprinkle of euphoria for that adult-in-a-candy-shop feeling. (It’s a lot like being a kid in a candy shop, but you have many more exciting choices.)
These playful treats are backed by Trulieve, a top-shelf cannabis company with roots in the medical space. You don’t have to abandon responsible, grown-up choices to get that spontaneous sense of wonder—and because of Trulieve’s cutting-edge chemistry (and a little magic), you get that feeling almost instantaneously. Who knew innovation could look this cute?
Sweet Talk cannabis confections launched on Valentine’s Day 2022, and they won the hearts of sweet-tooths throughout Florida, Massachusetts, and soon-to-be, Maryland. They’re vibrantly flavored, craveable treats combined with quality cannabis and smart science. What’s not to love?
These gummies pack a lot of power into adorable little shapes, and, being both delicious and extremely effective edibles, are perfect itty-bitty day brighteners. Here’s what makes them so special.
Life’s too short for delayed gratification
Image courtesy of Sweet Talk.
Most edibles can kick in a full one-to-two, sluggish hours later, and sometimes when you least expect it. Sweet Talk’s sugary snacks take effect in as little as 15 minutes, so you can keep living in the moment.
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The trick is a process called nanoemulsion, which helps you get the most out of your cannabis. Trulieve’s TruNano Technology offers consistency in dosing and better absorption for a reliably good time. The short version is that certain itty-bitty cannabis molecules are water-soluble, and absorb into your system more quickly and efficiently. It has nearly 95% bioavailability—meaning your body can make the most out of what you put in it.
Sweet Talk’s sugary snacks take effect in as little as 15 minutes, so you can keep living in the moment.
If you’re in it for reduced stress or just a little fun, this just gets you on your way faster, but if you’re a medical patient, it means getting fast, effective relief from a smaller amount of cannabis. Either way, nanoemulsion will transform and deepen your relationship with cannabis, whether it’s in a low-key tincture or your sweet afternoon pick-me-up.
A rainbow of fruit flavors
Image courtesy of Sweet Talk.
The fruity flavors of Sweet Talk’s gummies are enough to make any candy shop jealous. A wide variety of core flavors let your tastebuds follow their bliss—while rotating seasonal options give you something new to discover.
The cannabis extraction wizards at Blue River have been cooking up something special with Sweet Talk—something for those who want a little more than THC. These gummies feature precise blends of THC and another special cannabinoid, like CBN.
Blending cannabinoids together not only creates additional effects, but augmented effects. It’s like when you and your bestie team up: You each bring your own thing to the table, but you both bring out the best in each other, too.
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Every element of the cannabis plant works together to create a unique result—a phenomenon that scientists call the “entourage effect.”
Curious? These candies are the perfect way to explore what these combos can do. Keep an eye out for these special THC/CBD and THC/CBN gummies at your local dispensary.
Powered by Trulieve
Image courtesy of Sweet Talk.
These confectionery delights are tasty on the outside, but they’re just as charming on the inside, too. Founded as an educational and practical resource for medical cannabis patients, Trulieve creates exceptionally trustworthy products, hand-grown without the use of harmful chemicals, backed by the latest scientific innovations. Compassionate care is still central to their mission, and their reliability and deep cannabis knowledge extends to everyone who benefits from cannabis. There’s no need to sacrifice fun for effectiveness—or reliability for joy.
Go get yourself a little sugar. You know you want some.
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Like the banking act, the advertising bill would let federally-licensed media companies serve cannabis businesses without punishment from federal regulators. The banking bill has passed in the House six times, but has never received Senate approval.
Read the full bill here. And keep reading for Leafly’s breakdown of the SAFE Advertising Act and its potential impact on the cannabis industry.
How the SAFE Advertising Act protects media companies
The newly-filed bill would protect TV and Radio stations from losing their Federal Communications Commission (FCC) licenses for allowing legal cannabis licensees and service providers to advertise products and services where at least 70% of the audience is reasonably expected to be above 21 years of age.
It also eliminates the legal financial issues at the federal level surrounding the proceeds from business transactions with licensed cannabis businesses.
Potential impacts on the cannabis industry
(AdobeStock)
Under the SAFE Advertising Act, state-licensed cannabis brands, retailers, and third party companies like Leafly would be able to advertise on FCC-licensed media, including radio and television.
While some legal states (including New York and Montana) have already updated their state advertising rules to accomodate cannabis, the new federal bill would allow both local and multi-state media to expand awareness in legal markets.
The bill does not protect advertisements that run in prohibition states, or from companies that are not licensed.
The bill would not impact advertising on social media. No federal agency has licensing authority over websites and social platforms. Each platform has the freedom to set their own rules for cannabis content. Platforms can still face consequences from agencies like the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which fined Facebook for $5 billion for privacy violations back in 2019.
Potential opponents of the SAFE Advertising Act
Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark) had mostly negative things to say about cannabis at this week’s Senate hearing on the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act (CAOA). (Tom Williams/Pool via AP)
Sen. Lujan’s office said the new bill is being supported by the National Association of Broadcasters and the Safe Advertising Coalition. But it may face stiff opposition from conservatives, and possibly from Democrats who favor competing cannabis bills.
At a Senate hearing this week, Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) said ”There should be no Joe Camel of cannabis.” He argued that advertising to kids, and false advertising of medical and recreational effects, are two of his party’s concerns about the broad Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act (CAOA) bill, which would deschedule cannabis federally and create economic opportunities for communities harmed by the War on Drugs.
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