Showing posts with label Consuming Cannabis. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Consuming Cannabis. Show all posts

Tuesday, February 3, 2015

What Cannabis Topical Balms Are Used For

CBD Oil as a balm to help with arthritis and pain as a medical marijuana treatment
CBD Oil Balm

Cannabis topicals are applied to the skin for direct application to the treatment area. Creams and balms can penetrate through the skin and body tissue. Patients use creams for treatment in arthritis, allergic skin reactions, post herpes neuralgia, muscle strains, inflammation and swelling. Topicals offer a non-phycho active medicine to the patient.

Research is limited on the many uses of cannabis topicals. Patients have been reported using topicals for many treatments including:

• Arthritis
• Dermatitis and psoriasis
• Wounds and cuts
• Muscle Pain
• Hemorrhoids
• Sore throat, bronchitis
• Menstrual cramping
• herpes, blisters and lip aid
• pain from sprains and breaks
• headaches
• breathing problems

Lotions and balms offer localized treatment to the targeted area. The cannabinoids work by targeting CB1 and CB2 receptors that are found all over the body including the skin. Most patients use this method for it's anti-inflammatory and pain relieving effects. Cannabis topicals often use a base of hemp oil which is rich in Omega 3 and 6. These essential fatty acids are beneficial for the health of your skin.

Source:

http://www.leafly.com/news/products/what-are-topicals-anyway-a-tour-of-a-manufacturing-lab

Monday, February 2, 2015

Cannabis Capsules

Cannabis edible capsules
Cannabis Capsules

Cannabis capsules or “Canna Caps” are a great way to ingest cannabis in a controlled dosage. Cannabis medicine effects can last much longer as an edible than when smoked.(Source) Patients choose an edible form to help treat pain, multiple sclerosis, depression, digestive problems, and addiction of other substances.(Source)

Dr. Hornby has researched the benefits of capsules for treatments. A study with Multiple Sclerosis researched the use of capsules along with smoking. The patients were able to achieve a continuous plateau of pain relief.(Source) Another study Dr. Hornby conducted was on the reduction of addiction to methadone. One third of all drug overdoses in America are from methadone. The study found that taking cannabis capsules resulted in a 50% reduction in methadone use.(Source)

Dr. Paul Hornby has been a leader in advocating the use of capsules for cannabis. He has set guidelines for capsules to have a standard dose and be free of pesticides and harmful contaminants.

Source:
http://cannabisdigest.ca/cbc-of-c-product-testing/

Sunday, February 1, 2015

What Cannabis Sprays Are Used For

Cannabis Sprays for edible marijuana treatment
Cannabis Sprays

Cannabis spray is an oral medication for pain. In 2014 the FDA designated a fast track to approve cannabis sprays at a federal level. Cannabis sprays are desired by cancer patients that have trouble responding to opiate medication for their pain.

The company GW Pharmaceuticals has become well known for cannabis based drugs for the mainstream market. Their CEO Justin Gover says “Sativex is the only non-opioid treatment currently in Phase 3 development for patients who do not respond to, or experience negative side effects with opioid medications.” He goes on to say “We are fully committed to delivering the first FDA-approved cannabinoid medicine for these patients who currently have nowhere else to turn.”(Source)

Many patients prefer the spray over other cannabis applications. The benefits of administering an oral spray are the fast acting effects. Cannabis spray is discreet and has a pleasant smell. The sprays are offered in unflavored or other flavors like mint. Patients can regulate their dosage in an effective way with the spray.

OUTCO currently offers CBD oil spray in unflavored or peppermint flavor. Outliers Collective is located in El Cajon. It is the only legally licensed Dispensary in San Diego.

Source:
http://www.hightimes.com/read/fda-yes-marijuana-spray-will-not-reclassify

Monday, October 13, 2014

Different Ways of Consuming Cannabis



Depending on your lifestyle, medical need and preference there are many ways to consume cannabis. Patients may find for their specific need that a certain way is better than another. OUTCO in San Diego has a knowledgeable staff that can help you choose the method based on other patients experience.

Smoking Cannabis


Smoking is the oldest form of consuming marijuana by using the dried flowers, hash and kief ( compressed resin glands, more potent than flowers ). Smoking by joint, pipe, water pipe or bong are the methods of smoking cannabis. Depending on the amount and potency the effects last form 2-4 hours.


A study from study sponsored by California NORML (National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws) and MAPS (Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies) smoking an unfiltered joint or a pipe was more healthy than a water pipe. The reasoning was that more of the psycho active drug was filtered out than other tars, making one have to smoke more to reach the desired high.


The water pipe resulted in 30% more tar than an unfiltered joint. A filtered cigarette performed 30% less effective at delivering the medicine. Researchers suggest that the cannabinoids being sticky do not get through the filter. A pipe with an electric mixer performed the worst.

High potency can allow the patients to get the desired amount of medicine with less smoking. Choosing a strain that has a higher THC content can reduce the tars inhaled. (Source)

Vaporizers

Vape Pens is the new way of consuming marijuana and the popularity has good reason. Vaporizers are devices that give the medicine at a lower temperature to allow inhaling a vapor rather than a smoke. The method patients describe as working twice as fast without feeling the results of a burning sensation in the throat like smoking, so it is warned to go at slow at first. (Source)

Vaporizers using an electric hotplate method seemed to be the most effective, performing 25% more effective than an unfiltered joint. However the hot air gun vaporizer has a hot water filter which diminished the effective only performing as well as an unfiltered joint.(Source)

Topicals

Topicals come in many forms that are applied to the skin and are non psycho active. They can be in the form of lotions, salves, balms, sprays, oils and creams. Patients prefer topicals to treat rheumatoid arthritis, migraine, restless leg syndrome, muscle spasms, stress and soreness giving an anti-inflammatory effect. Cannabis is lipophilic, meaning it can be dissolved in a fat-soluble that can absorb into cell membranes. Ingesting marijuana takes the medicine goes through stomach acids and digestive enzymes before entering the blood stream losing some of it's effectiveness and making you drowsy. Topically cannabis can enter the bloodstream quicker and more effectively and avoiding side effects.(Source) Rick Simpson was one of the pioneers of marijuana in the topical form, known for making Rick Simpson Oil.


Tinctures

Tinctures are a highly concentrated form on cannabis in alcohol. They can be just the THC form, the CBD form or a mixture. Applied under the tongue or mixed in a beverage it is another delivery method of consumption.

Edibles


Edibles are commonly known as cannabis that is infused into butter or oil and cooked into food. Edibles take longer to take effect, so users need to be aware to not consume too much. It can take 20 minutes to an hour  to take effect and last up to four hours or longer. Most describe it as a overall body relaxation rather than a cerebral head high. (Source)

The THC component only gives the psychoactive high when heated, ingesting it raw is a way to receive many of the benefits without the high. Blending it with other vegetables and fruits to make a smoothie takes out the bitterness and more palatable to eat raw.(Source)


Source:

Thursday, October 9, 2014

Different Kinds of Joints

blunt, windmill, cross, tulip, spliff, joint, pinner
Different Kinds of Marijuana Joints



Joint – A regular style joint.

Pinner or Pin Joint – Thin personal joint.

L” Joint – 2 papers, one cut in half and glued to make a longer joint that is thicker on the end.

Inside Out or Back Roll – Glue side down, wrap around once and burn the excess paper. Makes a healthier, less carcinogenic joint.

Spliff – Tobacco mixed with cannabis.

Dutch Tulip – Large cherry made with two papers glued together and then folded and glued again to make a triangle. Then opened up and filled with cannabis to be tied to a cardboard for smoking.

Cross, or Holy Cross – Famed by the movie “Pineapple Express” is a 3 headed joint that a hole is cut to meet up with the lead cardboard and wrapped with paper glue to stay in place.

Windmill – A reusable cardboard cylinder that is wrapped with paper and closed at the top with paper. For joints stuck into the large cylinder.

Blunt – A cigar paper re-rolled with cannabis.

Monday, October 6, 2014

How to Roll a Joint


How to Roll a Joint

There are many ways to roll a joint to smoke marijuana, but knowing how to roll a joint when you do not have many tools is helpful when you are on the go. Here is a step by step guide to rolling one!

  1. Buy “shake” which is the leftover flower, stem bits that fall to the bottom of the weed bag, usually you can score a deal, or get a nice bud.
  2. Take a grinder and grind the weed.
  3. Put the ground up weed in a rolling paper, gum side up.
  4. Roll it until you reach the gum part.
  5. Lick the gum and press it closed to seal it.
  6. Light the joint.
  7. Smoke the joint.

Saturday, September 20, 2014

The Different Types of Concentrates

The concentrates for cannabis are growing in popularity with it outselling the traditional buds in retail lately. Much of this change is in the popularity of Vape Pens and different forms of using marijuana such as edibles. Concentrates are just like the name refers to, a concentrated form of the cannabinoids in the buds to give a higher concentration of THC and or CBD. Here are some different forms of concentrates.

Hash
The oldest form of concentrate, and probably the least potent. Hash is made by collecting the plants resin, or kief and pressing it together. Ice water or ethanol sometimes is used to effectively collect the crystals better to make a higher concentration of the cannabinoids, stripping away the non-desirable materials of the plant.(Source)

Butane Hash Oil (BHO)
Very dangerous way of making concentrate in the fact that butane is highly flammable. (Source) BHO creates a very potent form used for vaporizors or dabbing. The result of heating to extract the cannabinoids leaves a sticky “wax” wax or a solid “shatter” with a high concentration of THC. BHO when tested shows traces of butane and therefore is not the healthiest way to ingest cannabis. (Source)

CO2 Oil
CO2 Vape Juice
The newer, less dangerous, less toxic and best way of preserving terpenes and other healthy flavors and cannabinoids is CO2 extraction. The process is more expensive to get a botanical extractor that uses pressure and carbon dioxide to extract the benefits of the plant into a concentrate. This method is used for vapor pens. (Source)

Rick Simpson Oil (RSO)
A cancer patient in 2003 named Rick Simpson made a concentrate from hemp by soaking the cannabis in naphtha or isopropyl alcohol. The THC and CBD are extracted to make a tar like liquid when the solvent evaporated. RSO, or also known as Phoenix Tears can be applied directly to the skin like a salve. Some companies now produce this concentrate and to have more THC or more CBD.(Source)

Tinctures

Cannabidiol CBD Tincture
Tinctures, were popular before the prohibition of 1937. This method is done soaking the buds, leaves and stems in ethyl alcohol extraction to get the beneficial cannabinoids extracted out. The usual way of administering this is a couple of drops under the tongue.(Source)

Source:

Saturday, September 6, 2014

E-Cigarettes and Vape Pens Have Brought Marijuana Into the Light

 


The Origins come from Nicotine
A bong, joint or pipe is a telltale sign of marijuana, and in public that brings a societal frown. A Vape Pen, or originally called an e-cigarette was invented in Beijing China in 2003 by Hon Lik, a pharmacist that had his chain smoking father die of lung cancer, and he too being a smoker of cigarettes. E-cigarettes have had an uphill battle for being accepted as an acceptable method of smoking with many bans of sale in multiple countries, including fines and imprisonment and FDA bans.

Ruyan, Health New Zealand in 2008 did a research study that concluded that for e-cigarettes the toxins and carcinogens are below harmful levels, 100 – 1000x less harmful than smoking tobacco cigarettes. Bans were imposed for the purpose that the liquids formulas had propylene glycol and diethylene glycol, however research showed the 9 toxins in e-cigarettes as opposed to 1000 toxins in a regular cigarette. Non-smoking activists voice concerns that e-cigarettes will be a gateway to the tobacco industry, where as much effort has been put in effect a stop to the popularity of smoking.

Vape Pens in the Marijuana Community
While e-cigarettes are getting flogged in the legislation and headlines, the marijuana community is booming in the vape pen industry. Vape pens are discreet, and are seen in public for they don't advertise what the person is smoking with the absence of fire, smoke and smell. Vape pens use a marijuana concentrate made from the plant which is in the form of a yellow resin liquid. Right now there is not a ban on any state for vape pens, however California is considering a ban on concentrates.

Whoopie Goldberg did an interview for The Cannabist in where she talked about the benefits of the vape pen for medical marijuana. She tells of how easy it is to use for non-smokers and how the amount of “sips” can regulate the amount of drug she needs. She was able to get off of other pain medication and regulate for headache pain from glaucoma in a natural and safe way with cannabis.

Concerns are legitimate as the concentration can be very high, and one inhalation can give someone a mind altering effect. With the ability of the vape pen to be discreet in daily life, a concern for parents and employers may not be able to know if their kids or workers are under the influence.

With the growing popularity of vape pen, the demand for concentrates have gone up and buds or flowers have gone down. The concentrate can be designed for the specific need of the patient for an amount of THC, or for CBD, which is not psycho-active and has antioxidant properties.

OUTCO offers concentrates or vape juice for sale, and is San Diego's only legally licensed medical marijuana dispensary offering FREE Delivery and Accepting Debit Cards.

Source:
http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2014/04/18/302992602/pot-smoke-and-mirrors-vaporizer-pens-hide-marijuana-use

Friday, August 29, 2014

Indica and Sativa, what about Ruderalis?


Cannabis Species

Their are 3 predominant species of cannabis, Indica and Sativa that have been breed over generations to have a high THC content and predictable growing patterns, and Ruderalis, named after the German named “ruderal” meaning weeds by the roadside. Many in the cannabis growing community disregard the Ruderalis species, however it's high content of CBD as well as it's extremely fast growing time may come to be beneficial in the medical marijuana industry.


Ruderalis is thought to come from Sativa, having thin leaves much like the Sativa, but in contrast only growing a foot in height, while the Sativa is the tallest of the cannabis species. The origins are thought to be from Russian cannabis growers where the flowers that escaped outside the plantation seeded and started growing as volunteers. They adapted attributes to survive in the climate such as shorter in length and quicker growing time, losing the attributes that weren't helpful to survival such as high THC content. The ability for the ruderalis to flower without photo-activation makes it unique and necessary for the long days without sunlight in far north climates.


There are reasons to integrate the ruderalis species into the medical marijuana industry:
• Faster Growing time
• Humidity Resistant
• Auto Flowering (light not needed to flower)
• Intense light yields many trichomes leading to high amount of CBD
• Mold Resistant
• Drought Tolerant


Some Popular Cannabis strains have already utilized the Ruderalis species. Neville Schoenmaker, founder of Sensei Seeds, created Ruderalis Indica, Ruderalis Skunk and Four-Way, hybrids that were created in hopes of autoflowering. Sensei Seeds comments that the auto-flowering was not completely successful. Canadian Growers in British Columbia have cultivated the strain Mighty Mite for it's auto-flowering and quick growing, a popular ruderalis hybrid. A hybrid of Mighty Mite but more potent is Guerilla Gold which has a semi auto-flowering uniqueness. FIN-314, also known as Finola, is used for hemp cultivation and has a very low government acceptable THC amount and high in Cannabinoids.


A well known grower named the Joint Doctor took a Mexican Rudy known for it's auto-flowering and mixed it with a Northern Lights and a Williams Wonder to create the Lowryder strain. This popular Lowryder is used by many to create an auto-flowering strain that produces high THC. The auto-flowering is a recessive trait and therefore a consistent behavior of auto-flowering has yet to be achieved.

OUTCO is San Diego's only legally licensed medical marijuana dispensary offering FREE Delivery and Accepting Debit Cards.

Source: http://www.seedsman.com/en/cannabis-ruderalis

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

The Differences Between Indica and Sativa Cannabis Strains


Differences Between Indica and Sativa

There are many choices to consider when selecting a strain of cannabis, and at OUTCO in San Diego, we have bud specialists to help find a strain for your treatment. One main category for cannabis is separating them into Indica or Sativa, and then hybrids that have the genetics of both. Indica and Sativa have some general differences that are accepted by cannabis connoisseurs:

Indica
• Originated in Higher altitudes
• Higher Yield per plant with shorter growing time
• Shorter and Fuller plants with broad leaves
• Fruity to Skunk Flavors
• Stronger Sedating
Treatment:
• Pain Relief
• Sleep Problems
• Migraines and Headaches
• Stress and Anxiety

Sativa
• Originated close to the equator.
• Less of a Yield and longer growing time
• Grow taller with narrow leaves.
• From Fruity to Cat Piss Flavor
• More uplifting
Treatment:
• Depression
• Increases focus and creativity
• Stimulates and Energizes
• Uplifting and euphoric thoughts

A New Way of Categorizing Cannabis

Jeffrey Taber, who has a Ph.D in Chemistry, was the first to test terepenes in cannabis in 2011. He theorizes that the differences in cannabis are less in whether they are indica or sativa, but more in the different terepenes within the strain of cannabis. Terepenes are like the fingerprint to the plant, rather than the CBD, THC content or name given to the plant that may be found to have been miscategorized. Terepenes are the flavor and taste, but also introduce the multitudes of benefits and effects that vary from one strain to another.

Within each strain their will be different amounts of CBD or THC and also vary on taste and aroma from the different growing conditions. Each strain effects the patient differently depending on body chemistry. The way in which the strain is given to the patient as well will vary the effects, such as vape pen, bong, joint, edible etc.

OUTCO is San Diego's only legally licensed medical marijuana dispensary offering store, free delivery and accepting credit cards.

http://www.theweedblog.com/the-difference-between-indica-and-sativa-marijuana-plants/

Saturday, August 16, 2014

Terpenes in Cannabis


Terpenes are the single most reason that cannabis strains are different and unique. Terpenes account for the smell, flavor and effects of the cannabis. THC and Cannabanoids can differ from each strain, however they generally are the same amount and wouldn't bring the interest and glory to each variation for a slight change in percentage amount.


High Times in an article about terpenes talks about David Watson, who was behind hybrid Skunk #1, and his business partner Robert Connell Clarke who formed Hortapharm based in Holland. They had a theory that terpenes added to the potency of THC. They concluded through research that terpene infused resin with 50% THC was more potent than than 100% THC.


Their are over 20,000 variations of terpenes in plants that we eat daily, and about 200 found in cannabis. The main reasoning for the formation of terpenes in the plant world is to repel predators and encourage pollinators. This adds to the smell and tastes in foods and cannabis. Further studies of strains with more terpenes and less THC give the effect of THC without the anxiety that THC can cause. Extracting for oils can be difficult as it burns off faster than THC and other compounds.


Certain Terpenes offer medicinal benefits, and here are a few:
Nerolidol - Helps with skin penetration and is s sedative, an important one in lotions
Beta-caryophyllene - Good for ulcers and anti inflammation in the intestinal tract.
Linalool - Helps with anxiety and stress, as a lotion helps with burns and acne.
Limonene – Antibacterial, a mood lifter, and helps with heartburn and gastro reflux.
Myrcene - Is a Muscle relaxant, pain killer and sedative.
Alpha-pinene - Most commonly found in cannabis, improves memory, asthma and alertness.

OUTCO is San Diego's only legally licensed medical marijuana dispensary offering FREE Delivery and Accepting Debit Cards.


http://www.leafly.com/knowledge-center/cannabis-101/terpenes-the-flavors-of-cannabis-aromatherapy

Monday, August 4, 2014

Vape Juices at OUTCO


Vape Juice
OUTCO's amber vape juice is made with CO2 extracted amber glass dissolved in it's own terpenes. Each ampule contains 400mg of active THC.


Here is a list of Vape Juices that OUTCO may be carrying.  Click on the link for availability and ordering:

Indica:
Sativa:

Hybrid: 



OUTCO is San Diego's only legally licensed medical marijuana dispensary offering FREE Delivery and Accepting Debit Cards.