I recently traveled to my home state of New Jersey to attend a pair of weddings, and seemingly the only topic everyone wanted to talk to me about was marijuana. I’ve been in the cannabis industry for over 3 years now. Typically, my conversations with curious (and well-meaning) family and friends who live in non-legal states revolve around them asking me if I could send them cannabis products in the mail, if I’m stoned at that particular moment, or general questions about my cannabis marketing business.
This time, however, the weed-related conversations on my trip home were quite different. For example: I had a family member at one wedding (who I had no idea used cannabis regularly) tell me that she’d been dealing with horrible rheumatoid arthritis for years. She then continued to ask me very specific questions about the types of cannabis she should consume, where she could get the right kind, how much she should take at any given time, etc. I also had another family friend open up to me about her cancer diagnosis, asking me about different cannabis products that I might suggest for her condition.
As much as I love helping my family and friends, as a responsible cannabis industry professional I don’t want to give them inaccurate advice and information. I figured this blog would be a great opportunity to try to explain why folks shouldn’t be scared to try cannabis, and also, why it’s important to know what you’re consuming, where it is coming from, and how it will affect you.
Have you ever heard of any weed-related cannabis deaths?
Seriously, though.. Have you ever heard of someone dying from pot? If you Google search “Cannabis Overdose”, you’ll get a few questionable articles that pop up and say that there indeed have been some instances. In all reality, there have been ZERO(!) cases of marijuana overdose deaths throughout recorded history. If there have been any “cannabis-related” deaths, you can be sure that they were not directly caused by the plant itself.
Now, let’s ask Google about “Alcohol Related Deaths” or “Tobacco Related Deaths”. According to the World Health Organization, there are approximately 3.3 million alcohol related deaths per year and 8 million tobacco related deaths per year. Both of these lethal drugs are legal in every state and are used very commonly in American culture and throughout the rest of the world.
According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, between 2016 and 2017 there were more than 130 opiate-related drug overdose deaths per day. Although opioids are not as available to the public as alcohol or tobacco, there is still an alarming, exponentially intensifying epidemic currently happening in our country. This is because modern doctors are very quick to prescribe opiates and other pharmaceutical drugs, all the while knowing there’s a natural alternative smacking them right in the face: Cannabis!
Why should I know the type of cannabis I’m consuming?
Although it’s been proven that cannabis can help in many ways, and yes it’s true that there have been zero marijuana related overdoses throughout recorded history, however, you still should have knowledge of what you’re consuming.
What’s the point of using cannabis to help with chemotherapy if it has cancer-causing pesticides in it? If you didn’t grow your own cannabis and you don’t live in a recreational or medical legal cannabis state, how do you know what’s in it?
Non-legal States
If you live in a completely illegal state, try some hemp-derived CBD (which recently has become federally legal). I suggest products you can order online, right to your doorstep – from trustworthy brands like our client, VEDA. Their CBD isolate breath spray and full spectrum tinctures are my favorites. I send my mom and her friends a discount code each month because VEDA products help them with anxiety, arthritis, and sleep.
Medical-only States
If you live in a medical-only cannabis state, on top of trying hemp-derived CBD, I do suggest going to your doctor to get a medical card instead of buying “black-market” cannabis. It is much safer to consume pot that’s been tested. Even if the weed you’re buying off the street doesn’t have pesticides, how are you supposed to figure out if it’s the right strain for you if you don’t know the specific cannabinoid levels, terpene profiles, or even if it’s a sativa or indica?
Legal States
If you live in a legal cannabis state, well, you’ve got it made! However, I still ‘highly’ suggest looking into what you’re consuming and knowing which brands are the most trustworthy. Now that cannabis has become more commercialized, many of the bigger brands are cutting corners by producing products with low-quality cannabis and/or ingredients. Therefore, I feel it’s best to support companies who have amazing flower, use quality ingredients, and who care about their local communities.
Let’s (Blunt) Wrap This Up
As you can see, the cannabis plant is safe, but still it’s wise to know as much as possible about what you’re consuming. While there are plenty of untrustworthy cannabis brands in the industry, there are also many great brands out there that offer natural alternatives to pharmaceuticals, alcohol, and tobacco.
Please take my advice on alternative options in non-legal, medical-only, and fully-legal cannabis states. Wishing to learn more about experimenting with cannabinoids? Check out another one of my recent blogs: “Proper Cannabinoid Usage.”
