BY RUTH HILL R.N.
Information keeps jumping off the pages of social media about the benefits of medical cannabis. Yet, the stigma remains. Much if the stigma is reinforced by films like Disjointed, the Netflix series about “Ruth’s Alternative Healing”. Too bad Netflix cannot produce films that show the safe use of cannabis instead of fanning the fumes of Reefer Madness. Many of my fellow Republicans do not want to use this wonderful herb. The fake news and sensational movies have thoroughly ingrained them about the dangers and yet cannabis is safer than any pharmaceutical developed.
Sublingual cannabis pills similar to nitroglycerin tablets for angina pain are being developed. The cannabis pill is placed under the tongue and absorbed quickly avoiding what is called “1st pass.” Benadryl, an antihistamine, can be purchased as a sublingual wafer. Again, this is a pharmaceutical grade dose. “First pass” means foods are metabolized by gastric juices and then passed through the liver where it is broken down again. In cannabis, the THC molecule or delta9-tetracannabinoid is converted to 10-hydrocannabinoid which is ten times the strength.
Medically any drug absorbed in the mouth, or for that matter in the rectum via a suppository, will avoid 1st pass through the liver and be quickly absorbed in the bloodstream rendering it effective within 15-30 minutes. Therefore, edibles are discouraged unless the user is very knowledgeable. Edibles are also discouraged for naïve cannabis users.
Starting January 2024, state officials in California say they will be able to seize and destroy packaging that is attractive to children and being used unlawfully for illegal cannabis and other products. It prohibits a cannabis product from being made in the shape of a person, animal, insect, or fruit, resulting in manufacturers and dispensaries changing how they produce and sell edibles. A major problem with edibles and vape pens is the difficulty in determining the precise content of the THC or CBD molecule in the product.
On a recent trip to Los Angeles’ Toy District in downtown LA, regulators found dozens of packaging with bright colors, and cartoon characters — some with references to famous movies, others with the likeness of well-known musicians. All of the items they found inside stores they visited, the California Department of Cannabis Control says, are illegal.
While California has the longest record for legalizing cannabis use the new regulations present a valid fear and anticipation. CA, nonetheless, is ahead of most states in making sure cannabis products are not easily obtained by our youth under 21. A cursory review of dispensaries on the East Coast via Leafy finds products that are attractive to children. These sellers do nothing to prevent the besmirching of cannabis effectiveness.
The COVID pandemic has created a schism in our health institutions, like the FDA, NIAID, and CDC. Their credibility is forever lost. New users now are less fearful of the Reefer Madness of the ‘60s and are more eager to try cannabis. Users are more willing to try different methods of ingestion thus making the use of edibles more dangerous. Effectiveness is determined by the user’s unique metabolism, the cannabis potency, type, and amount ingested or vaporized, i.e. one drop, two drops, one pump, one bite one drag on the vape pen or joint.
Micro dosing of vape pens is thought to solve the problem of exact dosing. However, the label does not describe what is in the dose. THC? CBD? THCa? Are there terpenes in the dose? These microdose pens, vape pens, or edibles do not measure cannabis like morphine, valium, or statin tablets.
We have a long way to go to achieve the exact dosing as other pharmaceuticals. Beginning users should have faith and continue using with medical supervision. In summary, tinctures administered under the tongue are currently a precise and accurate method.
Unless the banking issue is resolved hundreds of millions of tax monies are lost in the black hole of someone’s pocket, instead of being invested in research. It’s an underground economy that will continue to support the black market. If you want to have a professional coach other than a budtender, go to https://holisticcaring.com/patient-consultations/
Send questions to hilruth@gmail.com
