Know Your Herbs

Month: April 2020

CBD Prescription Drug Is No Longer A Federally Controlled Substance

Herbs

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has removed a marijuana-based medication from the list of federally controlled substances.

GW Pharmaceuticals announced on Monday that Epidiolex, a prescription drug it developed that’s derived from cannabis and used in the treatment of epilepsy, had been taken off Schedule V of the Controlled Substances Act. Effectively immediately, the CBD medication is no longer a controlled substance, the company said.

That means individuals will be able to more easily obtain Epidiolex. GW said in its notice that it will “begin the process of implementing these changes at the state level and through the EPIDIOLEX distribution network.”

After that point, state reporting requirements under prescription drug monitoring programs will no longer be applicable. Like many non-controlled drugs, people will still need to get a prescription from a doctor, but those prescriptions will be valid for up to a year and can be transferred among pharmacies.

“This notification from DEA fully establishes that EPIDIOLEX, the only CBD medicine approved by FDA, is no longer a controlled substance under the federal Controlled Substances Act,” Justin Gover, CEO of GW, said in a press release. “We would like to thank DEA for confirming the non-controlled status of this medicine.”

“Importantly, the descheduling of EPIDIOLEX has the potential to further ease patient access to this important therapy for patients living with Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome and Dravet syndrome, two of the most debilitating forms of epilepsy,” he said.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the medication in 2018. DEA said it would be placed in Schedule V, rather than Schedule I like marijuana and its derivatives.

FDA pushed back in a letter to the agency, arguing that CBD carries minimal risks and has established health benefits and so it shouldn’t be controlled at all. DEA replied that international treaty obligations warrant its control, albeit in the least restrictive category of Schedule V. FDA then said that if that changed, the agency should “promptly” revisit its status as a controlled substance.

Last year, the World Health Organization clarified that CBD containing no more than 0.2 percent THC is “not under international control.”

Meanwhile, FDA is in the process of developing regulations for hemp-derived cannabidiol products that aren’t approved as medications following the 2018 Farm Bill’s legalization of the crop and its derivatives. The agency said in a report to Congress last month that the rulemaking process is ongoing, but it is actively exploring pathways to allow for lawful sales of the cannabis compound as a dietary supplement, and it’s developing enforcement discretion guidance for products that are currently on the market.

Featured image from Shutterstock

This article has been republished from Marijuana Moment under a content-sharing agreement. Read the original article here.

The post CBD Prescription Drug Is No Longer A Federally Controlled Substance appeared first on Weedmaps News.

Source: wm

What to Binge-watch with Weed

Herbs

Since the act of binge-watching has gone from guilty pleasure to socially acceptable and encouraged, I’ve been asking people what I should catch up on or revisit. It quickly became a very long list. Then, I made a separate list of shows that would be that much better with weed. 

You know, the shows where the jokes just land harder, the dramatic moments are more intense, the plot twists more surprising after you’ve hit a joint a few times or once the edible has kicked in.

So here are a few choice selections that are worth binge-watching with your favorite weed product.

Netflix

The Good Place 

This is also an excellent time to [re-]discover The Good Place. I don’t want to spoil the concept, but it’s a light-hearted inventive idea about good and bad and how things aren’t always black and white. 

Breaking Bad 

Chances are you watched Breaking Bad when it first aired, or you’ve heard “You haven’t seen Breaking Bad? You have to watch it” enough times to make you scream. This is your chance to finally watch it. 

Ozark 

Another crime drama, but this one is about a family that is forced to relocate to the Ozarks to launder money for a Mexican cartel. Relatable, right? It’s worth watching just for Ruth’s iconic, expletive-laden lines.

Ugly Delicious

There is a slew of cooking shows on Netflix, but Ugly Delicious finds the sweet spot between docuseries, interview shows, and food porn. Chef David Chang is the perfect host for navigating the culture of food from both social-political and entertainment viewpoints. Smart, fun, and munchie-inducing.

The Office 

The Office is streaming’s equivalent to comfort food. 

HBO

Succession 

If you’re looking for a whip-smart comedy with razor-sharp dialogue that skewers the rich class, there is nothing more enjoyable than Succession. Every scene is crackling with drama and cynicism, but it manages to drop in enough human moments to keep you from completely hating everyone on your screen. 

Watchmen

HBO’s sequel to the iconic graphic novel is a high-stakes tightrope walk. It brings to life beloved characters while introducing new ones to explore long-standing issues with race, patriotism, politics, technology, and obsession with superheroes. It’s incredibly complicated but action-packed; the perfect high watch.

Curb Your Enthusiasm 

If now isn’t the perfect time to spark a j and revisit everyone’s favorite heart-warming curmudgeon, I don’t know what would be.

Westworld 

There are few shows as ambitious and confusing as Westworld. Sure, watching an episode can feel a little like homework, but if eating an edible and getting lost in complicated timelines and “wait, are they a robot?” sequences is your thing, you really can’t go wrong. 

High Maintenance 

If you’re looking for a dose of humanity in these uncertain times, the lovable stoners at the center of High Maintenance are there for you. 

Amazon Prime

The Boys 

Another superhero entry, this one from Amazon. The Boys take on superheroes shows us what would happen if super-powered beings were influenced by our hyper-capitalist society and everything was one huge conspiracy. Definitely a good watch with a good edible. 

Fleabag 

There isn’t a smarter, sexier show than Fleabag. Every moment manages to be insanely clever and true to life. A great choice for getting high and laughing your ass off. 

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

It’s doubtful there is a more charming entry than The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. An uplifting period piece that brings laughs and allure. 

The Man in the High Castle

What if the Allied Powers had lost WWII, and Japan and Germany ruled the United States? Pack the bong and put on your tinfoil cap for this one.

Hulu

High Fidelity

Single? Aimless? Bored? In need of a smoking buddy to relate to? Spark one with Zoe Kravitz in High Fidelity.  

Pen15

Remember how horrible middle school was? Wish you could take a bong rip and go back and laugh (and cry) about it?

The Handmaid’s Tale

The Handmaid’s Tale takes one a whole new meaning under the current circumstances. A deeply disturbing dystopia made all the more creepy with THC and a Twitter timeline. 

Love Island

I’ve been told by multiple people that you could exclusively watch Love Island, a reality show about hot young singles trying to win either a cash grand prize or hook up with another hot young single, and you wouldn’t run out of episodes. Look, we all need some mindless trash for a little bit of escapism, so pack the bong and fire up Love Island. 

Disney+ 

The Simpsons 

There are 673 episodes of The Simpsons. You could watch five episodes a day and it would still take you more than four months to get through them all. 

The Clone Wars 

For all our Star Wars stoners, this series is a must-watch.

Mandalorian 

Spoiler: Baby Yoda.

Avoid going into dispensaries, if you can. Check to see if your region allows curbside/pickup/delivery here and see if your local dispensary will let you order online here. 

Photo by John Tuesday on Unsplash

The post What to Binge-watch with Weed appeared first on Weedmaps News.

Source: wm

Everything You Should Know About the MagicalButter Machine

Herbs

For most of us, when it comes to kicking back, relaxing and enjoying some good weed, it doesn’t really matter how you do it. A perfectly rolled joint, a clean bong rip, a light and tasty vape cloud —most of us are content as long as the result is being pleasantly stoned. 

Eating a delicious and potent edible, however, is a particularly wonderful thing many of us wish we could do more often, were it not for the complicated, time consuming, and awfully messy process of making cannabutter the traditional way. 

While crafting your own cannabutter isn’t terribly difficult, it’s a tricky and rather involved process which takes several hours to complete. The benefits of making cannabutter are clear and plentiful, yet enduring the process of actually making it is a major obstacle for even the most dedicated stoners.

But the days of standing over a double-boiler and straining your cannabutter through a cheesecloth are over — as are the days of destroying your kitchen in the process — thanks to the MagicalButter Machine. 

What is the MagicalButter Machine?

The MagicalButter Machine is a fully-automatic countertop botanical extractor, immersion blender and heating unit fitted perfectly together inside a compact, pitcher-shaped design. 

Equipped with a versatile immersion blade and a programmable thermostat, the MagicalButter Machine can grind, stir, heat and steep herbal extracts at exactly the right times and temperatures, yielding extremely high-quality infusions with barely any effort. 

Included with the MagicalButter Machine is the PurifyFilter 190™ infusion filter for effortless infusion straining, as well as their signature heat-and-slip-resistant LoveGlove™ for safe and effective handling of infusions made in the MagicalButter Machine. 

In addition to classic cannabutter, you can also make tinctures, infused coconut oil and even medicinal salves using this machine. 

How to use the MagicalButter Machine 

If you’ve made cannabutter at home before, you know that decarbing your weed is a critical first step in the process. This holds true when using the MagicalButter Machine, too. There are several different ways to decarb weed depending on what you’re using it for, but to decarb your weed for cannabutter, your best bet is just to bake it in the oven. 

Break up the bud you want to infuse into the butter into small pieces and spread it evenly in a thin layer over a sheet of parchment paper, cover the paper with aluminum foil, bake for 25–30 minutes at 230℉ (110℃), and let cool completely before you begin your desired infusion cycle in the MagicalButter Machine. 

Once you’ve decarbed the weed and it’s cooled down, you’re ready to start the MagicalButter infusion process. The MagicalButter Machine is capable of all different kinds of botanical infusions like butters, oils, tinctures and oil concentrates. Cannabutter is, of course, a butter infusion, which are the simplest and most basic infusions to perform. 

How to make cannabutter with the MagicalButter Machine

Making cannabutter with the MagicalButter Machine takes approximately two hours from start to finish, and yields approximately 2–5 cups maximum (475–1180 mL) depending on how much butter you want to make. 

Ingredients: 

  • 2–5 cups (475–1180 mL) of unsalted butter, clarified*
  • 1/4–1/2 oz. (7–14 g) of decarbed bud per every 1 cup (240 mL) of butter used
  • 1 tbsp. (15 mL) lecithin* per every 1 cup (240 mL) of butter used

*To ensure the best possible extraction process and the highest possible potency of your cannabutter, the MagicalButter chefs highly recommend you clarify the butter before adding it to the pitcher of the MagicalButter Machine. Clarified butterfat absorbs more THC than normal butter, and makes for a better infusion overall. All you have to do to clarify your butter is slowly simmer it in a small pan on the stove over very low heat until it melts and a white froth forms on the surface, then gently skim it off with a spoon until only the golden, clear, liquefied butterfat remains. 

*Lecithin is an emulsifier used widely in the culinary industry, among others, for binding ingredients to lipids like butter and fat. Adding lecithin allows the butterfat to absorb significantly higher amounts of THC and other cannabinoids during infusion, which increases the potency of your finished cannabutter. 

Directions: 

  • Load your desired amount of clarified butter, proportionate amount of decarbed bud and lecithin into the pitcher of the MagicalButter Machine and tightly secure the head on top of the pitcher.
  • Press the “Temperature” button on the top of the head and select the option for 160℉ (71℃), then the “2 Hours/Butter” button 
  • Allow two hours infusion cycle to run 
  • Once the infusion cycle is complete, unplug your MagicalButter Machine and remove the head. Put on your LoveGlove™ and slowly pour what’s in the pitcher through your PurifyFilter™ and into your desired storage container. 

And that’s it—decarb your bud, press a couple of buttons, wait two hours, strain and once it solidifies, you can infuse all of your favorite culinary creations with premium, potent homemade cannabutter. 

How to clean your machine

Once you’re done, the MagicalButter Machine is super easy to clean even if you’re stoned out of your mind on edibles already. You simply give the machine a rinse, fill it up halfway with dish soap and water and press the clean button. 

Whether you’re a veteran cannabutter chef you’re a novice who wants to learn the ropes of making edibles, the MagicalButter Machine is a solid investment. It’s as simple and straightforward to use as a botanical extraction machine/immersion blender/customizable heating unit can be without compromising the quality or the potency of its final products. 

So if you’re looking for a user-friendly way to make your own edibles (or you’re quarantined at home in need of new ways to get stoned like me) the MagicalButter Machine is the cure to your weed woes.

The post Everything You Should Know About the MagicalButter Machine appeared first on Weedmaps News.

Source: wm

You Should Still Make Time to Smoke Weed with Your Friends Online

Herbs

If you’re following proper social distancing guidelines, you probably haven’t seen most or any of your friends and family in weeks. Since the novel coronavirus has spread across the world, forcing us to take shelter to keep ourselves, our friends and family, and communities safe and healthy, social life and interactions have distorted to the point of being nearly unrecognizable. 

For people who like to smoke weed with friends, it’s made all normal “seshing” cease. Most regular cannabis users can tell you that whether it’s for medical needs or personal enjoyment, part of the appeal of using weed is a communal one. There’s nothing quite like passing a freshly packed bong around the circle or sneaking off with a few people to share a joint in the alley. Without these small, intimate rituals, smoking weed alone can feel isolating and bleak. 

And this isolation comes at a cost. Vox’s Ezra Klein believes that along with a global pandemic and economic recession, we could find ourselves in a loneliness epidemic as well. Studies have shown that social isolation can have real mental and physical health consequences. And while social distancing can’t last forever, health experts urge us to keep our guards up and remain vigilant to flatten the curve and avoid a second wave. 

So where does that leave people looking to consume cannabis and get a bit of social interaction? Here’s the case for taking meetups and seshes into virtual smoke circles.  

Appointment Internet, but make it weed. 

New York Magazine’s Brian Feldman makes the case for “Appointment Internet,” in which smaller groups of friends and family make deliberate plans to meet up in a virtual setting rather than posting to a broad audience on social media and hoping to get engagement from strangers. 

The idea here is: “you can be assured that everyone else is seeing the same thing you’re seeing. It’s a more active and engaged use of the internet, and it’s a way to communicate with the couple of dozen people you actually want to talk to, and nobody else.”

When it comes to weed smokers, the same idea applies, but for scheduling time to login with your friends, smoke a joint, and catch up. 

As we move our daily catch ups, business meetings, happy hours, and birthday parties from office buildings, coffee shops, and bars into group messages, FaceTimes, Zoom meeting rooms, and Google Hangouts, we can move our smoke sessions to these digital spaces, too. It’s the “new normal” that we’re all still adjusting to, but it’s normalcy nonetheless. 

These rituals may seem insignificant until we don’t have them anymore. At Weedmaps, we have a gong that someone would physically ring everyday at 4:20 p.m. Since working remotely, someone always makes sure to send a gong emoji in the company-wide Slack channel everyday at 4:20 p.m, which prompts other co-workers to follow up with a variety of emojis and gifs. We even have a Slackbot reminder and a dedicated virtual meeting room for people to come in and share a smoke. 

Personally, last week my friends and I continued our weekly ritual of smoking weed and drinking whiskey while playing an incredibly complex board game by finding a simulator for the game and meeting up on FaceTime. It felt weird at first, but the comfort of chatting with my friends, seeing their faces, and enjoying some weed was something I really needed for my mental health.

Online sesh tips and etiquette. 

Just like an in-person smoke session, we should take proper etiquette and safety into consideration. We live in a society, afterall. 

A few pieces of etiquette to consider: 

  • Start a group chat with your sesh friends. This is the easiest way to see who is interested and who is going to pass. 
  • Try to set a recurring time. Same time everyday, once a week, whatever. Do calendar invites.
  • Come prepared and ontime. Sure, it’s just a social thing, but respect everyone’s time. 
  • Try to keep politics and “end of the world” talk to a minimum. These seshes are supposed to be social interactions that are meant to nourish you, not make you feel worse. 

Here are a few video platforms to consider: 

Here are a few smoking tips: 

  • Avoid going into dispensaries, if you can. Check to see if your region allows curbside/pickup/delivery here and see if your local dispensary will let you order online here. 
  • If you’re smoking with partners, family, or roommates, don’t share pipes, bongs, or joints. Each person should have their own device or product. 
  • Be extra vigilant about keeping all your glass clean.
  • Save money by looking for deals and using these weed hacks. 

Featured image by Gina Coleman/Weedmaps

The post You Should Still Make Time to Smoke Weed with Your Friends Online appeared first on Weedmaps News.

Source: wm