Is Weed Too Expensive?

Times are really tough out here for the average American citizen. The average income in the United States is what - around $30,00 a year? Not to mention the rate of inflation ensures that pay increases are made less and less significant each year. And of course, the cost of living for things like rent, healthcare, and more continues to climb with no end in sight for everyone. 

I surely am grateful for the fact that I have a steady job and income that I can count on in these hard times, because not everyone is so lucky. Weed is one of those things that also continues to fluctuate in price. For anyone that has traveled to different places in the country and taken a look at the local dispensaries, you may have noticed the large disparity between states and the price that marijuana runs for. 

In fact, depending on where you live in the United States, you may end up paying double or even triple what people in other states are paying for the same type of cannabis strain or product. Why is this? Well, a lot of it has to do with the complicated relationship between weed and the law and policies that allow it to exist in our nation. Most states have now legalized medical marijuana programs for specific patients that qualify, and a select few of those states have also legalized adult use as well. If you live in a state that has affordable cannabis, consider yourself lucky. In many places around the United States. Medical and recreational marijuana users alike are shelling out big bucks for weed on the regular.

So what about the cannabis industry makes for such a difference in the price of weed from state to state? Well, to answer this question, we should look at the top five states where weed is most expensive. The most expensive place to buy marijuana in the United States is Virginia, at about $18.60 per gram. This is by far the most expensive price in the country, since the second most expensive place is Pennsylvania with a price of $15.62 per gram. While that may not sound terribly expensive, you need to think about it in terms of buying an ounce. Say you wanted to buy an ounce of weed in Virginia. Do you know how much you would be paying? Try about $530! That’s like my whole monthly income and some more on top. Comparing that price to other states in the country really shows how pricey marijuana can be for some people. 

I really pity people that live in a place where cannabis is not affordable. Where I am from in Michigan, buying weed is relatively cheap compared to a lot of other places in the nation, and I am super grateful for that. Anyways, the problem with pricing weed so high is that it can be hard for medical marijuana patients to properly self-medicate with weed. 

Not to mention, insurance companies that normally cover the cost of other healthcare options do not cover medical marijuana. It is quite literally cheaper to get your hands on some dangerous opioids, which by the way is being called an epidemic by the World Health Organization, than it is to get an ounce of weed. 

If we truly want people to begin relying on other ways of medication rather than dangerous opioids that can lead to addiction and abuse, we need to start rethinking how we price marijuana in this country. Much of the reason that prices are so high is because of corporate taxes and licensing fees, as well as retail and excise taxes on marijuana.

Cannabis Decriminalization Vs. Legalization

Both these words are all a big part of the way that cannabis is regarded. If you’re curious about what these mean, and if there are any possible chances of getting charges, you’re not alone.  Some of these are important to understand, and it’s important that in states that do decriminalize the plant, there is a chance that you could get a misdemeanor, especially if you’re not using it medically. Here is the difference, and what it means for the state of marijuana. 

All about Decriminalization 

At this point, 27 states currently have some kind of decriminalized version of cannabis. It’s not legal, but if you consume or have it, you won’t get tired or arrested for this.  It’s not going to be a big crime, or there may be no problem at all. For example, let’s take New York, if you have less than three ounces of some kind of cannabis, you won’t get in trouble. But if you’re possessing up to 8 ounces, it’s considered a misdemeanor. 

New York only partially decriminalized this though. If you’ve got more than 5 ounces, it’s a felony, and you can get arrested and incarcerated.  Some states that do have more lenient ideas on this don't apply it everywhere. There is still the civil penalties and fines that come with this, but if it’s decriminalized, it’s not a felony, and you’re not going to be charged with it.  You may get charged with an infraction or misdemeanor though. Many as well have been able to get the criminal records that they have expunged in states that have made cannabis decriminalized. Prior felonies for marijuana may impact housing, employment, and the like, and this gets erased from the record. 

Some of the time, you can also have a clean state with this, which is great for those who have a history of this, and it also gets rid of the war on drugs. 

Legalization 

On the flip side, it’s basically legal to use it, and it’s not a crime to use this. There are some types of legalization. First, you have it for recreational or medical usage, and some for medical usage only. The first is less common, which means that only a few states have it. But that means any adult over the age of 21 in possession of this is allowed to use it. 

There is a big illegal cannabis market, and if you purchase this on the market even in legal states does lower the quality of the product itself, and it can cause problems with criminal results. Legalizing this lets people get this from dispensaries that are totally legal and kosher. 

What’s More Common Right Now 

Right now, decriminalization is definitely more common, but currently, about 19 states have legalized the use of this. If you do factor in the medical programs and the legality of those however, medical legalization is becoming way more common too.While legalization, especially through the use of marijuana, is becoming a lot more common, recreational usage still is a major hurdle in some cases.

This is because a lot of people think they’re going to be reckless with this, but to this day, if you operate machinery or drive a car while under the influence, you can face the consequences period. 

Some states have voted however to fully decriminalize the use of cannabis, so you won’t even have to worry about jail or getting charges for consuming or possessing even the smallest amounts of weed. But, if you’re constantly repeating, or doing a large amount multiple times, there is still the risk of possibly getting charged and arrested. It’s also important to note that even though the charges for the state may not be levied against the person, there is still the possibility of federal punishment. 

The marijuana movement is definitely growing, and we’ve made some great strides. Hopefully, as time goes on, we can see more and more move not just into decriminalization, but also full legalization of this, in order to help keep those who are innocent out of jail and able to not get arrested for this too.

How cannabis aids with holiday Stress

Do you deal with holiday stress? It’s quite common, from sending out the perfect gifts, cards, handling family drama, all of this can make you feel as if you’re going insane. If you feel like you’re about to lose your mind due to the festivities, you’re not alone, and cannabis can be a big part of helping with this. Here’s how cannabis can be the best thing to add to your holiday regime, especially when you’re dealing with a lot at the present moment. 

Stress and anxiety 

Stress, anxiety and the like are all common with the holidays, and it can be quite hard on you. If you feel like your day is going to be a hard one, you can add cannabis to the holiday routine. If you have something that’s there to help you at the beginning of the day, that’s great. Something at night to decompress is also valid too.

 

No matter what you choose, you want to definitely look for different strains that can help. A vape pen is a good, discreet way to ensure that you’re not super stressed during those moments of holiday cheer. Cannabis is a great way to help with anxiety, especially those that are high in CBD, as this is perfect for depression. According to a review that highlighted those benefits, people that took 300 mg of this definitely were better with anxiety, and they handled it a lot better. 

Alleviating the holiday Blues 

The holiday blues, or seasonal depression, can really stink. Your symptoms may go into overdrive at this time of the year. You’d think during a time when you should be happy, high and wonderful, you’re just feeling down. 

However, cannabis can help with this, and it can definitely be good for people. Be mindful though, for a little bit goes a long way, and some people deal with much higher depressive symptoms when they take too much THC, so definitely keep an eye out for that as well. 

Better Sleep 

If you’re someone struggling to make the holidays perfect, you’re probably not getting the best sleep either, or sometimes falling asleep is an impossible feat. It can make stress worse, and you can continue these bad behaviors. Cannabis is good for relaxing before you go to bed, and it may be worth trying as well. You should try to consume this around an hour prior to bedtime, and try to avoid edibles, as they can take too long for them to actually work, but bear in mind that it can also be quite strong too. 

Helping with holiday Grief 

Sometimes, grief strikes during the holidays, and lots of people struggle with the death of a loved one during this. It can be especially hard, and if you’re someone who struggles with grief during this point, cannabis may help with this. 

However, do remember that unlike any of the previous ones, this is not the cure-all that you should use for everything. A mild strain is probably the best way to handle all of this, and also make sure that you don’t forget to engage in self-care either to help with this. Talking to a friend or loved one, journaling, walking in nature, all of this is a great way to properly manage the holiday grief that’s there. 

For a lot of people, this can be the perfect means to truly improve and better the different aspects of your life, and for those of us who just hate the holidays and wish that they would go away, this is a good way to manage those feelings in a healthy manner.

Best Strains for Morning Coffee

 If you’re someone who wakes up and feels like you’re dragging yourself out of bed, you’re definitely not alone. Caffeine is a drug that’s consumed a lot, and while coffee does have some benefits to improve alertness and focus, and also improves brain health, it can make it harder to sleep, and might cause heart palpitations. Some people actually have cannabis with coffee, and here is a little bit for you to learn more about taking these together. 

Coffee and Cannabinoids 

Cannabinoids are actually great with coffee. But you need to know both the tolerance, and the effects which you want to get with this. Obviously, always start off slow, and then work your way up, and find the dosage that matters. Cannabinoids are great for reducing the negative side effects of caffeine, including the jittery feelings, insomnia, and trouble sleeping. It also may create issues with digestion too. 

Cannabis can help with anxiety, making you feel calm, relaxed, and it’s good for you if you want to stop the effects of this. It also works with concentration, since this is something that helps with creativity and focus as well.  These two substances do offer agonistic types of responses, and it can make you focused, and relaxed. Cannabinoid side effects are also mitigated.  Coffee can also help with counteracting the sleepy feeling that you get after you have cannabis, so it definitely is something that works together, and offers a great interaction together. 

The Science of This 

Caffeine and the endocannabinoid system do have an intimate reaction together, and it’s why both of these work together. Caffeine is a natural stimulant, and it blocks your neurotransmitters within your brain, which can make you lose your focus, and cause sleepiness.  The interaction of this offers both euphoric and powerful feelings, with the cannabinoid interactions working in a similar manner. This also binds to different kinds of receptors, improving the creativity, and the energy that comes with both of these happening and working together. 

The Types and Dosage 

The best thing to be mindful of when you’re going to have this, is the types and dosage. Since you want to use it as a means to help counteract coffee, stay away from high indica strains, and those high in THC, as it can make things a little bit worse. You also want to do this correctly, and you should start out very slow with this.

Tinctures are the best way for you to focus as well, as they are simple to add, and they allow you to use a little bit to go a long way with this. It’s good for you too, since you don't have to worry about taking too much, and then having a panic attack because you did. By monitoring the way that you feel, you’ll be able to create the perfect focus possible.  You should also look at the best strains for this, such as:

-0 limonene, which helps reduces depression and anxiety, and also pushes for more focus energy, and boosts your mood 

Pinene which improves focus, energy, concentration, and also reduces inflammation 

Caryophyllene: L which is a natural neuroprotective, improves cognition and clarity, and also reduces inflammation 

You can definitely make sure that you get your morning coffee fix through this, and you can infuse these the way that you want.

Coffee and cannabis both go well together, and you learned here just what it is that you can get from this, and why more and more people are using both of these to improve their bodies and improve their health too.

Cannabis for Women’s Health

Women’s health has grown by a lot, with more and more women coming forward about the different issues that they deal with, including menopause, osteoporosis, and even infertility and endometriosis. There are more and more drugs that are being made to help, but one thing that people are using is cannabis. Cannabis is something that's great for building a natural healing sort of means, and it’s a good way to really help with a variety of different tissues. Here, we’ll go over the different ways cannabis can help with women’s health concerns. 

The History Behind This 

Cannabis has actually been used for a long time to help treat conditions. Some people used to use the other parts of the herb as well, including the seeds, roots, and the flowers, in order to help with medical conditions. One of the oldest references for the usage of cannabis was actually in Mesopotamia, where pharmacopoeia the big reference book on Egyptian medicine, discussed the use of cannabis, and how it would help childbirth and dealing with this. It was first indicated on the Ebers Papyrus as well, which dates all the way back to 1534 BC, and also discusses the use of this too.

It also was used by Queen Victoria, who got monthly prescriptions to help with the discomfort that she helped with, especially the spams associated with dysmenorrhea as well. This is something that actually can help with a lot of things, and let’s go into how cannabis can aid with this. 

How cannabis can help. 

Let’s talk about gynecology and cannabis, and how this can help women. Gynecologists are basically doctors that treat stuff related to your reproductive system, especially in women, and they include the ovaries, the womb, and the vagina. There are a variety of diseases that can impact this, and cannabis can help with many.

One of the biggest things it can help with is period pain. Almost half of women deal with period pain after and during every period, and a good tenth of them have it so bad that they’re unable to function in their daily life.  While there haven’t been any studies that are controlled on this, but according to qualitative studies, it was found that about 90% of women who used cannabis were able to get help from this, and it’s been so good that there are even tampons that help with the pain that are filled with both THC and CBD. 

Cannabis and PMS 

This is another part that comes with periods, and usually has symptoms that happen shortly before the [period. Mood swings, tenderness of the breasts, irritability, and fatigue are quite common, but one of the things that people have looked into is cannabis to help with this. Some researchers have found that the conditions that are there do overlap together with PMS, especially insomnia, depression and irritability. 

Other gynecological conditions 

It also helps with endometriosis which is basically when the tissue from the womb grows in other locations, and it can cause pain in the pelvis, pain during sex, too much bleeding, and even infertility.

It was found that those who used cannabis orally and inhaled it bettered their symptoms. It did help to show a bit of promise for using this too.

Finally, it does help with se drive as well. It can improve sex, and boost sexual satisfaction, while also boosting the chance for women to have an orgasm. It’s been so good that there are even lubricants and other products to help with sex, so it can be beneficial for your needs as well.