What is a salve?

A salve is a semi-solid preparation usually containing herbal medicine that is used for healing or soothing. Salves are topicals, which means they are meant to be applied directly to the skin.

Salves are frequently made from herbs such as arnica, lavender, comfrey, and many other traditional herbal medicines. Cannabis salves a rapidly growing in popularity.

Research and anecdotal reports show CBD and THC may have significant therapeutic effects when applied topically. Cannabis salves are being used for a variety of purposes.

For this cannabis slave tutorial, you only need three ingredients: Oil, Beeswax, and Cannabis/Hemp Flower. If you prefer, you can also add other essential oils or herbs.

Why use a cannabis salve?

Many patients successfully use CBD oils or cannabis oils for topical application. However, because of the liquid nature of oil, a lot of the product can be wasted by dripping off or spreading beyond the area you’re trying to target.

Adding beeswax to convert the oil to a salve or ointment, gives the product a semi-solid texture. The beeswax increases the viscosity of the cannabis oil or CBD oil. The semi-solid nature of a cannabis salve means the product is much easier to apply topically. Topical cannabis salves are much more likely to stay where you place them compared to oil.

Making your own cannabis topicals is economical

Using a kit is very economical. The large kit sells for $75 and makes almost 15 oz. Nurse Grown also sells a premade hemp balm at $35 for 2 oz. To purchase 15 oz of pre-made CBD balm would cost more than $245.

How to make a cannabis salve

For this tutorial, I’m using a DIY Hemp Salve kit sold by Nurse Grown Organics, one of my favorite CBD companies (I love them so much, I’m an affiliate.)

The kit has almost everything you need to make up to 15 oz of your own DIY CBD topical at home. It includes 1 ounce of high-quality CBD hemp flower, 2 oz of beeswax, a muslin straining bag, and a large mason jar.

In addition to the kit, you’ll need, 2 cups of organic food-grade cooking oil. Choose an oil with a medium-to-high smoke point (coconut, olive, or grapeseed are great options).

I’m using the large DIY Hemp Salve Kit, but Nurse Grown also currently sells a smaller version.

If you don’t have a kit, don’t worry! You can absolutely gather the materials separately and still follow this same process. Here are all the materials I’m using to make my DIY cannabis salve.

Step-by-Step Guide to Making a Cannabis Salve

Materials Needed

1 oz cannabis flower (I’m using high-CBD hemp to make CBD oil)

2 oz beeswax

2 cups of organic food-grade oil (I’m using olive, you an use any with a medium to high smoke point)

Large mason jar

Smaller jars for salve storage (optional)

Essential oils (optional)

Cheesecloth or muslin bag for straining (you can use any straining method you choose)

Medium-sized pot, mixing utensils as needed

BUY the DIY Hemp Salve Kit from Nurse Grown Organics.

WARNING: In this process, we’re using the jar method. Some consumers have had jars break when cooking with them. Use caution. During the process, be sure that the jar avoids any contact with cold surfaces or cold liquids as that can increase the risk of the jar breaking. Of course, always use caution when handling hot oil or hot preparations.

Cannabis Salve Instructions

Step 1 – Decarboxylate Your Flower

Dried cannabis flower actually contains very little CBD and THC. Instead, raw cannabis flower is usually high in the acidic-form of those molecules, CBDA and THCA. In order to convert CBDA into CBD, you must decarboxylate your cannabis. We do this by heating it to the ideal temperature for the ideal amount of time.

I prefer to decarboxylate in my Ardent Nova which decarbs cannabis perfectly every time. If you do not have an Ardent, you can also decarb in a jar or in a covered dish inside your oven.

This is how I decarb perfectly every time. 

You’ll want to break apart the larger buds of your cannabis flower, but you do not need to grind it.

To decarboxylate for CBD, place the broken up cannabis flower in the jar. Then bake the sealed jar at 250 degrees for 90 minutes. (Note, THC requires less time to decarb, about 35-45 minutes)

Step 2 – Infuse Your Oil – THE JAR METHOD

In this next step, you will make your CBD oil (or cannabis oil). To do this, you need to mix the oil and plant material together, and heat it. The heat will cause the cannabinoids (like CBD and THC) to move out of the plant material and into the oil around it.

You can use any infusion method you’d like. Here we’re using the “Jar Method”.

Simply pour the oil into the jar that contains the already decarboxylated flower. Be sure the oil covers the plant material.

Place the sealed jar in a medium pot of boiling water. Simmer on low for 45-60 minutes. Shake the jar or stir the contents periodically during the infusion.

You just want to be sure there’s no way for the jar to tip and spill the contents into the water.

Step 3 – Strain Your Oil

You can use any straining method you like. The kit comes with a very convenient muslin bag. Cheesecloth is another great method.

As long as you used food-grade oil, this oil is edible. You can stop here and just use this as ordinary CBD oil. Take it with an oral syringe or add it to recipes.

If you’re making the topical, you’ll move on to the next step.

After you strain your oil, be sure to WASH YOUR JAR.

Step 4 – Incorporate the Beeswax

Next, you’ll add the infused oil back into your washed, clean jar. You’ll also add the beeswax.

Once again, place the sealed jar in a medium pot of boiling water. Simmer on low. Shake the jar or stir the contents periodically until all the beeswax is melted and incorporated into the oil

How long this takes, depends on how large your chunks of beeswax are. I chop mine and they take about 25-30 minutes to completely melt. You can also grate/shred your beeswax or use beeswax pellets to reduce the time needed to melt.

Step 5 – Add Essential Oils (OPTIONAL)

If you’re planning to add essential oils to your DIY hemp topical, this is the time to add them. Simply add the essential oils to the jar and give it a shake or a stir.

Step 6 – Store Your DIY Hemp Flower Salve

You can store your freshly made DIY CBD topical directly in the mason jar you prepared it. For easier access, I like to pour it into shorter wide-mouth containers.

Set the filled containers to the side and screw on the top after it’s cooled.

Step 7. Enjoy your fresh, homemade cannabis salve.

Here’s how I decarb perfectly every time:

https://vimeo.com/500987268Trending Now

Cannabis Nurses: What are they and what do they do?

Happy Nurses Week! I’m extremely proud to be a cannabis nurse, but it’s not a path I ever expected to journey down. In fact, a little over half a decade ago, when I was a hospice nurse, I didn’t even know cannabis nursing existed.

If you had told me then, about the American Cannabis Nurses Association (ACNA) –a REAL nonprofit professional nursing organization, recognized by the Nursing Organization Alliance (NOA)–I probably would have laughed. Years later, I’m on the Board of Directors.

Like many healthcare professionals, I discovered cannabis nursing by becoming a patient first. In the beginning, I was VERY hesitant to try medical cannabis–a lot of that resistance I blame on my training as a nurse and the inaccurate information I was previously taught about cannabis.

When I finally tried medical marijuana, I experienced remarkable results. I knew I had to share information about this medicine with others, and that’s when I began my journey into cannabis nursing.

The world’s most trusted profession is transforming cannabis, and I”m honored to be part of it.

What is a cannabis nurse?

A cannabis nurse is a formally educated, licensed nurse who has received specialized training in cannabis therapeutics. Cannabis nurses have a working knowledge of the endocannabiniod system and understand the nuances of utilizing cannabis as a medicine.

The ACNA has officially defined the scope and standards of practice for cannabis nurses.

The document states, “Cannabis nursing is both a learned skill and a practiced art, where the cannabis nurse builds upon expertise from previous experiences with healing and nursing while enacting reflective practices to support growth toward expertise.”

How Do You Become a Cannabis Nurse?

First, you need a nursing license. If you haven’t been through nursing school and taken the boards, that’s the first thing you need to do. LPNs, RNs, BSNs, NPs, DNPs, etc. can all become cannabis nurses.

The most important thing a cannabis nurse needs after their nursing license, is specialized education in cannabis therapeutics.

There are a many of ways to learn about cannabis therapeutics. Online programs offer ease of access. Radicle Health offers an excellent online cannabis course. The course was created by the ACNA’s current President, Eloise Thiesen.

Pacific College of Health and Science offers a more formal structured cannabis education program specifically for healthcare professionals.

Unfortunately there’s also a lot of junk cannabis training programs available so use caution before choosing one. Remember, there’s no official cannabis certification. If a course promises to certify you, it’s a marketing gimmick.

Take Radicle Health’s Course: Advanced Science and Therapeutics

Medical conferences are another great way to gain cannabis knowledge. The Cannabis Nurse Network Conference and The Cannabis Care Conference are excellent places to learn about cannabis and to network with other cannabis nurses. There are a variety of other cannabis and science conferences: The Cannabis Science Conference and CannaMed are excellent conferences to attend.

Is there a certification for cannabis nurses?

There is currently NO official certification for cannabis nurses. However, the American Cannabis Nurses Association is actively working with the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) to deem cannabis nursing an official sub-specialty and to create a formal credentialing process. We DO expect a formal cannabis nursing certification in the future.

We’ve seen positive signs of cannabis nursing becoming more accepted by our governing agencies. Questions about cannabis nursing are not currently included on the state nursing boards, however the National Council of State Boards of Nursing’s (NCSBN) has released official guidelines regarding the nursing care of a patient using medical marijuana.

Currently, most formal nursing education programs do not include cannabis therapeutics in their curriculum, however the NCSBN has released guidelines encouraging schools to teach future nurses about the endocannabinoid system and the basics about cannabis therapeutics. Medical Marijuana Education in Pre-Licensure Nursing Programs.

What do cannabis nurses do?

Cannabis nurses serve in a variety of capacities. Let me start by saying, finding a career exclusively in cannabis nursing can be challenging. There aren’t a ton of direct hire cannabis nursing jobs. Cannabis therapeutics is still a developing area of medicine.

Many cannabis nurses are forging their own path, and some continue to maintain their regular nursing careers, while they gradually segway into the cannabis industry.

I work in cannabis full time. Personally, most of my work as a cannabis nurse, is done here on my site, MarijuanaMommy.com. A lot of my workdays are spent writing and completing the back-end details that go into running an online health resource.

I also write about cannabis and health for a variety of publications. My work’s been seen in places like Cosmopolitan, Entrepreneur, and The New Jersey Star Ledger. I consult with cannabis companies and my favorite work is coaching new cannabis patients. I’ve created an online course for new cannabis patients and offer tele-health consulting services to patients.

One of the most important roles of the cannabis nurse is to educate other healthcare professionals. I love teaching cannabis-focused classes and workshops for other healthcare professionals.

But the job opportunities for cannabis nurses expand beyond that.

Cannabis nurses like Jessilyn Dolan, have started their own cannabis-focused businesses. Dolan is co-founder of NurseGrown Organics a premier CBD company out of Vermont. Hemp is legally sold in many areas; many cannabis nurses have forged a career selling CBD products.

Cannabis nurses like Stephanie Reifkind Kahn, have started their own cannabis dispensaries. Takoma Wellness Center is a beloved family run dispensary in Washington DC. Other nurses are employed by dispensaries, offering them the opportunity to interact with patients at the point of sale. (I want to add that most of the nurses I know working in dispensaries, unfortunately have taken a paycut to work in the cannabis industry full-time.)

Other cannabis nurses have opened their own consulting practices. Cannabis nurse, Kebra Smith is the founder of CannaHealth where she certifies new cannabis patients in CT. The GreenNurse Group is doing excellent work in Massachusetts. Cannabis nurse, Janna Champagne has built a successful international practice in Oregon.

Many cannabis nurses dedicate their time to advocate for legalization. Cannabis nurse, Ken Wolski, is founder of the Coalition for Medical Marijuana – New Jersey.  Wolski has been a monumental force in the fight for legalization and patient rights.

Cannabis nurse, Heather Sobel, created a networking organization exclusively for cannabis nurses, The Cannabis Nurse Network.

The possibilities for cannabis nurses are endless but may require creativity and bravery to embark on the journey.

How do I find a cannabis nurse?

There are two professional organizations focused on cannabis nurses. If you’re a nurse you should join us. If you’re searching for other cannabis nurses, these are great places to find them:

American Cannabis Nurses Association

The Cannabis Nurse Network 

Conclusion

Cannabis nursing is a fast-growing (unofficial) sub-specialty of nursing. As legalization continues to sweep the globe, it’s becoming more important for nurses to become educated about the details of cannabis therapeutics. We expect demand to grow rapidly in the coming years. Cannabis nursing is a cutting-edge industry that offers nurses a chance to make real impact. If you’re interested in this sub-specialty, now is an ideal time to get involved and become a cannabis nurse.

New to cannabis? Read my Beginners Guide to Medical Marijuana 

 Trending Now

How I Decarb Perfectly Every Time

Decarboxylation is an essential process required to utilize cannabis effectively. You can decarb in the oven, but it only converts approximately 70% of the THC, leaving a lot of wasted cannabinoids.

I use the Ardent Decarboyxlator to decarb my cannabis perfectly every time. Watch my video to see how it works! (Read the transcript below.)

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Use Code MOM420 for $30 OFF!

What is decarboxylation?

If you were to eat a raw cannabis flower, you would NOT get high. You could eat a bucket of raw flower and drink cups of raw cannabis juice and still, you will not get high.

Raw (both fresh and dried) cannabis flowers generally contain low amounts of activated THC, however, these buds contain high amounts of THCA. THCA is the precursor of THC. When heated, THCA loses a carbon molecule and becomes THC. THC is the cannabinoid that makes you feel intoxicated.

Cannabis must be heated to convert THCA into THC, this process, called decarboxylation, occurs during smoking or vaping when the flower is exposed to the flame or heat of the vape.

If you are making edibles at home, or if you are extracting cannabis oil, you MUST decarboxylate for your cannabis to be effective.

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Can You decarboxylate cannabis in the oven?

Yes, you can decarboxylate your cannabis in the oven, however, it will only convert approximately 70% of the THC. You lose many cannabinoids when decarbing in the oven.

When you decarb in a standard oven(or even a small toaster oven) the temperatures fluctuate a great deal during the cooking process, this results in an incomplete decarboxylation.

When decarbing in the oven, it’s also easy to overcook the cannabis flower which results in over-conversion and the cannabinoids will convert into CBN. CBN still offers many medical benefits but is significantly more sedating.

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The Ardent NOVA Decarbs Perfectly

The Ardent NOVA Decarboxylator is a smart device that follows an algorithm to heat your cannabis flower or concentrates at the perfect temperature for the ideal amount of time. This results in a near perfect decarboxylation, EVERY single time.

Perfect Decarb = More Potent Medicine

When you decarb your cannabis perfectly, your medicine will be more potent than if you used an oven. This means you”ll save money on cannabis in the long run by effectively utilizing your supply.

Best of all, the Ardent decarboxylator is incredibly easy to use. Watch:

Video Transcript:

[00:07] Hi, I’m Jessie, I’m a cannabis nurse and the founder of Marijuana Mommy, and today we are talking about decarboxylation and the Ardent Nova Decarboxylator.

[00:20] Decarboxylation is a process that the cannabis flower must undergo to make it medically activated. So when you break down and look at the basic chemistry of the cannabis plant, you’ll find 100 over a hundred different kinds of cannabinoids. And many of these cannabinoids are in a precursor form, which means that they need to be heated to be decarboxylated. So let’s talk about how we actually decarboxylated. Now you can decarb in your oven. Guidelines say you want to heat the flower between 220 to 250 degrees for anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes. Now the process varies a lot and unfortunately ovens vary wildly as they heat up and cool down during the heating process. The Ardent Decarboxylator however, is a smart device that consistently heats the cannabis flower or concentrates at a consistent level for the perfect amount of time.

[01:29] And this results in a near perfect decarboxylation every single time, which is virtually impossible with your standard oven. So Ardent sent me this to test and I’m in love with it. It is so remarkably easy to use and takes all the guesswork out of decarboxylation. One of the other awesome features of the Ardent NOVA Decarboxylator is that you can use it to infuse small amounts of oils and butters with your cannabis after decarboxylation. So I’m going to show you how to do both of those.

[02:03] Here we go. My Ardent is already plugged in and you can see there is a green light that appears here and it’s just basically a one button control. So you just take off the top and then inside the Ardent is this metallic container with a silicone top. And this is where the flower goes to decarboxylate. I’m using about two and a half grams of flower. Ardent says you don’t need to grind it, but you want to break your flower into popcorn size buds. And that’s it. You put the top on and you place it back into the device and then you screw on your black top.

[03:18] Then you’re ready to go. All you have to do is press the button. Then after you press start the light will turn red and that means that the process has begun. You do not want to open it while it is decarboxylating. And again it is a smart device so it is going to utilize the sensors within the appliance to maintain the perfect temperature. And this means that the process time will actually vary and it can be anywhere between an hour and a half, to two hours and 20 minutes. But when it is ready, we will see this turn green. And then I will show you the next step.

[03:58] Okay. So decarboxylation has finished. You can see that the light has turned back from red to green. And I’m going to go ahead and unplug it. Now, normally I would wait for this to cool off because inside that container is hot. But I want to go ahead and move on to the infusion to show you how that works. So I’m going to open it up, going to go ahead and dump it. Oh, let’s see.

[04:46] And we have perfectly decarboxylated –well near perfectly dear decarboxylated –cannabis. So if you were decarboxylate in the oven, you would probably get around 70 percent decarboxylation, but with the Ardent NOVA Decarboxylator, it’s near perfect.

[05:05] Now you could use this decarboxylated flower and a number of ways.

[05:10] You could just eat it directly, grind it up, sprinkle it on your food.

[05:14] You could grind it up and pack it into capsules.

[05:17] You could infuse it into oil, which is what I’m going to do to be used in a later recipe or to be taken sublingually.

[05:26] You could even vape or smoke the decarboxylated flower directly, and this would actually be more efficient than smoking or vaping raw flower because you’re not relying on the heat of the vaporizer or the combustion of the flame to properly convert your cannabinoids. They’re already perfectly converted.

[05:46] What I’m going to do with this two and a half grams of decarboxylated cannabis flower is I’m going to infuse it into 30 milliliters, a extra virgin olive oil, and I’m gonna go ahead and just give it a little rough breakup.

[06:16] I already did the calculations for the to determine the THC of my final oil. And I have about just under 600,about 580 milligrams of THC here, IF the flower converted 100 percent. Now, just because the flower converts into THC 100 percent doesn’t necessarily mean that an oil infusion will infuse a hundred percent. Oil infusions usually pick up about 80 to 90 percent of the THC depending on the oil. So I’m expecting about a 86 to 90 percent infusion rate with this oil. I expect the final oil to contain about 490 milligrams of THC.

[07:09] Okay. So you take the flower, you put it into a glass or silicone cup, one that’s going to fit inside this container. So this device is for small batch infusions. If you’re doing a larger infusion, you’re going to need something a significantly bigger, like a magical butter machine. But if you’re infusing small amounts, this device is fantastic. Its just as easy as the decarboxylation process. You add the flower into the oil in either a glass or silicone container–it has to be small enough to fit inside. Then, you just place the container inside, replace the silicone top and just put it all back into the appliance.

[07:59] Then once again, the black top clicks into place, and plug it back in. Then our green light is telling us that it is ready to start infusing. once it turns green, the infusion will be complete and we will be able to strain and then enjoy our fully decarboxylated cannabis oil infused oil.

[09:02] After straining, we are left with completely decarboxylated infused cannabis oil. There is probably about 480 milligrams of THC in these few milliliters of infused olive oil.

[09:25] So if you are making edibles at home or tinctures or even RSO oil, the Ardent decarboxylator is a really, really fantastic device that can help save money in the long run by fully efficiently utilizing your cannabis flower.

[09:44] Hope you enjoyed the video. Thanks!Trending Now

Everything you know about cannabis strains is wrong.

Even using the word “strain” is wrong. The terms we should really be using is cultivar when discussing the plants, and chemovar when discussing the chemical profile or therapeutic effects.

Additionally the concept of savitivas/indicas is also incorrect. You’ve probably heard: “Sativas are for the day, indicas will make you sleep, and hybrids are in between.” BUT most of this is NONSENSE. So, if traditional weed guidelines are silly, how can patients reliably choose an appropriate strain for them? Until now it’s been 100% trial and error, which is expensive and inefficient. BUT, finally, there’s a new application that could change the way we approach strain selection. THIS is how to choose the perfect cannabis strain for you!

Confident Cannabis has developed a groundbreaking application called, Connect, that can help patients choose medical marijuana chemovars without extensive trial and error. Listen in as Brad and I chat about why cultivar are so different and why each cultivar can cause a very different physical and mental reaction. Learn why the same plant genetics are not enough to choose the ideal cultivar and see how each plant has a very different chemical composition even when it has the same plant DNA. Best of all, watch Brad walk me through Connect so you can try it yourself to find cultivars/chemovars YOU will love and learn which cultivars YOU should avoid.

Unfortunately, Connect is very limited to cultivators that are testing for a wide variety of cannabindoids and terpenes, but hopefully as the industry grows MORE cultivators begin to test for the full spectrum of these important compounds.

Visit: https://connect.confidentcannabis.com to try it yourself!!

Patients Are the Proof, Episode 5, Brad Bogus, VP of Growth & Marketing, Confident Cannabis – Strains

• Learn how to use Connect the application by Confident Cannabis
• How to work Confident Cannabis Connect
• Connect Confident Cannabis Guide

Trending Now

New Cannabis User Guide

1. Cannabis Changes Lives

Chances are you’ve already heard that cannabis changes lives and that’s how you stumbled upon this page. While the FDA maintains its absurd stance that there are no health benefits to cannabis, people are reporting significant therapeutic results.

Cannabis is not a magical cure but it is a tool that has changed many lives Here are a few patients happy to share their stories:

• Pamela Hadfield: Migraines 
• Nina Simmons: Pediatric Epilepsy 
• Tracy Ryan: Pediatric Cancer

Aside from remarkable symptom management, there are more reasons to consider cannabis, here are several little-known benefits of marijuana.

2. Not All Marijuana Is Equal

First, you should know cannabinoid medicine is complex. It’s not as easy as smoking a random joint and feeling better. It’s important for patients to know, not all marijuana is equal.

I can’t stress this enough. Each strain of cannabis causes a different physical and mental reaction. On top of that, cannabis medicine is very individualized, so you might react very differently to a strain compared to your best friend’s reaction.

For patients, this means if one strain of cannabis doesn’t help relieve your symptoms, please try another. Patients often need to try several different strains before finding the ideal one. A lot of health professionals encourage new patients to start with a high-CBD, low-THC strain the first time and to slowly increase their THC levels.

Think of cannabis like other medications. Patients often have to try several different pharmaceuticals before finding one that works best for them.

3. Whole-Plant Medicine vs Isolate

Where you live determines your access to different types of products. Products generally fall into two types: Whole-plant medicine vs isolate.

To understand why cannabis medicine varies so much, you need to understand the basic chemistry of cannabis. Cannabis is an organic material made up of more than 400 different molecular compounds. Like most plants, marijuana contains polyphenols, proteins, esters, etc. In addition, cannabis also contains cannabinoids, highly active molecules that interact with our endocannabinoid system.

The most popular and most researched cannabinoids are THC and CBD. However, in addition to these major cannabinoids, there are a hundred-and-something minor cannabinoids that we must not forget about. Each minor cannabinoid can have a profound physiological effect. It’s the ratios of these minor cannabinoids and the terpenes that make each strain of cannabis so different.

Whole-Plant Medicine

Different ratios of cannabinoids (major and minor,) plus different terpenes, create different health effects. Whole-plant, or full-spectrum, medicine refers to using the entire plant to address the symptoms. This frequently involves vaping or smoking the flower, cooking with the flower, and extracting oil & concentrates directly from the flower. Whole plant medicine utilizes the plant’s natural terpenes, polyphenols, and ALL of the plant’s cannabinoids, both the major cannabinoids and the minor ones. I am a passionate believer in whole-plant medicine.

Cannabis Isolates  – THC or CBD

Isolates, on the other hand, refer to utilizing the isolated cannabinoids, usually just THC and/or CBD. Researchers often prefer to use isolates because it decreases the variables and makes the research more consistent. Unfortunately, using isolates exclusively is not always as effective for every patient. Most patients benefit greatly from all of the natural cannabinoids and terpenes found in cannabis.

The medical marijuana programs in some states only allow access to isolates, so not all patients have access to whole flower.

Isolates are common in dispensary edibles (especially candy because they’re easy to spray on). Isolates are also often used in oils, tinctures, and carts. Vapable Carts/Oil Cartridges are often made from THC/CBD isolate with added terpenes.

There can be benefits to using CBD isolate in addition to whole-plant medical marijuana.

4. How Should I Take It?

After you choose a type of medication, you’ll need to choose a method of consumption. There are many different types of cannabis products. Depending on how the product is prepared, you can smoke it, eat it, use it as topical, take it as a suppository, absorb it under your tongue, swallow a capsule, and more.

We’ll briefly discuss the two most popular methods:

• Inhalation
• Oral consumption

Inhalation (Smoking/Vaping)

When possible, I urge new cannabis users who are using cannabis for the first time, to start by vaping the whole flower (vaping concentrates is much stronger). Vaping offers the same immediate benefits of smoking, but without the carcinogenic effects of smoke. If someone doesn’t have access to a vape, they can smoke with a water pipe which can help filter out some of the carcinogens.

When you consume cannabis by inhaling it, it takes effect more quickly and wears off more quickly than oral consumption. This is good for the occasional new patient who dislikes the feeling.

There are a variety of vaporizers on the market, in a variety of price ranges.

The Best Portable Dry Herb Vape on the Market is The Mighty Vaporizer

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The Pulsar Flow is my good dry herb vape under $100.00:

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Some individuals desire the immediate benefits of cannabis but struggle with vaping or smoking. For example, even though cannabis has been historically used to treat asthma, some people just can’t tolerate inhaling the hot air. These individuals often benefit from a Volcano vaporizer. which allows the hit to cool in a bag prior to inhalation.

READ: 9 Tips for First Time Vapers

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Some Consumers Prefer

A less effective, but more affordable alternative to the volcano vaporizer, is a bong with an ice pinch. The ice can help cool the smoke prior to inhalation. (You fill the top of this bong with ice. The smoke is filtered by the water at the bottom of the beaker. Then the ice cools the filtered smoke before the person inhales it.)

Edibles are another popular alternative.

Oral Consumption

Eating cannabis is the most convenient way to utilize it. Patients often choose this method as a way to avoid the smell of marijuana.

Patients need to realize that the effects of eating cannabis are different (sometimes very different) than vaping or smoking it. In many people, the intoxicating effects of edibles tend to be more pronounced compared to inhalation. It also takes longer for edibles to set in and a lot longer to wear off. Even regular cannabis users, who strictly smoke or vape, should start edibles with a low dose.

Patients should also keep in mind that edibles don’t work for everyone. Occasionally, digestive systems just don’t properly process cannabis consumed orally.

In some areas, like San Francisco, dispensaries sell accurately dosed cannabis edibles, capsules, tinctures, and more. Having access to accurate pre-measured doses makes managing cannabis medicine much simpler.

Making Edibles At Home

Unfortunately, not all regions sell edibles, in many areas like NJ, we make our own edibles at home.

The good news is, even though making edibles at home can be time-consuming, it’s not too difficult. Here’s how to make a small batch of cannabis oil at home the old-fashioned way.

If you’re looking to save time, there are a few devices that make preparing edibles significantly easier. The Magical Butter Machine makes cannabis butter, oil, and tinctures at the touch of a button

Decarboxylating

Before you can prepare and utilize your cannabis, you need to decarboxylate, or decarb, it. To do this, you cook the cannabis flower at a very low temperature. Proper decarboxylation is essential for effective medicine.

Here’s a basic explanation of what happens during decarboxylation: Raw cannabis contains low levels of THC, but contains high levels of THCA (the inactive precursor to THC). THCA needs to be heated at a specific temperature for a specific period of time to properly convert it to THC. The cannabis will not be effective if it’s not decarboxylated.

The cheapest way to decarb is to cook the flower, covered in the oven, at 220-240 degrees for 30-60 minutes. You probably notice the large range in temperature and time in those instructions. The truth is every plant is a little different and there are a few different methods. This makes it hard to decarb perfectly. Decarbing in an oven is effective but not completely efficient.

If you want perfect decarboxylation, you need the NOVA Lift Decarboxylator. This little device makes perfectly potent edibles. Ardent sent me one to test and I’m blown away. My medication is significantly more potent using this device.

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Topicals

Cannabis topicals are often forgotten about but can be extremely effective for some types of pain. I use cannabis topicals regularly. If you’re fortunate enough to live in a state with an expansive product selection, you’ll have plenty of ready-made options.

If you don’t have access to a commercial product, you can still try cannabis topicals by making them at home. You can use infused cannabis oil directly or you can use the infused oil to make a homemade cannabis topical recipe.

5. Will Medical Marijuana Make Me Feel High?

Patients often want to know, “Will cannabis make me feel high?” It all depends on the THC content, but in the beginning, yes, cannabis will probably make you feel a little high. However, most patients adjust quickly as their THC tolerance builds. Usually, after a few days-to-weeks of consistent use, one or two puffs does not make the user feel cognitively altered.

This is not unusual with medication. Many pharmaceuticals come with warning labels informing patients “not to drive or operate heavy machinery until you know how this medication affects you”. The same is true for cannabis.

READ: How long will I feel high?

6. How Much Should I Use?

First, let’s acknowledge that using too much cannabis, too quickly, can cause anxiety and panic attacks. Overconsumption is responsible for the majority of bad experiences while using cannabis. Start at a low dose, and increase your dose VERY slowly.

Proper dosing of cannabis is challenging.

Keep in mind, there’s also a genetic component to cannabis metabolism which means everyone is different- different people require different dosages and different frequencies.

How much to start with, depends on what type of products you have access to. I’m a believer in whole-plant medicine. Many healthcare professionals recommend patients start with a low dose, for example, one puff of a low-THC flower, and wait a while to see how it affects them, then increase it from there.

If starting with edibles, new users can start with 2.5 mg and wait 2 hours before trying anymore.

7. Are There Risks of Using Cannabis?

Like all substances, there are risks associated with cannabis use because both, THC and CBD have side effects. A lot of research suggests medical marijuana is significantly safer than most pharmaceuticals. Some experts argue that marijuana is safer than Tylenol.

Still, like coffee or alcohol or even Tylenol, patients should be aware of the minor risks associated with cannabis use. Cardiac patients should know that cannabis can affect the heart. It’s also important for patients taking other pharmaceuticals to know that cannabis can interact with some medications like antidepressants and antibiotics, and blood thinners. Usually, these interactions are usually minor and rare but it’s important to be aware of the possibilities.

8. Know the Laws

The most dangerous thing about cannabis is the law. Being arrested for cannabis destroys and derails lives. No one has ever died from a cannabis overdose, but countless lives have been destroyed by cannabis arrests.

Go out of your way to understand and respect your local laws to make sure you are protected (or as protected as possible). The unfortunate truth is medical marijuana patients trade rights for medicine.

Because medical cannabis is not legal everywhere, some very ill patients are forced to choose between their health and following the law. My heart aches for those in that predicament.

7. Should I Tell People?

I’m often asked by patients if they should be public about their cannabis use, or if it’s something they should keep to themselves. This is a very personal decision.

As an advocate, my heart wishes for everyone who benefits from cannabis to scream out their truth. BUT as a human who understands the purveyance of the negative stigma and it affects, I understand why most people hesitate. There are societal risks associated with cannabis use because of federal law and the stigma.

Most states do not have employment protections so, unfortunately, many cannabis patients risk losing their jobs if they come out publicly.

If you do decide to tell your loved ones about your cannabis use, try to come from a place of understanding. Be patients. The brainwashing is intense and many don’t believe the medical benefits until they witness it firsthand. Educate yourself and go into conversations with knowledge and resources.

As a parent, it’s extremely important to talk to your kids about cannabis (even if you choose not to divulge your use) because kids are NOT learning facts in school, they are still learning propaganda. Parents who are medical marijuana patients have a special obligation to prepare their kids to face the negative stigma because they will face it eventually.

If you do decide to go public, here are some tips.

• Be educated and prepared to present facts and resources–often.
• Expect people to confidentially tell you that they use cannabis too (you’ll be shocked by how many do and by who it is!)
• Expect to encounter people who are brainwashed and will simply never understand cannabis use unless they experience it firsthand. After more than 80 years of propaganda, it’s impossible to convince everyone of the truth. Here’s how I deal with cannaphobia.

Conclusion

Cannabis is a new medication and trying it can be a little scary at first. Be patient, listen to your body, and learn, learn, learn. Not everyone experiences incredible benefits from cannabis, but I can tell you first hand, for many, medical marijuana is life-changing. I hope your results are as remarkable.Trending Now

4 Exciting CBD Oil Beauty Recipes for Glowing Youthful Skin 

Cannabidiol or CBD oil belongs to the cannabinoids group of compounds derived from the Cannabis sativa (industrial hemp) seeds. Cannabis contains over 113 different types of cannabinoids that interact with the endocannabinoid system in our body.

These are my favorite CBD Products.

CBD is structurally and functionally different from THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) as it does not bind to the CB1 receptors that are responsible for psychoactive effects. Consequently, CBD oil does not produce euphoric and mind-altering effects when consumed or applied on the skin.

CBD is a powerful anti-inflammatory. Additionally, numerous studies have proven that CBD oil is rich in antioxidants and omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Thus, cannabidiol possesses potent anti-aging properties, thereby making it an integral part of one’s skincare routine. Cannabidiol is a carrier oil that boosts the body’s ability to create new skin cells, rendering it a youthful appearance.

DIY Topicals: Make CBD Skin Care Treatments At Home

Making cannabis topicals at home is pretty easy. Here are four CBD oil beauty recipes that can be made at home, enabling you to address the commonly-encountered skin problems for glowing youthful skin.

These are my favorite CBD Products.

1. Cannabidiol Miracle Anti-Aging Cream

CBD oil beauty products are hailed for their therapeutic and healing benefits. The oil seeps effortlessly into the skin, stimulates the production of new skin cells, and reduces the common signs of aging.

Ingredients for Cannabidiol Miracle Anti-Aging Cream

• 1 tablespoon CBD oil
• 1 cup coconut oil
• 10 drops myrrh
• 10 drops frankincense
• 3-4 drop lavender essential oil
• 7-8 drops rosehip oil

Lightly whip all the ingredients together until they attain a creamy texture. Refrigerate and use regularly to deeply moisturize your skin and get rid of wrinkles, crow’s feet, skin pigmentation, and blemishes.

These are my favorite CBD Products.

READ: CBD for Social Anxiety

2. CBD Oil Facial Serum for Acne-Prone Skin

Due to its non-comedogenic nature, CBD oil does not block skin pores, reducing acne outbreaks and skin inflammation.

Ingredients for CBD Oil Facial Serum

• 2 tablespoons CBD oil
• 2 tablespoons jojoba oil (wax)
• 1 teaspoon carrot seed oil
• 3 drops frankincense essential oil
• 5 drops rose geranium essential oil

Mix all the above-mentioned ingredients and store the serum in a dark-colored glass bottle with a dropper for easy application. Frankincense, jojoba, and carrot seed oil help correct the blemishes and even out the skin tone. Rose geranium oil cleans the pores and exerts potent anti-inflammatory action on skin affected by acne, eczema, and dermatitis.

Take 3-4 drops of this serum and massage it on the affected area two times a day to combat acne and see a visible difference in your skin texture.

These are my favorite CBD Products.

READ: CBD Has 80% Success Rate Treating Children With Autism…

3. Cannabidiol-Avocado Face Pack

Both, CBD oil and avocado are rich in antioxidants that are needed to repair skin damage due to aging. They stimulate the production of elastin and collagen, the proteins that maintain the firmness of the skin. Cocoa powder rejuvenates dull skin whereas patchouli essential oil is known for tightening sagging skin and reducing fine lines.

Ingredients for Cannabidiol-Avocado Face Pack

• 1 ripe avocado
• ¼ cup CBD oil
• 2 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3 – 4 drops patchouli essential oil

Scoop out the avocado and mash the chunks into a smooth paste. Now add the remaining ingredients, mix well, and keep it refrigerated when not in use.

Apply this face pack once a week and use a steamer for 10-15 minutes to open the pores and allow your skin to absorb the nutrients. Use lukewarm water and wash off the face pack in a circular motion.

These are my favorite CBD Products.

4. Cannabidiol Nourishing Lip Balm

Unlike skin, lips do not secrete sebum. Hence, they are extremely prone to dryness, darkening, and aging. CBD oil lip balms contain natural antioxidants and high levels of vitamin E and linoleic acid that slow the aging process and hydrate the lips.

Ingredients for Cannabidiol Nourishing Lip Balm

• 1 tablespoon CBD oil
• 1 tablespoon shea butter
• ¾ teaspoon vitamin E oil (you can use Vitamin E Capsules)
• 1 teaspoon beeswax
• 5 – 6 drops essential oil like grapefruit oil, lemon oil, lavender oil, or vanilla oil

These are my favorite CBD Products.

Additional Supplies

A small saucepan
A bowl or double-boiler
A glass storage container

Use a double-boiler to melt and mix all ingredients except cannabidiol and essential oils. Cool the mixture, add the oils, and stir well. Pour the blend into containers. Let it cool and solidify before use.

The above-mentioned beauty recipes will help you experience the anti-aging benefits offered by CBD oil, thereby enabling you to stay young and look beautiful always. However, before you make and use your own CBD oil beauty products, it is critical to consider the following points.

• CBD oil oxidizes quickly. Hence, it is wise to store the products in a cool place, away from direct sunlight.
• A refrigerated container of CBD balm, cream, or serum will last you for about ten months.
• Allergies to cannabidiol are fairly unknown; however, it is wise to get yourself tested with a certified dermatologist or allergy expert to avoid any allergic reactions.

Because CBD is a potent antioxidant and possesses natural anti-aging properties, it is being added to many beauty care products, from lip balms to body scrubs. The easy beauty recipes shared in this article will encourage you to make CBD oil a critical component of your regular skincare routine, thus bringing a youthful and attractive glow to your skin.

These are my favorite CBD Products.

About the Author:

Joy Smith is a speaker, mentor, entrepreneur, mother of four, and grandmother of six. After trying a number of poor quality CBD products, she teamed up with her family to develop an organically grown, full spectrum hemp oil to help people who suffer from a wide array of ailments. Visit Joy’s website to learn more https://joyorganics.com/Trending Now