Tokers

Budtenders working in weed dispensaries have a lot of influence over their customers, especially those who aren’t sure what they need, want or are looking for.

Thankfully, most budtenders are knowledgeable and very helpful.

While many started off behind the counters when the industry was still operating in the so-called “legal gray” area, they have learned on, and off, the job.

One young woman told LA Weekly that with widespread legalization, budtending has become a job to be taken seriously.

Read More:http://hightimes.com/business/budtending-is-a-real-and-important-job/

As many countries move toward legalizing pot, officials in Canada are releasing guidelines for how people can lower the health risks that may be associated with the drug if they choose to use it.

The guidelines, which were released today (June 23) by the Canadian Research Initiative on Substance Misuse, are meant to educate marijuana users so that they can make choices that could modify the risks from the drug. The researchers likened the new pot guidelines to recommendations that already exist to help people lower the risks associated with drinking alcohol.

Read More:https://www.livescience.com/59598-canadas-guidelines-for-safer-marijuana-use.html

While there are some major differences in the way police handle cannabis-impaired driving and drunk driving, most court systems hand down similar consequences for both offenses. If the court convicts you for driving while under the influence of marijuana, you can expect the ramifications to include a license suspension, a drug and alcohol awareness class, fines, probation and even jail time.

However, the way the prosecution will build their case against you is very different with stoned driving. They cannot simply conduct a breath test after pulling you over to determine if you used cannabis recently.

For example, in Washington State, police have two options for proving a driver is under the influence of marijuana. These options are:

• Observing signs, conducting field tests, and bringing in an officer trained in drug recognition; or
• Conducting a marijuana blood test to determine whether the driver is over the per se limit of 5 ng/mL.

Read More:http://hightimes.com/culture/what-happens-if-im-charged-with-a-marijuana-dui/

Anyone who has had the good fortune to attend a HIGH TIMES Cannabis Cup, a similar event or a good dispensary will have noticed the wide palette of colors to be found in the various strains of weed.

If you regularly visit a grow site, you’ll see that some strains change color as they flower.

The many strains of cannabis come with different cannabinoid ratios, flavor profiles and anthocyanins, which are the blue, violet or red pigment prevalent in purple fruits and veggies like plums, pomegranates, blueberries and eggplants.

The most prominent variation to green cannabis is purple.   

Read More:http://hightimes.com/grow/cannabis-colors-why-so-many-what-do-they-mean/

As more states legalize cannabis with either medical or adult-use/recreational laws, the topic of cannabis use in the workplace is increasingly more timely.  What do legalized marijuana laws mean for HR professionals?  We recently posted an article about this that was specific to mental health professionals, but let’s explore what this means for the bigger picture of employers.

According to The Rochester Business Journal:

Some states, including Arizona and Delaware, prohibit an employer from terminating an employee due to a positive drug test for marijuana. Laws in Arizona, Delaware and New York allow employers to enforce workplace policies prohibiting employees from using drugs on the job. While not addressed in all state statutes, it seems very unlikely these laws would be interpreted to allow an employee to work while impaired by marijuana. But determining whether an employee is impaired on the job can be a challenge, as marijuana is metabolized differently than alcohol and current drug tests are unable to determine whether use occurred in prior hours or days.

Read More:https://www.theweedblog.com/what-do-legalized-marijuana-laws-mean-for-hr-professionals/

After a long night of drinking alcohol, can marijuana help get rid of that hangover?

We have probably all been there at one time or another – the night before was an alcohol binge drinking fest, and you are now paying the price today with a mild to massive hangover. Considering the amount of New Year Eve parties across America last night, I’d imagine there are more than a few people that are reading this hungover right now. You are probably desperate for ANYTHING that will make you feel better, right? Alcohol hangover symptoms include the notorious headache, upset stomach, and possibly aches and pains, plus who knows what else.

Most of the unpleasant symptoms experienced during a hangover are caused by two factors: the diuretic alcohol effect that causes the drinker to become dehydrated, and the toxic effects of alcohol poisoning of many systems of the body. Marijuana of course does not rehydrate you or flush alcohol poisons from your body.

Read More:https://www.theweedblog.com/does-marijuana-cure-an-alcohol-hangover/