Cannabis can take people to all kinds of places. Where does or has it taken you? For many people, cannabis takes them to a place of happiness. A place where the pain is reduced, anxiety is lessened, and depression seems to melt away for a bit. How does this misunderstood plant accomplish this task though? The answer as we know it rests in the combination of interactions between terpenes, flavonoids, phytocannabinoids, cannabinoid receptors, and our endocannabinoid system.
- Terpenes-plant compounds that strongly influence taste and aroma.
- Flavonoids-molecular compounds that affect flavour.
- Phytocannabinoids- plant-based cannabinoids such as THC, CBD, CBG, CBN, THCa, THCVa, and others.
- Cannabinoid receptors- CB1 and CB2 receptors absorb cannabinoids and help distribute them throughout the body
- Endocannabinoid system-the endogenous mammalian endocannabinoid system or ECS for short acts as the bridge between mind and body influencing essential functions of the body.
In short, when you consume cannabis, receptors in your body become saturated with cannabinoids. In return communication between cells and nerves occur where previously little to none existed. The science of the endocannabinoid and cannabinoid receptors can become a little bit complicated. The one thing about cannabis that’s not complicated is the simple fact that millions of people enjoy it. It’s not just people, animals even benefit from cannabis. Dogs, cats, horses, and even livestock can receive benefits from cannabinoids such as CBD as well as utilizing the vitamin-packed superfood hemp seed, in livestock feed.
A Higher Quality of Life
For many people, cannabis offers them a higher quality of life. By higher, I don’t mean sitting around stoned on the couch. A higher quality of life is improved mobility, reduced depression, stress, and anxiety and the ability just to feel good. Beyond that good feeling, cannabis is proving to be extremely beneficial with helping to combat he continuously growing opioid epidemic the world is facing. It’s not only opioids but prescription drugs in general.
When people have access to cannabis, prescription drug abuse, addiction, and overdose rates begin to decline. A higher quality of life is something everybody deserves the opportunity to embrace. Cannabis is a very misunderstood plant that holds an endless array of potentials. From becoming a sustainable source of medicines, food, fuel, building materials and more, this hempsational green plant can help provide the planet with a higher quality of life.
Travel and Adventure
Cannabis often leads to travel and adventure. Many cannabis enthusiasts are also outdoor enthusiasts. They love activities like hiking, biking, backpacking, camping, kayaking, canoeing, and other exciting outdoor activities. Cannabis has led me on adventures from the east coast to the west coast of the United States and everywhere in between.
Years ago, I was a construction worker and a grill/line cook. I was stuck in a 40-60-hour work week with no way out and no signs of it ever getting better. Then one day I said fuck this and quit it all. I got my first job writing SEO content for a company in India and never looked back.
When I first started writing about cannabis, I never would have imagined all the places it would take me to. I was a poor man with a family and couldn’t afford to take a local trip let alone travel with my family across the country. Together as a family, we’ve traveled from the beaches of Charleston South Carolina, to the Great Smokey Mountains of TN, the hills of Kentucky, the open plains of Kansas, the wild west backdrop of Horse Canyon Utah, the Bonneville Salt Flats of Utah and Nevada, all the way to the sandy rocky shores of the Pacific Ocean at Hug Point, Oregon and everywhere in between. These are just a few of the fantastic places the herb has helped take me to. What about you, where has the herb taken you?
New Career Path
Mary Jane is showing insane growth in the job sector. Legal cannabis not only employees growers, dispensary personnel, and legal professionals, but it offers employment opportunities of all kinds. The ancillary services that work with the cannabis sector are vast. Packaging, labeling, tracking, software, engineering, architecture, and virtually every other avenue of professional business you can think of can be applied to the legal cannabis sector. People from all walks of life are finding a new career path in this green industry. A new career path is exactly what I found with weed.
I’ve smoked it my entire life and I’ve turned it into my livelihood. Over the last ten years, I have learned more about the science of cannabinoids then I thought I would ever be able to understand. I make a living writing about this incredible plant, as well as the culture and community that help give birth to the industry we know today. I’m just one of many who found a rewarding new career path thanks to this plant. Cannabis legalization opens doors to opportunity for anyone interested in a new career path. It may just be holding a door open for you.
Vacation
Cannabis can take you on vacation. It actually doesn’t take you on vacation but can lead you to some extremely spectacular vacation destinations! You could vacation in legendary Las Vegas Nevada and try your luck at the tables and slots all while enjoying a little pot. When you have to much to drink out on the strip for the night the new trend is to head over to a dispensary and score some CBD to help keep you feeling right come morning. Maybe you’ll take a trip to the Hoh rainforest of Washington State or the Emerald Triangle in California. You could take a trip to visit historic Massachusetts and visit Plymouth Rock, the landing place of the Mayflower that brought the first settlers to America. Or, you might have a love for The Great outdoors and find yourself a little further up north in Canada. If you vacation in Canada, adult use recreational cannabis is legal for adults 18 and19 years old and up everywhere with slight differences in laws depending on the province, you’re in.
Jail and Prison
Cannabis can take you to all kinds of places as we see. One place cannabis can still take you that nobody in their right mind wants to go is to jail or prison. Just because cannabis legalization has happened in many places and may even be legal where you live doesn’t mean there are not regulations and guidelines to abide by. If you should be one of those people who live outside the realms of the law, you can still find yourself incarcerated for this leafy green plant. In the United States, there are only ten states with legal recreational cannabis. This means your ass is grass if you get caught with pot and don’t have a med card in one of the 33 states with medical cannabis laws in place.
You could find yourself facing hefty fines and possibly even jail or prison time. I know this personally as I served three years of federal felony probation for a drug trafficking charge related to cannabis. I was taking two ounces of bud with me on vacation from Wisconsin to Bike Week at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. They said I was drug trafficking and refused to believe it was for personal consumption. Perhaps in today’s world I could I have fought a ridiculous charge like this or if I would have had the money for a high-end lawyer to start with. But hey the government knows this, this is why they still use this leafy green plant to abuse their authority and incarcerate countless innocent individuals over plant possession. For many cannabis consumers, we strive daily as advocates to educate the public and bring a positive change to the perception of cannabis. CannaLance truly believes that, “A single seed can tip the scales.”
Cannabis can take people to all kinds of places, where does, or has it, taken you?
Article courtesy of Expert Joints. Written by James P from CannaLance (Canna-Lance.com, @CannaLance, @Cannalancer710)