An alternative way to manage substance abuse

One of the most exciting new discoveries in addiction science is the possibility that cannabis and CBD could help with substance use disorders.

According to the World Health Organization, around 31 million people globally have drug abuse disorders. For those people, there may be hope in the form of one of the world’s oldest crops: cannabis. Cannabidiol (CBD), a cannabis extract, might be helpful too.

More and more people are using either CBD or marijuana to manage their substance use and successfully get off drugs, which is ironic considering that cannabis was once considered a “gateway drug.” Here’s what you need to know about CBD, marijuana, and addiction.

Research on CBD, marijuana, and addictions

While the benefits of CBD and marijuana have been studied a great deal, there’s still so much we don’t know about it. This is actually pretty exciting—in the near future, we could possibly uncover dozens of new uses for it.

One possible benefit of CBD and marijuana is its ability to help people manage their addictions.

Back in 2015, a review of studies looked at 14 studies on using CBD to treat drug addiction (including opioid, cocaine, and tobacco addiction). While the authors concluded that it needed to be studied further, they agreed that CBD showed potential in managing addictions.

Since then, further studies have been conducted—and the results were quite hopeful.

A 2018 study looked at animal models of addiction. It found that CBD helped reduce poor impulse control, anxiety, and sensitivity to stress in these animal models. A 2017 paper pointed out that there is a “strong scientific basis” for using CBD to treat heroin addiction.

So, while more studies are needed before we know for sure, CBD seems to help a great deal with managing addictions. This provides a great deal of hope to those who are addicted.

Managing withdrawal symptoms

Drug withdrawal is incredibly tough on both the body and the mind. The symptoms of drug withdrawal depend on the drug you’re withdrawing from, but generally, it can include:

• Pain and cramps
• Nausea and vomiting
• Anxiety, depression, and listlessness
• Sweats
• Sleep problems

During the drug withdrawal phase, many people relapse because the symptoms can be unbearable. Numerous drugs have been developed to help with these uncomfortable symptoms, but many of them have side effects, too.

Cannabis and CBD might be able to help with certain withdrawal symptoms. Here’s how:

Pain and cramps

Aches and cramps often accompany drug withdrawal. CBD and cannabis are often used for pain—in fact, pain relief is one of the most common uses for medical marijuana, according to the Harvard Health Blog.

One 2018 review found that CBD helped those with hard-to-treat pain, including neuropathic pain, fibromyalgia, and cancer-related pain. The researchers concluded that CBD could be a groundbreaking pain-relieving substance, although it needs to be studied further.

Nausea and vomiting

Cannabis can affect your digestive system in a few different ways. In certain studies, cannabis and CBD both seem to reduce nausea—even in cancer patients, who experience notoriously hard-to-treat nausea and vomiting.

THC, which is the chemical in cannabis that gets you high, stimulates appetite (which is why munchies is a thing!). While the munchies may seem like an annoying side effect of cannabis, stimulating the appetite might be helpful for people who are struggling to eat during withdrawal.

Anxiety

Anxiety is a common symptom of drug withdrawal, whether that drug is nicotine, alcohol, or opioids. CBD and cannabis are both known to have anti-anxiety effects, which can help people who are trying to manage their addictions.

Many people find that CBD and cannabis lift their mood, helping them feel happier and more positive. Given that substance abuse disorder is associated with other mental illnesses like depression and anxiety, CBD and cannabis can be a lifeline.

Sleep

Sleep problems are common in people who are withdrawing from drug use, in part because of the pain, sweats, and anxiety that is caused by withdrawal. There is scientific evidence that suggests both CBD and cannabis can help treat sleep issues, including insomnia.

Many people vape cannabis or use CBD before sleeping in order to get a good night’s rest.

Smoking replacement

If you’re a nicotine addict, vaping CBD or marijuana might help you quit smoking. The act of dragging and inhaling can be comforting if you’re used to using cigarettes. However, because it does not contain tobacco, you won’t be inhaling any nicotine, which means it’s far better for your health.

It’s widely known that vaping is better than smoking cannabis or hemp because it doesn’t involve combustion. Vaping involves heating your cannabis to the optimum level, before the point of combustion, which means you don’t inhale the harmful smoke. This means that vaping is much easier on the lungs—a benefit you’ll definitely need if you’ve smoked cigarettes in the past.

What you need to know before using CBD or cannabis to manage your addiction

Before using any supplement or tool to manage your addiction, it’s important to talk to a healthcare provider, including a doctor and/or therapist. They are best equipped to advise you on whether it can help you and how to use it.

Bear in mind that THC can be addictive. So, if you’re using marijuana to manage your addiction, it’s a good idea to have the help and support of a cannabis-friendly therapist to guide you.

CBD is considered safe for consumption, but there are a few possible side effects, including nausea, fatigue, and changes in appetite and weight. CBD also interacts with certain medications, so talk to your doctor before using it.

Cannabis and CBD both have the potential to help people manage addiction and soothe the symptoms of drug withdrawal. While it needs to be studied further, many people have used it to successfully quit their addictions.

Resources

Babson KA, et al. (2017). Cannabis, cannabinoids, and sleep: A review of the literature. DOI:
10.1007/s11920-017-0775-9

Bergamaschi MM. (2011). Safety and side effects of cannabidiol, a cannabis sativa constituent. DOI: 10.2174/157488611798280924

Bitencourt RM, et al. (2018). Cannabidiol as a therapeutic alternative for post-traumatic stress disorder: From bench research to confirmation in human trials. DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2018.00502

Elms L, et al. (2019). Cannabidiol in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder: A case series. DOI: 10.1089/acm.2018.0437

Grinspoon, P. et al. 2018. Medical Marijuana. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/medical-marijuana-2018011513085

Gonzales-Cuevas et al. (2018). Unique treatment potential of cannabidiol for the prevention of relapse to drug use: preclinical proof of principle. DOI: 10.1038/s41386-018-0050-8

Hurd, Y. (2017). Cannabidiol: swinging the marijuana pendulum from ‘weed’ to medication to treat the opioid epidemic. DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2016.12.006

National Cancer Institute (2016). Cannabis and cannabinoids. cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/cam/patient/cannabis-pdq

Shannon S, et al. Cannabidiol in anxiety and sleep: A large case series. DOI: 10.7812/TPP/18-041

Vučković S, et al. (2018). Cannabinoids and pain: New insights from old molecules. DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2018.01259

The potential of vaporizers and their future

The tagline for Asa Joint is “find your own light,” which is mostly meant to be a thought provoking expression. However, one of the ways of interpreting it is that there is an alternative, and better way to enjoy your favorite strains of cannabis. Cannabis is one of the most versatile natural products available, and there are a variety of different ways that you can enjoy it.

While the traditional method of enjoying weed was smoking it in a joint, blunt, pipe, or bong, we’re lucky enough to be living in a time where there’s a new method, vaping.

In the following article, we’re going to take a look at vaping weed, why so many people are switching to vaping, and how the vaping process works. If you have ever wanted to learn more about vaping weed, then keep reading, and we’ll cover everything that you need to know about vaping weed!

What Is Vaping and How Does It Work?

Dry herb vaping involves using an electronic vaporizer to heat your dry herbs to the specific point that the cannabinoids such as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) are released, but below the point of combustion. This is an important part of vaping and one of the most significant reasons why people choose vaping over smoking.

Because you’re heating the cannabinoids to an optimal temperature, you’re releasing the cannabinoids without burning the plant material. This means that you’re avoiding many of the carcinogens which can be found in weed smoke. While smoking weed isn’t as inherently unhealthy as smoking cigarettes, you’re still inhaling carcinogens into your lungs, where they make their way into your bloodstream.

When you place your dry herb into the chamber on the vaporizer, the heat from the vaporizer heats the dry herb, releasing the cannabinoids into a fine vapor. This vapor is then inhaled via the mouthpiece of the vaporizer. After you’re finished, the dry herb is brown and starts tasting like burnt popcorn. It can then be discarded.

What Are Some of the Benefits of Vaping?

One of the biggest benefits of vaping dry herb over smoking is that you’re avoiding many of the carcinogens which are released when cannabis is burnt or ignited. Many experts believe that vaping could potentially be a safer alternative to smoking weed using traditional methods.

Another benefit to vaping over smoking weed is that you’re going to get more bang for your buck. When you burn cannabis, a lot of the cannabinoids are destroyed during the process, which is a huge waste of weed. Vaping, on the other hand, offers a more consistent and precise heating method. When you’re vaping rather than smoking, you’re getting the maximum levels of cannabinoids out of your weed.

How Do I Choose A Vaporizer That Suits Me?

There are a variety of different vaporizers and vaping kits available to enjoy your favorite strains of weed. Ultimately, the vaporizer or vaping kit that you choose will depend a lot on how much experience you have and what your budget is.

The great news is that there are a variety of different vaporizers available, and the prices truly are affordable. This is especially true if you look at the purchase of your first vaporizer as an investment in your health and happiness. The more that you spend on your vaporizer, the more advanced features you’re going to get, and the more you’ll enjoy your vaping experience.

Conclusion

The benefits of vaping dry herb are many and worth exploring. This is true whether you enjoy cannabis recreationally or medicinally. We are firm believers in the benefits of vaping dry herb and is also one of the main reasons for starting this company. There are many options out there when it comes to vaporizers and the staff here at Asa Joint are here to help. If you have any questions or concerns don’t hesitate to reach out and we’ll do our best to answer your questions. And remember; don’t smoke tea, vape weed instead!

Tea and its alluring charm

To tea, or not to tea, that is the question we should ask ourselves when it comes to what we drink. Even more so in a constantly changing beverage market with an infinite amount of drinks for us to indulge in. But there is one drink that we cannot live without.

It’s simple, classic, and all natural. What is this superpower drink? Well tea of course, and its popularity only continues to grow. The reason for its popularity for thousands of years is because of its taste and many health benefits. Tea has the ability to help boost immunity and help you relax in a similar way as hemp can.

Discover the many varieties of tea

This wonder brew is a product of the Camellia Sinensis plant, and originated in the kingdom of China around the 6^th century AD. It is a highly versatile plant because, from a single plant thousands of varying tea types have been produced around the world.

It is often a difficult choice to pick which teas we should try, and which ones would be best for us. But the truth is, each tea has its own identity, and personal preference often dictates which tea is best for you. Let us go over a few popular types of tea and highlight some of their characteristics and benefits.

• Black Tea: Black tea is the most preferred tea type among tea-drinking nations and accounts for the majority of global tea production. This tea is much darker in color and turns into a reddish-orange brew. Black teas are highly flavorful and have strong taste notes compared to other teas. Among all black tea types, the best include: Ceylon black tea, Darjeeling black tea, Keemun black tea, Assam black tea, Yunnan black tea, and Earl Grey black tea.  
• Green Tea: Green tea is the most sought after tea type among today’s health-conscious consumers. This tea brewed, often creates a refreshing green color. It also brews into light yellow colors and has strong aromas. The flavor profiles of green tea are diverse, but usually have grassy flavors with notes of sweet character. The most popular green tea types include: Japanese Sencha green tea, Matcha green tea, Jasmine green tea, Gyokuro green tea, and Gunpowder green tea. 
• Oolong Tea: Oolong tea carries characters that are in between black tea and green tea and have a very mild and floral flavor profile. Tie Guan Yin, Milk Oolong, Da Hong Pao are some of the best oolong tea types in the world.
• Pu-erh Tea: Pu-erh Tea is called “aged tea” due to its production style and often comes in different sizes and pressed shapes. Pu-erh teas do not have as many verities like you find in other tea types, but there are differences. These mostly come down to the origin of the tea and the process it went though.

Advantages of drinking tea

Habitual tea consumption is considered to be apart of a healthy lifestyle. Today there are many benefits to regular tea consumption.

• Great source of Antioxidants: Polyphenols in tea act as an amazing antioxidant and the benefits of antioxidants are countless for our body. Simply, antioxidants can neutralize the activity of free radicals inside our body and helps our body repair damage caused by these free radicals.
• Great stimulant: Caffeine in tea can act as a stimulant on our central nervous system, but the effect is usually not as strong as coffee. The caffeine in tea along with other properties can boost your mental alertness and can help calm the mind for a period of time.
• Prevents diseases: Tea produces many compounds such as polyphenols, vitamins and minerals. Collectively these compounds can prevent many chronic diseases and some types of cancers.
• Promotes longevity: The life expectancy of a person depends on a few key factors. One such factor is a persons diet. It has been reported that increased anti-oxidant activity can improve ones lifespan in many ways.
• Promotes oral health: Oral health is another important benefit from drinking tea. It has been researched that the fluoride we get from tea can help tooth decay. Also, polyphenols in tea can help fight the bacterial growth that causes oral cavities.

Final Thoughts

All in all, the benefits of drinking tea are endless. Tea continues to be a healthy and beneficial drink that is inexpensive and a natural alternative. At Asa Joint, we strive to provide the best tea selection and experience possible. With that said; we know what tea is, but know not what tea may be.

The promising benefits of CBD

CBD is fast gaining popularity as an alternative treatment for many different ailments. Buyers are learning more and more about CBD while searching for more efficient ways to manage their health conditions.

According to the people who love and use CBD-infused products and vaporizers, they can help with a variety of conditions including anxiety and pain. There are also scientists and research institutes all over the world who stand by the benefits of CBD.

One of our goals at Asa Joint is to offer our customers the opportunity to explore these new products while also helping to inform them of the ‘what’ and ‘why’ of CBD.

What is CBD?

Cannabidiol, otherwise known as CBD, is one of several natural chemicals found in cannabis and hemp plants. These chemical compounds are known as cannabinoids. CBD is a non-psychoactive cannabinoid, which means it cannot make you feel “high” or intoxicated. However, research suggests CBD has therapeutic properties.

THC: Tetrahydrocannabinol, also known as THC, is another cannabinoid. It’s responsible for the psychoactive effects of the cannabis plant. If a CBD oil or wax doesn’t contain THC, it won’t get you high, but might provide health benefits.

The ECS: The brain helps control the body’s health and its responsiveness using a chemical network in the body known as the endocannabinoid system (ECS). Experts are still figuring out the ECS, but it is believed to contribute to regulating sleep, mood, appetite and many other functions. CBD is an external cannabinoid which helps influence these functions for the better. Interestingly, humans aren’t the only ones with an ECS – all mammals are.

Why CBD?

Our body produces endocannabinoids, which are a critical compound in the ECS. Our body starts to lose efficient functions when the number of endocannabinoids decreases. When you consume CBD (an external cannabinoid), your body reclaims these functions and responsiveness.

Benefits of CBD

CBD oils, infused wax, and tea can help you maintain a healthy lifestyle. Below are some of the benefits of CBD.

• Manage anxiety: Anxiety is a common issue that can be detrimental to one’s health. CBD has a calming effect on your brain and muscles that helps you manage the symptoms of anxiety better. It also seems to provide relief from stress.
• Pain-relief: Inflammation in the body’s cells and tissue are the main reasons for pain. Underlying ailments can also sometimes cause chronic aches and pains as well. According to research, CBD can effectively reduce pain. It influences the body’s cells to produce anti-inflammatory properties which results in an effective alternative form of pain relief.
• Improves sleep: Because CBD can reduce anxiety levels and pain, it can help you get a good night of rest. Many people use CBD to enhance their sleep quality.
• Boosts immunity: CBD plays a vital role in our endocannabinoid system. Regularly using CBD can help you develop a robust immune system which means a healthier life with less colds and flus.
• Improves skin: Because CBD has anti-inflammatory properties, it seems to help with acne and other inflammatory skin conditions. It also regulates the sebaceous glands, which produce the natural oils that nourish your skin.
• Helps those with cancer: Cancer and cancer treatment can cause a lot of side effects, including nausea, vomiting, and pain. One review showed that CBD can reduce cancer-related pain. A 2010 study showed that CBD could also reduce cancer-related vomiting and nausea.

Final Thoughts

CBD has helped many people who struggle with certain conditions, including chronic pain, anxiety disorders, and acne. Regularly taking CBD is an excellent way to maintain a healthy lifestyle. For top-quality CBD products, take a look at our online store. Keep your eye on our blog for more information on the health benefits of CBD.