Medically reviewed by Katherine Golden, RN
Written by Denise Rustning
Were you able to join us on Thursday, August 20th, for our first online Leaf Learning Series? If not, don’t worry! We plan to release an archive of the event at a future date. Be sure to sign up for our newsletter at the bottom of this page to find out when the content is available! As a newsletter subscriber, you’ll also be the first to learn about our next session covering all things CBD hemp.
In the meantime, we thought we’d share some of the top cannabis takeaways from our inaugural session.
When it Comes to Cannabis, Everyone is Different
Everyone has an endocannabinoid system—but everyone’s endocannabinoid system is just a little bit different. Leaf411’s Founder and CEO/ED Katherine Golden, RN, and our Advisory Board member Dr. Dave Gordon from 4 Pillars Health & Wellness always recommend starting low and going slow when finding your optimal dose of CBD hemp or marijuana containing higher levels of THC, in part because everyone’s endocannabinoid system is unique. The dose that works best for your friend or partner might not be the best amount of CBD or THC for you.
During the learning session, Dr. Dave also talked about how there’s no one best way to use cannabis. Different product types offer different benefits, depending on your health issues and wellness goals.
Understanding the basics of your endocannabinoid system and how CBD, THC and other cannabinoids interact with this system is a great place to start on your cannabis journey, saving you time and money as you begin exploring the best cannabis options for your health goals. That’s why we focused on Cannabis Therapeutics 101 for this first session!
In a subsequent session during the event, Dr. Dave addressed the therapeutic potential of minor cannabinoids like CBN for sleep, and THC-A as a non-intoxicating alternative to help manage pain and nausea. He also talked about how some peoples’ sensitivity to minuscule amounts of THC might actually be due to either inconsistent product quality or the type of product they’re using—this is a much more common experience with edibles as a result of how THC is metabolized by the liver.
Want to learn more? Keep an eye out for the recorded session, and in the meantime, we encourage you to look through our blog and Leaf Library, which includes useful FAQs.
Of course, you are always welcome to call us at no cost at 844-LEAF411 (844-532-3411) or chat us from the Leaf411.org homepage during our hotline hours.
Cannabis Medicine: Don’t Be Afraid of Inhalation
Dr. Dave and Katherine tackled one of the biggest hesitations many people have with cannabis—smoking and vaping. They discussed how inhalation methods may provide a safe, effective way to use cannabis medicine. Inhalation can be especially effective when seeking immediate relief for breakthrough pain or nausea. Dr. Dave suggested that vaping flower is a good approach, especially if you’re concerned about unwanted ingredients in vape cartridges.
If you are shopping for oil vapes, look for products with limited ingredients, and which don’t contain propylene glycol (PG), polyethylene glycol (PEG), or vitamin E acetate (the identified source of last year’s 2019 vaping-associated lung injuries).
Several of our supporting members have developed cannabis edibles that utilize cutting-edge technology to deliver a delta-9-THC inhalation type experience—check out Quiq’s wide range of products or Wana Brand’s Fact-Acting Gummies as examples of this new type of product.
Cannabis Product Quality Matters
At Leaf411, we know that quality matters. Product quality and safety are always in the front of our minds when we review potential members.
During our Leaf Learning Series, we were excited to provide a platform for many of our members to talk about their ingredient sourcing and product manufacturing processes. Attendees chatted with company representatives, including founders and CEOs, during live sessions and in the vendor expo hall.
Nature’s Gift Shop, an incredible family-owned dispensary in West Pueblo, and Lightshade Dispensary, with locations throughout the Denver metro area, both shared dispensary tours along with live Q&A, with participants asking questions about the different products they offer. Both dispensaries are dedicated to making every visit a positive experience by meeting consumers where they’re at, whether they’re brand new to cannabis or an experienced user. By the way, the next time you visit Nature’s Gift Shop, be sure to check out their Willie Nelson sculpture that was made by a local artist!
Robbie Wroblewski also provided an incredibly fun and interactive virtual tour of Seed & Smith’s Growhouse, answering a wide range of audience questions. While we missed smelling the extract room (a feature of their pre-COVID in-person tours), we appreciated the behind-the-scenes look at how cannabis is cultivated.
All of this content will be available on-demand soon. Be sure to sign up for our newsletter for updates!
Learning From Top Cannabis Experts
Remember how we said that everyone’s endocannabinoid system is unique? Cannabis retailers and manufacturers understand that consumers have different health goals, tolerances and product preferences as well!
Many of our supporting members employ food engineers, chemists and other industry experts to develop reliable, high-bioavailability cannabis products. If you weren’t able to attend the August 20th session, we hope you’ll find time to join us in the future, because you’ll be amazed by both our supporting members’ professional backgrounds and the science that they’re bringing to their product development!
A Special Thank You to CannOccasions
We also want to extend special recognition to the amazing CannOccasions team who managed the registration, online event platform and all logistics. If you’re seeking a professional cannabis events management company for your virtual or IRL event, we highly recommend CannOccassions!
Looking Forward to Our Next Leaf Learning Event: All About CBD
Our next Leaf Learning event will be all about CBD! We’ll cover the differences between full-spectrum, broad-spectrum and isolate forms of CBD hemp, and provide education to help you find the right CBD for your health goals.
We also know that many people, including first responders and healthcare workers, are concerned about whether CBD hemp can trigger positive workplace drug test results, despite the fact that it’s a non-intoxicating substance. Join us during our next Leaf Learning event to hear answers to these concerns and more.
We’re still in the process of scheduling our CBD hemp-focused Leaf Learning event. Sign up for our Leaf411 newsletter below to stay in the loop as we release more registration details!