Putting The Joy Back Into Cannabis
There are many reasons to enjoy cannabis, but sometimes a little fun is as good a reason as any.
I’m going to say something that may sound a little silly: cannabis is fun. Don’t get me wrong, cannabis comes packed with holistic and therapeutic benefits that can help improve your day - like easing anxiety and stress, and helping ease pain - but sometimes it’s okay to admit that cannabis can just be…well, a f*cking good time. Yes, cannabis used medicinally helps millions of people daily and cannabis is also a wonderful way to connect with friends, let loose, and have a great time - without worrying about a nasty hangover.
Why do so many of us love cannabis? Across the United States and around the globe, people are turning to cannabis for an array of reasons. Some common reasons people turn to this special plant are to ease chronic pain, as a natural substitute for alcohol, to improve our workout-recovery process, to enhance our sexual wellness, to help us connect with our spirituality, to manage stress, to foster our creativity, boost our moods, and even…well…just to have a little fun. As our cannabis industry learns more, brands like midose. are honing in on how to curate products that give every person their ideal cannabis experience. With technology that allows you to be in control and discover the doses that work best for your body…and for any occasion.
Going California Sober…
Let’s face it, there comes a time in everyone’s life when the fun of going out for drinks takes a turn from being something you can easily bounce back from, to being something you have to carefully prepare for with a wellness tactical plan. Gone are the days when you could wake up after a night out on the town, chug some water, drink a coffee, and be good to go. For some of us, dealing with the morning after can make having a third cocktail feel like a game of Russian Roulette. And for some of us, alcohol was never our bag. Or maybe you have other underlying conditions or pre-dispositions that make drinking impossible.
Whatever the reason, the fact remains that an increasing number of adults are choosing to go “California sober.” Or in other words, trade in our drink tickets for something a little more…plant-based.
Not only can you avoid the dehydration, headaches, and nausea that can be caused by alcohol, sticking to cannabis on your night out can even lead to positive outcomes - like a reduction in the stress hormone cortisol, decreased caloric intake, and even (dare I say) a more lasting mood boost.
As cannabis slowly becomes decriminalized and legalized across the country, it’s becoming easier for everyone to curate their own idea of a good time. Vape pens and quick-dissolve tablets are making it easier for you to bring your preferred method of cannabis out and about - without the hassle (or smell) of packing or rolling flower.
Enjoying Responsibly
Just like alcohol, sugar, or caffeine…too much of a good time can end up being not-so-fun. That’s why knowing what doses work best for your body is so important.
Our 3-step advice for enjoying cannabis like the responsible adult you are… Trust us, we are speaking from experience.
Know your dose. Yep, we’ve said it before and we’ll say it again. Don’t ruin your experience by consuming beyond your comfort zone. Everyone has a cannabis dosage that feels best. Going over your limit is when negative side effects can happen like catching the spins or paranoia. Don’t know your dose? No worries, midose. vape pens are designed to help you get personal with your dosage, so you’re always in control. Find your favorite doses with smaller 3-second draws that allow you to consume as little or as much as you want to fit whatever mood you’re in.
Bring your favorite CBD product with you. If you accidentally consume more THC than you bargained for, CBD can help level you out. Cannabinol (CBD) is a non-psychoactive cannabis cannabinoid that not only helps boost your mood, it can also come in handy when you want to reduce the “high” effect of THC. Why? Much like a seesaw, CBD can help you get back to your sweet spot by limiting the ability of THC to bind to your endocannabinoid receptors - reducing its effect. Your endocannabinoid receptors are located throughout your body as part of your Endocannabinoid System (ECS) - a signaling system that regulates bodily functions like your mood, sleep, memory, and appetite. Products with both THC and CBD generally give you a more balanced experience.
Go slow. Guess what? It’s okay to pace yourself. In fact, some might say it’s better if you do. There’s no glory in going too hard too fast. You're a grown-ass adult now and you know how to personalize your night, just the way you like it. So you can get the most out of every adventure. Depending on your level of comfortability, we also recommend sticking to cannabis products you’ve already tried and enjoyed. Do a couple of test-runs and find the product and doses that you love. That’s part of the fun. Cannabis is an opportunity to tune into your body and mind, to give them exactly what they need.
Bye-Bye Stigma
Have you ever stopped to wonder why cannabis has such a bad wrap? I know…it's a pretty simple question, but seriously - compared to alcohol, cannabis is chemically less addictive, and statistically causes fewer injuries. Not that I don’t love a good beer.
The root of all the baggage and stigma that has been attached to the cannabis plant stems from three basic things: racism, economics, and politics. I know, big surprise. Cannabis has been used by cultures around the world dating as far back as 4000 B.C in ancient China. During the late 19th century in the United States, cannabis medicines were subscribed by doctors and hemp was the leading agricultural phenomenon on course to surpass cotton in sales. So what happened? To make a very long and complex history short: fear and greed.
After the Mexican Revolution, refugees sought shelter across the border, bringing with them smokable cannabis. In 1914, El Paso was the first city in the United States to pass an ordinance denouncing the use of cannabis. From there the smear campaign against cannabis kept growing as a way to incriminate and vilify communities of color, the lower class, and even jazz music. The trend continued after prohibition ended when Henry Anslinger introduced the Marihuana Tax Act - effectively making cannabis illegal using racist stereotypes and feeding on the fear of white middle-class America. In the 1970s, Richard Nixon’s “war on drugs” predominantly impacted poor communities and people of color. The Controlled Substances Act put the legal nail in the coffin, by officially categorizing cannabis as a Schedule 1 Drug.
Don’t worry, there is some good news. Things are changing. Over the last decade, the country (and world) has been peeling away the stigma surrounding cannabis use. Canada and South Africa have completely legalized cannabis, and many other countries have legalized the use of medical cannabis. The fear of being judged socially isn't as relevant as it once was and millions of people are speaking out against unnecessary cannabis prison charges. New stats show that over 5 million people use cannabis in the United States and that number is expected to grow to over 6 million by 2025.
As we become more open and transparent about our use and enjoyment of cannabis, the stigma surrounding cannabis is melting away. In a world where Obama inhaled, Martha Stewart is BFFs with Snoop Dogg, and the NFL is funding studies on how cannabis can help with pain and neuroprotection from concussions - who has time for the haters? So get out there and have a little fun!