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Everything else from overnight: states, business, science and the world.
By the numbers
Quick numbers. Tap one to see what it means.
A new monthly record for licensed stores, per Statistics Canada. The figure is preliminary and can be revised, and it leaves out medical sales.
Source: Marijuana Herald ↗That's how many people held an active Florida medical card as of October 23. Florida allows medical use only.
Source: Marijuana Herald ↗The number of licensed operators has shrunk by roughly three-quarters as the state tightened oversight. Its top regulator announced Thursday she is stepping down.
Source: MJBizDaily ↗Current and former pro and college football and hockey athletes answered. People chose to take part, so it may not reflect all athletes.
Source: Marijuana Herald ↗Utah is choosing a nonprofit to hand out vouchers for products at licensed pharmacies. Patients can't apply yet; no start date has been set.
Source: Marijuana Herald ↗Hemp businesses suing the state say fees jumped this much. It's their claim in a lawsuit, not a finding by a court. The state doesn't comment on pending cases.
Source: MMJ Daily ↗Events
Culture and industry, near you and nationwide. All 21+.
Today
This week
- Oct25Meet Me On MilwaukeeNoon–4 p.m. · The Sparks Club, Chicago · Illinois News Joint ↗Daytime street festival.
- Oct27State of the Cannabis IndustryBoston · Emerald Intel ↗Industry conference.
- Oct28New York nursery license info sessionOffice of Cannabis Management · MJBizDaily ↗State session on eligibility and requirements before applications open November 5.
- Oct29Spooky Drag Bingo6 p.m. · Spark'd Dispensary + Lounge, Chicago · Do312 ↗Drag-hosted bingo with Dabstract.
Events from Illinois News Joint, Do312 and Emerald Intel. Tap an event to see its listing. Check with the host before you go.
Dispensaries near you
Licensed shops nearby, and how they take payment when it's listed.
Store data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Payment details come from public listings and can change, so call ahead. Your location stays on your phone: only a rounded search area is sent to OpenStreetMap, and nothing is saved.
Know the plant
The science behind it, from molecule to method. This chapter stays put while the news changes.
THCA becomes THC with heatBasic chemistry
Fresh flower holds mostly THCA, which doesn't get you high. Heat from smoking, vaping or baking knocks off part of the molecule and turns it into THC. That process is called decarboxylation, which is why edibles are made from heated cannabis.
CBGA is the mother cannabinoidBasic science
The plant first makes CBGA. Enzymes then turn it into the acid forms of the main cannabinoids: THCA, CBDA and CBCA. Different plants make different amounts of each, which is why products vary so much.
THC vs. CBDWell established
THC is the main compound that makes you feel high. CBD doesn't. Labels list how much of each a product has, and that ratio tells you more than the strain name.
CBN comes from aging THCBasic chemistry
As THC is exposed to air, light and heat over time, some of it breaks down into CBN. Old flower usually has more CBN and less THC.
Indica, sativa and hybridSupported by research
The names come from how plants grow: indica plants are short and bushy with broad leaves, sativa plants are tall with narrow leaves. After decades of crossbreeding, nearly everything sold today is a hybrid.
The labels don't predict effectsSupported by research
A study in Nature Plants found indica and sativa labels often don't match a plant's genetics or chemistry, and same-name strains can be very different. Aroma and terpene profile were better clues than the label.
A better way to sort: by chemistryBasic science
Scientists group cannabis by its main cannabinoids: THC-dominant, balanced THC and CBD, and CBD-dominant. Reading a label's THC and CBD numbers tells you which group a product is in.
Terpenes give most of cannabis's smell and taste, but researchers have found that the funkiest notes come from other compounds entirely.
- Earthy, musky, ripe mangoMyrcene, a terpene
- Citrus, lemon, orange peelLimonene, a terpene
- Pine, fresh forestPinene, a terpene
- Floral, lavenderLinalool, a terpene
- Black pepper, spiceCaryophyllene, a terpene also found in pepper
- Hoppy, woodyHumulene, a terpene also found in hops
- Fresh, herbal, fruity pineTerpinolene, a terpene
- SkunkPrenylthiol, a sulfur compound, the same molecule behind skunked beer
- Garlic, onion funkRelated sulfur compounds, structurally similar to garlic's
- Sharp, pungent cheeseOctanoic and decanoic acids, fatty acids
- Tropical, juicy fruitTropical sulfur compounds such as 3-MHH
- Dank, chemicalIndole
What each aroma comes from is well documented. Whether terpenes change how a high feels is still being studied.
How fast it starts and how long it lasts depend on how you use it.
| Method | Starts in | Lasts |
|---|---|---|
| Smoking or vaping flower | Almost right away to 10 min | 1–3 hours |
| Concentrates (inhaled) | Almost right away to 10 min | 1–3 hours |
| Tinctures under the tongue | 10–30 min | 1–3 hours |
| Topicals on the skin | 30 min to 1 hour | 1–3 hours |
| Edibles, capsules, drinks | 1–4 hours | 4–12 hours |
Use it well
Start low, go slowHealth agency guidance
New to it, or trying a new product? Start with a low-strength product in a small amount, and wait the full onset time before having more.
Read the labelHealth agency guidance
Check the THC and CBD amounts per serving. More THC means a stronger effect, not a better one, and stronger-than-expected products are a common cause of taking too much.
Never drive highWell established
Cannabis slows reactions and distorts time and distance. Driving high is treated like drunk driving. Plan a ride.
Don't mix with alcoholWell established
Alcohol, and some medicines like antihistamines, greatly increase impairment. On prescriptions? Ask your healthcare provider first.
Lock it upWell established
Edibles can look like candy, and children who eat them often need an emergency room. Pets can be harmed too. Store everything locked and out of reach.
Some people should skip itHealth agency guidance
Anyone under 21, pregnant or breastfeeding should avoid cannabis.
If it's too muchHealth agency guidance
Extreme anxiety, racing heart, confusion or vomiting? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222, free, any time. If severe, call 911 or go to an emergency room.
Feel-good
One light story to send you into your day.
Cannabis and hops: a 17-million-year family tree
Cannabis and hops are plant cousins, and a new study shows just how far back the family story goes. Researchers in China built two complete genome maps from a single CBD-rich cannabis plant and traced the genes that make THC, CBD and CBC back to a gene copy that existed before cannabis and hops split apart, about 17 million years ago. Hops kept only a distant relative of those genes. The branch that became the THC, CBD and CBC genes stayed with cannabis. The study ran October 22 in the Plant Biotechnology Journal.
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