Reefer Madness 2.0: Is THC Nature's Miracle Medicine or Society's Latest Addiction?

Is THC nature's miracle cure or a hidden health hazard?

Uncover the shocking truth about cannabis in our latest 2% Solution episode!

Discover the therapeutic wonders of THC in managing chronic pain, anxiety, depression, and PTSD. Learn the distinct experiences offered by Delta 9 and Delta 8 THC, from the vibrant, social energy of Delta 9 to the calm, clear-headed effects of Delta 8.

Hear about my journey using THC and CBD to manage my autoimmune condition and understand the importance of sourcing high-quality, reputable cannabis products as legalization evolves.

This episode is a goldmine for both seasoned enthusiasts and curious newcomers eager to explore the benefits of THC.

However, it's crucial to be aware of the potential downsides.

We delve into the cognitive and sleep-related risks associated with excessive THC use, especially for younger users. With insights from reputable sources like JAMA Psychiatry and the Huberman Lab, we discuss how overuse can impair memory and decision-making and even lead to dependency or severe conditions like Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome (CHS).

We'll also contrast THC's impact on sleep with the benefits of CBD, offering guidance on making informed choices.

Consult healthcare professionals for personalized advice and explore the resources in our show notes.

Join us for a balanced, comprehensive look at the world of THC.

Chapters

• 0:08 Exploring the Benefits of THC
• 12:43 THC Cognitive and Sleep Risks

Transcript

Dai Manuel: 0:08

Welcome to today's episode of the 2% Solution, my two-word warriors. I'm your host, diamond Wall, and today we're talking about the herb from the earth with the greatest worth. That's right. If you're a Ben Harper fan like me, you know what I'm talking about. We're diving into the world of cannabis. Man like me, you know what I'm talking about. We're diving into the world of cannabis, mary Jane, weed pot, ganja, reefer, dope grass, herb bud, green, chronic skunk kush, sticky, icky, dank, hemp, herb trees, broccoli flower and good old jazz cabbage. But hold on to your munchies, folks, because we're not just here to giggle about silly nicknames. We're going to embark on a mind-bending journey through the highs and lows of THC. You know that magical compound that can turn a bland pizza into a life-changing culinary experience. So buckle up. Whether you're a seasoned toker or think joint is just something that connects your bones. We're about to explore what THC really means for your health. It's going to be a trip that's educational, entertaining, maybe just a little bit trippy. So let's roll into it. Yeah, if you're picking up on all these sort of dad joke puns, I'm full of them. Get ready Lots more where those come from. So let's dive into the good stuff. All right.

Dai Manuel: 1:17

Thc has been getting more buzz than a beehive lately, not just because it can make you giggle at cat videos for quite literally hours and days. We're talking serious health benefits here. So picture this You're dealing with chronic pain that feels like a tiny, angry gorilla living in your joints. Well, studies show that THC might be the banana to calm that gorilla down. A study in the Journal of Pain found it can reduce pain intensity by upwards of 30%. I mean that's significant. A study in the Journal of Pain found it can reduce pain intensity by upwards of 30%. I mean that's significant. That's life-changing. If you're dealing with chronic pain, that's like turning the volume down on your pain from heavy metal concert to smooth jazz. It's literally life-changing. But there's more, because THC isn't just a physical pain superhero. It's also got some mental health tricks up its sleeve. Quite literally, it's like a chill pill for your brain, helping manage anxiety, depression, ptsd. I mean, imagine having a built-in therapist that doesn't charge you by the hour. I mean, yeah, sign me up right, but just joking aside, my therapist is awesome and I've always enjoyed working with them.

Dai Manuel: 2:31

But let's break down the THC family tree, because I think this is where it gets really important because and I'm going to get into this in a moment and share a little bit of my own experience with this magical herb but let's talk a bit about some of the differences, because there's a huge variety of differences. And if you're at least if you're shopping or sourcing your THC products that's THC, cbd, basically anything that's cannabis related you know there are some very reputable stores and shops and apothecaries that sell THC and it's heavily regulated. Now, I mean we know us that live in North America, I mean Canada, it's national, now it's anywhere across Canada you can have cannabis. You can even travel from province to province, even fly internally in Canada. You can have a certain limit that you can carry with you. So it's rather interesting to see how much has changed in that THC landscape and in the States. You know there's a lot of states that have legalized marijuana and, as such, they have special venues where you can buy it.

Dai Manuel: 3:25

Now, this is what you want to take note of when you decide, or if you decide to try to experiment based on some of the things that you learn as you do your own due diligence and research. So I'm going to talk about five different things to consider. All right. The first one is the Delta 9 THC. Okay, so this is sort of the OG of THC. It's like the friend who always brings the party. It's great fun, but it might make you a little too chatty or paranoid if you overdo it, and I think you know what I mean. This is the one that we typically would think about in our old high school memories, or maybe that one night where we think we overdid it, it was probably because we were mixing alcohol, mixing THC, you know, putting everything into our body and we have that bad trip, as they say. And so this is one of the more popular strains, so think Delta 9. Then there's something called Delta H THC. Now it's basically like the chiller cousin of Delta. You know, this is when you want to relax, but you still also want to have some cognizant, you know, awareness, like maybe still also want to have some cognizant awareness, maybe remember where you put your keys. The National Cancer Institute says it's great for nausea and anxiety specifically. I mean, think about it, it's like a warm hug for your insides. And a little side note that is the strain I typically source, along with CBD. I'm very much a recreational user, but I really became more interested in it, especially as health benefits were concerned.

Dai Manuel: 4:47

When I was diagnosed with my autoimmune condition and I think many of you have probably heard that story. If you haven't, I've shared it on a few of the past episodes I can link to in the show notes. But you know this autoimmune condition I get some pretty severe nausea, bone cramping and aches that last anywhere from about 48 to 72 hours at times. Sometimes it's really funny, like last week when I took my meds. Actually, you know, I didn't notice too much. I had nausea for about 12 hours, but that was it. So it was a really good sort of bounce back.

Dai Manuel: 5:14

But what I found was my hematologists would be very quick to give me another prescription, you know, for some of the side effects that the biologics that I was taking or I'm taking for my autoimmune condition, and so I find that really interesting. You know, that's just sort of the system we live in, right? It's just like, okay, well, you're feeling this way now because of that drug that you're taking. Okay, well, let me give you this new drug to deal with that problem. Oh, now that drug creates this problem, and so we'll give you this drug for that problem, and it feels like this never ending cycle, Right.

Dai Manuel: 5:43

And so I was really looking for alternative options, you know, to deal with that nausea and uh and some of that pain I was feeling in my bones and uh. That's where I sort of settled in on Delta eight and I didn't really know what the strain was. I just found a product that really worked for me and I sort of stuck with that and I'm more of a vape guy and, yeah, just again, I found that a little bit easier on my lungs than smoking. But you know, thc's their own right. Edibles are a great option too. So, anyways, the National Cancer Institute, literally, you know they've done some great studies on this and they suggest that that's the strain for nausea and anxiety.

Dai Manuel: 6:20

Now there's also THCA, and that's the raw, uncooked version of THC and uh, think about like the healthy salad of the cannabis world, right, it's got all the nutrients but none of the high. And then you have THC-V, which is considered the diet weed. It might actually help manage weight and diabetes. It's like a personal trainer of cannabinoids, right, it keeps you in shape and keeps the munchies away, and uh. And then, lastly, one other thing to consider is CBD and THC ratios. All right Ratios. This is the dynamic duo of the cannabis world, quite literally. This is where you get the best of CBD and the best of THC and they tend to merge them in these different ratios and, depending on the ratio, depending on the strains that they're mixing and matching ratios and depending on the ratio, depending on the strains that they're mixing and matching it definitely creates a different effect or a different result in people as they consume the product. You know, cbd is like the responsible friend right who makes sure THC doesn't go too crazy at the party Because you know, with CBD you don't get high, you just don't.

Dai Manuel: 7:22

There is a calming effect with some forms of CBD. I will full disclosure. I've also had some CBD product that had lavender in it as well as some olive oil and I forget what the other natural ingredient was, but it was really quite good as far as a calming product was and for those ideal social anxiety and all that other stuff over my whole lifetime. But I manage it extremely well and I thrive in spite of it. But I have my down days too and some of these alternative methods have been great for just working through those days when they're really challenging, right Now when you're choosing your THC adventure, think about your goals as well as your tolerance, because if you're new to this rodeo, start with the kiddie rides like Delta 8, or maybe a CBD slash THC blend.

Dai Manuel: 8:07

Get a nice little blend with a lower ratio. So maybe a little bit less THC but a little bit more CBD, because, remember, we aim for comfortably relaxed, not melted into the couch, questioning the existence of your hands. I've quite literally done that and you know, if you find yourselves on that place now, that's a journey and maybe that was your intention Okay, I get it. But if you're looking to function and operate at a high level and you know that might be counterintuitive to that, but these THC varieties are like a buffet of wellness options. Whether you're looking to soothe pain, maybe calming anxiety, even just unwind after a long day of stressful adulting, there's likely a type of THC that can help. Just remember start low, go slow and always prioritize your health and well-being first, stay informed, stay balanced and keep thriving. You know that's what we're here to do Now.

Dai Manuel: 9:05

I know what you're thinking, because everyone's probably listening to this right now and they're like oh Ty, this sounds great, but how do I know what kind of THC I'm getting. Is it like picking a flavor at the ice cream shop? Well, my friends, it's a bit more complicated choosing between rocky road and mint chip. But Well, my friends, it's a bit more complicated choosing between rocky road and mint chip. But don't worry, I got you covered.

Dai Manuel: 9:23

So here's a few steps. One check the label. Look for terms like Delta 9, thc, delta, thc or THC-A. Right, it's like reading literally the nutritional info on the side of packages that we're so used to doing and so, based on all this nice regulation that the government's throwing out, whether you like it or not, by doing it, it's definitely upped the quality control, but it's also made this stuff all tracked and trackable, but also it's just really elevated to another level. So you know, I know there's a there's some people that are anti-government influence on this. I'm going to stay out of that conversation, um, but but do recognize there's.

Dai Manuel: 9:59

Just having access to it is a wonderful thing, and to have the freedom to be able to choose whether we want it or not again, something not to take for granted, right. But read that nutritional info. But instead of looking for calories, you're checking for how high you might get, and that's going to be based on the quantity and volume. But don't worry, when you're in one of those stores, talking to those, the various clerks that work there, they tend to be very much experts. Well, it's been hit and miss, but I'd say about 80% of the times I've gone to the stores, man, they've been top-notch people that have really educated me, so it's been really valuable.

Dai Manuel: 10:34

Number two you know, after checking labels, ask for a certificate of analysis. Now, co's, um, not always so readily available, but you can find that in some of these um websites now, with these brands that are coming out with these different variety of products and thc products, they are being regulated. So you know what's on the label is usually in it, um, but their websites, you know, if you look under company information that you can find it a lot about where are they growing, what's some of their growing practices and standards, et cetera. And so, um, I mean, think about it like a birth certificate, right For your cannabis, and it tells you exactly what's in there. No more mystery meat or weed. I mean so, uh, and then after that.

Dai Manuel: 11:14

Number three, chat with the bud tender. You know that's what I was told they were called. Uh, I'd never heard that before, but I thought that was pretty interesting. Bud tender, right, man, anyways, these folks are like the sommeliers of the cannabis world, right? You know the sommeliers, the people that come around, they sniff the wine and they might do a little bit of a spit and something, something. Again, I'm not a wine connoisseur, but I do have friends that are big into wine and you know these sommeliers can tell so much just by smelling what kind of grape it is that taste. Right, well, I guess these bud tenders are just as talented when it comes to wheat. You know that the they can tell you literally what, what strain will pair best with your next netflix spin. You know, like yeah and uh, some funny stories about that, but I'll leave that for another podcast.

Dai Manuel: 11:57

And uh, number four make sure you always do your homework. You know research brands. Like you're planning a first date, you want to know everything about them before you just commit to doing it or showing up. And it doesn't take much time to do a little bit of homework. And then, lastly, know your product types. So, again, some of that information I shared with you earlier. Different products have different THC types, so it's like choosing between instant coffee and espresso. You know, it's the same plant, but it's a different kick. So remember collectives knowledge is power. Don't be afraid to ask questions. Your health journey is worth the extra effort. Now I wouldn't be a very good host if we didn't talk about the bad of THC as well. So let's talk about that flip side.

Dai Manuel: 12:43

While THC does have a lot of benefits, it also comes with some risks, especially when it's used excessively, which is usually where the big problems happen. One of the biggest concerns is its impact on cognitive function. So, basically, our brain how's our brain working? Studies have shown that regular heavy use of THC can impair memory, attention and decision-making. According to a study published in JAMA Psychiatry, long-term use of THC can lead to cognitive deficits, particularly in younger users whose brains are still developing. And you know, there's been a couple of really good shows I've listened to on the Rogan experience as well as on, oh boy, having one of those brain farts right now. But yeah, it was too much THC usage, right? Anyways, cognitive deficits, huberman Lab oh my gosh, that took me a while there to come back to that. Anyways, I remembered it.

Dai Manuel: 13:37

Huberman Lab had a great episode where they talked about THC and they really dove into what it's like for people under the age of 25, which is typically what they say. You know the brain's continuously developing to that age roughly. Now, again, it depends on the gender and you know there's never a perfect rule to this, but that tends to be around that. So it was really quite informative. I'll dig up the link, I'll make sure I include in the show notes for you as well, so you can find that information, because they go really deep with some really smart people that that are out there leading the charge and not in the lobbying, but also in the, the engineering and the creation of better products to help people with, uh, managing various ailments with THC. So it's a it's pretty amazing we're. We're in a interesting day and age now, you know. So it's pretty amazing, we're in an interesting day and age now. You know.

Dai Manuel: 14:21

Now one of the biggest concerns outside of this cognitive function, you know, this impairing of the memory, attention, decision making. You know there's also a risk of dependency and that's very real, right. You know, while not everyone who uses THC will become addicted, there is about 9% of users who do, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, and we probably shouldn't forget about the potential for mental health issues on top of that, high doses of THC have been linked to increased anxiety, paranoia and even psychosis in some individuals. It's like playing with fire it can keep you warm, but it can also burn you if you're not careful, and so being smart with how we consume is critical. All right, I do want to mention the downright freaky stuff too, because as I was doing my research, I came across something really interesting. I've never heard of this before, but it's one of the lesser known risks of THC, but it still is a risk. It's known by its acronym, chs, which means cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome, so CHS. Now, this is a condition where long-term users of cannabis experience severe nausea and vomiting, sometimes so bad they end up in the hospital, and what's crazy is that it's often the heavy users who are most at risk. A study published in the journal Current Drug Abuse Reviews found that CHS is becoming more common as cannabis use increases. And the only cure you got to stop using cannabis Freaky right.

Dai Manuel: 15:52

Another strange effect of THC is its impact on sleep. While it can help people fall asleep faster, long-term use has been shown to reduce the overall quality of sleep. So that's mainly by decreasing REM sleep. That's that very important stage where we dream and where our brains process emotions. Think about it it's like your brain going through a buffering or a hard reset while you sleep. So you wake up feeling fresh, energized and lit up, ready to tackle whatever you need to tackle that day. Well, if you're not getting quality REM sleep, you're going to have that grogginess, that slowness right. And they found that sometimes and some people especially with excessive use of THC this REM sleep is deeply affected. So you might feel like you're sleeping better after using THC Could actually be missing out on some critical sleep cycles Like eating junk food.

Dai Manuel: 16:40

You know it fills you up, but it doesn't really nourish you. Cbd honestly, I find way better for sleep products. There's a couple that I've used in the past. If there's an interest again, I'm not. I don't tend to throw down brand names a lot, but there are a few really good quality products out there. But, recognizing that I deal with listeners all over the world, you know I try to keep it a bit agnostic when it comes to this stuff, letting you do your own due diligence. But hey, if you want to know about some great places in Vancouver and some good brands up here in Canada, let me know. I'll send you some links, but you know what does all this really mean? Right, as we're sort of winding down now, I'd like to sort of ask you that question what does this mean for you?

Dai Manuel: 17:27

The key takeaway I hope you take from today's show is balance. If you're considering using THC or maybe you already are using it, that's great it's crucial to understand both the potential benefits and the risks. Moderation is everything. As I said earlier, start low, low dose and go slow, especially if you're new to THC, and always consult with a healthcare professional if you're using it for medical purposes. To learn more, check out the resources like Journal of Pain, the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the University of Washington's Cannabis Research. These are all great places to get more info and make informed decisions about your health.

Dai Manuel: 17:59

I'm going to include those links, along with a few others, in the show notes. Remember, you can just go in there, click on that. Wherever you're listening to this podcast. It will expand those options and you'll see those hyperlinks there for you to make it easy to access that info. You know that's what I'm all about here at 2% Solution. I'm here to make solutions easy, or at least easy here, and I gotta say you know. Thanks for tuning in today. If this episode sparked your interest, maybe share it with someone who might benefit from a deeper understanding of THC or CBD. And hey, if you love the podcast, don't forget to leave us a review. It's like giving me a high five, but for my ears. Stay informed, stay balanced and keep pushing your limits. Again, I'm Diamond Wall and you've been listening to 2% Solution. Let's keep thriving together and I'll see you next time.