Weed

But why 4/20?

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Everyone will agree that 4/20 is the big annual party for cannabis enthusiasts, especially in Canada. But why April 20?

In 1971, a group of high-school stoners from San Rafael, California, invented what would become the coolest three-digit code ever: 420. At the origin of this golden number of weed culture, five teenagers shared an enthusiasm for weed and a mission: to find an abandoned ganja field in the area. The group of budding researchers nicknamed themselves the Waldos, in reference to their meeting place: a wall outside the school on which the students would rest.
The five lascars (Steve Capper, Dave Reddix, Jeffrey Noel, Mark Gravich and Larry Schwartz ) had chosen a statue of Louis Pasteur installed near the soccer field as their meeting place for smoking joints. As for the meeting time, it was set for 4:20 p.m., due to class schedules and the time needed to reach the smoking spot.

High Times & Grateful Dead

The movement’s posterity was the work of Steven Hager, journalist at High Times, the US periodical bible for weed enthusiasts. The first mention of 4/20 appeared in May 1991. The link with the Waldo group was officially established in 1998.
Steven Hager credits the Dead Heads (hardcore Grateful Dead fans) with releasing the 420 code after Dave Reddix became a roadie for Phil Lesh, the Californian band’s bassist.
At 4.20pm (4.20pm PM), thanks to Dead Heads, it’s time for the common stoner to indulge in the joys of ganja.
Today is an hour, yes, but above all it’s a date: April 20, which sees cannabis consumers from all over the world unite to praise the virtues of this beautiful plant.

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Fake check: what 420 is not.

  • 420 is not a code used by Uncle Sam’s police to report drug offences.
  • 420 does not refer to the number of alkaloids in cannabis (it’s 135.)
  • Adolf Hitler was born on April 20, but that’s beside the point.
  • 420 is not the New Balance model worn by Waldos.

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4/20 in Pop Culture.

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4/20, a milestone for cannabis lovers, has also left its mark on pop culture. From Family Guy and Tarantino to SNL and Disjointed, here’s a look at the folklore surrounding St. Ganja’s Day.

April 20, or 4/20 as our Anglo-Saxon friends call it, is no more and no less than Valentine’s Day for weed lovers. A day that is just as commercially exploited as its equivalent on February 14. In honor of this celebration of the most beautiful of plants, we’ve selected the crème de la déconne cannabique.

The classic: the Family Guy musical 

We start with a scathing duet, sung by a single person doubling as two characters: Seth Macfarlane, the creator of Family Guy. Not surprising, given that this workaholic who is also a screenwriter, actor and director is an avid Cannabis smoker. He even testified to his love for the plant during a speech at Stanford in 2006.
In this pro-cannabis anthem performed by a dog and a baby (two categories that are impossible to contradict according to Internet rules), the message is clear: everything’s better with a bag of weed.
This extraordinary moment of musical comedy is based on a forgotten classic from 1968: Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, whose lyrics have been changed, but not the enthusiasm.
A good way to combine Broadway and San Francisco, for the time of a song.

The MDR: SNL’s detour 

In New York, we’re also having fun with 420, in this sketch written and performed by Kyle Mooney (a young comedian who’s made a name for himself with his endearing “non humor”) who tells a very poetic version of the origins of the holiday.
He’s obviously off his rocker (although his fake seasonal songs are so much fun that they should perhaps become traditions).
This is insider humor, full of references aimed at serious smokers and tackling the ceremonial stoners. This may seem surprising, for a show that airs in prime time every Saturday night, but let’s not forget that Saturday Night Live is an institution that counts many Cannabis enthusiasts among its faithful, including Bill Murray, Woody Harrelson, Pete Davidson, Chevy Chase, John Belushi and many others.

Cult film: Pulp Fiction

It’s a myth that’s been floating around the internet for years: all the clocks in Pulp Fiction are set to 4:20.
Unfortunately, this is not true, even though it is undeniably the most frequent hour in the film, particularly during the scene in which Butch goes to save Wallace. The wink is therefore valid (and knowing Tarantino’s meticulousness, necessarily deliberate). Whatever happens, it’s always a good idea to re-watch this masterpiece… even if it’s to spend your time checking the clocks.

The WTF: Disjointed

Filled with racy jokes, experimental visuals and infectious good humor, this sketch from a Netflix series is the only one completely designed to be enjoyed with a joint in your mouth.
The singers forget the lyrics with a smile, cough after one too many hits and end up falling asleep. What if 420 was the best party of all? Like St. Patrick’s Day without the hangover? That’s the thesis of this series, and we couldn’t agree more.

Zeweed wishes you a wonderful 420!

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5 alternatives to tobacco for rolling a CBD or THC* cannabis joint

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In Europe, most weed smokers (CBD or THC) mix their herb with tobacco. This habit poses two problems: nicotine addiction and a hefty bill to pay at the tobacconist’s. Here are 5 healthy alternatives to the big tobbaco that stains both lungs and wallet.

Raspberry leaf

Our first suggestion is the most economical. With the raspberry leaves, the joint will burn off without a hitch. The only drawback is the taste. Indeed, raspberry leaves can alter the flavors of your herb, which can be tiring in the long run. Use this solution for small joints! You can find raspberry leaf in herbalists’ shops, organic stores or on specialized vape sites. Raspberry leaf, the best buy among tobacco substitutes. (€6 per 100 grams).

Available for purchase here

Hops

Everyone knows hops for their use in brewing beer. But did you know that hops belong to the Cannabaceae family?
As weed’s cousin, hops go particularly well with it. In terms of taste, it’s a more viable solution than raspberry leaf. Be careful, however. The hops used for beer won’t work – we’re talking here about the original plant found in the same places as the raspberry leaf. The price is the same, 7e for 50 grams. There are different types of hops with different fragrances, so it’s up to you to find the one that suits you best!

Available for purchase here

Vaporized weed

Many of those who vapotage their weed consider their herb consumed in this way useless once vaporized. Not so! In addition to the many possible uses for the residue, it can also be smoked. There’s nothing dirty or dangerous about it, and it’s even the best substitute. In fact, vaporization will leave behind cannabinoids that will be consumed during combustion. What’s more, as it’s already weed, there’s no problem of taste alteration – it’s almost like a pure!
A word of warning: grinded and vaporized weed can really be like crumbs. Remember to put a fresh ganja primer in your joint or prepare a special filter so you don’t swallow too much. This is certainly the best solution, and quite economical too!

Comparison of the best vaporizers

The Greengo

Every ganja-enthusiast who has visited Amsterdam has been faced with this dilemma: to roll with tobacco or with the pot of weed provided by the coffee shop? For those who are wondering, don’t hesitate and say yes to the house blend offered by the Coffee shop! Named Greengo, the taste is much more neutral than that of tobacco, and will bring out the flavour of the weed you’ve just bought.in terms of composition, this substitute is a mix of hazelnut, papaya, eucalyptus and mint leaves. This dried mixture has very little smell. Even less so when mixed with the right Dutch products. Nicotine-free and with a very low tar content, this alternative has been endorsed by labs in Luxembourg. You can find it on all good websites at around 10e per 30 grams.

Available for purchase here

Worm lettuce

Much less well known than the others presented: worm lettuce. And yet! Wormwood has many properties, including being relaxing, even sedative… Some people smoke it as a substitute for cannabis or opium, no less. On the downside, the plant can cause a dreadful migraine. As a substitute, mixing it with hops or raspberry leaf may be a good idea. In any case, there’s nothing dangerous or toxic about lettuce.
Price: around €8 per 80 grams

*Cannabis THC is illegal in many countries. Find out about current legislation. This article is in no way an invitation to consume THC if you are a minor or in a country where the use of recreational cannabis is prohibited.

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CBD, THC and sleep: the guide

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With its relaxing, anxiolytic and soothing properties, cannabis is a great way to get to sleep.  But whether it’s CBD or THC, a few rules are essential to observe. Our green anti-white-night guide.

When considering cannabis as a sleep aid, the first question is: CBD or THC?
The two best-known cannabinoids in this beautiful plant each have very different effects and mechanisms of action.
In addition to this first distinction, there’s another important parameter: unlike CBD, THC is still a prohibited substance in the eyes of most governments.
While North America has largely legalized the use of recreational cannabis (and therefore THC), its consumption remains prohibited in almost all of Europe.
This is something to bear in mind if you don’t want to sleep (badly) at the police station. So it’s imperative to find out about the laws in force in the country where your bed is located.

CBD: the soft, natural sleep regulator

Cannabidiol (CBD) is the “sober” alkaloid in cannabis.
Unlike its famous cousin THC, CBD has no psycho-active effects (by which we mean it doesn’t give you a high), but its action on the endocannabinoid system (ECS) is well proven. Through its muscle-relaxing virtues, CBD is an excellent relaxing agent and, above all, an extraordinary regulator of the SEC, and therefore of your internal clock. This regulatory action has many points in common with that of melatonin. It is this similarity and complementarity which explains why a growing number of brands are now adding melatonin to their CBD oils or tinctures, for maximum effectiveness… and without danger.

 

As CBD is certainly a relaxant, but above all a gentle SEC gendarme, there’s no need to drink half a liter of cannabidiol oil to fall asleep: a few drops every 24 hours will suffice to harmonize SEC and sleep.
Your body will naturally welcome the molecule and distribute it to rebalance a body damaged by temporary stress or chronic anxiety.
As for dosage, therapeutic doses range from 20 to 200mg for a 70kg person in good health. For this same weight, 50mg/day is a dosage which should quickly reconcile you with your pillow.
As for the timing of intake, it is advisable to take it all at once at the same time; a little before dinner being the generally recommended window.
In the case of a CBD-melatonin combination, on the other hand, it will be wiser to wait until 10pm if you intend to fall asleep around 11-11:30pm.

THC: Effective but not without side effects

It’s a common misconception, firmly rooted in every cannabis enthusiast, that Indica is the variety best suited to a quick fall into the arms of Morpheus. Conversely, Sativas are supposed to have a tonic effect A distinction which may guide your choices, but which is far from systematic
To save you hours of research on the Web, a fortune in more or less fruitful trials and sleepless or green nights, we have selected 5 of the most effective strains in this field, from the lightest to the strongest.
1- God’s Gift
2- Tahoe OG Kush
3- Granddaddy Purple
4- Ogre
5- 9 Pound Hammer

Severe cases: swallow your nightcap-weed rather than smoke it

If you suffer from post-deep sleep nocturnal awakenings, i.e. about three hours after dozing off, swallowing your natural sleeping pill will keep you radically horizontal until the early hours of the morning.
THC edibles have been legal in Canada since January 1, and in 11 US states.
Take advantage of it if a simple sleep aid in the form of smoke isn’t enough.
THC edibles take longer to take effect, but last much longer (between 7 and 9 hours, i.e. a good night’s sleep).

“À bédot dodo, matin ramolo” (to sleep in, to sleep out)

Consuming cannabis before going to sleep, especially high-THC cannabis such as Granddaddy or God’s Gift (and even more so for edibles), can cause a “weed hangover”, AKA a “green hangover”.
So no, you won’t be hunched over the toilet with a Russian January 1st headache, but you might feel lethargic, sluggish, foggy, dehydrated, with a memory not up to scratch. These are your body’s signs that you’ve overdosed. The advantage of this unpleasant experience is that you can adjust the quantity or variety of weed to suit your needs. If you wake up in such a state, rather like alcohol abuse, the things that will save you are the same: drink water (lots of it) exercise and don’t be reluctant to take 1000 mg of vitamin C… but at a distance from your coffee, so as not to upset your stomach which may have been weakened by this cannabic excess.

Cannabis and dreams: the paradox of REM sleep

As you drift off to sleep thanks to cannabis, you may lose some (or all) of your dreams.  At least, that’s the conclusion of several studies. Quite a feat for a plant that invites daydreams as much as it makes you travel without moving.
Explanation: dreams occur during the last stage of your sleep cycle, known as REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep. Cannabis consumption before bedtime has been shown to reduce the time spent in REM sleep, meaning you wouldn’t have as many vivid dreams or daydreams. However, the study also showed that this principle didn’t apply to everyone. An observation confirmed by the writer, who never stopped dreaming, even in his sleep.

 

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The top rolling machines.

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Joint rolling machine, weed, rolling machine, cannabis,

We told you about Otto, the first electronic machine for rolling firecrackers. While the article will have converted more than one ganja-enthousiast to the joint made on 220 volts, many of you asked us if there was a more economical and ecological solution. Here are 4 green alternatives for easy packaging of the beautiful plant.

The most user-friendly: the CONE ZEN conical roller

Specially designed for XL sheets, Zen Smoke’s conical roller makes it easy to roll a nice doobie on a king-size sheet. The machine is easy to use (just like a conventional roller) and is compatible with all long sheets, from OCB Slim to Raw, Smoking etc.
The Zen Smoke slim conical roller features a patented mechanism for conical rolling without drooling. Ideal for beginners.

Cone Zen by Zen smoke,
9 CAD$/ €6

Available here

The greenest: the RAW conical roller

The easy-joint ecological solution is made of hemp plastic, as Josh Kesselman’s philosophy goes… It also works with all king size sheets, standard or long, even with sheets on a roll, just cut the appropriate length of sheet. Bonus: The machine uses double-layer vinyl with high tensile strength, making it last almost forever.
Second Bonus: It comes with 2 filter books, 2 packs of king size Classic sheets and 2 packs of Bio sheets.

King size roller by RAW,
12 CAD$/ €9

Available here

The best value: The King Size OCB router

The French brand launches into automatic conical confection with a chic and inexpensive product, our best value for money in this selection.
Simple, basic but effective, this is our entry-level effortless rolling machine, an object that is to the joint machine what classic papers from the same brand are to rolled cigarettes: a sure bet.

King size OCB roller
7 CAD$/€5

Available here

The most stylish: the FUTUROLA Conical Roller

It’s easy to ride in style, with a different mechanism and a look that’s sure to impress. The icing on the cake: it’s f made from ABS (a heavy-duty plastic) and comes with its own carrying pouch. Our favorite of this selection.

Futurola Conical Roller
9 CAD$/6€ (€6)

 

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How California cannabiculturists are adapting to the warming fire

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While Los Angeles is still in the grip of unprecedented wildfires, canna agriculture is not spared from these devastating blazes. How can we combat this scourge? Here are some answers.

It’s often said of Mediterranean forests that they need fire to live. This is partly true. Certain coniferous species benefit from fires. The flames eradicate their competitors and burst the branches, spreading the seeds that will colonize the burnt area.
In the American West, cannabis growers don’t profit from fires: they suffer from them. And now they have to adapt to the new climate. By warming California’s climate in particular, climate change has reduced rainfall and increased temperatures.

A growing risk

Already undermined by urbanization, the forest is more fragile and burns more easily. In the 1970s, California’s annual fire season lasted 140 days. Since the turn of the century, this figure has risen to 230 days a year. According to Californian fire department statistics, 17 of the 20 biggest fires recorded since the beginning of the 20th century occurred between 2003 and 2020.
Cannabiculture growers in California, Oregon and Washington State, often located in forested areas or on the edge of woods, are beginning to adapt. Borrowing a simple technique from power grid managers: move the forest away.

Sanitary cordon

Using chainsaws, they establish a sanitary cordon between the trees and plantations. This preventive clearing prevents or slows the spread of flames. When the risk of fire is high, some don’t hesitate to build firebreaks some fifteen meters wide all around their property. In this way, safety gains, while landscaping loses.
As foresters do in some Mediterranean countries, water reservoirs are also placed at the four corners of farms. In the event of fire, this makes fighting the flames faster and more effective. Some plantations are also equipped with sprinklers. The micro-droplets of water spread the fire and lower the ambient temperature. In this case, however, be sure to have a back-up electricity generator to power the pumps in the event of a power cut.

Sprinklers and water jets

Last but not least: growers also equip their farm chimneys with zinc caps. Aesthetics have nothing to do with it. By capping their chimneys in this way, they prevent any brandons from falling inside the house: one less fire hazard.
After the fire, it’s imperative to wash the plants with a jet of water. The accumulation of ashes on the leaves can contaminate the plants with heavy metals, which can be found in the finished products.

 

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A few clarifications on the indica-sativa distinction

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We’ve all heard the famous “sativa is cerebral, indica is physical”, and relied on it for years. Problem: this binary classification isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, according to green expert Steven Voser.

A brief history of Ganja

To better understand what the terms sativa and indica mean in terms of the effects you can expect from your weed, we need to take a brief look at the history of cannabis studies and research. Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus first classified cannabis in 1753.

Linnaeus worked on imported plants that he grew in Europe. On the strain he studied, he observed that the plants were broad and tall, with fine, dark-green leaves. He also noticed that the cycle from seed to harvest took around 3 months. Botanists will also note that this variety grows particularly well in warm, tropical climates close to the equator. Linnaeus classified this species as “Cannabis Sativa L”.

Some 30 years later, French biologist Jean Baptiste Lamarck would study other cannabis samples brought back to him from India. During his observations, Lamarck noted that his plants displayed different characteristics from those noted by his colleague Linnaeus. Indian cannabis doesn’t grow much taller than 1.50 metres, has a much denser, bushier appearance with large leaves and flowers very quickly (usually in less than 2 months). Lamarck classified this species as “Cannabis Indica Lam”.

In the 1920s, a third cannabis species was identified in southeastern Russia. This variety, now known as Cannabis Ruderalis, is much smaller than the sativa and indica varieties, and flowers automatically according to maturity rather than changes in its light cycle.

What the Indica-Sativa classification teaches us

Carl Linnaeus and Jean Baptiste Lamarck used the words sativa and indica to describe two varieties of cannabis with distinctive characteristics.

Today, this classification is still relevant, especially when buying seeds for a small home-growing project (see our article).
Growth times and sunlight levels are among the data that must be taken into account. In this respect, the Indica-Sativa classifications are most relevant, with the following characteristics: Sativas can reach great heights, easily topping 2 metres, and tend to stretch vigorously as they begin to flower, producing large, airy buds.

These plants are native to warm tropical regions such as Vietnam, Mexico, Colombia and even parts of Africa. They probably developed their unique physical structure to cope with the long, hot, humid summers in these regions, and to protect themselves from the molds and pests that also thrive in these conditions.

Indicas, on the other hand, are native to the mountainous regions of Nepal, India and Afghanistan, where summers are naturally short and cold. The plants are smaller, with shorter internodal spacing (between two branches) and feature broad leaves and dense flowers. Indica varieties also produce thick resin and can be ready to harvest after just 6-8 weeks of flowering. Like sativas, they have probably developed these unique traits to cope with the harsh climates of their origins.

What the indica/sativa classification doesn’t tell you

Let’s look at the effects. What affects the effect of a variety is of course its chemical composition, but also your own body chemistry and your tolerance/sensitivity to the products you consume.

Strains containing high levels of mycenes, for example, are more likely to produce the relaxing, bodily “high” often associated with indicas. However, no study has been able to show that indica strains produce more mycenes than sativas.
Here’s a complicating factor… the deal. All the more so as the terpenes and citrus notes typically associated with Sativas and a “cerebral” effect are also present in certain Indica strains, which therefore provide a…cerebral effect.

When buying cannabis, the terms indica and sativa are valuable and reliable to give you an idea of the genetic lineage and physical properties of a particular strain. But to anticipate its effects, on the other hand, look for lab reports that analyze the chemical profile of that specific strain… Or simply smell the ganja in question if you can, since it’s the terpenes, the weed’s natural aromas, that will define the nature of your cannabic journey.

And if you can’t check the smell or specify the variety, you’ll just have to buy blind…or change supplier.

Steven Mike Voser for Zeweed

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The return of natural ganja

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In reaction to genetically modified weeds with dizzying THC levels and hazardous effects, a growing number of cannabis aficionados are turning to so-called“Landrace” ganja, varieties that have been growing naturally for millennia. What if the future of smoking was yesterday’s ganja?

Between the ages of 30 and 50, they are musicians, photographers, designers and journalists.
While all of them are heavy pot smokers, none of them wants to be glued to the TV.
For these seasoned consumers, it’s all about rediscovering the pleasure of consuming quality ganja, grown in the sun, whose alkaloids have been harmoniously distributed over the centuries by Mother Nature.
“I remember well the weeds I smoked in 1995-2000,”recalls Arnaud C., 43, a press photographer in Paris.. “La Zaïroise (now Congolese) would give you a good potato without making you too hungry. It was a good thing I was a student. For the equivalent of 75 euros, I got 25 grams. For obvious reasons of space-saving for these marijuanas, by definition imported, these weeds arrived in one-kilo blocks, compressed Caesar-style.

Lower THC levels

While these weeds have lower THC levels, they offer a more nuanced and controllable effect, without losing any of their magic.
For these smoking gourmets, for whom the coach-lock years are all too over, the effects of cannabis are a means to an end.
“Imagine you’re having lunch, and you want to have a quiet drink on the terrace. The only thing on the menu is vodka, tequila or gin. Arnaud continues.
“Either you pass or you take, and if you take, you take dear. That applies to weed.
With commercial Ganja, your afternoon is ruined in terms of work, productive creativity and even social relations. In the afternoon, I smoke Acapulco gold. It’s the equivalent of a nice cold Mexican beer: it relaxes me without making me stupid,” laughs the photographer.
 
Cyrille, exhibition curator and painter in his spare time, shares the same conception of cannabic pleasure : “I’ve found an excellent landrace, a Thai sativa that puts me in a good frame of mind, doesn’t turn me upside down and lets me do what I have to do… maybe even better,” laughs this 38-year-old family man.
“In summer, I’m more into ACEH, the equivalent of a light rosé or a beer. It doesn’t knock you out, it makes you jovial, active and creative as far as I’m concerned”, explains Arnaud.
And just like a good wine or beer, there’s no “hangover from the firecracker” syndrome, that lethargic state that leaves you limp for hours after the effects have worn off.

Reasonable pleasure for old grass wolves

” In Europe, most of these weeds were created to meet consumer expectations in Amsterdam coffee shops, but when the average tourist shows up, he wants to spray his head,” explains Ben, a Franco-Dutchman who was budtender at Pink King Coffee shop for 5 years.
And indoor breeders *have to respond, as business dictates, to a demand for heavy-duty, big green stuff.
To date, 12,700 varieties of weed have been genetically created since 2010. A disproportionate supply, both in terms of numbers and figures (THC/CBN/CBD levels), often to the detriment of ganja’s true qualities.
 
If varieties with THC levels of 25-35% are finding takers today, it’s a safe bet that in a few years’ time, these same consumers will be seduced by a few grams of the finesse of raw bongs.
“Sales of imported Landrace weeds are exploding,” notes Ben the Budtender/dealer.
“It’s the little Mickeys who smoked until they were cataracts 7-8 years ago, who, once they’ve settled down in life, are going natural,” he continues with a smile.
“As they approach their thirties, these ex-stoners have tried everything they can think of when it comes to cannabis. So as not to end up with a memory like a whelk, they take it easy,” he poetically notes.

Organic Weed and AOC Ganja

The return of “Organic Weed” or ” AOC Ganja ” is also part of a responsible approach to our bodies, a trend that has been in place for some years now in the food sector.
But that’s not all.
“When cannabis is banned, it creates a phenomenon comparable to that of alcohol prohibition in the United States in the early 1930s. For reasons of profitability and safety, only strong spirits were produced, as they took up less space. As consumers had little or no choice, they took what was available: i.e., strong alcohol, frankly bad for both body and brain. It’s exactly the same with cannabis. To ban the distribution and consumption of weed is to encourage the production of ever stronger and more harmful ganja”. concludes Ben.
The return of old-school weeds and their success as a sign of evolution?
There’s no doubt about it.
 
 
 
*Breeder Indoor: cannabis cultivated under lamps, without natural light, from genetically modified seeds.

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Do you know what’s (really) in your weed?

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Cannabis, analysis, testing, safety, consumer,

As the legal cannabis market expands in the United States, the need for a quality label guaranteeing consumers a healthy, risk-free product is becoming an inescapable obligation for producers and distributors. Pioneers in weed quality auditing, Florida ACS Laboratory offers a full spectrum of analysis that could well serve as a benchmark for this market, estimated to be worth $105 billion by 2025.

When California legalized this so-called recreational cannabis, most consumers expected to be able to enjoy a healthy, even organic weed, with no danger other than that of getting too high.
Unfortunately, what they found at the dispensary was a weed that was 85% covered in pesticides.
Worse still, according to a study carried out by Steep Hill Labs, Inc for Green Entrepreneur, 65% of the samples submitted to their laboratory contained myclobutanil, a pesticide which, when smoked or vaporized, is converted into hydrogen cyanide.

Traces of hydrogen cyanide

As the name suggests, the chemical is extremely toxic. It’s exactly this kind of unpleasant surprise that underlines the importance of imposing rules and standards, in order to guarantee buyers a healthy product, whether for medical or recreational purposes.
As cannabis takes small steps towards federal legalization, cannabis brands and consumers need more than ever to have confidence in legal distribution networks.
Florida’s ACS Laboratory offers solutions to this problem. In addition to the mandatory standard certificate of analysis, the Florida ACS Lab. team is working on a quality label for weed. Although still under development, this certification could well serve as a standard and benchmark for distributors and consumers.

Oil pollution

The chemical auditing company has already been “Emerald” certified 21 times (Emerald is an inter-laboratory certification and proficiency test awarded twice a year, and is a recognized indicator of quality in the USA. They are also CLIA accredited, allowing them to conduct human trials and pharmacokinetic studies.
While many laboratories test the most common cannabinoids (THC, CBD, CBG, CBN…), ACS tests several unique compounds. It is one of the few laboratories to offer tests for Delta 8 THCV, EXO-THC (present in synthetic THC), flavonoids and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs). This last category is particularly important, since PAHs are chemicals formed from the combustion of wood or other materials such as garbage, oil or coal.

Gaining consumer confidence 

California, Colorado, Oregon and several other states battled record forest fires this year. As a result, the air is highly polluted with PAH particles. These can easily seep into water, soil or nutrients, and are extremely dangerous to humans. However, there is currently no mandatory testing for PAH-type carcinogens.
To ensure consumer safety and maintain the reputation of their customers, ACS offered free PAH testing with a full panel to growers on the West Coast (California and Oregon) throughout November, after the major fires. A commitment to safety and well-being that helps give this thriving industry the credibility it still lacks.

Quality label

If today’s cannabis-aficionados buy much safer and healthier products than they did just a few years ago, it’s thanks to regulatory oversight and these kinds of quality audit techniques. As with any fledgling industry, it will take time and research to create sustainable safety protocols. Pesticides are an excellent example. Tested as safe for use in foodstuffs, they have proved to be ultra-toxic when inhaled.
The rehabilitation of cannabis will not take place without all players submitting to the same constraints as the agri-food and pharmaceutical industries. In any case, it’s in the best interests of producers and consumers alike.

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Faith, CBD and entrepreneurship: Meet the nuns who grow wellness hemp

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The nuns of the Sisters of the Valley order are not conventional nuns. And with good reason: they profess a religion that you don’t learn in Sunday school: faith in cannabidiol (CBD). Portrait of a brotherhood whose followers are guaranteed to ascend to heaven.

Meet Sister Kate, born Christine Meeusen and originally from Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
In 2009, after a messy divorce, she landed in California with three young children and a fixed idea: to create a medical cannabis collective with her brother Joe: it would be “Caregrowers”.
At the time, California was one of the few states to have legalized the use of medical cannabis. After a consultation and prescription from a medical practitioner, patients in pain were allowed to buy weed from dispensaries run by grow farms like Caregrowers.

First steps in therapeutic cannabis

“The majority of patients referred to us by doctors were very ill or very close to death,” Sister Kate recalls in the Netflix-produced documentary dedicated to them, ” Breaking Habits “.
In 2010, Christine Meeusen and her brother produce and sell only dried flowers.
This is not without safety concerns for patients: an elderly patient with a lit joint in bed… it’s guaranteed hellfire.
In an effort to solve this structural problem, Christine stopped selling flowers in favor of creams, oils and unctions, which are much less accident-prone.
Sales of tinctures and other preparations take off very quickly in 2011.

Sister Occupy

Meanwhile, Sister Kate gets involved in the Canadian-born “Occupy ” movement, taking part in protests dressed in a black and white dress; a Halloween costume found by chance in her cellar.
As protesters came across her in religious garb, they began to nickname her “Sister Occupy”, a nickname that rekindled her lifelong fascination with nuns. Eventually, after reclaiming her maiden name, Christine Meeusen christened herself “Sister Kate”.
In 2013 and 2014, she closed “Caregrowers” to launch “Sisters of the Valley” and a range of CBD products, which saw the light of day in 2014.

On the subject of religion, Sister Kate makes it clear that she is not Catholic in the least, and that her order is not a group of “real nuns“.
On the contrary, the organization is inspired by the Beguines, those groups of women who in the Middle Ages lived together, worked together, prayed together – without the contribution of men or the domination of the Catholic Church – to serve the most needy.

Prayers to the hemp goddess

In fact, every time Sister Kate prays before gardening, curing or preparing oils and other divine anointings, she begins her prayer with “Dear Godess”, the goddess being, as you may have guessed, the divine plant.
As for dean sister Kate, she describes herself as ” an anarchist on a divine mission to serve man and mother cannabis “.

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The “grass nuns“, as they’re known in the region, on the other hand, only grow wellness hemp, cultivated to be low in THC (the cannabinoid that makes you high) and very rich in CBD, the other alkaloid with multiple healing virtues that doesn’t “get high”.
Today, Sister Kate has 15 full-time employees, 11 of whom hail from Merced, California, where the green convent and farm are located.
Another Sister Kate goal is to create great jobs for women in alternative medicine, customer service, accounting and business administration. Always in connection with the divine plant…

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Sales in 2020: $1.2 million

Today, the Ganja nuns use cannabis to make ointments, tinctures and “pure vegetable oil”, designed to relieve chronic pain, stress, anxiety, insomnia, poor transit and even acne!
In 2020, Sister Kate and the Sisters of the Valley achieved sales of $1.2 million.
” Our goal is to spread our word, because ultimately, everyone grows weed in the world ,” Sis’Kate points out enthusiastically. ” My wish is to be able to open Sisters of the Valley congregations wherever we can grow weed, and continue to preach in action the benefits of mother nature and mother cannabis.”
Amen.

 

Sisters of the Valley products containing less than 0.2% THC, creams, oils and unctions can be delivered to all free countries via their website: https://www.sistersofthevalley.org/

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