fiber and seeds contains little THC, typically between 0.01% and 0.05% content compared to well over 15% in herbal cannabis grown for recreational or therapeutic use. Fiber hemp strains contain only trace amounts of psychoactive compounds and none of these are contained within the seeds, so in most parts of the world, hemp seeds and their oil are legally available from most good grocery stores and health food outlets. Hemp seed is one of nature’s super foods; high in protein and vitamins, it also provides a broad spectrum of health benefits including improved digestion, increased and sustained energy levels, rapid recovery from sickness or injury, lowered cholesterol levels and reduced blood pressure, with an associated improvement in blood circulation and natural blood sugar control. Regular hemp seed has also been shown to boost the immune system and help to prevent illness.
This hemp milk is made from fully de-hulled hemp seeds.
Cannabis hemp seed oil contains gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), an omega-6 fatty acid that is found mainly in plant-based oils.6 Omega-6 fatty acid is also known as polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), one of the essential fatty acids.7 These acids are necessary for optimum health, but the body doesn’t naturally produce them. Along with omega-3 fatty acids, omega-6 fatty acids play a crucial role in brain function, as well as growth and development.8 They help stimulate skin and hair growth, maintain bone strength and regulate the metabolism, and they play an important role in maintaining the reproductive system.
Fiber hemp is grown outdoors in dense rows to encourage tall, upward growth that produces very little foliage. Mature plants form a dense canopy that blocks light and helps choke weed growth, leaving the growing field in good condition the following season and substantially reducing the farm workload. Hemp is one of the fastest-growing biomass crops available; air-dried stem yields in Canada have ranged from 2.6 -14.0 tons of dry, retted stalks per hectare at 12% moisture (according to records dating back to 1998). Hemp produces some of the strongest and most versatile fibers known to man, which can be used to make products ranging from cloth to plastics. Its seeds are both a nutritious food and an excellent source of oil. The fiber from the stalk is still used in the modern production of fabrics such as canvas and linen, and also in the manufacture of specialty hemp papers, such as banknotes and high-quality printing paper.
There are many ways to ingest cannabis.
Recreational and medicinal-quality psychoactive cannabis comes in several forms; herbal bud (dried flowering tops), resin (hash), kief, keef or kif (sometimes keif), which are the powdery resin glands (or trichomes), and oil. Referred to by many slang terms, cannabis is usually rolled into cigarettes known as a joints, but can also be smoked in a pipe, vaporized, made into milky or alcohol-based drinks and hot beverages, or eaten. If cannabis is smoked, the effects are normally felt within minutes; if eaten, the full effects can take up to an hour and are cumulative, often longer lasting and the uptake can be more variable.
When inhaled, cannabis compounds (cannabinoids) rapidly enter the bloodstream via the lungs, to be transported directly to the brain and other parts of the body. The feeling of being stoned or high is caused by the delta-9-THC binding to cannabinoid receptors in the brain.1 There are also cannabinoid-like substances produced naturally by the brain itself, called endocannabinoids. Researchers at Hebrew University in Jerusalem identified the body’s own form of THC, and christened the internally manufactured substance “anandamide” after the Sanskrit ananda, or bliss.2 Most of these receptors are found in parts of the brain that influence pleasure, memory, thought, concentration and time perception. They are also involved in cognition, pain perception and motor coordination.
A pure cannabis joint containing no tobacco.
Around one in 10 people have reported unpleasant experiences at some point in their cannabis use, including confusion and anxiety. Interestingly, the same person may have either pleasant or unpleasant effects depending on their mood and circumstances. Side effects of cannabis use can include increased pulse rate, visual and sleep disturbance, decreased blood pressure, bloodshot eyes, dry mouth, increased appetite and mild lethargy. Heavy usage may possibly result in feelings of paranoia whilst under the influence. However, these side effects are temporary and pass quickly, mainly affecting people who have not used cannabis regularly. Cannabis consumers are therefore advised to accustom themselves to its use with smaller doses initially.
The most common effects of cannabis use are a sense of relaxation, happiness, sleepiness and an enhanced appreciation of external stimuli, with some consumers reporting that colors appear more intense. Many report becoming more animated, with a corresponding release of inhibitions, making them more talkative and humorous. Cannabis can also heighten sexual thoughts, desires and experiences. In India, cannabis has been used for thousands of years as an integral part of Tantric sex, which is not about sexual gratification, but rather devotion and worship; at the point of orgasm the devotee is said to be at one with the universe. Thought processes become enhanced and many philosophers, musicians, writers, poets and artists report using cannabis to increase their creativity. Many consumers report that listening to music and viewing artistic works become much more profound experiences whilst under the influence of cannabis.
The amount of time cannabis takes to be felt is dependent on the route of administration. Inhaling cannabis is the quickest way to administer a dose; vaporized or smoked cannabinoid material arrives in the lungs very quickly, entering the bloodstream and rapidly passing into the brain, and becomes active within minutes, with its effects lasting for several hours. If eaten, the cannabinoid compounds have to be absorbed from the stomach and then pass through the liver, where a percentage is metabolized into 11-Hydroxy-THC, which is four to five times more psychoactive than Delta9-THC.3 It can take from 30 minutes to an hour to reach the brain, with the full effects taking up to three hours.
Pharmaceutical cannabis sprays are designed for “mucosal or sublingual administration,” meaning that the patient sprays it under their tongue, and the cannabinoids are then absorbed into the bloodstream via the mucus membrane. This is quite an effective and convenient method of administration, which allows the cannabinoids to reach the brain within 10 to 20 minutes. However, a significant amount actually ends up being swallowed and absorbed through the gut, resulting in a sizable portion of the medication having a delayed onset. This is far from ideal for medical users who wish to accurately regulate their dosage. Many patients report that the pharmaceutical industry’s expensive cannabis-based medications are vastly inferior to the natural product. Vaporizing organically grown cannabis buds is one of the most effective ways of self-medicating, particularly for pain relief.
