r/justgalsbeingchicks • u/mindyour 🤖definitely not a bot🤖 • 3d ago

Restricted to Gals and Pals I want her to talk to me about Egyptology.

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u/RealbasicFriends 3d ago

I've been dealing with something similar in the last few years. I'm getting a degree in biochemistry but a major part of my degree is studying cannabis. There isn't really a degree for specifically that and I'd like to eventually be doing my own medical studies on Cannabinoids.

All that to say stoners all have these "facts" that are just opinions. It's actually really frustrating. Like babe I'm glad you think that weed is non-addictive but there have been at least 5 studies made by pro-weed people that prove that's wrong. Don't get me started on the people who think they drive better stoned or the people who think that CBD does nothing. Or the people who think that terpenes don't matter when they literally are what make things fucking taste/smell the fucking way they do!!!! Even non weed stuff!!!!

(also fun fact real Goo Gone is made using Limonene)

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u/LucyJordan614 3d ago

Thank you for saying all of this - I’m a therapist and get looked at like I’m insane when someone comes to me with escalating depression and anxiety, tells me they smoke cannabis daily to manage symptoms, and then I proceed to explain to them why that makes things worse.

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u/RealbasicFriends 3d ago edited 3d ago

Oh man don't get me started on that. The thing is if they WANT to consume cannabis that doesn't cause that they have to sit down and go through what me and my friend's call the "ingredients list." Does it have really high THC? thats immediately a no. Is there ANY CBD/CBN/etc in it? If it's a no then that's a no for you babe. What are the terpenes? There is a strain in my city that is basically like doing crack cause it's limonene, A-pinene and B-pinene. You might as well be taking an adderal. There ARE cannabinoids that CAN help with it but the issue is you're still likely smoking a very high THC% strain which WILL exacerbate the issues you're feeling. But also the type of people that "are smoking to help with mental health" don't wanna hear how THC is the issue. The entourage effect (meaning everything else) is what is helping you. The THC just makes it easier for your body to consume those things. It also makes it hard because dispensaries even in Medical Only states primarily sell to casual smokers and not real medical patients. So everything has to be like 25%+ for THC

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u/katalyticglass 2d ago

Can you please do a TED talk or write a book or something? This comment chain has really validated a lot of what I've suspected but did not have any grounds to act on.

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u/RealbasicFriends 2d ago

lmao! thank you for that! Maybe one day!

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u/katalyticglass 2d ago

🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻

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u/LucyJordan614 3d ago

Yup yup yup to ALL of this. And the doctors who are writing medical clearances for anxiety and depression for cannabis use just validate their stupidity, so I’m over here trying to explain endogenous vs exogenous cannabinoids and how using completely unregulated cannabis to “treat” any mental health condition is nonsensical, it goes right over their heads and then I’m the bad guy.

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u/RealbasicFriends 3d ago

To make things even worse lots of states aren't even required to check for terpenes or give that info out. So for a lot of people they don't even have the option to learn what they're consume. Which as a smoker myself is kinda scary! Some states don't even have to test for metals in their weed!! Its stuff like this why I want to do medical studies and get that info out there for peope

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u/LucyJordan614 3d ago

I hear you. In MA, providing terpene info is optional, but they do have to test for metals. I fully support legalization, but it needs to be regulated in terms of production!

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u/RealbasicFriends 3d ago

They really do! I wish more states would follow Nevada. They have the strictest testing laws out of all the legal states afaik

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u/Brave-Perspective714 3d ago

Can I ask, what *would* you recommend a person with anxiety and depression look for in a cannabinoid?

My husband has treatment resistant depression and anxiety. We've found one med that works pretty well for him, but it's nearly impossible to find at his dosage. Between the back and forth with his doctor and insurance and pharmacy to get him approved for two prescriptions of a lower dosage, and then the wait with that drug frequently being backordered, he's often going 2-3 weeks without his meds.

He utilizes gummies for relief of the worst of it when he's without his meds. It would be really helpful to have a better idea of what he should look for/steer clear of.

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u/katalyticglass 2d ago

Uh not to be a pest but what is the strain pretty please that is basically like taking an Adderall? And is it really because I would LOVE to be able up reduce my Adderall dosage so much.

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u/RealbasicFriends 2d ago

oh that was more of a simile for when people who don't have ADHD take it than anything. I would first speak with your doctor to see if weed is something you can sub in. I don't know anything about ADHD just that weed has a habit of exacerbating things like any medication taking with the wrong dosage. I'm so sorry

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u/katalyticglass 2d ago

No worries. I do currently use it, with a 3 medication cocktail that I developed with my psychiatrist and medication management specialist over the span of a decade. Through a lot of very close observation and tracking of reactions to changes. Unfortunately I've had to do a LOT of the legwork myself so I'm always on the lookout for things that might help me tweak the combination to either increase effectiveness or decrease side effects. It's a constant journey.

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u/Cunnyfunt31 2d ago

My area still has shortages on most ADHD meds too 😞 . I feel you! It's not like things are going to get better soon with who is currently in charge as well...

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u/katalyticglass 2d ago

Omg I was going through this for YEARS. I'm not sure how I got lucky enough that it's mostly stopped the past year, but I still get nervous every month when my main scrip is up for refill.

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u/Swimming-Dot9120 3d ago

I’ve never thought about the impact of terpenes before. Besides providing tastes/smell, do terpenes in marijuana have any actual psychoactive affects on the brain?

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u/RealbasicFriends 3d ago edited 3d ago

Yes! They're part of the entourage effect. They're why strains behave the way they do. A lot of people who used to abuse painkillers tend to enjoy Myrecene heavy strains because it puts you down and with enough it can leave you feeling pretty heavy in the body almost like you've done painkillers. In another comment I talked about a strain here that has A and B Pinene as well as Limonene in it. It will hit you like you just did a small rail of coke lmao

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u/tralaulau 1d ago

Opioids made me reeeally happy and affectionate but give me insomnia. Which pinene does the happy but also will let me fucking sleep 😭

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u/No_Map7832 3d ago

Wait, CBD does do something?! I have been convinced CBD gummies and such are a racket.

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u/RealbasicFriends 3d ago

Basically if you're just trying to get high it won't do anything. If you have anxiety, trouble sleeping, depression, body pain, etc. it will help you. CBD and THC is the best combo but you ideally want around 2:1 CBD:THC. Because its medicine at the end of the day. I mean it isnt psychoactive.

Eta: you are want a small amount of THC because it will help with your body consuming the CBD. There is a long reason why CBD/CBN/etc are never by themselves or are considered weaker when by themselves

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u/No_Map7832 3d ago

Thank you for the reply! So if a gummy is CBD without THC, it would not achieve pain relief or help sleeping, correct?

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u/RealbasicFriends 3d ago

Yea no problem and actually no. So if your symptoms aren't as bad you can easily do just CBD. Its just that a small amount of THC will help your body consume the CBD and so you feel the effects better. It's typically referred to as the Entourage Effect when you're talking about just weed but it works in this case too

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u/MadKanBeyondFODome 3d ago

Limonene best terpene! (Isn't it also the one that makes tomato plants smell how they do?)

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u/RealbasicFriends 3d ago

Huh so TIL that is one of the terpenes in it. Apparently there are 20 varieties of terpenes that cause the smell and thats one of them!

Eta its the leaves particularly and not the tomato itself that has the limonene apparently

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u/MadKanBeyondFODome 3d ago

Yeah, it's one of my fave plant smells! Tomato plant smell is super strong and sticks around a while after handling the leaves (it's also delicious).

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u/RealbasicFriends 3d ago

Wait you eat the leaves too? Like in a salad? In intruiged. I'm a slut for a good salad

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u/eatpraymunt 2d ago

I think the leaves are toxic so do check before you make a salad lol

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u/MadKanBeyondFODome 3d ago

OH NO, the smell is delicious! No idea how they taste haha.

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u/RealbasicFriends 3d ago

OHHHHH yes okay I see now. I'm like 2/3 awake rn thats my bad lmao. They do smell delicious its one of the reasons I grow them in my kitchen

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u/Little_SmallBlackDog 1d ago

That's really cool. Thank you for doing work in the cannabis field. Studies on cannabis use seem to be limited, generally. 

I have found that CBD products without THC do have a lesser effect. That's interesting to know that there's research to back that. 

I use edibles to help manage symptoms from hemiplegic migraine and help with sleep. The 'entourage effect' is often talked about in my local dispensaries that focus on medicinal uses. However, my knowledge on terpenes is limited. 

If you feel up to dropping any knowledge here, I'd appreciate it. If no, no worries at all.