Chocolates, roses and oysters aren't the ultimate aphrodisiacs after all, poll finds

Practicing psychiatry offers perspective on cannabis's popularity and risks.

The privilege granted psychiatrists to hear the most intimate facets of people’s lives, combined with the authority and responsibility to administer medications appropriately and safely, gives them a unique perspective on cannabis use.

Data from a January Headset report shows that female cannabis consumers are on a continued ascendant in the U.S., increasing 55% from Q1 2020 to Q4 2021. This growing consumer demographic is even more robust in Canada, where both Gen Z and Millennial females posted even higher sales than in the United States. In fact, female Canadian consumers contributed to 36.7% of cannabis spending in Q4 2021– 4.1% higher than in the U.S. Consumption among males has also grown, albeit at a smaller percentage, while the female market share has increased notably over the past two years.

It has been more than three years since Canada legalized marijuana, but many producers in the country continue to struggle.

Marijuana became legal for recreational use in Canada in October 2018. That has allowed cannabis companies to offer more products to customers and significantly expand their operations. But investing in the sector post-legalization has left many investors with staggering losses. So what's wrong with the industry?

Below, in four charts, I'll provide an overview of where the Canadian pot market is today. And I'll also assess whether it's a good idea to invest in a top cannabis producer in the country.

The truth behind how cannabinoids and terpenes work in therapeutic mixtures is more complicated than has been reported in the popular press.

Following the promising study on cannabinoids and COVID-19 published by Oregon State University, Gb Sciences, Inc., a plant-based biopharmaceutical research and development company, has advised that the truth behind how cannabinoids and terpenes work in therapeutic mixtures is more complicated than has been reported in the popular press.

Gb Sciences’ study with Michigan State University (MSU) has yielded preclinical data demonstrating that specific compounds and ratios of those cannabis compounds are likely to be required for cannabinoids to be used to treat COVID-19 symptoms.

Here's how O'Neil Rudolph plans to incentivize cannabis brands and consumers to focus on recycling efforts.

O’Neil Rudolph is still two years away from being able to legally purchase recreational cannabis in the U.S. but that hasn’t stopped her from working on a solution to the industry’s waste problem.

Inspired by environmental efforts in other sectors, Rudolph, 19, began thinking about ways to encourage both consumers and retailers to stay mindful of cannabis waste. She felt that the majority of consumers would be interested in recycling initiatives if they were encouraged and made accessible.

Key things to watch for in the year ahead

Last year was a rough one for the cannabis industry — it started with high hopes pinned on the incoming administration of President Joe Biden and ended with gridlock and an extended decline in stock prices. 

This week, Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Kenneth Shea talks about the key areas to watch in 2022. Shea published a research note last week on how progress is needed on the reform front if the industry’s fortunes are to shift. 

Things change a lot in a year. Was it clear that investors were overly optimistic about legalization prospects under a new government? Looking forward, what can we learn from that experience?

Week in Weed: Herbs that won’t get you high, OCS unveils 240+ new pot products and Amazon supports legalization of weed in the U.S.

Getting uncomfortably high was a problem Lauren Tansley struggled with due to her low tolerance for THC. So she started adding herbs to her cannabis to dilute the potency.

Tansley says adding herbs, such as lemon balm, peppermint, and lavender, to cannabis is like mixing “soda with your whiskey.” They can boost flavour profiles, stretch out the stash, and water down the potency to a preferred level.

"While we can clearly see there’s an association between cannabis use and schizophrenia in young people, we still can’t actually be sure that cannabis causes it."

An estimated  200 million people  use cannabis across the world. Next to alcohol and tobacco, it’s the most widely used drug in many countries. But while many may  no longer see  cannabis as a risky or harmful substance, there are still many things experts don’t know about cannabis – including why some people develop schizophrenia after use.

Researchers have been investigating the connection between cannabis use and schizophrenia  since the late 1960s . Since then, research has confirmed a link between cannabis use and  greater risk of developing schizophrenia .

"Further studies are needed to determine if reversal of these observed adverse effects would occur if THC was discontinued and for validation of the findings in a human cohort.”

Scientists at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) say that non-human primates administered cannabis edibles daily experienced a significant adverse effect their fertility and reproductive health.

“Our analysis of the collected samples found that THC use was associated with significant adverse impacts to the animals’ reproductive hormones,” reports Dr. Jamie Lo, the study’s senior author and an associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology with the Oregon National Primate Research Center at OHSU.