Cutting out illicit substances like alcohol, cigarettes and drugs is a no-brainer for most women when they learn that they’re pregnant (or are trying to get pregnant). But for a small subset of moms-to-be, one illicit substance in particular has been touted as a lifesaver: marijuana.Story continues belowIt was for Melissa, a Boston-area mom of two who had hyperemesis gravidarum, the same severe morning sickness that Kate Middleton experienced. Although pot wasn’t her first solution — her obstetrician prescribed medications that didn’t end up working — it was the only thing that could stop her from “constantly” vomiting, she told Yahoo Beauty.READ MORE: More seniors are likely to use pot when it’s legal, but the frail should be cautious, MD says“I talked to my friend’s neighbour, who is a midwife, and she said that [marijuana] was the only thing that got her through her first trimester,” Melissa said. “So I smoked a little bit of weed. I coughed, and the coughing made me throw up. But after that, the symptoms just disappeared. It was amazing.”Eventually, Melissa turned to edibles (she baked small amounts of pot into brownies), and she said it “saved my pregnancy, basically.”She isn’t alone in her unconventional choice of recreational activity. In a report published in JAMA in January, researchers at Columbia University found that 3.9 per cent of American women who are pregnant report marijuana use, while another recent U.S. study conducted by the National Institute on Drug Abuse found that teen girls are twice as likely to smoke pot if they’re pregnant. Overall, six per cent of pregnant females aged 12 to 44 reported using marijuana in their first trimester.Things don’t look too innocent in Canada, either. A 2015 publication by the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse (CCSA) quoted a Canadian Perinatal Health Report (2008) that said five per cent of women used illicit drugs during pregnancy (although it didn’t specify how many used cannabis). But cohort studies suggest that number is considerably off, and state that 10 to 16 per cent of middle-class women and 23 to 30 per cent of inner-city dwellers consume marijuana during pregnancy.READ MORE: Debate growing over drivers high on marijuana“The 2013 Canadian Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs Survey found that 22 per cent of women of childbearing age (15 to 44) reported using cannabis in the past year, which shows the potential number of women who are using it during pregnancy,” says Dr. Amy Porath, director of research and policy at CCSA. “And we know the negative impacts of prenatal marijuana use on the fetus continue into late adolescence and early adulthood.”The impacts include neurocognitive effects as well as behavioural ones, and start to display themselves as early as 18 months. Porath says girls born to mothers who consumed marijuana prenatally show aggressive behaviours and attention problems at 18 months, while all kids show deficits in memory and verbal skills at age three. By the time they turn six, they display impaired verbal performance, quantitative reasoning, and short-term memory, and at nine, there are deficits in reading, spelling and academic performance.Once they get to their late teens and early 20s, these neurocognitive impairments persist. Behaviourally, they display hyperactivity, impulsivity, delinquency, and even anxiety and depression throughout their lifetime.“There’s growing research in this area and as more studies come out, they come to the same conclusions, strengthening what we already know,” Porath says. “There’s definitely a reason to be concerned.”In the case of hyperemesis, Dr. Jennifer Blake, CEO of the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada, says that any claims that marijuana helps are purely anecdotal and misleading.“The problem with severe nausea and vomiting is that it gets better eventually,” she says. “In most women, it devolves over time, so even if someone tells you that she took it and felt better, you don’t really know what made her feel better.”Supporters of marijuana use in pregnancy often turn to a surprising study conducted in Jamaica in 1994. It found that babies whose mothers consumed the drug during gestation had better physiological stability, were more alert and less irritable at one month compared to babies who weren’t exposed to marijuana.However, experts are quick to point out that the study was small (only 24 marijuana users and 20 non-users were monitored), and it’s difficult to know with certainty who’s telling the truth. As Blake says, it’s hard to get a full picture when you’re asking people to report on something that’s illegal.There’s another factor to consider when pondering the use of marijuana during pregnancy: you never really know what you’re getting.“The research we have is based on what we know about cannabis, but the problem is people never really know what they’re purchasing,” Blake says. “They’ve found fentanyl contaminants in samples purchased from dispensaries — there’s organized crime in the supply chain there. More effort needs to be put in the situation.”READ MORE: The highs and lows of pot legalization And yet, some women swear they couldn’t have made it through their pregnancies and tolerated their extreme nausea if they hadn’t turned to pot. Carly, a Kawartha region mom, had hyperemesis in both her pregnancies — in her first pregnancy, extreme nausea and vomiting caused her to lose 30 pounds, in her second, she lost 20. So, she smoked just enough marijuana to curb her nausea and allow her to eat. She smoked up until her 17th week of pregnancy, and in both cases gave birth to healthy babies.“I wish more women would turn to this amazing, natural plant medicine during pregnancy and the stigma behind it vanish, because it can help so many, naturally,” she says.Lianne Phillipson, a registered nutritionist and founder of Sprout Right, hasn’t had any clients come to her seeking advice on tempering hyperemesis with cannabis, but she says “I don’t know how I would have handled that kind of situation if I were in their shoes, especially understanding the need of nutrition for a growing fetus.”However, she says, there are ways to circumvent morning sickness naturally — and not in the “natural” way some women do. She advises her clients to take B6 and ginger and to eat protein.“Eat as large a quantity as you can of protein, whether it’s meat, eggs, soy or dairy, as it helps clear the hormones that are building up in your liver, which is often the cause of nausea,” she says. “Eat often and don’t let yourself get hungry. If you need to eat dry toast or a cracker to get over the nausea, do that and then eat some protein. Grab any opportunity you have to eat something healthy.”She also says that “the human body can do amazing things,” and many women have experienced severe morning sickness without turning to marijuana. And they, too, had healthy babies.Blake sums it up simply by pointing out, “when you’re pregnant, you’re making choices that your baby has no say in. These are critical developmental moments for your baby. It’s the time to do the very best that you can.”
Licensed Producers
5 Of The Best 420 Apps You Can’t Live Without
Cannabis and technology are a dream team. From playing fun games to finding the best dispensary deals near you to learning about new strains to try, these five 420 apps have you covered on 420 and every other day of the year.
1. Budbo
Budbo was designed from the perfect perspective: Yours. The result? A one-of-a-kind mobile application that allows you to quickly discover new strains, concentrates, and edibles like never before, all at your local dispensaries.
Budbo is your guide to finding new strains and concentrates at your local dispensaries. Choose “Puff” or “Pass” for more info, and dive into the effects and attributes of individual strains.
2. Hempire
Hempire is a story-driven strategy game with characters that represent the true culture, (and its favorite icons) rather than old stereotypes. With a dozen colorful characters and competition between friends online, players can compete or collaborate to build their own cannabis empire.
Celebrate 420 with the greatest new mobile game of 2017, and download Hempire for FREE on Apple from the App Store and Android on Google Play.
3. Nugg
Nugg is the medical marijuana evaluation in California. With just a few clicks from the comfort of your own home, you meet face-to-face with a licensed medical practitioner.
Once you’ve signed up with Nugg, you use the same login to register for a medical marijuana evaluation on NuggMD. The two websites work together so medical cannabis is more accessible than ever.
4. Pot Farm
Pot Farm: Grass Roots has more than enough to keep any digital pot farmer thoroughly entertained. Design the ultimate grow-op, cultivate your favorite strains while defending them from mites, then sell to buyers – including your own real-world friends.
Play Pot Farm: Grass Roots now on Android or Bud Farm: Grass Roots on iOS. Check out the East Side Games website for more info on Pot Farm’s various mobile spin-off titles.
5. Eaze
Eaze is super easy to use, boasts an outstanding selection, and in many California cities they guarantee 20-minute delivery times.
New patients scan an image of their driver’s license and physician’s recommendation. Somebody at Eaze will verify your paperwork within the hour to clear you for ordering. Once you’re verified, it’s time to browse the extensive Eaze menu.
Justin Trudeau: Canada Is Not A ‘Challenge’ For U.S. On Dairy
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OTTAWA — With Donald Trump ramping up his anti-Canada trade rhetoric, Justin Trudeau says the United States — like other countries — subsidizes its dairy and agriculture industries by hundreds of millions, if not billions, of dollars.
And the prime minister says he will continue to protect Canada’s agriculture producers, including the supply management system, as he tries to engage in “fact-based” conversation with the U.S. administration on a variety of trade irritants.
“Let’s not pretend we’re in a global free market when it comes to agriculture,” Trudeau said Thursday in a question-and-answer session with Bloomberg television that preceded Trump’s latest trade invective.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau listens during an interview at the Bloomberg Businessweek Debrief in Toronto on April 20, 2017. (Photo: Photographer: Cole Burston/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
“Every country protects, for good reason, its agricultural industries. And we have a supply management system that works very well here in Canada…. The Americans and other countries chose to subsidize to the tunes of hundreds of millions of dollars, if not billions of dollars, their agriculture industries, including their dairy.”
He said the U.S. currently enjoys a $400-million dairy surplus with Canada.
“So it’s not Canada that is a challenge here.”
Minutes later came the now-familiar sight of Trump in the Oval Office, followed by a pointed attack on Canadian trade practices and the impact on U.S. interests.
Farmers being ‘put out of business’: Trump
“Canada, what they’ve done to our dairy farm workers, is a disgrace. It’s a disgrace,” Trump said. “Rules, regulations, different things have changed. And our farmers in Wisconsin and New York State are being put out of business.”
Trump was echoing and amplifying the complaints of Wisconsin and New York governors, who say Canada’s decision to create a new lower-priced, classification of milk product has frozen U.S. producers out of the Canadian market.
Trudeau acknowledged the concerns of those two states, but said he didn’t want to “over-react.” It was Trudeau’s first comment since Trump first attacked the Canadian dairy industry on Tuesday at an event in Wisconsin.
Canada’s ambassador to the United States, David MacNaughton, fired back at Trump’s criticism on Tuesday by writing to the governors of those two states telling them that the plight of their farmers was not Canada’s fault. He said it was caused by U.S. and global overproduction of milk.
“Any conversation around that starts with recognizing the facts. Now I understand how certain governors are speaking to certain constituencies on that. It’s politics,” Trudeau said.
“Different countries have different approaches and we’re going to engage in a thoughtful fact-based conversation on how to move forward in a way that both protects our consumers and our agricultural producers.”
Is High Sex Better Than Drunk Sex?
It’s no secret that a little weed can go a long way, especially when it comes to sex. Not only does smoking the ganja improve your sex life, but there are also products that can help spice things up in the bedroom, like weed lube, for example. But some sources say that alcohol can also turn up the heat. So which is better? Drunk sex, or high sex? To each their own, but here are a few facts to help you decide.
High sex
From relieving muscle pain to treating diseases like Parkinson’s, the positive effects of cannabis are almost overwhelming. But when it comes to sex, weed can help in more ways than one.
In addition to lighting up strains that enhance sexual pleasure, there are pot-infused lubes that can do the same. And if that’s not enough to convince you, then perhaps a study will do the trick.
During the 70s, Erich Goode, a sociology professor at Stony Brook University, conducted a study on the matter. As a result, he discovered that 77% of the 200 people surveyed frequent users said that cannabis increased arousal, while 68 percent said cannabis increased pleasure,
Mainly the ‘enjoyers’ said that the drug makes them less inhibited, allowing them to become more sensuous. Some said they came up with new sexual ideas [while] high.
Ashley Manta, a sex educator, and cannabis writer explains the benefits and downfalls of using the herb for sex,
The biggest benefit of using cannabis for sex is that it can help people get out of their heads and into their bodies.
The biggest downfall with using cannabis for sex is that it’s easy to over-consume.
Drunk sex
After a couple of drinks, you may start to feel a little hot and bothered. And some articles out there will tell you how beneficial alcohol can be in moderation.
In moderation, alcohol can help you relax. Not to mention, cause you to have lower inhibitions.
But there’s also plenty of downsides, too. For example, impaired judgment. And let’s not forget, “whiskey dick.”
And while alcohol can help “loosen you up,” sometimes you can become a little too dependent on it. Ducky DooLittle, a certified sexual assault and violence intervention counselor, and sexual abuse survivor speaks from personal experience,
The only way I could let my guard down and have sex was if I had been drinking. In my early 20s, when I found myself in a long-term relationship, it got hard to orchestrate the sexual situations. Next thing I knew I was trying to have sex without booze and I was a mess.
So I can say that drinking did help me find affection, sex, pleasure, and fun, but when I wanted something deeper with a person, I had to stop drinking. When I talk with other survivors [of sexual abuse] they report similar experiences.
So, there you have it. Both cannabis and alcohol make for great sex – remember, everything in moderation. But when it comes to the better option, it’s safe to say the herb wins this debate.
Brittney Sanger
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Canadian pot companies raise $700 million from investors
Canadian marijuana companies have attracted roughly $700 million in financing since investor interest exploded in the fall amid heightened anticipation of a recreational pot market, according to new research by a financial services firm.
Analysts at Canaccord Genuity tracked the capital raised by public and private companies operating in the country’s nascent cannabis market since Health Canada opened the industry to commercial grow-ops in 2014.
There were several flashes of investor interest in the first two years, but none of it matched the frenzy that began in the third quarter of 2016 before hitting a feverish pitch in the final three months of the year.
The industry drew more than $150 million in primarily equity financing during the three months ending in September, according to Canaccord, which now covers six licensed cannabis producers.
Canadian cannabis companies raised well over $350 million in the fourth quarter, with financing levels approaching the $350-million mark so far this year. It means companies have raised roughly $700 million in the past six months.
“One of the key advantages for existing (licensed producers), in our view, is the ability to attract capital,” analysts Neil Maruoka and Matt Bottomley wrote in their report.
“As most (producers) eye aggressive expansion plans to address the anticipated recreational market, investors are stepping up to fund this growth.”
Heightened investor interest in the fall also coincided with anticipation of U.S. ballot initiatives with eight new states passing relaxed cannabis laws, while Canada’s task force on marijuana released its long-awaited report on moving ahead with a recreational market in December.
The federal Liberal government has vowed to introduce legislation allowing for a recreational cannabis market in the spring.
Aurora Cannabis Inc., which runs a production facility north of Calgary with another under construction near Edmonton, has raised $150 million from investors in the past year, including a $75-million equity round that closed in February.
“It’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen,” said Cam Battley, Aurora’s executive vice-president, referring to the birth of a new industry and the money that has flocked toward it.
This attention has also led to what many analysts have viewed as inflated valuations for publicly traded producers. Aurora is valued at $755 million on the stock market, up by 11 per cent in less than two months, even though the company has never posted a profit.
Trading in cannabis stocks is largely driven by anticipated returns from a future recreational market, not current sales or earnings, analysts say.
“That’s what it’s like in a new industry,” said Battley, who expects Aurora will be profitable by the end of June. “Like in any other industry we’re going to see some winners and some losers, and I think we clearly got the strategy in place for us to be right at the top.”
Canaccord selected Aurora as its top investment pick among the six companies it covers, drawing attention to the firm’s capacity to fund its longer-term expansion plans, and its relatively low costs of production.
Pointing to high valuations and intense investor interest, analysts have drawn parallels between Canada’s marijuana industry and the dot-com bubble, which triggered massive losses when it burst in the early 2000s.
Battley doesn’t buy the argument, which he called misguided, noting tech companies that fed the bubble had to create a market for their products, while a market already exists for medicinal and recreational pot.
Aurora, he said, has attracted financing from large institutional and retail investors both in Canada and in the U.S., where investors face restrictions because marijuana remains a federally banned substance.
Green Acre Capital, a Toronto-based investor, has raised most of a $25-million fund that will be directed toward private cannabis companies.
Canadians with high net-worths, including Calgary’s Brett Wilson, have invested in the fund, along with family offices, which manage the wealth of individuals and families.
The fund will likely consider growers but it will also invest in companies that provide various services, which could include medical research, oil extraction and vaping equipment, said managing director Tyler Stuart.
“There’s a lot of momentum right now in the market,” Stuart said. “People realize that there’s a lot of growth in that industry, and they want to be a part of it.”
rsouthwick@postmedia.com
Clarification from Health Canada on myclobutanil and cannabis
Statements
Health Canada’s first priority is to protect the health and safety of Canadians. This is the guiding principle of the regulations that govern Canada’s medical cannabis industry, the Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations (ACMPR). Canada has some of the most stringent controls on the medical cannabis industry in the world, and licensed producers are required to adhere to strict Good Production Practices designed to provide a safe supply of medical cannabis for Canadians.
The regulations and their accompanying compliance and enforcement measures have worked effectively since the industry’s inception in 2013. Health Canada verifies that the regulations are followed by undertaking compliance measures that include multiple unannounced inspections of each licensed producer every year. For example, during the 2015-16 fiscal year, Health Canada conducted more than 300 inspections of 30 licensed producers, the results of which can be found online. If these inspections identify non-compliance, the Department has a range of enforcement options available, including education, recalls, adding terms and conditions to a licence, licence suspension or licence revocation.
Recently, two licensed producers undertook voluntary recalls after it was found that they had used unauthorized pesticides, including myclobutanil.
The regulations are clear – licensed producers are responsible for ensuring that their products comply with the regulations. Under the ACMPR, licensed producers are permitted to use only the 14 pesticides that are currently approved for use on cannabis under the Pest Control Products Act. The use of any other pesticides, at any stage of cannabis production, is prohibited.
Health Canada has already outlined many of the known health risks of cannabis use, including risks from inhalation. However, recent media reports about these recalls have suggested that there was a significantly increased risk to the health of Canadians who inhaled the recalled cannabis products, due to the release of hydrogen cyanide.
Here are the facts. When the cannabis plant is combusted, a number of compounds are produced, including very low amounts of hydrogen cyanide. Health Canada’s analysis of the recalled cannabis products show that the trace levels of myclobutanil that were present would have produced a negligible amount of additional hydrogen cyanide upon combustion, in comparison to the levels already produced by marijuana alone. Specifically, the level of cyanide from the burning of myclobutanil found on the cannabis samples is more than 1000 times less than the cyanide in cannabis smoke alone, and is 500 times below the acceptable level established by the U.S. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. As such, the risk of serious adverse health consequences resulting from the inhalation of combusted myclobutanil in the recalled cannabis products was determined by Health Canada to be low.
In each of these instances, Health Canada moved quickly to verify that compromised products were removed from the market and that clients of the licensed producers were contacted. Health Canada’s enforcement response considered the low health risk posed by the trace amounts of unauthorized pesticides detected and took into account the companies’ full cooperation with the Department during the recall process and subsequent investigations. To help ensure adherence to the Good Production Practices, Health Canada added new terms and conditions to the licences of the affected producers requiring testing for unauthorized pesticides.
While the risk of harm to Canadians was low in these recent cases, Health Canada has engaged all 39 licensed producers to ensure that they understand the federal regulatory requirements around authorized pesticide use, and that a repeat of the situation that led to these recalls is unacceptable. Health Canada has already announced that it will begin random unannounced testing of cannabis and cannabis products from licensed producers to verify the overall state of compliance. The Department will undertake additional measures, as required, consistent with its evidence and risk-based approach to regulation.
Health Canada would like to assure Canadians that had there been any evidence to show that a licensed producer had acted with indifference or recklessness and engaged in activities that put the health or safety of Canadians in danger, the Department would have responded with appropriate enforcement actions, including licence suspension or revocation.
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