Greenleaf 04-05-18

To make parents feel more
at ease, Sheppard shares information
about the safety of cannabis.
Says Sheppard, “The more we learn
about this medicine, the more
amazed we are by its potential,
and it is so unbelievably safe. The
research study that was done recently
wanted to see how high could
they pump the dose of CBD and
THC and still have no organ damage,
and no effect to the heart and
the lungs. And obviously they couldn’t
do human studies, so they did
animal studies. And they raised
the dose to 1,000 times above the
recommended dosing range and
there were absolutely no heart or lung issues, and no
organ damage. I think these mice ate for three days,
and then they slept. They were so chill.”
Though cannabis is incredibly safe even in astronomical
doses, the smallest effective dosage is always
preferable from a medical standpoint. There are
a couple new players in town that are showing great
promise when it comes not only to decreasing dosage
ranges, but even micro-dosing, and these new
up-and-comers are THCA and CBDA, or tetrahydrocannabinolic
acid and cannabidiolic acid, respectively.
They are the pre-cursors to THC and CBD, essentially
the cannabinoids in their raw, wet form. Once dried, or
decarboxylated, either naturally or through the process
of adding heat, the acid component is removed,
transforming THCA into THC, and CBDA into CBD.
This is especially relevant in the case of THC,
as it is the conversion of THCA into THC that activates
the psychoactive factor - put more simply: if it
ain’t dried, you get no high. THCA can therefore be
used in its raw form in tinctures and other varieties to
treat patients without the mind altering effects, while
still preserving specific medicinal qualities. CBD is
already non-psychoactive, but CBDA, like THCA,
is showing itself to be far more potent, with a much
smaller amount going a much longer way.
The increased potency of raw cannabinoids
is important: because raw cannabinoids have a
much smaller dosing range than their heat activated
counterparts, or range of dosing that is necessary
to achieve a therapeutic effect, this translates to a
smaller price tag for patients, who are paying out of
pocket for cannabis currently. In addition to this perk,
a smaller dosing range also helps to shorten the often
lengthy process of helping patients to find relief. The
versatile qualities of cannabis allow it to be tailored
specifically to each patient and their individual needs;
unfortunately, the flip side to this coin is that the pro-
CBD Products by Healing Harbor, varying
in Tincture, Roller Relief cess and of finding Lotion the right combination and dosage ca
n sometimes be frustrating. Because every patient’s
endocannabinoid system and receptor sites are not
uniform, the same strain of cannabis or combination
of cannabinoids will affect individuals differently. When
it comes to cannabis treatment, there is no such thing
as “one size fits all,” though there does appear to be a
size to fit almost every patient, if they have the patience
to discover it.
Sheppard estimates that Integr8 has been prescribing
THCA to medical patients for the last 12-18
months, and CBDA for mere months. Because
research is still in its infancy, THCA is generally only
prescribed at Integr8 for pain and seizures, though
Sheppard expects both THCA and CBDA to be used
with much more frequency as research continues.
Countering the psychoactive properties of THC with a
larger dose of CBD is still, at this junction, the preferred
method when treating patients who need the
benefits of THC without the high.
As cannabis continues to be studied and
experimented with, it is becoming clear that the possibilities
for its use are, quite literally, endless. The
only thing going up in smoke is the stigma that labels
cannabis a dangerous drug, and portrays its users as
extras from “Reefer Madness”. Cannabis is instead
showing itself to be one of the safest and most versatile
medicines known to date, with CBD and raw
cannabinoids further proving that cannabis’s ability to
get us stoned may very well be the least remarkable
thing about this bountiful plant. So stick that in your
pipe and smoke it.
J37