Anglais
Linalool, Isopulegol: Behind the oddly-named terpenes that affect how your pot affects you – National
[ad_1]
One surprise, as Canadians checked out brand new cannabis websites on Oct. 17, was a new and bewildering terminology.
Newfoundland shoppers were confronted with a drop-down menu offering a choice of 36 different “terpenes”: ‘Trans-Ocimene,’ ‘Linalool,’ ‘Isopulegol.’
Terpenes, the site explained, “are aromatic oils that colour cannabis varieties with distinctive flavors like citrus, berry, mint, and pine.” Along with most provincial sites, though, (B.C. and Quebec are exceptions), it offered no information about the terpenes themselves.
On Oct. 16, for better or worse, weed was weed; on Oct. 17 at midnight, Canadians were expected to make consumer decisions based on an unfamiliar set of terms, without much in the way of translation.
But terpenes don’t just affect smell, argues Stephanie Karasick of Strainprint, the company behind an app that crowdsources people’s experiences with different kinds of cannabis — they affect the user’s experience.
READ MORE:
What you need to know about CBD, the non-intoxicating cannabis chemical
“The terpene myrcene is said to be an analgesic, a muscle relaxant, and it’s more of a sedating terpene,” she says. “A terpene called limonene is more uplifting and with certain people with anxiety, it can cause more anxiety. That’s why it’s sort of important for people to understand.”
While different people’s reactions to cannabis vary, you can rely on other people’s experience to a large extent to predict your own, Karasick says.
“If 200 people have this experience with this strain and this terpene predominantly in it, you have a fairly good sense that that’s something that you can expect.”
WATCH: Statistics Canada: Sewer water shows Halifax has highest cannabis use
The U.S.-based site Leafly offers reviews of strains, with active comment sections — the review of Sour Diesel, for example, has over 5,000 user reviews — cross-referencing strains to their dominant terpenes.
It’s better than nothing, but has limitations, says Dan Sutton of Tantalus Labs, a Vancouver-based licensed producer.
One problem is that decades of prohibition mean that strain names don’t necessarily describe the same strain.
“Leafly is interesting because some of their strains have tens of thousands of reviews. The problem with that is that if I buy a Purple Kush from California, and I buy another one just grown by a grower 10 blocks down the road, those could be two completely different phenotypes, different cultivars — they could be misnamed.”
Also, crowdsourcing has its disadvantages.
“When I’m consuming cannabis, I’m usually doing it to relax, or take an edge off at the end of the day. The last thing I want to do is fill out a journal entry about how great my high was. We’re asking a lot from our consumer base.”
WATCH: UBCO research looking at mass production of cannabis beverages
New users should be able to go to a physical store and ask for advice, Sutton says.
“Those retailers should be equipped to suggest products that are lighter in effect. Then it will probably be on the user to test and check and see what works for them. Starting with very small quantities, you can sample different cultivars of cannabis and find stuff that seems to work for you, but unfortunately, that’s the best we can do at this time.”
However, bricks-and-mortar legal cannabis retail doesn’t exist, or barely exists, in much of the country. Quebec has only 12 stores to serve a population of over 8 million, and Ontario won’t have any at all until April of next year.
A much bigger problem is that despite humanity’s long relationship with cannabis, we really don’t know much about it.
“It’s one of the massive follies of prohibition,” says B.C.-based cannabis breeder Ryan Lee. “Researchers haven’t been able to touch the plant.”
“There are so many different types of cannabis. We have all these different cannabinoid varieties – that’s one factor – but you can also have these different cannabinoid profiles, and a whole series of different terpene profiles. Then there’s the individual’s neurochemistry because every individual’s neurochemistry relates to the experience.”
“It’s a big hairball, hard to tease apart.”
WATCH: Cannabis supply shortage predicted to improve by the new year
Cannabis is quite a lot more complicated than alcohol, Sutton says.
“This is very different from alcohol. This is not one molecule – this is a variety of different molecules.”
“There are probably 400 compounds in any given cannabis bud that have some psychoactive impact. We’re only looking at two of the higher-order cannabinoids, THC and CBD.”
In the meantime, legalization has happened, consumers want information, but the research that could provide the information couldn’t start before legalization happened. Sooner or later, the answers will catch up with the questions, but that may be years away.
One school of thought holds, in effect, that we have been talking about different experiences connected to sativa- and indica-dominant strains when we should have been talking about terpenes. Plants described as indica-dominant may have more of the terpene myrcene, associated with a relaxing “couch-lock” effect (hence “in-da-couch“), for example.
WATCH: Cannabis 101 – Debunking the indica vs. sativa dichotomy
“We know that myrcene is related to a more sedating effect,” says Adam Greenblatt of Canopy Growth, a licenced producer. “What is commonly described as an indica effect, before we knew about terpenes, could be ascribed to the presence of myrcene in some cannabis.”
Another problem is that sellers legally can’t tell consumers what the effects of different terpenes are likely to be.
“The government has placed these rules that essentially prohibit you from ascribing feelings to these plants. We’re not allowed to tell you that it makes you feel one way or another,” Lee says.
“They don’t want us to tell the consumers things that aren’t true, and the result is that we can’t tell them anything. Which is insane.”
WATCH: Smoking and growing cannabis in homes can affect sales and insurance
The most retailers can legally say is that many people say they experience a given effect, Greenblatt says.
“It seems to be acceptable. If you look at the way Quebec describes its strains, it’s ‘Generally speaking, people report that indica strains might have a more relaxing effect.’ There are a lot of conditional adjectives. It’s couched in self-reported data.”
“It’s an obstacle, for sure. It puts the onus on the consumer to do their own research.”
Sutton thinks new users need far more guidance, and that producers and retailers need to do more translation.
“Terpene research is not something that I would push a novice user to go and try and do.”
“To just throw somebody out into the chemistry of it all, and say, ‘Hey, once you’ve read this 200-page book on all these different compounds, then you’re qualified to make your first cannabis purchase,’ it just doesn’t seem reasonable.”
© 2018 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
[ad_2]
Source link
In downtown Montreal, it’s festival season.
In the city’s entertainment district, a musical act was conducting a sound check on stage Friday evening — the second day of the French-language version of the renowned Just For Laughs comedy festival. Tickets for many of the festival’s free outdoor shows — limited by COVID-19 regulations — were sold out.
Two blocks away, more than 100 people were watching an acoustic performance by the Isaac Neto Trio — part of the last weekend of the Festival International Nuits d’Afrique, a celebration of music from the African continent and the African diaspora.
With COVID-19 restrictions continuing to limit capacity, festival organizers say they’re glad to be back but looking forward to next year when they hope border restrictions and capacity limits won’t affect their plans.
Charles Décarie, Just For Laughs’ CEO and president, said this is a “transition year.”
“Even though we have major constraints from the public health group in Montreal, we’ve managed to design a festival that can navigate through those constraints,” Décarie said.
The French-language Juste pour rire festival began on July 15 and is followed by the English-language festival until July 31.
When planning began in February and March, Décarie said, organizers came up with a variety of scenarios for different crowd sizes, ranging from no spectators to 50 per cent of usual capacity.
“You’ve got to build scenarios,” he said. “You do have to plan a little bit more than usual because you have to have alternatives.”
MONTREAL — MELS Studios will build a new film studio in Montreal, filling some of the gap in supply to meet the demand of Hollywood productions.
MELS president Martin Carrier said on Friday that MELS 4 studio construction will begin « as soon as possible », either in the fall or winter of next year. The studio could host productions as early as spring 2023.
The total investment for the project is $76 million, with the Quebec government contributing a $25 million loan. The project will create 110 jobs, according to the company.
The TVA Group subsidiary’s project will enable it to stand out « even more » internationally, according to Quebecor president and CEO Pierre Karl Péladeau. In the past, MELS Studios has hosted several major productions, including chapters of the X-Men franchise. The next Transformers movie is shooting this summer in Montreal.
Péladeau insisted that local cultural productions would also benefit from the new facility, adding that the studio ensures foreign revenues and to showcase talent and maintain an industry of Quebec producers.
STUDIO SHORTAGE
The film industry is cramped in Montreal.
According to a report published last May by the Bureau du cinéma et de la télévision du Québec (BCTQ), there is a shortage of nearly 400,000 square feet of studio space.
With the addition of MELS 4, which will be 160,000 square feet, the company is filling part of the gap.
Carrier admitted that he has had to turn down contracts because of the lack of space, representing missed opportunities of « tens of millions of dollars, not only for MELS, but also for the Quebec economy. »
« Montreal’s expertise is in high demand, » said Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante, who was present at the announcement.
She said she received great testimonials from « Netflix, Disney, HBO and company » during an economic mission to Los Angeles in 2019.
« What stands out is that they love Montreal because of its expertise, knowledge and beauty. We need more space, like MELS 4, » she said.
There is still not enough capacity in Quebec, acknowledged Minister of Finance, the Economy and Innovation Eric Girard.
« It is certain that the government is concerned about fairness and balance, so if other requests come in, we will study them with the same seriousness as we have studied this one, » he said.
Grandé Studios is the second-largest player in the industry. Last May, the company said it had expansion plans that should begin in 2022. Investissement Québec and Bell are minority shareholders in the company.
For its part, MELS will have 400,000 square feet of production space once MELS 4 is completed. The company employs 450 people in Quebec and offers a range of services including studio and equipment rentals, image and sound postproduction, visual effects and a virtual production platform.
MAPEI Canada inaugure l’agrandissement de son usine à Laval, au Québec
Le Gala Elles reconnaissent célèbre les femmes remarquables de l’industrie de la construction
Préparez votre maison pour l’hiver afin d’éviter les réclamations d’assurance
Quatre façons de commencer à travailler dans le domaine des ventes
La Commission indépendante soutient le recours de la Cour suprême contre le déni des droits des non-francophones par le Québec
Justin Trudeau est un raciste contre les Noirs et les Premières Nations – 14 signes
Enfants aux études loin de la maison : Trois conseils pour veiller à la santé de leurs finances
Règles et règlements que toutes les entreprises canadiennes doivent connaître
Épargnez pour l’avenir grâce à nos trucs financiers pour la rentrée
Efficacité énergétique: 10 façons économiques de l’améliorer
Ces légendes du baccara vous dévoilent leurs secrets
Retard de vol : le devoir de la compagnie envers ses passagers
Nostalgia and much more with Starburst XXXtreme
Même les jeunes RÉPUBLIQUES se lassent du capitalisme, selon les sondeurs américains — RT USA News
« Aucune crise climatique ne causera la fin du capitalisme ! »
Innovation : le capitalisme « responsable », faux problème et vraie diversion
Vers la fin du Capitalocène ?
Le “capitalisme viral” peut-il sauver la planète ?
Livre : comment le capitalisme a colonisé les esprits
Patrick Artus : « Le capitalisme d’aujourd’hui est économiquement inefficace »
Body found after downtown Lethbridge apartment building fire, police investigating – Lethbridge
Comment aider un bébé à développer son goût
Head of Toronto Community Housing placed on paid leave
Salon du chocolat 2018: les 5 temps forts
This B.C. woman’s recipe is one of the most popular of all time — and the story behind it is bananas
Gluten-Free Muffins
We Try Kin Euphorics and How to REALLY Get the Glow | Healthyish
Man facing eviction from family home on Toronto Islands gets reprieve — for now
Condo developer Thomas Liu — who collected millions but hasn’t built anything — loses court fight with Town of Ajax
27 CP Rail cars derail near Lake Louise, Alta.
Ontario’s Tories hope Ryan Gosling video will keep supporters from breaking up with the party
Renaud Capuçon, rédacteur en chef du Figaroscope
Paris : chez Cécile Roederer co-fondatrice de Smallable
Ontario Tories argue Trudeau’s carbon plan is ‘unconstitutional’
100 years later, Montreal’s Black Watch regiment returns to Wallers, France
Trudeau government would reject Jason Kenney, taxpayers group in carbon tax court fight
Ford Ranger Raptor, le pick-up roule des mécaniques
Le Forex devient de plus en plus accessible aux débutants
Los Angeles poursuit The Weather Channel pour atteinte à la vie privée
The Bill Gates globalist vaccine depopulation agenda… as revealed by Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
-
Anglais5 années agoBody found after downtown Lethbridge apartment building fire, police investigating – Lethbridge
-
Santé Et Nutrition4 années agoComment aider un bébé à développer son goût
-
Anglais5 années agoHead of Toronto Community Housing placed on paid leave
-
Styles De Vie5 années agoSalon du chocolat 2018: les 5 temps forts
-
Anglais5 années agoThis B.C. woman’s recipe is one of the most popular of all time — and the story behind it is bananas
-
Santé Et Nutrition5 années agoGluten-Free Muffins
-
Santé Et Nutrition5 années agoWe Try Kin Euphorics and How to REALLY Get the Glow | Healthyish
-
Anglais5 années agoMan facing eviction from family home on Toronto Islands gets reprieve — for now