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Doobie. The Devil’s Lettuce. Wacky Tabaccy.
Cannabis has been called many things over the course of its modern life, with the majority of these epithets on the side of besmirchment.
While there are a slew of reasons both academic and anecdotal as to why and how it has earned this poor publicity, a general timeline points to a trackable American outcry against its usage in the early 20th century, with peak reefer madness culminating in the late 1970s. Through a series of social, political, and legal movements emerging at that turbulent time, cannabis was culturally positioned, both overtly and covertly, as a “gateway drug” down a tawdry path of shameful decisions both illegal and immoral.
By the eighties, the entirety of the messaging around this complicated issue was to Just Say No. Simpler times.
Today, having achieved one of the more extreme “glow-ups” in recent reality, cannabis and its many botanical components have become, seemingly overnight, an accessible, fashionable, and legal option for all manner of acute aches and chronic pains.
While the proliferation of cannabis-based products and services reflects a pent-up demand, many potential consumers still influenced by negative associations are not only confused but overwhelmed. Taking any kind of advice from those who were once hippies and heshers about what is now health and healing is, admittedly, a total mindfuck.
Equilibria founder Marcy Capron Vermillion
Cannabis 101
For total canna-newbies, a crash course in the art and science of cannabis begins with the plant’s two prevalent chemical compounds: THC and CBD.
THC is the part of the plant that is psychoactive, smooching the synapses of the brain which lead to feelings of euphoria, pleasure, and wanting to listen to hours of Pink Floyd alone in a darkened room, whereas CBD is more of a whole-body boost, offering a slew of beneficial physiological and pharmacological effects, such as analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties.
“CBD stands for cannabidiol, one of 150 cannabis compounds affecting our reproductive capabilities, mood, immune system, pain response, digestion, sleep, anxiety levels, and so much more,” explains Marcy Capron Vermillion, seasoned entrepreneur and co-founder of Equilibria, a Chicago-based premium CBD subscription service created by and for women.
“Cannabis can be bred in two ways: hemp or marijuana, and CBD is a molecular compound found in either varietal of the plant. Since CBD is non-intoxicating, you can benefit from medical cannabis without the head high.”
Sounds like the perfect “gateway drug” to me, LOL!
"One of the best things about CBD is that it's subtle but powerful."
MARCY CAPRON VERMILLION, Equilibria
Women + CBD wellness
Indeed, as more and more studies show, when used as part of an overall plan for wellbeing, CBD shines as a comprehensive tonic for medical issues both minor and major. According to the NIH, “There is a growing body of preclinical and clinical evidence to support use of CBD…for many conditions, suggesting its potential role as another option for treating challenging chronic pain or even opioid addiction.”
Marcy’s experience with CBD, both personally and professionally, aligns with this emerging body of groundbreaking medical advancements.
“At Equilibria, the top three women’s needs we see are around sleep, anxiety, and chronic pain, but every day I also hear success stories around symptoms involving inflammation, hormones, and mental health, such autoimmune disorders, arthritis, epilepsy, depression, acute pain, and PMS.”
Thankfully, CBD is now available over the counter in many methods of delivery, from the most concentrated of precisely-extracted disilates to the bottles of pills at drugstores innocuously placed next to aspirin and laxatives. However, as with most easily accessible wellness products, there is a range of production, purity and efficacy, with much jiggery-pokery wrapped up in this brave new world of OTC CBD.
“Myself, but better”
In these hella-strange and stressful times, why not explore the latest and greatest of wellness programs, especially when they are delivered directly to your door? As Marcy says, the typical result of a curated and consistent CBD program is “Myself, but better.”
Merely one of the options derived from cannabis available for your health and happiness, CBD beckons with provable promises of just feeling totally awesome, and there ain’t a damn thing wrong with that!
CBD in my Cocktail!
Punch Pick: Spiced Bergamot Daily Drops
Add these limited-edition Equilibria CBD oil drops into a warm winter cocktail such as Mulled Wine or a Hot Toddy as a digestif!