Commercial marijuana products sold in Colorado may have to start undergoing heavy-metals testing as soon as 2019, according to the state Marijuana Enforcement Division.
Although not as intimidating as Slayer and Megadeath, heavy metals such as cadmium, arsenic and nickel can be harmful if inhaled, ingested or applied to the skin regularly. According to the National Institutes of Health, long-term exposure to heavy metals can lead to liver or kidney damage, abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, heart abnormalities, a disrupted nervous system, anemia and more.
Like many other cannabis writers, I routinely express my interest in and love of terpenes, the compounds found in cannabis and other plants that are responsible for a plant’s (or strain’s) smell and flavor. Cannabis has them, hops have them, lavender has them, citrus fruits have them…see the connection? One of the most common and popular cannabis and hop terpenes, myrcene, is also relatively abundant in mangos. The high myrcene levels in both pot and mangos has made some cannabis consumers swear that eating the fruit after smoking enhances their high, while myrcene has also shown potential for aiding with pain relief and muscle relaxation when paired with THC. So give it up for mangos, fellow tokers. They’re here to help — with the munchies, at the very least.
So where are all the mango-named strains?
Dear Stoner: I’ve been looking for a new place, but landlords keep saying, “No smoking.” I think they’re just talking about tobacco, though. Should I tell them I smoke pot when they ask if I’m a smoker?
Tumbleweed
Witches Weed
Whether you’re toking up before eating your children’s candy, getting high to inspire jack-o-lantern designs or enhancing the visual aspects of The Nightmare Before Christmas (it’s not just a Christmas flick), you’ll find that cannabis can come in handy during Halloween season. And as with pumpkin beers and witches’ brew, there are plenty of scary strains to heighten the spirit.
Denver just saw its first snowfall, and the Rockies aren’t playing baseball. In other words, October has arrived, and holidays are headed our way.
Dear Stoner: What are some high-yielding strains available on the recreational market? I’m new to growing, and I can use all the help I can get.
Devon
I’ve been trying to think of a satisfactory comparison for OG Kush, and the best I can come up with is Gatorade. It’s available everywhere, virtually everyone likes it, and it has tons of flavors. Are the classic OG, San Fan Fernando Valley OG and Tahoe OG the same strains? No, yet they’re all phenotypes of OG Kush, carrying similar but distinct characteristics that have created one of the most popular genetics webs in cannabis.
Dear Stoner: I recently tried to buy a quarter of Tangerine Power, and one dispensary was charging $171 for a quarter out the door, or $20 per gram. This is obscene! What’s with the disparity in weed prices around Denver?
James D.
Four weeks from now, voters in Michigan, Missouri, North Dakota and Utah will all be deciding measures that would lift legal restrictions on marijuana — but all in different ways. And Colorado, too, has another marijuana-related issue on the ballot.
Since 2013, the Rocky Mountain High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, a federally funded law-enforcement organization, has been issuing highly critical, persistently biased reports about the impact of marijuana legalization in Colorado.