School Is In Session: Part 2
It’s the Sequel…Professor Cutie Is Back to School Us on Cannabis Use Postpartum, Why THC Percentages Don’t Matter, and How to Make a Real Difference in This Industry
This one’s a deep cut! So many gems in this interview with Toya of the “This Wasn’t In My Textbook” podcast.
Check out the highlights of our discussion below, or CLICK PLAY listen to the full interview right here.👇
And be sure to check out her website for more episodes!
Tonya: I know you're not a medical doctor, but what are your thoughts on CBD and THC for pregnant women or breastfeeding?
Tammy: Well, my thoughts are if a mom is in a position where she needs something, that is her choice.
If a pregnant woman were to get into an accident and her doctor prescribed her Vicodin. I would say that if she preferred to consume THC instead, that's her personal choice.
And we do know that babies have an endocannabinoid system. The endocannabinoid system is in the sperm, it's in the egg, it's in the placenta, it's in the amniotic fluid, it's in the baby. So it's not something that's foreign.
But I'd say don’t overdo it, just enough to give you relief. I wouldn't say smoke a blunt because smoking is horrible when you're pregnant, but you know, an edible or a tincture for relief may be fine.
And definitely keep quiet about your consumption.
I wouldn't tell anybody. I wouldn't tell a soul. I wouldn't post about it on any of those baby apps. If you're gonna write it out, write it on pen and paper, not your phone.
There are states that will take your child if you test positive.
And for breastfeeding—if you're gonna get high, wait until you're sober to feed the baby.
CBD can also help so much postpartum.
Toya: That's good to know. What are the differences between smoking and edibles?
Tammy: So smoking it, you're going to get your effects quickly. It takes around 15 minutes to set in.
The downside is you're inhaling smoke, which is probably not the best for your body. And when you're done getting high, you then stop getting high.
The thing with edibles is you may be done eating, but they're not done digesting.
And that's because when you eat THC, it has to go through your liver. And when it bypasses your liver, it's going to convert from Delta-9 THC to something called 11-Hydroxy THC.
So one of the risks with edibles is overeating. So you should always start slow. And in California, luckily, they're selling everything in 5 mg increments to prevent overdosing.
And if you overdose, my best advice is to stay at home and not go to the hospital. They're just going to let you take a nap and give you an IV and it's all going to be very expensive.
Toya: Yeah, I've had some experience with people who have had a bad experience and they thought they were going to die. And I’m like, “No one's ever died smoking weed.”
Tammy: Not a single person.
Toya: What are some of the benefits of the cannabis plant that people might not know about?
Tammy: So, it can be very good for nausea. That's one reason why it's prescribed for cancer patients.
It can also help massively for pain, anxiety, for sleep, for appetite, for temperature control, and blood sugar levels…and PMS!
It also can be helpful for migraines, glaucoma. There's so much that it can do!
The endocannabinoid system in our body regulates all the other systems, so it can have a lot of benefits all throughout our bodies.
Toya: Do you know one or two lesser known cannabis benefits or facts?
Tammy: Yeah, so mango has terpenes in it. Everything that we eat has terpenes in it. And those are the same compounds that are in the cannabis plant.
So you can add foods to your diet that are going to help with your high.
We're not researching any of this because it's illegal in the US. But there are other foods that talk to your endocannabinoid system.
Olive oil may help boost your CB2 receptors. And then there's terpenes in other foods, too.
Anandamide, the bliss molecule, is also found in chocolate. Black pepper has a cannabinoid in it. So it's not just the cannabis plant that has these molecules, although they're most abundant in the plant.
You can still supplement and add other foods to your CBD or whatever you're using to really get that full symbiotic effect.
Toya: So for anyone who is interested, maybe someone listening to this wonderful podcast episode with you, and they're like, “Okay, I'm gonna be open to maybe trying some cannabis,” what would you say?
Tammy: For a newbie, I would say ignore all of the labels that you see.
Ignore indica, sativa hybrid, none of that matters.
What you're going to need to do is make choosing your weed an intuitive experience based on smell.
When you sniff food that smells bad, you know that's probably going to make your stomach hurt and you're not going to go near it. With cannabis, it's the same thing.
So smelling it, looking at it, feeling it-–if you're in a state where you can touch it, that's the best way to go about it.
THC percentage seems to be what a lot of these companies are marketing, and that's cool and all, but I've smoked some 15% THC that knocked my boots off because it was grown outside and the sun can make chemicals that a lamp just can't.
But at the end of the day, you need to find something that you like based on its smell and what it looks like.
Toya: Okay. So how would you explain indica and sativa?
Tammy: So those words describe how the plant grows. People often say that sativa gives you energy and indica makes you sleepy, and that's just not true. That's marketing.
Its effects are really all about the chemovar profile of that specific batch of weed—which differs from plant to plant.
Toya: What advice would you have for someone who's interested in entering the cannabis industry?
Tammy: So, I started a chapter, a national organization, and their whole point is hosting educational networking meetings.
And that's something that can be done without a national name. You can do that on your own and in your own community. And just start there, little by little, networking with real people in the industry.
And as far as influencers and stuff goes, as scary as it is to put out content, do it. Get as much practice as you can because at some point, somebody is going to see you.
Educating yourself is immensely important. Be more than just a cannabis user. Be able to talk about why it's beneficial, about the history, and why people think about it the way that they do.
I actually have a book club, The Higher Learning Book Club, that is helping to educate people in a way that is fun and in community. And I’m so proud that it’s creating more advocates all over the country!
Toya: So, my signature question is, if you've got an opportunity to write a chapter, in a textbook on cannabis, what would you call your chapter and why?
Tammy: I would call it The Great Lie. That's really what it comes down to. We used racism and xenophobia to fill other people's pockets.
And we have all of these issues now that we can't deal with. But this plant is giving us a hint. And we got away from it.
So I would write a book about how we have to take back our health and wellness, and stop being customers for these large companies who are banking on us being sick.
Toya: Wow, that was beautiful. What a great way to end this interview. Thank you for being on here, I really appreciate your time today.
Tammy:Yeah, me too. This is fun. Thank you so much for having me.
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