Selective breeding for THC due to prohibition has caused a steady increase in the THC content of cannabis flowers and created a culture of consumers that has followed suit.

THC content is often the lead, and sometimes the only, data point for both (uninformed) sellers and consumers alike. As the industry continues to evolve, as tastes and preferences become more sophisticated, and as more and more cannabis users develop a connoisseur palate, it is becoming increasingly clear that THC content cannot be the singular measure of quality.

In fact, 11 out of the top 20 flowers entered into the 2016 Emerald Cup contained less than twenty percent THC. This contest is the the industry’s most celebrated and longstanding cannabis competition due to the quality of entries and sheer number of entrants. The top CBD flower mistakenly found itself in the high-THC flowers competition, and was ranked among the top 10 of all flowers entered. This is an industry first and a testament to the breeding efforts of cannabis aficionados getting flavor into CBD flowers.

Many cannasseurs suggest that CBD also imparts a sweet berry flavor to the flower. But the story is not just about taste preferences, as many experienced users report that CBD-rich flowers have a longer lasting effect than those without CBD. In fact, the smooth ride up and ’no crash’ come-down associated with CBD-rich medicines has been linked to old school flowers like Panama Red and Acapulco Gold.

Historically, CBD-rich flowers were not known to taste good, smoke well or have a great experience. The terpene profile associated with any flower is often responsible for the smell, flavor and subtle differences in experience. Rainbow Gummeez, the Emerald Cup’s Best CBD flower strain winner, represents a departure from the traditional CBD-rich flowers, which were high in myrcene and whose effects were described as groggy, foggy and put you in couch lock. Instead, this new generation of CBD flowers offers the same great taste and bag appeal of high-THC cannabis without the harmful side effects.

Let’s face it, users in history were not dabbing 70 percent THC all day long – there was bound to be harm associated with chronic THC use. In fact, the recent number of research articles that demonstrate adverse effects of THC are significantly increasing. Specifically, frequent use of high-THC cannabis is a health hazard, due to the harms caused by heavy cannabis to an area of the brain called the hippocampus.

The hippocampus is a small region of the brain that is thought to be the center of emotion, memory, and the autonomic nervous system. In disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, the hippocampus is one of the first regions of the brain to become damaged and this leads to the memory loss and disorientation associated with the condition.

While THC is the villain in this report, the authors also showed that CBD minimized neurological issues and persistent harms to the hippocampus caused by THC alone. This novel concept of ‘safer cannabis’ and that CBD minimized the harm of THC is remarkable from a range of perspectives.

Transform, a UK-based, global advocacy group, wrote recommendations to EU regulators that suggested inclusion of a “CBD safety buffer” to protect heavy cannabis users from the harms of chronic THC use and abuse. Transform has been recognized as being a leader of drug policy analysis for over two decades and is increasingly recognized as one of the motivating forces for global reform.

CBD has been touted as a neuroprotective powerful enough to be patented by the U.S. federal government, and is being looked at as a standalone drug by many companies and researchers. CBD’s benefits have been limited to the realm of pharmaceutical companies and clinical trials until now – thanks to the breeders of Rainbow Gummeez and others in the cannabis industry.

When combined with the recent scientific data on the dangers associated with THC alone, the Rainbow Gumeez story may be the most important development in the cannabis-loving community since the passage of Prop 2015 twenty one years ago and will insure the benefit of cannabis users everywhere, who want to enjoy cannabis, but who also want to do so safely with peace of mind.

Links to related content or sourced articles:

http://volteface.me/features/skunk-out-of-business/

http://www.news-medical.net/news/20161128/Study-finds-abnormally-low-blood-flow-in-the-brain-of-marijuana-users.aspx

https://www.greenrushdaily.com/2016/12/15/cannabis-affects-sleep-may-surprise/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-i-t9_k2r8