Most smokers have heard the word before, but not many know its chemical composition or how THC affects the brain and body. The stoned or high sensation you experience when smoking a well-filled cap or split is directly proportional to the concentration of THC in the cannabis plant. But why? In this article we will try to understand all the issues such as:
- What is THC?
- How was THC discovered?
- How does THC affect the brain?
- How does THC affect the body?
- How does potency affect experience?
- What are the common ways to consume THC?
- What therapeutic properties does THC have?
What is THC?
Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is a chemical secreted by the glands of the marijuana plant.
It is found in large doses around the reproductive organs, as well as in the resin glands of the inflorescences of the female plant. Although THC is only one of 85 chemical compounds known as cannabinoids found in the cannabis plant, THC is the main psychoactive element.
While people use THC to get high, plants need it to protect themselves from natural predators such as parasites, bacteria and viruses. THC does not have antibacterial properties in humans, but CBG (cannabigerol), a non-psychoactive compound also found in cannabis, does.
Ropang what is it
Rapana - what is it and how to prepare it, useful properties
Rapana belong to the predatory genus of gastropods of the needle family. This species is widespread in the waters of the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Since 1947, a population of rapanas has also been found in the Black Sea, since there were no starfish there (considered dangerous for rapanas). The described representatives of gastropods use small bivalves such as oysters and mussels as a food source. To open their shell, rapanas use their muscular leg. Younger individuals, on the contrary, use a tongue-drill, the surface of which is covered with teeth, to open the shell of a mussel or oyster. But the rapana themselves become victims of starfish.
Rapanas are also called sea snails. The shell of this mollusk has a broad oval shape with a low curl, the very last whorl is slightly swollen. The shell is colored brownish-gray; there are axial thickenings on the surface of the shell, as well as spiral-shaped ribs (see photo). The size of the shell varies between twelve and fifteen centimeters. The inside of the shell is characterized by a rich orange hue.
In nature, there are only four varieties of rapana:
- Far Eastern;
- veiny;
- Thomas rapana;
- Black Sea
The largest representatives of this family are the Far Eastern rapana, since the size of their shell reaches about eighteen centimeters.
The described sea snails are found at a depth of about forty-five meters. © https://ydoo.info/product/rapany.html Rapans can be attached to rocks or lie on the seabed. Mollusks move with the help of a muscular leg.
Sea snails are caught from the Black Sea so that rapana does not destroy mussels and oysters. A variety of beautiful souvenirs are made from the shells of the described mollusks, and the edible part of sea snails has found its use in cooking. Rapan is eaten raw, boiled, fried, stewed, baked or grilled.
How do rapana differ from trumpeter?
Trumpeters and rapans differ from each other in many aspects. Experts say that it is impossible to confuse such representatives of gastropods.
Firstly, the trumpeter is much smaller in size than the rapana. Its shell has a beautiful helical shape, resembling a twisted elongated cone. Rapana, unlike trumpeters, are much wider and plumper.
Secondly, trumpeters are fairly easy to cook. But with rapana you need to tinker a little, otherwise the meat of the sea snail may become “rubbery”. Also, rapana should be cooked at a fairly low temperature.
Thirdly, rapana prefer to live in warm regions; they are very often found at the bottom of the Black Sea. But trumpeters, on the contrary, love to live in the northern seas and Far Eastern regions. Over eighty species of whelks live in the Barents, White and Baltic Seas.
Beneficial properties and harm
Rapanas have more benefits for the human body than harm. Moreover, people can consume shellfish meat at almost any age (with the exception of small children). Rapana contains a special protein that is very easily absorbed by the body, and also contains a colossal amount of various amino acids, which are necessary for the productive activity of the brain and for the rapid restoration of energy reserves.
In addition, medical experts call other beneficial properties of this product, namely:
- has a beneficial effect on the hematopoietic system;
- normalizes activities
How was THC discovered?
It's no surprise that THC was first discovered in the 60s. Bulgarian-born chemist Raphael Mechoulam, who also wanted to know what THC was, is now considered the godfather of cannabinoid research.
When Raphael first began researching the properties of cannabis, he encountered a common problem among cannabis smokers: how to legally obtain large amounts of marijuana. So where did he get the material for his research? His friends in the Israeli police gave him 5 kilograms of weed, after which he set up a scientific hangout that eventually led to groundbreaking results in the biochemical research of cannabis.
Mechoulam was the first scientist in the world to successfully isolate the compound THC. He was a pioneer in the identification of the structure, psychophysiological effects and synthesis of THC. One might assume that the love for good marijuana provoked Raphael to study, but in fact it was an interest in natural medicine. Because of his research into the medicinal properties of cannabis, people began to consider marijuana as a possible form of medicine, rather than just using it recreationally.
What is cottagecore and why did it become popular during the pandemic?
The COVID-19 pandemic, protests and pogroms in the United States, closed borders, fear of losing a job due to the crisis that has hit the world, updated lists of sick people. Yes, this year is especially harsh with hair-raising news. Here, even the most persistent people can give in and experience stress that they have never encountered before.
It is quite natural that in an era of increased anxiety, certain phenomena and events arise aimed at helping people cope with the troubles that have befallen them. Cottagecore is one such example.
This term refers to an idealized version of rural life, flashbacks to a carefree past and the aesthetics of country life. Cozy clothes, the crackle of a fire, the aroma of home-baked goods, a picnic by a babbling river. In a word, approximately everything that has a positive effect on the human psyche. From home interiors to wardrobe and even hobbies, cottagecore has become something more significant than just another new-fangled trend. It is a lifestyle that is often compared to Danish hygge and Swedish lag.
"Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid"
People first started talking about cottagecore back in 2020, but it became truly popular in the early spring of 2020. However, frankly speaking, the aesthetics that everyone praises appeared much earlier. Cottagecore images and interiors are present in films such as Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Fried Green Tomatoes and Little Women, and Moonrise Kingdom can be considered an encyclopedia of cottagecore.
So, why did the trend become so popular precisely with the beginning of the global lockdown? You don't need a psychology degree to come to disappointing conclusions. The idea of romanticizing the little things in life and simplifying everything is an effective and accessible antidote to the surrounding reality with its bad news.
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It is quite natural that people locked in their apartments wanted to improve their home life: buy cozy clothes, decorate their homes, and actively posted the results on social networks. Those who were a little luckier moved to dachas and country houses and also, to the envy of their friends locked in the city, published pictures of their new life. Just look at the widespread passion for flowers (an important sign of cottagecore). We have already told you that indoor plant delivery companies were a rare example of a business that benefited from the crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
On Instagram alone, the number of photos with the cottagecore hashtag has exceeded 400 thousand. What can you see in these photos? Clothes transmitting sunlight, picturesquely hung on ropes and secured with clothespins, girls in straw hats, houses entwined with ivy and grapes. The trend has become especially popular on TikTok - videos on this topic have collected more than 260 million views. Users of the social network dress up as elves, share baking recipes, teach how to crochet and read excerpts from literary works of the 19th century. By the way, often such publications are also accompanied by poetic signatures. Cottagecore adherents strive for a time when all the current problems did not exist.
Cottagecore is partly why Animal Crossing: New Horizons was so popular during lockdown. If you don’t have a summer house, and it’s not possible to radically remodel your apartment, then at least in the virtual space you can start arranging your garden and home.
This also applies to cottagecore fashion. In contrast to the bright, acidic e-girls and e-boys that took over social networks in 2020, cottagecore focuses on coziness and comfort. Knitted cardigans, distressed, loose-fitting jeans, warm socks, vests.
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One of the main adherents of cottagecore was David Beckham. All these Panama hats, tweed caps, sweaters, rubber boots with knee socks. Why, even on hikes through meadows and fields he takes a staff. The lifestyle broadcast on his Instagram also fits perfectly into all the cottagecore checklists: walks in the countryside with the family, reading by the fireplace, photographs of flowering fields. In mid-June, he decided to get an apiary and assembled a hive himself, and soon posted photographs of children in beekeeper costumes.
View on Instagram
Cottagecore can feel like a form of nostalgia for a simpler life and is actually calming, somewhat slowing down the frantic pace in which we live. Months of quarantine could not help but affect our psychological state, and with this burdensome past, the sun warming the skin or the wind in the hair are the very joys that we, as it turns out, need so much. Well, social networks simply reminded us all how important it is to enjoy little things.
How does THC affect the brain and body?
You may be familiar with the sensation that comes with taking THC, but do you know what is actually happening inside the body when you smoke marijuana? Once THC enters the bloodstream, it quickly spreads through the vascular system, reaching the brain in a matter of seconds. THC mimics the cannabinoid chemicals that occur naturally in the body by attaching to your cannabinoid receptors.
These areas are located in the cerebral cortex, cerebellum and basal ganglia and are associated with the processes of thinking, memory, movement, pleasure, coordination and concentration. The reason THC affects these areas so much more strongly than other active cannabinoids like CBD comes down to its specific molecular structure. It mimics anandamide (the bliss molecule), which is a naturally occurring cannabinoid found in the body.
Once firmly bound, THC takes over the role of anandamide, stimulating brain cells to release more dopamine. This hormone is responsible for all the positive vibrations that are felt when smoking. THC can cause a range of sensory side effects, including euphoria, concentration, calmness, fragmented thoughts, or dizziness. Sometimes these sensations are so strong that they overshadow short-term memory. Have you ever gone to the kitchen and forgotten why you came? THC can be blamed for tricking your hippocampus, which is your memory control center.
If high THC levels become too strong, other side effects may also include dizziness, depression, anxiety, or fatigue. Physical effects may include pain suppression, slower movement, dry mouth, and increased appetite. Each person will have a unique experience with the effects of THC.
Principle of growing plants
The main difference between the technology is that plant roots never fall into water or soil. To grow them, a minimum of fertilizers are used, and the crops grow much faster than similar varieties planted in the substrate. This effect is achieved due to the active saturation of plant fibers with oxygen.
Plants receive all nutrients and water from dry fog - a water aerosol that is used to irrigate the root system. The main difficulty is that it is necessary to wet the roots with microscopic splashes of the nutrient solution at regular intervals. Therefore, the lion's share of success in aeroponics depends on a properly adjusted drip irrigation system.
How powerful is your strain?
The strength and duration of the THC effect will depend on the specific strain of marijuana, as well as the choice of method of consumption. Cannabis varieties with THC levels greater than 20% are considered especially potent. These strains include Sour Diesel (15-25%), Yoda OG (up to 28%) and Blue Dream (17-24%).
Even so, one Blue Dream grower may have higher or lower THC levels than another. This is directly dependent on growing conditions, environmental exposures or genetic phenotypes.
How you choose to consume cannabis will also affect the strength of the THC's effects. In its raw form, THC does not match the form of human neurotransmitters. This means that chewing raw marijuana will not work.
To get your ganja ready for the party, you must expose it to some form of heat to remove one of the carbon groups that prevents the THC molecule from binding to its proper receptors.
Smoking and vaping are two common forms of decarboxylation, but what if you want to bake sweets with weed? Can I just sprinkle the crushed buds into the brownie batter? Unfortunately no. First, the cannabis needs to be properly dried.
How to decarboxylate weed
Decarboxylation occurs naturally when you burn your heel in a bong. But if you want to use the weed as an edible treat, make THC oil, or make a tincture, you'll need to decarboxylate it first. Here's how to do it at home:
1) Preheat oven to 230°F.
2) Trim the buds and leaves from the bush.
3) Place everything on a baking sheet.
4) Bake them for 35 minutes.
5) Stir the cannabis every 10 minutes to ensure even drying.
6) After 35 minutes, check the contents. The marijuana should be light brown in color. If not, leave for another five minutes. Keep your eyes open so you don't get burned.
7) Remove the pan and set it aside to cool.
Place the dried herb in a food processor and pulse until it resembles oregano.
Now you can make delicious cannabutter, make muffins or cookies, and get liquid THC.
Advantages of the method
Aeroponics is rightfully considered the agricultural technology of the future. NASA specialists were among the first to appreciate it, growing a batch of lettuce for the astronauts in 1998.
The effectiveness of the method for agriculture could not go unnoticed by Russian biologists and farmers. Thus, under the leadership of scientist Martirosyan, the aeroponic installation “Urozhay-9000” appeared, aimed at growing agricultural crops in large volumes.
The growing popularity of this method is quite easy to explain:
- Aeroponics allows you to obtain an environmentally friendly harvest;
- plants grow much faster;
- the method optimizes space;
- no pest problems;
- the harvest can be obtained all year round, regardless of weather and seasonal changes;
- the yield of oxygen-enriched crops is several times higher than that of soil or substrate plants;
- Thanks to uniform drip irrigation, oxygen cultivation uses a minimal amount of liquid;
- ease of care and replanting;
- clean working conditions.
Aeroponics also has disadvantages. These include the high cost and maintenance of smooth operation of irrigation equipment.
The failure of just one part can ruin the harvest.
In addition, the system must be kept completely clean.
Another feature is the overgrown root system. Unlike soil types, plants grown using aeroponics have long and powerful roots. But this does not affect the quality of the product, and in some cases has positive aspects. For example, when growing potatoes or other root crops.
Common methods of consuming THC
There are so many different ways to consume cannabis these days that it's easy to get lost in the maze of options. But don't worry. When you feel lost, it's best to turn to one of these proven methods.
Smoking
There are many ways to inhale sweet cannabis smoke: water pot, joint, bong, hand pipe, etc. Smoking is arguably the most popular form of consuming weed and the fastest way to get the THC high. When smoked, up to 50-60% of the THC concentration in marijuana can enter the blood plasma and enter the brain within a couple of seconds.
Evaporation
Vaping is quickly becoming a trend for health-conscious people. This handheld device heats cannabinoids to a temperature that is high enough to release the psychoactive properties of THC, but low enough not to release the harmful toxins that accompany combustion. This method is recommended for advanced users rather than beginners.
Take with food
We all know that consuming marijuana with food creates a stronger and longer lasting effect than smoking or vaping, but why is this so?
“In short, ingested cannabis is metabolized in the liver, so delta-9 THC is converted to 11-hydroxy-THC, which crosses the blood-brain barrier faster and has a more psychedelic effect than standard THC,” says Understanding Marijuana author Mitch Earleywine. , “smoked or vaporized cannabis bypasses the liver and does not create the same 11-hydroxy-THC.”
Chewing marijuana releases only 10-20% of the cannabinoids at one time, but the maximum can last up to 6 hours.
What therapeutic properties does THC have?
Once in the brain, this psychoactive compound can cause a number of positive effects: pain relief, nausea, muscle relaxation, mood enhancement, appetite stimulation, etc.
THC can also be used to treat disorders such as PTSD, Tourette's, insomnia, asthma, and glaucoma. Much research has also been conducted around the medical benefits of the cannabinoid, CBD. Although it has no psychoactive effects, CBD has many other benefits.
CBD-rich strains reduce the possible paranoia, anxiety, and memory impairment that come with THC richness. This has sparked more research into the symbiotic benefits of the right ratio of THC and CBD combined.
conclusions
Most people know that THC is the main ingredient in any strain of marijuana, but not everyone knows what it is or how it works. As with all things cannabis, THC is a hot topic. As THC becomes a more and more accepted member of the medical scene, new research is pointing to all the amazing benefits of medical cannabis. It may even promote the growth of new brain cells! Next time you smoke a joint, think about the healing magic of THC and enjoy the effects.
What is post-punk?
Being a big fan of this genre, I once asked myself this question; and thought deeply. These reflections led me to a certain answer, which I decided to put in writing. The result was a treatise called "Philosophy and Aesthetics of Post-Punk and Gothic" of thirty pages or so.
One of the main theses of that work is that post-punk is often confused with gothic, since these genres are closely intertwined with each other, attributing to it the features and characteristic elements of the latter. To prevent this from happening, when defining post-punk, it is important to remember its origin, that it is a continuation of punk rock. Therefore, post-punk is not just “sad music”. Postpunk is, above all, a reinvention. And now I will try to explain what I mean.
And in order not to confuse anything (since the treatise was written in March, I began to forget some of its provisions), I will cite an excerpt from paragraph 1.2, in which I tried to determine the essence of post-punk as a genre by means of comparison with its predecessor, relying on analogy with a bias towards rather strange and inept anthropomorphism:
“...That is, if punk is a person striving for chaos, bringing destruction, then post-punk is a person living in the world that punk dreamed of. And so he sits among the ruins, burdened with thoughts, like a statue of Rodin, and the realization comes to him that anarchy, chaos and destruction do not lead to positive changes (this awareness is not at all inherent in punks), but only to human suffering. But the horror is that the desire for chaos and destruction is an integral part of human nature, which many indulge with undisguised pleasure. Awareness of all this leads a person to disappointment and, as a consequence, to the denial of all (or many) categories, ideologies, forms and models of existence and self-expression, to the acceptance of only one single truth, which states that human life does not have an iota of meaning, but also leads to a struggle with one’s own nature, because much of what is essentially natural for a person is vile, immoral and terrible. The extreme form of such a struggle is suicide.”
And yes, by the way, for, so to speak, a clear understanding of what post-punk is, I recommend listening to the album “Silence Yourself” by the Savages group. This is a true standard of the genre. Even though the album was released in 2013.
