Welcome to our Ask The Cannabist column. Clearly you have questions about marijuana, be it a legal concern, a health curiosity, a Colorado-centric inquiry or something more far-reaching. Check out our expansive, 100-question Colorado marijuana FAQ first, and if you’re still curious, email your question to Ask The Cannabist at askthecannabist@gmail.com.
Correction made Jan. 26, 3:30 p.m.: Because of an editor’s error, previous versions of this story contained incorrect information about the percentage of THC allowed in industrial hemp in the United States. Industrial hemp in the U.S. legally cannot contain any THC.
Hey, Cannabist!
Will a hair follicle drug test show a positive result for secondhand pot smoke? –Aromatic and Anxious in Atlanta
Hey, Anxious!
No, a hair follicle test won’t come back positive for marijuana if you are exposed to secondhand or passive pot smoke. I contacted Barry Sample, Ph.D. and Director of Science and Technology for Quest Diagnostics Employer Solutions to find out details on marijuana drug testing. Sample says, “Hair testing detects a pattern of repetitive use and does not detect recent or single (first time) use. Published, peer-reviewed studies to date have not demonstrated the reporting of a hair specimen as positive for marijuana use due to ‘passive’ or ‘incidental’ exposure.”
In comparison to urine testing, which according to Sample may only detect drug use within the past two to three days, “hair testing is able to detect a pattern of repetitive drug use for up to 90 days (based on the length of head hair tested). It takes approximately five to 10 days for hair containing a drug to reach the outer environment on top of the scalp to be collected based on the average rate of head hair growth.”
Sample says a two-step test is the standard for workplace drug testing. He elaborates: “Quest Diagnostics follows a two-tiered process to assess the presence of marijuana metabolite (THC Carboxylic Acid metabolite). First, we screen the specimen using an Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) — a reliable and proven methodology for routine drug testing.” If the sample indicates positive for the metabolite, it goes to the next test to identify further information.
“Any specimens that are presumptively positive in the screening process are then confirmed, utilizing another portion of the hair specimen, with chromatography/mass spectrometry, which specifically identifies and quantifies the marijuana metabolite in the hair specimen.”
Current drug testing is not adequate to address the changes with legal adult marijuana use. Sample adds, “As more states legalize marijuana, additional research to demonstrate the health impacts and detectability of marijuana in individuals who come into casual contact with the drug is urgently needed.” XO
Hey, Cannabist!
11 states have passed legislation regarding CBD oil — is CBD oil also legal in states that have medical marijuana laws? –Cannabinoid Curious in Columbus
Hey, Cannabinoid Curious!
Yes, you are right, 11 states have passed specific low-THC medical marijuana legislation to allow use of cannabidiol (CBD). The medical CBD states are Alabama, Florida, Iowa, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah and Wisconsin.
I asked two attorneys from the McAllister Law Office for their opinions. Nadav Aschner, a civil and regulatory marijuana attorney says, “Yes, CBD oil is legal in states with medical marijuana laws.”
Currently 23 states and the District of Columbia have medical marijuana laws, including Colorado, which has become a draw for families seeking to try CBD as a treatment for severe childhood illnesses.
The legality of CBD oil is complex because it could be derived from marijuana or hemp. While marijuana and hemp are both currently in the federal Schedule I drug classification, legislation has been introduced that would set the THC maximum for industrial hemp at 0.3 percent and exclude it from the federal definition of marijuana.
According to Colorado drug policy reform and marijuana business attorney Sean McAllister: “Hemp is illegal at the federal level, except for a limited ability of public colleges to request an exemption under federal law.” Colorado law allows hemp cultivation and research, “again with proper permits,” McAllister says. “CBD oil can only be sold in dispensaries if it was produced within the closed-loop dispensary system.”
A closed-loop system is a requirement for any solvent-based extraction performed by a marijuana-infused product (MIP) manufacturer licensed by the Colorado Marijuana Enforcement Division. Aschner adds, “Keep in mind that the scope of an MIP license requires all products to leave the facility at greater than 0.3 percent THC.” So, a CBD oil manufactured by a MIP would not be considered hemp in Colorado.
CBD oil also can be manufactured by a company with a commercial industrial hemp license. The oil must be under 0.3 percent THC, according to Colorado regulations. The Colorado Department of Agriculture currently has two types of industrial hemp cultivation licenses: commercial and research and development. Aschner explains, “My research indicates that this extracted oil cannot be shipped across state lines. However, so long as this CBD oil is extracted in Colorado and sold in Colorado, protections exist for your operation.” Aschner adds in this gray area of law, the DEA is not comfortable with the commercial hemp license. XO
Hey, Cannabist!
Modern medicine has ignored the fact that women have libido issues too. Men have all sorts of choices to help them, but women are left with no choice. What strain would you recommend to buy recreationally that would produce a massive need in a woman? –Climbing Colitas in Conifer
Hey, Climbing Colitas!
Is it hot in here all of a sudden? First of all, it’s important to discuss lagging libido issues with your doctor and health care team. This private situation might be a symptom of a greater health problem, an unwanted side effect of a prescription drug or something else. So tell your doctor what is going on — or not going on — in the bedroom.
Now for a few sexy suggestions:
Lisa “MamaKind” Kirkman has sexual marijuana partner games to play in her risque book “SexPot: The Marijuana Lover’s Guide To Getting It On.”
In a phone conversation, Kirkman shared strain recommendations for inducing passion. For infrequent consumers, Kirkman suggests hybrid strains of about a 70/30 ratio instead of 100 percent pure strains to avoid any extreme effects like sleepiness in indicas or paranoia in sativas. Some of Kirkman’s favorite sexy strains are Flo, Skunk #1 and Blueberry.
Depending on your sensibilities, you might be interested in trying other boldly named varieties. A few strains suggest a mind-blowing experience with names like Matanuska Thunder Fuck (MTF) or the similarly-named Alaskan Thunder Fuck (ATF) or Fucking Incredible.
New to the recreational cannabis market are intimacy oils. One such oil is Evos, made by Colorado marijuana extraction company Evolab. Evos is a lubricant made with hash, coconut and vitamin E oils. According to the website, Evos is a natural infused intimate lubricant designed to increase stimulation during sex. Previously available only in medical marijuana dispensaries, Evos is now available in recreational stores.
Another product debuting in Colorado marijuana centers in January 2015 is Foria, a spray bottle containing edible oil made with hash, coconut (and love). Foria is a stimulating oil for women applied 15-30 minutes before sexy time.
If there is a particular strain you are looking for, I recommend searching for the strain on Leafly.com and locating the marijuana centers where it is available. Call a particular center and double-check their inventory before heading out to enhance your libido. XO
