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Many cannabis consumers report that cannabis helps them with sleep issues, or that consumption of high-THC cannabis makes them sleepy. Many chronic consumers of high-THC cannabis report sleep disturbances and especially vivid dreams for some time upon abstention (taking a “THC break”). Many anecdotes, patient surveys, and studies indicate that cannabis seems to influence sleep and dreaming, but there are many factors involved: dose, frequency of consumption, tolerance, age, sex, etc.

Biology is complicated.

What do we specifically know about how cannabis influences sleep and dreaming?

Because high-THC products dominate the commercial marketplace and THC has the clearest connection to sleep among the cannabinoids, we will focus on what some of the latest scientific studies are revealing about THC’s influence on sleep. Before doing that, we will get a basic understanding about the biological functions of sleep, sleep architecture. From there, we will be in a good position to understand what is known about how THC impacts sleep.

Electronic vaporization of cannabis was supposed to be the safer alternative to smoking. After all, users still get all the benefits of the cannabinoids and terpenes without inhaling combusted products like carbon monoxide, plant matter particulates, or the over 100 toxins that are released when flower is burned.

However, a few years ago, an outbreak lung illness, most of which were tied to the vaporization of illegal THC-containing oils, challenged this illusion of safety. Vitamin E acetate, a cheap thickening additive for diluting oils was deemed the culprit and quickly removed from products, yet its prevalence may persist in illicit oils and vape pens.

Even though the rates of these electronic vaporization associated lung illnesses (EVALIs) have been falling drastically since their peak in September 2019, safety concerns around cannabis vaporization are still present in peer reviewed scientific reports and in popular media sources. While much has been written about the pros and cons of vaping compared to smoking cannabis, it’s important to re-address the topic in the post-vitamin E acetate era to draw comparisons.

After a nailbiter of a signature gathering campaign, Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft announced today, August 9, that the Show-Me State will vote on whether to legalize adult-use marijuana this November.

Proponents had been left in the dark as state officials counted and validated signatures gathered by the group Legal Missouri. 

Even though the group collected nearly twice as many raw signatures as the law required—over 385,000—there was an additional threshold to cross: Any ballot campaign in Missouri must gather an amount of signatures that’s equal to at least 8% of the votes cast in the state’s most recent gubernatorial election (an election for governor)…in at least six of the state’s eight congressional districts.