Finding life hacks for almost anything can be a game-changer. Right now, The world has become a global village and it is very easy to reach a large audience in little to no time. This era Is correctly termed the ‘Era of social media, where with one click, anyone can reach millions of people all across the globe. According to the Datareportal July 2022 worldwide summary, social media expansion has progressed:

·       Well over half of the world’s population (59%) now uses digital platforms.

·       Social media is currently used by 4.70 billion people worldwide, with 227 million new users joining in 2021.

·       The average amount of time spent on social media each day is 2 hours and 29 minutes.

With this new age of social media, something else has gotten popular and is not slowing down. Influencers on various social media platforms, with millions of people following them, have become the norm now. A social media influencer is a person who has built a reputation in a certain area, has access to a large audience, and can influence other people to act on their suggestions. In fact, when done correctly, influencer marketing is quickly developing to become a critical tool in any company’s arsenal. It is really a social networking site where people who have a large following have either become instant celebrities or outright businesses. Over time, these individuals and businesses rise to the level of social media influencers or ‘influencers.’ With the debut of TikTok, a site that has been touted as a turning point in the world of social media because of its reach, functionality, and shareability, that phrase has taken on a greater identity.

But with this comes great responsibility, that is to put out correct information to the masses. When you know that thousands of people are following you and will take your suggestions seriously, it is very important that the information that is being put out to the masses is double-checked first.

The problems with life hacks:

Life hacks are little recommendations that are intended to make things easier in subtle ways or to amaze others with your inventiveness. These are quick wins that have spread like wildfire over the internet. For the most part, such life hacks are enjoyable, beneficial, and practical in assisting us to better our way of living. However, they may also be pointless distractions that appear clever but cannot save us any time or energy.

Some wrong cannabis life hacks:

There are many wrong life hacks promoted by cannabis users and influencers alike, but they can prove to be more lethal than helpful.

1. Edibles are completely safe:

This is nowhere near the truth and has even been scientifically debunked.

Edibles, which are foods that have marijuana or cannabis-infused in them, are one of the cannabis products that may contain Delta-8 THC and cause “adverse effects”.

The threat stems from Delta-8 THC addiction, which can cause the following symptoms:

·       Lethargy

·       Uncoordinated movement and a reduction in the psychomotor ability

·       Unsteady speech

·       Increased heart rate followed by slower heart rate

·       minimal blood pressure

·       Breathing difficulties

·       Drowsiness

The CDC reported an increase in delta-8 THC reports in emergency departments involved in the National Syndromic Surveillance Program (NSSP). The first report mentioning delta-8 THC was received by the NSSP in September 2020, with regular increases ever since. This year, the National Poison Data System (NPDS) documented 660 delta-8 exposures from January 1 to July 31. 18% of the exposures necessitated hospitalization, with 39 percent of individuals being under the age of 18.

Only approximately 9%, or 238 cases, of the 2,567 marijuana-related trips to the ER at the University of Colorado Hospital in Denver from 2012 to 2016 contained edibles. However, those cases had a higher proportion of short-term mental disorders, with 18% of edible users experiencing symptoms such as anxiety and psychosis relative to roughly 11% of cannabis smokers, according to a study published March 25 in Annals of Internal Medicine.

2. Cannabis is not addictive:

The idea that cannabis is not addictive and hence can be used whenever and wherever is also not true.

Addiction is more prevalent with substances such as alcohol or cocaine. However, marijuana, commonly termed cannabis, can also become addictive. That implies you won’t be able to stop consuming it even when you want to. According to studies, one out of every ten persons who have used marijuana can become addicted. If you begin using it before the age of 18, your odds increase to 1 in 6. Marijuana usage can result in the onset of a marijuana use disorder that can progress to addiction in extreme situations. According to recent studies, 30% of marijuana users may have a marijuana use disorder.

Marijuana use disorders are frequently related to dependency, which occurs when a person has symptoms of withdrawal when not using the substance. Marijuana users commonly experience irritation, mood and sleep troubles, reduced appetite, cravings, unrest, and/or different types of physical discomfort that often spike during the first week of quitting and persist for up to two weeks. Marijuana dependence develops when the brain adjusts to high doses of the drug by decreasing synthesis and tolerance toward its own endocannabinoid messengers. Marijuana use disorder progresses to addiction when a person is unable to quit taking the substance despite the fact that it conflicts with many elements of his or her lifestyle.

3. You don’t have to grind cannabis, it is a waste of time:

This hack has already been debunked many times but somehow is still floating around, especially within those groups of people who are fairly new to cannabis use.

Grinding cannabis has various advantages that improve the entire vaping experience.

To begin, grinding your cannabis allows air to move freely throughout the bong, bowl, as well as joint, resulting in a smoother burn with more equal draw throughout.

The other advantage of grinding your marijuana is that doing so increases the surface area over which you may roast the herb. This means that more of those tasty, THC-rich trichomes evaporate off the bud and into the lungs once they catch fire. According to the most recent Fact.MR report, grinder sales are expected to increase significantly between 2021 and 2031, with a CAGR of roughly 3.1%.

Cannabis hacks one should know:

While there do exist some bad hacks which result in more problems than ease, there are also some good hacks out there that every cannabis user should know:

1. Honey as a glue:

Honey can work as glue for sealing a blunt or a joint. This is known as a honey blunt. For sealing the end of a blunt wrap, use honey rather than water. Many people believe that honey blunts taste better than conventional blunts because they burn slower and finer. Nevertheless, adding honey rather than water to seal the blunt might make smoking more difficult and clog the end. Use pure raw honey instead of processed honey since processing alters the chemical composition of honey and it can be damaging to your health. Excessive honey will also jam the blunt, preventing you from striking it. When preparing a honey blunt, be sure to thoroughly bind the end of the blunt with honey, just like you would with a standard wrap.

2. Sour candies and water:

Most cannabis users are aware of or encountered cottonmouth (dry mouth) as a side effect. Dry mouth is a rather typical side effect of cannabis use, and most people refer to it as “cottonmouth.” To fight this, take a sour candy and chew on it for a few minutes. This causes the salivary glands to generate more saliva. Sweet candy would be detrimental because it might cause cavities. To keep your lips moist, you can also use sugar-free chewy candies, Xylitol lozenges, as well as ice chips. Drinking water is another simple solution for dry mouth, especially after using cannabis. The main thing is to drink water all day long or before, during, and after using cannabis.

3. Mangoes for a stronger high:

Plenty of cannabis vapers claim that eating mango right before using cannabis allows them to experience the effects faster, more powerfully, and for a longer amount of time. Myrcene, a terpene, gives mangoes their delightful aroma. Some strains generate more of this terpene than others and mangoes aid in the production of this terpene in weak strains. Myrcene is what permits THC to pass across the blood-brain shield at a quicker pace than it would otherwise travel without the terpene. This is also responsible for the “couch lock” effect of indica strains. If you eat several mangoes 45 minutes before smoking, your high will be sharper and quicker.

Bottom-line:

Hacks are definitely something that makes our life and the things we do easier but it must be kept in mind that some of the many hacks can result in some sort of harm. When you have a huge number of people following you, it is always better to take necessary precautions about any information you are putting out, since many people can be wrongly influenced by even a small error on the influencer’s part. If everything is done correctly, a positive community can be built where people work together to make life a little easier.