Consumer Updates

Get the Best Car Loan Rate Despite a Low Credit Score

Article from http://www.consumerreports.org

If you’ve ever financed the purchase of a car or a refrigerator, you know your credit score is important to getting a good deal. A good credit score can get you a lower interest rate, while a poor credit score—or having no credit—pushes you into the subprime category. This indicates a higher risk to the lender, so you have to pay more, adding significant finance costs on top of the purchase price.

Anywhere from a fifth to a quarter of all auto loans fall in the subprime category, according to analysts at TrueCar, a major online automotive marketplace that is partnered with Consumer Reports. That’s more than 5 million car loans per year.

But your credit rating may not be the only factor driving up the rate on your car loan. If you finance through the car dealer, using a lending option that they broker rather than a bank or credit union, the rate is often higher because the dealership takes a cut for acting as the middleman. Further, a recent study shows that car-loan rates for Black or Hispanic consumers can be higher because of bias and weak government oversight. But there are ways to keep the rate on your car loan as low as possible. Although Consumer Reports and other auto loan experts recommend improving your credit rating before applying for a loan, real-life circumstances don't always allow enough time to do that.

Perhaps the best way to get a lower rate is to see what your bank or credit union is offering instead of the car dealer. “Before you go to the dealership, shop around and compare interest rates for yourself, so you know what's available based on your credit and income,” says Chuck Bell, programs director for CR’s advocacy division. “Many lenders will give you a direct loan, so you don't have to work through the dealership to get their often higher-priced financing," Bell says. "You can apply for loans to banks or credit unions, and some lenders will prequalify you for the amount you are seeking with a soft credit check, which won't hurt your credit score.”

In general, those with excellent credit will get the best rates. People with poor credit ratings or no credit—those who haven’t had to make payments on credit cards and other monthly bills lately—will pay the highest rates. Rates are marked up on subprime loans because the borrower is more likely to default on the loan.

“Your score is designed to be a predictor of your risk of paying back what you borrow,” says Alain Nana-Sinkam, vice president of strategic initiatives at TrueCar. “It looks at your history of paying bills, credit cards, auto, home and personal loans on time, and uses that information to predict your future behavior and therefore your risk.”

A low credit score means you won’t qualify for the catchy zero percent offers highlighted in ads for new cars, and it means that you could pay hundreds or even thousands of dollars more in interest over the life of the loan. According to Experian one of the major credit reporting agencies, credit scores are broken down as follows: • Excellent: 800-850 This category includes 21 percent of borrowers and gets the best rates. • Very Good: 740-799 A quarter of borrowers fall into this category, which promises better-thanaverage interest rates from lenders. • Good: 670-739 This segment covers 21 percent of borrowers, and Experian says only 8 percent of the group is likely to become seriously delinquent on payments. • Fair: 580-669 This category is considered subprime and comprises 17 percent of borrowers. • Poor: 300-579 Only 16 percent of borrowers are in the deep subprime category, which carries the likelihood of extra fees, deposits, or loan application rejections. “The sad reality is that if you're a subprime buyer, you're going to pay more interest than someone with a good credit score,” says Matt DeLorenzo, managing editor at Kelley

Blue Book.

• Know your credit score. Experian recommends checking your credit score at least once per year as a matter of course. That way, you’ll know where you stand so that you can manage expectations regarding loan eligibility and be aware of what you have to do to bring up your score. You should also look for errors in your credit report, which can affect your score, Bell says. “Luckily, there is no shortage of sites you can visit online to get a free credit score," says Nana-Sinkam. “All the major credit bureaus offer one free credit report annually.” • If there’s time, improve your score. A credit score can be improved in a number of ways, mostly by paying bills on time. Always pay credit card and other bills when they’re due, even if it’s only the minimum payment. This is good advice for any loan—the more you pay up front, the less you’ll pay in the long run. • Bring a bigger down payment. “Having a bigger down payment reduces the amount of loan you need, and a smaller loan means less interest,” says Amy Wang, associate director of Credit Karma Auto. “A down payment can be in the form of cash, a trade-in vehicle, or a combination of the two.” • Get prequalified. Much like knowing your credit score, getting prequalified for a loan from your bank helps manage expectations about what’s possible. • Talk to your financial institution and see what’s available. Nana-Sinkam says that before you get prequalified, it’s a good idea to review your credit report to see if there are any disputable items. Every little bit helps, and just a few corrections can get you a better rate. Getting approved for a loan before you go to buy a car gives you yet another bargaining chip. • “Have a rate you can take to the dealer to see if they can beat it,” says DeLorenzo. “The dealers may have access to programs that can get subprime borrowers a better rate.” • See what the dealer's manufacturer is offering. If you’re in the market for a new vehicle, manufacturers such as Chrysler, Hyundai, and Kia often have programs for subprime borrowers, says DeLorenzo. You have to dig around on their websites to see what’s out there, and keep in mind that this type of deal is going to be found on less expensive cars. “Most of the subprime lending you'll see is on entry-level and economy cars—the bottom end of the product lineup,” he says. “I don't think any manufacturer wants to leverage a subprime buyer into a high-margin vehicle like a luxury car or a pickup truck.”

• Consider buying a used vehicle. In general, used cars cost less money, and the value of a used car is more likely to stay stable for longer than a new car, which will depreciate rapidly. That means used-car transactions pose less risk for the lender, and there is a higher likelihood that a subprime borrower will be approved for a loan. “In our experience, most subprime buyers shop the used-car market because they're looking for vehicles at a lower price point,” says Wang. • Report suspected discrimination. Racial discrimination in auto lending is nothing new. Ally Financial, which services loans for several automakers, settled a discrimination lawsuit for $80 million only a few years ago. An academic report published in December found that Black and Hispanic borrowers were 1.5 percent less likely to be approved for a loan and that they pay 0.7 percent higher interest rates, regardless of their credit. The study found that although bank loans—which are federally regulated—were much less likely to be discriminatory, more than 80,000 Black and Hispanic borrowers were denied loans they would have been approved for had they been white.

Loans offered by dealers are known as indirect loans, because the dealer arranges financing through a third-party company. But the dealer doesn’t have to share loan offers that come back from the lender with the borrower. This is how they markup loans for profit, and as outlined in last year’s study, how dealers were able to charge minority borrowers more. A federal rule enacted in 2013 placed auto lending under the guidance of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and reduced discriminatory auto lending by 60 percent. But the rule was overturned by Congress several months before the 2018 midterm election. “Unlike mortgage lenders, who report each application through the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act, auto lenders do not systematically report application or loan level data, making it difficult for regulators to monitor lenders for discriminatory practices,” says Erik Mayer, one of the authors of the study. “We find the strongest evidence of discrimination in the Deep South, the Ohio River Valley, and parts of the Southwest. Our estimates of discrimination in auto lending correlate strongly with state-level measures of the prevalence of racial biases.”

If you suspect discriminatory lending, Mayer suggests filing a report with the CFPB (consumer finance.gov) or with the Federal Trade Commission.

Has 'Free' Coronavirus Testing Become a Surprise Medical Bill

COVID-19 tests should cost nothing if you have health Insurance, but some are being billed thousands of dollars.

After Stephanie Nickolas learned that a co-worker’s husband tested positive for COVID-19, she decided to get tested to see if she had the disease or antibodies that might reveal whether she ever had the infection.

Nickolas, 45, went to CityMD, an urgent care chain near where she lives in Brooklyn, N.Y., which she found listed as a free testing site through New York City’s government website.

Nickolas, a high school science teacher, was relieved when both tests came back negative. But about a month later, Nickolas was surprised when she got a $300 bill from CityMD. She went to her insurer’s website to look up the claim and saw that the company had already paid CityMD. When she contacted CityMD to ask about the bill, she was told it was a mistake and to ignore it. “I was so mad when I got the bill,” says Nickolas, who is teaching summer school remotely. “The government tells everyone to get tested and has kept saying it was no cost. I did the right thing and made sure I was healthy to be out in public. I felt like CityMD was using the pandemic to make a bunch of money.” CityMD didn’t respond to our request to comment on Nickolas’ billing problem, but on its website, it says it is not collecting copays for COVID-19 testing and does not bill for lab testing. Billing problems like Nickolas the one had aren’t supposed to happen. Congress mandated free COVID-19 testing as part of two coronavirus aid packages signed into law in March–the Families First Coronavirus Response Act and the Corona Aid Relief, and Economic Security Act.

Those laws require health insurers to cover medically appropriate COVID-19 and antibody testing without any cost to consumers. According to the law, that means no copay, coinsurance, or need to meet a deductible as well as no charge for the testing itself or the related doctor’s appointment. Congress also set aside a pool of money to cover people who are uninsured.

But because of loopholes in the law, mistakes by insurers and healthcare providers and confusion about what is cover d, some consumers like Stephanie Nickolas are getting hit with surprise medical bills for COVID-19 testing that can be hundreds or thousands of dollars. Nickolas says she worries that some people won’t realize coronavirus testing is free or just won’t have time to fight the bill.

The problem is likely to get worse as COVID-19 cases rise sharply in parts of the U.S. and the push for testing grows, says Karen Pollitz, a senior fellow at the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) who has co-authored several reports on the financial impact of the pandemic. It’s yet another healthcare issue that hits communities of color harder. That’s because these groups account for a higher share of cases and deaths relative to their population, in particular in states experiencing a spike in coronavirus infections and deaths. A recent Kff analysis forecast that as the COVID-19 pandemic intensifies in the South and West, it’s likely to affect Hispanic and Black people especially, because they are also at higher risk of experiencing more serious symptoms and have more barriers to accessing healthcare.

The Cost of Getting Tested.

The charges for COVID-19 testing can be substantial. While a recent analysis by KFF of the two largest hospitals in every state and Washington, D.C., found that about half of healthcare providers that posted list prices for COVID-19 tests charge $100 to $199, 19

percent charged $200 or more. Meanwhile, of the hospitals that posted prices for antibody tests, almost 60 percent of those tests cost $50 to $149 while 16 percent were $150 or more.

What Can Trigger a Surprise Medical Bill. There are a number of situations in which COVID-19 and antibody testing can trigger a medical bill, says Pollitz at the KFF. Here are circumstances to watch out for. In those cases, you’ll have to pay up front, then submit the bill to your insurer to get reimbursed.

You get evaluated for COVID-19 but don’t get a test. Not everyone who goes in for a COVID-19 test will necessarily get the test. A healthcare provider might order a test for other health problems first, such as pneumonia or the flu, and if one of those is positive, a COVID-19 test might not be needed, which could leave you with a bill for the tests you did get. Kaiser reported one case in which a woman who had COVID-19-like symptoms got a bill after going to the emergency room for a test but was charged for the visit even though the hospital didn’t have any testing kits available.

You don’t have comprehensive insurance. Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance plans must adhere to federal laws on free coronavirus testing. But if you have short term health insurance, which doesn’t meet regulations set by the Affordable Care Act for minimum essential coverage, federal requirements for insurance to cover COVID-19 and antibody tests don’t apply.

You don’t have any insurance. People without health insurance don’t have the same guarantee as those with coverage to get free testing, though Congress did try to address that. Under the coronavirus relief laws passed earlier this year, the government set up the Provider Relief Fund. Instead of billing you, hospitals or healthcare providers who provide testing services to the uninsured can submit claims to the fund. But not all hospitals or doctors are aware of the fund or want to go through the paperwork hassle to apply for reimbursement, says Pinder from ClearHealthCosts. “It’s easier to bill you,” Pinder says. In that case, you should appeal the bill.

Your employer requires a test. Federal law applies only to individual diagnostic testing–such as when you seek treatment for COVID-19-like symptoms or think you have been exposed to someone with COVID-19. But another category of testing, known as surveillance testing, which may be done to assess how prevalent the disease is in a particular area or by employers who want to screen workers returning to the office, isn’t covered under the federal law. According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, insurers are not required to pay for testing for general public health assessments or workplace screening for COVID-19. Employers who do require workers to get periodic testing can pay for the tests, but their health insurer plan doesn’t have to cover that cost, which can lead to confusion over who is responsible for the bill.

You get treatment for COVID-19. While the doctor visit and test are covered, there are no federal laws that require health insurance companies to cover the cost of treatment related to COVID-19 health problems if you are insured. If you end up testing positive for the coronavirus and get treatment or are admitted to a hospital, you can expect to be charged for your care, and have to pay your normal deductibles and copays and, if your provider is not in your network, possibly higher out-of-network fees, too.

You go out of network. If you go to a doctor or hospital not in your insurance company’s network for your test, insurers are supposed to pay the full price the provider charges. But in a loophole in the law, the KFF found that if the price isn’t publicly posted and the insurer and healthcare provider can’t agree on a price for the testing, you could end up with a bill for what the insurer won’t cover. Also be aware that not all healthcare providers that offer tests take insurance.

Poet Amanda Gorman on 'Full-Circle' During Inauguration - How It Connects Her to Biden

Amanda S. C. Gorman is an American poet and activist. Her work focuses on issues of oppression, feminism, race, and marginalization, as well as the African diaspora. Gorman was the first person to be named National Youth Poet Laureate. She published the poetry book The One for Whom Food Is Not Enough in 2015. In 2021, she delivered her poem "The Hill We Climb" at the inauguration of U.S. President Joe Biden. Her inauguration poem generated international acclaim, stimulated her two books to reach best-seller status, and earned her a professional management contract.

With more than 50 years between them and vastly different backgrounds, Amanda Gorman and new President Joe Biden may not, at first consideration, seem to have much in common. But in fact, the 22-year-old — who read her poem "The Hill We Climb" at Biden's inauguration on Wednesday — told Robin Roberts Thursday on Good Morning America that they actually have a significant connection: their speech impediments.

While "President Biden has been super open about his stutter," Gorman told Roberts, 60, that her own "speech impediment wasn't a stutter, but it was dropping several letters that I just could not say for years." "Most specifically the 'R' sound, which it would take until probably I was 20 to say — meaning that I couldn't say words like 'poetry' or even 'Gorman,' which is my last name," she continued. "I had to really work at it and practice to get to where I am today."

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Joe Biden Makes Symbolic Changes to Oval Office Reflecting Goals as President

Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. is an American politician who is the 46th and current president of the United States since 2021. A member of the Democratic Party, Biden served as the 47th vice president during the Obama administration from 2009 to 2017. He represented Delaware in the United States Senate from 1973 to 2009.

Not long after he was inaugurated, President Donald Trump had a portrait of the populist and controversial President Andrew Jackson placed prominently in the Oval Office, looking down as he held photo ops, signed sweeping executive orders and sparred with reporters. But that painting of Jackson has been replaced. Now, next to President Joe Biden as he sits at the Resolute desk is a portrait of one of America's founders, Benjamin Franklin.

Other symbolic changes Biden has made include adding busts of labor organizer and Latino civil rights activist Cesar Chavez, Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, Eleanor Roosevelt, and former Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, as well as portraits of Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson. It was important for President Biden to walk into an Oval that looked like America and started to show the landscape of who he is going to be as president," Ashley Williams, the deputy director of Oval Office operations, told the Washington Post.

The busts of King and Kennedy, who Biden on the campaign trail called his political heroes, are in his direct view on either side of the Oval Office fireplace.

The Chavez bust sits among photos of Biden’s family, including one of his beloved late son, Beau, on a table behind him.

SPOTLIGHT THE POPULARITY OF WEED

WOMEN & WEED

The idea that the cannabis industry is a maledriven market is going up in smoke (pun most definitely intended). Thanks to Miley Cyrus, Broad City’s Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson, and Rihanna, pot-smoking women are becoming more and more visible. The stereotype that only men smoke cannabis is one that needs to be dismantled. It inaccurately reflects market reality and attempts to box women into sexist social roles, further perpetuating harmful myths about cannabis. In the spirit of getting rid of these stereotypes and celebrating the increased visibility of pot-smoking women, here are the top reasons why marijuana could truly be useful for women:

1. Helps Treat Reproductive Health Issues

According to the Endocannabinoid Deficiency Foundation, cannabis can be an effective way to treat endometriosis and other female reproductive health issues.

2. Leads to Better Sex

Several studies have confirmed what potheads have already discovered: getting high tends to create more meaningful, more intimate, and a more allaround better experience.

3. Helps Women Through Menopause

Neuroscientist Michele Ross says that “cannabis is an optimal alternative for women who cannot take Estrogen Replacement Therapy due to the history of breast or ovarian cancer, heart disease, or lack of health insurance.”

4. Creates Longer, More Intense Orgasms

“Orgasms seem to last for 30 seconds and are incredibly intense,” said one women who was interviewed by Elite Daily. According to Dr. Mitch Earleywine, cannabis triggers receptors in the brain that are linked to “tactile sensations and general euphoria.”

5. Carve Out Time For Yourself

One of the benefits of marijuana use, in general, is that it helps you carve out a little bit of “me” time. This can be precious for women working hard to juggle numerous demands, responsibilities, and pressures.

6. Helps Create a Well-Balanced Life

Cannabis can help lead to a more balanced lifestyle, encouraging time away from the daily grind, making space for relaxation, and providing a variety of health and dietary benefits.

7. Long History Between Women and Weed

Despite what outdated stereotypes may say, women and weed go way back: Queen Victoria most likely smoked pot. The world’s oldest woman, Fulla Nayak, smoked pot regularly. And the female marijuana plant itself is the producer of the marijuana bud.

Now that you’ve finished reading all this feel free to get high in honor of the many connections between women and weed. lol

Martha Stewart™ CBD

Martha is loving and living the CBD lifestyle. She threw her mogul clout into CBD business in September 2020 and learned that only 20 percent of people have actually tried it. Because of this small percentage Martha felt that it was time for her to create beautifully elevate products that help people live well. The opportunity was an open door for her to step into the CBD WORLD.

Direct CBD Online offers CBD products from Martha Stewart. In a partnership with Canopy Growth, worldrenowned hemp, and cannabis device company, the Martha Stewart brand is excited to become a leader in the CBD space.

Under the umbrella of Canadian cannabis giant Canopy Growth Stewarts line includes gummies, oils, and gels from $30 to #40. Martha was closely involved with the development which is why her products feature “gourmet” natural flavors including lemon, kumquat and huckleberry, Snoop dog introduced Martha to Canopy Growth.

Martha Stewart CBD was developed to inspire the curious to step confidently into the world of CBD wellness. Recipes and flavors developed with Martha to ensure that wellness never outperforms flavor, and is never a hard choice. CBD wellness has never been this inviting, and certainly has never tasted this good.

Martha’s Belief in CBD Wellness

Martha is a personal advocate of CBD and its natural health benefits. This inspired her to develop products that will delight and deliver to consumers in ways other competitors can’t. Furthermore, Martha Stewart believes in the ability of CBD to impact health and wellness and has crafted her line to support consumers’ wellness ambitions.

As you can see, Martha’s signature flair and attention detail are also evident among product packaging, flavors, and selection. The products feature botanical watercolor artwork created exclusively for her collection.

About Martha Stewart™ CBD Products

Martha Stewart is the newest CBD brand from Canopy Growth Corporation in the U.S. Naturally, it was developed using the purest, safest isolated CBD. This means it’s always consistent, high quality, and never a risk. Martha selected Canopy Growth as her partner due to their science first approach and dedication to delivering quality products through a medical and pharmaceutical lens — all the while keeping them at price points accessible to all consumers. In Martha’s premier collection, you can choose from CBD gummies in two delicious varieties — Citrus Medley and Berry Medley — featuring the natural flavors of kumquat, blood orange, raspberry, and huckleberry. They’re as decadent as they sound and offer 10mg of CBD per gummy. There is also a variety of tinctures, featuring the flavors of Meyer lemon, blood orange, and natural. Finally, if you want to have a convenient, consistent serving of CBD along with your supplements, you will love Martha’s seamless softgels. In Martha’s expanded collection, you can now choose from two tempting gummy samplers. Either make a great gift for yourself, to share with your family, or someone special. We can’t wait to bring you even more products from Martha in the near future as an exclusive outside retailer!

Martha Stewart Pet CBD

The long-awaited Martha Stewart Pet CBD line is finally here! Backed by the top researchers in animal health at Canopy Animal Health, these pet products are a cut above. Whether you choose from tasty chews for your beloved dogs or an oil, your pooch will love the CBD goodness and fresh, natural flavors.

The Food & Wine Guide to Culinary Cannabis

By Amanda M. Faison

In the last decade, marijuana has moved into the mainstream and onto the dinner table. As more chefs and entrepreneurs get in on the green rush, we're left to wonder: How do you eat and drink cannabis?

PHOTO CREDIT: STEFEN ROSS

On a recent Friday night, I got together with 180 strangers to get stoned. We convened at a swank event space at the invitation of 99th Floor, a cannabis dinner party pop-up company helmed by Jeepney chef Miguel Trinidad. "We want to destigmatize cannabis through the universal language of food," Trinidad said, before sending out a tour de force of cannabis cooking: Weed permeated the stock for the beef shank served in a gingery broth with spaetzle and fry bread; its flower was shaved over a carpaccio of charred, cannabis-infused octopus; terpenes, nonpsychoactive aromatic chemical compounds from the cannabis plant, provided floral notes to the roasted fennel that accompanied lamb chops that had been cooked, sous vide, in infused fat. (And my fears aside, nothing tasted like bong water. It was all delicious.) As each course was served, Trinidad called attention to where THC (the compound responsible for marijuana's psychoactive effects) was incorporated—in a smoky eggplant puree with the carpaccio, in a Bordelaise sauce on the lamb—allowing us to moderate our intake somewhat. It was good that I'd talked to Trinidad about all of this ahead of time, because somewhere between the second and third courses, my eyeballs started feeling really weird, and my notes from the rest of the dinner were limited to: "Feeling great. Mirage burps. Womp womp." Trinidad and his business partner, Doug Cohen, compare their approach to cannabis as analogous to a fine-dining meal with wine pairings. "The goal is not to have you hammered," says Cohen. "It's a journey of the senses, an experience." 99th Floor is one of many new businesses working to meet the new cannabis consumer. Thanks to the growing social acceptance and legalization of cannabis, the number of adults trying it for the first time is skyrocketing. And an awful lot of people aren't smoking it—they are eating and drinking it.

According to studies by Arcview Market Research and BDS Analytics, which studies cannabis consumption, the top growth category is consumable cannabis. For the most part, that means edibles, which is a section of the cannabis market that has evolved far past the pot brownie; it also includes THC- and CBD-infused drinks, even ice cream. And across the nation, chefs and diners are exploring the versatility of the cannabis plant at the table in ways Jerry Garcia could never have imagined: infusing foods, pairing inhaled marijuana with food, and mining the spectrum of flavor profiles and distinct psychoactive effects of different cannabis strains.

At 99th Floor, I was lucky to be in the hands of a chef who was conservative with the dosing, so I left the evening pleasantly buzzed and not too high to find my way home. But it's the wild west when it comes to culinary cannabis, and for every carefully dosed dinner party series, there's somebody eating too many THC-laced gummies and having a terrible night. Wondering how to navigate this new world?

PHOTO CREDIT: WINSLOW TAFT

CREDIT: SOURCES CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: 2018 GALLUP POLL; BDS ANALYTICS; ZENITH GLOBAL US CBD DRINKS REPORT

The Basics

Put simply, marijuana and hemp are cousins in the cannabis family. The primary difference is that marijuana contains more tetra-hydrocannabinol, or THC, which has psychoactive effects on the human brain. Hemp, on the other hand, has extremely low levels of THC (0.3% or less) and is nonintoxicating. Both contain scores of cannabinoids (including cannabidiol, or CBD) and terpenes, which are aromatic chemical compounds that many believe can aid relaxation, cause changes in mood, and decrease inflammation. Most CBD on the market is derived from hemp and has no psychoactive effects.

Without guidelines from the FDA (which is still exploring how to regulate CBD), it's critical that consumers do their homework before purchasing CBD products. Ashlae Warner of SuperGood, a CBD company based in Denver, recommends going to a company's website and looking for the Certificate of Analysis (COA), or third-party testing results that show the quantity of cannabinoids in the product. If the company won't share one, move on. When it comes to THC edibles, states where recreational marijuana is legal, including California, Colorado, Massachusetts, and Nevada, require testing for potency and contaminants by a third-party laboratory—but standards vary. A good sign that the product you're considering is legit. Prominent dosing information and testing by an accredited lab right where you can see it: on the label or on the website.

PHOTO CREDIT: STEFEN ROSS PHOTO CREDIT: KRISTIN TEIG

The First-Ever Legal Cannabis Restaurant

At the Original Cannabis Cafe in Los Angeles, guests can openly smoke pot and eat infused edibles while snacking on vegan nachos and sticky tamarind wings. Its opening represents the culmination of three-and-a-half years of legal hoop-jumping and bureaucratic negotiating. Guests order food and drinks from one menu, and pre-rolled joints, loose marijuana flower, edibles, and cannabis concentrates from another. Bongs and glass pipes are available for rent. Due to California law, cannabis and alcohol are prohibited from being sold at the same venue, so all drinks are nonalcoholic, though some of them contain cannabis. Nothing on the food menu is infused, and guests can't take home any leftover cannabis. The idea is to enjoy imbibing before and during your meal, as you would with a glass of wine.

That last point is particularly important to chef Andrea Drummer. The soft-spoken 47-year-old wants to destigmatize cannabis consumption in the U.S. "There's no better way to normalize [cannabis] than by combining it with something we do every day: eat," Drummer says. "It's two communal experiences at once. "

She hopes that the restaurant and other operations like it will help change both the cultural perception of cannabis and the legal status quo. Despite more states legalizing, cannabis arrests are rising, and according to the ACLU, black users are nearly four times more likely to be arrested than white, despite roughly equal usage.

The cafe is attempting to counter some of that disparity by offering a Social Equity and Reparative Justice Program, which gives employment priority to recently pardoned nonviolent cannabis offenders reentering society. Drummer is outspoken on this point. "Why is it that I get to earn a living by doing something that's normal, while other people are doing life in prison?" she asks. —Jamie Feldmar

SOURCE: BDS ANALYTICS AND EAZE 2018 STATE OF CANNABIS REPORT

Edibles Grow Up

The most common edible purchased and consumed today is the gummy. "Far and away," says Greg Shoenfeld, vice president of operations at BDS Analytics, a cannabis analytics company based in Boulder, Colorado. "And these are sophisticated confectioneries." That, in a microcosm, is the forward motion of the ingestible market, the cannabis industry's fastest-growing sector, which pulled in $712 million from January 2019 to June 2019, an increase of 27.5% from the previous year.

The new face of edibles is beautiful packaging, refined flavors, and quality ingredients. The sugared gummy pearls of Portland, Oregon–based Grön are a shining example, as is Denver-based Coda Signature's coffee and doughnuts chocolate bar, dusted just so with cinnamon sugar. "There was an opening for wonderful flavors, quality ingredients, and bringing about nostalgia," says Lauren Gockley, director of edibles for Coda Signature, who spent two years working with chocolate and pastry under Thomas Keller at Per Se in New York City. In August 2019, Coda also launched a line of highend fruit chews à la pâte de fruits in flavors such as strawberry rhubarb and, Gockley's favorite, coconut lime with makrut lime–infused sugar.

The high from an edible is very different (and has a delayed onset) than the one from inhaling marijuana. "Don't fear the edible; just start slow," says Laurie Wolf, founder of Laurie + MaryJane, an influential cannabis edibles company in Portland, Oregon.

PHOTO CREDIT: FRANK LAWLOR/KITCHEN TOKE

Start Low, Go Slow

Edibles often contain 5 to 10 milligrams of THC, but if you're new to cannabis, start by microdosing with 1 or 2 milligrams and work up from there. Unlike inhaled marijuana, it can take over an hour to feel an edible's effects—and the high lasts much longer. So divide a 5milligram gummy into quarters and eat one piece, or look for smaller doses.

Store Them Safely

Edibles look just like regular treats. To avoid accidental intoxication (especially by children), store edibles in clearly marked bags (such as those from kushsupplyco.com) and way out of kids' reach.

PHOTO CREDIT: EVA KOLENKO/KITCHEN TOKE

8 Edibles to Look For

99th Floor

Chef Miguel Trinidad will soon launch a line of edibles in California and, once legalization takes hold, New York. Until then, dinner guests can take home a goody bag of THC-infused hard candies. facebook.com/99thfl

Coda Signature

These truffles and chocolate bars are some of the most popular in the Colorado market. "Some people only get half a square, so it better taste amazing," says Lauren Gockley, director of edibles. codasignature.com

Grön

Premium THC- and CBD-infused chocolate bars, sugar-coated pearls, and chocolate-covered coffee beans in gorgeous, modern packaging from Christine Smith, a Portland, Oregon–based former architect. gronchocolate.com

Laurie + Mary Jane

Cake bites, truffles, cheese crackers, and a potent fudge (called Fudge Yourself and dosed at 50 milligrams of THC apiece) show the range of this Portland, Oregon, company from cannabis advocate Laurie Wolf. laurieandmaryjane.com

Lord Jones

Made in Los Angeles, these dazzling gumdrops (in flavors like green apple) and chocolate confections (like the dark chocolate espresso chews) are infused with CBD and come in boxes suited for fine jewelry. lordjones.com

Mindy's Edibles

Chicago chef Mindy Segal, who won the James Beard Award for Outstanding Pastry Chef in 2012, has turned to creating cannabisinfused cookies, brittles, and more. And yes, there is a pot-infused brownie. mindysedibles.com

Numb Nuts

Adam Weiss, owner of Breckenridge Organic Therapy (a dispensary), and his wife, Carlin Karr, wine director at Frasca Food and Wine, roast nuts and pepitas with maple syrup, rosemary, red pepper flakes, and CBD. numbnutsco.com

Willie's Reserve

Musician Willie Nelson's edibles company was born out of the dedication his wife, Annie, had to creating high-end marijuanainfused chocolate. Today, the line includes fruity chews and hard candies. williesreserve.com

CREDIT: EVA KOLENKO/KITCHEN TOKE

Cannabis at the Table Pairings vs. Infusions

If an event mentions "pairings," that means inhaled marijuana will be matched up with courses throughout the meal. There may be a "budtender." At an infused dinner, THC is in the food.

How to "Taste" a Joint

There's a three-step tasting method for inhaled cannabis, says Rachel Burkons of Altered Plates. First, nose the unlit marijuana to take in the aroma of the terpenes. Then, do a "dry pull," or inhale without lighting, to get the flavor on your palate. Finally, once it's lit, notice the mouthfeel of the smoke. "It's like a wine tasting—nose, aroma, palate, and finish," Burkons says.

If You Overdo It

Drink water and take a walk outside. Some chefs recommend taking some CBD. "When people get too high, they get stressed, and CBD helps them relax and gain focus," says David Yusefzadeh.

Where the Weed Dinners Are 99th Floor (National)

Jeepney chef Miguel Trinidad and his business partner, Doug Cohen, host infused dinners around the U.S.: Think Szechuan noodles with rib eye and infused chile oil (facebook.com/99thfl).

Altered Plates (California)

The brother-sister team of chef Holden Jagger and Rachel Burkons specializes in curated cannabis pairings in and around Los Angeles (alteredplatesevents.com).

Eat Sacrilicious (Massachusetts)

Boston chef David Yusefzadeh offers a terpene cocktail with his CBD- and THC-infused dishes. Save room for the infused ice cream (eatsacrilicious.com).

Herbal Notes (Illinois)

At these fine-dining events in Chicago, chef Manuel Mendoza prepares infused fare like THC-cured salmon in a CBD-infused brown butter with a blood orange–koji glaze (herbalnotes.co).

Mason Jar Event Group (Colorado)

Pairings like a joint or a shaving of THC chocolate over dessert allow guests at Kendal Norris' Denver dinners to set their pace (masonjareventgroup.com).

Michigan Cannabis Chefs (Michigan)

Lynette Marie and Nigel Douglas call their Grand Rapids, Michigan, dinners "field to fork first, cannabis-infused second" (micannabischefs.com).

Sinsemil. La (New York)

This underground New York City supper club focuses its attention on cannabis as part of haute cuisine (sinsemil.la).

Enhanced ice cream is one of the coolest trends in cannabis cuisine. Here are three to scoop now: 3JS Hice Cream

Launched in Denver on April 1, 2019 ("People thought we were joking," says cofounder Jonathan Schillace), this THC-infused "hice" cream can be found in flavors like caramel apple pie at dispensaries across Colorado (3jshicecream.com).

Cloud Creamery

In Boston, chef David Yusefzadeh builds his CBD- and THC-infused flavors around ingredients like fresh mint and vanilla beans. Look for them at dispensaries in Massachusetts; one day, he plans to open a scoop shop (cloudcreamery.co).

Prohibition Creamery

This Austin parlor's lineup includes Afternoon Delight, for which owner Laura Aidan infuses a red velvet ice cream base with hemp-

derived CBD oil and swirls in cream cheese roosting (prohibitioncreamery.com).

CREDIT: EMMA DARVICK

Are cannabis-infused drinks the future of the beverage industry?

Drinks offer an easy pathway to cannabis consumption. "The experience is something that's familiar," says Niccolo Aieta, founder and chief technology officer of Colorado-based Spherex, which makes Phyx, a THC-infused sparkling water. "I have a drink [because] I want to celebrate or party or relax." The earliest adopters of cannabis drinks have been small companies, but big beverage isn't far behind: Last year, Constellation Brands (whose holdings include Modelo Negra and Corona) invested $4 billion in a Canadian marijuana company, and Heavenly Rx, a hempand CBD-focused wellness company, announced a substantial investment in Jones Soda in July 2019. Like alcohol, infused drinks are digested and absorbed into the bloodstream relatively quickly. The onset of the high can be faster than with edibles, and imbibers can more easily quantify how much they're drinking (e.g., a can of sparkling water) and pull back as needed.

Beer Buzz

Cannabis and hops have similar chemical properties, and in Portland, Oregon, Coalition Brewing celebrates their synergy with Two Flowers, a CBD-infused IPA (coalitionbrewing.com). In partnership with Canna Craft in Santa Rosa, California, Lagunitas Brewing Company makes Hi-Fi Hops, an IPA-inspired sparkling beverage infused with THC. (With 10 milligrams of THC or 5 milligrams each of THC and CBD; sold at dispensaries in California and Colorado.)

If You Like LaCroix

A bottle of Phyx sparkling water contains 2.5 milligrams each of THC and CBD. "You get the feeling of two glasses of wine—calm, relaxed," says marketing director Kelly Calvillo (wearespherex.com).

Soda Pot

Seattle-based Olala's lemon-lime citrus cannabis-infused soda is reminiscent of Squirt. Pick your dose: from 10 milligrams of THC to an obliterative 100 (enjoyolala.com). Sprig's CBD-infused seltzer line ships nationwide and comes in citrus, tea, and melon flavors (drinksprig.com).

Cannabis Cocktails

Using nanotechnology that renders fat-soluble cannabinoids more water soluble, The Tinley Beverage Company out of Los Angeles created an amaretto-esque almond and apricot THC-infused "liqueur" called Almond Cask. Also look for their bottled takes on classic cocktails: the margarita-ish Stone Daisy and Moscow Mule–riffing High Horse (drinktinley.com).

Not Your Average Joe

Cascadia Coffee Roasters in Portland, Oregon, launched CBDinfused bottled cold brew in their cafés last August (cascadiaroasters.com). And Willie Nelson, the world's most famous stoner, slings Willie's Remedy CBD-infused coffee beans, available in medium, dark, and decaf with approximately 1 milligram of CBD per gram of beans (williesremedy.com).

A Cup of Tea +

Each compostable Keurig pod of BrewbudzGarden of Eden black tea serves up 10 to 50 milligrams of THC (leafly.com). Joy Tea in San Francisco offers bottled iced tea infused with 25 milligrams of CBD (getjoytea.com). In Portland, Oregon, try Camellia Grove Kombucha Co's CBD-infused kombucha (camelliagrovekombucha.com).

THC "Wine"

Napa's House of Saka takes wine, removes the alcohol, and adds THC and CBD to make Saka White, Saka Red,and the rosé-like Saka Pink (houseofsaka.com). In Sonoma, Rebel Coast's Sauvignon Blanc serves up 0.5% alcohol and 40 milligrams of THC per bottle (rebelcoast.com).

SOURCE: BDS ANALYTICS

On the Horizon

The Whole Plant

Lumen makes cold-pressed hemp shots from a minimally processed source. It's the closest you can get to eating raw hemp leaves (drinklumen.com).

Weed Somms

The Trichome Institute teaches weed somms, or entrepreneurs, to identify terpenes, pinpointing each plant's psychoactive and medicinal properties (trichomeinstitute.com).

Better Classification

Marijuana was once categorized two ways: indica, broad leaf, was thought to be sedating; sativa, narrow leaf, stimulating. The industry now sees it on a spectrum, emphasizing a strain's effects, like "happy" or "calm." And expect more nuanced labeling: There's talk of mapping the plant's taxonomy and its strains to help determine which terpenes and cannabinoids work best for each individual.

Weed Vs. Wine

"Wine country is weed country," says Jamie Evans, founder of The Herb Somm, a cannabis lifestyle brand in the San Francisco Bay Area and author of the forthcoming book The Ultimate Guide to CBD. With a similar agricultural focus and emphasis on terroir, Evans says, "It makes sense for both industries to come together to collaborate." There are those who agree, as the rise of canna-tourism and wine-and-weed tours cropping up in destinations like Sonoma County attest. But there are just as many wine growers and vintners who see the cannabis industry as a danger to their livelihood. Because cannabis and wine are farmed in many of the same places, the new crop has been the source of some tension in both industries, which compete for laborers, real estate, and customers.

A Tribute to Terroir

Winemaker Francis Ford Coppola teamed up with sustainable cannabis farmers the Humboldt Brothers for The Grower's Series, a bottle-shaped tin containing matches, a pipe, rolling papers, three one-gram samples of cannabis flower, and information about each strain's terroir. Each year the flower will change according to the grower and the harvest, just like wine vintages. Consider it the ultimate stash kit for a wine and cannabis lover (California only, $59, calichill.com).

CULTURE Pairing Weed & Wine

It's common knowledge that marijuana and food go well together. What may not be as commonly understood is the way premium marijuana strains can complement fine wines, too. You don't have to be a wine sommelier or cannabis aficionado to find the perfect strain of cannabis to compliment your glass of vino. In fact, finding the perfect weed-to-wine pairing might be as simple as consulting your local dispensary or liquor store to discover the taste or flavor profile of your selection.

Pairing marijuana and wine based on taste

Taste is one of our five senses, perceived by sensors on the tongue called taste buds. Taste buds are able to distinguish between six different taste profiles including sweet, salty, sour, bitter, umami (meaty) and fatty (like butter or cream). If you can figure out which of these are most prominent in either your wine choice or bud choice, you can pick the other based on complementary (often opposite) taste profiles. Chances are you'll be pleased with the results!

People seem to prefer pairing things that balance taste and texture. This explains why red wine is common-pair for steak. The astringent (sharp and bitter) taste of the dry wine counteracts the greasy texture of the meat. Taking this into account, if you'd like to find the perfect wine and weed pairing based on taste profile, consider which taste is most prominent in either your wine or your weed and find the opposing taste profile in the other. For example, if you prefer bold, red wines which tend to be very dry (because most of the sugar has been fermented), the perfect pair would be something sweet like the Jellybean or Strawberry Cough strains. Conversely, sweet wines like Rieslings or Moscato’s pair well with earthy strains like White Rhino or Headband.

Pairing wine and weed based on flavor

Flavor, on the other hand, is much more complex. Unlike taste, which is a basic sensory perception, flavor encompasses multiple senses. It is a combination of taste, texture, sight, smell and (sometimes) sound, to create a unique (highly subjective) experience. Pairing wine and weed based on flavor will therefore be very subjective, too, but the process can be made simpler by matching the most prominent flavors in each. For example, when pairing cannabis with Shiraz (which commonly features the flavors of black pepper and other spices), a good pair might include either a strain of White Widow or Super Lemon Haze which will complement the pepper notes of the wine.

Other examples of wine and weed pairings based on flavor include the following:

Red wine pairings

• Zinfandel + Strawberry Haze or Blueberry: Strawberry Haze feature berry flavors that work well with Zinfandel's sweet, almost "jelly-like" flavor. Hints of spice from this potent wine will counteract the hard-hitting punch of these energetic strains nicely. • Sangiovese + Church OG or Himalayan Gold: Church OG features a distinct tobacco flavor which is also characteristic of a

Sangiovese wine from Tuscany. Other common flavors associated with this bold red wine include black cherry and tea which complement the sweet yet spicy flavors of these strains as well. • Amarone + Sensi Star or Alien Dog: Sensi Star and Alien Dawg are very bitter strains that complement the slightly nutty taste of an

Amarone wine. Hailed as one of the best wines in Italy, Amarone features a full body and prominent "tears" or "legs" which are characteristic of its high alcohol content. Its smoky, bitter chocolate flavor complements the earthy flavor of these strains quite well. • Cabernet Sauvignon + Golden Goat or Berry OG: These strains feature oak flavors that work well against the sweet, peppery flavor of Cabernet Sauvignon. The sweet flavor of these hybrid strains may also help bring out hints of vanilla or mint in your Cab.

White wine pairings

• Chardonnay + Lemon Haze or Agent Orange: These strains are both good choices for pairing with a Chardonnay because they feature a sweet flavor with a sour aftertaste. Both strains are very uplifting (though the Lemon Haze is more so) which will work well with Chardonnay's thick body and high alcohol content. • Sauvignon Blanc + Mango or Amnesia Haze: Sauvignon Blanc often features a very sweet, almost tropical flavor which makes it a good choice to pair with either Mango or Amnesia Haze. Together, these substances will create an uplifting effect to go with their sweet flavors and strong acidic finish. • Moscato + Grapefruit or Girl Scout Cookies: Moscato wines always feature a prominent fruity flavor with a slight musky aroma.

Grapefruit or Girl Scout Cookies would therefore pair nicely with this dessert wine because of their complementary flavors, light body and nice buzz. • Riesling + Hollywood OG or Rocklock: These strains compliment a Riesling wine because of the characteristic sweet apple flavors in each. Like the wine, the sweet (and often sour) flavor of these strains (coupled with a relaxing body buzz) can make for the perfect end to a lovely dinner party.

Learn to pair wine and marijuana like a pro

As you experiment and refine your ability to distinguish different flavors and consistencies in products, your knowledge about wine and weed pairings will grow.

To help you hone your skills more quickly, you can also attend a wine and weed pairing course. You will learn how to pair wine with weed (and amazing food) from experienced chefs, sommeliers and cannabis connoisseurs. Cultivating Spirits also hosts private parties and custom events to fit your needs and guest list. Thanks to marijuana legalization, we are finally able to enjoy the finer things in life which includes the ability to pair quality wine with premium marijuana strains. By carefully pairing wine and weed, we can truly learn to appreciate the finer aspects of both -flavor, texture, sensation -- and we can do so thanks to our newfound freedom to consume. Have you ever tried to pair wine and marijuana?

Wellness

What Happens When You Mix Alcohol and Weed?

When it comes to drugs, alcohol and weed are among the most commonly used substances. But what really happens when they team up? Occasionally mixing alcohol and weed — also known as crossfading — likely won’t lead to major health problems. But there are a lot of variables to consider, including which one you use first and how you consume them. If you aren’t careful, the duo can lead to a case of the spins or a green out, two reactions that can turn a fun night out into a nauseated night in.

It’s also important to remember that people can have very different reactions to the same mix of alcohol and weed. If you’re out in a group, one person’s reaction might be very different than yours.

If you drink alcohol before using weed?

Drinking before using weed can intensify weed’s effects. This is because alcohol increases the absorption of weed’s main psychoactive ingredient, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). This generally results in a stronger high. While this might be nice for some folks, it can cause others to green out. This refers to a range of unpleasant physical symptoms that can result from a strong high. Symptoms of a green out include: • sweating • dizziness • nausea • vomiting

Alcohol before weed: Proceed with caution

Drinking alcohol before using weed can ramp up the effects of THC. If you’re a seasoned pro, this might not be a huge deal. But if you’re sensitive to weed or don’t have much experience using it, it’s best to avoid mixing the two. If you do, move slowly and be sure to listen to your body. approach. The studies that do exist are old and mostly inconclusive.

For example, a 1992 study Trusted Source had 15 participants smoke a placebo, a high dose of THC, or a low dose of THC on three occasions. On each occasion, they’d rank a different dose of alcohol, including a placebo, as a low dose or a high dose.

Weed appeared to slow down the rise of blood alcohol levels after consuming a high dose of alcohol. But a 1993 letter to the editor Trusted Source questioned this result. If using weed does indeed slow the absorption of alcohol, it might also delay feelings of drunkenness. This might seem like a good thing, but it makes it harder to know how impaired you really are.

For example, you might feel like you’re good to drive, but your blood alcohol level may be well over the legal limit.

Breaking down the research

Turns out, you might not need much alcohol to change the way your body absorbs THC. In a 2015 study, 19 participants drank either a placebo or small amount of alcohol. Ten minutes later, they used a vaporizer to inhale either a low or a high dose of THC. The researchers found significantly higher peak THC levels among participants who had alcohol versus those who had a placebo. This was true for both low and high doses of THC. However, this study was pretty small, making it hard to draw any firm conclusions. Plus, a similar (but equally small) 2010 study Trusted Source found that alcohol consumption didn’t have much of an effect on THC concentrations.

Weed before alcohol: Assume you’ve had an extra drink or two

Using weed before drinking alcohol may minimize the effects of alcohol. This means you might be tipsier than you feel, increasing your risk for becoming overly intoxicated. If you use weed before drinking, pay extra attention to how much you’ve had to drink. To err on the side of caution, assume you’ve had a bit more to drink than you actually have, or aim to drink less than you usually would without using weed.

So, there aren’t any major risks?

It’s hard to say. There’s isn’t a ton of high-quality research on the topic. Still, there’s some evidence to suggest that regularly combining alcohol and weed may have some concerning effects over time.

What happens when you use weed before drinking?

While there’s some research around the effects of drinking alcohol before using weed, there isn’t much about the opposite

Higher risk of dependence

A 2017 review of existing studies notes that people who use alcohol and weed together tend to consume more of both. This

can increase your risk for developing a dependence on alcohol, weed, or both.

Decreased cognitive function

A study from 2011Trusted Source evaluated performance on cognitive tasks among 21 heavy weed users who had consumed alcohol. Those who consumed just alcohol had worse cognitive functioning than those who only consumed THC. Those who combined the two had reduced cognitive performance than those who only consumed alcohol. Over the long term, combining alcohol and weed may be associated with decreased cognitive function and changes in brain structures, such as the hippocampus.

Impaired driving

• A number of recent studies also focus on how combining weed and alcohol affects your driving. In a 2013 study Trusted Source, 80 people participated in six testing sessions. In each session, participants consumed a different combination of placebo, low, and moderate doses of THC and alcohol. Then they completed a driving simulation. • The researchers reported that combining THC and alcohol consistently impaired driving performance, with worse performance during nighttime simulations. • Adding alcohol to a low dose of THC impaired driving simulator scores by 21 percent. Adding alcohol to a high dose of THC impaired driving simulator scores by 17 percent. • The big takeaway? Don’t drive after using marijuana or drinking alcohol. Period.

Other things to consider

When mixing weed and alcohol, there are a lot of other variables to consider in addition to which one you use first. These include: • your tolerance to either substance • the type and strength of the alcohol • whether you smoke, vape, or take edibles • the time interval between taking each substance • whether you also use other substances, including tobacco or caffeine • whether you take medication The safest bet is to avoid using weed and alcohol together. But if you do decide to mix the two, start slow and keep track of how much you’re consuming of each. Keep a running tab in your phone, if you have to.

Remember, consuming weed and alcohol together can make you feel either more or less intoxicated than you would if you were using just one or the other. If you take medication, talk to your doctor before using weed, alcohol, or both. They may weaken the effectiveness of your medication or increase your risk for certain side effects.

How to handle a bad reaction

If you’ve mixed weed and alcohol and are having a bad reaction, it’s probably because alcohol seems to make the high from using weed stronger. The resulting unpleasantness is casually known as a green out. This can happen any time you’ve consumed to much weed — with or without alcohol.

Signs of a green out can include: • shivering • chills • sweating • rapid heart rate • lightheadedness • stomach problems • nausea and vomiting • paranoia • anxiety

How to handle a green out

Whether you’re trying to keep still in a spinning room or breaking out in a clammy sweat, these tips can help you make it through: • Stay calm. When it comes to bad reactions, patience is key. Your feelings will go away in time. If possible, find something, such as music, to focus on other than your discomfort. • Sit or lie down. If you feel dizzy, find a quiet place to rest until you feel better. If possible, ask a friend to help you get home. • Eat or drink to boost your blood sugar. A bit of food or a sugary drink can help relieve dizziness. Try something hearty, like soup broth. If you don’t have any on hand, juice will do. • Stay hydrated. Both alcohol and weed can leave you feeling dehydrated. That can lead to dry mouth, headaches, and dizziness. Drink water to put your body back on track. • Squeeze a lemon. Lemons contain a chemical compound that may decrease Trusted Source the effects of THC in the brain. Adding lemon juice or zest to some water might help when you’re feeling too high. • Smell crushed peppercorns. Similarly, peppercorns contain a compound that some say helps when you’re greening out. To take advantage, crush or grind a handful of peppercorns, then take a long inhale. Just don’t get too close. You don’t want to actually get the pepper in your nose. • Talk to someone. If you can, get a trusted friend to keep you company. They can help you stay calm and pass the time.

When to get help

Usually, a bad reaction to mixing weed and alcohol will pass within a few hours. You may even wake up with some lingering effects the next day. But if you’ve been drinking a lot, it might be hard to tell the difference between a green out and alcohol poisoning, which can be life-threatening if not treated.

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