CBD Scene 2023

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CANNABIS & HEMP IN A NUTSHELL

THE HISTORY OF CANNABIS AND ITS HEALTH BENEFITS ARE VAST – FAR MORE THAN COULD REALLY FIT IN A ‘NUTSHELL’ – SO LET’S TALK THE BASICS

DIAGNOSED WITH TERMINAL CANCER AND GIVEN SIX MONTHS TO LIVE, my dad combined an amazing attitude, Western medicine, and natural plant medicine which resulted in him living an additional 18 years. Over the last 22 years, I have committed my life to helping others learn the truth about our original medicines. With a background in education and wellness, I am excited to share with you just a small taste of what we know.

Every day I get to share my mission to educate the masses on the history of cannabis/hemp, what CBD (cannabidiol) is, the other 144 known cannabinoids or vitamins in the plant, how it works, and how you and your loved ones – including pets – should use it. When I do this work, my dad gets to live on through the servitude and love I get to share with each person that visits us at the Eau Claire Herbal Shop.

What happened to our plant medicine and why is it not something that we were taught as part of necessary nutrition? Dating back literally thousands of years, hemp/cannabis was not only a part of making materials but was also a food source and, most importantly, medicine for both people and animals. It wasn’t until the 1930s-1960s that there was a prohibition on hemp/cannabis. With taxation and laws against natural medicines, it became a priority for politicians, pharmaceutical companies, and businesses to invest in chemically created medicines instead. Today, many are hoping to educate people on natural medicines so they can make

better-informed decisions about the options available for their health.

There was a scientific discovery in the 1980s of a system in our bodies that regulates all bodily systems called the endogenous cannabinoid system. It is fed plant nutrients like echinacea, black pepper, hops, and most effectively, cannabis/hemp. When fed, it allows for natural healing and homeostasis.

Unfortunately, there are terms in the hemp space that are misunderstood. Cannabis is an umbrella term; it is both hemp and marijuana. The only difference between hemp and marijuana is the percentage of

Delta-9 THC, which is 0.3% or less for hemp, and anything above that arbitrary number is considered marijuana. For those that want to honor plant medicine, the worst term you can use about cannabis/hemp/CBD is “drugs.”

The closer we get to honoring our original plant medicine, the more likelihood we have of ending the prohibition on cannabis which has helped millions of people’s health ailments from inflammation to cancer, autoimmune disorders, anxiety, depression, digestive issues, and pain management. Whether it be recreational use or medicinal use, we are feeding the endogenous cannabinoid system and our bodies love that!

So, what is CBD anyway? It is only one of the 144 known cannabinoids in the cannabis plant. The full name is cannabidiol, and the U.S. government actually has a patent on cannabinoids as neuro-protectants that can help our brain health. CBD is powerful, but not a cure. It is a tool

for the body to cure itself.

I encourage seeking proper serving size instructions based on your own needs when utilizing hemp products. Other professionals in the industry suggest starting out with micro amounts, but if you are healthy, it’s been found that approximately 50 mg daily can be necessary, and if you have severe ailments, I invite you come to visit Eau Claire Herbal Shop should you have questions or need assistance. There is no “one size fits all,” but we have been doing this long enough that we have protocols based on scientific research and medical doctors in the industry.

Oftentimes, people fail at utilizing CBD/hemp or plant medicine for several reasons; they are not using the right amount, the right kind/ strain, and not being consistent. We can help you with each of those issues and more.

words by lisa harris gore / owner of Eau Claire Herbal Shop • photo by andrea paulseth

Visit Lisa at the Eau Claire Herbal Shop, 2420 London Road, Eau Claire.

“CBD IS POWERFUL, BUT NOT A CURE. IT IS A TOOL FOR THE BODY TO CURE ITSELF.”

LISA HARRIS GORE

WHAT ARE DELTA-8 & DELTA-9?

words by mckenna scherer

THC, CBD, DELTA-8, DELTA-9?!

WITH THE BOOM IN CBD AND HEMP PRODUCTS nationwide and neighboring states legalizing marijuana for medicinal and recreational use, there’s an abundance of new products and terminology for it all, all the time. So, what’s the difference between one of the hemp game’s latest, Delta products?

First, it’s important to note that cannabidiol (CBD) is a compound found in marijuana that is not impairing, or in other words, does not cause a high, as described by the CDC. Hemp is defined as any part of the cannabis sativa plant that does not have more than 0.3% of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is the mind-altering substance in marijuana. That being said, what is Delta?

The FDC describes the Deltas as a cannabinoid found in the cannabis plant, of which marijuana and hemp are two varieties. Delta-8 is one of more than 100 cannabinoids produced naturally by the cannabis

plant but is not found in significant amounts, so it is manufactured to create concentrated amounts. Delta9 is a natural cannabinoid and main compound that produces a high similar to cannabis. So, while Delta-8 and Delta-9 have not been approved by the FDA, they are technically legal in many states, including Wisconsin.

Delta-8 has psychoactive effects similar to the high people can experience from using cannabis, while Delta-9 is the main compound that produces a high, so is typically more potent than Delta-8, as described by Forbes. Cannabinoids have often been pointed to for health benefits like chronic pain and anxiety relief, among other things.

Either can be smoked or vaporized in its flower form, ingested as edibles, or used as topicals. Walking into just about any hemp and CBD store, customers can chat with employees to discuss product types and dosage information but should do their own research too.

ROGUE’ S RICE REFRESHMENTS

Yields 9 bars at 10mg of CBD or THC per bar

INGREDIE NTS:

16 oz bag of mini marshmallows

6 tablespoons butter

1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

6 cups crisped rice cereal

3 (1.0 ml) full droppers of Rogue’s unflavored 1000mg CBD or 1000mg Delta 8 oil

INSTRU CTIONS:

Prepare a 9-inch square pan with cooking spray or parchment paper and set aside.

In large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat and add all but one cup of the marshmallows. Turn heat to low and stir until marshmallows are completely melted, and cereal is evenly coated. Remove pan from heat and stir in your vanilla and CBD/Delta 8 oil of your choice.

Add remaining cup of marshmallows and stir until combined. Press into prepared baking dish with your oiled fingertips or spatula. Gently now! If you press them down too hard, they won’t be as chewy as you might like.

Try to control yourself for an entire hour while they set.

NOTE: If you are wanting a more potent bar, you can double the amount of oil you are using, but cut out the vanilla. Bewa re that the more CBD you add, the hempier the flavor of your bar. Delta 8 does not have a taste, so don’t worry about extra flavor with those bars

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WHICH WAY, WISCONSIN?

MEDICAL MARIJUANA MAY GET STATE OK, BUT PROSPECTS DIM ON RECREATIONAL USE

words by tom giffey

WHEN IT COMES TO THE LEGAL STATUS OF MARIJUANA IN WISCONSIN, THE TIMES MAY BE A-CHANGIN’. But, honestly, probably not.

Gov. Tony Evers began his second term in office Jan. 3 by calling for reform of the state’s marijuana laws. “We must have a meaningful conversation about treating marijuana much like we do alcohol,” he said in his inaugural address. Specifically, he’s expected to include marijuana legalization in his 2023-25 state budget proposal. Evers made similar moves in his previous two budget plans, but they were rejected by the Republican lawmakers who control both houses of the Legislature.

Considering this history, is there

anything to indicate 2023 will be any different? Perhaps. For one thing, some Republican lawmakers have indicated openness to changing Wisconsin law.

“Our caucus is getting pretty close on medical marijuana,” Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu, R-Oostburg, told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel in early January. “A lot of our members, who are maybe at a point where they can vote for it now, they just want to make sure it’s regulated well.” Likewise, Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, told WisPolitics. com in December that he was open to legalizing medical marijuana. However, Vos said that recreational pot is still off the table, explaining that Evers’ advocacy for it was the

“farther extreme position” that could harm consensus.

But the consensus, at least among Wisconsin voters, seems to be in favor of legalizing recreational use. A Marquette Law School survey of registered voters in the state last year found that 69% favorite legalization, including 81% of Democrats, 75% of independents, and even 51% of Republicans. And nonbinding referendums on last fall’s ballots in several cities and counties – including Eau Claire County – found that voters are in favor of legalizing, taxing, and regulating pot like alcohol. (Nearly 70% of Eau Claire County voters voted yes on the referendum.)

Taxing recreational marijuana could mean big bucks for the state: According to a recent analysis by

the state Department of Revenue, an excise tax on retail and wholesale sales could generate $166 million annually for Wisconsin.

Wisconsin’s pot prohibition increasingly puts it out of step with its Upper Midwest neighbors. Both recreational and medical marijuana are legal in Illinois and Michigan, while medical cannabis is legal in Minnesota. In addition, the Gopher State eased its laws last year to allow THC-containing edibles, and Gov. Tim Walz says he expects the state will fully legalize recreational marijuana in 2023.

Overall, 37 states allow medical marijuana and 21 allow recreational use. Whether – and when – Wisconsin will join these totals is still anyone’s guess.

WONDERS OF NATURE OPENS SECOND SHOP IN E.C.

SWING ON BY AND SAY HI(GH) TO THE NEW SHOP ON BRACKETT AVENUE

words by mckenna scherer

OWNER CHRIS BUSKE OPENED THE WONDERS OF NATURE CAFÉ IN DOWNTOWN EAU CLAIRE

BACK IN 2020, and through the pandemic, established it as a go-to for cannabis infused grub and space to learn about CBD and hemp products. Now, Wonders of Nature has expanded with a second location on Brackett Avenue that allows Buske to have one-on-ones with customers.

Launching with a soft opening in mid-December, the new Wonders of Nature (1901 Brackett Ave.) is currently open Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 3:30-6pm as well as Tuesdays and Thursdays by appointment only. Buske said those hours will expand come springtime to offer service six days a week.

What really led to the second store’s opening was a true desire to offer a different kind of service and feel than the current café.

“(Downtown) obviously has its struggles with parking, and (Brackett) offers better visibility for the business,” Buske explained. “But what really led me to the idea of opening up a second location was, I wanted a more intimate space than the open café and retail feel.”

“On a personal note, my business is much more mission-driven than it is profit-driven for me,” he shared. Prior to entering his career in hemp and opening Wonders of Nature, Buske was an orthopedic massage therapist, and found that his view from the medicinal and therapeutic side is what a lot of folks are looking for in the CBD/hemp space.

He explained how a lot of people are looking to learn how to use hemp products for whatever their need is – Buske pointing to stress, anxiety, and pain management as a few of the biggest driving forces – which can sometimes be a personal conversation. Having a location like the new one, which is more private than the café, is per-

fectly suited for those.

“I really want to help people understand better how cannabis can benefit them medicinally, with the products that we currently have on the market here in Wisconsin,” Buske said.

The new Wonders of Nature shop is a cookie-cutter mimic of the retail part of the café, Buske said, to offer people the familiarity they’ve found there. The Brackett Avenue shop will only sell its retail products for now, though Buske is thinking about moving a cooler into the space to offer some of baked goods and infused drinks.

Wonder of Nature’s most popular products include its CBD oils – “tried and true,” as Buske says – and THC edibles, specifically the gummies.

However, Buske has recognized a recent shift in the hemp market.

“There’s really the CBD market, the synthetic market, and the THC market; the hot topics are the synthetic market versus the natural market,” he explained. While Buske and Wonders of Nature aim to show people that cannabis is safe when used properly, he said the rise of synthetic products like Delta-8 feels like the opposite of that message.

“In my opinion, the public is being incorrectly informed of the potential harm synthetics could be causing,” he noted. “I only sell Delta-9 which is naturally found in marijuana, and only sell the natural THC in edibles; we don’t have smokeable synthetics.”

And while legalization of marijuana has been a hot topic for some time in Wisconsin, Buske said

Wonders of Nature will continue doing what it is known for and does best: offering quality, natural products the community can trust while providing sound advice and guidance on how to properly use them.

Visit the new Wonders of Nature store at 1901 Brackett Ave. The Wonders of Nature Café (416 S. Barstow St.) is open MondaySaturday, 10am-5pm with hours expanding sometime this spring.

Keep up with Chris Buske and the new Brackett Avenue store on Facebook. Give the shop a call at (715) 497-8740 or email at wondersofnaturehemp@gmail.com with any questions.

OWNER CHRIS BUSKE

PHOTO BY MCKENNA SCHERER

PHOTO BY ANDREA PAULSETH

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