Women are affected differently by cannabis. Credit: Pixababy
An Untapped Demographic
Legal cannabis companies have traditionally targeted men to ply their wares. Women have been more or less left out. Now that several markets in the US are more established, efforts are being made to chase new opportunities. While alcohol consumption is more or less even between the sexes, currently, men are actually four times more likely to try cannabis than women. Women currently make up 31% of the US cannabis market. But, there are indications interest among females is growing.
According to the company Headset, which monitors the cannabis market, women are becoming one of the fastest growing consumer demographics. The corporation Canndescent is beginning to market specifically toward women, according to the trade magazine Ad Age. Rather than the stoner bro culture which pushes aggressive names, powerful highs, and scantily clad women presenting product, female-based campaigns promote wellness, relaxation, better sleep, reduced anxiety, and increased intimacy between partners.
Female-Oriented Products are Different
While guys are more focused on getting a strong, robust high, women are more interested in a casual buzz. As such, Aspen-based Toast has come out with a line of low-dose joints. Each iteration is meant to parallel an alcohol-equivalent in intoxication. One kind is modeled after the buzz you feel after a glass of champagne, while another mimics the feeling you get after downing a scotch. Seems they’re for high-class ladies, though. It’s $70 for a pack of ten.
Another such company, BAE Vapes, offers a line of vape pens specifically for women. They’re sleek and come in feminine colors, like white and pink. Rather than a skunky smell, they let off sensuous aromas such as cake batter, macaroons, and pink punch. So far, these products are only available throughout California. Surely, that won’t be the case for long.
Cannabis Affects Men and Women Differently
Originally, scientists believed that by and large, cannabis affected all humans in a similar way. However, the latest research finds that cannabinoids actually affect men and women differently. While such studies have been limited, due to ongoing federal illegality, several have lent us some insight. For instance, a 2016 study found that men get more pain relief from cannabis than women.
Here, male and female participants were made to stick their hands in ice water. Then, in another instance, they performed the same action, but consumed cannabis first. Men felt less pain than women in the second round. This is opposed to a study that found female rats felt more pain relief from THC–the psychoactive component, than males. As a result, researchers believe that THC may be oriented toward female hormones. Interestingly, a woman’s tolerance and other factors might change, depending on where she is in her cycle.
Although the overall chance of addiction is low, a review published last year in Nature Neuropsychopharmacology found that women may be more susceptible to addiction. They might also experience more intense withdrawal symptoms when quitting. These include anxiety and nausea. Future research will likely parse out exactly what drives these differences, which could lead to further differentiation in product designs. Even recovery treatment efforts might begin to target along gender lines.
Ai Vacuum
Higher demand from one half of humanity means greater opportunities for extractors and soil-to-oil operators. This will, in turn, lead to a higher demand for botanical refinement equipment. For the best in the business, turn to Ai Vacuum, the industry leader in your post-harvest needs. For solvent reclamation, consider one of our rotary evaporators.
Our 20-liter package comes with a PolyScience chiller and a Welch, corrosion-resistant pump. That’s everything you need to get started right away. This rotary evaporator is easy to program and use. It’s also effective, efficient, and precise. It has specially designed motor and worm gear that offers consistent, vibration-free rotation at 10-130 rpm. It’s PID controller steps up temperature precisely at 0.1°C increments. And it goes from ambient temperature to 99°C (210°F) quickly, due to heating coils placed directly inside the pan, for optimum efficiency.
For distillation, we have a number of short path systems that will exceed your expectations. Our 10-liter kit is a smart choice. Each piece is made of heavy wall, high borosilicate glass 3.3, the most sturdy, cold, heat, and corrosion-resistant on the market. A newly redesigned distillation head means less heat loss, and an increased diameter makes fractioning far more efficient, with no chance of clogging.
For a butane purge, consider our award-winning AccuTemp series vacuum ovens. Our 7.5 CF model is popular in the industry. It comes with internal shelf heating technology, which means each shelf has its own heater, sensor, and temperature controller. This allows you to set a precise temperature for each shelf.
These shelves heat up super fast, with minimal heat loss to the exterior. The oven ensures perfect uniformity and low power consumption. All stainless steel internal tubing provides higher ultimate vacuum and holds it 10 times longer than competitors models. This and all of our Accutemp ovens come with UL/CSA certification and a 2-year warranty.
