​At the end of March 2019, CVS and Walgreens decided to carry cannabidiol (CBD) products in select stores. The announcement rose cannabis’s credibility by filling shelf space on some of the largest, US pharmaceutical chains. With a growing shift towards cannabis acceptance in the US and globally, it makes sense for pharmaceutical company to adapt. One survey with over 2,000 respondents showed around 40% of US adults 21 and older are willing to try CBD “under the right conditions”. But there is still a lot of confusion as to what CBD is and how it effects our body. This week’s discussion will center around why a store like CVS and Walgreens would carry CBD items. 

​CBD is a natural alternative to a variety of medication because of the way it interacts with our body. CBD is similar to THC as they provide therapeutic benefits; however, CBD differs since it binds to receptors outside of the endocannabinoid system (ECS). They take many pathways to reach their destination. There are over 65 molecular targets for CBD. Here’s a link to a previous discussion where we brought up the ECS. If you want to go more in depth, search up how a receptor interacts with CBD. Serotonin receptors and vanilloid receptors are a good start. Once CBD binds to a receptor, it has the ability to strengthen or hold the receptor’s message; thereby regulating activity. While CBD doesn’t bind to ECS receptors (CB1 & CB2), it does reduce CB1’s ability to bind with THC. 

​Last year, a panel of US Food and Drug Administration advisors recommended the approval of Epidiolex (CDB medication) for the treatment of two rare forms of childhood epilepsy. While CBD has evident therapeutic effects for epilepsy, the research is lacking for other medical benefits. This is not to say CBD doesn’t work, it merely shows the war on drugs restricted the ability to conduct research and clinical trials on the schedule 1 drug. Studies that try to prove CBDs medical benefits on other conditions aren’t as clear. Most studies are conducted on animals, with very few on humans. Now, more than ever, research is being done to prove the health benefits cannabis can offer. More evidence shows CBD can help with anxiety, pain, sleep Alzheimer’s disease, addiction, nausea, appetite, cancer, etc. 

Even with the growing number of evidence, the survey quoted earlier found seven out of 10 CBD users used a form of THC in the last three months. That’s why our menu contains pure CBD items like the CBD Protabs, as well as CBD and THC ratio items with the CBD Wellness Drops (1:1) and High CBD Wellness Drops (18:1) from Lightly Lifted. Our menu is everchanging, so new items may pop up at any time.

​We hope you were able to learn something new. Be sure to share what you found about CBD and receptors, along with anything else you’d like to share/talk about to peter@bentodelivery.com or by commenting below. We enjoy the conversations we have with our Bento Family, thank you for being part of our 10th weekly discussion!

​State legalization has brought up debates as to whether cannabis use is healthy. We started Bento Delivery during the prop 215 days. Helping medical patients live a better life was and still is a core value of ours. I say was because we’ve expanded to include the recreational market. This allows us to positively impact more peoples’ lives and create a meaningful community within the Bay Area. Since the legal cannabis industry is relatively new, education is more important than ever to understand what works best for you. Our Bento Family is diverse and spans across many communities. To address issues most relevant to you, emailing us at peter@bentodelivery.com is extremely helpful for us to know what type of information is best to discuss. Many Bento Family members raised concerns about psychosis. This week’s discussion will focus on what psychosis is, how cannabis use is linked to psychotic episodes, and how to reduce your chances of experiencing psychosis. 

Psychosis is a mental health issue that affects the mind. A psychotic episode can alter one’s reality by perceiving things that aren’t there. The best way to describe it is the feeling of paranoia after smoking a strong sativa. Although a psychotic episode would last longer and be accompanied by other symptoms. Symptoms can include jumbled or nonsensical speech, depression, anxiety, sleep problems, social withdrawal, lack of motivation, and an overall difficulty to function normally. 

​According to a study conducted by The British Journal of Psychiatry, psychosis could be brought on by daily, habitual use of high delta-9 THC products. Delta-9 THC is the main active cannabinoid in cannabis, which produces the psychoactive effects. Consuming large levels of highly potent cannabis over a sustained period of time may increase your chances of experiencing a psychotic episode. Chances could be higher if there is a family history of psychosis. Likewise if one consumed before their prefrontal cortex was fully developed. 

Simply put, the opposite of what the journal wrote. Using lower delta-9 THC products in an infrequent manner. For many suffering from one or several illnesses that cannabis use helps, a tolerance break isn’t possible, research shows CBD has antipsychotic properties.

Most studies presented during this article point to high THC products. Based on my anecdotal research, sativa strains bring out/heighten expressions of paranoia or other symptoms one may be experiencing; especially the high THC strains. I personally enjoy indica dominate hybrids because they bring me long-lasting effects without paranoia entering the fold. Although, I understand everyone and their endocannabinoid system is different. That is why we favor experimentation to understand what works best for you.  
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Our menu offers several CBD only, moderate delta-9 THC, and ratio’d CBD to THC products. We take the health of our community seriously and strive to provide a quality experience each and every time. Please let us know if this information was helpful by emailing us at peter@bentodelivery.com or by commenting below. If you have any other thoughts, such as what works best for you, we’d love to hear from you and further the conversation.  

​Since our discussion on health issues and THC vapes, many within the Bento Family have asked for updates. Two major news stories we would like to discuss is on the Center of Disease Control’s (CDC) adjusted stance of THC vape cartridges and the results from a test conducted on 18 THC vape cartridges in the California market. 

​The CDC issued a press release at the end of September explaining how unregulated THC cartridges may be the common factor. Of the 514 patients suffering from vape related illnesses, around 77% used THC products with or without nicotine based products. Since the study, there have been 805 confirmed lung related injuries from 46 states.

​Cannabis is either legal, illegal or allow for some medical use in these states. Cases stemming from a fully legal state like Illinois and a completely illegal state such as Wisconsin note virtually all THC vape products were purchased from “informal sources such as friends, family members, illicit dealers, or off the street.” Products bought off the street can be extremely dangerous due to their unregulated and untested nature. 

NBC News conducted a test on 18 THC cartridges from legal and illegal dispensaries in California. 13 samples came back testing positive for Vitamin E (click this link for a more in-depth look into Vitamin E and how it affects your body), and 10 contain myclobutanil. Myclobutanil is a fungicide, that turns into hydrogen cyanide when ignited. All of these samples were purchased from the black market.
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Three cartridges were purchased from legal shops and they came back negative for heavy metals, pesticides or residual solvents. The three brands are Select, Orchid Essentials, and Tikun. 

​We, at Bento, pride ourselves in providing our customers with high quality, tested, and safe products. We do not sell products that have not been tested by laboratories. The tests conducted look for similar things such as heavy metals, pesticides, residual solvents, etc. As the test shows, Select does not contain any of the harmful ingredients that black market cartridges have. Because we want our Bento Family to consume safely and affordably, a $119 for 3 full gram Select cartridge deal will go live on our menu. If you have any questions please feel free to comment below or email peter@bentodelivery.com to further the conversation.

​In a previous post we talked about terpenes in protabs and how they work with cannabinoids to enhance the strain’s/cultivar’s effects. Many are unfamiliar with terpenes, although they are all around us. There are more than 30,000 terpenes found in plants all over the world. In cannabis, there are over 200 terpenes. Rather than discuss terpenes as a whole, we’ll take a look at individual terpenes so that our community can understand which cultivars are right for them. The terpene we’ll focus on today is beta-caryophyllene (BCP).   

BCP’s medical benefits have been know for some time now. A 2008 study found a positive correlation between BCP and therapeutic treatments. Many spices and ingredients such as basil, oregano, lavender, rosemary, cinnamon, black pepper, and cloves contain the essential oil. This led the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to approve BCP as a food additive because of its ability to activate the endocannabinoid system (ECS).

The ECS is found throughout our body. There are two cannabinoid receptors appropriately named cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1) and cannabinoid receptor 2 (CB2). BCP binds to the CB2, which are located on white blood cells. CB2 differs than that of CB1 as no psychoactive effects are produced. Beta-caryophyllene can help regulate the immune and nervous system by providing aid/relief from pain, inflammation, digestion, depression, anxiety, insomnia, cancer development, weight loss, and many more.

​Many well know strains contain high levels of BCP such as Bubba Kush, Girl Scout Cookies, OG Kush, Pineapple Express, Super Sour Diesel, Trainwreck, Candyland, Cookies and Cream, Gorilla Glue #4, Super Silver Haze, Wedding Cake, and so much more. At the moment, our high BCP strains include Mimosa, Orange Cream Cake. We used to carry Pre-98 Bubba Kush. Many from the Bento Family purchased that strain because the effects were exactly what they were looking far. As time goes on, our menu changes so be sure to keep a look out for any of these strains and many others high in beta-caryophyllene!

​We hope this discussion was informative. If you learned something new, let us know! Are there any cultivars you want us to carry, any terpenes you want us to cover, questions you have, suggestions for topics or improvement for Bento in general let us know by emailing us at peter@bentodelivery.com or by commenting below. We’d love to hear your thoughts and further the conversation. 

​With more and more people trying cannabis each day, we thought it’d be a great idea to discuss the differences between being recreational vs a medical patient in California. 

To start, we’ll briefly mention the laws that allowed each in California. Proposition 215, the Compassionate Use Act of 1996, allowed physicians to recommend cannabis for severely ill Californians to provide relief and treatment. Fast forward to 2016, Proposition 64, the Adult Use of Marijuana Act, passed which allowed the sale and consumption of recreational cannabis for adults 21 and older.

​It wasn’t until January 1, 2018 when recreational use was legalized. That’s when the Medicinal and Adult Use Cannabis Regulation and Safety Act (MAUCRSA) went into law. The MAUCRSA established the regulatory and commercial framework for California’s medical and adult-use cannabis market. 

Besides the heavy taxes, the law outlines what recreational users and medical patients can buy and possess. Medical patients can be 18 and older. They can buy and possess up to 8 ounces of dried cannabis or concentrates. Recreational users are 21 years or older and are limited to 1 ounce of dried flower and eight grams of concentrates. Although, there’s no limit on the amount of CBD products anyone can buy.
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Understanding the legal, California cannabis rules can help in making purchasing decisions as well as deciding whether to seek a doctor’s recommendation for medical use. We hope you learned something new and if there’s something unclear or you want to know more about please feel free to email us at peter@bentodelivery.com or by commenting below. We enjoy hearing your thoughts! 

As our first discussion mentioned, we are at the early beginnings of the legal cannabis industry locally and globally. That leaves opportunities for creative solutions to enter the market. In this discussion, I want to focus on a relatively new product category for the cannabis industry created by the San Francisco company Level; protabs. New items like these may leave many hesitant to give them a try. Many have praised protabs and added them to their go to list. To see if protabs are right for you we’ll break down what protabs are, how they are made, and who might enjoy them.  

​Protabs are cannabinoid specific tablets infused with steam distilled cannabis terpenoids. Breaking that down, Level blends a specific chemical compounds of the plant with fragrant oils. For example, the sativa, indica, and hybrid protabs contain Delta-9-THC; the central psychoactive compound in cannabis. Other protabs contain CBD, Delta-8 THC, THCA, and CBG.
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Protabs are not considered edibles. They are small, circular, mint-sized tablets categorized as capsules or orally consumable concentrates. That sets them out of the 100 mg limit placed on edibles. That’s why they come in 250 mg packages; ten capsules dosed at 25 mg each. Protabs are cannabinoid specific and scored down the middle, allowing for smaller doses. Protabs are swallowed with water followed by a 30-to-60-minute activation delay 

Steam distillation allows Level to isolate terpenes. The process starts by converting solid, cannabis material into vapor and then turning the terpene profile into a liquid oil. The steam distilled terpenoids are infused with the cannabinoid to create the entourage effect. The taste and smell of terpenes like myrcene and pinene interact with cannabinoids such as THC or CBD to enhance the intended results; a stronger high or medicated effect.
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Chris Emerson, PH.D., Cofounder, and Chief Scientist at Level understands everyone has a unique endocannabinoid system. Because of this, he encourages people to experiment with cannabis as they build confidence with what works for them. A single cannabinoid can be an effective treatment; however, combining cannabinoids can provide the most therapeutic benefits through the entourage effect. 

​Protabs can be attractive for multiple reasons. The higher mg count can appeal to those with higher tolerances. Bentonians who want to understand how specific cannabinoids affect them in isolation. Level appeals to the growing trend of microdosing by providing a discreet way to relive stress, enter the flow state, or maintain the high while being able to control the dosage. Someone who doesn’t smoke and/or is tired of eating candy or chocolate covered edibles can rejoice with the small, potent protabs. As you can tell, there are many reasons why someone may be attracted to protabs. 

​What do you think about protabs after reading this post? Have you tried any of the protabs? If so, which is your favorite? What made you want to try it? We’d love to hear what you have to say by emailing us at peter@bentodelivery.com or by commenting below.  We enjoy furthering the conversation with our community. 

This week’s discussion stems from a conversation we had following the release of our second ever weekly discussion. With reports coming from over half of the USA, vape related illnesses and deaths are sweeping the nation. While the Center of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has yet to state a conclusive cause, there is a common link between samples collected from those are/were affected and their use of THC vape cartridges. Please not these health issues and deaths are appearing in other vape related products outside of the cannabis industry. 

​Because we’re a cannabis company, we want to focus on what officials have found in samples of the victims’ THC vape products. The link is vitamin E acetate. Vitamin E acetate is commonly used in every day products like lotion. Some black market producers use honey cut as a thickener in cartridges to give off the appearance of a higher quality product. These producers trick unsuspecting consumers in thinking the gold colored liquid is safe to inhale in the liquid format.

The thickener has serious, life threatening effects on our respiratory system. Symptoms from hospitalized patients include coughing, chest pain, shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue, fever, and weight loss. A serious, life-threatening condition called acute respiratory distress syndrome could be developed where fluid fills up one’s lungs. As a result, preventing oxygen from flowing through the body. Death has resulted in some cases.

Luckily the California legal market requires testing of all cannabis products from licensed labs. Legal companies such as Bento Delivery receive a Certificates of Analysis (COA) for every product we sell. Therefore, making it nearly impossible for legal companies to sell products with life threating ingredients. That is why we recommend to not buy from products off the streets as they are untested.
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We are committed to being a positive force in the lives of each and every member of the Bento Family! Stop by our booth at Hempcon from September 13 – 15, 2019 at the Cow Palace in Daly City to learn more about us and our commitment to positive experiences! In the meantime, let us know your thoughts by commenting below or emailing us at peter@bentodelivery.com to further the discussion. 

​For the final installment of our three-part mini-series, we’ll be taking an in-depth look at concentrate storage. Concentrates differ than that of flower and cartridges because of available short, medium, and long-term storage options. This will be the longest discussion we’ve had so far, and it will follow the same format as the flower and cartridge discussion; the best storage conditions follow by factors to consider. Although, with a twist. Storage conditions are broken up in short, medium, and long-term sections. This may be a post you return to in the future as your taste and preferences change, you experiment with different products, or whatever may be the case. 

​Concentrates prefer a cold, dark place. Light, air, humidity, and temperature affect concentrates. Short-term and long-term options exist for frequent or occasional use. There are options for a week, a few weeks, or a few months. If you’d like to store multiple strains and/or consistencies, keep them in separate containers. Also, use an appropriately sized container for the right amount of air. 

​Currently on the menu are live resin sauce, live resin sugar, isolate, crumble, and shatter options. Some storage techniques may be more effective for some consistencies than others. For example, parchment paper is effective in handling sticky shatter, while silicone, airtight, and glass containers are effective in storing isolates and oleoresins. Oleoresins are essentially liquid concentrates such as live resin sauce/sugar, crumble, and budder. Although, containers may not be as effective if it is see-through. Direct light can penetrate and cause moisture related issues like sizzling dabs or a cracked nail. 

Silicone containers are effective for up to a week. To maximize results, the container should have minimal air space, opened as few times as possible, and stored in a cool, dark place like a cupboard. This reduces moisture development and product decay.
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For short-term parchment paper storage, separate shatter into smaller pieces and wrap each individual piece in their own parchment paper. Then set in a cool, dark place. 

A medium, 1-to-4-week, storage method for shatter includes placing the individually wrapped concentrate in a plastic freezer bag(s) i.e. Ziploc bag(s), setting the plastic freezer bag in an air tight container or in a glass jar with minimal air space when the bag is inside, and storing in a cold, dark place. A temperature-controlled environment with slightly lower than room temperature is ideal.
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Isolates and other nonstick concentrates can be placed directly in a vacuum-sealed or air tight jar and kept in a chilly, dark place. Just be aware to clean the jar in between uses. 

For long-term storage, concentrates can last anywhere from six to 12 months. Refrigerators and freezers can preserve the quality your oil. However, a cold, dark place is just as effective. If frozen, vacuum-sealed containers are your best bet. For added protection, the concentrate can be placed in one or two sealed Ziploc bag(s). These methods limit humidity issues caused by extra air. The most common humidity issue is moisture development. Sizzling dabs or a cracked nail are signs of moisture development. When the time comes to use the oil, take the jar out of storage and let it reach room temperature gradually. Keep the concentrate inside the jar for this part because added air can cause humidity and moisture issues. Sudden temperature changes can ruin the concentrate and all your hard work. Once it reaches room temperature, enjoy!

That wraps up our three-part mini-series on cannabis flower, cartridge, and concentrate storage. We’d like to hear your thoughts on this in-depth concentrate storage discussion as well as on the series as a whole. Our goal is to provide high quality content that is most relevant to you and all Bentonians. By emailing us your thoughts at peter@bentodelivery.com or commenting below, we’re better able to provide products and services that fit your needs and exceed your expectations.  If you want to tell us in person stop by our booth at Hempcon September 13 - 15 at the Cow Palace in Daly City. You'll see our commitment to meaningful experiences on display.

Our second ever weekly discussion brings us to the topic of cartridge storage. If you haven’t already read the first installment of our three-part mini-series on cannabis flower, cartridge, and concentrate storage, click here to learn about the ideal environment for cannabis flower and the four factors to consider. This week’s discussion follows the same format in which we start off with the best storage environment followed by factors to consider. This may be a post you return to in the future as your taste and preferences change, you experiment with different products, or whatever may be the case.

The ideal environment
Cartridges are best stored in cool, dry places. They differ from flower since cartridge oil is affected by half the factors: temperature and light.

Temperature control
The optimal temperature for storage is 70 F, or room temperature. A hot environment can cause a reduction of flavor, aroma, and potency. At the same time, increase the chances of leakage. Too cold of a temperature can lead to moisture issues. Being in California, leaving items in a car’s center console creates a sauna like environment in warmer weather. Heat exposure could also alter the flavor and smoothness of a hit.

Light protection
Light exposure can cause oxidation. This means electrons or compounds within the oil are lost and changed. For cartridge oil, this means a darker color and potentially lost potency. The change in potency may be small and the darker oil remains safe to consume. The same altered flavor and smoothness risk exists from light exposure.

At a glance
Storage can be as simple as placing the upright cartridge in a drawer, bag, or even a refrigerator; however, never in a freezer or in direct sunlight. There may be some internal combustion issues when storing disposable pens or batteries in the fridge.

What do you think of our short and sweet discussion on cartridge storage? Do you think we left anything out, is there anything you do differently, do you have any thoughts on future discussion topics or how we can improve Bento Delivery? Please email us your thoughts to peter@bentodelivery.com or comment below to further the discussion. We enjoy listening and replying to what you have to say as it helps us better serve our growing community of Bentonians. If you'd like to tell us in person stop by our Hempcon booth at the Cow Palace in Daly City from September 13-15, 2019.  There will be interactive challenges and low priced items on some of your favorites!

One of the things we, at Bento, strive to provide our community is a quality experience with our products and services. We believe information can change lives for the better. In a new industry like cannabis, people will try to make a quick buck anyway they can. That sort of thinking can hurt a lot of people. We hope our weekly discussions can empower Bentonians to identify the right products and companies for them. Taking a look at Bento and the California market as a whole, the majority of sales come from flower, cartridges, and concentrates.

What better way to kick off our blog then to discuss storage options for maximum effect in a three-part mini-series. Weekly discussion will be posted every Monday. We’ll first start off with flower, then cartridges, and end with concentrates. Each discussion will start off with the best storage conditions followed by factors to consider. This may be a post you return to in the future as your taste and preferences change, you experiment with different products, or whatever may be the case. 

                                                                                                           Flower Conditions
Flower is best kept in cold, dark places. There are 4 factors that affect the quality of cannabis bud: temperature, light, humidity, and air. If you’re storing multiple strains, keep each strain in their own container.

                                                                                                                Temperature
Room temperature (72 to 76 degrees Fahrenheit) or below is ideal. Storing flower between 77 to 86 degrees can cause mildew and/or other mold production. Likewise, hot temperatures can dry out the essential oils of the plant leaving less potent and aromatic nugs. This can cause a harsh hit and irritate your throat. A low temperature can cause the cannabinoid producer and container, trichomes, to break apart easily. Although, a study found cannabinoids (chemical compounds of the plant) can remain stable up to 2 years if cured and stored properly. A freezer can do the trick while using vacuum sealed or air tight glass jars hidden from any light source. Opaque glass jars are recommended because light doesn’t penetrate when the freezer door opens. When it’s time for use, let the nugs slowly return to room temperature before handling as they may be fragile and break apart easily. If you don’t want to store it for that long, a cold, dark place is ideal. 

                                                                                                                         Light
Light is the most influential factor when it comes to preserving cannabinoids. Keeping bud out of the light slows its decarboxylation process. If left in direct sunlight, the THC converts into cannabinol (CBN) which is equivalent to stale THC. Effects could range from grogginess to confusion. While CBN has benefits such as a sleep aid, leaving flower in sunlight to create CBN isn’t a recommended process.

                                                                                                                   Humidity
When it comes to humidity, keeping flower in a cold, dark place creates a relative humidity level between 59% to 63%. Too high of a humidity can cause mildew or other fungi to form. Too low of a humidity level can dry out the essential oils and cause the white, crystal trichomes to break apart easily. If you’re like me and don’t understand humidity levels, companies like Boveda and Integra sell two-way humidity packs to control the relative humidity in your containers. With that said, storing in a cold, dark place shouldn’t cause humidity problems. 

                                                                                                                         Air
The last factor for proper flower storage is air control. The perfect air level keeps the bud fresh and maintains its form. There should be a small gap between the nugs and the lid. Containers shouldn’t be filled to the top nor should they be half way filled. Not enough air can affect the relative humidity, while too much air speeds up the decarboxylation process. Vacuum sealing jars can help with air control and glass jars make great storage containers since they have a neutral charge.

We hope our first blog post was helpful to you. Did we miss anything, do you have a different storage method, is there any other product you’d like us to cover? We’d love to hear your thoughts and further the conversation. If you have any questions or suggestions for future posts feel free to email us at peter@bentodelivery.com so we can provide the most relevant and highest quality content for our growing community. Alternatively, we'll be at Hempcon Cup at the Cow Palace in Daly City September 13-15, 2019. If you'll be in the area come say high, pick up some goodies, and have a great time!