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Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
What's the difference between marijuana, cannabis? 4/20 terms to know.
Marijuana − medical and recreational − is legal throughout more than half of the United States, and for some looking to familiarize themselves with the plant and its effects, learning all of the associated terminology may feel daunting. There's marijuana, cannabis, hemp and then there's Delta 8, 9 and 10. What are the differences, and what should new (and even veteran) users know before toking up? As the unofficial weed holiday 4/20 (April 20) rolls around − no pun intended − here are some key pot terms to be familiar with. Marijuana encompasses a broad range of products derived from the Cannabis sativa plant that contain the highest levels of tetrahydrocannabinol, more commonly known as THC. Consuming marijuana, whether that be by smoking it, eating it in edible form or drinking it as a tincture, can have intoxicating effects and can trigger changes in mood or thoughts. More: Any bunny got weed? Easter Sunday, 4/20 will fall on the same day this year Under U.S. federal law, marijuana is classified as a Schedule I drug. This category also includes heroin, LSD, methamphetamines and peyote. Marijuana was classified as a Schedule 1 drug with the establishment of the Controlled Substances Act in 1970. Despite often being used interchangeably, marijuana and cannabis are not the same. Cannabis refers to all of the products derived from the Cannabis sativa plant, according to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Marijuana refers to the specific products from the Cannabis sativa plant that contain substantial amounts of THC. Tetrahydrocannabinol is the substance found within the Cannabis sativa plant that is primarily responsible for marijuana's psychological effects on a user. Cannabinoids are the different chemicals found within the Cannabis sativa plant. There are more than 100 cannabinoids, according to the Alcohol and Drug Foundation, but the most common are THC and cannabidiol, or CBD. Cannabidiol, more commonly known as CBD, is a chemical compound that can be found in both the Cannabis sativa and hemp plants. Under U.S. federal law, CBD is legal. CBD does not contain THC, so it is not impairing, meaning it does not cause a user to get "high," or have psychoactive effects, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). To date, the Food and Drug Administration has only approved one CBD product, a prescription oil called Epidiolex, which is used to treat seizures. Delta 8, Delta 9 and Delta 10 are three of the more than 100 cannabinoids that exist. Under federal law, Delta 8 and Delta 10 are legal for consumer purchase and usage. Delta 9 is not legal under federal law. States are permitted to write their own legislation about Delta 9 possession, consumption and distribution. Debates about the legalization of medical and recreational marijuana largely revolve around Delta 9. Delta 9 is the most abundant form of THC found in the Cannabis sativa plant, according to Healthline. Delta 9 also produces the most psychoactive effects and can be used for a variety of reasons, including to help with anxiety, insomnia, low appetite, muscle pain and nausea. Delta 8 and Delta 10 are both extracted from hemp-derived CBD. Often referred to as "marijuana-lite" or "diet weed," Delta 8 is commonly used to calm nausea, boost appetite, ease pain, boost mental health and prevent vomiting during cancer treatments, according to WebMD. Delta 10 has a lower THC potency than Delta 8 or Delta 10, meaning users typically experience less psychoactive effects. All three cannabinoids can show up on a drug test. Synthetic marijuana is lab-made marijuana and may be referred to as "Spice" or "K2." Synthetic marijuana is often sprayed onto dried plant material to make it smokeable. It can also be sold as a liquid to use in vapes. Over the years, the federal government has banned several different types of synthetic marijuana, as the lab-made products can lead to severe illness and even death. Negative symptoms may include irritability, confusion, hallucinations, seizures, sleepiness, breathing problems, heart attacks, kidney failure and muscle damage, according to the CDC. Because synthetic marijuana isn't regulated, there are no standards for its production, packaging or selling. Cannabinol, or CBN, is a different type of cannabinoid found in the Cannabis sativa plant. When THC components break down, a less potent cannabinoid called CBN emerges, according to WebMD. CBN is about 25% as effective as THC. Less research has been done on CBN, but it does contain more THC than CBD, so it can produce mild psychoactive effects. CBN is largely used to relieve sleeping conditions like insomnia, WebMD states. Marijuana and hemp can be used interchangeably, as they are the same species, according to Healthline. The difference comes from the amount of THC they both contain. Healthline reports that hemp contains 0.3% or less THC by dry weight, so because the THC level is so low, it is unlikely that a user will get high. Hemp, in addition to its medical and beauty uses, can also be used for commercial and industrial purposes, like rope, clothing, paper, bioplastics and biofuel. Hashish, more commonly referred to as just "hash," is made from the resin of the Cannabis sativa plant. It is typically dried and pressed into blocks to be smoked or eaten, according to Partnership to End Addiction. Edibles are marijuana-infused products that a user can eat or drink. Cookies, cakes, brownies, gummy candies and soft drinks are common edibles. Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Story idea? Email her at gcross@ This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What's Delta 9? Marijuana terms to know as 4/20 approaches
The Independent
05-02-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Allison Holker claims Stephen ‘tWitch' Boss left her $1 million tax bill after his death
Allison Holker has opened up about the aftermath of her late husband Stephen 'tWitch' Boss 's death in her new memoir, This Far: My Story of Love, Loss, and Embracing the Light In the book, which was released on Tuesday (February 4), the dancer speaks about the financial situation she was left in after the Ellen DeGeneres Show DJ's suicide in 2022. 'It's a misconception that I inherited Stephen's wealth,' she writes. 'The reality is quite different.' She explains that Boss gave away 'substantial sums of money' to friends and family while also spending 'recklessly' on drugs in addition to 'his weird art collection.' 'The tax bill that he left me with for the year he died was $1 million,' Holker says. She continues to claim she had no idea what her late husband's finances looked like when he died because the two of them had always had 'separate bank accounts' throughout their nine-year marriage. 'I had been under the impression that the arrangement was working just fine,' she continues. 'He managed his income, and I managed mine, and we divvied up the bills. Easy-peasy. Or so I thought.' Holker says that dealing with the finances gave her a break from mourning, but she still considers herself to be 'in the trenches' over two years later. 'If he had known how much of our hard-earned money would go to pay lawyers' fees to clean up the mess he left me with, would it have made any difference?' she explains. 'I'd like to believe it would have. Stephen left me with double the work, double the noise, double the hardships, double the confusion — and half the household earnings.' In addition to her memoir, Holker also recently appeared on The Jamie Kern Lima Show podcast where she said Boss 'never healed' after he went on an 'Ayahuasca journey' before he died. 'I think it was a very big turning point for him. I feel like his heart was never really in the same place when he came back,' she said. 'He could still find joy and he could still go day-by-day putting on his face and getting through the days, but there was something missing in his eyes.' A powerful hallucinogenic brew made from rainforest plants, Ayahuasca has been used for centuries by indigenous communities in the Amazon in shamanic medicine. The Alcohol and Drug Foundation states it can cause hallucinations and distorted senses that can affect a 'person's thinking, sense of time, and emotions.' 'It just kind of feels like he opened something up to himself that he never healed. And never fully escaped,' the dancer continued. Holker tied the knot with the DJ in 2013. During their marriage, the couple welcomed two children: Maddox, nine, and Zaia, six. Boss also ended up adopting Holker's 16-year-old daughter, Weslie Fowler. If you are experiencing feelings of distress, or are struggling to cope, you can speak to the Samaritans, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@ or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch. If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call or text 988, or visit to access online chat from the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. This is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you are in another country, you can go to to find a helpline near you
The Independent
04-02-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Allison Holker says late husband Stephen ‘tWitch' Boss ‘never healed' after Ayahuasca trip
New information about Stephen 'tWitch' Boss has come to light three years after the actor tragically died by suicide. During an appearance on The Jamie Kern Lima Show podcast, Allison Holker said her late husband 'never healed' after he went on an 'A yahuasca journey' before he died. 'I think it was a very big turning point for him. I feel like his heart was never really in the same place when he came back,' she said. 'He could still find joy and he could still go day-by-day putting on his face and getting through the days, but there was something missing in his eyes.' A powerful hallucinogenic brew made from rainforest plants, Ayahuasca has been used for centuries by indigenous communities in the Amazon in shamanic medicine. The Alcohol and Drug Foundation states it can cause hallucinations and distorted senses that can affect a 'person's thinking, sense of time, and emotions.' 'It just kind of feels like he opened something up to himself that he never healed. And never fully escaped,' the 36-year-old dancer continued. Holker went on to reflect on a few of her partner's odd habits such as bringing her the same coffee in a Superman mug every morning at 7 a.m. She said: 'I used to think they were weird quirks and weird things, and he would tell people, 'Yeah, I don't let her come downstairs so I give her morning coffee.' I used to laugh at it and be like, 'He's so sweet bringing me coffee.' But really why wasn't I allowed to come downstairs? Because he would be triggered. 'If I came downstairs before I'd be in trouble,' she remembered. 'Now, looking back I'm like well I guess it's not really a normal thing in a relationship and our kids also weren't allowed to go downstairs. There was like an order in which things had to happen.' Holker tied the knot with the former DJ for The Ellen DeGeneres Show in 2013. During their marriage, the couple welcomed two children: Maddox, nine, and Zaia, six. Boss also ended up adopting Holker's 16-year-old daughter, Weslie Fowler. Boss died in late December 2022. A note was found near the DJ's body, leaving investigators to confirm his death was a suicide. 'That's a really fine line I have to walk as a mother right now… because (the kids) are very hurt by their father's decision,' Holker told Lima. 'And they have a lot of triggers that they have to be in therapy now to really work through. 'But what I am impressed with is that they are doing the work, and they are putting in the time, and they are finding joy in life, and they are finding laughter again. But there's a lot to unpack for them that they'll have to deal with for the rest of their lives,' she continued. Holker's memoir, This Far: My Story of Love, Loss, and Embracing the Light, details her life before and after her husband's death at age 40. Still, Holker believes she made the right choice, wanting to use her experience to help guide others who may be enduring the same pain and loss. 'To fans of Stephen and our family and friends, I want to be clear that my only intention in writing the book is to share my own story as well as part of my life with Stephen to help other people,' she explained on Instagram this past January. 'Just like you, I never really knew what happened, and even as I am trying to put the pieces together I will never really know.'
