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Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Yahoo
Majority of Gen Z would marry an AI, survey says
People are already using AI to date (and to flirt), but what about marrying one? In an April 2025 survey of 2,000 Gen Z respondents by AI company Joi AI, eight in 10 said they'd consider marrying an AI partner. 83 percent said they could have a deep emotional bond with one. AI companions appear to be Joi AI's bread and butter. On its website, you can chat with pre-made characters or make your own. The company calls these connections "AI-lationships." SEE ALSO: Can AI save dating apps? "AI-lationships are not intended to replace real human connections," Jaime Bronstein, LCSW, relationship therapist and expert at Joi AI, said in an emailed statement to Mashable. "Instead, they provide a distinct type of emotional support that can enhance your overall emotional well-being." Clinical neuropsychologist Shifali Singh, director of digital cognitive research at McLean Hospital/Harvard Medical School, told Mashable that it's not totally surprising that young adults believe they can have a deep emotional bond with an AI. "Some of my research has demonstrated that people with social anxiety tend to like using digital tools more because they're not so afraid of the repercussions, the judgment, especially with social media," said Singh. They might think, "If I can just interact with AI who will give me this generally nonjudgmental interchange, discussion — that's meaningful." She continued that young adults are "so used to being judged and commented on and scrutinized in ways that humans were never meant to be." Another reason people may form a bond with AI is that they tend to search for empathy. "When you engage with AI, AI mirrors your own language and your own thought processes, and it feels like real emotional responses," she said. People feel connected with AI because of the higher amounts of empathy that they may not get from real-life human interactions. There's a risk in that, too. Singh compared the cyclical mirror of AI to troll farms, groups of online trolls who typically spread misinformation. Troll farms reinforce and validate someone's beliefs, even if they're wrong. "What we have to be very careful of is [that] AI isn't going to give us novel information…It's recursive, and it's iterative and it's algorithmic," she said. "So if you give it an idea that starts out as a seed, it's going to grow into a bush." Singh also believes there needs to be more education about what AI can and can't do. AI can be fed a lot of wrong information, such as from hackers, so it can go into a dangerous place. (For reasons unknown, last week Elon Musk's AI bot Grok kept posting about "white genocide.") Singh is an AI researcher and uses AI tools herself. She believes using AI as a stopgap for the loneliness epidemic works in some cases. One is for older adults, who seem to love it as a companion tool, she said. Another is if someone has a condition like agoraphobia and they're too scared to go outside and speak with people, talking with an AI bot might help them feel connected, and it can stave off some of the more severe aspects of depression. A problem arises when someone doesn't want to see friends in real life, or wants to cancel dinner plans, because it feeds into anxiety. As for the marriage statistic, Singh said Gen Z might think of marriage as an old guard institution and want to be more independent. A recent report from the nonprofit Common Sense Media declared that AI companions aren't safe for anyone under 18, as they create emotional attachment and dependency. At this writing, everyone in Gen Z is an adult, but the full mental impact of bot interactions has yet to be seen. Anecdotally, people have noticed their loved ones believing spiritual delusions due to conversations with ChatGPT. Despite the dangers, people young and old will likely still create and talk to AI companions. "Sometimes, it's just nice to have someone, even if it's AI," Bronstein said.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Stress eating doesn't always mean craving more: What to know to avoid overeating
Many Americans are really stressed out right now. When we're emotionally overwhelmed, it probably feels natural to reach for a bag of chips. But we're probably wrong about how stress affects our eating habits, a psychologist says. What does that mean for our waistlines? Stress eating has long been associated with overeating, but that's a basic misunderstanding, said Dr. Kristin Javaras, an associate psychologist at McLean Hospital in Massachusetts and an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School. Maybe we're not eating as much as we think. Much of what we know about stress eating is based on cultural cliches such as TV shows, movies or social media. Research on the behavior is mostly from surveys that rely on people remembering what they ate when going through tough times. The problem with those surveys, Jarvaras said, is people's perceptions often change when they're stressed, so it can be hard for anyone to accurately describe how their eating behavior was affected. 'You don't actually eat more, but you think you eat more when you're stressed simply because you think the amount is larger,' said Javaras, who recently presented some of her findings in a Brain & Behavior Research Foundation webinar. In other words, people remember the moment of a breakup and then eating ice cream. 'But you don't think of all the other times you're actually stressed at work and ate less,' she adds. Many people actually do eat less when they're acutely stressed, especially as the severity of the situation increases, in part because they may not have as much time to eat. Past research has shown approximately 40% people eat more when stressed, 40% eat less and 20% don't change their eating habits. When the body is under chronic stress, cortisol levels rise, which not only stimulates appetite but also can promote fat storage, particularly in the abdominal area, said Dr. Christopher McGowan, a gastroenterologist and obesity specialist who runs True You Weight Loss in Cary, North Carolina. 'It also disrupts sleep, which further exacerbates cravings and metabolic dysfunction,' he said. At that point, people often turn to comfort foods that are high in fat and sugar, which triggers the pleasure center of our brain to release dopamine, providing a temporary sense of relief, McGowan said. That relief is short-lived, often followed by guilt or regret. And comfort food may not actually provide as much comfort as you think. A prior study concluded comfort food does not on average reduce stress, finding no difference in healthy women participants when they replaced unhealthy comfort foods with fruits and vegetables. 'The more we eat in response to emotion, the stronger the connection between that emotion and the craved food — making our stress eating response more ingrained over time,' said Rachel Gargano, the chief registered dietitian at a private practice. 'Cravings usually last about 20 to 30 minutes, so if you can get through these initial intense, often overwhelming feelings, they usually begin to subside and become more manageable,' she said. Each person has specific triggers, like being alone at home and seeing or smelling favorite foods that may start the process of overeating, Gargano said. She recommends keeping a journal to document when cravings start, then categorizing them as physical hunger or emotional hunger, depending on the situation. 'If it's been longer than three or four hours since your last meal, then it's possible that your body needs a quality, balanced snack or meal,' she said. If you realize you're not hungry and it's just 'emotional hunger,' it's time to try distraction. 'Replacing stress eating with even short bursts of physical activity can be a powerful shift toward long-term well-being,' McGowan adds. Exercise helps regulate the body's stress response, lowers baseline cortisol levels, boosts mood, improves sleep quality and supports both physical and metabolic health, he adds. Alternative options to distract yourself include reading a chapter of your favorite book, going for a quick walk, sitting outside or doing 15 minutes of yoga. Gargano encourages developing an 'anti-cravings tool kit,' which can include: Not skipping regular meals. Getting enough fiber in the diet. Women need about 25 grams daily and men need 35 grams. Getting enough protein each day. (About 30 to 40 grams per meal.) Drinking plenty of fluids. If you aim for about half your weight in ounces per day and add more if it's hot out or if you're exercising more than an hour, your body won't confuse thirst for hunger. Get at least seven hours of sleep, although eight is optimal. 'The more you're able to get through a craving without giving in, the more you're retraining your brain to not need food as a Band-Aid,' Gargano said. Dr. Joanna Steinglass, director of research at the Center for Eating Disorders at NewYork-Presbyterian, said surveys are still helpful for researchers to understand how general increases in stress contribute to more challenges with eating, including whether they lead to any increases in eating disorders. Finally, if you stress eat once in a blue moon, don't worry about it, Javaras said. 'I always tell people, don't stress yourself out further by being like, 'Oh, my goodness, I was stressed one day and I ate a little more,'' Javaras said. This article was originally published on
NBC News
17-05-2025
- Health
- NBC News
Stress eating doesn't always mean craving more: What to know to avoid overeating
Many Americans are really stressed out right now. When we're emotionally overwhelmed, it probably feels natural to reach for a bag of chips. But we're probably wrong about how stress affects our eating habits, a psychologist says. What does that mean for our waistlines? Stress eating has long been associated with overeating, but that's a basic misunderstanding, said Dr. Kristin Javaras, an associate psychologist at McLean Hospital in Massachusetts and an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School. Maybe we're not eating as much as we think. Much of what we know about stress eating is based on cultural cliches such as TV shows, movies or social media. Research on the behavior is mostly from surveys that rely on people remembering what they ate when going through tough times. The problem with those surveys, Jarvaras said, is people's perceptions often change when they're stressed, so it can be hard for anyone to accurately describe how their eating behavior was affected. 'You don't actually eat more, but you think you eat more when you're stressed simply because you think the amount is larger,' said Javaras, who recently presented some of her findings in a Brain & Behavior Research Foundation webinar. In other words, people remember the moment of a breakup and then eating ice cream. 'But you don't think of all the other times you're actually stressed at work and ate less,' she adds. Many people actually do eat less when they're acutely stressed, especially as the severity of the situation increases, in part because they may not have as much time to eat. Past research has shown approximately 40% people eat more when stressed, 40% eat less and 20% don't change their eating habits. When stress can lead to hunger When the body is under chronic stress, cortisol levels rise, which not only stimulates appetite but also can promote fat storage, particularly in the abdominal area, said Dr. Christopher McGowan, a gastroenterologist and obesity specialist who runs True You Weight Loss in Cary, North Carolina. 'It also disrupts sleep, which further exacerbates cravings and metabolic dysfunction,' he said. At that point, people often turn to comfort foods that are high in fat and sugar, which triggers the pleasure center of our brain to release dopamine, providing a temporary sense of relief, McGowan said. That relief is short-lived, often followed by guilt or regret. And comfort food may not actually provide as much comfort as you think. A prior study concluded comfort food does not on average reduce stress, finding no difference in healthy women participants when they replaced unhealthy comfort foods with fruits and vegetables. How to avoid overeating and counteract cravings 'The more we eat in response to emotion, the stronger the connection between that emotion and the craved food — making our stress eating response more ingrained over time,' said Rachel Gargano, the chief registered dietitian at a private practice. 'Cravings usually last about 20 to 30 minutes, so if you can get through these initial intense, often overwhelming feelings, they usually begin to subside and become more manageable,' she said. Each person has specific triggers, like being alone at home and seeing or smelling favorite foods that may start the process of overeating, Gargano said. She recommends keeping a journal to document when cravings start, then categorizing them as physical hunger or emotional hunger, depending on the situation. 'If it's been longer than three or four hours since your last meal, then it's possible that your body needs a quality, balanced snack or meal,' she said. If you realize you're not hungry and it's just 'emotional hunger,' it's time to try distraction. 'Replacing stress eating with even short bursts of physical activity can be a powerful shift toward long-term well-being,' McGowan adds. Exercise helps regulate the body's stress response, lowers baseline cortisol levels, boosts mood, improves sleep quality and supports both physical and metabolic health, he adds. Alternative options to distract yourself include reading a chapter of your favorite book, going for a quick walk, sitting outside or doing 15 minutes of yoga. Gargano encourages developing an 'anti-cravings tool kit,' which can include: Not skipping regular meals. Getting enough fiber in the diet. Women need about 25 grams daily and men need 35 grams. Getting enough protein each day. (About 30 to 40 grams per meal.) Drinking plenty of fluids. If you aim for about half your weight in ounces per day and add more if it's hot out or if you're exercising more than an hour, your body won't confuse thirst for hunger. Get at least seven hours of sleep, although eight is optimal. 'The more you're able to get through a craving without giving in, the more you're retraining your brain to not need food as a Band-Aid,' Gargano said. Dr. Joanna Steinglass, director of research at the Center for Eating Disorders at NewYork-Presbyterian, said surveys are still helpful for researchers to understand how general increases in stress contribute to more challenges with eating, including whether they lead to any increases in eating disorders. Finally, if you stress eat once in a blue moon, don't worry about it, Javaras said. 'I always tell people, don't stress yourself out further by being like, 'Oh, my goodness, I was stressed one day and I ate a little more,'' Javaras said.
CNET
12-05-2025
- Health
- CNET
THC Drinks vs. Alcohol: We Ask an Expert Which Is Healthier
Editor's note This article is for informational purposes only and doesn't constitute medical advice. Readers should talk to their doctor before trying THC products, especially if they're taking certain medications or have underlying health conditions. During a recent trip to Total Wine, I was surprised to see an entire aisle filled with THC-infused drinks instead of just a shelf or two. Nowadays, you can find cannabis beverages everywhere and even at your local brewery. "There's no shortage of options," says Dr. Staci Gruber, director of the MIND Program at McLean Hospital and associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. "We just need to do a better job explaining what they are and what they aren't." As sobriety and the sober curious movement become increasingly popular amid concerns about the health impacts of alcohol, you may be tempted to swap your alcoholic or even nonalcoholic drink for one infused with THC. But is it actually healthier for you? What are THC drinks? PortlandTHC beverages are infused with tetrahydrocannabinol, the psychoactive compound in cannabis that causes a high and intoxication. These drinks come in a variety of forms, such as zero-calorie seltzers and tropical lemonades. They're often marketed as a way to get a buzz without the booze. Some contain only THC, while others blend in cannabidiol, or CBD, a non-intoxicating compound, to help balance the effects. THC beverages vs alcohol Alcohol -- specifically ethanol -- is a single molecule, not a mixture of many. After you learn your alcohol drinking habits, you typically know more about your limits. However, other ingredients like sugar and additives can impact your intoxication and hangovers. Also, they vary by person. While I might be buzzed after three alcoholic seltzers, my friend needs only one to feel the same way. San Francisco Chronicle/THC drinks are different. They come in many strengths and combinations so predicting and standardizing the effects is harder. "Cannabis is not one thing," says Gruber. "A product that has equal amounts of THC and CBD is not likely to have the same impact as a product that has 15 milligrams of THC alone." Your body also processes THC differently. Alcohol goes into your bloodstream quickly through your stomach. THC takes longer to absorb. Once it reaches your liver, it becomes another compound that can feel even stronger. "You may feel more high as time marches on. It's the gift that keeps on giving," says Gruber. Plus, once it's in your system, you can't get rid of it like you can with alcohol. "You can always take more but you can never take less. Once it's in, you can't throw it up or sweat it out," Gruber says. "You're stuck on the ride until it ends." That's why she advises you to start low and go slow if you decide to try out cannabis drinks. Are they legal? It can depend on where you live but most THC drinks you find in stores or online are made from hemp, not marijuana. Thanks to the 2018 Farm Bill, hemp-derived products (such as products with Delta-8 THC, created through a chemical conversion of CBD) are legal at the federal level if they contain no more than 0.3% of THC. With this rule, cannabis drinks can be sold in states where marijuana is still illegal. "That's how you can walk into a Total Wine and buy these off the shelf," says Gruber. "It's not part of the Controlled Substances Act." However, that doesn't mean they're available everywhere. Each state may have limits on how much THC a drink can contain or where it can be sold. "Each state has varying regulations regarding cannabis-infused drinks," says Dr. Doug Roehler, an epidemiologist at the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. There's no consistent national framework like there is with alcohol. For example, Georgia is tightening restrictions on consumable hemp products. House Bill 265 proposes limiting THC and other intoxicating cannabinoids to 5 mg per serving. Meanwhile, the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control in California banned hemp product sales in the same places as alcoholic beverages. Not enough research on THC andEven though THC and CBD drinks are gaining popularity, the science behind them is still catching up. While alcohol has been studied for decades, there's limited data on the long-term health effects of cannabis drinks. Unlike medications approved by the Food and Drug Administration, THC drinks are not evaluated for safety, effectiveness or consistency before hitting the market. "I think we'll have to stay tuned for the next decade or so to see what we can glean from these products," says Gruber. Part of the challenge is how THC beverages can vary in potency, cannabinoid content and added ingredients, like sugar. Until more research is available, experts recommend using caution, starting with low doses and waiting an hour or two before having a second cannabis drink. Potential health benefits of CBD and THCEven though we don't know the exact health effects of THC drinks, some parts of cannabis have been studied for medical use. A 2017 study from the National Library of Medicine found evidence that cannabis can help with chronic pain, muscle spasms from multiple sclerosis and nausea caused by chemotherapy. These findings are based on cannabis in general rather than beverages specifically but they show that certain cannabinoids may offer real benefits. Many people reach for THC drinks as a way to cut back on alcohol. "Some people decide that they would like to drink less because we know there are significant health concerns with people who drink too much," Gruber says. "The Surgeon General's recent note on the association between alcohol use and cancer lit a fire under lots of people to not drink." The Surgeon General's advisory linked alcohol consumption to an increased risk of seven types of cancer, including mouth, breast, liver and colon cancer. While the long-term effects of THC drinks are still unknown, the health risks of alcohol are well-researched. Other nonalcoholic alternatives "Mocktail" no longer means fruit juice or soda. Instead, bartenders at sober bars (and regular bars that have a dedicated nonalcoholic menu) put as much creative intention into mocktails as they do cocktails. Getty Images THC drinks aren't the only option to turn to. You can find several other drinks to help you unwind and feel a little something special without the buzz or the high. Here are a few options to consider: Adaptogen drinks: These drinks use herbs and natural compounds (like ashwagandha, rhodiola or reishi mushrooms) that may help your body manage stress and support mental clarity. Some popular brands include Kin Euphorics, Hiyo and Recess. These drinks use herbs and natural compounds (like ashwagandha, rhodiola or reishi mushrooms) that may help your body manage stress and support mental clarity. Some popular brands include Kin Euphorics, Hiyo and Recess. Mocktails: These are nonalcoholic cocktails designed to mimic the flavor and experience of traditional mixed drinks. They sometimes include functional ingredients for added benefits or use nonalcoholic spirits. These are nonalcoholic cocktails designed to mimic the flavor and experience of traditional mixed drinks. They sometimes include functional ingredients for added benefits or use nonalcoholic spirits. Nonalcoholic dupes: These are drinks that look and taste like alcoholic beverages but without the alcohol. Companies such as Athletic Brewing, Corona and Samuel Adams offer the same flavor and feel as the original but without the same negative effects. These are drinks that look and taste like alcoholic beverages but without the alcohol. Companies such as Athletic Brewing, Corona and Samuel Adams offer the same flavor and feel as the original but without the same negative effects. Functional sparkling water: These drinks add ingredients like magnesium, electrolytes or calming botanicals to sparkling water to help ease stress and improve focus. Some popular brands include Good Idea and Soulboost. The bottom line THC drinks are becoming a popular alternative to alcohol. They're showing up in liquor stores, bars and even breweries. While some people say these drinks help them relax without a hangover, experts say we still don't know enough about their long-term health effects. "If you're interested in checking out THC-infused beverages, you should be mindful of what you're buying and using," says Gruber. "Start with a small amount and give yourself time to see how it affects you." The CDC also recommends knowing how much THC is in the drink and not driving a vehicle or operating heavy machinery after having a glass. When considering a THC drink, read the label, start slow and wait before going in for seconds. If cannabis beverages don't feel like the right fit, there are plenty of other nonalcoholic options to help you unwind without the effects of alcohol or THC.
USA Today
06-03-2025
- Health
- USA Today
Cannabis drinks are surging in popularity
Cannabis drinks are surging in popularity | The Excerpt On a special episode (first released on March 5, 2025) of The Excerpt podcast: A new beverage has been showing up in bars and on store shelves: the cannabis cocktail, a hemp-derived drink that contains CBD and oftentimes THC as well. They're marketed as providing a buzz without the downside of a hangover. But are there drawbacks? And could these drinks ever replace alcohol? Staci Gruber, director of marijuana investigations for the Neuroscientific Discovery program at McLean Hospital and associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School joins The Excerpt to answer these and other questions about this new trend. Hit play on the player below to hear the podcast and follow along with the transcript beneath it. This transcript was automatically generated, and then edited for clarity in its current form. There may be some differences between the audio and the text. Podcasts: True crime, in-depth interviews and more USA TODAY podcasts right here Dana Taylor: Hello and welcome to The Excerpt. I'm Dana Taylor. Today is Wednesday, March 5, 2025, and this is a special episode of The Excerpt. A new beverage has been showing up in bars and on store shelves, the cannabis drink, a hemp-derived drink that contains CBD and oftentimes THC as well. They're marketed as providing a buzz without the downside of a hangover, but are there drawbacks? And could these drinks ever replace alcohol? We're now joined by Staci Gruber, director of the Marijuana Investigations for Neuroscientific Discovery Program and associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School to answer these and other questions about this new trend. Thanks for joining me, Staci. Staci Gruber: Thanks so much for having me. First, before we compare CBD and THC, how do hemp-derived cannabis drinks affect people and what are some of the adverse effects? People are generally looking for something to "take the edge off" or to be sort of more relaxed in social settings and these products are incredibly popular, as you know. Hemp derived products versus cannabis derived products aren't all that different other than the sort of plants that create the products themselves and their legal status. That's really the big difference. Each of these products can contain variable amounts of THC, tetrahydrocannabinol, the main intoxicating constituent from the plant, or CBD, cannabidiol, a primary, but not the only non-intoxicating constituent. Some people, unbeknownst to them, are very sensitive to THC and a little bit can have an unfortunate impact. Some people aren't necessarily mindful of how much is contained in a specific product, and they might have the whole thing, not realizing that they're ingesting an awful lot of THC because it does take some time to get an effect. So there are things to be mindful of when using these products for sure. Can you explain the differences, other differences between CBD and THC? Do both of these compounds produce a high? It's a great question. I often think of these compounds. The plant is remarkably complex and has hundreds of compounds. THC and CBD are but two of them. THC is the primary intoxicating constituent of the plant, and it's what our recreational folks are generally looking for in products when they're looking to get high or feel altered or again, just sort of change their current state of being. And that's great. No judgment here. It's terrific. Cannabidiol or CBD is not intoxicating. That is, it does not produce a high. Very often it's touted for its potential therapeutic benefits. And so these things are both from the plant, but both have very, very different effects. And that's important to keep in mind, again, when you're considering what's in your weed or what's in the product you're about to use. I want to circle back to this and the newness of it. Both CBD and THC have already made their way into edibles. Why do you think this trend with cannabis beverages is now catching on, and do you have a sense of how widespread it is? So I think that cannabis beverages are becoming increasingly popular because from a social perspective, people are looking to enjoy themselves and to relax, and very often people are looking for alternatives to alcohol. So it becomes a very facilitative behavior socially. Cannabis can be used in a number of different ways. The most common ways are generally inhalation, so vaping or smoking, or consumed, edibles. Beverages are not quite the same as eating a product, for example, a cookie or a brownie, because in those cases you have to digest the product, it's processed by your GI tract, and then it goes to the liver where actually THC is converted to something more intoxicating. For the beverages, you actually get a rise time or effect in less than the time it would take for regular consumed product. So some people say they feel it in about 15 or 20 minutes. So there are some differences here, and of course there's lots of different ways that people use cannabis, but I think we're seeing a real increase in patterns of use across the country because people are looking for alternatives to alcohol and because they're looking for other ways to use cannabis. Where is it legal now? I understand the fact that it's derived from hemp, and that's an important factor here. Hemp is a variety of cannabis with inherently low levels of THC, again, that primary intoxicating compound from the plant. In this country, the legal limit is 0.3% THC by weight or less. That is what defines hemp. So those products are basically ostensibly legal in all states. You can buy things on the internet and have them shipped. Some products that are in the marketplace are in fact cannabis drives. So you have to be mindful of that, but that's an important distinction. So I think when people avail themselves with these products via online resources like vendors online, they can be shipped pretty much anywhere. How do cannabis drinks compare to how alcohol affects the body and what's the impact for long-term users? So it's a great question. It's a complicated question. We are not all created equally. It's a common misconception, and alcohol is a single molecule. Cannabis, as I mentioned, is a really complex plant, and there are over 400 compounds in the plant, and you may know how you respond to a standard drink, a gin and tonic let's say. But very often people are not aware of how they will respond to a cannabis infused drink or a hemp infused drink with THC. So it's important for people to remember that there is not one standard set of responses across the board. Some people do very well and find it very enjoyable to have two and a half milligrams or five milligrams of THC. Some people find that amount too high, so to speak, and it's a decidedly unpleasant experience. Some people have 10, 20. It really depends. So it's important for people to start low and go slow and to figure out their own tolerance, and not all beverages will be the same. That's the other thing. So that's important. Long term effects, we don't really have much in the way of long-term data. We have data from recreational cannabis users who are primarily, again, historically using products that are either vaped or smoked. We don't have pure beverage or pure edible studies necessarily that are long-term to date. We certainly should. Do these drinks impact judgment the way alcohol does? What are your recommendations to people who are trying cannabis drinks for the first time? I'm going to start with the second part first. My recommendations to people who are trying cannabis drinks for the first time is, again, start low and go slow. You can always add, you can never take away. So once you're beginning your experience and you're starting to sip these things, give it time. These things take some time to give you an effect, and that's a common misconception. People say, "Oh, I don't feel anything. I'm going to keep drinking." Before you know it, they've had a whole lot more. And you go from having a pleasant experience at a party to a decidedly unpleasant experience. So that's important. Does it impair judgment? So THC, acute effects of THC can certainly impair individuals' ability to make good sound decisions and judgment. We are not all the same. Some people do just fine with a little on board or even more than a little on board. Some people do far less well. So it's important to keep that in mind as well. And plan. I always tell people, again, know before you go, what's your intention? Make sure you have plenty of time to allow these products to give you the effect that you're looking for before going any further. And allow yourself time to recover before you need to do something that requires you to be all in. Do you see regulations on the horizon? Where does that stand? So cannabis, again, is associated with a fair number of regulations with regard to state-based guidelines and regulations. At the federal level, cannabis remains a schedule one substance, and so I think there are a lot of questions and concerns about how that will change and evolve over time, of course. The hemp based products and beverages are less tightly regulated because the farm bill again gives them a different sort of set of guidelines and parameters to be followed. I think that people are mindful of some of the "loopholes" in the farm bill where non intoxicating hemp, so hemp, again, defined as anything with equal to or less than 0.3% THC is not necessarily intended or expected to alter people and to get them high. Remember I said 0.3% by weight. So imagine if you have a product that's very different in weight from a tiny little gummy or a sublingual oil, the amount of THC you can legally allow in that product is exponentially greater. So it's a bit of a loophole. So that's a bit of a concern for regulators and for people, and I think a lot of folks are looking at that pretty seriously. In your opinion, do you think cannabis drinks could ever replace alcohol for some people? I think a lot of people are very interested in finding alternatives to alcohol, especially given the recent announcement and warning by the Surgeon General with regard to the relationship between alcohol and cancer, people are beginning to lean in a little bit more heavily to other things, including cannabis. So it's very possible that people will use these drinks instead of alcohol or certainly in addition to, that's certainly what we've seen. And then finally, what do you think people miss or don't understand in general about marijuana? Oh, goodness. That's a great question and a big question. I think there are a lot of common misconceptions, and I will tell you first and foremost, as it relates to drinks, the minute you swallow something, it becomes "an edible." So again, you have to digest it and then there's a first pass through the liver. So any of the compounds that are converted by the liver into something else, including THC, which is very often what people are using these products for, it's actually turned into something more intoxicating. We used to call it the gift that keeps on giving. So just be mindful of that as you're having your experience. The way you feel now is you're starting to feel the effects of your drink may actually intensify. So before you go having a whole lot more, allow it to reach its peak. All products are not created equally. It's really important to double check not just what the label says, because very often the label is not reflective of actually what's in the product. I ask for people to check the certificate of analysis or COA. That tells you what's in that particular product, how much of each thing. So that's a great way of knowing what you're getting. Again, that's sort of what's in your weed factor, and we're not all the same. So much depends on what else we have on board, whether we have alcohol on board, if we've had food or not, whether medications are on board. In our current state, all of those things are going to impact your experience as well as your own genetic profile and your own experience with cannabis. So be mindful and give yourself an opportunity to experience it before really throwing yourself into what people have called the deep end of the beverage experience, where you have way too much, way too quickly. I found this fascinating. Thank you so much for being on The Excerpt, Staci. Happy to be here. Thanks so much. Thanks to our senior producers, Shannon Rae Green and Kaely Monahan for their production assistance, our executive producer is Laura Beatty. Let us know what you think of this episode by sending a note to podcasts@ Thanks for listening. I'm Dana Taylor. Taylor Wilson will be back tomorrow morning with another episode of The Excerpt.
