Some credit TaskRok of Highly Educated with coining the iconic term. In an interview with Leaf Online, he claims he thought up the term while messaging with industry peers from Healthstone and Beehive Oil Clothing. TaskRok also released a hip-hop album called “The Movement” under his group name Task & Linus on July 10, 2011, where the group made several references to dabbing and cannabis concentrates, including a song aptly named “7:10.” However, TaskRok himself doesn't claim ownership of creating the word, saying that it simply “belongs to the community now.”

No matter how or why this phenomenon started, 710 began to gain momentum when a group of passionate individuals aimed to push concentrate consumption into the mainstream cannabis market. Once LA Weekly got ahold of the term and ran a brief article titled “710 is the new 420” in July 2013, the rest is history. 

'That same year also gave birth to the cannabis community's first official 7/10 celebration, The 710 Cup. Fun fact: While this event was deemed the first 710 gathering, it didn't actually take place on 7/10 because it fell on a Wednesday. Instead, it occurred on the following weekend so that partygoers could enjoy their cannabis oil unfettered by responsibilities. And who really cares about dates, right? It’s the thought that counts. 

Party on. 

If you’re a concentrate connoisseur, you’ll want to stock up on your favorite products (or try something new) at JARS before the holidays. Keep your eyes peeled for deals, discounts, and more as the big day approaches. 

In 1964, THC was the first cannabinoid to be isolated in a lab by Raphael Mechoulam. Since then, it has become abundantly clear that there are many cannabinoids that boast different capabilities, especially when working together.

THC is believed to have the potential to help with seizures, anxiety, and potentially curbing other disorders such as anorexia

By 1998 the phrase “The Entourage Effect” was coined, suggesting that cannabis components rally around a centralized molecule (THC). This notion has since been debunked because the molecules work together like an ensemble inside of the ECS (endocannabinoid system). 

The Endocannabinoid System 

The human body comes fully equipped with a network of receptors called the Endocannabinoid System (ECS). These receptors in our body are called CB1 and CB2, and they are tied to our central and peripheral nervous systems. 

In other words, the ECS helps to regulate things like sleep, mood, immune response, and digestion. The Endocannabinoid System passes the effects of cannabinoids, flavonoids, and terpenes onto our CB1 and CB2 receptors which exist in the brain, muscle tissue, and organs. 

Freaky, but cool!

How Does The Ensemble Effect Work? 

Everyone knows the saying “Indica, in da couch..” That’s because the Indica cannabis strain is dominant in CBD, which is the cannabinoid that is responsible for making you relaxed.

The thing to remember about the ensemble effect is that you will need ⅔ different cannabis molecules in order to get the maximum benefit. Meaning, that if you smoke or eat something that is only made of CBD, it will not work as well as if it had the same amount of CBD with one little tiny bit of THC added into the mix. 

What is going on with these molecules?

Cannabinoids 

There are over 100 types of cannabinoids, THC and CBD just happen to be the most popular ones. Some of the other most well-known cannabinoids are:

• CBD 

CBD is the first cannabinoid to be included in an FDA-approved treatment for seizures. Also celebrated for treating anxiety and depression, CBD has made waves for people who are seeking a more natural approach to relief.

• CBG

CBG comes from young cannabis plants and also does not make you high like THC. More studies need to be done, but so far CBG has shown promising data that it could aid with inflammatory bowel disease, glaucoma, Huntington’s disease, and fighting cancerous cells. 

• CBN

CBN is slightly psychoactive but has been believed to show promise with the help of relieving the effects of Rheumatoid arthritis, seizures, Chrohn’s disease, and postoperative pain. 

• CBC 

Considered one of the “Big Six” main cannabinoids, CBC is believed to help with acne, cancer, brain inflammation, depression, 

Terpenes 

Terpenes are the part of any plant that gives off a fragrance. Found in the plant's sticky resin glands, terpenes affect your brain by stimulating receptors in your olfactory system. 

Smell is one of the most powerful of our senses and can result in psychological or physiological benefits. 

A good example is “pinene,” which helps with focus and feelings of alertness, and smells like pine! 

What if I Don’t Want to Get High?

Many people are not interested in the psychological effects of weed, but still experience pain that could be eased with the assistance of cannabis. 

Luckily, there are strains that are bred with this exact intention in mind. Strains that focus more on the CBD element, and only include the smallest amount of THC possible to help activate the full spectrum of CBD benefits. 

In Conclusion 

We live in the golden age of cannabis. It’s so easy to get the exact type of cannabis strain that can cater to your individual needs. 

Have fun discovering which “ensemble” you would like to be a part of. 

Flavonoids are vital to a plant's survival, and there is reason to think that flavonoids are good for people too! Studies show that flavonoids can help benefit the human body by: 

• Protecting cells from free radicals and damage (antioxidants)

• Fighting inflammation

• Improving cardiovascular function

• Treating infections 

• Narrowing the risk of cancer and diabetes

When a flavonoid occurs only in a cannabis plant it is called a “cannflavin.”

Cannflavins

There are only 3 cannflavins specific to weed (their names are Cannflavin A, B, and C), but they will not get you high. They do, however, have therapeutic benefits!

Cannflavins A and B are useful for helping to ease headaches, and more studies are being done to support that Cannflavins may be as good or better than aspirin because when combined with other cannabis compounds (CBD, THC, CHG, etc).

Cannflavins have been used to help with the treatment of pain and inflammation. 

There is still research to be done regarding these findings, but there has been significant reason to believe that flavonoids and cannflavins are naturally good for the human body; especially when they work in tandem with the other molecules in cannabis to form the entourage effect. 

The Entourage Effect 

The entourage effect refers to the event that occurs when all of the different parts of the cannabis plant work together on a molecular level within the human body.

In other words, when all the different elements of cannabis come together and help each other to be stronger, like the Power Rangers.

If you were to use an all CBD tincture for pain, it might help…a bit. But if you were to use a tincture with 15 parts CBD and 1 part THC, the CBD would work way better in the body because it has that little bit of THC helping to activate the molecular compound. 

Our bodies are equipped with a network of receptors that connect all of our nerves and organs, and then meet up in the brain. 

When we introduce several different molecular compounds like THC, CBD, CBG, terpenes, and flavonoids at the same time, our body gets an all-star combo of healthful benefits.

In Conclusion 

Plant medicine is amazing. The endocannabinoid system in the human body works perfectly in tandem with the different molecules of the cannabis plant and absorbs them into the body. 

Flavonoids are a very important piece in the cannabis puzzle that are non-psychoactive and great for treating inflammation, and helping with healthy brain function.

We live in an exciting time, as cannabis has been largely decriminalized around the United States, and what better way to celebrate than by incorporating some of the healthy benefits of cannabis into your routine. 

If anything, the additional bulky plant matter creates more fodder for fire, which makes for big, nasty, billowing, smokey hits. All of this additional smoke can be bad for your lungs, and the worst-case scenario can be linked to several long-term issues like respiratory problems, and lung disease.

Even though cannabis stems themselves do not contain anything psychoactive, there is still a place for cannabis stems in areas other than smoking—so save your stems, just don’t smoke them.

Preparing Your Stems

Before transforming the humble cannabis stem into something magical, start by dedicating a glass jar to storing the discarded stems from your cannabis hauls. Over time you will collect enough stems to take advantage of its delicious flavor and aroma. 

Before doing anything creative with your cannabis stems you must first activate the flavor by putting them through the process of decarboxylation. This is the same process that needs to be done with cannabis flower before it gets made into oils and butter for cooking. 

Decarboxylation is a fancy word that describes a relatively straightforward (but incredibly necessary) process of heating cannabis and hemp to activate the cannabinoids within its buds, trim, leaves, or kief. Without using heat to “toast” the plant matter, the psychoactive compounds we know and love would just pass through our bodies without effect.

How to Decarboxylate Cannabis and Cannabis Stems

Set your oven to 235 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Prepare a cookie sheet by measuring a length of parchment paper or aluminum foil that fits just so on the sheet, and doesn’t go over the edges. 

Now you can add your cannabis stems and cannabis flower. Be sure to break up the buds so that your cannabis doesn’t burn.

Bake slow and low for about 45 minutes. Check on your herbs about halfway through, or when you start to smell something cooking, to make sure that they don’t burn.

Alternative Uses For Stems 

• Cannabis Stem Tea - 

Some people enjoy the umami quality of the stems and like to make tea with this forgotten part of the plant. Cannabis stems are flavorful in a savory way—whatever flavor profile your nugs have, the stems will likely impart a similar taste. 

Using a metal tea ball (meant for steeping loose herbs), or a coffee filter and a rubber band, collect the decarboxylated bits of cannabis stems. Next, boil the water. Grab a mug, and then steep the cannabis stem tea in the hot water for 3-5 minutes. Feel free to throw in one of your favorite tea bags for additional flavor. 

And voila! Simply sip on your flavorful masterpiece and give yourself a pat on the back. 

• Cannabutter -

Often used as a butter substitute when baking edibles, cannabutter is a fantastic thing to keep on hand. Widely loved by cannachefs for its versatility and flavor, this infusion can even be used for cooking in your day-to-day life. 

Cannabutter is made by gently boiling decarbed cannabis and stems on the stovetop with butter until the fat in the butter absorbs the THC. Then, using a cheesecloth to strain the bits out, an infusion is born. 

• Body butters and oils -

There is a bevy of salves and creams on the market made from cannabis and hemp that are designed to topically relieve ailments by delivering some of the benefits of cannabis directly to pain spots.

Now, you can make your own cannabis-infused body butter on the stovetop. The key here is to cook the decarboxylated cannabis and stems in coconut oil instead of butter. You can make cannabis-infused coconut oil using the exact same method that you use to make cannabutter. 

Once you’ve prepared your coconut oil, mix it into your preferred lotion, shea, or coconut oil. You can also create your own blend using essential oils to give yourself an aromatherapeutic experience. 

Then, apply the product liberally wherever you feel pain. While doing so, give yourself a little bit of love. A massage is free if you give it to yourself.

In Conclusion 

There are plenty of creative ways that the not-so-potent cannabis stem of yesteryear can be used today. If you are feeling intimidated by the process of transforming cannabis stems, come by one of our JARS locations to speak with a specialist. You can always purchase similar products instead of making them yourself.