When you are thinking about road tripping to Vegas with your friends, you’re probably thinking about loading up on snacks, pit stops, and all the things you want to do when you get there. One thing to consider for your trip is planning your cannabis use when you get there.

 Planning Your Trip

The nearly five-hour drive to Vegas is one that can be a fun bonding experience with your friends, especially when great music and snacks are involved.

You can choose to hop on the 10 west or the 15 south, depending on which direction you are coming from. It’s always best to hit the road before rush hour traffic starts around 6 am or later on in the evening when it ends after 7 pm. Avoiding heavy traffic can cut a five-hour trip down to four hours, but also remember to drive safely!

Making sure your car is ready for the trip and you are fully stocked up on snacks are a must, but what about packing your cannabis with you?

While it may seem like a great idea to store your favorite flower or concentrate in your backseat, it’s 100% illegal to transport across state lines.

Unfortunately, this choice could lead to a misdemeanor or felony charge. But no worries–you’ll have plenty of options to make up for it when you get to your destination.

Hitting The Road

You’ve loaded all your friends in your car and you’ve checked that you have everything you need (don’t forget the sunblock as it gets extremely hot there). So what about stopping for the essentials during your drive?

Barstow is a famous pit stop on the way to meet lady luck. The quaint town is a good two-hour midpoint between Los Angeles and Vegas going both ways, with gas stations and fast food options to quickly refuel.

On the way to Barstow, think about taking a small detour and traveling up the historic route 66. Here is where you’ll take a step back in history from old diners to antique shops and even an ostrich farm. It’s not the easiest task to find the route, so try a website like this one if you are nervous about your GPS. Remember when you are driving that your phone service may go in and out, so having a map handy won’t hurt.

Places to Visit

You made it! Now what? You’re probably ready to head out with your friends, or relax a bit. Since cannabis use is legal in Las Vegas, there is a myriad of dispensary options for your taste.

Essence Vegas is located right across from the Stratosphere hotel at the southern end of the strip. The store boasts over 50 strains of flowers including topicals and concentrates. Guests can also enjoy a discounted Lyft ride using the code provided on their website.

The Apothecary Shoppe is also another highly rated location because it’s the only cannabis shop on the strip open 24/7. Guests can order online and pick up without hassle, just show your I.D. and you’re good to go.

Budtender by The Apothecary Shoppe – CC BY

Another cool dispensary to try is NuWu Cannabis, the only drive-thru shop in the city. They are also known for having one of the largest selections. If you are willing to venture away from the strip, this may be worth a try.

After consuming, you’ll be ready to get on with your stay. The beauty of Vegas is that it’s definitely not lacking in things to do. If you arrive at the city early in the morning, consider ziplining down the historic Fremont Street. At night, check out of the shows (J-Lo is performing!) before hitting the clubs or casino with friends.

Just remember, “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas”.

The post An Angeleno’s road trip guide to cannabis in Vegas. appeared first on Flowertown.

There’s a CBD product for nearly everything these days. From water to wine, brands have found a way to throw CBD into nearly any and everything.

With good reason, the compound has a number of health benefits that grow with every new study that comes out. Touted as one of the best anti-inflammatories found in nature with zero side effects, CBD can only improve the lives of those who consume it.

But what about our four-legged friends?

You want your beloved pet to have the happy and healthy life you do now, can CBD work the same miracles for them as with you?

While there have been numerous stories about pets getting sick because of THC – the psychoactive compound in cannabis – there has been none about anything related to CBD. Most companies who make pet-specific CBD products source from hemp anyway, so chances of THC coursing through Fido’s veins are slim.

Needless to say, the market has opened up.

In dogs, for example, CBD has been known to help with finicky appetites, aggressive behavior, and those who suffer from inflammation or seizures.

High-strung dogs that shake or bark excessively relax when CBD is implemented in their routine. Older dogs, especially, can benefit from CBD, as it can ease hip dysplasia, arthritis, and even symptoms of cancer.

Sound convinced yet? If you are but don’t know where to start, remember to go low and slow and work your way up to gauge how much your pet can handle.

Imperatively, it always helps to look online for what kinds of products fellow pet-owners have had success with. In the meantime, this list CBD pet products should help!

Just because Santa’s Little Helper gets all these treats doesn’t mean that they’re the only ones. As we said earlier, CBD is getting thrown into everything. But, as humans, we have the added benefit of being able to enjoy THC as well.

Take a look at some of our favorite edibles if you want to be able to give your pets a treat worth enjoying, and also one for yourself.

The post The best CBD products to help your pet appeared first on Flowertown.

You may already be well versed in all the benefits of the cannabis plant. Or you’ve heard about its medicinal qualities, and you are interested in giving it a try. You’ve even gone to the dispensary and made your purchase. Yet, you still feel unsure about where to begin.’

We are here to help. These tips can make your first experience with cannabis euphoric, relaxing, and unforgettable.

The Final Verdict

Keep your first adventure light and fun in a relaxing setting with enough time to let the cannabis run its course.

The post How to enjoy your first recreational cannabis experience appeared first on Flowertown.

Millions of women suffer from menstrual cramps, experiencing pain that can range from mild discomfort to debilitating pain that might interfere with work, life, and the general desire to do anything besides hug a heating pad and cry.

For most women staying in with a heating pad is not an option. We have to get up, grit our teeth, and keep functioning. And, doctors continue to downplay the severity of menstrual cramps, offering little more medical relief than popping a couple ibuprofen.

So it’s no wonder women have been self-treating their period pain with cannabis for centuries.

Marijuana has been known to provide pain relief and reduce inflammation as well as being an antispasmodic, and its applications for this particular condition are obvious.

With cannabis legalized to some extent in forty-six states and counting, the market is positively flooded with products designed to minimize or eliminate pain and get you back up and running. Here’s a look at the top six products that will tell your cramps to take a hike:

The post Relieve cramps with cannabis appeared first on Flowertown.

Let’s be honest, life moves pretty fast these days. Keeping up can leave us feeling drained and stressed. We’re tugged in so many directions. From work to home, just trying to get by and manage our calendars makes it hard to remember to schedule time for ourselves.

When you need a much-deserved break from the rat race, cannabis can be a great pairing with any of your favorite ways of kicking back and relaxing.

Here are five ideas to incorporate cannabis into that much-needed “you time” without the stereotypical lethargic and hazy effects.

The post Five ways to unwind appeared first on Flowertown.

This past Veteran’s Day, we took the time to be thankful for those who serve and all they’ve sacrificed for our country. One particular veteran, Ron Vineyard, is no stranger to that sacrifice and the perseverance it takes to be a vet.

In fact, living with HIV and the debilitating brain virus, progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (otherwise known as PML), he’s also no stranger to the everyday battles of life itself – and what it takes to get the most out of his.

But how does he do it?

With help from cannabis.

Nature’s pharmacy, right outside a national park

Ron lives just outside of Yosemite National Park, where he frequents a diner called The Forks. Most patrons are either locals to the small mountain town, which shares a zip code with one of America’s most prestigious parks, but many are passersby. Climbers, hikers, skiers, tourists on road trips.

While the benefits of using cannabis with HIV are well known – it can be a way to stimulate appetite or curb pain – it’s a lesser known reprieve for veterans (who may experience PTSD) and for those with PML (whose brains are under attack).

But in Ron’s case, it only proven beneficial.

I use cannabis when my medicine doesn’t really work.

Ron says from his patio outside of Yosemite. “When my feet are throbbing and everything. The effect did happen right away because I didn’t notice the pain in my feet. I was able to sleep.”

He goes on to explain how, “it wasn’t a build up or anything – it was almost immediate.”

One step at a time

Ron’s arrival to cannabis came from a friend with AIDs at San Francisco General. Cannabis was adopted early as part of their treatment program and Ron’s introduction – framed within the context of medicine – became something of an adaptogen. His first experience with cannabis was medically beneficial, almost apothecarian.

But, after a debilitating stroke caused by PML, he was worried that he may never be able to walk normally again.

While pharma may be the foundation of his medications, cannabis is the glue that holds it together. When the pills don’t work, the plant steps in.

He may have to rely on a cane, but Ron is still mobile, spry and inviting. Not only is he walking, but he often enjoys fishing and gardening and the gorgeous land that surrounds him.

Cannabis has been a source of productivity and freedom for him rather than something that initiates couchlock and the munchies. It’s a powerful plant that provides the relief necessary for him to “enjoy everyday activities.”

Because it’s often in our mundane that we find the most joy.

As with Mimi’s story, regaining the ability to walk the dog or hold your coffee cup can feel triumphant when faced with medical issues that rob you of the ability to perform some of the simplest tasks.

So, too, with Ron who just wants to be able to sit out, cast a line, and reflect on all the places he’s been, where he is, and and where he may be headed.

The post Cannabis success stories: Ron’s journey appeared first on Flowertown.